Clue ROOTS 2016

Removed the trackers of books added...a used bookstore I've bought from for 20 years closed due to retirement. The owner contacted his regulars the last week the store was open and sold anything we wanted for $1. What could I do but help him get rid of his inventory?? Next year I'll try again to reduce books coming into the house but the future is so unpredictable!

This year I'm going to track how many books I buy just to see if it helps control the number of TBR at the end of the year. I have to laugh, every year I go to a book fair the 2nd weekend in January!

>3 clue: I've found that keeping track of what I buy actually does help me keep my purchases/acquisitions lower. Knowing that the number was getting too high, made me think again before I bought a book that was just going languish on the shelf.

Welcome back and good luck! :)

Happy ROOTing, Luanne!

And yes, it does help to keep track of books bought.

Welcome back and enjoy your reading!

Another brave soul tracking new books acquired. Shiver... Good luck!

Happy Rooting!

As for me....... doesn't really help to track books coming in. They come in anyway. ;P
but I keep track anyway bc I'm just that kind of gal... ;)

>9 avanders: It may just be a ruse to play with numbers. LOL!

>10 clue: if nothing else, it's certainly eye opening! :-o

Good luck with your ROOT reading!

Thanks to everyone for the good wishes, my ROOTING has officially started. Last night we had to scuttle New Year's Eve plans even though we had reservations at a nice restaurant because the streets around it were closed due to flooding. I was very tired as were others in the group so rather than try to crowd in somewhere else we decided to postpone our fun night together until the restaurant is open again since we think the only problem is that we couldn't get to it and not that it has water inside. I was so happy relaxing in my reading chair and I chose a gentle read to kick off my challenges. I had read a couple of Miss Read's Fairacre books but never the first one so I began and have finished Village School, a lovely little book. It was the right book for the time and now I'm going to begin When Books Went to War along with Transatlantic by Colm McCann.

Happy ROOTNG!

WOOT congrats on your first ROOT pulled!

Happy New Year and congrats on digging in early!

Due to surgery we did not go out (which we never do on New Year's Eve) or invite people over to celebrate with us. I also spent New Year's Eve with a book and some classical music and it was delightful!

>18 Tess_W: sounds delightful! :)

Transatlantic by Colum McCann is written in 3 sections. Each revolves around the Irish and/or American experience in some way. There are historical characters intermingled with fictional characters that run through the maternal line of a family for 5 generations. The first of the women is a housemaid in the home where Frederic Douglas stays during his 1845 visit to Ireland. Inspired by Douglas she takes passage to America hoping for a better life. From there history is told through the present by the lives of each succeeding generation. I think McCann is one of the best writers of our generation and this will be one of my favorite books of the year.

Completed A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson and I'm glad I finally read it so I can see the movie! This is Bryson's account of his attempt to walk the 2100 mile Appalachian Trail with his childhood friend Stehen Katz. The pair "only" completed 875 miles over 2 summers though they made a sincere attempt. Some of the stories Bryson tells about the adventure are very funny but others, particularly those about the environmental changes to the woods, are serious and rather sad. It's been more than 15 years since their attempt and I can't help but think about how much more damage has been made since the book was written.

It's very brave of you to record your book buys on a ticker. I don't think I dare!

I was pleased to see you enjoyed Transatlantic so much. I have it on my TBR but a few people seemed to have been disappointed with it recently, which had dimmed my enthusiasm to make a start on it.

>22 Soupdragon: I have the buying ticker too. just to scare me!

I did a ticker for my acquisitions last year, for the first time, and whilst it was a bit gulp-inducing I think that actively monitoring what was coming in as well as what was being read was a really good thing for me to do, and strengthened my resolve to not acquire so much this year.

After I decided to include the books bought on a ticker, I decided to have 2 tickers so I could see how many books I buy vs how many I'm given. I go to a couple of book fairs a year, one was in January, where I get books free. I don't usually have any choice in what I get, they are just handed out. That's why I show 6 free this one month. Some of those I don't think I'll read and when I decide for sure I'll remove them from the free ticker. I know a good portion of my TBRs were not bought by me.

>21 clue: me too! I mean, I want to read it so I can see the movie ;) Sounds great.. I'll get to one of those Brysons on my shelves one of these days....

>22 Soupdragon: lol it can be rather shocking...

>25 clue: good plan!

Dissolution by C. J. Sansom is a mystery set in 1537, a year after the death of Anne Boleyn. Under the orders of Thomas Cromwell a team of commissioners is investigating monasteries and preparing for their dissolution. Mathew Shardlake, a lawyer and Reformist, is sent to the monastery at Scarsea to investigate the murder of one of those commissioners. What he learns and all that he must question leads him down dangerous paths and ends in surprising discoveries not just within the monastery but also of his own beliefs. A fine historical mystery.

>27 clue:, I really liked Dissolution (reminded me of a somewhat more accessible Name of the Rose). But what I liked best about the Shardlake mysteries is how each of them seem to be a slightly different approach to historical mysteries (this one is almost a 'locked room' style mystery, Dark Fire is more adventure/puzzle-thriller, Sovereign is quite political and Revelation is a historical twist on a serial killer novel).

