DeltaQueen's Big Steal of 2015 - Part 2

Welcome to my second thread for the 2015 Category Challenge. My Big Steal is going well so far and I am loving this years challenge.

I decided that I wasn't quite ready to say goodbye to my "Cat Burglar" so am once again using this picture to open my thread with.



As we are about to enter the 2nd month of the year, I am finding that most of my categories work well. I am still going to stick with my goal of reading at least 9 books for each of the 15 categories.

2015 Categories

A. Grade Five: Sandy (sjmccreary) took us back to school in 2013 and assigned her mystery reading to Grade Five. I will do the same for my police procedural/mystery reading.

B. Endless Rain - In 2012 Dave (Wolfy) based his Challenge on a tribute to the band X Japan, using their song Endless Rain as the category for series. I loved the idea of honouring a musical favorite and have stolen this title for my series reading in 2015.

C. Edgar Allan Poe’s Quill Pen - Based on the Sci-Fi program, Warehouse 13, Jean (Majkia) had some of the most interesting category names in 2013. I have lifted Edgar Allan Poe’s Quill Pen and picturing it being used by the likes of Agatha, Dorothy and Josephine. This category will be for my well-aged mysteries by the previously mentioned authors as well as ones like James Cain and Dashiell Hammett.

D. Is This A Kissing Book? - Stolen from Christina. She used this amusing title more than once before letting it go. Her loss is my gain. This will be the place for books that feature some sort of romance or love story.

E. Cat And Fiddle Arcade - In 2014 Zozette used Tasmanian place names as her theme. I am absconding with this one to use for any of my Cat reading that doesn’t easily fit into other categories.

F. Colts - Using sport team names for her 2013 Categories, Carrie (cbl-tn) used Colts to list her YA reads, I will do the same.

G. I Don’t Remember That From History Class! - Lori (Ikernaugh) used this category in 2011. I have made off with it to use for my historical reading in 2015, both HistoryCats and Reading Through Time Choices will be listed here.

H. Falling Off The Map: Kay (RidgewayGirl) used this category in 2011 for books set in an obscure location. I am going to steal the name and use it for books set in other worlds or the future. Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Speculative Fiction.

I. Around the World - Lori (thorton37814) placed her global reading here in 2012, I am borrowing Lori’s self-explanatory title and using it for the same purpose.

J. Pitcher’s Duel - Linda (LindaPanzo) loves baseball and used that game as her theme in 2013. I’m stealing her category called Pitcher’s Duel and using it, like Linda, for books with a War or Homefront theme.

K. Blindfold Book Selection to be known as Camille's Choices: Of course I am stealing this excellent idea from Anders (Gingerbread Man) but I am changing it up to let my granddaughter do the selections, keeping my promise to her after allowing her brother to pick all the books for a category in my 2014 Challenge.

L. Combined Miscellany - stolen from Andrea (andreablythe). This was the category that gave me the idea of stealing everyone’s creative category names. Starting with one book, my next read will have a connection in some way to this book, and so on until the category is filled. All books read will have some connection with the previous one (i.e.) - main characters or authors’ name is the same, the themes match, or even the covers or tags have something in common. It will be fun to see where my reading leads me.

M. Dust Collectors: In 2014, Paulina (Mathgirl 40) used this category as a way of moving some of those well-aged books from her shelves. I will use this category for the same lofty goal. Any book that has been on my shelves for more than a year will qualify.

N. Woven Ribbons - Betty’s (dudes22) had one of the most interesting and eagerly anticipated threads of 2014 as she named her categories after quilt block patterns. She also assembled each block and by year’s end will have a fully completed quilt. What a lovely keepsake. Not being that creative, I will simply use this colorful title to list my 2015 graphic novel reading.

O. Overflow: Eva’s 2014 Challenge was short, straight-forward, and simple. I am borrowing this category name and using it for my anything goes category. Books that don’t fit anywhere else will find a home here.

These fifteen categories will comprise my 2015 Challenge. I will consider each category complete after 9 books, but give myself license to keep going especially to fit all the CATs in. The exception to this amount will be in Woven Ribbons, I am going to try and read two or three Graphic Novels a month for this category.

Tickers:

YTD Number of Books Read:




YTD Number of Page Read




YTD Number of Books Read From My Shelves

When I rate books it is a gut reaction, I am not a critic, so the ratings on books that I have read are really just how I felt about the book.

How I Rate Books:

2.0 ★: I must have been dragged, kicking and screaming, to finish this one!

2.5 ★: Below Average but I finished the book for one reason or another.

3.0 ★: Average, a solid read that I finished but can't promise to remember

3.5 ★: Above Average, there's room for improvement but I liked this well enough to pick up another book by this author.

4.0 ★: A very good read and I enjoyed my time spent with this story

4.5 ★: An excellent read, a book I will remember and recommend

5.0 ★: Sheer perfection, the right book at the right time for me

2015 BINGO DOG



I am looking forward in participating in the 2015 Bingo Dog and hope to go for a complete black-out (25 books).


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The following are possibilities that I am considering for the Bingo Dog.

2015 Bingo Squares

1. About language: Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn (Overflow)
2. Where an animal is of importance: The Bear by Claire Cameron (Combined Miscellany) - Completed
3. That's completely outside my comfort zone: The Trade by Thomas Kirkwood (Overflow)
4. Owned for more than a year: The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly (Camille's Choices) - Completed
5. With a mythical creature: Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer (Colts)
6. Genre bender: Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion (Falling Off the Map) - Completed
7. With a natural disaster: A Walk Across the Sun by Corban Addison (Around the World)
8. Chosen for you by someone else: The Lost Souls of Angelkov by Linda Holeman (Around the World)
9. With a protagonist of the opposite gender: Dark Horse by Craig Johnson (Endless Rain) - Completed
10. Published in 1915: Song of the Lark by Willa Cather (Overflow)
11. Subject of which you are unfamiliar: Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld (Overflow)
12. Prophecy, signs or portents are part of the plot: Daughter of the Blood by Anne Bishop (Falling Off the Map)
13. Read A Cat: On The Beach by Nevil Shute (Cat & Fiddle Arcade) - Completed
14. Set in a country other than your own: Broken Harbour by Tana French (Grade Five)
15. By An Lt author: Dare Me by Megan Abbott (Grade Five)
16. Based on a fairy tale or myth: Tender Morsels by Margo Flanagan (Colts) - Completed
17. With correspondence & letters, epistolary: The Diary of a Provincial Lady by E.N. Delafield (Camille's Choice)
18. Authors' first name is the same as your Mother or Grandmother: The Five Red Herrings by Dorothy Sayers (Edgar Allan's Quill Pen) - Completed
19. Inspired by another piece of fiction: Longbourn by Jo Baker (I Don't Remember That From History Class) - Completed
20. Centered around a major historical event: Victors & Lords by V.A. Stuart (Pitcher's Duel)
21. Translated from a language I don't read or speak: He Who Fears the Wolf by Karin Fossum (Around the World) - Completed
22. With scientists: Invasive Species by Joseph Wallace (Falling Off the Map)
23. With a LGBTQ main character: Fun Home by Alison Bechdel (Woven Ribbons) - Completed
24. Reminds you of your childhood: Rainbow Valley by L.M. Montgomery (Dust Collectors)
25. About autism: Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool (Colts)

Grade Five - Police Procedurals/Mysteries



Books Read

1. Troubled Daughters, Twisted Wives by Sarah Weinman - 4.2 ★
2. Half Broken Things by Morag Joss - 4.2 ★

Endless Rain - Series



Books Read

1. Shatter the Bones by Stuart MacBride - 3.7 ★
2. The Dark Horse by Craig Johnson - 4.3 ★

Edgar Allan Poe's Quill Pen - Well-Aged Crime



Books Read

1. Five Red Herrings by Dorothy Sayers - 4.0 ★
2. Double Indemnity by James M. Cain - 4.0 ★

Is This A Kissing Book? - Romance



Books Read

1. Love In A Cold Climate by Nancy Mitford - 4.0 ★

Cat & Fiddle Arcade - Cat Challenges



Books Read

1. The Swan Maiden by Jules Watson - 4.1 ★
2. Blameless by Gail Carriger - 3.8 ★
3. On The Beach by Nevil Shute - 4.2 ★

Colts - YA and Children's Literature



Books Read

1. A Stitch In Time by Penelope Lively - 4.0 ★
2. Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan - 3.2 ★

I Don't Remember That From History Class



Books Read

1. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant - 4.0 ★
2. Longbourn by Jo Baker - 5.0 ★

Falling Off The Map - Sci-Fi & Fantasy



Books Read

1. Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion - 3.8 ★
2. The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham - 2.8 ★

Around The World - Global Reading



Books Read

1. Moth Smoke by Mohsin Hamid (Pakistan) - 4.1 ★
2. He Who Fears The Wolf by Karin Fossum (Norway) - 4.1 ★

Pitcher's Duel - War & the Homefront



Books Read

1. The Daughters of Mars by Thomas Keneally - 4.5 ★
2. The Night Watch by Sarah Waters - 4.2 ★

Camille's Book Selection



Books Read

1. The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly - 3.8 ★
2. Dancing In the Dark by Maureen Lee - 3.0 ★

Combined Miscellany - Random Connections



Books Read

1. The Bear by Claire Cameron - 3.6 ★
2. Into The Forest by Jean Hegland - 2.6 ★

Dust Collecters - Books on my Shelf Longer than 1 Year



Read

1. The Great Karoo by Fred Stenson - 4.0 ★

Woven Ribbons - Graphic Novels



Books Read

1. January I: Fables Vol. 2: Animal Farm by Bill Willingham - 4.0 ★, Fables Vol. 3: Storybook Love by Bill Willingham - 4.2 ★, Fables Vol 4.: March of the Wooden Soldiers by Bill Willingham - 4.2 ★

2. January II: Hark! a Vagrant by Kate Beaton - 4.0 ★, Hyperbole And A Half by Allie Brosh - 5.0 ★, Fun Home by Alison Bechdel - 2.8 ★

3. February I: Saga, Volume 1 by Brian K. Vaughan - 4.2 ★, Saga, Volume 2 by Brian K. Vaughan - 4.0 ★, Saga, Volume 3 by Brian K. Vaughan - 4.2 ★

4. February II Bride of the Water God, Vol. 1 by Mi-Kyung Yun - 3.3 ★, Bride of the Water God, Vol. 2 by Mi-Kyung Yun - 3.2 ★, Bride of the Water God, Vol. 3 by Mi-Kyung Yun - 3.0 ★

Overflow



Books Read

1. The Ballad of the Sad Cafe by Carson McCullers - 3.8 ★
2. Descent by Tim Johnson - 3.7 ★
3. The Turn of the Screw by Henry James - 3.7 ★

2015 Reading Plans



1. Jane Austen Group Reads

2. Agatha In August - Agatha Christie

3. Hemingway in the Autumn

4. British Author Challenge (75er Group)

January: A Stitch in Time by Penelope Lively
February: The Night Watch by Sarah Waters
March: My Cousin Rachel by Daphne DuMaurier
April: Lizzie Borden by Angela Carter
May:
June: The Bottle Factory Outing by Beryl Bainbridge
July:
August: The Stamboul Train by Graham Greene
September:
October: The Betrayal by Helen Dunmore
November: Brazzaville Beach by William Boyd
December: Something Fresh by P G Wodehouse

5. The American Author Challenge

January: Carson McCullers: The Ballad of the Sad Cafe
February: Henry James - The Turn of the Screw
March: Richard Ford
April: Louise Erdrich
May: Sinclair Lewis
June: Wallace Stegner - Crossing To Safety
July: Ursula Le Guin - The Tombs of Atuan
August: Larry McMurtry - Leaving Cheyenne
September: Flannery O’Connor
October: Ray Bradbury - Dandelion Wine
November: Barbara Kingsolver
December: E.L. Doctorow - The March

Am I your first visitor? Happy new thread!

I saw on the old thread that you've been under the weather. I hope you're feeling better soon!

