Ronincats targets Books off my own Shelves for 2017: Sector Five

This is where we walked, along the boardwalk between Mission and Pacific Beach, on Monday. Now they will be jam-packed with tourists until Labor Day, when we can have the beaches back again.

I’m Roni in San Diego and I’ve been a member of the 75 book challenge group since 2008. I have a husband, 3 cats, 1 dog, a garden, many books, and am retired. I spend my time reading, gardening, crocheting, and making pottery and wire jewelry. Last year I did miserably on my reading goals, not meeting a single one. This year I want to focus on reading books already on my shelves. My main focus in reading is in speculative fiction (science fiction and fantasy) but I also try to read at least a dozen nonfiction books per year and am keeping up, more or less, with 4 mystery series. Welcome to my thread. If you are a speculative fiction reader, comment on my thread and I’ll come visit you. I follow those members with similar tastes or that I forged friendships with back in the days when this group was smaller--there is no way I can keep up with everyone, although I would love to be able to.

Goals for 2017:

I will continue my goals to read 150 books and 50,000 pages, as I have met that goal 6 out of 9 years, but amount is really not a focus.

Previous goals have included limiting the number of books acquired to fewer than the previous year and to de-acquisition as many books as acquired. This year I will set a goal of limiting acquired books to 85 and to send at least 50 books on their way out of my house.

I have done very poorly on my goal of reading unread books already on my shelves, but I really want to highlight that this year, and so I’m setting an all-time high goal of 50 books. I did read 40 such books in 2013, but only 41 in the last three years combined.

Books read in 2017:

January:
DNF Daughter of Gods and Shadows by Jayde Brooks (135 pp.) (2015)
1. The Kindred of Darkness by Barbara Hambly (248 pp.)(2016)
2. Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them by J. R. Rowling (42 pp.) (pre-2011)
3. The Story of Charlotte's Web by Michael Sims (305 pp.) (2015)
4. Starship's Mage by Glynn Stewart (299 pp.) (2016)
5. The Heart of What was Lost by Tad Williams (222 pp.) (2017)
6. I Shot the Buddha by Colin Cotterill (342 pp.) (library)
7. Linesman by S. K. Dunstall (372 pp.) (2016)
8. The Masked City by Genevieve Cogman (361 pp.) (library)
9. Everything is Miscellaneous by David Weinberger (260 pp.) (pre-2011)
10. Dusk or Dark or Dawn or Day by Seanan McGuire (192 pp.)
11. The Iron Tactician by Alastair Reynolds (94 pp.) (2016)
12. Dawn by Octavia Butler (256 pp.) (pre-2011)
13. Spoiled Harvest by Leah Cutter (222 pp.) (2016)
14. Discount Armageddon by Seanan McGuire (352 pp.) (reread)
15. Where Shadows Dance by C. S. Harris (342 pp.) (library)
16. Where Maidens Mourn by C. S. Harris (341 pp.)
17. Evicted by Matthew Desmond (420 pp.)
18. The Creeping Shadow by Jonathan Stroud (445 pp.)

February
19. The Hanging Tree by Ben Aaronovitch (298 pp.)
20. Deeds of Honor by Elizabeth Moon (152 pp.)
21. Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett (265 pp.)
22. Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt (360 pp.)
23. Juana & Lucas by Juana Medina (90 pp.)
24. Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen (447 pp.)
25. Why Kings Confess by C. S. Harris (340 pp.)
26. The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill (388 pp.)
27. What Darkness Brings by C. S. Harris (353 pp.)
28. The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin (106 pp.)
29. Wanderings: Chaim Potok's History of the Jews (431 pp.)
30. Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis (243 pp.)
31. Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage (312 pp.)
32. The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers (467 pp.)
33. Mortal Fire by Elizabeth Knox (436 pp.)

March
34. The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan (333 pp.)
35. Mira's Last Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold (87 pp.)
36. Magic for Nothing by Seanan McGuire (368 pp.)
37. The Invasion of the Tearling by Erika Johansen (514 pp.)
38. The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman (478 pp.)
39. Charity Girl by Georgette Heyer (249 pp.)
40. Heartstone by Elle Katharine White (337 pp.)
41. The Fate of the Tearling by Erika Johansen (479 pp.)
42. Borderline by Mishell Baker (392 pp.)
43. Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton by Edward Rice (619 pp.)
44. Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit (160 pp.)
45. Midnight Blue-Light Special by Seanan McGuire (338 pp.)

April
46. Binti by Nnedi Okorafor (94 pp.)
47. The Book That Changed America by Randall Fuller (294 pp.)
48. Crown of Renewal by Elizabeth Moon (503 pp.)
49. The Madwoman Upstairs by Catherine Lowell (340 pp.)
50. Congress of Secrets by Stephanie Burgis (347 pp.)
DNF Everfair by Nisi Shawl (168 pp.)
51. Within the Sanctuary of Wings by Marie Brennan (333 pp.)
52. Crochet with Wire by Nancie Wiseman (88 pp.)

May
53. Beauty by Robin McKinley (264 pp.)
54. Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley (306 pp.)
55. The Gathering Edge by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (352 pp.)
56. All Seated on the Ground by Connie Willis (128 pp.)
57. The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley (244 pp.)
58. Frogkisser! by Garth Nix (372 pp.)
59. The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu (400 pp.)
60. In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brown (466 pp.)
61. Thick as Thieves by Megan Whalen Turner (352 pp.)
62. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner (219 pp.)
63. The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner (362 pp.)
64. The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner (410 pp.)
65. A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner (341 pp.)
66. Thick as Thieves by Megan Whalen Turner (352 pp.)
67. Phantom Pains by Mishell Baker (408 pp.)
68. The Burning Page by Genevive Cogman (356 pp.)
69. Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor (349 pp.)
70. We Are Legion by Dennis Taylor (283 pp.)

June
71. John Adams by David McCullough (656 pp.)
72. Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly (271 pp.)
DNF The Dark Days Pact by Alison Goodman (199 pp.)
73. Who Buries the Dead by C. S. Harris (338 pp.)
74. The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge (411 pp.)
75. A Useful Woman by Darcie Wilde (357 pp.)
76. For We are Many by Dennis Taylor (321 pp.)
77. City of Miracles by Robert Jackson Bennett (450 pp.)
78. Silver on the Road by Laura Anne Gilman (416 pp.)
79. Deadweather and Sunrise by Geoff Rodkey (296 pp.)
80. The Furthest Station by Ben Aaronovitch (144 pp.)

July
81. Merrill's Marauders by Gavin Mortimer (230 pp.)
82. When Falcons Fall by C. S. Harris (355 pp.)
83. New Lands by Geoff Rodkey (325 pp.)
84. Blue Sea Burning by Geoff Rodkey (374 pp.)
85. Leviathan Wakes by James Corey (572 pp.)
86. Arabella of Mars by David Levine (350 pp.)
87. Cold Welcome by Elizabeth Moon (433 pp.)
88. The Obelisk Gate by N. K. Jemisin (410 pp.)

Books acquired in 2017:

January:
1. The Heart of What was Lost by Tad Williams (Kindle)
2. Evicted by Matthew Desmond
3. Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge by Paul Krueger
4. Zeroes by Chuck Wendig
5. Dusk or Dark or Dawn or Day by Seanan McGuire (Kindle)
6. Silver on the Road by Laura Anne Gilman (Kindle)
7. The Unwinding by George Packer (Kindle)
8. Rough Crossings by Simon Schwama (Kindle)
9. The Inkblots by Damion Searles
10. The Hanging Tree by Ben Aaronovitch (Kindle)
11. Juana & Lucas by Juana Medina (Amazon)
12. Merrill's Marauders by Gavin Mortimer (Amazon)

February
13. City of Miracles by Robert Jackson Bennett (ER)

March
14. Mira's Last Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold (Kindle)
15. Magic For Nothing by Seanan McGuire (Amazon)
16. Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta (PBS)
17. Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary Schmidt (PBS)
18. In Other Lands by Sarah Brennan (ER)
19. Binti by Nnedi Okorafor (MG)
20. Binti: Home by Nnedi Okorafor (MG)
21. A Gathering of Shadows by V. E. Schwab (MG)

April
22. Zahrah the Windseeker by Nnedi Okorafor (PBS)
23. Within the Sanctuary of Wings by Marie Brennan (Amazon)
24. The Gathering Edge by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (Amazon)
25. Thick as Thieves by Megan Whalen Turner (Kindle)
26. Thick as Thieves by Megan Whalen Turner (MG)
27. A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner (MG)
28. Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly (MG)
29. The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George (PBS)
30. All Men of Genius by Lev AC Rosen (PBS)

June
31. A Weekend with Mr. Darcy by Victoria Connelly (PBS)
32. The Clean Eating Slow Cooker by Linda Larsen (BargainBooks)

July
33. The Witchwood Crown by Tad Williams (Amazon)
34. The Furthest Station by Ben Aaronovitch (Amazon)
35. Darwin's Ghosts (Amazon)
36. The Essex Serpent by Saran Perry (from Jenn (nittnutt))
37. An Oath of Dogs by Wendy Wagner (MG)
38. The Star-touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi (MG)
39. The Jane Austen Project by Kathleen Flynn (MG)

Challenges:
British Author Challenge
February - Terry Pratchett: Wyrd Sisters
June - Georgette Heyer:
October - Jo Walton: Necessity
December - Neil Gaiman: Odd and the Frost Giants

SFFCAT Challenge
January: "Read an SFF you meant to read in 2016, but never started/completed" - Starship's Mage by Glynn Stewart
(https://www.librarything.com/topic/243698)

February: "Space Travel!" - The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
(http://www.librarything.com/topic/246706)

March: "Religious Themed SciFi/Fantasy" - Lamentation (Psalms of Isaak) by Ken Scholes, The Gospel of the Knife by Will Shetterly

April: "Dystopian/Apocalyptic theme" - On Such a Full Sea

May: "Alien contact" - The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu, All Seated on the Ground by Connie Willis

June: "Series Month" - City of Miracles by Robert Jackson Bennett

July: "Award Winners/Nominees" - Leviathan Wakes by James Corey, The Obelisk Gate by N. K. Jemisin

August: "Humorous sci fi/fantasy" -

September: "Steampunk" -

October: "Near Future SciFi" -

November: "Historical SFF" -

December: "Magic Systems" -

Nonfiction Challenge

January: Prizewinners - Evicted by Desmond Morris

February: Voyages of Exploration - Wanderings by Chaim Potok

March: Heroes and Villains - Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton by Edward Rice

April: Hobbies, Pastimes and Passions - Crochet with Wire

May: History - John Adams by David McCullough

June: The Natural World

July: Creators and Creativity -

August: I’ve Always Been Curious About….

September: Gods, Demons and Spirits

October: The World We Live In: Current Affairs

November: Science and Technology

December: Out of Your Comfort Zone

Obama Reading List Challenge http://www.librarything.com/topic/247375

February--Non-Fiction Titles: The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
March--All-time Favorites: The Souls of Black Folk by W. E. B. Du Bois
April--Excellent Novels and Poetry Collections: The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu
May--Books About Other Presidents: John Adams by David McCullough
June--Summer Reads 2016
July--Summer Reads 2015
August--Independent Bookstore Purchases
September--Childhood Classics
October--Additional Authors and Philosophers
November--Informative Reads
December--Books for Daughters

Okay, next one is yours. Welcome to the new thread and to SUMMER! Lots of gardening, cats, and books here.

