Helenoel's 2016 thread

A clean slate!. I'll add more later, but I'm in for another year.

#1 A fearsome Doubt 1-11-2016 TIOLI # 21
#2 Cry The Beloved Country audiobook 1-11-2016
#3 Skinwalkers for the Navajo mystery project 1-15-2016
#4 A Rule Against Murder: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel 1-19-2016
#5 A Night Too Dark audiobook 1-19-2016
#6 Soul Music TIOLI #4 1-25-2016
#7 Kitchens of the Great Midwest audiobook 2-1-2016 February TIOLI #5
#8 Sidney Chambers and the Problem of Evil 2-4-2016 TIOLI #11
#9 A Fatal Grace: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel e-book from library 2-9-2016 TIOLI #5
#10 Burial Rites 2-18-2016
#11 Hell is Empty 2-21-2016 TIOLI #11
#12 Bone by Bone 2-22-2016 audiobook
#13 Maya's Notebook 3-2-2016 audiobook TIOLI #3
#14 Sextant 3-5-2016 TIOLI #1
# 15 A Thief of Time 3-8-2016 TIOLI #1
#16 The Redeemer 3-16-2016 audiobook TIOLI #1
#17 Names for the Sea: Strangers in Iceland 3-19-2016 TIOLI #18
# 18 A Short History of Nearly Everything 3-22-2016 TIOLI #12
# 19 The Marriage of Mary Russell 3-24-2016 TIOLI #9
#20 A Cruise to Die For 3-24-2016 TIOLI #12
#21 A Stranger in Mayfair3-27-2016 TIOLI #16
#22 The secret Chord 3-31-2016 TIOLI #7
#23 Lord of the Wings 4-10-2016 TIOLI #11
#24 As the Crow Flies 4-10-2016 TIOLI #2
#25 A Study in Sherlock 4-25-2016 audiobook
# 26 The Winds of Folly 4-29-2016
#27 Unraveled Sleeve 5-02-2016 May TIOLI #5
# 28 Abigail Adams 5-4-2016 audiobook TIOLI #4
#29 The Murder of Mary Russell 5-07-2016 TIOLI #3
#30 Tea Time for the Traditionally Built 5-15-2016
#31Talking God 5-21-2016. TIOLI#4
#32 Call the Midwife: Farewell to the East End 5/23/2016 audiobook TIOLI #10
#33 Matriarch: An Australian Novel of Love and War 5/24/2016 TIOLI #17
# 34 Blood Orange 5/28/2016 TIOLI # 11
#35The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party audiobook 6/1/2016 TIOLI#7
#36 A Serpent's Tooth 6/2/2016 TIOLI #10
#37A Parliament of Owls 6/3/2016
#38 My Brilliant Friend - 6-6-2016
#39 Monstrous Regiment - 6-10-2016
#40 Alexandria - 6-22-2016 audiobook
#41 Boy, Snow, Bird 6-22-2016
#42 A Man without a Country 6-24-2016 audiobook
#43 Tall Tail: A Mrs. Murphy Mystery 7-4-2016
#44 Elegy for Eddie (Maisie Dobbs Mysteries) Audiobook 7-6-2016 TIOLI #19
#45 Doc 7-14-2016 TIOLI #21
#46 Coyote Waits 7-15-2016 TIOLI #8
#47 The Shepherd's Crown 7-25-2016
#48 Fatally Flaky audiobook 7-25-2016
#49 Sight Unseen audiobook 8-3-2016 TIOLI # 11
#50 A Holiday Yarn: A Seaside Knitters Mystery 8-3-2016
#51 The Man Who Loved China audiobook 8-11-2016
#52 Old Age: A Beginner's Guide 8-17-2016 TIOLI #2
#53 Engineering Eden: The True Story of a Violent Death, a Trial, and the Fight over Controlling Nature8-29-2016 TIOLI #13
#54 The Silkworm audiobook - 9-1-2016
#55 Any Other Name 9-7-2016
#56 All the Light we cannot See 9-19-2016
#57 44 Scotland Street 9-22-2016
#58 Sacred Clowns 9-27-2016
# 59 Arsenic and Old Books 10-2-2016 TIOLI #9
# 60 Die like an Eagle 10-5-2016 TIOLI #10
# 61 Dry Bones 10-7-2016 TIOLI #3
#62 The Laws of Murder audiobook 10-7-2016 TIOLI #2
#63 Presumption of Guilt 10-12-2016 TIOLI #9
#64 Endangered 10-17-2016 TIOLI #7
# 65 The Human Blend audiobook- 10-18-2016
#66 Leaving Everything Most Loved 10-21-2016 TIOLI #5
#67 The Brutal Telling audiobook- Loise Penny 10-28-2016
#68 End in Tears 11-08-2016 audiobook TIOLI #6
#69 As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust 11-12-2016 TIOLI #5
# 70 The Elegance of the Hedgehog audiobook 2016-11-17
# 71 A Trick of the Light 2016-11-18
# 72 The Lace Reader audiobookb2016-11-23
#73 Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd 2016-12-03
#74 The Jupiter Myth audiobook 2016-12-05
#75 The Fallen Man 2016-12-09
# 76An Obvious Fact 2016-12-16
#77 Her Fearful Symmetry audiobook 2016-12-15

