Jean (Majkia) Reads in 2021

I'm Jean, living on the Emerald Coast of Florida (the Panhandle) in Niceville, FL across the bridge from the tourist town most folks know from this area, Destin, Florida.

I'm retired Air Force, married to Jim, who is retired civil servant. We rent the house from our dog who kindly lets us live here, L.C. a 5 year old Labradoodle. No cats, cuz I'm allergic.

We travel a lot in our motor home, altho obviously not so much in 2020. We have been going to one park a couple of hours away where we can safely social distance. Hope to get back there in February, after a series of doctors appointments that tend to get in the way of our plans, alas.

I've been a member of 75rs before, but tend to fail to keep up with you loquacious types. Anyway, hi to you all. Good to be back, and I'll try to keep up, but confess, reading rates higher than updating threads!

September Planned Reads:

Blue Monday - Nicci French
Blue Labyrinth - Preston/Child
Hunting Shadows - Charles Todd
Nice Dragons Finish Last - Rachel Aaron
Of Fire and Night - Kevin J. Anderson
Dragon Haven - Robin Hobb
The Fuller Memorandum - Charles Stross
Lucifer's Hammer - Larry Niven

Books Read
Jan
1. White Fire - Preston/Child - 🎵 (reader: Rene Auberjonois) - Series: Pendergast #13 - Series-Mystery, AlphaKIT, BingoDog
2. The Long Way Home - Louise Penny - 🎵 (reader:Ralph Cosham ) - Series: Gamache #10 - AlphaKIT, Series-Mystery
3. The Body on the Beach - Simon Brett - Series: Featherings #1 - 🎵 (reader: Geoffrey Howard) - ROOT, MysteryKIT
4. Conquest - Connolly/Ridyard - Series: Invaders #1 - 🎵 (reader:Nicola Barber) - ROOT, BingoDog, Dice
5. Intervention - Julian May - Series: Galactic Milieu #1 - A Re-Read - ROOT, AlphaKIT, BingoDOG, BFB
6. A Question of Upbringing Anthony Powell - Series: Dance Time #1 - 🎵 (reader: Simon Vance) - ROOT, Classic, AlphaKIT, BingoDOG
7. Shakespeare for Squirrels - Christopher Moore - Series: Pocket of Dog Snogging #3 - 🎵 (reader: Euan Morton) - ROOT, RTT, AlphaKIT, BingoDOG
8. Dead Moon - Peter Clines - Series: Threshold #3 - 🎵 (reader: Ray Porter) - ROOT, AlphaKIT, SFFKIT, TIOLI
9. With the Lightnings - David Drake - Series: RCN#1 - DNF - ROOT, Dice
10. Conspiracies - F. Paul Wilson - Series: Repairman Jack #3 - 🎵 (reader: Christopher Price) - ROOT, AlphaKIT, SFFKIT, Focus-SFF
11. Fields of Fire - Marko Kloos - Series: Frontlines #5 - 🎵 (reader: Luke Daniels) - ROOT, AlphaKIT, SFFKIT
12. Points of Impact - Marko Kloos - Series: Frontlines #6 - 🎵 (reader: Luke Daniels) - ROOT, AlphaKIT, SFFKIT
13. The Blood Mirror - Brent Weeks - Series: Lightbringer #4 - 🎵 (reader: Simon Vance) - ROOT, BFB, SFFKIT, Focus-SFF
14. Ghost Talkers - Mary Robinette Kowal - ROOT, SFFKIT, AlphaKIT

Feb
15. The Burning White - Brent Weeks - 🎵 (reader: Simon Vance) - ROOT, BFB, SFFKIT, Focus-SFF
16. A Conspiracy in Belgravia - Sherry Thomas - Series: Lady Sherlock #2 - 🎵 (reader: Kate Reading) - ROOT, AlphaKIT,
17. Orley Farm - Anthony Trollope - ROOT, AlphaKIT, Classic,
18. Alice Payne Arrives - Kate Heartfield - Series: Alice Payne Arrives #1 -ROOT, AlphaKIT,
19. Three Parts Dead - Max Gladstone - Series: Craft #1 - 🎵 (reader: Claudia Alik) - ROOT, AlphaKIT, Focus-SFF
20. A Buyer's Market - Anthony Powell - Series: Dance to Music of Time #2 - 🎵 (reader: Simon Vance) - ROOT, Classic, Dance

Mar
21. Strangers on a Train - Patricia Highsmith 🎵 (reader: Bronson Pinchot) - ROOT, Classic, Dice
22. The Better Part of Valor - Tanya Huff - Series: Federation #2 - ROOT, Focus-SciFi, RandomCAT, SFFKIT
23. The Grave's A Fine And Private Place - Alan Bradley - Series: Flavia #9 - 🎵 (reader: Jane Entwhistle ) - Dice, Focus-Mystery
24. Ice Hunt - James Rollins - 🎵 (reader:John Meaher) - ROOT, AlphaKIT, SFFKIT, BFB
25. Consequences: A Retrieval Artist Novel - K.K. Rusch- ROOT, Focus:Sci fi, AlphaKIT
26. The Acceptance World - Anthony Powell - Series: Dance to Music of Time #3 - 🎵 (reader: Simon Vance) - ROOT, Classic, Dance
27. Queen of Hearts - Rhys Bowen - Series: Her Royal Spyness #8 - 🎵 (reader: Katherine Kellgren) - ROOT,
alphaKIT, Focus: Mystery.
28. Uncanny Collateral - Brian McClellan - Series: Valkyrie Collections #1 - ROOT, AlphaKIT
29. When Falcons Fall - C.S. Harris - Series: Sebastian St Cyr #11 - 🎵 (reader: Davinia Porter) - ROOT, Series Focus: mystery, Bookspin
30. Dragon Keeper - Robin Hobb Series:Rainwilds #10 - 🎵 (reader: Ann Flosnik) - ROOT, Series Focus: SFF, AlphaKIT, BFB

Apr
31. Horizon Storms - K.J. Anderson - Series: Saga of Seven Suns #3 - 🎵 (reader: George Guidall) - ROOT, Series Focus: SciFi, AlphaKIT, BFB
32. All the Rage - F. Paul Wilson - Series: Repairman Jack #4 - 🎵 (reader: Christopher Price) - ROOT, Series Focus: SFF, AlphaKIT, BFB, SFFKIT
33. A Death in Kashmir - M.M. Kaye - Series: Death In #1 - ROOT, RTT, Classic, BingoDog
34. The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy - Mackenzie Lee - Series: Montague Siblings #2 - 🎵 (reader: Moira Quirk) - ROOT, SFFKIT, bookspin
35. Children of Blood and Bone - Tomi Adeyemi - 🎵 (reader: Bohni Turpin) - AlphaKIT, BFB, SFFKIT, ROOT
36. The Fated Sky - Mary Robinette Kowal - 🎵 (reader: MR Kowal ) - ROOT, RandomCAT, SFFKIT
37. One More Breath - Stephen Booth - Series: Cooper and Fry #5 - ROOT, BFB, Focus: Mystery
38. The Paris Library - Janet S. Charles - 🎵 (reader: multiple) - bingodog
39. Nature of the Beast - Louise Penny - 🎵 (reader: Robert Bathurst) - Focus:Mystery

