Storeetllr's (Mary) 2015 Journey Through Bookland Part 4: Summertime!

A little about me: I read a lot and have a marked taste for the fantasy and mystery genres (newest favorite mystery series is DC Fiona Griffith's by Harry Bingham), and, if they're seasoned by a bit romance, fantasy and/or horror, that's great too within limits. I really like Georgette Heyer-type romances and also some scifi, especially when it deals with social issues, like Louise Marley's and Sheri Tepper's does, though occasionally I enjoy space opera like the Vorkosigan series, as well as westerns like Lonesome Dove, historical fiction like Doc, and historical mysteries like the Matthew Shardlake and Thomas De Quincey series. Mercy Thompson and Matthew Swift are two of my favorite urban fantasy series protags, and Johannes Cabal (Johannes Cabal, Necromancer) is my latest steampunkish, gothic horror series pleasure, and Mary Doria Russell's one of my favorite authors. I like themed reads too: Fantasy February, May Murder & Mayhem, September Series & Sequels, Halloween Horror October.

You will seldom see a rating of 2.5 or lower, because, if it's that unappealing or the writing itself is that bad, I won't finish it. I'm too old to suffer needlessly, so these days The Pearl Rule is ruthlessly applied! On the other hand, the books I do finish I tend to rate liberally.

5 stars - Excellent writing, enthralling story, enlightening/educative, emotionally satisfying. I'll probably read it again and high recommend it to anyone and everyone.
4.5 stars - Practically perfect in every way. I will actively push this book on my friends and family.
4 stars - A really great book in all respects with perhaps some minor flaws. Highly recommended.
3.5 stars - Better than average but with some flaws. Recommended.
3 stars - Average. An entertaining read but probably forgettable. Will not reread. Recommended for entertainment value to readers with similar interest.
2.5 stars - Not sure exactly why I bothered to finish this one. Perhaps some aspects of the story, characters or writing appealed to me, or it's part of a series, but I had a hard time staying engaged. Not recommended, unless someone needs to read it to complete an author's body of work.

These are in my current iTunes library:

The Lace Reader
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
Anarchy and Old Dogs
The Cabinet of Curiosities by Preston & Childs
Catching Fire
Changes by Jim Butcher
Chasing Fire by Nora Roberts
Curse of the Pogo Stick
Darkness More Than Night
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
The Girl Who Played with Fire
Echo Burning
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest
The Glass Castle
The Help
The Hunger Games
Inside Out by Barry Eisler
Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende
The Last Werewolf
Leviathan
Love Songs from a Shallow Grave
The Merry Misogynist
Mockingjay
Neverwhere
The Night Circus
Relic
The Scorpio Races
Shadow Divers
Slash and Burn
Talulla Rising
Turncoat
Watership Down
Without Fail by Lee Child
Zeitoun

The following are on my computer but not currently attached to any program (i.e., iTunes):

American Gods
Darkly Dreaming Dexter
Good Omens
The Book of Night Women
The Sparrow
Indulgence in Death by J.D. Robb

If you're interested in a copy of any (or all) of the above audiobooks, send me a PM.

Books Read in July

109. At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft. 3.5 stars. Audio. Reread.

110. Foundation by Isaac Asimov. 4 stars. Audio. Reread.

111. Changing Planes by Ursula Le Guin. 4 stars. Audio, read by Gabrielle de Coir.

112. Invention of Fire by Bruce Holsinger. 3.75 stars. Audio. Historical mystery.

113. Agent of Change by Sharon Lee. 4 stars. eBook. First book in the Liaden series.

114. H Is For Hawk by Helen MacDonald. 4.25 stars. Audio. Memoir.

115. Two Tales of Korval by Sharon Lee. 4.24 stars. eBook. Short stories from Liaden.

116. A Cold Dish by Craig Johnson. 4 stars. Audio, read by George Guidall.

117. Death Without Company by Craig Johnson. 4 stars. Audio, read by Guidall. 2nd in Longmire series.

118. The Soul Thief by Leah Cutter. 3 stars. 2nd in Franklin Chronicles. LTER.

119. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. 4 stars. Post-apocalyptic America.

120. Sharp Edges by Jayne Anne Krentz. 3 stars. Audio. Contemporary romantic thriller.

Bolded=Highly recommended

Books Read in August

121. Trigger Warning by Neil Gaiman. 4 stars. Audio, read by the author. Fantasy.

122. The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro. 3.75 stars. Audio, read by David Horovitz. Literary historical alternate universe fantasy.

123. Doctor Sleep by Stephen King6 4 stars. Audio, read by Will Paton. Horror.

124. Expiration Date by Nancy Kirkpatrick. 3.5 stars. LTER. Kindle. Anthology of stories about Death/death.

125. Luckstones by Madeleine Robins. 4 stars. LTER. Kindle. Fantasy.

126. The Finish: The Progress of a Murder Uncovered (Venus Squared Book 1) by Angela Elliott. 3 stars. LTER. Kindle. Historical mystery.

127. Conflict of Honors by Sharon Lee. 4 stars. Second in the Liaden Universe series (order as suggested by Roni).

128. Carpe Diem by Sharon Lee. 4 stars. Third in the Liaden Universe series.

129. Face-Off by David Balducci. Audio. Anthology of mysteries.

130. The Hot Zone by Jayne Castle. 4 stars. Kindle. 3rd in Rainshadow series.

131. Solid Citizens by David Wishart. 4 stars. Kindle. A Marcus Corvinus mystery.

132. Death, the Deluxe Edition, includes The High Cost of Living and The Time of Your Life, by Neil Gaiman. 4.5 stars. GN.

133. Redshirts by John Scalzi. 4.5 stars. Scifi.

Books Read in September

134. Three in Death by J.D. Robb. 4 stars. Mysteries. Three novellas, set relatively early in the series, two while Peabody is still Dallas's assistant and one after she is promoted to Detective. Turns out I already read the first two (Interlude in Death and Midnight in Death), which I reread because I enjoy them, but the third (Haunted in Death) was new and also good, with a haunted scene-of-death building giving her team the heebie jeebies and annoying the hell out of her.

135. A Liaden Universe Constellation Vol. 1 by Sharon Lee. 4 stars. Scifi. Short stories set in the Liaden Universe. I had already read the first two, featuring Val Con and Shan, but the rest were a fascinating glimpse of what is in store for me as I journey through the series. (I'm waiting (im)patiently for the Plan B and I Dare to come in from the library so I can complete the first set of novels as recommended by Roni and move on to other characters and stories.) I also enjoyed reading the stories about the early lives of some of the characters I already know, seeing what shaped them.

136. Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. 4.5 stars. Audio. 3d reread. Held up well on this, the third time I've read it in about 10 years. Enjoyed it especially after having watched the BBC adaptation.

137. Enemies at Home by Lindsey Davis. 4 stars. Audio. Historical mystery. 2d in series. Featuring Flavia Albina, adopted daughter of Didius Falco and Helena, a widow nearing 30 who supports herself as an informer. In this one, she is called upon by an aedile with whom she has worked before to find out who murdered a newlywed couple after their slaves seek sanctuary at the Temple of Ceres. A weakish plot, I thought, but the characters and their lives in Rome were well worth the read. Helena's brothers, now lawyers and we'll into middle age, make an appearance, as did Helena. I think this spin off series is getting better, and I'm looking forward to reading the next.

138. Siren's Call by Jayne Castle. 4 stars. Paranormal fantasy. 4th in Rainshadow series. Good fun with likable protags Rafe Coppersmith, burned out after discovering the portal to the legendary Ghost City, and Ella Morgan, dream therapist and siren, and dust bunny Lorelei.

139. The Liar by Nora Roberts. 3 stars. Romantic thriller. Standalone. Shelby returns to her little Tennessee hometown of Rendezvous with her 3-year old daughter to be with her family after her husband of 5 years is killed in an accident and she learns he wasn't the man she thought he was. Griff is a northerner who settles in Rendezvous to work with his partner at their construction business and buys an old derelict mansion that he is in the middle of fixing up. I liked Griff, and his partner, and his partner's girlfriend, and Shelby's family, and most of the townfolk, but I just couldn't seem to warm to Shelby, and the thriller part was just a bit too over-the-top for my taste. Roberts seldom goes wrong with characters and setting, but here I thought she just missed it with Shelby. Also, no 3 year old is that well-behaved and reasonable all the time.

140. Semper Fidelis by Ruth Downey. 3.5 stars. Audio. Historical mystery. Medicus series. The Emperor Hadrian's coming to Britain to inspect his wall, and Russo manufacturers a reason to be away from home in order to avoid meeting him. Instead, he meets a vicious centurion and gets into a whole lot of trouble trying to figure out why members of a group of new Briton recruits keep dying.

141. Archangel's Enigma by Nalini Singh. 4 stars. Audio. Fantasy. Guild Hunter series. Pretty good story, about Naasir, the most feral of Rafael's Seven and Andromeda, an angel whose grandsire is one of Lijuan's allies. They team up to find the ancient Archangel Alexander before Lijuan finds and kills him.

142. Devoted in Death by J. D. Robb. 4 stars. Kindle. Mystery. Latest is just a bit different from most: we know who the killers are, and they are particularly disgusting and brutal. Not a lot of character growth, this one is mostly action.

143. Make Me by Lee Child. 3.75 stars. Audio. Mystery thriller. Latest in Jack Reacher series.

144. The Various Haunts of Men by Susan Hill. 4 stars. Mystery thriller. First in Simon Serailler series.

145. The Risk of Darkness by Susan Hill. 3.5 stars. Audio. Mystery thriller. 3d in Simon Serailler series.

146. Chapelwood by Cherie Priest. 3.5 stars. Audio. Horror. 2d in the Borden Dispatches series.

147. Six and a Half Deadly Sins by Colin Cotteril. 4 stars. eBook. Mystery. Latest in the Dr. Siri series.

Summertime (July/August) Favorites

H Is For Hawk by Helen MacDonald
Redshirts by John Skalzi

May/June Favorites: https://www.librarything.com/topic/190678#5146052
March/April Favorites: https://www.librarything.com/topic/188442#5074817
January/February Favorites: https://www.librarything.com/topic/186192#4995442

I love reading outside in the summer! Well, I love reading anyplace, anytime, but you know what I mean. There's just something special about laying outside (on a comfy lounge chair, with my feet up) in the warm summer breeze with a frosty glass of lemonade/beer/iced tea/iced coffee/mint julep (choose one of the above or whatever else suits your fancy)! Whether one is on a tropical beach



or in one's own backyard,



you have to agree ~ summer does go better with a good book!

