Lori (thornton37814) Reads with Sherlock, Mr B, and Barney in 2018 - thread 1

I'm back for another year of reading. I'll be somewhere in the vicinity of 140 books read in 2017 by December 31. I don't know if I'll hit that amount in 2018 or not, but I can try. I'd really like to hit 150, but I am not certain I can do that.

The cats enjoy curling up on me when I read. I listen to audio books on my commute to and from work and on trips. I work as a university librarian and also as a professional genealogist. I live in beautiful East Tennessee.

My favorite genres are mysteries and historical fiction. I do like a combination of the two, of course. I also read history and social history in support of my genealogical research as well as books aimed at genealogists. I inherited the love of a good cookbook from my mother.

I also participate in the Category Challenge. This year's categories are named after tourist destinations but hold no real meaning as I mainly plan to alternate between the categories. However, I reserve the right to place books set in destinations I've chosen or read in those locations in the category of that name. The main categories are Charleston, Quebec City, Boston, Yellowstone National Park, Cornwall (England), Santa Rosa Beach (Florida), San Diego, Amish Country (generic), Bahamas, and Cork (Ireland). My abandoned books category is Harlan (Kentucky).

Hi have a *

Happy New Year, Lori! Good luck with your 2018 reads.

>2 BBGirl55: Thanks, Bryony!

>3 Berly: Love it!

>4 mstrust: Thanks. I hope I can hit 150, but I may not.

Awww, what lovely cats! And I couldn't help but see mention of Cornwall - do you get to read books set IN Cornwall for that category? *Daphne du Maurier novels dance in vision*

Good luck with all your challenges in 2018 anyway, looking forward to reading along with you! *staaaar* :)

Welcome back!

Heigh-ho, Lori, off to break records we go.

Happy reading 2018, Lori. I love the photo of your boys. Dropped a .

Happy reading and cat snuggling!

Dropping a star, Lori!

>6 elliepotten: Any books set in Cornwall will be placed in the category, but as I said, I just posted 10 vacation destinations and just plan to alternate between them by posting books in order read in a category. I did reserve the right to place books set in the location or read while visiting the location in the appropriate category even if another category is "up" at the time.

>7 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

>8 richardderus: This won't break the number of books read in a year for me. I read between 240 and 250 one year.

>9 Ameise1: Thanks. It is so rare for me to catch my boys in a location where I can photograph all of them. Of course, it was after I awakened and the cover was pulled a little to the side. I don't know why I do that when I sleep, but I do.

>10 witchyrichy: I hope to do lots of both. I hope the cats want as much as they do at the moment.

>11 Crazymamie: Thanks! We've been starring each other for a long time.

Hi, Lori! Looking forward to following your thread again this year. Nice photo of the boys up top.

>14 harrygbutler: Thanks, Harry! The boys are all curled up next to me and snuggled next to one another. So sweet!

>12 thornton37814: Ahhhhh, I get it now! You picked some beautiful spots for your category titles anyway. I've always wanted to visit the Bahamas, and Cork, and I spent a lot of happy childhood holidays in Cornwall, eating cream teas and striding up and down clifftops. And dodging the seagulls! :)

>16 elliepotten: I think the cliffs are what makes Cornwall so attractive to me (at least in the fiction I read and photos I've seen). I went to the Bahamas in 2008. I'd like to go again. My boyfriend has Bahamian ancestry so perhaps one day we'll be able to visit the island where his ancestors lived. It's not one of the touristy ones.

>17 thornton37814: I hear ya. The first time I ever remember having my breath properly taken away by a view was at Kynance Cove, on the Lizard peninsula. You have to park up at the top of the cliffs somewhere and walk down to it, and the moment it came into view my little jaw dropped. I must have only been seven or eight, but it's still one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen.

Bonus points, of course, must go to the cream scones, the Cornish pasties, and the Gweek seal sanctuary - and the BBC's Poldark, if my mother and grandmother had any say in the matter. :)



Okay, I need to stop thinking about scones now, my stomach just rumbled so loudly it woke the cat up! Back to work we go...

Oooh, Cornwall.

The place there that literally took my breath away and made me want to cry, it was so beautiful, was walking across the fields on a footpath from Lanteglos-by-Fowey and suddenly having Lantic Bay come into view. It was so wondrous that when I need/want to think of something calming and wonderful, my mind flies to that. There's a wonderful circular walk, that starts in Fowey -- you cross at the ferry to Bodinnick (which takes you almost to where Daphne du Maurier's first home there was) and then you follow a footpath around the headland that gives you a wonderful view of the estuary, one that Quiller-Couch used to follow almost daily. From there, you keep walking up the narrower part of the river to Pont Pill and cross the river, hike up a long steep laneway to the old church, and then follow a roadway to the fields that take you back across to the coast and the coastal pathway, which you walk back to Polruan, the town that's across the estuary from Fowey. You can make a nice full day walk of it, but it's probably 5 hours of walking, with a lot of up-and-down climbing. In spring, oodles of bluebells.

The Fowey estuary is my happy place. I've spent several off-season holidays there, over a 25-year period. It's been 10 years since I've been able to go, however. When I die, I want someone to dump my ashes in Lantic Bay, though.

>18 elliepotten: I think I need to go to Cornwall just for the scones with Devonshire cream after that post.

>19 Chatterbox: It sounds absolutely lovely, especially in the spring. Five hours of walking would probably end up being a full day for me since I walk a lot slower than most people.

>20 thornton37814: Haha, sorry about that. I made myself hungry too! *discreetly adds fruit scones to this week's shopping list* Go for the Cornish clotted cream down there though. THEN visit Devon and have a couple of THEIR cream teas, with Devonshire clotted cream. For research purposes, of course... ;)

Starred you, Lori.

I've had an annual visit to Cornwall for the last few years, usually a long weekend but this year I'm going for a week. Any book set in Cornwall is a possible read for me even what I would class as unreadable chick-lit if set anywhere else!

>21 elliepotten: Definitely!

>22 CDVicarage: I understand what you mean. I tend to tolerate chick lit if set in the Charleston, South Carolina area, although even one of the authors totally flopped on me last time. If the next one I read of hers flops, I'm done with her. The one I like best set in that area usually has a secondary theme to the romance or female drama, such as the giant sea turtle rescue effort, that keeps me interested. If you can recommend any mysteries set in Cornwall, I'd love to know about them. I've got some of Carola Dunn's lined in addition to series I've already begun, but the reviews on those aren't stellar.

Happy New Year, Lori! May you have another fabulous year of reading!

>24 Carmenere: Thank you!

>21 elliepotten: I've never tried clotted cream, despite spending over a month in England. My mom just gave me a jar for Christmas and I was wondering if it would be a sin to put it on toast.

>26 mstrust: Carrie makes it, and it is very good. I can't answer your question about the toast though.

Planting a star and wishing you happy reading in 2018

Hi Lori, just dropping my star off my dear and happy reading in 2018.

Nice to see you back here again, Lori.

Happy New Year!! Hope you've got lots of great reading ahead in 2018.

>28 SuziQoregon: Thanks a lot. Same to you!

>29 johnsimpson: Wishing the same for you!

>30 lindapanzo: I have a very promising "to read" list with a few things prioritized. I know I won't make it through everything and that "shiny new books" will call my name too, but at least I've got an inkling of a plan.

Starred your thread, and am planning to follow more regularly in 2018.

I'd love to see Cornwall, after reading all of Winston Graham's Poldark books...

Hi Lori, just stopping by to wish you a Very Happy New Year my dear and hope that 2018 is a really good year.

Happy New Year! I wish you to read many good books in 2018.

Happy reading in 2018, Lori!

Happy New Year, Lori!

Happy New Year! Starred you!

Happy New Year🎉

view from Zürich's landmark mountain Üetliberg

>32 fuzzi: Cornwall does sound lovely so I'm looking forward to finding lots of good reads with that setting since I doubt I'll make it across the pond, even if I'd like to do so. Just call me the armchair traveler!

