Sushicat's Playground 2018

I'll try to play with the cats and kittens and add a couple of other categories from all over the place to flesh out a 12x12 challenge for 2018:

PBT monthly tag
PBT
PBT
RandomCAT
ColorCAT
MysteryCAT
ScaredyKIT
SFFKIT
AlphaKIT
1001
M&S sub genres
M&S group reads

But I'm not obsessive about filling every slot - I just like the push of reading things I would not otherwise pick up.

Reminder to self - hosting:
MysteryCAT - January - Nordic Mysteries
ScaredyCAT - May - Close to Home
RandomCAT - November
SFFKit - December - This is how it ends




➡ ⭐️💕❌✅

📚 Library books
🐾
🎨 Graphic Novels
☊ Audio books
Edit | More

Planning thread

December
PBT monthly tag - geek read -
RandomCAT - secret santa -
ColorCAT - white -
MysteryCAT - futuristic -
ScaredyKIT - psychological -
SFFKIT - how it ends -
AlphaKIT - C&W -
1001 BOTM -
1001 Perspectives -
1001 TBR -
M&S sub genres -
M&S group reads -

Year long
PBT listopia -
Year long - X, Z - Zeitoun / Xuxub must die
BingoDog -
Read harder -
1001 Randomizer - Hasta no verte, Jesus mio / Beloved

Backlog

Just for fun

PBT monhtly tag

✅ January - science - The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert - Jan 21 - 4 Stars
✅ February - asia - Pyongyang by Guy Delisle - 3.4 stars
✅ March - autobiography - Born a Crime by Trevor Noah - 4.4 stars / L'Arabe du futur by Riad Sattouf - 3 stars
✅ April - strong women - The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi - 5 stars / Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Nele Hurston - 5 stars and a ❤️
✅ May - family drama - Not My Father‘s Son by Alan Cumming - 5 stars
✅ June - magical realism - The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead - 4 stars / Raven Stole the Moon by Garth Stein - 3.4 stars
✅ July - dystopia - American War by Omar Al Akkad - 5 stars / Red Clocks by Leni Zumas - 3.4 stars
✅ August - espionage - Casino Royale by a Ian Fleming - 3.6 stars
✅ September - friendship - The Dog Stars by Peter Heller - 5 stars
✅ October - canada - A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny - 3.6 stars
✅ November - literary fiction - White Tears by Hari Kunzru - 4.6 stars / The President's Gardens by Muhsin Al-Ramli - 5 stars
✅ December - geek reads - Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson - 3.6 stars / book:We Are Legion - We Are Bob by Dennis E. Taylor - 3.6
- completed

PBT Listopia - Best Middle East Fiction

✅ 1. Die Midaq-Gasse by Naguib Mahfouz - 4 stars
✅ 2. Frankenstein à Bagdad by Ahmed Saadawi - 4 stars
✅ 3. The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi - 5 stars
✅ 4. Memet mein Falke by Yasar Kemal - 4 stars
✅ 5. The President's Gardens by Muhsin Al-Ramli - 5 stars
6.

PBT Decathlon

✅ January - tribute to ladyslott - Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders - Jan 21 - 4.4 Stars
✅ February - forever TBR - Die Midaq-Gasse by Naguib Mahfouz - 4 stars
✅ March - read all 3 options - Born a Crime by Trevor Noah - 4.4 stars / The Annotated Alice by Lewis Carroll - 4 stars
✅ April - random draw - Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston - 5 stars and a ❤️
✅ May - booker shortlist 08-17 - The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt - 4 stars
✅ June - life event - Raven Stole the Moon by Garth Stein - 3.4 stars
✅ July - buddy read - Red Clocks by Leni Zumas - 3.4 stars
✅ August - recommendation - Casino Royale by a Ian Fleming - 3.6 stars
✅ September - 5* by mod - The Dog Stars by Peter Heller - 5 stars
- completed

PBT Nicole's Culture Challenge
Books about other cultures from authors that are from that culture or have lived there, preferably women⭐️

✅⭐️ 1. Harlem 1920s: Passing by Nella Larsen - 4 stars
✅⭐️ 2. Bulgaria: Border by Kapka Kassabova - 4.4 stars
✅ 3. Lapland: Einsam und kalt ist der Tod by Lars Pettersson - 4 stars
✅ 4. Basque Country: Ich habe Wale gesehen by Javier de Isusi - 4.4 stars
✅ 5. Colombia: El coronel no tiene quien le escriba by Gabriel Garcia Marquez - 4 stars
✅ 6. Egypt: Die Midaq-Gasse by Naguib Mahfouz - 4 stars
✅ 7. South Africa: Born a Crime by Trevor Noah - 4.4 stars
✅⭐️ 8. South Africa: Red Dust by Gillian Slovo - 4.4 stars
✅ 9. Iraq: Frankenstein à Bagdad by Ahmed Saadawi - 4 stars
✅ 10. Syria: L'Arabe du futur by Riad Sattouf - 3 stars
✅⭐️ 11. Iran: The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi - 5 stars
✅ 12. Morocco: Le fou du roi by Mahi Binebine - 3.6 stars
✅ 13. Turkey: Memet mein Falke by Yasar Kemal - 4 stars
✅ 14. Bulgaria: Viola d'Amore (A Ballad for Georg Henig) by Viktor Paskov - 5 stars
✅ 15. Iraq: The President's Gardens by Muhsin Al-Ramli - 5 stars

Nonfiction Pulitzer’s

✅ 1. The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert - Jan 21 - 4 Stars
✅ 2. The Race Beat by Gene Roberts - Apr 9 - 4 stars
3.
4.
5.
6.

