Dianekeenoy - Finally dipping a toe in...

I've been following this group for several years and enjoyed reading about so many books that I wouldn't have tried if I hadn't heard about them here. So, thank you all for your many wonderful recommendations and your friendly responses when I did venture out with a comment.

So, now, I'm going to try this myself and see how it goes. I was finally able to retire 18 months ago and what a pleasure that is. Not that I didn't love my work (trucking, and no, not a driver!) I did and worked hard for over 35 years, but, now every day is a fresh start and I absolutely love that. I've already gotten off to a good start for my 2016 reading so hopefully I will be able to remember to post them here.

Last, just a little more information, I'm originally from Hickory, N.C. My dad was transferred to N.J. when I was 14. The rest of my family went back south, but I've stayed here in N.J. which, true to the signs as you enter the border says "Welcome to the Garden State". I live in western Jersey and it is truly a beautiful area with farms all around. I live here with my husband, also retired and our three rescue dogs who really keep us busy. I would love to get just one more but, that would probably put my husband completely over the edge.

Welcome! Glad you jumped in this year.

Thanks! It will take me awhile to get up and running, I think.

I am so glad you joined! Be prepared to expand your reading genre. The 75 challenge group members are friendly, well-read, and very kind. I think you will like it here.

Here is my thread:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/217951

I'm can't wait to follow your thread and see what you are reading. Please give a holler if you have questions. Many here will help you.

Hi Linda, thanks for your help with this. I've been following your thread and several others for awhile now and sure enough, have branched out into other genres than just my favorites. Now, I'm going to try and see if I can get my January reviews over here.

My Name is Lucy Barton 4 stars
This is my third book by Elizabeth Strout. They are hard to review for me, especially this one. While it's a short book at 191 pages, it certainly packs in a lot of angst. Lucy Barton is in the hospital recovering from what should have been a simple operation. Her mother, who she hasn't seen or spoken to in years, comes and stays 5 days with her talking softly about people from Lucy's childhood. There is so much in this book. I agree that some people will love this book and it will not appeal to others. It's worth taking the chance! I will be getting her first two books that I missed.

Ashley Bell 4 stars
I finally got to read one of my own books after reading so many library books that I had requested. I love Dean Koontz and have read all of his books (and own them as well). While I did like this book, I did have to keep putting it down, especially at dark. There's a lot going on in this book about a young author diagnosed with a deadly brain cancer. When she's told she has one year to live, she says, "we'll see." It's a wild ride after that so hang on!

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend 3 stars
I really enjoyed reading this book. There is nothing better for a book lover than a book about books! When Sara arrives in Broken Wheel, Iowa to meet her pen pal, Amy, she finds out that Amy died and her funeral is that very day. She is the town's first tourist and they are happy to look after her. How she repays them is the best part of the story. Just a fun, gentle read!

The Guilty One 3.5 stars
After reading Lisa Ballantyne's second book, Everything She Forgot, I wanted to get her first book as well. Finished it last night and enjoyed it almost as much. A very good debut novel. Two story lines, an eleven year old boy is on trial for the murder of an eight year old boy, and the back story of his lawyer, Daniel Hunter. Recommended!

The Missing Kennedy: Rosemary Keenedy and the Secret Bonds of Four Women 2 stars
This wasn't the book I was expecting. Too much about the author and her family and not enough about Rosemary Kennedy. Very disappointing.

The Missing Kennedy: Rosemary Kennedy and the Secret Bonds of Four Women 2 stars
Too much about the author and her family and not enough about Rosemary Kennedy. Very disappointing.

Descent: A Novel 4 stars
This book kept me up past my bed time reading it straight through. The Courtland family are in the Rocky Mountains for a last vacation before their daughter, Caitlin, starts college. She and her younger brother, Sean, go out for a run, but only her brother returns. While the kidnapping is intense enough, the family's handling of this situation is as harrowing

His Right Hand (A Linda Wallheim Mystery 4 stars
One of the most interesting parts of this book is the setting of the Mormon community in Utah. I know very little about this religion and found this fascinating. Linda Wallheim, the wife of the local ward's bishop is an excellent character working with her own conscience to find out how one of her husband's right hand men is found murdered on church property. This is the second book in this series. My next project is to get a copy of the first book, The Bishop's Wife!

The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes 4 stars
I've been thinking about this book ever since I saw it after it came out. Finally, I bought it and read it today. You know from the title that there won't be a happy ending. But, from the beginning, I was invested in the story of Rabbit Hayes (Mia) and her family and friends. The story opens with Rabbit on her way to hospice and how she and her family deals with this final step in her tough journey after fighting breast cancer for 4 years. I liked this book, it made me sad but I still liked it. I'm looking at other books by Anna Partlin and will be ordering them as well. ( )

The Green Road: A Novel 3 stars
This is a book that I felt like I should have enjoyed more. I did finish it but grudgingly. The characters just got on my nerves which rarely happens with me. It won the Man Booker prize and other readers loved it so you should probably try it for yourself!

Midnight Crossroad (A Novel of Midnight, Texas) 3.5 stars
This was a fun audiobook and book one of a new series by Charlaine Harris. I liked the characters and the setting. Looks like maybe a good series to get as audiobooks. The narrator was excellent.

Remember Me This Way 4 stars
A good psychological thriller. On the one year anniversary of her husband's death, Lizzie Carter finds flowers from Xenia. Who is Xenia? And, why does it seem that Zach doesn't seem to be really gone? Getting to these answers makes for a very exciting read!

Silver Sparrow 4 stars
This book was a recommendation from one of my favorite authors, Ann Patchett. It's the story of two families, one husband/father. One public wife and daughter and one hidden wife and daughter. Told from the two daughters' point of view, this book held my interest right through to the end. Tayari Jones is an excellent writer, I've already ordered her two earlier books.

Everything She Forgot: A Novel 4.5 stars Library Thing Early Review
An excellent book that I read straight through after picking it up to place on my to read pile! The author, Lisa Ballantyne does an excellent job of moving back and forth between the past and present. Margaret Holloway is caught in the worst pile-up in London history. She's trapped in her car until a disfigured man pulls her from the car seconds before it catches fire. Then, he's gone.

Though Margaret knows she has been traumatized by the accident, she is also remembering things from her childhood that had been wiped from her memory. Highly recommended. In fact, I have already ordered her first book, The Guilty One and can't wait to read that as well.

Early One Morning 3.5 stars
This book opens with Chiara Ravello ready to leave Rome for the safety of her grandparents' farm. A split second decision saves the life of a young child and changes Chiara's life forever. The story held my interest enough to finish it last night after bed time.

When Breath Becomes Air 4.5 stars LibraryThing Early Review
I won this book as a Early Review copy from Librarything. Part of me was a little frightened about reading and then reviewing a book written by a young neurosurgeon who is diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. I did read this book straight through after picking it up. Paul Kalanithi died in March of 2015 while still working on this book.

He wanted to leave this book for his wife and daughter. The strength it took for him to accomplish this is amazing. Everything about this book, from the forward by Abraham Verghese to the epilogue by his wife, Lucy Kalanithi will move you to tears. However, this book isn't depressing, it's a testament to living a fulfilling life.

The Killing Lessons: A Novel 4 stars
Well, this was one exciting debut novel by Saul Black. Definitely not for the faint of heart. One alpha killer and his sick side kick are traveling around the country in an RV capturing, torturing and killing young women according to an old alphabet chart. We've got a badly damaged detective who has to solve this case before she implodes.

Okay, I think that brings me up to date on the books I've read so far this year. I just finished another Early Reviewer Copy of Eileen but still thinking about that one. Exhausting day...had a dentist appointment and it took forever to get there and to get home because of the mountains of snow on local streets and accidents on the highways to get there. I was almost an hour late arriving (after giving myself an extra hour to get there!) but luckily for me, the guy after me couldn't get there at all so I was able to get everything completed and good for another six months!

I still need to learn how to put pictures and book covers up, but I'll wait until I'm a little fresher.

You are reading at a fast clip. I can see that we have similar reading tastes. Again, I am so glad you joined. This makes me happy! The roads leading to and from campus are small streets, congested with cars on each side. Thus, there is one small path that is ice covered and bumpy. It took 45 minutes to get from my office to Third Street in Bethlehem...what a mess...accidents all over.

