DeltaQueen Tries for Balance & Focus in 2023 - Part 4

_________

Animals aren’t the only ones that can demonstrate Balance & Focus!

Hello, my name is Judy and I have been participating in the Category Challenge since 2009. I live in a suburb of Vancouver, B.C. with my husband of 44 years. Our two daughters are married and, lucky for us, living not too far away. We have two grandchildren, a boy and a girl, who are pretty much grown up but we see them often. Grandson is a real outdoors guy and loves to fish, hunt and go camping. Granddaughter is in her first year of college and is working toward a teacher’s certificate which will take her four years, I believe. She is crazy for horses and rides every week. She is currently supplementing her income by working part-time at Starbucks. We live a quiet life and reading is a favorite occupation for both of us.

I have decided that this year will be a year of seeking balance and focus in my reading life. I have less categories than I usually have and will plan everything on a monthly basis. I have chosen monthly themes and will try to read at least 2 books that will fit each theme. We have an interesting mix of Cats and Kits this year but I am planning on participating only when I have a book that fits. As always I will be reading a certain number of books from the 1,001 Books To Read Before You Die list and participating the Reading Through Time Challenges, keeping track on a monthly basis. Another way of obtaining balance is to read both high and low from my own shelves – I have 20 shelves that are packed with books so I plan to read at least two books from separate shelves every month. Along with that I also have over 1,300 books loaded onto my various Kindles and Audio Apps and so will try to include a couple of them monthly as well. I also have a very long library list that I need to keep chipping away at.

The focus part of my challenge this year involves series. I am trying to focus on my on-going series so instead of starting new series, I will read from the ones I am already working on. Of course, I will also be participating in the BingoDog which I hope to complete with books that I have already chosen to read. As I do love a good reading challenge, I also have developed one of 30 prompts from other various challenges and one that is a monthly challenge for one book. Of course I will be continuing to participate in the monthly TIOLI Challenges.

We are now more than halfway through the year and I can say that my challenge is working. My shelves are showing empty spaces as I mostly replace my books with e-books. I have made a few dents in my series but this will be a on-going project. As always, I am enjoying good books and good conversation here on Library Thing!

Challenge Format:

I intend to list my reading by the month, but I will list my planning process at the beginning of each month. There may be some over-lapping but even if a book fits in a variety of places, it will only count once in my monthly book count.

1. Monthly Planning

I will chose a theme for the month and read one or two books that will fit

Themes

January: Winter Weather
February: Matters of the Heart
March: Short Stories
April: Historical Fiction
May: Hispanic Heritage
June: An English Summer Garden
July: Celebrating Canadian Authors
August: Travel, Adventure, Survival
September: Back to School
October: Things that Go Bump in the Night
November: War
December: Christmas Stories/Mysteries

Cats & Kits

I will list which Cat/Kit I am participating in, along with the book that I
will be reading

1,001 Reads

Will chose one or more books to read from the 1,001 Books to Read
Before You Die List

Reading Thru Time

Historical Fiction that will fit the monthly theme as set by the members
of the Reading Through Time Group

High & Low Shelves

Books chosen from my shelves


Kindle & Audio

Also chosen from my stock

Series

One of two series books per month

Library Books

At least one or two from the list each month

Extras

Just in case I read a book that doesn’t fit elsewhere

Tickers

Books Read



Pages Read

2023 Reading Challenge

1. Connection to Ireland:
2. Set during a war: The Heroic Garrison
3. Read a non-fiction book: No Beast So Fierce
4. Published the year you joined Library Thing (2008): A Daughter's Secret
5. A body part is in the title: A Serpent's Tooth
6. A post-apocalyptic story: Siege
7. A book related word is in the title:
8. The book features a road trip: A Thousand Miles
9. The word “Lost” in in the title: The Lost World
10. A new-to-you author: One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow
11. The word “All” is in the title: All the Light We Cannot See
12. An item is named in the title: A Catalog of Birds
13. A short book of 250 pages or less: Enter a Murderer
14. Location is in title: Jellicoe Road
15. Science Fiction or Fantasy Written by a Woman: Scout's Progress
16. A Direction word is in the title: Star of the North
17. The title contains 5 – 7 words: The Life and Times of Persimmon Wilson
18. A pronoun is in the title: You Are Dead
19. A Sword, dagger or shield in pictured on the cover: Sharp Ends
20. “Love” is in the title: The Man Who Loved Lions
21. Read a Graphic Novel: The Customer is Always Wrong
22. Finish a long-reading series: Circle of Flight
23. Title contains a month: February's Son
24. Story is set in space: The Last Colony
25. One of the 5 W’s – who, what, where, when and why – is in the
title: Where Angels Fear to Tread
26. The word “Secret” is in the title: The Secrets We Left Behind
27. Title contains a quiet word – quiet, whisper, silence, hush, etc –
28. “ING” is found in title words: Last Seen Wearing
29. A memory word in title – memory, remember, recall, past, when: A Memory of Violets
30. Set in a Mediterranean country: The Scent of the Night

2023 Interconnected Monthly Reading Challenge

1. January: A Book That Starts with “A” or “The”: The Heroic Garrison by V. A. Stuart

2. February: The cover or spine of the book compliments the January book cover: Splendid by Julia Quinn - Navy Blue Spine compliments The Heroic Garrison by V. A. Stuart - Dark Red Spine

3. March: The Title Starts with the next letter in the alphabet from your February book: "T" - The Taking of Jemima Boone by Matthew Pearl - historical fiction

4. April: A different genre from your March book: Death At the Opera by Gladys Mitchell - Mystery - 191 pages

5. May: The book is longer than the book in April: The Glass-Sided Ants' Nest by Peter Dickinson - 212 pages - 21 letters

6. June: The title has half as many letters as your May book: The Cartel by Don Winslow - set in Mexico

7. July: Set in a different country or part of the world from your June book - Crime Machine by Giles Blunt - set in Canada

8. August: The same genre as the July book: Crime Machine - July and Shoot to Thrill by P. J. Tracy are both crime novels.

9. September: Turn to page 50 of the August book and your September book must have one of the words on this page in it’s title.

10. October: The book’s title starts with the first letter of the author’s name from your September book

11. November: Set in a different time period from your October book

12. December: Book has to be within 20 pages of the book you read in November.

2023 Bingo Dog



1. Art or craft related: Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher by Timothy Egan
2. Popular author's first book: Splendid by Julia Quinn
3. A topic you don't usually read about: Blue Horses by Mary Oliver
4. A book that taught you something: Life on the Mississippi by Rinker Buck
5. A best seller from 20 years ago: Slightly Scandalous by Mary Balogh
6. STEM topic: The Midwife of Venice by Roberta Rich
7. Author under 30: Where Angels Fear to Tread by E. M. Forster
8. Number/quantity in title: One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow by Olivia Hawker
9. Author shares your zodiac sign: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
10. Features an inn or hotel: The Maid by Nita Prose
11. Next in one of your series: The Laughterhouse by Paul Cleave
12. Features music or a musician: Star of the North by Anna Jacobs
13. Read a Cat: Deadly Friends by Stuart Pawson
14. Small town or rural setting: Storm in the Village by Miss Read
15. Features a journalist or journalism: Of Wee Sweetie Mice and Men by Colin Bateman
16. Set on a plane, a train or a ship: The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan
17. A memoir: The Customer is Always Wrong by Mimi Pond
18. Features a member of the cat family: No Beast So Fierce by Dane Huckelbridge
19. 1,000 + copies on Library Thing: Empire of the Sun by J. G. Ballard
20. Involves an accident: The Sands of the Kalahari by William Mulvihill
21. A book is on the cover: The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald
22. 4+ rating on Library Thing: Scout's Progress by Sharon Lee
23. Switched or stolen identity: The Bone Garden by Kate Ellis
24. Local and/or regional author: Grizzlies, Gales and Giant Salmon by Pat Ardley
25. Plant in Title or on Cover: The Rainbow and the Rose by Nevil Shute

2023 TOTAL BOOKS READ

January

1. A Catalog of Birds by Laura Harrington - 4.2 ★
2. The Heroic Garrison by V. A. Stuart - 3.8 ★
3. After the Snow by S. D. Crockett - 2.5 ★
4. Empire of the Sun by J. G. Ballard - 4.3 ★
5. When the Music's Over by Peter Robinson - 4.5 ★
6. The Other Typist by Suzanne Rindell - 4.1 ★
7. Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Cosby - 4.5 ★
8. A Daughter's Secret by Anne Bennett - 3.7 ★
9. The Taster by V. S. Alexander - 3.7 ★
10. Paper Wife by Laila Ibrahim - 4.0 ★
11. Chess Story by Stefan Zweig - 4.0 ★
12. The Silent Land by Graham Joyce - 4.5 ★
13. Deadly Friends by Stuart Pawson - 4.0 ★
14. The Princess Bride by William Goldman - 4.5 ★
15. The Midwife of Venice by Rpberta Rich - 3.8 ★
16. Bats in the Belfry by E. C. R. Lorac - 3.6 ★
17. The Scent of the Night by Andrea Camilleri - 4.0 ★

February

18. The Hunger by Alma Katsu - 4.0 ★
19. Splendid by Julia Quinn - 3.8 ★
20. Vathek by William Beckford - 3.4 ★
21. The Girl from World's End by Leah Fleming - 3.6 ★
22. Black Seconds by Karin Fossum - 4.0 ★
23. The Life and Times of Persimmon Wilson by Nancy Peacock - 5.0 ★
24. Scout's Progress by Sharon Lee - 4.3 ★
25. The Awakening by Kate Chopin - 3.3 ★
26. A Thousand Miles by Bridget Morrissey - 2.0 ★
27. The Salt Line by Holly Goddard Jones - 2.5 ★
28. The Bells At Old Bailey by Dorothy Bowers - 3.5 ★
29. No Beast So Fierce by Dane Hucklebridge - 3.8 ★
30. Eden by Tony Monchinski - 3.8 ★
31. Sydney Bridge, Upside Down by David Ballantyne - 4.0 ★
32. Slightly Scandalous by Mary Balogh - 3.8 ★
33. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta - 4.3 ★
34. A Darker Domain by Val McDermid - 4.1 ★

2023 Books Read (con't)

March

35. Circle of Flight by John Marsden - 3.8 ★
36. The Customer is Always Wrong by Mimi Pond - 4.2 ★
37. Life on the Mississippi by Rinker Buck - 4.0 ★
38. Mothers Tell Your Daughters by Bonnie Jo Campbell - 4.2 ★
39. Raft of Stars by Andrew J. Graff - 3.4 ★
40. The Taking of Jemima Boone by Matthew Pearl - 3.8 ★
41. The Laughterhouse by Paul Cleave - 4.2 ★
42. Godiva by Nicole Galland - 4.3 ★
43. Sharp Ends by Joe Abercrombie - 4.2 ★
44. Star of the North by Anna Jacobs - 3.6 ★
45. Where Angels Fear to Tread by E. M. Forster - 2.7 ★
46. Enter A Murderer by Ngaio Marsh - 3.7 ★
47. Round Mountain by Castle Freeman Jr. - 4.5 ★
48. Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie - 3.8 ★
49. The Secrets We Left Behind by Soraya M. Lane - 4.0 ★
50. American By Day by Derek B. Miller - 4.2 ★
51. Hard Ride by Elmer Kelton - 4.0 ★

April

52. One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow by Olivia Hawker - 4.0 ★
53. Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce - 4.2 ★
54. Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher by Timothy Egan - 5.0 ★
55. Traitor to the Throne by Alwyn Hamilton - 4.2 ★
56. False Colours by Georgette Heyer - 4.0 ★
57. Now We Are Dead by Stuart MacBride - 4.2 ★
58. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr - 5.0 ★
59. Last Seen Wearing by Hilary Waugh - 4.5 ★
60. Eat, Brains, Love by Jeff Hart - 4.0 ★
61. Death At the Opera by Gladys Mitchell - 4.0 ★
62. The Maid by Nita Prose - 4.0 ★
63. The Sands of the Kalahari by William Mulvihill - 4.1 ★
64. Crome Yellow by Aldous Huxley - 2.0 ★
65. The Low Bird by David L. Robbins - 3.7 ★
66. In A Dark House by Deborah Crombie - 4.5 ★

2023 Books Read (con't)

May
67. The Shuddering by Ania Ahlborn - 4.2 ★
68. Blue Horses by Mary Oliver - 4.0 ★
69. Darkest Unsolved Mysteries by Edward Collins - 2.5 ★
70. Daughters of the Storm by Elizabeth Buchan - 4.1 ★
71. American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins - 5.0 ★
72. Anthem by Deborah Wiles - 4.2 ★
73. Siege by Rhiannon Frater - 3.7 ★
74. The Glass-Sided Ants' Nest by Peter Dickinson - 2.6 ★
75. Don't Send Flowers by Martin Solares - 3.8 ★
76. A Memory of Violets by Hazel Gaynor - 3.6 ★
77. The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco - 3.3 ★
78. The Snow Walker by Farley Mowat - 4.0 ★
79. Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski - 3.5 ★
80. City of Spies by Mara Timon - 4.0 ★
81. Some By Fire by Stuart Pawson - 4.0 ★
82. I Know An Old Lady by Margaret Standafer - 3.7 ★
83. The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros - 4.3 ★
84. Grizzlies, Gales and Giant Salmon by Pat Ardley - 3.7 ★
85. Sky On Fire by Emmy Laybourne - 3.8 ★
86. The Bone Garden by Kate Ellis - 4.0 ★