Series I'm Currently Reading:

Longmire:

The Cold Dish
Death Without Company
Kindness Goes Unpunished
Another Man's Moccasins
The Dark Horse
Junkyard Dogs
Hell is Empty
Divorce Horse
As the Crow Flies
Messenger
A Serpent's Tooth
The Spirit of Steamboat
Any Other Name
Dry Bones

Liaden

Per Roni:
Agent of Change
Conflict of Honors
Carpe Diem
Plan B
I Dare!
Necessity's Child

From Sharon Lee's website: http://sharonleewriter.com/correct-reading-order/

Novels that may be read with no prior reading in the Universe:

-Agent of Change, Conflict of Honors, Local Custom, Scout’s Progress, Balance of Trade, Fledgling
-Crystal Soldier, Necessity’s Child, Dragon in Exile
Novels that are direct sequels:
-Agent of Change, Carpe Diem, Plan B, I Dare, Dragon in Exile
-Fledgling, Saltation, Ghost Ship, Dragon Ship
-Crystal Soldier, Crystal Dragon
-Balance of Trade, Trade Secret

Novels that may benefit from being read in a particular order:

-Carpe Diem may also benefit from reader familiarity with Conflict of Honors
-Mouse and Dragon may be more accessible to those who have previously read Scout’s Progress.
-Dragon in Exile may be more accessible to those who have previously read the Agent of Change Sequence (Agent of Change, Conflict of Honors, Carpe Diem, Plan B, I Dare)

The order in which the books were written:

-Agent of Change, Conflict of Honors, Carpe Diem, Plan B, Local Custom, Scout’s Progress, I Dare, Balance of Trade, Crystal Soldier, Crystal Dragon, Fledgling, Saltation, Mouse and Dragon, Ghost Ship, Dragon Ship, Necessity’s Child, Trade Secret, Dragon in Exile, Alliance of Equals
Internal Chronology:
-Crystal Soldier, Crystal Dragon, Balance of Trade, Trade Secret, Local Custom, Scout’s Progress, Mouse and Dragon, Conflict of Honors, Agent of Change, Carpe Diem, Plan B, Fledgling, I Dare, Saltation, Ghost Ship, Necessity’s Child*, Dragon Ship*, Dragon in Exile*, Alliance of Equals*

_______
*Portions of these novels occur simultaneously. If we do this right, by the time we’re finished with the Five Book Dash, readers ought to have a 365º view of the action.

From Wikipedia:

Omnibus volumes

Pre-Baen

Partners in Necessity (Feb. 2000, ISBN 1-892065-10-X hardcover, -01-0 trade paperback)
Contains Conflict of Honors, Agent of Change, and Carpe Diem (Getting from library)

Pilots Choice (Feb. 2001, ISBN 1-892065-11-8 hardcover, -02-9 trade paperback)
Contains Local Custom and Scout's Progress

Baen e-book only
These were released immediately upon Lee & Miller coming to Baen in the wake of Meisha Merlin's dissolution, to bring the e-books back into print and begin earning royalties for Lee & Miller (who had not been paid by Meisha Merlin) right away. For new readers, the subsequent Baen omnibus editions (below) provide the same books at a lower cost.

Korval's Legacy Collection (Baen Webscription ebook bundle)
Contains Conflict of Honors, Agent of Change, Carpe Diem, Plan B, and Local Custom

Phase Change Collection (Baen Webscription ebook bundle)
Contains Scout's Progress, I Dare, Crystal Soldier, Crystal Dragon, and Balance of Trade

Baen print & e-book

The Dragon Variation (Jun. 2010, ISBN 1-4391-3369-7 trade paperback)
Contains Local Custom, Scout's Progress, and Conflict of Honors

The Agent Gambit (Jan. 2011, ISBN 1-4391-3407-3 trade paperback)
Contains Agent of Change and Carpe Diem

Korval's Game (May 2011, ISBN 1-4391-3439-1 trade paperback)
Contains Plan B and I Dare

The Crystal Variation (Sep. 2011, ISBN 978-1-4391-3463-4 trade paperback)
Contains Crystal Soldier, Crystal Dragon, and Balance of Trade

Happy New thread, Mary! Love following you on your bookish journey!

Happy new thread, Mary. I love your photos.

Lovely new thread, Mary. Love the pictures!

Love that hammock picture. I have my eye on one of those self-supporting ones. Although I'm not sure if the tall glass then becomes tricky? Happy reading.

Happy New Thread, Mary!!

Parking right here Mary!

Happy new thread Mary! Love the thread topper pic and the message. I am one of those wanderers who would love that setting.

Nice new thread, Mary!

Ooooh, my first visitors! How lovely!

Thanks, Mark, Beth, Roni, Char, Amber, Roberta, Lori and Darryl! Welcome!

How about one of those unspillable commuter cups, Charlotte? That might work.

I love to wander too, Lori. In fact, I was wandering ~ actually, hiking ~ with a friend one misty morning in a California State Park in the Santa Clarita Valley a few years ago and snapped that pic of the tiny stream.

It's Independence Day here in the States, a day many celebrate with picnics, barbeques, trips to the beach, and fireworks. I, however, celebrate it by watching "Independence Day"



though tonight is the fourth episode of the BBC production of "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell," which I am loving, so I may postpone Independence Day until tomorrow so I can watch Strange instead.


Anyway, to all my American friends, Happy Fourth of July!



And to everyone else, have a wonderful weekend!

A shiny new thread! Happy Independence Day to you, too, Mary!

That hammock looks comfy but it's the beach chair in the sand that I'd love to be sitting in!

Happy 4th, Mary! Hope you had a great holiday. How was the movie? I haven't seen it since I saw it at the theater. I wasn't a fan.

Thanks, Joanne! I'll call over the resort's beach staff to see if we can get you another lounge chair, as I already have that one taken. Didn't you notice that's me sitting there? ;)

I watched JSaMN instead, Mark. Independence Day tomorrow. I'm sorry you didn't enjoy the movie. I know some people thought it was pure kitsch, but I loved it for its sly humor and, yes, campiness.

Oooh, I love Independence Day (the movie, I mean)! Haven't watched it in ages...

Happy new thread Mary, it is rather difficult to believe that the year is more than half over. It is a bit cooler today which I love and we have a slight cloud cover but mixed in with that there is a smoky haze that is, I believe, cause by all the forest fires in B.C.

It is a lot of fun, isn't it Amber! Maybe time for a rewatch?

Oh, my, Judy! It is half over! Hard to contemplate that it will soon be Christmas. Horrible about all the fires out your way. That was one of the scariest parts of living in Southern California. That and earthquakes. Just you stay safe. And indoors until the smoke dissipates.

It's definitely time for a rewatch! I'll have to pull it out and add it to the queueueue...

Mary, I wish I had been watching Independence Day instead of Griffin's movie choice last night…the third Jurassic Park movie. Oh my…what I suffer through for my grandkids. He found a very cool dinosaur book at the neighborhood Little Free Library today. He is one happy kiddo! I wondered when he was going to go through the dinosaur stage.

Happy new thread, Mary! I'm quite enjoying this cool weather we're having -- it's nice knowing it won't last long:)

>24 scaifea: :)

>25 Donna828: My sis went to see JP3 and said it was too much action for her, but I imagine kids would love it. My little niece is already into dinosaurs at age 2-1/2; I've got her next birthday card already ~ dinosaurs galore!

>26 AMQS: Thanks, Anne! At least it's not hailing. (Yet. Touching wood.) Glad you're enjoying it!

Saw this on Facebook today and thought I'd share it here:


(Portrait of E. Balebina by Lev Russov, or so I've been told.)

Love it!

The weather here is bizarre today. It smells like burning tires outside -- I guess from the fires in Canada? It went from 80s and high humidity to low seventies and super windy.

Oh, wow, Beth! I had no idea the fires in Western Canada were effecting Minnesota! I just Googled it and Yikes! Terrible!

Hey there, stranger, where've you been?

There was just a wonderful Storyteller segment on 9News that included the Gabriel Foundation, a homeless woman and her parrot, and a happy ending (thank goodness!).

Hope you're staying cool!

Hi, Joanne ~ I've been around, busy reading and gardening, thanks for asking.

I missed the 9News story but will try to find it on the web. Thanks so much for turning me on to it!

It's always cool in the basement, even without A/C. :)

Hi Mary! Just checking in. Hope you had a good weekend. And I hope your current reads are treating you, like royalty.

Hi, Mark! Thanks, it was a lovely weekend. Hope your Sunday was likewise. I started watching the LOTR extended version films. For all that I don't usually think film adaptations are ever good, and that so much wonderfulness was left out of the films, and that they changed a few things *cough*Arwen*cough*, I love these films. Next up is Return of the King. After I watch last Saturday's episode of Jonathan Strange which I completely forgot about.

Hi Mary, sounds like your summer is going well. I have been spending a little less time on the computer lately as I have been having issues with my wrist when I use the keyboard too much. It has improved a lot but I am trying to not rush back into things too quickly. Growing old is such a trial - always seems to be something breaking down!

I also own the LOTR extended versions and we talk all the time, about doing a marathon. High hopes, my friend. I am not much a fan of the Hobbit movies though. You?

Happy new thread, Mary! I'm a bit late to the party...

We also love those LOTR movies, and have done several marathons over the past few years.

Hoping your Tuesday is full of fabulous!

No worries, Judy! I haven't been as much online as usual, either. Seems there's so much else that needs doing. I am sorry to hear you're having wrist issues. Seems a symptom of the age (of technology , I mean, not years since birth), doesn't it. Though you're right about things breaking down as one ages. Currently my area of concern is my eyesight. Very scary, the idea one could lose their ability to read. (ETA that I can't even bring myself to make it personal, thus the use of "one" and "their.")

Nope, Mark, the Hobbit movies didn't reach the same heights of wonderfulness as the LoTR films. I personally think it could have been told in one, maybe two parts, at the most. I mean, it was a kids' book, and relatively simple.

Thanks, Mamie! Nice to see you! Haven't seen you around these parts in awhile. Hope you'll come back and visit again soon. Yep, LOTR marathons are pretty great, along with Firefly marathons and my new favorites, the Jonathan Strange episodes. I could watch them over and over, though last Saturday's episode was so upsetting (the story, not the adaptation, which was very well done).

So, my sis and I took my niece to the zoo yesterday. She had a choice among a number of things, including the library, the pool at the local rec center (where I go occasionally to take gym classes), and the Childrens' Garden at the Denver Botanical Gardens, but she was definite about wanting to go to the zoo. Anyway, we had a blast, so my sis and I decided to join it for the year. If we go at least 3-1/2x during the year, it will have paid for itself. (ETA: And I will have probably killed myself ~ or gotten back in shape. Three hours of the most walking I've done in a long time!)

