rainpebble's 2017 reading log, Page 2

Page 1 is here:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/251185#6164180

2017 CATEGORIES

1. MYSTERY, SUSPENSE & POLICE PROCEDURALS: 6 X 12
2. Elizabeth Goudge: 6 X 12
3. Mary Hocking: 6 X 12
4. VIRAGO FICTION/NONFICTION, Persephone & VMCs: 6 X 12
5. ARCs & ERs: 6 X 12
6. NONFICTION, MEMOIRs, BIOGRAPHIES, etc: 6 X 12
7. HISTORICAL FICTION: 6 X 12
8. SCI-FI, FANTASY, MAGIC REALISM, etc: 6 X 12
9. PART OF A SERIES: 6 X 12
10. GOTHIC LIT: 6 X 12
11. Y/A &/or CHILDREN'S LIT: 6 X 12
12. THE CLASSICS: 6 X 12
13. MONTHLY AUTHOR READS FOR 2017: 12 X 12
14. VIRAGO GROUP MONTHLY AUTHOR READS: 12 X 12
15. IN TRANSLATION: 6 X 12

JANUARY:
1. Lady: A Novel by Thomas Tryon
2. All Passion Spent by Vita Sackville-West
3. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
4. Family Circle by Mary Hocking

FEBRUARY:
5. The Bird in the Tree by Elizabeth Goudge
6. The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne
7. Awakenings by Oliver Sacks

MARCH:
8. Blackbird House by Alice Hoffman
9. Looking for Alaska by John Green
10. Mr. Pip by Lloyd Jones
11. Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
12. Good Daughters by Mary Hocking
13. The Dogs of Riga by Henning Mankell
14. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
15. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

APRIL:
16. The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge
17. Dracula's Guest by Bram Stoker
18. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
19. In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden

MAY:
20. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
21. Gentian Hill by Elizabeth Goudge
22. Linnets and Valerians by Elizabeth Goudge

JUNE:
23. Let Them Call it Jazz by Jean Rhys

JULY:
24. Impunity Jane by Rumer Godden
25. The Pearl by John Steinbeck
26. The Kitchen Madonna by Rumer Godden
27. Incantation by Alice Hoffman
28. My God and My All: The Life of Saint Francis of Assisi by Elizabeth Goudge

AUGUST:
29. The Samurai's Garden by Gail Tsukiyama
30. Peony by Pearl S. Buck
31. Moloka'i by Alan Brennert

SEPTEMBER:
32. They Were Sisters by Dorothy Whipple
33. The Memory of Old Jack by Wendell Berry
34. The Little Grey Men by Denys Watkins-Pitchford or BB

OCTOBER:
35. The Red Pony by John Steinbeck
36. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
37. The Black Fawn by Jim Kjelgaard
38. When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin
39. Year of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyul Choi
40. Fae Horse: A Faerie Tale by Anthea Sharp
41. The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg

NOVEMBER:
42. Peace Like a River by Leif Enger

SEPTEMBER READS:
103. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez; (1*); ROOT, from 2000; IN TRANSLATION; Magic Realism;
104. They Were Sisters by Dorothy Whipple; (5*); AV/AA leftover; Persephone; Historical Fiction; ROOT, 11/16/2009;
105. The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks; (4*); hardcopy & on kindle; The Calhoun Family series, bk 1; Romance; ROOT, 9/09/2007;
106. Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte; (2 1/2*); VMC, #359; ROOT, 1/31/2013; September Virago Group Read; the Classics;
107. The Memory of Old Jack by Wendell Berry; (5*); South American Lit; 1930s rural America; ROOT, 9/09/2007; Port William Membership series, bk 6;
108. The Little Grey Men by Denys Watkins-Pitchford or B.B.; (5*); hardcopy; Y/A or Children's Lit; British Gnomes series, bk 1; ROOT, 8/30/2007;
109. The White Garden by Stephanie Barron; (4*); Mystery; Biographical Fiction; ROOT, 10/22/2009; gardening Sissinghurst; Sissinghurst Castle; suicide; Virginia Woolf; Vita Sackville-West;

SOME OF MY TBR HOPEFULS FOR FALL & WINTER:

TO COMPLETE MY CATEGORIES:

103. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez; (1*); ROOT, from 2000; IN TRANSLATION; (began in August but completed Sept 1)

No review, just a thought.

After this read I need 100 years of solitude!
I found this prize winning novel to be even more of a slog than its sister book, Love in the Time of Cholera. This was my second read of his work and I should have stopped at one. I know he is an acclaimed writer but he & I just do not get on.
It makes me sad as I really wanted to like/love his works. With all of the praise this author has garnered, I feel like there must be something lacking within me that I cannot appreciate him.

>5 rainpebble: Lol! I often find prize winning novels to be a slog, and wonder why they win the prizes they do. I wonder what the criteria is for some prize winning books.

>6 Andrew-theQM: I often wondered that same thing. So...I did what everyone with a computer does today...I asked "Mr. Google". It seems it was just as I suspected...no one really knows but it seems that the "the root of all evil' is in the equation. Here's a link that might answer some of your literary prize winner questions.

http://thekojonnamdishow.org/2015/10/21/book-awards-season

>6 Andrew-theQM:
So thankful that I am not the only one who thinks in this vein.

