November AlphaKIT: B and Y

Welcome to the November 2021 AlphaKIT, an unofficial challenge in the 2021 Category Challenge Group.

The rules are: 1. Use these letters any way you wish to select reading for the month. 2. Enjoy your reading.

and

The letter images are thanks to helenliz ! Thanks so much, they're lovely.

Please remember to update the wiki: https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/2021_AlphaKIT#November:_-_Letters:_B_and...

I only have one Y book so that's easy: The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa. I have lots of possibilities for B, but I think I will go with To Be Taught If Fortunate by Becky Chambers since it also fits the GenreKIT.

I'm planning on Year One by Nora Roberts and Breakthrough By Michael C. Grumley

I am hoping to read The Hand of Death by Margaret Yorke and Parlor Games by Maryka Biaggio.

>4 DeltaQueen50: - I'm thinking of reading Dead in the Morning by Margret Yorke since one of your BBs hit me from another of her books. And I think my other one is going to be Talking to the Dead by Harry Bingham - another BB from you.

>5 dudes22: I am sure you will love the Harry Bingham book - his main character Fiona Griffiths is fantastic! I seem to reach for Margaret Yorke for every AlphaKit "Y". So far she hasn't disappointed me. I hope you enjoy.

I've got lots for November!

25 Bridge Conventions You Should Know
✔Bear Stays Up for Christmas
✔Bear Can't Wait
✔Bear Witness
✔Burning Shore
✔Charleston Challenge by Barbara Barrett
✔Courtesy Call by Barbara Barrett
✔Cure for What Ales You
✔Death on the Shelf by Allison Brook
✔Dragon Lady Gets Her Due by Barbara Barrett
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder
Killer Words by V. M. Burns
Knit Fast, Die Young
Murder Yule Regret
Once Upon a Seaside Murder by Maggie Blackburn
✔Origin by Dan Brown
Setting Trick: Practical Problems in Bridge Defense

I am planning to read Cat Me if You Can which I picked up recently. Not sure about the B selection yet, although I have many to choose from.

I have a two-in-one, plus probably a few others I'll be reading anyway for B. My two-in-one:

Bleed, Blister, Puke, and Purge / J. Marin Younker

I'll be reading The Tunnel by A. B. Yehoshua.

I'm hoping to get the Bernard Cornwell's novel Fools and Mortals

I'm reading The Book of Otto and Liam by Paul Griner for B.

I read Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi for B.

I read Madeline's Rescue by Ludwig Bemelmans plus two Magic School Bus books.

I read Guest House for Young Widows for Y.

I thought I'd struggle to find Y books, but I've now finished two. My second was Never Say You Can't Survive.

I read Elevator Pitch by Linwood Barclay.

Another one for B: A Decent Interval by Simon Brett

I have completed both my B and Y reads with Parlor Games by Maryka Biaggio and The Hand of Death by Margaret Yorke. I particularly enjoyed Parlor Games, it was a 5 star read.

I'm currently reading my Y book, Yours Cheerfully by AJ Pearce.

I read The Mark of the Raven by Morgan L. Busse for B

COMPLETED Tales from the Folly by Ben Aaronovitch

Starting "A Blink of the Screen" by Terry Pratchett

A couple of kid's books for my Y reads. Owl Moon by Jane Yolen and You Are Special by Max Lucado

My Brother's Keeper by Howard Engel and Eric Wright
I thoroughly enjoyed this mild mystery penned by two Canadian authors using their famous sleuths, Howard Engel's gentle private investigator Benny Cooperman and Eric Wright's more refined detective Charlie Salter. Benny's help has been sought by his brother Sam, a doctor in a Toronto hospital while Charlie Salter is doing the official police investigation of a high-ranking doctor who has been reported missing. Their progress of he case is given in alternate chapters, while they are unaware of each other. Although the cover looks like a "plain brown wrapper" it shows an appealing illustration by Greg McEvoy with more inside.

December thread is up: https://www.librarything.com/topic/336716

Thanks for all the AlphaKIT participation. See you next year!

COMPLETED A Woman Unknown by Frances Brody.

Starting Murder on a Summer's Day by the same author.

Murphy's Law / Rhys Bowen
4 stars

It’s 1901. Molly is running from her small town in Ireland after she accidentally killed a man when he tried to rape her. In London, she meets up with a woman planning to take her children to America to meet up with her husband who is already there. Unfortunately, a medical test before they leave finds her too sick to travel. They decide that Molly will pretend to be her (Kathleen) and escort the kids to their father. Unfortunately, as they were detained overnight on Ellis Island, one of the men who had been on the same ship was murdered. Molly happened to see a guard that night in the vicinity of the men’s barracks; she had also been seen slapping the murdered man on the ship.

I really liked this one. Historical mysteries aren’t always my favourite, but I think the historical aspect of this was really well done: dealing with the hardships of arriving as an immigrant, not really knowing anyone… finding a job, so she can eat and pay for shelter. I did like her relationship with the kids she brought with her, especially the little girl. I would have liked a bit more follow-up with that, but maybe that will come in future books in the series. This might be amongst my favourite cozy mysteries, probably due to the historical setting, but that can’t be the only reason since (many) other historical mysteries don’t pull me in like this one did.

