Lori (lkernagh) Reboots her ABCs Challenge for 2020 - Second Thread

Lori Reboots her ABCs Challenge for 2020 - Second Thread



Hi everyone! Here we are.... half way through 2020 and what a crazy year it has been so far. Half tempting to just throw all plans made in 2019 out the window, but my choice for category challenge is giving me the flexibility to read what I want, when I want, which means I am doing a terrible job participating in the various Cats, Kits and Group Reads (except for the year long Lord Peter Wimsey group read, which I am rather enjoying).

New side challenge: Watch a production of each of Shakespeare's plays this year. This side challenge has been inspired by all the wonderful productions that have been made available for online watching during the pandemic. Fingers crossed I can continue the pace of 2-3 plays a week (mixing in musicals, etc so it is not all Shakespeare). ;-)

Ending this opening post with a picture of the audience enjoying one of my favorite local summer events - the Victoria Symphony Splash - which will not be happening this year due to Covid-19 (if it was, I would be floating in the harbour in a kayak with the other attendees enjoying the music):


Province of British Columbia - as posted to Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

With no further adieu..... Welcome one and all to my second thread for 2020.

Author Alphabet Category:



Rule: Letter must be the first letter in the author's first, middle or last name, as displayed on the book cover.

"A" Author - Fathers of Edenville by Corrine Ardoin - (review)
"B" Author - The Companion by Kim Taylor Blakemore - (review)
"C" Author - The Phantom Tree by Nicola Cornick - (review)
"D" Author - Unnatural Death by Dorothy L. Sayers - (review)
"E" Author - The Caretakers by Eliza Maxwell - (review)
"F" Author - His & Hers by Alice Feeney - (review)
"G" Author - Bad Axe County by John Galligan - (review)
"H" Author - Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel - (review)
"I" Author - If on a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino - (review)
"J" Author - Her Revolution by Gemma Jackson - (review)
"K" Author - A Red Door by Kathryn Jarvis - (review)
"L" Author - Crossings by Alex Landragin - (review)
"M" Author - A Letter from Munich by Meg Lelvis - (review)
"N" Author - The Willow Princess by Jeremy Neeley - (review)
"O" Author - The Ghost in the House by Sara O'Leary - (review)
"P" Author - Sentence of Marriage by Shayne Parkinson - (review)
"Q" Author - King Leary by Paul Quarrington - (review)
"R" Author - Still Life With Murder by P.B. Ryan - (review)
"S" Author - Clouds of Witness by Dorothy L. Sayers - (review)
"T" Author - Nina Balatka by Anthony Trollope - (review)
"U" Author - The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana by Umberto Eco - (review)
"V" Author - A Phantom Lover by Violet Paget, published under the pseudonym Vernon Lee - (review)
"W" Author - Threads: A Depression Era Tale by Charlotte Whitney - (review)
"X" Author - The Lost and Forgotten Languages of Shanghai by Ruiyan Xu - (review)
"Y" Author - Sophia of Silicon Valley by Anna Yen - (review)
"Z" Author - Miss Cecily's Recipes for Exceptional Ladies by Vicky Zimmerman - (review)

Book Title Alphabet Category:



Rule: Letter must be the first letter in one of the words that make up the book's title.

"A" Book Title - What Angels Fear by C.S. Harris - (review)
"B" Book Title - Father Briar and the Angel by Rita Saladano - (review)
"C" Book Title - The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club by Dorothy L. Sayers - (review)
"D" Book Title - When Gods Die by C. S. Harris - (review)
"E" Book Title - Minding Miss Manners: In an Era of Fake Etiquette by Judith Martin - (review)
"F" Book Title - When Falcons Fall by C.S. Harris - (review)
"G" Book Title - The Gauguin Connection by Estelle Ryan - (review)
"H" Book Title - A House Without Windows by Nadia Hashimi - (review)
"I" Book Title - Why Kill the Innocent by C.S. Harris - (review)
"J" Book Title - Loving Modigliani: The Afterlife of Jeanne Hébuterne by Linda Lappin - (review)
"K" Book Title - Why Kings Confess by C.S. Harris - (review)
"L" Book Title - Lord Peter Views the Body by Dorothy L. Sayers - (review)
"M" Book Title - Where is My Mind? by Shirley Benton - (review)
"N" Book Title - Nowhere Near Goodbye by Barbara Conrey - (review)
"O" Book Title - A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf - (review)
"P" Book Title - Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers - (review)
"Q" Book Title - Queen Quail is Quiet: and other ABC Tongue Twisters by Erika Barriga - (review)
"R" Book Title - Rainwater by Sandra Brown - (review)
"S" Book Title - Why Mermaids Sing by C.S. Harris - (review)
"T" Book Title - Behind the Throne by K.B. Wagers - (review)
"U" Book Title - The Unseen Bridegroom by May Agnes Fleming - (review)
"V" Book Title - Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray - (review)
"W" Book Title - Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers - (review)
"X" Book Title - Jeneration X by Jen Lancaster - (review)
"Y" Book Title - You by Joanna Briscoe - (review)
"Z" Book Title - Zombie, Ohio by Scott Kenemore - (review)

Monthly CATs/KITs:



January:
AlphaKIT: (A & U) - The Unseen Bridegroom by May Agnes Fleming -
MysteryKIT: (Historical) - Still Life With Murder by P.B. Ryan -
GeoCAT - Asia I (Afghanistan) - A House Without Windows by Nadia Hashimi -

February:
AlphaKIT: (F & B) - Father Briar and the Angel by Rita Saladano -
RandomCAT: (Published in Leap Year) - Father Briar and the Angel by Rita Saladano -
RandomCAT: (Published in Leap Year) - The Gauguin Connection by Estelle Ryan -

March:

April:
AlphaKIT: (T) - Threads: A Depression Era Tale by Charlotte Whitney -
AlphaKIT: (S) - Why Mermaids Sing by C.S. Harris -
AlphaKIT: (S) - Unnatural Death by Dorothy L. Sayers -
RandomCAT: (Showers and Flowers) - Rainwater by Sandra Brown -
SFFKIT: (Time Travel) and AlphaKIT: (T) - The Phantom Tree by Nicola Cornick -
GeoCAT: (New Zealand) and AlphaKIT: (S) - Sentence of Marriage by Shayne Parkinson -

May:

June:
AlphaKIT: (Y) - Sophia of Silicon Valley by Anna Yen - (review)

July:
SFFKIT (Space Opera) - Behind the Throne by K.B. Wagers -
KITastrophe (Weather events) - Bad Axe County by John Galligan -

August:
AlphaKIT (H); MysteryKIT - International Mystery (UK); ScaredyKIT - Serial Killers: His & Hers by Alice Feeney -
AlphaKIT (H): Have His Carcase by Dorothy L. Sayers -

September:
AlphaKIT (M); MysteryKIT (Series) - Dead Man Dancing by John Galligan -
AlphaKIT (M) and (E) - The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana by Umberto Eco -
AlphaKIT (M); MysteryKIT (Series) - Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy L. Sayers -

October:

November:

December:

Overflow - for reads that don't fit elsewhere:



1. Where Serpents Sleep by C.S. Harris - (review)
2. What Remains of Heaven by C.S. Harris - (review)
3. Where Shadows Dance by C.S. Harris - (review)
4. When Maidens Mourn by C.S. Harris - (review)
5. What Darkness Brings by C.S. Harris - (review)
6. Who Buries the Dead by C.S. Harris - (review)
7. Where the Dead Lie by C.S. Harris - (review)
8. Lifeline to Marionette by Jennifer Waitte - (review)
9. Five Red Herrings by Dorothy L. Sayers - (review)
10. Have His Carcase by Dorothy L. Sayers - (review)
11. Dead Man Dancing by John Galligan - (review)
12. Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy L. Sayers - (review)
13. Hangman's Holiday by Dorothy L. Sayers - (review)
14. The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World by Laura Imai Messina - (review)
15. The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers - (review)

Shakespearean Play - 2020 Side Challenge: Inspired by all the plays being made available online for viewing (due to the pandemic) I have given myself a mini challenge to try and watch, in 2020, a production of every one of Shakespeare's plays. if I am unable to track down a production of a play, I reserve the option to read the play. Fingers crossed, at the end of 2020 I will be able to say I have experienced every one of Shakespeare's plays!

COMEDIES: - COMPLETED
All's Well That Ends Well ✔
As You Like It ✔
Comedy of Errors ✔
Love's Labour's Lost ✔
Measure for Measure ✔
Merchant of Venice ✔
Merry Wives of Windsor ✔
Midsummer Night's Dream ✔
Much Ado about Nothing ✔
Taming of the Shrew ✔
Tempest ✔
Twelfth Night ✔
Two Gentlemen of Verona ✔
Winter's Tale ✔

HISTORIES: - In Progress
Henry IV, Part I
Henry IV, Part II
Henry V
Henry VI, Part I
Henry VI, Part II
Henry VI, Part III
Henry VIII
King John
Pericles ✔
Richard II
Richard III ✔

TRAGEDIES: - In Progress
Antony and Cleopatra ✔
Coriolanus ✔
Cymbeline
Hamlet ✔
Julius Caesar ✔
King Lear ✔
Macbeth ✔
Othello ✔
Romeo and Juliet ✔
Timon of Athens ✔
Titus Andronicus ✔
Troilus and Cressida

This thread is now open for business!

Currently Reading:
..
Audiobook:
Why Kill the Innocent by C.S. Harris - narrated by Davina Porter - 13th installment in this series... and the last installment in audiobook format that is available through my local library so it looks like I will be checking out the ebooks for books 14 and 15.
ebook:
Behind the Throne by K.B. Wagers - Found this first book in the The Indranan Wars series lurking unread on my ereader. Reading it for the July Space Opera SSFKIT.
The Complete Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries by Dorothy L. Sayers - This will be a year-long read. July read is Five Red Herrings.
Physical books:
Nothing at the moment.

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread! I'm also finding that a flexible challenge has been a godsend in the craziness that is 2020!

Happy new thread! That Symphony Splash looks amazing - I hope next year it returns.

Happy new thread, Lori. So much has happened already in 2020 - I don't know whether to look forward to the rest of the year or to dread it!

>9 Tess_W:, >10 christina_reads:, >11 Jackie_K: and >12 DeltaQueen50: - So exciting to discover visitors have dropped by while I was busy tidying up the place! ;-0 Thank you Tess, Christina, Jackie and Judy for the happy new thread well wishes!

>10 christina_reads: - I am definitely not up for any focused or challenging reading!

>11 Jackie_K: - It is a fabulous event, Jackie! the symphony floats on a barge on the water in the Inner Harbour so front row seats go to the boaters! Even better, there never is a crush of traffic on the water (like there is on land) when the event is over. I hope 2021 brings back our favorite events, even if it means doing them a bit differently.

>12 DeltaQueen50: - I hear you, Judy! I keep seeing the memes on Facebook asking for to return or reboot 2020 as it is not the product we were expecting.

This is one of those weird weeks. I know, every week since the start of this pandemic has been anything but normal. I am referring to the fact that the Canada Day holiday falls on a Wednesday this year, so today feels like a Friday with a lot of co-workers booked off for the week or half of the week. This has given me the opportunity to get completely caught up with work, which is a really good feeling.

Happy new thread!

Yeah, having Canada Day in the middle of the week is weird. And I work in Quebec, so we had St. Jean Baptiste last Wednesday. That's always a weird double whammy, and a lot of people who work in our Quebec offices like to take the period between SJB and Canada Day as vacation. This year we've had a lot of five-day weekends ;)

Happy New Thread, Lori! I think all of us have mentioned at one time or another how weird this year is turning out.

>15 rabbitprincess: - Thanks RP! Five-day weekends are amazing when they happen. Back-to-back five day weekends is something to truly celebrate! Wishing you a lovely Canada Day tomorrow!

>16 dudes22: - Thanks Betty! Exactly. I have yet to encounter someone who is thinks life is same-old, same-old in 2020.

Happy new thread, Lori! Love the Symphony Splash. What an amazing idea for a concert!

Happy new thread!

>18 MissWatson: - Hi Birgit! This would have been the 31st year for the Symphony Splash. Whoever first came up with the idea (and figured out the logistics) to float the symphony on a barge was brilliant as the event attracts over 40,000 attendees each year (no mean feat for a regional district with a population of just under 400,000).

Happy new thread and may the Symphony Splash be back next year!

Happy new thread, Lori! It's been many years since I attended the Symphony Splash but I'm pretty sure the audience in the water was smaller back then - although the streets were jam-packed.

Happy Canada Day! 🍁

>21 RidgewayGirl: - Thank you! That is my hope as well. ;-)

>22 VivienneR: - Double thanks Vivienne for both new thread and Canada Day wishes! The water audience continues to grow, year by year, but still not as packed as it is on the causeway or the Legislature lawn.

This Week's Play Line-up:

Michael Flatley - Celtic Tiger dance show - The Shows Must Go On! YouTube channel July 3 (available for 48 hours worldwide)
Les Blancs by Lorraine Hansberry - National Theatre YouTube channel July 2 - July 9
Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare and George Wilkins, produced by Scott Wentworth - Stratford Festival YouTube channel July 2 - July 23

I admit, Celtic Tiger is not a play, but I am still looking forward to taking in the performance of one of the original Riverdance principal dancers!

>24 lkernagh: for sure will watch Antony and Cleopatra. Been a long time since I visited with those two!

>25 Tess_W: - I hope you enjoy it! I watch a different production of Antony and Cleopatra last month so will pass on this production. ;-)

Book #39 - Why Kill the Innocent by C.S. Harris - narrated by Davina Porter
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: Title - "I" Innocent
Source: GVPL
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: April 2, 2018
Acquisition date: N/A
Page count: 345 pages / 10 hours, 15 minutes listening time
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.70 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"London, 1814. As a cruel winter holds the city in its icy grip, the bloody body of a beautiful young musician is found half-buried in a snowdrift. Jane Ambrose's ties to Princess Charlotte, the only child of the Prince Regent and heir presumptive to the throne, panics the palace, which moves quickly to shut down any investigation into the death of the talented pianist. But Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, and Hero refuse to allow Jane's murderer to escape justice. Untangling the secrets of Jane's world leads Sebastian into a maze of dangerous treachery where each player has his or her own unsavory agenda and no one can be trusted. As the Thames freezes over and the people of London pour onto the ice for a Frost Fair, Sebastian and Hero find their investigation circling back to the palace and building to a chilling crescendo of deceit and death . . ."

Review:
I keep wondering if I am going to tire of this series. Happily, not yet, although I was thankful that the story was back on more familiar ground of political intrigue. Everything from a paranoid, controlling and jealous Prince Regent, a willful princess, palace machinations, a scheming foreign courtesan, and a growing body count as Sebastian investigates... good stuff to keep me happily enthralled. All of the characters (even the cat, Mr. Darcy) have settled comfortably into their respective roles. Maybe a little too comfortably, as Sebastian does not seem to be getting into as many scraps as in previous installments. While there are still moments of suspense (most notably in the Berkeley Square Gardens and on the river during the Frost Fair this time) the outcomes are not a huge surprise. That is always the downside with a long-running series: Unless the author is prepared to occasionally kill off some re-occurring characters suddenly, the suspense scenes start to loose their edge. I know, I can be ruthless sometimes. For me, this series has three strengths: The author's ability to craft wonderful murder mysteries, the atmospheric setting and the strength of the lead characters to be both a team and strong, independent characters.

Overall, another intriguing Regency period whodunnit.

Book #40 - Behind the Throne by K.B. Wagers
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: SFFKIT - Space Opera
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: Title - "T" Throne
Source: TBR
Format: ebook
Original publication date: August 2, 2016
Acquisition date: May 13, 2018
Page count: 358 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.15 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"Hail Bristol has made a name for herself as one of the most fearsome gunrunners in the galaxy. But she can't escape her past forever: twenty years ago, she was a runaway princess of the Indranan Empire. Now, her mother's people have finally come to bring her home. But when Hail is dragged back to her Indrana to take her rightful place as the only remaining heir, she finds that trading her ship for a palace is her most dangerous move yet.."

Review:
As far as Space Operas go, this one is not too bad. I should point out that this is the author's debut novel - something I learned after I finished the story - so I am prepared to cut her some slack. The world build is a nice blending of unique with familiar as the Indranans are a race that originated on Earth and have built their traditions, religion, etc around some familiar Earth foundations. Hailimi Mercedes Jaya Bristol ("Hail") fits the bill as a strong female protagonist: a kick-ass gunrunner/privateer with a royal upbringing that she must now return to to save the empire, albeit putting up a fuss and rackling against the prospects of an unwelcome homecoming in the process. Sound kind of familiar? Probably more so in the fantasy genre than Sci-Fi (except Star Wars does come to mind), but that doesn't mean it still can't make for an enjoyable, quick-paced read filled with political/court intrigue. For me, I prefer action/intrigue over world build. I also tend to like my villeins to be the evil individuals they are supposed to be and I like the lead character's "support team" to be composed of equally interesting characters. Behind the Throne ticks all the boxes for a fun bit of fast-paced action escapism reading. the matriarch rule within the empire is captured well. On the downside, there is some repetition (like Hail's speaking/acting before thinking, "I can survive this" attitude and repeated moments of memory angst) that gets redundant really fast. Also, for a woman in her late 30s who has spent the past 20 years living by intuition and gut instincts in the cut-throat gunrunner world, there is way too much of the younger coming-of-age emotional (crying or on the verge of crying) Hail happening here.