14. Half Broken Things by Morag Joss - 4.2 ★
Category: Grade 5
TIOLI #1: The Word Psychological is in or on the book



In Half Broken Things by Morag Joss the psychological suspense builds slowly until it reaches a fever pitch by the end of the book. This is a story of three lonely and obviously slightly disturbed people, Jean, Michael and Steph who appear to find refuge when they come together. Jean is a house sitter and has been told that due to her age this is her last assignment, Michael is an unsuccessful petty thief and pregnant Steph is on the run from an abusive boyfriend. Living an illusion that they are family, they set up housekeeping in Walden Manor, the house that Jean is currently the caretaker of. Her assignment is from January to September and as they settle more and more into the house, the reader can see that these three have no intention of giving up their illusions when the rightful owners return.

Living off the manor’s provisions, caring for the garden and grounds, they ignore the outside world and bond together and revel in their new found security. Of course, the clock is ticking and the day of final reckoning is coming closer. Suddenly things start to go sideways with the arrival of an unexpected visitor.

Morag Joss allows things to advance slowly, but as the characters’ self-preservation becomes more extreme, she builds more and more tension into the story. This gradual unwinding of the fantasy life these three are living speeds up and eventually a chain of events is unleashed that brings the story to a dramatic close. Half Broken Things is a thought provoking story of moral complexity and I am a huge fan of this author as she displays a deftness with her characters and their situation that has the reader both appalled and yet with a small part that is rooting for them.

>22 Dejah_Thoris: Hi Dejah, yes, you are the first. Sorry no prize for that, but you do get the most comfortable chair to sit in. ;)

>24 DeltaQueen50: The prize is the honor of your company! The comfy chair is a bonus. I've been avoiding Morag Joss - I think she may be a little dark for my piece of mind. You tempt me, though.

Morag Joss is quite dark, but in a delicious, twisted way. Her work reminds me of Ruth Rendall, writing as Barbara Vine, in the early days. I love her but she is definitely not for everyone.

Happy new thread Judy!

Thanks Leslie!

Happy new thread, Judy! I'm glad you kept the Cat Burglar picture at the top - it makes me smile.

Happy new thread Judy.

I hope you are feeling better and boo to all the flu going around.

>23 DeltaQueen50: OMG I think I am twisted enough to want to read this book!

Happy new thread, Judy!

Happy new thread, Judy. Surprise, surprise, you got me with Half Broken Things. ;)

Lovely new thread, Judy!

Might have to put that book on my large TBR

A second thread already, Judy! It's still January!

I'm glad you liked the Joss. She is the new Barbara Vine. I love how she writes with such compassion for her characters, no matter who they are.

Hurrah, new thread! I hope you feel better soon.

I see you've decided to try to duplicate the total number of posts you had in TWO separate groups last year in one thread this year. Go, Judy, go!

And doggone it, another book bullet for Half Broken Things. Oh, well. IF you can't avoid 'em, might as well enjoy 'em!

Nice new thread. Glad you kept the Cat Burglar!

Yay! New Thread!

New thread and it's still only January!! You will be up to thread 25 by Christmas!

Your BB for Half Broken Things hit home. Thanks.

Yeah, don't lose the cat burglar, he's gorgeous!

Happy new thread, Judy. You're doing well with the Bingo Dog challenge already!

Happy new thread! :)

I hope you're feeling better, Judy!

I am battling a nasty cough and feeling a little feverish. I slept so much yesterday that I couldn't sleep last night, but as the TIOLI challenges were posted yesterday, I spent the night pawing through my books finding matches. I still have a few that I want to read but don't fit, but I am hoping some more challenges will be posted over the next couple of days.

>29 katiekrug: Hi Katie. I love my little cat burglar and might just keep that picture as my mascot for the year. :)

>30 luvamystery65: Hi Ro, unfortunately this thing has really gotten a hold on me so I guess I am going to have to cough it out. For me Half Broken Things was a book that just kept drawing me in deeper and deeper. I had to keep reading to find out how this was going to end!

>31 Crazymamie: >32 jolerie: >33 ronincats: Welcome Mamie, Valerie and Roni, it's great to see my 75 friends come for a visit. I am falling behind over there but hope to catch up over the next couple of days.

>34 Kassilem: Hi Melissa, it's a really good book and well worth a place on your TBR.

>35 RidgewayGirl: Hi Kay. I was one of the impatient ones and opened my first thread of 2015 way back in September of 2014! This was my second book by Morag Joss and I am a totally committed fan now.

>36 rabbitprincess: Thanks, RP.

>37 rosalita: Hooray, Julia's here! Keeping two separate threads going over the last few years made LT practically a full time job. I prefer just keeping the one, but I also find it hard not to duplicate my messages over at the 75 group. I need to find the perfect balance. And I say bring on the BBs!

>38 mamzel: Hi Mamzel, I have a feeling that the Cat Burglar is going to be a permanent fixture. ;)

>39 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori.

>40 VivienneR: Hi Vivienne, I am definitely one of the long-winded types, but I really enjoy keeping in touch with everyone here. A built in group of book-lovers - well, that is priceless!

>41 MissWatson: I am sensing a lot of group love for the cat burglar picture. :)

>42 susanj67: Hi Susan, I am trying to pace myself with the Bingo and not charge right through, but the cards are so cool that I may very well finish one and then play again with a different style card.

>43 andreablythe: >44 Dejah_Thoris: Thanks Andrea and Dejah.

15. The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly - 3.8 ★
Category: Camille's Choices
BingoDog: A Book I've Owned For More That One Year
TIOLI #16: Book Title Begins with the Letter 'T'



The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly is a good historical romance even though the plot is an all too familiar one. The young, exceedingly beautiful heroine faces many obstacles in life yet manages to spectacularly overcome them. This book is full of melodrama, love lost and found, murder and revenge, all told in a fun, exciting way. The author manages to fill the pages with authentic historical details along with plenty of action and her skill at doing all this gathers the reader into the story and keeps them glued to the pages.

The Tea Rose has an enormous canvas, Donnelly’s story unfolds in the back alleys of London and the high society drawing rooms of New York. Although there are too many coincidences and eye-rolling moments for it to be a believable story, this is a book where the reader knows what to expect, a fun escapist read that pulls you out of everyday life and into a fantasy of fairy tale proportions.

I really enjoyed The Tea Rose when I read it in my pre-LT days. I keep on meaning to read the other two books in the series/trilogy but never seem to quite settle in with one of those books. I hope you are taking things easy and that you will be feeling better soon.

I hope you get a good night's sleep tonight, Judy, and start to feel better tomorrow. It's miserable to feel so miserable!

Judy, I hope you feel better soon. Glad to see from your last thread that you're enjoying the Fables series - I'm also reading through them this year and just a little behind where you are having just finished Storybook Love but impatient to get to the next volume!

Cheers to your new thread, Judy!
You've got me with Half Broken Things. On to the wishlist it goes.

>46 DeltaQueen50: I've not read that one, but I did enjoy Donnelly's A Northern Light, so I might pick this one up sometime. You know, when I run out of other books to read. Ha!

I hope you're feeling better soon. Good idea to just take it easy and pamper yourself.

Just popping by from the 75s to see what's going on over here and will hopefully keep up with you from here on in. Hope you're feeling better soon!

Still feeling quite terrible and I have made a doctor's appointment for later today. My concern now is that I want to be sure that I don't have pneumonia, although my lungs seem quite clear. I've had pneumonia in the past and I don't want to go through that again!

>47 lkernagh: Hi Lori, I don't think I will rush out to buy the sequels to The Tea Rose but I certainly would pick them up if I find them in a second hand store.

>48 ronincats: Thanks Roni, I feel bad for my hubby as well. He ended up on the couch last night as he couldn't sleep beside me with my coughing.

>49 souloftherose: I am hoping to get back to the Fables series soon, Heather. Right now I am about to start the first two volumes of Saga of which I have heard lots of good things.

>50 Carmenere: Thanks for the coffee, Lynda! :0 I hope you enjoy Half Broken Things when you get to it.

>51 rosalita: LOL Julia, I bet you are in danger of running out of reading material as much as I am!

Judy, I hope you're feeling better very soon!

>52 lunacat: We posted about the same time, Jenny. Glad you found me. I know you know how cruddy I feel since you suffered through it last week.

>54 mstrust: Thanks.

16. Descent by Tim Johnson - 3.7 ★
Category: Overflow
ER Program
TIOLI #4: A Book I Should Have Read in 2014



On a July morning in Colorado, eighteen year old Caitlin and her sixteen year old brother set out from the motel. She, a champion runner, on foot. He riding an all terrain bike. They head up the mountain and in the short space of an hour, lives are changed, a family torn apart as only one child returns.

Detailing a parents worse nightmare, Descent is the story of the Courtland family and how they handled their daughters’ abduction. The authors’ focus is on the family and how they cope with this devastating loss. Although harrowing, at times I felt the author was trying too hard to make this a literary read. The story seemed to call for grit and truth, but at times the prose was simply to lyrical and flowery. My other problem with the story was how quick the ending seemed. This was a family destroyed but in the space of a chapter or two everything was resolved.

I think there are many people who will love this beautifully written story. For me, I probably would have been happier if the story had spent less time examining the literary side of the thriller and simply just gone for the thrills.

Oh no! Sorry to hear that you are under the weather, Judy. My husband is just now starting to feel a bit better after his bout with something and now my two little ones seem to have got it from their dad....so lots of hugging and tissue blowing in our house right now.

Happy to see the burglar cat returning! Completely agree with your assessment of The Tea Rose - love a strong heroine, but still a bit predictable with some of the historical romance devices.

Hope you feel better soon!

>56 DeltaQueen50: Thanks for taking that one for the team Judy.

>56 DeltaQueen50: It's so funny that you read that one now, Judy. Tim Johnston is a native of Iowa City and is coming back to town sometime in the next week or so to give a reading at Prairie Lights. As a result, I've been seeing his name mentioned all over the place lately, and now here he is in your thread, too. It's a small world.

>45 DeltaQueen50: I think you are in good company falling behind on the 75 threads. I just can't seem to keep up. Of course, everyone seems to be posting like crazy - I was about a thread and a half behind on your posts. It was good to hear that your hubby is doing well. Now you need to get better yourself. There is a lot of that flu going around and it didn't help that you were sitting around in a hospital. I hope you get rid of the cough soon and are able to get out and enjoy the sunshine!

Just popping in to say hello and to hope that you'll be feeling better soon, Judy.

It is quite impossible to keep up with all the threads here. I do my best, but sometimes I just fall behind. I'm behind now.

I hope you're feeling better! Love the cat burglar. :)

With poor Wifi here, I keep falling behind on LT threads. Happy new thread and I think I'll be taking a BB on the Morag Joss book. I'm not usually a fan of very dark books, but your review has made that one sound interesting.

ETA: Oh yes - keep the cat burglar.

I feel your pain Judy I have been down all week with I believe may be the plague ;) .. antibiotics and prednisone but still not feeling much better..hope you are healing up quickly!

Wow, I have just about lost the last couple of days in a codeine fog from the cough syrup the doctor prescribed. It does control the coughing, but also has me sleeping my life away. I decided to go without today and will take some later when I go to bed. My lungs were clear when I went to the doctor so no fear of pneumonia, so it's just a matter of fighting off this virus but it certainly is trying to hang onto me.

>57 jolerie: Oh Valerie, so sorry to hear that both your kiddies are coming down with it. I can remember my days of young motherhood and having two sick ones at the same time is very difficult. Take care of yourself, after all, who nurses Mom, if she catches it!

>58 LittleTaiko: Thanks Stacy, it's always difficult when you write a less than glowing review of a book, but in this case even though I knew what to expect I still enjoyed my reading of The Tea Rose. Every now and again I love to read a big, sprawling historical romance.

>59 luvamystery65: You're welcome, Ro. I did wonder if I was feeling rather negative toward Descent as I wasn't feeling good, but I notice that it's one of those books that people either love or hate.

>60 rosalita: I wish I had enjoyed his book more than I did, Julia. But as I said to Ro, I do see that there are lots of people who liked this book way better than I did.

>61 Familyhistorian: Meg, there's me complaining while I fall even further behind. And talking about sunshine, we are having beautiful springlike weather right now and I hope it stays around long enough for me to be able to get out for a walk.

>62 Dejah_Thoris: I'm working on it, Dejah!

>63 thornton37814: At least we are all in the same boat, Lori. I think one would have to super-human to stay current these days!

>64 mathgirl40: Thanks, Paulina. For sure I'm keeping the cat burglar as my mascot this year!

>65 dudes22: Betty, I know how frustrating it is to be where the wifi isn't very good. I would guess that you will be heading home soon and then you can have all the fun of catching up!

