mathgirl40's 2023 category challenge

I am back for another year! I'm mostly reusing last year's categories, with a few tweaks. Fortunately, these align pretty well with several of the group challenges and CATs this year!

1. 2023 Tournament of Books
2. 2023 Evergreen and other Canadian Awards
3. 1001 Books to Read Before You Die and Classics
4. 2023 Hugo and Aurora Awards
5. Historical Fiction
6. Doorstoppers
7. Continue the Series
8. BookCrossing
9. Around the World
10. Books in French
11. Nonfiction
12. Miscellaneous

I hope to read at least 10 books in each category, except for "Doorstoppers" and "Books in French". For those two categories, I'll be very happy if I manage 5 in each.

Category 1: The Tournament of Books



This category will include books from the 2023 Tournament of Books, held in March.

1. Mouth to Mouth by Antoine Wilson (Jan. 10)
2. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (Jan. 12)
3. Babel by R. F. Kuang (Jan. 19)
4. My Volcano by John Elizabeth Stintzi (Feb. 6)
5. Dinosaurs by Lydia Millet (Feb. 12)
6. The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb (Feb. 14)
7. An Island by Karen Jennings (Feb. 22)
8. Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley (Feb. 26)
9. The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty (Mar. 12)

Category 2: The Evergreen and other Canadian Awards



This category will include nominees for the 2023 Evergreen Award, given by the Ontario Library Association. The nominees are announced in February. This category will also include nominees for other 2023 Canadian literary awards.

1. Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton (Jan. 30)
2. Cobalt: Cradle of the Demon Metals, Birth of a Mining Superpower by Charlie Angus (Mar. 28)
3. Valley of the Birdtail by Andrew Stobo Sniderman and Douglas Sanderson (Amo Binashii) (Apr. 27)
4. Her First Palestinian by Saeed Teebi (July 9)

Category 3: 1001 Books



These are books listed in Peter Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die.

1. War with the Newts by Karel Čapek (Jan. 11)
2. Decline and Fall by Evelyn Waugh (Feb. 28)
3. Fifth Business by Robertson Davies (Mar. 20)
4. Thank You, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse (June 30)

Category 4: The Hugo and Aurora Awards



This category will include nominees for the 2023 Hugo and Aurora science fiction and fantasy awards. This year, I will again rejoin as a voting member for both awards and read from the voter packets.

1. High Times in Low Parliament by Kelley Robson (May 14)
2. Even Though I Knew the End by C. L. Polk (May 20)
3. Ghostlight by Kenneth Oppel (May 30)
4. Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao (June 9)
5. The Jade Setter of Janloon by Fonda Lee (June 16)
6. The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (June 22)
7. All the Seas of the World by Guy Gavriel Kay (July 19)
8. The Hollow Boys by Douglas Smith (July 20)
9. Birds of Maine by Michael DeForge (July 22)
10. Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher (August 2)
11. Dune: the Official Movie Graphic Novel by Lilah Sturges (Aug. 10)
12. Cyberpunk 2077: Big City Dreams by Bartosz Sztybor (Aug. 11)
13. Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett (Aug. 12)
14. Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir (Aug. 15)

Category 5: Historical Fiction



1. The Body Under the Piano by Marthe Jocelyn (Mar. 25)
2. Arthur, King of the Middle March by Kevin Crossley-Holland (Apr. 6)
3. Flight of the Heron by D. K. Broster (Apr. 29)

Category 6: Doorstoppers



This category is for BIG books (over 500 pages).

1. Middlemarch by George Eliot (Mar. 26)
2. It by Stephen King (June 15)
3.

Category 7: Continue the Series



I'm hoping this year's SeriesCAT will help me make progress on all those series I want to return to!

1. A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny (Jan. 8)
2. Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie (Jan. 25)
3. Chimes at Midnight by Seanan McGuire (Feb. 18)
4. Full of Briars by Seanan McGuire (Feb. 19)
5. Cetaganda by Lois McMaster Bujold (Mar. 4)
6. Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire (Mar. 19)
7. The Winter Long by Seanan McGuire (Mar. 19)
8. Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire (Apr. 20)
9. A Red-Rose Chain by Seanan McGuire (Apr. 23)
10. The Final Trial by Kelley Armstrong (Apr. 23)
11. Major League Chew by John Layman (Apr. 26)
12. Once Broken Faith by Seanan McGuire (May 22)
13. The Brightest Fell by Seanan McGuire (June 30)
14. Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett (July 23)
15. Borders of Infinity by Lois McMaster Bujold (Aug. 5)
16. Broken Homes by Ben Aaronovitch (Aug. 19)
17. Night and Silence by Seanan McGuire (Sept. 3)

Category 8: BookCrossing



I signed up for a "Favourite Books of 2022" roundabout on BookCrossing, with 12 other BookCrossers. We'll be mailing the books along to one another throughout the year. This category also includes other books I release on BookCrossing.

1. Broken Glass by Alain Mabanckou (Jan. 24)
2. The Help by Kathryn Stockett (Feb. 7)
3. The Invisible Child and the Fir Tree: Two Moomin Stories by Tove Jansson (Feb. 16)
4. Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy (Mar. 11)
5. The North Water by Ian McGuire (Mar. 20)
6. Winter Flowers by Angélique Villeneuve (Apr. 10)
7. Yolk by Mary H. K. Choi (May 3)
8. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman (May 11)

Category 9: Around the World



This category is for books I read for the GeoCAT, as well as books related to any travelling I'll be doing over the year.

1. Murder at the Mena House by Erica Ruth Neubauer by Egypt (Feb. 8)
2. The Absent One by Jussi Alder-Olsen by Denmark (Feb. 19)
3. Colour Scheme by Ngaio Marsh by New Zealand (Mar. 27)
4. The Dangers of Smoking in Bed by Mariana Enriquez - Argentina (Apr. 4)
5. The Falls by Ian Rankin - Scotland (Apr. 9)
6. City of the Lost by Kelley Armstrong - Canada / Polar Regions (May 6)
7. Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff - India (June 5)
8. Thirty-Three Teeth by Colin Cotterill (June 19)

Category 10: Books in French

  

I'm continuing my attempts to improve my reading proficiency in French.

1. Astérix chez les Bretons by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo (Feb. 5)
2. Le Chien Jaune by Georges Simenon (Mar. 26)
3. L'Etoile Mysterieuse by Hergé (May 31)
4. Une jeune femme en guerre, Tome 2 by Maryse Rouy (June 27)

Category 11: Nonfiction



1. Breathless by David Quammen (Feb. 9)
2. Macabre Montreal by Mark Leslie and Shayna Krishnasamy (Mar. 3)
3. We Were Dreamers by Simu Liu (Apr. 3)
4. Bad Blood by John Carreyrou (May 13)

Category 12: Miscellaneous

All books that don't fit in the other categories get listed here!

1. Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi (Jan. 5)
2. Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty (Jan. 22)
3. Man of Bronze by Kenneth Robeson (Jan. 27)
4. Clothes Pegs by Noel Streatfeild (Jan. 28)
5. Emily of New Moon by L. M. Montgomery (Jan. 29)
6. The Secret of Terror Castle by Robert Arthur (Feb. 12)
7. Whose Body by Dorothy Sayers (Feb. 27)
8. Death of Jezebel by Christianna Brand (Mar. 26)
9. Wine of Honour by Barbara Beauchamp (Mar. 29)
10. The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey (Apr. 9)
11. The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older (Apr. 11)
12. What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher (Apr. 13)
13. Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte (Apr. 24)
14. Nancy's Mysterious Letter by Carolyn Keene (May 10)
15. Lattes and Legends by Travis Baldree (May 17)
16. Yoked with a Lamb by Molly Clavering (May 21)
17. Fear and Miss Betony by Dorothy Bowers (May 28)
18. The House on the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune (June 14)
19. The Manticore by Robertson Davies (June 17)
20. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides (July 3)
21. A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe by Alex White (July 13)
22. Malice Aforethought by Frances Iles (July 14)
23. UNSUB by Meg Gardiner (July 24)
24. Fell Murder by E. C. R Lorac (July 29)

GeoCAT

• ✔ January -- Central and Eastern Europe: War with the Newts by Karel Čapek
  
• ✔ February -- A place you would like to visit: Murder at the Mena House by Erica Ruth Neubauer
  
• ✔ March -- Australia & New Zealand: Colour Scheme by Ngaio Marsh
  
• ✔ April -- South America, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean: The Dangers of Smoking in Bed by Mariana Enriquez
  
• ✔ May -- Polar regions, islands, bodies of water: City of the Lost by Kelley Armstrong
  
