Third time’s the charm – 75 for Dejah_Thoris - Act IV

This is Olympia (another stray) with one of her four kittens. The kittens were just under 48 hours old when the photo was taken.

From my first thread:

Welcome, friends!

I’m back on LT, and I plan to be more consistent in my posts this year – reading is never the problem!

For the purposes of this thread, rereads count as long as it's been five or more years since I last read the work. I try to fit most books into the TIOLI Challenges, which I’ll not. I’m also going to take part in the 2013 Category Challenge – I’ll post my thread when I create it.

I've been seduced by Heather's (souloftherose) Century of Reading idea, so I'm stealing it and trying myself. I doubt I'll manage to complete it in one real (I'm too much a self indulgent reader, I suspect) but it should be fun.

My reading is always much, more interesting and varied when I'm active on LT - I'm looking forward to a great year!

Countries through 5/31

Make yours @ BigHugeLabs.com

U.S. States through 5/31:

The Maps above are primarily for my own amusement, pandering to my fondness for maps and spatial display of information. However, I’ve rather belatedly decided to read a book(s) for each nation in Central and South America (including Mexico, excluding the sometimes included Caribbean).
Mexico

Belize
Costa Rica
El Salvador
Guatemala
Honduras
Nicaragua
Panama

Argentina: In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin; The Falklands War 1982 by Duncan Anderson
Bolivia: Inca Trails: Journey Through the Bolivian and Peruvian Andes by Martin Li
Brazil
Chile: In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin
Colombia
Ecuador
Falkland Islands (UK): The Falklands War 1982 by Duncan Anderson
French Guiana
Guyana
Paraguay
Peru: Inca Trails: Journey Through the Bolivian and Peruvian Andes by Martin Li
Suriname
Uruguay
Venzuela

January – February

January
24 works (no recent rereads), 3 nonfiction, 2 plays, 3 older rereads

1. The Alchemist of Souls by Anne Lyle (TIOLI #3, shared)
2. Thursday's Children by Rumer Godden (reread, TIOLI #19, shared)
3. Touch of the Demon by Diana Rowland (TIOLI #11)
4. In Search of Lost Roses by Thomas Christopher (TIOLI #21)
5. The Blood Royal by Barbara Cleverly (TIOLI #9)
6. Collateral Damage by Stuart Woods (TIOLI #11)
7. Death in Cyprus by M. M. Kaye (reread, TIOLI #1, shared)
8. Kings of the North by Elizabeth Moon (TIOLI #12)
9. Dying in the Wool by Frances Brody (TIOLI #7)
10. Extra Credit by Maggie Barbieri (TIOLI #11)
11. The 101 Dalmatians by Dodie Smith (TIOLI #17, shared)
12. Love 'em or Leave 'em by Angie Stanton (TIOLI #2)
13. The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman (reread, TIOLI #11)
14. Dream Eyes by Jayne Ann Krentz (TIOLI #11)
15. Ashes of Roses by Mary Jane Auch (TIOLI #14)
16. 100 Old Roses for the American Garden by Clair G. Martin (TIOLI #3)
17. 97 Orchard Street, New York: Stories of Immigrant Life by Linda Granfield and Arlene Alda (TIOLI #17)
18. Maple and Vine by Jordan Harrison (TIOLI #3)
19. The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie (TIOLI #11, shared)
20. The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley (TIOLI #2)
21. Old Money by Wendy Wasserstein (TIOLI #21)
22. Fonduing Fathers by Julie Hyzy (TIOLI #11, shared)
23. Danger Along the Ohio by Patricia Willis (TIOLI #2, shared)
24. Speaking From Among the Bones by Alan Bradley (TIOLI #7)

February
18 works (plus 1 recent reread), 4 nonfiction, 1 play, 0 older rereads

25. The Demi-Monde: Winter by Rod Rees (TIOLI #1)
26. Dark Tide: The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919 by Stephen Puleo (TIOLI #4, shared)
27. Pirate King by Laurie R. King (TIOLI #4)
28. The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic -- and How It Changed Science, Cities and the Modern World by Steven Johnson (TIOLI #3, shared)
29. Proof of Guilt by Charles Todd (TIOLI #9)
30. Jhereg by Steven Brust (TIOLI #10, shared)
31. India Black and the Shadows of Anarchy by Carol K. Carr (TIOLI #4)
32. Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger (TIOLI #3, shared)
33. Born in Fire by Nora Roberts (TIOLI #4)
34. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (TIOLI #8, shared)
35. At the Altar: Matrimonial Tales by L. M. Montgomery (TIOLI #21, shared)
36. Enchanted, Inc. by Shana Swendon (TIOLI #7)
37. Hearts West: True Stories of Mail-Order Brides on the Frontier by Chris Enss (TIOLI #2)
--- Wildfire at Midnight by Mary Stewart (TIOLI #4, recent reread)
38. Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden (TIOLI #4)
39. The Sound of Broken Glass by Deborah Crombie (TIOLI #5)
40. Legacy of Light (unpublished play, no touchstone) by Karen Zacarias (TIOLI #4)
41. Old Man's War by John Scalzi (TIOLI #4)
42. For All the Tea in China: How England Stole the World's Favorite Drink and Changed History by Sarah Rose (TIOLI #4)