Overall, a decent enough first book in what appears to be a series/trilogy. While I enjoyed this one, I will be considering borrowing the other two books in the trilogy from my local library, instead of purchasing them for reading.

I hope everyone has had a happy and safe weekend! Not much to report on my end. Took things easy, did some chores, did some reading, did lots of sleeping. You know.... weekend stuff. :-)

I did finish a book last night: Bad Axe County by John Galligan. A dark, Noir-styled police procedural (and first in a series) set in the small towns and coulees of southwest Wisconsin. I am still pulling my thoughts together but can report out that I am giving this one two thumbs up.

Not much to report this week. Just being kept busy with work and balancing that with relaxing evenings. I still need to get around to writing that review but that might not happen until sometime this weekend. In the meantime, here is the latest Plays lineup.

This Week's Play Line-up:

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat starring Donny Osmond - The Shows Must Go On! YouTube channel July 10 (available for 48 hours worldwide)
The Deep Blue Sea by Terence Rattigan, starring Helen McCrory - National Theatre YouTube channel July 9 - July 16
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare and George Wilkins, produced by Scott Wentworth - Stratford Festival YouTube channel July 9 - July 30

I am looking forward to all three productions! While Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat is a re-broadcast from March, I never say the March showing so looking forward to taking it in this weekend.

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Book #41 - Bad Axe County by John Galligan
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: KITastrophe - Weather Events
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: Author - "G" Galligan
Source: NetGalley
Format: ebook
Original publication date: July 9, 2019
Acquisition date: N/A
Page count: 325 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.20 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"Fifteen years ago, Heidi White’s parents were shot to death on their Bad Axe County farm. The police declared it a murder-suicide and closed the case. But that night, Heidi found the one clue she knew could lead to the truth — if only the investigators would listen. Now Heidi White is Heidi Kick, wife of local baseball legend Harley Kick and mother of three small children. She’s also the interim sheriff in Bad Axe. Half the county wants Heidi elected but the other half will do anything to keep her out of law enforcement. And as a deadly ice storm makes it way to Bad Axe, tensions rise and long-buried secrets climb to the surface. As freezing rain washes out roads and rivers flood their banks, Heidi finds herself on the trail of a missing teenaged girl. Clues lead her down twisted paths to backwoods stag parties, derelict dairy farms, and the local salvage yard — where the body of a different teenage girl has been carefully hidden for a decade. As the storm rages on, Heidi realizes that someone is planting clues for her to find, leading her to some unpleasant truths that point to the local baseball team and a legendary game her husband pitched years ago. With a murder to solve, a missing girl to save, and a monster to bring to justice, Heidi is on the cusp of shaking her community to its core — and finding out what really happened the night her parents died."

Review:
Richly textured and cinematic in scope, this intense Noir-styled police procedural (and first in a series) is set in the rural coulees of southwest Wisconsin where the Mississippi and Bad Axe rivers meet. Visions of a bucolic dairyland countryside are shattered as readers encounter a gritty, seedier world of derelict farms, dangerous back country roads, ingrained attitudes of bigotry and misogyny, police corruption, human trafficking, meth addiction, drug-fueled thefts and acts of senseless violence. Oh yes, and murder. Can't forget that. Told from the alternating points of views of interim sheriff Heidi Kick, recently returned home local baseball player Angus Beavers and runaway teenager Pepper Greengrass, this is more than just a crime/murder mystery. At its heart, this is your classic good versus evil story. In true Noir fashion, the motives of our three strong-will protagonists are fueled by revenge, determination and a 'go it on your own' approach, giving us flawed complex characters to understand and cheer on from the sidelines, even though some of the decisions they make are questionable ones. The author give the reader a lot to think about and really exposes human nature for the complex, dynamic aspect that it is. This is also what I like to describe as a train wreck kind of story... you watch the bad unfolding, helpless to intervene. A lot of this comes from having the three points of view: we know what is happening that the other characters are not aware of, which adds to the gut-wrenching suspense.

The overall effect is a well written, fast-paced, atmospheric crime story filled with long-kept secrets, well developed characters and adrenaline-pumping moments of suspense. Word of caution: If you are uncomfortable reading a story with some really unpleasant (okay, nasty) characters, blatant misogyny, cruelty and violence, this is not a story I would recommend for you.

I received an unedited proof copy from the publisher via NetGalley as lead up to the September 2020 release of the second book in the series, Dead Man Dancing, in exchange for an honest review.

>32 lkernagh: Definitely a BB for me!

>31 lkernagh: - I've been meaning to mention that our local newspaper has a posting each Sunday for various things to stream. This week it's live theater at home. One week it was museum visits. I'm hoping they keep doing this.

>33 Tess_W: - It is really good, Tess! I have put in a request with NetGalley for the second book. Fingers crossed I get it, but if not, I will most likely be buying the second book when it comes out.

>34 dudes22: - What a great idea, Betty! I admit, I tend to just skim over our "Whats happening" section of the local newspaper. I think I will check and see if they list any streaming suggestions/ideas.

----------------------

So, the uneven weather from spring continues into summer. Yesterday was cool, with overcast skies and drizzling rain for most of the day. When I went to sit on our balcony to read in the afternoon, I had to put on my fall down puffer jacket to keep warm! So far this morning it is blue skies and warmer temps (a tad too warm for the pants and 3/4 sleeve shirt I put on expecting more cooler weather). Sighs

>32 lkernagh: You hit me with that BB as well, Lori. :) This weather is crazy, isn't it. It seems that summer is hesitant about actually arriving. Yesterday it pretty much rained all day here and today it is lovely (so far) - this is the pattern that we've been having for most of June and July.

>36 DeltaQueen50: - YAY! I did think about you as I was reading the Galligan book, Judy. ;-) This as just been such an odd year. At least it is half over and I do remain hopeful that we will get some decent summer weather.

------------------------

I had a surprisingly (unplanned) productive Sunday. Managed to get out and re-pot a number of plants, so the plants are happy. In the process, I discussed the idea of getting some new side tables for the deck area. We currently have resin tables that can be left out in all weather conditions but over the years, they have gone from white to shades of grey with splotchy bits from various outdoor projects undertaken near the tables. While we were debating replacement tables, I remembered the can of white paint I had bought last year to repaint my wooden plant stands. The paint stood up to last winter's weather really well so I thought, "why not paint the tables?" A scrub and two coats of paint later and the side tables look as good as new. No need to go shopping. ;-)

>32 lkernagh: - A BB for me. Just what I need - another series. ;)

Good on the repotting of plants! This year I went back to a bit of container gardening for vegetables and my plants are not so happy. They won't keep growing past the season, of course, but it does bring home the importance of right-sizing pots and feeding the soil. I'm glad your plants at least are happy in their new homes!

I'm also loving the theater and especially Shakespeare links. The plays are so timeless, and so much better to watch than to read. I just today came across Patrick Stewart commenting on his portrayal of Macbeth's soliloquy on his wife's death beginning "Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow"* -- he said Ian McKellen gave him a note before beginning that role that the most important word is "and". That carries the performance. It's not the sort of detail that I'd be conscious of watching it, much less able to read into it -- but it's so very clearly the right interpretation, and it's the sort of thing that theater brings.

* This speech:

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

>38 dudes22: - Well, the good news Betty, is that there is currently only the first book in the planned series out, with the second to follow soon. Not like being hit with the first book in an already published multi-book series. ;-)

>39 pammab: - My container gardening over the years has been a bit "hit and miss". I am getting better at spacing out my seeds when planting so that I don't have to do as much thinning as the plants grow but I still have a lot to learn. Sorry to see that your plants are not happy this year.

Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan - both wonderful and powerful Shakespearean actors! Wow, reading the soliloquy with McKellan's suggestion really does make a difference. Like you, I continue to enjoy the productions being offered for viewing on-line. I don't think I will be able to find recorded productions for every play to complete my Shakespeare side-challenge. I noticed that my local library makes various audio-recording by LA Theatre Works available for listening but I am a little worried as the plays are really designed to be viewed. Oh well, I won't have to consider that for some time yet. ;-)

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As many of you have probably noticed, I love to get books via NetGalley. NetGalley has just started offering audiobooks, which I am super excited about! I have just downloaded my first audiobook for review using the NetGalley Shelf app on my smartphone.

Meanwhile, I have another NetGalley (ebook) review ready for posting.

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Book #42 - Lifeline to Marionette by Jennifer Waitte
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: Other
Source: NetGalley
Format: ebook
Original publication date: September 22, 2020
Acquisition date: N/A
Page count: 292 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.15 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the NetGalley.com book listing webpage:

"A lonely childhood, a haunted past, a secret, and a life controlled by others—she is a woman at the end of her rope, without hope.

Alaina Michelle Sekovich is the daughter of Europe’s most famous living composer. Once his prodigy, they are now estranged. To the world, she is Michelle Seko, a multimedia star and valuable asset of the film and fashion industries. Michelle was a gifted yet troubled child who sought only to flee the suffocating world of her father’s overbearing tutelage. She thought she could change her life by becoming someone else. But when her world becomes herself looking back at her and the face that is her own monster she does not know, she finds there is no place she can go, nowhere she can hide, because what she wants to escape from most is the one thing she can never truly be free of — herself.

Lifeline to Marionette is a story about what life under a microscope can do to the soul. It is a story about a young woman whose every move is determined by the people who control her. Their strings are fine but unbreakable, and they pull her painfully in opposing directions until she can no longer bear their tension."

Review:
Aptly titled, this was an interesting, albeit unsettling, story to read. The writing is lyrical, dreamlike in quality and who can argue that Aspen, Colorado in December is not a great setting for a story? While it was the premise that attracted me (and yes, the cover art is gorgeous!), I found the delivery and plot development to be slow, and even a little underwhelming and confusing at times. Against the backdrop of snow covered mountains and holiday festivities, this story really portrays darker aspects of a high-flying world of entertainment and fashion - drug addiction, abuse, manipulation, jealousy and greed. If you are looking for a festive romance/love story.... this isn't it.

As far as characters go, I found Michelle to be fascinating. I like to get into the psychology/inner workings of a troubled character and the author really delivers with Michelle. Enigmatic on the outside, struggling/shattering on the inside, Michelle is a very conflicted persona, portraying externally as young, fragile and waif-like while providing glimpses into wisdom and worldly understanding beyond her mere 22-years. It is only towards the end that we really discover the person behind the facade and learn the reasons for her downward-spiraling self-destructive behaviour. I found the other characters serve their purpose in propelling the story forward, but for me, that is all they did. They lack the more fulsome character development I would have loved to see with this story.

I received an unedited proof copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This Week's Play Line-up:

Amadeus by Peter Shaffer, starring Lucian Msamati and Adam Gillenby Terence Rattigan - National Theatre YouTube channel July 16 - July 23
Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare, starring Deborah Hay and Ben Carlson - Stratford Festival YouTube channel July 16 - August 6

I am looking forward to taking in both productions but admit that the play lineup is a little sparse. Amadeus will be the last free stream offering by National Theatre Live and I believe that Taming of the Shrew is the last production in Stratford Festival's 2020 online schedule. Unless I find more free streaming productions through other channels, this will be the last post for "This Week's Play Line-up". I will continue to pursue my Shakespeare side-challenge so if I come across other Shakespearean productions available, I will post links.

>42 lkernagh: We watched the Taming of the Shrew tonight from the Stratford Festival because you brought it up, and I thought it was excellent. I loved Petrucchio especially, and they did a much more sarcastic and violent Kate than I was expecting. Quite enjoyable anyway, so thank you for bringing my awareness to it! The poetry is pretty but the acting and intonation always brings so much extra.

>43 pammab: - Glad to see you enjoyed Taming of the Shrew! We will be watching it this evening. I have been really impressed with all of the plays Stratford Festival made available online.

>42 lkernagh: and >43 pammab: I read the play and watched a filmed stage presentation (Globe) earlier this year, right before the pandemic hit. Even though I’ve read the play multiple times in the past, seen the play live a couple of times and, even worked on a production at least once (if not twice), I remember watching the Globe presentation and thinking, “What?! They got married?! That was the point of the ruse?!” That was when I realized my brain was just fried from “everything”! So since then, I’ve been taking things slower, including the #Shakespeare2020Project :-)

>45 Tanya-dogearedcopy: - LOL! I love your story! I admit, I am finding with watching the productions I am seeing things I missed when I read the plays. For example, I notice that Shakespeare managed to include one comic character and some comic events, even in his tragedies. Appealing to masses, even back then!

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I hope everyone has had a lovely weekend. The weather has finally become more summer-like in heat and sunshine, so I am super happy about that. This weekend project had me back into creative sewing mode. I have a tank top that I love to wear as a pajama top in the summer months, with a high neck, racer back and straps that I find super comfortable (tend to toss and turn a lot in my sleep, so I like pajamas that I cannot get tangled in!). Anyways, the tanks were originally purchased from Old Navy a few years back. I am now down to my last top and Old Navy no longer sells this particular product anymore, so I have decided to see if I can make my own! Brave, aren't I, considering I consider my sewing skills to be just a twitch above beginner and I have never had any sewing experience working with stretchy, T-shirt material? Anyways, made a trip to the local fabric store yesterday, pick up some stretchy fabric from the bargain section to experiment with, and spent a delightful Sunday afternoon taking a first stab at making a paper pattern and sewing a prototype. End result was not bad (bot not something I am prepared to share pictures of!) If there are any sewers out there that stop by this thread, do you have any simple tips for sewing stretchy fabrics using a very basic (non-serge) sewing machine? So far, I am finding using a zig-zag stitch stops the fabric from bunching but other tips will be welcomed!

While playing with fabric, scissors and thread, I listened to my first non-fiction audioread for 2020. Review to follow.

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Book #43 - Minding Miss Manners: In an Era of Fake Etiquette by Judith Martin - audiobook narrated by Jacobina Martin
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: Title - "E" Etiquette
Source: NetGalley
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: June 9, 2020
Acquisition date: N/A
Page count: 240 pages / 5 hours, 29 minutes listening time
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.20 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the NetGalley.com book listing webpage:

"From the most trusted name in advice comes a fresh, contemporary guide to modern manners dilemmas.

Minding Miss Manners: In an Era of Fake Etiquette is a modern guide to modern manners. Facing down the miscreants purveying false etiquette rules (no, you may not wait a year to send a thank-you note for a gift and yes, in an age of social-media-encouraged over-familiarity you can politely refuse to answer nosy questions), Miss Manners guides you through these turbulent times with her timeless wisdom and archly acid wit."

Review:
I have always been a fan of advice columnists, with Miss Manners ranking up at the top, so I was really excited to discover that Judith Martin (the person behind the Miss Manners pen name since 1978, with assistance from her children Nicholas and Jacobina since 2013) had a new compilation of reader letters and responses. In this compilation, Miss Manners continues to enlighten, inform and delight readers with advice delivered with her signature dash of witticism. Navigating the age-old dilemmas of weddings, family squabbles, holiday gatherings, party hosting, gift giving/receiving and thank you notes, this compilation also includes some sage advice for more modern dilemmas from food fussing, extortionist etiquette and virtuous rudeness to fundraising and yes, selfie parties.

Narrated by Judith Martin's daughter, Jacobina, I found her clear, poised and proper enunciation - with a wonderful hint of snarkiness! - to be easy on the ear and pitch perfect as the voice for Miss Manners. While the letters and responses have been organized into broader categories, the format makes it easy for listeners (and readers of the ebook or print format) to dip in and out for quick intervals of listening/reading.

Filled with sensible, common sense advice and delivered with humour and grace, I found myself nodding my head in agreement, snorting with laughter and occasionally gasping with shock at the situations presented. A wonderful refresher on the do's and don'ts of life and nice to learn that even as society continues to evolve and the online world takes control of our lives, something things, etiquette-wise, have remained unchanged.

I received access to the audiobook from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I don't sew with stretchy fabric, but I seem to remember that it works better with a ball-point needle (?). And some machines have a stretchy stitch. Maybe a YouTube video?

>47 lkernagh: Miss Manners was sydincated in the newspaper we received at home during my high school years, but most of us viewed her as a fake Emily Post in the early years.

>47 lkernagh: I love Miss Manners! I enjoy reading her columns online from time to time.

>46 lkernagh: I wrote a paper I grad school about how every play of Shakespeare’s included a “jester”! I can’t remember what I said beyond that (it’s been many, many years) but I think it might have been something along the lines that the fool was also all-seeing and all-knowing and, may have represented S. himself. :-)

>40 lkernagh: I like netgalley, but I feel a little under the gun to get the book read and the review out quickly!