Here are a few pics I took while there:


My niece, D, showing off her flamingo pink fingernail polish at the flamingo exhibit.


Admiring the stately camels.


D loved the bird exhibit, and I thought the Hawkhead Parrots were gorgeous (don't tell Nickel)!

One more pic from yesterday that I took as we were driving home: the coolest name for a pub I've seen in a long time, and check out the fun mural on the side of the building.

Hi, Mary! Your niece is an absolute doll! Good times at the zoo, eh? And I love The Bar Car! Duh!

Haven't done the LotR in print or film. I read the Hobbit last year and wondered how the heck Peter Jackson could get THREE LONG films out of it. Watched two of the movies, but bailed on the third. Two was enough for me. Book was excellent.

Thanks, Mark! Actually, I thought of you when I posted the pic of The Bar Car, esp. the mural. Only thing missing is a book in that sexy young lady's hands!

I haven't heard a lot of good reviews of the Hobbit films, Bill, and totally agree that 3 long films were 2 too many. From your reading list of this year year (so far), it doesn't look like you're big on epic fantasy, but, if you ever have a few weeks with nothing else going on, you might want to give the Trilogy of the Rings (though there are actually five parts, go figure) a try. I know I loved them each of the dozen or so times I read them (mostly in print, though once on audio), starting when I was 18 years old and continuing until the film adaptations came out. After that, I haven't been able to get into them in print.

Wow, July's half over. Already! So, here are the books I've finished so far this month:

109. At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft. 3.5 stars. Audio. Reread. Hated the narrator (Edward Herrmann!), and the story itself dragged a bit in places, though some of that may have been the fault of said narrator. Sorry, I know Herrmann's beloved by many, and I have liked him in some of the parts he played, but he sounded like he was talking with a mouthful of mashed potatoes.

110. Foundation by Isaac Asimov. 4 stars. Audio. Reread. Surprisingly enjoyable, especially considering it was read by Scott Brick, who is not my favorite narrator. Yes, it's a bit dated, and yes, I didn't love it like I had when I read it the first time back in the 70s, but it retained much of its charm.

111. Changing Planes by Ursula Le Guin. 4 stars. Audio, read by Gabrielle de Coir. Short stories connected by circumstances and the main traveler. Strange alternate reality reads like a travelogue of weird worlds arrived at by a technique whereby anyone who is stuck at an airport can twist reality and literally change planes of existence. Oddly, I liked it, tho there wasn't much action but a lot wonderful often hilarious satire and social commentary, as well as always mind-boggling, often poignant descriptions of the cultures of the other worlds.

112. Invention of Fire by Bruce Holsinger. 3.75 stars. Audio. Historical mystery. Set in England during the time of Richard II, when John of Gaunt was away from England ruling his kingdom of Castile, this was a convoluted mystery involving a friend of Chaucer who apparently made his living by blackmail being called on to solve various seemingly unconnected political plots and horrifying murders perpetrated by using new-fangled "hand gonnes." It got so tedious at times it almost put me to sleep, but possibly part of the problem was the narrator (Simon Vance, who I've really liked in other productions). At other times, the story was compelling enough that the voice of the reader was not so off-putting.

113. Agent of Change by Sharon Lee. 4 stars. eBook. First book in the Liaden series. Pretty good scifi adventure story, after I got past the first chapter or two where it just wasn't compelling enough to keep me interested. Glad I stuck with it! Thanks to Roni for suggesting. Looking forward to the next (Carpe Diem, I think).

I'm flying through a re-read of the Liaden series, Mary, and I think you'll have a good time with Conflict of Honors, which I'm used to thinking of as the next one. (Carpe Diem comes after that). I'm at #7, I Dare, and having a blast with them. So glad Roni gave the push to us.

Hi Mary. Your Dylan looks like a little China doll. I love those pink cheeks in the camel pic. Give them a gentle tweak for me next time you see her. Kids and zoos go together!

I am still reading last year's Vorkosigan series. As you know, I like to listen to them on road trips. I'm due for another one soon. Are you available for a meetup on August 1or 2?

Dylan looks like such a little charmer and the zoo is so much fun. We haven't been in months even though we are members.

You sure are reading up a storm, Mary!

Oh, thanks, Joe! I know Roni published a series list with the books in order, but I haven't had a chance to look at it yet, and Carpe Diem seems to start where Agent of Change left off, so I just assumed. I'll try to get Conflict from the library (or Audible) to read next. Glad you are enjoying the series so much, and it being a reread for you! Nice!

Aw, thanks, Donna ~ she is a cutie, and getting cuter (and friendlier) every day! Yes, I think I can arrange to set aside my busy schedule on Aug. 1 or 2 to see you. *I say with tongue firmly in cheek* Look forward to seeing you then! What Vorkosigan are you up to?

Thanks, Jo ~ I think we'll really use the zoo membership this year. D is pretty much irresistible, and currently she seems to be hooked on the zoo, so... As far as my reading goes, I seem to have slowed down a bit (so far) this month, but that's okay. I'm already past the halfway mark to my goal of 150 for 2015.

Okay, I popped over to Roni's thread , and this is the order for reading the Liaden series, which I may put at the top of my thread so I can find it when needed:

Agent of Change (check)
Conflict of Honors (Joe's right! As if there were a question.)
Carpe Diem
Plan B
I Dare!
Necessity's Child

I love the zoo photos! Your niece is adorable! Looks like she had a great time.

Thanks, Terri! Her mom told me she went on and on about it when she got home, and, yesterday, when I went over there to drop off her sunhat and sunglasses, which I mistakenly brought home with me in my bag, D. told me, very seriously, that she told her mommy and daddy all about our day at the zoo and that she wants to go back next week. Love that kid!

Happy Friday, Mary!

I better consider the Liaden series! Whenever this many of my LT pals begin to warble, I begin to take notice.

It sounds like we had similar feelings about the Lovecraft. I was considering, reading another one, this month but interest is flagging...

Mary, I downloaded The Vor Game and Mirror Dance for the drive to and from Colorado. I am using the list Roberta posted on the Vorkosigan Thread…I think it was Joe's suggested order of reading. My problem is that I have more listening time than trip… I guess that means I can go ahead and start getting back into Miles's world!

Thanks, Mark! Sorry Lovecraft didn't work better for you. I think I prefer his shorter works. With short stories, writers tend to be less wordy. With Lovecraft, that could be an especially good thing.

Hi, Donna! I liked The Vor Game a lot; Mirror Dance not quite as much, because, if I remember correctly, Miles wasn't in it a lot, but it was still good.

I thought everyone would get a kick out of this list. I've read only a couple of these, but now I want to run out and read the rest. And reread the ones I already read.

http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-et-jc-challenged-banned-books-2014-20...

ETA the list (courtesy of Joe (jnwelch)):

1. "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian," by Sherman Alexie. Reasons: anti-family, cultural insensitivity, drugs/alcohol/smoking, gambling, offensive language, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group, violence. Additional reasons: “depictions of bullying”

2. "Persepolis," by Marjane Satrapi. Reasons: gambling, offensive language, political viewpoint. Additional reasons: “politically, racially, and socially offensive,” “graphic depictions”

3. "And Tango Makes Three," Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell. Reasons: Anti-family, homosexuality, political viewpoint, religious viewpoint, unsuited for age group. Additional reasons: “promotes the homosexual agenda”

4. "The Bluest Eye," by Toni Morrison. Reasons: Sexually explicit, unsuited for age group. Additional reasons: “contains controversial issues”

5. "It’s Perfectly Normal," by Robie Harris. Reasons: Nudity, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group. Additional reasons: “alleges it child pornography”

6. "Saga," by Brian Vaughan and Fiona Staples. Reasons: Anti-family, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited for age group.

7. "The Kite Runner," by Khaled Hosseini. Reasons: Offensive language, unsuited to age group, violence

8. "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," by Stephen Chbosky. Reasons: drugs/alcohol/smoking, homosexuality, offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group. Additional reasons: “date rape and masturbation”

9. "A Stolen Life," Jaycee Dugard. Reasons: drugs/alcohol/smoking, offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited for age group

10. "Drama," by Raina Telgemeier. Reasons: sexually explicit

Hi, Mary. What an interesting list in >55 Storeetllr:. Some terrific books on there, including Sherman Alexie's. Amazing what people see in these books, and how they're afraid of the impact on readers.

If you don't mind, I'm going to post it over on my thread, too, as it is so thought-provoking.

Isn't it a hoot, Joe? The things people come up with for reasons why a book should be banned is astonishing to me. My particular favorite is one of those for The Bluest Eye: contains controversial issues. Um, seriously? So no one should be allowed to read books whose subject matter includes issues that you consider "controversial" (whatever that means to you)? Wow. I guess that would include The Bible? *snicker*

Glad you posted it over on your thread ~ more of us need a laugh than visit my own modest thread. ;-)

These banned book lists, kind of burn my butt! Really? And I've read most of those too! Once again: Really?

I am surprised Fun Home isn't read there at the top. That has been taking quite a thrashing, for awhile now.

Witch hunts, my friend. Witch hunts!

Hope you are doing well, Mary!

What a very remarkable opening image! I love it.

Right there with you on that, Mark. And yes, surprising that Fun Home isn't on the list. BTW, my daughter told me it's now a popular Broadway show. I would sure love to see that!

Thanks, Linda! I took the photo one morning about 10 years ago when on a hike on a State Park trail in Santa Clarita, CA. I thought it was a perfect image to go with that quote.

Okay, a friend sent me this YouTube clip, and, tho it's kind of long - about 10 mins. - and strange, it's also very cool. About flying books and a magical library.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ad3CMri3hOs

Hi Mary! Oh, >39 Storeetllr: your niece is so, so lovely! Fun times at the zoo:)

Mary, I've ghosted my way through here nearly every day, but haven't said hi in a while. Your niece is SUCH a cutie.

Carpe Diem does pick up where Agent of Change ends, but it also involves other members of Val Con's family that are introduced in Conflict of Honors, so that is why COH is suggested next. Glad you ended up enjoying AoC. How about them turtles!?!

Hi, Anne! Thanks, she's always been a cutie, but she's getting more adorable (and funny) with each passing week. I love having her around, and taking her places. She is always so interested ~ and is surprisingly well-behaved for a two-year old (though she may just be being kind to her elderly grandma and even more elderly aunt).

