MickyFine Swashbuckles Through 2017: Fourth Voyage

Captain Jack. Need I say more?

I'm Micky, I'm 31, and despite the theme for my thread, I'm actually super law-abiding. :D I'm a collections librarian for the public library system in Edmonton and as a result I read a growing chunk of non-fiction as I select it for work every day. This year, I'm also on the team at work that selects the short list for the Alberta Reader's Choice Award (ARCA) so I'll be reading a lot of works by Alberta authors in the first half of the year. Outside of that my reading is a wide mix of genres but there's usually a healthy dose of YA, romance, fantasy, and historical fiction in the mix. In addition to books, I'm likely to discuss whatever I'm watching on TV, my cat, Smee, and occasional awesome life events on my thread. Posters and lurkers alike are welcome.

January
1. Devil Take the Hindmost - SG Wong
2. The Princess Diarist - Carrie Fisher
3. Shift - Kelly Shepherd
4. Devil in Winter - Lisa Kleypas
5. A Floating Phrase - Trent Portigal
6. Just One Damned Thing After Another - Jodi Taylor
7. Across the Floor - Natasha Deen
8. Rejected Princesses: Tales of History's Boldest Heroines, Hellions & Heretics - Jason Porath
9. Crosstalk - Connie Willis
Favourite read(s):


February
10. Scandal in Spring - Lisa Kleypas
11. A Wallflower Christmas - Lisa Kleypas
12. A Worthy Pursuit - Karen Witemeyer
13. The Secret Loves of Geek Girls - Hope Nicholson (ed.)
14. In My Wildest Dreams - Christina Dodd
15. Son of France - Todd Babiak
16. Love on the Mend - Karen Witemeyer
17. Mrs. Sherlock Holmes - Brad Ricca
18. The Husband Maneuver - Karen Witemeyer
19. The Book of Human Emotions - Tiffany Watt Smith
20. Kalyna - Pam Clark
21. How to Pick Up a Maid in Statue Square - Rea Tarvydas
22. A Murder Is Announced - Agatha Christie
23. Maybe This Time - Jennifer Snow
24. Fairy Tales for the Disillusioned: Enchanted Stories from the French Decadent Tradition - Gretchen Schultz & Lewis Seifert (ed.)
Favourite read(s):


March
25. Shylock Is My Name - Howard Jacobson
26. Rodent - Lisa Lawrence
27. Snow White - Matt Phelan
28. Paper Teeth - Lauralyn Chow
29. Gatekeeper - Natasha Deen
30. Ticker - Lisa Mantchev
31. Worth the Wait - Karen Witemeyer
32. A Perilous Undertaking - Deanna Raybourn
33. Difficult Women - Roxane Gay
34. Norse Mythology - Neil Gaiman
35. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen (re-read)
Favourite read(s):

April
36. Mine Till Midnight - Lisa Kleypas
37. Mitzi Bytes - Kerry Clare
38. The Angry Tide - Winston Graham
39. Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely - Lisa TerKeurst
40. A Darker Shade of Magic - V.E. Schwab
41. The 13 Clocks - James Thurber
42. Any Duchess Will Do - Tessa Dare
43. The Little Shop of Happy Ever After - Jenny Colgan
Favourite read(s):


May
44. A Gathering of Shadows - V.E. Schwab
45. Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis de Bernieres
46. The Upside of Unrequited - Becky Albertalli
47. Fanning the Flames - Victoria Dahl
48. The Book: A Cover-to-Cover Exploration of the Most Powerful Object of Our Time - Keith Houston
49. The Marriage Bureau - Penrose Halson
50. The Circle - Dave Eggers
Favourite read(s):


June
51. The Improbability of Love - Hannah Rothschild
52. No Baggage: A Minimalist Tale of Love and Wandering - Clara Bensen
53. In the Bleak Midwinter - Julia Spencer-Fleming
54. Overturned - Lamar Giles
55. Heartstone - Elle Katharine White
Favourite read(s):

July
56. A Conjuring of Light - V. E. Schwab
57. Ready Player One - Ernest Cline
58. Marcel's Letters: A Font and the Search for One Man's Fate - Carolyn Porter
59. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
Favourite read(s):


August
60. The Stranger from the Sea - Winston Graham
61. My Not So Perfect Life - Sophie Kinsella
62. Magnate - Joanna Shupe
63. Edenbrooke - Julianne Donaldson
64. Frogkisser! - Garth Nix
65. Hidden Figures - Margot Lee Shetterly
66. Heart on the Line - Karen Witemeyer
67. They Do It With Mirrors - Agatha Christie
68. Lumberjanes Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy - Noelle Stevenson et. al.
Favourite read(s):


September
69. Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong and the New Research That's Rewriting the Story - Angela Saini
70. The Marriage Test: Our 40 Dates Before "I Do" - Jill Andres and Brook Silva-Braga
71. Truth or Beard - Penny Reid
72. Every Word Is a Bird We Teach to Sing - Daniel Tammet
73. The Dire King - William Ritter
74. Two for the Dough - Janet Evanovich
Favourite read(s):

October
75. Every Heart a Doorway - Seanan McGuire
76. You Play the Girl - Carina Chocano
77. The Diabolical Miss Hyde - Viola Carr
78. Vinegar Girl - Anne Tyler
79. Jane, Unlimited - Kristin Cashore
80. The Bullet-Catcher's Daughter - Rod Duncan
81. A Bone to Pick - Charlaine Harris
Favourite read(s):


November
82. The Gap of Time - Jeanette Winterson
83. Love That Lasts - Jefferson and Alyssa Bethke
84. The End of the Day - Claire North
85. Lady Stuff: Secrets to Being a Woman - Loryn Brantz
86. The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. - Neal Stephenson and Nicole Galland
87. Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell (re-read)
88. The Prayers of Jane Austen - Jane Austen
Favourite read(s):


December
89. The Jingle Bell Bride - Scarlet Wilson
90. A Vicarage Christmas - Kate Hewitt
91. A Breath of Snow and Ashes - Diana Gabaldon
Favourite read(s):

My rating system:

/ = Ran screaming in the other direction (aka did not finish)
* = Suffered through it for reasons I'm still not sure of
** = Had far more flaws than virtues
*** = A read I don't regret but could use some improvement
**** = A good, solid read that I might revisit
***** = Loved it beyond reason and will probably re-read in short order

Book 75



Every Heart a Doorway - Seanan McGuire

Nancy is newly arrived at Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children after returning from an Underworld she found by wandering through a door she'd never seen before in her parents' basement. Assuming that she's headed for some variation on a sanitarium, Nancy is shocked to find instead that the school is filled with other children and teens like her who have returned from strange worlds. But shortly after Nancy's arrival, dark events begin happening at the school that threaten the well-being of everyone there.

This was fascinating approach to the reality of what happens after a child comes back from their equivalent of stumbling down the rabbit hole or through the wardrobe. McGuire gives the mystery plot a mildly gory edge which fits with the slightly dark tone of some of the original tales that I assume informed this idea. A short novel but a thoroughly satisfying. Also noteworthy for having an asexual protagonist.

