mathgirl40's 2025 reading

Happy New Year to all my LT friends! I'm back this year but I won't be doing a highly structured ambitious challenge as I've done for the past decade or so.

Last year, real-life threw a few challenges at me. Things are more stable now but still quite busy. So I'm not going to worry about categories this year. Instead, I'll track my reading here, write the occasional review, join in a CAT/KIT or two and check in on what my fellow LTers are reading.

January reading:

1. The Shining by Stephen King (Jan. 3)
2. Komarr by Lois McMaster Bujold (Jan. 4)
3. Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett (Jan. 5)
4. The Wedding People by Alison Espach (Jan. 7)
5. Prairie Edge by Conor Kerr (Jan. 9)
6. Son by Lois Lowry (Jan. 11)
7. Anarchy and Old Dogs by Colin Cotterill (Jan. 11)
8. Beautyland by Marie Helene Bertino (Jan. 14)
9. The Haunted Bridge by Carolyn Keene (Jan. 15)
10. The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury (Jan. 16)
11. Outsider in Amsterdam by Janwillem van de Wetering (Jan. 18)
12. The Gospel of the Eels by Patrik Svensson (Jan. 18)
13. The History of Sound by Ben Shattuck (Jan. 19)
14. Liars by Sarah Manguso (Jan. 22)
15. Anne's House of Dreams by L. M. Montgomery (Jan. 23)
16. Margot's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe (Jan. 25)
17. Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese (Jan. 26)
18. Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar (Jan. 31)
19. Going Postal by Terry Pratchett (Jan. 31)

February reading

1. Great Expectations by Vinson Cunningham (Feb. 2)
2. Revelation by C. J. Sansom (Feb. 3)
3. Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel (Feb. 7)
4. A Darkness Absolute by Kelley Armstrong (Feb. 9)
5. Flames by Robbie Arnott (Feb. 10)
6. The Clue of the Tapping Heels by Carolyn Keene (Feb. 11)
7. Night Shift by Stephen King (Feb. 12)
8. Landbridge by Y-Dang Troeung (Feb. 17)
9. Trees by Percival Everett (Feb. 18)
10. Colored Television by Danzy Senna (Feb. 21)
11. The Book Censor's Library by Bothayna Al-Essa (Feb. 22)
12. Making Money by Terry Pratchett (Feb. 24)
13. Livesuit by James S. A. Corey (Feb. 25)
14. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (Feb. 26)
15. Sold by Patricia McCormick (Feb. 26)

March reading

1. A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg (Mar. 5)
2. Miss Granby's Secret by Eleanor Farjon (Mar. 8)
3. Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Mar. 11)
4. Someone Like Us by Dinaw Mengestu (Mar. 12)
5. The Mystery of the Brass-Bound Trunk by Carolyn Keene (Mar. 13)
6. Interesting Facts About Space by Emily Austin (Mar. 15)
7. Wycliffe and the Scapegoat by W. J. Burley (Mar. 16)
8, The Extinction of Irena Rey by Jennifer Croft (Mar. 17)
9. Rainbow Valley by L. M. Montgomery (Mar. 19)
10. The Story of Owen by E. K. Johnston (Mar. 21)
11. The Other Valley by Scott Alexander Howard (Mar. 22)
12. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins (Mar. 23)
13. The Wind Knows My Name by Isabel Allende (Mar. 23)
14. Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O'Nan (Mar. 24)
15. Humankind: A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman (Mar. 29)

April Reading

1. Raising Steam by Terry Pratchett (Apr. 2)
2. Death at the Chateau Bremont by M. L. Longworth (Apr. 3)
3. Heartstone by C. J. Samson (April 5)
4. What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher (April 10)
5. The Mystery of the Moss-Covered Mansion by Carolyn Keene (Apr. 14)
6. The Bungalow Mystery by Annie Haynes (Apr. 17)
7. The Girls by Lori Lansens (Apr. 19)
8. Moonbound by Robin Sloan (Apr. 23)
9. A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle (Apr. 25)
10. The Book of Love by Kelly Link (Apr. 28)
11. Rilla of Ingleside by L. M. Montgomery (Apr. 29)

