Lisa's 2025 Category Challenge Reads

Hi, my name is Lisa, and I've been an LT member since 2007 and I've been participating in the Category Challenge since 2008. I reside in Phila, PA, am married with one son and three granchildren (almost 16, 14 and 9). In addition to reading I like to start my day with the various NYT puzzles, watch classic movies, and try new recipes. I've decided that my categories will be the months of the year. Since I'm such a moody reader, I frequently start and then stop books that I thought I was going to read, so I think "looser" categories will work well for me.

2025 is going to be a year of big change for me, as I've made the final decision to retire at the end of May. It's slightly frightening yet exciting at the same time. I will be very curious to see if I do more reading in the second half of the year.

January

1 Cold As Hell Kindle AlphaKIT”S”, Mysteries and Crime, 3*
2 Red Hook Road Library, Literary Fiction 4*
3 Hidden In Shadows Kindle, AlphaKIT “S”, MysteryKIT 4*
4 This Secret Thing Kindle, Bingo#2 3*
5 The Coincidence of Coconut Cake RandomKIT, CoverCAT, Kindle, 3.5*
6 The First Ladies Kindle. Historical Fiction, 3.5*
7 The Dead Will Tell Library, Mysteries and Crime, 3.5*
8 Fall on Your Knees Library, Literary Fiction, 4*
9 The Case of the Green-Eyed Sister ColorCAT Kindle, 3.5*
10 This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things Library, Short Stories, 3*
11 Beneath the Surface Kindle, Mysteries and Crime, 3*
12 Sleeping Beauties Kindle, Mysteries and Crime, 4*
13 Mercury Library, Fiction 4*
14 Days of Wonder Library,Fiction, 4*
15 Beautiful Ugly Library, Fiction,3*
16 Listen for the Lie Library,Fiction 3*
17 The Loss of Lost Things Kindle, Short Stories,5*
18 Happy is on Hiatus Kindle, Fiction, 3*
19 Death at the Sanatorium Library,Mysteries and Crime, 4*
20 A Reason to See You Again Library, Fiction, 3*

February

1 Girls Who Lie Kindle, Mysteries and Crime, 3.5*
2 Perish Kindle, Fiction 4*, CoverCAT
3 Blank Pages Library, Short Stories 4.5*
4 Good Dirt Library, Fiction, 5*, AlphaKIT
5 The Golden Couple Kindle, Thriller, 2.5* ColorCAT
6 Penitence Library, Fiction 3.5*
7 Run Man Run Kindle, Crime Fiction, 4*
8 The Other Americans Library, Literary Fiction, 3*
9 Margo’s Got Money Troubles Library, Fiction, 4*
10 Bonded in Death Library, Crime Fiction, Series, 4*
11 Whatever Happened to Interracial Love Kindle, Short Stories, 3.5*
12 The Family Game Kindle, Thriller, 4*
13 Three Days in June Library, Fiction, 4.5*
14 The Queens of Crime Library, Historical Fiction, 4*
15 A Thousand Years of Prayers Library, Short Stories, 4*
16 The Blood of Emmett Till Kindle, Non Fiction, 3.5*
17 People of Means Library, Fiction, 4*

March

1 The Unheard Kindle, Thriller, AlphaKIT 3*
2 The Night Shift Kindle, Thriller AlphaKIT, 4*
3 The Detective Up Late Kindle, Crime Fiction, Series, 4*
4 Show Don’t Tell Library, Short Stories, 3.5*
5 The Most Liiterary Fiction, Library, 3.5*
6 One Good Thing Historical Fiction, Library, 4.5*
7 Ella Kindle, Historical Fiction, 3*
8 A Keeper Literary Fiction, 4*, Kindle
9 The Frozen River Historical Fiction, Library 4.5*
10 High Tea and Misdemeanors Cozy Mystery, Library, 3*
11 Dream Count Literary Fiction, Library 4.5*
12 Kills Well With Others Library, Crime Fiction, Series 3*
13 Hang on St. Christopher Crime Fiction, Series, 4*
14 Nesting Library, Literary Fiction, 4*
15 The Manor House Library, Thriller, 3*
16 Still See You Everywhere Thriller, Library, 3*

April

1 Caucasia Library, Literary Fiction, 4*
2 Highway Thirteen Library, Short Stories, CoverCAT. RandomKIT, 4*
3 Tilt Library, Fiction, AlphaKIT, 3.5*
4 The Sequel Library, Thriller, Series, AlphaKIT, 4.5*
5 Rabbit Moon Library, General Fiction, 3.5*
6 Local Gone Missing Library, Crime Fiction, Series, 4*
7 The Float Test Library, General Fiction, 2.5*
8 Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping Library, General Fiction, Series, 3*
9 The Story of Arthur Truluv Libary, General Fiction, Series 4*
10 Night of Miracles Library, Series, General Fiction, 4*
11 The Confession Club Library, AlphaKIT, Series, 3*
12 These Days Library, Historical Fiction, 4.5*
13 The Maid’s Secret Library, Series, General Fiction, 3*
14 I See You’ve Called In Dead Library 4.5*
15 Bake Sale Murder Own, Crime Fiction, Cozy, Series, 3*
16 Mary Jane Kindle, General Fiction, ColorCAT, 4*
17 Talking to Strangers Crime Fiction, Kindle, 4*
18 The Trees Kindle, Literary Fiction, Kindle, 5*
19 Fever of the Bone Kindle, Crime Fiction, 4*
20 Self-Help Kindle, Short Stories, 3.5*

May

1 The Murderer’s Daughters Kindle, General Fiction, RandomKIT, 3*
2 Red as Blood Kindle, Crime Fiction, ColorCAT, MysteryKIT, 3*
3 The Last One at the Wedding Kindle, Thriller, 3.5*
4 Fault Lines Kindle, Literary Fiction, AlphaKIT, 3*
5 Atavists Library, Short Stories, 4*
6 On a Quiet Street Kindle, Thriller, 3.5*
7 The Cleanup Kindle, Crime Fiction, AlphaKIT 4*
8 Parents Weekend
9 Journey Under the Midnight Sun Kindle, Crime Fiction, 4.5*
10 The Ruin Library, Crime Fiction, Series, 4*
11 Firstborn Girls, Library, NonFiction, 4.5*
12 The Scholar Library, Crime Fiction, Series, 3.5*
13 The Disappeared Library, Short Stories, 4.5*

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Bingo



1 Nesting Ireland
2 This Secret Thing
3 The Queens of Crime
6 This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things
9 Journey Under the Midnight Sun
12 Still See You Everywhere
13 The Coincidence of Coconut Cake (CoverCAT)
14 The Trees
15 The Frozen River
18 The Detective Up Late
24 Margo’s Got Money Troubles

I'll be back in the new year!

Good luck with your 2025 reading!

Lovely pictures of flowers. Hope you enjoy your reading.

Congratulations on your upcoming retirement! I retired last July, and I highly recommend it. I practically doubled my reading this year.

>16 Tess_W: Thank you Tess!
>17 sallylou61: Thank you Allison, I don't have much success with gardening, but I love looking at flowers!
>18 Charon07: Thank you Charon, I'm looking forward to it!

The pictures are lovely, Lisa. And I hope you will enjoy your retirement!

Congrats on retirement! May it treat you well (and to lots of reading)!

I am looking forward to following you through this upcoming exciting year of changes. I have my fingers crossed for your reading to be exceptional!

Beautiful flowers

Happy reading, and retirement, in 2025!

