Cee's 2019 Reading Adventures

HAPPY 2019 READING ADVENTURES TO ALL MY LT FRIENDS !



Wild Geese (exert)

...the world offers itself to your imagination,

calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting

over and over announcing your place

in the family of things.

***************************************
from Dream Work by Mary Oliver

My star ratings:

*****Five stars- Amazing Favorite - possibly life-changing! Outstanding either for the content, the style, or the impact.

****1/2 - Excellent, well written, highly recommended & well worth reading

****Four stars- Enjoyable, page-turner, and/or thought-provoking book. Counted among my better reads.

***1/2 stars - interesting, fun, informative, or different: probably would not read again

***Three stars- light comfort read - or - a serious book that falls short of expectations

**1/2 stars - not well written or my taste, but may have a thought or two to ponder

**Two stars- waste of time considering all the books TBR in the world

*1/2 stars - Someone, somewhere probably likes this book, but not me.

*One star- Quit, Yuck, Ptooey! This star is only for the author's effort and success in finishing a book.

2019 Books Read:

January
#1 THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD by Zora Neale Hurston 4.75 stars RL book club
#2 BLEAK HARBOR by Bryan Gruley 2.5 stars
#3 OPEN ME CAREFULLY by Martha Neil Smith (ed) 5 stars
#4 THE PERFECT GIRL by Golly MacMillian 3 stars
#5 CALYPSO by David Sedaris 4 stars
#6 FIRE LOGIC by Laurie J Marks ER Win 4.2 stars
#7 LEAVING EARTH by Helen Humphreys 4 stars
#8 KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON by David Grann 4.2 stars RL book club

February
#9 CIRCE by Madeline Miller 5 stars
#10 WINTER GARDEN by Kristin Hannah 4.5 stars
#11 WINTER HOURS by Mary Oliver 5 stars
#12 NEW AND SELECTED POEMS, VOL 2 by Mary Oliver 4.5 stars
#13 AN OFFICER AND A SPY by Robert Harris 4.7 stars
#14 THREAD HERRINGS by Lea Wait 3.5 stars
#15 UPSTREAM: SELECTED ESSAYS by Mary Oliver 5 stars
#16 WHEN NEVER COMES by Barbara Davis 3.5 stars
#17 EARTH LOGIC by Laurie Marks 4.3 stars
#18 SING, UNBURIED, SING by Jesmyn Ward 4.2 stars RL Book club
#19 WHERE THE FOREST MEETS THE STARS by Glendi Vanderah 4.5 stars
#20 BEFORE WE WERE YOURS: A NOVEL by Lisa Wingate 4.5 stars

March
#21 WATER LOGIC by Laurie Marks ER Win 4.2 stars
#22 SO HAPPY TOGETHER by Maryann McFadden 3.5 stars
#23 SLIGHTLY FOXED: NO 61 'THE PARIS EFFECT' by Gail Pirkis & Hazel Wood 4.5 STARS
#24 THE 100 YEAR OLD MAN WHO CLIMBED OUT THE WINDOW by Jonas Jonasson 3 stars
#25 BITTERBLUE by Kristin Cashore 3.5 stars
#26 AMERICAN PRIMITIVE by Mary Oliver 4.6 stars
#27 THE STORYTELLER'S SECRET by Sejal Badani 4 stars
#28 THE FOREST LOVER by Susan Vreeland 4.75 stars

April

#29 THE ROAD TO CHARACTER by David Brooks 3 stars RL book club
#30 LOOKING GLASS by Andrew Mayne 4 stars
#31 THE HEART'S NECESSITIES by Jane Tyson Clement ER win 5 beautiful stars
#32 CONTENTMENT COVE by Miriam Colwell 2.5 stars
#33 MURDER THEORY by Andrew Mayne 3.5 stars
#34 WITH WALT WHITMAN, HIMSELF by Jean Huets ER win 4 stars
#35 AT SEVENTY: A JOURNAL by May Sarton 4.8 stars
#36 AN ARGUMENTATION OF HISTORIANS by Jodi Taylor 4 stars
#37 WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN THE CASTLE by Shirley Jackson 4 stars