March - April

March

28 works (plus 1 recent reread), 5 nonfiction, 4 plays, 4 older rereads

43. The Shadow Wars: Book Two in the Demi-Monde Saga by Rod Rees (TIOLI #4)
44. Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle (TIOLI #11)
45. The Ladies of Mandrigyn by Barbara Hambly (TIOLI #21, shared, older reread)
46. The Twelfth Enchantment by David Liss (TIOLI #21)
47. Losers in Space by John Barnes (TIOLI #21)
48. Beyond the Camellia Belt: Breeding, Propagating, and Growing Cold-Hardy Camellias by William J. Ackerman (TIOLI #9)
49. Finding Family: My Search for Roots and the Secrets in My DNA by Richard Hill (TIOLI #2)
50. Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs (TIOLI #21)
51. Isn't It Romantic by Wendy Wasserstein (TIOLI #20)
52. Yendi by Steven Brust (TIOLI #21)
53. Lost in Shangri-La: A True Story of Survival, Adventure and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II by Mitchell Zuckoff (TIOLI #21, shared)
54. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie (TIOLI #21, shared, older reread)
55. The Christie Curse by Victoria Abbott (TIOLI #1)
56. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan (TIOLI #16, shared)
-- Bimbos of the Death Sun by Sharyn McCrumb (TIOLI #11, shared, recent reread)
57. Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris (TIOLI #7)
58. Ashfall by Mike Mullin (TIOLI #8, shared)
59. Dissolution by C.J. Sansom (TIOLI #18, shared)
60. The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi (TIOLI #21)
61. Taltos by Steven Brust (TIOLI #21, shared)
62. A Dying Fall by Elly Griffiths (TIOLI #8)
63. Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (TIOLI #3, older reread)
64. Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw (TIOLI #13, shared, older reread)
65. Dam Break in Georgia: Sadness and Joy at Toccoa Falls by K. Neill Foster with Eric Mills (TIOLI #24)
66. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (TIOLI #25)
67. Dark Fire by C. J. Sansom (TIOLI #1)
68. Killing Floor by Lee Child (TIOLI #18, shared)
69. The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufman and the members of Tectonic Theater Project (TIOLI #6)
70. In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin (TIOLI #23)

April

15 works (plus one very short children's book), 1 nonfiction, 3 plays, 2 older rereads

71. Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie (TIOLI #9, older reread)
72. The Making of a Marchioness by Frances Hodgson Burnett (TIOLI #9, shared)
73. Death of Yesterday by M. C. Beaton (TIOLI #9, shared)
74. Calculated in Death by J. D. Robb (TIOLI #9)
75. Insubordinate Spirit: A True Story of Life and Loss in Earliest America 1610-1665 by Missy Wolfe (TIOLI #6)
76. A Killer Read by Erika Chase (TIOLI #5, shared)
77. Skios by Michael Frayn (TIOLI #1, shared)
78. A Turn of Light by Julie E. Czerneda (TIOLI #15)
79. Widow's Tears by Susan Wittig Albert (TIOLI #1)
80. Unintended Consequences by Stuart Woods (TIOLI #9)
-- Raj, the Bookstore Tiger by Kathleen T. Pelley and Paige Keriser (TIOLI #1, shared)
81. Her Hesitant Heart by Carla Kelly (TIOLI #9)
82. The Fox on the Fairway by Ken Ludwig (TIOLI #14)
83. The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett (TIOLI 15, shared)
84. Venus in Fur by David Ives (TIOLI #1)
85. Thirty-Three Teeth by Colin Cotterill (TIOLI #17, shared)
86. A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams (TIOLI #10, shared, older reread)

May

23 works (plus 1 short children’s book and 6 recent rereads), 6 nonfiction, 3 plays, 4 older rereads