Thanks to Nora for putting this one on my radar.

Rating: ****

I've been back home since Wednesday but I'm finally over jet lag and starting to catch up on day-to-day life things. I'm feeling particularly glad that I took an extra few days off between the end of my trip and Canadian Thanksgiving weekend to recover. Just a few highlight photos from my Nova Scotia trip below.


Man in kilt at Halifax Citadel.


Halifax Central Library. I have tons of pictures from inside as well because it's required a librarian nerd out over other libraries while on vacation.


Bluenose II!


Obligatory selfie with Peggy's Cove lighthouse.


Colourful houses in Lunenburg.


Port Royal Habitation.


Fortress Louisbourg. My favourite of all the National Historic Sites I visited on this trip. And I visited a lot.


Theodore Tugboat! Probably only exciting to Canadians of a certain age but I was so thrilled to actually see him on my last day (he was away on adventures during my initial visit to Halifax).

Welcome back!

Happy new thread, Micky!
Thanks for sharing the pictures, loved to see the Halifax library & the selfie!

Happy new thread! That tugboat is adorable.

Happy New thread, Micky! Wonderful pictures, and you look great, what a smile!

Now the Maritime are calling me even more strongly.

Happy new thread!
Love the NS photos! Glad that you got to see the Bluenose and Theodore! Did you get much seafood while you were there? I miss lobsters fresh from the ocean and seafood chowder!

Oh, excellent photos!! Thanks for sharing!

Happy New Thread, and Happy Thanksgiving, Micky!

Love the photos.

>8 norabelle414: Thanks, Nora!

>9 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita. Glad you enjoyed the pics. :)

>10 foggidawn: Theodore Tugboat was a children's program on CBC back in the late 80s and early 90s so I have an understandable soft spot for him. This life-size version of Theodore is an utter delight. I totally took a selfie with him. :)

>11 Matke: Thanks, Gail. I had some truly fantastic weather while I was there. Definitely recommend the Maritimes in the fall.

>12 ChelleBearss: Hi Chelle. I don't eat shellfish so no lobster or chowder for me. But I had plenty of haddock and halibut. And I even managed to try Rappie Pie (which I really enjoyed).

>13 scaifea: Thanks, Amber. I, of course, have tons of photos so picking just a few highlights was tough.

>14 jnwelch: Thanks on both counts, Joe.

Book 76



You Play the Girl - Carina Chocano

Chocano's collection of essays takes a critical look at various elements of popular culture and dissects just what they have to say about women and our place in society. Or at least they do some of the time. Unfortunately, this collection was more miss than hit for me. There were some essays where Chocano would start exploring a film or tv show but I never could figure out her central thesis. There were a couple essays where Chocano was a presence but I never really felt like I connected with her. And I have to admit that any essay that cites Foucault always leaves me leery (I blame an hour-long class in undergrad spent dissecting the meaning of a single Foucault sentence for my dislike). The essays aren't bad, just not quite what I was expecting and more on the academic end of the spectrum than I'd expect of a book that had been marketed at a general audience.

Rating: ***

Happy New Thread, and Happy Thanksgiving, Micky!

Hope you are having a fine weekend and spending time with the books.

Happy new thread, happy Thanksgiving and congrats on reading past 75, Micky. Thanks for the preview of the new Halifax library. I'll be sure to check it out when I am in Halifax in a couple of days.

Happy new thread and Thanksgiving, Micky. xx

Happy Thanksgiving! Hope there is some pumpkin pie in your future! :)

Happy new thread! I love the NS pics, would love to visit there someday.

>17 msf59: Thank you, Mark. I've been having a very solid weekend and there has been a bit of reading time in the mix. :)

>18 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg. There's a great cafe on the top floor of the library if you want to grab lunch there. And you should definitely go out on the patio up there. Great views of the city.

>19 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Sir Paul.

>20 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chelle. My family is doing Thanksgiving on Monday and I've been told Mom has made pumpkin tarts. Yay!

>21 drneutron: It's beautiful there, Jim. Definitely recommended as a vacation destination.

Happy new thread!

>23 Kassilem: Thanks, Melissa!

Nice pictures! My family and I went on vacation to the Maritimes in 1998, and your pictures make me want to go back! I don't remember too much about Nova Scotia from that trip, though.

>26 aktakukac: It's a fun part of the world, Rachel. The Boyfriend is from Newfoundland so I'll likely be visiting that part of the Maritimes in the next year or two.

Happy new thread, Micky, and thanks for sharing the photos! I'd love to get up there someday...

>28 katiekrug: Being further north does put you within an easier distance of it, Katie. :)

Book 77



The Diabolical Miss Hyde - Viola Carr

A steampunk riff on Jekyll and Hyde in which Henry Jekyll's daughter, Eliza, spends her days working as a medical investigator and physician at Bethlem Hospital while her alter ego, Lizzie spends her nights lurking in Seven Dials among the magical folk whose powers have been outlawed by the Royal Society. When a murderer begins hacking off limbs from his victims it becomes clear both Eliza and Lizzie will need to put all their powers into the investigation.

I went into this hoping for some high quality steampunk fluff with some riffs on classic literature and it didn't quite deliver. Something about the writing didn't quite suck me in the way I'd hoped and while the riffing is fun the mystery was too easy for me to figure out in advance of the characters. That said, the plot threads left hanging at the end of this novel and my interest in the characters are sufficient for me to put the next book in the series on The List. Hesitantly recommended for those who always thought Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde could have used more steampunk.

Rating: ***

>30 MickyFine: Too bad it didn't deliver better, Micky. I'm not much of a steampunk guy, but those ingredients could have made for a great read.

I'm so behind on threads! Your trip pictures are great to see. Glad you had a great time!

Hi Micky- love the photo from your trip -- that's someplace I've always wanted to visit. Hope you have a great week!

>31 jnwelch: It's definitely a case where the premise is a good idea but the writing doesn't live up to it. IMHO anyways.

>32 leahbird: Thanks, Leah.

>33 AMQS: It's definitely gorgeous, Anne. Wishing you a great week as well.

Book 78



Vinegar Girl - Anne Tyler

Tyler's take on The Taming of the Shrew sees Kate Battista stuck in a rut, living at home with her father and much younger sister, working at a job at a preschool that she doesn't particularly enjoy, and completely unafraid of speaking her mind with no filter. When her father comes up with a hare-brained scheme to keep his lab assistant, Pyotr, from being deported, Kate is furious. But will these two awkward scientists win her around to their point of view after all her protesting?

