vancouverdeb reads in 2016 - Thread #6

One of the places that I walk with Poppy.

January
1)This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! by Jonathan Evison 4 stars (US)
2Faith by Jennifer Haigh 4 stars ( US)
3)Mãn by Kim Thuy 3 stars (CAN)
4)Sleeping on Jupiter by Anuradha Roy 4 stars (India)
5)The Remains Of The Day Kazuo Ishiguro 4.5 stars (UK)
6)Annie Dunne by Sebastian Barry 4.2 stars (Ireland)
7)The End of the Wasp Season by Denise Mina 4.1 stars (UK)

February
8)Fasting, Feasting by Anita Desai 3.7 stars (India)
9)Book Of Sands: A novel of the Arab uprising by Karim Alrawi 4.5 stars (CAN-EGYPT)
10)A Crime In The Neighbourhood by Suzanne Berne 4 stars (US)
11)Messenger of Truth by Jacqueline Winspear 4 stars (UK)

March
12)The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie 4 stars (UK)
13)The Widow by Fiona Barton (UK) 4 stars
14)The House at the Edge of the World by Julia Rochester 4.1 stars ( UK)
15)A Jest of God by Margaret Laurence (CAN) 4.1 stars
16)The Dog Who Wouldn't Be by Farley Mowat (CAN) 3.5 stars
17)My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout (US) 4.5 stars

April
18)An Incomplete Revenge by Jacqueline Winspear (UK) 4.5 stars
19)The Book of Memory: A Novel by Petina Gappah (Zimbabwe) 5 stars
20)The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie (UK) 3.5 stars
21)A Girl at War by Sara Novic (Serbia) 4 stars
22)Among the Mad by Jacqueline Winspear (UK) 4 stars
23)Ruby by Cynthia Bond (US) 2.5 stars

May
24)The Mapping of Love and Death by Jacqueline Winspear ( UK) 4 stars
25)The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway(CAN) 4 stars
26)Murphy's Law by Rhys Bowen (UK) 3.7 stars
27)I Am Hutterite by Mary-Ann Kirby (CAN) 4.2 stars
28)The Piano Maker by Kurt Palka (CAN) 3.7 stars
29)The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson (UK) 4.25 stars
30)Blood on Snow by Jo Nesbo ( Norway) 3 stars

June
31)The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick ( UK) 4 stars
32)Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave (UK) 5 stars
33)Nora Webster by Colm Toibin ( Ireland) 4 stars
34)Still Midnight by Denise Mina ( Scotland) 3.6 stars
35)A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear ( UK) 3.8 stars
36)Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler (USA) 3.5 stars

July
37)Brooklyn by Colm Toibin ( Ireland) 3.7 stars
38)Hell Fire by Karin Fossum (Sweden) 4 stars
39)Yellow Crocus by Laila Ibrahim (USA) 3.9 stars
40)The Reluctant Midwife by Patricia Harman (USA) 4 stars
41)Island of a Thousand Mirrors by Nayomi Munaweera (Sri Lanka)
42)Soft in the Head by Marie-Sabine Roger ( France) 3.4 stars
43)When the Moon Is Lowby Nadia Hashimi (USA) 4.5 stars
44)Third Girl by Agatha Christie 3. 5 stars (UK) 3. 5 stars

Stats for far

44 books read

female authors 33
male authors 11

CAN authors 6
CAN-EGYPT authors 1
India authors 2
UK 17
Ireland 3
US authors 9
Zimbabwe 1
Croatia 1
Norway 1
Sweden 1
Sri Lanka 1
France 1

fiction 43
non-fiction 1

and one more save

Currently in the midst of Still Midnight by Denise Mina -" a tartan noir" a police procedural / crime novel that takes place in Glasgow. Because part of it deals with the immigration of people assumed to be from Afghanistan, I am finding it to be quite timely.

Welcome to my new thread! Please drop a star, or set down a chair.

Happy new thread, Deb.

Mine will be a high-backed Shackleton:

> 9 Great choice, Paul. I think I like the pillows on " my" chair . Great colour on your chair! Thanks for stopping by! You are first! :)

Happy new thread! Adrian sends tail-wagging greetings to you and Poppy. I haven't managed to get him interested in books, but he's very interested in walks!

Happy New Thread and happy Sunday, Deb.

Happy new one, Deb!

I would post a pic of my new hammock chair but I don't have one. As long as I don't get too carried away, I love it. Can you believe that if I swing or twirl too much, I can get motion sickness from a chair? It should have come with a warning!

I loved the conversation about book covers on your last thread, Deborah. I have often been curious about the different covers for different countries. Someone should write a book about that! I am so shallow that I can be influenced by the cover...at least until I get into the meat of a book and I forget about everything else.

Nice chairs Deborah. I'm going for one of these



Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Deb! Better weather today. I hope you are getting some steps in and remember your Fitbit.

Happy new thread Deb, love the thread topper photo, what a nice place to walk the dog. Hope you have had a good weekend my dear, sending love and hugs.

>12 cbl_tn: Hi Carrie! Poppy is not interested in books either, not even chewing on them, which is a good thing! Poppy sends her best wishes and I imagine you are home from your trip, Carrie?

>13 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara! Happy Sunday to you too!

>14 scaifea: Hi Amber . Thanks for stopping by my thread.

>15 Donna828: Donna, that sounds lovely - a hammock chair! I'm not sure how I would do in one either, since I've not tried one. I'll have to look online for an image of a hammock chair. Sounds very interesting.

I certainly have been interested in why companies chose a different cover and even occasionally a different title for a book. I confess I did love the cover on Everyone Brave Is Forgiven. I'm sure I pick up more books with a nice cover but the meat of the book is what really counts for me. :)

>16 charl08: But Charlotte, would you not go for a chair decorated with penguins :) A lovely choice of chair. Great neck pillow attached to the chair!

>17 Familyhistorian: Thanks for the reminder of the fit bit, Meg. Poppy and I will be setting out on our walk shortly. I'm always in a bit of rush, filling up my " dog purse' with my drivers license, dog treats, keys etc since we drive a bit to our walking area, and that is how I end up forgetting to attach my fit bit to my belt loop. Lovely day for a walk!

>18 johnsimpson: It is a nice area for a walk - quite varied and interesting. The little beach area is where my husband lets Poppy off her leash to splash into the river. I prefer to keep Poppy on her leash, for safety reason, but Poppy loves chasing sticks into the water and cooling off in the summer. I hope you and Karen have a had a lovely weekend. Love and hugs

Happy new thread Deborah!
Love your toppers & you have nice places to walk Poppy. I wouldn't take Ari there as he would take a ton of sand back home ;-)

Happy New Thread, Deb! Love those toppers!

I hope you had a good weekend and I hope you enjoy The Nest, once you get to it.

Happy new thread Deb!

>21 FAMeulstee: We were walking in the area picture today , Anita, but I keep Poppy to the paths, which are not sandy. My husband is the one that lets Poppy get all sandy! :) And he gets to clean her up too! ;) Thanks for visiting!

>22 msf59: A nice weekend, though Dave worked Thursday - Sunday, so he was away most of the time. He works very long days when he working - 11 1/2 hour days. He has some days off now - that will be great! :) We'll do Father's Day later in the month.

>23 The_Hibernator: The weather is supposed to be even nicer this week, and Dave will be home for 12 days in row, so that will be lovely! Hi Rachel!

Happy New Thread, Deb!

Sorry you had to postpone Father's Day, but I'm glad you'll have Dave and nice weather now. Have a great week.

Happy new thread, Deb! Love the thread openers, another beautiful walk with Poppy-girl, and I'll definitely pull up a seat in your chair : ).

A tartan noir mystery! New genre: Scandi-crime, Candi-crime, and now Tartan-noir. Love it!

Wow, did I ever get far behind with your threads, Deb! My last visit was back in May and it is now the first day of summer. Sorry to discover that you have had a bout of illness and needed antibiotics. Love the reading you have been doing lately and taking a BB for The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper. I seem to be collecting books with aged or elderly lead characters. ;-)

Your portable air conditioners sound perfect! Luckily, living close to the water we get cool breezes and are able to make due with some large fans to circulate the air. I am not a fan of the heat... I don't do well in temps warmer than 22'C.

Happy new thread! I love seeing pictures of where you and Poppy go for walks.

Looking forward to some rest in that couch, Deborah. Happy new thread. Love the view by the beach where you have your walks with Poppy. Very refreshing I'm sure.

>25 jnwelch: Thanks Joe! Yes, it looks like nice weather this week, and yes it will be lovely to have Dave around for 12 days in row. I hope we can together with our two sons. One is madly training for a Western Canada Powerlifting Competition that he takes very seriously - as he is in the gym before and after work. The younger son, who got married last summer has his sister and brother - in law and 9 month year old niece in town from Hong Kong. Both of them seem to be very busy , though our younger son stopped by yesterday with some homemade Jam and a card for Dave.

>26 lit_chick: Nancy, I did not even make up the " tartan noir" label! :) Apparently Denise Mina, Ian Rankin and a couple of others write " tartan noir" On Mark's thread he has ' hillbilly noir." So many very specific genres :) Speaking of Poppy - dog , how is Black Panther Security doing? Is Cairo into the heat?

>27 lkernagh: Wonderful to see you, Lori! Life has been busy in your corner it seems. Happy to send a BB anytime. I hope you enjoy The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper. Agreed, the portable air conditioners are excellent to have. We live about 1 1/2 miles from the water, and my part of Greater Vancouver is cooler than the rest, but it still gets to warm for our comfort. This year has not been as hot as last year, so far, I don't think. Right beside the water - as picture above - is definitely a cooler place to walk Poppy - usually a nice breeze.

>28 ctpress: It really can be refreshing along the beach there , Carsten. There are usually quite a few people as well as dogs. It is a very sociable place to walk Poppy. It is a great view - I love it when some of the ships and tankers go by close to shore. Lots of water birds too.

A brief review of Still Midnight by Denise Mina.

From the book jacket The quiet of a Glaswegian suburb is shattered with a brutal and baffling attack. Armed men invade a family home, shouting for a man nobody's heard of. A shot is fired, and they escape with a hostage- and a demand for two million pounds.

My thoughts I had read The End of the Wasp Season by the same author this year and it was part of the series featuring DCI Alex Morrow and I really enjoyed it . This is the first in the series, and perhaps that is why it seem not quite as well written as the the third in the series . This was definitely dark and most of the characters were difficult to like - even DCI Alex Morrow, who is fairly gloomy and at times, rather miserable herself. However, it was a fascinating tale of the anti -immigration feeling of some in the UK, which seemed so timely to me . As much as the characters were not that likeable, all of them were fairly complex and had an understandable side to them as well. Overall, a very dark but intriguing read.

3. 7 stars.

Cautiously recommended to those who don't mind ' noir'

To escape the darkness, drug addicts that populated Still Midnight , I turned to my go - to series, A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear and so far it is proving a nice change. However as luck would have it, two of my holds turned up at the library today, Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler and Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart, the latter of which has been much flogged on Mark's threa! ;) But they will have to wait there turn.

The cover does suggest a dark read, Deborah. I will let that one pass. I generally let "noir" pass, as I there's often too much cynicism and a bleak outlook on life in those stories.