Pretty flowers. Good reading in 2025

>20 MissWatson: Thank you Birgit!
>21 GraceCollection: Thank you Grace!
>22 DeltaQueen50: Thank you Judy!
>23 lowelibrary: Thank you April!
>24 JayneCM: Thank you Jayne!
>25 mnleona: Thank you Leona!

Thank you all for stopping by and for the good wishes!

I'm excited to follow your reading again in 2025, enjoy the extra time to read (and possibly do other things).

Isn't retirement wonderful! More time for books!

Happy new year and happy reading.

Hope you have a good year reading, Lisa.

>27 RidgewayGirl: Hi Kay, thank you! I'm hoping to talk the hubby into doing more things. Although I'm fine with reading, I don't want us to be 100% sedentary.
>28 VivienneR: Hi Vivienne, I suspect that when I go back to work I'll be grinning from ear to ear in anticipation!
>29 dudes22: Thank you Betty!

Happy reading and retirement in 2025!

Happy New Year and good luck with your reading. I am looking forward to the bullets you will hit me with this year.

Hope you will enjoy retirement and that it will give you more time to read! Happy New Year!

The flowers you chose are lovely. Enjoy your year of reading and all the best on your upcoming life change. I am sure it will suit you well.
Find me here
https://www.librarything.com/topic/367017#8712413

>31 christina_reads: Hi Christina, thank you! I'll have to drop by your thread, I can't remember if I did or not.
>32 lowelibrary: Thank you April!
>33 thornton37814: Hi Lori, I'm looking forward to it!
>34 beebeereads: Hi Barb, thank you and I'm going to stop by your thread!

1. Cold As Hell This was the first book in the author's (Arora Investigation) series. Arora, at her mother's request, searches for her sister Isafold. Arora isn't with the police; however, she enlists the help of her uncle by marriage police officer to try to find out what happened to her sister. The situation is complicated because the sisters aren't on speaking terms. Arora has grown tired of helping her sister during the course of her abusive relationship with her boyfriend. There were a few red herrings, but toward the end it became clear what happened to Isafold. The book was a so-so read, but I will probably finish the series since I have them on my Kindle.

2. Red Hook Road This was a very good read about what happens to various members of two families when an unthinkable tragedy occurs on the couple's wedding day. The book is divided into four separate Fourth of July weekends, the first, second, and the third anniversaries of the tragic event. The sister and brother of the bride and groom each become consumed with becoming their sister and brother, the bride's parents' marriage falls apart, and everyone grieves in their own way.

3. Hidden in Shadows Second in a series, DI's Hanna and Daniel work to find the murderer of a popular former ski chamption who's been found bludgeoned to death. A seconday plot involves the whereabouts of a woman named Rebecka, who is the wife of a pastor. At first there doesn't seem to be a link between the two plotlines, then it becomes clear as to what happened to both of them. The reveal of the murderer was a bit of a surprise.

You are off to a good start with 3 completions!

4 This Secret Thing When Norah is arrested for managing a prostitution ring, her estranged mother Polly, comes to take care of Norah's daughter Violet. Violet doesn't mind leaving her home since she wants to get away from her goldigging husband. Other characters include Bess, a housewife who is raising two daughters, Casey and Nicole, Casey abruptly comes home from college with no explanation, and Nicole, who was friends with Violet, but is no longer, is dealing with typical high school drama. Other characters include a detective who is trying to find out what happened to his brother, a homeless man that Bess is starting to have feelings for, and an outcast high school boyfriend who is blamed for his girlfriend's death. I kept wondering how all the various characters and plot threads were going to fit, and they eventually did. I would read more books by this author.

>39 thornton37814: Hi Lori, thank you. I'll imagine I will slow down a bit now that I've returned to work from the holidays.

5 The Coincidence of Coconut Cake This was a fun read about a chef named Lou and a food critic named Al, who cross paths and find themselves falling in love. Unfortunately Lou has the worst day of her life when Al visits her restaurant to review the food. The recipe in the back of the book for the cake sounds incredible.

6 The First Ladies Although I found some chapters in this book repetitious, it was a very good read about the friendship between educator and civil right activist Mary McLeod Bethune and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Their story is told in dual POV's, detailing their incredible work together after meeting at a luncheon in 1927. I had read other books about Eleanor Roosevelt, but I didn't have a lot of knowledge about Mrs. Bethune, and I did learn a few things about her that I didn't know.

7 The Dead Will Tell I've been finding myself binging on this series, and I think maybe I should take a little bit more time between reading them. This number 6 in the series finds Kate a little further along in her relationship John Tomasetti, and working on current day murder cases that are directly related to events that took place over thirty years ago.

>42 lsh63: I remember enjoying that one -- it made me want to visit Milwaukee!

>45 christina_reads: Hi Christina- This was a nice change of pace for me in my reading. I'm glad that I took a chance on it.

8 Fall on Your Knees This was a rough read, but I also couldn't tear myself away from it to see what happened. The Piper family consisting of father James, mother Materia, and their daughters: Kathleen, Mercedes, Frances and later, Lily. Kathleen is self absorbed, Mercedes is pious and responsible, and Frances is just plain wild. There is a part at the end which is revealed, that I do not remember from earlier in the book, but it was an interesting read, although intense at times.

9 The Case of The Green Eyed Sister I'm a big fan of the Perry Mason tv series, I especially love when Hamilton Burger becomes apoplectic, it's so much fun to watch. I decided to read one of the books, and I found it to be an enjoyable read. In this one, a beautiful woman named Sylvia Bain Atwood hires Perry to help with a blackmail scheme that eventually becomes a murder investigation. Of course Sylvia thinks she's smarter than Perry, which adds to the intrigue in the story. I thought that the courtroom scene was a trifle bit long, but I enjoyed the book.

10 This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things This short story collection explores pregnancy, parenting, work and relationships. In one story, a woman returns to work after not taking her full parental leave and is laid off anyway. In my favorite story, a single mother uses her young daughter to sabotage her ex partner's wedding. Quite a few of the stories were COVID related , bringing back all of the early unknown aspects of what was happening at the time.

>48 lsh63: I love those old school pulp-style covers.

11 Beneath the Surface
12 Sleeping Beauties

I read both of these books back to back since they were in the same collection. In Beneath the Surface, which is the second book in the author's DI Tom Reynolds series, Tom and his team try to solve the murder of a political advisor. I found it a little difficult to get into this at first, but then the pace quickened and there were a couple of good plot twists.

In Sleeping Beauties, Tom's team works to identify the remains of five graves found in the valley of Glendalough. The victims were all women who disappeared without a trace, a few who were perceived as "wild". I'm really enjoying this series and will likely read the next installment soon.

>50 RidgewayGirl: Hi Kay, me too!

13 Mercury When teenage Marley comes to Mercury Pa, the two Joseph brothers are immediately smitten. She begins a relationship with Baylor, the more outgoing of the brothers, but later settles down with Waylon. Marley eventually becomes a surrogate mother to the youngest brother Shay, when his mother Elsie becomes distant. Marley improves the family's roofing business, learning the basics, and demanding that she be paid for her services. This is a character driven part mystery and part family drama, which I enjoyed reading.

14 Days of Wonder Twenty two year old Ella is released from prison after serving six years of her twenty five year sentence. She was convicted for the attempted murder of her former boyfriend Jude's father, a prominent judge with a drinking problem. When Jude's father drinks, he becomes abusive, and also blames Jude for his mother's death.

Ella found out that she was pregnant shortly after her conviction, and thinking that she would serve her full sentence, gave her daughter up for adoption. When she is released, she immediately sets out to find her daughter and stalks the adoptive family a little in order to get close to her. I enjoyed the book very much.

