Majkia's ROOTs

Welcome to my ROOT thread for 2018.

My rules this year are simple: Any book I own is a ROOT. Whether I finish it, or Pearl Rule it or don't even open it, if I take it out of my To Read Collection, it counts!

I read mostly ebooks, and audiobooks. I seldom touch dead tree books but will indicate such if I do so happen to read one!









- Woman on the Orient Express - Lindsay Jayne Ashford - ROOT from earlier this year.

- The Wrong Stars - Tim Pratt - ROOT from 2017

First Quarter



January
1. Black Dog - Stephen Booth
2. They Shall Have Stars - James Blish
3. The Hanging Girl - Jussi Adler-Olsen
4. Command Decision - Elizabeth Moon
5. Gardens of the Moon - Steven Erikson
6. The Christie Curse - Victoria Abbott
7. Maids of Misfortune - M. Louisa Locke

February
8. The Scar - China Mieville
9. After the Crown - K. B. Wagers
10. Beyond the Empire - K.B. Wagers
11. A Darkling Sea - James L. Cambrias
12. Hunted - Kevin Hearne
13. Jurassic Park - Michael Crichton
14. La Belle Sauvage - Philip Pullman
15. Bride of the Rat-God - Barbara Hambly
16. Revenger - Alastair Reynolds
17. Prince of Thorns - Mark Lawrence

March

18. The Fell Sword - Miles Cameron
19. Welcome to Night Vale - Joseph Fink
20. The Lives of Tao - Westley Chu
21. Faithful Place - Tana French
22. The Fold - Peter Clines
23. Illuminae - Amie Kaufman
24. For We Are Many - Dennis E. Taylor
25. Jade City - Fonda Lee
26. All These Worlds - Dennis E. Taylor
27. The Last Judgement - Ian Pears

Second Quarter


April
28. The Crown Conspiracy - Michael J. Sullivan
29. Avempartha - Michael J. Sullivan
30. TimeRiders - Alex Scarrow
31. Updraft - Fran Wilde
32. The Man in the Queue - Josephine Tey
33. Stiletto - A Novel - Daniel O'Malley
34. The Pale Horseman - Bernard Cornwell
35. Cards of Grief - Jane Yolen
36. A Quiet Life in the Country - T.E. Kinsey

May
37. King's Dragon - Kate Elliott
38. Appleby on Ararat - Michael Innes
39. The Collapsing Empire - John Scalzi
40. A Head Full of Ghosts - Paul Tremblay DNF
41. Thereby Hangs a Tail - Spencer Quinn
42. Wake of the Bloody Angel - Alex Bledsoe
43. Kushiel's Dart - Jacqueline Carey DNF
44. Watchers of Time - Charles Todd
45. Royal Flush - Rhys Bowen
46. Mechanical Failure - Joe Zieja
47. The Queen's Poisoner - Jeff Wheeler
48. Quantum Night - Robert J. Sawyer

June
49. Victory Conditions - Elizabeth Moon
50. Bones of the Earth - Michael Swanwick
51. The Reality Dysfunction - Peter F. Hamilton
52. All Systems Red - Martha Wells
53. The Shadow Throne - Django Wexler
54. A Natural History of Dragons - Marie Brennan

Third Quarter


July
55. A Conjuring of Light - V.E. Schwab
56. A Shadow in Summer - Daniel Abraham
57. A Betrayal in Winter - Daniel Abraham
58. The Crimson Campaign - Brian McClellan
59. Two for Sorrow - Nicola Upson
60. The Autumn Republic - Brian McClellan
61. Sleeping Giants - Sylvain Neuvel
62. An Autumn War - Daniel Abraham
63. The Beautiful Mystery - Louise Penny
64. Broken Harbour - Tana French
65. Etiquette and Espionage - Gail Carriger

August
66. A Fearsome Doubt - Charles Todd
67. The Immortals - Jordana Max Brodsky
68. The Price of Spring - Daniel Abraham
69. The Stars are Legion - Kameron Hurley
70. Dune - Frank Herbert
71. The Other Einstein - Marie Benedict DNF
72. The Daffodil Affair - Michael Innes
73. Half-Resurrection Blues - Daniel Jose Older

September
74. A Closed and Common Orbit - Becky Chambers
75. Dark Run - Mike Brooks
76. The Bone Labyrinth - James Rollins
77. Empire of Sand - Tasha Suri

Fourth Quarter:


October
78. Iron Gold - Pierce Brown
79. Borderline - Misha Baker
80. Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. - Neal Stephenson
81. Persepolis Rising- James S.A. Corey
82. The Last Colony - John Scalzi
83. The Fifth Season - N.K. Jemisin

November
84. Pushing Ice - Alastair Reynolds
85. The Hidden Family - Charles Stross
86. Starhawk - Jack McDevitt
87. Black Wind - Paul F. Wilson
88. The Engines of God - Jack McDevitt
89. Central Station - Lavie Tidhar
90. What Darkness Brings - C.S. Harris
91. God's War - Kameron Hurley DNF

December
92. The Chrysalids - John Wyndham
93. The Second Ship - Richard Phillips
94. Iron House - John Hart
95. Ice Station Zebra - Alastair MacLean
96. The Dread Wyrm - Miles Cameron
97. Swords and Deviltry - Fritz Leiber
98. Ink and Bone - Rachel Caine
99. Mortal Engines - Philip Reeve

saved

Let's talk books, and anything else that appeals.

Hi Jean, those are wonderful images! Happy reading!

Good to see you, Jean and good luck with ROOTing.

I love those pictures!

Very nice pics! Good luck with your rooting!

I hope you find lots of great reads on those shelves!

Welcome back and have a great reading year!

Welcome back, and what beautiful opening pictures!

Thanks everyone! Wishing all the best of holidays no matter what you celebrate and a healthy survival of the madness.

The pictures on your thread are wonderful, Jean. Good luck with your ROOTing.

To all who celebrate:

Glad you're with us again!