Viewed on it's own, this novel is a perfectly fine romantic comedy-esque novel. But knowing it's part of the Hogarth Shakespeare retelling series, I was really underwhelmed. Tyler's retelling doesn't really engage with the original text and all of the questions it raises. Kate is never given much depth - she's just hopelessly blunt bordering on rude (one is almost left wondering if she might possibly be on the spectrum given her poor ability to read social cues). In a rather short novel, Tyler compacts the content of the last three acts into only two or three chapters (in a novel with only twelve chapters) thus making it difficult to really figure out why Kate turns around on her attitudes to Pyotr. And the ending Tyler doesn't even attempt to go with a more complex reading of Kate's final speech in the original play and just takes it at face value and gives her own Kate a thoroughly happy ending, without problematizing how little Kate and Pyotr knew each other going into the marriage or really giving us any realistic sense that a marriage of convenience could turn out to be a romantically happy one. Not a bad book, just not what I was hoping for when tackling such contentious source material.

Rating: ***

>22 MickyFine: I had tea in the library cafe and went out on the roof to take pictures, Mickey. I was also in Halifax for Nocturne and they had a haunting video projected form the top part of the Halifax Library. People were stopping to watch it. The Public Gardens was also open that night and there were some strange art installations there. Halifax has changed a lot since the last time I was here.

>35 MickyFine: Too bad, Micky. The only one I've read from the Hogarth series is Hag-Seed, and I thought that one was really good. Atwood engages with The Tempest in ways it sounds like Tyler didn't.

BTW, Chicago Shakespeare currently is doing an all-female production of Taming of the Shrew, directed by founder Barbara Gaines (she's excellent). She tries to address the problematic nature of the play, and it sounds great. We're going in a couple of weeks.

>36 Familyhistorian: Yay! So glad you made it to the library. I lucked out on the afternoon I went to the Public Gardens as there was a live band playing in the gazebo. It added a fun vibe to my visit. Hope the rest of your trip goes smoothly!

>37 jnwelch: I've read a few Hogarth Shakespeare novels and Hag-Seed has definitely been my favourite so far. Sounds like an awesome production of Taming of the Shrew. I'll have to keep my eye on your thread to hear your thoughts on it. :)

Book 79



Jane, Unlimited - Kristin Cashore

Jane has recently dropped out of college in the wake of the death of her Aunt Magnolia when she bumps into her former tutor Kiran Thrash. When Kiran invites Jane to come to Kiran's family estate, Tu Reviens, for their annual spring gala, Jane accepts to fulfill a promise to her aunt. Once on the island where the estate is located it quickly becomes evident that not everything is at it seems at Tu Reviens. And in the course of a single morning, a single decision could lead Jane down a multitude of paths.

This book was so much fun. Riffing on both the ideas of the multiverse with hints of a choose your own adventure, Cashore creates a novel whose different pathways feed off each other in ways that are sure to delight regular readers of fantasy or sci fi as well as those who just enjoy Cashore's writing. Playing with different genres in different timelines, there's a little bit of everything in this novel, which as noted in the author's final end notes was heavily influenced by both Rebecca and Jane Eyre, although familiarity with those texts isn't required to enjoy the novel. A fun exploration of how our decisions make us who we are, this is a delightful novel that I'll be recommending all over the place.

Rating: ****

>39 MickyFine: Oh, that's great to hear about Jane Unlimited, Micky. I loved Kristin Cashore's other books. I was getting a little worried, as it's been a long time since she last published one.

>40 jnwelch: It has been. But given the complexity of this one, I completely understand why it took so long.

>41 MickyFine: Even better! I'm on it.

Book 80



The Bullet-Catcher's Daughter - Rod Duncan

Elizabeth Barnabus has almost always lived a double life as herself and her non-existent twin brother, an intelligence gatherer. When the Duchess of Bletchley hires Elizabeth to find the Duchess's brother, dire financial straits force Elizabeth to accept the job despite the risks it poses to her double identity. In a search that will put her up against the International Patent Office, a tight-knit group of circus folk, and force her to face her own past once more, Elizabeth will be lucky to escape this job alive.

This was a fun steampunk adventure with a solid mystery at its core and plenty of spy intrigue to go around. There's also some larger political issues happening in the background that have me intrigued enough to pick up the next entry in this series. This one sits further on the alternate history side of the fence than the steampunk side but should appeal to fans of both. A solid read that was few steps away from four stars but due to some clumsy plotting in a few spots didn't quite make it. Recommended if the summary strikes your fancy.

Rating: ***

>43 MickyFine: - Sounds like a fun one!

>44 katiekrug: It was an enjoyable and fast read. A nice change as I feel like I've been slogging through books a lot more often than not lately.

Book 81



A Bone to Pick - Charlaine Harris

Aurora Teagarden is as surprised as everyone else when Jane Engle, a former member of the disbanded Real Murders Club, leaves Roe her estate. Especially since Jane has left Roe not only her house but a healthy savings account. But when someone breaks into the house shortly after Roe takes possession, obviously looking for something, Roe goes on a hunt of her own and finds a mystery she didn't really want.

I remain torn on this series. The mysteries themselves are decent for a cozy series but I continue to find Aurora just slightly on the wrong side of unlikable. Also I was a little bummed that Jane resigned her position as a librarian as that was one of the factors that drew me into the series to begin with. I think I'll give this one more entry and then make a final call on whether I want to continue.

Rating: ***

Ditched



The Nearness of You - Dorothy Garlock

I wanted to like this one. I really did. A post-war romance in which Lily is a sheltered young woman who works as a librarian in a small town in upstate New York who bumps into a photographer from Life magazine. There's also a sub-plot with some thieves who get entangled with Lily and Boone (the photographer). The initial section of the novel was fine but then it descended into cloying cliche and insta-romance and I couldn't make myself care enough to finish it, even though I'd read over 200 pages. Might be worth recommending to those who enjoy gentle romance but it was not for this reader.

Rating: /

October Summary




Numbers in parentheses are for year to date.

Books read: 7 (81)
Books ditched: 1 (10)

Fiction: 6 (63)
Non-fiction: 1 (18)

Library: 7 (68)
Mine: 0 (1)
Borrowed elsewhere: 0 (12)

Re-reads: 0 (1)

Female authors: 6 (61)
Male authors: 1 (21)

Adult fiction: 4 (79)
YA fiction: 2 (10)
Children's fiction: 0 (3)

Pages: 2,320 (26,335)

Average rating: 3.3 (3.30)

Average time to read book: 3.4 days (3.88 days)

Favourite book(s): It definitely goes to Jane, Unlimited this month.

I did dress up for Halloween yesterday. Sadly there weren't any Doctor Who fans around to correctly identify which character I was.

Happy November 1st, Micky! Love your Halloween costume but I am not a Dr Who fan so I wouldn't have gotten it either

>49 MickyFine: Cool!! I so totally would have understood Who you were!

>50 ChelleBearss: That's ok, Chelle. It's a more niche character so you have to know your Who pretty well to figure it out.

>51 scaifea: Nice pun, Amber! :D

>49 MickyFine: Nice - we Whovians get it.

