Lori (thornton37814) enjoys a candy-filled 2025 - thread 1

Welcome to my 2025 Category Challenge. This year my categories will be candy-themed.

I'm a librarian and genealogist who enjoys cross stitch and lives in East Tennessee. I've been around this challenge since 2010.

I wish I had room to make categories for every candy I listed as a possible category but there were probably about 60 on the list, so I had to narrow it down a bit.

My categories follow in the threads I'm reserving.

Category 1. 3 Musketeers = Classics

1.

Category 2. M & Ms = Murder & Mayhem

1. Murder in a Scottish Garden by Traci Hall - completed 7 January 2025
2. Aftermath by Peter Robinson - completed 23 January 2025
3. Murder by the Seashore by Samara Yew - completed 10 February 2025
4. The Final Curtain by Keigo Higashino - completed 1 February 2025
5. Killer in the Carriage House by Sheila Connolly - completed 4 March 2025
6. Guidebook to Murder by Lynn Cahoon - completed 1 April 2025
7. A Carrion Death by Michael Stanley - completed 19 April 2025

Category 3. Now & Later = Fine Arts (Music, Dance, Art, Poetry, Drama)

1.

Category 4. Dove Bar = Christian nonfiction

1. The Characters of Easter: The Villains, Heroes, Cowards, and Crooks Who Witnessed History's Biggest Miracle by Daniel Darling - completed 15 April 2025
2. Deepening Your Prayer Life: Approach God with Boldness by Charles F. Stanley - completed 28 April 2025

Category 5. Oh Henry = History & Biography

1. Boardinghouse Women: How Southern Keepers, Cooks, Nurses, Widows, and Runaways Shaped Modern America by Elizabeth S. D. Engelhardt - completed 11 January 2025
2. A Brief History of the World in 47 Borders: Surprising Stories Behind the Lines on Our Maps by Jonn Elledge - completed 19 April 2025

Category 6. Good & Plenty = Amish fiction

1. The Courtship Basket by Amy Clipston - completed 20 March 2025

Category 7. Kit Kat = Books featuring cats

1. We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida - completed 15 March 2025
2. Simon's Cat vs. the World by Simon Tofield - completed 3 April 2025

Category 8. Sugar Babies = Short stories, novellas, and picture books

1. Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki; illustrated by Dom Lee - completed 12 Apr 2025
2. Digging for Words: José Alberto Gutiérrez and the Library He Built by Angela Burke Kunkel; illustrated by Paola Escobar - completed 12 Apr 2025

Category 9. Necco Wafers = Historical fiction

1. Whispers of Fortune by Mary Connealy - completed 8 January 2025
2. My Bonney Lies Under by millersusancummins::Susan Cummins Miller - completed 20 February 2025
3. A Pretty Deceit by huberannalee::Anna Lee Huber - completed 26 February 2025
4. The Sisters of Sea View by Julie Klassen - completed 7 March 2025

Category 10. Goo Goo Cluster = Domestic arts (Cooking, Needlework, Babysitting, Housekeeping, etc.)

1. World Kitchen: Family Recipes from Around the World by Abigail Wheatley; illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat - completed - 18 April 2025
2. Cooking from China's Fujian Province: One of China's Eight Great Cuisines by Jacqueline M. Newman - completed 27 April 2025

Category 11. Candy Canes = Christmas

1. The Christmas Lamp by Lori Copeland - completed 21 March 2025

Category 12. Whatchamacallit = Books that don't fit another category

1. Followed by the Lark by Helen Humphreys - completed 2 January 2025
2. The Bells of Old Tokyo: Meditations on a Time and a City by Anna Sherman - completed February 2025
3. A Guide to the Birds of East Africa by Nicholas Drayson - completed 27 March 2025
4. Happily Ever After by Susan May Warren - completed 3 April 2025
5. The Café with No Name by Robert Seethaler; translated by Katy Derbyshire - completed 20 April 2025

Abandoned Reads = Milk Duds

1. Sunrise by Jacquelyn Cook - abandoned 9 Apr 2025

Now a bit about why I chose the category names.

3 Musketeers: The candy bar named after the book by Dumas should be obvious.
M & Ms: How could I resist choosing M & M for Murder & Mayhem?
Now and Later: Enjoy the fine arts now or later.
Dove Bars: The Dove is often associated with the Holy Spirit.
Oh Henry: In honor of all the King Henrys
Good and Plenty: This was a restaurant in the Pennsylvania Amish country until the owners retired. I ate there a couple of times.
KitKat: Kat/Cat should be obvious
Sugar Babies: These are smaller works!
Necco Wafers: I did a search for old candy and found the Necco wafer dates back to 1847.
Goo Goo Cluster: In home ec classes, they often taught child care, so this is a play on the baby gooing.
Candy Canes: A very recognizable Christmas candy
Whatchamacallit: A very appropriate name for a catch-all category
Milk Duds: Abandoned reads are duds!

Great cats! LOL to the Milk Duds!

>16 Tess_W: Well, the other good option was "Zero" but I liked the Milk Duds better.

Yum! You've set yourself up for a delicious reading year!

>18 DeltaQueen50: I really enjoyed my cross stitch categories last year, but I had to come up with something different.

Love your themes! Happy New Year, dropping off my star.

Today I ordered a bunch of new cross stitch patterns from the Silver Needle. They have been in business for 41 years! I have been a customer in the past and they offer a New Year's Eve sale where everything is discounted. I could not resist. I plan to get back into stitching again in 2025, when I officially retire from teaching college classes.

>20 LadyoftheLodge: I remember seeing they were having a sale. I think Stitcher's Garden was also having one. I might have just ordered the new Royal School of Needlework's 200 Essential Embroidery Stitches! A lot of folks in one of my cross stitch groups were celebrating the arrival of theirs. I'm sure Nicola mentioned it on her channel, and I'm behind on FlossTube so I didn't see it. Better a few days late than never. I did get a new Halo Go lamp for Christmas! If I'd charged it beforehand, I might have taken it with me today to our local cross stitch group, but I didn't have it charged in advance. I did get the tote it is in brought inside though!

What clever themes.
I am hoping to do more cross stitch and less crochet this year.

>22 mnleona: I'll look forward to your posts. I really got off track in posting my finishes except to Instagram and occasionally to a Facebook group.

Lori, I look forward to following your reading for another year. Enjoy your New Year's Eve! I suspect I'll be in bed by 10:30.

>24 RidgewayGirl: It's already past 10:30 Eastern. However, I understand. I'm going to try to make it to midnight before I collapse into bed. I'll probably sleep in as long as the cats allow--and I might go back to bed after I feed them in the morning.

>25 thornton37814: Tomorrow is a reading day for me, for sure.