>48 dudes22: - An excellent suggestion, Betty! I will see what types of needles I have for the machine. I think they are just the run-of-the-mill needles. It may involve a quick trip back to the fabric store, but that is okay. ;-)

>49 thornton37814: - Hi Lori. I have to admit that I am not familiar with Emily Post, so I had to do a quick web search. I can see why some would view Miss Manners as a Emily Post imposter, but I like to think that Martin took on the mantle of etiquette advisor to continue Emily Post's advice-giving long after Post had passed away. The world can always use an etiquette advisor, regardless of the name they choose to write under. ;-)

>50 christina_reads: - Hi Christina, then you will probably enjoy this latest compilation. Such fun!

>51 Tanya-dogearedcopy: - What a great topic for your grad school paper! What you have said makes perfect sense to me... it explains a lot.

>52 RidgewayGirl: - I have been taking advantage of NetGalley's Read Now offerings as those do not seem to have any time limitations (most are books that are just about to release or have been recently released, so they are just looking to generate as much chatter as possible). I have also scaled back on my NetGalley requests. My current audio and ebook are NetGalley reads, but I only have one request pending and I won't be looking through their catalogue of offerings until I finish the ones I currently have. Yes, I am treating NetGalley like my local library. ;-)

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Book #44 - Five Red Herrings by Dorothy L. Sayers
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: Other
Source: TBR
Format: ebook
Original publication date: 1931
Acquisition date: January 6,2020
Page count: 323 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.65 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the harpercollins.com book listing webpage:

"In the scenic Scottish village of Kirkcudbright, no one is disliked more than Sandy Campbell. When the painter is found dead at the foot of cliff, his easel standing above, no one is sorry to see him gone—especially six members of the close knit Galloway artists' colony.

The inimitable Lord Peter Wimsey is on the scene to determine the truth about Campbell's death. Piecing together the evidence, the aristocratic sleuth discovers that of the six suspected painters, five are red herrings, innocent of the crime. But just which one is the ingenious artist with a talent for murder?"

Review:
Love the Scottish artist colony setting for this Lord Peter Wimsey story. Yes, the story is a little cluttered, what with a jumble of bicycles, people “borrowing” bicycles, train schedules on top of train schedules and that loooonnnng list of suspects to the point where I really wish I had thought to take notes. There is such a thing as too much information (and too many suspects) to bog a story down. Even so, Sayers manages - somehow! - to make this all work. Yes, the devil is in the details as watch Wimsey recreate the crime with the assistance of members of the local law enforcement (and the best part of the whole story, IMO).

Overall, while all the train schedules had me groaning - and the phonetic spelling to convey Scottish accents made reading the story a bit of a chore for me (I probably should have thought to listen to an audiobook instead of reading it) - I really liked this one. A fine example of Sayers gift for producing an intricately crafted mystery, even if I am still mad at her for 'assuming' that all readers would know what crucial item Wimsey was searching for at the start of the story and withheld that piece of information from the reader. *grumbles*.

Last night our neighbourhood enjoyed the wonderful dulcet tones of a local singer. Neighbour down the street was celebrating a birthday which included a socially distanced open air concert on their front lawn. A lovely medley of songs and perfect evening listening.

I started my next NetGalley ebook this evening - Crossings by Alex Landragin - and I find myself with a conundrum. A Good conundrum, but a conundrum all the same. The novel, premised as a mysterious manuscript comprising of three stories, can be read in two ways:

1. conventionally (from first page to last); or


2. start reading at page 150 and 'leap' back and forth through the book while following the alternate chapter sequence.

I have to admit, I am really intrigued by the alternate approach, which is convenient in ebook format as readers just need to click a "Go here" link at the end of each section to take the reader to the next section in the sequence, but now I am wondering if I should read the book twice and see if it produces a different story.

.... I think I will ponder this for the evening before deciding which approach to take.

>47 lkernagh: I'd read a Miss Manners compilation many years ago and enjoyed it very much. I'm glad to hear there's a new one published. Courtesy and common sense are always needed, perhaps now more than ever!

>57 mathgirl40: - Hi Paulina, I agree, courtesy and common sense are needed more than ever these days! It was refreshing to read Miss Manners no nonsense advice and I did enjoy the shock value of some of the "over the top" situations mentioned in some of the letters. ;-)

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Hello everyone and Happy Sunday! I hope everyone has been keeping well. I have been taking a bit of a social media break these past few weeks. So what have I been up to? Not all that much. Just enjoying the summer Helped the other half with some vehicle repair and I now know how to replace a passenger door power window mechanism (yes, there probably is a proper term for it but that alludes me at the moment). Getting back into crafting big time. For some strange reason, I always want to pull out my needlepoint projects in the winter months. I have now discovered that summer sunshine is perfect light level for things like needlepoint (and would explain all those love period images of women sitting near windows), so that is occupying my spare time these days. Still continue to watch plays as part of my Shakespeare Side Challenge. As for books, I have finished 1 book (yes, just one) and struggling to find the motivation to write the review.

I will try to pop into my own thread a little more often, but no promises... especially if the patio and my needlepoint (or other craft projects) are calling me.

Shakespeare Side-Challenge - Update:

Othello - 1981 movie adaptation starring Anthony Hopkins, Bob Hoskins, Penelope Wilton and Anthony Pedley (library system Hoopla) - A dated production with Hopkins wearing dark skin make-up to portray the lead Moorish character and filmed on a sound stage, which takes away from the "live performance" aspect of the play.

Much Ado About Nothing - Royal Shakespeare Company (YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fRVC9PlyrQ ) - An absolutely wonderful production with a WWI-era setting!!! Highly recommended viewing!

The Merchant of Venice - Royal Shakespeare Company (YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eqot1dbBCt8 ) - This one has a rather original/modern/austere presentation. Overall effect was good, although I fail to understand the significance/meaning of the large silver pendulum ball in motion throughout the production.

Ooh, I may have to check out that production of Much Ado about Nothing -- my favorite Shakespeare play!

>60 christina_reads: - It is fabulous, Christina! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

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Book #45 - Crossings by Alex Landragin
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: Author - "L" Landragin
Source: Netgalley
Format: ebook
Original publication date: May 28, 2019 - Australia: July 28, 2020 - North America
Acquisition date: July 28,2020
Page count: 280 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.30 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"On the brink of the Nazi occupation of Paris, a German-Jewish bookbinder stumbles across a manuscript called Crossings. It has three narratives, each as unlikely as the next. And the narratives can be read one of two ways: either straight through or according to an alternate chapter sequence.

The first story in Crossings is a never-before-seen ghost story by the poet Charles Baudelaire, penned for an illiterate girl. Next is a noir romance about an exiled man, modeled on Walter Benjamin, whose recurring nightmares are cured when he falls in love with a storyteller who draws him into a dangerous intrigue of rare manuscripts, police corruption, and literary societies. Finally, there are the fantastical memoirs of a woman-turned-monarch whose singular life has spanned seven generations.

With each new chapter, the stunning connections between these seemingly disparate people grow clearer and more extraordinary. Crossings is an unforgettable adventure full of love, longing and empathy."

Review:
There is nothing routine or straightforward about this mesmerizing debut novel. The opening statement, by our fictitious bookbinder, that he "stole" this manuscript intrigued me, as did the Note to Reader that the book can be read in two ways: Conventionally (from first page to last) or by leaping back and forth through the stories following what is called the "Baroness sequence". So, what did I do? I read it both ways.

Read conventionally, the three stories stand on their own as individually unique works of fiction. The first story, "The Education of a Monster", is a ghost story in the form of a letter to an illiterate girl. This story has wonderful Gothic undertones and a slightly creepy aspect. I found the historical Belgium setting beautifully described and the characterization of Baudelaire and the mysterious Édmonde de Bressy, intriguing. The second story, "City of Ghosts", is a Nor romance/thriller set at the onset of the German occupation of Paris. This one wins top marks from me as a perfectly crafted, atmospheric tale of love, mystery and intrigue, richly capturing Paris of the time period. The mystery and the atmosphere is reminiscent of Carlos Ruiz Zafón's The Shadow of the Wind, a book I absolutely love. I found Landragin's depiction of Coco Chanel (an interesting historical figure choice to make!) added to my reading delight and enjoyment for this story. The third story, "Tales of the Albatross", is a richly descriptive historical saga told in a memoir-styled format. Each chapter in this story -one for each of our enchantress's seven lives - transports the reader to different time periods, settings and characters. Even though there is a decidedly 'cat and mouse' aspect to our enchantress's search for her love (and her avoidance of one who seeks to harm), Langarin's attention to detail lends this 'story of stories' to a slower pace. Well written, but not the compelling, page-turning read I encountered with "The Education of a Monster" and "City of Ghosts". There is a subtle interplay between the stories with surprising hidden nuggets of connections for the observant reader to discover.

While reading the story in the conventional manner is a rewarding experience, I found reading the story following the Baroness sequence - turning the three stories into one novel - is where Landragin's skill as a storyteller really shines through. I should mention that the author utilizes the first person narrative throughout the book, which can get a bit tricky when we start to delve into multiple personas. Thankfully, the chapter headings helped me to keep the narrators straight in my mind, especially when following the Baroness sequence. Following the alternate sequence, I found the novel takes on a mercurial quality, very in keeping with the metaphysical aspect of soul crossings. Choosing the Baroness sequence does not change the outcome of the story (this is not one of those "Pick an Adventure" books where your choices only expose you to part of the book), but it does more intimately connect the reader to this puzzle box story of intertwining lives.

Overall, Crossings is a wonderfully ambitious genre-bending speculative fiction debut novel that will sweep the reader away with its elegant prose, inventive storytelling and richly drawn characters. Many have compared this to David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas, so I want to mention here that if you are like me and did NOT enjoy Cloud Atlas, don't use that as a reason to avoid Landragin's captivating novel. They really are very different stories.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange from an honest review.

>62 lkernagh: - I had heard about this book already - I think in the Book Pages pamphlet that I get at the library every month - and was intrigued, but not sure I wanted to try it and no idea in which order to try. So your review was very helpful; I think I'll probably give this a try sometime but I can't see me reading it twice.

ETA: I also like the cover quite a lot.

>62 lkernagh: A great review! I'm putting this on my WL.

>62 lkernagh: That's a wonderful review and makes me want to read the book!

>63 dudes22:, >64 Tess_W: and >65 MissWatson: - Hi Betty, Tess and Birgit! Landragin's story is quite the reading experience, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

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Hello everyone and Happy Friday! It is a wet one were I am located. Not complaining as we can use the rain. Just means hunkering indoors and finally getting around to writing a review for an audiobook I finished over a week ago. No special plans for the weekend. Hoping everyone continues to stay safe, healthy and active.

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Book #46 - His & Hers by Alice Feeney - audiobook narrated by Richard Armitage and Stephanie Racine
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: AlphaKIT - "H" (His; Hers); MysteryKIT - International Mystery (UK); ScaredyKIT - Serial Killers
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: Author - "F" Feeney
Source: Netgalley
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: May 28, 2020
Acquisition date: N/A
Page count: 320 pages / 10 hours, 39 minutes listening time
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.85 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"There are two sides to every story: yours and mine, ours and theirs, His & Hers. Which means someone is always lying.

When a woman is murdered in Blackdown, a quintessentially British village, newsreader Anna Andrews is reluctant to cover the case. Detective Jack Harper is suspicious of her involvement, until he becomes a suspect in his own murder investigation. Someone isn’t telling the truth, and some secrets are worth killing to keep."

Review:
A deliciously dark, delightfully twisted psychological thriller that I could not put down. Feeney has crafted a tight story-line with strong character development, unexpected plot twists and a steady ratcheting up of suspense that kept me fully engaged and wanting to know what happens next. There is a lot of themes to unpack in this tautly woven story: from alcoholism, family secrets and misguided loyalties to mean girls, peer pressure and animal cruelty. Told through three narrative voices - aspiring news anchor Anna Andrews, her ex-husband DCI Jack Harper and a third, disguised 'confessor' - the reader is left trying to figure out not just who the killer is, but how reliable is the information they provide. As we all know, there are two sides to every story, and Feeney has taken this as the vehicle for this suspense ride. It doesn't help that neither Jack or Anna are exactly forthcoming with information and there are moments when they admit to questioning what they think they know.

Set in small town Blackburn, where everyone knows everyone - and both Anna and Jack have a history - the story shifts through past and present, slowly revealing to the reader possible motivations and suspects. Besides the murders, there are other things to raise the readers interest - for example, what is up Priya, the new police officer so eager to please Jack, her supervisor? - so don't expect this to be an easy whodunnit to solve with a quick "aha" discovery moment. Feeney distracts the reader with some red herrings, keeping this reader guessing, right up to the end.

I listened to the audio-book, wonderfully narrated by Richard Armitage and Stephanie Racine. Masking the 'confessor's' voice using voice-altering technology added to my audio enjoyment of this story, as I kept trying to guess who (Anna? Jack? someone else?) was this third voice. I love stories where everyone is a suspect! I kept trying to find subtle clues in the confessor's narration, but darn it all, Feeney does not make any slip ups here. I should mention that this is my first novel by Feeney, so I am not able to provide any comments comparing it to her earlier published works.

At its heart, this is a fast-paced, murder mystery that I think will appeal to fans of Tana French's 'Dublin Murder Squad' series, with Faithful Place coming to mind.

I received this audiobook from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange from an honest review.

>67 lkernagh: That's a really clever way to use the audiobook format! I love when they play a bit with what you can get additionally out of reading aloud. The book sounds excellent.

>68 pammab: - I agree! If you enjoy a good psychological thriller, His & Hers is one I can highly recommend.

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Happy Sunday everyone! I am in the process of making beef barley vegetable soup from scratch (making the broth right now) and have some time for a bit of a longer post, for a change.

For the past couple of years, some seagull families have used the roof of our complex and the condos across the street for their nests/hatchlings. Why seagulls are a protected species in BC continues to this day to baffle me, but, whatever. Anyways, seagull families on both roofs have some fledglings. They (the fledglings) don't fly much, which is surprising given that they were born back in the spring and are almost the same size as their parents. Anyways, one fell off the roof 3-4 days a go (don't worry, the bird is fine) and since "the fall" has taken to walking around on the front lawn of our complex while its parents watch from the roof. Given the pandemic and everyone being more or less at home these days, this young gull has become a bit of a talking point, especially as it appears it can fly, but seems to only fly near the ground (car level height). Can birds be afraid of heights (or of falling again)? Did the parents decide it was time for the young one to "spread its wings"? Anyways, some of the neighbours are starting to feed to bird (seriously, wrong move, given that it can both walk and fly), and yesterday afternoon someone from an animal society showed up with a net and bag to try and catch the bird (it was smart and surprisingly missing during that visit). I am curious to see how long we have this gull hanging around at ground level.

I enjoyed the calm Sunday morning with a walk down to the waterfront while chatting with my dad on my cell phone. During the conversation, I watched a motor yacht entering the harbour and get met by the harbour patrol boat. Pretty standard. A conversation between the boats ensued for a few minutes. The yacht then turned around and left. Well, that got my interest! Curious, I checked the marine tracker website and noticed that no boat was showing up as being in the vicinity of the harbour entrance. I should mention that there have been some reports of American boaters turning off their transponders when they cross over into Canadian waters and while I don't know the conversation that occurred with harbour patrol or the circumstances, the fact that they turned away made this a "Humm" moment. Somehow, I don't think they were asking for directions.

Book #47 - If on a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino - translated by William Weaver; audiobook narrated by Jefferson Mays
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: Author - "I" Italo
Source: GVPL
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: June 2, 1979
Acquisition date: N/A
Page count: 260 pages / 10 hours listening time
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.20 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"Italo Calvino imagines a novel capable of endless mutations in this intricately crafted story about writing and readers.

If on a Winter's Night a Traveler turns out to be not one novel but ten, each with a different plot, style, ambiance, and author, and each interrupted at a moment of suspense. Together they form a labyrinth of literatures, known and unknown, alive and extinct, through which two readers, a male and a female, pursue both the story lines that intrigue them and one another."

Review:
Why did I read this one now, given that it has been on my radar for years? Well, because I stumbled across it while browsing my local library for available e-audiobooks and decided now was as good a time as any. I usually steer clear of "books about books" and meta-fiction but the premise, and its delivery, is just so darn enticing. Yes, I did get frustrated at first when the railway station scene (the first interrupted story) abruptly ends. I was quite happy to follow the Reader (our protagonist) through his madcap adventures of mystery, intrigue and satire while on his quest for the full novels. Through this dizzying array of interrupted stories, readers, writers, publishers and translators, Calvino makes use of the second person narration, blurring the lines between the Reader and us, the reader reading the story. The end result is one of those rare novels were I really do feel as though I have walked into a book. Jefferson Mays is an excellent narrator but lets be honest, this meta-fiction requires a level of concentration, and led me to some contemplative thought. For that reason, I did something I typically do not do when listening to audiobooks: I just sat down and listened (kind of what the Reader in the story was instructed to do at the onset). While some might try to analyze, explain or dissect If on a Winter's Night a Traveler, my recommendation is to just sit back and experience it.

