Familyhistorian digs up more ROOTs in 2018

Mount TBR? No, this is the view I have on a clear day in a walk near where I live.

This is Meg's ROOTs thread. Welcome fellow ROOTers. Well, my TBRs grew by leaps and bounds last year. I have run out of shelf space. My plans for 2018 involve buying some more bookshelves but also reading a lot of ROOTs and moving them on their way.

The top ticker is just to keep me aware of how the book numbers are increasing and the bottom ticker is to show me if there is any progress in getting a handle on the book bulge.

Welcome back to the ROOTers, Meg.

Welcome back and happy rooting, Meg!

Those TBR books, when we aren't looking, reproduce! I swear they do! It isn't us!

Welcome back and good luck with all your ROOT goals in 2018!

Good luck for 2018, Meg! Good to see you here again :)

>5 connie53: >6 Tess_W: Thanks Connie & Tess. It's good to look forward to another year of ROOTing.

>7 majkia: I think you are on to something there, Jean. Those book stacks just grow while our backs are turned.

>8 rabbitprincess: >9 Jackie_K: Thanks Rabbit and Jackie.

Glad you're with us again!

>11 cyderry: Thanks for keeping us going, Cheli!

Nice to see you here, Meg - good luck with the ROOTing and shelf-management in 2018!

>13 floremolla: Good luck with your ROOTing in the coming year, Donna. After my book buying in December I will have many more ROOTs to chose from!

Hi! Good luck w/ your 2018 Goals!
I'll be stopping by to say Hi when I can :)

>1 Familyhistorian: lol ;) And so pretty!

>1 Familyhistorian: Beautiful! Happy ROOTing!

>15 avanders: Thanks Ava. There are lots of views like that topper around here.

>16 detailmuse: Good to see you here MJ and thanks.

>1 Familyhistorian: Wow, what a beautiful view. As I grow older I appreciate the beauty of nature more and more.

>19 Henrik_Madsen: Hi Henrik, as we get older I think we have more time to look around. It also helps to live in a beautiful spot - well, at least when the sun is shining.

Happy New Year, Meg.

Happy reading in 2018, Meg, nice to see you in this group as well!

Beautiful picture! Good luck with your reading goals and happy new year!

>21 connie53: Thanks Connie. I hope you have a great New Year!

>22 FAMeulstee: Hey Anita, we seem to follow each other around. Happy reading to you as well.

>23 novawalsh: Thanks Nova, I am lucky to live in a beautiful part of the world. I hope you have a Happy New Year!

Dropping by to say good luck, starred, beautiful topper, and Happy New Year! ALL AT ONCE! :)

>27 elliepotten: You fit a lot into one short message. LOL Thanks and good to see you here, Ellie.

Welcome back, Meg!

>29 MissWatson: Thanks Birgit!

I like your 'books acquired' and 'books culled' tickers! I may have to borrow that. (I'm getting so many good ideas in this group! :)
Good luck with your 2018 ROOTs!

>31 madhatter22: The tickers make it handy to find out how I am doing but, unfortunately, it doesn't usually change. The acquisitions always outpace the culls by a large margin.

That is a gorgeous photo at the top! Good luck with your challenge, Meg.

>33 readingtangent: It is pretty, isn't it? Thanks for your good wishes, Elizabeth.

1. The Lady Travelers Guide to Larceny with a Dashing Stranger by Victoria Alexander

I wanted to start off the year with a fun ROOT. The Lady Travelers Guide to Larceny with a Dashing Stranger fit the bill. The heroine, Willie, agrees to lead a tour of ladies through Europe as she can't afford to get to Venice, and the painting she must retrieve, in any other way. But there was someone else on the same tour who was also after the painting, an attractive gentleman accompanying his sister and niece.

>35 Familyhistorian: Oooh! This does sound like a fun read! #BB

>36 Tanya-dogearedcopy: I hope you enjoy it!

>35 Familyhistorian: ditto what >36 Tanya-dogearedcopy: says, that does sound like fun! Wishlisted.

>35 Familyhistorian: Even the title sounds fun!

>38 floremolla: >39 Jackie_K: It's a fun one and includes a bonus story. Enjoy!

2. A Room Full of Bones by Elly Griffiths

My next ROOT was book four in the Ruth Galloway series. I have paced myself with these and find them delightful by the time I am ready for a new-to-me one. My latest was A Room Full of Bones.

3. The Children's Blizzard by David Laskin

It often takes a challenge for me to read some of the non-fiction on my shelves. The Children's Blizzard fit two challenges for January. That was a plus. It was also a very interesting story of the 1888 blizzard that took the lives of so many children on the prairie.

>42 Familyhistorian: is on my shelves! Will try to get to it this year!

>43 Tess_W: It was on my shelves for a few years too, Tess. I am glad that I finally read it.

4. Night's Child by Maureen Jennings

I enjoy the Detective Murdoch series on TV. I started watching the shows before I read any of the books and the characters are portrayed differently in each. I know some of the characters in Night's Child from the series and some of the episodes use the crimes that are portrayed in the book. It's almost like reading a different story. One more ROOT off the shelf.

5. To Sir Phillip, With Love by Julia Quinn

When I get bogged down in the books nothing beats a well written historical romance for a quick read. Julia Quinn's are some of the best and the latest one that I enjoyed was To Sir Phillip, With Love.

>35 Familyhistorian: My first BB of the year! :)

>41 Familyhistorian: Yay, Ruth! I normally try to pace myself in a series, but I can't seem to stop myself with this one.

>42 Familyhistorian: BB #2!

>45 Familyhistorian: BB #3!

>46 Familyhistorian: BB #4! Sheesh, I should avoid your thread for a few days to give my poor TBR a break. ;)

>47 LauraBrook: Looks like we have similar taste in books, Laura. Sorrynotsorry about all the BBs LOL.

