Deborah ( vancouverdeb) reads in 2023 Part 5

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January
1 Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver 4.5 stars F, American
2 The Fallout by Yrsa Sigurdardottir 4 stars F, Icelandic

February
3 Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan 3 stars F, Ireland
4The Magdalen Girls by V.S. Alexander 4 stars , Ireland
5Mrs England by Stacey Halls 4 stars, UK , F

March
6 Weyward by Emilia Hart 4.5 stars
7Trespasses by Louise Kennedy 4.5 stars, Ireland , F
8 The Bandit Queens byParini Shroff 4 stars , India, F

April

9)All The Broken Places byJohn Boyne 5 Stars, Ireland, M
10)Foster byClaire Keegan 3 stars, Ireland, F
11) The White Lady byJacqueline Winspear 4 stars , UK ,F
12)Wandering Souls by Cecile Pin 3 stars , F
13)The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke 4 stars , UK, F

May
14) The Midnight News by Jo Baker 5 stars, UK, F
15) Looking For Jane by Heather Marshall 3 stars , Canada, F
16) V For Victory by Lissa Evans 4.5 stars, UK, F

June
17)Murder of Mr Wickham by Claudia Gray USA, F 3.75 stars
18)Black Butterflies by Priscilla Morris UK, F, 4 stars
19 Strange Flowers by Donal Ryan Ireland, M, 3.75 stars
20) The Butterfly House byKatrine Engberg , F , Denmark, 4 stars

July
21) Old God's Time by Sebastian Barry, M, Ireland, 4.5stars
22) Our Hideous Progeny by C.E. McGill, N/B , UK/ USA 4 stars
23)Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe N/B USA 4 stars

August
24) The Librarianist by Patrick deWitt M, Canada DNF page 200
25) The East Indian by Brinda Charry F, India/ USA 4 stars
26 )A Spell of Good Things by Ayobami Adebayo F, Nigeria 4 stars
27) The 4:50 From Paddington by Agatha Christie F, Britain , 3.5 stars

September
28)The Raging Storm by Ann Cleeves F, Britain, 4 stars
29)Prophet Song by Paul Lynch, M, Ireland, 4.5 stars
30) Western Lane by Chetna Maroo , F, UK, 4 stars
31) This Other Edenby Paul Harding , M, USA , 4 stars
32)Gin, Turpentine, Pennyroyal, Rue byChristine Higdon , F, Canada, 5 stars

October
33) The Bee Sting by Paul Murray M, Ireland, 5 stars
34Chop Suey Nation by Ann Hui , F, Canada, 3 stars
35) The Witching Tide by Margaret Meyer, F, UK, 4 stars

November

36)The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods, F, UK, 4 stars
37)One Puzzling Afternoon by Emily Critchley, F, UK, 5 stars
38) The Sleeping Car Porter by Suzette Mayr, F, Canada , 3 stars
39) The Creak on the Stairs by Eva Bjorg Aegisdottir F, Iceland, 4 stars

Prize Winners and Nominees Q1 and Q2

Q 1

Demon Copperhead Womens Prize for Literature Winner , 2023, Pulitzer Prize Winner, 2023
Small Things Like These Booker Prize Shortlist 2022, International Impac Longlist 2022,
Mrs England Walter Scott Prize Longlist 2022, Portico Prize Longlist, 2022
Trespasses Women's Prize for Literature Shortlist , 2023, Irish Book Award Novel Prize, 2022
The Bandit Queens Women's Prize Shortlist, 2023
Wandering Souls Women's Prize Longlist , 2023
The Lighthouse Witches Edgar Award Nominee , 2022

Q 2
Black Butterflies Women's Prize for Literature Longlist 2023
Strange Flowers Irish Book Award Novel Award 2020, International Dublin Impac Longlist, 2022

Prize Winners and Nominees Q3 and Q4

Q 3
Gender Queer Alex Award (2020), Stonewall Award Honorable Mention (2020)
Old God's Time Booker Longlist 2023
A Spell of Good Things Booker Longlist 2023
Prophet Song Booker Short List2023
Western Lane Booker Short List 2023
This Other Eden Booker Short List 2023

Q4
The Bee Sting Booker Short List 2023
The Sleeping Car Porter Giller Prize Winner 2022

Currently reading A History of Burning by Janika Oza

Welcome to my new thread! Please drop a star, say hi, delurk, lurk - welcome, everyone!