May reading

1. Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell (May 5)
2. Tusks of Extinction by Ray Naylor (May 7)
3. Guards, Guards by Terry Pratchett (May 12)
4. Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky (May 14)
5. 1793: The Wolf and the Watchman by Niklas Natt och Dag (May 16)
6. The Quest of the Missing Map by Carolyn Keene (May 18)
7. A Civil Campaign by Lois McMaster Bujold (May 20)
8. Joan of Arc by Kathryn Harrison (May 24)
9. The Dead Zone by Stephen King (May 26)
10. The Hunger and the Dusk, Vol. 1 by G. Willow Wilson (May 28)
11. The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett (May 27)
12. The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot (May 28)
13. The Butcher of the Forest by Prachee Mohamed (May 31)

June reading

1. Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao (June 2)
2. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (June 6)
3. A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher (June 7)
4. Blackheart Man by Nalo Hopkinson (June 8)
5. Countess by Suzan Palumbo (June 9)
6. Not at Home by Doris Langley Moore (June 10)
7. Brides of High Hill by Nghi Vo (June 11)
8. The Clue in the Jewel Box by Carolyn Keene (June 13)
9. The Dragonfly Gambit by A. D. Sui (June 14)
10. We Called Them Giants by Kieron Gillen (June 19)
11. City of Last Chances by Adrian Tchaikovsky (June 20)
12. Foundation by Isaac Asimov (June 22)
13. Still Life by Louise Penny (June 25)
14. Withered by A.G.A. Wilmot (June 28)
15. The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (June 30)

July reading

1. Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett (July 4)
2. Emily of New Moon by Lucy Maud Montgomery (July 7)
3. Lamentation by C.J. Samson (July 10)
4. The Secret in the Old Attic by Carolyn Keene (July 14)
5. Absolution by Jeff Vandermeer (July 16)
6. The Practice, the Horizon, and the Chain by Sofia Samatar (July 18)
7. Becoming a Matriarch by Helen Knotts (July 23)
8. Sally Ann by Susan Scarlett (July 28)
9. Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett (July 31)

August reading

1. Siege of Burning Grass by Premee Mohamed (Aug. 12)
2. The Tapestry of Time by Kate Heartfield (Aug. 14)
3. The Clue in the Crumbling Wall by Carolyn Keene (Aug. 15)
4. In My Own Moccasins by Helen Knotts (Aug. 17)
5. Monstress, V. 9 by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda (Aug 19)
6. Diplomatic Immunity by Lois McMaster Bujold (Aug 22)
7. Tombland by C. J. Sansom (Aug 22)
8. Potency of Ungovernable Impulses by Malka Older (Aug. 26)

September reading

1. State of Terror by Hilary Clinton and Louise Penny (Sept. 2)
2. Doctored Evidence by Donna Leon (Sept. 4)
3. Jingo by Terry Pratchett (Sept. 7)
4. Montana 1948 by Larry Watson (Sept. 9)
5. Emily Climbs by L. M. Montgomery (Sept. 12)
6. The Island by Adrian McKinty (Sept. 13)
7. The Gunslinger by Stephen King (Sept. 14)
8. Mystery of the Tolling Bell by Carolyn Keene (Sept. 15)
9. Roar by Shelley Thompson (Sept. 18)
10. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh (Sept. 24)
11. The Stand by Stephen King (Sept. 27)
12. After Silence by Jessica Gregson (Sept. 29)
13. Miss Mole by E. H. Young (Sept. 29)
14. Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan (Sept. 30)

October reading

1. Cryoburn by Lois McMaster Bujold (Oct. 6)
2. Be the Serpent by Seanan McGuire (Oct. 6)
3. Family Ties by Celia Buckmaster (Oct. 7)
4. The Fifth Elephant by Terry Pratchett (Oct. 13)
5. The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters (Oct. 14)
6. Dust by Charles Pellegrino (Oct. 15)
7. Fair Isle and Fortunes by Nancy Warren (Oct. 19)
8. Silver Wings for Vicki by Helen Wells (Oct. 19)
9. The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery (Oct. 23)
10. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (Oct. 25)
11. Quietly in Their Sleep by Donna Leon (Oct. 25)
12. The Chestnut Man by Soren Sveistrup (Oct. 28)
13. Lace and Lies by Nancy Warren (Oct. 29)
14. The Sun Over Breda by Arturo Pérez-Reverte (Oct. 31)