Happy new thread, Roni. xx

Happy New Thread :). Gardening, cats, and books, what could be better?

Happy new thread, Roni!

Happy new thread! That's a beautiful beach!

Happy new thread, Roni. Beautiful beach - I guess tourists are the price you pay for living in such a beautiful place.

Happy New Thread, Roni! The photo at the top reminds me what a beautiful part of the country you live in.

Forgive me if I've forgotten - have you read Too Like the Lightning? Challenging, but worthwhile.

Happy new thread, Roni! I love the photo topper! So summery, although without the usual summer crowds.

Thank you for visiting, Paul, Jenny, Amber, Jim, Beth, Joe and Mary! I've just finished updating all the data threads and tickers above (I wish the tickers still updated immediately instead of taking a day!).
>11 BLBera:, >13 Storeetllr: Yes, everyone wants what we have every day. Mary, that lack of crowds is because it was the Monday BEFORE Memorial Day weekend. All the maintenance people were working on the vacation rentals that are all that line the boardwalk here getting them ready for the season. From today on, we either have to get down there before 9 or even earlier on the holidays or find our pleasure elsewhere until after Labor Day weekend.

>12 jnwelch: Joe, yes, I read Too Like the Lightning late last year and thought it stunning. I could have done without all the sex at the end, frankly but it was original, ambitious, and a good story. I have the second book home from the library now but haven't started it yet.

I was rather disappointed to see that All the Birds in the Sky won the Nebula today, as I was one of those rather lukewarm about it. I would rather have seen one of the two I haven't read yet, The Obelisk Gate and Ninefox Gambit, based on what those I respect have said about them. That said, Charlie Jane Anders has been a respected editor in the field for years and I'd bet that had some effect on the science writers voting.

Similarly, while I enjoyed Seanan McGuire's novella Every Heart a Doorway and it's the only one in that category I've read, some of the others sounded possibly more exciting? I'm having trouble coming up with the right adjective here.

And the Andre Norton award went to one of the YA books I haven't gotten around to yet, Arabella of Mars. I've only read The Girl Who Drank the Moon and have The Lie Tree home from the library as of yesterday in that category, but want to read the others nominated as they all sound interesting.

Happy new thread, Roni. I hope you are enjoying your day at home to regroup and are able to sneak in some reading.

Happpy new thread Roni!

I'm one of those who liked All the Birds in the Sky, Roni. Was it the best scifi/fantasy I've ever read? No. But I enjoyed it and thought it had an intriguing premise. I tried to read The Obelisk Gate and Ninefox Gambit, but just couldn't get into them. It might have been was probably my mood at the time - getting mentally prepared to begin packing for my move - and I'll probably try them again sometime, but I can't comment on whether they would be more deserving.

Happy new thread. I enjoyed your topper photo -- haven't been there in a long time.

Hi Roni, I have been catching up on your threads and picked up a book bullet along the way. Frogkisser sounds like a fun read and I have added it to my wishlist. I am looking forward to the SFFFKit in June as I hope to finish a trilogy, a duology and move forward with the Liaden Universe series. It's a beautiful day here and I would love to sneak away outside with my book, but hubby and I are going to sort through another room instead.

Happy new thread!

I have several of the Nebula winners and nominees on my TBR list, but was currently bogged down in reread of Court of Thorns and Roses and Court of Mist and Fury. I started the third in the series again and hope that it makes more sense to me this time around - after the reread. I don't like to reread because on the second time around I see all the things I don't like in novels. At least the things I didn't like didn't annoy me enough to make me stop reading them. Maybe that means that the novels aren't that schlocky after all? Even if parts of it reads like a bodice ripper romance. It has been a long time since I read a fantasy novel series that is both.

>14 ronincats: Ha! I haven't gotten a "Jim" in a while, Roni. Now I'm heading back to work on the solar probe.

I haven't been drawn to read All the Birds in the Sky. Guess I'll have to try it now.

Yesterday was basically a lost day--I woke up with a sinus headache and it affected my whole day. Not a lot of energy. Nor a lot of focus. >22 jnwelch: And it led me to call Joe Jim when I clearly know better. That's my story and I'm sticking to it, Joe!

>15 Familyhistorian: At least I did work in a little reading, Meg. John Adams is now back in the US and dealing with the realities of being Vice President. Bob is out of the solar system and dealing with emotions. Irene is on a high-order world and in lots of trouble.

>16 humouress: Thank you, Nina.

>17 Storeetllr: I didn't hate it, Mary. I just didn't see what all the fuss was about. I would guess the other two books, both of which are complex (knowing that about The Obelisk Gate from reading the first book in the series and having heard that about Ninefox Gambit from those who have read it), would not be ideal reading during a stressful time like moving. And it is so nice to see you settling in to your new home.

>18 RebaRelishesReading: It's a good walking spot, Reba--except during the summer crowds!

>19 DeltaQueen50: Hi, Judy. I've been following your thread (Victoria, mom's birthday, and back home to finish up packing for the move) but not having a lot to say over there. Best wishes for the packing. The up side is once you move and get settled in, you'll have MORE reading time than before in the smaller place. I predict you'll love Frogkisser!. I did so many series reads in May that I don't know what I'll be reading in June for the SFFCat. But I imagine I'll come up with something.

>20 foggidawn: Thank you, Misti.

>21 benitastrnad: Looking forward to your opinion of the third book, Benita. Still not sure I want to go forward in that series.

Hope to get pictures of the kitten today. I did finally get to see it and to interest it in some dry kitten food. The kittens up front may have moved on--haven't seen them in the last two days. This one is fat and plump, as it should be as we have been feeding its mother for several weeks now.

>23 ronincats: Roni, my hubby has promised me unlimited reading time once the move is finished, but somehow I think he will forget that promise when the time comes. ;)

*waves*

>23 ronincats: Cool! That means I get to go to Spain!

>24 DeltaQueen50: You'll just need to remind him then!
>25 Kassilem: *waves back*
>26 drneutron: Go for it, Jim!

Success!

And it is a boy.

>27 ronincats: Aw, he's beautiful.

Happy new thread. I like your topper picture - I'm definitely a winter beach kind of person: sun does nothing for me anyway, and the sea and peace and quiet is just my idea of bliss.

Happy new thread Roni! You hit me with a BB for Frogkisser! from your last thread.

>27 ronincats: Cute!

>27 ronincats: Oh, what a gorgeous colour!

(At the risk of sounding repetitive, because I love your glazes, too.)

Your second comment has come up all question marks on my screen.

That is a seriously cute kitten.

Wow you went on quite a binge with Megan Turner! Have to go check her out.

Sorry about your headache. Hope you're feeling better now. The kitten is beautiful!! I wish you guys would quit posting adorable kitten pictures because they make me think I want a kitten when I really don't!

Enjoy your Sunday :)

#31
Megan Whalen Turner is totally worth a binge. IMO.

I hope you feel better oni. Headaches are certainly ugly things. Fiocet is the magic pill for me regarding migraines.

Much love to you!

Book #68 The Burning Page by Genevieve Cogman (356 pp.)

This is book three of the Invisible Library fantasy series and should be read in order. These are high action alternate world fantasies, fun world-building and quick-reading for entertainment. Nothing too original but not too trite either. Good summer reading.

>28 charl08: He is a cutie, isn't he, Charlotte? And yes, I prefer the non-crowded beaches. Since I no longer get into the water, the other nine months of the year work for me.

>29 souloftherose: Good, Heather. You'll really enjoy it.

>30 humouress: That gray isn't solid but has tabby lines when he's stretched out. I do have a thing for gray cats, Nina.

>31 sibylline: If you mean the comment under the kitten picture, it says he's a boy, Lucy. Oh, do check it out. This is a series that just keeps getting better.

>32 RebaRelishesReading: No, with all your traveling, you do NOT need a pet, Reba.

>33 benitastrnad: Listen to Benita, Lucy.

>34 Whisper1: Huge virtual hug, completely non-painful and sincerely meant, for you, dear Linda. Headache is all gone, thanks. Wish your pain would do the same.

One of my PaperBackSwap books came in the mail yesterday, All Men of Genius by Lev AC Rosen, a steampunk fantasy.

Now I start Akata Witch for book group this week and continue with the Bobiverse and John Adams.

I hope you are feeling better today, Roni, and that Bob worked out his emotions and Irene took care of her trouble.

#35
I can't wait to hear what you have to say about Akata Witch. I read Binti and liked it, but I think Akata Witch isn't the same type of story.

>27 ronincats: Kitten? Checking the previous thread... Are you adopting it?
A neighbor had been wondering why a particular cat was hanging around so much, and has just discovered two feral kittens in his garage. I am refraining from going over to see them.

Hi Roni! It's rather too bad that you lose your beaches for the summer, but they are gorgeous beaches and I'm not above visiting them, given half a chance. *grin*

I hope you're having a lovely holiday weekend. :)

Happy new thread Roni! Sorry to read about the sinus headache. Hope you are feeling better. I can sympathize with the "tourist invasion". I try not to get curmudgeonly when I have to wade through seas of individuals when I am trying to head home at the end of the work day. ;-)

>27 ronincats: - What a sweet kitty!

>35 ronincats: exactly why we don't have a kitty --- although the first-thing-in-the-morning walking required by living in a 6th floor condo is why we don't have a dog.

>36 Familyhistorian: Quite well, Meg. Bob is replicating like crazy and Irene resolved the issue.
>37 benitastrnad: See below for my review.
>38 qebo: It's the season for feral kittens. Don't plan to adopt it necessarily but would like to gentle it and Mom down enough that I can take them to the Feral Cat society for spaying and release.
>39 nittnut: If we are early birds, we can still enjoy them, but you have to be at Mission Beach or Pacific Beach by 8 and Coronado by 10 to get parking.
>40 lkernagh: Yes, you live in a tourist spot too, Lori, so you can empathize.
>41 RebaRelishesReading: That would do it.



Book #69 Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor (349 pp.)

This fifth book by Nnedi Okorafor is a YA book set in Nigeria. Sunny, born in the US of Nigerian parents but moving with them back to Nigeria at the age of 9, has had her transition made harder by the fact that she is an albino, set apart by physical appearance as well as cultural background. As she begins to make friends, she discovers that they have different abilities and feel that she may also have such abilities. In this book, immersed in Nigerian culture, Sunny discovers those abilities and her place in the world and resolves difficulties both in her family and in her community. The author is born of Nigerian parents in the US and has often visited Nigeria. Her first book for adults, Who Fears Death, was nominated for a Hugo and won the 2011 World Fantasy Award. Her voice in her books (this is the third I have read) is powerful and original.

Two fairly quiet days. Overcast, cool days (our typical "May gray, June gloom" for this time of year) cut attendance at the beach yesterday in half, only 100,000 people. We went to Best Buy and bought me a new iMac--my old one had been randomly restarting during use and any time you put it to sleep and was driving me nuts! I'm being selective in what I am moving over, and in the meantime the older iMac serves nicely as my side computer (I usually have two going at once, was my laptop until yesterday)) and I've been spending time setting up. Today a bit of cleaning and more computer work. Finished the book above last night, read some John Adams today, and will read some more Bobiverse tonight.

Living in the sinus capital of the world, I feel your pain, Roni, and I hope it's long gone.
I see that a Kindle copy of Ninefox Gambit is well within my price range, so I may try that. I'll wait for the others though.
Kitten is the color of our Tully, but he's prettier, I think. Tully's facial white is just that bit too much.
Oh! Happy New Thread!!!!!