Happy ROOTing in 2018, Jean! I like your no-nonsense rules :)

I totally love that your tickers make room for 100 new books and 50 ROOTs! I guess you could call it a realist approach.

What beautiful images! Especially love the woman reading in the garden, I swear I hear a bumblebee keeping her company in the sun!

Happy New Year, Jean.

Thanks Connie! Same to you!

Welcome back, and happy ROOTing! I love your pictures this year, they're beautiful!

>23 LauraBrook: Thanks! I got lucky!

Happy reading in 2018, Jean!

1. Black Dog - Stephen Booth
Series: Cooper and Fry #1

Challenges: ColorCAT, ROOT



Rating: Nicely done, with plenty of twists and turns

Interesting noir-ish take on country-set English murders. Cozy setting, not so cozy mystery. The setting was very well drawn, easily pictured and imagined. Cooper and Fry, junior police officers, were definitely still learning, and both were hampered by their pasts and their views of families and how other folks might behave.

Definitely plan to read more of this series.

>26 majkia: I have a later installment in the series on my to-read pile: Blood on the Tongue. Might move it to the on-deck pile.

2. They Shall Have Stars - James Blish - Cities in Flight #1 - Written 1966

ROOT, Dice, BingoDOG



Rating: Despite its age it holds up for me.

I've always remembered this series as one of my favorites from when I was young. I finally found an ebook edition, so wanted to re-visit it.

It held up. It is upbeat, despite portraying an Earth which is a mess, torn by upheaval and despair, politically a mess. Yet visionaries look for ways to change the paradigm, and reach for the stars.

I'm tired of depressing books, and want ones that uplift us, that give us hope and remind us that we can achieve fabulous things so long as we believe we can. We can't just give in to despair. We have to strive against it.

#27 I have quite a few of his books. But I'm one of those boring folks who have to read in order! It's one of the few things I'm OCD about.

>29 majkia: ditto! Can't bear to read a series out of order - and can't watch a movie or tv programme if I miss the first few minutes - is there such a thing as obsessive completist?

>30 floremolla: I will join that obsessive completist movement. Same thing here.

>30 floremolla: I have that "disease" also!

I will read historical fiction and SFF in order, but with mysteries, I tend to skip around, reading installments where the main case fits my interest at that time. Or I'll start in the middle, then go back to #1 and work my way forward.

3. The Hanging Girl - Jussi Adler-Olsen Department #6 - ROOT, ColorCAT, MysteryCAT



Rating: Had me guessing all the way through.

Department Q gets roped into an old case when the investigating officer shoots himself the day he retires. Carl is not happy about it, thinks it's a waste of time, because it appears to be a hit-and-run death but probably an accident. Until he, Rose and Assad begin digging into things. Then it turns out to be a whole lot more complicated .

I do love this team of mismatched, cranky and hard to get along with folks, who somehow manage to find a way to work together.

And the suspects are well drawn, complex and interesting in their own right.

Another obsessive completist here. I would rather hang about for a couple of hours and catch the next showing than watch a film I've missed the first 2 or 3 minutes of.

4 Command Decision - Elizabeth Moon - Vatta's War #4

Challenges: ROOT from 2017



Rating: Exciting and fun military sci fi continues

I am really enjoying this series. Moon was in the Marines and you can really tell. She thinks, and has her main character, think like a military person. And while Ky Vatta is young and not as experienced as others, she thinks logically and thoroughly and seldom lets her emotions make mistakes for her.

The action is complex and the world well drawn and changeable in a believable fashion. And the characters are interesting and you want to cheer for them. I especially love the new guys on the block, Ransome's Rangers. :)

>33 rabbitprincess: Oh my gosh! That behavior is going to make a lot of us here really nervous.

>37 clue: LOL

>37 clue: haha!

>37 clue: Muahaha >:D There *are* some mystery series I am reading or started reading in order, but with police procedurals especially I like to jump in midway.

5. Gardens of the Moon - Steven Erikson - #1 in the Malazan Book of the Fallen

Challenges: AlphaKIT, ColorCAT, Malazan, ROOT

Rating: Puts the EPIC in Epic Fantasy.

One of my hopes for this year is to delve more deeply into this series. I read them all but over an extended period. I'm hoping this re-read will be a bit more, er, concentrated. And I'm listening to the audios.

The books are all dense, complex, with interweaving plots that often fight with each other, just as real plotters find, others working against them. And so it is here. We have quite a few sides in a war: The Malazans, the people trying to stop the Malazan empire from conquering Derujistan, the mysterious lord of Moonspawn who no one understands, a Derujistan cabal of wizards, and last but not least, several Gods who put their oars in.

I love the concept of religion here, where mortals can 'ascend' and eventually become gods, but who also can be used by gods to further their own goals. The problem is trying to figure out who is being used, and by whom, and who is acting on their own.

At any rate, if you want to delve deep into SFF, especially military SFF, this is the series for you. But it's a difficult path you will tred.

Oh, and I like the audio versions. Ralph Lister does a yeoman's job at giving voice to various and sundry beings.

>41 majkia: I have the first of those books too. Never got to them and since I'm not really into military SFF I think I will rehome them. There must be people who want to read them in my RL bookclub.

6. The Christie Curse - Victoria Abbott #1 in The Book Collector series.



Rating: Cute cozy mystery with quite a few plot twists.

I enjoyed the story and liked the narrator (I listened to the Audio book). Funny, and light-hearted, it was a fun read, with twists and quite a few surprises along the way.

7. Maids of Misfortune - M. Louisa Locke Series: Victorian San Francisco #1

Challenges: AlphaKIT, ROOT



Rating: Ok, but I thought the ending pretty messed up and the least believable part.

Pretty well depicted the plight of women and non-whites, which was a good part of the plot. The writing was quite good and the story kept my interest. I did find the ending to be a bit of a mishmash and not really up to the standards of the rest of the book.

>44 majkia: I got this book as a free Kindle read several years ago. Not sure I'm in a hurry to read it!