I missed seeing you around here, Roni! But totally understand about stealth threading. I do it myself often with others' threads. Don't ever really "ghost" on me, though, 'kay? (ETA: The thing I meant by ghost: http://www.slate.com/articles/life/a_fine_whine/2013/07/ghosting_the_irish_goodb... There are other meanings. I just love new ways of using old words! Most of the time.)

I'm going to read the series in the order you suggest, with perhaps a side trip now and then based on Sharon Lee's suggestions. And I LOVE those turtles, esp. Edger! Even more now that I read the short story about how they met. What cool characters. I think I'm going to really enjoy this series, same as I have any number of series you've suggested before (thinking of Matthew Swift and Sharon Li and Vorkosigan, for which I think you were one of the more vocal proponents).

Happy Thursday, Mary! Hope the week has been going well. It is beginning to warm back up but this is typical late July weather and it hasn't rained in a few days, which is good.

What are you reading?

One of my favorite comments on challenging a book was about Captain Underpants because it "promoted unruly behavior." Seriously? Thanks for the new lists, Mary.

Just finished my first Longmire, Mark! Not sure what I'm going to start, but I have quite a number of Early Reviewer books that are overdue a read and review, so I guess I should probably do that next. Though a couple of the books on my shelf are calling to me, really really loudly.

Hi, Beth! Haha, that is funny about Captain Underpants. People do get strange ideas sometimes, don't they? Glad you enjoyed the list.

Isn't Longmire great on audio? Guidell does a stellar job.

And thanks for your encouraging thoughts, over on Joe's thread, about Jonathan Strange. I will start that one next week and then I can start watching the BBC series. Is it over now?

One last episode on Saturday night, then it's over *sob* and we'll have to watch it On Demand or maybe Netflix. Or, best would be if the library gets it! The actor who portrays Strange is amazing! The entire cast is also excellent, but Strange is perfect.

I've been feeling the need to reread JSaMN again, so I put it on hold from the library. (I thought I had it on my computer or at Audible, but no such luck. Must have borrowed it when I first listened to it a decade ago.) If it comes available soon, maybe we can listen to it together! (Or, you know, at the same time.)

I picture Longmire as being 60+ years old, due to the voice Guidell gives him. Is he really that old in the books?

I think Longmire, is about 40, in the first book. It has been awhile.

Have you ever watched the cable show?

I haven't had that pleasure yet, Mark. Depending on how I do with the second Longmire book, I may have to remedy that. I know you, and Joanne, really enjoy it.

I think he must be older than 40, because his daughter is a practicing attorney and, therefore, must be at least 25.

I picture Longmire to be in his late 50s, early 60s since he has an adult daughter and is a Vietnam vet. In one of the books he starts thinking about retirement and who should be sheriff after him. I can't help but picture Walt as Robert Taylor and that's not necessarily a bad thing. I watched the TV show before I started reading the books so I had no picture in my head to dispel.

Happy, happy birthday, Mary!

You share a birthday with my daughter, Mary. They are on their way back to KC today. We had a fun time at Dave and Buster's last night. I hope you get to do something special today. Happy Birthday! 🎈🎂

Happy Birthday, Mary!!!

Happy Birthday, Mary.

Happy Birthday, Mary!

Happy Birthday, Mary!

>72 Copperskye: Hmm, maybe I should take a look at the TV series, Jo, so I can get it straight just exactly how old Longmire is supposed to be.

Thanks so much for the birthday wishes, Jo, Donna, Roni, Beth, Joe and Lori! That cat pic that Joe posted? Looks much the way I felt when I was getting ready to blow out the candles. Like, hard to believe there are actually THAT many candles on the cake!

Hi Mary! Hope you had a nice birthday, my friend. I definitely recommend watching Longmire. It is a great cast. It differs, quite a bit from the books, so nothing will be ruined. That said, the books, still rule the day!

Robert Taylor, the Aussie actor, that plays Longmire, is, in his early 50s, but the character, in the book would have to be older.

Truth be told, I kinda like the TV show more than the books.....

And the characters and plot lines are different so watching before reading isn't an issue as far as spoilers go, just sayin'...

Also, the new season starts on Netflix on Sept 10.... :)

Did I miss your birthday, Mary? Sending belated best wishes to you. I agree that the book Walt must be older than the TV Walt. I love both the TV and the book version. I've got my husband hooked both on the series and the TV show so I sure hope the Canadian Netflicks also is going to show the new season in September!

I've been MIA for awhile. I'm stopping by to say hello, and I note that you had a recent birthday. Happy Belated!

>81 msf59: Thanks, Mark! I had a great birthday, spent at the county fair with my sis, one of her daughters, and my great-niece 2-1/2 year old Dylan. It was lots of fun. Then on Tuesday, my family took me out to dinner at my favorite restaurant (Saraha, Joanne!) for Mediterranean. We went there last year for my birthday too, and I had the same thing both times: lamb with pine nuts. Yum! Then home for cake, ice cream and presents! No books (*sad face*), but then my family thinks I already have enough of them. (What gives with that, I wonder?) Unless you consider an adult coloring book to be in the category of book. And a set of colored pencils, a wrought iron pink flamingo, some sexy undies (no idea what my niece was thinking ~ lol), some gardening stuff, and some summer outdoor toys from Dylan (a bubble making machine!). Best, and quite unexpected, though, they gave me half a laptop (in the form of cash, and I get to pick out the laptop I want). Which is great, because I couldn't have afforded the one I want, but I really need a new one as this one is about 6 years old (ancient, right?) and slower than a snail, so would have had to settle for much less.

On Longmire, I think my sister has Netflix (I don't), but I haven't had a chance to ask her yet. If she doesn't, I'll just have to wait until it comes out on DVD and pick it up from the library.

>82 Copperskye: That's really interesting that you like the show more than the books, Joanne! Gives me extra impetus to see if I can watch season 1.

>83 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy! I celebrate my birthday through the end of July, and this year longer than that because until I buy that laptop I mentioned above, I'm still counting time as my birthday, so you weren't late at all! :) Another rave for the Longmire TV series (and books). I will definitely have to find a way to watch it.

>84 Whisper1: Thanks, Linda! Glad you stopped by, and, as I said to Judy, my birthday has been extended, so your wishes are not at all belated!

Well, I don't know if I'm going to be able to finish another book this month, so I thought I'd list the rest of the books I managed to read in July:

114. H Is For Hawk by Helen MacDonald. 4.5 stars. Audio. Memoir. I really enjoyed this audiobook, read by the author, who has one of those British accents that I could listen to for hours even if she was only reading stereo instructions (little joke for the elders among us or those who love Beetlejuice the film). Unfortunately, not sure exactly why, because it was interesting, especially the parts where she described working with her goshawk (one of which I now want) (don't tell Nickel) which I found fascinating, I kept drifting off after listening for awhile and then had to back up to where I left off paying attention. I may reread it sometime, maybe in print. Thanks to Mark for recommending it and sending me the audiobook! Mark, you rock!

115. Two Tales of Korval by Sharon Lee. 4.5 stars. eBook. Really enjoyed the story of how Val Con met Edger, and also the second tale that introduced his immediate family and gave some background on his position in the society of Liaden.

116. A Cold Dish by Craig Johnson. 4 stars. Audio, read by George Guidall. This is a series that has been so highly praised by so many that I admit I was expecting more somehow. Still, I enjoyed it, especially the depictions of Wyoming, the native cultures and the relationships between the natives and the white townfolk, the depictions of small-town life. The mystery was okay too, but there was something faintly annoying about the story that wouldn't allow me to fully appreciate it. Perhaps the slipshod way the sheriff's department and the investigation were run, tho perhaps that's an aspect of small-town behavior. Also, I think I may be getting tired of the world-weary middle-aged detective with the angst level of a teenager. Nonetheless, it was a good read, and I'm looking forward to the next.

117. Death Without Company by Craig Johnson. 4 stars. Audio, read by Guidall. 2nd in Longmire series. So, I enjoyed this one too, enough to continue on with the series. Guess I'm reconciled to Longmire's style of doing business, and, now that I know a little more about him and his issues, his emotional state.

118. The Soul Thief by Leah Cutter. 3 stars. 2nd in Franklin Chronicles. LTER. I read one by Cutter (Poisoned Pearls) last year and enjoyed it a lot, but this one I found harder to like. Franklin, a poor farmer in Kentucky whose passion is growing and formulating the tastiest, crunchiest, best mix of popcorn and whose avocation is ghost whisperer, finds that ghosts he's helped "move on" are being forced to come back, and they are not happy about it. I loved the premise, but the writing style got to me. It's written in third person limited, so a bit of colloquialism is acceptable, but throughout the short novel the use of "were" in place of "was," and vice versa, to show (I guess) Franklin's lack of education, started to get jarring after awhile. I mean, with dialogue and a character's thoughts, that usually works fine, but not in the actual narrative prose. There were other similar devices throughout the book. There seemed to be a bit of deus ex machina going on, and some of the motivations of the other characters weren't clear. In fact, all the characters were very simply drawn, almost caricatures, and I thought Franklin and Julie were a bit too sweet and calm for my taste (I kind of liked Franklin's thieving cousin better, and even the villain held more interest for me, though he wasn't in the story enough). Also, I think I'd have enjoyed this one more if I'd read the first in the series (The Popcorn Thief), which I'd have done had I known this was second. (Either this wasn't stated in the Early Review blurb, or I didn't read the blurb well enough.) I may try to find the first in the series sometime and see if that helps.

119. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. 4 stars. Post-apocalyptic America. I both loved this novel and found it wanting. I loved the concept of the Traveling Symphony, its purpose and its philosophy. I also loved most of the characters (or disliked them intensely, which was also satisfying) and descriptions of their relationships, and thought the slightly distanced way many of them related to others realistic, if sad. The way the superflu spread and society collapsed wasn't given enough page-time, I thought, though much of what was there was poignant and thought-provoking. What I really didn't care for was the back and forth of the timeline ~ I listened to it, rather than read it in print, and I occasionally wished I had the book so I could go back a few pages (or chapters) to figure out when something was happening. I also figured out the identity of the prophet early on, so the reveal wasn't a surprise, and the motivations of many of the characters sometimes unclear. Still, the writing was good and the premise interesting.

120. Sharp Edges by Jayne Anne Krentz. 2.5 stars. Audio. Contemporary romantic thriller. Disappointing. Didn't care for the characters ~ the female protag was bitchy without reason and the male protag was cardboard cutout (and no build up between their first antagonistic meeting and their getting together romantically ~ to me, there was nothing there and then suddenly there was, which just didn't work), the villain was inexplicable, and the plot kind of dumb. Also, I didn't care for the reader. Not as good as most of Krentz's novels, but I stuck with it to the somewhat whacky end because I was hoping it would get better. Sadly, it didn't.