Hope you'll enjoy another case with Maisie Dobbs.

Deb, enjoyed your comments on Still Midnight and thank you for taking one for the team. Think I'll pass on this one. Glad you've reverted to your go-to, Maisie Dobbs : ).

Black Panther Security must patrol in spite of the heat, LOL. When we're outside he loves the warm but not the hot sun, so he's in the shade if it's too hot out. But he sure loves his outside time.

>2 vancouverdeb: I saw a scene similar to that one on the Washington Coast. Perhaps a little less driftwood in Washington, but a lot nonetheless.

>32 vancouverdeb: Hi Deb! How in heavens' name have I missed the Maisie Dobbs series? WWI is one of my favorite time periods, and mysteries are my favorite genre.

Looks like I'm going to take a couple of BBs from you..... starting with the first one in the series. I just ordered it on Amazon with birthday money.

I had a kitty named Poppy once; it is a wonderful name for a dog or cat.

>33 ctpress: Still Midnight was pretty bleak, you are correct Carsten. I don't recall the other in the series , The End of the Wasp Season being as bleak, so it was unexpected to me. I'm very much enjoying A Lesson in Secrets.

>34 DianaNL: Thanks Diana! Happy Summer to you too A nice sunny day here>

>35 lit_chick: No rest for Black Panther Security, even in the heat of summer, eh, Nancy? :) I am sure your neighbours feel much the safer with you and Cairo on patrol. I suppose being a black cat he feels the heat even more than Poppy would. You really get the heat in the Okanagan though.

>36 thornton37814: Hi Lori! That is at the mouth of the South Arm of the Fraser River into the Pacific Ocean. It is not really a beach to swim in , though some people do, so I suppose that is why the Parks Board does not clear away all of the drift wood. Poppy enjoys leaping on the logs, though.

>37 karenmarie: Well, Karen, I only discovered the Maisie Dobbs series last year myself. I wonder how I missed it too. I think I had not seen it, or felt it might be too cozy of a series, but I really love it. I hope you enjoy the series as much as I do . I do love the name Poppy too - though I encounter the occasional person who thinks Poppy means " grandpa" :) Poor old Poppy, she is named for the flower of course and is also female. LOL!

>39 vancouverdeb: Good morning, Deb! My kitty Poppy, female too, was gray and white. She was actually named Poppy Seed for the very distinctive color of her gray fur, that bluish-gray of poppy seeds. It immediately got shortened to Poppy, of course!

I very rarely read 'cozy' mysteries any more, Agatha Christie being the great exception, but I'm looking to getting Maisie Dobbs in the mail tomorrow.

>40 karenmarie: That is such an interesting origin for your Poppy's name. Poppy Seed is very cute too. I tend to lengthen Poppy's name a bit to Pop- Star, or Poppy - Dog :) As I mentioned on your thread, I don't really read much in the way of "cozy " mysteries either. I like some social commentary, or character arc or psychological mysteries much more than " cozy mystery. I had read Agatha Christie in my youth, and just recently read a couple of her books this year and very much enjoyed them.

Fingers crossed that you enjoy Maisie Dobbs. I love the series! :)

At least I can speak at almost the beginning of a new thread. Happy Summer, Deborah! You guys make me sigh though --- 97° here today according to the TV, and 100° - at least - tomorrow. *sigh*
I like Denise Mina in theory, but I've never finished one. That's more my fault than hers. I didn't get along with the first Maisie Dobbs I tried, I'm sorry to say. I still have plans to try both again.

Happy New Thread Deborah!! Love your topper and the chairs. Both make visitors feel very welcome. And I wish I had a place as cool as that to walk! I'd do better on my Fitbit for sure. : )

>42 LizzieD: Oh Peggy, I could not survive temperatures of 97 and 100 F!! Wow! I recall in my twenties and thirties holidaying in the Okananan and barely surviving 104 a few days! Of course we would stay in a motel/ hotel with air conditioning. I think I tolerated heat better in my youth than I do now. Don't worry if you and Maisie Dobbs don't get along, it is the differences in our likes and loves that make the world go around. I have authors I would like to like, but we all have preferences. I really wanted to like The Green Road by Anne Enright, but I didn't , so - what to do :)

>43 Berly: I do love the cooler weather - 70 F is just a fine temperature for me. The pouring rain in the winter is a little harder to tolerate, but better than snow and really cold temperatures, Kim. Thanks for coming by to visit!

Happy new thread, Deborah! Another wonderful M Dobbs cover! I will get to this series....eventually!

>44 vancouverdeb: I grew up in Southern California, and we would occasionally get days of 110F - 115F. It was dry heat but still hard to cope with. Still, I liked it better than what Peggy and I have here on the East Coast, which is hot AND humid. (my sister, who still lives in SoCal, reported that it was 113F the other day)

Just dropping in over morning coffee to say hi, Deb : ).

>32 vancouverdeb: I have Girl Waits With Gun as well. I'm debating the read or listed at this point. I got the book on a Kindle daily deal for two or three dollars. I'm looking forward to it either way.

>45 Carmenere: I, too enjoy the cover art on these books. Sadly, I have yet to read or listen to one. Not long now. ;-)

Happy new one, Deborah! I love the chair that you posted - looks mighty comfy.

Hi, Deb! Not sure if any of my current reads will toot your whistle but I am enjoying Mr. Mercedes. Dave might like this trilogy. Yes, it is from the Master of Horror but this is a straight-ahead crime series.

>46 karenmarie: I guess in part it what you get used too. I am accustomed to a pretty moderate temperatures, since that is the climate that I've lived in since I was 4 years old. Here, is always humid - today is about 88% humidity - or maybe more, Karen, but it is not a warm day - well , warm enough at 18 C which is about ? 66 F. 113F - ugh! Much too hot!

>47 lit_chick: Hi Nancy! Good afternoon to you. Thanks for dropping in!

>48 brodiew2: I am looking forward to Girl Waits with Gun, but it is from the library, and if someone is waiting, I can only keep the book for 3 weeks and am in the midst of A Lesson in Secrets, and I also have Vinegar Girl out from the library, so what will be next, I'm not sure as yet.

>49 Crazymamie: Thanks Mamie - I like the looks of that chair too! Happy Thursday!

>50 msf59: Hi Lone Ranger! Thanks for the thought, but Dave does not like Stephen King. I think before I met him, he read a bit of Stephen King and took in a few of Stephen King's movies, but he seems to have lost interest in horror. Right now he is enjoying Carl Hiaasen, Robert Robotham, Harlan Coban ( if he can find a new one ) and William Kent Krueger. It is tough to choose book for him. The work I do!!

Like I mentioned up there, Mr. Mercedes is a complete departure from horror, for Mr. King. It is a traditional crime novel.

That said, I will keep trying to think of any books he might like.

> 54 Thanks for clarifying that, Mark. I'll look into it for Dave. Maybe it would be to his tastes after all. And what''s to lose except a library loan? I'll put him on the hold list at my library.

It is tough to chose book for him. The work I do!! Indeed, Deb! You need some part-time help over there between Poppy and your husband, LOL.

>55 lit_chick: It is a challenge to find books I like, Nancy! I definitely need some help here on the home front. Husbands are a lot of upkeep :) So are dogs.

Good luck with finding those books for Dave. Fingers crossed the Steven King might work.

>52 vancouverdeb: Hi Deb! If your husband likes Carl Hiaasen, he might like Christopher Moore, although Moore is a big darker. Wacky in the same way, though, IMO. I love Harlen Coban except for the Mickey Bolitar stuff. Have you tried Michael Connelly? His Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller series are Los Angeles police procedurals and lawyer series respectively. After having NOT read them in order until about book 7 or 8, I'd recommending reading in order, with the Harry Bosch series first since they intertwine at Harry Bosch book 14 and Mickey Haller book 2. Lee Child's Jack Reacher is another option, but they are extremely violent. I like them but don't know what that says about me! Reading in order is nice, but not critical IMO.

I don't know whether to be grateful or distraught that my husband doesn't read books - on the one hand I don't have to feed his reading habit and on the other we can't discuss books. Husband loves that I read, though, and has built me bookcases over the years and bought me the entire Easton Press Jane Austen for Christmas one year. I have a friend who says that one of her criteria for a Significant Other is that they be a reader, but in looking back at my boyfriends over the years, none of them read. Huh. Strange.

>58 karenmarie: I quite enjoyed the first four Christopher Moore books. I stalled at The Lamb: Biff and have never picked him up again. My favorite is Coyote Blue. I have not read much Hiaasen.

>57 charl08: Thanks Charlotte. I'm not sure if Dave will like Stephen King or not. I mentioned the Mr. Mercedes to him yesterday , but he said - no, not Stephen King. But I could put a hold on it at the library and see if he likes the non = supernatural stuff . I suppose if I left him without anything to read, he would have to look for himself. It is me that encouraged him to read. I suffer the consequences! :-)

>58 karenmarie: Thanks for the many suggestions, Karen. I know my dad , and other people I know are very keen on Lee Child, and Micheal Connelly, but Dave says he prefers more character and humour and less shoot - em - up sort of stuff. He's not averse to shot em up, but he likes more to the story, or so he explains it to me :) Dave is just testing out Carl Hiassen - he's on the 3 rd book by him and I'm not sure if he is convinced it is his style. He does like Harlen Coban and strangely to you and me, the Mickey Bolitar stuff!;-) I've read stand alone Harlen Coban in the past. but no way could I read the Mickey Bolitar stuff. Thanks for the suggestions though. I know a new Joseph Finder novel is coming out soon and that is another author that he likes.

>59 brodiew2: I suppose I could try a Christopher Moore book for Dave - it is difficult to say. I'll check out the titles you enjoyed, Brodie. Thanks!

Hi Deborah, I am surfacing but sorry I couldn't find a chair #9 ( I think they must all be in storage!).
Haven't read anything during June with the move and trying to catch up with threads. Oh boy, that's a job!

>61 mdoris: Mary, with that big move going on, I'm pleasantly surprised that you can even find the time to catch up on any threads. Take care and I hope you can soon relax a bit more and get time to read a book. Moving is so much work.

>52 vancouverdeb: Recommendations for Dave:

1) The Matt Scudder books of Lawrence Block - Starts with The Sins of the Fathers
2) The John Cardinal books of Giles Blunt - Starts with Forty Words for Sorrow
3) The Tom Thorne books of Mark Billingham - Starts with Sleepy Head
4) The Inspector Banks books of Peter Robinson - Starts with Gallows View
5) The Lennox novels of Craig Russell - Starts with Lennox
or
6) The Lucas Davenport books of John Sandford - Starts with Rules of Prey

Have a great weekend, Deb. xx

>60 vancouverdeb: If Dave likes books with character and humor, he might like the Wakt Longmire series by Craig Johnson. Lots of both in this series.

>31 vancouverdeb: My library has got a copy of it. So it goes straight to the library list. Ah and BTW I went to the library and brought home House At The Edge Of The World which I saw last year on one of your threads.
Happy weekend, Deb.

Hi Deborah - Love the topper. Happy newish thread.

Happy Saturday, Deborah! I like seeing all the recommendations for your husband here! I would throw in Elmore Leonard's Raylan Givens books, which start with Pronto. And I agree with Carrie about the Walt Longmire books.