9. The Scar - China Mieville Series: Bas-Lag #2



Challenges: ROOT, RandomCAT

Rating: Complex and beautifully written, a tale of many scars

Mieville is one of my favorite authors. He manages to pack so many layers into what he writes. Despite horrors and incredibly painful worlds, they are still beautiful and so deeply layered you feel like you are there.

8. After the Crown - K.B. Wagers - Indranan Wars #2



Challenges: Roll the Dice, ROOT

Rating: Continuing right on to the third book in the trilogy, so that should say something.

So, it turns out gunrunning is the best sort of training ground for a future empress. Haile, runaway princess, has been brought back home to become empress when her family is murdered. Things don't go so well. But then Haile isn't the sort of woman to just accept a coup without fighting back.

Love the characters, all are well drawn. The world is interesting and you definitely want to find out what the heck Haile is going to do next. Thus, right on to the third book of the trilogy.

10. Beyond the Empire - K.B. Wagers - Indranan Wars #3



Challenges: ROOT, ScaredyKIT, ColorCAT

Rating: Satisfying wrap-up to the trilogy but would like to learn more about the world and the hero.

Really enjoyed the series. Loved the main character, who takes no shite from anyone. She's down to earth, realistic about herself and her world, but ends up caring so much about her friends she's willing to put her life on the line for them.

Fast paced, lots of action, but the focus is more on individuals than on the wider field of action.

11. A Darkling Sea - James L. Cambias



Challenges: ROOT, ScaredyKIT, AlphaKIT

Rating: Interesting and quite complex first contact story with the added element of happening in an environment exceedingly dangerous to Terrans.

Exploration has found intelligent life at the bottom of a sea on a moon. Earth has protocols: no first contact. Observe, do not interfere. But then contact is made accidentally and things go particularly pear-shaped when the other species Terrans share the skies with arrives. And they are definitely pissed off.

A little slow to start, but once the other aliens arrive, things heat up and the action keeps you reading.

The world building is interesting and complex. The characters are pretty well-drawn given that humans don't really get either alien species very well. The decisions by the Terrans are a bit hard on the imagination, in that I wonder if real people would be that willing to risk their lives in so hostile an environment. But definitely intriguing nonetheless.

12. Hunted - Kevin Hearne Series: Iron Druid #6



Challenges: ROOT, ScaredyKIT, SFFKIT

Rating: A bit too much running, but a good entry to the series nonetheless (which, truth be told, generally involves a lot of running)

Listening to the Audio, and I adore Luke Daniels, particularly his Oberon.

Atticus, Oberon and Granuile are being pursued across Europe by bad guys egged on by some unknown enemy.

Oberon, his head firmly in the now, is such a good contrast to Atticus, who focuses on his past and why folks are after him, and Granuile who is currently still getting used to being a fully functioning Druid and learning about her abilities.

And I adored the ending, and am eager for the next book!

13. Revenger - Alastair Reynolds Series: Revenger #1


Challenges: ROOT, RandomCAT, ScaredyKIT

Rating: What a terrifically fun read!

Two young girls escape their home because of the nefarious doctor who keeps wanting to do odd things to them. They sign on with a spaceship to be bonereaders.

Supposedly YA I guess, but definitely adult in outlook, and complexity of moral decisions both girls end up making. There is a lot of hard science given that the world they live in is pretty much the dark ages compared to the ruins of advanced civilizations they see around them. They set out to find artifacts most of which no one understands any more and have no hope of duplicating.

And then the pirate shows up. Not a soft sort of pirate either, but one who enjoys pain and suffering and is more than willing to inflict it.

Really enjoyed it and looking forward to the further adventures of Fura and her sister.

14. Jurassic Park - Michael Crichton Series: Jurassic Park 1

Rating: Still holds up on a lot of fronts

Written in 1990, I expected the science to be dated, but really, since there was a lot of talk about the morality and intellgence behind just doing something because we could, I thought that part held up beautifully.

I liked a lot of changes they made for the movie, particularly giving the females a more proactive role than the book did.

15. La Belle Sauvage - Philip Pullman - Series: Book of Dust #1



Rating: Oh my!!!

Prequel to his Dark Materials series, it is unputdownable as we are swept up into the race to save baby Lyra from mysterious forces who are after her.

I'd forgotten how much (and why) I'd enjoyed the first series so much but now, can't wait for book 2. Pullman can really tell a tale...

We've been camping for the past week at Eastbank Campgrounds on Lake Seminole. We'll be here until the 28th. It is a lovely campground.

>53 majkia: I read Philip Pullman's Dark Materials trilogy with my daughter and remember being unexpectedly tearful at the end, I was so engrossed in Lyra's world. I bought her La Belle Sauvage for Christmas and she loved it - will have to borrow it back now!

>54 majkia: looks lovely, and how nice to be out in nature at this time of year! Btw I love the picture in your opening post - something to aspire to this summer!

>55 floremolla: I loved the orignial series too. I debated re-reading it before I read this but glad I didn't. It is a good intro to Lyra and her world. And the danger she's in.

Yes, we love this campground. And Jim can spend the day fishing, giving me reading time!

>53 majkia: I love your rating of oh my. Oh no might be another useful one!

The camping pictures are so enticing, I'm looking forward to early spring camping. I live in the central south and right now we're getting six months of rain in 5 days so we have a private lake right in our own yard. It won't be long though until we hit the road and enjoy being out. One of my favorite activities this time of year is to watch for migrating birds and I see a lot more when we're near water.

>57 clue: There's a high just off Florida's east coast that has been holding back the rain from this area. This weekend though, they're telling us that will change.

Lots of birds here. Coots, Bluebills, 6 very mouthy Canada Geese, as well as small birds passing through. It's been up into the low 80s this week, so trees are budding, and the bluebirds are everywhere.

Hope you won't get the flooding I've seen so much of elsewhere.

>54 majkia: That looks absolutely stunning!

>54 majkia: Lovely place to spend a holiday! It looks very relaxing and a good place to be reading.

>53 majkia: Philip OYkknab?

