Cecilturtle's ROOTs

Happy New Year, Everyone!

I'm thrilled to be back. I've been creating little piles in my den, getting excited over this year's reading.

In previous years, I counted as ROOTs all books that were purchased the previous year. This year, I'm counting all books that have an opportunity to settle on my shelves for good - so pretty much anything except library or borrowed books.

Happy reading in 2025

ROOTs read:



Pages read:



Total books read:

2025 Seeds

1. Educated by Tara Westover
2. Over My Dead Body par Jeffrey Archer
3. The Secret History by Donna Tartt
4. Les 13 mystères by Georges Simenon
5. Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice
6. The Pact: A Love Story by Jodi Picoult
7. La Végétarienne by Han Kang
8. Miscellanées, l'élégance de la langue française by Karine Dijoud
9. Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner
10. Palazzo by Danielle Steel
11. The Billionaire Murders by Kevin Donovan
12. Noir Montréal anthology edited by Jacques Filippi and John McFetridge
13. Le désir by Sappho
14. Et la terre se vengera un jour by JM Simmel
15. Owls of the Eastern Ice by Jonathan Slaght
16. One by One by Ruth Ware
17. The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen
18. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
19. The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny
20. Whiteout by Ken Follett
21. The Last Noel by Heather Graham
22. The Christmas Appeal by Janice Hallett

Borrowed (does not count to total)

1. Rose à l'île by Michel Rabagliati
2. Technopolitique by Asma Mhalla
3. L'histoire racontée by Anne-Marie Beaudoin-Bégin
4. Les âmes errantes by Cécile Pin
5. Michel Sarrazin by Cécile Gagnon and Emmanuelle Bergeron
6. Pyongyang by Guy Delisle
7. Mind over Menopause by Pahla Bowers
8. Un jeudi saveur chocolat by Michiko Aoyama
9. Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen
10. Baignades by Andrée Michaud
11. Des électeurs ordinaires by Félicien Faury
12. The New Menopause by Mary Claire Haver
13. Love me tender by Constance Dubré
14. Enfant de salaud by Sorj Chalandon
15. Tant mieux by Amélie Nothomb
16. A Well-Trained Wife by Tia Levings

2024 Seedlings

1. Real Americans by Rachel Khong
2. The Chef by James Patterson
3. Miss Morgan's Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles
4. Home Truths by David Lodge
5. My Name is Aram by William Saroyan
6. Victoria Line, Central Line by Maeve Binchy
7. Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
8. In True Face by Jonna Mendez
9. The Briar Club by Kate Quinn
10. Birding Without Borders by Noah Strycker
11. The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore by Evan Friss
12. If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay
13. The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand
14. 555 by Hélène Gestern
15. Murder in the White House by Margaret Truman
16. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
17. The Black Box by Michael Connelly
18. Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari
19. The Lighthouse by PD James
20. More Joy in Heaven by Morely Callaghan
21. In Praise of Idleness by Bertrand Russell
22. Mort à la Fenice by Donna Leon

2020-2023 Saplings

2023
1. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
2. La Veuve by Fiona Barton
3. Chambre 1002 by Chrystine Brouillet
4. Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King

2022
1. The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams
2. The Cat Who Robbed a Bank by Lilian Jackson Braun
3. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

2021
1. Grist for the Mill by Ram Dass

2020
1. Italian Ways by Tim Parks

2015-2019 Trees

2018
1. La Chamade by Françoise Sagan

2017
1. Neuromancer by William Gibson
2. The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules by Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg

2000-2014 Mature Trees

2012
1. Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
2. La Reine dans le palais des courants d'air by Stieg Larsson

2011
1. Solar by Ian McEwan

2010
1. Death in a White Tie by Ngaio Marsh
2. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

2009
1. Les Chiens de Riga by Henning Mankell
2. A Murder of Quality by John le Carré

2008
1. Moïra by Julien Green
2. A Very Peruvian Practice by John Lane
3. The Water-Babies by Charles Kingsley

2006
1. The Book of Love Letters by Paul and Audrey Grescoe
2. The Last Crossing by Guy Vanderhaege

Peeping in to see if your ready for visitors, Cécile. Happy New Year and a very good year for you and yours.

