Stacy's (LittleTaiko) School Days Challenge

Hello! I'm back for yet another year of the Category Challenge. In 2015 I burned out a bit on "required" reading so therefore this year is really quite flexible. In the ongoing effort to read more books that I own and clear the TBR pile, I've organized my challenge into the years the TBR pile was acquired. 2013 was the first year I started tracking the year a book was acquired so everything before then is lumped into a pre-2013 group. Being the realistic type there is also a category for 2016 acquisitions/borrowings as well. Additionally, this year there will be no minimum - just going to see where my reading takes me.

Freshmen Year - books acquired/borrowed in 2016
Sophomore - 2015
Junior - 2014
Senior - 2013
Undergrad - pre-2013
Grad School - Classics

Looking forward to the various CAT's, KIT's, DOG's, PUP's, and other challenges to help fill my categories!

Ratings:

1 Star - Didn't like at all or did not finish
2 Stars - It's okay but not something I would recommend.
3 Stars - I liked it but may or may not recommend it
4 Stars - Really liked it and am happy that I spent time reading it
5 Stars - Loved it and the whole world should read it too

Freshmen - Books Acquired or Borrowed in 2016

Acquired
1. Americanine by Yann Kebbi - January - 5 stars - bb from inge87
2. A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara - February - 5 stars (TOB)
3. Mrs. Jeffries Wins the Prize by Emily Brightwell - March - 4 stars (next in a favorite series)
4. Oreo by Fran Ross - March - 3 stars (TOB)
5. Fool Me Once by Harlan Coben - - March - 3 stars - look forward to his new release every year
6. The Secret Life of the American Musical by Jack Viertel - April - 5 stars (because I love musicals)
7. Off the Grid by C.J. Box - April - 4 stars
8. Slade House by David Mitchell - April - 4 stars
9. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman - April - 4 stars
10. Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda - April - 5 stars - (because I love the musical)
11. The September Society by Charles Finch - May - 4 stars
12. The Fleet Street Murders by Charles Finch - May - 4 stars
13. Being Mortal by Atul Gawande - May - 5 stars (bookclub)
14. Stranger in Mayfair by Charles Finch - May - 4 stars
15. Burial At Sea by Charles Finch - June - 4 stars
16. Death in the Small Hours by Charles Finch - June - 4 stars

Acquired but not read yet
1. Symphony for the Dead by M.T. Anderson bb from lindapanzo
2. Into Oblivion by Arnaldur Indriaason next in a series I follow
3. Quick Curtain by Alan Melville - a mystery set in the theater, what's not to be interested in? bb from christina_reads & Inge87
4. Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami - I was in a bookstore, enough said.
5. Seeing by Jose Saramago - in the same bookstore as mentioned above.
6. The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway
7. Last Night in Montreal by Emily St. John Mandel
8. Lab Girl by Hope Jahren
9. Ring of Bright Water by Gavin Maxwell - I love otters!
10. Tarka the Otter by Henry Williamson - I love otters!
11. The Noise of Time by Julian Barnes - usually enjoy his books
12. Everybody's Fool by Richard Russo - heard him interviewed and thought it sounded interesting

Beginning Count: 0
Acquired: 28
Read: 16
Current: 12

Borrowed
1. Letters to the Lost by Iona Grey January - 3 stars (Book club)
2. The Whites by Richard Price January - 3 stars (Tournament of Books)
3. The New World: A Novel by Chris Adrian January - 4 stars (TOB)
4. Benediction by Kent Haruf - January - 3 stars (Finish the series by a favorite author)
5. Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf - January - 4 stars (TOB)
6. My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout - February - 3 stars (Latest book by an author I enjoy)
7. The Invaders by Karolina Waclawiak - February - 1 star (TOB)
8. The Story of My Teeth by Valeria Luiselli - February - 3 stars (TOB)
9. A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler - February - 3 stars (TOB)
10. The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen - February - 3 stars (TOB)
11. The Turner House by Angela Flournoy - February - 3 stars (TOB)
12. Bats of the Republic by Zachary Thomas Dodson - February - 4 stars (TOB)
13. Book of Aron by Jim Shepard - March - 2 stars (TOB)
14. The Sellout by Paul Beatty - March - 4 stars (TOB)
15. The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine by Alexander McCall Smith - March - 2 stars (Book club)
16. The Question of the Missing Head by E.J. Copperman - April - 4 stars (A different series by a favorite author)
17. Chance of a Ghost by E.J. Copperman - May - 4 stars (next in a series)
18. The Vegetarian by Kang Han - May - 2 stars (potential TOB selection for next year)
19. Tuesday Nights in 1980 by Molly Prentiss - June - 4 stars
20. An Old Betrayal by Charles Finch - June - 4 stars
21. Smoke by Dan Vyleta - June - 3 stars
22. Thrill of the Haunt by E.J. Copperman - June - 4 stars
23. The Laws of Murder by Charles Finch - June - 4 stars

Sophomores - Books acquired in 2015

1. With Baited Breath by Lorraine Bartlett - January - 3 stars
2. Beautiful Lies by Lisa Unger - January - 2 stars
3. Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff - January - 2 stars
4. My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell - January - 3 stars
5. The Tender Bar by J.R. Moehringer - January - 5 stars
6. Eventide by Kent Haruf - January - 5 stars
7. Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid - February - 4 stars
8. White Egrets by Derek Walcott - February - 2 stars
9. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates - February - 2 stars
10. Savage Season by Joe Lansdale - March - 2 stars
11. An Academic Question by Barbara Pym - March - 3 stars
12. The Tsar of Love and Techno by Anthony Marra - March - 5 stars
13. Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer - March - 3 stars
14. X by Sue Grafton - March - 4 stars
15. A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner - March - 3 stars
16. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson - March - 2 stars
17. Endangered by C.J. Box - April - 4 stars
18. The Sweet Dove Died by Barbara Pym - April - 3 stars
19. Anne of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery - April - 3 stars
20. Death & Life of Monterey Bay by Stephen Palumbi - April - 3 stars
21. Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy - May - 3 stars
22. Artifact by Gigi Pandian - May - 2 stars
23. Kindred by Octavia Butler - May - 4 stars
24. A Beautiful Blue Death by Charles Finch - May - 4 stars
25. The Green Road by Anne Enright - May 1 star (DNF)\
26. Girl Waits With a Gun by Amy Stewart - May - 4 stars
27. What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty - June - 4 stars
28. Notorious RBG by Irin Carmon - June - 3 stars
29. Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss - June - 3 stars

Beginning Count: 73
Current: 44

Juniors - Books acquired in 2014

1. Dino: Living High in the Dirty Business of Dreams by Nick Tosches - January - 1 star
2. Right Ho, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse - February - 5 stars
3. Stone Cold by C.J. Box - March - 3 stars

Beginning Count: 35
Current: 32

Possibilities:

The Burglar Who Counted the Spoons by Lawrence Block
History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters by Julian Barnes
Otter Country: In Search of the Wild Otter by Miriam Darlington
Zoo Station by David Downing

Seniors - Books acquired in 2013

1. Jeeves and and the Wedding Bells by Sebastian Faulks - March - 4 stars
2. Rainbow Valley by L. M. Montgomery - June - 3 stars
3. Rilla of Ingleside by L. M. Montgomery - June - 4 stars

Beginning Count: 16
Current: 13

Possibilities:

1. The Prisoner of Heaven
2. Revolutionary Summer
3. The Wandering Falcon
4. Moll Flanders
5. Things Fall Apart
6. Night Music
7. The Lives of Tao
8. The Keeper of Lost Causes
9. American Ghost
10. City of Women
11. The Man Who Was Thursday
12. Dombey and Son
13. Murder on the Ile Saint-Louis

Undergrad - Books acquired before 2013

1. Elements of Style Illustrated by William Strunk Jr. - January - 3 stars
2. Death of a Cozy Writer by G.M. Malliet - April - 3 stars
3.

Beginning Count: 152 (including the classics listed in the grad section)
Current: 150

Possibilities:

A Gentle Madness by Nicholas A. Basbanes
Exiles in the Garden by Ward Just
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
Anatomy of a Murder by Robert Travers
Madame Secretary by Madeline Albright
America America by Ethan Canin
Impossible Things by Connie Willis
Serena by Ron Rash

Grad School - Classics

1.
2.
3.

