Christina reads a "Gilmore Girls" category challenge

Welcome to my 2017 challenge thread! As you can see, I’ve decided to structure this year’s challenge around my all-time favorite TV show, Gilmore Girls! The original run of the show ended in 2007, so I figure the 10th anniversary is the perfect time to do a little tribute.

There are seven seasons of Gilmore (not counting the Netflix reboot), so I’ve chosen seven categories, each named after a specific episode of the show. The categories correspond with the episode titles, not necessarily the content. Ideally, I’d like to read 17 books per category, but that is definitely a stretch for me, so I’ll consider the challenge complete if I can read at least 10 books per category (2+0+1+7).




Warning: The pictures for each category may contain Gilmore spoilers! I’m hoping this won’t be an issue for anyone, since the show is pretty old at this point. However, if you want to avoid spoilers, avert your eyes from the pictures and scroll down to message #9. :)

1. They Shoot Gilmores, Don't They? (3x07) -- Mysteries.



1. Alan Bradley, Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd
2. Ellis Peters, The Confession of Brother Haluin
3. C.H.B. Kitchin, Death of My Aunt
4. Tana French, The Likeness
5. Dorothy L. Sayers, The Five Red Herrings
6. Darcie Wilde, A Useful Woman
7. Keigo Higashino, The Devotion of Suspect X
8. Jill Orr, The Good Byline
9.
10.
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11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.

Possibilities:
Caryl Brahms, A Bullet in the Ballet
John Bude, The Cornish Coast Murder
Elizabeth Daly, Unexpected Night
Anna Dean, A Woman of Consequence
Julianna Deering, Rules of Murder
Martin Edwards, ed., Murder at the Manor
Charles Finch, Home by Nightfall
Dolores Gordon-Smith, A Fête Worse than Death
C.S. Harris, When Gods Die
Georgette Heyer, Penhallow
Elisabeth Sanxay Holding, The Blank Wall
Elisabeth Sanxay Holding, The Innocent Mrs. Duff
Laurie R. King, The Beekeeper's Apprentice
Charles Kingston, Murder in Piccadilly
Ellis Peters, Fallen into the Pit
Sara Robbins, Death Checks Inn
Patricia Wynn, The Spider’s Touch

2. We've Got Magic to Do (6x05) -- Sci fi, fantasy, speculative fiction.



1. Connie Willis, Crosstalk
2. Becky Chambers, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet
3. Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows, My Lady Jane
4. Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning
5. Katherine Arden, The Bear and the Nightingale
6. Diana Wynne Jones, Eight Days of Luke
7. Emily St. John Mandel, Station Eleven
8. Mechthild Gläser, The Book Jumper
9. Connie Willis, All Seated on the Ground
10. K.B. Wagers, Behind the Throne
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11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.

Possibilities:
Katherine Addison, The Goblin Emperor
Rachel Bach, Fortune's Pawn
Peter S. Beagle, The Last Unicorn
Carol Berg, Dust and Light
Lois McMaster Bujold, Cetaganda // Miles, Mystery, and Mayhem
Stephanie Burgis, Congress of Secrets
Frances Hardinge, The Lie Tree
Barry Hughart, Bridge of Birds
Intisar Khanani, Thorn
T. Kingfisher, Bryony and Roses
Ursula K. Le Guin, Four Ways to Forgiveness
Robin McKinley, Pegasus
Andre Norton and Rosemary Edghill, The Shadow of Albion
Naomi Novik, Blood of Tyrants
Philip Pullman, The Ruby in the Smoke
Mary Doria Russell, The Sparrow
Brandon Sanderson, Mistborn
V.E. Schwab, A Gathering of Shadows
V.E. Schwab, A Conjuring of Light
Shanna Swendson, Rebel Mechanics
Adrian Tchaikovsky, Guns of the Dawn
Megan Whalen Turner, Thick as Thieves
Jo Walton, Among Others
Chris Wooding, The Iron Jackal

3. Wedding Bell Blues (5x13) -- Romance and chick lit.



1. Sally Thorne, The Hating Game
2. Allison Morgan, Can I See You Again?
3. Kristan Higgins, On Second Thought
4. Lucy Parker, Pretty Face
5. Ashley Poston, Geekerella
6. Kristan Higgins, If You Only Knew
7. Jenn Bennett, Alex, Approximately
8. Elle Pierson, Artistic License
9. Mhairi McFarlane, It's Not Me, It's You
10. Mhairi McFarlane, Who's That Girl?
-----
11. Stephanie Kate Strohm, Prince in Disguise
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.

Possibilities:
Natalie Blitt, The Distance from A to Z
Elizabeth Briggs, More than Music
Hester Browne, Swept off Her Feet
Manda Collins, Why Earls Fall in Love
Jennifer Crusie, Crazy for You
Lindsey Kelk, We Were on a Break
Rochelle Morgan, The Trouble with Flying
Devan Sipher, The Wedding Beat
Mary Stewart, The Stormy Petrel
Rosy Thornton, More Than Love Letters

4. Paris Is Burning (1x11) -- Books set and/or published before 1950.



1. Julian Fellowes, Belgravia
2. Edith Wharton, The Glimpses of the Moon
3. Winston Graham, Demelza
4. Rhys Bowen, In Farleigh Field
5. Winston Graham, Jeremy Poldark
6. D.E. Stevenson, The Baker's Daughter
7. Winston Graham, Warleggan
8. Winston Graham, The Black Moon
9. Jennifer Ryan, The Chilbury Ladies' Choir
10. Winston Graham, The Four Swans
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11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.

Possibilities:
E.F. Benson, Lucia in London
Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, The War that Saved My Life
E.M. Delafield, Diary of a Provincial Lady
Joyce Dennys, Henrietta's War: News from the Home Front 1939-1942
Eleanor Estes, The Hundred Dresses
Stella Gibbons, Westwood
Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast
Victoria Holt, Mistress of Mellyn
Ruby Jackson, Churchill’s Angels
Emery Lee, The Highest Stakes
Jane Thynne, Black Roses

5. 'S Wonderful, 'S Marvelous (7x04) -- Rereads.



1. Winston Graham, Ross Poldark
2. Sherwood Smith, Crown Duel
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
-----
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.

Possibilities:
C.S. Harris, What Angels Fear

6. I Can't Get Started (2x22) -- Books I've owned since before 1/1/17 but haven't read yet.



1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
-----
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.

Possibilities:
Amanda Foreman, Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire
Rona Jaffe, The Best of Everything
Brigid Pasulka, A Long, Long Time Ago and Essentially True
Thomas Pynchon, The Crying of Lot 49

7. Raincoats and Recipes (4x22) -- The all-important miscellaneous category!



1. Anna Kendrick, Scrappy Little Nobody
2. Sara Eckel, It's Not You: 27 (Wrong) Reasons You're Single
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
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11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.

Possibilities:
Elizabeth McKenzie, The Portable Veblen
Robin Sloan, Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
Madeleine Thien, Do Not Say We Have Nothing
J.D. Vance, Hillbilly Elegy

CATs -- Cinnamon



With four official CATs this year plus the Alpha and SFF KITs, I definitely won't be participating in all of them every month! But I hope to join in whenever I can, and I'll track my progress here.

January
AwardsCAT (year's best lists, Costa): Connie Willis, Crosstalk; Sally Thorne, The Hating Game
CATWoman (classics): Edith Wharton, The Glimpses of the Moon
CultureCAT (ethics in science and technology): Connie Willis, Crosstalk
RandomCAT (search and rescue):
AlphaKIT (M, S): Sally Thorne, The Hating Game; Alan Bradley, Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd; Allison Morgan, Can I See You Again?; Edith Wharton, The Glimpses of the Moon
SFFKIT (book you meant to read in 2016 but didn’t): Connie Willis, Crosstalk

February
AwardsCAT (Canada Reads, Morning News Tournament of Books):
CATWoman (debut): Becky Chambers, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet
CultureCAT (medicine, public health):
RandomCAT (mine, yours, and ours): Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows, My Lady Jane
AlphaKIT (W, H): Kristan Higgins, On Second Thought; Becky Chambers, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet; Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows, My Lady Jane; Winston Graham, Demelza
SFFKIT (space travel): Becky Chambers, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet

March
AwardsCAT (Newbery, Caldecott, any genre prize not already featured):
CATWoman (genres): Lucy Parker, Pretty Face; Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning; Ellis Peters, The Confession of Brother Haluin; Tana French, The Likeness; Diana Wynne Jones, Eight Days of Luke
CultureCAT (cultural awareness, diversity):
RandomCAT (luck of the Irish): Tana French, The Likeness
AlphaKIT (E, K): Ellis Peters, The Confession of Brother Haluin; Katherine Arden, The Bear and the Nightingale; C.H.B. Kitchin, Death of My Aunt; Diana Wynne Jones, Eight Days of Luke
SFFKIT (religious theme): Diana Wynne Jones, Eight Days of Luke

April
AwardsCAT (International Dublin Literary Award, Pulitzer): Emily St. John Mandel, Station Eleven
CATWoman (biography, autobiography, memoir): Anna Kendrick, Scrappy Little Nobody
CultureCAT (religious diversity and freedom):
RandomCAT (love in the stacks): Anna Kendrick, Scrappy Little Nobody; Jenn Bennett, Alex, Approximately; Winston Graham, Warleggan
AlphaKIT (I, D): Kristan Higgins, If You Only Knew; Dorothy L. Sayers, The Five Red Herrings; D.E. Stevenson, The Baker's Daughter
SFFKIT (dystopian/apocalyptic): Emily St. John Mandel, Station Eleven

May
AwardsCAT (Man Booker International, Edgar): Keigo Higashino, The Devotion of Suspect X
CATWoman (women in the arts): Elle Pierson, Artistic License
CultureCAT (gender equality):
RandomCAT (all about Mom): Mhairi McFarlane, Who's That Girl?
AlphaKIT (C, T): Connie Willis, All Seated on the Ground; Mhairi McFarlane, Who's That Girl?
SFFKIT (alien contact): Connie Willis, All Seated on the Ground

June
AwardsCAT (PEN, National Book Award):
CATWoman (professional women):
CultureCAT (environmentalism/conservation):
RandomCAT (into the unknown):
AlphaKIT (Y, N): Sara Eckel, It's Not You: 27 (Wrong) Reasons You're Single
SFFKIT (series): K.B. Wagers, Behind the Throne

July
AwardsCAT (Baileys Women's Prize, any SFF award):
CATWoman (women of color):
CultureCAT (violence, crime, justice):
RandomCAT (let's celebrate!):
AlphaKIT (B, G):
SFFKIT (award winners/nominees):

August
AwardsCAT (Miles Franklin, Stonewall Book Award):
CATWoman (nonfiction or historical fiction):
CultureCAT (impact of natural disasters):
RandomCAT ():
AlphaKIT (O, F):
SFFKIT (humorous):

September
AwardsCAT (Man Booker Prize, O. Henry):
CATWoman (children's/YA/graphic novels):
CultureCAT (journalism and the arts):
RandomCAT ():
AlphaKIT (U, P):
SFFKIT (steampunk):

October
AwardsCAT (Nobel, Giller):
CATWoman (regional):
CultureCAT (poverty):
*RandomCAT ():
AlphaKIT (A, V):
SFFKIT (near future):

November
AwardsCAT (any regional prize):
CATWoman (LBTQ or feminist):
CultureCAT (conflict, war, terrorism):
RandomCAT ():
AlphaKIT (L, Q):
SFFKIT (historical):

December
AwardsCAT (prize from a country you don't live in):
*CATWoman (modern/post-1960):
CultureCAT (cultural flow, immigration):
RandomCAT ():
AlphaKIT (J, R):
SFFKIT (magic systems):

Year-long
AlphaKIT (X, Z): Keigo Higashino, The Devotion of Suspect X

BingoDOG -- Paul Anka



Here's where I'll post my Bingo card and progress. I'd like to aim for a cover-all Bingo again, but that depends on what topics are ultimately chosen for the squares.