November reading

1. The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman (Nov 5)
2. A Colder Kind of Death by Gail Bowen (Nov. 12)
3. The Iron Hand of Mars by Lindsey Davis (Nov. 13)
4. The Ghost of Blackwood Hall by Carolyn Keene (Nov. 15)
5. The Honjin Murders by Seishi Yokomizo (Nov. 16)
6. Different Seasons by Stephen King (Nov. 17)
7. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (Nov. 18)
8. On the Curry Trail by Raghavan Iyer (Nov. 20)
9. The Black Wolf by Louise Penny (Nov. 24)
10. Susan Settles Down by Molly Clavering (Nov. 26)
11. Audition by Katie Kitamura (Nov. 28)
12. Emily's Quest by L. M. Montgomery (Nov. 29)
13. Night Watch by Terry Pratchett (Nov. 30)

December reading

1. Cat's Paws and Curses by Nancy Warren (Dec. 3)
2. Saga, Volume 12 by Brian K. Vaughan (Dec. 4)
3. Murder on the Canadian by Eric Wilson (Dec. 6)
4. A Kiss Before Dying by Ira Levin (Dec. 8)
5. Thud by Terry Pratchett (Dec. 10)
6. Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujold (Dec. 11)
7. Vicki Finds the Answer by Helen Wells (Dec. 12)
8. The Clue of the Leaning Chimney by Carolyn Keene (Dec. 15)
9. Blob: A Love Story by Maggie Su (Dec. 17)
10. The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien (Dec. 20)
11. Murder in the Cathedral by T. S. Eliot (Dec. 22)
12. The Return of Mr. Campion by Margery Allingham (Dec. 24)
13. The Crime at Black Dudley by Margery Allingham (Dec. 27)

   

1. The Shining by Stephen King (5 stars)
2. Komarr by Lois McMaster Bujold (5 stars)
3. Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett (4.5 stars)
4. The Wedding People by Alison Espach (4.5 stars)

I had a great start to my 2025 reading, with rereads of two favourites, The Shining and Komarr. I'll always have a fondness for Komarr, as it was the first Vorkosigan book I'd read. Though it's in the middle of the series, it served as a good entry point and since then, Vorkosigan has become one of my two favourite sci-fi series (the other being The Expanse by James S. A. Corey).

Monstrous Regiment is a Discworld entry featuring a group of women disguised as male soldiers -- very funny and satirical.

The Wedding People is on the 2025 Tournament of Books shortlist. The story of a woman who goes to a luxury hotel to kill herself but ends up involved in a stranger's wedding, turned out to be much more enjoyable than I'd expected.

Nice to see you here as much or as little as you want. I took a BB for The Wedding People from a friend last year which is why it sounded familiar.

ETA: Unfortunately, there's about a 4 month waiting list at the library.

>5 mathgirl40: Just popping in to say hi. I reread The Shining a couple of years ago. Absolutely still a 5-star fave of mine as well!

A belated Happy New Year and good luck with your reading.

Welcome back and all the best for the New Year!

Great to see you here!

So good to see you here! I loved The Wedding People when I read it last year.

>5 mathgirl40: I'll be following along again this year. The Wedding people is so buzzy. I have it on my maybe list if it becomes available on Libby.

>6 dudes22: >7 sturlington: >8 lowelibrary: >9 MissWatson: >10 DeltaQueen50: >11 Crazymamie: >12 beebeereads: Thanks for stopping by and for the warm greetings!

Nice to see the interest in The Wedding People. I too had seen all the hype about it, but it turned out quite different (in a good way) from what I had expected.

           

5. Prairie Edge by Conor Kerr (4 stars)
6. Son by Lois Lowry (4 stars)
7. Anarchy and Old Dogs by Colin Cotterill (4 stars)
8. Beautyland by Marie Helene Bertino (3.5 stars)
9. The Haunted Bridge by Carolyn Keene (4 stars)
10. The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury (4.5 stars)
11. Outsider in Amsterdam by Janwillem van de Wetering (3.5 stars)

These are the books I finished since my last update.

I've started reading from the Ontario Library Association's 2025 Evergreen award shortlist. Prairie Edge by Conor Kerr has an unusual plot -- two Metis cousins pull off a bison heist as an act of environmental activism.

I finished another from the Tournament of Books shortlist, Beautyland by Marie Helene Bertino. Though it has received rave reviews, I felt so-so about it. So far, James by Percival Everett, which I'd read last year, is my favourite.