May

#38 ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITUDE by Gabriel Garcia Marquez 4 whacked stars (RL Book Club)
#39 UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY: A NOVEL INSPIRED BY THE LIVES by Kelly O'Connor McNees 3.6 stars
#40 THE DIVE FROM CLAUSEN'S PIER by Ann Packer 2.8 stars
#41 WORKING THE SEA: MISADVENTURES by Wendell Seavey 4.6 stars
#42 SUMMER WORLD: A SEASON OF BOUNTY by Bernd Heinrich 4.7 stars
#43 THE GIVEN DAY by Dennis Lehane 4 stars
#44 CODA by Simon Gray 4.2 stars RL book club
#45 THE GREAT PASSAGE by Shion Miura 3.5 stars

June

#46 THE CRIMSON PETAL AND THE WHITE by Michel Faber 2.75 stars
#47 HALLELUJAH ANYWAY: REDISCOVERING MERCY by Anne Lamott 3.8 stars
#48 MISTRESS OF THE RITZ by Melanie Benjamin 4 stars
#49 UNBROKEN by Laura Hillenbrand 5 stars Wow!
#50 THE TENTH ISLAND by Diana Marcum 3.5 stars
#51 THE SPECTATOR BIRD by Wallace Stegner 4.2 stars
#52 THE GOLDFINCH by Donna Tartt 5 stars

July

#53 THE MEASURE OF MY DAYS by Florida Scott-Maxwell 4.8 stars
#54 THE TIE THAT BINDS by Kent Haruf 4 stars
#55 PILLARS OF THE EARTH by Ken Follett 3.5 stars
#56 THE PASSAGE by Justin Cronin 2.7 stars
#57 AIMLESS LOVE by Billy Collins 4.6 stars
#58 MIDWIVES by Chris Bohjallan 3.8 stars
#59 HOW TO LIVE WITH A NEUROTIC CAT 3.5 stars
#60 PROGNOSIS: A MEMOIR OF MY BRAIN by Sarah Vallance 4.7 stars
#61 LESS THAN ANGELS: A NOVEL by Barbara Pym 3.4 stars

August

#62 THE GOD OF SMALL THINGS by Arundhati Roy 3 stars
#63 OUR SOULS AT NIGHT BY Kent Haruf 4.5 stars
#64 BOSSYPANTS by Tina Fey 4 stars
#65 CAPTAIN BLUEBEAR by Walter Moers 3.75 stars
#66 PEOPLE OF THE BOOK by Geraldine Brooks 3.6 stars
#67 IRENA'S CHILDREN by Tilar Mazzeo (re-read for RL Book club - still 5 stars!)

September

#68 I, COSMO by Carlie Sorosiak ER win 4 stars
#69 A PLACE IN TIME by Wendell Berry 5 stars
#70 THE STREET OF A THOUSAND BLOSSOMS by Gail Tsukiyama 4.2 stars
#71 THE WHALE by Phillip Hoare 4 stars
#72 MY BRILLIANT FRIEND by Elena Ferrante 4.5 stars RL book club

October

#73 THREAD ON ARRIVAL by Lea Wait 3.5 stars
#74 THE STORY OF A NEW NAME by Elena Ferrante 4.5 stars
#75 THE OCTOBER COUNTRY by Ray Bradbury 3.5 stars
#76 ALASKA'S HEAVY LIGHT by Barbara Hunt 4 stars
#77 EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON by Kate Bowler ER win 4.4 stars
#78 LEAVING HOME by Anita Brookner 3.5 stars

November

#79 THE FEAST OF THE GOAT by Mario Vargas Llosa 3.5 stars
#80 THE LOST CITY OF THE MONKEY GOD by Douglas Preston 5 stars RL book club
#81 ALL PASSION SPENT by Vita Sackville-West 4.6 stars
#82 HELP, THANKS, WOW by Anne Lamott 3.4 stars
#83 THE PASSION OF ARTEMISIA by Susan Vreeland 4 stars
#84 DOOMSDAY BOOK by Connie Willis 5 stars
#85 THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND by William Kamkwamba 4.2 stars
#86 THAT WILD COUNTRY : AN EPIC JOURNEY by Mark Kenyon 4 stars
#87 THE PARIS WIFE by Paula McLain 3.7 stars
#88 THE OVERDUE LIFE OF AMY BYLER by Kelly Harms 3.7 stars
#89 THE RAZOR'S EDGE by Somerset Maugham 4 stars

