Ivy's 12 in 12 -- Part 2

My 12 in 12 Step Challenge

Final tally: 76 books

1. Major Accomplishment (0/1)
2. Disasters (0/2)
3. New Harmony, Indiana (0/3)
4. Other US History (1/4)
5. Fantasy (9/5) -- completed May
6. British History (4/6)
7. Ancient World (2/7)
8. Modern World (8/8) -- completed December
9. Around the World (6/9)
10. British Mystery (12/10) -- completed December
11. North American Mystery (17/11) -- completed September
12. And On and On (13/12) -- completed November

Bonus: A Baker's Dozen of Misfits and Overflows (17/13: 4 Misfits + 13 Overflow) -- completed November

Month TIOLI

January:
~~ 11/22/63 by Stephen King
~~ A Free Man of Color by Barbara Hambly (Benjamin January #1)

February:
~~ A Darkly Hidden Truth by Donna Fletcher Crow (Monastery Murders #2)
~~ Death of a Butterfly by Margaret Maron (Sigrid Harald #2)

March:
~~ The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown (Robert Langdon #3)
~~ Eggsecutive Orders by Julie Hyzy (White House Chef #3)
~~ Sup with the Devil by Barbara Hamilton (Abigail Adams #3)

April
~~ The Promise of Lumby by Gail Fraser (Lumby #4)

May
~~ The Deeds of the Disturber by Elizabeth Peters (Amelia Peabody #5)
~~ The Jasmine Moon Murder by Laura Childs (Tea Shop #5)

June
~~ Chamomile Mourning by Laura Childs (Tea Shop #6)

1. Major Accomplishment

1.

Reading:
2666 by Roberto Bolano

2. Disasters

1.
2.

Candidates:
*The Big Burn by Timothy Egan
*Krakatoa by Simon Winchester
*The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough

3. New Harmony, Indiana

1.
2.
3.

Candidates:
*The New Harmony Movement by George B. Lockwood
*The Angel and the Serpent by William E. Wilson
*The Angel in the Forest by Marguerite Young

4. Other US History

1. Time and Again by Jack Finney (March, 4 1/2*)
2.
3.
4.

Candidates:
*New York by Edward Rutherfurd
**Chesapeake by James Michener
This is Graceanne's Book by P.L. Whitney
The Awakening by Kate Chopin
Broken: A Love Story by Lisa Jones
*An Air That Kills by Andrew Taylor
Trail of Tears by John Ehle
*A Mercy by Toni Morrison
*My Antonia by Willa Cather
Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather

5. Fantasy
5 COMPLETED -- May

1. When the Tripods Came by John Christopher (Tripods prequel) (February, 3*)
2. The Pool of Fire by John Christopher (Tripods #3) (February, 3*)
3. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (Thursday Next #1) (February, 3 1/2*)
4. Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella (April, 4 1/2*)
5. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin (May, 4 1/2*)

6. A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin (July, 5*)
7. A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin (August, 5*)
8. A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin (September, 5*)
9. A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin (October, 5*)

Candidates:
Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire
A Lion Among Men by Gregory Maguire
Stephen Donaldson
Rick Riordan

6. British History

1. Here Be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman (February, 4*)
2. Welsh Mythology and Folklore in Popular Culture, edited by Audrey L. Becker and Kristin Noone (April, 3*)
3. The Royals: The Lives and Loves of the British Monarchs by Leslie Carroll (May, 4*)
4. The Cricket on the Hearth by Charles Dickens (December, 3 1/2*)
5.
6.

Candidates:
*The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
*The Greatest Knight by Elizabeth Chadwick
Victoria's Daughters by Jerrold M. Packard
**Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon

Dorothy Dunnett
Margaret George

7. Ancient World

1. The Golden Bough by Sir James George Frazer (January)
2. From Ritual to Romance by Jessie L. Weston (January)
~~ "Alcibiades" & "Lysander" in Plutarch's Lives, Volume 1 (February)
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Reading:
Hellenica by Xenophon

Candidates:
*Mary, Called Magdalene by Margaret George
Helen of Troy by Margaret George
Nefertiti by Michelle Moran
*The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels

8. Modern World
20th and 21st centuries
8 COMPLETED -- December

1. The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides (January, 3 1/2*)
2. 11/22/63 by Stephen King (January, 5*)
3. You Don't Look Like Anyone I Know by Heather Sellers (January, 3 1/2*)
4. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown (March, 3 1/2*)
5. Soldier Dogs by Maria Goodavage (March, 4 1/2*)
~~ "A Young Girl in 1941 with No Waist at All" by J.D. Salinger (March)
6. Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger (April, 4*)
7. Room by Emma Donoghue (December, 4*)
8. He Sees You When You're Sleeping by Mary Higgins Clark & Carol Higgins Clark (December, 3*)

Candidates:
*Black Swan Green by David Mitchell
*The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks
**84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
*Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger
My Reading Life by Pat Conroy
Doris Lessing
**The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson

9. Around the World
History and Mystery in places other than Britain and North America

1. A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway (January, 4 1/2*)
2. The Boy Who Stole the Leopard's Spots by Tamar Myers (Amanda Brown #3) (April, 3*)
3. The Deeds of the Disturber by Elizabeth Peters (Amelia Peabody #5) (May, 4*)
4. The Last Camel Died at Noon by Elizabeth Peters (Amelia Peabody #6) (May, 4*)
5. Vanished Smile: The Mysterious Theft of Mona Lisa by R.A. Scotti (November, 3*)
6. The Masque of the Black Tulip by Lauren Willig (Pink Carnation #2) (December, 3*)
7.
8.
9.

Candidates:
*Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks
*Charlotte Gray by Sebastian Faulks
*The Girl at the Lion d'Or by Sebastian Faulks
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
Rabbit-Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington
*Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill
*Tuscan Countess by Michele K. Spike
The Cavalier of the Apocalypse by Susanne Alleyn
Josephine B by Sandra Gulland
Mistress of the Sun by Sandra Gulland

Death at La Fenice by Donna Leon
The Shape of Water by Andrea Camilleri
Iain Pears (art history)
Borgia series?

10. British Mystery
10 COMPLETED -- December

1. An Impartial Witness by Charles Todd (Bess Crawford #2) (January, 3*)
2. A Bitter Truth by Charles Todd (Bess Crawford #3) (January, 4*)
3. A Darkly Hidden Truth by Donna Fletcher Crow (Monastery #2) (February, 4*)
4. A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear (Maisie Dobbs #8) (September, 4*)
5. The Invisible Ones by Stef Penney (September, 4 1/2*)
6. Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen (October, 3*)
7. The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley (Flavia de Luce #2) (November, 4*)
8. A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley (Flavia de Luce #3) (November, 3 1/2*)
9. I Am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley (Flavia de Luce #4) (November, 4*)
10. A Christmas Beginning by Anne Perry (Christmas #5) (December, 3 1/2*)

11. A Christmas Grace by Anne Perry (Christmas #6) (December, 3*)
12. A Christmas Odyssey by Anne Perry (Christmas #8) (December, 3*)

Candidates:
Elegy for Eddie by Jacqueline Winspear
Charles Finch
*The Sunday Philosophy Club by Alexander McCall Smith
The Alehouse Murders by Maureen Ash
Sir John Fielding by Bruce Alexander

Possibly, if I can figure out what I haven't read:
P.D. James
Martha Grimes
Anne Perry
Ruth Rendell
Ngaio Marsh
Agatha Christie
Ellis Peters

11. North American Mystery
11 COMPLETED -- September

1. A Free Man of Color by Barbara Hambly (Benjamin January #1) (January, 4*)
2. One Coffee With by Margaret Maron (Sigrid Harald #1) (February, 4*)
3. Death of a Butterfly by Margaret Maron (Sigrid Harald #2) (February, 3 1/2*)
4. Death in Blue Folders by Margaret Maron (Sigrid Harald #3) (February, 3 1/2*)
5. The Right Jack by Margaret Maron (Sigrid Harald #4) (March, 4*)
6. Baby Doll Games by Margaret Maron (Sigrid Harald #5) (March, 3*)
7. In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming (Clare Fergusson #1) (March, 4*)
8. Mirror Image by Sandra Brown (April, 3 1/2*)
9. Harry Lipkin, Private Eye by Barry Fantoni (September, 2 1/2*)
10. Dead Anyway by Chris Knopf (September, 3*)
11. Corpus Christmas by Margaret Maron (Sigrid Harald #6) (September, 3 1/2*)

12. Past Imperfect by Margaret Maron (Sigrid Harald #7) (September, 3*)
13. Fugitive Colors by Margaret Maron (Sigrid Harald #8) (October, 4*)
14. A Fountain Filled with Blood by Julia Spencer-Fleming (Clare Fergusson #2) (October, 3*)
15. Out of the Deep I Cry by Julia Spencer-Fleming (Clare Fergusson #3) (November, 4*)
16. The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney (November, 4*)
17. Elvis and the Blue Christmas Corpse by Peggy Webb (Southern Cousins #5) (November, 4*)

Candidates:
*Gail Bowen
Lucy Stone series by Leslie Meier (Maine)
Carolyn Hart's Death on Demand series - SC

Abby Rose by Leann Sweeney - TX
Benni Harper by Earlene Fowler - CA
Meg Langslowe by Donna Andrews - VA
Emilie Richards
Sara Paretsky
Cynthia Riggs
Monica Ferris
Except the Dying, by Maureen Jennings
Cleo Coyle
Joanne Dobson
Laura Lippman

12. And On and On
Series Continuation
12 COMPLETED -- November

1. Eggsecutive Orders by Julie Hyzy (White House Chef #3) (March, 3 1/2*)
2. Buffalo West Wing by Julie Hyzy (White House Chef #4) (March, 4*)
3. Sup with the Devil by Barbara Hamilton (Abigail Adams #3) (March, 3 1/2*)
4. Affairs of Steak by Julie Hyzy (White House Chef #5) (March, 4*)
5. Treachery in Death by J.D. Robb (Eve Dallas #32) (April, 4*)
6. The Promise of Lumby by Gail Fraser (Lumby #4) (April, 4*)
7. Lumby on the Air by Gail Fraser (Lumby #5) (April, 3 1/2*)
8. The Jasmine Moon Murder by Laura Childs (Tea Shop #5) (May, 3*)
9. Chamomile Mourning by Laura Childs (Tea Shop #6) (June, 4*)
10. The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny (Inspector Gamache #8) (October, 4 1/2*)
11. Heat Rises by Richard Castle (Nikki Heat #3) (October, 3*)
12. Devil's Food Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke (Hannah Swensen #14) (November, 4*)

13. Three-Day Town by Margaret Maron (Deborah Knott #17) (November, 3 1/2*)

Candidates:
catch up on Alexander McCall Smith's No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

Bonus: A Baker's Dozen
Misfits and Overflows
13 COMPLETED -- November (4 Misfits + 9 Overflow)

Poetry
~~ "The Waste Land" by T.S. Eliot (January)
1. Idylls of the King by Alfred, Lord Tennyson (March, 5*)

Children and YA
2. The Medusa Plot by Gordon Korman (Cahills vs Vespers #1) (April, 4*)
3. A King's Ransom by Jude Watson (Cahills vs Vespers #2) (April, 3 1/2*)
4. Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers (November, 4*)

Poetry Candidates:
100 Selected Poems by e.e. cummings
Paradise Lost by John Milton
Preface to Paradise Lost by C.S. Lewis

Reserved

Hi Ivy: Nice new thread.