>14 mathgirl40: James is definitely my favorite too, but Beautyland is my second favorite (so far). Sorry it didn’t resonate with you.

>14 mathgirl40: I've added Prairie Edge to my wishlist. I don't know how I missed it before now.

>15 Charon07: One thing I like about the Tournament of Books is that, after I see the discussion and other readers' comments, I often get a different perspective on the book and see some of the aspects I missed. So I may change my mind yet!

>16 VivienneR: I'd be interested in hearing what you think of Prairie Edge if/when you get to it. One takeaway that I got from the novel is that there really are no easy answers to many of the issues that affect Canada's Indigenous population.

>18 mathgirl40: I agree that solving the issues of the Indigenous population is difficult - and complicated. Sometimes a plan or decision sounds good only to fail the people.

>19 VivienneR: Indeed, but I guess we have to keep trying!

I've been away from this group for a while, but now it's time to catch up! These are the rest of the books I'd read way back in January.

       

12. The Gospel of the Eels by Patrik Svensson (4 stars)
13. The History of Sound by Ben Shattuck (5 stars)
14. Liars by Sarah Manguso (3.5 stars)
15. Anne's House of Dreams by L. M. Montgomery (5 stars)
16. Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe (4 stars)
17. Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese (5 stars)
18. Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar (4.5 stars)
19. Going Postal by Terry Pratchett (4 stars)

The standout book for me was The History of Sound by Ben Shattuck, which I discovered through the 2025 Tournament of Books shortlist. It got eliminated from the tournament in the early rounds, which was a shame. It's a collection of interconnected stories, spanning over several centuries in New England. It's beautifully written, showing the connections between past and present.

The other 5-star reads for me were rereads of two Canadian classics, Anne's House of Dreams by L. M. Montgomery and Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese.

Books read in the first half of February:

             

20. Great Expectations by Vinson Cunningham (3.5 stars)
21. Revelation by C. J. Sansom (5 stars)
22. Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel (4 stars)
23. A Darkness Absolute by Kelley Armstrong (4 stars)
24. Flames by Robbie Arnott (4.5 stars)
25. The Clue of the Tapping Heels by Carolyn Keene (3 stars)
26. Night Shift by Stephen King (4 stars)
27. Landbridge by Y-Dang Troeung (5 stars)

The standout books were Revelation by C. J. Sansom and Landbridge by Y-Dang Troeung. The first is from the late Sansom's Shardlake historical mystery series set during the Tudor era, and every book I've read from this series has been exceptionally good.

The second book, Landbridge, is a memoir from the late Y-Dang Troeung, who passed away from cancer shortly after she completed the book. It's subtitled "A Life in Fragments" and the book is a collection of remembrances about her life as a Cambodian refugee in Canada. It includes many photographs and also letters to her son, meant to be opened after her death. The book is both informative and very poignant.

Books read in the second half of February:

       

28. The Trees by Percival Everett (5 stars)
29. Colored Television by Danzy Senna (3.5 stars)
30. The Book Censor's Library by Bothayna Al-Essa (4 stars)
31. Making Money by Terry Pratchett (3.5 stars)
32. Livesuit by James S. A. Corey (4 stars)
33. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (5 stars)
34. Sold by Patricia McCormick (4.5 stars)

The standout book was The Trees by Percival Everett, which just won the 2025 Tournament of Books and deserves all the accolades it has received.

I also really liked The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath and wonder why it's taken me so long to get around to reading it, especially since I had a copy sitting on my shelves (that one of my daughters had left behind) for the past 10 years.

Books read in the first half of March:

       

35. A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg (4 stars)
36. Miss Granby's Secret by Eleanor Farjon (3.5 stars)
37. Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky (4 stars)
38. Someone Like Us by Dinaw Mengestu (3.5 stars)
39. The Mystery of the Brass-Bound Trunk by Carolyn Keene (3.5 stars)
40. Interesting Facts About Space by Emily Austin (3 stars)
41. Wycliffe and the Scapegoat by W. J. Burley (3.5 stars)
42, The Extinction of Irena Rey by Jennifer Croft (4 stars)

Some enjoyable books but no standouts from this batch. I did find The Extinction of Irena Rey by Jennifer Croft quite interesting. It's a very strange book, the story of a group of translators who investigate the disappearance of the author for whom they are translating. The story is narrated by one of the translators but then is translated into English by her nemesis who leaves very snarky and hilarious footnotes.

