Vivienne reads 25 in 25

Welcome to my 2025 reading challenge. I’ve been an LT member since 2008 and this is my 12th year participating in the Category Challenge. I live in south-east British Columbia surrounded by the beautiful snowy mountains of the Western Canadian Rockies. This year my simplified plan is titled 25 in 25 - I hope to read 25 books in each category - but we’ll see how that goes. This year my categories are decorated with the work of some favourite artists. I hope you will join me for chat about books - or anything else.

Tony Onley - Storm over Georgian Bay

NOT a KIT / CAT

1. Queen Macbeth by Val McDermid
   
2. Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena

Joanne Gervais

RandomKIT

1. January: Eat, drink and be merry: Honey and Spice by Bolu Babalola
   
2. January: Eat, drink and be merry: The Dinner Lady Detectives by Hannah Hendy
   
3. February: Playing with time: The Noise of Time by Julian Barnes
   
4. February: Playing with time: The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell
   
5. March: Wishes: The Wish List by Eoin Colfer
   
6. March: Wishes: A Desirable Residence by Madeleine Wickham
   April:
   May:
   June:
   July:
   August:
   September:
   October:
   November:
   December:

Edward Petherbridge (aka Lord Peter Wimsey) - bookstore

MysteryKIT

1. Jan: winter mysteries: Christmas Mourning by Andrea Frazer
   
2. Jan: winter mysteries: One by One by Ruth Ware
   
3. Jan: winter mysteries: Whiteout by Ken Follett
   
4. Feb: vintage mysteries: The Black-Eyed Blonde by Benjamin Black
   
5. Feb: vintage mysteries: Fell Murder by E.C.R. Lorac
   
6. Mar: espionage: The Secret Hours by Mick Herron
   Apr: paranormal
   May: not set in Canada
   Jun: LGBTQ+ detectives
   Jul: next in a series
   Aug: legal thrillers
   Sep: silver age mysteries
   Oct: police procedurals
   Nov: psychological
   Dec: cozies

Ted Harrison - Sam McGee (inspired by poem by Robert Service)

AlphaKIT

1. Jan: S & O One Summer by David Baldacci
   
2. Jan: S & O Black Orchids by Rex Stout
   
3. Feb: G: The Girl Before by JP Delaney
   
4. Feb: L & G: Dream Girl by Laura Lippman
   
5. Mar: U & A: An Expert in Murder by Nicola Upson
   Apr: K & E
   May: I & D
   Jun: C & Q
   Jul: W & T
   Aug: N & J
   Sep: B & M
   Oct:F & P
   Nov: Y & H
   Dec: V & R
   All year X & Z

John Lowrie Morrison

ColourCAT

1. Jan: Green: Hot to Trot by M.C. Beaton & R.W. Green
   
2. Jan: Green: Murder on the Oxford Canal by Faith Martin Hillary Green series
   
3. Feb: Gold: Hurricane Gold by Charlie Higson
   
4. Feb: Gold: A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie (Golden Age)
   
5. Mar: Pink: Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason
   Apr: Brown
   May: Red
   Jun: Yellow
   Jul: White
   Aug: Grey
   Sep: Silver
   Oct: Black
   Nov: Blue
   Dec: Purple

Peter Shostak - We have already cleared the snow off

CoverCAT

1. Jan: Let's have a tea party: With a Bare Bodkin by Cyril Hare
   
2. Jan: Let's have a tea party: Man at the Helm by Nina Stibbe
   
3. Feb: A Tree: Held by Anne Michaels
   
4. Feb: A Tree: I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
   
5. Mar: Farm Animals: Prairie Ostrich by Tamai Kobayashi
   
6. Mar: Farm Animals: Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson
   Apr: A Road
   May: More than Two Elements
   Jun: Something with Wheels
   Jul: A Fruit
   Aug: A Photograph
   Sep: Dogs, cats, or both
   Oct: Will fit in a pocket
   Nov: Celestial objects
   Dec: A gift you would like

Bob Harrold - Saskatchewan Fall

NatureKIT

1. Jan: Sheep & shepherding: The Quest of the Warrior Sheep by Christine Russell and Christopher Russell
   
2. Jan: Sheep & shepherding: Pastoral by Andre Alexis
   
3. Feb: Forest, farms, grasslands: Back of Beyond by C.J. Box
   
4. Mar: Landscape: Winterkill by Jonasson Ragnar
   Apr: Flying creatures
   May: Plants, fungi etc
   Jun: Oceans and rivers
   Jul: Inner lives of animals
   Aug: Weather & climate
   Sep: Urban nature
   Oct: Endangered species
   Nov: Effects on humans
   Dec: Wild card

Maurice Sendak - Where the wild things are



1. Place you've never been:
2. ”Library” or "Thing" in title
3. Writing about writers
4. Oldest book in your TBR
5. Holiday in title
6. A long title (5+ words)
7. Features non-traditional family: Hostage by Clare Mackintosh
8. Medical topic
9. The sun on cover/in title
10. Child is a main character: Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware
11. Newly in public domain
12. Author has your or relative’s first or last name: The Russia House by John le Carré
13. Read a CAT
14. Totally random
15. Features a birth: The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth
16. Nonhuman narrator: I Am Wind: An Autobiography by Rachel Poliquin, illustrated by Rachel Wada
17. Features winged creatures: The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan
18. A profession in title: The Nanny by Gilly Macmillan
19. Travel: The Good Thief’s Guide to Amsterdam by Chris Ewan
20. Recommended by a friend: Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo
21. Set in your favorite season
22. Originally published in a language not your own
23. Hollywood!
24. A piece of furniture on the cover
25. Features fire

Open for business! Welcome!

