Cindy/LibraryCin's 2016 Challenges

Will likely not get my actual challenges posted till tomorrow, Jan. 2, as I am still wrapping up 2015! But, welcome to my thread.

1. Play Book Tag
1. The Monuments Men / Robert M. Edsel. 3.5 stars
2. The Secret Adversary / Agatha Christie. 2 stars
3. My Life With Autism / Temple Grandin. 3.5 stars
4. The Raft / S.A. Bodeen. 4 stars
5. To Kill a Mockingbird / Harper Lee. 3.5 stars
6. Danse Macabre / Stephen King. 3 stars
7. The Man Who Made Lists / Joshua Kendall. 3 stars
8. As You Wish / Cary Elwes. 4 stars
9. Born of Illusion / Teri Brown. 4.5 stars
10. The Lady Elizabeth / Alison Weir. 4 stars
11. The Sunne in Splendour / Sharon Kay Penman. 3.5 stars
12. A Cat Named Squeeky / Vic Reskovic. 4.5 stars
_____________________________________________________
13. Leaping Beauty and Other Animal Fairy Tales / Gregory Maguire. 3 stars
14. M is for Magic / Neil Gaiman. 3 stars
15. Swim / Jennifer Weiner. 3 stars

2. Author Author
1. The Jane Austen Book Club / Karen Joy Fowler. 4 stars

3. Booktivity
1. Skellig / David Almond. 3.5 stars

4. Audio Books
1. A Cup of Friendship / Deborah Rodriguez. 4 stars
2. Everything I Never Told You / Celeste Ng. 4 stars
3. Triumph / Carolyn Jessop. 4 stars
4. The House on Tradd Street / Karen White. 3 stars
5. Heat Wave / Richard Castle. 3 stars
6. The Neil Gaiman Audio Collection / Neil Gaiman. 3 stars
7. Paper Towns / John Green. 3 stars
8. Master and Commander / Patrick O'Brian. 1.5 stars
9. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society / Mary Anne Shaffer & Annie Barrows. 3 stars
10. Help for the Haunted / John Searles. 4 stars
11. Dead End in Norvelt / Jack Gantos. 3 stars
12. Sycamore Row / John Grisham. 4.5 stars
_________________________________________________________________
13. Stolen Innocence / Elissa Wall. 4.5 stars
14. Dualed / Elsie Chapman. 3.5 stars
15. Go Set a Watchman / Harper Lee. 3 stars

5. CAT Challenges
1. 1491 / Charles C. Mann. 3 stars
2. Lost Boy / Brent W. Jeffs. 4 stars
3. Wedding Night / Sophie Kinsella. 4 stars
4. Living Like Ed / Ed Begley, Jr. 4 stars
5. The Year We Disappeared / Cylin Busby and John Busby. 4 stars
6. The Amber Room / Steve Berry. 2.5 stars
7. Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married / Marian Keyes. 4 stars
8. Hollow City / Ransom Riggs. 3 stars
9. The White Plague / Frank Herbert. 3 stars
10. Favorite African Folktales / Nelson Mandela (ed.). 3 stars
11. The Housekeeper and the Professor / Yoko Ogawa. 3.5 stars
12. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow / Washington Irving. 3 stars
________________________________________________________
13. At the Drop of a Veil / Marianne Alireza. 3.5 stars
14. An Unexpected Grace / Kristin von Kreisler. 3.5 stars
15. Charlotte's Web / E.B. White. 4.5 stars

6. Oh Canada! (Canadian Authors)
1. The Silk Train Murder / Sharon Rowse. 3.5 stars
2. The Juggler's Children / Carolyn Abraham. 3.5 stars
3. Still Missing / Chevy Stevens. 5 stars
4. Rodent / Lisa J. Lawrence. 4 stars
5. People of the Deer / Farley Mowat. 3 stars
6. More Prairie Doctor / Lewis Draper. 3.5 stars
7. The Orphan Boy / Tololwa M. Mollel (illustrated by Paul Morin). 4 stars
8. Mariana / Susanne Kearsley. 3.5 stars
9. The Bone Cage / Angie Abdou. 4 stars
10. The Cat's Table / Michael Ondaatje. 2.5 stars
11. Bride of New France / Suzanne Desrochers. 3.5 stars
12. Holding Juno / Mark Zuehlke. 2.5 stars
______________________________________________________
13. You Might Be From Saskatchewan If... Volume 2 / Carson Demmans, Jason Sylvestre. 2.5 stars
14. As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust / Alan Bradley. 3.5 stars

7. Trim the TBR (On TBR 2+ years)
1. Us / Richard Mason. 3 stars
2. You Are Never Alone / J. Robert Salts. 3.5 stars
3. My Cousin Rachel / Daphne du Maurier. 3.5 stars
4. The Queen of Last Hopes / Susan Higginbotham. 3.75 stars
5. To Say Nothing of the Dog / Connie Willis. 3.5 stars
6. What Happened to My Sister / Elizabeth Flock. 4 stars
7. Slipping Into Paradise / Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson. 3.25 stars
8. The 6th Target / James Patterson. 4 stars
9. Anastasia: The Last Grand Duchess / Carolyn Meyer. 4 stars
10. 11/22/63 / Stephen King. 5 stars
11. The Musician's Daughter / Susanne Dunlap. 4 stars
12. The Mysterious Affair at Styles / Agatha Christie. 3 stars
____________________________________________________
13. Dead Ever After / Charlaine Harris. 4 stars
14. UnStrung / Neal Shustermas & Michelle Knowlden. 3 stars

8. Will it Ever End? (Continuing Series)
1. The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches / Alan Bradley. 3.5 stars
2. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest / Stieg Larsson. 3.5 stars
3. Bloody Bones / Laurell K. Hamilton. 4 stars
4. Deadly Decisions / Kathy Reichs. 3.5 stars
5. Even Cat Sitters Get the Blues / Blaize Clement. 4 stars
6. The Cabinet of Curiosities / Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child. 4 stars
7. Locke & Key. Vol. 3: Crown of Shadows / Joe Hill. 3.5 stars
8. Voyager / Diana Gabaldon. 3.75 stars
9. The Beggar King / Oliver Potzsch. 4 stars
10. Bite Me / Christopher Moore. 2 stars
11. The Killing Dance / Laurel K. Hamilton. 3.5 stars
12. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child / J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, Jack Thorne. 4 stars
____________________________________________________________________
13. The Coffin Dancer / Jeffrey Deaver. 2.5 stars
14. The Koala of Death / Betty Webb. 4 stars

9. Off the Shelf (Print Books I Own)
1. If I Were Not Upon the Sea / Joyce Gleeson-Adamidis. 3.5 stars
2. The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe. 3.5 stars
3. The Pact / Jodi Picoult. 4 stars
4. Fables, Vol. 19. Snow White / Bill Willingham. 3 stars
5. The Hot Zone / Richard Preston. 4 stars
6. The Fault in Our Stars / John Green. 3.5 stars
7. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail / Cheryl Strayed. 4 stars
8. Street Gang / Michael Davis. 3.25 stars
9. Amy Girl / Bari Wood. 4 stars
10. Middlesex / Jeffrey Eugenides. 3.75 stars
11. Second Child / John Saul. 4 stars
12. A Walking Tour of the Shambles / Neil Gaiman, Gene Wolfe. 2 stars
____________________________________________________________
13. White Oleander / Janet Fitch. 3.5 stars

10. I'll Travel Virtually (Books Set in Other Countries - not Canada or USA)
1. I Am Malala / Malala Yousafzai. 4 stars
2. Where'd You Go, Bernadette? / Maria Semple. 3.75 stars
3. Let Me In / John Ajvide Lindqvist. 3 stars
4. The Light Between Oceans / M.L Stedman. 4 stars
5. The Martian / Andy Weir. 4.25 stars
6. And the Mountains Echoed / Khaled Hosseini. 3.5 stars
7. The Dinner / Herman Koch. 3.75 stars
8. Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage / Alfred Lansing. 4.5 stars
9. Sarah's Key / Tatiana de Rosnay. 4 stars
10. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry / Rachel Joyce. 3 stars
11. The Taming of the Queen / Philippa Gregory. 4 stars
12. The Rosie Project / Graeme Simsion. 4 stars
____________________________________________________________________
13. Ripley Under Ground / Patricia Highsmith. 3.5 stars
14. The Birds / Daphne du Maurier. 5 stars

11. Lions, Tigers and Bears, Oh My! (Animals)
1. Jaws 2 / Hank Searls. 3.5 stars
2. Flowers for Algernon / Daniel Keyes. 4 stars
3. The Christmas Cat / Melody Carlson. 3.5 stars
4. How Animals Grieve / Barbara J. King. 4.5 stars
5. Dog On It / Spencer Quinn. 4 stars
6. Life List / Olivia Gentile. 4 stars
7. Jaguar: Struggle and Triumph in the Jungles of Belize / Alan Rabinowitz. 4.5 stars
8. Shadrach / Meindert DeJong. 3 stars
9. All Things Bright and Beautiful / James Herriot. 4 stars
10. Grumpy Cat: A Grumpy Book / Grumpy Cat. 3 stars
11. The Bees / Laline Paull. 3.5 stars
12. A Christmas Home / Greg Kincaid. 3.5 stars
____________________________________________
13. Leaving Time / Jodi Picoult. 4 stars
14. The Three Snow Bears / Jan Brett. 3.5 stars
15. Dinosaur Lake / Kathryn Meyer Griffith. 4 stars

12. Truth is Stranger than Fiction (Nonfiction)
1. Running the Books / Avi Steinberg. 4 stars
2. Bonk / Mary Roach. 3.5 stars
3. The Mascot / Mark Kurzem. 4 stars
4. Gang Leader for a Day / Sudhir Venkatesh. 4 stars
5. The Botany of Desire / Michael Pollan. 3.5 stars
6. Of Dice and Men / David M. Ewalt. 4 stars
7. The Professor and the Madman / Simon Winchester. 3.5 stars
8. The Boys in the Boat / Daniel James Brown. 4.5 stars
9. Being Mortal / Atul Gawande. 4 stars
10. Dark Summit / Nick Heil. 4 stars
11. 12 Years a Slave / Solomon Northup. 2.5 stars
12. Ghost Ships / Richard Winer. 3 stars
______________________________________________________
13. Blue Highways / William Least Heat-Moon. 3 stars
14. Dead Wake / Erik Larson. 4.5 stars

13. Overflow
1. Case Histories / Kate Atkinson. 3.25 stars
2. Rules of Civility / Amor Towles. 2 stars
3. Mr. Mercedes / Stephen King. 4 stars
4. The Winter People / Jennifer McMahon. 5 stars
5. Faces in the Crowd / Valeria Luiselli. 2 stars
6. The Revenant / Michael Punke. 3 stars
7. The Stepford Wives / Ira Levin. 4 stars

DeweyCAT

January: 000: Computer Science, Information, General Works
- Running the Books / Avi Steinberg. 4 stars

February: 100: Psychology, Philosophy
- Flowers for Algernon / Daniel Keyes. 4 stars
- Where'd You Go, Bernadette? / Maria Semple. 3.75 stars
- Still Missing / Chevy Stevens. 5 stars

March: 200: Religion
- Lost Boy / Brent W. Jeffs. 4 stars

April: 300-354: Anthropology, Sociology, Economics...
- Living Like Ed / Ed Begley, Jr. 4 stars
- The Botany of Desire / Michael Pollan. 3.5 stars

May: 350-399: Social Problems, Education, Folklore...
- The Year We Disappeared / Cylin Busby and John Busby. 4 stars
- To Kill a Mockingbird / Harper Lee. 3.5 stars

June: 400: Language
- The Professor and the Madman / Simon Winchester. 3.5 stars

July: 500: Sciences
- Life List / Olivia Gentile. 4 stars
- The White Plague / Frank Herbert. 3 stars

August: 600: Heath, Medicine, Agriculture, Technology...
- All Things Bright and Beautiful / James Herriot. 4 stars
- The Fault in Our Stars / John Green. 3.5 stars

September: 700: The Arts (Architecture, Painting, Music, Sports...)
- Born of Illusion / Teri Brown. 4.5 stars
- Dark Summit / Nick Heil. 4 stars
- The Bone Cage / Angie Abdou. 4 stars
- The Musician's Daughter / Susanne Dunlap. 4 stars

October: 800: Literature
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child / J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, Jack Thorne. 4 stars

November: 900-939: World History, Geography, Travel, Biography...
- Ghost Ships / Richard Winer. 3 stars
- Blue Highways / William Least Heat-Moon. 3 stars
- A Walking Tour of the Shambles / Neil Gaiman, Gene Wolfe. 2 stars

December: 940-999: History of Europe, Asia, Africa, Americas, Oceana...
- Dead Wake / Erik Larson. 4.5 stars

GeoCAT

January: South America
- 1491 / Charles C. Mann. 3 stars

February: Central Asia
- The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe. 3.5 stars

March: Eastern Europe and Russia
- The Mascot / Mark Kurzem. 4 stars

April: Islands, Polar Regions, Bodies of Water
- The Raft / S.A. Bodeen. 4 stars

May: North America
- People of the Deer / Farley Mowat. 3 stars
- To Kill a Mockingbird / Harper Lee. 3.5 stars
- More Prairie Doctor / Lewis Draper. 3.5 stars

June: Australia, New Zealand
- Slipping Into Paradise / Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson. 3.25 stars

July: Central America, Caribbean
- Voyager / Diana Gabaldon. 3.75 stars
- Jaguar: Struggle and Triumph in the Jungles of Belize / Alan Rabinowitz. 4.5 stars

August: Sub-Saharan Africa
- The Orphan Boy / Tololwa M. Mollel (illustrated by Paul Morin). 4 stars
- Favourite African Folktales / Nelson Mandela (ed.). 3 stars

September: South Asia
- Dark Summit / Nick Heil. 4 stars

October: Eastern Asia
- The Housekeeper and the Professor / Yoko Ogawa. 3.5 stars

November: Middle East, Northern Africa
- At the Drop of a Veil / Marianne Alireza. 3.5 stars

December: Western Europe
- Dead Wake / Erik Larson. 4.5 stars
- The Birds / Daphne du Maurier. 5 stars

RandomCAT

January: Embrace Your Uniqueness
- If I Were Not Upon the Sea / Joyce Gleeson-Adamidis. 3.5 stars

February: It Takes Two
- Flowers for Algernon / Daniel Keyes. 4 stars
- Where d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple. 3.75 stars

March: Celebration
- The Christmas Cat / Melody Carlson. 3.5 stars
- Wedding Night / Sophie Kinsella. 4 stars

April: Earth Day
- Living Like Ed / Ed Begley, Jr. 4 stars
- The Botany of Desire / Michael Pollan. 3.5 stars

May: Color Your World
- Even Cat Sitters Get the Blues / Blaize Clement. 4 stars
- The Amber Room / Steve Berry. 2.5 stars

June: I Do, I Do
- Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married / Marian Keyes. 4 stars

July: Good times
- Voyager / Diana Gabaldon. 3.75 stars
- Hollow City / Ransom Riggs. 3 stars

August: Camping
- The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry / Rachel Joyce. 3 stars
- Wild / Cheryl Strayed. 4 stars

September: Translations
- The Beggar King / Oliver Potzsch. 4 stars

October: What Scares You?
- Second Child / John Saul. 4 stars
- The Legend of Sleepy Hollow / Washington Irving. 3 stars

November: Debut Book
- The Rosie Project / Graeme Simsion. 4 stars
- Stolen Innocence / Elissa Wall. 4.5 stars
- The Bees / Laline Paull. 3.5 stars
- At the Drop of a Veil / Marianne Alireza. 3.5 stars
- Dualed / Elsie Chapman. 3.5 stars
- A Cat Named Squeeky / Vic Reskovic. 4.5 stars

December: Gifts
- Leaping Beauty and Other Animal Fairy Tales / Gregory Maguire. 3 stars
- The Koala of Death / Betty Webb. 4 stars
- Leaving Time / Jodi Picoult. 4 stars
- The Three Snow Bears / Jan Brett. 3.5 stars
- Dinosaur Lake / Kathryn Meyer Griffith. 4 stars
- The Birds / Daphne du Maurier. 5 stars
- An Unexpected Grace / Kristin von Kreisler. 3.5 stars
- Charlotte's Web / E.B. White. 4.5 stars

AlphaKIT

Year-Long: X, Z
- Holding Juno / Mark Zuehlke. 2.5 stars

January: D, U
- Skellig / David Almond. 3.5 stars
- The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches / Alan Bradley. 3.5 stars
- Us / Richard Mason. 3 stars

February: J, B
- You Are Never Alone / J. Robert Salts. 3.5 stars
- The Juggler's Children / Carolyn Abraham. 3.5 stars
- Bonk / Mary Roach. 3.5 stars

March: L, Q
- Lost Boy / Brent W. Jeffs. 4 stars
- The Light Between Oceans / M.L. Stedman. 4 stars
- The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest / Stieg Larsson. 3.5 stars
- The Queen of Last Hopes / Susan Higginbotham. 3.75 stars
- Bloody Bones / Laurell K. Hamilton. 4 stars

April: H, V
- Gang Leader for a Day / Sudhir Venkatesh. 4 stars
- The House on Tradd Street / Karen White. 3 stars
- How Animals Grieve / Barbara J. King. 4.5 stars

May: O, P
- Of Dice and Men / David M. Ewalt. 4 stars
- People of the Deer / Farley Mowat. 3 stars
- The Cabinet of Curiosities / Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child. 4 stars

June: F, R
- What Happened to My Sister / Elizabeth Flock. 4 stars
- The Hot Zone / Richard Preston. 4 stars
- Sarah's Key / Tatiana de Rosnay. 4 stars

July: A, K
- Being Mortal / Atul Gawande. 4 stars
- The Man Who Made Lists / Joshua Kendall. 3 stars
- The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society / Mary Anne Shaffer & Annie Barrows. 3 stars
- Jaguar: Struggle and Triumph in the Jungles of Belize / Alan Rabinowitz. 4.5 stars

August: G, S
- Mariana / Susanna Kearsley. 3.5 stars
- 11/22/63 / Stephen King. 5 stars
- The Fault in Our Stars / John Green. 3.5 stars
- Wild / Cheryl Strayed. 4 stars
- Street Gang / Michael Davis. 3.25 stars

September: C, M
- The Revenant / Michael Punke. 3 stars
- Bite Me / Cristopher Moore. 2 stars

October: I, W
- The Lady Elizabeth / Alison Weir. 4 stars
- The Legend of Sleepy Hollow / Washington Irving. 3 stars

November: Y, N
- You Might Be From Saskatchewan If... Volume 2 / Carson Demmans, Jason Sylvestre. 2.5 stars
- A Walking Tour of the Shambles / Neil Gaiman, Gene Wolfe. 2 stars

December: E, T
- Dead Wake / Erik Larson. 4.5 stars
- The Three Snow Bears / Jan Brett. 3.5 stars
- Charlotte's Web / E.B. White. 4.5 stars

HorrorKIT

January: Early Modern Horror: 1950-1980
- Jaws 2 / Hank Searls. 3.5 stars

February: Translation
- Let Me In / John Ajvide Lindqvist. 3 stars

March: Women Authors
- My Cousin Rachel / Daphne du Maurier. 3.5 stars
- Bloody Bones / Laurell K. Hamilton. 4 stars

April: Slashers, Serial Killers
- Mr. Mercedes / Stephen King. 4 stars

May: Nonfiction
- The Year We Disappeared / Cylin Busby and John Busby. 4 stars

June: Stephen King and Family
- Danse Macabre / Stephen King. 3 stars
- Locke & Key. Vol. 3: Crown of Shadows / Joe Hill. 3.5 stars

July: Children's/YA and Graphic Novels
- Hollow City / Ransom Riggs. 3 stars
- Help for the Haunted / John Searles. 4 stars

August: Gothic
- The Winter People / Jennifer McMahon. 5 stars

September: Paranormal
- Amy Girl Bari Wood. 4 stars
- The Killing Dance / Laurel K. Hamilton.

