Katie’s Reading - Chapter 19

'Tis the season!

________________________________

For anyone new to my thread, I’m Katie: reader, wine drinker, food appreciator, shenanigan-ator, and non-sufferer of fools. I live outside New York City with my husband, "The" Wayne, our cat, Leonard, and our dog, Nuala/Noodles.

My reading varies widely - I love genre fiction (romance and crime), contemporary and historical fiction, and narrative nonfiction. I try to balance my reading in all these areas. I also use my thread as a bit of a life journal, which mostly means I talk about what I’m cooking, eating, drinking, watching, doing, and avoiding doing.

Thanks for being here!

Currently Reading
(Kindle) (Audio)

BOOKS COMPLETED

Books Off My Shelf: 61
Books Off My Kindle: 18
Books from Audible/Chirp: 32
Library Loans (print/e-books/audios): 77
Friend Loan: 1

DECEMBER
189. The Santa Klaus Murder by Mavis Hay (3 stars)
188. Rain Dogs by Adrian McKinty (audio) (3.75 stars)
187. The Chimes by Charles Dickens (audio) (2 stars)
186. 25 Days 'Til Christmas by Poppy Alexander (4 stars)
185. The Twelve Clues of Christmas by Rhys Bowen (audio) (3.75 stars)
184. Breaking Night by Liz Murray (3.25 stars)

Did Not Finish (YTD)
Tease by Amanda Maciel
The Other by Thomas Tryon
Sleep, Pale Sister by Joanne Harris
A Stolen Tongue by Sheri Holman
Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew Sullivan
The Celebrants by Steven Rowley
Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery
Enchanted August by Brenda Bowen
The Dud Avocado by Elaine Dundy
Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Under Our Roof by Madeleine Dean and Harry Cunnane

Q4 COMPLETIONS

NOVEMBER
183. Good Night, Mr. Wodehouse by Faith Sullivan (3.5 stars)
182. Gun Street Girl by Adrian McKinty (audio) (4.5 stars)
181. Marry in Scandal by Anne Gracie (4 stars)
180. The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse (audio) (3.75 stars)
179. Promises in Death by J.D. Robb (4 stars)
178. A Shoe Story by Jane L. Rosen (audio) (2.5 stars)
177. True Love at the Lonely Hearts Bookshop by Annie Darling (4.5 stars)
176. In the Morning I'll Be Gone by Adrian McKinty (audio) (4.25 stars)
175. The Last Chance Christmas Ball by Various Authors (3 stars)
174. Hazards of Time Travel by Joyce Carol Oates (2.5 stars)
173. Born Standing Up by Steve Martin (audio) (4 stars)
172. A Christmas Journey by Anne Perry (audio) (3.25 stars)
171. Amazing Grace Adams by Fran Littlewood (audio) (5 stars)
170. My Sunshine Away by M.O. Walsh (4 stars)
169. A Bookshop Christmas by Rachel Burton (audio) (4.25 stars)
168. What We Remember Will Be Saved by Stephanie Saldana (4.25 stars)
167. Chasing Jillian by Julie Brannagh (2.75 stars)
166. I Hear the Sirens in the Street by Adrian McKinty (audio) (3.75 stars)

OCTOBER
165. My Italian Bulldozer by Alexander McCall Smith (audio) (3 stars)
164. 1979 by Val McDermid (3.5 stars)
163. Macbeth by A.J. Hartley and David Hewson (audio) (4 stars)
162. Fireworks Every Night by Beth Raymer (3.75 stars)
161. Scatterlings by Resoketswe Manenzhe (audio) (3.5 stars)
160. The Year of Second Chances by Lara Avery (4 stars)
159. How Can I Help You by Laura Sims (4.5 stars)
158. The Cold, Cold Ground by Adrian McKinty (audio) (4 stars)
157. The Door-to-Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn (3.75 stars)
156. Cabin Fever by Michael Smith and Jonathan Franklin (3.5 stars)
155. The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass (audio) (3.5 stars)
154. Yellowface by R.F. Kuang (audio) (4.5 stars)
153. The Wake-Up Call by Beth O'Leary (3.5 stars)
152. A Week To Be Wicked by Tessa Dare (4 stars)
151. Let's Call It a Doomsday by Katie Henry (audio) (3.75 stars)
150. American Salvage by Bonnie Jo Campbell (4 stars)

Q3 COMPLETIONS

SEPTEMBER
149. Clothes Make the Girl (Look Fat?) by Brittany Gibbons (Audio) (3 stars)
148. Benny & Shrimp by Katarina Mazetti (3.5 stars)
147. Stickle Island by Tim Orchard (3.5 stars)
146. Naughty in Nice by Rhys Bowen (audio) (3.5 stars)
145. The Lady Most Likely by Julia Quinn et. al. (3 stars)
144. Planes, Trains, and All the Feels by Livy Hart (audio) (4.25 stars)
143. My Antonia by Willa Cather (4 stars)
142. Oksana, Behave! by Maria Kuznetsova (audio) (4.5 stars)
141. The Breakaway by Jennifer Weiner (3.75 stars)
140. Nora Webster by Colm Toibin (4.5 stars)
139. This Other Eden by Paul Harding (audio) (4.25 stars)
138. Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy by Karen Foxlee (audio) (4 stars)
137. Jasmine by Bharati Mukherjee (4 stars)
136. All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby (4 stars)
135. The Lost Letter by Mimi Matthews (audio) (3.5 stars)
134. The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae by Stephanie Butland (audio) (4.25 stars)
133. Middletown, America by Gail Sheehy (3.5 stars)
132. Just Your Type by SKye McDonald (3.5 stars)
131. Sunset in Central Park by Sarah Morgan (3 stars)

AUGUST
130. State of the Union by Nick Hornby (3.5 stars)
129. Bootstrapper by Mardi Jo Link (audio) (2.5 stars)
128. The Sweeney Sisters by Lian Dolan (3.75 stars)
127. The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai (4.5 stars)
126. The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen (3 stars)
125. Congratulations, the Best is Over! by R. Eric Thomas (audio) (4 stars)
124. The Farming of Bones by Edwidge Danticat (3.5 stars)
123. The Road to Lichfield by Penelope Lively (4 stars)
122. Marilou is Everywhere by Sarah Elaine Smith (audio) (4 stars)
121. These Days by Lucy Caldwell (4.5 stars)
120. The Sentence by Louise Erdrich (4.5 stars)
119. Ramona's World by Beverly Cleary (audio) (3.5 stars)
118. Her Royal Happiness by Lola Keeley (audio) (3 stars)
117. Heat and Dust by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala (3.5 stars)
116. Prom Mom by Laura Lippman (4 stars)
115. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls (4 stars)
114. Anonymous Sources by Mary Louise Kelly (4 stars)

JULY
113. California by Edan Lepucki (3.25 stars)
112. Ramona Forever by Beverly Cleary (audio) (4 stars)
111. Maeve in America by Maeve Higgins (audio) (3.75 stars)
110. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (4.5 stars)
109. Not the Girl You Marry by Andie J. Christopher (audio) (4 stars)
108. Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen (3.75 stars)
107. Ghost of the Innocent Man by Benjamin Rachlin (4.5 stars)
106. Browsings by Michael Dirda (audio) (3.75 stars)
105. A Very Typical Family by Sierra Godfrey (3.5 stars)
104. Royal Blood by Rhys Bowen (audio) (3.25 stars)
103. Little Chapel on the River by Gwendolyn Bounds (4 stars)
102. Larry's Party by Carol Shields (4.5 stars)
101. Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay (audio) (3.5 stars)
100. Old Baggage by Lissa Evans (4.25 stars)
99. Black Butterflies by Priscilla Morris (4 stars)
98. Mapping the Edge by Sarah Dunant (4.25 stars)

Q2 COMPLETIONS

JUNE
97. The Not So Nice Girl by Skye McDonald (3.5 stars)
96. Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary (audio) (4.5 stars)
95. Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick (4 stars)
94. Hot Stuff by Janet Evanovich and Leanne Banks (audio) (3.25 stars)
93. The Bride by Julie Garwood (3.5 stars)
92. Husband Material by Emily Belden (audio) (3 stars)
91. Our Kind by Kate Walbert (4 stars)
90. The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrick (4 stars)
89. I Am, I Am, I Am by Maggie O'Farrell (audio) (4.25 stars)
88. The Librarian by Salley Vickers (3.5 stars)
87. The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers (4 stars)
86. The Dutch House by Ann Patchett (5 stars)
85. The Swallows' Flight by Hilary McKay (audio) (3.5 stars)
84. The Victorian Chaise-Longue by Marghanita Laski (3.25 stars)
83. Bereft by Chris Womersley (4.25 stars)
82. All That Is Mine I Carry With Me by William Landay (3.25 stars)
81. Death Is Hard Work by Khaled Khalifa (3.5 stars)
80. Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams (3.75 stars)

