What Are We Reading and Reviewing in November?

This is the place to let everyone know the books you are reading this month, and then to leave reviews of these books. You can put up a list of the books you are reading for the month or put a post about a book as you start it, or even both.

A review can be something as simple as a sentence about the book or as comprehensive as you want to make it - whatever is good for you. Our love of books is the reason we are all here.

Carol's November Reading Plan
✔ ★

Group Reads
✔What Angels Fear -11/2/17 - 5★ (carried through to Nov.)
✔The Jungle by Clive Cussler -11/14/17 - 4.5★
✔The Death Sculptor by Chris Carter - 11/23/17 - 4.5★
✔Proof by Dick Francis - ★ (will carry into December)

Blind Date With A Book
✔Random Harvest by Jim Hilton - 11/11/17 - 4★

Challenges
Around the World Group
✔What She Knew by Gilly MacMillian -11/03/17 - 3★
✔Red Lily by Nora Roberts - 11/16/17 - 3★
✔The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks - 11/23/17 - 4.5★
✔Second Time around by Mary Higgins Clark - 1/24/17 - 3.5★
✔Darkness Rising by Lis Weihl - 11/4/17 - 3★
✔The prophet of Yonwood by Jeanne Du Prae - 11/1/17 - 2.5★
✔Sophie: The Incredible True Story of the Castaway Dog by Emma Pearse - 1/25/17 - 3★

The Treasure Trove Group
✔Blood Brothers by J.A. (Jack) Kerley - 11/5/17- 4.5★

Mystery & Suspense Plus
✔And No Birds Sang by Farley Mowat - Veteran's Day - 11/13/17 - 4★

Others
✔The Supernaturals II: In The Still of The Night by David L. Golemon - 11/26/17- 4.5★
✔Paranormal Intruder by Caroline Mitchell -11//17 - 3.5★
✔All is Not Forgotten by Wendy Walker - 1/18/17 - 2★
✔Cold Light by Jenn Ashworth -11/8/17 - 3★
✔Watching Edie by Camilla Way - 11/20/17 - 4★
✔Little Girl Gone by Gerry Schmidt - 11/8/17 - 3★
✔Quick & Dirty by Stuart Woods - 11/4/17 - 3★
✔Deep Freeze by John Sandford - 11/7/17 - 5★
✔The Midnight Line by Lee Child - 11/18/17 - 5★
✔End Game by David Baldacci - 11/29/17 - 5★

November 2017 Reads
✔ ☊ ☞

Currently Reading

Finished Reading

Thriller /Adventure Book: The Jungle by Clive Cussler and Jack Du Brul (#8 in the Oregon Files Series)
Crime / Mystery: The Death Sculptor by Chris Carter (#4 in the Robert Hunter Series)
Mystery and Suspense Group - Proof by Dick Francis - BCL Feasterville and Northampton
Mystery Sub-Genre Challenge - The Body in the Kelp by Katherine Hall Page - 304 pgs.

The Thanksgiving Visitor by Truman Capote
An Event in Autumn by Henning Markell - 170 pgs.
Desert Autumn by Michael Craft
Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett - 216 pgs.
Blood Harvest by Brant Randall - 288 pgs.
November Rain by Donald Harstad - 306 pgs.

Anne Perry and the Murder of the Century by Peter Graham - New Zealand
The Bungalow by Sarah Jio - Bora-Bora
The Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill - Laos
The Illusion of Murder by Carol McCleary - Yemem

A Darker Domain by Val McDermid - 355 pgs.
Tonight I Said Goodbye #1 by Michael Koryta - Mystery - 307 pgs.
Touched by Carolyn Haines - Dixon Sinclair Series - 371 pgs.
Blood On The Tongue by Stephen Booth - 389 pgs.
The Child by Fiona Barton - 365 pgs.
The Restless Dead by Simon Beckett - 410 pgs.
Northwest Angle by William Kent Krueger - 357 pgs.
Criminal Enterprise by Owen Laukkanen - 408 pgs.
Looking Good Dead by Peter James - 527 pgs.

Dusty's TBR for November
SF/F
Mark Tiedemann - Remains
Terry Pratchett - Reaper Man ✔
Jack Vance - The Palace of Love
Amanda Stevens - The Abandoned✔
Liu Cixin - The Three Body Problem ✔
Cherie Priest - Four and Twenty Blackbirds ✔
Lois McMaster Bujold - A Civil Campaign ✔
Thomas Watson - Founder's Effect ✔
Clifford D Simak - Out of their Minds ✔

from other genres
Gladys Mitchell - The Saltmarsh Murders ✔
Leslie Egan - The Wine of Life ✔

I enjoyed Blood Brothers which was my first book in this series. This is a series I want to read more in. I also enjoyed Subterranean.

>5 Andrew-theQM: Good to know that Blood Brothers is on your "enjoyed" list. I've actually read {Subterranean but it's one of those that you can read over and over and never tire of it and always discover something new that you missed before.

Threadnsong's Reading List for November

✔️ Finish my three-by-three challenge for October - short stories The Sentinel and Dreams of Steam 4: Gizmos

✔️ Storm of Swords: make it to and through the Red Wedding

✔️ Little Dorrit: continue for my F2F Dickens group through Chapter 20

Other November read will be conquering my TBR pile by reading the biography of Mary Wollstonecraft, Her Own Woman

And continuing with previous reading challenges: Tolkien's History of Middle Earth series The Book of Lost Tales Vol. I, First Feminists, and The Great Shame. I find that having this group on Library Thing has kept me reading these long tomes, even if my updates are extractions from these works and not in the works completed.

Beyond that? We shall see, my precioussss, we shall see!

I didn't do a list last month, choosing books as I went - might try a list again this month.

Group Reads
✔️What Angels Fear by C S Harris
The Jungle by Clive Cussler and Jack Du Brul : Start Date Friday 10th November
The Death Sculptor by Chris Carter : Start Date Sunday 19th November
Proof by Dick Francis : Start Date Wednesday 29th November

Other Reads
✔️Death of a Scriptwriter by M C Beaton
✔️Insidious Intent by Val McDermid
The Poet by Michael Connelly
✔️The Babylon Idol by Scott Mariani
✔️The Royal Succession by Maurice Druon
✔️Holes by Louis Sachar
The Olive Tree by Lucinda Riley
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Agatha Raisin and the Blood of an Englishman by M C Beaton
Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz
The Red Hunter by Lisa Unger
As Time Goes By by Mary Higgins Clark
✔️What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
✔️And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
✔️Artie Conan Doyle and the Gravediggers by Robert J Harris

The Prophet of Yonwood by Jeanne DuPrau
The Book of Ember Book #3
2.5★

It’s 50 years before the settlement of the city of Ember, and the world is in crisis. War looms on the horizon as 11-year-old Nickie and her aunt travel to the small town of Yonwood, North Carolina. There, one of the town’s respected citizens has had a terrible vision of fire and destruction. Her garbled words are taken as prophetic instruction on how to avoid the coming disaster. If only they can be interpreted correctly.

I needed a book of a challenge and my reading buddy, Brian, needed a book for a school book report so we decided to read this one together. Brian loved it but I found the story started well but fell flat before I even got to the middle. One of the biggest faults I found with the book was the lack of character development. I can't be too critical though. It gave me my challenge book and gave Brian a great adventure.

What Angels Fear by C.S. Harris
Sebastian St.Cyr series Book #1
5★

It's 1811, and the threat of revolution haunts the upper classes of King George III's England. Then a beautiful young woman is found savagely murdered on the altar steps of an ancient church near Westminster Abbey. A dueling pistol found at the scene and the damning testimony of a witness both point to one man-Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, a brilliant young nobleman shattered by his experience in the Napoleonic Wars.

It's wonderful to be truly surprised. This book surprised me in that I not only liked it...I loved it. Although I am a huge fan of history as a subject...I am not and never have been a historical mystery fan. I took up this book because of a group that I do group reads with each month...approaching it cautiously. The more I read the more I liked it. You'll need to be on your toes and possibly have a spreadsheet for this one. We are introduced to a wide group of characters who...I'm sure...will figure into the next twelve books in the series. The plot is well done . I found myself struggling to find the killer among all the possible suspects that we had to choose from and working against the fact that 1811 had no forensic science available as we do today that would have almost immediately eliminated most of them. Bottom line is it was well written, good character envelopment and I am so looking forward to more of Sebastian St. Cyr.