• ✔ June -- South Asia and South East Asia: Thirty-Three Teeth by Colin Cotterill
  
• ✔ July -- Western Europe: The Embroidered Book by Kate Heartfield
  
• August -- Central and Western Asia:
  
• September -- Africa:
  
• October -- Canada and US:
  
• November -- East Asia:
  
• December -- Books you didn't get around to reading in the earlier months:
  

ClassicsCAT

• ✔ January -- Adventure Classics: The Man of Bronze by Kenneth Robeson
  
• ✔ February -- Before 1900: Middlemarch by George Eliot
  
• ✔ March -- Classics Adapted to Movies and TV: The Yellow Dog by Georges Simenon
  
• ✔ April -- Classic Mysteries: The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey
  
• ✔ May -- Children's Classics: The Shooting Star by Hergé
  
• ✔ June -- Humour: Thank You, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse
  
• ✔ July -- A Classic You Always Wanted to Read: Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray
  
• August -- Classics in Translation
  
• September -- Non-fiction Classics
  
• October -- Classics by Women
  
• November -- The Ancient World
  
• December -- Re-read a Classic
  

SeriesCAT

• ✔ January -- A series that is new to you: Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery
  
• ✔ February -- A series in translation: The Absent One by Jussi Adler-Olsen
  
• ✔ March -- YA/children: Arthur: King of the Middle March by Kevin Crossley-Holland
  
• ✔ April -- A series that you don't need to read in order: The Falls by Ian Rankin
  
• ✔ May -- Trilogies: The Manticore by Robertson Davies
  
• ✔ June -- Series by a favorite author: The Brightest Fell by Seanan McGuire
  
• July -- Nonfiction series
  
• ✔ August -- A series you have been meaning to get back to: Broken Homes by Ben Aaronovitch
  
• September -- A series that began more than 50 years ago
  
• October -- Asian setting
  
• November -- Historical series
  
• December -- Set in a country/region where you do not live
  

KiddyCAT

• ✔ January -- picture books/graphic novels: Asterix in Britain by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo
  
• ✔ February -- mystery: The Secret of Terror Castle by Robert Arthur
  
• ✔ March -- YA historical fiction: The Body Under the Piano by Marthe Jocelyn
  
• ✔ April -- fantasy for middle grade/YA: The Final Trial by Kelley Armstrong
  
• ✔ May -- children/YA classics: Nancy's Mysterious Letter by Carolyn Keene
  
• ✔ June -- animals as main character: Freddy Goes to Florida by Walter R. Brooks
  
• July -- arts and crafts
  
• August -- kids/YA series
  
• September -- history/ biography
  
• October -- siblings
  
• November -- fairy tales/myths/legends
  
• December -- holiday stories
  

Historical Fiction Challenge

1. Read a work of historical fiction set in the country you’re from
   
2. ✔ Read a work of historical fiction set in a different country to the one you’re from: Murder at the Mena House by Erica Ruth Neubauer
   
3. Read a work of historical fiction set in your favourite historical time period to read about
   
4. ✔ Read a work of historical fiction set in a time period you’ll less familiar with: The Help by Kathryn Stockett
   
5. ✔ Read a work of historical fiction with a speculative element: Babel by R. F. Kuang
   
6. ✔ Read a work of historical fiction about a real historical figure or a specific historical event: The Flight of the Heron by D. K. Broster
   
7. Read a classic work of historical fiction
   
8. Bonus: Read a work of historical fiction of over 500 pages
   

Looks good! I'm going to reuse last year's categories too. Anyway, I'm here to follow along with your reading

You have wonderful categories. I'm sure I will be hit by a few BB's!

Good luck with your 2023 reading

Looking forward to following along this year.

I like your illustrations for the categories, especially the one for series! Have fun with your reading this year.

Interesting challenges! Happy New Year and good luck with all of them!

>6 Nickelini: >7 Tess_W: >8 lowelibrary: >9 dudes22: >10 hailelib: >11 MissBrangwen: Thank you for all your good wishes!

Wishing you a wonderful year of reading in 2023.

That's a lot of reading. May all your books be good ones in 2023!

Welcome back and have a great reading year! I'll be right there with you reading in French :)

>13 lkernagh: >14 pamelad: Thanks for stopping by!

>15 rabbitprincess: Heh, I'm sure you're able to read French books faster than I can, but I'm managing with the help of my e-reader's built-in dictionary. :)

Wishing you a happy reading year.

I am especially interested to see what you historical fiction, doorstoppers and Canadian reads will be.

>17 Zozette: Thank you! I started reading Middlemarch, so that will definitely be one of the ones filling my Doorstoppers category.

Hi Paulina, I am looking forward to following along with your 2023 reading.

>19 DeltaQueen50: Thank you. I'll be following your thread as well!

So glad to see you're back. Happy reading!

>21 MissWatson: Thank you!

1. Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
Category: Miscellaneous

This is my first book finished of the year. In this science fiction adventure, the main character, recently fired from his marketing job in the midst of the pandemic, gets recruited for a mission to an alternative Earth to help protect dinosaur-like creatures.

In the afterword, John Scalzi said he had written this book as a quick, light and fun read to offset the dark times of the pandemic. It definitely served that purpose!

Wishing you a great year of reading! I look forward to following along.

>24 VivienneR: Thank you!

2. A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny (5 stars)
Category: Continue the Series

In this latest installment of the excellent Inspector Gamache series, we find out about Gamache's and Beauvoir's first case together. When two children, now grown up, at the centre of the case come to Three Pines, turmoil ensues.The plot seemed far-fetched to me, but in the end, that didn't matter. I found myself totally immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading. I really liked the mix of new characters and familiar Three Pines friends.

The following isn't really much of a spoiler, as it describes something that happens early in the book and isn't an integral part of the plot, but I'll put a spoiler warning on it anyhow, just in case.

I had a hard time getting through the beginning of the book, as there were some heart-wrenching descriptions of the Montreal Massacre and this hit close to home. I'm originally from Montreal, and though I didn't know any of the families directly affected, I was just starting grad studies in a STEM field when this happened. I remember the fear and anguish that I and my fellow students, especially the female ones, felt when this tragedy happened.

Apparently, the episode in this novel is based on a real-life survivor, as described in this CBC article:
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/nathalie-provost-louise-penny-1.6674734

3. Mouth to Mouth by Antoine Wilson (4 stars)
Category: Tournament of Books

This compact book made it onto the 2023 Tournament of Books shortlist. The plot seems simple enough: a man recounts some episodes in his life to another over drinks in an airport lounge. However, there are more layers to this story than is immediately apparent, and difficult questions about morality.

I didn't love the story but I think this is a perfect book for the Tournament of Books, as it definitely invites discussion.

>1 mathgirl40: Have a great reading year!

>26 mathgirl40: I have that one to look forward to this year. It's on my agenda to read.

>28 beebeereads: Thank you!

>29 thornton37814: I hope you enjoy A World of Curiosities as much as I did. In my opinion, this ranks among the best novels of the series.

4. War with the Newts by Karel Čapek (4.5 stars)
Category: 1001 Books

This classic 1936 sci-fi work is a brutally cutting satire. In the story, humans capture and enslave an intelligent breed of newts, but eventually the tables are turned on them. Čapek uses the relationship between the humans and the newts to make fun of and expose the ugliness of colonialism, the Nazi regime and segregation in America.

5. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (4.5 stars)
Category: Tournament of Books

This book, which is on the 2023 Tournament of Books shortlist, follows the paths of two video-game designers whose careers begin in the late 80's. The author explores the themes of friendship, love and loss, but to be honest, I sometimes found the interactions between the characters tedious.

Instead, what I really loved about this book are the details about the video games. I like computer games myself and I have several friends who work in game design and development. I especially appreciated how the author made the virtual worlds parallel the characters' real world.

6. Babel by R. F. Kuang (5 stars)
Category: Tournament of Books

This is my favourite of the 6 Tournament of Book shortlist novels I've read so far. Kuang did a superb job of integrating the themes of colonialism, racism and language into a well-paced story that, at times, I could barely put down. I had spent several days in Oxford last summer and my experience with some of the locations made the book even more enjoyable.

I highly recommend the audiobook, especially since the story is all about languages. It was interesting to hear the various magical "matched pairs" spoken out loud in the different languages. My own command of the Chinese language is quite weak (I speak the Toisanese dialect, and only with my parents) and this book made me wish I had a better understanding of it. I thought that Chris Lew Kum Hoi did an outstanding job with the audiobook narration, and the second narrator, Billie Fulford Brown, also did a great job with the very informative (but occasionally snarky) footnotes.

7. Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty (3.5 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous

Amateur detective and mystery writer Mallory Viridian seems to attract murder wherever she goes, and so she escapes to a space station populated by aliens in an attempt to leave her bad luck with humans on Earth behind.

I had very high hopes for this book, as I had loved Six Wakes and the combination of sci-fi and murder mystery is right up my alley. The execution was a bit disappointing, and I thought the book could have done with better editing. However, I loved the alien characters and would be willing to give the next book in the series a try.

8. Broken Glass by Alain Mabanckou (3.5 stars)
Category: BookCrossing

A former schoolteacher in the Congo sits at a run-down bar and writes about the people around him, the political situation and his own life, while throwing in references to literature, film and other arts. The stories are frequently ridiculous and mildly disturbing.

I received this as part of a BookCrossing roundabout and would probably not have discovered it otherwise. It's absurdly comic and fascinating in a way, but I think I missed out on much of the humour because I don't have enough understanding of the cultural context.

>34 mathgirl40: I just saw an article about this on CrimeReads and had put it on my to-read list. I'll leave it there for now and see how tempted I am to pick it up later.

>36 rabbitprincess: I'd be interested in hearing what you think of the book if you ever get to reading it. I think the premise, characters and setting have a lot of potential, so I'm hoping the series will get better.

>33 mathgirl40:

I also think that the audiobook version of Babel was excellent.

Just trying to get through a few threads this morning and I see you have been reading some interesting books. Have a good weekend and more good books.

Babel and Station Eternity are both already on my TBR list...sounds like I need to move Babel closer to the top!

>38 Zozette: Glad to see so much love for Babel.

>39 hailelib: Thanks for stopping by!

>40 christina_reads: I definitely recommend Babel. I hope you enjoy it.

9. Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie (4 stars)
Category: Continue the Series

I enjoyed revisiting this first book in the Miss Marple series, which is told from the point-of-view of the vicar of the vicarage where the murder of an unlikable man occurs. Miss Marple doesn't figure as prominently in this book as in the others, but I did like the first-person narration of the vicar.

After reading the book, I did a rewatch of the TV adaptation starring Geraldine MacEwan, whose portrayal of Miss Marple I like very much. I also liked the performances of Mark Gatiss and Derek Jacobi in this one.

>42 mathgirl40: may give this a re-read as I didn't really care for it the first time; probably an issue of the book at the wrong time!

>43 Tess_W: I didn't care for it the first time either, but I liked it better second time around, maybe because I've grown to appreciate Miss Marple more. :)

10. The Man of Bronze by Kenneth Robeson (3 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous

This is the first book of the Doc Savage pulp adventure stories. Once I started ignoring the sexism, racism and effusive descriptions of Doc's perfect qualities, then I was able to enjoy this story more, as it is indeed a fun adventure story. It is very much a product of its times, and people tell me that the series improves. I do hope that there are better female characters in the later books. The single female character in this story is supposedly educated and has many admirable skills but still acts like a lovesick adolescent.

11. Clothes Pegs by Noel Streatfeild (4 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous

This is the first book I'd read by Noel Streatfeild, and one written under the pseudonym Susan Scarlett. It's
a charming and delightful romance published in 1939. Annabel, a young woman from a working-class family, unexpectedly gets pulled into the modelling business while sewing in the backroom of a London fashion house.

12. Emily of New Moon by L. M. Montgomery (4 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous

I've been a fan of the Anne books for decades, ever since I was a teenager, but for some reason, I'd never gotten around to reading the Emily series. I enjoyed this first book, which recounts Emily's experiences living with her relations after she is orphaned and how she develops into a writer. There are definitely similarities to the Anne books, but I find Emily a more realistic and relatable character. I also wonder how many of the details concerning Emily's writing are from Montgomery's own experiences.

I've taken a BB for Clothes Pegs and I picked up a copy for my Kindle. Sounds like a fun read.

ETA: After checking all the "Susan Scarlett" books, I added a further three to my Kindle!!

I really need to seek out some Noel Streatfeild books! Also, glad you liked Emily of New Moon. I gobbled up all the Anne books as a kid and then went straight on to Emily, so I have a lot of nostalgic fondness for both series. I think the Emily books are a little bit more complex than the Anne ones.

>47 mathgirl40: LT tells me I last read this in 2010, so I'm about due for another read, I think ;) I love Emily!

>46 mathgirl40: and >47 mathgirl40: BB's for me!

>48 DeltaQueen50: It makes me happy that I'm such a good enabler that I made you buy 4 books at once! I'm tempted to buy a few more Susan Scarlett books myself.

>49 christina_reads: >50 rabbitprincess: Glad to see Emily fans here. I do want to read the remaining books, though I don't have the same nostalgic feeling I have for them like I do for Anne, since I hadn't read them as a child.

>51 Tess_W: Nice to be able to give out BB's since I've received many from you. :)

>47 mathgirl40: I haven't read any Emily books either…

>53 VictoriaPL: Glad I wasn't the only one! 😄

13. Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton (5 stars)
Category: Canadian Awards

This is an outstanding graphic-novel memoir of the author's two years working in the Alberta oil sands. The book is on the 2023 Canada Reads shortlist books, as well as the Ontario Library Association's Evergreen list. The author deals with a number of heavy issues, including isolation, depression, and sexism, that affect the workers, as well as the impact of the industry on the environment. The graphic-novel format makes it quite different from other works I've read dealing with these topics.

14. Asterix in Britain by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo (4.5 stars)
Category: Books in French

I'd read this story in English as a child and decided to reread the original French version. Having vacationed in England recently and with a daughter now living there, I enjoyed the friendly and humorous pokes at British culture. My family and I had a good laugh over one scene where Asterix and Obelix are asked if they'd like hot water, lukewarm beer or iced red wine with their boiled meat. I liked especially Goscinny's take on how tea was introduced to the British. I suspect that I didn't catch all the jokes, as my command of the French language is not strong enough to understand all the wordplay, and there is a lot of that in the Asterix books!

15. My Volcano by John Elizabeth Stintzi (4 stars)
Category: Tournament of Books

This unusual novel from the 2023 Tournament of Books is from an indie Canadian publisher, Arsenal Pulp Press, which also publishes Ivan Coyote's books, two of which I've read and loved. My Volcano starts off with a volcano growing in New York City's Central Park and from there, storylines take the reader across the world and across time. Most of the time while I was reading this book, I had no idea what was going on, but honestly, that didn't reduce my enjoyment of the story! It's weird and chaotic but also has beautiful moments and creates very vivid images.

16. The Help by Kathryn Stockett (5 stars)
Category: BookCrossing

I had heard of some of the controversy surrounding this book and the film adaptation, but I honestly loved the story. I was happy to learn more about the US's civil rights movement in the 1960's, especially now during Black History Month, which we also observe in Canada. I liked the distinct voices of the three narrators and loved all the humorous and heartwarming moments in the book.

I also watched the movie, which many had recommended to me. I enjoyed it very much but was a little bit disappointed that so many scenes and so much of the backstory had been cut out of the movie. Of course, I shouldn't have expected otherwise, as it would have been impossible to fit everything into a 2.5-hour movie.

17. Murder at the Mena House by Erica Ruth Neubauer (3.5 stars)
Category: Around the World

I chose this book, the first in the Jane Wunderly series, for the GeoCAT, as I've always wanted to visit the pyramids in Egypt. I really liked the exotic locale of this cozy mystery set in the 1920's, but the mystery didn't grab my attention. I felt lukewarm about the characters, but I am willing to give the next book in the series a try sometime to see if they grow on me.

>59 mathgirl40: Supports my rule: avoid authors who use three names.

>60 pamelad: Your comment made me check the books in my collection that got the lowest ratings, and sure enough, there were some three-name authors there! 😄

>61 mathgirl40: I also advise steering clear of authors who use the middle initials X and Y, unless their first name is Francis.

>60 pamelad:, >61 mathgirl40:, >62 pamelad: Interesting observation! I've suspected as much but haven't investigated further. Off now to check my catalogue.

>62 pamelad: I don't know if I know of any authors with those middle initials, but if I encounter any, I'll make sure I steer clear of them! 😄

18. Breathless by David Quammen (4.5 stars)
Category: Non-fiction and Other Formats

What I liked best about this book about COVID-19 is that its focus is on the science and the scientists. Quammen provides a lot of technical detail, but written in a way that non-specialists can understand. He also shows clearly how the scientific process works, with theories proposed based on the evidence gathered, debate within the scientific community and then adjustments or corrections to the theories as new knowledge is obtained.