Love your system of designating your Root reading. Do DNFs count as "Leaves Blown Away in the Wind"?

>9 rocketjk: AH! I love that! It's very rare I have DNFs and I never count them, but I may reconsider and add your designation :D

Welcome back!
>1 Cecilturtle: I've been creating little piles in my den
I too love all the new-year organizing, and like how you're distinguishing your ROOT ages.

>11 detailmuse: thanks - I noticed I also have little piles at work - not sure how my manager feels about that, lol! On the other hand, another 3.5 years before retirement - yaaaaas!

Glad you have returned! Happy 2025 reading.

>13 cyderry: Thank you Chèli! Wouldn't miss it!

>8 connie53: Happy new year, Connie! Happy to follow your reading adventures for another year!

Happy ROOTing in 2025.

>2 Cecilturtle: When I was making my ticker I found the pyramids this year but I couldn't find the man leading the camel.

>16 Robertgreaves: Thanks, Robert.
The figure appeared when I chose the pyramids... maybe you need to select the pyramids for it to appear? Sometimes it takes a while for all the options to load...

ROOT 1 (1 for January): Real Americans by Rachel Khong

I'm in two book clubs now and this was one of the picks for January. I really wanted to like it, especially reading about the Chinese immigrant and first generation American experience. The author tried too many themes, however, this notion became embroiled with research ethics, classism and wealth disparity. As a result all themes were addressed superficially and, to my mind, unsatisfactorily. Well-written but needlessly complicated.

ROOT 2 (2 for January): The Chef by James Patterson

This was a light fun read which mixes an action-packed triller with some delicious cooking. Although it's hard to believe that Caleb can be both a cop and chef at the same time, it works for the plot and I was salivating at all the food and dishes! The book is set in New Orleans which adds some great colour to the story.

Love the tree theme!

>20 deep220: Thank-you, Jennifer :)

Hi Cécile.

Thank you for visiting my ROOT thread. Good luck with your ROOTing.

>1 Cecilturtle: Everybody has a different definition of ROOTs. I count any book purchased before this year. Good luck with your goal.

>10 Cecilturtle: I do not count a DNF as a book read, but I count the pages read in my total pages goal.

>22 karenmarie: I think I will adopt that strategy - it works with my reading style :)

>1 Cecilturtle: Happy New Year, Cécile! I'll be following you again this year.

It sounds like you landed on the same method of counting ROOTs that I decided to use this year. If it's permanently on my shelves I'm counting it, even if it was fairly recently purchased. "Anything except library or borrowed books."

>24 atozgrl: Hi Irene! Glad to see you are continuing this year.
The past two years I've been accumulating books and deliberately setting them aside to make them ROOTs for the next year - it makes no seeeennnnseee!!! I'm hoping this approach will make me more accountable (ha!)

Good to see you again! I love the tree theme too!

I love the tree theme, that is so clever! Happy ROOTing!

>25 Cecilturtle: I do that too, waiting with reading my new book until it becomes a ROOT.

>26 Jackie_K: Thank you, Jackie!

>27 MissWatson: I thought I'd change it up this year! Thank you, Birgit

>28 connie53: The games we play, Connie! Book psychology :D

I too am amused my the tree designations.

Good luck with making the book piles work! I do that too but then wonder what the piles are for unless I ignore them altogether. Happy ROOTing, Cécile!

>30 cyderry: Thank you, Chèli!
>31 Familyhistorian: fair point... I do the same, lol!

ROOT 3 (3 for January): Miss Morgan's Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles

I absolutely loved this historical fiction about the librarian who transformed French libraries during World War I. I learned a whole lot about my own country and discovered an American, Canadian and British contribution I knew nothing about. Some will say that the tone is sugary, but Skeslien Charles makes it work through Wendy's character and her fierce defense of the Cards. A wonderful read!

>33 Cecilturtle: Have you read The Paris library by the same author? My library would have a copy of it.