MAY
79. Home by Toni Morrison (4 stars)
78. Where the Line Bleeds by Jesmyn Ward (3.75 stars)
77. Burning Bright by Tracy Chevalier (3.75 stars)
76. To Dwell in Darkness by Deborah Crombie (4 stars)
75. Happy Place by Emily Henry (3.5 stars)
74. Ramona and Her Mother by Beverly Cleary (audio) (4 stars)
73. American Ramble by Neil King, Jr. (4.25 stars)
72. Hotel du Lac by Anita Brookner (3.25 stars)
71. Salvation in Death by J.D. Robb (3.75 stars)
70. It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey (4 stars)
69. Gross Anatomy by Mara Altman (audio) (3.5 stars)
68. The Last Remains by Elly Griffith (3.75 stars)
67. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman (3.5 stars)

APRIL
66. Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary (3.5 stars) (audio)
65. Factory Girls by Michelle Gallen (4 stars)
64. Ramona the Brave by Beverly Cleary (audio) (3.5 stars)
63. Nemesis by Skye McDonald (4 stars)
62. Agatha of Little Neon by Claire Luchette (audio) (4.5 stars)
61. Black Girl/White Girl by Joyce Carol Oates (3.5 stars)
60. Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld (3.75 stars)
59. The Secret, Book and Scone Society by Ellery Adams (audio) (3.25 stars)
58. The Art of Losing by Rebecca Connell (4 stars)
57. The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson (4.5 stars)
56. The Reader on the 6.27 by Jean-Paul Didierlaurent (4 stars)
55. The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams (audio) (4 stars)
54. Shopgirl by Steve Martin (4.25 stars)
53. Beloved by Toni Morrison (4.5 stars)
52. Brat Farrar by Josephine Tey (4 stars)
51. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo (audio) (4.5 stars)
50. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (3.25 stars)

Q1 COMPLETIONS

MARCH
49. Call Me Maybe by Cara Bastone (audio) (4.5 stars)
48. Royal Flush by Rhys Bowen (audio) (3.5 stars)
47. Off the Record by Skye McDonald (3.75 stars)
46. The Father and the Foreigner by Giancarlo De Cataldo (3 stars)
45. The Salt Path by Raynor Winn (3 stars)
44. Little Criminals by Gene Kerrigan (4.25 stars)
43. All the Feels by Olivia Dade (audio) (4 stars)
42. Turtle Moon by Alice Hoffman (4 stars)
41. Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary (audio) (3.25 stars)
40. Before We Visit the Goddess by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (audio) (3.5 stars)
39. I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai (4.5 stars)
38. Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez (audio) (3.75 stars)
37. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton (3.5 stars)
36. IQ by Joe Ide (audio) (4 stars)
35. Doc by Mary Doria Russell (4.25 stars)

FEBRUARY
34. The Rocky Road to Romance by Janet Evanovich (audio) (2 stars)
33. Rachel to the Rescue by Elinor Lipman (3.5 stars)
32. A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost (audio) (4.25 stars)
31. Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade (audio) (4 stars)
30. We the Animals by Justin Torres (4 stars)
29. Five Tuesdays in Winter by Lily King (3.5 stars)
28. A Room with a View by E.M. Forster (audio) (5 stars)
27. Darling Jim by Christian Moerk (3.5 stars)
26. Romancing the Duke by Tessa Dare (4 stars)
25. His Favorites by Kate Walbert (audio) (3.75 stars)
24. Sam by Allegra Goodman (4.25 stars)
23. The Alchemy of Us by Ainissa Ramirez (audio) (4 stars)
22. The Hollow Land by Jane Gardam (3.5 stars)
21. Don't Want to Miss a Thing by Jill Mansell (audio) (4 stars)
20. Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquival (3.5 stars)
19. The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry (3.75 stars)
18. The Last Chance Library by Freya Sampson (audio) (3.5 stars)

JANUARY
17. Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary (audio) (3 stars)
16. Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn (4.5 stars)
15. Murder at an Irish Wedding by Carlene O'Connor (audio) (3 stars)
14. I Came All This Way to Meet You by Jami Attenberg (4.25 stars)
13. Prejudice Meets Pride by Rachael Anderson (3 stars)
12. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (audio) (4.5 stars)
11. The Mammy by Brendan O'Carroll (4 stars)
10. I'll Be Your Blue Sky by Marisa De los Santos (audio) (3.5 stars)
09. My Last Innocent Year by Daisy Alpert Florin (3 stars)
08. A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie (audio) (2.75 stars)
07. Now Is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson (4 stars)
06. The Duchess Hunt by Lorraine Heath (3.75 stars)
05. The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy (audio) (3.5 stars)
04. The Lost Garden by Helen Humphreys (4.5 stars)
03. Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner (3.5 stars)
02. Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by Mary Roach (audio) (4 stars)
01. Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson (audio) (3.5 stars)

My Ratings (revised, once again, as I continue the fruitless search for the perfect scale...)

2 stars = Whyyyyyy?
3 stars = Eh, ok.
4 stars = Definitely worth the time.
5 stars = Perfect *for me*

(Anything below 2 stars is unlikely to be finished)

Okay, all yours!

New 🧵 orisons, Katie! I hope you get a better quote for your car insurance from someone else.

Happy new one, Katie. What are your Thanksgiving plans?

>8 richardderus: - Thank you, RD! I've already gotten a much better quote from State Farm, so I am feeling much less stressed.

>9 BLBera: - Thanks, Beth! It'll just be TW and me for Thanksgiving - he'll smoke a turkey breast and we'll have all the fixings with it. I still need to decide on a dessert, though :) The day after, we are going to the Dolphins-Jets game which should be fun, but cold.

Do you have any fun plans?

Love the Kramer Turkey!! Reminds me of a story I heard recently about someone's cat who climbed into the cavity of the after-dinner turkey and was briefly stuck and when discovered backed out and then ran all over the house spreading turkey juice from its fur. I think they need to remake Christmas Story and add that scene lol.

Good luck with the insurance search! Definitely a pain, but it does seem like companies will offer lower rates than others for unknown reasons, so calling around is probably worth it. My old car insurance kept going up and up even though I didn't have any incidents on record and drove on average less than 5k miles a year since I was taking the bus to work. I got a dramatically lower rate when I switched, but to be fair that also coincided with Tim and I buying a house and deciding to bundle our previously separate auto insurance plus the new home insurance.

>11 RebaRelishesReading: - Oh, my! That's too funny, Reba!

>12 curioussquared: - Thanks, Natalie. I am feeliing more hopeful now that I got a quote more in line with that I would expect (an increase, just not a heart attack-inducing one!). They also quoted me home insurance, and it's slightly higher than what we have now, but it covers more... I really hate dealing with this stuff :-P

>13 katiekrug: The Boring Adulting Bit™ is no one's idea of fun...but insurance *ptooptoosign of the horns* is actually the Devil's Own, and one of Dante's revised circles of Hell.

>11 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, the cat story made me laugh. I just shared it with Kate who as you know is hosting our Thanksgiving dinner. She has two young cats who manage to get into all sorts of mischief. I could totally see this happening.

>13 katiekrug: I'm glad your insurance search has been fruitful, Katie!

Happy new thread, Katie! Sorry about the insurance hassle. I only recently found out that my EAP will... do various comparisons for me? So I may look into that over the next few months to shop around. I haven't had any major rate hikes like that, but it's been slowly going up every year and getting expensive.

>14 richardderus: - Appreciate the sympathy, RD!

>15 lauralkeet: - Thanks, Laura! It's a load off my mind.

>16 bell7: - Ack! I didn't even think of having TW check his EAP. Will definitely keep that in mind.

Sweet Thursday, Katie. Happy New Thread. Have you read Good Night, Irene yet? I just started the audio. Urrea Rocks! That's all...

Happy new thread!

I dislike the time of year where I have to hunt for different car insurance quotes. For me this happens in March. Once, I found a lower quote and told my insurance company that if they cannot match it, I will have to terminate my long standing account. They matched it and gave me 5% extra. Sometimes those big insurance companies think they can do what they want and rely on the client to procrastinate rate shopping.

Glad you were able to find a better rate and insurance that works for you.

>18 msf59: - I haven't read it, but it's on my list! The only Urrea I've read is House of Broken Angels, which I loved.

>19 figsfromthistle: - My auto insurance rates have been relatively steady for a while, though we've had three different cars in three years (one rear-end that totaled the car and one flood that totaled the car after that...). I'll definitely go back to my current insurer and see if they are willing to match or beat the better rate I got.

Happy new thread, Katie!

Happy new thread, Katie. Insurance is a pain. Mine took a bit of a hike, but so had all the comparisons, so I decided to stick, rather than twist.

>21 alcottacre: - Thanks, Stasia!

>22 Helenliz: - Thank you, Helen. Yeah, all the insurance rates seem to be going up...

Happy Friday! Another busy day here, as I get ready to have people over tonight. There will be about a dozen coming for dessert and wine and maybe some games. I need to make a TJ's run, a wine run, and a stop at Target to pick up a Christmas present for our nephew (that could wait until tomorrow and we'll see how my timing is). Then I need to dust and vacuum the guest room and go to the bakery to pick up the treats. Somehwere in there, I have a call with our financial guy - hopefully a brief one. My best friend will be arriving in the late afternoon, so I'll put her to work helping me get things set up and ready. Should be a fun evening!