15 Beautiful Ugly This was a so-so thriller about an author whose agent offers to send him to an private island in Scotland, to write his next book. Tortured by his wife's disappearance, he thinks this is just what he needs to get his focus back. Once he's upon the island, many strange things start to happen, and he quickly learns that he may not be able to leave. The twist at the end was interesting.

16 Listen for the Lie Lucy was accused of killing her best friend Savannah (Savvy) after they were both in a wedding. Lucy doesn't remember what happened that night, but she was found with blood on her dress. With no conclusive evidence, she is not charged with the murder, howevery everyone in town believes that she is guilty. When her sassy grandmother orders her to come back to town for her 80th birthday, Lucy agrees, and finds herself the subject of a podcast about Savvy's murder. I was a little puzzled at some of Lucy's decisions, but it was a very entertaining read.

17 The Loss of Lost Things I love short story collections, and this beautifully written volume as the name implies, is about individuals dealing with some sort of loss. The first story, "Lost and Found" just about broke my heart. It's about a young boy who's been kidnapped and the effect that it has on his parents and young brother. In "I've Been Meaning to Say", a man struggles with death of his wife, and with Thanksgiving coming up wants his daughter, son-in-law and grandson to come visit. He then realizes that he doesn't really know how to connect with his daughter now that his wife is gone, and seems to say all the wrong things, when all he wants is to spend time with her. The stories are grim, but very well written.

18 Happy is on Hiatus When Rita finds out that her husband is expecting a baby with another woman, she has finally had enough and begins to set his belongings on fire and to gather the rest of his things to remove him from their home. Her cousins Sherae and Jemel rush to her side to offer their support and potentially beat him up. The family is divided about the looming divorce, with her daughters seemingly on their father's side and her mother wanting her to forgive for the sake of appearances. Rita forges a new life for herself with the help of her cousins who are like sisters to her.

>57 lsh63: Oh, that sounds excellent. I have another of her collections on my shelf, which I picked up at a book festival she spoke at.

>59 RidgewayGirl: Hi Kay, if it's The Best That You Can Do, I have plans to read it very soon.

19 Death at the Sanatorium I have enjoyed most of the books that I've read by this author, and this one was no exception. Set in three timelines; 1951, 1983, and 2012. it's about the murder of a former nurse of what was once a sanatorium, and the apprarent suicide of a doctor shortly thereafter. It's a slow paced police procedural that has the potential to become a series. The ending was very abrupt, so I think that may be the case.

20 A Reason to See You Again This was a book that appeared in my "Recommendations", so I decided to take a chance on it. It was an ok read, a dysfunctional family saga with alcoholic mother Frieda, who tends to lash out at her daughters Nancy and Frieda. After the death of their father, the girls can't wait to leave home. Nancy, the "pretty one", tends to seek the approval of others, while the "smart" daughter Shelly, forges her own path in the business world. The book wasn't really character or plot driven, but it was a decent read.

>61 lsh63: This one sounds really good.......a BB for me!

>63 Tess_W: Hi Tess, I hope you enjoy it!

I'm in the middle of a book that I won't finish today, so here's my:

January in Review
I read 20 books this month.

My best book of the month was The Loss of All Lost Things, a short story collection. I also read 10 books by authors that were new to me. I particually enjoyed and would like to read more of Caroline Leavitt, Amina Gautier and Ann-Marie MacDonald.

Library books 10
Kindle books 10
Male Authors 2
Female Authors 18
New to Me Authors 10
General Fiction 8
Literary Fiction 2
Historical Fiction 1
Crime/Thriller/Mystery 7
Short Stories 2
Series 7

I'm looking forward to February, my son will be 40!!!!! I don't know where the years went, but it seems like only yesterday that I was bringing him home from the hospital, all 9 pounds 14 ounces of him lol. And I will also be informing my job about my retirement plans. I would have probably given much more notice if they were nicer to me, but I think three months is reasonable.

>65 lsh63: My oldest is 66. Time does fly. Enjoy retirement.

>66 mnleona: Thank you Leona!

21 Girls Who Lie When a depressed, alcoholic single mother disappears and her body is eventually found many months later, all signs point to suicide. Eventually, the detectives learn that there is much more to her story. I'm enjoying this series which is part police procedural, with a touch of psychological undertones.

22 Perish This was a really rough read about generations of the Turner family, beginning with young Helen Jean, who tries unsuccessfully to abort her baby. The reader later learns why, and later through flashbackc, the book tells the stories of her children and grandchildren Wayne, Julie B., Alex, Jan, and Lydia. When they all come together to say goodbye to Helen Jean (aka Grandmoan), each family member is forced to confront their traumatic experiences. This book is not for everyone as it deals with generational incest, rape, child abuse, and mental illness, just to name a few. It is well written, but gut wrenching. I picked up this book mainly because I loved the author's short story collection Holler Child, which was longlisted for a National Book Award.

23 Blank Pages A varied collection of short stories mainly featuring characters who are dealing with some form of loss. In "A Love Picture: Belfast 1940", Grace O' Brien fears that her son is lost at sea after a torpedo attack, yet she clings to hope that he is still alive somehow., after she thinks she seesn him in a newsreel at the movies. In "Glasshouses", a grandfather loses track of his grandchildren while in a botanical garden. And in "Wandering" a woman searches for her mother who is suffering from dementia after she wanders off one night. The stories in this collection are tinged with sadness, but are also filled with compassion and strength.

24 Good Dirt This was a an excellent multigenerational family saga that I finished in two days. The story begins in the year 2000 when the Freeman family (father Ed, mother Soh, and daughter Ebby) experience a horrible tragedy, when 15 year old son Basil is murdered while trying to protect a family heirloom. As the plot unfolds, we learn that the heirloom he was protecting, a stoneware pot, was no ordinary family decoration, that in fact it is historic and dates back to when Freeman family members were enslaved. Eighteen years later Ebby is slated to marry her fiance, Henry, who never shows up or explains why he decided not to marry her. She runs away to France in order to collect her thoughts and try to move on, when Henry and his new girlfriend show up. She makes an odd decision, and the reader slowly learns what happened. I loved everything about this book, it was the perfect blend of family saga, history and also a little mystery.

25 The Golden Couple This book wasn't too much of a thriller, unfortunately. It's about an over the top therapist named Avery who is treating the seemingly perfect couple, Marissa and Matthew. One of them has cheated on the other, and Avery utilizes unorthodox practices in order for them to move on. I kept waiting for something good to happen, and when the pretty weak plot twist was revealed, I just wasn't interested anymore.

26 Penitence When 13-year-old Nora shoots and kills her 14-year-old brother Nico, her parents Angie and David, must come together in their grief to mount a defense for her. They contact Martine Dumont, who doesn't have much experience with criminal law, and is also hoping to retire soon. Martine seeks her son Julian, who has a great deal of criminal law experience to help, which makes things a little awkward since he is Angie's first love. The story evolves in the past and present and packs a lot of emotion as everyone tries to come to terms with love, loss and grief. I had a few questions at the end, but perhaps the reader is meant to read between the lines.

27 Run Man Run This was a very suspenseful read about a white undercover cop, Walker, who is drunk and wandering around Harlem, forgetting where he left his car. He enters an automat where three black men are working. In a drunken rage, he accuses one of them of stealing his car and accidentally shoots him. Realizing that he can't leave any witnesses, he deliberately kills the second man and wounds the third man, Jimmy Johnson. Walker makes it his mission to hunt down Jimmy and finish him off. The tension mounts as the psycho cop stalks him at every turn, and no one seemingly believing his story, that a police officer is hunting him.