October: Ghosts/Hauntings
- Second Child / John Saul. 4 stars
- The Legend of Sleepy Hollow / Washington Irving. 3 stars

November: Diversity in Horror
- Ripley Under Ground / Patricia Highsmith. 3.5 stars

December: Short stories
- The Birds / Daphne du Maurier. 5 stars

Travel Across Canada
Continues 2014 and 2015

Alberta:
- The Bone Cage / Angie Abdou. 4 stars
British Columbia:
- The Silk Train Murder / Sharon Rowse. 3.5 stars
- Still Missing / Chevy Stevens. 5 stars
Labrador:
Manitoba:
New Brunswick:
Newfoundland:
Northwest Territories:
Nova Scotia:
Nunavut:
- People of the Deer / Farley Mowat. 3 stars
- The Three Snow Bears / Jan Brett. 3.5 stars
Ontario:
- You Are Never Alone / J. Robert Salts. 3.5 stars
Prince Edward Island:
Quebec:
- Bride of New France / Suzanne Desrochers. 3.5 stars
Saskatchewan:
- More Prairie Doctor / Lewis Draper. 3.5 stars
- You Might Be From Saskatchewan If... Volume 2 / Carson Demmans, Jason Sylvestre. 2.5 stars
Yukon:

Looking forward to following along!!

You caught my attention with your "Play Book Tag" category!

>23 lkernagh: LOL! It's actually a group over at shelfari.

The main idea behind the group (though we've (I am one of the admins over there) expanded to have additional games and challenges), is that one of the top 200 shelfari tags (cumulated site-wide) is chosen to be highlighted for a month.

Like with the CATs here (though we don't plan it so far in advance), people will read something that fits the tag, then come back and post a rating and review for what they read. (That's where I got "into" rating and reviewing every book I read... even beyond the monthly tags.)

I didn't know shelfari is still up and running. It's great that it is! I used to have an account over there, because I liked to see the books I'd just read laid out appealingly by their covers. Then I learned how to do that over here, so. But I'm glad it still exists!

Great setup! Enjoy your reading!

>25 RidgewayGirl: Yeah, I like the "look" of shelfari best. I also like the nested conversations/threads in groups. It was my first book social networking site and I'm still most active over there.

Since Amazon bought Goodreads, though, they took away the few dedicated shelfari staff, and it's pretty much ignored now. Serious issues get fixed, but "small" bugs are just ignored, unfortunately. All us active shelfarians have found at least one other "backup" site. (I'm not there, here, GR and leafmarks.) GR is my least favourite, and here is my next favourite after shelfari.

>26 Chrischi_HH: Thank you!

Welcome back and happy reading!

12x12 Nonfiction, BingoDOG, DeweyCAT

Running the Books: The Adventures of an Accidental Prison Librarian / Avi Steinberg
4 stars

Avi Steinberg, once very involved in Jewish religious life, was writing obituaries when he saw the ad for a prison librarian. He got the job. This tells of his time in that job. We learn of some of the inmates who were regulars in the library, and we also learn of some of Steinberg's past.

I waffled between 3.5 stars (good) and 4 stars (really good), but went with the higher rating. I was more interested in the inmates he came across and his work at the prison than I was in his personal life - most of what he told of that was of his Jewish upbringing. What a difficult job that would be! There are so many issues to working in a prison I wouldn't have thought of. Definitely interesting.

12x12 Author Author, BingoDOG

The Jane Austen Book Club / Karen Joy Fowler
4 stars

Five woman and one man gather to form a book club that reads only Jane Austen books. As they gather at each other's homes, we learn more about that person's (the person whose home it is) current life and background.

I really enjoyed this. It didn't sound like much from the description (still doesn't from mine!), but I really enjoyed it. I would probably have enjoyed the Austen discussions more if I'd read her books more times or remembered more about them (I tend to get them mixed up in my head – they really are similar!), but I really enjoyed the interactions among the book club members and learning about their lives.

>30 LibraryCin: I really like this book! The movie is also very charming, although some of the actors are about 10 years younger than their characters are supposed to be. :)

>31 christina_reads: Ha! Well, I guess that's the way it goes with movies! I hadn't even realized it was a movie until I was almost finished reading it! That being said, I had heard of the book at some point... but didn't know from where. It could be that I had actually heard of the movie! (I chose the book to read because of a group I'm in over at shelfari, where two authors are chosen each month. I try to read a book by each author.)

12x12 Booktivity, AlphaKIT, BingoDOG

Skellig / David Almond
3.5 stars

Michael and his family have just moved. His baby sister is not doing well, health-wise. When Michael is exploring he finds someone – a little... different – in the garage.

It was good. It's children's lit, so it moved quite quickly: sentences and chapters were short. I mostly enjoyed the story, but I am unsure whether or not I liked Michael's new friend, Mina. It was a short book, so it was a quick read.

12x12 Series, AlphaKIT

The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches / Alan Bradley
3.5 stars

*******SPOILER FOR PREVIOUS BOOK IN SERIES********
When Flavia's mother, Harriet, comes home, Flavia learns more about her disappearance and her parents' histories.
*******END SPOILER*********

As always, Jayne Entwhistle is the perfect Flavia! The stories aren't always as much to write home about, but overall, they turn out enjoyable. This one was interesting to learn more about Flavia's mother.

You are off to an excellent start.

>29 LibraryCin: I saw that one on another thread and am still trying to decide whether I want to read it or not.

>35 thornton37814: I will admit that I've also seen less-than-stellar reviews of it. The day after I posted the review, I thought - oh, I should have left it at 3.5 stars! But a few more days have passed, and I think I'm ok with the 4 stars after all. (Ok, obviously I can't make up my mind about it!)

And thank you! After an initial slow start (the first couple of days of the year, mostly I was organizing the year's reading!), I seem to be doing better. Though I usually read more on weekends, I did have some plans today and won't get any reading done at all, but what do you do!?

>36 LibraryCin: About the only reading I've done most of the weekend is of LT threads. I have read a few chapters otherwise, but that's about it.

>25 RidgewayGirl: Well, shelfari will be no more as of mid-March. No one at shelfari is happy about it. People are trying to figure out where to go/what to do. Resetting up groups is a big project, in addition to people moving over their entire libraries! Sad, sad, sad...

>38 LibraryCin: Yes, that showed up in my twitter feed yesterday. I wonder if amazon is hoping that you all will move quietly over to goodreads?

As much as I appreciate Amazon, they better keep their grubby mitts off of LT!

>30 LibraryCin: I've had The Jane Austen Book Club sitting on my shelves for quite some time now. I just never seem to be in the mood to read it. I think maybe I'll try to get to it soon.

>39 RidgewayGirl: Oh, I'm certain that's what they want! Many are very angry and do not want to go there and are checking out other options. I see that LT has offered free memberships for shelfari refugees as of today! I hope that brings over more shelfarians!

I've seen your reviews in many of the threads here and have finally made it to your thread, looks like a good plan. I look forward to watching your travel across Canada category.

>43 LisaMorr: Thank you, Lisa! :-)

And whew. What a week! It's going to take quite some time to get things moved over to other sites from shelfari. Mostly group stuff. All my groups from there have spread out to different places - mostly spread between leafmarks and goodreads (all set up before LT offered the free memberships).

I'm also going to have to change a couple of my 12x12 categories, as they were based on shelfari groups that are simply folding (Author Author and Booktivity). Well, Booktivity may open up again at GR, but I hate the groups there, and will just likely no longer participate. :-(

My Play Book Tag group will go on. I am one of the administrators and we testing out the other sites to see where it might fit in best. Also trying to consider where are members are all headed. This is sooo much work... :-(

Shutting down shelfari sucks for us.

That would be extremely difficult to uproot from a long-standing online community and regroup somewhere else. I hope the process goes as well as it can.

>46 rabbitprincess: Thank you so much. I would say it would be similar if LT decided to shut down and give 2 months notice - what would you do...?

I'm confused as to why amazon strung out shelfari for so long. I think it would have been better to either shut it down as soon as they'd bought it, or kept it going indefinitely. It's not like there isn't room for more than one site for readers. I'm sorry you have to pack everything up and move like that.

>48 RidgewayGirl: They bought shelfari YEARS ago. My best guess. They thought they'd make a "go" with it with shelfari. Bought it, decided it was too small. Let shelfari staff go. Decided to go for the BIG site, Goodreads. Bought GR, ignored bugs at shelfari, finally pulled the plug.

I guess I could still ask why they let shelfari stutter along for an additional couple of years after buying GR? Maybe they were hoping people would just start moving over when they ignored the "small" bugs, but when so many of us stuck around, they decided to finally be the "bad guy"?

I don't know. Complete guess!

I can't imagine shelfari would have eaten so much into Amazon's budget that it would have hurt too much to keep it going. I have, and so have other shelfarians, even cried over this the past few days (and I am one who is active on a few other sites! Some people are starting from scratch on the other sites!).

And thank you. LT is a smaller, more tight-knit community than GR (that's one of the main reasons I like it here, as well!), so I figured many of you would understand. Apparently some of the discussions over at GR have been nasty and insulting towards "grieving" shelfarians. Luckily (though I am at GR, as well, but really all I do there is post books, ratings, reviews), I haven't seen those discussions.

I know that my favourite group, Play Book Tag (of which I am one of the admins) may go with GR. If that is the case, I will stick with them and that will be my one active group over there. I am active in a few groups at LM. Many shelfari groups have already moved there. (Sorry if I'm repeating myself!)

Aroo! I'm tempted by goodreads because I have some friends over there, but I don't think I could handle more than one book soc media! It's hard enough to keep up over here. Good luck with the migration.

>51 cammykitty: As much as I'm devastated by shelfari shutting down, it will mean one fewer site to keep up with. I have been keeping up (at least with books, ratings, reviews) at all three sites, so this might be a bit simpler.

The only reason I stayed at GR from a few years back is because of many "real life" friends who are there and not on the other sites.

Thank you!

I've had to cut two of my 12x12 categories, as they were based on shelfari groups that will not be regrouping. Well, one *might* at GR, but I won't likely be participating over there.

I simply can't imagine trying to keep up with 3 sites. At one point, I tried to at least enter and rate what I read at GoodReads also, but I don't even bother with that now. I could probably make myself do it at the end of a month or something, but I don't really know if it is worth it. I haven't visited there in a long time. I think I tried Shelfari at one time, but I never really did anything with it.

>54 thornton37814: Yeah, it's a lot. If I wasn't in any groups, it would be so much easier! It's when I'm not only posting things to my own shelf, but also to various groups that it actually gets confusing sometimes! I usually write down which challenges a book/review fits for and which groups I'll be posting in!

12x12 CAT Challenges, GeoCAT

1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus / Charles C. Mann
3 stars

What were the Americas like before Christopher Columbus arrived? Charles C. Mann has done some research and believes that there were many more “Indians” here than previously believed. Also, there may have been more wear and tear on the environment than we've been led to believe. It just may not be what most of us have been taught.

This book is a mix of anthropology, archaeology, history, science... It was interesting, and through the first half I would have rated it 3.5 stars (good). However, half-way through, I was extremely distracted and had trouble focusing throughout the rest of the book, so I've given it, overall, 3 stars (ok). Had things been different without the distractions, it may have ended at 3.5 stars.

12x12 Audio book

A Cup of Friendship / Deborah Rodriguez
4 stars

Sunny is a single American woman, who has lived in Afghanistan for a few years now. She runs a small coffee shop. When she finds Yasmina, a woman she suspects is pregnant, alone with no where to go, she takes her in and gives her a job at her shop. But a single pregnant woman with no husband can be dangerous in Afghanistan.

I really enjoyed this. I was disappointed in the ending, but up till then, I really enjoyed it. I listened to the audio and I thought the narrator was really good. She was able to do a variety of both accents and voices. There were many more characters than those mentioned in my summary, and I enjoyed all their stories.

>57 LibraryCin: I read that one back in 2011. When you described it, I was pretty sure I'd read it! I gave it 4 stars at the time. That would probably translate into 3.5 now.

>30 LibraryCin: The Jane Austen Book Club sounds really good, since I'm very fond of both Austen and book clubs. I really liked We Are All Beside Ourselves when I read it last year and I've been meaning to read more by Fowler.

>59 mathgirl40: I haven't yet read We Are All Beside Ourselves but it has been added to my tbr! I hope you like The Jane Austen Book Club one day when you get to it!

12x12 Travel, BingoDOG

I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot By the Taliban / Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb
4 stars

Malala Yousafzai was only 15 when she was shot by the Taliban. She was born and raised a Muslim in Pakistan. Her father always felt strongly about education (including for girls) and he opened and ran schools, himself. This is Malala's autobiography up to and including her recovery after being shot.

Malala was an amazing girl – so smart and brave. She spoke out against the Taliban and has stood up for education for girls since she was young. She always loved school and learning and was devastated when the Taliban shut down her school. For a short time, her family was forced to leave their town (along with many other refugees) while the army came in to try to get the Taliban out. There were a number of words and abbreviations I wasn't sure about. Though I thought about checking the back for a glossary I never did (of course, there is one!). Some of the history and politics was a bit tricky to follow, with so many names I don't know. But, Malala herself is amazing.

>45 LibraryCin:
That's quite upsetting to have to pull up your roots when they're so nicely settled. :( Hope you find the right soil for your new spot soon, so to speak.

>47 LibraryCin:
Weep.

>62 -Eva-: Thank you, Eva. It's still difficult for me (I'm not good with change and I tend to hold onto things), though some people are doing better at this point.

Things are slowing down, at least.

12x12 Off the Shelf, BingoDOG, RandomCAT

If I Were Not Upon the Sea (Under the Captain's Table) / Joyce Gleeson-Adamidis
3.5 stars

Joyce Gleeson was in her 20s when she started working on cruise ships. Later on, she met the man who would later become her husband – he is a cruise ship captain. This is a memoir for both of them.

It was unfortunate, I thought, that she started out with a chapter talking about how everyone is sleeping around with everyone else – spouses or significant others, be damned! It actually kind of put me off the book right at the start. But, I stuck with it and it got much better. The book alternates between Joyce or her husband narrating each with their own anecdotes (text is bold and italicized for her husband, so it's easy to tell when the “voice” changes). Having been on a few cruises myself, it is always interesting to see behind the scenes. In the end (despite the start of the book), I did enjoy it.

I have been more of less out of the loop on the whole shelfari thing so thank you so much for explaining what was happening and the possible whys. I cringe every time a big corporation buys something smaller... one never knows their true motive and one can only doubt that the corporation has any vested interest beyond financial gain. Looks like you have figured out how to re-jig your category challenge.

>65 lkernagh: You're welcome. Of course, the whys are a guess. Yeah, it's unfortunate for the smaller entity in a situation like that, isn't it? :-(

My category challenge!? Well, I just did the easy thing and crossed out the two categories for those groups! LOL!

Can someone remind me - or point me in the direction of - directions on how to find a touchstone when it's not automatically coming up? Thank you!

12x12 Trim, AlphaKIT

Us / Richard Mason
3 stars

Julian, Jack and Adrienne knew each other in university in England. They each have their own memories of each other and the main person who linked them, Julian's sister, Maggie.

It was ok. Each chapter changed viewpoint, but it was marked at the start of the chapter, so fairly easy to follow – at first. In the second half of the book there were shared chapters that alternated viewpoints each section, so that was trickier. I didn't really like any of the characters, so that never helps in liking a book for me. There was a slight surprise ending.

Sometimes when you type in a title and you don't get the one you like, under Touchstones you will see a possible title and under that it will say "others". Click on that and you will get a list that will hopefully include the title you need. Select the correct one and you're good to go.
Does that answer your question?

>68 mamzel: Thank you! I tried that. It's not there.

I know there's a way to "force" it, though. Someone gave me or led me to instructions somewhere at one point in time on how to do that, but I don't remember the instructions or where they were found!

To force a touchstone, you'll need the book's "work number" from the web address for the book's work page. Here's an example:

The Night Stages, by Jane Urquhart - https://www.librarything.com/work/15462663/book/125815507
Work number: 15462663

In your post, type the left bracket, then the work number, then two colons (::), then the title, then the right bracket.

Hope that helps!

>70 rabbitprincess: Thank you! That's exactly what I was looking for! :-) I'll save your message (star it or something)...

ETA: That did it! Thanks again!

>71 LibraryCin: You're very welcome! I'm constantly having to do that with Lord of the Rings-related touchstones. The individual volumes are a mess.

12x12 Animals, HorrorKIT

Jaws 2 / Hank Searls
3.5 stars

It's been a few years since the shark terrorized the small town of Amity on Long Island. Martin Brody is still the chief of police. When Brody arrests a drunk man on the beach for shooting a seal, initially they also suspect the same man might be responsible for the disappearance of two divers and a married couple. Little does anyone know, but there is another shark off the coast of Amity...

This was one decent, but not as good as the first, I thought. Might have something to do with me listening to the audio for the first one, but I'm not sure about that. I have to admit I didn't find this one suspenseful like I did the first one. I enjoyed the parts that were from the point of view of the shark (and there were also POVs from a couple of seals, as well, that I enjoyed). I did find it interesting that this book was written based on the movie, rather than the usual other way around.

12x12 Canada, BingoDOG, Travel Across Canada

The Silk Train Murder / Sharon Rowse
3.5 stars

It's 1899 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. John Granville has recently arrived from the Klondike and when he meets up with his old buddy, Sam, Sam gets Granville a job guarding a train. A couple of nights later, they find someone murdered and Sam is arrested and held for the murder. Granville is certain Sam didn't do it, but the police think otherwise and aren't looking into alternatives, so Granville does some sleuthing of his own.

I enjoyed this. Historical mysteries are iffy for me, but this was good. It did take a few chapters for me to get “into” it, but it was interesting enough, even at the start, that I backed up to reread what I missed when my mind wandered at first. I enjoyed the mystery and I enjoyed the secondary characters, Trent and Emily, who were helping Granville out. I also enjoyed the setting. It was also a nice quick read. This is the first in a series, and I will pick up the next one, as well.

12x12 Audio, BingoDOG

Everything I Never Told You / Celeste Ng
4 stars

It is 1977. Teenager Lydia is dead, but no one knows it yet (something along these lines is the first sentence). It doesn't take long before the police find her body. The book goes back and forth in time, looking both at how her family (her parents - an interracial couple, her brother Nath, and her sister Hannah) copes with the loss, and backing up in time to see how they all got where they are now. The book goes back to when Marilyn and James (Lydia's parents) were young... and goes forward in time, also looking (some) at Nath and Hannah, as well as Lydia.

I listened to the audio and it did a good job of keeping my attention. I really liked this. At first, it didn't seem like much was going on, but it still kept my attention. There was a brief span in the book where I thought I might up my rating slightly to 4.5, but it was only a short span, so not enough to actually bring it up, overall. Still, though – 4 stars. Really liked it. And I felt so badly for Lydia, as well as Nath and Hannah.

12x12 Animals, RandomCAT, DeweyCAT, BingoDOG

Flowers for Algernon / Daniel Keyes
4 stars

Charlie is mentally disabled, but is given the opportunity to have an “operashun” to make him smart. He has wanted to be smart his entire life, so he happily accepts. It turns out he is the first human to undergo this experiment.

This was really good. It's heartbreaking – the ups and downs. He said it himself in the book – there are pros and cons to both. For a while I considered rating this slightly higher, but overall, I think this is the best rating for me. However, I suspect this is one that will stick in my head and the rating – at least in my mind – may go up, as well.

>76 LibraryCin: Glad to see you enjoy this one. I thought telling the story in the form of Charlie's progress reports was an excellent technique.

>77 AHS-Wolfy: I agree. It was a really good way to do it!

>75 LibraryCin: - That ended up being a book that I really enjoyed the more I got into it. Definitely a reminder of the fact that hiding what we really think or feel can cause problems.

>76 LibraryCin: - One of my favorite books! It takes you through the emotional spectrum so beautifully.

12x12 Trim, BingoDOG, AlphaKIT, Travel Across Canada

You Are Never Alone: Our Life on the Donnelly Homestead / J. Robert Salts
3.5 stars

The Donnellys were an Irish immigrant family that came to Ontario in the mid-1800s. Four of the family members were murdered by local vigilantes in February 1880. This book was written in 1996 by the man who was living with his wife and son on the Donnelly homestead at the time. He relates various paranormal “events” he (and others) have encountered there, has anecdotes about tourists (they offer tours of the homestead), and does relay a shortened version of the Donnelly story. He also shares many photos of the Donnelly family and the homestead, both from when the Donnellys lived there and “current” to when the book was written.