June

87. Saints of the Shadow Bible by Ian Rankin - 4.2 ★
88. Sugar Candy Cottage by Elizabeth Cadell - 4.0 ★
89. A Serpent's Tooth by Craig Johnson - 4.0 ★
90. The Cartel by Don Winslow - 4.3 ★
91. The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald - 3.4 ★
92. Under a Siena Sun by T. A. Williams - 3.8 ★
93. A Litter of Bones by JD Kirk - 3.8 ★
94. The Man Who Loved Lions by Ethel Lina White - 3.3 ★
95. Soul Catcher by Michael C. White - 4.5 ★
96. Storm in the Village by Miss Read - 4.2 ★
97. Trustee From the Toolroom by Nevil Shute - 4.1 ★
98. The Summons by Peter Lovesey - 4.2 ★
99. Wall by Tom Abrahams - 3.0 ★
100. There's Trouble Brewing by Nicholas Blake - 4.0 ★
101. The Rainbow and the Rose by Nevile Shute - 2.5 ★
102. The Great Trek by Zane Grey - 3.8 ★
103. Bramton Wick by Elizabeth Fair - 4.0 ★
104. Savage Drift by Emmy Laybourne - 3.7 ★
105. Mercy Falls by William Kent Krueger - 3.8 ★
106. Fair Stood the Wind For France by H. E. Bates - 4.2 ★
107. The Hot Rock by Donald E. Westlake - 4.0 ★

2023 Books Read (con't)

July

108. Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland - 4.0 ★
109. Savage Country by Robert Olmstead - 4.0 ★
110. February's Son by Alan Parks - 4.0 ★
111. Arundel by Kenneth Roberts - 4.5 ★
112. Starlight by Richard Wagamese - 5.0 ★
113. Mary Wakefield by Mazo de la Roche - 3.8 ★
114. Ocean State by Stewart O'Nan - 4.0 ★
115. Crime Machine by Giles Blunt - 4.0 ★
116. The Snow Gypsy by Lyndsay Jayne Ashford - 3.2 ★
117. The Radleys by Matt Haig - 3.8 ★
118. The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields - 4.5 ★
119. The Last Colony by John Scalzi - 4.2 ★
120. Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem - 4.0 ★
121. Death Stalks A Lady by Shelley Smith - 3.3 ★
122. Nights At The Circus by Angela Carter - 3.3 ★
123. Dark Places by Gillian Flynn - 4.1 ★
124. You Are Dead by Peter James - 4.2 ★

August

125. Mistress of Rome by Kate Quinn - 4.0 ★
126. Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean - 3.7 ★
127. The Fall of the Governor, Part 1 by Robert Kirkman - 3.4 ★
128. Gabriel's Story by David Anthony Durham - 4.5 ★
129. Of Wee Sweetie Mice and Men by Colin Bateman - 4.0 ★
130. Into the Jungle by Erica Ferencik - 3.6 ★
131. Sisters of Reckoning by Charlotte Nicole Davis - 4.0 ★
132. The Complete Steel by Catherine Aird - 3.5 ★
133. The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan - 5.0 ★
134. The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter - Japanese Folk Tale - 3.5 ★
135. Haywire by Justin R. Macumber - 4.0 ★
136. The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - 3.6 ★
137. The Hike by Susi Holliday - 2.0 ★
138. Shoot to Thrill by P. J. Tracy - 3.5 ★
139. The Labyrinth Makers by Anthony Price - 4.0 ★
140. Return to the Lost World by Greig Beck - 3.7 ★
141. The Winter Garden Mystery by Carola Dunn - 3.7 ★
142. Deathwatch by Robb White - 4.2 ★

2023 Books Read (con't)

September

143. World Departed by Sarah Lyons Fleming - 4.5 ★
144. Down Among the Dead Men by Geradine Evans - 3.0 ★
145. Through Black Spruce by Joseph Boyden - 4.5 ★
146. Windhall by Ava Barry - 2.0 ★
147. Death At The President's Lodging by Michael Innes - 4.0 ★
148. The Guide by Peter Heller - 3.7 ★
149. Chaka by Thomas Mofolo - 3.7 ★
150. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt - 4.0 ★

Monthly Reading Plans



July Reading Plans

Monthly Theme – Canada Day - Celebrating Canadian Authors

✔ The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields
✔ Crime Machine by Giles Blunt
✔ Mary Wakefield by Mazo de la Roche

Monthly Cats/Kits

✔ AlphaKit: O – Savage Country by Robert Olmstead, P - February’s Son by Alan Parks
✔ Classic Cat: Always wanted to read – Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter
✔ GeoCat: Western Europe – The Snow Gypsy by Lindsay Jayne Ashford
: Kiddy Cat: SKIP
✔ Mystery Kit: Police Procedural/Detective: February’s Son by Alan Parks, Crime Machine by Giles Blunt
✔ RandomKit: Connection to The Muppets (The Count) - The Radleys by Matt Haig
DNF ScaredyKit: Horror Beach Read – Final Girl’s Support Group by Grady Hendrix
: Series Cat: Non-Fiction – SKIP
✔ SFFFKit: Series – The Last Colony by John Scalzi, Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland

1,0001 Books List
✔ The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields
✔ Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter

July Reading Through Time – Revolutions
✔ Arundel by Kenneth Roberts

High & Low Shelves

✔ Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
✔ The Snow Gypsy by Lyndsay Jayne Ashford
✔ Arundel by Kenneth Roberts

Kindle & Audio Books

✔ Starlight by Richard Wagamese
✔ Death Stalks a Lady by Shelley Smith
✔ The Radleys by Matt Haig
✔ Ocean State by Stewart O'Nan

Series

✔ The Last Colony (3) by John Scalzi
✔ Deathless Divide (2) by Justina Ireland

Library

✔ Savage Country by Robert Olmstead
✔ February’s Son (2) by Alan Parks
DNF The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix

Extras
✔ Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Letham
✔ You Are Dead (11) by Peter James

August 2023 Reading Plans



Monthly Theme – Travel, Adventure & Survival

✔ Into the Jungle by Erica Ferencik
✔ Deathwatch by Robb White
✔ The Hike by Susi Holliday
✔ Return to the Lost World (2) by Greig Beck

Monthly Cats & Kits

✔ AlphaKit - Q: Mistress of Rome by Kate Quinn, M: Haywire by Justin Macumber
✔ ClassicCat – In Translation: The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter
: GeoCat – SKIP
✔ KiddyCat – Series: Sisters of Reckoning (2) by Charlotte Nicole Davis
✔ MysteryKit – Past or Future: The Winter Garden Mystery by Carola Dunn
✔ RandomKit – Tell Me Something Good: The Hike by Susi Holliday
✔ ScaredyKit – Pick Your Own Scary Trope: The Fall of the Governor (3) by Robert Kirkman
✔SeriesCat – I’ve Been Meaning to Get Back to This: Of Wee Sweetie Mice and Men (2) by Colin Bateman, The Complete Steel (3) by Catherine Aird, The Winter Garden Mystery by Carola Dunn
✔ SFFFKit – Set in Space: Haywire by Justin R. Macumber

1,001 Books

✔ The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter – Japanese Folk Tale

Reading Through Time – Emigration

✔ Gabriel’s Story by David Anthony Durham

High & Low Shelves

✔ Of Wee Sweetie Mice and Men (2) by Colin Bateman
✔ Mistress of Rome by Kate Quinn
✔ The Winter Garden Mystery (2) by Carola Dunn
✔ The Complete Steel (3) by Catherine Aird

Kindle & Audio Books

✔ Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan (K)
✔ The Lost World by Arthur Conan Doyle
✔ Haywire by Justin R. Macumber
✔ The Fall of the Governor (3) by Robert Kirkland - Audio

Series

✔ Sisters of Reckoning (2) by Charlotte Nicole Davis
✔ Shoot to Thrill (5) by P J Tracy

Extras

✔ Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean
✔ The Labyrinth Makers by Anthony Price

Monthly Reading Plans

September 2023 Reading Plans



Monthly Theme Books – Back to School – school setting

: Goodbye Mr. Chips by James Hilton
✔ Death at the President’s Lodging by Michael Innes
: Dear Teacher by Jack Sheffield

Monthly Cats/Kits

✔ AlphaKit: V – Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt E – Down Among the Dead Men by Geraldine Evans
: ClassicCat: SKIP
✔ GeoCat: Africa – Chaka by Thomas Mofolo
: KiddyCat: SKIP
✔ MysteryKit: College/University Setting – Death at the President’s Lodging by Michael Innes
: RandomKit: The Wild, Wild West – Fair Land, Fair Land by A. B. Guthrie Jr.
: ScaredyKit: Haunted House – Matt’s Haunting by Rebecca Patrick-Howard
: SeriesCat: Vintage Series – ✔ Death at the President’s Lodging by Michael Innes,
Pearls Before Swine (12) by Margery Allingham, Postscript to Poison (1) by Dorothy Bowers
: SFFFKit: SKIP

1,001 Books
: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
✔ Chaka by Thomas Mofolo

Reading Through Time – School Days, Days
: Dear Teacher by Jack Sheffield

High & Low Shelves
✔ The Guide by Peter Heller
✔ Through Black Spruce by Joseph Boyden
: Pearls Before Swine by Margery Allingham
: Fair Land, Fair Land by A. B. Guthrie Jr.

Kindle & Audio Books

: Days Without End by Sebastian Barry
✔ Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
: Postscript to Poison by Dorothy Bowers
✔ Windhall by Ava Barry

Series

: Copper River (6) by William Kent Krueger
✔ World Departed (1) by Sarah Lyons Fleming
✔ Down Among the Dead Men (2) by Geraldine Evans

Library
: These Silent Woods by Kimmi Cunningham

Extras

: One Bright Summer Morning by James Hadley Chase

2023 Hosting Duties



✔ January: RandomKit
✔ March: Reading Thru Time – Notorious Women
✔ April: ClassicCat – Classic Mystery/Detective Novels
✔ May: ScaredyKit – Surviving the Horror
✔ June: MysteryKit – Vintage Mysteries
✔ July: SFFFKit: Series
✔ August: Series Cat: I’ve Been Meaning to Get Back to This Series
✔ October: GeoCat – Canada and the United States
November: KiddyCat – Fairy Tales, Myths & Legends

Happy new thread, Judy!

Thanks, Jennifer!

Happy New Thread! I love the pics you chose... perfect. Your July reading plans look fun. I read The Stone Diaries when it was published, but still remember how much I liked it. I wonder if I'd feel the same way now? Hope you enjoy.

Happy New Thread. I have The Stone Diaries on my BB list although actually I saw it mentioned in another book and added it to my lists. I'll be looking to see what you think. I tried to get it as an audible from the library, but it wasn't available.

Happy New Thread, Judy! Happy 15th Thingaverary! I love it that we are still going strong. Nice book haul too!

>18 beebeereads: I am looking forward to The Stone Diaries, I can't imagine how I have managed to miss this one over the years.

>19 dudes22: My copy is an older, rather yellowed paperback from the second-hand store which isn't too appealing but as long as there aren't any mystery stains it should be alright.

>20 msf59: Yes, 15 years and still going strong! I bless the day I stumbled onto LibraryThing all those years ago!

106. Fair Stood the Wind For France by H. E. Bates - 4.2 ★
Category: Kindle or Audio Books
June TIOLI #2: At least Three of the Title Words Start With the Same Letter



Fair Stood the Wind For France by H. E. Bates is the story of a young English pilot, John Franklin, who, along with his 4 man crew, are forced to crash land in Occupied France in 1942. Franklin has a bad arm injury but they are taken in at a remote farm. The daughter, Francoise and Franklin have an immediate attraction to one another and rather than give himself up and get treatment, he allows the local doctor to remove his arm. Working with the Underground, papers are obtained for the 4 other Englishmen, but Franklin, due to his injury remains at the farm to heal.

Eventually he is well enough to attempt to escape and Francoise decides to be his guide and, in fact, to accompany him back to England so that they can be married. They manage to work their way into Vichy France and to Marseilles. When they learn that the Allies have landed in Algeria, they realize that the Germans will be taking over Vichy France and they need to get out quickly.

Although there were moments of very high tension, the story actually moved quite slowly with a lot of emphasis on the building relationship between the two young people. I have read H. E. Bates previously but only some of his humorous books like The Darling Buds of May, so I was quite surprised at the serious content and literary technique of the writing. The book was published in 1944 so is quite unusual in that it was unknown at that time as to when or how the war would end. Fair Stood the Wind For France is a simple, poignant story that is delivered in a thoughtful and understated manner.

Happy new thread!

>22 DeltaQueen50: That would be different, reading a book about WWII written before the outcome was known.

Happy new thread, Judy, and congrats on your Thingaversary!

Happy new thread, Judy! I notice that your Bingo card is almost full, well done!

>23 LibraryCin: Thanks, Cindy!

>24 Familyhistorian: Hi, Meg. I believe Fair Stood the Wind For France was originally published as a moral booster.

>25 MissWatson: Thanks. I have 2 Bingo squares left - should get them done soon.

Happy new thread, Judy! I'm looking forward to your July theme as I am always looking for new books by Canadian authors.

Happy new thread, Judy!

>22 DeltaQueen50: Glad you enjoyed Fair Stood the Wind for France. Bates is one of my favourite authors. He was so prolific and in different styles.

>22 DeltaQueen50: Happy New Thread! Glad you liked this one as it is on my TBR pile for this year!

>27 RidgewayGirl: Hi, Kay! I don't know about "new" Canadian authors as most of the books that I am planning on reading are not that recent. Still working on clearing space on my shelves and Kindles. :)

>28 VivienneR: I had previously read and loved the series that featured the family from The Darling Buds of May and I seem to remember a few Uncle Silas stories as well. I have a couple more of his book on my Kindle, another WW II story, The Cruise of the Breadwinner and a collection of short stories entitled The Fabulous Mrs. V - so definitely more of this author in my future!