My reading is starting to come back. I'm getting into the Finney book and also reading a collection of mystery short stories, written by a man who was on the Titanic. Jacques Futrelle.

Hey Ivy - congratulations on the new thread!

It's amazing how quickly those mystery categories get filled up, isn't it?

I noticed your British history category - White Queen was very good and I read Red Queen immediately after and it was fascinating the different viewpoint to the same time period. I'm really glad that I did it that way. I read Outlander, it was good but not Hunger Games good, if you know what I mean.

By the way, thanks for recommending Hunger Games to me - I loved it!

>18 lindapanzo: Thanks, Linda! Glad to know the reading funk is ending. I loved Time and Again and also Shoeless Joe, which I finished in April and will write about soon.

>19 Dejah_Thoris: Hi, Dejah! I've been on a mystery streak the past couple of months -- and really enjoyed it. I'm starting to get a bit worried about some of those slow reads that I haven't gotten to...

>20 cyderry: I'm so glad you loved The Hunger Games, Cheli! I have both The White Queen and The Red Queen sitting here, and I've been wanting to get to them for quite some time. I've enjoyed Philippa Gregory's interesting perspectives in all but one book (The Other Queen). I read the first Outlander book a while ago, and enjoyed it, and want to continue the series, but I guess not enough that I immediately went on to the next one. My daughter loved them and raced through the whole series.

I've got a million other things I should be doing, and still need to do some updating and tweaking of this thread, but first...

About a week ago, my little granddaughter (16 months) walked by my bookcase and patted the books as she passed, saying "Book, book, book..." She took a couple more steps, and then announced, "I like dem books!"

Definitely a child after my own heart!

>22 ivyd: Wonderful! I remember being fascinated by the books in my grandmother's house, especially two books of fairy tales. I loved to sit on a footstool and read fairy tales. I still have the books and the footstool, although I've grown too much for it to be a comfortable reading seat!

Since she likes dem books, sounds like it's time to expand her library!

Great story, Ivy - it looks like you'll have a reader on your hands!

Awe - she likes dem books! **completely melts at the story**

Nice shiny new thread Ivy!

I really like that the continuation thread automatically stars you for me so you don't get lost.

I always give books to my nieces and nephews and now great-nieces and nephews in the hopes that it will encourage them to read.

ETA: I'm thinking of picking a month just for mysteries and trying to get caught up/started on a bunch of cozies and other mysteries series that I'm reading. Maybe Jul, hanging out on the deck.

>23 cbl_tn: What a lovely memory, Carrie! I also have my grandmother's Grimm's -- one of my most prized books -- which she read to us when we stayed overnight. I never read it to my children, though, because it's so gory; it must be a faithful translation of the originals.

>24 cyderry: No problem with that, Cheli! I like buying books for other people almost as much as for myself! At the moment, though, most of the books at her house -- except for board books -- are out of her reach: she's a full-speed-ahead personality, and though not deliberately destructive, just not careful when turning pages without supervision.

>25 Dejah_Thoris: I hope so, Dejah! She loves reading her books, and being read to, and both parents and her older sister are readers.

>26 lkernagh: I melted too, Lori. My daughter said she wrote the story in her baby book, so someday she'll know how much her grandmother appreciated her comment.

>27 dudes22: Betty, I love not losing the stars! I did/do the same with my children, granddaughters, nieces and nephews, and friends' children.

I tell myself that I read mysteries for lighter reads between (or along with) the slower, heavier reading, but I think perhaps it's really the other way around. I can read quite a few mysteries in a row, especially if I switch series or authors, before I feel the need for something with more depth.

!!! You know what to get her for gifts !!! Almost as fun as shopping for yourself.

Yay for little readers! Me and Flea have this fantasy about our grandkids (to be) coming to visit thirtyfive years from now, and always getting to pick an armful of books from our bulging shelves to bring home - thus passing our books on to a new generation little by little... (The more likely scenario, i guess, is that the grandkids have all the books they'll ever read on their e-readers by then, and completely fail to see the point of smelly old paper books :)

Whenever I'm in a used book store or walking past the sales table of a regular book store I look to see if there is something I could add to my "Grandma Shelf", books that I would like to read, some day, to a grandchild.

I love the story about your grandchild! I hope she always loves "dem books!"

I can't believe it's been so long since I posted here! It's been a busy month, though nothing earth-shaking or even particularly interesting. I've been reading -- but not recording my books or even spending much time on LT.

>29 cammykitty: Katie, I love choosing books for my granddaughters, both wonderful old ones that I want them to experience, and investigating exciting new ones.

>30 GingerbreadMan: Anders, I guess I'm lucky enough to be living that fantasy! Several of the lower shelves have picture books, children's and YA books. My older granddaughter (age 7) will often sit by the bookcase and look through them. Some stay to be read while she's here, but others I send home with her -- and she's always delighted by the unexpected gift.

>31 mamzel: mamzel, I do the same, and did it before I had grandchildren, too. It's every bit as wonderful as I had imagined!

>32 tymfos: Terri, as much as she loves her books now, I think (hope) she will continue to. She gets plenty of encouagement from her family (and especially her grandmother)!

And, now, to start on the books that I've read this month:

29. Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella, 4 1/2*
Category: Fantasy

I loved this book, the basis for the acclaimed movie Field of Dreams, which I've not seen but definitely want to watch. J.D. Salinger is a character in the book (changed in the movie because of Salinger's objections), which I found very interesting.

30. Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger, 4*
Category: Modern World

It's been a long time since I've read all 9 stories. Some of them I love (e.g., "Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut") and some I still don't care for (e.g., "Teddy"). It's interesting how little my tastes haves changed in 50 years. I think what struck me most on this re-reading was how dark these stories are.

I am hoping to get to that baseball novel soon, though probably not til after the Grisham baseball novel. Calico Joe.

>35 lindapanzo: Linda, I hope you'll enjoy it! The funny thing about it is that it didn't strike me so much as a baseball novel but as a fantasy (and a lovely one). I think the title "Field of Dreams" is a better one than "Shoeless Joe." I haven't read any Grisham since his first few books -- this is quite a departure for him -- I'll be interested in what you think of it.

I lived in Greenville (SC) for years before realizing that Shoeless Joe is buried here. They also moved his house to be closer to our stadium and made it into a museum, or shrine, really. I love Field of Dreams. Glad to hear you enjoyed the book - might have to pick it up sometime.

>37 VictoriaPL: Very interesting, Victoria! I knew nothing about Shoeless Joe -- had to look him up on wikipedia, since the book assumes that the reader knows more than I did. It was the Kinsella/Salinger connection that got me interested in the book; though I enjoy baseball, I don't know much baseball history and rarely read baseball books. I'm really looking forward to seeing the movie -- it seems like one of those premium channels that we pay such an exorbitant price for (and that I rarely watch) should have it on sometime soon -- if not, I may have to rent it...

Now, I guess I've got to say something about this book. I hate having to do reviews of ER books that I didn't like!

31. The Boy Who Stole the Leopard's Spots by Tamar Myers (Amanda Brown #3), 3*
Category: Around the World

Tamar Myers has drawn on her childhood experiences to paint a fascinating picture of the Belgian Congo -- the country, people, culture and conflicts -- in 1958. Unfortunately, however, I thought it failed as a mystery: although there were a couple of murders, they seemed almost incidental, and no one attempted to solve them or even seemed very interested in them; the resolution seemed almost an afterthought. The structure of the book -- the first half alternated between 1958 and earlier events -- was confusing, and I found it difficult to correlate the two stories. The characters had little depth, and some of their eccentricities, which I presume were meant to be humorous, didn't strike me as funny.

I haven't read the first 2 books of the series, which according to reviews seem to have been better than this one, and perhaps they enhance the recurring characters. In addition, I received an uncorrected proof copy, and hope that some of the continuity errors (one of which I thought was quite serious) will be corrected in the final version. The book, however, seems to me more unfinished than uncorrected; I think it would take some major work to make the book into a cohesive story rather than a series of vignettes of Africa in 1958.

32. Treachery in Death by J.D. Robb (Eve Dallas #32), 4*
Category: And On and On

When I started this book, I was a bit disappointed that it was -- yet another -- book about dirty cops. But... it turned out to be one of the best books in the series!

>39 ivyd: although there were a couple of murders, they seemed almost incidental, and no one attempted to solve them or even seemed very interested in them

Exactly! Very odd for a book that is supposed to be a mystery.

>41 cbl_tn: I wonder if the mystery designation was a marketing decision. If so, I don't think it was a very good one...

Definitely agree with #41 and #42. Most mystery readers are not going to enjoy this book unless they enjoy other genres. I do think she writes with passion about the Belgian Congo, but I don't think she's executed it well.

>43 thornton37814: I agree, Lori. What she has to say about the Belgian Congo would be far more interesting to me in another format. I do have to admit, though, that had it not been labelled a mystery, I probably would not have requested it. Now I'm much more interested in the subject matter and I'm more likely to pick up another book about it.

Hi Ivy, yours is about the third less-than-enthusiatic review of The Boy Who Stole the Leopard's Spots I have seen, since I have the first of her books, I may just read that one and leave it at that!

33. Welsh Mythology and Folklore in Popular Culture, edited by Audrey L. Becker and Kristin Noone, 3*
Category: British History

As might be expected, this collection of 14 scholarly essays, each by a different author, varies a great deal in content and quality. The ones I liked the best were the one by Geoffrey Reiter (even though it dealt with an obscure early 20th century work), and Tyler D. Parry's persuasive argument that the Afro-American "jumping the broom" marriage ritual originated in Welsh folk custom rather than in Africa. I also found the essay about Howl's Moving Castle quite interesting, though its focus was more on the differences between the book and the movie than on Welsh origins.

I found something of interest in each of the essays, but on the whole I was disappointed in the book. First, because the title is a misnomer: nearly half the essays dealt with obscure early 20th century works that the authors feel deserve more attention, rather than more recent and/or well-known uses of Welsh mythology. Secondly, because many of the essays were merely synopses of other secondary sources: they seemed to be well-researched and (mostly) well-written term papers, stringing together quotations and opinions from other scholars to bolster the points being made. And thirdly -- and perhaps most importantly -- because most of the essays were dull, dry and pedantic; it never fails to amaze me when a fascinating subject is made boring.

Although this book does not deliver what the blurbs promise, it might be of use or interest to a student of Welsh or Celtic mythology. It should be noted, though, that familiarity with The Mabinogian is essential for any understanding of most of the essays.

>45 DeltaQueen50: Hi, Judy! Carrie liked the first one quite a lot. I'm considering it, though not in any rush to find it based on the 3rd book, just because it's an interesting time and place that Tamar Myers knows well. It will be interesting to see what you think of it.

All my ER books are now read and reviewed! That's a good feeling! And now I can move on the the rest of the books I read this month:

~~ Part 2 of 2666 by Roberto Bolano
Category: Major Accomplishement

I didn't like this 2nd Part as much as the 1st Part. Maybe I just didn't understand it. In any case, the first few paragraphs of Part 3 look more interesting to me.

34. The Promise of Lumby by Gail Fraser (Lumby #4), 4*
35. Lumby on the Air by Gail Fraser (Lumby #5), 3 1/2*
Category: And On and On

I really enjoy these books about Lumby, with their gentleness and optimism. I think The Promise of Lumby, about a newcomer who has made a dreadful mistake in his past, is my favorite book of the series. In Lumby on the Air, I thought the characters' problems were solved much too easily to be realistic. But I keep thinking about the overall message: if you're headed in a wrong direction, or just a direction that you don't like, it's always possible to make a change for the better.