>26 RidgewayGirl: Me too. I think I've caught the cold my brother passed to everyone--but it didn't hit me until I got home. Fortunately I don't have to be anywhere until I take my car in to be serviced Thursday afternoon. It should not take long because I understand they don't change the fluids until 10,000 miles.

Year-End Meme Using 2024 Books

Describe yourself: The Woman on the Island

Describe how you feel: Wrong Side of the Paw

Describe where you currently live: A World of Curiosities

Your favorite time of day is: Morning Coffee and Time Alone

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Vanishing Cornwall

Your favorite form of transportation: Mystery Mile

Your best friend is: Lucy by the Sea

You and your friends are: Wild Girls

Describe your job: The Coffee Corner

What are you eating: The Forgotten Recipe

What’s the weather like: Clear

You fear: The Whispered Word

What is the best advice you have to give: Trusting God with Today

Thought for the day: What’s in a Phrase

How you would like to die: Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake

Your soul’s present condition: Refiner’s Fire

What is life for you: Wandering through Life

Guests Meme with 2024 Books

Did you have guests during the holidays, Answer the questions with titles of books you read in 2024

What would you call the event? A Dark and Stormy Tea

How did they find their way? By Evening’s Light

How did they know they'd arrived? The Raging Storm

Any special activities? The Quilting Bee

Did your guests stay over? Scandal Above Stairs

Were there servants to help? The Polite Penguin

Was there turn down service? Toxic Toffee

How were the guests greeted? The Fiddler of High Lonesome

Was dinner held for late comers? A Soupcon of Poison

And dinner was? 5-Ingredient Air Fryer Recipes

Afterward? Murder in a Teacup

In 2024, I had lots of four star reads. I enjoyed my Bible and devotional book tremendously, but I don't count those toward the best book because the Bible would win every year.

I only had one 5-star read in 2024. It was The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride. I had no 4.5 star books. I'll just list a few of the 4-star books here as memorable: Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout; Murder at Half Moon Gate by Andrea Penrose; Two Wars and a Wedding by Lauren Willig, The Swiss Nurse by Mario Escobar, Clear by Carys Davies; The Mapping of Love and Death by Jacqueline Winspear; The Seagull by Ann Cleeves; A Refiner's Fire by Donna Leon

Happy New Year, Lori! I love your categories - the names are perfect for each one :-)

Looking forward to your reading and crafting this year. I've picked A Daybook of Grace by Mark Gilroy for my devotional reading this year.

Happy New Year! I enjoyed reading your meme lists.

Happy New Year and good luck with your reading.

>31 susanj67: Thanks. I kind of went with the first theme that began to work out for me.

>32 dudes22: I think I'm going to do a Charles Swindoll one this year. When I was looking at options that one was one I thought I'd enjoy that was less expensive on Kindle.

>33 LadyoftheLodge: It's kind of a fun way to remember the year.

>34 lowelibrary: Thanks! I want to see if I can get back to 125 this year. I'm hovering between 100 and 125 most years and not quite making it. It's a far cry from the year I read 300+.

Happy New Year, Lori! What a sweet theme. *grin* You did an excellent job of matching the many to the category - I especially love the M&Ms.

Happy new year, Lori!

I love how the candies match the categories - so clever! I hope you gave a great reading year ahead!

Happy new year! Here's to a great year of reading ahead.

>29 thornton37814: Um, I'm glad I wasn't at this event. It sounds like not many of the guests survived!

>36 Crazymamie: Thanks! It does work well.

>37 Jackie_K: Thanks!

>38 MissBrangwen: I worked hard to come up with some that fit!

>39 sturlington: Thanks

>40 cbl_tn: I know. I just read way too many mysteries with deadly properties next to the food!

Thank you for the Chuckles Lori--maybe pun intended. Your candy categories were fun to read. I'll look forward to following you again this year. I always find some gems for BBs on this thread.
My 2025 thread is finally up today...not one minute too soon.
https://www.librarything.com/topic/367017#8712413

>42 beebeereads: I think I just visited your thread! I'm trying to get to all the Category Challenge threads today -- and hopefully to the 75 threads tomorrow and Friday since there are more of them!

Happy New Year Lori! I love the candy theme, when I was younger I would polish off Peanut M’s and M’s like they were going out of style.

Candy! Mmmm!

Sweet reading, Lori!

>43 thornton37814: Yes you did visit me...thank you. I am trying to accomplish all the CAT threads today as well, but may slip over into tomorrow.

>44 lsh63: I love a lot of the varieties now offered, but the peanut ones became my favorite about high school.

>45 VivienneR: Thanks

>46 beebeereads: My 75 group will not be caught up tonight, but I did make a start. I'm about to log off the computer so I can read a bit before bed. It's getting close to time to take the allergy medicine. I forgot to take it a couple of days, and now I have cold-like symptoms, but I think it is allergy-related.

Loving the candies. I think I gained 5 pounds on the thread already.

Hi Lori, fun categories: lots of sweets I've never come across before.

Wishing you a happy new year of reading (and hope the allergy medicine worked).

A New Year present. Australia's oldest chocolate bar. Happy reading in 2025!

>48 lowelibrary: Yes. You'll at least get a sugar rush.

>49 charl08: The allergy meds are helping. I'm taking them at prescription strength until I get back to normal.

>50 pamelad: If it's got Cadbury on the label, it must be good.

Book 1. Followed by the Lark by Helen Humphreys

Date Completed: 2 January 2024

Category: Whatchamacallit

Source: University Library Book

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Well-known author Helen Humphreys used Henry David Thoreau's journals to write a work of biographical fiction about the well-known author who made Walden Pond known across America and around the world. We see his interactions with Transcendentalists such as Margaret Fuller, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Bronson Alcott. We see his love of nature and how much he valued belonging to the Thoreau family who were abolitionists. While I haven't read the journals and could not "fact check" things Humphreys wrote, I feel she gave an accurate portrayal of Henry in her work.

>52 thornton37814: The first 2025 add to my long list! I didn't know about this one but will definitely look it up!

Best wishes for a good year in all ways.

>53 clue: It's her latest!

Found and starred you Lori.

Oh dear your themed categories have made me hungry and sent my sweet tooth a-yearning!

>52 thornton37814: I love that cover. Helen Humphreys is a difficult author to find here.

>55 PaulCranswick: I ordered that one for the library through our leased book program. Of course, it is one that we will keep permanently. It makes me hungry for sweet too. Fortunately I don't keep a lot on hand at home--just occasionally some small chocolates.

Oh no! Where are the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups??

So glad to stop by and see your new 2025 thread! I totally love your candy themes, especially the M&M and Milk Duds ones. And I went off on a tangent to The Silver Needle to look at all the Mill Hill Santas, since I have several older ones hanging (still) from my tree. Enjoy your cross stitching and my goal this year is to finish a Gloria and Pat bellpull and maybe, just maybe, the Teresa Wentzler Fantasy Sampler.

