foggidawn's 2026 reads and rambles, thread 1

Lottie on Christmas, full of mischief and joy

Hi, all! Welcome to old friends and new. For the latter, I'm a children's librarian at a public library branch in a small Ohio city. My reading tastes range from children's and young adult literature, to fantasy and sci-fi, to mysteries, to historical fiction and literary works, to romances, to biography and memoir, with a light smattering of other nonfiction and anything else that catches my fancy. I'll also occasionally post about the picture books that I use during story time or school visits, though I don't include picture books in my count of books read during the year.

I live on a farm with my husband John, who is also an avid reader, though his tastes run towards graphic novels, golden age sci-fi, and nonfiction, mostly about history or chicken husbandry. We have a Springer Spaniel, Lottie (pictured above); she is immensely spoiled and loves being a farm dog. We also have about 50 chickens and about 43 acres of hayfields.

For 2026, I'm once again resolving to read at least one book a month off my existing TBR shelves. According to my To Read collection here on LT, I have 237 books on shelf to read, though I suspect I may find as I read that some of them didn't get entered when I acquired them. (Oops.) I also have several interesting ebooks on my Kindle, so I will include those in my total of books off the shelf if I read them. As for total books read, I finished 176 books last year, so I expect I'll read upwards of 175 in 2026, but if I don't, I will try not to be too sad about it.

You may also see me posting here about board gaming, gardening, cooking, and theatre. I'm not yet involved in a local theatre group, nor am I surrounded by board gamers, but I'm still interested in the topics and hope to at least view some theatre and maybe do some solo gaming and jigsaw puzzles this year. Once gardening season rolls around, you'll hear about my garden quite a bit. My non-book resolution this year is to focus on good health. That includes trying to do more outdoor activities, trying to cook healthy and delicious meals at home rather than relying on fast food, and continuing to keep my blood sugar in the acceptable range. John and I have some house-related resolutions as well, including a new roof, repairs to the big chicken coop, and completing the cosmetic remodeling I started on the bathroom and have yet to finish. (We're not doing a full remodel with new fixtures just yet, but I'm trying to freshen up appearances.)

I look forward to chatting with you all and hearing about your reading this year!

Top reads of 2025

Hemlock and Silver by T. Kingfisher
A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
Tomb of Dragons by Katherine Addison
The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst
The Briar Club by Kate Quinn
Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie
Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green
Silverborn by Jessica Townsend
Or What You Will by Jo Walton

Honorable mention 1: The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vols. 1-6. They make up one continuous story, and so far I think I liked Vol. 6 the best, but I haven't finished the series, so I didn't want to try to place either one volume of the story, or the whole series, in my favorites list.

Honorable mention 2: I listened to pretty much the entire Rivers of London series in 2025, and they were all excellent -- another series where I can't seem to elevate a single book above the others.

The year-end book meme!

Describe yourself: Yours Truly

Describe how you feel: Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear

Describe where you currently live: The Beloved Wild

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: The Enchanted Greenhouse

Describe your job: The Library of Unruly Treasures

Your favorite form of transportation is: Up a Road Slowly

What are you eating: Salt Sugar Fat

Your favorite time of day is: The Night in Question

Your best friend is: My Beloved

You and your friends are: The Ladies Rewrite the Rules

What’s the weather like: One Big Open Sky

You fear: Things in the Basement

What is the best advice you have to give: One Day We'll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter

Thought for the day: This Will Be Fun

What is life for you: Great Big Beautiful Life

How you would like to die: Lies Sleeping

Your soul’s present condition: Somewhere Beyond the Sea

What was 2025 like for you? A Mad, Wicked Folly

What do you want from 2026? Year of Wonders

2025 Party Meme

What would you call the event? Last Chance to Save the World

How did the guests find their way? It's Elementary

How did they know they had arrived? The Furthest Station

How were the guests greeted? I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons

Any special activities? Easy Crafts for the insane

Were there servants to help? The Maid and the Crocodile

Was dinner held for latecomers? Say You'll Remember Me

And dinner was? Automatic Noodle

Afterwards? Tea with Elephants

Did your guests stay over? No Place Like Home

Was there turn-down service? Swept Away

Books Purchased in 2026:

The Amber Owl by Juliet Marillier - AZN (Paperback)
Saplings by Noel Streatfeild - AZN (Digital)
The City in the Lake by Rachel Neumeier - AZN (Hardcover)
Praying with Icons by Jim Forrest - Thrift Store (Paperback)
Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore by Emily Krempholtz - HPB (Hardcover)
The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava - HPB (Paperback)
The Man Who Didn't Like Animals by Deborah Underwood - AZN (Hardcover)
Platform Decay by Martha Wells - AZN (Hardcover)
The Truth About Dragons by Julie Leung - AZN (Hardcover)

Books Read From My Shelves in 2026:

Nettle by Bex Hogan - Deaccessioned to used bookstore
Saplings by Noel Streatfeild - On my digital shelf
Platform Decay by Martha Wells - Keeping on my shelf

You're welcome to post below! What are your resolutions or goals, bookish or not, for 2026?

Happy new year!
My goal is to read faster 😄
I'm hoping to get at least some of my backyard tilled and my lemon tree planted, which I've been growing in a container til now.

Welcome back!

New Year greetings from Kuala Lumpur. My project is at least physically completed and an addition to the city scape.