>53 jnwelch: It's definitely a costume I'll pull out the next time I go to a con. :)

Book 82



The Gap of Time - Jeanette Winterson

Winterson's take on The Winter's Tale for the Hogarth Shakespeare series is exactly the kind of the novel one would expect from Winterson. Beautiful prose abounds as she explores the themes of the original play, often in a way that makes me feel a bit out of my depth and in need of an English lit class to fully dig into everything that's going on. But in between there's a compelling narrative that remains true to the original and yet feels very contemporary. Definitely for those who enjoy literary fiction, this is exactly what I expected of the series.

Rating: ***

>55 MickyFine: Hmm, I'm intrigued.

>56 foggidawn: Give it a try, Foggi. I'd be interested to see how you like it.

Book 83



Love That Lasts - Jefferson and Alyssa Bethke

Jefferson and Alyssa Bethke recount the lessons they've learned about God's intentions for romantic relationships through the tales of their very different dating experiences and their ultimate marriage to each other. I found both authors had some very interesting things to say about a Christian dating and marriage relationship and found some takeaways that were very helpful for me. While the Bethkes are married, this book isn't targeted specifically at the married portion of the population and the book is likely to be of interest to Christians who are single, dating, engaged, or married and want to think a little bit more critically of what a Christ-focused relationship should be.

Rating: ****

>39 MickyFine: Good review of Jane, Unlimited. I have heard some buzz on this one, but no LT activity, up until now. I will have to track this one down. I love it, when an author goes off in such a different direction.

Happy Sunday, Micky! hope you are staying warm and enjoying the weekend.

>59 msf59: Thanks, Mark.

I was supposed to spend Remembrance Day weekend in Jasper but I came down with a nasty cold and, as The Boyfriend doesn't drive, I'm stuck at home instead. It's not all bad though. We're going to hang out inside and watch a bunch of Harry Potter. So not a bad consolation prize.

Hi Micky! Happy to see the Pirate theme continuing on your new thread!

>7 MickyFine: - Love the pics of your trip to NS! A place I need to visit at some point.

>30 MickyFine: - Well darn. Looks like if I read this one I will need to keep my expectations in check. Love that cover!

>43 MickyFine: - I already have the Fall of the Gas-Lit Empire series on my watch / future reading list so making note of your comments.

>49 MickyFine: - Yay for Doctor Who costume! I got that in a heartbeat - the scarf is a dead give away. ;-)

Sorry to see you have come down with a nasty cold. Hope you are feeling better soon!

Thanks for the visit, Lori. The scarf isn't quite as much as a giveaway as you might think, as I'm not the 4th Doctor. Thankfully, the cold is probably a day or two away from hitting the bricks and good riddance. :)

Book 84



The End of the Day - Claire North

Death comes for everyone. But before Death comes Charlie. As the newly hired Harbinger of Death, Charlie is in awe of the idea of the travel and the opportunity to connect with so many different people. Whether he's sent as a courtesy or a warning, Charlie encounters an entire spectrum of reactions and never are they the same.

I liked this book but not as much as I thought it would. The prose is beautiful, although I feel that there's a bit too much style for style's sake, and the observations on life and death in diverse locales and life experiences are truly lovely. But given that you spend almost the entire book with Charlie, I never quite connected with him in a way that would give the book the emotional punch for which I think it's reaching. Definitely for fans of literary fiction or those who appreciate a twist on archetypal characters.

Rating: ***

This is a little late but anyway:

You finally read Ready Player One *Does happy dance*

>65 BBGirl55: Yes, I did. And I liked it. Full credit to The Boyfriend for finally putting it near the top of The List.

Boo to being sick, but yay for watching Harry Potter movies!

>67 aktakukac: Agreed. We did 2-5 plus we watched six episodes of Doctor Who (finished season 4). So not a bad weekend after all. :)

>64 MickyFine: - Great review, even if the book didn't stand up as well as you had hoped it would. I love the premise.

>69 lkernagh: It's a really great premise. If it intrigues you at all, I'd suggest giving it a try. I think my lack of connection with it may have been due to mood factors and it might be a hit with other readers. :)

Book 85



Lady Stuff: Secrets to Being a Woman - Loryn Brantz

I picked up this comics collection because I'd run across some of Brantz's stuff online and always enjoyed it. This collection is a fun and quick read (I went through it in less than 20 minutes). Brantz's observations are funny and (in my case at least) accurate. I laughed particularly hard over "How to Drive a Man Crazy in 10 Simple Steps." Recommended.

Rating: ****

>71 MickyFine: *adding to holiday gift list for lady wife who likes stuff*

>72 jnwelch: Excellent choice, Joe.

This is a time of year when I as a non-American ponder over what I am thankful for.

I am thankful for this group and its ability to keep me sane during topsy-turvy times.

I am thankful that you are part of this group.

I am thankful for this opportunity to say thank you.

>74 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Sir Paul.

Book 86



The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. - Neal Stephenson and Nicole Galland

When linguistics and ancient languages expert Dr. Melisande Stokes literally bumps into Lieutenant Colonel Tristan Lyons, neither of them realize that everything is about to change. After learning of Mel's expertise, Tristan recruits her to join his top-secret black ops government organization, D.O.D.O., whose goal Mel eventually learns is to discover why magic disappeared from the world in the 1850s and how to bring it back. As Mel and Tristan work to uncover the history of magic and then eventually get it to work for them, it's only then that true insanity starts to break loose. Because not only does magic exist but with the right witch it also makes time travel possible.

This is a fun sci-fi and fantasy mash up with a heavy dose of sort of secret government organization thriller wrapped up in it. And I utterly enjoyed it. My only problem was that the book is long. I can't pinpoint any sections that could really be cut down - a vast amount of world building is required to explain the origins of D.O.D.O. and its expansion - but as much as I was enjoying the book the whole time, I slowly got the "this is taking too long to read" itch. Given how quickly the book reads, this may not be a problem for other readers who can devote some dedicated time to this one. Recommended for those who don't mind a slightly more technical time travel romp.

Rating: ***1/2

Ditched



Night Witches - Kathryn Lasky

I wanted to like this book so badly but I'm ditching it after 10 pages for complete unbelievability. A YA novel about the night witches (young Russian women who flew very old planes on bombing runs against the Germans during WWII) should have been completely in my wheel house. But the writing was questionable from the off-set. I found it difficult to believe that in 1940s Russia a house would have so much American literature in it (The Wizard of Oz and Huckleberry Finn are name checked). Plus the central character refers to the German invasion of Russia as Operation Barbarossa while it's still happening. I can't imagine a character living in the midst of a campaign knows its code name . Plus there was a typo in those first 10 pages (a copy editing issue, I know, but it still sets my teeth on edge). So with all of that combined I am ditching this book forthwith and not even giving it the full Nancy Pearl rule. The title might be more acceptable to its target audience (I'd say tweens rather than teens) but this grown-up just can't make herself read it.

Rating: /

Book 87



Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell (re-read)

I had a small lull between library holds and I'd been wanting to re-read this one for a while now, so I took advantage of a weekend with no library books at my disposal. I was not disappointed. These characters and their lives and problems remain as enthralling as ever and I continue to be left with the desire to hug the book to my chest when I finish the last page. My favourite Rainbow Rowell and if you have yet to pick this one up, go do it right now.