>70 lsh63: Taking a BB for this one.

>70 lsh63: I am #2 on the library hold for this book. I am so eager to read it!

28 The Other Americans A family tries to come to terms with the hit and run death of Driss, a Moroccan immigrant. The story is told in many POV's, mainly Nora, Driss's daughter, and Jeremy, a former classmate of Nora's, and an Iraq vet, who is now with the sheriff's office. There are many threads to this story, Driss's secret life, his widow Maryam's backstory, and Salma, Nora's successful older sister, who is bitter and has issues.

It was a good read, but maybe one too many characters who were introduced them dropped from the storyline.

29 Margo’s Got Money Troubles I enjoyed this story about 19-year-old Margo, a student who finds that she is pregnant after a brief relationship with her married English professor. Against everyone's advice, Margo keeps her baby and tries to juggle her finances while also taking care of her child, which is no easy task. I found the plot to be very realistic, about what a person will do in order to provide for their family, when all avenues are exhausted. Margo starts and Only Fans site, which is legalized sex work, in order to make money. The book was a humorous and heartwarming read.

30 Bonded in Death I can't believe this is the author's 60th book in this series, and I'm not tired of it at all. Dallas and her team investigate the murder of Giovanni Rossi, who arrived in New York from Rome. They later learn that the deceased has ties to the Urban Wars, and also to Summerset. The reader gains a bit more knowledge about Summerset's past as a member of the Twelve, a group of covert operatives who all possess specialized skills. The killer is a misogynistic psychopath who is taken down by Dallas, Peabody, Mira, and Reo in epic fashion.

>74 lowelibrary:, >75 beebeereads: Hi April and Barb, I hope you enjoy the book!

>72 lsh63: Taking another BB for this one.

>77 lsh63: I read this last year and really liked it. So much weirdness, but it worked.

31 Whatever Happened to Interracial Love? A short story collection consisting of 16 stories, about black men and women exploring life, love, sexuality, and racial identity. In "Dead Memories, Dead Dreams", a child whose mother dies shortly after her birth struggles with the fact that she and her father are darker skinned than her mother's family members, and were pretty much outsiders to the rest of the family. In the title story, various interracial couples come to terms with the fact that their relationships just won't work out. Set in 1963, in the midst of freedom riders and civil rights movements, the clash between black parents wanting better for their children and white parents who don't want their children involved in interracial relationships, becomes too much for all of them to bear.

This was a very well written collection of stories, sadly the author died at the age of 46, in 1988.

32 The Family Game This was a pretty decent thriller about a wealthy family who enjoy psychotic games. Harriet is about to marry Edward and when she meets the other very scary members of the family, she quickly learns that she has to play to win and to survive. The ending twist kept me on the edge of my seat!

33 Three Days In June Anne Tyler excels in writing about quirky yet loveable characters. In Three Days In June, Gail Baines quits her job after being passed over for a promotion, while also struggling with her feelings about being left out of her daughter's wedding plans. Then her ex husband Max, shows up at her house unannounced, apparently to stay for the wedding, and also with a foster cat. Gail doesn't want Max or the cat in her house but she makes the best of it. The book is short, divided into the day before the wedding, the day of the wedding and the day after. When their daughter Debbie tells them something about her fiance Kenneth, Gail thinks that maybe Debbie shouldn't get married, and reflects on her own choices over the years. It was a wonderful read.

34 The Queens of Crime In 1931, the author brings five women crime writers together to form a Detection Club, to prove that they are just as capable as their male counterparts. The group is led by Dorothy Sayers, and also includes Agatha Christie, Margery Allingham, Ngaio Marsh, and Baroness Emma Orczy. Their plan is to solve an actual murder of May Daniels, a young nurse found strangled in a park in France. Although a good read, I found the repetitive descriptions of everyone's clothing, which was probably meant to differentiate between their various personalities. For example, Agatha Christie's clothing was often referred to as "dowdy" and "colorless". Dorothy's husband is a journalist covering the story of Ms. Daniel's death, having previously reported on her disappearance. Dorothy, decides to tag along with her husband, and also thinks that this is a perfect way for her club members to travel to France and get the details for themselves. This book was a fun read. It also reminded me of the many unread books have by Allingham, Marsh, and Sayers, which I should at least try to get to soon.

35 A Thousand Years of Good Prayers This short story collection was a BB from Kay (RidgewayGirl). It's not secret that you don't have to twist my arm to read short stories. I find them to be perfect for me when I don't quite have the energy for a book with a plot that I have to pay close attention to, or with a cast of characters to keep track of. I enjoyed all of the stories in the collection, but especially the title story, where Mr. Shi, a rocket scientist, goes to visit his daughter in the United States. Their relationship is strained at best, he is worried about her after a breakup, but she really doesn't want to deal with him. He befriends an elderly Iranian woman whom he manages to communicate with even thought they don't speak the same language.

36 The Blood of Emmett Till I am very familiar with the story of Emmett Till, and it was a painful, but important book for me to read. While Emmett was not the first or the last person to be brutally murdered, the fact that his courageous mother found the strength for the world to see what happened to her son, and his murder became an important factor in the civil rights movement.

>84 lsh63: I'm glad you liked it!

37 People of Means This was an excellent read about a mother (Freda), and daughter Tulip, who each deal with civil rights issues. Freda's story takes place is 1960's Nashville, where she is attending Fisk University. Freda's parents have sacrificed a lot to become socially prominent citizens and are thrilled that their daughter is attending their alma mater. A native of Chicago, Freda quickly realizes that things are different in Tennessee and struggles with living up to her parents' expectations, while unable to ignore the segregation and fight for civil rights happening right before her eyes.

Tulip's story takes place in 1992, in the wake of Rodney's King's beating and the civil unrest that ensued. Tulip works as a public relations executive who desperately wants a promotion at her nearly all white firm. Her parents, who remember what happened in the 1960's don't want Tulip getting involved with the aftermath of the Rodney King trial. Tulip struggles with ignoring what is going on around and keeping her job, or becoming involved to try to make a difference. This was such a thought provoking read, as the characters were torn between "black excellence"and also trying to make a difference.

Happy Friday everyone! I'm unlikely to finish any more books today, so I'll post my monthly stats.

February in review: (numbers in parantheses are YTD)

Books read 17 (37)
Library 9 (19)
Kindle 8 (18)
Male authors 3 (5)
Female authors 14 (32)
New to me 8 (18)
General Fiction 6 (14)
Literary Fiction 1 (3)
Historical Fiction 1 (2)
Crime Fiction 5 (12)
Short Stories 3 (5)
Series 2 (9)
Non Fiction 1 (1)

My favorite books of the month were Three Days in June, Good Dirt, Blank Pages and Other Stories. The only book that didn't make the 3 star mark was The Golden Couple, it was supposed to be a thriller, but no so much, at least in my opinion.

38 The Unheard After spending a weekend at her father's house, Tess suspects that her three year old daughter Poppy suffered some sort of trauma, but no one believes her. As Poppy's behavior becomes more and more disturbing and with Poppy's father Jason, and the police treating Tesslike she's crazy, she sets out to find her own answers to Poppy's behavior. I thought that the book was longer than it needed to be, and the plot twist I was looking for didn't really materialize. The reader never really finds out how Poppy witnessed what frightened her, but it was interesting to read just how far Tess was willing to go in order to save her daughter.