36. Mirror Image by Sandra Brown, 3 1/2*
Category: North American Mystery

If you wake up after a plane crash, unable to talk or write, with your face destroyed, and everyone mistakenly believing that you are the wife of a prominent politician -- and then someone whispers a plot to kill the politician -- what do you do? The situation seems improbable, but not impossible, and with her usual talent, Sandra Brown takes the reader on an exciting roller coaster of intrique, mystery and romance.

I raced through this book, and enjoyed it very much. I rated it down 1/2*, though, because there were far too many explicit sex scenes for my taste, and because there was one aspect of the solution that wasn't adequately explained and didn't totally make sense.

Hi Ivy, I have already fallen behind in my 2666 and Don Quixote readings for April. I hope to be back on track with those books in May....... I am now curious to read Part 2 of 2666 after seeing your quick thoughts.

Re 2666 and the first few paragraphs of Part 3 look more interesting to me

That's what I though too when I started Part III, I'm happy to say that for me Part III was much easier to read, and with far fewer allusions (unless I missed them completely!) to try and get my head around.

Ivy, I agree the Lumbys are uplifting in that they show you can always go down a different path.

Hey Ivy - thanks for all the reviews! I think I'll be reading The Witch Doctor's Wife, the first in Tamar Myers Belgian Congo series and leave it at that - I've read several review similar to yours.

I keep thinking I need to give 2666 a shot, but I've wimped out so far.

The J. D. Robb books are fun, aren't they? And I read Sandra Brown occasionally, so I'll keep my eyes eye open for Mirror Image next time I want that kind of fluff.

Oooo - Leopard's Spots sounded interesting to me at first, but the reviews don't make it sound too promising. A mystery where no one really sleuths is painful. That's the problem I had with Soulless. They were sleuthing, but it seemed like go-with-the-flow sleuthing rather than an active attempt to solve the mystery. At least Soulless wasn't marketed as a mystery though. I hate doing negative reviews on ER books too, but it would be worse to write a vague good review when you didn't care for it.

& your Welsh mythology one. it never fails to amaze me when a fascinating subject is made boring. I read a fair amount on Irish lore, & it amazes me how pedantic and boring it can get. Sigh - I was hoping you'd found a good book on folklore.

>49 lkernagh: Lori, although I didn't like Part 2 of 2666 as much, it seemed like it read a bit faster than Part 1. I guess it was ... interesting? ... but I am looking forward to Part 3 (someday soon, maybe).

>50 SouthernKiwi: Alana, I'm glad to hear that Part 3 moves along at a faster pace. It's interesting that each Part is so different, yet he intended them as a whole... I'm not sure what to make of it all...

>51 cyderry: Cheli, I'm sad that I'm now caught up on Lumby. It's such a nice place to visit!

>52 Dejah_Thoris: Dejah, 2666 isn't as scary and much more interesting than I'd imagined, but it is quite an undertaking. Reading just a bit at a time works well for me on long, slow or difficult books.

I'm actually surprised that I've stayed with J.D. Robb for so many years. Most of the other series that I read back in the 1980s and 1990s, I eventually got tired of and quit reading. But I'm not done with Eve and Roarke yet!

I hadn't read any Sandra Brown until last year when a friend (actually a friend of my daughter) loaned me 3 of her books. I read them, enjoyed them, and returned them -- and last month she sent over about 10 more! So I'll be continuing to read Sandra Brown, but you're right: you need to be in the right mood for them.

I have the 2nd Lumby scheduled for sometime this summer, I think! I'm looking forward to my visit there. It has to be sometime when I'll be around home though because that one is going to be a library read, I think.

Too true, Lumby is a place I want to visit frequently, but alas, I have finished the series and I got the impression from the website that another will not be forthcoming anytime soon if at all.

>53 cammykitty: Yes, Katie, as much as I dislike writing negative reviews, I'd feel even worse if I encouraged people to read -- or buy -- a disappointing book.

Tastes in books do vary a lot, though, so I try to be specific if I think it may just be my preferences at work. There seems to more than that wrong with Leopard's Spots, though -- especially since it should have been a book I liked.

Regarding the Welsh mythology book, I too was hoping for some good commentary, but as well as being very dry, it seemed to me that they omitted some pretty obvious connections to popular culture, such as Tolkien. Given the title, I would think that the better-known references would be the starting point, before moving on to the more obscure ones. The book does have some value, though, if one is willing to slog through it.

I've read some on Irish myths, too. If you find any good books, please let me know!

>56 thornton37814: Lori, the 2nd one was one of my favorites. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

>57 cyderry: Cheli, I looked at her website also, and there does seem to be some hang up on future books, though it wasn't clear exactly why.

I think I owe you a big thank you for discovering and recommending the Lumby books!

Ivy,

When I read a book and it actually makes me laugh out loud so much that my husband asks about what am I reading, I know I can pass the recommendation on to others with a grin and a happy dance - no worries about others that liking it.

I have the 3rd Lumby waiting for me this year and hope to get to it soon. When they were coming out once a year I used to buy it for my sister for Christmas, knowing I'd get it back to read. I have 4 & 5 on the shelf too and am dragging it out so I don't run out too soon.

>60 cyderry: Cheli, I really appreciate humor without unkindness, and it's not that easy to find.

>61 dudes22: Betty, I probably should have saved the last one, since I now have run out, but these books really suited my mood last month.

I forgot to mention that I tried 3 of the recipes in The Promise of Lumby. The Pancetta Egg Bake and Craisin Chicken Salad were good but not outstanding. There were a couple of good tips for chicken salad, though: boiling the chicken gives it a better consistency than baking or saute-ing (or left-overs); and adding lemon juice cuts that mayonnaise-y taste. The Chicken and Artichoke Chili was excellent (though I'm not sure why it's called "chili" since it has no chili powder or chiles in it).

You've found Katharine Briggs I'm assuming. Her books on the folklore of the British Isles are always interesting.

Thanks for the hones review of The Boy Who Sole The Leopard's Spots. I appreciate how specific you are about what you didn't like. That's always helpful in a reviews.

>63 cammykitty: No, Katie, I haven't read Katharine Briggs' books. My reading of British and Celtic folklore has been mostly random, and concentrated on the really old texts, many of which I found at the Gutenberg Project. I'll be looking for Briggs. Thanks for the recommendation!

>64 tymfos: Thanks, Terri. I usually find it easier to identify my objections to a book that I didn't like than to say exactly why I loved a book. I think that when I become really engrossed in a good book, I don't stop to analyze why. And, too, since my reactions don't always accord with the majority, I try to say what I didn't like, so that others who aren't bothered by those things won't be put off from reading it.

I need to get back to the Lumby series, Ivy.

Yesterday, on the bus on the way to the ballgame, I read a Charles Finch short story. I thought it was going to be a novella but it wasn't. Not very good though, of course, I love that series, as a rule.

Gutenberg has tons of folklore??? Another reason why I need to get an e-reader... how long can I hold off?

>66 lindapanzo: I love Lumby, Linda, but I definitely need to be in the right mood for them.

I had noticed that Charles Finch, and a couple of other series authors -- Margaret Maron, for one -- have stories available only for Kindle or Nook, and I'd wondered about them. $3 or $4 for a short story seems a bit much to me, though -- unless they're really good, I guess. Not that it matters anyway, since I still don't have an e-reader. I almost bought one when I was having trouble finding copies of the Sigrid Harald series, but then I did manage to get ahold of them, so I didn't buy one after all. I still haven't read the last Charles Finch book; I think it should be available in paperback soon.

>67 cammykitty: Katie, you can download text files to your computer from Project Gutenberg, or read them online and keep them bookmarked. It works fine for the shorter works, which most of the really old ones are, but I can't imagine doing it for full length books, say Dickens! It was, I think, about 12-15 years ago that I was reading so much Celtic mythology & folklore, and it was a lot easier to find things at Gutenberg then, when they were just getting started. I have trouble finding things now unless I know what I'm looking for.

If you haven't discovered it, you might find Medieval Sourcebook interesting, too. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/sbook2.asp

And there was another site, which I seem to have (temporarily) lost, which specialized in old Irish texts. I think that's where I found The Annals of the Masters (I think that was the title -- something similar, anyway). I'll see if I can relocate it.

ETA: Annals of the Four Masters. I think this is the site: http://www.ucc.ie/celt/publishd.html

Hi Ivy: I hope all is well with you. I've missed you around LT. Please stop in when you can.

Ditto what Linda said!

Yes, Ivy, we miss you!

Yes - I'll chime in and agree!

Ooooo!!! Thanks for the links. I agree $3 is a bit much for a short story. Novella, maybe, but short story??? Still no e-reader for me too.

Hope you're well too, and just on a super vacation.

Ivy, it looks like you haven't posted since early June. Hope everything is ok with you and you'll be back here soon.

I'm with Linda. We miss you, Ivy. Hope you'll be back soon so you can read our comments!

Hi, Ivy -- hope all is well!

Echoing the above posts, and sending best wishes, Ivy!

Ditto...

Double ditto.....

Triple ditto .....

Me too. Hope to see you back soon, and that things are well.

I've emailed Ivy but have not gotten a response. This is worrisome. Hope all is well.

Me too. I am worried about both her and Dejah_Thoris. They both just dropped out of sight.

Linda, Terri, Cheli, Lori, Katie, Christina, Lori, Judy, Anders -- you are all such lovely people, and I've missed you!

Linda, I'm sorry -- I somehow missed your e-mail amidst the inundation of junk mail. Just went back to look for it, and sure enough, there it was.

It's been a difficult summer, and I mostly have just been overwhelmed -- and not reading. In June, my husband's oldest friend -- they met in kindergarten and remained close for 60 years, and had been my friend too for the last 30 years -- lost his battle with cancer. Fourth of July week I went to Eastern Oregon to visit my 86-year-old uncle who was not doing very well. He passed away on July 31, and I went back to be with my aunt (his sister, who had been taking care of him since last October) until her children got there, came home for a day and a half, and then went back for another week. And just to top everything off, my sister's mother-in-law died the Saturday after our uncle -- a lovely woman, who at age 97 drove herself to the hospital on Wednesday!

In addition, I have been working quite a bit more than usual, and I'm babysitting my granddaughters (since school started, just the little one) at least 1 day a week to give my daughter a chance to complete the written work for a class she is taking. The work is not so great, but the babysitting is delightful though exhausting. (I once read about a pro athlete who tried to match a 2-year-old move for move, and couldn't make it thorugh the day.)

As for leisure time, what I've had of it, I did manage to get through the 2nd & 3rd Game of Thrones books, watched both seasons of HBO's version, and got hooked on a couple of mindless video games.

So my reading has been at an all-time low, at least since joining LT and probably for many years -- 3 books in 3 months! As things have settled down in the past couple of weeks, though, I have started reading again: 4 mysteries, plus about 3/4 of the 4th Martin book.

I feel really guilty about all of you worrying about me. I've thought about all of you often, but just didn't have the time -- or mostly energy -- to do anything more. I hope that's changing now. I'll try to catch up on your threads and update mine soon, though my challenge is obviously in shambles.

Ivy, it's great to see you back! We've missed you!

It's good that things have settled a little. Welcome back!