>7 Carol420:
Great minds and all that, eh? As my hubby says: "Google is our friend."
Thank you for that link you shared. Interesting and somehow now things are much clearer.
"*”To Be Read” What? You’re not a hyper book nerd?" LOL!~!

>8 rainpebble: "Mr. Google" is indeed my friend. Your hubby is 100% correct. If he's like most hubby's it's probably the first time he's been told that:)

>8 rainpebble: >9 Carol420: 😂

104. They Were Sisters by Dorothy Whipple; (5*); ROOT, 11/16/2009; Persephone # 56; historical fiction

Whipple's story is about 3 sisters, of course, and the differences in their lives. For though they were raised by the same parents their life choices were inherently opposed.
The youngest sister, Charlotte, has wed for love; hers not his. From the beginning of her marriage to Geoffrey she is verbally abused and brow beaten to the point that when she has children the eldest daughter follows the father's example with the treatment of her mother. The middle one, her son, is too busy attempting to stay out of his father's way & his wrath to notice how badly his mother is being treated. The youngest daughter does notice but is too young to be of any help to her mum and by the time she is mature enough, her mother is beyond the help of anyone.
The middle sister, Vera, is too much in love with herself and her self-importance to realize that she is incapable of showing her two daughters & her adoring husband any love and attention. She is only aware of her own emotional needs and looks to those outside her family circle for her own shallow needs to be met. By the time she realizes she has destroyed her family unit it is to late for her to change & rectify the wrongs she has committed.
Only the 3rd sister, Lucy, has a stable & loving marriage though she & her husband were never blessed with children. Being the eldest, she is the go-to person for her sisters and her nieces & nephew when there is trouble. Her poor husband has the patience of Job & understands her need to help. But in the end she is unable to rescue either of her sisters. But she does prove to be paramount to the lives & futures of their children.
This book, published by Persephone, is so well written as are all of Whipple's works. She dedicated herself to making her characters so well rounded that all of their actions are right for each particular character. Even her 'back burner' characters intrigue the reader. Not a flat one in the bunch. This was a wonderful 5 star read for me. I wish that the story could have been continued.

105. The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks; (4*); hardcopy & on kindle; The Calhoun Family series, bk 1; Romance; Alzheimer's disease; ROOT, 9/09/2007;

Meet Noah and Allie. This is a sweet, sweet love story that gives hope to all of us. Alzheimer's Disease has taken his sweet love from him but sometimes, just sometimes, when he reads to her from "the notebook" of the story of their love, she remembers and comes back to him for just moments or hours.
A quick, simple and wonderful read that just makes you feel good.

106. Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte; (2 1/2*); Kindle, VMC, #359; ROOT, 1/31/2013; September Virago Group Read;

A clergyman's family falls into difficult financial times and one of the daughters must go into service as a governess. How many times and how many ways have we read this one?
To give Bronte her due, she was young at the time she wrote this and she did have some experience of that which she wrote. I have to admit part of the reason I read this is that I was quite curious as to how this sister held up against her sisters and the outcome was 'rather poorly'. But then who can stand up against Jane Eyre or Wuthering Heights?
I found Agnes Grey rather predictable and somewhat of a snooze. Anne Bronte does bring some nice bits of writing to the table throughout her novel but I doubt I would have completed the read had it not been that I was taking part in a tutored & group read.
I did love the very last part of the novel so the author did score some marks.

Hi Belva, just dropping in to say hello and see what you're reading. I like the sound of They Were Sisters - wishlisted. Your reading rate is phenomenal considering the kind of books you're reading!

>14 floremolla:
Thank you for popping by, Donna and for your kind words. I hope you enjoy They Were Sisters when you come round to it.

107. The Memory of Old Jack by Wendell Berry; (5*); American South Lit; 1930s rural America; ROOT, 9/09/2007; Port William Membership series, bk 6;

>17 rainpebble: This is a great book and I remember the tv series as a child.

>18 Andrew-theQM:
My goodness, I wasn't even aware that this had ever been a series. Interesting. I am looking forward to getting to it.

>19 rainpebble:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdMsoKrzvFY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbyTXO8RSos

>19 rainpebble: I only got round to reading Carrie's War last year,and it was excellent. I never saw the series either.
I still have a couple of old junior classics to read for my 12x12 children's classics category,including Louisa May Alcott's Eight Cousinsand Eve Garnett's The Family From One End Street. Its a good 55or more years since I read the latter,I am wonderig how it will hold up.
Already browsing titles for next year's childrens reads:0)

>20 Andrew-theQM:
Andrew, you are a real gem! I never do think of trying youtube for shows that I want to view. Thank you very much for the links. :-)

>21 dustydigger:
Hi dusty. Thank you for your comments. I read Eight Cousins not all that long ago & I liked it so much. It is a good peek at the social times & mores of the day. I hope you like it also. I am not familiar with Eve Garnett but I will be checking out her works. I love reading Y/A and children's books. They make for a wonderful and enjoyable category, right?
My Y/A & Children's 6 X12 has been filled with some great reads, though I have only put 4 in said category. The rest I have used elsewhere. But I read: Looking for Alaska by John Green; (5*); Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones; (5*); Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski; (4*) and Incantation by Alice Hoffman, another (5*) read.
I have two more to round out my year of Y/A and always look forward to more in this category.