Happy reading in 2025 and hope your cold goes away!

>58 threadnsong: You have given me the idea of what to do for Christmas. I give angels to my daughter and granddaughters for Christmas and in 2024, I crocheted angels. For this year, I will cross stitch some angels.

I loved GooGoo Clusters, haven't seen them in years.

>60 mysterymax: They're still around, I see them at Hobby Lobby when I check out!

>57 LadyoftheLodge: They didn't make the cut--but only because I couldn't figure out which category fit.

>58 threadnsong: The Silver Needle is a great shop. I'm fortunate to have a local needlework store not that far away where I can feel and touch things for the most part. I do order from many places. I might have been tempted by some cat-shaped snips today! (Lindy Stitches posted them. I did resist purchasing one in every color. I only got one until I could decide how well they really cut.) This month I'm stitching on Pandemic (my "5-year" stitch from Long Dog Samplers), my blessing sampler ("She Sights a Bird" by Blackbird Designs), The Lord's Prayer by Lila's Studio, and one of the Hometown Holiday series by Little House Needleworks--probably the grocery store, because my village needs one of those. (The last two were this month's WIPGO calls.)

>59 mnleona: They should appreciate those. I really enjoyed doing the sleds this year. I might do sweater on perforated paper next year. I'll have to decide soon if I want to do that again so that I can do at least one per month and double up a couple of months.

>60 mysterymax: I think we can still get them in Cracker Barrel.

>61 clue: I need to pay more attention to candy at Hobby Lobby.

>63 thornton37814: Neither of those locations are near me, so think of me the next time you see the chocolate!

>64 mysterymax: Will do!

That’s a wonderful theme, Lori, and I absolutely giggled over the Milk Duds. Thank you!

>66 MissWatson: It was appropriate!

Book 2. Murder in a Scottish Garden by Traci Hall

Series: A Scottish Shire Mystery, 2

Date Completed: 7 January 2025

Category: M & Ms

Source: Tennessee Reads digital audiobook

Rating: 3 stars

Review: While chaperoning a school group on their visit to the garden of a large country home, Paislee witnesses a murder as she accompanies a young girl to the facilities. She holds the door closed so the young girl does not see the body and then makes it a game for the girl to get to the bus so she doesn't turn that way when she allows her to leave. The girls parents want to sue her for holding the girl against her will in the facilities. The home belongs to the mother of Paislee's landlord who has sent them all eviction notices pending the sale of the building--in which case they'd have 30 days to vacate. The person murdered was the cousin Charles who had been visiting the family. The landlord needed a kidney donor, and Charles was the most compatible donor. Of course, Paislee feels the need to assist the police in their investigations. To me, this was an obvious case of mistaken identity from the first, and it took them far too long for that thought to even cross her mind. I listened to the audio version.

>62 thornton37814: When I lived in a larger town, there were several needlework shops that I visited often. That was in the heyday of counted cross stitch! There are none near me presently, so I order from Silver Needle online. I would love to visit the shop sometime though.

Book 3. Whispers of Fortune by Mary Connealy

Series: Golden State Treasure, 1

Date Completed: 8 January 2025

Category: Necco Wafers

Source: LibraryThing Early Reviewers digital book

Rating: 2 stars

Review: Brody trained to be a doctor, and he needs to repay the man who funded his education by assisting him in his practice in Boston. First, however, he must go in search of his missing brothers. They disappeared after both parents died and before Brody could bring them to live with him. He is certain they've gone to California in search of their grandfather's treasure. They had managed to get aboard an orphan train--and then to escape the ones in charge and stow away until they reached California. There they were taken in by a ranch that often provided a good home and education to orphans. Brody finds them, but his assistance as a doctor is needed almost immediately. The ranch begs him to stay, and his brothers want to stay. He is committed to his promise to the doctor in Boston who needs help with his practice. The brothers convince him to help them make at least a quick search since they think they've about figured it out. Brody, of course, falls in love with one of the women. There are bad guys and all the classic elements of westerns in this book. It just didn't work very well for me. It seemed far too implausible. The ending leaves it open for additional adventures as not everything was completely resolved. I appreciated that it was a clean read. I received this from LibraryThing Early Reviewers in exchange for an honest review.

Happy New(ish) Thread!

>71 SilverWolf28: Thanks!

So we did a thing today in the library. We repurposed 2 of our 3 dictionary stands. I discarded the big old dictionaries that were in poor condition or duplicates. The stands now hold games and puzzles. We moved it to the front of the library and added a table and chairs.

>73 thornton37814: What a great idea, Lori! Good to see a practical reuse of the stands. Paper dictionaries are not in high demand anymore.

>74 VivienneR: No. Most students are using online dictionaries. The dictionary stand we kept is on the floor with student success and our first year/transfer services librarian's office so we think that's probably the best. We kept the newest dictionary on display and shelved the others below where it is easy to see which dictionaries they are.

>52 thornton37814: Been 50 years since I read Walden Pond and I do not have fond memories of it! However, this is a book that I will seek.

>76 Tess_W: I also read in college and that was a very long time ago. I should re-read.

>76 Tess_W: >77 mnleona: I've read Walden multiple times over the years. I always liked it better than some of the other options. We read in both high school and college. I've read it a couple of times since. I visited Walden Pond when in the Boston area some years ago. It may have been a highlight of the trip.

>78 thornton37814: Oh, I wanted to that when we visited Boston, but literally ran out of time!

>79 Tess_W: I understand. There's so much to do, and I barely got any of it done even with an extra week attached to the conference trip. I've been to Boston one other time. I saw a lot in the central part of town that time. (It was earlier than the trip where I went to Walden Pond.)

I managed to get about 60% of my driveway shoveled and salted this afternoon. I'll have to finish it tomorrow. I don't have the stamina I once had. I also have bad knees and have to be very careful. I'm hoping the rest doesn't become icy overnight. It was pretty easy to shovel today. The snow pusher was working. I just have a lot of driveway. I could probably get a little more done before it turns completely dark, but I'm exhausted, and I think I need to rest. Also the sun is going down and temps are beginning to go back down. The sun helped the ice melt do its job on the residue with what I got done. I'll have the sun to help again tomorrow so it's best to wait. The temps are supposed to be in the 30s by noon so I'll begin after I watch our online church service.

>81 thornton37814: How much snow did you get? I'm glad you aren't going back out to finish, clearing snow is a lot of work! We had 3 inches here, but we're not going to get any help from warmer temperatures for awhile! Luckily, our driveway is gravel, so no shoveling that, but since it snowed all day Friday, I cleared the walkways and porch twice and then again this morning.