Oh, lovely art work! Good luck and happy reading.

Love all the artwork. Enjoy your 2025 reading.

Gorgeous artwork! I particularly love the work of John Lowrie Morrison. Looking forward to following along in 2025.

Great art.

>11 majkia:, >12 JayneCM:, >13 DeltaQueen50:, >14 lowelibrary: Thank you all. They are all favourites of mine for one reason or another. I wasn't going to post my thread until late December but because I was making it simple, I chose to go ahead. Now I can't wait for January.

Lovely artwork! I hope your reading is pleasurable in 2025!

I enjoyed looking at your mini-gallery of art. Best wishes for a great year of reading in 2025.

Hoping to see lots of crime novels in your categories, Vivienne. Happy reading.

>17 LadyoftheLodge:, >18 pamelad: Thanks for dropping by. Looking forward to sharing our reading in 2025.

The pictures are great, especially the one in >2 VivienneR:. I'm looking forward to see what you read!

Good to see you're back for another year, Vivienne! The pictures I like best are >2 VivienneR:, >6 VivienneR: and >8 VivienneR:

>20 MissWatson: Thank you, Birgit. Tony Onley was known for flying a little plane to remote locations in British Columbia to paint. It was a sad day when the plane crashed near Vancouver.

>21 Jackie_K: Thank you, Jackie. I thought you might like Morrison! I met Bob Harrold once and bought one of his paintings. I wish I'd bought more. He's a cool guy and gave me a very accurate weather forecast that contradicted the official version.

Lovely paintings! >2 VivienneR:, >4 VivienneR:, and >5 VivienneR:, but especially >8 VivienneR: are my favorites!

>23 Charon07: Thank you! They are my favourites too! :)

Love the art work! Good luck with your 2025 reading!

Hard to pick a favorite but I really like the picture for your NatureKit. Looking forward to the Book bullets you'll fling at me this year. (next year ?)

>26 dudes22: I'll be expecting just as many Book Bullets from you too, Betty!

I do love the Pretheridge painting. Oh, my. So talented!

>28 majkia: I don't know why I am surprised by his artistic flair, he's such a talented actor.

Love all of the art, especially >6 VivienneR:, and your simple plan for the year!

Happy reading in 2025! I'm looking forward to your reviews.
>2 VivienneR: What a beautiful painting.

>30 staci426: Thank you! I'm hoping the simple plan will work well.

>31 mstrust: Thank you. I'm looking forward to your reviews too, Jennifer.

I love all your artwork too, Vivienne! Happy 2025 when we get there!

>33 susanj67: Thank you, Susan!

What beautiful and interesting pictures! I'm looking forward to following along again.

The art is great. Good reading in 2025.

>35 MissBrangwen: Thank you.
>36 mnleona: Thank you.

Just dropping by to star your thread and wish you a happy and healthy new year!

Beautiful thread toppers! Looking forward to taking some book bullets from you in the new year. :)

>38 lsh63: Thank you, Lisa!
>39 christina_reads: Thank you, Christina. I'm sure there will be BBs going in the opposite direction too!

Happy 2025, Vivienne.

I thought I would take the opportunity to come and look you up, Vivienne. xx

Love the theme, wishing you a happy new year of reading.

Have a print of JoLoMo's Front Gardens and the Moorings, Iona on the wall in the living room, love the colours.

Happy New Year and good luck with your reading.

I really love the opening thread illustration! It's lovely! Hope you have a Happy New Year with lots of good reads!

Love the artwork you chose - so much gorgeous!

I really appreciate the way you've chosen the artwork to represent your topics. Hope you have a wonderful reading year.

Find me here in 2025 https://www.librarything.com/topic/367017#8712413

Happy New Year Vivienne. I love all the artwork. I hope 2025 is a good year for you.

>41 PaulCranswick: How nice of you to drop by, Paul. Haven't checked the 75ers recently so I hope you got that building finished. Happy New Year.

>42 charl08: I love the colour JoLoMo uses! Now I'm envious of your living room art.

>43 lowelibrary: Thank you, April. Same to you.

>44 thornton37814: Thanks, Lori! As you know, a cat is always a winner!

>45 Crazymamie: Thank you, Mamie.

>46 beebeereads: Thank you, Barb. I'll be dropping a star on your thread.

>47 BLBera: Thank you, Beth. It was just put together on-the-spot, no planning involved.

My 2024 Meme

Describe yourself: The Face at the Window

Describe how you feel: The Drowning Woman

Describe where you currently live: Greenwich Park

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: A City called July

Your favourite form of transportation is: The Late Train to Gipsy Hill

Your favourite food is: Ten Little Herrings

Your favourite time of day is: Standing in the Shadows

Your best friend is: What Bloody Man is That?

You and your friends are: The Berry Pickers

What’s the weather like: The Darkest Evening

You fear: The Crow Folk

What is the best advice you have to give: Look Both Ways

Thought for the day: What You Are Looking For Is In the Library

What is life for you: Every Time I Go On Vacation Someone Dies

How you would like to die: Darkness Take My Hand

Your soul’s present condition: Yours Cheerfully

What was 2024 like for you? Everyone Here is Lying

What do you want from 2025? Love

Love your meme answers.