Look forward to keeping up with you in 2026, Foggi

>7 mstrust: Welcome! In terms of garden goals, John and I are planning to build another raised bed this spring, when the ground thaws.

>8 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

>9 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul! Beautiful building!

Happy New Year, Foggi!

Happy New Year! Love your meme answers:)

Happy New Year, Foggi! The Frozen River was one of my favourite reads last year too.

Happy new year, Foggi! My non-bookish goals this year are to finish a few of my in progress craft projects, be a little more consistent about fitting in weights workouts, and trying a silent book club my local library has started as I'd like to expand my social circle a little.

Happy New Year, and Happy New Thread Foggi! May all of your 2026 reads be gems.

Happy New Year and new thread!

Happy new year, Foggi! 2025 was a doozy for me so in 2026 I'm just trying to make it through the year, lol.

>4 foggidawn: Great meme answers! I'm thinking about the Tea with Elephants and thinking of Inspector Chopra's baby elephant that accompanies him. It made me laugh!

Happy New Year, foggi! No real goals for me this year, I don't think

>11 quondame: Thanks, Susan!

>12 AMQS: Good to see you, Anne!

>13 vancouverdeb: That was a good one; glad you liked it, too.

>14 MickyFine: Nice goals! Let us know how the silent book club turns out, I'm curious.

>15 clamairy: Thanks, Clam! A new year of reading with no duds in it -- reminds me of Anne of Green Gables, "tomorrow's a new day with no mistakes in it yet."

>16 compskibook: Thanks, Dana!

>17 curioussquared: I can relate!

>18 thornton37814: LOL! I haven't read the Inspector Chopra books yet, but it sounds like I should.

>19 norabelle414: Thanks, Nora! Staying the course, eh?

(1 books read)

This is the year that I finally read one of the Strike novels on my shelf. I absolutely love the tv series. I know it's usually the other way round.

>22 mstrust: I don't think I even knew there was a TV series -- I'd probably heard about it and forgotten; I used to have a good memory, but alas. I'll have to look into it and see what I think of it.

>1 foggidawn: Glad to see that Lottie enjoyed Christmas, lol.

>2 foggidawn: Thanks for posting your 'best of' list, Misti. I am going to have to see about the ones I have not already read. Having just read Thornhedge by Kingfisher, I am especially interested in Hemlock & Silver.

>3 foggidawn: Love that meme! I thought your answer to "What is the best advice you have to give: is fantastic.

>4 foggidawn: Love your answers to that meme too.

>21 foggidawn: One of these days I am going to get to that series. . .

A Belated "Happy New Year!" from me.

>24 alcottacre: Happy New Year, Stasia! I thought my “advice” in the meme was a little dark, but I liked it, and I’m glad you did, too.

>1 foggidawn: aww how cute ☺️

Happy reading in 2026!

>21 foggidawn: I'm glad you are still enjoying the series. I think I bailed after starting the fifth one and never went back. I have not been able to pick up anything else by this author, because of everything you mentioned. I guess I would call it body shaming in multiple forms. I keep hoping she'll have an epiphany, but I am not holding my breath. Great review.

>26 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita!

>27 clamairy: Yeah, the casual body-shaming gets on my nerves, but I'm still hooked on the whole question of what will happen next. I am wondering if the next book in the series will be the last, as certain issues in the through-plot came to a head in this one.

(2 books read)

>29 foggidawn: I felt pretty much the same about Dear Wendy. College usually poses as many questions as it answers, maybe more.

>30 quondame: I attended a small liberal arts college, albeit very different from Wellesley. I still feel that the friends I made there are some of my closest, though none of them live in easy reach at this point in my life. That aspect of the book rang true for me.

>31 foggidawn: That would give the book greater resonance. I went to UCB, and only have the most tenuous of connections with anyone I met or associated with there. And 3 were from my small home town. But that's all on me.

(not my photo - we had a quiet New Year's Eve in, with both boys at home)

I'm dropping by to wish you and yours all the very best for 2026. Happy New Year and happy new thread foggi!

I see Lottie is enjoying destroying the wrapping paper opening her Christmas present.

>32 quondame: My husband went to a small Catholic university, and isn't in touch now with anyone he knew then, so it's all just a matter of personal experience, I guess.

>33 humouress: Happy New Year! We made a game of balling up Lottie's new toy in the discarded wrapping paper, so she got to "open" it multiple times.

(3 books read)

>34 foggidawn: Was she more excited about the present or the unwrapping? :0)

>34 foggidawn: That sounds a fun way of "repeating" presents, Foggi.

>36 humouress: It's hard to say! Mostly, I think she was excited about the new game that we were playing with her. I sometimes worry that she needs more mental stimulation than we are giving her.

>37 PaulCranswick: Oh, she was definitely having fun!

>29 foggidawn: Perhaps it's early in the morning, or I have not had enough caffeine yet, but I read the word 'aromantic' as 'aromatic.' Needless to say the images that brought to mind were interesting and confusing, to say the least.

Happy New Year! I have you starred and will try to comment more on your thread this year! One of my non-bookish goals for the year is to try to make more of my own seasonings and such. I found a good taco seasoning recipe last year that has been a winner, and would like to try more things like that.

>39 clamairy: LOL! I had a library patron the other day who must have bathed in cologne - aromatic, indeed!

>40 aktakukac: Good to see you! Making your own seasonings is a great goal -- you can probably reduce salt intake too, if that's what you want. (My mother-in-law is on a very low sodium diet, so any time I cook for her, I'm conscious of how much salt is in the ingredients I am using.)