Hmm, Donna posted recently that her husband likes Sandford's Lucas Davenport series. In fact, they caught my attention, and I grabbed Rules of Prey from the library recently ... sitting on my dining room table. Now, whether or not I read it before it goes back is another story, but I like a good crime series ...

>63 PaulCranswick: Thanks so much for your suggestions, Paul . I believe Dave has read all of the Lawrence Block books and enjoyed them. He is " okay" with some of Rules of Prey series, but not that keen on them. I know my dad loved the " Prey" series, but Dave is less keen on them. I'll have a look at the other authors and series that you have suggested.

>64 cbl_tn: Great suggestion, Carrie and yes indeed, Dave has read all of the Walt Longmire series by Craig Johnson, so far. I know he is still writing. Thanks for that :)

>65 Ameise1: I hope you enjoy Still Midnight, Barbara. It was a bit on the dark side, I thought, but illustrated some of the societal problems that plague our world. The House at the Edge of the World was on this year's Bailey's Prize longlist. I enjoyed as a somewhat quirky but interesting read. I hope you do too!

>67 Crazymamie: Thanks Mamie . I have a couple of Elmore Leonard's book waiting for Dave - and I think he has read one so far - I'm not sure of the series so far.

> 68 Thanks Nancy. As I mentioned above, my dad was very keen on the Rules of Prey series and Dave has read several of them , but is not too keen on them. I tell you, he is tough nut to crack, kind of like me! :) I know it's a very popular series.

I've been busy de- cluttering, so much so that my shoulder is killing me! Ice or heat? Anyway, if I am around a little less for a bit, I am decluttering my house. I have habit of thinking " I might want to use this one day " etc - so I started getting rid off stuff and aside from the sore shoulder, I am finding it much easier to toss stuff out than I expected. It's kind of good feeling to get our place neatened up.

Good job, Deb! It does feel good, doesn't it?

Good luck with the decluttering! And the shoulder.

>72 lit_chick: Mentally it feels good, but my shoulder is protesting, Nancy! : ) Dave is helping me , but he tends to have to double check the outgoing junk. The other slow down is the recycling issue. I'd like to just throw everything into the private dumpster that our town house complex has, but paper and books and lot of that sort of thing has to be recycled, so I have a box or two of recycling stuff to take the to the depot and books to take to the 2 nd hand book store for credit.

>73 Berly: Thanks Kim! Good wishes much appreciated and needed :-) Once I get this done and I anticipate it will take me some time, I am sure going to be careful what I bring in . One thing in , one thing out. Or so I hope.

The shoulder is what is holding me back from going full force all once. I'd love to de- junk for 8 straight hours , but my shoulder is a limiting factor. My mind is totally into it .

>69 vancouverdeb: I'm looking forward to reading it. Wishing you a great Sunday.

Oh! Oh! I just recently learned this: If the injury is a new one, use ice first and then heat; if it's an old injury, just go straight to heat.

Happy Sunday, Deborah! I need to work on decluttering, too. Hoping your shoulder calms down and feels much better very soon.

Hi Deborah! Sorry about your shoulder and good luck with the de-cluttering project. I'm staring at a bunch of books that need to go to the thrift shop. I had them ready to go then let some friends go through them first; now they need to be boxed/bagged up again.

And I'm debating the perennial question of how much Tupperware one truly needs.....

>71 vancouverdeb: Decluttering is always good!
Be carefull with your shoulder, give it some rest (or do things that your shoulder doesn't mind)...

>52 vancouverdeb:, >63 PaulCranswick: I am my husband's "book pimp", Deborah, and I too have the same problems finding new authors he might enjoy. My Dave loved the John Sandford series Paul recommends. I think there are 20+ books in it. He has read them all and is looking for a new author. Thanks, Paul, for the recommendations!

>69 vancouverdeb: I should have read further down… My DH has read a few of the Longmire books that I love but is not keen on the out-of-body experiences. These men! Let me know if you find another sure thing for your Dave.

Hope your should is feeling better!

Throwing out any books or are they off limits :)

Ice - definitely ice as a starter. Sounds like an effective decluttering, Deborah.

>75 Ameise1: I hope you enjoy the book, Barbara. Happy Sunday!

>76 scaifea: Thanks Amber. I have a couple of those bean filled bags that you can microwave to heat them up, or put them into the freezer and use them for cool packs. Without knowing, I used the " magic bag" as heat on my shoulder and it seems better today. I'll take a day off de- cluttering today. ( Or maybe I'll do a little more later on. )

>77 Crazymamie: Happy Sunday to you, Mamie. The shoulder is feeling much better today, but I am giving it a break today. Thanks!

>78 karenmarie: Karen, I have a couple of boxes of books that I am planning to take to the 2 nd hand book shop for credit for purchases in the future. Oh Tupperware - best of luck in that department. Fortunately for me , in my younger years, Tupperware parties made the rounds and I bought what I needed and have not added to that area for about 20 years . That is one area I am okay in :) Best of luck with the Tupperware!

>79 FAMeulstee: Thank you Anita. The shoulder is getting some rest today.

>80 Donna828: Your husband's book pimp! :) I love that Donna! I guess I am that for Dave too . I don't envision Dave enjoying out of body experiences in his reading, but I'm not sure. I will have to ask him about that.

>81 ctpress: Oh yes, Carsten, throwing out some books, a few to return from friends and a couple of boxes to take to the 2nd hand book store . Nothing is off limits. :)

Thanks for the encouragement and kindness, everyone!

Nothing is off limits! Woohoo, you go, Deb! Hope your shoulder feels better today.

Review of Homegoing is posted. Great read!

>80 Donna828: Donna, the mind boggles! I don't think I can think about our glamourous grandma in quite the same manner as before!

Hey Deborah just checking in to say that I hope your shoulder is improving. Take it easy!

>84 lit_chick: Thanks, Nancy. I did take the day off from de- cluttering yesterday and my shoulder feels much better today. Wonderful review of Homegoing!

>85 PaulCranswick: LOL Paul!

>86 charl08: Thanks Charlotte, the shoulder is much better today. I went out yesterday and took a walk and took it easy instead of doing repeated bending and lifting, which does get to my shoulder. I still have lots to do, but I feel I am making quite a bit of progress.

Dave took away the paper stuff to the recycling place and I hope to take the boxes of books into the 2 nd hand bookstore later today , or tomorrow.

Progress !

Another solid entry in the Maisie Dobbs series by Jaqueline Winspear. In A Lesson in Secrets, Masie finds herself temporarily on assignment for Scotland Yard. Maisie goes undercover as a junior lecturer for The College of St Francis. It is a small college in close proximity to Cambridge University and there are concerns about activities not in the" interests of the Crown." The founder of the college is a pacifist. Though it is 1932, the beginnings of the Nazi party are beginning to show themselves.

3.8 stars. I did not enjoy this entry into the series quite as much as I have her other books and I cannot put my finger on the reason for that. Perhaps because I am busy throwing out stuff - or for some reason the book just did not absorb me as much others in the series. I'm not sure, but if you enjoy the Maisie Dobbs series, I expect you will enjoy this A Lesson in Secrets. I plan to continue reading the series

Currently reading Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler. I really loved A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler and other books by her, but this seems a bit fluffy for my taste. However I am about 1/2 through and it is an easy read - so I'll continue. Perhaps it will improve? But a light easy sort of a read, but not that absorbing.

Yay for decluttering! I'm sorry about the shoulder pain, though. :-(

I keep hearing mixed reviews about Vinegar Girl. But not about the Maisie Dobbs series which I expect to start reading this summer.

Interesting that Maisie Dobbs will take on espionage cases and we can follow her the years just before WW2.

Hope the next one will improve- but as you said it might also have something to do with "decluttering" going on.

Hope the fence paint choice went well Deborah. I'm hoping the Tyler will be light relief (when it comes - it was a popular book at my library, there were at least twenty people ahead of me!). So your comments about the fluff factor are quite encouraging. Crazy rain here, hope you've got some dry for Poppy's walk.

>89 vancouverdeb: A member of my RL book club works for an indie bookstore here in central NC and her summer choices were profiled on our local NPR website. They included Vinegar Girl, but reading your comments makes me think I'll pass on this one!

Great review of A Lesson in Secrets, Deb. I'm starting another Maisie audiobook: Messenger of Truth. Had thought about Vinegar Girl, will wait to hear your thoughts.

>89 vancouverdeb: I heard Vinegar Girl is a Shakespeare retelling. I'm not sure which play, though.

Deb, I just wanted to pop across and say thank you for your kind words over at my place earlier. xx

Hi Deb, glad you enjoyed your latest Maisie Dobbs book my dear, I will be getting onto number four soon. Hope you have had a good week so far, sending love and hugs.

>90 EBT1002: Thanks Ellen! The shoulder pain is gone, but I have to get back to the de- cluttering, which I am sure will bring on another bout of shoulder pain :) The Vinegar Girl is improving , but really, it is quite a light piece of fluff - again, unless something radically changes ;) But I am enjoying it.

>91 ctpress: I agree Carsten about the Maisie Dobbs series - it is interesting how long we can follow her and I have still 2 or 3 books in the series to read and Jaqueline Winspear is still writing the series. Perhaps will eventually get to WW2? I have no idea .

>92 charl08: The fence painting issue did not go that well, Charlotte. We were of the understanding that the fellow was going to bring several more colours to paint on small portions of the fence, but instead he brought the same samples as he has already painted on the a small portion of the fence, but this time he painted larger panels. I fear we will be choosing " the least offensive colour" of the 4 presented, but thems the breaks, to use a bit of slang. As yet, we have not decided on the colour and the painter and his group have to order the colour as of Sunday. Oh well.

>93 karenmarie: Karen, I am glad I got my copy from the library, and for some reason I wanted something light. It is improving, and perhaps it will improve as I go. It is a light and short book - and perhaps had I read The "Taming of the Shrew , I'd appreciate it more . But it is working out okay as light fluffy read. I am glad I did not purchase it though.

>94 lit_chick: Yes, do wait on The Vinegar Girl, Nancy. I cannot think it is more than a short fluffy beach read, maybe it will get 3. 5 stars for me, which is a below average -most of my books are 4 stars. That said, it is short and and easy to read - but I've just been busy. You might like a quick beach / patio read that does not strain the neurons.

>95 brodiew2: Brodie, you are correct, The Vinegar Girl is a re-telling of The Taming of the Shrew for modern readers. I've not read the play, though I checked the synopsis. .

>96 PaulCranswick: Best wishes for your health and business dealings in the time ahead, Paul. I know it is difficult time for you. Put your health first. xx

>97 johnsimpson: Thank you, John. Not a bad week, but a little less reading than I'd hoped and I am afraid that the paint colour of the fence surrounding our townhouse complex will not end up as wonderful as your decorating in your place. It is a challenge when one only has indirect say over colours . C'est la vie .

And now I must run and I'll try to back in the evening to comment on your threads. Thanks for visiting. :) Always appreciated!

Just stopping by to say hello, Deb. Hope all is going well.

>101 jnwelch: Hi Joe, thanks for stopping by . Yes, things are going okay in my neck of the woods.

Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler. I'll just write a few comments. Vinegar Girl is the modern re- telling of William Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. I have not read The Taming of the Shrew, other than a brief synopsis on line, so I cannot compare the two. What I can say is that story is quite pared down from the original play. Kate is the " shrew" , though she is not much of shrew at all. Kate is just a bit difficult as she works at a pre-school, and finds herself in trouble with the staff due to her forthright manner of speaking. She enjoys the job, but finds herself somewhat going nowhere in life. At the age of 29 , Kate is still living at home with her father, Dr .Battista and her younger and rather lazy but attractive sister, Bunny. Dr. Battista does research at nearby university. Kate's father asks her to marry a foreign researcher , Pytor so that Pytor will not be deported and can obtain his green card via marriage to Kate.

Initially I was not that interested in Kate's issues at the pre-school where she works. but as Pytor arrived on the scene, the story became much more interesting and was quite a lot of fun.

Overall, I'm glad I read the book. Perhaps those who have read The Taming of the Shrew will find more to discuss / more depth than I did. That I cannot comment on, but it made a nice light read with some fun in it and while it was not a deep read at all, it hit the spot for me right now. One the plus side for those who are not sure about Vinegar Girl , it is only 240 pages, so not much of a time investment.

3. 5 stars.

And I am not sure what is next. I have a number of books around, but I am not certain what I want to pick up next.

Vingar Girl sounds like it was fun, Deb. Enjoyed your comments.

>105 lit_chick: Thanks Nancy, You are very forgiving of my ramblings on Vinegar Girl :)

My son and daughter - in law came by this evening. My daughter in law is in her second year of elementary school teaching and she told me if I have paper, or stamps ( I used to make home made greeting cards ) to get rid of , she would love them for her classroom. I got rid of another bag of stuff and it has given me a new energy to know that she can make use of my de- cluttering! Yes!

Woohoo! Lovely that your DIL was able to help out with Project Declutter, Deb!

>108 lit_chick: Nancy, yes it is lovely to have my DIL, Serenade, to help out with Project De- Clutter. They were by again this afternoon and I gave them more stuff - and Serenade was delighted with some watercolour paints that I had - wants to keep them for herself. So now I've created another pile of stuff for them. William says the books I don't want - he can take them to work where they have a project in which they send books off to Africa for people who are learning English. Most books are going to the second hand shop, but it is nice to know that there is place for books that I don't think the second hand shop will want.

Project De-Clutter will take some time : )

I didn't like A Lesson in Secrets as much as other books in the Maisie Dobbs series. Your reaction to the book may not have anything to do with the de-cluttering.

I really need to do some de-cluttering myself, but it's too easy to talk myself out of it!

Good that you could enjoy Anne Tyler's newest book, although it was not at her best, Deborah - I have only read "The Accidental Tourist" and it was a good read.

Nice to know that your books will perhaps come into the hands of Africans trying to learn English. It helps to declutter when you know people are happy taking things "off your hands".

Hi Deborah and happy weekend! And thanks alot (not!) for reminding me that I should put my nose to the grindstone and de-clutter our basement. But, not this week. *sigh*

Hi Deb, hope you are having a good weekend my dear, Karen is fine and applying for a couple of jobs as I type this. Sending love and hugs my dear.

Happy Saturday, Deb! Hope you are doing well. We are wrapping up our vacation and will return tomorrow night. Are you sure you can't fly down to Portland and see us off?

>110 cbl_tn: That is interesting, Carrie, the idea that perhaps the reason I did not enjoy A Lesson in Secrets was the story itself, rather than me being a bit distracted from the story. I'm very easy to talk out of de- cluttering, but I'm pretty determined right now :)

>112 Carmenere: Hi Carsten! I really loved A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler and I've read other books by her. Vinegar Girl just did not quite measure up. I picture you living in an Ikea - like decorated flat, Carsten, without anything out of place, like in the Ikea catalogues and I aspire to that :) I know Ikea is Swiss, but Denmark is so close , that why not!:)

>113 johnsimpson: Lynda, it's taken me quite a while to " psych' myself into the de- cluttering and it is ongoing project, so don't feel you have to rush - or even start de- clutter. I don't have a basement, so I'd like to free up space in the house.

>114 msf59: Yes, having a good weekend, John. Of course Dave is at work! Always the way. Best to Karen and you as Karen applies for a new job.

>115 vancouverdeb: If I wasn't flying phobic I'd head down to Portland and see you off, Lone Ranger. Hope you enjoyed your holiday, though I know Sue did not love the camping aspect. Happy Weekend, Mark!

I had trouble settling on a book - I hope that I'm not getting into a " book funk" - anyway, I'm enjoying Brooklyn by Colm Toibin. A nice quiet story.

>116 vancouverdeb: I loved Brooklyn.

Glad to hear >116 vancouverdeb: enjoying Brooklyn. I just picked up.his non-fiction book about writers and their families. I do like his writing.

>117 kidzdoc: Good to know, Darryl

>118 charl08: This is only my second book by Colm Toibin, but so far I do like his writing, yes.

Happy weekend, Deb! I enjoyed Vinegar Girl as well--it was a nice, easy read.

>120 banjo123: Agree, Rhonda, Vinegar Girl was a nice easy read . A bit of fun too.

>116 vancouverdeb: I loved that one. Happy Sunday, Deb.

Let's see how chatty we are, when you first log on LT on Wednesday 6th July, check your zeitgeist and post how many talk posts you have written, thank you. Can all who read this spread it about so we can get a good response, it is a bit of fun but it will be interesting to see the figures. I have set up a group called talk posts for the totals to be posted.

Oh, I'm thinking Brooklyn is going to be a wonderful read, Deb! Looking forward to it myself ...

I think this one will be a movie-experience for me, Deborah but curious to know what you think of it.

>122 Ameise1: Hi Barbara! Brooklyn certainly is a popular book on LT! After I read the book I imagine I might borrow the DVD of the movie from the library. Glad you enjoyed it too!

>123 johnsimpson: Hmm - John, I'm usually always logged onto LT and I'm not sure about checking my zeitgest, but I will try to figure out how to that by Wednesday, if I can.

>124 lit_chick: Brooklyn is a lovely read, Nancy. I'm not quite finished the book, so as yet I cannot say if I prefer Nora Webster or Brooklyn. You have some wonderful read in front of you!

>125 ctpress: I'm nearly finished Brooklyn, Carsten, but I think I'll likely borrow the movie after I finish the book -and then again, maybe I won't. I have a picture in my mind of what the characters look like and sound like and I would not want to ruin that! :) I'm not sure as yet.

Off to BBQ today, so must get going.

>126 vancouverdeb:, Just go onto your home page Deb and below Dashboard you will find Yours and then click on your info and you will find it my dear.

>128 johnsimpson: Thanks John - I think I have it figured out. You are referring to how many talk posts made since one started on LT and the average post per day. Is that what you are looking for?

Hi, Deb! Just checking in. Mostly just laying around today, recovering and regrouping. An exhausting vacation. Grins...

The one good thing about returning to the everyday, is I get back into my reading groove. I feel like I am neglecting the books.

>131 vancouverdeb: Hi Mark! Great of you to check in. With the time change and all, I have no doubt that you have to re- group and recharge. Don't neglect the books :) I'll have to pop over and see what you are reading.

>129 vancouverdeb:, Yes my dear, hope you are having a good week dear friend, sending love and hugs.

>132 johnsimpson: Yes, John, thanks, having a good week. Love and hugs to you and Karen too!

I finished reading Brooklyn by Colm Toibin a couple of days ago. It is the story of a young woman , Eilis Lacey. Eilis lives at home with her widowed mother, and her older sister Rose. Rose works to support both Eilis and their mother. As Eilis finishes school, she has a difficult time finding work in the 1950's small town Irish town that she lives in. In time , an Irish Priest, Father Flood, offers to sponsor her to travel to Brooklyn, where he has found a boarding house for her to live in , as well as work in shop . Eilis makes the trip to Brooklyn, and finds herself feeling quite isolated in the rooming house and also at work. She misses her small town and finds the large city of Brooklyn distressingly unfamiliar. Over time, Eilis , finds herself falling in love with a young man who is Italian. Just then, bad news comes from home, and Eilis is torn between Brooklyn and her family home in Ireland.

I enjoyed the story , but I preferred Nora Webster by the same author. I think Eilis' passive personality frustrated me at times. Overall, though, a pleasant and engaging read. I'd recommend it to those who enjoy quiet, spare stories that follow the everyday minutiae of life.

3.7 stars.

I have found myself in a bit of a 'What to read - nothing is suiting my mood" - I hope not a full blown " reading funk". Anyway, after starting and stopping several different books, I've finally found myself a new Karin Fossum psychological thriller, Hell Fire. I've loved her previous psychological thrillers/ mysteries , and this is no exception. A bit of "Scandicrime " and quite dark at that. I must that the cover does not do the novel justice . There are no fires going on at all - more psychological suspense .

" Don't neglect the books." I have not, Deb! Finished The Silkworm and started The Grapes of Wrath. I am also enjoying Astray. It might be a collection you would like.

>135 vancouverdeb: Sir, have I accused of neglecting the books? Perhaps Lone Ranger with your holidays I have done so! Must travel over to your thread immediately.

Thumb-up for an excellent review of Brooklyn, Deb. Sounds like both it and Nora Webster are worth the read. Someone else commented, too, that the female character's passivity was frustrating.

Yay to finding a new Karin Fossum!

>138 lit_chick: Thanks Nancy! I was really delighted to find a new Karin Fossum. It is a bit of a disturbing read. She does creates the most disturbed but believable characters.

Glad to hear you found a way out of the reading funk.
I was the opposite of you with Nora Webster and Brooklyn. I loved the way he presented homesickness in Brooklyn but couldn't connect with Nora.

Good job we're all so accepting of different preferences :-)

Good thoughts on Brooklyn, Deborah. I hope to see the movie adaptation soon.

ScandiCrime is the way out of the reading funk :) Enjoy your new psychological thriller.

>135 vancouverdeb: I'm glad you avoided a full blown "what to read" funk. I do the same thing you do, I think - dip into a book or two or three or four and when one 'clicks' go for it!

>140 charl08: I'm still finding myself in a bit of reading funk, Charlotte, but I think I'm tip toeing along and doing okay. Found another book that appealed to me yesterday, Yellow Crocus by Laila Ibrahim. I could understand the homesickness Eilis found in Brooklyn too and likely I'd be the same in her situation, but some how Nora Webster resonated with me more.

>141 ctpress: I'm interested in seeing the movie of Brooklyn too, Carsten, but I need to put a hold on it at the library. Yes, Hell Fire was an excellent read - very well done Scandcrime :)

>142 karenmarie: I agree Karen, dip into several books and find one that suits. The trouble was I felt like I did not want to read anything too dark, nothing about WW1 or WW11, nothing too demanding etc etc, so I was having a difficult time . I bet I dipped into 8 books or so before finding a kindle version of Hell Fire, which was a compelling read!

I hope you get your reading mojo back soon, Deb.

I have had a few days away to recharge my batteries and the first two days of next week will also not be working ones for me.

Have a great weekend.

>144 PaulCranswick: I think I have my reading mojo back, now, Paul. But thanks for the good wishes. Great that you have had a few days to re- charge your batteries. We all need that for certain!