>33 johnsimpson: Thanks. Hope your 2018 is wonderful too!

>34 The_Hibernator: Indeed. Wouldn't it be great if we had some sort of 6th sense that prevented us from picking up duds?

>35 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita! Hope your year is great also.

>36 cushlareads: Thank you! Have a great 2018!

>37 SandDune: I'm pretty sure I have you starred as well. I don't always tell people when I do star them, but I'm still at the point at the moment where I'm reading everyone's threads as time permits so I can determine if there is something I've been missing or a new member whose book tastes are similar.

>38 BBGirl55: Same to you! It's going to be a cold start though!

>39 Ameise1: I guess it's already 2018 over in Europe! Happy New Year!

Top Reads of 2017

Fiction

5 star reads

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

4.5 star reads

The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng
The Unquiet Grave by Sharyn McCrumb

Non-Fiction

5 star reads

Britain's Tudor Maps: County by County by John Speed; commentaries by Alasdair Hawkyard

4.5 star reads

Bone Soup and Flipped Bread: the Yemenite Jewish Kitchen by Sue Spertus Larkey
The Stranger in My Genes by Bill Griffeth
The Finest Hours: the True Story of the U.S. Coast Guard's Most Daring Rescue by Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman
The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder: The Frontier Landscapes that Inspired the Little House Books by Marta McDowell
Common People: the History of an English Family by Alison Light
The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables: the Enchanting Island that Inspired L. M. Montgomery by Catherine Reid
The Country House Library by Mark Purcell

Children's/YA

5 star reads

Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement by Carole Boston Weatherford; illustrated by Ekua Holmes
Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena; illustrated by Christian Robinson
They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel
Finding Winnie: the True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear by Lindsay Mattick; illustrated by Sophie Blackall
Plume by Isabelle Simler

4.5 star reads

Cats, Cats, Cats! by Leslea Newman
The Poet's Dog by Patricia MacLachlan

2017 Book Meme

Describe yourself: The Dream Stalker
Describe how you feel: Separate from the World
Describe where you currently live: City of Secrets
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: The High Mountains of Portugal
Your favorite form of transportation: A Cruise to Die For
Your best friend is: Somebody at the Door
You and your friends are: Common People
What's the weather like: Thin Air
You fear: War and Turpentine
What's the best advice you have to give?: Do Not Say We Have Nothing
Thought for the day: The Fish Can Sing
How I would like to die: Death Overdue
My soul's present condition: Dark Night of the Soul

Dropping off a
And wishing you

>45 ronincats: Thank you!

Happy New Year, Lori!

Happy New Year, Lori. Dropping my star.

>43 thornton37814: Lori, I have marked down your 5* read of Britain’s Tudor Maps: County by County as a potential future present for Mr SandDune. He collects old maps and has one by John Speed (the one of the North and East Ridings of Yorkshire) which also has a contemporary hand written index of all the towns and villages it includes.

Happy New Year
Happy New Group here
This place is full of friends
I hope it never ends
It brew of erudition and good cheer.

Hi Lori!

Happy first thread of 2018.

reasonable by LT standards, that is.

Happy New Year! Tell the boys that Adrian says hello!

>47 harrygbutler: Happy new year, Harry!

>48 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg! Hope yours got off to a better start than mine did. We had a power outage with temperatures of only 12 degrees. It was widespread, affecting multiple counties and cities and towns. Glad the power is back on!

>49 SandDune: I love that book. Mr. Sand Dune should love it!

>50 PaulCranswick: Happy New Year, Paul. You got to ring yours in a lot earlier than we got to ring ours in!

>51 Carmenere: Happy New Year, Lynda!

>52 karenmarie: First thread. Now I'm asking the question -- of how many?

>53 nittnut: Well, mine are small compared to some and large compared to others, so I suppose that's reasonable by LT standards.

>54 cbl_tn: The boys wish Adrian a Happy New Year. I wondered if I was going to have to bundle them up for a visit when we had that power outage this morning. I'm glad the power came back on. I'd already decided to find a hotel with power that was pet friendly if it stayed out too long because I wasn't going to leave them in a cold house.

>44 thornton37814: I liked your 2017 book meme answers, Lori. I decided to take a whack at that meme myself.

>58 harrygbutler: I like doing that meme each year. It's kind of fun to go back and look at the various answers.

>44 thornton37814: >58 harrygbutler: >59 thornton37814: I also love the meme and am going to give it a try after I've wished everyone a Happy New Year!



A picture from a warmer day and a reminder that winter is great for reading and spring will come!

>60 witchyrichy: I'll look forward to seeing your answers. I think most of the fun comes from reading everyone else's answers! I need the "warm" reminder at the moment.

>59 thornton37814: It took some doing to fit a book to a couple of them. Fun!

>60 witchyrichy: Oooh, I'll drop by your thread and take a look at your answers, too.

>62 harrygbutler: I've had years where nothing seemed to fit. I had to choose between equally good ones for some of mine this year.

Happy New Year, Lori!

Enjoyed your "Tops" lists. I have to read Finding Winnie. Adding it to the WL.

Hi,

Happy new year, and thanks for dropping by my thread. I hope your year is full of reading (and that you do get through more than those 140 books).

Hi Lori. I wish you all good things in 2018. I'm in awe of the amount you read in 2017. I hope to be able to visit more frequently in 2018

>64 jnwelch: It was a Caldecott winner or honor book last year, I believe. I always read those when they come into the library. Many of the children's books that earned that 4.5 or 5.0 star rating were Caldecotts.

>65 PawsforThought: I hit 144 in 2017 by New Year's Eve. I should finish one today--if I ever get off of here! I've been trying to catch up on threads, but I'm ready for kitty lap time and reading. I might eat a bite first. I can make the traditional New Year's foods now that we got our power back.

>66 Whisper1: Linda, I was a bit surprised I did that well, but I looked back at my reading over the last few years, and I'm really off what it was for awhile.

2010 - 101
2011 - 230
2012 - 242
2013 - 189
2014 - 114
2015 - 165
2016 - 112
2017 - 144

So I guess I'm climbing back up, but not there. Goal this year is 150.

Happy new year, Lori! I have you starred.

>44 thornton37814: Oh, the book meme! I need to do that for last year's books. That's always such fun, both filling it in and seeing everyone else's responses.

Happy New Reading Year, Lori!

Happy 2018!! And congrats on 144!

>43 thornton37814: Some truly excellent reads, Lori, especially impressed with the non-fiction as I'm unfamiliar with those titles. Drat you, adding to my TBR.

>44 thornton37814: Ha! Great one...Death Overdue! Heh.

>67 thornton37814: Kitty lap time and reading sounds great!

Happy New Year, Lori!

Love your cats on top;-) Looking wonderfully cozy.

Here's to good books, good conversation and good friends!

Happy New Year, Lori! May you have some great reads in 2018.

Goodreads offers interesting stats on my 2017 reads:

>69 rosylibrarian: Happy New Year back to you!

>70 tymfos: I look forward to reading your meme!

>71 PersephonesLibrary: I plan to have a good year of reading. Getting ready to write my first review.

>72 Berly: I really wasn't sure if I'd make it to 125 or not back when the semester began, so I'm happy I got to 144.

>73 richardderus: I hope you enjoy the book bullets I sent your way. I couldn't resist that book for the how I'd like to die category.

>74 PawsforThought: I've enjoyed the kitty lap time. They don't like it when nature requires me to make them move for a bit though.

>75 EllaTim: Yes. My boys are always cozier than I am when it comes to sleeping.

>76 SuziQoregon: Yes, indeed. 2018 should be great.

>77 kgodey: Thank you very much. My first one, as you will soon see, was pretty good.

Happy New Year, Lori!

