foggidawn's Final Thread of Mystery and First Thread of 2022

Welcome, friends and strangers, to my final thread of mystery! *ominous music swells in the background*

If you have come seeking a kindred consumer of whodunits, I fear you will be disappointed, for though I occasionally indulge in a detective story, that is not the source of this thread's mystery. No, indeed -- it is the content of the thread itself that will be mysterious...

*drops the Professor Trelawney act* So, here's the deal: As some of you know from last year's threads, I'm serving on a major children's book award committee this year. (I'd prefer not to mention the name, so as to keep off the search engines' radars, but you can PM me if you're curious.) In order to be in strict compliance with the rules concerning social media use by committee members, I will not be listing titles or writing reviews of books eligible for the award: that is, books published for children in the USA in 2021. I'll keep a kind of tally here, so you'll know how many books I've read, roughly, carrying over from last year. And, of course, I can post as usual about books not eligible for the award -- I'll start reading those after my committee makes their decisions in mid-January. I can't tell you much in the way of specifics, but I'm happy to tell you as much as I'm permitted about my award committee experience. Serving on this committee is a tremendous honor and it's been one of my "bucket list" items ever since I got my library degree. I know some of you are curious about the process, so if you have questions, ask 'em -- I'll answer them if I can.

For the rest of the year, I'm basically planning on recovering from the arduous reading I did in 2021. I'll read a lot less, and I'll focus on reading the "grown-up" books that I set aside in favor of award committee reading. I also have a lot of non-reading to focus on, because as many of you know...
John and I are getting married in September of 2022!
We're planning a small, simple wedding, but I'm sure it will still involve a fair bit of planning.

I'm counting on you all to keep my thread alive even when there aren't a lot of book titles to talk about! I'll still post about other things in my life: my darling dog Lottie, pictured above in a wistful pose; family, friends, and fiance; cooking, gardening, gaming, sewing, and theatre (or at least any of those that I get around to this year), and whatever else I get up to. It should be an interesting, exciting year!

Since I can't really participate in any book memes, list my favorite books of the past year, etc., I don't need any extra space. You're welcome to post below!

Happy new year's thread!

Here's to 2022! It is going to be great!

Found and starred!

Lottie has grown into a beautiful dog.

Happy 2022! Looking forward to hearing the award results :)

Happy new year and thread! I’m hoping for a reveal after the awards are out.

This group always helps me to read; welcome back, Foggi.

Happy reading in 2022, foggi!

Looking forward to the award results.

ed!!

Happy new year, and good luck with the wedding planning!

Happy 2022, foggi!

Enjoy your 2022 reads!

>1 foggidawn: ... assuming, of course, that you don't get roped onto another awards committee.



Happy New Year! Wishing you and your family the very best in joy, friendship, health, happiness and lots of good books for 2022.

Happy new year, Foggi! Looking forward to seeing what you read and keeping up with all your wedding plans this year.

Happy New Year, foggi!

Happy 2022! It sounds like an exciting year ahead for you.

Happy New Year!

*clears calendar after awards in hopes of catching up on 2021 book tea*

Happy new year, Foggi! Hope you and John had an excellent time celebrating.

Thank you, everyone, for visiting my thread! I'll try to make my way around the group today. I had a pleasant New Year's holiday, and hope you all did, as well.

(1-6 books read)



Award reading count: 295 finished, 43 DNF
Books received: 637

For newcomers to my thread this year, I am using this placeholder for books that I've read for the award committee -- books I can't talk about on social media. That's all I'll be reading for the next two weeks, but after that, I'll post titles and reviews of my new reads. I'm looking forward to reading books I can tell you all about!

Happy new year and new thread!

>24 leahbird: Thanks!

Dropping in to say hello.

>1 foggidawn: How exciting! A September wedding sounds lovely.

>26 figsfromthistle: Hello! And thanks, I hope it will be.

My committee started their discussions this weekend, and I feel good about it. We will conclude the discussions next weekend, giving us a little extra rereading time in between. I have what I'm calling "Zoom hangover" today, as I feel groggy after yesterday's marathon Zoom session, and I don't think my brain is functioning at 100%. Or even 50%. I slept just fine last night, but apparently one night's sleep is not enough to compensate for that kind of intense experience.

Glad to hear the first meeting was good if exhausting.

How are you doing settling into the new librarian gig? Is it pretty similar to what you were doing before?

I hope you have a great week, foggi!

Happy 2022, foggi, and here's to a perfect September wedding (after the book award work gets wrapped up)!

>29 MickyFine: Thanks! Yes, the new job is similar to other children's librarian jobs that I've had: storytime, school visits, etc. I think I will miss purchasing once I'm not in award committee mode, but it's a fairly enjoyable job, the people are nice, and the 6-minute commute is pretty sweet.

>30 alcottacre: Thanks, you too!

>31 ronincats: Thanks, and yes! I'm looking forward to planning that out once I get past Book Award Mode.

>32 foggidawn: Ooh that commute sounds like a dream. :)

>32 foggidawn: Ooh a 6-minute commute! I can't even imagine (and would probably stop listening to books).

>33 MickyFine: It was the reason I applied, to be perfectly frank! I mean, given that it was a job in my field and all.

>34 AMQS: Yes, I don't get much audiobook listening done unless I have a longer trip to make, or things to do around the house that don't take up too much brain space.

>32 foggidawn: What a nice commute! Can you go home for lunch? I have a coworker who lives just down the street from the library and she leaves for her break every day.

>36 aktakukac: I can, but I usually don't unless Lottie needs to be walked. Usually John's schedule and mine work together so that she is not alone for a full work day.

>35 foggidawn: Nice. I miss my commute a little with working from home full-time right now as I got a lot of reading time on the bus. Now that time is filled with things like folding laundry or unloading the dishwasher more than reading. :P If there were a posting at the library in my home town, I would be very tempted by the significantly shorter commute (less than 5 minute drive) but I'm not sure I can be tempted away from my job that involves no evening or weekend shifts.

Lovely that Lottie has at least one of her humans for big chunks of the day. The cats have definitely been spoiled by my being home all the time. Far more snuggles received. :)

>38 MickyFine: Our dogs have never been left alone for an entire day, both being pandemic acquisitions. Of course we can't know what Gizmo's life was like before she adopted us, but she seems happy with her current circumstances.

>38 MickyFine: Yes, no evenings or weekends was lovely when I had it. And yes, Lottie is loving having her people around -- especially when John takes her outside with him when he's doing chores.

>39 quondame: Lottie still has a chunk of the day when she's home alone, but I suspect she mostly naps, so as to have plenty of energy when we get home!

(7 books read)



Award reading count: 296 finished, 43 DNF
Books received: 638

>38 MickyFine: I'm not sure I can be tempted away from my job that involves no evening or weekend shifts. Oh wow, how did you get so lucky?

I do miss not working evenings and weekends (Covid perks...). Glad to hear your new job is going well and that you have such a sweet commute!

>42 AMQS: I had those hours when I was a collection development librarian -- it was a really nice perk.

>43 bell7: Right now, we've reduced hours because of Omicron-related staff shortages, so I'm currently on no evenings. Usually I just have one evening a week, though, so it's not that bad.

>40 foggidawn: Glad to hear Lottie and John are good pals already.

>42 AMQS: Perks of working full time in collection development. I often refer to it as the Holy Grail of public library jobs. :P

Collection development is currently the perk of my job, because I do have to work four evenings a week. The joys of working in a small-town library and having a boss with very...interesting...ideas about scheduling. Maybe one day it will get better.

>46 aktakukac: Ooof, four evenings a week is pretty brutal, Rachel. Fingers crossed your supervisor happens upon a new theory of scheduling in the near future.

>43 bell7: >44 foggidawn:, >45 MickyFine: Perks of full-time collection development, indeed! I dream about that sometimes - just collection development. But the classes come, even if the door is closed:) Of course working in a school I don't officially work on evenings or weekends either. Except for book fair, back-to-school-night, parent-teacher conferences, grade level performances, family nights, continuation, fundraisers, PTA and accountability meetings... and all of the planning, grading, and data dives that come with teaching:) But the summers!

>46 aktakukac: Rachel, I hope it does get better!

>44 foggidawn: Ah okay, sorry it's related to staff shortages due to Omicron, though - that's tough! I was out for a few days last week and someone out last week, but we both tested negative, thankfully. I work one night a week 'til 8 and every other Sunday, but we work a schedule where I have a short day and anytime I work a Sunday I have Monday off - so, with holidays, I don't work many Mondays during the school year, which isn't a terrible schedule either. We had reduced hours when we were curbside-only and by appointment, where staff was in the building 9-5 Monday-Friday. No weekends was REALLY nice, but I know I'm not gonna find that in most library jobs!

(8-10 books read)



Award reading count: 299 finished, 43 DNF
Books received: 638

You wanted to know our Mock books! The finalists are Bear Island, Bright Star, Inside Cat, Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre, and Yes & No! After one day of voting, the last one is winning by a landslide.