I really envy your retirement. It was a wise decision indeed. I have a few more years. Right now, I need the bells and whistles Blue Cross/Blue Shield policy. I pay $250 per month, and Lehigh pays $550. There is no way I want to pay this all on my own when I retire.

http://www.librarything.com/wiki/index.php/Basic_HTML_/_How_to_do_Fancy_Things_i...

The above link should provide assistance regarding importing covers. I hope this helps.

Linda said to come over and say Hi!, so I am. Not that I am always so obedient. LOL. Retirement seems to be suing your reading well--23 books already?! You are scaring me. : )

Hej Diane, welcome. You are reading pretty fast, it looks.

Beginning of February I will to go a Retirement Seminary given for all employments by the university and the city. Four afternoons. But I already know that early retirement will financially not work.

Hello Diane and welcome. I'm Diana :-)

You've read so many books this month, wow.

>24 Whisper1: Hi Linda, I can just imagine how bad the streets must be in Bethlehem. Hopefully, we'll get enough of a warm up to melt it quickly! I can't wait for you to retire, it's just so much fun and even better than I ever imagined! I understand why you have to work for the insurance now. What I did was to retire at 64 and paid for Cobra until I qualified for Medicare this past June. Not that Cobra was any bargain but it worked for me. Thanks again for all your help getting me up and finally running on Librarything!

>26 Berly: Hi Kim, I'm really glad that you were a little obedient and came over to say hello! My biggest fear of finally starting my own thread was the sound of crickets...no one ever stopping by! The best part of retirement is the reading I always dreamed of being able to do! I used to have to buy all my books, not that was ever a problem, but now in addition to buying, I run back and forth to two libraries in town. They both send me their list of books that they are buying and I get to put holds on those books early. Then, they are so fresh and new! Have a great day!

>27 paulstalder: Hi Paul. Thanks for the welcome. I just took a look at your home page and boy have you got the "put the picture of the book" thing done right! That's the next thing I'm going to try later today. That's great that you have a Retirement seminar to take a look at things. One of the things that I did was keep a spreadsheet of all of our expenses for a year. I didn't even tell Kevin, my husband I was doing this. I wanted us to live normally, and not be super careful so I could really see how much it cost to do our normal things, you know, like buy books, flowers, going out to dinner in addition to the necessary expenses. When we finally sat down with our financial guys, I pulled out the spreadsheet so that they could put everything together for us. We still waited for several more months then pulled the plug!

Hi Diane - I also followed the link from Linda's thread. I'm Mamie, and I live in Georgia. Your reading is off to a great start! I'm so glad that you decided to join us this year - this group is loads of fun. We'll try to keep your thread free of crickets!

>28 DianaNL: Hi Diana, I certainly won't forget your name! What does the NL stand for? Thanks so much for the welcome, have a great day!

>32 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie! I don't want to sound like a stalker or anything but I have been following your thread for awhile and so enjoy hearing about your family, your books and of course the pecans! I'm from Hickory, N.C. originally and my relatives in Raleigh always had pecan trees. I have about 4 bags of pecans in my freezer that my dad gave me on my last trip south. This group is the absolute best!

Ha! You made me laugh - that's delightful! I am in love with those pecan trees - I never get tired of looking at them. And of course, the pecans - yum. Feel free to delurk or not - no one on my thread bites. So glad you decided to join us and have a thread this year. Welcome!

Good Morning Diane. How great it is to see people visiting you. In no time, you will feel the warmth of this kind, caring group of readers.

Hi, Diane. Linda tipped me off to your new thread. Great to have you!

What a varied and plentiful lot of books you've read already. When Breath Becomes Air particularly caught my eye.

>33 Dianekeenoy: Diane, NL stands for the Netherlands, in Europe.

>36 Whisper1: Good morning, Linda. It is great to see people stopping by...thanks for suggesting (making them!) that they do so! Love the welcome banner!

>37 jnwelch: Oh my goodness, the Café owner himself! I'm so excited to see you, Joe, I've been following (not stalking, I swear) your thread for a long time! I love seeing the pictures of food and drinks and of course the books. If you like, I will be happy to send you When Breath Becomes Air. Just let me know where to mail it. It is the advanced reviewer copy.

>38 DianaNL: Diana, wow, you're far away. My dad used to have to travel all the time when he was working. He still talks about the beauty of the Netherlands!

17) Eleanor by Jason Gurley 3.5 stars (No touchstone for this title)

I received Eleanor as an Early Reviewer from LibraryThing which I really appreciate. This is a difficult book to categorize. You've got three generations of women and a lot of pain.
When Eleanor's twin, Esmerelda dies in an accident, it causes an incredible rift, both literally and figuratively within the family. Eleanor's mother hates the sight of her daughter because of the reminder of the daughter she lost. Her father leaves after a few months, leaving Eleanor alone with her mother, Agnes. There is a back story of what happens to Agnes' mother which starts everything that happens. There is a mystical element that I found off setting at first, but I kept going and it became more comfortable for me. I did like this book but I didn't love it. I think it will appeal to a lot of people.

If anyone would like this Reviewer's Copy, just let me know. I'm happy to share. The other reviews do a much better job of explaining the content than I did!

welcome Diane
I found your thread at Linda's (Whisper1)
You are reading fast already 17, wow!
Anita

Holy moley - 17 already. I need to be retired. :)

Hi Diane! Happy First Thread!

You've done some great reading already - a few of those titles are on my TBR too.

Diane, noticed your thread is chugging along nicely! Welcome to the group and I have to say you have started your reading year with aplomb.

>43 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita, thanks so much for the welcome! I am a fast reader but I don't retain much! My husband, on the other hand, is a slow reader and never forgets anything he reads! Not sure which is better, but there are just too many books that I want to read so I pick my way!

>44 drneutron: Hi Jim, I know, right? I'm a real big fan of retirement, I had no clue just how wonderful it could be!

>45 katiekrug: Hi Katie, thanks for the welcome! I'm so excited! I've been following your thread too and it's so nice to hear from you!

>46 PaulCranswick: Oh boy, the rock star of Librarything, Paul Cranswick! How exciting to hear from you! I've been using your book hauls to excuse mine. When I come in with a bag of 8 or 9 books, I tell Kevin, my husband, "This is nothing, Paul Cranswick buys a hundred at at time!" It usually stops that conversation. Really, you have done a lot to soothe my conscience about buying books and for that I thank you!

>50 Dianekeenoy: *Blushing*! More a clod than a rock star, I fear Diane, but I will bask in the sentiment nonetheless!

Hi Diane, Welcome!

I'm originally from your neck of the woods. I'm from Bergen County, but spent many summers of my childhood up in Sussex County, NJ. I went to college in Hackettstown and then rode for years at a farm in Oldwick. That was a long time ago, but it is a lovely area.

>52 Copperskye: Hi Joanne, thanks for the welcome. We used to live in Glen Rock, NJ before we moved out here to Long Valley. Sounds like you went to college at Centenary! We like to go there for local concerts. My sister-in-law volunteers at a horse farm in Oldwick for Handicapped Riders. It's right on the main route before you come into Tewksbury. The area has built up quite a bit since we moved here 18 years ago but it's still so beautiful!

18) Remember Me Like This 5 stars

Just finished this book this morning. I couldn't put it down. Justin Campbell disappeared at age 11 and has been gone for 4 years. Then he's found. The story is about how this whole situation effects his family and the whole town. Written from multiple POV, you feel the anguish of each of the main characters except for that of Justin. The book opens up with a scene that you cannot get out of your head as you read the book. It made me want to put the book down because I just didn't want to get to that part ever. However, impossible to do that so I just kept reading. That's all I can say without spoiling the story but this is a book you don't want to miss. Highly recommended, especially in the winter! The heat of Corpus Christi, Texas makes the location a character as well.

>54 Dianekeenoy: - I read that one last year and enjoyed it (which seems the wrong word). I thought it was very good - and having experienced summer weather on the Gulf coast of Texas, I can say he got it spot-on in all its steamy and sticky glory!

HI Diane

You are off to a great start. Already, I'm adding so many of your books to the tbr pile. Remember Me Like This sounds great. I'm hesitant to read it. 31 years ago my former husband and I adopted a tiny, little malnourished, emotionally frail two year old. That small sprite saw more in her short life than anyone should have to go through. I'm proud to say she became a lovely, other directed, caring, kind, mature lady! She was/is a blessing from God, no doubt about it.