Little Girl Gone by Gerry Schmitt
Afton Tangler series Book #1
3★

On a frozen night in an affluent Minneapolis neighborhood, a baby is abducted from her home after her teenage babysitter is violently assaulted. The parents are frantic, the police are baffled, and, with the perpetrator already in the wind, the trail is getting colder by the second. As family liaison officer with the Minneapolis P.D., it’s Afton Tangler’s job to deal with the emotional aftermath of terrible crimes—but she’s never faced a case quite as brutal as this. Each development is more heartbreaking than the last and the only lead is a collection of seemingly unrelated clues.
But, most disturbing of all, Afton begins to suspect that this case is not isolated. Whoever did this has taken babies before—and if Afton doesn’t solve this crime soon, more children are sure to go missing.

I thought the writing style seemed more than just familiar and then I learned that Gerry Schmitt also writes as Laura Childs. Family liaison officer, Afton Tangler is assisting Susan and her husband with their trauma of their missing 3 month old baby girl, Elizabeth Anne. It was a small thing... but it bothered me that as the search for the child continues...Afton...the key character in this sad and sometimes depressing story...finds that she needs to inset the comment that the lead FBI agent in the case is “tall and lanky with steel gray hair and warm brown eyes the color of precious amber.” This, and other pronouncements by Afton concerning the agent takes the story from a well told mystery and crime novel, to a romance in almost the blink of an eye. I wish the author had kept to the this tale that she had started so well. I guess readers who don’t mind gratuitous injections of romance into a grim and disturbing plot line will just overlook it and read on.

What She Knew by Gilly MacMillian
3★

In a heartbeat, everything changes…Rachel Jenner is walking in a Bristol park with her eight-year-old son, Ben, when he asks if he can run ahead. It’s an ordinary request on an ordinary Sunday afternoon, and Rachel has no reason to worry—until Ben vanishes. Police are called, search parties go out, and Rachel, already insecure after her recent divorce, feels herself coming undone. As hours and then days pass without a sign of Ben, everyone who knew him is called into question, from Rachel’s newly married ex-husband to her mother-of-the-year sister. Inevitably, media attention focuses on Rachel too, and the public’s attitude toward her begins to shift from sympathy to suspicion.

As she desperately pieces together the threadbare clues, Rachel realizes that nothing is quite as she imagined it to be, not even her own judgment. And the greatest dangers may lie not in the anonymous strangers of every parent’s nightmares, but behind the familiar smiles of those she trusts the most. Where is Ben? The clock is ticking.

This is a realistic page-turner...almost too realistic. You feel as though you are in the middle of the investigation...complete with blogs and Facebook posts. I gained a great deal of sympathy for the family to which this unimaginable crime has happened. It had a good story line and excellent characters but was just a little too long and became bogged down at times with all the transcripts. While there was little new ground broken with the missing child scenario... when it is done reasonably well...as this one is...you have a very reliable book.

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
Mary Roach
3.5/5 stars
Author Mary Roach does love to push the bar with her book subjects and I loved her book Gulp which is all about the alimentary canal. In this book, she still is probing an unusual subject, cadavers. She writes all about the physical process of death, what happens to a person’s body after death, funeral customs, donating a body and other topics. I found this very interesting and she is quite funny and informative. This book is not for everyone but if you like unusual subjects this might appeal to you.

Quick & Dirty by Stuart Woods
Stone Barrington series Book #43
3★

When a slam-bang of a crime brings a beautiful new client into Stone Barrington’s office, little does he know his association with her will pull him into a far more serpentine mystery in the exclusive world of art. It’s a business where a rare find could make a career—and a collection—and mistakes in judgment are costly. And under its genteel and high-minded veneer lurks an assortment of grifters and malfeasants eager to cash in on the game. In the upscale world of New York City’s luxury penthouses and grand Hamptons estates, it will take a man of Stone Barrington’s careful discernment and well-honed instincts to get to the truth without ruffling the wrong feathers...because when it comes to priceless and irreplaceable works of art, the money and reputations at stake are worth killing for.

Everyone in this series is richer than God, more beautiful and sexy than anyone that Hollywood ever dreamed of...and always right. Just once I'd like to see one of the main characters have to go to the bank and beg and offer their first born to get a loan. I didn't particularly care for this one as I'm not really interested in the art world but I did rather enjoy watching Stone and the cops chasing after the fake Van Gogh that was always one step ahead of them throughout the entire book. It was a quick read and not a waste of time by any means.

The Heart Goes Last / Margaret Atwood
4 stars

Due to severe economic hard times, like so many other people, Stan and Charmaine are living in their car. When they are given an amazing opportunity to live in a real house, they jump at the chance! But, there’s a catch. They live in the house for one month, then have to live in a prison for the next month, then they alternate months with another couple doing the same thing. When Charmaine meets the man from the couple they alternate with (they aren’t supposed to meet their alternates), things get a little messy.

I really liked this! There were a few sections in the middle that weren’t as good, I didn’t think, and it got a bit silly, even, but overall, I still really enjoyed it! I like Margaret Atwood, but this – at least to me – seemed more appealing somehow and may be one of my favourites by her (though, to be honest, it is hard to compare to some I read years ago, before I did ratings and reviews).

Drums of Autumn – Diana Gabaldon
Book on CD performed by Davina Porter
3.5***

NOTE - If you have *not* read the previous books in this series, there will be spoilers ahead.

Book number four in the bestselling Outlander series, has Jamie and Claire making their home in the colonies, in the mountains of North Carolina to be exact. Meanwhile, back in 1969-70, Brianna and Roger have found additional information about the fate of the Frasers that leads them to some rash actions.

I just love this series. It is nothing like my favorite genre (which is literary fiction), but Gabaldon writes compelling stories with characters I care about. Even the ones I hate (Brianna) keep me interested and engaged. The action is non-stop, and the sex scenes are pretty good – at least those between consenting adults.

I was pretty happy with the way she dealt with the Native Americans in this installment. For the most part they are portrayed as having a complex culture and given respect for their ways. Claire even specifically seeks the counsel of the local Native Medicine Woman and learns a trick or two (Side note: Current medical professionals are actually using maggots to debride wounds in hospitals once again … and also leeches …).

I’m certain one or more of the supporting characters will make another appearance in later books … but if that’s the case, keep that info to yourself. I want to discover this saga all on my own.

Davina Porter is spot-on perfectly fabulous as the narrator of the audio book. She has a gift for voices and accents and is easily able to differentiate the many characters. My only quibble is her voice for Brianna; yes, she was raised by two Brits, but she was born and raised in the USA and should *not* have a British accent. She should sound American.

Blood Brother by Jack (J.A.) Kerley
Carson Ryder series Book #4
4.5★

the homicide detective with a hidden secret that could destroy his career.These brothers have murder in their veins.Detective Carson Ryder's sworn duty is to track killers down.Hes never revealed the fact that his brother. Jeremy. is one of Americas most notorious killers - now imprisoned.Secretly. Ryder has used Jeremy's homicidal insight to solve cases.Hes made a career out of it.Now his brother has escaped and is at large in New York.With Jeremy the chief suspect in a series of horrifying mutilation-murders. a mysterious video demands Ryder be brought into help.It looks like a straightforward manhunt.It couldn't be more different - or more terrifying.A dangerous cat-and-mouse game develops between Jeremy and the NYPD.

If you like gritty, sometimes gruesome murder novels this entire series will satisfy the "blood lust". This one explored more the love/hate relationship between Carson the detective... and Jeremy...his killer, formally imprisoned, brother. The entire Carson family has secrets that they are more than happy to have stay hidden but were bound to come to light. In many ways it was a lot like Silence of the Lambs. It's twisted tale...for lack of a better word...but you must read on to discover all the surprising revelations which this reader hopes will be built on in the next book.

>16 BookConcierge: have you read any of the Lord John novels? They are mostly set earlier than this book and are worth a read if you like his character.

Deep Freeze by John Sandford
Virgil Flowers Series Book #10
5★'s

Virgil knows the town of Trippton, Minnesota, a little too well. A few years back, he investigated the corrupt—and as it turned out, homicidal—local school board, and now the town’s back in view with more alarming news: A woman’s been found dead, frozen in a block of ice. There’s a possibility that it might be connected to a high school class of twenty years ago that has a mid-winter reunion coming up, and so, wrapping his coat a little tighter, Virgil begins to dig into twenty years’ worth of traumas, feuds, and bad blood. In the process, one thing becomes increasingly clear to him. It’s true what they say: High school is murder.