>66 susiesharp: The plague! I knew it was something worse than a common cold or flu! I am trying to fight this off with only the help of my cough syrup, but I have to go back to the doctor next week and if it's not gone by then, I'll be begging him for some drugs!

At least I'm caught up with YOU, Jam kid or whatever! ;-)

>67 DeltaQueen50: The weather is beautiful these past few days, Judy. I saw green coming out in the garden beds and had to stop to check it out - it was shoots from daffodils or tulips coming up already!

>67 DeltaQueen50: I feel so sorry you are under the weather. It was this time last year that I got so sick, coughing so long at times I couldn't breath. Every other week the doctor would change my medicine trying to find one that worked. The winner, plain old penicillin with one of it's new names. Get well!

Hope you will be feeling better very soon, Judy. RL has caught up with me too and I'm just managing to read a few posts now and then. In a week or so things might be back to normal. Take it easy and pamper yourself.

I am going to be very happy when the month of January is over! This morning I woke to find that my computer had froze overnite and I couldn't get it to do anything. It was probably one of those Windows updates. So my computer has gone to the shop and they are running diagnostics on it just to be sure. I am currently using my hubby's laptop which he has generously lent me for 20 minutes or so! If I am not around for the next few days, it's cause of computer difficulties.

>68 ronincats: I appreciate that you have caught up with me, Roni. I hope to do the same over at your thread soon. Aha, I knew it! I am never going to live that nickname down am I? ;)

>69 Familyhistorian: Same here, Meg. The daffodils in our front garden are up, crocus are starting to show color. It would be nice if it means spring is here but I think we could still get some cold weather in February. But overall we've had another mild winter here, I don't think we've had any snow to speak of this year. Which is the way I like it.

>70 mysterymax: I actually feel a lot better today and I am coughing less. At least I can see good health is just down the road and I should get there soon!

>71 VivienneR: Sorry to hear RL is pressing in on you Vivienne. I guess we just have to learn that LT is very patient and will wait until we can spare it some time. For me, right now, less computer time will probably equate to more reading time. What else would I do - Housework!!!

>72 DeltaQueen50: Sorry to hear about your computer! So frustrating :(

Sorry about your computer but glad to hear you are feeling better, Jam Bun!

Maybe your computer caught your virus? Very worrisome to think they can jump species now ... I hope you're both back in peak condition very soon!

Computer woes! Say it isn't so, Judy! Sending you good technology mojo - hoping they can fix your baby.

Wow, all those good vibes you guys were sending me must have worked. I got a call today at 4 from the computer guys and my computer is ready to go. No major problems, they cleaned it up and I'm back in business. Of course, there are some people who still seem to expect me to cook dinner tonight so I have to go do that and then get some LT time later.

>73 leslie.98: Nothing is more frustrating than computer woes, especially since I have very little computer knowledge and often don't even know how to describe my trouble to the computer geek!

>74 katiekrug: I'm geting there, Katie. Should be back in tip top condition by next week.

>75 rosalita: You might have something, Julia. Since my computer got sick, I've been feeling better - perhaps I just needed to pass it along. ;)

>76 Crazymamie: You have the magic touch, Mamie!!

Happy new thread! It seems like something, or rather various somethings have been going around this year - my Facebook page is pretty much covered in flu- and cold-posts, regardless of location on earth of the person posting. Nasty season this year. Glad to hear you're clawing your way back!!

>78 -Eva-: I know, Eva, it seems like this virus is everywhere! The fact that our flu shots weren't made to fight the actual virus that we are dealing with is a huge factor in this being so widespread. I sure hope they get it right next year!

These were going to be the graphic novels that I read in February, but I got them early from the library and couldn't help myself, I just kept picking them up for a page or two and before I knew it, they were read.

17. Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton - 4.0 ★
Hyperbole and A Half by Allie Brosh - 5.0 ★
Fun Home by Alison Bechdel - 2.8 ★
Category: Woven Ribbons
BingoDog: Fun Home - A LGBTQ Main Character



If you are interested in comics about the Bronte sisters, Hamlet, Dracula, and Nancy Drew then you may just enjoy Hark! A Vagrant by cartoonist Kate Beaton. This young Canadian has made waves in the likes of the New Yorker, Harper’s and the National Post and she continues to skewer both people and things that have long been considered literary, historical and political icons in this collection.

There isn’t much that is not considered fair game by Kate Beaton and paging through her simple caricatures and funny, witty writings is an enjoyable activity. She has studied history and now turns her knowledge into irreverent and hilarious 3 panel cartoons that manage to satire both the past and the present. An excellent blend of pop culture and history.



I loved Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh. She is both funny and truthful in equal measure. I truly laughed, groaned and sighed out loud while I was turning the pages. Her drawings are simple, rather silly and entirely awesome. Whether it’s about her dogs or her depression, she cuts through to the heart of the matter and makes you care about what she is saying.

Yes, I have a new heroine and her name is Allie Brosh. I have found and bookmarked her website and can now get a regular fix of her fresh, witty artwork and narration. If you haven’t yet read anything by her, I strongly suggest you treat yourself and pick up a copy of Hyperbole and a Half.



To be honest, I picked Fun Home up simply because I needed a book with a LGBTQ character for Bingo and this book fit. An in depth memoir of Alison Bechtel’s early years, this book made me feel rather sad. Growing up with disturbed and rather removed parents, her life seemed to be played out in various shades of grey, not much color or excitement to speak of. Although Alison eventually “came out” to her parents, this was far from the focus of the story. Her father at that time was dealing with the fact that his wife had asked for a divorce and his own poorly concealed homosexuality. Her mother seems to be very self-centered and turn everything back into how it affected her.

I found myself rather irritated with both the stories and the characters. I feel like the uncool kid that doesn’t get it, but this book left me feeling rather depressed, sad and blah.

>77 DeltaQueen50: Of course, there are some people who still seem to expect me to cook dinner tonight so I have to go do that and then get some LT time later. Oh the nerve of that man! You would think he just had major surgery or something. : P

Glad things are turning the corner in the right direction Judy.

Excellent choices of graphic novels! I love Kate's literary references, especially the Macbeth strips.

Glad to hear that your gremlins have been cleared out of your computer so quickly! I think I might have been hit with a book bullet re: Hyperbole and a Half, although that isn't my typical fare...

>80 DeltaQueen50:
I totally agree with you on Fun Home - I know it's called "tragicomic," but I found very little comedic about it. Just a very sad story about some very unhappy people.

>81 luvamystery65: I showed him, Roberta! I just made chicken veggie wraps.

>82 rabbitprincess: RP, I was blown away by how clever Kate Beaton is and how she is able to use the literary and historical figures to point out current issues.

>83 leslie.98: Leslie, I think you should give Hyperbole and a Half a try. I would check and see if your local library has it, if not then maybe just page through it a little at your local bookstore, and just see how it hits you. I was immediately hooked!

>84 -Eva-: Whew! I thought maybe I missing something, Eva. I couldn't figure out where the comedy came into it at all.

>80 DeltaQueen50: Yay, another Kate Beaton fan! :)

I had been wondering about Hyperbole and a Half and now that I've seen your review, I'll give it a try. Thanks!

And I'm glad your computer is home safe and sound.

>80 DeltaQueen50: I've heard Hark! A Vagrant mentioned but never knew what it was about. It sounds intriguing and since I completely agree with you about Hyperbole (Luuuuurve Allie Brosh!) I'll definitely have to check it out.

Glad to hear you and your computer are feeling better. I'm definitely taking shots with Half Broken Things and Hyperbole and a Half.

Looks like you had a great January for reading too! Though Half Broken Things doesn't seem like the kind of book I'm usually drawn to, your review made it sound like something I would enjoy, so onto the WL it goes! You also got me with Hark, A Vagrant and Hyperbole and a Half.

Sorry to hear Fun Home wasn't very appealing. I absolutely loved her wonderful GN Dykes to Watch Out For.

I've had The Winter Rose, the second in the Tea Rose series, on my shelves for ages and doubt if I'll read it soon (or ever). If you'd like it, PM me and I'll mail it to you (probably not immediately, as I'm not quite sure in which bookcase it ended up or if it's still in a box somewhere).

Hope you're having a lovely Sunday!

I am very happy to welcome February and say goodbye to January. Have lots of exciting reading plans for this month, including starting the graphic series Saga by Brian K. Vaughan, the featured American author is Henry James and the featured British author that I will be reading is Sarah Waters. I am hosting the February RandomCat and hope to read a number of books that were adapted for film and TV, plus the SFFFCat is Classics of the genre, and the HistoryCat features Religion. On top of all of this, it is also FantasyFebruary and I hope to include some fantasy in my reading as well. Going to be a busy month but I love to have lots of book plans so it's all good!

>86 christina_reads: Happy Sunday, Christina. I am very happy that I have gotten back to some graphics this year and having discovered both Kate Beaton and Allie Brosh is a huge plus!

>87 Dejah_Thoris: I think you will appreciate Allie Brosh, Dejah. Of course she is more into dogs than cats, but I think she nails her pets perfectly!

>88 madhatter22: I hope you enjoy discovering Kate Beaton, Madhatter! :)

>89 LisaMorr: I am loving how fast my computer is working right now! Hope you like both Half Broken Things and Hyperbole and a Half.

>90 Storeetllr: I am having a great Sunday, Mary. (Go Seahawks!) I was disappointed that I didn't like Fun Home more, I was certainly expecting to. I'll send you a PM. :)

>91 DeltaQueen50: With it being FantasyFebruary and Sarah Waters your featured British author, I can recommend Affinity, which I just finished yesterday.

>92 LisaMorr: Lisa, Affinity is definitely on my list but probably not for this month. I have had The Night Watch on my shelves for ages and this is the perfect opportunity to read it, plus it fits my "Pitcher's Duel" Category. I hope to eventually read everything by this author as I loved her Fingersmith so much.

I'm glad to hear that you are getting better Judy. I am also having trouble keeping up with everybody's threads. I have considered reading The Tea Rose a few times but didn't as I thought it would be fairly predictable. Your review tells me I made the right choice. It might be the type of book that is good to read after something really heavy.

Hi Judy! I'm glad that you and your computer are recovering from your viruses!

>92 LisaMorr: Glad to hear that recommendation, as Affinity is on my list for this month.

Wow, first sickness and then computer woes.... I will join you in celebrating the start of February! Here is hoping the ground hog predicts an early spring!

>94 Roro8: You are right, Ro. The Tea Rose is definitely on the lighter side, but it is a clunker at over 500 pages.

>95 cbl_tn: I am feeling so much better now, Carrie. It's amazing how quickly the cough subsided, just a few barks out of me today.

>96 leslie.98: It sounds like Affinity is going to be a good one, Leslie!

>97 lkernagh: An early spring would be my idea of heaven, Lori. I am ready for the mild weather to stay.

18. Shatter the Bones by Stuart MacBride - 3.7 ★
Category: Endless Rain
TIOLI #12: Three Word Title That Doesn't Start with the Word 'The'



As Shatter the Bones by Stuart MacBride is the seventh book in his Logan McRae police procedural series, I knew pretty much exactly what I had signed up for. Lots of action, lots of violence, lots of gross humor and I was more than ready to settle down and catch up with this crew of misfits from Aberdeen, Scotland, but I did hope for something a little more, something original, but alas, this wasn’t to be.

Don’t get me wrong, I always enjoy reading this author, but I am afraid that the very things that once made this a fresh and different type of police procedural have become overused and stale. I hate to say it but the author has fallen into the trap of keeping to a formula and unfortunately this is at the cost of originality and character development. Because of this it’s difficult to latch onto the plot or have much empathy with the victims. There were some things that I quite enjoyed, firstly his taking a shot at the many talent shows such as Britian Has Talent etc. that takes celebrity-ism to an extreme and the use of the Dr. Who names that the kidnappers went by was cool, although I was disappointed that my favorite, David (Tennant) seemed to be the meanest of the kidnappers.

These books used to make me gasp with shock at the brutality and snigger at the twisted humor but now I am sighing a little regretfully that the author doesn’t seem to have anything new to bring to this series. I haven’t got to the point where I am ready to abandon McRae and the gang, but I also won’t be waiting on tenterhooks for the next volume to arrive either.

