thornton37814's 2015 Reading - Thread 1

I plan to take the advice of this fortune for the past year during the first few days of 2015. I expect to get off to a slow start on the reading year because I'll be out of town for a few days. I may get a little reading accomplished, but I doubt it will be much. However, I hope to be able to resume a schedule that will yield a book or two every week after that. Hopefully I'll end up with at least 75.

I'll also be participating in the 2015 Category Challenge. If you see "category" in my posting, here is a key to help you figure those out:

This year's theme is Board Games, mainly of the variety that I played as a child growing up. If it's not an "old game," it didn't become a category.

Category 1: Hi Ho! Cherry-O = Books Borrowed from a Friend. (Just to explain - I never owned this game, but my neighbors across the street did. We played it a lot.)

Category 2: Scrabble = Library Books. (These can be physical books, e-books, or audiobooks. They just have to be borrowed from the library. I just wanted something that required the use of a reference book such as the dictionary for the library category.)

Category 3: Clue = Books I Own. (These will probably mostly be books that are already in my library, but I will allow any book that I purchase and read this next year in physical form or any book gifted to me which I read to be included. Clue was my favorite game growing up, and since mystery is also my favorite genre, it just kind of fits.)

Category 4: Operation = E-books. (Operation is about as close to an electronic game as we had back then, even if it was battery-operated, I think. These will be books on my Kindle or iPad. It will also include ARC e-galleys that I read, generally on my iPad.)

Category 5: Risk = Challenge Books. (These will be books I read for challenges such as the British Author Challenge or American Author Challenge. A lot of these are authors with whom I am not familiar, so I'm definitely taking a risk by reading them.)

Abandoned Books will go in a Sorry Category. I hope it doesn't get too full.

I wish my fellow 75ers a Happy New Year filled with lots of good reads.

Hi Lori, found you and drop . I wish you a fabulous reading year full of happiness.

*waves*

Hi, Lori! Happy vacationing!

Dropping a star, Lori.

Looking forward to seeing what you read in 2015!

Happy new 2015 Thread Lori!

What a great fortune! Hope you enjoy your beginning of the year break, Lori.

Welcome back!

>2 Ameise1: Thanks so much, Barbara.

>3 Samantha_kathy: I'm sure I will. I'll be visiting with my boyfriend.

>4 rosylibrarian: Waving back at you!

>5 Crazymamie: Thanks! I'm still dropping stars myself. Glad you found me.

>6 Kassilem: Actually, I'm looking forward to finding out what I read myself!

>7 leahbird: Happy New Year to you also! Will you be going to the Space Needle in Gatlinburg for New Years' Eve?

>8 Familyhistorian: I loved that fortune enough to take the photo! I will enjoy the few days I get to spend with my boyfriend before I have to head back to work.

>9 drneutron: Thanks, Jim! Thanks for setting it up for all of us.

Good luck with your reading goals this year!

A vacation sounds like the perfect way to start off the new year!

 

I definitely believe in taking a vacation!

Hi Lori! Glad you are getting a vacation to start the year! I will be happily following along again in 2015.

>11 thornton37814: I will be laying on my couch with my sister and my niece attempting to stay awake for the ball drop and probably not making it. ;)

Hi Lori! Enjoy your vacation! We're taking off for a few days before the kids have to go back to school. I'm hoping to begin the new year relaxed and ready to go!

>13 The_Hibernator: Since I'm not getting too specific with my goals, I should be able to do so.

>14 lkernagh: I think so too.

>15 majkia: Me too!

>16 Cobscook: Thanks.

>17 leahbird: I'll have no trouble staying awake until midnight. I just have to remember that I have to drive to Raleigh the next morning.

>18 porch_reader: Relaxed is a good way to begin the new year! Enjoy your time off.

I am trying not to definitively plan vacations next year as my plans fell sadly awry this one with work and family problems intervening negatively. Beyond a trip to England in August for my mum's 70th I am still very much in stages of early planning.

I will, needless to say, be popping in to your delightful thread as often as I am able in 2015, Lori. xx

>21 PaulCranswick: I don't know that this is a full-scale vacation, but it will be a few days away from home which doesn't involve caring for an aging parent. That's a vacation to me!

I can't believe how fast the 75 threads are filling up! It took me until today to get down to the T-s. Vacation! Cool! Hope you have a wonderful time and share your best pictures when you get back!

>23 countrylife: Since it's mainly spending time with my boyfriend, I'm not sure how many pictures we'll take. We're taking advantage of the days at the tail end of my Christmas break for a longer than usual get together.

Welcome back! I hope that 2015 is a very healthy year for you and yours! And, of course, I hope you have many wonderful books to read.

All good wishes!

>25 Whisper1: Thanks, Linda!

Hi Lori! The last of my three books turned up today. I am really looking forward to reading them. :)

I've dropped a star here and on your Category challenge. Love the board game theme. Especially the designation for abandoned books. lol

Happy New Year!

May all your wishes come true.

>27 nittnut: I'm glad all of your books finally made it. My accumulated mail was delivered today (instead of yesterday as it was supposed to have been) so I received my books also.

>28 Ameise1: Happy New Year, Barbara! We have a few hours to go. I think I'm all packed up for my trip in the morning.

Lori,



Happy New Year from your friend in Kuala Lumpur

Safe journey, Lori.

Happy New Year, Lori! Safe travels and enjoy your trip!

Jeez! It's only 11:00 and you already have 33 posts!

Happy New Year, Lori! May it be filled with fabulous!

Happy New Year, Lori - and have a good trip.

Happy New Year, Lori!

Happy New Year, Lori. :)

Lori, your Board Game category challenge is so creative! I'll enjoy following along.
I hope your vacation to start the year is fun and relaxing!

Wishing you all the best in 2015!!

>1 thornton37814: What a clever set of categories. I've starred you so I can stop by and see what clever titles fit into your games. I always enjoy seeing what you're up to, even if I don't jump in with a comment too often. Here's to a great New Year.

Hi Lori - Happy 2015!! Have a great vacation.

Lori, I wish you a fabulous weekend full of reading.

Happy New Year, Lori, and safe travels!

A *star* for you, Lori!

>31 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul! Hope yours was grand.

>32 Ameise1: I had a fairly stress-free trip there and back. Traffic was moving pretty well. It was heavier today than it was on the 1st, but it's okay.

>33 Carmenere: Thanks, Lynda. I enjoyed it very much.

>34 scvlad: It will definitely slow down! It's just the beginning of the year busy period.

>35 Crazymamie: Thanks.

>36 ctpress: It was a great trip.

>37 scaifea: >38 mitchma: Happy New Year a few days late to both of you.

>39 EBT1002: I just hope I find time to read a few things to fill the categories.

>40 ronincats: 2015 is great so far

>41 tututhefirst: You are always welcome to stop in, Tina. I get busy myself sometimes and don't manage to comment as often as I'd like.

>42 SuziQoregon: It was wonderful!

>43 Ameise1: Well, no reading done this weekend except for my daily Bible reading, but that's okay. I was with Jeff and having a great time!

>44 tymfos: Thanks, Terri.

>45 LauraBrook: Thanks. I always enjoy your thread too, even if I don't comment as often as I should.

Quick update. The only reading I've managed so far in 2015 is my daily Bible reading, but I'm caught up on that. I should be able to begin reading some books now that I'm home. I just enjoyed the time that Jeff and I got to be together those first few days of the year. I have to be at work tomorrow morning.

When I came home and texted Jeff to let him know I made it back, he told me that I might want to check my Facebook feed for an update on one of my brothers. They had found a mass on his colon back before the first of the year and had scheduled a colonoscopy for the 14th. However, his daughter took him to the VA Hospital today because the doctors told him to come in for tests since he was in so much pain and unable to eat or sleep. I'm still waiting on an update from her.

I also had another surprise when I got home. Apparently water pressure caused a pipe to burst that leads from the bathroom to my garage. I have water everywhere in the garage. I was planning to go through the garage and purge in the spring, but it looks like my water everywhere issue is going to force me to do it in the cold month of January. Fortunately the damage appears to be confined to my garage for the most part. I'll be calling the plumber as soon as the Provost gives me permission to skip the faculty meeting which we are required to attend. I'm hoping she'll at least let me call one and see how long it will be until he can arrive. I turned all the water to the house off. Fortunately, I have a camping toilet with liners. I've also got bottled water on hand, but still . . . I'd rather have indoor plumbing!

That's a double whammy to come home to, Lori. I hope things turn out well all round.