>29 Tess_W: Thanks, Tess. I am looking forward to seeing what you think of Fair Stood the Wind For France.

107. The Hot Rock by Donald E. Westlake - 4.0 ★
Category: Extras
June TIOLI #1: Has a printed odd number in the narrative of the first page



The Hot Rock by Donald E. Westlake is the first book that features John Dortmunder the thief whose capers never quite come off as planned. In this one he and his friends have been hired by a diplomat from one African nation to steal a huge emerald currently on display in the United States from a different African Nation. What follows is a series of heists as the emerald comes in and out of their hands.

Although Dortmunder has the brains and a talent for thievery luck seems to always go against him and in this instance he and his gang find themselves having to acquire the emerald numerous times as well as orchestrate an escape from prison and a kidnapping from a mental hospital. The book is full of setbacks, betrayals and just plain bad luck but it is also full of humor and characters that are fun to read about.

In The Hot Rock the author creates a series of hilarious but mostly believable situations that Dortmunder must navigate and we, the readers, are awarded with a light and very enjoyable read.

>31 DeltaQueen50: It's ages since I read a Dortmunder book. Thanks for the reminder.

Belated best wishes for your LT anniversary. Spreading out the book purchases is a great idea.

>31 DeltaQueen50: Oh my gosh, I remember the movie! I had no idea it's based on a book. And a series, too. This looks fabulous...

>32 pamelad: The Dortmunder books make a nice break from more serious reading. I intend to pick up a couple more.

>33 MissWatson: I also remember the film but apparently it was rather a flop even though it starred Robert Redford and George Segal. I don't understand why but I do think they changed the plot quite a bit.

Although I have had less 5 star books than I usually have by this point in the year, I still consider that I am having a very good reading year. I have stuck to my plans and have moved a lot of books from my shelves and Kindles. I am reading a lot of older books that I have had for some time, and enjoy finding the odd "gem" here and there!

Here are my top books of the 2nd Quarter of 2023

: American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
: Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher by Timothy Egan
: Soul Catcher by Michael C. White
: Last Seen Wearing by Hilary Waugh

>35 DeltaQueen50: I'm sort of doing the same thing, Judy. I've moved out a lot of older books and there have been some really good ones and some stinkers! All the Light We Cannot See is in my top 10 books of all-time!

>36 Tess_W: All the Light We Cannot See sat on my shelf for a good many years so it was a joy to discover that it was as good as all the reviews said it was.

>22 DeltaQueen50: I may have to add this one to my list; interesting to come across books written about WW2 during the war. It was one of the things I found really interesting about Assignment in Brittany.

>38 rabbitprincess: I like to read books that were published during WW2 as well. Another book that I have read is The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck, published in 1942.

Happy 156th Birthday Canada!

108. Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland - 4.0 ★
Category: Series
July SFFFKit: Series
July TIOLI #4: Alphabetically Ordered Title



Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland is the sequel to her zombie fantasy, Dread Nation. The book continues the story of Jane McKeene and Katherine Devereaux as they embark on a journey of revenge and salvation across the remnants of America in the late 1800s. This is an alternative history where during the Civil War Battle of Gettysburg the dead started to rise up and by this time most of America is in ruins as the dead travel in hordes and consume the living.

The story is told by both Jane and Katherine in alternate chapters as they each have very separate views and morals. While they are together at the beginning of this book, they are soon separated and while Katherine gets herself and some of their friends to California to embark on a new life, Jane becomes a bounty hunter and moves steadily west following the path of Gideon Carr who she has vowed to kill. It has become clear that Gideon is responsible for many of the zombie outbreaks that have destroyed so many towns and people.

While this sequel has the witty social commentary and the strong black heroines who fearlessly kill the dead as they build upon their friendships, it was a little slower paced than the first book. We still get the moral examinations of human behavior, and the social, economic and political divisions between white and black characters. This author is on a mission to present black people as a strong historical element to the building of America and in this she totally succeeds.

>40 DeltaQueen50: Happy Canada Day (yesterday)!

I was only only in the AM while I was volunteering (for a local lost and found pet page), then I had a friend over to play board games all afternoon and evening, so I wasn't back online until around midnight last night.

>42 LibraryCin: We had a quiet Canada Day, our elder daughter came by and we sat outside and enjoyed the sunshine. Today I am hoping for plenty of quality reading time!

Hi, Judy! Happy New Thread!

I didn’t read Dread Nation because I became adverse to zombie books when they first got popular, but having loved The Girl With All the Gifts, I’m open to try them. This one sounds really good.

Late to the party, but happy new thread.

>43 DeltaQueen50: Nice! (Except I'd find a spot in the shade, personally. :-) ) Glad you had a nice day with your daughter, though.

>44 Storeetllr: Mary, the zombies in these books aren't exactly the main focus of the story. The author was showing us how no matter what threat was faced, the white people always ensured that the black people were out in front.

>45 lowelibrary: Welcome!

>46 LibraryCin: LOL - believe me I made sure that I was in the shade, but we are having some lovely weather right now - not too hot.

109. Savage Country by Robert Olmstead - 4.0 ★
Category: Library
July AlphaKit: O
July TIOLI #9: Final Number of Pages contains an 8 or can be used to get to 8 (293 pages: 9+2-3 = 8)



Savage Country by Robert Olmstead is a hard-hitting, at times brutal story that I found hard to put down. Although I loved this story, I would hesitate to recommend it to everyone because of the very graphic violence it contains. By the 1870s millions of buffalo had been wiped out, yet there were still enough that money could be made by the slaughter of these beasts.

It’s Kansas in 1873 and Michael Coughlin has arrived in time for his brother’s funeral. Elizabeth Coughlin is burying her husband and even as she is adjusting to the loss of her mate, she realizes that her home, her land and her cattle are going to be taken from her by the hard men that got their hooks into her husband. She and Michael decide to raise money by travelling to Texas on a large scale, highly dangerous buffalo hunt. They plan to hunt over the winter when the Comanche are settled into their winter quarters, but nevertheless, the land offers up many dangers. Through prairie fires and flash floods, rattlesnakes, rabid animals, and human betrayals and treachery the cruel and back breaking work of the buffalo hunt goes on.

I have read a number of Robert Olmstead books and have loved each and every one. Here he is delivering a gripping narrative as he depicts a small corner of American history. But of course, Savage Country delivers much more than history, this is also an intimate human story that is both powerful and realistic.

A belated happy Canada Day!

>48 DeltaQueen50: - Well - despite the fact that it might be more violent than I might want, I think I'll still put this on my BB list. I like getting recommendations for "western" books from you and I can always quit if it's too gory. Or is there another of his books I should try first?

Happy new thread, Judy. Good job reading from your shelves this year. It is an ongoing challenge for me.

>49 VivienneR: And to you, too, Vivienne!

>50 dudes22: All of Robert Olmstead's books are quite different from one another, I particularly liked Far Bright Star which is set in the early 1900s as a calvary troop pursues Pancho Villa into Northern Mexico. The Coldest Night was a story set in the Korean War. I liked the parts about the war but found the love story a little weak. This author writes like a poet. I certainly hope you enjoy whichever one of his you decide to go with.

>51 BLBera: I am feeling quite pleased with myself as I see some of these older books getting moved along!

Happy new thread.
>22 DeltaQueen50: I thought this was beautiful - odd word for a war based book, but the best I could find.

>48 DeltaQueen50: Looks like a good one! On my WL is goes!

Dropping by to say "hello" as I attempt to catch up on threads.

I have abandoned my read of The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix. I hate slasher movies and this book is basically a homage to that type of film. I found it neither scary nor interesting, just annoying. If I am this annoyed after 56 pages, I can't even begin to imagine how p-ssed off I would be after 352 pages!

>53 Helenliz: I agree - it was beautiful!

>54 Tess_W: I don't think you can go wrong with Robert Olmstead!

>55 thornton37814: Hi Lori - keeping up is almost a full time job!

110. February's Son by Alan Parks - 4.0 ★
Category: Series
July AlphaKit: P
July MysteryKit: Police Procedurals
2023 Reading Challenge: Title Contains a Month
July TIOLI #4: An alphabetically ordered title



February’s Son by Alan Parks is the second book in his police procedural series featuring Detective Harry McCoy. Set in Glasgow during 1973, the story is both about a current set of grisly murders and about Harry McCoy’s troubled life – past and present. The mutilated bodies are the work of a well known gangster who appears to have gone off his meds and is spiraling downwards. Meanwhile Harry’s childhood best friend, Stevie Cooper, is competing for control of Glasgow’s underworld and also appears to know more about the murders than he should. Then when a ghost from their past shows up, they feel that they must finally retaliate.

There is a lot going on in this book and the stories entwine and overlap but the author keeps control and delivers a harsh yet engrossing story. Harry is carrying a lot of pain around with him and he often counteracts his feelings with drugs and alcohol. He is far from perfect, but he does his best to stay on the right side of the law most of the time.

I have enjoyed the first two books of this series and am looking forward to continuing on reading about Harry and his workmates and friends in the future.

>58 DeltaQueen50: I need another crime series to follow like I need another cat, but the place and time of this series makes me very interested.

>59 RidgewayGirl: I also didn't need another series but the timing of this one is what attracted me to it. Now that I am hooked by storylines and characters, I can say that it's good but I wish the author put more emphasis on the 1970s.

111. Arundel by Kenneth Roberts - 4.5 ★
Category: High & Low Shelves
July Reading Through Time: Revolutions
July TIOLI #1: Author has same first name as a member of my family



Arundel by Kenneth Roberts was originally published in 1930. It tells of the early days of the American Revolution and of Benedict Arnold’s doomed march on Quebec in 1775. It is also the story of Steven Nason, a Maine colonist whose desire to reach Quebec is greater than most as he dreams of reuniting with Mary, a young girl who was kidnapped by a Frenchman and a group of Indians a number of years ago. As children Steven and Mary had promised each other that they would marry, and although a number of years has passed and Mary now goes by the name of Marie de Sabrevois, he still vows to bring Mary home.

The author paints a vivid picture of the conditions that existed in the American colonies, the characters, both real and fictional, that decide to fight for their freedom from the British and the various Native Americans that helped or hindered their cause. There is plenty of action as the expedition travels through rugged forest and paddles the rivers and lakes of the American wilderness.

Arundel is an epic tale of war, revenge, romance and friendship. The prime source of research material that the author used were the journals of Benedict Arnold’s soldiers and the reader is rewarded with a stirring story as well as a plethora of historical facts, from the clothing they wore to the food they ate, to the political thinking of the day. The only drawback for modern readers could be that the language is rather dated and being true to it’s time, both women and Native Americans are not always presented in the best light.

>61 DeltaQueen50: - How much romance is there? I'm thinking it might be something my hubby would like unless the romance plays a big part.

>62 dudes22: Hi Betty, there isn't a lot of romance at all. Mostly just establishing the relationship between Mary and the main character when they are children to explain why he was so determined to reach Quebec. There is also another character, a young woman, who is interested in the main character but again, this is not a major factor in the story.

>63 DeltaQueen50: - Thanks. Putting it on the gift list for hubby.

Happy Saturday, Judy. Just checking in. I hope all is well. Looks like the books are treating you well. I just started my reread of East of Eden. Doing a joint read on that one. I love Steinbeck.

>65 msf59: Hi Mark. Yes, my reading is going very well but I have to say, I envy you your reading of East of Eden. I read it when I was a teenager and I would have loved to have joined you for a reread except I have already totally overbooked myself this month.

112. Starlight by Richard Wagamese - 5.0 ★
Category: Kindle & Audio Books
July TIOLI #5: Canadian Author



I will start off by declaring that I am a huge fan of Richard Wagamese, and Starlight has only strengthened my admiration of this author. I hate the fact that this is his final novel but he certainly left us a wonderful legacy. Starlight is a moving story of love, compassion and mercy as a badly abused young mother and her daughter find a place of safety on a rural farm in a remote corner of British Columbia. Unfortunately the author passed away before he completed the novel, although it is based on a short story that he wrote in 2007 so the publishers have a very good idea of how it is meant to end. I congratulate them for the fact that they didn’t attempt to have an ending written, they simply refer the reader to the original short story.

When Franklin Starlight took Emmy and her daughter Winnie into his home, offering a job and security, he also taught them both survival skills for the wilderness not knowing that the people that are tracking her are coming closer every day. Emmy found herself learning how to replace a lifetime of hurt and anger with the enrichment of nature and a new awareness of her own self-worth. She and Franklin grew closer to each other but a dangerous confrontation with her abusers is on the horizon.

Richard Wagamese was a firm believer in forgiving and moving forward and learning how to leave the hurt behind so there is a strong indication that this novel would lean toward reconciliation and healing. Hopefully Frank’s gentle guidance would influence Emmy to show mercy and allow her and Frank to find peace together. I enjoyed this follow-up story about Frank Starlight who was first introduced in Medicine Walk. Even though unfinished, I am giving this soulful story five stars.

>67 DeltaQueen50: This is truly a book I want to read!

>67 DeltaQueen50: I just picked up a copy of this at a book sale and NEED to read it. Maybe in August!

>67 DeltaQueen50: - I still have a couple of his books in my TBR and expect I will read this eventually too.

ETA: Your description of taking people in and protecting them, reminds me of The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin, one of my favorite books, so I'm sure I'll like this one too.

>68 JoeB1934: Hi Joe. If you haven't read Richard Wagamese before I highly recommend both Indian Horse and Medicine Walk. He is a fabulous writer!

>69 rabbitprincess: You are in for a treat! It's a wonderful book even though unfinished.

>70 dudes22: I have loved every Richard Wagamese book that I have read - you can't go wrong with this author!