The character of Virgil Flowers began his "career" in the Davenport series and has taken on a persona all his own. He's smarter than he wants people to believe he is...he's methodical in his investigations...hanging on like a dog with it's favorite bone until he gets his suspect...and he takes the reader right along with him page after page. I have never been disappointed with anything that John Sandford produced in either of these series.

Cold Light by Jenn Ashworth
3★'s

A hauntingly beautiful and shocking psychological thriller in the vein of the bestselling novels of Tana French—a darkly compelling story of secrets between two teenage friends in a small English town. Ashworth already has created great buzz in the U.K. thanks to her stunning debut novel, A Kind of Intimacy, winner of the prestigious Betty Trask Award, and now Cold Light places her in elite literary company—alongside Laura Lippman, Kate Atkinson, and other acclaimed masters of intelligent, emotionally powerful mystery and suspense. An unforgettable tale of friendship and memory—and the shattering truth behind a forgotten dead body newly unearthed.

What can I say about this story? I guess the best description is that it's the sad story of teenage friendship gone wrong in the most devastating way. How well can we really know a person? Annie convinces herself that her neighbor is in love with her. Annie...like the majority of the characters... live largely within their own heads. Following the death of a teenager, a reconstruction process is under way to work out exactly what happened. The search for the truth peels back so many layers that the reader finds themselves asking "is there a real person inside?" I believe the biggest problem I had with the book is that I just didn’t like Annie or feel much compassion for what she and the others were going through as a consequence of their own making.

Educating Rita – Willy Russell
3.5***

From the book jacket: Hairdresser Rita feels that life has passed her by. She wants an education. But does Frank have anything to teach her?

My reactions:
Yes, Frank does have something to teach Rita, but she also teaches him. I love watching Rita grow and change throughout this play. I’ve never seen the play performed, nor did I watch the movie, though I remember it being quite popular back in the early 1980s. I knew the basic premise, however was still delighted to watch it unfold.

Rita is a marvelous character. Witty, and forthright. She does not suffer fools gladly, though t the outset she lacks confidence. She feel “less than” due to a lack of education, and envies the students on the university campus their lifestyle. Rita is not sure what she wants out of life, but she knows she wants more, and she sees education as a means to give her more options.

Frank is a perfect foe … a professor and has-been poet, who has more interest in the contents of the whiskey bottles than the contents of the books that line his office shelves, and behind which he stashes the drink. He’s cynical and has taken this special student only for the money.

But Frank sees something in Rita that sparks his interest. She’s so eager to learn, and he is forced to examine his own thoughts on books and literature and poetry and life based on her questions (and answers). He recognizes in her the spark of desire, and she kindles that spark in him. No, I don’t mean sexual desire … I mean that desire to live, to experience life fully, to learn new things, not because we need them for a job or a career, but because we simply want to live more fully. Rita isn’t certain what path she will choose, but she knows that, thanks to Frank, she now has more choices.

Black and White– David Macaulay
3***

This Caldecott-winning picture book tells four stories simultaneously: a boy on a train headed for a reunion; two children puzzled by the antics of their parents; people waiting for a train that is delayed; and a criminal who escapes. Or perhaps these are all one story. The frontispiece advises the reader to pay close attention to the pictures as well as the words.

It’s a clever concept and I’m sure children will delight in poring over the illustrations to find clues as to what is really happening. But I found the four stories distracting and not cohesive.

The Hidden Child – Camilla Läckberg
Digital audio performed by Simon Vance
4****

Erica’s mother has died, and when going through her mother’s possessions, she’s shocked to discover a Nazi medal. She goes to the home of a retired history professor to get information about the artifact, but he’s less than helpful and rather evasive. Two days later he’s dead. And Erica’s husband, Patrik, gets involved in the investigation.

This is the fifth book in the series featuring crime writer Erica Falck and Detective Patrik Hedström, in the village of Fjällbacka, Sweden. However, it’s the first one I’ve read; I’ll have to go back to the beginning, though to truly understand the relationships between recurring characters.

Läckberg uses a dual time line to tell this story. There are the events of 1945, when one young couple’s plans are shattered by prejudice and violence. And there is the current-day mystery of an artifact that threatens to reveal long-held secrets. There is also personal drama – a new baby, tensions at work, an ex-wife coming back. It’s a dark story, but Läckberg gives us a few moments of humor to break the tension.

I really liked the relationships between the characters. Delving into Erica’s past in this way certainly gives a different perspective on her current self, as well as illuminate the ways in which she relates to her husband, friends and colleagues. And I loved the interplay between the detectives on the team. I look forward to reading more of the series.

Simon Vance is excellent, as usual, when performing this audio. His voice simply draws the listener into the story. There are many characters to handle, and he is more than up for the task, even doing a good job of the women’s voices.

IT / Stephen King
4.75 stars

When Bill is 11 years old in the late 1950s, his younger brother is murdered. He and his group of friends are being bullied, while kids, in general, are disappearing from their small town of Derry, Maine, in way too high numbers. Although the results are obvious to everyone (the disappearance of kids), it seems only the kids can see some of what’s happening.

I listened to the audio, narrated by Steven Weber. He is very good; he did so well with all Richie’s voices! One thing I didn’t like (though it’s a small thing), and it’s only due to the audio, is with the back and forth in time – only close to the end – it was sometimes hard to tell if it was the adult characters or the kid characters we were following. In the print book, it should be easy enough to figure out. To reiterate, throughout most of the book, the back and forth in time was easy enough to follow, but there was just a little bit near the end where I had a bit of trouble.

The other thing I didn’t like (possible spoiler, though I’m still trying to keep it vague): Bev! What are you doing!? Why!? You’re 11 years old! Overall, though, I loved the characters, and except for the two small things, I loved the book! It was a reread. I read it in high school, and remember loving it then, too.

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
by Gail Honeyman
4/5 stars
Eleanor has fallen in love and he is the one for her. The only problem is that they have not met yet. She has seen his singing act and it has struck a chord within her. She knows that she needs to improve herself before she can approach him and in this single act of falling for him changes her whole life. However, there is a horrible secret from her past that keeps interfering with her going forward in her new life and she has to face up to those past events.
I really enjoyed this book and really was rooting for Eleanor who had everything against her and still manages to prevail with the help of a few friends and her own will to improve.

The Last Battle / Stephen Harding
3.5 stars

There is a castle in Austria called Schloss Itter. During WWII, there were French VIPs (mostly politicians) who were kept prisoner in Schloss Itter; needless to say, it was a fairly comfortable place to be kept prisoner during the war. When the war was over, though, they needed to be rescued. So, after the war had officially ended, American soldiers came together with a few German soldiers to get the French VIPs out, but there was a battle at the castle before they were able to leave.

This is a story from WWII that I knew nothing about. (Even for all I’ve read, I’m sure there are plenty of lesser-known stories.) It was interesting. In addition to information about the war, the castle, and the battle itself at the castle, there was biographical information about the prisoners, as well as the soldiers who worked together to help out (although, there were a lot of people, so it was still a bit tricky to recall who was who!). I also enjoy biographies, so those parts were some of the most interesting to me in this book, in addition to the battle itself. As a Canadian, I found Rene Levesque’s “cameo” in the book (he appeared later as a journalist) interesting. For the most part, I liked the way this book was written. There were a few dry parts, but mostly I enjoyed it.

Bookplate Special – Lorna Barrett
Audiobook performed by Cassandra Campbell
3***

Book number three in the Booktown Mystery series. Tricia Miles, owner of Haven’t Got a Clue mystery bookshop can’t help but investigate when her college roommate, Pammy, is found dead in a garbage bin, a day after Tricia told her to find another “temporary” residence. It’s not just any garbage bin, either … it’s behind Tricia’s sister’s café, which is right next door to the book shop. Angelica had even hired Pammy, after hearing her sob story of how Tricia “kicked her out.”

This is a typical cozy mystery, with a cast of colorful characters, and a nosy amateur sleuth who simply cannot help herself when it comes to investigating a crime on her doorstep. There’s a little romantic tension as well, and a few recipes at the end. (Angelica has written a cookbook, and runs a bistro, after all.) It’s not great literature, but it’s entertaining and a quick read. And, I just love all the references to books.

The audiobook is performed by Cassandra Campbell, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite audio narrators. She has good pacing, and is an accomplished voice artist, able to handle the large cast of characters.