Bad timing with the terrible cold front were having, Lori! Hopefully it's quickly and cheaply fixed.

>51 thornton37814: Ugh, sorry to hear about your bad news on both fronts. Sending good vibes your way.

Oh no, Lori! Thinking of you.

I'm late to the party to drop a star- So sorry about the plumbing woes. At least you have access to the college Gym for showers?
I love your Board Game theme. Hope you get time to read when you are not waiting for the plumber.

You're in my thoughts

Yikes! Sorry about the broken water pipe. Hope it's getting sorted out and you didn't have too much damage.

I'm also dropping a star to follow on your journey this year.

I'm so sorry about your brother - that level of pain sounds awful. I'm a pray-er so I'll be praying.

and good thoughts for you on the water pipe and the awful job in the garage.

Oh dear, I'm so sorry to hear about all your issues. Sending you a lot of positive vibes and you're in my thoughts.

Happy New Year, Lori. I'm glad you had a pleasant start to the year before being plunged back into real life. Didn't you have water problems in the garage last year? A leaking water heater or something? Or was that someone else? In any case, I hope you're able to get a plumber out there quickly and get things taken care of. I think I might move to a hotel if I were faced with no water in the house. Ugh.

Hi Lori, sorry to hear about your brother and you flooding problems ... bleurgh.

Yay for time with Jeff!

>52 Familyhistorian: Thanks. It was definitely a double whammy. I think I'm glad Jeff kind of prepared me for the news on my brother.

>53 leahbird: Is plumbing ever cheap? LOL This is one of those cases where you wish that you had one in the family.

>54 rosylibrarian: Thank you.

>55 scaifea: Thanks, Amber.

>56 Helenoel: I'm still dropping stars myself. There's a girl's dorm right across from the library that had the "community baths" like most dorms used to have. It was handy. Glad you enjoy my theme. I hope I'll be plugging some books in before too long. Too much going on this week to do much reading. Too distracted!

>57 Kassilem: Thank you.

>58 nittnut: The water damage wasn't quite as bad as I had initially feared.

>59 streamsong: Thank you for the prayers. I'm still in the process of dropping stars too. I'm so far behind on threads. I'm just too distracted to check in much.

>60 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara.

>61 sjmccreary: It was a pipe to the hot water heater that was spewing like a fountain last year. When I was getting the plumber's number from an old message from the friend who had recommended him, I discovered it was May.

>62 AuntieClio: I'm quite thankful for the time with Jeff.

Hi Lori, I'm so sorry to hear about your pipes and especially your brother.

>67 AMQS: Thanks, Anne.

Here are my answers to the meme based on 2014 reads:

Describe yourself: The Girl of His Dreams

Describe how you feel: Love So Amazing

Describe where you currently live: Where Memories Lie

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion

Your favorite form of transportation: Killer Cruise

Your best friend is: Nora Webster

You and your friends are: The Forgotten Girls

What’s the weather like: The Summer Wind

You fear: The Curse of the Pharaohs

What is the best advice you have to give: Go Tell It on the Mountain

Thought for the day: Who's Picking Me Up from the Airport

How I would like to die: Out of the Blue

My soul’s present condition: The Ponder Heart

Eek! I somehow missed the bit about your brother and only got the broken pipe part. I am so sorry that your brother is not well. My FIL just finished a year of radiation and proton therapy for a mass around his heart. We are waiting to hear. It's tough.

>70 nittnut: It is hard, especially when you aren't really able to get away and have to rely on people who don't always convey the information accurately. His child that is best at passing along info is the one who is getting it from others himself because he lives most distantly. He plans to go down when they need him most, but he's waiting until he finds the course of treatment to apply for his leave time. Fortunately I finally got to my brother himself yesterday.

My brother has gotten even worse news (on his birthday, of all days). The cancer has spread to other organs. Chemotherapy will be the course of treatment.

Oh, Lori. I am so sorry.

>72 thornton37814: Sending you prayers. I am so sorry. *hugs*

>73 Crazymamie: Thanks.

>74 rosylibrarian: Thanks the for hugs and prayers.

That is hard news for your brother and your family. I'll keep you all in my thoughts. Hoping for a treatment and recovery that are easier and faster than anticipated.

>76 leahbird: Thanks, Leah.

Hugs and prayers for good outcomes for brother and pipes (Bro of course is much more important, so his prayers are at the top of the list.)

Oh, Lori, I'm so sorry. I'll keep you and your family in my thoughts.

>78 tututhefirst: Thanks. My brother is definitely the most important.

>79 scaifea: Thanks, Amber.

Thoughts and prayers for your brother and the whole family.

So sorry to hear about your brother. Your family's definitely in my thoughts & prayers.

I'm sorry Lori. I also have a brother, half-brother, in chemotherapy right now. Life really is not fair. You and your family are in my thoughts.

>81 sjmccreary: >82 bell7: Thanks for the thoughts and prayers.

>83 Kassilem: I will add your family to my prayers also.

Oh, Lori, I'm so sorry to hear about your brother. Sending you a lot of positive energies a good thoughts. Hugs xx

>85 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara.

>72 thornton37814: So sorry to hear this Lori. Prayers that the chemotherapy is effective and not too hard to tolerate.

1. Choosing Charleston by T. Lynn Ocean

Date Completed: 10 Jan 2015

Category: Operation

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #15: Read a book you acquired in 2014

Rating: 3 stars (probably closer to 2.75)

Review: Carly Stone comes home to discover her husband in bed with another woman. She leaves for her hometown of Charleston. She goes back to New York to her job as a mediator and soon finds her husband in the hot tub with the woman. She quits her job, donates his stuff to charity, arranges to have a friend sell her house, and leaves for Charleston permanently. Her father's business is threatened by a real estate development that will contain a mega hardware store. In spite of her hate for the developers, she finds herself attracted to the son. Grandma provides comic relief in this story. There's much more to it when Carly begins to try to stop the development and other things start happening. The plot is a bit far-fetched, but it's good for a non-demanding read that will occasionally put a smile on your face. The book needed additional grammatical editing in a few places.

The plumbing issue itself wasn't a very big one. It has been fixed. The water damage caused some problems with drywall and ceiling that will need to be addressed. Fortunately those should be covered by insurance so I'll be contacting my insurance company Monday to get an adjuster over and to get those issues addressed.

Oh dear, Lori. That is not good news concerning your brother. No wonder you are distracted. I hope his chemo treatments go well and do what they are supposed to do. The plumbing issues are an annoyance I'm sure you could do without at this time. I will be keeping you in my prayers.

>90 Donna828: It has been distracting. I can't keep my mind on things. While I was stuck here waiting on the plumber, I went ahead and started my Early Reviewer book (A Saintly Killing). I'm enjoying it, and I've made good progress. I probably won't finish tonight, but I should finish in the next couple of days. (Sundays are always busy for me with church activities.) I have 3 other books lined up to read after it. Then I need to go back to a couple of review titles I have from NetGalley. I've also got a non-fiction that I want to work in with these others. There's not much I can do about my brother except say prayers. He'll begin the chemo in a couple of weeks.

>88 thornton37814: Hey, look it is where I live - Charleston! I was just staring at that building this weekend.

>92 rosylibrarian: I used to live there in 2001-2003. I love it there!

Lori, I am so sorry to hear of your brother's health issues. Sending positive thoughts your way. I am sure it is extremely stressful. I am glad your plumbing issues are being taken care of. Hopefully that will be one less thing on your plate.

Lori, my brother is also in the midst of battling cancer--he's had three masses removed in the last two months and the doctors tell him it's only a matter of time before it crops up in his body again. Let's support each other.

>92 rosylibrarian: Charleston is one of my absolute favorite cities. I love meandering the streets of the historic district. The setting is really why I picked up the book when it was free or cheap on the Kindle.

>93 leahbird: Let's hear it for Charleston!

>94 Cobscook: Thanks, Heidi.

>95 ronincats: Let's do. I'll add your brother and you to my prayer list.

2. A Saintly Killing by Martha Ockley

Date Completed: 11 Jan 2015

Category: Clue

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #21: Read a book for discussion or review

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Faith Morgan is the vicar at Little Worthy in Hampshire and a former police officer. This installment of the series finds a woman commissioned to paint the church for its anniversary dead by apparent murder. Her friend Detective Ben Shorter leads the investigation. As Faith goes about her parish business, she discovers relevant information. In addition to the main story, Faith's mother is in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's Disease. There is some family business to be settled as decisions regarding her mother's future must be made. I enjoy this series. It is better written than much of the Christian fiction out there. It is more about village life, particularly as it relates to the church community, than something that becomes "preachy." I received this through LibraryThing Early Reviewers with the expectation that a review would be written.

