lkernagh (Lori) returns to binge read authors and series in 2019 - 3nd Thread

Botany Bay, Vancouver Island - as posted to Flickr by Tom Collins (CC BY-ND 2.0) - Botany Bay is located on the west coast of Vancouver Island, near Port Renfrew.

Welcome to my third thread for 2019. For those who don't know me, I am Lori, a walking enthusiast, bookworm, foodie 'gal' (age is a state of mind) who has happily called Vancouver Island home for the past 27 years. When I am not working or reading, my winter months are usually occupied with a craft project of some kind, while my spring and summer months are when I engage in my on-going attempts at container gardening.

2019 is my seventh year as part of the 75 group. I took a "gap year" last year and happy to be back. No big reading plans this year. I am just going to let the books (and favorite authors) lead me along so expect to see some author and series binge reading happening here. I like to tackle at least one "chunkster" read each year. This year I will be joining a year-long group read of Vikram Seth's A Suitable Boy happening over in the Category Challenge group.

I am an active walker but I need motivation, especially on those not pleasant weather condition days, when I would prefer to just curl up on the couch with a good book and a cup of tea. I recently completed a personal walking challenge to virtually walk across Canada, tracking my daily walking on a Google map, so don't be surprised if a new virtual walking challenge pops up on this thread.

Lastly, I am bringing back my "Luck 'O the Irish" Race as a fun way to track my books vs. pages reading. Which "horse" will come in first: Will it be 75 books read "Pot of Gold" or will 25,000 pages read "Lucky Shamrock" command the track? It is anybody's guess!

"Luck 'O the Irish" Race







Posters and lurkers all welcome here.

Books Read:

January:
1. The Fourth Secret by Andrea Camilleri -
2. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy -
3. Plainsong by Kent Haruf -
4. Beekeeping for Beginners by Laurie R. King -
5. A Voice in the Night by Andrea Camilleri -
6. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain -
7. Eventide by Kent Haruf -
8. A Nest of Vipers by Andrea Camilleri -
9. The Aeronaut's Windlass by Jim Butcher -
10. The Pyramid of Mud by Andrea Camilleri -
11. Benediction by Kent Haruf -
12. Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf -
13. The Tie That Binds by Kent Haruf -
14. Where You Once Belonged by Kent Haruf -

February:
15. The Likeness by Tana French -
16. The Golden Tresses of the Dead by Alan Bradley -
17. The Secret Place by Tana French -
18. The Trespasser by Tana French -
19. Beyond Farwin Wood by Drea Damara -
20. The Wolf and the Watchman by Niklas Natt och Dag -
21. The Witch Elm by Tana French -

March:
22. Broken Glass Park by Alina Bronsky -
23. Edge of Eternity by Ken Follett -
24. A Column of Fire by Ken Follett -
25. The Hottest Dishes of the Tartar Cuisine by Alina Bronsky -
26. The Overnight Kidnapper by Andrea Camilleri -
27. The Fatal Flame by Lyndsay Faye -

Books Read:

April:
28. Baba Dunja's Last Love by Alina Bronsky -
29. The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal and the Real Count of Monte Cristo by Tom Reiss -
30. The Rosie Result by Graeme Simsion -
31. Echoes of Grace by Caragh Bell -
32. Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye -
33. The Paragon Hotel by Lyndsay Faye -
34. Home to Cavendish by Antoinette Tyrell -

May:
35. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte -
36. Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke -
37. First Execution by Domenico Starnone -
38. Ties by Domenico Starnone -
39. Strawberry Shortcake Murder by Joanne Fluke -
40. Trick by Domenico Starnone -
41. Blueberry Muffin Murder by Joanne Fluke -
42. Dancing on a Moonbeam by Kate Perry -

June:
43. One of Ours by Willa Cather -
44. Lemon Meringue Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke -
45. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll -
46. Fudge Cupcake Murder by Joanne Fluke -
47. The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths -
48. Sugar Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke -
49. Peach Cobbler Murder by Joanne Fluke -
50. The First Rose of Tralee by Patricia O'Reilly -
51. Billie by Anna Gavalda -
52. Cherry Cheesecake Murder by Joanna Fluke -

Books Read:

July:
53. Oh Pioneers! by Willa Cather -
54. Key Lime Pie Murder by Joanna Fluke -
55. The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather -

August:
56. Bethlehem by Karen Kelly -

September:
57. Singapore Sapphire by A M Stuart -

October:
58. Honoria by Marion Fitzgerald -
59. The Immortal City by Amy Kuivalainen -

November:
60. Deprivation by Roy Frierich -
61. The Nanny at Number 43 by Nicola Cassidy -
62. Daughter of the Storm by Tina Callaghan -

December:
63. Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel -
64. A Great Beauty by A. O'Connor -
65. Roman Holiday by Pamela G. Hobbs -

Thanks for stopping by. This thread is now open for business. Come on in!

Book #43 - One of Ours by Willa Cather
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2018 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: Alliterative Title
Category: N/A
Source: TBR
Format: eBook
Original publication date: 1922
Acquisition date: May 2, 2019
Page count: 406 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.20 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.com book listing webpage:

"One of Ours tells the story of the life of Claude Wheeler, a native of Nebraska around the turn of the 20th century. The son of a successful mid-western farmer and an intensely pious mother, thus guaranteed a comfortable livelihood, Claude Wheeler nonetheless views himself as a victim of his father's success and his own inexplicable malaise. It is a portrait of a peculiarly American personality: it is the story of a young man born after the American frontier has vanished, yet whose quintessentially American restlessness seeks redemption on a frontier far bloodier and more distant than that which his forefathers had already tamed."

Review:
One of Ours, winner of the 1923 Pulitzer Prize, is my third Willa Cather read, the first two being her more well-known stories Death Comes for the Archbishop and My Antonia. Cather’s prose is fabulous, as is her ability to bring to life her portrayal of Midwest Plains life. Her character development is exceptional, as is her vivid descriptions. Reading this one, it was like being exposed to a series of Impressionist agrarian paintings, where time (and technological advancements) move (are accepted) at a slower pace. I feel as though I intimately know both the land and the characters. The story focus is on Claude, an intelligent young man from a Nebraska farming family, who finds that his life does not have any purpose until he decides to enlist in the army to go and fight in the Great War. For Claude, this decision provides him with a way to fight for a higher purpose and contribute to the common good. Cather approach to war fiction (the second half of the story) is the same contemplative, introspective approach she takes when writing about hardscrabble Plains living. She does not sugar coat or exclude anything but she also does not dwell on graphic war details or focus on military strategy. Cather’s writing takes on a more holistic approach to the war, although the parts of the story set in France do not come across with the same graceful flow of the earlier sections of the story. Cather captures all of this through a slightly dreamy lens that may frustrate fans of war fiction like Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms (apparently, Hemingway was a vocal critic of One of Ours when it was published).

Overall, another wonderful story communicated through Cather’s simple, straightforward, descriptive prose.

Book #44 - Lemon Meringue Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke - audiobook narrated by Suzanne Toren
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2018 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: Series
Source: GVPL
Format: Audiobook
Original publication date: 2003
Acquisition date: N/A
Page count: 334 pages / 9 hours, 45 minutes listening time
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.10 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"Hannah Swensen thought she’d finally discovered the recipe for a perfect life. But her sometime beau Norman Rhodes tosses a surprise ingredient into the mix when he phones to tell her he’s just bought a house from local drugstore clerk Rhonda Scharf—which he plans to tear down in order to build the dream home he and Hannah designed. It seems the plan has been cooking for quite some time, and Hannah’s shocked. Especially since her ring finger is still very much bare. The good news is that the soon-to-be-torn-down house is full of antiques—and Norman has given Hannah and her mother first dibs. They uncover some gorgeous old furniture, a patchwork quilt . . . and Rhonda Scharf’s dead body. A little more sleuthing turns up the half-eaten remains of a very special dinner for two—and one of The Cookie Jar’s famous lemon meringue pies. Now it’s up to Hannah to turn up the heat—and get busy tracking down clues. Starting in her very own kitchen. "

Review:
Another fun mystery visit with the folks of Lake Eden. Yes, some of the dialogue and social expectations come across a dated. Hey, the story was written in 2003 and we are talking about a small lake town community - not some bustling metropolis - so while Hannah's "leaps" of concern regarding her "kid" sister's fashion (and boyfriend) choices and her reason for going on a diet tended to make me roll my eyes - Hannah has a re-occurring habit of making some interesting assumptions without knowing all the facts - it is what it is and probably should be tempered considering her own interesting "playing the field". No big surprises with this mystery. I enjoyed this story more for the overall community spirit - and the recipes, especially the pecan praline and orange snap cookie recipes - but I have to admit, not the greatest story in the series so far, but still entertaining to listen to while I am out walking.

Joanne Fluke - Series Project Read:

Hannah Swensen Mystery Series: I initially dipped into this series to read a food-related book for my Bingo card and in the process discovered that I rather enjoyed the characters, the quaint small town Minnesota setting and THE RECIPES, so, this has become my latest Series project read. This series should carry me through the next few months (there are currently 24 books in the series) as perfect audio material for my walking commute.


Image is just a sampling of the books in the series. NOTE: This series project is for the full novels, not the short stories/ novellas.

1. Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder - Read May 13 to May 17, 2019 - 3.30 out of 5 /
2. Strawberry Shortcake Murder - Read May 17 to May 23, 2019 - 3.30 out of 5 /
3. Blueberry Muffin Murder - Read May 24 to May 30, 2019 - 3.40 out of 5 /
4. Lemon Meringue Pie Murder - Read May 31 to June 7, 2019 - 3.10 out of 5 /
5. Fudge Cupcake Murder - To read
6. Sugar Cookie Murder - To read
7. Peach Cobbler Murder - To read
8. Cherry Cheesecake Murder - To read
9. Key Lime Pie Murder - To read
10. Carrot Cake Murder - To read
11. Candy Cane Murder - To read
12. Plum Pudding Murder - To read
13. Apple Turnover Murder - To read
14. Devil's Food Cake Murder - To read
15. Cinnamon Roll Murder - To read
16. Red Velvet Cupcake Murder - To read
17. Blackberry Pie Murder - To read
18. Double Fudge Brownie Murder - To read
19. Wedding Cake Murder - To read
20. Christmas Caramel Murder - To read
21. Banana Cream Pie Murder - To read
22. Raspberry Danish Murder - To read
23. Christmas Cake Murder - To read
24. Chocolate Cream Pie Murder - To read

Currently Reading:
....

Audiobook:
Fudge Cupcake Murder by Joanne Fluke (narrated by Suzanne Toren) - Still addicted to the series, even if some parts are getting predictable.
ebook:
The First Rose of Tralee by Patricai O'Reilly - An LTER win, and last outstanding LTER book, so far. ;-)
Alice's Adventures In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll - Admitting here that I have actually never read the story so taking advantage of the "pick a card, any card" RandomCAT for June (I drew the Queen of Hearts) to finally read this classic.
Physical books:
The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths - A book bullet from VancouverDeb (and others) and a perfect fit for the "book bullet" square of my Bingo card.
A Suitable Boy by Virkram Seth - Still trying to get back to this one. Might just do a binge read to get caught up my next extended break from work.

Happy new thread, Lori!

Love the pic of Botany Bay -- I haven't been there but it's a favourite with many in my family. One day, when I'm not working....

Happy new thread, Lori! Great review of One of Ours.

Happy newthread!

Happy New Thread, Lori!

That's a beautiful, stormy photo of Botany Bay up there. And l love your books vs. pages race.

Lori happy new thread. Great reading going on over here!

Botany Bay...a Willa Cather novel I haven't read...lemon meringue and fudge cupcakes...yep, I'm right at home.

Happy new thread.

Happy new thread!

Lovely topper :)

>10 mstrust:, >11 Nickelini:, >12 kidzdoc:, >13 drneutron:, >14 jnwelch:, >15 mdoris:, >16 richardderus: and >17 figsfromthistle: - Thank you Jennifer, Joyce, Darryl, Jim, Joe, Mary, Richard and Anita for the happy new thread wishes!

>11 Nickelini:, >14 jnwelch:, >16 richardderus: and >17 figsfromthistle: - Botany Bay is a beautiful part of the island! I love calm, sunny day pics but there is just something powerful about stormy weather pictures!

>12 kidzdoc: - Thanks Darryl. I am slowly working my way through Cather's oeurve, and so far, have yet to encounter a disappointing read!

>15 mdoris: - I am rather surprised that I have made it through the number of books I have so far this year... until I realize that 20 of them have been audioreads, and it suddenly isn't quite so surprising. ;-)

>16 richardderus: - Oooohhh... so happy to entice you with a "new to you" Cather. The baked goods are a given. ;-)

----------------

Happy Saturday everyone! I ended up taking things easy today - after the usually Saturday errands were done - and settled in this afternoon with a delightful book/beer pairing:



BC Russell Brewing Company White Rabbit Lemon Raz (Raspberry) Radler was the perfect light, summer fruity brew while I went down the rabbit hole with Alice. I know... you are probably thinking that tea would have been a better pairing but the weather was just too darn lovely for tea (and interestingly, the Mad Hatter initially offered Alice wine when she sat down to the crazy tea party).

Plans tomorrow are to take a different bike trail and see where my two wheels take me. Monday is a day off for me and the tide tables indicate that Monday morning would be a good time for some kayaking so my outdoor activities are mapped out for the next few days.

.... now, how about a walking update? ;-)

Lori's 2019 Virtual Walking Challenge: Peace Arch to Disneyland via the I-5 S

The goal: To walk, in 2019, the distance it would take me to virtually walk the I-5 from the Peace Arch at the BC/WA border to Los Angeles/Disneyland Park (2,048 KM). Note: While I was trying to find a walk that would be 2,019 KM in length to celebrate the year, this is close enough!

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Here is the link to my Google map where I am tracking my journey: https://tinyurl.com/yaa37ag9

WEEK 23 UPDATE:
Kilometers walked this session: 47.48
Kilometers walked in total: 910.95
Current province/state: (OR)
My current location on the map: Due south of Talent, heading for Ashland.
Points of interest along the way:: Communities passed through or beside this week include: Gold Hill, Tolo, Central Point, Medford, Phoenix and Talent. Gold Hill, not surprising, is named for the fact that a nearby hill was the site of a 19th-century gold discovery. Gold Hill is home to the Oregon Vortex, a roadside attraction that consists of a number of gravity hill optical illusions, which the operators of the site like to think are the result of paranormal properties in the area, and not basic science. Prior to any construction of the area, local legend had it that Native Americans in the area referred to the site as a "forbidden" land, and travelers passing through would often find their horses refusing to go through the area. A gold assay office was built in the area in 1904, which slid from its foundation in the early tens, coming to rest at an odd angle, and creating the illusion of objects rolling uphill or off kilter.

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Oregon Vortex sign - as posted to Wikimedia Commons by James Wellington (CC BY 2.0)/ Inside the Oregon Vortex - as posted to Flickr by Major Clanger (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Gold Hill is also located nearby to Nugget Falls, a popular destination for whitewater kayaking.

Medford is the fourth largest metropolitan area in Oregon and, apparently is known for its excellent pears. Until the 1960s, Medford was a sundown town where African Americans and other nonwhites were not allowed to live or stay at night. According to Wikivoyage, one of the touristy things to do in Medford is to go on the Haunted Brothels and Opium Dens of Medford walking tour. Another suggestion is to visit Medford Railroad Park to tour the tour preserved locomotives and train cars or ride the operational miniature train line.