For me, there are two ideas that struck me while reading this book. The first is that the pandemic was no surprise to the scientists who had been studying virulent diseases for the past couple of decades. It wasn't so much that they predicted the pandemic, but that this event was not unexpected or unnatural based on what they already knew.

The second idea is that computational biology played such a key role in identifying the genome and creating vaccines. In 2011, an acquaintance of mine was part of a large team that first identified the DNA of the Black Death bacteria, and it was big news then. Nowadays, sequencing of RNA and DNA is commonplace, with the results shared worldwide in databases, and that led to the (relatively) quick identification of the COVID-19 virus.

>65 mathgirl40: I read Spillover: animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic, another by Quammen that was worth a read. I'd say that Breathless describes his writing style.

>66 pamelad: I will definitely be reading more of Quammen's books. I've seen very good reviews of Spillover.

19. Dinosaurs by Lydia Millet (3.5 stars)
Category: Tournament of Books

This novel from the 2023 Tournament of Books shortlist follows an independently wealthy man as he gets entwined in the lives of a neighbouring family. This story had some appealing characters and posed interesting questions, but I found it rather slow-paced and was grateful that it was a relatively quick read.

20. The Secret of Terror Castle by Robert Arthur (3.5 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous

The Three Investigators, a juvenile mystery series, was my favourite when I was young, but it feels very dated now. I'm a little bit amazed (but maybe I shouldn't be surprised) that, when I was a child, it didn't bother me at all that there were so few female characters in the series. I guess I still related to the characters because I too, was more interested in problem-solving like Jupiter and spending time at the library like Bob than hanging out with the popular crowd! In any case, I still appreciate the puzzles set out by the author and the cleverness of the investigators, which was what appealed to me most when I first discovered this series.

Unfortunately, the books are difficult to find these days. Because of a long-standing copyright dispute, they are currently out of print.

21. The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb (5 stars)
Category: Tournament of Books

This book is from the 2023 Tournament of Books shortlist. I'm not sure how it will fare, as it's not as innovative or complex as some of the other books, but I loved the novel so much, with its mix of music, mystery and exploration of social issues.

The novel is about a poor Black violinist who, through hard work and mentorship, and the unexpected inheritance of a Stradivarius violin, finds himself poised to conquer the classical music world, until his precious violin is stolen from him.

My daughter has been playing violin and viola since childhood, so many of the scenes were familiar. She didn't face so many obstacles or own a Stradivarius, however. 🙂

22. The Invisible Child and the Fir Tree: Two Moomin Stories by Tove Jansson (4.5 stars)
Category: BookCrossing

This was sent to me as part of a BookCrossing roundabout. I'd not been familiar with the Moomin stories before, and I found these two stories charming and the illustrations delightful. I will have to look for more of these stories!

23. Chimes at Midnight by Seanan McGuire (4 stars)
Category: Next in the Series



24. Full of Briars by Seanan McGuire (4 stars)
Category: Next in the Series

Chimes at Midnight is the 7th book in the October Daye series. In this one, Toby tries to overthrow an illegitimate ruler while fighting a deadly addiction. I especially loved that Toby, in her weakened state, is supported by her various allies with their own unique talents.

Full of Briars is a novella that immediately follows Chimes at Midnight and it is focused on Toby's squire, Quentin Sollys. It provides some interesting backstory about this character, and I'll avoid spoilers here, but I will mention that he is Canadian, which means that there is the obligatory Tim Hortons reference in the book.

25. The Absent One by Jussi Adler-Olsen (3.5 stars)
Category: Around the World

I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked the first book in the series but this one was a little bit too disturbing, with the descriptions of the violence and other unsavoury acts of the criminals. As I was reading, I found myself tuning those parts out a bit and instead enjoying the interplay between Carl, Assad and the other supporting characters in the police department. Because of the interesting and likeable characters, I'll definitely continue the series and hope that the next installment isn't quite this gory.

>70 mathgirl40: Thank you, I've added The Violin Conspiracy to my wishlist!

>73 mathgirl40: After a terrific first book in the series I was so disappointed in this one. I very nearly gave up on the series and only tried more because of the characters.

>70 mathgirl40: I love any type of novel dealing with artists. On my WL it goes!

>74 VivienneR: >75 Tess_W: I hope you both enjoy The Violin Conspiracy. It was such a good read!

>74 VivienneR: I'm glad I wasn't the only one who found The Absent One an unpleasant read. I found it especially disturbing because there had been recent horrifying news of swarming attacks by groups of teenagers in nearby Toronto. For a while, my friends there felt very nervous going on the subway.

>70 mathgirl40: - I think I'll take a BB for this also.

>77 dudes22: Glad to see an interesting in The Violin Conspiracy. It was such a good read!

26. An Island by Karen Jennings (3.5 stars)
Category: Tournament of Books

This novel is set on an island in an unnamed African country. A former political prisoner is now a lighthouse keeper and his peaceful routine and isolation are disturbed when a near-dead man washes up on the shore. The author explores many issues in this relatively short novel, including violence, colonialism, trust and redemption. It is a worthy Tournament of Books shortlist book and I look forward to the ToB discussion, but I felt detached from the main character and story throughout the reading.

27. Whose Body by Dorothy Sayers (3.5 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous

I've read almost the entire Lord Peter Wimsey series and this one is definitely not among my favourites. However, it was interesting to reread this first book and see how Wimsey, Bunter and Parker were initially introduced to us. I especially liked the fact that Parker had a relatively large role in this story, as he doesn't seem to appear as much in the later books. It is a little bothersome to see examples of the racism and classism that many have noted in Sayers's books, but I've certainly seen much worse in many other mystery (as well as sci-fi and fantasy) books from the same era.

28. Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley (4 stars)
Category: Tournament of Books

This novel from the 2023 Tournament of Books shortlist follows the struggles of a young poor Black woman in Oakland who must rely on prostitution to survive. The story is gritty, hard-hitting and sad, showing the injustices meted out to those who have to deal with both poverty and racism. Despite the grimness of the subject matter, it's a good well-paced story featuring a strong, resilient character.

29. Decline and Fall by Evelyn Waugh (3.5 stars)
Category: 1001 Books

This classic, which is on the 1001 Books list, tells the story of Paul Pennyfather, who ends up taking a position as schoolteacher at a questionable school after he is expelled from Oxford. This sort of absurdist satire isn't really my thing. However, there were some very funny moments and insightful observations, and Pennyfeather is a likable character.

February summary:

I finished 16 books in February, probably the highest number I'd ever finished in a February! I was able to pull this off only because several were very short ones.

Much of my reading was from the Tournament of Books shortlist, and my favourite of the month was The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb.

>83 mathgirl40: An excellent reading month!!

>84 rabbitprincess: Thanks! It was a surprise, because I usually don't manage to even get through 10 books in a February.

30. Macabre Montreal by Mark Leslie and Shayna Krishnasamy (4 stars)
Category: Nonfiction

I enjoyed reading these stories during a visit back to my hometown of Montreal. The stories are not especially spooky or scary but if you are interested in the history of Montreal, this book is definitely worth reading, as it includes darker tales that you probably won't see in most history books about the city.

The first author Mark Leslie has written a series of similar collections based on various cities in Canada. He is soliciting stories from the city I live in right now, but unfortunately, nothing spooky or mysterious has ever happened to me in all my years living here!

31. Cetaganda by Lois McMaster Bujold (4 stars)
Category: Next in the Series

An excellent installment from the Vorkosigan series, in which Miles uses his wiles and his cousin Ivan's charms to avoid being framed for an incident which could lead to a diplomatic disaster. This was a reread for me, and it was as enjoyable as the first time around.

32. Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy (4.5 stars)
Category: BookCrossing

I really enjoyed this near-future story about a restless woman with a mysterious past who is on a journey to follow the migration of one of the last birds remaining on a dying Earth. The story is sad and moving, but also quite gripping, as the disturbing backstory unfolds. This story also offers a very timely and profound warning about our relationship to the environment.

>88 mathgirl40: Sounds wonderful! Going on my WL Great review!

>88 mathgirl40: A BB for me, too! I just finished The High House by Jessie Greengrass, which deals with a similar topic and also features birds.

>88 mathgirl40:

Sound wonderful. I have added it to my far too long Wishlist.

>89 Tess_W: >90 MissBrangwen: >91 Zozette: I hope you all enjoy the book. This was my first by Charlotte McConaghy and I'll be sure to read more.

33. The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty (4 stars)
Category: Tournament of Books

I really enjoyed this book from the 2023 Tournament of Books, which examines the interconnected lives of a number of people living in a rundown apartment building in a town that has seen better days. It mixes absurdly humorous scenarios with some very serious themes. It was a bit rambling but has a great cast of characters.

34. Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire (3.5 stars)
Category: Continue the Series

This 7th novella in the Wayward Children's series features a few new characters, as well as some familiar ones, but it takes place at a different school. I like the themes McGuire addresses and the potential of the new school setting, but I found the plot weak and the pacing inconsistent. It's not one of my favourites in this series, but it will be interesting to see how the series develops from here.

35. The Winter Long by Seanan McGuire (4.5 stars)
Category: Continue the Series

There was a lot of interesting backstory in this 8th book of the October Daye series, which reveals more about Toby's family history. Combined with the suspense, humour and fast-paced plot usually found in this series, it made for an excellent read, and I liked the wintry setting, as the title might suggest. I definitely would not recommend reading this book as a standalone, as much of the enjoyment for me came from revelations that earlier books hinted at.

36. Fifth Business by Robertson Davies (5 stars)
Category: 1001 Books

Our book club at work is reading the Deptford trilogy together over the year, so I had the chance to reread this classic from one of my favourite authors, about the life of a hagiographer (one who studies saints) from a small town in Ontario and the strange workings of fate.

As always, when doing a reread of a beloved book, I worry that I notice weaknesses I missed before or that the book will feel terribly dated. I'm happy to say that I enjoyed every moment of this reread and I'm looking forward to a reread of the next book, The Manticore.

I had the great fortune to attend one of Robertson Davies's readings many years ago, before he passed away. I recall that he had a very imposing presence when he spoke.

37. The North Water by Ian McGuire (4.5 stars)
Category: BookCrossing

I received this book as part of a BookCrossing roundabout. It's a tense and fast-paced historical thriller set on a 19th century whaling ship in the Arctic waters. I really liked the story and the author's writing, but I also found some parts quite disturbing. The book fits in the genre of "realist literature" and McGuire doesn't hold back in describing the grittiness and violence prevalent in his setting. I heard that a miniseries was made from this novel, but I'm not sure I'm up to seeing that sort of realism on the screen.

>88 mathgirl40: Migrations is a BB for me! I've been meaning to pick it up but somehow it was missed.

>96 mathgirl40: It's been a long time since I read Fifth Business. I was re-reading several recently but didn't get around to this one. Glad you enjoyed the re-read.

>96 mathgirl40: Have always wanted to read this trilogy. It's now on my next "binge buy!"

>98 VivienneR: Nice to be giving you a BB in return for all those you've given me in the past! :)

>99 Tess_W: I hope you enjoy it. I love Davies's other trilogies too, especially the Cornish Trilogy.

38. The Body Under the Piano by Marthe Jocelyn (4 stars)
Category: Historical Fiction

This is a charming middle-grade mystery with characters inspired by Agatha Christie and her works. It felt a bit like the Flavia de Luce books by Alan Bradley, but for a younger audience.

I'd read a couple of Marthe Jocelyn's YA books with more serious themes a number of years ago and am impressed with her versatility, writing in all these different genres.

>101 mathgirl40: Just got this from the library to check out for my granddaughters. Personally I never got past the first Flavia de Luce, but now I am reading for a younger audience so I may be ok with it. I like the concept. Hope to get to it soon.

>101 mathgirl40: That was an Early Reviewer book I snagged. Then I got a second one, The Dead Man in the Garden. I really enjoyed them.

>102 beebeereads: I hope you enjoy the book! Now that my daughters are grown up, I don't read as much middle-school and YA fiction anymore. It may be quite a while before I get to read with grandchildren, but I look forward to that time!

>103 VivienneR: Glad to hear that the next book is good too! I will definitely read the others, but I saw in a news article that the 4th book is the final book, as Jocelyn wants to move on to other projects.

39. Maigret and the Yellow Dog by George Simenon (3.5 stars)
Category: Books in French

This Maigret story about a series of frightening events in a French seaside town seemed slow and meandering to me, but everything did come together in a complex and surprising way at the end.

40. Death of Jezebel by Christianna Brand (4 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous

In this mystery, the death of an actress during a medieval pageant appears to be motivated by revenge. I found the plot to be convoluted in a rather unbelievable way but I really liked the writing style and the characters, as well as the mildly snarky humour. This was my first of Christianna Brand's books and I'm definitely going to be reading more from this series featuring Inspector Cockrill.

41. Colour Scheme by Ngaio Marsh (3.5 stars)
Category: Around the World

I've liked many of Ngaio Marsh's mysteries, but this one moved very slowly and felt very dated, in how the characters all acted. However, I did love the setting of a New Zealand hot springs resort, at which a variety of characters, including some of the Indigenous population and transplanted Europeans, are found.

42. Middlemarch by George Eliot (5 stars)
Category: Doorstoppers

I loved this brilliant examination of small-town English life in the 1800's. I've heard some complain that the book is slow and tedious, but I enjoyed every bit of it. It helped that I'd read it during a chapter-a-day Litsy read-along, and consuming it a bit of a time worked well for me.

After finishing the book, I borrowed the 1994 BBC TV adaptation from my library and loved that too. I thought that the acting was superb, and especially liked Patrick Malahide's performance as Casaubon, even though he was such an unpleasant character.

>108 mathgirl40: One of my all-time favorites. I re-read it last year; one of my favorite characters is Caleb Garth, Mary's father. If you like audiobooks, when you're ready for a re-read Juliet Stevenson does an excellent job reading this book.

I also read somewhere that proposed a theory that Middlemarch (1872) may have been influenced by Mary Elizabeth Braddon's The Doctor's Wife (1864), which in turn was influenced by Flaubert's Madame Bovary (1857). All three novels focus on a woman married to a small-town doctor, and an exploration of their marriages. After my last re-reading of Eliot, I read the two other novels and they were interesting to compare & contrast. Middlemarch, of course, is by far the best, IMHO.

I have two memoirs, My Life in Middlemarch by Rebecca Mead and Middlemarch: The Imperfect Life by Pamela Erens on my TBR, which I hope to get to soon.

>109 kac522: I did listen to an audiobook version, but it was narrated by Wanda McCaddon and I thought it was well done. I'm pretty sure I'll want to reread Middlemarch sometime in the future, so I'll keep the Juliet Stevenson version in mind.

Thanks also for the other book recommendations. I'll make a note of them. I've been trying to read more classics this year. (The ClassicsCAT certainly helps with that goal!)

43. Wine of Honour by Barbara Beauchamp (4 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous

This book from the Furrowed Middlebrow press provides an insightful look into how people from the different classes of English society dealt with the aftermath of WWII, with the primary character dealing with the homecoming of her husband, as well as the presence of her former lover. I found the book to have a slow start, but I grew increasingly absorbed in the characters' lives as I continued reading and enjoyed the book overall.

44. Cobalt by Charlie Angus
Category: Evergreen Books

This recently published book about the mining town of Cobalt is on the Ontario Library Association's 2023 Evergreen list, from which I read every year. It was written by Canadian Member of Parliament Charlie Angus, who has represented his Northern Ontario district for many years.

The book covers many aspects of Cobalt and mining history, including the effects on the environment, Indigenous populations, the national economy, and more. The topic seems very relevant these days, as there is a lot of interest in reviving the mining industry, in the search for rare-earth minerals, and Angus's story of Cobalt shows some of the mistakes made in the past that may provide lessons for the future.

>106 mathgirl40: Christianna Brand is one of my favourites and I've read all of her crime novels. Green for Danger is another good one.

>111 mathgirl40: Wine of Honour looks interesting, but I keep buying books from Dean Street Press and not reading them. I liked Elizabeth Fair, Ursula Orange and Frances Faviell so assumed I'd like all the others, but some of them were much too dull and prissy. Perhaps I could test drive 10% of Wine of Honour on Kindle.

>113 pamelad: I can see Christianna Brand becoming one of my favourites too!

>113 pamelad: I'd recommend Wine of Honour with reservations, as it has quite a slow start and might very well fall into the "dull and prissy" category for you. I didn't really start enjoying the book until about halfway through.

45. We Were Dreamers by Simu Liu (4.5 stars)
Category: Non-fiction

Although I like Simu Liu's acting, I was at first doubtful that this celebrity memoir, written at a relatively young age, would have much to offer. I ended up being surprised by how much it made me think about the immigrant experience, parenting, goals and expectations. My own parents were also immigrants from China and they too had some expectations that clashed with those of more typical Canadian families, but fortunately for me, they were much more tolerant than Liu's parents!

46. The Dangers of Smoking in Bed by Mariana Enriquez (3.5 stars)
Category: Around the World

As I've not read many books by South American authors, I enjoyed the experience of reading these horror stories, mostly set in urban Argentina. However, the stories themselves were mixed. A couple were excellent and some were just unpleasantly disturbing. My favourite among the stories was "The Well".