Rating: *****

Life Update

I was scrolling through some of my old LT threads to try and figure out how many times I've read Fangirl now (for the record, this was the third time) and had forgotten how chatty my threads used to be. So in an effort to stimulate a little more conversation (because shocker, I actually like chatting with you all despite how much my lurking might seem to prove the contrary) I'm going to try and share more than just what I've been reading on here and see if I can't lure some of you lurkers into talking. ;)

Last week I managed to get a bladder infection and have a cold relapse so I spent a chunk of it feeling less than awesome. However, I did still manage to get out to see Murder on the Orient Express with The Boyfriend and had a grand old time.

This week Tuesday is my 6 month anniversary with The Boyfriend. He's got plots up his sleeve for our evening that are all a surprise for me so we'll see what we end up doing. Otherwise nothing much exciting in the plans for the forthcoming week.

On the TV front (in case anyone besides Nora is interested) I am lamentably behind on almost everything due to watching Doctor Who with The Boyfriend when he's at my place (his first exposure) and Arrow (with an eventual expansion to the rest of the DCU) at his place (my first exposure). I am trying to get through a bunch of the PVR backlog before I start watching Christmas movies in December. At the moment I'm caught up on Outlander, Rick Mercer Report, and Big Bang (because mindless comedies are what you need sometimes, don't judge). I've finished Star Trek: Discovery (still not sure how I feel about that one) and I'm thinking about tackling Alias Grace next. Although tonight I think I'm going to watch the Winona Ryder version of Little Women. I refuse to watch Christmas movies before December 1 but that one sits right on the border of being festive enough to get me in the mood for the season without being an outright Christmas movie. :)

Hope life is treating all of you well. And that you're feeling chatty. :)

Oh yoicks, I'm sorry to hear about the bladder infection. Not at all fun. I hope you're feeling better!

Ok so you have stopped me lurky. Where are you in Doctor Who and how is the Boyfriend taking it? I have yet to jump in to the dcu the mcu is keeping me ocupied.

BOO! to the bladder infection. Zero fun right there. But YAY! to the 6 month anniversary and secret plans :)

I myself did not love Fangirl but I know I'm in the minority. I did love Attachments (and Eleanor & Park of course!)...

FYI, I've ditched Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe - the writing is, um, Not Good. I hope you end up liking it better than I did - it's such a good premise.

>80 scaifea: Thanks, Amber. I took my last dose of antibiotics yesterday morning and I'm feeling pretty much back to normal. I just have to go do the lab work today to confirm the infection has cleared out.

>81 BBGirl55: Hi Bryony! We just finished season 4 of Doctor Who and The Boyfriend loves it. We'll be doing the first of DT's season of specials this week and then taking a break over December so that we can watch Christmas movies. :D I'm enjoying DCU so far. We're about halfway through the second season of Arrow. I'm excited for when we pick up The Flash because I've been reliably informed that I'm going to really like it.

>82 katiekrug: I was lucky in that the infection was pretty mild (just uncomfortable not painful). I'm looking forward to the secret plans. :D Not every book is for every reader but I definitely join you in your fondness for Attachments (I find it hysterical that the first touchstone to come up for that for me was for a Kitchen-Aid mixer). Sorry to hear P&P&M didn't work for you. I'll temper my expectations but might join you in the ditch club. I've had low tolerance for mediocre writing this year (as evidenced by my ditched books total so far).

Glad you are on the mend! As you know, I'm a big fan of Fangirl, myself. And I approve of your choice of *ahem* festive movies for the pre-Christmas season. ;-)

In reverse order: Happy anniversary with the boyfriend, not good on the bladder infection and really great to see that Fangirl holds up so well after 3 reads! For my TV viewing I am continuing to work my way through the Doc Martin episodes. We have seen the previous seasons but I wanted a refresher before diving into season 8. ;-)

>84 foggidawn: Thanks, Foggi. The cold is basically gone but I think I'm going to hear from my doctor today telling me that the bladder infection hasn't quite skipped town just yet. :/ However, Fangirl remains great. Little Women remains a long-time favourite of mine, although the older I get the more inappropriate my crush on 20-ish year old Christian Bale's Laurie gets. :P

>85 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori! Glad to hear you're enjoying your re-watch of Doc Martin. I haven't tackled that one yet. I've got a few other British mystery series sitting in my Netflix list that I want to watch though.

I won 2 LTER books this month! Fluffy Christmas romances both and I'm hoping for at least middling quality. :)

Fingers crossed that you're feeling better! And that tonight's surprise goes well :-) Happy semianniversary!

Yayyyyy Arrowverse! In real-time, last night was the first two parts of a huge four-part crossover with basically all of the characters in it and it's so delightful. I can't wait for you to watch The Flash! Also please tell me how you feel about Oliver and (whoever his love interest is at the point where you are watching, I forget).
During the crossover there was a brief promo for the next Arrowverse show, Black Lightning, starring Cress Williams from Hart of Dixie! I'm very excited.
Also it was announced today that Wilson Bethel is going to be on the next season of Daredevil, so my inner Hart of Dixie fangirl is very happy.

I wonder if the timing of your Doctor Who watches and your Arrowverse watches mean you'll be watching Arthur Darvill on Doctor Who and Legends of Tomorrow at the same time? That would be entertaining. You've already been watching John Barrowman on Doctor Who and Arrow at the same time, right?

>88 norabelle414: Thanks, Nora. I'm pretty sure the bladder infection is still kicking around, sadly. We'll see what the doc says when he calls about my lab results. :P

Tonight's surprise has been postponed to Thursday due to circumstances beyond our control. But we're still hanging out tonight so I'm happy. :)

I'm excited for fancy crossover episodes. I know there's a few in the future. I don't mind Oliver (or Oliver "Drama" Queen as I often call him). My boyfriend and I have a game where we track whether he's shirtless in the episode or not (the shirtless episodes far outnumber episodes with none by a large number). I LOVE Felicity. As for his current love interest we're not quite mid-way through season 2 so he's slept with Summer Glau, he flirts outrageously with Felicity (yay! Because my love for Felicity is profound), has stuff in the flashbacks with Shado, and dude needs to get over Laurel *sigh*).

I might have to start watching Daredevil again for Wilson Bethel. I stopped after the first season because the only character I liked was Foggy and the violence was a bit much for me.

We won't be watching DW and LoT at the same time. We're about to watch the first of DT's season of specials ("The Next Doctor") so we'll be getting to Rory very soon (we spend more time at my place than at his as he has a roommate). I'm planning on taking a break from DW over December (there's a bunch of Christmas movies we want to watch together and those last few specials are just an exercise in sad). But we have been watching Barrowman in both shows. In fact, in the last episode we watched Barrowman's character on Arrow came back from the dead. I knew he wasn't actually dead. No one stays dead in comics except Uncle Ben and Batman's parents. :P

>89 MickyFine: Hahah Oliver "Drama" Queen is great. Felicity is THE BEST and just wait until you meet her mother!!! (season 3 episode 5). You've made me realize that Oliver hasn't been shirtless much lately which is so sad.

