Roro's Reading Games, round 2

Roro’s Reading Games


Five Crowns is one of our favourites games, actually a card game rather than a board game.

Here is my second thread for 2015. As you know, for the challenge this year, I have raided the games cupboard for my reading categories. Each one is based on a well known and much loved board game.

I have got 15 categories. I will consider a category closed when I have read 2015 pages for that category. Where appropriate, left over pages from one category can be carried over to another category. Every page counts! I may not fill every category, and I’m not going to commit to filling each one. We will see how many categories I can fill. I started January 1 and will be finishing December 31, 2015.

Total number of categories completed in 2015




__________________________________________

Total number of books read in 2015 = 52

Number of books from my own bookshelf = 16

Number of my own ebooks = 16

Number of borrowed books = 20

Total number of pages read in 2015

Cleudo
The Classic Who done it? Game. This is where mysteries belong. (This is the version we have)



1 {106 pages} A Parliament of Spies by Cassandra Clark - did not finish
2 {434 pages} The Fatal Flame by Lyndsay Faye
3 {376 pages} The Italian Wife by Kate Furnivall
4 {215 pages} Lady of the Eternal City by Kate Quinn
5 {294 pages} The Ice Twins by S K Tremain
6 {432 pages} What Angels Fear by C S Harris
7 {158 pages} Princess Elizabeth's Spy by Susan Ella MacNeal

Snakes and Ladders
As this is a game played by children this is where I will be putting books related to children, childhood, coming of age.



1 - {405 pages} Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult
2 - {568 pages} The Last Dragon: Twilight of the Celts by M K Hume
3 - {294 pages} The Fishermen, A Novel by Chigozie Obioma
4 - {360 pages} Everlasting Lane by Anrew Lovett
5 - {309 pages} The Book of Bright Ideas by Sandra Kring
6 - {79 pages} The Ice Twins by S K Tremayne

2015 pages read

Connect Four
Get four in a row and you win. This is where my series reads are going.



1 - {336 pages} Sarah by Marek Halter, Canaan Trilogy
2 - {493 pages} The Storm Lord: Twilight of the Celts book 2, by M K Hume
3 - {428 pages} The Price of Blood by Patricia Bracewell - Emma of Normandy book 2
4 - {552 pages} The Ice King: Twilight of the Celts book 3, by M K Hume
5 - {206 pages} Secrets of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst - The Wolf Chronicles book 2 (371 pages in total, remaining 165 pages in another category)

2015 pages read

Game Of Life
I used to love playing this game with my sister when I was a kid. You get a in car, drive along the road that takes you though life and see what happens. This is where I will put books that are family or relationship oriented.



1 - (552 pages) The Darkest Hour by Barbara Erskine
2 - (344 pages) Mothers and Daughters by Kylie Ladd
3 - (437 pages) Evergreen Falls by Kimberley Freeman
4 - (337 pages) These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf
5 - (44 pages) No Country: A Novel by Kalyan Ray
6 - (320 pages) The Eye of the Sheep by Sofie Laguna

Scrabble
In this game you make the best words you can with the letters you have available. It seems like a good place to put books that are sitting on my shelves waiting to be read, they are definitely available.



1- {480 pages} The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window And Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
2 - {487 pages} River of Destiny by Barbara Erskine
3 - {497 pages} The Vanishing Witch by Karen Maitland
4 - {210 pages} Princess Elizabeth's Spy by Susan Ella MacNeal
5 - {341 pages} Confessions of Marie Antoinette: A Novel by Juliet Grey (remaining 100 pages in another category)

Risk
The classic war game where one person must conquer the world. This is where I will put my books about war and battles.



1 - (302 pages) The Empty Throne by Bernard Cornwell
2 - (435 pages) The Iron Necklace by Giles Waterfield
3 - (356 pages) Grand Central: Original Stories of Postwar Love and Reunion by multiple authors

1093 pages read
922 pages to go

Twister
Twister can be uncomfortable depending who you are playing it with. I plan on putting books that take me out of my comfort zone here. Probably some SFFFCat will end up here.



1 - {304 pages} Death of an Ordinary Man by Glen Duncan
2 - {514 pages} Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth
3

818 pages read
1197 pages to go

Trivial Pursuit
History isn’t trivial but it is full of interesting facts. This is where I will put my historical reads.



1 - {530 pages} River God by Wilbur Smith
2 - {100 pages} Confessions of Marie Antoinette: A Novel by Juliet Grey
3 - {396 pages} Dollface, a Novel of the Roaring Twenties by Renee Rosen
4 - {384 pages} Goddess by Kelly Gardiner
5 - {48 pages} The Three Fates by Kate Quinn
6 - {301 pages} Lady of the Eternal City by Kate Quinn (remaining 215 pages in another category)

1759 pages read
256 to go

Monopoly
Monopoly takes ages to play and some books take ages to read (I’m thinking Diana Gabaldon). This is where really long books go, more than 600 pages at least.



1 (1024 pages) Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
2
3

1024 pages read
991 pages to go

Chess
I always think of chess as a serious game. This is where my non-fiction books will go.



1 - (336 pages) The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly by Matt McCarthy
2 - (253 pages) Bad Behaviour: A Memoir of Bullying and Boarding School by Rebecca Starford
3

589 pages read
1426 pages to go

Battleship
OH NO! I’ve been hit! A category for book bullets.



1 - {256 pages} The Storied Life of A J Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin (BB christinareads)
2 - (320 pages) Beneath the Shadows by Sara Foster (BB Hanneri)
3 - (314 pages) Zoo Station book 1 John Russell series (multiple hits)
4 - (327 pages) Last Day in the Dynamite Factory by Annah Faulkner (next-door neighbour)

Potential books
Big Little Lies BB skrouhan
A Rural Affair BB Hanneri
1217 pages read
798 pages to go

Operation
I hope I can keep the patient alive. This category is for medical themed books



1- (355 pages) One Small Act of Kindness by Lucy Dillon
2- (435 pages) Every Fifteen Minutes by Lisa Scottoline
3 - (400 pages) A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner

825 pages to go

Jenga
Is it all going to fall down if I pull this block out? Thrillers are going here.



1 - {480 pages} Already Dead by Jaye Ford
2 - {352 pages} The Good Girl by Mary Kubica
3

832 pages read
1183 pages to go

Chinese Checkers
I love books about other cultures. In this category I am going to put books set in Asia, or written by authors with Asian connections.



1 - (478 pages) Tiger Queens: The Women of Genghis Khan by Stephanie Thornton
2 - (385 pages) A Lady Cyclist's Guide to Kashgar by Susanne Joinson
3 - (616 pages) Flood of Fire by Amitav Ghosh
4 - (560 pages) No Country: A Novel by Kalyan Ray

Yahtzee
This one seems appropriate for CATs, KITs and group reads, so this is where they will go.



1 - {453 pages} The Witch's Daughter by Paula Brackston
2 - {165 pages} The Secrets of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst
3 - {368 pages} Summertime by Vanessa LaFaye
4 - {288 pages} The Sensorium of God by Stuart Clarke

1274 pages read
741 pages to go

CATs and Reading Through Time Group reads

I am going to be fairly casual with the CATs this year. I am pretty keen to try most of the SFFCAT as it is out of my usual reading zone. I am still committed to the RTT group. So these two will be prioritised.

April

RandomCAT (aperire): River of Destiny by Barbara Erskine, Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth
SFFCAT (fairy tales, myths): Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth
RTT (crime and mystery): Dollface, A Novel of the Roaring Twenties by Renee Rosen
RTT quarterly theme (between WWI and WWII): Dollface, a Novel of the Roaring Twenties by Renee Rosen
AlphaKIT (E and F): River of Destiny by Barbara Erskine, Everlasting Lane by Andrew Lovett, Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth

May

RandomCAT (Place name in title): A Lady Cyclist's Guide To Kashgar by Susanne Joinson, Evergreen Falls by Kimberley Freeman
SFFCAT (female authors/characters): The Vanishing Witch by Karen Maitland
RTT (1300-1500): The Vanishing Witch by Karen Maitland
RTT quarterly theme (between WWI and WWII): A Lady Cyclist's Guide To Kashgar by Susanne Joinson, Evergreen Falls by Kimberley Freeman
AlphaKIT (R and L): The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly by Matt McCarthy, A Lady Cyclist's Guide To Kashgar by Susanne Joinson, The Fatal Flame by Lyndsay Faye

June

RandomCAT (On the Water): The Ice King: Twilight of the Celts III by M K Hume, Flood of Fire by Amitav Ghosh
SFFCAT (time travel, alternate history): Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
RTT (Culture and the arts): PASS
RTT quarterly theme (between WWI and WWII): PASS
AlphaKIT (D and Y): PASS

July

RandomCAT (Light):
SFFCAT (critters/creatures, non-humans): Secrets of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst
RTT (1600s): Goddess by Kelly Gardiner
AlphaKIT (W & K): The Italian Wife by Kate Furnivall, Goddess by Kelly Gardiner, Secrets of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst

August

RandomCAT (Dog Days of Summer):
HistoryCAT (1700-1800 or Medicine & Disease):
SFFCAT (other worlds, space):
RTT (Ireland): No Country, A Novel by Kalyan Ray
AlphaKIT (V & M): Bad Behaviour: A Memoir of Bullying and Boarding School by Rebecca Starford

September

RandomCAT (How's the Weather?): Summertime by Vanessa LaFaye
SFFCAT (slipstream, magical realism, genre benders):
RTT (1800-1850): What Angels Fear by C S Harris
AlphaKIT (O and A): The Fishermen: A Novel by Chigozie Obioma, What Angels Fear by C S Harris

October

RandomCAT (Know your friend):
SFFCAT (supernatural, paranormal, gothic):
RTT (Science & Technology): The Sensorium of God by Stuart Clarke
RTT quarterly (1945-present): A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner
AlphaKIT(P and U): Princess Elizabeth's Spy by Susan Ella MacNeal

November

RandomCAT (In the city):
SFFCAT (quests, heroes, superheroes, epic journeys):
RTT (20th century):
AlphaKIT (N and C):

December

RandomCAT
SFFCAT (influential, awards):
RTT (Civil Rights & Eqaulity):
AlphaKIT(G and S):

January

The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window And Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

February

The Tiger Queens: The Women of Genghis Khan by Stephanie Thornton

March

The Last Dragon: Twilight of the Celts book 1 by M K Hume

Welcome to round two. Play on.

Yeah, round two already!

Lovely to see your new thread up and enjoyed the trip down memory lane of the games representing your categories. ;-)

I somehow missed your review of Tiger Queens, so I'm glad you picked it for your book of the month. It's been added to my wishlist :D

Happy new thread! :D

New thread for the second quarter. Nice!

Happy new thread!!

Thanks everybody. It's nice to see you all here.

17. Scrabble

AlphaKIT
RandomCAT

River of Destiny by Barbara Erskine



Present Day: Zoe and her husband Ken have moved to country Sussex, leaving the city life in London behind. The have bought a converted old barn with a private mooring so Ken can enjoy his favourite pass-time, sailing. Zoe isn't happy, there are strange noises in the house and strange things keep happening. She is struggling to find employment and she is having some issues with Ken.

1865: Dan is the smith on the farm. His wife Susan is expecting their first child. The master of the property has a new wife. A new wife that is causing trouble for Dan.

865: Eric works the forge in the village. He has been given a special commission to make a pagan sword for the chief of the village. The chief is ailing and rumour has it that he is going to die. Eric's wife is being pursued by the the chief's reeve, a man that she is wary of.

These three stories are told in turn throughout the novel, with the links being revealed throughout. The book was well planned. Each storyline is well distinguished with a unique symbol signifying the change in setting. A good book and worth a read if you like the whole time slip concept with some ghosts thrown in.

Great new thread, Ro. You hit me with a BB with your last entry on your previous thread, The Ice Twins sounds interesting.

>28 DeltaQueen50:, I hope you like it Judy. It certainly had me guessing all the way through.

18. Snakes and Ladders

AlphaKIT

Everlasting Lane by Andrew Lovett



This is an unusual book. The writing is absolutely lovely. Beautiful descriptions that perfectly capture the view of the world as experienced by 10 year old Peter. Peter is grief stricken after the death of his father. His mother is also devastated and moves them both to Amberley, the old family home, set in the 70's. Here Peter befriends a couple of outcasts and some other unusual people in the community in his effort to unravel the mystery of his family. I really can't say much more without giving things away.

Things have been really busy around here. We had friends come and stay for Easter, a family with four kids. So including my crew we had nine children and four adults in the house over Easter. Then all the in-laws came for a BBQ on Easter Sunday. Everybody had a great time. Then last weekend we went to Brisbane for our niece's baptism and a lovely lunch at the botanic gardens.

On the reading front, I am 83% of the way through Bitter Greens, my choice for this month's SFFcat. So far it is really good read. I'm looking forward to seeing how things are going to pan out for the three main characters.

19. Twister

AlphaKIT
SFFcat
RandomCat

Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth



Bitter Greens is a re-telling of the classic Rapunzel fairy tale. the story is told by three women who all have a part to play in this story and how it has been shared through the years. This version is set in Venice and France in the 1600s and 1700s.

Margarita is the much loved child of parents that went to unusual lengths to find love and have a child. But using such unusual measures has a cost, which much be paid by somebody - Margarita. Margarita with her beautiful red/golden locks is taken away by the witch who must have the means to maintain her youthful beauty.

Charlotte Rose is a member of the French court. She finds herself in a convent, sent there on the kings orders. Gradually her involvement in more than one scandalous affair is revealed.

This is a story that shows desperate people will take desperate measures. I don't normally read fairy tales anymore, and rarely read fantasy novels, however I really liked this book. It put a historical flavour in with the fantasy of a classic fairy tale. The evil villain was done to perfection. The author wrote a wonderful introduction to the novel that gives a bit of background to the story's origin which I really appreciated. Even though I know the classic story, this adaptation kept me turning the pages wanting to see the heroine get the better of the evil witch.

>32 Roro8: I like fairy tales and historic fiction, so this goes straight on my BB list.

>33 Chrischi_HH:, if you like those two things then I think you would love this book! At the moment it is the forerunner for my April book of the month.

20. Trivial Pursuit

RandomCat
Reading Through Time theme - Crime
Reading Through Time quarterly time period, between the wars

Dollface, A Novel of the Roaring Twenties by Renee Rosen



Vera and Evelyn are best friends and are desperate to escape their family homes and live an exciting life. The two work together and live together, so naturally they party together. This is how they come to be hanging out at speakeasies during the prohibition. Vera meets Tony as she is trying to escape a raid on a nightclub. Then she meets Shep, who starts to woo her. The men are from rival gangster groups in Chicago. Vera has some big decisions to make.

She is drawn into the gangster lifestyle, hangs out with her gangster moll girlfriends, and gets herself into all sorts of strife. Deep down she is very confused. The friendships she develops with the other women are interesting, as are the women themselves.

This was a really good read. Regardless whether I though Vera's decisions were good or bad, she had some very good qualities that ensured my ongoing interest in what happened to her.

On the weekend I watched the movie version of The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed out the Window and Disappeared, while not being as good as the book, it was a very enjoyable movie. My husband and a couple of the kids watched it too and we were all laughing out loud at times.

I'm on to an enjoyable Aussie read now, Mothers and Daughters by Kylie Ladd. So far it is pretty good.

21. Game of Life

Mothers and Daughters by Kylie Ladd



Amira and her daughter Tess have moved to an Aboriginal community in the far north of Western Australia. Amira is working as a teacher there. Both Amira and Tess are loving their new life. Amira's three best friends come to visit for a week. Caro, Morag, Fiona and Amira have all been the best of friends since their children started school together. The mothers and daughters are all reunited for one week in an environment that couldn't be more different to their Melbourne homes.

The mothers are all struggling with the paths their lives have taken in different ways, questioning their mothering skills and their relationships. The daughters are struggling with adolescence in typical ways. One of them is a total b****, causing problems among the others. How on earth they are going to cope for a whole week with no internet and mobile phone reception is a total drama.

The contrast between how the people in the community live versus the city life these women are used to is well done. The typical racist is represented (Fiona), along with the more peaceful reconciliatory type (Amira, Bronte). The environment itself sounds amazing and is described beautifully, including the stifling heat. This is an insightful look into the relationships among women friends, teenage friends, and mothers and daughters.

>31 Roro8: - Sounds like you had a 'bountiful' family gathering for your Easter and a great time was had by all.

>36 Roro8:
That's good to know. I didn't make it through the book, so I was thinking to perhaps see the movie instead... I know that's slightly blasphemic, but I have enough books on Mt. TBR that I'm happy if I can get semi-check one off the list by watching a film. :)

>40 -Eva-:, it sounds like the perfect solution to me. There are some differences but it sticks to the main concepts.

I don't think I am going to finish any more books for the month, especially considering that my next day off is May 1. Maybe if I don't watch any more tv for the next two nights…. I just bought the Outlander series and have been totally glued to it. Last night I watched two episodes. It is really good. My husband and daughter (17yo) are enjoying it too.

January

The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window And Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

February

The Tiger Queens: The Women of Genghis Khan by Stephanie Thornton

March

The Last Dragon: Twilight of the Celts book 1 by M K Hume

April

Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth

21. Connect Four

The Price of Blood by Patricia Bracewell



This book continues on from Shadow on the Crown. It is 1006, Emma is Queen of England, her husband Eathelred rules. He is a man frightened of the shade of the brother he saw dead in order to become king. The vikings are a constant threat to the English people. The king sees threats everywhere he looks. He places his trust in questionable people.

Emma is trying to gain some power in this conflicting time in order to ensure the safety of her son Edward.