Many thanks to the both of you for popping over. Such good company. :-)

108. The Little Grey Men by Denys Watkins-Pitchford or BB; (5*); hardcopy; Y/A or Children's Lit; British Gnomes series, bk 1; ROOT, 8/30/2007;

109. The White Garden by Stephanie Barron; (4*); Mystery; Biographical Fiction; gardening Sissinghurst; Sissinghurst Castle; suicide; Virginia Woolf; Vita Sackville-West;

The White Garden is an alternate telling of the last day in the life of Virginia Woolf. It begins with the writing her of her last note to Leonard Woolf and her leaving the house and walking to the river, planning to commit suicide by drowning herself. As she walks she hears a lone bird whose song sounds to her as if it is singing "Life! Life! Life!". "In Latin, the word would be vita." And so ..... she turns, going to the village station and on to Sissinghurst and her dear friend, Vita.
In the book 'the white garden', which one day is created at Sissinghurst, comes about as a creation of the mind of Virginia Woolf. Also I would be remiss if I did not share that the intrigue imposed with the pages of the story have stuck in my mind even days after completing this read. In my mind's eye I can see 'the Apostles', Leonard Woolf and Harold Nicholson plotting and planning the demise of the already thought-to-be-dead Virginia.
This biographical novel sucked me in right at the beginning. Mind you, this is not great literature but is instead an interesting piece of fluff mystery with bits about these great legends of literature. I found the 'journal' to be interesting along with the portions of the story relating to the gardens & gardening.

OCTOBER READS:
110; Ilsa by Madeleine L'Engle; (4*); historical fiction;
111. Deenie by Judy Blume; (3*); kindle; BPL book; Y/A;
112. Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume; (4*); kindle; BPL book; Y/A;
113. The Red Pony by John Steinbeck; (5*); the Classics; Y/A; ROOT; Historical Fiction;
114. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett; (5*); ROOT, acquired in my youth; Y/A; Historical Fiction; the Classics
115. The Black Fawn by Jim Kjelgaard; (5*); ROOT, from my childhood; Y/A; the Classics; Historical Fiction
116. When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin; (5*); American South, Georgia; Christian Fiction; ROOT
117. The Road by Cormac McCarthy; (4 1/2*); ROOT, acquired 10/12/2007; American Literature; dystopian; post-apocalyptic; Sci-Fi; survival; father and son relationship; Pulitzer Prize, 2007;
118. Meeting Place by Mary Hocking; (4 1/2*); hardcopy; ROOT, 4/24/2015; Virago author; Women's Fiction;
119. Year of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyul Choi; (5*); kindle; memoir; Library Book; Part of series; autobiographical historical fiction; Korea, North & South;
120. To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han; (4*); Kindle; LIBRARY BOOK, Y/A &/or Children's Lit; Coming of Age; part of series
121. P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han; (4 1/2*); kindle; LIBRARY BOOK; Y/A; Coming of Age; part of a series
122. Fae Horse: A Faerie Tale by Anthea Sharp; (5*); kindle; LIBRARY BOOK; Y/A; Fantasy Fiction; Legend; Shorts;
123. Ratha's Creature by Clare Bell; (4*); kindle; The Named Series, bk 1; Sci-Fi; Fantasy Fiction; Animals;
124. The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg; (5*); kindle; ARC/ER, NetGalley; fiction; aging; coming of age; relationships; love & loving; grief & grieving; loneliness
125. A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler; (4*); Kindle; Women's Fiction, LIBRARY BOOK, family relationships;
126. If I Stay by Gayle Forman; (4 1/2*); Kindle; LIBRARY BOOK, Part of a Series; Y/A
127. Where She Went by Gayle Forman; (4*); Kindle; LIBRARY BOOK; sequel to If I Stay; Y/A;

110. Ilsa by Madeleine L'Engle; (4); romantic fiction; American South; historical fiction;

I loved this small book by L'Engle. It is the kind of story that so many people in their aging years, looking back on their life, might relate to. We all have our 'what-ifs' and this one happens to be Henry's. Granted not many of us allow our 'what-ifs' to cripple our lives as Henry did but for this storyline it works.
It is a story of the American South and a little boy named Henry. He meets a little girl, Ilsa, who is the free spirit he yearns to be and he is fascinated by her and her life. She is the only child of a widowed doctor and they, along with their hired man, live outside of town in a secluded area on the beach with no close neighbors. I love the character of their hired man who is like a family member. Henry's life, in comparison to Ilsa's, is much more ordered and regimental. But he manages to find times and ways to sneak away and spend time with her and they become fast friends.
As the years go by these two remain the closest of friends even when Henry's family forbid him to see Ilsa. Ilsa grows within the frame of her life but Henry remains locked into the relationship he wishes he could have with her.
When they grow up she marries and though they remain the closest of friends Henry is unable to move on. Finally he leaves and goes to Europe to work for a decade and the reader might think that he was able to finally leave his 'what-if' dream world behind but when he returns nothing has changed for him. He is still obsessed with Ilsa.
Though Henry doesn't move on, the story does and for this reader the story was very satisfactory indeed.
I love L'Engle's writing. She has a marvelous way with prose.