>42 ronincats: I read and loved Who Fears Death, but haven't picked up any of Okorafor's others. I ought to fix that.

Oh, good review of Akata the Witch, Roni. I loved the first two Binti books, and wondered about the others. I'll add this one to the WL.

>42 ronincats: I read her Zahrah the Windseeker some years ago and still haven't picked up another though have meant to.

I've still got The Dark Days Pact lying here waiting to be read. My library has recently allowed extra renewals, so I now have an extra four weeks to get it read.

Good morning, all!

>43 LizzieD: Thank you, Peggy. Pain is all gone. The library has Ninefox Gambit; I just haven't gotten around to requesting it yet.

>44 swynn: and >45 jnwelch: Steve and Joe, she really is a writer with a distinctive voice!

>46 avatiakh: I also have a copy of Zahrah the Windseeker in the TBR pile, Kerry. And I have to read The Dark Days Pact immediately as it is due in 2 days and I can't renew it as someone is waiting for it.

>42 ronincats: Darn it; I think I've been hit.

You! You are the other culprit! (Joe is the other one.) I got hit by two book bullets and couldn't remember who was the second person to get me. It was you. I ordered We Are Legion and For We Are Many. They were waiting for me when I got home last night. I can't read them right now, but will dig into them soon.

I am about 100 pages from finishing Court of Wings and Ruin and I am getting really aggravated with some of the silliness in this novel that was not present in the first two in this series. But even with those problems, I find myself looking forward to reading in it at bedtime.

Popping in to say Hi!!

>48 humouress: Hee-hee!
>49 benitastrnad:, >50 benitastrnad: Well, I finished the first last night, haven't splurged on the second yet. We'll have to see how long I can hold out. I'm not sure I'm going to go ahead with that Maas trilogy, given your aggravation.
>51 Berly: Hi, Kim!!



Book #70 We are Legion by Dennis Taylor (383 pp.)

So, I finished this on my Kindle last night and concur with all the others who have been reading and warbling about it, especially Kim who put it on my wishlist. Is this great science fiction? No, but it is fun and it is clever and it is engaging and that makes it well worthwhile. We'll have to see if Taylor can keep up the engagement level in the next few books as the number of Bobs multiply and therefore so do their activities. But yes, a nerd's paradise as someone here has already said.

I think I'm in denial about it being June already. But I did just get this finished:

May Statistics

Books read: 17 (more than twice as many as last month)
Pages read:5787 (nearly twice as many as last month
Average pages per day: 187 (over 100 pages per day more)
Average pages per book: 340 (and 57 pages more per book here)

New reads: 10
Rereads: 7
Library books: 3
Books off the shelf: 3
New purchases read: 3

Genre:
science fiction 4
fantasy 12
children's 1
nonfiction 0 (notwithstanding I read 531 pages of John Adams but they will get counted in June when I finish)
fiction 0
romance 0
mystery 0

Author gender: 13 female, 4 male

Country of origin: USA 13, England 1, Ireland 1, Australia 1, China 1

Books acquired: 11 (as opposed to 2 last month)

Kindle: 5
Dead tree: 4 new, 2 used
3 nonfiction, 3 science fiction, 4 fantasy, 1 fiction

Books out the door: 0 (but I have two I just got back from my sister that are being requested on PaperBackSwap)

Excellent May stats, Roni!

Glad you enjoyed We Are Legion, Roni. It was a lot of fun, wasn't it!

How's your garden coming along? I posted a picture on my thread of this year's sad effort, so far at least. When the seeds start sprouting and the tomatoes start growing, I think it will look a lot happier. It is about the best I can do right now, though, as I'm still unpacking and organizing my new place.

coming a bit to the discussion, I have heard ( because I not read it yet) that The Obelisk Gate is not as great as The Fifth season so maybe that also lent into the award going elsewhere .... that said is often the case with second books its often hard to repeat first book excitement.

>54 EBT1002: Thank you, Ellen.
>55 Storeetllr: I brought in carrots and kale from the garden for soup tonight. Our biggest tomato plant has 12 fruits set on. Green bean seedling are sprouting sporadically--I may need to replant them. And my sweet peas are just about done, although I hate to clear them out, I've enjoyed them so.
>56 roundballnz: That could be, Alex, although everyone in this group who has read it and commented on it seemed to think it was just as good. I guess I'll just have to go ahead and read it myself!

I am struggling with The Dark Days Pact. It's moving slowly and not holding my interest. John Adams is nearing the end. That's been a fascinating book.

Congrats on your shiny new thread, Roni and happy Sunday. I'm just passing through and waving. RL was/is busy.

I finished Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas, the third in the Court of Thorns and Roses series and is clearly the weakest book of the three. It is unusual, but in this series the best book is the second one Court of Mist and Fury. It appears to me that COWAR was thrown together in a hurry. The entire book is filled with attempts to bring up every controversial social, cultural, and political gambit there is. In consequence, the constant preaching gets tiresome to say nothing of redundant paragraphs, especially in the later chapters in the book.

In short it was a poor way to end this trilogy. I think that the author is trying to write too many books in to big of a hurry, and needs to pay more attention to quality instead of quantity.

>53 ronincats: I already have that one in the BlackHole or I would be adding it again. Glad to see you enjoyed it.

Impressive stats for May, Roni. Your garden sounds wonderful.

>52 ronincats: Go Bobs! I'm glad you had a good time with We Are Legion. I've got to fit that second one into the reading queue.

Roni--So glad you enjoyed We Are Legion. I am finishing up another Sherlock Holmes short story and then I think I may dive in to book #2 on audio. I am jealous of your vegetable garden. My house doesn't have a good space for that. I must be content with the potted flowering annuals on my deck. And my roses, which I love. I suppose I could give up that space for the veggies, but nope! LOL

>52 ronincats: We are legion looks interesting. As you finished it in June I guess you cannot add it to your May Martians thread!

Whoa! Great stats this month! And I have to admit terrible veggie envy.

>58 Ameise1: Thank you, Barbara, for visiting during your busy period!
>59 benitastrnad: Thanks for doing the research for me, Benita. There's two books I don't need to read now.
>60 alcottacre: Hi, Stasia. I think you'll enjoy it too.
>61 BLBera: After a very poor April reading, Beth, it's good to get back on track. I love my garden.
>62 jnwelch: I have the same problem, Joe, of fitting that second one in along the way.
>63 Berly: I have my roses along the fences, Kim, while my gardening is in the raised beds and a few big containers. I love both.
>64 sirfurboy: Actually, if you read my blurb carefully, I finished it at bedtime on the 31st. Or is that just a nudge to add it to the MM thread.
>65 sibylline: Do you have a garden at all, Lucy? I have no idea what your growing season is that far north.

So, I finished my May nonfiction read on June 3.



Book #71 John Adams by David McCullough (656 pp.)

This is a marvelous book, a five-star read! I learned so much, not least a strong sense of respect for our second President as well as his incomparable wife. Had this not been my bathtub book, I would have marked many, many quotes by Adams that are just as pertinent today to our issues of democracy and government as they were then, and his prescient insight. The book is so large, I cannot search through it hoping to find them now, unfortunately. But he anticipated the ultimate result of the French revolution into dictatorship and regretted the early emergence of parties as harmful to democracy, among other things. Jefferson and Hamilton come off as much more flawed beings in McCullough's history. Absolutely fascinating!!

And so on the 4th, I picked up a book I'd purchased a few weeks ago and had been eagerly waiting to get into.



Book #72 Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly (271 pp.)

I loved the movie, thought it was so well done, and wanted to read this to get more of the history. This is one case where I recommend seeing the movie before reading the book. The movie conflates and rearranges the actual events to accentuate the drama and create a cohesive and compelling story line. The book is more a history following the life stories of all three women in depth but with a side cast of many more, and it was fascinating in its own right to see how the movie selected from this plethora of data for its scenes. You can see that I moved right through it in under two days! I'm tempted to give this 5 stars as well, but I'll stay for right now with 4.5 stars mainly because, well, David McCullough right before. And I admire the movie even more as a result of reading this.

The Dark Days Pact by Allison Goodman (read 199 of 490 pages)

This is the second book in the series, with at least one more to come. The author has done so much research into the setting and the history that I feel badly about not being able to immerse myself in the story, but so it is. It is somewhat surprising to see that this 490 page book is intended for a YA audience, but perhaps such an audience will resonate to the drama more than I. I read the first 9 chapters and the last two, and now I shall release it back to the library where people are waiting for it.

I so agree with you about the McCullough book. I also loved the movie, Hidden Figures and had thought I would skip the book but you're making me rethink it.

Aw, Roni, how can you resist that cute kitten face? I know you have a large feral cat population and admire you wanting to tame the kittens so they can be adopted. My brother is still feeding his four cats and has had them all fixed so they won't reproduce. We seem to be a dog neighborhood around here.

You remind me I still need to see the movie adaptation of Hidden Figures. Loved the book and so admire those women.

>66 ronincats: I have added the John Adams book to my TBR - it looks interesting.

I also loved Hidden Figures the movie. I look forward to the book, Roni.

I've got Hidden Figures on my list of requests from the library. Since I seldom "do" movies, I'm glad the book is also good!

>66 ronincats: I'm lucky in that my library is closed for 3 weeks for refurbishment so all my books have been automatically extended till late June. I'm also surprised that they made The Dark Days Club a YA, I felt it was more crossover from adult fantasy. I'll be picking up The Dark Days Pact as soon as I'm done with the Heyer I'm reading.

>67 RebaRelishesReading: I really did enjoy the book and it has a lot more than the movie, Reba.
>68 Donna828: It's the 4 cats we already have that help me resist, although I do hope to get Misty and Miles to the point where we can get them to the Feral Cat Society to be neutered. Oh yes, definitely check out the movie.
>69 sirfurboy: It is very interesting, Stephen, especially his time in England.
>70 BLBera: Good, Beth!
>71 Storeetllr: But the movie is wonderful in a different way, Mary. I'm not a big movie person either, but I'd really recommend this one.
>72 avatiakh: I'll be looking forward to seeing how you like Pact, Kerry. I was surprised by the YA label on the book too. Which Heyer are you reading?

So, since I was last here, I've acquired two books, mailed off 3 books, and completed one book!

Acquired:
A Weekend with Mr. Darcy by Victoria Connelly (from PaperBackSwap)
The Clean Eating Slow Cooker by Linda Larsen (from BargainBookOutlet)

Mailed off to PaperBackSwap requestors:
Seveneves by Neal Stephenson
The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen
Grand Central Arena by Ryk Spoor

And finished:



Book #73 Who Buries the Dead by C. S. Harris (338 pp.)

This is the tenth book in this series about Lord Devlin, mysteries set in Regency-era London. They have all been quite good, and Harris does a spectacular job of combining personal issues in strong characters with Regency politics and historical detail, all in support of excellent mysteries. This one had an extra treat, as Pride and Prejudice has just been published and everyone is reading it, Jane is in London at her brother's house during his wife's fatal illness, and one of the plot lines will end up in another of her novels eventually. She is by no means a central character, but it's lovely to see her here.

So today was pottery day. Last week I did a lot of glazing so I brought home a lot today, and did a lot of throwing at the wheel during my time there.

>74 ronincats: Love the blue set in the middle picture!

Yes, the blues are gorgeous. I like the green pitcher too. And such a pity about the yarn bowl - have you made any successfully? There was the other one that lost its curve too, and got turned into a luminary. I love the glaze on this one.