I can see that about Daredevil. Matt is pretty broody and annoying in season 2 but you could probably skip season 2 if you were just interested in watching season 3. However, Daredevil season 2 is very important for both Marvel's The Defenders and Marvel's The Punisher.

Uh yep I can't think of a single "dead" character on Arrow who hasn't come back at least for a flashback or two.

>90 norabelle414: Ooh, we get to meet Felicity's mom? That is very exciting news. She is my favourite, although I've been making fun of some of the clothes they've put her in lately. Peplums are so rarely a good look for anyone, imo.

I haven't quite decided if I'll watch Daredevil. It still hangs out in my Netflix list in case I ever feel like tackling it. Along with so, so, so many other shows.

>91 MickyFine: Mama Smoak pops into town every once in awhile. Felicity is very fashionable so by now she has moved on from peplums to cold shoulders.

If you don't want to watch Daredevil, don't do it! There's too much good TV out there to waste time on something you're not into.

>92 norabelle414: Ugh. By the time I catch up she's going to be wearing velvet isn't she? (Side note, the branch where I work is near the high school where students go to upgrade their grades (i.e. they barely passed a course they need to go to uni and so they take it again after they graduate to get a higher grade) and the other day I saw a girl in a crop top and velvet track pants and I felt so old).

That is a good argument about TV. Much like my philosophy on books. :)

I'm 2/3 of the way through Alias Grace and it's great. I think it's on US Netflix by now and you should give it a whirl.

>93 MickyFine: Yes Alias Grace is definitely on my short list! Right now I'm watching Marvel's Runaways, which is great, and I still have to watch the last episode of Stranger Things (I always try to portion out bingeable shows to make them last longer but then end up waiting too long and forgetting what happened)

ETA: Also I found out that season 2 of Travelers will be on US Netflix December 26.

>94 norabelle414: I've currently got episodes of Travelers stacking up on my PVR. I love it when things air in Canada first. Although being as behind as I am on stuff in my PVR, I watch it at about the same time you get it on Netflix on your side of the border. :P

I keep seeing commercials for Runaways but I haven't picked up either of Marvel's new series that they launched this fall. I'm looking forward to Agents of SHIELD coming back though.

And because that made me think of Clark Gregg, are you listening to West Wing Weekly?

Congrats on the LT wins! I am so in the mood for fluffy reads right about now.

>95 MickyFine: Runaways is decent so far. I read the first 3 books way back when but I honestly don't remember a ton about it, so I don't have too many comparison issues.

The Gifted has turned out to be quite good while The Inhumans is AWFUL. I kept watching only because I think it's going to affect AoS.

>95 MickyFine: That's like when you buy a book when it first comes out and then by the time the paperback is on clearance you still haven't read it.

Marvel's Runaways is probably going to stand alone, but as Leah says above, Marvel's Inhumans is probably going to affect Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. this season.

I still haven't watched The West Wing! I'll get to it eventually....maybe....

>97 leahbird: I read the first Runaways graphic novel literally this weekend (before I started watching the show) and I am annoyed at some of the changes they made, but others are good (like fleshing out the parent characters).

Marvel's Inhumans was objectively NOT GOOD but it was the kind of not good that I enjoy so I watched it all. The Gifted is really great!

>96 lkernagh: 'Tis definitely the season for fluffy. I'm currently working on an Outlander novel, which while good and highly enjoyable, does not quite qualify as fluff. So when those ER copies come in I'll definitely bet alternating between fluffy books and the chunkster.

>97 leahbird: Duly noted.

>98 norabelle414: LOL. Accurate comparison, Nora.

As for not having watched The West Wing... there are no words.

I think I watched the first two seasons of The West Wing (and maybe part of the 3rd?). It got annoyingly smug and self-righteous IMO, plus it got all sorts of things wrong about DC and government and The White House. But I know I'm in the minority and that most people love it. I've considered trying to re-watch it now that I'm way more liberal than I used to be, and I no longer live and work in DC...

>100 katiekrug: It's idealist and probably not as accurate as a DC insider would like. But for this Canadian, it's a long-standing favourite.

Book 88



The Prayers of Jane Austen - Jane Austen

As the daughter of a clergyman, Jane Austen was often remarked upon by her relatives as having a strong Christian faith. This small book collects three extant prayers that Austen wrote for evening family devotion services. Definitely of interest to the cross-section of readers who are both Christians and Janeites. Of which I am one.

Rating: ****

November Summary




Numbers in parentheses are for year to date.

Books read: 7 (88)
Books ditched: 1 (11)

Fiction: 5 (69)
Non-fiction: 2 (19)

Library: 5 (73)
Mine: 2 (3)
Borrowed elsewhere: 0 (12)

Re-reads: 1 (2)

Female authors: 7 (68)
Male authors: 2 (23)

Adult fiction: 4 (83)
YA fiction: 1 (11)
Children's fiction: 0 (3)

Pages: 2,384 (28,719)

Average rating: 3.8 (3.55)

Average time to read book: 3.4 days (3.88 days)

Favourite book(s): I try to avoid picking re-reads as my favourite book of the month but in a month with Fangirl I just can't pick anything else.

Oh, Fangirl, I really enjoyed that one! (And here I am saying I'm not much of a romance reader...)

Wait wait wait Christian Bale is in Little Women???? *Looks it up on IMDB* *blinks*
Huh. I loved that movie as a teen and it's clearly time for a rewatch. I've seen Claire Danes in several different roles since but I'd never connected young Laurie with the same actor in The Prestige and The Dark Knight.

Glad Fangirl remains a favorite read for you. I wasn't amazed by it, but I still enjoyed reading it. There are so many books I'd like to read again, but I am afraid I'd be disappointed in the re-read.

>104 bell7: I wouldn't see that one as a contradiction, Mary! While Fangirl has a romantic subplot, I wouldn't classify it as a romance novel. :)

As for Christian Bale, this is the first role I know him from. He was Laurie for me long before I cared enough to remember his real name.

>105 aktakukac: I used to re-read way more often but with my current system for picking next reads, I haven't done much recently. Most books hold up well though in my experience.

I'm unlikely to have a book to post here for a while yet. I'm about a third of the way through A Breath of Snow and Ashes but at 1400+ pages, I don't think I'm likely to get through it all before mid-month.

I had a solidly busy weekend. I went to see The Man Who Invented Christmas with my mom on Sunday (it's a lot of fun and if you're looking for a festive film to watch this month in theatres, it's a solid pick) plus I made a double batch of Christmas cookies and decorated. I'm very excited that the only thing I have to do after work today is go for a massage in the evening.

It's okay, Micky. We love you even without completed books and reviews!

>107 MickyFine: - The Man Who Invented Christmas is on my "Must See" list for December. Glad to see it comes highly recommended by you and your mom. ;-)

>107 MickyFine: Glad to hear your thoughts on The Man Who Invented Christmas -- I'm hoping to get to see it some time this month, so I'm glad to hear a positive review.