Miss Julia Hits the Road – Ann B Ross
3***

Book number four in the popular series starring Miss Julia, a widow of a certain age. This time she gets her hackles up when she learns that a local slumlord is evicting all the poor African-American tenants, so he can demolish the homes and build a water bottling plant on the land. Miss Julia’s housekeeper, Lillian, is one of those tenants and she decides she will find a way to save the properties.

I just love Miss Julia, who frequently gets embroiled in one scandal / scheme or another when she jumps to conclusions and/or fails to fully understand the implications of what she’s been told. But her heart is always in the right place. This time the big fund-raising effort centers on a motorcycle race, and one donor challenges Miss Julia and “other refined, quality women over age fifty” to ride along as a condition of a major donation. What’s a lady to do?!

Miss Julia is just a hoot, and I was laughing aloud at several scenes.

There are two subplots involving Hazel Marie and Mr Pickens, and Binkie and Deputy Coleman. I think the books can be enjoyed as stand-alone novels, but readers probably should start from the beginning to fully appreciate the relationships between the full cast of recurring characters.

NOTE This is a re-read for me, but I first read it long before I joined Goodreads or Shelfari, so I don’t have the date recorded. I’m guessing it was shortly after this book was published. As I recall, I read the first book - Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind - and pretty quickly picked up the next two or three in the series.

>27 BookConcierge: I was reading this series and have come to a pause. Is it the same narrator for all the audios, do you know? Maybe (if my library has it!) I should try the audio for the next one.

Rescue by Anita Shreve
★ ★ ★ ★ - 288 pages

Can you ever really save another person? Peter Webster, rookie EMT, pulls a young woman from the wreckage of her car. Breaking rules, he later visits her in the hospital. He falls for her, and life comes at him quickly - marriage, baby - a life furnished in early poverty. And then she is gone, leaving Webster to raise their daughter on his own. As Rowan gets closer to graduating from high school, her life begins to veer off track and Webster reconsiders how well he really knew Sheila and whether daughter Rowan can be rescued.

A very quiet and introspective book. Not a lot of action, but an exploration of love.

Random Harvest by James Hilton
4 ★

Random Harvest is a novel written by James Hilton, first published in 1941. The novel was immensely popular, placing second on The New York Times list of bestselling novels for the year. The novel was successfully adapted into a film of the same name in 1942 and nominated for the Academy Award.

This is a very good story.... it's completely readable and well constructed. It is a tale of lost identity due to shell shock in the last world war, The main character has become a successful industrialist but has a two year gap in his memory. His personal life has remained detached and almost unnaturally unemotional but he continually seeks clues to those missing years. The reader gets his story in a series of flashbacks as one phase after another is revealed. There is an element of suspense...of mystery...of romance...which when all combined makes for memorable story.

The Sentinel by Arthur C. Clarke
3 ***

Part of my October 3 x 3 challenge; finished early Nov. (so very close!)

From the book jacket: In his first book since the bestselling 2010: Odyssey Two, Arthur C. Clarke presents a magnificent colletion of his finest work spanning four decades. Included in this volume, along with revealing new introductions, are: The Sentinel - the story that inspired 2001; Guardian Angel - the rarely-glimpsed work that gave birth to Childhood's End; The Songs of Distant Earth - a fantastic tale of first contact with an alien world, never before published in book form.

A group of classic sci-fi stories told by a master storyteller. He brings us to our own world again and again, while also venturing to Jupiter, the Moon, and Jupiter again. He describes solar-powered yacht races to the Moon and back, provides us with a glimpse of ourselves millions of years hence when Sol becomes a supernova, and plant the seeds for what becomes fundamental books and movies of this genre. It is a look into the "what could be" that is the best of science fiction.

For me, and the reason I gave it a 3* rating, is the super explanation of science that is now for me only mildly interesting. I can see where science geeks took ideas like this and ran with them; I'd definitely like to see the interplanetary yacht races done by giant kites! And Clarke does give some good human viewpoints that are burgeoning for the time in which he wrote. But like some science fiction fans for whom fantasy is not their thing, I think I'm more of a fantasy fan for whom science is interesting but not an important part of the story.

Dreams of Steam 4: Gizmos
4 1/2 ****

Final book in my October 3 x 3 challenge; finished just after The Sentinel above.

From the book jacket: Steampunk teases your imagination with the fantastic and makes dreams a reality. Bizarre characters abound in a world driven by gizmos. Steam power combines with clockwork cleverness to take the history we think we know so well and add a huge twist of "what if?" These 19 incredible stories will take you back in time to where style, crazy inventions, and scandal ruled the headlines.

A collection of fascinating short stories with a steampunk emphasis on gadgets and gizmos. There is imagination that describes an alternate Great War, one fought with dirigibles based on the plans of Nicola Tesla (always a steampunk favorite!); a classic American Western with a bad guy and the good sheriff and some prosthetic, geared limbs; and an apocalyptic fate that results in the building of artificial babies in the hopes that the remaining girls will know how to care for them (and will not be infertile). There's also a vampire-based story, poems, and a short story about the fortune teller behind a glass case on a railroad line who is not entirely without feeling or thought when the passengers put their coinage in the slot.

All in all a worthwhile read. If I were a cosplayer I would probably have gotten some ideas for some great steampunk costumes just from the descriptions of the garb or prosthetics mentioned here. Nicola Tesla is definitely a strong character in the steampunk genre, and this collection involves a great deal of imagination and talent.

Threadnsong's Reading List Update for November:

Finished the two books for an earlier October challenge.

Started Her Own Woman last night, and it looks like a well-written biography of an extraordinary woman. Yes, I read the ending just because I wanted to see how Jacobs describes the last days of Wollstonecraft's life. She gave hour by hour (almost) descriptions, discusses the medical complications in enough detail to provide knowledge as well as sadness, and then briefly sums up the lives of the people Mary leaves behind. Fanny's death is especially poignant.

Finally, finally made it through the Red Wedding in Storm of Swords! I knew it was coming, I knew it would be grisly, but in Martin's hands this long-anticipated horror was described as the characters would have perceived it. And how it is described by the smallfolk is equally authentic.

Other books are preceding apace, as well they should.

The Sleeper and the Spindle / Neil Gaiman
3.5 stars

There is an entire kingdom asleep next to one where the dark-haired queen (no names are used) will soon be getting married. She feels she and her dwarfs must go save the princess in the sleeping kingdom before her own wedding.

Beautiful illustrations, but very detailed and mostly pencil, so hard to see on my e-reader. I reread it on my PC where the illustrations were larger and easier to see; also couldn’t see on my e-reader, but there were bits of gold in the illustrations, as well. I think, because it’s a short story, I felt like I could read through fairly quickly, but there is some complexity to this one, so I reread the end of it (while on my PC) to get a better idea of what actually happened and the twist at the end. I would recommend reading this one in print, or at least on a larger screen with colour. Quite good, though, and I liked the twist!

>35 LibraryCin: What an interesting take on these tales!

>35 LibraryCin: It was very creative, I thought! (And, only after I'd copied/pasted it almost everywhere I wanted to, I thought I should have said that in my review! Hate it when that happens!)

Paranormal Intruder by Caroline Mitchell
3.5 ★

An innocent family finds itself completely helpless against the sudden onset of paranormal activity in their quiet rural home. A knife embedded in a kitchen cupboard, crockery smashed by invisible hands, and blood-chilling growls emit from thin air. Caroline and her husband Neil search for answers as they try to protect their family from the unseen entity that seems determined to rip them apart. The biggest question looms over them like a dark cloud ... who is going to help us? There are emergency services for many things, but not of this nature. It might be easier to believe temporary insanity, if not for the vast amount of witnesses. Police, fire services, mediums, priests and investigators all become embroiled in the mystery. The family struggles to cope, and Caroline grows concerned for her husband's failing health as he withdraws from the world. However, the entity has only just begun.

The book certainly gets you attention. It's an entertaining story rather you are a believer...a totally absolutely no way disbeliever....or a maybe it could happen, individual. I love haunted house stories...so I was just wanting to be entertained, but since Caroline Mitchell wrote and published the book as a real life experience for her family...I had to ask some questions about the events. Okay... all of a sudden they had this uninvited guest raising hell in their home...didn't they for one minute consider this "thing" to be dangerous? Instead they tried to communicate with it in a variety of ways. It knocked, growled, threw things, constantly rang their cell phones, followed them around, and set fires... and generally made life truly unbearable. They left the house, BUT... they kept returning. They even invited it to the local pub where it knocked, raised tables and followed them home. Didn't DEMON ever enter their minds? No one would really help them try to get rid of it...not the church...not the investigators...everyone just wanted to see the activity and be entertained by it. It got to where they were playing games with whatever this was. This just didn't seem plausible to how anyone with this thing hanging out in their home would react. Never throughout the entire book did any one come close to telling them what it was...where it came from...or what it wanted. IF it was a true story, as was claimed, there remained too many questions and not enough answers.

