Chèli cuddles up with a few good books in 2013 - Chapter 3

Hi, my name is Chèli and I am a bookaholic.
This is the same OP for the previous thread. I just didn't want to have to go back and forth to keep track of things.
I have a ton of books lined up for 2013 with at least one group read each month. Many of the books that I've selected for priority are chunksters, so I'm not going to be trying to read a great number of books (maybe 100) but I really want to try to settle into each of the books and really enjoy them as I read.
That said, here are some of the top candidates that I really hope to get through in 2013.
% indicates on my own shelves and ♫ audiobook.




1898 : the birth of the American century
1912 : Wilson, Roosevelt, Taft & Debs-- the election that changed the country
22 Britannia Road: A Novel %
44 Charles Street: A Novel %
About Face %♫
Acceptable Loss % ♫
Age of betrayal : the triumph of money in America, 1865-1900
Air We Breathe% ♫
All Sales Fatal (Mall Cop)
Amberville: A Novel (P.S.)
America, 1908 : the dawn of flight, the race to the Pole, the invention of the Model T, and the making of a modern nation
An Incomplete Revenge % ♫
Beastly Things% ♫
Beautiful Blue Death
✔Beautiful Mystery - latest Three Pines mystery %
Beauty to Die For %
Beyond Seduction
Bianca %
Big Burn %
Billionaire Wins the Game: Billionaire Bachelors%
✔Birds of a Feather % ♫
Black Out: An Inspector Troy Thriller%
Blood from a Stone % ♫
✔Bond of Passion %
✔Book, Line and Sinker%
Bride in the Bargain %
✔Bring on the Blessings %
Calligrapher's Daughter: A Novel ♫
Casual Vacancy - J.K. Rowling's new book
Catching fire %
✔Chester Alan Arthur by Karabell, Zachary
✔Cinnamon Roll Murder
Cloud Atlas ♫ (September)%
Cockatiels At Seven
✔Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court - March %
✔Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon
✔Crucible of Gold (#7) % ♫
Curse of the Pharaohs
Dark Assassin %♫
✔Daughter of the Sea%
Daughter of Time: A Time Travel Romance%
✔Day the Falls Stood Still
Deadly Cliché %
✔Deadly Dealer%
✔Deadly Decisions
Death Threads %
✔Death of a Kitchen Diva%
Decaffeinated Corpse
✔Devil's Brood (August)
✔Discovery of Witches % ♫
Dragonfly in Amber ♫ %
Drawing Conclusions
Elegy for Eddie
Emerald Atlas% ♫
Emperor's Tomb % ♫
✔Enchantress (#6) % ♫
Execution Dock %♫
✔Fatal Appraisal %
✔Fireworks Over Toccoa
First, There Is a River%
✔Fonduing Fathers (#6) - latest White House Chef mystery
Freak of Freedom%
French Pressed (Coffeehouse Mysteries, No. 6)%
Frozen Heat - November
✔Game of Thrones % ♫
✔Garment of Shadows (#12) - newest Mary Russell mystery
✔Getting Away is Deadly%
Girl of His Dreams % ♫
Golden Compass % ♫
Golden Door%
✔Greatest Knight %
Grover Cleveland : a study in character / Alyn Brodsky.
Hanging by a Thread%
Harry, A History: The True Story of a Boy Wizard, His Fans, and Life Inside the Harry Potter Phenomenon %
✔Heat Rises
I Shall Not Want% ♫
✔In the shadow of Wounded Knee : the untold final chapter of the Indian Wars - November
Irish Country Village (#2) % ♫
✔Iron Lake: A Novel %
✔Ivanhoe - September %
✔Johnstown flood %♫
✔Joy for Beginners%
king and the cowboy : Theodore Roosevelt and Edward the Seventh : secret partners
Knit Fast, Die Young %
✔Knit the Season %
Knit Two ♫ %
✔Lady Liberty : a biography (1886)
Larceny and Old Lace (Den of Antiquity)
Leaving Everything Most Loved
Lesson in Secrets % ♫
Lies That Bind
✔Lifeboat %
✔Lionheart (October)
✔Lord Carew's Bride (#2) %
Love and Murder on the Queen Anne%
✔Major Pettigrew's Last Stand: A Novel (February) Local Book group % ♫
Married By Mistake%
✔Messenger of Truth % ♫
Mind Over Murder (A Raven's Nest)%
Murder on the Cote d'Azure: A Maggie Newberry Mystery %
Murder On The Mind%
✔Murder on the Rocks %
Napoleon's Pyramids%
Never Seduce a Scoundrel (The School for Heiresses, Book 1) %
✔Night Circus% ♫
Night Like This %
✔Night Watch % ♫
No Nest for the Wicket
Outcast%
Owls Well That Ends Well
Packing for Mars ♫%
✔Pardonable Lies % ♫
✔Path between the Seas - October %
Penguin Who Knew Too Much
Peter and the Starcatchers % ♫
Photographs : George Eastman House, Rochester, NY
Pillars of the Earth % ♫
Presidency of Benjamin Harrison / Homer E. Socolofsky and Allan B. Spetter
President and the assassin : McKinley, terror, and empire at the dawn of the American century
Pretense for Murder%
Queen's Bastard (The Inheritors' Cycle, Book 1)%
Question of Belief % ♫
✔Rebecca - May%
Red Hook Road %
✔Red Velvet Cupcake Murder
Rivals in the City
✔Rope % ♫
Secret Mistress (#3) %
Sherlock Holmes: The Montana Chronicles
Sherlockian
✔Shifting Tide % ♫
Sisters
Six Geese A-slaying
✔Son of Neptune (#2) % ♫
✔Song of Achilles% ♫ - June
✔Stake & Eggs% (#4) - newest Cackleberry Club mystery
✔Staying Home Is a Killer %
Stolen Crown: The Secret Marriage that Forever Changed the Fate of England%
✔Suffer the Little Children %♫
Summer Affair: A Novel%
Sunless Sea
Swan for the Money
✔Sweet Tea Revenge (#14) - latest Tea Shoppe Mystery%
Talk of the Ton (Berkley Sensation) %
✔There Is a Season%
Third Secret%
✔Threaded for Trouble (#2)
✔Throne of Fire (#2) % ♫
✔Through a Glass Darkly %♫
✔Time and Chance (April)
✔Wedding Trap (#3) %
We'll Always Have Parrots
✔When Christ and His Saints Slept (January) %
Who Left That Body in the Rain?

I hope that many of my friends here at LT will stop in frequently even if they bring BBs with them.

Time for a clean break to a new chapter in a new month/third quarter of the year. WELCOME!

Hi Cheli, nice to start a new thread at the start of a new quarter of the year. Even if it feels more like April or May here, not almost July.

Hi; just dropping by to catch up on your new thread. I'm more likely to pick up BBs than bring them, though.

Hi Sweetie

Can you please tell me the date of your surgery so I can mark it on my calendar. Sending love and prayers.

Hang in there!

Surgery is scheduled for Monday July 15th. I'm at the point where I can't wait! I have a pre-op visit with the doctor this morning. Now I'm just trying to get my ducks in a row since Mom will be coming to stay right after her surgery on the 17th. Medical Central at my house that week!

I will accept all prayers - I want this fixed because it only seems to be aggravating my back! If I find a comfortable position for my back, my knee is hurting like h---, if my knee is comfortable, my back is horrible! Even drugs aren't helping at this point...:-((

I hope the next two weeks pass swiftly for you and that your surgery brings welcome relief.

I loved the photo of you grand babies from the last thread! What cuties!

Just to let everyone know that nurse Tutu and Mr. Tutu (aka Bob) will be arriving the evening of the 18th to help with care giver duties (and raid tim's liquor cabinet). We'll make sure Cheli and Mom get to their hair appts, physical therapy and then come home to nap/play mah jongg, read, cook, sip booze (no booze for drug takers - fear not) and generally relieve Tim of having to deal with all the invalids by himself.

We'll be staying until Mom goes home and then we'll be flying out to Modesto for the grand birthday/family reunion, maybe book launch and Bob's brother's wedding.

So fear not....Chèli will be well taken care of.

Glad to know that Cheli will have such excellent care.

Good luck with the surgery, Cheli! I hope the time waiting passes quickly. I'll keep you in my prayers.

Challenge Book #61

TITLE: Fireworks over Toccoa ★★★
AUTHOR: Jeffrey Stepakoff
GENRE: Fiction
SUBJECT: speedy marriages; soldier return homes
Setting: Toccoa, GA
CHARACTERS: Lily Davis Woodward, Jake Russo, Walter Davis, Honey Davis
DATE READ: June 30 - July 1
NO. OF PAGES: 260
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: Yes, loan from Tina

PLOT: 3.00
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.00
TOPICS: 3.00
STYLE: 3.00
ORIGINALITY: 3.00
ADDICTIVENESS: 3.00
OWNERSHIP: 3.00
Threshold Quality 3.00
Average 3.00

Nothing really special in this little story about a young woman who falls in love with a fireworks maker while waiting for her husband to return from the war. She remains in love with him but does her duty to the man she married when a child.

Challenge Book #62

TITLE: Lady Liberty ★★★
AUTHOR: Doreen Rappaport
GENRE: History
SUBJECT: Statue of Liberty
Setting: France, New York City
CHARACTERS: Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, Édoudard René deLaboulaye, Joseph Pulitizer
DATE READ: July 3
NO. OF PAGES: 40
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: No, public library

PLOT: 3.00
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.00
TOPICS: 3.00
STYLE: 3.00
ORIGINALITY: 3.00
ADDICTIVENESS: 3.00
OWNERSHIP: 3.00
Threshold Quality 3.00
Average 3.00

A crisp little children's book which tells the story of how the French people gave the Statue of Liberty to America. A great read for the 4th of July.

To 8 - I was wondering if you guys could come and take care of me until you have to go take care of Cheli and your mom? There's nothing wrong with me but with care like that, I could trip or something! Good luck with both surgeries.

#13 - Do you play Mah Jongg?

# 14 - No, but I'm a fast learner!

Tina...Thanks for helping my very dear friend!

Can you please call me and let me know how she is doing? I'll be on vacation. I'll post my cell # on your LT home page.

Cheli...love you lots and I want this to work for you with the end result that you are pain free. It's been too long of a struggle and I'm sure you are weary.