>34 Ameise1: I have not but I really want to now! Miss Morgan's Book Brigade actually alludes to it - Skeslien Charles deftly refers to the librarian - so this book almost comes as a sequel to the other. Are Wendy and Roberto characters in The Paris Library?

ROOT 4 (4 for January): Home Truths by David Lodge

This is a novella adapted from a play. I really enjoyed the dynamics between the characters which I could easily envision on a stage. Secrets, failures, regrets, all come to light as a critic comes to stir up dirt on two well-known authors. While this could have ended in cynicism, Lodge ends the story on an emotional note. I found myself really caring for all the characters and the various pressures that they endure.

>35 Cecilturtle: I haven't read it yet. It made me curious to see if my local library had anything by this author. Now that I know you want to read it, I'm putting it on my never-ending library wish list.

>2 Cecilturtle: thanks for the welcome on my thread. Fantastic, you're counting books and pages. Happy Rooting for 2025 😊

>37 Ameise1: Always something to tempt!

>38 AnishaInkspill: Thank you, Anisha

I like your tree theme. I think 95% of my books are huge old Southern oaks with plenty of Spanish moss! Not a seedling among them. Seedlings would be all my library books. 🤭

>40 ritacate: I love that image! How lovely it must be walking through your shelves! I've discovered some great titles in my old tomes. Have fun dusting yours off!

I love your tree-themed categories too. Like you, I’ve started the year focusing on seedlings, but I’m hoping there’ll be a decent number of mature trees along the way too, as the few I read last year were among my most rewarding reads.

>42 Rebeki: Thanks, Rebecca. Good luck to you too!

ROOT 5 (5 for January): My Name is Aram by William Saroyan

This is a lovely series of vignettes inspired from the author's boyhood. There is a nice mix of American lore and Armenian heritage which makes them interesting. The tone is very rosy but it makes for a fun young adult read.

ROOT 6 (6 for January): Les Chiens de Riga by Henning Mankell

I loved this espionage thriller! Set in Latvia, just after the fall of the USSR, this fast paced story shows the troubled transition from Communist state to democracy. It was an opportunity to learn a bit about Latvia and power plays. It is also the novel where Wallander meets Beiba, who we will find later in the series. With Cold War dynamics and high stakes, this book had me sitting at the edge of my seat!

This is a majestic old ROOT for me: on my shelves since 2009.

ROOT 7 (7 for January): Moïra by Julien Green

Another ancient ROOT, this one from 2008. Green is an interesting author: American born and bred in France, he writes in French but eventually moved back to the States to study. Extremely religious, he was a closeted gay who refused to aknowledge his sexuality. He had a thriving writing career and became the first foreigner admitted to l'Académie française.

This book has many elements of his life: Joseph, a very religious young man, arrives at the University. He ignores but is incapable of regulating his emotions and even less his desire. He is at odds with his environment, all the more so that he is beautiful young man who attracts all that cross his path. It is a tale of repression and fanaticism where religion becomes a straightjacket rather than a liberation. Needless to say it doesn't end well!

I'm torn about this book because it has some great elements, but Joseph is highly unlikable. It helped to know a little about Green himself and saw this book as a catharsis to his own emotions.

I've been reading assiduously, but not ROOTs. Thankfully, all books are back at the library and I'm snowed in for the second time this week. Plenty of time to catch up!

ROOT 8 (1 for February): Neuromancer by William Gibson
I really, really wanted to like this classic sci-fi novel. I used to love cyberpunk and raves, but I think I've grown out of it. Overall, I loved the vibe and the writing, but the characters were flat, the action confusing and the stakes - well, I never did understand what all the ado was about. I'm disappointed but glad I read it.

>46 Cecilturtle: I'm adding books to read faster than I'm reading!!! Goodreads only lists this as a Polish(?) translation and it's not currently in Libby so it may be a while before I can find it.

>48 ritacate: haha - I have that same problem!