1. Author shares your first and last initials:
2. Set in a time before you were born: Edith Wharton, The Glimpses of the Moon
3. Author was born in 1930s: Diana Wynne Jones, Eight Days of Luke
4. Debut work: Sally Thorne, The Hating Game
5. Book about books: Mechthild Gläser, The Book Jumper
6. Author abroad:
7. Science-related: Connie Willis, Crosstalk
8. Place name in title: Julian Fellowes, Belgravia
9. About an animal/animal in title: Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows, My Lady Jane
10. Set in a beach community/resort: Jenn Bennett, Alex, Approximately
11. Next book in a series you've started: Ellis Peters, The Confession of Brother Haluin
12. Owned for more than 5 years:
13. Read a CAT: Becky Chambers, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet
14. A satire:
15. Set in a place you want to visit: Tana French, The Likeness
16. Author born/book published in 1917:
17. One-word title: Winston Graham, Demelza
18. Color in the title: Dorothy L. Sayers, The Five Red Herrings
19. Published in the 1940s-1960s: Winston Graham, Jeremy Poldark
20. Author uses initials: C.H.B. Kitchin, Death of My Aunt
21. Made into a movie:
22. Collection of short stories:
23. Title refers to another literary work: Alan Bradley, Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd
24. Set in a country you've never been to: Katherine Arden, The Bear and the Nightingale
25. Appeals to the senses: Allison Morgan, Can I See You Again?

Saved just in case. :)

Hah omg I love this! Hubs & I are actually doing a GG watch-through now (he's never seen it of course) before watching the new miniseries, it'll be ages before we're done (only on early S2 now), but that just means I get longer to live in one of the best shows ever!! xP

Great set-up, Christina, you've based your challenge on one of the best TV shows ever!

Christina I love this and am so looking forward to the reboot in November ! You have pics up there from some of my favorite episodes, that would be the dance marathon and Sookie's wedding. Oh and I'm a Jess fan!

This is a lovely set-up!

OMG! I'm also doing a Gilmore Girls challenge this year. I've used different episode titles than you have, except Paris is Burning, and I have 17 categories.

>12 .Monkey.: I'm also doing a Gilmore rewatch to prepare for the new episodes! I'm almost done at this point...just a few episodes left to go in season 7.

>13 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy!

>14 lsh63: The dance marathon and Sookie's wedding are two of my absolute favorite episodes, too! And yes, I'm definitely Team Jess. :)

>15 MissWatson: Thank you!

>16 VioletBramble: OMG too funny! I'm excited to see your Gilmore-themed categories!

This is awesome!! Such a great show and I love how you made the titles work with your categories.

This is lovely, great idea!

Haha awesome! Also awesome that you and @VioletBramble have great minds! :D

Such a great theme! I love the Gilmore Girls, although I have to watch it in small doses. Rory is essentially my fictional alter-ego, but Lorelai triggers all my "adults who refuse to act like adults" rage and I end up yelling at the screen.

I love your format for the CATs. I may have to steal it for my thread, which I planned on launching in December, but may launch sooner so as not to get too lost in the shuffle.

Super fun - I loved looking through your categories. I especially love Paul Anka as your BingoDOG. I love GG. I have yet to see the last season but am currently watching it on Netflix.

>18 LittleTaiko: Thanks! I had a lot of fun finding episode titles that would work for my categories.

>19 Chrischi_HH: Thank you!

>20 rabbitprincess: Haha, we totally do have great minds! :)

>21 casvelyn: Definitely a fair point about Lorelai. I think she and Rory are both deeply flawed, but they're so entertaining that I don't really mind (although they would undoubtedly drive me crazy in real life!). And feel free to use my CAT organization...I've found it works well for me to keep track of what I'm reading that might fit.

>22 Deesirings: I have to admit, I was super excited when I realized that I could apply the Gilmore theme to the CATs and DOG as well! I'll be curious to hear what you think of season 7 when you're done with it.

Nice set up..

>24 Kristelh: Thank you!

Love your challenge! I listened to the audio book of The War That Saved My Life and it was amazing! I highly recommend it :-)

>26 kpolhuis: Thanks for the rec! I haven't really tried audiobooks before, but people seem to love them, so perhaps I should expand my horizons.

I have never seen an episode of "The Gilmore Girls" hangs head in shame
But I love this theme for your challenge! :-)

>28 Tanya-dogearedcopy: Haha, no need to hang your head in shame, but Gilmore Girls is great! You should check it out sometime...all seven seasons are on Netflix now, if that helps! :)

I'm with @Tanya-dogearedcopy - I've never seen the show either - but, from your "possibilities" I can tell I'll enjoy following along anyway! :)

>30 -Eva-: Thanks for stopping by! :)

I'm another one who has never seen the series but from all these comments I will have to fix that! I'll be following your reading in 2017.

>32 VivienneR: Thanks -- good to see you here! Hope you like Gilmore when you get to it.

I just added it to the mile-long "my list" on Netflix.

I just watched the pilot episode of the original run; and I can see its appeal to book lovers! In this episode alone, there are references to Kerouac, 'Huckleberry Finn', Moby Dick & Melville, and 'Madame Bovary'! :-)

>34 VivienneR: Yay!

>35 Tanya-dogearedcopy: Gilmore really loves its pop culture references, including literary references. It's always fun to see how many I recognize!

Wow, this is an awesome challenge! I'm midway through the original series (this is round 3 for me) and I inhaled all four episodes of the reboot on Friday. I have no shame! Oy, with the poodles already. ;)

Love the Gilmore Girls theme!

>37 LauraBrook: I still haven't seen all of the reboot episodes yet! I spent Thanksgiving with my family and couldn't disappear for 6 hours to binge-watch. :) But I just watched "Winter" this evening and am hoping to see the other three episodes this week!

>38 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori!

Hi Christina : I was checking to see if you had watched all the episodes but I see you haven't yet. I wasn’t thrilled but I will stop back to see what you think.

>40 lsh63: I've now watched all the episodes, and I have mixed feelings. I found a lot to enjoy, but I was bothered by some things, particularly the ending, or should I say the non-ending! What did you particularly like and dislike?

>41 christina_reads: I don't want to give anything away I'll pm you! One of these days I have to learn how to do the spoiler thingy.

>42 lsh63: Just responded! I had a lot to say. *blush*

I started Gilmore girls a few years back, and never finished. I was enjoying it. I just can only watch TV in short doses since I just sit there and wish I were reading. But all this recent craze makes me want to pick it up again.

>44 The_Hibernator: Well, I'm biased, but I'd definitely encourage you to continue if you're interested. :) I have the opposite problem to yours: even when I'm enjoying a book, it's all too easy to put it aside and watch TV instead!

>44 The_Hibernator: I just can only watch TV in short doses since I just sit there and wish I were reading.

ME TOO! I also find it difficult to muster up the attention span for a movie, whereas I can spend hours reading.

I have never seen the Gilmore Girls but your categories are brilliant!

>47 Tess_W: Thank you! It turned out to be surprisingly easy to find episode titles that would work for each category!

Your categories brought a smile to my face. I've enjoyed GG for a long time, watching the reruns over and over. I watched the recent episodes and enjoyed seeing all the actors returning for their characters. It was so much fun!

You've done a good bit of organizing here. I'll be by to see what books you have chosen to fill in all the slots. Have a wonderful year!

>49 mamzel: Huzzah, another Gilmore fan! I agree -- it was nice being back in Stars Hollow again for the new episodes.

For each category, I basically just posted a bunch of books from my TBR that would fit. I'll still have a lot of decisions to make in 2017!

I'm getting really excited about the 2017 challenge, which means I've started to (over)plan my January reading! Here's what I'm thinking so far:

• Crosstalk by Connie Willis -- will work for the CultureCAT, SFFKIT, and Bingo #7 (science-related)
  
• Ross Poldark by Winston Graham -- for the Poldark group read
  
• The Hating Game by Sally Thorne -- will count for the AlphaKIT (S = Sally) and Bingo #4 (debut work)
  
• The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden -- an LTER book, and it also counts for Bingo #9 (animal in the title)
  
• Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd by Alan Bradley -- counts for the AlphaKIT (M = Mew'd) and Bingo #23 (title refers to another literary work)
  
• Belgravia by Julian Fellowes -- works for Bingo #8 (place name in title)
  
• The Spider's Touch by Patricia Wynn -- works for AlphaKIT (S = Spider's) and Bingo #25 (appeals to the senses)

Of course, I still haven't completed my 2016 challenge yet, so first things first!

Looks like your January is shaping up nicely, Christina. I am excited to start as well and have pretty much lined up my January reads, now I have to make the big decision as to which one I am going to start with.

>52 DeltaQueen50: Yes, picking that first book is a fun but important decision!

Hi Christina, since I saw you mentioned the Poldark group read. Is that one of the books or all of them? And where might I find that group read to join? Please and thank you!