Glad you're okay, but it sounds like you've been through the mill. *hugs* and take it easy. We're not worried about your lack of reading or posting. We're just worried about you.

Great to hear from you, ivy!

Yay, Ivy's back!!!

Sorry for all the bad news. However, it is very nice to have you back. We missed you.

Ivy, I'm so sorry for all that you've been through this summer. Glad that you're ok and back with us.

Echoing the sentiments of everyone else here that it is great to see you back posting, and sorry to learn about the bad news you have been dealing with over the summer.

Welcome back. Sorry to hear about all the difficulties with family and friends, but we're relieved to know you are okay. Hope you are reading some great mysteries.

Ivy, glad that you're OK and that you're back on LT! :)

Sounds like you've had a difficult summer; glad you're ok and glad you're back.

Hi Ivy, glad you're back. Dealing with what you've been experiencing can really take it out of you. I know what you mean about children's energy, I babysat full-time for my grandkids when they were toddlers and it was wonderful but, oh, so tiring!

Carrie, Tricia, Katie, Anders, Linda, Lisa, Lori, Lori, Christina, Betty, Judy -- thanks so much to everyone for the warm welcome back!

Looking at my thread, I see that I added my last 2 April books, my May books and my lonely June book to my categories and library (fortunately with ratings) but didn't comment on them, so I guess I need to backtrack quite a bit. I must have been meaning to do it when I stopped posting because I still vaguely remember a couple of comments I intended to make about them. I guess it's a good thing that I also keep a master list on my computer or I wouldn't know where to start.

From the last couple of days of April:

37. The Medusa Plot by Gordon Korman (Cahills vs Vespers #1) (4*)
38. A King's Ransom by Jude Watson (Cahills vs Vespers #2) (3 1/2*)
Category: Bonus: Children and YA

I had been curious about The 39 Clues series for children, with each book written by a different author. When I saw the books on a table at the bookstore, on sale at 2 for the price of 1, I picked up the first two, not realizing that these were the first two books of the 2nd series! So I read them anyway, and thought they were quite good for children but not a series that I will make any effort to continue. The first one was written in a style similar to Rick Riordan's, and more entertaining than the 2nd one, though I thought the 2nd one had a bit more depth of character. The ratings refelct my guess at their appeal for grade-school age children.

May (and one June) mysteries:

39. The Deeds of the Disturber by Elizabeth Peters (Amelia Peabody #5) (4*)
41. The Last Camel Died at Noon by Elizabeth Peters (Amelia Peabody #6) (4*)
Category: Around the World

43. The Jasmine Moon Murder by Laura Childs (Tea Shop #5) (3*)
44. Chamomile Mourning by Laura Childs (Tea Shop #6) (4*)
Category: And On and On

As much as I love mysteries, I'm afraid that the plots -- especially of series -- pop out of my head almost as soon as I've finished them. I do know that these 2 series are among my favorites, and I'm glad I rated them at the time, since I can't now say what they were about -- just that I enjoyed them and that I was surprised that The Deeds of the Disturber took place in England rather than Egypt (but put it in the Around the World category anyway to keep the series together).

My little granddaughter will be here soon, so I guess that's all for this morning. Anyone have ideas for craft projects for not quite 2-year-olds? Attention span about 20 minutes, but if she's interested, she'll go back again and again after doing something else for a while...

I finally read the first Amelia Peabody during the summer and enjoyed it. I do plan to read more of those, as well as something from her other series. Vicky Bliss? Might be another series, too. Can't remember.

I'm the same way with mysteries. I don't really remember the plots, just the "situation" or basic premise of the series.

Ivy, I don't remember a lot about my preschool years, but one thing I do remember is that I adored finger painting. For some reason, my mother wasn't nearly as enamored of it as I was, so I didn't get to do it very often!

I find with the series, I just try to keep the main characters in my head and not so much the plot of each book.

Ivy, if you find the secret an activity for your almost 2 year old granddaughter please share :)

Good to see you back Ivy! May I suggest putting baking soda in a pan and squirting coloured vinegar on it. It fizzles! My kids loved it. Oh and you can't go wrong with play-doh.

>99 lindapanzo: Linda, I adore Amelia, even though I think there's a bit of late 20th century feminism to her. Carrie & Lori (Thornton) & I had a discussion a while back about a character that I found annoying in the 3rd? book. But I still enjoyed the books and that particular character is not so annoying any more (afraid to say more because of spoilers).

Doesn't Elizabeth Peters write under several pseudonyms? Seems like I discovered that I'd read some of her earlier works written under a different name...

>100 cbl_tn: Great suggestion, Carrie! I may have to cover my kitchen in plastic first, but I'll bet she'll love it! I think there are some finger paints available now other than the old buttermilk + powdered poster paint that we had to use. I'll have to investigate.

>101 dudes22: Betty, I think that I read them as much for the characters' stories as for the mysteries. Even if I've forgotten exactly where they were in the last book, the first few pages will bring it back. Occasionally the mystery furthers the backstory, and then I usually remember that plot, but otherwise not very much.

>102 lsh63: Lisa, I do have one (only one) idea in mind for Halloween, and intend to use it in a couple of weeks when she has a better idea of what Halloween is. I did it with my older granddaughter, though she would have been past 2 (or maybe it was the next year when she was 3), but I think the little one can manage it. It's making a pumpkin from a roll of toilet paper (the double size looks best) and a square of orange or Halloween fabric (18"x18" if I recall correctly). You just wrap the fabric around the toilet paper and tuck all the edges into the tube at the top, stick a rolled up piece of brown or green construction paper into the tube for the stem (and to hold the fabric in place) and twist some artificial leaves or flowers around the top. No cutting (except what I do), no glueing, and it looks amazingly finished and like a pumpkin -- I think I originally read about it as a suggestion for table decorations at an adult party.

I think this age (about 18 months to a little past two) is the hardest. Their minds and what they want to do is far ahead of their abilities -- frustrating for everyone!

>103 paruline: paruline, what a great idea! The fizz of the soda and vinegar is my favorite part of making a red velvet cake, and I think she'll be delighted. She loves "cooking" -- last week when she helped me with the green beans, she got so involved in snapping that we ended up with very small pieces of bean...

I did give her some play doh a couple of weeks ago, and it's a big hit. I estimated a total of 2 hours (in seveal segments) spent playing with it that 1st day, and she continues to find it interesting.

thumbprint art! You can get a little ink pad, stick her thumb & a little finger in it and make a mouse or cat or dog by using her thumb print for the body and finger print for the head. Then use pens/paint/colored pencils etc to add nose, eyes, ears etc. Super cute.

Sometimes at this time of year, my grandson and I would go for a walk and collect leaves. Then when we came home I would quickly iron them between two sheets of wax paper, with a towel between the paper and the iron. We would then glue the leaves on colored construction paper, and grandson would proudly take his works of art to his Mom to place on the fridge.

I've got no craft suggestions, but I am so glad to see you posting again know that you're OK. I'm so very sorry about the deaths and difficulties over the summer. Glad you're enjoying time with the granddaughter, but I know how kids can tire one out.

BTW, you said you felt guilty about us worrying about you? Don't. LT should be a guilt-free zone.

Wow! It's wonderful to have all these great ideas. I'm going to try all of them over the next couple of months. Thanks so much for the suggestions!

>105 cammykitty: Katie, on Tuesday I showed her how we could draw around our hands to make handprints, so this will be a perfect follow-up. I think she might find stamps interesting, too.

>106 DeltaQueen50: Judy, I'd totally forgotten about ironing wax paper. And that reminded me of a couple of other craft projects that I'd forgotten about, too. For fall leaves, we'll have to wait a few weeks here; one of the things that amazed me most, when I first moved to the green Willamette Valley, was that the leaves usually don't start turning until October or finish falling until December.

>107 tymfos: Thanks, Terri! It's great to be back. Now, I just need to make some inroads on catching up on everone's threads... a couple hundred messages on each thread will take awhile!

Continuing with May:

42. The Royals: The Lives and Loves of the British Monarchs by Leslie Carroll (4*)
Category: British History

A coffee-table type book, The Royals is a lot of fun. It's The Jolly Postman for Anglophiles, with pockets containing reproductions of various documents such as the Execution Warrant for Mary, Queen of Scots, and the invitation to Prince William's wedding. Although the text and pictures cover the entire time from the Norman Conquest, it is not (nor meant to be) a comprehensive history of the monarchs. Kings and events that are important from an historical perspective are skipped, and the broader context is often described only briefly; instead, it is a collection of interesting facts, pictures and documents of selected monarchs and family members.

A Song of Ice and Fire:
40. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin (4 1/2*)
45. A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin (5*)
46. A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin (5*)
51. A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin (5*)

What can I say? I love these books. (I can't remember why I rated the first one only 4 1/2* back in May; at this point I would give it 5*, but I must have had a reason, so I guess I'll just leave the previous rating.) I haven't been so captivated by a fantasy world since I first read The Lord of the Rings back when I was in high school.

The 2nd and 3rd books were my only summer reading (about 6 weeks each), and "living" in that alternate world for so long was an interesting experience. They were the only books that I wanted to read, and escaping into them for 20 or 30 or 50 pages at a time was just what I needed. In contrast, I read the 4th book in just over a week this month, so I think the reading slump is over. I got the 5th book yesterday, last night finished the mystery I'd already started, and will begin A Dance with Dragons tonight.

I'm always happy to see another fan of A Song of Ice and Fire - I'm currently half way through A Dance With Dragons myself but it's taking an unfortunately long time to read as I'm only finding time for a couple of chapters a day. Hope you enjoy it as much as the previous ones - I am :-)

>111 SouthernKiwi: Alana, based on my summer experience, I'd say that just reading a chapter or 2 at a time is not all that bad. It sort of extends the immersion into Martin's world. I was so eager to catch up with the characters who were missing from Book 4, that I read more than I'd intended last night. I still have a long way to go, though, and I'm glad I do!

Now for the September mysteries (6 of them):

47. Harry Lipkin, Private Eye by Barry Fantoni, 2 1/2*
Category: North American Mystery

Harry Lipkin in an 87-year-old private detective living in Miami, who is hired by a widow to solve the thefts of some of her possessions. An interesting twist to the usual detective fiction, I thought.

However... the "mystery" was non-existent: if you were paying attention, the solution was evident in the first few pages; and, despite Harry following some of the characters around Miami and discovering their secrets, he never did figure it out -- the answer was told to him. In addition, the breezy, flip style and commentary were sometimes clever and amusing, but far too much of the "humor" was predicated on ethnic, racial, religious or age-related stereotypes. I thought it often verged on the offensive, and didn't find it funny.

It's a short book, and only took a few hours to read, but in the end I felt that I had wasted my time.

48. Dead Anyway by Chris Knopf, 3*
Category: North American Mystery

Arthur Cathcart's perfect world is turned upside down when he and his wife are attacked in their Connecticut home, and he is left for dead. He makes the decision to stay "dead" and forges (literally) a new identity to pursue the killers.

Disappearing and then establishing a new identity in a post- 9/11 America is not an easy task, and I was fascinated by how he went about it. Many of the details were not clear to me and I would have liked more explanation, but that may be my technological and financial illiteracy, and I also thought that the connections between some of the characters could have been more fully developed. However, the book is well-plotted and well-paced, and filled with interesting characters. My big disappointment was that only half of the mystery was solved; the other half will obviously be explored in a future book.