Hi foggi! Aaron is in a board gaming group. I'd love to join, but IL would be afraid of the dogs there, and I can't afford a babysitter. Maybe when he's 9. That's leave alone age. (Though he's autistic and not very mature. I actually can't see leaving him alone.)

Right now, our family is doing Pandemic Legacy. Have you ever trieda legacy game?

>42 The_Hibernator: I have not tried a legacy game, and in fact, I haven't ever played Pandemic. What's it like? How is the legacy version different?

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The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol. 7 by Beth Brower -- This series, on the other hand, continues to be a delight.

I read a handful of the Louise Penny books many years ago, and can't remember why I stopped, but I know I didn't love them like many readers do. I've never felt compelled to pick the next one up.

>49 aktakukac: Glad it's not just me! But I'm still in the market for a good long mystery series...

>48 foggidawn: I've just finished volume 4 and agree completely.

Glad to see you mostly enjoyed Tuesday Mooney as well.

>47 foggidawn: Too bad, I have the first Gamache on my shelves to read at some point, but the body-shaming would turn me off as well.

>51 bell7: I'm about a quarter of the way into Vol. 8, and already wondering what I will do when I finish it!

>52 curioussquared: I would feel bad, but if your TBR shelves are like mine, you're not hurting for choice. ;-)

>47 foggidawn: I’m trying to understand your “body shaming” comment. I’ve read all of the Penny books, and I can’t recall any. Could you give an example of what you mean?

Karen O

P.s. Okay, Google points out that Fatal Grace had some, and I can kind of remember that. But, yeah, if it bothers you, there are many other fish in the sea.

>54 klobrien2: There was a little in the first book -- any time Myrna is mentioned, it's emphasized how large she is. And Gabri is said to have let himself go, it's implied that he doesn't look like he belongs with his handsome partner. I probably would have let those slide, but the second book is absolutely horrible, especially in regard to the character Crie, an overweight teen. Here's a narrative description (not something another character is saying about her, but straight from the author): "And beside him an enormous child was wearing a sleeveless sundress of the brightest pink. Her underarms bulged and flopped and the rolls of her waist made the skintight dress look like a melting strawberry ice cream. It was grotesque." The third book is not quite as bad, but since part of the plot involves diet pills, there's still a fair bit of focus on who is fat, who used to be fat, who should be on these fictional diet pills (despite the fact that they're outlawed in Canada because of the side effects). There's an absolutely silly description of Gabri trying to sidle through a door, and ending up having to open the door the whole way to accommodate his bulk. And by that point, I was also really irritated about how much Gamache's team is written as perfect foils for his wisdom, his patience, his cleverness... Anyhow, this series has lots of fans, I'm just not going to be one of them.

>55 foggidawn: I bought the first of the Gamache books and started it but simply couldn't get along with it much to my surprise.

I am certainly not ok with body shaming. There is nothing wrong with describing what your character looks like but it is in the details of how it is done and how often it is rammed down your throat.

>55 foggidawn: Okay, you make valid points. I get what you’re saying. The early books are 20 years old—does that explain anything?

Thank you for explaining why you feel the way you do!

Karen O

>56 PaulCranswick: Quite so.

>57 klobrien2: Yeah, the age of the books probably makes a difference, and it would be interesting to see how her writing has changed over time, but I'm not that invested -- and skipping to a later book in the series feels the same way to me as skipping to the end of the book to see what happens! (Cheating!) ;-) Thanks for engaging me in conversation about it!

>53 foggidawn: How did you know? ;)

>59 curioussquared: ;-)

>56 PaulCranswick: I do think the first and third books are the weakest in the series. The fourth book was where I started enjoying them. However, the last few are getting way too political and far-reaching for me.

>61 thornton37814: Good to know.

We’re all getting ready for The Big Snow here in Ohio. I picked up the requisite bread and milk after work yesterday, and of course I am well-supplied with books to read. Fingers crossed for no power outages and a couple days of reading under piles of blankets with Lottie by my side.

>63 foggidawn: Same here...I'm mostly curious about how much snow we will end up with, since each forecast and map I see has such varying amounts. Maybe we'll get 3 inches, maybe 15, who knows. At least it seems like it will all be snow, not ice! I'm also hoping for some good reading time during the next few days.

>63 foggidawn: I stocked up on books on Tuesday. I got some at the university and some at the public library. Of course, I have plenty in my house and on my Kindle, so I won't be without reading material. I have plenty of food and other essentials as well. My heat is gas so that should not be an issue. A friend gave me one of her 3 Coleman camping stoves, so I can even cook if the power goes out. They keep downgrading what we can expect--so much so that I'll almost surprised if we get anything at all by the time it hits.

>64 aktakukac: I've seen the range here as low as 6 and as high as 15. Right now my weather app is saying 12-15, whereas yesterday it was saying 10-14. Agreed, snow is much preferable to ice! And I'm also looking forward to good reading time.

>65 thornton37814: I've managed to accrue 14 library checkouts, despite trying to keep myself in check -- and of course, there are always the books I own! And the ebooks on my phone... I'm hoping our power will not get knocked out -- our heat is propane, but the blower relies on electricity. We do have a small generator, so we can at least run a space heater if necessary.