I think I could do the meme with board games I played last year, but probably not with books :)

1. Where I Was From by Joan Didion

Date Completed: 1 Jan 2017

Category: San Diego (Subject of much of book is California and Californians)

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #6: Read a book you acquired in December 2017, but NOT as a gift

Other Challenges: American Author Challenge - January

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Joan Didion discusses her family and their migration to California. She separates fact from fiction in the stories told, not only about her own family, but also about her native California. Exploring bits and pieces from the 19th century to 21st, readers are treated to well-written essays showing the spirit of true Californians.My favorite essays, of course, were those exploring her own family or which included information on the family of her subjects. Thomas Kincade was the starting point of one of her essays. This one appealed to me because our family usually puts together a puzzle at Christmas, and it is often one based on a Thomas Kincade print. This was my introduction to Didion, but I hope to explore some of her other writings as time permits.

>82 alcottacre: You should do it with the board games! It would still be fun to read!

I have two year-long reads:



These will be used in my daily devotions. The New American Standard Bible is one of my favorite translations because it adheres so closely to the original languages. I wanted a "Study Bible" and decided I'd like to get it in NASB because my 1977 NASB is pretty much worn out. I decided the Ryrie one was the best one in NASB out there, found it on sale at ChristianBook.com and ordered a copy for Christmas. The Songs of Jesus is written by one of my favorite Christian authors and is a daily devotional based on the Psalms. I've selected a canonical reading plan to use with the NASB, and I'm reading the book introductions and commentary this year. However, I'll also be able to spend a little time in my favorite book, Psalms, each day with Keller's devotional. A winning combination!

>83 thornton37814: Huh! I either didn't know or had forgotten Didion and I are both native Californians. Sacto is north of Los Gatos and inland, but I know it reasonably well.

And no one on Earth doesn't love San Diego!

>86 richardderus: San Diego is a great place to visit! Many of her California comments focused on things in the San Francisco/San Jose area or had to do with the Donner party. However, she included other parts of California from time to time. She even mentioned O.J. briefly in one essay. He was more an illustration than a main point.

>87 thornton37814: How very odd that I have no memory whatsoever of hearing, seeing, or otherwise knowing of her connection to the place. I must never have paid her any significant, sustained attention. Which I find peculiar to put it mildly.

Must rectify this omission this year.

>88 richardderus: It appears she grew up there and moved to New York.

2. Pusserina the Wondercat by Kenneth B. Melvin; illustrated by Linda Albrecht

Date Completed: 1 Jan 2018

Category: Charleston

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #1: Read a book having a title which includes an animal with exactly three letters in its name

Other Challenges: AlphaKit - M & V

Rating: 2 stars

Review: I'd love to rate this book higher. I love cats. The illustrations are delightful. However, I must be honest. The poetry is painful to read. It reminded me of my efforts to write poetry when I was in about the 4th or 5th grade. I was quite proud of my creations, but they were not the compositions a lover of poetry would enjoy. I relied too much on rhyme, and some of them were rather trite. That's exactly the sort of reaction I had to the poems in this collection. They were generally written from the perspective of the author's cat, Pusserina. I wanted to like this volume, a gift of poetry from an author living in the same town as my niece, but the poetry did not appeal--even to a cat lover.

Wow! What a game the Rose Bowl was! We didn't know who was going to win that one until the last play!

3. Raised Bed Gardening: How to Use Simple Raised Beds to Grow a Beautiful Vegetable Garden by Dane Alexander

Date Completed: 1 Jan 2018

Category: Quebec City

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #7: Read a book that has been on your e-reader or phone for at least 6 months (Oh, the shame!)

Other Challenges: AlphaKit - M & V

Rating: 3 stars

Review: The soil in my yard is very rocky, and I've heard a lot about raised beds. I would love to plant a small garden, and raised bed gardening is probably my only option. This is a very small e-book--probably more of a booklet if it had made it into print. The author shares tips on construction, what plants need to be planted together or separately, when different types of vegetables need to be planted, and more. It's not comprehensive, but it is a basic introduction. For a Kindle freebie, it's a fairly decent one. I still had questions, but I asked someone with more experience some of those questions as I was reading it. Now the question is whether or not I'll try to plant one this spring or not. If so, I need to see if a friend can build a couple of beds for me so I'll be ready when the vegetables requiring cooler soils can be planted.

Good morning, Lori. You're up for a good reading start.

>92 thornton37814: Good morning, Lori. We put in raised beds for much the same reason, Lori, and they've made a great deal of difference. They also have the advantage of requiring somewhat less stooping. In fact, I may raise our beds another six inches or so this year. I put ours together out of cedar, and overall they've held up well.

Hi Lori, happy new reading year.

I love the meme - have tried to do one myself, but not so many books to choose from this year unfortunately. Thought for the day: The Fish can Sing. We just have to remind ourselves of that. Pretty useful thought :)

>92 thornton37814: Hi Lori, I have some raised beds in my garden as well. They are easy to make, and easy to maintain. Just add some compost each year, no digging needed!

>93 Ameise1: A couple of those were shorter reads, but they were easy to knock out. I'd identified them for TIOLI challenges, so I read them and crossed them off the list.

>94 harrygbutler: It's great to hear someone has tried it and likes it! I did like the idea of it not requiring the stooping too.

>95 ctpress: I had another option for the thought for the day, but I thought that one was the best. Hopefully you'll be able to do the meme next year.

>96 EllaTim: I may try this. I think George and Sandy from my church who live nearby would be happy to check on things when I'm out of town for a week or so. That's been my biggest concern in starting one.

Oh, here you are! Happy reading in 2018. I love historical mysteries.

Are there historical mysteries featuring genealogists? Or is that profession too recent?

Pusserina the Wondercat

Tbh, I would read this based on the title alone, but then, I'm someone who once took the Tube to Cockfosters, so ...

re: Finding Winnie, my mom and I recently watched A Bear Named Winnie.

Ahhh, Cornwall and real, British scones.

>85 thornton37814: ooh, I'll have to make a note of Philip Keller's book on the Pslams. I've only read his book on prayer, but have The Reason for God on my nightstand to read this year as well.

Edited to get the touchstone to load... Yay typing on a phone!

>98 libraryperilous: I'm thinking most of the ones I've encountered featuring genealogists are set in the present-day but simply require some research into the past for some reason or another. Although it is not a genealogical mystery, Sharyn McCrumb's The Unquiet Grave incorporated a lot of genealogical research as she told the story of the murder in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. I liked the title, and I'll hang onto the book. The illustrations are appealing, even if the poetry is lacking. Finding Winnie was the Caldecott winning book. Those always come across my desk at the library, so I can't catalog them without reading them, right?

>99 bell7: I loved the introduction and first day. I'm getting ready to do my devotion time this morning. I'm sure day 2 will be just as good. Keller's book on marriage is also very good. His Christmas book is too.

Lori, you are already off to a good and busy start! Where I was from sounds intriguing!

Three books read already, Lori! You are a reading machine.

>101 PersephonesLibrary: It was a good read for the American Author Challenge.

>102 rosalita: Well, two were rather short. I'd identified them as meeting TIOLI challenges, so I went ahead and read on those. I made progress in a couple other books as well. I should finish one today as I have fewer than 70 pages left in it.

>78 thornton37814: I pretty much dropped Goodreads when I moved over here but I think I'm going to do minimal tracking there this year. Partly for the tracking on my reading goal and partly for the end of year stats.

>104 SuziQoregon: I used LT almost exclusively for awhile, but I decided to put all my 2017 stuff in. There are some things I like better about LT and some I like better about GR. It doesn't take me but another half minute or so to rate a book, copy the review, and mark date completed there too. I like the social aspects here better. My 2017 total books read at GR included abandoned books too, so the number is a bit misleading.

>92 thornton37814: My mum has raised beds in the summer house, because the soil there is barely covering the bare rock underneath. It works really well, and the squash loves it!

Hi Lori! Here's to a happy year filled with wonderful books and excellent genealogical discoveries!

>100 thornton37814: Oh, thanks for that mention. I've had the McCrumb books on my TBR for a few years. And you're never too old for picture books, especially not Caldecott winners that cross your desk.

I like LT for social and cataloging purposes, and GR for tracking and discovery purposes. I need both functions so I participate in both...more on LT now than since I went crazy in 2014.