Medco Willamete 7 - as posted to Wikimedia Commons by Drew Jacksich (CC BY 2.0)

Dreadford! Goodness, it's been an age. I loved Ashland, but remember Medford as a perfectly dreary little burg. Some sort of cousinage took us there in the 1980s but heck if I know who it was now.

>1 lkernagh: Love the topper Lori.

Happy new thread. xx

Happy new thread, Lori.

Happy new one- love the Alice beer, what a fun idea.

Happy new thread, Lori!

>1 lkernagh: Beautiful picture! Calm and sunny weather is better for walking. Stormy and clouds makes a better picture. Once in a while I prefer the storm to walk, good to blow all worries away.

I had no idea there was a Phoenix in Oregon. That must be annoying for them :-D. I'm enjoying your guided tours a lot.

>20 richardderus: - LOL! So sorry to bring up Dreadford as a location, RD. ;-)

>21 PaulCranswick:, >22 BLBera:, >23 charl08:, and >24 FAMeulstee: - Thanks Paul, Beth, Charlotte and Anita for the happy new thread wishes.

>21 PaulCranswick: and 24 - It is a lovely picture. So much nature energy!

>23 charl08: - I should do book/beer pairings more often but that was a bit of a fluke as I had sampled the White Rabbit Radler last weekend and bought a can when I saw it on the store shelves. Could make some books more interesting. ;-)

>25 mstrust: - LOL, I also tend to chuckle about Vancouver, WA and Vancouver, BC. Must confuse some Google searches, unless people are remember to also enter the state/province. ;-)

---------------
Cloudy and cool today - perfect cycling weather! - so I grab the bike and hit the trails. Went for a good 42 km ride along the Galloping Goose Trail and Lochside Trail. I headed up the peninsula and made it as far as Mount Newton X Road before deciding to turn around for the journey home. The route today was an interesting combination of residential streets as well as paved and unpaved recreational trails. Tons of bikers, joggers, walkers and even two riders on horseback on the unpaved part of the trail. Only one picture to share today, because of the interesting information found on the following trail sign (and enlarged image of the artistically rendered map):

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Reproduced below is the small explanatory text displayed on the sign:

"The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association of Victoria purchased a plot in the Swan Lake area in 1891 and could not use it as a cemetery because of opposition from nearby farmers. The precise location was unknown until Dr. David Chuenyan Lai, Professor of Geography at the University of Victoria, developed an auspicious Feng Shui model to locate the site on the southern slope of Christmas Hill (formerly Lake Hill). The site is flanked on the east by Lake Hill (the Green Dragon) and on the west by a lower ridge (the White Tiger). It is a vitalizing spot backed by Christmas Hill (the Pillow Mountain) and faces a hillock (the Desk Mountain) and an expansive plain (the Grand Hall). Swan Creek and Blenkinsop Creek form a symbolic belt of wealth linked by Swan Lake (the Luminous Pearl). Tolmie Peak (the Worshipping Mountain) in the distance completes the circle of hills around the site. This location is a significant historical site in Saanich because it is the first auspicious Feng Shui site identified by the Chinese in Canada."

If I am not taking in the scenery, I am learning something while enjoying the fresh air and exercise!

Happy new thread, Lori. Looks like you are enjoying our current weather!

Happy new thread, Lori. Glad you've found a cozy series you're enjoying enough to tackle the whole thing. I hope you're having a lovely day off today!

Happy new one, Lori. That's a lovely photo up top.

The Galloping Goose trail is fabulous! We did the stretch from Victoria (staying with friends at their condo close to the Delta Ocean Pointe Hotel) and went to Thetis Lake and back -- on the way home we stopped for a glass of wine in some cool newish shopping-restaurant area that I'd never seen before (and I've been to Victoria like a hundred-thousand times, but I guess I don't get "out" much). We're going back to do it again in early July.

It's nice living in Vancouver, but if I had my way I'd be in Victoria. If I went missing, my family would probably look there first.

Hi Lori. I loved your thoughts on One Of Ours and also liked her holistic view of WWI. Cather is one of my go-to authors, though there’s a few of hers I haven’t read yet. When I’ve read them, I may start over. Perhaps I’ll even read My Antonia for the fourth time!

I love the name “Galloping Goose”. I don’t think our Missouri branch of the Canada Goose family knows how to gallop. I’m sure I mangled that sentence. I hope the Grammar Police aren’t around.

Enjoy your weekend.

>1 lkernagh: wow wow wow. I want to go there now.

The vortex picture makes my head spin.

Happy new thread, and love that opening picture! I would like to get to the West Coast of Vancouver Island.

>27 Familyhistorian: - Hi Meg! I am enjoying the weather, although I would love to see some rain. Fingers crossed we get some this week!

>28 MickyFine: - Thanks Micky! I am enjoying Fluke's Hannah Swensen Mystery series. Just the right blend of mindless entertainment for when I am out walking. :-). The day off was good but they never seem to be a long as one would hope.

>29 katiekrug: - Thanks Katie! I continue to be amazed at the wonderful photos people take and share on-line under Creative Commons licensed. Really makes me appreciate my little "rock in the world" all that much more.

>30 Nickelini: - I am still in early days exploring the "Goose", Joyce, and loving every minute of it. Well, except for the unexpected 3 KM that was ripped up as part of the Mackenzie interchange but I trust that when the exchange is completed, they will repave the pathway. ;-) The amazing thing about Victoria is the ever shifting businesses. If it is not new shopping-restaurant

areas opening up, it is businesses closing and new one cropping up. I can walk down a street and come to a dead stop because a new business is (or is in the works) of opening up in a

location that was previously occupied. My first thoughts are always, "Where did ___________ go?". Personally, I am waiting impatiently for Merridale Ciderworks to open up on Harbour Road, but they haven't even broken ground yet so that will probably be another two years before that will be a nice local establishment to visit. Darn it all. I hate it when a construction boom is on. All the new restaurants have to keep pushing back there opening timelines.

It's nice living in Vancouver, but if I had my way I'd be in Victoria. If I went missing, my family would probably look there first.

LOL, love that and we would be happy to have you here on the island. Just saying!

>31 Donna828: - Hi Donna! I am slowly chipping away at the Cather books, but have loved all of the ones I have read so far. LOL "Galloping Goose" and no worries on grammar police! Glad you mentioned this. The name "Galloping Goose" has some historical significance in that the trail is named for the gawky and noisy gas rail-car which carried passengers between Victoria and Sooke in the 1920's, along a route that the recreational trail now occupies. Definitely a "gawky" looking vehicle if this picture is anything to go by. It looks like a jalopy on rails!


Galloping Goose 5 - as posted to flickr by Steven Martin (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

>32 LovingLit: - I know! beautiful place. And, so sorry about the vortex picture making your head spin. It is a weird sensation!

>33 banjo123: - Thanks Rhonda and happy to see so many people appreciating the opening picture. There is so much that even I have not yet seen, which is surprising given the size of the island. I

tend to be easily distracted by events closer to home and miss out on the wonderful nature in my own backyard.

----------------------------------
Well, the weekend came and left in like a blink of an eye. I hate when that happens. Last week was rather busy on the work front. Summer has arrived on the island, already experiencing dry, warm conditions. Personally, I am hoping for rain this week, for a couple of reasons:

1. The lush green I am used to is turning to dried brown.
2. I (inadvertently) managed to get a minor sunburn on part of my legs while out kayaking on Saturday.

The kayak story is this: Went for a lovely 3.5 hour kayak that took my up the Gorge Waterway and back. Stopped to take in the dragon boat races that were happening on the waterway (nothing like a waterside seat!) and had a lovely time chatting with other kayakers. It was later on back at home that I discovered the developing sunburn. While I was really good about applying sunscreen to my arms, neck and face, I was distracted and forgot to apply sunscreen to my exposed legs (beyond the hem of my yoga pants). Because of how I like to sit in the kayak, I exposed a 2 inch strip of unprotected skin to the sun (the skin protected by the opaque black yoga pants and the kayak was fine. Suffice to say, this is going to be one of those "bad tan lines"kind of years.

Good news is I have been busy reading and have book reviews and a walking update ready for posting.

Lori's 2019 Virtual Walking Challenge: Peace Arch to Disneyland via the I-5 S

The goal: To walk, in 2019, the distance it would take me to virtually walk the I-5 from the Peace Arch at the BC/WA border to Los Angeles/Disneyland Park (2,048 KM). Note: While I was trying to find a walk that would be 2,019 KM in length to celebrate the year, this is close enough!

.



Lori's 2019 Virtual Walking Challenge: Peace Arch to Disneyland via the I-5 S

The goal: To walk, in 2019, the distance it would take me to virtually walk the I-5 from the Peace Arch at the BC/WA border to Los Angeles/Disneyland Park (2,048 KM). Note: While I was trying to find a walk that would be 2,019 KM in length to celebrate the year, this is close enough!

.






Here is the link to my Google map where I am tracking my journey: https://tinyurl.com/yaa37ag9

WEEK 24 UPDATE:
Kilometers walked this session: 27.60
Kilometers walked in total: 938.55
Current province/state: (OR)
My current location on the map: In the southwest region of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, heading for the Oregon-California border.
Points of interest along the way:: For those of you that thought I would have crossed over into California this past week... well.... Nope, didn't happen., I promise to cross the border in my next report. For a rather short KM walking week, I was rather surprised at the number of points of interest along my way: the community of Ashland (home to Southern Oregon University), Siskiyou Mountain Park, Emigrant Lake (and the Emigrant Lake Recreation Area), Buckhorn Springs and Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument.

Ashland - originally called "Ashland Mills" and named after Ashland County, Ohio - is home to Southern Oregon University and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Stated as a summer outdoor series in the 1930, the festival season now stretches from February to October and incorporated both Shakespearean and non-Shakespearean plays at three theatres. They even have an Elizabethan stage for productions:


Elizabethan Stage at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival - as posted to Wikimedia Commons by T. Charles Erickson (CC BY-SA 3.0)

FUN FACT: In 2009, Ashland was the setting for the film adaptation of Neil Gaiman's Coraline. Didn't know that, did ya? Well, I didn't. ;-)

Emigrant Lake, a tributary of Bear Creek, is a reservoir that is impounded by Emigrant Lake Dam. The reservoir was created in 1924 when the original dam was built for irrigation and flood control. Emigrant Lake looks like a lovely recreational area (and a lovely place to go paddling!):


A beach on the shore of Emigrant Lake, Oregon - as posted to Wikimedia by Melikamp (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Mt. Ashland Ski Area gets a special mention here as it is owned and operated by the Mt. Ashland Association, dedicated to providing alpine recreation experience for people of all ages and skill levels. The association offers the After School Youth Program, a low-cost/ free instruction to local youth as well as a crew internship program to give young people the opportunity to grow and develop at the ski area:


Mount Ashland Ski Area - as posted to Wikimedia Commons by Joe Parks (CC BY 2.0)

Book #45 - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2018 Category
CAT/KIT: RandomCAT - Pick a card, any card - Queen of Hearts
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: N/A
Source: TBR
Format: eBook
Original publication date: 1865
Acquisition date: May 2, 2019
Page count: 70 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.70 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the penguinrandomhouse.com book listing webpage:

"On an ordinary summer’s afternoon, Alice tumbles down a hole and an extraordinary adventure begins. In a strange world with even stranger characters, she meets a rabbit with a pocket watch, joins a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, and plays croquet with the Queen! Lost in this fantasy land, Alice finds herself growing more and more curious by the minute . . ."

Review:
Delightfully fun, whimsically amusing and what an imagination! Between the outlandish characters, the silly puns and the play with logic, it is easy to see how this book is such a great story for both children and adults. Obviously, a reader needs to love - or at least appreciate - the nonsensical fun to fully enjoy this story, especially given the caricatures and the mayhem that is Wonderland. I can see where some adult readers may revisit this one for nostalgic childhood reasons, but I think I probably appreciate the story more as a adult reader, than I would have reading it as a young girl.

Overall, very happy to have finally read this children's classic.

Book #46 - Fudge Cupcake Murder by Joanne Fluke - audiobook narrated by Suzanne Toren
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2018 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: Series
Source: GVPL
Format: Audiobook
Original publication date: 2004
Acquisition date: N/A
Page count: 334 pages / 9 hours, 6 minutes listening time
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.35 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: adapted from the amazon.com book listing webpage:

"Bakery owner Hannah Swensen just can't keep her hands out of the batter when murder stirs things up in Lake Eden, Minnesota, leaving the sheriff dead, a deputy accused, and a killer on the loose. . . For years, Sheriff Grant's been the iron hand in town. But now, Hannah's brother-in-law Bill is giving the old blowhard the fight of his long, dubious career--and Grant's not taking it well, especially once the polls show Bill pulling ahead. But before anyone can taste victory, things go sour. While Hannah's emptying the trash, she makes a very unappetizing discovery: Sheriff Grant's body in the Dumpster behind the high school where she's teaching her cooking class. And as if that weren't bad enough, the poor man still has fudge frosting on his shirt from one of her cupcakes. The number one--and only--suspect is Bill, but Hannah's not swallowing it. Plenty of people had reason to hate Sheriff Grant. Soon, Hannah's dishing up scandalous secrets, steaming hot betrayals, and enough intrigue to keep the gossip mill at The Cookie Jar going through several pots of decaf. And the closer Hannah gets to the truth, the closer she gets to smoking out a murderer with a very nasty recipe for silencing people. . . "

Review:
Continuing with my Hannah Swensen Mystery binge audio reading. While the charm of the stories is not as delightful as my first encounter, I do still enjoy the sibling banter between Hannah and Angela, the community and small town life aspects of the stories. What I really liked about this one is there are two mysteries to solve: the expected murder mystery and a bonus culinary mystery. There is nothing more intriguing, IMO, than a closely guarded family recipe that lists a "secret ingredient". While I had no difficulty in solving the murder mystery - and listened as Hannah once again uselessly exposing herself to the risk of yet again finding herself in a murder's cross-hairs (so to speak) - the culinary mystery was a fun head scratch-er! I had a couple of ideas and was pleasantly surprised when the secret ingredient was finally revealed after numerous baking attempts by Hannah and Lisa, her Cookie Jar partner. On the downside, Hannah's love life drama is starting to grate on me.

Overall, another fun visit to the murderous sleepy town of Lake Eden.

Book #47 - The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2018 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: Book Bullet
Category: N/A
Source: GVPL
Format: Hardcover
Original publication date: 2018
Acquisition date: N/A
Page count: 352 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.20 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"Clare Cassidy is no stranger to murder. A high school English teacher specializing in the Gothic writer R. M. Holland, she teaches a course on it every year. But when one of Clare’s colleagues and closest friends is found dead, with a line from R. M. Holland’s most famous story, “The Stranger,” left by her body, Clare is horrified to see her life collide with the storylines of her favorite literature. To make matters worse, the police suspect the killer is someone Clare knows. Unsure whom to trust, she turns to her closest confidant, her diary, the only outlet she has for her darkest suspicions and fears about the case. Then one day she notices something odd. Writing that isn't hers, left on the page of an old diary:

Hallo Clare. You don’t know me.

Clare becomes more certain than ever: “The Stranger” has come to terrifying life. But can the ending be rewritten in time?"