Elgiva is up to mischief as usual, with more trouble to come in the third book I would imagine.

I loved the first book in this trilogy. This one I liked, I didn't think it was quite as good as the first. Even so, I will be reading the third book when it becomes available.

The first book in the trilogy is on my TBR list at your recommendation! Glad to hear the second is still good, if not as amazing as the first. Second books in trilogies can be like that sometimes, I guess.

>45 rabbitprincess:, I have a feeling it will pick up again in book 3.

23. Scrabble

Reading Through Time, 1300-1500

The Vanishing Witch by Karen Maitland



Set in 1380, Lincoln, England, this book is the story of Robert of Bassingham, among others. Robert is married to Edith and has two sons. The older boy, Jan, is being trained to take over Robert's wool business. The younger boy, Adam, is still in school. It is a time when the rich seem to be getting richer and the poor poorer. It is the time of the peasant's revolt.

Widow Catlin has moved to Lincoln. She approaches Robert to help her invest some money. Robert cannot help but be attracted to this interesting woman. She also has an interesting daughter and an annoying son.

Ripples are about to begin in the Bassingham household.

Part of the story is told from the peasant viewpoint. Gunter is a boatman, trying to find work in hard times and pay the ridiculously high taxes that are being demanded by the King's men. He is an honest man struggling to survive in these difficult times.

As usual, with Karen Maitland's books, the story was told against an interesting historical backdrop. The characters were quite complex and interesting. I really enjoyed this one and will definitely continue reading her novels.

I have just begun my first mega-sized book for my monopoly category - Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell here's hoping I like it!

I look forward to finding out what you think about it.

I have a copy of that one. I have been daunted by the size of it so I am also looking forward to finding out how you find the story.

>47 Roro8: I should stop visiting you thread, that's now the 7th BB you're shooting at me. ;)

>49 RidgewayGirl:, I think it is going to take me a while to get through it.
>50 lkernagh:, I bought the kindle version so I hadn't actually noticed how big it is. People rave about it though so it must be worth it. I'm up to chapter 2 ;-)
>51 Chrischi_HH:, LT can be a real danger zone to the wish list. We obviously have some similar preferences in our reading. I doubt that I would be reading Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell if not for this group.

I've had JS&MN for a long time as well. I recently saw a trailer for a BBC production that's coming out soon and it interested me in giving it a go. When I picked it up, however, I thought I might have to invest in the Kindle version and give my wrists a break.

>53 mamzel:, I have also found that big books are better read in the ebook version. Last year I read The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon. It has about 1400 pages. I had the hard copy but the pages kept falling out as they were so thin. I decided I didn't care if I was paying for it twice, I bought the ebook version for less than $5 and enjoyed the reading experience much more. I agree, big books do get heavy too, and awkward to take anywhere to read. The cover of my version of JS&MN is the BBC tie in one.

I hope everybody had a lovely Mother's Day yesterday. I got spoilt by my family, hand massages by my youngest two children, 2 cups of tea in bed and cooked breakfast once I got up. Then we drove for just over 90mins to see my mother-in-law where we took the kids fishing off a long jetty (caught nothing), then has fish and chips on the foreshore. The weather was glorious, 26 Celsius and sunny. Home by 4.30, dinner and dessert cooked by my husband and daughter. Absolutely perfect.

That sounds like a wonderful Mother's Day! We went out for dinner with the BF's parents (and his sister and her BF), and I'll be calling my own mother shortly.

24. Chess

AlphaKIT letter R

The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly by Matt McCarthy



This is a memoir of Matt McCarthy's year an a medical intern in a busy hospital. He starts off in the CCU, looking after a group of very sick patients with cardiac problems, progressing though a different department of the hospital each month. His supervisor is a Dr just one year ahead of him in the program. Matt can't comprehend how one year can make that much difference. He is completely overwhelmed by the expectations. He works hard. He makes mistakes. He tries to bond with his patients. He describes the other doctors that he looks up to and why. Matt gives the reader what seems to be an honest account of how stressful and challenging the intern year can be, but he also shares the rewarding side of the job too.

This book was very easy to read. Being a nurse for the last 20+ years I can appreciate where Matt is coming from and have seen young Drs going through this stressful process. I love how he describes his efforts to connect and communicate with his patients.

25. Chinese Checkers

AlphaKIT letter L
Reading Through Time Quarterly Theme - between the wars

A Lady Cyclist's Guide to Kashgar by Susanne Joinson



This was an intriguing novel set in dual time periods, 1923 and "present day". In 1923 Eva and her sister Lizzie have become missionaries and set out with Millicent to Kashgar. Kashgar is a moslem town and the three women set out to convert the women of Kahgar to become Christians. On the way to this remote town they are involved with an incident that results in Eva having responsibility for a newborn baby and Millicent wanted for murder. Their assimilation into this community is fraught with difficulty. Eva is having trouble in her relationship with Lizzie, and Millicent just seems way too over-zealous for her own good.

In the present day Frieda has returned home to England, after a long period of working in the middle east. She is in a confused state in relation to her relationship with Nathaniel and is bewildered by a homeless man who appears to be an artist of some kind. Frieda has been contacted by a person of authority regarding a property she has to clear out as the occupier has died and she has been listed as next of kin. In this property she finds some interesting things that lead her to delve into her own past in order to clarify who this mysterious woman is that has claimed Frieda as her family.

I appreciated both the stories told in this novel and found the way they came together quite reasonable. The end was not completely tied up but left a little space for me to ponder the final outcome. I found this book well worth the read.

I have just found out the Amitav Ghosh's final book in the Ibis trilogy is released in Australia very soon, Flood of Fire. I am definitely going to be getting a copy of that.

>59 Roro8: That's exciting news! I loved Sea of Poppies and I have River of Smoke on my TBR shelf.

I, too, am very excited about the third book in the Ibis trilogy coming out soon. I was swept away by both of the first two books, with perhaps a little more love going to Sea of Poppies. I am looking forward to finding out how the author brings this trilogy to a close.

>60 mathgirl40: and >61 DeltaQueen50:, I ordered a copy online yesterday. I won't let it sit around on my bookshelf for long either. It will probably be a good fit for the June RandomCAT too.

I went to the mobile library today and picked up some books that I reserved a while ago. Among them is The Fatal Flame, book three in Lyndsay Faye's Tim Wilde books. Tim Wilde is the first detective in the New York police in the 1840s. I really loved the first two books. Now I am going to have to put aside the book I started last night as I want to start this one right away.

I am still reading Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell as well, 34% read now. At least if I don't get it finished for May SFFcat, it will also work for the June SFFcat too.

>57 Roro8: Nice review! My husband is a med student, so I am intrigued by the subject matter. Adding to my TBR!

I finished The Fatal Flame last night. It was so good.

>65 luvamystery65:, I'm only up to p175. It's pretty good so far.

I finished The Fatal Flame, once I picked it up yesterday afternoon I was totally drawn into the story and could not put the book down. Review coming very soon.

26. Cleudo

AlphaKIT letter L

The Fatal Flame by Lyndsay Faye
Book 3 Timothy Wilde trilogy



Timothy Wilde has quickly become one of my favourite fictional characters. I absolutely loved Gods of Gotham and Seven for a Secret, the first two books in this trilogy, and I'm pleased to say that I loved this one too.

Timothy is a detective in the New York City police department. The first detective in the PD actually. He has been disfigured as result of fire so this new chain of investigation, searching for an arsonist that is setting buildings belong to Alderman Symmes on fire, is particularly challenging for Timothy. Timothy's brother Val is a police captain, and a fireman, and has also decided to run for the Alderman position in competition with Symmes. The campaign occurs as a backdrop to the investigation.

Timothy is on the trail of the obvious suspect, a former employee of Symmes' clothing manufactory company Sally Woods. Sally is a troublemaker. She organised a strike at the factory resulting in her loss of job and fuelling her dislike of Symmes.

Meanwhile, the love of Timothy's life, Mercy Underhill, makes a reappearance. What is Timothy going to do about this??

Bird Daly, my other favourite character, is also included in the current drama of Timothy's life.

I must admit that I am disappointed that this will be the final instalment of Timothy's story. I thoroughly enjoyed all three books. However, the ending was well suited to the characters and the story so I don't feel like there is unfinished business.

I have just been to the library and found 4 books waiting on the reserve shelf for me. One of them is A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson. I can only have it for two weeks so I guess this will be my next read.

I have Gods of Gotham on my TBR pile. I look forward to reading it based on your encouraging review of the series.

>70 mamzel: I'm confident that you won't be disappointed.

27. Game of Life

RandomCAT - Place name in title
Reading Through Time, quarterly time period, Between the Wars

Evergreen Falls by Kimberley Freeman



2014: Lauren has recently moved to the Blue Mountains, NSW, after the death of her older brother Adam. Evergreen Falls is the last place Adam was happy before he became ill so to Lauren, it seems the perfect place to spread her wings after a lifetime (30 years) of being at home with her family. She meets Tomas, who is woking on the renovations of the fancy old resort in town. Her she finds some old love letters that she is totally drawn in by and must know more about them. So begins her mystery solving mission. Meanwhile she is having relationship issues with her mother that need to be resolved.