I found this interesting. I have read a couple other books about the murders, so it was interesting to read about the possible paranormal happenings that continued over 100 years later. The anecdotes and photos were also interesting, I thought. There were even descriptions of the buildings, and how they were originally built. It was a short, quick read.

12x12 Oh Canada, AlphaKIT

The Juggler's Children / Carolyn Abraham
3.5 stars

Carolyn Abraham was born in England, but grew up in Canada. She had brown skin and when she asked her parents where they were “from”, they had a hard time answering. As she traced back their lineage, she followed them to India, her father's roots to China, her mother's roots to Jamaica... She did this with a combination of “paper” research and DNA testing of many family members.

This was quite interesting. I will admit to falling in and out of focus at various points (and not consistent points), but overall I found it interesting. I was able to follow some of the science/DNA stuff, but lost interest at other parts. Likewise, my interest waxed and waned at various points while she was actually learning stories of her ancestors. I think I found the Jamaica section of her mother's family the most interesting. It almost makes me want to research my own family... but not quite! It's a lot of time, effort, work, and money to travel to some of these places!

>81 LibraryCin: That one is on my TBR list. It's also short-listed as one of the ones I might purchase for my Thingaversary haul the end of next month.

21x12 Travel, DeweyCAT, Mystery Subgenre

Where'd You Go, Bernadette? / Maria Semple
3.75 stars

Bernadette was an architect and won a prestigious award for it. She left it behind when she and her husband Elgie moved to Seattle, where Elgie was working for Microsoft. Their daughter, Bee, is rewarded with a trip to Antarctica when she does well in school, but that seems to set off some kind of panic in Bernadette.

This was written from many different points of view, and apparently (at least partially – hard to tell with audio) via letters, invoices, etc., so it was a bit hard to follow at times. I liked the end better, but for the first 3/4, I wasn't sure how I was going to rate it. It was definitely a little odd. I didn't really like any of the characters. But I liked the "story" (if you could call it a story!). The extra .25 is for the very "enthusiastic" narrator of the audio book.

>82 thornton37814: I hope you like it! I actually read it for my f2f book club. Our discussion won't happen for another couple of weeks, though, so I'm not sure yet what else others thought.

I read and enjoyed the Semple book a few years back. I can see how the book would work well as an audioread!

12x12 Canada, DeweyCAT, Travel Across Canada

Still Missing / Chevy Stevens
5 stars

Annie is a realtor who was kidnapped at the end of an open house. The story is actually told while Annie is in therapy and it's told as she is relating it to her therapist, so we know she gets away somehow. But where she was, what happened while she was there, who did this, etc. is still a mystery. She is also having a hard time dealing with fitting back in to her “normal” life.

Wow! This gripped me from the start. I have to admit to not liking Annie much at the start of the book, but of course, how she became that way is - at least in part - shaped by what happened to her. There was language and awful situations in the book. It was a solid 4.5 star book through most of it, but the twist at the end upped it to 5 stars for me – not a rating I give out very ofte

12x12 Overflow

Case Histories/ Kate Atkinson
3.25 stars

Jackson Brodie is a private investigator in 2004. In this book, he is working on a few different cases, one where a younger sister went missing in 1970; one where a daughter was killed in 1994 and a few more. We also get a look into Jackson's life.

It felt a bit like short stories to me in that some of the stories (the two mentioned in my “summary”) were more interesting to me than the rest. In fact, I don't even remember much about the others at all. The two stories that were interesting to me were the ones introduced at the start of the book. As more stories and characters were introduced later on, I wasn't interested in learning about new characters. The only connecting factor in the stories was Jackson, so again, that contributed to the short story “feel” to me.

>86 LibraryCin: I am glad to hear this is good. I have been wanting to try some Chevy Stevens.

>87 LibraryCin: I don't remember getting a short story feel from this one although I can see how someone could. I just remember having a very bored feeling haha. I never finished it despite making it 3/4 of the way through because I just didn't care at all.

>88 Tara1Reads: I will definitely be reading more by her (Chevy Stevens)!

Re: Case Histories - I feel better that I'm not the only one who wasn't real excited about it! Aw, so close to finishing, though! (I've only ever put down a book in the middle once or twice - ever!) I wasn't real excited about Life After Life, either, so I don't think I'll be reading any more by Atkinson.

>87 LibraryCin:
To me, the favorite thing about this series is Brodie's voice - he has such a fascinating and funny way of describing his surroundings.

I liked brodie, but im afraid that wont be enough for me to continue the series.

12x12 Nonfiction, AlphaKIT

Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex / Mary Roach
3.5 stars

In Bonk, Mary Roach looks at the science of sex. She looks at the history of studying sex, talks to various scientists and even participates in a few studies herself!

It was interesting. And, Roach is, of course, also humourous at times. I read the ebook, which unfortunately didn't work very well for the footnotes. They are all clustered at the end, so if you read through them at that point, you're missing the context.

Still Missing sounds good - I'll take a BB for that one.

>93 LisaMorr: I sure hope you like it!

12x12 Off the Shelf, GeoCAT

The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe
3.5 stars

Will's mother, Mary Anne, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. There is no cure. Will was often with her at her appointments and treatments, when they would discuss books. They made their own two-person book club.

I liked this book. I was impressed with how positive Mary Anne was. She also had an amazing life, traveling all around the world to help people, particularly refugees. At the time she was diagnosed, she was trying to raise money to build a library in Afghanistan. It was a fairly simple book, in that not a lot happened, but I enjoyed it.

>86 LibraryCin: I liked Chevy Stevens's first book a lot too, though it suffered a little bit compared to Room, which I'd read shortly before I'd read Still Missing. I do hope to read more of Stevens's novels at some point.

>95 LibraryCin: - That was such a good book - plus it had the added benefit of adding to my wishlist many of the books they were discussing.

>96 mathgirl40: I am hoping to read more by her, as well. I've already added one to the tbr!

>97 LittleTaiko: Ha! That occurred to me at some point, but none really stood out for me to add. I was kind of keeping track of the ones I've already read, though! :-)

12x12 PBT, BingoDOG

The Monuments Men / Robert M. Edsel
3.5 stars

Adolf Hitler wanted to build a museum in Germany. He wanted to include the greatest works of art. During WWII, Hitler and the Nazis stole many works of art from all over Europe and stashed it in various places. There was a small group of soldiers who were tasked with finding those works of art and returning them to where they belong. This is their story.

This was interesting. Until the book and movie, I certainly had no idea about this. I appreciated that Edsel had a short paragraph about the main Monuments Men who he focused on near the start of the book, so I could check back, but really, he did a good job of refreshing the readers' memory when he went back to a particular person, I thought.

12x12 Travel, BingoDOG, HorrorKIT

Let Me In / John Ajvide Lindqvist
3 stars

Oskar is about 12 years old and is getting bullied at school. He is happy to meet and become friends with the strange girl next door, Eli. Meanwhile, people are being murdered in town. Really, Eli is very strange...

This was ok. I liked the Oskar/Eli storyline, but I lost focus for the myriad of other characters and mostly wasn't following when the focus was on others. I was listening to the audio, and it tends to be even harder to keep focus with an audio.

12x12 Off the Shelf

The Pact / Jodi Picoult
4 stars

Emily and Chris have known each other forever. Their parents are neighbours and their mothers were pregnant at the same time. They were always inseparable and did end up falling in love as teenagers. But when their suicide pact goes wrong, Chris is still alive, and suspected of murder...

Like with Picoult's other books, this story is told both in flashbacks and with different viewpoints, so the reader gets some insight into each character. Because of all the different viewpoints, the reader can also see how each character is affected by what is happening and what has happened. The book builds until the end, during the trial when what really happened comes to light. It's another page-turner where I wanted to know what really happened. As much as I liked it, I'm not sure this one affected me as much as some of her other books. That being said, it was still very good and I did want to keep reading.

12x12 CAT Challenges, DeweyCAT, AlphaKIT

Lost Boy / Brent W. Jeffs
4 stars

Brent Jeffs was born into the FLDS, the polygamous Mormon sect. His father had three wives and numerous children. Warren Jeffs, who later became the “prophet” after his father (and Brent's grandfather) died, is Brent's uncle. Brent and many of his older brothers left the FLDS, and their parents were also excommunicated. This is Brent's story.

I've read a few autobiographies of former FLDS members, so I suppose there wasn't too much shocking to me in this one. What was different about this one (for me), though, was that it was from a male point of view. Many of the boys who leave or are kicked out of the FLDS for some reason or other end up having a hard time outside their culture and often turn to drugs, etc. So, for me, this was a different viewpoint on a topic I've read a bit about already. Easy to read and still very interesting.

>99 LibraryCin: I generally enjoy non-fiction and fiction set in that period in Europe, but that one hasn't even tempted me. I just thinking reading about art thefts and their return would bore me.

>103 thornton37814: I'm really not "into" art. But there was a lot of focus on the war, as well, which is probably more of what kept my interest. :-)

Well, that and some of the biographical stuff. One of them in particular was interesting. He was 18 and Jewish. He'd just gotten out of Europe with his family just before the war began!

12x12 Trim, HorrorKIT

My Cousin Rachel / Daphne du Maurier
3.5 stars

Philip was raised by his bachelor cousin Ambrose. Philip is now 24 and plans to remain a bachelor himself. When Ambrose heads to Italy for a trip, Philip is surprised to learn that Ambrose has fallen in love and will get married while there. Philip never sees Ambrose again, as only a few months later, Ambrose dies unexpectedly. When Ambrose's new wife, Rachel, shows up in England, Philip is surprisingly drawn to her.

It was not fast-paced. The story was fine, once I got “into” it and figured out who was who and how they were related. There wasn't as much mystery to it as I was expecting. I have to admit I kept waiting for something to happen, but really... not much did. As I write my review, I'm surprised I'm rating it “good” and not “ok”, but unless I'm undecided on how I'll rate it as I read, I tend to stick with my thoughts while I was reading, so 3.5 stars (good), it is!

12x12 PBT

The Secret Adversary / Agatha Christie
2 stars

This is the first “Tommy and Tuppence” book written by Christie. My mind wandered too much to really get the gist of the plot. I do know that multiple people went missing at various points throughout the book.

Christie's books really vary for me, and it seems audio may not be the way to go (I listened to this one). I know some people love Tommy and Tuppence, but I'm thinking I won't try anymore with these characters. I will likely only read one or two more books by Christie (any that are already on my tbr), but then leave it at that. There have only been a couple by her that really stood out for me.

12x12 Travel, AlphaKIT

The Light Between Oceans / M.L. Stedman
4 stars

Tom fought in WWI, and when he returns to a small port in Australia, he takes up a post as a lighthouse keeper. He meets a local girl and they marry. On their own for months on Janus Island, one day a boat washes up on shore with a dead man and a living baby. Tom and Isabel have already lost 3 babies (miscarriage, stillborn) and Isabel can't bear to give up this little baby, though Tom has misgivings.

This was really good. It's a big moral dilemma situation. It pulled me in right away. It does go back and forth in time a little bit, but it's easy to follow. I have to admit, I sure didn't like Isabel much, and I felt awful for poor little Lucy/Grace, but it's a very good read.

12x12 Nonfiction, GeoCAT

The Mascot: Unraveling the Mystery of My Jewish Father's Nazi Boyhood / Mark Kurzem
4 stars

The author's father, Alex Kurzem, has been keeping a secret from his family forever. It's only when he is older and all his sons are grown up and long gone that he starts to confide in Mark. Mark grew up in Australia and was living in England when he father, who Mark believed grew up in Latvia, began to reveal his secrets and to ask for help to find out who is really is. He remembers only two words as clues, and remembers that when he was 5 or 6, he saw his mother and siblings shot by the Nazis. He escaped and was later found by soldiers who dressed him up like a little soldier himself, and used him to bolster spirits. The story goes on, and Mark tries to research to help Alex figure out who he really is.

Wow, what an amazing story. As Mark tried to get help, some people didn't believe the story, but Alex had photos and newspaper clippings to back up what he remembered. Alex's story coming to light even became dangerous for them all. Of course, it was also extremely difficult and emotional for Alex to relive all these memories. Some questions were answered by the end of the book, but there were still some mysteries surrounding it all. Definitely an intriguing story.

12x12 Series, AlphaKIT

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest / Stieg Larsson
3.5 stars

This, the third book in the “trilogy”, picks up where the second book left off.
*****SPOILERS if you haven't read book 2*****
Lisbeth is in the hospital, as is her father, Zalachenko, after she almost killed him; he is just down the hall from her. Erika Berger is leaving Millennium for a rival publication, but it's an uphill battle for her in her new position, as this workplace seems very “old boys' club” and she begins to get threats.
*****END SPOILERS*****

I didn't like this one nearly as much as the first two in the series. There were parts that kept my interest, particularly anything that dealt with Lisbeth – while in the hospital at the start of the book and the trial at the end of the book. Also the parts with Erika Berger. Otherwise, though, other viewpoints just weren't as interesting to me and I tended to skim a bit, I think. Overall, though, this was good.

12x12 Animals, BingoDOG, RandomCAT

The Christmas Cat / Melody Carlson
3.5 stars

When Garrison's grandmother (who raised him after his parents died), dies, he is tasked with finding homes for Gran's 6 cats – but Gran left specific instructions on exactly what kinds of homes her cats should go to. While looking for homes for the cats, Garrison meets a new woman in the neighbourhood, Cara.

It was a short cute novella. I liked the story and loved all the different cats' personalities, but could have done without the occasional religious reference thrown in.

12x12 Trim, AlphaKIT

The Queen of Last Hopes: The Story of Margaret of Anjou / Susan Higginbotham
3.75 stars

Margaret of Anjou was born in France and later married to King Henry VI of England; he is the King Henry who was “mad” and thought to be an ineffective ruler. The had only one son, Edward. As the Yorkists rose up to take the throne at the start of the Wars of the Roses, Margaret did what she could to help her husband win his throne back and to secure the throne for her son for later. This is a fictional account of Margaret's life.

I liked this. I will admit that the first 2/3 of the story didn't hold my attention as much and didn't make me want to keep reading, but that changed in the last 1/3. I've not read anything, until now, specifically about Margaret of Anjou, or even much about the Lancasters at this time. I have read more about the Yorkists, but even so, with all the same names being used so often, I did get confused at times trying to figure out who was who! The book did pick up for me in the last 1/3 of the book (but by then, I was also recognizing more of the people and events that were happening). I always enjoy historical fiction from a woman's point of view (though there were portions of the book told from other points of view than Margaret's, but the bulk of the story was hers).

As always, I appreciated the detailed author's note at the end of the book.

12x12 CAT Challenges, RandomCAT

Wedding Night / Sophie Kinsella
4 stars

Lottie thinks her boyfriend Richard is about to propose. When he doesn't and they break up instead, Lottie rebounds with her ex from when she was 18 years old, Ben. They immediately decide to get married, but when Lottie's sister finds out, she plans to do everything she can to make sure Lottie doesn't ruin her life by marrying Ben.

I really enjoyed this. Silly, humourous fluff, but fun and entertaining! And quick to read.

12x12 Series, AlphaKIT, HorrorKIT

Bloody Bones / Laurell K. Hamilton
4 stars

Vampire hunter and raiser of zombies, Anita Blake, has been called on to raise hundreds of bodies from a cemetery where the bones have all been mixed together. She's not sure if she'll be able to do it, but she'll try. In the meantime, a few teenagers have been murdered and it appears to have been something supernatural. Anita wants to try to help with the investigation.

I really enjoy these audios. They include some sound effects at certain points and it really works for me. I also really liked this particular story, but I just don't get the appeal of Jean-Claude. I really don't!

>108 LibraryCin: I'll take a book bullet for The Mascot - sounds really interesting!

12x12 Overflow

Rules of Civility / Amor Towles
2 stars

Katey and her roommate Eve live in New York City. On New Year's Eve 1937/38, they meet Tinker. Told from Katey's point of view, we follow the three of them in their lives over the next year or so.

Definitely not my thing, but then literary fiction is rarely “my thing”. Not much in the way of a story and the characters seemed snooty. Or maybe it's just the way it's written that they seemed snooty. I think I followed the gist of what was going on, but I skimmed a lot of it because I was bored.

12x12 CAT Challenges, RandomCAT, DeweyCAT, BingoDOG

Living Like Ed / Ed Begley, Jr.
4 stars

Ed Begley, Jr. has been living eco-consciously since the 1970s. In this book, he brings lots of ideas and suggestions at various levels (marked by images for cost) to help other people try some of the green things he already does. Chapters include Home, Transportation, Recycling, Energy, In the Gardens and Kitchen, and Clothing and Hair and Skin Care.

I thought this was really good. Even with all the things I have read and already do, I still learned other things. I have just purchased my first home, so there are some ideas that I might be able to use there. This is one book that is probably worth buying so that you can look back on it later (I got this one from the library). There was a running line at the bottom of each page that took the ideas from that page and made it into one sentence. There were also little anecdotes by Ed's wife, who was leery of many of Ed's ideas at first, and had to be convinced of some things; she is quite conscious of style and aesthetics, so it was sometimes harder to get her on board. I think her comments are helpful for some people who are reluctant to try some of these things.

Ha! Somehow I completely forgot about the middle "free space" that we made "Read a CAT"! I've read tons that didn't fit elsewhere in the BingoDOG! Oh, well. I'll read tons more, I'm sure, so as long as I remember to put something there... :-)

12x12 PBT

Thinking in Pictures: My Life With Autism / Temple Grandin
3.5 stars

Temple Grandin is autistic, and grew up to earn a PhD in animal science. This book is an autobiography combined with information on autism, with plenty of animal anecdotes thrown in, as well.

This was good. No question my interests are more in line with the animal portions of the book, but the autistic information was interesting, as well. I was particularly interested in Temple's own childhood and how she thinks in pictures (hence the title) – some autistics do that, but not all. She included plenty of psychological and scientific information on autism, in addition to the anecdotes from her own life (and the lives of other autistics she knows or has heard from), as well as advice for parents of children with autism.

12x12 Audio

Triumph: Life After the Cult, A Survivor's Lessons / Carolyn Jessop
4 stars

Five years after Carolyn Jessop escaped from the FLDS (Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints... i.e. polygamist Mormons, where she had grown up and lived all of her 35 years), with her eight children, there was a raid on an FLDS ranch in Texas and over 400 women and children were removed. The majority of people at the ranch were Merril Jessop's family (Merril was Carolyn's FLDS husband and a “higher-up” in the cult at the time). The first half of this book recounts Carolyn's reactions, actions, testimonies, etc. following that raid. The second half of the book updates us on how she an her children fared after the escape.

I really liked this. There was a brief section in the middle, as she switched from discussing the raid/trial, etc to discussing her life outside the cult, where I wasn't quite as interested, but that picked up again for me after a bit. I listened to the audio (as I did for Escape) and I liked the narrator. She, and/or the subject matter, held my attention quite well. I do feel badly for her oldest daughter, Betty, who decided to return to the FLDS as soon as she turned 18.

12x12 Overflow, HorrorKIT

Mr. Mercedes / Stephen King
4 stars

When a Mercedes mows down a line of people waiting in the fog for a job fair, the police are stumped. Det. Hodges, the lead detective on the case, later retires, but when he receives a letter from “Mr. Mercedes”, taunting him, he decides to investigate on his own.

I really liked this. As with most of King's books, the story is told from more than one point of view: Det. Hodges and Mr. Mercedes. In addition to liking the story, I really liked a couple of the secondary characters: Jerome, the smart, young black boy who will soon be going to college; and Holly, related to the woman who's Mercedes was originally stolen, grew on me, though I wasn't crazy about her at first.