I admit though that for many years, I lived in fear that her biological parents would find her and kidnap her. Alas, thankfully, my fears were never a reality. But, reading about kidnapping touches upon those long ago fears.

Perhaps we can do major Cransian accomplishments at the book sale a few weeks from now. Let's make him proud of us.

Have a wonderful weekend!

>42 Dianekeenoy: I have Eleanor in my bedside TBR pile. Only a 3.5, huh? It's an ARC for me, too, but if i don't get on it, it won't be very "Advanced," LOL! Happy Friday.

Stopping in to wish you a lovely weekend.

Have a great weekend, Diane.

Thank you for the kind book offer up in >40 Dianekeenoy:. I think I'd better hold off for now; the books waiting for me to read them might get upset.

Hi Diane

I'm stopping by to say I am so glad you took the dive and joined the 75 challenge. Happy First Week of participating in this wonderful group. You are a great addition!!!

>55 katiekrug: Katie, you're so right. I thought I was having hot flashes while reading that book. I thought the weather was definitely a main character. Almost finished with Chris Bojhalian's new book, The Guest Room, another good one!

>56 Whisper1: Hi Linda. I think you will really like this book. It's actually not about the kidnapping. I can understand your fears though, especially worrying about your wonderful daughter. I can't wait until the Library Sale. I've been putting in my last book sale books into my lists here so I don't duplicate. Not sure why, but I hardly ever do that and I'm not famous for my memory. But it gives me a good reason to sit on the floor and catalog books which is my favorite thing!

>57 DianaNL: Thanks, Diana. Love that baby! You have a wonderful weekend as well.

>58 Berly: Hi Kim, it's not that I didn't like it, I just didn't love it. You might have a much different experience than I did. I could appreciate what the author was doing, though. Happy Friday to you!

>59 Crazymamie: Thank you Mamie, I plan on having a wonderful weekend. I'm meeting my best friend tomorrow to pick up a commode chair for my in-laws! She happens to have three. This could be too much information for my first week, right? I just think it's funny. We'll have lunch, laugh the whole time and then be out in the parking lot of the diner moving this thing from her car to mine. I can't wait to see the expressions of the other patrons.

>60 jnwelch: Thanks so much, Joe. I completely understand. It's always here if you change your mind. Have a great weekend, yourself. Don't read my comment to Mamie.

>61 Whisper1: You are just the best, Linda! I'm glad you encouraged me to take the dive and finally join. It has been a fun first week!

19) The Guest Room 4.5 stars

I have loved Chris Bohjalian's books since I discovered him after he wrote Trans Sister Radio. And, once again he hasn't let me down. When Richard Chapman lets his younger brother have his bachelor party at his perfect suburban home, he has no idea of the world of hurt that's coming his way. The two young women hired for the party are more than these men expected and the party gets way out of hand. No one expects what happens next and very quickly, Richard's perfect life spins out of control.

Dropping by with head spinning at your quick-fire reading.

Have a great weekend, Diane.

>70 PaulCranswick:. Hi Paul. Thanks, we'll be putting our Christmas decorations away this weekend, finally! Trying to complete that project by February 1. However, I just picked up 4 new books from the library and one is calling my name...

Have a great weekend!

>67 Dianekeenoy: I made a point of not reading your comment to Mamie, so I know nothing about the commode chair it. I bet the paparazzi had the cameras flashing in the diner parking lot.

>72 jnwelch: Thank goodness you didn't read my earlier comment. Let's just say after making the switch, no one wanted to sit close to us!

20) The Silkworm 4 stars Audiobook

This is the second book of a series (and of course I didn't read the first one yet). Since I no longer drive for a living, this audiobook took longer than usual, but I couldn't wait to get back in the car each time and get it going. Owen Quine, a not so great writer, disappears. His wife calls in Cormoran Strike, a private detective to find him. Strike is a great character and I look forward to reading or listening to the first book and the third one as well. While the crime is horrifying, the detecting is wonderful. The narrator, Robert Glenister gets the voices right and I certainly hope he reads the rest of this series. Highly recommended.

A busy weekend so far and tomorrow will be as well. We have to put our Christmas decorations away and we hope to do so before February 1. Last year, we finished the day before Valentine's day! So that would be a good goal and perhaps next year we can do even better. Although, I wouldn't take any bets on it. I have 4 new books and a new audiobook from the library. Just started And Again, which has a fascinating premise. Four people who are terminal are moved into new perfect cloned bodies of themselves. We'll see how that goes! The new audiobook is Circling the Sun which so far, is pretty interesting. On my iPad, I'm listening to the 4th book in the Girl with the Dragon Tatoo series written by someone else...I can't remember the name of the book or the author, sorry! I only listen to the iPad when I put on my makeup and that's not every day anymore! I have to admit, it's not bad so far. I hate books that are written and published after the author dies but there wasn't a great selection of downloads available from my library this time so I'm taking a chance with one.

One year I left the Christmas lights on the outside of the house until May... Just never got around to taking them down. :)

>76 drneutron: Thanks, Jim...that's makes me feel much better!

21) And Again: A Novel 4 stars

Four terminally ill patients are given a new chance at life as part of a pilot program called SUBlife. Their new cloned bodies are perfect without any of their former blemishes, scars, freckles or lines. Their memories are there but the physical memories of their former bodies aren't. Each chapter is told from the point of view of each of the patients.

This is an impressive debut novel from Jessica Chiarella. I look forward to her future novels. Recommended.

Hi, Diane! I've got your thread "starred" now! Some great reading you've been doing!

Karen O.

> 79 Hi Karen. Wow, thanks, you might be my first star! I have some more real good books coming up.

We finally got our Christmas stuff down and packed but all the bins and such are still stacked in the living room...

Diane, I looked you up so I could say hello. Are we meeting on Saturday?

>52 Copperskye: >53 Dianekeenoy: I had an aunt and uncle who lived for a time in Glen Rock. Had to be in the 1960s. Not sure if I ever visited them there more than once. (Had to look for it with Google Maps just now.) And my sister and her husband lived in Oldwick until he retired from AT&T at 50. Thirty years later, he's still golfing a couple of times a week, weather permitting. They live now in Lexington, VA.

>81 katiekrug: Getting it all packed is a big deal! You're way ahead of us. Our new deadline is now before Valentine's Day!

>82 weird_O: Hi Bill. As far as I know, we're still on for Saturday. I can get there around 11:00. Small world isn't it? Look forward to meeting you and Linda!

22) The Story of the Lost Child 3 stars

Need to think about this one for awhile...

Hi Diane, I have finally found your thread and am starring it straight away. You have been reading at a good lick my dear. I will make sure I pop by on a regular basis to see how you are doing. Sending love and hugs from over the pond.

>86 johnsimpson: Hi John, I am thrilled you found me! I so enjoy reading your thread, your chores sound so much more interesting than mine! Just pulled my books out of the bag from the library sale, getting ready to list them next. Love and hugs back from New Jersey! See what I mean, that doesn't sound as good as yours!

Well, I went to the Bethlehem Library sale today in the pouring rain. And, still couldn't find a parking place any where close by. Had to park a good hike away so got there later than planned. I thought the books looked pretty picked over but I did find 11. And, get to go back on Saturday to meet Linda (Whisper 1) and Bill (Weird_o)! List on next post...

The Perfect Witness, Iris Johansen. No touchstone
The Vacationers , Emma Straub
I Capture the Castle , Dodie Smith
Dancing in the Lowcountry, James Villas
In Pinelight, Thomas Rayfield
Ain't No River, Sharon Ewell Foster
Perfume, Patrick Suskind
Stay, Mary Sullivan No touchstone
Shadow Song, Terry Kay
Eva Moves the Furniture, Margot Livesey.
The Oriental Wife, Evelyn Royston

Very excited!

Hi Diane! Welcome! I'm Carrie and I live in Knoxville, TN, not too far from NC. You did well at the book sale today! I read I Capture the Castle a couple of years ago and enjoyed it.

Nice haul! I really love I Capture the Castle - one of my favorites.

>87 Dianekeenoy:, Glad you like my thread Diane but I do sometimes worry that it comes across as mundane but I am the house husband so these are my days. Things will appear brighter as the weather picks up and there is more to do and see outside.

Hope you are having a good day my dear.