Thanks Lori. The end of year meme is always fun.

Bingo 16: Non-human narrator

I Am Wind: An Autobiography by Rachel Poliquin, illustrated by Rachel Wada

As a mock autobiography, Poliquin has provided just the right level of scientific information for young readers, in depth, while keeping it interesting and without ever talking down to them. It has cultural, geographical, and even historical connections that are fascinating and guaranteed to appeal. Powerful words describe the immense power of wind, how it is generated and changed.

Wada’s illustrations are superb, conveying the precise meaning of the text, while capturing the whirling image of wind in gorgeous colour.

Five stars without question!

It felt good to start the new year with this beautiful book, my Early Reviewer snag for November.

NatureKIT January: Sheep & Shepherding

The Quest of the Warrior Sheep by Christine Russell and Christopher Russell

Five sheep, all from rare breeds, live on an idyllic English farm. One day a cell phone drops out of the sky (actually from a hot-air balloon) and the sheep see it as a message that the Great Lord Aries needs their help and this is the baaton that will lead them. They go on an excellent adventure that proves to be an exciting yet endearing story. And OhMyGrass! I loved the sheep words. Middle-grade readers will love this hilarious novel.

Beautiful pictures!

>54 mysterymax: Thank you.

My first two books this month were excellent, the second two disappointing.



RandomKIT January: Eat, drink and be merry

Honey and Spice by Bolu Babalola
Set in the Black community of a mostly white London university, this is a modern romance that might appeal to the college set. I’m sorry to say it didn’t appeal to me, in part because it is mostly all dialogue and the enemies-to-lovers trope could be seen coming a mile away. I will count it as read even though I gave up at about 75%. I wrongly believed Reese’s Book Club label and blurb on the cover. If this is what modern romance is like, I’m glad I’m too old to take part.

Chosen for the category from the title.



MysteryKIT January: Winter mysteries

Christmas Mourning by Andrea Frazer
A snowstorm and power outage cuts off a small village from investigating the murder of a disliked, abusive man who insisted on playing Father Christmas for local children. A second murder of an elderly cleric adds to the difficult investigation for the two police officers who are unable to get help. This was a poorly written farce that some well-chosen humour would have improved but instead it was a bit silly.

>56 VivienneR: I hope I can remember to give that Frazer book a pass if I come along it!

>57 thornton37814: I bought two by Frazer, the other one wasn't bad but you would be wise to give this one a miss. Strangely, it came from a university library. My guess is they took a second look.

>53 VivienneR: I think I may have received my first BB of the year! This sounds kin to Three Bags Full!

>59 mysterymax: Yes, it's similar, although Quest is for a younger audience.

AlphaKIT January: S & O

One Summer by David Baldacci

Mawkish. Not what I expected from Baldacci.

>60 VivienneR: Not to worry. I've found some amazing writing and great stories in books for YA and middle age kids. (OMG did I just stay that? My grandmother, who raised me, had a one of her pet peeves people who called children kids. She was say, "kids are young goats, don't misuse the language."

>61 VivienneR: Even the cover seems to me to be unlike what I would expect from him.

>61 VivienneR: I had never read Baldacci before and thought I was in for a spicy thriller. Oh man, was I ever disappointed! I hated that book - yikes; and I'm usually pretty forgiving! I haven't been tempted to pick another since...

>62 mysterymax: Grandmother's instructions kicked in eventually! I enjoyed The Quest of the Warrior Sheep even though I'm not a middle-grader. It was pretty funny.

I was completely misled by the cover. It will probably rate as the worst of the year for me.

>63 Cecilturtle: Until now I've only read one Baldacci and should have checked my opinion of it. I was as disappointed as you were with this one. It was complete trash. I had the opportunity to acquire several Baldacci recently, and now I'm wondering if it was such a bargain after all.

>64 VivienneR: I have never read any of his books. This is one reason I appreciate reviews and I know each to their own.

>64 VivienneR: Then I think I'll take a BB for that one!

>66 mysterymax: Glad to hear that. I hope you enjoy it when it comes up.

The Dinner Lady Detectives by Hannah Hendy

I didn’t have high expectations for this one, and rightly so as it turned out. It is a typical cosy mystery featuring a couple of lesbian dinner ladies. Mild entertainment for an afternoon, but nothing special.

The use of “sat” instead of “sitting” was annoying (e.g. he was sat on the grass, the car was sat in the drive). I realize “sat” is used in spoken language in the north of England, but is regarded as wrong when used in print. As well, the story is not set in the north of England nor is Hendy from the region.

>53 VivienneR: Love this cover! After all he holiday eating I feel like the guy in the back!

>69 clue: Console yourself with knowing you are a rare breed!

ColourCAT January: Green

Hot to Trot by M.C. Beaton & R.W. Green

Agatha Raisin, shocked by the news that her one-time lover, Charles Fraith, is to be married, crashes the wedding. In doing so, she didn’t make any friends so when the bride is later found murdered, Agatha is at the top of the suspect list.

Green has taken on Beaton’s characters and faithfully produced a new story in the series, one that satisfies Agatha’s many fans.