>109 richardderus: Ditto. GR is way easier to use for tracking books, and reading challenges. If LT created something similar, I would never use GR again.

>106 PawsforThought: Good to hear squash thrives in them. That's one veggie I'd want.

>107 LauraBrook: Thanks. I hope to make some good discoveries as well. My main focus at the moment will be on readying two new lectures for a conference in early May.

>108 libraryperilous: I love picture books any time, but I do try to make sure I don't get too carried away with them.

>109 richardderus: I think I agree with your assessment there. I can be much more precise, edition-wise with LT and you can't beat the 75 Group and Category Challenge groups for socializing. The simpler interface at GoodReads does make it easier to see when you've read something and makes it easier to review

>110 rosylibrarian: It is nice that GoodReads counts what you've read in a year. I challenged myself to 150 next year there. I've tended to put abandoned reads in there too, particularly if I have comments about them. I've been including the abandoned date, but then it counts them as read. Perhaps I should have made my goal there higher, but then I have no idea how many I'll Pearl Rule this year. Some years it is low. I got a little pickier this past year and abandoned more.

>112 thornton37814: I myownself count Pearl-Ruled books as read because I know enough to make an informed decision about them. I do, however, move them from "read" to a special Pearl-Ruled shelf.

Happy New Year, Lori. I hope your 2018 is fabulous.

4. The Ice Princess by Camilla Lackberg

Date Completed: 2 Jan 2018

Category: Boston

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #4: The WIKI Rolling Challenge: read a book with 'w', 'i', 'k', 'i' in the title

Other Challenges: MysteryCAT (Nordic)

Rating: 3 stars

Review: An apparent suicide doesn't add up for writer Erica Falck and investigating police detective Patrik Hedstrom. The autopsy shows their suspicions are correct--Alex was given sleeping pills before being dragged to the bathtub where her wrists were slashed. As the investigation moves along, one of the suspects, who originally was cleared but whose alibi didn't check out upon further inspection, is found hanging in his apartment. It's a case where the investigator finds himself going back to square one more than once. Child abuse is an underlying theme in things relevant to the case and to the people surrounding the writer and detective. It's a good start to the series, but not the smoothest reading. I'm not sure if the problem lies in the translation or the actual novel. I'd still be interested in pursuing further installments to see if the series improves as I like the setting.

>113 richardderus: Good plan.

>114 BLBera: Thanks Beth. Same to you!

   

The UPS man made a late delivery today from Santa, and it's already a hit with the boys. Barney got in on the action too, but he waited until the others moved along to give it a whirl. He's guarding it at the moment.

>115 thornton37814: Aha. Another series I can ignore. Yay.

>117 thornton37814: That looks entertaining.

>115 thornton37814: My library has got a copy of it. Will see if I takw it.

>117 thornton37814: What a clever toy! The boys are huge!

>117 thornton37814: That looks like something our kitties would enjoy!

>118 richardderus: It's always great when you can do that!

>119 Ameise1: The boys are having a ball with it. Sherlock is the one currently keeping it safe.

>120 nittnut: That's what the vet says. After we finish up the cat food on hand, they get to try a weight control formula.

>121 Crazymamie: I found it at Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DT2WL26 although I believe I saw it in Walmart and PetsMart before the holidays. I didn't order it before Christmas because I put it in my wish list, thinking some of my family members might order it for the boys. They got them treats and Christmas toys instead. That's fine. I'd already decided to order it after Christmas if they didn't receive it.

>55 thornton37814: The cities to the east of us had two ice storms in a row and some people out there have bee without power for 4 days. Thankfully the temperatures here were warm enough that we only got regular rain. Good thing your power was back on in less time than that, Lori. At least you had fur bodies to cuddle up to.

Hi, Lori! Happy New Year!

>92 thornton37814: You could also try straw bale gardening. I did it one year and loved it! And got some great results. Next spring, I'm planting a garden tower. Since I rent, I can't dig up the landlord's back yard, and I don't want to put in a container garden which I would have to leave if/when I move.

>123 Familyhistorian: Yes. However, I was making plans to ensure we all stayed warm if it was out very long.

>124 Storeetllr: I've never heard of straw bale gardening, but I think the container might work better for me.

Taking a seat. Happy New Year and Happy Reading Lori!
>117 thornton37814: That's a great toy both for the cat and the person watching the cats playing with it! Wondering if my step-cat Büsi would like something like that? He's normally only interested in food, food and in food.

Happy New Year Lori to you and the boys!

I'm amused to see that they are joining me in my ever going New Year's resolution to lose weight. May we all be successful!

Wow - you're doing great on book numbers already. No BB yet, but I'm sure they will be coming ....

Dropping off a star, Lori. :)

Happy New Year, Lori! Just skimming through, but Cornwall sounds wonderful. For all my years of living in England, I never made it there (only as far as Devon). I did try, the last two times we went back, but my plans always got scuppered. For breathtaking views, I offer Whitby Abbey at almost the other end of the country. We ended up in York instead of Cornwall, so my son could make a football pilgrimage to Manchester City.

Must add my two cents about Cornwall - we were there this summer for a couple of days. Absolutely worthwhile: gorgeous scenery, amazing sights, and terrific hiking. And seeing Port Isaac and Doc Martin's surgery......enough said!

>126 Deern: Apparently they are making lots of nice interactive toys for cats now. That is one. They also make covered tracks of varying sizes that can be assembled in different arrangements that have balls running through them. I got one of those too, but somehow in shipping one part got "stuck" in a part that didn't go with it, and I'm having trouble getting it out. I thought I'd take it to choir tonight to see if someone else can figure how to get it out without tearing it.

>127 streamsong: Hoping those interactive toys also help the boys with the weight loss. I had a bit of a headache today and haven't been very successful in reading because it hurt too much. I'm feeling better now after headache medicine and a long rest. It's not entirely gone, but it's bearable. Hopefully I can resume my regularly scheduled reading. I am, at least, making progress.

>128 MickyFine: Thank you very much! Look forward to seeing you around here.

>129 humouress: I'd love to visit Yorkshire too. I looked Whitby Abbey up and agree it looks like a great place to visit.

>130 vivians: Everyone who has been there loves it. I can't wait to get a chance to visit!

You have all convinced me to go to Cornwall as soon as possible. I made it to the east coast of Wales and it was gorgeous but would love to stand on those cliffs in the opening of Poldark!

>133 witchyrichy: When is our LibraryThing field trip to Cornwall scheduled?

Just stopping in to drop a star and wish you a happy new year!

>135 tapestry100: Thanks! I'm not sure what the image was. I've been getting a lot of those circles with lines through them lately.

Star for you and the furkids, Lori. I love the pictures you post of them. Happy New Year!

Thanks, Donna! I love my boys!

I'll try to catch up on threads tomorrow. I managed to put my iPad in my choir slot with the music so I guess I won't be reading Nicholas Nickleby tonight. I will probably read a bit in the print book and then go to sleep. I need to "disconnect" a little tonight.

5. Strawberry Yellow by Naomi Hirahara

Date Completed: 4 Jan 2018

Category: Yellowstone National Park

TIOLI Challenge: None

Other Challenges: Category Challenge - "Ack! I've Been Hit"

Rating: 2 stars

Review: Mas Arai, a Japanese-American gardener who survived Hiroshima, returns to Watsonville, California to attend his cousin Shug's funeral. Then a woman turns up dead, apparently poisoned, and Mas finds himself in the midst of a murder investigation. Some of the plot deals with strawberries and hybridization. I had a difficult time getting into this. I never connected with any of the individuals. Perhaps my difficulty stemmed from not reading earlier installments. Perhaps the choppy English spoken by the Japanese-Americans contributed as well. I almost abandoned this one several times, but I convinced myself the year is too young to abandon one. I'll pass on the rest of the series.

I am honestly surprised that those kitties accepted the toy itself. Mine usually prefer the box in which it was delivered...