Love Walked In / Marisa de los Santos
3.5 stars

Cornelia works in a cafe and meets someone whom she starts dating. Clare is 11-years old and having a hard time with her mother, as her mother seems to be acting very odd. Clare knows something is wrong and is afraid her mother is sick.

The book started ok for me, but got better. It was ok at the start while I got to know the characters and what was going on. It really picked up for me in the middle after Cornelia and Clare met, but I have very mixed feelings about the ending. I’m settling on rating it “good” at 3.5 stars.

6 more books to go-will I make it ??????

When Books Went to War: The Stories that Helped Us Win World War II
Molly Guptill Manning
4/5 stars
Who would think a book about the distribution of books to WWII soldiers would be interesting? I certainly didn’t but then I read a review and thought I would give this book a try.

During WWI, there was a book distribution program for the troops but when that war ended the governing body of the program was not disbanded but funding for it ended. When Hitler encouraged the burning of books, librarians were up in arms over the desecration of books and took up the gathering of books to send to the troops and from there it grew until the government and publishers took it over. It certainly was a life saver to the men and women fighting the horror of war and over 141 million books were distributed to soldiers.

Manning does a wonderful job in portraying a possibly boring subject into a real page turner and I even found several books to include on my never ending reading list.

>31 Carol420: I remember seeing this film years ago and it was quite lovely with the even lovelier Greer Garson in it. I may have to add this book to my reading list.

And No Birds Sang by Farley Mowat
4★'s

In July 1942, Farley Mowat was an eager young infantryman bound for Europe and impatient for combat. This powerful, true account of the action he saw, fighting desperately to push the Nazis out of Italy, evokes the terrible reality of war with an honesty and clarity fiction can only imitate. In scene after unforgettable scene, he describes the agony and antic humor of the soldier's existence: the tedium of camp life, the savagery of the front, and the camaraderie shared by those who have been bloodied in battle. The title paraphrases a line from a John Keats poem in which Farley quotes:

"O what can ail thee, Knight at arms,
Alone and palely loitering,
The sedge has withered from the lake,
And no birds sing!"

I have always had great admiration for that generation who went to war and survived its horrors. This is a brutally honest account of what the author, Farley Mowat, witnessed and felt as his company went through Sicily and Italy in the allied invasions of 1943 and 1944. The book starts on a light and often humerus note with stories of his attempt to get into the army and the war, and some of the stories of his training in England. He finally goes into battle his mood and the mood of the book darkens as we witness the change that takes place within him and others he knew as they fought battle after battle ... after battle. The book is so well-written and even the letters that he sent home have such eloquence to them. May we never forget those dark days and may we have sense enough to never repeat them.

The Jungle by Clive Cussler & Jack Du Brul
Oregon File Series Book #8
4.5★'s

Jungles come in many forms. There are the steamy rain forests of the Burmese highlands. There are the lies and betrayals of the world of covert operations. And there are the dark and twisted thoughts of a man bent on near-global domination. To pull off their latest mission, Cabrillo and his remarkable men and women must survive them all. A devastating new weapon unleashed in thirteenth-century China . . . a daring rescue in the snowbound mountains along the Afghanistan–Pakistan border . . . a woman gone missing in the jungles of northern Thailand and Myanmar . . . for Cabrillo and company, all of these events will come together—leading to the greatest threat against U.S. security that the country has ever known.

The story is drawn with colorful word pictures of the surroundings...the jungle... the water travel... and the cast of characters. There are bizarre and unlikely puzzles that keep the reader on the edge until the very last word...and the last word is uttered by a surprising guest. Overall a perfect addition to this amazing series.

Red Lily by Nora Roberts
In The Garden series Book #3
3★

A Harper has always lived at Harper House, the centuries-old mansion just outside of Memphis. And for as long as anyone alive remembers, the ghostly Harper Bride has walked the halls, singing lullabies at night…

Hayley Phillips came to Memphis hoping for a new start, for herself and her unborn child. She wasn’t looking for a handout from her distant cousin Roz, just a job at her thriving In the Garden nursery. What she found was a home surrounded by beauty and the best friends she’s ever had—including Roz’s son Harper. To Hayley’s chagrin, she has begun to dream about Harper—as much more than a friend. If Hayley gives in to her desire, she’s afraid the foundation she’s built with Harper will come tumbling down. And that wouldn’t be the only consequence, since her dreams are tangled up with Roz and the nursery. Hayley will have to put the past behind her to know her own heart again—and to decide whether she’s willing to risk it

Romances are not my favorite or even second favorite genre but my mother had the book and she said I should try it. You know you should do what your mother says...right? It wasn't a terrible book or even a bad book...it just wasn't my type of book. I did find parts of it that caught and held my interest. The last part of the book seemed to ramble a bit...or in all fairness it could have just been me. Overall it was an entertaining read but if I hadn't needed a book that fit a category for a challenge I probably wouldn't have pick this up..but isn't that the whole point of a challenge?

Bellman & Black
Diane Setterfield
3.5/5 stars
Bellman, a young ambitious man, has had a hard life but soon finds himself in a good place with a family and a good job. However, life has different plans for him and the deaths of all but one of his family members occur. That night after they were buried, he meets a Mr. Black and strikes a bargain with him. Bellman than throws himself into his new venture but does not encounter Mr. Black till years later when he realizes he has made a huge mistake. This was definitely a page turner for me and also provoked a lot of thought.

The Midnight Line by Lee Child
Jack Reacher series Book #23
5 Stars

Jack Reacher just wants to return a ring that he found in a pawn shop in a small town in South Dakota. The owner had been a West Point graduate and Jack knows she wouldn't have just given it up without a good reason. Little does he know that following the ring's trail was going to involve him in a bigger more deadly scheme.

I am a big fan of the Jack Reacher series in spite of the 'Tom Cruise is not Reacher" debate. The character of Jack Reacher has always been a loner and because of that most of the time becomes suspect where ever he goes. This time he not only was accepted by the local law but he manages to not upset the apple cart too much, He shows a lot of compassion and understaning for this wounded 5 time Iraq veteran and even bent some of his most basic rules for her. Long time Reacher fans will find this an outstanding addition to the series and new readers will diffidently want more.

Ripley's Game / Patricia Highsmith
3.5 stars

This is the third book in the Tom Ripley series. At least at the start of the book, there is not much focus on Tom, himself. He manages to get involved in the life of a man, Jonathan, who has a disease and isn’t sure how long he is going to live. Jonathan is convinced to help murder someone… then is asked to do it again.

I think I liked this one better than the 2nd book (or what I remember of it!). To be honest, at least in the first half, I was bored when the focus was more on Tom’s life at home with his wife, Heloise, whom I find very boring. I have no interest in their lives. I found following Jonathan and his story much more interesting, and when Tom got more involved with Jonathan, that ramped up my interest. Part of the book was a little more edge-of-your-seat (or my seat, anyway!), I thought. But, I didn’t think the end was realistic… or, realism aside, it wasn’t in character (not Tom’s or Jonathan’s character, but Simone’s charater, Jonathan’s wife). So, overall, it was a “good” read for me.

Born a Crime / Trevor Noah
4 stars

Trevor Noah was born in South Africa during apartheid to a black mother and a white father, which was illegal (yes, his being born to an interracial couple was illegal). He mostly grew up with his mother, but had trouble fitting in anywhere, since he was coloured. The book is about Trevor’s childhood; it deals quite a bit with race relations, and also parts deal with his home life with his abusive stepfather.

I listened to the audio, narrated by Trevor himself, which was nice because then I got a proper pronunciation of various words in various languages. The book does hop around chronologically, so there were times I had to stop and think, wait – that hasn’t happened yet! Overall, though, very enjoyable book, and very good audio.