NatureKIT January: Sheep & Shepherding

Pastoral by Andre Alexis

This is an allegory, a fable, conveying mythical elements. It’s a contemplative book said to be an homage to Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony, the Pastoral, and each chapter follows the five movements of the symphony. Although, recognizing that both book and symphony signify a celebration of living close to nature was as far as I got to understanding the connection. Father Pennant, the new priest from Ottawa finds himself in unfamiliar territory when he is assigned to a small town in Ontario and his own parish to “shepherd”. The miracles of nature he experiences eventually lead to an unresolved crisis of faith. Having grown up in small town Ontario, Alexis imbues an authentic and rich sense of place.

>53 VivienneR: Sheep with a cell phone sounds like a fun book! I've added this one to the OverDrive wishlist.

>73 cbl_tn: Good, I think you will enjoy it!

Bingo - Non-traditional family

Hostage by Clare Mackintosh

Mina and Adam adopted a child, now five years old. She’s not an easy child and has attachment issues but her parents have problems too. They are separated but living together. Mina is a flight attendant on the inaugural 20 hour flight from London to Sydney. During the flight she finds a photo of her daughter taken that morning and it becomes clear to Mina that she is being used in a hijacking plot. Adam, a police officer, at home with the child and babysitter, has a crisis of his own to deal with. It’s a fast-paced thriller that touches on many current issues.

Unfortunately I listened to the audiobook read by Vinette Robinson whose voice doesn’t change for different characters. As most of the book is either Mina or Adam speaking in first person it was very confusing. Because of the bad narration, my rating is reduced by one full star. If this book interests you, my advice is to try it in print.

>53 VivienneR: Great review. Think I might pick up when I need something light!

>76 Tess_W: Thank you, Tess. And if you do pick it up, the younger members of your family might enjoy it too!

MysteryKIT January: Winter mysteries

One by One by Ruth Ware

I really enjoyed this one, set in a ski resort in the Alps. It became more exciting as it went along and I couldn’t bear to put it down.

>78 VivienneR: That one sounds interesting.

>78 VivienneR: This one is still on my virtual shelf. I've enjoyed most of what I read by Ruth Ware so far!

>79 thornton37814: The characters are the shareholders and founders of a streaming app, something I haven't experienced before in fiction.

>80 MissBrangwen: I've enjoyed Ware too. A snowy story in the mountains always grabs my attention.

AlphaKIT January: S & O

Black Orchids by Rex Stout

This is actually two novellas connected by the black orchids of the title. Stout always provides a good story, and I love the banter between Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin especially knowing Archie is more than capable of handling Wolfe’s waspish comments.

I love all the artwork you chose to introduce the categories, especially the Joanne Gervais painting of the hockey players. I grew up in the suburbs of Montreal so this was a common sight!

>83 mathgirl40: Thank you, Paulina. Needless to say that's one of my favourites too! Now that I'm in a small town, it's a common sight on my street and I love it. The farm kids playing hockey in Peter Shostak's painting reminds me of my time in Alberta.

MysteryKIT January: Winter mysteries

Whiteout by Ken Follett

I enjoyed reading this years ago and tried it again for this CAT theme. I still found it an exciting fast-paced thriller. The pandemic we have experienced in the interim gave me a better appreciation of the battle against bioterrorism.



ColourCAT January: Green

Murder on the Oxford Canal by Faith Martin - first in the Hillary Green series

A police procedural that was just ok. It was enhanced by the setting on narrowboats on an Oxford canal. The characters were stock cops, obsessed with scoring points off each other. And if that isn’t the goal, it’s the challenge of achieving a romantic conquest.

Bingo - 19 Travel

The Good Thief’s Guide to Amsterdam by Chris Ewan

I love this series by Isle of Man author Chris Ewan. This was a re-read for me, ten years after the first reading. My review at that time has not changed:

The first of the Good Thief's Guide series introduces Charlie Howard as an author of mystery stories who appears to get his ideas from being a burglar. Charlie is quite appealing, one can almost forgive him for being a thief - presumably the source of the "good thief" epithet. In this case, he was approached by someone who asked him to steal three figurines of the wise monkey variety in connection with an old diamond heist. The plot became a little bogged down requiring a long denouement, but Charlie pulls it off and even throws in a surprise ending. This was an audiobook with excellent narration by Simon Vance.

>86 VivienneR: I love this series!

>86 VivienneR: Sounds like a great series that I need to become acquainted with.

>87 mysterymax: Isn't Charlie a lot of fun. Just imagine a mystery novel writer who gets ideas from being a burglar!! Can you pick locks?

>88 Tess_W: Yes, the series is fun and gets better as it progresses. Charlie is actually a good guy - almost. Try to get the audio version read by Simon Vance.

CoverCAT January: Let’s have a tea party

With a Bare Bodkin by Cyril Hare

Punctilious Civil Service procedures can be grim especially to those of us who remember similar bureaucratic regulations - even if they were from a later date. Hare has illustrated them here in an amusing satire where lawyer, Francis Pettigrew, is legal advisor for Pin Control at the beginning of WWII. It is hard to imagine a business more suited to the rule-bound bureaucracy than the control of pin manufacture, presumably a fictional department created by Hare.

What started as a game to create a murder plot using department staff as characters turned out to be alarmingly real. However, the discussion of the crime and suspects was endless and tedious, that I expect was meant to also illustrate the painstaking official red-tape investigative methods. As a war time publication, when loss of life was only too real, this is a lighter murder mystery written to entertain. The satisfying denouement had a nice legal twist.

The tea kettle on the cover plays a part.

>90 VivienneR: I love that cover! I read my first Cyril Hare at Christmas and am looking forward to reading more. I see that this one is a later book in the series that starts with Tragedy At Law, which I have already bought.