111. Deenie by Judy Blume; (3*); kindle; Coming of Age; BPL book; fiction; Y/A &/or Children's Lit; spinal deformities

Deenie is an adolescent who, like most young girls, wants to be popular and well liked at school. She turns out for the 7th grade cheer squad, is making new friends in a new school, she is just getting interested in boys, etc.
Her mother, who has always called her the pretty one and her elder sister the smart one, insists on taking her to modeling auditions. On one of these trips the lady at the ad agency observes that there is something about Deenie's posture or the way she stands and walks. Soon her physical education teacher makes the same observations and speaks with Deenie's parents. It is decided that she should see the doctor.
Her physician is in agreement and soon she is seeing orthopedist specialists who deal with spinal abnormalities. She is diagnosed with scoliosis and fitted for a Milwaukee brace, which she hates at first. But this story is about Deenie maturing through this medical ordeal and coming to terms with what she must do to get better.
The book is very well written and is my first Judy Blume though I bought all of her books when my own girls were pre-teens and they read and reread them so this author comes highly recommended to me. I plan to read more of Blume.

112. Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume; (4*); kindle; BPL book; Y/A;

113. The Red Pony by John Steinbeck; (5*); The Classics; Historical Fiction; Y/A; ROOT, 9/10/2007;

In this small but mighty Steinbeck book of short stories we get to meet Jody, his ma and pa and the ranch hand, Billy Buck. All four stories are coming of age stories about Jody as he learns life's harsh lessons about the weather, his world, his beloved animals and how life can so cruelly take away from one what is dear to one; but also we see him learn how to appreciate his life and the world around him and what truly matters.
This is a wonderful book; full of hopes, and dreams (some come true and some crushed).
I liked the character of the father. He rang so true for those days and times. I loved Billy Budd and Jody. I even loved the dogs and the horses, for they were characters in this book as well. The mother was just kind of there doing what mothers did in those days and it seemed right that she have not much of an impact on me, but that she did on her son.
An awesome little book that I very highly recommend.

114. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett; (5*); ROOT, acquired in my youth; Y/A; Historical Fiction; the Classics

I loved this book as a child, and it was so nice to revisit it as an adult. A perfect book to read on a cold and windy winter afternoon when nobody else is home. Your mind can escape to a lovely garden coming to life in the early spring. It inspired me to go for more walks no matter what the weather is like. I've read it to my children, to my grandchildren and hope to read it to my great grandchildren one day.
The story is set in the early 1900’s in India and England. Mary's parents have both died so she must move to England to live with her uncle who mainly travels or lives as a recluse. There are quite a few characters to become accustomed to in this book. There is Mary, of course and Dickon who becomes her special friend. Then there is Colin, Martha, Ben Weatherstaff, Mr. Craven, Mrs. Medlock, Dr Craven and Susan Sowerby. I believe my favorite was Dickon because I found him so interesting and he had such a sweet nature.
Mary finds a 'secret garden' that has been hidden away on the estate of her uncle for many, many years. Not having been cared for, it was quite overgrown and not very pretty. Mary wants to work in the garden caring for the plants and bringing it back to it's days of glory.
This tale is a story for children of all ages from younger than school age to ninety. If you've not yet read it, I highly recommend it to you. It is a tale, that once read, you will hold close to your heart.

>30 rainpebble: this one never loses it's shine. I got this for my 6th birthday, along with a copy of A Little Princess, and read them to pieces over the years.

115. The Black Fawn by Jim Kjelgaard; (5*); ROOT, from my childhood; Y/A; the Classics; Historical Fiction

What a wonderful coming of age story about a 12 year old orphan boy who is literally farmed out to an elderly couple who need help on their farm. When he first comes to the farm, he isn't sure about things, but as he settles in he realizes that "Gram" and Gramps" are just down to earth good folk. One of the first days he is there Gram thinks he needs a break from his work and tells him to go for a walk in the woods. While on his walk he comes across a newborn black fawn. Something in their souls immediately connects and he picks up the fawn and takes him home. Well, that doesn't set with Gramps and he assures the boy, Bud, that the fawn's ma didn't abandon her baby and that she is there somewhere. So the both of them take the fawn back and sure enough, there is the doe. And the doe and fawn walk away into the wood as the boy watches.
As the boy grows up he learns about farming, raising chickens, etc. He learns to hunt and fish with Gramps and he learns that he loves this life. Every so often when he is out in the wood, he will catch a glimpse of the black fawn and in this manner he gets to watch him grow up into a magnificent stag.
I read this book for the first time when I was about 8 years old. It was a Christmas gift to 2 of my brothers and myself and all three of us read it on that snowy Christmas day. One of the brothers is now gone but the other lives in Alaska and he and I mail this book back and forth to each other annually. I highly recommend it to youth and adult alike. It is a beautifully written book and has a purity to it that one doesn't often find in books today.

>30 rainpebble: Such a classic!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCa2B9jbH7U

116. When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin; (5*); American South, Georgia; Christian Fiction;

I love inspirational books but I do not being preached at. When I began this book I expected it to be a good story but I got much more than I bargained for.
This book is one of the finer pieces of fiction I have read this year. It was so compellingly and beautifully written that I found it difficult to put down. This one will tug at your heart strings and make you look a little deeper into yourself; look at your life a bit differently. Perhaps make you count your blessings a bit more. I know I have.
The story is about Reese, a man with trying to get away from his past. And it is about a little girl who needs a new heart. Reece meets her as she is selling lemonade at a street stand to earn money to help pay for her new heart. The people of the community know her and her story and are good to come and buy her lemonade. They become friends. It starts out so innocent and sweetly that you are taken for a ride along through this southern community and and before you realize it you are so deep into the story that you want to remain immersed in it.
Reese lost his wife tragically and hasn't been able to find his way back to life's mainstream. His budding relationship with this little girl helps him to find his way out of the darkness in which he has been living and reminds him that life does continue on ever so sweetly and tartly just like a lemonade.
When Crickets Cry is a beautiful testimony to one man's return to the faith that things can again be good and beautiful. I am happy to have found another author to read and recommend.