Currently, I'm reading three novels ~ two audios (Doctor Sleep and Map of Time, neither of which are grabbing me enough to care whether I pick them back up) and two on Kindle (A School for Unusual Girls, a YA in the spirit of the Finishing School series, which I am enjoying a lot, and Expiration Date, a collection of strange and mostly supernatural short stories about death and dying that I won as an Early Reviewer book a few months ago). If I have time today, I may end up finishing one of the Kindle books, probably the YA which I am liking a lot, and, if so, will update this list.

I had the same happy reaction to Two Tales of Korval, Mary. I'd always wondered how Val Con and Edger met, and developed that bond. So glad Roni pointed out all these Liaden short stories that are now easily accessible!

Great minds, Joe! I don't usually appreciate short stories as much as novels, but these were exceptions. I also saw Roni's comment about all the Liaden short stories ~ so nice to have that happiness to look forward to!

>87 jnwelch:, >88 Storeetllr: That's the thing, the accessibility now. For so many years, the stories were all scattered out or unpublished--it's just so nice to have them all pulled together and easily accessible. The first two constellations each have 16 stories and this latest has 13, I believe.

Happy belated birthday, Mary! I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

You got me: an audioBB with H is for Hawk. I go back to school on Wednesday, so it's audiobook season again, and I'm always looking for a good recommendation!

True! So good to have the stories in one place, Roni!

Thanks, Anne! Mark loved H is for Hawk even more than I did. I think you will love it!

Wait, back to school this coming Wednesday? Next week? Already?????

Yes, next week. So if you see claw marks on Hwy 285, they'll probably be mine. Students return August 17, and teachers a week before them (Aug, 10) and librarians three days before teachers.

I just read the first Longmire, too, Mary. I liked it and will continue with the series, but I'm not in any rush. You had a great month of reading in July.

Your birthday celebration sounds like a lot of fun.

A bit late to the party, but happy birthday!

Is Doctor Sleep grabbing you yet? I loved it when I read it and I'm thinking about rereading The Shining on audio this time but I'm not sure if I'd like listening to it as much as reading it. Did you listen to The Shining?

Great to see you today! As always!

Are we going to see pictures of the meet up?

Yes, how did the meetup go?

Wow! Lots of visitors. Sorry for the delay in replying; there's been some family drama going on, so I've been a bit preoccupied the past few days. Also tired. That kind of thing is exhausting! I almost didn't make it to the meetup yesterday, but I couldn't bear missing it. So glad to have been able to see Donna, Joanne, Kris and Anne again, and it was great to meet Anne's mom, who is a lovely woman and who I hope joins us many more times. As always, we had some interesting conversations: about books, writing, language and learning, kids, gardens and wildlife.

>92 AMQS: Enjoy your last couple of days before you have to start work again, Anne. I'll be thinking of you on Wednesday ~ and keeping my eye on the news in case there're any stories about odd marks on Hwy. 285.

>93 BLBera: That's about my take on Longmire too, Beth. My birthday celebration was definitely a lot of fun. Having a toddler around to help blow out candles and open presents was a big part of it, I think.

>94 connie53: Thanks, Connie!

>95 Copperskye: Thanks, Jo! It was great seeing you too! I wish we'd had more time to visit. Next time... I started listening to Gaiman's Trigger Warnings so haven't gone back to Doctor Sleep yet. I read The Shining in print back when it first came out, and then listened to it on audio last year. I enjoyed the audio version a lot.

>96 BLBera: Dang it! No, sorry, Beth. I didn't think of pictures until after and I was in the car leaving the parking lot. Next time...

>97 ronincats: Hi, Roni! I love our meetups! I'm planning to be in Los Angeles from 10/29-11/10 and would love to try and get together, if possible, with you and Reba while I'm in California. Not sure yet what my schedule will be, but we can talk about it when the time gets closer.

I hope the family drama thing is solved, Mary.

It was great seeing you on Sunday, Mary, even though the time went by much too quickly. I love what Dylan got you for your birthday. Bubbles in your garden sounds like just the thing. Wow, you got a coloring book! My 13-year-old granddaughter is really into them. I got her two for Christmas but found out she already had one I bought so I kept it. My eyes are so bad that I may have to save it for one of the other grands. Be sure and post a picture of your artwork!

Speaking of pictures, I realized after the party broke up that we were enjoying our chat so much we completely forgot the obligatory photo. I took one of The Tattered Cover on my way out, but I don't think that will satisfy our LT friends. I think we were all a bit preoccupied on Sunday. I know I was already feeling sad about leaving Hope for another three months.

I hope you get to meet up with Roni and Reba. We didn't even get to talk about your upcoming CA trip. It's always fun to visit friends and our old "stomping grounds".

>99 connie53: Thanks, Connie. Not yet, it's ongoing, but it's no longer a crisis.

>100 Donna828: So good seeing you too, Donna, and I apologize for being so distracted and not being able to spend more time with you all. I missed getting to visit TC again. Seems the only time I get to a bookstore anymore is when we have a meetup. Yes, I thought about a photo too, after we split up and it was too late. Next time!

I love my bubble machine and am saving it for when Dylan returns from Massachusetts where she went for 3 weeks with her parents. I miss her already! And I love my coloring book! I've already done a few of the "pictures" ("designs?") and already need to buy a decent pencil sharpener. Luckily, Julia recommended one and I've already ordered it from Amazon and am only waiting for it to appear. I also ordered another coloring book. *sigh* And some fine-tipped felt-tipped markers. *double sigh*

I know you miss Hope ~ why don't you come out a few extra times during the year to see her? :) :) :) I wouldn't mind having a couple of extra meetups. :)

My first book of August:

121. Trigger Warning by Neil Gaiman. 4 stars. Audio, read by the author. Some of the stories and other "disturbances" were wonderful, a few were meh, but, as I've said before, I could listen to Neil read a phone book and get pleasure out of it. I liked The Truth Is A Cave In The Black Mountains more on audio than I did as a GN. "Cassandra" is a very good and very weird story about a man who makes up a girlfriend during a difficult time for him when he was an awkward teenager, and what happens when she appears in his life after he becomes an adult. "A Lunar Labyrinth" is creepily Shirley Jacksonish. "Orange" is another strange but skillfully done story about some unnamed catastrophe that we the reader must put together ourselves only from the cryptic answers of a surviving victim (to official questions that are not included). "Black Dog" is a story about Shadow Moon, the hero of American Gods. And there were myriad more, including a couple of rhymed stories, and one about an elderly Sherlock Holmes that explains his fascination with bees. Not as amazing and compelling as, say, Neverwhere or The Graveyard Book, but definitely worth the read.

Hi, Mary! Fortunately I have Trigger Warning saved on audio and hope to get to it, in the coming months. My wife is currently reading the Graveyard Book.

I am nearly finished with Jonathan Strange. I like, a lot of it, but the excessive length is bogging it down for me. I did watch the first episode and thought it was terrific.

Hi, Mark! You may enjoy the TV miniseries more than the novel, then, because it does distill the story down a lot. How is Sue liking The Graveyard Book?

My second August book:

122. The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro. 3.75 stars. Audio, read by David Horovitz. I have mixed feelings about this one. On the one hand, it was long and, at times, plodding, and, more than once, I wanted to rip the headphones off and toss them across the room (in lieu of my tablet, because, you know, the relative expense of a new tablet versus headphones), and some of the imagery and metaphors (I assume they were metaphors ~ anyway, symbolism) was completely over my head. But I kept listening to find out what the heck Axl and Beatrice had forgotten, and whether the boatman would keep them together, because you just had to know what that was all about. Unfortunately, there was no explanation as to why Axl and Beatrice weren't allowed a candle or why Axl calls Beatrice "princess," because knowing what we end up knowing about him, it must be more than an endearment. At the end, though, I cried, which is always a good thing (when it's not from sheer frustration or anger, of course, and this wasn't). And, as always, Ishiguro's writing was beautiful, if bleak, even if I didn't always quite comprehend the deep symbolism of what exactly was going on.

This is another audiobook that I got from Mark (msf59), for which I thank him heartily, though I think I wasn't as blown away by it as he was.

Hi Mary, I found 5 Japanese Beetles on my largest (and favorite) rose bush this weekend so keep an eye out!

>105 Storeetllr: I'm going to come back and read all the spoilers once I've read it myself, as I've just got it out from the library.

123. Doctor Sleep by Stephen King. 4 stars. Audio, read by Will Paton. King is hit or miss for me, producing a few of my very favorite horror novels and a few that fell flat and even a few I just can't bring myself to read. This sequel to The Shining leans toward the favorite end of the spectrum, though there were a few moments when I couldn't be bothered to pick it back up after stopping and a few moments when I found myself looking askance at my tablet (which is what I've been using for audiobooks) and wondering what the heck King had been smoking when he wrote the part I was listening to at the time. One of my least favorite parts of the book was the detailed look at his painful slide down into depravity. I almost stopped then, having enough experience with alcoholics to not even want to read about one, but Joanne's (coppers) assurance that she enjoyed it a lot convinced me to continue with it. I also found the whole True Knot thing a bit hard to accept, at least in the beginning. I loved Abra Stone, a new character with a powerful Shining, but the way she and Dan were related was really a bit too much of a coincidence for me. Also, regarding the way Dan used Abra's grandma's dying to defeat the bad guys, can I just say shades of John Coffey?

On the whole, however, I enjoyed it: learning what happened to Danny after he escaped The Outlook Hotel, the relationship between Dan and Abra, and Dan's long bumpy road to redemption.

(Sorry about all the spoilers, but I don't want to ruin it for anyone who hasn't read it yet, and sorry if I missed anything that should be hidden.)

>106 Copperskye: Eeek! Luckily (I guess), only one of our rose bushes survived last season's wild weather, and I haven't seen any on it, yet, but thanks for the warning, Jo.

>107 charl08: I look forward to your thoughts on it, Charlotte. Enjoy!

There are often times when reading Stephen King that I wonder what he's been smoking. Part of the fun! :) Glad you wound up mostly liking it. Have you read any of Joe Hill's books?

>108 Storeetllr: wondering what the heck King had been smoking when he wrote the part I was listening to Ha! My daughter told me King has listed--maybe on his website--books he wrote during the years of his cocaine addiction, candidly saying, "Ehhh, these aren't so hot."