>93 leahbird: >96 thornton37814: This is why we need an LT meet-up in Charleston!

>97 thornton37814: I'm showing that I have the first in this Faith Morgan series in "my library" but for the life of me I can't find it, and although it sounds familiar, I have no notes, no rating and defintely no review. SIGH. Sounds like a series I might enjoy if I ever get time to just read for fun.

>98 rosylibrarian: A Charleston meet-up sounds nice. Of course, there are times of the year that I just can't get away.

>99 tututhefirst: In some ways, it's similar to the Jan Karon books except that there is a mystery in them and the vicar is female and setting British. They are just fun reads. I'm glad I stumbled across them, although I honestly believe that I got all of the books through LT ER. I'd have to go back to check that out. This latest one was a quick read so you might be able to squeeze it in. I'll be downsizing my library soon so I'll have to see if I kept those earlier ones or not. I'm sure that I'll get rid of them in the downsizing if I haven't already.

>100 thornton37814: Sounds like they may be close to the Faith Fairchild mysteries -except that Faith is married to the vicar. It also reminds me of a much gentler version of the Claire Ferguson vicar character by Julia Spencer Fleming.

Hey, Lori
Haven't had a chance to read all through this first thread yet. Just glancing I saw your brother is having chemo. Prayers being said. And something about pipes. I'm trying to catch up but been sick myself since day after New Year's. Finally feeling about 75% better. Take care. Hope to talk/post later.

>102 mitchma: Yes. Thanks for the prayers for my brother. He's getting to come home today and will begin the chemo in about 2 weeks. I'm just waiting on the call from the insurance adjuster so I can officially get the damage in the garage repaired. I have a $1000 deductible, so it will end up being more expensive than I wish. The deductible could even be the entire repair cost, but there is a chance it could be up to ten times that much according to the carpenter who took a look. I guess we'll see.

3. Nocturnes: Five Stories of Music and Nightfall by Kazuo Ishiguro

Date Completed: 13 Jan 2015

Category: Risk

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #10: IOU challenge: Read a book by someone whose name ends in I, O, or U

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: This collection of short stories by Ishiguro is united by the theme of music. Two of the stories share characters; the others are stand-alones. As in most collections of this nature, some stories are more enjoyable than others. "Crooner" was probably the most enjoyable. "Nocturne" was the story with the same characters as "Crooner", but it was less enjoyable than the first. I also enjoyed "Malvern Hills" The stories read quickly and were overall a pleasant way to pass time.

4. The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers

Date Completed: 13 Jan 2015

Category: Risk

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #14: Read a book that has a "beginning" word in the title

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: This is a Southern coming-of-age story told through the eyes of a twelve-year-old who is to be in her brother's wedding and wishes to "stow away" on his honeymoon. Important characters were developed as they should have been and one gets a sense of how each relates to the main character of F. Jasmine. While I recognize the literary merit of the book, I felt a little dissatisfaction in the end with the overall story.

Hi Lori, its good to hear that you pipe issue was fixed. It would have been better to hear that your brother was on the mend as easily. I'm sending good wishes your way, keep strong.

Hi Lori. Thinking of you.
I read a different Carson McCullers this month and I sort of agree - I absolutely recognize the literary merit, but it was so depressing. I like a little light to shine in here and there...

Just a note to say I am holding your brother, you and family members in my prayers.

>106 Familyhistorian: Yes. It really was a valve instead of a pipe that caused the main issue, I suppose. Anyway the insurance adjuster came yesterday. I need to do inventory of the damage to personal items to send to him, but I should have a figure (and perhaps a check) next week of what they will pay. Then I can get the carpenter in to repair the other damage.

>107 nittnut: I thought about reading The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, but I couldn't resist the title of the one I did read. I think either of them would have been somewhat depressing.

>108 Whisper1: Thanks so much. Gary got to come home Tuesday evening (and yes, it was evening instead of afternoon). They inserted the port for the chemo Tuesday morning. The hold-up was some confusion about some x-rays the doctor had ordered that had been done earlier, but which someone thought had not. They held him for hours just to verify that. I guess that is the bureaucracy of the VA. Anyway, his chemo will begin in 2 to 3 weeks. They want to give his body a little time to heal from the procedures last week.

Hi Lori, stopping by just to assure myself that you were starred and you were.
Ugh, what a way for your brother to start the new year. Looks as if he's now on the road to wellness. Hope all goes well with the VA.

>110 Carmenere: Thanks. He says that the nurses and doctors were very nice while he was there. I think it's just a bureaucratic nightmare dealing with the VA.

Hi Lori - I will also add my thoughts and prayers for your brother (and you) - hope so much that the chemo will work.

Risk-books. A bold category - hope you'll have better experiences further on. I have bought The Member of the Wedding as an audiobook - but a few lukewarm reviews make me wonder.....

Hi, Lori. I'm joining the others who are offering thoughts and prayers for you and your family.

>112 ctpress: It's possible that it works better as an audiobook. I didn't really hate it, but it won't be a favorite. I often find that books that are somewhat like this are liked better when they are re-read. I also have to admit that I was pretty distracted by life when I was reading it.

>113 aktakukac: Thanks, Rachel.

Lori, I wish you a relaxed weekend.

>115 Ameise1: Thank you very much, Barbara. I'm going to have a bit of time relaxing. I need to go out and do some inventory of damage in the garage for the insurance company. I'm also concerned about my boyfriend's mom's health. He had to take her to the emergency room yesterday morning. It was 12 hours before she was finally admitted. It's a situation which could require surgery but which might correct itself. She's had these spells before so at least they now know what is causing them. It's times like these that I want the miles between us to disappear so I can be there to support him.

5. Sacred Marriage: What If God Designed Marriage to Make Us Holy More than to Make Us Happy? by Gary Thomas

Date Completed: 17 Jan 2015

Category: Clue

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #22: Read a book in which one of the author's names has 6 or more letters

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Thomas addresses the interdependence of one's relationship with God and the marriage relationship in this volume. He advocates that couples should be pointing each other in the direction of God as their relationship grows. He makes a lot of good points. The biggest problem with the book lies in the mechanics of writing. Thomas sometimes tries to make a story a point rather than an illustration for a point, particularly in the first portion of the book. The book has several grammatical problems which I found distracting. These should have been addressed in the editorial process. While the focuses are slightly different, I really preferred Timothy Keller's The Meaning of Marriage to this one. That is not to say that I did not benefit from Thomas' thoughts and views on the matter. In fact, I downloaded a NetGalley copy of the author's A Lifelong Love as I was reading this volume.

>111 thornton37814: Luck to your brother.

I worked for the VA for a while. It is a great place, full of great people, and the care vets get there is on the whole excellent (better than in most other US health systems, studies have shown). But the bureaucracy can be horrible. I hope they figure out this out one day ...

>116 thornton37814: Oh Lori, I'm so sorry to hear about your boyfriend's mother. My thoughts are with you and I keep my fingers crossed that she will recover soon.

>118 scvlad: Let's hope.

>119 Ameise1: Yes. We are praying that it will heal itself so that she doesn't have to undergo surgery. I will probably try to go over if they do decide to do surgery so he doesn't have to sit all that time alone. I'm sure that someone from their church would go, but I think it is important that I be with him if at all possible.

>120 thornton37814: Sure, Lori, It's very important that you could be around him. hugs xx

6. Family Album by Penelope Lively

Date Completed: 17 Jan 2015

Category: Risk

TIOLI Challenge Challenge #20 : Read a book by an author that has won the Booker Prize but not a book that won the Booker Prize

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Allersmead was once the home of a family with 6 children, husband, wife, and au pair. The novel is not told form the perspective of any singular person but instead alternates through various voices until we see a complete pictures of the family. There is even a secret that is known but not discussed. I loved the descriptions of the food and the moments in the kitchen which are quite prominent throughout the novel, but the writing style was a bit choppy for me although I realized that it was simply a literary style that does not work for me. It's a novel some will read and devour and others will abandon. Its short length makes it one that many will want to give a try.

I feel like a reading stalker, Lori. I recently finished The Member of the Wedding and am currently listening to Family Album. I guess those of us taking part in the American and British Author's Challenges will be crossing book paths quite a bit this year. Cool!