Possibilities: Lots of classics on my shelf to read (part of the total count listed in the undergrad section)

Analects by Confucius
Confessions of St. Augustine by Saint Augustine
The Arabian Nights
Poetics by Aristotle
Faust
The Odyssey
Walden

RandomCAT

January: With Baited Breath by Lorraine Bartlett
February: Right Ho, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse
March: Jeeves and the Wedding Bells by Sebastian Faulks
April: Death & Life of Monterey Bay by Stephen Palumbi
May: Beautiful Blue Death by Charles Finch
June: What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
July:
August:
September:
October:
November:
December:

DeweyCAT

Jan - 000: The Tender Bar by J.R. Moehringer
Feb - 100:
Mar - 200: Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
Apr - 300-354: Death & Life of Monterey Bay by Stephen Palumbi
May - 355-399: Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
Jun - 400: Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss
Jul - 500:
Aug - 600:
Sep - 700:
Oct - 800:
Nov - 900-939:
Dec - 940-999:

AlphaKIT

Jan
D: My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell
U: Beautiful Lies by Lisa Unger

Feb
B: Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
J: Right Ho, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse

Mar
L: Savage Season by Joe Lansdale
Q: An Academic Question by Barbara Pym

Apr
H: Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda
V: The Secret Life of the American Musical by Jack Viertel

May
O: Kindred by Octavia Butler
P: Artifact by Gigi Pandian

Jun
F: What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
R: Rainbow Valley by L. M. Montgomery

Jul
A:
K:

Aug
G:
S:

Sep
C:
M:

Oct
I:
W:

Nov
N:
Y:

Dec
E:
T:

All Year
X: X by Sue Grafton
Z:

BingoDOG



Read:

Debut Book
Letters to the Lost by Iona Grey

Less than 200 pages
Elements of Style Illustrated by William Strunk Jr.

About a Writer
Death of a Cozy Writer by G.M. Malliet

Musical reference
The Secret Life of the American Musical by Jack Viertel

Wordplay
With Baited Breath by Lorraine Bartlett

Job/Hobby
Beautiful Lies by Lisa Unger - main character was a free lance write living in NYC; sounds great to me!

Body of Water
The Death and Life of Monterey Bay by Stephen R Palumbi

In Translation
The Story of My Teeth by Valeria Luiselli

Read a CAT
The Tender Bar by J.R. Moehringer

Theater
Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda

One Word Title
Eventide by Kent Haruf

Focus on Art
The Secret Life of the American Musical by Jack Viertel

Environment
The Death and Life of Monterey Bay by Stephen Palumbi

Senior Citizen
Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf

Memoir/Autobiography
My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell

Coming of Age
Rilla of Ingleside by L. M. Montgomery

Published Before I Was Born
Right Ho, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse

Possibilities:

Manga
Library Wars Vol 13 & 14 (wishlist)

Food
Delicious! by Ruth Reichl

Self-published
The Burglar Who Counted Spoons by Lawrence Block

Indigenous Person
Through Black Spruce by Joseph Boyden (wish list )
Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden (wish list)

1916
BFG by Roald Dahl

Airplane flight
The Wright Brothers by David McCullough

Adventure
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
Odyssey by Homer
Digital Fortress by Dan Brown
The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett

Survival Story
One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (wishlist)
Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss

Women BingoPUP



Read:

Less than 10 Years Old
With Baited Breath by Lorraine Bartlett

Women in Non-Traditional Roles
Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart

Published before 2000
An Academic Question by Barbara Pym (published in 1987)

African American author
Oreo by Fran Ross

Award Winner
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

Women in Combat
Rilla of Ingleside by L.M Montgomery

By or About a Woman
Letters to the Lost by Iona Grey

New to You Author
Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff

Set in Latin America or Asia
The Story of My Teeth by Valeria Luiselli

Set in Europe, Australia, or NZ
The Sweet Dove Died by Barbara Pym

Over 60
X by Sue Grafton

TBR Pile
Beautiful Lies by Lisa Unger

Possibilities:

Female Ruler
Elizabeth and Mary by Jane Dunn
Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles by Margaret George

Women in Science
TBD

Short Story Collection
One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (wishlist)

Spy
Nurse and Spy in the Union Army

Different genre/same author
Probably something by Margaret Atwood

Memoir/Autobiography
Madame Secretary by Madeleine Albright
Extraordinary, Ordinary People by Condoleeza Rice

African author
The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (wishlist)

Made into a Movie
Fried Green Tomatoes by Fannie Flagg (wishlist)

Female Critter
TBD

1920's-30's Detective Fiction
TBD

Middle East
Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi (wishlist)

Poetry/Plays
Selected Poems II: 1976-1986 by Margaret Atwood
The Complete Poems by Emily Dickinson

Male pseudonym
Silas Marner by George Eliot

TBR Challenge - books completed for the TBR challenge group

1. Elements of Style Illustrated by William Strunk Jr. - January
2. Dino by Nick Tosches - January DNF
3. Right Ho, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse - February
4. White Egrets by Derek Walcott - February
5. Savage Season by Joe Lansdale - March
6. Stone Cold by C.J. Box - March
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20
21.
22.
23.
24.

Here's my list for the challenge. Once I finish a book, I'll move it up to the list above. Really hoping to make it through all 24 this year.

MAIN LIST:

1. Exiles in the Garden by Ward Just
2. 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
3. History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters by Julian Barnes
4. Otter Country by Miriam Darlington
5. Anatomy of a Murder by Robert Traver
6. The Odyssey by Homer
7. Impossible Things by Connie Willis
8. Zoo Station by David Downing

ALTERNATES LIST:

1. The Burglar Who Counted Spoons by Lawrence Block
2. Arabian Nights
3. Poetics by Aristotle
4. Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
5. Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen
6. Madame Secretary by Madeleine Albright
7. America America by Ethan Canin
8. Capital Dames by Cokie Roberts
9. Serena by Ron Rash
10. Walden by Henry David Thoreau

Agatha - continuing to read Agatha Christie books in order

1. Easy to Kill by Agatha Christie - January - 3 stars
2.
3.

This is a great way to tackle your TBR! I look forward to follow along.

I think it's smart to tackle your books being aware of how long you have had them! Well done!

Fantastic idea! Enjoy your challenge! :)

I am trying to focus on my TBR as well next year, after all, the more we move along, the more new ones we can fit in!

Looking forward to following you into 2016!

I like your setup! Good luck whittling down the TBR pile--this is an interesting way to tackle it.

Nice (and simple) challenge! You have your plan, and you're sticking to it!

It's a subtle plug for the TBR Challenge - but I like it!

Thank you everyone for the support! Looking forward to seeing how this all plays out.

>21 Cecrow: - Thought I was on the TBR group at first when I saw your name! I'm always happy to plug the TBR Challenge as it has been quite good at helping me tackle some of the books that have been on my shelves for many years now. I'm ready for next year!

That's a great set-up, and I love all those nice pictures!

Looking forward to going back to school with your school-themed challenge as well as following your reading in 2016!

Like your theme and I think a lot of us want to concentrate on getting books off the TBR pile. I still have @40 books on mine from when I started adding all my books after I joined in 2009. I'm hoping to get a few more of them read this year.

I need to get a grip on Mt. TBR as well. I do have a category this year, so at least I should make a dent. Fingers Xed!

Love your theme! Looks like many of us are attacking Mt. TBR this year.

That is a good way of tackling the TBRs. I must admit I have never recorded when I acquire them, other than this year's acquisitions on my ROOT thread as I wanted to see how many I actually acquired over the year. Hopefully it has shocked me into being a bit more frugal with my book-buying until I get some of the TBRs actually read!

>28 Jackie_K: - Thank you. I'm not sure what triggered my desire to track when I acquired a book, but it has been interesting to see and provides extra motivation sometimes when picking a book. I'm determined to get all of the remaining 2013 books cleared soon. It is a bit shocking to see how many books get added over the course of a year!

Good luck this year! And I'm glad to see a fellow trying-to-read-them-in-order Christie fan!

>30 mstrust: Thanks! It has been so much fun to read them in order. Almost forgot to put it in as a category though - oops!

Started adding possibilities from my TBR pile and wishlist for the Bingo cards. Looking forward to next year's reading!

A fantastic way to tackle the TBR, mine is shocking.

Great theme!