Favorite Quote:

“This is what I mean when I say I would like to swim against the stream of time: I would like to erase the consequences of certain events and restore an initial condition. But every moment of my life brings with it an accumulation of new facts, and each of these new facts bring with it consequences; so the more I seek to return to the zero moment from which I set out, the further I move away from it. . . .”

I should mention that If on a Winter's Night a Traveler is my first foray into Calvino's works. There is no question that Calvino is a wonderful writer, but this has left me pondering where I should go from here. Does anyone have any suggestions/recommendations for my next Calvino read?

>70 lkernagh: I loved If on a Winter's Night a Traveller and also enjoyed Our Ancestors, a collection of three novellas: The Cloven Viscount, The Baron in the Trees and The Non-existent Knight.

>71 pamelad: - Thanks! I will keep an eye out for the Calvino books you mentioned.

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Wow. September has arrived. I am not ready for fall. I hope everyone has had a lovely "end to August". We took in GreekFest on the weekend. "Taking in" meant ordering and paying for food on-line for drive-thru pickup but that is the main point for my annual GreekFest participation (the food), so being able to bring the food home for enjoyment was important for me. On the weekend I discovered a local urban farm that has a drop in Farmer's Market set up on their site, so fresh kale, chard and cherry tomatoes made up some of our meal planning this week. They are open most days so will be making a return visit in a day or two to replenish with more fresh greens. My container garden this year is predominantly herbs, although I do have spinach that is doing quite well.... just not enough to keep us in greens through out the week.

Now that we are at the last four months of 2020, I will be buckling down to try and complete my various challenges. Not sure I will reach 75 books read this year. I need 14 books to complete my double Title/Author Alphabet Challenge, and 18 more plays to view to complete my Shakespeare Side Challenge, so I think those challenges are doable in the time remaining.

I did manage to get finish Have His Carcase, the August read for the year long Lord Peter Wimsey group read (which unfortunately does not help me with my Alphabet Challenge). Oh well, I will have to factor in the remaining Wimsey stories into my reading calculations.

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Book #48 - Have His Carcase by Dorothy L. Sayers
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: AlphaKIT - "H" (Have, His)
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: N/A
Source: TBR
Format: ebook
Original publication date: 1932
Acquisition date: January 6, 2020
Page count: 398 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.85 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: adapted from the harpercollins.com book listing webpage:

"In this second Dorothy L. Sayers classic to feature mystery writer Harriet Vane, Harriet’s discovery of a murdered body on the beach before it is swept out to sea unites her once more with the indomitable Lord Peter Wimsey. Together they attempt to solve a most lethal mystery, and find themselves become much closer than mere sleuthing partners in the process."

Review:
Starting this review off by saying that I am a big fan of "locked room" mysteries. It is the puzzle that entices me. Sayers has taken this concept and given it an interesting spin (especially given that the death occurs on a beach, not in a locked room). Lovely to have Harriet back and the banter between Harriet and Wimsey is a hoot! What a fabulously and oddly-suited couple. As with some of the previous Sayers mysteries, I see that she is once again fixated on details like timetables, etc., reminding me - yet again - how important it is to pay attention to details (okay, only certain details... Sayers does love her red herrings!). Sadly, I found that the lists of things to be noted and things to be done in Chapter xiii was a garbled mess in my e-copy (I am guessing the lists are supposed to comprise of columns of information). Not a big deal, just a formatting annoyance that publishers of the ebook should have caught.

Overall, once again Sayers manages to engage me with a fun, mystery romp, wrapping things up in a way that I was not expecting.

Book #49 - You by Joanna Briscoe - audiobook narrated by Joanna Mackie
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: Title "Y" - You
Source: GVPL
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: January 12, 2011
Acquisition date: N/A
Page count: 369 pages / 15 hours, 42 minutes listening time
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.00 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the author's website:

"Cecilia is obsessively in love with her teacher, the older, married Mr Dahl. She plots and speculates, yet she never guesses that what she dreams of could actually happen. Is it her imagination, or is the high-minded Mr Dahl responding to her? Cecilia’s mother Dora wants the good life. She and her husband moved to Dartmoor so their children could run wild, free to make their own choices and mistakes. But
Dora discovers that there is more to the countryside idyll, and indeed to her own marriage, than she assumed, when she finds herself fascinated by the very last, the very worst person she could fall for: the elegant and dangerous Elisabeth Dahl.

Now, after twenty years, Cecilia is coming home, to face Dora, and to face her past. But the excitement and pain she had thought were buried cannot be buried. The past is a dangerous place."

Review:
This is my first novel by Joanna Briscoe, so I was not sure what to expect. This is a story about elicit entanglements, obsessive love, regrets, lost opportunities and how our pasts and our actions can come back to haunt us. Briscoe's depiction of the Dartmoor region, with its sweeping moor lands and feeling of isolation is wonderfully captured, as is the rambling, falling down Bannan family farmhouse. Using a languid writing style, I found the 1970s flashbacks filled with Briscoe's bohemian community reminded me in a way of A.S. Byatt's The Children Book and Byatt's depiction of the early 1900s art and crafts society. I should mention that one needs to wade through a fair bit of minutiae but I am one of those readers that happily lap up details of bohemian life and the wilds of progressive schooling. Where this story fell apart for me is with the modern (20 years later) sections and the adult Cecilia character. I can appreciate that she wants answers from her mom - answers her mom does not want to come forward with - but what an annoying character! It is never a good sign when I disagree with the protagonist's motivations and decisions. Thankfully, after wading through a fair bit of personal baggage, we finally get to the truth. The story ends with a potential lead in to a sequel, so fans of Briscoe's stories may be hopeful for more, but not this reader.

Overall, I loved the wild Dartmoor setting, the old, rambling Bannan home and the bohemian lifestyle depicted on the pages, but the sections of the book set in modern time just did not work for me. I found it all too dramatic and too 'contrived' for my tastes.

Shakespeare Side-Challenge - Update:

All's Well That Ends Well - Shakespeare's Globe, 2013 production (https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7tsuai) - A fun romp in the traditional Globe Theatre style with lots of great audience engagement. Please note that this one is broken into three parts... the other two parts can be accessed through the hyplinks on the left of the viewing pane.

Twelfth Night - Flint Hills Shakespeare Festival, 2019 production (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC3Nf3-pPsc ) - My first viewing of an outdoor production! So exciting! Now, I must admit that I always enjoy this play - such a fun romp and always enjoy the witty wordplay! - and I give kudos to the Festival for a wonderful stage/scenery, well acted play and really decent sound/video quality.

Julius Caesar - Flint Hills Shakespeare Festival, 2016 production (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPHDxw_lHRE ) - Another wonderful stage/scenery setup, well acted (Kudos to the actor playing Mark Antony - excellent speech before the citizens of Rome scene). Note: in some parts, the audio/video is slightly out of sync.

... Yes, I know. I don't seem to be making much progress with the Histories (only one viewed so far). The histories strike me as more fall/winter viewing so I will probably binge watch my way through the histories later in the year (unless I stumble across one that strikes my fancy before then).

Currently Reading:
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Audiobook:
The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana by Eco Umberto - narrated by George Guidall - Why this? Well.... because it fits more than one option in Alphabet Challenge. Was I pensive about starting this one? Yes, given that I have attempted, three times - and failed each time - to read The Name of the Rose, which pretty much made me leery about approaching any Umberto Eco books. So far, I am pleasantly surprised how much I am enjoying this one!
ebook:
Dead Man Dancing by John Galligan - Book two in Galligan's Bad Axe County series, I am happily ensconced in the dark and disturbing world that Sheriff Heidi Kick maintains law and order over.
The Complete Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries by Dorothy L. Sayers - This will be a year-long read. September read is Hangman's Holiday, a short story collection, but I think I will continue to read my omnibus edition in order so I plan to read Murder Must Advertise first.
Physical books:
Nothing at the moment.

So, bit of sad news this long weekend. I have learned that one my aunts has passed. Now, she has had health issues for a number of years and apparently has spent a fair bit of time in hospital over the past 6 months, with a lot of 24-hour care. This particular arm of the family has always kept very closed about my aunt's health and health issues over the years, so the news came as a bit of a surprise. She will be missed. Due to covid, funeral (in the US) will be immediate family only. She was predeceased by her two sisters (my mom in 2016 and their younger sister in 2009) so I take comfort in the fact that the three sisters are now together once again, probably laughing and chatting over cups of tea - just like they used to do - and smiling down on everyone.

>77 lkernagh: I'm so sorry about your aunt, Lori.

Firstly, I want to compliment you on all the theatre and Shakespeare you have obviously watched and enjoyed this year. I envy you, I just didn't make time for it.

Secondly, so sorry for the loss of your aunt.

Hi Lori, so sorry to hear of the passing of your aunt. We went to my brother-in-law's funeral but there were a few of the siblings who couldn't come because they are in the States. It's hard when the family want to get together but simply are not able to do so because of this virus. :(

I'm so sorry to hear about the passing of your aunt, Lori.

I'm sorry to hear of your aunt's death, Lori - I'm glad though that you have good memories of her and her sisters.

Sorry for you and family at the loss during this time when it is so hard to be together.

>78 rabbitprincess:, >79 Tess_W:, >80 DeltaQueen50:, >81 Tanya-dogearedcopy:, >82 Jackie_K: and >83 Kristelh: - Thank you RP, Tess, Judy, Tanya, Jackie and Kristel for the condolences. This pandemic does make it hard to connect with loved ones and collectively grieve.

>79 Tess_W: - I am having a lot of fun with my Shakespeare side challenge! I figured I might as well get something good out of this pandemic. ;-)

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Woke up this morning to a red sunrise and a strong smell of wood smoke. The high winds we experienced yesterday have brought the smoke and particle haze from the Washington State wildfires to our area. The wood smoke was so strong that I actually woke up with the taste in my mouth. The Air Quality Health Index is currently registering 10+ (it only goes up to 10, so that gives an idea of how poor the air quality is at the moment). Suffice to say, all windows are shut and I probably won't be venturing out for my usual lunch time walk for exercise and fresh air.

Sorry to hear about your aunt. The Shakespeare challenge looks like a lot of fun. I'm reading through them, but not as quickly as you are. I read a couple per year. Many times I listen to one in full cast audio. I'll probably do that while reading next time. The last time I wished I had done that.

>85 thornton37814: - Thank you, Lori. I don't think I could motivate myself to 'read' every one of Shakespeare's plays - I never did very well when we had to read plays back in school - but watching various productions is a more relaxing way for me to immerse myself in Shakespeare's works. :-) I have been having a lot of fun noticing the more famous quotes when they crop up. I like your idea of reading along with a full cast audio. That would make it a lot easier for me to connect with the plays. I will think about that, maybe when I finally get around to tackling the histories.

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Good news is the current Air Quality Health Index is now 4, a huge improvement from the 10+ recorded this morning! I can now see blue sky if I look straight up but there is still quite the brownish/grayish haze over to the east. I feel for everyone closer to these wildfires or experiencing the smoke and haze due to weather currents.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I hope you are staying safe, between COVID and the wildfires!

Sorry to hear your sad news, Lori. Combined with the pandemic, family get togethers are so difficult now.

The smoke was really bad here in the eastern corner of the province too. We have our own fires too but this year ours are nothing like those in California.

I am very sorry for your loss, Lori. It must be extra hard these days.

>87 christina_reads:, >88 VivienneR: and >89 MissWatson: - Thank you Christina, Vivienne and Birgit for the condolences. Given my aunt's long-term health issues, the pandemic, and now the disastrous wildfires in the US (she lived in California), I think she is in a much better place right now.

>87 christina_reads: - Thankfully, we don't have any wildfires here on the island, but with the drought that has now been declared for the region, we are at extreme high for any potential fires. That and we have now had back to back daily highs of new covid cases, so I am definitely taking advantage of my natural introversion to just hunker down.

>88 VivienneR: - I agree, it is so difficult for families and loved one to gather to when someone passes. I understand that the smoke from the wildfires is spreading, so here is hoping that you are able to avoid most of it (or do like I am, and stay indoors).

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The improvement in air quality I reported back on Tuesday was short lived. We are now back in the hazy smoke. Air Quality Health Index has been back at 10+ for the day (currently 208 on the Air Pollution in North America: Real time Air Quality Index Map) and is not expected to improve before Monday. Air quality is so bad, I can hear the fog horns out in the strait, as if this was a fog bank and not a smoky haze. I feel for my American neighbours east and south... they are going through so much devastation with these wildfires, it is heartbreaking. Suffice to say, my brain is not up for any reading (cannot concentrate) so it looks like play watching this evening and probably through the weekend.

I'm sorry about your aunt. My SIL's sister passed unexpectedly (rather young) and they only had a small gathering on the beach just for family. They talking about waiting like a year before having a memorial service.

I can't imagine being that close to the fires. Certainly can understand just hunkering down.

>91 dudes22: - Thank you Betty for the condolences, and may I provide my own condolences for your loss. I think a small beach event would be a lovely way to send off a loved one. I am a big fan of "celebration of life" events and I think these types of events - that can be scheduled after we have a vaccine and get more of a handle on the pandemic - will help many to find closure and honour their loved ones in meaningful ways.

As for the fires, we do have water between us, but the island is now categorized as extreme fire hazard due to the current drought conditions. 2020 just keeps on throwing zingers. As I mentioned over on my 75 group thread, That smoke haze is drifting far and wide with the weather currents. I had a good laugh yesterday while out running errands during my lunch break. Cashier and I joked about how the masks are now doing double duty - covid and smoke haze. Mask wearing isn't mandatory here on the island, just in stores that have made it their policy, so kind of fun to see people who would not wear masks for covid, wearing masks for smoke haze. Yes, I live for irony.

Keep safe!

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Nothing earth-shattering to report. Smoke haze continues and, like with everything else in 2020, we are adjusting to even this hopefully temporary situation. Thanks to a comment made over on my 75 group thread about missing my walking tour posts, and given that I am spending more time indoors at the moment, I thought it would be kind of fun to, over the remainder of 2020, share with everyone some of my favorite local buildings. If you enjoy this post, you have Karen (karenmarie) to thank for the nudge. If not, the posts will be easily identifiable for ignoring. Now for the first post!

Lori's "Guided Building Tour" - Victoria edition:


Victoria Conservatory of Music, as posted to Wikimedia Commons by Michal Klajban (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Have to rely on web-sourced photos (not my own) as the smoke haze at the moment is not the best for photo-taking (even if it would create a wonderful sepia effect).

Without a doubt, this is one of my favorite buildings. Located downtown, it was originally built as a church sanctuary (for the Metropolitan Methodist Church) in 1890 by local architect Thomas Hooper. Hooper was commissioned by the community to come up with what would be, at that time,the most modern and up-to-date of architectural designs. To accomplish this, the community sent him back east, where he discovered the new Romanesque Revival Style was the "in" thing.

The building facade and interior incorporate both "Richardsonian Romanesque" (named after architect Henry Hobson Richardson) and Scottish Baronial Revival influences. As you can see from this City of Victoria Archives photograph taken circa 1892 from the top of St. Andrew's Cathedral (a building I may include in a future building tour post), the newly built structure really stood out as an impressive focal point in the community:


image source: City of Victoria Archives, photograph taken by Robert Taylor Williams (1849-1934)

Today this building is owned by/home to the Victoria Conservatory of Music, a non-profit organization founded in 1964 that welcomes students of all ages and musical abilities, teaches all musical genres and is home to the Alix Goolden Performance Hall (named in honour of one of the Conservatory's original founders).

If you are interested, there are some amazing historical photos of the Metropolitan Methodist Church and its history that can be viewed at this Flickr album site.

September is proving to be the "sad news" month for me. Learned this morning that one of my uncles has passed away in his sleep. He was in his 90s, and is now reunited with his wife (my dad's sister) who passed away in 2012. Immediate and local (Saskatchewan) family only for the funeral. Two deaths in two weeks is quite enough for 2020, IMO. Oh, and the smoke haze has not improved (current reading is 197). I don't think there will be any improvement until the wildfires in the US west coast regions are contained. Three days of heavy rain (no lightning) would be lovely right about now!

Suffice to say, I have been distracting myself with play watching.

Shakespeare Side-Challenge - Update:

The Two Gentlemen of Verona - Hofstra University, 69th annual Hofstra Shakespeare Festival, 2018 production (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmgpDabaRQ8) - Another wonderful production! A traditional production. Great stage setup, LOVE the costumes, the added sound effects and the wonderful presentation of Shakespeare's word play and witticism (with extra fun of deliberate fumbles, exaggerated movements and perceived stage misdirections). the actor playing Sylvia has perfected the 'gliding walk', making it look like she is on wheels. Great nod to sisterhood during the 'Julia in disguise' reveal. As for the actor playing Valentine, first rate performance! Such wonderful facial reactions! Love the cheeky ending.