Interesting review on Sacred Marriage, Lori. I've also heard many good things on Timothy Keller's book on marriage. I haven't read him yet, but I got Walking with God through Pain and Suffering for Christmas - so that will be my first "Keller-book". Hopefully soon.

HI, Lori! I'm just getting to reading some of the horrible news you've been dealing with this month. I will keep your brother and your boyfriend's mother in my prayers. And I hope you get your garage dried out and fixed without too much hassle!

You are doing a great job meeting all of the challenges this month. I have not been able to get my hands on a Penelope Lively book yet.

Lori - adding my good thoughts to the others for your family and loved ones.

>123 Donna828: How interesting that we picked the same two. I really had a different one selected for Lively, but it wasn't on the shelf at the library even though it said it was "Available."

>124 ctpress: I hope you enjoy the Keller book. I really did like his The Meaning of Marriage when I read it last fall.

>125 tymfos: Thanks, Terri. I think it is one of those cases of "When it rains, it pours."

>126 Cobscook: I hope you'll be able to find a Lively book. I was fortunate that our library had several from which to choose, although not all of the ones that said they were available were on the shelf.

>127 SuziQoregon: Thanks!

Lori--Thanks for helping me find your thread. Starred now! Good luck with the garage and nice job on the reading challenges! Sending best wishes to you and all those in your circle.

>129 Berly: Thanks! I'm glad you found me!

Too bad you didn't like Family Album more. Here's wishing you a 5 star read for the next one.

I'm sorry to hear about the challenges you and your loved ones are having this year. My thoughts are with you.

>131 cammykitty: It was okay, just not great. I'm having fun with the next one because I picked a cozy. It may not be a 5 star read, but it is fun reading.

>132 Morphidae: Thanks, Morphy. I know you've faced some of those challenges too.

7. Lending a Paw by Laurie Cass

Date Completed: 23 Jan 2015

Category: Clue

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #15: Read a book you acquired in 2014

Rating: 4 stars

Review: This first installment of a cozy series featuring a librarian, Minnie Hamilton, who drives a bookmobile as part of her responsibilities and the stray cat Eddie who adopted her is a fun read. Eddie stows away on the bookmobile's first run. He makes an escape from the bookmobile. Minnie follows him to an old abandoned farmhouse where she finds the body of the donor responsible for the bookmobile. Minnie is afraid the detectives are focusing on the wrong suspects and promises her friend and fellow library worker that she'll investigate. The author does a good job of creating several viable suspects with motives. The characters in the little Michigan resort town by the lake are likeable and developed. This particular installment featured a little bit of genealogical research which I also enjoyed. I look forward to reading future installments in the series.

P.S. Thanks to my Secret Santa from SantaThing for this one!

8. Polish Classic Recipes by Laura Zeranski and Peter Zeranski

Date Completed: 23 Jan 2015

Category: Scrabble

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #10: IOU challenge: Read a book by someone whose name ends in I, O, or U

Rating: 4 stars

Review: While not a large cookbook, this one offers some classic Polish recipes (along with their English and Polish names). The recipes are arranged in five broad categories: appetizers and salads, soups and soup garnishes, entrees and side dishes, pierogi, and sweets and pastries. The photographs of the food add to the book's appeal. The recipes that I'm most likely to use are mostly from the pierogi and sweets and pastries categories although there is a chilled fruit soup recipe that also caught my eye. I borrowed this book from the library, but it is one that I would enjoy owning.

Note: I don't need any more cookbooks. I'm going to have to downsize my cookbook collection as it is. Therefore, unless I find this book at a deep discount at a library booksale or used bookstore, I'm not likely to buy it. Fortunately, it is skinny enough that I can hopefully squeeze it in on a shelf somewhere if I do acquire it.

>134 thornton37814: Hmm, that one looks quite interesting. A bookmobile mystery? Adding to the Maybe collection!

>136 Morphidae: I found it a fun read! Definitely what I needed at the moment.

9. The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami

Date Completed: 24 Jan 2015

Category: Scrabble

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #10: IOU challenge: Read a book by someone whose name ends in I, O, or U

Rating: 3 stars

Review: This is a very unusual story about a boy who goes to the library seeking information on taxes in the Ottoman empire. Instead he has a nightmarish experience and ends up a prisoner at the hands of an old man with some strange companions. It's not my typical genre, and I'm not sure that I even understood what Murakami intended. I do not think I would encourage children or young teens to read this because they might find a reason not to visit their own public libraries. The book does have interesting illustrations. The format of the book, with fold-up flap covers, is quite unusual as well. It's a quick read, demanding less than 30 minutes of one's time.

Prayers from the midwest joining others for your loved ones. I hope you've heard good news about your boyfriend's mother by now, and that the chemo will yield good results for your brother.

>139 countrylife: My boyfriend's mom is slowly improving. We are hoping that they will be removing the IV and beginning the liquid diet today. (He's been tied up with stuff at church since he went to visit so I haven't heard yet.) Thanks for the prayers for my brother.

>111 thornton37814: RE: VA - I'm about to find out, Lori! My mom is eligible for Veteran's benefits for the homebound and I'm about to submit her application. This should be interesting.

Still sending good thoughts....!

>141 Carmenere: Good luck to you.

>142 Berly: Thanks. My boyfriend's mom had a setback this morning. The incision had become infected. They have her stabilized now. She's going to end up being in the hospital longer than they told us following surgery.

So sorry! Hopefully that will clear up quickly.

Sending healing thoughts for your loved ones. Its so difficult to face family health problems.

>144 Berly: Thanks.

>145 Cobscook: It really is.

Quick update on my brother: He begins chemo tomorrow morning.

Quick update on my boyfriend's mother: Last night they expected her to go home tomorrow. Jeff got a call from his mom this morning before he got to the hospital saying they were going to release her today! She's still got a lot of recovery to do at home, but at least she'll be home.

Lori, I'm glad to hear that there are some good news.
Thinking of you.

Finters crossed that the news continues on the positive slope.

Finally, some good news. Hope it is a trend.

>148 Ameise1: Thanks.

>149 tututhefirst: Yes - positive is good.

>150 Berly: I hope so too!

I am glad to hear good news about Jeff's mother. It's funny, you are never quite prepared for what a hospital is going to do. At least that has been my experience.

Happy to hear that your bf's mother is better. I hope she recovers quickly. I am sure she will be glad to be home.

>117 thornton37814: Great review. My husband and I are attending a "Strengthening Your Marriage" course at our church, and one of the things they talk about is that a marriage is like a triangle - husband and wife at either end at the bottom and God at the top and as the husband and wife individually get closer to God, they get closer to each other. I like that image.

Nice to hear your good news, Lori.

I like the triangle imagery, Jenn! Another one that puts it in perspective for me is marriage as a three-stranded cord.

Yeah for good news! Wishing a speedy and complete recovery for both.
>153 nittnut: The triangle is a great image.

>152 Familyhistorian: Yes. The ways of hospitals can be very incomprehensible at times. I think it is because so much is dictated by insurance companies.

>153 nittnut: I remember studying the triangle concept back in my marriage and family course that I took way back in undergraduate days and also in some of the counseling courses in seminary. It is a great analogy. This author doesn't really necessarily use the triangle analogy, but I would say he would support that concept. I wonder if he did not use the analogy because of the connotations of the phrase "love triangle."

>154 countrylife: That three-stranded cord approach is often talked about in the wedding ceremony by pastors.

>155 Carmenere: Jeff said his mom had a good night last night and ate pretty good for breakfast. She still can't eat as much as before the surgery, but she's making progress.

>156 thornton37814: I don't think it is the insurance companies. Our hospitals' ways are also incomprehensible and there are no insurance companies involved.

>156 thornton37814: Uh yes. Let's do avoid the "love triangle". Both in literature and RL. Lol

>157 Familyhistorian: It's hard to say. I just know that they didn't move her as far along the recovery process, specifically in regards to diet, as they had said they would do before releasing her. I guess they decided she was okay. Fortunately she seems to be doing okay.

>158 nittnut: Yes, it is probably best.

10. Day of Vengeance by Jeanne M. Dams

Date Completed: 29 Jan 2015

Category: Scrabble

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #7: Read a book which is at least the 15th book in a series

Rating: 2.5 stars

Review: Sherebury is in search of a new Bishop. Alan is on the search committee. One of the candidates turns up dead. Dorothy, of course, feels the need to investigate. This is approached by visiting the parishes of the remaining candidates and conducting informal interviews with them. They turn up some irregularities, bring others into the investigation, and eventually solve the crime. I was excited to see that Dams was returning the series to Sherebury although a great deal of the action takes place in other locations throughout England. I was disappointed in the mystery itself. This series has just not been the same since Alan retired from the police force. This is probably the last installment I will read even if the series continues. The last three installments have not been worth reading. It's time to move on.