>90 cbl_tn: Hi Carrie. I'm excited about I Capture the Castle. I've heard so much about it here on LT. Knoxville is a wonderful city!

>91 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie, I am pretty excited about my new books. I keep a huge pile next to my chair on a TV table which started to collapse last night! I brought down a much sturdier table from our in-law suite and after moving around a lot of books and chair, table and lamp, things are much safer around here! Once, I get the picture thing going, I can post some pictures. Looking forward to I Capture the Castle!

>87 Dianekeenoy: Hi John. There is nothing mundane about your threads! I just love them and they get me up and going! My husband was home retired about 2 years before me and he took great care of the house and yard. It was hard to get him to actually take a day off. Even now, we're both retired but he thinks he has to be busy every second!

See you tomorrow!

>96 weird_O: Sounds good!

Age of Reinvention

I'm not going to star this since I couldn't get past page 11. It could just be me but the construction of sentences like "This isn't real, thinks/prays/screams Samuel;" and "eyes turned to the camera with the perfect command of an elite actor/lion tamer/marksman" and "in order to seduce/persuade/attract attention"
along with the exclamation points and footnotes (yes, footnotes!) made me crazy. Although, it looks like other readers loved the book. Perhaps if I didn't have so many other great books waiting for me to jump into, I might have had the patience to keep going but I just couldn't. I might try again at a later date.

22.) Missing Pieces by Heather Gudenkauf 4 stars

Sarah Quinlan thought she knew her husband well. However, when his Aunt Julia is hospitalized after an accident and they go back to his hometown of Penny Gate, she starts to learn about the death of his mother many years earlier. It seems that Jack has left out so much about his years before he met her that her feelings are starting to unravel. There are a lot of unanswered questions and Sarah wants to find out the answers before everything gets worse. Enjoyed this book.

>1 Dianekeenoy: I drove through Hickory last month on my way back to Tennessee from Raleigh. Welcome to the challenge.

>100 thornton37814: Hi Lori, thanks for the welcome! Not too many people have heard about Hickory. Although, now it has gotten quite large compared to the small town it was when I was growing up. My mother was from Raleigh so I go there frequently to see my relatives there. Tennessee is one beautiful state!

How lovely it was to spend time with you and Bill today! It was a very special day!

>102 Whisper1: Linda, it was certainly a most special day! I had such a wonderful time! I'm in my chair reading the first chapter in each of my new books and just finished one. It was so good, more about it later and hopefully a picture of it! Kevin has a wonderful fire going and I have a sleeping dog, Fiona, in my lap. Just an absolute perfect day!

23.) Dear Everybody 4 stars

I picked up this book yesterday at a book sale. When I sat down to look through it I read it straight through. We know that Jonathon Bender has committed suicide. His estranged brother finds unsent letters that Jonathon has written to relatives, friends, teachers, classmates, professors, ex-girlfriends, ex-wife, and a host of others. These short letters give us a glimpse into Jonathon's head. This is a moving well-done book that took me by surprise. So glad I picked it up.

Well, I'm definitely a piker compared to Linda (Whisper 1) and Bill (Weird_o) but I'm very happy with my books from the Bethlehem Book Sale! Already read one of them. My Father, In Snow came from the Moravian Book Store. So much fun yesterday!

Not a bad haul there Diane, hope you enjoy them my dear. Hope you are having a good Sunday and send love and hugs.

>107 johnsimpson: Hi John, I wasn't able to keep up with Linda and Bill but very happy with my haul, especially since I did pick up 11 on Wednesday.
We're having a great Sunday, getting ready to snack all afternoon waiting for the Super Bowl. Hope you guys have a great Sunday as well.
Hope little Hannah is feeling better...

>108 Dianekeenoy:, Karen has been working today, she finished at 4pm and we had a pot of tea whilst I di her online job application and sent her CV and covering letter attachments and now we have just peeled the vegetables and put them on for our tea. I did the beef joint in the slow cooker this morning so looking forward to a nice meal. Hannah is picking up from what Rob has said so that's good and unfortunately the Superbowl is on a bit late here so I will miss it. Have an enjoyable Superbowl my dear.

Congratulations of navigating your way through the process of posting covers!!!! Good for you! Just think, in one week, you joined the 75 challenge group, you met two members, and you now can post book covers. That's quite an accomplishment in one week!

Again, it was wonderful to meet you. We certainly do have a lot in common. I'm still smiling when I think of the great conversation with you and Bill during lunch at the Hotel Bethlehem.

>15 Dianekeenoy: Hi Diane....Linda (Whisper) told me about your thread..Welcome to the group. You're doing some really interesting reading. I too was disappointed in The Green Road - in fact, I didn't even finish it. I usually find the Man Booker prize winners very deep and challenging but rewarding reading. This one however, just didn't catch on with me. It was good to see I wasn't alone in my lack of enthusiasm.

>54 Dianekeenoy: Remember me like this was one of the best books I read last year. So glad you enjoyed it. I think it would make a great discussion book for anyone's book club. I gave it 5 stars also.

>106 Dianekeenoy: - That's a quality haul, Diane! So glad you had a good time at the meet-up. I've met about 10 fellow 75ers, some more than once, and it never fails to be a great time :)

>109 johnsimpson: Hi John, you should be glad you missed the Super Bowl! The best thing about it was Lady GaGa singing the National Anthem. She was incredible! The Panthers just fell apart, hard to believe they were good enough to go the Super Bowl and then just not even pretend to perform. Oh well, I was still happy for Peyton Manning getting a Super Bowl win for his most likely last game. We did have great snacks though! Hope you're having a great day!

>110 Whisper1: Thanks, Linda! I'm so excited and you're right, it was a great week and a lot of fun with the Librarything firsts! It was a pleasure to meet you as well and I felt like we had been friends forever! It was great fun.

>111 tututhefirst: Hi Tina, I'm so glad that Linda told you about my thread, she's just wonderful. I'm glad I wasn't the only one that was disappointed in the The Green Road. I did finish it but I wasn't that happy about it! And, thanks for the welcome!

>112 tututhefirst: I know, wasn't Remember me like this just the best? I was so happy with the ending, not that I would discuss it or risk spoiling it for everyone waiting to read it but it was just wonderful. I just finished The Man without a Shadow by Joyce Carol Oates that I will do a quick review shortly...

>113 katiekrug: Hi Katie, thanks, I'm pretty happy about my books purchased last week! And, I just brought home 4 more from the Library and got two more in the mail yesterday, what a great life this is! It was so much fun meeting Linda and Bill, I just felt like we had known each other for years. I've never had friends that loved reading as much as I do so it was amazing to talk about books with them and no one was bored! Hope to meet more 75ers in the future.

24.) The Man Without a Shadow 4 stars

I never know if I will like a book written by Joyce Carol Oates, but I feel like I can never take a chance and miss one. I really liked this book. While I didn't read it straight through, like I tend to do, I felt like I needed to absorb and think about what I was reading ,so this book took several days to finish. Elihu Hoopes is an amnesiac whose short term memory has been impaired by a high fever. He forgets everything in the present after 70 seconds. However, he does remember most things that happened in the past but cannot even talk about anything that might happen in the future. Margot Sharpe is introduced to Eli in 1965 as a first year graduate student and dedicates her professional life to him for over 30 years. She is able to have an extraordinary career because of her testing and writing papers on the study of EH. But, is it fair to study someone who cannot really give permission and has spending these years studying Eli become a personal obsession? This is an unsettling book, but also very interesting to look at the ways these two people are more alike than you might suppose.

25.) The Good Liar by Nicholas Searle (No Touchstone) 4.5 stars



Roy has been a con man all his life. He wants to do one last job, take all the money from Betty, a wealthy widow he has met on-line. Soon, he has moved into her home, met her family and is ready to close the net. However, there is more here than meets the eye. We start going back into the past to find out how Roy got to where he is now. This is a real page turner and done very well. The author, Nicholas Searle worked in public service until 2011 when he decided to write fiction. What a great debut novel, looking forward to his next one! Definitely recommended.