Happy new thread, Deborah!

>Thanks Anita! Happy reading to you!

>13 vancouverdeb: You might be able to change your header, by editing the first message. It is #4 again.
If not, Jim can do so.

>14 FAMeulstee: I was wondering about that, Anita. Thanks! I'll see if I can do it, if not, I'll ask Jim. Thanks! I realized just a little to late! :-)

>14 FAMeulstee: Seems like it is too late for me to edit my thread number, Anita. I'll check with Jim. Thanks again!

>16 vancouverdeb: It is only for a short time that the header can be edited.
You are very welcome :-)

>10 vancouverdeb: that's on my TBR (virtual) pile. Any book about a bookshop has got to be good?

Happy new thread, Deb. This year has been a great reading year quality wise don't you think?

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Deb. Adorable topper. I like the look and sound of The Lost Bookshop. I'll have to look for it!

Happy new thread, Deborah! I'm afraid I've mostly been lurking on your thread lately, so I'm glad to have a reason to de-lurk. Wishing you a great week!

Delurking to say Happy New Thread and drop a ⭐️. Hope you’re having a good weekend and that the coming week treats you well.

Happy new thread Deborah!

Happy new thread!

Got myself sorted... kept going back to the "old" thread 4.

It's a nuisance isn't it? ~ that we cannot adjust our own thread header without having to ask Jim to intervene.

On the previous thread, I was going to post that I'm on the same page as Richard with respect to those witch hunts in the 1600's. What a bunch of fakes. Sadists is right. How come it never occurred to anyone in those days that if the accusations were true, obviously the arcane talents of the witch would prevent punishment.
Or at least I assumed so. Anti-female society, which renders me grumpy.

Happy new thread! (I took care of the thread title…)

Happy New Thread, Deborah. Lovely topper, I agree with the sentiment.

>17 FAMeulstee: Thanks again, Anita. Jim has fixed the number on my thread.

>18 CDVicarage: Kerry, The Lost Bookshop was an excellent and enjoyable read. I finished it last night and I feel quite confident that you will enjoy it. I have yet to create a review, but it's a 4 star read. Recommended.

>19 PaulCranswick: Indeed, Paul, it has been good year quality wise for books for me, and I am sure many others. The Booker List, The Women's prize have yielded many good read for me , as well as some good fortune in choosing books. I'm many here have found likewise.

>20 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita! Thanks for stopping by my new thread.

>21 jessibud2: Shelley, I do think you would enjoy The Lost Bookshop . It was an excellent read, I thought. I did like the look of my topper , as winter is nigh upon us.

>22 atozgrl: Thanks Irene, and thanks for delurking! Yes, I anticipate a good reading week ahead. Wishing you a good week ahead as well.

>23 Storeetllr: Hi Mary! Good to see you! I hope all is well in your world. Thanks for dropping a star. I need to get over to your thread as well.

>24 quondame: Thank you Susan! Happy week ahead.

>25 banjo123: Thanks to you also, Rhonda. I hope the books are treating you well, as well as life in general.

>26 SandyAMcPherson: Indeed, Sandy, it is bother when I did not pay enough attention to my thread when I was a I creating it. I am glad that Jim was able to sort it out. You are very correct, society was certainly anti women in days gone by, and the witch hunts are one thing that reflect that. So many things that happened in the past and even now, reflect the patriarchal society we live in, though things have a improved greatly. I have yet to get a chance to weigh in on your clothes dryer vs drying clothes on the line outside. I'll get there yet.

>27 drneutron: Thanks so much Jim, for taking care of my thread number. You are always much appreciated.

>28 EllaTim: Thanks Ella for the good wishes. It was a dark rainy day today, so yes, I think the topper is appropriate. Nonethess, I donned my gortex jacket and headed out to walk a couple of miles and also headed to the library. You have try to stay cheerful in the winter and short days.

Happy new thread, Deborah. Too bad about your dark rainy day. My weather app kept saying it was raining but it didn't start until I was almost finished my walk. I actually saw sun today!

Happy new thread, Deborah.

Hi, Deborah. You're in good company re the thread numbers. Joe W. did the same thing with his thread #6!

Hanging my head in shame that I missed your entire last thread. I'm on vacation later this month. Maybe I'll be able to catch up.

Happy "newish" thread, Deborah! I love the picture up top.

