Familyhistorian Takes Life (and Reading) as it Comes - Part 2

My first attempt at Urban Landscape Drawing

Well, last year threw a monkey wrench into the works. I don’t know what this year will bring but there will be books and talk about books. That’s something to look forward to.

I didn’t quite meet my goal for reading and sending books from my personal library on their way in 2025. Still 77 recycled out of a goal of 100 is nothing to be sneezed at and it outpaced my acquisitions. Maybe I’ll do better in 2026.



Little Free Library

Books culled in 2026

January - 6

February - 7

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I write about genealogy and history on my blog. It helps to have a deadline when there are so many unwriterly tasks to be done. Follow my blog posts as I embark on another year of writing about my genealogical explorations and the information I find out about my ancestors. You can see my latest blog posts at: A Genealogist’s Path to History

Challenges

Nonfiction Challenge

January – Prize Winners - The Haunting of Alma Fielding: A True Ghost Story by Kate Summerscale - DONE
February – All That Jazz
March – Off the Beaten Path Religious Sects
April – Internal Matters
May – Been there. Bought the t-shirt
June – Who Built that Beautiful Building and Why?
July – US revolution years from 1760 to 1788
August – Tweet, Tweet
September – Talk, Talk – Linguistics
October – Diaspora
November – Epistolography
December – Bibliography

Reading Through Time

January – Retellings of Classics - My Fair Brady by Brian D. Kennedy DONE
February – Agents of change, unexpected events that change the course of lives - The Black Death: A Personal History by John Hatcher DONE
March – Slavery in the Antebellum South
April – Spring
May – It Happened in May
June – Love & Marriage
July – The Lives of Wives
August – Holidays/Vacations
September – Daughters
October –
November –
December –

Quarterly

Jan – March – 19th Century – excluding the Americas - Some Danger Involved by Will Thomas - DONE

List of books for challenges

Nonfiction Challenge

January - Prize Winners - Shortlisted for the 2020 Baillie Gifford prize The Haunting of Alma Fielding: A True Ghost Story

February - All That Jazz - Empires of Sin: A Story of Sex, Jazz, Murder, and the Battle for Modern New Orleans by Gary Krist

Reading Through Time

January – Retellings of Classics - My Fair Brady by Brian D. Kennedy

February - Agents of Change - The Black Death: A Personal History by John Hatcher

Shared reads

We Begin at the End April

Books read in 2026

Books read in January 2026

1. All Systems Red by Martha Wells
2. 6:40 to Montreal by Eva Jurczyk
3. Murder at Mallowan Hall by Colleen Cambridge
4. The Third Circle by Amanda Quick
5. All of Us Murders by KJ Charles
6. The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
7. Prized Possessions by L.R. Wright
8. The Socialite’s Guide to Murder by S. K. Golden
9. Mr Campion’s Farewell by Mike Ripley
10. Mercy Falls by William Kent Krueger
11. Crumb: A Cartoonist’s Life by Dan Nadel
12. Murder in Containment by Anne Cleeland
13. My Fair Brady by Brian D. Kennedy
14. Seeking the Dead by Kate Ellis
15. Some Danger Involved by Will Thomas
16. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
17. The Case of the Missing Maid by Rob Osler
18. Plain Jane and the Mermaid by Vera Brosgol

Books acquired in 2026

Books acquired in January 2026

Framed in Death by J.D. Robb

Books counting towards Thingaversary

1. The Blind Watchmaker by Richard Dawkins
2. Make (Sneaky) Art by Nisant Jain
3. Valentine in Montreal by Heather O’Neill
4. The Armor of Light by Ken Follett
5. Bleeding Heart Yard by Elly Griffiths
6. Down Cemetery Road by Mick Herron
7. Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe
8. The Governess Game by Tessa Dare
9. Unnatural Causes by P.D. James
10. Standing in the Shadows by Peter Robinson
11. Rather Be the Devil by Ian Rankin

13. My Fair Brady by Brian D. Kennedy



Length: 338 pages

The last year in high school was going badly for Wade Westmore, not only had his boyfriend broken up with him but he had also scored the lead as Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady, the part Wade had been counting on. But then a new guy on the lighting crew asked for his help to become popular and, shades of Eliza Doolittle, it’s make over time and a way for Wade to get back with his former boyfriend if things played out right. But, of course they didn’t and the unforeseen consequences underpinned the story of My Fair Brady.

Happy new thread, Meg!

Happy new thread Meg! What is the story on the photo in >12 Familyhistorian:?

Happy new thread, Meg. I like the look of >12 Familyhistorian:

Happy New Thread! I'm not sure I am going to get to read our February book before book club night. I've got the audiobook downloaded because there is a wait list on the ebook. I've added myself to that list. I think I could read the ebook faster than listen to the audio version. I could make good progress if I had both. I'm also in the midst of another audiobook so I won't get to the longish one for book club before I finish the other. I should finish it this week, I suspect, although I lost an hour of commute time today since it was a work from home day. I probably won't be at the book club meeting because I'm scheduled to work that evening, but I might be able to pop in briefly.

Happy new thread, Meg. I love your art!

Happy New Thread, Meg. I like that artistic topper. Nice job.

>15 quondame: Thanks Susan!

Happy new one, Meg.

>1 Familyhistorian: I like that, but I am not sure how structurally sound it would be!

>16 mdoris: Hi Mary, well I ended up with a blank space so I had to fill it and a library photo looked appropriate. If memory serves me correctly, that photo was taken in the library on Bowen Island where I visited during my internship with the heritage society there.