39 The Night Shift On New Year's Eve 1999, four teenage girls are working at a Blockbuster Video, when all four and their manager are attacked. One of the girls, Ella survived, and 15 years later, iis now a therapist who engages in risky behavior. She is called to help a young girl, Jess, who is the survivor of a similar attack at an ice cream shop. Everyone wonders if the murders are connected, since the suspect in the 1999 murders escaped and has never been seen again. The story is told in multiple POV's; Ella's, Sarah Keller a very pregnant FBI agent, and Chris, an attorney, who is connected to the alleged perpetrator of the first mass murder. This was a very good, fast paced thriller.

40 The Detective Up Late It's the beginning of the 1990's and DI Sean Duffy hopes that things will be better than in the 80's. After years of bombings and attempts on his life, he's about to go part-time, eventually to retire. He's decided to solve one last case, that of the disappearance of a teenage girl, with at least 4 suspects. I didn't think there would be any more books in this series, but I'm looking forward to reading Hang On St. Christopher.

41 Show Don’t Tell A very well written short story collection. I also enjoyed a previous collection, You Think It, I'll Say It. The stories I enjoyed the most were "White Women Lol", when a white woman makes an unfortunate remark to a group of black people, that goes viral. As she experiences people distancing themselves from her due to the social media backlash, she's forced to examine her actions and self awareness regarding racial dynamics. In "Marriage Clock", a couple deals with changing expectations and find themselves growing apart. In "Follow-Up", a woman who receives a scary mammogram result, finds strength with her best friend while she examines her marriage and being a parent.

42 The Most There is a great deal of storyline packed into this novella. Set in 1957, a married woman with two children goes down into the unused swimming pool in her apartment building, and reflects on her marriage struggles and the choices she's made. Her husband also reflects on their marriage and the secrets he's keeping. It's a standoff to see which one of them will bread first and confess their thoughts, feelings, and past actions. I had this book on my list as it was on the National Book Award longlist last year, and I'm pretty sure it was also a BB from Kay(RidgewayGirl).

43 One Good Thing I loved this author's previous novel We Were the Lucky Ones, and I had high expectations for this book as well. This book is set in 1941 Italy, with best friends Esti and Lili, are as close as sisters. Under Mussolini's laws as he aligns with Hitler, they are deemed as descendants of "inferior Jews". Esti convinces Lili to go with her to a convent in Florence, where they pose as nuns, to forge false identification papers in order to lead people hopefully into safety. When Esti is badly injured, she convinces Lili to take her son Theo, assuring her that they will meet up in Assissi when Esti recovers. Lili and Theo make their journey on foot, hoping to make it to safe territory, with many close calls along the way. For their own safety, Lili instructs Theo to pretend that she is his mother, in order to survive. This was a heart wrenching, yet captivating read. I really connected with the characters, and learned much more about Italy during World War II.

>96 lsh63: My copy just came available at the library. I was surprised to get it so soon after publication. I'll look forward to your thoughts, but may not read them until after I've read the book. Love going into a book blind.

>97 beebeereads: Hi Barb, I hope you enjoy it. Did you read We Were The Lucky Ones?

>98 lsh63: Yes! One of my all time favorites. I am looking forward to this next one.

44 Ella This book is not a biography of Ella Fitzgerald, rather the storyline's focus is on her teen years from 1932 -1934. At the age of 15, Ella wanted to dance, but in the midst of the Depression, her mother wanted her to focus on something practical that would provide income. Ella has a terrible fight with her mother, who later dies. Ella finds herself working for the mob to bring in money, but she is eventually incarcerated and sent to a juvenile home for girls. She eventually escapes to Harlem and does what she has to do in order to survive. This was a good book, my only minor irritation is that the reader doesn't learn how she eventually made it to appear on television in 1948 on and Ed Sullivan show as noted in the prologue.

>94 lsh63: I am really looking forward to this book!

>95 lsh63: It is a short novel, but it's been a while since I read it and it still pops into my mind now and again.

45 A Keeper Elizabeth returns to Ireland after her mother's death, which is filled with a lot of stuff. While sorting through her things, she finds a stack of letters. The story goes back and forth between the present and forty years earlier, where Elizabeth finds out much more than she bargained for about her identity.

>101 RidgewayGirl: Hi Kay, I hope you Show Don't Tell enjoy when you get around to reading it. Yes, for a short book, The Most was pretty intense.

46 The Frozen River This was a very engaging historical fiction and mystery. Set in 1789, midwife Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body of a man found in the frozen river. Upon examination, she determines that the man has been murdered, however, the murder victim also happens to be one of two men who were accused of raping a woman several months earlier. Martha will later be called upon to testify not only about the state of the murder victim's body, but also about the rape victim.

As the story unfolds, there are several suspects, and even one of Martha's own sons is questioned. I learned a lot about how women were treated in this time period, and don't even get me started on the double standards about premarital sex. At times I thought that some of the dialog was "too modern", but it didn't detract from the storyline.

>96 lsh63: - I didn't realize she had a new book out, Lisa. I loved We Were the Lucky Ones so I'll be adding this to the ever-growing list of books.

>104 lsh63: Taking a BB for this one

47 High Tea and Misdemeanors It's Delaine's niece Bettina's wedding day with Theo and Drayon providing the catering. Before the ceremony begins, a killer rigs the greenhouse where the reception is to be held, killing one of the bridesmaids and injuring the groom to be. Who is the intended target, is it the bride, the groom, or someone else? Theo is up to her usual sleuthing and when she finds herself in trouble, it was a surprise to see who comes to her rescue. This was am entertaining read, a lot of red herrings and the occassional POV of the killer added to the suspense.

>105 dudes22: Hi Betty, I hope you enjoy it when you get around to reading it.
>106 lowelibrary: Hi April, It was a good read and I learned a few things also.

48 Dream Count This is the story of four women, and their experiences with relationships, cultural identity and their ambitions. Chiamaka (Chia), is the first narrator, who unlucky in love, reflects on her past relationships during the pandemic. Googling all of her exes. The title of the book refers to her relationship and how they've affected her life, that her friends refer to as her body count, but she prefers to think of them as her "dream count".

Zikora, Chia's best friend, a lawyer, who has a boyfriend she adores, but who ultimately distances himself when she informs him that she is pregnant. In order to adapt to motherhood, she has to come to terms about her feelings for her mother. They are not estranged, but do not see eye to eye on most things.

Omegolor, is Chia's cousin, who works in the banking industry in Nigeria. She attended graduate school in America, and is torn between both cultures.

Kadiatou (Kadia) is Chia's housekeeper, an immigrant who came to the United States in order to provide a better life for her daughter. Kadia is the victim of a horrible assault which leaves her afraid and powerless.

Chiamanda Achiche is a wonderful writer and this was an excellent read, although some readers may take exception to the concept that women can't be happy unless they have a "fulfilling romantic relationship", leading specifically to marriage and motherhood.

49 Kills Well With Others The four female assassin introduced in Killers of a Certain Age are back after a brief hiatus. Billie, Mary Alice, Helen and Natalie have officially retired, but are waiting for their pensions, when the director of their clandestine organization calls them back into action on an unofficial case. The book is comprised mainly of Billie's POV about earlier mission, which I found confusing at times. Overall, it was a fun read.

50 Hang On St. Christopher I raced through The Detective Up Late because I knew my hold on this book was coming up soon. The book begins in July of 1992, with DI Sean Duffy in Scotland with his partner and daughter. Although Duffy is now part-time in order to collect his full pension, a murder case falls into his lap while his former protege, Lawson is on vacation. What appears to be a carjacking of an ordinary artist turns out to be so much more. I'm not sure if this is truly the end of the series or not.