12x12 Nonfiction, AlphaKIT

Gang Leader for a Day: A Rogue Sociologist Takes to the Streets / Sudhir Venkatesh.
4 stars

Sudhir was a sociology student at University of Chicago in 1989 when he decided he wanted to study urban poverty. One of the poorest areas in the city was the Robert Taylor Homes, the “projects”, which was pretty much run by the Black Kings gang. Sudhir wandered over one day and somehow managed to get into the good graces of the local BK leader, J.T. They started up a kind of “friendship” - at least Sudhir seemed mostly welcome to come and often “shadow” J.T. to find out how things worked there, how the people felt about living there, etc. Although the project (at least initially) seemed more like studying gang structure than the poor people who lived there. Either way, over a number of years, Sudhir got an inside view of the BK gang – a rare opportunity for an outsider.

This was interesting, and somewhat scary at times, with the violence, drugs and crime that (occasionally) happened - well, more often than most of us are used to. The crime and drugs were a daily occurrence, but the BK really tried to keep the violence at bay (it scared potential drug customers away, so from a business standpoint, a lack of violence was much more amenable). Overall, very interesting...

12x12 Travel, BingoDOG (my first Bingo!)

The Martian / Andy Weir
4.25 stars

Mark is an astronaut with his crew on Mars when a storm comes up. They need to evacuate, but an accident happens and Mark is left behind, as the others think he is dead. But Mark isn't dead. He is now on Mars by himself, trying to survive!

I really liked this. I found it fast-paced...well, kind of. I was drawn in and wanted to keep reading; if I wasn't reading, I wanted to be. I guess the story itself isn't really fast-paced, but it managed to keep me glued to it, as much as I could be. Be warned that there is a lot of science described. Mostly it was fine for me, but occasionally I got a bit bogged down with it. I also enjoyed Mark's humour. I'm sure a few people on the train thought I was a bit odd for actually laughing out loud at one part. It did switch viewpoints at times – mostly it was from Mark's point of view, but occasionally we got the POV from some people on Earth, as well as Mark's crewmates.

>122 LibraryCin:
Watney does have a great voice, doesn't he. The story was very interesting, but it was the character that kept me reading, for sure.

>123 -Eva-: Have you seen the movie, as well? I don't know when I will, but I would definitely like to.

>124 LibraryCin:
I have and I was quite impressed with it - they stuck reasonably close to the story and Matt Damon (who is not normally a favorite of mine) did a great job and got Watney's voice just right.

12x12 Series, BingoDOG

Deadly Decisions / Kathy Reichs
3.5 stars

Forensic anthropologist Tempe Brennan is back in Quebec to help out with a couple of bodies that have been found. The couple of bodies escalates into more bodies, some that have been dead for years, and some innocent bystanders, as it seems that there is a biker gang war happening. Meanwhile, Tempe's nephew, Kit, arrives for a visit, and manages to get himself involved with some potentially dangerous people.

This was good, but I'm not sure I liked it as much as the first two. I found it a bit tricky to keep all the bodies straight – who was who, who was with which gang, etc. A few stuck out in my head (the innocent bystanders), but otherwise, it was bit tricky for me to keep track of. Toward the end, the action picked up a bit and I was a bit on the edge of my seat for a short time.

>125 -Eva-: Good to hear! I do like Matt Damon, so it sounds like I'll enjoy it. Thanks!

12x12 PBT, BingoDOG, GeoCAT

The Raft / S.A. Bodeen
4 stars

Robie is 15-years old and has grown up on a small island in the Pacific. She is visiting a friend in Hawaii, when she decides on the spur of the moment to head home. She manages (last minute) to get on one of the few flights that goes to her island each month; this flight is for supplies, so it is only her, the pilot and the co-pilot. While over the water, the plane goes down; Robie and Max, the co-pilot, make it into the raft and have to figure out how to survive.

I really liked this. It took a few (short) chapters before I got sucked in, as it was initially background info to set up the story. But once she got on the plane, I was hooked for the rest of the book. It's YA, so it's a very quick read and I finished in a day (really, overall, probably just a few hours).

12x12 Oh Canada

Rodent / Lisa J. Lawrence
4 stars

Isabelle is in grade 11. Her mother is an alcoholic, so Isabelle is the one who takes care of her two younger siblings, Evan and Maidie. Normally, she tries to stay invisible at school, but on her first day at a new school, she gets into a fight, which results in her being bullied.

I thought this was really good. It's YA, so it moved quickly and was a fast read. I definitely felt badly for Isabelle and hoped things would work out for her.

12x12 Audio, AlphaKIT

The House on Tradd Street / Karen White
3 stars

Melanie is a real estate agent in Charleston, South Carolina. She specializes in old houses, even though she hates old houses! When an older gentleman dies just after discussing the possibility of selling his place with her, she is shocked to learn that he has left the house to her, with the provision that she live in it for a year and fix it up (with money he's left for the purpose) before she sells it. Oh yeah – Melanie also sees ghosts. This house has a few, and there is a mystery to solve, as well: Melanie and a local author, Jack, want to find out what happened to the mother of the man who left Melanie the house; his mother disappeared when he was young.

I listened to the audio, and though it started strong for me, it petered a little bit. I was enjoying the old man, the old house and even some of the ghosts, but when the romance entered into it, it wasn't as interesting to me. With the audio (as it often does), my attention came and went. Overall, I'm rating it “ok” at 3 stars, but with a hint of a sequel at the end of the book, I think I'm interested enough to try the next one, as well. I will try to remember to not do the audio for the second book, though, to see if I like it a bit better.

12x12 Nonfiction, RandomCAT, DeweyCAT, BingoDOG

The Botany of Desire / Michael Pollan
3.5 stars

In this book, Michael Pollan looks at four different plants – their history and their impact on society (and society's impact on them): apples, tulips, marijuana, and potatoes.

Up until the last chapter (on potatoes), I was going to rate this at only 3 stars, or “ok”. The potato chapter really bumped up the rating for me, as Pollan was comparing a new Monsanto genetically-engineered potato with the usual potatoes he grows in his farm. By far, I thought this was the most interesting chapter. I did also enjoy the chapter on apples and the tidbits I learned about John Chapman (aka Johnny Appleseed). I didn't find the tulips or the marijuana as interesting, but overall, I'm rating this “good” at 3.5 stars.

>131 LibraryCin: - Pollan is someone I've been meaning to get to, and this book sounds very interesting. Monsanto has such a monopoly on growing and seeds now, that it's frightening.

>132 dudes22: I know! I am not a Monsanto fan, that's for sure!

I've read a couple others by Pollan, as well, and for me, my favourite so far has been The Omnivore's Dilemma, but that really IS me. Right now, I consider myself "flexitarian" (yes, it's a real word!). I really don't eat very much meat, but I do eat some.

12x12 Animals, AlphaKIT

How Animals Grieve / Barbara J. King
4.5 stars

In this book, anthropologist Barbara King brings examples of situations where she believes those animals are grieving. She also provides examples where it's not that easy to tell.

I really liked this. Of course, with my love for animals, I do believe animals feel and grieve. I borrowed this book from a friend who was doing research for school, so I wasn't sure how “academic” it would be, but because there really haven't been scientific studies on the topic, these really are more anecdotes, which is more enjoyable for the casual reader (like me!), anyway.

12x12 Audio

Heat Wave / Richard Castle
3 stars

This is the first “Nikki Heat” book by the fictional Richard Castle. The premise follows the same as the tv show. Nikki Heat is a New York homicide detective and “Rook” is a journalist who is shadowing Heat to find out about New York police work. A man is murdered, so Rook follows along as Heat solves the murder.

I did find it followed similarly to the tv show, but I didn't “get” the connection between the two in the book. They didn't seem to have the same rapport. I listened to the audio, and it never really drew me in at all. There were times where I paid attention, but the story just wasn't enough to hold my interest. I am rating it “ok”, but I don't plan to continue the series.

12x12 Audio

The Neil Gaiman Audio Collection / Neil Gaiman
3 stars

This is a small collection of four children's short stories, apparently specifically made for audio, read – of course – by Gaiman, himself.

It was cute. Less than an hour to listen to all four stories. For an (female) adult, listening to Gaiman is always a bonus.

>135 LibraryCin: I couldn't buy the idea of Heat Wave etc. being written by Richard Castle. To me they didn't sound like how Nathan Fillion would write.

12x12 Series, BingoDOG, RandomCAT

Even Cat Sitters Get the Blues / Blaize Clement
4 stars

Pet sitter Dixie rides her bike past a rich house with a guard. She is going to take shelter from the rain in the guardhouse, until she sees the guard is dead! She returns to the place later to realize that the person who hired her over the phone last-minute to take care of his iguana lives in that house!

This was the third in a cozy mystery series. I'm really enjoying the series, and I really enjoyed this one. Dixie has a bit of romance happening in this book (with two men!). It's tame, but I'm enjoying that, too. I learned more about iguanas than I ever thought I would, and I am impressed with the knowledge the author has of the various animals (and that she's obviously passionate about opposing declawing of cats!).

For an (female) adult, listening to Gaiman is always a bonus.

hee, hee.
And don't miss any opportunity to see him in person.

>139 mamzel: Well, I've never had that opportunity, but that would be amazing! :-)

12x12 Nonfiction, AlphaKIT, BingoDOG

Of Dice and Men / David M. Ewalt
4 stars

This is a history of the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. The author played himself as a child, gave it up for about ten years, then went back to it, and got particularly involved again as he was researching for the book.

I really enjoyed this. I haven't played much D&D myself, but I did play occasionally when I was a kid in the early 80s (only when cousins visited!). More recently, I played a different role playing game that is pretty much the same thing, but not officially D&D. We were a group of women playing, but the Game Master (GM... vs DM/Dungeon Master) was a man (one of the player's husbands). Reading this makes me want to play again! I enjoyed learning the history of the game and it was humourous at times, as well. The author interspersed the history with narratives from some of the games he has played with his friends, as well as the research he was doing (various gaming conventions, and even one weekend doing a LARP (Live Action Role Play).

Did you ever watch the series The Big Bang Theory? It's really funny when they play D&D.

Ooooh, I like the triangle I've made in my Bingo card!

12x12 Oh Canada, BingoDOG, GeoCAT, AlphaKIT, Travel Canada

People of the Deer / Farley Mowat
3 stars

In the late 1940s, Farley Mowat spent a couple of years in Northern Canada (what would be part of Nunavut now). This recounts his time there, spent with the local Inuit. He tells the story of the people and also explains the habits of the “deer” (caribou).

I like Farley Mowat, but (no surprise) I definitely prefer his books when the focus is on animals. In this book, I really enjoyed the parts about the caribou, but the rest varied – some of it held my interest and other parts didn't. I was impressed with his suggestions to help the people at the end of the book, though (and it's sad to see some things still haven't changed).

Just catching up on your thread. We've read several of the same books. I already have The Mascot on my TBR list, thanks for the review!

Im currently off work this week because i moved on monday. Still so much to do, but now id like to take a look at your shelf... or at least start with your thread. Hopefully ill remember to come back and do that when i have more time.

The Year We Disappeared / Cylin Busby and John Busby
4 stars

In 1979, Cylin was 9-years old. Her father, John, was police officer in a town in Massachusetts. He was shot in the face and survived, but – even though he was certain who was behind it – the police seemed to not be pursuing it. John believed the person behind the shooting was a local well-known criminal, Raymond Meyer, who also had connections at the police department and was known to be untouchable. Even so, some of the officers, including John, still tried to bring Ray to justice for various crimes.

I thought this was very good. Frustrating about the corruption in the police department and not being able to do anything about Ray for so many different offenses. The viewpoint went back and forth between Cylin and John, so you could read about the happenings from each person's perspective.

12x12 PBT, GeoCAT, DeweyCAT

To Kill a Mockingbird / Harper Lee
3.5 stars

Scout and Jem are sister and brother, growing up in Alabama in the 1930s. Their father is a (white) lawyer, who is representing a black man who was accused of raping and beating a white girl. The kids, while mostly living their own lives, do sometimes hear about the “nigger-loving” father.

I read this in high school and remember it being one of the books I read for English class that I liked. This time around, I'm reading it for my book club. Overall, I'm rating it 3.5 stars (good). For much of it, though, I would have rated it 3 stars (ok). But the trial was the most interesting part (and it's the one part I remember from my first read of the book all those years ago) and it brought the rating up for me (would have been 4 stars just for the trial itself!).

How's the unpacking and settling in going?

>149 RidgewayGirl: Thanks for asking! My brother was here to help for a few days, so that really did help. Most of the stuff I use all the time is unpacked and (mostly) put away now. I have a few things that I still need to do that with (but I know where they are). The rest of the stuff is things that will go on shelves (photo albums, books, etc) and decorative stuff.

I took yesterday off (of unpacking, sorting, organizing, etc), though, and am taking today off. I go back to work tomorrow, and will likely get to stuff slowly from here on, a little bit here and there after work or something.

I also really wanted to get back to having some reading time!

12x12 Series, AlphaKIT

The Cabinet of Curiosities / Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
4 stars

Nora is an archaeologist with the Natural History Museum in New York City. When FBI Special Agent Pendergast requests her immediate help with some skeletons found under a construction site, she goes to take a look, but the developer gets rid of the two of them fairly quickly, after she's only had a short time to investigate. It seems that at least 36 bodies were found at the site and they think this was the work of a serial killer from over 100 years earlier. Despite the protestations of the developer and Nora's employer, they (along with the help of Nora's reporter boyfriend and a police officer assigned to keep an eye on Pendergast) work to find out what happened there. There now also seems to be a series of copycat murders.

I really liked this. I enjoyed learning about historical cabinets of curiosities. I also quite like Pendergast's character and there were some tense moments in the book that kept me reading. Despite being about 500 pages, it was a quick read.

12x12 CAT Challenges

The Amber Room / Steve Berry
2.5 stars

During WWII, the amber-panelled room in Catherine's Palace, just outside St. Petersburg, Russia was “stolen”. That is, the panels were stolen and they have yet to be found. This book follows Rachel and Paul as they try to find the Amber Room. Rachel's father was very interested in the room, and after he dies (possibly was murdered?), they take up his interest in finding the room.

Audio: The narrator should be good, but for some reason, he just can't seem to hold my interest. He has a nice voice and does accents well, but for whatever reason, he just doesn't work for me (I have listened to a couple others he has narrated and I'm pretty sure I felt the same way). Unfortunately, because my interest was not being held, I missed a heck of a lot of the book. Because of that, I can't say I liked it. I was somewhat interested in Rachel and Paul, but other than that, it just wasn't enough to hold my interest. The extra half star mostly comes from the narrator's interview with the author after the book is finished.

It's really too bad because I've been to Catherine's Palace and have seen the Amber Room replica, so I really wanted to like this book. Speaking of that, I bought a small book while there that has photos (not allowed to take our own photos in the room) and the story behind the room... which I still need to read! Hopefully soon.

To Say Nothing of the Dog / Connie Willis
3.5 stars

Ned Henry is sent back in time to Victorian England to rest, as he has been time-travelling too much (to help Lady Schrapnel find a “bishop's bird stump” that was stolen from a cathedral). He is sent back to get some rest and recover from “time-lag”, but while in 1888, he meets up with Terence and ends up embroiled in a bit of a mix-up that he and fellow time-traveller, Verity, must help make right. Terence needs to meet Maud and get married and Tossie needs to find and meet the unknown “Mr. C.” and get married, but with the mixup, Terence and Tossie have met each other and have fallen in love!

The first chapter was a bit odd and confusing, I thought. But, it got better as I figured out what was going on and as the story focused more on Terence and Tossie. I didn't find the bishop's bird stump storyline all that interesting, but I quite enjoyed Terence and Tossie's. There was plenty of humour thrown in, as well, and lots of literary references – probably most of which went over my head. But, it was (mostly) enjoyable, anyway!

To Say Nothing of the Dog has been on my tbr for some time. I want to read Three Men in a Boat First, but haven't gotten around to it. I have loved all of Willis's other books in her time travelers series.

I didn't even realize it was part of a series until I was half-way through posting reviews last night!!!!

I actually haven't read Three Men in a Boat, either.

12x12 Canada, GeoCAT, Travel Across Canada

More Prairie Doctor / Lewis Draper
3.5 stars

Dr. Draper was one of the doctors in the small town in Southern Saskatchewan where I grew up (population, about 1300). He was not my doctor, but the town is small enough, we certainly knew him (and I think I did see him as a doctor at least once...that I vaguely recall!) and my Dad was on town council with him for a while.

Anyway, this book is mostly anecdotes from when he was one of the resident doctors in the small town of Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan. It includes stories of his own home life and about his family, some medical/patient stories, his political life (he was a town counsellor, then mayor, and later went on to serve in the provincial legislature), and other stories about various people and/or events in town.

This book is obviously of more interest to a local audience. I enjoyed it. I got some updates on some people (though for some stories – I expect the medical ones – he used pseudonyms), which was nice. Stories of being a doctor in a small town were interesting; he was well-known for speaking his mind and he certainly does so in this book, as well. The book is – I believe – self-published (though there is the name of a small publisher, but I believe it's his own publication; he has also written a couple other books, presumably under the same publisher), so there are grammatical errors here and there, but overall, I enjoyed the book. It brought back some small-town/Gravelbourg and area memories for me.

>156 LibraryCin: My husband grew up on a farm near LaFleche, Sask. which is just down the road from Gravelbourg, and since Gravelbourg was the bigger town his family often went there for the "city" experience! I will have to search out More Prairie Doctor for him. From the title I am guessing that this a sequel to an earlier book.

>155 LibraryCin: it is a series but each book stands alone. I actually read Three Men in a Boat after To Say Nothing of the Dog. It's pretty funny, if lightweight. To Say Nothing of the Dog also references Dorothy Sayers and Agatha Christie mysteries and gives away the end of The Moonstone, if I remember correctly.

ETA Actually, Blackout and All Clear don't stand alone but they are really one long book, IMO.

>157 DeltaQueen50: Wow!!! When was he there? (I was born in '72 and graduated high school (in Gravelbourg) in 1990. We moved to G'bourg when I was 2-1/2, so I was there for most of the 70s and 80s. Yeah, Lafleche is only about a 15-20 minute drive. Very close. In fact, Dr. Draper was the doctor for a short time in Lafleche before he came to Gravelbourg.

You might want to see if you can find the first book (which I haven't read); my Dad tells me "Prairie Doctor" (I haven't touchstoned it, as it's not likely here on LT to link to; I had to add More Prairie Doctor) is primarily about his time in Lafleche.

>158 sturlington: Yes, there are outright references to Sayers and Christie (and probably lots of references I wouldn't have caught!). I have not read The Moonstone, nor do I even know what it's about, I'm afraid, so if the ending was given away, luckily it didn't bother me! :-)

>159 LibraryCin: I would love to find that book! My husband grew up in the 1950's so quite a bit before your time. The family moved to B.C. in the mid-1960's, although his mom and step-dad eventually went back and lived in Meyronne (which is a really tiny hamlet - just west from LaFleche.) They have both passed on now but we used to visit there often.

>161 DeltaQueen50: Oh, yeah. I know where Meyronne is, as well. I think there used to be a bar there that was very popular for its chicken wings! This would have been in the 80s and maybe early 90s, if I'm remembering correctly. I know a few of the towns in that direction: Woodrow, Hazenmore... Limerick is the other direction in #13 highway toward Assiniboia. :-)

So, you've even been to (or through) Gravelbourg, as well? Or did you get there via #13?

Paper Towns / John Green
3 stars

Quentin has had a crush on his neighbour, Margo Roth Spiegelman, since he was young. They are now seniors in high school, and shortly before the end of the year, Margo takes Quentin out all night to play practical jokes. The next day she disappears. Quentin is convinced she wants him to find her and has left clues for him to follow.

It was ok. It started off a bit better, I thought, but I didn't much like Margo, so I wasn't as crazy about it after she was introduced. I know I'm not a fan of practical jokes. Maybe I'm not a fan of antsy teenagers? I suppose in some books that don't bother me, but for some reason, this one was just “ok” for me.

12x12 Travel

And the Mountains Echoed / Khaled Hosseini
3.5 stars

Pari is separated from her family and her older brother Abdullah when she is little. She goes to live with other people she grows up to know as her parents. This book follows Pari and many other characters as time passes and both Pari and Abdullah grow old.

