Ameise1 (Barbara)'s third ROOT

I'm back again. There are too many books on my shelves.






# 1 Unsuitable Job for a Woman by p. D. James on the shelf since 2012 (3 1/2 stars)
# 2 The Sanctuary Seeker by Bernard Knight on the shelf since 2013 (4 stars)
# 3 Fear in the Sunlight by Nicola Upson on the shelf since 2012 (4 stars)
# 4 The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter on the shelf since 2014 (4 stars)
# 5 A Season for the Dead by David Hewson on the shelf since 2013 (4 stars)
# 6 The Bridge Of Sighs by Olen Steinhauer on the shelf since 2014 (4 1/2 stars)
#7 Dark Dawn by Matt McGuire on the shelf since 2012 (4 stars)
# 8 The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown on the shelf since 2010 (3 1/2 stars)
# 9 Back Of Beyond by C. J. Box on the shelf since 2012 (4 1/2 stars)
#10 The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl on the shelf since 2012 (4 stars)
#11 Hollywood: A Third Memoir by Larry McMurtry on the shelf since 2014 (3 1/2 stars)
#12 The Violent Bear It Away by Flannery O'Connor (2 stars)
#13 He Sees You When You're Sleeping by Carol Higgins Clark on the shelf since 2012 (4 1/2 stars)

Welcome back and good luck for the next year!

>2 Tallulah_Rose: Thanks so much. BTW how are you? Your baby will come soon.

Welcome back, and good luck!

>4 rabbitprincess: Thanks so much, I'm looking forward to the new challenge. :-)

>4 rabbitprincess: Thanks so much. It's great to have you here too.

welcome back, and good luck.

>8 majkia: Thanks a lot. It's great to see you here too. :-)

Great to see you again!

>10 MissWatson: Thanks so much. We'll have great reading time next yrsr.

Hi, Barb! Here we are again. Good luck!!

>12 connie53: Same to you Connie and thanks so much.

Good luck with the rooting!

>14 Tess_W: Thanks so much.

Good luck this year, Barbara!

Thanks a lot, Laura. I wish the same to you, too.

>3 Ameise1: Thanks for asking, I'm great. Rolling around ;-), knitting. Not so much reading lately.

I wish you a happy and successful 2015 and may your ROOTs bring joy and good spirits into your life!

>18 Tallulah_Rose: Thanks so much, TR. Wishing you a fantastic 2015 soon with your little sunshine.

Hi Barb, How are you doing on ROOTing? I hope you are well and reading lots of books.

>20 connie53: Hi Connie, since days I try to read my first ROOT but it's going very slowly. Not because the book isn't gripping but because I've such a lot of work that I've no reading time. :-(

Ah, that's to bad. But even a little reading will help! As long as you enjoy it.

Don't work to hard!

>22 connie53: Connie, in three weeks my ski holiday will start. This year and next year I'll have six days more winter holiday so it will be each time three weeks and one day. Until the break I've to do a lot, writing reports for the pupils, meetings at the university because in spring two students will teach my class (like last year) and I'll get new cuboards in my class room therefore I have to take out everything. It's like moving. As you can see there is a lot of work to do.

>23 Ameise1: you have no choice then. You are a very busy girl!

Connie, indeed I am. Luckily I go twice a week to the gym likethis evening. During the exercices I'm listening always anaudiobook. I finished one tonight. :-D

Good for you!

Isn't it? :-)

It certainly is, Barb. Finishing a book is always a good thing for the TBR!

Connie, this audiobook and audiobooks in generally I don't count for ROOTS. Only books I count for ROOTs.

I understand, but it's a book in some form, not necessarily a ROOT.

Indeed, it is.

book 1



Well, I finally finished my first ROOT. I took me some time due to a very busy RL without enough reading time.

This is my second book (even though it's the first) of the Cordelia Gray's series. I listened to the second of the series last November. This book is the introduction to Cordelia Gray whom is a) very young and b) the heiress to a privat eye firm which she was becoming in the first part of the story.
Partly the story was very gripping but there were parts where I got the feeling of a bit boreness. After inherited the firm Cordelia got her first case which took her to Cambridge. She was hired to solve the puzzle of the death of a young man whereat it looked like that he commited suicide. By uncovering his and his family's secret Cornelia Gray was able to solve the mystery as well as to establish herself in the world of the privat eyes.

Well, one book down, Barb! Hooray!!

Thanks so much, Connie. I hope I get more reading time next month.

Woo hoo! First one down - that's always the hardest for me. Hope you're ROOTing out number 2!

>35 LauraBrook: Laura, I brought some ROOTs to Davos but there are still three other books I have to read.

You have time enough to reach your goal, Barb! The year is still young.

>37 connie53: Thanks Connie for the encouragement. :-)

The first one always the most difficult--congrats!

Thanks a lot Tess.

Agreed, you have plenty of time! Congrats on your first ROOT!