47. King of the Middle March by Kevin Crossley-Holland (3.5 stars)
Category: Historical Fiction

The third and final book in the Arthur of the Seeing Stone trilogy was a good conclusion to the series but not as compelling as I'd hoped. This historical fiction novel follows young Arthur de Caldicot as he goes on crusade. Meanwhile, the parallel story of King Arthur plays out in a "seeing stone" he received from Merlin. I liked the story well enough, but the entire trilogy is written in very short chapters that seem like vignettes and consequently, the story didn't seem to flow.

48. The Falls by Ian Rankin (4 stars)
Category: Around the World

In this installment of the Inspector Rebus series, Rebus investigates the disappearance of a young woman who was involved in a mysterious online game. I liked the complexity of the mystery and the multiple facets of the investigation that involved several of Rebus's colleagues. (BTW, I would love to read a mystery by Rankin in which Siobhan Clarke is the primary character.) I also liked that various places in Edinburgh are investigated by the investigators and are key to the plot. I hope to visit this city one day!

>118 mathgirl40: "I would love to read a mystery by Rankin in which Siobhan Clarke is the primary character" Oh yes, I'd read that, too!
I need to get back to the Rebus series, I somehow got stuck after book 8.

>119 MissBrangwen: Glad to see there are other Siobhan fans here. :)

49. The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey (3.5 stars)
Category: MIscellaneous

This mystery is supposedly part of the Inspector Alan Grant series but it actually features very little of him. The main character is a lawyer who takes on the defense of two women accused of confining and assaulting a teenage girl. I have very mixed feelings about the book. It's excellent as a mystery and I liked many of the characters, but the ideas and attitudes shown in the book are definitely dated. I can't help but think that a book with this storyline would not go over well these days.

50. Winter Flowers by Angélique Villeneuve (4 stars)
Category: BookCrossing

This is a book that I probably would have never discovered if a fellow BookCrosser hadn't sent it to me. It's a compact, sad and beautiful story, set at the end of WWI, about a family's struggles with poverty and the severe disfigurement of the returning father and husband. The novel shows many of the challenges that Parisians faced in the aftermath of the war.

51. The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older (3.5 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous

I really liked Malka Older's Infomocracy series so I had been impatiently waiting for this new book, a novella and first of a series featuring two women, with a romantic history, solving mysteries. I loved the idea of a cozy mystery set on Jupiter but the execution was so-so. The plot had some tedious moments, but I did like Older's worldbuilding. The sci-fi elements in this book were definitely better than the mystery ones.

52. What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher (4.5 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous

This novella is a creepy and compelling retelling of Poe's "Fall of the House of Usher", which I like even more than the original story. T. Kingfisher (a.k.a. Ursula Vernon) is an excellent storyteller and captures the gothic atmosphere really well. I also found the cover art by Christina Mrozik quite disturbing and mesmerizing!

>122 mathgirl40: Winter Flowers is available on KindleUnlimited, so in the light of your review, the 4.5* rating on LT, and its length of only 59 pages, I'll read it soon.

>124 mathgirl40: Another excellent, short book!

>121 mathgirl40: - I am behind in this series and need to get back to it before I forget all the characters.

I'm so glad you loved Middlemarch! It's one of my all time favorites. I've read it 3 times and always find something new.

I also found Josephine Tey to read very dated on social issues, sexism, racism, etc. I think I read 3 of her mysteries and then decided that was enough.

>125 pamelad: Wrong book! An Amazon concatenation of 2 books with the same title.

>126 dudes22: That happens to me all the time. I stalled midway through the Wheel of Time series and I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to resume, as the last books I'd read had so many different characters, but I don't really want to reread those monster tomes.

>127 japaul22: I'm certain that I'll be doing a reread of Middlemarch at some time in the future, but I might delve into some of George Eliot's other works first. Yes, it's too bad about Tey, because I find the mysteries themselves well constructed.

>128 pamelad: It seems that "Winter Flowers" is not an uncommon title! :)

53. Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire (4.5 stars)
Category: Continue the Series

In this novella from McGuire's popular Wayward Children series, Antsy, seeking escape from an abusive home situation, finds a portal that takes her to a different world, and as she discovers later, to many different worlds.

I was a little disappointed by the last few additions to the series, so I am especially happy that this latest installment is so strong. It's the 8th book in the series but is a standalone, so it can be enjoyed by those who are new to the series.

54. A Red Rose Chain by Seanan McGuire (4.5 stars)
Category: Continue the Series

This is the 9th book from the October Daye series, which seems to get better with every subsequent book. In this installment, Toby goes to another Faerie kingdom to try to prevent a war and in doing so, learns surprising secrets about her alchemist friend Walther. One reason I like this series so much is that each of the many supporting characters seems to have a unique and interesting backstory.

55. The Final Trial by Kelley Armstrong (4 stars)
Category: Continue the Series

This is the fourth and final book in the middle grade A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying series by Kelley Armstrong. It's a satisfying conclusion to the series about how a princess with an affinity to wild creatures strives to become the "Royal Monster Hunter" for her kingdom. The stories in this series are charming and enjoyable, with some humour and cuteness, and a lot of adventure.

56. Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte (4 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous

This classic novel of a young governess who endures the trials of working with very difficult families before eventually finding happiness was an enjoyable read. However, it does not seem as memorable as The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, which I had read last year and had liked very much.

57. Major League Chew by John Layman (3.5 stars)
Category: Continue the Series

This is the 5th collection of comics about Tony Chu, a cannibalistic detective who can recreate events at a crime scene by tasting the remains left there. This particular volume was all over the place and didn't actually feature much baseball, despite the promise of the cover, but the series is a lot of fun, if you can put up with the grossness!

58. Valley of the Birdtail: An Indian Reserve, a White Town, and the Road to Reconciliation by Andrew Stobo Sniderman and Douglas Sanderson (Amo Binashii) (4 stars)
Category: Evergreen Books

As the book's subtitle suggests, it is about the relationship between an Indigenous community in Manitoba, Canada, and the neighbouring town made up primarily of descendents of Ukrainian immigrants. However, the main theme of the book, which is not so apparent from the subtitle, is the inequities in the education systems of Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada.

Even though I've read a reasonable amount about the shameful acts committed by the Canadian government with respect to the Indigenous population, I still learned a number of uncomfortable things about Canada's history that I hadn't known before.

>133 mathgirl40: I liked Agnes Grey much better than the books by her sisters - less melodrama and dubious 'heroes'! But ultimately it felt to me like Jane Austen without the humour. I must try The Tenant of Wildfell Hall sometime.

>136 Jackie_K: I noticed too that Anne Bronte writes in a style that's less melodramatic and more realistic than that of her sisters. It's too bad that we have only these two novels from her.

59. The Flight of the Heron by D. K. Broster (4.5 stars)
Category: Historical Fiction

D. K. Broster seems to be mostly forgotten these days, but I've enjoyed very much several of her historical fiction novels. This novel is the first of a trilogy about the unexpected friendship between two soldiers on opposite sides of the 1745 Jacobite rebellion in Scotland.

60. Yolk by Mary H. K. Choi (4.5 stars)
Category: BookCrossing

There's a lot going on in this story about two estranged Korean American sisters trying to reconcile while grappling with their own individual challenges. As a Canadian-born child of Chinese immigrants, I could relate to the narrator's feelings about straddling the line between two cultures, and I enjoyed all the food references. I really liked the humour and the exploration of the themes of illness and sibling relationships.

61. City of the Lost by Kelley Armstrong (4 stars)
Category: Around the World

This book, the first in the Rockton series, is a dark mystery/thriller set in a remote village in the Yukon, featuring a detective hiding from dangerous elements associated with her past. I've read a lot of Kelley Armstrong's novels but this is the first without any supernatural elements. I enjoyed the mystery and the setting and plan to continue the series.

62. Nancy's Mysterious Letter by Carolyn Keene (3.5 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous

In this story, teenage detective Nancy Drew investigates a mystery surrounding another person with the same name who is about to receive a large inheritance. The story has a bit of everything -- mistaken identity, fraud, threats of violence, and of course, the contributions of Nancy's friends and family. The plot is rather implausible. However, rereading this book reminded me of why I loved this series so much when I was young.

>139 mathgirl40: As a Canadian-born child of Chinese immigrants, I could relate to the ... I didn't realize you had Chinese heritage. Have you read Superfan by Jen Sookfong Lee? I quite enjoyed it.