6. "A Very Fine Class of Immigrants": Prince Edward Island's Scottish Pioneers 1770-1850 by Lucille H. Campey

Another ROOT for January. My personal library has many books related to my on-going family history research. Most of the books are unread but I am slowly making my way through them, particularly as they relate to research topics for my blog. As I am currently doing research on emigration/immigration and one of my family lines went from Scotland to PEI, the book “A Very Fine Class of Immigrants”: Prince Edward Island's Scottish Pioneers 1770-1850 filled in much of the information while relating an interesting history.

>49 Familyhistorian: That sounds an interesting read. Having read a few books about the migration from the other side (ie what they were leaving behind - books about Harris and St Kilda, for example) it would be interesting to read about what happened to the people when they landed in Canada/US/Australia/etc.

I have quite a few books about immigration from Scotland. My people emigrated from Skye and Islay to Canada. There are lots of books on immigration to Canada and I have quite a few. I haven't done much reading about immigration to the US or Australia but have family who went there too. My family were a restless lot and I never know where they will turn up. For years I looked for a marriage of one couple who lived in Birmingham until I found a newspaper notice of their marriage on Jersey in the 1880s.

I have a few more books pulled for my immigration research and may tackle James Hunter's A Dance Called America: The Scottish Highlands the United States and Canada next.

It looked like I wasn't doing that bad on the acquisition front for January until most of my Santa Thing books showed up.

Santa Thing Books

The Stranger in My Genes by Bill Griffeth
The Invisible Ones by Stef Penney
The Hangman's Row Enquiry by Ann Purser
A Share in Death by Deborah Crombie

From the Little Free Library

Holy Terror in the Hebrides by Jeanne M. Dams

These are my regular acquisitions for January:

Mrs Fletcher by Tomm Perrotta (for book club)
Calamity in Kent by John Rowland
Secrets in Death by J.D. Robb
The Passing of Mr Quinn by G. Roy McRae
Mesmerized by Candace Camp
The Library at the Edge of the World by Felicity Hayes-McCoy
You're All Just Jealous of My Jetpack by Tom Gauld
History of the Mathesons With Genealogies of the Various Families
The Last Gang in Town: The Epic Story of the Vancouver Police vs. the Clark Park Gang by Aaron Chapman
Women Alone: Spinsters in England 1660-1850 by Bridget Hill
Braving the Elements: The Stormy History of American Weather by David Laskin
Shortchanged: Height Discrimination and Strategies for Social Change by Tanya S Osensky
Bossypants by Tina Fey

>53 Familyhistorian: I have You're All Just Jealous of My Jetpack out from the library! I love the title (and Tom Gauld's cartoons).

>54 rabbitprincess: Have you read Baking with Kafka?

>55 Familyhistorian: Not yet, but I have a hold request on it.

>56 rabbitprincess: I hope you like it as much. I have both of them but haven't read them yet, looking forward to it.

>53 Familyhistorian: I acquired Bossypants in January too (from the charity shop), my only paper acquisition of the month. I want to get hold of You're All Just Jealous of My Jetpack too, my husband has it on his wishlist though so I might just buy it for him for his birthday and read it as well (then it won't count for my acquisitions!).

Hmm, touchstones being weird...

wow, taking note of Tom Gauld.

>53 Familyhistorian: I bought Bossypants as part of a two for one deal so it was less than regular price but not as good as getting it secondhand. How handy having another reader in the house to buy books for, books that you will, that way, get to read.

>59 detailmuse: LT is a dangerous place. I picked up the Tom Gauld books because of other LTers posting his cartoons on their threads.

>60 Familyhistorian: Our tastes are usually so different that I don't get the chance very often! I'm just not that into science fiction, near future dystopias etc, or textbooks about maths and engineering, which are his reading bread and butter. He does have a way of finding great quirky cartoons though, and I've bought him a couple of volumes of poetry that I want to read too.

>58 Jackie_K: That is a highly sensible acquisition strategy ;)

My most recent favourite Tom Gauld cartoon was the one about Poirot's moustache: https://www.theguardian.com/books/picture/2017/nov/10/tom-gauld-on-poirots-moust...

>62 Jackie_K: Well yeah, I can see why you aren't really into his favourite genres but at least he likes the quirky cartoons.

>63 rabbitprincess: That is very good!

>35 Familyhistorian: Sounds so cute. A BB for me!

>66 readingtangent: It's a fun read. Enjoy!

7. Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters

My first ROOT for February was Tipping the Velvet which is a peek at gay life in roaring Nineties London. It was written in a way that foreshadowed a disastrous fate for the main character, Nan King, oyster girl turned music hall performer. Because of that I read it slowly. When I am not reading mysteries I like happy endings and I didn't want to find out what disaster overcame Nan. I didn't need to worry. Things turn out ok.

8. Apprentice in Death by J.D. Robb

I started reading the J.D. Robb in Death series shortly after it first came out and have followed it ever since. I am not sure if the books really work for me because I space out the reads or if they are just so good. I think it is a bit of both. Apprentice in Death is the 43rd book in the series and another good entry.

>68 Familyhistorian: One of my favourite books the year I read it! Nan King had some serious gumption, a born survivor - I LOVED her as a character. I still haven't read Fingersmith, but I plan to remedy that sometime this year. :)

>70 elliepotten: I think you liked the character of Nan King a lot more than I did. To me she was too self centred. So many of her problems came from not understanding other people and where they were coming from. It was a good read.

>71 Familyhistorian: Ah, see, it was a while ago so I don't remember it that well any more... Maybe if I reread it now I'd feel the same! I mostly remember being drawn right into the atmosphere, absorbing it slowly and completely, and really hoping Nan would be okay and happy in the end. I don't think I ever finished watching the BBC miniseries, actually - I should get on that!

>72 elliepotten: I didn't know that there was a miniseries. That would be interesting to follow with all the period details and different worlds that Nan becomes a part of.

>73 Familyhistorian: Yup. A young Rachael Stirling as Nan, and an equally young Keeley Hawes as Kitty. The part I saw was great, I don't know why I never finished it!