>41 avanders: Thanks so much. I'm currently reading an early review and afterwards a member giveaway. After those books I'll go to my next ROOT.

>42 Ameise1: an early reviewer and member giveaway? Fun! Hope you enjoy them :) The ROOTs aren't going anywhere.... (though I suppose that's why we're here in this group isn't it... ;))

book 2



I love medieval mysteries. This is the first of the Crowner John mysteries series. It introduces Sir John de Wolfe who is Devon's coroner and he was appointed by Richard the Lionheart. His closest nemesis is Sheriff Richard de Revelle who also is his brother-in-law and who won't accept the new king's law that the coroner has the saying. De Wolfe has to solve the puzzle who was killing a former Crusader. The story takes place in Exeter and its surroundings.
Because I spent some time there the reading was a great pleasure and brought back good memories from this place. It was a fast-paced reading and I surely will read another of this series.

Hi Barb! Another ROOT done! And that book sounds great!

Thanks so much, Connie. It was indeed a fantastic reading. I'll soon start another ROOT.

book 3



This was a very gripping mystery. It takes place at Portmeirion which was designed and built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis in the style of an Italian village. The location was just the right place for the Hitchcocks to have a meet-up with their staff but also for a group to celebrate a birthday party. Whereas Mr Hitchcock thought to make this weekend unforgettable due to some special events and playing with the psyche of the attendees, members of his staff had only revenge in their minds. Nobody knew that they were related to each other and were the previous owners of this location.
There were such a lot of twists and turns that it let me guess a very long time how all incidents were coming together and how they were realated to each other.

book 4


BAC April

I adore fairy tales and it's a long time ago I've read fairy tales for adults. This book contains different stories but within the reading I saw a lot of links to the classical fairy tales. These make this book much more charming because I was always thinking which turn Carter will take. I never felt disappointed on the contrary it kept me guessing and gripping the whole reading.
It's a book I can highly recommend.

>48 Ameise1: have you read the The Magic Toyshop? If so, how does it compare to The Bloody Chamber?

>49 avanders: No, I haven't read it. Sorry, I can't compare. The Bloody Chamber I can strongly recommend.

>50 Ameise1: no worries -- the Magic Toyshop was the only Carter I've so far read, and I didn't love it.... was wondering if it was just the author's style, or that book in particular ;) The Bloody Chamber sounds really interesting, so I imagine I will check it out :)

>48 Ameise1: I vow to read this book, and I believe I own it. Now, finding where it is amid all the books placed throughout the house will be a challenge.

Thank you so much for your love images you post on threads. This takes a lot of time, and thus it is so considerate of you. I deeply appreciate it!

>52 Whisper1: Linda, you're very welcome. Ha, searching a book in a house full of them is a real challenge. I know that too and what freaks me out most when family members are asking to search for their books if I have to know that too.

# 5



This was a gripping reading. I love Nic Costa's series very much but never read the first of this series earlier. This series is set in Rome and there is always a lot of historical facts but also lots of religion backgrounds. This story starts off at the Vatican but takes the assassin to different churches in Rome. The homicides are always arranged in the same way in front of an alatarpiece which show a martyr. There is also lots of corruption around the church but also the police. It takes Nic Costa a lot of twist and turns to solve the puzzle even though not to his perfect satisfaction.

That one sounds real good, Barb. I think I have a book by Hewson somewhere and searching my LT library I found exactly the same book on my TBR pile!

Connie, I've read five books of this serie so far. I like it very much and can recommend it.

# 6



This was a very gripping fast-paced reading. It's the first book of the Eastern Bloc series and I'll definitely read the other four books, too. The story of this books takes place in 1948 in an eastern capital. It's shortly after WWII and the establishment of the Cold War is forming. Important persons are looking for a good comfortable place within the polit office. Corruptions is among the agenda when Emil Brod a young homicide inspector has his first day at the People's Militia. All his work colleagues and his chief are thinking that he is a spy amongst them and therefore they avoid him and sometimes with brutal violence. His first case brings him straight back to connections of WWII. By and by he finds the path but has to pay it by being beaten heavily. During his recovery he gains the trust of his colleagues and chief but is told to let the case drop. Brod won't let go and finally solved the puzzle.

Several BB's hitting me here!

>58 Tess_W: Ha, Tess, I know this feeling. I get it all the time and therefore I've such a minimal target in the ROOT group because I always have to pick books from my local library due to all BBs.

# 7



This was very gripping but also a bit jumpy reading. It's the first book of the DS O'Neill series. The second one was reliesed last year. It takes place in Belfast.
This is DS O'Neill's first case at the CID. He doesn't have much friends there only his mentor DI Jack Ward who is helping him. CI Charles Wilson on the other hand is making O'Neill's life very hard and is looking forward to finding a reason to kick him out.
When they find the victim there was no clue who this young boy is and who could be the killer. O'Neill is fishing in murky waters and therefore arouses suspicion within Belfast's underworld like drug dealers, corrupt builders and former detainee. To solve the puzzle he needs not only luck and patience but also the distrust within the gangs.