Review:
This story - billed as the author’s first stand-alone novel - caught my eye earlier this year as a number of Librarything members were reading and commenting on it. Having never read any of Griffiths previous works, I was happy when I finally got my hands on a copy and settled in for what I was hoping would be an atmospheric Gothic read. What I discovered instead was a modern day police procedural, more along the lines of Tana French’s The Secret Place, the weakest book in French’s Dublin Murder Squad series, IMO, and not just because of the school setting similarities. With three narrators – Clare, her 15 year-old daughter “Georgie” and D.S. (Detective Sergeant) Harbindar Kaur – Griffiths manages to juggle the varying perspectives, with some success. The end result is a mixed bag of tidbits for readers to analyze, red herrings and all. Griffiths does a decent job ramping up the suspense but suspense only carries a story so far. This one tends to falter, largely in part to my reaction to the characters. I like D.S. Kaur, but I found Clare to be a bit of a cold fish and even Georgie came across a bit “off” for me. I am also not a fan of the added white witch stuff, either. As for the ending, that was pushing things a bit for me on the believe-ability scale.

Thankfully, Griffiths did provide a wonderfully atmospheric Gothic horror story, but in the form of “the Stranger”, a short story revealed as excepts throughout the book (and repeated in its entirety at the end of the book). Now that was fabulous writing! Everything I expect in a first rate Gothic horror story. Too bad the whole story wasn’t written in that vein. sighs

Overall, I get the feeling from reading some other reviews that this book is very different from Griffiths Ruth Galloway series, which is good to know. For rating this one, I would give the Gothic horror short story full marks (or at least 4.5 stars) but I struggle to give the main story more than a 3.2 stars.

Happy new thread! >1 lkernagh: What a gorgeous photo!

>39 ChelleBearss: - Thanks Chelle!

---------------------------
I hope everyone has had a lovely weekend last week and a lovely weekend. Weather on the island has been blustery, so no cycling or kayaking this weekend. Spent the first weekend of summer swimsuit shopping. I have decided that I am no longer a bikini kind of gal, so spent time scouring the store racks for a one piece that was in a colour/design I liked and did not have a bunch of strategically positioned cutouts. I also wanted one that would be suitable for swimming (not just sun bathing). I had no idea it is so challenging to find a suitable bathing suit. I finally hit success with a modest yellow one piece with a tropical floral print design, so I counted the shopping trip as a success.

I spent part of yesterday and today out in the sun (with two different strengths of SPF lotion strategically applied) to try and even out the result of last weekend's kayaking, but my legs still look uneven and silly. *sighs* ;-)

I only managed to finish one book this past week. RL has been really busy lately so not much time for reading, etc.

Lori's 2019 Virtual Walking Challenge: Peace Arch to Disneyland via the I-5 S

The goal: To walk, in 2019, the distance it would take me to virtually walk the I-5 from the Peace Arch at the BC/WA border to Los Angeles/Disneyland Park (2,048 KM). Note: While I was trying to find a walk that would be 2,019 KM in length to celebrate the year, this is close enough!

.



Lori's 2019 Virtual Walking Challenge: Peace Arch to Disneyland via the I-5 S

The goal: To walk, in 2019, the distance it would take me to virtually walk the I-5 from the Peace Arch at the BC/WA border to Los Angeles/Disneyland Park (2,048 KM). Note: While I was trying to find a walk that would be 2,019 KM in length to celebrate the year, this is close enough!

.






Here is the link to my Google map where I am tracking my journey: https://tinyurl.com/yaa37ag9

WEEK 25 UPDATE:
Kilometers walked this session: 47.74
Kilometers walked in total: 986.29
Current province/state: . (OR/CA)
My current location on the map: In California, south of Yreka, heading for Grenada.
Points of interest along the way:: This week's longer walk saw me virtually walking past or through the following communities: Hilt, Hornbrook and Yreka.



Yreka is home to the College of the Siskiyous, Klamath National Forest Interpretive Museum and the Siskiyou County Museum. The town's gold mining heritage is commemorated by the high school, which uses a gold minor as their name and mascot. The core of the historic downtown, along West Miner Street, is listed as an historic district on the National Register of Historic Places:


West Miner Street in Yreka, CA - as posted to Wikimedia Commons by Publichall (CC BY-SA 3.0))

Book #48 - Sugar Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke - audiobook narrated by Suzanne Toren
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2018 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: Series
Source: GVPL
Format: Audiobook
Original publication date: 2004
Acquisition date: N/A
Page count: 384 pages / 6 hours, 4 minutes listening time
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.00 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.com book listing webpage:

"The holidays are the icing on the cake for bakery owner Hannah Swensen. Surrounded by her loved ones, she has all the ingredients for a perfect Christmas--until murder is added to the mix. . . When it comes to holidays, Minnesotans rise to the occasion--and the little town of Lake Eden is baking up a storm with Hannah leading the way. The annual Christmas Buffet is the final test of the recipes Hannah has collected for the Lake Eden Holiday Buffet Cookbook. The recently divorced Martin Dubinski arrives at the buffet with his new Vegas showgirl wife--all wrapped up in glitter and fur. His ex-wife, however, seems as cool as chilled eggnog. And when Hannah's mother's antique Christmas cake knife disappears, its discovery in the décolletage of the new--and now late--Mrs. Dubinski puts the festivities on ice. With everyone stranded at the community center by a blizzard, Hannah puts her investigative skills to the test, using the ingredients at hand: half the town of Lake Eden--and a killer. Now, as the snowdrifts get higher, it's up to Hannah to dig out all the clues--and make sure that this white Christmas doesn't bring any more deadly tidings. . ."

Review:
Hum, a decidedly shorter novel “audio-wise”, compared with previous installments but longer in page count. It turns out, the print version of this installment has 81 appended recipes (considerably more than the average 10 recipes in the earlier installments of the series). It appears that Fluke continues her diligence in providing recipes for all food items mentioned in the stories. Since this one takes place at the Lake Eden holiday buffet, the recipes run the full gamut of appetizers, soups, sides, mains and desserts (for all the foodies out there). Not the best story to read on an empty stomach!

As far as the mystery goes, Fluke has made use of a classic “whodunit” strategy by employing a blizzard to contain the investigation (and the suspects) to the snowbound community hall where the holiday buffet occurs. Once again, this becomes a Swensen "family and friends" investigation, even though the police, in the form of detective Mike Kingston and a couple of constables, are on site. Hannah can be an annoying character as she tends to be driven to action too often by her emotions, not logical thought. I found some of what she gets up to in this installment – fueled by the green eye of jealousy – unappealing as she takes on the antics of a woman who just doesn’t understand when she should back down and let the police handle things. Maybe this appeals to some readers – having the female amateur detective prove she is smarter than her sometimes boyfriend detective Kingston - but that ploy is starting to wear thin with me. It is really the fun supporting cast (sisters Andrea and Michelle, mother Delores, alternate boyfriend Norman Rhodes and other Lake Eden residents) that really help carry the story along.

Overall, an alright story and a really quick read and a perfect if you are looking for a December holiday-themed story to read.

Currently Reading:
...

Audiobook:
Peach Cobbler Murder by Joanne Fluke (narrated by Suzanne Toren) - 7th book in the Hannah Swensen Mystery series. These are kind of like eating potato chips, munching along even though the flavor isn't all that exciting anymore.
ebook:
The First Rose of Tralee by Patricia O'Reilly - Currently 1/3rd the way through this 19th century historical fiction set in Ireland.
Physical books:
Billie by Anna Gavalda (translated from the French by Jennifer Rappaport) - Dipping back into my TBR stash of Europa Edition books and pretty much a random choice selection.
A Suitable Boy by Virkram Seth - Still trying to get back to this one. Might just do a binge read to get caught up my next extended break from work.

Yreka! Another lovely locale, though a distant 2nd to Ashland in my pantheon.

Sugar Cookie Murder is, IIRC, where the TV movies stopped. I wonder if it was recipe fatigue?

Have an enjoyable week ahead!

>40 lkernagh:
Re: bathing suit shopping
(One of my very least favourite things to do) -- Next time look at tankinis -- the coverage of a 1-piece, but much easier to fit and make sure what you need covered is covered.

>44 richardderus: - Hello RD! So happy to learn that Yreka is a lovely locale. I can only judge based on the online photos I have seen. ;-)

... ah, recipe fatigue. Intriguing thought, but I have a differing opinion. I have finished the next installment (review still to be written) and I have to say, Hannah is starting to really get to me. A little too much of the self-righteous hypocrisy going on, IMO. I am starting to think I will face series fatigue long before I reach the half-way mark.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

>45 Nickelini: - Hi Joyce, I did look at some tankinis and I can see their appeal. I didn't see any that appealed to me - too many of them were either in colour combinations that do not suit me or they had embellishments like metal accents, etc - but always fun to see what is new in the bathing suit market.

... and yes, that shopping exercise has motivated me to ramp up my fitness regime. Isn't that always the case? ;-)

Nothing like bathing suit shopping to make you feel you need a body tune up. That's why I bought my last bathing suit online. LOL. We finally had some actual rain. Hope you got a good soaking too, Lori.

>47 Familyhistorian: - So true, Meg! I am still in that "need to try before buy" stage but I can see the appeal of buying bathing suits (and other "necessities" online). ;-) I totally hear you and join in with a "Hallelujah" chorus for the rain! I want more rain but I may have to settle for the good dousing we received in my neck of the woods this past Wednesday. Forecast is for a return of sunshine for the long weekend.

Your Joanna Fluke book titles are making me salivate, Lori. Too bad the flavor of the books is waning.
I hope your week end is going well.

>49 Donna828: - Hello Donna, how lovely to see you stopping by, especially given how busy you have been. The Fluke books, I am sad to admit, are starting to wear on me. I hate when that happens. I think I need to mix things up a bit and see if it is just my binge reading of the series (or if I really am growing disenchanted with the stories). ;-)

I hope you have had a lovely weekend!

--------------------------------



Happy Canada Day to all my Canadian visitors!

It has been a fabulous weekend. Taking a break from various events and looking forward to fireworks later this evening. Hard to believe that we are now halfway through 2019. I won't be posting a monthly or half-year recap. Just too busy and just no time right now.

The winds we were experiencing all last week finally abated and I was able to get in some kayaking time on Saturday, but the big crunch of my weekend exercising occurred on Sunday when I embarked on a 58 KM bike ride. Longest bike ride I have ever done and boy did my body inform me of that later on when I crashed in bed at 8:30 pm. I am not a late-night person at the best of times but 8:30 is early, even for me! ;-) Tying to stay out of the sunshine today with more intimate daytime activities.

In the meantime, book reviews, walking update and a Currently Reading update are ready for posting (so I can enter July with a clean slate).

Wishing all of my visitors a wonderful week ahead.

Lori's 2019 Virtual Walking Challenge: Peace Arch to Disneyland via the I-5 S

The goal: To walk, in 2019, the distance it would take me to virtually walk the I-5 from the Peace Arch at the BC/WA border to Los Angeles/Disneyland Park (2,048 KM). Note: While I was trying to find a walk that would be 2,019 KM in length to celebrate the year, this is close enough!

.






Here is the link to my Google map where I am tracking my journey: https://tinyurl.com/yaa37ag9

WEEK 26 UPDATE:
Kilometers walked this session: 31.71
Kilometers walked in total: 1,018
Current province/state: (CA)
My current location on the map: South of Edgewood, heading for Weed (yes, Weed) ;-)
Points of interest along the way:: This week's walk saw me virtually walking past or through the following communities and locations of interest: Grenada, Gazelle, Lake Shastina and Edgewood. Given that I didn't find any interesting facts to share of my virtual walking, I am going to share my 58 KM bike trip up the peninsula to Sidney this past Saturday. A beautiful day to hit the connected trail system of asphalt, wooden bridges, gravel and packed earth, traveling through residential neighbourhoods, conservation wet lands, farm lands, wooded areas and beach front:



Upon arriving in Sidney, discovered a local classics car event along the pier front and of course, had to take a picture of the Fish Market building on Sidney pier (to prove I made the distance!):

.

The ride was filled with wildlife. Encountered 8 adult deer, a young fawn and young rabbit bounced across my path and, saving the best for last, stopped to observe a bald eagle perched on a rock in Lake Blenkinsop, one of the nature conservation areas on the trail route:

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All I had with me was my iphone so my close up shot of the bald eagle is not all that close.

Overall, a wonderful, exhausting day!

Book #49 - Peach Cobbler Murder by Joanne Fluke - audiobook narrated by Suzanne Toren
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2018 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: Series
Source: GVPL
Format: Audiobook
Original publication date: 2005
Acquisition date: N/A
Page count: 381 pages / 8 hours, 49 minutes listening time
Decimal/ Star rating: 2.65 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: adapted from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"With The Cookie Jar, Hannah Swensen has a mouthwatering monopoly on the bakery business of Lake Eden, Minnesota. But when a rival store opens, tensions begin to bubble. . . The southern hospitality of Lake Eden's two Georgia transplants, Shawna Lee and Vanessa Quinn, is grating on Hannah's nerves — and with their new Magnolia Blossom Bakery - cutting into her profits. At least Hannah has her business partner Lisa's wedding to look forward to, until Hannah finds out that Shawna Lee has been invited, and will be bringing the Magnolia Blossom Bakery's signature Peach Cobbler for the reception. Hannah doesn't like having the Georgia Peach in the mix, especially when both Shawna Lee and Hannah's sometime-boyfriend, Detective Mike Kingston, are no-shows to the wedding. Hannah has suspected that Mike is interested in more than Shawna Lee's baking abilities. So when she sees lights on at the Magnolia Blossom Bakery after the reception, she investigates. Everyone in town knew the Cookie Jar was losing business to the Magnolia Bakery--a fact that puts Hannah at the top of the initial list of suspects. But with a little help from her friends, Hannah's determined to prove that she wasn't the only one who had an axe to grind with the Quinn sisters. Somebody wasn't fooled by the Georgia Peaches and their sweet-as-pie act--and now it's up to Hannah to track down whoever had the right ingredients to whip up a murder. . ."

Review:
So, my experience with the Hannah Swensen Mysteries series continues to dip in a negative way, as I am finding certain aspects of the stories are starting (or continue) to wear thin with me. This review is going to be a bit of a rant... apologies in advance.

I don’t mind protagonists that tend to unwittingly and repeatedly expose themselves to dangerous situations. Some authors tend to write the stories this way on purpose to add suspense to the story, but Hannah’s hypocrisy is really starting to grate on me. I am growing very tired of Hannah’s “grammar policing”, correcting everyone’s grammar at a drop of a hat. *cue eyeroll* Also annoying is the whole love triangle. You cannot have a long term love triangle on the go and then get all uppity and complaining because one of your boyfriends might be seeing someone else. No Hannah, you can't have your cake and eat it too. No spoilers, but the ending to this one was just plain garbage IMO, as we have Hannah proving that she really is clueless and self-serving when it comes to personal (love) relationships. Yes, when push comes to shove, Hannah still doesn’t get her act together. Suffice to say, this type of contemporary romance drama does not appeal to me. Here is hoping it resolves in the next installment or I may just have to give up on the series.

On the mystery front, the mystery/murder cases continue to be predictable but I will give Fluke credit for tidy murder mystery details that, while somewhat implausible, still work. Too bad she didn’t pay closer attention to some of the non-mystery elements as some irregularities do crop up (kind of like continuity blunders that crop up in some movie scenes). I do like how this story picks up nicely from the previous installment and closes the loop on some unfinished business. You really do need to read this series in publication order to fully understand some of the character drama! Lake Eden residents continue to charm, but I am waiting for the day when Hannah pushes things too far with interfering in police business (she

really came close to the mark in this installment, IMO, even if the chief of police is her BIL). I guess there wouldn’t be much of a series left if that did happen and she could only make inconsequential inquiries.