>91 MissBrangwen: Yes, the cover is lovely. I read the last in the series - and my first - for the QEII challenge a couple of years ago. It would have made more sense to have read the series in order because he introduced a new character in With A Bare Bodkin. I enjoy Hare's use of the language, although sometimes he can be a bit repetitive.

>90 VivienneR: I also love the cover! You got me with this series - I had not heard of it before, but I have added the first one to The List.

>93 Crazymamie: Oh good! I hope you enjoy it when you get around to it.

Bingo - 1: place you’ve never been - Australia

The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth

A suspense story about twins Fern and Rose. Fern has a sensory processing disorder but has a fairly normal life, working as a librarian. She is funny, pleasant, describes her condition well through her story told in first person narrative. Rose has chosen to be her carer, and her side of the story is told from a retrospective of her journal entries. Fern decided to have a baby that she would give to her sister who has had trouble becoming pregnant. Naturally that plan goes awry but not without some suspense.

Although the plot is predictable and somewhat banal, the story was light and entertaining.

If you liked Elinor Oliphant, you will like this one.

>95 VivienneR: Have you read any of Liane Moriarty's books? The Good Sister was advertised to fans of Moriarty, but isn't nearly as entertaining. Missing the humour.

>96 pamelad: Have you read any of Liane Moriarty's books?

That's exactly what my Australian friend said! I tried one Moriarty but think I missed the humour there. If you recommend the author, I'll try again.

CoverCAT February: with a tree on the cover

Held by Anne Michaels

A challenging read of interconnected storylines where attention and patience is necessary but the result well worth the time. The book jumps about in time, opening on a battlefield in France in 1917 as John, an injured soldier, considers his life. In 1930 he has a photography business in England where ghosts appear in his work. Michaels’ poetic language is spellbinding, however, I must admit that I struggled in places to fully understand the meaning although I savoured her words and images.

CoverCAT January: Let’s have a tea party

Man at the Helm by Nina Stibbe

A mother and three children are snubbed when they move to a village after the divorce. It's 1970 and locals don't like divorced families in their midst. The two daughters, 9 and 11 year old, decide that to be accepted they need a Man at the Helm. They write letters of invitation to local men, whether eligible or not, hoping one of them will click with their mother. Excellent writing, funny but not comedy, and sad in a way. I enjoyed this one thoroughly.

January Summary
Books read: 18

Looked like it was going to be a poor reading month but after a slow start I had some good reads. My final book, by Nina Stibbe was wonderful.


I Am Wind: An Autobiography by Rachel Poliquin, illustrated by Rachel Wada


Man at the Helm by Nina Stibbe


The Quest of the Warrior Sheep by Christine Russell and Christopher Russell
Pastoral by Andre Alexis
One by One by Ruth Ware
With a Bare Bodkin by Cyril Hare
Held by Anne Michaels


Hot to Trot by M.C. Beaton & R.W. Green
Whiteout by Ken Follett
The Good Thief’s Guide to Amsterdam by Chris Ewan
The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth


Black Orchids by Rex Stout
Murder on the Oxford Canal by Faith Martin


The Dinner Lady Detectives by Hannah Hendy
Hostage by Clare Mackintosh


Honey and Spice by Bolu Babalola
Christmas Mourning by Andrea Frazer


One Summer by David Baldacci

>89 VivienneR: i am in the process of learning! I tried to get the local locksmith to teach me and he said he couldn't due to some regulation or another, so I ordered a beginner set of picks, locks and a book and am trying to teach myself.

>101 mysterymax: Good for you! I'm sure you will use the information and experience in your books. Just look at how much fun Chris Ewan's Charlie has.

>102 VivienneR: For me it's harder than it should be because my hands now shake. Sometimes more than others. It often takes both hands for me to get the blasted cursor to be where I need it to be and sometimes wind up backspacing two or three lines to correct a mistake.

>103 mysterymax: Is voice to text an option? Getting the cursor in place must be so important for an author.

I'm familiar with shaking hands, my husband has Parkinson's Disease. I bought him an iPhone but it proved too difficult for him to operate. When it was accidentally sent flying across the room it never worked again.

RandomKIT February: Playing With Time

The Noise of Time by Julian Barnes

In spare, eloquent prose, Barnes packs a lot into this fictional portrayal of the life of Russian composer Shostakovich. To be at the forefront of any art under Stalin was dangerous, maintaining integrity almost impossible. Was Khrushchev, "the corn cob" any different? Thought-provoking, poignant, compassionate, this is a brilliant work, worthy of the accolades.

“Art belongs to all time and no time.”

Hullo Vivienne! I am thrilled to finally see your 2025 thread and all of the variety of art work that you have. And quite a lot of books as well.

>61 VivienneR: The David Baldacci I've heard about is a masterful author of adventure thrillers. I'm guessing this was his foray into the romance genre? I hope you are able to find a more conventional Baldacci for your action thriller enjoyment.

>105 VivienneR: Ah, Shostakovich. What an intriguing book, and how very difficult for him (and others) to maintain his integrity. Thank you for this review.

>106 threadnsong: Glad to see you drop by. I looked for your thread but didn't find it. Have you started one?

I hope I find a "masterful adventure thriller" from Baldacci too!

Life was indeed difficult for Shostakovich. He is unforgettable after reading this.

>104 VivienneR: My mom has Parkinson's, too. She can still use her phone, but it is a struggle and it takes a long time to compose a message.