Reading The Ape Who Guards The Balance by Elizabeth Peters for my B read.

I've finished Aunty Lee's Delights by Ovidia Yu a cute mystery set in Singapore.

I read Cold Harbour by Francis Brett Young.

The Fallout / S. A. Bodeen
3.5 stars

Potential spoilers for book 1: Eli and his family have made it out of the underground compound without his father. They are reunited with Gram and Eli’s twin, Eddy. But it’s not easy fitting back in to a “normal” life after six years underground, especially as the well-known rich family they are as they try to hide from prying eyes. They don’t even know who they can trust.

I liked this. It did show how hard it would be to fit back in to a regular life, for Eli and the family, in addition to Eddy having to get used to this new world, as well. As I noticed at least one other review mention, the science fiction aspect of the book didn’t come into play until near the end, but that didn’t bother me, as I still thought the rest of the book was good, too. There were a couple of surprises near the end – one I’d guessed (just shortly before it was revealed), but I didn’t guess the other at all.

COMPLETED Murder on a Summer's Day by Frances Brody

COMPLETED The Years, Months, Days: Two Novellas by Lianke Yan (Author), Carlos Rojas (Translator)
Bonus points for Double Y (title and author)

Ask the Animals / Bruce R. Coston
3.75 stars

This is a memoir by a veterinarian. It focuses more on his life than the animal anecdotes, but those are definitely added in, as well; that is, it the larger focus is on his life in becoming and being a veterinarian (as well as some family life and his own pets).

For the most part I liked it. I found the schooling and the anecdotes interesting. Of his home life, the pets were the best part. I was disappointed, however, to read that at least one of his cats (not sure about the others) was declawed, as was the office cat at his practice.

The Last Star / Rick Yancey
2 stars

This is the last book in a YA sci-fi trilogy where aliens have arrived to take over the planet and to destroy the majority of the humans (on a very broad level).

I should have reread my review for the 2nd book before grabbing the audio from the library. My review for the 2nd one specifically stated that I should NOT do the audio for the last book. Oops! Once again, there was very little to no recap for the previous books (or if there was, I missed it). Most of the characters have two names – their real name and their nickname, so it’s hard to remember who is who sometimes, especially when not fully engaged/interested in what I’m listening to. There were two different narrators, one male and one female, but more than two different viewpoints. Each chapter did say whose viewpoint it was, but because I missed things, I still had trouble knowing between the male or female characters whose POV I was hearing (combined with the multiple names and not really remembering their background because I couldn’t recall who was who…).

I just read The Secret Bridesmaid by Katy Birchall for B. It was a cute women's fiction read, and I would definitely read more by this author!

I've finished Eleven Pipers Piping by C.C. Benison for my "B" book this month.

Starting "The Years of Rice and Salt" by Kim Stanley Robinson

>38 Robertgreaves: I love that book so much! I hope you enjoy it even half as much as I do!

Just finished Kindred by Octavia E. Butler. For B. Such a good book.

Just finished Year One by Nora Roberts. Okay.

Sylvia / Bryce Courtenay
3.5 stars

It’s the 13th century in Germany. Sylvia was young when her mother died and her father abused her. When he died, she was driven from her mother’s home and land by the local people. As she travelled, she met up with Reinhardt, who played lovely music on his flute that often caused rats and other animals to follow him; he called himself the Pied Piper of Hamelin. They travelled together and with her angelic voice and his flute, they entertained people (and/or he drove rats away) to get food to eat and shelter. Sylvia had additional (to the singing) gifts of her own, that when combined with the fish birthmark on her back, people tended to believe she was an angel and miracles happened when she was around.

Eventually, Sylvia and Reinhardt met up with a child, Nicholas, who seemed to have a gift for preaching (at least, when he partook of the mushrooms Sylvia showed him how to consume). Nicholas drew other children to him with his preaching and he decided (well, he was told by Jesus) there would be a “Children’s Crusade” from Germany to Jerusalem.

This was good, but long. A lot of religion in this one, and it seems some of it (but what?) was historically accurate. Unfortunately, the author only included acknowledgments at the end, so the fact that some of this really happened was mentioned but not expanded on, as I was hoping. I assume what really happened was the Children’s Crusade, but I will have to look that up to find out. This is long – almost 500 pages of small font (in the physical book).

Another B; Hard Truth by Nevada Barr. Need a Y.

I finished Broken Skin by Stuart MacBride. Tartan Noir. I'd gotten away from the series for awhile and now remember how much I'd enjoyed the first two books. Lots of crazy characters and much off color humor.

Finished Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain for Y and B.

I wrapped up HHhH (by Laurent Binet) right before the US Thanksgiving holiday week!
A historical fiction about the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, Nazi German Pro Tem Protectorate of Czechoslovakia. The narrative is shaped by the author's writing of the book itself. I'm not clear what the "fiction" part of this book is... Anyway, short chapters, engaging read. I flew though the book and I feel like my broken reading brain is starting to recover! :-)

>45 Kristelh: I loved that book!

Just one book for AlphaKIT this month, a B book: A Noise Downstairs, by Linwood Barclay.

Some last B reads. Amelia Bedelia Talks Turkey by Herman Parrish and Booking the Crook by Laurie Cass