(9 books read)

Well, we weathered the storm! 15 inches of snow, no power outages, one lovely snow day off work. I finished a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle, read two books, and cooked chili and shepherd's pie (plus a cherry pie that I made the day before the storm). Frankly, I could use several more days of being "stuck at home," but the roads are somewhat clear, so it's back to business as usual. Hope Snowmageddon 2026 treated you all well.

(10 books read)



The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol. 8 by Beth Brower -- Alas, now I have finished reading all of the available books in the series, and must await the publication of the next book (fortunately scheduled for this year)! This one was particularly good, leaving me longing for a month at Stonecrop, Islington's country estate.

>46 foggidawn: >67 foggidawn: Adding those to the BlackHole. Thanks for the reviews and recommendations, Misti!

>49 aktakukac: >50 foggidawn: Sorry you have not enjoyed the Three Pines series. I think the series improves as it goes along. I hope you find a long mystery series in which you are interested!

I already have the Brower books in the BlackHole or I would be adding them again.

Have a terrific Tuesday, Misti!

(11 books read)

>70 alcottacre: Hope you enjoy the suggestions whenever the Black Hole spits them back out!

Here's the finished jigsaw puzzle:



It's my first Ravensburger, and I loved all of the tiny details.

Love the puzzle! I am intrigued by both >67 foggidawn: and >71 foggidawn: and will keep an eye out for them. Glad you weathered the snow safely!

>74 curioussquared: Thanks! Enjoy!

(12 books read)
I almost hesitate to count this short novella as a book, but on the other hand, I read the occasional chunkster, so it all evens out.

>68 foggidawn: Wow, 15 inches! I'm glad you made it through. We got about 6 inches of dry powdery snow followed by 3 inches of ice. And it hasn't been above freezing since. So everywhere is basically an ice rink.

>73 foggidawn: Ravensburger puzzles are such good quality!

>76 foggidawn: Oh the concept does sound fun, but I'm sorry to hear it felt a little too rushed due to the length. I'll keep it in mind but it's not hitting The List just yet.

>77 norabelle414: Ice, yuck. That’s a lot to deal with — I’d rather have our piles of snow. Agreed, about the puzzle.

>78 MickyFine: I haven’t had that problem with other short fictions by Burgis, but this one really did feel rushed.

Hi foggi! I've enjoyed catching up here. I thought about bringing home The Girl Who Kept the Castle for my recovery but decided against it. I hope to get to it at some point. Glad you came through the storm OK and with a puzzle and great reading, too!

I am ashamed to admit that it took me a long time to really recognize body-shaming in literature. I think perhaps it has been just so normal in books that I didn't even see it - does that make sense? I read many of the Three Pines books years ago - totaly oblivious. Now when I revisit older children's books that I've loved I am sometimes horrified at what I failed to notice previously. Thinking of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle or a yearly favorite: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Now that I do see it I feel mortified that I didn't recognize it earlier. There have been some hard feelings when I've tried to update our book room - leveled sets of books for book circles, etc - because some titles have the casual racist stereotypes or other problematic features once so common. Now we do so much better so why keep those old titles around (nevermind the condition of the books themselves). But it is really hard to talk a teacher out of a book they loved as a kid. I'm doing the work anyway, even though the book room is not technically my domain.

>80 AMQS: Oh, I loved a lot of those old "classics," too, including the two you mentioned. I didn't notice it much as a kid, but I also internalized a lot of body shaming as a kid, both from books and media and from cultural and family norms at the time. It's been something I've struggled with since early adolescence, deeply hating my body and feeling a lot of shame for my inability to change it. Over the past ten years or so, I've tried to move more towards body acceptance, but it has had the side effect (good? bad?) of making me more likely to notice body-shaming in the books I read. Honestly, books are probably the least of our problem, culturally speaking, but that doesn't give them a free pass. Glad you are working on the book room! I know it can be hard to "give up" a book you've used for years, even when you realize that it might be getting kind of dated.

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A Rogue's Company by Allison Montclair -- Third in the Sparks and Bainbridge series. I'm to the point where I'll just keep making note when I complete one of the books in the series, but won't write a full review unless there's a notable increase or decline in quality.

>84 foggidawn: I'm glad you liked that one too. Half a Soul is definitely my favourite, but all three books in the trilogy are lovely.

>86 MickyFine: I put a hold on the third book in audio format, so I imagine I'll be getting to it soon.

(17 books read)

>84 foggidawn: I listened to and enjoyed Half a Soul and its companion story The Lord Sorciere last year. This one's on my list already. I'm sure I'll go for audio again as I thought it was very well done.

>88 foggidawn: This looks good, too! Premise reminds me a bit of The Agency books (A Spy in the House and others). Have you read those?

>89 AMQS: It's a little younger than The Agency, but similar in many ways. I also thought of Gail Carriger's YA stuff, though again, this is more solidly middle-grade.

>84 foggidawn: I’ve read this, an the other two as well, and while I liked them, they left no memories behind.

>73 foggidawn: I did that puzzle several years ago and I loved it. She is such a great artist. I read A Rogue's Company some years ago, but have not read any further in the series.

>91 quondame: Yeah, I had very few memories of the first one, though certain events in the second one brought some of it back. They're very pleasant reads, but I can see that they might not have sticking power.

>92 vancouverdeb: It's a lovely puzzle. I liked all of the tiny details. I'm listening to the audiobook of the next book in the series now. They're enjoyable, but not likely to become long-term favorites of mine.

(18 books read)

>95 Whisper1: Lovely! Thank you.