Welcome back!

Nice to see you back again Helen.

Dropping a star and wishing you a Happy New Year!

Also dropping a star!

Happy New Year!

Waving hello from across the river. Happy 2016!

Happy 2016 to you.

# 1 for the year- A Fearsome Doubt by Charles Todd. Listed for TIOLI #21 though I could go to several other challenges. Ex-British officer, now returned ot policeing, Ian Rutledge and his "sidekick" Hamish solve a complex tangle of post-WWI murdered soldiers and a revisit to an old case. Good stuff, but intricate plot.

And #2 - an audiobook of Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton. A classic that I had never read. Good story, interesting to look at 1940's South Africa from 21st Century America

# 3 - Skinwalkers by Tony Hillerman from the library for the Navajo mystery project. I really enjoy these- and the discussion in the project thread.

Look at you, Helen! Three books under your belt already!

#4 A Rule Against Murder: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel - Louise Penny - I've just started reading her series, and this one is out of order, though fairly early. I see why these are popular. - Good characters, decent mystery, nice settigns.

#5 A Night Too Dark audiobook Kate Shugak keeps the Niniltna Native Association in line and sorts out mysterious deaths associated with the proposed gold mine... More development of characters, and National Park and Alaska issues. Good listening while commuting.

# 6 - Soul Music by Terry Pratchett in which DEATH takes a holiday and Music with Rocks in it is born.

Somehow I missed this or maybe read it long before I started keeping track.

# 7 Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal
the latest audiobook from the library. I picked this at random from the shelf- later found it was a NYT bestseller. Good story. a series of related short pieces connecting people around the central character and all related to food and selection and preparation. a very pleasant surprise. four stars.

#8 Sidney Chambers and the Problem of Evil Third book in the Grantchester series. pleasant mysteries, 1960s setting in England, aging clergyman deals with crimes. Not much zip, but ok read.

# 9 . A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny . the second Three Pines book. I'm trying to read them in order, which led to borrowing the e-book from the library to read on the Nook. First time for everything - it worked well, and although I prefer dead tree books, the Nook is acceptable.

Good story - further developments in the main characters of the series.

#10 Burial Rites Historical Fiction set in Iceland- grim story beautifully told. realizing the harsh realities of life in a society focused on surviving .

# 11 - Hell is Empty for the Navajo project. Best book yet in the Longmire series, but itdoes not add much to the group character development, as most of the regulars are absent, except of course Walt.

# 12 Bone by Bone my commuting audiobook. Engaging murder mystery- a bit dark, but well written and a good yarn.

# 13 - Maya's Notebook by Isabel Allende I have listened to several of Allende's books as audiobooks form the library and enjoyed them all. Different types of novels, but all good. This contemporary coming-of-age novel explores American drug/crime/street "culture" , Chilean experience after the Pinochet takeover.

# 14 Sextant A Young Man's Daring Sea Voyage and the Men Who Mapped the World's Oceans by David Barrie . History of developments in celestial navigation, some explanation of techniques, and a personal memoir combined. Well written and much enjoyed..

>19 Helenoel: Sextant
Oh, that looks interested... BB.

>20 qebo: It is a bit different- but I enjoyed it...

Navajo mystery project. and # 15 for the year - A Thief of Time for the Navajo mystery project. I read this a long time ago- nice to catch up to it again in series order and context.