I can't wait for next week! The conference and announcements are just online, right?

I was sure I had written a reply to some of the posts above, but it was on a day when LT was acting a bit wonky, so I guess my post got eaten by Internet gremlins.

>45 MickyFine: Yes, Lottie has come around completely in terms of John; she loves him now because he plays with her a lot.

>46 aktakukac: I hope your schedule improves soon. I think I will miss doing any purchasing now that I'm done with my Newbery reading. I think it will feel weird, not knowing about everything that is coming out.

>47 MickyFine: Ditto.

>48 AMQS: I guess we all have to take our perks (and inconveniences) where we find them!

>49 bell7: Yeah, I don't mind when I have a weekday off, as it makes for a good time to do errands and make phone calls.

>51 compskibook: Nice! Thanks for sharing. Yes, the conference and announcements are virtual. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Annual can still be in-person, but I'm not buying any plane tickets yet.

So, our committee has made its decisions, though of course we can't say more than that until next week. The livestream will be available at https://ala.unikron.com/ on Monday, Jan. 24, 2022, at 8 a.m. Central Standard Time. I'm super excited to be able to share the results of all of our hard work with you all!

>53 foggidawn: looking forward to it!

Yay for the committee work being done. So excited for you and the announcements to go out next week.

Beyond the announcement, are you attending midwinter?

Also so happy to actually get to see what you're reading again. :)

>53 foggidawn: WOOT!!!

>54 fuzzi: Me, too! I'm also looking forward to seeing what other committees have been working on.

>55 MickyFine: Thanks! I haven't registered for Midwinter (or LibLearnX, as I suppose we will have to learn to call it) because I'm just too exhausted to deal with more virtual meetings right now. And yes, I've already started reading a book for fun, and am considering what to check out from the library next!

>56 scaifea: WOOT, indeed!

(11 books read)



Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune -- Wallace is a lawyer and a real jerk. When he dies of a heart attack at age 40, nobody's sorry to see him go. As he attends his own funeral as a ghost, a Reaper named Mei approaches him and takes him to a sort of waystation for the recently departed: an eclectic teahouse run by a man named Hugo, whose real job is helping souls pass on to whatever is next. As Wallace interacts with Hugo, Mei, and the other denizens of the teahouse (both living and ghostly), he reevaluates his life and learns to be more empathetic. But he still has to move on... right?

This was light and fun and just what I needed after a season of intense book reading and evaluation. I couldn't help but notice a few small inconsistencies, but they didn't throw me out of the story. I had a hard time liking Wallace and accepting his change of nature -- it seemed to come too quickly and easily to me. I also didn't buy the romance, because I felt that Hugo deserved better (which ties in to my previous point). Plus, I had some issues with the ending. But when I let those things drift away and immersed myself in the book, I found it very sweet and pleasant.

Look! Foggi got to read and talk about a grown up book! Congratulations and for having a decision made!

>53 foggidawn: How exciting. For us, as you have probably reached an exhaustion point by this time. I'll look forward to the results.

Staffing issues are a challenge in times of COVID. We've been without one of the three of us who man reference services pretty much all semester. One librarian called in the week before classes began. Then she worked a day and a couple hours before going to take a COVID test. She tested positive. She went home, and we haven't seen her since. She tested positive again yesterday, so she still can't come back. It's been slow, but it's beginning to pick up as our doctoral students are getting back to work on projects.

>59 compskibook: Thanks! Yes, I'm working on getting the hang of this "reading for pleasure" business.

>60 quondame: Yes, there's definitely exhaustion, and a slight sense of let-down that I think the whole committee is sharing. We're all excited about our winners, but after all that work, it's like, "Is that all?"

>61 thornton37814: So far *knock on wood* our location hasn't been too hard hit, but system-wide, I'm told there are issues with some locations having so many staff out at once that they can't open their buildings.

>58 foggidawn: That looks quite an interesting premise, Foggi.

Yay for the results being chosen and going back to reading your-own-choice books. I'm off on Monday so I might try to jump on the livestream if I can get the dogs walked early enough (I don't really work in children's, so while I follow it, it's less feasible for me to actually stream it at work).

>61 thornton37814: some people test positive for a couple months after their original infection.

>58 foggidawn: Yay for finishing and for a book read for pleasure! I can certainly imagine the feeling of let-down after such an intensive undertaking.

>63 PaulCranswick: I found that to be the case. I think I liked Klune's last book (The House in the Cerulean Sea) better, but both were good.

>64 bell7: Thanks! I just realized that I won't be able to watch the livestream in person because of work, but I'll probably watch the video later that day.

>65 fuzzi: Oof. I hope that's not the case for Lori's coworker.

>66 curioussquared: I go back and forth between the let-down and feeling intensely excited. It's a roller-coaster ride!

(12 Books Read)



The List of Things that Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead -- Bea's parents are divorced, and her dad just got engaged to his partner Jesse. Jesse also has a daughter from his previous marriage, Sonia, and Bea is thrilled to finally have a sister, even if she lives in California and only comes to visit occasionally. But what if Sonia doesn't feel the same way?

I thought this was a very interesting handling of a kid with anxiety and impulse control issues. Stead has managed to really get into Bea's perspective beautifully. This is for a younger middle-grade audience, and deals with lots of interesting situations regarding school, the dads' marriage, and various friendship and family situations. I'm not sure that the ending ties everything together the way the author intended, but it's a gentle read that I'd recommend to those who enjoy realistic juvenile fiction.

>68 foggidawn: What a coincidence, Foggy, I just have read that earlier tis month. Glad to see you enjoyed it.

Happy Friday!

>58 foggidawn: That looks interesting. BB for me

>69 FAMeulstee: I think I remember seeing it on your thread -- which may have sparked a memory that I had been intending to read it.

>70 figsfromthistle: Thanks -- hope you enjoy it!

Reading for pleasure - believe it or not it is possible to have your pleasure reading disrupted. Lots of people tell me they have a hard time reading after getting a masters or PhD. I'm sure you're ready.

>53 foggidawn: I'M SO EXCITED! I can't wait to hear your thoughts.

>68 foggidawn: This is a current Battle of the Books selection for my district, so a lot of 5th graders are reading it. Many of the other books are really heavy, so this is the "lighter one."

I'm so pleased to finally be able to share a year's worth of hard work -- the 2022 Newbery Medal and Honor books!
Medal:
The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
Honors:
Red, White, and Whole by Rajani LaRocca
A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger
Too Bright to See by Kyle Lukoff
Watercress by Andrea Wang

You can view the webcast and a press release with all of the award winners that were announced today here:
https://ala.unikron.com/

>73 foggidawn: Yay! Congrats on the whole experience, really. I have sadly read none of them (and also completely forgot to livestream this morning, oops), but I put a hold on The Last Cuentista today after looking up the winner.

Yay! OK I have lots of questions, but this is my most pressing: Is The Last Cuentista appropriate for elementary? From the professional reviews, it looks like it's recommended for grades 5 and up, which is just outside what my guidelines say (I'm supposed to add titles recommended for 4th and up but I bend the rule a lot because we're a GT center school and because come on!). I would love to get it but not sure if I can/should. There aren't any other schools in my district that have it. Yet.

I do have Watercress and I already had Red, White, and Whole and Too Bright to See on my ordering list. A Snake Falls to Earth us YA so it's not for my library.

Next pressing question: how do you feel about the selections? was one of these your favorite?

Congratulations! I know this was an entire year of hard work (and impressive secrecy)!

Congrats, Foggi!! Brb, putting them all on hold :) I haven't read any this year!

>75 AMQS: your Watercress Touchstone link leads to a totally different book, you might want to fix it. :)

>77 fuzzi: Thanks! I had an incorrect touchstone for Too Bright To See also, so I (hopefully) fixed both!

>72 AMQS: I'm finding that I'm able to read for pleasure (there have been times in my life when I couldn't, but fortunately, those have never lasted long). I'm having to tone down my inner critic a bit, but I think that will come with time.

>74 bell7: Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

>75 AMQS: I see Last Cuentista, Red, White, and Whole, and Too Bright to See as all around the same middle-grade interest level, and I can't think of anything that would be objectionable in Last Cuentista for upper elementary grades. To me, there's nothing YA about it, thematicallty, so I don't know why the reviewers leveled it so high.

As far as how I feel, I really love all of our selections! I think our committee did its job of finding truly distinguished books, and I wholeheartedly recommend them all! There were other books that I loved that did not get recognition from our committee -- I'll probably address those in another post, once I figure out what I can and can't say. (I still have some limitations, though not nearly as many, of course!)

>76 curioussquared: Great! Hope you enjoy them!

>77 fuzzi: :-)

>78 AMQS: I had to fix my touchstones above for both of those before I submitted my post.

Congratulations Foggi! You all did a great job!
I had all except the YA in my library or on my "next order" list!
I have to brag and say all of the Caldecott books were in the group of books I had students evaluate!

>73 foggidawn: I've put a couple on hold and will try to get to the others.