May
40. In the Market for Murder - T.E. KInsey - Series: Lady Hardcastle #2 - 🎵 (reader: E. Knowelden) - ROOT, AlphaKIT
41. Jack the Bodiless - Julian May - Series: Galactic Milieu #2 - SFFKIT, ROOT
42. This is How You Lose the Time War - Amal El-Mohar - 🎵 (reader: Farrel/Zellar) - ROOT, SFFKIT, BingoDOG
43. Eva's Eye - Karen Fossum - Series: Sejer #1 - 🎵 (reader: Stephen Crossly) - ROOT, MysteryKIT
44. Scattered Suns - Kevin J. Anderson - Series: Seven Suns #4 - 🎵 (reader: David Collaci) - ROOT, BFB, BingoDOG, Focus: Sci Fi
45. The Scholar - Dervla McTiernan Series: Cormac Reilly #2 - 🎵 (reader: Aoife McMahon) - ROOT, Dice.
46. Orders of Battle - Marko Kloos - Series: Frontlines #7 - 🎵 (reader: Eric Dove) - ROOT
47. Proof of Guilt - Charles Todd - Series: Ian Rutledge #15 - 🎵 (reader: Simon Prebble) - ROOT, Focus: Mystery, BingoDOG
48. Nolyn - Michael J. Sullivan - Series: Rise and Fall #1 - ROOT, AlphaKIT
49. The Scarred Woman - Jussi Adler-Olsen - Series: Dept Q #7 - 🎵 (reader: Graeme Malcolm) - ROOT, MysteryKIT, Focus: Mystery

Jun
50. Deception On His Mind - Elizabeth George - Series: Lynley #9 - 🎵 (reader: Davinia Porter) - ROOT, AlphaKIT, Focus: Mystery, BFB🎵 (reader: Davinia Porter) - ROOT, AlphaKIT, Focus: Mystery, BFB
51. Crimes Against Magic - Steve McHugh - Series: Helliquin #1 - 🎵 (reader: James Langton) - ROOT, AlphaKIT,
52. The Moonstone - Wilkie Collins - 🎵 (reader: M.L. Davis) - ROOT, BFB, Classic, AlphaKIT
53. The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller - 🎵 (reader: Frazer Douglas) - ROOT, RandomCAT
54. Diamond Mask - Julian May - 595 pages - Series:Galactic Milieu #2 - ROOT, BFB, AlphaKIT
55. Stars Uncharted - S.K. Dunstall - 412 pages - 🎵 (reader: Emily Woo Zeller) - ROOT, AlphaKIT
56. A Man Lay Dead - Ngaio Marsh - 167 pages - Series: Roderick Allen #1 -🎵 (reader: Philip Franks) - ROOT, MysteryKIT
57. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea - Jules Verne - 322 pages - 🎵 (reader: David Linski) - ROOT, SFFKIT, Classic
58. The Sword of Kaigen - M.L. Wang - DNF - 100 pages in. - ROOT
59. Medusa in the Graveyard - Emily Davinport - Series: Medusa #2 - 🎵 (reader: Caitlin Davies) - ROOT, SFFKIT,
60. A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking - T. Kingfisher - ROOT, Bookspin, BingoDOG

Jul
61. Mexican Gothic - Silvia Moreno-Garcia - AlphaKIT, ScaredyKIT - 🎵 (reader: Frankie Corzo)
62. Out Past the Stars - K.B, Wagers - Series: Farian War #3 - 🎵 (reader: Angela Masters) - ROOT, AlphaKIT
63. Girl Waits With Gun - Amy Stewart - Series: Kopp Sisters #1 - 🎵 (reader: Christina Moore) - ROOT, MysteryKIT, AlphaKIT
64. Buried Deep - K.K. Rusch - Series: Retrieval Artist #4 - 🎵 (reader: Jay Snyder) - ROOT, Focus: Sci Fi
65. Malice at the Palace - Rhys Bowen - Series: Her Royal Spyness #9 - 🎵 (reader: Katherine Kelgren ) - ROOT, Focus: Mystery, MysterKIT
66. Axiom's End - Lindsay Ellis - Series: Noumena #1 - 🎵 (reader: Thorne/Willis ) - ROOT, Bookspin
67. Magnificat - Julian May - Series: Galactic Milieu #3 - ROOT - FAVORITE
68. Seven Blades in Black - Sam Sykes - 🎵 (reader: Daisey May Parsons ) - ROOT, AlphaKIT, BFB

Aug
69. In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner - Elizabeth George - Series: Lynley/Havers #10 - 🎵 (reader: Danata Peters) - ROOT, Focus:Mystery, BFB
70. Debt of Honor - Christopher G Nuttall - 🎵 (reader: ) - ROOT, AlphaKIT, BFB
71. Lost Fleet: Courageous - Jack Campbell - Series: Lost Fleet #3 - ROOT, AlphaKIT, Focus: Sci Fi
72. Sixteen Ways to Defend A Walled City - K.J. Parker - Series: The Seige #1 - 🎵 (reader: Ray Sawyer ) - ROOT, AlphaKIT
73. Still Waters - Vivica Sten Series:Sandhamn #1 - 🎵 (reader:Angela Dawe ) - ROOT, AlphaKIT
74. Black Sun - Rebecca Roanhorse - Series: Between Earth and Sky #1 - 🎵 (reader: various ) - ROOT, RandomCAT
75. The Heart of Valor - Tanya Huff - Series: Confederation #3 - ROOT, Focus:Sci Fi
76. Panacea - F. Paul Wilson - Series: Ice Sequence #1 - 🎵 (reader: Hillary Hubert ) - ROOT, Dice
77. Velocity Weapon - Megan O'Keefe - Series: Protectorate #1 - 🎵 (reader: Joe Jameson ) - ROOT, BFB, SFFKIT, AlphaKIT, Focus:Sci-Fi
78. Chaos Vector - Megan O'Keefe - Series: Protectorate #2 - 🎵 (reader: Joe Jameson ) - ROOT, BFB, SFFKIT, Focus:Sci Fi
79. Catalyst Gate - Megan O'Keefe - Series: Protectorate #3 - 🎵 (reader: Joe Jameson ) - ROOT, BFB, SFFKIT, Focus:Sci Fi
80. The Dead Place - Stephen Booth - Series: Cooper and Fry #6 - ROOT, MysteryKIT, Focus:Mystery