Books:
I'm really enjoying True Love at the Lonely Hearts Bookshop. On audio, I finished the 3rd Sean Duffy, so will start something new today.

Viewing:
Nope.

>24 katiekrug: That's quite a soirée you're hosting tonight, Katie. Sounds like fun! I hope everything goes smoothly.

>25 lauralkeet: - Thanks, Laura!

Hazards of Time Travel by Joyce Carol Oates

This was a disappointment. I've liked most of the books by Oates that I've read, but in this one, she has an interesting concept but the writing and storyline don't do it justice.

Adriane lives in a near-future America, now called NAS (North American States), a dystopian place with heavy government surveillance and totalitarian tendencies. After a minor infraction, she is teletransported to a town in Wisconsin in 1959, where she tries to make sense of life there and her future. It's an interesting idea, but poorly executed. The writing is very choppy, the pacing totally uneven, and some of the details just didn't make sense in the broader picture Oates was trying to describe. I also found the ending odd and unsatisfying.

2.5 stars

The Last Chance Christmas Ball by Various Authors

I'm a sucker for holiday romances, especially historical ones. Collections of such novellas are reliably turned out by publishers, and I have some favorites on my shelf that I like to return to during the Christmas season. This collection features short stories rather than novellas, and as such, I didn't really love any of them. They were too short to develop characters and the tension and chemistry integral to romances. I read about one a day which was a decent pace so as not to get bored and have all the stories run together in my head. But there are no stand-outs in this collection, though they were all mildly pleasant.

3 stars

In the Morning I'll Be Gone by Adrian McKinty

Another great listen, and my favorite of the first three. It's got an escaped IRA bomber and a locked room mystery, plus the usual black humor, gritty atmosphere, and pathos. Good stuff.

4.25 stars

>29 katiekrug: I'm a sucker for a locked-room mystery and I thought this one was particularly good, in addition to all the usual Duffy fare. I'd say it's my favorite of the first "trilogy" as well.

>30 rosalita: - I know I liked Gun Street Girl a lot. I went back to read what I said about it, and I called it my favorite of the series so far. So ItMIBG might not be in the top spot for long :)

Happy new one, Katie!

>31 katiekrug: That's a really good one, too!

>29 katiekrug: This does sound good.

Have a great evening, Katie.

>24 katiekrug: A lovely-sounding party ahead! Enjoy the event and may cleanup be easier and faster than usual.

*smooch*

>29 katiekrug: I really enjoyed this one too, but I have to say---I suspected the right person in the locked-room mystery pretty early on. I think I've read too much...

>32 drneutron: - Thanks, Jim!

>33 rosalita: - I should get the audio from the library pretty soon :D

>34 BLBera: - The whole series is great, Beth. Thanks re: the par-tay!

>35 richardderus: - Thank you, sir!

>36 laytonwoman3rd: - At least that wasn't the whole book ;-)

So I bought too much at TJ's (shocker) and I've already had one person drop out (my bff is sick). But someone else is bringing a +1, so that's fine. I still have too much food. If I were smart and responsible, I would cancel the trip to the bakery, but I'm not gonna :D

Boo to being smart and responsible! You owe it to your guests to present a fine, varied spread, including baked goods ;)

Of the two sins, overcatering is the more desirable. I'd be going to the bakery as well.
Have a lovely evening

>39 curioussquared: - I appreciate the validation, Natalie :) I'll try to remember to take and post photos of the spread before it is (hopefully) devoured...

>40 Helenliz: - Thank you, Helen!

>40 Helenliz: Right you are, Helen. The last thing Katie needs is a situation requiring a loaves and fishes miracle.

>42 lauralkeet: - Or, God forbid, a water into wine one... :D

Yes, please, photos of the spread -- and definitely too much rather than too little when entertaining.

Hi Katie! Happy Saturday and happy new thread.

From your last thread, I made the cilantro/lime chicken last night although the taste of cilantro is too strong for Bill and with my aversion to pepper in most things, I left both out. AND, I like dark meat so made 3 breasts and 3 thighs. It was a big hit. As for pounding out – I just use clean hands and literally pound chicken with my palm if necessary.

Buying a book because of the dust jacket is not necessarily shallow – I bought Cranford in a gorgeous Penguins Classics edition from the Friends book sorting room two weeks ago even though I have another equally gorgeous/leather 1924 edition from Bill’s grandmother. I hope TW found a place for the 30-vol set of documents about the navies in the Civil War, out of the boxes somewhere nice.

>13 katiekrug: Good luck with the insurance – possibly a silly question, but you do have the car as being personal use only, right? Bill just officially retired yesterday so I’ll be on the phone with our insurance company on Monday to switch his to personal use. AND, we also have an umbrella policy for a minimal amount per year that is above and beyond car and home insurance to cover us in case someone were to come after our assets.

>1 katiekrug: *shudder*

>10 katiekrug: Just you and TW will be cozy, glad you’ll have smoked turkey breast and all the fixings. But, just ONE dessert? *smile* We’re having our friends Geoff and Diane and our neighbor/friend Louse, so 6 of us.

>27 katiekrug: Poor writing noted. The premise sounded great, though.

>38 katiekrug: Too much at TJ’s? *smile* Looking to the before/after pics of the spread. I hope it was a wonderful gathering.

>44 RebaRelishesReading: - I forgot :(

>45 karenmarie: - Good morning, Karen!

So you made lime chicken? I'm sure it was still tasty :)

I was just kidding about the shallowness. I often buy attractive editions that catch my eye.

Yes, we insure the car for just personal use - no business, no commuting, etc. We haven't had an umbrella policy before, but will likely get one when we switch.

Technically, one and a half desserts. TW has half a pie in the freezer he intends to have, but it's a bourbon pecan chocolate concoction that doesn't appeal to me. I'll likely get a fruit crumble of some sort...

It should have been a better book.

I totally forgot to take photos, but it was a nice spread. People didn't eat enough, though, and I am left with a ton of leftovers of things I really don't need to be eating :-P

Saturday, eh? I slept in until 8:45. The party was a lot of fun - a couple of hours of chatting and a couple of hours playing Cards Against Humanity. There were 11 people total, but one couple had to leave on the early side, before the game started. TW and I tied for most wins in the game, so it was decided to determine a winner by having us "write a poem" using just three cards. It was quite amusing, but TW beat me by one vote. Everyone was gone by about 11:30 or so and we spent a little time cleaning up before falling into bed. Still some clean-up to do, but nothing too onerous.

Today will be very relaxed. TW plans to do some work on his sump pump project, and I plan to do pretty much nothing at all.

Books:
I'm in the home stretch of True Love at the Lonely Hearts Bookshop and really enjoying it. On audio, I started A Shoe Story which is entertaining enough so far.

Viewing:
Nope

Everyone gone by 11:30? Katie, you must be getting old. ;)

>48 BLBera: - I KNOW! Some of the guests were remarking on feeling old, having to leave before midnight :)

Laughing myself silly at the thought of you being old!! (I've met you, I know better!)

>50 RebaRelishesReading: - Yes, but that was 4 or 5 years ago, and so I'm older now :D

>50 RebaRelishesReading: I agree Reba! >51 katiekrug: You may be older, Katie, but so are we - strange how that happens.

Reading about shopping for auto insurance makes me so glad that I don't have to spend time on that. Our auto insurance is province wide so only minimal choice at best.

>52 Familyhistorian: - You're only as old as you feel, of course. Hence, I'm like 80 ;-)

So everyone in BC has the same insurance company? Is that true in every province?

Happy Sunday, all. I was up early for some reason. Of course, I did go to bed kind of early... I'll probably run to the grocery store this morning to get a few things, including coffee creamer. I picked some up at TJ's on Friday, but it's gross. I'll also pick up a few non-perishables for Thanksgiving, since I'll be there. I'll do my "big" shop on Monday or Tuesday. The rest of today will be football-centric. Going to a restaurant that will have The Wayne's game on TV, since we can't get it locally on ours. Before or after that, we'll stop at Target so I can pick up the Christmas present for our nephew that I ordered.

Yesterday was very chill, though I did manage to get everything cleaned up and set back to rights from the party. Other than that, I just read and puzzled and got myself ready for the coming week.

Books:
I'm enjoying A Shoe Story on audio. I finished True Love at the Lonely Hearts Bookshop on my Kindle and started Promises in Death, the next-for-me in the In Death series.

Viewing:
GBBO/S and the FAU basketball game, which they lost :(

Enjoy your football-focused afternoon, Katie. I hope you are able to squeeze in some reading time somewhere.

Have a fun football day!!

>55 lauralkeet: - I did do some reading, Laura :)

>56 RebaRelishesReading: - Thanks, Reba!

Welcome to a new week! We had a nice, relaxed day yesterday. Both our football teams won, so that was a bonus. Today, I have errands to run and some admin-y tasks to complete. The afternoon should be pretty open, I think. We're having chicken tikka masala for dinner.