>17 jessibud2: Thanks Shelley, I hope your snow is on its way out now. We haven't had any yet where I am but you never know. We've had snowmagedden in February before.

>18 thornton37814: Hi Lori, I remember Agent Josephine as a very interesting read. It might go quickly for you once you get a hold of it. I hope you are able to drop in to book club for a bit.

>19 BLBera: Thanks Beth on both counts. I'm hoping to get better at doing urban landscape drawing but I guess it would help if I actually got back to doing it.

>20 msf59: Thanks Mark! I enjoyed doing the artwork.

>22 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul! It was a copy of another painting that was done from actually buildings I think. So maybe it would be okay. At least the one that I copied from looked sound.

>23 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg, I worked at the school for many years on Bowen but I never went to the local library. It is a wonderful picture!

>29 mdoris: I don't remember seeing the school on Bowen so I guess we're even, Mary. Do you remember seeing this?



It's the Bowen Museum and Archives which is or was in one of the cottages in Davies Orchard in Snug Cove.

Happy New Thread, Meg! Your urban landscape drawing is lovely.

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Meg! I love your drawing in >1 Familyhistorian:

Yes wonderful drawing Meg !!! and what a wonderful building to house the library on Bowen >30 Familyhistorian:. I steamed through Snug Cove on my way to the school which was at the top of the hill and to the right a bit. I worked there for 16 years and really loved the community but never made it to the library. The community library in West Vancouver was/is outstanding!

>31 vancouverdeb: Thanks Deborah, I hope to get better at that kind of art as I go along.

>32 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita, I hope the snow in your part of the country is starting to disappear now.

>33 bell7: Hi Mary, and thanks re the thread and the artwork!

>34 mdoris: Hi Mary, the picture in >30 Familyhistorian: isn't a view of the library on Bowen Island. I need to track that photo down. I think it's on my other computer. Will post it when I find it.

I never really made it out of Snug Cove but I was there for Steamship Days a few times. Did you ever make it to one of those?

No I never did Meg but I bet there is lots of fun to be had!

Happy new thread, Meg!

>39 mdoris: It was really fun, Mary. The first year I attended they had a fashion show outside showing off historic dress and there was a line of Model Ts parked nearby.

>40 richardderus: Thanks Richard!

Hi Meg my dear, Happy New Thread. My reading mojo has picked back up after my hospital stay and i am feeling quite well, hopefully no more trauma's this year. Sending love and hugs dear friend.

>43 johnsimpson: Thanks for the new thread wishes, John. Good to hear that your reading is getting back on track. I'm all for no more trauma's this year but there are too many health issues going around. Fingers crossed that your surgery date will come up soon and actually happen.

14. Seeking the Dead by Kate Ellis



Length: 330 pages

DI Joe Plantagenet was the track of a particularly nasty serial killer who asphyxiated his victims then left them in local churchyards. It was a difficult case especially as his female boss, seemed distracted and then there was young Carmel, the daughter of his ex-partner, the one who had been gunned down at the same time that Joe was but, hadn’t been lucky enough to survive. Carmel had just moved to Eborby, where Joe worked and he was supposed to keep an eye on her. With so many distractions it was hard to figure out the crime, let alone where he should direct his attention in Seeking the Dead.

I enjoyed this, the first in the Joe Plantagenet series and will looking for the follow up volume soon.

My friend and I share birthdays early in the year so we have a tradition of getting together between her January birthday and my February birthday to have a meal and, in today's case, to have a look at nearby furniture stores. It was fun and the rain even held off for the time that we were going between the shops. It was getting going again by the time we left the restaurant though.

Happy Birthday a little early Meg. I'm glad you and your friend had a good day with a meal and furniture shopping. Have you got any furniture in mind ? We bought a new sofa and two chairs about 3 years. It sure took us a lot of looking and comparing etc and we finally ended up getting some custom made ones from Sofa So Good. They were very patient. However, I mainly sit in a old recliner my mom didn't want and is quite ugly, so there is that. At 5'3 I find my feet don't touch the ground with a lot of furniture, including our custom made stuff, thus I like the old recliner.

>47 vancouverdeb: - *Sofa So Good*! What a great name for a furniture company! lol.

Happy early birthday, Meg!

>47 vancouverdeb: Thanks Deborah. The furniture wasn't for me, my friend is hoping to move into a new place and was getting some ideas. I got new furniture not that long ago. I made sure that my feet touched the floor when sitting in my new couch and chair as I'm quite aware of the challenge of being shorter than most. I'm 5 feet tall.

>48 jessibud2: Thanks Shelley, my actual birthday doesn't happen until the second week in February.

15. Some Danger Involved by Will Thomas



Length: 288 pages

I remember reading one of the books in the Barker & Llewelyn series and liking it so much I went out and bought the first book in the series. It must have been over 10 years ago now and I hadn’t cracked the covers until now. Some Danger Involved was the origin story for the Barker & Llewelyn investigation team. In it down on his luck, Llewelyn answered an ad for an assistant to detective Barker little believing that he’d get the job. He was perfectly prepared to throw himself in the river if he failed. But he was hired and brought into the agency where he was introduced to all sorts of characters and to parts of Victorian London he’d never seen before. Oh, and yes, there was a mystery to solve.

>45 Familyhistorian: I already have one of the Joe Plantagenet books in the BlackHole, but it is not the first in the series. Not that it matters any since I cannot get hold of that one either. *sigh*

>46 Familyhistorian: What a nice tradition! Glad to hear that the rain held off for at least a little bit!

Happy early birthday from me too, Meg!

>51 Familyhistorian: Dodging that BB as I have already read it.

Happy new thread, Meg. Have a super Saturday!

16. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson



Length: 1001 pages

It took a while to get into the first book in the Stormlight Archive, The Way of Kings, as there were a few narrative strands to follow in this interesting fantasy world. I was most taken with one of the story lines that of the wronged soldier turned prisoner/bridgeman, Kaladin. Perhaps fantasy writers use the strategy of using various characters and plotlines to appeal to different readers in order to get their readers through all the words in their lengthy stories. It worked in my case and I enjoyed the story but I think I’ll take a break before tackling the next book in this series.

>52 alcottacre: Too bad you can't get a hold of the first in the Joe Plantagenet series, Stasia. It was a good introduction to the premise of the series, a police procedural in a new to me place. I don't think I've ever read a series set in York before.

Thanks for the birthday and thread wishes!

17. The Case of the Missing Maid by Rob Osler



Length: 301 pages

Chicago in the 1890s, was not a place for a woman to get ahead. Females were still supposed to fill traditional female roles, but as a young single woman with her younger brother to support, Harriet Morrow wanted more. That’s why she got her foot in the door at the Prescott Agency of detectives as a very junior operative. Her boss gave her the task of finding his neighbour’s missing maid with a deadline of one week.

The Case of the Missing Maid presented an interesting view of Chicago in the 1890s, especially the places where the less up front of the city’s citizens got down to business. Besides the usual gangsters, another side of Chicago was explored in an underground ball where man and women were free to be their true selves, the men in dresses, the women in gentleman’s attire.

18. Plain Jane and the Mermaid by Vera Brosgol



Length: 352 pages

Plain Jane had lost her parents (her little brother too, but we find out more about that later in the story) but given the law at the time she couldn’t inherit. She could, however, get her dowry if she married. So, of course, she wanted the prettiest boy in the parish, Peter. But then a mermaid took him and it was up to her to rescue him. But things in this fairy tale didn’t quite turn out as expected. Read Plain Jane and the Mermaid at you’ll see. Who said the good looking ones were the heroes?

>56 Familyhistorian: Hope you enjoyed it, Meg. 😊

>57 MickyFine: It was a fun one, Micky. Thanks for putting it on my radar!

>42 Familyhistorian: >52 alcottacre: >54 Familyhistorian: I'm disappointed that I can't get hold of the first in the DI Joe Plantagenet series either. I even tried the brick-and-mortar library where I live, as well as a few libraries to which I have a card for digital borrowing. I may be reduced to buying the ebook from Amazon, or else I'll just start with the third in the series. Very annoying!

Happy new thread, Meg. Love the quirky urban landscape drawing up top!

>59 Storeetllr: Following series by borrowing from libraries can be very frustrating, I find. Often they are in electronic formats I don't have access to.

Thanks for the new thread wishes! I'm glad you like the landscape topper, Mary.

January stats

Books read: 18
Pages read: 6406 (books may have been started in months previous to the one in which they were counted)
Read pages counted in 2026: 6406
Male authors: 7
Female authors: 11
Owned books: 4
Borrowed books: 14

Oh my goodness Meg, you are a reading machine!

>62 mdoris: Books keep me going, Mary.

I was thinking that I had done pretty well with reading 7 books in January, and nearly finished my eighth, but then I get to your thread and others and I am not such a fast reader, Meg.

>64 vancouverdeb: Seven books is a very good reading total for a month, Deborah. There are people who don't even read that much in a year and I'm related to some of them. You also have to remember that I haven't got back to jigsaw puzzling yet. When I do that should slow me down although I finally succumbed and I'm listening to my first audio book and that would go with puzzling.

>65 Familyhistorian: I am related to a couple of I don't read for pleasure people, Meg, my two sons! How did that happen? My parent's both read and encouraged off we 5 kids to read, and we all do. Enjoy your audio book and puzzling, when you get to it. I pair those two together a lot. Dave was reading a couple of books a month, but has stopped and seems fixated on his Iphone.

>63 Familyhistorian: Very good plan Meg!

>66 vancouverdeb: Reading was a part of our life growing up too, Deborah. My Dad read a lot and my Mum turned me on to the Mrs. Pollifax series. My younger brother even wrote 3 novels. I'm not sure if my nephew reads but I know my son doesn't. I'm not sure how the reading gene skipped them.

>67 mdoris: Thanks Mary, it seems to be helping.

I hope your reads treat you well this week, Meg!

>70 richardderus: Thanks Richard! I could do with something going well this week.

19. Dying Games Steve Robinson



Length: 310 pages

I enjoy genealogical mysteries, the Jefferson Tayte genealogical mysteries among them. In Dying Games, Tayte was a consultant to the FBI as a serial killer was targeting his former clients. Things moved quickly and the body count mounted but then it appeared that the killer had been stopped so Tayte returned to England only to find that a killer was operating there too. It was a mystery thriller that kept me turning the pages.

Hi Meg! I'm finally getting around the threads this year and returning your visit to mine.

My sons don't read much either, though my younger son avidly follows the Skulduggery Pleasant series (nothing else, though) and my older son tells me he does read graphic novels on his Kindle sometimes.

>72 Familyhistorian: I haven't made it that far in the series. One of the genealogical mysteries started off really bad and improved, and I can never remember whether it was Robinson or another guy whose name I can't recall. Nathan Dylan Goodwin's have tended to be a bit more solid. I think he found a professional genealogist reader for his and consults regularly.

20. Murder Takes a Vacation by Laura Lippman



I went for a shorter book as it was my first audio book. Murder Takes a Vacation saw the widow, Mrs. Blossom taking her first European cruise and looking for adventure. Well, she found it, being romanced from the get go by Allan who she was falling for but that was a romance that ended too fast. However, it led to the police investigating her when he died falling off his hotel balcony.