December

#90 THE SOUL OF MEDICINE: A PHYSICIAN'S EXPLORATION by James Raymond, MD
ER Win 5 stars
#91 DREAM WORK by Mary Oliver 4.4 stars
#92 EVERYTHING YOU ARE by Kerry Anne King 4 stars
#93 A NUMBER OF THINGS: STORIES OF CANADA by Jane Urquhart 4.7 stars
#94 DARKNESS, TAKE MY HAND by Dennis Lehane 3.8 stars
#95 RUNAWAY by Alice Munro 4.5 stars
#96 WHAT THE WIND KNOWS by Amy Harmon 4 stars
#97 THE LAST REPORT ON THE MIRACLES by Louise Erdrich 5 stars
#98 AN OLIVE GROVE AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD by Jared Gulian 4.5 stars
#99 FOUR SOULS by Louise Erdritch 4.6 stars

Welcome back!

Thanks Jim!
Not as gabby as I used to be, but LOVE this group and the books they read.

Cheers!

Happy New Year, Cee. That chair does look amazing.

Happy reading in 2019, Cee!

>4 -Cee-: I loved Their Eyes Were Watching God, so I hope you enjoy it, Cee. I listened to the audio book, narrated by the incomparable Ruby Dee, and then immediately read the book on my own.

Happy New Year!

Happy 2019
A year full of books
A year full of friends
A year full of all your wishes realised

I look forward to keeping up with you, Cee, this year.

Glad to have you back, Cee!

Welcome back, Cee! Happy new year!

Hi Cee, I’m looking forward to following along on your reading journey this year!

Welcome back Cee!

Good to see you back, Cee! Dropping a star.

Hi Cee!!! Glad to see you, wouldn't mind if you got gabby again ;)

Hi to all my great visitors! So good to see you ... Beth, Anita, Stasia, Paul, Chelle, Kim, Lynda, Joanne, Rhian and Mamie!

I really did enjoy Their Eyes Were Watching God. It was one of those books I should have read a long, long time ago and finally got to it. YAY! I might even give it a quick re-read.

On the other hand, Bleak Harbor was not my taste and didn't have an ending. What? It ended on my Kindle mid sentence. I think they want me to subscribe to something. But no! I really don't care how it ended. That's quite a statement coming from one who thinks endings are important.

I can't possibly keep up with all the wonderful threads out there. I do get curious though about how everyone is doing and what they are reading. So, I've become a lurker for now.

I love starting a new year of reading. I never know what direction it's going to take :-)
Cheers to everyone! Happy Reading!

Oops! Hi Megan!

Almost missed you there. It takes me so long to type *sigh*
I know. I wish I had the energy and time to be gabby. It's a fun group! I think of you a lot - like every time New Zealand comes up. That seems to happen a lot. What a gorgeous country! But, of course, you know that. If I ever do visit it will be when our summer is here, I'm melting, and I head for your refreshing cold winter!

Happy 2019!

Hi, Cee! I don't have time or energy to be gabby here, either. But I'd miss it dreadfully if I didn't at least have a thread and drop in on people's threads from time to time.

Happy 2019 reading!

>21 tymfos: I know exactly what you mean, Terri. So, we book lovers persist, survive, and enjoy LT!

>20 -Cee-: :)
That is great. I'd love to see you here one winter.

I trust that you are having a lovely weekend, Cee.

Dropping in to say Hi!

Just a drive-by hello! :)

Cee, Cee, wherefore art thou, Cee?

Hahaha! Paul, Kim, and Terri - greetings! Good to feel the warmth here :-)

My Feb reading has been stellar so far. Loving it!
Hope everyone is staying warm and safe.
Hugs all around ....

Glad to see you are having a good reading year! Hugs

Two months without my dear pal, Cee, and he frosted-less bathroom windows!

Have a lovely weekend.

Hi Chelle and Paul! (and whoever else is leisurely lurking)

It's been a rough few months. Mom peacefully died after her long struggle with Alzheimer's. I am happy for her, sad for me. We brought her ashes to Florida this past week per her request. I came home with a broken ankle and am now learning new skills - using a wheelchair and walker. My time in Tampa was spent in the hospital and a very nice handicapped/accessible hotel room w/ room service.

The good news: lots of time for reading now that I'm home and can't go anywhere :-) Trying to sneak a little more poetry in this year. I've discovered Mary Oliver and love her prose and poetry.

Hope my LT friends are having fun and enjoying good health. I just might go snooping around the threads soon. Missing you all...