>141 PersephonesLibrary: While there was an Amazon box, the item itself didn't have a box--just a sleeve wrapped around it with some ties holding it in place.

That explains it. :-)

Happy New Year! I'm thinking about trying raised bed gardening this year, myself.

>143 PersephonesLibrary: Yes, indeed.

>144 foggidawn: I guess I'll see if I try it. I've got someone in mind to build one, if he'll consider doing it. Of course, until the temperature warms a bit, I wouldn't even consider asking.

>140 thornton37814: Sorry the first one of the year wasn't so great. The second one is bound to make up for it.

>146 mstrust: That was the 5th one of the year. The others were better.

Hi Lori!

>117 thornton37814: That is an adorable cat toy and looks popular at your house! Thank you, I think, for the link! I'm wondering if my 18-year old Kitty William and 10-year Inara Starbuck would play with it. With our snow and below freezing temperatures, they are not very active kitties right now.....

Hi Lori! Love your kitty thread topper! Looks like a comfy place to hang out and read!

>117 thornton37814: What fun for the cats. Ours would probably sniff it once and never go near it.

>147 thornton37814: Five books in four days?! What are you made of? ; )

>148 karenmarie: They continue to play with the toy although not quite as much as at first. I suppose the newness wore off. I'm thrilled they still play with it though.

>149 ChelleBearss: I tend to fall asleep if I do much more than a couple of chapters at night reading on the bed. I do much better on the couch, and the kitties all like to get in my lap there.

>150 SuziQoregon: I somehow suspect my previous cat would not have played as much with it. These are still young enough to enjoy some of these.

>151 mstrust: Reading will slow down drastically when I go back to work next week.

6. Funeral Music by Morag Joss

Date Completed: 5 Jan 2018

Category: Cornwall

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #15: Read a book with a title that contains the letter u at least twice

Other Challenges: British Author Challenge - Debut Novels ; AlphaKit - M & V

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Sara Selkirk, a cellist, removed to Bath after melting down in a Paris performance. She witnesses the museum director's floating corpse the morning after a charity performance at the Pump Room. Plenty of persons possessed a motive, as Sara herself witnessed the previous evening. Detective Sergeant Bridger and DCI Andrew Poole investigate. Selkirk knows Andrew as her cello student. The plot, especially the ending, was a bit weak in this combination cozy/police procedural novel. I think changing the voice from Sara to Poole, setting the book firmly in the police procedural genre, would strengthen the novel. I liked the novel okay, but probably not enough to continue with the series.

Six books done already, wow.

I'll be attending a funeral this evening. Our youth pastor and his wife lost their three-month-old baby, who spent most of his life in NICU, earlier this week. They requested the youth choir I help lead sing at the funeral. I got to visit with them a few minutes on Wednesday. My heart goes out to them. They were both students at the university where I work. I knew her pretty well because she came in the library quite a bit. I was in tears after talking with her Wednesday, and I'm certain I'll be crying tonight as well.

>155 thornton37814: That's so sad, Lori. Thoughts and prayers with that family.

>117 thornton37814: That looks like a fun toy for the kitties!

>153 thornton37814: SIX books already? What the...?!

>155 thornton37814: Oh gosh, Lori, I feel for them. I lost my son when he was almost 2. It's a horrible feeling. My heartfelt sympathy to them both.

>155 thornton37814:, So very sad my dear, my heart goes out to them.

>155 thornton37814: Oh,my heart breaks for them. What sad thing to happen. I lost a baby son at 17 weeks of pregnancy and that about did me in for a full year , so I can't imagine losing a full term child. So sorry,Lori. Thoughts and prayer for the young couple. Heartbreaking.

Oh, that's horrible. I'll pray for them for comfort.

>155 thornton37814: I can't imagine what it must be like to lose a child post delivery. My heart goes out to them. I will certainly be praying for comfort, healing, and grace for the young couple.

>156 MickyFine: It is very sad. They appreciate prayers and told me they have felt our prayers.

>157 Berly: The cats love it. Two are playing with it at the moment. I'll slow down the reading pace when I get back to work next week. I probably would not have read as much if I'd felt better this week, but I've been battling a sinus infection that was trying to turn into pneumonia. I have been resting, drinking hot tea, rubbing down with Vicks, and anything else I can do to prevent that from happening. I'm doing better, but I'm going to take it easy another week or so.

>158 richardderus: It's always so terrible to lose a child. Thanks for the sympathy.

>159 johnsimpson: Thanks for the kind thoughts.

>160 vancouverdeb: We all shed a few tears. I'd like to share their Caring Bridge page and point to Lindsay's post on January 2 after losing little Barrett on January 1. Her words touched me. https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/barrettwalters

>161 drneutron: Thanks for the prayers.

>162 fuzzi: One of the pastors at tonight's service used the text of about Jesus' raising Lazarus from the dead in John 11. He talked about how Barrett had been tied to tubes of one sort all his life because of the health problems and how much Barrett had tried to pull those tubes out, keeping the nurses on their toes. After Lazarus came out of the grave, Jesus said, "Unbind him, and let him go." He likened that to Barrett's now being free of those tubes and being in heaven with the Lord. I looked at Rob and Lindsay as the words were spoken and could tell how much comfort those words brought to them.

Hi, Lori. Dropping a star.



Finally, I'm able to get around to visiting the threads.

How terrible for your youth pastor and his wife. My heart goes out to them as well - and also to >158 richardderus: Richard and >160 vancouverdeb: Deb. I cannot imagine how it must feel.

We have a similar ball thing for the kitties - except it has only one level for the ball to go around, and has a pink stuffed toy sticking out of the top. The stuffing is coming out of the toy already, as someone (cough, Mycroft) has been chewing it! And I see you have some sort of feathers on a stick - we can't seem to keep those around. Picasso has this habit of chewing on strings, and after we've retied the string so many times, we end up throwing it out. When the boys were little, they would sometimes bring home balloons, and we would put weights on them so they didn't float to the ceiling. Picasso would have none of that, and immediately freed the balloons when no one was looking!

I'm sorry to read about the loss of the young child.

This doesn't seem to be an easy winter anywhere with all the flu and cold etc viruses running wild. I've been fighting something that I fear is trying to be bronchitis so you have my sympathies. Keep on figthing it!

I work on genealogy a lot at times. Some of my earliest Americans settled in Tennessee in the late 1700's (Warren and Van Buren counties). My 4th g grandfather Mark Mitchel(l) was with Washington at Valley Forge and is buried in Warren County.

>165 rretzler: I've had a one level ball thing where there's a hole in the top where cats can bat the ball since my last cat. A couple of these liked it, but I'm finding all three like this one with the levels, possibly because the balls seem more accessible to them.

>166 RBeffa: It has been a bad winter for all sorts of health issues. I've done a little research in the middle Tennessee counties you mentioned, but not much. A lot of middle Tennessee was settled by persons who received Revolutionary War land grants.

It's interesting how many LTers suffered loss of children too.

This is so terrbly sad, I can't half imagine it. I'll be thinking of the parents and enclose them in my prayers. The pastor found really comforting words, I feel like reading up on this with his interpretation in mind.

I'm so sorry to the loss of the cild. It's the worst thing loosing ones child.

So sorry to hear about the loss of their child. What an awful thing to have to go through. :(

>168 Deern: Thanks for your thoughts and prayers. They'll need many in the days ahead.

>169 Ameise1: I cannot imagine anything harder than losing a child. I wonder if infant mortality rates are on the rise. I seem to hear of more loss nowadays.

>170 rosylibrarian: Yes. It is awful. We've organized 3 meals/week for the family through the end of February at church, knowing they'll do things like soup, sandwiches, pizza, and occasionally their own family favorites. Of course, the bereavement committee was taking care of providing food while extended family was around as well.

This is just heartbreaking... I am so sorry!

>172 PersephonesLibrary: It is sad, but the family is comforted knowing little Barrett is no longer suffering and that they'll see him again someday in heaven.

We have a new (opened in early 2017, but I didn't hear about it until fall) "occasionally open" remainder bookstore in Knoxville that Carrie and I plan to check out today. Here's their Facebook blurb:

Come out this weekend to Scruffy City Books' first BIG sale of 2018 and see our NEW LOCATION!

It's right NEXT DOOR to our old location but there is no warehouse area with the store. Everything is in a regular store area. (Yay!)

The great news is that we have MORE ROOM for MORE BOOKS, CDs, AUDIOBOOKS and more media coming soon!

We've still got a lot of work to do to get ready for this weekend but it's going to be awesome! We can't wait for everyone to see it...

As always, the vast majority of books in our store are $3 or less!

Kids' books start at just $1 each... and we still have our Kids' Books Bulk Bins where you can FILL A BAG for just $10!

Audiobooks are just $3 each!

Music CDs are just $3 each and we have thousands to choose from and we keep adding more...

A portion of every sale is donated to The Knoxville Dream Center's Title I School outreach at local schools.

Tag a book-loving friend and share this post with as many people as you can! Bring all of your book lovers to stock up for the winter with great books at a great prices...

Thanks so much for your support of Scruffy City Books!

We are open Saturday, January 6 from 9-5 and Sunday, January 7 from Noon-5. You can find us at 2700 Hoitt Ave., Knoxville, TN 37917. If you need directions, use Google Maps, which brings you right to our door.

Sorry to see of your friend's loss. Such a terrible thing to lose a child at any age. Hope you are doing ok.

>175 ChelleBearss: I'm fine. Just trying to keep the sinus infection from becoming something worse. I'm really glad my dad died before my brother did in 2015. I think he would have taken it very hard if his son died before him.

>164 thornton37814: I like the comparison that pastor used. And if it helped, then good.

>174 thornton37814: Sounds exciting! I wish I could check it out too - although I'm sure that I would spend way too much money. What a deal on the Kid's Books Bulk Bins!

>174 thornton37814: Wish I was going there with you, Lori.

Lovely to see you so active at the beginning of the year. Have a lovely Sunday.

Hi Lori!

I can't imagine losing a child, and my heart goes out to those young parents. The picture of baby Barrett is heartbreaking.

I hope you're successful in avoiding something worse than a sinus infection. Those are bad enough.

Hi, Lori. Prayers for your youth pastor and his wife and all who grieve.

>117 thornton37814: >150 SuziQoregon: Well I was half right about the cat toy. I stopped at the pet store on the way home just in case they had one of those. They did. Howie sniffed it once then walked away. Abby on the other hand loves it. Thanks for showing it off.

>155 thornton37814: Oh that's just so heartbreaking.

>155 thornton37814:, >164 thornton37814: So very very sorry to hear about your church's youth pastor and his wife's loss of their beautiful baby. It is probably the worst experience a person can ever endure. One thing I learned from my own losses, it takes a long time to recover, so being supportive in a month or six (or twelve - and esp. around the holidays, which will be an emotional time for them) would be a kindness. I still cry sometimes, and it's been 40 years. Is Barrett their first child?

>177 fuzzi: It was an interesting comparison--one I'd never heard in a funeral sermon.

>178 rretzler: The bulk bins were wonderful! I'm less tempted by books I know I can easily get at the library.

>179 PaulCranswick: Sundays are always busy for me. I was on praise team for first and third services this morning and on the one for the evening service. Prior to the evening service, EXALT, the youth choir I help lead, rehearsed. We looked at new music for an event next month where they'll join other choirs from across the state. They loved it two years ago. We hope they love it just as much this time.

>180 karenmarie: It is heart-rending. We took up a special offering today to help them with some of their expenses. I heard the baskets were filled. They'll count it tomorrow.

>181 harrygbutler: Thanks. They appreciate the prayers. They buried Barrett in Kentucky today and will be driving back tomorrow. The weather is a bit questionable so they may need to stop somewhere before they get home.

>182 SuziQoregon: Well, I'm glad Abby loves it. Perhaps Howie will come around. My boys are still playing with it.

>183 Storeetllr: They have three other children--two girls and a boy. I'm sure it's going to be hard on them too. Fortunately we have a counseling ministry at our church. I believe we have five counselors on staff now. It has grown over the years. Different ones have different specialties, but there is one who is really good with grief because she's walked that road herself.

7. Booked for Trouble by Eva Gates

Date Completed: 7 Jan 2018

Category: Santa Rosa Beach, Florida

TIOLI Challenge: None unless I happen to catch the "k" in the rolling WIKI challenge

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Lucy's mother Suzanne, visiting from Boston, becomes a suspect when Karen Kivas dies on lighthouse property following a book group both attended. Suzanne and Karen exchanged heated words in the presence of most of the club, but only Lucy witnessed them making up. A stolen neckless, found in Suzanne's bag, adds to the drama. Lucy remains in a love triangle with the police officer Butch and mayor Connor. A mysterious "gray woman" keeps turning up in the library. Other returning characters includes Lucy's aunt, uncle, cousins, the library staff, library board members, and Charles the library cat. I find the series light and enjoyable for audio book listening while driving. The mystery itself was not all that complicated to figure out, but Lucy followed other hunches as well.

8. The Toad Who Loved Tea by Faiz Kermani

Date Completed: 8 Jan 2018

Category: San Diego

TIOLI Challenge: None

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Tungtang the Toad sets off from Muddy River to town where she discovers a tea shop and discovers she loves it and can't get enough of it. However, the tea shop receives complaints because of muddy tables, missing tea, and missing pastries. Will the owners figure out what is happening? Will the toad continue to enjoy tea? You'll need to read this delightful book for children to find out. I received an advance electronic copy from the publisher through NetGalley with expectations of an honest review in exchange.

I really thought I would like Gates' lighthouse library series, but I was annoyed by the love triangle from the start and also some of the stereotyping in the first book. Such a great location for a library though!

The Toad Who Loved Tea looks cute.

>188 libraryperilous: I'm not sure I would like them in print, but somehow I tolerate it more in audio format. I wish she'd just make up her mind which one she likes. The toad book was cute!

>117 thornton37814: Soooo cute

Just to let you know there is vote going on over on my thread.

>190 BBGirl55: I cast my ballot.

9. Buried in the Country by Carola Dunn

Date Completed: 8 Jan 2018

Category: Cornwall

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #15: Read a book with a title that contains the letter u at least twice

Rating: 2 stars

Review: I erred in reading this fourth series installment before reading previous ones. A confusing array of characters ended up at a hotel. I had a vague idea Eleanor might be the series sleuth, but I was uncertain. Adding confusion to what I perceived would be a cozy series was a plot suggesting she worked in intelligence, tracking spies. Further adding to the confusion was a niece working as a police detective assigned to the same detail as she was. The plot itself was difficult to follow, introducing threads perhaps just for the purpose of making the work of historical fiction with an early 1970s setting, for without the young Rhodesians, the novel's timing could be any time after vans were manufactured. A chase of the suspects in the fog was perhaps the most exciting bit of the novel. The ending fell short. The book jacket and location caused me to believe this would be an enjoyable cozy jaunt, but they misled. The author needs to decide what mystery genre she wishes to write and stick with one. A combination cozy, police procedural, and espionage set in Cornwall does not work.

Wow, you're really reading up a storm! I feel so behind, I've only finished one and I usually read a book about every two days or so. I guess since I'm trying to read 3 books at once, it will all catch up with me later.

Lori, I read several Carola Dunn mysteries and thought they were poorly written. But then I discovered her Daisy Dalrymple series, set in 1920's London, and have really enjoyed them.

As I was scanning down, something caught my eye. What is the Pearl Rule?

Happy new year. I have just starred this thread. :)

>193 rretzler: You should finish those three before too long. I'll be slowing down since I'm back at work now.

>194 Oregonreader: The Pearl Rule basically allows one to abandon a book after 50 pages. As you grow older, you are allowed to subtract one page for each year past age 50. It's so-called because of librarian Nancy Pearl who publicized her "rule."