Then when her friend met up with her they were onto the cruise, but things where confusing there too. She didn’t know who she could trust and her friend was out to find Mr. Right (the fourth in her case) which made things interesting on top of which it appeared that some criminal element thought that Mrs. Blossom had something they wanted. It was an adventure of a life time just as she’d promised her friend that is if they didn’t end up being killed.

>73 humouress: Well, at least your sons sound like they are still a little engaged with reading, Nina. Thanks for the visit!

>74 thornton37814: I like genealogical mysteries but they can be a bit hit or miss, I find. I haven't read very far in Nathan Dylan Goodwin's series but I do own a few of his books. I should get to those soon.

>75 Familyhistorian: So how was your first audio book experience?

>75 Familyhistorian: Interesting review! I've had a mixed experience with her books in the past, and kind of intrigued that she is switching to writing a series. (Or have I missed something?) I'm interested enough to see if the library has a copy.

Happy Wednesday, Meg!

21. The Haunting of Alma Fielding: A True Ghost Story by Kate Summerscale



The Haunting of Alma Fielding: A True Ghost Story was about an investigation of a woman supposedly haunted by a poltergeist. The action took place between the two world wars, when psychic phenomena ran rampant. A lot of time was spent in séances with Alma manifesting various physical objects and signs to bolster her claims while Fodor, a Hungarian ghost hunter turned psychical researcher attempted to explain things by scientific means. It was an odd read that was able to convey London’s atmosphere during the time between the two world wars.

>78 thornton37814: It was hard to keep my attention on the story, Lori. A few times, I found myself backing up and going over the same thing I'd just heard. I'm glad I chose a short book!

>79 charl08: According to the author note at the end of the book, Mrs Blossom appeared in another work but I don't think she was the main character. I believe Murder Takes a Vacation is the start of a series though.

>80 richardderus: Thanks Richard. I hope your day is a good one!

Meg, I always have to have a physical copy of book to listen to it on audio. Or a kindle version. I am improving quite a lot with my listening skills, but I need that book. Good for you , doing it all by audio.

>85 vancouverdeb: It was easy to get distracted doing it all by audio. If you are doing a puzzle while listening to an audio book, how do you use the written book at the same time?

>86 Familyhistorian: I listen to the audio book when I puzzle , but I also read the physical book , so it’s kind of a hybrid read . I also like having the physical book in case while listening, I think- what happened? I’d rather flip through a book than go back and forth on the audio book if I missed something, or didn’t understand something.

22. Guilty by Definition by Susie Dent



Length: 383 pages

Martha and her sister, Charlie, were close growing up in Oxford but Charlie was the brilliant one, the favourite daughter, Martha her shadow. Charlie was working on her PhD when she disappeared and shortly after that Martha escaped to Berlin. Now she’s back and senior editor of the Clarendon English Dictionary. She was getting used to being head of her staff but then the postcards started coming, insulting sometimes at other hinting at knowledge of untoward proclivities among them. It was enough to start them looking for clues to see if they could find out what happened to Charlie in those days before she vanished.

Guilty by Definition was an engaging read based in Oxford, so there was history and scholarship involved.

>87 vancouverdeb: That's a good way to do it, Deborah. I found myself turning back the recording when I couldn't figure out what had happened.

>53 Familyhistorian: Adding that one to the BlackHole. I actually have a board game based on the Stormlight Archive even though I have not read any of the books :)

>56 Familyhistorian: That one is already in the BlackHole or I would be adding it again!

>61 Familyhistorian: Looks like January was a good reading month for you, Meg!

>72 Familyhistorian: Do I need to start another series? Of course not. Will that stop me from adding this one to the BlackHole? Of course not!

>75 Familyhistorian: Laura Lippman has fallen off my radar in recent years but I used to read her regularly. I will have to see if I can find that one. Thanks for the recommendation, Meg!

>81 Familyhistorian: I have read a couple of Summerscale's books and enjoyed them for the most part, so I will have to seek that one out.

>90 alcottacre: I'm glad I could add to your reads, Stasia. The books of the Storm Light Archive are not to be taken lightly. Door Stoppers is how I'd describe them!

My grandniece had an adventure at Surrey Memorial today, if you can all it that, Meg. Apparently she was not feeling well, so they took her to the local South Delta Hospital, who referred her on to the pediatric emergency in Surrey. Turns out she had a appendicitis. She is just 5, so I was surprised that you can get that so young. She had her appendix out late this afternoon, laparoscopic surgery. When I spoke with my sister, they weren't sure if she was getting out this evening this evening or tomorrow. Things have changed since one had to spend days in the hospital recovering - which maybe if you had an big incision you would

>92 vancouverdeb: Wow, at 5?!? I never heard of that either. I had my gall bladder and appendix removed laparoscopically some years ago though and went home the same day and back to work on day 4. Amazing what difference three tiny wholes vs a big cut can make.

>93 RebaRelishesReading: I was surprised too, Reba. But then my neighbour had her appendix out in her late 40's - maybe early 50's and I thought that was on the old side. My aunt did have a burst appendix when she was just 6 or 7, which was pretty serious in those days , still is , so I guess that is not so much older. I thought most cases occurred in the the teens or twenties - thirties. My little grandniece sure looks cheerful in the photos my sister sent me after the surgery. What a difference from the old days, when I had my tonsils out at age 6 , and had to stay 2 nights and I was not cheerful.