Wonderful colours, Roni. I'm usually a blue person, but now I espcially love the deep red one.

Gorgeous pottery, Roni! I am all caught up with you, and I had a fun time doing it. The little grey kitten looks so much like Mayhem's sister, but she did not have tabby markings.

>35 ronincats: Abby gave me that book for my birthday, so I'm happy to hear it is good - I have not read the first two, so I'll read those first since you say to read them in order.

>53 ronincats: Great stats for May! Mine were less than spectacular. Heh.

>73 ronincats: You are reminding me that I need to get back to that series!

Beautiful pottery, Roni. I love the blue.

>75 foggidawn:, >76 jjmcgaffey:, >77 EllaTim:, >79 BLBera: Yes, the blues are popular, one of the reasons I keep making them. Thank you for the love, Misti, Jenn, Ella, and Beth.

>76 jjmcgaffey: The first two I made turned out okay; the next two didn't. This one was fine, but then I handled it carelessly while glazing it and poof! off it snapped.

>77 EllaTim: Yeah, it's not great literature, but The Invisible Library series is light fun, and the later books do build upon events in the earlier ones. My May stats had to be good, Mamie, because my April ones were dismal. That series plus a few others you need to get back to! (e.g., Chronicles of Elantra, October Daye, Queen's Thief)...;-)



Book #74 The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge (411 pp.)

This book got on my tbr list because it was nominated for the YA Andre Norton award at the Nebula Awards. The first sentence turned me off majorly, but fortunately that style did not continue into the book. This is more a mystery than a fantasy--there is one fantastical element, the titular object. Set in Victorian times, Faith, accustomed to being ignored for her own sake, only valued for what she can do for others in her family, is the only one who suspects a crime and will seek evidence to prove it. In so doing, she will have to make decisions about what she really values.

This was quite well done. Hardinge won the Costa Children’s Book Category Prize with this – and, in fact, the Costa Judges also awarded it the Costa Book of The Year, the outright winner over the other category winners. It didn't win the Norton (and I have yet to read 5 of the 7 nominated books, only this one and The Girl Who Drank the Moon, both of which were excellent and neither of which won). It ties in both with the books on Darwin I've been reading and with the Lady Trent. books thematically. Definitely recommended.

Peggy (Lizzie ) has been doing this thing with the first sentence, last sentence of a book on her thread, so I've been paying attention to first sentences. This one made me rather queasy, but fortunately this overwrought description is confined to the one sentence. Judge for yourself.
"The boat moved with a nauseous, relentless rhythm, like someone chewing on a rotten tooth."
But don't let it put you off this book. Just skip the first sentence and you'll be fine.

Oooo, love that deep red bowl. How big is it?

LOL - that is quite the opening sentence!

Happy Sunday!!

Love the blue pottery, Roni!! What do you do with all this wonderful pottery that you make?

>27 ronincats: Love the cute kitty! We are going to be looking for two new kittens when we get back from vacation in July. We have had our two cats, who were brothers, since my 12 yo was seven weeks old (so were Matisse and Picasso.) Matisse was more my cat and Picasso more Ed's cat because the boys were too young and scary! Unfortunately, in February, I had to have Matisse put to sleep as we found out that he had liver cancer and was starting to get sick. It's been strange with just one cat, and I promised the boys that they could each pick out a kitten once we finally have the time to devote without being gone for weeks at a time. I'm just a little concerned about what they will eventually name our newest family members when we get them. The hamsters that they had many years ago were named "Charlie Bit My Finger" and "Speedy Fast Blaze." ;-)

Just stopping by to wish one of my "bestest" LT pals a wonderful Sunday evening. xx

>81 RebaRelishesReading: It's 5" tall and 7" across, Reba. I have to stop glazing in that color--my husband confiscated it as soon as I got it home.
>82 Storeetllr: Yes!
>83 Berly: Happy Sunday back, Kim.
>84 ChelleBearss: I sell most of it, Chelle, to make money to pay for my studio time! We had a show yesterday and I sold the 4 bowl set above and a mug.
>85 rretzler: Two kittens are perfect--then they have each other to play with when you are gone (a 12 year old cat probably doesn't want to be THAT active).
>86 PaulCranswick: Hugs to you, Paul--hang in there!

A quiet day today recuperating from the show. Always stiff after packing, unpacking, setting up, getting up to show customers stuff, packing back up and loading it into the truck. The kitten and his mom are playing with a wand toy right next to my chair on the deck. I'll have to get pictures if the sun comes out tomorrow. After two days in the 60s and cloudy and damp, we are supposed to warm up a bit tomorrow!

>87 ronincats: Darn! I was going to see if we could do lunch before we leave so I could buy it from you. Of course, we could still do lunch :)

Hi, Roni!
As to the pottery, green is normally my favorite color, but I'd grab that red one in a heartbeat too, and the blue is lovely.
Hooray for multiple kittens!
Hooray for John Adams! I've been a McCullough fan since reading his Truman bio, so I will definitely get to JA.
Glad your Sunday was restful. We are back to the low 90s, so I guess that spring has departed.

>74 ronincats: Love the blue, really beautiful.
Glad you liked The Lie Tree. I finished Heyer's The unknown Ajax and had a chat with my mother about it, she's a big Heyer fan. We both dislike cousin romances, so this one ended up an ok read for me. I've been immersed in smuggling of late, what with this read and the Poldark books!

I did get out to the side garden this morning to gather sweet peas...


>88 RebaRelishesReading: I'd been thinking about that as your departure date nears. When are you leaving?
>89 LizzieD: Hi, Peggy!
>90 avatiakh: Cousin romances were quite common in that historical period, so I don't let them bother me. It certainly didn't lead to the degree of inbreeding seen in the royal families of Europe!! And the climactic scene with Vincent on the couch and Lady Aurelia coming magnificently to the rescue cannot be beat anywhere in Heyer's oeuvre imho. And Hugo is one of the big intelligent gentlemen with a sense of humor that I love in Heyer's works.

>91 ronincats: Those are gorgeous!! Thanks for sharing.

Hi Roni!

Double bullet with your interesting review of Hidden Figures. As one of the few people who haven't seen the movie, I've put it at the top of my Netflix queue. And I'll look forward to reading the book.

I love the intense colors on the pottery.

And while you may say your sweet peas are almost done, they are gorgeous!

>91 ronincats: looks like the 29th or 30th

Beautiful sweet peas and lovely pottery, Roni. I love those small blue pitchers.

>91 ronincats: Beautiful!

>91 ronincats: You always have the most gorgeous sweet peas, Roni!

>91 ronincats: Lovely sweetpeas and yes, I loved how the whole family worked together on that little farce, so fun especially as they had been so uncivil with each other.

>66 ronincats: Agree about Adams. The more I read about our 'founders' the more I realize just how human they were, faults and all. But Adams, of all of them, seems the most admiral to me. He seems the least hypocritical and the most true to his own beliefs. It is a great book and is on my Favorites list. In fact I need to read it again ...

Your pottery is so beautiful, Roni. All the colors are so bright and clear, I'd have a hard time picking a favorite but my eyes do continually go to that red bowl. :)

Third and shortest try (my computer keeps randomly restarting as I get near the end of my reply).

Thanks, Kim, Janet, Meg, Heather, Mary, Kerry and Judy.
Reba--sounds doable--I'll PM you as soon as we get two things scheduled.
Steve, I also agree with you. My admiration for Adams is immense and now I want to read about his son.

This time I'll post this part before doing my book review.

Book #75 A Useful Woman by Darcie Wilde (357 pp.)

Found out about this series when Robin (rretzler) reviewed the second on her thread. Set in Regency London, the book features Rosalind Thorne, a member of the upper class until her father disappeared in scandal and now she tries to hold onto her gentility on the fringes of society by organizing and facilitating for the ladies of society. When she discovers a dead body in Almack's, which the forces that be are eager to label an accident to avoid scandal, she is pulled into a murder investigation. Great characters, interesting interactions, true to Regency society and mores (as a Heyer fan, I am quite familiar with these, and I'll bet the author is a Heyer fan too), I also liked this book a great deal. When I went to record it, I found out the author is actually Sarah Zettel, with whom I am familiar as an author of science fiction and fantasy. I'll be looking for the second one.

Oh, yay! I'm almost finished with Within the Sanctuary of Wings so can start A Useful Woman tonight or tomorrow!

I have gotten a good start on Golem and the Jinni and I am really enjoying it. Lots of characters and the understanding and insight about immigrant life in New York City in the 1890's is really hooking me. New York City must have been a cacophony of different languages going all at the same time. One thing I learned about was the fairly large numbers of immigrants from Syria and Lebanon during this time. I had no idea that there was an area of NYC called "Little Syria." I knew about "Little Italy" and Mulberry Street and the Lower East Side and the Yiddish neighborhoods, but the Syria thing was new.

Morning, Roni! Nice review of A Useful Woman - adding that one to the list.

>103 Storeetllr: Hope you are enjoying both of them, Mary. Just one more of the Lady Trent books to go
>104 benitastrnad: I liked that book very much as historical fiction. As you say, one learns so much of NYC at that time.
>105 Crazymamie: I think you'll like it, Mamie.



Book #76 For We are Many by Dennis Taylor (321 pp.)

I wasn't sure I wanted to put out the money for this second book in the Bobiverse series, but then I discovered I could borrow it for free from the Kindle Library and so I did! This one did not have the novelty or the humor of the first book, as the Bobs get in over their head on several fronts and so aren't feeling too cheery. I with I had discovered the character index and the Bob geneology at the end of the book before I finished it, as I found the multitude of Bobs confusing as they proliferated. Several storylines are carried forward from the last book and some new ones started, notably a hive-mind alien specieswho consumes planets and is heading Earth's way. The book ends with the Bobs determined to save humanity but without any way to stop the aliens...except maybe an idea in Bill's mind which I suspect is leading toward a Lensman-like planet-smashing denouement. Actually, the series is very much like the classic Lensman series by E. E. (Doc) Smith, very pulp and technology-oriented. Light entertainment for the science fiction fan, not much there for anyone else.

Congratulations on reaching 75!

Congratulations on reaching the 75 book mark, Roni. I need a new series like I need a hold in the head, but as a fan of Regency novels and mysteries, I am adding A Useful Woman to the wishlist.

>103 Storeetllr:, >106 ronincats: Oh! I thought Within the Sanctuary of Wings was the last in the series. If not, that's wonderful news!

I have the second one waiting for me and hope to start it soon. I think I will enjoy it but not as much as the first for many of the reasons you indicated. Happy Friday!

Congrats!

Congrats on reaching 75, Roni!!!

Thank you so much, Zoe, Judy, Mary, Kim, Jim and Mamie. It seems like it's taken me forever to get here, but here I am!

>108 DeltaQueen50: I think you'll like it, Judy.

>109 Storeetllr: Mary, no, you are right. I was thinking that was the fourth book but In the Labyrinth of Drakes was the fourth. Teaches me to check my sources first. Sorry to get your hopes up.

>110 Berly: Exactly, Kim!

It's been a quiet day--summer is here! We are at 85 degrees now at 5 in the afternoon (29.4 Celsius), and after spending the morning gardening (pinching tomato offsets, heavy watering, gathering sweet peas and roses, picking carrots and a huge turnip, having a smoothie for breakfast with strawberries and kale from the garden with other things, playing with kitten) and then reading City of Miracles) on the deck this afternoon. Just finished supper with salmon collars and opah belly off the grill, mashed turnip (fresh from the garden) and a spiralized zucchini, peach, pecan and feta cheese salad--yum, yum!