1926: Violet needs a job, badly. With the help of a friend that wishes he was more than that, Violet gets a job at the beautiful health spa style resort at Evergreen Falls working as a waitress. There are strict rules to follow, which Violet is not very good at. She finds herself falling for somebody forbidden to her, hoping for the best.

These two stories are interwoven in a very comfortable way, with the older story helping the newer story along the way. I really liked most of the characters in this novel and found it very easy to read. Not a spectacular book, but enjoyable anyway.

Even though I only have a short borrowing period from the library on A God in Ruins, I haven't started it yet. I just wasn't in the mood for it. Instead I have taken a BB from Hanneri and I'm reading Beneath the Shadows, and I'm engrossed. A mystery is obviously what I am in the mood for right now.

28. Battleship

Beneath the Shadows by Sara Foster



Grace and Adam, plus their baby daughter, have moved to Roseby to live in the cottage that Adam has inherited from his grandparents. Roseby is a small English village located on the edge of the moors. Within a week of moving in Adam disappears and Grace finds her baby girl in the pram on the doorstep. What has happened to Adam? How is Grace going to cope?

We jump forward a year with Grace returning to the cottage with baby Millie in order to sort the place out and move on. While there Grace meets Ben, who agrees to do some renovations for her. She also spends time with the neighbours, matriarch Meredith and her four adult daughters. Grace doesn't feel comfortable with Meredith but tries to be friendly anyway. All the while Grace is trying to find out what has happened to Adam.

I was totally drawn into this story. The author did a fabulous job expressing Grace's confused emotions about her situation. I did not want to put this book down. I thought it was great. Thanks for the BB Hanneri.

It is very hard picking my book of the month this time as I had two 5 star reads.



January

The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window And Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

February

The Tiger Queens: The Women of Genghis Khan by Stephanie Thornton

March

The Last Dragon: Twilight of the Celts book 1 by M K Hume

April

Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth

May

Beneath the Shadows by Sara Foster

My book of the month is your other 5 star read. ;-)

>76 luvamystery65:, it was a hard choice Ro. It's not often that I have two 5 star reads in one month.

Hope you end up liking Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell - it's one of those few books that I immediately put on the to-reread pile as soon as I had finished. :)

>78 -Eva-:, I like it so far, I'm almost halfway.

I have just completed another trilogy, Twilight of the Celts by M K Hume. It's a good feeling knowing that I am up to date with another series. My next target is the final book in Amitav Ghosh's trilogy, Flood of Fire.

29. Connect Four

RandomCAT - On the Water

The Ice King by M K Hume
Twilight of the Celts book 3



This book continues the story of Arthur, illegitimate son of the legendary King Artor of the Britons. He continues his adventures in the land of the Dene. He fights as a warrior for the Dene and is struggling to end the tyranny of the rule in this country. Under the guidance of Stormbringer, the Sae Dene king, he is learning to become a leader in his own right.

His three friends, Father Lorcan, Germanus and Gareth are still searching for Arthur in order to bring him home to Briton. They too, face many perils on their journey, including the dreaded Justinian's Disease.

This book is as action packed and adventure filled as all the others. I have no idea what this author is going to write about next but whatever it is I will definitely be reading it.

30. Snakes and Ladders

The Book of Bright Ideas by Sandra Kring



This is the story of Button and Wannalee, new best friends forever. Wannalee and her big sister Freeda have just shown up in a new town and lucky for them the first person they meet is Verdella Peters. Verdella is a wonderfully friendly person who sees the best in everybody. She can see the two girls could use a friend right now and she convinces them to stay and move into the house over the road from her.

Button is Verdella's niece. She spends everyday of the summer at her Aunt's house while her mum and dad are at work. The two nine year old girls get up to all the things you would expect in 1961. Wannalee's mum has died and she carries around her mum's ashes in an urn everywhere she goes. Wannalee has a book that she is writing all her bright ideas in so that when she grows up she will know everything she needs to know to live a good life. Button begins to help Wannalee with the book.

The story is told by Button and is a wonderful read. At times is is laugh out loud funny, and other times sad. Sometimes Button is writing about things she doesn't really understand. I love the way the characters develop throughout the dramas that occur.

There is a sequel, and I will be reading that one too sometime in the future.


This was the perfect book to finish off my Snakes and Ladders category.

>82 Roro8: This sounds very lovely, another BB has hit its target.

Great review for The Fatal Flame! It is the perfect reminder that I still need to start this trilogy.

>83 Chrischi_HH:, I'm sure you will like it when you get to it. Your BB list must be getting pretty big, I've seen you taking hits all over the place 😀

>84 lkernagh:, it is a fabulous trilogy. Perhaps it is good that she only wrote three, at least that way it can end on a high rather than petering out.

>85 Roro8: True, this was no. 51. I am writing them down in my thread and it's really getting scary. But the quantity is quite logical, as I haven't read much the last few years, and with the international crowd here I also find books which might be less known in my region. I like it. :)

Did you set aside Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell like I did? I think it actually benefitted from a little break and I don't think I lost too much momentum by doing so. It is a lot to take on at once.

>87 mamzel:, I have repeatedly set it aside. However I was on a plane for three hours today so I read it then. I'm probably around 3/4 through now. The story is very detailed so I think having a break isn't a bad thing. Have you finished it yet?

I'm about 2/3s of the way through. It gets interesting for a while and then not so much. Rather than having a slow steady rise to the denouement, it seems more like a bumpy slight incline.

>89 mamzel:, I agree. I am beginning to wonder if it will build to a dramatic end but I think it will most likely continue the "bumpy slight incline" until I reach the final page.

I finished yesterday and, yes, there is a dramatic end. Worth the journey.

>91 mamzel:, that's good. I think I have four or five chapters left.

31. Monopoly

SFFcat

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke



Mr Norrell is an English magician that has lived his life tucked away in a country estate studying and practicing magic. He has made it his business to gain possession of every useful book ever published on magic. He is determined to be the only magician in England and has managed to stop many other potential magicians from progressing their careers. Mr Norrell decides it is time for magic to return to England in a big way, so he moves to London. There he is befriended by a couple of high society gentlemen who use their connection with Norrell to advance their own prospects.

Jonathan Strange decides that a career in magic may just suit him, so he sets out to begin his studies, only to find that any resource worth having is owned by Mr Norrell. He eventually meets Norrell and becomes his pupil. The pair have an interesting relationship.

They work together and help the English government with various issues of the times (early 1800s). Eventually Strange goes off to help the Duke of Wellington in his battle with the French. He makes quite a name for himself with the magic he performs to aid the army.

There are many bumps and turns along the way. The book is very long, however it is well written. I did feel like the story was very evenly paced throughout and it has taken me about 6 weeks to read as I kept putting it down and reading other things. I was a bit disappointed with a couple of things at the end of the book too. I was glad that they defeated the man with the thistle-down hair (the Raven King) but I didn't like that they had no idea that that is what they were doing, it was an accident. I also felt really sorry for poor Arabella Strange, I don't know what she is waiting for as obviously she is not going to be with her husband ever again. It was an interesting story but I wouldn't rave about it.

So you think they timed the series for the bicentennial of Waterloo?

I think I may have liked it a little more than you. I find that I am enjoying books that leave me a little unbalanced like this one does.

>94 mamzel:, I think that you may be right about the timing of the series. I think most people liked it more than me. I'm happy I read it though. Are you going to watch the series?

I VOD'ed the first one when I got back and think that it is stylistically fantastic. It's more understandable since it's compressed from the book, too.

I have to second @mamzel's comment about the style of the TV series! And Mr. Norrell couldn't possibly have been cast better.

>97 -Eva-:, I would like to watch it. It is always interesting to watch something that I have read. I went online and watched a couple of clips and thought they seemed pretty true to the story, almost exactly as I had imagined.

32. Chinese Checkers

RandomCAT

Flood of Fire by Amitav Ghosh
Book 3 in the Ibis trilogy



I was really impressed by the first two books in this trilogy and have been looking forward to this one. It's been four years since book 2 came out so some of the background was a bit hazy when I started reading but it all came back to me with the gentle reminders placed in this novel.

All the key characters from the initial Ibis voyage are present in some way. They are on different side of the opium war taking place in the waters and islands on the China coast. Some characters undergo major transformations while others remain steadfast.

At times, a lot of historical detail was included, however I think this was necessary to understand why things were happening as they were. There were some very poignant moments in this very well written novel.

That cover sure is stunning! Very Chinese in its color scheme.

>100 mamzel:, yes it is beautiful, it looks even nicer in reality than in the picture. Did you notice the boat at the bottom?

I thought the bottom looked like waves for a stage setting and figured that was a boat. Neat!