Each chapter was told from a different character's point of view and so much time passed in each character's life in their chapter, that it felt like short stories. That is, it wasn't a short amount of time for one character to tell their POV, then another character gets a chance. Quite different. I'm not always a fan of short stories, but I did like the way this one ended. Overall, though, I'm rating it “good”, and not more than that. With short stories (and with this book), I find it sometimes difficult to start every new chapter to have to get to know entirely different characters; in this book, of course, they turned out to be related in some way, but it always took a while to figure out that relationship.

>162 LibraryCin: I've been racking my brain to remember if we ever went to Gravelbourg but I think we usually drop down from Swift Current and pick up Highway 13 or occasionally we travelled across the States and came up from Montana.

>163 LibraryCin: PT was not my favorite Green book either. I liked An Abundance of Katherines best. It had me laughing out loud. He hasn't come out with anything recently, has he?

>165 DeltaQueen50: Yeah, taking the #13 makes more sense, really. But, there are some nice things to see in Gravelbourg - most notably, the cathedral. (Or Co-cathedral, apparently, it's called now...)

>166 mamzel: I don't keep up with everything he's done. I've still only read a few, I think. So, I don't know if there's anything new.

An Abundance of Katherines was the first I read by him and I really liked it, as well (4 stars). Will Grayson, Will Grayson has been my favourite so far at 4.5 stars (that was for the audio, which was amazing! Now, I'm wondering if I actually rated it 5 stars - can't remember for sure, but I might have). I think Paper Towns and Looking for Alaska (also rated 3 stars - found it very similar to Paper Towns) are the only others I've read (so far... I am, of course, planning to read The Fault in our Stars).

>Make sure you have a full box of tissues handy for TFioS!

>169 mamzel: Yeah, I figured! :-)

12x12 Travel

The Dinner / Herman Koch
3.75 stars

Paul and Serge are brothers. Paul obviously does not much like Serge, who is running to become prime minister of the Netherlands. The polls have Serge as the likely winner. When they and their wives meet at a posh restaurant one evening to discuss something, their lives will never be the same as secrets come to the fore.

I had no expectations about this book, as I hadn't heard of it until we were to read it for my f2f book club. It took a bit to get going (and the food descriptions really didn't do anything for me), but about half-way through, once we found out why they had all met for dinner, it got interesting! It certainly kept me wanting to read. I have to admit to not liking the ending (or maybe just not agreeing that that's how it should have ended?), but that second half really held my interest and brought up my rating (except for the end).

12x12 Nonfiction, DeweyCAT

The Professor and the Madman / Simon Winchester
3.5 stars

This is the story of how the Oxford English Dictionary was put together. It is also part biography of the editor (the “professor” in the title) and the convicted murderer living in an insane aslyum, who was one of the most prolific people helping find quotations for the dictionary.

It was quite interesting to learn how early dictionaries were compiled. I guess I'd never really thought about how much work it took to take on such a task. Also, very interesting to learn about Minor, the man in the asylum. I didn't rate it higher because I was too easily distracted at some points while reading, so I did tend to skim a bit and miss a few things. At the same time, I did find other parts quite interesting. Overall, I'm rating it “good”.

12x12 PBT, BingoDOG, HorrorKIT

Danse Macabre / Stephen King
3 stars

This was originally published in 1981. It is an analysis/criticism of horror books, movies and tv from 1950 to 1980. Although King said more than once in the book that he doesn't like analyzing this stuff, that's what the book felt like to me. More like the analysis and criticism one is supposed to do in English classes, and I was never interested in doing that. I read for interest, fun, enjoyment (or sometimes to scare myself in the horror I read!). But, not to analyze. Because of that, I lost interest many times while reading the book. There were parts that I did find myself following; moreso for books, movies and/or tv I've already read or seen. Overall, I'm rating it “ok”, but I think it really wasn't my cup of tea.

12x12 Series, HorrorKIT, BingoDOG

Locke & Key. Vol. 3: Crown of Shadows / Joe Hill
3.5 stars

The third book in the Locke & Key series finds the Locke kids home alone for a couple of days, and of course, an additional key is found and used.

Don't want to say too much in the summary, but overall, I enjoyed this. However, I found that, in this volume, I was more interested in family dynamic than the horror part of the book.

>174 LibraryCin:
The characters and their dynamics were the most interesting in that whole series for me.

>175 -Eva-: It's been a while since I read the first two. I'd have to reread my reviews to see if I found the characters as interesting in those books, as well.

12x12 Trim, AlphaKIT

What Happened to My Sister / Elizabeth Flock
4 stars

Carrie and her mother are packing up and leaving Hendersonville after the events at the end of “Emma and Me”. They barely have any money, so it's not easy to start over. In the new town, Carrie meets Cricket and her mother, who are super-nice, but dealing with the loss of their sister/daughter, so when Carrie shows up, looking just like her, they can't help but want to become friends with the 9-year old.

I feel like I can't do the summary justice without giving things away from the first book. I really enjoyed this, though. Not quite as much as the first book. It might have been wrapped up a little too neatly at the end, but – at the same time – if the author decided to write a 3rd book, I'd read it. (And despite the feeling that it was wrapped up, there is somewhere to go if there was a third book.)

>177 LibraryCin: I didn't realize there was a sequel to Me & Emma! It's been so long since I read Me & Emma though that I wouldn't remember the details of that family's story now.

I thought But Inside I'm Screaming was okay. I wanted to read Everything Must Go years ago and never read it and now I think I have lost the interest.

>178 Tara1Reads: I read Me & Emma in 2012, and I still remember parts of it. It did make my favourites list that year. I actually don't think you need to remember it (you will be filled in on parts you need to know), but if you've lost interest, you may not want to worry about it. It is a quick read, though, if you want to give it a try.

At this point, these are the only two books I've read by her, though I'm considering others.

>179 LibraryCin: I should have some notes about Me & Emma in my book journal so that could jog my memory, but perhaps it has just been too long since I've read it.

12x12 CAT Challenges, RandomCAT

Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married / Marian Keyes
4 stars

Shortly after Lucy and her boyfriend have broken up, Lucy goes with some coworkers to a fortune teller. Lucy is told she will be getting married within the next year and a half. When the other girls' fortunes come true, Lucy begins to wonder if hers will, too. Then, she meets Gus, a really charming and fun guy. Will Gus be “the one”?

I really enjoyed this. The first half was good, but it got better in the second half, I thought, as more obstacles came up and Lucy had to deal with family issues, as well as boyfriend and friend issues. Overall, though (no surprise here), the book ended as it should have.

12x12 Audio

Master and Commander / Patrick O'Brian
2 stars

I can't write a summary, except for the bits I read on Wikipedia and/or other reviews. Apparently, this was set during the Napoleonic Wars. A friendship develops over music and a captain(?) and a doctor end up on a ship together? Something along those lines, anyway.

Obviously, I wasn't interested. I listened to the audio, and it was lucky if I paid attention to more than a couple sentences at a time. I liked the movie when I saw it years ago, and I did know that it was based on either later book(s) or a combination of books in the series, but this book? Not even a little bit interesting to me; at least not the audio. Boring.

12x12 Nonfiction

The Boys in the Boat / Daniel James Brown
4.5 stars

Joe Rantz grew up extremely poor during the depression. His mother died when he was young and when his father remarried, Joe's stepmother, Thula, was very unhappy, so she, Joe's father, and their kids left Joe behind to fend for himself on a couple of occasions. Thula never wanted to take care of Joe. Joe managed to not only put himself through university, he made the rowing team... the rowing team that went on to fight for the gold medal in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. This is Joe's story, and the story of that rowing team.

I'm not “into” rowing, but this was really good. Some of the technical aspects that described the rowing, I skimmed over, but everything else was really interesting and quite riveting. Not only did we learn about rowing, Joe's life, and life during the Depression, there was also discussion of Hitler and the Nazis in Germany leading up to the Olympics that were held in Belin. All very interesting and I was reading “on the edge of my seat” during some of the races!

>171 LibraryCin: I discovered The Dinner when it was featured in The Tournament of Books a few years ago and liked it very much, even though it was rather "uncomfortable" reading. I'd like to read more by Herman Koch.

>184 mathgirl40: Yes, I think more by him could be interesting. "Uncomfortable" is a good word! My f2f book club meets on Tuesday next week to discuss.

12x12 Trim, GeoCAT

Slipping Into Paradise: Why I Live in New Zealand / Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson
3.25 stars

Masson is an American who has chosen to live in New Zealand, after living in many other countries around the world. He loves his adopted country and is writing about it in this book. He has chapters on the history, the flora and fauna, some travels throughout the country, etc.

I've been wanting to see NZ since I was in high school. There were parts of the book I enjoyed (flora, fauna descriptions, in particular), but the travel section was very specific to places he has travelled to. That makes sense, I guess, but the chapter just didn't flow well, for me. Other than that, I do like his easy-to-read writing style. Some people seem to have taken offense to his political viewpoints, but I suppose I barely noticed, because I mostly agree.

12x12 Animals

Dog On It / Spencer Quinn
4 stars

Bernie is a private investigator. Chet is his dog. They work together to solve cases and this story (series) is told from Chet's point of view. Cynthia comes to Bernie when her daughter, Madison, goes missing; Madison returns shortly after, but Bernie knows she's made up a story to explain where she's been. When Madison is missing again a few days later, they have to look again at what's going on.

This was really fun, from Chet's point of view! Loved how distracted Chet got when, even while trying to help Bernie and get him to understand, if there was food or treats suddenly available (as an example), the food/treats would be the focus. I really enjoyed it and will definitely continue the series.

12x12 Off the Shelf

Fables, Vol. 19: Snow White / Bill Willingham
3 stars

There were other tangents in the book, but the main one focuses on Snow White. Bigby has gone away to find two of their children, and someone from Snow's past has returned - someone she didn't want to see...

The Snow While thread was the good one for me in this volume. The rest of the happenings (the first 1/3 of the book), I really didn't care about, which is why the lower rating. 3 stars from me is “ok”, but this is one of the lower rated volumes in the series for me. I was surprised at the ending, on a couple of fronts.

12x12 Off the Shelf, AlphaKIT

The Hot Zone / Richard Preston
4 stars

This book follows the story of the origin of a few different Ebola and Ebola-type viruses. Might not sound fascinating, but Preston makes the book read like fiction, but scarily enough, it's not. These are some nasty viruses! The book follows both the origin of these viruses, plus the outbreak of one of the viruses in a laboratory monkey facility and the elaborate steps that had to be followed to stop it from spreading. I hate animal testing... those poor monkeys that should never have been in that situation to begin with, but at the same time, this nonfiction story really is fascinating.

>189 LibraryCin: I have always remembered this book. It scared me!! LOL.

>190 VictoriaPL: Yup, pretty scary stuff!

12x12 Travel

Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage / Alfred Lansing
4.5 stars

In 1914, William Shackleton and his crew of 29 men sailed toward Antarctica, in hopes of becoming the first men to cross on foot. Not far into the journey, their ship, Endurance, was caught up on the ice, from where she would never escape, instead being crushed by the ice. Shackleton and his men needed to somehow find their way back to civilization.

Wow! This was amazing! These guys managed to navigate the unforgivable ocean around Antarctica, plus somehow survive the ice, wind, cold (unthinkable cold!), and ultimately, some even managed to climb icy mountains to find the help that would bring them back.

12x12 Nonfiction, AlphaKIT

Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End / Atul Gawande
4 stars

Gawande is a surgeon and he decided to take a closer look at what people really want when they are dying. Medicine tries to fix everything, no matter the cost to the lifestyle of the person being “fixed”. But, people don't always necessarily want to go through what needs to be done to fix them, medically, when it compromises what is left of their life. Gawande looks at gerontology, as well as terminal illnesses. He visits nursing homes, assisted living homes, etc; interviews people in charge of these places, in addition to people who work in hospice care; he also interviews the people going through all this, and their doctors.

This is a very interesting book. In the end, one hopes that things will get better and not have everything so clinical, controlled, etc, which all takes away from quality of life.

12x12 Travel, AlphaKIT

Sarah's Key / Tatiana de Rosnay
4 stars

Sarah was a little Jewish girl in Paris during WWII. When her family is to be taken away in the V'el d'Hiv roudup, done by the French police, she hides her little brother in a hidden locked cabinet, thinking she'll be back soon to let him out. Little does she know, she and her parents will be taken away to a camp, not to be returned. In 2002, Julia, an American reporter who has lived in Paris for more time than she lived in the US, wants to do a story on the V'el d'Hiv roundup and discovers some surprising links to her in-laws' past.

The story itself is really good and I listened to the audio and it was done very well. At the very start, I had to really pay attention to which storyline we were listening to as it went back and forth, but it didn't take long to get used to it and it got easier after that. The story (both storylines) held my attention from start to finish. I thought it was very good.

>192 LibraryCin: I know eh! So amazing. The part where they navigated the waters in only a 22-foot open boat was incredible.

>195 rabbitprincess: Yeah, it was all pretty amazing!

>192 LibraryCin: Sounds interesting! I haven't read an Antarctica book for awhile....

>197 VictoriaPL: If you are interested in exploring and/or the Antarctic, this is definitely one you should read! (And it sounds like you are!)

>198 LibraryCin: I do confess an affinity for the genre.
My favorites are Alone by Byrd and The Worst Journey in the World by Cherry-Garrard.

>199 VictoriaPL: Oh, those are ones I haven't heard of. Thank you. I'll take a look!

>200 LibraryCin: I hope you enjoy!

12x12 Series, RandomCAT, GeoCAT

Voyager / Diana Gabaldon
3.75 stars

This is the 3rd book in the series. I'm not sure I want to give too much away of the plot, as I don't want to ruin earlier books for anyone who hasn't yet read them. But... we start in the 1960s, then move to the 18th century after a bit, where Claire and Jamie are reunited after many years (I'm not considering this a spoiler because why would the series continue if they didn't manage to reunite!). From there, they have to relearn about each other in the midst of all kinds of other adventure and travel.

It was another enjoyable book in the series. They are so long (over 1000 pages), though, so what I found happened a few times for me, anyway, is when there was a character at the start of the book who returned later, I often didn't realize it just from the name, but needed more background info before the light came on! Despite the length, though, it was a “quick” read (for the length!), I thought, and certainly captivating.

>194 LibraryCin: - I read this last month and really enjoyed it. Right up there with "best-of-the-year".

>202 LibraryCin: - This is the book where I gave up on the series. I really disliked the 20-year jump in time.

Catching up. I read The Dinner some time ago and enjoyed it, if 'enjoy' is the right word. Summer House with Swimming Pool is similar in tone and in the characters being so vile.

Being Mortal is excellent. After reading it, I gave a copy to my father and we had some good conversations as a result. Also, he did some of the things suggested in the book, like getting his affairs in order and letting both my brother and I know where all the important paperwork was. And the quality of life vs. safety argument was important. I found out how much more my parents value the quality of their lives over safety, meaning my mother still plays golf, despite her balance issues. She finds the bruises and the broken wrist less important than the getting out and being active. It's good to have had that book force the conversation.

I didn't especially love Sarah's Key, but the author and I messaged back and forth a bit on LT after I got the book as an ER. She certainly deserves all the success that book has enjoyed.

>203 dudes22: Oh, the time jump didn't bother me, so I do plan to keep going.

>204 RidgewayGirl: Re: The Dinner. It was read for my f2f book club, and there was a wide range of reactions. We found the younger group seemed to "like" it more than the older ladies.

That's great that Being Mortal allowed you to do all that with your dad.

I am working my way through the Outlander series as well. I have been listening to the audio versions but I certainly agree with you about how long these books are. I am currently listening to The Fiery Cross and it is over 55 hours long. And I see that the next book is even longer!

Wow! I listened to the first outlander book, but wasnt crazy about the audio so decided to read the rest. Its unfortunate they are so long

re: Outlander, I have read the 1st book several times but need to make time for book #2

12x12 CAT Challenges, RandomCAT, HorrorKIT

Hollow City /Ransom Riggs
3 stars

This book picks up right where Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children left off.
*******SPOILERS if you haven't yet read the first book********
Miss Peregrine is in bird form and the group of peculiar children, along with Jacob, no longer have a home. Miss Peregrine is not able to turn back to human, so the children are on a mission to find another ymbryne to try to help her.
*******END SPOILERS********

It started slow and I wasn't a fan of the peculiar animals. That was just getting way too odd for me. However, as the children moved on from the peculiar animals, the book picked up and I ended up liking it. I was waffling between 3 stars (ok) and 3.5 (good), and decided to stick with the lower “ok” rating, although I am interested enough to read the third book to see how it all ends. I did also enjoy meeting some of the newer peculiar characters who they came across in this book. I still love the old photographs, as well.

12x12 PBT, AlphaKIT

The Man Who Made Lists / Joshua Kendall
3 stars

During the 19th century, Peter Roget grew up without his father and with a mother who smothered him. Both his mother and later, his sister, had some mental issues later in life. Roget loved classifying things and making lists. He was extremely smart and grew up to become a physician; his preference was to lecture and experiment. Throughout his life, he kept word lists, but it was only when he retired that he focused his time on writing and publishing his now world-famous thesaurus.

It was ok. I don't think I found it quite as interesting as the recent book I read on the history of the Oxford English Dictionary. Much of it was interesting, but there were also parts where my mind would wander. Overall, ok.

12x12 Audio, AlphaKIT

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society / Mary Anne Shaffer and Annie Barrows
3 stars

2009 review: 3.5 stars

It is 1946. Juliet is an author, who starts receiving letters from various people who are part of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. She becomes good friends with them and decides to go visit them to learn more about the German Occupation of the Channel Islands during WWII, and to hear people’s stories in hopes of possibly turning those stories into a book.

It was good, but I can’t rave about it as other people have. Maybe I suffered from too high expectations? I’m not sure. I enjoyed the second half more after Juliet moved to Guernsey. It was also interesting to hear stories of the German Occupation. I have been to St. Peter Port as well, so I could (sort of, with a time difference) picture it in my mind, which was a nice bonus.

2016: review 3 stars. Audio. I pretty much agree with my original review of this book, but I'm rating it slightly lower this time around. I did feel that the book picked up about ½ of the way through, up to about ¾ of the way through, then if felt like it slowed down again. I listened to the audio this time, and it was done very well, with five different narrators. I guess the picking up in the second half was enough last time to up my rating to 3.5, but thinking back, I actually wonder if I did that because I thought I *should* like it more, as so many others loved it, but this time around, I feel like I'm being more honest, leaving it at a 3 star (ok) rating.

12x12 Animals, DeweyCAT

Life List: A Woman's Quest for the World's Most Amazing Birds / Olivia Gentile
4 stars

Phoebe Snetsinger grew up in the mid-20th-century, and wanted to be a scientist. She received a good education, but in the 1950s, women (whether or not they had an education) got married and stayed home with the kids. Which is what Phoebe did. But, she was bored, so when she discovered birds when the kids were a bit older, she became obsessed. She spent most of the rest of her life travelling (and when not travelling, she was researching), so she could add as many of the 9,000 (ish, the number changed over the years) species of bird to her “life list” of which birds she'd seen. In 1981, she was diagnosed with cancer and given 1 year. She lived for many more years and, after her diagnosis, upped the frequency of her birding trips. In addition to ending up in many dangerous situations in her travels, her birding obsession came with a cost to her relationships with her husband and children.

I really enjoyed this. I became interested in birds after purchasing a bird feeder many years ago as entertainment for my two inside cats. So, the bird information (and a few drawings) was very interesting to me, though much of the book also focused on Phoebe's obsession, travelling, and how this affected her relationships and the rest of her life. This was very good.

12x12 CAT Challenges, DeweyCAT

The White Plague / Frank Herbert
3 stars

When American scientist John O'Reilly and his family are in Ireland for a few months, a bomb goes off and his wife and two kids are killed. Something switches in his head and he wants revenge. He is able to create a plague that only kills women. He unleashes it in three countries, but it quickly spreads throughout the world.

It was ok. I thought the beginning and end were much better (for keeping me interested), but most of the middle part of the story dragged for me. The book was told from many different points of view, and there were a lot of characters to figure out. There were political and religious musings that weren't as interesting to me.

12x12 Animals, GeoCAT, AlphaKIT

Jaguar: Struggle and Triumph in the Jungles of Belize / Alan Rabinowitz
4.5 stars

In the early/mid 1980s, Alan Rabinowitz went to Belize to study jaguars in the wild. He was the first to do so. He found not only was he studying the animals, he was making friends with and learning about the local Maya Indians, and having to plead a case to the Belizean government to protect the area. He spent two years there.