26.) Salt to the Sea 4.5 stars



This is a YA book of historical fiction about the worst maritime disaster in history. Worse than the Titanic or the Lusitania and I had never heard about it in any of my history classes. It's the winter of 1945 and the Russians are pushing through to the coast of Poland with thousands of refugees fleeing in front of them trying to get on a ship to escape the danger. Told from the point of view of four young people from different countries, we can feel their fear and panic as they travel to their future on the Wilheim Gustloff. This ship was designed to hold about 1500 people. There were more than 10,000 people on this ship, at least 5,000 of them children, when it left the port of Gotenhafen, Poland now known as Gdyia. The author, Ruta Sepetys, does an incredible job of taking you through a heart breaking time in history while still infusing the story with hope and the knowledge that there are still good people who put others first. I definitely want to read her earlier books and will be looking for other non-fiction books about the Wilheim Gustloff. Definitely recommended

Hi, Diane! I am so glad you decided to start a thread on the Mighty 75 and I am glad I finally wandered over here, to welcome you.

I did see the photos of the Meet-Up, over on Bill's thread. Linda and I have been LT pals, for many years now and I am looking forward to meeting her, one of these days, along with you and Bill, of course.

Nice book haul from the Bethlehem Library sale. I remember really enjoying Perfume.

Good review of Salt to the Sea. I have that one on the list. I read and enjoyed her book, Between Shades of Gray.

>122 msf59: Hi Mark, thanks for coming over! It really was a fun meet-up. I was happy to find Perfume, I missed it when it first came out but looking forward to reading it. It looks like we share quite a few of the same books so I will be sure to stay current with your reading! Definitely going to get Between Shades of Gray sooner rather than later! Stay warm!

Hi Diane, just passing by to wish you a very lovely and enjoyable weekend my dear, sending love and hugs.

>124 johnsimpson: Thanks so much, John! It has started off great so far. Lunch with my girlfriend, trips to both libraries for requested books, a visit to my mother-in-law and father-in-law, and now settling down with a pizza and a roaring fire! I hope you have a perfect weekend! Sending love and hugs back!

Nice photos of you and Bill with Linda, Diane.

Have a lovely weekend.

Diane

You read at the speed of lightening. If this is what retirement allows, then I will seriously look forward to two more years of work and then reading, reading, reading.

You hit me with three BB (book bullets). Salt to the Sea, The Good Liar, The Man Without a Shadow, opps make that four hits...I've also added Dear Everybody.

I enjoy your thought provoking reviews.

I'm so happy to see so many of my LT friends welcoming you. I know I mentioned it to you and Bill when we met, but it bears repeating, the people here in this group are marvelous, simply loving, kind, sincere and all around good folk. I'm glad you found a home here and that you took the plunge and joined.

>126 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. I'm planning a great weekend. My youngest daughter, Kelly, is coming up to spend the day tomorrow. We're going to go pick up the picture she took and gave me for Christmas that I've had framed. We'll spend part of the day looking for the perfect spot to hang it. I'll try to get a picture (of the picture!) and post it. Have a great weekend!

>127 Whisper1: Hi Linda. I am a fast reader, but don't retain for very long! Glad you like some of my books, my first BBs, I think! You can have Dear Everybody, it was one of my book sale bargains!

I started The Vegetarian tonight. About 2/3 done, not quite sure what I think of it...it's very different.

And, you were so right, I am really enjoying having a thread here on the 75ers! Have a great weekend, my friend!

>121 Dianekeenoy: I have Salt to the Sea out from the library on my "soon to be read" stack. Glad to know it's a good one!

>130 bell7: Hi Mary. I think you will like Salt to the Sea! I just looked at your profile and I loved The Last Policeman. I read all three straight through. .You will love Bell Canto, I think. I was surprised at how good it was. It made me buy everything Ann Patchett wrote! Stay warm, it's going to -2 tonight here in western New Jersey.

Wonderful reviews and I'm busy adding books to my TBR list! Thanks for joining and sharing this year!

>132 witchyrichy: Hi Karen, thanks so much. I'm having a lot of fun, that's for sure. Still trying to figure out how to review The Vegetarian which I finished this morning...that was a strange one!

27.) The Vegetarian 3.5 star



Well, this was one strange book. I'm not sorry that I read it but it's hard for me to review. I didn't love this book, but the writing was beautiful, probably because the author, Han Kang is a poet. However, I also didn't hate this book, I wanted to finish it to see what happened but I'm still wondering what happened. This story is told in three parts, the first by Yeong-hye's husband; the second by her brother-in-law and the third by her sister. Yeong-hye has a dream and after this dream, she can no longer eat meat. This causes an incredible mess at home with her husband and then with her parents and siblings. After that, it becomes steadily more bizarre. This is a short book of 188 pages so don't hesitate to try it. If fact, if you do, let me know what you think about it!

What a great day! My youngest daughter, Kelly came up to spend the day and we picked up her picture that she gave us for Christmas. It turned out beautifully. I did take a picture and it's somewhere on my laptop but hasn't let me find it yet! I'll try and post it if it decides to show up. So cold, we're at 3 degrees now, going down to -2. Kevin has a fire blasting and the puppies are all toasting themselves in front of it. The wonderful woman, Euka, who takes care of my in-laws made us Peanut Butter Soup over Rice Balls and we had that for supper tonight. It's a fantastic Ghanian dish. Everytime I ask Euka for the recipe, she laughs and makes us another batch! It's the best soup ever.

I forgot that I had requested Stuart O'Nan's book Snow Angels from the library which came in today. I also ordered it last night, which is fine, I want to own it anyway. I started reading it earlier and it's very familiar, so that means I've already read it and there's probably a copy around here somewhere. Sheesh...but luckily I don't remember exactly what happened so reading it again will be almost like the first time. I've also started reading All the Winters After and that's starting off great as well. Of course, that one is set in Alaska so it's making me colder! Seems like I've been reading quite a few cold books this winter. Anyway, hope everyone stays warm and has a wonderful Valentine's Day!

>78 Dianekeenoy: I am reading And Again on audio and really enjoying it!!

>102 Whisper1: Love the meet-up pictures and the book haul. Jealous of both. : )

And here is a little LT love...

Kim, I do hope to meet you some day!!! I see that you are awake this early morning/late night. I hope you are not in pain or that you are not feeling well.

Happy Valentine's Day, Diane!

Hi Diane, I tracked you down! You have been reading up a storm - being retired is great isn't it - lots of time for reading and, of course, for getting into all kinds of mischief! ;)

>129 Dianekeenoy: I'm procrastinating writing two reviews by getting caught up on threads!

28.) All the Winters After 3.5 stars



To me, the main character in this book was Alaska. At certain points, I just wanted to pack up and move there. While I liked the story just fine, there were no surprises as to what was going to happen. You could see everything coming from a long way. Kache lost his parents and brother in a plane crash 20 years ago and has never recovered or returned home. His Aunt Eleanor (Aunt Snag) has never been able to check on the family's home like she promised him. His grandmother, who has had to go into a nursing home, doesn't have a lot of time left and Kache needs to get home. He's sure that the cabin has decayed into a pile of logs but when he drives out there, there is a fire burning and a young Russian woman has been living there completely isolated for ten years. This is a good book, just not great for me. However, the parts about Alaska were just perfect!

>137 Berly: Thanks, Kim. It was a perfect Valentine's Day. I hope yours was as well.

>139 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie! It was such a great Valentine's Day. Kevin made a great dinner and I read all day! Hope yours was great as well.

>140 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, I'm so glad you tracked me down! I have been reading up a storm and being retired is the absolutely best thing in the world! It feels like a well kept secret because no one ever told me how much fun they were having! Although, I have noticed that when anyone from where I used to work asks me how I'm doing, my excitement tends to make them regret asking me! So, I do try to tone down my complete joy! And, you are right, if there's mischief to get into, I'm right in the middle of it!

>141 witchyrichy: Karen, you can use me anytime to procrastinate! I'm pretty good at it myself. I am still packing up Christmas, missed my deadline of Valentine's Day! At least, after today, I only have one room left to pack up. Of course, it's the room that I've been moving a lot of decorations into...
Yikes! I'm babysitting my two grandsons tomorrow but I swear that I will finish up on Wednesday, Thursday the latest! Check back here for progress!!

>142 Dianekeenoy: sounds interesting. I am going to Alaska in June (only for work, unfortunately) and I do like to read at least one thing set in places I am scheduled to visit for the first time...

>147 katiekrug: Hi Katie, this book or The Snow Child would be good since they both feature Alaska as a primary character!

Snow Child was a five-star read for me.

