Laura (lauralkeet)'s 2025 Reading Nook - Part 7

Julia’s Bridal Bouquet

Welcome to my cozy reading nook! I'm Laura, retired and living with my husband Chris in an 18th century farmhouse in northern Virginia with our two dogs, Alys and Ellie. Our two adult daughters are both married and live in Brooklyn. We spend a lot of our time gardening and working on various projects around the house. Knitting is my other hobby, which I post about here occasionally. If you’re so inclined you can see more on my thread in the Needlearts group.

2025 is my seventeenth year in the 75 Book Challenge Group! It’s been years since I achieved the 75 book “goal,” although I came really close in 2024. But my totals don’t really matter. LT is my favorite place on the internet–I love the bookish conversations, recommendations, and of course the many wonderful people I’ve met here over the years. I read mostly contemporary fiction, but also enjoy classics and narrative non-fiction.

Books Featured on This Thread
(Go here to see all books read this year)
52. The Sheltering Sky
53. Cranford
54. Howards End
55. Broken Country
56. The Sealwoman's Gift
57. Ripeness
58. Death and the Maiden
59. The Impossible Fortune

Series Progress

Active series as of October 1 (updated quarterly):


A snapshot of my active series sorted on the "progress" column.

Series completed/current in 2025:
* Jackson Brodie
* Sean Duffy
* Shetland
* Mistress of the Art of Death
* Thursday Murder Club

Series started in 2025:
* Shetland

Series abandoned in 2025:
* tbd

Currently Reading & On Deck



The Mysteries of Udolpho |The Killing Stones

Hi everyone, welcome to my new thread! Life has been rather uneventful (in a good way), which I suppose explains my general lack of posting. Julia and Noah have been on their honeymoon in Italy and we've been taking care of their dog Rizzo. I've also been busy with Guild President stuff: we had a presence at two fairs in September, plus there are always admin things to work on.

In bookish news, I'm currently reading The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles. There's a film adaptation that I saw years ago but remember very little of other than a certain atmosphere/vibe. Chris kind of foisted it on me and I'm pleased to say I'm enjoying it more than expected.

Next up are two classics: Cranford and Howard's End, unintentionally continuing the trend of reading things I've watched on screen. I thought these would be good reads for our upcoming vacation ...

... which I don't think I've mentioned yet! We'll be visiting our favorite part of France: Occitanie, formerly known as Languedoc. Friends we met while living in England have lived there for over a decade, operating a B&B situated on the Canal du Midi. It's been 3 years since our last trip. We love the area and visiting in autumn will be new for us. Anyway, we leave Monday night (Oct 6) and return Oct 14.

Over to you all ...

>4 lauralkeet: Happy new thread! Cranford will be a GREAT vacation read, it's very light and episodic.

Happy new thread, Laura!

Your upcoming vacation sounds lovely. I look forward to hearing more about it when you return :)

Any "formal" wedding photos available to share yet?

>1 lauralkeet: Nice bouquet. I like that it looks natural but yet elegant.

>4 lauralkeet: How lucky to be able to spend time there! Do you speak French?

Happy new thread

What a beautiful bouquet! I hope you have a wonderful vacation!

Safe travels, and good reading!

Happy new thread and safe travels!

>5 norabelle414: Hi Nora! It was your recent reading of Cranford that inspired me. I realized I had enjoyed other Gaskell novels and the TV dramatization and then I also saw it was a relatively short novel. Sold!

>6 katiekrug: I will definitely share more about the trip, Katie! And I'm impatiently waiting for the photos. It shouldn't be too much longer now.

>7 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita. The florist did a great job. My own bouquet and the bridesmaids bouquets were similar to Julia's and looked so pretty. Mine has been hanging up drying ever since and I hope to do something "creative" with the flowers. And to answer your question, I speak enough French to get by as a tourist. I read better than I speak, and my spoken French is best when I've had time to think about what to say (like ordering in a restaurant). I'd love to be able to "converse" but it's hard to develop that skill unless you're immersed for an extended period of time.

>8 Sakerfalcon:, >9 laytonwoman3rd:, >10 BLBera: Thanks Claire, Linda & Beth!

>4 lauralkeet: Happy new thread!!

I didn't realize you had lived in England!! I spent a year there many, many years ago and would happily move back (especially lately). Your trip to France sounds heavenly and I will be thinking of you often while you're away. Have a wonderful time!!

>11 lauralkeet: and then I also saw it was a relatively short novel. Sold!
That's what sold me on reading it as well 😂

>12 RebaRelishesReading: Yep Reba, we lived in Cambridgeshire from 2000-2004. We lived in a village and Kate and Julia went to a village primary school. It was a great experience.

>13 norabelle414: I especially like that for a vacation read.

Happy October, Laura. Happy New Thread. Glad to hear you are enjoying The Sheltering Sky. I have had that one on shelf for years. Maybe you will inspire me...

Happy new thread, Laura.

>4 lauralkeet: I love that part of the world, too. Although a tad jealous, wishing you safe travels and the certainty of a wonderful holiday.

>15 msf59: Happy October to you too, Mark. I'll keep you all posted on The Sheltering Sky.

>16 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul, and thanks for the "bon voyage".

I hope you have the best time in France, Laura. It should be beautiful this time of year!

Happy New Thread, Laura, and enjoy France!

>18 MickyFine:, >19 vancouverdeb: Thanks Micky & Deborah! I guess I'll need to start packing soon ...

Checking on your new thread! Have a wonderful trip!!

In case you're too busy over the weekend to check your thread let me wish you bon voyage now. I hope all goes smoothly and I'm sure you'll have a wonderful trip. Can't wait to hear about it when you get back.

Happy new thread! And have a great time!

Happy new thread, Laura! I hope you have a great trip!

>21 alcottacre:, >22 RebaRelishesReading:, >23 drneutron:, >24 atozgrl: Thanks Stasia, Reba, Jim & Irene!

This weekend I'm mostly doing laundry, packing, and getting the house in order because I like things to be reasonably clean and tidy when we return from a trip. I also want to finish The Sheltering Sky, which should be doable. I think I have only about 30 pages to go.

Julia and Noah made a whirlwind stopover last night. They flew back to the US, arriving around 7:15pm, reunited with Rizzo here and collapsed into bed after a long day. They hit the road pretty early this morning, eager to be back home and recharge before returning to work and normal life on Monday. They had a great honeymoon, we loved taking care of Rizzo, and it appeared he enjoyed his stay with us too.

52. The Sheltering Sky

>26 lauralkeet: This has been on my list for a long time. Thanks for the reminder. It still sounds like something I'd like to read.

>26 lauralkeet: Great comments, Laura. I read this so long ago, I have little memory of it, but your comment about it not being enjoyable resonates.

>27 japaul22: Hi Jennifer, the book worked for me because I felt immersed in the environment Port and Kit found themselves in, and rode the emotional waves in the book (serious spoiler avoidance here).

>28 BLBera: Beth, just to be clear what I was trying to say: this was not a fun, feel-good read. But it's well-written, received critical acclaim when published, and had messages that resonated with post-WW II society.

>26 lauralkeet: Didn't you ever want to just smack them up side of head?

Bon voyage, Laura! Have a great trip.

Indeed, Laura. Travel safely, comfortably and without incident -- have a wonderful time!!

>30 RebaRelishesReading: ha ha I did Reba, but there were also points where I felt sorry for them.

>31 katiekrug:, >32 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks Katie and Reba!

I'm sure I'll be on LT over the next week, but more lurking than posting. Normal service will resume Wednesday Oct 15!