(19 books read)



The Unkept Woman by Allison Montclair -- Continuing to enjoy this post-WWII mystery series.

(20 books read)



Through Gates of Garnet and Gold by Seanan McGuire -- Another solid entry in the Wayward Children series.

(21 books read)

>82 foggidawn: I do not think I have ever read any of Laura Amy Schlitz's work. I will have to see if I can find a copy of that one. Thanks for the review and recommendation, Misti!

>84 foggidawn: I own that one but have yet to get it read. I need to remedy that.

>88 foggidawn: My local library has a copy of that one. Maybe I can get to it soon-ish. . .

>94 foggidawn: Mercedes Lackey is one of those authors that I keep meaning to read and keep managing not to. I own a bunch of her books too. One of these days!

Have a terrific Tuesday, Misti!

(22 books read)

>100 alcottacre: My favorite books by Laura Amy Schlitz are Amber and Clay and The Hired Girl, but I might rate The Winter of the Dollhouse as number three. Any of those are a good introduction, but like I said, she has a great range, so they are not very much like each other, other than being well-written. Hope you enjoy the others you mention! I could swear that I've read more Mercedes Lackey than my LT catalog shows -- maybe I read them back in the pre-LT days? She's certainly an author I've been aware of for a long time.

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The Lady from Burma by Allison Montclair -- another very good entry in the Sparks & Bainbridge mystery series.

(28 books read)

I'm eager for gardening season to come and give me something to talk about! I guess this is the time of year when I could start making plans, but I haven't started on that yet. John is planning to build me a third raised bed, which will be exciting if/when it happens!

I haven't been posting about my storytime books lately, but today's picks were all about feeling unwell:

     

Bob, Not Bob! by Liz Garton Scanlon & Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Matthew Cordell
A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead, illustrated by Erin E. Stead
Bear Feels Sick by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman
Llama Llama Home with Mama by Anna Dewdney

Bob, Not Bob! is a favorite of mine to read aloud, as you have to use your best stuffy-nose voice -- little Louie is calling for his Mom, but due to his cold, he keeps getting his dog, Bob.

>109 foggidawn: Ooh, I got a couple of leads here! I’ve recently read the first two, but the second two I haven’t. Thanks for the recommendations!

Karen O

>101 foggidawn: I am not much of a thriller fan either so even though the studying of octopus intelligence is of interest to me, the thriller part completely turns me off so I think I will be giving that one a pass.

>102 foggidawn: Thanks for the input on Laura Amy Schlitz, Misti. I will look for all the titles you mentioned. Maybe my local library will actually have one. . .

>103 foggidawn: Adding that one to the BlackHole. Thanks for the review and recommendation!

>104 foggidawn: I have enjoyed all of the Kingfisher books that I have read thus far. I already have that one in the BlackHole or I would be adding it again.

>105 foggidawn: Another one for the BlackHole. . .

Have a fantastic Friday!

Bob, Not Bob is a favorite book to read aloud, and I usually do pair it with A Sick Day for Amos McGee. Another sick-y favorite is Mr. Putter and Tabby Catch the Cold.

>106 foggidawn: I loved Medusa when I read it this summer. It is one of our district's Battle of the Books titles (district battle coming up this week). The feminism was pretty in your face - that was a plus for me, imagining how much my girls would have loved this book when they were younger.

Just catching up here.

>55 foggidawn: I've only read the second book in that series, and I was gobsmacked by the description of the child when I reached that part of the book. I recognized it immediately when I was reading your post without even looking at the title. (I picked it up from OverDrive because it was listed here on LT as a Christmas book.)

>104 foggidawn: This one is going on my wishlist!

I hope the chickens are doing well this Winter.

>110 klobrien2: Thanks! hope you enjoy them!

>111 alcottacre: Hope you enjoy the titles you mentioned whenever they make it out of the Black Hole!

>112 AMQS: I've kept the sickness theme for my preschool and lower elementary class visits this week, so I will nearly have Bob, Not Bob memorized by the end of it!

>113 clamairy: The chickens are doing pretty well -- not too many cases of frostbite, which can be a problem, especially for the ones with large combs. They spent a lot of time cooped up (heh) when there was snow on the ground and/or bitter cold temperatures, so they've been grateful for their freedom lately with the more temperate weather.

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>117 foggidawn: I've liked the other books I've read by Marske -- I'll probably give this one a shot despite the ending squicks.

>118 curioussquared: It might not squick you, it's just a kink that doesn't appeal to me. I'll be interested to see what you think.

>117 foggidawn: I have Cinder House on hold, so something to look forward to!

>115 foggidawn: Five stars? Must add to the BlackHole!

>116 foggidawn: Adding that one too!

>117 foggidawn: And that one too. . .I sense a theme here, lol.

Thanks for the reviews and recommendations (I think), Misti.

>120 quondame: Enjoy! I'll look forward to your review.

>121 alcottacre: First five-star read of the year! It's about time, too -- the last few months have not been marked by many really excellent reads.