>82 RidgewayGirl: We ended up with about 2.5 inches. (The official for Morristown was 2.3, but it's a lower elevation at the NWS office.) A lot of ours evaporated before it hit the ground because of the cold dry atmospheric conditions. It was so weird to see us on radar showing snow but we weren't seeing it.) I'll get the rest shoveled tomorrow. It was pretty easy to push so I'm not too concerned. I'm just making sure I take breaks often enough to not over-exert myself. I think Carrie Beth got more than we did because she was nearer the heavier pocket.

Book 4. Boardinghouse Women: How Southern Keepers, Cooks, Nurses, Widows, and Runaways Shaped Modern America by Elizabeth S. D. Engelhardt

Date Completed: 11 January 2025

Category: Oh Henry

Source: University library JSTOR book

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Focusing on Southern women who operated boardinghouses, the author shows how women used the skills they had to provide much needed income for their situations. They used their domestic skills to help meet the needs of others while meeting their own financial needs. While many of the book's examples were drawn from North Carolina and Mississippi, other states such as Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky, and Tennessee also saw an occasional mention as being the location of such an establishment. Southern cuisine was influenced by these women. We also see the influence of boardinghouses upon authors such as Thomas Wolfe and Carson McCullers and chefs such as James Beard. I connected with the chapters dealing with more "proper" boardinghouses more so than the chapters focusing more on the seedier establishments. The authors used a wide range of sources although she perhaps overused some sources for some of the women. I wish I'd had a print version of the book so I could easily flip between the notes and the text to see where she derived information.

>84 thornton37814: Took a BB from cbl_tn for this one as well. Now it's a double BB. Guess that moves it up on the list!

>81 thornton37814: I also had to take breaks from snow removing, not as much endurance as I once had, since my hubby cannot do any of that due to heart condition. We got about 10 inches of snow here, with ice underneath it. The temps were up and sun shining today, so that helped.

>85 beebeereads: Carrie, Meg, and I all read it for a virtual book club that was held last night.

>86 LadyoftheLodge: The ice underneath is torture. When I first began shoveling there wasn't ice underneath. It took me two afternoons to complete my driveway, but it's done. There was a light glaze underneath toward the end, mostly caused by melting. It got to 33 on Saturday but the sun was partly out. On Sunday, it got a bit warmer, but I did start when it was right at 32. The sun was out and helping melt that thin layer under what I shoveled. I threw a little extra ice melt on what was being stubborn and not allowing me to get under it, and it was mostly going away too. I'm not going to say it didn't refreeze because I haven't checked what it did last night. I don't have to be into work until 2 pm since I cover the library until 9 pm tonight.

>87 thornton37814: Our challenge lately has been the dripping water/icicles forming right above our front door/porch. The ice is extremely slick and almost invisible. (Two senior citizens here do not need to fall on the ice!) I used a lot of ice melter and eventually placed three containers out there to catch the falling drips. I also was expecting an Amazon delivery and did not want the delivery person to slip!

Sometimes I think it's better to have to wade through the snow than to risk the icey parts!

>89 mysterymax: I totally agree. >87 thornton37814: Problem with the dripping is that it freezes again. Walk carefully.
It is -7* F here now but the next 3 days, it will be close to 30* and in the mid 30* so we will see some melting and then back to below zero again.

>90 mnleona: We are expecting similar weather here too.

>88 LadyoftheLodge: I pre-salted my driveway. I'm not sure if it helped, but it wasn't icy under the snow. I understand about not needing to fall. They are minimizing the amount we will get here this weekend now--and it sounds like we are north of the area that will see ice. I'm fine with that forecast. I will try to pre-salt the driveway, but I will need to pay attention to the projected arrival time so I can get it done. I'm hoping I can wait until after I attend early service and Sunday school. If not, I may need to do it Saturday.

>89 mysterymax: I don't mind walking in snow when it was not all that deep. When I lived in Ohio, we got 14 inches where I lived, but it was blowing and it drifted between my house and the next. It was 3 feet deep in places on that driveway. That's not wading snow!

>90 mnleona: They did say that whatever snow we do get will stick around because the temps will be so cold. I think our high Monday is supposed to be 20, and they are expecting subzero (Fahrenheit) wind chills. But -7 BRRRRR!!!!

>91 LadyoftheLodge: I think we are all in a deep freeze next week!

Remind me again why I hate winter! :)

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/367914

>95 SilverWolf28: Thanks!

>84 thornton37814: Definitely a BB for me! Stay safe!

>84 thornton37814: Hope you enjoy it.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/368071

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/368250

>99 SilverWolf28: >100 SilverWolf28: Thanks. The technology issues at work have interrupted my reading too! I have been reading, but I just can't read much at one sitting. I guess it's put me in a funk.

Oops, I missed reading your thread before now for some reason. I am very interested in your Murder and Mayhem and your Cat categories. I love both M&M and Kit Kats but, for health reasons, I am no longer able to eat them :(

I did have Murder in a Scottish Garden on my wishlist but after your review I might move it down lower in down in my very long list.

>102 Zozette: I'm not sure if you read the first in the series or not, but I also gave it 3 stars. For me, they are just "okay."

Here's the Valentine's Day readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/368424

Book 5. Aftermath by Peter Robinson

Date Completed: 23 January 2025

Category: M & Ms

Source: Knox County digital audiobook

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Girls have gone missing, and the bodies of many are found when a routine domestic violence call turns into something more when they go to investigate something in the basement. One officer is down; the other lashes out at the attacker but perhaps goes a bit over the top. Banks is acting superintendent in this one, and Annie Cabbot is the detective investigating the excessive force allegations. Banks and his team must puzzle out anomalies to discover the truth of what really happened to the girls. This installment is a little more gruesome than I prefer.

>104 SilverWolf28: Oops! I missed that one! I did read, but not much.

Book 6. Murder by the Seashore by Samara Yew

Date Completed: 10 February 2025

Category: M & Ms

Source: University library book

Rating: 2 stars

Review: Scarlett's new bookstore is located by a California beach. When she discovers the body of a woman who'd just visited her store by the pier, she is surprised. She is surprised even more to discover the woman has named her as her heir--since she had just met her. She becomes the prime suspect. Underdeveloped characters kept me from enjoying this one. I wondered if I'd stumbled into a later book in the series because I felt I was missing the background on the main character and her friends. I doubt I'll continue the series.