49. A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear (Maisie Dobbs #8), 4*
Category: British Mystery

As with all the previous Maisie Dobbs books, I very much enjoyed this episode in her life. I didn't find the school setting or the Nazi threat topic as interesting as the plots and topics in some of the other books, but it's still a really good book and a really good mystery.

50. The Invisible Ones by Stef Penney, 4 1/2*
Category: British Mystery

After having read so many mysteries for so many years, I am always amazed and impressed when I read a mystery that I consider truly original. And this book is one of them.

Private detective Ray Lovell is half-gypsy, and because of that is approached by a gypsy to solve the disappearance, six years earlier, of his daughter. In the course of Ray's investigation, we meet fascinating and fully developed characters, and learn about the culture and history of English gypsies, all beautifully wrapped up in an excellent mystery.

A solid 4*s for the mystery itself, I bumped it up 1/2* because of Ms Penney's adroit handing of several difficult writing techniques: alternating point-of-view between Ray and teenage gypsy JJ; major characters who are the opposite sex of the author; and, especially, 1st person, present tense narrative (which I don't usually care for, since it so often ends up sounding contrived and awkward -- but not in this book).

Many thanks to Carrie, who read and recommended this book several months ago.

I'm glad you enjoyed it, Ivy. It was one of the best Early Reviewer books I've received.

I've enjoyed the Stef Penney books I've read too, Ivy!

Invisible Ones goes on the WL! I've had Stef Penney on the WL for awhile. Hopefully I'll get to her soon!

& let us know what your granddaughter thinks of her art projects. Post photos if you can. :)

Carrie, Lori, have you read The Tenderness of Wolves? It's been on my radar for quite a while, but never at the top of the list. Now I'm really eager to read it.

Katie, I'll be sure to let you know about the projects. Photos? They're not my thing, never have been (taking them, that is -- I'm always glad to have them). I'll do my best.

The Tenderness of Wolves was the first Stef Penney book I read. I really liked it, too. It's very different from The Invisible Ones, except for the exceptional storytelling.

Finishing out September:

52. Corpus Christmas by Margaret Maron (Sigrid Harald #6), 3 1/2*
53. Past Imperfect by Margaret Maron (Sigrid Harald #7), 3*
Category: North American Mystery (Category Completed)

I've long been a fan of Margaret Maron's Deborah Knott series, but hadn't read her earlier Sigrid Harald series until this year. As much as I like Deborah, there's something about Sigrid that really strikes a chord with me. I also enjoy the emphasis on the NY art world in this series.

I'd thought about saving Corpus Christmas for a Christmas read, but decided to go ahead with the series, since Three-Day Town, which features both Deborah and Sigrid, will be available in paperback soon, and it looks like this year's book will also include both heroines. As it turned out, Christmas is only incidental to the story, anyway, and other than a few references to the season, could have taken place at any time of the year.

One of the things I like about Margaret Maron is that she often mixes things up a bit, and doesn't write just formulaic mysteries. Past Imperfect is one of those that's a bit different, but in my opinion not as successful as some of her other books. On the other hand, a new character was introduced, who I'd like to see again -- not sure if it will happen, though, since there's only 1 more Sigrid book before she began the Deborah series.

>120 cbl_tn: Carrie, it sounds very different. But I'm really impressed by her, and it's now near the top of the list.

Yes - I loved The Tenderness of Wolves.

>123 thornton37814: Good to know, Lori. It might be next -- after A Dance with Dragons and The Beautiful Mystery.

3rd Quarter Summary

So far this year, I've read 17 fewer books than I had on October 1st of last year (and last year was just an ok but not outstanding reading year). I don't really expect that I will complete the challenge for 2012. Part of the problem is the way I structured it: I thought a step challenge would be fun to try, and put the long, slow books in the small categories. At this point, I have little and less (to use a Martin phrase) interest in reading those books, though I still want to read them someday. It might change before the end of the year, but time is running out to get to all of them.

I thought about re-structuring the challenge, but I think I'd rather just continue as it is for the rest of the year -- though I'll be reading just what I feel like rather than trying to complete categories -- and then start again for 2013. (I had an idea for it yesterday, and may post the beginning of it soon.)

1. Major Accomplishment (0/1)

2. Disasters (0/2)

3. New Harmony, Indiana (0/3)

4. Other US History (1/4)

5. Fantasy (8/5)
Category completed: May
3 Bonus books for Category 13

6. British History (3/6)

7. Ancient World (2/7)

8. Modern World (6/8)

9. Around the World (4/9)

10. British Mystery (5/10)

11. North American Mystery (12/11)
Category completed: September
1 Bonus book for Category 13

12. And On and On (9/12)

13. A Baker's Dozen (7/13)
3 Misfits
4 Oveflow from Categories 5 and 11

You've had to rocky a year to worry about the challenge. I say let it be Zen and see what happens! Those big scary ones are big and scary. That's why I use the over 400 pages counts as two books rule. That way I don't have a special category for them, but I still sometimes fit a few monsters in. Someone had a category challenge with no number of books for each category. That sounds good to me.

Let me chime in and say I loved The Tenderness of Wolves, too.

>126 cammykitty: Katie, I think the problem for this year (besides not reading as much) is the way I set up my challenge. The small categories were just too specific -- no wiggle room to substitute shorter, faster books for the tomes. And the long books I have read are the George R.R. Martin books, which I didn't anticipate liking so much that I'd read all of them this year. It's okay, though -- the challenge is just for fun, isn't it?

>127 tymfos: Terri, I'm really glad that you liked The Tenderness of Wolves so much! When I really love a book, I'm sometimes hesitant to read other books by that author, especially earlier books, since I'm afraid I'll be disappointed.

Two-Year-Old Tuesday

My little granddaughter loved the Soda & Vinegar Fizz! She quickly got the hang of the spray bottle without too much damage to my kitchen, and it kept her occupied while I prepared dinner. When her mother arrived, she immediately wanted to show her "the bubbles."

I'd planned to also do either the fingerprint pictures or finger painting, but we spent quite a long time outside in the glorious fall weather that we've been having, and ran out of time. It was wonderful for me, though, to have a whole bunch of projects ready to use, instead of desperately trying to figure out what to do next. Thanks again for all the ideas! And when the rain descends, we'll have plenty of time for inside projects. And for me to figure out how to get pictures and how to post them.

I'm planning to go back to Eastern Oregon for a few days this week (everything is okay, just a quick visit for my aunt's birthday), so I won't have her here this Tuesday, but maybe later in the week depending on when I get back.

No new books to report. I'm still reading A Dance with Dragons, but getting close to the end. I've been trying to catch up on threads, but still have a long way to go, and have been planning my 2013 challenge, which I almost have ready, but may not get posted until after I get back.

Sound like you have been having creative fun with your granddaughter. That is great! I love the exuberance that children have for almost everything!

Two-year olds are way cool! With all of the fun activities you are planning, I wouldn't be surprised if she turned out to be either a scientist or an artist (or both!)!

Sounds like a fun way to spend a Tuesday!

That does sound like a super fun day! & just like challenges, days shouldn't be over-scheduled. ;)

Lori, "exuberance" is the perfect word for pre-schoolers. I love looking at the world through their eyes.

Mamzel, "scientist or artist (or both)": We'll see. She reminds me a lot of my brother, and he ended up an electrical electronic engineer. (He's 15 years younger than I am, so I remember him as a small child.) His son, who's now 13, has a big dose of artistic talent as well, and has been making videos that I think are amazing -- writes his own story line, does his own filming, edits and sets them to music. He was complaining about his older sister's school project, which he didn't think was edited properly and looked amateurish.

Terri, I really look forward to the days that I have her to myself, and even more now that I don't feel like I'm scrambling to keep her occupied. I'm sorry I missed this week.

Katie, I'm a big believer in giving children time to explore on their own, and do whatever interests them, even if it's not objectively educational or productive. Eastern Oregon, where I grew up, has produced nationally known artists, musicians, experts of all sorts far more often than you'd expect, given the small population. I think it's because children do have time to experiment and explore without all the scheduled "educational" activities.

I'm now home after a lovely 3 days in Eastern Oregon. Beautiful fall weather there, too, and exceptionally warm. I didn't read much (hardly at all) while I was there -- instead spent long hours talking with family, and some time picking fruit.

I am so glad that you are back to enjoying your reading as well as all those other activities. and time with family.

I have the George RR Martin books slated for next year - certainly glad that you rated them so highly.

Thanks, Cheli! I hope you enjoy George R.R. Martin as much as I do. Despite all the rave reviews, I am still surprised at how much I like them.

Okay. I decided to try to learn how to insert pictures in my thread. I failed. Do I need to upload them first? Where do I upload them to? I had the instructions from the 75 Book Challenge, but couldn't figure out how to get the picture to the message. Since I'm incredibly frustrated, and have a bunch of other things I need to be doing, I'll have to try this again later.

But I have learned how to post pictures to my profile, so I posted the picture of my little granddaughter there.

I have a hard time with that, too, Ivy. There's a thread with how to do it but the hard part is figuring out the jpeg source or whatever. Never seems to work right for me until I've tried a few times.

Extremely cute picture!!

Thanks, Linda!

Yes, that's where I got hung up -- with the source. I want to put book covers in my 2013 Challenge, so maybe I'll experiment with that first, and then come back to trying my own pictures.

If pictures are already on the Web, you can use the IMG SRC tag, if they aren't you have to upload them somewhere first. Since you have it in your profile, you can right click to copy the image location. Then use the left angle bracket (no space) IMG SRC="insert image location here.jpg" (no space) right angle bracket.

Thanks, Lori! I suspected that it had to be uploaded first.

Well, that didn't work (I tried to put the picture from my profile here). When I right click on the image itself, I don't get an option to copy the image location.

Probably the easiest way for me to figure this out is to get one of my daughters or my son-in-law to show me. We were talking while I was "helping" my brother make a red velvet cake for my aunt's birthday about how much easier it is to learn how to do things if you can watch someone, rather than just follow instructions.

Hope you don't mind but the thing that is wrongg i that somehow you are using http://www.librarything.com/pic/3537073. Which is not an image code (they normally end in .jpg)

I do know that different browsers have different descriptions for copying the image but what I get when I right click is an instruction for "copy image URL" which gives

http://pics.librarything.com/picsizes/03/46/0346a341bdb00c26372364d6651445341455...

If you put that in the code you get a picture of your beautiful granddaughter

I'm glad this attempt worked. What a cutie!

Thanks so much, calm!! I still don't see anything that looks like "copy image URL." I know that one of my children can show me -- over the years, I have learned a great deal from them (about computers along with other things).

Thanks, mamzel. She's a real delight. But it was calm who got it posted, not me (yet -- I will get it figured out).

Ivy I've done a bit of searching and found what should show for the copy image in different browsers

- if you use Firefox, right click and select "Copy Image Location"
- if you use Chrome, right click and select "Copy Image URL"
- if you use Safari, right click and select "Copy Image Address"
- if you use IE, right click and select "Properties" then select the address field

It sounds like you might be using IE as you aren't getting any "copy" instructions. Hope this helps .. if not at least it sounds like one of your family will be helpful:)

I love seeing other people's pictures:)

Your granddaughter is adorable Ivy! Hope your family is able to help you with the picture posting. I use Firefox as my web browser so sadly there isn't much I can add to the good advice you have already received from Lori and calm.

If it is still a problem, post and one of us can try to figure out how to help you!

Very cute!!!