>10 vancouverdeb: I love that cover. Hope the books are treating you well.

>33 Familyhistorian: Lucky you, Meg, seeing the sun yesterday. I might have seen the sun too, I can't remember. But it was a light rain at least, while I was out walking. Today it is raining harder.

>34 BLBera: Thanks Beth! I hope you are having a good reading week so far.

>35 ffortsa: I'm glad I'm not the only one to muff up my thread number. I really thought I was starting my 4 th thread. Good to know I"m not the only one to mess up my thread number. Thanks for stopping by my thread, Judy. I look forward to visiting your thread later today.

>36 alcottacre: Thanks Stasia. The topper did appeal to me!

>37 charl08: Hi Charlotte. I'm about 65 pages into One Puzzling Afternoon and I am enjoying very much so far. I let you know my final thoughts. I suspect you would enjoy it. I'm not sure how it came to my attention. But yesterday while trying to decide what book to read next, I had a bee in my bonnet to head out my local bookstore and pick up the one copy that they had of One Puzzling Afternoon. And I am glad that I did.

Happy New Thread, Deb. I hope you enjoyed your weekend and I hope you are getting some quality reading time in. I LOVED Black Butterflies. You were right about that gem.

>40 msf59: I am glad you loved Black Butterflies. I was a very good one, yes. I had a nice weekend, yes and so far am getting some good reading time in.

New 🧵 orisons, Deb! I'm getting more and more eager to read Black Butterflies what with you and Birddude praising it so highly.

*smooch*

Happy new thread Deborah. That is great news about Dave's retirement plans. Great idea!

>42 richardderus: Thanks for the Happy New Thread wishes, Richard. I hope you enjoy Black Butterflies as me and the Birdude did. *smooch*

>43 mdoris: Thanks Mary. Dave is indeed looking forward to retirement, now that he has decided that he will retire at the end of March, 2024. Not too long now.

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods 4 stars

The Publisher Says
For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been side characters in their own lives. But when a vanishing bookstore casts it's spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books. By unlocking the secrets of the shelves, they find themselves transported to a world of wonder.. where nothing is as it seems.

My review:

In 1921, we meet Opaline Carlisle,who lives at home with her mother and dominating, controlling elder brother, Lyndon. Her mother and brother insist that she must meet and marry a man she has never met, in order to secure the family finances. Instead, she flees to Paris, hoping to run a bookshop there.

In present day Dublin, Martha Winter has fled an abusive husband. She seeks work of any kind , and finds herself working for an eccentric lady , Madame Bowden, as a live in housekeeper. Henry Field is PhD scholar, in search of a lost manuscript. There, he and Martha's paths cross.

A charming and magical read, with many references to books and bookshops. Highly recommended.

>45 vancouverdeb: Looks right up my alley! Thanks for the recommendation, Deborah!

>46 alcottacre: I’m so glad that The Lost BookShop is right up your alley , Stasia . I really enjoyed it . I hope you do too!

>47 vancouverdeb: I ordered a copy so I am hoping to get to it soon!

Deb, I've added The Lost Bookshop to my TBR list. What a pretty, eye-catching cover.

>45 vancouverdeb: This sounds very tempting indeed. I had this author conflated in my mind with Evie Wyld, whose work does *not* appeal to me, so thanks for forcing me to go look up this lady's work! I hope someone has a library copy I can access....

Weekend-ahead's excellent reads only *whammy*

>48 alcottacre: Let me know when you get it, and if you enjoy it, Stasia!

>49 Whisper1: I thought it was a great read, Linda. I am sure you will enjoy it too.

>50 richardderus: I'm glad to have tempted you, Richard. I hope the library has a copy in your area. It's a good read. Thanks! I am in the midst of an excellent book, One Puzzling Afternoon . Happy Reading this weekend too.

>45 vancouverdeb: Looks good! Thanks!

>51 vancouverdeb: I will do that! Have a wonderful weekend, Deborah!

I have One Puzzling Afternoon on hold at VPL which has the book on order. I think that BB probably came from your thread, Deborah, and you got me with another one for The Lost Bookshop but I didn't find that as a library book. I think we need lots of reads to keep our minds off the rain!