>60 connie53: LOL. Obviously fat-fingered poor Philip Pullman's name!

16. Bride of the Rat-God - Barbara Hambly - Series: Colossus Films #1



Rating: Chinese demon, guardian Pekineses, 1920s starlet !

Good fun with an early version of urban fantasy. A 1920s starlet finds herself stalked by a Chinese demons and it takes her and a lot of friends to save her!

17. The Prince of Thorns - Mark Lawrence - Series: The Broken Empire #1

Rating: Hard to love protag, sword and sorcery which turns out to sci fi!

Unreliable and mostly unlikeable (at least at first) protagonist. The story itself has some twists and turns and alters about half way through. Very well written. Very dark and gory.

I'll definitely be continuing on.

18. The Fell Sword - Miles Cameron - Series: The Traitor Son Cycle #2



Challenges: ROOT, AlphaKIT

Rating: Epic fantasy with a grimdark twist.

I really enjoyed the first book of the series, and am glad to report I enjoyed the second book as well. My only complaint is that I'd like to have seen a bit more of the Red Knight, as this one widens the field considerably and we jump amongst friends and foes throughout.

The Red Knight and his company of mercs, hire on to assist the Emperor. However, things go sideways before they can even arrive, with the Emperor kidnapped and possibly killed, so our guys start out in a hole and have to fight their way clear.

We learn more of who the Red Knight is, see more of his powers on display and are confronted with more of the Wild critters as well as powerful beings both on the side of the Wild and more neutral creatures who stick an oar into the action, quite often making this far more difficult and complex.

I love the humor amidst the carnage, and the understated way the Red Knight controls his company and events. He's always got a plan - and said plans generally make his company groan aloud. Because, although he always has a plan, he seldom explains those plans and his friends have to take him - and them - on faith.

19. Welcome to Night Vale - Joseph Fink



Challenges: ROOT, AlphaKIT, ScaredyKIT

Rating: Fun and weird adaptation of podcasts

Reminded me of my younger days when we'd travel for hours in the car, and tune in to a strong signal (usually from Buffalo or Chicago, sometimes NYC) and listen to late night transmissions of alien abductions and other conspiracy theories. Back in the day they weren't so political and nasty but instead were rather fun.

Anyway, Night Vale is hidden in the desert and has a wide range of beings as residents - alive and dead. Traffic reports, weather reports and news items tend to, well, reinforce the weird.

20. The Lives of Tao - Westley Chu - Series: Lives of Tao, #1



Challenges: ROOT, Throw the Dice

Rating: Meh.

It had some interesting ideas, but I thought the story drug a lot and I had to consciously pick it up and not skitter off to my audio readings. (Thus I've read a lot of audios whilst I was working on this ebook).

21. Faithful Place - Tana Fench Series: Dublin Murder Squad #3



Rating: Tana French definitely gets dysfunctional families.

Her series is never predictable. The characters change, but the depth of the psychological labyrinths involved are always complex and wildly emotional.

This book cements this series for me, as one of my favorite psychological thriller series. Maybe my favorite.

Watch out though. If your family is/was dysfunctional, it'll bring back memories you'd perhaps rather not surface.

I loved that book and gave it **** when I read it in 2013.

>68 connie53: I am so impressed with the depth of the characterization in that series.

22. The Fold - Peter Clines


Challenges: ROOT, AlphaKIT, SFFKIT

Rating: Quantum donuts!

An unputdownable romp with Game of Throne and Star Trek references, quantum physics, Mycroftian eidetic memory, horror elements and characters you care about.

I listened to the audio version and Roy Porter is just terrific with the humor and the horror.

Happy Spring. My garden to yours.

Wow, your flowers are stunning! Happy spring!

Beautiful flowers!!

Hi!! I've been away and ... so much has happened! I'm happy to see you're doing so well w/ your ROOTing :)

23. Illuminae - Amie Kaufman Series: Illuminae Files #1 608 pp



Challenges: BFB, ROOT, AlphaKIT, SFFKIT

Rating: Interesting story but not crazy about the format

Told in a series of messages and memos, I found it drew away from the story. Also, I listened to the audio and the constant beeping out of any swear words exceedingly annoying.

The AI was especially interesting.

24. For We Are Many - Dennis E. Taylor - Series: Bobiverse #2



Challenges: ROOT, SFFKIT, AlphaKIT

Rating: I am "BOB"

Funny, imaginative, nerdy, and more nerdy. Bob died, and awoke as a space probe. He's now attempting to save humanity from 'the others' who are busily wiping out planets all over the galaxy. Can he do it? Can all the Bobs do it?

I listened to the audio and as usual Ray Porter is a hoot.

25. Jade City - Fonda Lee Series: Green Bone Saga #1



Challenges: ROOT, AlpahKIT, ColorCAT

Rating: Slow to start, but full on action after about half way through

Complex world-building, intriguing and multi-layered characters, a plot that moves forward and, while not particularly twisty, still manages to make you worry for the characters. Strong women.

26. All These Worlds - Dennis E. Taylor - Series: Bobiverse #3



Challenges: ROOT, SFFKIT

Rating: Long Live the Bobs!

What a fun series. Great humor (not to mention snide-ness), greatly imaginative, and gives a quite different view on AIs.

27. The Last Judgement - Ian Pears Series: Jonathan Argyll #4



Challenges: ColorCAT, MysteryCAT, AlphaKIT, ROOT, BingoDog

Rating: A bit more serious than previous entries, but still I love the humor throughout the book, which lightens the subject considerably.

The bantor between Jonathan and Flavia, as well as how both of them look at the world around them is just terrific. The mystery was complex and enjoyable if dark. I guessed some of it but there were enough twists and turns to make me happy.

>27 rabbitprincess: I've been meaning to re-read these. I did have the complete set but some have gone missing.

Gulf National Seashore and Fort Pickens, Pensacola Beach FL



We arrived for two weeks of camping yesterday. We weren't in the area five minutes when we saw the Blue Angels (Navy flight demonstration team ) practicing. They're stationed across the bay at the Pensacola Naval Air Station.