You're several books ahead of me in the McBride series, and I'm sorry to hear that he's coasting rather than improving. I guess we can hope that he gets bored with the formula and does something surprising.

>99 DeltaQueen50: I haven't read any of the McBride books; however, your comment about the shocking brutality doesn't really make me want to try them.

>99 DeltaQueen50: The Logan McRae series is still on my list to get to but sad to hear it's losing steam in your latest read.

>100 RidgewayGirl: I have Birthdays For the Dead on my shelf which is a stand-alone book by MacBride and I might just give that a try next time I pick up one of his just to try something that isn't part of the Logan McRae series.

>101 thornton37814: Lori, I would definitely stay away from these books if you are avoiding brutality and violence as this author doesn't shrink away from any of it, in fact he appears to relish including very gruesome scenes.

>102 AHS-Wolfy: Dave, this is been one of my favorite series for such a long time. I just wish he would include some personal growth for his main characters, they are verging on becoming almost cartoon-like.

I've already skipped Book 3 in the Logan McRae series because the violence sounded much too intense... if this is his standard format for the whole series I'm not sure I have the stomach to continue.

>104 rabbitprincess: Just to show what a sick person I am, the violence in these books doesn't really bother me. I also love the sick humor. It's just that after seven books I would like to see a little character growth, and it would be good to see some of the side characters portrayed more like 'real' people instead of the caricatures they have become.

19. Love In A Cold Climate by Nancy Mitford - 4.0 ★
Category: Is This A Kissing Book?
TIOLI #1: A Cold Word Is In The Title



Love In A Cold Climate by Nancy Mitford was a simple, charming story that started off with a delightful introduction written by Alan Cumming in which he sets the stage for the narrator, Fanny, to tell the story of the Hampton family, the perfect father, husband and host, Lord Montdore, his fearsome wife, Sonia, a social motivator who is looked up to by just about everyone, and their lovely daughter, Polly, an only child, who had been groomed her whole life to make the perfect marriage but instead throws herself away by declaring herself engaged to an undesirable suitor. Of course this unsuitable marriage clears the way for the arrival of Lord Montdore’s colourful heir, Cedric. We are lucky enough to be given a front seat in the drawing room in order to watch this family drama play out in this irresistible, witty satire on upper class society.

This was my first book written by Nancy Mitford, and I understand now that I have read this volume out of order and should have read The Pursuit of Love first, but this was such a fun read. The author effortlessly recreates the foibles of the English upper class of the 1930’s and obviously relishes pointing out each flaw or defect but always in a gentle sophisticated way. This was just the perfect book to curl up with on a winter’s afternoon and knowing that Nancy Mitford was a member of the very society that she is lampooning makes it all the more fun.

>105 DeltaQueen50: Just to show what a sick person I am, the violence in these books doesn't really bother me. Judy I am currently reading The Killer Inside Me and Deputy Sheriff Lou Ford is a vile person but I am so delighted with him. Sickity, sick, sicko.

>19 DeltaQueen50: I really enjoyed The Pursuit of Love but hesitated to read Love in a Cold Climate as friends told me it wasn't as good. I thought there was a faint whiff of Wodehouse about Mitford's characters and it sounds like that might be true in the second book as well -- putting it back on my TBR :)

Hi, JUdy! Sorry to hear that you and your computer have been sick -- glad things are improved now!

>106 DeltaQueen50: I have both those Mitfords on the shelf, so thanks for the review. I needed the reminder.
>107 luvamystery65: I'm a Thompson fan because of his twisted, sicko characters. The Killer Inside Me is one of the best pulps ever.

>80 DeltaQueen50:
Great reviews! I just bought Hyperbole and a Half and I can't wait to read it!

>106 DeltaQueen50:
Sounds divine.

>105 DeltaQueen50: & >107 luvamystery65: A couple of sickos after my own heart!

When I saw on the TIOLI Challenge #1 that you were reading Love in a Cold Climate I immediately thought I should dig it and The Pursuit of Love out of whatever box they're in and reread them. I'm glad you enjoyed it - those Mitford sisters were something else.

I decided that I deserve a present and so I have ordered a Kindle Fire HDX and I am now eagerly awaiting it's arrival. I intend to use it mostly for audio books and as a backup to my Kindle Paperwhite. I buy myself the best presents!!

>107 luvamystery65: Oh Ro, I have The Killer Inside Me sitting on my shelves and I am saving it, waiting for the movie to fade from my memory a little. I am looking forward to it, I absolutely love a well-written vile character!

>108 leslie.98: I have only read one P.G. Wodehouse so far, but I can definitely see a similarity between his work and that of Nancy Mitford. I am looking forward to reading more Wodehouse later on this year, and, at some point The Pursuit of Love as well.

>109 tymfos: Hi Terri, yes, other than a little lingering cough I am doing very well and (fingers crossed), my computer is currently enjoying 100 percent health!

>110 mstrust: I don't remember who put Nancy Mitford on my radar, although I am pretty certain it was someone here at the Category Challenge. As for Jim Thompson, I have a number of his on the shelf and I am looking forward to dipping into them!

>111 andreablythe: Andrea, I think you will love Hyperbole and a Half! I'll be watching for your thoughts on it. Divine is the perfect word to describe Love in a Cold Climate!

>112 rosalita: Ha, Ha, Julia, I knew we were soul sisters when we talked about going with Mary to the haunted house across the river last year - and how we would leave at 4:00 in the afternoon so that we would be exploring in the dark. Sister sickos unite!

>113 Dejah_Thoris: Dejah, when I saw that challenge, I didn't even think about books that were set in frigid temperatures, I immediately thought of the Nancy Mitford book!

20. He Who Fears The Wolf by Karin Fossum - 4.1 ★
Category: Around the World - Norway
BingoDog: Translated from a language I don't speak
TIOLI #13: Rolling Challenge - Title Starts with an H, A, R or T



He Who Fears The Wolf by Karin Fossum is a story of psychological suspense set in rural Norway. This is part of her series that features Inspector Konrad Sejer. In this instance he is investigating both a brutal murder of an older woman on a remote farm and a bank robbery that has turned into a hostage situation. These cases take a bizarre turn when it turns out that the suspect in the murder case, an escaped mental patient, is also the hostage of the bank robber. To make it even stranger, a young boy who is a witness to the murder also comes into contact with both the bank robber and the hostage in a deserted cabin in the woods.

He Who Fears The Wolf is a more of a character study with tragedy and murder as a backdrop rather than a straightforward mystery. Well written and intriguing this became quite a page turner for me as I wanted to see how it would all work out. Karin Fossum plumbs the psychological depths of her characters and creates a simple, compelling story that plays out over the course of one very hot summer day.

I found this a much more satisfying read than the first book in the series, Don’t Look Back which was more of a straight forward police procedural, and I am curious to find out in what direction she takes the next book in the series.

>115 DeltaQueen50: - Glad to hear that's a good one! I also read Don't Look Back and was underwhelmed, so haven't been eager to pick up the next one, despte having it on my TBR shelves...

And yay for buying yourself gifts!

>116 katiekrug: Hey Katie! Don't you just love buying gifts for your favorite person - yourself! And definitely give He Who Fears the Wolf a try, it's quite different from the first book and may suit you better.

>114 DeltaQueen50: I buy myself the best presents!!

I hear ya! No one buys me presents as good as the ones I buy for myself, so I've started buying myself more presents. It's a wonderful way to live life.

>118 PawsforThought: My brother and I started buying our own presents from each other a few years ago. We thought it was silly that I would spend $30.00 on something for him and he would spend $30.00 on me. So now we just thank each other for the wonderful birthday gifts that we buy ourselves in each other's name!

Buying yourself presents is definitely a wonderful way to live life and I intend to do more of it!

Excellent present buying - I'm jealous! Enjoy!

>119 DeltaQueen50: Oh, I don't do that! I'm far too fond of buying presents for people to ever give it up (and I know almost everyone I exchange gifts with feel the same). I just buy presents for myself on top of that. If there's something I really would want, I buy it for myself instead of hoping and hinting that someone else buys it for me. I'm not a big spender generally speaking so it doesn't affect my economy in any negative way.

>115 DeltaQueen50: I enjoyed this entry of the series a lot. I also am curious to see where she goes next with the series and What is the outcome of Sejer's attempt at romance? I developed a bit of a crush on him when I read this. He's not exciting but seems like an incredibly decent man. A bit of a rarity among fictitious Nordic investigators.

>117 DeltaQueen50: It's much better than the previous two. The first just got translated to English a couple of years ago but I wouldn't bother with it if you weren't that impressed with the second.

He Who Fears the Wolf was very good indeed. It had me wanting to read the next book in the series immediately.

And I agree with Roberta's spoiler in >122 luvamystery65: ;)

Getting a gift for yourself is always the best gift because you can get exactly what you want! I'm sure you will put your new Kindle to good use. :)

Self-gifting is a great thing! I'm the only person I get birthday and Christmas gifts from, and I never complain that it wasn't what I wanted. :-)

>115 DeltaQueen50: I rated that one as 4 stars. I have the next one on my Kindle, but I haven't gotten around to it. I'd probably be more likely to read it if I transferred it to the Kindle app on my iPad.

"Self-gifting": I love that idea. I'm going to adopt it.

I've had a busy morning grocery shopping and visiting both my elder daughter and then a quick cup of coffee with my neighbour. It seems that this time of year we rarely see our neighbours but in the summer we are always outside bumping into them!

>121 PawsforThought: Buying yourself a gift now and then is a great way to give yourself a little pat on the back. Have fun with it, Paws!

>122 luvamystery65: I am getting rather fond of Sejer myself, it's rare to find any policeman in any series that seems fairly uncomplicated - of course, it's early days yet. I agree with your spoiler, too, Ro.

>123 rabbitprincess: Yes, I wasn't sure I wanted to continue with the series before reading He Who Fears The Wolf and now I definitely do!

>124 jolerie: I am looking forward to listening to some audio books while on the treadmill or the stationary bike, Valerie. I need all the incentive I can get to keep hopping on those machines!

>125 rosalita: I know, Julia, it's uncanny how one always knows exactly what one wants!

>126 thornton37814: Hi Lori, I'm going to have to go through the list and check to see what book is next, as Ro has steered me away from going back and reading the first book.

>127 VivienneR: Yes, definitely self-gift yourself, Vivienne. You deserve some spoiling! ;)

21. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant - 4.0 ★
Category: I Don't Remember That From History Class
February HistoryCat: Religion
Reading Through Time Monthly Theme: Religion
TIOLI #13: Rolling Challenge - The Title Starts With An H, A, R or T



The Red Tent by Anita Diamant is a loose adaptation of the story of Dinah from Genesis, and the early part of this book with it’s lists of who begat who reminded me very much of the Bible. This is very much a book with a woman’s point of view, and the women characters are fully developed, deep and complete. Unfortunately the men suffer somewhat in this book, being much more simply drawn, and most end up seeming rather flat and negative. But as this is a book that is comprised of mostly woman’s stories, woman’s traditions and woman’s history, the stereotypically portrayed men makes sense.

The red tent of the title is a place of seclusion where the women retire for the days of their periods. Men stayed clear of this side of women’s business, and in reality, the red tent is a place of harmony and refuge for the females to relax, refresh and reenergize themselves for the upcoming month. The story is set in the time of the dawning of Christianity and so the stories are a mix of many gods, but with a smattering of Christian beliefs as well.

The Red Tent is a rich story of and about women, Dinah’s tale tells of a time period that not much is known of, but the author, with great passion and intensity creates a timeless story of biblical proportions that was interesting and engrossing.

Happy February, Judy!LOL, you're so right! I only see my neighbors at the grocery store or Panera Fridays and even though there are a couple of get togethers during the winter, I can not extricate my self from my cozy and warm home. I am a hibernator extraordinaire!

ETA: I loved The Red Tent! glad to see you did too

It's been ages since I've read The Red Tent, but I remember loving it when I did.

>130 Carmenere: Hi Lynda, reading The Red Tent made me long for an evening spent in company of my girlfriends. There is something about a close group of women who tell each other everything that is so comforting and also fun!

I remember really liking The Red Tent when I read it years ago (pre-LT) days. I'm looking forward to reading her new book The Boston Girl at some point. :)

I hear ya on the incentive. I definitely have found myself on the bike more often because I want to listen to my audiobooks.