Wow, sounds like a good day! Congrats on hitting 75 already!

Thanks, Chelle. Hope you are enjoying your time off work--it's good to see you on LT.

Evidence of today's activities, one at least. That's mom in back.

>115 ronincats: Aw! Mom looks so dignified, and the baby is stunning - what a handsome fellow he will be!

Hoping that your Saturday is full of fabulous, Roni!

Congrats on hitting 75!

Your pottery continues to amaze me! They're so beautiful and I just love, love, love the yarn bowl. How very clever of you to design that. Why don't you have a store already?

The kitty is so cute and momkat looks a lot like a cat I used to share a house with ... notice I didn't say own? haha

>116 Crazymamie: My Saturday was full of a Juneteenth street festival, Mamie--left home at 9 am and got back at 7 pm. And only sold 5 pairs of my ear climbers. I would be lost without those things, I tell you.

>117 foggidawn: Thank you, Misti.

>118 cameling: A Caro sighting!! Thank you and no store because my 2 hours a week only produces enough for my craft festivals.

So today is a quiet day recuperating from a long day outside yesterday. I'm getting ready to cook with apricots, and this is the reason why.

They're READY!

Your apricots looks yummy. Eat some for me.

Mmm, apricots! We had a tree one place I lived growing up -- I remember them being a bit spotty, but delicious, especially as apricot jelly.

Hey Roni. I hope you're doing well.

I enjoyed your comments about John Adams. I knew very little about him but learned some as collateral while reading Alexander Hamilton. Those founding fathers were an interesting bunch.

>119 ronincats: Wow! I don't think I've ever seen an apricot tree.

I'm glad you're having a lovely summer. We had a taste of it for a couple of weeks there but Junuary has returned. It has been rainy and cool again. Honestly, I don't mind it for running but it is not conducive to sitting on the back patio with a cocktail and a book.....

I was reading your review of A Useful Woman and thinking that I feel like the only soul on LT who is not interested in Regency London. I keep wanting to try something set in that era (Georgette Heyer primarily comes to mind) but I just don't have much motivation. Perhaps I should just claim that facet of my reading personality. :-)

Hi Roni. Stopping by to get caught up. Love the pic of the apricot tree in >119 ronincats:! My favorite use of apricot (dried apricot that is) is in oatmeal muffins, but also good on cooked oatmeal. ;-)

>115 ronincats: Cute kitties. And I'd love to have an apricot tree in my yard...yum! Glad you had such a nice weekend.

Congratulations on reaching 75 books, Roni.

>102 ronincats: A Useful Woman sounds like one I would like, Roni. Now to hunt it down.

Good to see you are enjoying summer. I am just to the north of Ellen and it is Junuary. Send some warmth this way.

Congrats on 75!

Your apricot tree looks fantastic. I planted a bare-root one when we lived in Poway and had a bumper crop a few years later to be followed by "crops" of one or two for the remainder of the time we lived there. When we sold the new owners took it out to have easier access to put in a pool. At least it got one good year!!

I almost picked up Apricot jam at the Amish store we stopped at, but I opted for a couple other varieties.

Those are apricots? Wow.. i thought they were oranges. They look fantastic! What will you do with them, besides eat them off the tree.

>109 Storeetllr:, >113 ronincats: Oh, too bad! It was a good ending to the series, though, wasn't it! Hey, you think maybe she'll write a spinoff series featuring Jack?

Belated congratulations on 75, Roni!

>115 ronincats: Sweet picture of the kitten and mom.

>119 ronincats: Oh, I love apricots! We don't have the right weather for them, so I settle for plums ;-)

>66 ronincats: I LOVED John Adams.

Interesting about Hidden Figures. I read it first and then saw the film, and I found a few things frustrating. For example, I don't understand why they changed the bathroom thing. I thought it had so much greater an impact when the women themselves ignored or resisted the segregation thing themselves. In the book, Katherine just used the closer bathroom. I understand the dramatization, sort of, but it gives the prize to the white boss for making the change, not to her for just refusing to go along with something that was wrong. If that makes sense?

Book #77 City of Miracles by Robert Bennett Jackson (450 pp.)

I received an Advance Review Copy of this book through the LT Early Reviewer Program.

This is the third and last book of the Divine Cities series by Bennett. This series contains one of the two most original milieus in modern fantasy, IMHO, with the other being Max Gladstone's Craft Sequence. The world-building is superb, detailed and different. The fantasy plot elements are reminiscent to both Gladstone and N. K. Jemisin, another outstanding and original fantasy author, in that Divinity is interacting with the mundane world and drives several important elements of the plot. This final book is told from Sigrud's POV, although we do get to see key figures from previous books, and drives to a final climax that illuminates many things from previous books. A worthy finale to an excellent series.

>120 BLBera: Beth, I'll be eating them for everyone!
>121 foggidawn: This apricot tree has an interesting history, Misti. My husband put fruit pits at the end of a planter I used to have along the edge of the deck, by the steps down. Something sprouted up and grew, but I kept trimming it back for years as it was along a traffic pattern. But it kept growing even when the planter eventually rotted and fell apart, sprouting out of the ground next to the deck. Finally, after probably a dozen or 15 years, it suddenly became not a shrub to be trimmed, but shot up into a tree. And then, a couple of years later, catching us completely by surprise, it produces about 25 gorgeous apricots. So then we want more, but it doesn't set fruit again for another 5 years, as we have a series of quite warm winters. To set fruit, we need at least 3 weeks where night-time temps get into the 50s or lower, and this year we finally had that as well as abundant rain and it set hundreds of fruit! Who knows when it will happen again?
>122 EBT1002: We are roasting at the moment, Ellen, 15 degrees above average, 87 at the house today. Georgette Heyer created my interest in Regency England when I read her books in the 70s. I think I discovered Jane Austen after that. I think you would quite enjoy certain of Heyer's books.
>123 lkernagh: Hi, Lori. I'm sure we'll try plenty of recipes for our apricots, limited by our strict limits on carbohydrates this month.
>124 Berly: Thanks, Kim.
>125 sirfurboy: Thank you, Stephen.
>126 Familyhistorian: YOu are welcome to some of our warmth, Meg. We have too much of it right now. And I think you will like A Useful Woman.
>127 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia!
>128 RebaRelishesReading: Hopefully we will have some more good years, Reba, but it is so dependent on our weather.
>129 thornton37814: I'm going to look for a freezer jam recipe, Lori.
>130 cameling: So far, apricot crisp and apricots in breakfast smoothies, but looking at more recipes, Caro.
>131 Storeetllr: It was a good ending to the series, Mary.
>132 FAMeulstee: Thank you, Anita!
>133 nittnut: I agree completely. I think if I'd read the book first, I would have been frustrated by the film, but as it is, I completely enjoyed the film and then enjoyed analyzing the book. You make an excellent point about the bathroom situation, though, expecially since it was so played up in the film.

We went to a nutrition class for diabetes yesterday, so were in air conditioning in the afternoon. Today I got compost for the side garden bed (the sweet peas will finally have to go--they don't like this heat anyway) and stopped by the library and took the dog for her vaccinations. Tomorrow will be a bit of gardening before it gets hot, and then reorganization of the yarn stash inside.

Okay, MOST of the sweet pea vines are pulled up and tossed, and the final bouquets made up. I did leave those in the corner that started blooming later than the others., although I shouldn't have, but they are growing up through the coneflower so aren't taking up room I need for the cucumbers. The detritus has been cleared and the compost dumped on top of the bed but not dug in yet as it got too hot. I have brought in from the garden today the sweetpeas, 3 tomatoes, 1 carrot, 10 green beans, a myriad of apricots (gonna halve them and freeze them for now), and a dozen roses. Now I'm cooling down (only 2500 steps though) before showering, having lunch, and then starting either on the yarn stash or making room in the pantry for the canned goods we brought home from the grocery store the other day. I started my bookclub book last night, Silver on the Road, and it is very interesting as I haven't figured out yet what is going on.

Hope it's not as hot there as it is here, Roni! Just reading about all you've done today is making me sweat!

Hmm, Silver on the Road looks pretty interesting indeed. I'm not a fan of YA or coming-of-age, but this one may work for me. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

>102 ronincats: I'll have to look out for A Useful Woman, sounds like my sort of read. I finally read The Dark Days Pact and am already looking forward to the third book due out next year.

So today cooled down dramatically, Mary, just up to 75 instead of the mid-80s and quite comfy. Kerry, I really liked the protagonist in A Useful Woman.

I went to the pottery and my casserole turned out perfectly--no chipping from runny glaze and the lid fits exactly!

If I put more light on it, the glaze is so shiny that all I get is reflections.

Then I walked a block south and met Reba for lunch at the chocolate restaurant, Eclipse. She had the avocado eggs benedict and I had quiche and we shared a salad before leaving with our favorite flavors of artisan chocolate bar.

>139 ronincats: Looks like you all had a great meet-up!

>139 ronincats: Awesome and awesome! Love the pottery casserole and the successful meet-up!!

I feel the same way about the McCullough bio of Adams -- I've said this so forgive, but I finished it ON July 4, just sat there in a puddle of gratitude. His legacy in Massachusetts is huge, they have an "attitude" towards education and libraries that is unique to the entire country.

Book bullet for the "Darcie Wilde"!

Apricots. Can I say I hate you? No, I know I can't and you know I don't! but ow ow ow. I do have a fig tree which I take obsessive care of (figgy's only outside from mid-May until the real cold arrives which has become shifty -- say mid-October) and this year Figgy has more than at least maybe more than a dozen figlets! My best year previously has been six or seven. I'm thinking I had better give it some plant food in fact.

Love the photo of you and Reba!

That casserole is absolutely gorgeous, Roni! And a lid that fits perfectly on top of that — a true miracle. Lovely meet-up photo as well.

We had a wonderful lunch and I can testify that the pottery is as beautiful in person as it is in the pictures we get on LT. I thought I posted about it when I got home (without photo though) but it doesn't seem to be there. I can also tell you that the apricots are delicious because Roni was kind enough to share some. Hubby and I had them for dessert last night.

Amazing casserole dish! I am so impressed.

>139 ronincats: Always nice to see a picture of a meet up :-)
You both look happy!

>139 ronincats: - Great photo! Glad you had a nice lunch.

And that casserole is gorgeous!

Roni and Reba! YAY!!!!
Apricots!
Casserole!
Books!
Glad I came by.... Thanks, (((((Roni))))).

The casserole is gorgeous - and it's wonderful that the lid fits! That's tough to get right. The glaze is spectacular.

Lori and Chelle, it was a good meetup indeed! Love you too, Lucy. Thank you, Julia, and yes, I hate lids because they are so unpredictable. Glad you liked the apricots, Reba. Thank you, Misti. We were happy, Anita--good company AND chocolate! Thanks, Katie. Glad you came by too, Peggy. And thank you, Jenn. Yes, lids are tough.

Are these cute or what?


So yesterday was a thorough cleaning of the living room, with all the yarn and jewelry craft materials organized and put away so it isn't all over everything in the living and dining rooms.
And today was finishing the dining room, which besides dusting and vacuuming included clearing off and putting away everything on the table and on the china cabinet. And checking out all the batteries (and battery lights for craft shows) to make sure they are charged and working before putting them away. And going through the Good Will box and making a list of the contents as I straighten them up and repack them, so it can go out tomorrow.