117. The Road by Cormac McCarthy; (4 1/2*); ROOT, acquired 10/12/2007; American Literature; dystopian; post-apocalyptic; Sci-Fi; survival; father and son relationship; Pulitzer Prize, 2007;

When I took this book to bed with me early last night I thought I would begin it. Three hours later I had finished it. I fell into the story when I began the book.
We don't know exactly what took place but the earth as we knew it was gone and remaining in it's place was a veritable wasteland, few people, no power or communication of any kind. Of those who remained all were scrambling or hobbling along 'the road' in search of food, clean water, anything that they could find that would help them to survive. 'The man and the boy' are part of them. Trusting no one, for evil abounds in the godless territory, and ever moving Southward, the man and the boy journey along each day. The boy's childhood has been ripped from him though his father is devoted to him and loving with him. Living through one more day on 'the road' is all they have to look forward to.
When they hear others coming near them, they quickly hide until all danger is passed. The man tells the boy that there are good people out there somewhere and they will find them but until then, they can trust no one.
The man develops a chronic cough with bloody spittle that never completely leaves him. At one point the boy comes down with a fever and the man nurses him for several days before the boy rallies. When the boy regains his strength they once again take to 'the road'.
This is not really a story with a beginning and an end. It is written in a style simplistic to this reader. The way the book ended is my only critique of this one. Had it not been so pat I would have given The Road a 5 star rec rather than the 4 1/2 stars that I did give it. I highly recommend it and only wish that I had read it much earlier.

WHEW!~! ............ Finally ............ I have caught up with recording my reads for the past 2 months. I have posted them & just need to finish any reviews I am behind on.
Stress..............

>36 rainpebble: I love your page. What a wonderful job you have done here. You must have devoted so much time and thought to it. It's always a pleasure to visit.

>37 Carol420:
Ahhh, you are so sweet Carol. Thank you for your comments. I appreciate you popping over.

118. Meeting Place by Mary Hocking; (4 1/2*); Women's Fiction; hardcopy; Virago author; ROOT, 4/24/2015;

Last night I completed my first read of Meeting Place and as I pretty much only read in bed, I couldn't wait to get to bed the past couple of nights. I loved it and cannot find any fault in it. There were so many subplots within the main story line and yet I did not find myself confused with the characters nor the stories. M.H. was just such a great writer.
In this novel our protagonist, Clarice, is a woman who works as a prompter for plays and as such finds herself in the countyside & on the moors while working on Pericles. In this place she begins to find people, local historical events & places that are 'familiar' and before she knows it she is seeking more.
Near perfection. A bit of suspense, a bit of the supernatural and a lot of comfort. Not really a book of time travel but I would say more like parallel lives of the protagonist. Like Mary Hocking’s other books I've read, I know it will be even better when I reread it.
I found this story to be very interesting & I believe Hocking will be one of the authors that I *hide* in the trailer as hubby is so concerned about 'book weight'. She is one of the authors that I feel I can always recommend highly.

119. Year of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyul Choi; (5*); kindle; library book;
autobiographical fiction; historical fiction; Y/A

An autobiographical novel written in memoir fashion, Year of Impossible Goodbyes is about the Japanese occupation of Korea and how a small girl and her family lived through it. I found this a very stirring and knowledgeable account of these troubling years. This, the first in a series of three, is very well written and I will go on to continue the saga of Nyul Choi's travails.

120. To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han; (4*); kindle; library book; Y/A;

I was quite taken with this Young Adult tale of a teenage girl, her family, friends and crushes both past & present.
Lara Jean is 16, the daughter of a widowed doctor with 2 sisters. Her big sister, Margot, is getting ready to go to Europe for college. Her little sister, Kitty, is a very precocious 9 year old. The family life here is an interesting bag of interactions, love and angst......just like most real families.
The plot line of the story is that Lara Jean has had 5 'loves' in her life but only she knows this. Each one of these crushes has been one sided and she feels the need to write a letter to each young man. But she never posts the letters. They are her personal secret and she hides them in a beautiful hat box that her mother gave her before she died.
But one day............one day one of the boys approaches her with the letter she wrote to him some time ago. She is beyond embarrassed and has no idea how the letter got posted. When she rushes home from school later that day she hunts high and low for her hatbox but to no avail.
This coming of age story is funny, happy and sad as Lara Jean goes through the gamut of emotions brought on by these events.
I recommend this book to teen girls and also to those adults who enjoy going back to the highs and lows of their own teen years.

121. P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han; (4 1/2*); kindle; LIBRARY BOOK; Y/A; Coming of Age; part of a series;

Better even than the first book of the series, this young adult novel continues the romantic trials of the teenage Lara Jean.
Han proves quite capable of growing her characters and moving her story along. I enjoy her writing and I especially like her sister characters in this series. The end of this one surprised me as I think that Lara Jean chose the wrong boy. Still this is a very nice little book and with one more to go in the series perhaps some things will change.

