fuzzi Merrily ROOTs Along in 2024!

I missed my annual goal of 100 ROOTs in 2023, managed only 27. 😔

Since Real Life doesn't appear to be changing any time soon I've lowered my goal to 50. I can always exceed it.

Please feel free to drop by to encourage me!



And here's a link to my main thread:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/356393#8332960

Absolutely! Be Encouraged. Looking Forward to seeing your reading this year.

Hope your life settles down a bit and you find time to relax with reading.

Happy ROOTing this year, and good luck with your goal!

Happy ROOTing, Fuz! I hope live will settle down a bit and you can read your books in peace.

Good luck with the new goal, and I hope you find some gems on the shelves!

2023 was a tough year for me and my goal too.

Welcome back!

>2 EGBERTINA: >3 majkia: >4 mstrust: >5 connie53: >6 rabbitprincess: >7 cyderry: thank you, all!

I made a 2024 ROOTs To Read category, and moved 359 ROOTs from my 2023 ROOTs To Read list!

I have decided to get serious.

I am prioritizing my reads on books that need to be read or rehomed based upon:

* The first in a series

* In a series in which I don't have #1 yet

* Political books (most were gifts)

* Books that can be found at the public library/Open Library

* Books acquired prior to 2014 and still unread

* Coffee Table books

Exceptions will be special gifts, on a case by case basis.

I gotta do this...

Books acquired prior to 2014 and still unread

From 2011 or before
* The Last Plantagenets by Thomas B. Costain (HTF)
* The Louis L'Amour Companion by Robert Weinberg
* Geno: In Pursuit of Perfection by Geno Auriemma (gift)

From 2012
* Genesis in Space and Time by Francis A. Schaeffer
* The White and the Gold by Thomas B. Costain (HTF)
* Devil's Brood by Sharon Kay Penman (WND)
* The Reckoning by Sharon Kay Penman (WND)
* The Heavens Declare the Glory of God by Henry Morris
* The Anne of Green Gables Treasury by Carolyn Strom Collins
* The Brown Study by Grace S. Richmond (gift)
* Reagan, In His Own Hand by Kiron K. Skinner
* The Documents in the Case by Dorothy L. Sayers
* A Legend of Wolf Song by George Stone
* Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners by John Bunyan (EB)
* The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot (EB)
* A Simple Amish Christmas by Vannetta Chapman (EB)
* The Wood Beyond the World by William Morris (EB)
* Martyrs Mirror: by Thieleman J. van Braght (EB)
* The Odyssey by Homer (EB)

From 2013
* Poldark's Cornwall by Winston Graham
* Gunsights by Elmore Leonard
* Frontier by Louis L'Amour (coffee table book)
* Black Storm: by Thomas C. Hinkle (HTF)
* Lighthearted Journey by Anne Bosworth Greene (HTF)
* Boots: The Story of a Working Sheep Dog by Colonel S. P. Meek
* The Wolf King by Joseph Wharton Lippincott (HTF)
* Submarine: by Tom Clancy
* Another Paws for a Moment with God (gift)
* The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne
* Lore of the Witch World by Andre Norton (EB)

(HTF) = Hard To Find
(WND) = Will Not Discard for various reasons
(EB) = E-book

The first in a series

* Surviving the Applewhites by Stephanie Tolan
* The Burning Questions of Bingo Brown by Betsy Byars
* Texas Sunrise: by Elmer Kelton
* The White and the Gold: by Thomas B. Costain
* The Hallowed Hunt (Chalion series) by Lois McMaster Bujold
* A Dog's Life by Ann M. Martin
* Elsie Dinsmore by Martha Finley
* Isle of the Dead by Roger Zelazny
* Android at Arms by Andre Norton (DNF) - Jan '24
* The Capture of the Golden Stallion by Rutherford Montgomery
* Submarine: by Tom Clancy
* The Big Sky by A. B. Guthrie Jr.
* The Black Echo (A Harry Bosch Novel) by Michael Connelly
* Killing Floor (Jack Reacher) by Lee Child - Jan '24
* For Love of a Horse by Patricia Leitch
* Witches Of Karres by James Schmitz
* Sons of Texas by Elmer Kelton
* The Witchwood Crown by Tad Williams (WND)
* Miss Minerva and William Green Hill by Frances Boyd Calhoun
* The Zero Stone by Andre Norton
* The Dictionary of Lost Words: A Novel by Pip Williams
* Dragon Keeper: Volume One of the Rain Wilds Chronicles by Robin Hobb
* Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini
* Hospital Station by James White (DNF)
* The Sharing Knife Volume One:Beguilementby Lois McMaster Bujold
* Louis L'Amour's Lost Treasures: Volume 1: by Louis L'Amour
* The Eyre Affair: A Thursday Next Novel by Jasper Fforde (DNF)
* Westmark by Lloyd Alexander
* The Whistling Season by Ivan Doig