>80 compskibook: Thanks! I am proud of the work we did. About having all of the Caldecotts in your mock -- isn't that a satisfying feeling? Back when I did a mock, I was always pleased if all or most were on my list.

>81 quondame: Hope you enjoy them!

Congratulations, Misti!! I haven't read any of them, but will check out my library's selections. Only saw your Facebook post this morning to remind me to check out the Awards page. Good work.

What were your personal top 10 books from the readings?

>83 ronincats: Thanks! Hope you like them! I will post about my favorites in a little bit.

Congrats, Foggi! So pleased for you!

Okay, friends -- I'm going to post about my personal favorites, so I'm going to start with a disclaimer: Being listed below does not indicate if a book was or was not suggested, nominated, or discussed for the award. This post is about my personal opinions. I do not speak for any other committee member, nor for the committee at large.

I love all of our honorees, that's a given, so I'm not going to list them here. I do recommend all of them highly. That said, here are some other personal favorites of mine:


Amber and Clay by Laura Amy Schlitz -- Some of the best writing I've ever encountered, bar none. Beyond our honorees, this is the book I'd recommend most strongly. It's got Greek mythology, wry humor, great characters, and all kinds of goodness. It looks like a big book, but much of it is in verse, so it flies by.


Harry Versus the First 100 Days of School by Emily Jenkins -- Jenkins really nails the authentic kid voice in ways that I haven't seen before. There's a lot of heart and humor in this book, and it would make a great classroom read-aloud for early elementary.


The Raconteur's Commonplace Book by Kate Milford -- If you've ever read anything by Milford, you know that she's created a highly detailed, fully realized world. This short story collection is set within a framing story featuring some characters that may be familiar to Milford's fans. It would seem like a Canterbury Tales-esque collection of stories told by travelers stranded at an inn together, but there's a mystery hidden there, weaving its way in and out of the stories they tell. Intricate and compelling.


The Genius Under the Table by Eugene Yelchin -- A funny, heartbreaking memoir about growing up in a crowded communalka. My first thought upon reading was, "This book is so Russian!" That may or may not tell you much, but the voice is fantastic. Read it for the feisty grandmother, if nothing else.


The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy by Anne Ursu -- A boarding school story with magic and mystery. I love the question, "Who does the story serve?" that is asked throughout the book. Very thinky and topical, but also a delightful story with great characters and setting.


The Wisdom of Trees by Lita Judge -- I learned so much about trees from this book -- it's amazing how far science has come on this topic since I was in school! There are gorgeous illustrations, accessible poems, and excellent readable informational text, all of which come together to make a lovely package.


Hollow Chest by Brita Sandstrom -- More strong writing here that really appealed to me. The story goes deep in emotional territory, but there are little glints of humor that shine through. Plus, the post-war London setting is almost a character in its own right.


The Lion of Mars by Jennifer L. Holm -- Though set on Mars, one of the words I'd use to describe this book is "cozy." I love the descriptions of life in a Martian settlement, and I find this to be a realistic kid adventure.


Oddity by Eli Brown -- An alternate history with a fascinating magic system. Great characters, and the setting is likewise strong. If you like your fantasy with a western twist (bonus, there's no erasure of native peoples in this one), highly recommended.


Jadie in Five Dimensions by Dianne K. Salerni -- This book reminded me of classic children's sci-fi in the best of ways. I loved how the author differentiated character voices, and found the plot and pacing strong. Plus, math and science! (This also gets my personal award for Worst Cover of the Year, I might add.)


A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus -- A delightfully sweet and cozy read! (Though set around the same time as Hollow Chest, the tone of the two books couldn't be more different.) This one has a gentle, classic feel to it -- though the characters go through some harrowing circumstances, you know it's going to turn out all right in the end. A rainy-day, snuggle-under-the-covers book.


Teaflet and Roog Make a Mess by Jeanne Birdsall -- Quirky and fun! A well-written story for the younger elementary set. I hope we see more of these two in the future.


A Soft Place to Land by Janae Marks -- Great characters and a strong setting, plus realistic friendship issues. Relatable and charming.


The Beatryce Prophecy by Kate DiCamillo -- This probably doesn't need much of a boost from me, because, Kate DiCamillo. But it is her trademark style: beautiful writing, memorable characters, meticulously plotted, lovely details everywhere. Plus, Answelica the goat is my favorite now. She'll knock you off your feet. Literally.


The Night Ride by J. Anderson Coats -- Great twisty plot! I would have eaten this up as a child -- I mean, I ate it up as an adult, so. Just a solidly enjoyable kids book.

With the medal and honor books, that's 20, so maybe I should stop there. I assure you, I could keep going!

>73 foggidawn: Wow, the big one! Congratulations on being chosen and on a year of hard work. I'll have to have a look at some of those books.

I'm glad the new job is going well too (can you walk to work if you want to?) and Lottie is happy with her move.

>86 foggidawn: I just favorited this post, so I can go back for more reading suggestions.

I can't think of any book that you recommended to me that I didn't like.

>85 MickyFine: Thank you! :-)

>87 humouress: Thanks! I guess, theoretically, I could walk to work if I had to -- but there are no sidewalks out here in the country, and people go fast on the roads I take, so I would not particularly enjoy walking on the shoulder.

>88 fuzzi: Thank you! What a lovely thing to say!

>86 foggidawn: Thank you for this!! I just finished The Genius Under the Table and loved it. First 5-star read of the year:) I have The Wisdom of Trees in the library and will check out the others - will be placing an order soon. I had read about the new Kate DiCamillo, but OMG Jeanne Birdsall!! I think I would read anything she writes after the magic that were The Penderwicks books!

Moving this tab over to be next to my Titlewave tab right now!

Thanks for sharing! The only one I have read is Hollow Chest, and that was a 5 star read for me last year. Looking forward to checking out others!

>86 foggidawn: Those sound so good! I'll have to keep track of this post.

>86 foggidawn: thanks for the rundown, foggi! (I mean, in addition to the books already selected by the committee, of course). I've printed it out to refer to and hopefully read a little more kid lit this year beyond the Newberys.

>73 foggidawn: Hurray!! You did it!! That is so cool. : ) I will have to look all of them up as well as your personal recommendations. I can't believe I know someone who helped select the Newberry Medal! : )

>90 AMQS: Yes, I feel the same way about Birdsall. This new book is geared a bit younger, but still has that charm.

>91 curioussquared: Glad you also loved Hollow Chest! I judged it by its cover at first and expected not to like it, but it surprised me.

>92 quondame: Thanks!

>93 bell7: Hope you enjoy the ones you read!

>94 Berly: Thanks! It's still a little unbelievable to me that I got to be on the committee. :-)

(13 books read)



The Constant Rabbit by Jasper Fforde -- Fifty-five years ago, a Spontaneous Anthropomorphizing Event occurred in Britain, and several rabbits (plus a few other animals) were suddenly human-sized and able to speak and walk upright. Fast-forward to present day, and the status of the rabbits has become a hot political issue. Peter Knox would say he's a moderate, but as certain events come to a head, he may find himself taking a stand in ways that surprise him. It all starts when an old school friend, Constance Rabbit, and her family move in next door...

The reviewing part of my brain feels broken this morning, so I'm not going to push it. This was fun, like all of Fforde's stuff, but I felt like the plot dragged a little in the middle (this may be because I spent the past year reading children's books almost exclusively, and no fault of Fforde). If you liked his other books, you'll probably like this one. I liked this a little more than Early Riser, but not as much as Thursday Next.

Oooh! Another Jasper Fforde! I am a big fan of Thursday Next, so on to the WL it goes. Happy Wednesday!

>97 Berly: That's almost exactly what I said when I saw a review of it on someone else's thread a few months ago!

(DNF)



Cilla Lee-Jenkins, Future Author Extraordinaire by Susan Tan -- 8-year-old Cilla is very unhappy to learn that a new baby will be joining her family, so she does the only thing she can: she writes about it. When this came out a few years back, I heard good things, but I never got around to reading it. I gave it a try, but Cilla is getting on my nerves, so I'm stopping. For readers of the target audience, it should be a fun read.

>96 foggidawn: Agreed on your ranking of this among Fforde's other books. Could it be the chapter on speed librarying that nudged it up? :)

>100 MickyFine: While I did enjoy the Speed Librarying bit, I never could quite see the purpose of it within the larger plot. It felt like a clever idea that Fforde had, that he wanted to fit in somewhere.

>96 foggidawn: Yes, I really hope he goes back to Thursday at some point. Or maybe I should just reread them!

Belated congrats on the committee awards, they all look very tempting. Think I might send a copy of Watercress to a friend's child, it looks beautiful.

>102 charl08: I really hope he goes back to Shades of Grey at some point -- I need more of that world! Thanks, and I hope your friend's child loves Watercress.

>101 foggidawn: Some of it is satirical commentary on what's been happening in UK libraries for the past decade (reduced hours, de-professionalization, etc.). Does it tie in with the rest of the plot? Not so much. Did I enjoy the heck out of it anyway? Oh yes.