Thanks, Lori & Katie!

calm, I think you found the answer! At least, after it's uploaded, when I click on Properties, I get a .jpg code... Thanks so much!

And now to try it, with a picture of both granddaughters taken on the older one's first day of school in September:

It worked! THANK YOU, calm!

54. A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 5), 5*
Category: Fantasy

I loved this one as much as the first four and can't wait for the next one. I do hope that the March 2013 publication date will hold up; I believe it's been moved back a couple of times already.

It's hard to say much about these books, especially the later ones, without spoilers. It's a fully developed fantasy world with some similarities to our own in medieval times; the characters are wonderful; it's well written, with some literary artifices that I think enhance the setting; his technique of changing point of view in each chapter is artfully done and totally consistent; the story line is amazing and, for me at least, totally unpredictable. I want to know what happens next!

After I finished A Dance with Dragons, I started the last Sigrid Harald book, and found the answer to questions about Margaret Maron's timeline. I believe she also follows this practice in the Deborah Knott series.

Pertinent excerpts from the "Author's Note" at the beginning of the book:

Lieutenant Sigrid Harald, NYPD, first appeared in . . . One Coffee With in 1981. Fugitive Colors is her eighth adventure. with each book set in what was -- and is -- the current "now."
. . .
For the author, fourteen years have passed. For Sigrid Harald herself, no matter how much internal evidence alert readers may cite to the contrary, it has been only one short tumultuous year.

The pictures are lovely, Ivy. You're blessed with beautiful granddaughters.

Thanks, Carrie. I do indeed feel blessed.

What a great picture of your granddaughters, Ivy! Hope things are going well for you.

I love this saying...

Children are the Rainbow of life, grandchildren the Pot of Gold.

Hi Ivy:

I just popped in to say hi, and see what you're up to. Your granddaughters are beautiful!

Thanks, Lori & Lisa!

That's a wonderful saying, Cheli! So true...

55. Fugitive Colors by Margaret Maron (Sigrid Harald #8), 4*
Category: North American Mystery

I really enjoyed this last Sigrid Harald mystery. Without getting into spoilers, I can say that I now understand why she discontinued this series; a continuation would have taken the backstory in a totally new direction. So I'm really interested in how Ms Maron handles it in Three-Day Town when she brings Sigrid back.

There was a lot of really interesting art information in this episode, too, including the title: "fugitive colors" are paints whose color fades over time (because of the pigment or dye used in the paint).

You seem to have it figured out, but if you wanted to hop over to my profile, HRO (HerRoyalOrangeness) gave me some great directions in a profile message that I leave out there because I tend to forget since I don't do it that often. I think they will work for the book covers. I use them for images I find. I can copy them into a message to you, if you want. Great pics BTW!

Thanks, Betty! I think I do have it mostly figured out, but not everything, and I'd love to have further instructions.

I do have to get to the Sigrid series sometime. Sounds fun. BTW - you have really cute grandchildren!

Thanks, Katie!

I've really enjoyed Sigrid and I'm looking forward to seeing her again in Three-Day Town. I started the Deborah Knott series when there were already several books in the series, caught up, and have continued reading as new books come out. Until I learned that Sigrid would re-appear, I really didn't consider reading the earlier series, (wrongly) assuming that an earlier, abandoned series would be inferior. Margaret Maron has gained polish in her later books, but the Sigrid series is very good and there's something really special about her.

56. A Fountain Filled with Blood by Julia Spencer-Fleming (Clare Fergusson #2), 3*
Category: North American Mystery

I really enjoyed In the Bleak Midwinter, and expected to like this 2nd book just as much. Though I didn't dislike it, I was disappointed.

Problems for me: Some of Clare's actions were unworthy of her; they might be excused in an impulsive 20-year-old, but Clare is 30-some years old, a former Army pilot and a priest. I had trouble visualizing some of the scenes and action; that's usually not a problem for me, even when descriptions are somewhat sketchy, but even when I slowed down and re-read the passages, I still couldn't get a clear picture in my mind. Although the mystery was very good and well-developed, the denouement was incomplete; the answers could be mostly inferred from the explanations given, but not everything was addressed.

I'm not done with the series yet, though. I intend to read the next book in the series -- but if I don't like it better than this one, I may not continue.

I've been holding off on reading this installment because I had problems with the relationship that was developing between a priest and a married law enforcement officer in the first installment. I intend to read it, but it's just not been a high priority.

>165 thornton37814: Lori, I also find that relationship troubling, and it's still not clear where she intends to take it.

I'm also only as far as book #2 and wonder what's going to happen between them.

I am all the way through the series (one of my favorites) and I'm biting my tongue so I don't give anything away... Just have a little faith.

...no pun intended?...

I'm laughing, too! Definitely a bright note, since I'm NOT laughing about my coffee maker refusing to work this morning.

And okay, Victoria, I'll keep going on the series. I'm even more curious now!

I was glad to see both you and Lori expressing some doubt in the series, Ivy, as I have only read the first book and was a little troubled by that relationship as well. Glad to see Victoria's reassurance, and will continue on with the series at some point.

Yes, the pun was intended! LOL.

Judy - I was also happy to see other people expressing doubt but happy to see Victoria's comment. It may be January or even later before I get back to the series. I have so many books I want to read! Maybe we'll all read it about the same time.

I went to the bookstore yesterday to buy a couple of gifts (which I did do), and got home with the 3rd Spencer-Fleming and The Tenderness of Wolves for myself. Could have been worse, but they didn't have the next couple of Amelia Peabody books, and the clerk talked me out of buying Unbroken, which she said she loved, because it is several dollars cheaper on-line. Nice of her, I thought, to point that out.

I'm not sure how soon I'll get to the Spencer-Fleming book -- perhaps next month. Or perhaps next year.

57. The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny (Inspector Gamache #8), 4 1/2*
Category: And On and On

Louise Penny has done it again, with a mystery that is very different from the previous books in the series. I saw someone describe it as a locked-room mystery, the locked-room being a remote monastery closed to the world, and I think that is an apt description. I loved the references to Henry II and Thomas a Becket, a story that has fascinated me for years, and the quotations from T.S. Eliot's Murder in the Cathedral. Well written, well constructed, and with a depth of character that is unusual in mysteries.

This isn't my favorite book in the series, and I missed the regulars from Three Pines, but it was nevertheless very good and very satisfying. I wonder if the film production of Still Life will slow down the publication of the next book.

Ooo. I'm planning on reading The Beautiful Mystery as well as Sharon Kay Penman's series about Eleanor and Henry (second of four books includes Becket) in 2013. Sounds like I got it right.

>176 cyderry: Sounds like a good combination, Cheli! I should say, though, that The Beautiful Mystery doesn't delve into the story of Henry & Becket, just refers to it.

I saw that you mentioned a group read of the Penman books in the 2013 challenge. I really enjoyed Here Be Dragons early this year, and had sort of planned to finish that series before starting the Henry & Eleanor series. But, as it has turned out, I haven't gotten back to them -- or any of the other 8 or 10 historical fictions that I have sitting here and had intended to read this year. I think maybe I'll join the group read, anyway. I always enjoy seeing different authors' take on Eleanor; so far, I haven't found anyone who sees her quite as I do -- but based on her characterization of King John, I expect that she may have an original view of Henry and Eleanor and their relationship.

ETA: Actually, when I think about it, it would make chronological sense to read about Henry and Eleanor before I continue with the other series. I was initially more interested in the Welsh series because I know less about it. and was particularly interested in Llewellyn and Joan, but I think I've changed my mind about the order I want to read them.

58. Heat Rises by Richard Castle (Nikki Heat #3), 3*
Category: And On and On

I enjoyed this installment, as I have the previous two. I thought the mystery in this one was quite good, and portions of the book were page-turners, but I'm not at all sure that these books would appeal to people who are not fans of tv's Castle. The characterizations are scant, relying on the readers identification of Rook and Heat as Castle and Beckett, and Rook's quips often strike me as corny and obnoxious in print, where Castle's delivery in the show does not have the same effect. I also have a quibble with the narrator's voice -- presumably Castle's, but not as I would expect it to be -- and the overuse of cop jargon and popular slang. Despite all this, I intend to continue reading the books by "Richard Castle."

As I was reading this book, I was once again impressed by the similarities among Sigrid Harald (begun in 1981), Eve Dallas (begun in 1995) and Kate Beckett / Nikki Heat. Can it really be coincidence?

I sometimes read books together because they have the same setting, topic or time period. But this time it was mostly unintentional: I started with the final Sigrid Harald book, NYPD; moved north to Clare Fergusson, an Episcopal priest who was dealing with targeting of gay men; moved further north into Quebec, and read about monks, with some exploration of homosexual relationships; and went back to NYPD in Heat Rises, again encountering priests and sexual crimes within the Church. I thought it was time for a change of time and place and subject, but didn't escape entirely, with

59. Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen, 3*
Category: British Mystery

Georgiana, a penniless aristocrat who is 34th in line for the throne, comes to London in 1932 to escape an arranged marriage and becomes embroiled in a murder and threats to her life. I thought the first half of the book was a lot of fun, with the commentary on royalty and the aristocracy, and with cute, spunky and naive Georgie trying to make her own way. However, the book was at least 1/3 too long, with the same comments being repeated over and over, and the solution was totally predictable.

I liked the book enough that I will probably continue with the series, but I don't think Georgie comes even close to Maisie Dobbs or Bess Crawford.

Thinking about all of you who are involved with the storm. Hoping and praying that everyone is safe!

need to get back to the HEAT series.

Hi! Glad to see your great review of The Beautiful Mystery. I just got hold of our library copy!

>181 cyderry: I really enjoy the television series Castle. I hope that whoever came up with the idea to publish his books has been suitably rewarded -- what a brilliant idea!

>182 tymfos: Terri, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

October Recap

Since May, I have read only Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire and mysteries. It's been great, but I've been thinking recently about getting back to some of the books I started earlier this year, and some of the non-fiction that I'd intended to read. Although I read only 6 books in October, my enthusiasm for books seems to have returned.

3 of the 6 books were excellent: A Dance with Dragons, The Beautiful Mystery and Fugitive Colors.

1. Major Accomplishment (0/1)

2. Disasters (0/2)

3. New Harmony, Indiana (0/3)

4. Other US History (1/4)

5. Fantasy (9/5)
Category completed: May
4 Bonus books for Category 13
~~ A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin

6. British History (3/6)

7. Ancient World (2/7)

8. Modern World (6/8)

9. Around the World (4/9)

10. British Mystery (6/10)
~~ Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen

11. North American Mystery (14/11)
Category completed: September
3 Bonus books for Category 13
~~ Fugitive Colors by Margaret Maron
~~ A Fountain Filled with Blood by Julia Spencer-Fleming

12. And On and On (11/12)
~~ The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny
~~ Heat Rises by Richard Castle

13. A Baker's Dozen (10/13)
3 Misfits
7 Oveflow from Categories 5 and 11

I also enjoyed Heat Rises, much better than book #2. There's a group read of Frozen Heat for the 2013 Challenge...

Stopping by to wish you a good weekend Ivy... a little early as it is only Thursday evening, but still.... ;-)

>185 VictoriaPL: Victoria, I honestly can't remember Book 2 anymore, except that I have enjoyed these books despite their shortcomings. I think I joined the 2013 Group Read; if I only meant to, but haven't, I definitely will.

>186 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori. I hope you have a great weekend, too!