# 8



Once again Robert Langdon hast o solve a puzzle so that the world doesn’t turn into a disaster. He thought that he was called to D. C. by his friend Peter Solomon but when he arrived at the Capitol he noticed that this was a trap and his friend was in great danger.
With the help of a Masonic pyramid and Peter’s sister he was able to solve this mystery. The evil one was dead and he gained some more insight into the old mystery of believing.
In my opinion the story was partly stretched too long and therefore the drive got sometimes lost. All in all it’s a typical Brown story fast-paced and mostly gripping.

Only three books to go, Barb! Excellent job.

Thanks Connie, but it's only two books because I can't update tickers at the moment. I've read 8 of 10.

Tickers can be updated again, Barb. At least I could do that yesterday.

# 9



This was a very fast-paced gripping reading. It was the second book of the Cody Hoyt ’s series I’ve read. I like Hoyt’s character. He is rough, tough and is working cases against all normal police work.
This time he was chasing after a serial killer even though he was a long time the only one believing in murder. When he found out that his son was on a track with the murderer nothing could keep him back to go after them to protect his son.
The story is written in chapters which are changing between what’s happening on the track and how Cody is finding the trail. There are a lot of deaths on his path.
It kept me excited until the very last page.

>65 Ameise1: So close to your goal!!

Yep, and I already started number 10. :-)

>67 Ameise1: Yeah for number 10!!

Ha, Connie, I should finish it within a week. :-)

Good for you!

# 10



This was a very gripping reading. In mid 19th century some scholars and writers of poems were at the task to translate Dante's Inferno. At the same time horrible murder cases started in Boston and the police was in the dark. In the end the police wasn't anymore interested to find the true murderer only Nicholas Rey the first African-American policeman didn't let go of these cases. By and by the Dante Club recognise that this cases were related with their translation. Time is running. Everybody seemed a step behind the murderer and more friends and acquaintances looked to be in danger or were victims.

Congrats on making your goal!

Yeah! Congrats!

>72 Tess_W: >73 avanders: Thanks so much. I read more ROOTs which will go to the group.

# 11


AAC August

I had to chuckle very often during the reading. It's an autobiography where he tells his life as a scriptwriter. It's more a kind of byline which brought him some necessary money to do his writing and especially bookselling. He tells with whom he was writing, about producer and the film industry, about sripts which lay around for years until they were used for a film or never had got a green light to be produced and about how fast he was/is writing his own novels.
It's a fast-paced and light reading.

Hi, Barb. I hope you will have a good week. Has school started for you?

>76 connie53: Hi Connie, I'm already back in the second week of this academic year. When will school start at your place? Do you have to prepare everything for it?

>77 Ameise1: I'm going to school on Friday to start things, but for me the first weeks aren't that busy. We have a paper file for every student per class. So I have to get lists of classes for the coming year and get the right files together in an ordner (File with ring clip), that takes a while. The real work starts in a week or two when we have to organize an informative evening for students from several schools in the region about the colleges and universities the students can go through when they graduate. Students and parents come to this evening. And it's our turn this year.
And we have to start preparing for testing classes.

>78 connie53: Sounds good, Connie. So you're able to enjoy a bit more of the summer.

>79 Ameise1: I hope so, Today is very rainy and tomorrow I'm working till 14.00. But they say the afternoon and the weekend is going to be good.

>80 connie53: Connie, we're back to the heat (over 30C) since Thursday and it will last until Tuesday.

# 12


AAC September

This wasn't my story. I hate brainwashing especially when it's religious fanaticism and this was the main subject of this story. I attest O'Connor's good writing style but she didn't enthral me with that plot.

I hate it when a book is that disappointing!

Me too, Connie. It isn't one which I would recommend even though the rating of others is much higher zhan my one.

Well, I rather have recommendations by people I know have similar taste in books than the rating on LT giving by unknown people.

You're right. This author was suggeszed by Mark for his AAC challenge. Perhaps she wrote some books which are better but I won't give them a try.

# 13



This was a perfect quick reading for the holiday season. Sterling Brooks who is since 46 years waiting infront of the gates of heaven finally arrives at the last judgement. To his disappointment, he is not admitted to go over the bridge before he has fulfilled a task. He is sent back on earth to help Marissa whose beloved father and granny have been put into the Witness Protection Program. It's close to Christmas when also is Marissa's birthday and she has given in any hope to see them again. Sterling, who was very selfish during his life, is touched by the heartbroken girl and sets out all the stops to help her.

>87 Ameise1: aww, I'm always looking for that! I will try to remember this next year....

ETA: I even already have it on the shelves.... no excuse, really... ;)

>88 avanders: Ava, when everybody was 'shouting' to help reaching the group's target, I had to look for an appropriate book and I came across this one. I have forgotten, that I own it ;-).

Perfect! & thank you for helping w/ that group goal!

:-)