Now I just have my office to do. :-(

My Kindle was acting up last night so I read on my tablet. Now the Kindle seems to be okay, but my Fitbit won't sync!

>134 ronincats: think you hit me with a BB there & thanks for a reminder about the Max Gladstone series finally got it on Kindle .....

>139 ronincats: That casserole dish turned out really well, Roni. I like the blue and the picture of you and Reba below it.

>150 ronincats: Aren't electronics fun? BTW, did you all notice the beautiful Tree of Life pendant Roni is wearing? I kept looking at it all through lunch but never managed to say anything about it -- it was lovely, Roni.

I really must make it to the West Coast and meet up with you ladies if only to help you with the chocolate.

I love apricots.

Have a great weekend, Roni. xx

I could use some help cleaning and organizing...

>151 roundballnz: Hi, Alex, and turn about is fair play. I definitely think you will like the Craft Sequence.

>152 Familyhistorian: Thank you, Meg.

>153 RebaRelishesReading: Still can't get my Fitbit to sync. I put the unit back in to charge in case that's the problem (it charged half the day yesterday, supposedly, and so now it's missed two fairly active days!) How's the recovery going? And that's my TOL that I wear all the time with jeans and as a sample of my work. Thank you.

>154 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. Glad things are looking up there and hope you take some time to relax this weekend.

>155 BLBera: Probably hiring someone there would be cheaper than providing me with an all-expense paid trip to do so, Beth ;-D

So not too busy this morning. Planted the hyacinth and snapdragons, dug in the compost on the side bed that I laid out the other day, fed the kitties and picked some apricots--45 minutes max. Admired my clean dining room and living room, washed the cleaning rags, and had my Greek yogurt, mango slice, 3 apricots, 4 pecans and chia seed breakfast, and played my Farmville 2 and Criminal Case games. Next is a bath and then starting in my office, which isn't TOO bad but has a lot of clutter going. I'll plant the cucumber vines this afternoon when that bed goes into shade, and I probably need to do some watering out front.

>150 ronincats: Love the Catnip Everdeen one!

>74 ronincats: Incredible blues. You are indeed quite an artist.

>156 ronincats: Which Fitbit do you have, again? When mine won't sync (all too frequently), I've found that resetting/restarting it will usually fix the sync. But how to restart is different for each one. My One needs to be plugged into the charger, hold down the button until it goes blank, take it _out_ of the charger and press the button again until it says Fitbit. My dad's Charge HR is similar, but don't take it out of the charger. My mom's Flex 2 needs to be plugged in, then hit the button on the cable three times quickly and look for it to flash. And so on.

Howdy Ro! >139 ronincats: Love this meet up photo! I'm caught up with you for now. Trying not to be such a stranger but it's an unusually busy summer for me this year.

Love those last sweet peas. My niece Anna got married June 3rd. Used to call her my sweet pea.

So you want to know what I did today (beyond the usual, I mean)? I ate and napped and read. It is already oppressively hot and humid although a squall line came through just after we walked and brought a bit of cool.
In fact, it was a pretty nice day!

>159 jjmcgaffey: Yep, I've run into the same difficulties with my One. The first time I got it going again I'd tried so many things I had no idea what I had done!

>156 ronincats: Thanks for asking Roni. Recovery seems to have slipped into high gear and is going well. We seem to be in the home stretch, in fact, I'm going to start getting the car ready to load :)

Ooh, I forgot that Annie took a picture of my casserole with the apricots I took her in it on Thursday, and she just posted it. It shows the color much better!


>157 drneutron: Very neat, yes, Jim!
>158 Whisper1: Thank you, Linda. This photo shows the blues much better.
>159 jjmcgaffey: Jenn, I have the Flex 2. I've now done that (thanks for the specifics) and it flashed, but it still isn't syncing. I'll have to call Fitbit this week, I guess.
>160 luvamystery65: Hi, Ro. I know you are keeping busy.
>161 LizzieD: Sounds like a lovely day, Peggy!
>162 sibylline: A fellow sufferer.
>163 RebaRelishesReading: Good to hear, Reba.

Today I planted the cucumber seedlings in the side garden where the sweet peas have been, played with the kitten (Miles), finished my book for book club, and took a nap!

Book #78 Silver On the Road by Laura Anne Gilman (417 pp.)

This fantasy is set in the Territory, between the Mississippi and the Rockies although in this alternate reality they have different names, at the beginning of the 19th century. Isobel has just turned 16 and served out her indenture to the Boss of the Territory, and she chooses to be his Hand. This sends her out onto the road patrolling the Territory with a mentor. This is a fascinating and original fantasy, full of atmosphere and interesting characters, as you try to figure out what is going on in an unfamiliar land. Mary (storeetler) heard me talking about reading it and actually finished it ahead of me, also with strong recommendation! I am trying to hold back from immediately buying the second (I got this one as a Kindle deal in January), and I will probably check out her two contemporary urban fantasy series, Paranormal Scene Investigations and Sylvan Investigations.

Sounds like you had a lovely weekend, Roni. Wow those apricots in the casserole really make the deep blue pop!

>164 ronincats: Lovely, Roni.

Love the little kitten. Adorable! Though his fur looks a little thicker than I'd prefer. Makes them soft and fuzzy, but means a lot more brushing! :)

Hidden Figures looks so good!

Thanks for the tip! I just added Silver on the Road to my library list.

Stopping by to get caught up with all that is happening over here.

>164 ronincats: - What a fabulous picture of your casserole dish!

Just catching up with all your news and also noting that I *finally* got started on the Craft sequence in the right place and I'm really enjoying the first book. I have learned my lesson about starting a series in the middle :-)

>164 ronincats: Wow - those colours go so well together!

75 already? Congratulations!

Catching up quickly, Roni (if I go back up to check post numbers I'll get hit by BBs); all the pottery is delicious, but the red does stand out against all those blues. As for the casserole lid fitting, all of the pottery is equally amazing to me as it's something I don't do. That's a cheerful meetup photo. You could be sisters. The photo of the apricots in the casserole looks so artistic. Sounds like you're having nice weather and getting lots done.

>165 ronincats: So glad you enjoyed Silver on the Road too, Roni! And thanks for the note about Gilman's other urban fantasy series. I'll be checking those out too.

ETA it looks like her series get better as they go along. Hard Magic, the first book in the Paranormal Scene Investigators series, has a 3.5 star rating, the next three incrementally better ratings until the fourth has a 4.1 star rating.

>166 DeltaQueen50: It was, and those colors certainly do pop, Judy.
>167 BLBera: Thanks, Beth.
>168 The_Hibernator: Rachel! Yes, he looks forward to me coming out to play with him now. And do check out Hidden Figures.
>169 nrmay: Hope you enjoy it, Nancy.
>170 lkernagh: Hi, Lori, thanks for stopping by.
>171 archerygirl: Glad to hear it, Jo!
>172 souloftherose: They certainly set each other off, Heather.
>173 humouress: Thank you, Nina.
>174 Storeetllr: I'll keep that in mind, Mary.

So, today got off to a slow start as I woke up with a headache and went back to sleep until noon. After that, I picked up a children's adventure book that Stephen (SirFurBoy) had recommended and read it out on the deck while the kitten and his mother stretched out in the warmth.



Book #79 Deadweather and Sunrise by Geoff Rodkey (296 pp.)

This is a fun adventure story for middle grades, containing pirates and silver mines and islands and treasure, quite delightful! And it is the first of three, so I've already ordered the next two from the library.

>175 ronincats: I am glad you enjoyed Deadweather and Sunrise. Sorry to hear about the headache - headaches always put me off reading.

Stopping by, Roni, sorry about the headache!

>164 ronincats: So pretty, and >91 ronincats: oh, those sweet peas . . . Just beautiful!

>176 sirfurboy:, >177 sibylline: Fortunately the headache was gone after my nap!
>178 brenpike: Hi, Brenda!!

So, it was pottery day and I brought home what is probably my largest bowl to date, at 11 inches in diameter and nearly 5 inches tall.


The story behind this one is that I used all my clay and when I took the wire to cut it off the bat, the bottom was too thin and it tore through. I didn't want to give up on the bowl part, one of my best, so I threw a saucer, turned it upside down, cut out the entire bottom of the bowl, and then fused the two pieces together so that I had a new bottom. And it turned out!!

Home now, and here's who's right beside the back door on the deck waiting for food or play...

>179 ronincats: Nice!

>179 ronincats: The kitten has a mischievous look in his eyes, Roni, does he have a name yet?

You would never know that bowl was a hybrid if you hadn't told us. What an ingenious solution! The glaze is quite lovely.

That is a beautiful bowl, Roni! Great save. :)

>179 ronincats: I like the bowl a lot, but I love the cats!

I love that bowl!! Can you make me a red-tone one?

Also, that little boy kitten is just too cute.

Nice bowl -- and nice photo composition, with the bowl and the cat.

Good evening, people!

>180 luvamystery65: Thanks, Ro!
>181 FAMeulstee: His name is Miles, Anita.
>182 rosalita:, >183 Storeetllr: Thank you, Julia and Mary. I was thrilled the save worked so well.
>183 Storeetllr: Well, YES, Lori!
>184 thornton37814: I can but try, Reba.
>186 foggidawn: Sybil photobombs every shot I try to take of my pottery, Misty.

One last book for June:



Book #80 The Furthest Station by Ben Aaronovitch (144 pp.)

This novella covers a single case investigated by Peter Grant and crew and does not carry the overarching story of the Faceless Man forward at all--in fact it isn't even mentioned. However, it was once again great entertainment to be in Peter's POV and to enjoy his sardonic asides as he and friends solve the case. Recommended! (After you read the previous books)

June Statistics

Books read: 11
Pages read:3859
Average pages per day: 129
Average pages per book: 351

New reads: 11
Rereads: 0
Library books: 5
Books off the shelf: 1
New purchases read: 5

Genre:
science fiction 1
fantasy 5
children's 1
nonfiction 1
fiction 1
romance 0
mystery 2

Author gender: 6 female, 5 male

Country of origin: USA 8, England 2, Australia 1

Books acquired: 5

Kindle: 3
Dead tree: 2 from PaperBackSwap
2 nonfiction, 2 fantasy, 1 fiction

Books out the door: 3 to PaperBackSwap

January through June Midyear Statistics

Books read: 80
Pages read:26269
Average pages per day: 145
Average pages per book: 328

New reads: 68
Rereads: 14
Library books: 26
Books off the shelf: 21
New purchases read: 18

Genre:
science fiction 11
fantasy 40
children's 8
nonfiction 10
fiction 3
romance 1
mystery 7

Books acquired: 35

Books out the door: 19

So, I did get some gardening done today. Some of you may recall that at this time last year we were engaged in changing our front yard from a bare earth/clay space to a soak zone with drought resistant plants and two large raised beds for additional garden space in the sunniest spot on the property. So here are today's results:

Plans for July:

SFFCAT Award Winners and Nominees:


Nonfiction Challenge: Creators and Creativity


Currently in progress:


Home from the library:

I just got Obelisk Gate from the library and plan to start listening to it this month too!

>164 ronincats: Nice casserole! I've been thinking about getting back into pottery now that live has calmed down a little. I suspect there will be a major relearning curve for my hands.

>192 Storeetllr: Brave woman indeed to listen to that complex of a story, Mary!

>193 TadAD: I suspect it's like riding a bike--it comes back to you very quickly, Tad. I think it would be lovely if you can find a studio. Your work is much more artistic than mine, which is pretty basic but I enjoy it.