Overall, never a good sign when the protagonist starts to get on a reader’s nerves, so calling this one just a ‘meh’ read.

.
Book #50 - The First Rose of Tralee by Patricia O'Reilly
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2018 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: N/A
Source: LTER
Format: E-book
Original publication date: 2019
Acquisition date: May 6, 2019
Page count: 300 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.10 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"Mary O’Connor, beautiful daughter of the local shoemaker, dreams of a life beyond the hardship and poverty of Brogue Lane but must resign herself to life as a lowly kitchen maid. William Pembroke Mulchinock, heir to West Villa, is obliged to let go of his dream of being a poet to run the family estate. When they meet they are dazzled by love. The Great Famine is about to grip the country, Daniel O’Connell is holding monster rallies, pushing for Repeal of the 1801 Union, and the young lovers are caught up in the politics of the time. Can their love survive political turmoil and bridge the great divide between rich and poor?"

Review:
O’Reilly’s novel gives poignant life to the local Irish lore that the poem “The Rose of Tralee” (attributed to Edward Mordaunt Spencer and set to music by composer Charles Glover) was written by a local wealthy Protestant (William Pembroke Mulchinock) for a Catholic servant girl (Mary O’Connor) employed in his parent’s house. The characters, and their circumstances, are richly drawn. Both William and Mary seek a change to the status quo: Mary resisting the tradition of a parent-brokered marriage while William sees the appeal in the raising voices supporting the idea of Irish self-rule. Anyone familiar with the poem knows that this is a tragic love story. Under O’Reilly pen, our star-crossed lovers exhibit a purity of passion that literally shines through the turbulent times, makes this story such a compelling read. Rich in historic details, O’Reilly's novel beautifully captures the Irish landscape, class differences, the rising political tensions of the time period and touches on the tragedy of the Great Famine.

Overall, a wonderfully written story that is not overshadowed by the tragedy it captures and would make for perfect summer reading in the lead up to the annual Rose of Tralee Festival (at the end of August).

Book #51 - Billie by Anna Gavalda - translated from the French by Jennifer Rappaport
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2018 Category, ROOT
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: Europa Editions
Source: TBR
Format: Trade Paperback
Original publication date: 2013
Acquisition date: June 11, 2017
Page count: 192 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.65 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: adapted from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"A brilliant evocation of contemporary Paris and a moving tale of friendship, Anna Gavalda’s new novel tells the story of two young people, Billie and Franck, who, as the story opens, are trapped in a gorge in the Cévennes Mountains. Billie begins to tell stories from their lives in order to calm herself and Franck as darkness encroaches. In alternating episodes, the novel moves between recollections of the two characters’ childhoods and their dire predicament. Franck’s life has been impacted by a childhood spent with a perennially unemployed father who toyed with Christian extremism and a mother aestheticized by antidepressants. A bright kid, Franck’s future was menaced at every turn by the bigotry surrounding him. As for Billie, her abiding wish as an adult is to avoid ever having to come into contact with her family again. To escape from her abusive and alcohol-addled family, she was willing to do anything and everything. The wounds have not entirely healed."

Review:
All I can say is "Wow". I am struggling to gather my thoughts on this one. Gavalda has created a wonderful narrative voice in Billie. A bit of an unreliable narrator, but that is in keeping with her divided personality: a strong, outspoken "no filters" speaking (and acting) young woman on the outside while a very shy, insecure and damaged individual on the inside. From a character development perspective, both Billie and Franck stand out. They are examples of individuals who have chosen to make their own path, and suffer knocks along the way. I cannot speak to the contemporary French setting, except to appreciate that it works as a backdrop for the fantastic character development. This story is very much a story of the unbreakable bonds of a friendship that survives insane stuff (most of the insane stuff is directly due to Billie, but hey, it is all about how true love goes beyond the typical (and overrated) sexual romance aspect of love).

At times, the story flows beautifully. At other times, the story takes odd turns that are a bit jarring. Overall, a story that at its core is an uplifting tale about hope, love and dignity and a positive message about overcoming the stuff that life throws your way.

Book #52 - Cherry Cheesecake Murder by Joanna Fluke - audiobook narrated by Suzanne Toren
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2018 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: N/A
Source: GVPL
Format: Audiobook
Original publication date: 2006
Acquisition date: N/A
Page count: 384 pages / 10 hours, 34 minutes listening time
Decimal/ Star rating: 2.70 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"Hannah Swensen and her bakery, The Cookie Jar, bask in the glow of Hollywood glamour when Main Street becomes a movie set. And although tensions simmer as the cameras roll, no one expects the action to turn deadly. . .until it's too late. . . There's no such thing as privacy in Lake Eden, but Hannah never thought things would go this far. Everyone has been telling her what to do ever since she got not one but two marriage proposals. Movie mania soon shoves Hannah's marriage dilemma into the background and even gives her cat a shot at stardom. The Cookie Jar serves as snack central with Main Street rented out for the week. She stirs lots of fresh gossip, whipping up treats for cast and crew, including demanding director Dean Lawrence's favorite--cherry cheesecake."

Review:
Okay... a bit of an improvement over the drama of the previous installment, but not by much. Even with the change of having a movie shoot happening in Lake Eden, Fluke tries to wrap everything up with a tidy bow by having two of the movie production team as Hannah's former university friends. That would have been okay except that we know have a new romantic interest to add to the love triangle already on the go. The fact that all three guys behave as they do (being overly accommodating, IMO) is just so darn fictional it really needs to been taken in with a huge grain of salt. Yes, my binge audiobook reading is probably starting to wear on me, but I cannot help but notice that Fluke has been imbuing our lead protagonist with certain behavior and personality traits that I am not all that keen on. As I noticed in the previous installment, continuity in details isn't Fluke's thing. At one point we learn that Delores (Hannah's mother) is the owner of a laptop computer and then later on we learn that Norman (one of Hannah's now three beaux) "hooked the computer up" for Delores. Really? She needed help with connecting the power cable to the wall power outlet? Little details like that can drive me bonkers. That, and I could have done without Fluke treating her readers like they don't know the first thing about a movie location shoot and explaining everything). Yes, the mystery angle was okay - it helps that there was a surprise mystery that gets revealed - but sometimes that just isn't enough to carry the story. Even the Lake Eden folks were not as fresh and inviting as in the earlier installments.

Overall, a cotton candy fluff cozy mystery fun with a movie shoot angle, so long as you don't mind Hannah's ever growing list of beaux and how she, yet again, decides that she needs to be the one to confront the suspect. I think I need to take a break from these stories.

Currently Reading:
...

Audiobook:
Oh Pioneers! by Willa Cather (narrated by Barbara McCulloh) - Taking a break from my Hannah Swensen Mysteries series and looking forward to dipping into another Cather read.
ebook:
Bethlehem by Karen Kelly - A NetGalley "Read it Now" book that caught my attention. A debut novel set in 1920s to 1960s with a grand ancestral home, secrets, tragedy and a cracking marriage. Sounds interesting!
Physical books:
Old Filth by Jane Gardam - A re-read for me in preparation for reading the other two books in the trilogy that have been languishing on my TBR shelves, way too long.
A Suitable Boy by Virkram Seth - Still trying to get back to this one. Might just do a binge read to get caught up my next extended break from work.

>56 lkernagh: I loved Oh Pioneers!. I think I re-read it at least once, and I am pretty sure the paperback is on a bookshelf in my bedroom.

>56 lkernagh: I'm really pleased that Old Filth has such long-lived appeal. I still look forward to re-reading it this summer for the same reason you are!

Series sag is sad. Sorry.

Happy Tuesday!

That was quite a bike ride, Lori. All those km's and plenty to see as well!

I found this write up on the scandalous history of the Empress Hotel and thought it would interest you. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-empress-hotel-victoria-british-columbia?...

Your bike ride sounds amazing, Lori. I sold my bike at last year's garage sale. I really don't miss it as I prefer walking for my exercise. I like to keep my feet on the ground! I'm of the age where I should be riding a 3-wheeler but my vanity won't let me. Lol.

I loved Oh Pioneers! but My Antonia remains my favorite Cather book. Have you read it yet? If not, you're in for a real treat.

>60 Donna828: I miss my bikes, Donna, although I don't think they would appreciate my company nowadays given that I am 50% bigger than I was when I left them behind 25 years ago.

Have a wonderful weekend, Lori

Missing you Lori.

Yes, where is she? Lorrr-iiiii!

Lori???

Hi Lori, have we lost you to kayaking?

Hi Lori!

I'm all caught up, but where are you? I hope you're doing okay.

Checking in too....I have been awol lately too. Hope all OK with you!

Lori's been away for two months now. Anyone friends with her on Facebook or another site that can just check on her?

>68 mstrust: She added some books to her catalog on Aug 17 so it's only been two weeks.

Thanks for looking!

Hello everyone!

Wow.... hard to believe it has been 2 months since I last posted. Time has just flown by! So, before I respond to the wonderful posts left in my absence, I guess a quick update on what I have been up to is in order. It was a working summer for me. No vacation time this summer, although I do have this next week off, so BONUS that! Usually things slow down at work during the summer months, but not so this year. When I wasn't busy staying on top of work, I have had a busy summer outdoors kayaking, biking, walking and taking in various local events. This year was the first year I paddled in and joined the boaters taking in Victoria's Symphony Splash from the water. What a great way to enjoy the music, have a front row seat (the symphony plays from a barge floating in the Inner Harbour) and even better, no traffic at the end for the commute home!

Not much reading has occurred. I am embarrassed to admit to having read a whole 4 books in the past 2 months. Yup. You read correctly. 4 books. Reason: I have acquired two new time sucks: listening to podcasts and playing Township, a sim game on my smartphone which I have to say, is a brilliant way to learn manufacturing and supply chain management... just saying. ;-)

As mentioned, I have been walking and have continued to track my walking so at some point, I will have some walking updates. Given how long it has been, these might either be condensed or merged... not sure how best to approach this.

First things first, responses to visitors and then book/podcast reviews/updates.

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>57 thornton37814: - Hi Lori, Cather is such a wonderful writer and I agree, Oh Pioneers! is a wonderful story.

>58 richardderus: - Hello RD! So, is this a bad time to mention that my re-read of Old Filth fell victim to the myriad of distractions I had this past summer mentioned above? I do intend to read the trilogy from start to finish. Sadly, I think I need to re-start Old Filth, again. ;-(

>59 Familyhistorian: - Thanks Meg! I have to admit, that one is still the longest bike ride I have had this summer. Getting a lot of cycling in, just not the mega-distances.

Ah, yes. The Rattenbury scandal! I had heard about the scandal. Victoria's history does have its share of scandalous stories! Thanks for sharing the link to the article!

>60 Donna828: - Hi Donna, I love the idea of a 3-wheeler! Would you consider an e-bike? I have noticed a lot of e-bikes on the pathways this summer. Kind of annoying to be puffing and panting my way up hill and having riders on e-bikes go gliding past effortlessly, but I remind myself that I am biking for fitness, not for fresh air. ;-)

I have read My Antonia. I read the trilogy out of order. I know, my bad. I find that I am partial to ;-) The Song of the Lark, but have yet to encounter a bad or "just good" Cather story.

>61 PaulCranswick: - LOL, Paul!

>62 PaulCranswick:, >63 mstrust:, >64 ronincats:, >65 Familyhistorian:, >66 karenmarie:, >67 LovingLit:, >68 mstrust: and >69 norabelle414: - Apologies for not reporting in over the summer, Paul, Jennifer, Roni, Meg, Karen, Megan, Jennifer and Nora. RL (and electronic-based time sucks) occupied all my time. Thank you all for checking in!

Now for those pesky book reviews, etc.

Book #53 - Oh Pioneers! by Willa Cather - audiobook narrated by Barbara McCulloh
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2018 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: Series
Source: GVPL
Format: Audiobook
Original publication date: 1913
Acquisition date: N/A
Page count: 148 pages / 6 hours listening time
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.65 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: adapted from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"O Pioneers! tells the story of the Bergsons, a family of Swedish immigrants in the farm country near the fictional town of Hanover, Nebraska, at the turn of the 20th century. Alexandra, inherits the family farm when her father dies, and she devotes her life to making the farm a viable enterprise at a time when other immigrant families are giving up and leaving the prairie."

Review:
I should probably start off this review by admitting that I have not been reading Cather’s Prairie Trilogy in order, having read My Antonia around this time last year. Cather’s strength – IMO anyways – is her wonderfully descriptive prose. She knew how to paint a picture with words! Like My Antonia, Oh Pioneers! gives readers a strong female protagonist, this time in Alexandra Bergson, the eldest child of a Swedish immigrant family who takes over the running of the family farm when the father dies. Like other women in Cather’s stories, Alexandra is an individual with grit and determination, valuable characteristics to have to survive and thrive in the American frontier of the early nineteenth century. Alexandra faces family struggles as her younger brothers side with societal views of the time period and feel that it is inappropriate for Alexandra to be free to do as she pleases, so very much a story about a woman claiming her rights outside of the bounds of traditional social norms of the time period. While a short novel – more a novella – the story only hits a couple of stutters/lurches to the otherwise even flow of the story.

A common theme I have found in the Cather stories I have read so far is her ability to communicate to the reader the spiritual connection of land and people. Her characters are grounded, driven with a purpose and not flighty as one might find in some other novels. For me, the high points of this story are the strong female protagonist, the mosaic of immigrant characters from the “old country” that would have populated the American frontier of the time period and Cather’s wonderful, descriptive prose, written in plain, accessible language.

Book #54 - Key Lime Pie Murder by Joanna Fluke - audiobook narrated by Suzanne Toren
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2018 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: Series
Source: GVPL
Format: Audiobook
Original publication date: 2007
Acquisition date: N/A
Page count: 384 pages / 10 hours, 3 minutes listening time
Decimal/ Star rating: 2.80 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"It promises to be a busy week for Hannah Swensen. Not only is she whipping up treats for the chamber of commerce booth at the Tri-County fair, she's also judging the baking contest; acting as a magician's assistant for her business partner's husband; trying to coax Moishe, her previously rapacious feline, to end his hunger strike, and performing her own private carnival act by juggling the demands of her mother and sisters. With so much on her plate, it's no wonder Hannah finds herself on the midway only moments before the fair closes for the night. After hearing a suspicious thump, she goes snooping–only to discover Willa Sunquist, a student teacher and fellow bake contest judge, dead alongside an upended key lime pie. But who would want to kill Willa and why? Now Hannah needs to crank up the heat, hoping that Willa's killer will get rattled and make a mistake. If that happens she intends to be there, even if it means getting on a carnival ride that could very well be her last. . ."