Hi Deborah! Checking in after some weeks of relative absence. The Lost Bookshop sounds just wonderful - thanks for bringing it to our attention. 😁 Hope you've been well and I strongly identify with your topper! Our experience of winter down here in Seattle is probably quite similar to yours, and I too just want to cozy up until spring and read, read, read! I hope you have a happy weekend with some enjoyable reading time. 😁

>45 vancouverdeb: I have seen this one around and was not sure if I would like it. Your great review has me convinced that I will enjoy it.

I am pleased that I have hit so many people with a BB! The Lost Bookshop was very good!

>52 Storeetllr: I hope you enjoy it, Mary.

>53 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia! So far my weekend is going well.

>54 Familyhistorian: I finished One Puzzling Afternoon last night, Meg, and it was excellent! I love it even more than The Lost Bookshop. Lots of reads are very good , indeed. It certainly been dark , but our rain has been light , when I've been out walking Poppy and today, it was wet , but no actual rain fell on me and Poppy today!

>55 PlatinumWarlock: Great to see you, Lavinia! Yes, I think your weather and ours are quite similar. Rain, overcast etc. I hope you are cozying up and reading too. I'm working on my first 2000 piece puzzle, and so far, so good. Yes, a good weekend so far, thanks!

>56 figsfromthistle: I picked The Lost Bookshop at the bookstore and thought it looked good, and it was . I am quite sure you will enjoy it, Anita.

>45 vancouverdeb: I think The Lost Bookshop appeals to me (more than >10 vancouverdeb:, One Puzzling Afternoon). Simply because stories including "a realistic portrayal of the toll dementia takes" does not make a comfortable reading experience.
I have submitted a hold-request, and see that my position is #19 on 3 copies!

I actually have a copy of The Lost Bookshop in my piles! Good thing I found it before going out and getting another copy!

One Puzzling Afternoon, however, doesn't appeal to me at all because, in reading the reviews on the book page, it sounds very much like another book I read a few years ago (whose titles escapes me at the moment). That book, which I was so intrigued with at first, just dragged on and on and the ending was awful, in my opinion. I ended up hating it, actually. Maybe that's why I seem to have erased the title from my memory. Oh well, c'est la vie.

Hello Deborah, hope you are having a reading and puzzle filled and wonderful weekend! How is that giant puzzle coming along with so many pieces?

>58 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deborah! 2000 pieces is our "sweet spot" for puzzles... big enough to be challenging, but small enough to still fit on the dining room table. 😀 Enjoy!

>59 SandyAMcPherson: I'm glad that The Lost Bookshop appeals to you, Sandy, and I guess you will have a bit of wait for the book.

>60 jessibud2: I'm glad you have The Lost Bookshop in your piles, Shelley, and I am glad I prompted you to have a look in your piles. I have certainly purchased a book more than once because I forgot I already owned it.

>61 mdoris: I did have a nice weekend , yes, Mary. Plenty of dogwalking, no matter the weather, but I got some puzzling and reading time in too. Thanks, the 2000 piece puzzle is coming along better than I expected. I was a little worried about trying my 1 st 2000 piece puzzle, but it is going well.

>62 PlatinumWarlock: Thanks Lavinia! This is my first 2000 piece, but it won't be my last. I don't think I can fit anything bigger than a 2000 piece puzzle on my dining room table . I hope you are having a great time in Calgary at the concert .

Hi Deborah! Doing a puzzle like that sounds like a great idea for those chilly, rainy and dark days! Is it a nice and colourful one?

Hi Deborah my dear, Happy New Thread, sending love and hugs.

>1 vancouverdeb: hahaha, Yup that’s me too. Hibernation has begun! Puzzle and book season are here!

>63 vancouverdeb: I just pulled 2 duplicates off my shelves this past week. I hate when it happens that I buy a book twice! My daughter Catey is the recipient of all my duplicates as I send them off to her shop :)

I bought both The Lost Bookshop and One Puzzling Afternoon thanks to you, Deborah. I am hoping to get to them soon.

Hi Deborah! I’m delurking…

From your last thread, I love the pic of you and your siblings. My sister and I are much shorter than my brother. We got my mother’s short and Doug got our dad’s tall. We have some step cousins who live locally and 5’3” getting a hug from 6’4” is safe feeling and all encompassing. When our daughter was little, her pediatrician told her that based on her height then and standard height charts she’d probably be 5’7”, so she was disappointed that she’s only 5’5”. She’s very happy to be 2” taller than me, though. I’ve shrunk from my original 5’5”.