>81 majkia: Such a beautiful picture, there is nothing to compare with the blues of the ocean is there?

One of my friends sons is a Blue Angels pilot. Up until a couple of years ago we had a big air show here and at every other show the Blue Angels would perform. It was so exciting having met him and seeing them fly over knowing he was up there. I live close enough to the airport so they flew over my house during practices and performances and it was a scramble to the big window when I heard them take off.

>81 majkia: Wow, that looks stunning. And I'm guessing our equivalent of the Blue Angels are the Red Arrows, who are always incredible.

>71 majkia: Stunning! >81 majkia: Beautiful . I love the beach and the sea. I was born in a town near the sea and that love for it runs in my veins, I think.

This osprey decided to land in a tree right above us. The dogs took umbrage! Well, they are duck hunters....

That pic is gorgeous! Those blue skies. I had to google osprey of course. We call it a visarend.

Fabulous photos - love the blue skies. in Scotland ospreys are mainly foundation in the Highlands. Because they're quite rare here they're ringed and monitored. There's even an osprey cam - I've just had a look and there's only a grumpy looking youngster at home, probably wishing he'd been born somewhere warmer like Florida.

>87 floremolla: LOL, Donna!

Thanks for all the comments. And yes, LOL Donna! When I visit Scotland in August maybe I'll see a few of the grumpy ones.

28. The Crown Conspiracy
29. Avempartha

AKA Theft of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan



Challenges: ROOT, ColorCAT, SFFKIT

Rating: My kinda sword and sorcery.

Snarky characters? Check. Hidden identities? Check. Thief? Check. Swordplay? Check. Really a lot of fun, but a strong female or two would have made it a lot better. One does appear, but isn't really present enough. Maybe in the rest of the series.

30. TimeRiders - Alex Scarrow First in TimeRiders Series,

Rating: I had issues.

It would have been a lot more enjoyable if I wasn't shouting at the characters frequently wondering why in the world they were so slow on the uptake.

Yeah, I know it was written for kids, but still. Honestly. 1. What kinda dumb time agency has no provisions for disruptions, and has only a few folks assigned to an outpost. 2. And why in the world was there only one group responsible for fixing time??? 3. Meat computer? The leader of the group treated Bob abominably.

31. Updraft - Fran Wilde - Series- Bone Universe #1



Challenges: AlphaKIT, ROOT, ScaredyKIT

Rating: Imaginative!

Impressive world-building. I liked that she never attempted to explain everything but just dumped you into this world and let you learn of it as you went.

Characterization was good with strong characters and an especially strong female lead.

Plotting was based mainly on secrets needing to be discovered by Kirit, so we were in the dark for much of the book until Kirit finally gets into a position to begin understanding the problems those secrets have caused.

I enjoyed it very much and recommend it for folks who like really imaginatively created worlds.

Still at the beach. Until Tuesday. Storms are coming in so the water is all charged up.

Lovely! I like to dip my toes in.

31. The Man in the Queue - Josephine Tey - Alan Grant #1



Challenges: ROOT, MysteryCAT, RandomCAT

Rating: Interesting and quite different from modern mysteries.

I enjoyed this quite a bit, and found the ending refreshing. The detective, although dedicated and quite likable, isn't infallible, and knows it. He's not driven, miserable, or depressed, other than when he's quite sure he's wrong, and can't figure out why.

32. Stiletto - Daniel O'Malley - Series: The Chequy Files #2



Challenges: ROOT, ScaredyKIT

Rating: As much fun as the first of the series.

Unusual for a sequel to live up to the original, but I think in this case it most certainly does. Lots of funny and at the same time terrifying events occur when the Chequy meet with their long time rivals from the continent and attempt to forge of peace accord. Naturally, things don't go smoothly. Not even at Ascot.

And anyway, how can you not love a series that features a heroine named Myfawny.

33. The Pale Horseman - Bernard Cornwell Series: Saxon Chronicles #2



Challenges: ROOT, RTT Monthly

Rating: What a horrible time to have to live in especially if female or a child.

The Vikings (the Danes) are taking over England, and Alfred is not doing very well against them, in attempting to save Wessex, never mind all of England. Uhtred, born a Saxon but raised as a Dane, admires the Danes, and loves quite a few of them, but struggles to remain true to his country with the much less admired and really quite hapless, King Alfred.

I struggled to stay with this book, mainly because of the grimness of the time, although, as usual for Cornwell, it is well written and exciting, and probably quite historically accurate.

34. Cards of Grief - Jane Yolen


Challenges: ROOT, AlphaKIT

Ratiing: Not sure how I feel about this one.

Strange, thought-provoking. How doe we influence other societies, other worlds? Is it a good thing or a bad thing, or … Sort of like Schrodinger's Cat, only for anthropologists.

35. A Quiet Life in the Country - T.E. Kinsey Series: Lady Hardcastle #1



Challenges: ROOT

Rating: A bit too cozy for me.

It was okay, but awfully hard to will myself to buy into the back story. Not to mention to accept the CID rolling over and letting a woman, in 1905 become a major player in an investigation. Otherwise, okay. I'm sure cozy readers would be far more interested in this than I.

36. King's Dragon - Kate Elliott - Series: Crown of Stars #1



Challenges: ROOT, BFB, AlphaKIT

Rating: Exciting tale that kept me reading

Although I do have issues.

Firstly, way too much religion. I don't mind the religion as such, but details about the set up of the clergy seemed way too much at times, and got in the way of the storytelling.

Secondly, okay, enough with the recreation of medieval Europe for fantasy novels. Be more creative!

All that said, the characters were interesting, well drawn, and I wanted to know what would happen to them. There were plot twists I didn't see coming, although they were set up well and after the fact you understood how you got there, so there is definitely that.

All in all, I'll most likely read more of this series, since I want to know how it all turns out, how folks fit together, since that wasn't clear yet as of the end of the first book. But there is only one real cliffhanger, but if you don't want to know how that turns out, the rest of the storyline is pretty well tied up, or at least enough that the book felt finished and not just cut off.