# 16 - audiobook of The Redeemer by Jo Nesbo
Dark Scandanavian mystery somewhat lightened by the continuing saga of policemen Harry Hole. I always have a bit of a struggle keeping all the characters straight for the first few chapters- but then settle in and enjoy yhe story and mystery..

Good commuting listening fare - since I can no longer bear the endless chaos in the news.

# 17 & 18 - I seem to be racking up audiobooks faster than ones I read. # 17 -Names for the Sea by Sarah Moss Memoir of a young family's year in Iceland during the financial crisis. I enjoyed the later part of the book better- when they get out of Reykjavik a bit, but the whole is a good read.

# 18 abridged audiobook of A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. I actually own this one- from a yard sale at my neighbor's who used to work for a publisher.

# 19 The Marriage of Mary Russell - a Laurie King short story on the Nook.
Candy for fans of Mary and Sherlock.

and
#20 A Cruise to Die For by Charlotte and Aaron Elkins - the art history mystery series-
I don't like thee as well as Aaron's solo series on anthropology, but it was a fun read.

Have a wonderful Easter.

>26 PaulCranswick: Thank you Paul - Alleluia, The Lord is Risen !

Book # 21 A Stranger in Mayfair - by Charles Finch - i turns out this was a re-read, but from several years ago. I remembered the character development points, but not the particulars of the mystery. must remember my phone at the library so I can check LT and avoid such. But it was a pleasant read.

Book #22 - The Secret Chord - Geraldine Brooks' take on King David, told by the prophet Natan. This was a library audiobook, and was a good listen. Audiobook was a bit of a disadvantage because Brooks uses old (Hebrew?) names rather than the ones most of us would recognize- but having the Hebrew words read rather than trying to sound them out myself was an advantage. I think the paper book must have a list of names and places, which is not on the audiobook. I added this to the March TIOILI today, because I finished it yesterday.

>29 Helenoel: I read that - I rather envy you knowing how the Hebrew should be pronounced. I suspect what was in my head is not right!

>30 charl08: - Yes, I'm sure I would not get it right if I was looking at paper. Pros and cons to each format. For most of the names I could figure out who the more familiar characters were, but I should go back and read the Old Testament version.

Book # 23 - The Lord of the Wings totally silly mystery in which Meg Langslow defeats the forces of evil while juggling her family, the town of Caerphilly, and the Halloween festival. This town has more special events an celebrations that seems possible, but Andrews manages to get a story out of each one.... Good fun and totally frivolous read.

>29 Helenoel: I read that one as well! I love Geraldine Brooks! It took some getting used to the Hebraic usages of the names, but I was so drawn into the story, I picked it up quickly enough. Have you read People of the Book? Another favorite.

>33 michigantrumpet:. Yes I read People of the Book first. Then Caleb's Crossing. Both very good.

I also enjoyed Year of Wonders. Still haven't gotten to March as yet -- and that one's a favorite of several Brooks fans I know!

>35 michigantrumpet: - I listened to March on disc- have not yet done Year of Wonders

# 24 As the Crow Flies for the Navajo mystery project.
Very good-

#25 audiobook of A Study in Sherlock - a collection of Holmes related short works. - pretty good, but not all to my taste- good reason for variety.

# 26 The Winds of Folly - A LTER-ARC. Nautical, British Navy set in early Napoleonic time- ok story- I might have been more impressed if I had read other sin the series. I'd read more if they came my way, but not nearly as engaging as the Aubrey/Maturing series.

# 27 Unraveled Sleeve by Monica Ferris. Cozy mystery involving needlework but also set on the north shore of Lake Superior in winter- so a bit of atmosphere.

# 28 Abigail Adams audiobook - biography of our second First Lady - well written, good as a audiobook on my commute.
#29 The Murder of Mary Russell Further developments in the life of Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes. no spoilers, but "nothing will ever be the same". Laurie King's usual well written adventures. Fans of the series should not miss this one.

I've fallen behind on reporting:
#30 Tea Time for the Traditionally Built 5-15-2016 audiobook - Mma Ramoswe is always entertaining.

#31 Talking God 5-21-2016. TIOLI#4 For the Navajo Muystery Project. Chee and Leaphorn converge on Washington DC and manage to survive away from teh desert.