Hi, Mary! It looks like you are knocking out the audiobooks. I did really like The Buried Giant, especially, once it settled in my mind for awhile. There is much more depth there, than it first appears, but you have to work at it. His pacing is slow and ponderous, so he is not for everyone.

I loved the first half of Doctor Sleep, but like many of King's books, the latter half begins to fade. I still think it is Good King. I just wish wish he would get tighter, in his writing.

Hi, Mary!

>112 msf59: My sister was not fond of The Buried Giant because of that slow, ponderous quality. She compared it to Ambien. :-)

>110 Copperskye: Heh, I hear that, Jo! Tried to read Hill, but he's not his dad!

>111 weird_O: Now that is very interesting! I'm going to have to try and find it, see if I agree with his assessments. :)

>112 msf59: Yes, I am a reading machine, Mark. :) Buried Giant did have depth, and I enjoyed it, but it also annoyed me at times, bored me at others. I like Ishiguro, though, and understand that that is his way, so I was prepared. More or less. Funny about Doctor Sleep: I hated the first half, after Danny grew up, and liked the second half better, when he settled in NH. Diff'rent strokes!!!

>113 jnwelch: Hi, Joe! Ambien. Hah! I didn't think it was as soporific as that, but it did drag in places for me.

I finally finished a few LT Early Review books and pounded out the reviews:

124. Expiration Date by Nancy Kirkpatrick. 3.5 stars. LTER. Kindle. Anthology of stories about Death/death. There were a lot of short stories in this collection, all centering on death (or Death) in one way or another. As one would expect, some were compelling, others forgettable, and others creepy and disturbing. A few I really enjoyed were: "What I Said to Richie Was…" by Ken Goldman, a sweet story of a boy who must watch his younger brother die of cancer; "To Dance, Perchance to Die" by David McDonald, about a great male primo ballerino (?) who, much to his dismay, is granted unending life by Death because she loves his dancing so much; "Prison Break" by Tobin Elliott, another sweet story, this one about a boy and his dog; "The Deaths of Jeremiah Colverson" by George Wilhite, about a soldier who bargains with Death to return over and over again and again so he could fight a new battle, "until he gets it right;" "An Inspector Calls" by Rebecca Bradley: Death in Ancient Egypt; "What Would Lizzie Do?" by Sèphera Girón: having recently read "Maplewood," I enjoyed this twisted story a lot; "things in jars" by Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens: creepy, Stephen Kingish; and, finally, "The Long Wait" by R. B. Payne, about a young woman in a coma whose only companion is Death.

125. Luckstones by Madeleine Robins. 4 stars. LTER. Kindle. Fantasy. I love Robins' novels about Sarah Tolerance, Fallen Women and Detective (beginning with "Point of Honour"), set in London in the 1800s, so I was hoping hard that I would similarly like these short stories set in the fantasy world of Meviel, a land where luck, as much as status and gender, is crucial to a person's place in that society. These short stories are about young women who break out of the stagnant mold society has cast for them, making their own luck while disregarding their status and reversing the gender restrictions that are suppressing them. Using only their wits and courage, these young women seize their own destinies.

In "A Wreath of Luck," a somewhat timid young girl whose ship has been captured by pirates learns courage, even fighting to try and rescue the member of the pirate crew who had helped her hide from the vain and capricious captain. In "Writ of Exception," two very different young women try to escape a socially advantageous marriage to each other that their parents have arranged for them, which marriage neither wants. In "Virtue and the Archangel," a silly socialite calls on a former disgraced classmate, now working as a fencing instructor, to retrieve her family's famous and irreplaceable luckstone that she managed to lose during an ill-advised one-night stand.

126. The Finish: The Progress of a Murder Uncovered (Venus Squared Book 1) by Angela Elliott. 3 stars. LTER. Kindle. Historical mystery. A compelling look at London, especially the underbelly of the City, in the late 1760s, before the American War of Independence, as told by a prostitute who wakes one morning to find the body of her latest cully (john) lying across her, his throat cut from ear to ear and his blood drenching her nightgown and the mattress. It started well, but I just couldn't stay interested in the mystery, though it was a pretty good one (if a little convoluted), or the characters, a few of which were just too over the top without any explanation for their behavior. I think it was her main character that bothered me most, though I am not quite certain why, except she did the dumbest things that just didn't ring true for a supposedly savvy prostitute. I did enjoy the depiction of London, though, and may look for the second book in the Venus Squared series.

Sounds like we had a similar experience with The Finish: The Progress of a Murder Uncovered. Great setting but I had issues with the lead character.

Hi Mary, I am out of town at the moment but I have put the September Series & Sequels thread up this morning. You and your visitors will be most welcome to come on over and discuss what series you will be tackling in September,

Here's the link: September Series & Sequels

Glad I'm not alone in my thoughts on that one, Lori!

Thanks, Judy! I've gone over to the S&S thread and marked my place. Not sure exactly what series novels I'll be going for, though I'll be surprised if more Liaden novels/shorts aren't on the list. Just not sure which ones, because I can't seem to resist reading them as soon as they come into my hands.

Speaking of which:

127. Conflict of Honors by Sharon Lee. 4 stars. Second in the Liaden Universe series (order as suggested by Roni). Another good one, and so nice to get to know Shan and Priscilla, though I wanted to read Carpe Diem first because I wanted more of Val Con and Miri. I am happy I followed Roni's suggested order, though, because it made more sense within the context of the storyline.

128. Carpe Diem by Sharon Lee. 4 stars. Third in the Liaden Universe series. This one follows Val Con and Miri after events in Agent of Change. They are so good together, and I really liked how music broadened all horizons and made their "fitting in" work so much better. This series is addictive, but that's okay because so far, after 3 novels and a couple of short stories, it's been consistently a lot of fun.

You have read 128 books thus far! Incredible!!! I agree regarding Stephen King. Somehow he seems to just go on, and on and on and on when indeed he could have ended the book 200 pages earlier. He is hit or miss for me also. I loved The Shining and The Dead Zone, then down the road he wrote Tommy Knockers and I could not get any of it.

So glad those next two Liaden books came in at last at the library! Yay! Will Plan B and I Dare! be far behind?

Thanks, Roni! I sure hope so, because they're all I want to read, so I requested two separate copies from two separate libraries, hoping one of them comes available soon. I also requested a copy of Constellation 1.

They are all in print format with small text - none on Kindle - so they're rough on my eyes, but sometimes a little suffering is necessary.

Happy Sunday, Mary! You really cracked me up with your flood-lights comment, about those dark books, over on FB. LOL. Was there a favorite of yours, on that list?

Happy Sunday back to you, Mark! Hope you are able to stay cool today. A few cold ones should help.

Glad I was able to make you laugh! It was only partly in jest. I only read one from that list, Clockwork Orange, and it was dark all right. Some of the others sound even darker.

Yep, cold ones on the agenda.

I really want to read Last Exit. It sure looks like my cuppa.

On my, I loves them Val and Miri Liaden books, Mary. You've got a couple of really fun ones ahead of you.

Last Exit does look like your kinda book, Mark. I'll be interested in your thoughts on it, whenever you get to it. As for me, right now, my life is dark enough that I feel the need for lighter books to read. Like the Liaden series, of which I'm anxiously awaiting books 4 and 5.

I just found out there's a new book in the Rivers of London series coming out in April ~ The Hanging Tree ~ WOOT! I'm also looking forward to new books in the Chalion series (Penric's Demon), the Fiona Griffiths series (This Thing of Darkness) (oh, well, a little more of the dark stuff won't hurt too much), the Harry Bosch series (The Crossing) (a little more darkness), the Elvis Cole series (The Promise), the The Others series by Anne Bishop (Marked in Flesh), the Guild Hunters series (Archangel's Enigma), the Eve Dallas series (Devoted in Death), the Millennium series (The Girl in the Spider's Web) (yes, I'm going there), the Finishing School series (Manners and Mutiny), and the Memoir of Lady Trent series (In the Labyrinth of Drakes). So exciting! Good thing September is Series & Sequels month!

I'm on tenterhooks waiting for the library copies of Plan B and I Dare to come in, Joe! It's one of those series where I don't feel like reading anything else except the next book in the series. :)

ETA Time to Depart by Lindsey Davis, a new Marcus Didius Falco mystery!

By the way, I found out about some of the new series books in the offing from FictFact.com. Don't go there, though, if you don't want to find lots and lots of interesting series to try. Or if you don't want to spend lots and lots of time cataloging the ones you've already read or are in the middle of. It's pretty damn addictive is all I will say.

If you do venture on the site, or if you're already a member, and want to be FictFact friends (say that 5 times fast), here's my profile page: http://www.fictfact.com/profile.

129. Face-Off by David Balducci. Audio. Anthology of mysteries. Each of these short stories is written by two famous mystery authors and pair their famous detectives in a case. I really enjoyed the first one, by Michael Connelly and Dennis Lehane, that pairs Harry Bosch and Patrick Kenzie, two of my favorite fictional detectives, and the one that pairs Pendergast (Preston & Child) and Slappy, R.L. Stine's ventriloquist's dummy. Some were more memorable than others, but I thought they were all a lot of fun. Here is the complete list:

· Patrick Kenzie vs. Harry Bosch in “Red Eye,” by Dennis Lehane and Michael Connelly
· John Rebus vs. Roy Grace in “In the Nick of Time,” by Ian Rankin and Peter James
· Slappy the Ventriloquist Dummy vs. Aloysius Pendergast in “Gaslighted,” by R.L. Stine, Douglas Preston, and Lincoln Child
· Malachai Samuels vs. D.D. Warren in “The Laughing Buddha,” by M.J. Rose and Lisa Gardner
· Paul Madriani vs. Alexandra Cooper in “Surfing the Panther,” by Steve Martini and Linda Fairstein
· Lincoln Rhyme vs. Lucas Davenport in “Rhymes With Prey,” by Jeffery Deaver and John Sandford
· Michael Quinn vs. Repairman Jack in “Infernal Night,” by Heather Graham and F. Paul Wilson
· Sean Reilly vs. Glen Garber in “Pit Stop,” by Raymond Khoury and Linwood Barclay
· Wyatt Hunt vs. Joe Trona in “Silent Hunt,” by John Lescroart and T. Jefferson Parker
· Cotton Malone vs. Gray Pierce in “The Devil’s Bones,” by Steve Berry and James Rollins
· Jack Reacher vs. Nick Heller in “Good and Valuable Consideration,” by Lee Child and Joseph Finder

>129 Storeetllr: That look like fun. Intrigued by the Rankin option.

Yes. I haven't read any of the longer Rebus mysteries, Charlotte, but that short story has made me consider trying one. As well as few of the others too. So Face-Off worked well on a couple of different levels.