Polish? How weird! Then again, I know Poland has a real love affair with French literature, and offers the only French-Canadian literature degree outside Quebec! As a Francophone, I find that very flattering :)

ROOT 9 (2 for February): Death in a White Tie by Ngaio Marsh

This is part of a 3 book omnibus that I bought back in 2010. I'd forgotten how delightful Marsh's writing is: witty and bright it doesn't take away from the serious topic of murder but it portrays delightfully precise scenes. There are no big surprises but rather the reader is invited to investigate alongside Alleyn and Fox which is its own entertainment. Maybe I won't wait another 15 years before reading the next one :)

ROOT 10 (3 for February): Victoria Line, Central Line by Maeve Binchy

I made one last one before the end of February! This is a series of short stories which we discover as we ride the tube, stopping at each station. Each has its own distinctive London flavour as we travel through the neighbourhoods. Not all are of even quality, but I enjoyed Binchy's story telling talent throughout.

ROOT 11 (1 for March): Educated by Tara Westover

This was a book club pick, probably one I would have eschewed. It is, however, a mesmerizing book even though I had a tough time with all the violence: physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual. Westover does a good job of bringing us into her world, although it's obvious it's a book written for catharsis rather than information. There are gaps in the narrative that make Westover's environment sometimes difficult to understand, the precise nature of her relationship with her siblings growing up, neighbours, friends. She seemed oddly isolated, but I suppose that is the nature of abuse where violence and mental illness are hidden and it is easier for others to turn away.
A difficult but rewarding read.

>52 Cecilturtle: The gap in the narrative which I would most like to have seen filled in would be more detail from her transition from uneducated/non-schooled to college and then to Cambridge Uni for her PhD. There wasn't quite enough detail for me to be able to piece together how she did it (both practically and philosophically). For all that though, you're right it's a remarkable book.

>53 Jackie_K: The issue that I questioned most was the title and the final paragraphs that tied her title to the conclusion. It seemed to me that the most prevalent concept was not getting an education- it was breaking free of all the hidden family narratives and finding those that she would come to hold. Education was more of an element that either coincided with that journey or helped to facilitate the journey. It could have gone in several directions.

Clearly she had enormous gaps in her education- but she couldn't have been starting from ground zero and passed an entrance exam into a private college. I thought that the most poignant achievement wasn't getting her Phd; rather it was awakening to the realisation that her family narratives were off-kilter. Ive known too many children with less dramatic family narratives in which the children can never recognise the lies and manipulation even when those lies are glaringly obvious. Its just too easy to fall back into old, safe patterns without thinking, logically. So much harder to claim that someone that you love- intentionally lies to you for nefarious reasons.

>54 EGBERTINA: >53 Jackie_K: yes, I agree with both your assessments. I read a little bit about Westover's family's rebuke. As the mother pointed out, 3 of her 7 children got PhDs. So while it's also true that the other 4 had barely any formal education, it's a pretty high success rate. Now, it may be that they were all naturally brilliant and gifted, and that a formal education was a type of rebellion in that family, but it seems to me that to get to that level of achievement from such a traumatized and fundamentalist family, there must have been some pretty solid external structures to help her along the way.
Personally I interpret the title less as formal education but as the overall life education that we get as we learn about the world around us.

ROOT 12 (2 for March): A Murder of Quality by John le Carré

I was hoping for an espionage novel but got a murder mystery in the posh, closed world of an upscale, British public shool. It was definitely interesting from a sociological perspective, as the school's world clashed with the regular one. An entertaining but likely unmemorable read.

>56 Cecilturtle: Yes, I was surprised by the content of that book, too. But they do say that a debut novel usually is rooted in the author’s own experience...

>57 MissWatson: I'm not a specialist of England mores, but it definitely sounded genuine to my ears!

Hi Cécile. Interesting conversation up here.

>59 connie53: Hi Connie, feel free to join in anytime!

ROOT 13 (3 for March): Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali

I really liked Hirsi Ali's honest, authentic voice. Although she denounces the treatment of women in fundamentalist Muslim countries and ways that are imported in other countries as refugees seek asylum from war-torn countries, she does not pretend to talk about any experiences other than her own, and she has plenty to draw from! For me, not only was it an interesting read from a biographical perspective, but also from a philosophical one: how much are we willing to tolerate as open society from others that are not? How do we welcome diversity while ensuring human rights? How do we respect tradition and lore while upholding fairness, equity and equality? A profound read.