>105 VivienneR: I am adding this one to my wish list. So far I have only read The Sense of an Ending, and I loved it.

>108 MissBrangwen: Sorry to hear your mother has Parkinson's. It's a terrible condition and requires patience to deal with the progression, not something I have in abundance. It would be impossible for my husband so compose a message or make a call. I keep the landline beside his chair but he won't answer it if I am at home and will only make a call if I make the connection for him. I'm not sure if this is physical or a reluctance to face potential failure.

I too have read and loved The Sense of an Ending and have it now on the "revisit" shelf.

Bingo - Child is main character

Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware

The book begins as a letter to Rowan Caine’s lawyer in an attempt to show she is not guilty of a child’s death. It then goes on to tell the tale as it happened. When she was accepted as a nanny for a family in rural Scotland she was delighted even though the home was fully controlled by an app and her employers left on a business trip immediately. A captivating read.

CoverCAT February: with a tree on the cover

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

A charming coming-of-age story told from Cassandra Mortmain’s journal entries. She and her family live in a castle in extreme poverty. Along come Simon and Neil Cotton from America introducing romance. Good, but I preferred Smith’s better-known novel, One Hundred and One Dalmations

>110 VivienneR: This one was captivating indeed, and what a haunting ending!

>111 VivienneR: I read a German translation as a teenager and don't remember any of it. I have wished to read the original for many years and hope to get to it one day!

>112 MissBrangwen: The Turn of the Key ending was certainly unexpected.

Smith's book gets so much praise that it's possible I expected more. Still, it was a lovely story and one the target audience would enjoy a lot.

>111 VivienneR: I first read I Capture the Castle as a teenager and it remains one of my favorite books of all time. You waited too late to read it for the first time!

>114 RidgewayGirl: Yes, I realize that now! I would have adored it in my early teens. Too bad I didn't hear of it then. I suppose I was too busy looking for mystery novels.

ColourCAT February: Gold

Hurricane Gold by Charlie Higson

The young James Bond is on a Mexican vacation with his aunt staying with American flying ace, Jack Stone. As a hurricane hits, gangsters attempt to steal the safe from his host’s home. Bond escapes with Stone’s two children. Higson clearly shows the James Bond we all know emerging from the boy Bond. This was exciting all the way and sure to be popular with young readers.

>105 VivienneR: You know I'm not a big fiction reader, but I absolutely agree with this review. I thought The Noise of Time was outstanding.

>117 Jackie_K: Thank you, Jackie. I'm glad you liked The Noise of Time too. My son doesn't read fiction either but I convinced him to read this one. I'm pleased to say he agreed. Great book.

We are both now reading Amy Tan's new book The Backyard Bird Chronicles which is fantastic. I'm sure you would really enjoy it.

MysteryKIT February: Vintage mysteries

The Black-Eyed Blonde by Benjamin Black

I know parodied classics are often not well accepted by fans of the original works but this one was handled with expertise. Irish author Benjamin Black, also known as John Banville, has brought Chandler’s Marlowe to life in this hard-boiled tale. Very enjoyable.



ColourCAT February: Gold

A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie a Golden Age mystery

I read this Golden Age mystery more than 20 years ago but all I could remember was the announcement in the community newspaper. Although bits and pieces started coming back to me as I read, the denouement still eluded my memory. The reread was worthwhile as I thoroughly enjoyed it again. Christie never fails me.

>119 VivienneR: I agree with Black's book. It was very good, but I was terribly disappointed in his others.

>120 mysterymax: Too bad about being disappointed in Black's books. A disappointment is worse than a mediocre book. I really like his writing, and the dark Dublin atmosphere.

>118 VivienneR: I'm sure I'd like it too! :) (it's already on my wishlist) I love that you and your son are reading the same book and can chat about it.

>122 Jackie_K: Our reading only overlaps occasionally and I make the most of it. He is an outdoors man with a particular interest in birds and paints beautiful birds very similar to Amy Tan's. Today he sent me a text to say he was eating toast outside and a chestnut-backed chickadee came and sat on the edge of the toast. Everyone tries to convince him to create a book but he said then it wouldn't be fun. Meanwhile we all get cards with original art.

>110 VivienneR: I'm going to have to read more Ruth Ware! I've read The Woman in Cabin 10 and really liked it. I don't know why I haven't sought out her other books.

>124 Tess_W: The same happens to me! I find a book buried deep in my collection and wonder why it has languished there so long.

NatureKIT February: forest, farms, grassland

Back of Beyond by C.J. Box

Cody Hoyt travels to Yellowstone in search of the person who brutally murdered his AA sponsor. A group travelling there includes Hoyt’s son. This was exciting, filled with suspense. Not only a crime novel but a tour of Yellowstone.

RandomKIT February: Playing With Time

The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell

I was looking forward to reading this cold case, the book that follows Jewell’s The Family Upstairs, but it would have been better if I had read them closer together. I had forgotten many details of the first book and spent too much time trying to find the association. In the end it wasn’t much to my liking, just like the earlier book.

>127 VivienneR: I like that author so will have to check into the two books mentioned.

>128 Tess_W: I can't quite put my finger on what it is that I don't like about Lisa Jewell's books. I have another one on the shelf that I'll try, but don't have high hopes. Glad you like her.

I read The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth for "a place I've never been" (Australia) but as it features a birth I'm going to move it to that square instead. For anyone else searching for one to fill the "birth" square, I can recommend it.