>10 vancouverdeb: Richard BB’d me with The Sleeping Car Porter in Sept. of 2022.

Happy Wednesday, Deb. Slowly catching up around here, after taking a long weekend off. I hope your week is going well and you are enjoying those current reads.

>66 johnsimpson: Thanks John! Love and hugs to you and Karen, as well.

>67 Carmenere: I agree, Lynda , it is a great season for puzzling and reading! Enjoy.

>68 alcottacre: I am sure you will enjoy both The Lost Bookshop and One Puzzling Afternoon, Stasia. I also dislike it when I purchase duplicate books. So far, fingers crossed, I have not done that with a puzzle.

>69 karenmarie: Great to see you here, Karen and thanks for delurking. I confess I also sometimes lurk on your thread, and have read of your husband's upcoming , forced retirement. That's too bad. Dave, my husband , is retiring in March of 2024. We are both looking forward to it. He only decided to retire at then end of October, I think, and I suggested it, as he seems so tired after an 11. 5 hour day at work, with 5 days on and 5 days off. He has quite a few hobbies to keep him busy, stunt kite flying all year round with his bit. Thanks for the kind words regarding my siblings. Height is sure an interesting thing within a family. I'm not sure where I got the idea of purchasing The Sleeping Car Porter. Maybe Richard, but it is also a Giller Prize winner ( a big thing in Canada), so I may have picked it up for that reason. I am nearly finished and I'm glad it is a Book off the Shelf read now.

>70 msf59: A bittersweet weekend for you, my friend. Yes, thanks, my weekend was good, and so the far the week is going well.

One Puzzling Afternoon by Emily Critchley 5 stars

In 1951, fifteen year old Edie Green is an unpopular, lonely teen. Her mother, Nancy, is a widow, and works by day for a greengrocer , and in the evenings she conducts seances for the locals in their small town of Ludthorpe, UK. Edie is dreadfully embarrassed by her mom's work as a medium, and unhappy with her mother's unpleasant boyfriend, Reg. When popular, pretty Lucy Theddle befriends Edie, Edie is delighted. But Lucy has a secret or two that Edie is not sure she should keep. Then Lucy goes missing.

In 2018 , Edie is now 82, and suffering with early stage dementia. She is still living in Ludthorpe, in her own home, with her son Daniel and her granddaughter Amy close by. One day Edie believes she sees her lost childhood friend, Lucy. Her family dismisses this as something to do with her dementia.

The story is so touching, engaging and beautifully told. For me, the more emotional aspect was that of Lucy and her secret, rather than that of Edie and her dementia. The characters were well rounded, and the plot never lagged.

Highly recommended.

>73 vancouverdeb: Wow! I am glad to see that turned out to be an excellent read for you!

>74 alcottacre: Thanks Stasia! Yes, One Puzzling Afternoon is certainly among my favourite read this year. I don't give out many 5 stars. I'll be looking very forward to her next book, as I believe this is her first novel.

I hope I can get partial credit for The Sleeping Car Porter since I love that book so much... unlike this year's winner, which I didn't even finish.

*smooch*

>73 vancouverdeb: Oh, this looks lovely - thanks for the recommendation! 😀

>73 vancouverdeb: Nice review. Sounds really good!

Drive by wave! Hope you have a great day, Deborah!

>76 richardderus: Certainly, I can give you partial credit for my reading of The Sleeping Car Porter, Richard . I did thumb your review of it last year. *smooch*

>77 PlatinumWarlock: I did love One Puzzling Afternoon, Lavinia, and I hope you will too. I think that you will.

>78 Storeetllr: Mary, I did love One Puzzling Afternoon, and thanks for the kind words re my review.

>79 alcottacre: Hi Stasia The day is okay so far, but I'm trying to help my husband apply for OAS - aka Old Age Security online , but we keep getting error messages from Services Canada. We did manage to apply for the other government retirement thing in Canada, CPP last week, but it's like a lottery when you press the apply button on Canada Services website - will they be having technical troubles or not ? Grr!

>65 EllaTim: I posted a reply to you yesterday, Ellla, with the picture of my current puzzle, but it disappeared into the ether net. I'll try again.

Novel Avenue, 2000 pieces.