I already know that I need to figure out a way to spend more time on books I already own (and maybe BBs) next year. And Wagamese is on my list. (I have a couple more already in my TBR pile.)

>72 dudes22: Finding that perfect balance between books you already have either on your shelves or reading device, library books and books that you hear or read about and want to get your hands on right away is difficult. I am concentrating on older books this year, but it's hard when I see others reading something new that appeals to me.

113. Mary Wakefield by Mazo de la Roche - 3.8 ★
Monthly Theme: Canadian Author
July TIOLI #5: Canadian Author



It’s been quite awhile since I visited the Jalna series by Mazo de la Roche but luckily the author wrote each book to be able to stand alone. In this, the fourth volume, we read of the romance between governess Mary Wakefield and the current master of Jalna, widower Philip Whiteoak. With Philip’s mother bound and determined to prevent this couple getting together, there many moments of angst, treachery and tears.

It is the 1880s and Mary Wakefield has been hired in London to travel to Canada to become the governess of two children. She doesn’t have any experience, but Ernest Whiteoak, who hired her, was in a hurry as the woman that had been hired for the job had broken both her legs and could not travel to Canada. Mary looked upon this as a great adventure and she fell in love with the beautiful Ontario estate of Jalna when she arrived. She also fell in love with the children’s father and Mary and Philip enjoyed a couple of months before his mother returned from England, bringing Philip’s two brothers and his sister for an extended visit. She immediately sussed out the situation and did her best to intervene between Philip and Mary.

Although I found this book a little over the top in regards to emotions, it was a light, entertaining read that provided me with a giggle or two as the dowager Adeline plotted against the romance. I have the next few book in this vintage series and will definitely be continuing to read about the Whiteoak family.

>74 DeltaQueen50: I own all the Jalna books (I think) and it has been years since I read them all. It was good of you to help me revisit this series.

>75 LadyoftheLodge: I always had planned to read the Jalna series but for some reason never quite got around to it when younger. I am enjoying it now but need to turn to it more often as there are a number of books in this series!

I hope you are continuing to enjoy the sun, Judy. You got me with your review of the book by Alan Parks although I really don't need another series to follow up on. The library has his books. I seem to be reading mostly library books again and really should do what you are doing and read some off my shelves.

>77 Familyhistorian: I hope you enjoy the Alan Parks series, Meg. While I can visibly see my shelves shrinking, I can also see my library list getting longer so I need to work at that one of these days. I am loving this weather, sunny but with a nice coolness in the air.

114. Ocean State by Stewart O'Nan - 4.0 ★
Category: Kindle or Audio Books
July TIOLI #7: The White Elephant Book Award Challenge



From the opening sentence of Ocean State by Stewart O’Nan we know that we are going to be reading about a murder, but this book is not a thriller or a mystery. Instead it is an exploration of relationships, those between mothers and daughters, those between sisters and those between teenagers who believe they are in love.

Angel and Marie Oliviera live with their mother, a nurse in a seniors care home who earns enough to keep them modestly. Angel has been dating Miles Parish for three years. Miles comes from a wealthy family and Angel is well aware that next year, when Miles goes to college she will probably lose him to a rich girl. But they are together for their senior year and Angel is hoping for something to happen that will keep them together. Unfortunately what Angel doesn’t know is that Miles is cheating on her another senior, Birdy Alves. Birdy has fallen hard for Miles. What is never revealed to my satisfaction is what makes Miles so irresistible as to me he seemed rather boring. When Birdy and Miles are exposed, Angel sees red and vows to get revenge upon Birdy. What follows is the story of how the Oliviera and Alves families fall apart when they have to deal with what happens.

I am a big fan of this author but would have to say that Ocean State isn’t one of his best. Don’t get me wrong it is still an excellent read as this author excels at capturing the lives of working class people. The narrative is told from a number of viewpoints all of which rang true, the voices of Marie, Angel, Birdy and Angel’s mother, Carol felt spot-on and drew me into really caring about these people. What remains unclear to me is exactly what O’Nan was trying to show us with this story of obsessive love, adultery and murder.

>79 DeltaQueen50: I have the same thoughts about Ocean State.

>79 DeltaQueen50: - This is one of O'Nan's books that is still in the TBR pile. Maybe I'll leave it there for a while and read others. I just finished The Odds anyway, so I don't need to rush into another.

Sweet Thursday, Judy. I am also a O' Nan fan but still deciding if I will read Ocean State. So many books...

I am really enjoying All Sinners Bleed on audio. Have you read this crime author yet? He is a good one.

>80 RidgewayGirl: I'm not sure exactly what was missing with Ocean State, but I kept thinking that there should have been something more to the book.

>81 dudes22: Although there was that something unidentifiable missing, Ocean State was still a very good read and I will be interested in what you think of it when you get to it, Betty.

>82 msf59: Hi Mark, I was just over at your thread last night - didn't leave a comment but was happy to see that you are enjoying your Steinbeck re-read. I have read one of S.A. Cosby's books - Blacktop Wasteland and have another - Razorblade Tears waiting on my Kindle. I will have to get myself a copy of All Sinners Bleed cause you're right - he's a good one!

115. Crime Machine by Giles Blunt - 4.0 ★
Monthly Theme: Canadian Authors
July Interconnected Reading Challenge: Set in a different country from June's book
July MysteryKit: Police Procedural
July TIOLI #5: Canadian Author



Crime Machine by Giles Blunt is the 5th book in his police procedural series that features Canadian police detective John Cardinal. It has been a year since his wife was murdered, and John has made a few changes in his life, but he is still a dedicated detective working out of Algonquin Lake, Ontario. John, his partner Lise Delorme and other members of the force are looking at cold cases when a new and horrifying crime happens. A Russian couple have been found in an empty summer home, both have been shot and then beheaded.

This is just the beginning of a bizarre case where criminal acts are committed by members of a crime family. Some of these criminals are mere children, while others are psychopathic. The story takes many twists and turns and John and Lise work diligently at untangling the various threads and putting the case together.

This is a great series and Crime Machine is a thrilling addition. The author skillfully ties the various threads together and gives the book a ‘wow’ factor with the edge-of-your-seat opening and closing. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this complex and well written mystery.

>84 DeltaQueen50: - I'm surprised to find that this is the next book for me in the series. It's been a few years since I read the last one. And it looks like there's only one more after this one.

>85 dudes22: It's been awhile since I visited this series as well. Yes, it does look like there is only one more book in the series after this one. I will miss reading about Cardinal and Delorme, but will be happy to have another series finished.

116. The Snow Gypsy by Lyndsay Jayne Ashford - 3.2 ★
Category: High & Low Shelves
July GeoCat: Western Europe
July TIOLI #9: Final Number of Pages contains an 8 or can be used to get to 8



Set in the first six months after the end of World War II, The Snow Gypsy by Lyndsay Jayne Ashford is the story of two women, one searching for answers from the past, while the other tries to forget the past and move into the future. Rose Daniel is searching for answers as to what happened to her brother who came to Spain in 1938 to fight alongside the Partisans. The last letter Rose got described a fountain in a small town in the mountains and the fact that he had fallen in love with a Gypsy woman. There were many atrocities during the Spanish Revolution and flamenco dancer Lola Aragon is trying to forget the horrible deaths of her mother and twin brother who were murdered with a number of other Gypsies. Lola managed to save a new born baby who she is now raising as her daughter. Rose and Lola meet and Lola is able to steer Rose in the direction that she needs to go.

I wanted to like this novel more that I actually did especially when I read that the main character was based on a real person and many of the incidents actually happened. I was intrigued by the setting but unfortunately I never connected with the characters and they didn’t seem to be developed in any significant way. It’s unfortunate that the execution and details of this story were weak as I think there could have been a really good novel here.

>84 DeltaQueen50: I've read some of the others in this series, Judy. I will have to look for this one. Is it the last one?

>88 BLBera: Hi Beth. There appears to be six books in the Cardinal/Delorme series so there is one more after this one. It's called Until the Night.

>87 DeltaQueen50: I have that one on my TBR.......won't be in a hurry to get to it!

>90 Tess_W: I was disappointed in it as I was quite excited to be reading a book set in Spain just after WW II. I will be interested in what you think of it, Tess.

Hello Judy! Happy New Thread, Happy Thingaversary, and Happy belated Canada Day!

I've enjoyed finishing your third thread and catching up on your fourth with what you've been reading. Arundel sounds like a very good book, and I liked what you said about Richard Wagamese. What a very interesting observation about his themes; I'll put the two you recommended on my Wishlist.

>92 threadnsong: Hi threadnsong! As far as I am concerned you can't go wrong with Richard Wagamese! I hope you enjoy reading his books.

117. The Radleys by Matt Haig - 3.8 ★
Category: Kindle & Audio Books
July RandomKit: The Muppets
July TIOLI #8: Author has published both fiction and non-fiction



The Radleys by Matt Haig is a paranormal fantasy novel about a family of vampires. Peter and Helen have made the decision to be abstaining vampires and have raised their two children with no knowledge of their true nature. There are consequences to denying your true self and Rowan, the son, has insomnia and a rash while daughter, Clara, who has decided to become a vegan, is now getting sick and the whole family live a lethargic, repressed life. Then when Clara is attacked one night and fights back, she discovers the power, energy and strength that drinking blood gives her.

Meanwhile the family has a body to dispose of and secrets to reveal to both their children. Peter, calls upon his older brother, Will, a practising vampire to help them out little knowing that inviting him into their lives is the last thing he should be doing. Will and Helen have a past that neither one has totally gotten over. Will sees this as his chance to reconnect with Helen and draw her back into his life.

The author does a fine job of balancing the story between comedy and horror. The use of quotes from “The Abstainers Handbook” is darkly funny and the author keeps the story lively and light. This is first and foremost a story about family and the consequences of repressing yourself just to fit in. The Radleys is a fresh slant on the vampire myth and never makes the mistake of taking itself too seriously.

>84 DeltaQueen50: Giles Blunt is a new author to me, Judy. From the sounds of your review he's one that I should check out.

>95 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg. I think you would like Giles Blunt's series about an Ontario police detective. It's set in the small city of Algonquin Lake which is actually North Bay, Ontario and the main characters are John Cardinal and Lise Delorme. These books offer both good storylines and interesting descriptions of the setting.

118. The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields - 4.5 ★
Monthly Theme: Canadian Authors
1,001 Books List
July TIOLI #5: Canadian Author



I found The Stone Diaries to be both highly interesting and thoroughly readable. This is a biography of a fictional woman, from her moment of birth in 1905 through to her death in the 1990s. Daisy Goodwill Hoad Flett lived a seemingly simple life yet this novel captures not only her and her family but also paints a vivid picture of life in 20th century North America. The author also includes a detailed family tree and a selection of black and white photographs that brings the whole book to the edge of reality.

The book is divided into chapters, each one entitled after an event or episode of Daisy’s life, hence we have “Birth, 1905”, “Marriage, 1927”, “Motherhood, 1947”, and as her life plays out over the pages, we absorb both her story and that of her family. Included are obituaries, recipes and shopping lists all of which open her life for the reader to explore.

The Stone Diaries is an inventive and original look at a person’s life and although Daisy was always surrounded by family and friends, it is obvious that her journey, as indeed all of our journeys, is internally a solitary one. And while the author acknowledges loneliness, she also allows for grace, candour, and dignity.

>84 DeltaQueen50: I may need to give that series a try sometime.

>94 DeltaQueen50: OK, that's interesting enough - reservation placed at the library.

>89 DeltaQueen50: Thanks Judy.

>98 thornton37814: It's a great series, Lori.

>99 Helenliz: I will watch and see what you think of it, Helen.

>100 BLBera: You are most welcome!

119. The Last Colony by John Scalzi - 4.2 ★
Category: Series
SFFFKit: Series
2023 Reading Challenge: Set in Space
July TIOLI #4: Alphabetically ordered title or author’s name



The Last Colony by John Scalzi is the third book in his science fiction series entitled Old Man’s War and I am finding that these books just keep getting better with every entry. This book draws the first two books together and we find John Perry and Jane Sagan retired from the Colonial Defense Forces and living on the planet Huckleberry. They re accompanied by Zoe Boutin as their adopted daughter and she in turn is accompanied by Hickory and Dickory, two Obins. Zoe is greatly revered by Obins because of her father, and these two are with her to protect her. John and Jane are approached by the CDF and asked to be the leaders of a group that is going to colonize a new planet. While they realize that there is probably more to the story than they are being told, they agree to join the expedition to the planet of Roanoke.

Once they arrive, they realize that nothing is as it seems. In fact, even the planet is not the one they were originally shown. It turns out that this new colony is a play in a complex power struggle between the CDF and the Conclave, a large alliance of species who are determined to regulate the galaxy’s growth and endless wars over territory. In simple terms Roanoke is being used as bait. What follows is an exciting and appealing story that has the reader rooting for the survival of Roanoke.

The Last Colony is an engaging, smart and very enjoyable addition to this series. I am already looking forward to the next book.

>102 DeltaQueen50: I have this series on my to read list. I will need to move it up.
I am just about to start a new Australian book, Grey Nomad, about a seventy year old knitter who ends up in the middle of an intergalactic conflict. I find as I am getting older, I am quite enjoying books about curmudgeonly old folks!

>103 JayneCM: I am also finding that I both identify and enjoy reading about older people. I am sure you will enjoy the "Old Man's War" series!

>104 DeltaQueen50: I agree! It seems more books are being produced that include older people in important roles. This just points out that we are not all sitting around in our rocking chairs taking naps!

>105 LadyoftheLodge: I guess the baby-boomer generation are all senior citizens now so books about senior citizens are in demand. Of course, these days the odd nap in my rocking chair is pretty inviting as well ;)

>106 DeltaQueen50: My kitties would agree with that sentiment too, since they are also senior citizens--or maybe senior kittyzens would be the best term for them.