>61 Cecilturtle: I have this on my TBR - I know that she is seen as quite a controversial figure, but I'm glad to see you liked this one.

>62 Jackie_K: Definitely controversial! Since the publication of the book, she's gone from atheism and embraced Christianity and now denounces the "woke" ideology. I can see where she's coming from but it's a slippery slope.

ROOT 14 (4 for March): Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

I was disappointed. This book has not aged well. There was casual racism and such a strong sense of entitlement that I couldn't get into the quirky plot. It reminded me of early Douglas Coupland but 30 years have passed and it's not fresh anymore.
I saw that Semple wrote for Arrested Development and Mad about You: the 1990s vibe is definitely there but in today's environment it just feels passé. It didn't help that the characters were all pretty much unlikable. I picked this for book club so I'm curious to see how others will react.

>61 Cecilturtle: I read this last March and yes, it brings forth a lot to ponder.

>65 ritacate: I'm glad I picked it up (finally)

>64 Cecilturtle: I remember this with more positivity than my 2.5 star-rating suggests! Looked back for my comments and I guess I liked the fun satire in the first third but then was bored.

>67 detailmuse: It definitely left me underwhelmed.

ROOT 15 (4 for March): A Very Peruvian Practice by John Lane

I've had this on my shelves since 2008. Originally I had a really tough time getting into this book, and it did some perseverance. The book is funny enough but the style pedantic and it really slowed the flow of the book. In the end, I did enjoy it with La Senora's figures of speech being the highlight of the book.

ROOT 16 (5 in March) In True Face by Jonna Mendez

I loved this book in which the author talks about her career as CIA technical operative, photographer, author and leader. It was truly inspiring.

ROOT 17 (1 in April): Over My Dead Body par Jeffrey Archer

This is an enjoyable but unmemorable thriller.

ROOT 18 (2 in April): The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams

I read this book because a colleague lent it to me, and while flipping through my library, I realised I had purchased it in 2022... so off my pile it goes :D
It was a slow start but I ended up really enjoying this feminist perspective of lexicopgraphy. It's a historical fiction which mixes the creation of the first Oxford Dictionary and the suffragette movement. In the book, fictional Esme shows how women contribute to the evolution of language. A very interesting read.

>72 Cecilturtle: I had the same feeling about this book, Cécile. Slow start but growing stronger until it became a **** star book.

>73 connie53: Very educational!

ROOT 19 (3 in April): The Secret History by Donna Tartt

I found this novel a bit wordy at the beginning (and it is), but Tartt creates such an engrossing story that I found myself dreaming about it, it was so intense! It's one of the haunting novels where characters feel real despite their eccentricities. The epilogue was probably not necessary but overall I loved the story, its developments and many quirky scenes that Tartt describes with shameless accuracy.

ROOT 20 (1 in May): Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

It took me a long time to finish this book, but I'm glad I persevered. I learned a lot about the land we walk on, and I really appreciated the author's unique perspective, with both an Indigenous and Western lens. I recommend reading this as a series of essays rather than a continuous book; it can feel lengthy otherwise; but overall I really enjoyed it.

ROOT 21 (2 in May): Les 13 mystères by Georges Simenon

I'm usually a big fan of Simenon: I really enjoy his dark and moody prose. This series of short stories, however, is not that. Based on a Holmes and Watson dynamic, the stories are often far-fetched with no character development. They are puzzles more than stories. I was disappointed.

ROOT 22 (3 in May): Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice

This was a book club read. I enjoyed it, especially for its representation of Anishinaabeg culture and language which gave the novel a unique perspective, but I didn't love it: I found the plot predictable and a bit superficial.

ROOT 23 (4 in May): La Reine dans le palais des courants d'air by Stieg Larsson

I'm glad I've finished this chonkster on my shelves since 2012! I was afraid I'd be lost after almost 15 years since reading the last Millennium, but the story is crafted well enough that I had no trouble replacing the characters. I love espionage so this was a fun and entertaining read.