Our annual blind date with a book display:

My brother's first chemo treatment did not really go as planned. They could not get the port to work and ended up delivering it intravenously. He had been home about 5 minutes when the hospital called and told him to come back. They'd taken a look at an x-ray they had taken and determined he had a partially collapsed lung. The pulmonologist believes it was punctured as they were fiddling with the port earlier in the day. He's in the hospital, but it does look like they are succeeding in the repair process. If he continues to make the progress, he may be able to go home tomorrow.

Oh Lori, I'm so sorry to hear about your brother's incident. I keep my fingers crossed that he can go home soon. xx

>162 thornton37814: Sorry to hear about the setback. Keeping you all in my prayers.

>163 Ameise1: We are too.

>164 rosylibrarian: Thanks for the prayers.

Wow. Rough start for your brother. Hope things improve!

Lori, we both have brothers battling cancer right now. Mine's under radiation for the brain tumors before starting chemo for the others, for another week. Hang in there, sister.

I just have this to say about your brother Lori, "S&*t"

Lori, I wish you a lovely weekend.

>168 AuntieClio: Yeah, I agree. I know stuff happens sometimes, but, man, that sucks.

Hey!...thanks for pointing me here.
So sorry about the tough start to the year with your brother and the garage.
I enjoyed skimming through your book reviews.

>166 Berly: It was a rough start.

>167 ronincats: Yes. I've got you and your brother on my prayer list, Roni.

>168 AuntieClio: It is bad.

>169 Ameise1: I love the kitty so much. It reminds me of how much Brumley loved looking outside at the snow in cold weather.

>170 drneutron: Jim - Sometimes we don't understand why things like this happen.

>171 tangledthread: Thanks for stopping in. It has been a nightmarish start to the year, although I'll admit that until I got home and found the garage problem and had the text telling me there was an update on my brother, I had almost a full 5 days of a perfectly good start to the year.

11. In the Dead of Winter by Nancy Mehl

Date Completed: 31 Jan 2015

Category: Scrabble

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #18: Read a book that includes a word or phrase in title or name that puts you in mind of the season

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Ivy Towers returns to Winter Break, Kansas to handle arrangements after her great aunt's death under suspicious circumstances. She's going by "Sam" now, but she'll always be known as Ivy to the residents of the small town. Her great aunt has left everything to her except for a few token gifts intended for friends. As Ivy struggles to decide what to do with the bookstore before going back for her final semester of college, she finds herself helping the deputy sheriff investigate her aunt's death. She also finds herself drawn to a Denver bookseller and to the deputy. I appreciated the manner in which the author wove Christian faith into the novel without making it overly preachy. The conversations about faith seemed to flow naturally rather than being contrived to include in the plot. While it is not great literature, it is an enjoyable read. There are not a lot of cozy Christian mysteries out there, and this one's quality is similar to many of the more enjoyable mainstream cozies. I'm not certain if later installments are available at my library, but I think I would enjoy another visit to Winter Break to see how Ivy's life progresses.

12. Square Meals: America's Favorite Comfort Food Cookbook by Jane Stern and Michael Stern

Date Completed: 31 Jan 2015

Category: Scrabble

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #22: Read a book in which one of the author's names has 6 or more letters

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Authors Jane and Michael Stern have spent hours combing through old cookbooks to locate recipes that remind us of a certain time and place from our past. The recipes are generally from cookbooks from the 1920s to 1950s and take us back to the foods that provided comfort. Each chapter is prefaced with a discussion that is certain to please most lovers of culinary books. Having lived in Cincinnati for a number of years, I was delighted to find a recipe for Cincinnati style chili that I'm going to have to try, even though I have several other recipes for it and can purchase Skyline chili in both canned and frozen forms where I reside. There are some classic recipes that have become a definite part of American culture. For example, the authors include recipes for Chex snack mix and for Rice Krispie treats, although they call them by different names that may have been used when the recipes were first published on the boxes. I chose to read this one from the library, but I enjoyed it so much that I may have to purchase a copy anyway. I enjoyed the old photos and graphics, but I would have loved it if there had been color photographs of some of the photos. The entire book has a "vintage" feeling, and I suppose those color photos would be out of date, but it might help today's readers get a better idea of the foods if they were not part of their region's or family's cuisine.

I made a big crock pot full of chili today. Yum!

I found this recipe for S'more Bars in a jar when I was looking for some jar gifts to use at Christmas. I made a batch myself today.

Finally getting caught up and dropping a star, Lori.

I'm so sorry to read about your brother's health struggles. Please take care. Hugs.

>177 thornton37814: Looks good. I don't suppose you could go wrong with anything s'more-inspired.

>178 DorsVenabili: I had a chocolate craving so that satisfied it.

13. The World Before Us by Aislinn Hunter

Date Completed: 1 Feb 2015

Category: Operation

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #16: Read a book with the letter U, V, or W in the title

Rating: 2 stars

Review: This is a story of 3 time periods. In the present, Jane Standen is an archivist working at a struggling museum. About 20 years previously, a girl in her care became lost in the woods, never to be found. About a hundred years earlier, the same land was home to an asylum where another girl went missing. There is connection between the parts, and I'm certain there are persons who will appreciate this book far more than I did. I found parts of the narrative to read more like non-fiction than the fictional account that they were. It simply did not flow well for the type of book that it was. The other problem with the book is the lack of resolution. It leaves the reader conflicted. There are readers who appreciate books that capture the fact that not everything in life is going to be settled. This is a book for that type of reader. This review is based on an advance review e-galley provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Oh my. S'mores in a jar!

I just finished Gilead over the weekend. I loved it so much! It's a keeper for sure. Such a sweet and peaceful book, and full of beautiful thoughts. You can choose books for me anytime. :)

>181 nittnut: Gilead was definitely a winner! The S'mores were quite tasty.

14. A Lifelong Love by Gary Thomas

Date Completed: 1 Feb 2015

Category: Operation

TIOLI Challenge: ?? (will check later to try to find a fit)

Rating: 3 stars

Review: This book is more or less a book for couples who are already married and having difficulties. There are some questions for discussion and reflection at the end of each chapter. Its tone is quite a bit different--more practical and less philosophical--than his seminal work Sacred Marriage. Persons who are just beginning the marriage journey will be better served by his earlier work. This one is recommended for Christian couples who are unhappy in their marriage as it may assist in resolving some of the issues that are keeping you from love. This review is based on an e-galley provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review.

Not the news I was hoping to hear about your brother. Thank goodness they figured out the problem and got right back on it. If I recall correctly, he doesn't live in your vicinity and you have to rely on family members for updates. Does he have a lot of family close by for support as he goes along?

>184 countrylife: His wife and two of his three children are nearby. My other brother is a couple hours away. He's also got support of a lot of people from church. As of last night, he is still in the hospital. They had actually told him on Friday he might go home Saturday, so we are really hoping tomorrow (Monday) is the day.

Checking in and continuing to keep you and your family in my thoughts.

I am still not 100% sure what S'mores are but hey, if it is something that can be made in a jar and includes chocolate, I'm in! Great reviews. Nothing snagged me except for the Square Meals book, but with my love of food and all, probably not all that surprising that one caught my interest. ;-)

>186 lkernagh: Oh, Lori, S'mores are a classic American treat. My first taste of them was probably at a Girl Scout camp. Usually they are made of Graham Crackers, Hersheys Bars, and Toasted Marshmallows. At Girl Scout camp, those marshmallows were toasted over an open fire. The jar version adds a little brown sugar and uses Teddy Grahams instead of graham crackers. It also uses chocolate chips instead of the Hershey Bars and miniature marshmallows instead of the full-blown thing.

Update on my brother: He's at home finally!

Yeah for bro!!! hope he continues to do well now that he can be home in a comfortable setting.

>189 tututhefirst: So do I!

Yay!! Good news. Hope it stays that way.

Good to hear, Lori. You and your brother are in my prayers as well.

>191 Berly: Yes!

>192 ronincats: Thanks!