I finished Hell Fire a couple of days ago and really enjoyed it. I'll create a few comments later on, but I've been enjoying some outdoor time and had a lovely evening out for dinner with our two sons and daughter in law Friday night. In the meantime I've started Yellow Crocus by Laila Ibrahim, which is proving to be a compelling of a piece of African American history - a black slave working as wet nurse for a new born white baby on Plantation in the south. Intriguing read.

Happy weekend! Sounds like some good reading.

>146 vancouverdeb: Glad you have found the right books to read, Deborah :-)

Hmm, Yellow Crocus sounds intriguing for sure, Deb. Will be curious to see how you like this one ...

>147 banjo123: Happy Weekend, Rhonda! Yes, I have found some good reading. I was hoping to get into the library today to get Someone by Alice McDermott, but I did not get to library in time. Oh well, still reading Yellow Crocus and enjoying it very much.

>148 FAMeulstee: Thanks Anita. Sometimes finding " The Right Book " to read can be a challenge. I guess it can depend on my mood , or just what is out there and grabbing my attention. I have had some fabulous reads this year so far - I think Everyone Brave is Forgiven, Lucy Strout, Book of Sands by Karim Alrawi, The Summer Before the War,Annie Dunne and others have been among my favourites so far this year and I think - can you measure up to those other books I read earlier this year? :)

>149 lit_chick: Yellow Crocus is definitely an excellent and non - demanding read, but very interesting reading material. For some reason it kept showing up in my amazon ca " recommended for you" - for probably a year now, so I purchased it for my kindle. Really an intriguing read.

>146 vancouverdeb: Not heard of that one Deborah. Will look for your comments. Glad to hear the reading mojo is back. I feel so disoriented when I don't have something I want to read.

Hi Deborah! I'm glad you found your way out of your reading funk. I've only read a couple of Karin Fossum's books, and I liked them both. The details have stuck with me in a way that lots of other books don't.

Happy Sunday, Deb! Boo to reading funks. Hope you have found your way out. I am rereading The Grapes of Wrath so that always takes me to a special place.

Glad to hear you are over your reading funk, Deb. Maybe it had something to do with the decluttering? I start to look at books in a different way when I am trying to get rid of stuff - more as objects to move along than interesting possibilities. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday. Looks like it turned out to be a good weekend weatherwise despite the rain yesterday morning.

>151 charl08: I enjoyed Yellow Crocus very much, Charlotte. Like you, I feel dis- oriented when I don't have a book to read! I've found another book that I am reading The Reluctant Midwife by Patricia Harman. It has been sitting in a pile for a while , and so far I am enjoying it.

>152 cbl_tn: Carrie, I think Karin Fossum write fabulous psychological suspense and intimate looks into the minds of others. I agree, she is an excellent writer!

>153 msf59: Happy Monday, Mark. I think I have found my way out of my reading funk. I hope that soon the Canadian Book Prize lists will come out as well as the Booker Prize Longlist. That will help me to find more reads.

>154 Familyhistorian: Difficult to say, Meg, whether the decluttering has had an effect on my reading. Certainly it eats into my time. It did turn into a nice weekend and that in part is why I've not found more time here on LT

You've just inspired me to request both The Summer Before the War and Annie Dunne from the library, Deb. Now, how long they take to come in and whether of not I get them read are other stories, LOL.

>156 lit_chick: * audible gasp* - Nancy just now I inspired you to get the The Summer Before the War? I thought I had accomplished that when I read the book :) Annie Dunne should be fairly easy to get, if your library has it. It's been around for a while. At my library there is still a long line up for The Summer Before the War and Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave.

>157 vancouverdeb: LOL, Deb, you did accomplish that when you read the book ... it's just that I'm finally getting around to taking action : ).

Hi Deb, hope you are having a good week my dear, sending love and hugs.

>158 lit_chick: Good to know, Nancy! :) I hope you enjoy them when you get to them.

>159 johnsimpson: I hope things are going well on your side of the pond, John. Love and hugs to you and Karen!

I am getting hopelessly behind in my comments / reviews so just a brief comment or so per book. I finished off Hell Fire by Karin Fossum several days ago. Another great entry in her Inspector Sejer/ Skarre series. The police do not factor much into the story, but I don't mind that at all. Karin Fossum gets into the minds of the most dark and interesting characters, as well as very everyday people and that is what makes her such a brilliant writer of psychological suspense. An excellent read. 4 stars. I think Karin Fossum is among the most best of the Scandicrime writers. For a synopsis, see the main page for the book.

>161 vancouverdeb: Glad to hear you've had a good read there. Four stars sounds strong. I'm about to start the second Cara Black, after a Walter Mosley - enjoying the crime just now.

Yellow Crocus by Laila Ibrahim was an intriguing read. Moments after her birth to the mistress of a sprawling Virginia plantation, Lisbeth Wainwright is entrusted to Mattie, an enslaved wet nurse. The story takes place in the early to mid 1800's. Mattie moves from the outdoor slaves quarters to being a house slave, remaining a surrogate mother to Lisabeth until Lisbeth is about 12 years old. Meanwhile , Mattie has left behind her own baby son , Samuel. Lisbeth and Mattie become very attached, until Lisbeth's parents decide it is time for their daughter to prepare to be married. The story is short and interesting look into slavery and it's cruelty, as well as how parents of the day left slaves to raise their children, wanting little to do with them. There is also a brief look into abolition and it's consequences.

3. 75 stars.

Currently reading and nearly finished The Reluctant Midwife by Patricia Harman. I have had it " on the shelf " for nearly a year, so I was happy to finally get to it and find it such an interesting and satisfying read. I should be finished it later today.

>162 charl08: Yes indeed, I've been getting in some good reading after all, Charlotte. Not sure what book is next though.

We've had our water shut off today, and supposedly it is supposed to come back on at 4 pm! So awful to be without water for a day :) The city is hooking up the water supply to a town house complex that is in the midst of construction across the street. I'm crossing my fingers that the water will actually be turned on at 4 pm or shortly thereabouts.

" I think I have found my way out of my reading funk." Always, a momentous occasion, Tonto!

I do not think any of my current reads are your cuppa but I am always keeping an eye out. I am still trying to bookhorn in Everyone is Brave Forgiven. My audio rotation has been crazy busy too.

Hi Deb! Yellow Crocus sounds rather interesting.... I will keep an eye out for it.
And I'm still in the library queue for Everyone Brave is Forgiven.

I'm in Bellingham today and tomorrow, just a few miles south of the border! :-)

>166 msf59: Ah, but to find the next book, Lone Ranger! :) I am hoping to get out to the library this evening.

>167 EBT1002: Yellow Crocus kept showing up in my feed from amazon, probably for year now, and so I finally decided to purchase it as a kindle book. It's short read, but I think worth it. I'm not sure any of the other books I have read on the topic have highlighted the wet nurse/ surrogate mother aspect of a house slave the way Yellow Crocus did. Oh! Enjoy Bellingham, Ellen!

Hi, Deb.

You'll be glad to hear I got my hands on Everyone Brave is Forgiven. I'll keep you posted. I'm also reading The Wayward Bus and liking it so far.

Quick hello, Deb! Hope you're having a good day so far.

Holy, your thread is just hoppin' this morning, Deb! Excellent comments/reviews on both Hell Fire and The Yellow Crocus. Both of these appeal! As does The Reluctant Midwife, which you're presently reading. Woohoo!

eta: Just checked my library for The Yellow Crocus, but no such luck. Did you purchase this one?

>169 jnwelch: That is exciting, Joe! I can't wait to hear what you think of Everyone Brave is Forgiven. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did !

>170 karenmarie: Yes, so far , so good, Karen! Just off to walk the dog in a half hour or so from now. Thanks for stopping by.

>171 lit_chick: All three have been very good reads,Nancy. Yes, I got Yellow Crocus from amazon ca and was a kindle book. Hell Fire by Karin Fossum was also a kindle book via amazon. It is not available in hardcover or paperback until late August of 2016 and I could not wait that long for Hell Fire. The Reluctant Midwife had been on my shelf for a year or so, so I am glad I finally read it , Nancy. A four star read -will write a bit about it later in the day. Nancy, there is 1st in the midwife pair of books - the first is The Midwife of Hope River, which I read last year or so, and gave it 4. 5 stars. I don't think it matters if you read The Midwife of Hope River first or not - either could be read as a stand alone, though several characters carry through from the first book to the second book. Both are engaging reads.

Hi Deb! Did your water come back on at the promised time? I think I'd have a harder time with the water off than with the electricity off!

>172 vancouverdeb: Thanks Carrie. Yes, the water came back on 15 minutes ahead of time. The water pressure seemed kind of low yesterday , but I think it is okay today. Yes, having had our water out several times - water mains have broken on our condo property and it has sometimes taken a couple of days to fix, I would definitely prefer to have the power out ! Yesterday the City was hooking up a water to a new town house development, so that was the reason. Bathing , cooking, washing clothes, never mind flushing to the toilet is so much easier when you have water. Poppy was not inconvenienced by the lack of water though. :)

Hi Deb! Just swinging by to say hello again before too much time goes by.

>175 EBT1002: Hi Ellen! A relatively warm day out today . Poppy and I got quite warm on our walk. Poppy is flopped out on the cool wood floor in the living room.

It is lovely here this morning. So far I'm liking how this summer is unfolding, weather-wise. I meant to get up and go for a run but after the two-day training I was pretty wiped out so I slept for an extra 15 minutes and then read in bed with my coffee.

Hugs to Poppy (and to you!).

Glad that Karin Fossum still delivers, Deborah - and a reminder I should try out one of her novels.

"Yellow Crocus" also sounds interesting with the surrogate-mother plot. Terrible times. Looks like your out of the momentarily reading funk :)

Glad to hear the water's back on - that does sound like one of those things that would get annoying very quickly. Impressed you're reading your own shelf - I have not been very good at that lately! Must try harder.

>161 vancouverdeb: If I keep on reading crime fiction like I do lately, it might be wise to add Karin Fossum to my list of crime fiction TBR ;-)
I hope the books aren't too scary?

>177 EBT1002: It was nice here this morning , Ellen, bur right now a wind has come up and a lot of dark clouds. I am sure rain is imminent. However, Poppy's walk is done for the afternoon. I say good for you, getting in extra 15 minutes of sleep and reading in bed. Sounds great to me!

>178 ctpress: Hi Carsten! Yes , Karin Fossum does deliver indeed! Yellow Crocus was very good too, but just to clarify, I suppose surrogate mother could give the wrong idea - that is, Lisbeth was born to her ' birth mother ' who remained her mother, but the slave wet nurse acted as Lisbeth's mother in every way until Lisbeth was about 12 years old, only visiting with her parents once week or so. It's hard to imagine that mother's could really do that. Yes, for now I think I'm out of the reading funk :)

>179 charl08: Yes, having had the water off in the past when a water main has broken, I've have more experience not having water then I'd like ,Charlotte. I'm quite happy with myself this year as I have read 9 books off the shelf, and 18 library books , 1 second hand, , which means so far of the 41 books I have read, "only ' 13 of the books have been new :) Better than usual. I hope I added that correctly - my husband is chatting with me

>180 FAMeulstee: I love Karim Fossum, Anita. They aren't scary in the gory sense, but psychologically I find them a bit disturbing. That is what the author is good at! Try one and see if it suits you !