I hope you had a lovely time with your grandchildren today. It was icy/snowy this morning when I awoke. Our driveway was a sheet of ice. I called in and took a vacation day. Since the surgeries, I really am careful walking in snow or ice. I cannot afford to fall and snap the rods or fusions. And, it was a lovely day to stay inside and read.

Thanks so much for the cheer elicited when the post lady brought a package to my door. How lovely you are!
I sense your mixed review of All the Winter's After. I'll add it to the list and read it later.

>149 Whisper1: I'm so glad you didn't go out in that mess yesterday, Linda. Just getting from my car into my daughter's house was harrowing. I had a great day with the boys. They had a friend over and they never stopped playing...loudly! But so much fun for them and me. I learned a lot about Tornado tag team wrestling and Star Wars laser fighting!

So glad the book made it, I was worried about it drowning! I loved The Snow Child but you're right about my mixed feelings about All the Winters After. I'm not sorry I read it but some of the actions were just a little too formulaic.

Hi, Diane!! Okay, I'm de-lurked now...

>151 scaifea: Hurray, that makes me feel better since I've been lurking on your thread for too long to say! Hi Amber!

29.) Be Frank with Me 4 stars



It's impossible not to love the main character, Frank. A nine year old boy who loves old movies and dresses like a movie star from the '30s. Of course, this doesn't endear him to the other children in his fourth grade. His mother wrote one novel which made her too famous and very rich. Now, a recluse, she's lost all her money to Bernie Madoff like Ponzi scheme. She now has to write another book quickly to support herself and her son. Her editor, Mr. Vargas, sends his assistant, Alice Whitley, to monitor the progress of the writing and take care of the house and Frank. A lot to put on a 24 year old from the Midwest. While there were some areas that bogged down a little, overall, this book was wonderful. This was an excellent debut novel from Julia Johnson and I will definitely watch out for her next one.

Hi, Dianne! I just skimmed your review of The Vegetarian. We'll have to see what I think of it. LOL. I like that she is a poet.

I just snagged the audio of Salt to the Sea, so hopefully I can squeeze that into the rotation soon.

>154 msf59: Oh, I really liked Salt to the Sea. I bet the audio will be amazing!

Finally, I have completed putting away all the Christmas decorations! Now, the question is do I put out the Easter decorations or not! Resting with the 3 puppies in the guest suite watching my Roomba vacuum. Best gift ever, I can highly recommend this little workhorse!

Finished a great little book last night, but will review later. Too cozy to go get it.

30.) My Father, in Snow 5 stars



This is the book that I purchased from the Monrovian Book Shop in Bethlehem, PA on that most special Saturday that I spent with Linda (Whisper 1) and Bill (weird_O). I wanted a book that was written by a local author and this fit the bill. First, this memoir, although written by the eldest daughter, it also has parts written by each of her eight brothers and sisters. Their childhood growing up in the 50's and 60's has the feeling of remembrance for me of such a wonderful time when you have the right parents. It also reminded me of my husband's childhood (I probably read most of it out loud to him) since he is one of 7 children and his family also had the "big kids" and the "little kids" like the Johnson family. Although, they lost their father far too young at 48, his legacy continued to mold each of their character and their interactions with their own children. I highly recommend this book to everyone. I was going to say, especially fathers, but it's important to understand how your actions affect not only your own children but everyone you come in contact with. I'm very lucky to still have my father and he's very much like Sheila Johnson's father. I still continue to learn from him every conversation we have which are many. A beautiful book.

I've often thought that I'd like to have a roomba, but I'm pretty certain that it wouldn't last long in a house with a Border Collie and a Golden Retriever of ginormous proportions, both of whom like to 'protect' us from that sort of thing...

>158 scaifea: Hi Amber. We have three dogs, although they are small, who just ignore the Roomba. Although, I must admit that we do snuggle on the couch and watch it work! My sister-in-law, once she saw mine, ordered one immediately from her phone and it was waiting for her in Vermont when they got home. She got the one that was one notch above mine because she has two German Shepards and 5 cats (also 2 horses but they stay outside!) and uses it everyday. I'm now her favorite sister-in-law and there are lots of us! My favorite thing to do is get that Roomba going and I read. When my husband comes in, I tell him I'm vacuuming and not to interrupt me!

What an exciting day! I finally put away all the Christmas decorations, got phone calls that that my libraries have 3 books in for me and I got 4 books in the mail that I ordered! Survival Lessons, The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving, Early Warning and Golden Age. I got Some Luck at the last Bethlehem Library sale for $1.00 so I didn't mind paying for the next two! Also have several more coming in from Ebay this week. Now, if I just put out a couple of bunnies out for Easter, I will have earned a weekend of reading!

I very much like your review of My Father in Snow. I'm so glad we walked around the Moravian Bookshop. I hadn't been there is a long time. It made me realize what I was missing. When I first moved to Bethlehem many years ago, I was smitten by downtown. I remember riding my bike every Saturday to visit all the lovely, unique shops. Next time you visit, perhaps we will have time to stroll around the area.

I also am the grandmother of two boys. They will be 13 in March....so very difficult to grasp that fact. When they were younger, we spent hours together building legos, and coloring many fun pages. Their sister Zoe is a pistol. Born 13 months after the twins, she rules the roost.

I have spent the past two mornings looking for The Nightingale Next Door which I purchased with Go Set a Watchman at the bookstore in her hometown and just cannot find it. I've found books that I just ordered! (So, now some duplicates that I will post later in case someone can use them.) Anyway, we got a phone call this morning requesting our help in moving our nephew into his first apartment so we flew out of the house and just got home. Then, I find out that Harper Lee died today...I am just so sad. And, wondering what made me think I needed to find that book right away.

>161 Whisper1: Thanks, Linda. It was really a good book and I just treasure it! I would love to look around that area next time we meet. I loved the Bethlehem Hotel and the Moravian Bookshop. It was just such a fun time. I really enjoy having grandsons, boys are really just so different from girls. I would love to have a grand daughter as well, but I don't think that's going to happen.

>162 DianaNL: I should have thanked you sooner, Diana but I was really having a great weekend! Hope you have a good week.

31.) Circling the Sun 4.5 stars



I had listened to her earlier book, The Paris Wife on audio and enjoyed that so was looking forward to Circling the Sun. Again, I chose to listen to this on audio and am so glad that I did. The reader is just incredible and did an excellent job. This was another book where the location was a primary character. The descriptions of Kenya were just wonderful. I really didn't know very much about Beryl Markham but after listening to this historical fiction of her life, I definitely want to look for her memoir, West with the Night. She was the first licensed woman horse trainer and also one of the early women flyers. She became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic from east to west. Highly recommended.

Diane, Circling the Sun was one of my favorite reads in 2015. What a complex character Beryl Markham was!

I have Circling the Sun on my wishlist, I'm looking forward to getting to it.

32.) The Summer Guest 4.5 stars

32.) The Summer Guest 4.5 stars



I heard about Justin Cronin's earlier book, on LIbraryThing and found a copy in my own library where it has been waiting for me to discover it since
2004. I've read his books, The Passage and The Twelve and loved them. And, I have already pre-ordered the third book in this trilogy. The Summer Guest is nothing like those books and that's okay. This is a wonderful book and I loved every word. It's set in the woods of Maine and is the story of the family who have owned and run a fishing camp, for several generations, in these beautiful backwoods. It is also the story of Harry Wainwright, a great businessman who has been coming here for 30 years.

Harry comes back to the camp at the end of his life, he wants to spend one more day fishing and remembering his life and the people who were an important part of it. It was a real treat to, not only find out about this book, but to find it here at home and read it immediately. Now to track down his first book, Mary and O'Neil. Who knows, maybe I already have this one, too! Highly recommended!

>167 Whisper1: You are so right, Linda. This book made me want to find out more about her and to read her own memoir.

>168 DeltaQueen50: Judy, you will absolutely love this book! I have to say, the audiobook was just incredible.

After She's Gone



I can't review this book because I just couldn't get past page 50. I usually like Lisa Jackson's books and this sounded like I would like this but I didn't. Also, even though this was just purchased by the library in December, it smelled awful, like cigarette smoke and I couldn't even hold it near me!