ROOT 24 (1 in June): The Briar Club by Kate Quinn

I really enjoyed this historical fiction set in the McCarthy era, although there are creepy parallels to what is happening in the States right now. I found the structure particularly clever: it starts in a folksy way and finishes with a bang!

ROOT 25 (2 in June): Birding Without Borders by Noah Strycker

The Briar Club sounds good, and you brought a smile with the bird names.

>81 detailmuse: Both are solid picks, MJ. The Briar Club by Kate Quinn is a perfect summer read: a thriller with recipes!

ROOT 26 (3 for June): The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore by Evan Friss

ROOT 27 (4 for June): The Pact: A Love Story by Jodi Picoult

Disappointing.

ROOT 28 (5 for June): La Végétarienne by Han Kang

This is a dense and impactful novel about a young woman who, following a series of nightmares, refuses to eat meat. The story is told through three people who each see her through their eyes: her husband who represents normality and convention; her sister who represents family and history; her brother-in-law who represents emotion and love. This, of course, is my interpretation and as soon as I set this book down, I thought: wow, that's the kind of book I need to talk about with others to better understand it! I'm sure there are a lot more perspectives.
Certainly it's the kind of story that can disturb, baffle, engross or enchant.

>85 Cecilturtle: I read this book this year and am one of those who were not convinced by it.

>86 Ameise1: it is very dark and obscure; I was definitely more confused than convinced at first!

ROOT 29 (6 for June): La Chamade by Françoise Sagan

This short book is a perfect trajectory of passion: the initial lust, perfect happiness, followed by expectations, routine, disappointments and a trapped feeling. Sagan is precise but not cynical and despite the fact that her heroine is vapid and irresponsible, there is a tenderness that makes her likeable and charming. Sagan at her finest.

ROOT 30 (7 for June): If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay

ROOT 31 (8 for June): The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules by Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg

I got this book for my birthday in 2017 and didn't think it was very funny at the time :D

ROOT 32 (9 for June): The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand

I'm glad I'm finally catching up on my ROOTs. Also, I'll reserve my Dom Pérignon for a fine evening and pour Prosecco in my vodka, Elin.

ROOT 33 (1 for July): The Cat Who Robbed a Bank by Lilian Jackson Braun

This is the 8th, and likely the last, that I will read in the series. I had inherited the Cat Who books from my former mother-in-law. They are a nice reminder of her.

ROOT 34 (2 for July): 555 by Hélène Gestern

While restoring a music case, Grégoire finds a mysterious musical score. Could it be a long-lost Scarlatti sonata? This is a beginning of a wild pursuit, told from the perspective of 6 different characters, including a mysterious one. It's fun, fast, original and very well structured. I had a hard time putting the book down despite its almost 500 pages. The epilogue, however, was wholly unnecessary: there were enough clues that I had figured the mysterious character and their motivation - I ended up skimming this last part.
Nonetheless, a great read which is also a wonderful homage to music.

>93 Cecilturtle: Oh, this has appeared on my book-swapping site and I have been wondering. Your review encourages me to order it!

>94 MissWatson: Oh nice! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did (except for the epilogue - let me know what you think!). It's really fun to get the perspectives of the different characters.

>84 Cecilturtle:. I hate when that happens. Cécile.

I hope you are doing great and have fun with those ROOTs.

>96 connie53: Me too, Connie! Luckily I've had more hits than duds! I hope you are having a great summer.

ROOT 35 (3 for July): Murder in the White House by Margaret Truman

ROOT 36 (4 for July): Miscellanées, l'élégance de la langue française by Karine Dijoud

Dijoud is a French teacher in a tough Paris neighbourhood. To get her students interested in French, she started an Instagram account where she communicates her love of the language. It's a lovely idea and her passion comes through. The book, however, feels more like an ego project: it's full of photos of the author; there is no structured order, no index, no reference points. I was looking forward to something pleasurable and useful but was disappointed overall.

>99 Cecilturtle: That's such a shame then.

ROOT 37 (5 for July): Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner

I finished this on July 31. I'm having a hard time reading these days: the nice weather has me out looking for birds!

ROOT 38 (1 for August): Palazzo by Danielle Steel

I thought I had never read Steel before. Turns out I did: her novels are so unmemorable that I'd completely forgotten.