>129 Storeetllr: I would expect that that'd be a lot of fun if you were familiar with the characters. I've only read the Lehane series, which I loved. I haven't read the Bosch series but I did really like the TV series. So that first mash up could be interesting - Bosch and Kenzie! I apparently have a lot of detective reading to catch up on!

Hi, Joanne! Yes, I found I enjoyed the ones whose characters I knew from reading their series, but I discovered a few I hadn't read about before that I now want to read.

Finished a few more and hope to have at least one more to list as read before the end of the month:

130. The Hot Zone by Jayne Castle. 4 stars. Kindle. 3rd in Rainshadow series. Good fun with likable protags Cyrus Jones and Sedona Snow, and dust bunny Lyle.

131. Solid Citizens by David Wishart. 4 stars. Kindle. A Marcus Corvinus mystery. While at a family gathering at his adopted daughter's villa outside Rome during Saturnalia, Corvinus is asked by the Bovillae city fathers to investigate the murder of one of the leading citizens whose body was found at the back door of a whorehouse. I know some don't appreciate the way Corvinus acts and talks, which they say it's too breezily casual for a first century Roman of the upper class, but I think it's fine. Sure, the speeches and official writings of the time are much more formal, but so are most speeches and formal writings of today in comparison to how most casual, everyday conversations. Anyway, it works for me.

132. Death, the Deluxe Edition, includes The High Cost of Living and The Time of Your Life, by Neil Gaiman. 4.5 stars. GN. I loved the Sandman series of GNs, and I loved Death: The High Cost of Living GN. This one includes that one, plus a few other stories about Death. Is it weird that I have a crush on both Dream and Death?

Way to go! You are far ahead of me!

>134 Storeetllr: I share your crush on Dream and Death in Sandman, Mary. What personality he brings to both. I've read all the Death stories, but I still want to get my hands on Death, the Deluxe Edition, just to see her stories get featured, primo treatment.

>128 Storeetllr: Mary, I am a FictFact Fan as well. I am already lining up a few books for September's Series and Sequels reads. I am trying to limit my series reading which is difficult with readers like you sharing the virtues of their beloved authors. The detective stories sound interesting but I haven't read many of the authors. My DH is currently reading his way through John Sandford's books, and he says I would like them. Hmmm…

>135 ronincats: Thanks, Roni!

>136 jnwelch: Aren't we a pair, Joe!

>137 Donna828: You might enjoy a good Sandford mystery, Donna. I quite like the ones of his I've read.

I'm with you on the Dream crush, but I also kind of love the librarian, too (I can't remember his name off hand)...

Haha, yes, Amber, the Librarian is a hoot. Love the Sandman GNs. May be time for a reread.

133. Redshirts, a Novel with Three Codas by John Scalzi. 4.5 stars. Scifi. So, what I thought was going to be a humorous parody of the TV show iterations (and films) of "Star Trek" and its propensity to kill off low-ranking crew members (i.e., those wearing the red shirts), turned out to be just that, but it is so much more. It is also a criticism of the narrative shortcuts of science-fiction television that excoriates lazy writing which results in bad science and bad world-building. It touches on the value of fiction when trying to deal with grief and loss. It’s a paean to the in-depth universes created by the producers and fans of even the least cutting-edge science-fiction TV shows. As a "Forbes" magazine reviewer said: "You don’t have to be a hardcore sci-fi fan to enjoy Redshirts, though there are plenty of Easter Eggs for those who are. And the beauty of the book is that it works on multiple levels. If you’re looking for a breezy, fun read for the beach, this is your book. If you want to go down a level and read it as a surreal meditation on character and genre like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, this is your book." http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexknapp/2012/05/30/john-scalzis-redshirts-is-a-gre...

On another level, as a writer who's been advised that, when a writer gets stuck at some point in a story, to blow up something or kill off a character, I found Redshirts a pretty interesting take on why this isn't always a good idea.

Thanks to Lori (lkernaugh) for recommending this. I in turn also recommend it highly, even to folks who aren't scifi fans.

Edited to correct grammar missteps.

Hi Mary! How are you doing, my friend!

Good review of Redshirts. You may have finally convinced me to move it up the audio stacks, after a painfully long wait. Thank you.

Hey, Mark! I've missed seeing you around here! Thanks for stopping by! I've heard mixed reviews of the audio version, but frankly, I think I'd like to listen to it sometime, now that I've read it in print (well, eBook) form. I'll be interested in your take on Redshirts.

So, last day of August, and I'm in the middle of a re-listen of Jonathan Strange, so I doubt I'll get anything more finished before month's end. Here, then, are my stats for August:

Books read: 13

Scifi - 3
Fantasy - 5
Horror - 1
Historical mysteries - 2
Mystery - 1
GN - 1

Favorite book of the month:

Redshirts by John Skalzi. Scifi.

Favorite series of the month:

The Liaden Universe (Conflict of Honors and Carpe Diem). Scifi

Favorite reread of the month:

Death: The Deluxe Edition by Neil Gaiman. GN.

>141 Storeetllr: Wow, what a good review of Redshirts, Mary. That gives me much more of a sense of it than I've had before. If you put the review on the book page, I'll thumb it.

You've convinced me to move it up the tbr, too.

I like all your favorites for August.

So happy to see that Redshirts was a good, fun read for you, Mary!

Hi Mary, I've had Red Shirts on my wishlist for some time, sounds like it'll be a worthwhile read when I finally get to it!

Mary, I thought the Codas brought the whole work up to another level!

Thanks for your kind words about my review of Redshirts, Joe! I'll stick the review up soon on the book's page. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, but, judging by our similar taste in many books, I think you will!

Yes, it was, Lori, and I thank you for warbling about it!

Hi, Judy! I hope you get a chance to read it soon, as it really is worthwhile.

Yes, Roni! Especially the third Coda. Made me cry, I'll admit.

>149 Storeetllr: Thumbed, and I picked up Redshirts. I think I'll enjoy it, too. Thanks for the nudge!

Thanks, Joe! Glad you picked up Redshirts. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Oboy! Oboy! The Martian is coming!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej3ioOneTy8

Is it weird that I was crying by the end of the trailer?

I love that trailer, Mary! Let's hope the rest of the film delivers!

Not weird at all. I got a bit choked up too. Best line ever: "I'm gonna have to science the sh*t out of this one."

Ooof, it *does* look good, doesn't it? Damon is the best!

Hi, Mark! Yes, I'm hoping the film doesn't go too far astray. I'm going to see it anyway. After I listen to the audio version, which I've heard it's really good.

Oh, yes, Jiml! I love that line! Glad I'm not the only one who got a little emo over it.

It certainly does, Amber, and yes, he is!

Guess which authors are getting honored by President Obama for their contributions to art and culture. Two are favorites of mine. Hint: one was featured in last month's AAC challenge and one has been one of the most prolific writers since the mid-70s and wrote what I consider a seminal book on writing.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/theoval/2015/09/03/obama-arts-humani...

Happy Friday, Mary! Thanks, for supplying the National Medal of Arts post. And hooray for King, Dillard, McMurtry & Lahiri. Great choices!

Happy Weekend, Mary!

I need to read Mars real soon!

Hi, Mark! I know McMurtry and King are, but still haven't read any Dillard or Lahiri, which I guess will need to be remedied soon.

Happy weekend to you too, Connie! Yes, you do need to read The Martian soon! Has it been translated yet into Dutch or German (not sure what language is prevalent in your part of The Netherlands)? If not, it should be!

^You have not read Lahiri? OMG!!

Nickel and I have been enjoying the back patio a lot these lovely summer mornings, but this morning as we were having breakfast out there, enjoying the warm breeze and dappled sunlight and sweet birdsong, I realized there were only a couple more weeks left until it's back to cold and snow and bitter winds.

I know, Mark. I've been a bad girl. As I said, though, I'll be remedying that oversight soon. Which of Lahiri's books should I start with, do you think?

^You have to start with Interpreter of Maladies. There is really no other option. LOL.

Hi Mary. I'm trying madly to catch up and saw your comment that you're hoping to be in L.A. in Oct/Nov. That would be great! As far as I know I'll be home then and would love to meet-up with you. Keep us posted.

Interpreter of Maladies it is, Mark! I'll put in a request from the library toot sweet. If I can get it on audio, do you think that would work, or should I read it in print?

Reba! You're back! I've been to your thread on the fly and seen the pics you posted of your trip to Europe but haven't commented yet. Looks like you had a frabjous time! I'll let you know when I know what my plans are going to be. I know I'm flying into LAX on Oct. 29 and flying out on Nov. 11, but no idea what the schedule will be between those dates. It's sort of dependent on my girlfriend's schedule ~ she'll be taking time off work to spend with me, so I need to give her first choice. Really hope I'll be able to get down for a day and we can have a meetup!

Happy Sunday, Mary! I have never tried Lahiri, on audio but it might work. I will probably continue to read her in print, since I started that way.

Up to you, my friend.

Thanks, Mark! I'll see what is available and go from there.

Say, how'd the game go today?

We had a good time, Mary, despite the heat! Plus, we got to see the Cubs win. Sunday is a good time to go into the city. Less stressful.

I saw the pic over on your thread of you in your jersey with your son and cousin at the game today. It sure looked like you were having a blast!

I liked Lahiri's Unaccustomed Earth even more than Interpreter of Maladies but I may be in the minority there. I also loved The Namesake, which is a novel. (The other two are short stories.) I haven't tried the audio either so I can't help there.

Have a happy Labor Day!

>166 Storeetllr: Great! I'm looking forward to it.

Thanks, Joanne! Hope yours is also a good one! (Of course, as I recall, ANY day off is a good day.) It's gorgeous here in Centennial, sunny and hot, notwithstanding the weather app on my iPhone which says it's cloudy and cool. *rolls eyes* Thanks for your reccie on which Lahiri to start with, though now I have to choose. Decisions, decisions!

Me too, Reba! Happy Labor Day!

I've read two so far in September, both collections of novellas/short stories and both for S&S (https://www.librarything.com/topic/194517):

134. Three in Death by J.D. Robb. 4 stars. Three novellas, set relatively early in the series, two while Peabody is still Dallas's assistant and one after she is promoted to Detective. Turns out I already read the first two (Interlude in Death and Midnight in Death), which I reread because I enjoy them, but the third (Haunted in Death) was new and also good, with a haunted scene-of-death building giving her team the heebie jeebies and annoying the hell out of her.