Delighted to hear that Nancy Drew holds up to an adult reread

>142 Nickelini: Thanks for the recommendation of Superfan. It looks like a book I would enjoy very much, and I've added it to my library wishlist.

>143 mathgirl40: I’ll be interested to hear your thoughts if you read it. I enjoyed 2 of her earlier novels the Conjoined and the Better Mother, and she was tenacious in her defence of Fruit on Canada Reads years ago.

I have to add that she’s the ex-wife of a friend of mine and have met her a few times, but I wouldn’t read or recommend her if I thought she wasn’t a good writer

>144 Nickelini: I always think it's terrific when you have a connection to an author you like, and I'm sure I can trust your recommendation of Jen Sookfong Lee's books. :)

63. Anxious People by Fredrik Bachman (4 stars)
Category: BookCrossing

This is a convoluted and humorous story of a bank robbery gone wrong. It turns into a hostage taking and in the course of the investigation, a number of people learn surprising truths about the others and themselves. I didn't love this one the way I did Beartown, the only other Backman I've read. However, I really liked how the characters' lives were all intertwined and the idea that one person's actions can have such a great effect on others.

64. Bad Blood by John Carreyrou (5 stars)
Category: Nonfiction

Our book club at work chose this book about the fraudulent Theranos corporation to read, and it's very timely, as founder Elizabeth Holmes is starting her 11-year prison sentence today.

I couldn't believe that a true crime novel not involving murders or missing persons could be so absolutely riveting. I found it especially interesting since I've been working at a small tech company for over 20 years, and this book is essentially a guide on how NOT to run a tech business!

65. High Times in the Low Parliament by Kelly Robson (3.5 stars)
Category: Hugo/Aurora Awards

This book was recently nominated for the 2023 Aurora Best Novella award. It is set in an 18th-century parliament inhabited by humans and fairies. It's clever, funny and satirical, but the plot and characters just didn't appeal to me all that much. I adore the cover image, though.

66. Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree (4 stars)
Category: MIscellaneous

This novel is a cozy fantasy story about a retired bounty hunter who decides to settle down in a small village and open up a coffee shop. It didn't quite live up to my admittedly high expectations given all the hype it's gotten, but I still found it very charming and enjoyable. I especially liked the audiobook narration, done by the author himself.

67. Even Though I Knew the End by C. L. Polk (4.5 stars)
Category: Hugo/Aurora Awards

This book was recently nominated for the 2023 Aurora Best Novella award. It's a historical fantasy set in Chicago of the 1920's, featuring demons, angels and a noir-style mystery. I enjoyed it very much and thought it had a lot of depth in its plot and characters for a novella-length book.

68. Yoked with a Lamb by Molly Clavering (4 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous

This was a charming story about a woman's attempts to help her friend get reintegrated into society after a breakup and reconciliation. I was uncomfortable with some of the attitudes toward women but had to remind myself that this book was written in 1938. I especially liked the main character and the humour.

69. Once Broken Faith by Seanan McGuire (4.5 stars)
Category: Continue the Series

This is another excellent installment from the October Daye series. In this one, Toby negotiates the politics of a conclave involving faerie kings and queens, and ends up as lead investigator when one of the monarchs is murdered.

This is the 10th book from this long-running series. I'd been hoping to catch up with the series, which now has 16 books, by the end of the year, but now I found out that books 17 AND 18 will be published before 2023 is done.

70. Fear and Miss Betony by Dorothy Bowers (4 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous

I enjoyed this Golden Age mystery about a retired governess who helps a former pupil by investigating mysterious events at a combination nursing home and boarding school. The story was creepy and suspenseful but also had touches of humour, and the characters were great.

Dorothy Bowers is another new-to-me author. I've been following a read-along group on Litsy featuring Golden Age crime writers and I've discovered several new ones that way.

71. Ghostlight by Kenneth Oppel (4 stars)
Category: Hugo/Aurora

A nominee for the Aurora (Canadian SFF) award for Best YA novel, this ghost story is set at the Gibraltar Point Lighthouse located on the Toronto islands. The lighthouse is a real landmark in Toronto that indeed has a reputation for being haunted!

The story is a good one, though predictable at times. What I enjoyed most was learning more about Canada's history. I've been to Toronto's Centre Island a number of times, mostly to the airport and a few times to the children's amusement park with early 1900's themed rides. Now, I'm eager to go and see the lighthouse for myself.

72. L'Etoile Mysterieuse by Hergé
Category: Books in French

This was a fun adventure set in the Arctic waters. Tintin and Snowy join a scientific expedition (travelling on Captain Haddock's ship, of course) to find the remnants of a meteorite. I was happy to find this book in French at a local book sale, as I continue trying to improve my reading skills in that language.

>155 mathgirl40: I've never really tried Tintin, but I like reading the Asterix books. My French is very rusty, but I can usually manage them! I really must have a go at reading Tintin some time.

>156 Jackie_K: I've read some of the Asterix books in French too, and I find Tintin easier to read. The Asterix books feature a lot of slang and play on words, and I often feel I'm missing half the jokes. :)

73. Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff (4.5 stars)
Category: Around the World

Geeta has no idea where her abusive husband went when he left her several years ago, but everyone in her village thinks that she had murdered him. Initially shunned by the other women, they now turn to her for help in getting rid of their own no-good husbands.

I loved the premise of this novel. The characters were wonderful, and I enjoyed both the humour and the exploration of ethical questions that are not so easy to answer. The author examines the challenges facing women living within a caste system.

74. Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao (4.5 stars)
Category: Hugo/Aurora Awards

In this fast-paced middle-school novel, Chinese history and folklore are combined with augmented reality video games. Twelve-year-old Zachary Ying is possessed by the spirit of an emperor from Ancient China and is compelled to travel to China and fight alongside similarly possessed companions to prevent a worldwide catastrophe.

I loved Xiran Jay Zhao's debut novel, Iron Widow, which I'd read when it was nominated for the Aurora Best YA Novel award last year. This, their second novel, received a nomination again this year. This one is meant for a younger audience but is just as enjoyable. The diverse characters, including the villains, are the best part of the book!

75. House in the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune (4 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous

Linus Baker, a bureaucrat with an unexciting life, is sent a school with magical misfits, so that he can report back on its operations. While there, he learns much about the occupants and about himself.

This was a charming story with great characters. I have to admit, however, that I was a little disappointed, given that so many people had raved about Klune's books. My expectations were probably a bit too high, but I really enjoyed the story in any case.

76. It by Stephen King (5 stars)
Category: Doorstopper

This is one of Stephen King's most well-known books, about a group of pre-teens who successfully battles an evil entity, and their reunion 30 years later to resume the fight when the entity re-emerges.

It took me some time to get through all 45 hours of the audiobook, but it was well worth it! I can understand all the criticisms I've heard about this book. It's indeed sprawling and messy, and there are a number of really uncomfortable scenes, but I absolutely loved the story and the characters all the same. I'm quite sure I'll be rereading this book at some future date.

77. The Jade Setter of Janloon by Fonda Lee (4.5 stars)
Category: Hugo/Aurora

I loved revisiting the world of the Green Bone Saga in this standalone novella, which recently won the Aurora Best Novella/Novelette award. This urban fantasy story has a strong mystery/thriller element and great characters, including some from the original trilogy.

78. The Manticore by Robertson Davies (4 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous

I'd reread this novel for my workplace's book club's year-long read of the Deptford trilogy. It's not among my favourites of Davies's works, but it's still very good. It got mixed reviews from the rest of the book club. Some didn't care for the way much of the story was told – through the main character's conversation with a Jungian psychoanalyst. This one, like RD's other novels, had plenty of insightful and witty observations. My favourite is, “Fanaticism is overcompensation for doubt.“

79. Thirty-Three Teeth by Colin Cotterill (4 stars)
Category: Around the World

I thoroughly enjoyed this second book in the Dr. Siri Paiboun series. The characters are great, especially Dr. Siri, who shows incredible resourcefulness, given how little he has to work with. The plot is fast-moving and I'm learning a lot about Laos in the 1970's when this story is set.

80. The Daughter of Dr. Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (4.5 stars)
Category: Hugo/Aurora

This retelling of H. G. Wells's novel has received Best Novel nominations for both the Hugo and Aurora SFF awards this year. (It did not win the Aurora but is still in the running for the Hugo.) The story started off slow but the second half was fast-paced and exciting, with a number of plot turns that I didn't expect. I'd never read The Island of Dr. Moreau, but I wish I had done so beforehand, as it would have been interesting to compare with this book's take on it.

>165 mathgirl40: Haven't read that one yet, but I've been very impressed with Silvia Moreno-Garcia's work so far!