15. Library Lily by Gillian Shields

Date Completed: 5 Feb 2015

Category: Scrabble

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #8: Read a book with something you could love in the title

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Lily loves to read. Efforts to get her to "have fun" like other girls failed until she met Milly in a park. Each girl shared her interests with the other. The illustrations by Francesca Chessa add a lot to the book. It's one that will be savored by book lovers. This book was published by a Christian publisher; however, there is nothing in it which makes it a Christian book. It's just a nice book that can be enjoyed by any child (or adult).

I am going "missing in action" for a few days. I should be back here either Monday night or Tuesday, but it may take a few days to catch up on everyone's threads. I plan to savor every moment that I get to spend with my "Valentine" even if we are celebrating a weekend early.

Hi Lori

I'm simply stopping by to learn of any updates. I continue to hold your family in prayers. It sounds like 2015 did not get off on the best track. Here's hoping that soon all will be right.

>195 thornton37814: I think it sounds like you are going be IN action!! Wink, wink. Have fun with your Valentine. : )

Happy Early Valentine's Day, Lori, to you and your sweetheart!

>195 thornton37814: Enjoy your weekend together!

Have a wonderful weekend, Lori!

>196 Whisper1: Well, the month of February seems to be off to a better start.

>197 Berly: We enjoyed our visit.

>198 scaifea: Thanks, Amber! I miss him already.

>199 rosylibrarian: We did.

>200 lkernagh: Wonderful weekend. I am mostly back in Tennessee now, but I did manage to leave my heart in Raleigh.

Sounds like the weekend was perfect!

>202 lkernagh: It was nearly perfect. However, someone stole hours from the weekend because it wasn't nearly long enough!

The best weekends are always too short!

Hi Lori, just catching up on your thread finally. Sounds like a rough start to the year and my thoughts are with your brother, what a tough time he has been having, I just hope he continues to get the best care. Great that you've just had a weekend away.

I'm so glad that you had a fantastic weekend, Lori. Indeed, time is always short when we enjoy something.

>204 Familyhistorian: All weekends are too short!

>205 avatiakh: Yes. Thanks for the thoughts for my brother. He will be going for some bloodwork tomorrow. It's mainly to analyze whether they gave him the right amount of chemo on the first round. Apparently they can reduce it up to 25% but don't want to do so unless it is necessary.

>206 Ameise1: It really is.

16. Daisy Miller by Henry James

Date Completed: 6 Feb 2015

Category: Risk

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #8: Read a book with something you could love in the title

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Winterbourne happens upon a young boy and his older sister, Daisy Miller, in Switzerland. She's a terrible flirt. Both parties end up in Italy where Daisy's infatuation with an Italian man is gaining her an unfavorable reputation. Daisy's mother doesn't act very grown up. Her little brother is more than a little pesky. Winterbourne doesn't act as you would expect him. This novella has characters that are developed but that do not appeal much to 21st century readers. The lead character is particularly annoying. I listened to the Overdrive audio version of this book which was well-done. I read the book several years ago, and my reaction to the book and its characters this time seems to be the same as I remember from the reading of it then.

I agree about Daisy Miller which I read in December. Not really an appealing or relevant tale to today's readership, Lori.

So behind on threads and reading. I decided to run for Chancery Clerk here in Chickasaw County. Election is August 4th. Probably won't have time to read or post as much as I'd like, but know that you are in my thoughts and prayers whether I'm posting or not. Take care. Have a good day. :)

>209 PaulCranswick: I've posted in comments on other threads that I wonder if the issues I have with the book are because of the time in which we live. I wonder how I might have felt if I'd been living in a more contemporaneous era.

>210 mitchma: Good luck! I have an old classmate who is running for CC in Pike County. As a genealogist, it's always good to have an "in" with the chancery clerk's office. Hope the election works out for you!

17. Walking a Literary Labyrinth: A Spirituality of Reading by Nancy M. Malone

Date Completed: 11 Feb 2015

Category: Scrabble

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #22 : Read a book whose opening line is a question

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Malone enjoys reading and views it as a spiritual act. She shares some of her thoughts on how reading is used for spiritual reflection, even sharing thoughts on how erotic literature (not pornographic) can also fill that need, citing the Song of Solomon as the biblical precedent. Malone was an Ursuline nun who, at the time of the writing of the book, was living away from the convent. Malone does share a short annotated list of books that have been meaningful for her. This is a quick read that book lovers may enjoy.

I know several of my friends like children's books. Some of my friends on Facebook were raving about The Green Ember which is free for Kindle at the moment.

18. The Cornish Coast Murder by John Bude

Date Completed: 13 Feb 2015

Category: Scrabble

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #16: Read a book with the letter U, V, or W in the title

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Julius Tregarthan is found dead in his own home. Initially investigators believe that the shots may have been fired from a path outside the window; however, the vicar has a differing view. Suspects include his niece Ruth who discovered the body as well as many other village persons. There are a couple of misleading clues which may throw some readers "off the scent" of the real murderer, but a confession is finally obtained by the Inspector. I enjoyed the setting of this novel and some of the elements, but I did not find it particularly stimulating.

>214 thornton37814: I haven't heard of that one before, Lori. Love the locale but it looks that there wasn't too much else to recommend it.

Have a lovely weekend. xx

>215 PaulCranswick: Paul, It's not horrible, but it's one of those "Golden Age" mysteries that just doesn't quite "cut it" as much today.

So glad your brother's lung problem was fixed. He's had more than his share of ill health and I wish him all the best. I hope your early Valentine's weekend was a success. We just came home from home-made pizza night at my son's house. Heart-shaped, of course! I am going to give those S'mores in a jar a whirl. I'm sure the grandkids will love them. Me, too! Thanks, Lori.

>217 Donna828: Thanks. Hope you enjoy!

Happy Sunday, Lori.

>219 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara. It's a cold one. It was in the single digits (Fahrenheit) when I left for church this morning. We're supposed to get 4-7 inches of snow tomorrow, but some models are showing us in a range that is getting a foot of snow. We're just waiting to see how much, if any, we actually get.

Abandoned Book Alert



Double Booked for Death by Ali Brandon

Date: 16 Feb 2015

Category: Sorry

Comments: I just could not get into this book. The characters did not grab me. There were hints of more paranormal elements than I wanted to read. I invoked the "Pearl rule." I've got too many other books I want to read to waste additional time on this one.

19. Praying with Paul: A Call to Spiritual Reformation by D. A. Carson

Date Completed: 16 Feb 2015

Category: Operation

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #16: Read a book with the letter U, V, or W in the title

Rating: 4 stars

Review: D. A. Carson has updated his 1992 work A Call to Spiritual Reformation. He explores Paul's prayers and offers insights for modern readers and how they should be praying. The book should appeal to those in ministry as well as to many laypersons in the church. There are questions at the end of each chapter which lend themselves well to group discussions for small groups. The book is well-indexed. This review is based on an advance readers copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.

20. Biocode: The New Age of Genomics by Dawn Field and Neil Davies

Date Completed: 16 Feb 2015

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #5: Read a book with a number in the first sentence

Rating: 4 stars

Review: As someone who has a very strong interest in genetic genealogy, I wanted to find a readable book that gave me a larger overview of the genomics field. This work by Field and Davies was an excellent, highly accessible book. It offered insights into how the field of genomics is being used in humans, animals, and even the environment. Those of us familiar with genetic genealogy will recognize mentions of the work of 23andMe, National Geographic's Genographic Project, and Family Tree DNA. The book also reports on a few other projects which primarily serve non-English speaking population groups. The authors also ventured into speculation of what may result in the future as a result of genomics research, even venturing to guess that there might be an online dating service based on matching compatible genomes. While the book may use a little more jargon than a person with absolutely no background in genetics might have, it was highly readable for those of us with a "hobbyist knowledge." It is well-researched, citing a number of genetics studies. This review is based on an advance readers copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.

21. The New Rules for Love, Sex, and Dating by Andy Stanley

Date Completed: 16 Feb 2015

Category: Operation

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #16: Read a book with the letter U, V, or W in the title

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Stanley's work is a good introduction to dating and love for teens and young adults. He addresses these topics that seem to be neglected or perverted by today's culture from a Biblical perspective. The book is designed primarily to accompany a DVD series to which I did not have access. It would probably be very useful in church youth groups or small groups for the youth or young adult singles. While the book could be useful beyond church circles, it will probably not enjoy much popularity beyond them. This review is based on an advance reading copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

>223 thornton37814: Book Bullet!

>225 Kassilem: Hope you enjoy it. It will be released in May, I believe.

Hi, Lori! I pray that your brother's chemo will progress more smoothly now, with the lung issue resolved. Glad to hear that he's home!