January

The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window And Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

February

The Tiger Queens: The Women of Genghis Khan by Stephanie Thornton

March

The Last Dragon: Twilight of the Celts book 1 by M K Hume

April

Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth

May

Beneath the Shadows by Sara Foster

June

Flood of Fire by Amitav Ghosh

33. Game of Life

These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf



When Allison Glenn is sent to prison for a heinous crime, her reputation as Linden Falls' golden girl is lost forever. Her parents deny the existence of their once-perfect child, her former friends exult in her downfall, her sister, Brynn, faces whispered rumours every day in their small high school. But it's Brynn shy, quiet Brynn who carries the burden of what really happened that night. All she wants is to forget Allison and the past that haunts her.

Now their legacy of secrets is focused on one little boy. If the truth is revealed, the consequences will be unimaginable for the adoptive mother who loves him, the girl who tried to protect him and the two sisters who hold the key to all that is hidden. (Kindle blurb)

This is story is told from the perspective of multiple characters. Allison and Brynn Glenn, sisters who try to hide the truth of what happened on that terrible night. Charm, a young nursing student who is looking after her dying stepfather. And Claire, owner of the local bookstore and mother of Joshua. Although I did enjoy this book I found it difficult to extend my imagination enough to believe the major factor in this book could actually happen. Even so, I really liked Allison and admired the way she managed to deal with the consequences of her actions.

I also loved the first two books of the Ibis trilogy and I am looking forward to getting my hands on Flood of Fire. That is a stunning cover, if memory serves, the other two books also had gorgeous covers.

>105 DeltaQueen50:, Hi Judy. I'm sure you'll enjoy it when you get to it.

34. Cleudo

AlphaKIT K & W

The Italian Wife by Kate Furnivall



Italy, 1932 -- Mussolini's Italy is growing from strength to strength, but at what cost?

One bright autumn morning, architect Isabella Berotti sits at a cafe in the vibrant centre of Bellina, when a woman she's never met asks her to watch her ten-year-old daughter, just for a moment. Reluctantly, Isabella agrees -- and then watches in horror as the woman climbs to the top of the town's clock tower and steps over the edge.

This tragic encounter draws vivid memories to the surface, forcing Isabella to probe deeper into the secrets of her own past as she tries to protect the young girl from the authorities. Together with charismatic photographer Roberto Falco, Isabella is about to discover that secrets run deeper, and are more dangerous, than either of them could have possibly imagined . . .

From the glittering marble piazzas, to the picturesque hillside villages and winding streets of Rome, Kate Furnivall's epic new novel will take you on an breathtaking journey of intrigue, romance and betrayal. (Kindle blurb)

This story is set against the backdrop of Mussolini's fascist regime in 1932 Italy. I haven't read anything set with this backdrop before and I found it really interesting. The characters were likeable and complex enough to not be predictable. Another good read from this author.

I am planning on reading The White Pearl by this author later on this month. This will be my first book by her so it's great to hear you enjoyed your book by her.

>107 Roro8: Oh well, another BB. The Italian background is also something new for me, and would like to give it a try.

>108 DeltaQueen50:, I've read most of her books and they have all been pretty good. I'll be sure to check your thread to see what you think of The White Pearl. I gave it 4 stars when I read it.

>109 Chrischi_HH:, I hope you enjoy it when you get to it.

35. Trivial Pursuit

AlphaKIT K & W
Reading Through Time 1600s

Goddess by Kelly Gardiner



A sparkling, witty and compelling novel based on the tragic rise and fall of the beautiful seventeenth century swordswoman and opera singer, Julie d'Aubigny (also known as La Maupin), a woman whose story is too remarkable to be true - and yet it is.

Versailles, 1686: Julie d'Aubigny, a striking young girl taught to fence and fight in the court of the Sun King, is taken as mistress by the King's Master of Horse. tempestuous, swashbuckling and volatile, within two years she has run away with her fencing master, fallen in love with a nun and is hiding from the authorities, sentenced to be burnt at the stake. Within another year, she has become a beloved star at the famed Paris Opera. Her lovers include some of Europe's most powerful men and France's most beautiful women. Yet Julie is destined to die alone in a convent at the age of 33. Based on an extraordinary true story, this is an original, dazzling and witty novel - a compelling portrait of an unforgettable woman. (Kindle blurb)

This was certainly an interesting tale, based on the recorded events of Julie's life. The method of telling the story was a bit much at times though. Julie is on her death-bed 'confessing' the events of her life to a priest. She is portrayed as quite a character, right to the end. She lives on her own terms and by her own rules. Some of the supporting characters are also quite charismatic.

Goddess has the kind of premise that would compel me to pick up a copy to read. I probably will at some point.

>112 lkernagh:, I felt the same.

I'm reading my SFFcat book for this month now, Secrets of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst. This is also going to work for the alphakit (W).

I just recommended Gods of Gotham to my local librarian. I hope she likes it. I guess she won't ask me for recommendations again if she doesn't.

36. Connect Four and Yahtzee

AlphaKIT K & W
SFFcat

Secrets of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst
Book 2 The Wolf Chronicles



What if the only chance of survival was to learn to love your rival?

Young she-wolf Kaala is about to face her most testing challenge yet having formed the first mixed wolf-human pack, can she ensure their peaceful co-existence in the Wide Valley? Or will the Greatwolves destroy them all?

As Kaala leads her pack to live amongst the humans, with an endangered human girl under her protection, the weight of responsibility upon her shoulders is heavy. And the secret agenda of the Greatwolves, a rebellion planned by a rival pack, makes safeguarding a peace a very tricky business. So when Kaala's long lost mother calls with an urgent message, she will have a difficult decision to make. A decision that will determine the fate not only of those in the valley, but of all wolf and humankind. (book blurb)

This book picks up where Promise of the Wolves leaves off. Kaala is still a young wolf but she is increasing in confidence which is just as well as she has a lot of responsibilities and challenges to meet. She struggles with trying to make the right choices with the conflicting information she gets. It is difficult for her to know who to trust. She has some very reliable friends that support her with her tasks. The story is a little predictable but still a good read.

I have now completed my second category for 2015, 13 to go!!

Congrats on completing your second category! *Whoot!*

Congrats, Ro. :)

Thanks Lori and Judy. It seems to take forever to finish one or two categories but there are a few more close to finishing so hopefully there will be another one or two finished in the near future.

I'm currently reading Zoo Station after reading so many good reviews for this series on LT I decided to give it a go.

Zoo Station is finished. Review coming soon. I just have to wait for my daughter to finish playing Sims on my computer so I can write my review.

I'm currently reading Last Day in the Dynamite Factory, it is set in Brisbane, which is a 90 minute drive away.

37. Battleship

Zoo Station by David Downing
Book 1- John Russell



Englishman John Russell is a member of the foreign press corps in Berlin and a first-hand witness to the brutal machinations of Hitler and the Nazi party in the build-up to war during the early months of 1939. Unlike many of his colleagues, Russell wishes to remain in Berlin for as long as possible to be close to Effi, his glamorous actress girlfriend, and above all to Paul, his eleven-year-old son who lives with his estranged German wife. When an old acquaintance turns up at his lodging house, Russell's life begins to change. Gradually he is persuaded by a combination of threats, financial need and appeals to his conscience to become a spy first for the Soviet Union and then, simultaneously, for the British. The grimness, the constant fear and the skin-deep glitter of pre-war Berlin alleviated by atmospheric excursions to Prague, Danzig, London and the Baltic seashore form a rich backdrop as Russell, a reluctant hero and saviour for some, treads along ever narrowing lines between the Russians, the British and the Gestapo. (book blurb from amazon)

Like many others here, I thought this was a really good book. The author does a good job of portraying the conflicts within John Russell that are affecting his decision making. I really like his relationship with his son. I felt it took a while for the story to really get going, but the ground work had to be done to set up the series. I will definitely be reading the next one.

>121 Roro8: Glad you liked Zoo Station. :) I think the next in the series will be the next book I'll buy.

>121 Roro8: & >122 Chrischi_HH: It's a series I need to continue with at some point too having only read that first book. Glad to see you enjoyed it Ro!

>122 Chrischi_HH: and >123 AHS-Wolfy:, me too. I borrowed the ebook version from my library. I'm hoping they have all of them.

38. Battleship

Last Day in the Dynamite Factory by Annah Faulkner



'Silence, Chris discovered, is easy. If nobody asks, you never have to tell'.

Christopher Bright is a well-respected conservation architect, good neighbour and friend. He has a devoted wife, two talented children and an old Rover. He plays tennis on Saturdays and enjoys a beer with his business partner after work.

Life is orderly, yet an unresolved question has haunted him for as long as he can remember: Who was his birth father?

Devotion to his adoptive parents has always prevented Chris from enquiring too deeply, but when his mother dies, information emerges that becomes the catalyst for changes he has never imagined.