Ooh, thank you for that list. I actually have Oddity on my TBR shelves...well, it's been moved to my nightstand now.

>103 foggidawn: There is a Shades of Grey sequel coming later this year or next year!

>96 foggidawn: One of these days, I'll probably give it a try. I couldn't get into Early Riser and never finished it :(

>106 curioussquared: Okay, I'm ridiculously excited about this!

>73 foggidawn: The only one I have heard of is Watercress. It's quite cool that you are involved in the committee!

>104 MickyFine: Yeah, I can see that. I did enjoy it!

>105 ronincats: I think you will like Oddity, Roni -- I hope you do, anyway!

>106 curioussquared: That is super good news! I am so excited! I'll have to work in a Shades of Grey reread this year to prepare.

>107 bell7: That's too bad about Early Riser. It wasn't my favorite, either, though I did read the whole thing and found it somewhat enjoyable. And I share your ridiculous excitement!

>108 figsfromthistle: Thanks! Watercress has gotten several well-deserved honors this year.

>106 curioussquared: More Shades of Grey? Happiness!

Not trying to catch up, foggi, but I wanted to come by and say "thank you" for stopping by my thread while I have been sick.

Have a wonderful weekend!

>110 Berly: Right?!?

>111 alcottacre: Thanks for stopping by! Glad you are feeling well enough to visit some threads!

(14-15 books read)

 

Maus I and Maus II by Art Spiegelman -- Art's relationship with his father is strained and complicated. He knows his dad is getting older and he should ask him about his experiences during the Holocaust, but sometimes his dad just drives him crazy! But as he starts writing down and illustrating his father's experiences hiding from the Nazis and suffering in the camps, he begins to get a fuller understanding of his father, his mother, and what happened to his people during Hitler's regime.

A devastating, important work. I am surprised at myself, that I had not read it before. I've been aware of it as a seminal work of Holocaust literature for many years, but I have only now gotten around to reading it. It brought me to tears at several points, especially in that it served as a reminder that all of this happened within the last hundred years. Everyone should read this.

>113 foggidawn: I checked those out of the public library several years ago, read them, and immediately ordered copies for my personal library. People who think that graphic novels are just for kids need to read these books! They are so, so good.

>114 alcottacre: Exactly!

(16 books read)



Landline by Rainbow Rowell -- Reread. While Landline isn't my favorite of Rowell's books, it's still delightful in many ways. If you liked her other books, you'll probably like this one, but if you've never read anything by Rowell, I'd suggest starting with Eleanor & Park or Fangirl.

>86 foggidawn: Fantastic overview. And so good to see what the awards turned out to be. Haven't seen any of the books but good ideas for gifts for my precocious grandkids. Thanks so much for all your work. I think you must have devoted two-lifetimes of reading to this committee. 🥇 (gold medal!)

>117 SandyAMcPherson: Thanks! It was definitely a lot of reading. I'm enjoying reading at a more leisurely pace now!

Woot! My library has declared a snow closure tomorrow in advance of the "winter weather event" that we're about to get! It's such a relief to know that I won't have to drive in it at all (even though my commute is short, I don't want to drive even a little bit in the nasty iciness that they're predicting). John will still have to go to work, but I'm hoping it doesn't start icing before he leaves, and then that they do a good job keeping the roads clear for him to come home. (Also, his truck is better equipped to handle bad weather than my little car is.) As for my plans, I have lots of books checked out and I just grabbed a few movies as well, and I'm planning on doing some baking. *happy sigh* I love a snow day.

>113 foggidawn: I'm so glad more people are reading Maus because it totally deserves the attention. I am, however, so disappointed that the attention is because the school board in the county next to my home county in TN banned it. One day we will get past these sorts of things, right?

Yay snow day! Reading and baking! Have fun!

I hope you're having a wonderful snow day! I thoroughly enjoyed mine yesterday and had a mix of sloth and productivity. We also got a late start for the mountain area schools of my district - a little extra time to clear snow and be sure buses could run. It was well below zero this morning.

I was assigned Maus in college, probably in 1991 or so. I was absolutely stunned that a book in that format could be so, so powerful.

>120 leahbird: The banning did bring it to my attention, or brought to my attention the fact that I hadn’t read it yet. However, the adult programmer at my branch had already scheduled it for her next book club, before it was challenged in TN. Good timing, I told her. So I grabbed a book club copy that was still available. I probably won’t go to the book club meeting, though.

>121 compskibook: It was a good day!

>122 AMQS: They just announced a second day of closures, which is a great thing, as we’ve had ice all day. Now we’re getting snow… mixed with ice.

I got several small tasks done today, as well as some reading and resting. I made up the dough for white chocolate cherry macadamia nut cookies, but I’ll bake them tomorrow (the dough has to chill). I was going to make broccoli cheese soup, but John and I decided to bake a frozen pizza and watch a couple of episodes of Fairy Tale Theatre instead.

Tomorrow will be more of the same, I think: baking the cookies, doing some cleaning and organizing, probably making that soup. I’m getting a four day weekend from this storm — as long as the power stays on, I’m not going to complain!

>116 foggidawn: I have not read that one by Rowell yet, so I will have to see if my local library has a copy.

I liked Landline but if I'm going to reread a Rowell I usually go for Fangirl or Attachments.

I hope the return to work after your weather closures isn't too bad.

Just catching up Foggi and wishing you a great weekend.

>124 alcottacre: Hope you enjoy it if you can get your hands on it!

>125 MickyFine: Those are my favorites, too.

>126 PaulCranswick: Thanks for stopping by!

I had my promised four-day weekend, and it was fantastic! No power outages, lots of reading and Lottie snuggles and "nesting" activities (cleaning, organizing, all those little tasks that were waiting for me to have some free time to get them done). And, to top it off, my parents drove in yesterday evening (by which time all of the roads were pretty clear) to install the first set of built-in bookshelves! Huzzah! Finally, I can unpack some (most? all?) of the boxes of books that have been cluttering up the living room ever since I moved in! They're doing one wall now, and the other wall later this spring. The hope is that there will be room for all of my books and some of John's when all of the shelves are up, but we will have to wait and see. Pictures soon!

(17 books read)



The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes -- Avery is living in her car (because it's that or live with her sister's abusive boyfriend) when the lawyers find her. She's just inherited an unbelievable fortune from an eccentric billionaire. The catch? She has to go live on his estate for a year -- with the family members he disinherited in her favor. When she arrives, she meets the four charismatic, angry, grief-stricken grandsons as well as a handful of other interesting characters. As it turns out, the billionaire left behind more than family strife: there are puzzles within puzzles around the grounds of Hawthorne House. Is Avery supposed to solve them -- or is she just another clever clue for the boys to solve?

I'm glad mystery is making a comeback in YA. I can see this one being super appealing to the target audience, though I'll admit I had a couple of moments where I was just over the adolescent shenanigans, and I didn't find that the minor love triangle added to the story. However, if you like YA and love mysteries, this is an enjoyable read.

Yay, bookshelves! Post pics when the books are in their spots :)

>128 foggidawn: I've seen this one around but had never read a summary before. I didn't realize it was a mystery! I had it in my head as probably yet another YA dystopian series. This concept is much more interesting to me and I might actually pick it up!

(18 books read)



Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir -- Who would have thought that Earth's first contact with alien life would be single-celled organisms infecting our Sun? Not Ryland Grace, middle-school science teacher. He's drawn (somewhat improbably) into the race to save Earth from these Astrophage when a mysterious woman named Dr. Stratt who appears to have all the power in the world "recruits" him -- forcefully -- to work on the puzzle based on a paper he wrote, back when he had bigger ambitions than teaching school kids.

This book jumps between Grace waking up from a medical coma alone on an interstellar spaceship, and his recent past working with Stratt on a project that might avert an extinction-level catastrophe. Like other main characters written by Weir, Grace has a sense of humor in the face of life-threatening circumstances, plus strong scientific aptitude and the ability to explain it to the reader in laymen's terms. If you liked The Martian, you will probably like this book. I did.

>129 curioussquared: There will definitely be bookshelf pictures! And yes, there's nothing dystopian about that one. I think there's been a down-tick in YA dystopia since it feels like we are living in one.

>128 foggidawn: The premise sounds good but if the adolescence of it all was bothering you, I'm going to skip it. I've found my tolerance for teen angst in YA has dropped significantly in the last couple years (unless it's something I already love - see my rewatching of Dawson's Creek yesterday). Must be getting old. :P

>132 MickyFine: That's what's happening to me, too, I think -- and over the same time span. Maybe it took us this long to finally grow up? ;-)

>133 foggidawn: LOL. Could be.

>127 foggidawn: Parents bring bookshelves - or at least the means of instantiating them - is the best. Good choice of parents. The idea of a place for all the books is a bit boggling, one of those unreachable goals, but it's nice when someone can achieve it.

>134 MickyFine: :-)

>135 quondame: Yes, I picked some good ones! I'm not confident that all of the books really will fit, but it's a much more elegant solution than my old collection of cheap particle-board bookcases, many of which perished in the move.