33.) No Ordinary Life 4 stars



I really enjoyed this book. Faye Martin finds herself living with her mother and her three children after her husband of 12 years leaves. Her youngest daughter is discovered in a You-Tube video and it's off to the races! Her four year old, Molly, is offered a starring role on a hit television show; what could go wrong? Well, what could go wrong makes for a page turning exciting read. This may not be high brow reading but I enjoyed it and read it straight through! Recommended

34.) The Danish Girl 4.5 stars



I loved this book. I didn't know anything about Einar Wegener and his wife Greta. While this is a fictionalized version of a true story, it's just incredible. Einar was one of the first transgender people and had the surgeries in the very early 1930s. Can you even imagine having this kind of surgery in the 30s? This is the remarkable story of Lili Elbe being literally born out of the body and soul of Einar Wegener with the love and support of his wife. They are both artists which just adds so much to the story. I know that I will be spending a lot of time on Google learning more about these incredible people. Highly recommended

>173 DianaNL: Hi Diana! Thanks, I plan on having a great weekend, I hope you do as well!

Happy Sunday, Diane! You are doing some incredible reading. I have Circling the Sun, saved on audio, so I am glad to see you loved it. I also highly recommend West With the Night.

I have been curious about The Summer Guest. You have encouraged e to seek it out.

>178 msf59: Hi Mark, I have West with the Night on my list to get since I did love Circling the Sun so much. I think you will really like The Summer Guest, it's nothing like his other books but so beautifully written. Have a great weekend!

>176 Dianekeenoy: Hani very much wants to see the movie Diane but it is ridiculously banned here.

Hope you have a lovely Sunday.

First off, "My favorite thing to do is get that Roomba going and I read. When my husband comes in, I tell him I'm vacuuming and not to interrupt me!" Made me laugh! I want one.

And you are reading so many great books! I like the sound of Be Frank With Me, The Summer Guest, No Ordinary Life and The Danish Girl. Whew! I am not sure I can take so many hits at one time. I better come back more frequently and space them out. ; )

>180 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul. I will wait to see the movie later but the book was very good. I'm glad I read it.

>181 Berly: Hi Kim. I think everyone should have a Roomba! Best thing ever and so much fun to watch. I'm glad you're seeing some good books here. I have a new stack of 5 from the library and 4 new ones just came in from BookOutlet.com. So I better get cracking. I spent today doing chores and going for blood work, so I figure I can read without guilt tomorrow!

35.) This Raging Light 3 stars



This is a book for teens and should be read by teens. While I didn't love this book, I was interested in the story and outcome. The romantic parts were awkward but that would be true, I guess, in this age group.

Why hey, Diane. You didn't tell me you were a wheaten owner (or had been)! We've had a wheaten for 9 years. Prior to Bridie we had an English bulldog, Matilde, who died at 10. Our son's family offered Judi a new dog for her birthday, but please could it be hypo-allergenic. Wheatens are an Irish breed, so we named her Bridie, a good Irish name.



She's got a super-long tongue.

>185 weird_O: Bill, she is beautiful! Wheatons are just the best dogs. Our Annabelle was so sweet that she convinced one of my sister-in-laws to adopt a dog and another one of my sister-in-laws to get a Wheaton (they had never had a dog before!) and made my father and father-in-law both fall in love with her (both never liked dogs ever!). Wheatons are the best ambassadors for dogs!

Hi Diane, hope you are having a good day my dear, sending love and hugs.

36.) Falling Like Snowflakes 3.5 stars



Well, I really don't read romance novels and didn't know this was one when I requested it from the library. I sat down to check it out before I returned it to the library unread and guess what? I read the whole thing! I think if you like romance novels, this would probably be a 4 or 4.5 star read. It really held my interest and the romance part wasn't too much for my temperament and didn't happen until almost the end!

37.) The Perfect Son 3.5 stars



This will have to be a short review since I have my Havanese sleeping on half of my keyboard! I did like this book, it did drag sometimes but the premise of the son having Tourette's Syndrome and how he and his parents dealt with it was very interesting. Harry, the son, is the primary focus of his mother. His father is very distant and works all the time to support his family. Ella, the mother, spends every minute caring and advocating for her son. When Ella has a massive heart attack, her husband, Felix has to take over the care of their son and home. I'm glad I read this book.

>187 johnsimpson: Hi John. I am having a great day! Kevin made chicken salad for lunch and I made chicken noodle soup for dinner out of our leftover roast chicken. Our three dogs got groomed this morning and they spent the afternoon on my lap while I read two books! And, I'm finishing up the 5th load of laundry. I feel like I almost accomplished as much as you do every day! I hope that you are feeling better every day. Love and hugs back!

>176 Dianekeenoy:, This sounds like a great book. I check my library to find I added it back in 2011. I think it is long over due for me to read it.

Your review is wonderful. It is very imipressive that you have read 37 books so far.

Looking forward to seeing you on Saturday.

D--Very nice reviews. And I can't believe you are already on #38!! Speed Demon.

>190 Dianekeenoy:, Diane it sounds like you were as busy as I normally am yesterday, I have easy days and as soon as I am back fit and up and running the weather will have picked up and as well as the housework I will get outside to mow the lawn and potter about in the garden.

>176 Dianekeenoy: Hi Linda, I really did like The Danish Girl, I think you would enjoy it. Looking forward to Saturday as well!

>192 Berly: Thanks Kim, I am getting some good books from the library. Only problem is that my own books are stacking up and starting to teeter!

>193 johnsimpson: Good morning, John. Today is clean the in-law suite day since we'll be having company for Easter and I will be just coming home from North Carolina. I'm heading down around the 17th to meet my brother so we can be with Dad on the second anniversary of losing Mother.

I also love to be outside and am an amateur gardener. Good news is one of my closest friends is the manager of my favorite nursery, so that helps!

Happy Friday, Diane! Hope you had a good week and I hope those books are treating you well.

>197 DianaNL: Hi Diana...I had a great Friday and an even better Saturday! I hope you have a great weekend!

>198 msf59: Happy Saturday, Mark! I had a great week and the books are treating me especially well lately!

38.) This Was not the Plan 4 stars



I really enjoyed this book. Charlie is a widower with a five year old son who likes to wear purple. After the death of his wife, he throws himself so completely into his job as a lawyer, that he rarely sees his little boy. His twin sister takes excellent care of Caleb but needs a little time off. When Charlie makes a most inappropriate toast at his firm's party and it goes viral, his life goes spinning even more out of control. There is a lot to like about this book, the characters, the setting and the story itself. Highly recommended

39.) The Widow 4.5 stars



I picked up this book yesterday at the library. When I sat down last night to see where in my library book pile to put it (there were 6 ahead of it), I read it straight through right past my bedtime! I just love when that happens. The story is told from the point of view of the widow, the detective and the reporter. Jean's husband, Glen, was suspected of a crime and Jean hasn't had a lot to say to the police about this. She spends a lot of time being the perfect wife who supports her husband. Then, her husband dies and Jean doesn't have to stay quiet any longer. Highly recommended.

40.) The Opposite of Everyone 4.5 stars



Today, I was trying to read a book that I won and have to review. It was a struggle and finally I put it down and picked up this book and bam...read it straight through. That is how a book is suppose to behave, not feel like an undone chore. I loved this book and while I don't think I've read Joshilyn Jackson before, I do think I own several of her earlier books and I will be hunting them down pretty quick. Paula Vauss was born Kali Jai named by her hippie mother, Kai, after a blue Hindu God. Since Kai has to go back into juvenile detention after the birth, her parents get temporary custody and put the name Paula Jane on the birth certificate. Paula's childhood is filled with her mother and her boyfriends and wanderings. Until the day that Paula decides to tell her own story and causes the separation between herself and her mother. This will color both of their future lives. Paula becomes the best and toughest divorce attorney in Atlanta and hasn't seen her mother in fifteen years. She has sent her a check for every month of those fifteen years until the last one comes back, uncashed with a note saying that she has cancer and will be going on a journey back to her beginning. The characters in this book are some of the most interesting that I've read about in quite awhile. It's not often you can read a story set in the South with large helpings of Hindu stories and enjoy every word of it. Highly recommended!

41.) The Measure of Darkness 3.5 stars



It was difficult to get into this book at first. After taking the advice of one of the other reviewers to look up Konstantin Melnikov and to look at his house, things started to make a lot more sense. However, it wasn't until after I did that and made it to Chapter Six that I was finally able to settle into the story. Martin Fallon, an architect, is coming out of a coma after an accident. His estranged brother for 30 years, Brendan Fallon, is the only family member to come forward to take on the day-to-day care for his brother. Martin suffers from Neglect Syndrome which means he can't see anything on his left side. He also doesn't recognize this fact which makes it that much harder for him to figure out what's going on.