>134 thornton37814: That one sounds like fun!

>227 tymfos: Thanks for the thoughts on my brother. He's getting his second round of chemo today. I hope to hear something from him this evening. That book was fun. You never know if you'll like a new series or not until you give it a try. Fortunately that one was good.

Blackberry cobbler, anyone?

That blackberry cobbler looks gorgeous. Although we are snowed in, and I've used up the last of our frozen berries from last summer, we decided to break out the Marks and Spencer fruitcake my daughter brought us from London. Must go put the kettle on for a good tea to go with. Bon appetit!

>230 tututhefirst: I've been cooking too much while I'm snowed in. I have brownies that I made last night, and now I made the cobbler tonight. I had my choice of peaches, blackberries, or mixed berries. I think I had blueberries too, but I generally use those for muffins.

Oh dear. I cook when we have a hurricane headed our way. I do remember being snowed in... Aeons ago....

Hi Lori! Finally delurking. I've actually been hanging out since the beginning of the year and following along with your reads.

Yum...your baking looks delicious. I have no talent in the area, so I'll just live vicariously through your thread. :)

Blackberry cobbler looks wonderful! Also, I'm very impressed by all the reading you're doing in the midst of serious distractions. Wish more of them were really grabbing you though.

>232 majkia: Might as well cook before the hurricane arrives!

>233 jolerie: I've been on a roll with being snowed in.

>234 RebaRelishesReading: I may be so distracted by other things that nothing is grabbing me. I think the non-fiction and light reading stuff is what I'm enjoying most.

22. Winter at the Door by Sarah Graves

Date Completed: 19 Feb 2015

Category: Clue

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #1: Read a book with a "cold" word in the title

Rating: 2.5 stars

Review: Lizzie Snow takes a job in Bearkill, Maine. She's hired by the sheriff because of her experience as a homicide detective in Boston. She has ties to a state officer who is working in the area and has recommended her. The sheriff is suspicious of the deaths of several retired or former police officers in the area. Although all have been ruled accidental or suicide, there's just too much coincidence for him. There are also some missing persons and Lizzie's real reason for taking the Bearkill job, her missing niece. Most of the townspeople are unlikeable and/or annoying. The story has a dark edge and the root of the problem is drug trafficking, specifically meth. This is not my type of mystery. I found the story itself to be disjointed in places. I'll skip future installments. This book was received through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program in exchange for a review.

Blackberry Cobbler?! I'll be right over...

>237 scaifea: There is plenty leftover.

>236 thornton37814: I got this one from ER also. I have another ER book to read first. Usually I enjoy this series so I'll have to see how this one stacks up. Thanks for hiding the spoiler.

>239 tututhefirst: The spoiler doesn't really give away too much, but it is a bit more than I'd want to know if I had not read the book. I just wanted to explain why I didn't like it so much. You may enjoy it more than I did as there are plenty of other reviewers who did.

23. Second Street Station by Lawrence H. Levy

Date Completed: 20 Feb 2015

Category: Operation

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #12: Read A Book With a Three Word Title but the first word cannot be "The"

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Mary Handley, an out-of-work sweat shop employee, is hired as the first female detective by the New York Police department when Charles Goodrich is murdered. The plot includes a "who's who" of the 19th century with Thomas Edison, J. P. Morgan, Nikola Tesla, and George Westinghouse being important in the plot. Even the Pembertons of Atlanta Coca-Cola fame make appearances. Despite the implausibility of the plot, it was entertaining, at least after the opening few chapters, and kept me interested in the outcome. Many of the minor characters seemed to be a little more fully developed than the Mary herself was. Historical mystery fans who enjoy real-life characters inserted in the plot will enjoy this one. This review is based on an advance uncorrected proof e-galley provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.

I like concept of the story for Second Street Station. I don't mind implausible plots when there is a "who's who" list of characters to enjoy. ;-)

.... which reminds me I am behind on reading both LTER and NetGalley books. I think I will plan for a reading weekend.

>242 lkernagh: It was still enjoyable in spite of the implausible plot. I only have one more NetGalley book on my e-reader. I'm alternating it with one from Carrie's (cbl_tn) books I have here to read. Right now the one from her collection is winning on number of pages read.

We have about 4 inches of new snow today. They were predicting more ice than snow, but I'm thankful that we got more snow than ice.

24. All the Crazy Winters by Deborah Adams

Date Completed: 21 Feb 2015

Category: Hi Ho! Cheery-O

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #1: Read a book with a "cold" word in the title

Rating: 3 stars

Review: In Jesus Creek, Tennessee, something is amiss. First the home of Oliver who has recently written a genealogical/historical profile of the town goes up in flames. It is ruled arson. Then the library is found ransacked, and even worse, the librarian is dead. All of this occurred on the same night in a town which normally has nothing eventful happen. Delia Cannon, a local genealogist and life-time resident, knows that they cannot be coincidental. So does the local police chief, Reg. Although the plot is not without flaws, it is a fun and quick read. As I was reading the novel, I realized how much the worlds of genealogy and book publishing have changed since the book appeared in print in 1992.

25. Romancing Your Better Half by Rick Johnson

Date Completed: 21 Feb 2015

Category: Operation

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #16: Read a book with the letter U, V, or W in the title

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Johnson has written a book to help marriages, particularly newer ones, survive and thrive. When I first began reading the book, I had the impression that the book was pretty negative. Everything seemed to involve things "not to do" rather than focusing on what to do. As I got a few chapters into the book, this began to change. As the book became more optimistic, I began to enjoy it more. Johnson seems to quote heavily from other authors on the topic. I saw similarities to Willard Harley's His Needs, Her Needs and Gary Chapman's The Five Love Languages that I read in a graduate course for a unit on pre-marital counseling. He also quoted Gary Thomas, a well-known Christian marriage author, several times. While I don't think there is a lot of new material here, I do think it is presented in a practical way that many couples may appreciate. There are bullet-pointed tips at the end of each chapter to help couples apply the material in the chapter. There are also some practical lists at the end of the book following the end notes which may be overlooked by many readers who stop when they reach the references. This review is based on an advance e-galley provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.

Sorry to hear that you are back to winter but glad that's more snow. We've got some white too but not so much.

Just getting caught up. Blackberry cobbler? Yes, thanks. :)

>247 Ameise1: I saw someone post a graphic on Facebook that they were giving up winter for Lent. I think I'd like to join them. I'm ready for spring. I've watched two cars in a row give up trying to make it up the hill outside my house. I began trying to "dig out" this morning. It is supposed to be above freezing today, but everything will refreeze tonight so I'm trying to get the driveway cleared. I'm hoping that someone will be nice enough to help me because it's going to take me all day at the rate I'm able to do it at a single time. I'm not even sure I'll be able to finish without help. I don't think any of the neighbors except the vicious dogs next door are up.

>248 nittnut: Enjoy that cobbler. I certainly have been.

>224 thornton37814: - Lovely. Winter wonderland scenes are always best viewed through glass from the warm confines of home. ;-)

Lori, I hope you got some help for the showeling. Do you have to drive far for going to work?

>251 Ameise1: No help so far on the shoveling, and I have about 100 feet to go, I think. I just wish that teenagers still wanted to earn extra money by shoveling. It's about a 20 to 25 minute drive under normal conditions. I'm sure it will take longer tomorrow. I'm very concerned about even being able to get back to my house tomorrow evening. My street is not in that great of shape, and with it refreezing and staying below freezing tomorrow, I'm not sure I'll be able to get up the incline.

>252 thornton37814: I'm so sorry to hear that. I keep my fingers crossed that you'll get home safely. Take care.

Good luck with the shoveling and the driving on ice. Ick. Got any church friends with teenage boys? Sounds like time to call in a favor :)

My neighbor drove to West Knoxville this morning and he says that the roads around here are in pretty good shape once we get off of our lane. He's originally from Pennsylvania so I'm not sure how to take that. I'm still waiting to hear about church this evening. I would imagine that the parking lot is still in pretty bad shape since it's on a hill with a gravel parking lot that doesn't lend itself to plowing. Even though it's slightly above freezing, we haven't had any sun today. It would be dark by the time church is over so my guess is they'll end up cancelling the evening service too.

ETA: I was right. They just sent out an email letting everyone know that the parking lot is still in bad shape. No service tonight either.

>253 Ameise1: Thanks.

>254 nittnut: They apparently don't care enough to do anything. I've repeatedly asked for help via FB, offering to pay, and yet no one has come.