Here are the empty shelves:


The other shelves will go on the opposite wall, which has a wide doorway instead of the window in the middle, so those shelves won't be as long.

I'm itching to get books on the shelves -- maybe on Friday I will have the time to focus on the project.

>137 foggidawn: Oh those are lovely. Are the support beams plumbing pipes? They look very cool! Also I totally have that same IKEA lamp.

>138 MickyFine: Yes, the supports are pipe. And it's a good, basic lamp, though fortunately in the picture you can't really see how badly in need of dusting it is!

>139 foggidawn: I HATE dusting. No judgment here. :)

Gorgeous!!

>137 foggidawn: ooh, ooh, ooh!

::itching here too::

>137 foggidawn: Lovely. And those are such healthy looking plants. Dusting is the pits.

>140 MickyFine: Hah! I don't mind dusting, it's just the lowest chore on the pecking order, so to speak, so I don't often get around to it.

>141 curioussquared: Right?!?

>142 fuzzi: ;-)

>143 quondame: Thanks! The plants are doing well inside this year. I'm pretty sure that they like well water better than the city water they were getting at my old place.

>135 quondame: I was going to say 'good choice of husband-to-be', letting foggi take over the house with books and bookshelves when he only gets some of his books on them. (I'm scarred by years of my parents and sister distracting me whenever we get - yes, they still do it - near a bookshop because they know I'd disappear into it for hours.)

(>136 foggidawn: 'Perished'? I don't want to ask.)

>137 foggidawn: Ooh, nice. And nice plant collection.

>139 foggidawn: More cool. Er ... what's 'dusting'?

>145 humouress: I've been in a number of relationships where I'm the one who wants to exit the bookshop, purchases in hand, much sooner than the person with whom I entered it. In fact I may have left the person and the relationship in the bookshop a time or two. I've always been more of a buyer than a browser, and my story is that back and foot issues wear away my (questionable) patience.

*makes note not to go book shopping with Susan* ;0)

Book shopping is a guilty pleasure for me so I save it up and then do a thorough, concentrated session. And if I haven't been to that bookshop before/ in a long time, I go through the fantasy section with a fine tooth comb (especially big ones, like Forbidden Planet in London) looking for treasures to fill gaps in my series and for authors or titles to trigger a memory. Although in Singapore I've only found Books Kinokuniya carry a decent selection of the books I like (other bookshops here have a tiny fiction section with no/ very little fantasy. Apart from Game of Thrones in recent years) so you'd be safe here because I know their collections almost off by heart now.

>147 humouress: Unfortunately there are a lot of places I am safer from marathon book browsing than a few decades back. There are so few book stores left, and the only ones I know of near my neighborhood are a great children's bookstore and one called The Ripped Bodice, which is a favorite of my daughter.

Hi Foggi, how are the bookshops where you are?

>145 humouress: John already has the spare room upstairs turned into a sort of library, though not all of his books fit on the shelves up there. And as for "perished" re: bookcases -- they were cheap and poorly assembled (by me), and they were okay while sitting in one place holding books, but when we started moving them around, bad things happened.

>146 quondame: I've been on both ends of that equation -- it depends on my mood.

>147 humouress: I used to enjoy a good browse through a bookstore, but in recent years, when I've spent many of my working hours purchasing books for my library system, it has taken away much of my ability to enjoy browsing, even if I stay away from the areas I'm responsible for purchasing. We'll see if my enjoyment in browsing comes back now that that's not part of my job.

>148 quondame: I'm slightly ashamed to admit that I haven't explored the bookstores around here. Looking at LT Local, it looks like there aren't many -- a couple of comic shops and religious bookstores, and maybe a used bookstore of the paperback swap variety. I'll have to do more exploring and see if there's anything else around.

>149 foggidawn: Knew he was a good 'un; he already had a (sort of) library.

It's sad you don't have some bookstores near. How far do you think you'll have to drive to reach a good one? We have a couple Christian bookstores and a really small Books A Million here that isn't very good. I like the Books A Million in Sevierville (about 45 minutes away if traffic cooperates) although I preferred it when it was Borders. At least the Sevierville one is large enough to have a few good things. In Knoxville (about an hour), I can find a really good used bookstore as well as several chain stores and a few independent ones--with Union Avenue Books being the most talked about Indie. Johnson City (about an hour and 15 minutes) has a large used bookstore but it's not as good as the Knoxville one. I haven't really explored other bookstores there. Asheville (an hour and a half away) has Malaprops. In other words, I have to drive 45 minutes to an hour and a half to my best book options.

>150 humouress: Precisely! He still has most of his childhood books -- one of the big differences between us is that he's lived in two different houses in his lifetime, while I have lived in something like 18. So, I learned early on that moving is a good time to whittle down one's book collection, and as a consequence, I've had to do a little re-collecting of childhood favorites, but most of the books of my childhood are long gone. John also has some of his college textbooks and, of course, lots of things he's read as a grown-up.

>151 thornton37814: Further investigation shows a used bookstore and a Books-A-Million in the north of the city. I live about ten miles south of the city, but a lot of shopping is on the northern end. I usually opt to go south to shop, as there's a less populous town down there that still has most of the shops I need -- but I'm tempted to treat myself to a shopping day tomorrow (my day off this week) and explore some of the options to the north that I haven't seen yet. And I'm sure Cleveland has some options, but that's truly a trek -- at least an hour to an hour and a half to get there.

>152 foggidawn: I hope the ones on the north side of town deliver for you.

Trying to catch up. Great bookshelves (I can't wait until we finish our basement some day so I can get some nice ones) and my black thumb is jealous of your plants. I have The Inheritance Games on my reading list, but haven't gotten around to it yet. I often get annoyed with the adolescent shenanigans in YA too, but still like it enough to keep reading.

>153 thornton37814: I decided to forego extensive shopping this weekend in favor of getting books onto shelves. I'm still working on that project, but with a little work on it tomorrow afternoon, I hope to have them full and organized!

>154 aktakukac: Thanks! I still enjoy some YA, but my patience with them has gotten thinner over the last few years.

(19 books read)



The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik -- Second book in a series, so I won't approach the tricky task of summarizing. If you enjoyed the first book, you've probably already read the second one, and you know it ends in a miserable cliffhanger just like its predecessor. (I was expecting it this time, but that doesn't make it okay.) At least, since I had to delay reading this one, I now only have to wait until September for the next (final?) book in the series. Seriously, though, a super fun read, and different from anything else Novik has written so far. If you like the premise of wizard kids trapped in a school that's constantly trying to kill them, take a look at the first book, A Deadly Education.

>156 foggidawn: Oh, September. I've put in e-book recommendations at my libraries to establish a position in the queues.

>157 quondame: Excellent idea. I'll probably pre-order (and buy the first two in the series), as I think it's one I'd like to own.

>156 foggidawn: Glad you enjoyed it.

Have you seen the trailer for Cyrano with Peter Dinklage?

>159 MickyFine: YES. I am so excited for that movie!

Marina really likes the Deadly Education series, so I will want to read them at some point. Awful cliffhangers though...?

>161 AMQS: Yeah, the cliffhangers are pretty brutal. But if you're not in a terrible hurry to get them read, the final book in the trilogy is coming out this fall, so maybe wait until then?

Here's an "in-process" picture of my shelves -- I still have some straightening to do, so this is as good as it gets for right now. Note that Lottie believes that all photos are supposed to be of her.

I'm really loving seeing all (well, most of) my books on shelves. I still have several boxes of books waiting to go on the shelves that will be installed on the opposite wall some time this spring, but having that wall done makes the room exponentially cozier!

>163 foggidawn: The good things in life, books, a comfy room, a dog, and the right person to share it all with!

>163 foggidawn: It looks wonderful! It definitely makes it more homey.

Also Lottie is so big now!

>163 foggidawn: very nice.

>163 foggidawn: I agree with Lottie, with an exception of well filled shelves. Happy to see both ;-)

>163 foggidawn: What great bookshelves! Lottie is cute there as well :)

>163 foggidawn: Looks great!!

I love them! And come on, Lottie definitely adds to the overall effect :)

>163 foggidawn: They look wonderful, foggi! Congratulations.

>164 quondame: Plus delicious food in the next room! I baked banana bread last night, and the aroma wafting through the house while it baked and I sat in my chair and read just added to the pleasant atmosphere.

>165 MickyFine: Thanks! She's all grown up. She's actually a bit on the stocky side for a Springer -- her legs are shorter and her paws are bigger than Sasha's for instance, but since Sasha has suffered multiple leg injuries, I'm hoping that Lottie will avoid that. I think she's perfectly beautiful, of course. :-)

>166 fuzzi: Thanks!

>167 FAMeulstee: and >169 figsfromthistle: and >171 curioussquared: Well, if I must admit it, I think she does improve any photo she's in. ;-)

>170 aktakukac: and >172 alcottacre: Thank you!