Sep
81. Blue Labyrinth -D Preston/L Child - Series: Pendergast #14 - 🎵 (reader: Rene Auberjonois
82. Hunting Shadows - Charles Todd - Series: Ian Rutledge #16 - 🎵 (reader: Simon Prebble ) - ROOT, MysteryKIT, Focus:Mystery
83. Circe - Madeline Miller - 🎵 (reader: Perdita Weeks ) - ROOT, RandomCAT, DoubleSpin
84. Of Fire and Night - Kevin J. Anderson - Series: Seven Suns #5 - 🎵 (reader: David Colacci ) - ROOT, Focus Series: Sci Fi, BFB
85. Dragon Haven - Robin Hobb - Series: Elderlings #11 - 🎵 (reader: Anne Flosnik ) - ROOT, BFB, Focus:SFF,
86. Blue Monday - Nicci French - Series: Frieda Klein #1 - 🎵 (reader: Susan Lyons ) - ROOT, AlphaKIT
87. The Fuller Memorandum - Charles Stross - Series: The Laundry Files #3 - ROOT, AlphaKIT, Focus Series: SFF, SFFKIT
88. The Bad Company - Craig Martelle - Series: The Bad Company #1 - 🎵 (reader: Kate Rudd ) - ROOT, Bookspin
89. Aunt Dimity's Death - Nancy Atherton - Series: Aunt Dimity #1 - ROOT
90. Nice Dragons Finish Last - Rachel Aaron - Series: Heartstrikers #1 - 🎵 (reader: Vikras Adam ) - ROOT, SFFKIT

Oct
Nov
Dec

Challenges

Dice. I'm using Random.org on Planet TBR to select reads for each month.

Jan With the Lightnings / Conquest -
Feb Strangers on a Train
Mar The Grave's A Fine and Private Place
Apr
May The Scholar
Jun The Sword of Kaegen
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Classics Challenge. I've not been reading very many recently so trying to get back to some of them.

✅ 1. A 19th century classic - any book published between 1800 and 1899. Orley FArm
✅ 2. A 20th century classic - any book published between 1900 and 1971. As in past years, all books MUST have been published at least 50 years ago to qualify. The only exception is books written at least 50 years ago, but published later, such as posthumous publications. A Death in Kashmir
✅ 3. A classic by a woman author. A Man Lay Dead
4. A classic in translation. Any book originally written published in a language other than your native language. Feel free to read the book in your language or the original language. (You can also read books in translation for any of the other categories). Modern translations are acceptable as long as the original work fits the guidelines for publications as explained in the challenge rules.
5. A children's classic. Indulge your inner child and read that classic that you somehow missed years ago. Short stories are fine, but it must be a complete volume. Young adult and picture books don't count!
✅ 6. A classic crime story, fiction or non-fiction. This can be a true crime story, mystery, detective novel, spy novel, etc., as long as a crime is an integral part of the story and it was published at least 50 years ago. Examples include The 39 Steps, Strangers on a Train, In Cold Blood, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, etc. The Haycraft-Queen Cornerstones list is an excellent source for suggestions. Strangers on a Train
7. A classic travel or journey narrative, fiction or non-fiction. The journey itself must be the major plot point -- not just the destination. Good examples include The Hobbit, Around the World in 80 Days, Unbeaten Tracks in Japan, Kon-Tiki, Travels with Charley, etc.
8. A classic with a single-word title. No articles please! Proper names are fine -- Emma, Germinal, Middlemarch, Kidnapped, etc.
9. A classic with a color in the title. The Woman in White; Anne of Green Gables; The Red and the Black, and so on. (Silver, gold, etc. are acceptable. Basically, if it's a color in a Crayola box of crayons, it's fine!)
✅ 10. A classic by an author that's new to you. Choose an author you've never read before.
A Question of Upbringing
11. A classic that scares you. Is there a classic you've been putting off forever? A really long book which intimidates you because of its sheer length? Now's the time to read it, and hopefully you'll be pleasantly surprised!
✅ 12. Re-read a favorite classic. Like me, you probably have a lot of favorites -- choose one and read it again.
The Moonstone

Dance to the Music of Time
✔ Jan A Question of Upbringing
✔ Feb Buyer's Market
✔ Mar The Accceptance World
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Series


I'm attempting to pay attention to a few (hah!) series so I can get some of them finished. Laugh at me now.

Sci Fi Series
Revelation Space Alastair Reynolds
Greg Mandel Peter F. Hamilton
Confederation Tanya Huff #2 #3
The Retrieval Artist K.K. Rusch - #3 #4
The Lost Fleet Jack Campbell -#3
Saga of Seven Suns Kevin J. Anderson - #3, #4
The Protectorate: Megan O'Keefe - #1

SFF Series
✅ Lightbringer Series Brent Weeks - #4, #5 - COMPLETE
✖ Craft Sequence Max Gladstone - Cancelled series focus on this - #1
Legends of 1st Empire Michael J Sullivan
Laundry Files Charles Stross
The Devine Cities Trilogy Robert Bennett
Repairman Jack F Paul Wilson - #3, #4
Realm of Elderlings Robin Hobb #1
The Queens of Renthia Sarah Best Durst
Winternight Katherine Arden

Mystery/Thriller Series
Ian Rutledge Charles Todd #15
Dept Q Jussi Adler-Olsen #7
Her Royal Spyness Rhys Bowen - #8 9
Seb St Cyr C.S. Harris - #11
Pendergast Preston/Child - #13
Flavia Alan Bradley - #9
Gamache Louise Penny - #10 #11
Cooper & Fry Stephen Booth - #5
Lynley - Elizabeth George - #9 #10

One more in case.

Welcome back!

Lovely to see you setting up here too, Jean. Will follow you in both abodes.

Welcome back!

Hi Jean! I hope your 2021 allows you to be out and about. Happy reads!

Hope you enjoy your reading in 2021. I think it would be easier to social distance while camping than it would be in a hotel. I hope you'll be able to get out and about some this year.

>11 thornton37814: Thanks Lori. Yeah, definitely true!

Best wishes for a better 2021!

>13 DianaNL: Thank YOu! Same to you!

January reading plans:

Dead Moon - Peter Clines - AlphaKIT
Shakespeare for Squirrels - Christopher Moore - RandomCAT, RTT, AlphaKIT
With the Lightnings David Drake - Dice
Conquest - John Connolly - Dice
✔ The Long Way Home - Louise Penny (Library) - Focus-Mystery, AlphaKIT
✔ The Body on the Beach - Simon Brett - Classics Challenge

I need desperately to stop planning so much. Just select books from my list of series and let everything else fall away, except maybe Dice.