I am having a frustrating day today as my internet connection keeps shutting down and then coming back. It's driving me crazy! My internet/cable tv/home phone company is not serving me well these days and I need to make a switch - I just hate all the disruption that will cause.

>107 LadyoftheLodge: I will probably make like a senior kittyzen later on today and treat myself to a nap outside on the patio - in the shade, of course.

I'm catching up so I have to go way back to >67 DeltaQueen50: and your comments about Starlight by Richard Wagamese. What a wonderful writer he was. I read this years ago and loved it but your post makes me think it's time to revisit Wagamese.

>87 DeltaQueen50: Too bad about Lindsay Jayne Ashford's The Snow Gypsy especially after The Woman on the Orient Express that I loved.

>109 VivienneR: I wish we had more Richard Wagamese books to discover! He was indeed a wonderful writer!

I note that The Snow Gypsy receives mixed reviews - some loved the book while others felt more like I did and felt it lacked depth.

120. Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem - 4.0 ★
Category: Extras
July TIOLI #3: The Writer's Library Challenge



Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem was first published in 1999. The story is told by Lionel Essrog who considers himself a private investigator. Lionel has Tourette’s Syndrome, a disorder marked by tics, both physical and vocal. He is one of a group of young men who grew up in a local orphanage and as boys, the four of them were taken under the wing of Frank Minna, a small time hood who sometimes calls his business a detective agency and sometimes a transportation company. Lionel and the other boys call themselves the Minna Men, and look up to Frank as a strong father figure. Lionel is devastated when Frank is murdered and vows to hunt down the killer.

While this is not a classic detective story, it is still a story about crime, pursuit and retribution told by a unique voice. Lionel’s Tourettes shapes the story with his compulsive behavior and strange wording that he cannot control. He taps, grabs, and pats people and things, he needs to ensure that life revolves around certain numbers and his brain seizes on words and spits out vulgar variations.

I found this to be a fantastic yet bittersweet story. Although compulsive and twitchy, Lionel is a both a likeable and sympathetic character. The author has created a darkly poetic, well crafted yet absurd story whose word play enhances the lonely life the book is illuminating.

Hi Judy! My star had become disengaged from your thread a couple of weeks ago (I blame scrolling on my phone and clumsy fingers), so I'm glad you visited mine and made me think, "Hmmm, I haven't seen Judy post in a while....."

ANYWAY! I had much the same reaction to Ocean State. You know I love O'Nan but OC fell very flat for me. And I loved your comments on The Stone Diaries, one of my all-time favorites :)

Hope you have a great weekend!

>112 katiekrug: Ocean State just didn't feel like a Stewart O'Nan book. I had to keep checking that, yes, he was the author.

I really enjoyed The Stone Diaries, finding it very original in concept and clever in execution.

>108 DeltaQueen50: I hope you have more luck changing your internet provider than I did, Judy. I tried but none of the cables coming into my place were live and the strata didn't agree to having outside wires, so I'm out of luck.

>114 Familyhistorian: Truth be told, Meg, I am dreading the switch. It will include switching our internet, cable tv and home phone so I am sure it won't be a quick fix. My current company just dropped a bunch of tv channels - all ones that I watch like the Food channel, the Home and Garden channel, the History channel, and more. It used to be a small local business called Delta Cable but they sold out to a company that is headquartered in Nova Scotia called Eastlink and the service isn't very good. I am not watching much television these days so I have actually shelved the whole idea and will take another look in the Fall. Procrastination, thy name is Judy!

That sounds complicated. It's different here. The internet company just provides the connection, so you choose a company and pay for the speed and data you need. It's easy to change companies because there's only one cable, but you often have to pay set-up costs, usually around $100. You can keep your old phone number. The big problem is that the National Broadband Network is already too slow for many people's needs. I suppose that every country has its own set of problems.

Thanks so much for your suggestion about Richard Wagamese. I just read Medicine Walk and it was one of my memorable books for 2023. I wrote up my thoughts in my 5 Star and Memories chat, but it isn't a true review.

>116 pamelad: I think it is complicated and hence my putting it off for now. I will probably go ahead in the Fall.

>117 JoeB1934: Joe, I am so glad that you enjoyed Richard Wagamese's writing. I highly recommend his Indian Horse as well.

>118 DeltaQueen50: It is on my hold list at the DPL

>119 JoeB1934:: Excellent!!

121. Death Stalks A Lady by Shelley Smith - 3.3 ★
Category: Kindle & Audio Books
July TIOLI #9: Final Number of Pages contains an 8 or can be used to get to 8



Death Stalks a Lady by Shelley Smith is a vintage mystery novel that was originally published in 1945. This is very much a “woman in jeopardy” mystery that is told in two parts, the first by the lady herself, Judith Allen and the second by her American friend, Robert Stone.

Judith has returned to England and the family home after the death of her father. Obviously her parents lived separate lives and Judith had been raised mostly by her father in America. Her older brother and sister had remained in England with their mother. Upon his death, the father had bequeathed all his money to Judith, cutting the rest of the family out of the will. It came as no surprise that someone appeared to be stalking Judith and planning on her demise, and that someone would be someone closely related to Judith. But another suspect enters the picture when Judith meets and falls in love with Rex Brady, is he as good as he appears or is he after her money as well. There are plenty of red herrings supplied as well as a body or two, but eventually the story comes together with a satisfying conclusion.

While I didn’t love this book, finding there were just too many questions to be answered, it wasn’t all that bad either. There was one interesting twist to Judith’s inheritance and plenty of interesting characters but I was left feeling a little unsatisfied with the convoluted story.

>121 DeltaQueen50: I've read five Shelley Smith books on KindleUnlimited, but not this one. I liked them all, and The Party at No. 5 is in H. R. F. Keating's Top 100.

https://www.librarything.com/bookaward/H.R.F.+Keating%27s+100+Best+Crime+%2526+M...

>122 pamelad: Before this I had only read The Party at No. 5 and I liked that one so much that I think my expectations were too high for Death Stalks A Lady. I will certainly try more from this author in the future.

122. Nights At The Circus by Angela Carter - 3.3 ★
Category: High & Low Shelves
1,001 Books List
July ClassicsCat: A Book I Have Wanted to Read
July TIOLI #6: The author was an atheist



Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter gives us the story of Sophie Fevvers, the “Cockney Venus”, who in 1899 was a famous aerialist who had all of Europe applauding her. Sophie is tall, blonde, curvy and beautiful. She was raised in a brothel as a foundling, never knowing who (or what) her parents were. Her main claim to fame is that she professes to be part woman, part bird and she is joined on the opening pages by Jack Walser, an American journalist who wants to get to the bottom of this mystery.

Fevvers act consists of her flying up to the trapeze where she performs a high wire routine. And although she is nothing special at this artistry, the crowds come to see her display her six foot wingspan. After speaking to her, Walser finds himself spellbound and follows her as she joins the circus on it’s Grand Imperial tour across Russia to Tokyo with plans to go on to America.

I almost gave up on this book but I pushed through and I actually found myself rather enjoying parts of it. This is a bizarre story told in earthy, bawdy language that has the author telling us how women are used and abused by men. Pretty much every woman character is a victim who is being manipulated by a man. Ultimately although the author’s writing is rich and imaginative, I had difficulty becoming engaged by this surreal story finding it a little overdone and somewhat silly.

>115 DeltaQueen50: I wasn't aware that there was another option besides Shaw and Telus in the Lower Mainland, Judy. You do things differently over there on the other side of the river. Strange that it was Eastlink that bought out your provider. I thought that they concentrated on their eastern holdings.

>125 Familyhistorian: To make matters even worse, Meg, Shaw doesn't serve this area so I am limited to Telus which I really didn't want to have to turn to. My techie son-in-law talks about streaming and other options but we are so un-savvy about this kind of stuff that I think one server is necessary.

123. Dark Places by Gillian Flynn - 4.1 ★
Category: High & Low Shelves
July TIOLI #2: Author has been a contributor to The New Yorker



Dark Places by Gillian Flynn is a dark, intense story about Libby Day, the sole survivor of a family massacre who is pushed into really taking a look at what happened that night when she was seven years old and whether it really was her brother who killed her family as she had testified.

On a January night in 1985 she managed to climb out a window and hide outside while her two sisters and her mother were brutally killed. She was sure that the murders were committed by her fifteen year old brother, Ben and he was sent to prison for life. Now some twenty-four years later, she is approached by a Kill Club whose members believe Ben was wrongly convicted. They are willing to pay Libby to interview the people who were involved at the time to see if anything new could come to light. Between Libby’s hesitant detective work, the story also flashbacks to that fatal day and the reader is led hour by hour to the horrific climax.

Libby is thoroughly unlikable. She has lived a rough, solitary life and has no friends, no job and not much to look forward to. Dark Places is not an easy read, the characters are flawed, and the situation is depressing but the author does a fantastic job of putting this story together and showing us a family that is spiralling out of control. The ending felt quite contrived however which was a disappointment as the first three-quarters of the book is raw, complex and riveting.

>127 DeltaQueen50: I have read and loved all of Gillian Flynn's books. I agree they are not for the faint of heart.

>127 DeltaQueen50: Will have to ponder this one (the ending). I read Gone Girl and thought it wonderful!

>128 lowelibrary: I have now read three of her novels and 1 novella and have enjoyed them all! She definitely likes to take a walk on the dark side but then so do I.

>129 Tess_W: Although Dark Places may be a touch darker, I think if you liked Gone Girl you will like Dark Places, Tess.

124. You Are Dead by Peter James - 4.2 ★
Category: Extras
2023 Reading Challenge: A Pronoun in the Title
July MysteryKit: Police Procedural
July TIOLI #11: At Least the 7th Book in a Series



You Are Dead by Peter James is the 11th book in the Detective Roy Grace police procedural series and the author is doing an excellent job of keeping his reader’s interest. This current book finds Roy and his team hunting a serial killer who is terrifying the Brighton public.

As well as the pressure of working such an important case, Roy is also dealing with new information about his first wife who has been missing for years, while his new wife is expressing displeasure at the hours he is putting into the job instead of spending time with her, their new baby and moving into a new house. To make matters even more difficult, Roy is trying to adjust to working under a boss that he actively dislikes.

This is a great series that is obviously well researched and well planned. As always the pages turn rapidly when I am reading about Roy Grace and I am already looking to fit the next book in soon.

>130 DeltaQueen50: Then you have read her whole collection.

>131 DeltaQueen50: - I took a BB for this series from you a few years ago and know I'll need to start it someday, but oh - I have so many series already. And I'm so far behind already.

>132 lowelibrary: Fingers crossed that she has more to come!

>133 dudes22: Series are deadly - when you take a hit it's usually for a lot more than one book! When you do get to the Roy Grace books, I think you are in for a treat - the first book was a real roller coaster ride!

>134 DeltaQueen50: She also has a small one-page comic called Masks, found in its entirety at the link below
https://www.theguardian.com/books/ng-interactive/2014/apr/25/novelists-do-comics...

>127 DeltaQueen50: Thank you for your review of this book. I find Gillian Flynn a brilliant writer, though I have to be in the right frame of mind in order to read her. She has a grasp of motivation and the Dark Side that just pulls the reader in. I'm sorry the ending of this book left you not as thrilled as the first three-quarters.

>135 lowelibrary: Thank you for providing that link. "Masks" is exactly what I would expect from Gillian Flynn - squirm inducing and slightly twisted!

>136 threadnsong: Hi Threadnsong! I agree that one needs to be in the right frame of mind before entering Gillian Flynn's fiction. I think my quibble with the ending of Dark Places is that it all felt a little to convenient and wrapped up a little to tidily, but the book is definitely worth a read!

125. Mistress of Rome by Kate Quinn - 4.0 ★
Category: High & Low Shelves
August AlphaKit: Q
August TIOLI #1: A Favorite Author Is a Blurber for this book



Mistress of Rome is a juicy historical saga by Kate Quinn, the author of the World War II novels, The Alice Network and The Diamond Eye. This is a story set against the power of Rome with it’s ruthless new Emperor, Domnitian. The main character however is a lowly slave, Thea, who is a Jewish survivor of Masada. She is slave to the vicious Lepida Pollia who sells her to a brothel when it becomes clear that the famous gladiator, Arius the Barbarian, prefers Thea to Lepida.

Because of her fine singing voice, Thea escapes the brothel and becomes a singer who is much in demand. She eventually is sent to sing for the emperor, and he in turn, decides to keep her and takes great delight in both abusing and torturing her. Meanwhile, Arius has become an enemy of Domnitian and to escape he fakes his own death. Both Thea and Arius are survivors and their love story is engrossing. At times Lepida was a little too viperous to be totally believable but she certainly kept the story interesting.

I enjoyed the book with it’s mix of romance and history, and was pleased that the author resolved her plot by using actual historical events. This is the first book in a trilogy and although Thea and Arius’s story has come to a satisfying conclusion, there are plenty of other characters that I would like to read more about so I will definitely be continuing on.

>138 DeltaQueen50: - I've wondered about this series since I like her WW II novels that I've read. But I think I'll skip this group - at least for now. BTW - Fantasticfiction shows that there are 4 books plus 3 has a ".5" book. So plenty more.

ETA: I'm thinking of reading her book The Huntress this month for the AlphaKit.

>138 DeltaQueen50: I remember enjoying that one! Looking back at my review, I called it "compulsively readable" and said it was like a soap opera. Lots of drama!

>138 DeltaQueen50: Sounds like my cuppa! (Sorry, I binged Good Omens 2 last night; a lot of Brit sayings buzzing around in my mind.)