Richard III - Hofstra University, 70th annual Hofstra Shakespeare Festival, 2019 production (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ybjyRxSUBs) - Again, a traditional production. I don't know much about the various histories, so Note to Self: Read the other history play synopses prior to watching them. Comments: Why is Richard portrayed as a hunchback (was he? I don't recall that). What is up with the one gloved hand routine (a la Micheal Jackson)? Wow, was Lord Buckingham really that conniving (probably shouldn't ask, given the portrayal in the Three Musketeers - or was that a different Lord Buckingham? More historical confusion for me). So many questions after watching this one! Kudos to the actor playing Richard III - an amazing actor with stamina to remain in character for near on 3 hours, portraying a physically crocked and limping individual.

Titus Andronicus - The Lawrenceville School, 17th Annual II Form Shakespeare Production, 2019 production (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtDVJCyhAiQ) - Emotional. Powerful. Dramatic. Excellent production put on by high school students (yes, you read correctly... a high school production!) of what is considered to be the Bard's bloodiest of plays. I love that Marcus and Titus are played as sisters in this production. Also, excellent use of minimal stage props and lighting. Really well done!

>94 lkernagh: Oh Lori, I'm so sorry :(

>95 lkernagh: Richard III did have scoliosis, but if I recall correctly, Shakespeare exaggerated the condition into a full-on hunchback to emphasize his villainy (and the villainy itself came about because the source he drew on was pro-Tudor).

Hi Lori, I am just now catching up on reading your challenge reboot posts here. My condolences to you for the recent loss of your aunt and uncle.

I am sorry you are also having to contend with poor air quality. I have family in WA and OR so they are dealing with awful conditions also. CA is not much better. One day the air quality is ok and the next it is bad, depending on the wind direction. I too would welcome some rain right about now. I hope things get better soon for everyone concerned. Firefighters must be worn out by this point.

Enjoy your reading and the Shakespeare side challenge. Very unique! I think I had my fill of reading Shakespeare for a whole year in high school but it is fun to read your updates. Pleasant distractions can be a really good thing during these challenging times. :-)

>94 lkernagh: I'm so sorry to hear about your losses, Lori. I hope that, at least, the smoke situation will get better for you. I'm glad you are enjoying your Shakespeare side-challenge.

>76 lkernagh:
Oh, the challenge of The Name of the Rose, I know it. I don't recall feeling upset with it -- just not invested. I happily anticipate your reaction to Queen Loana.

>77 lkernagh:
>84 lkernagh:
>94 lkernagh:
So sorry to hear about your loss of your aunt and uncle. I hope they both passed without pain and with readiness, and that you all get/got closure despite the small funeral.

And good luck with the smoke! It is disturbingly serious; I am not comfortable messing with lungs or nature. I was just hearing how to build an air purifier from a box fan and a furnace filter rather than paying for the expensive HEPA devices, and it sounds like a possibly interesting project. I hope you're safe!

>94 lkernagh: Oh Lori, I'm so sorry to hear you had another death in the family.

The smoke is really bad here in the Kootenays too. I'm told that because my town in in a mountain valley, the smoke settles into it. It is so quiet too, just like when there is a big snowfall and everything is muffled. And now Canada Post has (rightly) suspended mail delivery all across southern BC. I think that must be a first.

>95 lkernagh: As rabbitprincess mentioned, Shakespeare's source was Thomas More who wrote about Richard III about 100 years after Richard's death and as a Tudor toady his opinion was not to be trusted. Reading Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall boosted my opinion of him (More).

I am sorry to hear of the deaths of your aunt and uncle. It's hard that you couldn't see them off because of the pandemic.

We had pink skies full of smoke back in January, and it's an eerie feeling. You worry because of the air quality where you are, and are constantly reminded of the disaster elsewhere. Stay safe.

So sorry for your loss. Also, bad air quality sucks on top of everything else!

>96 rabbitprincess: - Thanks RP. Always sad when a family member(s) pass, but both were at an age where it shouldn't be a total surpise.

Ah, that is very helpful information and would explain why he would be portrayed as a hunchback (exaggerating the medical condition for dramatic effect).

>97 This-n-That: - Thank you for your kind words. As much as I do not like the poor air quality we experienced here on the island, it is nothing near what others in parts of Washington, Oregon and California had to experience. Our record AQI was only 253... not near the 400s, 500, and even 700s other had to experience. My heart goes out to those people. I agree. The firefighters have done an amazing job, but when fires are that big, it is just a "hold the line" and that must be very draining, physically, mentally and emotionally.

So happy to see you are enjoying my Shakespeare side challenge! I am having a lot of fun with with. If your experience of high school Shakespeare was anything like my experience, I can understand not being entice to jump right in and immerse yourself in Shakespeare. I really found reading Shakespeare to be a chore, but watching the performances really makes it easier to see what Shakespeare might have been trying to convey.

>98 mathgirl40: - Thank you Paulina. The smoke has gone... hung around longer that I would have liked but not something under my control, so just made do as best we could.

>99 pammab: - I am still working my way through Queen Lorna.... kind of a hint as to where this review might be headed unless Eco surprises me. :-) Don't get me wrong. I absolutely loved the first three chapters and cannot sing praise high enough for the wonderful narration of George Guidall, but good old Eco has managed to take me down a bit of a rabbit hole, so kind of mixed thoughts right now (and five chapters still to go).

Thank you for your kind words. My understanding is that they both passed with minimal to no pain, and that is really the most important thing, that they were comfortable in their last weeks/days/hours.

Oh, I love your air purifier project! If you do build one, I would love to learn what you think!
A lot of people don't think about furnace filters but the fabricy bit of a furnace filter is the equivalent to the material used in an N95/N100 mask, so has great use beyond just a furnace filter.

>100 VivienneR: - Thank you Vivianne. I hope you have been keeping safe from the smoke. The smoke has made its way far and wide, kind of as a reminder to us that what happens in one part of the world really does affect all of us. Canada Post suspended mail delivery here on the island as well... definitely a first, as far as my memory goes!

Based on both you and RP's comments, I can really appreciate how a myth can be propagated, especially in a theatrical environment where drama would be enhanced by making Richard III a hunchback. Another example where history needs to be examined and not just trust the arts to convey it accurately.

>101 pamelad: - Thank you. It is hard not to be able to grieve collectively, making it all that more important to put aside time to think about them and remember them.

You are so right... As much as I struggled with the air quality in our area, it was through monitoring this real time air quality index map that I really appreciated that our high of 253aqi was nothing compared with the 400s, 500s and even 700s being experienced elsewhere. My heart goes out to everyone affected in those high zone regions.

>102 Tess_W: - Thanks Tess, and I agree.... bad air quality on top of everything else just sucks!

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Happy Sunday everyone. It has been quite the week. The smoke haze hung around (no wind to push it anywhere) until Thursday evening/Friday morning. As with typical household disasters (furnace breaking down during a cold snap, roof leaks discovered during a monsoon downpour, etc) we discover during the height of the poor air quality that the thermostat for our radiant hot water heat system (not the wall control, but the thermostat in the system) was on the fritz and stuck in the "on" position. Nothing like having heat stuck while extreme unhealthy air quality ratings are happening outside. It took two days to get a repair technician on site to fix, so a couple of uncomfortable days and nights, which lead to smoke haze/sleep deprivation brain fog. Suffice to say, all my energy was put towards doing my job so reading has taken a back burner. Thankfully, after 8 days the smoke haze cleared Thursday evening/Friday morning. This weekend has been spent washing bedding, clothes and curtains (anything that smells of the smoke), so this afternoon I can finally relax and take things easy.

While I have not been reading, I do have another virtual building tour for everyone interested. Wishing everyone a wonderful week ahead!

Lori's "Guided Building Tour" - Victoria edition:

Some visitors to this thread will immediately recognize this week's building: Craigdarroch Castle

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I was in the neighbourhood this weekend so I stopped by and took the above pictures (yes, the smoke haze is gone, just the usual overcast fall skies now).

A registered National Historic Site of Canada, this family residence was built for the 19th century British Columbian industrialist Robert Dunsmuir and his wife Joan. Robert, considered to be the wealthiest British Columbian during his time, made his fortune through coal mining, railways, shipping, lumbering and iron works. Like other 19th century industrialists, Robert asserted his social position through conspicuous displays of wealth (hence, the house). Why just build a big house/mansion when you can build a castle? Granted, this is not on the grand scale of most European castles, but still impressive for a private family residence, even by today's standards, and who doesn't want to have a turret, especially one with such an amazing view.

The house, both exterior and interior, is impressive and features exquisite detailing in stone (granite from British Columbia), stained glass, wrought iron and fine woods, including a very impressive oak staircase that was prefabricated in Chicago. I LOVE stained glass - I am so impressed with the skilled artisan work that goes into producing stained glass "anything" - but windows, with the light shining through, just takes my breath away. You cannot see by my pictures above, but a good number of the windows contain stained glass. Here are some close-up shots, courtesy of the internet:

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First two images posted to wikimedia commons by Christopher Sibley (CC BY 2.0), Third image posted to wilkimedia commons by Steven Pavlov (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The initial architect for the castle was Warren Heywood Williams, an American architect who spend the majority of his career working in Oregon. Williams passed away before completion so his associate Arthur L. Smith completed the job. Sadly, Robert never got the chance to live in his castle. He passed away 17 months before the building was completed in 1890. It is said that the only family members to live in the residence was Joan and three of her adult daughters. Upon Joan's death in 1908, the estate (the house and its 28 acres of formal gardens) was sold to a land speculator for a mind-boggling $38,000 (mind-boggling as there are estimates that it cost $500,000 to build - a fortune by 1880s standards). Through failed speculations, ownership passed in 1919 to the bank. Over the years, the building has served as: a military hospital (1919-1921), the University of Victoria's predecessor Victoria College (1921-1946), the Victoria School Board Office (1946-1968), the Victoria Conservatory of Music (1969-1979) - Yes, the same conservatory in last week's building post - and since 1979, has been the Craigdarroch Castle museum.

The original gate posts to the entrance of what was the Dunsmuir estate still exist, now as the entrance to the neighbourhood:

.

For those interested, this 8 minute YouTube video gives you a visual tour of the castle and its interior (all set to some nice classical music). The museum society puts on an amazing Victorian style Christmas in December, with carolers in period costume, etc but that probably won't be happening this year, because.... you know. *sigh*

If you are like me and enjoy reading family saga histories, I can highly recommend Terry Reksten's The Dunsmuir Saga where she brings to life three generations of the Dunsmuir family: Robert building his fortune, his sons failure to keep the family fortune whole and the grand kids who squandered it. Rags to riches and back to rags in three generations. Excellent reading!

>104 lkernagh: Oh hey, I went there on my one trip to Victoria! It's a beautiful house. I'll have to look for that book!

>105 rabbitprincess: - Happy you were able to visit the castle, RP. I hope you are able to find a copy of the book.... it really makes for interesting reading!

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Book #50 - Dead Man Dancing by John Galligan
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: AlphaKIT "M" - Men; MysteryKIT - "Series"
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: Other
Source: Netgalley
Format: ebook
Original publication date: August 11, 2020
Acquisition date: N/A
Page count: 269 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.10 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.com book listing webpage:

"It’s a time for celebration in Bad Axe County as the town gathers for the annual Syttende Mai—or Norwegian Independence Day—festival. During this rollicking family-oriented event filled with dancing and food, Sheriff Heidi Kick discovers a dark and shocking event—a migrant worker has been savagely beaten but refuses to explain what happened. Then, a sudden murder of a band member shatters the festival. Something is deeply wrong in Bad Axe County.

As she looks for answers, Heidi plunges into a secret underworld where high-stakes cage fights double as combat training for the White Nationalist movement. Then all hell breaks loose for Heidi when her husband disappears and a secret he’s been keeping from Heidi is revealed."

Review:
A great sequel for what I hope will be a long-running series! Galligan skillfully provides readers with another well-paced suspense-filled story, this time tackling hot topics of racism, white supremacists, illegal fight clubs, gender identity and the always intriguing mystery of family secrets. Galligan's Bad Axe world is a gritty one. A world where some residents find it easier to not acknowledge the evil that lurks within the community. With Heidi, we get a heroine who does not turn a blind eye, does not back down and is determined to fight against insurmountable odds. Yes, she lets her heart drive her decisions to act, even if it means sometimes deciding to operate outside of her job's mandate as county sheriff. As with the first book in the series, Galligan brings us real complex characters, some facing internal struggles but each comes to the story with their own flaws, biases and problems.

This gritty, crime novel is not for the faint of heart. It is a story about a community with a heart where some disturbing, deep-seated tensions and prejudices are found simmering below the surface. I should note that there are some disturbing scenes that may trigger some readers. As the saying goes, "Forewarned is forearmed."

I received an unedited proof copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book #51 - The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana by Umberto Eco - Translated from the Italian by Geoffrey Brock; audiobook narrated by George Guidall
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: AlphaKIT "M" - Mysterious; "E" - Eco
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: Author "U" - Umberto
Source: GVPL
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 2004
Acquisition date: N/A
Page count: 375 pages / 14 hours, 54 minutes listening time
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.35 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"Yambo, a sixtyish rare-book dealer who lives in Milan, has suffered a loss of memory-he can remember the plot of every book he has ever read, every line of poetry, but he no longer knows his own name, doesn't recognize his wife or his daughters, and remembers nothing about his parents or his childhood. In an effort to retrieve his past, he withdraws to the family home somewhere in the hills between Milan and Turin. There, in the sprawling attic, he searches through boxes of old newspapers, comics, records, photo albums, and adolescent diaries. And so Yambo relives the story of his generation: Mussolini, Catholic education and guilt, Josephine Baker, Flash Gordon, Fred Astaire. His memories run wild, and the life racing before his eyes takes the form of a graphic novel. Yambo struggles through the frames to capture one simple, innocent image: that of his first love."

Review:
I approached this one with some trepidation. My struggles with The Name of the Rose had me a little worried I would struggle with this one, too. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to encounter a story that started out sharp and witty with accessible prose. Sadly, I found the story gets bogged down in the middle as Yambo is fixated on retrieving his childhood memories of growing up in Fascist Italy. For me, the best part of this story is the first part where we get to experience with Yambo everything from learning once again what tea is ("drink it slowly, don't gulp it") and other common place experiences that are suddenly new due to Yambo's episodic memory loss. Also, in the first part is some wonderful witticism and word play dialogue between Yambo and his wife (who is a psychologist - or psychiatrist - and seems grounded in helping Yambo deal with his memory loss). The extensive references to popular culture, and comic books in particular, reminded me a lot of Michael Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, a book I appreciated for its literary merits but failed to be "wowed" by it as a reader. Same experience with this book: I can appreciate Eco's skill as a writer and a storyteller, but by the end I was quite happy to be finished and move on to something else. I think my lack of enjoyment is in part due to the abundant use of intertextuality (yes, I had to look this up), turning the story into more than just a story when all I want to do is read a story, if that makes any sense.

Overall, I have not completely given up on Eco - I did finish this one, so that is something! - so at some point I will either re-attempt The Name of the Rose or tackle something different of his, but not right away.

>104 lkernagh: Thank you for that lovely tour!

>109 RidgewayGirl: - Glad you enjoyed it!

>108 lkernagh: I don't know what the difference was, but the first time I attempted The Name of the Rose, I set it aside. The next time I picked it up, it was a 5 star read for me. I guess it all depends on your frame of mind at the time.

>108 lkernagh: I feel the same about The Name of the Rose. I read it about 8-10 years ago and I could sum up the book in 10 words or less; I cant' really remember what I read. I'm thinking that I didn't really understand it, there were a lot of characters? For some reason it didn't click and I suspect I should give it another try.

>108 lkernagh: Good review! I know personally I keep wanting to read literary or heavier works, but actually getting into them, well, it is hard to engage. I also recently put aside the Chabon you reference, so maybe this Eco isn't for me right now either. But I do like and appreciate the review!

>111 thornton37814: - Hi Lori, your comments re: The Name of the Rose give me hope!

>112 Tess_W: - I totally understand, Tess. I am hoping Lori's comments >111 thornton37814: that a reader's frame of mind can play a part in tackling that particular Eco.

>113 pammab: - Thanks, Pam! Glad to know I am not the only one who wants to read the heavier literary works and struggling! Have you read Chabon's Gentlemen of the Road? I love that story and it is not as high-brow (although I do admit I had to keep a dictionary handy as I was reading it... Chabon's vocabulary is more extensive than mine is). :-)

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Happy weekend everyone! This past week has been filled with rainy and overcast days, which has freshened things up considerably (and has done wonders for the earlier drought-like conditions). I am taking things easy this weekend, with books and plays lined up and not much else. No new book reviews yet, and I don't have a new building tour post prepared. did not feel like venturing out between rain storms to take pictures and I am still deciding what my building post will focus on. In the meantime, I can at least provide everyone with my Shakespeare plays and reading updates.