(32 books read)

I spent some time the other day sorting and organizing my TBR list (not to be confused with my TBR shelves of physical books that I own, or the digital TBR books on my Kindle app). I took a few off that no longer appealed to me, bringing the total down to 207. (In the early days, I tried to keep the list under 200, but I've let it creep up around 215-220 lately.) I was surprised to note that the oldest book on that list was added in February 2016, so I've been keeping my list in this format for over ten years now! I went through and found as many as I could on Libby, Hoopla, or in my library's physical collection. For the Libby and Hoopla ones, I tagged or favorited them so I can easily find one when I need it -- mostly in audio format when available, but in ebook if not, as I do read some that way. I went ahead and bought a few that were not available in any of those areas but were reasonably priced on Azn. I've updated post >5 foggidawn: if you're curious about my acquisitions. This has probably been deadly dull for you to read about, but it was a satisfying sort of clean-up. I should probably do a little organizing of my physical TBR, but that always ends in me sitting and reading in the midst of a pile of books. Also, they're not terribly disorganized; there are just a few newer titles that need to be squeezed into place.

I'm glad you are enjoying the Allison Montclair series, Foggi. I read the first two , but have not continued with them.

>125 vancouverdeb: I feel that the second book was the weakest in the series so far, and they've improved incrementally as the series continues. I'm waiting for my hold to come in on the sixth book.

>124 foggidawn: I found it interesting! My own TBR is creeping up to nearly 200 and I prefer it in the 150ish range (feels like I have a better chance of getting through it as I typically average 100-120 reads in a year). My problem this year is that I'm working through Poirot books, a Murderbot re-read, and a read of The Expanse and none of those are on the TBR, so it's not shrinking much.

>115 foggidawn: And this review didn't help as it's now on the TBR too, lol.

>127 MickyFine: Yeah, rereads feel so good, but they don't help in keeping the TBR down!

(33 books read)



An Elusive Dragon by E.B. Wheeler -- Not quite as good as the first book in the series, but still engaging.

(34 books read)

(35-36 books read)

 

Murder at the White Palace and An Excellent Thing in a Woman by Allison Montclair -- continuing to enjoy the Sparks & Bainbridge series, though I do have my occasional quibbles. For instance, I don't think that's how the Official Secrets Act works, friends. And they switched audiobook narrators and I don't like this one quite as much (or maybe it's just that I was used to the old one). But I like the characters and am invested in the series arc now.

(37 books read)

(38 books read)

>133 foggidawn: Oh, this is a book bullet for me. Putting it on hold!

>134 curioussquared: Enjoy!

(39 books read)

I thanked you on my thread, Foggi, but the idea to put Muffin's pill in peanut butter worked! Thanks so much! She is eating well now. What a relief.

>137 vancouverdeb: That's terrific! Glad I could help.

(40 books read)

(41 books read)

(42 books read)

>139 foggidawn: This one is already on The List but I'm very pleased to see you liked it!

>142 MickyFine: Very much so! I'm confident you will, as well.

(43 books read)

(44 books read)

I've been reading books about dogs and cats in my recent storytimes and classroom visits:

       

I Want 100 Dogs by Stacy McAnulty
Everybody Says Meow by Constance Lombardo
The Biggest Dog in the Book by Ben Lerwill
Poopsie Gets Lost by Hannah E. Harrison
Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann

The last of those is one of my favorite picture books ever, as evidenced by the fact that I read it to five classes in a row today and am not tired of it yet.

>146 foggidawn: Re: I Want 100 Dogs -- where did you get this copy of my autobiography?

>146 foggidawn: I haven’t read any of these terrific-looking books! Found them all at my local libraries. Thanks for the plugs!

Karen O

>147 curioussquared: I think a lot of us can strongly relate to that one! I was that child who checked out the huge book that contained pictures and descriptions of every dog breed, and went through it and made a list of which ones I wanted to have when I grew up (Answer: most of them). Now I am a grownup and I only have one dog??? What am I even doing with my life?

>148 klobrien2: I hope you enjoy them! I felt like this was a particularly good selection for reading aloud.

(45 books read)

(46 books read)

Thanks to @MickyFine for the recommendation!

Garden Update:

Yes! The season has started! I planted my snow peas a couple days ago, and John and I have been adding compost to the beds in preparation for more serious planting in the next couple months. (John knows a guy with a nice pile of 10-year-old cow manure that is just perfect for adding to a garden.) I still haven't fully planned out where I'm going to put things, partly because John is working on building me a third raised bed, so if he gets that finished before planting time, it will be a game-changer. The weather here is having its ups and downs ("Mother Nature is off her meds," someone remarked to me earlier today), so while the peas should be okay, it's definitely too soon to put anything else in the ground. Maybe some lettuce in a few weeks. I haven't started any indoor seedlings yet, though it's not too late, so maybe I will think about that over the next few days. I'll probably still buy my tomato plants from the local hardware store, though, because they always have a really nice selection of different varieties.

Oooh, a third raised bed! Congrats! And isn't it exciting to be planning your garden again?

>149 foggidawn: I also spent a good chunk of time poring over a dog breed book as a kid :) I wonder if my parents still have it somewhere. Probably! There's still time for you to get many more dogs :D (I say as the person with 3 dogs who is currently babysitting a 4th)

>153 mstrust: Thanks! Yes, it's a good feeling to be back in that mode.

>154 curioussquared: I checked the big dog book out from the library. And yes, I hope to have more dogs eventually! We worry what Lottie would think of another dog, as she is used to being the spoiled only child pupper. She gets along okay with other dogs in the family when we visit, but her experiences with other dogs coming on her turf have not been great, from a behavioral standpoint.

>151 foggidawn: Oh yay! I'm glad you found it a good reading experience!

>157 MickyFine: I did! Thanks again for the recommendation!