The Kitties

RandomCAT
✅ January - BookBullet hit - Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders - Jan 21 - 4.4 Stars
February - celebration -
✅ March - from the headlines - Born a Crime by Trevor Noah - 4.4 stars
✅ April - April - Clutch of Constables by Ngaio Marsh - 3.6 stars
May - spring/flowers -
June - unusual narrator -
July - getting to know you -
August - to the mountains -
September -
October -
November - hosted by sushicat
December -

ColorCAT
✅ January - Black - Black Hole by Charles Burns - Jan 21 - 4.4 Stars
✅ February - Brown - Icarus by Deon Meyer - 4 stars
✅ March - Green - The River at Night by Erica Ferencik - 3.6 stars
✅ April - Yellow - March 1 by John Lewis - 4 Stars
✅ May - Blue - Dead North by Sue Henry - 4 stars
June - Purple -
July - Pink -
August - Grey -
September - Metallic
October - Orange
November - Red
December - White

MysteryCAT
✅ January - Nordic Mysteries - Sieben minus eins by Arne Dahl - 4 stars / Einsam und kalt ist der Tod by Lars Pettersson - 4 stars
✅ February - Female Cop/Sleuth/Detective - Der Schneegänger by Elizabeth Herrmann - 3.4 stars
✅ March - Global Mysteries: South Africa - Red Dust by Gillian Slovo - 4.4 stars
✅ April - Classic and Golden Age Mysteries - Clutch of Constables by Ngaio Marsh - 3.6 stars
✅ May - Mysteries Involving Transit - Dead North by Sue Henry - 4 stars
June - True Crime > Devil in the White City
July - Police Procedurals
August - Historical Mysteries > St. Cyr
September - Noir and Hard-Boiled Mysteries
October - Espionage
November - Cozy Mysteries > Louise Penny
December - Futuristic/Fantastical Mysteries > In Death

ScaredyKIT
January - Gothic > Dracula
February - Survival/Disaster > Canticle
March - Weird Fiction > Jeff Vandermeer
✅ April - Supernatural - Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs - 4 stars
✅ May - Close to Home - Dead Mountain by Donnie Eicher - 3 stars
June - Adapted to Film > I Robot
July - Science/Techno Thrillers -
August - Series -
September - Stephen King and Family
October - Ghost Stories
November - Serial Killers
December - Psychological Suspense

SFFKIT
✅ January - there's always tomorrow - Black Hole by Charles Burns - Jan 21 - 4.4 Stars
✅ February - Urban Fantasy - Night Broken by Patricia Briggs - Feb 8 - 4 stars
March - Off World > expanse
April - Time Travel > Connie Willis
May - Rise Up -
June - Series -
July - Cyberpunk or Techno SFF
August - Makes You Laugh
September - Myths, Legends, & Fairy Tales
October - Historical and Alt-historical
November - Creatures
December - This is how it ends - Sushicat

AlphaKIT
January - V, M - Val McDermid
✅ February - P, J - Shoot to Thrill by P.J. Tracy - 3.4 stars
March - F, I - Ian Flemming - Casino Royale
April - Y, U - Six Four by Hideo Yokohama - Lisa Unger
May - Q, K - Spillover by Quammen
June - G, R - Gary Romain
July - S, A - The Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed
August - O, D - The Rook by Daniel O'Malley
September - B, E - Elisabeth Bear or Barry Eisler
October - N, L - Larry Niven - Ring World
November - T, H -
December - C, W
Year long - X, Z - Zeitoun / Xuxub must die

1001 BOTM

✅ January - Passing by Nella Larsen - 4 stars
February -
March -
April - Viola d'Amore (A Ballad for Georg Henig) by Viktor Paskov - 5 stars (in July)
✅ May - Pastoralia by George Saunders - 3.4 stars
June -
July -
August -
September -
October -
November -
December -

1001 TBR Challenge

✅ January - El coronel no tiene quien le escriba by Gabriel Garcia Marquez - 4 stars
February -
March -
April -
May -
June -
July -
August -
September -
October -
November -
December -

1001 Perspectives

January - Le Derviche et la mort
February -
March -
April -
May -
June -
July -
August -
September -
October -
November -
December -

1001 Randomizer

1) Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
2) Perfume by Patrick Süskind (read in 2003)
3) Beloved by Toni Morrison
4) Margot and the Angels by Kristien Hemmerechts (can't read Dutch)
5) Hasta no verte, Jesus mio by Elena Poniatowska

1001 Other

✅ Die Midaqgasse by Naguib Mahfouz - 4 stars
✅ The Annotated Alice by Lewis Carroll - 4 stars
✅ Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neal’s Hurston - 5 stars and a ❤️
✅ Casino Royale by Ian Fleming - 3.6 stars

M&S Subgenre

January - True Crime -
February - Caper/heist -
March - psychological thriller - Sechs mal zwei by Arne Dahl - 4 stars
April - political intrigue -
May - culinary mystery - Sticks and Scones by Diane Mott Davidson - 3 stars
June - conspiracy -
July - fbi/cia/atf -
August - medical -
September -
October -
November -
December -

M&S Group Read

✅ Jan 27 - Cold Earth by Ann Cleeves - 4 stars
✅ Mar 26 - Darktown by Thomas Mullen - 4.6 stars
✅ Apr 13 - Frozen Stiff by Patrick Logan - 2 stars
✅ Jul - The Seagull by Vera Stanhope - 3.6 stars

BingoDOG



✅ 1. Title contains name of a famous person, real or fictional - Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders - Jan 21 - 4.4 stars
✅ 2. Published more than 100 years ago - The Annotated Alice by Lewis Carroll - 4 stars
✅ 3. Originally in a different language - Einsam und kalt ist der Tod by Lars Pettersson - Jan 20 - 4 stars
✅ 4. New-to-you author - Ich habe Wale gesehen by Javier de Isusi - Jan 21 - 4.4 Stars
✅ 5. Relative name in the title - The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt - May 27 - 4 stars
6. Money in the title - any form of currency, type of payment, etc...
✅ 7. Book published in 2018 - Eifersucht by Andreas Föhr - Jun 2 - 4 stars
✅ 8. X somewhere in the title - The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert - Jan 21 - 4 Stars
✅ 9. Fat book - 500 plus pages - The Race Beat by Gene Roberts - Apr 9 - 4 stars
✅ 10. Book set during a holiday - Karwoche by Andreas Föhr - Jun 30 - 3.6 stars
✅ 11. LGBT central character - Not My Father’s Son by Alan Cumming - May 20 - 5 Stars
✅ 12. Book on the 1001 list - Passing by Nelly Larsen - Jan 6 - 4 stars
✅ 13. Read a CAT (middle square) - Black Hole by Charles Burns - Jan 21 - 4.4 stars
✅ 14. Number in the title - Sieben minus eins by Arne Dahl - Jan 14 - 4 stars
✅ 15. Book that is humorous - Asterix le Gaulois by René Goscinny - 4 stars
✅ 16. Book bought in 2017 that hasn’t been read yet - Pyongyang by Guy Delisle - Feb 16 - 3.4 stars
✅ 17. Title contains something you would see in the sky - Das Nebelhaus by Eric Berg - Jan 1 - 4 Stars
18. Related to the Pacific Ocean
✅ 19. Book that fits at least 2 KIT’s/CAT’s - Clutch of Constables by Ngaio Marsh - 3.6 stars
✅ 20. Book with a beautiful cover (in your opinion) - Le fou du roi by Mahi Binebine - 3.6 stars
✅ 21. Autobiography/memoir - Born a Crime by Trevor Noah - Mar 3 - 4.4 stars
22. Poetry or plays
✅ 23. A long-time TBR/TBR the longest - Die Midaq-Gasse by Naguib Mahfouz - 4 stars
✅ 24. Story involves travel - Border by Kapka Kassabova - Jan 18 - 4.4 stars
✅ 25. Title contains a person’s rank, real or fictional - El coronel no tiene quien le escriba by Gabriel Garcia Marquez - Jan 22 - 4 stars