I had a pretty good Valentine's Day, despite John having to work the afternoon/evening shift. John gave me chocolates and some cheese again -- I think cheese for Valentine's Day is becoming a tradition for us, and I'm definitely not mad about it. And, as mentioned above, I baked banana bread. If you're a Harry Potter fan, you'll know what I mean when I say that baking banana bread is one of the scents that I would smell in the Amortentia potion. Hope you all enjoyed the day, as well.

I have been doing some reading, but not a lot of finishing books. I have one review to post below, and I'm almost done with an audiobook that I've been working on for a little while. I've picked up and put down a few other books -- not sure yet if they're DNFs or if I will circle back to them.

(20 books read)



The Many Reflections of Miss Jane Deming by J. Anderson Coats -- Jane's father died in the War Between the States, and now Jane, her little brother, and her young stepmother are traveling to Seattle with Asa Mercer's "Girls," a group of young women bound to be seamstresses, schoolteachers, and brides for the lonely men of the frontier. Jane is too young to marry, but her stepmother hopes to snag a gentleman of importance -- a banker or a lawyer, perhaps. The rough conditions of 1866 Seattle come as a bit of a shock to all of them. Will they be able to forge a new life in Washington Territory?

I enjoyed this story very much. The characters are strong, and the setting is interesting. Asa Mercer's ambitious plan to bring brides from the east coast to the Washington Territory by ship is a real event, adding to the historical interest of the piece. I'd recommend this to fans of Boston Jane: An Adventure and Sarah, Plain and Tall.

All the way through, I kept thinking that I had read a novel about the Mercer Girls before. In searching through LT, I find that they were featured in one volume of an inspirational fiction series I read as a teen or young adult (The Stars for a Light), so that mystery is solved.

>175 foggidawn: ouch. Stop it.

I loved Sarah, Plain and Tall and the sequels (yes!).

Many women had no options except the oldest profession or finding someone looking for a housekeeper/stepmother. I've read a number of books in which women find themselves in the situation, for better or worse. My favorite Louis L'Amour book, Conagher, is mainly about one such woman, how she survives. The movie is also good.

ETA: I found The Many Reflections of Miss Jane Deming at the public library, put in a hold, yes!

>173 foggidawn: How could that have slipped my mind!?! Well, out of sight....nope, doesn't cut it. The stomach is always on.

>175 foggidawn: My local library has a copy of that one, so hopefully I will get to it sooner rather than later.

>175 foggidawn: Ooh, I'm definitely hit!

>156 foggidawn: Those cliffhangers truly are brutal. I'm looking forward to book #3 and hoping that I can score an eARC in the next couple of months, but it's not available yet.

>163 foggidawn: Your shelves look lovely!

>175 foggidawn: That was a good one! I remember reading it on vacation in 2017.

Your bookshelves look fantastic!!

>176 fuzzi: Sorry not sorry! Hope you enjoy it. I have also read several stories of that sort.

>177 quondame: Right!

>178 alcottacre: That's good!

>179 curioussquared: I'm enjoying being able to give out book bullets this year!

>180 bell7: Thanks! Good luck with the eARC.

>181 aktakukac: I can see it being good vacation reading.

>182 scaifea: Thanks!

(21 books read)



When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller -- Lily, her big sister Sam, and her mother move in with Lily's Halmoni (grandmother). It soon becomes obvious that Halmoni is ill, and Lily starts seeing a tiger that nobody else can see. Does the tiger hold the secret to making Halmoni better? Lily is determined to find out.

Well written, with complex characters and a strong plot. I like that other characters (particularly Sam) have their own things going on that Lily is not completely aware of -- they are characters in their own right, even though the story we're reading is Lily's. This Newbery-winning title is deserving of its accolades.

(22 books read)



A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher -- Mona has bread magic: she can make sure that dough rises, and that cookies don't burn in the oven. It's not very flashy magic, or super useful outside her aunt's bakery -- or so she thinks. But war is coming to her city, and Mona will be drawn into it in ways she never could have expected. It all starts when she finds a dead body in the bakery kitchen...

Delightfully fun and funny, this makes an excellent palate-cleanser if you're in the mood for a quick, light fantasy. I listened to the audiobook, and the narration is excellent.

(23 books read)



The Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison -- Sometimes the dead have unfinished business. As Witness for the Dead in the city of Amalo, Thara Celehar's job is to listen to them, and find ways to bring them the peace, justice, and rest that they seek. A murdered opera singer, a disputed will, a ravenous ghoul, and a serial killer are some of the cases that Celehar faces in the course of his usual (or perhaps we should say unusual) duties.

I loved falling into this world again, though it is only tangentially related to The Goblin Emperor. Celehar is a more withdrawn personality than Maia, and harder to get to know, but I found the slow unfolding of his character rewarding. I had a bit of trouble keeping track of the many characters and their long and difficult names, plus the various forms of address, and the equally confusing place names. I would have liked both a map and a character list, but this book contains no back-matter whatsoever. I had also forgotten certain key points about Celehar's backstory that were revealed in the previous book, so I think someone starting with this volume might be confused or find themselves lacking context. However, when I managed to immerse myself in the story, I found the rich details and lovely writing enough to carry me through. Recommended to fans of the first book. I'm looking forward to another book featuring Celehar coming out later this year.

Edited to add: I'd really love to visit some of the teahouses described in the book!

You've had an excellent run of books! I loved the first two and really need to get to The Goblin Emperor and its sequel.

>184 foggidawn: Another interesting sounding book! And my most local library has a copy available!

>185 foggidawn: >186 foggidawn: Aren't those great?

>184 foggidawn: I really enjoyed this one, too!

>185 foggidawn: I liked this one: hoping there is a series to follow.

>185 foggidawn: Amazon keeps recommending me A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking, I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed it. It's a little higher on my to-read list now. :)

I'm also a fan of The Witness for the Dead and The Last Graduate, I'm glad there will be more of both series' this year.

>184 foggidawn: I just read When You Trap a Tiger and really enjoyed it. I have A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking on my wishlist. Maybe I will check out the audio version...

>187 curioussquared: I have, thanks! After reading so hard last year, I'm focusing on enjoyment first this year.

>188 quondame: Yes, I love Addison's writing. She has another novel out, not set in that world, that I'm going to try soon.

>189 scaifea: Yep, it's a good one!

>190 charl08: That would be so nice! I'd love to hear more about Mona, or even just have a series with other magic users in that world with unusual talents.

>191 kgodey: It's a fun one! Hope you enjoy it when it makes its way up the list.

>192 jayde1599: I thought the audio version was well done, so if you enjoy audiobooks, it might be worth giving it a try.

Exciting news: the rest of my living room bookshelves have been installed! I plopped a few books on them last night, and may work on them a bit tonight as well. Photos when I get them looking the way I want!

>193 foggidawn: I enjoyed The Angel of the Crows though it didn't quite hit the highs for me that the other two did. Urban fantasy is a favorite of mine before I even knew there was such a thing - I was tired of characters being obliged to trek over most of a continent when cities have depth!

>194 foggidawn: Yay for more bookshelves!

(24 books read)



The Galaxy, and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers -- On a bare, rocky planet in the middle of nowhere, you wouldn't expect to find much of anything. However, the planet's location makes it a good stopover for ships making interstellar jumps. Ouloo, a Laru, and her adolescent child staff the Five-Hop One-Stop, a sort of convenience store for travelers. There are snack foods, a bath house, and a garden where the space-weary can stretch their legs planet-side. Nobody stays for long -- at least, not when things are going well. But when a planet-wide mechanical disaster strands three very different travelers at the Five-Hop for a time, they must learn to put aside their prejudices and first impressions in order to deal with their situation.

You guys have failed me. How did I not know that there was a new Becky Chambers? It's (*sob*) the last book in the Wayfarers series. Like the books before it, there are only tenuous connections to the other volumes in the series, but I feel like this one takes us full circle in a way. It's a lovely tale of relationships and the connections that can be formed in difficult circumstances. If you enjoyed the other books in the series, this is not to be missed -- and if the premise of this one intrigues you, it's fine to start here.

>196 foggidawn: Well, I did review it. Back in May. So not feeling guilty. Not my fault!

>195 quondame: I'll try to keep my expectations reasonable. :-) Urban fantasy is hit-or-miss for me, but I do have a soft spot for London.

>197 quondame: I'd ask how I missed your review (and probably several others, but I know how: I was extremely focused on what I was reading and I didn't get around to other threads much. So, really, despite my histrionics above, nobody need feel guilty!

>199 foggidawn: I'll take this opportunity to make sure you know about Brandon Sanderson's news.

>196 foggidawn: I'm reading these slowly so I only just finished the second book in the series. But I will make sure you know about the existence of A Psalm for the Wild-Built? (I haven't read it yet either but anything by Chambers goes on The List).

>200 quondame: Thanks, I did see that.

>201 MickyFine: Yes! Somehow I managed to get word of that one. I have placed myself on the holds list.

All caught up Foggi and wishing you a lovely weekend.

>203 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul!