>255 cbl_tn: They called off all of our evening services. The plow has come through our neighborhood, but they did not have the brine mix so I'm not sure how well it will do with the refreeze. One of the reasons it is taking so long is that I don't have good shoes for this. I'm shoveling, but it leaves behind just enough to freeze on the pavement. I go and treat that with ice melt and wait until it loosens enough that I can do the next stretch without falling down and breaking something. I looked closely when I was out while ago and estimate that I have about 40 feet of incline at 6-8 feet wide (which is about what I'm trying to clear so my car can make it). That means I'm looking at 240 to 320 square feet left. There is no way I can do that this afternoon. I'm in tears. My sinus infection is getting worse. I've twisted my bad knee a couple of times. I can't handle it.

Sigh! Another 1 to 4 inches of snow is coming overnight/in the morning.

Stay safe, Lori!

I don't know why my part of the world is getting such a warm winter. I think we only had really one big snow fall and everything is melted already. Unheard of for us at the end of February. Mind you, I'm not complaining in the least, but just find it odd! :)

>258 jolerie: I'm sick of it. I'm supposed to open the library tomorrow, but I have a feeling we'll be cancelled.

Oh, Lori, I feel for you. Not close enough to give you any help, but I hope someone will. I remember a time in Nebraska when I gave out near the end of our long lane. I started going just deep enough for a car to get over and dug out a little better where the tires would go, then covered my end work with kitty litter. It was good enough to get the kids home from school, before it completely filled in again. Thankfully, my husband was able to get home that night and took the tractor to the mess the next morning.

>260 countrylife: I'm just over winter! There's been a photo going around that shows a cat who claims to have eaten the groundhog for predicting 6 months of winter. I need that cat to come eat whichever groundhog is responsible for all this snow.

I do hope you manage to get some help in clearing a path back to civilisation, Lori! Now if only Kyran and I were in the locality with our trusty shovels.

I had over 4 inches on my car this morning. The roads here in Maryville weren't icy but they were so unclear that it was dangerous coming into work. I spent most of the drive in the middle of the road since I couldn't tell here the ditches were hiding.

Be safe!

I am wearing my shield against book bullets, Lori, but that blackberry cobbler got through somehow! It is one of our favorites during late spring with fresh blackberries. I'm thinking that frozen blackberry cobbler would be almost as yummy.

I don't blame you for being over winter. We haven't had it as bad as your area…yet. It was still hard to come back from Florida to ice and snow. I am so lucky that I don't have to be anywhere important and can stay home on the worst days. Think spring!

>262 PaulCranswick: Fortunately the snow we had yesterday was light and easy to shovel. I managed to get my rather long driveway done in increments of 20 to 30 minutes in about 5 trips outside. I'm not looking forward to doing it again tomorrow and/or Friday. (I understand we may have a snow overnight into tomorrow morning and then another one tomorrow afternoon/evening.)

>263 leahbird: I'm going to try to get out to go to the grocery store and run a few errands today. Monday is the only day we've had classes on campus the last couple of weeks. Several of the professors are uploading video lectures to the course management system or assigning students outside work via it.

>264 Donna828: The cobbler certainly hit the spot. I'm almost out of my brownies. I'm thinking I want something that reminds me of summer like "key lime bars" for the next snow episode which begins later today.

I want to remove the line "Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes" from "My Favorite Things."

Hi Lori, looks like you are reading up a storm. You got me with the Biocode book and that blackberry cobbler looks yummy. I am sorry to hear about your continued snow and shovelling woes and hope that you will see spring soon.

>266 Familyhistorian: I went out this afternoon while most of the ice remaining at the end of the driveway was somewhat slushy and got as much of it as I could, which was most of it. I'm hoping the rest of it which has been treated with ice melt will go away. My driveway is actually in far better shape than the road I live on. I'm sick of shoveling though. I hope you enjoy Biocode.

We need to find you a couple of Boy Scouts. Lol.

>267 thornton37814: Hi Lori, it always drove me crazy that when it snowed the city bylaws said that I had to clear my sidewalk (on a corner lot there are lots of sidewalks) and I had to clear my driveway to be able to get my car out but then they wouldn't plow the street for about 5 days after it snowed.
Now I live in a townhouse complex so I don't have to shovel, not that it has snowed much in the last few years. I think we had one snow fall this year. (Maybe 6 inches at the most). But it looks like that is over for the season and spring is already here. (When the cherry blossom is out and they have aerated the lawn in the complex it qualifies as spring in my book.)

>268 nittnut: The ones I know all live on the opposite end of town.

>269 Familyhistorian: Some of my other Canadian friends have posted similar things to Facebook about the cherry blossoms being out. At this point, we're all wondering if winter will ever end. I am so sick of shoveling snow! Where is "I Dream of Jeannie" when you need her to "blink" and clear your driveway?

Made these for breakfast.

My niece in Mississippi sent me a photo of her snowman and asked me where mine was. I told her I didn't have time to build a snowman because I would be too busy shoveling. I did, however, decide to take time to build what could possibly be the world's tiniest snowman. Coffee beans for the eyes and cherry chips for the mouth. I did have a coffee bean for the nose, but I dropped one of the coffee beans and was too lazy to go back in to get another. I decided his nose was skin anyway.

Beautiful

Awww, he might be one of the best snowmen ever! So cute!

Love the snowman. :) Wishing you an early spring!

>273 Ameise1: Thanks.

>274 lunacat: Someone in the Category Challenge asked me what his name was. I decided he could be "Tiny Tim."

>275 nittnut: I would love an early spring. I do think it is supposed to be warmer next week.

I made key lime bars from a box mix tonight. They suggested that you add a half cup of graham cracker crumbs and press into the crust mix. I did that, but the graham crackers floated to the top when I poured the filling in. Sigh! I guess I ended up with a top and bottom crust.

>277 thornton37814: I'm drooling. I gave up desert for Lent.

>278 rosylibrarian: I'm sorry. I was so sick of all the snow that I needed something that provided a taste of summer.

>279 thornton37814: Oh I'm not objecting. It's lovely to stare at and dream about eating. :)

>280 rosylibrarian: Well, enjoy the temptation!

26. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh

Date Completed: 26 Feb 2015

Category: Risk

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #11: Read a book with a pitch or a catch

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Charles Ryder is serving in the Army in World War II. His tour of duty leads him to Brideshead, a place which has a history for him. He spent many days there during his college years. He also visited there a few years later. It's a story of the upper class and one which deals with love lost. Catholicism plays an important part in the narrative. The prose is beautifully written. It's a shame that I didn't enjoy the actual plot more.

27. The Cons of Online Genealogy by Peggy Sue George

Date Completed: 27 Feb 2015

Category: Operation

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #8: Read a book with something you could love in the title

Rating: 1/2 star

Review: The author who admits she has little personal interest in genealogy is simply disenchanted with a couple of sites which did not meet her expectations. In the case of Ancestry.com, she believes they want to charge her a fee to store her tree, photos, and grandmother's collected data. She completely ignores all the marvelous databases that provide access to records. In the case of WikiTree, she simply misunderstood or did not read the site's terms and conditions. The short rant disguised as a book is full of grammatical, proofreading, and spelling errors. Not recommended.

>283 thornton37814: It makes me wonder how she got it published.

>284 Familyhistorian: It's self-published through Amazon. In the author's bio at the end of the book, she claims to be a prolific writer. Let's just say that several of us in the genealogical community ordered it while it was free yesterday. I think one person who reviewed it may have paid $4.99 for what amounts to about 9 pages of content. It was still listed at $4.99 although you could get it free when I downloaded it. By the time I posted the review, the digital list price was listed at $200.00. I cross-posted my LT review to Facebook. A member of my church who is an author commented, "This smells distinctively of a scamlet. Authors abuse the borrowing system on Amazon by "writing" tiny books and then offering them via the Kindle Unlimited system. Any author can use this, I once did, and if a reader borrows your book through the system and reads 20 percent or more, then Amazon gives the author a cut of a lump sum of money they set aside for their indie author base. Frauds abuse this system by writing tiny books so that all you have to do is open the first page and you have blown passed the first 20 percent and the author gets a tiny cut from the lump sum from Amazon. These scamlets have ruined the KU system for the rest of us authors and we don't participate any longer." It's really sad that this type of abuse of the system takes place.

>283 thornton37814: Yikes! and >285 thornton37814: double Yikes!

>286 nittnut: He said that part of the scam is that they drive the price up so that people do borrow them via Kindle Unlimited so that they get a cut of the KU funds. This is really a sad situation.