Books:
I had no audio time yesterday, but I did get some of Promises in Death read before and after football.

Viewing:
I watched the first 2 episodes of season 3 of 'Happy Valley' last night.

NPR has released their annual "Books We Love" site. I adore playing with the various filters and perusing what they've chosen. You can select multiple filters at once to get more refined recommendations. I've found some good books to give as gifts this way, choosing, for instance, something like sports and mystery to find suggestions for a cousin who likes both...

https://apps.npr.org/best-books/#view=covers&year=2023

>59 katiekrug: Thanks for that, Katie. I love their annual list for exactly the same reason.

>60 lauralkeet: - It's so much fun and always leads to a bunch of additions to my own WL.

FYI, the newest Sean Duffy (#7) is available on Kindle for $1.99 today.

>59 katiekrug: Their list is always a browser's delight, isn't it? I'm stunned as always that there are so many more books published in one year than anyone could possibly hope to read in one decade. Good problem to have, as opposed to the opposite.

Enjoy your lovely, sunny day. *smooch*

>28 katiekrug: Back in the days when I read romances, Mary Jo Putney was one of my favorite authors. I think I still have a few of her books hanging around here - somewhere. . .

>29 katiekrug: I really need to get to Adrian McKinty's books. My local library has several of them. No idea where to start, but I will figure it out eventually :)

Have a marvelous Monday, Katie!

>63 richardderus: - It's so dangerous! But a fun time-sink :)

Hope you're having a good day!

>64 alcottacre: - I haven't liked his stand alone novels much, Stasia. But the Sean Duffy series is great. The first is The Cold, Cold Ground, and that is where I would start. They really should be read in order for the best experience.

>65 katiekrug: Yeah, I try and read series in order because I like to see how the characters develop throughout. Thanks for the heads up, Katie!

I've had a productive day so far and it's not even 1pm! Did all my errands, only have one load of laundry left, initiated our auto insurance switch, and placed an order for "real" turkey gravy and a cranberry-orange relish for Thanksgiving (we never have much luck making gravy, and while I don't like cranberry with the main meal, I do like a little bit on leftover turkey sandwiches :) ). Oh, and I "made" lunch for TW (Costco chicken shwarma on levash with tzatziki, hot sauce, red onion, and shredded cabbage). I think other than finishing up the laundry, I am done for the day.

>66 alcottacre: - No problem. I like to read in order, too, but I find it's less important for some series (though I still do it!). With the Sean Duffy one, though, the characters develop, but some of the story lines build up over multiple books, too.

>67 katiekrug: I make a very simple cranberry-orange relish at this time of year. All it takes is 3 ingredients and a food processor, if you are ever interested in the recipe :)

>68 katiekrug: Good to know! Of course, my local library does not have the first book in the series. . .

Wow -- sounds like you've done a lot today and I feel like I'm just getting started -- there is, of course, a three hour time difference so I'm going to comfort myself with that thought

>59 katiekrug: How have I not played with this before? I will definitely be exploring the NPR list later :)

>69 alcottacre: - Thanks, Stasia. I have my mom's recipe for the relish, I just don't feel like making it :)

Sorry about the library not having the first one. I'm sure you can find a used copy pretty cheap.

>70 RebaRelishesReading: - That 3 hour time difference makes a big, er, difference :)

>71 curioussquared: - Please note, you can check out previous years, too. You're welcome.

Hi Katie! Just catching up...

>27 katiekrug: Yikes! I read that one last year and I also remember that it missed the mark for me. It could have been so much better.

>38 katiekrug: Theres always room for various baked goods at thanksgiving.

>67 katiekrug: Hopefully you can find a bit of time to relax!

>73 figsfromthistle: - Good morning, Anita!

I totally agree about the Oates novel. So disappointing.

There's only 2 of us for Thanksgiving, so baked goods must be kept to a minimum or I'll be in trouble ;-)

I had a very relaxing afternoon, thanks!

And good morning, all! As I mentioned, I got All The Things done yesterday and felt very accomplished. I rewarded myself with a long puzzle/audiobook session in the afternoon. We had a not-very-good dinner of chicken tikka masala from Costco (should have known better than to try it...) and then we spent some quiet time reading in the living room.

This morning I'll be doing my final shop for the holiday - I don't need a lot, just some perishables, and I'll pick up the gravy and cranberry relish at the specialty shop. Trivia tonight!

Books:
I will finish up Promises in Death today and probably start Prophet Song, which I received from Vivian. Or I might start something lighter to have going during the holiday. We'll see what kind of mood I'm in. On audio, I only have a couple of hours left in A Shoe Story, so I might be able to finish that today as well.

Viewing:
Just this week's episode of 'University Challenge,' which was a good match. I got all the questions about Newberry Award winners correct, so go me :)

Ooh, it looks like we will be reading Prophet Song together. Yah! Deb sent me her copy. LTers are the best. I should start dipping into it tomorrow.

>76 msf59: - I might be a couple of days behind you, Mark, because I think I want to read something lighter over Thanksgiving, when I won't be able to focus as much. I think Prophet Song will need some dedicated reading time!

Sorry about your Tikka Masala. We have some TJ's in the freezer -- Hubby bought it which surprised me because he hasn't liked Tikka in the past and I'm a bit wary of a frozen one -- need to try it before long I guess and hope it's better than Costco's.

>78 RebaRelishesReading: - We always keep a few TJ's frozen Indian entrees on hand for The Wayne's lunch when the mood strikes. They are okay. I'd rather just order delivery 🙂

>75 katiekrug: >76 msf59: I hope you both enjoy Prophet Song as much as I did. If it does not win the Booker, I am going to be upset. Of the longlist books I have read, it is the best IMHO.

>80 alcottacre: - Thanks, Stasia. I'm looking forward to it.

Happy Thanksgiving Eve to all who celebrate :) Otherwise, happy Wednesday.

Yesterday was good - I got done what needed doing and had time to relax. We came in 4th of 14 teams at trivia. I had buffalo chicken sliders. Today, my only task is a run to the wine store. I might prep a few things for the stuffing tomorrow, but we'll see. We'll have the traditional T'giving Eve dinner of pizza.

Books:
I finished both my print and audio books yesterday and started new ones. On audio, I decided on The Code of the Woosters because I hadn't listened to a Wodehouse in a while. In (e-)print, I started a historical romance because I wanted something light and easy to stop and start while there's a lot going on the next couple of days.

Viewing:
After trivia, I snuck in S3E3 of 'Happy Valley' and I really admire Catherine for not punching her sister in the face. IYKYK ;-)

True Love at the Lonely Hearts Bookshop by Annie Darling

I loved the first in this series, and #2 didn't disappoint. I think I loved it even more. I was sucked in from the get-go, and while Johnny's obsession with his former girlfriend was irritating, the relationship between him and introverted Verity was a delight to watch unfold. I also thought the secondary characters were good and contributed to the story in believable ways, rather than just being filler or background noise. And of course, all the references and nods to Pride & Prejudice didn't hurt.

4.5 stars

A Shoe Story by Jane L. Rosen

It's hard to enjoy a book when the main character is two-dimensional and rather unlikeable. I don't mind unlikeable characters, but when they aren't meant to be unlikeable, when the reader is supposed to feel sympathy for them and want to see them grow, it makes for a frustrating read (listen). Rosen couldn't even give the dog any personality, and the main male lead deserved way better than insipid Esme. Also, please note, I have never met a New Yorker who constantly refers to their home as "NYC" in regular conversation.

This book was annoying on many levels.

2.5 stars

>84 katiekrug: I don't mind unlikeable characters, but when they aren't meant to be unlikeable, when the reader is supposed to feel sympathy for them and want to see them grow, it makes for a frustrating read

Oof. I feel that — I'm experiencing the same thing in one of my current reads (at least I think I am; maybe I'll feel differently when I'm further into it) and it is irritating. I can imagine it would be even worse in a romance than a suspense thriller, too.

Promises in Death by J.D. Robb

A very solid entry in the long-running series that never seems to flag. The crime/investigation in this one was interesting, but the best part of it were the times when Eve is thrown out of her comfort zone. The whole thing was a very satisfying read.

4 stars

>85 rosalita: - I'm supposed to feel bad for her but she's just a not very nice person who continually makes stupid decisions. Just no.

Sorry you're having some of the same frustration!

>84 katiekrug: NYC?! That's the same as someone from San Francisco referring to their home as Frisco, a thing that does NOT happen.

Fourth of fourteen is a good result indeed and the sliders sound yummy. Have a lovely Wodehousey day. *smooch*

>86 katiekrug: One of these days I'm going to read one of these. The length of the series makes starting it a daunting prospect, though!

>88 richardderus: - It was so weird, RD. And so annoying!

We were okay with trivia. We had two perfect rounds but it wasn't enough to make up our usual deficit from the music round :)

>89 rosalita: - It is ridiculously long, I've been reading 2 or 3 a year for a while and am only just over halfway (?) through. I kind of like knowing there's a lot in front of me. They are VERY formulaic, so I only read them when I want that kind of familiarity/comfort. and of course, the series only gets better as it goes on.