Schedule for Group Read of The Death Sculptor by Chris Carter, #4 in the Robert Hunter Series

Sunday 19th November : 1 - 21
Monday 20th November : 22 - 44
Tuesday 21st November : 45 - 67
Wednesday 22nd November : 68 - 92
Thursday 23rd November : 93 - 119

All is Not Forgotten by Wendy Walker
2

It begins in the small, affluent town of Fairview, Connecticut, where everything seems picture perfect. Until one night when young Jenny Kramer is attacked at a local party. In the hours immediately after, she is given a controversial drug to medically erase her memory of the violent assault. But, in the weeks and months that follow, as she heals from her physical wounds, and with no factual recall of the attack, Jenny struggles with her raging emotional memory. Her father, Tom, becomes obsessed with his inability to find her attacker and seek justice while her mother, Charlotte, struggles to pretend this horrific event did not touch her carefully constructed world. As Tom and Charlotte seek help for their daughter, the fault lines within their marriage and their close-knit community emerge from the shadows where they have been hidden for years, and the relentless quest to find the monster who invaded their town - or perhaps lives among them

I read a lot of real crime books as well as really gritty non-fiction books so I know it wasn't the violent rape that earned this book a 2 star rating. Actually that was the most interesting part of the entire book. The parents were so divided on the "treatment" that their young daughter received...a drug that would make her forget that the rape ever happened. I strongly believe it was more for the mother's benefit but the father didn't have enough backbone to say "no". Then most of the remainder of the book was an account by the psychiatrist that went on and on. I lost any interest in the book before the half way mark.

The Water is Wide / Pat Conroy
4 stars

When Pat Conroy was a new teacher, he set out for a small island off the coast of South Carolina in 1969/70 to teach poor kids at a black school there. What a culture shock! Not only did these kids mostly not know how to read or write, but they had never experienced Halloween! Pat did a lot for these kids over the year, and taught them in unorthodox ways.

I thought this was a memoir, but it was only at the very end of the book that it said it was “based on” his year on the island. I think it also said “fiction” somewhere, but I may be mixing that up with a review I read. I did disagree with one thing he did/argued for, but overall, I was enjoyed this book. It just might have been nice to know ahead of time that it may not have been a completely true account, though.

The Bone Clocks
David Mitchell
2.5/5 stars
This dark, epic story of Mitchell’s surrounds a young English girl, Holly Sykes, who has run away after learning her boyfriend has cheated on her. She returns when she finds out her brother, Jacko has disappeared but not before encountering a mysterious character named Marinus who is a horologist (beings who are reincarnated) and who she will encounter off and on throughout the book in different time periods. I loved the first chapter and loved the main character, Holly but after that first chapter I just got mired in all the characters (most of them very despicable and unlikable) and the different story lines, wondering when this was all going to end and in the end was just disappointed with the outcome of the story line and the book. However, I have not given up on Mitchell. Cloud Atlas is one of my favorite books and I look forward to reading more of him.

The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks
4.5★

The Wasp Factory is the bizarre, imaginative, disturbing, and darkly comic look into the mind of a child psychopath. Meet Frank Cauldhame. Just sixteen, and unconventional to say the least.
"Two years after I killed Blyth I murdered my young brother Paul, for quite different and more fundamental reasons than I'd disposed of Blyth, and then a year after that I did for my young cousin Esmerelda, more or less on a whim. That's my score to date. Three. I haven't killed anybody for years, and don't intend to ever again. It was just a stage I was going through."

"I had been making the rounds of the Sacrifice Poles the day we heard my brother had escaped. I already knew something was going to happen; the Factory told me."
Those lines begin one of the creepiest Scottish characters and novels that I have read in some time. Frank Cauldhame, is a weird and scary 16 year old who lives on a tiny island connected to mainland Scotland by a bridge. He maintains grisly "Sacrifice Poles" to serve as his early warning system and deterrent against anyone who might invade his territory. Those that choose to push their luck soon find that any luck they had had run out. If the author was going for shock value he achieved it with flying colors creating characters carrying out some really sick and violent acts... the ultimate dysfunctional family. This book is NOT for the faint of heart or stomach.

The Death Sculptor by Chris Carter
Robert Hunter series Book #4
4.5 ★

A student nurse has the shock of her life when she discovers her patient, prosecutor Derek Nicholson, brutally murdered in his bed. The act seems senseless - Nicholson was terminally ill with only weeks to live. But what most shocks Detective Robert Hunter is the calling card the killer left behind.

This is the 4th book in the Robert Hunter series which follows the investigations of a unique squad of the Los Angeles Police Dept. Just as I thought Chris Carter couldn’t get any more twisted and gruesome along comes this addition to the series...The Death Sculptor. The serial killer is the stuff of nightmares which challenges all of Robert Hunter and Carlos Garcia's skills. An added plus for the book is that the reader uncovers a little bit more about Robert’s past...and we are introduced to Alice who is brought in to assist the team in tracking down this killer. The plot line was a little unbelievable, although I'm sure there is some evil piece of humanity out there that probably could accomplish this. At any rate it makes for a disturbing but entertaining police procedural with a total surprise at the end. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

>48 LibraryCin: I bought this book recently and will read it for my next bio/autobio challenge. Thank you for a good discussion of it. I'm always amazed when I watch "The Daily Show" the facility with which Trevor Noah is able to switch into different accents and languages at a moment's notice. He brings a new-ness to the world of late-night TV, probably in part because of his early history.

Joe Cahill: A Life in the IRA
Brendan Anderson
3/5 stars

I'll start by saying I bought this book before being so involved in on-line book groups, and my deepest apologies in advance to anyone here personally affected by The Troubles. I had thought about deleting this book from my list, or not posting about it, but I am not a fan of censorship so I'm being brave and posting. I hope you understand.

Cahill was not an easy book to read, and not just because of the subject matter which is disturbing enough. Anderson brings so much detail, through Cahill's words and through historical background, of more than just republicans, unionists, Sinn Fein, the IRA, that the groups and movements and events constantly bogged me down in reading them.

On the other hand . . . life in a gaol on death row, the constant barricades and partitioning of the North, the background on what led to Bloody Sunday, and the hunger strikes that included the death of Bobby Sands and others at the start of Margaret Thatcher's reign as PM were given a strong historical foundation. A researcher interested in The Troubles, or a psychologist interested in what makes someone justify their violence while still making the Good Friday Agreement with President Bill Clinton a reality would find a recommendation in this book.

>55 threadnsong: I actually had no idea who he was when people starting reading and reviewing his book. Still never had it quite straight beyond that he's on one of the late night talk shows! :-)

Hope you enjoy it. Are you planning to listen to the audio?

>57 LibraryCin: He took over on "The Daily Show" when Jon Stewart retired, just so you know.

I have the book-book, but I may check into the audio version if the written words don't hold my attention. Or maybe I'll listen to the audio version anyway, since a) you recommend it and b) Trevor's style is quite unique. Thank you for asking!

>29 LibraryCin:
Sorry, Cin ... I just noticed your question. This is the only audio of the Miss Julia series that I've listened to, so don't know if the same performed does them all. Sorry I can't be more helpful.

The Making of the President 1960 – Theodore H White
3***

Subtitle: A Narrative History of American Politics in Action.

About a year before the November 1960 election, Theodore H White began studying the likely candidates. He focused on a handful of men with aspirations and/or apparent qualifications: Humphrey, Kennedy, Stevenson, Johnson, Nixon, Rockefeller. He travelled from state to state reporting on the primaries or state caucuses / conventions. (In that era, there were only sixteen states that held primaries!) He attended the Democratic and Republican national conventions. And he closely followed the candidates as they campaigned for the presidency.

I was fascinated to learn some of this history, and the first-hand look at the “political machines” that produced these two candidates, and ultimately President John F Kennedy. I also found this a surprisingly nostalgic book … It was published in 1961, shortly after Kennedy’s inauguration, so there is no hint of what is to come in November 1963.

It’s somewhat dated – the process is different more than half a century later. And yet, there is something timeless about this story. Serious issues of race, the economy, potential for nuclear war, etc still plague our country. Good men and women still struggle to find solutions. My face-to-face book club had a fascinating and spirited discussion of this work.

The Magician’s Assistant – Ann Patchett
Digital audio book performed by Karen Ziemba
3.5***

From the book jacket: Sabine – twenty years a magician’s assistant to her handsome, charming husband – is suddenly a widow. In the wake of his death, she finds he has left a final trick: a false identity and a family allegedly lost in a tragic accident but now revealed as very much alive and well. Named as heirs in his will, they enter Sabine’s life and set her on an adventure of unraveling his secrets, from sunny Los Angeles to the windswept plains of Nebraska, that will work its own sort of magic on her.