For whatever reason, I haven't felt like posting reviews of the books I've read so far in November (6 of them!), so I'm just going to make short work of them and move on:

60. Out of the Deep I Cry by Julia Specer-Fleming (Clare Fergusson #3), 4*
Category: North American Mystery

I liked this episode much better than Book #2. I thought the mystery was very good, and I liked the old mystery from the early 20th century tied into the present mystery (and thought she did it very well). I'm still not satisfied with the relationship between Clare and Russ, but I intend to keep reading this series, probably next year.

61. The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney, 4*
Category: North American Mystery

As others commented, this mystery set in 1860s Northern Canada is very different from Ms Penney's 2nd book The Invisible Ones. I wasn't disappointed -- I liked it very much -- but I liked The Invisible Ones better, and I thought it was a more accomplished work. The Tenderness of Wolves seemed, at times, rather self-consciously "literary" and, although she handled the multiple points of view quite well, it fell short compared to George R.R. Martin's masterful use of that technique (in which I was immersed for most of the last 6 months).

I look forward to her next book. I'd like to see more of the gypsy detective, but I suspect she may go in a totally different direction instead.

62. Vanished Smile: The Mysterious Theft of Mona Lisa by R.A. Scotti, 3*
Category: Around the World

I knew that the Mona Lisa had been stolen and then returned, but I knew nothing about the theft. This book does provide a lot of intereting information about the theft, the Mona Lisa herself, the Louvre and art in general, and that alone accounts for the 3*. Unfortunately, the book is very poorly organized -- as a whole, within chapters and sometimes even within paragraphs; the writing style alternates between choppy, almost juvenile, sentence structure and "purple prose" (a phrase she disdainfully uses about a journalist's account of the theft) with repetitive accolades about the mystique of the painting; the book is poorly referenced; it's not at all objective -- a lot of cutesy cleverness and disparagement of almost everyone involved... Shall I go on?

>189 ivyd: Ivy, I listened to the audio version last year and had trouble following it. I wished at the time that I had the print version so I could skip over the parts that didn't interest me. It definitely has an organization problem.

63. The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley (Flavia de Luce #2), 4*
Category: British Mystery

I really enjoyed this 2nd book, I think more than the first one. Maybe it was just a better book, or maybe my mood was just right for it; or maybe it was because, after havng read the first book, I wasn't expecting Flavia to be a totally believable character and thus could be more easily entertained by her. I think I may try to read the 3rd book soon, so that I can read the 4th book as part of my Christmas reading.

64. Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers, 4*
Category: A Baker's Dozen: Children and YA -- CATEGORY COMPLETED

I love the Disney movie Mary Poppins, but I'd never read the book. The movie partially follows the book (and possibly takes some episodes from the later Mary Poppins books), but there are some changes and numerous chapters recounting events that are not in the movie, some of them a bit strange, in my opinion. All in all, this is a charming book... but I still prefer the movie.

65. Devil's Food Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke (Hannah Swensen #14), 4*
Category: And On and On -- CATEGORY COMPLETED

I think that some people were disappointed with this installment, but I really liked it. Maybe it was because it's been quite a while since I visited Hannah, but I thorougly enjoyed the book while I was reading it, though I did think that the mystery could have been better resolved. And the ending left me wanting to read the next book right away... though I have a suspicion where she may be taking the backstory.

>190 cbl_tn: Carrie, I just re-read your review -- very nice review! I now vaguely remember it from last year, but probably based on your (lack of) recommendation, I hadn't added it to my wishlist; it was recently loaned to me, and I thought it would be a good break from my current mystery streak. Well... still mystery, I guess, but at least non-fiction.

I didn't mind the diversions to Leonardo and his subject so much, but they were misplaced, too long, and what I really wanted to know about was the theft. I did get heartily tired of the stories of all the kings and others who were obsessed by the painting. Sometimes there are books that make me want to take a red pen, and rewrite and reorganize to make it the book I think it should be... this is one of them.

ETA: I see that I did comment on your review last year... I didn't think I'd had the book that long! I guess that review must be why I just shelved it without adding it to any list of books I intended to read, until I decided to pick it up a couple of weeks ago.

Glad you liked the second Flavia book, Ivy. I read the first one and, in the end, I liked it, but it took me three tries to get through it.

Nice set of min-reviews Ivy! I especially like your comments regarding The Tenderness of the Wolves as I have that on sitting on my TBR bookcase. Flavia is fun so I am always happy to see positive reviews for Bradley's books. ;-)

.... and two more categories completed.... Well Done!

Ivy, It's good to know that you think Stef Penney's 2nd book is better than her first. I read The Tenderness of Wolves a couple of years ago and quite liked it so I now have high hopes for The Invisible Ones. Also glad to know that you think the 2nd Flavia book is also an improvement as I will need to get to that sometime too.

>193 lindapanzo:-195 I think Flavia improves as you get to know her and realize that she's not to be taken completely seriously. She (and her family) are just realistic enough to make the exaggerated eccentricities entertaining. Although the characters (and their foibles) are totally different, it's the same kind of humor that I loved in the BBC series Keeping Up Appearances.

>194 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori! I hope you enjoy The Tenderness of Wolves. Although it's a mystery, it's quite different from usual formats -- and she writes beautifully.

>195 AHS-Wolfy: Dave, it's hard to compare the two books, because they are both quite original and totally different from each other. But I do think that Ms Penney writes with more confidence and skill in The Invisible Ones -- and the subject matter was more interesting to me (though that may not be true for everyone).

Keeping Up Appearances is a fun show. I get a real kick out of Onslow and Hyacinth's sisters, Daisy and Rose. Poor Richard.....

I am off work today and it is lashing of rain outside. As I am between books right now, this is a good time to pull out the Keeping Up Appearances DVDs. Thanks Ivy, for the unintended suggestion of how I can spend this afternoon!

I would say, "give my regards to Hyacinth", but I'm afraid to let her know I'm home. She might invite me to one of her candlelight suppers or start singing at me. :)

Yes, do hide from Hyacinth ;) I hope I get to read The Weed that Strings the Hangman's bag next year. Next year isn't that far off now.

I like to watch Hyacinth Bucket. I especially like the Nervous Nellie Neighbor. I always laugh, even if I've seen the episode before.

I should have known that there would be other fans of Hyacinth here! There are very few tv shows that have me laughing out loud, but this is one. And, like Linda, it doesn't matter to me whether I've seen it before or not.

Hope you enjoyed your afternoon, Lori! I'd love to have DVDs of that show!

Happy Thanksgiving, Ivy.

Enjoy the holiday!!

The beauty of shows like Keeping up Appearances is that you can watch them over and over again and they never grown old and tired. I think we purchased our DVDs through BBC America.... either that or from eBay. I just don't remember....

Happy Thanksgiving, Ivy!

Have a lovely holdiay, Ivy.

I like Hetty Wainthrop - Patricia Rutledge again - not as ditzy as Hyacinth, but equally intimidating.

I'd say something about Hyacinth, but most of it has already been said.

>202 lindapanzo:-204 Thanks, Linda, Lori, Judy! I did have a lovely Thanksgiving -- around 30 people (but not at my house!) -- family and "extended family" (friends who have become closer than family). I hope everyone had as nice a day as I did!

>205 cammykitty: Katie, I've not seen Hetty Wainthrop -- just investigated and it looks good!

>203 lkernagh: & 206 Taking about Keeping Up Appearances has made me want to watch the series again! I think I'll investigate getting the DVDs; they should be much less expensive now than when I last looked into it.

66. Three-Day Town by Margaret Maron (Deborah Knott #17, Sigrid Harald #9), 3 1/2*
Category: And On and On

An interesting combination of Margaret Maron's most recent heroine Deborah Knott, who is in New York City with her husband, and Ms Maron's earlier heroine Sigrid Harald, a NYC detective (whose series was discontinued in the 1990s).

Although I enjoyed it, and was happy to see Sigrid reappear, I don't think this was one of her more successful books. The mystery was not particularly good, and seemed somewhat incidental to the combining of characters. She continued her narrative formats of previous books -- Deborah in 1st person and Sigrid in 3rd person -- which was rather awkward at times. One of the more interesting aspects of the book was seeing Deborah and Sigrid from each other's veiwpoint, but I nevertheless thought that the characterizations were a bit weak unless the reader is bringing previous knowledge to this book (which I was).

The book ended by setting up a scenario for both heroines in the next book (which I believe has just been, or shortly will be, released), back in North Carolina. I have every intention of reading it.

WARNING: For those who haven't read, but intend to read, the Sigrid Harald books, much of Sigrid's backstory is given in this book, so I was really glad that I'd decided to read the Sigrid books first. Also, in the previous book, Christmas Mourning, which hints at this book, there is a spoiler of the Sigrid books -- it's a pretty major one, and I wish I hadn't known it, though I still loved the Sigrid books.

Thanks for the warning. Read Sigrid books first. Note to self.

I have probably read one or two Sigrid books, but I don't remember them.

>210 thornton37814: I have probably read one or two Sigrid books, but I don't remember them.

Lori, I suspect that's why she gives so much of the backstory, since it's been more than 15 years since the last one was published. And also for those who haven't read them and don't intend to -- or can't get ahold of them. I had some trouble finding all the books; several are out of print; some were available as e-books, but not all when I was looking for them (perhaps now they all are). I read all 8 Sigrid books this year, so it was fresh in my mind, but even if it had been just a year or two, I would have appreciated the reminders of the story.

>209 cammykitty: Katie, it's not necessary to read the Sigrid books first, since she does tell you what you need to know for Three-Day Town. And the spoilers are not of the mysteries -- just Sigrid's history. But I enjoy discovering the backstory as well as the mysteries in series books, and I would have been disappointed if I had decided to read the Sigrid books after reading Three-Day Town -- hence, the warning.

When I went to stay downtown yesterday, I brought the first Deborah Knott mystery Bootlegger's Daughter to read but then ended up reading on my Kindle app instead. I do plan to read that first one soon, though.

I read Christmas Mourning, I think, but don't remember any spoilers. I remember thinking: Isn't she in the other series? but that was about it.

I'm in the middle of Bootlegger's Daughter and was wondering if I should try to get the Sigrid books or not - and when to fit them in. But since I don't need to decide until book #17, I'll wait. (and probably forget before I get there).

>212 lindapanzo: Linda, I didn't realize there was a spoiler (in Christmas Mourning) until I started reading the Sigrid books and found I knew something that I shouldn't have. I hope you enjoy Bootleggers Daughter!

>213 dudes22: Betty, I hope you are enjoying Deborah! I'm glad I read the Sigrid books, just because I liked them (and her) so much. But I think that she meant for Three-Day Town to be fine for those who haven't read them -- hence, all the spoilers.

67. A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley (Flavia de Luce #3), 3 1/2*
Category: British Mystery

I didn't like this 3rd book as much as I did the 2nd The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag. There were indeed numerous red herrings, but despite several interesting possiblities, I didn't think that the resolutions and explanations were completely satisfactory. Nor did I think it was as amusing as the 2nd book.

However, I did enjoy it and wanted to keep reading about Flavia, so I've begun I Am Half-Sick of Shadows -- my 1st Christmas book for 2012. So far (a little less than 1/3 through), it's delightful!

Ivy, looks like we are on the same page (almost literally) with Flavia! I just finished I Am Half-Sick of Shadows and liked it quite a bit. I'm looking forward to Speaking from Among the Bones!

Hi. You've been doing some good reading!