>54 Tess_W: I believe it's a year-long read of all 12 books, but there hasn't been a ton of planning yet. It's been mentioned on the main group reads thread, but it doesn't have its own thread yet. But I hope you will join us! :)

>51 christina_reads: I hope you enjoy The Bear and the Nightingale as much as I did. I found it one of those books that made me glad I took a chance on it.

>56 mamzel: Hooray! Now I'm even more excited to read it. :)

Merry Christmas, everyone!



Only one more week until 2017...

>59 The_Hibernator: Aww, how cute! Happy New Year to you!

I completed my 2016 category challenge yesterday, and today I wrote a little wrap-up post that includes my top 10 books of the year and my answers to the year-end meme. Now I'm excited to get started on my 2017 challenge! My first book of the year will be Crosstalk by Connie Willis, which I am really liking so far! I look forward to seeing what all of you are reading. :)

Happy New Year! It looks like you've got a year of great reading ahead!

Stopping by to say "hi!" and drop a star. I hope you have a Happy New Year!

>51 christina_reads:. Ooh, I bought Crosstalk recently and hope to get to it soon. Love the Patricia Wynn books too.

>62 cbl_tn: Thanks! I've already got my stack of January books, and I'm having trouble picking individual books because they all look so good!

>63 inge87: Thanks for stopping by!

>64 LittleTaiko: I DEVOURED Crosstalk and really enjoyed it -- hope you do too! And I really liked the first Blue Satan book, so I'm excited to continue with the series.

Happy New Year!!!

I have my hands on the library's copy of Ross Poldark. Were you thinking of just exchanging PMs to discuss it, or do you think we should have a discussion thread?

>66 VictoriaPL: I think there should be a thread...I believe a couple other people expressed interest in doing a Poldark series group read. I can set one up this evening, unless you would prefer to do it! Also, I probably won't start Ross Poldark until a bit later in the month, although I do plan to read it in January.

>67 christina_reads: Ok, that sounds great if you'd like to start one. Thanks and looking forward to reading with you again!!

>68 VictoriaPL: Same here! :)

Book #1: Connie Willis, Crosstalk
Category: We've Got Magic to Do
CATs: Awards (year's best list - NPR's Best Books of 2016); Culture (ethics in science and technology); SFF (a book you meant to read in 2016 but didn't)
Bingo: 7 (science-related)

In a near-future society, people are looking for ever more efficient ways to communicate and connect with each other. A new experimental procedure, the EED, allows couples to feel each other's emotions and thus (theoretically) strengthen their relationship. Briddey Flannigan is thrilled when her boyfriend Trent asks her to get an EED with him, but her nosy family doesn't like the idea, nor does her reclusive colleague C.B. Nevertheless, Briddey goes ahead with the procedure, only to discover that something has gone terribly wrong -- she's now connected to C.B., not Trent. Moreover, she doesn't just sense his emotions; she seems to be able to read his mind. Now, with C.B.'s help, Briddey must figure out why this connection occurred and learn how to break it, before the negative effects of their telepathic connection cause irreversible damage.

I'm huge Connie Willis fan, so I had high expectations for this book, and I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed! This novel has just as much humor and romance as her other light novels, with an added dash of commentary on the negative aspects of incessant communication. I really enjoyed the little asides about past scientific research into telepathy, as well as the speculation that famous historical figures who heard voices (most notably Joan of Arc) might actually have been telepathic. I do think the plot had a few too many twists and turns at the end; the book's length could have been trimmed somewhat. But I was having such a ball following Briddey and C.B.'s story that I barely noticed at the time! To be fair, the book does have its flaws, which I think the NPR review covers quite well -- I can definitely see the reviewer's point. But I still loved the book, and I would definitely recommend it to Willis fans! Newcomers to her work might want to start with To Say Nothing of the Dog or Doomsday Book (although the latter is much darker) instead.

Book #2: Sally Thorne, The Hating Game
Category: Wedding Bell Blues
CATs: Awards (year's best list - NPR's Best Books of 2016); Alpha (S - Sally)
Bingo: 4 (debut work)

If Lucy Hutton is certain about anything in her life, it's that she and Joshua Templeman hate each other. As executive assistants to the co-CEOs of their company, they've been professional rivals for years, and each of them knows exactly how to get under the other one's skin. Now they're both up for the same promotion, and Lucy is determined to beat out Joshua for the job. If that means spending all her energy in coming up with passive-aggressive ways to annoy him, so be it. But when a particularly vicious argument somehow turns into an explosive kiss, everything changes. As Lucy reevaluates her history with Joshua, she realizes that maybe her intense feelings for him can't entirely be explained by hatred. And maybe, contrary to her longstanding belief, Joshua doesn't actually hate her at all. But will Lucy have the courage to change the game?

This book may be a giant predictable cliché, but it's so well written that I don't even care! I was so invested in Lucy and Joshua's relationship, and I loved the pace at which it unfolded. The sexual tension between them is immediately obvious, so the author wisely doesn't string it out too long; the kiss occurs quite early in the novel. But the heart of the story is the slow, tentative transformation from hate-fueled lust to genuine love and affection. I especially liked seeing Joshua gradually open up to Lucy, revealing the reasons for his former rude behavior. Ultimately, this book exceeded my expectations, which were already pretty high since I'd heard a lot of good things about it. I'd wholeheartedly recommend it to fans of romance, especially those who enjoy the hate-to-love trope. It looks like the author has another book coming out this summer, and I'll definitely be purchasing it!

>71 christina_reads: I didn't always get the games they were playing; but I too ended up being pleasantly surprised with this novel! I wasn't expecting much, but by the time he said, "Now we're getting somewhere" I knew that Sally Thorne was going to be an auto-buy! :-)

>72 Tanya-dogearedcopy: Auto-buy is right! :)

>70 christina_reads: Would have been a book bullet, except that Willis is one of my auto-reads. I'll probably get to it later this year. I keep meaning to reread all of the time-traveling historian books as well.

>74 casvelyn: There are still a few from Willis's backlist that I haven't read yet, like Passage and Lincoln's Dreams. I'm kind of reluctant to read them because then I won't have any new Willis to discover!

>70 christina_reads: - "I'm huge Connie Willis fan, so I had high expectations for this book, and I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed!" High praise indeed!

>76 lkernagh: It's always great when a beloved author lives up to your high opinion of him/her!

Book #3: Alan Bradley, Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd
Category: They Shoot Gilmores, Don't They?
CATs: Alpha (M - Mew'd)
Bingo: 23 (title refers to another literary work)

Flavia is thrilled to be back in England after her Canadian adventure at Miss Bodycote's Female Academy, but she soon discovers that all is not well at Buckshaw. Her oldest sister Feely is in a fight with her fiancé Dieter, and her annoying cousin Undine won't leave her alone. Most upsetting of all, her father is sick with pneumonia, and she's not even allowed to visit him in the hospital. Desperate for a distraction, Flavia agrees to run an errand for the vicar's wife, delivering a message to the woodcarver who is refurbishing the church. But when Flavia arrives at the woodcarver's residence, she discovers the man hanging upside-down from his bedroom door, quite dead. Of course, she jumps at the chance to solve another murder, which leads her to uncover a decades-old conspiracy involving a famous author. But as always, Flavia's investigative skills are so sharp that she finds herself in danger.

I'm a longtime fan of the Flavia de Luce series, so I enjoyed this latest installment. However, I'm starting to feel so sad for Flavia that the books are becoming less fun to read. In the first few books, Flavia and her sisters are constantly fighting, but you get the sense that, deep down, they do care for each other. In this book, the arguments are so mean-spirited and brutal that it's really no fun to read. Flavia also seems particularly isolated in this book; her father is almost entirely off page, her sisters ignore her when they're not actively being cruel, and she doesn't seem to have any friends at all (except the vicar's wife). The ending of this book seems to indicate an even bleaker future for Flavia, and if that's the case, the series might actually be too depressing for me to continue. I also didn't love the mystery in this one, although I was happy to see some interaction between Flavia and her former teacher Mrs. Bannerman. Overall, I found this book somewhat disappointing, and I'm not sure I'll be continuing with the series (although I may try one more book just to see if things improve).

>78 christina_reads: This installment made me glad I've been reading them from the library. I was disappointed that Haviland was off-page so much. He's my favourite :(

>79 rabbitprincess: It's definitely a library series for me, too. And I also missed Haviland in this book -- as well as Feely, Daffy, Dieter, the inspector, and all the other regular characters! Most of them only had a couple of scenes (if that), which I found very disappointing.

>70 christina_reads: Crosstalk sounds like a good one. I've only read Doomsday Book so far and thought it was great.

>81 LisaMorr: I liked Crosstalk so much! It's quite a bit lighter than Doomsday Book, but if you don't mind that, I highly recommend it!

I see that you and I had similar experiences reading the latest Flavia de Luce book. Here is hoping Bradley can bring back the fun, Impish Flavia in the next installment!

>83 lkernagh: Agreed! I'd love to laugh a little more with the next book.

January recap

Only one month into the year, and I'm already behind with my challenge! I meant to read ten books this month, but I managed to read only six. Still, that's not so bad, considering I've also committed myself to Operation Clear My DVR this month!

Books read:
1. Connie Willis, Crosstalk
2. Sally Thorne, The Hating Game
3. Alan Bradley, Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd
4. Julian Fellowes, Belgravia
5. Allison Morgan, Can I See You Again?
6. Edith Wharton, The Glimpses of the Moon

For me, there's a clear dividing line among the books I read this month. I absolutely loved Crosstalk, The Hating Game, and The Glimpses of the Moon -- they may even make my "top ten books of the year" list! But my reaction to Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd, Belgravia, and Can I See You Again? was a resounding "meh." They're not terrible, but I wouldn't ever feel the need to read them again, nor would I recommend them to others.

CATs completed:
Awards (year's best lists, Costa): Crosstalk and The Hating Game both made NPR's Best Books of 2016 list.
Woman (classics): The Glimpses of the Moon is by the classic American novelist Edith Wharton.
Culture (ethics in science and technology): Crosstalk deals with the practical and ethical ramifications of a technological advance that enables telepathy.
Alpha (M, S): Sally Thorne, The Hating Game; Alan Bradley, Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd; Allison Morgan, Can I See You Again?; Edith Wharton, The Glimpses of the Moon.
SFFKIT (book you meant to read in 2016 but didn’t): I wanted to read Crosstalk when it came out in October 2016, but I couldn't make it work at the time.