>131 andreablythe: We posted at the same time, Andrea! I have to admit that this was a book that I had a pre-built in negative feeling toward before I read it. I was in a lineup somewhere a few year ago and the two people in front of me were discussing this book as it was their reading club's choice of the month. They were so pretentious that I was totally turned off the book. If it wasn't for HistoryCat, I probably never would have picked up The Red Tent and I would have missed out on an excellent read.

>133 jolerie: Again with the double posting! Hi Valerie, uh-oh a book bullet on my own thread! I will have to track down a copy of The Boston Girl!

>128 DeltaQueen50: Yeah, I'm planning a Valentine's gift for myself atm. I don't particularly like the idea of Valentine's Day but I like any excuse to buy myself stuff I really want. So the question is, what do I buy? Books is a bit of a given, but what books? And only books or something else too? Ah, decisions, decisions... ;)

>129 DeltaQueen50: Oh, I remember reading and liking The Red Tent quite a few years ago. My heathen self was completely unencumbered by the backstory from the Bible. :-)

>134 DeltaQueen50:
It's so interesting how the ways other people talk about a book or movie or whatever can totally color our experience before we even read it ourselves.

I like Anita Diamant too. After The Red Tent, I went on to read Day After Night and The Good Harbor and liked both of them too. I'll have to remember and put The Boston Girl on my wishlist.

Glad you are feeling better, Judy.

Everyone is making The Red Tent sound really good.

>136 PawsforThought: Valentine's Day has never been a 'special' holiday for me either and these days, it's mostly about the grandkids.

>137 rosalita: You certainly don't have to have any knowledge of the bible to follow The Red Tent, although I did think the author did a great job of tying a few bible stories together to enrich Dinah's story.

>138 andreablythe: For sure, Andrea. I was convinced that The Red Tent was going to be a pretentious read simply from listening to these two make their snobby observations.

>139 dudes22: Betty, I haven't read anything else by Anita Diamant, but I am certainly now open to exploring her other other books.

>140 hailelib: Thanks Tricia. Both hubby and I are doing really well. In fact we went out for a quick trip to Costco that included a lunch out today. I think he was going a little stir-crazy being cooped up in the house so long.

22. On The Beach by Nevil Shute - 4.2 ★
Category: Cat & Fiddle Arcade
BingoDog: Read A Cat
February SFFFCat: Sci-Fi Classic
February RandomCat: Let's Go To The Movies
TIOLI #14: A Classic of the Sci-Fi/Fantasy Genre



On The Beach by Nevil Shute tells the story of the last month’s in the lives of the last people on earth, and although slightly dated, still makes chills run up and down my spine. Nuclear war has come and gone, there is no one left alive in the earth’s northern hemisphere and clouds of radiation are slowing flowing south.

From the very beginning of the book, the people know that their time is limited, the story starts on January 27th and they know that the end will come sometime by the end of August or early September. We follow a small assortment of people living in and around Melbourne, Australia through these end times and see them live out their time with dignity and honor. There are times when one or another gets a little shaky, but overall I was very moved by how they handled what was coming, of course, the war was a year or so in the past so they had had time to work through their feelings of disbelief and anger. Slowly the cities of the southern hemisphere are blacked out by radiation poisoning and eventually the sickness arrives and the last surviving people on earth ready themselves for the end.

In Nevil Shute’s On The Beach, the world ends with a whimper not a bang, but this was nevertheless a shocking and terrifying read. I can imagine that this book had a powerful impact when it was released in the late 1950's during the Cold War and leading up to the Cuban Missile Crisis and such a future seemed possible. The author’s vision of a kinder, gentler end of life struck a cord with me, but sadly, I fear that people in today’s world of terrorism, religious intolerance and partisan politics would not go with so quietly or with such nobility.

Bang Judy, you are on roll!! This is why you have to have a thread. I don't care where, just you need to have one. On the list it goes. :)

Wow Judy! I'll bet you could make reading the back of a cereal box interesting. Part of me really wants to read this and part of me thinks it might be sort of depressing. Still - for the time being, this is a BB for me.

>142 DeltaQueen50: Pistol Annie strikes again!

Happy Saturday everyone! It's a cold, rainy, windy day here which makes it perfect for curling up with a good book, which is exactly what I plan to do later on.

>143 jolerie: Thanks Valerie, don't worry, I will continue to warbling about the books I read.

>144 dudes22: Thanks, Betty. To be fair, I should mention that On The Beach seems to be one of those books that people either love or hate. I have found that Nevil Shute is an author that I always love, he just writes the kind of stories that resonate with me. If you haven't read him before I would suggest starting with A Town Called Alice which is one of my all-time favorites.

>145 luvamystery65: Waves to Ro. (as I blow the smoke from my pistol and reholster.) One of the books that I am going to be reading later on is Longbourn.

23. The Turn of the Screw by Henry James - 3.7 ★
Category: Overflow
February American Author Challenge
TIOLI #6: A Book That Can Be Found on OpenCulture.com



After reading The Turn of the Screw by Henry James all I can say is "Huh”? I was looking forward to reading this old fashioned ghost story so I wrapped myself up in a quilt and curled up in my comfy chair all ready for the chills I thought this ghost story would bring, and indeed at first it was everything I hoped for. But the ambiguous ending spoiled this story for me. I wanted resolution not confusion.

The story of a governess who slowly comes to realize that her charges are being haunted by the corrupt former valet, Quint and ex-governess, Miss Jessel is a fascinating one. The story builds slowly, and by the time the governess realizes that the children know full well of these ghostly apparitions, we, the readers have become aware that Quint may well have sexually assaulted the young boy, Miles. The young girl, Flora, seems to be stalked by Miss Jessel, the former governess who was involved in an affair with Quint. Eventually Flora is removed from the house and sent to be with her uncle. This leaves Miles and the current governess to confront Quint, which they do and instead of the resolution that I hoped I would find, I was left feeling quite confused over what just happened.

A number of questions about the children and their safety springs to mind, but for me the biggest question was did all this really happen or was this simply a product of the governess’ psychotic imagination. The story was appropriately chilling and certainly creepy enough, but I would rather have had an ending that I understood instead of all these questions, but perhaps this was exactly how Henry James wanted to leave his readers.

Sorry to see the Logan McRae series is starting to lose its 'oomph'. Good to know I can still enjoy the first handful of books in the series, having enjoyed his first book last year.

Shifting gears, witty satire on upper class society sounds right up my alley.... adding Mitford yet again to my to read list.

Congrats on treating yourself to a Kindle Fire HDX!

I have been wondering about reading The Red Tent this month as part of the HistoryCAT. Maybe if I have time....

Happy long weekend, Judy!

I loved The Red Tent. I had no idea what to make of The Turn of the Screw when I read it years ago. Underwhelming and confusing.

On the Beach made such an impact on me when I read it decades ago that I really don't want to repeat the experience! I would, however, recommend it to those who enjoy end of the world novels. Somehow Nevil Shute always completely draws me into his stories so that I'm right there with his characters.

>147 DeltaQueen50: There were whole passages in The Turn of the Screw that left me wondering what was happening. It got to where I was reading the sentences word by word, like deciphering. Yet I had no problem as all with his Washington Square. I do think he left the ending of TTOTS very open to interpretation.

>148 lkernagh: Hi Lori, definitely continue to read the early Logan McRae series, they are well worth it. And yes, give Nancy Mitford a little nudge up the list!

>149 VioletBramble: I quite liked The Turn of the Screw until it got to the end which left me doubting the truth of what had gone before. The scene where they see the ghost of Miss Jessel staring at them from across the lake really gave me goose bumps!

>150 hailelib: I am the same way with Nevil Shute, I have loved everything of his that I have read so far. Since that has been his most well known works, I have made a point of tracking down some of his lesser known books and I am curious as to how I will like them.

>151 mstrust: After I got over being a little mad at the ambiguous ending, I agree with you, I think his ending was deliberate. I do feel a little cheated out of a genuine ghost story as his ending makes it much more likely that the governess is a wack-job and it was all in her head.

24. Double Indemnity by James M. Cain - 4.0 ★
Category: Edgar Allan Poe's Quill Pen
February RandomCat: Let's Go To The Movies
TIOLI #5: A Book That Has A Number in the First Sentence



The 1944 Billy Wilder directed film Double Indemnity has long been one of my favorite movies so I was quite excited to finally be reading the original story by James M. Cain. This hard-boiled classic tells the story of Walter Huff, an insurance salesman, and Phyllis Nirdlinger, a woman with a desire to rid herself of her husband. Water is obsessively drawn to Phyllis and before too long finds himself planning a perfect murder, one that will rid them of the unnecessary husband and also bring them a large payoff on the accident insurance policy that includes a double indemnity clause.

This dark tale of obsession, guilt, suspicion and retribution is taunt and full of suspense. The intricate plot moves the story along, and the author wastes no words with his straight forward delivery. My only complaint is with the ending which I found rather convoluted and drawn out. This is one case where I believe the film version with it’s classic ending provided by Wilder and Raymond Chandler far exceeds the book. Double Indemnity was well worth the read, but I would encourage everyone to see the film which is a masterpiece.

I love Double Indemnity! Part of the reason I love the book so much is that I read it while working at an insurance company, so I was giggling over all the insurance details. The movie is fantastic too.

Wow, you have been a busy reader! I enjoyed The Red Tent when I read it in pre-LT days, and your review of The Turn of the Screw was spot on. I too was left with a feeling of "huh?" when I finished it. Haven't read Shute (or Mitford, going way back up your thread), but both are possibilities for the future.

Hope you enjoy the rest of your Sunday!

>99 DeltaQueen50:
That is a shame. I've finished the first 5, but have the rest already on Mt. TBR. *lowering my expectations*

>105 DeltaQueen50:
Definitely agreeing with that!

>115 DeltaQueen50:
I've only read two in the series so far, but will be reading all for sure. Those characters are great!

>153 DeltaQueen50: I sould get around to giving James M. Cain a try at some time.

Morning, Judy! Nice review of Double Indemnity - I have that one in the stacks. And I was thinking about trying to squeeze in Turn of the Screw this month even though I am already reading Portrait of a Lady, but I think I will take a pass based on your review. Sounds like one that can wait a bit.

Hoping that Monday is kind to you.

>154 rabbitprincess: I'm curious, RP, did the author get the insurance details right? Of course, I realize that the book was originally published in 1936 so I am sure the business has changed since then.

>155 Storeetllr: Hi Mary, other than the strange ending, The Turn of the Screw really engaged me. I thought it was pretty scary!

>156 -Eva-: I don't want to mislead you, Eva. If you love the Logan McRae books then you will probably still enjoy them. I do. I just think perhaps it's time for him to grow up a little, and some of the side characters need more fleshing out so they don't become cartoons. (DI Steele - I'm looking at you!) I am looking forward to continuing on with the Karin Fossum series.

>157 AHS-Wolfy: Dave, I would recommend giving The Postman Always Rings Twice a go. I found it a much more complete story.

>158 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie, I am curious as to how people are finding the other Henry James books. I barely dipped my toe in with The Turn of the Screw as it is basically a novella. At this point, I am not planning on reading anything else by him, but if Washington Square or Portrait of a Lady get rave reviews, I may change my mind.

25. Saga, Volume 1 by Brian K. Vaughan - 4.2 ★
Saga, Volume 2 by Brian K. Vaughan - 4.0 ★
Saga, Volume 3 by Brian K. Vaughan - 4.2 ★

Category: Woven Ribbons
Fantasy February



Saga, Volume 1 - 160 pages

I can tell already that this is going to be a series that I want to follow. This first volume introduces the main characters and sets the story in motion. Marcus and Alana were each soldiers from opposite warring sides of a interplanetary war that fall in love and now have a baby daughter called Hazel. They are being hunted by both sides with a death sentence on the parents, but the baby seems to be attracting special attention and is wanted alive.

One thing I really like is the interplay between Marcus and Alana. They have concerns and issues much like any new couple and this is highlighted a few times. While giving birth under difficult conditions, Alana frets about how she is appearing to her loved one. Also when Marcus inadvertently mentions an old girlfriend, Alana’s radar goes into overtime. Marcus being a male, doesn’t really help himself much with his answers but does give the readers a good laugh.