6. Money in the title - any form of currency, type of payment, etc...
18. Related to the Pacific Ocean - Kon-Tiki >>> library
22. Poetry or plays

Bookriot - Read Harder 2018

1. A book published posthumously - Go Set a Watchman
2. A book of true crime
✅ 3. A classic of genre fiction (i.e. mystery, sci fi/fantasy, romance) - Casino Royale by Ian Fleming - Aug - 3.6 stars
✅ 4. A comic written and illustrated by the same person - Black Hole by Charles Burns - Jan 21 - 4.4 Stars
5. A book set in or about one of the five BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, or South Africa)
- BR
- RU
- IN
- CN
✅ - ZA - Icarus by Deon Meyer - Feb 8 - 4 stars
✅ 6. A book about nature - The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert - Jan 21 - 4 Stars
✅ 7. A western - The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt - May 27 - 4 stars
✅ 8. A comic written or illustrated by a person of color - March 3 by John Lewis - 4 stars
9. A book of colonial or postcolonial literature
10. A romance novel by or about a person of color
✅ 11. A children’s classic published before 1980 - The Annotated Alice by Lewis Carroll - 4 stars
✅ 12. A celebrity memoir - Born a Crime by Trevor Noah - Mar 3 - 4.4 stars
✅ 13. An Oprah Book Club selection - The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead - 4 stars
✅ 15. A one-sitting book - The River at Night by Erica Ferencik - Mar 4 - 3.4 stars
16. The first book in a new-to-you YA or middle grade series
17. A sci fi novel with a female protagonist by a female author - Binti
✅ 18. A comic that isn’t published by Marvel, DC, or Image - Ich habe Wale gesehen by Javier de Isusi - Jan 21 - 4 stars
✅ 19. A book of genre fiction in translation - Einsam und kalt ist der Tod by Lars Pettersson - Jan 20 - 4 stars
✅ 20. A book with a cover you hate - Passing by Nelly Larsen - Jan 6 - 4 stars
21. A mystery by a person of color or LGBTQ+ author - Rita Mae Brown
22. An essay anthology
23. A book with a female protagonist over the age of 60
24. An assigned book you hated (or never finished)

Reserved for games

Reserved for games

I'm drawing a blank - what is PBT? Have fun with all the KITs, CATs, and DOGs!

PBT stand for play book tag and it’s my favorite group over at goodreads. Every month we choose a tag to read for.

>12 sushicat: Ooh that sounds like fun. I've tried to get used to Goodreads, but I think because I started on LT first, I find it much harder to navigate.

It is indeed a matter of habit. It took me a while to figure out both after Shelfari died, now I’m active on both sites.

Oh, I almost missed your thread. I like your setup, and look forward to seeing what you read.

Welcome back! Looking forward to seeing what books fill your 2018 thread!

Looks like you are all organized and ready for 2018! I'm looking forward to seeing what you read.

Looking forward to seeing what books you will be reading - as well as your CAT host recommendations!

1. Das Nebelhaus by Eric Berg - Jan 1 - 4 Stars
audiobook, mystery, in German, library, setting: Germany

2. A Kiss Before Killing by Keith McCarthy - Jan 3 - 3.6 Stars
ebook, mystery, arc, setting: England

3. Passing by Nelly Larsen - Jan 6 - 4 Stars
ebook, setting: USA - NY - Harlem 1920s
1001 BOTM, BingoDog, Nicole‘s Culture Challenge

4. Sieben minus eins by Arne Dahl - Jan 14 - 4 stars
audio, mystery, in German, library, setting: Sweden, series: Berger & Blom 1
MysteryCAT, BingoDog

5. Border by Kapka Kassabova - Jan 18 - 4.4 stars
dtb, library, setting: Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece
Nicole’s Culture Challenge,

6. Einsam und kalt ist der Tod by Lars Pettersson - Jan 20 - 4 Stars
audiobook, mystery, in German, library, setting: Lapland, series: Anna Magnusson 1
MysteryCAT, Nicole’s Culture Challenge

7. The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert - Jan 21 - 4 Stars
dtb, nonfiction
PBT monthly tag, Pulitzer

8. Ich habe Wale gesehen by Javier de Isusi - Jan 21 - 4 stars
dtb, graphic novel, in German, library, setting: Basque Country
Nicole’s Culture Challenge

9. Black Hole by Charles Burns - Jan 21 - 4.4 Stars
dtb, graphic novel, setting: USA - WA 1970s
ColorCAT

10. Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders - 4.4 Stars
dtb, library, setting: USA - DC / the Bardo 1862
RandomCAT

11. El Colonel no tiene quien le escriba by Gabriel Garcia Marquez - 4 stars
dtb, in Spanish, setting: Colombia
1001 TBR, Nicole’s Culture Challenge,

12. Cold Earth by Ann Cleeves - 4 Stars
ebook, setting: Shetland
M&S group read

January recap:

12 books - 3688 pages - average rating 4.1
Format: 3 audio, 2 graphic novels
Source: 6 library, 3 acquired, 2 TBR, 1 arc
Diversity: 8m/4w, 9 authors new to me, 7 En/4 De/1 Sp, 9 original language/3 translations
No bad book, but also no new favorite.

13. War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning by Chris Hedges - 5 stars
dtb, nonfiction

When I put this book on my TBR a couple of years ago I had a clear idea of what I would be reading. That war makes life simpler, putting things in black and white instead of shades of grey, dividing people into them and us. I also expected to read about war's addictive side, as the blandness of everyday routine contrasts with the intensity of living in high stakes moments. How war takes us all down to the lowest level - nobody escapes untouched. I got all that - and a lot more.

How war leaders need to align the narrative that allows a successful war to be waged. The need to suppress voices of reason and compassion. A war that looses its narrative is a war lost. How war leaves behind a wasteland of resentment and blame that can only be overcome by shifting the view from a focus on what they did to an acknowledgment of what we did (or omitted). There are very few successful examples. Not going down that road leaves the seeds for the next round of conflict in the ground. But it's human nature to prefer the comfort of forgetting to the more difficult act of introspection and atonement.
On a more personal level he compares the heroic tales of war with the scale our modern weaponry allows us to kill on a large and impersonal scale or the reality of fear fueled individual confrontation and the devastation it leaves behind for the survivor. Shame and guilt, feelings that few soldiers can avoid unless they have lost their capacity for empathy altogether. There is a large gap between the experiences of a civil society and the war's participants that both sides don't want to acknowledge, leaving the veterans to struggle with the psychological impact on their own.