>28 Caramellunacy: I'm looking forward to reading them all! I had actually read Dissolution in 2009. I decided I wanted to read more in the series but thought I needed to reread Dissolution first and I'm glad I did.

I've read Dissolution and Dark Fire and have most of the others on my shelves to read. I enjoyed the two I read but remember Dark Fire mostly as being long, which puts me off continuing a little. Not that I mind long books, just that noticing and remembering seems a bad sign!

>30 Soupdragon: If you remember it as long it could have been 50 pages shorter! That's what I always think. To much wandering trough the woods or reminiscing about old things happened.

>31 connie53: You're probably right!

>30 Soupdragon: That's interesting, I really enjoyed Dark Fire as being more "action"-y but thought the third (Sovereign) dragged a bit. But I suppose one's preference informs tolerance levels for that sort of thing!

>33 Caramellunacy: Actually, I remember Dark Fire as quite actiony too and I'm usually pretty tolerant of wanderings and meanderings anyway, so I'm not sure what it was. Maybe I was just impatient to start my next read!

House Made of Dawn by N. Scott Momaday received the Pulitzer Prize in 1969. It tells the story of a young Indian man beginning when he returns from WWII and follows his struggle adjusting to living in mainstream society. The book isn't written in linear format, there are flashbacks and flash-forwards along with Kiowa myth interspersed. House Made of Dawn has been credited with being the impetus to move Native American literature into the mainstream.

Wow you're kicking ROOT butt! Congrats! :)

>27 clue: >28 Caramellunacy: et al. Feeling an addition to the wish-list.. is there a best place to start? Dissolution?

>36 avanders:,
I think the solution to Dissolution (I did not see what I did there until now, but am letting it stand) turns up as a source of some angst in later books - so probably best to start there.

>36 avanders: I've only read the first one but I plan to read them in order.

Yep, I've read 5 ROOTS against a goal of 30 so that's pretty good. This month will be slower, I have 2 library books and then I'll get back to ROOTS, hope to get at least 2 more this month. I forgot that I had The Lake House by Kate Morton on reserve on the library's e-book system, it just became available a couple of days ago and I had placed a reserve request in mid November! No wonder I forgot.

>38 clue: That's one I need to read too. It's on my SoonTBR-pile.

>37 Caramellunacy: hee hee ;) ok cool
>38 clue: yeah, I like to read them in order too

My first ROOT for February...My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante. I have another about half read but now must switch to a library book for my book club selection for the month.

This isn't right, I finished a book on the 1st of Feb that I thought I finished in Jan so I have completed 2 this month. That makes me feel better! Tickers have been updated.

A memoir that begins when the author finishes college and goes to Italy to live for 6 months. An average read.

>42 clue:, a shame you didn't much care for it. I have a bit of a fondness for ex-pats abroad/study abroad memoirs - being an expat myself, and I always love to see other cultures and people connecting with them.

>43 Caramellunacy: I usually like this sort of book too. My problem with this one is that the author featured her relationship with one family and didn't write much about Naples or any other people she met. The book covers one year and at the end she is in love with the son of the family and will eventually marry him . It just wasn't very engaging.

A light book about the flower girls of London who are poor, often orphaned and disabled in some way. Although it's a serious topic it lacks depth but is good for a break from more weighty reads.

The House of a Thousand Lanterns was published in 1974 by the very popular writer Victoria Holt. A gothic romance, the pace is rather slow compared to fiction written today but it was an enjoyable read. This is my last ROOT of the month which brings me to 9 complete against a goal of 30.

>46 clue: - Oooohhh... that one looks good! I do love a vintage gothic read!

I have completed my first ROOT for April, The Tree by John Fowles, an argument by one of the best 20th century novelists on the connection between nature and creativity.

>48 clue: well, that touchstone takes you to Return of the King ;P But sounds interesting!

>49 avanders: Thanks, I took them both out since it's pretty confusing.

I thought the essay was interesting, it's been a long time since I've read anything by him, and would never have guessed he was so interested in nature. I've added rereading The French Lieutenant's Wife to my to read list, I read it long years ago and want to see what I think of it now.

I've read my second ROOT for the month, Braving It: A Father, A Daughter, And An Unforgettable Journey Into The Alaskan Wild. This was an ER and by my rules a ROOT.

A terrific book by a well known outdoors-man and nature writer, about his trip to far Northern Alaska with his 15 year old daughter. It was a working trip where they helped Campbell's cousin build a home in one of the most remote places in the world.

I completed my first ROOT for May, The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Phillips. Maybe not my favorite of hers, but it was still good. She writes about friendship, loyalty and love and uses just a sprinkle of magical realism that makes her books fun to read.

I have read two more this month:

Citizens Creek by Lalita Tademy a historical novel based on the life of a black man who was a slave of a Creek chief and who eventually became a chief in the tribe himself.