Hope your week is going well.

>139 dudes22: It seems I can't avoid adding a new series no matter what I do! I believe these books were some of her earliest ones and I imagine that her writing has improved since so you are probably wise to skip these for now.

>140 christina_reads: "Compulsively readable" is the perfect description! This book reminded me of a lot of the historical/romance fiction that I used to read. Easy and fun.

>141 Storeetllr: Hi Mary. I bet you enjoyed your binge watching! This series is not meant to be taken too seriously - it's pretty light on the history but the pages turn quickly.

>139 dudes22: Just an fyi, your touchstone is not going to "The Huntress". :-)

>143 LibraryCin: - Thanks - all fixed.

>138 DeltaQueen50: Tempting, Judy, but I still haven't read her WWII novels which are somewhere in my stacks. Have you read any of Kate Quinn's Borgia novels? I read The Serpent and the Pearl which was full of intrique.

>145 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg. I have only read two Kate Quinn books - Mistress of Rome and The Alice Network. I enjoyed both of them. Her writing flows easily and she crams her plots with plenty of action, I just don't take her too seriously. I count her work as fun escape reads.

And speaking of escape reads .... (see below)

126. Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean - 3.7 ★
Category: Extras
August TIOLI #7: Title Includes a Contranym



Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean is the first historical romance in a trilogy entitled “Love By Numbers.” Although a lady does not smoke a cheroot, ride astride, fence or attend duels, the heroine of this book does all of that at least once as she is determined to break the rules and live the life she has been missing.

Miss Calpurnia Hartwell dreamed of romance and adventure but somehow she had been overlooked and found herself at 28 considered a prim spinster with an impeccable reputation. Before settling into spinsterhood, she drew up a list of 9 things that she wanted to experience, the first being a passionate kiss. She went to Gabriel St. John, Marquess of Ralston and notorious rake, to request that kiss and he agreed – provided she in turn introduced his Italian half-sister into society. Of course the two draw sparks off of each other and it becomes quite clear that, struggle though they might, these two have a romantic future ahead of them.

I found Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake to be a fun read as Callie experiences new things alongside the handsome and charming Gabriel St. John. There are quite a few steamy scenes but I just skipped ahead a few pages when I tired of the overdone descriptions. From it’s intriguing title to it’s charm and humor this Regency Romance was quite engaging.

127. The Fall of the Governor, Part 1 by Robert Kirkman - 3.4 ★
Category: Kindle & Audio
August ScaredyKit: Pick Your Own Scaredy Trope
August TIOLI #5: An Occupation or Profession is in the Title



The Fall of the Governor by Robert Kirkman is the third volume of the breakaway story that is set in the Walking Dead universe. The books follow the rise and, hopefully, eventual fall of Phillip Blake, the man who came to be known as The Governor. In this volume it becomes very clear that Phillip has lost his grip on reality and begun his descent into madness.

Three of my favorite characters from the Walking Dead, Rick, Glenn and Michonne have been captured by the Governor and his people. Their treatment is horrific and battle lines are now firmly drawn. Although this was extremely difficult to listen to, this is basically a rehash of the story line that was used both in the comics and on the television show but with added gore and intensity.

I would not recommend this book to anyone other than die-hard fans of the Walking Dead. It is violent, gory, disturbing and horrific. To make matters worse, there is still one more book to come before the end of the Governor as somewhere along the line, it was decided to split the finale into two books.

128. Gabriel's Story by David Anthony Durham - 4.5 ★
August Reading Through Time: Emigration/Migration
August TIOLI #2: A Rose By Any Other Name



Gabriel’s Story by David Anthony Durham is a classic coming-of-age story set in the American West of the 1870s. As many black families did after the Civil War, sixteen year old Gabriel Lynch, his mother, brother and stepfather have come west to Kansas to make a fresh start as farmers. Gabriel isn’t happy with this as he had hoped to stay in the east and train as a doctor.

He finds homesteading to be backbreaking, depressing and resents that he has lost his opportunity for education and a better life. He runs away and joins a group of cowboys who have come from Texas. Little does he know that he has made the worse decision of his life as these men are both cruel and sadistic. Before too long they are all on the run from the law. When Gabriel finally is able to break away from the group, he accidentally takes something of value with him. He makes his way home and back to his family little knowing that he is being tracked by two of the killers.

Gabriel’s Story paints a vivid picture of both the times and the appearance of the American West. His writing brings Cormac McCarthy to mind, but this story of a young African-American confronting evil is entirely original. My only quibble is with how the book was formatted. As the story moved from one narrator to another there were no breaks to give the reader time to adjust to the change which was confusing at times. But overall this debut author’s literary skill and creativity is impressive.

129. Of Wee Sweetie Mice and Men by Colin Bateman - 4.0 ★
Category: High & Low Shelves
Bingo: Journalist/Journalism
August SeriesCat: A Series I Have Been Meaning to Get Back To
August TIOLI #6: An Author I Haven't Read in 3+ Years



Giving a nod of his head to John Steinbeck, Northern Irish author, Colin Bateman delivers Of Wee Sweetie Mice and Men, the second novel featuring Dan Starkey, a boozy, sarcastic and often misguided journalist. In this outing we are presented with a fun story line, some bizarre twists, plenty of shady characters and a considerable amount of dark humor.

We find Dan joining the entourage of the Irish heavyweight champion “Fat Boy” McMaster, and heading to New York to cover the upcoming fight between McMaster and Mike Tyson. When McMaster’s wife is kidnapped and the fighter is misunderstood and becomes labelled a racist, Starkey tries his hand at detective work and along the way gets involved in an attack on a Muslim temple and manages to insult and get beaten up by a group of gay waiters before zeroing in on the Irish political and religious troubles.

Of Wee Sweetie Mice and Men is a fun romp, not to be taken too seriously, but simply enjoyed for it’s tongue-in-cheek style, fast pace and sharp humor. I am already looking forward to the next book.

>148 DeltaQueen50: I was surprised by how graphic some of the violence got here. It's a horror, but still.

>151 mstrust: Yes, it certainly wasn't a pleasant read by any stretch of the imagination. I have the 4th book to read and then I will put "The Governor" behind me! Have you been watching Dead City with Maggie and Negan? I have but haven't found anything "new" about this mini series. I will also watch the Daryl spin-off and eventually the Michonne and Rick one but as much as I love Zombies - I am not really missing the show, I guess it was time for it to be over.

130. Into the Jungle by Erica Ferencik - 3.6 ★
Monthly Theme: Adventure
August TOLI #4: Tagged as "Adventure"



Troubled Lily has had enough of bad foster homes and uncaring people so she packs a back pack and accepting a job offer heads to Cochabamba, Bolivia only to find that the job is non-existent. She does get a menial job at a hostel and there meets up with a couple of other travellers. The three girls spend much of their time drifting from bar to bar. Then one night Lily’s life changes forever when she meets and falls in love with Omar.

Omar is from the Amazonian jungle and when he is called to return home, Lily decides to go with him. She soon finds out that surviving the jungle with it’s poachers, remote tribes, shamens, killer animals and poisonous insects is not going to be easy. From horrible weather to countless dangers, Lily is totally out of her comfort zone and struggles to find how to fit in.

Into the Jungle is exactly what I was looking to read. An over-the-top adventure story about a young American woman living in the Bolivian jungle. The dangers and the strange mysticism that Lily experiences are a little melodramatic but had this reader rapidly turning the pages in order to find out what hazard Lily would next face.

Happy Wednesday, Judy. I love scrolling down through your current reads. I adored both Motherless Brooklyn & Dark Places. You also landed a BB with Gabriel’s Story. Another one, I had not heard of.

I am loving The Colony. If this one is not on your radar- it should be. 😁

>153 DeltaQueen50: - Sounds like a good armchair travel read, Judy!

>153 DeltaQueen50: Have you read Ferencik's Girl in Ice? It's a sci-fi thriller by category, but there is a linguistics sub-plot which drew me in as well. I just realized that I failed to add that to my 2022 thread but here's my review if you are interested.
https://www.librarything.com/work/26913583/reviews/223366494

>152 DeltaQueen50: I watched the first five episodes of Dead City, then stopped recording it. After five hours it still hadn't pulled me in, which surprised me. But this humane Negan is dull, and much as I like her, Maggie doesn't hold my attention for an hour. I'll definitely watch the other spinoffs. Darryl in France is just a weird concept.

>154 msf59: Hi Mark. I think you would love Gabriel's Story, it's beautifully written and tells a story that packs a lot of punch. I did notice that you were reading The Colony and that's enough to put it on my radar!

>155 katiekrug: It was a fun, escapist read, Katie. I would say it's one of those books that would depend on your mood as it is very over-the-top in places. But it was exactly what I was looking for so I enjoyed it.

>156 beebeereads: The only other Ferencik that I have read is The River At Night a survival thriller, I will make note of Girl in Ice for the future. Thanks.

>157 mstrust: Your thoughts about Dead City pretty much mirror mine. Who would have thought that Negan could be so boring. I, too, am curious to see Daryl in France - not a place I would look for him to be!

Looks like you're making the most of your reading adventure, Judy. With the rain, it definitely feels like reading weather now!

>159 Familyhistorian: I am enjoying the rain and the cooler temps. and yes, getting plenty of reading time as well. :)

131. Sisters of Reckoning by Charlotte Nicole Davis - 4.0 ★
Category: Series
August KiddyKat: YA Series
August TIOLI #4: Tagged as "Adventure"



The Sisters of Reckoning by Charlotte Nicole Davis is the sequel to the fantasy entitled The Good Luck Girls. The first book told of how a group of young women freed themselves from a house of ill-repute and most of them had been smuggled across the border and out of the country. Aster remained behind and continued working to help girls escape from the “Welcome Houses” but she eventually decides that not only does these house need to be done away with but changes need to be done to bring equality to everyone in the country.

Her friends return to help her and they ally themselves with various factions. Together they face up to the wealthy landowners and their minions, including the terrifying Raveners. Lots of action, plenty of world building and a sense that the bold decisions they were making was going to change the country for the better kept the book interesting and enjoyable.

The Sisters of Reckoning may have simplified many aspects of revolution but this story of a vibrant group of fighters, working to unite the various underclasses moved along at a fast pace and along with way there was still time to see friendships forged, and a simple romance flourish. I enjoyed my time spent with these characters and I am looking forward to seeing what the author produces next.

132. The Complete Steel by Catherine Aird - 3.5 ★
Category: High & Low Shelves
August SeriesCat: A Series I've Been Meaning to Get Back To
August TIOLI #6: An Author I Haven't Read for 3+ Years



The Complete Steel is a cozy British mystery that was published in 1969. The book was originally published under the title, “The Stately Home Murder”. It opens with a young boy finding a dead body stuffed into a suit of armor in a stately home that is open to the public. Inspector Sloan and his assistant, the slightly bumbling Constable Crosby, are called to the scene and are expected to solve the case as quickly and as quietly as possible.

The police find that they have to deal with the resident Earl, his wife and a goodly number of family members as well as a full compliment of retainers. The dead man turns out to have been the librarian and archivist and the best way of finding his killer is to discover why this meek and mild librarian needed to be murdered. Along the way to finding the information that they need, another murder occurs but the police doggedly follow the clues and eventually arrive at the correct answer.

This was a fun read as the author played upon the humor of the situation. There aren’t any great surprises but the clues are laid out and are fairly easy for the reader to follow. The author’s dry wit and tongue-in-cheek delivery keep this old-fashioned mystery light and readable.

133. The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan - 5.0 ★
Category: Kindle & Audio Books
Bingo: Set on a Boat, Train or a Plane
August TIOLI #1: A favorite author is a blurber for this book



The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan is a book that falls neatly into my wheelhouse, it is a tale of survival, it has a leading character who is not always to be believed, and it certainly takes the reader to the dark side. The story of a group of people adrift on the Atlantic Ocean with little food or water, deprived of all creature comforts and fearing for their lives strips them of their humanity and exposes their raw inner natures.

The book opens with Grace Winter on trial with two other women for an undisclosed crime after they had been rescued from a lifeboat. We learn Graces’ version of the time spent on the lifeboat as she puts together a diary at the request of her lawyers but ultimately the book raises more questions than it answers. Grace’s account is spine-chilling, tense, and frightening as she details how power and control were being sought and alliances formed among the 39 people on the lifeboat.. Exposure and deprivation only added to the unreliability of the story.

I was totally caught up in this story with it’s morally suspect characters, harsh environment and it’s dark mystery. Is Grace manipulative and selfish or is she yet another victim who is being blamed for being a woman who survives. The Lifeboat is an excellent story and one that makes you wonder how you would fair in the same situation.

>163 DeltaQueen50: I have had this one on my to read list for a while but saw it only rates 3.20 on Goodreads. I should know by now that ratings there have no bearing on my enjoyment or appreciation of a book! :)

>164 JayneCM: I did notice that the reviews on this book are quite mixed. For me it was the perfect combination of survival story, mystery and literary read. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did when you get to it.

>163 DeltaQueen50: Well, I'm taking it as a BB!

The Aird mystery and The Lifeboat both sound good, Judy. I think The Aird is next in the series for me.

>166 LibraryCin: I hope you enjoy The Lifeboat when you get to it, Cindy.

>167 BLBera: I am working my way through the Catherine Aird series as well, but unfortunately, it seems that I am doing it very slowly!

134. The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter by Yasunari Kawabata - 3.5 ★
Category: 1,001 Books List
August ClassicCat: In Translation
August TIOLI #13: First Word in Title is an Article



The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter was written by an unknown Japanese author around the tenth century AD. It is considered the earliest piece of Japanese literature still in existence. The story is a blend of romance and science fiction as a baby is found amongst some bamboo. As she grows, she reveals that she is a Princess exiled from the Moon, and eventually her people come in their spacecraft to take her home. Thus this story becomes the earliest known tale to tell of extraterrestrials visiting Earth. This version is a re-telling of the story by Japanese author Yasunari Kawabata originally published in 1998 and translated by Donald Keene.