Books read in the second half of March:

      

43. Rainbow Valley by L. M. Montgomery (4 stars)
44. The Story of Owen by E. K. Johnston (4 stars)
45. The Other Valley by Scott Alexander Howard (4.5 stars)
46. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins (5 stars)
47. The Wind Knows My Name by Isabel Allende (4 stars)
48. Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O'Nan (4 stars)
49. Humankind: A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman (5 stars)

One standout book from this batch is The Woman in White. I enjoyed a reread of this suspenseful gothic novel, filled with adventure and romance, as much as I did the first time around. It motivated me to watch the 2018 TV adaptation, which didn't quite live up too the book but was still enjoyable.

The other standout book for me is Humankind, a nonfiction book by historian Rutger Bregman. The basic premise of the book is that human beings are good and kind, contrary to what previous flawed studies and the media have told us. It has a reassuring message, given the current political climate. The author warns that people should be wary of believing what they want to believe, but I'll admit that, right now, I really want to believe that people are essentially decent and kind to one other.

Books read in April:

50. Raising Steam by Terry Pratchett (4.5 stars)
51. Death at the Chateau Bremont by M. L. Longworth (3.5 stars)
52. Heartstone by C. J. Samson (5 stars)
53. What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher (4 stars)
54. The Mystery of the Moss-Covered Mansion by Carolyn Keene (3 stars)
55. The Bungalow Mystery by Annie Haynes (3.5 stars)
56. The Girls by Lori Lansens (4.5 stars)
57. Moonbound by Robin Sloan (3.5 stars)
58. A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle (4.5 stars)
59. The Book of Love by Kelly Link (4 stars)
60. Rilla of Ingleside by L. M. Montgomery (5 stars)

Books read in May

61. Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell (3.5 stars)
62. Tusks of Extinction by Ray Naylor (4 stars)
63. Guards, Guards by Terry Pratchett (4 stars)
64. Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky (4.5 stars)
65. 1793: The Wolf and the Watchman by Niklas Natt och Dag (4.5 stars)
66. The Quest of the Missing Map by Carolyn Keene (3.5 stars)
67. A Civil Campaign by Lois McMaster Bujold (5 stars)
68. Joan of Arc by Kathryn Harrison (4 stars)
69. The Dead Zone by Stephen King (4.5 stars)
70. The Hunger and the Dusk, Vol. 1 by G. Willow Wilson (4 stars)
71. The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett (5 stars)
72. The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot (3.5 stars)
73. The Butcher of the Forest by Prachee Mohamed (4 stars)

Books read in June

74. Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao (3.5 stars)
75. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (5 stars)
76. A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher (4 stars)
77. Blackheart Man by Nalo Hopkinson (4 stars)
78. Countess by Suzan Palumbo (3.5 stars)
79. Not at Home by Doris Langley Moore (3.5 stars)
80. Brides of High Hill by Nghi Vo (3.5 stars)
81. The Clue in the Jewel Box by Carolyn Keene (3.5 stars)
82. The Dragonfly Gambit by A. D. Sui (4.5 stars)
83. We Called Them Giants by Kieron Gillen (3.5 stars)
84. City of Last Chances by Adrian Tchaikovsky (4 stars)
85. Foundation by Isaac Asimov (3.5 stars)
86. Still Life by Louise Penny (4 stars)
87. Withered by A.G.A. Wilmot (3 stars)
88. The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (4.5 stars)

Books read in July:

89. Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett (4 stars)
90. Emily of New Moon by Lucy Maud Montgomery (4.5 stars)
91. Lamentation by C.J. Samson (5 stars)
92. The Secret in the Old Attic by Carolyn Keene (3.5 stars)
93. Absolution by Jeff Vandermeer (4 stars)
94. The Practice, the Horizon, and the Chain by Sofia Samatar (4 stars)
95. Becoming a Matriarch by Helen Knotts (3.5 stars)
96. Sally Ann by Susan Scarlett (4 stars)
97. Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett (4.5 stars)

Books read in August:

98. Siege of Burning Grass by Premee Mohamed (3.5 stars)
99. The Tapestry of Time by Kate Heartfield (4 stars)
100. The Clue in the Crumbling Wall by Carolyn Keene (Aug. 15)
101. In My Own Moccasins by Helen Knotts (Aug. 17)
102. Monstress, V. 9 by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda (Aug 19)
103. Diplomatic Immunity by Lois McMaster Bujold (Aug 22)
104. Tombland by C. J. Sansom (Aug 22)
105. Potency of Ungovernable Impulses by Malka Older (Aug. 26)