>108 katiekrug: Awww. Thanks, Katie!

>109 lkernagh: I think you'll quite enjoy it, Lori.

>110 foggidawn: If you can find the time, it's an enjoyable way to spend some. :)

Glad to hear The Man Who Invented Christmas was good. I read the book by the same title a few years back and enjoyed it quite a bit. Hope you're having a good week!

Last night I got my (early) Christmas present from The Boyfriend and we went to go see The Nutcracker. It was a fantastic evening out. :D

Was this part of the anniversary surprise or was that separate? And did I miss that? *sigh* I can't keep up with your romantic escapades...

>114 katiekrug: This was separate. It was what I asked for for Christmas from him as I'd never seen The Nutcracker live before. He actually enjoyed it a lot too. May have helped that I broke out an LBD for the event. ;)

The anniversary surprise was dinner at a Brazilian place (Pampa) that essentially serves all you can eat meat. Over the course of the evening there are waiters wandering around with large skewers of 14 different kinds and cuts of meat that you can choose from. And then there's a salad and sides buffet. It was A LOT of meat (good for him, trickier for me as I only eat certain kinds of meat and just can't eat the same volume as him). It was good though. If we go back, we'll probably do their brunch. Less expensive, fewer cuts of meat, and more side options. Afterwards we went for a short walk. It was a nice anniversary outing.

I'll do my best to keep you posted on any biggish romantic escapades coming up, I promise.

I have the same problem at those Brazilian places... The Wayne loves them because he can eat a ton and he loves meat. Me not so much. In fact, a lot less :)

But it still sounds lovely, and I am always pleased when T.W. takes it upon himself to plan/initiate something. That's usually surprise and gift enough!

>116 katiekrug: The Boyfriend is pretty good about planning stuff. We usually alternate figuring out different outings. It's nice. He mostly just has to get me to relax as I'm an obsessive planner. :P

Ditched



Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe - Melissa de la Cruz

I wanted to like this one. I really did. But the writing was inconsistent from the start and I couldn't get my brain to turn off enough so that I could just enjoy the fluff. Possibly one I could do as a fluffy holiday romance movie (I am such a sucker for those!) but the book just doesn't cut it.

Rating: /

>118 MickyFine: - Oh, good. It wasn't just me being picky about that book....

>119 katiekrug: Nope. I think we're both just discerning readers. ;)

The trailer for Emilio Estevez's upcoming film The Public ran across my FB feed today and I thought I'd share it here. As someone who works in public libraryland it's awesome to see a complex take on the role of public libraries.

>121 MickyFine:
My library friends have been sharing it all over FB.

Oh! We're going to The Nutcracker today! It'll be Charlie's first time.

>122 Deedledee: I think it's going to get fantastic word of mouth promotion from the library community alone.

>123 scaifea: Oooh! Have fun! I'll check your thread to see his reaction. :)

My birthday present this year from my sister was tickets to the Nutcracker. We went to see the local ballet company, Appalachian Ballet, instead of the Moscow Ballet that was touring. It was my niece's first time seeing the The Nutcracker and her ballet school feeds into Appalachian. One of her best friends was performing as well as her teacher so that was very exciting for her.

>125 leahbird: That's very cool. Our production was from Alberta Ballet. They always do their shows in Edmonton and Calgary.

Ohhh... The Nutcraker and surprise anniversary dinner. Sounds like you are having a fabulous December!

>127 lkernagh: December has been very good so far. I'm looking forward to the weekend. We're going to the Sunday matinee of the new Star Wars movie at the VIP theatre (fancy reclining chairs and apparently decent to good food). It's my first time at the VIP so it will be an exciting outing all around.

*waves sheepishly after being gone so long*

>121 MickyFine: Is it crazy that I may have teared up at this trailer? I think it was the music, and one of the characters talking about how libraries are the last hallmarks of democracy, or however he put it. I have high hopes.

>129 rosylibrarian: Marie!!! Hi!!! Lovely to see you.

Not crazy. The trailer has made me well up every time I watch it.

>130 MickyFine: Glad to know I am not alone. :)

Ran across this awesome article from EW about how my literary boyfriend, Henry Tilney, is the best of Jane Austen's heroes.

>132 MickyFine: I read NA so long ago that I can't even picture this character. Must rectify.

>133 rosylibrarian: You really should. Henry Tilney is awesome.

Time to re-read Northanger Abbey! I remember liking it more than I expected to, but that's about it...

ETA: Of course, I'm a Captain Wentworth woman through and through :)

How fun that you got to see The Nutcracker! That must have been a delight! My fiancé and I went to Klingon Christmas Carol - no nowhere close to as classy. lol. But to make up for it, we went with a friend to The Wreath of Khan, which is a knife-throwing comedy Christmas show. Again, not classy, but it was fun!

>135 katiekrug: The Captain is a gooder, but Henry Tilney just suits my personality so much better.

>136 The_Hibernator: Sounds like some fun, nerdy, and festive outings. I'm doing a double date tomorrow evening and we're going to Harry Potter Trivia being hosted at a local pub. Should be a blast.

Hi, Micky. Just checking in. How are those books treating you? Hopefully, very good.

>138 msf59: Hi Mark. I am still reading although there haven't been any book posts this month so far (sigh). I've spent a big chunk of the month working through A Breath of Snow and Ashes. I am over halfway but at the rate I've been reading the 1400ish pages are still slow going. This week I've pressed pause on that and I'm trying to get through the two early review copies fluffy holiday romances I won. I'm hoping to finish the first today but social engagements have been seriously eating into my reading time.

That said, I did my Iceland-inspired book and chocolate gift exchange with three girl friends last night. I came away with:

Down Among the Sticks and Bones - Seanan McGuire
Practical Magic - Alice Hoffman
Shades of Milk and Honey - Mary Robinette Kowal

So there's some shiny new books sitting on the nightstand waiting for me to finish my chunkster.

>139 MickyFine: Dang social engagements! Between my office and my family and my friends and my neighbors I've got two social activities a day all this week, so very little reading (or TV...) is getting done on my end either!

Those are some great books to get from a book exchange!!

>140 norabelle414: There were four of us all together and each of us bought a single book for everyone. We know each other pretty well and GoodReads "Want To Read" lists came in handy. Everyone was very pleased with the books we received and we're already looking forward to next year.

Hope your social engagements are fun!

>141 MickyFine: They all involve free food (or potluck) and that's fun enough for me :-)

>142 norabelle414: Those are some of the best kind. :)

Book 89



The Jingle Bell Bride - Scarlet Wilson

LT ER Book

Swamped wedding planner, Jessica Christie, is sent by her reality star client to Alaska to retrieve an obscure flower less than a week before the wedding. Once Jessica arrives, she's stranded in the small town due to a snowstorm and is forced to stay with botanist and reindeer caretaker, Matt Holden. Romance ensues.