As light is cast on his father, attention turns to his birth mother, but when he goes in search of the person behind the photo, he encounters a conspiracy of silence. His quest for information, however, reveals not only the truth about his mother's life but exposes the fault lines in his own, and Chris finds the price of knowledge increasingly heavy. Nevertheless, the truth must be told ...

Or must it? (book blurb)

My neighbour borrowed this book from the library and recommended that I read it before it went back, I'm really glad that I did. It almost seems like Chris is having a mid-life crisis, for very understandable reasons. After years of doing what he thinks is best for everybody, he is finally starting to make some life changing decisions. The more I read this book the more I understood why Chris was behaving the way he does.

I loved how Australian this book is. It is set mainly in Brisbane but also in my own local area. The use of language now and again included Australian colloquialisms that just endeared me more and more to the book. I powered through it as I was enjoying it so much. This was a really good read, and is my book of the month.

January

The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window And Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

February

The Tiger Queens: The Women of Genghis Khan by Stephanie Thornton

March

The Last Dragon: Twilight of the Celts book 1 by M K Hume

April

Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth

May

Beneath the Shadows by Sara Foster

June

Flood of Fire by Amitav Ghosh

July

Last Day in the Dynamite Factory by Annah Faulkner

39. Chess

Bad Behaviour: A Memoir of Bullying and Boarding School by Rebecca Starford



'It was supposed to be a place where teenagers would learn resilience, confidence and independence, where long hikes and runs in the bush would make their bodies strong and foster a connection with the natural world. Living in bare wooden huts, cut off from the outside world, the students would experience a very different kind of schooling, one intended to have a strong influence over the kind of adults they would eventually become.

Fourteen-year-old Rebecca Starford spent a year at this school in the bush. In her boarding house fifteen girls were left largely unsupervised, a combination of the worst behaved students and some of the most socially vulnerable. As everyone tried to fit in and cope with their feelings of isolation and homesickness, Rebecca found herself joining ranks with the powerful girls, and participating in various forms of bullying and aggression.

Increasingly horrified at her own behaviour, Rebecca soon found herself excluded from this group and subjected to bullying herself. Bad Behaviour tells the story of that year, a time of friendship and joy, but also of shame and fear. It explores how those crucial experiences affected Rebecca as an adult and shaped her future relationships, and asks courageous questions about the nature of female friendship. Moving, wise and painfully honest, this extraordinary memoir shows how bad behaviour from childhood, in all its forms, can be so often and so easily repeated throughout our adult lives. (book blurb)

I really enjoyed the first half of this book. These girls are all truly quite vulnerable thrown into this unusual situation together. Rebecca wants to be one of the powerful girls group and desperately tries everything she can, even if she ends up hating herself for it. She struggles with inner conflict when managing situations that call for her to make decisions. She gets cranky with herself for not sticking up for the weaker girls. Her change in attitude towards the hikes and physical activities throughout her stay is positive though.

Then she goes onto her adult life and how this has been affected by her childhood experiences. I didn't like this section as much.

An interesting read. Thank goodness I didn't go to boarding school!

Trivial Pursuit

The Three Fates by Kate Quinn



This a very brief story, bridging the gap between Empress of the Seven Hills and Lady of the Eternal City, books 3 and 4 in Kate Quinn's Empress of Rome series. It is only 3 chapters, one each on Vix (the warrior), Titus (the noble and honourable character), and Sabina (the new Empress of Rome), and gives some insight as to what has happened in the space between the two novels. I'm glad I found this before I began reading book 4 last night.

>120 Roro8:
I uninstalled Sims for the very reason that there is no finish. Well done to your daughter for managing to stop playing long enough for you to get access. :)

>129 -Eva-:, Sims does seem to be a bit addictive. She goes through phases where she plays heaps and then she has a break. My youngest two like minecraft, so sometimes I have to wait for them too. Lucky I have my iPad, which is great for catching up on threads, but I prefer the computer for writing reviews.

40. Trivial Pursuit and Cleudo

Lady of the Eternal City by Kate Quinn
Book 4, Mistress of Rome



Elegant, secretive Sabina may be Empress of Rome, but she still stands poised on a knife’s edge. She must keep the peace between two deadly enemies: her husband Hadrian, Rome’s brilliant and sinister Emperor; and battered warrior Vix, who is her first love. But Sabina is guardian of a deadly secret: Vix’s beautiful son Antinous has become the Emperor’s latest obsession.

Empress and Emperor, father and son will spin in a deadly dance of passion, betrayal, conspiracy, and war. As tragedy sends Hadrian spiraling into madness, Vix and Sabina form a last desperate pact to save the Empire. But ultimately, the fate of Rome lies with an untried girl, a spirited redhead who may just be the next Lady of the Eternal City . . . (book blurb)

This was another great addition to the Mistress of Rome series. Heaps of action,betrayal, thwarted love and mystery. I do feel this book was more about the men (Vix and Hadrian) than the women even though the title suggests otherwise. I can't believe it took me two weeks to read. That is nothing to do with the book and more to do with how busy I have been.

If you've read the others then you will like this too. If you like the sound of this one then check out the others as well. They are all very good.

Now I have to find something "Irish" to read for the Reading Through Time group. I was going to read Rutherfurd's "Dublin" but I feel like something a bit quicker after taking 2 weeks to read this last book.

Heaps of action,betrayal, thwarted love and mystery.

That is my idea of a beach read. ;-) I have heard of Kate Quinn but never read any of her books. Something to look forward to!

I have been very absent from the RTT group this year but an "Irish" read sounds good. Wonder if I can squeeze an Irish read in this month. I don't blame for thinking of bypassing the Rutherfurd book. He is a great storyteller but you really have to invest the time to wade through his books.

>133 lkernagh:, I've read all of Kate Quinn's books and have not been disappointed by any of them. I've been looking and looking for an Irish read, I've found one that starts in Ireland and follows the lives of two Irish men that leave Ireland. It's called No Country, A Novel by Kalyan Ray. I'm thinking that one might be a good choice. It has excellent reviews.

At the moment I am reading One Small Act of Kindness by Lucy Dillon. My husband bought it for me for my birthday earlier this month. I have to say, he made a good choice, I am having trouble putting it down.

41. Operation

One Small Act of Kindness by Lucy Dillon



What can you do to make the world a better place?

Libby and her husband Jason have moved back to his hometown to turn the family B&B into a boutique hotel. They have left London behind and all the memories - good and bad - that went with it.

The injured woman Libby finds lying in the remote country road has lost her memory. She doesn't know why she came to be there, and no one seems to be looking for her.

When Libby offers to take her in, this one small act of kindness sets in motion a chain of events that will change many people's lives . . . (book blurb)

This is definitely a girlie-type book but I think it has a bit more going on than your typical chick lit. A woman with amnesia, trying to work out who she is and how unsettling that is. Libby struggling with a total change of life, and 'evil' mother-in-law and her marriage going through a very rough patch. Everybody is questioning themselves. I was totally drawn into this story from the very early stages and even though it was just a bit predictable, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. This is my idea of a summer beach read. My husband bought me this book for my birthday - good choice, as usual.

I wish my other half was able to make good book buying choices like your husband. Even after the length of time we have been together, my other half has yet to figure out my likes and dislikes. Of course, it doesn't help that the majority of the books in our house are ones I haven't read yet. I keep telling him to take a glance at my LT library since I rate everything I read but he still isn't comfortable buying books for me. ;-)

>136 lkernagh:, I certainly am very grateful that my hubby can pick good books, otherwise I would have to force myself to read lousy ones, and then you have the dilemma, tell them it was lousy or say it was OK and get more of the same in the future.
He tells me he chooses them just by the cover. If the cover looks similar to the cover of other books he has seen me read then it must be a good choice.

Smart man!

Does anybody know if there is a group on LT where multiple people read the same book and then discuss it in more detail? Kind of like an online book club selection.

There's a group called One LibraryThing, One Book: https://www.librarything.com/groups/onelibrarythingonebo

>140 rabbitprincess:, thanks

I have finished a book tonight, No Country, A Novel by Kalyan Ray. It was excellent, review coming soon.

42. Chinese Checkers

Reading Through Time - Ireland

No Country: A Novel by Kalyan Ray



In November 1989, an Indian couple are discovered murdered in a small town in upstate New York. They lie together as though just disengaged from a long embrace. Yet their murder has been two centuries in the making.

County Sligo, Ireland, 1843. Seventeen-year-old Brendan McCarthaigh and his best friend Padraig have everything ahead of them. Quiet Brendan is in love with books and headstrong, spirited Padraig is madly in love with black-haired Brigid. But when the sanctimonious Father Conlon discovers Padraig and Brigid's clandestine affair, he sets in motion a chain of unforeseeable, irrevocable events that will propel one to North America and the other to Bengal.