>88 Familyhistorian: I have been waiting for this one from the library, Meg. Good to know you liked it. I love mysteries set in Oxford.

23. King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby



Length: 333 pages

Roman Carruthers was doing well in Atlanta, wheeling and dealing with the best of them but his roots were in Jefferson Run, the small town where his father ran a crematorium. But his father was in a coma and his sister called him home to help because his younger brother was no help at all wasted as he was.
It didn’t take Roman long to figure out that Jefferson Run had major gang problems. His brother’s attempts to sell a whack of heroin without the gang knowing took care of that.

King of Ashes was a page turning thriller in which there were no white hats to be seen.

>92 vancouverdeb: That is quite the adventure for your grandniece, Deborah. They don't seem to keep people in the hospital very long after operations these days. I guess that's because of the less invasive techniques they've developed over the years.

>92 vancouverdeb: > 93 Appendicitis at 5 does seem very young. >94 vancouverdeb: Even 6 or 7 sounds amazingly young.

>95 BLBera: It was a good one, Beth. The sleuth sister worked for a dictionary too, so the clues featured definitions which makes sense with the title.

24. Little Boy Blue by M. J. Arlidge



Length: 377 pages

I really like the DI Helen Grace series and was eager to get to the next one when reminded that I hadn’t picked up one of the series in a while. I got more than I bargained for with Little Boy Blue. Helen led a secret life and usually managed to keep them separate. The police would not understand her ties to the S & M scene. But in this case, the victims were people she knew from her secret life. Would she be able to solve the crime without revealing her own secrets?

Okay this is the second time this year I’ve read a book in a series only for it to end with life changing circumstances for the hero. Is that a new requirement of long standing series?

Spring is coming!

>100 Familyhistorian: Wow! Lucky us Meg!

>101 mdoris: Indeed, I've seen things sprouting but nothing like that. I think them being fully in bloom is because of the sun bouncing off the sign they're in front of.

>102 Familyhistorian: - Meg, I just heard our weather guy say that tomorrow, we will get above zero for the first time in 24 days. Nothing sprouting here, that's for sure!

>103 jessibud2: Well at least your weather is going in the right direction, Shelley.

25. Between Us by Mhairi McFarlane



Length: 370 pages

The group had been friends for a while, getting together to share weekends and Joe and Roisin were an acknowledged couple. But he was going places writing TV scripts, was she ready for his shows to take off and was she happy with how he got his ideas for his dramas? How far was too far when it came to taking ideas from real life. It was up to Roisin to figure that out in Between Us.

So I'm off to the hospital in a bit to visit my son. He's staying there for a week while they try another round of chemo.

>106 Familyhistorian: - Oh, Meg. I am so sorry to hear this. I had hoped that this part was completed by now and that he was home and on the mend. {{Strength}} to you both!

Warm thoughts and wishes going with you, Meg.

I'm thinking about you and your son too Meg and very hopeful that this new round of chemo helps very much.

Best wishes to you and Sam, Meg. I hope this round of chemo helps a lot.

Best wishes to you and your son, Meg.

>106 Familyhistorian: I hope this round will go easy on him and hard on the cancer, Meg.

Sending my thoughts and good wishes to you both.

>107 jessibud2: Hi Shelley, he has been home and is just in the hospital for a week for a different kind of chemo.

>108 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks Reba!

>109 mdoris: My fingers are crossed for this treatment, Mary, but the odds are not good.

>110 vancouverdeb: Thanks Deborah!

>111 BLBera: Thank you, Beth!

>112 richardderus: That's my hope too, Richard.

>113 charl08: Thanks Charlotte!

My best to you and Sam as you navigate a difficult time in Sam's treatment, Meg. I think of both of you often and I pray for both of you too.

Me too Meg, I think and pray for you and Sam too!

26. Ain't Nobody's Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton by Martha Ackmann



Length: 289 pages

Country Music wasn’t my thing growing up, but many years living with someone really into country exposed me to the genre. At the same time, I found out about many of the musicians and singers. The women of country were the easiest to remember and the ones that made me the most curious. When I saw a new book out about Dolly Parton, Ain’t Nobody’s Fool: The Life and Time of Dolly Parton I wanted to read it. It was a well written overview of her life and times which filled in many of the areas of her life which I hadn’t known about.

>115 vancouverdeb: >116 mdoris: Thanks for your support Deborah and Mary. It's much needed and appreciated.

>117 Familyhistorian: She's led such a fascinating life, done so much good, and kept a sense of humor through it all. I enjoyed the read, too, so I'm glad you did as well.

>117 Familyhistorian: I'm not really a Country fan but Dolly Parton is a lady with a lot of depth to her. I very much respect the work she quietly does for humanity.

More importantly, wishing you and Sam strength and good outcome.

>117 Familyhistorian: Dolly is very popular in these parts. In fact, she is an honorary alumnus of the university where I'm employed!

>119 richardderus: She's a fascinating woman, Richard, and the read was a good one. I was unaware of all the good that she has done with her wealth over the years until this read.

>120 RebaRelishesReading: Not a big country fan here either, Reba, but I find her very interesting especially how she gives back to the community.

Thanks for the supportive words, every bit helps!

>121 thornton37814: I thought I saw some place names that were familiar during the read, Lori, and I thought they were in your area.

>124 Familyhistorian: Sevierville is about 30 miles from me. Sevier County is about 20 minutes.

>125 thornton37814: So very close to the areas that were written about in the book.

>117 Familyhistorian: I'm not a country music fan either, but the book about Dolly Parton sounds interesting. The fact that she staying married to her husband for all those years, as a star is interesting in itself.

>127 Whisper1: Thanks Linda, that made me smile!