As good as the story is, the artwork by Fiona Staples deserves special mention as well. Whether it is scenes of horror or scenes of beauty all is fresh and beautifully detailed. The story is very exciting with elements of magic, ghosts, rocketships, a disgusting spider-like huntress, a robot headed prince and most menacing of all, The Will with his sidekick, Lying Cat. I was very glad to have Volume 2 ready to pick up the minute I finished Volume 1.

Saga, Volume 2 - 144 pages

Continuing right on with the story, this volume felt more like a continuation of Volume 1. This volume introduces Marcus’ parents and gives us a little background on his early years. There is excitement, romance, humor and magic.

Some new characters are introduced, including Marcus’ ex-fiancée Gwendolyn, who manages to partner up with The Will which leads me to believe some great storylines are ahead. With it’s excellent artwork, vivid colors, and with characters and storylines as clever and original as these I am very eager to get my hands on Volume 3.

Saga, Volume 3 - 144 pages

Wow, this volume really sees the storyline advance and branch off in a number of directions. Marcus and Alana travel to Quietus to seek the advice of D. Oswald Heist, an author they hold in high regard. Prince IV is hot on their trail. The Will, Gwendolyn and the Slave Girl, who now has the name of Sophie, are stranded while awaiting repairs to their spaceship before continuing on with their pursuit. Also new characters are introduced such as the two tabloid reporters that are digging into the story of this runaway family and a new freelancer called The Brand comes into the story and it turns out this freelancer is related to The Will.

This volume felt like it was declaring the introductions are over and now the real stories are starting to unfold. This is indeed one of the best adult comics on the market today with it’s great pacing, interesting storylines, well drawn artwork and a wide variety of characters. I am looking forward to seeing what adventure comes next.

>159 DeltaQueen50: I'm actually not sure! I worked in the property insurance division as opposed to life insurance, but it certainly sounded convincing to me.

>159 DeltaQueen50: Thaks Judy, I'll bear that in mind but who knows when I'll ever pick one up. Probably have to wait for an opportunistic moment.

Glad to see more love going to Saga as well. Another GN series that I intend to get to at some point in the not too distant future.

>146 DeltaQueen50: Judy, I love A Town Like Alice, too! What a fabulous book! That said, I've been avoiding On the Beach for years. No change in plan, lol.

I think the ending of The Turn of the Screw is part of what makes the entire novella so successfully creepy and horrifying. The film creeped me out, too - way too close to horror for me! I'm going to read Washington Square as I'm a fan of the movie, "The Heiress." I hope you decide to give it a try.

Okay, I'm thinking I should have picked The Turn of the Screw for my James collection rather than Daisy Miller. Adding TofS to my list anyways! :)

>161 rabbitprincess: I just thought the plot with the insurance clause was so clever, I suspect he did his research or I probably would have read something about it by now!

>162 AHS-Wolfy: I know, Dave, that we all seem to have wishlists that go on forever but I do hope you do get a chance to sample James M. Cain in your future. Also Saga, which seems to appeal to most people.

>163 Dejah_Thoris: A Town Called Alice is definitely one of my all time favorite books, Dejah. You are probably right about The Turn of the Screw's ending. I know it's certainly lingering in my mind.

>164 jolerie: Yeah, I haven't seen where too many people are loving Daisy Miller, Valerie. TofS was a good choice for me. First off it's extremely short, just slightly over 100 pages and secondly, it sure held my interest and made me think.

Whoo Hoo! My Kindle Fire HDX arrived today and I have being playing around with it for the last little while. My current reads are actual books but I have The Midwich Cuckoos all ready to go next. Of course I had to go to the kindle store and buy at least one book, so I picked up one of the monthly specials, A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan for $2.99.

>166 DeltaQueen50: Ooh, you'll love A Natural History of Dragons!

Have fun with your new toy!!

Went right over to Amazon and purchased the dragon book. I'm a sucker for dragons!

Have fun with your new Kindle.

>166 DeltaQueen50: What fun! Did you get the 7" or the 9"?

I really need to get around to reading Saga. All I hear are good things.

>167 ronincats: Roni, I've had this series on my wishlist ever since I saw Jim's (Dr.Neutron) review of it last year. I am looking forward to it.

>168 LittleTaiko: Thanks Stacy, I sure plan to!

>169 mamzel: Mamzel, I will probably save this book for the July SFFFCat - Critters and Creatures. It should fit nicely there.

>170 hailelib: Thanks Tricia. I downloaded an audio of The Dark Horse by Craig Johnson last night. Now I can walk the treadmill and listen to Longmire.

>171 leslie.98: It's the 7" one Leslie, it's just slightly bigger than my Kindle Paperwhite.

>172 andreablythe: Saga is a fun series, Andrea. Pretty sure you will love it.

Hi Judy - I found you - what a lot of good reading you've done so far. The Joss book looks interesting. I keep meaning to get back to Fossum, too.

Oh! Have fun with your new Fire! I've got the same one (I think it's the same), and I love it for audiobooks and quick-checks of FB and LT. I still read books on my regular Kindle though.

>174 BLBera: Hi Beth, I'm glad you tracked me down. :)

>175 Storeetllr: Mary, I picked up the Fire mostly for listening to audios and because it makes it so easy to get books from the library, but of course, at first I can't resist trying out all the other features as well.

26. Longbourn by Jo Baker - 5.0 ★
Category: I Don't Remember That From History Class
BingoDog: Inspired by Another Piece of Fiction
TIOLI #16: The Letter U, V or W is in the Title



Longbourn by Jo Baker was one of those books that wrapped around me and swept me up in it’s story. I thought this was a wonderful homage to Pride and Prejudice, in that it followed the time line of the original book but introduced new characters, and new storylines. It honoured the book and even gave me a new insight into some of the original characters, but it all meshed with the original beautifully. Longbourn is the name of the house that the Bennett family live in, and the story is told from the servants viewpoint. It is an absorbing look at England during the Regency period through the eyes of people who were from the working class.

Being a servant to the gentry was a difficult job, from the arduous and tedious day to day chores, to how they were expected to look and act, their way of life was as carefully spelled out for them as it was for the upper classes. The author obviously did meticulous research and fills the book with casual observations on their day to day life. One often sees pictures of well-dressed, handsome Regency women and men, well, this book gives us a bird’s eye view of the work that went into getting them so beautifully turned out. Longbourn is however much more than a listing of the rules and regulations of the day, the characters that people these pages are fully fleshed individuals and their story is filled with romance and suspense. I fell in love with housemaid Sarah, and felt she was every bit as interesting a heroine as any of Jane Austen’s fans would require.

Well thought out and imagined, Jo Baker makes Longbourn come alive. This was a great historical fiction read whether or not you are a fan of Pride of Prejudice and I highly recommend it.

Oh, hooray, Judy! I am so glad that you loved it - I did, too! Excellent review - did you post it? If so, I will thumb!

>178 Crazymamie: Thanks for the thumb, Mamie. I went back and forth over the 5 star rating, but went for it just because the book caught me up in it so thoroughly.

I have had Longbourn on my TBR for so long will have to get it read if you think it's a 5 star book!

Well, based on your review, you've convinced me to give Longbourn a try. My library has it available in audio, so I just put a hold on it.

>177 DeltaQueen50:, I enjoyed Longbourn also, although not 5 star from me. Maybe your background of having read P&P assisted you in enjoying it even more.

I loved the perspective from Longbourn. I not a lover of P&P so the fact that I ended up enjoying it as much as I did was quite the surprise. Thumb! :)

Another thumb from me, Judy. I loved Longbourn, too.

Hi Judy - I've been on the fence about Longbourn; I've heard both good and bad, but your comments have moved it back onto my list.

>180 susiesharp: Susie, I think you will really enjoy Longbourn.

>181 tututhefirst: Tina, you will have to get back to me and let me know how you like it.

>182 Roro8: Ro, I was torn about giving it 5 stars, but it just totally captivated me so I gave it my top rating. I loved how Longbourn's plot ran alongside of Pride and Prejudice but didn't necessarily rely on it.

>183 jolerie: Valerie, I'm glad to hear that even if one is not a huge fan of P&P, you can still enjoy Longbourn.

>183 jolerie: >184 rosalita: Thanks for the thumbs, ladies! :)

>185 BLBera: I was a little nervous about reading Longbourn, as I have read other books that were spin-offs from the much beloved original and have been left feeling very disappointed. Also I have seen some comments where people feel that the Bennett family doesn't come off very well, but I thought they were presented in a very realistic light. I think the upper class was mostly pretty oblivious of what was going on in their own downstairs.

27. The Night Watch by Sarah Waters - 4.2 ★
Category: Pitcher's Duel
February British Author Challenge
February RandomCat: Let's Go To The Movies
TIOLI #3: A Book That Has Won or Been Nominated for the Lambda Award



I found The Night Watch by Sarah Waters one of the most interesting books I have read about London during the war. The book follows an assorted group of people and drifts back and forth in time from 1947 to 1944 and finally to the catalyst year of 1941. These Londoners are loosely connected and we follow them through their desires, their guilt, their regrets. Although many of the characters are gay this is not a story about ones’ sexual preference, rather that of people trying to live their lives in a London that has been changed by war.

With Sarah Waters, one must be patient, she is wordy and her books are long and could probably do with some tighter editing, but the reward is there, a gem of a story just waiting to be discovered. This author writes beautifully, and has the ability to move her readers while she also educates. I can’t promise that the reader will find many characters that are truly likeable, but they are all very much alive and living lives that engaged my attention thoroughly. I know there are many that find her work a real slog to get through, but I really relished her unique point of view and enjoyed puzzling this story out.

The Night Watch is an historical novel that is rich in period details and with a few strokes of her pen she is able to place her readers on the dark streets of London during the air raids or at a government Ministry working in a typing pool. The story is complex, filled with twists and rather sad. At the end of the story, which is really the beginning, it’s almost impossible not to start in again and read the beginning, which is really the end.

>187 DeltaQueen50: Daggone....another BB!

I am happy to inform you that while I have added Longbourn to my wishlist based on your review, I did not add The Night Watch.* So there!

*Because I already own a copy.

Darn if you don't make books I would never think of reading sound interesting. Guess I'll be taking a BB on Longbourn too.

I've been interested in Longbourn since P&P is probably my favorite book. I know my library has it in audio format so I think I'll try it next.

I haven't read Night Watch, but I'm reading and enjoying her newest book, The Paying Guests right now. Like you, I always think her books could use a little editing, but they end up being memorable and enjoyable.

Judy I put aside Longbourn for a weekend trip I am taking next week. My friend that is driving with me wants to listen so we will trying the audio on our trip.

You've had a string of good reading, Judy! Yay for that :)

So many good books, Judy! Lovely review of Longbourn. I thumbed it. You put your finger on the big question in The Turn of the Screw - are the ghosts real, or is the governess going mad? Supposedly (no surprise), the ambiguous ending was intended, to force the reader to really engage with the story and figure it out for themselves.

Great to see you're enjoying the Saga series. The 4th one is just as good as its predecessors. Great story, and love the illustrations.

Hi Judy! Just catching up, and I'm so glad that DeltaKing's surgery went well, that you got through your non-pneumonia illness, and that you're reading so many excellent books! Thankfully they're all either on my TBR or they've already been read, or I'd be in Trouble. :)

Hope you're staying warm this Friday the 13th!

I've spend a grueling day doing up the T4 slips and Tax Summary for my husbands employee's. A job I hate, but this year everything went smoothly and the final figures all balanced. Now just have to pass the paperwork along to the employees, the accountants and the government and that will put 2014 to bed.

>187 DeltaQueen50: Sounds like we have very similar tastes in books, Tina!

>189 RidgewayGirl: Hope you enjoy Longbourn when you get to it, Kay.

>190 dudes22: Don't know whether to apologize or gloat, Betty! Either way, I am sure you will love Longbourn.

>191 japaul22: Reading Pride and Prejudice and Longbourn close together would be a very fun experiment. You'll have to let me know how it went. I am a little leery of recommending Sarah Waters to everyone as I know lots of people who really don't enjoy reading her. Luckily for me and you we do enjoy her works and I am adding The Paying Guests to my wishlist.

>192 luvamystery65: I think Longbourn will be a fun audio for the two of you to enjoy, Ro. Should make for a good drive.

>193 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie. It's still going on as I am now enjoying the audio of the 5th Longmire book.