38. Appleby on Ararat - Michael Innes Series: Inspector Appleby #7



Challenges: ROOT, ColorCAT, MysteryCAT

Rating: Far from my favorite of the series.

Rather silly story of Appleby stranded on a tropical island after the ship he was on was torpedoed. WWII tale, with spies, lies and a nice dog. Casual racism rather marred it for me.

Yes, I know...

39. The Collapsing Empire - John Scalzi Series: The Interdependency #1



Challenges: ROOT, ColorCAT

Rating: What a fun and exciting read!

The empire might be about to self-destruct but as usual with politics, everybody is trying their best to get a leg up on what will be left.

Snarky, science-y, action-y, with an intriguing idea and world, and especially with characters who are well drawn and folks you can care about. Even the Emperox!

Highly recommended for sci fi fans. I can't wait for book 2.

40. A Head Full of Ghosts - Paul Tremblay

Challenges: ScaredyKIT

Rating: DNF

I'm just not a horror reader, I guess. Didn't feel anything but pity for the poor kids in this one, and really didn't care how things turned out.

camping again at Lake Seminole on the Florida/Georgia border. Last night's sunset and the camp site picture from this morning.

That looks lovely

Very nice! We had a Scottish heatwave last weekend - i.e. the temperature reached the low twenties for two consecutive days - I'm so jealous of your weather and camper van!

41. Quantum Night - Robert J. Sawyer



Challenges: ROOT, AlphaKIT

Rating: Super science-y and intriguing premise

Okay, I can see why some folks might not like this but I was super happy to see quantum physics and neuroscience married in this outing. A bit preachy it seemed at times, but really, given the premise, it could hardly avoid it.

IT is particularly appropriate given current events...

>107 majkia:, I have had this one recommended to me - I may have to give it a whirl. :)

>104 majkia: WOW, that makes me want to buy a camper!

42. Thereby Hangs a Tail - Spencer Quinn Series: Chet and Bernie #2

Challenges: ROOT, AlphaKIT

Rating: A bit repetitive, I thought.

I enjoy Chet's view of life, but there is just so much a dog can do, and understand, unless perhaps said dog is Oberon. Chet is definitely not Oberon.

43. Wake of the Bloody Angel Alex Bledsoe Series: Eddie Lacrosse #4

Challenges: ROOT, Throw the Dice

Rating: I do love Eddie and his friends. And sometimes his enemies.

Eddie, sword jockey, is hired by his friend Angelina to track down her husband, an infamous pirate. Eddie, per usual, finds himself swept up into ancillary mysteries galore. And he gets to hang out with his fellow sword-jockey Jane.

44. Kushiel's Dart - Jacqueline Carey DNF



Challenges: ROOT

Rating: Read 150 pages then quit when abuse showed up.

I was reluctant to read this. Knew this wasn't going to go well for me. Sexual abuse is too much of a trigger for me. Written well, granted, but still...

45. Watchers of Time - Charles Todd - Series: Ian Rutledge #5



Challenges: ROOT

Rating: I love this series. Very psychological and the plots are complex enough to present a lot of questions.

Ian is recuperating from an injury and so is sent off to the north of England to talk to a Priest about his concerns regarding the recent murder of his friend, another priest. Of course it all turns into quite a mess when Ian begins to delve into the hidden depths of a small village.

Ian, struggling still with his mental state after service in WWI, has a depth and understanding that means he can connect with the odd and downtrodden which lets him uncover a lot of secrets wherever he goes. And, he's tenacious and really doesn't much care if he's possibly ruining his own career when he takes on the powerful.

Still camping at Eastbank on Lake Seminole. Here's a candid shot of the family. Our daughter Angela and her hubby Paul joining us for a few days with their 5th wheel. Mr Majkia's sister Diane and her bit of fluff Chloe are visiting us for a month. She's enjoying the fishing even more than her brother!



We have been having lots of rain, and an alligator has been cruising along the rocks at the river's edge so keeping the dogs inside.

We head home tomorrow.

This looks very cosy! Shame about the weather, though.

Shame about the 'gator too, by the sounds of it!

46.Mechanical Failure - Joe Zieja Series: Epic Failure #1


Challenges: AlphaKIT, ROOT

Rating: Comedy is obviously not universal.

This is supposed to be a comedic take on the military, but I found it flat, and really didn't give a fig about the main character. I spent 20 years in the military, so know full well there is a whole lot to make fun of, but I thought this was over the top and impossible to believe . Heh, yes, I know it is science fiction, but still!

47. The Queen's Poisoner - Jeff Wheeler Series: Kingfountain #1



Challenges: ROOT, AlphaKIT, ColorCAT

Rating: I really liked it!

I'm not generally a YA Fan, but this one was really good! Great characterization, imaginative world-building and interesting magic ideas. The plot wasn't too convoluted but was interesting enough to keep my attention and keep me reading.

49. Victory Conditions - Elizabeth Moon Series: Vatta's War #5



Challenges: ROOT, Dice

Rating: A very satisfying ending to a great series.

Ky Vatta, failed student and one of the few Vatta survivors after her family is attacked at home and in space, has morphed into a cool and calm not to mention deadly enemy to the pirates attempting to take control of her world. They should run while they still can.

Really interesting characterization, a fully imagined world, and complex plotting has made this a great series.

50. Bones of the Earth - Michael Swanwick



Challenges: ROOT, RTT

Rating: Lots of science-y stuff so in my element

Really enjoyed this one, but if you don't like lots of science talk and dinosaurs you might not. I loved the world as portrayed and found it unsettlingly realistic. And the characters are complex and humanly confusing. Really interesting take on time-travel, and in some ways quite different.

51. The Reality Dysfunction - Peter F. Hamilton Series: Night's Dawn #1



Challenges: ROOT, AlphaKIT, SFFKIT

Rating: Complex world building and intriguing complexity amongst the characters. Sometimes hard to follow the plot, so just roll with it.