>128 vancouverdeb: It probably helped that her husband wasn't a part of the hoopla around her career and had the same background as she did. There was a lot about her that I hadn't known about, like how she gives back to the community. It's worth a read, Deborah.

27. The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman



Length: 352 pages

It was fun to catch up with the Thursday Murder Club in their latest outing, The Impossible Fortune. Joyce’s daughter, Joanna, got married and one of their guests took Elizabeth aside to ask for her advice. Seems that he had found a bomb attached to his car. Things got weirder from there and once again all of the crew were drawing on their strengths to solve mysteries and, along the way, keep people alive as only they can. Oh and yes, there was bitcoin involved so up-to-date and possible/impossible possibilities.

My Thingaversary was on February 10 but it's going to take me a while longer to amass my book haul. So far I'm counting 11 from last year (see post >11 Familyhistorian:, strange how that worked out). With the one I added in January that makes 12. So far in February I've picked up two more books:

Proof by Beverley McLachlin
The Late Show by Michael Connelly

That brings my total so far to 14 so there are 5 more to acquire.

Well done in the book acquisition Meg!

>132 Familyhistorian: It's hard to acquire the haul the more years we get in. At some point, I'll just have to abandon that notion because it won't really be viable. Most of the ones I've purchased so far towards mine have been cheap for Kindle, although I have purchased a couple of real books.

>133 mdoris: It's taking me a while, Mary, but that's probably not a bad thing.

>134 thornton37814: The numbers do add up, Lori, and most years it would be easy but recently I've realized that I need to get rid of books rather than acquire them. So the difficulty getting to the number for my Thingaversary actually feels good.

I hope you got a chance to head out for a walk in the sun , Meg. Well, was it overcast ? Anyway, it didn't rain, except for a wee bit. And no snow!Yes!

>137 vancouverdeb: We had snow on the ground this morning, Deborah. I did get out for a couple of walks today, one to the Costco in Surrey while my son was in an appointment. It was super busy there especially at the cash registers!

Brrr, get out your winter woolies!

28. Finding Flora by Elinor Florence



Length: 373 pages

It took a long time for my hold to become available at the library for Finding Flora. So long that the book club meeting I was reading it for was over and done. The story was set during homesteading time in Alberta when the Canadian government was offering land to settlers who were required to farm the land to prove their claims. Men were encouraged to take up claims, women were not but Flora, who was running from the man she married, who she realized was a despicable character after the vows were said, lucked into a claim. It was land close to the few other women who were farming on their own. People were against them, so were the laws. Would they be able to make a go of it?

>139 mdoris: It's supposed to get colder tomorrow, Mary. Winter woolies indeed!

>28 Familyhistorian: I loved Finding Flora when I read it last year , Meg. I am glad you did too.

Today, it was fairly cold. Muffin and I walked on the dyke and that was fine, but later , just after 4:30, we headed to an off-leash dog park. That got cold! When you are just standing around, it gets cold. Dave walked Muffin in the am and he told me that a neighbour said we had a skiff of snow early in the morning, but it was gone by the time Dave and I were out and about.

Hi Meg, I am getting caught up wih the threads that I follow today. You've been reading some interesting books - I am going to look into getting a copy of Finding Flora. I too am slowly gathering books for my Thingaversary which comes in June. I have my fingers crossed that this will be a snowless year. We had a few flakes drifting down yesterday but it was over quickly and didn't stick. I hope that Sam is doing ok - is he home from his hospital stay? Ken and I are going to the Cancer Centre next Tuesday for his Pet Scan and hopefully he will be clear.

29. Sharpe's Fortress by Bernard Cornwell



Length: 294 pages

In this installment of the Sharpe series, our hero was thinking twice about his promotion to ensign. He had been posted with a Scottish regiment and did not fit in. So, of course, since he was not content he had to find where he could fit in so he started going his own way picking up a young boy from the opposing side to be his servant, meeting up with old allies and generally getting into trouble. His enemies like Obediah Hakeswill weren’t far behind either. Things came to a head at the impenetrable fortress of Gawilghur with its cunning and deadly defenses. Of course, Sharpe saved the day and ended up defeating Dodd, the mercenary leading the forces defending the fortress in Sharpe’s Fortress.

>142 vancouverdeb: We had a bit of snow on the ground on Tuesday too but it was so cold that it froze on my car. It has been chilly the last few days, Deborah. At least it hasn't snowed again.

>143 DeltaQueen50: I had to wait quite a long time to get my hands on a library copy of Finding Flora, Judy. I was on the hold list for three different libraries. I hope you don't have as much trouble as I did.

Sam is home from his hospital stay but will be going back in March for a week again. This is a different kind of chemo and we'll see if this works. I hope that Ken passes the Pet Scan with flying colours!

30. Copper River by William Kent Krueger



Length: 309 pages

Cork O’Connor took refuge with his cousin, Jewell and her son Ren, after his car was shot up and he ended up with a bullet in his leg. As she was a vet, Jewell patched him up as well as she could. Good thing too because things began to get hot in Bodine after a girl’s body was found floating down the river. Cork was once again involved in straightening things out along with Dina the very capable woman who had saved his life before. There was an immediate mystery for them to investigate in town although they had no official standing and there was also the contract that Jacoby had put out on Cork that loomed in the background. Copper River was another page turning mystery in the series.

>146 Familyhistorian: I just checked and Finding Flora is at my library but of course all copies are being used which is Ok as I don't mind waiting, it's not like I have nothing to read!