122. Fae Horse: A Faerie Tale by Anthea Sharp; (5*); kindle; Y/A; fantasy fiction; legend; shorts;

A short and very satisfactory spooky bit of whimsey tale, Fae Horse is about a young woman who has the healing powers, ie....good or white witch. Her young man has become very ill and is dying but the village vicar has turned all of the local folk against her with his witch hunting. He wants her burned at the stake. She manages to escape and runs away to the ruins of a stone circle nearby. As she hears the 'hunting party' running after her there suddenly appears before her a huge black stallion who takes her upon his back and races away with her, off the cliffs and into the sea. She must make a deal with him in order that her beloved may live.
This is a good one for the all hallow's eve season. My only complaint is that it could not have been longer.

123. Ratha's Creature by Clare Bell; (4 1/2*); kindle; The Named Series, bk 1; Sci-Fi; Fantasy Fiction; Animals;

124. The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg; (5*); kindle; ARC/ER, NetGalley; fiction; aging; coming of age; relationships; love & loss; grief & grieving

125. A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler; (4*);

126. If I Stay by Gayle Forman; (4 1/2*); Kindle; LIBRARY BOOK, Part of a Series, Romance, Fiction, Young Adult & or Children's Lit;

This could have been 5* read for me if not for the last couple of pages. And even though it is a Y/A story, it has one of the best moments of erotica I have ever read.

127. Where She Went by Gayle Forman; (4*); sequel to If I Stay; LIBRARY BOOK; Y/A;

NOVEMBER READS:
The Wolf Border by Sarah Hall; Kindle; LIBRARY BOOK; Wolf Naturalist; PEARL RULED
128. Until We Meet Again by Renee Collins; (4 1/2*). Kindle; Library Book; Coming of Age; Y/A; Paranormal; mystery; romance; fantasy; magic realism
129. After Abel and Other Stories by Michal Lemberger; (4 1/2*);
hard copy; ARC/ER, L/T; ROOT, 2/26/2015; Biblical; shorts; Biblical Historical Fiction;
130. In A Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware; (4*); MYSTERY; ROOT, 2/29/2015; hardcopy; & on Kindle; psychological thriller; Women's Fiction;

The Summer I Turned Pretty Trilogy by Jenny Han:
131. The Summer I Turned Pretty; (4*); bk 1; Y/A; Coming of Age; Library Book; Kindle; Part of a SERIES;
132. It's Not Summer Without You; (3 1/2*); bk 2; Kindle; Y/A; Coming of Age; Library; Part of a SERIES;
133. We'll Always Have Summer; (3 1/2*); bk 3; Kindle; Y/A; Coming of Age; Part of a SERIES;

134. Never Mind Miss Fox by Olivia Glazebrook; (4 1/2*);
ARC/ER; ROOT, 7/07/2014; hardcopy; IN AZ; relationships;
135. Too Close for Comfort by Ellen Feldman; (4*); hardcopy; in ARIZONA; ROOT, from prior to L/T; suspense; MYSTERY; crime; psychological thriller
136. The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri; (2 1/2*); ROOT, 10/12/2007; contemporary FICTION; immigration; Indian Americans;
137. Trail of Miracles by Smadar Herzfeld; Kindle; ARC/ER; IN TRANSLATION; Jewish life; Loss; Non-Fiction; Memoir;
138. Peace Like a River by Leif Enger; (5*); hardcopy; Library Book; American Lit; Y/A;

128. Until We Meet Again by Renee Collins; (4 1/2*). Kindle; Library Book; Coming of Age; Y/A; PARANORMAN; mystery; romance; FANTASY; MAGIC REALISM

I loved this Y/A novel about parallel worlds in the lives of a 17 year old girl and a young man she meets on the beach. Her time is the here & now but his is 100 years earlier and the only world they share is on that lone beach. This novel has it all. Family life, romance, mystery, yearning, grief....to just name a few of the emotions & stirrings I came across in the reading of Until We Meet Again.
I was quite taken by the author also & will be looking for more of her work.

129. After Abel and Other Stories by Michal Lemberger; (4 1/2*); ARC/ER, L/T; hard copy; ROOT, 2/26/2015; shorts; Biblical Historical Fiction;

I found 'After Abel' to be a fascinating revisitation to the Old Testament and the lives of several women briefly mentioned there. The author has expounded on and fictionalized the lives of Eve, Lot's wife, Miriam, Hagar, Zeresh, Yael, Hannah & Penina, King Saul's daughter, & the daughter of Caleb.
This book did just what a good piece of fictionalized 'history' does for me. It drove me back to the real deal to reread those books of the Bible.

130. In A Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware; (4*); MYSTERY; hardcopy; Kindle; psychological thriller; Women's Fiction;

This one was a page turner for me. Several women who shared younger times with the bride-to-be come together in a gorgeous, but creeped out, glass house in the woods of Northumberland. They are here to celebrate the bride's coming nuptials. There are twisty turns and uneven (kind of like we arguably are in R/L) characters, multiple mysteries, murder & maham galore. Totally unrealistic plots but quite enjoyable with just the right amount of shivers for this reader.