Well, we'll see how well I do.

>15 majkia: I think Shakespeare for Squirrels is the only Moore I haven't read yet; I'm hoping to fix that this year. He always makes me laugh!

>16 scaifea: Just the title cracks me up. And yeah, I've read a lot of his, but there are a few I still need to get to. He's so imaginative as well as funny.

>17 majkia: Agreed! His sense of humor and his writing style work so well together.

Happy reading in 2021, Jean!

And keep up with my friends here, Jean. Have a great 2021.

First book of the year!

1. White Fire - Preston/Child - 🎵 (reader: Rene Auberjonois) - Series-Mystery, AlphaKIT, BingoDog, Library Book


White Fire is the 13th in the Agent Pendergast series, which is mostly thriller but with supernatural overtones, mostly not too much of it, but sometimes more than you'd expect.

I'm not that crazy about his friend Corrie so could have done with less of her, but otherwise, especially the Sherlock Holmes/Doyle and Oscar Wilde connections, were great.

Dropping a star!

>21 majkia: Four! A good solid hit to start 2021 with, so yay for that, Jean.

And EnNTIRELY off topic: I just want to rant a bit about Santa Thing,

Rant ON:
Look, if you think someone getting you the wrong book is a tragedy, then dammit, take your money yourself and buy what you want!

Some of us (most of us?) like the idea of being surprised. And don't expect our Santee to read our minds. The idea is to enjoy and share!

Rant OFF.

Back to our regularly scheduled reading.

>24 majkia: I stopped doing Santa Thing. People are too touchy...and they don't bother to thank their Santa.

>24 majkia: *snork!* I love your rant! I've never participated because I assumed it might be a hot mess. There are some LTers who seem to be very active in the more official groups (thank goodness not in these parts!) about whom I consistently wonder, "Who hurt you?" Just...*tsk*

>24 majkia: I stopped doing it for that reason, too. My giftee was miffed that it arrived later than was, apparently, to be expected.

>27 richardderus: your experience demands a meme:



That's for the wounded Santee who couldn't handle a late delivery...

2. The Long Way Home- - Louise Penny - Series: Gamache #10 - 🎵 (reader: Ralph Cosham) - AlphaKIT


The tenth book in the Gamache series. Gamache, attempting to heal, has moved to Three Pines. He thought he was done with murders. But then Claire sat by him on the bench, beginning a search for a missing man , and drawing Gamache back into the world he'd hoped to leave.

Emotional, well written, a welcome return to Three Pines.

LOL everyone who responded to my rant.

Reading (listening) to The Body on the Beach I'm laughing at the stilted 'rules' for social interaction in the village of Featherings. What is making me laugh is that a very similar sort of social rule existed in the small New England town I grew up on.

Also, "the dog was as sensible as a Labrador Retriever could be". Having had many Labs in our lives, that was a direct hit!

3. The Body on the Beach - Simon Brett - Series: Featherings #1 - 🎵 (reader: Geoffrey Howard) - ROOT, MysteryKIT

Carole, a buttoned-down, highly OCD sort, lives in a small country town, Featherings. When a young woman named Jude moves into the cottage next door, Carole enlists her help when she finds a body on the beach, which subsequently disappeared.

The two women form an unlikely pact to find out just what is going on.

Enjoyable cozy mystery which had me laughing out loud at several points as Carole details the strictures on Feathering's social structure. The mystery was interesting with twists and turns but the mystery wasn't the most important aspect of the book. Rather Carole and Jude and the town's inhabitants were front and center.

I'm adding a challenge, alas. The more I try to do fewer of them, the more I get myself into. Sheesh
Dance to the Music of Time one a month.

Our 75ers Christmas swap which is set up by Jeff is a generally positive experience (I have never done the site wide thing) and living where I do, I am always amazed and thrilled when the books arrive. Given the vagaries of the postal system I am always gratified when my books get to where they are intended.
Often my books arrive just after Christmas but I'm fine with it because I know it takes ages to get books to me. Jim sent me a number of books this time and I would have hugged him had he been anywhere nearby!

>33 majkia: Great news. I will start the first book next week.

Have a lovely weekend, Jean.

So, Mr Majkia and I got our COVID vaccine today. We'll see if we have any side effects.

No, no electronic trackers in the vaccine, and my DNA has not been altered, and it isn't changing me into a rose bush.

P.S. Geaux Saints!

4. Conquest - Connolly/Ridyard - Series: Invaders #1 - 🎵 (reader:Nicola Barber) - ROOT, BingoDog, Dice


Our heroines are aliens whose race has conquered the Earth. They decide for a lark to go out and pretend to be human. Then they get caught up in human actions to defeat their own people.

Meh. I didn't much like the reader and I thought the story a bit more YA than I personally like.

So... My 14th Thingaversary is on January 15th.

Acquired so far to meet my Thingaversary obligations:

>36 majkia: Funny, a predictive-text search for your name produces this image...

...but I'm sure it was a fluke....

>38 majkia: *Excellent* choices! The next four should be good, too, given where you're going.

>39 richardderus: ROFL.

5. Intervention - Julian May - Series: Galactic Milieu #1 - A Re-Read - ROOT, AlphaKIT, BingoDOG, BFB


This is a beloved re-read for me. I'd forgotten much of it, but then it's been 20 or so years since I read it last.

Best villain ever created in this series.

And what a great idea as to alien 'invasion' . Humor, suspense, complex plotting and great characters.

>41 majkia: So good to see someone else who loves Galactic Milieu, Jean!
The last time I read those was 10 years ago, started with the Saga of the Exiles and then Galactic Milieu right after it. You make me think of a re-read :-)

>42 FAMeulstee: I'm not sure what I was thinking when I decided to re-read this. Now I want to re-read the entire series. Sigh. I so adore Marc.

6. A Question of Upbringing - Anthony Powell - Series: Dance to the Music of Time #1 - 🎵 (reader: Simon Vance) -ROOT, Classic, AlphaKIT, BingoDOG



Boys at School.

For me, this was similar in tone and humor and satire to Brideshead Revisited. I enjoyed and laughed and will continue the series.

>38 majkia: Happy 14th Thingaversary, Jean. A few books that I recognise up there. Always happy to see Graham Greene even if The End of the Affair is not one of my favourites of his.

Have a lovely weekend.

Hi Jean. Happy 2021. I love the way you note the readers of your audio books. I must start doing that myself.

7. Shakespeare for Squirrels - Christopher Moore - Series: Pocket of Dog Snogging #3 - 🎵 (reader: Euan Morton) - ROOT, RTT, AlphaKIT, RandomCAT



Our hero, the jester Pocket of Dog Snogging, finds himself in Greece amid fairies searching for who killed Puck. Shakespeare will never be the same.