So sorry to hear your news Cee. Condolences on you Mom, but I remember the relief at my Gran passing after two years of Alzheimer haze so I guess your feelings were a tad mixed. What a shame that instead of a suntan your brought back a broken ankle to Coastal Maine.

Take care dear lady and please accept my hugs from tropical climes.

Ah, thanks so much, my dear friend, Paul. Mom was in that ever-deepening haze for over 10 years. It was truly difficult watching her fade away and not know me (or anyone) for years. I learned during this time how very many people live through this time of grief. It's so very sad.
I prayed for one thing in the last few years she did not know me and I missed her so much. That was to have a small period of time before she died to connect again. Didn't expect that prayer would be answered. But we had 3 consecutive hours of knowing each other again right before she died. I was astounded - big time! I am so very thankful for that gift. SDG as Bach would say at the end of his works (Soli Deo Gloria "To God alone be the glory")

Thanks for the hugs. I am on the mend:-)

Sorry to hear about your news, Cee. I watched my husband’s grandfather go through Alzheimer’s before he died. It was difficult for my MIL.
Also sorry about your ankle! Here is to some good reading.

So sorry for your loss.

Thanks so much, Jess & Jim. No matter how old you get, you still want your Mom. But I know she is in a much better place. I am sad, but feel at peace.

So sorry to hear about what you have been going through Cee.

Hi Cee. I am glad you Mom is in a better place and that you got the gift of recognition and talking with her at the end. So sorry about he broken ankle. I am glad you are looking on the bright side -- extra reading time!! Take care. Hugs.

Hi Rhian and Kim, Thank you for the kind thoughts. Hugs back :-)

Thinking of you Cee.

My own mum is none too well still and I don't see or speak to her anywhere near often enough.

Had my own health issues this week but I am on the mend thankfully.

Wishing my friend a restful Sunday.

Hi Paul,
Thanks for the kind thoughts. Hope you are feeling much better now.

Few of us feel that we connect with our parents enough as they age and decline in health. I wish it had been possible to chat with my Mom over the last few years - but she couldn't talk and I couldn't read her mind. So I felt very lost and sad. I've been able to move on now and refocus on the good times and how wonderful it was to have her in my life. Of course, I'll always feel the heartache of losing her. I do hope you and your Mum can share many more moments of love and connection.

Wishing you a great week of feeling good and happy surprises :-)

Just have to say, I've been reading "One Hundred Years of Solitude" (currently up to page 175) and not feeling the love. I want to finish this as it's for my RL book club and the ratings and reviews are so good overall. But... I wonder if this gets any better or am I wasting my time???

>28 -Cee-: did you say my name?? (oh, no, not LovingLit, loving it.....) ;)

>43 -Cee-: I have not read it, but it does seem to the *the* go to book club book!

Hi Megan!
Had to scroll back to see what I was loving :-) Yes, February was a great reading month.

Still plowing through One Hundred Years of Solitude and I began to like it better about half-way through... then lost some interest again. Could be me. The relationships are just wacked! Much different culture than what I am used to. Good observations on the craziness and futility of war though. I'd also have to say that Marquez is an amazing storyteller with a fertile mind.

Hope you and family are all well. Your "little" boys must be getting to be "big" boys now. It just keeps happening that way! Must check your thread again :-)

So sorry to read about your mother and your ankle! Hope you are getting lots of rest and reading time!

Cee, I just came across your thread. I miss your presence on LT very much but I can understand your absence after learning about your mother. I went through the same thing and it is devastating. Once in a blue moon I’d get a glimpse of my real mother and be elated for days. Those moments were few and far between.

I hope your ankle is healed by now and that you read lots of good books during your recovery. I know you will be sharing them with us when you wander back over here. 😉

Cee, I've been away too long from your thread. I'm so sorry for what you've been through. I'm sorry about your mother, and how bad for you to deal with a broken ankle, too.

I hope you are finding comfort in your loss, and that your ankle has healed.

Hope you are doing ok, dear Cee.

As you can see I am but one amongst many who miss you here.

Still no Cee...hope all is well! Miss you.

Cee!

Cee?

Still no Cee....miss you.

Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!

Or in other words, Happy Christmas! And have a great New Year as well.

Thank you for keeping me company in 2019 (sometimes, Cee!).......onward to 2020.

Best wishes this holiday season!! See you in 2020!

Happy holidays!