My summary omits much, like the episodes out of his years as a war correspondent that illustrate his narrative, or the more philosophical aspects underpinned by literary references, reminding us that his findings are nothing new, but rather something we prefer to ignore or transform into more palatable stories. If there is an aspect of the book I did not like, it was the way it was not terribly organized. But that is not enough to reduce my rating.

14. Icarus by Deon Meyer - 4 stars
audio, mystery, in German, library, setting: South Africa

15. Night Broken by Patricia Briggs - 4 stars
ebook, paranormal fantasy, setting: USA - WA

>34 sushicat: I love those books!

>35 Crazymamie: guilty pleasures :-) well, not so guilty...

16. Shoot to Thrill by P.J. Tracy - 3.4 Stars
ebook, mystery, setting: USA - MN
AlphaKit

17.Pyongyang by Guy Delisle - 3 stars
dtb, graphic novel, setting: North Korea
PBT asia

18. Der Schneegänger by Elisabeth Herrmann - 3.4 stars
audio, mystery, in german, library, setting: Germany

19. Die Midaq-Gasse by Naguib Mahfouz - 4 stars
dtb, in german, setting: Egypt
pbt decathlon, listopia

The book is told from varying perspectives of the people living in the Midaq Alley, a rather poor neighborhood where nothing much really happens. Each in their own way they look to improve their circumstances.

The book gives an interesting insight into a society very much driven by honor and social position, where men make life changing decisions for their families based entirely on their own desires. I liked the variety of characters introduced and learning their very different dreams. I found the high drama in their fights a bit much.

February recap:

7 books - 2190 pages - average rating 3.9
Format: 2 audio, 1 graphic novels
Source: 2 library, 5 TBR
Diversity: 4m/3w, 4 authors new to me, 3 En/3 De/1 Fr, 5 original language/2 translations
No bad book, very impressed by War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning.

20. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah - 4.4 stars
dtb, non fiction - autobiography, library, setting: South Africa
pbt autobiography, from the headlines (racism)

Trevor Noah was born the son of a black mother and a white father in South Africa when the Apartheid regime foresaw a prison sentence for such relationships. In this book he looks back at his childhood and how his parentage shaped his upbringing, his struggle to find his place in the world. We get a very personal perspective at the last years of Apartheid, but mostly this book is about the struggle to find a sense of belonging and identity under difficult circumstances.

I loved this book, but was a bit disappointed at not learning more about his road to success, nor about how things changed after the end of Apartheid.

21. The River at Night by Erica Ferencik - 3.6 stars
dtb, mystery, library, setting: USA - ME

Once a year the four middle aged friends take a timeout and go for a long weekend of bonding. This year they challenge themselves and decide on a white water rafting on a river in the wilds of Maine. What was supposed to be an adventure turns into a complete disaster, their very survival on the line.

>32 sushicat:
Sounds fascinating!

22. Red Dust by Gillian Slovo - 4.4 stars
ebook, setting: South Africa
Nicole's cultural challenge, MysteryCAT: international

In 1985 to black "revolutionaries" are questioned by the police, one of them dies. In 2000 the case is subject of an amnesty hearing in the Court of Truth and Reconciliation. Alex Mpondo faces his torturer Dirk Hendriks and James Sizela hopes to learn the whereabouts of his son's body presumed dead at the hands of Pieter Muller, who still lives in the community. The tale shifts between the victims, the defendants and their lawyers. It explores the layers of guilt and responsibility, for acts and omissions real or perceived and how these things fit into the narrative we build for our lives and how we deal with inevitable contradictions.

23. The Annotated Alice by Lewis Carroll - 4 stars
dtb, classic, 1001, setting: down the rabbit hole
PBT decathlon

The annotations revealed an unexpected depth in the whimsical tales of Alice. I loved learning about the logical puzzles and social commentary I had missed on earlier reading, as much as revisiting the word plays and fantastical creatures.

24. Asterix der Gallier
25. Die Goldene Sichel
26. Asterix bei den Goten
27. Asterix als Gladiator
28. Asterix Tour de France
29. Asterix und Cleopatra by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo
dtb, comics, classics, setting: France

These are some of the earliest graphic novels I've read and loved. No way can I give an unbiased rating to these. I love that with every reread I discover new details.

>47 sushicat:
One of my childhood (and current...) favorite series!

>48 -Eva-: Somebody pointed out the meaning of Idefix’s name to me (idée fixe) - I’d never realized. That triggered a need to go back an reread them with a particular attention on names. They are really so funny. I’m picking up the French editions at the library to compare with the German names in my copies.

30. La Zizanie (Streit um Asterix)
31. Le Domaine des Dieux (Trabantenstadt)
32. Le combat des chefs by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo
dtb, comics, classics, setting: France

The second is probably my favorite entry in the series.

>49 sushicat:
The names are so much fun! It's especially fun to compare different languages to see how the translators have managed to make fun of the characters.

33. Sechs mal zwei by Arne Dahl - 4 stars
audio, mystery, in German, library, setting: Sweden, series: Berger & Blom 2

34. Asterix chez les Bretons
35. Asterix chez les Helvetes
36. Asterix chez les Pictes by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo
dtb, comics, classics, setting: France

37. Asterix et les Normands
38. L‘anniversaire d‘Asterix et Obelix
39. Asterix en Hispanie by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo
dtb, comics, classics, setting: France

40. Frankenstein à Bagdad by Ahmed Saadawi - 4 stars
dtb, fantasy, in French, library, setting: Iraq
pbt listopia

Set in Bagdad under American occupation, the tale focuses on events taking place in a small street in one of the poorer quarters of the city. We meet Hadi, who tells tall tales at the local café and stitches together a body from parts he finds at the sites the frequent bombings. And Oum Daniel whose son was sent to war some twenty years earlier and never came back. Abou Anmar who owns the run down hotel that bleeds the last of his money. Mahmoud al Sawadi, the journalist who picks up Hadi's tale and who links it to people and events outside the little street.

Here is a fresh take on the Frankenstein theme that focuses much more on the real life in Bagdad, than it does on the presence in the background of the corpse come to life through the soul of a man who lost his body in a bombing and is now seeking revenge for those who gave it parts of his body.