Bingo - a profession in the title

The Nanny by Gilly Macmillan

There were so many twist in the plot that I couldn’t bear to put the book down. Every time I decided I had solved it, another twist came about. I really enjoyed this very clever psychological mystery.

AlphaKIT February: G

The Girl Before by JP Delaney

Ugh! I could not read any more graphic sex scenes and abandoned this at 50%. As well, it was badly written and silly.

MysteryKIT February: Vintage mysteries

Fell Murder by E.C.R. Lorac

Lorac portrays the Lancashire landscape beautifully in this mystery set in a farming community during WWII. Characters are well-developed and described just as skillfully. The victim was unsurprising, and although there were a number of suspects to choose from, the murderer was not unexpected and made for a satisfying conclusion. Written in 1944 this is one of the better Golden Age mysteries.

Bingo 20: recommended by a friend - in this case DeltaQueen50

Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo

This is a story of Tommo Peaceful, a boy living in a rural community under the stern control of the colonel, and magistrate, in “the big house”. When Tommo and his brother Charlie become old enough to enlist in the army they go to fight in The Great War. Although intended for a young adult audience, this book can be appreciated by adults. Although there was nothing really distinctive in the story that hasn’t been covered often in other books about love and loss and the class system of the early 20th century, it is nicely presented by Morpurgo taking the still underage Tommo from his comfortable village life to the savagery of the WWI battlefields.

AlphaKIT February: L & G

Dream Girl by Laura Lippman

An injured novelist confined to a hospital bed in his apartment is being cared for by two nurses. What could go wrong? Entertaining, but not my favourite from Lippman.

Bingo: author has name of a relative - my dad's name was John

The Russia House by John le Carré

Without doubt, John le Carré is the best author of espionage. In this one the writing is tight, the plot is complex yet clear enough to follow easily, and his characters are developed to perfection. As with all of le Carré’s books, I was hooked and couldn’t put it down. Every time I read one, I want to go back and enjoy them all again from the beginning.

February Summary
February brought a wide range of ratings but even with some disappointing books, it was a good month, especially as it ended with John le Carré's five-star read.

Books read: 14
Books read to date: 32


The Russia House by John le Carré


The Noise of Time by Julian Barnes
The Nanny by Gilly Macmillan


Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware
Hurricane Gold by Charlie Higson
A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie
Back of Beyond by C.J. Box
Fell Murder by E.C.R. Lorac


I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
The Black-Eyed Blonde by Benjamin Black
Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo


Dream Girl by Laura Lippman


The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell


The Girl Before by JP Delaney

RandomKIT March: Wishes

The Wish List by Eoin Colfer

Although this is not a genre I usually read, I was tempted because the title is a shoo-in for this category. Entertaining, surprisingly witty, and with an intriguing plot, but ultimately, not for me.

MysteryKIT March: Espionage

The Secret Hours by Mick Herron

Although a standalone novel, it benefits from a prior reading of the Slough House series featuring the Slow Horses. Lengthy and somewhat complicated, it was thoroughly entertaining and fun. This is where it all began. Good, but Slow Horses was fantastic.

>136 VivienneR: Great review. I also love le Carré. I am hoping to get to The Russia House at some point this year.

>139 VivienneR: Another one I want to get to!

>140 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie. I haven't been able to decide which espionage writer I like best: Mick Herron or John le Carré. They are so different yet both so talented.

>141 VivienneR: I just bought Slow Horses.

>142 Tess_W: Oh, I hope you enjoy it, Tess. I still own mine and plan to reread it sometime. I've also seen the series on Apple TV and loved it but enjoyed the books, especially the first one, even more.

ColourCAT March: Pink

Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason

This is a book that I would not have picked up if I had read more about it beforehand. I’ve never liked any book about illness. However, this is an interesting and tender story about a woman with an unidentified mental illness. I’ve since read descriptions that claim it’s humorous, but in my opinion, any humour must have gone right over my head.

NatureKIT March: Landscape

Winterkill by Ragnar Jonasson

There is no denying that the landscape of Iceland is a strong feature of this mystery making it a good fit for the category. The story of Ari Thor’s measured investigation into the death of a young woman who fell to her death from an upstairs balcony. Was it suicide, an accident, or murder?

Sadly it is the last in the Ari Thor series but as I have read them out of order I still have some ahead.

>145 VivienneR: I started his Hidden Iceland series some years ago and didn't like the first book at all, but I want to try this series one day because I think I'll enjoy it more.

>146 MissBrangwen: I didn't care much for the first book of his that I read. His stories are quite slow moving. But I like the character, Ari Thor, and this makes up for whatever else is missing. As well, I like the wintery landscape. This one was set at Easter and reminded me of my first Easter in Canada.

>133 VivienneR: I don't think I've read that one by Lorac. I've read some of his work, but your synopsis doesn't sound familiar. I'll have to look for it.

>145 VivienneR: I'm not quite to that one. My next in series is Whiteout so I've got 3 more in the series!

>148 thornton37814: Lorac wrote under variations of her name Edith Caroline Rivett although all my books have the E.C.R Lorac name. Lorac was presumably chosen because it's a reversal of Carol. I really like her writing style that I consider literary Golden Age.

I picked up Winterkill just because I spotted it on the shelf and recognized the title as one on my wanted list. There are some series that I don't mind reading out of order. What I like about Ari Thor is that he appears to be a normal person, able to do his job without a bottle of whiskey.