This story would be at home in any collection of fairy tales as it is about a beautiful princess who cannot stay on Earth. The Emperor falls in love with her but stands aside and watches her return to the moon. Of course this is also a morality tale as many of the moon maiden’s suitors cheat at their tasks and suffer for that cheating. This very short tale was an easy read and an easy tick for the 1,001 Books To Read Before You Die list.

>162 DeltaQueen50: Adding this to my Book Bullets category retrospectively because I've started it already. (It's in KoboPlus under its original title.) I was a bit annoyed by the snobbery but have moved past that and am enjoying the book.

>170 pamelad: In many ways The Complete Steel read more like a satire than an actual mystery. Either way, I enjoyed it as a quick, light read.

There are just too many series, Judy.

>172 BLBera: That is for sure, Beth!

135. Haywire by Justin R. Macumber - 4.0 ★
Category: Kindle & Audio Books
August AlphaKit: M
August SFFFKit: Space
August TIOLI #4: Tagged as "Adventure"



Haywire by Justin R. Macumber is a fast-paced sci-fi adventure story that kept the pages turning as we travelled through space in a desperate effort to save both earth and all of it’s colonies. The author has built a believable future universe and his story is both realistic and exciting.

More than a century ago super-soldiers known as Titans were able to drive the alien invaders from our solar system and destroy them, but the aliens left behind a deadly virus that infected the Titans with an insane desire to destroy humanity and now they are on their way. One Titan did not lose her mind totally and did all she could to slow the rest of them down while she tried to warn of their coming. Unfortunately she arrived just barely ahead of the murderous horde and now they have very little time to come up with a plan and implement it.

Haywire was a fun read. There were a number of characters to keep track of from space pirates to military factions but the author gave everyone a distinct voice, especially the inner core of characters, a museum director, her son, a government agent, and the damaged yet heroic Titan, Artemis. The story advances through chaos, explosions, chases and plenty of violence all the while giving me the adventure that I was craving.

136. The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - 3.6 ★
Category: Kindle & Audio Books
2023 Reading Challenge: The word "Lost" is in the title
August TIOLI #2: A Rose By Any Other Name



The science fiction novel The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was originally published in 1912. It is considered one of the greatest sci-fi adventure novels and it has influenced many an author since as it tells of an expedition to a plateau in the Amazon basin where prehistoric animals still survive. This story is guaranteed to stir your imagination and give you an adventure worth savouring.

The story has a small company of 20th century scientists and adventurers arriving at the top of the strange plateau only to find themselves trapped. They set out to test their courage, skill and knowledge against the gigantic dinosaurs and flying pterodactyls that they find there. Of course it is quite dated and one has to overlook some derogatory terms that are used for the natives and the ultimate enemy that they encounter, a tribe of missing link man-apes seems to bring out the very worst “white man arrogance” in the characters.

If one is able to overlook the blatant racism, The Lost World does provide plenty of adventure and excitement. The author also makes the scientific information easy to swallow as it is steeped in the humor of Professor Challenger and Professor Summerlee disagreeing on every fact. The Lost World is a fine example of a Victorian swashbuckler with it’s chin-up, confident turn of the century British attitude.

137. The Hike by Susi Holliday - 2.0 ★
Monthly Theme: Travel/Adventure
August RandomCat: Tell Me Something Good
August TIOLI #12: Book Shares It's Name With Another Piece of Creative Art



The Hike is a suspense thriller by Susi Holliday. Two sisters, Cat and Ginny along with their husbands, Paul and Tristan have come to the Swiss Alps for a hiking holiday and although four set out together, only two return.

All four of these very unlikable people have secrets that we discover as the book advances. Ginny is self-centered and selfish, Cat hates her sister and is having an affair with her husband, Tristan. Cat’s husband, Paul, has been accused of being a sexual predator and Cat, for one, believes this is true. Tristan is an obvious womanizer with a superiority complex as well as being a selfish jerk. Throw into the mix a mysterious man who is following the four and seems to be particularly attracted to Cat. As unbelievable as the first half of the book was, it only got more confusing and messy as the story developed.

The author’s intention was to deliver a dark and very twisted thriller but The Hike was too far-fetched and the lack of credibility was almost laughable. The point-of-view that jumped from character to character only served to enhance the lack of sympathy that these characters deserved. Basically, The Hike is a story about terrible people as they do terrible things to each other.

I am always amazed when I am able to catch up on your threads Judy! What a remarkable group of books you are able to find. I am always fascinated at spin-offs from TV sci-fi series (going back as I do to the classic Star Trek).

>161 DeltaQueen50: Glad to see that the stories of women serving in brothels is becoming part of YA literature offerings. Not all young girls (and boys, for that matter) grow up in the same way and with the same opportunities.

>178 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Threadnsong - I guess variety is the spice of life! I enjoy reading many different genres and I am having fun this month with all my adventure reading!

138. Shoot to Thrill by P. J. Tracy - 3.5 ★
Category: Series
2023 Interconnected Reading Challenge: Both July and August books are of the same genre
August TIOLI #12: Book Shares It's Name With Another Piece of Creative Art



The fifth entry in the Monkeewrench series of crime novels, Shoot to Thrill gathers all the usual characters and has them investigating an unusual series of murders. These murders are announced in advance on the internet and then actual filmed footage of the crime is posted afterwards. Of course the perpetrators are ensuring that these messages are untraceable but the geniuses at Monkeewrench are working hard at discovering their identity.

We are introduced to a newcomer to the series, FBI agent John Smith, who actually hits it off with the Monkeewrench crew and with Grace in particular. In fact, at the end of the book, John and Grace make a big change to their lives, which will certainly impact the next book. Detectives Magozzi and Rolseth are in fine form and there is plenty of high tech puzzles for the Monkeewrench crew to work on, but for me this was probably my least favorite book of the series so far. As there are still plenty of Monkeewrench novels to come, I am hopeful that the mother/daughter team will bring the series back to it’s excellent level with the next book.

139. The Labyrinth Makers by Anthony Price - 4.0 ★
Category: Extras
August TIOLI #11: Espionage/Cold War



The Cold War espionage novel, The Labyrinth Makers by Anthony Price was that author’s debut novel, first published in 1970. The book introduces David Audley, a government back-room research man whose specialty is the Middle East. Therefore no one is more surprised than he at his new assignment. A WW II British plane has been discovered at the bottom of a drained lake, complete with the dead pilot. What has got everyone so intrigued about this is that the Soviets are very interested in both the plane and the pilot. Audley is charged with finding what happened to the smuggled cargo that should have been on the plane and why it is so important to the Russians.

Although the exact timing of the novel isn’t pin-pointed but it certainly felt like it was set in the 1960’s, with mentions of mini-skirts, The Lord of the Rings, and casual attitudes towards sex. As Audley investigates the situation, he meets the deceased pilot’s daughter and they become involved. As he digs deeper he has to deal with a witness being murdered and his own home being bugged.

I found The Labyrinth Makers to be a tense and compelling story much more along the lines of a Graham Greene novel than one of Ian Fleming’s. The author gives us a complex plot rife with hidden agendas and an intelligent, slightly detached main character to put the pieces together. The novel is well crafted and gives us a pragmatic look at the mid 20th century spy business.

>67 DeltaQueen50: I'm finally catching up with your thread and saw your excellent review of Starlight. I've not read that book yet, but I've loved many of Richard Wagamese's other books, including Medicine Walk.

A nice variety of books you've been posting about lately, Judy. Are you still reading from your own shelves?

>181 mathgirl40: My absolute favorite Richard Wagamese is Indian Horse which was also the first of his books that I read, but I have loved each and every one that I have read since. Starlight is special as it reconnects the reader to the character we first met in Medicine Walk.

>182 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg, I am doing a terrible job of keeping up with everyone on LT this year, but my reading is going well. Yes, I am mostly reading from my own shelves and Kindle and have made quite a dent but now I am feeling guilty about all the library books that I am not getting to! I haven't yet found the perfect combination but I am working on it!

140. Return to the Lost World by Greig Beck - 3.6 ★
Monthly Theme: Adventure/Survival
August TIOLI #4: Tagged as "Adventure"



Return to the Lost World by Greig Beck is the second book in his Primordia trilogy about a group of people who track down the Lost World that Arthur Conan Doyle wrote about. In 2018, they followed the clues and arrived at a hidden plateau in the middle of the Amazon jungle. The pathway to this plateau was only revealed once every ten years. Unfortunately the first book ended with one of the party being stranded there.

Now it is 10 years later and Emma is ready to go back and bring Ben Cartwright home. She has used the last 10 years to train herself and to gather a strong party so that they can get in to that strange place, find Ben and survive. But as we know, something always disrupts those well laid plans!

This was an exciting and fun adventure read that explores a prehistoric world of jungles, swamps, and plains filled with creatures that mankind only knows in fossil form. The story moves quickly and there is plenty of action and violence and the author gives us an excellence reason for there to be a third book.

141. The Winter Garden Mystery by Carola Dunn - 3.6 ★
Category: High & Low Shelves
August MysteryKit: Past or Future
August SeriesCat: A series I've been meaning to get back to
August TIOLI #6: An Author I haven't read in 3+ years



The Winter Garden Mystery is the second book in the Daisy Dalrymple Mystery series. Set in the 1920s, this series is along the lines of the Royal Flush series by Rhys Bowen or the Phryne Fisher series by Kerry Greenwood, mysteries being solved by young women who want more out of life than living at home with Mummy until getting married and becoming a housekeeper. In this case Daisy wants to be a writer and is currently writing articles for the Town and Country Magazine.

Her most recent assignment is to write about the stately home of Occles Hall. But when she is photographing the grounds she stops to investigate a recent digging. She uncovers the dead body of Grace Moss, a missing parlour maid. This solid mystery is delivered with charm and style as Daisy once again works with Scotland Yard’s Detective Inspector Alex Fletcher and together they explore alibis, feuds and secrets as they uncover the identity of the murderer.

While I am usually in the mood for darker mysteries this lighter version is packed with charm and engaging characters. Witty dialogue helps to make The Winter Garden Mystery an enjoyable and easy read when one is looking for something on the light side.

142. Deathwatch by Robb White - 4.2 ★
Monthly Theme: Adventure/Survival
August TIOLI #4: Tagged as "Adventure"



Originally published in 1972 and now considered a classic of it’s genre, the YA novel, Deathwatch is first and foremost a survival story. When a wealthy man hires, Ben, a local college student as his hunting guide, he expect his young guide to look the other way when he doesn’t follow the rules, but when he mistakenly shoots a person instead of the Rocky Mountain Sheep he swore he saw, he really shows his true colors as he refuses to allow Ben to report the death. He strips Ben of his clothes, weapons, food and water and keeping a watch from a distance waits for the extreme conditions to take Ben’s life as well.

The story is short and fairly simple as Ben uses his knowledge of the desert to outsmart the villain and survive. Although a little far-fetched I thought this story was very well done and I can certainly see that young people would be glued to the pages. I enjoyed the descriptions of the desert and the survival techniques that Ben used. This book is often compared to Hatchet by Gary Paulsen but the additional aspect of man-against-man as well as man-against-nature gives Deathwatch an exciting edge.

I hope you took advantage of our rainy day to do some cozy reading, Judy.

Happy Friday, Judy. Have a great time visiting your family. If you have any future challenges that involve Ireland, keep The Colony & Trespasses in mind. Both terrific reads.

>187 Familyhistorian: & >188 msf59: Thanks for dropping by. I am just about to head out the door on my way to Vancouver Island to visit my family. Unfortunately my brother had a heart attack a couple of weeks ago. They installed 5 stints and he is home now but my younger daughter and I are going over for a few days to make sure he is doing ok. Not sure if I will have much access to a computer over there so I will probably not check in again until I get back next week.

>189 DeltaQueen50: Oh, I'm so sorry to hear about your brother. I hope he is well on the mend and the presence of sister and niece will aid the recovery.

Sorry to hear about your brother. Hope your travel is uneventful and the visit is lovely.

>189 DeltaQueen50: I do hope you have a good visit and he recovers well.

Hope things work out well for your brother and you can have a good visit.

>189 DeltaQueen50: Adding my voice to the wishes for your brother for a good recovery. I'm sure he will be grateful you and your daughter are there. Safe journey!

Hi Judy, I hope your brother is recovering, and you enjoy your visit!

Hope your brother is not being too difficult a patient and that you're having some time to enjoy the visit.

Home again after having a very nice visit with my brother and sister. My brother is doing well, recovery is going slowly, and he is not the most patient patient but I think this episode scared him into embracing a much healthier lifestyle. My sister has sold her house and has moved in with him and they are in process of selling the family home. The plan is for my sister to buy a new house that has a suite attached for him. This should work well, they will both have company but not be totally on top of each other all the time.

Thanks to everyone for stopping by and,of course, I read while away and have a couple of reviews to post. :)

Welcome back Judy! I'm glad that you had a nice visit with your siblings. That sounds like a good solution for your brother and sister.

Thanks, Lisa. I am glad that they will each have company and not be alone. Getting old is hard enough without having someone to help you face it! I know my sister's kids are happy with this solution as well, as she won't be alone either.

143. World Departed by Sarah Lyons Fleming - 4.5 ★
Category: Series
September TIOLI #6: Title fits the Posted Picture



World Departed by Sarah Lyons Fleming is the first book in her Cascadia series about a zombie apocalypse. I am a fan of this author and have previously loved her two other zombie series so I was really looking forward to getting started on this series. Set in Eugene, Oregon the story follows a group of people through the first days of horror as a virus strikes and leaves behind dead people who rise up as flesh-eating monsters.