41. L'Arabe du futur - Tome 1
42. L'Arabe du futur - Tome 2
43. L'Arabe du futur - Tome 3 by Riad Sattouf - 3 stars
dtb, graphic novel, in French, setting: Libya, Syria

Riad Sattouf is the son a Syrian father and a French mother. His father dreams of a grandiose future for a united Arab people. He takes his family to Libya and later back to his hometown in rural Syria, while he teaches at University. Riad, who looks like a blond angel, tells us about his life and family from the perspective of a 4-9 year old. Early memories are about foods, smells, toys and puzzling encounters with strangers. Later his obvious otherness is cause for problems and he begins to look at his parents beyond their domestic life.

I liked the perspective of the child and his naive take on events, the way he introduces subtle details into his drawings and sometimes points them out with comments. I rather disliked the stereotypes.

44. Darktown by Thomas Cullen - 4.6 stars
dtb, mystery, setting: Atlanta, Georgia 1948

In 1948 the first black police officers were sworn into office in Atlanta. Their powers were very limited, their white counterparts were resentful and the force riddled with corruption.

When the corpse of a young black woman is discovered at a dump site it becomes clear fairly quickly that there will be no real investigation. Rather, a convenient black scapegoat will be found. But the young black cops can’t just let it go. Their investigation is a walk on a tightrope, were every move may prove fatal to themselves or others, or at the very least cost them their job or putting an end the black police force. They are aided by a young white cop, who cannot stomach his partner’s overt bullying and corruption. But standing up to his fellow officers, many of whom are in the kkk, has its own dangers.

The time and place is very much a part of this story. The depth of racism displayed, the casual disregard for the lives of the black people is shocking. Even more so considering that this is not that far back in history.

March recap:

25 books - 3653 pages - average rating 4.0
Format: 1 audio, 18 graphic novels
Source: 6 library, 5 TBR (and 13 from the keepsakes shelf)
Diversity: 7m/2w, 7 authors new to me, 5 En/1 De/2 Fr, 6 original language/2 translations, plus a mix of F/D for Asterix
Best of: Darktown and Red Dust.

45. Astérix légionnaire
46. Asterix und der Arvernerschild
47. El cielo se nos cae encima! by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo
dtb, comics, classics, setting: France

48. The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi - 5 stars
dtb, graphic novel, setting: Iran
pbt monthly tag, pbt listopia

Marjane Satrapi grew up in a very liberal family in a very repressed country. In this memoir she gives us insights into not just her own life, but that of her friends and family: people getting thrown in jail for their conviction, neighbors getting killed in a bombing raid, people dealing with the aftermath of the Irak-Iran war, encounters with the watchers over the moral code, all the while trying to find a balance between private freedoms and necessary public conformity, between carefree enjoyment and critical political awareness.

I liked the honesty of her brash judgements as a young girl and the struggle to find her place that finally led her to leave Iran, which she loved despite the regime, first as a teenager and later for good in her mid twenties. Hers is a very personal perspective, which nevertheless gives us fascinating insights into a culture that I knew very little about.

>57 sushicat: - Excellent review of Darktown! I have only read two of Mullen's books so far - The Last Town on Earth and The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers - and loved both of them. Must remember to hunt down a copy of Darktown.

49. March 1
50. March 2 by John Lewis

51. The Race Beat by Gene Roberts - 4 stars
Ebook, non-fiction,
Non-fiction pulitzer

I read this book as part of a challenge to read 6 nonfiction Pulitzer winners this year and joined a group read. I originally had not intended to read the book, since I (rightly) expected it to be written for the American readers, who would have a reasonable knowledge of events and their chronology. But I read Darktown last month, which is a fictional take on the first black policemen in Atlanta 1948. This made me realize I have a huge gap in knowledge about how things developed after the civil war. So I decided to join anyway. And I found my expectations confirmed that the strong focus on the media leaves out a lot about the underlying history that I (not being American) know too little about. At the beginning I struggled a bit to get into the book, but once I picked up March to add a bit more detail to the history of the civil rights, I also started appreciating the focus on the journalists and editors and how their choices of what to cover and comment on shaped the opinions and actors in struggle (mis)used the media to their ends, especially the local papers that were sometimes little more than a hobby for a strongly opinionated person to dispense their view of facts or even made up events. Interesting to see the change in the industry towards more professional newspapers with a code of conduct that separates facts from opinions as well as the introduction of television coverage. What struck me as perhaps a weakness is the low level of inclusion of black journalism.

52. March 3 by John Lewis - 4 stars
dtb, comics, non fiction, setting: USA, Alabama et al

I read the three volumes back to back alongside The Race Beat and it was a wonderful complement as it gave a vivid view on the fundamental story that was much more sketchy in the latter. I liked how he used a current event and some children's questions to start his recollection of how he got started in the struggle for civil rights and how he came to be one of the important figures in it's development. His tale had an immediacy and left a vivid impression, even if I found the art rather sombre (and not just due to the nature of the events).

53. Ragdoll by Daniel Cole - 4 stars
dtb, library, suspense, setting: England

54. Frozen Stiff by Patrick Logan - 2 stars
ebook, suspense, setting: USA , Alaska et al
M&S group read

55. The Johns by Victor Malarek - 4 stars
dtb, nonfiction, sextrade

A difficult read, but an important one.

56. Clutch of Constables by Ngaio Marsh - 3.6 stars
ebook, mystery, setting: England
MysteryCAT: classic

57. Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs - 4 stars
ebook, fantasy, setting: Prague

58. Shifting Shadows by Patricia Briggs - 4 stars
ebook, fantasy, anthology, setting: Washington State

59. Sweep in Peace by Ilona Andrews - 3.6 stars
ebook, fantasy, setting: Texas

60. Winnebago Graveyard by Steve Niles - 2 stars
dtb, library, fantasy, horror, graphic novel, setting: USA

Barely a story there.

61. Teufelskälte by Gard Sveen - 3 stars
audiobook, library, mystery, in German, setting: Norway

62. Wall and Piece by Banksy - 4 stars
dtb, nonfiction, art

63. Penric’s Fox by Lois McMaster Bujold - 3.6 Stars
ebook, fantasy, setting: World of five gods

I should probably have started this series of novellas at the beginning...

64. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston - 5 stars and a heart
dtb, 1001, setting: Florida
pbt decathlon

Born a slave, her grandmother wants better for Janie. The safety of a prosperous marriage is what she secures for her. But there is no happiness there for her. Neither in her second marriage, though outwardly even more of a success than the first one. Only much later in life does she find the person that matches the yearning of her soul.

This one spoke to my heart.