>195 sirfurboy: Thanks! Hope you have a great year of reading.

Hi Lori. You are reading a lot.

>197 calm: I'll concede I've read a lot to this point, but it will slow down. I've got other things I must do a couple evenings this week--choir one night and a presentation I'm doing on DNA & genealogy for a nearby public library.

>192 thornton37814: I had the same problems as you with this one. It was a bit too grim at the time, because I had wanted a cozy, and the jumble of subgenres didn't really add to the story. I also found the cast of characters and references to previous installments hard to follow.

>189 thornton37814: I bet the cozy mystery genre does lend itself to audiobooks. It sounds a very relaxing way to read them.

>199 libraryperilous: I'm glad I'm not the only one that felt that way about Dunn's book. I read the fourth one before reading the earlier three because it's time on our lease book collection is nearing an end. I'd planned to go back and read the others, but I'm not so sure about it now. I really find cozies to be perfect audiobooks--entertaining but not too intense.

Thanks for the vote. There is a surpries second vote. The first ended in a tie.

Looks like you are reading up a storm right now! I have yet to finish one but I am working my way (slowly) through the latest Lee Child.

>201 BBGirl55: I'll mosey over. I've been in meetings most of the day.

>202 ChelleBearss: As I've stated, I'm slowing down. I'm back at work, and I have a few other things I need to complete soon as well.

>186 thornton37814: >188 libraryperilous: I have enjoyed the lighthouse series because it brings fond memories of time spent at the Outer Banks. I've also read the books by Kathryn O'Sullivan set in the village of Corolla. I had a habit of buying the next book in each series from the independent bookstore in Corolla each summer.

>192 thornton37814: >194 Oregonreader: >199 libraryperilous: I'll admit I'm not a big Dunn fan either. I tried the Daisy Dalrymple series and thought it was just ok - so many other series I liked better so I didn't follow up after the first book or two.

>204 witchyrichy: I need to look for that series. I didn't know about it. Sounds interesting though.

>205 rretzler: I'd forgotten she wrote the Daisy Dalrymple series, but I haven't rushed to read more than the one or two I did read. Sounds like I'm in good company with my distaste for the series.

Hi Lori, just stopping by to say hello my dear.

>207 johnsimpson: Thanks for the greetings. I'm falling behind on threads but hope to catch up over the weekend.

I am going to travel through SouthEngland and Cornwall in July! And I am looking for pre-travel reading inspiration. Though Buried in the Country won't make my list.

>209 PersephonesLibrary: I think it is quite safe to skip that one! You might be better to go with some Daphne Du Maurier novels or some of the Poldark series by Winston Graham.

10. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

Date Completed: 12 Jan 2018

Category: Amish Country

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #4: The WIKI Rolling Challenge: read a book with 'w', 'i', 'k', 'i' in the title

Other Challenges: British Author Challenge - Debut Novels

Rating: 3 stars

Review: The year is 1934. The Mortmain family resides in a castle in England. Daughter Cassandra narrates the novel at least partially through her diary entries. Her father has a long-term lease on the property which was just inherited my some Americans. Cassandra's father wrote one successful novel but quit writing. No one is quite certain why. Older sister Rose is falling in love with one of the Americans. The family wants to see their father get back to work. I did not love tthis as much as some did. I really never connected with the characters. I disliked the father who took no responsibility for providing for his family, leaving them very poor and not meeting his financial commitments. I disliked the way the girls' stepmother enabled him. Not quite what I expected, but it was an okay read.

>211 thornton37814: This is on my to-read list this month. I was hoping it would be better. For once, I have seen the movie before reading the book, so I'm curious to see how close the two are. I enjoyed the movie, but it was nothing spectacular.

>211 thornton37814: I enjoyed that one more than you did, but it’s been a long time since I read it. I wonder if rereading would reveal flaws that didn’t bother me the first time through?

>212 rretzler: I gave it 4 stars, enjoyed the eccentricities quite a bit. Also, whenever I thought I had the plot figured out, it switched.

>213 foggidawn: I was about to say the same thing. I remember enjoying it much more, but I was 6 years younger.

Hi Lori!

>211 thornton37814: I gave it 3 stars, which for me is a "Good" rating. I remember liking it but not loving it.

>68 thornton37814: Lori, 144 books in a year is quite an accomplishment!
>211 thornton37814: I read this book a long time ago. Your review is stellar!

>212 rretzler: I rated it lower than a lot of others did. I've wondered if I might have enjoyed it more if I'd been younger when I read it. As it was, I just wanted the dad to be responsible--and it was obvious he wasn't going to do so and that his wife enabled him.

>213 foggidawn: Perhaps part of the problem was my age at first read.

>214 fuzzi: A lot of people liked it far more than I did. They were eccentric.

>215 rosylibrarian: I'm glad people liked it better than I did. The writing was fine.

>216 karenmarie: That's about how we both felt. 2.5 is my "meh" rating. 3 is also a good rating for me. Anything 2 or lower is dislike.

>217 Whisper1: Thanks, Linda. I struggled with what to say without saying too much.

Hi Lori, happy weekend!

>211 thornton37814: I'm still reading this one, so thanks for taking care not to say too much. I like the voice of the younger sister, but I'm also annoyed with the father, and really the whole family, for the same reason as you give. But still liking the book so far.

>220 EllaTim: I'm glad I'm not alone in my annoyment with the father/family. I knew others were reading it for the British Author Challenge this month.

>204 witchyrichy: It definitely made me want to visit the Outer Banks!

I found I Capture the Castle a wee bit twee, but I did like the ending. Richard recommended 101 Dalmatians, so I have it in my queue for next week.

>222 libraryperilous: I'm not sure I've ever read 101 Dalmatians although I've seen it on TV quite a few times.

11. Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens

Date Completed: 13 Jan 2018

Category: Bahamas

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #4: The WIKI Rolling Challenge: read a book with 'w', 'i', 'k', 'i' in the title

Other Challenges: Group read

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: After his father dies, Nicholas Nickleby must go to work to support his mother and sister. The family is at the mercy of the "wicked uncle." Nicholas, at Ralph's arrangement, takes a position with Dothebys, a boarding school run by Mr. Squeers. Squeers and his equally corrupt wife regularly abuse the boys in their charge. After an incident, Nicholas leaves for London, being joined by Smike, one of the older boys. Newman Noggs, an employee of Ralph Nickleby,delivers a message to Nicholas. Life, love, and corruption continue to abound in the novel. Like most of Dickens' novels, social problems of the day are prominent. Enjoyable, but probably not Dickens' best work.

I was just thinking about a reread of I Capture the Castle. I'm a fan, but I also haven't read it in a few years.
Are you still planning to read Little Red Chairs for the IAC? I tracked it down so I think I can get it next week.

>225 jennyifer24: I have Little Red Chairs checked out. I'll begin it sometime this weekend. I'm reading The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher for the Non-Fiction Challenge at the moment. It's a good break from fiction. Since I finished Nicholas Nickleby, I've given myself permission to read up to five children's picture books from the ones I purchased for my great nephew at the sale last weekend.

>222 libraryperilous: >223 thornton37814: The Hundred and One Dalmations is fun, witty, and worked for me as a childhood read (1968) and adult read just a few years ago.

Try to find an edition with the Johnstone illustrations, they are marvelous!

>227 fuzzi: Sounds fun! I really don't watch much on TV. Sometimes I wonder why I pay for cable, but I suppose it is for sports and because it comes bundled with Internet.

>228 This-n-That: Maybe I'll find the movie version sometime, although I don't watch many of those either.

Don't try to make a cat snuggle if he doesn't volunteer to do so.

Ouch!

>230 thornton37814: Ow, Lori! I hope it heals up quickly!

Wow! that looks painful. I hope it doesn't get infected. Take good care of it.

>231 drneutron: Thanks for the sympathy!

>232 harrygbutler: It isn't as painful as it looks. I'm glad the eye was closed at the time.

>233 The_Hibernator: I'm trying to keep it clean, but I'm needing to be careful what I use on it because of it being around the eye.