135. A Liaden Universe Constellation Vol. 1 by Sharon Lee. 4 stars. Short stories set in the Liaden Universe. I had already read the first two, featuring Val Con and Shan, but the rest were a fascinating glimpse of what is in store for me as I journey through the series. (I'm waiting (im)patiently for the Plan B and I Dare to come in from the library so I can complete the first set of novels as recommended by Roni and move on to other characters and stories.) I also enjoyed reading the stories about the early lives of some of the characters I already know, seeing what shaped them.

Or to those, like me, for whom autumn and winter are not so joyful, there's this:

Took a couple of days to do little except read. My idea of heaven.

136. Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. 4.5 stars. Audio. 3d reread. Held up well on this, the third time I've read it in about 10 years. Enjoyed it especially after having watched the BBC adaptation.

137. Enemies at Home by Lindsey Davis. 4 stars. Audio. Historical mystery. 2d in series. Featuring Flavia Albina, adopted daughter of Didius Falco and Helena, a widow nearing 30 who supports herself as an informer. In this one, she is called upon by an aedile with whom she has worked before to find out who murdered a newlywed couple after their slaves seek sanctuary at the Temple of Ceres. A weakish plot, I thought, but the characters and their lives in Rome were well worth the read. Helena's brothers, now lawyers and well into middle age, get pretty involved in the investigation, and Helena made an appearance toward the end. I think this spin off series is getting better, and I'm looking forward to reading the next.

138. Siren's Call by Jayne Castle. 4 stars. Paranormal fantasy. 4th in Rainshadow series. Good fun with likable protags Rafe Coppersmith, burned out after discovering the portal to the legendary Ghost City, and Ella Morgan, dream therapist and siren, and dust bunny Lorelei.

ETA a few details and correct a typo.

>176 Storeetllr: Sounds like a perfect weekend. I've not tried Lindsey Davis' spin off series, but I love Helena, so might try this!

Hi, Charlotte! Reading the days away was lovely! What made it even better, it was Monday and Tuesday, not the weekend (except Monday was Labor Day here in the States). Love being retired!

Helena wasn't in Enemies at Home, except at the very end, and wasn't in the first book of the series at all (that I recall), though Flavia Albia mentions various members of her family frequently though the book, and it's obvious she adores her parents. I only mention Helena's absence through most of the book so you don't start the series and be disappointed, but I really like the main character of Flavia Albia, whose attitude is highly reminiscent of her adopted father's (though much restrained, as she is a Roman woman), especially obvious in the second book of the series.

One of these days I'll start Jonathan Strange. Its length puts me off....

Happy belated Labor Day!

" Love being retired!" Deeply, deeply jealous...

Oh! You haven't read Strange yet, Joanne! It's not for everyone, I guess, but I find it a wonderful blend of history and fantasy. Yes, it's long, but so worth it. I enjoyed both the printed and audio versions, but, next time I read it, I think it's going to be a on my Kindle. That darn hardcover is heavier than a stack of bricks!

Oh, Mark ~ Sorry (not sorry). I spent the last couple of years on my last job desiring to retire more than I wanted to live. I retired a year earlier than I should have, thus messing up my SS and 401k retirement plan a little. But I don't care. It's worth having to live in a basement and eat dogfood. LOL (Actually, I DO live in a basement, but it's a very nice walkout basement, and I don't eat dogfood ~ yet.)

Love the Union sign. What a nice weekend you had, so much reading. I haven't read Strange yet either but will give it a try one of these days.

All kidding aside, Mary, my job is treating me very well at the moment. I love my current route and the current management. Plus, I get to listen to audiobooks, a few hours every day. Not bad!

The only thing, I do not like, is the weather extremes, especially a harsh winter.

Thanks, Beth! I'm a staunch union supporter, though I never worked at a job that was union (and thus saw firsthand the things employers get away with that harm their employees when no one is there to protect them). I've been reading a lot lately, but those couple of days were pretty much nonstop. I hope you like Strange as much as I did when you do get around to it!

I kind of figured you loved your job, Mark, for the most part (nothing to be done about Chicago winters ~ or summers), at least from the things you write on your thread. Good management is key, and it's great that you can listen to audiobooks while working, which is a huge plus as far as I'm concerned. But retirement does have its charms!

Saw a video on FB of this wire sculpture twirling in the wind and thought it was so fantastic I just had to share an image here:



Video showing the above sculpture in motion and images of more wire fairy sculptures at https://www.facebook.com/Fantasywire!

What an amazing image. Did they say where it was?

One post from mid August said it was somewhere along the Thames in London, but I think it might have been moved since then. I posted the link to the creator's Facebook page. Lots more amazing images of other sculptures.

That is a gorgeous chunk of wire!

Isn't it! The FB page (link beneath image) has a video of it in action. Wonderful!

139. The Liar by Nora Roberts. 3.5 stars. Romantic thriller. Standalone. Shelby returns to her little Tennessee hometown of Rendezvous with her 3-year old daughter to be with her family after she learns her husband of 5 years, who was killed in an boating accident, wasn't the man she thought he was. Griff is a northerner who, after settling in Rendezvous to work with his partner at their construction business, buys an old derelict mansion to fix up. I liked Griff, and his partner, and his partner's girlfriend, and Shelby's family, and most of the townfolk, but I just couldn't seem to warm to Shelby, and the thriller part was just a bit too over-the-top for my taste. Roberts seldom goes wrong with characters and setting, but here I thought she just missed it with Shelby. Also, no 3 year old is that well-behaved and reasonable all the time.

What a beautiful sculpture - I want it for my yard!

Isn't it amazing, Beth!?! Did you check out the video of it in motion on the FB page?

The latest books I've finished. Nothing heavy, but all very fun.

140. Semper Fidelis by Ruth Downey. 3.5 stars. Audio, narrated by Simon Vance. Historical mystery. Medicus series. The Emperor Hadrian's coming to Britain to inspect his wall, and Russo manufacturers a reason to be away from home in order to avoid meeting him. Instead, he meets a vicious centurion and gets into a whole lot of trouble as he and Tilla try to figure out why members of a group of new Briton recruits keep dying. An more unflattering-than-usual look at the way the Roman Empire treated people, including its own.

141. Archangel's Enigma by Nalini Singh. 4 stars. Audio, narrated by Justine Eyre. Fantasy. Guild Hunter series. Pretty good story, about Naasir, the most feral of Rafael's Seven and Andromeda, an angel whose grandsire is one of Lijuan's allies. They team up to find the resting place of the ancient Archangel Alexander, who has been asleep for four centuries, before Lijuan finds and kills him. Not crazy about the narrator; her voice is a bit nasally and she sometimes gets a bit overdramatic, but she's definitely not the worse narrator I've ever listened to, and I managed to "get over" the irritation as I got into the story more.

142. Devoted in Death by J. D. Robb. 4 stars. Kindle. Mystery. Latest is just a bit different from most: we know who the killers are, and they are particularly disgusting and brutal killers at that, and not a lot of character growth. This one is mostly action, with Eve and her posse trying to find them before they kill their latest victim. Interesting how she figures it all out, and I do like the Deputy from Arkansas who turns up in NYC on the trail of the killers.

Next up: One of the Liaden Universe Constellation (#3) and Make Me, the new Jack Reacher.

Morning Mary! Sweet Thursday! I just wanted to let you know I am really enjoying Redshirts. Fun, fast and funny. Like the audio too.

I appreciate the nudge.

Oh, yay! Glad to hear it, Mark. I thought it might work well on audio.

Dancing with the Devil in the City of God. Is that a great title or what?

>185 Storeetllr: Wow, that's a intricate piece of art!

>196 Storeetllr: Great title!

The weekend was too nice and I don't want to go to work tomorrow! Wah. :(

Ok, I'm done whining - hope you had a good weekend, too!

I love the sculpture pic but the link to FB didn't work for me on the iPad. I'll try again next time I'm on my laptop. Enjoy the nice weather while it lasts, Mary! Do you think Nickel gets depressed being inside during the winter?

Dr. Strange was an interesting book but I have no desire to read it again. I don't think I am the target audience! I deleted it and everything else from my DVR except my u watched episodes of Big Bang Theory. Those guys still make me laugh!

Hi, Joanne! Glad you enjoyed the sculpture and that your weekend was fun. I remember many Sunday nights spent crying because I didn't want the weekend to end. It'd sometimes start whining on Saturday night. Hope your week's going well and speeds by for you. This weekend sounds like the perfect time to get up to the mountains for the fall colors!

Not sure why the link didn't work for you, Donna, but hope you were able to get there eventually. Also sorry Strange didn't work well for you. Different strokes. Nickel and I have been spending as much time as possible outside in these last days of summer. Both of us get depressed over winter, which is why I have three full-spectrum sun lamps to help lift our moods when we can't be outside.

Howdy, Mary! Just checking in with my pal. I see you are one ahead of me, in the Dr. Siri series. I recently finished The Woman Who Wouldn't Die. This is such a consistent series. Always a delight. Did you try his other series? I have not.

Enjoyed Semper Fidelis too: now one of the series that I look out for at the library.

Hi, Mark! You're back from Booktopia! Glad you had a good time! I'll stop by your thread later to see a list of all the books you brought home. Yes, I finished the latest Dr. Siri last night. He, Madame Daeng, Civilai, and Phosy have quite the adventure up north near the China border against two evil villains--one old and one new. I like his Jim Juree series too, which started out bumpy but has gotten better with each book. Nothing can top the Siri series tho.

Hi, Charlotte! I enjoy most mysteries set in ancient Rome and like the Medicus series too. More serious than the Falco series, which I guess it's pretty much at an end. Have you tried the Flavia Albia series yet?

Howdy Mary! I listened to Interpreter of Maladies and I enjoyed it very much.

Good to know, Roberta. I'll look for the eAudio on Overdrive and Hoopla.

Hi Mary! Getting caught up here. You were sad on September 5 about the impending snow and cold, but from where I sit on September 24 it doesn't feel like summer will ever end. Kinda ready for sweater weather!

>164 msf59: YES! Interpreter of Maladies is wonderful.

*WAVES CAST*

Heh! I was just thinking today, Anne, that it seems I'm going to get another few days at least of summery weather and felt so happy! I am NOT ready for sweater weather, or, for that matter, puffy coat, mittens, hats, scarves and boots weather either. I'm still getting tomatoes and cukes, and lots of lovely flowers.

Hi, Roni! Hey! Be careful where you swing that heavy cast! :) How are you doing with it, reading wise? This would be one good time to have an eReader. And, if you look on the bright side, you don't have to do the dishes. (I'm always thinking...)

Okay, well, I'm heading off to start up a new thread. Hope to see you there!