>217 tymfos: Hi, Terri! Yes, I've really been enjoying my mystery marathon. Each time I choose another mystery as my next book, I wonder how long it will be until I get tired of reading mysteries... but I haven't yet!

>216 christina_reads: Christina, we certainly are! But now you'll get ahead of me, since I didn't win Speaking from Among the Bones, so I'll have to wait until next year! Looking forward to seeing what you think of it!

68. I Am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley (Flavia de Luce #4), 4*
Category: British Mystery

Alan Bradley's 4th book about 11-year-old Flavia is probably my favorite so far. Although the mystery is a bit weak, the Christmas setting (with Flavia's plan to capture Father Christmas by putting birdlime on the roof!) and the more fully realized characterizations of Flavia and her family were delightful.

69. Elvis and the Blue Christmas Corpse by Peggy Webb (Southern Cousins #5), 4*
Category: North American Mystery

Elvis is a basset hound, the reincarnation of Elvis the King (or at least he thinks he is), whose "human mom" is Callie. Callie is a young woman who owns a beauty salon; she has an "almost-ex" husband, currently staying with her while his broken leg heals, and charmingly quirky extended family and friends. Uncle Charlie convinces her to play Santa's elf (she 5'9" tall) at a charity event at the mall, where -- of course -- there is a murder. The narrative alternates between Callie and Elvis, who describes the events from a dog's point of view with numerous references to Elvis the King and his music. The events and humor are often over-the-top, in-your-face ridiculous.

Despite -- or perhaps because of -- all this absurdity, I thoroughly enjoyed the book (especially Fayrene's malapropisms) and was eager to play my Elvis Christmas cds. Although objectively this book is probably closer to 3*s than 4*s, it put me in such a good mood, and such a Christmas-y mood, that I feel generous.

#220 Ivy, so glad to hear that you enjoyed this book. I won it from ER and it's one of my three remaining books to finish for 12 in 12.

I'm doing in person shopping today and other Christmassy things do I might pick this one up snd start it today.

>221 lindapanzo: Linda, I was a bit taken aback by the first 15-20 pages, but when I stopped trying to take it seriously, I really enjoyed it. Hope you do too! Have a wonderful day!

November Recap

I read 10 books in November, the most in a month since last spring, even though 8 of them were mysteries. I can think of several ways to reorganize my challenge in order to succeed, but I don't think I care enough to do that. I'm continuing to keep track of them -- overreading in the mystery categories -- just because I like seeing where I end up for the year. Sometime soon I will probably move all the unread books to my 2013 Category Challenge, and begin anew in January.

My favorites for the month were The Tenderness of Wolves and I Am Half-Sick of Shadows. I enjoyed all the others, including the subject matter of Vanished Smile: The Mysterious Theft of Mona Lisa, but I thought it was poorly put together.

1. Major Accomplishment (0/1)

2. Disasters (0/2)

3. New Harmony, Indiana (0/3)

4. Other US History (1/4)

5. Fantasy (9/5)
Category completed: May
4 Bonus books

6. British History (3/6)

7. Ancient World (2/7)

8. Modern World (6/8)

9. Around the World (5/9)
~~ Vanished Smile: The Mysterious Theft of Mona Lisa by R.A. Scotti

10. British Mystery (9/10)
~~ The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley
~~ A Red Herring Without Mustard by Alan Bradley
~~ I Am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley

11. North American Mystery (17/11)
Category completed: September
6 Bonus books
~~ Out of the Deep I Cry by Julia Spencer-Fleming
~~ The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney
~~ Elvis and the Blue Christmas Corpse by Peggy Webb

12. And On and On (13/12)
Category completed: November
1 Bonus book
~~ Devil's Food Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke
~~ Three-Day Town by Margaret Maron

13. A Baker's Dozen (13+)
Category completed: November
4 Misfits
~~ Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers
9+ Overflow

10 books read in November is a great accomplishment Ivy! Enjoy your continuing mystery reading.

>224 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori! I'm enjoying the mysteries!

70. A Christmas Beginning by Anne Perry (Christmas #5), 3 1/2*
71. A Christmas Grace by Anne Perry (Christmas #6), 3*
72. A Christmas Odyssey by Anne Perry (Christmas #8), 3*
Category: Bristish Mystery -- COMPLETED

I hadn't read Anne Perry's Christmas novellas until last December, when I read and enjoyed 3 of them. I also enjoyed these 3, which feature minor characters from Anne Perry's Monk and Pitt series. Since they are Christmas stories, they are a bit predictable (and, as Christmas stories, would be disappointing if they weren't), but the characterizations and mysteries are good.

I liked the settings in different parts of the British Isles, with A Christmas Beginning set on the Isle of Anglesey, off the coast of Wales, and A Christmas Grace set on the west coast of Ireland. A Christmas Odyssey takes place in London and explores the dark haunts of opium users in Victorian England. Of these 3, A Christmas Beginning was my favorite.

73. The Cricket on the Hearth by Charles Dickens, 3 1/2*
Category: British History

The third of Dickens' Christmas novellas. It was okay, though the ending left me shaking my head. A Christmas Carol is wonderful, and I enjoy his stories, characters and beautiful use of language, but I'll never be a Dickens fan.

74. Room by Emma Donoghue, 4*
Category: Modern World

Truly amazing. I should probably give it a higher rating, because it was original, beautifully written, fascinating; I can't stop thinking about it, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone. The thing is, though, that subjectively I didn't like it very much, and while I might list it as one of the "best" books of the year, it won't be a "favorite" book.

75. He Sees You When You're Sleeping by Mary Higgins Clark & Carol Higgins Clark, 3*
Category: Modern World -- CATEGORY COMPLETED

A very lightweight Christmas novella, just barely deserving of 3*.

while I might list it as one of the "best" books of the year, it won't be a "favorite" book.

That is a good way to categorize Room, Ivy. It is not a book for everyone and, for me, I found the second half of the book, while still interesting to read, it didn't have that same effect/impact on me as the first half did.... I am probably not making any sense but it is difficult to explain without bringing in spoilers and I try not to do that!

I've debated whether or not to read Room.

What you said about Room makes total sense to me. Apparently it's very well done, but talk about unappealing subject matter!

Great minds...
This month I've read The Christmas Homecoming, A Christmas Promise, and A Christmas Odyssey so far and I'm in the middle of A Christmas Visitor.

>227 lkernagh: Lori, it makes perfect sense to me and I agree. Also, there was one incident in the 2nd part that didn't seem in character (if that makes sense without a spoiler!).

>228 thornton37814: & 229 Lori & Katie, I was hesitant about it, too, because of both the subject matter and the 5-year-old narrator. But I think she gets it right with the narrator -- the filter of a 5-year-old's observations removes much of what might otherwise be grotesque and depressing, and it's fascinating as well. I do recommend the book.

>230 cyderry: Cheli, they're great Christmas reads, aren't they? Short, uplifting, entertaining. I'd probably read another one before Christmas, but I don't have any more on hand. Next year I might catch up with the series...

My favorite so far is Christmas Homecoming. That may be because I just finished reading Dracula in October and this one centered in the little village where Dracula took place.

Ivy and Katie - You two have convinced me. I just went to BM and managed to snag 2 of those Christmas books. I'll be ready next year.

>232 cyderry: I haven't read that one yet -- I'll have to be sure to include it next year!

>233 dudes22: Betty, I hope you enjoy them!

I probably won't be around much in the next few days, and have read only a few pages in the last several days. I have 12 adults and 6 children coming for dinner on Christmas Eve, and a few more people dropping by for dessert, plus we have a (delightful) houseguest for the holidays. We'll spend Christmas Day at my daughter's house with her family.

Merry Christmas to everyone!

Have a great Christmas, Ivy.

Merry Christmas, Ivy!! Enjoy these special days.

Hi Ivy - Stopping by to wish you a happy holiday season and all the best in the new year!

Thanks for all the greetings! I had a really lovely Christmas, and I hope everyone else did, too.

I have about 30 pages left in my last book of the year, and expect to finish it today, so I'll update and summarize in the next couple of days. I'm really eager to start on 2013!

The terrible bus crash in Oregon happened about 20 miles from the town where I grew up. It's a really treacherous mountain pass -- even since the Interstate was completed. Beautiful, though, especially in the winter. And, incidentally, it's not called Deadman's Pass because of weather conditions. The name comes from the late 1800s, when a stage coach was ambushed there by Indians, the last Indian raid in Oregon (or so I've always been told -- don't think I've ever read a written account of it).

76. The Masque of the Black Tulip by Lauren Willig (Pink Carnation #2), 3*
Category: Around the World

This 2nd book in the Pink Carnation series was little more than a formulaic Regency Romance, a subgenre that I've never particularly liked (and yes, I've read enough of them to know that!). Set almost entirely in England, it lacked the interesting events in Napoleonic France and the clever machinations of the spies that I enjoyed in the first book of the series. But Ms Willig writes well, and the book was fairly amusing and entertaining, so I'll give the next book a chance (but not right away).

December Recap

I only managed 7 books in December, most of them Christmas novellas, bringing my total for the year to 76 -- significantly fewer than the last few years -- and officially failing to complete my challenge. The good news, though, is that after having read almost nothing except Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire and mysteries, for about 2/3 of the year, I'm finally ready to dive into some of the longer, slower, more complex books that I intended to read in 2012.

The best book in December was Room, and I really enjoyed the Anne Perry Christmas novellas.

1. Major Accomplishment (0/1)

2. Disasters (0/2)

3. New Harmony, Indiana (0/3)

4. Other US History (1/4)

5. Fantasy (9/5)
Category completed: May
4 Bonus books

6. British History (4/6)
~~ The Cricket on the Hearth by Charles Dickens

7. Ancient World (2/7)

8. Modern World (8/8)
Category completed: December
~~ Room by Emma Donaghue
~~ He Sees You When You're Sleeping by Mary Higgins Clark & Carol Higgins Clark

9. Around the World (6/9)
~~ The Masque of the Black Tulip by Lauren Willig

10. British Mystery (12/10)
Category completed: December
2 Bonus Books
~~ A Christmas Beginning by Anne Perry
~~ A Christmas Grace by Anne Perry
~~ A Christmas Odyssey by Anne Perry

11. North American Mystery (17/11)
Category completed: September
6 Bonus books

12. And On and On (13/12)
Category completed: November
1 Bonus book

13. A Baker's Dozen (13+)
Category completed: November
4 Misfits
9+ Overflow

Favorite Books of 2012

A Song of Ice and Fire:
A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin (May, 4 1/2*)
A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin (July, 5*)
A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin (August, 5*)
A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin (September, 5*)
A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin (October, 5*)

Time and Again by Jack Finney (March, 4 1/2*)
Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella (April, 4 1/2*)
11/22/63 by Stephen King (January, 5*)
A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway (January, 4 1/2*)
Idylls of the King by Alfred, Lord Tennyson (March, 5*)

1 Non-Fiction:
Soldier Dogs by Maria Goodavage (March, 4 1/2*)

2 Outstanding Mysteries:
The Invisible Ones by Stef Penney (September, 4 1/2*)
The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny (Inspector Gamache #8) (October, 4 1/2*)

And a lot of very good mysteries, most of them continuations in series that I already knew I liked. The standout new-to-me series was Margaret Maron's Sigrid Harald books.

I still need to move all my unread candidates to the 2013 challenge, and I haven't caught up on everyone's end of the year summaries (which I greatly enjoy reading, even if I don't comment), but I'm now moving on to 2013.