Challenge Book #63

TITLE: The Day the Falls Stood Still ★★¾
AUTHOR: Cathy Marie Buchanan
GENRE: Historical Fiction
SUBJECT: natural resources, water for electric power
Setting: Niagara Falls,
CHARACTERS: Bess Heath, Tom Cole, Isabel Heath, Edward Atwell, Jesse Cole, Mrs Andrews
DATE READ: July 1 - July 5
NO. OF PAGES: 298
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: Yes, loan from Tina

PLOT: 2.50
CHARACTERIZATION: 2.50
TOPICS: 3.00
STYLE: 3.00
ORIGINALITY: 3.00
ADDICTIVENESS: 2.50
OWNERSHIP: 3.00
Threshold Quality 2.50
Average 2.75

What I was expecting to be an historical account of a time period when Niagara Falls was frozen and its effects on the neighboring population and economy turned out to be a somewhat lackluster turn of the century romance between a young woman from a well-to-do family hitting hard times and a boy from the wrong side of the tracks. The title was extremely misleading especially since there was only one small portion about a time when the river/falls froze.

I kept hoping that the story would pick up, but IMHO, it fell flat.

Cheli, it sounds like you and your mom will be in the best of hands following surgery. (However, you might want to put a lock on Tim's liquor cabinet - just in case!) Prayers and good wishes for successful surgery and speedy recovery. Make sure Tina keeps us updated.

Challenge Book #64

TITLE: Red Velvet Cupcake Murder ★★★½
AUTHOR: Joanne Fluke
GENRE: Cozy Mystery
SUBJECT: romantic rivals, inheritance divisions, traumatic injury recoveries
Setting: Lake Eden, MN
CHARACTERS: Hannah Swensen, Norman Rhodes, Mike Kingston, Barbara Donnelly, Roger Dalsworth, Bev Thorndike
DATE READ: July 5 - July 7
NO. OF PAGES: 328
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: No, Public Library

PLOT: 3.50
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.50
TOPICS: 3.50
STYLE: 3.50
ORIGINALITY: 3.00
ADDICTIVENESS: 4.00
OWNERSHIP: 3.50
Threshold Quality 3.50
Average 3.50

This latest in the Hannah Swensen series pretty much goes along the usually guidelines - Hannah has Norman and Mike wooing her, she's baking for special events, and she's the one that finds the body. What is different this time around is that Hannah is actually a suspect in the murder because who dies - none other than Norman's former fiancée, Doctor Bev.

The story was a bunch of fun, as usual, and the recipes sounded delicious - yes, the romantic rivalry can be a bit of wanting Hannah to make up her mind, but what woman doesn't want two great guys vying for her attentions.

Looking for the next one in 2014.

#20 LOL! Me too!

Good luck with your surgery next week! Sounds like you are going to be in good hands afterwards!

Challenge Book #65

TITLE: Daughter of the Sea ★★★
AUTHOR: Mira Zamin
GENRE: Historical Fiction
SUBJECT: revenge, greed, immortality, loyality
Setting: Portus Tarras, Atlantis
CHARACTERS: Calista, Pyp, Olympia, Claudius, Hadrian, Avaritus, Thetis, Evadne
DATE READ: July 8 - July 11
NO. OF PAGES: 679
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: NOOK

PLOT: 3.00
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.00
TOPICS: 3.00
STYLE: 3.00
ORIGINALITY: 3.00
ADDICTIVENESS: 3.00
OWNERSHIP: 3.00
Threshold Quality 3.00
Average 3.00

Calista, the daughter of the Proconsul in Portus Tarras, (a Roman territory) has always been pampered by her parents and is startled when they tell her that they have agreed that she will marry a man, Avaritus, that she has met and dislikes. Before the marriage takes place, however, Avaritus stages a coup and her father is murdered and she and her mother and brother are taken hostage. Executing a plan for their escape, Calista is lost in a storm at sea but her family manages to return to Portus Tarras.

But here is where the story diverges from the typical, because Calista is rescued and awakens in Atlantis. All the unique mythological attributes and personalities are there to welcome Calista but she is determined to rescue her family.

This was a very entertaining story bringing Atlantis into the forefront as well as the Roman gods and goddesses.

okay, just getting ready to head to the hospital for my knee surgery. I don't know if I'll be up to logging back in when I return, but Tina(tututhefirst) or Linda (whisper1) should have a progress report from Tim if I'm not up to it. I just hope I'm awake enough to watch the home run derby tonight.

Good luck, Cheli. Hope all goes well.

Hello all.....Cheli's husband Tim called to say that the surgery is over, she did fine, the docs were able to repair the problem, and she'll be home tonite. Thanks for all the prayers and thoughts.

Great news, Tina!! Thanks for letting us know.

Home from the hospital - lots of pain but I've got drugs!

Glad you are home, Cheli!

Made it through the night pretty well and the pain has reduced substantially. I just have to be careful - no fast movements, getting up and down is a bit tricky.

Guess I'll just have to sit and read - darn how I'll suffer.

My "suffering" hasn't been too bad - I'm progressing on Game of Thrones in between naps.

Medical update = I have progressed from the walker to a cane so I think that I'm doing fairly well.

Thanks for everyone's good wishes.

Cheli, So happy to hear you made it through surgery and are starting to feel better! I will be thinking of you!

Challenge Book #66

TITLE: The Forgotten Presidents: Their Untold Constitutional Legacy ★★½
AUTHOR: Michael J. Gerhardt
GENRE: History
SUBJECT: revenge, greed, immortality, loyality
Setting: Washington, DC
CHARACTERS: Van Buren, WH Harrison, Tyler, Taylor, Fillmore, Pierce, Arthur, Cleveland, B Harrison, Taft, Coolidge, Carter
DATE READ: July 5 - July 19
NO. OF PAGES: 336
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: Kindle, NetGalley

PLOT: 3.00
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.00
TOPICS: 2.00
STYLE: 2.00
ORIGINALITY: 2.50
ADDICTIVENESS: 2.50
OWNERSHIP: 2.50
Threshold Quality 2.50
Average 2.50

Yes, there are Presidents that are better known than others, while these "forgotten" ones made contributions to the benefit of their successors. It might have been more interesting with a bit more editing.

I think I'll skip that book on the presidents. I saw it on NetGalley recently and almost requested it. I'm glad I didn't.

I too had loaded that one from Net Galley, but based on a discussion here with my sister Chèli I'm passing on those pres.

A chuckle that cheered me UP!

This two-letter word in English has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that word is "UP." It is listed in the dictionary as an adv, prep, adj, n or v.

It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP?

At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP, and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report? We call UP our friends, brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and fix UP the old car.

At other times, this little word has real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.

To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special.

And this UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UPbecause it is stopped UP.

We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night. We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP!

To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look UP the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4 of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions.

If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more.

When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP. When the sun comes out, we say it is clearing UP. When it rains, it soaks UP the earth. When it does not rain for awhile, things dry UP. One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now. . . my time is UP!

Oh. . . one more thing: What is the first thing you do in the morning and the last thing you do at night?

U

P!

Did that one crack you UP?

post-op visit to the DR this morning - says I'm doing well but PT still needed.
getting around a little without a cane - cleared to drive.
Tutu and Mr. Tutu left for their big party this morning - I'm on my own.

Three cheers for being cleared to drive! So glad you are doing well after your surgery.

PT over for the day, I'm pooped. I was planning on reading this afternoon, but I think I'll take a nap.

Hi, Cheli - I've been away for a few days and I'm glad to come back and find that your surgery went well and you are recovering nicely. Get plenty of rest and do what they tell you to do. You'll be dancing in no time!

Cheli, Hope you are still doing well.

Glad to see your surgery went well and you are recovering nicely!

Challenge Book #67

TITLE: Game of Thrones ★★★½
AUTHOR: George R. R. Martin
GENRE: Fantasy
SUBJECT: ancient society, warring clans
Setting:
CHARACTERS: Eddard Stark, Catelyn Stark, Robert Baratheon, Cersei Lanister
DATE READ: May 14 - July 28
NO. OF PAGES: 694
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: yes, audio stockpile

PLOT: 3.50
CHARACTERIZATION: 4.00
TOPICS: 4.00
STYLE: 3.50
ORIGINALITY: 3.50
ADDICTIVENESS: 3.00
OWNERSHIP: 3.00
Threshold Quality 3.50
Average 3.50

Since there are over 500 reviews here at LT for this tome, I won't take the time to recap the plot. Suffice it to say, the storyline was extremely involved and wandered from several viewpoints and areas of the "realm".

I'd heard so much about this series, especially with the HBO adaption, that I guess I was a bit disappointed, maybe not because of the book itself but because it was so long and a bit hard to follow with all the strange names. I'm not going to dive into the next one right away, but I will read the next one sometime soon.

Challenge Book# 68

TITLE: The Storyteller ★★★
AUTHOR: Jodi Picoult
GENRE: General Fiction
SUBJECT: Holocaust survival
Setting: Westerbrook, NH, Auschwitz, Poland
CHARACTERS: Sage Singer, Leo Stein, Minka, Josef Weber
DATE READ: July 23 - July 29
NO. OF PAGES: 460
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: no, Public library

PLOT: 3.00
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.00
TOPICS: 4.00
STYLE: 3.00
ORIGINALITY: 3.00
ADDICTIVENESS: 2.50
OWNERSHIP: 2.50
Threshold Quality 3.00
Average 3.00

Sage Singer, an atheist of Jewish descent, works at a religious bakery. Having been scarred, she hides in the back and works during the night. One day she is introduced to an old man and they become friends. But here is where the story gets weird. Josef informs Sage that he was a Nazi SS officer and that wants her to kill him.

The story is also that of Sage's grandmother and her survival during the Holocaust as well as a story that her grandmother wrote during her youth and incarceration at Auschwitz.

At times, the stories were difficult to follow because they kept jumping back and forth.

The ladies in my book club rave about Jodi Picoult so we selected this one for July. I had read My Sister's Keeper but was not impressed so I was hoping that this one would be better. The story was okay but I felt that the characters were a bit stereotypical and lacked originality.

Challenge Book# 69

TITLE: Enon ★★½
AUTHOR: Paul Harding
GENRE: General Fiction
SUBJECT: loss of a child
Setting: Enon
CHARACTERS: Charlie Crosby, Susan Crosby, Kate Crosby
DATE READ: July 29 - July 31
NO. OF PAGES: 256
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: yes, ARC from Random House

PLOT: 2.50
CHARACTERIZATION: 2.50
TOPICS: 2.00
STYLE: 2.50
ORIGINALITY: 2.50
ADDICTIVENESS: 2.50
OWNERSHIP: 2.50
Threshold Quality 3.00
Average 2.50

13 year old Kate is killed while bicycling home from the beach. The reader follows the downward spiral of her father's life after this event.

I guess I was hoping that this would be an uplifting story of a father's love for a child lost too early in life. But, I only found a whiny character and a depressing story.

JULY Recap

I really thought that I would get loads of books read in July since I would be laid up after knee surgery but I forgot to factor in visiting relatives/nurses that distracted me from my reading and drug induced sleep didn't help my reading either.
But I did finally finish Game of Thrones (swore to myself I wasn't carrying that one forward again. I also had few highly rated books this month, I don't know if that was because of the pain or drugs.

Number of series brought current this month/year 1/13

Here are the books that I read this Month

Fireworks Over Toccoa 260
Lady Liberty 40
the Day the Falls Stood Still 298
Red Velvet Cupcake Murder 328
Daughter of the Sea 679
The Forgotten Presidents: Their Untold Constitutional Legacy 336
Game of Thrones 694
Enon 256
Storyteller 460

Best of the Month: Red Velvet Cupcake Murder
Worst of the Month Enon

Categories:
Acquisition: (New: 2 Pre-owned before 2013: 0 Borrowed: 6 ARC/ER: 1 Total: 9)
TIOLI - Books read : 9 Books read for TIOLI Challenges: 9 100%
E-books 2
ARDs (paperbooks) 6
Audiobooks 1

Non-Fiction
History 2
Biography/Memoir 0
Religion 0

Fiction
General Fiction 3
Cozy Mystery 1
Mystery 0
Young Adult/Fantasy 1
Historical Fiction 2

Personal Cataloging:

The book that kept me breathless: Daughter of the Sea
The mystery that I enjoyed reading the most: Red Velvet Cupcake Murder
Biggest disappointment: Enon
Book that gave the most smiles/laughs: Red Velvet Cupcake Murder
Book I wish I'd read sooner: none
Best Recommended book: none
The book with the most surprises: Daughter of the Sea
Most thought provoking book: Storyteller
Series book that has me wanting the next one NOW!: none
Best Audio book: Game of Thrones (only one)
Book I am still working on: Garment of Shadows
Book I'm glad I finished: Game of Thrones

Projected August Reads:

August will see the completion of not just my 75 book challenge but also my Category Challenge. I have only 6 books which works for both. The list to choose from is as long as usual, hopefully it is full of great reads. 15 books is really beyond my abilities but we'll see how many I can manage. ** are the ones that will finish my challenges.

The Arrangement
A Bride in the Bargain
A Deadly Cliché %
**A Discovery of Witches % ♫
Daughter of time
**Devil's Brood
**Garment of Shadows
The Golden Door
Heretic's Daughter
**The House at Riverton
**The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (LILIES)
The Marriage Bed
Seraphina
Strike from the Deep
**Through a Glass Darkly %♫

WE BOOKLOVERS WILL ALL ENJOY!

Challenge Book# 70

TITLE: Garment of Shadows ★★★¼
AUTHOR: Laurie R. King
GENRE: Mystery
SUBJECT: Amnesia, 3
Setting: Morroco
CHARACTERS: Sherlock Holmes, Mary Russell, Mahmoud Hazr, Ali Hazr
DATE READ: July 30 - August 3
NO. OF PAGES: 288
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: no, public library

PLOT: 3.50
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.00
TOPICS: 3.00
STYLE: 3.50
ORIGINALITY: 3.00
ADDICTIVENESS: 3.00
OWNERSHIP: 3.00
Threshold Quality 4.00
Average 3.25

This latest addition to the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes series picks up shortly after the end of Pirate King. Holmes has gone off on his own to explore leaving Mary to continue on with the film crew but upon his return he discovers that Mary is missing. Mary, in the meantime, has awoke in a strange place with amnesia.

Their combined adventures and reunion are thoroughly entertaining and remind the reader of the earlier books where Holmes and Russell collaborated so well and why their unusual marriage works.

I love any book that these two are in together, however, the plot did seem a bit thin this time but there were a few surprises.

Glad to hear you have been cleared to drive. I hope your PT is helpful.

My mom has recently gotten into reading Jodi Picoult and has been reading them back to back. I have only read one of hers which I thought was just ok.

Storyteller was the second Jodi Picoult book that I've read. Like you I only think it was okay, others I know, rave about her writing.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10101638469515877

This is a cute little video of two of my grandkids - it just makes me laugh right along with them!

Hi Cheli

Drat, my computer won't open the video of your two grandchildren. I'll try it from my work computer tomorrow.

Sending hugs!

I can't believe that the month is half over and I've only finished 1 book. I am reading two chunksters (860 pages and 881 pages), but I sure would like to finish another.

Cheli, I've slowed down this week with going back to work and the excitement of the new grandnephew. I think I've spent too much time on Facebook finding the photos on my nephew's and grandniece's pages and making sure I have them saved. I'm hoping I have time to finish one of my 2 remaining NetGalley books this weekend. Then I want to read some stuff I want to read. I have compiled a list of books I want to get to soon. I have a few of them identified as September reads. I'm also planning an excursion to a bookstore in a bit. It's a used bookstore with good prices already, but everything in the store is 40% off this weekend.

Lori, since I'm still recovering from my knee surgery (it's going well) the only book buying jaunts I've been able to make have been on the internet. It's probably better that way because 1) since I don't see a stack of books when I make my purchases, it doesn't seem like I'm buying as many 2) my husband doesn't see books piling up all around (I usually buy them on my Nook or get them free for my Kindle and 3) e-books are easier to hold in my arthritic hands.

Since I'm almost finished my main challenges, I made a list of books that I'd like to read for the rest of the year, but I'm sure that will change when some new and exciting book is mentioned somewhere else on LT. I also want to try to get my NetGalleys finished as well as Mr. Tutu's book read soon.

Enjoy your book buying but be sure to share what bargains you found!

I thoroughly enjoyed the book purchasing binge this morning. I've already posted the list!

Challenge Book# 71

TITLE: Devil's Brood ★★★★¼
AUTHOR: Sharon Kay Penman
GENRE: Historical Fiction
SUBJECT: Henry II's sons and their rebellions
Setting: England, France, Aquitaine
CHARACTERS: Henry II, Hal, Richard, Geoffrey, Eleanor
DATE READ: August 2 - August 20
NO. OF PAGES: 860
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: no, Nook

PLOT: 4.50
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.50
TOPICS: 4.00
STYLE: 4.00
ORIGINALITY: 4.25
ADDICTIVENESS: 4.25
OWNERSHIP: 3.50
Threshold Quality 4.00
Average 4.25

And we thought that kids nowadays got into trouble….

In this final installment of the story of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, we are given the account of their four rebellious and ungrateful sons as well as the flawed judgment of the father and mother. Each son (Hal, the young king, Richard - Duke of Aquitaine, Geoffrey, Duke of Brittany, and John) has grievances with the power that King Henry wields over the regions of his kingdom. Each wants the reins to be slackened and the management to be theirs but Henry cannot give up his domination over the lands and the brothers join together to wrest control away.

Normally in a story of this type there are heroes and villains, but not so here, probably because it is based on truth. We are dealing with flawed humans who not always are thinking or acting clearly but are passionate in their desires, selfish, exercising poor judgment or no judgment at all.

Henry could not understand why his sons would be so ungrateful as to rebel against his authority. He did not feel that they were mature enough to handle the reins of power, however, when they cited his experiences at the same age, he could not justify his delays to them. Henry's issues appeared to be with trust throughout his life - his father trusted him at an early age, but he could not trust his sons which only brought about the rebellions that repeatedly threatened his kingdom and his life. He could forgive many of those involved in the rebellion but the betrayal of his Queen Eleanor was the wound that he could not heal which only drove his sons farther away.

Not only is the reader treated to the historical accounts of the events of the reign of Henry II but we are also shown the driving forces of the other 2 sons - Hal, the young King, and Geoffrey the Duke of Brittany - who did not live to wear the crown of England. We know of Richard the Lionheart as well as evil King John, but rarely are we treated to such a personal look at the other two sons who frequently were in the forefront of the rebellions and the reasoning that drove the battles between father and sons.

The characters were brought to life so thoroughly on these pages that often I wanted to shake a few and say, what are you thinking? No matter what, the historical events of the 12th century depicted throughout this meticulously researched book, are woven spectacularly into a tale of a dysfunctional family worthy of 21st century reality TV.

stopping by to see how you are feeling.

sending love

Physical Therapy said that I was doing well so they decided it was time to increase my workouts so I'm pretty sore tonight. When I came home from PT I was so pooped, I fell asleep for several hours.
Tomorrow, I have the whole day free so I'm just going to take it easy.

I think I have at least one Penman book on my wish list. I will need to see if it is this one, or if I'm adding another book to what Stasia used to call her "Black Hole" (except that it would be mine instead of hers).

Just checked - it was the first in that series on my wish list. I suppose I'll eventually get to this third one.

I thought all three were good books.

Good Night Cheli

I hope your day was pain free.

Drugs do have their benefits.

Challenge Book# 72

TITLE: Discovery of Witches ★★★★
AUTHOR: Deborah Harkness
GENRE: Fantasy
SUBJECT: Witches, Vampires, Demons
Setting: England, France, New England
CHARACTERS: Diana Bishop, Matthew Clairmont, Sarah Bishop, Emily Mathur, Hamish Osborn, Ysabeau d'Clairmont
DATE READ: August 3 - August 22
NO. OF PAGES: 881
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: yes, audio stockpile

PLOT: 3.50
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.50
TOPICS: 3.50
STYLE: 3.50
ORIGINALITY: 3.50
ADDICTIVENESS: 3.00
OWNERSHIP: 3.00
Threshold Quality 4.00
Average 3.44

Diana Bishop is a witch but she avoids whenever possible using magic so had a PhD and doing research at Oxford was an interesting opening especially when she is confronted by a civilized vampire who wants to protect her from the other vampires and demons as well as the wicked witches.

This Young Adult book is very entertaining without the gore of normal attacks, etc. It also had some very interesting historical information throughout.

Good Evening!

Just found out that my newest granddaughter is arriving tomorrow!
Little Maddie Grace is coming a few weeks early - got my fingers crossed that everything goes well!

I'm sure you are excited. I was so eager with anticipation when my grandnephew was born recently.

Meet Miss Madeline Grace - my newest granddaughter who arrived this afternoon weighing in at 5lbs 8oz, 19" long and lots of dark hair.

Awww, so cute. Congrats, Cheli.

Cool!

Cute grandbaby! Congratulations!

What a sweetie! She looks so alert. Are mom and baby both doing ok?

the whole family is doing fine, thanks!

BIG BROTHER JACKSON WITH HIS NEWEST BABY SISTER

Challenge Book# 73

TITLE: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks ★★★½
AUTHOR: Rebecca Skloot
GENRE: Non Fiction
SUBJECT: tissue samples, question of consent, HELA cells
Setting: Baltimore, MD
CHARACTERS: Henrietta Lacks, George Gey, Deborah Lacks, Rebecca Skloot
DATE READ: August 23 - August 27
NO. OF PAGES: 619
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: no, public library

PLOT: 3.00
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.00
TOPICS: 3.50
STYLE: 3.50
ORIGINALITY: 4.50
ADDICTIVENESS: 3.00
OWNERSHIP: 3.00
Threshold Quality 3.00
Average 3.31

This book is a combination of the details of medical research using HELA cells and the life of the woman whose cells they were. Her family was never aware that her cells had been taken and were being used for massive research areas - polio, TB, etc. Her cancer cells which were taken from her in 1951 are still being used in research today. When the cells are placed in the proper medium they continue to grow.

One of the major points of interest in this book is the discussion of the question of consent. The author analyzes the ethical issues of using tissues without consent forms signed vs. the need of medical researchers needs to tissues for experimentation.

Recommended to those interested in the processes of medical research.

Love the photos, Cheli! Baby & big brother are both adorable.

Challenge Book# 74

TITLE: The Greatest Knight: The Unsung Story of the Queen's Champion ★★★½
AUTHOR: Elizabeth Chadwick
GENRE: Historical Fiction
SUBJECT: loyalty, honor
Setting: England, Normandy, France
CHARACTERS: William Marshall, Isabelle de Clare, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Henry II, Richard Lionheart
DATE READ: August 22 - August 31
NO. OF PAGES: 440
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: yes, Nook Stockpile

PLOT: 3.00
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.50
TOPICS: 4.00
STYLE: 4.00
ORIGINALITY: 3.50
ADDICTIVENESS: 4.00
OWNERSHIP: 3.00
Threshold Quality 3.00
Average 3.50

Having just read Sharon Kay Penman's trilogy about Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine where the reader meets William Marshall at the age of 5 and he continues in the background throughout, this book was extremely entertaining because of the background that is built by this other with the same history.

William Marshall here is shown as a man of chivalry, honor and loyalty as well as love for those of his family. Frequently, he story shows how he is torn between what he desires to and what he sees as the honorable thing and Chadwick's William Marshall always manages to make the right choice at the right time.

Challenge Book# 75

TITLE: My Brother's Book ★★★
AUTHOR: Maurice Sendak
DATE READ: August 31 - August 31
Book type: ARD
Category: This Magic Moment - (Drifters) - Fantasy/Young Adult


This tiny little book was filled with remarkable illustrations and a thoughtful and moving poem dedicated to the writer's brother.

AUGUST Recap

I can't believe that I actually have finished both my 75 book Challenge and my 2013 Category Challenge at the same time with the same book! I didn't manage to read many books this month because 3 of the books that I were over 600 pages so if I was reading regular size books I would have read 5 more books.

Number of series brought current this month/year 2/14

Here are the books that I read this Month

Garment of Shadows ...............................288
Devil's Brood..........................................881
A Discovery of Witches % ♫.......................860
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks...........619
Greatest Knight of All...............................440
My Brother's Book....................................41

So I still read over 3,000 pages just in a few books. I may have to start counting them as more than one book if they are over 400 pages.

Best of the Month: Devil's Brood
Worst of the Month nothing qualifies!

Categories:
Acquisition: (New: 1 Pre-owned before 2013: 1 Borrowed: 4 ARC/ER: 0 Total: 6)
TIOLI - Books read : 6 Books read for TIOLI Challenges: 6 100%
E-books 2
ARDs (paperbooks) 1
Audiobooks 3

Non-Fiction
History 0
Biography/Memoir 1
Religion 0

Fiction
General Fiction 0
Cozy Mystery 0
Mystery 1
Young Adult/Fantasy 2
Historical Fiction 2

Personal Cataloging:

The book that kept me breathless: Devil's Brood
The mystery that I enjoyed reading the most: Garment of Shadows
Biggest disappointment: My Brother's Book
Book that gave the most smiles/laughs: Garment of Shadows
Book I wish I'd read sooner: Greatest Knight of All
Best Recommended book: Devil's Brood
The book with the most surprises: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Most thought provoking book: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Series book that has me wanting the next one NOW!: Devil's Brood
Best Audio book: A Discovery of Witches % ♫
Book I am still working on: Through a Glass Darkly
Book I'm glad I finished: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Projected September Reads:
The list to choose from is as long as usual, hopefully it is full of great reads.
14 books is really beyond my abilities but we'll see how many I can manage.

Through a Glass Darkly %♫
Strike from the Deep
Gods of Newport (LILIES)
The Arrangement
A Killer Read %
Longboat Blues %
Bond of Passion %
Suffer the Little Children %♫
Messenger of Truth % ♫
Ivanhoe
Chesapeake Crimes
Dark Assassin %♫
A Deadly Cliché %
Murder on the Rocks %

Congratulations on finishing your challenge, Cheli! *Whoot, Whoot!*

Double congrats!

Congratulations, Cheli!

Congrats on finishing both challenges, Cheli!

Hey Cheli ~~ It's been a while since I've visited, so let me say a few congrats on your knee surgery recovery; your new grandson; and completing BOTH challenges! Wow! You've been just a little bit busy recently!

:)

Thanks, Tina.

I'm aiming for a ½challenge to finish the year - 38 books - 113 total for the year.

Here are the books that I'm hoping to read for this ½ challenge.
✔Through A Glass Darkly
1898 : the birth of the American century
A honest president
About Face %♫
Acceptable Loss % ♫
Age of betrayal : the triumph of money in America, 1865-1900
An Incomplete Revenge % ♫
Angels in the Fire
Bond of Passion %
Bookmarked For Death
Bran New Death
Chesapeake Crimes
Dark Assassin %♫
Daughter of Time: A Time Travel Romance
Deadly Cliché %
Disaster! : the great San Francisco earthquake and fire of 1906
Empty Mansions
Execution Dock %♫
Frozen Heat - November
Girl of His Dreams % ♫
Gods of Newport♫
Golden Door
Hope Factory
House at Riverton
I'll be seeing you
Ivanhoe %
Jack the Ripper
Killer Read %
Lesson in Secrets % ♫
Lies That Bind
Lionheart (October)
Longboat Blues %
Messenger of Truth % ♫
Murder on the Rocks %
No Nest for the Wicket
Owls Well That Ends Well
Path between the Seas - October %
Penguin Who Knew Too Much
Presidency of Benjamin Harrison
Question of Belief % ♫
Reliable Wife
Seraphina
Son of Neptune % ♫
Strike from the Deep
Suffer the Little Children %♫
Throne of Fire % ♫
Wedding Trap %
Wednesday Daughters
We'll Always Have Parrots

Little Maddie Grace napping with her big brother and sister.

Ohmigosh, that has to be the cutest photo ever, of the cutest little kiddos ever! I think the older kids are having a little trouble keeping their eyes closed, however. Wonderful photo!

Karen O.

Challenge Book# 76
Through a Glass Darkly ★★★
AUTHOR: Donna Leon
GENRE: Mystery
SUBJECT: Pollution, birth defects
Setting: Venice, Italy
CHARACTERS: Commissario Guido Brunetti, Signorina Elettra, Signor De Cal, Tassini
DATE READ: August 30 - September 6
NO. OF PAGES: 397
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: yes, Audio Stockpile

PLOT: 3.00
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.50
TOPICS: 3.00
STYLE: 3.00
ORIGINALITY: 3.00
ADDICTIVENESS: 3.00
OWNERSHIP: 3.00
Threshold Quality 4.00
Average 3.19

Commissario Brunetti continues to evolve as a crusader investigating where crimes may occurring before an official crime is reported.

This time on the island of Murano at the glass factories, has there been polluting gone unreported which may have caused a chi8ld to be born with severe defects? When the father who has been making such claims is found dead near one of the glass furnaces, Brunetti sets out to undercover the truth.

Challenge Book# 77

TITLE: Strike From the Deep ★★★¾
AUTHOR: Bob Branco
GENRE: Thriller
SUBJECT: modern day piracy
Setting: Indian Ocean, Gulf of Aden
CHARACTERS: Jason Stewart, Christine Johnson, Julie Davis, Paul McIntyre, Dave Curtis, Henri Moreau, Vladimir Porochenko,Alexei Yazov, Dmitry
DATE READ: September 1 - September 11
NO. OF PAGES: 297
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: yes, ARC from author

PLOT: 3.50
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.00
TOPICS: 4.00
STYLE: 3.50
ORIGINALITY: 4.50
ADDICTIVENESS: 4.00
OWNERSHIP: 4.00
Threshold Quality 3.75
Average 3.78

An international naval task force takes on Somalian pirates that have been capturing merchant ships carrying oil and natural gas and holding them for ransom. But now a new twist is inserted and the conflict gets more dangerous. The action is jolting grabbing the reader until the very end.

I loved the story but the beginning was a little too detailed causing the narrative to seem slow, but once the story gets moving, it grabs you until the end!

Oh my goodness, you have the cutest grandchildren! I love the photo of them sleeping.

Congrats on reaching your 75! Onwards and upwards!

>89 cyderry: awwwww, how sweet!

Awwwwww...That's such a cute picture!!!

I found the perfect prayer for me... Does this mean that I can wear my Grumpy T-shirt to church?

Cheli, what beautiful kids! It's easy to see the're related! And I love the sisters' matching flowers! You must be so proud. Well, and their parents, too, of course.

Challenge Book# 78

TITLE: The Arrangement ★★★★
AUTHOR: Mary Balogh
GENRE: Romance
SUBJECT: handicap adjustments
Setting: England
CHARACTERS: Vincent Hunt, Sophia Fry, Lord Trentham, Lady Trentham, Martin Fisk
DATE READ: September 11 - September 13
NO. OF PAGES: 366
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: yes, LT ER

PLOT: 3.00
CHARACTERIZATION: 4.00
TOPICS: 4.00
STYLE: 4.00
ORIGINALITY: 4.00
ADDICTIVENESS: 4.50
OWNERSHIP: 4.00
Threshold Quality 4.50
Average 4.00

Having a title and being wealthy overcomes even his blindness for Vincent Hunt , Lord Darleigh. Eager mamas work at manipulating it so that Vincent is forced to choose one of their daughters but when a wallflower saves him from a compromising position, Vincent feels obligated to rescue Sophia Fry when she is thrown out on the streets. Needing a wife to get an heir, and liking Sophia, Vincent decides that Sophia will fill the bill.

This book had an unusual story with a positive outlook at life. I kept waiting for the expected miracle cure, but the book showed that love was the miracle.

Challenge Book# 79

TITLE: Ivanhoe ★★★
AUTHOR: Sir Walter Scott
GENRE: Romance
SUBJECT: Normans vs. Saxons, Richard II reign
Setting: England
CHARACTERS: Ivanhoe, Cedric, Rowena, Sir Brian de Bois-Guilbert, Isaac the Jew, Rebecca, Prince John, Black Knight, Robin of Locklsley
DATE READ: September 12 - September 13
NO. OF PAGES: 532
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: yes, Nook stockpile

PLOT: 3.00
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.00
TOPICS: 3.00
STYLE: 2.50
ORIGINALITY: 2.50
ADDICTIVENESS: 2.50
OWNERSHIP: 3.00
Threshold Quality 3.00
Average 2.81

This historical fiction adventure story may have been sensational in the early 19th century but history has been told far better in the 20th century so the book doesn't really hold up well.

This tale of Normans vs. Saxons in the reign of Richard the Lionheart also showed the social division of the Christians vs. Jews. Broken into three sections, we see Ivanhoe at the tournament as a disinherited knight, the captivity of the major characters and the trial of the Jewess, Rebecca, for sorcery. The story was entertaining but not sensational.

I am a sucker for books by Mary Balogh...onto the WL The Arrangement goes. It will be perfect comfort reading someday!

She's one of my favorite authors too!
When I saw it in the ER books, I knew I had to ask for it!
Now I want to read the proposal which is the first the Survivors series.

Oh, what adorable grandchildren!

(I like Grumpy, too. ;)

Challenge Book#80

TITLE: Longboat Blues ★★★¼
AUTHOR: H. Terrell Griffin
GENRE: Mystery
SUBJECT: stolen identity, fugitives
Setting: Longboat Key, FL
CHARACTERS: Matt Royal, Logan Hamilton, Elizabeth Ferguson, Anne Dubose, Hale Rundel,
DATE READ: September 14 - September 15
NO. OF PAGES: 224
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: yes, Nook stockpile

PLOT: 3.50
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.50
TOPICS: 3.00
STYLE: 3.50
ORIGINALITY: 3.00
ADDICTIVENESS: 3.00
OWNERSHIP: 3.00
Threshold Quality 3.50
Average 3.25

Matt Royal was a high-powered attorney in Atlanta, when his world disintegrated when his wife left him. Deciding that the law wasn't for him anymore, he "retired" to Longboat Key in Florida. When his friend Logan is accused of murdering his sometimes girlfriend, Matt comes out of retirement to find the real murderer and save his friend.

I loved the story and the characters. I'm not sure whether the problems were in the editing or in the writing - grammar errors and spelling errors popped up every so often. Once I figured out what the writer intended, I was able to move forward. In the first book that I read which was later in this series, there were no problems, so I'm thinking editing.

I will definitely continue the series.

Challenge Book#81

TITLE: Dark Assassin ★★★¼
AUTHOR: Anne Perry
GENRE: Mystery
SUBJECT: underground sewers, dangers for workings
Setting: London, England
CHARACTERS: William Monk, Hester Monk, Sergeant Orme, Mary Havilland, Toby Argyll
DATE READ: September 14 - September 19
NO. OF PAGES: 352
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: yes, Audio stockpile

PLOT: 3.00
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.00
TOPICS: 3.50
STYLE: 3.50
ORIGINALITY: 3.00
ADDICTIVENESS: 3.00
OWNERSHIP: 3.00
Threshold Quality 3.50
Average 3.19

Monk has decided that the time has come of returning to the police force and has joined the River Police. While patrolling the river, Monk is witness to two young people falling off a bridge and their drownings being unable to reach them before their deaths.

Unsure whether it was a suicide, accident or murder/suicide, Monk investigates finding more dangers than anticipated because of the "apparent" suicide of the victim's father several months previous. Monk must address that death as well bringing him back into connection with Horace Runcorn, his previous superior on the police force.

The interaction between these two characters, the changes in their responses to each other, expanded these characters but other secondary characters (Monk's new subordinates)were left without being fully fleshed out.

Hopefully, the next installment will remedy what was lacking here.

Challenge Book#82

TITLE: Bond of Passion ★★★¼
AUTHOR: Bertrice Small
GENRE: Historical Fiction/Romance
SUBJECT: Scottish revolution
Setting: Scotland
CHARACTERS: Annabelle Baird, Angus Ferguson, Mary Queen of Scots, James Hepburn
DATE READ: September 16 - September 20
NO. OF PAGES: 432
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: yes, shelf stockpile

PLOT: 3.00
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.50
TOPICS: 3.50
STYLE: 3.50
ORIGINALITY: 3.00
ADDICTIVENESS: 3.00
OWNERSHIP: 3.50
Threshold Quality 3.00
Average 3.25

Annabelle is not a beautiful woman, but as the oldest of his daughters, she must be wed before three sisters and they must all be gone before their brother can take a wife. Annabelle's father is determined that her deficiencies will not hamper her prospects and bargains with the Earl of Duin, Angus Ferguson, to add a parcel of land to her dower if the Earl will take her for his wife.

After the ceremony, the two newlyweds work at becoming friends which brings their passions to a head and leads to adventures for both during these turbulent times in Scotland.

I liked the main characters but story and the secondary characters were a bit same old, same old, however, the steamy love scenes will always keep me coming back for more.

Challenge Book#83

TITLE: A Killer Read ★★★½
AUTHOR: Erika Chase
GENRE: Cozy Mystery
SUBJECT: Mystery book club
Setting: Ashton Corners, AL
CHARACTERS: Lizzie Turner, Molly Mathews, Sally Jo Baker, Mark Dreyfus, Amber Craig, Dwayne Trowl
DATE READ: September 21 - September 24
NO. OF PAGES: 283
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: yes, shelf stockpile

PLOT: 3.00
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.50
TOPICS: 3.75
STYLE: 3.50
ORIGINALITY: 4.00
ADDICTIVENESS: 3.50
OWNERSHIP: 3.00
Threshold Quality 3.75
Average 3.50

Lizzie Turner, a reading teacher, has returned to her hometown and with old friends has started a literacy group as well as a book group.

At the first group meeting they are interrupted by a stranger who later turns up dead. The police arrive and take it in their heads that one of the club members is the murderer so the club participants set out to solve the murder.

It was really fun to read this cozy especially since other real life cozies were quoted and talked about, even ones I've read.

I have to get ready for winter!

Yeah for you! You not only finished the challenge, but you are rapidly surpassing the 75 number.

I'm thinking of you and hoping your are having a pain free Sunday.

Challenge Book#84

TITLE: The Gods of Newport ★★½
AUTHOR: John Jakes
GENRE: Historical Fiction
SUBJECT: society standards, nouveau riche
Setting: Newport, RI
CHARACTERS: Sam Driver, Jenny Driver, Prince Molloy, Bill Brady, Mozart, Harry Lehr
DATE READ: September 18 - September 25
NO. OF PAGES: 480
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: yes, Audio stockpile

PLOT: 3.00
CHARACTERIZATION: 2.50
TOPICS: 2.50
STYLE: 3.00
ORIGINALITY: 2.50
ADDICTIVENESS: 2.00
OWNERSHIP: 2.00
Threshold Quality 2.50
Average 2.50

This was the story of Sam Driver and his daughter Jenny. Sam was a railroad baron who worked his way to being a millionaire at the turn of the century and ten set out to get his daughter accepted in polite society in Newport.

I thought this book would be a little bit better because John Jakes is known for his historical novels, but the characters were stereotypical and the story predictable.

Challenge Book#85

TITLE: The Wedding Trap ★★★
AUTHOR: Tracy Anne Warren
GENRE: Historical Fiction
SUBJECT: husband hunting
Setting: London, England, UK
CHARACTERS: Eliza Hammond, Violet Winter, Kit Winter, Lancelot Brevard, Philip Pettigrew
DATE READ: September 24 - September 30
NO. OF PAGES: 369
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: yes, Shelf stockpile

PLOT: 3.00
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.25
TOPICS: 3.00
STYLE: 3.00
ORIGINALITY: 3.00
ADDICTIVENESS: 3.00
OWNERSHIP: 3.00
Threshold Quality 3.00
Average 3.03

The last in the Trap series was fun, the story the same old story where the man falls in love without realizing it and the girl won't say anything because she doesn't want the guy to be forced into anything but he has to face the truth when the girl is in peril. Still FUN!

108 > LOL! Love it! Maybe that's why I've been stocking up on books lately . . .

The squirrel cartoon is very cute!

I just go a ER notification saying I won the new Laurie R. King book The Bones of Paris. The only thing is I don't remember requesting it. My old brain is turning into mush. Now I just have to find time to read it. I really don't think I requested it because I've been trying to stay away from getting anymore "must" reads until I finish the ones I already have. Oh, well, I'll just have to keep reading, such a hardship.

Funny - I also got notified about a win, but I was positive I had 'unrequested' all the books so I wouldn't be locked into anything else. I still haven't received the last two books from May and June!!! (although I got one of them from Net Galley and also a print version for the Maine program.) GO FIGAH.

Challenge Book#86

TITLE: Bran New Death ★★★★
AUTHOR: Victoria Hamilton
GENRE: Cozy Mystery
SUBJECT: inheritences, missing persons
Setting: Autumn Vale, NY
CHARACTERS: Merry Winter, Binny Turner, Shilo Dinnegan, Gogi Grace, Tom Turner, Dinah Hooper, Jack McGill
DATE READ: September 29 - October 4
NO. OF PAGES: 304
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: yes,NetGalley

PLOT: 4.00
CHARACTERIZATION: 4.00
TOPICS: 3.50
STYLE: 4.00
ORIGINALITY: 4.00
ADDICTIVENESS: 4.00
OWNERSHIP: 3.50
Threshold Quality 4.00
Average 3.88

How many of us have a relative that we vaguely remember who would leave us an inheritance that consists of a castle and a forest? Not too many, but Merry Winter has finally headed to Autumn Vale to see what her Uncle has left her so that she can sell and move on with her life.

However, the people she meets in this quanit little town are far from normal or friendly so Merry is delighted when she is joined by her best friend, Shilo, and the two begin to prepare the castle for sale only to be disturbed by a nightly hole digger who ends up dead in one of the holes.

The story was interesting because all the while new characters are introduced the background of the area and the mystery are being revealed.

Looking forward to the next one!

#117 You tell 'em, Sister!

Gotta love Maxine. I think she's a friend of Margaret and Helen

I love Maxine but the creator obviously doesn't fact check. Makes for a cute story though.

Phew - catching up. I've been moving around the world a bit, and have been on a go-slow re LT and reading over the past few months.

Sorry I missed your surgery, but looks like it went well. I assume you & your mum are out of the woods now?

Congratulations on your (first) 75! Belatedly

Love the photos of the grand-kids.

Maxine is the bomb! Always good for a chuckle.

Happy fifth Thingaversary, Cheli!

Happy Thingaversary, Cheli. What 6 books are you picking up?

Happy Thingaversary to you . . .
Happy Thingaversary to you . . .
Happy Thingaversary, dear Cheli . . .
Happy Thingaversary to you . . . and many more!

Happy Thingaversary! Can we expect to see the list of Thingaversary books soon?

Does anybody have any suggestions of some great cozies that I might want to get for my Thingaversary purchases?

I liked That Old Flame of Mine by J.J. Cook. I don't think you've read that one.

How about Cloche and Dagger, by Jenn McKinlay, which is the first book in a third series from that author, besides the cupcake books and the library lovers series.

I just found out that it is National Dessert Day!
I am so there! After spending the afternoon shopping for a new refrigerator, I could definitely use some dessert!

Chocolate Chip cookie pizza here I come!

I am woefully behind on reviews so I am hopefully going to be catching in the next few hours. Cross your fingers for me.

Challenge Book#87

TITLE: Messenger of Truth ★★★½
AUTHOR: Jacqueline Winspear
GENRE: Cozy Mystery
SUBJECT: accidents, art
Setting: London, England UK
CHARACTERS: Maisie Dobbs, Billy Beale, Georgina Bassington-Hope, Piers B-H, Emma B-H, Noelle Grant, Harry B-H, Richard Stratton, Duncan Haywood
DATE READ: September 30 - October 5
NO. OF PAGES: 336, 11¼ hrs.
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: yes,Audio stockpile

PLOT: 3.50
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.50
TOPICS: 3.50
STYLE: 3.50
ORIGINALITY: 3.50
ADDICTIVENESS: 3.50
OWNERSHIP: 3.50
Threshold Quality 3.50
Average 3.50

In this 4th installment of Maisie Dobbs, we see the main character addressing not only the mystery of the death of an artist ruled an accident but suspicious in the eyes of his twin but we see Maisie acting to aid Billy as he and his family face financial and emotional difficulties.

The comparison of the emotions of the Beale family and the higher class Bassington-Hope family leads Maisie to examine her own feelings and the reader sees her growth not just as a woman but as an investigator.

Great addition to the series.

Hi Cheli!

The Winspear series is one I've negected for far too long. I need to be getting back to that one.

Challenge Book#88

TITLE: Gilt Trip ★★★½
AUTHOR: Laura Childs
GENRE: Cozy Mystery
SUBJECT: revenge, prospecting, society
Setting: New Orleans, LA
CHARACTERS: Carmela Bertrand, Ava Gruiex, Margo Leland, Jerry Earl Leland, Eric Zane, Bobby Gallant
DATE READ: October 4 - October 8
NO. OF PAGES: 320
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: ARC from the author

PLOT: 3.50
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.50
TOPICS: 3.50
STYLE: 3.50
ORIGINALITY: 3.50
ADDICTIVENESS: 3.50
OWNERSHIP: 3.50
Threshold Quality 3.50
Average 3.50

Carmela (after creating the invites) is attending the Welcome Home party that Margo Leland is throwing for her ex-con husband Jerry Earl. Then while looking for the bathroom Carmela stumbles upon Jerry Earl dead in the clothes dryer.

Pressured by the widow, Carmela starts her own investigation which has a few unconventional twists and turns, while enlivened with the flavor of New Orleans.

This was the latest in The Scrapbooking series and I have to say it is the best so far. The main characters (Carmela and Ava) continue to bring New Orleans to life while chasing after the bad guys!

Glad to hear it's the best one. I love the tea shop series and the Cackleberry Club series but the scrapbooking one is only ok for me.

I think I still need to read last year's installment.

Challenge Book#89

TITLE: The King's Hounds ★★★½
AUTHOR: Martin Jensen
GENRE: Historical Mystery
SUBJECT: inheritances, political unrest
Setting: Medieval England
CHARACTERS: Winston, Halfdan, Cnut, Tonild, Osfrid, Thorkell
DATE READ: October 9 - October 12
NO. OF PAGES: 272
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: yes, NetGalley

PLOT: 3.50
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.00
TOPICS: 3.50
STYLE: 3.50
ORIGINALITY: 4.00
ADDICTIVENESS: 3.50
OWNERSHIP: 3.00
Threshold Quality 4.00
Average 3.50


In this new medieval mystery series, Cnut of Denmark in 1018 has conquered the Saxons and is in the process of unifying England. The country is still unsettled so when a nobleman is found murdered, the king selects a Dane, Halfdan, and a Saxon, Winston, to investigate and find the murderer.

Cnut gives them 3 days to determine whodunit knowing that he is sending them into a powder keg.

The characters and situations were entertaining and kept this reader's interest throughout. Looking forward to the next in this series.

Challenge Book#90

TITLE: Peach Pies and Alibis ★★★★½
AUTHOR: Ellery Adams
GENRE: Cozy Mystery
SUBJECT: poisonings, magical powers
Setting: Havenwood, GA
CHARACTERS: Ella Mae LeFaye, Adelaide LeFaye, Delia LeFaye, Verena Hewitt, Cecelia LeFaye, Reba, Loralyn Gaynor, Hugh Dylan, Maurelle, Freda Shaw, Sloan Ketteridge
DATE READ: October 13 - October 13
NO. OF PAGES: 265
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: no, new on Nook

PLOT: 4.00
CHARACTERIZATION: 4.00
TOPICS: 4.50
STYLE: 4.50
ORIGINALITY: 4.50
ADDICTIVENESS: 4.50
OWNERSHIP: 5.00
Threshold Quality 5.00
Average 4.50

The Charmed Pie Shoppe series is that definitely - absolutely charming! Ella Mae has finally been awakened to her substantial powers and just at the right time. The Lady of the Ash has to be replaced at the Harvest festival but all of the candidates seem to be dying from food poisoning.

Purchasing a used vehicle from the Artisan Cheese makers in the area, Ella Mae is introduced to a bride ad groom and drafted to cater their small wedding as well as finding a young woman to work in her pie shoppe.

The harvest festival yields numerous surprises and a bit of unforeseen heartache.

Definitely looking forward to the next installment!

Too bad that Peachy book isn't a share...
but then I really don't need another series.

The medieval mystery series sounds interesting. I'll keep my eye out for that one.

Tomorrow is National Nut Day

Do they mean this


or this???

Just spent the afternoon cleaning up my Nook, archiving the books I've read.

**Sigh** I still have 199 books that I haven't gotten to, and only 36 on the shelf for 2014.
I think I need to take a speed reading class!

Cheli> I try to remember to clean my Kindle as I go so that I don't have to remember. I still have tons of unread books or book excerpts there, but I'm whittling it down. Of course I will have a Kindle version of The Beautiful Mystery arriving on my Kindle soon, but it will go into a "read" folder since I read the library's copy. It was just too good of a deal to pass up at $1.40 for an author I love so much.

Challenge Book#91

TITLE: Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World ★★¾
AUTHOR: Alison Weir
GENRE: History
SUBJECT: compromise, family
Setting: England
CHARACTERS: Elizabeth of York, Henry VII, Edward IV, Richard III, Margaret Beaufort, Prince Arthur, Prince Henry, Katherine of Aragon
DATE READ: October 14 - October 26
NO. OF PAGES: 608
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: yes, NetGalley

PLOT: 3.00
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.00
TOPICS: 2.50
STYLE: 2.50
ORIGINALITY: 2.50
ADDICTIVENESS: 2.50
OWNERSHIP: 3.00
Threshold Quality 3.00
Average 2.75

The War of the Roses - House of York with its white rose and the House of Lancaster with its red rose - was brought to an end when Henry Tudor married Elizabeth of York. Elizabeth was the oldest daughter of Edward IV of York while Henry Tudor was the only son of Margaret Beaufort of Lancaster.

This book told the story of Elizabeth's life starting as the daughter of the king and following her through her marriage to Henry Tudor and her life as the mother of the future of the British monarchy.

I was really looking forward to reading about Elizabeth's life and I did get some of what I was expecting but the writing was inundated with list after list of expenses, people, places so much so that the narrative was frequently disrupted.

Disappointing, so I can't recommend it.

I think I'll skip that one for the moment.

Cheli....was this one fiction or not?

Non fiction - I was very disappointed. :-(

It sounds disappointing. List after list? Ugh.

yes, list after list. For instance, one list was all the items that were packed when she was travelling from one spot to another. Another list, was the different areas that she went on progress - at least 15 places. Then there was the list of food at the coronation. Just about each chapter had a list of some kind. I began to think that she was being paid by the word. Then she would also include the amount that was paid for each item on the list and she included a conversion to today's values anytime there was a value i.e. nanny was paid £48 (£1620)- that's just a for instance not actual. I like details, but his was just too much.

Mercy! Thanks for taking one for the team, Cheli. That's one book I can definitely avoid wasting time on.

Just ran/read quickly through this thread, Cheli. Lots of wonderful reading and congratulations on the successful knee surgery.

Thanks, Gail, for stopping by. I've been in a bit of a reading funk - stuck on a bunch of fatties - 3 of the last 4 books I've been reading wre over 600 pages. I think I try any easy one next.

I'm putting myself on notice - I am 3 weeks behind /5 reviews. I need to get these done. No plans today except for the repairman, so no reading allowed until the reviews are done.

We'll be looking forward to your posts, Cheli!

obviously, you didn't go to Mom's.....at least you have a day of relative piece of quiet to look forward to. We'll chat later....I'm off to do last shop before trip. I refuse to shop anyplace in the week before T=giving.

Challenge Book#92

TITLE: The Path Between The Seas ★★★½
AUTHOR: David McCullough
GENRE: History
SUBJECT: engineering, yellow fever, railroad advancements
Setting: Panama, France, USA
CHARACTERS: Ferdinand deLesseps, Gustave Eiffel, Sen Mark Hanna, Theodore Roosevelt, John Stephens, James J Hill
DATE READ: October 7 - October 31
NO. OF PAGES: 698, 32 discs
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: yes, audio stockpile

PLOT: 3.50
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.00
TOPICS: 4.00
STYLE: 3.50
ORIGINALITY: 3.50
ADDICTIVENESS: 3.00
OWNERSHIP: 3.50
Threshold Quality 4.00
Average 3.50

This epic story of the construction of the Panama Canal, "the greatest engineering feat of all time", begins with the struggles of the French plans with its shortcomings and ends with the success of the United Sates endeavors to cut a corridor from the Pacific to the Atlantic.

The details are tremendous telling how the French first decided to start the project after their success with the Suez Canal. The French were granted a concession by the Colombian government (then owners of Panama) to start the construction.

Lacking engineering expertise on the team and coupled with the difficulties with the terrain and malaria/yellow fever, the French were doomed to failure.

However, the US had its own issues with a preliminary project due to the political atmosphere. The US, with military recommendations pointing toward another site in Nicaragua, not Panama.

When Colombia rejected United States plans to build a canal across the Isthmus of Panama, the U.S. supported a revolution that led to the independence of Panama in 1903 who ceded control of the Panama Canal Zone to the US, which took over the Panama sites in 1904.

The efforts made in the next 10 years included the building of 4 dams and creation 2 man-made lakes. Research and studies have shown that even with today's technical advances, the construction couldn't have been any faster.

What a fascinating project and thoroughly enlightening story told by a master storyteller.

On a personal note, having taken a cruise through the canal with my sisters and parents, this book brought back lovely memories to this reader.

I'm still in a reading funk. I suppose it could have something to do with everything else that is going on... Mom in the hospital, preparations/decorating for the holidays, change in the weather/time... can't seem to concentrate on any particular book...can't even work myself up to writing the reviews for the books I have read and they were mostly good.

I owe reviews on

Suffer the Little Children
Lionheart
Son of Neptune
Light between the Oceans my favorite book for the year so far
In the Shadow of Wounded Knee didn't grab me

I have great books selected just don't feel like reading and I need to finish my holiday shopping swiftly.

I can empathise. Hope you're mum recovers quickly.

Cheli, I don't have a fraction of the stuff on my plate as what you're dealing with, and I'm in a bit of a reading funk anyway.

I really do hope and pray that your mother has an uneventful and reasonably quick recovery!

Even if you haven't posted the reviews, I'm glad to know The Light Between the Oceans was your favorite of the year to date. It's on my TBR list. I may have to bump it up!

Challenge Book#93

TITLE: Lionheart ★★★½
AUTHOR: Sharon Kay Penham
GENRE: Historical Fiction
SUBJECT: Crusades, Christianity
Setting: Sicily, Palestine,
CHARACTERS: Richard I - the LionHearted, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Joanna of Sicily, Phillipe of France, Berengaria of Navarre, Henri of Champagne, Conrad of Montferrat, Hugh Duke of Burgundy, Saladin
DATE READ: October 29 - November 14
NO. OF PAGES: 665
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: yes, audio stockpile

PLOT: 3.00
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.50
TOPICS: 3.50
STYLE: 3.50
ORIGINALITY: 4.00
ADDICTIVENESS: 3.50
OWNERSHIP: 3.50
Threshold Quality 3.50
Average 3.50

Eleanor of Aquitaine, a "barren queen" for Louis of France bore 4 sons for Henry II. The most notable and her favorite was Richard known as the Lionheart. After his older brother Hal's and his father's deaths, Richard became the King of the England and ruled Normandy, Aquitaine, and all the other little duchies that Henry had amassed as well but Richard was a warrior and had pledged to take the Cross and liberate Jerusalem.

Shortly after he was crowned, Richard, along with Phillipe of France, headed toward the Holy Land. He stopped in Sicily, liberated his widowed sister, married his bride from Navarre, captured Cyprus, and freed Acre once in the Holy Land. Single-minded in his quest, this skilled battle commander recklessly endangered himself to protect his own forces throughout numerous battles.

However, Richard was no diplomat and quickly alienated not only his ally, Phillipe of France, but also Conrad of Montferrat (new King of Jerusalem) and Hugh Duke of Burgundy.

Unfortunately, without the complete support of the other Christian commanders, Richard was unable to fully liberate Jerusalem from he Muslim control and was forced to a peace where the Holy Land was open to Christians but still occupied by Muslims.

This was a fascinating story filing in the portion of Richard's life that was engrossed by his quest to free the Holy Land. Very few books that I have read deal with this time in his life and I was completely engrossed.

Did you see that there's a Penman ER book this month?

Yep, it's the only one I asked for.

Challenge Book#94

TITLE: Suffer the Little Children ★★★
AUTHOR: Donna Leon
GENRE: mystery
SUBJECT: baby trafficking
Setting: Venice, Italy
CHARACTERS: Guido Bruneti, Inspector Vianello, Dr. Pedrolli
DATE READ: November 1 - November 9
NO. OF PAGES: 288
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: yes, audio stockpile

PLOT: 3.00
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.00
TOPICS: 3.00
STYLE: 3.00
ORIGINALITY: 3.00
ADDICTIVENESS: 3.00
OWNERSHIP: 3.00
Threshold Quality 3.00
Average 3.00

This Brunetti installment begins with a late night raid on a home where an apparent illegally adopted child resides. Brunetti's investigation delves into the morality of unwanted children being "sold" for adoption.

Ms Leon takes the reader through the corruption in the medical records arena and leaves the reader wondering if the illegal adoptions are really wrong.

Another enjoyable installment.

Great review of The Path Between The Seas. I loved McCullough's book John Adams but I haven't yet read anything else by him. This looks like a prime candidate!

I hope your book funk is easing a bit and that your mom is doing ok.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

Thank you everyone for your prayers and good wishes for my Mom. Apparently the God Lord decided that He had heard enough and has decided that we deserve an answer of YES! Mom is finally scheduled to be released and sent home on Monday the 23rd. She will be home for Christmas!

We've found a service that will give her the assistance that she needs when she gets home - personal care as well as cooking and housekeeping. What a relief.

Thank you all again for your support!

Fantastic news!

Great news Cheli! Amen! Home for the Holidays.

Great news, Cheli!

Excellent news.

In happy hopes that 2014 will bring ever greater pleasures to your reading world, Cheli:



Celebrate the return of the light with feasts, merriment, and gratitude for all the wonders of this wide green earth.

RMD

Challenge Book#95

TITLE: Son of Neptune ★★★¼
AUTHOR: Rick Riordan
GENRE: Fantasy
SUBJECT: Roman mythology
Setting: California, Alaska
CHARACTERS: Percy Jackson, Frank Zhang, Hazel Levesque, Juno, Orion
DATE READ: November 11 - November 18
NO. OF PAGES: 521
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: yes, audio stockpile

PLOT: 3.50
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.50
TOPICS: 3.00
STYLE: 3.00
ORIGINALITY: 3.50
ADDICTIVENESS: 3.50
OWNERSHIP: 3.00
Threshold Quality 3.00
Average 3.25

Percy Jackson reappears minus his memory and is directed by an elderly lady, who turns out to be Juno, to Camp Jupiter were Percy is befriended by a pair of misfits (demigods of Hades and Ares). They are sent on a quest to free Thantos and save the world from Gaea.

The special powers of both Hazel and Frank added to Percy's, aid the trio in the travels and combats.

What fun!

Just dropping by to wish you for the festive season, Chèli, and the very best for 2014 to you and your family.

Best wishes to you, Cheli!


glitter-graphics.com

Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!!

Challenge Book#96

TITLE: Light Between the Oceans ★★★★½
AUTHOR: M. L. Stedman
GENRE: Fiction
SUBJECT: post partum depression, isolation, child bonding
Setting: Janus Island, Australia
CHARACTERS: Tom Sherbourne, Isabel Sherbourne, Lucy Sherbourne, Hannah Roennfeldt
DATE READ: November 14 - November 20
NO. OF PAGES: 324
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: no, New Nook

PLOT: 4.50
CHARACTERIZATION: 4.50
TOPICS: 4.50
STYLE: 5.00
ORIGINALITY: 4.00
ADDICTIVENESS: 5.00
OWNERSHIP: 4.50
Threshold Quality 4.00
Average 4.50

Tom Sherbourne went to war and when he returned his spirit was scarred by what he'd seen and done but he met Isabel and their spirits touched. He was the lighthouse keeper on Janus Island and after their wedding they returned to this isolated locale.

Isabel suffered several miscarriages and one stillborn so when a small boat washed ashore with a dead man and a small baby, Isabel immediaely ook the child to her heart and cajoled Tom to allow her to keep it and pass it off as her own.

However, when they accidently determine that the child's mother is still searching for her child, the Sherbournes are in a quandary.

This story was so profound that often though I couldn't stay awake to read it, I couldn't go to sleep either. It was beautiful written with well-defined character and situations that were very believable.

My favorite of the year!

I hope you had a magical Christmas, Cheli!

Challenge Book#97

TITLE: In the Shadow of Wounded Knee ★★½
AUTHOR: Dan Kurzman
GENRE: History
SUBJECT: Indian Wars
Setting: Dakotas
CHARACTERS: Red Cloud, Plenty Horses, Spotted Tail, Richard Pettigrew,Sitting Bull
DATE READ: November 16 - November 29
NO. OF PAGES: 302
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: no, library

PLOT: 2.50
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.00
TOPICS: 2.50
STYLE: 2.50
ORIGINALITY: 2.50
ADDICTIVENESS: 3.00
OWNERSHIP: 2.00
Threshold Quality 2.00
Average 2.50


This book recapped the final era of the Indian Wars before the Indians were placed on the reservations permanently. The information was there but difficult to digest.

Challenge Book#98

TITLE: Throne of Fire ★★★
AUTHOR: Rick Riordan
GENRE: Fantasy
SUBJECT: Egyptian gods
Setting: Egyptian underworld
CHARACTERS: Carter Kane, Sadie Kane, Walt Stone, Bast, Horus
DATE READ: November 23 - December 11
NO. OF PAGES: 452
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: yes, audio stockpile

PLOT: 3.00
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.00
TOPICS: 3.00
STYLE: 3.00
ORIGINALITY: 3.00
ADDICTIVENESS: 3.00
OWNERSHIP: 3.00
Threshold Quality 3.00
Average 3.00


The second installment of the Kane Chronicles picks up immediately following the first and carries on the tale of the efforts of Carter and Sadie Kane to prevent Apophis, the serpent god of Chaos, from breaking free and devouring the world.

The stories are fun mainly because of the unusual creatures that Carter and Sadie are pitted against as well as aided by.

Challenge Book#99

TITLE: Disaster!: The Great San Francisco Earthquake & Fire of 1906 ★★★½
AUTHOR: Dan Kurzman
GENRE: History
SUBJECT: Earthquake, fires, early 20th century emergency support
Setting: San Francisco, CA
CHARACTERS: Enrico Caruso, John Barrymore, General Funston, Dennis Sullivan, Amadeo Giannani, Eugene Schmitz
DATE READ: December 1 - December 12
NO. OF PAGES: 256
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: no, library

PLOT: 4.00
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.00
TOPICS: 3.50
STYLE: 4.00
ORIGINALITY: 3.00
ADDICTIVENESS: 3.50
OWNERSHIP: 3.50
Threshold Quality 3.50
Average 3.50

In April 1906 just as Fire Chief Sullivan is ready to make a presentation asking for more modern equipment, a 8.3 earthquake rocks the area destroying the water main system. The fires which are results of the gas main ruptures rage out of control for days because there is no water to douse them.

The army was deployed to battle looting but often after the Mayor gave orders that anyone caught raiding could be shot, often place anyone in danger whether they were looting or not.

Numerous notable personages were in San Francisco at the time of the earthquake/fires - Enrico Caruso, John Barrymore, Del Crespi (future major league pitcher). The author took personal stories

This book really had my attention with the small stories telling of various survivors at the same time telling of the devastation -135 aftershocks, 490 city blocks, 28,000 buildings were leveled.

Challenge Book#100

TITLE: Good King Wenceslas ★★★★
AUTHOR: Jane Seymour
GENRE: religious
SUBJECT: story of the Christmas Carol
Setting: Europe
CHARACTERS: King Wenceslas, page, peasant
DATE READ: December 12 - December 12
NO. OF PAGES: 20
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: no, library

PLOT: 3.00
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.50
TOPICS: 4.50
STYLE: 4.50
ORIGINALITY: 4.00
ADDICTIVENESS: 4.00
OWNERSHIP: 5.00
Threshold Quality 3.50
Average 4.00

This was a picture book that showed the story surrounding the Christmas Carol "Good King Wenceslas". The bonus was the DVD with Jane Seymour reading the book with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing. This will be a re-read for me every Christmas.

Challenge Book#101

TITLE: A Nantucket Christmas ★★★★
AUTHOR: Nancy Thayer
GENRE: fiction
SUBJECT: divorce and family
Setting: Nantucket, MA
CHARACTERS: Nicole Somerset, Sebastian Somerset, Kennedy, Maddox, Katya
DATE READ: December 12 - December 14
NO. OF PAGES: 209
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: yes, NetGalley

PLOT: 3.00
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.50
TOPICS: 3.50
STYLE: 3.50
ORIGINALITY: 4.00
ADDICTIVENESS: 3.50
OWNERSHIP: 3.50
Threshold Quality 3.50
Average 3.50

A lovely little Christmas story where a divorced father remarries and has his married pregnant daughter and her son and spouse to his home in Nantucket. When a Christmas Eve storm pops up and Maddox, the little boy disappears, well, you can imagine.

I'm so glad you liked Good King Wenceslas

Happy New Year!!!!

Challenge Book#102

TITLE: Angels at the Table ★★★½
AUTHOR: Debbie Macomber
GENRE: fiction
SUBJECT: romance and angels
Setting: New York City
CHARACTERS: Lucye Farrara, Aren Fairchild, Wendy Farrara, Shirley, Goodness, Mercy, Will, Gabriel
DATE READ: December 13 - December 17
NO. OF PAGES: 212
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: no, Library audio

PLOT: 3.00
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.50
TOPICS: 3.50
STYLE: 3.50
ORIGINALITY: 4.00
ADDICTIVENESS: 3.50
OWNERSHIP: 3.50
Threshold Quality 3.50
Average 3.50

A cute little Christmas story with reminders of two Cary Grant films centered at the holidays. We have angels helping a relationship that may be in danger (Bishop's Wife) and miscommunication/meeting at the Empire State Building (An Affair to Remember). Love always prevails at Christmas.

Challenge Book#103

TITLE: Murder on the Rocks ★★★¼
AUTHOR: Karen MacInerney
GENRE: cozy mystery
SUBJECT: romance and angels
Setting: Cranberry Island
CHARACTERS: Natalie Barnes, Bernard Katz, Estelle Katz, Ogden Wilson, Barbara Eggleby
DATE READ: December 15 - December 19
NO. OF PAGES: 208
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: yes, Nook Stockpile

PLOT: 3.00
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.00
TOPICS: 3.00
STYLE: 3.50
ORIGINALITY: 3.00
ADDICTIVENESS: 3.50
OWNERSHIP: 3.50
Threshold Quality 3.50
Average 3.25

The first installment in a new series - the characters and location were very enjoyable, however story was a bit ordinary. I'll try the second soon to see if it was just the intro of the characters and setting that held off the story.

Challenge Book#104

TITLE: Reunion with Death ★★★¼
AUTHOR: Sheila Connolly
GENRE: cozy mystery
SUBJECT: class reunion, old professors
Setting: Italy
CHARACTERS: Laura, Cynthia, Jean Jane, Barbara, Gerry, Professor Gilbert
DATE READ: December 22 - December 28
NO. OF PAGES: 214
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: yes, NetGalley ARC

PLOT: 3.00
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.00
TOPICS: 3.00
STYLE: 3.50
ORIGINALITY: 3.00
ADDICTIVENESS: 3.50
OWNERSHIP: 3.50
Threshold Quality 3.50
Average 3.25

Laura has decided that since her daughter is grown and she is on her own, she will go on the trip to Tuscany for the Reunion of her college class. Reunited with her old roommate, things turn a bit strange when an old professor from the college is invited and then turns up dead.

Laura and Cynthia work to discover which of their classmates was responsible while keeping everyone in the dark that the death was murder and not an accident.

Very interesting ending.

Challenge Book#105

TITLE: Good Night, Maryland ★★★★
AUTHOR: Adam Gamble
GENRE: children
SUBJECT: Maryland
Setting: Maryland
CHARACTERS:
DATE READ: December 28 - December 28
NO. OF PAGES: 20
Off the Shelf (pre-2013)? Source?: no, grandchildren's

PLOT: 3.00
CHARACTERIZATION: 3.00
TOPICS: 3.00
STYLE: 3.50
ORIGINALITY: 3.00
ADDICTIVENESS: 3.50
OWNERSHIP: 3.50
Threshold Quality 3.50
Average 3.25

This was a board book that showed a number of items of interest for the kids - paddle boats in the harbor, the Baltimore Oriole bird, blue crabs, National Aquariam, RR museum. All things that I can show my grandchildren when they come to visit. The book will be a good reminder of what they can see until they get here!

YEAH! I GOT ALL MY BOOKS REVIEWED BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR!

Excellent!

Nanny Nanny noo noo

>188 cyderry:: Congratulations!

Well, I still haven't finished mine. I'm very slowly doing the rounds to wish everyone for the new year.

Well, I finally got all my numbers together.

RECAP OF 2013

Total books read in 2013: 105
Total pages read in 2013: 38,331
READ OUR OWN TOMES Challenge: 83/105
Euro Challenge: 2
US State Challenge: 0
Presidential Challenge: 1

CLASSICS: 5
MYSTERIES: 47
FANTASY: 8
GENERAL FICTION: 15
HISTORY: 7
HISTORICAL FICTION: 8
MEMOIR: 1
GRAPHIC NOVELS: 2
ROMANCE: 8
NON-FICTION: 4


AUDIO: 32
E-BOOK: 38
ARDs: 35

First in a series: 11
Second in a series: 16
Third in a series: 5
Continuing a series: 18
Number of series brought current: 13

TBRs 1/1/2013:..................434
Books read from TBR:...........83
Books added to TBR:............90
New books read:.................22
Balance:..........................419


Librarybooks/borrowed Books read: 16
Free Books: 23
GroupReads: 14


The book that kept me breathless: Light Between The Oceans
The mystery that I enjoyed reading the most: Peach Pies and Alibis
Biggest disappointment: Elizabeth of York
Book that gave the most smiles/laughs: Bring on the Blessings
Book I wish I'd read sooner: There is a Season recommended by tututhefirst
Best Recommended book: Good King Wenceslas recommended by whisper1
The book with the most surprises: Manifest Injustice: The True Story of a Convicted Murderer
Most thought provoking book: Light Between The Oceans
Series book that has me wanting the next one NOW!: Peach Pies and Alibis
Best Audio book: The Shifting Tide
Book I am still working on: An Honest President
Book I'm glad I finished: Game of Thrones

Most memorable Read Good Night, Maryland - read with my Grandson and granddaughter
Prettiest Cover A Nantucket Christmas


FAVORITE OF THE YEAR: Light Between The Oceans

Well, now I can officially close out 2013. Now onto 2014.