Just a super brief comment on The Reluctant Midwife by Patricia Harman.

From amazon ca :The Great Depression has hit West Virginia hard. Men are out of work; women struggle to feed hungry children. Luckily, Nurse Becky Myers has returned to care for them. While she can handle most situations, Becky is still uneasy helping women deliver their babies. For these mothers-to-be, she relies on an experienced midwife, her dear friend Patience Murphy.Though she is happy to be back in Hope River, time and experience have tempered Becky's cheerfulness-as tragedy has destroyed the vibrant spirit of her former employer Dr Isaac Blum, who has accompanied her. Patience too has changed. Married and expecting a baby herself, she is relying on Becky to keep the mothers of Hope River safe.
But becoming a midwife and ushering precious new life into the world is not Becky's only challenge. Her skills and courage will be tested when a calamitous forest fire blazes through a Civilian Conservation Corps camp. And she must find a way to bring Isaac back to life and rediscover the hope they both need to go on.

My comments A very enjoyable and interesting read. Though the book certainly does have some births in it, it is about so much more than that. A visit to a small town in the Appalachians in the 1930's during the Great Depression , full of interesting and well drawn characters. I had never heard of " Civilian Conservation Camps" that were created by President Roosevelt to revive the rural economy and keep urban youth off the streets. A warm , detailed look into a small town and its characters. A sad but also heartwarming story that I became fully immersed in. For some, the ending might seem a too happy and " contrived" but I was satisfied with it.
4 stars.

Another very brief comment. Right now I'd rather read and visit threads than take time for reviews

I found Island of a Thousand Mirrors by Nayomi Munaweera in my local library and thought I'd take a chance. It is the story of Sri Lanka's civil war, told through the point of view of Yasodhara, a young woman growing up in Colombo in a Sinhalese family. The second part of the story is told via the point of view of Saraswathi, a young woman living in the active war zone of Sri Lanka. She dreams of becoming a teacher and wants nothing to do with the war, but a tragic episode drives her to siding with the Tamil Tigers.

As Yasodhara says towards the end of the story, as she looks from her vantage point as an immigrant to the USA :

"They say 'Aren't the Tigers like freedom fighters? Aren't they fighting for a separate homeland because they are discriminated against so terribly?' Like our African - Americans here?"

I try to explain. There are no martyrs here. It is a war between two corrupt forces. I see their eyes glaze over. I realize that they do not desire a complicated answer. They wanted clear distinctions between the cowboys and the Indians, the corrupt administration and the valiant freedom fighters, the democratic government and the raging terrorists. They want moral certainty, a thing I cannot give them. " p233

The civil war in Sri Lanka is something I did not know a lot of about, and an Island of a Thousand Mirrors gave me an intimate first person view into that. My only complaint is that Saraswathi's story was given less time in the story and I would have liked the author to better explain that side of the story.

Overall, recommended. 4 stars.

Hello Deborah, Yes, I am back in the land of the living (sort of) and back to doing some reading. I am following your concerns with challenges with your local library and so sorry to hear about it. My move drastically changes my library connection and the new place is not nearly as good. How will I manage? I think my old library was the BEST library in the world and it was indeed very rare that they did not have something I was looking for. Alas, life changes. You have been reading some wonderful books.

Woohoo, Deb, more fabulous reading! Both The Reluctant Midwife and Island of a Thousand Mirrors sound like my cuppa, but oh, that poor list! Your comments on the first novel made me think of Ami McKay's The Birth House: have you read it? 5* read

>184 mdoris: Great to " see you" , Mary :-) I'm glad that you are able to find some time to read. Island of a Thousand Mirrors was " find" at the local library, but yes, it does seem that my library has a lot less than it used to have, and I can't quite figure out what the problem is. I suppose if you are moving into a small community, you may have less to chose from at the library. I used to think my library was the BEST in the world too - but as you say, life changes.

>185 lit_chick: Yes, I did read The Birth House most eagerly when it came out. Off hand I can't remember the star value I gave it , but I am sure it was 4 or more. There is book prior to The Reluctant Midwife, The Midwife of Hope River, that I read last year and very much enjoyed. That one focused more on midwifery than did The Reluctant Midwife, but are wonderful reads. I think you would enjoy them. Island of a Thousand Mirrors I think would be your cup of tea, yes. A very interesting perspective on the civil war in Sri Lanka and only 240 pages or so . I enjoyed it
Just checked , Nancy , and yes The Birth House was 5 star read for me too.

Nice reviews of The Reluctant Midwife and Island of a Thousand Mirrors, Deb. I've read a couple of novels set at least in part in Sri Lanka during its civil war that I liked, namely Anil's Ghost by Michael Ondaatje, Brixton Beach by Roma Tearne, and Chinaman by Shehan Karunatilaka.

>187 kidzdoc: Thanks for the further suggestions re Sri Lanka, books, Darryl. I'll have to look into each of them. I appreciate the suggestions.

>181 vancouverdeb: Thank you Deborah, I will look for her at the library.

Happy weekend, Deb.

>189 FAMeulstee: I hope you can find Karin Fossum at your library, Anita. Let me know if you do and if you enjoy her books!

>190 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara! Happy Weekend to you too!

Hi Deb--Finally catching up again on LT. Sounds like you have been doing some great reading and I am going to assume that your shoulder is doing better now. Glad your water is back on and that you found a home for some of your clutter (for the school projects). Hope you are enjoying your Sunday. ; )

Happy Sunday, Deb! I hope you are enjoying a nice weekend. Good review of Island of a Thousand Mirrors. I might like that one.

I plan on starting Everyone is Brave tomorrow, thanks to your encouragement. I am really enjoying Homegoing. This one might also be your cuppa. Just sayin'...

>192 Berly: Yes, Kim, my shoulder is back to normal, but then I have not been working on my de- cluttering lately. I'll get back to it soon. Apparently the school via my daughter - in - law is very glad to receive my hobby clutter , which is the main problem. Thanks for the good wishes.

>193 msf59: I think you would definitely enjoy Island of a Thousand Mirrors Mark. I can't wait to hear what you think of Everyone Brave is Forgiven. I have Homegoing in my TBR pile - it just has to grab me yet. :)

My little chickens are flying the coop. That is to say my younger son and his wife are heading to Europe on the 19th and returning on August the 2nd. Paris, Venice, Rome and then London England. I am a bit of a worrier, so I be glad when they are home. They are mainly staying in Airbnb, so I hope that will go okay. Our elder son is just going up for a long weekend to Kamloops in BC, to a Power Lifting Competition, so I will cope with that better and he is going with a group of power lifters. It is true that my younger son is 26 and the eldest is 31 and both live on their own, but once a mom, always a mom . Of course I have encouraged my son and daughter in law to seek out the Duchess of Cambridge, but I think this is unlikely. But you can always try.

LOL, Deb, somehow I'd be very surprised if your son decided to seek out the Cambridges.

I commiserrate. It is very hard to be a mother hen. Cluck Cluck.
BUT they'll be fine.

> 196 I know, dreaming dreaming , Nancy. But the younger son's name is William - not that I named him for Prince William but still! And my daughter in law is quite interested in fashion - surely she would like to follow the Duchess's fashion? Alas, I cannot find anyone interested in the Cambridges except my friend from elementary school and on-wards. And she lives in Kamloops. She and I follow the Duchess and in days gone by , she sported a framed picture of Prince Charles as a potential suitor ;) She and my sister went out with crowds in 1986 to see Prince Charles and Princess Diana when they were here in Vancouver. I was already a mom to my eldest, plus working, so I was not going to get up at 5 am and join the crowds. My friend in Kamloops claims to have met Pippa, on a flight in Britain or France - can't remember and she says Pippa - Kate's sister was very nice. I'll have to be content with that. So sad! I tried to convince Serenade and William to get job in the palace, maybe as a nanny for little Prince George and Princess and William can shine the silver or whatever, but I was greeted with laughter, which I will never understand ;)

>197 mdoris: Thanks so much for your sympathy. I think I might have been born a mother hen. Cluck cluck. You are very kind , Mary!

Me, mother hen and Royal Fan! :)

>199 vancouverdeb: Thanks for the laugh Deborah. Hope the time until your chicks are back on Canadian soil passes quickly.

>200 charl08: I feel better now, just chatting about it. Thanks Charlotte. Yes, Canadian soil seems safest to me. :)

That's a nice trip your son and his wife has planned for Europe. Would have chosen those cities myself for a first trip (together with Copenhagen, of course).

"The reluctant Midwife" sounds like one I would like.

Also good thoughts on "Island of a Thousand Mirrors" - you seem to be drawn to the war stories :) I remember interviewing a refugee from Sri Lanka - it was a very sad story. We have quite a few tamil refugees in Denmark mostly from the civil wars in the 80's.

>199 vancouverdeb: LOL, Deb: a royal mother hen, you are!

Hi, Deb. Just wanted to let you know I thought Everyone Brave is Forgiven was terrific. Mary, Hilda, Tom, Alistair, Zachary and everyone. Thanks again for the tip. I'm going to try to do a short review later.

>202 ctpress: Of course Copenhagen, Carsten! But you know these young people! Yes, I think they planned to hit the sort of " big cities " to check out Europe for their first trip. Another time, perhaps they will try Scandinavia, or perhaps they will hone in on an area of Europe that is their favourite.

As for my book choices, it seems to me that a lot of books seem to be about war/ pre war/ post war , coming of age, or some such thing. I am not a fan of romance, supernatural, fantasy, chick - lit , so that leaves me with a lot of war stories, I suppose! ;)

>203 lit_chick: A Royal Pain, that is me, Nancy.

>204 jnwelch: Joe, so happy to hear that you enjoyed Everyone Brave is Forgiven so much! Now we just have to warble Mark into reading the book :)

You did warble me into reading it, Deb! I started it today, as promised and I really like it. Good, strong narrative. I had mixed feelings about his novel Little Bee but he is right on the mark, with this one. Happy Camper!

>206 msf59: Great to hear, Mark! I recall you saying that you had it on audio . I had never read anything by Chris Cleaveso I approached Everyone Brave is Forgiven without any impression of his other books. There is supposed to be a sequel to Everyone Brave is Forgiven and I am looking forward to it! :)

>205 vancouverdeb: What about mysteries? That seems like about the only genre you didn't mention.

>208 karenmarie: Oh yes, of course I do love mysteries, Karen. Before LT, I mainly read mysteries.

Hi Deb, hope you have had a good day my dear and that the weather is good with you, sending love and hugs.

>210 johnsimpson: Hi John! The weather is on the warm side for me , at about 23 C or 74 F, but I am coping with it. I think my little dog Poppy finds it hot as well. She is very lazy on our walks and wants to lie in the grass. I take water for her and we try to walk in the shade, but she still likes to lie in the grass. Not taking her out for her walks is not at option, as she gets very restless.

Love and hugs to you and Karen.