8. Dead Moon - Peter Clines - Series: Threshold #3 - 🎵 (reader: Ray Porter) - ROOT, AlphaKIT, SFFKIT, TIOLI



Weirder than usual, but interesting.

They're burying bodies on the Moon. And suddenly they have the walking dead.

Hi, Jean!

>48 majkia: Your description immediately reminded me of this:

>49 scaifea: LOL

9. With the Lightnings - David Drake - Series: RCN#1 - DNF - ROOT, Dice

DID NOT FINISH

Just couldn't get into it.

10. Conspiracies - F. Paul Wilson - Series: Repairman Jack #3 - 🎵 (reader: Christopher Price) - ROOT, AlphaKIT, SFFKIT, Focus-SFF

This was waaaaay too close to reality in some parts! Even a Trump reference, ugh.

Jack gets involved with the Other. Again. And a Tesla connection!

Just stopping by to say hi Jean.

11. Fields of Fire - Marko Kloos - Series: Frontlines #5 - 🎵 (reader: Luke Daniels) - ROOT, AlphaKIT, SFFKIT
12. Points of Impact - Marko Kloos - Series: Frontlines #6 - 🎵 (reader: Luke Daniels) - ROOT, AlphaKIT, SFFKIT



I've really enjoyed this series. Aliens, desperate firefights and worlds lost to powerful enemies. Can the Earthers ever hold off these aliens? Not yet...

13. The Blood Mirror - Brent Weeks - Series: Lightbringer #4 - 🎵 (reader: Simon Vance) - ROOT, BFB, SFFKIT, Focus-SFF

Excellent series with imaginative magical system. Extensive world building, and complex characters.

>54 majkia: Marko Kloos was the first Amazon-discovery author that I actually took a chance on; liked the one I read; then forgot all about him for some reason. Lucky Thirteen was the one, I think. And correcting the touchstone for it, I see that it's part of a longer series, so that probably explains why I didn't go back.

Anyway, thirteen books in, your one DNF is a pretty darn fine average. Keep up the good picking!

>56 richardderus: I'm delighted with my reading so far this year. Hope it keeps up!

So, end of January reading update:

I've finished 13 books and hope to finish the 14th before midnight. One book was a re-read, and one was a Did Not Finish Pearl Ruled for just not keeping my attention.

Two were library books, 11 off my TBR shelves.

Alas, only two were by female authors. The down side of reading SFF, I guess. And, trying to catch up on old series.

6 sci fi
3 fantasy
1 historical
2 mysteries
1 thriller

If I finish Ghost TAlkers as planned, that will add 1 more historical and one more female author.

Now on to:

My January went amazingly close to plan. But then again, my plans are based on getting old old DRCs read and off my guilt-plate.

Hoping February keeps up the positives for us all!

14. Ghost Talkers - Mary Robinette Kowal - ROOT, SFFKIT, AlphaKIT



Well, that was different.

It is The Great War, and the Brits have a secret way of getting intelligence. The Germans are hot to find out exactly how it works.

Nicely imaginative, characters well drawn and likeable, and a pretty good plot.

>60 majkia: Oh yay! I do so love MRK's work. She can write a scene so that I feel as though I should cough or something to tell the characters I'm there.

15. The Burning White - Brent Weeks - 🎵 (reader: Simon Vance) - ROOT, BFB, SFFKIT, Focus-SFF



Excellent wrap-up to a very complex and well drawn series. Impressively imaginative magical system.

16. A Conspiracy in Belgravia - Sherry Thomas

17. Orley Farm - Anthony Trollope
Group Read. The lives of women in the Victorian age. She'd best not put a toe wrong, although the men, well, they can do whatever.

18. Alice Payne Arrives - Kate Heartfield - Series: Alice Payne Arrives #1 -ROOT, AlphaKIT


An okay sort of steampunk story. Not impressed enough to continue the series.

19. Three Parts Dead - Max Gladstone - Series: Craft #1 - 🎵 (reader: Claudia Alik) - ROOT, AlphaKIT, Focus-SFF


Well, not particularly impressed, so cancelling the Series Focus planned reading.

So, for March I'm trying Bookspin on Litsy.

20. A Buyer's Market - Anthony Powell - Series: Dance to Music of Time #2 - 🎵 (reader: Simon Vance) - ROOT, Classic, Dance



Not as enjoyable as book 1. I found this one to be a bit tedious as our hero goes to party after party and not much else.

21. Strangers on a Train - Patricia Highsmith 🎵 (reader: Bronson Pinchot) - ROOT, Classic, Dice

Written in 1950, it is the story of two men who meet on a train and one of them decides they should each kill someone for the other one. Charles, a drunken rich boy, and Guy, an architect, otherwise have no connection. Yet.

Quite like the movie they did of it, but more focused on the psychological fallout on Guy.

22. The Better Part of Valor - Tanya Huff - Series: Federation #2 - ROOT, Focus-SciFi, RandomCAT, SFFKIT



When a Salvager finds a giant yellow space ship, the Confederation rushes to investigate. But so do the Others, the Confederation's main enemy. And the damn ship? It's got a mind of its own and it doesn't make a damn bit of sense.

Enjoyable military sci fi with great characterization and a plot that keeps surprising.

>67 majkia: Yes I agree, Jean. I liked the first one better too.

>66 majkia: Is that your handwriting, Jean?

>70 PaulCranswick: Yup, my handwriting.

I hope the third book in Dance is better.

>71 majkia: Lovely cursive writing, Jean. Mine own looks like a snail's trail.

23. The Grave's A Fine And Private Place - Alan Bradley - Series: Flavia #9 - 🎵 (reader: Jane Entwhistle ) - Dice, Focus-Mystery



Well, our girl is beginning to grow up! And, lo and behold, actually getting along with her sisters! And, of course, finding a dead body.

I do enjoy this series. So different from all the other mysteries I read.

24. Ice Hunt - James Rollins - 🎵 (reader:John Meaher) - ROOT, AlphaKIT, SFFKIT, BFB, RandomCAT, BingoDOG



I really enjoy Rollins's mix of science and imagination. He bases his works on science and extrapolates from there. In this stand alone, he has some unsuspecting Alaskans swept up into a hunt for an ice station that is newly found. Problem is, the Russians want it too. So it is covert warfare at the top of the world.

The Acceptance World - Anthony Powell. For the main character, who keeps claiming he writes novels to expose the reality of people, he hasn't got a flippin' clue about women and is remarkably, if only casually, sexist in his opinions.

Yes, yes, it was the times. Still, he keeps insisting he knows women's intentions etc.