My reactions:
The first book by Patchett that I read was Bel Canto, and I was struck with how masterfully she portrayed those characters. Once again, I marvel at Patchett’s skill in drawing fully realized characters. Even the deceased – Parsifal, Phan, Albert – are alive in the way they are remembered by Sabine, by Dot, or by Kitty.

The story unfolds in bits and pieces, much as it would in real life. You don’t tell everything at once to someone you’ve just met, and likewise Sabine keeps some things to herself in describing her years with Parsifal to his mother, and Dot keeps key bits of information from Sabine in relating Parsifal/Guy’s childhood. In this way, the reader feels the same hesitancy as these characters. And yet, their ultimate decisions seem correct and reasonable, even when relayed as abrupt and hasty.

I also really liked how the environment affects their actions. Sabine is a different person in sunny Los Angeles than she is in snowy Nebraska.

Karen Ziemba does a fine job performing the audio book. She has good pacing and a facility for voices that made it clear who each character was.

>59 BookConcierge: No worries and thank you!

The Thistle and the Rose / Jean Plaidy
4 stars

Margaret Tudor (Henry VIII’s older sister) was sent to Scotland when she was 12 or 13 to marry King James IV. She fell immediately in love when she met him, but he died young, in battle. In the years to come, she would fall easily in love and eventually be disappointed. But, she always had her and James’ son, James V, to fight for the crown for.

I don’t remember reading anything about Margaret before (though it appears that I have, but it was a number of years ago), so this was quite interesting. It’s funny, with all I’ve read about Henry (and a little bit about their youngest sister, Mary), I always thought Margaret was kind of boring, but Plaidy made her interesting to me. That may be more because she focused on her personal life than on the politics, though. Of course, the politics always came in to play to determine how her life would go. Of the few by Plaidy I’ve read, this might be one of my favourites.

The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy
Rachel Joyce
4/5 stars
This is the heart warming sequel to The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and in it the author focuses on the character, Queenie. Queenie is at the end of her life in a nursing home. When she finds out her former co-worker, Harold Fry is taking a pilgrimage to see her, she reminisces and writes about their friendship and her awkward relationship with his son, David. Harold's trip has also charmed the other nursing home residents and changed life for them too as they look forward to his visit.
I read Joyce's first book in the series, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and enjoyed it but you can read either book on its own and in any order, IMO. Fiction

Three books left to finish my goal!

>61 BookConcierge: I read this book a few years ago and really agree with your descriptions of the characters and the plot unfolding. I liked the way that Sabine discovers bit by bit who she was and who her late husband was.

#2 - Word second in the title

The Second Time Around by Mary Higgins Clark
3.5★

In spite of some short comings...the book makes for an entertaining read. One thing that I especially liked about it was how plot focused it was. The protagonist is likable, and has a mind of her own.

As we all know, for every plus there could be a negative. The biggest negative that I saw was that the author for some reason thought that it was necessary produce a recap of the story in nearly every chapter. I also got rather tired of the main character's "gut instinct" always being right no matter what. These however are small, easily overlooked things that the reader can live with.

Sophie: The Incredible True Story of The Castaway Dog
3★

Sophie, the Australian cattle dog who was lost at sea and swam six miles through shark-infested waters to a remote island where she survived in the wild for five months.


The fact that it was a true story was enough to make me want to read the book and find out what had happened to Sophie. Unfortunately most of the book is about Sophie's owners. The fairy tale lives of the family was told over and over and over again as well as the "what ifs" concerning the dog's horrible experience. These back stories of insignificant characters was not necessary nor was the repeated daily schedule of the characters. I just wanted to find out what happened to Sophie. Eventually I just skipped over the repetitive descriptions. The parts about Sophie and her ordeal and her amazing rescue were worth the time to read the book.

Supernaturals II: In The Still of The Night by David L. Golemon
Supernatural series Book #2
4.5★

Five years ago, the ghost-hunting Supernaturals disbanded after being accused of faking their footage of the haunting at Summer Place. Now, the eccentric, but brilliant, team of scientists and paranormal experts are being asked to join forces once again― this time to save the President.

I read the first book in the series...The Supernaturals...and found it to be one of the best haunted house stories that I had ever read. The way the book ended though I wasn't sure that it was meant to be a series so when Supernaturals II: In the Still of the Night came out I was overjoyed to say the least. All the team with all their "ghost hunting talents" were back together...but they didn't have quiet the same pizzazz that the first book had. This one is sometimes a little hard to follow but the story in itself in intriguing. Anyone that craves haunted house and ghost stories as I do will be thrilled with this offering. I do sincerely hope there will be a third one.

An Idiot Girl's Christmas: True Tales from the Top of the Naughty List by Laurie Notaro
★ ★ ★ ★ - 160 pages

Laugh out loud funny! Notaro brings her signature humor to the holiday season - shopping with Nana, leaving the tree up for months just to annoy her mother, and more. A great read for the holiday season!

Road Trip Rwanda / Will Ferguson
4 stars

Author Will Ferguson has a friend in Calgary, Canada, who is originally from Rwanda, Jean-Claude. A 19-year old Jean-Claude, a Tutsi, got out of the country mere months before the genocide in 1994. The two take a trip to Rwanda for a few weeks and Jean-Claude tours Will around.

I learned that Rwanda has come back from the genocide socially and economically ahead of the game, ahead of other African countries, and ahead of many other countries in the world. It’s an impressive turn-around; of course, the ghosts of the genocide are still everywhere in the country. The book includes a brief history of what led to the genocide and the genocide itself, and of course, we learned more about various things that happened in various places throughout the country as Will and Jean-Claude took their trip.

There were a couple of respites from genocide “memories”: they did a tour in the Virunga Mountains to see Dian Fossey’s gorillas; they also went to a national park, where the wildlife is protected. I’ve read about both the genocide and Dian Fossey and the gorillas, so much of the information wasn’t new to me, but this was a reminder. Ferguson often adds humour to his travel books, but this one is a tough one to do that with. There is a bit, but not as much as in his other books. Overall, I thought this was a very good book to get information about the tough topic of the Rwandan genocide, in addition to updates about the country.

Rabbit Cake
Annie Hartnett
4/5 stars
Elvis, a young girl and her sister Lizzie live an unusual life with weird but wonderful parents. However, one night when her father drinks too much, he is unaware that his wife, who walks in her sleep, got up and left the house only to drown while trying to swim in the lake. The house is thrown in chaos as they deal with her death. To make matters worse, Lizzie starts to sleep walk. But there are some bright spots with Elvis, who starts volunteering at the zoo and Lizzie, who is trying to make a world record by making the most rabbit cakes ever made. Enjoyable and heart warming.

Schedule for the Group Read of Proof by Dick Francis, a standalone.

Wednesday 29th November : Chapter 1 to 5
Thursday 30th November : Chapter 6 to 10
Friday 1st December 🎄: Chapter 11 to 13
Saturday 2nd December 🔔: Chapter 14 to 17
Sunday 3rd December 🎁: Chapter 18 to 22

End Game by David Baldacci
Will Robie series Book #5
5★

Will Robie and Jessica Reel are two of the most lethal people alive. They're the ones the government calls in when the utmost secrecy is required to take out those who plot violence and mass destruction against the United States. And through every mission, one man has always had their backs: their handler, code-named Blue Man. But now, Blue Man is missing.

Last seen in rural Colorado, Blue Man had taken a rare vacation to go fly fishing in his hometown when he disappeared off the grid. With no communications since, the team can't help but fear the worst. Sent to investigate, Robie and Reel arrive in the small town of Grand to discover that it has its own share of problems. A stagnant local economy and a woefully understaffed police force have made this small community a magnet for crime, drugs, and a growing number of militant fringe groups. Robie and Reel find themselves up against an adversary with superior firepower and a home-court advantage, they'll be lucky if they make it out alive, with or without Blue Man .

Assassins Will Robie and Jessica Reel are forced to become detectives to solve a baffling disappearance. They are clearly out of their element but know that the country depends on the return of the man known as "Blue Man". The citizens of the small town of Grand, Colorado have issues with strangers asking questions. Both Robie and Reel have stumbled into a vast conspiracy that will probably get them killed. To make matters all the worse they are having personal issues. Robie has fallen in love with Reel. Never a good idea in their line of work. As always, an excellent book from a truly talented author. David Baldacci has been one of my very favorites from his first book on and that has certainly not changed. Another excellent series.