Shakespeare Side-Challenge - Update:

Measure for Measure - Walt Disney Modular Theater, 2010 production (https://vimeo.com/26852623) - This is one of Shakespeare's comedies??? *double checks the play list* Okay, I guess it is - yes, there are the odd comic moments - but under the direction of Robert Cucuzza, this is more of a bleak, dystopian-styled play. Not a lot to laugh about happening in this production. Not complaining, just not what I was expecting. If anything, this production speaks to the versatility in interpreting Shakespeare's plays. Love the derelict abandoned factory setting for effect. Of course, now I want to watch a completely different production, just to see another interpretation of the play. LOVE the musical interlude at the halfway mark (1:25:00 in the video)... actually, all the music is great in this production (I am a big fan of minimalist music, in this case, a single guitar with lone vocal accompanist). And OMG, poor Juliet... in this production she is portrayed as a woman in labour... all the way through the play (you get the idea, a lot of moans, etc). Finally, I was not expecting THAT ending.... need to go read a play summary and see if this was one of those artistic license thingees. Overall, a very good production.

QUESTION: What is up with Shakespeare and all these "lost at sea" stories incorporated into his various plays? This theme seems to crop up in a lot of the plays. Thankfully, this is usually used to assist in his stories with confused identities, but still... why the fixation? Writer's block? Use what is readily available? Just wondering...

The Comedy of Errors - Shapespeare's Globe, 2015 production (https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7ulncm ) In 3 parts - Without a doubt, the silliest of Shakespeare's plays. A lot of fun and great entertainment!

... and with this, I have finished watching all the Comedies!

Currently Reading:
..
Audiobook:
Zombie, Ohio by Scott Kenemore - narrated by Danny Campbell - Why this? Because it fits the "Z" Title for my Alphabet Challenge. I don't usually venture into horror or zombie books, but this is proving to be rather fun as the lead character is a recently turned zombie, and kind of in denial about the whole situation. Okay, it has its "gross" moments because - you know, zombies - but not a full on horror novel.
ebook:
The Complete Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries by Dorothy L. Sayers - This will be a year-long read. Currently 3/4 the way through Murder Must Advertise, a fun mystery set in an ad agency. Fun in that the characters and the dialogue are making me think of the Muriel Sparks stories I have read (love her snarky witticism!). I am a little behind with the September Group Read of Hangman's Holiday, a short story collection, so that will probably roll over into October.
Loving Modigliani: The Afterlife of Jeanne Hébuterne by Linda Lappin - Yes, I was lured back into the NetGalley offerings and this one, billed as a ghost/mystery/thriller intrigued me. Will start this one once I am caught up with my Sayers reading.
Physical books:
Nothing at the moment.

>114 lkernagh: I haven't read Gentlemen of the Road, though I'll have to look into it! I just didn't find the characters in The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Klay very compelling. I was trying to read it on audiobook so that might have contributed, and I really liked the sense of place(s). But when I realized I was halfway through and I still just didn't care what happened to the characters, I decided it was silly to spend more time with them. I definitely would try Chabon again though.

>115 lkernagh: It's surprising the difference that a director makes! I never quite realized it until I saw a couple different imaginative stagings of the same play, and they really do differ. Living breathing Shakespeare, indeed.

Hi Lori! I've finally had a weekend with minimalist things to do and so I've been able to catch up on your thread and your lovely tours. And so, first things first:

My condolences on your losses over the summer. It is hard to lose those we love, no matter their age or conditions.

I am glad you are finally getting rain! I have family in Seattle and to watch their pictures of the skyline was just horrid. There were so many losses along the West Coast: homes, lives, trees, wildlife, that it is mind-numbing. I certainly see how you just put books to the side for a while.

Congratulations on finishing Shakespeare's Comedies! How brilliant to watch them via our modern technology.

And congratulations on finishing "Queen Laona." I started it about a decade ago and found that the plot dragged, like you did, and I just couldn't finish it. I was fascinated by his recollections of life before WWII, but the rabbit hole. Must have been a giant tree root in my way! I loved and devoured Name of the Rose, though, and have always wanted to go back and re-read it. I read it quickly, though, which may have helped.

Anyway, thank you for such lovely tours and hope to be able to catch up with you sooner than this time!

>116 lkernagh: Yipee for a fun zombie read! ;)

>117 pammab: - I agree. I wasn't really taken with the characters in Kavalier & Clay either. That, I am not that big on comics, so some of that bored me as well.

I admit, I am really starting to appreciate the creativeness of production directors!

>118 threadnsong: - Thank you for your kind words. You family was probably very happy to see the end of the really nasty week of smoke haze! Of course, we have a bit of smoke haze today from the current California wildfires, but nothing compared with two weeks ago!

I am quite excited as I can see that I should be able to complete my Shakespeare side challenge. I was a little concerned when I took this on, wondering if it would be a challenge to find plays that I can watch (either online or borrowing DVDs from the local library). Thankfully, I did discover that I can "rent" for streaming Shakespeare Globe productions, so I have that as my back-up plan. ;-)

Interesting to read about your experiences with both Queen Loana and Name of the Rose! Gives me some hope for when I decide to re-attempt reading Name of the Rose.

>119 DeltaQueen50: - I know, kind of rare to find a fun zombie read!

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Hello everyone and Happy October! It is starting to feel a little more like fall/autumn so I am finding it easier to spend more time indoors. I managed to finish two books before we said goodbye to September, so I have a couple of reviews and a Currently Reading update ready for posting.

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Book #52 - Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy L. Sayers
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: AlphaKIT "M" - Murder, Must; MysteryKIT "Series"
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: Other
Source: TBR
Format: ebook
Original publication date: 1933
Acquisition date: January 6, 2020
Page count: 314 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.80 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"When copywriter Victor Dean falls to his death on the stairs of Pym’s Advertising Agency, everyone assumes it was an unfortunate accident. His replacement doesn’t think so and begins asking a lot of questions. The new man is something of a mystery to his colleagues, and he certainly dresses well considering his meager writer’s salary. Of course, the new copywriter is none other than Lord Peter Wimsey, working incognito to discover the truth. In between writing catchy slogans, Wimsey sets out to catch the murderer and finds a network of blackmailers, drug pushers, and killers. But the deeper he gets into this criminal underworld, the more his own life is in danger—and as the murders increase, he must work to a tight deadline if he’s to solve the case before it’s too late."

Review:
My favorite Lord Peter Wimsey story so far. Why? Reading this made me think of the intelligent, sarcastic wit found in Muriel Spark stories, aided by the wonderful busyness of a bustling ad agency. I will admit that the mysterious harlequin role Wimsey assumes to infiltrate the notorious de Momerie crowd seemed a bit strange to me - not understanding the significance - but luckily the majority of the story is set squarely within the ad agency. As with the other books in this series, I delight in the details (no train time tables this time, so big YAY for that!), the social commentary and the word play Sayers brings to her stories. Happily, very few red herrings or misdirection this time! Just a solid intricate mystery to unravel, which is easy to do so long as the reader pays close attention to all the clues provided. On a slight downside, I found the chapters with the running commentary of the annual cricket match less appealing, but only because I do not understand the game, so I was a bit lost in following all the details in those chapters. There is even a nice balance with only occasional appearances by Wimsey's Scotland Yard chief inspector friend, Charles Parker.

The overall effect is a story where Wimsey spends most of his time assuming other personas (which makes for a nice change of pace) in the wonderfully intriguing world of advertising.

Book #53 - Zombie, Ohio by Scott Kenemore - audiobook narrated by Danny Campbell
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: "Z" Title - Zombie
Source: GVPL
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: February 8, 2011
Acquisition date: N/A
Page count: 240 pages / 10 hours, 55 minutes listening time
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.70 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"When rural Ohio college professor Peter Mellor dies in an automobile accident during a zombie outbreak, he is reborn as a highly intelligent (yet somewhat amnesiac) member of the living dead. With society crumbling around him and violence escalating into daily life, Peter quickly learns that being a zombie isn’t all fun and brains. Humans — unsympathetic, generally, to his new proclivities — try to kill him at nearly every opportunity. His old friends are loath to associate with him. And he finds himself inconveniently addicted to the gooey stuff inside of people’s heads.

As if all this weren’t bad enough, Peter soon learns that his automobile accident was no accident at all. Faced with the harrowing mystery of his death, Peter resolves to use his strange zombie “afterlife” to solve his own murder."

Review:
Billed as "Skillfully combining the genres of horror, humor, and film noir", along with the detective aspect of our lead protagonist wanting to solve his own death, there is a little bit of something for a wide range of readers to appreciate. Now, I admit I am not a fan of the zombie stories. They are usually creepy and gross and not something I want to spend time reading. This story is different. While still maintaining the gross factor - because zombies like to eat human brains, etc - this story, told from the POV of our recently turned zombie protagonist, has more of an introspective aspect, and it is this that really makes this a different kind of zombie story. Still dystopian with shades of Mad Max societal unrest/chaos with vigilante groups out to protect their own and ruthless biker gangs taking advantage of the zombie uprising and some tragic moments, but Kenemore manages to keep this on the lighter side with witty and humorous dialogue/internal musings while the typical zombie/human action is going on. In Peter, we have a zombie who still remembers what it means to be human, so some interesting dynamics at play here, especially when he assumes the anti-hero role (and that is all you are going to get out of me in the way of spoilers).

Overall, a "fun" read, and the first book where I have actually found myself cheering for the zombie. I do like an author who likes to present readers with a different perspective on the horror/zombie genre. If you are looking for a full on action-packed horror story, this one will seem light-weight and slow-paced for you. Just a heads up.

... Oh, and apparently, this is the first book in what is currently a three book series.

Currently Reading:
..
Audiobook:
The Lost and Forgotten Languages of Shanghai by Ruiyan Xu - narrated by Angela Dawe - A search of my local library digital collection found this audiobook... a perfect fit for the "X" Author slot of my Alphabet Challenge.
ebook:
The Complete Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries by Dorothy L. Sayers - This will be a year-long read. Have started the first short story in Hangman's Holiday, the September Group Read. Fingers crossed I will catch up with the year long group read this month.
Loving Modigliani: The Afterlife of Jeanne Hébuterne by Linda Lappin - Yes, I was lured back into the NetGalley offerings and this one, billed as a ghost/mystery/thriller intrigued me. Will start this one once I am caught up with my Sayers reading.
Physical books:
Nothing at the moment.

>104 lkernagh: I used to live just one block from Craigdarroch Castle! Happy to be reminded of it. Many of the books in the University of Victoria (where I worked) still have the Victoria College stamp.

>121 lkernagh: Nice review! This is one of the Sayers' books still on my tbr list. I look forward to it.

>124 VivienneR: - So happy to learn that you used to live in that neighbourhood! I love that area. Rockland Avenue and the side streets are filled with unique homes to look at... and so close to Government House and the gardens.

Thanks! I am really starting to enjoy Sayers' books. Of course, I am reading a bit out of Group Read order, as I am following the order in my omnibus edition. Oh well. ;-)

>123 lkernagh: I hope you enjoy Lord Peter more than I do. I don't think I'd be able to catch up in a single month. Once a month is really too much Lord Peter for me, but I'll get through it knowing the October read seems to be a crowd favorite and that the forthcoming The Nine Tailors, another crowd favorite, which I read at some point in the past but wasn't as impressed (probably because I didn't have his back story) is coming.

>126 thornton37814: - I totally agree with you about Lord Peter! He is a bit too much to have to take in on a regular basis! If it helps any, Murder Must Advertise is the best of the bunch so far in that Sayers gives more or less equal 'book time' to the various characters in the ad agency, so this one fits, IMO, into the more mainstream golden age of mystery and less Wimsey flamboyant than Sayers other Wimsey books, IMO.

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Another weekend gone and not a whole lot to show for it. Not a huge concern. Not a lot of reading done but I do have a Shakespeare side-challenge update and a new buildings post, so that is something. ;-)

Lori's "Guided Building Tour" - Victoria edition:

This post's featured building: St. Ann's Academy

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From L to R: My photo. West entrance to the grounds (foggy morning shot); main drive way, posted to Wikimedia Commons by lota 9 (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Occupying approximately 6.25 acres of land within Victoria's original urban core, St. Ann's Academy and its grounds were designated in 1989 as a National Historic Site of Canada. Built by the Roman Catholic Congregation of the Order of the Sisters of Saint Ann (founded in 1850 by Esther Blondin - Mother Marie-Anne, in Lachine, Quebec), the building history can be traced as far back as the mid-19th century. The Academy was built in three stages between 1871 and 1910 (resulting in a composite of styles).


Two styles of St. Ann's Academy as posted to Wikimedia Commons by lota 9 (CC BY-SA 3.0)

The oldest part of the academy is the chapel which was designed by Father Joseph Michaud and built in 1858 as St. Andrew's Cathedral (version #1 - current cathedral is version #3) comprised of Vancouver Island cedar and Californian redwood, before it was offered as a gift to the Academy and moved in 1886, became St. Ann's Chapel. Seriously, I have seen some of the logistics involved today to move a house from "A" to "B", so I am just stunned that they accomplished a building move in 1886 (maybe they took it apart and rebuilt it... not sure). Still, quite a feat, IMO. Anyways, the chapel:

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From L to R: My photo. East rear of building (exterior of chapel extending to the left); Chapel interior circa 1910s?, City of Victoria Archives

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From L to R: Chapel interior and Chapel organ, both circa 2010, as posted to Wikipedia Commons by lota 9 (CC BY-SA 3.0);

The pipe organ in the above right image was made by Casavant Brother in Saint Hyacinthe (Quebec) and was acquired for the chapel in 1913.

I would be remiss if I did not include the grounds in this post. The grounds consist of a formal processional allée created with tree rows and hedges (see main drive way picture above), an orchard containing approximately 100 original fruit trees, a novitiate garden (hidden behind the hedge in my photo above of the East rear building), a formally landscaped area containing several historic trees, structural remnants (modern picture with explanation to follow), formal gardens, hedges, historic paths and walkways, and additional plantings established by the Sisters of St. Ann around the Academy building and along sections of the site perimeter, and a perimeter wall and gates. The one obvious structural remnant that remains today is this:


My photo

This is a picture of the remnants of a fountain located within the arboretum/meditative garden on the grounds, where an unusual battleship fountain (moat included) was added by Father Vullinghs to his garden design of 1911. The moat was filled with water from a stream bed and encircled a large, jagged rock atop which a concrete and stone man-of-war rested. Complete with cannons that shot water (not exactly what one would expect to find in the meditative gardens of a Roman Catholic academy!)

Something I do need to point out is the French Canadian origins and influence behind St. Ann's Academy. A lot of people don't know/realize that the population of Fort Victoria (for those not in the know, British Columbia did not join confederation until 1871) was largely French speaking, due to the presence of the French Canadian employees of the Hudson's Bay Company and their families, so it is no surprise that the architecture of the academy has French Canadian influences and is considered to be an architectural jewel constructed in a classical style evocative of a Quebec convent.

During its 115 years history, the Academy served as: the major female Roman Catholic teaching and nursing order in British Columbia (with St. Joseph's Hospital located next door); a girls Catholic boarding and day school from grade 3-12 (K - 3 was in a separate building) and boys K - 3, as well as serving as the Provincial House, convent and novitiate as the regional motherhouse for the Sisters of St. Ann. I also need to mention in this post that Academy was never an Indian Residential School (more information, as a mere backgrounder regarding the Canadian Indian Residential Schools can be found here: https://indigenouspeoplesatlasofcanada.ca/article/history-of-residential-schools... )

The Academy did face some challenges, in particular due to the fact that it welcomed students of all faiths from around the world including Holland, El Salvador, England, Scotland, China, Czechoslovakia, Germany, France, Mexico, Iceland, Japan, Italy and Poland, as well as all parts of Canada and the United States. Due to lobbying of parents from the United States, some parents demanded that there be separate classrooms for dark skinned students (just mentioning that this happened, not saying it was right). Keep in mind, the Academy ceased operating as a teaching institution in 1973 and sold the property to the Public Works Department of the BC government in 1974, at which time the Sisters deconsecreated the chapel. Eventually condemned and then closed for a decade, $16.2 million was spent in restoration of the building, creating the Interpretive Center for visitors as well as converting the 1910 wing into modern office space (currently leased by the BC government Ministry of Advanced Education, including the restored 1910 auditorium). Nothing overly special about the auditorium (I have no pictures to share) but I can mention that while the wooden chairs backs are curved to provide some comfort, one really cannot sit comfortably in the chairs, with their drop-down wooden seats, for longer than 1 hour without getting really uncomfortable in the derriere region (not to mention the back). The inconveniences of being able to sit in history). ;-)

More details about the history and building can be read in these downloadable self-guided tour pamphlets".

Given that it is October and Victoria is known for its haunted sites, I would be remiss if I did not point out that the Academy is a hotspot for ghost sightings and a popular stop on local ghost tours. The early mornings have seen reports of nuns witnessed wandering their convent’s grounds (not by this early morning photobug). Possibly this is because nuns originally buried on the property were exhumed and moved to the Sisters’ new plot in the Ross Bay Cemetery in 1974. Another notable figure seen at St. Ann’s Academy is the ghost of Emily Carr, a famous Canadian painter and author. Her birth house, where she has also been spotted (and will be a future building post), is reasonable close to the Academy site (which leads me to wonder, how far can spirits travel?).