Book 7. My Bonney Lies Under by Susan Cummins Miller

Date Completed: 20 February 2025

Category: Necco Wafers

Source: Library Thing Early Reviewers

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Keridec Rees who is almost 15 is aboard a ship bound for San Francisco from Asia. Her geologist father died, and she is in the care of two legal guardians and a female companion. When the female companion is killed, a suitable substitute must be found. She meets a Chinese woman and her companion. It soon becomes clear the intended target of the murder may have been Keridec. Will Keridec make it to San Francisco alive? While the story was well-written and the characters well-drawn, I did not enjoy it all that much. Flavia de Luce in the Alan Bradley series is a more enjoyable underage sleuth. The geology angle does provide a different setting than many mysteries, although since the action mostly takes aboard a ship, it is less pronounced than it could have been. I received the book through LibraryThing Early Reviewers with the expectation of an honest review.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/368676

I finally feel like I'm settling back into reading. 2025 has felt like a Murphy's Law year so far: If anything can go wrong, it will. I guess that extended to making progress on reading as well. I really had good intentions of reading for several of the challenges last month and this one, but it just didn't happen.

I've come up with a challenge of my own. I have a lot of unread books on my Kindle. With all the attention drawn to Amazon's decision to make all the books we purchased unavailable for download in a few days, I took advantage of it to make a list of my 25 oldest unread Kindle books. I downloaded all of these between 2009 and 2011. I did find one later book in the series in the midst, but it is one of those in-between short stories or novellas so I decided to leave it--especially since I doubt I'll return to the series. There's quite a mix of books in the bunch--Christmas books, classic literature, thrillers, Christian books, cookbooks, women's fiction, a book with language phrases, historical fiction, world literature, a classic mystery, and more. I thought about spinning a wheel, using WIPGO numbers, or something similar, but I decided I'll just go straight down the list. There are a couple of places where there will be 3 cookbooks in a row, but since I'll be reading other things as well, I'm not too worried about it. When I make it through this list, I can move on to the next 25! Those may include some "TextVooks" that I ordered a long time ago (or they may begin in the 3rd batch). I think I read at least one of them and didn't enjoy the author's writing, so I may be Pearl-ruling a lot when I get to those. We'll see.

>109 SilverWolf28: Thanks!

>110 thornton37814: My understanding of the Amazon decision is not that books are becoming unavailable, but that they can no longer be download onto other devices using USB, only onto Kindles using wifi.

>112 Jackie_K: - That's my understanding also after watching a few Youtube videos.

Yes, if you download your kindle books onto your laptop and then strip out the drm, this will no longer be an option. Even if you don't do this, amazon does own the ebooks and I suspect that if book banning takes root in the federal government, certain books will disappear.

I believe that you can still download onto any device that has the Kindle app available such as an iPad. I recently bought a new laptop and was annoyed to discover the Kindle app was no longer available on Windows.

>112 Jackie_K: Yes. Some people are upset about the inability to load them to other readers. They can still be read with a Kindle app on a device. I plan to continue using the app as long as I'm able.

>113 dudes22: I plan to keep using my Kindle app as long as it is allowed. I'm just trying to be prepared in case the app goes away at some point in the future.

>114 RidgewayGirl: I just downloaded them "just in case." I rarely purchase e-books at the full price. I know I can get them at a library. There are certain categories where I feel I can justify a purchase of a book--and I might purchase those at the full price. Otherwise, I tend to get things when they are on sale or free, but even then I usually check the library's holdings first.

>115 Zozette: I didn't realize the Kindle app was no longer available on Windows. I really only use it on iOS devices.

>114 RidgewayGirl: And from what I've read all of the ebook sellers (Barnes and Noble,as well as Amazon, etc.) are the same...you don't own the eBooks you buy from them either. One article I read said the seller doesn't actually own eBooks. So does that mean the publisher does? I'm rather irritated by it all.

>118 thornton37814: Same. I'll pick up an ebook on sale but I rarely buy one at full price -- usually only when I've forgotten to get a book for my book club.

>120 clue: I am also annoyed. And don't get me started on how publishers treat ebooks sold to libraries. I like the convenience, but with a physical book, I know it's mine and I can loan it out or give it away.

>119 thornton37814:

I think I was misremembering. It seems it was the Audible app not the Kindle app that was discontinued in Windows though it does seem that many people have trouble getting the Kindle app to work on Kindle 11.

>120 clue: I guess they are all licensed. I refuse to pay as much as some of these books cost to not own them.

>121 RidgewayGirl: I like physical books more and more too. For one thing, it gets me off the screen. Since I'm in my public library every Tuesday for cross stitch, I have a little more opportunity to check out books there.

>122 Zozette: It's okay. It's easy to misremember things nowadays because of the way social media can't get it right the first time. Today's the magic day on the download cutoff for Kindle.

>120 clue: I'm the same way Lori. I looked at a book I was thinking of buying for my sister for her birthday a few days ago and it's $50.00!

>123 thornton37814: The library makes it so easy! I put a hold on a book and a few hours later I can just pick it up right next to the check-out desk.

>124 clue: Glad I'm not the only one who feels that way! That's a lot of money for something one might only read once.

>125 RidgewayGirl: This morning I was trying to find a new audiobook for my morning commute. I keep a list with notes of which of my two public libraries has it. It took about 8 tries before I found one not checked out!

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/368860

>127 SilverWolf28: Thanks!

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/369071

>129 SilverWolf28: Thanks.

Oops! I've discovered one I left out. I'll put up a review for it and then try to fill in what I've read since my last book updates.

Book 8. The Final Curtain by Keigo Higashino

Date Completed: 1 February 2025

Category: M & Ms

Source: University library book

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Detective Kaga received his long-lost mother's ashes. Meanwhile in Tokyo, his cousin Matsumiya investigates a couple of deaths--one a strangulation and the other one burned in a nearby shelter. There's a hint that the two cases may be related, and Kaga is asked for his unofficial help because of his mother's connection to Sendai where the strangled woman lived. Kaga's thorough investigation yields the answer. While the story itself is good and we see how the detectives leave no stone unturned, I suspect it is missing something in the translation because it did not draw me in as some do. I have not read others in the series, but it works well as a stand alone mystery.

Book 9. A Pretty Deceit by Anna Lee Huber

Date Completed: 26 February 2025

Category: Necco Wafers

Source: Knox County digital audiobook

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Verity and Sidney visit her Aunt Ernestine who is considering selling the estate. A maid has gone missing. Valuables have gone missing as well. She also discovers many of the paintings have been replaced by forgeries. The estate is located near an airfield used during the recent war, and antiquities have been found in the region. Verity is certain that some of the paintings were sold by her late uncle to settle estate bills. Verity trusts her blind cousin Reg far more than his mother who does not treat him as an intelligent adult. When some kids happen upon a body in a shallow grave exposed by rains, it is discovered to be that of the maid. She had part of the missing items but not all. It isn't long until there is another body. Verity is certain Lord Ardmore is behind much of the mayhem, and she is certain it has to do with Roman antiquities. They spend a lot of time going to various places. Not everything is neatly wrapped up so the author has left room for parts of the story to be continued in future installments. I don't think it is quite as strong as previous installments, but it is an interesting story. I do like Verity, Sidney, and cousin Reg a great deal. I look forward to spending more time with them in future installments. I listened to the audiobook which was capably read.