Bingo squares completed:
7. Science-related: Crosstalk is about the science of telepathy.
4. Debut work: The Hating Game is Sally Thorne's debut novel.
23. Title refers to another literary work: Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd is a reference to Macbeth, act IV, scene 1.
8. Place name in title: Belgravia is a posh London neighborhood.
25. Appeals to the senses: Can I See You Again? refers to the sense of sight.
2. Set in a time before you were born: The Glimpses of the Moon was written and set in the 1920s.

>85 christina_reads: LOL Operation Clear My DVR. I hear you!

>86 VictoriaPL: It was 73% full earlier this month! It's a legitimate problem. I think I've gotten it down to 55% or so...

Clearing the DVR is important too! My version is Operation Watch All Those Library DVDs You Keep Requesting, Dammit.

>88 rabbitprincess: Also a very worthy goal! :)

>78 christina_reads:
That's a shame - I really enjoyed that series in the beginning, but I don't want it to go darker than it already has.

>90 -Eva-: It does seem to be trending darker, unfortunately! I also really liked the series initially, but at this point I'm not sure I want to continue.

>91 christina_reads:
It's been one of my "levity"-reading series, so not happy about that. :(

6 books read in January is still a good start to the reading year, IMO. Good luck with Operation Clear DVR!

>93 lkernagh: Haha, thanks! I'm down to 53% on the DVR, which isn't bad. Of course, balancing reading time with TV time is difficult!

>85 christina_reads:, I like how you did the Recap.

>95 Kristelh: Thank you! The recaps help me at the end of the year, when I'm trying to remember what my favorite and least favorite books were.

February recap

Another slow reading month for me, but February is short, so I'll cut myself some slack. :)

Books read:
1. Winston Graham, Ross Poldark
2. Kristan Higgins, On Second Thought
3. Becky Chambers, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet
4. Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows, My Lady Jane
5. Winston Graham, Demelza

I enjoyed almost everything I read this month, but On Second Thought was probably my favorite for sheer reading pleasure. My least favorite -- and I know I'm in the minority on this -- was The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. I didn't hate it or anything, but it didn't grab me the way it did so many other LT-ers. Hopefully I'll write a review in the next few days explaining why, but the short version is that the pacing was too slow for me.

CATs completed:
Woman (debut): The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet is Becky Chambers's debut novel.
Random (mine, yours, and ours): The title My Lady Jane contains a word that shows possession.
Alpha (W, H): Kristan Higgins, On Second Thought; Becky Chambers, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet; Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows, My Lady Jane; Winston Graham, Demelza.
SFFKIT (space travel): The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet is set almost entirely aboard a spaceship.

Bingo squares completed:
13. Read a CAT: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet fulfilled the February CATWoman.
9. About an animal or animal in the title: One of the main characters in My Lady Jane has a magical gift/curse that makes him spend daylight hours as a horse.
17. One-word title: Demelza certainly qualifies.

Well, I've definitely been MIA from this thread for a while! Life has been incredibly busy lately, and for the past 10 days I've been on vacation in Switzerland. My cousin and his family have been living in Lausanne for the past three years, but they're moving back to the States this summer, so I decided to visit them while I still had the chance. :) I haven't done much international traveling, and I'd never been to Switzerland before, so I was really excited for this trip, and I had a blast! I'll try to post some pictures later this week.

In the meantime, I am SUPER behind on reviews, but I did manage to complete one for a book I read way back in January...



Book #4: Julian Fellowes, Belgravia
Category: Paris Is Burning
Bingo: 8 (place name in the title)

This novel by the creator of Downton Abbey tells the story of two families, the aristocratic Bellasises and the social-climbing Trenchards, as their paths collide on the eve of Waterloo and again 25 years later. James Trenchard begins the novel as Wellington’s chief supplier, and thus he has some contact with high society despite being a mere tradesman. When his beautiful daughter Sophia catches the eye of Lord Edmund Bellasis, James is certain that a marriage will soon take place, despite the skepticism of Anne, his pragmatic wife. But Edmund tragically dies at Waterloo, and Sophia follows shortly thereafter – but not before giving birth to his child. The Trenchards place the baby with a foster family in an attempt to hush up the scandal, but the secret threatens to emerge when Anne decides to search for Sophia's child, Charles Pope, now an intelligent young man of 25. When Charles is introduced into society despite his (supposedly) working-class origins, rumors start flying, and several people begin to ask questions about his true identity. What they uncover is a secret that could be dangerous not only to the Trenchards' social standing, but to the young man's very life.

I watched Downton Abbey from start to finish, so I was intrigued that its writer, Julian Fellowes, had written a book set during my favorite historical period. However, I was left feeling pretty underwhelmed by this novel. Much as I enjoyed Downton, it often had problems with pacing and with juggling its large ensemble cast, and those same problems are apparent in Belgravia. The "suspense," such as it is, comes from the question of whether (or when) the scandal of Charles's birth will be revealed, but since the reader knows the secret from almost the beginning of the novel, it's not a very compelling question. I also didn't care at all about most of the secondary characters. The villain of the piece has moments of being interesting, but he's largely a flat character who only cares about money and social status. And the downstairs characters get very short shrift, in my opinion; while a couple of the servants do play a role in the plot, their characterization is negligible. Overall, I found this book to be very "meh," although avid Downton Abbey fans may find it worth reading.

>98 christina_reads: Oh how wonderful! Looking forward to hearing more about your trip.

I haven't delved into Downton Abbey yet. Yet.....

>99 VictoriaPL: Downton is worth a watch if you enjoy period pieces! Some of it is really great, and even the less successful storylines still have something to enjoy.

Ooh, Switzerland! That must have been a lot of fun. Looking forward to pictures :D

>101 rabbitprincess: It was absolutely lovely! Mountains everywhere, centuries of history, bread and cheese at every meal.... :)

Book #5: Allison Morgan, Can I See You Again?
Category: Wedding Bell Blues
CATs: Alpha (M - Morgan, S - See) - I read this in January
Bingo: 25 (appeals to the senses)

Bree Caxton owns a successful matchmaking business in California, and her first book is about to be published. So when her boyfriend of four years breaks up with her out of the blue, she panics: not only is she heartbroken on a personal level, but who wants to buy a book about love from someone whose own love life is a mess? Bree needs her book to sell big, both for her own career and for her grandmother, who is about to be evicted from her longtime home. Desperate, Bree asks one of her clients, Nixon Voss, to pose as her boyfriend in public interviews. Surprisingly, Nixon agrees, and the more time they spend together, the more Bree wonders whether they have a real connection. But will Bree's determination to launch a bestseller -- and the sudden reappearance of her ex -- end their relationship before it begins?

As I frequently mention on my blog, "fake relationship becomes real" is one of my favorite romance tropes, so I was intrigued by the premise of this book. Sadly, I wasn't particularly wowed by the execution. The central conflict -- Bree needs her book to make the NYT bestseller list so that her grandma won't lose her house -- just seemed too farfetched. In what universe would that plan actually work? I also wasn't particularly invested in Bree's relationship with Nixon, for some reason. Maybe they don't spend enough time together in the book? Or maybe neither character is developed well enough for me to see why they're so right for each other. I did like that Nixon has some semblance of a personality, but as I said, he's really not in the book that much; the primary focus is on Bree's professional life and her relationship wth her grandma. Overall, while this book isn't terrible, I don't think it's particularly interesting or memorable.

Book #6: Edith Wharton, The Glimpses of the Moon
Category: Paris Is Burning
CATs: Woman (classic), Alpha (M - Moon) - I read this in January
Bingo: 2 (set in a time before you were born)

In the glittering whirl of 1920s New York society, Nick Lansing and Susy Branch are intelligent but impoverished: they survive by living off the generosity of their richer friends. They fall in love with each other and decide to marry, but they agree that if either of them gets a chance to make a better financial match, they’ll divorce amicably. At first the marriage is very successful, and Nick and Susy are able to live off their friends’ extravagant wedding gifts. But when one of their friends lets them stay at her Italian villa during the honeymoon, they soon discover that she requires an ethically dubious favor in return. This favor drives a wedge between Nick and Susy — a wedge that widens even further when a titled Englishman and a rich heiress present themselves as alternative romantic options. In the end, will love or money prevail?

I don’t have much to say about this book except that I really loved it! Wharton’s prose is flawlessly precise, and she has an immense talent for evoking a character’s complete emotional state with a few subtle, well-chosen words. I actually found this book a bit stressful to read at times, because I cared about Nick and Susy so much, and I really wanted their marriage to work out despite the obstacles in their way. I liked the fact that no one is really a villain in the book, not even the wealthier romantic possibilities who are hoping that the marriage will break up. That said, Wharton does include some wonderfully biting satire about the upper classes and the frivolity and emptiness of their lifestyle. I’d recommend this book to anyone, especially those who love comedies of manners and the classics.

Book #7: Winston Graham, Ross Poldark
Category: ’S Wonderful, ’S Marvelous

I first read this book about five years ago, and my basic opinion was that I liked the story but found the pace too slow. But this time around, the pacing didn't bother me at all! While I still don't find copper mining to be very fascinating, I love the relationship dynamics between the core characters of Ross, Demelza, Elizabeth, and Francis. I've already read Demelza and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series this year!

Book #8: Kristan Higgins, On Second Thought
Category: Wedding Bell Blues
CATs: Alpha (H - Higgins) - I read this in February

After years of being single, Kate has finally found happiness with her new husband, Nathan. Their only marital problem so far is that Kate hasn't yet gotten pregnant. Meanwhile, Kate's half-sister Ainsley has been with her boyfriend Eric ever since college, and he's dragging his feet about proposing to her, but she remains convinced that he's "the one." But the lives of both women change forever when Nathan dies in a tragic accident. Now a devastated Kate must deal with her grief -- a horrible situation made even harder by her discovery that Nathan may have been hiding something from her. Meanwhile, the shock of Nathan's death leads Eric to break up with Ainsley, who is blindsided by the loss of the future she'd been imagining for years. As both Kate and Ainsley try to move forward, they turn to each other for support and begin to forge a closer relationship.

I always enjoy Kristan Higgins' contemporary romance novels, and even though this one isn't quite as focused on romance, I still really liked it! I saw a few reviews that complained it's depressing because it focuses so much on grief, and I can certainly understand that point of view. But to me, the story felt very hopeful and uplifting, because it's about how both sisters are able to cope with the great pain and loss in their lives. I loved the relationship between Kate and Ainsley, who aren't particularly close in the beginning of the book but eventually come to understand and appreciate one another. They both become more confident in their own lives, too, both professionally and in other family relationships. Of course, there is some romance in the novel as well, which I thoroughly (and predictably) enjoyed. I'd recommend this book to fans of romance or women's fiction who don't mind a slightly weightier premise.