The premise of this gentle romance is solid but the execution is very wobbly. The character ideas are cute and the plot is relatively decent but the writing varies from being reasonably decent in the initial sections to down right bad at the ending (the cheesy cliche happy ending speech at the end of the novel had me reading the final pages from between my fingers as I pressed my hands to my face in dismay over how bad it was). I also had a string of believability issues. As someone who lives in a cold climate, the various discussions of winter gear were laughably inaccurate (an actual parka purchased in Alaska would not be soaked through after 15 minutes of making snow angels - those things are so dang water-proofed...). Jessica's secret ambition of owning a string of bookstores in rural America where she encourages literacy in children struck me as something that would be more suited to a desire to become a librarian (although that might be my professional bias showing). And then the ending: Less than 3 weeks before getting married? I know there was a theme of carpe diem but given how little the two characters actually talk TO each other, it comes off as physical attraction run amok. If read quickly enough, some of these issues might not stick out so badly but spread over the limited reading time I had in three days, the issues snowballed (laughs at own pun) in my awareness. Not recommended.

Rating: **

Happy Yule Book Flood!

>145 richardderus: Thank you, kind sir. :)

>146 MickyFine: De rien, ma amie.

>139 MickyFine: Oooh, nice new books! I've read the last two and enjoyed them, but have yet to read any of Seanan McGuire's books.

>148 bell7: There all new-to-me reads and I'm looking forward to cracking them. :)

Happy Friday, Micky. I am not reading much urban fantasy these days but Down Among the Sticks and Bones, does sound tasty, plus that is a great title.

Book 90



A Vicarage Christmas - Kate Hewitt

Anna Holley has gone home to the vicarage of the small village of Thornthwaite to spend Christmas with her family, after avoiding the whole experience for several years. Often overwhelmed by the large groups that descend on the vicarage during the Christmas season, Anna decides to escape one evening and visits one of the local pubs. A chance encounter with a kind man who is new to the village turns into something else entirely when Anna discovers that he has closer ties to her family than she expected.

A totally solid gentle romance that I can recommend to fans of the genre. Hewitt writes well and creates a believable and festive world in the small village in the Lake District. Anna has her flaws but remains sympathetic and the romance of the novel while starting off quickly, doesn't accelerate beyond the line of incredulity. This is the first novel in a projected quartet so there is some set up of the characters of the three other sisters of the family. I may be intrigued enough to pick up the next in the series. If you're looking for a sweet, festive romance this is a solid choice.

Rating: ***

>150 msf59: It's a sequel to Every Heart a Doorway, Mark, which I thoroughly enjoyed and reviewed up at the top of this thread. :)

It is that time of year again, between Solstice and Christmas, just after Hanukkah, when our thoughts turn to wishing each other well in whatever language or image is meaningful to the recipient. So, whether I wish you Happy Solstice or Merry Christmas, know that what I really wish you, and for you, is this:

Hi Micky, stopping by to wish you and your loved ones peace, joy and happiness this holiday season and for 2018!

Happy holidays! I am thankful this holiday season for all the good friends I have made in this group. You are all so supportive. I don't know what I'd do without you!

Dear Micky, best wishes to you and yours at Christmas!

Wishing you all good things this holiday season and beyond.

Thank you Roni, Lori, Rachel, Anne, and Paul for the well wishes!

I had a lovely Christmas with the family full of turkey, gifts, and plenty of hugs and laughter.

I did receive two books for Christmas:

A Darker Shade of Magic - V.E. Schwab
A Gathering of Shadows - V.E. Schwab

My parents also got me a couple of bookish things from Out of Print:

Hope you had a great Christmas with your family and your boyfriend!
(and happy belated anniversary too!)

^I hope you are home, warm and snug, Micky, with a hot drink and a good book.

>159 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chelle. Christmas with the family and The Boyfriend was lovely.

>160 msf59: Thanks, Mark. I totally bailed on my fitness class last night and spent the night in on the couch snuggled under a quilt. The picture was pretty close to how I looked after walking to work this morning. It's a rather frigid -30C (-22F) this morning and the forecasted high is only a single degree warmer. Today is one of those days where I desperately wish I was allowed to telecommute.

Happy Holidays, Micky!

>162 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe!

Happy Holidays!

>165 MickyFine: Thanks, Kathy!

Book 91



A Breath of Snow and Ashes - Diana Gabaldon

Sixth book in the Outlander series. All the things happen to Claire and Jamie and the crew in the build up to the initial phases of the American War of independence. I enjoyed it.

Rating: ****

December Summary



Numbers in parentheses are for year to date.

Books read: 3 (91)
Books ditched: 1 (12)

Fiction: 3 (72)
Non-fiction: 0 (19)

Library: 0 (73)
Mine: 3 (6)
Borrowed elsewhere: 0 (12)

Re-reads: 0 (2)

Female authors: 3 (71)
Male authors: 0 (23)

Adult fiction: 3 (86)
YA fiction: 0 (11)
Children's fiction: 0 (3)

Pages: 1,843 (30,562)

Average rating: 3.0 (3.28)

Average time to read book: 10.3 days (7.09 days)

Favourite book(s): I did solidly enjoy my month-long read of the sixth Outlander novel but I'll give the favourite award to A Vicarage Christmas for being cute and festive.

Year Over Year Comparison

I'm now limiting to five years for an overview of trends.

Books Read
2017: 91
2016: 120
2015: 90
2014: 75
2013: 80

Pages Read
2017: 30,562
2016: 42,960
2015: 34,178
2014: 25,152
2013: 26,173

Fiction Books
2017: 72
2016: 98
2015: 80
2014: 64
2013: 68

Non-Fiction Books
2017: 19
2016: 22
2015: 10
2014: 11
2013: 12

Re-reads:
2017: 2
2016: 8
2015: 7
2014: 3
2013: ?

Author Gender Breakdown
2017: 71 female, 23 male
2016: 89 female, 35 male
2015: 57 female, 42 male
2014: 43 female, 36 male
2013: 52 female, 31 male

Owned vs. Borrowed
2017: 73 library, 6 mine, 12 elsewhere
2016: 103 library, 16 mine, 1 elsewhere
2015: 76 library, 14 mine
2014: 63 library, 12 mine
2013: 58 library, 21 mine, 1 elsewhere

Average Time to Read a Book
2017: 7.09 days
2016: 3.04 days
2015: 3.74 days

And finally, my favourite bit of the year-end wrap up: the book meme!

Describe yourself: Worth the Wait

Describe how you feel: Heart on the Line

Describe where you currently live: Across the Floor

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: The Little Shop of Happy Ever After

Your favorite form of transportation: The Gap of Time

Your best friend is: Fanning the Flames

You and your friends are: Rejected Princesses

What’s the weather like: In the Bleak Midwinter

You fear: Just One Damned Thing After Another

What is the best advice you have to give: Beware the Kitten Holy

Thought for the day: Any Duchess Will Do

How I would like to die: A Perilous Undertaking

My soul’s present condition: A Conjuring of Light

That's it for my 2017 reading year. Follow me over to my 2018 THREAD.