25. Consequences: A Retrieval Artist Novel - K.K. Rusch- ROOT, Focus:Sci fi, AlphaKIT

I'm very much enjoying this series. It examines cultural and legal situations that might arise when alien cultures, taboos and laws intersect with human equivalents. What happens when someone ficks dust off a shoulder and that is illegal in an alien culture? Well, then the offenders 'Disappear'.

Great characterization, imaginative plots, and complexly drawn worlds.

We've had our shots so are now happily camping at our favorite campground near to home, Eastbank.

26. . The Acceptance World - Anthony Powell - Series: Dance to Music of Time #3 - 🎵 (reader: Simon Vance) - ROOT, Classic, Dance

Meh. Not sure I'll continue the series.

27. Queen of Hearts - Rhys Bowen - Series: Her Royal Spyness #8 - 🎵 (reader: Katherine Kellgren) - ROOT,
alphaKIT, Focus: Mystery.



Fun continues as Georgie, broke cousin to the queen, heads to America with mummy. And encounters Hollywood.

Uncanny Collateral - Brian McClellan - Series: Valkyrie Collections #1 - ROOT, AlphaKIT



Once upon a time, a baby, half-human, half-troll was sold. He's now owned by the owner of Valkyrie Collections Agency. His life isn't great, but he has at least one friend. The djinn who lives in the ring he found.

29. When Falcons Fall - C.S. Harris - Series: Sebastian St Cyr #11 - 🎵 (reader: Davinia Porter) - ROOT, Series Focus: mystery, Bookspin



Always enjoy this series. Appalling living conditions for the poor, and the author points out inequities and the horror of power over little people.

My April Bookspin list (see Litsy for Bookspin info)

Our last night RVing at Eastbank. Until next month!

>83 majkia: Looks like a lovely place to be, Jean.

30. Dragon Keeper - Robin Hobb Series:Rainwilds #10 - 🎵 (reader: Ann Flosnik) - ROOT, Series Focus: SFF, AlphaKIT, BFB



Returning to the excellent series after a fairly long hiatus. This book is a re-read and I enjoyed it more on re-read. It is depressing and unsettling, but then most of her books are. She does not spare her characters any trauma. But that sure makes for exciting reads.

So I'm reading Death in Kashmir by MM Kaye. It is.... weird. It is set in Kashmir a year before India gets her independence. The weirdness is there is not one main character who is Indian. All lily-white Brits. And when the book refers to locals it calls them 'coolies' which I always thought was a slur reserved for Chinese.

I feel like I'm down a rabbit hole and I have no idea what world I've landed in.

Debating whether to just chuck it out. I loved MM Kaye's The Far Pavilions so I wasn't ready for the casual white privilege in this book.

32. A Death in Kashmir - M.M. Kaye - Series: Death In #1 - ROOT, RTT, Classic, BingoDog



I confess to being a bit put off at the beginning of the book, since we were in Kashmir, and not a single native was mentioned in the first third of the book. It felt uncomfortable. Yes, yes, this was written in the 50s and casual racism was common, but after reading The Far Pavilions I hadn't expected it from M.M. Kaye. I did feel better about the last two thirds of the book, which felt more accepting and tolerant to my modern sensitivities.

The mystery was pretty good, and I didn't guess the whole thing.

But the book was mainly about the surroundings. The beauty and mystery and differences wrt Kashmir and how different it is, and it thinks, from western expectations.

33. The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy - Mackenzie Lee - Series: Montague Siblings #2 - 🎵 (reader: Moira Quirk) - ROOT, SFFKIT, bookspin



Fun series. Lots of light-hearted banter amidst the running and hiding and finally hunting down.

Children of Blood and Bone - Tomi Adeyemi - 🎵 (reader: Bohni Turpin) - AlphaKIT, BFB, SFFKIT, ROOT



Interesting Africa-centric magic. Complex characters, and a world they are trying to help restore magic to.

>89 majkia: I liked that one pretty well, but had mixed feelings about the follow-up. If you continue the series, I'll be interested in your thoughts.

35. One More Breath - Stephen Booth - Series: Cooper and Fry #5 - ROOT, BFB, Focus: Mystery

Good entry to the series. Lots of local color and the geography and geology are important factors in the book.

36. The Fated Sky - Mary Robinette Kowal - 🎵 (reader: MR Kowal ) - ROOT, RandomCAT, SFFKIT



I listened to the audio version, read by the author herself. While not as good as the first in the series, still a solid second book, with great characters, and complex situations.

38.The Paris Library - Janet S. Charles - 🎵 (reader: multiple) - bingodog

DNF

I read about 100 pages and just was never really engaged in it.

39. Nature of the Beast - Louise Penny - 🎵 (reader: Robert Bathurst) - Focus:Mystery



Surprising addition to the series. Who knows what is hidden in the woods! And, based on reality no less.

40. In the Market for Murder - T.E. KInsey - Series: Lady Hardcastle #2 - 🎵 (reader: E. Knowelden) - ROOT, AlphaKIT



An ok cozy mystery with nice characters but nothing too distinguished about it. I won't be continuing the series, simply because I'm already reading too darn many of them!

41. Jack the Bodiless - Julian May - Series: Galactic Milieu #2 - SFFKIT, ROOT



My favorite series. I hadn't re-read this part of the series for quite a few years, so found a lot of stuff I'd forgotten. May has created the greatest bad guy ever!

>96 majkia: Oh, Jean, I love that series too. So glad you do so too.
I am thinking about a re-read of the whole series at least a year now, I should really get to it.

>97 FAMeulstee: I've done several re-reads and always find more stuff to love. Particularly Marc!

42. This is How You Lose the Time War - Amal El-Mohar - 🎵 (reader: Farrel/Zellar) - ROOT, SFFKIT, BingoDOG



Okay. I found it kind of hard to really care about either character

>99 majkia: Poor characterisation and you'll lose a readership never mind the Time War!

I've been out of pocket for a bit. We sadly lost our older dog, Baylee. We referred to her as our little turtle since this was her favorite way of laying. She was 14 and had a great life but still so hard to lose them.

>101 majkia: So sorry you lost Baylee, Jean. Dogs are great to have around, but it so hard when their time has come. May the good memories ease the pain a bit.

Thank you. She was a sweetie.

43. Eva's Eye - Karen Fossum - Series: Sejer #1 - 🎵 (reader: Stephen Crossly) - ROOT, MysteryKIT



Norwegian crime novel presented differently than most. Told from perp's eyes, rather than Sejer's.

>101 majkia: That pose is adorable, and I'm very sorry to hear of your loss.

>105 swynn: Thank you for your kindness.

44. Scattered Suns - Kevin J. Anderson - Series: Seven Suns #4 - 🎵 (reader: David Collaci) - ROOT, BFB, BingoDOG, Focus: Sci Fi



Really enjoying this complex and surprising sci fi series.