>104 christina_reads: A couple of years ago (2013, I think,) I read a few of Edith Wharton's better known Classics:

The House of Mirth

The Age of Innocence

Ethan Fromme

The Bunner Sisters

Roman Fever

and a short horror story about ghosts (Ghosts?) that surprised me with how effectively creepy it was!

I also watched the first three books' film adaptations, and made my pilgrimage to The Mount! :-)
I always meant to include more Wharton in my reading diet; but for whatever reason, I didn't. The Glimpses of the Moon sounds like a great "Next Read" for me! #BookBullet :-)

EDIT: Oh! I read The Buccaneers too! (as finished by Marion Mainwaring); and I had watched the series years ago when it was serialized for BBC. There was something about the series that struck me as off, though I don't remember what it was, so I didn't re-watch it this last time around.

>104 christina_reads: glad you like Glimpses of the Moon. I found it much more romantic than her other books and was surprised how much I loved it!

>105 christina_reads: Whoo Hoo! On the Poldark train. I'm looking forward to sharing this series with you. I've missed our shared reads.

>107 Tanya-dogearedcopy: If you love Wharton, I definitely think you'll love The Glimpses of the Moon! It's even a little bit more uplifting than most of her other novels, which is a good thing in my book!

>108 japaul22: You might have been the one who introduced me to this book; I know it was someone on LT! I think my favorite Wharton novel is still The Age of Innocence, but The Glimpses of the Moon is a close second!

>109 VictoriaPL: I'm having fun with the Poldark books! In fact, I'm super behind on reviews, but I just finished Jeremy Poldark and liked it a lot. I'm also glad we are reading the series together! When do you plan to start Warleggan?

>110 christina_reads: I just picked up Warleggan so I'll be starting it soon.

>111 VictoriaPL: Good to know! I'm planning to pick up a copy from the library sometime this week.

Book #9: Becky Chambers, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet
Category: We’ve Got Magic to Do
CATs: Woman (debut), Alpha (W - Way), SFF (space travel) - I read this in February
Bingo: 13 (read a CAT)

In a universe where space travel is common and humans mingle with aliens of various species, Rosemary Harper is about to join the crew of the Wayfarer, a spaceship whose job is essentially to facilitate interplanetary travel by punching wormholes through space. When Rosemary boards the Wayfarer, she meets a wildly diverse crew that nevertheless manages to live in (mostly) harmony. There's Sissix, the lizardlike alien pilot; Kizzy and Jenks, the chatty engineers; Ashby, the captain; and Lovelace, the ship's artificial intelligence system. They all embrace Rosemary as one of their own, even when they discover that she's hiding a big secret from her past. But when the Wayfarer is hired for a particularly dangerous job, peace is threatened both among the crew and within the whole galaxy.

I'd read a lot of great reviews of this book, and I saw some comparisons to Firefly, so I was really hoping to love it. Unfortunately, I guess I'm in the minority on this one, because it honestly did nothing for me. The worldbuilding is excellent; the various alien species are well drawn, and the author obviously had fun exploring the cultural differences between her main characters. But the plot is practically nonexistent until the very end of the novel, when it's finally revealed why this job is so dangerous and what's at stake for the main characters. I also didn't particularly care about any of the characters, and again I think it's because there are no stakes; I don't know what these characters want or what obstacles stand in their way. Finally, there's an interspecies sexual encounter that I found distasteful, but of course other people's mileage may vary. Overall, the great worldbuilding wasn't enough to save this novel for me, and I won't be reading the rest of the trilogy.

Book #10: Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows, My Lady Jane
Category: We’ve Got Magic to Do
CATs: Random (yours, mine, and ours); Alpha (H - Hand) - I read this in February
Bingo: 9 (about an animal)

This novel is a highly fictionalized version of the events surrounding Lady Jane Grey's accession to the throne of England, where she ruled for only nine days. The story begins as teenage king Edward VI learns that he is dying. He names his best friend Jane as his successor, which immediately makes her a highly desirable bride to the ambitious men at court. Although Jane is not particularly interested in marriage or becoming queen, she is forced to marry Gifford, the son of Edward's most trusted counselor. Of course, Jane and Gifford don't get along at first, but soon they must work together when she finds out that Gifford is an Edian, a person with the magical ability to turn into an animal. In fact, he can't control this power, so he spends all his daylight hours as a horse. Jane and Gifford must conceal this politically dangerous secret and figure out how to control his power -- all while navigating the perils surrounding the English monarchy.

When this book first came out, I refused to read it despite its popularity because of the terrible cover. But then I started reading reviews comparing it to things like The Princess Bride and Monty Python. And then I read the dedication -- "For everyone who knows there was enough room for Leonardo DiCaprio on that door" -- and I was hooked. This book is a fun and funny romp through Tudor history, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Of course, those who are looking for realistic historical fiction from this era should definitely look elsewhere; the actual historical situation is just a springboard for the characters' completely fantastical adventures. I really enjoyed the main characters, especially Edward, whose main complaint about dying is that he hasn't ever kissed a girl. The plot does get a bit hectic toward the end, but by then I was happy to go along for the ride. Overall, I liked this book a lot, and now I'm interested in trying some of the authors' solo works.

>113 christina_reads: Oh no! I just bought this book a couple of weeks ago! I'll still read it; but since your tastes in SFF seem to closely align with my own, I'll adjust my expectations!

>114 christina_reads: I too have been avoiding this book; but on the strength of his absurdist elements, I'll pick it up this week-end! Sounds like fun! :-)

>115 Tanya-dogearedcopy: Tanya, I hope you enjoy The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet more than I did! Most other folks on LT have loved it, so hopefully you'll agree with the majority. :) And My Lady Jane is a fast, fun read -- enjoy!

>113 christina_reads: I too had seen a lot of praise for this book, and I'll probably still try it out sometime. However, like you, I also hate it when authors put a huge effort toward world-building but pay little attention to plot. I seem to have encountered this problem in a number of SFF books I've read recently.

>117 mathgirl40: I agree -- while worldbuilding is important in SFF, it can't be the only interesting thing about a book!

Book #11: Winston Graham, Demelza
Category: Paris Is Burning
CATs: Alpha (W - Winston) - I read this in February
Bingo: 17 (one-word title)

***Warning: spoilers for Ross Poldark.***

This second novel in the Poldark saga begins with Demelza giving birth to her and Ross’s first child, a baby girl named Julia. Uneasy at the thought of her lower-class, illiterate relatives mixing with Ross’s family and friends among the gentry, Demelza decides to hold two different parties for Julia’s christening. Of course, this plan goes terribly awry and ends in social disaster — the first of many situations in this novel where Demelza struggles with her new position in society as Ross’s wife. Meanwhile, low copper prices are causing trouble for Ross and the other mine owners, and many of the mine workers are facing dire poverty. Desperate, Ross joins a risky scheme that would give mine owners more control over copper prices, but the Warleggans are formidable enemies to this project. Personal tragedies, reversals of fortune, and love affairs gone wrong (or right) all play a part in this novel, but ultimately it’s the strength of Ross and Demelza’s relationship that gets them through it all.

I enjoyed this continuation of the Poldark series, which I think is a little more eventful and interesting than the first book. One of my favorite aspects of this novel is the portrayal of Ross and Demelza’s marriage. It’s a strong relationship but definitely not a perfect one: they argue, keep secrets from each other, and frequently become trapped in misunderstandings that a little honest communication could have prevented. But I love that Demelza isn’t afraid to speak her mind and that Ross genuinely respects her, notwithstanding her lower-class origins. I also liked the introduction of a few new characters, particularly Dwight Enys, a forward-thinking young doctor who becomes a fast friend of the Poldarks. Overall, this book got me excited about reading the entire series this year, and I’d definitely recommend it to fans of historical fiction or period dramas.

Sounds like you had a great trip to Switzerland!

Great review of Belgravia, Christina! Like you, I really enjoyed watching Downton Abbey and have been wondering about this one. Your review has helped me move it to my "maybe read later" list.

>120 lkernagh: I'll be interested to see your thoughts on Belgravia when you get to it!

March recap

This has been quite an eventful month for me! As I mentioned upthread, I spent 10 days in Switzerland visiting my cousin, seeing the sights and generally having a great time! Here are a few highlights:


The Matterhorn, one of the tallest peaks in the Alps (and probably one of the most photographed).


Chillon Castle, just outside Montreux. It's surrounded by Lake Geneva on three sides, and Lord Byron was briefly imprisoned there!


Another feature of Montreux is this Freddie Mercury statue, where I was overcome by my love of Queen. :)


One day we took a boat across Lake Geneva and visited France for the afternoon. This is the Swiss town of Lausanne, as seen from the boat.

***

Anyway, despite the international travel (or maybe because of it -- lots of time to read on those transatlantic flights!), I actually had a pretty productive reading month!

Books read:
1. Lucy Parker, Pretty Face
2. Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning
3. Ellis Peters, The Confession of Brother Haluin
4. Katherine Arden, The Bear and the Nightingale
5. C.H.B. Kitchin, Death of My Aunt
6. Rhys Bowen, In Farleigh Field
7. Tana French, The Likeness
8. Sherwood Smith, Crown Duel
9. Winston Graham, Jeremy Poldark
10. Ashley Poston, Geekerella
11. Diana Wynne Jones, Eight Days of Luke

I had a lot of great reads this month! My favorite was probably The Bear and the Nightingale, which I found to be a hypnotic and magical take on Russian folktales. I also loved Pretty Face -- Lucy Parker is officially an auto-buy author for me! And The Likeness was absolutely compelling; Tana French's books aren't really "my thing," but I love digging into them anyway! No real duds this month -- everything was varying shades of good.

CATs completed:
Woman (genres): Pretty Face is a romance, A Shadow Bright and Burning and Eight Days of Luke are fantasies, and The Confession of Brother Haluin and The Likeness are mysteries.
Random (luck of the Irish): The Likeness is by an Irish author and set in Ireland.
Alpha (E, K): Ellis Peters, The Confession of Brother Haluin; Katherine Arden, The Bear and the Nightingale; C.H.B. Kitchin, Death of My Aunt; Diana Wynne Jones, Eight Days of Luke
SFFKIT (religious theme): Eight Days of Luke is all about a boy's encounters with various Norse gods.