* The Original Miss Honeyford by M. C. Beaton (EB)
* Gardens of the Moon: Book One of The Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson (EB)

(DNF) = (Started, did not finish)

And

In a series in which I don't have #1 yet

* The Grey King by Susan Cooper #4
* Silver on the Tree by Susan Cooper #5 - Jan '24
* The Left Hand of Darkness by Andre Norton #4
* Dream On by Kate Lattey #2
* If at Faust You Don't Succeed by Roger Zelazny #2
* The Fledgling by Jane Langton #4
* Sarah's Cottage by D. E. Stevenson #2
* The Prodigal by Beverly Lewis #4
* An Amish Husband for Tillie by Amy Lillard #4
* Dragonwings by Laurence Yep #5 - Jan '24

* Lore of the Witch World by Andre Norton (EB) #12

Political books (most were gifts)

* Triggered by Donald Trump Jr.
* Speaking for Myself: Faith, Freedom, and the Fight of Our Lives Inside the Trump White House by Sarah Huckabee Sanders
* Trump: Think Like a Billionaire: Everything You Need to Know About Success, Real Estate, and Life by Donald J. Trump
* Reagan, In His Own Hand: The Writings of Ronald Reagan that Reveal His Revolutionary Vision for America by Kiron K. Skinner
* Sincerely, Ronald Reagan by Helene Von Damm
* The Truth about Covid-19: Exposing the Great Reset, Lockdowns, Vaccine Passports, and the New Normal by Joseph Mercola, DO
* ZELENKO: How To Decapitate The Serpent by Vladimir Zelenko MD
*Plague: One Scientist’s Intrepid Search for the Truth about Human Retroviruses and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), Autism, and Other Diseases by Kent Heckenlively
* Plague of Corruption: Restoring Faith in the Promise of Science by Judy Mikovits
* What's So Great About America by Dinesh D'Souza

* Truth About Masks: Exploring Theories Against Wearing Them by Judy Mikovits (EB)
* The Real Anthony Fauci: Bill Gates, Big Pharma, and the Global War on Democracy and Public Health by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (EB)
* UNREPORTED TRUTHS ABOUT COVID-19 AND LOCKDOWNS: Combined Parts 1-3: Death Counts, Lockdowns, and Masks by Alex Berenson (EB)
* A Letter to Liberals: Censorship and COVID: An Attack on Science and American Ideals by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (EB)

And

Coffee Table Books

* Frontier by Louis L'Amour
* Racing Through the Century: The Story of Thoroughbred Racing in America by Mary Simon
* Digital Photographer's Handbook by Tom Ang
* Charles Kuralt's America by Charles Kuralt
* Book of North American Birds by Editors of Reader's Digest

Looking forward to seeing what you pick up off your shelves!

>12 fuzzi: me too, hahaha!

I already see some that I plan to rehome ASAP.

Books that can be found at the public library/Open Library

Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift - Jan '24

2024 January Purge

Unread
Chance by Robert B. Parker
The Shadowers by Donald Hamilton
Family--The Ties that Bind . . . And Gag! by Erma Bombeck
Killing Floor by Lee Child
Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Magic of Cats by Amy Newmark
American Sniper by Chris Kyle
The Family Stalker by Jon Katz
Chasing the Bear: A Young Spenser Novel by Robert B. Parker
Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
The Grass Is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank by Erma Bombeck
Android at Arms by Andre Norton (DNF)
Eye of the Needle by Ken Follett
Silver on the Tree by Susan Cooper
Dragonwings by Laurence Yep
The Tomorrow File by Lawrence Sanders
The Passion of Molly T. by Lawrence Sanders

Read
Llano River by Elmer Kelton

E-books
How to Study the Bible by Dwight L. Moody

I will strikethrough once I remove them from the house...

Ohh WOW, Fuz! Great plans and all so detailed. I hope this works for you.

Glad to see you back.

Good luck, with your reading goals and with your life! :)

>17 connie53: thank you. I was looking over my ROOT list and knew I had to do more.