31. Artificial Condition by Martha Wells



Length: 158 pages

Once again on his own after taking off from his guardian, Murderbot makes a deal with an empty transport to get him on his way to his next destination. The deal was for media and ART, the transport, agreed because he was bored. Both of them got more than they bargained for out of the deal with Murderbot having ART as back up for his first time security gig which ended up to be very much needed. Artificial Condition was another interesting adventure for Murderbot and for the reader.

>148 DeltaQueen50: I had to wait for over two months to get my hands on a copy. I hope your wait is shorter than mine, Judy.

Dropping in to say hello. I am behind on threads.

Further up there was talk about books read and how some people don't read at all. It always amazes me when people say they don't read. Equally astonishing is when those same non readers can't believe that I don't watch a lot of TV ;)

Happy weekend reading!

Happy Saturday, Meg. Hooray for King of Ashes. Cosby has become a favorite crime author of mine. Speaking of crime- I am enjoying Crooks. Berney is also a solid crime writer and I want to read more of him.

I haven't read a Sharpe book in ages. Joe keeps on me about it. He is a huge fan.

>151 figsfromthistle: Hi Anita, I know that behind on threads feeling. What's even more disconcerting is how many of us on LT are related to non-readers.

Have a wonderful weekend!

>152 msf59: I'm making my way through the Sharpe series very slowly, Mark. Not only are they fun adventures but they deliver a bit of history along the way especially if you read the real facts in the author's notes at the end. Since my military ancestors seem to have been sent there a lot it's good to have some idea of what actually happened.

I'll have to check out Crooks. It sounds like a good one.

32. Hide and Seek by M. J. Arlidge



Length: 372 pages

The next book in the DI Grace series, follows on closely on the last. Disgraced and incarcerated, Helen Grace must find a way to survive in crumbling Holloway prison. The natives were not friendly to an ex-copper but there was something else afoot. Inmates were dying in their cells at night, their bodies mutilated in bizarre ways. Was it the work of one of the guards or could one of the inmates have found a way to get in and out of the cells at night to carry out their strange work? Could Helen find them before they found her? Hide and Seek was aptly named.

>155 Familyhistorian: Another crime series I have completely missed! I've added it to the wishlist, sounds good.

You and I were reading The Impossible Fortune around the same time, Meg. Glad to see you enjoyed it and Murderbot - I have one more story I'm hoping to get to in the next month or so, and then I have the ARC of the new one (due out in May, and pre-ordered too) ready to go.

Adding my best wishes for Sam's current treatment & thinking of you.

>156 charl08: The DI Helen Grace series is a good one, Charlotte. As I remember I got the nudge from Judy (DeltaQueen).

>157 bell7: Impossible Fortune is a popular book right now with fans of the series wanting to get their hands on it right away so not a big surprise we got to it around the same time, Mary. I'm enjoying Murderbot. Lucky you having the ARC of the latest.

Thanks for your good wishes for Sam's treatment. Every bit helps!

I have not read any of the DI Grace series, Meg, but I sure love the TV series - it's on Britbox or maybe Netflix.

>160 vancouverdeb: I checked and there is a Detective Grace series on Britbox but that is Detective Roy Grace. The books I've been reading are about DI Helen Grace written by M. J. Arlidge. The televised series is based on the novels by Peter James. So it looks like we both found good police procedurals with different main characters.

>161 Familyhistorian: Thanks for clarifying that for me, Meg. I had not realized.

>162 vancouverdeb: Strange that both series have the same last name for their detective. It makes it confusing.

>163 Familyhistorian: Roy Grace got there first by ten years, though both are in the high teens in terms of entries in their book series. "Grace" does seem an odd choice for their detective names to overlap on; I don't think it's all *that* common a surname in England, is it o genealogist?

I hope your weeks goes warmer and less snowy than ours is.

33. The Black Death: A Personal History by John Hatcher



Length: 288 pages

A fictionalized account of the plague, The Black Death: A Personal History was able to show the effects of the news of the coming disease as it approached ever nearer to the village of Walsham le Willows in Suffolk. Then the first cases happened and the first deaths, but who would deal with the dead and would the dying be able to make confession before they passed? There was only faith and religion to fend off the dreaded contagion. But even the monks were cut down. Then when the disease claimed fewer and fewer victims, there was a change brought about by the scarcity of labourers, those peasants at the bottom of the rungs of society. There were fewer of them which gave them more clout than the large landowners were used to.

>164 richardderus: Grace is not even in the top 500 names in the Guild of One-Name Studies, so not common but maybe ironic?

Definitely a given that our weather is warmer and less snowy than yours, Richard. We had a smattering of snow on the grass one morning but it disappeared quickly. The crocuses are starting to bloom and there are buds on the trees and bushes.

>91 Familyhistorian: I noticed the size of the first book when I received it recently. Door stoppers indeed! Not that the size will stop me reading it, lol.

>99 Familyhistorian: Is that a new requirement of long standing series? I sure hope not! Every now and again, maybe, but for the majority of long standing series? Pass.

>106 Familyhistorian: I hope this round of chemo does the trick for Sam, Meg.

>117 Familyhistorian: There is much to admire in Dolly Parton. The book is already in the BlackHole thanks to Richard. I just need time to read it!

>131 Familyhistorian: Yay for the Thursday Murder Club! I hope another book is forthcoming soon as I very much enjoy that series.

>132 Familyhistorian: Happy Thingaversary, Meg! I really need to start on my acquisitions towards mine upcoming in May. Twenty years this year for me! Very hard to believe.

>140 Familyhistorian: That one was recommended to me by both Deborah (VancouverDeb) and Nancy (nrmay) so it is already in the BlackHole. I hope to get my hands on a copy one of these days.