>74 elliepotten: I had to look up those names as I am not familiar with many British actors. I saw Bletchley Park so must have seen Rachel Stirling before but I don't recognize Keeley Hawes. In Vancouver our access to British shows is limited except for some of the old stuff. We tend to be inundated by shows from the US.

>74 elliepotten: She's quite big on TV here, they've both been around for yeaaaaars. Ashes to Ashes, The Durrells (based on Gerald Durrell's Corfu Trilogy), all kinds of other stuff... But yeah, I get the lack of access. We have the same thing here with some US shows - often the most hyped ones, to my annoyance. At least with those ones, they'll make it over here eventually, or we at least have the option to shell out for the (inexplicably expensive) DVDs when they finally get released about 18 months late. :)

>72 elliepotten: I have to go and find that series. I liked the book a lot.

>76 elliepotten: I don't watch many of the US shows. I am more of a PBS (public broadcasting system), history type of watcher so having access to US shows is kind of meh, as far as I am concerned. Besides cable, I subscribe to Acorn TV which is predominantly British shows. What I really miss seeing, though, is the UK Who Do You Think You Are? series as most of my family history research is in the UK. I have been told that we can't even get them on DVD because they don't work on our systems. Maybe the conversion is why your DVDs are so expensive?

>77 connie53: Hi Connie.

>78 Familyhistorian: That's a real shame about Who Do You Think You Are? I don't watch it regularly, but there have been some really fascinating ones that I've caught. I remember fairly recently the one about the singer Lulu was really interesting, and then quite a long time ago the one about Boris Johnson. I do remember reading that they were going to do one about the TV presenter Michael Parkinson, but after some initial research they ditched him because his family were so dull! I'm pretty sure my family would be the same - no interesting heroes, skeletons in cupboards, or major villains here.

>80 Jackie_K: I heard about the celebrity who was ditched because his family was too dull. That must have been a bit of a slap for him. But he was the only one that happened to. Most family history is not dull. You would probably be surprised at what you uncover, Jackie. I haven't uncovered any major villains in my family - yet but there are a few skeletons in the cupboard.

9. Ignored but Not Forgotten by Lucille Campey

I am reading some of the books on my shelves. Because the latest posts for my blog have been about immigration, I have pulled my related books from my collection. Not much is written about English immigrants to Canada but Lucille Campey saw the gap and filled it with Ignored but Not Forgotten: Canada's English Immigrants. It is a very readable book as well as a well researched one. There is lots of useful information in the appendices. This book will go back in its designated spot in the history section of my personal library.

If you are interested the blog is at: A Genealogist's Path to History

I am moving on to Scottish immigration in the next posts.

>78 Familyhistorian:, >80 Jackie_K: We have a program on TV like that too. It's called Verborgen verleden (Hidden past). I really love that program. I'm sorry it finished last week for this season and looking forward to when it starts again somewhere in the fall of 2018.

>83 connie53: I love those kinds of programs, Connie. Of course, I prefer the British ones as that is where I come from but, being in Canada, we mostly get stuff from the US. I have family that comes from there as well but farther back in history than the programs usually cover.

10. The Profession of Violence: The Rise and Fall of the Kray Twins by John Pearson

It's getting towards the end of the month, February is just too short. Anyway, the end of the month means that I am wrapping up many of my reads. That means some additions to my ROOT reading.

The Profession of Violence: The Rise and Fall of the Kray Twins was an interesting biography of the brothers who had a lock on the underworld of London's East End for many years around the 1960s. It was very interesting.

>85 Familyhistorian: That does sound interesting! And at the risk of sounding shallow, I like the cover ;)

>86 rabbitprincess: It was really good and I think that the cover is a movie tie in with "Legend" with Tom Hardy who played both of the twins. I found this trailer of the movie:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yI3v6KfR9Mw

>85 Familyhistorian: >86 rabbitprincess: LOL, I was struck by the cover too! It reminds me of a little bit of the covers to Christina Lauren's "Beautiful" and "Wild" series ;-)

>88 Tanya-dogearedcopy: I can see the similarity. There is something about the jacket, narrow tie and stark white shirt that looks so good.

>89 Familyhistorian: I like the cover too!

>90 connie53: That's three votes in favour, Connie.

11. Books, Cooks, and Crooks by Lucy Arlington

I have lots (dozens, hundreds?) of mysteries on my shelves. A lot of them are cozy mysteries. I read the third book in the Novel Idea Mystery series, Books, Cooks, and Crooks. It was another enjoyable foray into the world of a small town publisher. This time celebrity chefs and their cookbooks were featured and, of course, the chefs were the target of a murderer. It was quick and fun read.

12. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

This month end is a good one for my ROOTs. Another one down, The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead. This was, of course, about the underground railway that transported escaped slaves from the south to the northern states and Canada. It was a very good story, I can see why it won awards.

13. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

It took me a long time to read A Discovery of Witches. It is a chunkster of a book and I didn't realize there were vampires in it until I brought it home. Vampires are not my thing but it was good for all that.

14. American Blonde by Jennifer Niven

My last February ROOT is American Blonde which was a story about Hollywood just after WWII. It followed the heroine, a war hero, who became an actress with the help of her friend. When her friend was killed our heroine came up against the studio system which tried to sweep everything under the rug. It was a very good who-done-it with great historical detail.

>93 Familyhistorian: This has been on my wishlist since its "preorder" days, but I was conflicted that the railroad is presented as literal vs. metaphorical. I do like (and respect) Whitehead's writing and imagination though, and am encouraged that you thought it very good, thanks!

>96 detailmuse: I wondered about that aspect of the novel myself. The actual railroad is not a huge part of the story and making it literal does work in the narrative. It was a good read.

>96 detailmuse: When I read it, I was like, "WTF! The Underground Railroad wasn't literally a subterranean train! And a thriving progressive safe haven in South Carolina?" It's like all the horrible things you think can't be true are true but all the great things are too good to be true... Oh. Wait. Got it. Well played, Mr. Colson, well-played.

>98 Tanya-dogearedcopy: It was well done, wasn't it?

Meg and Tanya, so good to hear! Into my shopping cart!

>100 detailmuse: Enjoy!

>93 Familyhistorian: already on my shelves, I’m moving it up the list now!

>102 floremolla: I hope you enjoy Underground Railroad. I thought it was really good.

15. A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh

My first ROOT for March is A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh. It was a fun Regency romance and a quick read. I just wanted to get one ROOT done for the month to get me started.

It may seem like I won't finish very many ROOTs for the month but I am actively reading the following ROOTs:




The Blood Doctor
Road to the Isles
The Strings of Murder
Girl Runner
The British: A Genetic Journey
Ragtime in Simla
What We See When We Read

7 books at the same time? I would lose my way and my mind!

Looking forward to seeing what you think of Road to the Isles. I have another book by him on my TBR, The Road to Mingulay.

Interesting mix! I think I would lose track with more than two books at a time.

>106 connie53: I usually read that many books at a time, Connie. It is my regular habit to read multiples, a habit which I picked up when I was a student reading texts at the same time that I was reading books for pleasure. I only stopped being a regular part time student in 2015 and had been one continuously since 2006 so the habit was ingrained by then.

>107 Jackie_K: I had to look up Mingulay, Jackie. I had never heard of that island in the Outer Hebrides. Now I will know where someone is from if I run across Mingulay origins when I am looking at records for family history research.

>108 MissWatson: Actually I don't lose track. It is kind of like keeping up with TV series which are usually pretty easy to keep straight even though you only see them about once a week.

>111 Familyhistorian:. That makes sense! I can see that and I do that with lots of series. I have two books on the go now. Maybe I should expand a little ;-))

>112 connie53: It's especially good if you read a lot of non-fiction which I do. It is good to have a break from it and get into something that is more of a story. Good luck with adding books to your reading mix, Connie.

I generally have up to 5 on the go at any one time. I think when it comes to books (and films/TV too for that matter) I am a bit of a commitment-phobe. So swapping books after a chapter or so to something else means I don't get too caught up in them (which might sound weird, but if I do get caught up then I spend forever thinking about it, to the extent that it can adversely affect my sleep). The exception is when I'm getting towards the end of a book, then I tend to have a bit more impetus to stick with it so I can get it finished.

>114 Jackie_K: Oh yeah, you know it's a good book when you at the end you don't put it down and pick up another. You have to get to the end. It just takes a long time to get to that point for most books. Do you choose all 5 books from the jar of fate, Jackie?

>155 connie53: Hi Meg, no I use a mix of the Jar of Fate and a couple of challenges, and very occasionally other reasons to dig out a particular book. At the moment I currently have 4 books on the go - two Jar of Fate books, one book which I dug out specially to read in Lent (that's an example of an occasional other reason), and one book which I actually originally started for one of last year's challenges but then never got round to finishing, but will try and finish this month. As it doesn't count for this year's challenges I'm just treating it like a Jar of Fate book. The books I've finished over the past week or two were all challenge books (75ers non-fiction challenge, ColourCAT (both of which I do every month), and RandomCAT which I only do if I'm interested in a particular month's theme - so far I've done January and March but missed out February). It works really well for me as a system. At the start of a year when I know which challenges I want to take part in I go through the Jar and pull out all the titles that I think I might read for them and keep them in a separate envelope in the Jar (and if I end up not reading any titles then I put them back in the Jar for another chance later). Each month I tend to read 2-3 challenge books, and the rest are from the Jar. I am reading so many more books now than a few years ago when I started to ROOT and was just doing one book at a time.

I do agree that it takes a long time to get to the 'can't put this down' point for many books. But then once you're there, that's a nice feeling.

>116 Jackie_K: I've seen your posts in the non-fiction group, Jackie. 2-3 challenges a month plus the jar of fate sounds like a doable reading plan. I said that I wouldn't do too many challenges this year but, just like last year, I think I have taken on too many. I try to fulfill the challenges with ROOTs but sometimes the library is the only way to get the right book. Next year I will try to take on less challenges and enjoy reading what I want to read.

>117 Familyhistorian: Yes, I have avoided challenges that I know I don't have the ROOTs for. I see lots of posts from people saying they read such-and-such a book for a challenge but it wasn't to their taste. I think I'm just too old now to buy books that I'm unlikely to enjoy. Last year CATWoman and CultureCAT were ideal for me, and this year the non-fiction challenge too, as I could see I had books that fitted each month's theme. ColourCAT is the only Category Challenge one that grabbed me this year, and as I say, I just do RandomCAT as and when I have ROOTs that fit.

>111 Familyhistorian: exactly! And exactly! too, about alternating among several books until getting caught up in one until its end, a great experience :)

>118 Jackie_K: Good strategic thinking, Jackie. I should probably think that way and get some of the books on my shelves read and on their way.

>119 detailmuse: Reading multiples makes reading much more fun, doesn't it?

16. The British: A Genetic Journey by Alistair Moffat

I am slowly reading my way through my personal library. My collection contains a lot of books about history and many of them are recent books. I especially like the books that use the latest DNA information to enhance and inform the history of an area. The British: A Genetic Journey is that kind of book.

>113 Familyhistorian: I added a third book to the 'Currently reading' list. But somehow I always tend to read one book more then the others.

>123 connie53: I usually read one book more than others too, Connie. Just as long as you keep picking up the other ones once in a while. Sometimes that's a good way to get through a dense book or to start one that takes a long time laying down the ground work in the beginning.

Looks like I forgot to list my February acquisitions which were my Thingaversary books. They are:

The Makers of Scotland by Tim Clarkson
The Somme Legacy by M.J. Lee
Dangerous Books for Girls: The Bad Reputation of Romance Novels Explained by Maya Rodale
A Talent for Murder by Andrew Wilson
Northmen: The Viking Saga AD 793-1241 by John Haywood
The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff
From Where You Dream: The Process of Writing Fiction by Robert Olen Butler
Mrs. Sherlock Holmes by Brad Ricca
The Three Pleasures by Terry Watada
Dust and Shadow by Lyndsay Faye
Remembrance by Meg Cabot

Enjoy reading them!

>125 Familyhistorian: Ooh that looks like a really good haul this month!

>125 Familyhistorian: Nice stack! I'm curious how you heard of Robert Olen Butler and/or From Where You Dream? I've liked a couple of his story collections (they all originate in a conceit/gimmick) and I loved the collection of essays you acquired (especially the one on cinema).

>126 MissWatson: Thanks, Birgit!
>127 Jackie_K: I tried really hard to get good books for my Thingaversary, Jackie. Over all I think I succeeded.
>128 detailmuse: From Where You Dream came up as a recommendation for me by Chapters/Indigo. I had a look and decided to order it. I am a bit puzzled about the collection of essays you mention, though.

>129 Familyhistorian: If it's the book linked, it's a collection of his lectures on creative writing. LOVED parts of it.

>130 detailmuse: Oh, I see. I hadn't looked at the book that closely. So you must be referring to the one on "Cinema of the Mind".

>131 Familyhistorian: Yes, hope you enjoy it and your other acquisitions!

>132 detailmuse: Thanks MJ!

Hello!! Just dropping by. It has just been TOO long. But I'm happy to see you're doing so well with your ROOTing! Life for me has been a bit crazy these past couple months, but maybe in the couple months to come, it'll calm down ;)

>134 avanders: Good to see you here, Ava. Good luck with life calming down in the next couple of months.

17. Ragtime in Simla by Barbara Cleverly

I am a fan of Barbara Cleverly's Joe Sandilands mysteries. Ragtime in Simla was another interesting read set in India with Joe and the local British police captain working to solve some murders in Simla.

18. The Girl With The Make-Believe Husband by Julia Quinn

I was feeling bogged down by my reading mix so picked out a faster read so I could finish a book. The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband was a fun romance set among the British soldiers in New York during the American Revolution, a bit of a departure for Quinn. It was good though.

19. Girl Runner by Carrie Snyder

Girl Runner was an interesting look at life for young women around the time of the early '30s. The girls in the book competed for Canada in the 1928 Olympics. It looked beyond that to the lives of the girls after the competition. Women's choices were a lot more restricted in those days.

20. The Chimney Sweeper's Boy by Barbara Vine

The Chimney Sweeper's Boy was written by Barbara Vine, who is actually Ruth Rendell. The books written by Vine are a bit darker than the Rendell novels. Good though. It was an intriguing mystery although I knew which way the wind was blowing fairly early in the proceedings.

21. The Strings of Murder by Oscar de Muriel

I enjoy histories and mysteries and they are even better when they are combined in one book. The Strings of Murder was an interesting mystery set, for the most part, in Edinburgh in the late 1800s.

22. It Happened One Midnight by Julie Anne Long

There is nothing like reading a romance novel to boost my ROOTs for the month. I really enjoyed It Happened One Midnight which is why it was done too soon. Oh well, on to other books. I think there might be a few more around here somewhere.

Hi Meg, you've done well with your ROOTs this month considering you thought you wouldn't manage to read many! A nice eclectic mix - and some interesting acquisitions too to keep the pile thriving ;)

>142 floremolla: I did better with the ROOTs this month than I thought, Donna. There were a bunch of library holds that all came in at the same time but I got through them quickly so there was time for some of my own books as well. I am very good at keeping the pile thriving as more books seem to have showed up in March than in February.

23. Road to the Isles: Travellers in the Hebrides 1770-1914 by Derek Cooper

My first ROOT for April is off my non-fiction shelves. Road to the Isles: Travellers in the Hebrides 1770-1914 is part of my collection on the history of Scotland. I have a lot of books about the Western Isles and hope to get to more of them soon. This was a good start.

I brought home more ROOTs in the making in March than I did in February. Well, it was a long month.

From the Little Free Library

The Valley of Adventure by Enid Blyton
The Circus of Adventure by Enid Blyton
The family thigh problem begins with the mouth by Cathy Guisewite
The Epic of Gilgamesh translated by Andrew George

These are my regular acquisitions for March:

The Unforgotten by Laura Powell
A Treasury of Victorian Murder Compendium Vol. 1 by Rick Geary
Plaid and Plagiarism by Molly MacRae
Death of an Avid Reader by Frances Brody
The Girl Who Knew Too Much by Amanda Quick
The Duchess by Danielle Steel
Black Orchid by Neil Gaiman
Lending a Paw by Laurie Cass (my last 2017 Santa Thing book which came in the mail in March)
Where the Dead Lie by C.S. Harris
Oxford Blood by Antonia Fraser
You Do You: How to Be Who You Are and Use What You've Got to Get What You Want by Sarah Knight
The Old Ways: A Journey on Foot by Robert Macfarlane
Yoga Anatomy by Leslie Kaminoff and Amy Matthews
Franklin's Lost Ship by John Geiger and Alanna Mitchell
Liquor, Lust and the Law: The Story of Vancouver's Legendary Penthouse Nightclub by Aaron Chapman

>145 Familyhistorian: Oh, I *love* the Enid Blyton Adventure series! I keep looking out for them at Barter Books, but I've only ever seen original hardback copies which are super-expensive! (I'd be quite happy with a crappy paperback!).

>147 Jackie_K: Those two Enid Blytons are the hardcover editions but I couldn't find the touchstone for them. They were free but cobwebby. I noticed a loose page too.

Yay, Franklin's Lost Ship! One of my friends just read Frozen in Time, so I think I'll have to track down that one too.

>149 rabbitprincess: Was that Frozen in Time: The Fate of the Franklin Expedition? I read that a few years ago. I really enjoyed it. I want to see what the newer books says about the recovery of the Erebus as it has a connection to where I live; some of the equipment for the exploration for the lost ship was made in Port Coquitlam.

>150 Familyhistorian: Yes, the new edition with an introduction by Margaret Atwood, she said.

>151 rabbitprincess: Yes, that's the one. I liked it and even posted a review of it. I have always been fascinated by the Franklin Expedition.

Hi Meg, just popping in to say Hi. The usual thing: behind on threads and trying to catch up now.

>153 connie53: It's good to see you, Connie. I am so far behind in threads and LT being off line for most of the weekend didn't help!

>154 Familyhistorian: I know! I meant to use some of the weekend to catch up, but that did not happen. So now I'm reading a few threads whenever I have some spare time. I'm now waiting until it's time to go to work.

>155 connie53: Keeping up with the threads takes a lot of time especially when you have to fit it in around work. Being retired doesn't help to get me caught up either.

>156 Familyhistorian: LOL, So it doesn't matter if you work or are retired!

>157 connie53: Just you wait until you retire, Connie. It is amazing how busy retirement is!

24. Hot Rocks by Nora Roberts

When I am bogged down by the books I'm reading it's great to add a fast read to the mix. Hot Rocks worked really well as it was a real page turner. The main characters were Laine, a small town antique store owner and Max, a man who has just showed up in town. He says he's in corporate insurance. Laine has her doubts about him but then she is hiding secrets of her own.

The plot combines crime, thrills and romance. It was an easy one to whip through and good too.

Hi Meg, I love Nora Roberts (and Santa Montefiore ) when I need a book that is easy and entertaining to read. Like on summer evenings in the garden. The one you mentioned is not even translated so it's probably a new one. But it sounds like something I want to read. So I will keep an eye open for it.

>160 connie53: I had to look up Hot Rocks to see when it was published, which was 2010. So not that new, Connie. It ties in to another book by J.D. Robb Big Jack. I think I already read both books because they were together in one book Remember When which was published in 2003. So long enough ago that I didn't remember reading the Nora Roberts part of the story. It must have been a reread for me. It's ok though as I didn't guy it, I picked it up at the Little Free Library and put it back there yesterday. I noticed today that someone else must have taken it.

Is it by J.D. Robb then? I can't find a Dutch edition anywhere. So I think it's not translated. But hey. I'v 7 new books by Nora on the shelves.

Remember When is by both Nora Roberts and J.D. Robb, Connie.

25. The Wedding Girl by Madeleine Wickham (Sophie Kinsella)

I am way behind in posting my ROOTs. It's a busy, busy month! My next ROOT for the month was The Wedding Girl. It was fun and a bit silly story about a couple who are marrying without really knowing the real people behind the masks they were wearing. Her mom was also taking the wedding planning over the top and jeopardizing her own marriage because of it. It was a fun, fast read.

>163 Familyhistorian: Thanks for the information. That clears things up for me.

>165 connie53: It was confusing the way they published the combined book and then the parts of the book separately. I hadn't heard of Santa Montefiore until you mentioned her in >160 connie53:. Then, of course, I saw a book by her and had to pick it up. It is Songs of Love and War.

26. The Mayfair Mystery by Frank Richardson

The Mayfair Mystery was originally published in 1907 as 2835 Mayfair. It was republished recently so it hasn't been sitting on my shelves as long as you might imagine, but it still qualifies as a ROOT. It was interesting if a bit far fetched and not what I would consider a typical example of the mystery genre these days.

>167 Familyhistorian: Great cover! Is she being attacked by a giant octopus? ;)

>168 rabbitprincess: There are no octopi in the story so I am not sure what those green tentacles are supposed to be.

27. The Poisoned Chocolates Case by Anthony Berkeley

The next book was passed along to me last year so The Poisoned Chocolates Case hasn't been on my shelves that long. It was an interesting classic murder mystery with various solutions put forward by the members of a group interested in the study of crime. It was a good one.

I'm behind on my ROOTs reviews so that I will only count the ROOTs that I have read so far for my April totals. I will try to keep more up to date in May. On the plus side I have already read 2 ROOTs towards Mays totals.

28. A Lady Cyclist's Guide to Kashgar by Suzanne Joinson

I think I picked up A Lady Cyclist's Guide to Kashgar because of the cover but that didn't make me open it any sooner so it became a ROOT. It was an interesting blend of two stories one set in 1923 involving lady missionaries on the Silk Road and one in present day London. The two stories converge by the end of the tale. It was an interesting look at how choices in the past can affect the present.

Now to look at the future ROOTs that I accumulated in April. The following are from the Little Free Library:

Hidden Heart by Nora Roberts
Literary Trips: Volume 2
Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith

The rest of the April accumulation:

The Promise Girls by Marie Bostwick
Songs of Love and War by Santa Montefiore
On Turpentine Lane by Elinor Lipman
the curious incident of the dog in the night-time by mark haddon
Dangerous Crossing by Rachel Rhys
The Fire Court by Andrew Taylor
The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
Death on the Family Tree by Patricia Sprinkle
Alexander Hamilton: The Graphic History of an American Founding Father by Jonathan Hennessey
Drama by Raina Telgemeier
It Runs in the Family: Understanding More About Your Ancestors by Ruth A. Symes
Rebellion: The History of England From James I to the Glorious Revolution by Peter Ackroyd
Fighters of Derry by William R. Young
Mind Over Mood by Dennis Greenberger & Christine Padesky

Another great haul, Meg - I admire your appetite for history!

Excellent haul! The only one I have from that list is "The Curious Incident...", which I started a few years ago but it wasn't the right book for me then so I didn't finish it. I still want to read it at some point, although it appears to have migrated to my husband's bookshelves and he is convinced that it's actually his book! (I think mainly because it's hardback, which is his preference, and really not mine - I didn't realise when I ordered it that I wasn't getting a paperback!).

>175 floremolla: I think my thing for history is more like an obsession but it goes along with the genealogy research I have been doing for the past 30 years or so.

>176 Jackie_K: My "Curious incident" is a paperback and I seem to now have two of them, Jackie. It is a very slim book and I could carry it along on my trip to Scotland in 2019 and get it to you from there, if you are interest in having your very own undisputed copy.

>178 Familyhistorian: Oh Meg that's really kind of you to offer! We're trying to reduce our duplicates so I'll pass on this one, but it was a lovely thought. I'm just amused that he's so adamant that it's his book (and to be fair, we have such different tastes that we have almost completely different collections with hardly any crossover, so the chances of us both claiming the same book are very very small!).

When in 2019 are you coming to Scotland? If you're anywhere near Stirling then give me a shout!

>178 Familyhistorian: give me a shout too if you're anywhere in central Scotland :)

>179 Jackie_K: Ha, looks like sometimes your reading tastes intersect, Jackie. I am signed up for a genealogy cruise around Ireland, Scotland and other places and will be making plans to do some traveling before and/or after the cruise next May. Where I travel will probably be related to my family history research but as that takes in most of Scotland, England and part of Ireland and even Jersey I haven't charted anything out yet. I will give you a shout if I am near Stirling.

>180 floremolla: What areas are considered central Scotland, Donna?

I've three books from your haul list, Meg

De vrouwen van kasteel Deverill read!
Het wonderbaarlijke voorval met de hond in de nacht read!
De vrouw in suite 10 ROOT to be.

>181 Familyhistorian: good question! Central Scotland is specifically the area around Stirling, but there's also a 'central belt' which is what I was meaning - the swathe of the country from the conurbations around the River Clyde in the west to those around the River Forth in the east - to the north of the belt are the Highlands and to the south are the border counties with England. Wikipedia describes it quite well https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Belt

>182 connie53: I figured out what the last two were, Connie, but I had to google the Santa Montefiore one to figure out what the English title was.

>183 floremolla: The wikipedia link really helps, Donna. Funny the names we call our local area but which people outside our area probably wouldn't get. Where I live is locally called the Lower Mainland which means Vancouver and the 16 municipalities that surround it but I doubt that the term is known well beyond this province.

I had a RL book club meeting on Friday night. Our book for discussion was The Wonder. Not a ROOT, unfortunately. Today, Saturday, I was in a parade for PoCo Heritage, a group that I volunteer for. Fortunately, we were at the front of the parade so I was able to take some photos of the tail end.

29. The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson

I have a few of Erik Larson's books on my shelves. The way he tells history is very interesting. The Devil in the White City was very good. It is one of those ROOTs that I will keep in my collection.

>186 Familyhistorian: That looks fun, Meg, and great that you had good weather for it.

>187 Familyhistorian: I've seen a few people on LT mention Erik Larson, I'm wondering if I should check him out sometime. I do like a well-told history book.

>188 Jackie_K: It was fun, Jackie. I was really happy to be in the beginning of the parade so that I actually got to see some of it!

You really should try to read some Larson. I have read Thunderstruck and Isaac's Storm besides the latest one and they were also very good. I really enjoy the narrative nonfiction that is being written now.

>187 Familyhistorian: That's one of my favorite non-fictions books! I read it in a day and vividly remember sitting in my parents' living room so engrossed in the book that I didn't even notice everyone else had gone out to lunch!

>188 Jackie_K: Jackie, I think Erik Larson is right up your alley. In the Garden of Beasts, a look at Hitler's Berlin through the eyes of the American ambassador and his family, was also very good.

>190 Miss_Moneypenny: It was a good one. I'm surprised that your family didn't take your book away to get you to go out to lunch with them - maybe you looked too happy to disturb.

>186 Familyhistorian: Fun! And it looks sunny and warm (I'm envious!)

Adding my admiration of Erik Larson, informative and engrossing books.

>192 detailmuse: It has been sunny and warm for the last little while, perfect parade weather. Erik Larson is good, isn't he?

I'm taking Erik Larson as an author bullet, sounds like something my husband would enjoy too. :)

>194 floremolla: Erik Larson has quite a few books out so you have a wealth of choices.

>191 Familyhistorian: My family is also made up of serious readers and it was quite common for us to give each other a wide berth when one was sucked into a book!

>196 Miss_Moneypenny: Your family was much more understanding than mine. Mine thought there were things, like eating, that took precedence over reading.

30. Anatomy of Murder by Imogen Robertson

A lot of my ROOTs are mysteries. This time it was an historical mystery set in London in the 1780s, Anatomy of Murder. The investigation was interesting as was the historical background.

>197 Familyhistorian: I've had that struggle too. As a kid I hide in the toilet with my book, just to make sure I was left alone to read and not do chores like doing dishes!

>199 connie53: I had a lot of rules around reading growing up too, Connie. One was not to read when I was at the table (one of my favourite things to do when there is no company). In desperation I used to read the cereal packages.

I don't remember any rules around not reading, or reading in inappropriate places - I was lucky that my parents always encouraged us to read lots and let us get on with it when we were! Neither were huge readers themselves (they'd watch the telly for hours though), but were happy that my sister and I were.

>200 Familyhistorian: I read cereal packets too - reading wasn't allowed during meals, plus I was always running out of things to read anyway. When I finished reading the cereal packet I would look round it at my sister, which would make her wail - she wasn't a morning person.

I used to be given chores on a Saturday morning when my parents were out and if I had a book they'd return to find me reading in the same spot they left me, with chores not done. Cue parental agitation and being sent to my room...where I'd continue to read. I don't think they twigged the irony of that.

>201 Jackie_K: You were lucky to have encouraging parents, Jackie. Reading was ok with my parents except at the table, when we had company or too late in bed.

>202 floremolla: Yes, being sent to your room loses its sting when there is plenty of reading material in there.

>203 Familyhistorian: I got used to reading by the light of the moon after bedtime. ;-))

>205 connie53: You must have had good eyesight, Connie.

One funny (well, funny now) thing happened to me when I was in high school. My mother worked and I was supposed to cook dinner when I got home from school. I don't know what I was cooking that day but whatever it was I got it going on the stovetop. Then got my book and went into the living room to read. When my dad came home and walked into the kitchen it was full of black smoke! It had burned the bottom of some of the cabinets, well, I think they must have been just smoked because they cleaned up eventually. When he came looking for me there I was in the next room reading away, totally oblivious to the crises in the kitchen.

After that I was not allowed to read until after dinner.

>207 clue: I think I can understand why your parents made that rule! It's a good thing that your dad came home when he did.

31. The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie

I have had The Man in the Brown Suit on my shelves for a short time but long enough to be considered a ROOT. It was a really good Christie mystery and I enjoyed being able to pick up some of the references that I knew to have been from the voyage she had taken shortly before writing this book. Grand Tour, the book about the voyage was edited by her grandson, Mathew Prichard.

>207 clue: Wow, Luanne! That's scary.

>206 Familyhistorian: Yes, I had excellent eyesight back then. But I may have harmed my eyes because my eyes are real bad now.

>210 connie53: Maybe what our parents said about straining our eyes had some truth, Connie.

>211 Familyhistorian: maybe it did, Meg!

>212 connie53: and maybe it is just one of the "joys" of getting older, Connie.

32. The Detective's Daughter by Lesley Thomson

My next ROOT was a modern day mystery which was a bit of a refreshing change. The Detective's Daughter was a mystery throughout as the main character, Stella, followed the clues that her retired detective father left behind on an unsolved cold case. Both Stella and her father, were compelled to carry the case to its proper conclusion.

33. The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

I have quite a few historic romances lurking in my stacks putting down ROOTs. My latest read in this genre was The Duke and I. It was a good one and made a break from more serious reading.

(Well, not that mysteries are that serious but at least it was a change, less dead bodies.)

34. The Viking World by James Graham-Campbell

I have been concentrating much of my non fiction reading on my Scottish roots which, being in the Western Isles, includes reading about Vikings. The Viking World was a good overview of Viking culture, the areas it came from and the areas it was taken to.

35. A Woman Unknown by Frances Brody

Just sneaking one last ROOT in for May because I am in a different time zone and can beat the deadline. A Woman Unknown is a Kate Shackeleton mystery that has been sitting on the shelf unread for a while. In fact, I have two of these novels because I like the covers. I was also a really good mystery set in England between the wars. I really like the fiesty PI Kate who has to put up with even more sexist guff than present day women because of her job and the era. It was really good.

36. Unsinkable by Dan James

My ROOTs reading has slowed down for the month since I am on the road but I recently finished Unsinkable which was a really interesting historic mystery. It was set on the Titanic which added another layer of tension to the action. It was very good and I am not sure why it took me so long to get to it.

37. Death of a Dentist by M.C. Beaton

I like to take some smaller books along on my travels. Death of a Dentist, one of the Hamish MacBeth mysteries, fit the bill. It has been on my shelf for a long while so a definite ROOT. I enjoy reading about the trials and tribulations of MacBeth, the mooching Highland policeman who is content with where he lives but also very good at solving the murders that happen on his patch, and there seem to be a lot of them. This was another good entry in the series.

38. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce

I’m not sure where I picked up The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. It looks like it might be from the Little Free Library. Wherever it came from it was a gem; a story that packed a lot into the simple premise of a man choosing to walk to see his dying friend at the other end of the UK.

This thread is getting long but I am resisting starting a new one until I return home. I am currently in Toronto visiting another LTer. Gotta love LT and the people you meet here.

39. Whiskey Beach by Nora Roberts

Another Little Free Library find was Nora Robert’s Whiskey Beach. A mystery romance and a great book to take on vacation.

I am late posting my May acquisitions because I was out of town until yesterday. Yes, of course, I bought more books while I was away but those are for June's bunch.

Little Free Library

Ravished by Amanda Quick
Brother Cadfael's Penance by Ellis Peters
Kissed a Sad Goodbye by Deborah Crombie
Incident at Badamya by Dorothy Gilman
Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie
The Tightrope Walker by Dorothy Gilman
A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters
Crooked House by Agatha Christie
A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
Shroud for a Nightingale by P.D. James

Bookstore acquisitions

Goodbye Butterflies: The 5 Day Stage Fright Solution by Dr. David Lee Fish
Meditation is Not What You Think by Jon Kabat-Zinn
True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey
Aging Backwards by Miranda Esmonde-White
The Hebrides by Paul Murton
The Cartoon Introduction to Philosophy by Micheal F. Patton
The Death of Stalin by Fabien Nury
The Merchant's House by Kate Ellis
The Great Train Robbery by Michael Crichton
The Wages of Sin by Kaite Welsh
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon

>224 Familyhistorian: Good haul there! I hope you enjoy Hebrides, it was my first ROOT of the year!

>225 Jackie_K: I read a few reviews of The Hebrides on LT, I am not sure which one made me covet the book. It could well have been yours, Jackie.

40. A Week from Sunday by Dorothy Garlock

I don't think that I have read any books by Garlock before. A Week from Sunday was a good historical book which combined suspense and romance. I quite liked it and will look for more books by this author.

Hey, The Death of Stalin! I have that one out from the library. The movie was great.

>228 rabbitprincess: It looks interesting and very thin, which is also something I like! Have you started reading it yet?

>229 Familyhistorian: Not yet! Possibly this weekend.

>230 rabbitprincess: I look forward to seeing what you think about it.

>216 Familyhistorian: On Vikings. I am listening to the The Eye of Heaven by Clive Cussler. Fiction but has the Vikings and Toltec of Mexico. Interesting so far. I have an interest in the Maya and Toltec.

>232 mnleona: I had to look up The Eye of Heaven. It looks interesting but probably best to read it as part of the series, I would imagine.

41. Dying Fall by Elly Griffiths

The Ruth Galloway archealogical mysteries are really good, IMO. I am not very far along in the series and just read the fifth book, Dying Fall. It was another very readable entry and another ROOT for this month.

42. Scotland's Last Frontier: A Journey Along the Highland Line by Alistair Moffat

There are some great books being written about Scotland's history lately. I picked up Scotland's Last Frontier: A Journey Along the Highland Line when I was in Halifax last October. It qualifies as a ROOT and a very good one it was too.

>235 Familyhistorian: That's a BB for me!

>236 Jackie_K: Ha, just posted on your thread, Jackie, and I was tempted to tell you about that one!