Bingo squares completed:
11. Next book in a series you've started: The Confession of Brother Haluin is book #15 in the Cadfael series.
24. Set in a country you've never been to: The Bear and the Nightingale is set in Russia.
20. Author uses initials: Death of My Aunt was written by C.H.B. Kitchin.
15. Set in a place you want to visit: The Likeness is set in Ireland, which is pretty much at the top of my list right now!
19. Published in the 1940s-1960s: Jeremy Poldark was published in 1950.
22. Author born in the 1930s: Diana Wynne Jones, who wrote Eight Days of Luke, was born in 1934.

>122 christina_reads: Welcome back! Those are some great photos! Switzerland looks beautiful; and now I too want to visit, especially the Freddy Mercury statue (Who knew?!)

In a bizarre coincidence, a friend of mine just sent me a collection of Russian Fairy Tales. Skimming through it, I don't see anything about nightingales; but that isn't to say that the story upon which 'The Bear and the Nightingale' is based on isn't there (only that I didn't look closely enough.) And yeah, adding 'The Bear and the Nightingale' to my stax! :-)

I've been hearing mixed things about 'Pretty Face' but I think I'll take the jump and get it ;-)

>123 Tanya-dogearedcopy: Thanks! Switzerland is a beautiful country. I'm not even a person who particularly loves the mountains (I don't hike or ski), but they do create gorgeous scenery!

I hope you enjoy The Bear and the Nightingale! I don't think it's based on any one particular Russian tale; it's more like a historical fantasy novel that borrows from different bits of Russian folklore. That collection of Russian fairytales sounds really interesting, though!

I totally loved Pretty Face, so obviously I encourage you to give it a try! :) I think the e-book version is usually not that expensive.

>122 christina_reads: Loved seeing your photos!

Looks like you had a wonderful trip, Christina. Thanks for sharing those great photos!

>125 VictoriaPL: >126 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Victoria and Judy! :)

>113 christina_reads: I'm relieved to see that I am not alone in my not so enamored feelings towards The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet. I don't really know why I didn't love it. I liked the characters, the story was fine, world building was great. I just kept putting it down and not really caring whether I picked it back up or not. I finally just didn't pick it back up with about 80 pages left.

>128 virginiahomeschooler: Oh, I'm so glad I'm not the only one! I really feel like the thing that was missing (for me at least) was stakes. What do these characters want or need that they don't already have? Rosemary is really the only character who goes on a journey, and it's a short one. She's looking for a place to belong, but she finds it almost immediately because everyone on the spaceship is super nice to her from day one. So, like you, I found it hard to care about what was going to happen next.

April recap

Phew, another busy month with little time for reading! I am participating in a community theater production of "Hairspray," which basically ate all my free time in April. It's a super fun show, and I'm enjoying my first onstage experience since high school, but it is also exhausting. Now that opening weekend is behind me, I'm looking forward to a little bit more reading time!

Books read:
1. Kristan Higgins, If You Only Knew
2. Dorothy L. Sayers, The Five Red Herrings
3. Anna Kendrick, Scrappy Little Nobody
4. D.E. Stevenson, The Baker's Daughter
5. Jenn Bennett, Alex, Approximately
6. Winston Graham, Warleggan

I also started Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel for the SFFKIT, but it's going to end up being my first read for May.

Everything I read this month was fine, but nothing was particularly amazing. Warleggan was probably the most compelling read, as some really dramatic stuff happens in this installment of the Poldark series! My least favorite book this month was Alex, Approximately, which was billed as a YA You've Got Mail but didn't really deliver on that premise.

CATs completed:
Woman (biography, autobiography, memoir): Scrappy Little Nobody is a memoir.
Random (love in the stacks): Scrappy Little Nobody, Alex, Approximately, and Warleggan all came from the library.
Alpha (I, D): Kristan Higgins, If You Only Knew; Dorothy L. Sayers, The Five Red Herrings; D.E. Stevenson, The Baker's Daughter
SFFKIT (dystopian/apocalyptic): Station Eleven is set in a postapocalyptic world where a pandemic has wiped out most of the population. I haven't finished this book yet, but I started it in April, so I'm counting it!

Bingo squares completed:
18. Color in the title: The Five Red Herrings qualifies.
10. Set in a beach community/resort: Alex, Approximately is set in a fictional California beach town.

So my 11th (!) Thingaversary is coming up on May 11, and my library had its semiannual sale this past weekend. Needless to say, I decided to kill two birds with one stone! Here's what I bought:



Deborah Crombie, A Share in Death -- Someone (or multiple someones) here on LT has been reading this series, and it sounds really interesting, so I decided to pick up the first one.

Kristen Britain, The High King's Tomb -- I enjoyed the first book in this fantasy series and already own books 1 and 2; this is book 3.

Peter Lovesey, The Last Detective -- Although this book wasn't published until the 1990s, it seems like a fun throwback to the Golden Age of detective fiction.

Lindsey Kelk, I Heart New York -- I've read two of Kelk's chick lit novels and liked them, so why not give this one a try?

Eva Ibbotson, Journey to the River Sea and The Star of Kazan -- I adore Eva Ibbotson, so I snatched up these books when I saw them!

Susanna Kearsley, The Rose Garden -- I keep wanting to like Kearsley's novels more than I do; as historical romances, they should be right up my alley! So I'll give her another try with this book.

Kazuo Ishiguro, Never Let Me Go -- I loved The Remains of the Day and have heard wonderful things about this book too, although I'm aware they are very different!

Rachel Kaine, Ink and Bone -- What if the famed library of Alexandria had never been destroyed, but instead expanded in influence until it controlled the world's knowledge? It's an intriguing premise, and I want to see how it plays out!

David Arnold, Mosquitoland -- I've heard good things about this book and have frequently been drawn to the cover. Plus, I love a good road trip novel!

Michael J. Sullivan, Theft of Swords -- Years ago, I read a very positive review of this book on a blog I follow, and I've been wanting to read it ever since. It's supposed to be old-school sword and sorcery, not unduly dark or gory (a.k.a., not Game of Thrones).

***

Coincidentally, that turned out to be 11 books! And for my "one to grow on," I've preordered Thick as Thieves by Megan Whalen Turner, which is the latest installment in the fabulous Queen's Thief series. Can't wait to read it!

Happy early Thingaversary! Yea for Deborah Crombie as well - love that series. A book podcast that I listen to recently discussed Never Let Me Go which sounded really interesting. I'll be curious to see what you think.

Wow, 11 years! Happy early Thingaversary!

Happy Thingaversary!! I've been curious about Ink and Bone.

>131 christina_reads: What a lovely book haul! Never Let Me Go is one of my favourites.

>132 LittleTaiko: Thank you! I normally don't go for contemporary mysteries, but I've heard so many good things about the Crombie series on LT that I had to check it out!

>133 rabbitprincess: Thanks! I can't believe it's been 11 years.

>134 VictoriaPL: I'll let you know what I think of Ink and Bone. I'm intrigued despite the outrageous premise that a library is evil!

>135 mathgirl40: I'm excited for Never Let Me Go! I've been meaning to read more Ishiguro for a while.

>131 christina_reads: I enjoyed Theft of Swords so I think you got a good one there! Never Let Me Go was a good surprise for me. Looks like you may be set through summer!

>137 mamzel: Although I probably won't get to all of these this summer...even newer, shinier books will distract me! :)

How have I not seen your thread before! This is genius - love the show and love your categories, especially how open they are.

Happy 11th Thingaversary, Christina! That's a great book haul. I also love the Deborah Crombie series.

Happy Thingaversary! What an excellent haul for your celebration. I really like Peter Lovesey's mysteries.

>139 soffitta1: Thank you! It was really fun coming up with the categories, and as you say, it's nice that they can really accommodate anything I choose to read!

>140 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy! I'm excited to start the Crombie series.

>141 VivienneR: Thank you! I haven't read anything by Peter Lovesey before, but The Last Detective has been on my radar for a while. Hopefully I'll discover a new go-to mystery author!

Happy early Thingaversary! That booksale was very conveniently timed.

>143 RidgewayGirl: Thanks! The book sale is usually toward the end of April, which makes it very convenient for early Thingaversary shopping.

I've come to the conclusion that I will never actually catch up with reviews if I insist on writing a full-length one for each book read. So, here are some short ones!

***



Book #12: Lucy Parker, Pretty Face
Category: Wedding Bell Blues
CATs: Woman (genres) - I read this in March

I absolutely loved Act Like It, so Pretty Face went on my auto-buy list immediately. And I wasn’t disappointed; I devoured this romance between a beautiful actress who wants to be taken seriously and an older, talented but curmudgeonly director. If you like contemporary romance, you really need to give Lucy Parker a try!

***



Book #13: Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning
Category: We’ve Got Magic to Do
CATs: Woman (genres) - I read this in March

Historical fantasy set in 19th century England is my jam, and when you add a bright young woman who is accepted into an all-male wizarding school, but she’s not actually the chosen one (or is she?), you can count me 100% in! I liked this book a lot, especially the bits about sorcery versus magic — and, of course, the hints of romance. Looking forward to book #2 in the fall!

***



Book #14: Ellis Peters, The Confession of Brother Haluin
Category: They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They?
CATs: Woman (genres), Alpha (E - Ellis) - I read this in March
Bingo: 11 (next book in a series you’ve started)

It’s always a delight to spend some time with Brother Cadfael and company, although this book doesn’t have one of the stronger mysteries in the series. Still, I love these books and am sad that there are only a few more left for me to read!

***



Book #15: Katherine Arden, The Bear and the Nightingale
Category: We’ve Got Magic to Do
CATs: Alpha (K - Katherine) - I read this in March
Bingo: 24 (set in a country I’ve never been to)

This historical fantasy novel based on Russian folklore is gorgeous and haunting, and I couldn’t put it down! I loved the main character, Vasya (even though she’s one of those not-beautiful-but-still-somehow-beautiful types), and her determination to save her family and land despite everyone else’s fear and skepticism. I was especially fascinated by the character of Father Konstantin, who isn’t exactly evil but is definitely flawed! Also, the setting is vivid and compelling, and I say this as someone who doesn’t usually care too much about setting. This is definitely going to be one of my top books of the year, and I can’t wait to see what Arden will write next!

Lovely to see another great review for The Bear and the Nightingale!

>146 lkernagh: Lori, I absolutely loved it!

May recap

I'm quite late with this month's recap, but better late than never, right? I actually had a pretty productive reading month, mostly because I did some traveling, and I always get a lot of reading done on planes and trains! Here's what I read in May.