If you follow my reading at all, you probably know that I enjoy a good zombie story and Sarah Lyons Fleming is a top zombie story-teller. She makes her stories all about the characters that you learn to care about and want to see happy. At times these characters have to fight zombies but the author’s focus is usually on how her characters inter-act with each other. This series is set in the same universe as her previous zombie books although this one is set in Western America as opposed to the East. The characters are new and the reader quickly learns to identify with and root for Rose, Mitch, Craig, Tom and Clara.

While this was the first book in her new series and does spends time on setting the scene and introducing the characters, at over 700 pages, there is still plenty of story to be told. I loved the survival angle and how they worked together to develop ideas that would help the whole group. This was a read where I could cheer the characters on or gasp in fear when things were not going so well. World Departed was a great escape read with plenty of humor, multiple POVs, a little romance and lots of zombie action.

144. Down Among the Dead Men by Geraldine Evans - 3.0 ★
Category: Series
September AlphaKit: E
September TIOLI #11: 5 or More Words in Title with At Least Two Being the Same Length



Down Among the Dead Men by Geraldine Evans is the second book in her Rafferty and Llewellyn Police Procedural series. This was a quick read and one that I don’t expect to linger in my mind for any length of time. Rafferty and Llewellyn have not broken through as a team that I want to read a lot about, I actually found the book to be a little tedious.

In this outing they are investigating the death of a woman who had married into a wealthy but very dysfunctional family. Although at first it was suspected that she was a victim of a serial killer, the suspects were soon narrowed down to immediate family members. The book seemed to consist of one interview after another as Rafferty and Llewellyn try to suss out the killer. Along they way Rafferty tends to be quite condescending and rude to his partner but in reality he is really dealing with his own sense of inferiority.

Since the story was very slow moving and the author’s attempts at humor fell flat, I am not sure if I will be continuing on with this series.

>197 DeltaQueen50: that sounds like an excellent situation. I hope they find what they are looking for.

>197 DeltaQueen50: I'm glad you had a good visit, and it sounds like your brother and sister have come up with an excellent solution.

>202 Helenliz: & >203 Jackie_K: Now we just have to hope that my Mom's house sells soon and they get enough time to shop for a new place without being rushed. They are trying not to look too seriously at this point as they don't want to fall in love with a place before they are ready to make the move.

Catching up here, Judy - I'm glad your visit with your sister and brother went well, and it sounds like they have a good plan for moving forward. I'm sure that's a relief for all of you.

Hi Katie, great to see you. I am so behind here and my Library Thing has been coming and going due to this DDoS attack. These asshats deserve punishment for ruining our simple pleasure!

>206 DeltaQueen50: It's beyond my thinking how people get a thrill from doing this!

>207 clue: I hope they are able to adjust things so that they can't get in again.

I'm so glad your brother is okay and your family has made a plan.
>206 DeltaQueen50: Exactly! I don't understand the point of doing it.

>209 mstrust: Thanks Jennifer, I am very glad that he and my sister have joined forces so neither one is alone. I have my fingers crossed that these interfering idiots have been well and truly blocked!

145. Through Black Spruce by Joseph Boyden
Category: High & Low Shelves
September TIOLI #6: Title fits the Posted Picture



Through Black Spruce by Joseph Boyden is a novel that explores indigenous culture, family ties and identity. I found this to to a powerful story that follows two distinct POVs. The elder voice is that of Will Bird, a retired bush pilot who lies in a coma as his mind is actively going over the events that led to his condition. The younger voice belongs to Annie, Will’s niece who visits with her uncle and tells him of her journey of the past few months as she followed her missing sister’s trail to Toronto, Montreal and New York City before returning home to their small community of Moosonee near the shores of James Bay.

While the story takes us through heartbreak, mysterious disappearances, and violent confrontations what jumped out at me was the strong bond of kinship that these two characters shared. While not directly addressed, as the story advances, the plight of the indigenous people with drugs, alcohol and the death of their traditional way of life is made very clear.

Although there has been some controversy surrounding this author, I chose to simply concentrate on the story and I found it to be powerful, original and unforgettable. My only concern was that the ending seemed rather contrived but overall this was a very rewarding read.

>211 DeltaQueen50: Glad you enjoyed this one. I have still to read it but I love Boyden's writing (and I also avoid the controversy).

Glad all is well with your family. Sharing is a perfect solution.

Happy Friday, Judy. Glad you had a good time with the family. I also really enjoyed Through Black Spruce. I don't think he has wrote anything in a while, right?

I am just finishing up The Gift of Rain. A fantastic read. Have you read it?

>212 VivienneR: I still have Three Day Road to read and I am looking forward to it as most consider it his best work. I am very happy that my brother and sister will live in the same place but still have some separated space as they both are used to being on their own.

>213 msf59: Hi Mark. Yes, I have read The Gift of Rain and loved it. I am looking forward to his newest, The House of Doors, although it may be some time before I get to it.

So glad your visit with your brother went well and that he and your sister have found a good, mutually beneficial solution.

Hope your weekend is lovely!

It sounds like you had a nice visit with your siblings, Judy. The Boyden sounds good.

>215 Storeetllr: Hi Mary, I am very happy to relate that there is definitely a feel of autumn in the air. Fall is my favorite time of the year and I am looking forward to the cooler weather.

>216 BLBera: Through Black Spruce was an excellent read, Beth. Unfortunately he hasn't published anything in the last few years so I just have one more book by him to read.

146. Windhall by Ava Barry - 2.0 ★
Category: Kindle & Audio Books
September TIOLI #4: One of the author's names consists of three letters



The description of Windhall as a 1940s Hollywood murder mystery with an inquisitive journalist as the main character made this book seem like a read that I would totally sink into. Unfortunately this book and I did not mesh. I found it tedious, dull and overly long with an ending that felt contrived and unrealistic.

While the story does touch upon the dark side of the golden-age studio system the utter lack of character development and the overly long descriptions made this story a struggle to read. The main character Max Hailey isn’t particularly likeable but more importantly I found his motivations hard to believe. I thought there would be some kind of reveal at the end of the book that would explain why Max was so obsessed with this 70 year old mystery but none was forth coming.

There was a lot of potential with this book and as I am a fan both of old Hollywood and of mystery stories, I had high expectations for this read. I should note that Windhall is the author’s debut novel and although she delivered on the atmosphere this time, I can only hope that next time she also delivers on the story as well.

147. Death At The President's Lodging by Michael Innes - 4.0 ★
Monthly Theme: Back to School
September MysteryKit: College or University Setting
September SeriesCat: Vintage Series
September TIOLI #8: Would Fit an August 2023 Challenge



First published in 1936, Death at the President’s Lodging is both author Michael Innes first novel and the first book in his Inspector Appleby series. The body of the president of St. Anthony’s College is discovered in his study, and it’s appearance appears rather staged as his head is swathed in an academic gown and his body is surrounded by bones. The suspect list is narrowed down to seven men, the only ones with keys to the area surrounding the study and Inspector Appleby is called in to investigate.

The book is set totally within St. Anthony’s College, with a map of the college and it’s grounds supplied at the beginning of the book. With seven suspects I thought I would be able to figure out who the murderer was but I was totally in the dark. The plot was very clever but I wasn’t such a fan of the intricate discussions that occurred among the academics, a little too high-brow for me. The mystery was slowly put together by Appleby who comes across as an intelligent gentlemanly detective who relies upon his brain to work out the clues.

Death at the President’s Lodging is both a creative and complex mystery that takes full advantage of it’s academic atmosphere. I have previously read a couple of Michael Innes stand-alone mysteries and I have a couple of the Appleby series on my Kindle so I will definitely be reading more from this golden-age author.

Hello Judy and also stopping by for a September Hello. I am so sorry to hear about your brother's heart attack, and also how glad I am that he and your sister will be able to share a house. A separate living space is such a great idea.

Glad you have kept up with your reading adventures, both the great and the not-so-great.

>220 threadnsong: Hi Threadnsong - I am doing lots of reading these days - I keep thinking of how old I am getting and how many more books I want to read! I am not doing quite as good a job of keeping up here at LT but I have been chipping away at catching up.

148. The Guide by Peter Heller - 3.7 ★
Category: High & Low Shelves
September TIOLI #6: Title fits the posted picture



While Peter Heller was and remains one of my favorite authors, The Guide will not be one of my top favorites. Many of the things I like best about this author, his lush descriptions of nature, his knowledge of fishing and hunting and even the touch of noir that his writing delivers is here but, for me, the story just didn’t quite mesh together. I still enjoyed my read but was not totally carried away by the adventure.

The main character is a familiar one, Jack from The River is still recovering from the death of his best friend. He has come to Kingfisher Lodge, a high-end, remote fishing camp to act as a guide. He is assigned to a celebrity guest, Alison K, with whom he immediately bonds. Great activities, gorgeous scenery and excellent company - what could be better he thinks. But there is a sinister atmosphere of secrecy surrounding the place. With barbed wire, signs about not getting shot by the neighbours, strange screams in the night and cameras continually watching their every move, Jack soon comes to the realization that fishing may just be a cover for more menacing activities.

Peter Heller delivers another literary thriller that is creepy, spiritual and dangerous. I think my problem with it was that Jack seemed to suspect there were problems before anything actually happened, making him seem a little paranoid. Once it became obvious that something was terribly wrong, the story flowed well and I was hooked. Although The Guide could be considered a sequel to The River, it certainly can stand alone although I do recommend The River as another great outdoor adventure story.

>222 DeltaQueen50: There was just a hint of a Jack Reacher-style thriller to this one, I thought.

>222 DeltaQueen50: Hmm, looks like I better put The River and The Guide both on my TBR list. I've only read one of Heller's before: The Dog Stars, which I really liked a lot. I'm not sure why I haven't read more of his work. Thanks for bringing The River to my attention.

>223 RidgewayGirl: Once I got through the first few chapters, I became quite engrossed with the story. I like how the author incorporated our early fear of Covid into the story.

>224 Storeetllr: I hope you like both those books, Mary. I am looking forward to his latest, The Last Ranger.

149. Chaka by Thomas Mofolo - 3.7 ★
Category: 1,001 Books List
September GeoCat: Africa
September TIOLI #8: Fits one of the Challenges from August 2023



Chaka by Lesotho writer Thomas Mofolo was originally published in 1925 and first translated into English in 1931. This is a mythic retelling of the life of Chaka Zulu the first king of the Zulu empire who lived from 1787 to 1828, ruling from 1816 to 1828. He is credited with inventing the assegai, the short stabbing spear that enabled his warriors to repeatedly attack instead of just throwing one spear.

Chaka had a difficult life as one of the sons of a warrior chief. There was jealousy and plots among both the chief’s many wives and the sons who jostled for position. At one point Chaka and his mother were forced to leave, and Chaka was constantly bullied and tormented. According to this legend, Chaka became involved with a sorcerer who practised black magic and showed Chaka the path to power. Upon the death of his father, one of his brothers comes for him, but Chaka defeated him and became chief. At this point his ambition grew and he continued to overtake tribes and band them together into the newly formed Zulu nation. He was physically imposing and had witchcraft helping him but his personality changed and he was responsible for the deaths of thousands, including that of his mother and the love of his life.

Chaka reads like a classic story of blind ambition that turns a young man into a power-hungry monster. He is originally described as tall, handsome, brave and hardworking but as his craving for control and dominance grows he changes and becomes distrustful of all, willing to sacrifice whoever is closest to him. Although at times the writing can be a little stilted, this is an engaging and tragic story that certainly held my interest.

>226 DeltaQueen50: Making note of that one, primarily because I've never read a single thing by someone from Lesotho.

>227 RidgewayGirl: This was definitely my first author from Lesotho! It's a fairly quick and easy read. I have seen a tv mini-series about Chaka at some point so I knew the story. He was a military genius but somehow lost his humanity as his power and paranoia grew.

150. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt - 4.0 ★
Category: Kindle & Audio Books
September AlphaKit: V
September TIOLI #5: Published since January 2020



Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt is a feel-good story as told by various characters, including an aging Giant Pacific octopus called Marcellus McSquiddles who resides in an Aquarium in the small town of Sowell Bay on Puget Sound. The ultimate message seems to be that love and a sense of belonging can be found in the most unusual of places.

We follow along with 70 year old Tova Sullivan as she cleans in the Aquarium as a night janitor. Marcellus observes her and grows to care about her. Tova has come to terms with her recent widowhood, but the death of her son many years ago continues to haunt her as she is certain it wasn’t the suicide that the police declared it. Tova is fiercely independent and doesn’t pick up on the awkward flirting Ethan, the owner of the local grocery store is constantly sending her way. The other main character is a young man named Cameron who comes to Sowell Bay in search of his unknown father.

Although there is a thread of sadness that runs through all the stories in this book, the author manages to keep the tone light, warm and humorous. Even knowing where the story is heading doesn’t take away from this fun read. Remarkably Bright Creatures is the author’s debut novel and it is charming and heart-felt without becoming too sentimental.

>222 DeltaQueen50: I've had my eye on Heller. I need to try The River before I try The Guide.

>229 DeltaQueen50: Good review. I enjoyed this novel so much, I read The Soul of an Octopus, a non fiction book about octopuses, right after. It was pretty good too!

>230 thornton37814: I hope you enjoy The River, Lori. I thought it was very well done.

>231 Storeetllr: It's always so great to stumble upon a book that is so different and yet so relatable.

I've set up a new thread but I forgot to give it a new number so I guess I am redoing Thread #4. Please click on the continuation and come on over.