Looks like you are setting yourself up for success!! I like it that you're giving yourself some flexibility and reading books you want to--all of the "required" reading can make one feel like there's no time for fluff and fun. You have a lot of great books on here, can't wait to see what you make of them all! Good luck :)

I like this idea a lot, hope you enjoy the year! I've decided that I'm going to have my plan in place but not feel bad if I don't follow it perfectly.

Stealing this from another thread. These answers are based on my 2015 reading.

Describe yourself: Can't We Talk About Someting More Pleasant?

Describe how you feel: Everything I Never Told You

Describe where you currently live: The House at the end of Hope Street

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Brooklyn

Your favorite form of transportation: The Boys in the Boat

Your best friend is: The Rider

You and your friends are: Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy

What’s the weather like: Arctic Chill

You fear: Blindness

What is the best advice you have to give: A Good Hard Look

Thought for the day: Brave New World

How I would like to die: Murder with Mirrors

My soul’s present condition: Mixed Signals
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Nice meme answers!

Happy New Year! I like the way your challenge is organized.

1. With Baited Breath by Lorraine Bartlett (3 stars) I'm a fan of her Booktown series under the name Lorna Barett so thought I would check out this first book in The Lotus Bay series. Set in a small town, Tori has come home for her grandmother's funeral. While there she realizes how much the bait shop and inn that her grandparents ran have fallen into disrepair. To top things off, a local man is found dead on their property. Tori, her best friend Kathy, and old friend Anissa (daughter of the deceased) find themselves investigating the murder a bit. In reality, this book was way less of a mystery novel and more of a female bonding book. Three strong women trying to figure out the next move in their lives. Each of them have dreams they want to pursue but do they have the courage to do so.

Happy New Year everyone! Hope 2016 is treating you well so far.

>40 LittleTaiko: Hopefully the next one in the series will have a little more mystery to it.

>42 thornton37814: - Hope so, though overall I really didn't mind the lack of mystery too much.

2. Beautiful Lies by Lisa Unger (2 stars)

I'm always intrigued by those what if moments and stories. What if you had turned a different direction, slept in, answered a phone, etc...? This book starts with that premise - what if Ridley Jones had just done something differently this one particular morning, would her whole life still have unraveled? Unfortunately, the execution of the story just didn't work for me overall. Too much time with Ridley explaining to the reader all of her decisions. Too many stupid choices that just didn't make sense at all. Granted it was still a bit of a page turner, but I really have no interest in reading anything else in this series.

If I could read at your speed, for sure I'd be doing one of those 75 Books challenges, no question. And knocking off my TBR pile in no time flat, to boot! All I can do is dream.

>44 Cecrow: - The thing is that the quicker the TBR pile goes down the quicker I seem to replenish it. Vicious, vicious, cycle.

Never fear I am diligently reading one of my TBR books - it's a non-fiction one, so that takes me way more time and concentration.

Happy New Year!

Love your university styled reading plan. :)

Good luck in trying to clear the tbr pile. An impossible task for most of us. Enjoy your year!

3. Letters to the Lost by Iona Grey (3 stars)

Sweet if predictable story that alternates between WWII and present day. Jess is in an unhealthy relationship and in effort to escape finds refuge in an apparently abandoned house. In the house she discovers a shoe box full of old letters from an American serviceman named Dan to Stella, the married wife of the local vicar. As Jess reads the letters the story takes us back in time to both Stella's and Dan's perspectives. Of course there has to be a potential love interest for Jess as well which brings us to Will, the sort of sweet sad sack who might just be what she needs. Like I said earlier, it is a sweet book but didn't really cover any new ground and reminded me a bit of Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes

I'm finally getting around to some of the threads now that I've switched my attention to the 2016 group. I love how you've set up your challenge to help with your TBRs.

>48 LittleTaiko:
The story of finding old love letters and finding ones own love while exploring someone else's is a common story, it seems. There was a so-so movie called The Love Letter in which a girl finds a letter and goes on a quest to fish the writer only to find her own love along the way.

I'm not sure it's my kind of story, although I can acknowledge the fascination of reading someone else's intimate words. It's a peek into someone else's soul.

4. The Elements of Style Illustrated by William Strunk Jr. (3 stars)

This was an informative yet slightly dated reference book. It's full of helpful information for those of us who might not remember all of the specific grammar rules.

However there were a few rules that stuck me as dated, specifically the rule about nouns used as verbs. The examples included criticisms of using hosted and debuted which are quite common verbs today. Also, I didn't agree with the rule saying that instead of using they we should all commit to using he as that was the most practical usage.

Overall this is a book I'll keep on hand for quick reference. I also find I'm a bit paranoid about writing now. What if I'm breaking one of the rules? :)

The Morning News has announced the shortlist for the Tournament of Books. I've opened a discussion thread if you're interested.

http://www.librarything.com/topic/214782

>51 LittleTaiko: Even if it is "dated," I refuse to use "they" as a singular personal pronoun.

>53 thornton37814:
I have no problem with that in most day to day usage - constantly repeating "he or she" becomes too clunky. When I write something "official" I think I still go with "he or she," though.

ETA: Until we get a third option, that is. My native language, Swedish, recently made a new word: "hen," which is genderless. (Han=he and hon=she)

I like how you've set up your challenge - I tag my books with the year I acquired them, but I've never thought about going after Mt. TBR in that way - something to think about. I have quite a few books to enter yet for 2015 (there's a big box from Oxford University Press where I went hog-wild on 50% off books from the 1001 lists and then there are a couple of bags from Barnes and Noble when I was buying presents for other people...and then there are my Christmas presents...) and I will soon find out how much deeper a hole I'm in, and I guess that means I need to practice some restraint in 2016!

Looking forward to taking some book bullets from you anyway!

>53 thornton37814: & >54 -Eva-: - In casual day to day conversation I will use they as I can't do the whole he/she thing. But upon further thought in more formal writing I wouldn't use it.

Love the genderless option - maybe I can start sneaking "hen" into conversations. I'm about 1/8 Swedish so possibly I could get away with it...

>55 LisaMorr: - It was quite shocking to see how many books I bought in 2015 that hadn't been read. It's so hard to pass up those sales, Thingaveraries, gifts, etc...

Besides if this is our only vice then how bad can it be?

>57 LittleTaiko: Yes, I keep saying that - if one must have an addiction, this is the one to have!

5. Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff (2 stars)

How best to describe the experience of reading this book? It's like when you pass a particularly gruesome accident sight. You don't want to look, but yet can't help but take a peak but you do so very quickly as you don't want to linger too much. Lotto and Mathilde have been married for quite some time and apparently are much in love. The first half of the book is from Lotto's perspective and the second half from Mathilde's. After spending that much time with the narcissistic Lotto it was a relief to get to Mathilde - no matter how disturbing her half might be. Nobody in this book is likeable but more of a problem they aren't realistic. It was a page turner for sure as I was trying to read it as fast as I could to get out of their world. The one bright spot was the addition of a Shiba Inu puppy to their household. As a former owner of two Shiba's it was nice to see a relatively unrecognized breed get a little shout out.

6. My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell (3 stars)

Quirky, funny, slightly exaggerated memoir, at least I'm assuming it's exaggerated as surely not everything that happened could have really happened, right? This memoir recounts Gerry's experiences as a 10 year old when his family moves to Greece and he's given a chance to explore the animal world to his hearts content with humorous results.

>59 LittleTaiko: that's disappointing about Fates and Furies. There has been so much buzz about that book and I put it on hold at the library. We'll see if I'm interested enough to commit to reading it when it becomes available. I really don't tend to like books about miserable people, so I might pass.

I started Fates and Furies right after having read A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara, and put it down because I just couldn't handle another book about wealthy people and their problems. I'll pick it up again soon, but only because it's on the roster for the Tournament of Books.

>60 japaul22: - I know some people that really loved it o it might be worth checking out.

>61 RidgewayGirl: - Yes, whiny wealthy people is pretty much what this book is about.

7. The Whites by Richard Price (3 stars)

This was next up in my Tournament of Books reading and a definite improvement over Fates and Furies. A New York police procedural with lots of multi-layered drama this was a quick read. Billy is an NYPD police officer working the night shift. Every so often he gets together with a group of former officers who he used to work with as part of a group called The Wild Geese. They each have that one case that bugs them because the murderer got away with it. When one of those murderers ends up dead during Billy's shift, he starts investigating and things start to take an ugly turn. Overall this kept me engaged and wanting to see how it turns out. My main complaint is regarding the characters who would never say what they mean. Way too many vague conversations for my taste.