>211 thornton37814: I tried reading I Capture The Castle for my book group a few years back, and just couldn't do it, for all the reasons you mention. I just could -not- connect with a single character and finally decided that there were better books out there to be read, set it aside and never looked back.

>230 thornton37814: Ow! Please take good care of that!

>230 thornton37814: Is your cat in a fight club?! Hope it heals soon.

>230 thornton37814: Oh dear...glad it isn't any worse!

I'll chime in on I Capture the Castle as someone who enjoyed it. Not an all time favorite but a good read nonetheless.

>235 tapestry100: It is nice to hear others who had a similar experience to mine. Regarding the eye, I'm able to use the cream version of Neosporin on it as it doesn't issue dire warnings about using in proximity to eyes.

>236 mstrust: My cat is in a fight club with his brothers. I'm sure it will get better. It mostly hurts when I blink, but not on the brief blinks--mainly the longer, harder ones.

>237 witchyrichy: I'm quite thankful my eyeball wasn't scratched. I'm glad some people enjoyed it more than I did, even if it was only slightly more.

12. Friends in High Places by Donna Leon

Date Completed: 15 Jan 2018

Category: Cork, Ireland

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #14: Rolling challenge: Answer the questions with a book title you read

Rating: 4 stars

Review: When an apparently honest official in the corrupt Ufficio Catasto visits Brunetti's home to inform him that his apartment does not exist in the official records, Brunetti wants to solve the problem himself rather than relying upon Paola's father for a favor. When the young man, after learning Brunetti's real position calls him back, Brunetti suggests he needs to call him from a pay phone rather than from the mobile line he's used. The young man does not return the call, and the next day he ends up dead.

In the meantime, Vice Questore Patta's son's involvement in drugs and absence from the absences leaves Brunetti in charge. He begins to unravel a loan scheme which leaves moneylenders rich in lands but paying very little in taxes. When the only potential witnesses end up dead in the same building from which the young man "fell" to his death, Brunetti is certain he's closing in.

I don't want to give away any more of the plot. The ending is probably not the ending those persons who want justice completely served will appreciate. It's rather abrupt, but probably more reflective of what would occur in a situation as corrupt as the one in which Brunetti finds himself. The narrator David Colacci does a commendable job. This is the first time I've listened to one of the Brunetti mysteries, but it will not be the last. They work very well in audio format, holding the reader's attention. This is one of the better installments in the series.

13. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: A Shocking Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective by Kate Summerscale

Date Completed: 15 Jan 2018

Category: Charleston

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #4: The WIKI Rolling Challenge: read a book with 'w', 'i', 'k', 'i' in the title

Other Challenges: Non-Fiction: Prize Winning Books

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Four-year-old Saville Kent is murdered in his own home. Although originally placed in the hands of local police, the matter is turned over to Jack Whicher who almost immediately suspects daughter Constance of the crime. However, charges do not stick. Whicher is discredited. The crime is confessed a few years later. The crime is interesting because of its influence on the new detective genre of fiction. Both Wilkie Collins in The Moonstone and Charles Dickens in his unfinished work The Mystery of Edwin Drood used the real case in the village of Road, Wiltshire, now Rode, Somerset, as a starting point in their works. The author informs readers of the future lives of the major characters in the case. While it is interesting, the writing is not flawless. I dislike the "hidden endnotes" employed in this work. Publishers need to quit using them. Give credit where credit is due, and let the reader know credit is being given.

I enjoyed that one very much when I read it. She's got another true crime one out called The Wicked Boy that I need to get to.

>230 thornton37814: That looks really painful, and I'll keep your warning in mind when I'm cat-sitting again for the next 4 weeks.

>224 thornton37814: *sigh* I used to read at least one Dickens per year, and then I stopped, and feel my brain can't process them anymore. And now it's winter which should be the best time. I hope the mood comes back eventually. This one sits on my shelf as a fat old paper copy.

>239 thornton37814: I had a Donna Lean phase many years ago, but the very realistic endings frustrated me too much at some point. I imagine they're great as audios, and maybe I'm resilient enough now to give them another try.

>241 drneutron: Sounds interesting. I'll keep it in mind.

>242 Deern: It's my own fault. He was up further in the bed than he often is when I bring him closer for petting. He just wasn't having any of it Sunday night. The group read motivated me to complete it. I think the realistic endings are probably why I quit reading when I did. I always knew I'd get back to them, and the Two Guidos thread motivated me. The read is actually of the first six Brunetti novels, but I'm skipping the ones I read and substituting others. I read the ones out of order that I did read. I'll probably be on track with the group read the next couple of installments. Somewhere toward the end of the year, I will make another substitution or two.

>240 thornton37814: I read that a few years ago and liked it, giving it four stars like you. I always admire non-fiction that I can see took an enormous amount of research.
>241 drneutron: I'll look for The Wicked Boy- thanks!

>244 mstrust: She had definitely done her homework on that book. I wish it flowed a little better in places. Still it was interesting.

>230 thornton37814: Yikes! Hope it heals soon. We have been getting our fair share of scratches with the kittens, but nothing nearly as bad as that. Thankfully, it didn't scratch your eyeball.

Some sad news about the loss of some Stephen King manuscripts due to a broken water main: http://bangordailynews.com/2018/01/16/business/original-stephen-king-manuscripts...

>246 rretzler: I get little minor ones. It was barely noticeable with my glasses yesterday at work. I only have myself and my kitties to judge today as work and church are cancelled.

Hi Lori!

Sorry that your kitty got you. I still have fading scars from cat scratches on my arms from my attempts to subdue them to my wishes.

>240 thornton37814: I liked that book a lot, gave it 3.5 stars, but for some reason didn't keep it on my shelves.

>241 drneutron: Drat, Jim. It's not fair to dole out BBs on other peoples' threads!

>249 karenmarie: It's okay. I can't stay mad at my kitties when it's my own fault. Besides one is cuddling next to me at the moment. Way to scold Jim about those BBs.

>211 thornton37814: I felt the same about I Capture the Castle Didn't love it.

>230 thornton37814: OWIE!!!!!

>247 thornton37814: Sounds like the guy is devastated. And of course the water main just had to break near a rare book store of all places.

>230 thornton37814: Ouch!! Is it healing ok or are you still in pain?

>251 SuziQoregon: I'm glad I wasn't the only one not enthralled.

>252 mstrust: It is terrible.

>253 ChelleBearss: I no longer feel any pain, even when blinking. Yesterday my glasses hid most of it. I think it's close to normal color today. Just a matter of the scratch going completely away--or as much as it will.

14. Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

Date Completed: 17 Jan 2018

Category: Quebec City

TIOLI Challenge: Challenge #2: Read a book with a gothic theme

Other Challenges: ScaredyKIT - Gothic Theme & Group Read

Rating: 5 stars

Review: Victor Frankenstein creates a monster that takes away everything he loves. The book's subtitle, "or , the Modern Prometheus," provides a clue to readers of Shelley's intent in writing the book. The Hogarth Shakespeare series features modern-day retellings of Shakespeare's classics; Frankenstein retells the story of Prometheus. She used elements of gothic and romantic novels in her story. Even today, 200 years after its publication, the novel enthralls readers. Readers are challenged in their thoughts concerning appearance, science, justice, religion, and more. More students should be challenged to read and discuss the book instead of formulating their ideas of Frankenstein's monster based on movies.

>255 thornton37814: Oh, a five star read for Frankenstein! I really need to re-read it some day soon-ish.

>256 PawsforThought: I loved it. It kept me wanting to read.

>255 thornton37814: Good review of Frankenstein, Lori. Readers are challenged in their thoughts concerning appearance, science, justice, religion, and more. More students should be challenged to read and discuss the book instead of formulating their ideas of Frankenstein's monster based on movies. Yes! It's so much better than the movies of it we've had so far.

>258 jnwelch: One of the English professors at our university used it last semester. I can really see why. Wish I could have sat in on some of the discussions.