I have read a book, Soft in the Head by Marie- Sabine Roger, and I've started a new book and it's grabbing me , When the Moon is Low by Nadia Hashimi. I've been out with the dog quite a bit and following the travels of my little chickadees, and they are now safely installed in their Airbnb in Paris for a couple more days before heading to Italy.

I totally understand your concern about the chicks touring Europe. My kids are in love with Mexico and I have dreams of drug cartels invading the resort when they go there. Isn't that part of our job description as Mothers?

You've been doing lots of good reading, Deborah. I told Mark I was putting Everyone Brave is Forgiven on my to-be-considered list. Now I remember who started the warbling! I may wait and read it when the sequel comes out so I can read them together.

>213 Donna828: You are so kind, Donna! I'd be concerned too if my chicks went to Mexico! :) I'd be worried about drug cartels too! ;-) Today will be their first proper day in France, after their long journey that started in Vancouver . I've only heard the once from them, but that was enough for now. I imagine they out on seeing the Arc de Triumphe, Eiffel Tower, - whatever it is that takes them to France. There was a fire on the tracks of the Eurostar ( chunnel ) from London to Paris that shut down several train trips, but fortunately theirs was not affected. Exactly - if we don't worry, who will? It is part of the job description.

I think you would really love Everyone Brave is Forgiven. I even pre - ordered it. I had never read anything by Chris Cleave but somewhere I had read some reviews about it and also loved the cover , so I was very keen to read .

Great to hear all the warbling over here Deborah despite the hear. Hope there are plenty of breezes for you and Poppy on your walks. It's much cooler this morning so I'm hoping to get things done today (!!)

Keep up that warblin'!! It pays off. I am on the home-stretch of Everyone Brave. I will be sad to see this one end.

>214 vancouverdeb: My mother still worries about me. She's 84 and I am 63. :)

>215 charl08: Yesterday and today have been very warm, Charlotte. Today was Poppy's once a week dog walker day, so I got to skip the heat, which is wonderful! She'll need a walk this evening too, but Dave will do that one. So many mosquitoes in the evening . I have a zillion bites on my legs and some on my hands . Yes, a zillion. :)

>216 msf59: I know, Mark, I was sad to see Everyone Brave is Forgiven end too. I can't wait for the sequel!

>217 karenmarie: You are lucky Karen! I don't think my mom worries about me much. She is 74 and I am 55. She is just not the worrying sort, at least not so much about her kids.

I finished Soft in the Head by Marie-Sabine Roger a few days ago. It is a book I had seen " promoted on facebook" and then I saw it in a local bookstore. It was translated from the French and promised" Will Probably Become One of Your Favourite Books." Not so much :) I picked it up on a whim and hoped it would be one of those " finds ' like A Man Called Ove - whimsical, humourous, and thoughtful. I suppose it was to a certain extent, but overall the humour was very sparse - or coarse - maybe both. I'm glad I read as overall it was a light read, but nothing special or anything that I could recommend to anyone.

Brief synopsis : Germain is about 30 years old and is " slow witted." He lives in a ruined trailer ( caravan ) in his mother's yard in a city in France. Germain's mother got pregnant with him in her teens, and considers him a burden. The two of them have never had much of any relationship. Germain is overweight, disliked by most, but has a few friends that he drinks with. He is unemployed. One day as Germain is sitting on a park bench , he encounters an 85 year old woman and the two of them strike up a friendship. Margueritte introduces to Germain to the world of books and ideas - and both of them find an unexpected happiness.

3.4 stars. Not very engaging, but a pleasant enough light read.

Currently reading and nearly finished When the Moon Is Low by Nadia Hashimi .

>219 vancouverdeb: It has rarely happened that a book so advertised has delivered as it should.

I hope the next one is a better fit, Deb. Have a lovely weekend.

Ah, the weather has been cooler like you like it, Deb. I am hoping for more heat this weekend. Hope you have a good one!

Hope your next read is better, Deborah. The humour has to fit, sorry it didn't happen with "Soft in the Head" - it was a bold statement on that cover :)

>219 vancouverdeb: Hi Deb! Sorry that Soft in the Head didn't live up to the hype. Most books rarely do, alas. I like the wonderful feeling when I'm about 50 or pages into a book and settle into it with a satisfied "Ahhh!" I wouldn't say those books are rare, but I usually have to go through a few okay ones before I find one.

Great comments on Soft in the Head, Deb, but I'll thank you for taking one for the team there. Here's hoping When the Moon is Low is much better.

I am reading Pierre Berton's The Promised Land: Settling the West 1896-1914 for the CAC. It begins by talking about Clifford Sifton and how he helped to bring in immigrants to populate the west but made sure that the immigrant groups voted Liberal in gratitude. I thought you would find the following passage interesting:

Even the smallest ethnic groups received his personal attention. There were about forty Icelandic voters in Manitoba in 1900, but Sifton went after them, bringing in speakers of Icelandic descent to spread the Liberal gospel and even putting one Icelandic youth in the local post office after learning that the incumbent clerk, unable to tell one Icelander from another, had been blindly handing out Liberal campaign literature to Conservatives.

For a minute there I thought you were calling me Soft in the Head. Actually, my head is pretty hard. Knock, Knock.

Happy Saturday, Deb! Hope you are enjoying the weekend.

>219 vancouverdeb: Thanks for the review / warning! I'll avoid that I think.

>221 PaulCranswick: I am ever optimistic, Paul, to find that elusive perfect book! :)

>222 Familyhistorian: Meg, I think that the weather has been a great temperature, but it seems to be warming up quite a bit this week! Nice for you - not so much for me! :)

>223 ctpress: There were several fabulous excerpts from the reviewers on the back on Soft in the Head as well as it apparently being an international bestseller, Carsten -but yes, my next read was fabulous!

>224 karenmarie: Such is the life of a reader, I suppose, Karen. But it is so wonderful to be grabbed into a book!

>225 lit_chick: When the Moon is Low was a fabulous but sad read, Nancy. I'll try to cook up a review of sorts later on.

>226 Familyhistorian: A fun anecdote from your your current read, Meg. I chuckle at the thought of not being able to tell one Icelander from another! :) Icelander's are a much more genetically diverse group than most Scandinavian countries.

>227 msf59: Lone Ranger, I'd never call you soft in the head, old friend! :) I hope you are enjoying your very warm weekend Mark! Ours has warmed up quite a bit today!

>228 charl08: Yes, I'd suggest skipping Soft in the Head , but it did have it's tender moments.

Hi, Deb.

I hadn't read any other books by Chris Cleave either, and as you know, after your nudge, I loved Everyone Brave is Forgiven. I've seen some people were put off by his Little Bee, but are still willing to try Everyone Brave is Forgiven. I hope they do. So good.

As the result of more LT warbling from Mark, Darryl and others, I'm trying Homegoing next.

>232 jnwelch: Hi Joe. I'm so glad that you enjoyed Everyone Brave is Forgiven. I have Homegoing in my TBR pile and it has been there for a couple of months. Soon I will try to get to it. Nancy aka Lit Chick enjoyed Homegoing too - I think it was a 5 star read for her.

When the Moon is Low is the perfect read for insight and empathy into the Afghanistan / Syrian refugee crisis that we read about nearly everyday. Fereiba , her husband, and three children live a a relatively happy life in Kabul. As the Taliban rises into power, Fereiba is forced to flee Afghanistan with her three children. Her eldest child, son Saleem, is just 14 years old as they flee .

Fereiba and her children travel from Afghanistan to Syria, to Turkey and Greece, relying on the kindness of strangers, and also experiencing many harrowing situations . The goal for Fereiba is to to get to England to start over again. Unfortunately son Saleem becomes separated from his family in Greece.

A very timely read, and I am certain that it depicts the desperation of the many refugees of fleeing the Middle East.

A wonderfully told story, as well as a gripping page turner.

Highly recommended . 4. 5 stars.

I really recommend When the Moon is Low by Nadia Hashimi for a most excellent read into the refugee situation in Europe. I'm not quite sure what book is next for me. I'm trying out an Agatha Christie mystery for something lighter, but as yet it has not really grabbed me.

>234 vancouverdeb: Sounds good Deborah. There are a couple of TV shows about refugee experiences (including life inside a Syrian refugee camp). Hoping that it will change some minds about what it is that makes people move, and the need for empathy not hatred/ fear.

>235 vancouverdeb: Agatha Christie is usually good for a change of pace but (dare I say it) there are some that are better than others. Have a great day, Deb!

>236 charl08: I think When the Moon is Low is must - read for us on LT, Charlotte. I picked it up, not expecting much, but what a powerful story!

>237 Familyhistorian: I agree, but now I am 100 pages into Third Girl and it's proving an amusing read, which was what I was looking for , Meg. That is fortunate!

Another BB, Deb! Great review of When the Moon is Low.

>239 lit_chick: Nancy all the way from Ottawa! Thanks for your kind words. I think you would enjoy When the Moon is Low very much! It was warm here today!

Man Booker Longlist

Paul Beatty, The Sellout (US)
J.M. Coetzee, The Schooldays of Jesus (South Africa/Australia)
A.L. Kennedy, Serious Sweet (UK)
Deborah Levy, Hot Milk (UK)
Graeme Macrae Burnet, His Bloody Project (UK)
Ian McGuire, The North Water (UK)
David Means, Hystopia (US)
Wyl Menmuir, The Many (UK)
Ottessa Moshfegh, Eileen (US)
Virginia Reeves, Work Like Any Other (US)
Elizabeth Strout, My Name Is Lucy Barton (US)
David Szalay, All That Man Is (Canada/UK)
Madeleine Thien, Do Not Say We Have Nothing (Canada)

I've only read Lucy Barton from the longlist. I know that Do Not Say We Have Nothing is here in Canada as well. I have a hold on it at my local library. Later on I'll check amazon ca to see which other of the long list is available in Canada.

Hi, Deb! I have also only read Lucy Barton, which I liked but I do not think,should be included here, IMHO.

Did you mention that you had Homegoing on your TBR pile? I think it might be time to put it right one top. Just sayin'...

Well. *blinks* I haven't heard of a single book on that list. There is an opportunity here for me. Thanks for posting.

>243 msf59: Mark, often times the choices of the Booker Judges are a mystery to me! This year that seems to be true, not that I am any sort of expert on the prizes. I think " those in the know" were also surprised by the list. I've only read Lucy Barton too, as yet and whether it is " Booker Worthy " I don't know. Personally I found it a very moving read. Yes I do have Homegoing in my TBR pile . I see if it will rise to the top! ;) ....

>244 karenmarie: I know , Karen, I had not heard of most of the books on the list . I had heard of The Sellout and Do Not Say We Have Nothing , but I had no idea that either one was " Booker Long list worthy". I'll try to look into more of the books when I get a chance.

Hi Deborah! Is it still hot up your way? It's been dreadfully hot here. I can sympathize with poor Poppy. I haven't enjoyed my walks with Adrian at all. I worked up a sweat on a very short walk with Adrian before 8 a.m. this morning. Ugh!

>246 cbl_tn: Hi Carrie! I'm sure it has been much warmer where you are at, but I suppose hot temperatures are all relative. I find it to hot for my taste and so does Poppy, and that is at 75 - 76 F . Poppy is really slowed down and enjoys her evening walks much more. During the day we mainly try to find an area where Poppy can run into the water and have a little swim, Where we live that is fairly easy to do. I am uneasy letting Poppy off her leash and into the water, so the afternoon walks have been done more by my husband that last few days. He is comfortable with her off leash. I was out walking yesterday at around 5 in the afternoon and I worked up quite a sweat too. Good thing I don't live anywhere that is very hot .