Review:
Back for a visit with the Lake Eden folks and I noticed that not much has changed (not surprising). Murder continues to be an ongoing occurrence for the lake town, and Hannah continues to dither in choosing between her two romantic interests. The town fair is a nice change of pace, introducing some new characters, even though I had to groan when Fluke rolled out the county fair baking contest as part of the story. Yes, it gives Fluke an opportunity to share more food recipes, something that is unnecessary given that Fluke doesn’t seem to have any difficulties in bringing food into any part of her stories. The mystery is okay, albeit a weak one, and it took a looong time before the murderous act occurs. When it did, I had to rewind back a few minutes to identify the murderous moment. And here I was thinking/hoping that this installment was going to be a murder-free murder mystery. Silly me. Of course, this means that the actual clues gathering and investigation is rushed through the final part of the story, and another strike against the overall effect the mystery had on me. Yes, I still enjoy the cast of Lake Eden townfolk that, IMO, give the series its overall appeal. I just wish I could understand why Fluke has taken to having her characters make Hannah feel self-conscious about weight, body shape and dieting…. I found that just, odd.

Book #55 - The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather - audiobook narrated by Barbara Caruso
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2018 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: Series
Source: GVPL
Format: Audiobook
Original publication date: 1915
Acquisition date: March 5, 2019
Page count: 275 pages / 15 hours listening time
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.20 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.com book listing webpage:

"Set in the 1890s in Moonstone, a fictional town located in Colorado, The Song of the Lark is the self-portrait of an artist in the making. The story revolves around an ambitious young heroine, Thea Kronborg, who leaves her hometown to go to the big city to fulfill her dream of becoming a well-trained pianist, a better piano teacher. When her piano instructor hears her voice, he realizes that this is her true artistic gift. He encourages her to pursue her vocal training instead of piano saying ... "your voice is worth all that you can put into it. I have not come to this decision rashly." The novel captures Thea's independent-mindedness, her strong work ethic, and her ascent to her highest achievement. At each step along the way, her realization of the mediocrity of her peers propels her to greater levels of accomplishment, but in the course of her ascent she must discard those relationships which no longer serve her."

Review:
I am writing this review almost two months after reading the story so I will just provide some general observations, as memory serves. The Song of the Lark is Cather’s third novel, and is considered to be the second book in her Prairie’s Trilogy. The story itself is straightforward. Readers follow Thea Kronberg as she grows from a young girl with a beautiful singing voice to a woman who’s focused ambition leads her to become a prima donna singer. Not a “rags to riches” story. Thea’s story is one of how no matter how high your ambitions or how far you move away from your home, one never really leaves their past behind them. Thea is a strong woman, but she does have her flaws. I found it hard to emotionally invest myself in Thea’s character. Her driving ambition, at the expense of her relationship with her Swedish Methodist family, is laudable as it does achieve its end goal, but at an enormous cost, IMO. As with other Cather novels I have read, the setting – and Cather’s wonderful descriptions – play a key role in our heroine’s character development. Different aspects of Thea’s character come forward in different settings. Cather’s beautifully descriptive, straightforward prose makes this story a joy to read, although I did find the characterization to be more forced/contrived than I have found in other Cather novels I have read. I struggled with the last section. While it brings closure to the story, I found it came across as something that Cather may have rewritten a few times, never fully satisfied with the result.

Even with these less than perfect aspects, I loved this story, as I have with the other Cather novels I have read so far.

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Book #56 - Bethlehem by Karen Kelly
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2018 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: N/A
Source: NetGalley
Format: eBook
Original publication date: 2019
Acquisition date: June 24, 2019
Page count: 304 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.10 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.com book listing webpage:

"A young woman arrives at the grand ancestral home of her husband’s family, hoping to fortify her deteriorating marriage. But what she finds is not what she expected: tragedy haunts the hallways, whispering of heartache and a past she never knew existed. Bethlehem is a multi-generational saga that weaves together the lives of two prominent families during the historic steel boom era of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Inspired by the true titans of the industry, Bethlehem is a mystery, a love story, and a tragedy. It is a story of temptation and regret; a story of secrets and the cost of keeping them; a story of forgiveness. It is the tale of two complex women: the dynamic and beautiful Susannah Parrish Collier and her daughter-in-law, the outsider Joanna Rafferty Collier. Thrown together in the name of family, they will unravel mysteries long hidden and complex that have threatened to tear apart a dynasty."

Review:
A family of privilege. A majestic ancestral home. A strained marriage. A tragic accident. A family secret lurking in the shadows. If you like character-driven historical fiction novels that have more than one story-line and provides readers with an atmospheric experience of time and place, this may be the perfect read for you. This is definitely the kind of story I tend to gravitate towards on a lazy weekend when the weather makes staying indoors, curled up with a cup of tea and a book, so appealing. The story starts off rather slowly - more of a slow wandering pace - that is coupled with the author's detail oriented prose. I am a reader who appreciates descriptive setting details and don't mind when a story takes a bit of time to get going. This story isn’t all glitz and glamorous, fancy parties, chauffeur-driven cars and a life of privilege. At its heart, this is a story about love, temptation, regret, loss, acceptance and forgiveness.

As I have mentioned, the author's prose is delightfully descriptive. I found it easy to visualize the grand rooms at Brynmor and the lavish – bordering on decadent – 1920s debutante ball. The two story-lines – one set at the onset of the 1920s focuses on Susannah’s generation and the 1960s story-line representing the 'present day' - work well together. I found myself growing to appreciate Susannah and marveling at her strength. Joanna, not so much, but that stems from my difficulty in seeing Joanna's situation as a hardship or struggle. That being said, this story is strong on relationships and how relationship dynamics can change into surprisingly unexpected friendships. As for the family secret, I admit, I am a sucker for stories with a family secret at its root, and the author has created a lovely web of intrigue that slowly reveals the truth to the reader.

Overall, a wonderful historical fiction story set in the American steel-boom era.

I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.

Podcast Reviews/ Status Update:


Podcast #1 - The Black Tapes created by Paul Bae and Terry Miles - COMPLETED
Podcast provider: Pacific Northwest Stories and Minnow Beats Whale
Website: http://theblacktapespodcast.com/
Publication Dates: Original run from May 21 2015 to September 7 2017
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.70 out of 5 /
Podcast description/summary: from the podcast website:

"The Black Tapes is a serialized docudrama about one journalist's search for truth, her enigmatic subject's mysterious past, and the literal and figurative ghosts that haunt them both.

How do you feel about paranormal activity or the Supernatural? Ghosts? Spirits? Demons?

Do you believe?"

Review:
Shout out to all X-Files fans out there.... this is a goodie! If you like stories about the unknown and enjoy radio/podcast dramas, this might appeal to you. The characters are fabulous. As with any audiodrama, the voices of the characters are just as important as the story itself. Alex Reagan (voiced by Lori Henry) plays the role of our docu/journalist host who is interested in the unsolved cases of Dr. Richard Strand (voiced by Christian Sloan), a man on a personal mission, through the Strand Institute, to debunk claims of the supernatural. We learn quite quickly into the story that Dr. Strand has a mysterious side that intrigues Alex just as much as his unsolved "Black Tapes" collection.

I do have a love for the spooky and paranormal, but in a form that isn't of the spine-tingling fear producing variety. The Black Tapes hits the perfect sweet spot for me.... but have to say that the last episode was not up to pare with the rest of the episodes in the series. Of course, I am upset that I have finished all of the episodes available through Apple Podcasts (apparently there was a tweet in March of 2018 that the show would return for an other season, but there is nothing on the podcast website so I am resigned to have finished what I found to be a binge-worthy fictional podcast series. I can highly recommend this podcast series!

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Podcasts in Progress:
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Welcome to Night Vale created by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor
Podcast provider: Night Vale Presents (since March 15, 2015)
Website: http://www.welcometonightvale.com/
Publication Dates: on-going bi-monthly podcast, first episode June 15, 2012
Podcast description/summary: from the podcast website:

"WELCOME TO NIGHT VALE is a twice-monthly podcast in the style of

community updates for the small desert town of Night Vale, featuring local weather, news, announcements from the Sheriff's Secret Police, mysterious lights in the night sky, dark hooded figures with unknowable powers, and cultural events.

Turn on your radio and hide."

Comments so far:
What can I say... I am sooo late to the podcast world, and this podcast. Nothing like a bit of quirky, off-beat weirdness to catch my attention! Love the radio-show format, and I can understand why there is such a cult following. To many things to like to comment on here but I will give a special mention to the weather section which showcases an eclectic mix of music. Not something I can binge-listen to, but it is working out quite nicely as my audio-listen for my week day walking commute. Give that I am currently on Episode 31, I might be all caught up with the series

some time in the new year. ;-)

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Wolf 359 created by Gabriel Urbina
Podcast provider: Kinda Evil Genius Productions
Website: https://www.wolf359.fm/
Publication Dates: 61st and final espisode on December 25, 2017
Podcast description/summary: from the podcast website:

"WOLF 359 is a radio drama in the tradition of Golden Age of Radio shows. Set on board the U.S.S. Hephaestus space station, the dysfunctional crew deals with daily life-or-death emergencies, while searching for signs of alien life and discovering there might be more to their mission than they thought.

Tune into your home away from home... seven and a half light years away from Earth... "

Comments so far:
Think small-scale deep space mission (a crew of 4, if you count the AI) meets the character dynamics of Firefly. I personally love Communications Officer Doug Eiffel's witty sarcasm and attempts at procrastination when it comes to his assigned duties. Such a perfect foil for "down to business" Commander Renée Minkowski. I was a bit worried the AI unit would be a remake of the level-toned Hal from 2001: A Space Odyssey, but thankfully, we have a wonderfully chipper Hera, the station's super computer that tends to suffer glitches. Yes,the station has a Chief Science Officer, Dr. Alexander Hilbert, who has his own interesting agendas. Suffice to say, I am finding it very easy to binge-listen to this podcast. I am currently on Episode 33, which means I am just past the halfway mark. Nooooo! This is a series I don't want to reach the end of (although there are 3 mini episodes, soooo one can always hope for more episodes to come)!

It sounds like you had a busy but fun summer, Lori. Love the Cather comments. I haven't read O Pioneers yet, so that is something to look forward to.

Welcome back. Good to hear you were missing in action for fun reasons and not sad.

Podcasts! Love them. I've tried all sorts and I always go back the the conversational ones where people discuss what could broadly be called current events. I did listen to Welcome to Night Vale for a while, and I loved it, but honestly, I forgot about it and didn't get very far. My favourite used to be The Readers, which was two gay guys talking about books (mostly written by women, mostly current). But their lives got busy and they quit. I think their podcasts might still be available tho.

>76 lkernagh: I'm a huge Welcome to Night Vale fan! I also really love Good Morning, Night Vale, the podcast *about* Welcome to Night Vale.

>77 BLBera:- Hi Beth. The summer has been busy, and mostly in a good way, so no complaints except that it seems to have gone by so darn quickly! Oh Pioneers! is such a wonderful story. Cather's writing is fabulous, and I hope you enjoy it when you read it.

>78 Nickelini: -thanks Joyce! I am amazed at the variety of genres/ topics of podcasts out there. I am looking forward to experimenting further. I have made a note of The Readers and will add it to my ever-growing podcast list (and to think that I thought it was only books that had expanding lists). ;-)

>79 norabelle414:- HI Nora, Welcome to Night Vale is such a unique experience! I haven't tried the "Good Morning" podcasts yet, but will add them to the list! Thanks for the rec!

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It has been a fabulous week off from work. Kayaking and/or bike rides every single day, so lots of outdoor time. I did manage to find some indoor time to pull together a quick walking update for July (still need to do one for August, and then I can think about trying to get back on track). Plans for this weekend include my favorite food event (Ribfest) and some more outdoor time. Believe it or not, I have actually been reading a book (a Netgalley ER) and I hope to finish it sometime this weekend so I may even have a book review at some point to post!

Lori's 2019 Virtual Walking Challenge: Peace Arch to Disneyland via the I-5 S

The goal: To walk, in 2019, the distance it would take me to virtually walk the I-5 from the Peace Arch at the BC/WA border to Los Angeles/Disneyland Park (2,048 KM). Note: While I was trying to find a walk that would be 2,019 KM in length to celebrate the year, this is close enough!

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Here is the link to my Google map where I am tracking my journey: https://tinyurl.com/yaa37ag9

WEEKS 27, 28, 29 and 30 (the month of July) UPDATE:
Kilometers walked this session: 149.47 (Week 27: 39.37KM; Week 28: 31.08KM; Week 29: 31.71KM; Week 30: 36.97KM)
Kilometers walked in total: 1,167.47
Current province/state: (CA)
My current location on the map: South of Cottonwood (and east of Hooker!) heading for Red Bluff.
Points of interest along the way:: Places passed through during this four-week walking period include: Weed, Black Butte, Mt. Shasta, Dunsmuir, the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Lakehead-Lakeshore, Redding and Cottonwood. Without even looking at pictures, I already know that the Weed to Shasta Lake part of the I-5 is filled with beautiful scenery. How do I know this? Because of how winding and curving the highway is on the map. I know, that seems like such a silly (an nonsensical) way to judge a road's scenic value, but this reasoning hasn't failed me so far. ;-)


Weed, CA as posted to wikimedia commons by Eric Guinther (CC BY_-SA 3.0)

Weed, with Mount Shasta in the background, unfortunately does not has as interesting a name as I was hoping. Apparently, the township is named after a pioneer and founder of the local lumber mill, Abner Weed. By the 1940's Weed's boasted the world's largest sawmill.
Book-related Fun Fact: John Steinbeck's novella-play Of Mice and Men begins with George and Lennie running away from Weed, where they got into trouble.

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Mount Shasta as posted to Flickr by Harold Litwiler (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) / Mount Shasta Police and City Hall as posted to wikimedia commons by Jim Heaphy (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Mount Shasta is both the name for the potentially active volcano at the southern end of the Cascade Mountain Range and the name for the city found in its flanks.


Sundial Bridge, Redding CA as posted to Flickr by Doug Kerr (CC BY-SA 3.0)

A couple of Fun Facts about Redding and area:
- The Sundial Bridge is one of the largest working sundials in the world--and serves as a pedestrian bridge over the Sacramento River in the heart of Redding.
- The Shasta Dam is the world's tallest center overflow dam - three times higher than Niagara Falls
- Redding is the second sunniest city in America, after Yuma, Arizona.

Good to see you back, Lori. I had a feeling that your kayak was one of the things keeping you busy. Looks like we are heading into autumn now but it was a good summer for getting outdoors!

>82 Familyhistorian: - Thanks Meg! Yup, outdoor activities did keep me busy this past summer.

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Happy Sunday everyone! I took advantage of a drizzly morning to prepare a short walking update to cover the month of August, so I don't fall further behind with my updates! Other than that, not much. Just a lazy day today, after a nail-biting Saturday afternoon watching the US Open women's final (YAY for Bianca!). With fall weather arriving, I may find more indoor time for reading.

Lori's 2019 Virtual Walking Challenge: Peace Arch to Disneyland via the I-5 S

The goal: To walk, in 2019, the distance it would take me to virtually walk the I-5 from the Peace Arch at the BC/WA border to Los Angeles/Disneyland Park (2,048 KM). Note: While I was trying to find a walk that would be 2,019 KM in length to celebrate the year, this is close enough!

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Here is the link to my Google map where I am tracking my journey: https://tinyurl.com/yaa37ag9

WEEKS 31, 32, 33, 34 and 35 (the month of August) UPDATE:
Kilometers walked this session: 155.93 (Week 31: 30.37KM; Week 32: 22.17KM; Week 33: 31.49KM; Week 34: 35.09KM; Week 35: 36.81)
Kilometers walked in total: 1,323.40
Current province/state: (CA)
My current location on the map: Due south of Harrington, heading for Hershey and the outskirts of Sacramento.
Points of interest along the way:: Starting off this post with a couple of general observations:

1) the highway, once you get south of Red Bluff, is pretty darn straight (with the odd bends and curves visible on the map). Must make for a boring drive.
2) that the highway has different names as you drive along it from the Canadian border, through California. For example, the I-5 appears to have no additional names associated with it in Washington or Oregon state until you get south of Goshen, where it shows up on the map as the "Pacific Highway". When the highway crosses into California (more or less) the name changes to the "Cascade Wonderland Highway". South of Red Bluff, the highway name changes again to become the "West Side Highway/Freeway". I find that, well, interesting.