>102 Cecilturtle: LOL, warning taken!

ROOT 39 (2 for August): The Billionaire Murders by Kevin Donovan

I'm not a fan of true crime (this is only my second book, both for book clubs) but I liked how the author focused on the biography of Barry and Honey Sherman rather than their deaths.

ROOT 40 (3 for August): Noir Montréal anthology edited by Jacques Filippi and John McFetridge

I really loved this series as I walked down the streets of my beloved Montreal. It was a great way to discover authors, both francophone and anglophone, that I didn't know. There was only one story that I thought was awkward, but the rest was at worst entertaining and at best poignant and original. I'm definitely curious to know more about the Noir series that focuses on different cities.

ROOT 41 (4 for August): La Veuve by Fiona Barton

I really enjoyed this thriller. It's sordid to be sure, but it also explores marvellously the human psyche: the inspector's relentless need to know what happen, the journalist's hunt and manipulations to get the story she wants and the widow trapped in events beyond her control. The structure and different voices are very effective and kept me reading wondering what really happened to the very end.

ROOT 42 (1 for September): Le désir by Sappho

The Greek poetess Sappho is probably better know for her name and proclivities than for her work. Yet, this selection of poems is delightful: light, sensual and engaging, the poems drew me to ancient Greece, yet I did not feel the weight of time. Perhaps it was a trick of translation, but the poems felt decidedly modern and were a pleasure to read.

ROOT 43 (2 for September): The Book of Love Letters by Paul and Audrey Grescoe

This is an oldie for me, received in 2006.

ROOT 44 (3 for September): Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

I'm pretty fussy about my horror picks because I'm squeamish. This one hits the mark: a haunted house, suspiciously elegant characters, a spunky heroine. There are all the trademarks of a classic Gothic story with a modern twist. The fact that it is set in Mexico definitely contributes to the uniqueness of the story.

ROOT 45 (4 for September): Et la terre se vengera un jour by JM Simmel

This one was a disappointment. What was supposed to be a fun thriller turned out to be a very long treatise on the most depressing ways in which humans are destroying the environment. Simmel remembered here and there that this was supposed to be enjoyable and so injected high in colour moments with characters popping in and out: it was sometimes a bit difficult to keep track. A forceful message could have been made in much fewer ages and a more entertaining read.

>110 Cecilturtle: When I saw that name I was confused for a moment – Simmel was a bestselling author in my parents’ time, and I was wondering if he could still be writing? But no, it seems this was written 35 years ago. No wonder it feels dated.

>98 Cecilturtle: Years ago, I read Truman's Murder at the National Gallery and while I enjoyed the art crime plot, it took way too long (for my taste) for there to be an actual murder. Glad you enjoyed your foray!

>111 MissWatson: It's pretty funny because I remember having these conversations with my Dad! Actually the content was still (sadly) very much current - but it reads like a 400 page essay on pollution and renewable energies. I was able to enjoy the translation whom I realised was by my aunt's mother-in-law!

>112 Caramellunacy: it's a fun little series!

>113 Cecilturtle: Yes, sadly, the topic is still relevant, but I gatheredfrom your comment that he could have handled it better. Still, to know that the translator is someone you know adds a whole new dimension.

ROOT 46 (5 for September): The Black Box by Michael Connelly

from my 2024 collection

ROOT 47 (6 for September): Chambre 1002 par Chrystine Brouillet

I picked this up during the 2023 Francophonie week. I usually enjoy Brouillet, but this one was a disappointment: too many characters swapping recipes with little else. The police investigation is a joke, there is little suspense and the romances are so predictable, it's hardly worth the read. Brouillet writes well, but this is not her best.

ROOT 48 (1 for October): The Last Crossing by Guy Vanderhaege

I've had this ROOT so long, I can't remember when I got it, but definitely close to 20 years if not longer. A great book too and a reminder how rewarding a ROOT can be!

ROOT 49 (2 for October): Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari

Although this book was published 10 years ago, it's still relevant!

ROOT 50 (3 for October): Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

This book has been on my shelves since 2010, bought at a now defunct bookstore.