>76 sushicat: I was also blown away by this book. I loved the first line so much I put it in my signature.

Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board.

>76 sushicat:
I keep getting reminded to read this one, but for some reason never get around to it.

I needed a bit of a push to get to this one. I kept putting it aside for some other book. I’m so glad I finally read it.

>77 mamzel: Ooh, that is a good first line! I've never been particularly interested in reading Their Eyes Were Watching God before, but that quote has me intrigued!

April recap:

20 books - 5081 pages - average rating 3.8
Format: 1 audio, 8 graphic novels
Source: 4 library, 9 TBR (and 2 from the keepsakes shelf)
Diversity: 9m/6w, 10 authors new to me, 16 En/1 De, 15 original language/2 translations, plus a mix of Fr/De/Sp for Asterix
Best of: Their Eyes Were Watching God.
Worst: Frozen Stiff and Winnebago Graveyard.

65. South by Frank Owen - 2.6 stars
dtb, library, science fiction, setting: Colorado

Interesting idea, but rather sloppily executed. I was jerked out of the story repeatedly due to details in world building that felt off and the end fell flat for me.

66. Dead North by Sue Henry - 4 stars
dtb, mystery, setting: Canada - BC
MysteryCAT: involving transit

Vivid description of the landscape. Want to pack my bags...

67. Ice Age Chronicle of the Earth 1 by Jiro Taniguchi - 3 stars
68. Ice Age Chronicle of the Earth 2 by Jiro Taniguchi - 3 stars
dtb, library, graphic novel, science fiction, in German

69. Ikarus by Moebius & Jiro Taniguchi - 3 stars
dtb, library, graphic novel, science fiction, in German

70. Golem by Lorenzo Ceccotti - 3 stars
dtb, library, graphic novel, science fiction

71. Elefant by Martin Suter - 4 stars
audiobook, library, suspense, in German, setting: Switzerland

Enjoyable read, totally fell in love with the elefant.

72. Pastoralia by George Saunders - 3.4 stars
ebook, short stories, setting: USA
1001 BOTM

73. Der Reisende by Arnaldur Indridason - 3.4 stars
audiobook, library, suspense, historical: during WWII, in German, setting: Iceland

74. Sticks and Scones by Diane Mott Davidson - 3 stars
dtb, suspense, setting: USA, Colorado
M&S subgenre: culinary mystery

75. Abaddon's Gate by James S.A. Corey - 3.6 stars
audiobook, science fiction, setting: outer space

76. Dead Mountain by Donnie Eichar - 3.4 stars
ebook, non-fiction, setting: Russia
ScaredyKIT - close to home

77. Not My Father‘s Son by Alan Cumming - 5 stars
audiobook, nonfiction, setting: Scotland
Pbt monthly tag

Alternating between his childhood living with his abusive father and his present coming to terms with its aftermath, Alan Cumming delivers an engaging tale, taking a honest look back - not in anger, but in compassion.

78. Eisenberg by Adreas Föhr - 4 stars
audiobook, suspense, in German, setting: Germany

>93 sushicat: - I don't normally do audio books but I made an exception for that one. Really enjoyed listening to him tell his story.

79. The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt - 4 stars
ebook, historical, setting: USA, California
pbt decathlon - man booker shortlist

The Sisters brothers are on a job for the Commodore to kill a man he accuses of theft. On their way from Oregon to the gold fields of California they cross paths with a long list of colorful characters, the encounters narrated and commented on by Eli, the younger of the two, who is disenchanted with his choice of career and longs for a quieter life. At times thoughtful or funny, this is a very enjoyable read. I'm looking forward for the upcoming movie.

80. Der Prinzessinnenmörder by Andreas Föhr - 4 stars
audiobook, suspense, in German, setting: Germany

>96 sushicat: I loved The Sisters Brothers! Glad you liked it too :) Not sure whether I'll see the movie. Will wait and see what the reviews are like.

81. Le fou du roi by Mahi Binebine - 3.6 stars
dtb, library, in French, setting: Morocco
Culture challenge

Last year I read Tahar ben Jelloun's Cette aveuglante absence de lumiere, which tells the story of a young officer who gets embroiled in a botched coup and spends nearly 20 years imprisoned in a place this book calls "mouroir" (dying place). This book is about his father, who was a sort of court jester for the king and whom he encountered in the palace that fateful day. In contrast to the son's tale, whose survival depended on finding in himself a well of spirituality, the father's tale is about intrigues and rivalry, about courting the moody king's favor at the cost of all familial ties, where failing could spell doom not only for him but for his whole family. He calls his years of servitude a voluntary slavery. Though a very intimate portrait, it somehow did not engage me emotionally.

May recap:

17 books - 5682 pages - average rating 3.5
Format: 6 audio, 4 graphic novels
Source: 7 library, 6 TBR
Diversity: 13m/2w, 7 authors new to me, 9 En/7 De/1 Fr, 12 original language/5 translations
Best of: Not My Father's Son.
Least appreciated: South.

82. Meinungsfreiheit by Volker Kitz - 4 stars
dtb, in German, non fiction

In 12 short chapters Volker Kitz clarifies what Free Speech is, where it ends, what it means in a democracy.

83. Eifersucht by Andreas Föhr - 4 stars
audiobook, suspense, in German, setting: Germany

84. The Beast by Li Chi Tak, Jean Dufaux - 4.4 stars
graphic novel, fantasy, in French, setting: Hong Kong

85. Schafkopf by Andreas Föhr - 4 stars
audiobook, suspense, in German, setting: Germany

>96 sushicat:
I didn't know they were making it into a movie - definitely will want to see that!

86. All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai - 3 stars
audiobook, sci-fi, library

87. The Underground Railroad by Colston Whitehead - 4 stars
audiobook, historical, setting: USA

88. Eiskalter Hund by Oliver Kern - 3.4 stars
audiobook, suspense, in German, setting: Germany

89. Hochsaison by Jörg Maurer - 3 stars
audiobook, suspense, in German, setting:Germany

90. Herrgottschrofen by Marc Ritter - 3.6 stars
audiobook, suspense, in German, setting: Germany

91. Stieranger by Marc Ritter - 3 stars
audiobook, suspense, in German, setting: Germany

92. Memet mein Falke by Yasar Kemal - 4 stars
audiobook, in German, setting: Turkey
pbt listopia

93. Raven Stole the Moon by Garth Stein - 3.4 stars
dtb, setting: Alaska
pbt decathlon

I wanted to love this book more than I did - I mean: Alaska, Native American...