>80 vancouverdeb: Oh YAY! Now, can I interest you in the National Book Award for Translated Literature winner from last night? The Words That Remain got my highest praise, too, like The Sleeping Car Porter and for many of the same reasons....

hook:baited

>82 vancouverdeb:, interesting puzzle. Thanks for posting a picture. 2000 is a lot of pieces.

>72 vancouverdeb: I enjoyed the sleeping car porter. The giller prize is a huge deal! This year Sarah Bernstein won for her book study for obedience. I have not read it yet.

Happy Friday, Deb. I plan on starting Prophet Song in the next week or so. Lots of Jackson time this weekend. ❤️

One Puzzling Afternoon sounds really good, Deborah. And I love your puzzle!

>83 richardderus: Hi Richard. Yes, perhaps you can interest me in The Words That Remain. No pressure,eh ? ;-)

>84 Kristelh: Thanks Kristel. It is my first 2000 piece puzzle, and it is a lot of pieces, yes. I work on it for about 1 hour each day. I do love the image.

>85 figsfromthistle: Another vote for The Sleeping Car Porter, Anita! Thanks for that. I'll try to write up a review later today. I've not yet read Study for Obedience. It is also on the Booker Short List and I've not read it. I'm not sure I will enjoy it. Quite a few people have DNF'd Study for Obedience. I guess I'll see as time goes by whether I read or not. I'll be interested in what you think if you read Study for Obedience.

>86 msf59: Happy Weekend to you, Mark! Oh, Prophet Song. I hope you enjoy as much as I did. It's disturbing but a fascinating read. Yay for Jackson weekends!

>87 BLBera: Thanks Beth. I really did love and recommend One Puzzling Afternoon. I do love to do jigsaw puzzle when I have the time.

>82 vancouverdeb: What a cool puzzle! And I love to do puzzles with lots of pieces. I'll have to see if I can find that one.

Hi Deb! good luck on getting your husband's retirement through. One Puzzling Afternoon sounds good.

>90 atozgrl: Thanks Irene! It's coming a long slowly. I've not had much time over the weekend for puzzling or reading. I hope you can find the puzzle.

>91 banjo123: One more step to go, Rhonda. We've got the CPP applied for and almost the OAS - we just have to go into services Canada with our marriage certificate , or get a certified true copy and mail it. His work pension is ( cross my fingers) easier enough to apply for. One Puzzling Afternoon was great and I hope you enjoy it.

The Sleeping Car Porter by Suzette Mayr 3 stars

I wanted to like this book more than I did. It is a Giller Prize winner and highly recommended by and reviewed by Richard. The topic was interesting , that of a black, gay man who worked as sleeping car porter in Canada in the 1920's. He hopes to become a dentist , and is fascinated by the teeth of his passengers. Baxter is called " George' or even " Boy' by the passengers. He is chronically exhausted , and often maltreated by both the passengers and staff alike. It does detail the racism, classism and homophobia of the time. I felt that there was not much of plot , and what there was , was very repetitive. I was disappointed in the lack of character development of Baxter. He wants to become a dentist, his parents disliked his effeminate manner, and he is a hard worker, but I felt I knew little of his personality. Tomorrow I will attend a library book club to discuss this book and perhaps my appreciation of this novel will increase.

>93 vancouverdeb: Oh dear...that recursive drift was part of what made me love the read. I found his endless, grinding striver's stretch, ultimately without any resolution, more evocative of the way so many live their entire lives that I was sucked in and sympathetic every time he crashed anew. His exhaustion, his inability to break character even for a minute around the people he serves, seemed crushingly awful and familiar as a fellow gay man.

Your response makes me think the book did it right...just not for everyone! His personality was so subsumed into the "George" character it couldn't even come up a lot of the time. Sad that it didn't wok for you, Deb, but better reads are comin'!

Wordle 884 2/6

🟩⬜🟨🟨⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

crane, candy

>95 vancouverdeb: Somebody’s got a sweet tooth! (I got it in 3.)

>94 richardderus: Excellent response, Richard. The recursive drift seemed repetitive too me, but evocative of many lives. You make an interesting point that Baxter's character was subsumed in role as sleeping car porter. Yes, better read are here, in the way of my current read, The Creak on the Stairs, a nice Nordic Mystery.

>96 Storeetllr: You are quite correct, yes I do have sweet tooth for chocolate in particular, Mary! With the three letters I got in the first guess, I"m not sure if there were many more choices than what chose. But guilty - sweet tooth here!