Finished up my first book of July this morning.



Book #81 Merrill's Marauders: The Untold Story of Unit Galahad and the Toughest Special Forces Mission of World War II BY Gavin Mortimer (230 pp.)

My dad was a member of Merrill's Marauders in WW II, Third Battalion, Khaki Combat Team. Third Battalion were seasoned veterans who had fought in the Solomon Islands and at Guadalcanal before volunteering for this mission. My brother had collected Dad's books on the mission, from the original Merrill's Marauders pamphlet produced by the Military Intelligence for military personnel to the huge Spearhead (772 pp.) written by a medical officer of the Third Battalion together with an intelligence officer assigned to General Headquarters during the mission. Mortimer drew heavily from both these sources and supplemented them with many interviews with surviving Marauders. His maps come from the original pamphlet and are sometimes nearly unreadable, but his prose is clear. His version does not improve on prior accounts of the actual battles but I believe clears up some of the poor decisions made by Stilwell and Merrill and puts Frank Hunter in his deserved position of actual commander. It also probably documents for the first time the shameful way the Marauders were treated after achieving their third and final objective. How I would love to talk with my father and brother about all this!

I loved the book Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker. It will be on my best books of the year list. This is a novel that most fantasy readers will enjoy as will readers of historical fiction. I had no idea about "Little Syria" in NYC. Now I do. I am going to pass this novel on to my sister.

This novel is a wonderful work of historical fiction masquerading as a very well written fantasy novel. It is a novel of the immigrant experience in the U.S. around the turn of the century. Specifically that of immigrants to New York City. It is also a wonderful snapshot of NYC at the turn of the century. It covers everything from the rich in their gilded cages to the very poor living in the tenement houses with grace and verve. The descriptions of the parks and public spaces of the city in the 1890's are vivid and place the reader right there with the people living in the time. Through the wonderings of the jinni the various neighborhoods off this great city come to life and give the reader a much better handle on the various immigrant groups that went there and settled into enclaves that developed into neighborhoods that sustained and nurtured the residents while they transitioned from being immigrant strangers to neighbors. A verity of secondary characters provides the reader with a continuos stream of interesting people whose lives are intertwined with the major characters that keep the reader wondering what will happen next to who! This may be a novel by a first time author, but it certainly doesn't show as this is an exquisitely edited and presented novel with beautiful cover art and deckle edged pages.

Book #82 When Falcons Fall by C. S. Harris (355 pp.)

This series is so good. I picked this up yesterday afternoon and finished it at bedtime. There is so much going on, the tension is palpable, and I had no idea who the killer was but it all made sense in the end.

Thanks again for pointing out the bargain French books. I extended my TBR somewhat with that offer and seems I now have 40 French books on my list! Hmmm!

That bowl! Those furboys! The garden!

I've got the Corey on my tbr shelf, I'm eyeing it hungrily these days.

Ha! What Lucy said! I just finished the Corey, and it was a very fun ride.

Hi Roni, the only thing I know about Merrill's Marauders is that there was a movie made about them. I don't know how accurate that movie is, so I will definitely be on the lookout for this book or another about them.

After a rocky start, I am now very much enjoying the audio of Obelisk Gate, although thanks to your review of When Falcons Fall, I've taken a slight detour. I'll probably get back to Obelisk tomorrow - Falcons Fall is turning out to be a quick read.

Have a safe and happy 4th of July!

>197 sirfurboy: You are quite welcome, Stephen! You are all set for your virtual tour of France.
>198 sibylline: You are in a superlative mood, Lucy! I'm 73 pages into the Corey--it's my bedtime book.
>199 Crazymamie: It's only been sitting in my tbr pile for the 6 years since it's been published, Mamie, despite all the good reviews. This time I will finish it!!
>200 DeltaQueen50: Judy, the movie was very inaccurate so I wouldn't worry about seeing it. Merrill actually was pretty much a f***-*p figurehead, a yes man for General Stilwell who put Frank Hunter, the commander on the ground, and his men through hell. This book would probably be the best compromise between thouroughness and length.
>201 Storeetllr: I've put Obelisk Gate after Leviathan Wakes so it will be a week or two before I get to it. But I am determined to do it this month. I'd be sorry to have distracted you with When Falcons Fall were it not such a good read, Mary.

My bathtub book right now is for the nonfiction July challenge, Creators and Creativity. I am reading Ursula Le Guin's Dancing at the Edge of the World, a collection of essays and talks produced between 1977 and 1987. It is perfect for this as the pieces are short and relatively unconnected but quite thought-provoking. I'm going to copy this quote over to Peggy's (LizzieD) thread where grammar was under discussion a short while ago.

"I still dislike invented pronouns, but I now dislike them less than the so-called generic pronoun he/him/his, which does in fact exclude women from discourse; and which was an invention of male grammarians, for until the sixteenth centure the English generic singular pronoun was they/them/their, as it still is in English and American colloquial speech. It should be restored to the written language, and let the pedants and pundits squeak and gibber in the streets."

On kitty news, Miles got his flea treatment this morning while eating. He is a ravenous boy, in the middle of a growing streak, and lets us pet him while he is eating even if he shies from head-on approaches.

I've been cleaning out kitchen cabinets and getting rid of old appliances--a slow cooker and a pressure cooker that we no longer need as we have a brand new appliance that does both functions and is too big to fit into any cabinet! And a Pizza Presto that we have never used. Today I plan to move into the laundry room cabinets.

ETA I should probably note that with retirement, our holiday plans generally involve staying away from all the place where hundreds of thousands (and I do not exaggerate at all) of people will be congregating, and then going the next day to the beach or zoo or wherever. We cooked out yesterday and so today is an at-home with no obligations sort of day.

Your blue casserole dish is absolutely beautiful. Out of curiosity, do you 'sign' your pottery at the bottom?

Hope you're enjoying a fun holiday and that you'll get to see the fireworks later.

>202 ronincats: Oh wow. *sigh* Can you clear out my cupboards? I can never get rid of anything, even if I've never used it and had it for ten years.

>203 cameling: I do sign and date them on the botton, Caro. We don't go down to the bay to see the fireworks as about a million people are there and the traffic is atrocious. But they televise it live, so I'll watch that. Oops, just heard our first firecrackers of the day over by the school--all private fireworks are illegal here county-wide. Lots of public displays though.

>204 humouress: It's a stage-of-life thing, Nina. My accumulation days are over, and I am slowly getting rid of the stuff I don't use. Not perfectly--that pasta maker is still up in the back cabinet, even though I haven't used it for a decade either. But I might. And I used the bread-maker yesterday!

I didn't get much of the laundry room done, just the food pantry cabinet. But I got counter tops cleared and cleaned, and lower cabinets reorganized in the kitchen proper.

>205 ronincats: Now you're just rubbing it in ;0)

I've made a start on 'spring cleaning' (again (again)) but I tend to move glacially slowly, which means that while I'm working on one room, things start piling up in others.....

Had to break away to watch the live fireworks on my big monitor! Here there are four barges up and down the bay that have the exact same show in synchrony, so everyone up and down the bay can get a good view, 18 minutes.

>206 humouress: Your spring cleaning process appears to be identical to the one I go through myself. LOL

>206 humouress: I've two more cabinets in the laundry room to do, both uppers. I have a big laundry room and I filled it full of cabinets about 15 years ago. Two deep pantry/broom closet cabinets floor to ceiling, a counter with two cabinets underneath and two overhead, three cabinets above the washer/dryer area and one above the laundry sink. It's the last one and one of the overheads over the washer that still need doing. Probably not today, though, as it was pottery studio day, and I like to do it fairly early in the day. But I know what you mean. I clear the dining room and the dining room table and then, when I'm cleaning all the other rooms, all the things not in a place end up on the dining room table! I DID find the round metal tray for the Pizzaz Pizza Oven, though, so now it's ready for Good Will. Although it still costs $50 in the stores and has good reviews on YouTube--should I try NextDoor.com?


>208 cameling: The hubby is supposedly working on the house (painting outside) so we are NOT going places and doing things. Helps to be around the house full-time!

Here's what came home with me from the pottery today! Red bowl is 9.5 inches across, the blue bowls are 5" in diameter.

>207 ronincats: As usual, LOVE the red!

>210 brenpike: Thank you, Brenda!



Book #83 New Lands by Geoff Rodkey (325 pp.)

This is the second of The Chronicles of Egg, a children's series that Stephen (SirFurBoy) called to my attention. It's middle-grade level and definitely recommended for that age group. For adults, only those of you who follow these types of fantasy adventure series. But it's light, entertaining reading for warm summer afternoons!

>179 ronincats: - Lovely bowl! Looks like your furkid likes it too. Maybe thinking it would make a nice food dish? ;-)

>190 ronincats: - Love the pictures of your garden!

You make me exhausted just reading about your home organization activities.

>212 lkernagh: She'd have to be awfully hungry, Lori! And the hummingbirds and butterflies seem to love the yard too, which is lots of fun.

Taking a rest yesterday and today. Yesterday because the morning was spent at the pottery studio and today because I had lunch with a good friend I hadn't spent time with for months. It's been hot both days--85 degrees and 55% humidity, so not much besides reading going on in the afternoons. I don't see any problems with that!

>211 ronincats: Glad you are still enjoying these, and I have just completed one you recommended. The rather more meaty history of John Adams.

Lovely colors on the pottery, as usual!

BTW, I just finished The Wright Brothers by McCullough - did that BB come from here? Good book, a _lot_ of details I didn't know about.

Did your hubby nab the red bowl or is it still available?

The pottery is stunning. You are a very talented lady indeed! Happy Summer to you Roni. Ours thus far has been weird with rain and grey skies, then sun, then rain again.

Congratulations on reading so many books. I am far behind from previous years. I have purchased more than I read. Lately, I seem to pick up a book, start it, and put it down never to return to it again. ugh.

Hugs!

I'm sort of catching up, Roni, and enjoying your cats and bowls and gardening and books. Thanks for keeping us up-to-date!

>208 cameling: Do you also try to do several rooms at the same time Caroline? At the moment I'm painting a mural on the boys' wall / tidying up their room YET again (which untidiness is - apparently - my fault) / deep cleaning the ceiling to floor filing shelf in the study / staring at the mess on my window sill, trying to work out where to start. I tend to do a lot of staring ...

>209 ronincats: Ah, come on now, Roni! Don't do this to me. And are you seriously asking me where to get rid of stuff?

Also:



I'm just going to ignore all that and look at the pottery. I like the two-tone on the bud vase.

Happy Sunday, Roni. I just try to find my way back on LT. I love all your photos.

>219 humouress: I need a copy of that poster to frame. lol

>221 RebaRelishesReading: It's nice isn't it, and what do you think of this one:



I sometimes pass houses that have this poster in the window, and when I look they tend to have bookcases full of books, and look wonderful.

Both signs are fun but I also love, love, love the room the first one is in.

Lots of eye candy on this thread!

Lovely photo of you and Reba. And your lunch choices sound yummy.

>179 ronincats: Beautiful bowl and wonderful save. Your creativity amazes me.