Book 10. Killer in the Carriage House by Sheila Connolly

Date Completed: 4 March 2025

Category: M & Ms

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Kate Hamilton returned to Asheboro, Maryland, at her friend's request. She's here to "save the town," after the bank president embezzled town funds. Kate has come up with a plan to revive the town by returning its storefronts to the Victorian styles that are present under the present facades. She has plans for other buildings in the town as well, but not the factory on one end of the town. Her focus at the moment is to learn about Henry Barton, the man who built the broom factory that employed so many townspeople. She brings in a librarian friend from Philadelphia to help her sort through them. A historian commuting to Johns Hopkins to teach is also helping with some aspects. The murder does not happen until late in the book and is almost a footnote to the town redevelopment story. Not the strongest mystery, but the town redevelopment story and historical angle caught my attention. Still even those did not live up to their potential. I listened to the audiobook.

Book 11. The Sisters of Sea View by Julie Klassen

Date Completed: 7 March 2025

Category: Necco Wafers

Source: Morristown-Hamblen print library book

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Sarah Summers and sisters Viola, Emily, and Georgianna, along with their mother, gave up their longtime home when their father died, but he had purchased a home in a resort town in Kent with hopes of improving his wife's health. Sarah fears they may even be forced to sell this home, but she comes up with a plan to turn their home into a boardinghouse/bed and breakfast. Viola, a talented pianist, has a scar remaining from her cleft lip surgeries and is self-conscious about her appearance. In those days, it was said that if a pregnant woman looked upon such a person, her child might be born with the same thing. Since she won't help with running the house, her twin sister Emily comes up with a way she can earn some income by reading to people. Her first customer is a man next door who wishes her to read to his son, a major who suffered injuries during the war. She also reads to another woman and to a lady in the poorhouse. The guests at their home are an odd lot--a widower and his step-daughter, a man who keeps a dead parrot and talks to it, a lonely man waiting for his son, and a couple pretending more importance than they have. It's a beautiful love story--the first of a series featuring these sisters and their estranged sister Claire. I really enjoyed learning about the bathing machines. I even looked them up to find more about them because I was having difficulty picturing exactly how they worked. Some characters were based on real persons, but she notes that the actions in the book are entirely fictitious. (For example, the man who wrote the standard travel guide for that area is included because the sisters want a favorable mention to gain more customers.)

>135 thornton37814: Last year I listened to Shadows of Swanford Abbey by this author and enjoyed it. I plan to read more of her works.

>132 thornton37814: I am a fan of Higashino's methodical police procedurals. They are so different in tone from what I expect from crime novels, but similar to, say, Hideo Yokoyama's novels. This was the one most similar to an Agatha Christie mystery though.

>112 Jackie_K: I am able to load them onto my Samsung tablet using wifi.

>136 MissBrangwen: I was pleasantly surprised by this one.

>137 RidgewayGirl: He was very methodical indeed. I will probably try to read some of the earlier ones as I enjoyed the Japanese setting.

>138 Tess_W: I almost forgot the discussion about Kindle books.

Here's the Saint Patrick's Day readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/369213

>140 SilverWolf28: Thanks!

Book 12. We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida

Date Completed: 15 March 2025

Category: Kit Kat

Source: University library

Rating: 4 stars

Review:
If you have something that ails you, visit the Nakagyo Kokoro Clinic for the Soul, located at ""East of Takoyakushi Street, south of Tominokoji Street, west of Rokkaku Street, north of Fuyacho Street, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto." Your prescription will be a bit unorthodox, but you'll go home with a furry delight in a carrier that is certain to cure your ills. Cat lovers will delight in this book which contains the stories of some of the cats sent home with patients of this most unusual clinic.

>142 thornton37814: I've been wondering about this one, my library has it so I'll pick it up the next time I'm there. I choose books for my book club for August, we have two (!) choices and I've been looking for a light one as second choice. Another requirement is that it be available through the library or ILL. This ticks the boxes. I'm glad to see you liked it.

Of course, I'm a cat lover. It made me smile as I saw the therapeutic power of the cats! Of course, I already knew that since I have three!

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/369373

>145 SilverWolf28: Thanks!

>142 thornton37814: How cool is that! I agree on the therapeutic value of cats (mine is sleeping on her pillow near my feet), and to think that there is a clinic that recognizes the same warms my heart.

I was interested while catching up on your thread to read about the changes to Kindle and access to the books one has bought. I chose not to go down that road years ago, though I love to follow along with everyone's "purchased for .99 on my Kindle" as part of a review. I hope the access improves for everyone and their Kindle.

>147 threadnsong: I doubt it will. Libraries are getting the same type of thing from e-book vendors. We always knew they were licensed, but now they are changing some parts of the wording so that it makes libraries worry about the "perpetual access" clauses we used to have when we first licensed some of them.

Book 13. The Bells of Old Tokyo: Meditations on a Time and a City by Anna Sherman

Date Completed: 5 February 2025

Category: Whatchamacallit

Source: Kindle

Rating: 3 stars

Review: This odd little book consists of the author's memoirs as she searched for the bells that marked the hours for residents of Edo (now Tokyo). She describes some of what she sees on her walks around the city but mostly the encounters with people she met on her search. It's not really a travel book. It doesn't describe neighborhoods in which she walked in enough detail or broad enough strokes to consider it such. It's not history. It is too focused on the present. It's probably more of a memoir, but there is a bit more to it than that. I picked this up to read in January for a challenge focusing on lesser known award winning/longlisted books. The attraction lay in the Japanese cultural elements it promised. I finished it in early February and failed to report it then. It was an "okay" book for me, but I do see why the people judging that prize selected it for the longlist. Literary merit does not always equal enjoyment.

Book 14. The Courtship Basket by Amy Clipston

Date Completed: 20 March 2025

Category: Good & Plenty

Source: Knox County Public Library digital audiobook

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Rachael Fischer suffered a broken heart after overhearing her boyfriend and best friend discussing when he would break up with Rachael so they could be together. She had expected to marry him in the fall. With nothing else to do, she accepts her cousin's offer to be the assistant teacher at an Amish school that works with struggling students so they can receive more individualized attention. Her first day is also the first day for John Lantz whose mother died in childbirth and whose father is ill. He's being raised by an older half-brother Mike. Rachael breaks Amish teacher rules in trying to find out what is going on at home with John, but when she discovers, she is determined to do everything she can to help the young boy. She finds herself becoming attracted to Mike, but she's not sure she's ready to trust a man. Mike feels weighed down by the responsibilities of being the principal income, caring for his father, and caring for his younger brother. He doesn't really like to ask for help, but his cousins do help him. He doesn't feel he has time to date a woman. The basket was one her father made for her mother in years past with a special verse that seemed to provide the message needed. I enjoyed the book although it seemed to bog down for a short time before picking back up. Probably more of a 3.75, but I'll found it up to 4, especially since Mike and John have such a special ancestral surname!