87. Sharp: A Mindspace Investigations Novel by Alex Hughes (TIOLI #7)
88. Lies, Knives and Girls in Red Dresses by Ron Koertge and Andrea Dezso (TIOLI #18)
89. Exodus by Leon Uris (TIOLI #1, shared, older reread)
90. Remembering Len Berg's Restaurant by Marie J. Amerson (TIOLI #10, nonfiction)
91. Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris (TIOLI #21, shared)
92. Sovereign by C.J. Sansom (TIOLI #9)
93. Broadway Bound by Neil Simon (TIOLI #11, play)
--- Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris (TIOLI #12, shared, recent reread)
--- Even White Trash Zombies Get the Blues by Diana Rowland (TIOLI #21, recent reread)
94. Murder in Chelsea by Victoria Thompson (TIOLI #12)
95. The Methods of Lady Walderhurst by Frances Hodgson Burnett (TIOLI #19, shared)
96. Venus in Furs by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch (TIOLI #2)
--- Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris (TIOLI #10, shared, recent reread)
--- Club Dead by Charlaine Harris (TIOLI #9, shared, recent reread)
--- Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris (TIOLI #9, shared, recent reread)
97. Disco for the Departed by Colin Cotterill (TIOLI #9, shared)
98. Our Town by Thornton Wilder (TIOLI #11, play)
99. Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie (TIOLI #8, older reread)
--- 14 Cows for America by Carmen Agra Deedy and Thomas Gonzalez (TIOLI #16, shared, short children's picture book)
100. Hit By Pitch: Ray Chapman, Carl Mays and the Fatal Fastball by Molly Lawless (TIOLI #14, nonfiction)
--- Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris (TIOLI #9, shared, recent reread)
101. But I'm Hungry by Marie Suzinski and Marie Petrello (TIOLI #5, nonfiction)
102. Inca Trails: Journey Through the Bolivian and Peruvian Andes by Martin Li (TIOLI #20, nonfiction)
103. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith (TIOLI #3, shared, older reread)
104. The Falklands War 1982 by Duncan Anderson (TIOLI #4, nonfiction)
105. Fables Vol. 1: Legends in Exile by Bill Willingham (TIOLI #15)
106. Gigi by Colette (TIOLI #6, shared, older reread)
107. Mariana by Susanna Kearsley (TIOLI #6, shared)
108. The Best Man by Gore Vidal (TIOLI #17, play)
109. Abina and the Important Men by Trevor R. Getz and Liz Clarke (TIOLI #13, nonfiction)
--- Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris (TIOLI #21, recent reread)

June

110. They Came to Baghdad by Agatha Christie (TIOLI #7, older reread)
111. The Great Hedge of India: The Search for the Living Barrier That Divided a People by Roy Moxham (TIOLI #5, nonfiction)
112. Murder at the Castle by Jeanne M. Dams (TIOLI #3, shared)
113. The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman (TIOLI #7)
114. The UnTied Kingdom by Kate Johnson (TIOLI #16)
115. Anarchy and Old Dogs by Colin Cotterill (TIOLI #16)
116. Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters (TIOLI #7)
117. Night's Edge by Maggie Shane, Barbara Hambly and Charlaine Harris (TIOLI #8)
118. Second Suns: Two Doctors and Their Amazing Quest to Restore Sight and Save Lives by David Oliver Relin (TIOLI #12, nonfiction)
119. Curse of the Pogo Stick by Colin Cotterill (TIOLI #13)
----- The Silvered by Tanya Huff (TIOLI #8, recent reread)
----- Captain Vorpatril's Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujold (TIOLI #8, recent reread)
----- Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold (TIOLI #8, shared, recent reread)
120. Murder in the Abstract by Susan C. Shea (TIOLI #7)
----- Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson (TIOLI #9, recent reread)
121. Ironskin by Tina Connolly (TIOLI #8)
122. The Patient in Room 18 by Mignon G. Eberhart (TIOLI #7)
123. The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley (TIOLI #2)
124. Garden Butterflies of North America by Rick Mikula (TIOLI #6, nonfiction)
125. The Game's Afoot or Holmes for the Holidays by Ken Ludwig (TIOLI #1, play)
126. The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie (TIOLI #7)
----- Arcadia by Tom Stoppard (TIOLI #18 , play, shared, recent reread)
127. The Shambling Guide to New York City by Mur Lafferty (TIOLI #8)
----- All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris (TIOLI #6, shared, recent reread)
128. A Touch of Dead by Charlaine Harris (TIOLI #9, shared, older reread)
129. The African Queen by C.S. Forester (TIOLI #5, shared, older reread)
130. Saturn's Children by Charles Stross (TIOLI #21?)
131. Spamalot (no correct touchstone) Book and Lyrics by Eric Idle (play)

July - August - September - October - November – December

July

132. Unnatural Habits by Kerry Greenwood (TIOLI #?)
133. The Last Muster: Images of the Revolutionary War Generation by Maureen Taylor (TIOLI #?, nonfiction)

Century of Reading

1900
1901 The Making of the Marchioness by Frances Hodgson Burnett
1902
1903
1904
1905
1906
1907
1908
1909
1910
1911
1912
1913
1914
1915
1916 Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
1917
1918
1919
1920 The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
1921
1922 The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie
1923 Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie
1924 The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929 The Patient in Room 18 by Mignon G. Eberhart
1930
1931
1932
1933
1934
1935 The African Queen by C.S. Forester
1936
1937 Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie
1938 Our Town by Thornton Wilder; Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson
1939
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945 Gigi by Colette
1946
1947 A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
1948 I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
1949
1950
1951 They Came to Baghdad by Agatha Charistie
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956 Death in Cyprus by M. M. Kaye (as Death Walks in Cyprus)
1957 The 101 Dalmatians by Dodie Smith
1958 Exodus by Leon Uris
1959
1960 The Best Man by Gore Vidal
1961 The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966 The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman
1967
1968
1969
1970 The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975 Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters
1976
1977 In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin
1978 Dam Break in Georgia: Sadness and Joy at Toccoa Falls by K. Neill Foster with Eric Mills
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983 Jhereg by Steven Brust
1984 Thursday's Children by Rumer Godden
1985
1986 Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold
1987 Broadway Bound by Neil Simon
1988 Bimbos of the Death Sun by Sharyn McCrumb
1989 In Search of Lost Roses by Thomas Christopher
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994 Born in Fire by Nora Roberts
1995 Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
1996
1997 Danger Along the Ohio by Patricia Willis
1998
1999 100 Old Garden Roses for the American Garden by Clair G. Martin

Now I can go back and try to get the touchstones to work......

ETA: Mission accomplished!

Lovely new thread, Dejah!

Stopping by to congratulate you on your new thread - love the thread topper, but I am curious, just how old is the wee little kitten in the pic? - and to wish you a happy weekend!

>10 ronincats: Thank you, Roni!

>11 lkernagh: If I recall correctly, Lori, the kittens were only about 48 hours old when I took that photo and the two to follow:

The Braves just won their game in the bottom of the 10th, so I'm off to bed!

Princess congratulations on your latest thread. I love the idea that you and Heather share of going for a century of books in one year (one book from each year).

Have a great weekend.

btw the kittens are too cute.

Happy New Thread, Dejah! Those kittens are super-cute :-)

Do you know about Kitten Cam?

http://new.livestream.com/FosterKittenCam/Mythbusters

>14 PaulCranswick: Welcome, Paul! I'm going to have to get my act together if I'm actually going to finish the Century of Books this year - it's doable, I just need to pay more attention! Your Challenge for June will help - I think I'm going to read some Joseph Conrad.

>15 susanj67:-16 Hi Morphy! The kittens and their Mama Cat thank you. These little guys are cute, although with all of them in grey shades they aren't as distinctive as the last batch. I hadn't had kittens in the house for years and then I end up with two batches close together - go figure.

Kitten Cam is adorable - I think it's a great idea for getting kitten adopted.

Lovely new thread, Dejah! And thanks for sharing the kitty pictures - too sweet! What gorgeous coloring they have!

I'm not sure what you mean. Adam is a cream Siamese, Tory is a white with a calico head, Adam is a white with a red head and Grant is a tiger. And the mom, Kari, is white.

Kitten pictures :-) And congratulations on reading a book in every TIOLI challenge in May - that's quite an achievement!

>18 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie! They're all grey like their Mama - two little mostly grey with some cream/buff and white girls and two mostly grey with a little white boys. I have to take more pictures - they're darling!

>19 Morphidae: Sorry to be confusing, Morphy - the grey babies I was referring to were the ones at my house in the pictures. The previous litter I was referring to is the litter pictured on my last thread, which included a much wider range of colors.

I did take a look at the Kitten Cam and those babies are gorgeous - and much more diverse in their coloring than my grey batch. I think it's smart of them to choose particularly photogenic kittens for the Cam!

BTW, I saw your list for the June TIOLI's - it looks good! I know you'll have no problem reading for the cycle (I have baseball on the brain as I'm watching the Braves)

>20 souloftherose: Thank you, Heather, for the congratulations! I'm glad you like the kitten pictures. I they're now toddling about, to their Mama's dismay.

Time to play catch up (now and forever) on reviews. I'm so far behind I'm not saying much, but please feel free to ask questions about any of the books!

56. Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore

Enjoyable book, but I don’t think I liked it as well as Ready Player One to which it is sometimes compared.

Bimbos of the Death Sun by Sharyn McCrumb

I can’t recommend this hysterical, Edgar Award winning book highly enough to mystery and SF&F fans, particularly those who’ve attended a Con.

57. Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris

This was a fascinating play looking at the race issues of gentrification in Chicago – a reverse of the classic play A Raisin in the Sun. Well worth reading.

58. Ashfall by Mike Mullin

The YA novel about a young man’s attempt to find his family after the eruption of the Yellowstone Supervolcano hit me perfectly when I picked it up – I devoured it. That said, I still haven’t picked up the sequel, but I imagine I will at some point.

59. Dissolution by C. J. Sansom

This is the first of Sansom’s Matthew Shardlake historical mysteries and it is excellent. Highly recommended.

60. The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi

This novel follows Scalzi’s excellent Old Man’s War, which I confess I preferred, although The Ghost Brigades is still very entertaining military SF.

61. Taltos by Steven Brust

More adventures with Vlad – this is a very entertaining series!

Happy new thread, Princess! I can't believe how many books you've read!

62. A Dying Fall by Elly Griffiths

This was good fifth entry into the Ruth Galloway, forensic anthropologist series. This time Ruth and assorted friends and relations are in Blackpool, England. As is frequently the case in this series, I’m left bemused when Ruth chooses to not contact the police when she obviously should, but it’s bearable.

Thank you, Es!

I'm less surprised by how many books I've read than horrified at how far behind on reviews I am....

I'm in the midst of a severe thunderstorm, so I may get knocked offline any time now.....

63. Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

This was a reread of the excellent first book in the Agent Pendergast series. Something is loose in halls of the Museum of Natural History……

64. Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw

It has been many years since I last read Pygmalion, but I remember it well – especially the differences between it and “My Fair Lady”! This is an excellent play – be certain to read it with Shaw’s afterword, which gives his opinion of what happened to Eliza and the Professor.

65. Dam Break in Georgia: Sadness and Joy at Toccoa Falls by K. Neill Foster with Eric Mills

This short, nonfiction work tells the tale of disaster visited upon a small Evangelical Christian college in northern Georgia when a dam broke in the late 1970s. It is less successful as a disaster book than it is a testament of Christian Witness, but it is interesting nonetheless.

You are catching up with a vengeance, though! I'm glad you are still enjoying Vlad.

I'm with you. I didn't care for 24 Bookstore as much as Ready Player One.

The fellow who does the Kitten Cam, John, is on his 38th foster litter. He fosters them until they are about 8 weeks old then gets a new litter. The Cam runs 24/7 from the time he gets a new litter until they get adopted.

Like you, I found Ready Player One to be a better book than Mr. Penumbra's..... still entertaining, just not as good as RPO. Clybourne Park looks interesting. I will need to keep that one in mind. Thanks for the reminder that I still haven't started the Matthew Shardlake series.... I need to do that!

What a great and diverse batch of reading you have been doing!

Great job of catching up, Dejah. I am looking forward to trying the John Scalzi series, Old Man's War sounds particularly intriguing.

Like you I devoured Ashfall but haven't felt the urge to pick up the next book yet. I'll get to it one of these days.

Your Century of Reading is an excellent idea, I'm still working on my original list with two years yet to fill in, but I have the books on my kindle so it's just a matter of time. Some day I would like to try to do it again with different books.

Congrats on reading one in each category in the May TIOLI. I don't think I read enough books in May to do that!

I'm really glad you liked the Shardlake book. I need to get to the next in series soon.

Most of the folks I know from Toccoa Falls probably graduated from there in the 1980s; however, I'm sure that they'll know about the disaster. I'll have to ask one of them next week at my library conference.

Just dropping on to say Hi - I'm in awe of the reading you did in May - wow!

And kitten cam - I love it!! We only have one cat Cleo who was an SPCA kitten. We can't get any more as I'm certain Cleo will go into deep depression. She is not a sharer lol.

I hadn't heard of Ashfall, but my son loves disaster stories and that one sound right up his alley. I'm putting it down for our next shared read. Thanks, Dejah!

>36 ronincats: Roni, how could anyone not like Vlad?

>37 Morphidae: Kitten Cam is truly brilliant - I'll bet he has people lining up to adopt those babies.

>38 lkernagh: Lori, Clybourne Park is quite good, but at times it makes for uncomfortable reading. You really should give The Shardlake books I try - I've read three of them now, and have enjoyed them all.

>39 DeltaQueen50: I'm not caught up yet, Judy, but I'm working on it! I really enjoyed Old Man's War and I've got the third in the series The Last Colony on the tbr shelf. His Redshirts is hysterically wonderful. As for Ashen Winter, I'll get to it eventually. I believe it's supposed to be a trilogy, so I may wait for the third to be published. The Century of Reading is fun - I stole it shamelessly from Heather (I do give her credit for it in my first post, though). It forces me to broaden my horizons a little.

>40 thornton37814: Thank you, Lori! I won't be doing it again anytime soon, I assure you! I'm sure your friends will know of the dam break - a lot of people lost their lives. Dam Break in Georgia is actually rather fascinating, especially once you realize that the author's goal is more to show the power of the faith of the bereaved individuals and to drum up support for the college than to produce a classic disaster book.

>41 kiwiflowa: Hi Lisa! Yeah, May's numbers were a little out of control, which can in part be attributed to being in the light booth night after night.... When I'm back in the booth in July for "Spamalot" there will be no time for reading!

Some kitties love having company while others would really rather be only cats, please. That won't happen in my household.....

>42 swynn: Ashfall was an unexpected pleasure - I never know if I'm going to like YA. I tried it because Judy suggested it and because I'm fascinated by volcanoes. I hope it's a hit in your household!

Dejah so many book bullets on your new thread! Thanks for dropping in on my thread and all the encouragement. It means a lot.

Sookie 13 is in! I pick it up on Wednesday.

Hooray, Roberta! All things considered, that wait wasn't too bad. I hope you enjoy it - I'm looking forward to talking about it with you.

And it's a pleasure to visit your thread - thanks for dropping by mine.

Hiya Dejah! Love the kittehs up top. I always want to pick those tiny babies up and cuddle them but of course you can't play with them at that age!

Lots of interesting reading you've done lately. Bimbos of the Death Sun looks like a book I'd normally pass over without second thought, but the description sounds great! So thanks for that. :)

Hey Kathy!

Happily, the Mama cats were both pretty willing to let me hold the kittens when they were small, but as you say they can't really play!

Bimbos of the Death Sun is a hoot - really excellent. A fun send up of Cons and a pleasant mystery make for a fine combination. Another funny book that also picks fun on Cons and fandom combined with a mystery is We'll Always Have Parrots, the fifth in Donna Andrews' Meg Langslow series.

And you're welcome.

66. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

There is very little for me to say that hasn’t already been said by the many other fans of this delightful book. Read it.

67. Dark Fire by C. J. Sansom

While I didn’t enjoy this second installment in the Matthew Shardlake as much as I did the first, it was still very, very good. This is an excellent historical mystery series.

68. Killing Floor by Lee Child

There are so many Jack Reacher fans here on LT I thought I’d give the series a try. The Killing Floor wasn’t bad, but it didn’t thrill me. I tend to like shoot ‘em up / adventure novels only when they have some sort of historical or academic mystery involved, so I probably won’t continue with the series.

I cannot believe they picked Tom Cruise to play Reacher in the film…what were they thinking?

69. The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufman and the members of the Tectonic Theater Project

This is an extremely powerful play sampling the reactions of the citizens of Laramie, Wyoming in the aftermath of the brutal murder of Matthew Shepard. It is extraordinarily well done and I recommend it highly.

70. In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin

In Patagonia was hailed as a piece of innovative travel writing when it was published in 1977, but I don’t think it’s aged well. The focus is on the inhabitants of European descent and how they cling to their European heritage in the wilds of Argentina and Chile, but much of the more interesting writing was found in the intersperse sections on the history of the region. It was interesting to read, but I can’t recommend it highly.

It pains me to admit that the above 'reviews' (I'm not sure you can all them that) brings me to the end of March - yeah, March. It'll be a while (and a lot more Braves games) before I'm caught up.

On the subject of the Braves, Julio Teheran took a no hitter into the 8th - and of course, we won 5-0. Woohoo!

Dejah, I love your instructions in your review of Ready Player One ... Read it. So true. It's one of my favorite books read this year. I gave it to a friend and he, being a music and computer game maniac in the 80s, absolutely loved it. He said the best thing about the book was that it put him back into the past and memories of him and his friends being completely engrossed in the games came flooding back.

I love historical mysteries and haven't tried C.J. Sansom yet. I will have to add Dissolution to my obese wish list.

#24 Bimbos of the Death Sun?! How could I not want to read a book with a title like that? And it's actually good? Even better!

I picked up Mr Penumbra as a kindle deal recently - still need to get Ready Player One.

#53 But well done on getting caught up to the end of March :-)

Great batch of recent reading, Dejah!

Happily, the Mama cats were both pretty willing to let me hold the kittens when they were small, but as you say they can't really play!

SO true....and they are just so darn cute to watch as they slowly start to get their legs coordinated and start to investigate their environs. ;-)

And they love sleeping on your warm body at that age, too.

Ready Player One and The Killing Floor are both on my shelves unread. Sounds like the first should have priority.

>54 cameling: Welcome, Caro! Ready Player One was a hoot - I suspect it might not be as much for for anyone who doesn't remember the 80's. The Matthew Shardlake novels as very, very good. Historical mysteries are my favorite mystery subgenre at the moment, and I've really enjoyed the three C. J. Sansom books.

>55 souloftherose: Heather, Bimbos of the Death Sun won an Edgar Award! I'll admit that the mystery isn't the strongest (which has led me to wonder a number of times just why it won the Edgar) but for SF&F fans (and now that I think about it, many of the people who like Ready Player One would find Bimbos very amusing indeed. Plus, of course, there's the title and the original cover.....

I'm hoping I get through my April book comments before August....

>56 lkernagh: Why thank you, Lori! The little batch is walking quite well now, which drives their Mama to distraction - she'd prefer they stay in one place, thank you. We have several strategies to allow them to practice their motor while still somewhat confined. One is a pink plastic wading pool with assorted soft stuff, toys and a one story kitty condo for them to climb. Sadly, this won't work for too much longer - the girls can already get out!

>57 ronincats: They do, Roni, it's true, and so cute!

>58 swynn: Obviously huge numbers of people adore Jack Reacher, so I know I'm in a minority in being a big fan. Killing Floor wasn't bad, it just didn't catch my imagination. Ready Player One, while not enduring literature, is simply fun for 1980s survivors. Hard core 80s trivia - who can resist? And then you get to pat yourself on the back when you catch some throwaway comment or description and you get the reference. It's both engaging and entertaining, which is good enough for me.

I love the photos of the darling kittens. Isn't new life incredible!!!!

Congratulations on reading so many books thus far this year!

They are darling - very sweet and their Mama Cat (Olympia) is very generous in letting me spend time with them. The big kitties were all bummed today because it rained again. I keep reminding the older ones that at least it doesn't snow here - or at least rarely!

Sometimes my reading is up - sometimes down. Right now it's up again....

I miss a couple of days of visiting threads because I'm sick and suddenly I'm 40+ posts behind! I'm glad you're enjoying the Matthew Shardlake series. It's one of my favorites. I didn't like Dark Fire quite as well as the others I've read. Sovereign is my favorite so far.

My thread doesn't usually move this quickly - I think it's just all my belated, brief, blurbs pretending to be reviews that are adding up! I read Sovereign in May and while I liked it, I could see at least part of what was coming because of what (or should I say who) wasn't mentioned early on in connection to York. I did not, however, see the plot unfolding as it did! I'm not certain I liked it better that Dissolution, but Dark Fire is my least favorite of the three. I doubt I'll get to the fourth in June, but July looks promising!

Steve, RPO should definitely move up your list! It's one I can heartily recommend to pretty much anyone. Even my husband liked it.

Sovereign has the edge for me because Jack is in it. I think he was a good addition to the series.

>58 swynn:-59, 64 I think the better choice is pretty clear, swynn...

>65 cbl_tn: I agree - and I like the way Sansom has slowly added additional characters.

It' time for baseball, so I will now try to knock out a few more of my sparse reviews.

71. Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie

This is the second Hercule Poirot mystery and it is, as you’d expect, quite good. Less golf than you expect from the title….

72. The Making of a Marchioness by Frances Hodgson Burnett

This is a pleasant, mildly entertaining tale of a woman who but dint of her limited intelligence but charming and resilient nature makes good. Fortunately, Emily is surrounded by a number of more interesting individuals who enliven things.

73. Death of Yesterday by M. C. Beaton

Death of Yesterday is the 29th entry in the Constable Hamish Macbeth series set in rural Scotland. Same old, same old – perfectly pleasant, no real surprises.

74. Calculated in Death by J. D. Robb

36 books into the series and J. D. Robb is still coming up with interesting adventures for Eve and Roark. It’s an addictive series…..

Hang in there! One more book and you have reached the goal...Already!!!

75. Insubordinate Spirit: A True Story of Life and Loss in Earliest America by Missy Wolfe

I wrote these comments to Lori (thornton37814) about Insubordinate Spirit on my last thread and out of sheer laziness (and the fact that I’m still have so many books to get to) I’m simply going to repeat them here.

It's an odd book - it's partly a biography of Elizabeth Winthrop (as indicated by the title) but in some ways it's actually better as a story of the collision of the English, Dutch and Native Americans in what would become southwest Connecticut. It's definitely worth reading with your Winthrop Fleet ancestors! Be warned, though, that it's not up to the standard of an academic publication. I found it very interesting, but flawed. Readers like you with much more knowledge or the area and families might find it too basic in many places. For example, she goes into odd detail about the English Reformation, feels the need to point out that there was no electricity in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and needlessly interjects the comment that Queen Elizabeth like bear baiting. She also has very strong and as far as I know, nonstandard opinions about Anne Hutchinson. As I've said, New England isn't my field of study/interest, so I could be way off base with the Anne Hutchinson bit.

Even with the flaws, I still enjoyed Insubordinate Spirit - I learned some interesting things.

>71 Whisper1: Thank you, Linda! I'm finally making some progress! Of course, I'm doing most of these books and authors a great disservice by not writing more, but I've decided I'm not going to let it drive me crazy.

Congratulation on hitting the 75 book mark!!

Thank you, Roni!

Congrats on your first 75 Dejah!
(You're going to hit that mark twice again this year yet, right?) ;)

Congratulations on 75, Dejah!

>76 UnrulySun: Thank you, Kathy. Will I hit 225? Oh, probably....you never know!

>77 swynn: Thanks, swynn!

Congrats on 75 books read, Dejah!

Ok, I'm confused - you've read over a hundred books so far this year, right? 75 is just where you are at in your reviews?

>79 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori!

>80 Crazymamie: Yep - you've got it right, Mamie. I really am that far behind. But since I don't expect everybody to keep an eye on the top of my thread, there's really not a good way for people to know where I'm at. So I'll take the congratulations when they come - they're always welcome!

I'll get caught up in June...really....

Congrats!

Congrats on reaching 75 or 100 books so far this year, Dejah.

The play you recommended, Arcadia, came in for me at the library so I'll probably get to it next week.

Tomorrow, I've got a long bus ride to Wrigley Field but, for that, I'd rather take a mystery along so I'll probably take the new Jeanne Dams book.

>83 lindapanzo:: Hey, Linda - my library copy got to me today! It's actually a radio drama of the play :) I'm excited to start it when I'm done The Night Circus.

>82 drneutron: Thank you, Jim, oh founder of the 75ers! Actually, I think of you as the guiding light of the 75 books crowd, but I haven't been on LT long enough to know if you're the founder.....

>83 lindapanzo: As of today, I'm actually at 116 - I'd say 'but who's counting' except. of course, I obviously am, lol. It's so embarrassing to be this far behind on reviews or even minor comments....

I hope you enjoy Arcadia. I heard it described as too intellectual - in fact, the Artistic Director at my community theater won't produce it because he says the audience would have to think too hard. I think he's wrong!

Have a great time at Wrigley this weekend - I'll be up late tonight and tomorrow night watching the Braves@ LA. Last night's game was unfortunate. I'm hoping for better tonight.

>84 Esquiress: Woohoo Es! I hope the production is excellent. Arcadia is a very pretty play to see - two timelines taking play in the same house / set. The costumes and set in the Broadway production I saw in 1995 were wonderful. As for the show itself - I was blown away. I bought the script at intermission because I knew I had to have it. I'm sorry I missed the recent Broadway revival.

ooo what did you think of Crocodile on the Sandbank? When I started to read Agatha Christie I came acros an e-book bundle of Elizabeth Peters and bought the first four I think... or first eight?

Have a great weekend Dejah :)

Lisa, I have read Crocodile on the Sandbank many, many times and I adore it! It's very, very funny and has Egyptian archaeology - what more can you want? Give it a try! In case you didn't know, Elizabeth Peters is also Barbara Michaels in real life Barbara Mertz, and is University of Chicago trained Egyptologist. If you like the Amelia Peabody books, there's Amelia Peabody's Egypt that's hugely entertaining and informative.

The Elizabeth Peters e-book bundle sounds great - I'll have to look for it.

Enjoy the weekend, Lisa!

Actually not the founder - that would be Cariola. But I take care of the admin details now.

Hi Dejah! I own all but two of the Sansom books and I can't wait to get started on them. When? I'm not so sure. Maybe next year I'll set up a challenge to read parts of 14 different series. Yeah! Must make a mental note.
And mucho congrats on reaching 75! Have a great weekend :0)

ETA: Kitty pics are adorable.

Waves at Dejah! I found a caregiver. She starts in two weeks. Fingers crossed! Holding thumbs!

Desperately catching up; I missed you starting a new thread, and I'm 90 posts behind!

Love the cat pictures. Olympia looks so cool and collected.

Adding my belated congratulations on reaching / sailing past your 75.

Hi Dejah, I see your reviews are bubbling along nicely and your reading numbers are impressive as always. So congratulations on your 75th reviewed book of the year. :)

Princess - quiet over here this week. Ruling Mars must take up plenty of time but a visit would be welcome! Have a lovely weekend.

Haven't seen you around LT for a while, Dejah. I hope all is well with you.

Dejah! Hope you and the kitties are all ok.

Forget reviews, just list what you've read to date, and come back to us, Dejah!

Ditto!

Dejah I hope you are busy with your play and reading. Sending you some lovely thoughts. You are missed.

Hope you are enjoying a great weekend, Dejah! We are missing you but understand how life gets busy. We'll be here when you have time. LT is so awesome that way.

It's still quiet over here. I assume that means you're hectically busy with your play?

Missing you! Hope the play is going well.

Just checking in on you Dejah.

*drive-by post, hugs!*

Hi Dejah! I hope you're enjoying your summer!

Whizzing through; life is busy for me at the moment ... just trying to do the LT rounds and catch up for now!

Oh, Deeeeejahhhhhhhh........

Dejah? Hope you're ok - we miss you!

Where are you, chickie?

As I remember, she disappeared last summer, too; maybe her plays have taken over her life again?

Nina - your right, she did.
Still missing you Princess, come back to this earthen world soon.

just stopping to say hi... wow, between you and Susan's list of reads I am dying of green envy.
Love your idea of putting the covers in the post, kept me reading.

(not back yet? will check in later)

Hi Dejah! I thought I had clicked ignore and that's why I haven't been seeing your thread but I did some research and viola! you weren't being ignored at all. You just must be a very busy person working on fabulous plays and such. Hope all's well :0)

Dejah Warbound (The Grimnoir Chronicles) is out!!! I haven't started it yet. I'm going to start at the end of the month so I can finish it for September Series & Sequels. I can't wait to talk to you about it. Of course it will have to wait. LOL!

Hi, Dejah!

Over three months without our Princess *Dejected Sigh*

Hope that your weekend is wonderful wherever you may be. x

Dejah I finished Warbound (The Grimnoir Chronicles). Where are you? I want to dish.

I hope all is well and I'm sending you amazing thoughts. Your presence is missed.

Just stopping in to say that I miss you so.

Me, too. :(

Still looking for you.

Dejah??

This is my monthly pilgrimage to the thread of the Princess of Mars. Hope you are back to earth and posting here soon.

Just popping in to say you are still missed.

Dejah, we miss you. Hope you'll be back here soon.

I'm not sure if it is celebrated on Mars, but wherever you are Princess, Happy Thanksgiving.

I just returned to LT myself, and am checking in on your thread... seems you've been absent as well! Thinking of you, in the meantime. :)

Popping in for my monthly pilgrimage to say hello and wish you a lovely holiday season.

Miss you Princess. Happy Christmas. xx

I am not acting when I say, I wish you a very merry Christmas and miss you much!

Dejah wishing you a very happy Christmas and new year

Hoping to see you back here soon, Dejah.



Wishing you the best for the festive season and for a wonderful 2014!

Merry Christmas Dejah!

Merry Christmas Dejah! Hope to see you back soon!

Merry Christmas, Dejah! Missing you on the threads and hoping to see you here again in 2014!

Miss you, Dejah. Hope you had a good Christmas, princess!

Merry Christmas, Dejah, I hope we get to see more of you in the new year!

Hi, Dejah. Dropping by to wish you and your family the best of health and happiness for the New Year.



Hoping to see you in the 2014 group.