>90 katiekrug: You're only halfway through?! Now I am fully daunted. :) Maybe once I retire ...

>91 rosalita: - But there are over 50 books in the series, and you don't want to read a lot of them all at once because you'll get bored, so you really should start pronto :)

>92 katiekrug: Stop it, enabler!

>93 rosalita: - Moi?!? Never.

>94 katiekrug: Hmph!

>83 katiekrug: OK, you got me! I also enjoyed the first one a lot so...ended up buying the 2, 3 & 4 as a Kindle package. I'm going to save them for our big trip next spring so I can just enjoy knowing they're waiting until then :)

Enjoy your ThanksgivingEve pizza and have a lovely day tomorrow!

>95 rosalita: - *grin*

>96 RebaRelishesReading: - They'd make great vacation reads, Reba. Enjoy!

Hope you have a nice holiday tomorrow.

Good morning! We are having a quiet holiday with just the two of us. It should be pretty relaxed. We are working our schedule around the FAU men's basketball game at 2:30 :-P Hope to have dinner around 5:30, but best laid plans and all that... We have a pretty even distribution of responsibilities, which is nice. I know I'll have my part finished on time, at least.

The Menu:
Smoked turkey breast (TW)
Mashed potatoes (TW)
Sage and sausage stuffing (me)
Butter and herb haricots verts (me)

Apple pie (for me)
Bourbon chocolate pecan pie (for TW)

***

I'm not one for cluttering up threads with repeated images and holiday greetings, so I'll just leave my message here:

The menu sounds really good! Enjoy the spread, and the goregous day. *smooch*

Happy Thanksgiving, Katie. Hope you and The Wayne have a lovely holiday.

>99 richardderus: and >100 DeltaQueen50: - Thank you, RD and Judy! We had a really nice Thanksgiving.

Good morning, friends. The Wayne and I had a pretty relaxed holiday, as expected. The food all came out well, though why I both having an actual vegetable on the menu remains a mystery. Heh. We have a ton of leftovers, of course, so I'll be having a turkey sandwich for breakfast. Today's big adventure is going to MetLife Stadium for the Dolphins-Jets game. It's going to be a bit chilly, so I'll be layering up. Getting there and back, plus the game, will take up all of the afternoon and into the evening, so no other plans for the day.

Books:
On Wednesday, I finished The Code of the Woosters on audio and haven't started anything new. My hold on Gun Street Girl came in, so that'll be my next listen, probably starting tomorrow. Yesterday, I finished Marry in Scandal, which was an above average historical romance. Before bed, I started Breaking Night, a memoir.

Viewing:
Basketball (FAU won!) and football yesterday. Plus, I snuck in the finale of 'Happy Valley,' which I found a bit disappointing. Great show overall, though.

>102 katiekrug: Sounds like a great day-after day, Katie! Hoping the game is well-played...and the Giants play later today, don't they? Hope they win for you.

Enjoy the McKinty ear-read. *smooch*

>103 richardderus: - Hi RD! Hoping the Dolphins play well, but I wouldn't mind if the Jets don't ;-)

I believe this is the only game today. It's the first-ever "Black Friday" game apparently... Giants play on Sunday.

>104 katiekrug: ...AND they're streaming it on Prime!

It's 5:15 EST so I hope you stayed warm at the game, the result was what you hoped for and that you're now on your way home or, better yet, safely there!

That bomb scare at the mall next door affect y'all at all?

>105 richardderus: - It was treated like a Thursday night game and all of those are streamed on Prime.

>106 RebaRelishesReading: - Hi Reba - we mostly stayed warm, until the end. The result was what we hoped for, thanks. At 5:15, the game was still going on :)

>107 richardderus: - Nope!

Happy Weekend! We had a good time at the game yesterday (Dolphins won!), though we got pretty cold by the end. It was almost a blow-out, score-wise, so a lot of people left before it was over and getting the train back wasn't too bad. I had been dreading waiting in the cold but we were able to walk right on. We then had to wait for our connecting train, but there is a little bar in the station, so we had a drink while we waited. Nothing like terrible red wine to warm one up ;-) Once we got home, we watched some TV before heading to bed.

Today, we are going to lunch and to see 'Next Goal Wins.' After that, The Wayne plans to get the Christmas tree set up. We'll probably have Thanksgiving leftovers for dinner.

Books:
I'm hoping to start Gun Street Girl on audio today. I'm about 50 pages into Breaking Night, and it is more grim than I like to read this time of year. I am going to try alternating it with something lighter (Good Night, Mr. Wodehouse).

Viewing:
We watched the GBBO semi-final and then some basketball. Re: the former, I was sorry to see Tasha go but she really didn't do anything to help herself stay, so them's the brakes.

>109 katiekrug: It was an epic semi-final, no? Tasha crashed and burned on that truly awful decision to use reverse-puff in the showstopper. She was already in trouble after that ghastly disaster of a technical. Wasn't Josh's showstopper gorgeous?

>110 richardderus: - Yes, I'm not a Josh fan, but his mille-feuille was beautiful!

>111 katiekrug: His Nan obsession puts me off a bit, but unless he crashes and burns like Tasha did, it's his to lose.

>112 richardderus: - Totally agree on both counts. I find the picture of his nan on his bench creepy :)

>113 katiekrug: Yeup. *shudder*

>114 richardderus: - Glad we are in agreement :)

>102 katiekrug: Glad you had a low key holiday and were able to relax a bit. Enjoy the leftovers!

Good morning! We had a nice lunch out yesterday and enjoyed 'Last Goal Wins,' though I am glad the tickets were free. It was fun but not anything great - would have been fine to see on streaming... Once we got home, TW got the Christmas tree down from the attic and set it up. We'll decorate it this evening. We had leftovers for dinner and then watched a movie.

Today, I may not leave the house :) I'll probably do some laundry, but the grocery shopping can wait until tomorrow if need be. The Giants play at 1:00, as does TW's basketball team, so we may be switching back and forth. I've got chili from the freezer defrosting for dinner.

Books:
I finally started Gun Street Girl on audio yesterday, and continued my two (e-)print reads.

Viewing:
Home Alone, and wow. That movie does not stand up to adult viewing. Neither of us had seen it in over 20 years, and it does not withstand scrutiny :)

>116 figsfromthistle: - Thanks, Anita!

The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse

Typical zany fun with Bertie getting into all sorts of trouble, only to have the faithful Jeeves save him. This one involved a silver cow creamer, a policeman's helmet, and two romances needing to be rescued.

I love these on audio, narrated by Jonathan Cecil.

3.5 stars

Marry in Scandal by Anne Gracie

I liked this slight variation on a "marriage of convenience" romance. Usually examples using this trope have the hero and heroine discovered in some scandalous situation and they are forced to marry. In this one, the circumstances surrounding the scandal are more complex and take up much of the novel; to wit, Lily is abducted by a baddie who wants to force her into marriage so he can gain her inheritance, but she is rescued by her brother's friend and must accompany him back to London. During the journey, the two get to know a bit about each other, so the eventual marriage wasn't as cringe-inducing as they sometimes are in historical romances. Both Lily and Ned are keeping secrets, but all is overcome and they live happily ever after.

This was an above-average historical romance read for me. It's the second in a series, so I will definitely go back to read the first.

4 stars

It sounds like you had a pretty nice holiday, Katie. I'm glad you enjoyed The Code of the Woosters. I've been reading the Blandings novels and have yet to get to Jeeves, but we've seen the Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie adaptations a million times so the cow creamer story is a familiar one.

>117 katiekrug: Your mention of the tree was the last straw: I ordered a wire ornament-stand type tree-shaped dingus. Old Stuff will bitch but he can stuff it. I'm tired of not having any of my ornaments out anywhere.

>119 katiekrug: I used to love all those books when young, and haven't read one in a while...maybe time to again.

>121 lauralkeet: - I can only take Wodehouse in small doses, Laura, as they tend to get repeptitive. Hey, if a formula works, why change it? I don't fault him :)

We did have a nice holiday, thanks.

>122 richardderus: - What's Old Stuff's problem with a small decoration? Just a Grinch?

I think Wodehouse provides a nice palate cleanser between heavier books (not that I've been reading much of those lately, but you know what I mean...).

Off to watch sportsball!

Delurking to say hi.

I plan to dig into J.D. Robb in retirement. I think if I read one per month (or, being more realistic, one every other month), it will guarantee that I have enjoyable reading well into my 70s. Or even my 80s! Ha.

I am utterly not ready for it to be Christmas.
Love Wodehouse. He lived in my hometown for a while and named one of his characters after the place. There's a blue plaque & everything.

>125 EBT1002: - Hi Ellen! That's an ambitious schedule for the series - I'm not really sure it's your thing, but might as well give it a whirl :)

>126 Helenliz: - I have about half my Christmas shopping done, but I know the next few weeks are going to speed by, so I really need to finish it up. Other than that, I don't have much to do for the holiday, as we'll be at my in-laws :)

Hooray for Wodehouse!