Ooh la la! I hope you are having a wonderful time in France. How nice that you will be staying in your friends' B&B. Can't wait to see photos of the area...and of course those wedding pictures as well. You have a lot going on in your life now. Enjoy every minute!

>26 lauralkeet: I have had The Sheltering Sky in the BlackHole forever. I really must get my hands on a copy at some point! Thanks for the reminder, Laura.

Bon voyage!

I hope your journey was smooth and you have a great holiday Laura.

I loved both book and film of The Sheltering Sky, years since I read/ saw though.

Hi Laura my dear, Happy New Thread, dear friend.

Have a wonderful time and a safe trip, Laura!

Sweet Thursday, Laura. Good review of The Sheltering sky. Maybe I will finally get to it...2026? I remember really enjoying Howard's End. I hope you follow it up by watching the excellent film adaptation, with Anthony Hopkins.

Hello everyone, we're back!

Actually we arrived home on Tuesday afternoon but yesterday was spent adjusting to local time and taking care of household tasks like laundry and restocking the fridge and pantry.

We had a lovely time in Occitanie. Our friends Jon and Mel were wonderful hosts. It’s the off season and there were no other guests booked during the week so it was a bit of a holiday for them as well. We began each day with breakfast together, and then they would propose something to do for the day. We'd have lunch out and finish with dinner and drinks back at their B&B, LaSouqueto. This was an unexpected and very pleasant surprise. Sure, there are things we might have done on our own that didn't happen, but we relished the time spent together. This point was really driven home for me yesterday, when we heard from a friend in Pennsylvania who was recently diagnosed with cancer. We just visited in July and saw them again at Julia's wedding, and now he's facing 18 weeks of treatment. It gave me pause: you just never know what's in store so make the most of every day.

We had a chance to check out Jon & Mel's new boat, bought last year:



They have an older, smaller boat used to take guests out on the Canal du Midi. This one is larger and has more cabin space. Unfortunately it was having mechanical issues so we didn't get to go out on it. Boo hoo. On the plus side, we visited two pretty towns with lots of history and saw some new-to-us birds. I hope to share more photos from the trip but need to resolve some issues I'm having uploading images to my Gallery.

I finished Cranford during our travels. It's only 220 pages or so but took longer than expected to finish, and I'm not sure why. But anyway, it was a fun light read which is just what I wanted. I started Howard's End near the end of our trip and made a lot of progress during our return flight.

53. Cranford

>40 lauralkeet: The vacations we have had where friends/hosts spend time with us showing us what they love about their community are always the most special. And I totally agree with your sentiment that spending time with friends and family is so important - you really never know what life will bring.

Glad you had a great trip!

Welcome home, Laura! Great shot of you and Chris.

Welcome back Laura. It sounds like you had a great time.

Sounds like a delightful trip (and you're so right about the value of spending time with friends and family)! Welcome home and thanks for sharing the photo.

>42 japaul22: Hi Jennifer. I agree, the local knowledge is really special.

>43 katiekrug: Hey Katie, don't tell Chris but I'm now using a cropped version of that pic as my go-to profile pic for Google, Insta, etc. The full photo gets pride of place on LT though!

>44 BLBera: Thanks Beth, we sure did.

>45 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks Reba, it was fun to be away and it's good to be back. The dogs have been very very snuggly.

Welcome back, Laura! I'm delighted to hear it was a good trip and that you're starting to settle back into routine.

Welcome home! It sure sounds like a fun trip. And that is a great picture of the two of you. I hope you have some time to rest and settle back in before everything gets busy.

That sounds like a wonderful trip! Time spent with friends seeing new places, enjoying good food, at a gentle pace - it sounds perfect!

>47 MickyFine:, >48 atozgrl:, >49 Sakerfalcon: Helloooo Micky, Irene & Claire! Life is back to normal here, but with fond memories of the trip still percolating in the background.

Fall/autumn seems to have arrived this week. It's my favorite time of year so I have no complaints, but it's causing a shift in our gardening -- both the nature of the work and the best time of day to do it. When I woke up this morning it was only 37F. Brrr!

Oh, Laura! You've been and returned! Your trip sounds idyllic, and I'm delighted for you both! (What did I read long ago with Langue d'oc, opposed to Langue d'oile?????) October is my favorite month, and I hope you're enjoying the crisper weather that you're surely getting now while we are simply cooler.

I'm so glad you had a nice time on your trip, Laura! Your friends' B&B looks lovely.

>40 lauralkeet: That is a great picture of you, Laura, and of Chris! I am happy to hear you had such a great trip.

>51 LizzieD: Hi Peggy! I had to look up your language question, not having heard the term Langue d'oile. Here's what I learned:

Linguists divide the Romance languages of France, and especially of Medieval France, into two main geographical subgroups: the langues d'oïl to the north, and the langues d'oc in the southern half of France. Both groups are named after the word for yes in their recent ancestral languages.

Then there's Languedoc and Occitanie, which both describe a geographic region. Occitanie was created in 2016 by merging two regions in southern France: Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées. Occitanie is an "administrative region," like a province.

There you go: your French lessons du jour.

>52 norabelle414: Thanks Nora! We love the B&B and the overall area; we slip into a relaxed stupor almost immediately.

>53 vancouverdeb: Thank you Deborah! We are really bad about having photos taken of ourselves (we tend to forget about it) so I was especially pleased to have a new photo I'm happy with.

Interesting info re French language. I would love to spend more time in the south of France. Maybe someday I'll ask you for the contact info for that b&b (no time soon I'm afraid but ... maybe...some day)

>55 RebaRelishesReading: No rush Reba, I'll be here lol.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I felt really lazy since returning from vacation. I didn't have any obligations, which was really nice. But I also couldn't get motivated for any household or admin tasks. You'd think I would have sat on my butt and read for hours ... but I kept feeling restless like I should be accomplishing something.

Well, this afternoon we're going to a charity fundraiser hosted by some friends. I have a doc appointment on Monday, will be seeing a friend on Wednesday, and have a meeting Thursday. Kate's coming to visit on Thursday for the weekend. So things are picking up and for some reason when I have a busier schedule I feel more motivated to take care of the admin/household stuff.

Happy Sunday, Laura. It sounds like you had a lovely time in France. I had not heard of Languedoc or Occitanie before, but then again I don't get out much. 😎

A Possible Group Read ...

I've been messaging with fellow LTer Dan (@dchaikin) after reading his excellent review of Jane Austen's Bookshelf where he wrote,

The biggest thing for me was that this book made me want to read them. I've been afraid of 18th-century literature because I assumed it was extra-wordy and heavily didactic. But Romney makes it clear these are fun reads, witty, scary, compelling, and very readable.

I felt the same, and we thought others might also be interested in reading some of the works mentioned in the book. We're thinking of organizing some kind of group read/shared read/discussion thread about these books and authors (here's a list).

We're not sure exactly what this would look like. We could select books and a have a discussion schedule, like a book club. We could create a thread for people to share their reading, whatever and whenever they read it. Or something in between!

What do folks think?
(tagging @japaul22, @norabelle414, and @BLBera because they've "joined" the book list)

>57 msf59: Hi Mark, I almost missed your post. Occitanie is a Mediterranean province, west of Provence. I probably should have posted a map, so here it is!

>58 lauralkeet: I have read most of the books she discusses that I’m interested in reading. So I would follow along with any discussion, but I don’t have an opinion on how a group read would be set up.

>58 lauralkeet: thanks Laura! For those who don’t know me, i hang out in Club Read and have been there since 2009 !! (i’m the current admin, but only since January. That gets handed off a lot).

The phrase i used was “18th century lost mistress classics” 🙂

Austen was part of a rich literary world of many wonderful writers. Over half the novelists in 18th century England were women. Austen overshadowing them all is a hindsight rewrite. No one would have said that during or shortly after her lifetime. So I suspect Austen lovers will find many rewards in those who inspired her and others. (Austen was not part of the Romantics movement, but they were also inspired by these same women).

Anyway, I’m hoping to read some of these books. A group read would be wonderful motivation. Thanks for bringing it up!

>60 japaul22: you were, of course, responsible for getting to Jane Austen’s Bookshelf 🙂

>58 lauralkeet: I've read quite a few of the books mentioned and while I would probably pick up some of the ones I haven't, I am not sure about a group read. I don't want to say I will participate if I am not sure... I would recommend keeping it informal...Then people could participate or not, guilt free? Sorry I know this isn't very helpful.

I haven't got around to Jane Austen's Bookshelf yet, although it stares at me from a shelf right here beside my desk... I'd like to read some more 18th century work; I remember reading portions of Tom Jones aloud in college, when my husband (now) was taking a course in 18th century literature. There was some breathless laughter involved. The length of many of those books on Jane's list would make me recommend an open approach in a group read...no time constraints.

>61 dchaikin: - *waves at Dan*

Fun fact: Dan was the first LTer I ever met in person 🙂

Jane Austin as a tease. I might succumb. Judi was keen on Miss Austin, particularly Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. She reread those two again and again, and watched the various cinematic versions repeatedly. I did read those two, one time each. I might give some eyeblinks to whatever might get read.

>65 katiekrug: that was so special, Katie. Hi!

>60 japaul22:, >61 dchaikin:, >62 dchaikin:, >63 BLBera:, >64 laytonwoman3rd:, >66 weird_O:
Oh shoot, I read all the above messages as they came in but failed to acknowledge them. I'm happy to see interest in reading the authors who inspired Austen. Sounds like most folks want more flexibility than structure. Dan has solicited input over in Club Read too, so we'll figure out a way to do this in 2026.

>65 katiekrug:, >67 dchaikin: I love the Katie-Dan reunion!

54. Howards End
Fun fact: my maiden name is Schlegel.

I'm currently reading Broken Country, which I read about somewhere on LT (Beth? not sure). After that I will most likely read The Sealwoman's Gift, which I bought on Kindle after Mel recommended it to me during our vacation. But I also have a couple of library holds in progress and will read them first if they become available.

Thoroughly enjoyed catching up with your reading and travels here, Laura.

>69 lauralkeet: Fun to come across your own, somewhat unusual, name in literature isn't it? I have something of the same reaction when I meet or read about a "Reba"

>70 lauralkeet: - I have Broken Country on my library list, thanks to Vivian.

You liked Howard's End a bit more than I did. I found parts of it to be a slog...

>71 tiffin: Thanks Tui! I'm glad.

>72 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, I met another Schlegel once in a course I took for work, but other than immediate family they are few and far between. And I think you're the only Reba I've met too! I know Forster wanted the sisters to have German heritage but wonder what made him choose that surname?

>73 katiekrug: Ahhhh yes Vivian. She's a devil with the book bullets.
As for Howards End, I've seen the film (Anthony Hopkins/Emma Thompson) and TV Series (Matthew Macfadyen/Hayley Atwell) and loved them both in different ways. I thought it was high time I read the book, which added significantly to the character development but yes, Forster did drone on in certain instances when he had a point to make. I may have skimmed some of those passages ...

>74 lauralkeet: I found the Matthew Macfadyen/Hayley Atwell version annoying, because the actors are only like 7 years apart in age when the age gap is an important part of the story. Obviously they're both great actors but it took some oomph out of it.

>75 norabelle414: You have a point, Nora. I really like Matthew Macfadyen so I was very forgiving. Strangely, in my mental movie of Howards End I "see" most of the actors from the TV series, but Leonard Bast is always a very young Samuel West from the Hopkins/Thompson film.

Sweet Thursday, Laura. I have Broken Country high on the TBR. I will watch for your thoughts, which could get me to pull the trigger a bit sooner.

ETA: Happy Saturday. I started Broken Country. Enjoying it very much.

>74 lauralkeet: Good question re reason for Forster's choice.

>72 RebaRelishesReading: The same thing happens to me when I encounter an "Irene," since that's not a common name nowadays. Oddly, when I was in grad school, I went to several movies with my classmate/friend Emma, and in two of the movies, the lead female character was named Emma, and in one the lead was Irene. It was very strange.

This was a winner! Thanks to Vivian for recommending it. I requested the book from my library in May and was #126 in line. It took 5 months but the wait was totally worth it.

55. Broken Country

>80 lauralkeet: - Oooh! Oooh! Can't wait to get to this one!

>80 lauralkeet: ANOTHER BB...that sounds like my kind of escape.

Got me too!

>80 lauralkeet: Didn't get to LT today until after grandson and I made a trip to Powell's -- otherwise that would be mine already. Now it's just on the "want" list.

>81 katiekrug:, >82 laytonwoman3rd:, >83 tiffin:, >84 RebaRelishesReading: Well, I see my work is done here!

Kate came down Thursday for a weekend visit. I was glad she had to work for a bit on Friday so I could finish the book.

>80 lauralkeet: This does sound good. Onto the WL it goes.

Hi, Laura. I am not sure you saw my post up there but I am really enjoying Broken Country. Good review.

>86 BLBera: I think you'll like it, Beth.

>87 msf59: Oops, sorry Mark! I'm glad you're enjoying Broken Country.

~~~~~

This week is fairly low-key, but there's a little something on the calendar every day. Yesterday I had a haircut and I'll get a manicure this morning. Tomorrow is the monthly fiber guild membership meeting and Thursday I have a dentist appointment. Friday afternoon we're meeting another couple at a winery to hang out and catch up. Fortunately I don't have a ton of household/admin tasks to attend to.

I'm currently reading The Sealwoman's Gift, recommended by my friend Melanie while we were in France. It's historical fiction set in 17thC Iceland. It's fine, but Broken Country is a tough act to follow.

I'm thinking first The Black Wolf then Broken Country then back to Austen...

>89 RebaRelishesReading: Sounds like a plan, Reba. I'll watch your progress with interest ...

>69 lauralkeet: Well, I didn't remember that fun fact Laura. Howards End is a favourite (tone) and reread several times.

>91 Caroline_McElwee: Hi Caro. I'm not much of a re-reader but can see how Howards End would hold up and deliver new insights every time.

~~~~~~~~~

We're having a wet day so far, with about 0.8" of rain since ~9pm last night and more expected throughout the morning. And wouldn't you know, I have a dentist appointment at 9am so I can't just curl up on the sofa. Blech! While I'm out I'll take care of the grocery shopping and then it's home for the rest of the day, with just a Zoom meeting in the late afternoon. A day like this calls for comfort food so I'm going to make mac & cheese for dinner.

Still reading The Sealwoman's Gift. How is it one can zip through suspenseful novels (like Broken Country) and other novels take longer even if you're enjoying them? This baffles me.

Rainy here, too, Laura. I would also love to stay inside, curled up on the couch, but it's not in the cards :(

>93 katiekrug: Bummer, Katie. I'm back from the dentist & grocery, which was uneventful and the rain had mostly let up by the time I left the dentist. All of the dental staff were dressed for Halloween, in a whimsical-not-scary way. I'm not a big Halloween person but the creative costumes -- like a crazy cat lady and a tube of toothpaste -- made me smile.

>92 lauralkeet: - I've never understood that phenomenon either. I heard/read someone say once that sometimes it's the size of the print although you don't realize it. I know there are certain authors that I zip through their books too.

The cashiers were dressed up at the market today when I went there and I can remember helping my sister make costumes when she worked for the bank.

>94 lauralkeet: I could wish the Italian deli I go to would avoid Halloween decorations - severed limbs above the cold cuts just puts me off.

>96 quondame: ewww that would put me off too Susan.

I'm another Halloween-avoider, Laura, but my 2 year old granddaughter dressed as a large dinosaur (she roars at everyone she sees) may be changing my mind. :)

When I was working one year my staff decided they wanted to dress in a Wizard of Oz theme and said I could be Wizard so I could just dress in my usual jacket and slacks or skirt mode. I thought that was very thoughtful of them, especially since I'm not really a Halloween fan.

Although it hadn't started last time I looked out, the forecast here is for pretty heavy rains around Trick or Treat time. I'm sorry for the kiddies if that's the case and I hope I won't get left with a lot of unclaimed candy.

I was looking at The Grey Wolf today at the bookstore, but the library has it. But it was raining so hard I didn't feel like driving to library and walking it - how lazy is that ? I'll get it in a few days. As I mentioned on my thread, Muffin has a double coat and so Dave trims it as needed, and it takes a lot of brushing each day to keep the tangles away.

>98 vivians: That's really cute, Vivian, and grandkids are entirely different from other people's kids!

>99 RebaRelishesReading: How nice of your staff, Reba. I disliked all forms of "forced fun" at work. It's nice to be able to opt out. I hope you don't have too much leftover candy! We haven't had trick-or-treaters for years, but back in the day I used to bring leftovers to work. I wasn't the only one doing that but somehow the candy magically disappeared. 😀

>100 vancouverdeb: I completely understand avoiding the rain, Deborah and it's not lazy at all! Thanks for answering my question about Muffin -- I replied over on your thread.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Speaking of Halloween, ours was fairly uneventful. We had an afternoon meetup with friends at a winery. They have young kids and infrequent opportunities for adult socialization. We took advantage of preschool hours to get together, and had a nice time. The winery offered flights of red, white, or a bit of both. For a small extra fee they paired squares of chocolate with each wine. Yes please!

Chris and I then had dinner at our local pizza and wine place. It wasn't very busy, no doubt because most people were out doing Halloween things. The only downside was a group of 3 couples with their 3 kids who were running around and being a bit loud. Not the kids' fault ... anyway after dinner we came home and chilled in front of the TV as usual.

At bedtime I finished The Sealwoman's Gift -- review coming soon. Next up is Sarah Moss' Ripeness.

56. The Sealwoman's Gift

>101 lauralkeet: pairing chocolate with the wine sounds wonderful -- I may mention that to the folks at the winery tasting room we sometimes visit.

>102 lauralkeet: The Sealwoman's Gift sounds great, Laura. I will look for it.

I have friends who LOVE Halloween. I enjoy seeing the kids have fun, but I don't decorate. This year, I went to my parents' house and handed out candy. It's too hard for them to get up and down, and they generally have a lot of kids.

>103 RebaRelishesReading: It was a nice nibble to have with the wine, and I do have a weakness for chocolate.

>104 BLBera: Hi Beth! I wouldn't mind helping with someone else's Halloween, I just don't have a lot of energy to do anything myself ha ha. Although if I had kiddos in my life I would feel differently.

>105 lauralkeet: It is the perfect way to celebrate, Laura.

I have a weakness for chocolate, Laura. I need some chocolate every day or I fear I will get the shakes.

>106 BLBera: I'm looking forward to the day I'll be able to do that, Beth.

>107 vancouverdeb: The struggle is real Deborah! We keep a stash of fun-sized chocolate bars tucked away, and have one or two every evening as our "dessert." I would experience serious withdrawal symptoms without it ha ha.

I finished reading Ripeness yesterday -- loved it. Sarah Moss is a favorite author and has earned a place on my "I'll buy anything they write" list. I haven't felt like writing a review today, so hope to get to that tomorrow.

I'm now reading Death and the Maiden, the final installment in the Mistress of the Art of Death series. I decided I wanted the satisfaction of completing a series while I'm waiting for a couple of library holds to come in.

Anyone want to see a couple more wedding photos? We received the complete batch last weekend. It was great fun scrolling through them all, and really tough to choose favorites. But here are two:

Lovely shots! Julia and Noah look so happy :)

And I love Chris' vest and your dress. Perfection.

Beautiful! The weather!! Those flowers!! And of course the very happy couple (not to mention the elegant parents). Thanks for sharing!

So lovely! Thanks for sharing!

So lovely! And those flowers!!

>110 lauralkeet: Beautiful, happy, loving photos AND Mom of the Bride looks very, very elegant!! Thanks so much for sharing them.

>110 lauralkeet: Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Laura.

Great pictures of Julia and Noah, and you and Chris. You all look so happy and wonderful .

Gorgeous photos! You all look lovely!

>111 katiekrug:, >112 vivians:, >113 japaul22:, >114 dudes22:, >115 RebaRelishesReading:, >116 BLBera:, >117 vancouverdeb:, >118 Sakerfalcon: Thank you all, so much! It was such a memorable day and every time I scroll through the photos it takes me right back.

>111 katiekrug: Fun fact Katie: Chris' socks were the same color as the tie. So dapper!

57. Ripeness

>120 lauralkeet: I wonder why I've never read any of Sarah Moss's work? Note to self: Fix that.

Ripeness sounds very good. I've enjoyed the other novels by Moss that I've read.

Love that Chris' socks matched his tie. Dapper indeed!

The wedding photos are lovely, Laura!

Oh gosh, those wedding photos are beautiful!!

>120 lauralkeet: Laura if you keep tempting me with great books I will NEVER catch up with my TBR stacks :).

I think our reading taste must be similar because you sure hit me with a lot of bb's.

Love the socks and tie matching.

>120 lauralkeet: I also loved Ripeness, Laura. I am lucky to have a couple of Moss books that I haven't read yet.

>121 laytonwoman3rd: Linda, how did that happen?! Just kidding. Moss' books are fairly diverse, it's hard for me to describe or classify her writing. Summerwater was a good suspense novel. Bodies of Light and Signs for Lost Children are historical fiction and are best read in that order. The Fell is a pandemic-era novel with palpable feelings of isolation. I rated all of these 4 stars. I gave Night Waking, which is about motherhood, 4.5 stars but for some reason didn't review it so I'm not sure what made me give it that extra half star.

>122 katiekrug: I hope you enjoy it, Katie.

>123 MickyFine:, >124 scaifea: Thank you Micky and Amber!

>125 RebaRelishesReading: Ha ha Reba, I aim to please. We do seem to have very similar tastes, and I enjoy trading recommendations with you.

>126 BLBera: Lucky you, Beth. I probably haven't read all of her fiction, but at the moment I'm most interested in her recent memoir, My Good Bright Wolf.

Oh, Laura. I'm so far behind that all I can do is scroll through and maybe recognize a title or two when Amazon makes them cheap! I've started *H's End* but haven't gotten very far. I'm trying hard to finish The Remembered Soldier, which is hard reading because I'm so emotional about it. It is already a 5-star novel, but I'd boost it if I could. I hope I won't feel compelled to invest in a DVD of *H's End*, to get back to that one, but I may because I adore Ivory and Merchant. I'm still dithering over the $40+ for a used disc of In This House of Brede. Ridiculous! But I WANT IT!!!!! I'll tell you: greed is folly.

Lovely, lovely wedding pictures! Thank you for letting us see them.

I thought My Good Bright Wolf was really good, Laura.

>127 lauralkeet: Thanks for that summary, Laura. I think she may have first crossed my radar with The Fell, which I had zero interest in reading. That probably explains why I haven't explored her work. I was not, and am not keen to read about how the pandemic affected people. I was there, and don't want to go back. But the others sound promising.

>128 LizzieD: Hi Peggy, I haven't read The Remembered Soldier but it sounds like a good one. And you're welcome re the photos. I love them, too (obviously!)

>129 BLBera: I seem to remember you reading and liking it, Beth. I'll probably get to it early next year. It doesn't sound like good holiday reading lol.

>130 laytonwoman3rd: Linda, based on your comments I would also avoid one of Moss' earlier novels, Cold Earth. It was published in 2009 and concerns a group of people who are forced into isolation because of a virus. I really liked it at the time, but then we hadn't yet experienced anything like it in our lifetimes.

~~~~~

So, happy Friday y'all! We've had some beautiful autumn weather lately. It turned much colder overnight but it's still sunny. Rumor has it I will be recruited to stack firewood this afternoon so I hope it warms up.

It's been a good week here in Virginia, thanks to the elections. I'm also happy about Zohran Mamdani winning the NYC Mayoral race. We watched his victory speech the other night and it's so full of hope and promise, reminiscent of the first time I heard Obama speak (at the 2004 Democratic Convention, well before he ran for President). There's still a lot of s**t emanating from Washington but it's nice to have something to be happy about for once.

Moving on. We don't have any weekend plans to speak of. We'll have takeout of some sort for dinner tonight and we'll be watching the Brazilian Grand Prix Saturday & Sunday. I'm close to finishing a sweater I'm making for Chris, and I recently started a weaving project so I'm hoping to make progress on both. And of course there are books! I'm enjoying Death and the Maiden.

Indeed, yesterday was an unusually happy day for me (given recent events). Congratulations to Virginia!!

Our autumn seems to be hurrying to a close. The leaves are gorgeous but it's been raining every other day or so and now they're falling into soggy masses on the ground. Still...I do love fall...even its later, wetter parts :)

I skipped a lot to give myself any chance at all of catching up :) Some great reads in there and I am adding multiple books to the BlackHole. Love seeing all the photos!

Have a fantastic Friday and a wonderful weekend, Laura!

>120 lauralkeet: - I read The Fell a couple of years ago and also rated it 4 stars,but haven't managed to read any of her others since. I'll have to put this on the list for the next one. Sounds like something I'd like.

>132 RebaRelishesReading: We haven't had much rain recently Reba, so our leaves our still dry and crispy. But that may be about to change.

>133 alcottacre: Hi Stasia! Hope your weekend is great too

>134 dudes22: Hiya Betty. I'm pretty confident you'd enjoy Ripeness.

Today's firewood stacking plan was postponed in favor of putting down a liner in a (new) small pond at the far end of our garden. We're supposed to get rain overnight and wanted to get the liner in. We've learned from experience that it takes forever for rainwater to evaporate from the wannabe-pond, so if we didn't get it in today who knows when we'd be able to do it.

We decided on pizza for dinner and will follow that with comfort TV and dog snuggles.

Hope your pond liner installation goes well. A pond sounds like a good drainage solution and will also make a nice feature for wildlife I'm sure.

Before moving here I had always heard how rainy the NW was so I was surprised to find that it's VERY dry in summer. Summer is definitely over now, though, and our leaves are really beautiful while on the trees but pretty soggy on the ground. (We have sprinklers and need them in summer -- they're now drained and turned off for the winter though)

Hi Laura. I'm starting Ripeness later today. Thank you for that lovely review.

Congrats Julia and Noah! Love the photos. They look happy and so do the both of you.

For some reason, I did not review Broken Country, although I liked it. Maybe a smidge less than you. For me Beth was a frustrating character and Frank was a saint. Am I just being a guy? LOL.

I also enjoyed Ripeness very much. Good review.

I'm really enjoying Broken Country, Laura. Thanks for your review. I had looked at the book so often, but never took it out from the library or purchased it , until I finally decided to get it from the library. I might finish it later these evening

>136 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba, the pond liner is in! It wasn't difficult, just unwieldy. Its main purpose is to to attract wildlife. I'm optimistic, having seen lots of frogs jumping about after a rainfall.

>137 Donna828: Thank you, Donna. I hope you enjoy it.

>138 msf59: Mark, your post made me chuckle. I actually agree that Beth was frustrating; many times I wanted to knock some sense into her. Frank was indeed a saint but perhaps an unrealistic one? You know better than me, being a guy and all. LOL back at ya.

>139 vancouverdeb: I'm glad to hear that, Deborah.

We had very little rain Friday night and Saturday was another good day to get some outdoor work done. While Chris took care of some things that didn't need my help, I did a bit of household admin and the prep for a small weaving project. Later in the afternoon we worked together on stacking the firewood or, more accurately, moving it all to a new spot. There are some junk trees at the back of our kitchen garden that need to be taken out, so wee need to clear the area. Plus, once the trees are gone, we will organize the space differently. So we're one step closer to calling the tree guys and the firewood is in a good spot for the foreseeable future.

Yesterday we also watched Formula 1 (Brazilian Grand Prix). There are only a few races left in the season and the driver's championship competition is closer and more exciting than it's been in a long time. The main race is today so of course we'll watch that too, but we may also plant some bulbs. I'm mostly an assistant at this point in the gardening season and Chris has a whole list of "heavier" jobs to work on, so I usually read, craft, or do other tasks until he needs my help.

I might start my weaving project today, time permitting. I'm making what I hope will be a plaid square (I'm fairly new to this so I'm not sure whether it will be the size I want). If the weaving goes well, I will find some coordinating fabric to make a case for a throw pillow.

Brrrr! It's cold and windy this morning, a real contrast to yesterday. I'm glad I did a couple of garden jobs yesterday so I can rationalize doing less today. Actually, I really need to do some house cleaning so I guess I'll end up doing that instead of putting it off.

Yesterday after doing some outdoor work we watched the Brazilian Grand Prix which was super exciting and the results were what I was hoping for so yay! I didn't do much reading though, so I'm hoping to remedy that today also.

I guess I'd better get a move on. Happy Monday everyone.

>142 lauralkeet: - We also watched the Brazilian GP and while I was glad Lando won, I was very mad that Max managed to make the podium :)

>142 lauralkeet: It is chilly here this morning too. Red Lentil Chili is on the agenda for lunch!

Have a marvelous Monday, Laura!

>143 katiekrug: Hi Katie, oh yeah, that. If he had overtaken Lando to win I would have been really mad, but since that didn't happen I allowed myself to be impressed with his performance considering where he started the race. I was also glad to see Oscar's 10-second penalty because he's smug, arrogant, and not much of a team player (although that team is unusually competitive this year). The rest of the season should be very interesting.

>144 alcottacre: that sounds like the perfect lunch for a cold day, Stasia. We settled for tuna sandwiches but soup would have been great, why didn't I think of that?

We've been talking about doing some deeper cleaning than usual, working through each room over time. This felt like a good day to get started, so I'm doing the kitchen and Chris is doing an adjacent room that's a bit of a breakfast nook and sitting area.

Brrr! It's really cold this morning (26F at 6am, expected high of about 45F), and still kind of windy. It's a perfect day to stand back and admire the clean kitchen and breakfast nook. Should I do more cleaning today? Hmmm ...

I finished reading Death and the Maiden which was a fitting conclusion to the series but lacked the historical depth and dramatic pacing of the earlier books. Review forthwith.

Today I'm planning to start The Mysteries of Udolpho. I'd already decided to read this alongside other books and even though the new Thursday Murder Club is waiting for me at the library, I don't have to leave the house for anything today (or for that matter, tomorrow) so I should be able to make a decent start. First I'll refresh my memory on the Udolpho section of Jane Austen's Bookshelf, and then I'll read the introduction.

Good luck with Mysteries of Udolpho! I'm very curious to see what you think of it.

Yes, good luck with The Mysteries of Udolpho.

I agree about Death and the Maiden. I am so sorry that there will be no more, but maybe it would have been better to leave this one unfinished?

>146 lauralkeet: Sounds like an excellent plan re Udolpho. I have a pretty quiet day today -- mind if I follow your lead?

>147 japaul22: me too, Jennifer LOL.

>148 BLBera: I think that's a great point, Beth. I was going to look into this a bit but maybe you know: was this a partial work that Samantha Norman finished? Was her mother still alive when she wrote this and/or when it was published?

>149 RebaRelishesReading: Of course Reba! Since I haven't even picked it up yet today you'll probably be miles ahead of me by tomorrow. You do you lady!

>150 lauralkeet: I'm not sure, Laura. I seem to remember that Samantha finished it, but it's been a while.

>146 lauralkeet: - I just picked up my copy of the new Thursday Murder Club book yesterday from the library. I'm trying to pace myself but want to just sit and read and let other things go. It was @26F here today too. And it's quite windy.

>151 BLBera: I think you're right about that, Beth. I've Googled it a bit more and Ariana Franklin/Diana Norman's Wikipedia entry says, "The unfinished manuscript was completed by Samantha Norman."

>152 dudes22: Betty, I know once I start reading the new TMC it will be hard to put down and you've reinforced that. The good news is I started *Udolpho* today after a quick read of Rebecca Romney's comments about it. I decided not to read the introduction in my Penguin Classics edition. It's quite long and covers a lot of history and context, but a tiny spoiler came up early on, mention of someone the main character doesn't marry, and I decided I didn't want to risk any more of that.

>153 lauralkeet: - That happened to me recently. Unfortunately, I did read the introduction to Frost in May which basically gave everything away.

>154 dudes22: ugh! That's so annoying. Was it a Virago edition? That seems to be a general trend with Viragos and is probably what "trained" me to read the intros after the book (although I don't always do that).

This also seems to be a problem with classics in general, as if we all know the plots already. I borrowed a Willa Cather novel from the library once and the dust jacket copy revealed a huge plot point that occurred well into the novel. Knowing what was going to happen didn't quite ruin it for me, but it came close.

>155 lauralkeet: - Yes, I believe it was a Virago. I'll have to keep that in mind next time I read one.

>155 lauralkeet: The same thing happened to me when I picked up a copy of A Farewell to Arms. What are they thinking, giving away plot points in the introduction? Put it in the afterword. I learned my lesson after that one. And I don't think it was a Virago.

>156 dudes22:, >157 atozgrl: Yeah, it sure is frustrating. I agree with you Irene, about making it an afterword instead.

58. Death and the Maiden

Great comments, Laura.

Thanks Beth!

> I agree, Laura, the third book was the weakest. I loved the first two (I think they were Beth's recommendation) so I didn't mind finishing the series.

>162 vivians: Hi Vivian, I'm one of the "completists" I mentioned in my review so since I enjoyed all the others I had a silly compulsion to read the last book. Oh well!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



I've been making good progress in The Mysteries of Udolpho. For anyone following along (Reba?) I'm currently in the middle of Vol I, Ch VI (page 64 in my edition and btw the typeface is microscopic). I'm glad Rebecca Romney mentioned the "picturesque journey through the south of France" that Emily takes with her father, which was "far too long for my taste," and the novel's slow pace ("To a modern reader, the pace is nearly too slow -- nearly"). I felt prepared and it's kept me from being annoyed by this first section and wanting them to hurry up already. That said, I'm wondering how long the journey lasts and by that I mean, which volume/chapter marks the end of it? I'll find out soon enough but if anyone knows ... do tell.

Now I also have two library books in my hot little hands. The new Thursday Murder Club, The Impossible Fortune, was waiting for me at the library today when I was there for a Fiber Guild Board meeting. And then in the middle of the meeting I received an email saying Ann Cleeves' new Jimmy Perez novel The Killing Stones was also on the hold shelf. So I came away with two books today. Wheeee! I'm going to start with TMC while also trying to make progress with Udolpho.

Hi Laura, how's things? I loved the wedding pictures. Wonderful!
I also have The Impossible Fortune out right now, and I do plan to watch the movie, even though I haven't seen great reviews. I've started the Jimmy Perez series, but my libraries don't have vol 2 or 3, so I will have to buy the ebooks. Why do libraries do that - have the first copy, and then the most recent, but don't have early book? Ridiculous.
I am settling into retired life and have stopped feeling like I need to get a lot accomplished each day. I had crazy decluttering/organizing plans and then when I didn't get much done, was annoyed at myself. Then I realized I have lots of time, and really no hurry to get all this done. Smaller tasks, or maybe just watch streaming shows all day. Depends on the day, lol. My husband did suppers for many years, so that is my one big task of the day, making supper. (just Monday- Thursday though)

>164 lauralkeet: I read Udolpho in 2010, so I don't remember a lot of details. I was a much different reader then, but I gave up at 50% on my kindle and remember that I just couldn't take any more fainting, crying, lute playing, or bad poems. I was baffled by Romney's love of this book! And Jane Austen's, for that matter!

There's a great thread from a group read of Mysteries of Udolpho in the 1001 books to read before you die group back in 2012 if you want to read a little commiseration.
https://www.librarything.com/topic/136464

My memory of Udolpho is that I often woke up with the open book on my chest. I had to stop reading it while in a prone position.

>164 lauralkeet:. I'm trying!! I've had a couple of very busy days so I'm not keeping up (I'm on page 18 of Vol I, Ch 1 :(. Tomorrow is fairly quiet (a lunch date with a friend but that's all) so I hope to make some serious progress.

>165 raidergirl3: Hi Elizabeth! It's so nice to "see" you. It sounds like your retirement is off to a great start. I've been doing more of the cooking since I retired too, and I've actually come to enjoy it. Go figure.

>166 japaul22: Thanks for linking to that thread, Jennifer. I'll check it out! I admit to skipping past all of the poetry. I made an initial effort and then decided the poems weren't adding essential information to the story, and they really are awful.

>167 BLBera: That's hilarious, Beth. I can see how it would be soothing lol.

>168 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba! Don't worry, just take things at your own pace. Now that I have another book on the go you'll probably leave me in the dust.

Hah! about Udolpho. It's one of those undergrad thorns-in-the-side books never to be revisited, thank goodness. And you're right, Laura: the poems are truly awful.

Hi Laura! Just catching up. Gorgeous wedding photos - Chris' vest is to die for!

>170 tiffin: Oof Tui, that's a helluva reading assignment even for someone studying literature.

>171 norabelle414: Hi Nora! Thank you!

To my surprise, I'm getting on okay with Udolpho so far. I'm "only" about 100 pages in but I'm strangely invested in the story. I didn't realize it at first, but confirmed by peeking at the introduction, that Radcliffe set the book in the 16th century, and specifically in Catholic France, because the "Gothic" aspects would ring true. I'm doing a poor job of articulating that, but it explained a few things for me. The presence of lutes, for example LOL. And yet Radcliffe gave her main character an English name (Emily) and the writing style feels like the 18th century (when it was written). That's your Udolpho nugget for today!

The Impossible Fortune is quite amusing as expected, and it's nice to be able to switch from one book to the other.

>172 lauralkeet: interesting insights, Laura. Thank you

I have another busy day today so don't think I'll be moving that bookmark (not very far anyway). That's OK though because then I will have your helpful insights to guide me as I go.

>173 RebaRelishesReading: I've made some progress today, Reba. Read on.

Today was a rare lazy stay-in-sweats-all-day kind of day. We had a leisurely breakfast and never really picked up the tempo, going outside only to walk the dogs. It was lovely. I spent a bit of time weaving and a lot of time reading.

The Impossible Fortune continues to be lighthearted fun. I love Joyce.

As for The Mysteries of Udolpho, well well well! I find myself having finished Volume I (13 chapters, 153 pages). The endless traipsing about the countryside ended several chapters ago, and Emily returned to her family home only to be set upon by her aunt, now her guardian, Mme Cheron. Horrible woman. In Chapter XII, Radcliffe satirized the heck out of her which was most amusing, but she remained cruel and horrible. In Volume II, Emily will travel with her aunt to Venice, the poor dear.

I left home this morning at 8:45 and just got home about 15 minutes ago...it's now 3:55 p.m. I hear Himself getting up from his nap so I don't think there will be any reading in my near future.

Hoo boy, I read Udolpho ages and ages ago. I don't remember many details, but I do remember enjoying it at the time.

A new day has dawned and I spent most of the morning reading Udolpho -- I have now finished Volume 1!! :). After made some lunch and I ran errands but it's now 3:45 and all is quiet and well so I'm about to start Volume II. :)

>176 scaifea: I'm glad to hear that, Amber. I continue to be surprised by how much I'm enjoying it.

>175 RebaRelishesReading:, >177 RebaRelishesReading: Looks like you made up for lost time, Reba. I'm trying to read some from each book every day. So far today I've read The Impossible Fortune which is sucking me in, but I am committed to reading *Udolpho* as well, this evening if we end up watching something boring, and definitely at bedtime.

I think I must have a rather one-track mind because I really have a hard time reading more than one book at a time. If they're VERY different (a non-fiction and a novel) I can manage but our travelers in Udolpho might end up in Alaska if I was trying to read something else at the same time.

I have the same problem, Laura. I can read a fiction and nonfiction, but I get confused if I have more than one fiction book going.

>179 RebaRelishesReading:, >180 BLBera: Reading concurrently is unusual for me too and like Beth it's usually fiction and nonfiction. I was eager to start Udolpho when two library holds came in, both mysteries. I thought that might work and/or I might want to take a break from Udolpho. So far a 16thC woman mistreated by her family and pining for the love of her life is sufficiently different from four 80-somethings trying to solve a drug-related crime, that I'm not having any trouble. And strangely, whenever I'm reading one of the two books I can't wait to get back to the other!

I am on the Radcliffe chapter in Jane Austen's Bookshelf, Laura, and I still don't want to reread Udolpho. I am more drawn to Fanny Burney's books. I think I read Evelina, but it was pre-LT, and I have little memory of it, so I might pick up that one.

But I am glad you are enjoying it. I don't want to yuk your yum, as Scout would say.

>181 lauralkeet: You have a very good point there Laura.

Hi Laura! I’m so behind on your thread, but your trip to France sounds wonderful and those as lovely photos of the wedding!

I look forward to seeing what happens with a possible group read/group something for the Jane Austen’s bookshelf books. I had several of the books penned in for possible reads in 2026 so might join in if it works out.

>182 BLBera: Hi Beth, don't worry you are neither yucking my yum nor harshing my mellow lol. For what it's worth, I enjoyed Evelina and it has the added benefit of being shorter than Udolpho.

>183 RebaRelishesReading: 😀
All kidding aside, I wouldn't want to read, say, Evelina, or even an Austen novel,, at the same time as Udolpho.

>184 PawsforThought: Hi Paws! Nice to see you. Dan (@dchaikin) and I messaged about a group thing a little while back, but it was too soon to get organized. I remember Dan had some takers in Club Read. So I'm not sure what this will look like but we'll figure it out.

~~~~~
By the way, in today's reading Emily arrived at the castle (aka Udolpho). It's gloomy, and that's about as far as I got. I guess things are going to get scary now?

>185 lauralkeet: How about the other Burney's (Cecilia and Camilla)-- they're both a lot thicker than Udolpho 😲

Sounds like we're at about the same place:Volume II starting Chapter IV -- and now I'm going to log off and start reading.

>186 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba! I read Cecelia as part of an LT group read, several years ago I have it on my shelves and Kindle so a re-read could be possible, although I'll prioritize other Romney-inspired books. I haven't tackled Camilla yet. Have you read either of them?

I finished The Impossible Fortune yesterday -- so much fun -- and ended the day with a bit more Udolpho. For Reba's benefit: I turned the lights out in Vol II Ch V. I wanted to finish the chapter but I was too sleepy.

I love this passage from The Mysteries of Udolpho. In the opening of Vol II Ch IV, Emilyl has approached her uncle to discuss a matter of importance to her:

His answers to her enquiries were concise, and delivered with the air of a man, who is conscious of possessing absolute power, and impatient of hearing it questioned.

The more things change, the more they stay the same, amirite?

>188 lauralkeet: *snerk*

You is right.

>187 lauralkeet: Good morning Laura :)

No, I've read very little "classic" literature (which I somewhat regret and hope to make up for a bit "someday") including not Cecelia nor Camilla.

Thank you for the update on Udolpho. Yesterday sort of took on a life of its own and I didn't get much reading done. Before Hubby got up I did read a little and am ready to start Vol II Ch IV today (I hope). Cecilia is the thickest book in my stack (and Camilla is a close second) so, after Udolpho, I think I'll try some of the shorter ones before going there.

>189 katiekrug: 😀

>190 RebaRelishesReading: I'm somewhere in the middle of Vol II Ch VI now, Reba. I saw over on your thread that you made a lot of progress yesterday. Go you!

Meanwhile ...

59. The Impossible Fortune

>192 lauralkeet: I'm glad to hear this installment is a good one, Laura. I'm looking forward to reading about the gang again.

>192 lauralkeet: haha, ‘my son-in-law’, cracked me up each time. Are you the same with all your sons-in-law, lol?

Have you and Chris watched Taskmaster? I watch on YouTube, so funny. I mention because Osman was on one series.

>192 lauralkeet: I listened to that one recently and gave it ***. Not sure why I keep getting hooked into those.

>194 raidergirl3: ?My son-in-law" was pretty funny wasn't it? I didn't see myself in Joyce but it's felt both weird and good to use that term.

>195 RebaRelishesReading: I'm definitely hooked, Reba.

>196 lauralkeet: It's 3:37 and I've been reading Udolpho off and on all day. Just finished Book II Chapter XI. Now, this book I'm hooked on :) (but now I need to go and do some chores).

>197 RebaRelishesReading: Wow. This morning I read Vol II Ch VIII and IX. I'm worried about Valancourt and absolutely despise Montoni. I'm going to try to squeeze more in today but we have to run some errands, darn it.

I grabbed it first thing when I got up this morning and made it to Volume III Chapter IV (end of). Hunger drove me to the kitchen to find some breakfast and, while I'm stopped, doing my morning "computer stuff" but I can't wait to get back to it.

Hi Laura. Skimming through to sort of catch up. I'm intrigued by your and Reba's compulsion with The Mysteries of Udolpho which I've never even heard of.

I'm glad you're enjoying Udolpho! Maybe you'll convince me to give it another try . . .

>199 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba! I was able to fit in a bit more reading time before our errand-running. I went out to the car and Chris said he needed to take care of something else first so I scurried back inside LOL. Anyway, I finished Vol II and am just a few pages into Vol III.

>200 EBT1002: Ellen, you must be wondering what this all Udolpho chat is about! Ann Radcliffe was one of the authors that influenced Jane Austen. The Mysteries of Udolpho is a gothic mystery and was all the rage at the time. Austen satirized it in Northanger Abbey. NA is my least favorite Austen but I didn't have this context at the time. I recently read Jane Austen's Bookshelf, as did Reba and Beth is reading it now. I added several books to my TBR, including Udolpho which is a real chunkster written in flowery 18thC language. I expected to hate it and am completely sucked in! Reba too, but Beth and Jennifer have no desire to re-read. But we're all still friends LOL.

>201 japaul22: It's a commitment, Jennifer, that's for sure. I haven't looked at any of Radcliffe's other novels. Maybe there's a shorter one?

Happy Sunday! Last night we put up and decorated our Christmas tree accompanied by festive music and a bit of cognac because why not.

We've made a lazy day of it so far, with breakfast followed by the Las Vegas Grand Prix. The race occurred past our bedtime on Saturday night, so we streamed it and then caught up with subsequent developments in the news headlines. Sheesh, what a season this has been.

Today I need to do a little bit of planning for our Thanksgiving travel. We're going to Connecticut to spend the holiday with Julia, Noah, and Noah's family. We're staying in an Airbnb and are planning to cook a couple of dishes to contribute to the meal. I contacted the Airbnb host about available pans, bowls, etc. in the kitchen and will be bringing a few utensils as well as some of the non-perishable ingredients.

I have no other obligations today and Chris is planning to get some things done outside, so that should mean more Udolpho for me, yay!

We also set up our tree last night, with festive music, but regular old wine for us ;-)

And we stayed up for the race which gave us a late start this morning! Such drama...

>204 katiekrug: I know right? At the end of the race one of the commentators said something about how Max could more easily win the championship if Lando had a DNF in one of the two remaining races. And then ... ugh.

We are also putting out Christmas decorations today. I have the time and we're going out of town Thanksgiving weekend. Plus Thanksgiving is so late! But I usually wait until Thanksgiving is over and it does feels a little weird.

>202 lauralkeet: Yes, Ellen...I'm totally hooked too. I've always avoided "gothic novels" but I think I'm over that now.

>203 lauralkeet: Our tradition is to put the tree up Thanksgiving weekend, but after Thanksgiving itself. We've decided to get a new tree because the one we have (1) is really too tall for where it is and (2) it's flocked and makes a huge mess. I'm about to go to Costco and, while there, will check out what they have.

Thanksgiving in Connecticut sounds lovely. Hope you have a wonderful time.

OMG Laura!! I just read Vol IV Chapter I!!! Can't wait to hear your thoughts.

I don't think we'll put up any Christmas decoration until December 1st or later. Some of our neighbours have put Christmas lights out and I appreciate the lights during these shorter and often dreary overcast days and nights. Dave puts up our outdoor lights, so I'll leave it to him. I have asked.

>206 japaul22: We're in the same situation, Jennifer. When my kids were in college we would decorate the tree over Thanksgiving weekend because they were home, but it was always Friday or Saturday. You're right about Thanksgiving being late this year. It's nice to have the tree up already.

>207 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba, similar tradition here as I just mentioned to Jennifer. I hope you found a nice new tree! We needed a new one when we moved here because the ceilings are lower than our previous house.

>208 RebaRelishesReading: Oh Reba, you're such a tease! I'm about halfway through Vol III.

>209 vancouverdeb: We don't do much decorating, Deborah, and even less outdoors than indoors. We have a wreath for the front door and our outdoor lighting shines a spotlight on it, but we don't put up any other lights.

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Yesterday's Udolpho reading lesson: the typeface is so small that I need to wear my glasses, not contacts. I have multi-focal contacts which are fine 90% of the time, but I'm having to work too hard and it's slowing me down which just will not do!

I didn't go to Costco after all yesterday but do plan to go this morning. Checking out their Christmas tree offerings is definitely on the list.

Our only Christmas decoration that is outdoors is the wreath on the front door (already in place) but our tree is in front of windows facing the street so it provides nice light and color for passersby (which are few because we live at the end of a street that dead-ends for cars -- sidewalk extends through though so we do get a fair number of dog-walkers, school children and others on foot.

Just finished Chapter IV of Volume IV -- I would rather stay at home and keep reading but that's going to have to wait a while. Yes, that typeface is tiny!!

>211 RebaRelishesReading: Hi Reba, you are really motoring through the last part of The Mysteries of Udolpho. I've been squeezing in more reading time than usual in over the past few days because the book keeps calling to me. I'm nearly done with Vol III Ch IX and just noticed that there are two pages devoted to one of those awful poems, so I should finish that chapter pretty quickly lol.

Meanwhile I'm also reading the new Jimmy Perez, The Killing Stones. This is the book that inspired me to read all of the Shetland novels this year. That was a fun project, and this book is pretty much in the same vein as the previous series. I'm enjoying it, but would probably be gobbling it up if I'd waited seven years for it (the last Shetland was published in 2018). Instead I've been making slow but steady progress, reading a bit at bedtime every night.

Tomorrow we leave for Connecticut so today will be spent getting ready for that. I'm bringing both books and we'll just see how it goes. I'm looking forward to some family time.

Have a great trip and wonderful family time. We'll "talk" when you get back :)

Wishing you safe travels and a lovely time celebrating with family.

Hi everyone! Thank you Micky and Reba for keeping my thread going.

We had a really nice Thanksgiving in Connecticut. Noah's family lives on the western side, just a few miles from the NY border. The area is really pretty with a New England "Gilmore Girls" vibe that I just love. Our Airbnb was great, perfect for just the two of us (and the doggos!), and it was fun to have Julia over for cooking on Thursday morning. The family gathering was nice, too. On Friday we visited a town nearby and wandered through some antique shops, and wrapped up our visit with a family dinner at a restaurant. We drove home Saturday and arrived mid-afternoon so we could unpack and relax for the rest of the day.

I made some progress in The Mysteries of Udolpho over the weekend; I think I have about 50 pages to go and I'm still caught up in the story. I hope to wrap it up soon, and then I'll get back to The Killing Stones.

I'm off now to get showered and dressed and make a grocery run, then hunker down inside and watch the F1 Qatar Grand Prix.

>202 lauralkeet: Thanks for the summary of the Udolpho saga. Interesting that you and Reba have been in 'can't put it down" territory while Beth and Jennifer not so much. An even split among trusted book recommenders..... what do do? Haha

>216 EBT1002: Hi Ellen. Well ... if you're curious maybe you should read it lol. But also, I get it: it's a serious chunkster which put me off for a long time.