(25 books read)



The Angel of the Crows by Katherine Addison -- Dr. J.H. Doyle, wounded in the British Afghan Wars, returns to London and finds himself in need of a flatmate. A chance encounter with an old acquaintance leads to him rooming with Crow, an eccentric angel who devotes his time to solving crimes. Doyle finds himself assisting Crow with his cases, but the whole of London's police force (as well as Crow and Doyle) are stumped when it comes to tracking down the serial killer who's been brutally knifing prostitutes in the East End...

I tracked this down after reading Addison's other works. The writing is engaging and the characters are strong, but I prefer when Addison creates her own worlds (unpronounceable names and all). Still, a solidly good read that I'd recommend to fans of fantasy featuring angels, urban fantasy, and Sherlock and/or Jack the Ripper stories.

>205 foggidawn: I've got that on my bookshelf waiting to be read, glad to know you enjoyed it.

Have you read any of her works under Sarah Monette? I started Melusine but didn't finish it but I did read the series she co-wrote with Elizabeth Bear (starting with A Companion to Wolves). Her work as Addison seems more optimistic (for lack of a better word).

(26 books read)



The Clergyman's Wife by Molly Greeley -- Charlotte Lucas knew what she was getting into when she put herself in the path of Mr. Collins, Elizabeth Bennett's pompous cousin. Now, as a clergyman's wife with a lovely little daughter, Charlotte Collins' life, while beset with minor irritations, is generally pleasant. When her path crosses that of Mr. Travis, a local farmer, Charlotte starts to consider what she might have been missing by choosing security rather than love in her marriage.

This Pride and Prejudice spin-off does a good job of holding true to the characters as Austen wrote them, while expanding their circumstances and imagining what might have happened in the years following the original novel. This book stays very much in Charlotte's head, making for a gentle, quiet story for the most part. Recommended to readers who have wondered what life might be like for Charlotte after marrying Mr. Collins.

>206 kgodey: I haven't read any of her other works. I probably will eventually, but I won't be as quick to track them down as I was with this one.

>162 foggidawn: Thanks for the tip - I just might wait.

>175 foggidawn: You got me!

>185 foggidawn: I enjoyed that one as well and on audio, too.

Hope you have a good week.

>209 AMQS: Thanks! I hope you have a good week, too.

(27 books read)



Straw into Gold: Fairy Tales Re-spun by Hilary McKay -- In this collection of fairy tale retellings, McKay presents ten different tales told in her own distinctive voice. Whether it has a new perspective or a surprising twist, each tale feels fresh and compelling. If you love fairy tales or McKay, I would recommend this to you -- and if, like me, you love both, this book is not to be missed.

(28 books read)



Heart of a Samurai by Margi Preus -- Manjiro and four companions are stranded on a desert island when their fishing boat is shipwrecked there. When they are finally rescued, it is by an American-based whaling ship. Eventually, Manjiro's companions are put ashore at Honolulu, but Manjiro has gotten a taste for life at sea, and he has befriended the captain of the whaling ship, who invites him to stay on as a member of the crew. When the ship returns to Boston, Manjiro makes many new friends, although he experiences prejudice as well. But will he ever return to Japan?

This Newbery Honor book is based on a true story. I enjoyed the historical elements, though I felt somewhat distanced from the characters. Recommended to those who like Moby Dick and other historical stories with a strong seafaring element.

(29 books read)



The Road Trip by Beth O'Leary -- Addie and her sister Deb have just started out on a road trip to a friend's wedding when they are rear-ended by literally the last people Addie wants to see; her ex, Dylan, and his jerkwad best friend Marcus. With Marcus' car out of commission, the guys beg to cram into Deb's Mini -- which was already holding Addie, Deb, and Rodney from the wedding rideshare group. It's going to be an uncomfortable trip in more ways than one.

The road trip is a series of mishaps, interspersed with flashbacks to that hot summer in France when Dylan and Addie met. I found myself getting impatient with these sections, though they do eventually explain the breakup. In addition, I didn't really like any of the characters, so I had a hard time getting invested in their stories.

I read The Flatshare and loved it, and then I read The Switch and it was okay. This seems like an unfortunate trend. I may not seek out O'Leary's books in the future unless I hear really good things about them.

>212 foggidawn: ouch.

It's already on my Newbery list, but still...

I started Belle Prater's Boy last night, am really enjoying it.

>214 fuzzi: Belle Prater's Boy is another one that I should get to. I didn't hate Heart of a Samurai, but it's not going to make my list of favorites.

(30 books read)



Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano -- Finlay Donovan is so not killing it. Recently divorced with two young children, it's all she can do to make it through the day. Her writing career has ground to a standstill, which means no money is coming in to pay the bills that are piling up. Her ex is on her case, her nanny is MIA, and her agent is pressing her for the romantic suspense novel that she's under contract to write. When she meets said agent for brunch to discuss the contract, a woman at a nearby table gets the wrong impression about Finlay's line of work. Next thing she knows, she has a slip of paper with a name and a dollar amount -- a very large dollar amount. The kind of cash that would solve all of her immediate problems. But Finlay's not actually a hit woman, right? Despite the fact that, through a series of coincidences, she ends up with a dead body in the back of her minivan...

This was a terrifically fun mystery for readers who can empathize with Finlay's somewhat chaotic life and appreciate the relationships she builds along the way. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book!

>215 foggidawn: I finished Belle Prater's Boy, and I recommend it. I gave it 3 1/2 stars, but debated about giving it 4...

>217 fuzzi: 3.75 stars is not the kind of ringing endorsement that will bring it up to the top of my list, but I'll probably get to it someday.

(31 books read)



We Are All Made of Molecules by Susan Nielsen -- Stewart is academically gifted but socially challenged. Ashley may not have book smarts, but she's at the top of the popularity ladder. And their parents just announced that they're moving in together. Stewart is still mourning the death of his mother, but he's glad his dad has found some happiness again. Ashley is still struggling with her parents' divorce and her dad coming out as gay, especially since her dad is now living in the tiny house in her back yard. Cue family drama, school drama, and friendship drama -- is there any way that this new blended family will make things work?

I found this a quick, enjoyable read. Some of the characterization may have been a little over the top -- Ashley's malapropisms set my teeth on edge, for instance -- but the writing was generally strong. I felt that the ending was more aspirational than realistic, but for the target audience, I think that's okay. Recommended for fans of realistic YA fiction that deals with serious matters but also contains more lighthearted moments.

(32 books read)



Sweeping Up the Heart by Kevin Henkes -- Twelve-year-old Amelia's world is pretty small: her mother is dead, her father is emotionally distant, and she relies on the grandmotherly support of their housekeeper, Mrs. O'Brien. It's spring break, and Amelia wishes they could go to Florida (or to France, like her best friend Natalie!), but it appears that she will go no farther than the pottery studio a few blocks away, where she often spends her time losing herself in her art. When Amelia arrives at the studio that week, she meets Casey, the owner's nephew. The two form an immediate friendship -- or is it something more? -- and, on an excursion to a nearby coffee shop, they see a woman who looks surprisingly like Amelia... or, more accurately, like Amelia's mother. When Amelia continues to see the woman around the neighborhood, she starts to wonder: is this woman following Amelia? Does she have a message for her? Is Amelia's mother really dead?

Henkes' trademark writing style is gentle, reassuring, with emotional depth, and that's definitely what you'll find in this book. From the cover and the brevity of the book, I expected it to appeal to a younger audience, but the age of the characters and the first crush element sets it in the middle grade range (ages 9-11, I'd say). That may be why it hasn't gotten a lot of attention at my library. It's also set in the spring of 1999, as there are a couple of references to Y2K. I thought maybe it had been published then, but no, it came out in 2019. I'm not sure why it needed to be set 20 years in the past, as it doesn't have a major impact on the story. All that to say, it's a sweet book, but I understand why it hasn't been flying off the shelf.

>216 foggidawn: Sounds like fun. BB.

>221 MickyFine: I think you will enjoy it. In fact, I was trying to remember if you were the one who recommended it to me. (Apparently not.)

>196 foggidawn: I need to get that one read as I have read all the rest of the series to this point.

>223 alcottacre: None of the following books managed to top the first book in the series for me, but I found that last one to be as enjoyable as the second and third.

(33 books read)



Molly of the Mall: Literary Lass & Purveyor of Fine Footwear by Heidi Jacobs -- Working at a mall shoe store doesn't exactly provide scope for the Great Canadian Novel that Molly dreams of writing. Despite being named for Moll Flanders, one of literature's most unromantic heroines, Molly has a deep appreciation for classic literature, particularly the works of Jane Austen. She dreams of falling in love, but her prospects seem limited. Will it be one of the boys she's known since kindergarten? A family friend who used to date her older sister? Or the mysterious stranger she meets in a bookstore, who shares her appreciation for Penguin Classics?

Molly is a delightful character, and I was rooting for her all the way through. I was also not entirely sure which suitor she would end up with, which is unusual in a romance novel. Recommended to current and former English majors, Jane Austen fans who enjoy the occasional contemporary story, and anyone who has ever worked at a shopping mall.