ROOT 51 (4 for October): Owls of the Eastern Ice by Jonathan Slaght

ROOT 52 (5 for October): Grist for the Mill by Ram Dass

This book was a gift when I went on a spiritual retreat in 2021.

ROOT 53 (6 for October): The Lighthouse by PD James

I found this book last year in a Little Free Library. Have you ever had a crush on a character? I think I would positively blush if I ever met Benton-Smith - lol.

ROOT 54 (7 for October): More Joy in Heaven by Morely Callaghan

I picked up this CanLit classic at my local Starbucks last year.

ROOT 55 (8 for October): In Praise of Idleness by Bertrand Russell

This is much more than just the essay. BT Grieve's introduction and post-face bring so much to the essay in terms of context, broader understanding of Russell's work and plain old fun. I recommend!

ROOT 56 (9 for October): The Water-Babies by Charles Kingsley

I had mooched this book in 2008 from Swansea in the UK. I'm glad I finally got onto it.

ROOT 57 (1 for November): One by One by Ruth Ware

If the story weren't so grim, I'd be getting my skis out again :D

ROOT 58 (2 for November): Solar by Ian McEwan

This one has been on my shelves since 2011.

ROOT 59 (3 for November): Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King

I've had this irreverent masterpiece on my shelves since 2023

ROOT 60 (4 for November): The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen

This is a recent acquisition. It didn't take long for it to fly off my shelves.

>129 Cecilturtle: I've just finished watching the Netflix adaptation. Have you seen it?

>130 Robertgreaves: Ugh - I don't have Netflix. I just watched the trailer and it looks SO good - exactly like the book and how I imagined the characters. I'll have to figure out a way to see it :D

ROOT 61 (5 for November): Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Bought earlier this year at the airport.

>132 Cecilturtle: This book is still on my TBR list. I met Bonnie Garmus in Zurich in March. She is a fascinating woman.

>133 Ameise1: that must have been really interesting!

ROOT 62 (1 for December): The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny

On to the The Black Wolf now!

ROOT 63 (2 for December): Mort à la Fenice by Donna Leon

This was a first for me in the Brunetti series. I enjoyed that Brunetti is a calm, ordinary man out to do his job. At first I found the story a bit flat, but Venice provides for a marvelous backdrop. As the story unfurled, however, I became more and more engrossed until the unexpected and terrible ending. It definitely had me sitting at the edge of my seat.

ROOT 64 (3 for December): American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

I really braced myself for this one: I really hate gore and gratuitous violence. Of course, this novel has it in spades but Bateman is such an interesting character in his vapidness and slow descent into madness that I was really quite taken by the story. It's also mildly depressing that 30 years later Donald Trump still casts his shadow of greed, consumerism, sexism and racism. My favourite parts were the descriptions of food that become more bizarre as the book evolve and are as much a sign of Bateman's slipping grip on reality as is the (imagined) violence.
I saw a new movie is coming out in 2026. I'll definitely consider watching it especially since the 2000 version has a clear feminist perspective.

ROOT 65 (4 for December): Italian Ways by Tim Parks

The holiday break is almost here and I hope to finish a couple of titles! I had ordered this book to travel during the pandemic in 2020.

ROOT 66 (5 for December): Whiteout by Ken Follett

This is an accidental re-read; I picked up a copy earlier this year and read it with no recollection of when I read it in... 2008. Ah well: my opinion hasn't changed and I was entertained all over again!

ROOT 67 (6 for December) : The Last Noel by Heather Graham

I picked this up to fit some category challenges... my time could perhaps have been better spent, lol

ROOT 68 (7 for December): The Christmas Appeal by Janice Hallett

I got this book for Christmas so I didn't even have time to plant this little seed, but I'm sure glad I didn't wait. There were some laugh-out-loud moments!

Hi Cécile. Happy Days for you and your family!

I have to read Adler Olson sometime in the next year. I think that's the kind of book for me.

>142 connie53: I've read at least a couple by him and really enjoyed them - they're moody but very interesting.
Happy and healthy 2026 to you and yours, Connie!

Thanks Cécile!