Happy new week! I had a very chill day yesterday, and my team won (as did TW's basketball team). Given my utter laziness yesterday, I have a busy day ahead of me - grocery shopping, laundry, admin-y stuff. I'm sure there will also be time with my books so all is not lost. Chicken tacos for dinner tonight.

Books:
Still have the same three going: Breaking Night, Good Night, Mr. Wodehouse and Gun Street Girl.

Viewing:
Sports. And I watched the first episode of 'Jury Duty' after dinner.

Not much going on here. I have a couple of errands to run and some tidying up to do. Other than that, my only other plans are trivia tonight.

Books:
Still have the same 3 going...

Viewing:
University Challenge and Jury Duty.

Things are similar uneventful chez moi, Katie. Last night's University Challenge was decent, but not particularly exciting. I think the Open University team is still one of my favorites.

Have a great low-key day!

>127 katiekrug: Speaking of gifting...tomorrow's reviews have a couple that the niblings might enjoy having, so pay a visit in the afternoon!

It's Final Week...one of my kiddie-book recs is David Atherton's kid's baking book, which is his THIRD and I didn't even know he had a first!

>130 lauralkeet: - Yeah, not the most exciting match, though I did enjoy the recent novels questions :) Agree about OU...

>131 richardderus: - I'll keep an eye out tomorrow!

Well, you're ahead of me since I don't even know who David Atherton is :D

>132 katiekrug: ...don't...even...know...he won the 2019 bakeoff despite never having even one star baker! I really am a GBBO geek, no?

>133 richardderus: - Or I just have a garbage memory :)

>134 katiekrug: Six of one....

I just realized that I've been reading here faithfully and have yet to say anything. Hi!

Sounds like things have been quiet for you with the holiday and all. It snowed this morning for about 45 minutes, which was very exciting and made the rooftops look pretty and overall just made things feel less drab and depressing.

>135 richardderus: - :)

>136 ursula: - Hi Ursula! Snow must be an improvement over rain :)

Yes, it's been quiet for me here and in RL. All good, though.

Happy Wednesday! We came in 5th in trivia, which wouldn't be bad except there were only 10 teams. Oh well.

Not much going on here (what else is new?). Nuala has an appointment with the groomer this afternoon, so that will get me out of the house. I also want to bring down some holiday decorations from the attic. We might trim the tree tonight. Ravioli for dinner.

Books:
I finished Gun Street Girl yesterday and will start The Twelve Clues of Christmas today. Still have the same two (e-)print books going. There's a chance I'll finish Goodnight Mr. Wodehouse today, but we'll see.

Viewing:
Nada

>59 katiekrug: Oh my... That npr site... That's just what I need: A dreadful time sink. I'm going to waste many an hour jetskiing through that harbor. Instead of just reading.

>139 weird_O: - Sorrynotsorry, Bill!

I'm quipless.

Halfway in the standings isn't awful, Katie, and the fact that y'all can summon up trivia while under pressure at all is amazing to me.

Five reviews today. I'm waiting on the last two until after lunch because this is surprisingly not easy to transfer around and publicize. Tomorrow won't be as full...lesson learned!

I've added the NPR Books We Love as an award/distinguished list in LT ....please someone enjoy the fruits of my labor: https://www.librarything.com/award/15142/NPR-Books-We-Love

>143 norabelle414: Excellent! Thanks for doing that.

>141 weird_O: - :)

>142 richardderus: - It was a close match, but we should have done better, dammit!

I am waiting for all of today's reviews to be posted before I comment...

>143 norabelle414: - Holy schnikeys, Nora! What an undertaking. Are you going to do previous years, too? Heh.

>144 laytonwoman3rd: - Nora's a gem.

>145 katiekrug: Probably eventually, maybe after Christmas. I was surprised not a single bit of it had been entered before! It's my favorite book list.

>145 katiekrug: All five reviews for today are up. The latest is one for an older girl, like maybe even one trapped in a forty-plus body. Tomorrow's will be about Jaguar and Triumph cars, so skippablle for you unless The Wayne is a car guy...or maybe he'd like the upcoming one I'll do on BMWs...?

*smooch*

>143 norabelle414: this is fantastic! Thank you!

Happy Wednesday, Katie. Sounds like a lovely day planned.

>146 norabelle414: - That is surprising. People are too intimidated by the size maybe?

>147 richardderus: - TW's not much of a car guy, but my brother-in-law is....

>148 bell7: - Hi Mary! It's been a good day so far. Hope the same for you!

>149 katiekrug: ...do y'all love the BiL $60-worth? That's how much these beauties cost.

>150 richardderus: - Ah, no. No, I don't. Especially since I've already bought him a couple of things :)

Happy Wednesday, Katie. Slowly catching up around here after my Wifi woes, plus my little part-time job takes up a bit more online time than I expected. Hey, books come first, right? I plan on getting to Gun Street Girl in the coming months.

>152 msf59: - Hiya, Mark! Pesky job, part-time or not, getting in the way of LT :)

I don't think you'll be disappointed in Gun Street Girl. I really enjoyed my revisit of it.

Happy Thursday! Maribel is coming this morning to clean, so I have a few things to take care of in preparation. The Wayne will take Nuala to day care in a little bit, and I'll pick her up this evening. She was a Very Good Girl at the groomer yesterday, though it seemed to tucker her out, all that beautifying...



She got a jaunty red bow :)

After Maribel is finished, I need to make a run to the grocery store but then my day should be clear. Soup for dinner.

Books:
I finished Good Night, Mr. Wodehouse before bed last night. I'll now focus on finishing Breaking Night. On audio, I've started The Twelve Clues of Christmas.

Viewing:
Nothing. We decorated the Christmas tree.

Love Nuala's red bow:) Wish I could give her a cuddle. I do so miss regular contact with dogs.

>155 RebaRelishesReading: - She sends you a long-distance tail wag and chin lick!

Happy December (yikes!)! Plans for today include doing my November reading summary and lunch with an alumni relations person from my high school. After lunch, I'll probably take advantage of being near some cute shops and do some stocking stuffer shopping. Patty melts for dinner.

Books:
I am very close to finishing Breaking Night and should do so this morning. Prophet Song is up next. On audio, I'm still enjoying The Twelve Clues of Christmas.

Viewing:
FAU men's basketball game.

Good morning, Katie! My opponent in LearnedLeague today is from your college alma mater. I had to scroll back up to make sure it wasn't you!

>158 rosalita: - Watch out, she's well-educated! ;-)

I've played her before (assuming it's the same one) and wished there was a way to message her just because of the novelty of it!

>159 katiekrug: wished there was a way to message her

Oh, but there is! If you click on her flag to go to her profile page, there is a PM button in the info box at the top of the page.

>160 rosalita: - Ha! You learn something new every day....

I'll keep that in mind for the next time I play her.

Katie!! Trying to mimic your organization and energy. Good show on you.

I read two (2!) books yesterday. Granted, neither ran more than 100 pages. Now I'm two chapters into Fun Home. Maybe this is the jump start I need.

>162 weird_O: - Bill!!! I hope you are seeing the end of your reading slump. They are The Worst.

November in Review
(Numbers in parantheses are YTD)

Books Read:
18 (183)

Mine:
9 (109)
Library:
9 (74)

Male authors: 6 (43)
Female authors: 19 (153)

New-to-me authors: 15 (105)
US/UK authors: 25 (176)
Other: - 0 (20 - Ireland (4), Italy, India (2), Denmark, Mexico, France, Australia (2), Syria, Canada, Germany (2), Haiti, Sweden, Ukraine, South Africa)

Print: 4 (71)
Ebook: 5 (41)
Audio: 9 (71)

General/Popular Fiction: 2 (28)
Literary Fiction: 1 (30)
Historical Fiction: 2 (16)
Romance: 5 (34)
Crime/Thriller: 4 (28)
Juvenile/YA: 0 (15)
Classics: 1 (6)
Speculative: 1 (3)
Nonfiction: 2 (23)

Publication:
New (2022 or 2023): 3 (39)
2010-2021: 11 (86)
2000-2009: 3 (26)
1980s-90s: 0 (16)
1950s-70s: 0 (10)
1900-1949: 1 (4)
19th c.: 0 (2)

Re-reads: 3 (16)
DNFs: 1 (11)

This month, my number of total reads was evenly split between audio and (e-)ink. I'm really enjoying my re-visiting of the Sean Duffy series, this time on audio. Those account for my 3 re-reads. I also had an even split between books I own and books I borrowed from the library. I think this is the first month I read only US/UK authors - I usually have at least one other in the mix. Overall, it was a good month. My favorite read was Amazing Grace Adams which was excellent on audio. The worst of the lot (not counting the one I didn't finish) was Hazards of Time Travel, a rare miss for me from the prolific Ms. Oates.

On to December!