45. The Scholar - Dervla McTiernan Series: Cormac Reilly #2 - 🎵 (reader: Aoife McMahon) - ROOT, Dice



Great series. Cormac has been shut out of ongoing cases, since his move to Galway. When suddenly he's finally allowed to work, only to discover his first case back involves in his fragile partner.

46. Orders of Battle - Marko Kloos - Series: Frontlines #7 - 🎵 (reader: Eric Dove) - ROOT


Entertaining and surprising series.

47. Proof of Guilt - Charles Todd - Series: Ian Rutledge #15 - 🎵 (reader: Simon Prebble) - ROOT, Focus: Mystery, BingoDOG



This is such an excellent series. Very human, very complex, and emotional. Characters are deep and mystery is generally hard to figure out in its complexity.

48. Nolyn - Michael J. Sullivan - Series: Rise and Fall #1 - ROOT, AlphaKIT



Nolyn expands the Riyera universe and does it well. Lots of gallows humor lightens the darker parts.

49. The Scarred Woman - Jussi Adler-Olsen - Series: Dept Q #7 - 🎵 (reader: Graeme Malcolm) - ROOT, MysteryKIT, Focus: Mystery



Excellent Danish mystery series

50. Deception On His Mind - Elizabeth George - Series: Lynley #9 - 🎵 (reader: Davinia Porter) - ROOT, AlphaKIT, Focus: Mystery, BFB



Considering when this was written (1997), a very nicely done story of prejudice and misunderstandings, and just plain miscommunications regarding race relations, and how they can alter our perceptions and expectations.

51. Crimes Against Magic - Steve McHugh - Series: Helliquin #1 - 🎵 (reader: James Langton) - ROOT, AlphaKIT,



Fun urban fantasy with a twist toward Avalon. Just who is Nate really?

52. The Moonstone - Wilkie Collins - 🎵 (reader: M.L. Davis) - ROOT, BFB, Classic, AlphaKIT

Reread of a favorite.

53. The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller - 🎵 (reader: Frazer Douglas) - ROOT, RandomCAT



Beautifully done retelling of the siege of Troy.

54. Diamond Mask - Julian May - 595 pages - Series:Galactic Milieu #2 - ROOT, BFB, AlphaKIT

Re-read of my favorite sci fi series.

We are off in our RV, visiting family we hadn't seen since before COVID. We are staying in Beargrass, NC, in a field containing a campground, that same field one that Mr Majkia, when he was little, farmed with his grandfather.

>117 majkia: I love that series too, Jean. I have The Many-Colored Land on my list to read this month, I want to re-read them all.

>118 majkia: Enjoy your family visit. Looks like a lovely place to stay.

Always delighted to meet those who love Julian May.

And thanks. We're enjoying our visit very much!

55. Stars Uncharted - S.K. Dunstall - 412 pages - Series: Stars Uncharted #1 - 🎵 (reader: Emily Woo Zeller) - ROOT, AlphaKIT



What a great fun read. Couldn't put it down. Likeable characters, lots of action, surprises and twists, nicely written. Already picked up book 2.

56. A Man Lay Dead - Ngaio Marsh - 167 pages - Series: Roderick Allen #1 -🎵 (reader: Philip Franks) - ROOT, MysteryKIT, Classic



A re-read from many many moons ago. Roderick is fun.

57. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea - Jules Verne - 322 pages - 🎵 (reader: David Linski) - ROOT, SFFKIT, Classic

Re-read from many many moons ago. I had forgotten how technical Verne's stories were.

58. The Sword of Kaigen - M.L. Wang - DNF - 100 pages in. - ROOT

Just... I never really felt engaged by the characters or the story.

59. Medusa in the Graveyard - Emily Davinport - Series: Medusa #2 - 🎵 (reader: Caitlin Davies) - ROOT, SFFKIT,

Not as good as book 1, but still intriguing. Generation ship story.

60. A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking - T. Kingfisher - ROOT, Bookspin, BingoDOG



What a fun read. 14 year old Mona is a wizard. Granted her only power is with baking, but still, she makes a mean gingerbread man.
When an evil wizard starts having all other wizards in the city knocked off, Mona finds herself defending her city. With bread.

>126 majkia: Ooh, I hope to get to that one this month. Sounds like fun.

>127 swynn: It was indeed great fun.

61. Mexican Gothic - Silvia Moreno-Garcia - AlphaKIT, ScaredyKIT - 🎵 (reader: Frankie Corzo)



Firstly, for anyone whose had abuse in their background, triggers here, definitely. I nearly stopped reading it several times. But I did persevere.

I'm not that big on gothic stuff, because women are so used in the genre but for that genre this was a pretty good example of that sort of book.

62. Out Past the Stars - K.B, Wagers - Series: Farian War #3 - 🎵 (reader: Angela Masters) - ROOT, AlphaKIT



I loved this series about a gunrunner turned princess, who takes her job pretty damn seriously. Great characters and lots of internal dialog regarding what our choices are, what is important to us, and how to deal with a hostile universe.

Shiva, I'm sorry to say goodbye to Hail.

63. Girl Waits With Gun - Amy Stewart - Series: Kopp Sisters #1 - 🎵 (reader: Christina Moore) - ROOT, MysteryKIT, AlphaKIT



Beyond my usual rant about infantilizing women by using GIRL in titles about grown women, otherwise the book was fairly good. Although I thought it dragged a bit in parts.

64. Buried Deep - K.K. Rusch - Series: Retrieval Artist #4 - 🎵 (reader: Jay Snyder) - ROOT, Focus: Sci Fi

I really enjoy this series. So odd, and yet so very likely, when trying to get along with aliens, who are, you know, really alien.

65. Malice at the Palace - Rhys Bowen - Series: Her Royal Spyness #9 - 🎵 (reader: Katherine Kelgren ) - ROOT, Focus: Mystery, MysterKIT

Fun series. Georgie is a hoot, her maid Queenie is a trial, and her intended is as mysterious as ever.

66. Axiom's End - Lindsay Ellis - Series: Noumena #1 - 🎵 (reader: Thorne/Willis ) - ROOT, Bookspin



Pretty good first contact story, with aliens running around Earth, the authorities panicking, and planetary destruction on the menu.

Nicely alien aliens, and characters nicely drawn.

67. Magnificat - Julian May - Series: Galactic Milieu #3 - ROOT - FAVORITE



Favorite sci fi series, with the best ever bad guy. So complex!
Now I guess I have to re-read the Pliocene saga too, sigh.

>135 majkia: I am reading the other way around. I finished rereading the Pilocene saga, and have Galactic Milieu on my list now.

>136 FAMeulstee: That's how I read the series the first time through.