I just started Prophet Song, Deb. 30 pages in. A dark, foreboding tone to this novel. The writing is terrific, despite the absence of quotations, which takes some time to get used to.

>45 vancouverdeb: The Lost Bookshop is on the Kindle and may get read sooner rather than later as it sounds wonderful.

>73 vancouverdeb: One Puzzling Afternoon keeps showing up on every recommendation list so it may be next.

Mostly stopping by on this US thanksgiving day to let you know I am grateful for you and our LT community. A wonderful, peaceful place of fellowship and books!

>97 vancouverdeb: I look forward to hearing from you what you think of The Creak on the Stairs, Deb. It's on my Kindle unread, so I'll be ready to go should it win favor.

*smooch*

>98 msf59: Prophet Song is a great read, Mark! Dark and foreboding yes. I hope you enjoy as much as I did. If either Prophet Song or The Bee Sting wins the Booker Prize on Novemeber 26, I'll be very pleased!

>99 witchyrichy: I'm so pleased to have sent to you a couple of BB's in the form of One Puzzling Afternoon and The Lost Bookshop, Karen. I was lurking on your thread yesterday and took a BB from you, The Last List of Mabel Beaumont. I've already ordered it from Amazon , I did that last night. I wasn't really lurking , just took a quick a peek around LT , but didn't have time to comment. Thanks! Happy Thanksgiving to you, and yes, this is a wonderful place for fellowship and peace. Thank you for your part.

>100 richardderus: I am about 1/2 way through The Creak on the Stairs and enjoying it very much, Richard. I am quite sure you will enjoy it. I'll give you my final verdict soon. My sister read it and very much liked it, and she has read a couple more in the series, which I am quite sure I will do too.

Happy Thanksgiving RD! * Smooch"

>82 vancouverdeb: I bought that one for my mother to put together, but she decided it was too much for her. I am sad about that because I loved that particular puzzle!

>101 vancouverdeb: I am really rooting for Prophet Song to win, but if The Bee Sting wins, I will not be displeased. If the Jonathan Escoffery book wins, I am going to be seriously put out, lol.

Happy Thanksgiving Deborah!

Hello Deborah. How do you like this wonderful sunshine. Not bad for November!
I am sorry that Dave is working for Christmas but I am pleased that you have a wing to be under with family for those special days. I think you will like the dog book I just finished, not just because of the gorgeous dogs but his writing seems to be just as he speaks which is clever and fun. I saw on a thread that you have enjoyed Annika. Where have you viewed it? I am a fan of Nicola Walker and I would like to see it. Sadly it is not on Britbox. Hope you have a very good weekend. Loki says hi to Poppy. We are just back from our dusk seaside walk.

Hey there Deborah...hoping that the leftovers are treating you well. I'll be intensely irritated quite eager to hear about how you plan to spend my money you end up feeling about The Creak on the Stairs...love that title!

I expect Prophet Song will take home the Booker this year. I've only read the Kindle sample, but it just *feels* like it's the one for this year's zeitgeist.

>82 vancouverdeb: Oooh, gorgeous bookish theme, though I don't do jigsaw puzzles except with my grandkids. And those are usually no larger than 500 pieces. But still, very attractive.

>93 vancouverdeb: I 3-starred this book too, and for much similar reasons; plus I thought the writing style was too choppy.

The Giller and Booker awards have rarely appealed to me so I often don't read them until I see reviews or friends talk about the books. I hope to see some comments here once your book club discussions are held.

Edited to note that >94 richardderus: RD's insights expanded my understanding of 'George' a bit better than I had gleaned from my reading.
Just goes to show: despite the welcome sympathy, unless someone has "walked a mile in my moccasins", they don't inherently understand what *my* life's experiences are like.

>104 quondame: Thanks Susan!

>105 mdoris: Hi Mary! I'm watching Annika season 2 on Masterpiece/PBS which I also have a subscription too. I am loving this nice sunny days! Just got back not long ago from a nice sunny walk. I'm glad you are enjoying the sun too. It is nice indeed to have family around to have Christmas with, with Dave at work over Christmas. I'll keep the dog book in mind. My library only has it it e-book format, unfortunately.