>156 katiekrug: Thank you Nuala!! My friend who just moved here has two dogs so I may be getting more canine cuddles in person in the future :)

I have my morning "computer round" finished up earlier than usual and Hubby just left to do some errands so I may actually get to my book before lunch today (notice how well I'm ignoring the mess in the living room lol)

Yeah, only 80+ posts behind again. . .

Happy December, Katie! I hope you have a fantastic Friday.

>164 katiekrug: Oh excellent run down! I'm impressed with how many countries you've covered outside the US/UK, and I love your breakdown by year.

>165 RebaRelishesReading: - Well, Reba, the mess will always be there, whereas reading time is scarce. I think you know the right choice to make here :)

Glad you'll have some dog love in your future!

>166 alcottacre: - Thanks, Stasia. Hope your day is a good one, too!

>167 bell7: - Thanks, Mary! I'm a bit surprised by that international breakdown. It's not been intentional at all...

I had a very nice (and free!) lunch with the alumni and development officer from my high school alma mater. She's new to the school and was interested in my experience and what it was like when I was there lo those many years ago... It was fun to reminisce about that time in my life. Millbrook and boarding school was a seminal experience for me, and I have great affection for it. It was nice to share that with someone new.

Then I bought wine and some stocking stuffers. I'm planning to sit down and finish my book now...

It's a damp and grey Saturday morning here, and it was a struggle to get out of bed, let me tell you. But here I am...

We had a nice Friday evening - it was raining and The Wayne didn't feel like using the grill in the rain, so we ordered pizza. The weather is supposed to clear today, so we'll have those patty melts tonight. After dinner, we opened our advent calendars - we each have a Kinder chocolate one, and I also have a wine one. The wine was a chardonnay, which is not my favorite but it wasn't too bad. Then we watched some TV while Leonard and Nuala managed to peacefully co-exist sharing a cushion on the couch. #christmasmiracle.

Today we have some house chores to take care of but nothing very onerous. Our evening will start off with an FAU mbb game at 6:00 and then we might watch a holiday movie. We'll see.

Books:
I couldn't bring myself to start Prophet Song yesterday. I know it's going to be dark and intense and I just wasn't in the mood. So I started 25 Days 'Til Christmas which is cute so far. I'm still listening to The Twelve Clues of Christmas and might finish it today.

Viewing:
GBBO finale. It was kind of a boring episode and I was gob-smacked (but in a good way!) that Matty won. I was sure it was going to be Nana's-boy Josh who I really came to dislike for some reason.

>170 katiekrug: I understand not wanting to start a dark book right now, Katie. Just the other day I suspended two "dark" library holds (the latest Jesmyn Ward is one of them). I just don't want that kind of intensity heading into the Christmas season.

>171 katiekrug: So cute!

>172 lauralkeet: - I think it's going to be light fare for me through the month, Laura. I have a couple of Christmas-themed mysteries on tap, as well as holiday romances. I will, of course, be doing my annual re-read of Last Night at the Lobster though!

>171 katiekrug: Amazeballs!

>170 katiekrug: GBBO Josh came to annoy me, too. The Nan thing, the drippy softness that felt to me like a put-on...he plays RUGBY, he's more competitive than that!...so I was very glad he got everything wrong on the showstoppers. They looked dull, apparently tasted dull, just were not up to standard. Dan crashed and burned the whole way through. Matty coming last in the technical then winning...! More than anything else, I think he won because he constantly improved, listened to their feedback, and didn't make the same mistakes the same way. Yay Matty!

>174 richardderus: - I agree with all of your spoiler, RD. Dan was such a good sport about it and seemed genuinely happy for Matty. Josh, on the other hand, seemed put out and annoyed.

>175 katiekrug: Yep! Well, to be fair, it really was his to lose and he lost...I'd be annoyed at myself, too. He didn't rush to celebrate Matty's victory, though...

>176 richardderus: - But I felt he was more annoyed at everyone else than at himself. Like he felt entitled to it.

Gun Street Girl by Adrian McKinty

This is my new favorite in the series, as I continue through my re-visit of it. In it, Sean Duffy deals with arms dealing, a double murder and possible suicide, questions about his future with the RUC, and a new recruit to CID. As usual, he gets himself into trouble and trouble also has a way of finding him. The ending comes with a bit of a twist, and the whole thing was just a great listen.

4.5 stars

Good Night, Mr. Wodehouse by Faith Sullivan

I wanted to like this one more than I did. It was oddly shallow despite some big issues (domestic violence, shell shock, adultery...), and it read as a series of anecdotes rather than an actual novel that hung together. It provides a portrait of a small Minnesota town in the first half of the 20th century, mostly through the eyes of a young (at the start) widow and mother. I wish there had been more depth, but it was a pleasant enough read.

3.5 stars

Breaking Night by Liz Murray

I almost gave up on this one, as it was incredibly bleak and infuriating. Liz Murray was the younger of two daughters born to drug-addicted parents who could barely keep themselves together, much less two young children. After detailing her harrowing years, Murray describes how she became homeless and eventually turned her life around. The book became a better read when there were fewer terrible decisions being made. Overall, though, it was less than satisfying.

3.25 stars

>177 katiekrug: You're correct. Not at all nice!

>178 katiekrug: *sigh* The series is now on 2024's plans. *sigh*

>179 katiekrug:, >180 katiekrug: On balance I think I'll pass....

>168 katiekrug: Such a wise woman you are!

>181 richardderus: - I think you'll like the Sean Duffy series, RD. It's dark and gritty and smart.

And yes, definitely pass on the others. Wish I had!

>182 RebaRelishesReading: - *grin*

Yesterday was a good one - I put up some Christmas decorations and did some house stuff, while The Wayne cleaned up most of the last of the leaves outside and got things ready for winter. Today, we are going out to watch the Dolphins game at a favorite restaurant/bar (can't get it at home). After that, we'll just relax at home. No set plans for dinner, as we usually have snacks during the game.

Books:
I'm really enjoying 25 Days 'Til Christmas about halfway through. I might finished the audio of The Twelve Clues of Christmas this morning...

Viewing:
After watching FAU win, we put on A Christmas Story which TW had never seen. I don't think it's destined to be a favorite of his, which is fine. I like it but don't love it.

>184 katiekrug: FAU is on a roll!

Enjoy the dank, drippy day, y'all.

*smooch*

>185 richardderus: - I hope the roll continues on Tuesday night, as we are going to see them play at MSG. They're a fun team to watch.

Good luck to The Wayne's Dolphins, and hope you have a lovely day!

>171 katiekrug: Love those two sweet little faces! Morgan's "cousin" has a couple of kitties that are also that very dilute creamy orange color. I find it so exotic! (On the other side, I had someone ask me if my pictures of Rollo were "just in bad light" or if he was really that dark of an orange color, haha.)

>187 bell7: - Thanks, Mary! It was a great day!

>188 ursula: - Aren't they cute? We haven't had a repeat of the closeness, but I live in hope. The Wayne says Leonard is some kind of Siamese variation - flame point or something? His tips (tail, ears, etc.) are a bit darker than the rest of him. He's very handsome for sure.

Welcome to a new week! We had a really nice day yesterday - the Dolphins won, we enjoyed some shared apps during the game (fried pickles, buffalo chicken sliders), and when we got home, I decided I wanted to make cookies. So we made chocolate chip cookies together (I think it's the first time I ever made them from scratch) and they turned out great. Then we watched a movie. All in all, a great Sunday.

Today, we have the HVAC company stopping in to do a seasonal tune-up. After that, I'll go to the store and then start the laundry. I also have some admin-y stuff to do (finalize our new car insurance, schedule an oil change for The Beast...), but I should have plenty of book time too. Tacos for dinner.

Books:
I finished the audio of The Twelve Clues of Christmas yesterday, and I'm in the home stretch of 25 Days 'Til Christmas.

Viewing:
Football and 'Christmas Vacation.'

>154 katiekrug: Awww. Nuala looks so peaceful and shiny.

>157 katiekrug: I always lie buying stocking stuffer and unique shops. I hope you were able to find what you need.

>171 katiekrug: Nice to see the two get along!

Have a great Monday, Katie!

>191 figsfromthistle: - Hi Anita! Thanks re: Nuala and Leonard. They are great pets :)

I still have some stocking stuffer shopping to do - probably next week when The Wayne will be away on a business trip... Easier to sneak things in then!

ACK!! Stocking stuffers!! We always do stockings for those who will be with us on Christmas morning which may well be both daughters and little grandson and I haven't even given it a thought. I'm doing fairly well with the under-the-tree or in-the-mail gifts but definitely need some ideas for stockings.

>193 RebaRelishesReading: - I wish I had some good ideas for stocking stuffers, Reba, but I tend to just go out to little gift shop and funky places and browse. I've already bought a few at uncommongoods.com which is a favorite online site of mine for Christmas goodies... And The Wayne always gets a nail clipper in his stocking as a joke because he's always losing them. Plus Reese's peanut butter trees because they are his favorite :) I'm trying to think what I've done in the past for people...

Off the top of my head:

-shower steamers
-funny socks
-funky card games
-squeezy stress balls
-small scented candles
-page-a-day calendar

And always a chocolate orange in the toe!