>51 LittleTaiko: "I also find I'm a bit paranoid about writing now. What if I'm breaking one of the rules? :)"

You are not alone. It is a concern of mine too and particularly risky when dashing off a quick message or text.

>54 -Eva-: I use "they" but "hen" is just lovely:) No Swedish in my heritage but I'm going to start using it as often as possible.

I'm next in the library line for a copy of The Whites. I'm now reading The Turner House, another ToB book, which is NOT about wealthy white people

Well, Fates and Furies became available at the library and I've seeing a few positive reviews around here to balance the several negative ones, so I'm giving it a try. Interested to see on which side I'll fall!

I just picked up The Whites today at the library and will probably start it in a couple of days.

>65 RidgewayGirl: - Glad to hear that about The Turner House. There are a couple of people in line in front of me at the library for that one. Maybe in a couple of weeks I'll get it.

>66 japaul22: - Can't wait to hear what you think about it. It does seem to be a love or hate book.

>67 dudes22: - I'll be watching your thread to see how you like it.

8. The New World: A Novel by Chris Adrian (4 stars)

Another TOB entry and so far my favorite out of the three I have read so far.

On their 8th wedding anniversary, Jim suddenly dies while his wife Jane is out of town. She is horrified to discover upon her return that Jim had signed up with the company Polaris who promises a way for eternal life. In order for that to happen Jim will have to forget everything from his previous life. What follows is a story of what makes a marriage work and how everybody has their own perspective of events.

Some favorite lines from the book.

"Her mother gave her a hug, which Jane tolerated, though she was getting very tired of people hugging her when she was angry - did people hug Cobras in their flaring hoods, or porcupines in their coats of rigid spines?"

"Always together, never apart" - a theme throughout the book

The New World sounds great. I love the scifi element.

>51 LittleTaiko: When you read Elements of Style, was it the original edition? I know it's been revised several times since the original. I'd hope some of the dated aspects would have been dealt with.

>71 tymfos: - It looks like my version is from 2005 so I'm sure there have been some updates since then. Hope so anyway!

I've had a nice run of really good books lately which makes me quite happy.

9. The Tender Bar by J.R. Moehringer (5 stars)

I do love a good memoir and this may be one of the best. He recounts the importance the neighborhood bar and all the regulars had on his life as he grew up without a father. It reads like a novel and is full of the most colorful cast of characters you could want.

10. Eventide by Kent Haruf (5 stars)

Really wish I had read this one sooner as it was a wonderful follow up to Plainsong. It continues to follow the lives of the townspeople in Hoyt, Colorado. So nice to be back with Raymond, Harold, and company. Haruf still manages to capture the feel of small town life.

11. Americanine by Yann Kebbi (5 stars)

What a cute little book about a French dog recounting his adventures in New York City. Loved it! The drawings were whimsical.

12. Easy to Kill by Agatha Christie (3 stars)

Not one of the strongest Christie novels but the ending was still quite surprising. I had a vague idea of who did it since I have read this once before years ago but for the life of me couldn't figure it all out.

>73 LittleTaiko: Stacy, I loved the Tender Bar too and would like to reread it. Have you read Sutton? I haven't but it's on my TBR and I need to get to it. This is a novel about the bank robber Willie Sutton and I've heard good things about it.

>73 LittleTaiko: The Tender Bar has gone onto my wishlist!

Wow, three 5-star reads in a row! I still need to experience the joy that is Haruf's writing - I am kind of planning a bit of a binge read this summer of the 5 books by Haruf I have on my TBR pile - but the other two 5-star reads (and authors) are both new to me so making some notes for my next library trip.

>73 LittleTaiko: I liked Easy to Kill a bit better than you did. I love the enthusiasm and optimism of Christie's young detectives. They're not her best mysteries, but they're fun to read.

Americanine is going on the wishlist.

>74 clue: - No, I hadn't heard of Sutton but I am definitely interested in reading it now. I first heard of Moehringer when I read Open that he helped co-write and really enjoyed it. Thought it might just be because I was a huge fan of Andre Agassi when I was growing up but I think having him co-write really helped.

>75 Jackie_K: - Hope you enjoy it!

>76 lkernagh: - Haruf's books have been so good, though as you will see in my next batch of reviews I thought the third book in his Plainsong series was the weakest. Still pretty good overall though.

>77 cbl_tn: - It's such a fun little book. The drawings really help bring out the story.

How do I get so woefully behind on updating here? At least part of the reason is because I've been busy reading which is always a good thing.

13. Benediction by Kent Haruf (3 stars)

The third in the Plainsong series and the weakest of the three. My diasappointment stemmed from the fact that this book picks up several years after the second and barely mentions any of the previous characters. Instead you have a whole batch of new ones so it just felt more like a stand alone. Still the same strong sense of place but maybe a bit disjointed.

14. Our Souls at Night by Ken Haruf (4 stars)

His final book was so sweet and reminds us how well he writes about older people. This could have been a five star read for me except for the last few pages when the characters weren't acting in a way that felt true to me. Still a lovely, lovely book.

15. My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout (3 stars)

Lucy is in the hospital suffering from some strange illness when her estranged mother comes to visit. Through the stories they exchange and various flashbacks you know that Lucy grew up in a strange household and didn't have the happiest of childhoods, but it's all rather vague so you don't know all of the specifics. Her current life seems to be in a bit of a muddle as well. The book drifts from point to point without really resolving anything.

16. Right Ho, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse (5 stars)

This may be the funniest Wodehouse book I've ever read. That is saying quite a bit as I generally love his books. This one was full of the usual romantic misunderstandings and scrapes but the duo of Wooster & Jeeves is just so good. Bertie was in fine form in this one.

And now for a couple of DNF's

17. Dino by Nick Tosches - Really had a hard time trying to read this as the author seemed to be hellbent on being racist and misogynistic. Not sure if he was trying to channel a spirit of that time but it was hard to take. Maybe could have overlooked it if there had actually been any kind of information about Dean Martin but there was more information about the mob in Ohio than anything. Maybe it picked up later but I just didn't want to find out.

18. The Invaders by Karolina Waclawiak - There are only so many wealthy people whining stories that I can take and this one didn't intrigue me enough to want to finish it.

Thanks for warning me off of the Waclawiak. I've been seeing a lot of mentions for this book, but I have a low tolerance for the emotional woes of the wealthy.

>79 LittleTaiko: The Elizabeth Strout just came in. I hope I get to it sometime, but your mediocre rating makes me pause.

>81 thornton37814: - I liked it but didn't love. A neighbor friend of my absolutely raved about it. She works in the psychology field so I wonder if that is why it really resonated with her. There are lots of pyschological situations in this book that must be fun for somebody who works with this every day. I think I just kept comparing it to some of her previous books and I just liked them better. Vague doesn't work for me as I'm way too practical.

I'm enjoying your Tournament of Books reviews. I was wondering whether I should move Fates and Furies higher in my priority list, and you've confirmed that I needn't bother. I did enjoy The Whites and Our Souls at Night, though, and I'm happy to see you gave a good review to The New World, as I just bought myself a copy a few days ago.

Ugh, I just realized the Waclawiak is one of the ToB books. I'll put it toward the bottom of what I hope to read this month.

Stopping by to get caught up. Great job on your reading! 18 books read! WHOOT!

You're getting a lot of good reading done.

>83 mathgirl40: - Can't wait to see what you think of The New World - it's another that some people seem to not like but it worked for me.

>84 RidgewayGirl: - yeah, I wouldn't go out of my way to read it. I think reading it so close to F&F was a problem as they both had quite unlikable characters but F&F was written much better.

>85 lkernagh: - Hello! I have a tendency to start off the year fast and then down. I think it's because it's winter and I tend to hibernate more even if the weather is fine. Pretty soon, it will be time to start doing some more gardening and a little less reading.

>86 tymfos: - Thanks! I was quite relieved when I hit a spell of really good books. There have been some clunkers along the way.

19. The Story of My Teeth by Valeria Luiselli (3 stars)

This was a bizarre and unusual book that I ultimately enjoyed. Highway Rodriguez has made a career of sorts as an auctioneer, loves to tell a story, and has a prized collection of teeth. The book is broken up into various sections titled after auctioneering methods and to me the stories matched up to the type.

20. A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler (3 stars)

The story of the Whitshank familly, how they came to live in their house, and the various happy and sad moments of their lives.

21. Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid (4 stars)

Really, really loved this book. Held off from 5 stars as I did have a few quibbles with it but nothing too serious. If you are a fan of the whole what if concept then this is the book for you. Hannah has come back to LA to stay with her friend Gabby after a few years of not so great life choices. To celebrate her first night back, they go out with a group of old high school friends including Ethan, Hannah's ex-boyfriend. At the end of the evening she has to make a choice between staying out later with Ethan or heading back to Gabby's. The book alternates chapters between the two different realities. The author did a great job of juggling the two options and letting us see how the decisions we make sometimes make a difference.

The Story of My Teeth is such an intriguing title it must go on my WL.

>88 LittleTaiko: >89 mstrust: That title made me shudder! In my nursing days, I could cope with all sorts of gore and goo, but give me a set of false teeth and my stomach would just turn right over!! I don't think I'll be adding any teeth stories to my wishlist!

>90 Jackie_K: - If false teeth turn your stomach then this book is definitely not for you. While teeth aren't as prominent a part of the story as you might think, there are some moments that are a bit odd involving the teeth.

22. The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen (4 stars)

This book is so not suited to my reading style as I tend to be a bit of a skimmer. This book is not one that can be skimmed as there is so much information packed into every sentence. That being said, I really enjoyed this look at the Vietnam war through the eyes of a communist spy. It is smart, sly, and intense.

23. White Egrets by Derek Walcott (2 stars)

Finally finished this volume of poetry and can safely say I really didn't understand most of the poems. It's probably more of a reflection on me as a poetry reader than anything else. I do love Mary Oliver's poems usually but those seem to be more simple and direct which works better for me.

I like the sound of Maybe in Another Life. I'm going to see if my library has it.

>93 Roro8: - Hope you like it!

24. The Turner House by Angela Flournoy (3 stars)

Another Tournament of Books read - this one took me a little while to get into as trying to keep track of the various characters proved challenging at first. At it's core it's the story of a Detroit family whose family home has become run down and essentially worthless. It focuses on the lives of three of the thirteen children as they try to fix the problems in their own lives, figure out what to do with the house, and navigate the usual family relationship pitfalls. I loved how the author managed to create such distinct personalities for all the siblings, even the ones who only showed up for a page or two felt real.

25. Bats of the Republic by Zachary Thomas Dodson (4 stars)

Oh wow - this book gets points for sheer creativity. I really don't know how it would fare as an audio book as so much of the joy in reading this book was in having the actual book in your hands. It switches constantly from a story within a story, to letters from the characters, to surveillance recordings. The changes are obvious due to the different font type, background, etc...The premise of a crazy state where your status in life determine where you live was interesting too. Single people waiting to be paired are in Texas, the elderly are in Chicago, parents with children are in Utah, etc...For me it was a highly entertaining book.

26. Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates (2 stars)

This book may suffer from my very high expectations. I had read so many wonderful things about the book I expected to be blown away. Instead I found myself frustrated with the format as it was primarily a steady stream of concisiousness. While short, this is not a book that can be quickly breezed through in an afternoon. It will challenge your beliefs, most likely make you mad at some point (if not many), and cause sadness. For me my main sadnes was in how angry and fearful he is and how he seems to be trying to pass along that fear to his son. Lots to digest and I'm sure I'll be thinking about it for a while.

Bats of the Republic sounds really intriguing - I'll take a BB for that one!

>95 LittleTaiko: I started BotR but set it aside for some reason. I really want to get back to it again.

BtWaM is on my short list of books I want to read.

27. A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara (5 stars)

Holy hell, how do I even begin to review this book? It was a book that I thought I might want to read, but wasn't completely sold on it. However, once it showed up in the tournament of books I decided it was a sign that I should give it a go. Supposedly it's the story of four college friends who are making their way in New York City after graduation and how their friendship evolves over time. The story really focuses on two of them the most with the third member getting a little less time, and the fourth flitting in from time to time. It's also really about much, much more. It's about finding yourself, the impact of sexual and psychological abuse, and what it means to be a real friend or family member. Yes, the book is long and there are some parts where I got a bit impatient with the pacing. However, any book that can keep me engaged for that long and make me feel as strongly as I did throughout the book deserves a high mark. Emotionally I'm still feeling the impact of this book.

>98 LittleTaiko: OK, I'm convinced I should read this book, even though it's enormous and there's a long waiting list for it at the library. I really loved The People in the Trees but wasn't sure I was ready to tackle this one yet.

>99 mathgirl40: - I liked it enough to want to read The People in the Trees eventually. Need to catch up on some other reading first. :)

28. Jeeves and the Wedding Bells by Sebastian Faulk (4 stars)

Billed as an homage to P.G. Wodehouse, this last installment in the Jeeves/Wooster series hit the mark. Faulk did an excellent job of capturing the Wodehouse spirit. The usual shenanigans ensue that are guaranteed to put Bertie into the most ridiculous positions. Loved it.

29. Savage Season by Joe Lansdale (2 stars)

Not sure how exactly to rate this one. Part of the low rating is that I've read a later book of his and know he can be so much better. Plus, with this being the first in a series and I believe his first book ever it suffers from quite a bit of unevenness. The first half felt like he was trying to hard with the Hap and Leonard characters but by the end they seemed to have settled down and he was starting to find his groove. Definitely lots of potential and I will try more in the series. Also interested in checking out the TV series based on his Hap & Leonard books - they might be the sort that work better on screen then in print.

30. Book of Aron by Jim Shephard (2 stars)

First off I have to say that as a general rule I don't enjoy adult stories that are told from the child's point of view so right off this book was at a disadvantage for me. It's a WWII story told from the perspective of a young Jewish boy who is starting to see his world unravel. When he ends up orphaned he is taken in by a doctor who is in charge of an orphanage. It took until he ended up in the orphanage for me to become engrossed in the story. Up until then, it was a book I would pick up now and then and quickly put back down.

31. An Academic Question by Barbara Pym (3 stars)

Published after Pym's death this was taken from her rough drafts and polished a bit. It still has some of the signature Pym elements like an academic setting. However, this was one case where the heroine, Caro, was just plain annoying. It was also the only Pym book that I've read that seemed a bit racist. Her insights into human nature were still spot on, but overall it was a bit rough and not one of her best.

32. Mrs. Jeffries Wins the Prize by Emily Brightwell (4 stars)

The latest in one of my favorite series this one finds Mrs. Jeffries and crew aiding the Inspector in solving the murder of a rare flower dealer. The series continue to grow the characters and maintain a proper mystery plot. While it can be a bit repetitive I do love spending time with these characters.

Here I was getting happy that there was a Pym I hadn't heard of. It sounds like it was too much in the rough draft stage to be published. But greedy publishers!

>104 mstrust: - Yeah, I think it's one you could safely skip. It wasn't horrible but just didn't feel completely right.

33. Oreo by Fran Ross (3 stars)

This is a book I can appreciate for what it was trying to accomplish rather than for my actual reading enjoyment. Very clever take on Theseus. However, if like me you are not familiar with the story then it's easy to feel a bit lost while reading. It's the sort of book that you know is smart and makes you feel a bit dumb.

34. The Tsar of Love and Techno by Anthony Marra (5 stars)

Was so excited that Marra had a new book out and was anxious to find out if it would be as good as his first novel, A Constellation of Vital Phenomena which was one of my favorite books the year I read it. His second book shows that he is no fluke. While this is sort of a collection of short stories they are all woven together as characters show up in multiple stories and you can see the ultimate story unravel over time. Covering the time period of 1937-2013 in Chechnya, St. Petersburg the stories follow several people who are trying to navigate the rules of war, peace, love, and the general act of living. The characters are complex people who will make you laugh and cry. Marra has a way of sneaking in some quick one-liners that you might miss if you aren't careful. Some of my favorite lines from the book are:

"If there is an operation, and if that operation is successful, she says she will move to Sweden. I fear for her future in a country who citizenry is forced to assemble its own furniture"

"We enter the stage of life as dolls and exit as gargoyles."

"Turning I would to I did is the grammar of growing up."

>105 LittleTaiko: I'm so happy to see that you loved The Tsar of Love and Techno as much as I did! I'm rooting for this one in the Tournament of Books. I too adored the one-liners.

>105 LittleTaiko:
"It's the sort of book that you know is smart and makes you feel a bit dumb."
Haha! I've read a few of those.

I felt intelligent every time I caught one of Fran Ross's references/allusions. As for the ones I missed, well I didn't know it to see them, did I? But yeah, I appreciated this book more than I enjoyed it. I also read a row of very masculine ToB books and so it was a relief to read a strong and well-rounded female character.

35. The Sellout by Paul Beatty (4 stars)

After getting off to a slow start as it sets up it's story, it snowballs into quite the look at race relations and what might just happen if segregation made a comeback. This book made me laugh quite a bit as the author used so much humor to make his points. Loved spending time with the residents of Dickens. Also, was really left wishing that all of that fruit existed as it sounded delicious.

I liked how Beatty wrote the women in his book. And I liked Bonbon.

36. Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer (3 stars)

Really didn't know what to expect from this book as it was given to me as a gift and not something that I had sought out. This is a mystery novel with the most unusual protagonist named Patrick who sufferes from Asberger's. You spend quite a bit of time with his POV which is disconcerting but quite interesting as it allows him to view things in a way your ordinary person might not. Loved all the twists and turns throughout the book.

37. The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine by Alexander McCall Smith (2 stars)

I'm not a follower of this series as the first book just didn't do much for me. This time I'm reading for my RL book club and while I can appreciate the genaral charm of the characters, the dialogue drove me up a wall. It was so stilted and everyone takes forever to get to the point. These are probably good books if you need to take a break from some heavier reading, but it's nothing that I would seek out.

>111 LittleTaiko: I didn't like the first in the Alexander McCall Smith series either so I've avoided the rest also. I am not quite as drawn to African settings as some, but I suspect the real reason is because they always tend to feature snakes.

>111 LittleTaiko: I'm planning to read Rubbernecker in April for Autism Awareness Month in the U.S. I've created a thread over on the 75 Challenge for folks reading books (fiction or non-fiction) somehow related to the autism spectrum, including Asperger's. (And you don't have to be a member of the 75 Challenge to participate!)

>112 thornton37814: - I'm glad it's not just me. The books just don't appeal to me which is probably partially due to the setting since like you I'm not particularly drawn to African settings. There was a definite mention of snakes in the book, though so it's best that you pass.

>113 tymfos: - Thanks for letting me know! I'd love to read what other people are saying about the book, if anyone else reads it. Plus, it's such an area that I don't know much about that the books that feature someone with Autism or something along those lines are always so interesting. Frustrating sometimes, but interesting.

Quick updates as I'm behind yet again. Why doesn't real life cooperate?

38. X: A Kinsey Millhone by Sue Grafton (4 stars)

Still really love this series featuring Kinsey Millhone. I think Grafton gets better with age. There are a few stories that keep Kinsey quite busy and it felt pretty seamless how all the events unfolded.

39. A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner (3 stars)

Nice novel about two women separated by 100 years who have suffered loss in New York City and somehow connected by a beautiful scarf. The story primarily focuses on Clara who in 1911 is working as a nurse on Ellis Island. The man she thought she loved has just died and she is trying to recover. Overall I enjoyed Clara though she struck me as quite naive. Her reactions seemed more inline with a teenage girl than an adult woman. However her spirit won me over.

40. Stone Cold by C. J. Box (3 stars)

Another entry in the Joe Pickett series that finds Joe getting into all sorts of trouble - some of it is is own fault. For once, I found Joe to be a bit too impulsive and bullheaded. The situation with his daughter just seemed to be a bit over the top, especially how it ended. Overall, spending time with the Picketts is always a nice way to spend the time.

41. Fool Me Once by Harlan Coben (3 stars)

I keep going back and forth on this one 3 or 4 stars? Right now I'm settling for 3 since while I enjoyed it I thought parts of it were predictable. However, given the fact that I keep analyzing this book and the actions of the main character maybe I should bump it up to a four.

Maya's husband Joe was just brutally murdered so why does she see him on her nanny cam with their daughter? The story follows all the twists and turns that Coben is known for.

42. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson (2 stars)

This is really a case of what I feel is really a good book just being completely wrong for this reader and I can't quite pinpoint why. I think it's the pacing that does't work for me. This book is one to be slowly taken in as she does have some beautiful sentences that are worth noting. My reading style does not naturally work with that languid pace. John Ames is an aging minister who is writing down life thoughts to leave behind to his young son. Through the letters you learn a bit more about Ames's past and his religious musings. Quaint.

>115 LittleTaiko: I haven't read that installment of the Joe Pickett series, but I liked his earlier books better than some of the later ones I read. Sorry Gilead didn't work for you. It's one I really enjoyed.

>111 LittleTaiko: I enjoyed the first in McCall Smith's series and then didn't find the next one so appealing, and there I stopped. I would try one in a different series.

>115 LittleTaiko: I've had Gilead on the shelf for a while but I have the feeling it just isn't for me. So far I've only heard rave reviews so yours was a welcome balance.

43. Endangered by C.J. Box (4 stars)

This book picked up a few months after the previous one. The badly beaten body of a young woman has been found and it turns out to be April who has been missing since the end of Stone Cold. Immediate suspicion is on her cowboy boyfriend and his family closes ranks to protect him. In the meantime, Joe is also dealing with a grouse preservation issue, and Nate is battling his own problems. This was a well plotted book that continues to show a complex family. Joe is far from perfect and it was nice to have his belief in his assumptions challenged.

44. The Secret Life of the American Musical by Jack Viertel (5 stars)

This definitely falls into the category of the rating reflecting how it might not be a perfect book but it's perfect for me. I've loved musicals for quite some time so this book immediately appealed to me when I read about it. The author obviously has a deep love for musicals which shines in this book. He takes you through the various types of numbers that typically occur in each musical and discusses the best examples of each. Loved it!

I don't watch a ton of musicals, although I have enjoyed those I've seen (I just saw Wicked live on Thursday night!). I also would love to better understand their workings, so The Secret Life of the American Musical sounds like it would make for some good reading.

How exciting to see Wicked! I've seen it a couple of times and have loved it every time. I'm on a bit of musical run right now with my books as I'm currently reading Hamilton: An American Musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda which happily arrived in my mail yesterday. Loving the behind the scenes look at this show as well as being able to read all the lyrics. So much fun!

I've been listening to the Hamilton soundtrack off and on for a few weeks. I'd love to see the show. Eventually, years from now, I will be in NYC when tickets are attainable.

>118 LittleTaiko: This looks really interesting! Though I'm not really a fan of musicals, my parents-in-law are, and so every year, we attend a musical at the nearby Stratford Festival. I always enjoy them despite thinking that they're not for me, and over the years, I've gained a better appreciation of what goes into the production.

>121 RidgewayGirl: - I hope you get to see it someday as it was really, really good.

>122 mathgirl40: - The more you see, the more you learn! I don't love all of them but more times than not I enjoy the show.

So, stuck in Florday for one more day as apparently it's pouring down cats and dogs in Dallas and they have cancelled all flights out of Jacksonville for the day. Poor me, right? :)

While here, I did indulge in some book buying at The Bookmark and purchased the following:

Slade House by David Mitchell
Lab Girl by Hope Jahren
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway
Last Night in Montreal by Emily St. John Mandel

Has anyone else tried Julian Fellowes serial novel called Belgravia? I read the first installment and have liked it so far though it's almost seems like something that would be better suited to TV, but maybe that's because I'm so used to Downton Abbey.

Glad you had a bookstore to keep you occupied! Great haul!

>124 LittleTaiko:
Oh, that sounds terrible. Such suffering. :)

Time to catch up on my vacation reading. The good thing about flight delays is that it's the perfect excuse to pick up another book!

45. Off the Grid by C.J. Box (4 stars)

I'm officially caught up with series and this one was a doozy as it seemed realistic in a scary sort of way. Nate has been hired to check out the movements of a fellow falconer who may have terrorist ties. Joe has been sent to the same area on a mission from the governor. And as luck would have it Joe's daughter Sheridan is in the same part of the state joining her college roommate on a volunteer opportunity. Needless to say things to very wrong very quickly as they tend to do. The violence factor seemed a bit higher in this book. Very satisfied with the ending.

46. The Sweet Dove Died by Barbara Pym (3 stars)

The thing about Pym novels is that you may not like the characters overall but they all seem quite real and are just your basic flawed human beings who have their good and bad points. This time we meet the older glamorous Leonora who delights in the attentions of men as long as they don't go too far. She spends her time with Humphrey and his newphew James. While Humphrey is her age her primary focus is on James. We see the young James try to figure out what his life should be like and how much Leonora should be involved. Leonora is quite a piece of work and James really needs to grow a backbone.