51 Nesting Longlisted for the 2025 Women's Prize for Fiction, this book tells the story of Ciara, pregnant with her third child, deciding to leave her emotionally abusive husband Ryan, along with her two daughters. She doesn't have a plan, she just knows that she has to get away. With no savings or job, her future is pretty bleak, and finds refuge in a hotel that accomodates other in the same position. It was a riveting read about the strength and courage it takes to leave what appears to be a comfortable life, facing the unknown.

52 The Manor House Nicole and her husband Tom win $10 million dollars in the lottery and build themselves a high tech glass house. When Nicole returns home one day she finds Tom dead in the pool. Was it an accident or was he murdered by their strange neighbors Sasha or Olly? There were a few twists and turns, but I didn't find this to be much of a thriller despite its strong beginning.

>104 lsh63: I won this book from LT or GR and have read it two times.

>114 mnleona: Hi Leona, it was a very good read!

>115 lsh63: I agree.

53 Still See You Everywhere This is the third in the series about Frankie Elkin, a missing persons expert. In this installment, she tries to find the sister of a female serial killer who is on death row, who doesn't have much time left. Her travels take her to an isolated Hawaiian island where danger awaits. It was a mediocre thriller. I miss the author's police procedurals.

>113 lsh63: Taking a BB for this one.

>118 lowelibrary: Hi April, I hope you enjoy the book when you decide to read it.

Happy April to everyone! March was a rough month for me, both my parents anniversaries are in March two days, 21 years apart. It's funny how moments sneak up on you. I also submitted my retirement notice with a slightly passive aggressive remark from my boss, plus a lot of inquiry about my future plans. Of course days later after I made things official, we found out that our furnace bit the dust, and there could be a roof issue, sigh. I had a momentary lapse of panic thinking I should work a little longer, but then I talked myself out of it. Life is really too short, and things do have a way of working out most of the time. I'm looking forward to getting my house in order (hubby starts things and doesn't finish them), doing a few day trips, and visiting family members that I don't get to see that much.

I read more than I thought I would given that it was a busy month at work. I read three books that I thought were excellent: The Frozen River, Dream Count, and One Good Thing. Looking at my statistics, I should probably make an effort to read more non fiction, and I am very suprised that I haven't been reading as much crime fiction as I usually do since it's my favorite go to genre.

March in review:
Books read 16 (53)
Library 11(30)
Kindle 5 (23)
Male authors 4 (9)
Female authors 11 (43)
New to me 4 (22)
General Fiction 1 (15)
Literary Fiction 4 (7)
Historical Fiction 3 (5)
Crime Fiction 3 (13)
Short Stories 1(6)
Series 6 (15)
Non Fiction 1 (1)
Thriller 4(6)

54 Caucasia Birdie and Cole are sisters, three years apart in age, and the daughters of a black father and white mother in 1970's Boston. Birdie and Cole are torn between their activist parents, and struggle with how they are each treated, as Birdie can pass for white, while Cole is darker skinned. When circumstances force their parents to end their dysfunctional marriage, Birdie remains with her mother while Cole goes with her father. Birdie and her mother are on the run, claiming to be Jewish, finally winding up in New Hampshire. As the years go by, Birdie never stops hoping that she will be reunited with her sister, and also wondering why her father never tried to find her. This was a very good read, and the author's debut novel.

55 Highway Thirteen I don't keep track of my BB's like I should, but I'm pretty sure this was one from Kay(RidgewayGirl). It's a collection of linked short stories about the effect of a serial killer's crimes on various people. What's interesting is that the stories don't focus on the killer or his victims. The stories are varied: one is a transcript of a podcast, another about an interview with a woman who lived across the street from the killer on the day that his family house is being demolished, another about a politican with the same last name, and my favorite where a woman who has suspicions about her husband and his gardening jobs.

>120 lsh63: I'm sorry March was rough--but congratulations on giving your retirement notice! That's such a big decision and big step, and you're on your way!

Congratulations on your upcoming retirement! And here's to seeing the last of March.

>123 NinieB: Thank you Ninie! Yes it is such a big change, it feels weird, but I'm sure that I will enjoy it.
>124 RidgewayGirl: Thank you Kay! I'm looking forward to it.

Once the decision is made, the only way is forward! Congratulations! I am wishing you the best for your retirment years.

>120 lsh63: I recently finished One Good Thing ***** and am 2/3 through The Frozen River...anticipating a similar rating. I am thoroughly enjoying it.

56 Tilt This was an interesting read. A woman named Annie is 9 months pregnant, shopping in IKEA for a crib when an earthquake occurs. She finds herself trapped behind boxes, but is later helped by an employee. Unfortunately she no longer has access to her purse or phone, to even try to send a text to her husband, even though all signals are likely destroyed. She starts walking across the devastated area to the cafe where her husband works, and reflects on her life while she walks. She recalls how they met, how she wanted to be a playwright and her husband an actor, and nothing has gone as they expected in their lives. She is resentful of her husband still pursuing his acting career, while she has had to take an office job in order for them to make ends meet. The ending is left open, which sometimes works, but in this case, I had questions that were unanswered.

>126 beebeereads: Hi Barb, thank you!

57 The Sequel I found that I enjoyed this book even more than The Plot, which was also very good. Anna Williams-Bonner decides to write her own novel, after all in her opinion, it's not that hard. While attending book tours and meeting fans, she begins to receive notes and manuscript extracts that indicate there's someone who knows her secrets and wants to expose her. Anna is a horrible person, but being inside her sociopathic mind was very entertaining.

58 Rabbit Moon This is a sad story about 22 year old Lindsay Litvak, born and raised in Massachusetts, who decided that college wasn't right for her and went with her boyfriend to China, to teach English. In the wrong place at the wrong time, her parents receive a call that she is in critical condition at a Shanghai hospital, the vicitim of a hit and run. Lindsay's parents wonder how she wound up in Shanghai, when they thought she was in Beijing. Lindsay's younger sister Grace , the one person that Lindsay remains connected, wonders why Lindsay hasn't texted or called her. This was a compelling read as Lindsay's story is heartbreaking.

>121 lsh63: Taking a BB for this one.

>131 lowelibrary: Hi April, I hope you enjoy it!

59 Local Gone MissingDetective Elise King, who is on leave recovering from breast cancer, teams up with her next door neighbor Ronnie to find out what happened to Charlie Perry, who has gone missing. I enjoyed the setting of a small seaside town and the dynamics between the locals and the the vacationers. The book went back and forth from the past to the present, and there were quite a few subplot, but overall it was a good read. I will read the second book shortly.

>129 lsh63: I liked The Sequel more than The Plot, too and while Anna is a terrible person, I could not help but root for her.

60 The Float Test I struggled a bit with this slow burn story about sisters Winnifred (Fred), Judy(Jude), Jenn and their younger brother George. The four siblings come together after their mother's death, each with their own issues which makes for a messy family drama. Jude is the narrator, is an ex lawyer with secrets, George married a woman that the family doesn't like, Fred is a writer struggling to write, and Jenn, the oldest is a take charge of everything mother of six. The book explores the struggle of family dynamics, and siblings growing apart. Float test refers to the test that each of the sibling failed when they attended private swimming lessons. It was a so so read.

61 Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping In this second book in the series, Vera falls victim to a phone identity theft scam. While at the police station she meets a young girl whose friend is missing. After snooping around in her son's police officer girlfriend's briefcase, she learns that the missing young man is a social media influencer. Vera once again meets a new group of people and delves into the social media world. The book took on a darker tone than the first one, as it dealt with human trafficking, which I thought was a little heavy for this genre. All in all, it was an entertaining read.