Shakespeare Side-Challenge - Update:

Cymbeline - Shakespeare by the Sea traveling actors troupe, 2016 production (performed in Rossmoor) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGcS6C9_kkY) - Starting off with a comment that I am impressed that the actors in the traveling troupe are the ones who assemble the stage before performing. Wonderfully performed, but another example where I am baffled - this time - as to why this one is considered to be a tragedy. At least modern critics join me in thinking that this would be more appropriately classified as a romance. I know, we don't seem to have a "Romance" category for Shakespeare plays, so I lean towards this being a comedy, this time with Cloten, the son of Imogen's step mother, playing the fool, and not the typical court jester as in other plays.

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... I am having an awful time trying to locate a recorded production of Troilus and Cressida, the last play to compete my Tragedies in this side challenge. I was stunned.... Yes, STUNNED! .... to discover that Shakespeare's Globe does not make a production of Troilus and Cressida available for rent for online viewing. Am I missing something? I swear they have every other Shakespeare play available for purchased online viewing, so What. The. Hey.??? Good grief, I may have to resort to an audio version to complete this section of my side challenge. Was not expecting that. Hum.

>128 lkernagh: Beautiful building and interesting history.

>128 lkernagh: I well remember when St. Ann's was a school and a couple of my friends were sent there, and of course, they hated it as the nuns were pretty strict and "no boys" was no fun for 15 year olds. If memory serves me right, after it was closed down and before they decided what they were going to do with it, the gardens became a haven for the homeless until eventually there was trouble with drugs and alcohol and everyone was cleared out.

>130 thornton37814: - Hi Lori, the grounds are lovely to walk through and really glad it will not be torn down to make way for new development like the fate of St. Joseph's Hospital next door.

>131 DeltaQueen50: - LOL, I can just imagine the pouts at St. Ann's 'no boys' policy, Judy! Half the fun of high school, for me anyways, was to observe the boys in the class when the lecture was boring. ;-) You memory does serve you correctly. The building and grounds went through a period of decline before a decision was finally made to restore the building and grounds to its original glory (or as near as possible while still keeping it functional with more modern amenities). Sadly, Beacon Hill Park (among others) have been a haven for the homeless during this pandemic. I have no problem with the homeless and understand that they need a place to sleep, but it is the bad element that preys on the homeless (get them hooked on drugs, etc) that has lead to a large increase in crime in town and concerning damage to the park areas.

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It is Friday and the first day of a lovely 5-day long weekend for me! I have to admit, working from home, the days off from work are not as 'special' as when I was working in the office, but that will start to change next week as I transition to a partial return to working out of the office 2-days a week. Yes, I have already checked that I can still fit into my office wardrobe, so no need to do any panic clothes shopping. ;-)

>132 lkernagh: They have yet to come up with a good solution for the homeless, they are usually harassed and moved along when they find somewhere to set up but the homes and shelters can be dangerous for them and there simply isn't enough safe places set aside for them to go. You gave me a chuckle when you wrote that you checked to ensure that your work clothes still fit - my husband pulled out a pair of dress pants the other day and was shocked to find that they no longer fit around his waist - his bad knee/back and Covid has curtailed his activities.

>133 DeltaQueen50: - I agree, Judy. It is a very sad state of affairs. We really need more mental health supports (among other things) to help the homeless. LOL you husband! Yes, I did want to make sure that skirts and dress pants still fit.... I have been wearing my work tops while working from home, but took advantage of the warm spring/summer months to wear shorts and capris.

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Happy Sunday everyone! Even though Monday is the official Thanksgiving Day holiday here in Canada, we typically do the 'big dinner' in my family on the Sunday (Monday then becomes a happy lazy day for leftovers). It will be just the two of us this year. I was happy to discover a few years back that one of the local grocery stores has local fresh turkey breast roasts and that has been our go to for the past three years - no large bird to cook, no carcass to deal with (although, now that I am making soap stock from scratch, that will be missed this year). That, and all the usual fixings will be the menu this evening. I am not a big pumpkin pie fan - hard to find a decent commercially baked one (and I am crap at making pie pastry) - so it will be carrot cake for dessert. ;-)

>134 lkernagh: Happy Thanksgiving, Lori! Ours will be just the two of us as well. We'd already nixed the big extended-family gathering at the start of the school year, but had planned to at least meet my in-laws and my sister-in-law and her husband (our "social bubble"). But with the case numbers the way they are in Ottawa, the public health authorities strongly recommended sticking to one's own household for Thanksgiving, so that's what we're doing! We'll have a Facetime session this afternoon though.

On the menu for us is a veggie Thanksgiving dinner because we didn't get a chance to get a turkey: lentils, potatoes, carrots, squash, and stuffing. And apple crisp for dessert. Other half had intended to make a pie, but because it's just two of us, crisp is easier for us to get through. I don't like apple pie but LOVE apple crisp.

>135 rabbitprincess: - Hi RP, I hear you on nixing the big-extended family gatherings. I learned this morning that my dad is benefiting from the lack of large family dinners this year as he will get two Thanksgiving dinners this year (Saturday and then Monday) hosted by different siblings of mine that live in Calgary so he is quite happy about that. :-)

Your dinner sounds fabulous! I love lentils (I have slowly converted the other half, but it took some time). Apple crisp sounds like the perfect autumn dessert. YUM!

Last day of my 5-day long weekend and it is pouring buckets outside! A good day to stay indoors, get some housework done and make a casserole out of the leftover turkey from Sunday's dinner. I know that not everyone is a casserole fan, but I find them to be fantastic cold weather/winter meals. Today's casserole will be wild rice, sweet potato, asparagus and turkey with a seasoned bread crumb topping.

I love casseroles and after having two (plus one tonight) meals on the two turkey breasts that I cooked, I cubed the rest and have frozen it for a future turkey casserole. We have some rather watery sunshine this morning but since you have rain, I expect we will be getting that later on. Enjoy your last day off, Lori.

>138 DeltaQueen50: - Happy to see you are also a casserole lover, Judy!

Book #54 - The Lost and Forgotten Languages of Shanghai by Ruiyan Xu - audiobook narrated by Angela Dawe
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: "X" Author - Xu
Source: GVPL
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: October 12, 2010
Acquisition date: N/A
Page count: 352 pages / 10 hours, 55 minutes listening time
Decimal/ Star rating: 2.40 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"Li Jing, a successful, happily married businessman, is dining at a grand hotel in Shanghai when a gas explosion shatters the building. A shard of glass neatly pierces Li Jing's forehead — obliterating his ability to speak Chinese. The only words that emerge from his mouth are faltering phrases of the English he spoke as a child growing up in Virginia. Suddenly Li Jing finds himself unable to communicate with his wife, Meiling, whom he once courted with beautiful words, as she struggles to keep his business afloat and maintain a brave face for their son. The family turns to an American neurologist, Rosalyn Neal, who is as lost as Li Jing--whom she calls James--in this bewitching, bewildering city, where the two form a bond that Meiling does not need a translator to understand."

Review:
I struggled with this one on a couple of levels. One, I was baffled that RBDigital (the library service I borrowed the audiobook through) includes this one under its "Suspense/Thriller" genre filter. The "General Fiction" category I get, but no, this is not a suspense/thriller. Not even close, unless you count two chapters near the end. Two, I just do not understand the choice of the title. Usually the title of the story makes sense in the context of the story. This time, I am just not getting the connection.

One one level, this is a story about love, family and how important the ability to communicate (language) is for our relationships and our understanding of the world around us. The writing is eloquent and the depiction of Shanghai is well drawn. I admit to be intrigued by the medical aspects of the story - the bilingual aphasia Li Jing's suffers from that whips out his ability to speak Chinese (his second language) and leaves him with only broken fragments of his first language, English - but that is not enough to save this story. While I found the American neurologist Rosalyn's foreign perspective of Shanghai interesting (and the community of expatriates she encounters was not a big surprise), I found the whole relationship quagmire to get tedious, really fast. I might have enjoyed this story more if Rosalyn had been more professional in her interactions with her patient. Of course, that would have meant a completely different kind of story, so I guess I will just have to chalk this one up as not for me.

>140 lkernagh: I hate it when, by the end of the book, I can't figure out why the title! It has happened to me a couple of times this year.

>141 Tess_W: - I am so glad it is not just me that finds titles that don't seem to have a connection to the story frustrating!

--------------------------------------

I have had one of those productive/frustrating mornings. Productive in that: 1) I got the shopping done, and 2) I did my civic duty and did my in-person advanced voting for BC's October 24 provincial elections. Armed with my face mask, my voter's card, ID and a pen to mark the ballot, I was expecting a quick "in and out" for voting. I am a morning person so I was at my local advanced voting station five minutes after it opened (three voting stations available for me and the one other voter there at the time), so it should have been quick but, of course, every time I vote, something goes wrong. This time, when they scanned the bar code on my voter card, my details did not "pop up". They had to manually enter my ID (same used to register to vote) before they had the information to process me. ;-)

That was not the frustrating part of my morning. Silly me, I thought I could just go shopping for a replacement tension pole shower caddy for the bathroom. Yah. Good. Luck. With. That. I don't like being in a "must shop online" world for products because I want to support local businesses, or at least Canadian businesses, not Amazon. (Don't get me started on Amazon. That is a rant you do not want to be subjected to). I do still have a couple of local options and if I have to resort to ordering online, I will be giving preference to those businesses that allow for 'ship to store' for pickup, because in the end, at least that supports that local store and its employees. Yes, I have taken my shopping to that kind of local strategic level to support the local economy first. It is the least I can do.

As for the rest of today, laundry is now done and dinner is just 'heat and serve' tonight as it will be the leftovers from last night's takeaway (Chinese food from the restaurant down the street, washed down with a growler of lager beer from one of the local breweries).

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend!

>137 lkernagh:
Your casserole sounds fantastic! I love a good casserole too.

>143 Nickelini: - Thanks Joyce! I am a big comfort food fan. ;-)

---------------------------

Reporting success on the new tension pole shower caddy purchase. I am blaming "pandemic brain" for forgetting that we actually still have a Bed Bath and Beyond store in town. Project this afternoon is to make some Scottish Oat Shortbread and start thinking about possibly making Christmas cards this years (after a two year break from doing so).

Hello everyone. My apologies for being absent from my own thread. The short story is that even in these times of Covid, other real life (RL) events continue to happen. A work colleague has gone out on medical leave so I am kind of doing double duty and will be for the immediate future. We all hope for good treatment outcome for the colleague. I wish I had the time to visit threads and see how everyone is doing, but my reading has been curtailed and my LT time is and will be next to zero for most likely the rest of 2020. If I catch a breather, I will pop in and maybe visit some threads, but it will be skim reading at best. That being said, I did take advantage of the Remembrance Day holiday to get caught up on a couple of reviews.

Wishing everyone well and I will pop back in, as time and RL demands permit.

Book #55 - Jeneration X by Jen Lancaster - audiobook narrated by the author
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: GeoCAT (US)
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: "X" Title - X
Source: GVPL
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: May 1, 2012
Acquisition date: N/A
Page count: 361 pages / 7 hours, 56 minutes listening time
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.80 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: adapted from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"Jen Lancaster gives herself—and her generation—a kick in the X, by facing her greatest challenge to date: acting her age.

Jen is finally ready to put away childish things (except her Barbie Styling Head, of course) and embrace the investment-making, mortgage-carrying, life-insurance-having adult she’s become. From getting a mammogram to volunteering at a halfway house, she tackles the grown-up activities she’s resisted for years, and with each rite of passage she completes, she’ll uncover a valuable — if probably humiliating — life lesson that will ease her path to full-fledged, if reluctant, adulthood."

Review:
I had no knowledge of Jen, or her previous books, before I picked this one up. This was a fun, pop-culture, reality-check kind of read. It helps that Jen and I are almost the same age, so her references to things like Rick Springfield, Teen Beat, etc were strong teen memory twigs for me. She is also a very relatable type of writer. She calls a spade a spade (politely) and is the first to admit her own short-comings, so a breath of fresh air to follow her as she goes through a number of "must grow up" rights of passage covering everything from mortgage applications and buying your first home to the necessary task of setting up a will. She still covers some frivolous fun topics, my personal favorite being the outcome of her decision to take the plunge with a skirted bathing suit (cute and figure flattering can have a downside!). I also took away some great travel advise from Jen who proudly admits she can pack for a book tour with just carry-on luggage.

Overall, a fun book filled with some really good advice for Generation X, and Generation Y.

.
Book #56 - Hangman's Holiday by Dorothy L. Sayers
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: Other
Source: TBR
Format: ebook
Original publication date: 1933
Acquisition date: January 6, 2020
Page count: 183 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.40 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: derived from multiple sources:

"In this collection of short stories featuring Lord Peter Wimsey and Montague Egg, the two amateur detectives encounter everything from Poisoned port to pet cats in peril to purloined pearls to the mysteries of the fourth dimension and a murder in fancy dress. Wimsey pursues miscreants across several countries and into unexpected hiding places while Sayers' other detective, travelling salesman extraordinaire Montague Egg, solves puzzles with a unique combination of matter-of-fact practicality and brilliant deduction, including a fugitive murderer and a killer in an Oxford cloister."

Review:
As with the previous Sayers short story collection, this review will comprise of flash reviews of the twelve detective stories in the collection.

Lord Peter Wimsey stories:
The Image in the Mirror - Sayers proves that she does not shy away from dipping into the horror and speculative fiction genres with this intriguing tale of murder and the fourth dimension. I love that I got to learn something about the medical condition called "Situs inversus" while reading this one!
The Incredible Elopement of Lord Peter Wimsey - Another creepy tale with shades of the gothic to it. A bit uneven/choppy in places but a satisfactory ending, for me anyways.
The Queen's Square - I love the festive fancy dress ball setting. A tricky little mystery (trying to keep track of the various characters and their costumes). the story gets a bit bogged down with details of the Sir Roger de Coverley dance, IMO, but leave it to Bunter to provide the key piece of information to solve the mystery!
The Necklace of Pearls - A short Christmas-themed mystery that hit all the right notes with me: Good setting, intriguing mystery and one where Sayer provided enough subtle (and not so subtle) clues that I was able to figure out "who" and the "where" rather easily.

Montague Egg stories:
The Poisoned Dow '08r - A wonderful introduction to Montegue Egg! An informative little mystery around wine/port. Sayers does write a decent "locked room" mystery.
Sleuths on the Scent - While I thought Sayer was making it a little too easy to guess the murderer, I still found this to be an enjoyable mystery with a cozy pub setting.
Murder in the Morning - A quaint mystery but I am really baffled by the outcome... everything seems to turn on a British 'thing' of the time period that is alien to me. *shrugs*
One Too Many - Dear me, Sayers does have a fascination with trains and time schedules! *groans* Putting aside my distaste at yet another train-related mystery, I do have to give Sayers kudos for the ruse uncovered. Well played and I love the cheeky ending!
Murder at Pentecost - Love the Oxford setting. Young undergraduate Radcoot is an refreshing and entertaining character. Yes, I found myself following a red herring but still, what an odd mystery!
Maher-Shalal-Hashbaz - London, cats and the evil that lurks in some individuals. An okay mystery... definitely easy to fathom out, so more for the horror factor? I don't know.

Other stories:
The Man Who Knew How - My favorite mystery in this book. I do love psychological thrillers and Sayers provides a goodie, right down to the mysterious identity of Pender's evening train ride companion.
The Fountain Plays - As Sayers shows with this one, the devil is in the details.

Overall, It was fun to be introduced to Montague Egg and to encounter other short stories that do not include Wimsey!

.
Book #57 - Loving Modigliani: The Afterlife of Jeanne Hébuterne by Linda Lappin
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: "J" Title - Jeanne
Source: Netgalley
Format: ebook
Original publication date: December 15, 2020
Acquisition date: N/A
Page count: 263 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.20 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: adapted from the amazon.com book listing webpage:

"Amedeo Modigliani, embittered and unrecognized genius, dies of meningitis on a cold January day in Montparnasse in 1920. Jeanne Hébuterne, his young wife and muse, follows 48 hours later, falling backwards through a window. Now a ghost, Jeanne drifts about the studio she shared with Modigliani—for she was not only his favorite model, but also an artist whose works were later shut away from public view after her demise. Enraged, she watches as her belongings are removed from the studio and her identity as an artist seemingly effaced for posterity, carried off in a suitcase. Thus begins Loving Modigliani, retelling the story of Jeanne Hébuterne’s fate as a woman and an artist through three timelines and three precious objects stolen from the studio: a diary, a bangle, and a self-portrait of Jeanne depicted together with Modi and their daughter. A century later, Jeanne Hébuterne’s artwork will be rescued from oblivion."

Review:
I will start off this review by mentioning that I had never heard of Jeanne Hébuterne or Amedeo Modigliani prior to reading this novel, so I cannot speak to any historical accuracies. Part fantasy, part historical fiction, part romance and part mystery/suspense, Lappin gives readers a tantalizing fictitious glimpse into the life (and afterlife) of Jeanne Hébuterne - a young aspiring artist from a bourgeois Parisian family. Jeanne's love for Modigliani is heartbreaking in the sacrifices she is prepared to make to be with Modi. This story spans four timelines: Jeanne's early 1900s life (the historical fiction part), Jeanne's immediate afterlife as a ghost/spirit (the fantasy part), 60 years after Jeanne's death (the mystery/suspense part) and the year 2021 (where the story concludes).