Books read:
1. Emily St. John Mandel, Station Eleven
2. Elle Pierson, Artistic License
3. Mhairi McFarlane, It's Not Me, It's You
4. Mechthild Gläser, The Book Jumper
5. Connie Willis, All Seated on the Ground
6. Darcie Wilde, A Useful Woman
7. Winston Graham, The Black Moon
8. Keigo Higashino, The Devotion of Suspect X
9. Mhairi McFarlane, Who's That Girl?

I had a lot of really good reads this month, but I think my favorite was A Useful Woman, because it's right in my wheelhouse and it completely exceeded my very moderate expectations. Honorable mentions to All Seated on the Ground and The Devotion of Suspect X. I can't pick a least favorite this month, as there really were no duds!

CATs completed:
Award (Man Booker International, Edgar): The Devotion of Suspect X was nominated for the "best novel" Edgar in 2012.
Woman (women in the arts): The heroine of Artistic License is a talented art student.
Random (all about Mom): Who's That Girl? explores the protagonist's complicated emotions surrounding her mother's death.
Alpha (C, T): Connie Willis, All Seated on the Ground; Mhairi McFarlane, Who's That Girl?
SFFKIT (aliens): All Seated on the Ground is an alien invasion story with a twist.

Bingo squares completed:
5. Book about books: The Book Jumper is about a girl who can "jump" into books and move within and between fictional worlds.

Book #16: C.H.B. Kitchin, Death of My Aunt
Category: They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They?
CATs: Alpha (K - Kitchin) - I read this in March
Bingo: 20 (author uses initials)

I love a good Golden Age mystery, but this one isn’t one of my favorites. I don’t remember it being particularly bad, but nothing stands out as particularly memorable either. It’s your standard “unpleasant family matriarch dies, the younger husband is the main suspect, but did he really do it?” plot. I did like the fact that the younger husband wasn’t an obvious slimeball, as they generally tend to be in these types of stories. But in the end, I think only diehard Golden Age fans will enjoy this one.

***



Book #17: Rhys Bowen, In Farleigh Field
Category: Paris Is Burning

This book has a lot of my favorite things: historical fiction, World War II, spies, and a friends-to-lovers subplot. But while it was an enjoyable read, I didn’t fall in love with it. I think I wanted more from the espionage story, and the characters all seemed a little flat to me. Also, while the book can definitely be read as a standalone, I got the impression that it was setting up a sequel, and I’m not sure I care enough to continue with a (hypothetical) series.

***



Book #18: Tana French, The Likeness
Category: They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They?
CATs: Woman (genres), Random (luck of the Irish) - I read this in March
Bingo: 15 (set in a place I want to visit)

The modern crime thriller isn’t my preferred genre, but I made an exception for French’s In the Woods and completely devoured it. This is the second book in the Dublin Murder Squad series, and it focuses on Cassie, Ryan’s partner from the first book. The premise is somewhat outlandish, as Cassie must go undercover to investigate the murder of a young woman who looks just like her. But despite that, I found myself completely compelled by Cassie’s journey as she integrates herself into the dead woman’s life. I definitely plan to continue with this series — I’ve already bought book three!

***



Book #19: Sherwood Smith, Crown Duel
Category: ’S Wonderful, ’S Marvelous

I thought I was a little too old for this book the first time I read it, but I still enjoyed it overall. This time around, I was even more aware of its flaws. Mostly, the protagonist Meliara annoyed me quite a bit; she's convinced she's always right and constantly acts before she thinks. Maybe I'm not being entirely fair...she's supposed to be a teenager, after all, and I think 11-year-old me would have loved her. But I found myself getting exasperated with her and wishing she would take a more mature approach to solving her problems. Overall, the book is a fine read for its intended audience, but sadly I think I've outgrown it.

***



Book #20: Winston Graham, Jeremy Poldark
Category: Paris Is Burning
Bingo: 19 (published in the 1940s-1960s)

***Warning: Spoilers for previous books in the Poldark series.***

Book three in the Poldark saga really amps up the drama, as it begins with Ross on trial for his life because of his role in the shipwreck and ensuing events at the end of Demelza. Of course, Ross is hellbent on making things as difficult as possible for himself, and George Warleggan is working behind the scenes to get Ross convicted. This is the book that really sold me on the series, although newcomers should start at the beginning with Ross Poldark.

Book #21: Ashley Poston, Geekerella
Category: Wedding Bell Blues

This is a cute YA take on the Cinderella story, where the protagonist is a teen who’s obsessed with the sci-fi TV show “Starfield,” and her Prince Charming is the lead actor in the upcoming “Starfield” movie. It’s an entertaining bit of fluff, but not something I’ll ever reread. I was also slightly annoyed with the main character because she mocks her “wicked stepsisters” for wearing makeup and caring about their looks, as if there’s something morally wrong with those things. Still, it’s a cute read, and you’ll probably enjoy it if the premise appeals to you.

***



Book #22: Diana Wynne Jones, Eight Days of Luke
Category: We’ve Got Magic to Do
CATs: Alpha (E - Eight), SFF (religious theme) - I read this in March
Bingo 3 (author born in 1930s)

This may be a children’s book, but I’d recommend it to anyone who is interested in Norse mythology. It’s the story of a boy named David who lives with his odious family and has no escape — until he meets the charming Luke, who takes him on several adventures. But it turns out that Luke is actually the Norse god Loki, and he’s in a lot of trouble with the other gods. This probably isn’t one of Diana Wynne Jones’s best books, but it’s still worth a read, in my opinion!

***



Book #23: Kristan Higgins, If You Only Knew
Category: Wedding Bell Blues

Kristan Higgins is one of my auto-buy romance authors, but I’m really enjoying her forays into women’s fiction as well. This book still has a romance or two, but it also focuses on the personal journeys of Jenny, a wedding dress designer who’s struggling to get over her ex-husband, and her sister Rachel, who has just discovered her husband’s infidelity. Definitely recommended for fans of chick lit.

***



Book #24: Dorothy L. Sayers, The Five Red Herrings
Category: They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They?
CATs: Alpha (D - Dorothy) - I read this in April
Bingo: 18 (color in the title)

I’m a fan of the Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries, but I have to admit that this wasn’t one of my favorites. First of all, there’s no Harriet Vane, and I was really looking forward to seeing more of her after Strong Poison! Second, this is Sayers’s “alibi” mystery, where the solution involves railroad timetables and the like. I have to admit, I kind of skimmed over most of the in-depth alibi stuff, trusting that the denouement would give me all the information I really needed. So this wasn’t really the book for me, but I still found a lot to enjoy in Lord Peter’s antics and look forward to the next book in the series.

Book #25: Anna Kendrick, Scrappy Little Nobody
Category: Raincoats and Recipes
CATs: Woman (memoir); Random (from the library) - I read this in April

This is a fun, breezy memoir by Anna Kendrick, an actress I generally enjoy and find likable. It’s not as funny as Tina Fey’s Bossypants or Mindy Kaling’s Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns), but fans of those books would probably like this one too. I was interested to learn that one of Kendrick’s first roles was the little sister in the 1998 Broadway production of High Society — I love the movie version with Grace Kelly!

***



Book #26: D.E. Stevenson, The Baker’s Daughter
Category: Paris Is Burning
CATs: Alpha (D - D., Daughter) - I read this in April

D.E. Stevenson is always reliable for a sweet, old-fashioned comfort read, and this book certainly fits the bill. The titular baker’s daughter is Sue Pringle, a plain and practical young woman whose life is changed forever by the arrival of John Darnay, an absentminded painter. If you like this kind of thing in general, you’ll enjoy the book.

***



Book #27: Jenn Bennett, Alex, Approximately
Category: Wedding Bell Blues
CATs: Random (from the library) - I read this in April
Bingo: 10 (set in a beach community)

This book is billed as a YA contemporary You’ve Got Mail, but I don’t think it really delivers on that premise. Teenager Bailey is obsessed with old movies, and she’s been corresponding with her fellow cinephile Alex over the Internet. Now she’s moving to Alex’s hometown to live with her dad, and she’s excited to finally meet him in person. But she quickly gets swept off her feet by her annoyingly cocky yet handsome coworker, Porter. Fortunately, as the book jacket reveals, Porter IS Alex! But this whole You’ve Got Mail framework — which is what attracted me to the book in the first place — is the merest background, and it barely has anything to do with the plot. The meat of the story is the teen romance, which just didn’t do much for me. Another take on the YA You’ve Got Mail story is Kasie West’s P.S. I Like You, which I enjoyed a lot more.

***



Book #28: Winston Graham, Warleggan
Category: Paris Is Burning
CATs: Random (from the library) - I read this in April

Things really get going in this fourth Poldark book, which is full of twists and betrayals and Ross making even more terrible decisions. I’m starting to think George isn’t such a villain; he undoubtedly does some despicable things, but after the events of this book, it’s clear that Ross isn’t exactly blameless. Demelza is definitely the true hero of this series!

Christina, I remember feeling my eyes blurring as I read The Five Red Herrings with it's emphasis on timetables and schedules. If you are reading the Wimsey books in order you will be happy to know that Harriet Vane is very much in the picture in the next book, Have His Carcase.

>152 DeltaQueen50: That's really good to know about Have His Carcase! I am reading the series in order, so that's the next one on my list. :)

Book #29: Emily St. John Mandel, Station Eleven
Category: We’ve Got Magic to Do
CATs: Awards (International Dublin Literary Award), SFF (apocalyptic) - I started this in April

This novel centers around an apocalyptic event, a virus that wipes out 99.9 percent of the world’s population. There are two major narratives: one involves a famous actor who dies just as the virus begins to spread, and the other is set several years after the virus, focusing on a traveling theater troupe and orchestra whose motto is the Star Trek: Voyager quote “Survival is insufficient.” I was much more interested in the latter story than the former, and I also found the postapocalyptic landscape somewhat implausible (there’s not a single person left alive who can figure out how to keep a power plant running, yet there are multiple cellists?). So my feelings about the book are mixed, but overall I liked more things than I disliked.

***



Book #30: Elle Pierson, Artistic License
Category: Wedding Bell Blues
CATs: Woman (in the arts) - I read this in May

When I discovered that Elle Pierson was a pseudonym for Lucy Parker, I downloaded this book immediately! The heroine is a painfully shy art student; the hero is a tough-looking security guard who is extremely insecure about his “ugly” looks. Their budding romance is threatened by the baggage they each bring to the relationship. This book really worked for me because I loved the main characters and how they both cherished the most “unlovable” parts of each other. It’s not quite as polished as Act Like It or Pretty Face, but it’s still a very enjoyable contemporary romance.