Book 15. The Christmas Lamp by Lori Copeland

Date Completed: 21 March 2025

Category: Candy Canes

Source: Kindle

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Roni is the Nativity, Missouri, city planner. Jake has been called upon to save his grandmother's town from financial ruin. They used to get many buses in when the highway went through on the way to Branson. The new highway bypassed Nativity, and the town is suffering economically. When he starts tampering with the town's idea of how Christmas should be celebrating, he becomes unpopular. Can Jake find a way to save the town? Will he and Roni find a future together? Fans of Hallmark Christmas movies will enjoy this novella.

PS - This was Book #1 in my oldest Kindle books!

I have a few more in process so hopefully I'll finish those by the end of the month--and maybe even one or two more. I need to get back on track because I won't reach 75 if I don't pick it up!

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/369579

>153 SilverWolf28: Thanks.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/369744

>155 SilverWolf28: Thanks!

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/369905

>157 SilverWolf28: Thank you.

Here's the Easter readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/370178

Book 16. A Guide to the Birds of East Africa by Nicholas Drayson

Date Completed: 27 March 2025

Category: Whatchamacallit

Source: Knox County Public Library ebook

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Mr. Malik and Harry Kahn vie for an opportunity to go to the ball with Rose Mibikwa. The winner must count more bird species than the other during the pre-determined period. Readers learn about life and politics in Kenya along the way. While I enjoyed it, I found it easy to put down.

Book 17. Guidebook to Murder by Lynn Cahoon

Date Completed: 1 April 2025

Category: M & Ms

Series: Tourist Trap Mystery, 1

Source: Tennessee Reads digital audiobook

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Jill Gardner embarked on a new career as a bookstore proprietor in a California town. She had befriended an elderly woman called Miss Emily. Miss Emily is in a fight with the city over property neglect. Everyone assumes the woman is near broke. Miss Emily dies under suspicious circumstance. Her will leaves her estate to Jill. It turns out to be rather large. Jill learns a property developer wants the house and land. Suddenly another close friend goes missing. What is going on? Who killed Miss Emily? It's an okay mystery, but it didn't really draw me in enough to commit to prioritizing getting caught up on the series. I listened to the audiobook. Susan Boyce is a capable narrator.

Book 18. Happily Ever After by Susan May Warren

Date Completed: 3 April 2025

Category: Whatchamacallit

Source: Kindle

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Mona Reynolds has always wanted to own her own bookstore. Together with her crafty friend Liza, she is about to make that dream come true. She needs a handyman to help meet the opening goal. Joe Michaels turns up in town, needing a job. He wants to be near his special needs brother, but he's keeping that secret. He just offers his services as handyman. With no other prospects, Mona agrees to the terms and offers him a place to stay in an attached apartment. Someone, though, is out to sabotage Mona's plans. Will she be able to realize her dream before her pocketbook is drained from all the setbacks?

Note: Oldest Kindle book 10

Abandoned Book 1. Sunrise by Jacquelyn Cook

Date Abandoned: 9 April 2025

Category: Milk Duds

Source: Kindle

Rating: 1 stars

Comments: It's historical fiction, set in pre-Civil War Georgia. I should have enjoyed it. I couldn't get into it at all. Abandoned (around 46%).

Note: Oldest Kindle book 18

Book 19. Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki; illustrated by Dom Lee

Date Completed: 12 April 2025

Category: Sugar Babies

Source: Morristown-Hamblen Public Library book

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Well-illustrated book featuring a Japanese-American boy who lived in an internment camp during World War II where baseball was the highlight of their day.

Book 20. Digging for Words: José Alberto Gutiérrez and the Library He Built by Angela Burke Kunkel; illustrated by Paola Escobar

Date Completed: 12 April 2025

Category: Sugar Babies

Source: Morristown-Hamblen Public Library book

Rating: 4 stars

Review: A garbage collected named José dreams sees discarded books in the trash. He opens a library in Bogotá to serve the poor. The story also features a young boy named José who can't wait for Saturday to visit the other José's library. The notes at the end give readers (or the adults reading to children) the rest of the story. The older José now runs the foundation that supports the library rather than collecting trash. The book shows the importance of literacy.

Book 21. The Characters of Easter: The Villains, Heroes, Cowards, and Crooks Who Witnessed History's Biggest Miracle by Daniel Darling

Date Completed: 15 April 2025

Category: Dove Bar

Source: Kindle

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Intended as a Lenten devotional, each chapter examines a different person in the story of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection and tells what the reader can learn from each.

Book 22. World Kitchen: Family Recipes from Around the World by Abigail Wheatley; illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat

Date Completed: 18 April 2025

Category: Goo Goo Cluster

Source: Morristown-Hamblen Library Book

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Intended for children, this cookbook/graphic novel provides step-by-step instructions for creating dishes from all around the globe. As an adult, I found the graphic novel format a little awkward, but kids would probably enjoy it because of its uniqueness.

Book 23. A Brief History of the World in 47 Borders: Surprising Stories Behind the Lines on Our Maps by Jonn Elledge

Date Completed: 19 April 2025

Category: Oh Henry

Source: Morristown Hamblen Public Library Book

Rating: 4 stars

Review: If you enjoy geography and history, this is an interesting book. Elledge takes a look at world history through the lens of borders across the ages. He also takes a look at the history of the prime meridian upon which maps are based and upon geography's influence on the international date line. Chapters are relatively short but are packed with interesting tidbits.

Book 24. A Carrion Death by Michael Stanley

Date Completed: 19 April 2025

Category: M & Ms

Series: Assistant Superintendent David 'Kubu' Bengu, 1

Source: Tennessee Reads digital audiobook

Rating: 4 stars

Review: A human corpse in process of being devoured by hyenas is discovered by a couple of men on a scientific mission in the Botswana desert. They stay with the body overnight until detectives can arrive. Detective Bengu (whose nickname Kubu means hippopotamus, giving the readers an idea of his size) is assigned the case. His superior is also a likeable character. As Kubu investigates the identity of the man and his murder, all roads lead to the Botswana Cattle and Mining Company, perhaps the country's most important one. Power is shifting in the company to the younger generation, but there's something not quite right. Detective Kubu sticks with it when others might have given up what seemed an impossible case much earlier. I enjoyed this one for the difference in detecting style as well as the interesting setting. I listened to the rather lengthy audiobook version.