I really liked this. I love animals, so learning about the jaguars was always interesting. It's extra interesting to be able to see the patterns of individual animals, which these kinds of studies do. This also confirmed for me that there are risks (for both human and animal) in these kinds of studies. There were also plenty of frustrating parts where Alan was confronting hunters, marijuana growers, even some of the Maya (who see nothing wrong with shooting any animal, for whatever reason), and having to plead with the government over and over, etc. There are so many obstacles for these animals (and every other animal) to overcome. It can be frustrating and heartbreaking.

12x12 Audio, HorrorKIT

Help for the Haunted / John Searles
4 stars

Sylvie is 14-years old and Rose is her older sister. Their parents have an odd job. They are very religious and they help people who are “haunted”. They also lecture on what they do and become famous for it. When, one night, they receive a phone call, they put Sylvie in the car with them and drive to a church. While Sylvie stays in the car, her parents, one-by-one, go inside. Neither ever comes out.

I really liked this one. It was a little creepy in a couple of parts. I listened to the audio and it did a good job of keeping my attention, so I didn't miss very much on the rare occasions my mind wandered. The book starts with the phone call and the trip to the church and it goes back and forth in time from then, but even with the audio, I was able to follow.

12x12 Animals

Shadrach / Meindert DeJong
3 stars

Davie is just a little boy and he has been promised a pet rabbit by his Grandpa. But, he has to wait a whole week before the little black rabbit who will be named Shadrach will come home. The first half of the book was Davie's obsession and anticipation during the week before Shadrach came home. The rest of the book included trials and tribulations as poor Shadrach seemed to be getting skinnier and he managed to escape a couple of times.

This was cute. It being a children's chapter book, there were some nice little illustrations by Maurice Sendak.

>216 LibraryCin: Help for the Haunted sounds like a good one.

12x12 Oh Canada, GeoCAT

The Orphan Boy / Tololwa M. Mollel (illustrated by Paul Morin)
4 stars

The night an old man in Eastern Africa is “missing” a star he knows should be there, an orphan boy arrives asking for a place to stay. The old man has no children and would welcome both some company and a helping hand with the cattle and farm. The boy seems able to perform miracles with the work and the man is desperate to know how the boy does these things. The boy tells him it's a secret and if the old man found out, all the good tidings would be gone.

I really liked this story. It's a picture book, so very quick to read, and it has gorgeous colour illustrations.

The author was born in Tanzania, but I found it interesting that he did some of his education in Canada and currently lives in Alberta. The illustrator is from Alberta.

12x12 Trim that TBR

The 6th Target / James Patterson
4 stars

When Fred Brinkley shoots at 6 people on a ferry, killing 4 of them and injuring others (including medical examiner, Claire, and her son), the question when he goes to trial is: was he legally insane? Also, little Madison and her nanny have been kidnapped, but there is no ransom note. There is a violent crime spree at the building that reporter Cindy lives in.

With three cases in this book, there is a lot going on. I enjoyed all three stories. Detective Lindsay is really starting to bug me a bit, though – can she not manage to be on her own (i.e. without a man in her life) for any length of time?

12x12 Overflow, HorrorKIT

The Winter People / Jennifer McMahon
5 stars

We are given glimpses into the life of Sara in 1908 through her journal. Sara married her childhood sweetheart, and though they had trouble having kids, they did end up with the light of their lives, Gertie. Of course, Sara is devastated when they lose 6-year old Gertie. During the present day, we follow 19-year old Ruthie and her little sister, Fawn, after their mother goes missing. In searching their house (the same house that Sara and her family lived in all those years ago) for clues as to where their mother has gone, they find Sara's journal amongst other things and try to put the pieces together.

This pulled me in almost right away. I am rating it as high as I am, as it is the first book that has scared me in a while. Not just parts of it, but a good portion of it. When I finished reading it (10:30 at night), I should have gone to the basement to do something, but no – didn't happen! It was a good story with lots of secrets being revealed. I really liked this one. It kept me reading!

12x12 Overflow

Faces in the Crowd / Valeria Luiselli
2 stars

This book mostly follows a woman with two kids (“the baby” and “the boy”) and a husband (I don't think we learn any of their names). She used to be a translator (of written works) in New York City and much of the anecdotes are her remembrances of her life then. There are other anecdotes by at least one other person... maybe two? Someone had an ex-wife and kids and someone (else? not sure) had three cats. I'm not sure any of the main characters had names.

It was kind of hard to follow/figure out which anecdotes belonged to whom in some cases. Nothing really happened throughout the entire book. Just these little anecdotes. The anecdotes of at least two of the people (both?) come together in a weird meld at the end. I also didn't like the characters, especially the woman. She was a liar and a thief. I mostly did pay attention to this one, but I didn't like the style at all, in addition to there not really being any kind of story to it. Luckily, it was short.

The Winter People sounds like the perfect book to add to my October reads.

>223 DeltaQueen50: October would be a great time to read it!

12x12 Animals, BingoDOG, DeweyCAT

All Things Bright and Beautiful / James Harriot
4 stars

This is Herriot's second book about his vet practice in rural England in the 1930s. This one starts just after he has married Helen and ends with him joining the Air Force (presumably just before the war?). At this point, he is trying to expand the practice (which includes brothers, Siegfried and Tristan) to include more small animals (pets).

He is such a great storyteller! Not only does he include stories about the animals he treated, but he has stories about the people, in general. You can tell how much he loved living in the rural area, and he has plenty of humour in his stories. I really enjoyed this one, as well.

12x12 Oh Canada, AlphaKIT

Mariana / Susanne Kearsley
3.5 stars

Julia is drawn to a particular house in rural England when she if 5 years old. When she comes across the house again at 29 years old, she discovers it's for sale and immediately buys it. After she moves in, she has strange experiences which she figures out are flashbacks to a previous life she lived as Mariana in the 17th century.

It was good. I listened to the audio and, especially at the start, it took some figuring out when she was Julia and when she was Mariana (having previously read – as an ebook – another novel by Kearsley, I suspect the flashbacks, in the print, may have been in italics or some alternate font to make it easier in that format). Later on, it was easier to figure out, based on the people and what was happening. The book got a bit more interesting toward the end, winding up what was happening for Mariana.

>225 LibraryCin: I haven't read those books in years! I should pick them up again at some point. I'm not sure if I still own my copies or if they made their way to a used bookstore or friends of the library sale.

>227 thornton37814: This is a first read for these books for me. Really enjoying them!

12x12 Trim

Anastasia: The Last Grand Duchess / Carolyn Meyer
4 stars

This tells the story of Anastasia, the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II and Alexandra of Russia. It is told in diary format and starts in January 1914. At the beginning of the book, Anastasia is a carefree rich 12-year old, with not too much to worry about. As time goes on, her diary covers Rasputin, World War I, and her family's imprisonment. There is then an epilogue to cover the end of her story and a historical note that, in a short version, covers much of Russia's history

I really enjoyed this YA telling of the Romanovs' story from Anastasia's point of view. It's definitely an interesting way, especially for someone young, to learn about that history.

12x12 Travel, BingoDOG, RandomCAT

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry / Rachel Joyce
3 stars

When Harold Fry learns (via a letter) that a former coworker he hasn't seen in 20 years has terminal cancer, he plans to mail a letter back. On the way to the mailbox, he decides to walk to her – all the way from Southern England to Northern. He leaves his wife Maureen behind, and they both think about where their marriage went wrong.

I preferred reading the chapters from Maureen's point of view to reading about Harold's walking. For some reason, I just didn't find his hike very interesting. I did get annoyed when he had that entire group of people join him for a while. I liked the end and Maureen's portions, but overall, I'm giving it an “ok”, 3 stars.

12x12 CAT Challenges, GeoCAT

Favorite African Folktales / Nelson Mandela (editor)
3 stars

This is pretty much what the title says: a collection of African folktales. I listened to the audio.

I don't always do well with short stories, as I often find them too short to get really interested. Combine that with an audio, where it's easy to get distracted, and I really missed a lot. I did enjoy the stories that I managed to pay attention to the majority of. Two that stood out for me were about animals and the environment (which shouldn't be a surprise!).

What I particularly enjoyed about the audio was the music and songs that were added in. The songs were mostly part of the stories, but all the songs were replayed at the end, as well. The stories were all written (or rewritten) by different people and they were all read by someone different. I recognized the voices of Whoopi Goldberg and Alan Rickman, but the rest of the narrations were done by other actors, such as Matt Damon, Forest Whittaker, Gillian Anderson, Scarlet Johansson...).

>231 LibraryCin: Mmmm, Alan Rickman! ;D Very cool that they had music as well to accompany the folktales.

I have to say that I really enjoyed the music!

12x12 Trim, AlphaKIT

11/22/63 / Stephen King
5 stars

Jake lives in the year 2011, but when his buddy Al suddenly appears unwell, when he was perfectly fine the day before, Al lets Jake in on a secret: Al has been traveling back and forth in time. When he travels back, he always appears on the same date, same time in 1958. Now, though, Al is dying from cancer. Al wants Jake to go back to live back then until he can stop Lee Harvey Oswald from shooting John F. Kennedy in 1963.

Stephen King is amazing! What a great book. The book drew me in right away and it just kept going (that is, it kept me interested with everything going on). I loved the characters, especially Jake and Sadie. I have to admit a few (short) parts where Oswald is discussing politics with a friend wasn't all that interesting to me, but those parts were very short. Overall, amazing book! I also loved the ending.

12x12 Off the Shelf, AlphaKIT, DeweyCAT

The Fault in Our Stars / John Green
3.5 stars

16-year old Hazel is fighting cancer and needs help to breathe via a machine. At a support group meeting (which bore Hazel to tears), she meets Gus. Gus is 17 and managed to fight off his cancer, though not without losing a leg first. This is their love story.

It was good, but I didn't find it anything special. I guess there was too much poetry and philosophy in it for my liking? I also didn't like Hazel's favourite author and could not, for the life of me, figure out why she liked that book so much! I wasn't surprised with how it turned out. What did surprise me is that I didn't cry. My favourite by John Green easily remains Will Grayson, Will Grayson.

12x12 PBT

As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride / Cary Elwes
4 stars

This is pretty much what the title says: behind-the-scenes of the making of the movie, The Princess Bride. I listened to the audio, narrated by Cary Elwes himself, with quotes, in most cases, by the original actors themselves. The narrative often would focus on describing one person (or “event”) at a time.

This was a super-fun book! Loved getting behind-the-scenes of this fun movie! It was even better hearing most of the actors quoting themselves from the book onto the audio. Have to admit the book seemed more positive than one would have thought things to actually be, but I guess it was written many years later, looking back, so it may have been easy to forget anything negative that might have happened? The only negatives, really, were people being hard on themselves (warranted or otherwise: Elwes, breaking a toe off-set because Andre the Giant convinced him to ride an ATV for the first time; or Wallace Shawn (Vizzini) constantly, seriously thinking he was an inch away from being fired!). It's amazing the amount of time and work Elwes and Mandy Patinkin spent perfecting the sword-fighting scene.

>235 LibraryCin: I saw the movie and bawled my eyes out, so I haven't been able to read that one. It sounds a bit different than the film.
>236 LibraryCin: Sounds like a fun read. I love making-of-the-film books because they let you see beyond the smoke and mirrors.

>237 VictoriaPL: Re The Fault in our Stars, I actually forgot there was a movie! I suspect I won't be seeking it out, though. I also know I'm in a minority on how I feel about the book!

12x12 Off the Shelf, RandomCAT, AlphaKIT

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail / Cheryl Strayed
4 stars

Cheryl had an abusive father until her mom took her and her two siblings away when she was 6. She lost her mom to cancer when Cheryl was in her early 20s and, just before the events of this book (four years after the loss of her mom), she had just gotten a divorce after she'd been cheating on her husband for a while. She slept with men, did heroin – her life was a bit of a mess when she decided to spend a few months hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. The PCT starts at the Mexican border and goes just into Canada. Cheryl hiked from southern California to the Oregon/Washington border (skipping a section that had too much snow).

I really liked this. No, I often didn't like Cheryl, and like many others have said (and so did she!), she really wasn't prepared like she should have been. But, I still really enjoyed the journey. I was amazed at how nice people were (for the most part) – other hikers, as well as others along the way in villages and such. Especially with the other hikers, it seemed, there was a great camaraderie.

>236 LibraryCin:
Very happy to hear that it was good - it's on my wishlist, but you never know how books like that will turn out.

>237 VictoriaPL: and >240 -Eva-: If you don't go for the audio, I heard the book has photos. I was thinking, as I listened, how great it was to be listening to the audio, but the book, with the photos, is probably pretty fun, as well!

12x12 Off the Shelf, AlphaKIT

Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street / Michael Davis
3.25 stars

This is pretty much what the subtitle says: a history of Sesame Street. The first half of the book was getting Sesame Street to air. Much of the book also included mini-biographies of many of the Sesame Street “players”, including behind the scenes people, puppeteers, and on-screen actors.

I have to admit I was a bit disappointed. I was hoping for more fun behind-the-scenes stuff, but there was a lot of business history...a lot of business. I don't mind biographies, and some were more interesting than others, but the best of the book, for me, was after Sesame Street started airing and there was more behind-the-scenes info. It makes me want to see if I can find some of the episodes online. I particularly enjoyed the description of the episode that aired after Mr. Hooper's death and how it was explained to Big Bird.

>241 LibraryCin:
Oooh, that made it hard. Hmm... Audio from the library and paper copy from the bookstore perhaps...? :)

>243 -Eva-: You could go that route and do both! Good idea!

12x12 Off the Shelf, HorrorKIT, Mystery Subgenre

Amy Girl / Bari Wood
4 stars

It's the early 1970s. Amy is only 8 years old when she (mostly) sees her father kill her mother with a hammer. She was locked in a closet at the time, and she tried – with her mind – to stop him. From here on, when Amy gets upset, she feels a cold and is able to control other people with her mind. Her uncle, who is in a mental institution, sees things through other people and knows what's happened. One of the police officers who saved Amy from the closet decides to take her in as a foster child. His daughter, Greta, loves having Amy around, but teenager, Paulie, HATES Amy and will do anything to get rid of her.

I have had this over 25 years and never read it until now. There is an inscription from a couple of friends from high school and it took me this long to read it! It's a good thing I still “like” horror novels, because it was really good (though quite horrifying). There is a lot of violence, though, so beware.

12x12 Overflow, AlphaKIT

The Revenant / Michael Punke
3 stars

It is the 1820s. Hugh Glass is part of a group of men who set out to start up a new fort for trading. Unfortunately, on the way there, Glass is attacked by a grizzly bear. The group leaves two men behind who are supposed to care for him until he dies, then give him a proper burial. Instead, after only a few days, they rob him and leave. When Glass realizes what happened, he is intent on going after the two who robbed and abandoned him to enact his revenge.

It took a few chapters for me to get interested, but as soon as the attack happened, that caught my attention. I wasn't as interested in the info about how the men all got to be where they were. I found the parts that focused on Glass and his survival while he was on his own to be the most interesting to me. Although I mostly enjoy historical fiction, I find western-type historical fiction isn't always my “thing”, so I suspect that's (at least in part) why I didn't enjoy this more. There was a historical note, as Glass was a real person and the premise of the story really did happen; of course, the details the author filled in for the story are fictional.

12x12 Animals

Grumpy Cat: A Grumpy Book / Grumpy Cat
3 stars

This is a collection of Grumpy Cat memes, “activities” (i.e. grumpy word finds, crossword puzzles, join the dots, etc), cartoons, etc. meant to help make you grumpy.

This was a gift. I love cats, but have always felt bad for Grumpy Cat – he can't help his facial (mouth) expression! That doesn't really change for cats. Anyway, some of it is cute, amusing, or just silly. A few did make me giggle. Probably more appealing for those who really are Grumpy Cat fans. It was ok.

12x12 PBT, BingoDOG, DeweyCAT

Born of Illusion / Teri Brown
4.5 stars

It is the 1920s in New York City. Anna's mother is a medium and Anna has had an unusual childhood. She has been told that Harry Houdini is her father. She has real magic powers of her own and opens as a magician for her mother's show. Her mother supplements their income with seances, which Anna hates helping with. She is trying to hide her magic from her mother (who is jealous when Anna shows her up; Anna and her mother have a strained relationship). Anna is 16 (?) and has just met Owen and Cole, two men she is very drawn to. She would also love to meet her father.

There is actually quite a bit going on in this book, more than I've even mentioned. I loved it! I loved the atmosphere of the book and wanted to keep reading. I considered giving it 5 stars, but due to what I thought was a slight inconsistency near the end, I just couldn't bring my rating up quite so high, but I'm keeping it close.

12x12 Travel

The Taming of the Queen / Philippa Gregory.
4 stars

This novel focuses on Katherine Parr, Henry VIII's last wife, who managed to outlive him. The book does not cover her entire life, but it starts when Katherine finds out the King of England – the King who has had 2 previous wives killed, set 2 more aside, and 1 died in childbirth – wants to marry her. It's not even possible to say no, though Katherine is in love with Thomas Seymour. Katherine needs to hide her love for Thomas, and at the same time, she would like to push Henry for further religious reforms. The book ends with a short wrap-up after Henry dies, though Katherine didn't live much longer after Henry.

I really enjoyed this. I listened to the audio and it was done well: I didn't lose interest. Katherine is one of Henry's wives who I've not read very much about, so this was interesting. Of course, it was fiction, so liberties were taken, but Gregory does provide a historical note at the end. Katherine was a very smart woman and later (after Henry died) published a book under her own name.

Congrats on completing your Bingo card.

>250 Kristelh: Thanks, Kristel! Have you finished yours?

12x12 Series, RandomCAT

The Beggar King / Oliver Potzsch.
4 stars

(My summary is not giving away anything that isn't in the blurb on the book.) This is the third in the “Hangman's Daughter” series. It is 1662 in Bavaria. The Schongau hangman, Jakob, heads to a bigger city, Regensburg, to help take care of his sister, who he just heard is sick, and likely dying. When he arrives, he finds both her and her husband dead, throats slit. The officals find him there at that moment and he is arrested and brought to the prison, later to be tortured. Meanwhile, Jakob's daughter, Magdalena, and her love, Simon, decide to leave Schongau, where they are persecuted and not allowed to marry due to their differing social classes. When they arrive in Regensburg, they discover Magdalena's father has been arrested, so they try to help free him.

I really liked this one. It was jam packed with action. It did slow down for me a bit in the middle (I'm actually not sure why, as there was still plenty going on), but overall, I really enjoyed it. It really drew me in. I often wanted to get back to reading this one when I wasn't.

12x12 Nonfiction, GeoCAT, DeweyCAT

Dark Summit: The True Story of Everest's Most Controversial Season / Nick Heil
4 stars

In 2006, Mount Everest saw it's deadliest season since 1996 (the year Jon Krakauer wrote about in Into Thin Air). But this time around, weather was not the cause. One man died after being passed by numerous climbers while he was still alive; another was left behind when they thought he was a lost cause (he was “left for dead”, similar to Beck Weathers in 1996); miraculously, he lived.

Another really good mountaineering book. The beginning, while looking back at history and – at the same time – introducing us to the “players” in 2006, I had a bit of hard time following, with so many people, years, stories. But, once we got going and focused on 2006, the story was riveting. I don't remember crying while reading Into Thin Air (but I'd be surprised if I didn't; I likely just don't remember), but I cried at a couple of places reading this one.

12x12 Audio

Dead End in Norvelt / Jack Gantos
3 stars

Jack is a teenager (? or preteen?) in the 1960s in the small town of Norvelt (named for Eleanor Roosevelt). When he is grounded for a summer, he is allowed to leave the house to help a neighbour, Miss Volker, write obituaries for the town paper. Miss Volker can no longer type due to the arthritis that has crippled her hands. They strike up an interesting friendship while musing on the town's deaths and other goings-on.