Speaking of creativity, this week I finally found a wooden end table. I really liked the one you painted for your garden so this one will be a Roni-inspired garden table. Sanded, painted white, stenciled and sealed. This may not happen until later in the year :)

>214 sirfurboy: Just finished the last one (see below), and wow, you blew through that Adams biography like crazy. It was SO good!
>215 jjmcgaffey: Haven't read that one yet, Jenn, so I don't think so.
>216 RebaRelishesReading: Still available, Reba.
>217 Whisper1: Thank you, Linda. Always so lovely to get a visit from you.
>218 LizzieD: Hi, Peggy! Glad you came by.
>219 humouress: I'm glad you like the pottery, Nina.
>220 Ameise1: Hi, Barbara. Sorry you are so busy at work!
>221 RebaRelishesReading: Isn't it apropos, Reba?
>222 EllaTim: Hi, Ella!
>223 RebaRelishesReading: Yes, those shelves are wonderful.
>224 streamsong: Janet, how exciting about the table! I'll look forward to seeing it when you do it.

So we were at a jazz festival all day yesterday. In the North Embarcadero Park adjacent to Seaport Village, the music was from 2 to 9:30 and the gates opened at noon. We got there right after noon since we were part of the general admission crowd, on the grass and first come, first serve for position. But we got good spots and a whole lot of saxaphones! Curtis Brooks, Eric Darius, Gerald Albright and Jonathan Butler (guitar and vocals), Richard Elliot and Rick Braun (trumpet) and Norman Brown (guitar), and Boney James. All very good!

We got home around 9, left a bit early to avoid the crowd, and I finished a book before bedtime.



Book #84 Blue Sea Burning by Geoff Rodkey (374 pp.)

The conclusion, probably, of this children's series--the major plot lines are pretty well wrapped up. Still enjoyable, but not for adults who aren't into children's lit.

>225 ronincats: The Adams book took me a couple of weeks I think. I just finished some shorter reads at the same time. :)

>226 sirfurboy: :)



Book #85 Leviathan Wakes by James A. Corey (572 pp.)

This has been in my tbr pile for 4 or 5 years despite uniformly good reviews by others, and I have finally gotten to it. Sprawling space opera, it reminds me of Cherryh's Downbelow Station, except confined to our solar system. I liked the two viewpoint characters and how their interaction adds to the depth of the story. This is the first of a series, and it has already been made into a tv series as well.

>227 ronincats: Welcome to the bandwagon, Roni!

Leviathan Wakes has been requested from my library, but it may take awhile as I'm way down on the list. Good to know the wait will be worth it!

>227 ronincats: this has made it to my short stack of TBR's which means I hope to get to it before year's end. I've put it off long enough. I'm glad you liked it.

Your kittens are adorable and your bowls as always are beautiful.

We'll talk about that red bowl when I get back if you still have it.

Hi, Steve, Mary, Ron and Reba! I've been feeling sorry for myself for not having visitors, so I'm delighted to have you come by!

Reba, if I don't have it, I'll have one like it. Until then!



Book #86 Arabella of Mars by David D. Levine (350 pp.)

This book swam into my ken when it was nominated for the Andre Norton Award for Young Adults Science Fiction and Fantasy at the Nebula Awards this year, which it then won. And it is a romp! Think Lady Trent in a Regency setting rather than the Victorian one, and at a younger age (17). It's steampunk and alternate history and dire and dastardly deeds and war and rebellion and cross-dressing and romance and really neat Martians and flying ships! What is NOT to like? Highly recommended for all you with the spirit of young adventure still lurking in your hearts! A delightful way to spend a warm summer day out on the deck under the tree with a light breeze, playing with the kitten (Miles) who is now totally tame (I am the kitten whisperer!), and reading a delightful book.

Heh. I've had Arabella on my TBR list longer than, I think, I'd even heard of Lady Trent - but I've read the first Lady Trent and haven't gotten around to Arabella, so your simile works nicely. I'll move it upward...

Now I'm really anxious for +LevW+ to appear today, Roni. I've started +Long Price+ quartet, and I like D. Abraham's writing. Happy Days!

Hi Roni, I'm Michael (majleavy). I've never left a message on your thread before, but I "spoke" to you on storeetllr's thread after the two of you expressed anticipation for Kevin Hearne's Besieged. I thought I'd let you know that I read it and enjoyed it - not as much as a novel, but along the same lines as his previous short works in the series. Some interesting facts from the past pop up, and some developments in the series' main story. Enjoy!

>233 jjmcgaffey: Hi, Jenn. My, you've been busy!

>234 LizzieD: Hope it showed up today, Peggy.

>235 majleavy: Thanks, Michael, for the feedback on the book.

Pottery today, and brought these two mugs home.


I didn't have any bisqueware ready to glaze today, so won't be bringing anything home next week, and then the studio is closed for two weeks so all the stuff I glaze next week won't be ready until the 10th of August, so quite a hiatus.

On the book front, I received two books yesterday: The Essex Serpent passed on from Jenn and an ER book, Altered Traits. I sent one off for PaperBack Swap and I started, finally, The Obelisk Gate last night after finishing Arabella of Mars earlier in the day.

So far behind here!! Wow. Pottery, Jazz Festivals, Gardening and Books. Oh, and the meet-up! Life is good. : )

Also catching up so I can wish you a good weekend ahead.

Hi, Roni! Happy Friday! How is your reading of TOG, as fans of the trilogy like to call it, going? (For those of us who dislike acronyms, that's The Obelisk Gate). :)

Just catching up on kitties and pottery. Both very enjoyable. Love the meet-up photo with Reba! My daughter has just started a pottery class. She has used the wheel before, so the teacher pretty much leaves her to it and just checks in occasionally. Just the way Miss M likes it. It will be fun to see what she brings home.

>236 ronincats: - Lovely! I am currently reading the Children's Book and have been fascinated by the level of detail Byatt describes the arts and crafts industry of 1890-1910 Europe. Makes me appreciate the pottery pictures you post even more now!

Wishing you a lovely weekend, Roni.

Wow, you have been busy this summer! I love the mugs in >236 ronincats:.

Back again. I had to play bridge this afternoon, so I didn't get into *Leviathan*. Tomorrow though - yippee.
I had to smile (somewhere back in you posts, Roni), It's been hot both days--85 degrees and 55% humidity. Today it was 95° or so with a dew point of 76....and this is only N.C.

>237 Berly: Ah, you've been so busy, Kim, but it's good to see you here.
>238 avatiakh: And the same to you, Kerry!
>239 Storeetllr: I got distracted by a library book (see below), Mary, but I'm back on track now.
>240 nittnut: Hi, Jenn. That's pretty much the way Annie is at my studio. Always there to show us a technique or demonstrate, but let's us go our own way as much as we want.
>241 lkernagh: Thank you, Lori, and the same to you!
>242 bell7: Thanks, Mary.
>243 LizzieD: Ah, but we've been spoiled by perfect weather, Peggy! I grew up in the midwest, so I know what you are experiencing.



Book #87 Cold Welcome by Elizabeth Moon (433 pp.)

Moon has decided to extend the original Vatta's War space opera series of 5 books, starting a new tangent to be called Vatta's Peace. The Vattas still have enemies who weren't exposed in the activities of the prior books and they make their presence know when Ky comes to Slotter Key on family business by sabotaging her shuttle and dumping her, with others in the shuttle, in the frigid ocean. We watch her deal with survival in harsh conditions while Aunt Grace and Rafe attempt to find out who the saboteurs are, within both the military and the governmental structures, and to reach Ky to prevent the villains from killing all the survivors to protect their secrets. I don't have the degree of love for this series that I do for the Vorkosigans and Korval or Moon's fantasy series about Paksennarion, but it is still quite enjoyable science fiction adventure and I look forward to the future books.

Happy weekend, Roni.

>244 ronincats: Oh, yes; I have to get back to that series. As far as I did get, I remember it as a good, satisfying read though without the frenetic fun of the Vorkosigan books.

>244 ronincats: Oh, boy. Another series. Or three. I've read other works by Moon, though offhand I can't recall what - perhaps short stories in collections - but never read any of her series. Have a wonderful weekend, Roni!

>245 Ameise1: Thanks, Barbara. Is school out now?
>246 humouress: I actually prefer the first three books of Moon's Heris Serrano series to the Vatta books. After that, I think the series got too broad and political, like the Honor Harrington books did.
>247 Storeetllr: I like Moon's writing, Mary, but she doesn't have the humor that Bujold and Lee & Miller have in their books. The Paksennarion trilogy is my favorite, followed by the five volume sequel series--that's fantasy. Then The Serrano Legacy, that's the first three books of the series. You can certainly continue with the other four books after that. Oh, I forgot, there's the singleton Remnant Population, which is excellent!! And then some supplemental books for Paks, Surrender None and Liar's Oath, which tell the story of some historical characters in that series. She certainly has contributed to a lot of collections, so you may well have encountered her there.

The fact that Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey was TOR's free book this month, and that I have never read it prompted me to visit the library and get it. I can't believe it has been around so long and I haven't read it. It was just one of those titles that has been in the queue and just kept getting shoved back in line. That has been remedied. I have started it and am 75 pages in. I plan on a nice long evening tonight with knitting and Doc Martin, and this book.

I haven't ever read it either, Benita, so I did download it.

Saw this on one of my book announcements--a quite expensive book available for $1.99 right now for the ebook version of The Shape of Ancient Thought: Comparative Studies in Greek and Indian Philosophies. Sounds quite interesting.

Oh dear! Apparently I have two of the Genevieve Cogman's . . . but where have I put them? Argh!

I shall have to rush off now to check out Megan Whalen Turner.

The kitten is a dear! I love the name Miles too.

Oh, I've been BB'd, Roni. I'm tracking down Arabella of Mars. Sounds like a lot of fun.

>250 benitastrnad: It's been years since I read that book, Benita, though I recently bought the second in the series. I was initially hesitant because the premise was a bit uncomfortable for me to deal with but, as I remember, the narrative was excellent once I got going. I'll have to re-read it before going on to the next one to refresh my memory. Enjoy it!

I've added Arabella of Mars to my library list :-)

I Pearl Ruled Kushiel's Dart. I read 123 pages of the 912 in the book and it just didn't seem to be going anywhere. In many ways I found it fairly standard fare. I wonder if I would have felt that way if I had read it back when it was published?

I am going to start Phantom Pains by Mishell Baker tonight.

Checking in from Kassilem's thread, where you mention Tad Williams new book The Witchwood Crown.
Is The heart of what was lost the bridging novella?

>252 sibylline: There's a third one out now, Lucy, of Cogman's Invisible Library series. They aren't anything besides entertainment, but they are fun light reading.

You haven't tried Megan Whalen Turner yet? You might as well get thee to a nunnery!! Start with The Thief and realize that it's gets better from there.

Miles is totally tame now. He has a clone in the two surviving kittens of the litter out front--I suppose I'll have to name that one Mark.

>253 jnwelch: I was thinking of you as I wrote that review, Joe. You'll enjoy it. Mission accomplished!

>254 humouress: That's exactly the reason I've never read it, Nina.

>255 archerygirl: You won't regret it, Katherine.

>256 benitastrnad: I'll be interested in your opinion of Phantom Pains, Benita. I have some ideas to share with you when you finish.

>257 FAMeulstee: Hi, Anita! Yes, that is correct.



Book #88 The Obelisk Gate by N. K. Jemisin (410 pp.)

I bought this last fall (so yes, it is another BOMB) after very much enjoying the first book. This one was not quite as amazing in the way it wove the different threads together, but while very much a middle book in the series, it was a good read that advanced the story.

Dr. Who fans should check out this offer at Humble Bundle.

https://www.humblebundle.com/books/doctor-who-rpg-books?mcID=102:596e7cd2f4ab4e2...

I just realized how long this thread was getting! Please join me on the next adventure.