>194 jnwelch: Thanks for the thumb, Joe. And thanks for being the one who originally put Longbourn on my radar. Your recs are batting 1,000 with me! You know, The Turn of the Screw is one of those books that my mind can't totally let go of. At the time I wanted resolution but the more I think about the book, the more I appreciate what Henry James did with that ending.

>195 LauraBrook: Hi Laura, great to see you. Yes, he has recovered well and now I am counting the days until he goes back to work. A sign that he is feeling much better is that he is getting bored and restless.

Happy weekend, Judy! Glad to see all has balanced and you can move on to 2015! It doesn't seem to fail, everytime I visit I leave with another book recommendation! So, Longbourn is now on the wishlist!

>197 Carmenere: Hi Lynda, hooray for the weekend! And hooray for balanced books!

>196 DeltaQueen50: I am now enjoying the audio of the 5th Longmire book.

Hey now! You are getting ahead of things, Judy. Obviously you are not reading along with the Leaphorn/Longmire Reading Project as we just read the first Longmire this month.

Hey Judy! Re: Longbourn. I've yet to read a take off on P&P that I really liked, so I've been avoiding picking up Longbourn. I'm still not convinced, but you've pushed me a little closer to it.

The Night Watch sounds good - that may be the next of Waters' books I pick up. Thanks.

I hope you're having a lovely weekend!

Wow - the Saga series, Longbourn and The Night Watch - bang, bang, bang!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hubby and I went out for lunch and did a little shopping. We also stopped by visited with the grandkids and delivered some Valentine's treats to them. We are both so full from lunch that dinner will be very light. We will probably snuggle down and watch TV later this evening, probably something really romantic like The Walking Dead or Dexter!

>199 rosalita: I have been reading this series for a few years now, Julia. I was going to wait and read The Dark Horse when the group got there later this year, but I couldn't resist trying out the audio on my new Kindle.

>200 Dejah_Thoris: Dejah, I have been burnt by a few P&P knockoffs as well, but I can say with great confidence that Longbourn is an exception. As it's viewpoint is that of the servants, the main characters from the original P&P are mostly peripheral or in the case of a few, Jo Baker has done her research and kept them true to their original personalities. Hope you are having a great weekend as well.

>201 LisaMorr: Lisa, hope you enjoy all the above! :)

28. The Dark Horse by Craig Johnson - 4.3 ★
Category: Endless Rain
BingoDog: Protagonist of the Opposite Gender
TIOLI #17: Author Shares Last Name with an American President



The Dark Horse by Craig Johnson is the fifth book in his series featuring Walt Longmire, sheriff of Absaroka County in northern Wyoming. I have loved every book in the series, and this was no exception. What was different for me this time out was that I listened to an audio version which made this a whole new experience for me. The narrator, George Guidall, delivers the story in a western voice with a western attitude and brings Walt Longmire to life.

This reader was even able to deliver the women’s lines in a believable manner and absolutely nailed Vic with her brash but endearing ways and ever present potty-mouth. As Walt and she continue their slow dance around each other, we're still left wondering whether this is going to develop into something permanent. The writer delivers his story with plenty of humor and there were a few laugh out loud moments. I loved the fact that Dog was front and centre in this volume, but I did miss Henry Standing Bear who was not around very much. While the mystery was fairly straight forward and predictable, the writing was strong, and Walt was, as ever, an upstanding caring person that really goes the extra mile to ensure justice and fairness to all.

Of course Walt has another side as well, and often leaps before he looks and doesn’t always land on his feet. In this edition Walt goes “undercover” to a small town where everyone wants to know who the stranger is, and it isn’t too long before someone is taking pot shots at him. The Dark Horse was both exciting and humorous with some strong descriptive passages all of which makes this a great addition to an already excellent series.

Nice review, Judy. I really liked that one, too, but like you, I missed Henry Standing Bear.

Ooh, it is dangerous catching up with your thread, Judy. I got hit by four BBs!

Excellent review of Longbourn Judy. I've been dithering about reading it and now you have just made up my mind. I've also added The Night Watch to my wishlist.

Longbourn was already on my radar and now you have me even more excited about reading it. I'm reading The Little Stranger right now, but it's still too soon for me to say whether Waters is going to be a must-read author for me.

>204 Crazymamie: I feel that this series just keeps getting better, Mamie. The audio version was so good, I may just have to make sure this becomes a series I always listen to rather than read.

>205 Familyhistorian: Hmm, I don't know whether to bow and blow kisses or apologize, Meg!

>206 VivienneR: Two excellent choices, Vivienne!

>207 cbl_tn: Longbourn is an excellent read, Carrie. Sarah Waters definitely seems to get divided reviews. I hope you end up really liking her.

29. The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham - 2.8 ★
Category: Falling Off the Map
February SFFFCat: Classics of the Genre
February RandomCat: Lets Go To The Movies
TIOLI #14: A Classic of the Sci-Fi/Fantasy Genre



“ The important thing about the cuckoo is not how the egg
got into the nest, nor why that nest was chosen; the real
matter for concern comes after it has been hatched - what,
in fact, it will attempt to do next.”

I find myself rather conflicted by The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham. The basic story was well thought out, very disconcerting and really spoke to the cold war fears that were prevalent at the time of his writing it, but unfortunately, the story is very dated and it was hard to accept the premise when one is constantly rolling ones eyes. Published in 1957, the story unfolds in the small town of Midwich where a weird phenomena happens whereby the entire village falls asleep for 24 hours, and when they wake, every woman in the town who is of child-bearing years is pregnant.

For a story where so much of the drama involves women, the viewpoint is very male. Men try to figure out what happened. Men decide how this is going to be handled. Men make the birth arrangements and decide how these strange children are to be reared. The nominal leader of the women actually is told by her husband and the town doctor what to say and when to say it.

If there is any value in The Midwich Cuckoos today it is in the fact that it is like a small time capsule giving us insight into people’ mindset in 1957, the dominant role played by men, the importance placed on survival of the species and their lack of scientific knowledge. My biggest negative was the endless blatherings on about mankind’s place in the universe, general philosophy and ethics. If there had been a little more action and a little less talk, this book may well have stood the test of time in a much better manner.

>208 DeltaQueen50: Well, Judy, your BBs helped me today when I was struggling to make the purchases for my thingaversary. Somehow it has been hard to come up with 8 books to buy - very strange for me. After your review, Longbourn was add to the pile.

>210 Familyhistorian: Knowing you are a history buff, Meg, I am sure you will enjoy Longbourn!

>209 DeltaQueen50: I'm sorry The Midwich Cuckoos turned out to be something of a dud, Judy. Another factor to consider in the attitudes by men shown in the book is simply the science fiction crowd at the time. I know that early on Heinlein was told to limit women appearing in his short stories to nonentities - he had trouble with "Let There Be Light" which was a very early story because the woman in it was real and intelligent - even if she did do all the coffee making and cooking. I imaging that 8-10 years later most of the SF was still targeted for men.....

>212 Dejah_Thoris: I suspect you are correct, Dejah, and that The Midwich Cuckoos was aimed at a male audience and I certainly didn't notice this in either The Chrysalids or The Day of the Triffids. But I also think that women were still considered the weaker sex at that time and that it was expected that men would be the ones who made all the major decisions. Anyway that aspect of the book didn't bother me as much as the droning on about philosopy etc. did.

>213 DeltaQueen50: I didn't mean I disagreed about the prevailing 'weaker sex' attitude of the time - I agree with you completely, there. And as for droning on about philosophy, well, Heinlein frequently couldn't resist, either!

>214 Dejah_Thoris: I guess any book that was published in the 1950's would have that male superior attitude. As for the droning, it seemed to be the style of the day, perhaps it was felt that science fiction needed this as justification for some of the strange tales they were telling. I think that was one of the reasons that I loved On the Beach, there wasn't too much of that going on. But then again, Nevil Shute didn't write sci-fi on a regular basis so perhaps he didn't know the format. ;)

I am having one of those days when electronic items and I are not getting along! When I got my Kindle Fire I download an app called OneClick Digital which allows me to borrow audio books from the library. I borrowed The Dark Horse and it worked beautifully until I went to return the book to the library. It was like the app froze. I couldn't return the book, I couldn't download a new one. I just kept getting an error message. I took myself off to the library this morning to see if the librarian could help. We decided to remove the program and reload it to see if that worked. Well, we got rid of the app, but when we went to Amazon to download it again, it kept saying that this app is incompatible with my device. We tried everything but couldn't get it to work. The frustrating thing is that it did work originally. I've e-mailed Amazon and I'm awaiting a reply. I do wonder if anyone else has had any problems with this app?

Oh! I hate One-Click. I use Overdrive instead, and also Hoopla. Both work well with the Fire, and also a PC and iPhone. I was never able to get One-Click to work for me.

One Click works on my phone but I have not tried it on the Fire. Total Boox will download on my iPad but not my Kindle Fire. I don't know about these things sometimes.

>160 DeltaQueen50:
Yey for Saga-love!

>166 DeltaQueen50:
You should try a graphic novel on it! The art tends to get an extra punch from the screen.

>177 DeltaQueen50:
My mum, who is a huge P&P fan, really loved it too - I'll grab her copy (if she'll let go of it...).

>216 DeltaQueen50:
I use Overdrive as well and it's always worked well.

Getting caught up and love the 5 star rating for Longbourn! I plan on reading that one next month for the RandomCAT. Sorry to read about the hassles with One-Click. I haven't heard of that app before. I use Overdrive for library e-books. Is Overdrive Kindle Fire compatible?

I also use Overdrive on my Kindle Fire, Judy, and I have not had any problems with it so far. Bummer about The Midwich Cuckoos, as I have that in the digital stacks - at least I don't need to worry about rushing to get to it!

>217 Storeetllr: Mary, I have set up Overdrive on my Kindle and it appears to be working fine. I noticed that OneClick Digital doesn't have very many good reviews on Amazon. It's only been recently that a person could use a Kindle to borrow from Canadian Libraries, but luckily I can use Overdrive if OneClick Digital proves to be a bust. It does appear from my library's list that different books are available through different apps so if I can't get OneClick Digital to work, there will be a lot of books that I won't be able to borrow.

>218 luvamystery65: I don't know about these things either, Roberta. Nothing frustrates me more that computer related things that I don't have a clue about. I never know if it's something I did or if there really is a problem!

>219 -Eva-: It's always fun when one discovers a whole new series to love - and I do love Saga! I never thought about getting a graphic through the Kindle! Will have to check that out. Eva, I'm glad to hear that someone else who loves P&P also loves Longbourn.

>220 lkernagh: I'll look forward to seeing what you think of Longbourn, Lori. Luckily, Overdrive is compatible with the Kindle Fire so I have set that up now.

>221 Crazymamie: I still think The Midwich Cuckoos is well worth the read, Mamie. It's interesting to read these early sci-fi classics and see how much the genre has changed and moved forward!

30. Bride of the Water God, Vol. 1 by Mi-Kyung Yun - 3.3 ★
Bride of the Water God, Vol. 2 by Mi-Kyung Yun - 3.2 ★
Bride of the Water God, Vol. 3 by Mi-Kyung Yun - 3.0 ★

Category: Woven Ribbons
Fantasy February



Bride of the Water God, Volume 1 - 184 pages

The Bride of the Water God is Soah, whose village sacrifices her to the Water God Habaek in the hope that the god will cause it to rain and end the long drought. The belief is that it will be alright to drown this beautiful girl if it will save the entire village. Soah is surprised that she is not killed but instead is brought to a beautiful palace to be the bride. She is surprised upon meeting the Water God to find that he is not a monster, but a child. What Soah does not know it that the Water God is a young child by day, but a full grown man at night. She knows the night version as Mui and is disconcerted by her attraction to him.

This book is full of beautiful artwork and I only wish it was in color. The story of this girl that has to navigate on her own through a world of gods is interesting. Apparently based on a Korean legend, I did find parts of the book quite confusing, and I would say that the lure here is mostly the delicately beautiful drawing.

Bride of the Water God, Volume 2 - 175 pages

Continuing on with the Bride of the Water God, volume 2 has the bride, Soah, very confused about her feelings toward Mui. Someone tells her that he and Habaek are the same person, but others tell her that this isn’t so. She decides to find out the truth for herself . When Mui is wounded at the Night Market, she is able to see his tattoo and then needs to find a reason to examine the child Habaek’s chest. She dumps a pot of tea upon him and just as she unbuttons his top to search for the tattoo, the story ends.