The Egg Tree – Katherine Milhous
4****

Milhous tells a story of a long ago Easter, when the children spend time at their grandparents’ Pennsylvania farm. Along with their cousins Katy and Carl hunt for Easter eggs, but Katy isn’t having much luck, until she heads for the attic and finds a treasure trove of beautifully decorated eggs in a hatbox.

This was a delightful story that tells of a long-time family tradition. I like how the children become interested and then eager to participate in this tradition that had fallen by the wayside. The book shows the family working together to decorate the eggs, and even bringing in other people from the area.

I was somewhat disappointed in the illustrations. Given the topic, and knowing that Milhous won the Caldecott Medal for this book, I was expecting more vibrant coloring. Instead, she uses a rather muted palette. Still, I do like the expressions on the faces of the people (adults and children, alike), as well as the detailed drawings of some of the traditional egg designs.

The Elephant Whisperer / Lawrence Anthony
4.5 stars

Lawrence Anthony bought a game reserve in South Africa and shortly after, rescued a herd of troublemaking elephants. He was able to calm them down and even befriend them. As the elephants become more well-behaved, his reserve grew with more and more wildlife and stories (good and bad, including poaching, a common threat) on the reserve.

I loved most of this! I listened to the audio, and did lose interest a few times, mostly during parts that weren’t about the animals, and I ended up sobbing as I walked from my work to the train listening at the end of the book!

>75 LibraryCin:
I loved this book! Totally get the sobbing part ... same here. I have his other works on my tbr.

Victim Six – Gregg Olsen
3.5***

A serial killer is terrorizing towns around Puget Sound. Kitsap County Sherriff’s Detective Kendall Stark begins the investigation and identifies the common threads linking these murders. Serenity Hutchins is a hungry young reporter intent on making her name on this story, but where is she getting her inside information?

I really liked Kendall as a lead character. I’m glad that Olsen included some of her back story and home life, to give the reader a more rounded character. She is a really strong female lead character – smart, resilient, resourceful, intelligent and compassionate.

I was less enthralled with Serenity. Though I think I understand some of her thought process, given her upbringing, I just can’t reconcile her behavior with that of a committed journalist. I’m struggling with how to describe my dissatisfaction with her as a character, because I don’t want to include any spoilers.

Still, I could barely put it down. This is a tightly-written, fast-paced psychological thriller. It’s not for the faint of heart; it’s about a sexual sadist serial killer, and there are some very graphic scenes.

The Xibalba Murders – Lyn Hamilton
3***

Number one in the Lara McClintoch Archeological Mystery series, takes our heroine from her home in Toronto to the Yucatan peninsula. Lara’s marriage has ended and she’s lost her business, so when a former teacher and mentor calls and asks her to come to Merida, Mexico to help him with an important new discovery, she jumps at the chance. But Dr Hernan Castillo is killed before she can meet with him and now she’s a suspect in his murder. She doesn’t know whom to trust, but is certain if she can find out what Castillo had discovered she’ll solve the murder.

Every chapter began with some explanation of the relevance of the day to the Mayan calendar and Maya gods. Lara dreamed about Mayan deities and used those dreams to guide her actions. I am a fan of magical realism, but Hamilton’s efforts seemed heavy-handed. I also thought Lara behaved in a reckless manner on more than one occasion. I identified the culprit long before she did, but then the book would have been very short if she’d caught on when I did!

All in all, it was a somewhat entertaining mystery … a bit more hard-hitting than most cozies, though Lara IS an amateur sleuth. I did enjoy learning a bit more about Mayan lore.

>76 BookConcierge: I added the rhino one right after I saw it! :-)

And, I've cried before while on public transit, but usually silent tears. The sobbing doesn't happen very often and I can usually manage to control it! Not this time.

I always feel a bit weird, but at least with a print book or ebook, someone else could probably guess why someone is crying! With audio, I think most people wouldn't guess that!

The Lost City of the Monkey God – Douglas Preston
Digital audiobook narrated by Bill Mumy
4****

Subtitle: A True Story

From the book jacket: A five-hundred-year-old legend. An ancient curse. A stunning medical mystery. And a pioneering journey into the unknown heart of the world’s densest jungle.

My reactions: Wow. Preston is perhaps best known as the co-author with Lincoln Child of the mystery series starring FBI agent Aloysius Pendergast. But he has also written nonfiction, and worked as a writer and editor for the American Museum of Natural History.

I was mesmerized by this adventure story, as Preston recounts the expedition’s efforts to find these ruins in the dense jungle, plagued by weather, poisonous snakes, and biting insects. And I was equally interested in the history (rumors of a lost city of immense wealth date back to the days of the Conquistadors) to the alleged curse that anyone who dares enter the city will fall ill and die.

But this was more than just an adventure of grown men playing at Indiana Jones. Preston also give equal time to political discourse and environmental impact. And the medical mystery of aftereffects of their time in the jungle was equally fascinating, and horrifying.

Bill Mumy does a fantastic job narrating the audio book. He set a great pace and I felt the sense of awe and wonder at the expedition members’ discovery of the ruins, as well as their anxiety and worry over symptoms that puzzled medical professionals.

Chocolate, Chocolate – Frances Park and Ginger Park
3***

Subtitle: The True Story of Two Sisters, Tons of Treats, and the Little Shop That Could

When their father died of a stroke while on vacation, the Park sisters were left adrift. They were in their twenties, and still living at home in suburban Virginia with their mother when they decided to use the inheritance their father had left them to open a boutique specializing in high-end chocolates. This is the story of that “little shop that could,” and of the bond between two sisters.

It’s a charming memoir, but I found it repetitious. While I admit to self-medicating with chocolate, reading about that in chapter after chapter is less satisfying. Co-authored by the two sisters, it is also written in an oddly first-person-plural style combined with third-person references. So they’ll write something along the lines of “We were excited…” Followed by “Francie gave the customer…” I honestly don’t know how else they might have written it, as co-authors, but for me, it just didn’t flow.

Still, they have an interesting story to tell, and I really likeved their relationship with their mother and with their customers.

The Good Lord Bird – James McBride
Book on CD performed by Michael Boatman.
3.5***

McBride looks at John Brown and Harpers Ferry through the lens of a “freed” slave, Henry Shackleford (known as Onion). Onion narrates the tale, taking the readers from Kansas Territory in 1856 to the events at Harpers Ferry (then in the Commonwealth of Virginia), when abolitionists led by Brown raided the armory in 1859. This was a pivotal event in the onset of the Civil War.

Onion is a fictional character, but there are many real historical figures in the book. In addition to John Brown and his sons, Harriet Tubman, Col Lewis Washington and Frederick Douglass make appearances. And while McBride may have taken liberties in describing “The Railman” and his involvement, it is true that the first casualty of the raid on the arsenal was a free black man.

What brings the history to life, though is the slave boy, Henry “Onion” Shackleford. A chance encounter with Brown in his father’s barbershop goes awry, and in the confusion, he is taken on by Brown, who mistakenly believes the child is a girl. Brown considers Onion a good luck charm, and he cares for the child. Onion continues to live as a girl for the next three years, sometimes being in the direct care of Brown, and sometimes being separated from him. Always, Henry is a marvelous observer of what is going on around him. He doesn’t always understand the ramifications of what he learns, but he does his best.

He believes that Brown is a fanatic and possibly crazy, but he also recognizes Brown’s genuine belief that slavery is wrong and that it should be abolished. He follows Brown’s rag tag “army” helping where he can, but mostly trying to stay out of the way. Related by Onion, many of the events are just plain hilarious; a surprise in a book about slavery. I’ve seen reviews that compare McBride to Mark Twain, and I guess I see that here – an adventure tale that is about a serious event / issue, but that includes room for humor.

I love McBride’s writing, but this seemed ungainly in places. I kept waiting for the “action” to happen, especially in the period when Henry was separated from Brown. And I thought some of the proselytizing that Brown engages in was unnecessary, though I admit that it helps to paint the picture of this MAN-WITH-A-CAUSE. I do not usually round up when I rate a book with a half-star, but in this case I will. There is more that is great about this book than not.

Michael Boatman does a superb job voicing the audiobook. He is able to give unique voices to the many characters, and I particularly like the way he voiced John Brown and Henry. McBride uses vernacular dialect of the time, and listening to that is (in my humble opinion) a bit easier than reading it on the page.