I think I'm caught up until I finish another one tonight--and perhaps another one in a few days. I need to find a new audiobook so I'll be exploring options shortly.

I spent part of late Friday night into early Saturday morning taking one of my cats to the emergency vet. I had felt a mat as I was petting him. When I grabbed the comb to work on the mat, I noticed he was bleeding. He had a couple of small abscesses. The emergency vet shaved part of his hair. (Mr B thinks she gave him a bad haircut--and frankly everyone who has seen the picture I posted thinks she shaved more than needed.) She drained the abscesses and gave him an antibiotic shot. I'll take him to his regular vet today. I won't be going back to that emergency vet--even though it is closest. They don't allow pet parents to go inside. I had to wait in my car. The vet came out to discuss treatment, but she didn't come out after treating him which did not give me a chance to ask follow-up questions. I knew UT's emergency vet services closed at 10 pm, but I have found 3 other emergency vets within an hour or so that all have much higher ratings. This emergency vet moved from Morristown to New Market during COVID when they lost their lease due to a church's expansion into the rest of the shopping center they'd purchased. It seems to be run by completely different people now, and I was not impressed. I want to know my cats are getting good care, and it isn't possible to do that when you can't be with them. I will mention this to my vet tomorrow when I go for follow-up. I'll see if she has a preference among the three I've found for "next time."

>168 thornton37814: this book about borders sounds like something both my husband and I would like. Thanks for the review!

>170 thornton37814: Fingers crossed that there will never be a next time. Hoping Mr B makes a complete and unremarkable recovery.

>170 thornton37814: So glad you took such good care of your cat! What a shock that must have all been. Emergency vets can be difficult with all the trauma a pet parent experiences, and this one seemed to compound the difficult experience. Please keep us posted on your regular vet's preferences and Mr. B's prognosis.

>173 threadnsong: I think Mr B is doing much better. I have a 10 am appointment with Dr. Ealy. The guy who answered the phone completely understood why I would want to make sure my vet thought Mr B was progressing correctly and didn't need an additional antibiotic. I'm looking forward to seeing her (although not the additional bill). Still some things are worth it.

Update on Mr. B: He saw Dr. Ealy, his usual vet, this morning. She told Mr. B she agreed with him about the bad haircut! She said he is doing fine. She picked off where it is scabbing over so she could see the wounds better. There is still a little discharge coming from one of them, but the fluid is clear and no longer considered infected. She thinks he'll heal fine. She wants to keep it open so it will heal faster. I talked with her about the other emergency vet options. She recommends the Knoxville ones over the Blountville one. She also said that even though I don't like Five Rivers that it is fine for minor things and that the vet pretty much treated it as she would have done (except that she would have given him a better haircut). She said the one in the Fort Sanders area (which is closer) would be fine to use for most things, but that if there is something like a broken bone that I should take them to the one in Farragut because it has specialists on staff. That's really good to know! The vet tech was a little surprised he wasn't given a cone to wear, but Dr. Ealy said since he doesn't seem to be picking or scratching at it that we probably don't need to make him wear one. She also isn't convinced it was a brother bite. She thinks my rosemary plant theory could be valid. It's a plant he knocked over that had a dead branch on it that could have poked him. We'll never know for sure, but it's healing fine.

>175 thornton37814:, I'm so glad he's doing better! It's nice that you have choices among emergency vets, too. We've had enough emergencies over the years that we have very definite preferences around our area!

>176 whitewavedarling: Yes. I'm glad I had a chance to discuss it with Dr. Ealy. I'll be ready for the next emergency!

Book 25. The Café with No Name by Robert Seethaler; translated by Katy Derbyshire

Date Completed: 20 April 2025

Category: Whatchamacallit

Source: Morristown-Hamblen Public Library book

Rating: 4 stars

Review: In the 1960s, Robert Simon opens a nameless café in Vienna. We encounters his customers--and Mila, whom he hires early in the café's tenure. We learn a lot about humanity through the stories. The café lasts ten years. It had become a popular spot. There's not really much plot except the stories of human life through the customers' and employees' lives. Persons who enjoy literary fiction will likely enjoy it. Persons who want more action and more connection in the plot, likely will not enjoy it as much.

Hi Lori, I'm glad to read that Mr. B. appears to be on the road to recovery.

Good to know your kitty is doing better. My kitties send love and prayers.

>179 DeltaQueen50: Thanks!

>180 LadyoftheLodge: He appreciates the prayers from your kitties.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/370384

>182 SilverWolf28: Thanks

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/370545

>184 SilverWolf28: Thanks!

Book 26. Simon's Cat vs. the World by Simon Tofield

Date Completed: 3 April 2025

Category: Kit Kat

Source: LibraryThing Early Reviewer ARC

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Fans of Simon's Cat will love this collection of single-panel comics featuring the beloved mischievous feline! The author understands cats. One fun feature of the collection is the author's guide to drawing various cat breeds at the end. I received this as part of the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program with the expectation of an honest review.

Book 27. Cooking from China's Fujian Province: One of China's Eight Great Cuisines by Jacqueline M. Newman

Date Completed: 27 April 2025

Category: Goo Goo Cluster

Source: Kindle

Rating: 2 stars

Review: I found very few recipes in this collection that appealed to me. Those more adventurous than me may find a few recipes for some exotic ingredients they may find in Asian markets or at Cincinnati area's Jungle Jim's stores. There's a reason this is one of the oldest books on my Kindle that had been unread. It will probably go back into my Kindle library and never be opened again.

Note: Oldest Kindle book 7

Book 28. Deepening Your Prayer Life: Approach God with Boldness by Charles F. Stanley

Date Completed: 28 April 2025

Category: Dove Bar

Source: Kindle

Rating: 5 stars

Review: I've read or studied several books on prayers over the years, but this book by Charles Stanley may be my favorite. Stanley provides practical insights and tips on how Christians should pray and insights from his years of approaching God's throne. He reminds Christians of the importance of communication with God and of the power of prayer when done with boldness. I highly recommend this as a devotional study. It's one I'm certain to re-read.

>186 thornton37814: I also received this book from the Early Reviewers. I rated it 5 stars, but I have been a Simon's Cat fan for years.

I should have 3 more books to post in a little bit. I want to post the May books on a new thread but I will give myself a little reading break to finish the last chapter or two in two of the books and come back after lunch to create the new thread and post those reviews.

>189 lowelibrary: I came close to giving it 4.5 stars. I didn't think was quite a 5 star read (but it was very good). I love Simon's cat too! I actually didn't realize I'd failed to review it last month. I knew I kept thinking--I've read one more--what was it. It was apparently that one!