>18 Jackie_K: thanks!

Welcome back and good luck with your plans. The OpenLibrary section looks like a dangerous place to peek at...

>20 MissWatson: ah, but it's free!

My dad's Robert B. Parker books...

Valediction (Spenser) Parker, Robert B.
Shrink Rap (Sunny Randall Series) Parker, Robert B.
God Save the Child (Spenser) Parker, Robert B.
Small Vices (Spenser Book 24) Parker, Robert B.
Perish Twice (Sunny Randall Book 2) Parker, Robert B.
Rough Weather (Spenser) Parker, Robert B.
*The Judas Goat (Spenser) Parker, Robert B.
Hugger Mugger (Spenser) Parker, Robert B.
A Catskill Eagle (Spenser, Book 12) Parker, Robert B.
Widow's Walk (Spenser) Parker, Robert B.
Taming a Sea-Horse Parker, Robert B.
Night and Day Parker, Robert B.
Double Play: A Thriller Parker, Robert B.
Family Honor (Sunny Randall) Parker, Robert B.
Split Image (Chief Jesse Stone)

Now to compare that list from LT to what I have actually pulled off the shelves...

Oh, my!

High Profile
Blue Screen
Now and Then
Spare Change
Hush Money
Trouble in Paradise
School Days
Early Autumn
Godwulf Manuscript
Stardust
Double Deuce
Night Passage
Walking Shadow
Thin Air
Death in Paradise
Mortal Stakes
Promised Land
Back Story
Sudden Mischief

That's 33 going out the door!!

*can't locate

And one read!


Nic of the Woods by Lynd Ward

Nic goes on vacation with his family to a cabin deep in the woods. While they go on a fishing trip he is left behind with the cook, runs away, and becomes hopelessly lost. Will Nic find his family again?

This is an old fashioned yet entertaining story that should please dog lovers young and old.

The Wildlife Atlas by Sylvia A. Johnson

This appears to be a simple yet informative book of animals with realistic illustrations.

My copy's binding is so far gone the pages are about to fall out. I think I will send it to my grandchildren so they can enjoy the illustrations.

Surviving the Applewhites by Stephanie S. Tolan

I Pearl Ruled this book at page 60. I don't like any of the characters, and even eccentric characters should be somewhat likable. The Penderwick and Blossoms (Betsy Byars) series have likable, 3 dimensional eccentric characters, so it can be done well. It wasn't here.

What really amazes me is this book won a Newbery. I don't see how.

>25 fuzzi: What does Pearl Ruled mean?

I just read this a month ago. I labeled it as average - not spectacular. At this point, - average - not spectacular - is all that I have encountered in the later Newbery decades. I figure that I am mega-out-of-touch with reality; a product of my own generation.

>26 EGBERTINA: Nancy Pearl's rule about giving up on books is to what I was referring.

Here's an explanation here:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/356114#n8324873

I have found that the Newberys are a mixed bunch. Why would Shadow of a Bull win over the superb Across Five Aprils?

You can read my Newbery reviews here:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/316991#

The River Between Us by Richard Peck

An absorbing tale of a poor family living in southern Illinois at the start of the US Civil War. I was so drawn into the story and characters that I read on, late into the night. Another excellent work by this author.

Indian Saddle-up by Glenn Balch

A "what if" explanation tale, of an 18th century young Comanche who discovered horses that had escaped from their Spanish owners. The introduction of a better method of hunting and fighting changed the Comanche way of life forever. It's respectfully written, without graphic violence, so suitable for pre-teens and up. I enjoyed it, and will keep it on my shelves for another read.

Visitor by CJ Cherryh

Wow. Engrossing. Politics and alien cultures and conflicts and overcoming hurdles, and a BIG twist that I didn't see coming!

(not being rehomed, no way!)

>11 fuzzi: my pleasure reading is mostly mysteries these days, but I used to read a lot of fantasy. I really liked a Zelazny series and was NOT happy with the friend who introduced me when I flew through the books only to discover the series wasn't finished! I've also really enjoyed Lois McMaster Bujold's work. I didn't see any Elizabeth Moon on your list. If you like Bujold I think you'll like her.

>30 fuzzi: Yep, that was a good one!

>31 ritacate: I agree that there is a good amount of common ground with Bujold and Elizabeth Moon. I quite liked The Serrano Legacy before being blown away by Deed of Paksenarrion.

>31 ritacate: thank you for stopping by my thread.