The month of August saw my walking diminish a bit as I was busy with other outdoor activities, but I did manage to virtually walk through or near the following communities: Red Bluff, Richfield, Corning, Wyo, Orland, Gapit, Artois, Bluegum, Willows, Loganville, Norman, Delevan, Maxwell, Cortena, Williams, Genevra, Arbuckle and Harrington. A lot of those names sound like the communities are named after founding or early prominent members of the community, but some of the names did seem worthy of investigation (Wyo, Gapit and Bluegum) but sadly all I was able to learn is that Wyo was formerly known as Stony Creek.


Main Street stores, Red Bluff California, as posted to Flickr by the Library of Congress

Interestingly, Red Bluff has undergone a number of name changes over the years. It was originally known as Leodocia, but was renamed to Covertsburg in 1853, only to be renamed Red Bluff one year later, in 1854. Claim to fame for Red Bluff is its annual Red Bluff Round-Up, one of the west's largest rodeos and is well known for its popular bull competitions. Trip advisor top things to do in Red Bluff include the Gaumer's Jewelry Museum and Lapidary and the Pumpkinland Chocolate Factory. I have to say, the company name brings an interesting vision of pumpkin-flavoured chocolate to mind.

Looks like you are making progress on your walking! Hope you have a good weekend!

Hope you are doing well and keeping up with your walking and reading, Lori.

Sounds like you've been having a great and very active Summer! I was in a hotspot for outdoor activities last weekend, seeing triathletes, canoeists, paddle boarders, and wild swimmers. It was pretty warm, I think that helped.

>85 ChelleBearss: - Hi Chelle! Yes, the walking continues - thanks mainly to my weekday walking commutes for work, truth be told - and one of the few things that I seem to still be "on track" with this year. This year I have really let real life distractions take over and I have been enjoying my outdoor time! Hope all is well with you and the family.

>86 Familyhistorian: - Hi Meg! Yes, I am doing well. Just busy. I need to clone myself. One person to read books. One person to do all the outdoor stuff I have been ocuppied with for the past three months. Not sure that is the solution but until I have access to a time machine, there just isn't enough time in the day for everything I want to do. Something always has to give.

>87 charl08: - Hi Charlotte! It has been busy and I have really enjoyed all the outdoor time! I may develop cabin fever when the winter weather kicks in. How exciting to have all those various events happening in one general area! Paddle boarding I still not sure about. I see a fair number of paddle boarders when I am kayaking. I am no the greatest when it comes to balancing - and I have seen some paddle boarders who are paddling while on their knees! - and I get worried when I see them out with no personal flotation devices on. I get that they are tethered to their paddle board but all it takes is a dunking in shallow water with rocks and the person could be unconscious. My other half is a lifetime boater and he is adamant that a personal flotation device always be worn, even if you "think" there is no risk. I fall into the risk adverse crowd, so I always wear my personal flotation device when I go kayaking. ;-)

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Well.... I guess it is "Good-bye" September and "Hello" October. I swear, I do not know where the time is going. I have decided to throw in the towel on my category challenge, which was pretty open ended to begin with, as I find I have a back log of LTER/Netgalley books I need to read and review. I guess I have just been too darn busy with other things. *hangs reading head in shame* Distractions continue to grab my attention, like the Acorn TV start this week of Season 9 of "Doc Martin". Love that show! Here is hoping that the cooler weather will get my reading energy going again. I hope to post a new walking update sometime this weekend (which will get me all caught up with that) and.... Surprise, surprise.... I finished a book! Even found the time to write a review (kind of had to... it is a NetGalley read).

Anyways, I will try to post more frequently than I have over the past three months, but no promises.

Now for that review.

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Book #57 - Singapore Sapphire by A M Stuart
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2018 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: N/A
Source: NetGalley
Format: eBook
Original publication date: 2019
Acquisition date: September 1, 2019
Page count: 384 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.10 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"Singapore, 1910 -- Desperate for a fresh start, Harriet Gordon finds herself living with her brother, a reverend and headmaster of a school for boys, in Singapore at the height of colonial rule. Hoping to gain some financial independence, she advertises her services as a personal secretary. It is unfortunate that she should discover her first client, Sir Oswald Newbold--explorer, mine magnate and president of the exclusive Explorers and Geographers Club--dead with a knife in his throat. When Inspector Robert Curran is put on the case, he realizes that he has an unusual witness in Harriet. Harriet's keen eye for detail and strong sense of duty interests him, as does her distrust of the police and her traumatic past, which she is at pains to keep secret from the gossips of Singapore society. When another body is dragged from the canal, Harriet feels compelled to help with the case. She and Curran are soon drawn into a murderous web of treachery and deceit and find themselves face-to-face with a ruthless cabal that has no qualms about killing again to protect its secrets."

Review:
I tend to gravitate towards atmospheric historical fiction novels that transport the reader to a different time and place. With Singapore Sapphire, Stuart has captured colonial Singapore with an acute attention to detail. I am a firm believer that a good historical fiction novel is one that can effortlessly incorporate aspects of people, places or events from history into the fictional story-line. Stuart accomplishes this with ease. As with most “first in series” stories, there is a bit of a slow build as the author has to take the time to introduce us to our lead characters – in this case, widowed Harriet Gordon, who is seeking a fresh start away from England, and our British Straits Settlements Police Force inspector Robert Curran, who some of the local expatriate community feel is "going native".

Things I loved about this story?

One, that Stuart does not delay in providing readers with a dead body and a suspected murder to mull over. No point in shill-shallying around when the purpose is murder! While I found parts of the mystery rather easy to figure out, Stuart kept my interest to the end, throwing into the mix a wider web of intrigue and some suspenseful moments.

Two, Stuart has created well-rounded characters. Harriet is a strong female lead - independent, but not to the point of interfering in a police investigation (I hate it when characters think they can take over the police investigation as their own) - and is the perfect civilian "sounding board" for Inspector Curran.

Three, while we learn a fair bit about our characters in this story, Stuart has left room for further development. The author has imbued Harriet and Curran with enough chemistry for a possible romance, but leaves this as just a hint and leaves the field open, providing a possible rival for Harriet's affections. I should stress that this is not a romance novel, it just leaves the door open for a potential romantic relationship in future installments.

Four, Stuart adeptly captures the setting (right down to the humid, fetid climate), the romantic lure of the Far East and the colonial tensions, all without overshadowing the mystery plot.

Overall, I found this to be a solid mystery with engaging, well-developed characters and a descriptively detailed exotic location. Perfect piece of escapism reading for this reader and I look forward to more books being published in this series.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

>89 lkernagh: I saw a review of Singapore Sapphire a while ago. It was also positive and made me want to get a hold of the book but my library didn't have it in or on order. Your review made me look again and they have now ordered it. I am number 2 in the hold line. Thanks for the nudge.

>89 lkernagh: I'll look out for that one, too.

Happy Thanksgiving, Lori.

Happy Thanksgiving!

To continue on from >90 Familyhistorian: then I just happened to be browsing the mysteries in Chapters and there was Singapore Sapphire so what could I do but take it home?

>90 Familyhistorian: - Hi Meg, so happy to see that other positive reviews of Singapore Sapphire are out there. A really good, solid historical mystery read, IMO, so I am happy to see that you were able to get it at your local library!

>91 PaulCranswick: - Hi Paul, I would have been surprised if the setting - if nothing else - caught you attention! ;-)

>92 PaulCranswick: and >93 richardderus: - Thank you both, RD and Paul! Thanksgiving was low-key this year as I did not make the trip over the Rockies to spend it with my family. I needed the down time, so best not to engage in frazzled travel.

>94 Familyhistorian: - LOL!

---------------------------

Something tells me that I will probably spend the remainder of this year making only occasional visits to my threads. Real life continues to be super busy - I cannot believe that we are now in November. YIKES! I am definitely overdue for a quick update on my walking,which will have to be condensed into two monthly updates with no usual interesting facts research (sorry folks.) At least I can potentially surprise you all in that I have actually managed a bit of reading time - I kind of have to, I have way too many early reviewer books that I need to get through - so I even have two book reviews to post. Fingers crossed things will start to slow down in the coming months and I will be able to be a more active poster here, but I don't know when that is going to happen.

Any how... I hope everyone has been having an enjoyable past couple of months. Thanks for stopping by this rather inactive thread!

Lori's 2019 Virtual Walking Challenge: Peace Arch to Disneyland via the I-5 S

The goal: To walk, in 2019, the distance it would take me to virtually walk the I-5 from the Peace Arch at the BC/WA border to Los Angeles/Disneyland Park (2,048 KM). Note: While I was trying to find a walk that would be 2,019 KM in length to celebrate the year, this is close enough!

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Here is the link to my Google map where I am tracking my journey: https://tinyurl.com/yaa37ag9

WEEKS 36, 37, 38 and 39 (the month of September) UPDATE:
Kilometers walked this session: 121.67 (Week 36: 25.97KM; Week 37: 35.97KM; Week 38: 25.61KM; Week 39: 34.12)
Kilometers walked in total: 1,445.07
Current province/state: (CA)
My current location on the map: Due south of Thornton, heading for Lincoln Village and Stockton.
Points of interest along the way:: Communities virtually walked through or near by during the month of September include: Yolo (love that name!), Woodland, Sacramento, Freeport, Franklin, Mokelumne City (another great name!) and Thornton.

Apologies for those hoping for my usual highlights. I just don't seem to have the time to do the research right now.

Lori's 2019 Virtual Walking Challenge: Peace Arch to Disneyland via the I-5 S

The goal: To walk, in 2019, the distance it would take me to virtually walk the I-5 from the Peace Arch at the BC/WA border to Los Angeles/Disneyland Park (2,048 KM). Note: While I was trying to find a walk that would be 2,019 KM in length to celebrate the year, this is close enough!

.






Here is the link to my Google map where I am tracking my journey: https://tinyurl.com/yaa37ag9

WEEKS 40, 41, 42, 43 and 44 (the month of October) UPDATE:
Kilometers walked this session: 153.90 (Week 40: 32.46KM; Week 41: 36.19KM; Week 42: 22.52KM; Week 43: 34.08KM; Week 44: 28.,65KM)
Kilometers walked in total: 1,598.97
Current province/state: (CA)
My current location on the map: Southeast of the O'Neil Forebay and the San Luis Reservoir, heading for La Jolla Ranch (strange, I tend to associate La Jolla with San Diego and I an no where near that far south!).
Points of interest along the way:: Communities virtually walked through or near by during the month of October are not much...Lincoln Village and Stockton seem to jump out from the map but other than that, small communities? I am guessing that this is part of the California freeway system that has been designed to bypass a number of communities. What really stood out for me as I was mapping my October walking? This one insane interchange in Sacramento:



Like, WOW! Okay, yes I am an island girl that like things kept simple so this would probably totally freak me out driving through it, especially if this was where I was changing freeways. It is just is so busy! To put things in perspective, the following - not interchange, not really sure what to call it - completely baffles me every time I have to drive out to the Victoria airport:



I don't know what it is... maybe it is the two roundabouts or just the whole complicated design that makes me tense up every time I have to drive the route. Anyways, long story short, I am one of those drivers that can do without playing a guessing game as to which lane I need to be in to safely maneuver through these types of complex roadways.

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Book #58 - Honoria by Marion Fitzgerald
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2018 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: N/A
Source: LTER
Format: eBook
Original publication date: 2019
Acquisition date: June 27, 2019
Page count: 546 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.00 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"Local girl Honoria Kane is the scullery maid in the kitchens of Tyrone House, a job she took on reluctantly at her parents’ insistence. Christopher St. George is heir to the magnificent house and a vast estate in County Galway. His passion is horses, while his ambition is to become a member of the Turf Club and own his own racing stables at the Curragh of Kildare. Against all the odds they fall in love. But the road ahead is to be a long and rocky one.
Their worlds are wide apart and, if they are to be together, they will have to defy their families, social convention and the law of the land. Christopher is Protestant and Honnie is Catholic. In 1827, marriage between them is illegal. But to live together unmarried would disgrace both their families, break their parents’ hearts and affect the marriage prospects of their siblings. But Christopher is a risktaker, both on the racing track and off, and Honnie knows she has found the love of her life. They have to find a way to be together."

Review:
For historical fiction fans like myself, sometimes the longer the book is, the better. I like to be immersed in the time period of a story. It its obvious that this was a work of love for the author, by both her attention to historical details and, as we learn at the end of the story, her personal connection as a descendant of the real Honoria “Honnie” Kane and Christopher St. George this work of fiction is based upon. Now, I am one of those readers who tend to like to know about an author’s personal connection to the subject matter up front. In this case, that information probably would have made the story more appealing for me. As it is, I found the love story of Honnie and Christopher to be a bit of a snooze, starting off as yet another “big house story told from the perspective of a house maid” and venturing down typical plot themes. I was more interested by the historical facts woven through the story. Fitzgerald infuses this story with a number of historical themes, covering everything from horse breeding and racing, religion (Honnie is Catholic while Christopher is Protestant), Irish-English political tensions, Irish emigration and the devastating impact of the Irish potato famine.

Overall, this story may appeal to readers who can never get enough of an Upstairs, Downstairs-styled love story or readers interested in Ireland of the time period.

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Book #59 - The Immortal City by Amy Kuivalainen
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2018 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: N/A
Source: LTER
Format: eBook
Original publication date: September 19, 2019
Acquisition date: June 29, 2019
Page count: 256 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.40 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"In the heart of Venice, a woman is sacrificed to a forgotten god, sparking a mystery lost for thousands of years. Dr. Penelope Bryne is ridiculed by the academic community for her quest to find the remnants of Atlantis, but when an ancient and mysterious script is found at a murder site, she flies to Venice determined to help the police before the killer strikes again. Penelope has spent her entire life trying to ignore the unexplainable and magical history of Atlantis, but when she meets the enigmatic Alexis Donato, everything she believes will be challenged. Little does she know, Alexis has spent the last three years doing his best to sabotage Penelope's career so doesn't learn the truth--Atlantis had seven magicians who survived, and who he has a duty to protect. As Alexis draws her into the darkly, seductive world of magic and history, Penelope will have to use her heart as well as her head if she is to find the answers she seeks. With the new MOSE system due to come online, and Carnivale exploding around them, Penelope and Alexis will have to work together to stop the killer and prevent dark magic from pulling Venice into the sea."

Review:
Part murder mystery and part fantasy, I admit I wasn’t really sure how this genre combination would work, especially with the romance angle I discovered woven into the story. I am not a big fan of romance, but I am a sucker for murder mysteries, especially the police procedural kind. I also tend to like my fantasy to be in small doses, with a story having fantasy elements (like the magicians in this story) but still grounded in a reality that I can easily relate to. Add in beautiful, descriptive settings like Venice and throw into the mix something mysterious like the lost city of Atlantis and chances are I will find the premise intriguing enough to start reading. While I enjoyed the setting and the characters – especially Venetian police Inspector Marco and the other Atlantean magicians – I found the story was short on police procedural aspects and gave a bit too much attention to the sexual tension between Penelope and Alexis. Just a heads up if you are reading this review and like me, really don’t want romance as a prominent theme running through the story. I am also not a big fan of the ending. It just doesn't work for me, even if we are talking about a story with fantasy elements. For a first book in the planned The Immortal City series, the author has done a good job acquainting readers with the characters while still leaving room for further development in future books.