There is a parallel story about Konstantin Melnikov, a gifted Soviet architect who is only allowed to practice for 10 years before his country takes away his license and he retreats into obscurity. As Martin retraces Milnikov's life and his own decisions, he becomes more and more unsettled as he starts to remember what happened the night of his accident.

This book is about a lot of things; family, decisions and their aftermath, aging, death...etc. While this was a slow start, I am glad that I finished this book and appreciate receiving it as part of the LibraryThing Early Reviewer program. I know that I will be thinking about this for awhile and may be back to change this to 4 stars.

You have been busy, Diane! You got me with The Widow - I was just looking at that one in the bookstore and almost bought it, so it was surreal to come to your thread and see a review for it. And the Joshilyn Jackson was already on my list as I am a fan - I think my favorite by her that I have read is Between, Georgia, which was also my first. I am so happy to see her getting some love here!

>205 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie. I'm so happy to see you! You will like The Widow and I'm looking forward to reading some other books by Joshilyn Jackon, I know I have some of her earlier books somewhere!

42.) The Girl in the Spider's Web 4 stars Audiobook



I'm not a big fan of books that are written after the death of the author by someone else. However, it was slim pickings for audiobooks to download to my IPad Mini so I decided to take a chance on this book written by David Lagercrantz. I read and loved the three novels written by Stieg Larsson and also watched and loved the three original movies made in Sweden as well. Well, to my surprise, this book was really good, at least, in audio form and I did enjoy it. The reader does a great job (except for the one American character) and kept me listening past my planned time. It was good to spend more time with Blomquest and Salander. You won't be sorry you read or listened to this book, if you liked the three original books. Recommended.

Hi, Diane! It looks like your books are treating you very well. Good to hear that about The Widow and The Opposite of Everything sounds terrific.
I have Spider Web saved on audio.

>207 Dianekeenoy: I had the exact same reaction to The Girl in the Spider's Web, Diane. What a surprise. And I read it in print form. Such a rarity for a successor author to pull it off so well. I'm already looking forward to whatever comes next. I read somewhere that Larsson left outlines for a number of Lisbeth Salander books.

>208 msf59: Mark, you have 3 great books to look forward to! Can't wait to hear what you think about them!

>209 jnwelch: Hi Joe. Yes, I was very pleasantly surprised and I would definitely be interested in any additional books!

43.) Black Rabbit Hall 3.5 stars



An enjoyable gothic tale told from the viewpoint of Amber Alton in the 1960s and from present day by Lorna Dunaway. Very happy family and happy times at Rabbit Hall until 1968 when a terrible accident causes it all to unravel. More than 30 years later, Lorna wants to be married at Pencraw Hall (our Black Rabbit Hall) and goes there with her fiancé to check it out. And then, as we would expect, the old house holds her fast until she finds out what happened all those years ago and what does it have to do with her? I'm glad that I read it but not a book that I need to own.

>212 DianaNL: Thanks very much, Diana. I plan to enjoy every minute. I hope you have a great weekend as well!

>207 Dianekeenoy: I am glad that most of the group feel that Lagercrantz has done a good job stepping into Stieg Larrson's formidable shoes.

Have a lovely weekend, Diane.

Happy Saturday, Diane! I hope you have an R & R weekend planned.

Lots and lots of reading happening here, Diane! I'm a tad jealous... It's good to get caught up with you. I hope you're enjoying a pleasant weekend.

>215 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul, yes, Lagercrantz really did a good job and the narrator was excellent, which I think always helps. Thanks, I did have a great weekend, spending Saturday with my two daughters and two grandsons. Heading down to North Carolina on Wednesday to meet my brother at my Dad's house. It will be the second anniversary of losing my mother and we never leave Dad alone on any of the big days.

Have a great week!

>216 msf59: Happy Monday, Mark! I did have a great weekend and am looking forward to heading south to North Carolina on Wednesday to see my Dad. I have 5 audiobooks so I certainly won't be bored!

Have a great week!

>217 katiekrug: Thanks so much, Katie. I had to slow down a little on the reading since I had to have laser surgery last Tuesday on my left eye. I have narrow angles (who knew?) and they had to make a new drainage opening. No real pain or anything but my eye felt weird for a couple of days. They will do the right eye when I get from my trip to NC.

I ran into the library earlier today and they were holding 5 (yikes!) books for me. I already have 7 out staring at me so I better get cracking!

Have a great week!

Treat yourself to a slice of your favorite pie, Diane. It's National Pie Day (3.14)! Have a safe and happy trip south.

>221 weird_O: Thanks, Bill...that pie looks perfect to me! You have a good week!

44.) Old Age A Beginner's Guide 3.5 stars

Picture wouldn't come over, maybe because it's just plain navy blue...

I received this book from the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program and I certainly appreciate getting this book. I found it interesting, especially the parts about Parkinson's Disease which Michael Kinsley was diagnosed with in his early 40s. Some of those parts, I actually read out loud to my ever patient husband. The rest of the essays deal with the aging of the baby boomers and what kind of legacy we can leave for our children and grandchildren. My guess is that a lot of people won't agree with his idea...but, you never know.

Hi Diane, just catching up here. Enjoy your trip to see your family in N.C and especially enjoy those audio books!

>224 DeltaQueen50: Thanks so much, Judy. Getting excited about the trip and uninterrupted audiobook time getting there! I'm getting too many book bullets on your thread!

Hi Diane, hope you are having a good day my dear, sending love and hugs.

>226 johnsimpson:. Hi John. I drove down to my Dad's in North Carolina last night. My brother came up from Florida so we'really having a great time together! We're looking townhouses in senior villages but I think it will be hard for my dad to downsize. I guess we'll find out!

Hi Diane

I'm glad you are having a good time with your brother and father. Good luck on senior living space for your dad. Safe travels.

>228 Whisper1: Thanks, Linda. We took a tour today at a really nice place but my dad had a bout of anxiety when we got home. We're looking at at another place tomorrow but I think looking at these places may convince Dad to stay put for a little longer. My brother is pressure washing the driveway and back patio so that makes everything look beautiful!

>220 Dianekeenoy: Just stopped to say hello after a lengthy absence due to travel and work. Hope your eye is better and you are looking forward to a lovely weekend!

>230 witchyrichy: Hi Karen. I'm in beautiful North Carolina at my Dad's house. We had a great weekend. Everything is blooming like crazy and I am just soaking it up before I go back to the barren look of NJ! Hope you have a great week!

Oh, my eye is back to normal, too!

>231 Dianekeenoy: I am embedded in South Carolina myself at the moment Diane, savouring The Prince of Tides.

Have a lovely time at your Dad's place.

D--Hope you have a great time on your trip and good luck with the eye fixes.

Have a wonderful Easter.

Happy Easter Diane, sending love and hugs my dear.

Happy Easter, Diane!

>231 Dianekeenoy: I hope you enjoyed The Prince of Tides, Paul. I did have a good time with my Dad and brother in NC. However, after I returned home, my cousin, Ben, passed away and I had to return to NC. I picked up my father and we drove to Raleigh for the funeral. I just got back home last night. So, I haven't had much time to keep up here on Librarythings but was able to get through several audiobooks on my multiple trips up and down the highway!

>233 Berly: Thanks so much, Kim. Good trip and good audiobooks which I will post shortly. Next laser surgery on my right eye is this Wednesday. I'll be glad when that's over. After I watch my two grandsons for their spring break next week, my shoulder is next on the list to get fixed!

>234 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. I did manage to have a good Easter with my husband's family before I had to leave again!

>235 DianaNL: Thanks for thinking of me, Diana. I hope you and your family had a great Easter!

>236 johnsimpson: Thanks so much, John! I hope your and your family had a good Easter. Hope your shoulder is close to being back to normal!

>237 Berly: Thanks, Kim! I have to admit I didn't get chocolate bunny this year! Of course, I didn't stay home very long before I was moving down the highway again.

>238 weird_O: Thanks, Bill. My favorite thing is putting a peep in the microwave and blowing it up to giant size! And, when I was working I was in the warehouse that stores and ships out the peeps! That was fun seeing peeps for as far as the eye could see!

>239 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy! I hope you and your family had a great Easter as well.