>166 christina_reads: Me too. I've enjoyed many of her works, since Signal to Noise, the very first one of hers I'd read a number of years ago.

81. Une jeune femme en guerre, tome 2 by Maryse Rouy (4 stars)
Category: Books in French

This is the second volume of a historical fiction series, available only in French as far as I know. The main character is a young woman trying to establish her independence. I enjoyed this installment which takes place partly in Italy, where Lucie works as a WWII photographer, and partly back in her hometown of Montreal.

82. The Brightest Fell by Seanan McGuire (4.5 stars)
Category: Next in the Series

This 11th book is another excellent installment in the October Daye series, which was nominated again this year for the Hugo Best Series award. Toby, aided by her squire Quentin, joins forces with her problematic uncle Simon to search for her missing half-sister.

83. Thank You, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse (4 stars)
Category: 1001 Books

This is a classic Jeeves story (actually a full-length novel), in which Jeeves saves Bertie from all sorts of uncomfortable predicaments. I found this book very humorous and fun. However, I recall the Jeeves and Wooster TV adaptation with Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry being even funnier.

84. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides (4 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous

I found this story about a psychotherapist who is obsessed with finding out the truth from a patient who refuses to speak to anyone very hard to put down. There were perhaps some overdone tropes but I did enjoy this story with its very twisty ending.

85. Freddy the Pig by Walter R. Brooks (4 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous

This classic story of farm animals who decide to take a break from their regular routine to spend the winter in sunny Florida is charming and much funnier than I'd expected. It reminded me of Animal Farm, but without the subversive message. This is the first in the Freddy the Pig series.

86. Her First Palestinian by Saeed Teebi (4.5 stars)
Category: Evergreen Awards

This strong collection of stories was nominated for this year's Ontario Library Association Evergreen award. The stories are set mostly in Toronto and explore the experiences of Palestinian immigrants in Canada. I found that the author was quite good at getting me interested in the activities and fates of the characters after just a few sentences into each story.

>172 mathgirl40: Oh my, I hadn't thought of those books in ages. We had copies of some of them in my elementary school library, and they were a bit old and battered even that far back.

>174 KeithChaffee: I've not seen any print copies, but my library has e-book versions of several in the series, and they are also available to Canadians through https://www.fadedpage.com/ because they are in the Canadian public domain (but unfortunately, not in the US public domain yet, as far as I know). It was a fun read and I may try another in the series.

87. A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe by Alex White (4 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous

I always enjoy a good space opera. This one, about a group of outcasts thrown unexpectedly together, was well-paced and had good character development. The magic system was an interesting one, blending some elements of fantasy and science fiction.

88. Malice Aforethought by Francis Iles (4 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous

I'm not usually all that fond of crime novels where the identity of the murderer is known from the beginning, but I did enjoy this one, about a man who murders his wife. It was still quite suspenseful as we see whether and how the murderer is brought to justice.

89. All the Seas of the World by Guy Gavriel Kay (5 stars)
Category: Aurora/Hugo Awards

This historical fantasy novel by one of my favourite authors returns to his alternate Renaissance setting. It contains references to earlier characters and events but works perfectly as a standalone story.

The audiobook is beautifully read by Simon Vance, who has narrated most if not all of GGK's novels. Honestly, I couldn't image anyone else reading them.

This book had been nominated for the 2023 Aurora Best Novel award but lost out to The Embroidered Book (which was OK with me, as I loved that book too).

90. The Hollow Boys by Douglas Smith (3 stars)
Category: Aurora/Hugo Awards

This urban fantasy story set in Toronto won the Aurora Best YA Novel award this year, which surprised me, as there were others I found much stronger, such as Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Chao. Smith's book has a really interesting premise and fast-paced action, but I found the character development quite weak. I'd like to find out what happens next plot-wise but I don't think I have the patience to continue the series.

>178 mathgirl40: I love Simon Vance! I mostly listen to classics and he is brilliant reading Dickens and Trollope and Thomas Hardy. His voices are fantastic. With most readers my mind wanders during long narrative passages, but he keeps my attention and makes those otherwise slower parts more meaningful.

>180 kac522: I had the chance to "meet" Simon Vance over Zoom at the 2020 Worldcon convention, which was held online. He talked to the audience members about his experiences as an audiobook narrator. I really enjoyed the event and would love to meet him in person one day. Glad to see another fan of his here!

>181 mathgirl40: OMG! I'm so jealous! He has spoiled me for any other male reader. Juliet Stevenson is my favorite female; she is brilliant reading Jane Eyre, Persuasion and Middlemarch.

>182 kac522: I'll have to seek out Juliet Stevenson's work! I just finished listening to Middlemarch recently, but the version that my library offered was narrated by Nadia May.

91. Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove by Rati Mehrotra
Category: Aurora/Hugo Awards

I really liked the setting of this novel, which was nominated for (but didn't win) the Aurora Best YA Novel award. It's the story of a young guardswoman in an alternate ancient India who finds herself in the midst of court intrigue and violence. It's a nice mix of fantasy, adventure, mythology and romance.

92. Birds of Maine by Michael DeForge (4 stars)
Category: Aurora/Hugo

This comics collection was nominated for the 2023 Aurora Best Graphic Novel award (but didn't win). The story revolves about birds living on the moon after abandoning Earth is decidedly weird. The birds have strange technology and societal norms, and though I didn't understand completely how things like the fungal internet worked, I happily enjoyed the glorious artwork.

93. Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett (4 stars)
Category: Continue the Series

This is a fun Discworld story about the City Watch investigating murders thought to be committed by a golem. Pratchett exposes how the wealthy and powerful treat minorities and outsiders in his usual hilarious way.

>183 mathgirl40: I love Middlemarch. I just finished My Life in Middlemarch by Rebecca Mead. It's part memoir, part biography of Eliot and part analysis of the novel. She titles her 8 chapters the same as the 8 books of the novel. I thought it was really well done, with just enough of her personal story to empathize, but not too much that she overshadows George Eliot's life or the novel. I've had it on my shelf since it first came out in paperback, and I'm sorry I didn't get to it sooner.

>187 kac522: Thanks for the recommendation. This looks like a good companion book to Middlemarch, which I'm sure I'll be rereading sometime in the future.

94. Unsub by Meg Gardiner (4 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous

This story about a detective's hunt for a serial killer was fast-paced, scary, disturbing and very hard to put down at times. I feel a little conflicted about the way the story was resolved, though. I plan to read more in this series, but I think I'll avoid doing so when I'm alone in the house!

95. Fell Murder by E. C. R. Lorac (4 stars)
Category: Miscellaneous

I can't believe I'd waited this long to read any of E. C. R. Lorac's books, since so many Golden Age mystery lovers had recommended them to me. I really enjoyed the setting and characters of this one, which is set in Lancashire county in England. My only complaint is that the set-up took a very long time.

96. Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher (4 stars)
Category: Aurora/Hugo Awards

A 2023 Hugo Best Novel nominee, this story provides an interesting take on the fairy godmother character. Marra is a very un-princess-like princess trying to save her sister by completing three "impossible" tasks. I always enjoy books by T. Kingfisher, a.k.a. Ursula Vernon, which tend to combine some humour and romance with fantasy.

97. Borders of Infinity by Lois McMaster Bujold (4.5 stars)
Category: Continue the Series

I listened to these three novellas featuring Miles Vorkosigan on audio, with excellent narration from Grover Gardner. It was a reread for me, and just as enjoyable as the first time around. The three stories are independent, but in this combined volume, Bujold adds some framing, with Miles in a hospital bed relaying the stories to his boss, Simon Illyan.

98. Dune: the Official Movie Graphic Novel by Lilah Sturges (3.5 stars)
Category: Hugo/Aurora

This official movie tie-in graphic novel was nominated for the 2023 Hugo Best Graphic Story award. The artwork is gorgeous but the book didn't seem to add anything to the movie version and it is too short to capture the depth of Herbert's novel.

99. Cyberpunk 2077: Big City Dreams by Bartosz Sztybor (3.5 stars)
Category: Hugo/Aurora

I'd read this graphic novel because it was on the Hugo Best Graphic Story nominee list this year and probably wouldn't have picked it up otherwise. I expect I would have enjoyed it more if I had been familiar with the video game it's based on.

100. Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett (4 stars)
Category: Hugo/Aurora

I'd heard good things about this urban fantasy series, nominated for the 2023 Hugo Best Series award, and I found this first book to be a very promising start. I liked the diverse characters, the interesting magic system and the humour. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Tara Sands and thought it was well done; the voice of the snarky sentient key Clef was perfect.