Books read in September:

106. State of Terror by Hilary Clinton and Louise Penny (3.5 stars)
107. Doctored Evidence by Donna Leon (3.5 stars)
108. Jingo by Terry Pratchett (4 stars)
109. Montana 1948 by Larry Watson (4.5 stars)
110. Emily Climbs by L. M. Montgomery (4.5 stars)
111. The Island by Adrian McKinty (3.5 stars)
112. The Gunslinger by Stephen King (3.5 stars)
113. Mystery of the Tolling Bell by Carolyn Keene (3.5 stars)
114. Roar by Shelley Thompson (4.5 stars)
115. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh (4 stars)
116. The Stand by Stephen King (5 stars)
117. After Silence by Jessica Gregson (4 stars)
118. Miss Mole by E. H. Young (3.5 stars)
119. Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan (4 stars)

Books read in October

120. Cryoburn by Lois McMaster Bujold (4.5 stars)
121. Be the Serpent by Seanan McGuire (4 stars)
122. Family Ties by Celia Buckmaster (3.5 stars)
123. The Fifth Elephant by Terry Pratchett (4.5 stars)
124. The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters (4 stars)
125. Dust by Charles Pellegrino (4 stars)
126. Fair Isle and Fortunes by Nancy Warren (4 stars)
127. Silver Wings for Vicki by Helen Wells (3.5 stars)
128. The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery (4.5 stars)
129. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (4 stars)
130. Quietly in Their Sleep by Donna Leon (3.5 stars)
131. The Chestnut Man by Soren Sveistrup (4.5 stars)
132. Lace and Lies by Nancy Warren (3.5 stars)
133. The Sun Over Breda by Arturo Pérez-Reverte (3.5 stars)

Books read in November

134. The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman (4 stars)
135. A Colder Kind of Death by Gail Bowen (3.5 stars)
136. The Iron Hand of Mars by Lindsey Davis (3.5 stars)
137. The Ghost of Blackwood Hall by Carolyn Keene (3.5 stars)
138. The Honjin Murders by Seishi Yokomizo (4.5 stars)
139. Different Seasons by Stephen King (5 stars)
140. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (4 stars)
141. On the Curry Trail by Raghavan Iyer (4 stars)
142. The Black Wolf by Louise Penny (3.5 stars)
143. Susan Settles Down by Molly Clavering (4 stars)
144. Audition by Katie Kitamura (3.5 stars)
145. Emily's Quest by L. M. Montgomery (4 stars)
146. Night Watch by Terry Pratchett (4.5 stars)

Books read in December:

147. Cat's Paws and Curses by Nancy Warren (4 stars)
148. Saga, Volume 12 by Brian K. Vaughan (4 stars)
149. Murder on the Canadian by Eric Wilson (3 stars)
150. A Kiss Before Dying by Ira Levin (4.5 stars)
151. Thud by Terry Pratchett (4 stars)
152. Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujold (4.5 stars)
153. Vicki Finds the Answer by Helen Wells (3 stars)
154. The Clue of the Leaning Chimney by Carolyn Keene (3.5 stars)
155. Blob: A Love Story by Maggie Su (3.5 stars)
156. The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien (5 stars)
157. Murder in the Cathedral by T. S. Eliot (3.5 stars)
158. The Return of Mr. Campion by Margery Allingham (3 stars)
159. The Crime at Black Dudley by Margery Allingham (3.5 stars)

>34 mathgirl40: Glad to see the 4.5 stars for Captain Vorpatril's Alliance -- it's my favorite of the Vorkosigan books. I love Ivan!

>35 christina_reads: Thanks for stopping by! I've been so remiss in updating my thread and catching up with the group. 2025 has been a year of ups and downs and I've not been able to keep up, but I do intend to get to the 2026 Category Challenge group at some point!

As for Captain Vorpatril's Alliance, on reread, I appreciated more the different tone of the narrative, so that the novel really felt like it was coming from Ivan's point-of-view rather than Miles's. Bujold is such a skillful writer!

>36 mathgirl40: Totally agreed about the book, and I look forward to seeing you in the 2026 group when you're ready!