If I have to nail this book down for potential readers, I would have to say that this one will probably best appeal to readers who enjoy Deborah Harkness’s A Discovery of Witches, a book that was a fun read for me, but not something I would gush over with great enthusiasm.

Lots of fun watching your 1-5 walking. From your comments it sounds like you've never driven this route? I have many times, and it's sooooooooo boring. Except going through Seattle and Portland, a few really pretty spots in Oregon, and Northern California. But once you get to Redding, it's death. The worst part is the very long, hot, smelly and flat San Joaquin Valley. Our record speed for completing LA to Vancouver was 21 hours.

Hi Joyce! I have only driven as far south as Portland, Oregon but am guessing that the I-5 was designed to move people efficiently from A to B and not involve a scenic trip for drivers and passengers to take in. ;-)

>101 lkernagh:

Right! If you want scenic, you take the coast route, which is very long and meandering, but stunning.

Happy weekend everyone. I seem to be getting back into my reading and LT time groove (must be the colder, wet weather and the shorter daylight time). It is now craft fair season so I have been busy this weekend taking in two craft fairs - one focused on vintage and one showcasing various artisans. Saw some amazing pendants made out of broken shards of old china and happily found my favorite antipasto seller at one of the fairs, so stockpiled to get me though the next few weeks until the Out of Hand Craft Fair later this month. I also discovered oat shortbread - so good! - which I have to try and make myself as the vendor is not local and the cookies would probably suffer damage in shipping.

On the reading front, I have finished another book (Deprivation by Roy Freirich, Meerkat Press), a gripping thriller/suspense/action/horror that I will be giving some good buzz about. I still need to write the review. It is an ARC that will not be published until March 2020 so I also need to figure out if I am okay to post a review early or if I need to wait until closer to publication date. This one came to my attention via an email from the publisher and I would like to thank the publisher for bringing this ARC to my attention, and for providing me with yet another source to access ARCs: Edelweiss+. So dangerous to have yet another source for ARCs!

Lori's 2019 Virtual Walking Challenge: Peace Arch to Disneyland via the I-5 S

The goal: To walk, in 2019, the distance it would take me to virtually walk the I-5 from the Peace Arch at the BC/WA border to Los Angeles/Disneyland Park (2,048 KM). Note: While I was trying to find a walk that would be 2,019 KM in length to celebrate the year, this is close enough!

.






Here is the link to my Google map where I am tracking my journey: https://tinyurl.com/yaa37ag9

WEEK 45 UPDATE:
Kilometers walked this session: 24.72
Kilometers walked in total: 1,623.69
Current province/state: (CA)
My current location on the map: Due west of La Jolla Ranch, heading for Chaney Ranch.
Points of interest along the way:: Absolutely nothing but freeway. sighs

.... that and I really need to amp up my walking if I intend to get to Disneyland by New Years Eve.

Tomorrow is Remembrance Day so I plan to attend the ceremonies at the Legislature cenotaph.

Lest we forget:

The Thin Red Line - Harold H. Piffard (Original artist) Restoration by Adam Cuerden, University of Victoria Digital Collections - as posted to Wikimedia Commons

>72 lkernagh: O Pioneer has long been on my tbr!

Glad to see you back and that your walking os progressing. How is township progressing, btw? ;)

>103 lkernagh: The craft fairs sound amazing, Lori.

I love your topper!

>106 LovingLit: - Hi Megan, I hope you enjoy O! Pioneers as much as I did when you get to it. Yes, walking is continuing, albeit not as fast or as frequently as I would like, but this is due to RL distractions so I just do what I can. ;-) At least the weather has not forced me to give up my walking commute in exchange for travel by bus, so I will remain optimistic that I just might make my walking goal this year (yah and pigs can fly but hey, I can dream, can't I?) ;-)

As for my gaming addiction, Township is no longer as much of a time suck as it was when I first started it, which is probably a good thing. I do still play it and love the supply chain challenges it provides, but I am back into reading mode when I have free time - which is still not as much time as I would like, but oh well, such is life.

>107 BLBera: - Hi Beth, I love this time of year where there are craft fairs every weekend. While I do enjoy seeing all the wares on display, I am more of a foodie when it comes to purchases. I just spend a wonderful couple of hours yesterday at yet another craft fair (my favorite annual one, in fact) and, of course, spend more money than I really needed to. writes as I am sitting down enjoying local crafted wine and chocolate truffles after consuming some local antipasto on baguette. Yup, I love "craft fair season", as I like to call it. ;-)

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Happy weekend for all my LT visitors and happy Grey Cup weekend for my Canadian friends! I know that my visits here are continuing to be sporadic at best. Work continues to be busy and, of course, off-work time is now busy with things like craft fairs, etc. I do love this time of year for craft fairs! I am more of a foodie person - although I can be attracted to the jewellry and pottery displays as well! - and there have been a lot of great vendors this year.

Wishing everyone a wonderful week ahead!

One review and a walking update to follow.

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Book #60 - Deprivation by Roy Freirich
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2018 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: N/A
Source: Edelweiss ARC
Format: eBook
Original publication date: Advertised publication date: March 3, 2020
Acquisition date: October 26, 2019
Page count: 275 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.20 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.com book listing webpage:

"Deprivation is a gripping psychological thriller set on a small New England coastal island stricken by an epidemic of insomnia. After a mysterious, silent child is found abandoned on the beach clutching a handheld video game, residents and tourists alike find themselves utterly unable to sleep. Exhaustion impairs judgment, delusions become hysteria, and mob rule explodes into shocking violence. Told from three perspectives: Chief of Police Mays tries to keep order, teen-aged tourist Cort and her friends compete in a dangerous social media contest for the most hours awake, while local physician and former Harvard psychiatrist Dr. Sam Carlson battles his guilt over a student's suicide and the blurriness of his own insomnia, to try to treat the sleepless - until he and the child must flee the violent mob that blames the child for the epidemic."

Review:
Freirich makes use of his screenwriting experience to give readers an easy to visualize, well paced story that kept me reading late into the night. When it comes to psychological thrillers, I gravitate toward stories that have a slow, building suspense where the boding premonition of bad things to come is a big part of the thrill experience. Deprivation is set, aptly, in a small waterfront community approaching the “end-of-season” visitor wind-down: shabby use-worn vacation rentals filled with half-hearted or overly boisterous holiday-goers mingling with tourist-weary locals. The perfect setting for just about anything to happen, right? The story is based on an interesting premise: What could happen if insomnia were to spread through an isolated community not adequately equipped to deal with the situation? Add to the equation a mysterious, abandoned child no one seems to know anything about and you have a human nature experiment not very different, in the abstract, from other fiction works likes William Golding’s classic Lord of the Flies.

Descriptively detailed and finely nuanced, the reader gets the impression early on that something is just not quite right. Told from the perspective of three characters – the veteran local police chief, the younger former psychiatrist now local GP physician for treating minor ailments and a visiting teenager – Freirich keeps the story on track, ratcheting up the suspense in sync with the growing fatigue/malaise/tension of the inhabitants. Yes, there are some shocking scenes (so be forewarned if acts of violence or depictions of self-harm disturb you) but the overall effect is hazy/muted, in keeping with the mental and physical toll the insomnia brings on our narrators.

Overall, a solid suspense/thriller story with a believable "what if" premise.

I would like to thank Edelweiss Plus and Meerkat Press for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Lori's 2019 Virtual Walking Challenge: Peace Arch to Disneyland via the I-5 S

The goal: To walk, in 2019, the distance it would take me to virtually walk the I-5 from the Peace Arch at the BC/WA border to Los Angeles/Disneyland Park (2,048 KM). Note: While I was trying to find a walk that would be 2,019 KM in length to celebrate the year, this is close enough!
.





Here is the link to my Google map where I am tracking my journey: https://tinyurl.com/yaa37ag9

WEEKS 46 and 47 UPDATE:
Kilometers walked this session: 72.66 (Week 46=31.41 KM; Week 47=41.25 KM)
Kilometers walked in total: 1,696.35
Current province/state: (CA)
My current location on the map: Due south of the West Side Freeway/S Ell Dorado Avenue exchange and heading for... Kettleman City?
Points of interest along the way: Okay,.... someone please inform me. Is the section of the I-5 south I have been virtually walking through for the past 6 weeks really this boring (devoid of interesting landmarks, etc?). I know it is a freeway and we do have loooong stretches of highway in Canada that is a complete snoozefest to drive through ("Oh, wow, look Hon, a house! A barn! A cow! A bend in the road, how exciting!) so I probably shouldn't bemoan that I really don't have anything interesting to report, YET AGAIN except to say that I really do have my doubts that I will make it to Disneyland before New Years eve. What can I say, I have been too busy the past few weekends attending Holiday craft fairs, and no, I do not count the walking I do in the various arenas and conference centres as part of my walking tally.... hummm... maybe I should be.

Wow, another weekend. Belated Happy Thanksgiving wishes to my American visitors! We have now officially turned the corner and heading into the home stretch for 2019 holidays. I will be traveling to Alberta for the holidays this year (other half has commitments that will keep him in town), so we have been tossing around whether or not to put up the Christmas tree this year. Well, I should say that I have been asking if he wants me to put up the tree (because that is my job) and I am still not getting a straight answer, so who knows. Still have a few weeks where he can continue to debate the issue but at some point, the decision will be made whether he likes it or not. ;-)

On the RL front, work continues to be busy. Craft fairs continue. I am taking things easy today. yesterday evening I noticed that my left shoulder was starting to feel stiff and sore, just like the day after receiving a flu shot. By the time we went to bed last night, it was definitely sore and I had limited movement before the pain kicks in. It it pretty much the same today, making tasks like drive a tad uncomfortable. I had a frozen shoulder experience some three years ago in my right shoulder (this time it is the left shoulder area) and I am wondering if that is what is happening since I haven't done anything to strain or injure the shoulder. So frustrating!

On the reading front, I have managed to make continued progress on my backlog of ARC/LTER books so posting two book reviews, walking update and something I haven't posted in a while, my Currently Reading update.

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Book #61 - The Nanny at Number 43 by Nicola Cassidy
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2018 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: N/A
Source: LTER
Format: eBook
Original publication date: July 1, 2019
Acquisition date: August 13,2019
Page count: 344 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.90 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"When William D. Thomas’s wife dies in childbirth, he places an advertisement in his local newspaper seeking a nanny for his newborn child. He is thankful when an experienced nanny arrives at 43 Laurence Street and takes over from his frazzled housekeeper Mrs McHugh. Mrs McHugh confides in her bedridden friend Betty, who has a bird’s-eye view of all the happenings on Laurence Street, that the Nanny is not all she seems. Betty begins her own investigation into the mysterious woman. When the bodies of twin babies are discovered buried in a back garden, by a family who have moved from their tenement home into a country cottage, a police investigation begins. But it is Betty who holds the key to discovering who the Nanny really is … and the reason she came to 43 Laurence Street."

Review:
Billed by some as a historical mystery, I prefer to call this a “historical crime novel”, giving more weight to the sinister, malevolent aspects of the story. Told through shifting narration and a series of flashbacks, the pieces to the crime puzzle slowly come to light.

Things I like about this one:

Pacing – the story has a slower, methodical pace that some readers may find plodding but I found it helped to build the tension.
Character development – With any crime novel, I tend to want to know what makes someone do the evil things they do (the whys), not just the details about the crime. Through the use of flashbacks and multiple narrations this reader was left - at the end of the story - with a understanding of the motivations behind the crime.
Atmosphere – The story provides some interesting foreshadowing that really helps amp up the overall feeling of foreboding.

Things that I did not like (or struggled with):

Non-linear storyline – OK, I typically have no problem with stories that tend to jump around, but in this case, I found it was not clear until the end how two seemingly separate storylines converge. Definitely a story that you want to focus on and read through with only a few interruptions.
Details – It is rare for me to need to take notes as I am reading, but there were a couple of times while reading this one where I wish I had been taking notes (“I thought there was only one baby, why are we now talking about two babies?”, etc). Now, this may have been due in part to the fact that I had to put the book down for over a week as I was busy with real life matters and kind of lost the flow and story schema I had mapped in my mind. Also, a number of the details don’t seem important until the puzzle is complete, so if you read this one and start wondering where the heck the author is going, trust me, if you stick it through to the end, it all then makes sense.

Overall, a cleverly crafted historical crime novel that may appeal to readers who enjoy a psychological suspense read with a descriptively detailed, historical setting.

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Book #62 - Daughter of the Storm by Tina Callaghan
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2018 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: N/A
Source: LTER
Format: eBook
Original publication date: September 5, 2019
Acquisition date: August 13,2019
Page count: 245 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.40 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: adapted from the fantasticfiction.com book listing webpage:

"Lia needs to find out why her father died the way he did, back on the island off Ireland's coast. The only way to understand what happened is to go to the isolated weather-beaten island herself. However, there's more to the island than cliffs and storms and history. It also has its close-knit community. Like Ed, a young man who's troubled and almost ready to leave; Lia's Uncle Harry and his secretive friends; heavily pregnant Becky and her worried parents Rose and Frank. Everyone is either dreading the violent winter storms to come or, strangely, praying for them. And then there's the Hall, the crumbling, brooding mansion that has held all of the island's secrets for centuries. It's out there, on the edge of the grey sea, and the coming storm will release all that it has hidden. As Lia, Ed and the others find themselves trapped on the island by the storm, they find they must fight for more than their survival. They must fight to save their immortal souls."

Review:
This is a solid piece of YA supernatural/thriller story-telling steeped in Irish Gothic/horror atmosphere. If you are a reader like I am and tend to give stories a bit of a reality fact check while reading, you might question some minor points as I did, like a 16-year-old who secretly decides to board a plane from New York to Ireland and on to an island she has never visited and just "show up" unexpected on her uncle Harry's doorstep. Each chapter is prefaced with a quote, usually from a novel. Given the frequency of quotes derived from Bram Stoker's Dracula, it is kind of hard to not take these quotes as foreshadowing. That being said, I enjoyed this one, predominantly for the secluded island setting and the overall dark, suspenseful atmosphere. The secret the island harbors and the outcome were okay, but didn't pull me in like I had hoped it would. I think I would have preferred it better if the secret had an Irish folklore aspect to it.

Lori's 2019 Virtual Walking Challenge: Peace Arch to Disneyland via the I-5 S

The goal: To walk, in 2019, the distance it would take me to virtually walk the I-5 from the Peace Arch at the BC/WA border to Los Angeles/Disneyland Park (2,048 KM). Note: While I was trying to find a walk that would be 2,019 KM in length to celebrate the year, this is close enough!
.