62 The Story of Arthur Truluv
63 Night of Miracles
64 The Confession Club

About two years ago I read the prequel to this series Earth's the Right Place for Love, and I knew that I wanted to know about Arthur's later years. In the span of a weekend, I read all three books, ignoring the voices in my head that screamed "spring cleaning'. I found all of them to be short and comforting reads, although I liked The Story of Arthur Truluv and Night of Miracles a little more than The Confession Club.

In the first book, Arthur is 85 and visits his wife at the cemetery everyday for lunch. One day he meets 17 year old Maddy, who is unhappy and doesn't have much of a family life. That chance encounter changed both of their lives. Lucille, is Arthur's neighbor, also in her 80's who has never married and still hope that she will experience love.

The second book takes place five years after the first, and finds Lucille teaching baking classes and there are several new characters introduced, all connected to Lucille in some way. It took a while to keep all of the new characters straight, but eventually I was draw in.

The last book wasn't as strong, and focuses on a group of women who meet to discuss their embarrassments, insecurities, and other issues with no judgment. It's a heartwarming story about women, friendship, and the sharing of secrets, that sometimes sharing them can make a person feel better.

>136 lsh63: I am eagerly awaiting my turn in the library hold line for this book.

65 These Days A story about a doctor named Philip, his wife Florence, and their three children Emma, Audrey, and Paul and their lives during the Belfast Blitz in April and May of 1941. The city was struck four times and caused rampant death and destruction. The characterization of the women main characters was the strongest aspect of the novel. Audrey is set to marry a young doctor, Emma is in a secret relationship with another woman, and their mother Florence, who loves her husband, can't stop thinking about her lost love. It was a compelling read that also taught me a bit of history that I was unaware of.

66 The Maid’s Secret This third book in the series finds Molly, who has been promoted from Head Maid to Special Events Manager of the Regency Grand Hotel. She enjoys her job and is looking forward to her upcoming wedding. When a reality tv show "Hidden Treasures", films an episode at the hotel, Molly brings in a few items of her grandmother's just to see if they have any worth. One items to everyone's surprise, turns out to be worth millions of dollars. How Molly's grandmother wound up with the item is told in flashback diary entries, with family secrets revealed, causing Molly's life to be in danger.

67 I See You’ve Called in Dead I loved this story about an obituary writer named Bud who drunkendly posts his own obituary and is promptly put on leave with the intent to dismiss from his job at the newspaper. Bud learns what it's like to live and carves out unlikely frienships along the way. I'm not big on satirical novels with dark humor, but I greatly enjoyed this one.

68 Bake Sale Murder I was in the mood for something light and remembered I have several books in this series that I haven't read. This was just what I needed over the weekend when I wasn't feeling that great. This is the 13th book in the series, and Lucy is dealing with her new neighbors who nag her about the height of her lilac bushes and are trying her patience. She and her friends decide to make money for local charities by having a bake sale. Also adding to her anxiety is her daughter Sara being harrassed by the members of the football team. What's interesting to me is that her husband Bill, seems to take it in stride, with a "boys will be boys" attitude. At any rate, this book fit my mood at the time, and made me want brownies.

>117 lsh63: I miss the early Gardner novels, too! So much. I read the first one in the Frankie Elkin series and stopped there.

This looks really good!

Sorry for the multiple posts. I haven't figured out how to respond to several in the same message, yet! I am definitely going to look for I see you've called in dead, so thanks for that.
Sorry March was tough. It sounds like April is turning out to be a good reading month at least! And congrats on the upcoming retirement!

>143 purpleiris: I really like the author, but I don't think I will read any more of the Frankie Elkin series. I hope you enjoy I See You've Called in Dead when you get to it. Thank you, I'm excited and terrified about my retirement, but as I'm sitting at work right now, I know it's time.
>138 lowelibrary: I think I missed you up there April, I hope you get the book soon, Vera is a great character.

>141 lsh63: I keep hearing good things about this book. I'll take the BB! Thanks.

>147 beebeereads: Hi Barb, I hope you enjoy it!

69 Mary Jane Mary Jane's 14 year old life is about to get more exciting when she gets a summer job as a nanny for the daughter of a local doctor. Mary Jane cooks with her mother, sings in the choir, and is shy, quiet, and sheltered. She soon discovers that in the family household there is no order and she introduces them to planning and cooking meals, ironing, and tidying up. When a rock star and his wife move into the house as part of a therapy plan, Mary Jane learns a lot about sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll. She enjoys taking care of young Izzy, doing all of the housework and cooking and brings structure to izzy's life.

I love the 1970's references, and Jane's desperate attempts to keep her parents from learning the truth about what goes on in the household.

This was a BB from Judy (DeltaQueen50) and I enjoyed it very much.

70 Talking to Strangers This second book in the Elise King series, follws the murder of Karen Simmons, who was looking for love on Valentine's Day, but heads home alone. The next day her body is found in the woods. Coincidentally, there was another body found in the same area, years ago. There are three POV's in the story, Elise who is investigating the crime, Kiki, a reporter, aand Annie, mother of the murder victim from years ago. The book was ok, the plot moved a bit slow, but all in all it held my interest.

71 The Trees This satirical novel was the perfect blend of dark humor, murder mystery, and history. It was funny and sad at the same time. Several murders take place in Money Mississippi, each with one mutilated white man and also a black man holding the severed testicles in his hand. Bodies appear and disappear left and right, and the investigators are perplexed to say the least, as dead bodies shouldn't disappear. The author does not shy away from the horrors of lynching, and it was a riveting read.

>149 lsh63: i am glad that you enjoyed Mary Jane. I thought it was a great trip back to the 1970s!

72 Fever of the Bone The sixth book in the Hill and Jordan series finds Tony learning more about his father and his past, while Carol doesn't seem to realize that she is developing a drinking problem and is struggling with her new boss, who wants to eliminate her special team. They work together to stop a murderer of teenage children who all share a connection. There was a bit of a cliffhanger at the end that means I will probably read the next book very soon.

73 Self Help This was an early short story collection of the author's, where some stories were better than others, but all were very original. I really enjoyed " How To Talk to Your Mother", where a daughter reflects on her life with and without her mother. The story begins after her death and works backward detailing significant aspects of her life. In "To Fill", a depressed woman spirals out of contol when she catches her husband with his mistress and stabs him in the stomach. She finds herself in the same mental hospital as her mother and hopes that she will be able to see her son again.

Happy May everyone!

I'm absolutely giddy that this is my last month of work! I don't like being the center of attention, but I guess it would be rude to skip out on the mandatory cake. I probably won't be able to believe it when June comes. I had a great reading month, reading 20 books, although I had to stop reading when my allergies just wouldn't allow me. Everyone is pretty miserable with them right now. I most enjoyed The Trees, I See You've Called in Dead, These Days, and The Sequel. I'm also on a quest this month to go through my series and see which ones I want to feasibly complete, especially those where it appears as though the series has ended.

April in review:

Books read 20 (73)
Library 14 (44)
Kindle 5 (28)
Mine 1
Male authors 2 (11)
Female authors 19(62)
New to me 5 (27)
General Fiction 9(22)
Literary Fiction 2 (11)
Historical Fiction 1 (6)
Crime Fiction 4(18)
Short Stories 2(8)
Series 6 (25)
Non Fiction 1 (1)
Thriller 1(7)

74 The Murderer's Daughters Sisters Lulu and Merry each react differently to the fact that their father, in a drunken rage, killed their mother the day before Lulu's 10th birthday, when Merry was just 6. During the horrific event, he accidentally stabbed Merry. What they endure after their father is sent to jail is heartwrenching. Lulu eventually goes to college, marries and has children of her own. Her husband knows what happened , but no one else does. Merry goes through bad relationships with a series of men, and in her heart would like to forgive her father. Eventually Lulu has to deal with the fact that her father is going to be paroled and what that means for the rest of her life.