"When the Moon is low" sounds really relevant given the refugee-situation in Europe right now.

Thanks for the booker-list, Deborah. Only one rings a bell - Lucy Barton, and that was too depressing for my taste. I'll follow your exploration of the list with interest. A shame you didn't find more favorites on the list.

Deb--Well, I am worrying right alongside you. My two girls are midway through their European adventure. Right now they are in Barcelona, to be followed by France and Ireland. They already visited Greece, Italy and Switzerland. Right now I am a big fan of Facebook because they are posting lots of pictures there and I can follow along from afar. I am quite sure I am "liking" too many of them! LOL

>248 ctpress: Carsten, thanks for visiting! When the Moon is Low is excellent read and so relevant to our times. If you get a chance, do read it. I am interested in the Booker Long List, but I am thriftier than I once was and book is going to have appeal to me in a fairly big way before I purchase it, even if it is on the Man Booker Long Lost. A lot of the books are not available, or available in Harcover only - so it may take me a while to read any of the Booker Books! :)

>249 Berly: Oh I'm sorry, Kim . Cross my fingers, my son and daughter in law are home late on August 3rd . Not too long now. They have been to Paris, Rome, a small town in Italy , are now in Venice and shortly flying from Venice to London, where they will spend there last few days of the Europe trip. My daughter - in - law does not seem to use facebook much at all, so I rely on Instagram and email photo's sent home. Like you I've been a big fan of every picture on Instagram and what emails I have received! Count - down to August 3rd! :)

Thanks for the Booker LL, Deb. Will post this on my thread, too. Still in Ottawa, having fun! But have finished a couple of books and will post reviews later.

Happy weekend, Deb.

>251 lit_chick: No problem with the Booker List, Nancy. A lot of titles I've never heard of on the Booker Long list! I'll check out your thread.

>252 Ameise1: Happy Weekend, Barbara! I hope you having a lovely holiday! You too, Nancy!

Last night we went over to my sister and her husband's place to visit. They and their daughter and son in law just acquired two Icelandic Sheep dog puppies. They are 9 weeks old and travelled by plane from Montreal to Vancouver. What a couple of easy going, friendly pups! And they slept a lot. Just amazing.

Then as we got ready to go to bed last night, we discovered that we had no hot water. Called up a several hotwater heater specialists as we decided to replace our hotwater heater rather than repair it and have it go on us in two months or some such thing. Anyway, we found someone over the long weekend - and he did a quick repair to the thermocouple and will come back on Tuesday to replace our water heater. Oh well, not exactly we planned to spend part of the long weekend, but that is life.

Wow. 9 weeks old! That's young. I just got a couple of kittens and although I don't know how old they are, I'm guessing 4 weeks. But 9 weeks isn't much beyond that.

Too bad about the hot water. That is really frustrating.

>254 vancouverdeb: I heard Hani and Yasmyne planning to buy a dog when Yasmyne gets settled in her new home in Edinburgh (what bloody new home?, I asked myself silently). Dogs are frowned upon by Malays generally and are not kept in the home but the UK will be a chore for them without the company of a four-legged friend.

My eventual suggestion of an English Springer Spaniel was shot down so let's see what they decide.



Have a great Sunday, Deb.

Happy Sunday, Deb! Sorry to hear about the water heater. Bummer. I am really enjoying Through Black Spruce. Are you a fan of Boyden?

>256 PaulCranswick: Hope she can get a dog. There are such lovely parks in Edinburgh.

>254 vancouverdeb: When a former boyfriend and I got a puppy, we were told 9 weeks is the optimum weaning/bonding age. It definitely worked for us. The Icelandic sheep dog puppies sound 'dorable.

And, it's always something, isn't it Deborah? Hot water heaters - we replaced one of ours about 3 years ago and going to a larger one because the local hardware store didn't have the same size necessitated some new plumbing AND permits and inspections from the county. Sheesh. Next time it's under the table with friends doing it for us.

I hope you're having a lovely weekend.

>256 PaulCranswick: My daughter and family have an English Springer Spaniel. It is a lovely dog who is very attached to family. They joke that when they come home after being away for a few days, the dog is so excited he howls and howls and howls with excitement to see them.

>255 The_Hibernator: I think the usual age for a puppy to go to it's new owner is between 8 and 12 weeks. Some people feel that 12 weeks is too late, that the it is better for the pup to start bonding with the new owner's at around 8 - 10 weeks. Legally , you are not supposed to adopt out a puppy prior to 8 weeks. Poppy came to us at 7 weeks, which I think was a bit early, but her mom was pregnant rescue, and the rescue people that took her in had booked a holiday. The two Icelandic pups are 10 lbs already! So big compared to Poppy who was just below 4 lbs when we got her.

Is 4 weeks quite young for kittens? Do you have to hand feed them? I'm not sure on what age kittens are supposed to be when separated from their moms. I'll be they are cute!

>256 PaulCranswick: What bloody home indeed, Paul :) I assumed Yasmyne would be living in residence, which is expensive enough. You'll have to fill me in. An English Springer Spaniel is a lovely dog, but as I am sure you know, you have to spend a lot of time with a dog. Keep me apprised! :)

>257 msf59: It's not too bad about the hot water tank, I guess. The fellow fixed the thermocouple, Mark so we have hot water for now and the hot water guy will be back on Tuesday to replace the hot water tank. Dave and I realized our furnace is from 1998 and we are considering replacing it. I said to Dave - I'd hate for the furnace to pack it in in the winter and he said - yes , like over the Christmas holidays. Happy Weekend , Mark!

>258 charl08: Well, depending out whether Yasmyne is in residence or you are actually going to purchase a home in Ediburgh, I'm not sure what to wish with regards to owning a dog, Paul and Charlotte! :)

>259 karenmarie: Yes, Karen, agreed , 8 - 10 weeks is the optimal time for separating a pup from it's mom and allowing it to bond with it 's new people. It does always seem to be something I agree. With the sudden "demise" of the hot water tank, Dave and I thinking about being proactive about the furnace, so as not to have it die over the Christmas holidays. Unfortunately for us, we don't know anyone to use under the table and the other problem is that we live in a townhouse, so for insurance purposes everything needs to be done with proper permits etc.

>260 Whisper1: Lovely that your daughter has English Springer Spaniel, Linda. I think it quite usual for a dog to be delighted to see it's owner's after an absence. Poppy is crazy to see us just if we just go out for a few hours. It's nice to be loved! :)

I finished Third Girl by Agatha Christie. Nora is the "third girl" sharing a flat with two other girls in London. Early in the novel , Nora drops by Poirot's home, confessing that she i\might be murderer, but is not entirely certain. The story progresses from the . A nice easy summer read.
3. 5 stars and maybe it deserves more.

I've begun another story about Sri Lanka, What Lies Between Usl by Nayomi Munaweera . It has really grabbed me quite quickly.

Dave is on holidays, and while we are having a ' stay- cation" , still , he likes me to be somewhat free to go out and do things with him. I'll try to get to your threads later this evening. Sorry that I am not visiting as much as usual. I guess summer tends to be like that - out of town visitors, nice weather etc.

Summer is great, but it is busy! Puppies are so cute, but lots of work, I think. I am glad we got our dog as an adult... she couldn't be more bonded, and we can blame any bad habits on her wayward youth.

We just replaced our furnace, and the newer ones are supposed to be way more efficient.

Oh my goodness, I Googled Icelandic Sheepdog puppies. Too adorable!

Why do hot water tanks always go on a Saturday, or a long weekend, or both? Bah! Glad you found someone to help out.

Enjoy the stay-cation!!

Hi Deborah,
thanks for mentioning Karin Fossum to me! I finished the first and will start the second book soon :-)

Oh Iceland dogs, they are very nice, but I would never take two pups at the same time, it is double work ;-)
Indeed 8-10 weeks is the best time, although I have occasionally let a pup go a few days before 8 weeks, but only when there was already a dog in the household, as this time it is important they learn to behave towards other dogs.

>266 banjo123: I agree, Rhonda. Summers are wonderful, but busy. This our third dog and the first came to us from a breeder at the age of 5 months old , the second came from our city shelter and she was 8 years old and Poppy came from a rescue and she was 7 weeks old. Definitely the older dogs are a lot less work! And we found that all three of our dogs are / were equally bonded. The only thing is that here it is difficult to find an adult dog that isn't fairly old and then you lose them so quickly.

Our new furnace - when we get on, yes it will be more efficient. For us in a townhouse and a moderate climate, not too big of a deal, but that is all they sell these days :)

>267 lit_chick: Skufti and Skuli are very cute puppies, I agree , Nancy..But can they compare to my beloved Poppy dog! :)

>268 Berly: Thanks Kim! Need a new hot water tank plus a furnace ensures that we will have a staycation, whether we like it or not! ;)

>269 FAMeulstee: I did not realize that you bred your dogs, Anita! The situation with the two pups, which is going to be complex eventually, is that my niece and her husband decided to get an Icelandic Sheepdog puppy. In doing so , my sister and her husband fell in love with another puppy. Right now my niece and her husband are living with my sister and her husband while the condo that my niece is moving into is built. They expect to move out with their puppy in November - December of this year. That is going to hard on the dogs. They are trying to keep the dogs somewhat separate, one upstairs and one downstairs at night etc - but it is going to hard on the pups.

So glad you enjoyed Karin Fossum!

You're doing some good reading set in Sri Lanka. Island of a Thousand Mirrors looks very interesting and I appreciate Darryl's recommendations. And I'll be interested to hear how What Lies Between Us lands on you.

I have only read one of the nominees for the Booker prize. Time to get on that horse! :-)

The Icelandic Sheepdog puppies are cute (yes, I googled). When Karen, Benita, and I had our meetup at the Amazon store yesterday, there was an 8-week-old Australian Shepherd puppy nearby. I went over to pet her and pick her up. Oh MY. I was in love. SO cute.

Have a great week, Deb!

>271 EBT1002: Island of Mirrors was a wonderful read, Ellen! I'm nearly finished What Lies Between Us by the same author and I am loving it. Nayomi Munaweera is a wonder writer. The second book is much less about Sri Lanka and more about a woman from a disturbed Sri Lanka family making her way in California. Quite devastating.

Puppies are so cute! :) Visiting them is like what maybe being a grandparent is like? All the fun without the work!;) Poppy at age nearly 3 keeps us plenty busy, but yes, Skufti and Skuli , the new Icelandic sheep dogs are totally darling and so much more able to deal with life . I can see the difference between our shaking , anxious Poppy and these two well bred and socialized puppies.

I'm the same with The Booker Prize - I've only read Lucy Barton.

please follow me to my next thread. :)

>261 vancouverdeb: Kittens really shouldn't be weaned by 4 weeks, though it is possible to do so. They are still don't really make enough body heat to stay warm, are unsteady on their feet, and don't groom well at that age. Thus, it's a bit early to separate them from their moms. I think 6-10 weeks is pretty normal for adopting kittens.