Hi Belva, just popping in to catch up on your thread and get inspiration from your eclectic reading list - always find something intriguing here to wishlist. 'Book weight' might become a factor for me too ;)

>53 floremolla:
WOOT WOOT, Flore!~! I hope in a good way and thank you so much for popping over. I love when you 'visit'. :-)

>54 rainpebble: it's a pleasure to visit! :)

The Summer I Turned Pretty Trilogy by Jenny Han:

131. The Summer I Turned Pretty; (4*); bk 1; Y/A; Coming of Age; Library Book; Kindle; Part of a Series;

132. It's Not Summer Without You; (3 1/2*); bk 2; Kindle; Y/A; Coming of Age; Library; Part of a Series;

133. We'll Always Have Summer; (3 1/2*); bk 3; Kindle; Y/A; Coming of Age; Part of a Series;

Shame on me! An ARC/ER should NEVER become a ROOT.



134. Never Mind Miss Fox: A Novel by Olivia Glazebrook; (4 1/2*); ARC/ER, L/T;

I did not expect to like this book but it fascinated me and I loved it. Not in a warm, fuzzy way but in a rather dark way.
This is no great love story but it is about a woman and a man coming together to wed and have a family. The family struggled through the years as their young daughter did. She, Eliza, learned from an early age to stuff down as much of her emotions, her pain and hurt, as she possibly could for in her home there was no succor for these emotions. She had her dreams but had very little expectation of them, as her mother had before her.
The father's past comes back, in the form of Miss Fox, to bite the entire family but surprisingly it affected Eliza the least. The marriage and the lives of this family stood to lose everything. The story is about how when all is said and done......what are we willing to compromise in order to protect those we love and to keep our family intact.
I thought the book was written quite well and I found the subject matter, as presented here, to be fascinating at least in the manner things progressed. The characters are unlikeable, boring, droll and so many other unflattering adjectives can be used to describe them but in the end we 'get' them.
Well done, Glazebrook.

135. Too Close for Comfort by Ellen Feldman; (4*); hardcopy; in ARIZONA; ROOT, from prior to L/T; suspense; MYSTERY; crime; psychological thriller;

This novel reminded of the Gwyneth Paltrow / Michael Douglas movie entitled A Perfect Murder. Not in the sense that the two stories were alike but in the sense of how the suspense played into the story.
In Too Close for Comfort the protagonist, Isobel, has just married her long time fiancee, Peter. He is a psychiatrist and she is director of a non-profit. They reside in New York City and Isobel is close with her mother and grandmama who share an apartment. She & Peter, since marrying, have shared his opulent apartment, thus creating the first piece of the puzzle as Peter's practice is located just off the foyer with the foyer itself acting as his waiting room. The kitchen is also off the foyer and without a lock on that door it would be possible for incoming patients to access that part of the house.
The mystery begins with the disappearance of a pair of pumps belonging to Isobel taken from the bedroom closet. Next it is an umbrella with a personalizing portrait of her painted on it taken from the stand in the foyer. As she begins to get uncomfortable with the situation she begins to receive hand delivered anonymous notes/letters telling her that Peter is not hers, that he loves someone else. And still, things keep disappearing, moving, appearing in other places.........
(As I write this, I am realizing how trite and unoriginal this story line seems but reading it I found it to actually be good. My appreciation for Ms Feldman grows.)
At any rate the incidents compound upon one another and the mystery builds, becoming quite threatening and sinister, working toward a deliciously frightening conclusion.
I enjoyed this read and will be seeking out more of Feldman's work.

136. The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri; (2 1/2*); Monthly Author Read for September; ROOT, 10/12/2007; Contemporary Fiction; Immigration; Indian Americans

While I found the writing style of this book to be beautiful I still found the book itself to be stilted and a bit off-putting. The plot is interesting, as are the characters. However the style in which the book is written distanced me from the work. I could just not connect with it. The narrative contains little conversation and not much occurs within the story line. I was unable to get a feel for any of the characters and though I wanted to like this book, in the end I was quite disappointed. I was particularly annoyed with Gogol's pointless relationships and therefore with the excruciating details Lahiri used to describe them. Instead of creating clear images of the characters her technique became droll and painful to this reader.

137. Peace Like a River by Leif Enger; (5*); hardopy; Library Book; Y/A; Classic American Lit;

This one will definitely be one of my TOP TEN for 2017 and one of my top reads of all time.

Peace Like a River is written in the manner of a memoir and told in the voice of a young boy, aged 9. It tells the story of Reuben, his sister Swede, his brother Davy & their father Jeremiah.
Once in a great while, if we are fortunate, we come across a book in our lifetime of reading, that stops us in our tracks. This novel is one such book for me. It is the story of an unusual family and their journey across the frozen Badlands of the Dakotas in search of the fugitive older brother. Charged with the murder of two locals who terrorized their family, Davy has fled, knowing that the justice system will not weigh in his favor. But Reuben, Swede, and their father, whose faith is so great that he is recalled to have produced miracles, follow closely behind the running Davy.
Mesmerizing and so intriguing as to make this reader unable to put it down, Peace Like a River is a tragedy, a romance and a beckoning hope. It gives the reader a peek into the spirituality and magic possible in the everyday life and into that of the world awaiting us on the other side.
When I put this book down I felt strangely as I remember feeling the first time I read To Kill a Mockingbird. I found this novel to be a beautiful, albeit a heartbreaking, celebration of family, faith, and spirit. It is PERFECTION, that rare Classic American Novel.