I used to read a lot of fantasy, too, but not as much anymore. If you check out my scifi/fantasy collection here on LT you can see a slew of fantasy books and authors. I have read Elizabeth Moon but only in her collaborations with Anne McCaffrey. I have read several books by Lois McMaster Bujold, but kind of burned out on the Miles series. Her The Curse of Chalion was good enough for me to go back and reread!

Another female author whose works I appreciate is Robin Hobb, and I enjoy Martha Wells Murderbot series. I used to be a big fan of McCaffrey, Mercedes Lackey (burned out on those, too), Katherine Kurtz, and Nancy Springer. My favorite female author is CJ Cherryh. Most of her stuff is scifi, but if you're mainly looking for fantasy you might enjoy her Fortress series.

A few other female authors whose works I've enjoyed are R.A. MacAvoy, Andre Norton, Robin McKinley, and Wendy Pini (her original Elfquest series of graphic novels is wonderful, the newer stuff not so great).

ETA: Cutter (by Wendy Pini)

>32 quondame: thanks! I upped that particular book to 4 1/2 stars, though most of Cherryh's books for me are at least 4.

>33 fuzzi: I'm glad I am keeping an eye on this thread - I've really enjoyed the Elizabeth Moon I've read, so using these posts as recommendations!

>33 fuzzi: I the last 10 or so years there have been so many women-written fantasy books that are enough different than even the best of the 1990s that I have often felt spoiled for choice. Some of the authors had produced books before this century, but many are strictly 21st century producers.

The Twits by Roald Dahl

After reading a few pages I was tempted to put down this nasty, mean-spirited narrative, for good, but I kept slogging and it got a little better. The monkeys and birds don't make up for the Twits.

>33 fuzzi: thank you for all the recommendations!

>38 ritacate: you're very welcome. I've gotten so many good suggestions here.

>37 fuzzi: One of my favorite Dahls, they are horrible and I like that ;-D

>40 mstrust: different strokes for different folks!

The River People by Philip Wayre

An absorbing collection of tales by a naturalist who studied and raised otters in the 1970s and beyond. I liked how the author didn't feel it necessary to expound over the occasional losses of this subjects, and how he injected quiet humor into his narratives as well. I will be reading more books by this author.

Silver Pigs by Lindsey Davis

I JUST DON'T CARE.

Life's too short. Pearl Ruled, rehoming.

>43 fuzzi: Excellent review! :D

>44 Jackie_K: ha! I'd missed your reply.

My review of Heart of Darkness was also brief, concise. Ick.

Oh NO! It ends in a cliff-hanger!!! And the library doesn't have a copy!!!!!!


Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb

Engaging story told with different perspectives by characters of diverse backgrounds, who are being brought together in one quest for varying and often selfish reasons. I enjoyed how each person is given depth, and not just assigned a stereotypical persona. The dragons surprised me, which I found refreshing, and just solidifies my admiration for the author's ability to tell a deep and complicated tale.

Be sure to have book two in hand, as this one ends in a bit of a cliff-hanger.

Note: this one I'm keeping, it's been on my shelves for over a year so it qualifies as a ROOT.

Have Spacesuit Will Travel by Robert Heinlein

What a disappointment! I generally appreciate and enjoy this author's books, even most of his earlier juvies but I won't be finishing this one. It started so well, included some of Heinlein's social commentary that has shown to be prophetic, and I found the more technical aspects to be intriguing. But then he lost my interest with a plot twist that was almost cartoonish, outlandish, bizarre, like a skit from Monty Python. Abandoned after fifty pages. No stars.

>46 fuzzi: That's what Robin Hobbs book are very good at. You 'have' to read them all.

Other Men's Horses by Elmer Kelton

An engaging narrative of a young Texas Ranger on the trail of a man who allegedly killed a horse thief. There are several side plots that don't confuse but enrich the story, including a woman in search of her husband, and a Buffalo Soldier on the run for the shooting of a white man. It's a really good tale, recommended even if you've not read any previous books in the series.

Fair Weather by Richard Peck

It's 1893 and Chicago is hosting the World's Columbian Exposition, also known as the World's Fair, and people are coming from all over to see the sights. Rosie, her older sister and younger brother are invited to attend as guests of their aunt, a rich widow who lives in the city. As usual with this author's tales, things don't always go as planned, but with smile-inducing results. Fun read as an adult, probably would be a good book to eventually pass on to my grandchildren, who live in Chicago!