The book was ok. I listened to the audio, read by the author, and he did a good job. I didn't tend to lose focus with this one, but the story was merely ok for me. There was a brief interview with the author at the end, and it does seem that much of the book (or at least the characters in the book) were drawn from his life (first clue is that the main character has the author's name).

>251 LibraryCin:, I have two left. The word play one. Wonder if "the Good Lord Bird" would work. I have read so many books with word play in the body of the book but not on the cover. The other is an airplane ride. I've read lots of books with rocket ship rides and I am thinking I might have to use that in place of the airplane. I could use The Goldfinch because the main character does fly to Amsterdam.

12x12 Canada, Travel Across Canada, DeweyCAT

The Bone Cage / Angie Abdou
4 stars

Sadie is a swimmer; Digger is a wrestler. They are both training in Calgary for the Sydney Olympics in 2000. They are both at the end of their careers, so this Olympics will be their last shot. In addition to the training, they have things going on in their personal lives and about half-way through the book, they do meet.

This was probably good timing to be reading this, just after the Rio Olympics. I'm not that much “into” sports, so I wasn't sure how much I'd like this one, but I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed it so much. The author is a swimmer, so she could go into behind-the-scenes details most of us wouldn't know. The chapters are told from alternating viewpoints and I enjoyed the personal stories of Sadie and Digger, particularly Sadie. Since the book was mostly set in the city I live, it's always fun to read about places you know, as well.

12x12 Series, AlphaKIT

Bite Me / Christopher Moore.
2 stars

******POSSIBLE SPOILER FOR FIRST TWO BOOKS IN SERIES******
Tommy and Jody are vampires and their minion, Abby, has encased them in bronze.
******END SPOILER******

Meanwhile, the city is being overrun by vampire cats.

I really liked the first in the series, and the second one was good. This one, I did not like. I really dislike Abby (even mentioned it in my review of You Suck), and she was more of a focus in this one. She is really annoying, and I hate her teenspeak. The first chapter particularly put me off the book – it was a recap of the first two books, which is fine, but it was all retold by Abby in her annoying way. Chapters that focused on other people were better, but not enough to pull up my rating. I know it's meant to be funny, but this one just seemed way too ridiculous for me. At least it didn't take long to read (though it was helped along by me sometimes skimming).

>253 LibraryCin: I'm always a sucker for a mountaineering book. Sounds good!

>258 VictoriaPL: Hope you like it!

12x12 Trim, DeweyCAT

The Musician's Daughter / Susanne Dunlap
4 stars

It's 18th century in Vienna, Austria. Theresa Maria's father is a violinist and, on Christmas Eve, he is brought home and has been murdered. Although her mother would like to get her married (with the help of her rich uncle, who disowned his sister - Theresa Maria's mother), Theresa Maria insists on trying to find out who killed her father. This brings her into contact with gypsies, rich unscrupulous men, other musicians, and more, and sends her on a bit of an “adventure” (without giving too much away!).

I really enjoyed this. It moved fast and there was plenty going on to keep me interested. I read another novel a number of years back where gypsies were featured prominently, and I'd hoped to read more on them, but really haven't, so this was fun from that aspect, as well.

>260 LibraryCin: Cindy - I took a book bullet on that one. Unfortunately my library doesn't have it. I'll look for it at a used bookstore because it really sounds interesting.

>261 thornton37814: I hope you are able to get your hands on it and I definitely hope you enjoy it!

12x12 Series, HorrorKIT

The Killing Dance / Laurel K. Hamilton
3.5 stars

In the 6th book in the series, Anita finds out someone is trying to have her killed. She is still caught up in a triangle with vampire Jean-Claude, and werewolf Richard.

Mostly, I liked this one, but I definitely did not like the ending. I still don't like Jean-Claude. I also mostly like the audios of these books, as there are some good sound effects, but I do wonder if it's the narrator's voice for J-C that has me disliking him so much (I'm not sure of that, though). I know that, at least closer to the start of the book, it was easy for me to tune out during scenes with J-C. I am wondering, though, if the next book is where the series starts to go wrong. Not sure if I'll continue on or not.

12x12 Off the Shelf

Middlesex / Jeffrey Eugenides
3.75 stars

Cal/Calliope is a hermaphrodite; that is, born with both male and female parts. No one noticed the hidden boy parts until “Callie” was 14, however, so she was raised a girl. We know near the start of the book, that - as an adult - Cal is male. The book tells Cal's story, growing up, as well as the story of his parents and grandparents, who originally came to the U.S. from Greece via Turkey.

Ok, so I didn't realize so much of the book was about Cal's parents and grandparents, so for a while from the start of the book, I kept wondering when we'd get past the background and get to Cal's story. Wasn't as interested, initially. But, when I realized that was meant to be a good portion of the book, I let myself “enjoy” it more. However, there is one BIG thing that I just can't get past (not mentioned in the blurb on the back of the book, so I assume to mention it here would be a spoiler), that is preventing me from giving it 4 stars. I just can't (ew! ew! ew!). Cal's story, though, I did find very interesting once we finally got to it. Really enjoyed that part of the book.

12x12 Overflow

The Stepford Wives / Ira Levin
4 stars

It is the early 1970s. Joanna is a photographer and both she and her husband, Walter, split household duties, including watching their two kids. When they move into Stepford, Joanna has a hard time making friends, as all the women in the area seem to only want to stay home and do housework; whereas Walter has no trouble finding friends through the “Men's Association”.

This was really good; I just wish I had never seen the movie! I would have liked to have read it without knowing what was going on. I saw the more recent movie with Nicole Kidman when it came out a few years back; though I didn't remember details, I did remember the gist of it. I (silly me!) also read the introduction, thinking since I'd seen the movie already... however, the intro did reveal one thing I'd forgotten. Due to knowing (basically) what would happen, I initially thought I'd rate it a bit lower, but I have to admit that at the end of the book (novella, really), I was sucked in and wanted to keep reading. I started to wonder if the end of the movie was different than the end of the book. Being sucked in at the end is why I ended up giving it the higher rating; also, I know I would have rated it higher had I not seen the movie!

12x12 Nonfiction

12 Years a Slave / Solomon Northup
2.5 stars

In the mid-1800s, Solomon Northup was a free black man from New York. He was married and had three kids. He was kidnapped and sold into slavery in Louisiana. This is his story.

I think I made the mistake of listening to the audio. Even worse, my library had the choice of three different audio books, with three different narrators. I chose the narrator I recognized (though I've not listened to him narrate a book before): Louis Gossett, Jr. Unfortunately, the book rarely held my attention. It did some, and the parts I paid attention to were ok, but overall, I missed out on too much of the book to really “like” it.

12x12 Oh Canada

The Cat's Table / Michael Ondaatje
2.5 stars

Michael, at 11-years old, is on a ship. He makes friends with two other 11-year old boys at his table, “The Cat's Table”. This tells the story of their trip, and some of the other people they met on that trip.

Ok, that may not quite be the gist of the story, but it's what I got from it. I wasn't expecting to like it, as the other book(s?) I've read by Ondaatje, I found boring (In the Skin of a Lion). I may or may not have also tried Anil's Ghost, but I can't quite recall.

Anyway, it started off well. I thought it was going to be better than I expected, but not too long into it, it went downhill for me. It jumped back and forth in time, so I often missed where we were. It also jumped around a bit, focusing on different people. In the end, it just wasn't interesting enough for me to pay attention, so I missed much of it as I skimmed.

>267 LibraryCin: That one is definitely safe for me to avoid. Yours is the second disfavorable review I've seen in the last couple of weeks on it.

>268 thornton37814: Have there been other reviews recently? I read it for my f2f book club at the end of this month. Hopefully some of the others liked it better!

I don't know. I just saw one other one, and it was much like yours.

>270 thornton37814: Ah, ok!

>249 LibraryCin: This novel sounds quite interesting, as there doesn't seem to be much literature devoted to Katherine Parr. Years ago, I'd read and enjoyed Jean Plaidy's novel about Parr, The Sixth Wife. I'll have to give The Taming of the Queen a try.

>272 mathgirl40: Thanks for the tip on the Plaidy novel, as well. It's not one I've read.

12x12 Series, DeweyCAT

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child / J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, Jack Thorne
4 stars

Harry, Ron, Hermione and the rest are all grown up and have families of their own. When Harry and Ginny's youngest son, Albus, heads to Hogwarts, he becomes best friends with Draco's son, Scorpius. This (in addition to other things) leads to some conflict between Albus and Harry. Also, Harry's scar is beginning to hurt again...

I really enjoyed this. The fact that it's a play didn't factor in at all for me. It was so much fun to revisit their world and the characters. I also enjoyed the boys' storyline much more than I expected to.

12x12 Trim

The Mysterious Affair at Styles / Agatha Christie
3 stars

This was Agatha Christie’s debut novel, written in 1920. It is also where she introduced Hercule Poirot. While Hastings is staying with friends, the lady of the house is murdered. Retired Scotland Yard detective Poirot comes to help solve the case. The husband, two sons, a daughter-in-law and more are all suspects.

It was ok. So many characters are introduced right away at the beginning of her books that I sometimes lose who is who for a while. I’m actually not a Poirot fan; I prefer Miss Marple. I find him a bit annoying, as he hints at things with Hastings, but never comes out and says what he thinks. He always wants Hastings to figure it out on his own. He is a bit of a know-it-all, as he always does seem to know it from the start, but can’t prove it, so never reveals his thoughts until the end. His attitude just annoys me a bit. At the same time, I was interested in reading Christie’s debut novel, and in reading the book that introduced Poirot.

12x12 Off the Shelf, HorrorKIT, RandomCAT

Second Child / John Saul
4 stars

When 15-year old Teri’s parents die in a house fire, Teri is the only one to get out. She is collected by her biological father to go live across the country with him, his wife and their 13-year old daughter, Melissa. Melissa is considered by some to be a bit… strange. But she has good reason. (The back of the book doesn’t say much, so I don’t want to give too much away.) They are rich, but Melissa and her mother (Phyllis) don’t really fit in, though Phyllis certainly tries.

This was really good. I was pulled in at the start and it kept me reading and wanting to read. I was quite horrified and disgusted with actions of many of the characters and felt so badly for Melissa. This book has elements of both supernatural and psychological horror, both of which I “enjoy” reading. Just be careful reading through some of the reviews, as much more is given away than I think should be for this book.

12x12 PBT, AlphaKIT

The Lady Elizabeth /Alison Weir
4 stars

This fictional account covers Elizabeth I’s life from the time her mother, Anne Boleyn, is killed up to when she becomes queen.

I do like Alison Weir. This may be the highest I've rated a book about Elizabeth I; I usually don't find her quite as interesting as some of the other Tudors. Surprisingly enough, historian Weir does admit (in a Q&A at the end) to taking a big step away from what she believes really happened in one part of the book, but she said she was enjoying the liberty of it being fiction and decided to go with - what if...? I don’t think that “what if” pushed the book to 4 stars for me, though. The book was already there and remained there throughout. I’ve been meaning to read this for years and I’m glad I finally have! For those who want more factual historical fiction, this may not be the one for you, but I really liked this one!

12x12 Audio

Sycamore Row / John Grisham
4.5 stars

It’s three years after the Carl Lee Hailey trial, won by lawyer Jake Brigance. It’s Mississippi the late 1980s. Seth Hubbard had cancer and has hung himself. One day before he died, he wrote, signed, and mailed a handwritten will to Jake; the handwritten will cuts out his kids and grandkids, and leaves all his millions to his black housekeeper. Jake has been asked to defend the handwritten will.

I really liked this, but not quite as much as its precursor, A Time to Kill. I listened to the audio of this one and it drew me in right away. It was rare for me to get distracted from it, though it still wasn’t edge-of-your-seat or anything. I wouldn’t say it dragged for me, but there were a few slower parts, I guess. I certainly wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen.

12x12 CAT Challenges, GeoCAT

The Housekeeper and the Professor / Yoko Ogawa
3.5 stars

A housekeeper is assigned to work in the house of a former mathematics professor; that professor had an accident in 1975, though, and although he remembers everything from before that time, any new memories last only 80 minutes. However, they strike up a friendship, along with the housekeeper’s son. The professor teaches the two about the wonders of numbers and math and they find another common ground in baseball.

I enjoyed this. Sometimes the math was a bit too much, and I suspect I would have enjoyed it more if I also liked baseball a bit more, but I liked the relationships that developed in the story.

>265 LibraryCin:
Why, oh why, oh why do they put plotpoints in the Introduction?? Why can't they just make it an afterword. Why? Grrr.

>274 LibraryCin:
I still haven't decided if I'm going to read that one, but good to know that it's good if I do! :)

>280 -Eva-: Re: plotpoints in the intro, agreed! I've never understood why they do that. :-(

Re: Harry Potter, I was undecided for a while, as well, but I'm glad i did read it in the end.

12x12 Trim the TBR

Dead Ever After / Charlaine Harris
4 stars

Without giving too much away from previous books, Sookie is being framed for the murder of a former friend. For some reason, Sam seems to be avoiding Sookie. Other friends, though, are around to help Sookie figure out who really did murder her former friend.

I thought this was a really good ending to the series. It pretty much ended how I wanted it to. Even if it hadn’t, for me, it was an entertaining send-off. Some parts seemed slower than many of the other books, but I like that she was getting back to some of the regular normal day-to-day activities of a normal person (gardening, baking…).

12x12 CAT Challenges, RandomCAT, AlphaKIT, HorrorKIT

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow / Washington Irving

Reread a 3rd time:

3 stars. I have read this two previous times, two years in a row. This is the first time I was able to sit and read uninterrupted. I had hoped I would like it better, but I’m actually rating it lower than I rated it the first two times. Maybe my mindset; maybe I was rating more leniently at the time, but I just am not interested in the super-detailed description, most of which has nothing to do with the story. Once again, I do agree that the actual meeting of Ichabod Crane with the Headless Horseman is the most interesting part.

12x12 Oh Canada, Travel Across Canada

Bride of New France / Suzanne Desrochers
3.5 stars

It’s the mid-1600s. Laure grew up in a hospital in Paris that housed orphans. When some of the girls are chosen to be sent to New France (Canada) to become wives for the many men who are already there, Laure is one who is chosen to go. The girls have heard horror stories about New France, including about the “savages” and don’t know what to expect.

I enjoyed this. I listened to the audio, and the narrator spoke very slowly, but I only noticed that once in a while. I suppose it did also help with the few French words that were thrown in. The plot itself doesn’t move quickly and it took me a little bit of time at the start to get interested, but once I was interested, I did enjoy it. It was interesting to learn about the colonization of French Canada hundreds of years ago, and for me, it’s always more interesting through the eyes of a woman.

12x12 PBT

The Sunne in Splendour / Sharon Kay Penman
3.5 stars

This is a novel about Richard III of England. He was the youngest of the three (living) York brothers from the “Wars of the Roses” (York vs. Lancaster). His oldest brother, Edward, was King of England and produced two sons, later known as the “Princes in the Tower”. Edward and Richard got along very well, and Richard was named “Protector” to Edward’s oldest son (also Edward) when Edward himself died, but both Edward’s sons later disappeared. To history, many believe that Richard murdered his nephews.

Ok, I guess I’m all over the place with that description. The book was good, but it took me a long time to get “into” it. There are a lot of people with the same name, so that takes getting used to, in addition to getting used to various people’s titles and nicknames! It was at least 1/3 of the way in before I was interested. The war parts of the books don’t really interest me. I find I’m also more interested in historical fiction from a woman’s viewpoint. It was when Anne was more of a focus (she married Richard) that I got more interested, so I did find their relationship a part of the book I really enjoyed. It is a very long book, however. Overall, I’m rating it as “I liked it”, but it took a while to get there.

12x12 Nonfiction, DeweyCAT

Ghost Ships: True Stories of Nautical Nightmares, Hauntings, and Disasters / Richard Winer
3 stars

The title pretty much says it all. This is a collection of stories of various types of ships that have disappeared or had some kind of disaster befall them. Of course, a disaster can then potentially result in ghosts in some cases.

It was ok. There was some sail-speak that went over my head. Also, because the stories are so short, if I lost focus even for a short time, I really ended up missing a lot. As with a book of short stories, some were more interesting than others.

12x12 Series

The Coffin Dancer / Jeffrey Deaver
2.5 stars

Lincoln Rhyme is a quadriplegic detective. He works with Amelia Sachs. The “Coffin Dancer” is a killer for hire who has killed a number of people. This time he’s after two women (after having killed the one woman’s husband already). While others try to keep the women safe, Rhyme and Sachs are trying to catch the killer.

I listened to the audio for this one, and I’m not sure if it was due to the narrator (Joe Mantegna, from Criminal Minds) that I lost focus so much, due to the story, or due to the poor quality of the audio. There was white noise in the background and it sounded kind of like an echo; I think there was something cut off at at least one point, as well).

I really liked the first in the series, and part of what I liked was the interplay between Rhyme and Sachs, but I didn’t “feel” that at all in this one. Again, not sure if it was the audio or something else for that. Surprising to me (this doesn’t happen often), I found myself paying more attention to the sections that focused on the killer. I will likely read the 3rd in the series to decide whether or not I want to continue on, but I will try to remember to avoid the audio. Oh, crap! I’m looking closer to see that I got an abridged version. Sigh… Wonder if that made a difference?

>287 LibraryCin: An abridged version - that would account for the cut off parts :( I've been caught out with abridged versions too (just how did they squeeze an 800-page book into 3 hours??). The word "abridged" should be in big red letters, not hidden in the small print.

12x12 Nonfiction, DeweyCAT

Blue Highways: A Journey Into America / William Least Heat-Moon
3 stars

In 1978, William Least Heat-Moon lost his job and his wife. He decided to take a road trip through the entire U.S. He followed the roads less travelled – that is, the “blue highways” on the map, the ones that mostly avoid the big cities. He headed east from where he lived in Missouri, then made a big circle around the outskirts of the country, following the blue highways. In each place, he chatted with the people and learned about the cultures in each part of the country.

It was ok. It wasn’t fast-moving, and with so many different towns and people, it felt a little like short stories (which are not my favourite thing). Like with short stories, some people/places/stories were more interesting to me than others.

One time when my husband was on business in Spain for a couple of months, I went over for a couple of weeks. The maps there had three types of roads - red, yellow, and blue. We wen to Ronda one day and decided on the way back to take the "blue" roads. We still talk about that day, getting off the main track.

When my kids were young we took a road trip from California to New Mexico. On the way back I chose to drive across the northern parts of NM and Arizona hitting Four Corners and the Grand Canyon. Looking back, that may have not been the wisest choice but nothing happened so it is a wonderful memory. Let's hear it for blue roads!

Ah, and I don't even drive, so any "blue highways" for me would have to be or have been with my parents. Dad loves to drive!

12x12 Oh Canada, AlphaKIT

Holding Juno: Canada's Heroic Defence of the D-Day Beaches / Mark Zuehlke
2.5 stars

This is Zuehlke’s second book covering D-Day. focusing on Canadian troops at Juno Beach. The first book focused on that exact day. This one continues with the days following, from June 7-12, 1944.

I liked the first one. I’m not sure if the style was any different (it’s been 3 years since I read it), if I just wasn’t in the mood as much, this time (though I purposely read it over Remembrance Day), or what, but it just didn’t draw me in this time. Some parts did, particularly the 12th SS German group who just went ahead and murdered many POWs – horrifying, but it’s one story of it that sure got my attention! I believe there is supposed to be a third book that also continues this, but I’m not sure of the title. I might still give it a try, I’m not sure. I will likely try a fictional book that he has written, though – a mystery set on Vancouver Island.

12x12 Travel, RandomCAT

The Rosie Project / Graeme Simsion.
4 stars

2015 read: Don is a professor and has only three friends. He is extremely socially awkward. He decides to start “The Wife Project” and comes up with a questionnaire to filter out any unsuitable candidates. His friend Gene goes over some of the applicants to help Don out and sends over Rosie. Don can't figure out why Rosie, as she is completely unsuitable!

I loved this! Don and his never-ending quirks... It's a fun, humourous, happy read. I did feel badly for Gene's wife, though.

2016 reread: The first time I read this, I gave it 5 stars. I think I felt similarly as the first time throughout most of it and last time, maybe upped my star rating for the ending. This time around I’m leaving my rating, overall, at 4 stars. It was still enjoyable and still humourous, and to be honest, I’d forgotten most of what happened in the book, which was nice for a reread. This time around, though, I do think the 5 stars was a bit too much.