Weaving together private histories and real events, and taking us on a journey across the globe – Kalyan Ray has crafted a sweeping, epic, multigenerational saga spanning two centuries. A rich, compelling tale of home and exile, identity and hybridity, it is also a story of oppression, friendship and compassion, and the few intimate degrees of separation that lie between love and murder. (book blurb)

I absolutely loved this book. I really loved the way the author has taken one ordinary person and traced the impact of that person's life through his descendants over two centuries. The book starts in Ireland, then onto India, then Canada and finally USA. Some characters I like more than others but the way the author has written the book reveals the reasoning behind why the characters make their decisions. Horrible things happen and beautiful things happen. What I noticed most about the book is the impact of a loving family, or lack of, has on an individual.

I think this is the best book I've read this year.

January

The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window And Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

February

The Tiger Queens: The Women of Genghis Khan by Stephanie Thornton

March

The Last Dragon: Twilight of the Celts book 1 by M K Hume

April

Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth

May

Beneath the Shadows by Sara Foster

June

Flood of Fire by Amitav Ghosh

July

Last Day in the Dynamite Factory by Annah Faulkner

August

No Country: A Novel by Kalyan Ray

Fantastic review of No Country!

>145 lkernagh: I totally agree with Lori and have added No Country to my wishlist.

>145 lkernagh: & >146 DeltaQueen50:, as you can see I LOVED it. I hope you both do too.

43. Snakes and Ladders

AlphaKit letter O

The Fishermen, A Novel by Chigozie Obioma



In a small town in western Nigeria, four young brothers – the youngest is nine, the oldest fifteen – use their strict father’s absence from home to go fishing at a forbidden local river.

They encounter a dangerous local madman who predicts that the oldest brother will be killed by another. This prophesy breaks their strong bond, and unleashes a tragic chain of events of almost mythic proportions.

Passionate and bold, The Fishermen is a breathtakingly beautiful novel, firmly rooted in the best of African storytelling.

With this powerful debut, Chigozie Obioma emerges as one of the most original new voices in world literature. (book blurb)

This book has been long listed for this year's Man Booker prize, which is why I decided to read it. It is a tragic tale that describes the relationships between four brothers who live in a country town in Nigeria. The story is told from the perspective of ten your old Ben. When the local madman foretells the death of one of the brothers at the hand of one of the others, their relationships begin to fray, ultimately leading to tragedy that is dealt with in different ways by the four brothers.

A compelling read.

I jut finished a Nigeria read and seem to be on a bit of a Nigerian kick at the moment as that one sounds really good!

>149 lkernagh:, I can't say that I have read many books set in Nigeria myself but this one is definitely worth a read.

44. Yahtzee

RandomCAT - How's the weather?

Summertime by Vanessa LaFaye



Henry Roberts is a dark skinned WWI veteran. He has been wandering aimlessly through the U.S. with some of his men picking up work where they can for years. He finds himself in Heron Keys working on the new bridge. They live in the veteran's camp, a filthy site with temporary frame dwellings. Henry grew up in this area, so he eventually sees the people that have been waiting for him for 18 years.

Missy grew up in Heron Keys and knows no other life apart from living with her Mama and working for the wealthy white Kincaid family. Her world is totally shaken up by Henry's return.

It's storm season in Florida and just as tensions in the community reach a peak, a massive hurricane is heading their way. The people think they are prepared but they have no idea how bad this is going to get.

This seems to be a well researched book. I appreciated the author's note at the beginning, highlighting where she has taken fictional licence in the story. The description of the racial tensions in the community are portrayed through the interactions of the various characters in a very believable way. All the hidden secrets of a small community are revealed.

Another good book.

I am currently reading What Angels Fear by C S Harris, the first book in the Sebastisn St. Cyr mysteries. It is very good, I'm having trouble putting it down.

45. Cluedo

AlphaKIT - Letter A

Reading Through Time 1800-1850

What Angels Fear by C S Harris
Sebastian St. Cyr Mysteries, Book 1



A couple of years ago I read What Remains of Heaven, book 5 in the Sebastian St. Cyr mysteries. Either I didn't realise at the time, or it didn't bother me to read that one without having read the others. I can't believe it has taken me this long to read the first book in the series, prompted mainly by the RTT (and HistoryCAT) time period for this month.

It's 1811, and the threat of revolution haunts the upper classes of King George III's England. Then a beautiful young woman is found savagely murdered on the altar steps of an ancient church near Westminster Abbey. A duelling pistol discovered at the scene and the damning testimony of a witness both point to one man, Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, a brilliant young nobleman shattered by his experience in the Napoleonic Wars.

Now a fugitive running for his life, Sebastian calls upon his skill as an agent during the war to catch the killer and prove his own innocence. In the process, he accumulates a band of unlikely allies, including the enigmatic beauty Kat Boleyn, who broke Sebastian's heart years ago. In Sebastian's world of intrigue and espionage, nothing is as it seems, yet the truth may hold the key to the future of the British monarchy, as well as to Sebastian's own salvation. book blurb

Sebastian is a wonderful character, complex and honourable. He does a wonderful job of escaping difficult situations at the last moment. Now that I have read this first one I am definitely hooked on this series.

A wonderful historical mystery.

I've read a few of the St. Cyr books and they are fun.

Ooooo!

Lucky me, I have What Angels Fear on my Kindle so I will get to it one day!

>156 DeltaQueen50:, I'm surprised you haven't read it already Judy.

Hi Ro. It looks like you have had some great reads lately.

>148 Roro8: I enjoyed The Fishermen too. I was a little surprised to see it made the Booker shortlist but I'm glad it did.

>159 mathgirl40:, I haven't checked out the shortlist yet. I'm off to look it up now. I have reserved a couple of the other long listed books at the library.

46. Operation

Every Fifteen Minutes by Lisa Scottoline



I plan everything. I set everyone in motion, and when the moment comes, I strike.

Psychologist Dr Eric Parrish is unwittingly under threat.

Recently separated from his wife, Eric is learning to become a single parent to his seven-year-old daughter, and life is far from straightforward.

Now Eric has a new patient who could be a severe danger to others. And he must make a decision that will leave deadly consequences in its wake.

The clock is ticking, and someone is hell bent on destroying Eric's practice, his family, his life.

But how can you defend yourself against an enemy you don't know?

And can you ever win a game you don't even know you are playing? book blurb

Eric is an interesting character, getting himself deeper and deeper into trouble without realising the danger he is in. His life is being turned upside down but but who and why we don't know.

This was a good read. The twists and turns kept me turning the pages.

I am currently reading Confessions of Marie Antoinette. It is the 3rd book in Juliet Grey's trilogy about this historical figure. I am really struggling to get into this one though. I'm up to p80 something. I will trudge on as I am determined to complete the trilogy.

I have a crazy busy week at work, plus it was my husband's birthday yesterday and my son's birthday on Sunday! Perhaps too busy this week to be focusing on the politics of the French Revolution.

47. Game of Life

The Eye of the Sheep by Sofie Laguna

Winner of the 2015 Miles Franklin Award



Ned was beside me, his messages running easily through him, with space between each one, coming through him like water. He was the go-between, going between the animal kingdom and this one. I watched the waves as they rolled and crashed towards us, one after another, never stopping, always changing. I knew what was making them come, I had been there and I would always know.

Meet Jimmy Flick. He's not like other kids - he's both too fast and too slow. He sees too much, and too little. Jimmy's mother Paula is the only one who can manage him. She teaches him how to count sheep so that he can fall asleep. She holds him tight enough to stop his cells spinning. It is only Paula who can keep Jimmy out of his father's way. But when Jimmy's world falls apart, he has to navigate the unfathomable world on his own, and make things right. book blurb

This story is told by Jimmy, an interesting narrator considering he is only 11 years old for most of the book. It is never actually stated in the book, but the way the story is told, indicates that Jimmy has autism. He certainly is an interesting little character that won my heart, even though he would certainly be a challenging little boy to care for. Jimmy lives with his parents and his brother. There are domestic problems in the house which just get worse when Jim's dad loses his job. Jimmy goes through a lot of trauma in a short period of time.

I was totally engrossed by the writing, how difficult is must be to try and write the way a person with autism would think. Even though he is only a fictional character, Jimmy will be in my thoughts for a while I think.

An excellent book.

January

The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window And Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

February

The Tiger Queens: The Women of Genghis Khan by Stephanie Thornton

March

The Last Dragon: Twilight of the Celts book 1 by M K Hume

April

Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth

May

Beneath the Shadows by Sara Foster

June

Flood of Fire by Amitav Ghosh

July

Last Day in the Dynamite Factory by Annah Faulkner

August

No Country: A Novel by Kalyan Ray

September

The Eye of the Sheep by Sofie Laguna

48. Scrabble & Cleudo

Princess Elizabeth's Spy by Susan Ella MacNeal
Book 2 in the Maggie Hope series



Susan Elia MacNeal introduced the remarkable Maggie Hope in her acclaimed debut, Mr. Churchill’s Secretary. Now, as World War II sweeps the continent and England steels itself against German attack, Maggie Hope, former secretary to Prime Minister Winston Churchill, completes her training to become a spy for MI-5. Spirited, strong-willed, and possessing one of the sharpest minds in government for mathematics and code-breaking, she fully expects to be sent abroad to gather intelligence for the British front. Instead, to her great disappointment, she is dispatched to go undercover at Windsor Castle, where she will tutor the young Princess Elizabeth in math. Yet castle life quickly proves more dangerous—and deadly—than Maggie ever expected. The upstairs-downstairs world at Windsor is thrown into disarray by a shocking murder, which draws Maggie into a vast conspiracy that places the entire royal family in peril. And as she races to save England from a most disturbing fate, Maggie realizes that a quick wit is her best defense, and that the smallest clues can unravel the biggest secrets, even within her own family. book blurb

I'll start off by saying that I did enjoy this book. There were a few parts that just didn't seem quite right to me, but this is fiction so why not suspend my disbelief just a little to allow enjoyment of the story. I liked the portrayal of the Princesses in the book. They seemed real and fairly 'normal' in the way they were coping with the changes the war had brought about and the disasters/tragedies occurring in their own household.