>193 RebaRelishesReading: If your daughters love dogs as much as you do, Reba, you could get them some swag from weratedogs.com, the website for my favorite Twitter account that posts pictures of adorable dogs. I'm particularly tempted by the car window sticker that says "tell your dog I said hi" but the dog-a-day calendar (featuring pups from the past year's tweets) is also a winner.

Happy new week and its many tasks, Katie.

Have a marvelous Monday!

>195 rosalita: - I'm getting TW the page-a-day calendar for his stocking. Thanks, Julia!

>196 richardderus: / >197 alcottacre: - Thank you, RD and Stasia!

>198 katiekrug: Yay! The proceeds (or a portion of them) go to funding their 15/10 Foundation that covers medical expenses for dogs to clear a path for their adoption, so TW isn't the only one you're giving a gift to!

>200 rosalita: - Thanks for letting me know! That makes it even better.

The Twelve Clues of Christmas by Rhys Bowen

A fun entry in the series which finds Georgiana, 30th-something in line to the British throne, attending a country house party at Christmas. Unfortunately, the festivities are marred by a series of suspicious deaths in the surrounding area, and Georgie can't help but get involved. I enjoyed this seasonally appropriate mystery, not least because it featured a lot of Georgie's grandfather, mother, and her beau, Darcy O'Meara.

3.75 stars

25 Days 'Til Christmas by Poppy Alexander

Kate is a war widow and a single mother in Bristol, and everything is going wrong in the run-up to Christmas. Her job's a joke, she's broke, her love life's DOA... Heh. Also, her late husband's grandmother is in a care home that she can no longer afford, her son is struggling at school, and her manager at work is a creep. Then there's Daniel, who also knows loss and is struggling to re-enter life after the death of his sister.

This was not the fluffy, feel-good Christmas story I was expecting. There are a lot of serious issues involved - probably too many. - and they get tied up a little too neatly at the end. Still, I very much enjoyed the read because Kate and Daniel were both worth rooting for.

4 stars

The Chimes by Charles Dickens

Well, at least it was short. I listened to it in two sittings today while working on a jigsaw puzzle. The other plus is that it had been a freebie from Audible, so I didn't spend any money or a credit on it. Other than that, I don't have much positive to say. It was treacley and moralizing, and if I want that, I might as well listen to A Christmas Carol, I think. Or, better yet, watch the Muppets version.

2 stars

ETA: I thought of something else positive! It's read by Richard Armitage :)

I would listen to Richard Armitage read almost anything... but maybe not that one. Love the Muppet Christmas carol. I also admire it for being pretty faithful to the book while being a bundle of fun.

Hi Katie!

Skippety-skip skip. Different subgenre, but I'm also reading Christmas stories right now and enjoying them.

>204 katiekrug: We like the George C. Scott version of A Christmas Carol and will pull it out just before Christmas.

>205 Helenliz: - He certainly wasn't enough to "save" the book for me! A Muppet Christmas Carol is perfection, as far as I'm concerned. I find the story itself kind of boring, so the humor the Muppets bring is much appreciated.

>206 karenmarie: - Morning, Karen! The Muppet version is the only one I like, to be honest, because I don't like the story. My father used to have us watch the Alistair Sim version every Christmas when the local PBS station would air it. *yawn*

Happy Tuesday! I have a light agenda today, and then we are going into the city for some college basketball at MSG this evening. It's a double-header, with FAU playing the first game (vs Illinois, I think). FAU has climbed to #11 in the country. Should be a good game. We'll stay for at least part of the second game, but train schedules (and a late night) might necessitate leaving early...

Yesterday was good - got all the things done that I had planned to do. I also got a lot of book time in. The tacos for dinner capped off the day nicely :)

Books:
I will start Rain Dogs on audio today. In (e-)print, I'm reading The Santa Klaus Murder, a Golden Age mystery, which is fun so far.

Viewing:
University Challenge (not a particularly good one) and part of The Manning Cast of the MNF game because The Wayne wanted to see the Dolphins QB, who was one of the guests.

Hi Katie, I have caught up here and have enjoyed the journey. You have reminded me that I need to get back to the Adrian McKinty series one of these days. And since I was a little disappointed with my last romance read, I am going to pick up Marry in Haste by Annie Gracie.

I was thinking of you last night because I’m a huge Illinois basketball fan (it’s where I did my undergrad). Jealous you got to go to the game! I was a “good mother” and went to my son’s orchestra concert so I missed all but the last few minutes.

>209 DeltaQueen50: - Morning, Judy! I really love the McKinty series, even more so the second time through. I hope you do get back to it.

And I hope Marry in Haste is a better read than your last romance. I haven't read that one, but I did enjoy the 2nd in the series. My most reliable historical romance author these days is Tessa Dare - have you read any of hers?

>210 japaul22: - Hi Jennifer! It was a pretty good game - sloppy on both sides for a bit but then they cleaned it up. Luckily you managed to see the most important part of the game :)

Morning, folks. Last night was fun, but it made for a late night. We didn't get into bed until just before 1:00am. Oof. Sadly, FAU lost, but it was a close game and fun to watch. We stayed for all but the last two minutes of the second game (UNC-UCONN) and that was a fun one, too.

I have some errands to run today and some boring tasks to take care of. Since we missed trivia last night at our usual place, we are going to play somewhere else tonight. It's the same host, just a different crowd. Last time we played there, the competition was pretty lame and we came in 2nd.

Books:
I'm halfway through The Santa Klaus Murder which is a decent read, if no great shakes. On audio, I started Rain Dogs yesterday.

Viewing:
Basketball!

Happy Wednesday, Katie. Just checking in. Looks like the books are treating you fine. Same here. I am having a busy week, getting ready for our Cozumel trip, which starts Saturday. Have you ever been? It will be our first time but I remember seeing the island from Cancun and thinking I want to go THERE.

>213 msf59: - Hiya, Mark. No, I've not been to Cozumel. In Mexico, I've only been to Cancun and Mexico City (twice). Have a great trip!

Thanks for the stocking-stuffer-ideas. I'll keep them in mind (and check out the web site).

Happy Wednesday and good luck at trivia.

Katie, your stocking stuffer ideas were an excellent source of inspiration for me, too. Thank you!

>215 RebaRelishesReading: - You're welcome, Reba! And thanks for the good luck wishes.

>216 lauralkeet: - Glad I could help, Laura. I love stockings. This year, TW and I agreed to just do stocking for each other, as we don't really need/want much and what we do, we'll let the relatives get us since they always demand lists/ideas :-P

>217 katiekrug: Yeah ... we got a puppy. So that's another idea LOL.

>218 lauralkeet: - TW would love another dog, and another cat, but I'm holding strong at one apiece :)

>219 katiekrug: That's wise, Katie. At one point several years ago we had three dogs and four cats. We got there gradually over time and loved them all, but it really was too much.

>220 lauralkeet: - TW would have All The Animals if he could, but yeah. I'm good with two!

Morning! We came in 2nd of 9 teams at trivia, after being tied for last following the first rounds. We had two perfect rounds to end it, so that was fun. I had fish and chips for dinner.

Today will be busy-ish - I'll take Nuala to day care, swing by the grocery store, unload the groceries, and then go back out to pick up my order at our local bookstore and send a return back to Amazon at the UPS Store. This afternoon, I'll do some niggling little things I keep putting off (really I will!) and then spend time with the books. We're having sausage and beans for dinner (a Nigella Lawson recipe that we really love and is perfect for a cold day like today).

Books:
I should finish up The Santa Klaus Murder today and will have to decide what's next. I listened to a good chunk of Rain Dogs yesterday and have about 3 hours left, so I should make a dent in that this afternoon.

Viewing:
Nada

>222 katiekrug: Chish and fips (I looked at that a long time before spotting what was wrong then liked it this way)! I do love them despite not being able to eat 'em anymore. Enjoy your second-place glow before next week's return to the BIg Leagues...though as y'all's Yule whammy I put in for a first-place finish for yinz.

>223 richardderus: - Pinky and the Brain won't be playing next week, as Pinky will be on a work trip. The Brain will either be solo or playing with friends :)

...I have the sudden urge to be Snowball...

Happy Friday! Today's plans include errands, appointment-making, and in the late afternoon, meeting a friend at a paint-your-own-pottery place for a little holiday cheer. Quiet evening at home.

Books:
I managed to finish both The Santa Klaus Murder and Rain Dogs yesterday. I'm now reading Love, Holly on my Kindle and listening to The Case of the Canterfell Codicil.

Viewing:
Nada

Paint your own Pottery is so much fun! We did a couple kids birthday parties at places like that, which was a blast. So of course we've done it as a family of adults. I hope you'll tell us more about your creation.

>228 lauralkeet: - I've done it once or twice before but not for years and years... Probably not since college. Should be fun!

>226 katiekrug: ...right down to the pink eyes and red nose (allergies)....

Happy weekend-ahead's reads!

Taking note of the historical romance WAY up thread.

Also looking forward to seeing your pottery project as I'm sure it'll hit your Insta. 😊