47. Slade House by David Mitchell (4 stars)

So horror stories are really not my thing and the review comparisons to The Turn of the Screw also had me reluctant to pick up this book. However, I really enjoyed Bone Clocks and was intrigued by the premise of the book. So very glad that I did buy this. Every nine years Slade House beckons to someone who seems in need of what they find at the house. Too soon, they find out it's their worst nightmare. A very quick read that kept me tense but not too tense during the beginning.

48. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman (4 stars)

I'm a sucker for books about curmudgeons who at their core have hearts of gold and this book nailed it. Upon first meeting Ove you can't help but be exasperated with his outlook on life but as the story unfolds and you learn more about Ove's life prior to the opening of the book you can't help but begin to understand why he is the way he is. This book left me crying as discreetly as possible while on a plane so that the poor stranger next to me didn't think I was a complete basket case.

49. Death of a Cozy Writer by G.M. Malliet (3 stars)

I've had this book on my e-reader for over 3 years and I have no idea why it's taken me so long to read it. The action centers around Adrian, an author at the end of his career who churns out Agatha Christie style murder mysteries. He delights in changing his will on a regular basis and tormenting his grown children who are relying on an inheritance. When he announces he's going to remarry, it throws the family in a tizzy and results in the family getting together in one spot which of course is the perfect set up for a murder.

> I've had A Man Called Ove on my shelf for over a year! I've got to get to it!

It's amazing that you had so much time to kill with books but wonderful that you had so many books to take up the time!

I liked A Man Called Ove so much more than I had expected to.

That's a lot of books to get through! You're description of Pym's writing is spot-on. I liked that book a little more than you did, and James did need a backbone.

Yay for having enough books to keep you occupied on vacation!

I took a book bullet for A Man Called Ove from >130 RidgewayGirl: and hope to get to it soon.

Yikes - I'm really far behind in posting. Quick recaps to catch up.

50. Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda (5 stars)

Love the musical and loved this book. Being able to read the behind the scenes comments was great!

51. Anne of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery (3 stars)

Anne's family continues to grow up and this installment spends quite a bit of time with the children's various adventures. A little to cutesy for me at times but still a nice visit with Anne and company.

52. The Question of the Missing Head by E.J. Copperman (4 stars)

Samuel doesn't operate a detective agency, instead he answers questions for people. When a head (yes, you read that right) goes missing from the cryogenics facility, the director asks him a simple question - where did the head go? Samuel has Asperger's so his approach to answering the question isn't as straight-forward as you'd think. Fun first novel in a series.

53. The Death and Life of Monterey Bay by Stephen Palumbi (3 stars)

This was an interesting look at the history of Monterey Bay and how over fishing almost destroyed the marine life in the bay. Due to some colorful people, the area is now home to a thriving community of various creatures and quite the tourist destination.

54. Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy (3 stars)

Bathsheba is determined to keep control of the farm she inherited and maintain her independence. That proves a bit more challenging then she thought due to three very different men - Gabe, the shephard; Mr. Boldwood, another farmer; and Seargent Troy, a bit of a scoundrel - who have shown an interest in her. Quite wordy at times which led to lots of skimming on my part. There is really only so much descriptive paragraphs a person can take. However, it was entertaining enough.

55. Chance of a Ghost by E.J. Copperman (4 stars)

Fourth installment of this ghost series and it's still going strong. This time Alison is tackling a very personal problem - why can't she see the ghost of her dead father? Why is he hiding from her? To find out the answer to that she has to help another ghost prove that he was murdered. The usual crew is on hand to help her out. Still lots of fun!

56. Artifact by Gigi Pandian (2 stars)

This first installment of the Jaya Jones mystery series is one that I really wanted to like more than I did. Jaya is a historian who received a mysterious ruby bracelet in the mail from her ex-lover. Turns out he mailed it the same day he was killed in a car accident. Jaya thinks there is more to the story and sets out to investigate. I liked the character of Jaya as she was full of energy, smart (most of the time), and not one to let people do everything for her. However, there seemed to lots of incessant discussions that went nowhere so after awhile I'd get bored with the story. Overall it was mildly entertaining and a nice diversion but not something I'd rave about.

57. Kindred by Octavia Butler (4 stars)

This book was way more intense than I was expecting for a time travel novel. In hindsight though I shouldn't have been surprised since the issue of slavery plays such a big part in the book. Dana is a black woman living in the 1970's when suddenly she is pulled back into time and finds herself in Maryland during the early 1800's. Her purpose while there seems to be to keep a young white boy named Rufus alive. Turns out that Rufus is a relative of hers and he needs to survive in order for her life to happen. Let's just say he doesn't make it easy for her. The complexities of having to adjust to life as a slave in order to ensure her survival, keeping Rufus alive, and fighting for her own life at times make for a very intense and compelling read.

58. A Beautiful Blue Death by Charles Finch (4 stars)

I needed something more amusing after the last book I read and this book nailed it for me. Perfect book at the perfect time. Charles Lenox is an armchair detective living in London during the mid 1800's. His best friend and next door neighbor, Lady Jane, asks him to investigate the death of a former maid of hers. Her death was caused by poison but was it suicide or murder. I adored every character in Lenox's inner circle from Lady Jane, to his brother Edmond, to his friend McConnell. It ended up being a book that I flew through and kept wanting to get back to. In fact, once I finished it, I promptly bought the next two in the series.

>135 LittleTaiko: The Lennox mysteries is one of my favorite series, largely because I agree, the characters are terrific. I'm impatiently waiting for the next installment, I think it will be out late this year.

I still have a few to go to catch up, but I'm stretching them out a little. I also like the time period with no modern inventions to help things along.

I need to get back to the Lennox series. Thanks for the reminder!

>136 clue: - I seem to be flying through the series. Maybe I'll be all caught up when the latest comes out this year.

>137 dudes22: - It's been hard to stretch them out. I think okay, time for a break and then I keep wondering what everyone is up to this time and end up picking up the next book. Trying to ration it to my nighttime reading but failed today when I brought the one I'm reading now to my pedicure appointment. Sure helped me focus on something other than not accidentally kicking the poor lady working on my feet.

>138 tymfos: - You are quite welcome!

I've been on a reading binge lately which has primarily included more in Charles Finch's series.

59. The September Society by Charles Finch (4 stars)

Second in a series and still quite delightful. I like how the author just picks up a few months later and quickly clues us in on what everybody has been up to. This time the case gives Lenox a chance to visit Oxford where he helps solve the mystery of the disappearance of a young man as well as reminensce about his school days.

60. Fleet Street Murders by Charles Finch (4 stars)

Next up in the series with the focus this time on the seemingly unrelated murders of two journalist. Charles is trying to work the case while running for Parliament. There were some aspects of the story that just seemed a bit much. Running back home when you're in the middle of a campaign and are supposed to meet the important neighborhood people, really? Still I forgave the author for it since the rest of the story was entertaining and we get to know Dallington his young protege a bit better.

61. Girl Waits With a Gun by Amy Stewart (4 stars)

This was such a fun read made even more enjoyable by the fact that it's based on a true story. Constance Kopp and her sisters are living in a rural area in the early 1900's making their living the best they can on a farm. Constance is not your typical woman - she's 6 feet tall with no interest in getting married and at one point in her life was a deputy sheriff. When the sisters have a run in with a local man and his gang trouble ensues. Constance ends up working closely with the sherriff to get matters resolved. Can't wait for the next book to come out that follows the sister's lives even further.

62. Being Mortal by Atul Gawande (5 stars)

This was a tough but necessary read. It deals bluntly with the fact that everybody dies and if you're lucky enough to live a long life, sometimes the end isn't pretty. I learned a lot about the history of assisted living and how our treatment of the older population is ever evolving. It highlights the importance of having a purpose for your life as well as being independent. Really made me think about how I hope to age.