94. Asterix bei den Olympischen Spielen
95. Asterix und der Kupferkessel
96. Asterix und die Lorbeeren des Cäsar by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo
dtb, comics, classics, in German, setting: France

97. Karwoche by Andreas Föhr - 3.6 stars
audiobook, suspense, in German, setting: Germany

June recap:

16 books - 4693 pages - average rating 3.7
Format: 10 audio, 4 graphic novels
Source: 3 library, 1 TBR
Diversity: 11m/0w, 9 authors new to me, 4 En/11 De/1 Fr, 12 original language/4 translations
Best of: The Beast.
Least appreciated: some of fun light reads in the mix, but nothing bad in the lot.

98. Victory of Eagles by Naomi Novik - 3.6 stars
audiobook, fantasy, historical, setting: UK

99. The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende - 4 stars
audiobook, setting: California

100. American War by Omar El Akkad - 4.6 stars
dtb, sci-fi, setting: Georgia
pbt: dystopia

The world as we know it is no more and yet the world we are introduced to is completely recognizable. Climate change has redrawn geography, coastlines have shifted inland, dislocating people and changing power structures. In an eerie repeat of history, the southern states fight to defend their doomed lifestyle built on outlawed use of fossil fuels. In an ironic reversal of roles the Bouazizi empire - a union of the Arab speaking countries - has taken on the role the US held before them.

2075 - 2081 - 2086 - 2095 These are the years where pivotal events take place in Sarat's life. We meet her, learn about her family and circumstances, her daily life. And then things change.

I liked the way we got the larger context of Sarats world through historical documents that separate the chapters of the book, allowing the story to be told exclusively from the narrator's perspective. I liked how well our real world is reflected in the book: life at the limit of subsistence in an arid country, life in a displaced persons camp, how aid shapes economy, how internment camps function, how radicalization happens, all this feels real, authentic in support of a story that is not about war, but about ruin as the unknown narrator states in the prologue. As is true for our world, there are no demarcations between good or bad, there is no universal cause to root for, there are no winners in the war, every victory turns to ashes as it begets ever more revenge.

“And what she understood - what none of the ones who came to touch Simon's forehead understood - was that the misery of war represented the world's only truly universal language. Its native speakers occupied different ends of the world, and the prayers they recited were not the same and the empty superstitions to which they clung so dearly were not the same - and yet they were. War broke them the same way, made them scared and angry and vengeful the same way. In times of peace and good fortune they were nothing alike, but stripped of these things they were kin. The universal slogan of war, she'd learned, was simple: If it had been you, you'd have done no different.”

101. Viola d'Amore (A Ballad for Georg Henig) by Victor Paskov - 4.6 stars
dtb, 1001, setting: Bulgaria

This slim volume packs quite a punch.

102. Red Clocks by Leni Zumas - 3.4 stars
dtb, dystopia

While I get why this is tagged dystopia, I would not have used the tag myself. The only difference I found between our present and the world we're introduced to is the one at the center of the book: the change in law that removes the options for a woman who wants to be or finds herself pregnant or wants to adopt a child.

The novel is told in shifting points of view by four women who find themselves affected by this change in different ways. While this makes for interesting shifts in perspective and showcases the effect of the change in laws on different situations, I found it reduced my engagement with the story. It took me a long time to actually get into the book and I probably would not have pushed on beyond the first couple of chapters if it had not been for a buddy read. Only in the second half where the connections between these women becomes evident did I start to appreciate the story more.

103. Penric's Demon by Lois McMasters Bujold - 4 stars
104. Penric and the Shaman by Lois McMasters Bujold - 4.4 stars

>121 sushicat:
Ah, when fictional dystopias become reality... :(

>123 -Eva-: I sure hope it's not going to come to that point.

105. The Girl Before by J.P. Delaney - 4 stars
audiobook, mystery

106. Hadrian's Wall by Kyle Higgins - 3 stars
graphic novel, scifi

July recap:

9 books - 2376 pages - average rating 4.0
Format: 3 audio, 1 graphic novels
Source: 5 library, 1 TBR
Diversity: 4m/4w, 5 authors new to me, 8 En/1 De/0 Fr, 7 original language/2 translations
Best of: can't decide between American War and Viola d'Amore.
Least appreciated: again nothing bad in the lot.
A slow month...

107. Circe by Madeline Miller - 4.4 stars
audiobook, mythology, library

108. Fascism by Madeleine K. Albright - 4.4 stars
dtb, non fiction, library

109. The Marsh King's Daughter by Karen Dionne - 4 stars
audiobook, mystery, setting: Michigan

110. The Seagull by Ann Cleeves - 3.6 stars
ebook, mystery, setting: England

111. Der Seher by René Goscinny - 4 stars
112. Asterix auf Korsika by René Goscinny - 4.6 stars
113. Das Geschenk Cäsars by René Goscinny - 4 stars
dtb, comics, classics, in German, setting: France

114. Casino Royale by Ian Fleming - 3.6 stars
1001, tbr

115. Greeks Bearing Gifts by Philip Kerr - 5 stars
audio, library

116. River of Stars by Guy Gavriel Kay - 4 stars
audio, tbr

>129 sushicat: Oh, I've heard about this book and want to read it this fall. I'm reading Tyrant instead. One does not have to be an authority on Shakespeare to understand the points Greenblatt is making.

>136 threadnsong: I admit you had me confused. I had to look this up properly, sounds interesting!

Albright’s book is very readable, and includes some personal history which adds perspective.

117. Less by Andrew Sean Greer - 4 stars
library

118. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon - 4 stars
audio - traveling in Scotland

August recap:

12 books - 3828 pages - average rating 4.1
Format: 4 audio, 3 graphic novels
Source: 3 library, 5 TBR
Diversity: 5m/5w, 7 authors new to me, 9 En/3 De/0 Fr, 9 original language/3 translations
Best of: Greeks Bearing Gifts
Least appreciated: again nothing bad in the lot.