>106 richardderus: Well, RD, Thanksgiving in Canada is actually the first Monday in October, so no left over for me. But that's okay. Soon enough it will be Christmas and I'll be eating turkey again. My DIL would certainly agree with that the dark meat is the only good part of the turkey. As for The Creak on the Stairs, I have about 30 pages yet, so I should wrap it up this evening. It's been an excellent read and I already have the second in the series on my shelves and I plan to got the library for the third in the series. I'm quite sure you will enjoy The Creak on the Stairs. Well, the Bookies show that odds favour Prophet Song to win the Booker Prize, so I guess we'll see on Sunday. I think you may well be correct with your prediction.

>107 SandyAMcPherson: Thanks , Sandy! I do love the bookish theme, though I do all sorts of images for jigsaw puzzles, except for scenery images. I just started doing jigsaw puzzles about??? 3 - 4 years ago, as my two sister's are big jigsaw puzzlers, and I decided to see if they appealed to me, and yes, they did. How fun to jigsaw puzzles with your granddaughter, not matter the piece count.

>108 SandyAMcPherson: I agree, Sandy, Richard shed light on what made The Sleeping Car Porter more special than I realized. Unfortunately I had a busier day than I hoped on Monday, so I skipped the library book group and so have no further insight to add. Personally, I enjoy a lot of books from Prize lists - Booker, Women's Prize, Giller etc. I find so many new authors and stories that I might not seek out otherwise.

The Creak on the Stairs by Eva Bjorg Aegisdottir 4 stars

An excellent addition to Scandicrime/ Nordic Noir. Elma moves from the Reykjavik police to the more remote area of the Akranes following a difficult breakup. There she joins the Arkranes Police force. In this normally quiet town, the body of a young woman washes up the shore near a lighthouse. With her new colleagues, Saevar and Hordur, Elma investigates this death. Was it a suicide, an accident or a murder ?

We discover the backstories of the characters and that of the victim. The victim's past was especially harrowing, and we learn about in it two time lines, 1989 ,and the present, 2017. The characters are well rounded and layered, and the plot is engaging, disturbing and suspenseful. I loved this story and am eager to read more in this series.

Highly recommended.

>112 vancouverdeb: Nice review, Deborah, will keep it in mind when I look for a next Nordic Noir series.

>112 vancouverdeb: Anticipating this encomium of no uncertain appreciation, I revised my reading schedule a bit to include it in December.

>110 vancouverdeb: Turkey for Xmas, too? That makes more sense than it would in the US, given your Thanksgiving is six weeks sooner, but still far exceeds my turkey tolerance.

>108 SandyAMcPherson:, >111 vancouverdeb: Not having faced down that particular pressure to deny, hide, fail to enact your essential self, there's no way to know what one doesn't know. Adding on top the intense racializtion of his skin color just makes his fragmentation of self all the more intense and complete...the "George" identity is both procrustean and protective. Masks do hide, just not always unwelcomely.

Prophet Song by Paul Lynch takes the Booker Prize, 2023!

>115 vancouverdeb: Deserved winner, I think, Deb. At least Ms Bernstein didn't win and I don't get to diss the panel completely. x

>115 vancouverdeb: Exactly, Paul. I was going to be happy if either Prophet Song or The Bee Sting took the Booker Prize. I did enjoy / think a lot of Old God's Time as well.

>115 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah, Oh good! i know I reserved it at the library when you were so enthusiastic about and now the wait until it is my turn! We have been in fog (pea soup) all day. It is cold and clammy. The cold gets right into your bones but still outside all day (which Loki loves). There are always lots of clean up jobs and for her squirrels to chase (she will never get one!). I have a rhodo blooming with soft pink small blooms. It is called Christmas Cheer. Amazing!

>115 vancouverdeb: >116 PaulCranswick: I had just posted about it on my thread too, Deborah. I really thought that this was the best of the books on the shortlist. I still need to read Old God's Time, which I am starting today, but Prophet Song was just one of those books that I am unlikely ever to forget.

>112 vancouverdeb: Sounds great, I'll add it to my wishlist. I realised I haven't read much crime fiction recently, so nice to have a recommendation.

I thought Prophet Song a worthy winner: hope he gets the usual "bump" in sales given the financial difficulties so many authors seem to have these days.

>115 vancouverdeb: I haven't read Prophet Song as yet but it looks my sort of thing so I've added it to the Christmas list.

>112 vancouverdeb: Thanks! I love mystery series and it's nice to hear a new one get so much praise. I'm on the wait list for it from my library.