AlphaKIT March: U & A

An Expert in Murder by Nicola Upson

The most interesting part of Upson’s book is that the story is a fictionalized account of events surrounding Elizabeth Mackintosh’s play Richard of Bordeaux, that was a big success in the 1930’s West End. As a fan of books by Josephine Tey, Mackintosh’s pseudonym, this was a draw for me, and although it’s a clever mystery, it did not live up to my expectations. However, Upson gave readers a different view of Mackintosh and I’ll be reading more.

CoverCAT March: Farm animals

Prairie Ostrich by Tamai Kobayashi

Since eight-year old Egg Murakami’s brother died her mother has taken to drinking whiskey and her father moved into the barn with the ostriches. Egg is trying to make sense of life, helped by her sister, who is in love with her best friend and tells Egg familiar stories but changes the endings to happy ones. They run an ostrich farm and are the only Japanese in this rural Alberta town, appropriately named Bittercreek, suggesting heartbreak ahead. This is Egg’s story and her details are revealed slowly in this enchanting book.

CoverCAT March: Farm animals

Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson

A reflective coming-of-age novel from Norway. The writing style is quiet and nostalgic without being wistful. Petterson provides an excellent sense of place and time.

RandomKIT March: Wishes
A desirable residence is on everyone's wish list at some point.

A Desirable Residence by Madeleine Wickham

This predates the author’s books written under her pseudonym Sophie Kinsella. It was a wise move to abandon her real name after this disaster! While I can get over unpleasant characters, here they are grating, one-dimensional, and up to no good.

After a couple of weeks accompanying my husband to medical appointments, he got better but I have developed flu. I had my flu shot in November but I've been told it only lasts 3-4 months. I wasn't getting much reading done and now it has come to a standstill but I hope to get through a few books as I recover.

All my best wishes that the flu passes quickly!

Wow, I thought it was good for the year! Hope you get back to normal soon.

I hope you feel better soon. I didn’t know that about the flu shot, I think I got mine early in October.

>155 MissWatson: >156 clue: >157 lsh63: Thank you for your good wishes.

I thought the flu shot was good for a year too but my neighbour said her doctor told her about the 3-4 month time frame. However, she may have misunderstood. The pharmacist once told me that as the season progresses they are able to improve the vaccine as they discover more variants of the virus. I hesitate to use the word "better" but my fever and weakness is not as bad tonight. I told my son not to phone me because I sound like a crow, since I have coughed non-stop.

I'm part-way through 6 books, that's how disrupted life has been. At last I finished one.

Queen Macbeth by Val McDermid

Macbeth is one of my favourite Shakespeare plays, but McDermid’s retelling is serious competition as she aims to correct the bard’s fabrications. The dual narrative of the story of Gruoch and Macbeth is engaging, passionate, and beautifully descriptive. McDermid has given her a more believable persona as well as making the historical politics easier to understand. Who knows the truth of what happened a thousand years ago, but McDermid’s story is credible, and Lady Macbeth deserves the respect McDermid has shown.

I quickly read over the glossary of Scottish words but as I come from Northern Ireland I already understood most of them. Many are still in use. I’m glad McDermid used them in the text because as well as making the tale more authentic, it added to my enjoyment of her story.

>159 VivienneR: Oh, I didn’t know about this. It looks fascinating!

>159 VivienneR: Ditto! And thank you for your recommendation of The Russia House. I found that A Perfect Spy was easily re-readable, but I didn't want to be disappointed by this author if other books of his were not that great.

Hope you are getting over your flu; this one sounds like a doozy.

>159 VivienneR: BB!

I hope you're feeling better. The flu really knocks you about.

Flu is the pits. Get better soon.

Adding to the pile of well wishes.

I always find myself seriously deflated for a couple of weeks after a bout of flu, and have to be reminded it's the effects of the bug. Hope you have the chance to take things easy.

I'd also missed >159 VivienneR: and am a fan of McDermid, will look for it. I once saw a production as part of the Edinburgh festival: it was outdoors, on stilts. The pouring rain really didn't help the cast.

>160 MissWatson: I hope you enjoy it when you get to it, Birgit.

>161 threadnsong: Glad you enjoyed John le Carré. He is one of my favourite authors. Thank you for the good wishes.

>163 pamelad: Thank you. Knocked about is exactly what I felt.

>164 mysterymax: Thanks, Max.

>165 charl08: Thank you, I'm having trouble finding out where I left off. Brain fog by flu!
Well, that's one performance not to be missed! On stilts, in the rain. I love festival performances.

I'm just going to abandon my reading plans and start over. I'm still feeling the effects of flu but at least I'm able to read again. I didn't get any reading done while flu held its grip.

Hope you feel better soon! A fresh start with reading plans sounds like a good idea.

Get well soon! Flu is so debilitating, I think pretty much everything goes out the window until you recover.

>167 christina_reads: & >168 Jackie_K: Thank you both.

I'm just going to post the March summary and continue the thread in a new topic. I hope April will be better.

Come and join me at https://www.librarything.com/topic/369654.

March Summary
Books read: 11
Books read to date: 43


Queen Macbeth by Val McDermid
The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan


The Secret Hours by Mick Herron
Winterkill by Ragnar Jonasson
Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson
Prairie Ostrich by Tamai Kobayashi


An Expert in Murder by Nicola Upson


Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason
Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena


The Wish List by Eoin Colfer


A Desirable Residence by Madeleine Wickham