>154 lsh63: The month will just whizz by, I guess, and you’ll be celebrating your freedom. Enjoy!

75 Red as Blood This was a so-so read. Arora, a financial investigator remains in Iceland to try to find out what happened to her sister. She finds herself involved her in the case of a woman who appears to have been abducted while cooking dinner. The woman's husband Flosi, needs Arora's help to get the $2 million euros he has stashed away safely into Iceland. As the investigation continues, things are revealed about Flosi which indicate that maybe his marriage wasn't as happy as he has led everyone to believe and that he has something to do with his wife's disappearance. By the time all was revealed, I wasn't interested anymore.

Congrats on all the reading and yay for the last month! How exciting! Do you have anything special planned for the first few weeks of retirement?

I read Mary Jane a few years ago and really liked it. I feel like it stayed with me for a while.

>157 MissWatson: Thank you Birgit, yes the month is whizzing by, and it's a good feeling!
>159 purpleiris: Thank you. No, nothing special planned for the first few weeks, I'm going to relax the first week, and develop a non working routine. The things I enjoy are very sedentary, so I know I need some sort of exercise, especially in the morning.

76 The Last One at the Wedding A father is shocked but also hopeful when his estranged daughter invites him to her upcoming wedding after not speaking to him for over three years. When he arrives for the long weekend wedding festivities, he quickly finds out that all is not right with the prospective groom's family. He becomes more and more disturbed by the family, but also by his daughter's actions. The final chapters were very good. Overall, this was a pretty decent read.

My retirement was a longtime ago, 24 years to be exact. I really didn't do it right as I continued to dabble in what I had done before retirement, with poor results. My last 7 years have been the best years because of our dog Percy.

He is a Yorkshire Terrier and Poodle mix, and his enthusiasm and communication keep us from ever getting bored, or lonely. You spoke of needing exercise, especially in the morning. Percy DEMANDS that I take him for a walk every morning without delay. He takes me for a walk as his terrier personality involves walking ahead of me at the end of the leash.

I know I sound like a proud grandparent, but it is truly something to consider that has been my lifesaver.

At any rate, please enjoy your retirement.

I really enjoy your book ideas and want those to continue for our benefit!

Percy sounds wonderful! I have a poodle mix who is also very demanding!

>162 JoeB1934: Thank you Joe! My coworker is retiring at the end of the year, is relocating, and said that she and her husband are going to get two dogs primarily for the purpose of the exercise involved in taking them for walks.

>164 lsh63: If you consider going down the 'doggie' path do the same research on dogs as you do on books to read. Percy is exactly right for me in size and temperament. I always had larger dogs earlier in life, but he is right for me at 19 #.

He was 5 years old and in a rescue center when he put on his winning ways for us. Visits with a breed you are considering will be very valuable.

77 Fault Lines This was about a bored housewife with two children, who looks for excitement outside of her marriage, and struggles to make a choice between the two men. No matter how one feels about infidelity, the character, Mizuki, is relatable, in that no one is a perfect wife or mother.

78 Atavists A collection of linked short stories, some funny, some thought provoking, all very well written. I've made a note to read some of the author's other works.

79 On a Quiet Street This Edgar Award nominee novel explores the friendship between three women who live in the exclusive Brighton Hill neighborhood. Cora, who is married to Finn, thinks he is cheating on her. Paige, has lost her son, a victim of a hit and run, and is angry with just about everyone. Paige, mother of a infant daughter and married to a judge seems a bit aloof, but there's more to her story than meets the eye. The storyline is comprised of the POV's of all three women, who have various degrees of dysfunctional relationships, but as time goes on, help each other. This was a pretty good psychological thriller, and I would definitely read more by the author.

80 The Cleanup A disgraced police officer named Worth is working security detail at a convenience store, and finds himself involved in a murder cover up involving one of the workers at the store. The book was very well plotted and character driven, involving good and bad police officers, Worth's wife who is now pregnant by another officer, and also Worth's ex-con brother. The story is told through multiple POV's sometimes making it hard to follow, but it was a solid read.

81 Parents Weekend An average thriller about five students who never showed up for dinner with their parents for Parents Weekend at their college. There were many characters to keep track of and I didn't find the mystery that strong, but I was happy to see the return of Agent Keller, who was also featured in
The Night Shift and Every Last Fear.

82 Journey Under the Midnight Sun I thought that this book was going to be the typical police procedural, but it turned out to be so much more. The story begins with the murder of a pawnbroker in an abandoned building in 1973. Detective Sasagaki is assigned to the case and uncovers many clues and a few potential suspects, but nothing material enough to officially arrest anyone and close the case. He is suspicious of the murder victim's widow, a store worker, as well as a female customer of the shop. Strangely enough, the female customer meets with an unexplained untimely end. Through multiple POV's, mainly the development of two sociopathic preteens over the years, all of the little pieces of the puzzle come together at the end.

>166 lsh63: This looks like something I might enjoy. Thanks!

83 The Ruin This is a new author to me, I previously took a BB from DeltaQueen50 (Judy) for What Happened to Nina. I took a chance on yet another series, and I'm glad that I did, as I enjoyed the book very much.

It's the first in the DI Cormac Reilly series, set in Galway, Ireland. Cormac has moved to Galway from Dublin in order to be with his girlfriend Emma. The other officers are suspicious of him and most give him the cold shoulder. His only ally on the force is a fellow officer named Danny who he trained with years ago, who is also shunned. Cormac is offered the cold case of Hilaria Blake, who died 20 years ago and is connected to the recent apparent suicide of Hilaria's son Jack. It was a gripping read and kept me guessing until the very end. I have borrowed the second book in the series to read very soon.

84 Firstborn Girls Author Bernice McFadden's memoir was a riveting read. In 1967, she survived a traumatic car crash at age 2, where she was technically dead and later resuscitated. The book is filled with family history, growing up with an alcoholic father, and childhood summer trips to Barbados. The generational trauma is not easy to read, but it is so important to acknowledge the effect that it had on her life. I loved her first book Sugar, and knew that I wanted to read more.

85 The Scholar DS Cormac Reilly enters a gray area when his girlfriend Emma stumbles across the victim of a hit and run at her research lab. The case is not normally one that would be assigned to him, but he steps in to try to shield Emma, and finds himself being investigated by Internal Affairs. It's a difficult situation as Emma has been involved with a murder once before.

86 The Disappeared I'm terrible at keeping up with my BB's, but I'm pretty sure that this was one from RidgewayGirl(Kay). It's a short story collection with 15 stories set mostly in Austin or San Antonio, featuring ordinary people dealing with loss, the fear of mortality, or the conflict that can arise in adult relationships. I loved all of the stories in the collection, my favorite was "Rhinebeck" about a man named Richard who has a really close perhaps codependent relationship with a married couple named David and Rebecca. All three were close friends in college, and Richard lives near David and Rebecca, visits their restaurant almost daily, but sadly never carved out a life of his own.

87 Heart Be At Peace An engaging read about life in a small town in Ireland with 21 POV's of the various inhabitants. Admittedly, although it's a companion piece featuring characters introduced in The Spinning Heart, I didn't remember any of the characters in this book. Stories are told about illegal drugs, gossip, betrayal and family dynamics.