Here is the link to my Google map where I am tracking my journey: https://tinyurl.com/yaa37ag9

WEEK 48 UPDATE:
Kilometers walked this session: 31.49
Kilometers walked in total: 1,727.84
Current province/state: (CA)
My current location on the map: Due southwest of Kettleman City/Station, heading for Lost Hills.
Points of interest along the way: I am determined to have something to post this time. A bit of a challenge with the sparse communities my virtual walking took my nearby or through this past week. Most communities are too small to qualify for town or municipality designation. Even so, I did manage to stumble across something post-worthy: Bravo Farms in Kettleman City. According to the internet, Bravo Land is a fake frontier tourist attraction/pit stop for road weary travelers that opened in 2014. Sorry, no pictures. I couldn't find any with usage rights that would let me re-post here, so instead, here is a link to a short 1.5 minute YouTube video for anyone interested in 'virtually experiencing' the place:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgSxEJzUXz0

At least I am getting closer to Bakersfield. I am sure I will find interesting things to post about when I get there.

Currently Reading:
..
Audiobook:
Nothing. Still dipping into podcasts but with the lack of sunlight hours at this time of year, I am not "tuned out" listening to audios during my weekday walking commute.
ebook:
Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel - a Netgalley read that caught my eye.
Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray - Having seen on the buzz about the Serial Reader app, I have taken the plunge and have started reading Thackeray's work on my iPhone. Based on the daily delivery, I won't be finished this one until late February or early March 2020.
Physical books:
Nothing. I have decided that I have abandoned my participation in the group read of A Suitable Boy by Virkram Seth. Will be putting that one back on the bookshelf to be tackled again at some later date.

Sorry you've been in a boring stretch on your virtual journey, Lori. I do not count the walking I do in the various arenas and conference centres as part of my walking tally.... hummm... maybe I should be. Yes! I'm sure you've been doing a ton of walking there.

I'm also sorry to hear your shoulder's giving you trouble. I hope it eases up on you sooner rather than later.

>116 jnwelch: - Hi Joe, lovely to see you stopping by and posting! LOL, yes, I probably should have been tracking all my craft fair walking. ;-) Good news is that the shoulder seems to be improving. My other half did some online research and we decided last night that I should try sleeping with an extra pillow to prop up my shoulder/arm and a rolled up towel between by arm and my body, and that seems to have helped. I seem to have more mobility in the arm before I get pain or it resists moving in the direction I want it to move, so I think another day of just relaxing on the couch reading is in order. ;-)

>111 lkernagh: Well, you should have a white Christmas if you're in Calgary for the holidays. The southern half of the province has been getting tons of snow in the last couple weeks. How long will you be out here for?

Sorry to hear about your shoulder, Lori. Physical rather than medical intervention is my preferred method of dealing with things too. It seems that you chose the faster more boring route for your walk to the south. Hopefully you will come across something interesting soon.

>118 MickyFine: - Hi Micky, I am looking forward to a possible white Christmas and spending time with my Dad and family! I will be out for the second half of the month. It is kind of strange with the days the holidays fall on this year, so my two weeks off from work start and end mid-week, which is okay as it means I also get two short 2-day work weeks.

>119 Familyhistorian: - Hi Meg, I am with you on not resorting to medical intervention unless it is absolutely necessary. The good news is that my shoulder is now back to 100%. Still don't know "what" was the cause, but super happy that it sorted itself out after a few days of taking things easy.

AS for my route, yup, "Boring" is a good term to describe this section. ;-)

Good shoulder news, Lori, though problems that vanish rather than get solved make me anxious. Never you mind, though, I'll do the anxiety thing for both of us.

Happy Yuletide wishes.

>121 richardderus: - Good point, RD. It is a little disconcerting to have an ailment come up, and then fix itself, without never really knowing the "what" or "why". ;-)

---------------------------

Happy Sunday, everyone! I don't have much to report. Still reading my books, playing Township and partaking in all sorts of festive season activities. Last night was the lighted truck convoy, that is just as much fun for the whole family as the Santa Claus parade is. No reviews for posting, but I did actually come up with something interesting to post about for my walking update, so that is something.

Lori's 2019 Virtual Walking Challenge: Peace Arch to Disneyland via the I-5 S

The goal: To walk, in 2019, the distance it would take me to virtually walk the I-5 from the Peace Arch at the BC/WA border to Los Angeles/Disneyland Park (2,048 KM). Note: While I was trying to find a walk that would be 2,019 KM in length to celebrate the year, this is close enough!
.





Here is the link to my Google map where I am tracking my journey: https://tinyurl.com/yaa37ag9

WEEK 49 UPDATE:
Kilometers walked this session: 32.45
Kilometers walked in total: 1,760.29
Current province/state: (CA)
My current location on the map: Due west of Kern National Wildlife Refuge, still for Lost Hills.
Points of interest along the way: I am determined to have something interesting to post about this week's walking. Good thing my virtual walking took me reasonably near some interesting places.

The Kern National Wildlife Refuge is a 1,249-acre (5.05 km2) protected area 20 miles west of the city of Delano. The refuge provides optimum wintering habitat for migratory birds with an emphasis on waterfowl and water birds.

"
Biologists from Kern National Wildlife Refuge paddle to one of the tricolored blackbird colonies.

Delano, albeit farther east and not really something my travels took me near, has some interesting facts: according to Wikipedia, Delano is particularily well-known as a centre for the growing of table grapes.



Back in 1965, thousands of Mexican-American and Filipino farm workers walked out on California table and wine grape growers in what became known as the Delano Grape Strike. The stike lasted more than 5 years and was a success as it generated an international boycott of California-grown grapes and lead to the creation of the United Farm Workers of America union, the first farm workers union in America. Activities during the strike included a 300-mile march from Delano to Sacramento.

.... I have also resigned myself to the fact that I will be carrying this walking challenge into 2020. No way I will reach Disneyland in the next three weeks. ;-)

>123 lkernagh: Cesar Chavez probably got that strike the most attention it would ever have. We lived in Hidalgo County, nrxt to Starr County where his NFWA was fomenting strikes, so I heard a lot of nastiness directed at him.

Interesting! I'd mostly forgotten all that. One little jog and POP!

>124 richardderus: - Great memory, RD! Yes, Cesar Chavez did join the strikers early on in the strike, but still, 5 years is a loooong time to be striking. Seems the employers were not keen to reach a deal, and probably only did because of loss of market control.

A quick "pop-in" to add a review, a walking update and to wish everyone a Happy Holiday season as I will be winging my way home to family and won't be posting to LT over the holidays.

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Book #63 - Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2018 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: N/A
Source: NetGalley ARC
Format: eBook
Original publication date: Advertised publication date: March 17, 2020
Acquisition date: November 23,2019
Page count: 320 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.20 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.com book listing webpage:

"For the first eighteen years of her life, Rose Gold Watts believed she was seriously ill. She was allergic to everything, used a wheelchair and practically lived at the hospital. Neighbors did all they could, holding fundraisers and offering shoulders to cry on, but no matter how many doctors, tests, or surgeries, no one could figure out what was wrong with Rose Gold. Turns out her mom, Patty Watts, was just a really good liar. After serving five years in prison, Patty gets out with nowhere to go and begs her daughter to take her in. The entire community is shocked when Rose Gold says yes. Patty insists all she wants is to reconcile their differences. She says she's forgiven Rose Gold for turning her in and testifying against her. But Rose Gold knows her mother. Patty Watts always settles a score. Unfortunately for Patty, Rose Gold is no longer her weak little darling... And she's waited such a long time for her mother to come home.."

Review:
If you like your psychological thrillers to be cutting, dark and twisted, with unreliable protagonists for narrators, than this may be the perfect story for you. Told in alternating POV format, both mother Patty and daughter Rose Gold come across as unlikable characters. Both are dysfunctional, self-focused, manipulating, controlling and revenge-seeking, albeit in different ways, given that one is able to present a better "public face" than the other one is, or is that just because the townfolk are unforgiving when they discover that they have been duped?

Overall, this made for a rather captivating read. Yes, dysfunctional characters can have a way with catching and holding my attention as I try to anticipate their next move. You just never know when Patty or Rose Gold are lying or actually telling the truth. Added to the mix are some unexpected (and cringe-worthy) plot twists – as well as one jaw-dropping reveal near the end – that kept me page-turning late into the night. If you don't like being "messed around" with as a reader, or if you need to have a likeable character before you can enjoy a story, than this probably isn't for you.

Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada and Stephanie Wrobel for the digital ARC I received in exchange for this early review.

Lori's 2019 Virtual Walking Challenge: Peace Arch to Disneyland via the I-5 S

The goal: To walk, in 2019, the distance it would take me to virtually walk the I-5 from the Peace Arch at the BC/WA border to Los Angeles/Disneyland Park (2,048 KM). Note: While I was trying to find a walk that would be 2,019 KM in length to celebrate the year, this is close enough!
.





Here is the link to my Google map where I am tracking my journey: https://tinyurl.com/yaa37ag9

WEEK 50 UPDATE:
Kilometers walked this session: 31.43
Kilometers walked in total: 1,791.72
Current province/state: (CA)
My current location on the map: South of Lost Hills, heading for Spicer City (and still due Northwest of Bakersfield).
Points of interest along the way: Nothing to report except to wish everyone a Happy Holiday Season filled with family, friends and happiness!

Have a great trip, Lori!

>126 lkernagh: Have fun, Lori! Happy holidays and enjoy with your family.

Happy Holidays, Lori! Enjoy your time with family.

>123 lkernagh: Disneyland would be crowded at New Year's anyway, Lori. Much better to take your time with your walk.

Happy Holidays and safe travels!

Soviet Santa says "Happy Yule!" Solstice Greetings to all. Read more here: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/soviet-santa

Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!

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

Hi, Lori - Just stopping by to wish you a very Merry Christmas and

Hi Lori!

Merry Christmas from North Carolina!

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Solstice, some other tradition or none at all, this is what I wish for you!

Thank you for keeping me company in 2019.......onward to 2020.

Merry Christmas to you and your family!

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

Happy holidays!

So, did you make it to Disneyland?

>129 MickyFine:, >130 Berly:, >131 jnwelch:, >132 Familyhistorian:, >133 richardderus:, >134 mstrust:, >135 ChelleBearss:, >136 SandDune:, >137 Storeetllr:, >138 karenmarie:, >139 nittnut:, >140 ronincats:, >141 PaulCranswick:, >142 AMQS:, >143 Berly:, >144 tymfos: and >145 Ameise1: - Thank you Micky, Kimmers, Joe, Meg, Richard, Jennifer, Chelle, Rhian, Mary, Karen, Jenn, Roni, Paul, Anne, Kim, Terri and Barbara for the holiday wishes!

>132 Familyhistorian: and >146 ronincats: - I neve did make it to Disneyland, and probably a good thing if Meg's prediction of it being a busy time of year to visit (even if it is a virtual visit)! Looks like I will be finishing my 2019 virtual walking in early 2020. ;-)

----------------------


Here we are.... first day of 2020. I had a lovely time with family over the holidays. A relaxing trip home with wonderful evenings filled with food, drinks and family. A little bit of snow - enough to satisfy this snow-deprived BC islander - and warmer temps than anticipated. I got virtually little to no walking in (icy sidewalks not ideal for walking for exercise) but I did manage to finish two more books to bring my overall 2019 reading to a total of 65 books and 21,961 pages read, so a decent year of reading. ;-)

.... of course, this means that this is the first year where I have failed to complete my "Luck O' the Irish" books versus pages horse race. Oh well, there is always next year.

Will post the last two reviews for 2019 here and then I might get around to getting a new thread set up in the 2020 Group.

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Book #64 - A Great Beauty by A. O'Connor
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2018 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: N/A
Source: LTER
Format: eBook
Original publication date: October 23, 2019
Acquisition date: October 30, 2019
Page count: 486 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 2.80 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"It is 1920 and, as the War of Independence rages throughout Ireland, Michael Collins is the most wanted man in the British Empire. He lives a life in hiding, conducting guerrilla warfare, outsmarting the authorities, a figure of mystery and intrigue. Very few know even what he looks like. He occasionally finds rest and comfort with the family of Kitty Kiernan, his best friend’s sweetheart. Then Michael finds himself falling in love with the complex and enigmatic Kitty.

Lady Hazel Lavery, wife of famous artist Sir John Lavery, is considered the most beautiful and charming society hostess in London. An American of Irish descent, haunted by a tragic past, she sets out to use her friendships with men like Winston Churchill to bring peace to Ireland.

When Michael, recently engaged to Kitty, arrives in London as part of the Irish peace delegation, he finds himself the centre of intense public fascination. Hazel Lavery takes Michael under her wing and navigates him through London high society. They form a close bond and soon are engulfed in rumours of an affair and accusations that Michael has been seduced by the glamour of London and by Hazel. Kitty all but despairs at the situation but is determined to fight for him.

After the infamous Anglo-Irish Treaty, Ireland veers towards civil war. As Michael, Hazel and Kitty arrive in Dublin that fateful week in August 1922,the war is at its zenith – and this love triangle is about to implode with devastating results."

Review:
If you like historical fiction stories based on real people and events, set in the turbulent times of 1919 to 1922 Irish-English relations, this story may appeal to you. I admit that I did not have a real solid understanding of events going into this story, so I appreciated the author’s ability to convey the politics and emotional tensions that gripped both countries, especially Ireland. On the downside, I found the story was bogged down by the various romantic entanglements and a lack of character development. I found the characters to be too dramatic/emphatic for my tastes. I quickly grew tired of Hazel and the way she continually thrust herself into the political wrangling like some attention seeker who feels only they know how best to solve things. I am never a fan of characters with narcissistic tendencies. Add to that the fact that Hazel comes across as being devoid of any regard for the thoughts/feelings of her family, or anyone else her actions may be hurting, I ended up growing more and more annoyed with her. I had nothing but sympathy for John and Alice!

Overall, a story with the historical foundations to make for an interesting read, but rather heavy on the character dramatics for my personal preferences.

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Book #65 - Roman Holiday by Pamela G. Hobbs
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2018 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: N/A
Source: LTER
Format: eBook
Original publication date: October 31, 2019
Acquisition date: November 5, 2019
Page count: 345 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.30 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"Realising that she can keep her secret no longer, Caro Fitzgerald heads to Rome in search of answers. However, what she discovers is not at all what she expected or indeed, hoped. Her world is turned upside down when tragic circumstances are revealed and all that she had previously believed to be true turns out to be a lie. But her secrets are not just hers anymore - her son deserves to know the truth, and now - she must break his heart. With the unwitting involvement of Nick Sullivan, a Hotel Manager and menace to all women - he's just that handsome - Caro sets out to build new family ties and create a loving home for her boy. Unfortunately she soon discovers many things, that Nick is absolutely not who he said he was, and that crimes of passion are not just for late night TV viewing....."

Review:
Billed as a romantic suspense read, I should probably start this review off with a brief warning: This is book 2 in the author's Fitzgeralds series, something I did not learn until I was preparing this review. I have never read the first book in the series - Family Affairs (sorry, no touchstone) - which does not appear to be listed here on LT. This may explain why I was baffled about the earlier "incident" that is only alluded to in this story. I am guessing that it is captured in more detail in the first book and the author assumes that the reader has read that one (which is a fair assumption to make).

This was a good vacation read. Not literary taxing for my mind, filled with good characters and I loved the Rome/Dublin/New York settings. Added bonus: There is a family mystery at the root of this story to solve. I do love a good mystery angle to an otherwise contemporary romance novel. On the downside (for me anyways), this story is geared towards readers who enjoy stories with a lot of lustful, hormone-laden sex scenes, which is not my cup of tea.

Overall, a good bit of holiday escapism reading but I do recommend that you read the series in order so you don't have the "Huh?" moments I had while reading this one.