***



Book #31: Mhairi McFarlane, It’s Not Me, It’s You
Category: Wedding Bell Blues

This is a chick lit novel about Delia, a girl whose life is turned upside-down when she proposes to her longtime boyfriend, only to discover that he’s been cheating on her. She promptly moves out of their shared home and relocates to a new town, where she gets a new job with a shady boss. Ultimately, Delia has to uncover the boss’s shenanigans with the help of several friends, including an abrasive-yet-handsome young journalist—all while her ex-boyfriend desperately tries to win her back. On the surface, the book is about a woman choosing between two men, but really, it’s about the choice between two lives—the familiar vs. the unknown, the safe vs. the brave. I liked this book a lot, and Mhairi McFarlane will definitely be one of my go-to authors for this type of read!

***



Book #32: Mechthild Gläser, The Book Jumper (trans. Romy Fursland)
Category: We’ve Got Magic to Do
Bingo: 5 (book about books)

When Amy and her mother move from Germany to their ancestral home in Scotland, Amy discovers that her family has a special legacy: they can “jump” into books and spend time in their favorite fictional worlds. As Amy practices her book jumping skills, she learns that someone is stealing important plot elements from her favorite works of literature (the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland, the cyclone from The Wizard of Oz). While solving this mystery, Amy also uncovers secrets from her family’s past and embarks on a romance with unforeseen complications. I really liked the premise of this book, and I was impressed by the ending, which is a little darker and more complex than I’d expected. But overall, this was just an okay read for me. A more interesting take on the book jumping premise is Jasper Fforde’s Thursday Next series.

Book #33: Connie Willis, All Seated on the Ground
Category: We’ve Got Magic to Do
CATs: Alpha (C - Connie), SFF (aliens) - I read this in May

What if the aliens finally arrived, but all they did was sit there and look disapproving? That’s the premise of this delightful novella, in which the protagonist is tasked with finding a way to communicate with the aliens. She soon discovers that the key may lie within a Christmas carol, so she enlists the help of a choir director, and together they race against time to find out what the aliens want. It’s an extremely fun ride, and I definitely recommend it, especially if you love Christmas music!

***



Book #34: Darcie Wilde, A Useful Woman
Category: They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They?

In Regency England, Rosalind Thorne has been clinging to her precarious position in society ever since her father caused a scandal by fleeing his creditors and abandoning his family. She manages to be useful to prominent society matrons by investigating and silencing any potential scandals that may threaten their positions. So when a murder occurs in Almack’s, the sanctum sanctorum of London’s elite, Rosalind becomes involved in the investigation. She also finds herself drawn to both her childhood sweetheart, who is now a lord, and the enterprising Bow Street Runner assigned to the case. Obviously I’m going to read any novel whose premise is “murder at Almack’s,” but I liked this book so much more than I was expecting to! I would definitely recommend it to anyone who’s interested in the premise, and I will be seeking out the sequel ASAP.

***



Book #35: Winston Graham, The Black Moon
Category: Paris Is Burning

More fun and games with the Poldarks and Warleggans. A new source for conflict between the families is the budding romance between Elizabeth’s cousin Morwenna Chynoweth, who now lives at Trenwith as Geoffrey Charles’s governess, and Drake Carne, Demelza’s brother. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I will say that this is not one of the more cheerful endings in the series. Luckily there are still seven books to go!

***



Book #36: Keigo Higashino, The Devotion of Suspect X (trans. Alexander O. Smith with Elye J. Alexander)
Category: They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They?
CATs: Awards (Edgar) - I read this in May

This Japanese crime novel is a take on the inverted mystery, in which we know whodunit from the beginning, so the main interest of the story is seeing how the investigator solves the crime. Yasuko is a single mother who, when her ex-husband repeatedly harasses her and violently assaults her daughter, kills him in the heat of the moment. Her neighbor Ishigami, a brilliant mathematician, helps her to conceal the crime. I was (and still am) confused about why Yasuko needed to cover up the killing, since she was acting in immediate fear for her daughter’s life; I don’t know anything about Japanese law, but isn’t there some kind of “defense of others” argument that would apply? Aside from that, I really enjoyed the book, especially the back-and-forth between Ishigami and Dr. Manabu Yukawa, who assists the police with their investigation. I’m definitely interested in reading more by this author.

Book #37: Mhairi McFarlane, Who’s That Girl?
Category: Wedding Bell Blues
CATs: Random (all about Mom), Alpha (T - That) - I read this in May

This novel follows Edie, a young professional whose personal and professional lives are simultaneously ruined when she attends her coworkers’ wedding and the groom spontaneously kisses her. Of course, everyone blames Edie for the catastrophe, so her sympathetic boss sends her on a remote assignment to ghostwrite the autobiography of a hot young actor. The book is primarily a romance, but it also spends a lot of time on Edie’s dysfunctional family and on her growth as an individual. For me, this is another winner by Mhairi McFarlane, and I eagerly await her next book.

***



Book #38: Stephanie Kate Strohm, Prince in Disguise
Category: Wedding Bell Blues

Sixteen-year-old Dylan has always felt invisible beside her beautiful older sister, Dusty. And when Dusty -- a Miss America competitor -- falls in love with a genuine Scottish lord, she becomes the subject of a reality TV show that documents their courtship. Dylan is less than thrilled about being constantly followed by cameras, even if it does mean she gets to spend Christmas in Scotland. But when she meets an adorably geeky British boy, things start to look up...until the drama (both real and manufactured) surrounding the TV show threatens to ruin everything. If you like your contemporary romance with British accents, secret passageways, and kissing in barns, this is definitely the book for you! In a word, it's adorable, and I'd definitely recommend it to fans of YA contemporaries!

Note: this book is one of the ARCs I picked up at Book Expo America, and the projected publication date is December 19.

***



Book #39: Sara Eckel, It’s Not You: 27 (Wrong) Reasons You’re Single
Category: Raincoats and Recipes
CATs: Alpha (Y = You, You’re; N = Not) - I read this in June

If you’re a single woman over a certain age, chances are you’ve received a lot of well-meaning advice about how to find a mate: “You’re too picky.” “You’re too independent.” “You have low self-esteem.” The problem with this advice, according to Eckel, is that it assumes there is something wrong with you, when in reality, meeting the right person is largely a matter of luck. You can increase your odds by, say, participating in group activities that you enjoy, putting more effort into your appearance, or joining an online dating site. But none of this can guarantee that you’ll meet your match. Ultimately, Eckel’s point is that there is nothing wrong with you; you just haven’t met the right person yet. It’s a consoling message, and the writing is often witty and relatable, so I’d recommend the book for its target demographic.

***



Book #40: K.B. Wagers, Behind the Throne
Category: We’ve Got Magic to Do
CATs: SFF (series) - I read this in June

Hail Bristol has spent the past several years making a name for herself as one of the toughest, most dangerous gunrunners in the galaxy. But she's actually a runaway princess of the Indranan Empire, and when her sisters are assassinated by unknown perpetrators, Hail becomes the reluctant heir to the throne. To do her duty, she must return to her home planet and familiarize herself with Indrana's political situation and the intrigues of the court. She soon realizes that this job may be her toughest one yet. I found this to be an entertaining sci-fi novel, but I didn't become invested enough in the characters to really love it. I do think the world building is very creative, and the political intrigue is compelling. Overall, this was a good but not great book for me.

Book #41: Jill Orr, The Good Byline
Category: They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They?

When Riley Ellison learns that her childhood best friend Jordan has committed suicide, she’s both grieved and shocked. Jordan’s mother asks her to write the obituary, so Riley begins to investigate Jordan’s life. She soon becomes convinced that Jordan didn’t kill herself, and she teams up with a local journalist to discover the truth. Meanwhile, in an attempt to get over being dumped by her long-term boyfriend, she subscribes to an online dating service, with entertaining results. I have to say, I enjoyed the chick lit aspects of this novel much more than the mystery aspects—Regina H., Personal Romance Concierge, was a delight! But the mystery was very predictable, and I didn’t buy Riley’s somewhat indifferent reaction to her former BFF’s death. I’d consider reading a future book in the series, but I won’t be waiting with bated breath.

***



Book #42: Jennifer Ryan, The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir
Category: Paris Is Burning

An epistolary novel set in an English village during World War II is obviously going to be right up my alley! The book is narrated by five girls and women from the village, who cope with their fear and grief by singing in an all-female choir. The not-so-subtle theme is that the women have finally found a way to raise their voices, exert their power, and make decisions for themselves. I wasn’t quite gripped by all of the characters—I loved Mrs. Tilling but didn’t care so much for Venetia and Kitty—so I didn’t absolutely love this book, but it’s still a very good read for fans of WWII novels.

June recap

On the plus side, I finally caught up with all my reviews! Sorry for posting like 20 of them in a row...I'm just so happy to finally get them off my plate! I didn't actually do much reading this month, though, and I only managed to complete five books.

Books read:
1. Stephanie Kate Strohm, Prince in Disguise
2. Sara Eckel, It's Not You: 27 (Wrong) Reasons You're Single
3. K.B. Wagers, Behind the Throne
4. Jill Orr, The Good Byline
5. Jennifer Ryan, The Chilbury Ladies' Choir

I'm also in the middle of Winston Graham's The Four Swans, but I'm not sure I'll be able to finish it today. It will be either my last read of June or my first read of July!

I more or less enjoyed everything I read this month, with Prince in Disguise and The Chilbury Ladies' Choir being my favorites, and Behind the Throne being a little underwhelming. Still, no real clunkers in the bunch, which is always nice!

CATs completed:
Alpha (Y, N): Sara Eckel, It's Not You: 27 (Wrong) Reasons You're Single
SFFKIT (series): Behind the Throne is first in the Indranan War series.

Bingo squares completed:
None this month.

And with that, I'm starting a new thread for the second half of 2017! Follow the thread continuation link or click below, and I hope to see you there! :)

http://www.librarything.com/topic/260741

>149 christina_reads: - Like you, the Tana French books are not my preferred genre but she does spin a rather compelling read. Glad to see you enjoyed The Likeness enough to continue with the series. I still need to get around to reading that one!

>151 christina_reads: - I loved the covers for the re-released Stevenson books! I also love the stories. ;-)

Great batch of reading. Now off to visit your new thread.