63. The Vegetarian by Han Kang (2 stars)

So, this book just won the Booker International and the premise sounded intriguing so I thought I'd give it a try. Unfortunately it just wasn't for me as it just didn't make sense. It's three stories that center around one woman who suddenly decides to give up eating meat based on a dream she had. One thing to say about her, when she commits to be a vegetarian she does it full on with no wavering which completely baffles her husband. You start to realize the she's actually going crazy but does her family realize it, no? They all are way to focused on the fact that she isn't eating meat. It just seemed like such an overreaction in this day and age where vegetarians are quite normal and there is a quite large vegan population as well. The first story is told from her husband's point of view and let's face it, he's an old-fashioned ass. The second story is from her brother-in-law's perspective and is a weirdly erotic part of the story. The final story is from her sister's point of view. She seems to be the most normal person is this whole mess.

64. A Stranger in Mayfair by Charles Finch (4 stars)

Another enjoyable book in the series. Charles is juggling his life in Parliament with his detective duties. Frankly his schedule exhausted me just reading about it. The servant of a fellow Parliament member has been killed so Lenox has been asked to investigate. This time the murderer's identity seemed pretty obvious but getting to the end was still fun.

Whew - all caught up for now! Hope to finish a couple other books this weekend.

>140 LittleTaiko: Being Mortal gave me a lot to think about as well, especially for when I eventually have to help my parents out.

Aren't series binges fun! I don't usually allow myself to binge but I do enjoy seeing others go on a tear :)

>140 LittleTaiko: Being Mortal is on my radar, thanks for the review! Girl Waits With Gun also looks interesting!

Finally catching up on people's threads, and I'm glad to see you're enjoying the Charles Lenox series! I really like it as well, especially for the secondary characters -- Dallington and McConnell are particular favorites!

>141 rabbitprincess: - Yeah, I think I'm going to loan the book to my parents which I'm sure they'll just love. (Sarcasm). They seem to be in good health but things can change so fast that it would be good to have some notion of what they want.

I generally don't binge read - but this has been fun! I keep waiting to get sick of the books but so far that hasn't happened. It's become my go to comfort read.

>142 VictoriaPL: - Highly recommend Girl Waits With Gun - such a fun and fascinating story.

>143 christina_reads: - Dallington may be my favorite character - he is so wonderfully flawed. Actually so is McConnell. Flawed characters are so much more interesting. I also like how almost all the books switch to Edmond's point of view for just a few paragraphs.

65. A Burial at Sea by Charles Finch (4 stars)

Slightly different entry in this series as Charles is at sea and without his usual companions around to help solve the murders. Still lots of fun that provides an interesting look at the navy during that time.

66. Tuesday Nights in 1980 by Molly Prentiss (4 stars)

Set primarily in New York City during 1980 this book provides a look at a more gritty New York that hadn't been cleaned up yet and become the tourist mecca that it is today. Three people make up the core of this story: an art critic, an up and coming artist, and a young woman who has just moved to New York from a small town. The art aspect of the book was what drew me in as I really enjoyed all the modern art references.

67. A Death in Small Hours by Charles Finch (4 stars)

With a really big speech in front of Parliament to prepare for Charles takes his family to the country to visit a relative. When some small town vandalism turns deadly, he can't help but get involved in the case. Another solid entry in the series.

68. What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty (4 stars)

How would you handle it if you woke up one day and couldn't remember the last 10 years of your life? Instead of being a happy newlyweds expecting the birth of your fist child, you find out that you have three children, are in the middle of a very messy divorce and that your relationship with your sister is quite strained. That is what happens to Alice. As she tries to navigate her current life she's trying to figure out how she became the person she is today and realizes that the younger Alice might not like the present day Alice that much. I've enjoyed everything I've read by Moriarty so far and this is no exception. She really excels at getting into her character's heads and portraying them as realistic people doing the best they can. Really enjoyed the part of the story from Elisabeth's point of view as her thoughts really made sense to me.

That last book really made me think about how different life was 10 years ago for me compare to today. So many things that I wouldn't have done yet.

- Trips taken
- Books read
- Still working at my previous job
- Hadn't started my real life book club yet
- Most imporantly I hadn't joined LT yet!

>146 LittleTaiko: That's an interesting thought, Stacy!
That last book sounds really good.

I really need to pick up a copy of Being Mortal - so many people have recommended it, but it's a hard topic to pick up on a whim. :)

>148 -Eva-: - True, it's not like anyone is ever just sitting around, thinking I know, I'm going to read this book and contemplate my own mortality for a bit, that sounds like fun. There are some funny moments in the book that really help to lighten the mood.

69. An Old Betrayal by Charles Finch (4 stars)

Once again Charles is trying to balance him time between Parliament and his love of being a detective when his protegee
Dallington comes to him with a unique problem. Lots of questions to be answered in this one. Is Graham participating in some shady dealings? Where is Thomas spending all his time now? Who is behind the new detective agency that seems to be working the same case Charles an Dallington are? Lots of fun and I loved how it ended. Ready for the next one.

70. Rainbow Valley by L. M. Montgomery (3 stars)

Anne, Gilbert, and their clan are the back story here. This time the focus is on the Meredith's, the local absent minded, dreamy preacher and his free-spirited children. The Meredith and Blythe children become fast friends and spend a lot of time in Rainbow Valley. Definite foreshadowing of the upcoming War (now known as WWI) through Walter's vision of a Pied Piper coming to their village. The children's stories are quaint but I would have much preferred to spend more time with Anne.

71. Rilla of Ingleside by L. M. Montgomery (4 stars)

The war has arrive and some of the local boy are signing up to fight. Rilla, the youngest of the Blythe children is now a young woman of 15 who is wanting the typical teenage things like parties, fun, and to flirt with boys. Instead she is worried about her brothers, her potential beau, and the impact the war is having on the people at home. I ended up shedding tears quite a bit and it was usually because of that dog. Every single time he made an appearance it just killed me. Really enjoyed learning about how involved the people left behind were in following the progress of the war.

I was about to say that you are all caught up with the Charles Lennox series only to discover that there are two more books.... which means I am two books behind with the series. ;-)

I'm up to Death in the Small Hours and am going to use the July Random Cat as a good excuse to read it.

Your enthusiasm for Charles Finch makes me think I should give him another chance. When I read A Beautiful Blue Death I was very disappointed. Not a bad idea and setting but it was the idiot woman next door who finished it for me. I had already bought The September Society that I still have on the shelf, unread. That's the one I will try if your enthusiasm proves to be catching :)

The next one, The Inheritance, comes out Nov 1!

>154 clue: - Thanks for the heads up!

>151 lkernagh: - I have one more to go before the next one comes out this year. I'm going to go through withdrawal until then!

>152 dudes22: - You're almost caught up. Hope you enjoy it!

>153 VivienneR: - Hmm, if you don't like Jane then you might not like the rest of the series. Not that she's the main focus but she is one of the main characters.

>154 clue: - But that's too long to wait!

Doing my usual mad rush to update before the weekend is over.

72. Notorious RBG by Irin Carmon (3 stars)

If my rating was only based on the life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg then I'd totally give this 5 stars. She is such an amazing woman and has accomplished so much. The format as a bit too choppy for my taste but did give the pertinent details of her life.

73. Smoke by Dan Vyleta (3 stars)

Inspired by a line from Dickens, this book is set in a Dickensian time and imagines a world where every bad thought or deed that you have is represent by smoke. Starting to feel angry, big puffs of smoke start to appear - needless to say this can complicate life a bit. The story focuses on two friends in school who get caught up questioning whether everything they've been told about smoke is true. Fascinating concept but it got a bit repetitive, especially with the frequent explanations regarding how smoke works.

74. The Thrill of the Haunt by E.J. Copperman (4 stars)

I do love this series. This time Allison is juggling two different cases while trying to still pretend to most of the town that she doesn't really see ghosts.

75. Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss (3 stars)

Funny and annoying book about punctuation. Lots of pertinent details but at times the tone felt a bit condescending. Still, it's something I'll keep on hand for reference.

76. The Laws of Murder by Charles Finch (4 stars)

This picks up a few months after the ending of the previous book and finds Charles struggling to pull his weight in the newly formed detective agency. When a friend is murdered, Charles can't help but get involved. Loved how this one unfolded.

Smoke sounds intriguing, and then I clicked on The Thrill of the Haunt to see what series it's in. Someone tagged that book with "two of the female characters were over the top about going into an empty men's bathroom- grown women!" Ha!

The Tsar of Love and Techno sounds great - love the quotes you included!

I have both A Man Called Ove and Girl Waits Gun waiting on my shelves for me - I'll have to move them up th list!

>159 LisaMorr: - Hope you like them as much as I did!

Please join me for my second half of the year thread.

http://www.librarything.com/topic/226537