Thanks for the recommendation, Micky!

>225 foggidawn: Yay! I'm glad you enjoyed your time with Molly.

>225 foggidawn: Adding this one to the wishlist (and avoiding The Road Trip which I was wondering about). Thank you!

>225 foggidawn: I went to add that one to the BlackHole only to discover it was already there - probably from Mickey's recommendation. I am glad to see you enjoyed it too.

Have a wonderful weekend, foggi!

>226 MickyFine: She's adorable!

>227 charl08: Glad to be of service!

>228 alcottacre: Thanks, you too!

I had a great day yesterday: lunch with Amber (@scaifea) with plenty of great book conversation, particularly about Newbery books we loved as kids, and Newbery books we wish we could go back and hand to our kid selves. I also had choir practice in the evening -- yep, after having to leave my position as choir director at my old church when I moved away, I have been roped back in to the same position at my new church. My challenge is to get the choir, inactive since the beginning of the pandemic, back to singing together by the church's 100th anniversary celebration in May. *gulp* But yesterday's rehearsal went well, and we're planning to do a longer rehearsal next week.

(34 books read)



The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal -- In 1952, Elma York and her husband Nathaniel are at a cabin in the Poconos when the meteorite hits, which is the only thing that saves them from being instantly killed like the rest of the population of Washington, D.C. and the surrounding area. When she runs the numbers, though, Elma is the first to realize that the offshore meteorite is an extinction-level event: it will plunge the world into a few years of winter, followed by an alarming warming trend that will eventually render the planet uninhabitable. Elma and her husband work for the space program, which has been relocated to Kansas, and which is immediately ramped up, as the necessity of colonizing the moon and Mars becomes evident. Elma works as a calculator, but her dream is to be an astronaut. She was a WASP pilot in WWII, and her credentials and capabilities are as good as any of the men in the space program -- but the odds are stacked against women ever being admitted to astronaut training. Is there any way for her to reach her goal?

This was an interesting end engaging reimagining of what the space race might have been like with an event like the asteroid to add urgency to the task of getting people into space. I loved the interactions between the characters and all of the detail included in the setting. Well-written and fun, if sometimes enraging at the chauvinistic attitudes that the female astronauts face. I was reminded of Hidden Figures and Almost Astronauts. If you like stories about space and women overcoming obstacles, take a look at this one.

(35 books read)



Night by Elie Wiesel -- Elie was a teenager, a Talmud scholar, in 1944 when the SS arrived in his town. He and his family were taken to the concentration camps, where they endured unimaginable suffering. He and his father manage to stay together, but his father will not live to see liberation. Before the war ends, Elie sees the death of his family, his innocence, and his faith.

A moving and important work. After reading Maus, I realized that this was another primary source on the Holocaust that I had not yet read, so I addressed that issue. It's a powerful book that everyone should read.

>229 foggidawn: Sounds like a daunting task. How big is the choir?

>232 MickyFine: Quite small. I'm getting about 6 people at a good rehearsal.

>233 foggidawn: Hopefully that makes it easier to get them in shape. :)

Happy Sunday, foggi. You've read some terrific books lately. I have Sweeping Up the Heart in my library but hadn't read it yet. I do have Night somewhere in a pile and should read that, though I may need to recover from reading (and loving) Between Shades of Gray first. What a cruel world.

You also got me with Finlay Donovan is Killing It. Micky had already dinged me with Molly of the Mall.

>234 MickyFine: I hope so!

>235 AMQS: Thanks! Yeah, Night is staggering in its descriptions of cruelty. It's hard to comprehend such inhumane actions carried out by so many.

Glad you enjoyed The Calculating Stars! I'm eagerly awaiting book 4 in the series.

I've read Maus, but really need to get to Night. It's tough when I know it's going to be a rough read, but at the same time know how important it is!

>230 foggidawn: I have that one on my shelves to read. I am going to have to move it up!

>231 foggidawn: I get to dodge that BB, although I would like to finish the trilogy. I have only read Night.

Hey foggi, have you read these?


I'd Know You Anywhere, My Love by Nancy Tillman


You're Here For a Reason by Nancy Tillman

I found them at a yard sale, in new condition. Great illustrations and nice reads, too. I'm sending them to the Grands!

>237 curioussquared: I'm trying to decide if I want to continue on with Kowal's series now, or read something different and come back to it in a while.

>238 alcottacre: I'd also be interested in finishing the trilogy eventually.

>239 fuzzi: Yes, her books are sweet and reassuring, with lovely illustrations. Good bedtime books.

Right now I'm in a lull as far as reading goes. I've started a couple of things but haven't been able to get into any of them. I've been doing some garden planning, and some cooking (I made a very tasty lentil and mushroom shepherd's pie the other night -- since it contains no actual shepherds lamb, I'm calling it forager's pie instead).

I also did some TV watching -- John and I are about halfway through the first season of Monk (I've watched the whole series two or three times, but John's never seen it). I watched Turning Red this weekend, which was very cute, and I watched the first episode of Victoria last night -- seems promising; I will continue with it when I have time.

>240 foggidawn: I will sometimes watch reruns of Monk.

>240 foggidawn: Sorry for the reading lull, foggi. I hope it turns around for you soon.

Lentil and mushroom shepherd's pie sounds wonderful!

>240 foggidawn: Sounds like you're finding lots of things to keep you busy. The books will be there when you're ready for them.

How's wedding planning going?

>241 thornton37814: It's comfort watching for me.

>242 alcottacre: Thanks! I had some of the leftovers today, and it's definitely yummy.

>243 MickyFine: Wedding planning is going well, I think? Mom is making my dress, and we already bought the fabric and notions for it. We have a guest list of about 30 people if everyone comes, and I just bought save the date cards to send out to them. The church is reserved for our date and we have started premarital counseling with the priest who will officiate. I just bought the wedding crowns (traditional for an Orthodox wedding). One of my cousins will make the wedding cake, and I will pick the flowers for my bouquet -- the same pink dahlias that John brought me on our second date, which grow in his parents' garden. The reception will be in the church hall; I'm thinking desserts and hors d'oeuvres. And we've booked a cabin for the honeymoon, so that's taken care of. Our goal is to keep it simple and small. I've gotten some knowing looks from people when I've told them that ("It's a worthy goal, to be sure," their looks say), but so far it seems doable.

>244 foggidawn: Simple and small is totally doable! Friends of mine (actually the couple that set me up with Mr. Fine) had a super laidback wedding. There were maybe 50 people, they rented a community hall for the ceremony and reception, and they did a potluck for their reception meal. It was a really fun day. So don't let people make you feel like it's not possible.

Sounds like your plans are in good shape!

>245 MickyFine: That's good to hear. If all of my people were nearby. I would definitely have done a potluck meal, but my family is coming from all over.

A few years ago, I went through an "I hate weddings" phase -- but then I realized that I actually love weddings... it's the receptions that I hate! (John feels the same way.) So, for our reception, about the only "traditional" thing we'll do is cut the cake (but no smashing it into each other's faces!).

>246 foggidawn: Happy to hear you're making it your own. Mr. Fine and I also did not smash cake into each other's faces (not while I'm wearing the fanciest dress I'll ever own, thanks!). Our friends with the small wedding in lieu of bouquet and garter toss had a singles pinata. Filled it with candy and little bottles of booze and all the singletons got to take a whack, which was fun.

>246 foggidawn: speaking of simple, my dh and I were married by a Justice of the Peace, with about 6-7 family and friends. The JoP provided a bottle of champagne, and after a toast we left for a long weekend honeymoon.

I hate the smashing of cake tradition.

>247 MickyFine: Hah! The pinata is a fun idea! And yes, I am bad enough about spilling food on myself without help!

>248 fuzzi: John would be fine with a courthouse wedding, but I want a church ceremony. Sounds like yours was lovely, though!

Your wedding plans sound lovely :) Tim was warned that he would be in very big trouble if any cake face smashing occured.

>247 MickyFine: Omg, I wish we had done a singles piñata!

>249 foggidawn: I would want a pastor to perform the ceremony, but I'd be okay with it being in his office or somewhere else with just the requisite witnesses instead of a larger church affair.

Delurking to say hello!

>230 foggidawn: Bb for me. This recently popped up on my local library catalogue suggestions.

>231 foggidawn: Ah. It is a short but impactful read.

My sister told her now husband that they would be signing their marriage certificate AFTER the cake cutting and there would be no signature if she had cake smashed on her face. 🤣

>250 curioussquared: Thanks! And the pinata does sound like so much fun. I'm not going to do it at my wedding reception, but I'm going to suggest it for my parents' 50th anniversary party next year.

>251 thornton37814: With such a small guest list, I think I'm going to rope off all but the first six rows or so of pews -- otherwise our little group will rattle around like pebbles in a shoe box!

>252 figsfromthistle: Hello! Yes, you summed up Night very well.

>253 leahbird: The cake smashing thing seemed very amusing to me at the age of 12 or so. Sometimes I don't feel like I've really grown up, but in this case, my sense of humor has definitely matured.