The kind of sci fi I love, with lots of new ideas, and new worlds to explore, and intriguing ideas about how tech and humans will evolve.

I've met my ROOT challenge for the year! Will continue to ROOT however...

Oh, well done, Jean. I hope you've got lots of good reading in store for the rest of the year, even if they're not ROOTs.

Congratulations on reaching your goal!

Congrats on reaching your goal!

52. All Systems Red - Martha Wells - Series: Murderbot Diaries #1


Challenges: ROOT, RandomCAT, SFFKIT

Rating: Imaginative and fun

A different look at AI, intelligence and what makes something human. Maybe its the entertainment feeds?

>125 majkia: I have heard so many good things about this series and am pleased that you found it fun. I may bump it up a bit on the pile :)

53. The Shadow Throne - Django Wexler Series: The Shadow Campaigns #2



Challenges: ROOT, AlphaKIT, SFFKIT, ColorCAT

Rating: Mysteries and Secrets and Magic, oh my!

I'm really enjoying this series. The magic is there, but not in your face and up front. More, the focus is on military SFF and politics. The characters are quite varied and all of them are fully formed and intriguing. The world-building, with much of the world hidden from our view with only hints of what surrounds our current active piece of it, is first rate.

Eager to get to the next entry in the series.

54. A Natural History of Dragons - Marie Brennan Series: Mrs Trent's Memoirs #1



Challenges: ROOT, RTT

Rating: Fun alt history with the usual Victorian expedition into 'primitive' parts of the world in an effort to explain the world and what it consists of.

Really enjoyed this. I thought Ms Brennan did a good job of sending up the Victorians' interest in the world around them as well as their disdain for other countries and peoples. And our heroine, all of 19, is already beginning to break out of the bonds of her upbringing.

55. A Conjuring of Light - V.E. Schwab Series: Shades of Magic #3



Challenges: ROOT, BFB

Rating: satisfying conculsion to the series

I really enjoyed the series. The characterization was great and world-building excellent.

56. A Shadow in Summer - Daniel Abraham Series: The Long Price Quartet #1



Challenges: ROOT, AlphaKIT

Rating: The writing is lovely, the story intriguing, the worlds he's built amazing.

This is a re-read, as I want to get to the rest of the series. I loved it the first time, and perhaps love it even more. I especially like how he evokes the world in the way he's written the words. The sounds and complexity of the language fit the whole so well.

Continuing on immediately with Book 2.

57. A Betrayal in Winter - Daniel Abraham Series: the Long Price Quartet #2


Challenges: ROOT, AlphaKIT

Rating: Complex, intriguing, atmospheric

I continue to enjoy the series, with the second book of this quartet. Will continue the series quite soon but need a slight break.

I'm listening to the audio, and the lyrical reading is very helpful to evoke the atmosphere and created world of the quartet.

You have been just ripping through your ROOTs! Congrats for reaching your goal and beyond.

Amazing JOB! And so jealous of some of your reading locations!!!!

>132 Familyhistorian:, >133 deep220: Yeah, I've gotten a lot of reading in this summer. RVing does present some different surroundings!

58. The Crimson Campaign - Brian McClellan Series: The Powder Mage Trilogy #2



Challenges: Dice, ROOT, BFB

Rating: Gory, lots of action, and complex plotting.

I really enjoy flintlock fantasy, with this being a great example of the subgenre. Not a lot of magic, mostly wartorn cities and countryside, and struggles between waring countries and people. Betrayal, desperation, with every once in awhile a bit of grim humor.

59. Two for Sorrow - Nicola Upson Series: Josephine Tey #3



Challenges: ROOT

Rating: Not as enjoyable for me as the two previous.

I thought we got way too tied up in Tey's personal life, and that derailed the whole mystery. The mystery was interesting enough but so disjointed by the personal stuff it was harder to follow.

60. An Autumn Republic - Brian McClellan Series: Powder Mage Trilogy #3



Challenges: ROOT, AlphaKIT

Rating: Conclusion to the series which manages to wrap up most of it, but leaves me still wondering.

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised I still have questions, since there are follow on books. I enjoyed the series though, and like the flintlock fantasy subgenre. Magic mixed with technology, and strange gods and stranger people.

I'm sure I'll read the next books which I hope will explain the whole god thing a lot more.

61. Sleeping Giants - Sylvain Neuvel Series: Themis Files #1



Challenges: ROOT, AlphaKIT

Rating: Fun and interesting, not to mention a nicely different take on artifacts.

Really enjoyed the story. I wasn't a fan of the format at first but it grew on me. Nicely mysterious and alienist.

62. An Autumn War - Daniel Abraham Series: Long Price Quartet #3



Challenges: AlphaKIT, ROOT

Rating: Whoa. I sorta saw something like it coming, but this was better!

Really enjoying the complexity and the humanity portrayed in this series. Both sides, although doing stupid war, are shown as honest and deeply motivated people who see the same thing in very different ways.

Eager to finish off the quartet.

63. The Beautiful Mystery - Louise Penny Series: Armand Garmache #8



Challenges: ROOT, MysteryCAT

Rating: I'm afraid much of it was lost on me, still good though.

Way too religious for my tastes but at least the main characters weren't overcome by the religion. I enjoy chants but that's as much as I care about monasteries.

64. Broken Harbour - Tana French Series: Dublin Murder Squad #4



Challenges: MysteryCAT, ROOT

Rating: Psychologically complex and painful

This series, and this book in particular, is far more than a police procedural, rather stories that delve deeply into people's hidden fears and messed up lives and minds. They deal not just with murder, but with broken lives and psychological scars that really never heal, but that the best you can hope for is scar tissue to paint them over so the agony isn't always front and center, but yet are always there to come to the surface under certain conditions.

Not easy to read, but horribly realistic, at least in my experience.

65.Etiquette and Espionage - Gail Carriger Series: Finishing School #1



Challenges: ROOT, ColorCAT

Rating: Enjoyable but awfully fluffy.