138. P is for Peril by Sue Grafton; (3 1/2*); mystery; suspense; Part of a SERIES;

One of Grafton's alphabet Private Detective series, this is a good little mystery to just relax with. Not a cozy but a comfy, easy read.
An ex-wife of a doctor hires our PI to find her missing ex. He has disappeared a couple of times previously and some think this may be a repeat performance of those days. But the ex-wife is suspicious and thinks that there might be something more sinister in place. The suspects and motives are many.
The book is well written and interesting. I will likely return to the beginning of this series and pick it up at A is for Alibi. Looks like a nice series to read throughout the winter.

DECEMBER READS:
139. The Girl Who Chased the Moon: A Novel by Sarah Addison Allen; (4*); American South, Coming of Age, IN ARIZONA, Hardcopy, Romance; FANTASY, MAGIC REALISM; Fiction, Y/A
140. Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han; (3 1/2*); Kindle; Y/A; PART OF A SERIES, bk 3; Coming of Age; Romance; Fiction; library book; Y/A
141. The Obituary Society by Jessica L Randall; (4*); Kindle;
Women's Fiction; Mystery; Romance; American South;
142. Christmas at Lilac Cottage by Holly Martin; (3 1/2*); Kindle; Women's Fiction; Romance; Part of a SERIES, bk 1;
143. Snowflakes on Silver Cove by Holly Martin; (3*); Kindle; Christmas Story; Women't Fiction; Romance
144. The Language of Spells by Sarah Painter; (3 1/2*); Kindle; Women's Fiction; Y/A; Magic Realism;

139. The Girl Who Chased the Moon: A Novel by Sarah Addison Allen; (4*); ROOT, 3/18/2011; American South; Coming of Age; IN ARIZONA, Hardcopy; Romance; FANTASY, MAGIC REALISM; Fiction; Y/A;

Wallpaper that changes to match your mood, dancing, glowing lights in the trees at night, a gentle giant, BBQ, cakes (lots & lots of cakes); if you are a lover of the whimsical what is not to love about this little book? It is filled with Southern quirkiness and the flavor of the American South.
I would consider this a young adult novel and though I am 70 years of age whose reading habits are bent to the classics & translated literature, I loved this book by Sarah Addison Allen, as I love all of her books. She brings forth my youth and lets me live it again within her written pages.
This one is about a young teen whose mother has died and who is sent to live with her grandfather whom she wasn't even aware existed. In getting acquainted with him, his friends and neighbors, she comes to learn more about her mother and also about herself. I enjoyed it a great deal.

140. Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han; (3 1/2*)

This is the final book in the "Boys I've Loved Before Trilogy" and I really enjoyed all of the Y/A series.
Three sisters coming of age, their friendships, their loves, finding their way, planning their futures and dealing with the friend & familial separations that come with growing up.
I really like Jenny Han's writing. I read another trilogy of hers this year and found it to be even better than this one. Han seems to be able to capture the voice of a high school girl and she takes me back 55 years to my school years and friendships. This last book is so simple, so lovely, heartbreaking and happy all at once.
It feels like such a good wrap-up to the series. Han makes it easy to imagine the kind of life Lara Jean is going to have after the end of the book. She felt real to this reader. I look forward to reading what Jenny Han will be writing in the future.

>64 rainpebble: This is my fave Sarah Addison Allen book. Its sort of a Jan Karon Milford book,with added magic! Wish Allen had revisited that town and characters. Sign of a good book when you wonder what happened next to the characters.
Thanks for reminding me of this author. I see my library has a copy of Lost Lake and the Peach Keeper so I will add those to next year's12x12.:0).Wouldnt have minded rereading Garden Spells,but all the older books have disappeared from the library. Hoping for amazon vouchers for Xmas,so I may be able to get a secondhand copy! lol
She seems to write very slowly,her last book was 2015,about 8 books in 10 years!

141. The Obituary Society by Jessica L Randall; (4*); Kindle;
Women's Fiction; Mystery; Romance; American South; Part of a SERIES, bk 1;

142. Christmas at Lilac Cottage by Holly Martin; (3 1/2*); Kindle; Christmas; Women's Fiction; Part of a SERIES, bk 1;

An enjoyable & light little Christmas read for a cold winter night's reading. Like a nice cup of tea with cookies to just relax with.

>63 rainpebble: I *so* love this picture! Blue Santas are so evocative, and I have managed to accumulate quite a collection. Much more Solstice-y than many of the Christmas-y red Santas.

143. Snowflakes on Silver Cove by Holly Martin; (3*): Kindle; Women's Fiction; Christmas; Part of a Series, bk 2

A cozy little Christmas story, reminiscent of Martin's Christmas at Lilac Cottage. The locale, White Cliff Bay, is shared by both stories and some of of the characters return to this story as well.
Libby and George are best friends and the story shares their friendship's ups, downs & changes with the reader.
Another pleasant, if not memorable, Christmas romance.

144. The Language of Spells by Sarah Painter; (3 1/2*); Kindle; Women's Fiction; Y/A; Magic Realism;

I enjoyed this little book. It is not great literature but is a nice little fantasy which I found to be entertaining, if predictable. Painter writes with just enough suspense & romance to keep the story moving along. I enjoy her characters and the magic realism she throws into her story-lines.
Reading Painter is rather like a 'Calgon moment' for me. I am sure that I will pick up her next one.

Belated season's greetings, Belva! I'm just catching up on your thread - you've got some nice festive reading. See you in the 2018 ROOT group I hope but if not, I'll still find you hereabouts :)