August Bookspin on Litsy



August Bookspin numbers are:
11 Debt of Honor - Christopher G Nuttall
2 The Galaxy and the Ground Within - Becky Chambers

68. Seven Blades in Black - Sam Sykes - 🎵 (reader: Daisey May Parsons ) - ROOT, AlphaKIT, BFB



Odd. Not bad, but very odd. Which is not necessarily a bad thing.

69. In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner - Elizabeth George - Series: Lynley/Havers #10 - 🎵 (reader: Danata Peters) - ROOT, Focus:Mystery, BFB

As usual, complex mystery with lots of twists and turns, great character development, and very well written.

70. Debt of Honor - Christopher G Nuttall - 🎵 (reader: Lauren Ezzo ) - ROOT, Bookspin

Meh. Too many obnoxious politicians in this book.

71. Lost Fleet: Courageous - Jack Campbell - Series: Lost Fleet #3 - ROOT, AlphaKIT, Focus: Sci Fi

Interesting series, although this book had a bit more 4 dimensional war planning than I generally enjoy.

72. Sixteen Ways to Defend A Walled City - K.J. Parker - Series: The Seige #1 - 🎵 (reader: Ray Sawyer ) - ROOT, AlphaKIT

What a fun book. Imaginative, humorous, great characters and worldbuilding.

73. Still Waters - Vivica Sten Series:Sandhamn #1 - 🎵 (reader:Angela Dawe ) - ROOT, AlphaKIT

Well, I didn't guess the mystery so that's definitely a plus

74. Black Sun - Rebecca Roanhorse - Series: Between Earth and Sky #1 - 🎵 (reader: various ) - ROOT, RandomCAT

Wow. I'll need to reread this when book 2 comes out. Impressive, and surprising.

75. The Heart of Valor Tanya Huff - Series: Confederation #3
Lots of marines doing their crazy thing.

76. Panacea - F. Paul Wilson - Series: Ice Sequence #1 - 🎵 (reader: Hillary Hubert ) - ROOT, Dice

What a fun read. Lots of action, speculation and characters you can care about.

>146 majkia: Did you forget #75, Jean?

Anyway, congratulations on reaching 75!

>147 FAMeulstee: No, I just forgot to post a comment on it! But thanks!

Congrats on passing the goal!

76. Panacea - F. Paul Wilson Series: Ice Sequence #1 - 🎵 (reader: Hillary Hubert ) - ROOT, Dice

What a fun read. Lots of action, speculation and characters you can care about.

77. Velocity Weapon - Megan O'Keefe - Series: Protectorate #1 - 🎵 (reader: Joe Jameson ) - ROOT, BFB, SFFKIT, AlphaKIT

This is a re-read because I loved the book so much I wanted to read the series. Great, great characters, including an emergent AI, and a plot that just keeps the tension up there. Eager to read the next two.

>149 drneutron: Thanks!

78. Chaos Vector - Megan O'Keefe - Series: Protectorate #2 - 🎵 (reader: Joe Jameson ) - ROOT, BFB, SFFKIT, Focus:Sci Fi

Strong second book in the series. Very impressed with the plot and character development. And wow, lots of twists and surprises.

79. Catalyst Gate - Megan O'Keefe - Series: Protectorate #3 - 🎵 (reader: Joe Jameson ) - ROOT, BFB, SFFKIT, Focus:Sci Fi



What a great series. Well drawn characters, cracker jack plots, twists, turns, and a great wrap-up. Highly recommended.

80. The Dead Place - Stephen Booth - Series: Cooper and Fry #6 - ROOT, MysteryKIT, Focus:Mystery

Great series. I do love how much the locality plays in all the novels. Lots of atmosphere and local characters.

81. Blue Labyrinth -D Preston/L Child - Series: Pendergast #14 - 🎵 (reader: Rene Auberjonois

As usual, nonstop action, and this time Constance is front and center. Go gal!

82. Hunting Shadows - Charles Todd - Series: Ian Rutledge #16 - 🎵 (reader: Simon Prebble ) - ROOT, MysteryKIT, Focus:Mystery

man with a rifle shoots first a former military officer, and then a man running for elective office. What is the connnection? Lots of great locale scenes and atmosphere.

83. Circe - Madeline Miller - 🎵 (reader: Perdita Weeks ) - ROOT, RandomCAT, DoubleSpin

Compelling, thoughtful, intriguing.

84. Of Fire and Night - Kevin J. Anderson - Series: Seven Suns #5 - 🎵 (reader: David Colacci ) - ROOT, Focus Series: Sci Fi, BFB

Great series. Lots of unexpected twists and turns, massive battles with aliens, and lots of great characters doing the best they can.

85. Dragon Haven - Robin Hobb - Series: Elderlings #11 - 🎵 (reader: Anne Flosnik ) - ROOT, BFB, Focus:SFF,

Characters are always Hobb's strong suite and it is true here as well. Strong second book. Dragons and keepers head up the river to try to find Kelsingra, a mythical city of dragons. Will they find it?

86. Blue Monday - Nicci French - Series: Frieda Klein #1 - 🎵 (reader: Susan Lyons ) - ROOT, AlphaKIT

Hmm. Interesting, if a bit challenging because of decisions made that does not go well with patient privacy. Otherwise, an interesting start to a series.

87. The Fuller Memorandum - Charles Stross - Series: The Laundry Files #3 - ROOT, AlphaKIT, Focus Series: SFF, SFFKIT

The critters are coming out of another dimension and the Laundry is tasked with stopping them. Bob's boss goes missing and things go pear shaped from there.

A bit too elder gods for me, but fun nonetheless.

88. The Bad Company - Craig Martelle - Series: The Bad Company #1 - 🎵 (reader: Kate Rudd ) - ROOT, Bookspin

Military sci fi with a twist. Weres and vampires and enhanced humans, oh my. The tale: How to survive when things go FUBAR (definitely an official military term).

Words of wisdom: 'Amateurs talk tactics, professionals talk logistics.'

89. Aunt Dimity's Death - Nancy Atherton - Series: Aunt Dimity #1 - ROOT

Fun book. Full of emotion and joy. Earliest cozy with a recipe?

90. Nice Dragons Finish Last - Rachel Aaron - Series: Heartstrikers #1 - 🎵 (reader: Vikras Adam ) - ROOT, SFFKIT

Fun read. Nothing deep or complex, just cool characters and an interesting premise.

Hope all is well, Jean as it is almost two months since we saw you here. x

>165 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul. Doing fine, thanks. Just lazy about updating threads. Hope you are well also.

A Thanksgiving to Friends (Lighting the Way)

In difficult times
a friend is there to light the way
to lighten the load,
to show the path,
to smooth the road

At the darkest hour
a friend, with a word of truth
points to light
and the encroaching dawn
is in the plainest sight.

Jean, to a friend in books and more this Thanksgiving

Have a lovely holiday, Jean.