A little too girly for my tastes, but at least it was fun.

Congrats on reaching your goal and beyond, Jean. A bit late, but I really mean it!

66. A Fearsome Doubt - Charles Todd Series: Ian Rutledge #6
67. The Immortals - Jordana Max Brodsky Seiries: Olympus Bound #1
68. The Price of Spring - Daniel Abraham Series: The Long Price Quartet #4

Enjoyed all of them.

69. The Stars are Legion - Kameron Hurley

Challenges: ROOT, Roll the Dice

Rating: Different and imaginative.

Props for the attempt to write a different sort of world, a world of women where no men are in evidence. The writing was great and the world-building complex and confusing and mysterious, as it should be. I guess my disappoint is that even without men, this world is all aggression and war. Maybe it would be, but I can always hope for something different if women ruled the world.

70. Dune - Frank Herbert Series: Dune #1



Challenges: ROOT, AlphaKIT, BFB

Rating: Stands up on re-read

I was, like everyone else who read it when it first came out, majorly impressed. Given all the changes in the genre, I'm happy to say the book does stand the test of time. I wasn't impressed with the immediate series continuation books at the time, and probably won't read them, but I am interested in the continuing books regarding the Bene Geserit, and the Navigator Guild, so will most likely read those at least.

71. The Other Einstein - Marie Benedict --- Abandoned DNF



Challenges: AlphaKIT, ROOT

Rating: Started off really interesting but devolved into boring romantic whining

Very disappointed.

72. The Daffodil Affair - Michael Innes Series: Inspector Appleby #8



Rating: Weird even for this series, LOL

Challenges: ROOT, AlphaKIT, MysteryCAT

Two baffled detectives attempt to find some sort of linkage between a horsenapped cart horse named Daffodil, a missing girl who is none too bright, and a missing house from Bloomsbury.

73. Half-Resurrection Blues - Daniel Jose Older - Series: Bone Street Rumba #1



Challenges: ROOT, AlphaKIT, ScaredyKIT

Rating: An okay urban fantasy.

A half-dead guy working for the powers that be in supernatural Brooklyn.

First two weeks of August, I was traveling. Thought I'd share a few photos from each place.
First up: Iceland.

Gorgeous photos!!

>150 majkia: Iceland is on my bucket list (as is Greenland and the Faroe Islands). Fantastic photos!

>152 Jackie_K: Jackie, we only spent 3 days in Iceland. I'd like to go back there and see more of the country. It is different, and quite beautiful.

Pics from Scotland:

74. A Closed and Common Orbit - Becky Chambers - Series: Wayfarers #2



Challenges: Dice, ROOT, AlphaKIT

Rating: Lots of character development, interesting world-building, not a laser firing in sight!

Nearly as good as the first of the series, and continues the tradition of thoughtful, mostly non-violent sci fi. So different!

Pictures from the Lake District, England, and Wales:

Pictures from Ireleand:

Ooh I recognize Castell Caernarfon! :D Glad you had a chance to visit Wales. It is lovely!

>158 rabbitprincess: I was pretty surprised by the difference between Wales and the Lake District abutting it. Far more wild looking. I'd have liked more time in Wales but we were really only passing through on the way to the ferry to Ireland.

75. Dark Run - Mike Brooks Series: Keiko #1



Challenges: ROOT, AlphaKIT

Rating: Good start to a series

Not a lot of exposition but lots of action. Characters were diverse and interesting, and the world building was good.

I'll probably read a sequel.

81. Empire of Sand - Tasha Suri



Challenges: ROOT, AlphaKIT

Rating: A really intriguing new author, with a well thought out world.

I really enjoyed this, although I thought it was a bit slow in parts. Even so, the characters were well drawn, the world-building was well thought-out, and the story line was compelling. I'll look forward to book 2.

WOW, such gorgeous photo's. I really, really must make a trip to Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Iceland.

I've been really remiss at updating my threads. We were traveling for 2 months, and then when we got home we were busy. Here are a couple of notable pictures from our trip to Canada. I'll try to end up the year by updating more often.

I have kept reading. :)

Ooh, those would make great Christmas cards, especially the evergreen tree!

November reads:

Books Read
1. Pushing Ice - Alastair Reynolds
2. The Hidden Family - Charles Stross
3. Starhawk - Jack McDevitt
4. Black Wind - Paul F. Wilson
5. The Engines of God - Jack McDevitt
6. Central Station - Lavie Tidhar
7. What Darkness Brings - C.S. Harris
8. God's War - Kameron Hurley - DNF

I had one dud (for me). God's War which I should have known better, but like the author. I am tired to death of religious fanatics and their wars.

Central Station was by far the oddest science fiction book I've ever read. Not because the story was difficult or the concept weird, but because it depicted every day life in a future that colored life around the edges but didn't really change things for every day folks. Quite good.

Black Wind was another weird one, with a retelling of the World War II struggle of the US against Japan with magical elements behind all the events.

Pushing Ice and the McDevitt books are sheer fun.

The Hidden Family was interesting, not great though, but I'll still read a few more entries int hat series.

What Darkness Brings was rife with character developments more important than the mystery, I think.

On the personal side: Our house is a mess, so I'm a bit distracted. Having the kitchen cabinets re-pickled, and getting new countertops and back splash. Not sure when it will all get done, as my new cooktop is already delayed. Sigh. Also, our heater decided to go out so they were ripping out the heater area in the garage, but that was finished yesterday. Hurrah.

Hope everyone is have a good holiday season and keeps healthy.

Great Pictures, Jean. Your reading is interesting to follow and I love your household stories.

Thanks, Connie. Speaking of household stories, I'm having the kitchen upgraded. Cabinets redone, new quartz countertops, and an induction cooktop and new sink. Needless to say, not much cooking going on at our house. Hope next week things will begin to get a bit better once the countertops are in place.

I hope so too! I know it can be challenging to do without a proper kitchen for a while. But you will be so happy with it once it's done and brand-new!

Wishing all who celebrate, a Blessed Yule