I am not as taken with this series as I am with some of the other graphic novels that I am following, but I have ordered Volume 3 from the library and will decide after that one if I am going to continue with the series.

Bride of the Water God, Volume 3 - 188 pages

When Soah finds no tattoo on Habaek, she becomes even more confused and decides that Mui and Habaek are two different people. She is married to the child, Habaek, but has feelings for Mui. Meanwhile Habaek/Mui makes a bet with his Mother. He sends Soah back to her home and wipes her memories. If she is able to retrieve her memories of him then he will once again claim her as his bride.

Things are difficult for Soah at home and Habaek comes to her rescue a few times but never reveals himself to her. Meanwhile her old boyfriend is pressing her to marry him. When Habaek finally reveals himself to Soah, she doesn’t know him at first. By the time she does remember, it is too late. Habaek has left convinced that he has lost her love. Alone once again, Soah reconsiders the marriage proposal.

Although this series is a testament to how beautiful this visual form of storytelling can be, it is basically a story of star-crossed lovers. I really am not a huge fan of this type of story and so I think I will be putting this series on the back burner for now.

Sounds very interesting and I like mythology and manga, so maybe Bride of the Water God would be a good read for me. Though, like you I'm not a big star-crossed lovers reader.

>224 andreablythe: Andrea, I probably didn't read far enough into the series to see if there was going to be more than just the love story involved. There were other gods in the story but they hadn't played much of a role yet.

>216 DeltaQueen50: I gave up on OneClick as I had so many problems with it and my iPad. The problem is our library system (probably yours too as we are both in the same province) has some books available in OneClick, some in OverDrive, not both. There are many I would like but have to ignore because they are from OneClick.

>226 VivienneR: It's the same at my library, Vivienne. Unfortunately it appears most of the newer books seem to be available through OneClick. I hope the problems with OneClick are being addressed and that eventually it works. I sent an e-mail to Amazon about my problems and I have heard back from them. They want me to phone them so I am waiting until I have some free time so I won't be bothered with interruptions. I am curious as to whether they will be able to help me.

>222 DeltaQueen50:, >226 VivienneR:, >227 DeltaQueen50: A couple of suggestions, though I'm not sure if they'll work with Canadian libraries.

First, does your library system have Inter-Library Loans? I can go through ILLs even for digital books. Also, try Hoopla, if it will work through Canadian lilbraries. You can borrow only five audiobooks per month, but its always instantaneous rather than sometimes having to put your choice on hold. Plus, they have some books that Overdrive doesn't have, even with ILL factored in.

Anyway, if Amazon does help you, could you share what you learn? It would be nice to have OneClick available for use.

Good luck!

>228 Storeetllr: Thanks, Mary. I have downloaded Hoopla, and there are some libraries in the Vancouver area that appear to use this system, but unfortunately mine, The Fraser Valley Library, doesn't. The best I can do right now is sign up for a newsletter that will advise if my library adds Hoopla. As for Inter-Library loans, I can get books from any of the 21 branches of my library but I don't think I can borrow from other libraries. It would be great if given the troubles with OneClick, my library changes and goes with Hoopla.

Also here in British Columbia, there is also one source called B.C.'s Library to Go that lends digital material, but again they seem to use Overdrive.

ETA: I am going to give Amazon a call tomorrow when I have some time and I will definitely let you know what happens.

31. Into The Forest by Jean Hegland - 2.6 ★
Category: Combined Miscellany
TIOLI #12: A Three Word Title That Doesn't Begin with "The"

Category Explaination

The category of Combined Miscellany is where I start with one book and then every month read another book that is linked in some way with the previous one. I started this category off with The Bear by Claire Cameron. One of the dominant tags for The Bear is “Survival and my book this month, Into The Forest is also tagged “Survival”.



I was looking forward to reading Into The Forest by Jean Hegland. I usually love survival stories but I definitely did not love this book in fact I struggled to finish it and once I did I only felt relief that I could now move on to other books. This is a story of two sisters living in the woods in post-apocalyptic Northern California. I think part of the reason that the book didn’t work for me is that it was originally published in 1996 and it felt very dated. I think this is partially due to the writing style as much as how much the world has evolved since then.

The story started off well with a family that lives on the edge of civilization. Then America starts to fall apart, electricity fades away, food is scarce, and gasoline impossible to obtain. Isolated in the woods, the girls are left on their own when the father dies. Part of my disbelief in the story stems from how quickly the girls adjust to making do. With only a tiny field guide they soon know what plants are edible, they learn how to grown and preserve their harvest, and dang, if they don’t teach themselves to hunt. I usually gobble up this kind of story but this one did not lure me in at all. Later into the book there was one scene when sisterly love gets carried too far and that just about finished me.

Overall I found the characters never felt like real people, their actions and their thoughts just didn’t ring true. I felt like the author was trying to deliver a feminist sermon and was using this story and these characters as a “front”. Again, perhaps if I had read this book closer to it’s release date, it may have gendered a different response from me. After forcing myself to push through the book, I was then very let down with the ending. I felt the choice made here was wrong and instead of leaving the reader with a hopeful ending, I felt that these two were doomed and quite frankly, by this time, I really couldn’t have cared less.

Did the girls have The Clan of the Cave Bear series in their cabin? Because in that series, Ayla invents anything she needs no problem. Even the credulous teenage me burst out into laughter when she was sitting in her cave one evening and invented a needle and thread just because.

> 231 Sometimes books ask just a little to much of their readers. I remember reading a book set in Ancient Egypt and one of the characters personally invented just about everything that we credit that country with. Into the Forest put my back up fairly early and so I was questioning everything that happened on the pages.

I was on the phone with Amazon most of the morning, and my final answer seems to be that due to a recent update, my Canadian Kindle Fire is no longer compatible with OneClick Digital. Amazon was very helpful and I spoke to a couple of people who tried to help me, but they were Amazon.com people in the States and our websites are quite different. They eventually patched me through to the Canadian Amazon.ca help line and they are the ones who told me that my device is no longer compatible. Amazon had no idea if this was permanent or temporary.

I then dropped into the library to update the librarian who helped me the other day, unfortunately she wasn't in and the one I spoke to today also had no idea that the Kindle Fire was no longer compatible. We searched the library website but it still says that Kindle Fire can be used with OneClick Digital. Now I am wondering if it is just my Kindle that isn't working.

When I got home I went to the OneClick Digital site and sent off an e-mail to them with the story and my questions. I am curious as to what they will say.

I'm sorry you've been dealing with tech problems. Ugh! I would think that OneClick is likely to try harder to resolve the problem since Kindles are such popular devices. The question is how willing Amazon will be to work with them. They would really prefer to sell you that audiobook than have you borrow it from the library. It does sound like Amazon's customer service has been responsive to your problem so far, and that seems like a good sign!

>234 cbl_tn: I thought Amazon was very responsive toward my problems. The Rep I spoke to who was in the States really tried to help me, but our setups are so different that she couldn't. Instead of just telling me to call the Canadian service centre, she actually patched me through. I have resigned myself to not having OneClick Digital, but I do want to hear what they have to say.

Give it a little time. I had a similar situation when I updated my ipad. After a few weeks, OverDrive updated their software and everything worked again. In that case, I called Apple and ended up talking to an Irish man with the sexiest voice I have ever heard. Would you like his number? It wouldn't do much to resolve your problem, but you will feel better about technical annoyances.

Sounds like your OneClick problem is the same problem I have with Hoopla. Apparently my iPod Touch is/was no longer compatible with their technology so it is a hit and miss for me if I am able to download and listen to any of their audiobooks. That being said, I did download and was able to listen to The Aspern Papers that way so maybe my complaining to Hoopla did something... I don't know.

>236 RidgewayGirl: A fellow with a sexy Irish voice would help in just about any situation! And I think you are right about giving it time, it hasn't been that long that these apps have been added by Canadian libraries so I guess there are going to be some bugs.

>237 lkernagh: Lori, sorry that you have to keep checking to see if the app works, but this also gives me hope that eventually they will adjust things so I can at least have a choice of two apps.

Wow! So many of us are having problems with the audio apps! I mentioned having trouble with OneClick; well, I also remember now that a year or so ago I had trouble with Overdrive, which I think I fixed by reinstalling the app. You'd think these kinds of technical issues would have been fixed by now. It's not rocket surgery, and libraries have been pushing "the cloud" for years now.

I believe One Click books are exclusive to One Click meaning you will never find them on Overdrive because of contracts I could be wrong as my library only has Overdrive, but I think that's how it works.

>239 Storeetllr: Mary, I am hoping that all these problems do get addressed over the next little while, it would be wonderful if it was as easy as the ads make it seem - "just click and go!" - HA!

>240 susiesharp: That's the way it appears to be with my library, Susie, books that are on OneClick don't seem to be available on other apps.

32. Dancing In The Dark by Maureen Lee - 3.0 ★
Category: Camille's Choice
TIOLI #8: There's Something in the Title That You Love



Dancing In The Dark by Maureen Lee is a romance story that jumps back and forth in time between two women. Flo Clancy is a young woman who tragically falls in love with a married man which causes heartbreak and troubles through three generations. Millie Cameron, who is Flo’s great-niece, was asked to sort through Flo’s stuff when she passed away, and while sorting through Flo’s things discovers secrets that change her whole life.

The book follows Flo through the World War II years in Liverpool and on through her life. It also tells Millie’s story, her harsh upbringing and her coming face to face with these dark family secrets. Personally I never felt overly connected to any character. Flo, with her bad choices usually made me want to smack her and Millie was so guarded and uptight that it was difficult to break through and find a sympathetic character underneath her false front. Many of the events in the book felt a little forced and unbelievable so I wasn’t drawn into the story. I suspect that this will be a book that I will have trouble recalling in a few months as I found nothing memorable about it.

I usually enjoy Maureen Lee’s books, but Dancing In The Dark will not be added to my list of this author’s favorite books.

>242 DeltaQueen50: Sounds like I may safely pass on that one.

Poor Judy! You've read some duds lately and having device issues on top of it. I hope the problem with OneClick and your Amazon Fire gets resolved. I do think if anyone will be most motivated and able to do fix it it will be OneClick themselves, so here's hoping they come through for you.

The artwork of Bride of the Water God really is beautiful! I'm tempted.

We decided to go out and do something today, so we took ourselves off to the movies and watched "American Sniper". It was very good but I am a little surprised that it is up for Best Picture. We then went out for an early dinner. My husband is pretty much 100 percent mended and is going to start back to work next week putting in half days at first.

>243 thornton37814: Good idea, Lori, there is really nothing horrible about the book, but also nothing special either.

>244 rosalita: The good news, Julia, is that I am clearing a lot off my shelves which is one of my main goals for this year. I've pretty much given up on OneClick as so far they haven't bothered to answer my e-mail.

ETA: I have set aside a book from my favorite zombie series to read soon, just to reward myself for all the clunkers I've gotten through. ;)

>245 cammykitty: It is beautiful artwork, Katie, but I found the story a little tame after having just read a few volumes of both Fables and Saga.

I'm finally catching up with your thread and getting lots of BBs. I too loved the movie Double Indemnity and would like to read the book one day, especially since I enjoyed The Postman Always Rings Twice very much.

Glad to see your positive reviews of the Saga series. I've read the first two volumes and it sounds like the third one will not disappoint!

I also read your review of The Night Watch with interest. I've never read any of Waters's books but I'm thinking of reading The Paying Guests, as it's featured in the Tournament of Books this year.

I've had problems with One Click over the years. Lately it has been working with my iPhone app, but it seems to go in and out of kilter with different updates.

I do love listening to the audios of the Longmire series with George Guidall, and try to grab them when One Click is working for me. They aren't available with Overdrive, which I've had fewer problems with.

>247 mathgirl40: Hi Paulina, for me Double Indemnity didn't quite reach the standard set by The Postman Always Rings Twice, but it was still a pretty good read and well worth tracking down.

I can certainly see more Sagas in my future.

Sarah Waters appears to one of those authors that is quite diversive. I have now read two of her books, The Night Watch and Fingersmith, and I liked both of them, but you'll find plenty of people who don't care for her stuff at all.

>248 tymfos: I think the audio of the last Longmire really brought the book up a notch, and I will be disappointed if I can't eventually listen to more. I wish they were available through Overdrive as that app seems to be working perfectly for me.

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