(47 books read)

(48 books read)

Hi foggi! Lots to love here. Your garden is in! Is that brave? I admit I've been tempted as we've had 90 degree weather and things are budding and flowering (so unusual for March) but I can't trust Colorado and will stick to the "not until Mother's Day" like they always say.

>132 foggidawn: maybe this is the sign that the book should be weeded?

You got me with >139 foggidawn: and >151 foggidawn:.

>161 AMQS: Well, the only things in the garden are the snow peas, which will tolerate the cold, and the strawberries, which are also pretty hardy and are still under a thick layer of straw until it's a little warmer. I don't plan to put anything tender into the ground until May, as our average last frost is May 10. We've had some unseasonably warm days here as well, but I don't trust Ohio weather, either! (And you're probably right that the book should be weeded. That's often the case with books I check out in that situation, but every now and then I find a hidden gem.)

(49 books read)

(50 books read)

(51 books read)

For April Fool's Day, a selection of corny jokes for you to suffer through enjoy:

Two fish are in a tank. One turns to the other and says, "Any idea how to drive this thing?"

What's a pirate's favorite letter?
You might think it's "Arrr," but his true love do be the C.

I used to play the piano by ear. Now I use my hands.

I read a crazy 22 books in March! I don't usually do a monthly roundup, but those are 2012 numbers! (I think late 2012 was when I got either a tablet or a smartphone, and screen time started eating into my reading time.) I have no idea why I read so much this past month, when I had a decent but not incredible 14 and 15 books, respectively, in January and February. I have noticed my reading habits changing lately, with more audiobooks and ebooks than I have read in the past. I finally broke down and bought a Kindle, because I think it will be easier on my eyes than reading from my phone a lot (and also, my phone battery is not the freshest).

My favorite March read was Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter.

>166 foggidawn: I liked them!

>167 foggidawn: I definitely prefer reading on a Kindle to a phone. Congrats on a great reading month!! You got me with Agnes Aubert, even though I liked but didn't love the Emily Wilde series and I am a dog person.

>168 mstrust: Oh, good!

>169 curioussquared: I had a Kindle back when it was the new hotness, and used it until it stopped working. By then I think I figured I would use my tablet for reading, but I find that reading on an internet-connected device makes for too easy access to distractions. It's bad enough reading with the phone near me, much less in my actual hand. And I hope you enjoy Agnes Aubert! As you know, I'm also more of a dog person, but I still liked it a lot.

(52 books read)

(53 books read)



Fire Must Burn by Allison Montclair -- the latest Sparks & Bainbridge mystery. This series is still going strong! Now, to wait for more to be published.

(54 books read)

Thanks to Lori @thornton37814 for the excellent recent review that spurred me to read this now.

(55 books read)

(56 books read)

(DNF)

>176 foggidawn: That would bother me too! Once I read a book where a woman used her access to personal information for a cutesy plot and *did* get fired and that was so refreshing

>176 foggidawn: Oof - not a librarian but that would have bothered me too.

>176 foggidawn: Ooh yeah. Bad library work details will always have me DNFing. Hope your next read suits you bettter!

>48 foggidawn: Phooey; still no sign of this series on my Overdrive libraries.

>67 foggidawn: This seems to have The Sword of Calandra vibes (which I love).

>84 foggidawn: I liked the first book in this series, so I have all three on my shelves. You've made me want to move them to the top of the TBR pile/ shelf/ whatever.

>88 foggidawn: *sigh* BB

>124 foggidawn: Er - we're supposed to keep a count of our TBRs? Oops.

Hi foggi! I've finally caught up on your thread. I'll enjoy your gardening vicariously.

>177 norabelle414: I'm curious now as to what book that was!

>178 curioussquared: I figured it would bother many people, especially those who are fairly familiar with the inner workings of libraries.

>179 MickyFine: Yep, yep, yep.

>180 humouress: Sounds like you picked up some good BBs; hope you enjoy them. I probably wouldn't keep count of my TBRs if the system I use to track them didn't do it for me.

(57 books read)

(58 books read)

(59 books read)

(60 books read)

(61 books read)

>181 foggidawn: Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts, which I now see you just read in January!

>187 norabelle414: Oh, yes, I do remember that! It's such a different book that I didn't make the connection.

(62 books read)

(63 books read)

Someone recommended this to me a while back -- I can't remember who, but thanks!

>190 foggidawn: I don’t think I’m a proximate cause, but I have the old bc edition of this pre-elemental mages fairytale reworkings. B&B is such a tempting, troublesome plot to steer through.

>191 quondame: I've loved nearly every Beauty and the Beast retelling I've come across, problematic though some may be!

(64 books read)

>186 foggidawn: Just catching up on your thread. I am intrigued by this one, but worry it might be too YAish for me. I will put it on my wishlist and perhaps snag it when the real world is overloading me with dread.

>194 clamairy: My tolerance for YA is at a low ebb these last few years, but this one didn't bother me. Not too much angst.

(65 books read)

(66 books read)

(67 books read)

I am way behind, Misti, and not even trying to catch up. . .

>198 foggidawn: I am adding that one to the BlackHole though!

Have a fantastic Friday!

>199 alcottacre: Fantastic Friday to you, too!

I'm hoping to get into my garden this weekend, so maybe there will be an update coming soon.

>198 foggidawn: Glad to see you liked it. I'm still several weeks away from my hold on it coming in.

>185 foggidawn: That is a premise that appeals, Foggi!