I will be continuing with this series.

And that book completes my 6th category. I wonder how many more I will get through.

With three months to go, at least a few more?

>167 RidgewayGirl:, I would think so too. Maybe I'll make it to a total of 10 or 11. I think I will make fewer categories next year.

I am still dragging myself through Confessions of Marie Antoinette. At least I have past the half way mark. I am going to take another break from it now and read something else over the weekend.

49. Jenga

The Good Girl by Mary Kubica



For fans of Gone Girl, a blockbuster thriller about a young woman whose abduction unravels a story more sinister than anyone could have imagined...

"I’ve been following her for the past few days. I know where she buys her groceries, where she has her dry cleaning done, where she works. I don’t know the colour of her eyes or what they look like when she’s scared. But I will."

Born to a prominent Chicago judge and his stifled socialite wife, Mia Dennett moves against the grain as a young inner-city art teacher. One night, Mia enters a bar to meet her on-again, off-again boyfriend. When he doesn't show, she unwisely leaves with an enigmatic stranger. With his smooth moves and modest wit, at first Colin Thatcher seems like a safe one-night stand. But following Colin home will turn out to be the worst mistake of Mia's life.

Mia soon finds herself at the centre of a wild extortion plot. Colin's job was to abduct Mia and deliver her to his employers. But the plan takes an unexpected turn when Colin suddenly decides to hide Mia in a secluded cabin in rural Minnesota, evading the police and his deadly superiors. Mia's mother, Eve, and Detective Gabe Hoffman will stop at nothing to find them, but no one could have predicted the emotional entanglements that eventually cause this family's world to shatter.

An addictively suspenseful and tautly written thriller, The Good Girl is a compulsive debut that reveals how even in the perfect family, nothing is as it seems... book blurb

I was totally hooked by this story and sped through it over a couple of days. I know it is compared to Gone Girl, and it is not as complicated as Gone Girl in my opinion, but still a good read. It was hard to tell if I liked the characters or not. But that really didn't matter as I just wanted to know what happens to them.

I'm glad someone has finally read The Good Girl, as I'm running into it everywhere. I'll keep it in mind when I next want some fun, escapist reading.

>171 RidgewayGirl:, I've had it sitting on my kindle for months before I read it. I read it to escape Marie Antoinette for a while.

50. Yahzee

Reading Through Time - Science and Technology

The Sensorium of God by Stuart Clarke
Book 2 in The Sky's Dark Labyrinth



In the mid-17th century Edmond Halley, adventurer and astronomer, visits reclusive alchemist and fearsome mathematician, Isaac Newton, in Cambridge. No one understands why the planets move as Kepler so elegantly described almost a century earlier, and Halley asks Newton for help with solving the problem. Little does Halley know that this simple question will plunge both their lives into crisis, push Europe headlong towards the Age of the Enlightenment and catapult science into its next decisive clash with religion. The Sensorium of God is the second of a trilogy of novels inspired by the dramatic struggles, personal and professional, and key historical events in man's quest to understand the Universe. book blurb

This is almost a mini biographical novel on Edmund Halley and Isaac Newton. The author goes through some of the major discoveries and changes in these men's lives. Many famous scientists of the time have supporting roles in the story as do the royals that were constantly changing during this time period. I find it truly amazing that the scientist of this time period could discover so much with their limited equipment and resources.

A really interesting read.

51. Trivial Pursuit

Confessions of Marie Antoinette: A Novel by Juliet Grey
Book 3 in Marie Antoinette trilogy



Versailles, 1789. As the burgeoning rebellion reaches the palace gates, Marie Antoinette finds her privileged and peaceful life swiftly upended by violence. Once her loyal subjects, the people of France now seek to overthrow the crown, placing the heirs of the Bourbon dynasty in mortal peril.

Displaced to the Tuileries Palace in Paris, the royal family is propelled into the heart of the Revolution. There, despite a few staunch allies, they are surrounded by cunning spies and vicious enemies. Yet despite the political and personal threats against her, Marie Antoinette remains, above all, a devoted wife and mother, standing steadfastly by her husband, Louis XVI, and protecting their young son and daughter. And though the queen secretly attempts to arrange her family's rescue from the clutches of the rebels, she finds that they can neither outrun the dangers encircling them nor escape their shocking fate.
book blurb

As you probably know, if you have been reading my thread, I have struggled to get through this book. I was determined to finish though as I own the trilogy and didn't want to feel like I had wasted my money. So I really struggled through the first two thirds of the book. I think this is largely due to the fact that it felt like a history lesson. There are so many characters, there was a lot of use of the French language - with no glossary at the back. I just had a guess at the gist of the French words. So obviously I didn't love this book. It was a very educational piece of fiction on the French Revolution. The author's note at the end was also very comprehensive, informing the reader about what happened to a lot of the characters/people after Marie Antoinette's demise. The royal couple had my sympathy in the end. They certainly paid the price for their excesses and for the excesses of their ancestors.

52. Operation

Reading Through Time Quarterly Theme: 1945-Present

A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner



September 1911. On Ellis Island in New York Harbor, nurse Clara Wood cannot face returning to Manhattan, where the man she loved fell to his death in the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire. Then, while caring for a fevered immigrant whose own loss mirrors hers, she becomes intrigued by a name embroidered onto the scarf he carries…and finds herself caught in a dilemma that compels her to confront the truth about the assumptions she’s made. Will what she learns devastate her or free her?

September 2011. On Manhattan’s Upper West Side, widow Taryn Michaels has convinced herself that she is living fully, working in a charming specialty fabric store and raising her daughter alone. Then a long-lost photograph appears in a national magazine, and she is forced to relive the terrible day her husband died in the collapse of the World Trade Towers…the same day a stranger reached out and saved her. Will a chance reconnection and a century-old scarf open Taryn’s eyes to the larger forces at work in her life?
book blurb

I was quite surprised at how much I ended up enjoying this book. At first I thought it was just going to be a nice quick, light read before I moved on to the next book. However the more I read, the more I got drawn into the story, especially Clara's story. Both Clara and Taryn are struggling with grief as a result of heart breaking tragedy, and the way they work through it in this book seems quite genuine. The ending is well done.

>175 Roro8: - Definite book bullet with that one. Sounds completely up my alley as I'm starting to become more interested in early 1900's NY.

>175 Roro8: - The cover caught my eye - love the red flowers on the blue background! - and then you sucked me in with a dual story. I love those kind of stories. BB taken.

>176 LittleTaiko: &>177 lkernagh:, I hope you both enjoy it. I agree, the cover is very lovely.

It was a huge weekend at my place. My second daughter turned 18 during the week so we had a family and friends BBQ on Saturday afternoon. Then the girls went out on the town while us adults continued the party at home. A fun late night was had by all. There was a huge mess to clean up on Sunday, which only got half done as we were not at our best. So hooray! I have just finished the cleanup, my head-fog has cleared, time for some reading. Thank goodness there is another 3 years before the next 18th in this house.

Happy 18th to your daughter! Sounds like a wonderful time.

Sounds like a great weekend! Happy birthday to your daughter :)

Happy 18th to your daughter, Ro! Sounds like it was a great party.

>175 Roro8: Thanks for the BB: A fall of marigolds has made its way onto my wishlist.

Congratulations to your 18 year old daughter. The amount of clean-up needed after a party is an exact indication of how much fun was had.

>183 VivienneR:, if that theory is correct we all had a very good time.

Thanks for the birthday wishes Lori, rp, Judy and Vivienne. Two children have reached the official age of adulthood, three to go!

January

The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window And Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

February

The Tiger Queens: The Women of Genghis Khan by Stephanie Thornton

March

The Last Dragon: Twilight of the Celts book 1 by M K Hume

April

Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth

May

Beneath the Shadows by Sara Foster

June

Flood of Fire by Amitav Ghosh

July

Last Day in the Dynamite Factory by Annah Faulkner

August

No Country: A Novel by Kalyan Ray

September

The Eye of the Sheep by Sofie Laguna

October

The Good Girl by Mary Kubica