>147 Familyhistorian: I have managed to read exactly one book in that series - and I have read it at least twice - but for some reason keep failing to get back to it. I really need to return!

>149 Familyhistorian: I love Murderbot! I know for sure that she has another book in the series coming out this year, Platform Decay, and have already preordered it.

>167 alcottacre: Twenty years! That's a long time, Stasia. Library Thing must have been barely started at that time. I joined in 2008 when they must have been doing some advertising to get people to join as a lot of other readers came on board at that time.

The Cork O'Connor series is a good one which gets more interesting as it goes along. I just recently succumbed to the many, many good reviews of Murderbot. I'm just two books in so it will be a while before I'm waiting for the newest release.

>168 Familyhistorian: LT 20ers are rare. Stasia's one of a few who got here before me by a few months. It's been home for a long time now.

Hoping you get slammed by a blizzard he growled jealously a lovely spate of crocuses here pretty quick.

>169 richardderus: It must have been wonderful to meet up with other bookish people online in those first days, Richard.



Photo from two weeks ago.

>170 Familyhistorian: No one here plants single-color banks of crocus...I love seeing the yellows particularly. Thanks!

It was heady indeed, Meg.

>168 Familyhistorian: It is hard for me to believe that it has been 20 years since I stumbled upon LT. One of the best decisions I ever made was diving into this book loving pool. I cannot imagine my life without it anymore.

Beth (blbera) just recommended another book in the Cork O'Connor series on her thread so between the two of you, you have me sold on continuing on in the series - if I can get hold of the books, that is.

>169 richardderus: Hard to believe we have been here this long, isn't it, RD?

>170 Familyhistorian: Great weather today, Meg. I hope you had a chance to get out for a walk. Tomorrow we are supposed to be back to rain.

>171 richardderus: Public parks do stuff like planting all the same colour.

Heady indeed, finding book people! It took me a while to get to the social side of the site.

>172 alcottacre: I think of it as the best kind of social media, Stasia. And the people are real, you can actually meet them in person!

>173 vancouverdeb: I did get out for a walk today, Deborah. It was nice to enjoy the sunshine and hopefully store some up for the rainy days.

Murderbot is so much fun. I was surprised by how much I have enjoyed them. I listened to the audiobooks which are really well done.

34. Crashed by Timothy Hallinan



Length: 354

Starting with a burglary gone off the rails – dogs and amyl nitrate were involved – Junior Bender ended up being blackmailed into becoming the security for a former child star turned drug fiend that Trey Annunziato, a powerful LA crime boss, wants to star in a movie. It’s an “adult movie” which Junior has his doubts about. So the scene was set for the characters to all be following different scripts with different goals in mind in the fast moving story of Crashed.

>177 BLBera: I'm only two books in with the Murderbot series but I'm really enjoying them, Beth. I'm not sure if my library carries them as audio books but it's nice to know that they are good ones if I find that they do.

35. The Pumpkin Spice Cafe by Laurie Gilmore



Length: 384
Audio book

Jeanie took over her aunt Dot’s café in Dream Harbour while her aunt went on a trip. It was a case of a girl from the city being charmed by small town life so there had to be a romance. In The Pumpkin Spice Café romance sparked between Jeanie and Logan, a local farmer whose last serious relationship had tanked when his girlfriend turned him down in front of the town before she left for good. Could Logan trust Jeanie to stay especially when someone or something was sabotaging the new-to-her business?

I'ver read that one -- it was a nice easy read. And I am glad to hear you are enjoying the Murderbot series -- I am also a fan of the audios. : )

>181 Berly: It was an easy read, nice for when life events are overwhelming! I need to see if my library has audios of Murderbot with all the praise they're getting.

36. A Trace of Poison by Colleen Cambridge



Length: 260 pages

The second Phyllida Bright mystery had the housekeeper supervising at a Murder Fete in Listleigh, the village close to Agatha and Max Mallowan’s home. The Mallowans, were hosting the Members of the Detection Club, who were included in the fete which was being held in the grounds of the Catholic Church. There was a prize of publication to be given to the most promising written mystery so possible motives abounded when the bodies started to fall in A Trace of Poison.

These mysteries are going down well. I’ll have to get my hands on the next book in the series soon.

>183 Familyhistorian: They are fun mysteries, I think, Meg. Enjoy the sunny day!

>184 vancouverdeb: They are good ones! I had to go and look out the window after reading your post, Deborah. No sun here but it's not raining.

Catching up on what you've been reading. I'm behind on threads (as usual).

>186 thornton37814: Hi Lori, I know that behind on threads feeling. I hope you have a wonderful weekend full of good reads!

>185 Familyhistorian: It was sunny in the morning when I walked the dog, but it did cloud over around noon, Meg. Today was a sunny day here though.

>188 vancouverdeb: We had intermittent sprinkles of rain yesterday, Deborah. Full on sun now though.

HI Meg ☀️...don't you love it!

37. Dead Money by Jakob Kerr



Dead Money by Jakob Kerr

Length: 402 pages

The questions started when the body of the CEO of Journy was found in his office. Journy had been a star of the startup world, the fastest growing tech startup ever. The murder was one problem, the CEO’s will freezing his assets was another. The FBI became involved in the case, the chief investigator Special Agent Jameson Danner. Given the circumstances a major investor maneuvered his own investigator, Mackenzie Clyde, in as liaison. That was the setup of Dead Money, the actual story was more convoluted, involving deadly force, hidden loyalties and a twisty tale which seemed to culminate at Burning Man but did it really?

>190 mdoris: It's nice to see the sun, Mary!