>198 foggidawn: I'm glad to see this was a solid read for you (I agree that it would be hard to tip Fangirl) and will look forward to reading it myself at some point.

>201 MickyFine: Hope the line moves quickly!

>202 PaulCranswick: Yes, it caught my attention right away.

>203 bell7: Ranking Rowell's realistic fiction, my list now goes:
Fangirl
Attachments
Eleanor & Park
Cherry Baby
Landline
Slow Dance

Garden Update

I spent some good time working in my garden this past weekend. John has built me a third raised bed, and we worked together on getting it filled with soil and compost, and on topping up the other beds that need a little help. We also gathered up some straw from a nearby barn (it's straw left where John used to have bales stacked, so we pitched enough of the loose straw for me to use into the truck and brought it over to the garden and tarped it). I use straw for mulch in various beds. I went ahead and planted my potatoes -- I saved the very small ones from last year in a paper sack, and they are all starting to sprout, so I went ahead and got them in the ground and mulched heavily with that same straw. I also planted lettuce and carrot seeds, and some flower seeds (sunflowers, four-o'-clocks, nasturtiums). We're supposed to have a cool and rainy week, though so far no freezes are predicted. The rain should be good for the seeds, and then when the warm, sunny weather comes back, I expect we'll see some sprouting.

(68 books read)

(69 books read)

Hi foggi - so many great books here. I just finished one by Daniel Nayeri and have been eying his The Many Assassinations of Samir, Seller of Dreams which my library has. Cherry baby looks good, too. And I am in awe of Candace Fleming (Death in the Jungle) and how amazing I think it is when authors write for literally all ages. I have a handful of her picture books, as well as Crash From Outer Space.

Thanks for the garden update! Our shops are selling All The Things but as warm as it has been I just know that the year I do NOT wait until after Mother's Day will be the year we get a 3+ foot snowstorm. But waiting is hard.

>208 AMQS: Yes, waiting is hard! I'm also avoiding the garden centers when I shop, because I'm tempted to pop those tender peppers and tomatoes into the ground, but I know that it is not the time. I did buy some pansies for my front porch boxes, because they should be hearty enough to withstand some chilly weather. We're not out of the woods yet!

(70 books read)



A Subtle Dragon by E. B. Wheeler -- completes the Dragons of Mayfair trilogy nicely. I recommend the trilogy to fans of a nice fantasy of manners, but of course don't start with the third one.

>209 foggidawn: Well, waiting was justified as tonight we're expecting a storm that will bring a forecasted 9-12 inches of snow! Should be more at my school. We will be very grateful for the water, but I'm worried about trees and bushes as they are already in early, full leaf. Crossing fingers for a snow day tomorrow!

>211 AMQS: Oof. Fingers crossed for no power outages or blocked roads!

Oof, wishing you luck with the spring snow. Hopefully your trees survive it - I know how tough wet, heavy spring snow can be on plant life.

(71 books read)

(72 books read)



Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line by Elle Cosimano -- continuing to enjoy this lighthearted mystery series!

>213 MickyFine: No kidding! We're just getting rain and cooler temperatures here.

>216 foggidawn: Jealous. We had our last snow *ponders* a week and a half ago? General wisdom around here is to not put plants in the ground for a couple more weeks (after Victoria Day).

>217 MickyFine: Our average last frost is the last week of April (and, indeed, we had a light frost a few nights ago), but the general wisdom is to wait until after Mother's Day. We're still getting low enough nighttime temperatures that I don't want to put tomatoes in the ground yet. My peas, on the other hand, are doing nicely!

(73 books read)

I've had this sitting on my Kindle for a long time. I'm glad you liked it so much, and yes, I thought this was going to be a straight-up horror. Look at that cover!

>220 mstrust: Yeah, I'm squeamish about horror in general, but T. Kingfisher usually works out okay for me, as it's more fairy-tale horror.

Garden Update:
I went ahead and planted my cucumber and yellow squash seeds yesterday. The ground was warm to the touch by early evening, and even though we have some nights ahead with low 40s/high 30s forecasted, I'm thinking we are due for a warm-up soon, and by the time the seeds germinate and sprout, hopefully it will be warm enough to encourage growth. It's been a chilly spring, but at least we've gotten a reasonable amount of rain.

I know this thread is getting long-ish, but I'm planning to post two more reviews before switching to a new one.

Glad you enjoyed Snake Eater! I'd like to get to that one soonish...

I hope the cucumber and squash do well!

>223 curioussquared: Thanks, me too!

(74 books read)

(75 books read)

>226 foggidawn: Yay Murderbot! Bummer about ART. I can't wait to see (hear?) how they do ART in season 2!

Congrats on reaching the magic number, Foggi! Murderbot is an excellent choice for it.

Congratulations on 75 foggi!

>227 compskibook: I haven't yet watched the Murderbot TV series -- I should try to get around to that soon.

>228 MickyFine: Thanks! Yes, I kind of saved it for that purpose. ;-)

>229 humouress: Thank you!

I'm going to get a new thread started soon -- watch this space!

New thread is up -- see you all there!

https://www.librarything.com/topic/384276

>230 foggidawn: The Murderbot series was a pleasant surprise. They did a decent job of leaving in the humor and didn't Hollywoodify the cast, thankfully. I think you might enjoy it.

>232 clamairy: Good to know. I'm sure I'll get to it eventually.

>226 foggidawn: