Mamie's 2018 Madness (Page 18)

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Books Read in December:
117. Elevation by Stephen King (4 stars), library hardback, contemporary fiction/magical realism
118. We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (4 stars) FLP ebook, essay/feminism
119. Things I Don't Want to Know: On Writing by Deborah Levy (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, essays/memoir/response to Orwell's Why I Write
120. Dead Wake by Erik Larson (4 stars), FLP ebook, non-fiction/maritime history/WWI
121. My Reading Life by Pat Conroy (4 stars), FLP audiobook, non-fiction/memoir/books about books - Katie's Dirty Dozen

Books Read in November:
109. Wait Till Next Year by Doris Kearns Goodwin (3.75 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, memoir/baseball/Brooklyn Dodgers - Katie's Dirty Dozen
110. Through the Woods by Emily Carroll (3 stars), library hardback, GN/horror - recommended by Judy
111. Death Masks by Jim Butcher (4 stars), FLP audiobook, fantasy/urban fantasy (Dresden Files, book 5)
112. Blue Nights by Joan Didion (4 stars), FLP audiobook, memoir/grief
113. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl (reread), FLP ebook, juvenile fiction
114. Blood Rites by Jim Butcher (4 stars), FLP audiobook, fantasy/urban fantasy (Dresden Files, book 6)
115. Forever and a Day by Anthony Horowitz (4 stars), library hardback in combo with 2018 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/espionage (prequel to the James Bond books)
116. The Monuments Men by Robert M. Edsel (4 stars), 2014 acquired ebook, non-fiction/WWII/art theft

Books Read in October:
92. Fight No More by Lydia Millet (4.5 stars), library hardback, linked short stories - recommended by Beth
93. Mind's Eye by Håkan Nesser (3.5 stars), 2013 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural (Inspector Van Veeteren, book 1)
94. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, YA/historical fiction (Gentleman's Guide, book 1) - recommended by Meg
95. The Colorado Kid by Stephen King (3 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, mystery (Haven, the tv series is loosely based on this)
96. The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (5 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, horror
97. The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, ghost story
98. First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones (reread), 2011 acquired ebook, urban fantasy
99. Sunshine by Robin McKinley (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, urban fantasy
100. Exit Strategy by Martha Wells (5 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, science fiction/AI (The Murderbot Diaries, book 4)
101. The Lady Astronaut of Mars by Mary Robinette Kowal (4 stars), read online, novelette/science fiction (Lady Astronaut, short story) - recommended by Heather and Roni
102. Lethal White by Robert Galbraith (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/detective (Comoran Strike, book 4)
103. The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly (4 stars), 2013 acquired ebook, crime fiction/legal thriller (Lincoln Lawyer, book 2; Harry Bosch, book 14)
104. Binti by Nnedi Okorafor (reread - read the ebook earlier this year, and this time I listened to the audiobook), 2018 acquired audiobook, science fiction (Binti, book 1)
105. First Flight by Mary Robinette Kowal (4 stars), read online, novelette/science fiction/time travel
106. The Shadow Hero by Gene Luen Yang and Sonny Liew (4 stars), GN/superheroes
107. When God Was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman (4.5 stars), library hardback, contemporary fiction - Katie's Dirty Dozen
108. Binti: Home by Nnedi Okorafor (4.25 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, science fiction

I am planning on walking the cat again this year. That is, I am just going to go where my reading takes me. I am not committing to any challenges except for Katie’s PopReadHarderSugarEtc.Challenges 2018

Books Read in January:
1. Blizzard of Glass: The Halifax Explosion of 1917 by Sally M. Walker (4 stars), library hardback, YA non-fiction/history - mentioned on Julia's thread last year in reference to the 100 year anniversary of the incident
2. March: Book Two by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell (5 stars), library paperback, GN non-fiction/memoir/Civil Rights Movement
3. Artemis by Andy Weir (4 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, sci-fi
4. You Gotta Get Bigger Dreams by Alan Cumming, narrated by Alan Cumming (4.5 stars), 2018 purchased audiobook, non-fiction/vignettes with selfies
5. The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher, narrated by Carrie Fisher and Billy Lourd (4 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook - recommended by Mark
6. The White Album by Joan Didion (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, non-fiction/essays
7. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (3.8 stars), 2012 or earlier acquired paperback, gothic fiction/classic
8. Ties by Domenico Starnone (4 stars), library paperback, literary fiction/relationships - recommended by Lynda, translation
9. God Stalk by P. C. Hodgell (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, fantasy - recommended by Roni and read for her GR of it
10. The Jaguar's Children by John Vaillant (4.5 stars), library hardback, contemporary fiction/illegal immigration - recommended by Katie
11. Nightblind by Ragnar Jonasson (3 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural (Dark Iceland series, book 2), translation

Books Read in February:
12. The Dying Detective by Leif GW Persson (4 stars), library hardback, crime fiction/police procedural (Johansson and Jarnebring series, book 8) - recommended by Charlotte, translation
13. The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion (4.5 stars), library hardback, non-fiction/grief
14. The Girl With All the Gifts by M. R. Carey, narrated by Finty Williams (5 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, dystopian/zombies - recommended by Mark
15. Chimes at Midnight by Seanan McGuire (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, urban fantasy (October Daye series, book seven)
16. March: Book Three by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell (5 stars), library hardback, non-fiction/The Civil Rights Movement
17. A World Gone Mad: The Diaries of Astrid Lindgren 1939-45 by Astrid Lindgren (4.25 stars), 2016 acquired hardback, non-fiction/diary/WWII, translation
18. Greenglass House by Kate Milford (4 stars), library hardback, juvenile fiction/mystery - recommended by Amber
19. A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft, narrated by Fiona Shaw with Jonathan Keeble (4 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, non-fiction/feminism
20. On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, non-fiction/democracy - recommended by Joanne
21. The Cold, Cold Ground by Adrian McKinty (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/police procedural - recommended by Charlotte
22. My Favorite Thing is Monsters by Emil Ferris (4.5 stars), library paperback, GN - recommended by Mark and Joe

Books Read in March:
23. Not My Father's Son by Alan Cumming, narrated by Alan Cumming (4.5 stars) 2017 acquired audiobook. non-fiction/memoir/abuse - Katie's Dirty Dozen
24. The Strange Death of Fiona Griffiths by Harry Bingham (4.5 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural (Fiona Griffiths series, book 3)
25. Pictures at a Revolution: Five Movies and the Birth of the New Hollywood by Mark Harris (4.5 stars), 2014 acquired paperback, non-ficiton/film history
26. Slow Horses by Mick Heron, narrated by Gerard Doyle (5 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/espionage (Slough House, book 1) - recommended by Charlotte and Deborah
27. The Lady Vanishes by Ethel Lina White (3.5 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, crime fiction/mystery - recommended by Heather
28. How to Build a Girl by Caitlin Moran, narrated by Louise Brealey (5 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, contemporary fiction/coming of age
29. Binti by Nnedi Okorafor (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, sci-fi/space opera (Binti, book 1) - recommended by Joe
30. Acceptance by Jeff VanderMeer (4 stars), 2017 acquired paperback, weird fiction (Southern Reach, book 3)
31. Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maude Montgomery, narrated by Rachel McAdams (4.5 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, juvenile fiction/classic (Anne of Green Gables, book 1)
32. MI5 and Me: A Coronet Among the Spooks by Charlotte Bingham (3 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, non-fiction/memoir - saw this mentioned on Charlotte's thread and loved the quotes she posted from it
33. Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World by Pénélope Bagleu (5 stars), paperback borrowed from Birdy, GN/non-fiction/history, translated - recommended by Charlotte
34. Octopussy and The Living Daylights by Ian Fleming, narrated by Tom Hiddleston (4 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, short stories/crime fiction/espionage (James Bond, book 14)
35. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming, narrated by David Tennant (3 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, juvenile fiction
36. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré (5 stars), 2013 acquired paperback (also listened to the 2017 acquired audiobook), crime fiction/espionage (George Smiley novels, book 5)
37. A Rage in Harlem by Chester Himes, narrated by Samuel Jackson (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/noir (Harlem Cycle, book 1)
38. How to Cheat a Dragon's Curse by Cressida Cowell, narrated by David Tennant (4 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, juvenile fiction (How to Train Your Dragon, book 4)
39. The Moneypenny Diaries: Guardian Angel by Kate Westbrook (4 stars), 2015 acquired ebook, crime fiction/espionage (The Moneypenny Diaries, book 1)

Books Read in April:
40. Women & Power: A Manifesto by Mary Beard (4 stars), 2018 acquired hardback, non-fiction/essays/feminism - recommended by Charlotte
41. A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf, narrated by Juliet Stevenson (5 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, non-fiction/essays/feminism - recommended by Joe
42. The Hounds of Spring by Lucy Andrews Cummin (5 stars), 2018 acquired paperback, contemporary fiction/utterly delightful
43. The Wendy Project by Melissa Jane Osborne, Illustrated by Veronica Fish (3.5 stars), paperback borrowed from Abby, GN/grief/fairy tale retelling
44. The Dark Angel by Elly Griffiths (4 stars), traveling paperback sent by Katie and going to Beth next, crime fiction/mystery (Ruth Galloway, book 10)
45. Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi, translation, (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired paperback, contemporary fiction/horror
46. The Chalk Circle Man by Fred Vargas (3.5 stars), library paperback, crime fiction/police procedural (Chief Inspector Adamsberg, book 1)
47. Above Suspicion by Helen MacInnes (4 stars), 2013 acquired ebook, espionage/WWII
48. Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome (3 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, humor - recommended by Lucy
49. The Chessmen by Peter May, narrated by Peter May (4 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/mystery (The Lewis Trilogy, book three)
50. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle (3 stars - reread), paperback borrowed from Birdy, YA science fiction/time travel (The Time Quintet, book 1)
51. All Systems Red by Martha Wells (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, science fiction/AI (The Murderbot Diaries, book 1)

Books Read in May:
52. Still Waters by Viveca Sten, translation (3.75 stars), 2018 acquired Kindle Book, crime fiction/police procedural (The Sandhamn series, book 1)
53. Closed Circles by Viveca Sten, translation (3.25 stars), ebook borrowed from the Kindle lending library, crime fiction/police procedural (The Sandhamn series, book 2)
54. Guiltless by Viveca Sten, translation (3.25 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural (The Sandhamn series, book 3)
55. The Quiet American by Graham Greene (4.5 stars), 2016 acquired paperback, literary fiction/espionage - recommended by Bill
56. Echo Park by Michael Connelly (4.5 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural (Harry Bosch series, book 12)
57. The Terror by Dan Simmons (5 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, literary faction/horror - recommended by Susan
58. The Overlook by Michael Connelly (3.5 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural (Harry Bosch, book 13)
59. The Duke's Tattoo by Miranda Davis (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, romance (The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, book 1) - recommended by Charlotte
60. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, narrated by Dan Stevens (4 stars - reread), 2018 acquired audiobook, mystery

Books Read in June:
61. The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired hardback, crime fiction/mystery/time travel - recommended by Heather
62. The Purple Diaries: Mary Astor and the Most Sensational Hollywood Scandal of the 1930s by Joseph Egan (3.75 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, non-fiction/Hollywood history
63. Tonight You’re Dead by Viveca Sten, translated (4 stars), borrowed from the Kindle Lending Library, crime fiction/police procedural, (Sandhamn Murders, book 4)
64. Scandal and the Duchess by Jennifer Ashley (reread), 2014 acquired ebook, historical romance (Mackenzies Series, book 6.5)
65. The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley (reread), 2010 acquired ebook, historical romance (Mackenzies Series, book 1)
66. I Hear the Sirens in the Street by Adrian McKinty, narrated by Gerard Doyle (4.25 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/police procedural (Sean Duffy, book 2)
67. Dead Lions by Mick Herron (3.6 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, crime fiction/espionage (Slough House, book 2) - recommended by Charlotte
68. The Last Man in Europe by Dennis Glover (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired hardback, historical fiction - heard about this on Charlotte's thread (Guardian reviews) and purchased it and then reading Beth's recent review of it made me want to get to it NOW
69. In the Morning I'll Be Gone by Adrain McKinty, narrated by Gerard Doyle (4.5 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/police procedural (Sean Duffy, book 3)

Books Read in July:
70. A Rising Man by Abir Mukherjee, narrated by Simon Bubb (reread), 2016 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/police procedural (Sam Wyndham, book 1)
71. Matilda by Roald Dahl, narrated by Kate Winslet (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, children's literature/classic - Katie's Dirty Dozen
72. A Necessary Evil by Abir Mukherjee (4 stars), 2017 acquired hardback, crime fiction/police procedural (Sam Wyndham, book 2)
73. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling (reread), illustrated hardback edition acquired in 2015, fantasy
74. The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, non-fiction/disaster/Hurricane Grace
75. The Dawn Watch: Joseph Conrad in a Global World by Maya Jasanoff (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, non-fiction/literary history
76. The Annotated Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler (5 stars), 2018 acquired paperback, crime fiction/noir/private detective (Philip Marlowe, book 1)
77. The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain (4.25 stars), 2010 acquired paperback, crime fiction/noir

Books Read in August:
78. Artificial Condition by Martha Wells (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, science fiction/AI (The Murderbot Diaries, book 2)
79. The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, crime fiction/espionage (Gabriel Allon, book 1) - recommended by Susan
80. Queenpin by Megan Abbott (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, crime fiction/noir - recommended by Roberta
81. Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells (5 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, science fiction/AI (The Murderbot Diaries, book 3)
82. Like Water For Chocolate by Laura Esquirel (4 stars) library hardback, translation, historical fiction/culinary fiction/magical realism
83. Tin Man by Sarah Winman (5 stars), 2018 acquired hardback, contemporary fiction
84. They Shoot Horses, Don't They? by Horace McCoy (3.5 stars), library hardback, crime fiction/noir
85. Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop (4.75 stars), acquired ebook, urban fantasy (The Others, book 3)

Books Completed in September:
86. Fatal Pursuit by Martin Walker (4 stars), 2017 acquired paperback, crime fiction/police procedural (Bruno Corrourrèges, book 9)
87. Soulless by Gail Carriger (reread), 2013 acquired ebook, steampunk (Parasol Protectorate, book 1)
88. The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman, illustrations by Chris Riddle (5 stars), library hardback, juvenile fiction/fractured fairytale - recommended by Amber and Birdy
89. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, mystery/autism/child narrator
90. Borkmann's Point by Håkan Nesser (3.5 stars), paperback acquired before 2012, crime fiction/police procedural (Inspector Van Veeteren, book 2)
91. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, play

Katie’s Dirty Dozen - That’s right, folks, KAK’s reserved spot is back for a fourth year, let’s see what she hits me with this time

1. The North Water by Ian McGuire - Mark and Judy loved this one, too. And also Richard, though a weentsy tidge less.
2. How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran - go with the audio
3. Brother, I'm Dying by Edwidge Danticat
4. The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan - Katie says for when I'm in the mood for something light and recommends the audio
5. When God Was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman - Katie mentioned on Joanne's thread that she loved this one COMPLETED 10/29/18 4.5 stars
6. Matilda by Roald Dahl - the audio narrated by Kate Winslet COMPLETED 4.5 stars
7. Come Hell or Highball by Mala Chance - saw this first on Katie's thread and then Meg's enthusiasm sold it to me
8. The Map of Love by Ahdaf Soueif - Katie says,"...one of my very favorite books - easily in my top 10."
9. Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay
10. How to be Safe by Tom McAllister
11. Georgia: A Novel by Dawn Tripp
12. Sunburn by Laura Lippman
13. The Story of Lucy Gault by William Trevor - she mentioned on Karen's thread that this is one of her all time favorite books
14. West by Carys Davies

From 2017:
1. Everyday people by Stewart O'Nan (linked short stories)
2. Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
3. Wait Till Next Year by Doris Kearns Goodwin (memoir) COMPLETED 11/1/18
4. The Golden Legend by Nadeem Aslam
5. Personal History by Katherine Graham
6. Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan
7. Taft by Ann Patchett
8. Dear Fahrenheit 451 by Annie Spence
9. Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood
10. The Lost Book of the Grail by Charlie Lovett
11. Snow in August by Pete Hamill - Katie mentioned how much she loved this one over on the AAC thread after Mark had posted the list for next year

From 2016:
1. Kamchatka by Marcelo Figueras
2. Destiny of the Republic by Candace Millard
3. The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez - seconded by Charlotte and Susan
4. In the Walled City by Stewart O'Nan COMPLETED 8/12/16 3.8 stars
5. My Reading Life by Pat Conroy - she recommended the audio, and don't speed it up COMPLETED 4 stars
6. Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo COMPLETED 7/21/16 5 stars
7. Ruby by Cynthia Bond - seconded by Charlotte
8. Not My Father's Son by Alan Cumming - she recommends the audio read by Cummings himself COMPLETED 3/01/18 4.5 stars
9. Songs for the Missing by Stewart O'Nan
10. Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye - Roberta also loved this, Katie says the audio is great, purchased 5/15/16
11. The Jaguar's Children by John Vaillant COMPLETED 1/2018 4.5 stars
12. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi COMPLETED 10/2/16 5 stars
13. Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat - she pointed out that this was only $1.99 on Kindle and that it was one of her very favorites, purchased 7/13/16
14. Tribal: College Football and the Secret Heart of America by Diane Roberts
15. Manhood for Amateurs by Michael Chabon
16. Nutshell by Ian McEwan COMPLETED 1/2017 5 stars
17. Black River by S. M. Hulse

AND, from 2015:
1. The Mermaids Singing by Lisa Carey ($1.99 on Kindle), purchase on 2/18/15 COMPLETED 8/19/16 5 stars
2. Bright's Passage by Josh Ritter (2.99 on Kindle), purchased on 2/23/15
3. The Tilted World by Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly ($3.79 on Kindle), purchased on 3/31/15 COMPLETED 11/7/15 4.2 stars
4. Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler ($12.77 trade paperback), purchased on 4/1/15, COMPLETED read for Mark's AAC in January 2016, 4.25 stars
5. Paradise Alley by Kevin Baker ($.99 on Kindle), purchased on 4/9/15 - second book in a series, first book Dreamland was recommended by Katie and purchased last year
6. Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing - used an Audible credit COMPLETED 6/16/15 4.9 stars
7. Academy Street by Mary Costello ($9.99 on Kindle), purchased on 6/12/15 COMPLETED 7/2/16 5 stars
8. Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn ($5.99 on Kindle), purchased on 8/28/15
9. Sweetland by Michael Crummey ($.99 on Kindle), purchased 9/5/15 COMPLETED 11/19/15 4.5 stars
10. If You Only Knew by Kristan Higgins ($7.99 on Kindle), purchased on 10/26/15

Susan’s Summer Shivers - Susan’s suggestions for some cold reading during the hot summer, which lasts about 9 months in Georgia

1. The Terror by Dan Simmons LOVED this!
2. The Abominable by Dan Simmons
3. The Disappeared by C J Box "...there is an atmosphere of absolutely freezing throughout the book." (#18 in the series, so please don't mention that I'm thinking of reading this out of order)



Heather suggested Cold Earth by Sarah Moss - she says, "...it's about a group of archaeologists in Greenland who get cut off after reports of a virus spreading back home and then one of the team starts having strange nightmares."

Every year, LT is an embarrassment of riches for me. I like to keep track of who recommends what and any other pertinent info that lands a book on The List.

1. Curse of the Narrows by Laura m. MacDonald - about the Halifax explosion of 1917. Recommended by Bonnie, Meg, and Susan
2. Greenglass House by Kate Milford - recommended by Amber (she gave it an A!) COMPLETED 4 stars
3. In America: Travels With John Steinbeck by Geert Mak - recommended by Anita
4. The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton - recommended by Barbara
5. Darktown by Thomas Mullen - Jim, and he says the second book Lightning Men is just as good
6. The Book of Dust by Philip Pullman, audio narrated by Michael Sheen - recommended by Traci
7. Number 17 by Jefferson Farjeon - Harry recommended this series on his thread
8. Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney - recommended by Lisa (jonesli)
9. Slow Horses by Mick Herron - recommended by Deborah and Charlotte COMPLETED 5 stars
10. The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt - recommended by Carrie
11. Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley - recommended by Caro
12. For the Time Being: A Christmas Oratorio by W.H. Auden - recommended by Christina
13. Under Another Sky: Journeys in Roman Britain by Charlotte Higgins - recommended by Beth
14. The Good People by Hannah Kent - recommended by Bonnie
15. Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton - recommended by Shannon
16. How to Build an Android The True Story of Philip K Dick's Robotic Resurrection by David F. Dufty - recommended by Victoria
17. The Confession by Jo Spain - recommended by Susan (Irish noir, she says!!)
18. Four-Day Planet by H. Beam Piper - recommended by Richard
19. Black Hammer by Jeff Lemire - recommended by Jim (GN)
20. Hedy's Folly by Richard Rhodes - Jim again (the doctor is IN)
21. The Wandering Falcon by Pakistani author Jamil Ahmad - recommended by Judy - interlinked short stories
22. Exposure by Helen Dunmore - recommended by Anne
23. Silent Days, Silent Dreams by Allen Say - recommended by Richard
24. Dead Wake by Erik Larson - recommended by Karen
25. The Passage by Justin Cronin - recommended by Lori (ikernagh)
26. Drawing From Memory by Allen Say - recommended by Richard
27. A Catalog of Birds by Laura Harrington - recommended by Beth
28. The Largesse of the Sea Maiden: Stories by Denis Johnson - recommended by Mark
29. The Twelve-Mile Straight by Eleanor Henderson - recommended by Susan, it's Southern Gothic
30. Autonomous by Annalee Newitz - recommended by pammab
31. Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World by Pénélope Bagieu - recommended by Charlotte (GN) COMPLETED 5 stars
32. Women and Power by Mary Beard - recommended by Charlotte COMPLETED 4 stars
33. Go Down Together: The True Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde by Jeff Guinn - recommended by Mark and Jim
34. Twenty Thousand Streets Under The Sky by Patrick Hamilton - recommended by Susan
35. 1939: The Making of Six Great Films from Hollywood's Greatest Year by Charles F. Adams - recommended by LittleTaiko
36. MI5 and Me: A Coronet Among the Spooks by Charlotte Bingham - saw this mentioned on Charlotte's thread, and I loved the quotes she posted from it COMPLETED
37. Enchanted Islands by Allison Amend - recommended by Chelle
38. A Time of Gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor - recommended by Megan (evilmoose)
39. The Berlin Stories by Christopher Isherwood - recommended by Vivienne (VivienneR)
40. Conclave by Robert Harris - recommended by Vivienne (VivienneR)
41 The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband by Julia Quinn - recommended by Meg, she says it's a prequel to The Bridgertons series! *happy dance*
42. The Reapers Are the Angels by Alden Bell - recommended by Shannon (sturlington) - zombies!
43. Lonely Hearts by John Harvey - series recommended by Charlotte (she reviewed book 12 on her thread)
44. Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend - recommended by Anne
45. Time After Time by Jack Finney - recommended by Richard (time travel)
46. Time on My Hands by Peter Delacourt - Richard again (time travel)
47. The Grass Dancer by Susan Power - recommended by Charlotte
48. The Dry by Jane Harper - recommended by Charlotte
49. The Last Man in Europe by Dennis Glover - saw this mentioned on Charlotte's thread - "April, 1947. In a run-down farmhouse on a remote Scottish island, George Orwell begins his last and greatest work: Nineteen Eighty-Four" COMPLETED
50. Miss Burma by Charmaine Craig - recommended by Deborah and Charlotte
51. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee - recommended by Meg COMPLETED
52. Road to the Isles: Travellers in the Hebrides 1770-1914 by Derek Cooper - Meg again!
53. Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome - recommended by Lucy, and Reba also loved it COMPLETED
54. Bitten by Kelley Armstrong - recommended by Chelle
55. The lost by Claire McGowan - recommended by Charlotte for those who like Ruth Galloway
56. Astrid Lindgren: The Woman Behind Pippi Longstocking by Jens Andersen - saw this on Charlotte's thread in the Guardian reviews
57. Euphoria by Lily King - recommended by Karen
58. Happiness by Aminatta Forna - recommended by Beth
59. Paradise in Chains: The Bounty Mutiny and the Founding of Australia by Diana Preston - recommended by Susan
60. Assignment in Brittany by Helen MacInnes - recommended by Paul
61. The Shadow Killer by Arnaldur Indriðason - recommended by Chelle
62. Under the Pendulum Sun by Jeannette Ng - recommended by Heather
63. E. B. White on Dogs by E. B. White - recommended by Lucy
64. Less: A Novel by Andrew Sean Greer - recommended by Joe and Richard
65. The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turon - recommended by Heather COMPLETED
66. Almost No Memory by Lydia Davis - recommended by Lucy
67. Wish I Was Here by Jackie Kay - recommended by Helen
68. Fight No More by Lydia Millet - recommended by Beth - linked short stories COMPLETED
69. The Lost Books of the Odyssey by Zachary Mason - recommended by Amber
70. Guardian Angels and Other Monsters by Daniel H. Wilson - recommended by Mark
71. Washington Black by Esi Edugyan - because Jim said so
72. Good and Mad: How Women's Anger Is Reshaping America by Rebecca Traister - recommended by Julia
73. The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths - recommended by Susan - it's a standalone

2018 PopSugar Reading Challenge

1. A book made into a movie you've already seen Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré
2. True crime The Monuments Men by Robert M. Edsel
3. The next book in a series you started The Dark Angel by Elly Griffiths
4. A book involving a heist Greenglass House by Kate Milford
5. Nordic noir Nightblind by Ragnar Jonasson
6. A novel based on a real person The Terror by Dan Simmons
7. A book set in a country that fascinates you - The Chessmen by Peter May
8. A book with a time of day in the title - Chimes at Midnight by Seanan McGuire
9. A book about a villain or antihero - The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
10. A book about death or grief - The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
11. A book with a female author who uses a male pseudonym - The Chalk Circle Man by Fred Vargas
12. A book with an LGBTQ+ protagonist Tin Man by Sarah Winman
13. A book that is also a stage play or musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming
14. A book by an author of a different ethnicity than you - March: Book Three by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell
15. A book about feminism A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft
16. A book about mental health The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley
17. A book you borrowed or that was given to you as a gift When God Was a Rabbit by Sarah WInman
18. A book by two authors
19. A book about or involving a sport - Wait Till Next Year by Doris Kearns Goodwin
20. A book by a local author - March: Book Two by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell
21. A book with your favorite color in the title All Systems Red by Martha Wells
22. A book with alliteration in the title - The Dying Detective by Leif GW Persson
23. A book about time travel - A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle
24. A book with a weather element in the title - The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger
25. A book set at sea - Dead Wake by Erik Larson
26. A book with an animal in the title The Jaguar's Children by John Vaillant
27. A book set on a different planet Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
28. A book with song lyrics in the title The Cold, Cold Ground by Adrian McKinty
29. A book about or set on Halloween Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling - counting this as it has a chapter titled Halloween, and it is a turning point in the book
30. A book with characters who are twins God Stalk by P. C. Hodgell
31. A book mentioned in another book Above Suspicion by Helen MacInnes (mentioned in A World Gone Mad)
32. A book from a celebrity book club
33. A childhood classic you've never read Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
34. A book that's published in 2018 MI5 and Me: A Coronet Among the Spooks by Charlotte Bingham
35. A past Goodreads Choice Awards winner Artemis by Andy Weir
36. A book set in the decade you were born - The White Album by Joan Didion
37. A book you meant to read in 2017 but didn't get to - The Girl With All the Gifts by M. R. Carey
38. A book with an ugly cover The Strange Death of Fiona Griffiths by Harry Bingham
39. A book that involves a bookstore or library - The Annotated Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler
40. Your favorite prompt from the 2015, 2016, or 2017 POPSUGAR Reading Challenges (you can easily Google these): A Book From A Nonhuman Perspective (2017 Challenge) Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells

Advanced Reading Challenge

1. A bestseller from the year you graduated high school
2. A cyberpunk book
3. A book that was being read by a stranger in a public place
4. A book tied to your ancestry
5. A book with a fruit or vegetable in the title James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
6. An allegory Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi
7. A book by an author with the same first or last name as you Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
8. A microhistory - Blizzard of Glass: The Halifax Explosion of 1917 by Sally M. Walker
9. A book about a problem facing society today On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder
10. A book recommended by someone else taking the POPSUGAR Reading Challenge Slow Horses by Mick Herron (Charlotte)

2019 PopSugar Reading Challenge
https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/Reading-Challenge-2019-45450968

01 - A book becoming a movie in 2019
02 - A book that makes you nostalgic
03 - A book written by a musician (fiction or nonfiction)
04 - A book you think should be turned into a movie
05 - A book with at least one million ratings on Goodreads
06 - A book with a plant in the title or on the cover
07 - A reread of a favorite book
08 - A book about a hobby
09 - A book you meant to read in 2018
10 - A book with "pop", "sugar" or "challenge" in the title
11 - A book with an item of clothing or acceessory on the cover
12 - a book inspired by mythology, legend or folklore
13 - A book published posthumously
14 - a book you see someone reading on TV or in a movie
15 - A retelling of a classic
16 - A book with a question in the title
17 - A book set on a college or university campus
18 - a book about someone with a super power
19 - a book told from multiple POVs
20 - a book set in space
21 - a book by two female authors
22 - A book with a title that contains "salty", "sweet", "bitter" or "spicy"
23 - A book set in Scandinavia
24 - a book that takes place in a single day
25 - a debut novel
26 - a book that's published in 2019
27 - a book featuring an extinct or imaginary creature
28 - a book recommended by a celebrity you admire
29 - a book with "love" in the title
30 - a book featuring an amateur detective
31 - A book about a family
32 - A book written by an author from Asia, Africa or South America
33 - A book with a zodiac sign or astrology term in the title
34 - a book that includes a wedding
35 - A book by an author whose first and last names start with the same letter
36 - A ghost story
37 - a book with a two-word title
38 - A novel based on a true story
39 - A book revolving around a puzzle or game
40 - Your favorite prompt from a past PopSugar Reading Challenge - A book mentioned in another book (from the 2018 challenge)

Advanced:
41 - A "cli fi" book
42 - A "choose-your-own-adventure" book
43 - An "own voices" book
44 - Read a book during the season it is set in
45 - A LitRPG book
46 - A book with no chapters / unusual chapter headings / unconventionally numbered chapters
47 & 48 - Two books that share the same title
49 - A book that has inspired a common phrase or idiom
50 - A book set in an abbey, cloister, monastery, vicarage, or convent

My 2018 Data:

Books read: 121
Group Read: 1
Formatted Challenge: 2
PopSugar Challenge: 43

Books that are part of a series: 57
In Translation: 14
Rereads: 9
GNs: 7

Format:
hardback: 22
paperback: 17
ebook: 48
audio: 31
audio/print or ebook combo: 3

Borrowed: 20 (local public library), 7 (FLP), 2 (Birdy's library), 1 (Abby's library), 1 (traveling LT book), 2 (Kindle Lending Library), 1 (read online at Tor.com)
Archive (Purchased in 2012 or earlier): 5
Purchased in 2013: 4
Purchased in 2014: 3
Purchased in 2015: 2
Purchased in 2016: 6
Purchased in 2017: 23
Purchased in 2018: 44

Authors:
Living: 97
Dead: 24

Male: 59
Female: 62

American: 59
Australian: 1
Canadian: 3
English: 29 (but Deborah Levy born in South Africa)
French: 2
Icelandic: 1
Iraqi: 1
Irish: 5
Italian: 1
Mexican: 1
Nigerian: 1
Scottish: 7
Swedish: 8
Welsh: 2

New to me authors: 54

fiction: 94
non-fiction: 26

Genres/category:
non-fiction/memoir: 12
non-fiction/essays: 5
non-fiction/film history: 1
non-fiction/history: 7
non-fiction/politics: 1
classic: 2
literary fiction/contemporary fiction: 9
literary fiction/espionage 1
literary fiction/historical fiction: 4
crime fiction/espionage: 8
crime fiction/mystery: 7
crime fiction/noir: 5
crime fiction/police procedural: 17
romance: 3
weird fiction: 1
dystopian: 1
fantasy: 3
urban fantasy: 6
sci fi: 11
steampunk: 1
ghost story: 1
juvenile fiction: 8
play: 1
short stories: 1
YA: 3

LT Recommendations Read:
Amber: 2
Beth: 2
Bill: 1
Birdy: 2
Charlotte: 10
Deborah: 1
Heather: 3
Katie: 7
Lucy: 1
Lynda: 1
Mark: 3
Meg: 1
Joanne: 2
Joe: 3
Judy: 1
Roberta: 1
Roni: 3
Susan: 2

This should do it - next one's yours!

Happy new thread!

Look at you being first, Anita! Nicely done!!

* grins* Enjoy the rest of your Sunday :)

Happy new thread! You topper isn't comming up for me. >:-(

>13 figsfromthistle: Thank you - you, too!

>14 Helenliz: Thanks, Helen! Bummer about the topper - I'll try another. It was cranberry champagne cocktails.

Happy new thread, Mamie.

Gearing up for Thanksgiving, I presume?

Ohh they look veeeery niccceeeee. *slurp*. *hic*.
Reminds me, I need to buy the champers for Christmas.

>1 Crazymamie: Yum

Happy new thread, Mamie.

Happy new thread, Mamie...and happy Thanksgiving week :)

Happy New Thread!

Happy new thread, Mamie!

Delish looking topper.

Happy new thread, Mamie. Just caught up with the last of your old thread and had to comment that I love not having snow for the Christmas season. Here if we want to see snow we can always head up a mountain, there are enough of them around. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday.

Happy Sunday, Mamie. Happy New Thread! I hope you had a fine weekend, at the Pecan Paradiso.

Happy New Thread, Mamie! Maybe I'll be able to keep up with this one for a while since you're starting it while I'm on a week-long vacation. :-)

I need to give CJ Box a try.

Happy new thread, Mamie!

Happy day-before-Tuesday and happy new thread!!

I endorse your topper. Yum!

>16 katiekrug: Thank you, Katie! We are indeed gearing up for Thanksgiving - my very favorite holiday. AND...I have some new recipes to share that are full of fabulous.

>17 Helenliz: Oh, hooray - you can see them now! And I see you have already helped yourself - nicely done, Helen! Definitely time to restock the stores for Christmas - it will be here before we know it, and we will be left blinking our eyes thinking how did that happen? So bubbly fizzy alcoholic drinks will definitely be needed.

>18 BLBera: Hope you helped yourself, Beth. And thank you.

>19 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks, Reba! Happy Thanksgiving week to you!

>20 quondame: Thank you, Susan!

>21 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen! Indeed - those are available here throughout the week, so stop by as often as needed.

>22 Familyhistorian: Thank you, Meg! Personally, I love when there is snow for Christmas, and I prefer not to have to head up the mountain, as I am a homebody through and through. However, that is not gonna happen while we are living in the Deep South, and , if I am completely honest, I do not miss having to deal with all of the snow related stuff (except for the cold part - I do miss that).

>23 msf59: Thanks, Mark - I hope your Sunday was full of fabulous. How about those Bears?! They are looking good! It was an excellent weekend for us - Craig and Rae went to see Craig's mom, and Daniel worked and attended the annual Friendsgiving that his group of friends puts on, so Birdy, Abby and I held down the fort. We tried out some new recipes, binge watched The Great British Baking Show, and watched our first Christmas movie. And that was just Saturday.

>24 EBT1002: Ellen!!! I'm so happy to see you here - you just made my day, my friend! Week long vacation sounds good - are you in Asheville? I need to come catch up with you - I have been not very present on LT this year.

Um...CJ Box?

>25 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley!

>26 Berly: Thank you, Kim! I love that you endorsed my topper!

Wondering what you will do with those turkey leftovers? Here is an excellent choice - Turkey Pot Pie. I made this last week with shredded chicken instead of turkey, and it was delicious. Very easy to make, and it was such a beautiful dish. I substituted frozen peas for the frozen green beans, and added diced celery (1/4 cup) and chopped mushrooms (1/2 cup), both of which I sautéed with the onion at the beginning of the recipe. The crust was light and flaky and very easy to work with. I loved that the crust is only on the top, so you prepare the whole dish in one pan, moving it from the stovetop to the oven after adding the crust.

Morning, Mamie. Happy New Thread!

Ha! With a Katie-endorsement of the topper, you're good to go. :-)

It looks like the second Binti worked for you, and you're ready for the third?

Here's another keeper - CRANBERRY PECAN BAKED BRIE. This is most YUM! It bakes perfectly in a 5 inch cast iron skillet, if you have one of those. And it is gorgeous! Pairs nicely with crackers, apples, and pears. We used it as the centerpiece of our charcuterie board, and it was a huge hit.

Yes to the pot pie (minus the mushrooms) and Hell Yes to the baked brie.

We are cooking Thanksgiving for the first time ever. Should be, um, fun?

>32 jnwelch: Morning, Joe! Thank you. So true about the endorsement.

I really liked the second Binti, and since it ended on a cliffhanger, I need to get to the third one while it is all still fresh in my mind.

>34 katiekrug: I knew you would nix the mushrooms, Katie. It's really easy to make, though - I was nervous as I had never made pot pie before, but it came together beautifully. The baked brie is so delicious, and I love that it also looks so beautiful. I bet you and The Wayne's first Thanksgiving feastmaking will be full of fabulous - I love all the prep and the smells and the many different dishes. And with just the two of you, you can decide what you want and what you don't - I am not a fan of green bean casserole, so we dumped that as soon as we moved to Georgia and no longer had to accommodate everyone's favorites.

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Mamie! Our canteen at work is doing a Thanksgiving lunch on Thursday, which includes a dessert of apple pie and ice-cream. I was hoping for pumpkin pie so I could finally try some, but given what shows up on other national days, it might not have actually resembled the real thing :-)

>37 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

>38 susanj67: Thank you, Susan! I am sorry to hear you will not get to try pumpkin pie - it's one of my favorites. It's especially good with a pecan streusel topping baked on top:

I am not a fan of the pumpkin pie, but would be willing to try that pecan topping (how magnanimous am I?!!) as that looks really lovely. Hope you all have a good holiday.

>41 RebaRelishesReading: I second that Charlotte. No pumpkin anything for me but pecan topping...yes please! Maybe on a nice bowl of vanilla ice cream?

>40 charl08: The topping is delish, Charlotte - it's also terrific on apple pie. And thank you for those good wishes.

>41 RebaRelishesReading: No pumpkin! Oh, dear - pumpkin is da Bomb for me. It would be good on ice cream, which I very rarely eat because it is too cold for my teeth. We also make a sweet potato casserole that is excelent and has a pecan streusel topping on it.

Pumpkin pancakes with hot pecan cinnamon syrup. A favorite of mine.

>43 richardderus: Yes, please! Those look most yum. Thank you, BigDaddy!

I am such a sucker for pumpkin. I love the stuff, and even made a stuffed pumpkin for a Thanksgiving meal when hosting some vegetarians. Stuffed with cornbread stuffing that had dried cranberries and pecans in it, as well as my standby Granny Smiths and the de riguer celery/onion/carrots. It was delicious!

>34 katiekrug: As a seasoned cooker of christmas dinner, which I suspect has similar levels of complexity and potential stress my advice would be to embrace the list.
I write a list of everything I want, then add which saucepan or cooking utensil will be used, then which oven or ring it is going on. Nothing worse than running out of saucepans! Then how long it will take to cook.
I end up with a timed list of what needs to go on, when, using which item and how it will be cooked. The working out sounds a chore, but the cooking timetable is a boon, as you can tick off everything in order.

I actually miss not doing christmas dinner for a large number, it was a challenge to get it all to come together and no-one's going to criticise in case they have to do it next year. >:-) Liberal applications of booze also help. >:-D

Not really a fan of pumpkin, but I could give the tart in >39 Crazymamie: a go.

Happy new thread Mamie!

I watched 'The Catcher Was A Spy' this weekend. It stars Paul Rudd and is based on the OSS service of baseball star Moe Berg during WWII. It is a solid film, but didn't knock my socks off. Sienna Miller, Paul Giamatti, Jeff Daniel, and Guy Pierce among others.

>46 Helenliz: - Thanks for that, Helen! The Wayne will be doing most of the cooking. He's an engineer, so I'm assuming (ruh roh) he has a plan.... ? I will report back after the holiday!

Happy new thread, Mamie!
The sparkles at the top look nice, probably also tast nice ;-)

>45 richardderus: Richard, that sounds full of fabulous! Like you, I adore pumpkin. I might have to try something like that next year - I bet it was mighty purty, too.

>46 Helenliz: I do something very similar, Helen. In fact, my recipe cards even tell which pan to bake it in. The list is so wonderful for eliminating the stress of trying to have everything be done together without complete chaos. I completely agree that the liberal application of booze is very helpful.

If you like baked sweet potato, then you could enjoy the streusel topping on something like that instead of pumpkin.

>47 brodiew2: Thank you, Brodie! So that's a firm maybe concerning 'The Catcher Was a Spy'? I want to see 'Little Drummer Girl' - I'm thinking it looks good, and I love those George Smiley books.

>48 katiekrug: Yes, Katie, please do report back - inquiring minds and all that. One year Craig was on call when we were hosting Thanksgiving, and he left me a VERY detailed list with times and minuscule instructions and asterisks in unexpected places that totally cracked me up.

>49 FAMeulstee: Thank you, Anita! The cocktails are highly recommended. *grin*

I had to make an emergency run to the vet this afternoon with Mayhem, who had been throwing up and was really not acting like himself - the x-ray they took showed that his stomach and abdomen are completely full of things like rubber bands. I have no idea how he swallowed so much without anyone seeing it happen. Anyway, he needed surgery as soon as possible, so we had to leave the poor dear there. Please, please keep him in your thoughts and send positive mojo his way - we are hoping there is no permanent damage and that he comes through the surgery fine. I am so nervous.

Awww! Hang in there, Mayhem. Your family needs you back and up to no good as soon as possible!

Oh dear, poor puddy tat! Get well soon, Mayhem. Stop living up to your name!

>52 Crazymamie: Best possible results *whammy*

Leonard and I send our best wishes to you and Mayhem. Well, Leonard would if he wasn't currently in this state:

Wow, at least his name is accurate! 😀 Best wishes to the little guy.

{{{hugs and safe healing vibes to Mayhem!!}}}

Sending best wishes to Mayhem! I hope he bounces right back.

I do hope Mayhem does well and recovers quickly.

>52 Crazymamie: Poor baby. I'm glad mine don't eat rubber bands, but I have a time keeping Barney from eating cardboard and paper. I'm going to see if the vet has suggestions when it's annual exam time in a two or three weeks.

Sorry to hear that Mayhem has been living up to his name, Mamie. You know that I will keep him in my heart and prayers.

Best wishes to Mayhem. : (

I have all the kids coming over on Wednesday evening to help make a few family recipes: Yam souffle, mushroom rollups and stuffing. I'll tackle the rest Thursday morning. Should be fun. Just a small crowd this year, so more leftovers--yay!

Morning Mamie - sending all sorts of good thought Mayhem's way.

It's Tuesday, so Good Morning, Mamie dearest. *hefts coffee mug*

Morning, Mamie. I'm loving the pecan-strewn holiday yummies!

Thanks, everyone, for those positive thoughts - they worked! Mayhem came through the surgery fine - his tummy was full of rubber bands and hair ties. I am guessing some of them have been in there for awhile because there is no way he could have eaten them all in one go. The vet did take a biopsy from the area where the stomach empties into the duodenum - she said that area was greatly inflamed and irritated, and she thought this was probably because he had been trying to pass the bands into the intestine and they would get part way through and then get pulled back into the stomach. Anyway, she took a biopsy just to be on the safe side, but she fully expects it to come back negative. Mayhem has to stay there for several days, as he needs to be on an iv - no eating or drinking for him yet. The sutures have to stay in for ten days, so yikes to that. He will not be able to come home until after Thanksgiving, and maybe not until next week. It's a big incision, and they don't want him opening it back up. We are just thrilled that he is doing so well, and that he should make a full recovery.

>53 rosalita: That is so true, Julia! We are missing him already, but so happy that he came through the surgery fine.

>54 Helenliz: Thank you, Helen. He does tend to live up to his name...

>55 richardderus: Thank you so much, BigDaddy! That means so much to me as I know you are not a lover of cats.

>56 katiekrug: Katie! I love that photo of Leonard!! He is adorable, and that made me laugh out loud. I thank you and Leonard for your good wishes.

>57 drneutron: That is exactly what the vet said, Jim! And thank you.

>58 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley - he is doing great, which is a huge relief.

>59 msf59: Thank you, Mark! No bouncing allowed in the near future for him, but hopefully in a few weeks.

>60 quondame: Thanks, Susan.

Even these anonymous internet cats are thrilled with that news about Mayhem, Mamie!

OMG, Mayhem!! Poor, silly kitty. Glad the surgery went well and hope recovery does too.

>68 Crazymamie: Decidedly not, but you and the family love Mayhem so of course I want the miserable creature him to get better.

>61 thornton37814: I guess eating rubber bands is fairly common for cats, Lori. I had no idea - I have never had one do that before, and the girls are not interested in rubber bands at all, thank goodness. We have been scouring the house for them to make sure there aren't any of those types of hair things that he can get when he returns home. The vet said he had a mixture of office rubber bands and hair ties in there. It boggles the mind. Good luck with getting your boys to lay off the cardboard and paper.

>62 ronincats: Thanks so much for that, Roni. We are very thankful that he came through the surgery fine and that he is doing so well.

>63 Berly: Thanks, Kim!

Sounds like fun - I love doing all that food prep. Tomorrow we will be making the sweet potato casserole, and making up some of the appetizers so they are ready to bake off. I also found a whiskey pumpkin pie with pecan streusel topping recipe that I am going to try - I'm very excited about it!

>64 scaifea: Thank you, Amber! Keep those good thoughts coming, please - they're definitely working.

>65 richardderus: Just what the doctor ordered, Richard - thank you, dearest! A hug in a cup, indeed!

>66 jnwelch: Hey there, Joe! Me, too - the more pecans, the better, IMO.

>70 rosalita: Oh, Julia, that made me laugh! Too funny - thank you!

>71 RebaRelishesReading: Exactly my reaction when I saw the x-ray, Reba. He's a nut, but he's our nut, so we are so happy he is doing better. Thanks so much for those good thoughts and wishes.

>72 richardderus: Haha! Made me snort my coffee. I SO appreciate your good wishes. *smooch*

Ah, good news!

We've had cats that like to chew on plastic bags - my MIL says it has something to do with fish oil used in the bags? I dunno.... *shrug*

Great news, Mamie. Silly kitty. One of my former cats once ate through not one, not 2 but 3 headphone wires before I caught him and figured it out. And believe me, I learned my lesson! Luckily, he didn't need surgery but I can totally empathize with the feelings of panic you guys must have been feeling the last few days. WHEW!

Indeed. And hopefully that will be the extent of the drama we experience during the holiday season. *crosses fingers* Mayhem likes to lick plastic bags, but he has not tried to eat them. Yet.

>76 jessibud2: Exactly, Shelley. Oh, dear about the headphone wires - yikes! Mayhem had started throwing up early Sunday morning, and he finally vomited up a rubber band in the afternoon, but then he just kept getting worse instead of better. I though he might have another one caught in there, which is why I called and then took him into the vet, but I had no idea he had an entire stomach full of them. We just could not believe it when we saw the x-ray.

>67 Crazymamie: Glad the surgery went well for Mayhem. I hope he recovers fast and can return home soon.
Any clue how/why he ate so many rubber bands?

Hi Mamie!

I'm glad to hear that Mayhem is on the road to recovery. Rubber band and hair ties, eh?

Re the pumpkin discussion: I always make a pumpkin pie as it's Jenna's favorite - she even likes it for her August birthday instead of cake. I use a recipe from a 1950s cookbook and it has a very good flavor.

I have a Thanksgiving shopping spreadsheet, sorted by shelf/section location that I update each year, depending on who is making/bringing what. We have the dreaded green bean casserole because Bill and our friend Geoff love it, so Geoff's wife Diane usually brings it. I'll eat it, but don't go out of my way for it.

Our turkey pie after T-day is Bill's grandmother's - turkey, broth, butter, S&P, covered with crust and baked. I kid you not - no cream sauce, no vegetables. But it's what Bill loves and Jenna loves since she's grown up on it.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

On the topic of strange things pets do. Years ago I had an Irish Setter who, when 6 months old or so, started chewing through electrical cords...plugged in electrical cords. She completely disconnected a couples of lamps, an electric blanket (that tells you how long ago this was) and several other things. I would have thought she would get a shock and that the first cord would have been enough but no-o-o-o. I finally bought a tube of "bitter apple" gel and rubbed it on all of the cords she could reach and that stopped her. I did learn how to rewire lamps from that experience though :)

>31 Crazymamie: I'm with you on the turkey pot pie, Mamie. We aren't too fond of turkey but will eat it so we can have the left overs to make pot pie. My recipe is very different than that one and only has a crust on top so it can be deep dish on the turkey and stuff.

Good to hear that Mayhem is doing well. On the subject of strange things that pets eat, I had a female dog who had a thing for white socks and later a male dog who battled 4 gallon milk jugs (empty ones). We kept him in our unfinished basement and he tore down the bottom half of the fibre glass insulation and a lot of it disappeared so he must have eaten it.

Have a great Thanksgiving at the Pecan Paradiso, Mamie!

Sorry to read about Mayhem, Mamie. Hope she has gone off the bands now. I felt worried by proxy about the hairbands: I leave them all over the place. Possibly the first good thing about not having one of those travel gadgets from the Harry Potter books.

I brought the brussels sprouts. Roasted, with pears and cranberries and bacon.

Huh. Now there’s some Brussels sprouts I’d actually eat!

Why do that to a brussel sprout? They're yummy just as they are. (I accept I'm in the minority there, but I'm right and you're all just odd, OK?)

Good to hear that Mayhem is on the road to recovery. I suppose it answers the question to where do all the elastic bands vanish...

Mamie, I am so glad to hear that Mayhem is alright! I had heard that cats would eat string, rubber bands, ribbons (a big danger as we head into Christmas season), etc. but I've not heard a story quite like yours! Have you figured out where he got into them? My Edgar used to chew on iPhone charger cords; he was incorrigible. Luckily, no harm came to him and we learned to put the cords out of reach at all times.

I hope you're having a lovely Thanksgiving.

Way back up there, I commented on CJ Box because he shows up in >7 Crazymamie:. It was admittedly a bit random.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Mamie. Good news that Mayhem came though the surgery, hopefully he will soon be ack on his feet and back home with you.

I thought permaybehaps I'd be forgiven for mentioning That Day if I did it before it loomed so close.

Finally getting myself into gear to visit my pals across the threads, Mamie.

To all at the Pecan Paradisio - a wonderful Thanksgiving Weekend. xx

Hey Mamie! Happy belated Thanksgiving and Happy New thread!
Your topper looks especially yummy!
Excellent news regarding Mayhem! Mittens just recently had a similar problem. Probably not as bad as Mayhem but swallowing hairballs creates a similar situation. They do pass through but are very abrasive which causes bleeding. Vet told me simply add more fiber to his diet and more hairball ointment on his nose. So far, so good.

Hope Thanksgiving had lots to be thankful for.
I went to the British Library Saturday, and they had a small exhibition of cats in books (Link here). One display was titled Meeeowsic and Mayhem. I thought of your troublesome kitty.

Stopping by after a long absence to say hello Mamie and belated happy thanksgiving! Also adding my good wishes for Mayhem and relieved that he came through the operation ok.

Hi Mamie!

Does Mayhem get to come home this week?

Hi Crazy! Hope Mayhem continues to heal and perhaps comes home soon?

And the winning title goes to ....

I'm late to the party to say happy new thread, but I'm glad to read Mayhem's okay and hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving weekend. It's nearly the end of that unmentionable day!

Hi Mamie!

If you haven't already tried it, the Skinnytaste Thai basil chicken is super good. I added some veg to it, and even The Wayne liked it :)

Hope you had a nice holiday!

>78 Crazymamie: Oh no! A whole stomach full of rubberbands! That's horrible. Glad Mayhem got through it.

HI Mamie! Sorry to hear Mayhem needed surgery! Poor kitten! I'll keep my fingers crossed for a full recovery!

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving, Mamie, and that you haven't disappeared again.

Ha! What Meg said, Mamie. Just checking in, my friend.

Also checking in, Mamie!

Hope you are having a great weekend and that all is well!

Thanks, everyone for keeping my thread warm and for cracking me up with those gifs, Richard. Sorry about the lack of posting, but my carpal tunnel has been really acting up, and since computer stuff is a main irritant, I have tried to not be on here too much. We got to bring Mayhem home last Saturday, and he is doing great. He was purring so loudly on the car ride home that the car was practically vibrating. He came straight out of the kennel and started eating. He was under house arrest in Rae's room until yesterday, when he finally got to have free range of the house again and go back to using regular litter. His incision is looking wonderful, and we were happy to find out that his biopsy came back negative.

On the reading front, here's what I finished up in November:

109. Wait Till Next Year by Doris Kearns Goodwin (3.75 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, memoir/baseball/Brooklyn Dodgers - Katie's Dirty Dozen
110. Through the Woods by Emily Carroll (3 stars), library hardback, GN/horror - recommended by Judy
111. Death Masks by Jim Butcher (4 stars), FLP audiobook, fantasy/urban fantasy (Dresden Files, book 5)
112. Blue Nights by Joan Didion (4 stars), FLP audiobook, memoir/grief
113. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl (reread), FLP ebook, juvenile fiction
114. Blood Rites by Jim Butcher (4 stars), FLP audiobook, fantasy/urban fantasy (Dresden Files, book 6)
115. Forever and a Day by Anthony Horowitz (4 stars), library hardback in combo with 2018 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/espionage (prequel to the James Bond books)

Wishing you a lovely weekend, Mamie, and an LT filled one catching up on your posts.

>105 Crazymamie: Good news about Mayhem!! (and I loved the image of the car vibrating from his purring)

I'm so sorry that your carpal tunnel has been flaring up. I have on,y had a couple of mercifully short episodes but that pain is no fun. Here's hoping it goes away soon.

On the happy side, hooray for Mayhem being back home where he belongs. I hope he's learned his lesson about eating rubber bands, the little scamp.

Great to hear re Mayhem, Mamie. Sorry about the carpal tunnel acting up; thanks for stopping in. Enjoy the weekend!

Yay to Mayhem being back to happy cat.
Boo to carpal tunnel playing up.
Hope December decides to bring you nothing but nice things.

>105 Crazymamie: Oh good. Now I can go back to emitting "extinction now" vibes for all Limbs of Satan.

Hiss! BOO!! HISS!!! for carpal-tunnel woes. *smooch*

I'll leave this here:

Carpal tunnel woes are not fun at all! I have a set of wrist braces for the times mine really flares up. A lot of times I only need to wear the left one. My main irritant, believe it or not, is driving rather than the computer.

So glad Mayhem is doing well, sad that your carpal tunnel is flaring up. I had cp surgery on my left hand/wrist in 2006 and the relief was immediate and permanent. I occasionally have a bit of numbness, but that's from being on my stupid cell phone too much.

I am relieved and glad to know Mayhem is recovered. You have my sympathy for the carpal tunnel.

So good to hear about Mayhem's happy homecoming. I hope your carpel tunnel behaves itself soon.

So pleased to hear the good news about Mayhem but sorry to hear your carpal tunnel has flared up. Hope you feel better soon.

The cat eating rubber bands is like an English bulldog we had who had periodic bouts in which she'd have constipation and vomiting. The vet did an X-ray and showed it to us and mused about what that dark mass could be. Suddenly, my wife said, "I know what that is. It's a pacifier!" And so it was. The vet was pleased to have some show-and-tell for the next meeting of the area veterinarians.

>117 weird_O: - Oh my. I can only imagine what the x-rays would show if raccoons were ever x-rayed…..

So glad to hear about Mayhem being home and doing well, Mamie. Hope the same is true of all the family and you.

Sorry to see your carpal tunnel is acting up. Seems like a lot of us are MIA this month, myself included!

I think I might have fallen for a spot of Mamie's Monday mania. We're being audited on Monday and I'm in charge. I am sick with nerves already, so if someone can magic Monday into non-existance, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Crazy--Hope your CT clears up again--soon! So glad Mayhem is back home. Did I mention I love that name? And it's perfect for a cat? : )

>121 Helenliz: Good luck!

Hello dearest, I know your carpal tunnel pain is keeping you away so I thought I'd get a brunch spread ready for the weekend:

Knowing that, as you do, your thread is The Place for Brunch on weekends.

Oops, forgot the maple pecan loaf!

Sorry about the carpal tunnel but (((((Mayhem))))).

Howdy, Mamie! Ugh, sorry you're dealing with carpel tunnel pain. Hope curling up with a good book and a cup of tea will ease it...at least for a little bit.

Hi Mamie!

Morning, Mamie. Sorry, to hear about the carpel tunnel issues. I hope you recover quickly, because we MISS YOU! And I hope you are still able to get plenty of reading in.

Dropping by to say hello! I hope that you are getting some relief with the carpel tunnel. ((Hugs))

Hiya, Mamie!

Mamie dearest...a keystroke or two to the effect, "I am not dead," wouldn't come amiss....

Find the Light—Reflect the Light—Be the Light

Happy Yule 2018!

Merry Christmas!

I am not dead.

I am most glad.

Mamie! Back in the day, people who couldn't read or write would engage a scribe to writer letters for them. Surely you've read about this kind of thing. So what I'm thinking is that you could hire some adolescent computer wizard to be your temporary keyboardist.

>135 richardderus: *grin* Still dealing with the carpal tunnel, and on top of that I now have a respiratory infection. Sadness. Missing you bunches and hoping to be back in the swing of things soonish.

>136 weird_O: Right. Good thinking. Now if only I knew one.

Thanks for checking in. We do tend to worry about you when you aren't around for a while. Sorry about the carpal tunnel and respiratory woes. Hope you heal up soon and that you have lovely holidays in spite of it all.

Thanks so much for that, Reba. I will try to be better about checking in.

Hi, Mamie. No worries. Good to hear you're still on the planet. I hope the carpal tunnel and respiratory infection both improve asap.

>134 Crazymamie: Ha! Very glad to hear that!
Wishing for some wellness for you!

Hoping your holidays are filled with good friends and good books

Happy Holidays Mamie!

(Or in other words, Happy Christmas, to you and yours!)

All the best to you and your family, Mamie.

Wishing you and your family all the best for the holiday season, Mamie

I hope you all have a Happy Holiday Season, Mamie, and that you are well and truly healed for the new year.

Okay, I'm glad you are still alive, Mamie, and that it's "only" carpal tunnel you're dealing with. I was worrying about Meyhem. :-)

Sending you warm wishes for a wrist recovery and a very Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas Mamie! I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday.

Happy Christmas, Mamie. Sorry to hear you're suffering from carpal tunnel *and* a lurgy. These things should only be allowed to come one at a time.

Hope you have a great Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Mamie and all at Pecan Palace.

>134 Crazymamie: Hooray! But boo to continuing carpal tunnel and respiratory infection. Hope the other residents of Pecan Paridiso are looking after you. And sending you all some happy Christmas wishes!

Merry Christmas to you and yours, Mamie! Get well soon!

Happy holidays, Mamie and all at the Pecan Paradisio.

Best wishes to you for a very merry Christmas!

Crazy--I am late for Christmas wishes, so Happy Holidays!! Hope you're breathing better and the CT is behaving. Hope to see you here soon. Hugs!

Happy Holidays, Mamie, and Happy New Year! I hope all of the Pecan Paradisio clan are having a fun holiday season.

Hi Mamie! I hope the CT settles down in the new year.



Wishing you a new year filled with joy, happiness, laughter, and all the wonderful books you could wish for.

Happy New Year to you and yours Mamie. May 2019 be a year of good health with lots of time for reading.

Happy New Year's Eve!!

Happy New Year Mamie!

I wish you from my heart a healthy 2019 filled with happiness, satisfaction, laughter and lots of good books.

Happy new year, Mamie! Hope your wrist allows you to spend more time with us this year!