Tea in the Library by Annette Freeman, a memoir of sorts about Freeman's experience planning and opening a restaurant and bookstore that closed after 18 months in business.

The protagonist of My House in Umbria by William Trevor is Mrs. Delahunty. Mrs. Delahunty is English but owns a property in Umbria where she takes in lodgers when the hotels are full. While she is on a train returning from a trip to Milan there is an explosion attributed to terrorists though that is never proven. Several passengers are killed but Mrs. Delahunty receives injuries that aren't fatal. Two adults and a child from her car are also hospitalized. The three are a young German man, a retired English General, and a young American girl. The families and traveling companions of the three are all killed. Once they are released from the hospital all need a place to go and Mrs. Delahunty invites them to stay at her home until they are ready to travel. The girl is suffering from psychological rather than physical injuries and a search for a relative is launched because her parents and brother are among the dead.

From the beginning Mrs. Delahunty admits to a shadowy past: " It is not easy to introduce myself. Gloria Grey, Janine Ann Johns, Cora Lamore: there is a choice, and there have been other names as well". We learn she previously lived in Africa where she owned a bordello. Quinty, who runs her house in Umbria, came with her from there. Three other people, the child's estranged uncle, the Dr. that treats her and a maid who is also Quinty's love interest complete the cast of characters.

The book has many layers and the reader can think them over or take the book at it's most basic level. Over the months the characters reside in Mrs. Delahunty's house she gathers tidbits of their histories. Even then, all is not clearly uncovered and the reader is left to wonder.

Congrats on passing the halfway point!
Looks like you're finding books that you're enjoying... so motivating when ROOTing! :)

>54 clue: A BB for me!

Congrats on reaching and passing the halfway point, Luanne

>54 clue: Sounds very interesting but I can't find a translation. Pity. Or perhaps a blessing, dodging this BB. What I can't buy I can't read ;-))

Late Nights on Air by Elizabeth Hay takes place in 1975 in Northern Canada and revolves around people who work at a radio station with very few listeners. The characters are primarily station employees. They include the beautiful, seductive and talented Dido, shy Gwen who drove 3000 miles through remote Canada alone looking for a job, and Eleanor who has been in Yellowknife the longest and is realizing it's time to move on.

The employees think the first television station coming to Yellowknife will change their lives. Before that can happen, a canoe trip taken by four of the employees becomes a fateful turning point.

I was impatient with the book at first but stayed with it and I'm glad I did. The characters are quirky and the ending unexpected. I like those things.

3.5 stars

Just popping in and saying 'Hi' to you!

The first ROOT for August is How The Light Gets In by Louise Penny. This is the ninth in the Chief Inspector Gamache series and is one of my favorites. This series stays fresh and I always look forward to the next one.

The second ROOT for August is The Christie Curse by Victoria Abbott. This is the first in the Book Collector Mystery series.

My third ROOT for August is Gillespie and I by Jane Harris. I have 6 more to read to meet goal.

Happy Sunday, Luanne!

Completed A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman this morning. As so many have said, it's a great book.

>It's on my TBR list, can't wait to get to it!

I completed The Muralist. This is my third ROOT for the month and it gives me 27/30.

>65 Tess_W: I got a slow start but once I got into it I was hooked!

A Noble Radiance is the 7th title in the Commissario Guido Brunetti series by Donna Leon. The series is set in Venice where Leon, an American, has lived for 30 years. Like others in the series, corruption and aristocratic Venice play a large part in the plot.

The sixth in the Flavia de Luce series and one of my favorites. I love this character, an "almost twelve" chemistry enthusiast with plans to become a detective. Fun reading.

I've completed the challenge with a beautiful book The Lost Garden by Helen Humphreys. 30/30

Congratulations on finishing your challenge!

Congrats on reaching your goal!

Woo hoo congrats on meeting your ROOT goal!

Thanks to all, I think I'll raise my goal for next year. As I wrote in the first post, a long running used bookstore closed due to retirement this year and the owner was kind to his regulars....and I brought more books into the house this year than I read! And then there's part 2 to the story. A couple reopened the store and tbeir college age son ran it all summer. Of course I had to help them get a good start! More books into the house!



This isn't a mystery as I expected, but a cozy Christmas story that revolves around a child that was left on a church doorstep one cold Christmas night. A chalice was stolen that same night so the question was, could the thief also have taken the baby?

>74 clue: Great story! I am glad to hear the bookstore reopened and hope it does well. Also glad to hear you are there to help them out ;)

>74 clue: lol well that's a great part 2! And I agree, of course you had to help them get started... ;)

oh! Good to know re that book! I also thought it was a mystery & have it shelved in my "mysteries" section :)
cozy Christmas story sounds lovely!

A belated wish!

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The last two for the year for me are: The Maiden of the Blue Willow and Other Japanese Folktales by Hema Pande and Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

It's been a good year, read some good books and finished at 35/30.

Thanks to everyone for good wishes and for being good reading friends! Hope to "see you" in 2017.

Happy New Year & see you in the new 2017 group!