12x12 Oh Canada, Travel Across Canada, AlphaKIT

You Might Be From Saskatchewan If... Volume 2 / Carson Demmans, Jason Sylvestre.
http://www.librarything.com/work/16984377/details/124730802
2.5 stars

This is a book of comics that probably should have been funny for someone who grew up in Saskatchewan, but I didn’t laugh. A few of them made me smile, but that was about it. It was ok, but not as good as I had hoped.

12x12 Off the Shelf, AlphaKIT, DeweyCAT

A Walking Tour of the Shambles / Neil Gaiman, Gene Wolfe
2 stars

This is a walking tour of a fictional area in Chicago. Unfortunately, I just found it boring. There were a few nice illustrations. Was it meant to be funny? I’m not sure. I just didn’t find it interesting at all.

12x12 Audio, RandomCAT

Stolen Innocence: My Story of Growing Up in a Polygamous Sect... / Elissa Wall
4.5 stars

Elissa Wall grew up as an FLDS (Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints, the polygamous sect of the Mormons) member. As she grew up, she watched many of her older siblings either leave or be kicked out of the FLDS. When she was 14-years old, she was forced to marry her first cousin, Allen – a man she loathed. She begged from the start to get out of the marriage, both because she was too young and he was her cousin. “Prophet” (or the mouthpiece for the current prophet, ailing Roulon Jeffs – Warren’s father) Warren Jeffs didn’t listen or care. She continued to try to be released from this awful marriage as Allen continually abused her.

I’ve read a few books about the FLDS. This is another horrifying story, as Warren Jeffs took power from his father and things got worse and worse for the members, in addition to young Elissa. It seems that it’s hard enough for victims of abuse to come forward; there is so much additional pressure for FLDS in that they first need to get away - for many, against the wishes of their families and other loved ones, and of course, against their church and religious beliefs. I listened to the audio and thought the narrator did a good job.

12x12 Animals, RandomCAT

The Bees / Laline Paull
3.5 stars

In a bee society, Flora 717 is meant to be a worker bee, more specifically, a Sanitation worker, and she is not allowed to be anything else. But, somehow Flora manages to try out all kinds of different jobs, from working in the nursery to foraging, and she even manages to get invited to see the Queen! However, the Queen is the only bee who can procreate, but Flora manages to lay three eggs…

This was quite different, to read the story from the viewpoint of bees. It was good, but for me, wasn’t great. It was kind of interesting, as I really know very little about bees, including their predators. I guess I just had never thought about it. Like with historical fiction, I would have liked an author’s note of some kind, explaining which behaviours in the story really are bee-like and which behaviours were just for the story.

12x12 Travel, HorrorKIT

Ripley Under Ground / Patricia Highsmith
3.5 stars

In this sequel to The Talented Mr. Ripley, Tom Ripley is married and living in France. A few years back, he concocted a scheme where, although a painter had died, someone was rounded up to paint in that painter’s name, as if he was still alive and a recluse. There was a gallery in London that sold this painter’s paintings, there were art supplies and a school of art all in this (dead) painter’s name. But when an American suspects he has bought a forgery and wants to come to London to prove it, Tom must stop this from happening…

This pulled me in early on. There was a bit of a lull in the middle for me, but it picked up again at the end. It was good and I do plan to continue the series.

12x12 CAT Challenges, GeoCAT, RandomCAT

At the Drop of a Veil / Marianne Alireza
3.5 stars

In the mid-1940s, an American woman, Marianne, married a rich Arabic man. When she moved to Saudi Arabia with him, she was thrown into a culture so far removed from what she was used to. Not only that, her husband was away often and she had to find her way with the help of his family as she also struggled to learn the language, customs, etc.

I thought this was quite interesting. Despite the difficulties, you can see how much she loved her husband’s family. A little too quickly wrapped up, I thought, though. I would have liked to know more about what happened to everyone after the book ended (it was published in 1971, so more could have been said).

12x12 Audio, RandomCAT

Dualed / Elsie Chapman
3.5 stars

Here, people are born with a doppleganger, a twin or Alternate (aka: “alt”) who they will grow up and have to fight to the death, sometime between the ages of 10 and 20. The winner, then, proves that they are the stronger, smarter person to survive and deserves to live to help defend the city. West has already lost two siblings and both parents.

******POSSIBLE SPOILERS (though this pretty much all happens near the start of the book)******
When her older brother, Luke, goes to help his best friend, Cord, fight Cord’s alt, Luke loses his life. West hasn’t had to fight her alt yet, but she is so angry that she decides to become a striker – an assassin for hire to kill other people’s alts before they have to themselves.
******END SPOILERS******

Then, her “assignment” comes up and she has to fight for her own life.

I like the idea of this story and it was good, but I felt like the striker angle took away from the rest of the story for me. I feel like it was more to add “filler” to the story. Just my opinion. Maybe strikers come more into play in later books in the series, but it just didn’t interest me as much as the main storyline. Although, overall, it was good, I’m not sure it’s enough for me to continue the series.

12x12 PBT, RandomCAT

A Cat Named Squeeky / Vic Reskovic
4.5 stars

Though they liked animals, Vic and his wife, Cindy, had never owned a pet and didn’t want one, but when this pretty little kitty wandered into the yard, but she didn’t belong to any of the neighbours, she just made herself comfortable in their lives and stayed for 19 years!

Ok, this doesn’t really deserve such a high rating, but part of it is an emotional rating from me. It’s a simple story, large font, short chapters, short book. Much of the book focused on when they first found Squeeky and when she got old, but, it was humourous and what a sweet kitty! When she got old, she developed two health issues that my previous boy developed (though he didn’t make it to 20ish years old!). Miss Squeeky was also very chatty, as is my newest cat. Enjoyable book, but of course, heartbreaking at the end.

12x12 Animals

A Christmas Home / Greg Kincaid
3.5 stars

24-year old Todd is “disabled” - that is, he is not as smart as most people. He works at the local animal shelter, training the dogs and helping get them adopted. But the economy is bad and the small town that runs the shelter will have to be closed at the end of the year, only a few weeks away, as there is no longer any money to run it. Todd is confused and scared and isn’t sure what he’ll do.

This was a cute story. I picked it up before realizing that it’s actually the third in a series that appears to follow Todd and his dog named Christmas. I haven’t decided yet if I’ll back up and read the other books in the series.

12x12 PBT

Leaping Beauty and Other Animal Fairy Tales / Gregory Maguire
3 stars

This is a collection of eight fairy tales that Maguire has retold with animal characters. The stories include Rumplesnakeskin, Goldiefox and the Three Chickens, Hamster and Gerbil, etc.

It was ok. Like with most short stories, if/when my mind wanders, the story is too short to really be able to catch up (well) with what I’ve missed, but with these, it helps that I know the stories already. It’s a quick read. Maybe kids would enjoy it a bit more.

12x12 Series, RandomCAT

The Koala of Death / Betty Webb
4 stars

In the 2nd book in the series, zookeeper Theodora (Teddy) finds the body of a fellow zookeeper floating in the water beside her houseboat. “Koala Kate” has been murdered. Teddy is asked to take over many of Kate’s responsibilities, including tv spots and PR stuff - not Teddy’s forte. Teddy’s boyfriend, Joe, is the local sheriff, trying to figure out who killed Kate.

I really enjoyed this. I love all the extra animal info that is shared throughout the book! I think I was actually more interested in things other than solving the mystery in this book, but I still really enjoyed it!

12x12 Nonfiction, DeweyCAT, GeoCAT, AlphaKIT

Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania / Erik Larson
4.5 stars

The Lusitania was a large passenger vessel, travelling from New York to England in 1915, during World War I. At the time, German submarines were patrolling and sinking ships, neutral, passenger, or otherwise, in British waters. Woodrow Wilson was president of the United States and had just lost his wife The British had a room (Room 40) where they decoded German messages. This book follows all those different threads as it leads up to a disaster…

I hadn’t heard of the Lusitania until I started seeing reviews of this book. I found this story fascinating! There were a few parts that weren’t as interesting, but for the most part, I was engaged in the story. Of course, most interesting to me was the Lusitania herself, the passengers and the captain. I was a bit surprised to find even the submarine’s story held my interest, as well, though. Wilson and Room 40’s parts in the book were a little less, but did come into play for various reasons.

>306 LibraryCin: I've enjoyed several of Larson's books very much but haven't read this one yet. It definitely goes on the wishlist.

>307 mathgirl40: I've really enjoyed all the ones I've read by him, as well. I think the only one I haven' t read yet is In the Garden of Beasts.

12x12 Audio

Go Set a Watchman / Harper Lee
3 stars

Jean-Louise (a.k.a. Scout) is now 26-years old and living in New York City. She comes home to visit her family and childhood friends, only to find either they have or she has changed, significantly.

I listened to the audio, narrated by Reese Witherspoon, and she did a good job. Really, with To Kill a Mockingbird, I found most of that book, merely “ok”, as well, but it ended with a “good” rating (3.5 stars) from me, simply because of the trial. Go Set a Watchman had no trial to bring the rating and interest level up for me. So, except for the trial, I thought the book was comparable. Of course, I’m reading this after so many others already have, and the disappointment in Atticus wasn’t really there for me, because I’d already heard from others. Or, maybe it just didn’t bother me, as much?

12x12 Animals, RandomCAT

Leaving Time / Jodi Picoult
4 stars

Jenna is 13-years old and lives with her grandmother. Her parents ran an elephant sanctuary and on the night one of the keepers was found trampled (when Jenna was only 3-years old), her mother was also injured, then she disappeared. Jenna is now old enough to try, on her own, to find out what happened to her mother.

The story is told in alternating points of view, mostly from Jenna’s or her mother’s POV. Alice’s story starts with her elephant research on grief in Africa and there is so much interesting elephant research in these chapters. I loved learning about them. (There is an author’s note at the end that the elephant research is based on real research and real elephants, as I suspected.) The rest of the story was from Jenna’s POV, plus POVs of the two people she had helping her find her mother, a private investigator and a psychic. There is a big twist at the end

12x12 Animal.s, AlphaKIT, RandomCAT, Travel Across Canada

The Three Snow Bears / Jan Brett
3.5 stars

This is an Inuit retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, but in this case, it’s a little Inuit girl, Aloo-ki, who is looking for her dogs who floated away on a piece of ice and she stumbles upon the igloo where three snow bears live. She goes inside to investigate, while the bears are out.

3 stars for the story, 4 stars for the artwork. It’s a cute story, but one that’s been told. But, the pictures in the book are amazing. The Inuit setting is a nice change and it makes for beautiful pictures. It reminded me of some graphic novels where there is a border. The pictures in the border were following the dogs and the bears, while the main story with text followed Aloo-ki. I read my first picture book by this author last year and I am reminded of the wonderful pictures with her stories.

12x12 PBT

M is for Magic / Neil Gaiman
3 stars

A book of short stories by Gaiman. I listened to the audio read by Gaiman. Many of the stories (all?) were published in a previous collection, as well.

I should just copy and paste every single review I’ve done for a book of short stories! I liked some better than others. Especially with audio (as this was), though it goes for short stories – at least for me – in general, anyway… if I miss something, with a short story, you really end up missing the entire story because there really isn’t any way/time to catch up with what you missed, unless you want to back up and start it again (that’s where it’s a bit easier with a print or ebook over an audio). My favourite story was one that I’ve read before about a black cat. I do love that he often includes cats in his stories and this black cat was not unlucky for the humans.

>310 LibraryCin: - I found this to be one of my favorite Jodi Picoult books. And yes - that was quite a big twist at the end. I find that many of her books have some type of conflict that has me wondering how she will resolve it and still have a "good" ending. (The Pact is one that immediately comes to mind.) Yet she always finds a way. This one was a little different than that but still quite compelling. And the information about the elephants also helped make this book something better than it would have been if it were only a book about her search.

Taking the afternoon playing catch-up on all the threads in the group and have enjoyed getting caught up with all of your reading.

12x12 Animals, RandomCAT

Dinosaur Lake / Kathryn Meyer Griffith
4 stars

Henry is the Chief Park Ranger at Crater Lake, which sits atop a volcano. There has been no volcanic activity in anyone’s memory and earthquakes are rare and mild. Near the start of the book, some dinosaur bones are found when a small earthquake reveals them. When Henry learns that people have seen a “monster” in the lake, including one of his best friends/one of the other rangers, he doesn’t really believe them until he sees it himself. Things go from bad to worse as people start to disappear...

This was really good. Lots of suspense and I was often on-the-edge-of-my-seat with a pounding heart. There was a range of characters and motivations; some of the characters I liked, some not so much! At first, the book had me thinking of similarities to Jurassic Park, then Jaws (Henry gets to a point where he wants to close the lake, but no one believes that there is a problem), and some Loch Ness Monster (monster in a lake) and Bigfoot (no one believes it) thrown in there. This is part of a series, and I do hope to continue.

12x12 Travel, HorrorKIT, GeoCAT, RandomCAT

The Birds / Daphne du Maurier
5 stars

I listened to the BBC audio dramatization of du Maurier’s The Birds (the same one Hitchcock based his movie on). It follows a family of three who have moved from London to the country. It takes place in England, it seems to be just after the war (WWII, I am assuming, as it was written in 1952). They notice birds congregating outside their home and becoming more and more aggressive.

I really liked this. Boy, that ending was creepy!!! I did see the movie years ago, and now I’d be interested in seeing it again. As I look at other reviews, it seems the movie is quite different. I’m not sure how close the dramatization is, but I thought this BBC version was done very well!

I can vividly imagine The Birds taking place in the country in England, or down in Cornwall! In St. Ives the train station has a sign up to warn people that seagulls will steal their food.

12x12 CAT Challenges, RandomCAT

An Unexpected Grace / Kristin von Kreisler
3.5 stars

Lila was injured in a shooting at her workplace. She is invited to a friend’s place to help her heal, but her friend has also just taken in an abused dog until she (and her friend and fellow rescuer, Adam) find a home for Grace. Lila is terrified of dogs as a result of a bite when she was a child. Even worse is when Lila’s friend has to go away for a few months and Lila is left to take care of Grace until Adam can find her a home. She is also obsessed with finding out why the shooter did what he did.

I didn’t like Lila at all. Her attitude toward Grace was awful. I also didn’t like that her friend and Adam trusted her with the dog when she obviously hated dogs and had no idea how to take care of her! I thought there was no need for the romance in the book, either. However, I loved Grace! What a poor, sweet dog. I picked up the book because of the beautiful dog on the cover and I still love the cover, as well.

12x12 CAT Challenges, RandomCAT, AlphaKIT

Charlotte's Web / E.B. White
4.5 stars

Wilbur is a pig and was the runt of his litter. When the farmer wants to kill him, his 8-year old daughter, Fern, won’t let him. She insists she’ll raise him. When Wilbur gets older, though, he is sent to Fern’s uncle’s barn, where Fern visits daily. Wilbut makes friends with many of the other animals in the barn, and his closest friend becomes a spider, Charlotte. When the other animals warn that Wilbur won’t be alive come Christmas, Charlotte comes up with a plan to save Wilbur’s life.

I remember reading this and loving it when I was a kid, but I certainly don’t remember specifics. I do remember bawling at the end! I still love this story, and though I didn’t bawl like I did when I was a kid, I did cry. Maybe I’m rating it higher because of my memories of the book, as well, so the extra half star may be for that, but that’s ok. Part of it could also just be my love of animals, and I love how they are portrayed in the book. I believe I read the original edition of the book (and I’m sure it was the same edition I read when I was a kid), and the illustrations are very nice.

Have a wonderful Christmas!

Thank you so much! Merry Christmas back to you!

Merry Christmas, Cindy. I hope Santa was good to you.

Thank you, vivienne! Merry christmas to you!

12x12 Overflow

The Rosie Effect / Graeme Simsion
3.5 stars

*******Possible SPOILERS for book 1*******
Rosie and Don are married and have moved to New York. Don is taken by surprise to find out Rosie is pregnant.
*******END SPOILERS*******
He needs to figure out how to process this and deal with it. Some of his methods get him into trouble.

I didn’t like it as much as the first one. I’m not that interested in impending babies, so that could be part of it. What I do know for sure is that I really really disliked Rosie. She knew how Don was when she married him! What kind of reaction did she expect!?

12x12 Trim

UnStrung / Neal Shusterman & Michelle Knowlden
3 stars

This short story follows Lev at a point in time when he disappeared during the events of Unwind. He escapes into a Native American reserve where he befriends a 16 year old musician and learns that on the reserves, they are (mostly) safe from being unwound due to signed treaties.

It was ok. I was actually liking the new setting and characters, but being a short story, it ended too soon, I thought. I wanted more with these characters.

12x12 Trim

Swim / Jennifer Weiner
3 stars

A writer is helping teenagers apply to universities, after having left her scriptwriting job.

There is a bit more to the story than this, but its so short, I don’t want to give it all away. The story does go back to show what happened and also a bit of her family life. I was liking the story until the really abrupt ending, so that was unfortunate.

White Oleander / Janet Fitch
3.5 stars

Astrid’s mother is a poet and a murderer. When Astrid is 12? 13?, her mother murders one of her series of boyfriends and goes to jail. This lands Astrid in various foster homes until she turns 18, during which time there is sex, drugs and violence.

I wasn’t sure, at first, if I was going to like it. I didn’t like the (literary) writing style. Lots of description and in a case or two, I had to “read between the lines” to figure out what was actually happening. It got better after Astrid’s mom went to jail (seemed like less poetic description once the poet character was not as much in the story?), and I found all the various happenings in the foster homes much more interesting. I’m not sure I really liked Astrid, but I certainly felt badly for her. Definitely didn’t like her mother.

As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust / Alan Bradley
3.5 stars

In this “episode” of the series, Flavia is heading to Toronto, Canada, to the boarding school her mother once attended. Shortly after she arrives, she discovers a body stuffed up the chimney at the school. She also later learns that a few students had disappeared in the recent past.

I liked the new setting, not for being in Canada as much as for the fact that Flavia made some friends her own age!! I thought it was nice to see her interacting with girls her own age. Narrator of the audio, Jayne Entwhistle is still the perfect Flavia. I just wish I didn’t lose focus in the books as often as I do, which is why it’s not a 4 star book. It’s not the narrator and it’s not Flavia, as I love her character!

My top 10 (5 + 4.5 stars):
Still Missing / Chevy Stevens
The Winter People / Jennifer McMahon
11/22/63 / Stephen King
The Boys in the Boat / Daniel James Brown
Endurance: Shakleton’s Incredible Voyage / Alfred Lansing
Born of Illusion / Teri Brown ‘
Stolen Innocence: My Story Growing Up in a Polygamous Sect… / Elissa Wall
Charlotte’s Web / E.B. White
Dead Wake / Erik Larson
Jaguar: Struggle and Triumph in the Jungles of Belize / Alan Raboniwitz

Honourable mentions (the rest of the 4.5 stars):
How Animals Grieve / Barbara J. King
A Cat Named Squeeky / Vic Reskovic
Sycamore Row / John Grisham
The Birds / Daphne du Maurier (5 stars, but BBC audio dramatization)

Dishonourable mentions (1.5 + 2 stars):
Master and Commander / Patrick O’Brian
Rules of Civility / Amor Towles
The Secret Adversary / Agatha Christie
A Walking Tour of the Shambles / Neil Gaiman
Faces in the Crowd / Valeria Luiselli

Some stats:

Stats
153 books
50,202 pages
= 328 pages / book (average)

New authors to me: 85 out of 153 = 55.6%
Canadian authors: 13 out of 153 = 8.5%

Some genres (some of these will overlap, and I probably missed some, too):
Nonfiction: 32 out of 153 = 20.9%
Historical fiction: 13 out of 153 = 8.5%
Young adult: 12 out of 153 = 7.8%
Biography/Memoir: 23 out of 153 = 15.0%
Graphic novels: 2 out of 153 = 1.3%
Mystery/Thriller: 24 out of 153 = 15.7%

When will you get your 2017 challenge set up?

Working on it right now!!

I've been on the look out for it!