#32 Call the Midwife: Farewell to the East End 5/23/2016 audiobook - Some familar stories from the TV show, some have been alterd for TV and some additional material. Enjoyed much- need ot check the library for the first two books.

#33 Matriarch: An Australian Novel of Love and War by Geoffrey Hope Gibson A LTER-ARC- I had great hopes and did enjoy it, but it could have been much better.

# 34 Blood Orange by Susan Wittig Albert in which China Bayles solves he mystery and promotes herbs and botanicals. Predictable, but a good fun read.
from the library.

#35 The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party audiobook Good commuting fare. the No. 1 Lady detectives make the world a better place.

#36 A Serpent's Tooth by Craig Johnson for the Navajo Mystery project. a pretty good contribution to the series- but I'll hold comment until a fews more have read it.

#37 A Parliament of Owls by Christine Goff - An LTER-ARC
I have not read any other books in the series but will probably look for them.

# 38 My Brilliant Friend - i was not as much a fan as some seem to be. Maybe the whole series grows on folks, but I'm not in a rush to find out. I appreciate the good writing and construction, but found reading it a bit of a slog.

#39 Monstrous Regiment - 6-10-2016
trying to gradually read or reread all of Pratchett. Good vacation fare.

#40 Alexandria -by Lindsey Davis audiobook
in which Falco and Helena Justina and the kids go to Egypt - family vacation of course is interrupted by mysterious deaths. Good fun and a look at ancient Egypt through different eyes.

#41 Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi I picked this off a remainder tale because it had gotten lots of good press. An interesting novel, but I'm glad I don't have to do literary analysis for a living- other reviewers found so much more than I did to talk about. Interesting exploration of race, perceptions and reactions.

#42 A Man without a Country Kurt Vonnegut audiobook Short memoir/essays written late in Vonnegut's life. I was struck that he was prophetic- as I look at the current state of the country and world. But prophets are without honor and all that..

#43 Tall Tail: A Mrs. Murphy Mystery a LTER-ARC - predictably good read- Harry and the animals sort out a historical mystery in the Blue Ridge of Virginia.

#44 Elegy for Eddie (Maisie Dobbs Mysteries) Audiobook First Maisie Dobbs story I've had as an audiobook- works pretty well in this format. I like this series-Maisie is growing in maturity and relationships as she solves mysteries.

#45 Doc I really enjoyed this histo-fiction about Doc Holliday. Russell is an exceptional writer- 5 stars. not a topic I would go serching for, bu I think I will follow Mary Doria Russell wherever she leads...

# 46 - Coyote Waits by Tony Hillerman for the Navajo mystery project.
I think this is one of the best
Hillermans so far- Good interplay between Chee and Leaphorn, more Navajo spirituality and developments in the personal lives of both main characters.

>47 Helenoel: Boy, Snow, Bird
I just read this for a RL book group and found it a bit too gratuitously weird for my taste.

>48 Helenoel: Doc
I read this a few years ago, keep meaning to get to the sequel Epitaph...

>50 qebo: I just picked up Epitaph with a B&N coupon today. It is in paperback.

#47 The Shepherd's Crown - Terry Pratchett's last Discworld book in which Tiffany Aching rises to her potential. Predicatably good, but a bit sad, as the end of the series..

#48 Fatally Flaky audiobook - Caterer sleuth Goldie sorts it all out again. fluffy, but good fun.

#49 Sight Unseen audiobook -A bit more grim and gory than I usually like- but engaging thriller- good commuting fare.

#50 A Holiday Yarn: A Seaside Knitters Mystery Cozy mystery set somewhere near a yarn shop- though it did not factor in the story.

#51 The Man Who Loved China audiobook Biography of Joseph Needham who went to China when few Europeans did.

#52 Old Age: A Beginner's Guide - A memoir about age, Parkinsons, and the problems in the world.

# 53 Engineering Eden: The True Story of a Violent Death, a Trial, and the Fight over Controlling Nature - A LTER-ARC- quite good historical look at the changing policies of wildlife and fire management in National Parks, told through the story of a trial, and bios of key naturalists who did the research.

So far in September

#54 The Silkworm audiobook - A second listen, but I did not remember much plot from the first

#55 Any Other Name - should have been last month- for the Navajo mystery project- among the best of the Longmier series.

#56 All the Light we cannot See A 2015 Christmas gift and yes it is as good as everyone says...I kept reading it in short bits to keep the enjoyment going..

And almost done with 44 Scotland Street as my commuting audiobook.

Finished #57 - 44 Scotland Street and
#58Sacred Clowns for the Navajo mystery project. among the best of Hillerman's so far.

Catching up for October. I must be trying to avoid some other work, I've been zipping through books, mostly from the library or passed along from my husband.

# 59 Arsenic and Old Books paperback picked up for airplane reading - ok- male archivist in a cozy mystery for something a bit different.
# 60 Die like an Eagle - New from Donna Andrews and the library new book shelf. In which Meg Langslow saves small children's baseball league and we enjoy bird puns.
# 61 Dry Bones - by Craig Johnson- for the Navajo Mystery project. one of the best yet from Johnson.
#62 The Laws of Murder audiobook by Charles Finch - current installment in the Charles Lennox series- in which our heroes invent the private detective agency and a new business model.
#63 Presumption of Guilt Archer Mayor's latest Joe Gunther novel. Vermont policing at its best.
#64 Endangered by C. J. Box. Game Warden Joe Pickett has a personal challenge - and a game related one . Good stuff.

More for October
# 65 The Human Blend audiobook- ok for commuting noise, but not great techno-thriller- future eco-stressed world with medical alterations standard - mysterious object - Meh.

#66 Leaving Everything Most Loved Maisie Dobbs - In Which Maisie makes some personal decisions. I really like this series- I'm almost through the back list- I hate it when I don't have new ones to look forward to...

I finished off October with
#67 The Brutal Telling audiobook- Loise Penny I'm trying to read these in order, but my library is not always cooperative... Must learn patience.

November reading is slower. Ruth Rendell's End in Tears audiobook for #68 and

#69 As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust in which Flavia DeLuce continues to grow up a bit - this time at boarding school in Canada. Good fun with this peculiar child heroine.

Better late than never, I've starred your thread

Catching up on entering books- And I made it to 75!

# 70 The Elegance of the Hedgehog audiobook 2016-11-17
This started slow- I'd have given up if I had another audiobook for commuting- but it got better. Still a bit strange, but worth a listen.

# 71 A Trick of the Light 2016-11-18 - Louise Penny seems to always be good value

# 72 The Lace Reader audiobookb2016-11-23
I've had the book kicking around for years, but the audiobook jumped off the shelf so I have finally listened to it. A bit different than I expected, but very good.

#73 Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd 2016-12-03 - The newest in Flavia DeLuce's progress- entertaining fluff.

#74 The Jupiter Myth audiobook 2016-12-05 Falco in Britain - family, old girlfriends, old friends and organized crime. What could be better?

#75 The Fallen Man 2016-12-09 Tony Hillerman - among the best of the Chee/Leaphorn series- read for the Navajo Mystery Project.

Woo hoo! Congratulations on hitting the 75 book mark!!

Congrats on 75. I've only done it twice. It's not easy, what with that pesky real life creeping in.

>63 mahsdad: - Thanks it has gotten easier since I've started commuting with books on disc instead of listening to the repeat of the morning news.

Congrats!

Moving ahead -
#76 An Obvious Fact for the Navajo Mystery Project. I've really enjoyed discovering Craig Johnson through this group read. Good stuff. I may need to shell out for NetFlix to see the shows now that I've read the books.

#77 Her Fearful Symmetry audiobook - picked up at the library mostly at random. Not really my usual stuff but I enjoyed it. Twins, family secrets and ghosts next to the cemetery.

Congrats on 75!

Wouldn't it be nice if 2017 was a year of peace and goodwill.
A year where people set aside their religious and racial differences.
A year where intolerance is given short shrift.
A year where hatred is replaced by, at the very least, respect.
A year where those in need are not looked upon as a burden but as a blessing.
A year where the commonality of man and woman rises up against those who would seek to subvert and divide.
A year without bombs, or shootings, or beheadings, or rape, or abuse, or spite.

2017.

Festive Greetings and a few wishes from Malaysia!

Well done on reaching the 75!

This is the Christmas tree at the end of the Pacific Beach Pier here in San Diego, a Christmas tradition.

To all my friends here at Library Thing, I want you to know how much I value you and how much I wish you a very happy holiday, whatever one you celebrate, and the very best of New Years!