119. Sleeping Beauties by Owen and Stephen King - 3.4 stars
audio

120. Schwarzwasser by Andreas Föhr - 3.6 stars
audio, library, in German

121. Wolfsschlucht by Andreas Föhr - 3.4 stars
audio, library, in German

122. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle - 4 stars
1001, audio

123. The Dog Stars by Peter Heller - 5 stars
pbt monthly tag: friendship, pbt decathlon

124. Dept. H, Volume 1: Pressure by Matt Kindt - 3 stars
graphic novel, library

125. Kubanischer Herbst by Morten Hessendahl & Henrik Rehr - 3 stars
graphic novel, library

126. Pop by Curtis Pires - 2.6 stars
graphic novel, library

127. Bad Choices by Ali Almossawi - 2.6 stars
dtb, library, non fiction, sort algorithms

128. Homicide 1: 18 janvier - 4 février 1988 by Philippe Squarzoni - 4 stars
129. Homicide 2: 4 février - 10 février 1988 by Philippe Squarzoni - 4 stars
graphic novel, in French

130. Bird Box by Josh Malerman - 3.4 Stars
ebook, library

131. Totensonntag by Andreas Föhr - 4 stars
audio, in German

132. Rachel Rising 5: Night Cometh by Terry Moore - 4 stars
133. Rachel Rising 6: Secrets Kept by Terry Moore - 4 stars
134. Rachel Rising 7: Dust to Dust by Terry Moore - 4 stars
graphic novel

135. Black Diamond by Martin Walker - 4.4 stars
dtb, mystery, setting: Perigord, France

136. Zündels Abgang by Markus Werner - 3.6 stars
dtb, library, in German, setting: Switzerland

137. There There by Tommy Orange - 4.6 stars
dtb, library

>156 sushicat: I've got a hold on that one at the library but I'm far down on the list so it will be a while before my turn comes up. Good to see 4.6 stars!

>157 VivienneR:: The prologue completely blew me away. Maybe that's why I did not give it the full 5 stars. I loved the book, but felt the book itself did not have that same immediacy after that fabulous intro.

138. Death in the Dordogne by Martin Walker - 4 stars
ebook, suspense, setting: France

I fell in love with the town of St Denis and it's Chief of Police. The book is not so much about the crime, but about the community and their way of life.

September recap:

20 books - 5008 pages - average rating 3.7
Format: 5 audio, 8 graphic novels
Source: 10 library, 7 TBR
Diversity: 20m/0w, 7 authors new to me, 13 En/5 De/2 Fr, 19 original language/1 translations
Best of: The Dog Stars, not far behind: There There
Least appreciated: Pop and Bad Choices

139. A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny - 3.6 stars
ebook, suspense, setting: Canada

140. Astérix et la Transitalique by Jean-Yves Ferri - 3.4 stars
141. Obelix GmbH & Co. KG by René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo
142. Asterix bei den Belgiern by René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo
143. Hibbe un dribbe by René Goscinny, Albert Uderzo
graphic novels, in French/German/Dialect

144. Snow Blind by Ollie Masters
graphic novel

145. Black Volume 1 by Kwanza Osajyefo - 3 stars
Graphic novel

146. Atomic Blonde by Antony Johnston - 3 stars
graphic novel

147. Die Odysee by Albert Uderzo
148. Der Sohn des Asterix by Albert Uderzo
graphic novels, in French/German

149. Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee - 4.4 stars
audiobook, library

150. Fables, Vol. 3: Storybook Love by Bill Willingham - 3.4 stars
graphic novel

151. La grande traversée by René Goscinny
152. Astérix et Latraviata by Albert Uderzo
153. Astérix chez Rahazade by Albert Uderzo
graphic novel, in French

154. L'appel du néant by Maxime Chattam - 4 stars
audiobook, in French, suspense

October recap

16 books - 2235 pages - average rating 3.6
Format: 2 audio, 13 graphic novels
Source: 4 library, 9 TBR
Diversity: 14m/2w, 2 authors new to me, 6 En/0 De/10 Fr, 16 original language/0 translations
Best of: Go Set a Watchman
Least appreciated: Atomic Blonde

155. Cops and ...Lovers? by Linda Castillo - 1.6 stars
ebook, romance

What a disappointment! I love the Kate Burkholder series. But this is bad.

Very bad editing (from one sentence to the next in a different setting, with just a line break - gave me whiplash), 2 dimensional characters, they either fight or tear at each other's clothes, basically the same argument again and again and then about five pages from the end it's gone (not resolved), and then the ending...

156. Motor Girl by Terry Moore - 4 stars
graphic novel

Sweet!

157. White Tears by Hari Kunzru - 4.6 stars
dtb, library

This started out rather bland with two young guys searching for the most authentic of sounds - one with money to burn chasing the very first blues recordings from the 1920s, the other his nerdy sidekick walking the streets of New York recording all the sounds as he goes and filtering out and purifying until he holds only those parts of ambient noise he is interested in - a conversation, a street musician, a particular noise... and then little by little we go down the rabbit hole. Weird things start to happen until reality becomes fluid and we are taken on a wild ride into the past, into music history and the collector's world, into racial relations then and now, the balance between rich and poor, a kaleidoscope of the real and the surreal, only to have it all come together in a climax on the last couple of pages.

Definitely not easy reading, but well worth the effort. Lots of food for thought in there, every word well chosen and a good story too.

158. Oumpah-pah le Peau Rouge: l’intégral by Rene Goscinny - 3 stars
Graphic novel, in French

159. La rose et la glaive
160. La galère d’Obelix by Albert Uderzo
Graphic novel, in French

161. Run For It by Marcelo D’Salete - 3 stars
Graphic novel, library

162. The President’s Gardens by Muhsin Al-Ramli - 5 stars
dtb, translation, library

163. Empire of Silence by Christopher Ruocchio - 5 stars
audiobook, sci-fi

November recap

13 books - 2348 pages - average rating 3.6
Format: 1 audio, 9 graphic novels
Source: 3 library, 3 TBR
Diversity: 12m/1w, 4 authors new to me, 6 En/0 De/7 Fr, 12 original language/1 translations
Best of: The President's Gardens and Empire of Silence
Worst of: Cops and... Lovers?

164. Snap by Belinda Bauer - 4 stars
audiobook, suspense

165. Astérix et la rentrée gauloise by René Goscinny - 3 stars
graphic novel, in French

>165 sushicat: I love Asterix! I'd read most of them when I was a kid, but this is one that I've not read yet. I've tried reading a few in French, but I suspect that much of the play on words went over my head.

166. Le papyrus de César by Jean-Yves Ferri - 3.4 stars
graphic novel, in French

This concludes my re-read of the series. Some I had not read before. Some I read in different languages in parallel. It's so much fun to see what translators have done. Some have gone to great length to translate the puns into the respective language, or even adding local flavor by replacing place or event references. Others were simple translations with not much care or imagination. Also pleased to see that the newer ones were done much in the spirit of the original authors. Some better, some less so - as with the originals.

167. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson - 3.6 stars
audiobook, nonfiction, science, astrophysics

168. The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy - 4 stars
audiobook

169. We Are Legion - We Are Bob by Dennis E. Taylor - 3.6 stars
audiobook

170. Munich by Robert Harris - 3.4 stars
audiobook, historical

171. Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras - 4.6 stars

Wishing you a Happy New Year filled with good health and good reading.