I am a huge fan of historical fiction so I was enthralled with the rich details of the World War I/early 1900s Parisian Montparnasse 'art scene'. I particularly loved Lappin use of the three diaries to communicate Jeanne's thoughts and emotions. The depiction of the afterlife pulled me right in. It is in fact my favorite part of the whole story, so I was a little saddened when the story suddenly shifting gears to 1981 and takes the reader down a rather predictable mystery/suspense plot of an art scholar who finds herself involved in a fanciful hunt for a rumored Modigliani/Hébuterne painting. This novel could be parsed into three separate novels, which makes this one a bit challenging, at least for me. If you are looking for a straightforward story to sink into, this isn't it. I think this story may have widest appeal with fans of stories that have a strong art focus. For me, I would have preferred if this had been either a solid historical fiction or a delightful fantasy to escape into, but no matter. Lappin has proven with this genre-bender that she is an author who cannot be defined by just one particular genre.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Serving House Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

That is a tough time ahead for you, Lori, so I hope you're taking good care you're not the one who needs medical leave when your colleague returns.

Yes, take care of yourself as well. Hope your colleague is on the mend soon.

>149 MissWatson: and >150 rabbitprincess: - Thank you Birgit and RP for your good health wishes. Work colleague's medical treatments are going well, but there is still a long road ahead - we anticipate it will be 4-5 more months before they even start a partial return to work - so we are just taking things day by day, hoping for good health outcomes and not letting everything overwhelm me. Good thing I have always been a stickler for not working beyond my normal work hours, so I am still maintaining that work-life balance.

-----------------------------------

Peeking in to say that all is going as well as can be expected, given the rising Covid case number and province-wide restrictions now in place to try and stem the growing numbers. Back working from home full time and will be for the foreseeable future. Reading has slowed to a trickle as I find I am spending more evenings now either passively watching movies/shows (I can highly recommend The Hour if you like period pieces like Foyle's War, etc) or listening to music. I did finish making my Christmas cards (still need to mail them out) so that is an accomplishment. Other than that, Just focusing on staying healthy, getting in daily walks for exercise and fresh air and trying to not spend too much time baking in the kitchen. ;-)

I hope everyone one is staying safe and keeping healthy, both mentally and physically.

.
Book #58 - The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World by Laura Imai Messina
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: Other
Source: Netgalley
Format: ebook
Original publication date: June 2020
Acquisition date: N/A
Page count: 233 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.10 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"When Yui loses both her mother and her daughter in the tsunami, she begins to mark the passage of time from that date onward: Everything is relative to March 11, 2011, the day the tsunami tore Japan apart, and when grief took hold of her life. Yui struggles to continue on, alone with her pain. Then, one day she hears about a man who has an old disused telephone booth in his garden. There, those who have lost loved ones find the strength to speak to them and begin to come to terms with their grief. As news of the phone booth spreads, people travel to it from miles around. Soon Yui makes her own pilgrimage to the phone booth, too. But once there she cannot bring herself to speak into the receiver. Instead she finds Takeshi, a bereaved husband whose own daughter has stopped talking in the wake of her mother’s death."

Review:
This is one of those "right book, right time" kind of reads, especially in these days of pandemic. It is a quietly contemplative, hopeful story of family, loss, grief, love and hope. At the heart of this story is a simple premise: that every person will find a place - be it real or somewhere deep within themselves - where they can tend to their emotional pain, loss, suffering and heal their wounds. This place can take on a different meaning and purpose for each person, but the end result is the same: the ability we all have to go from a place of darkness, pain and suffering to one of sunlight, healing and hope. Beautifully written, I love the idea of a Wind Phone to connect with our loved ones, when normal communication channels are not available, or not working. This book, for me anyways, really was a balm for my soul... soothing and nurturing with a calming, meditative pace. A place of solace in these crazy times.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Overlook Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

>152 lkernagh: - I had already heard of this and took a BB from JayneCM earlier this year. It sounds like a book I would enjoy and I'm going to try to get to it this winter when I have more time stuck in the house.

>152 lkernagh: Sounds lovely. On my wish list it goes!

>153 dudes22: and >154 Tess_W: - Hi Betty and Tess. I hope The Phone Booth at the Edge of World is as comforting read for both of you as it was for me.

.
Book #59 - A Red Door by Kathryn Jarvis
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: "K" Author - Kathryn
Source: LTER
Format: ebook
Original publication date: September 3, 2020
Acquisition date: October 9, 2020
Page count: 251 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 2.85 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"A Red Door is an honest and moving story about the unraveling of a marriage and the breakup of a young family during the late 1980s AIDS crisis, a time when most people who had the disease kept it a secret for as long as possible. Seemingly, happily married, and mother to two young children, Kathryn is confronted with the possibility of infection and later the knowledge that her husband, who is diagnosed with HIV has been untruthful for a number of years, risking hers and their children’s lives. As the story unfolds, we see the anger and destruction brought about by betrayal and loss of trust in a time of crisis, but also the resilience and love that ultimately holds us together."

Review:
Hard not to approach this story without expecting to experience some level of emotional response. The author writes from the heart and is very candid in her portrayal of events. While there is an enormous emotional/physical toll and social stigmatism associated with a medical diagnosis of HIV-positive - especially during the 1980s setting for this autobiographical story - it is the secret life her husband had lead and his controlling behaviour, even as the disease was taking over, that makes this such a one-two gut punch. To properly appreciate this one and why the low rating from me, I have to break this review down a bit. This story gets a solid 4.5 stars for capturing the medical information and the social stigmatism of the era. The author nails this. Where I rip my hair out in frustration is the portrayal of their marriage in crisis. It was definitely in crisis, but I point the finger at both parties for creating such an emotionally charged marriage meltdown. Yes, her husband wasn't a saint but she made some decisions that fueled the flames on their imploding marriage (which I won't go into here as that would require some spoiler alerts). I really struggled to feel sympathy for either of them (outside of the very sad medical diagnosis). At one point, I almost abandoned this book, I was that annoyed with what was playing out. My sympathy lies squarely with their two children.

Overall, this book might make for a good book club choice given that there are so many ethical topics to examine and discuss.

Wow, hard to believe that it is holiday "crunch" time! I hope everyone is keeping well. We have plans for a low-key, stay at home Christmas. The nice thing about low-key is that everything is done. Tree is up, cards are mailed out, gifts are under the tree or with the recipients. Only thing left to do is one more grocery store trip. I am not usually this organized, so it feels pretty good.

I have been checking my various challenges. I have bailed on my Shakespeare plays challenge for now. May pick up where I left off next year. I just have 6 more books to fill my two Alphabet Challenges, which I still think is do-able. Not sure I will make it to 75 books read this year. Oh well.

In the meantime, I do have two more book reviews ready for posting.

.
Book #60 - Nowhere Near Goodbye by Barbara Conrey
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: "N" Title - Nowhere, Near
Source: LTER
Format: ebook
Original publication date: August 2, 2020
Acquisition date: October 19, 2020
Page count: 252 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.20 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"A mother’s love vs. a doctor’s oath. Oncologist Emma Blake has dedicated her life to finding a cure for a rare brain cancer. Twenty-five years ago, Emma’s childhood friend Kate died of glioblastoma, and Emma vowed to annihilate the deadly disease. Now, Kate’s father, Ned, is pushing her to work harder to fulfill that promise. When Emma discovers she’s pregnant, she’s torn between the needs of her family and the demands of her work. While Ned pressures her to do the unthinkable, her husband, Tim, decorates the nursery. Unwilling to abandon her research, Emma attempts to keep both sides of her life in balance. Emma knows she needs to reconcile her past with her present and walk the fine line between mother and physician. But Ned has a secret, and when Emma discovers what he’s been hiding, the foundation of her world cracks. Nowhere Near Goodbye is a story of family, failure, and second chances."

Review:
As a general observation of my reading lately - and an indication of the type of story this is - I really need to find more cheerful books to read.

Some might call this a thoughtful women's fiction. Yes, at its core this is one of those "career versus family" dilemmas the lead character faces, but there is more to it than just that. Toss in huge amounts of childhood-inflicted guilt, a manipulating mentor with a singular focus and it is no surprise that some of the events in this story play out the way they do. If anything, this is a story about the importance of being truthful with yourself and of open, honest communication in relationships.

I will admit that I requested this one for its medical angle. Conrey does a great job capturing the devastating impact of glioblastoma multiforme (GMB) - an incurable brain tumor with a short life expectancy - and the still growing body of research/treatment being pursued by the medical community. As a character, I found Emma to be very frustrating. She is too "closed in", exhibiting a veneer of emotional detachment that - well - really does not help matters, IMO, and is not completely reflective of what she is experiencing beneath the surface. Unfortunately, the story takes a more 'telling' than 'showing' approach, with some explanations being repeated, so I found it hard to invest myself in this one.

Overall, this is a story about motherhood and second chances. Great from a medical research angle but less so for the plot and the characters. This may not appeal to all readers, especially if you are like me and find characters that come across "kind of extreme" as frustrating. The raw emotions also got to be a bit much, for this reader anyways. Big on drama. I did like the ending, if that helps any.

.
Book #61 - The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: N/A
Source: TBR
Format: ebook
Original publication date: 1934
Acquisition date: January 6, 2020
Page count: 313 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.20 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the penguinrandomhouse.ca book listing webpage:

"Chance car troubles leave Lord Peter stranded in the small town, and when he discovers that a theft of emeralds from a family twenty years earlier was never solved, his detective’s curiousity is piqued. But unsurprisingly, things turn out to be more complicated as Lord Peter could have suspected, as he begins to uncover a web of murder, conspiracy, and false identity."

Review:
My favorite Lord Peter Wimsey story! I whole-heartedly agree with the description that this story is "steeped in the atmosphere" and "a tale of suspense, character, and mood". Now, I do admit, I am fascinated with campanology and bell ringing, thanks to the Midsomer Murder Mystery episode "Ring Out Your Dead". Add to that the bleak, unforgiving environment of the fen-country of East Anglia - an area of England I have sadly not visited in person - and a cracking good mystery (where we don't have Wimsey playing the fool or the dramatist as encountered with the earlier stories in the series) and I am a happily enthralled reader. Definitely a 'stormy night, curled up before the fireplace" kind of read.

Of course, I would be remise if I did not acknowledge that this was also a lovely change of pace from my last couple of books. A perfect palate cleanser, IMO and I appreciate Sayers depth of research - I learned a lot more about mathematical 'science' behind bell ringer while enjoying this story. Informative and entertaining.

Book #62 - A Phantom Lover by Violet Paget, published under the pseudonym Vernon Lee
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: "V" Author: Violet, Vernon
Source: TBR
Format: ebook
Original publication date: 1886
Acquisition date: August 24, 2020
Page count: 64 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.85 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.com book listing webpage:

"My Dear Boutourline, Do you remember my telling you, one afternoon that you sat upon the hearth stool at Florence, the story of Mrs. Oke of Okehurst? You thought it a fantastic tale, you lover of fantastic things, and urged me to write it out at once, although I protested that, in such matters, to write is to exorcise, to dispel the charm; and that printers' ink chases away the ghosts that may pleasantly haunt us, as efficaciously as gallons of holy water. But if, as I suspect, you will now put down any charm that story may have possessed to the way in which we had been working ourselves up, that firelight evening, with all manner of fantastic stuff -- if, as I fear, the story of Mrs. Oke of Okehurst will strike you as stale and unprofitable -- the sight of this little book will serve at least to remind you, in the middle of your Russian summer, that there is such a season as winter, such a place as Florence and such a person as your friend, Vernon Lee, Kensington, July, 1886."

Review:
Oh, YES! As a huge fan of gothic horror, this sublime novel hits all the right notes. Beautifully written with an artist's eye for descriptive detail, the story has that deliciously slow building suspense I love to find in old stories of this genre. Add in a mysterious family history and the hints of a spectral being lurking the halls and grounds of a marvelous Kentish manor house and this reader was left deeply satisfied by a story well told. My only regret: as a novella (a mere 64 pages in length), this story ends all too soon. Not in the context of the story itself - that is complete in its character/plot development and unrushed in its delivery - but in that I was enjoying the story so much I did not want it to end. Yes, I am gushing about this one.

I downloaded this ebook as part of the Bailey's Women's Prize for Fiction "Reclaim Her Name" series of books by women authors originally published under male pseudonyms. I am now on the hunt for more Vernon Lee/Violet Paget stories to fill my ereader with.

>160 lkernagh: This story sounds great! I will have to look for this one.

>161 NinieB: - I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, Ninie!

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One day closer to Christmas and another book finished. Yes, I am stacking my end of year reading with shorter novellas to help me complete my challenge. ;-)

Book #63 - The Willow Princess by Jeremy Neeley
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: "N" Author: Neeley
Source: TBR
Format: ebook
Original publication date: September 23, 2017
Acquisition date: September 23, 2017
Page count: 116 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.65 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the kobo.com book listing webpage:

"In the dying land of Tora, a newlywed couple’s union is a source of hope for the future. But when deception and jealousy threaten to shatter that bond, a young princess is forced to undertake a perilous journey in order to save the man she loves. Confronted by savage creatures and perilous terrain, she races against time to obtain a cure once thought lost to the ages."

Review:
An enjoyable quest-styled fantasy/fable. While this one follows the typical trajectory of a quest-styled fantasy/fairy tale, I do love the fact that it is the husband who is hovering on the verge of death and it is the princess who embarks on a perilous time-sensitive quest to save his life. Some good world build in this story where love and peace are enduring themes. While I believe this story can probably be enjoyed by most age groups, a couple of scenes may be a little disturbing for younger children, so would recommend you read the story before sharing with pre-teens.

>160 lkernagh: After reading your review I've downloaded a free copy of this.

>164 pamelad: - I hope you enjoy it!

----------------------

Christmas eve morning, and a rather frosty one, at that! I hope everyone has a safe, relaxing, stress-free holiday season. Our low-key Christmas eve plans are to watch National Theatre's Dick Whittington (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJgBmjHpqgs6BVuPoIes7MJN53bAAxljW ) and take in the classic It's A Wonderful Life.

For all my visitors, below is the inside message of my 2020 Christmas cards (I went with a vintage motif this year):

That's a lovely design, Lori. Merry Christmas to you and yours!

That's really nice, Lori. I got a wonderful handmade card from my sister (I get one every year) and it's got me wanting to make some for Christmas next year.

All the best for the holiday season, Lori!

Merry Christmas, Lori! Wishing you the very best!

>166 MissWatson: - Thank you, Birgit!

>167 dudes22: - Thank you, Betty and how lovely that your sister sends you handmade cards every year. I am a bit of a rarity in my family, when it comes to card giving in general. My sister does send me a musical e-card each year and I do enjoy them!

>168 DeltaQueen50: - Thank you, Judy!

>169 mathgirl40: - Thank you, Paulina!

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We survived a low-key Christmas. Ate too much, slept plenty and enjoyed a bunch of classic holiday movies. For those wondering, yes, we did a traditional turkey dinner. We are both huge fans of stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy with roasted veggies. We could have probably swapped out the bird with something different, but why bother. I don't buy the whole bird. I prefer the turkey breast trussed up like a roast. So much easier to cook and less mess to clean up! I only made one Boxing Day purchase this year: New rain boots for the wet winters we get. Seriously, there is no such thing as having too much rain gear here on the West Coast. ;-)

I don't go back to work (meaning log onto the work computer from home) until Tuesday so plans for the next couple of days involves sleeping in late and reading. I have managed to finish three more books - just one more book to go and I will have completed my Alphabet Challenges, - so I am happy about that.

Now for some quick reviews.

Book #64 - Nina Balatka by Anthony Trollope
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: "T" Author: Trollope
Source: TBR
Format: ebook
Original publication date: 1867
Acquisition date: May 2, 2019
Page count: 117 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.40 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: adapted from the victorianweb.org synopsis:

"Set in the old Bohemian capital of Prague, Nina Balatka tells the story of the burgeoning relationship between the beautiful Nina Balatka, daughter of a bankrupt merchant and Anton Trendelssohn, son of the merchant's former Jewish partner. When the growing love between Anton and Nina becomes apparent, Nina's wealthy and relatives do everything within their power to prevent the marriage. Also ranged against the couple are both their fathers, who are equally set in their ways and absolutely certain that no good can come of such a union."

Review:
This is my first foray into Trollope's works, so I don't know if this is a good one to start off with, especially as it appears Nina Balatka was published anonymously in Blackwood's Magazine by Trollope as an experiment and a departure from his usual style. First lesson I learned: skip past the Introduction. If you are like me and hope to experience Trollope's works at your own leisure, the spoiler for his "Barsetshire" books in the second paragraph of introduction was a bit frustrating to encounter. Oh well, as I said, I have now learned my lesson once again to avoid Introductions unless I am well read of the author's works.

At first blush, this is a love story. Not quite Romeo and Juliet but our lovers - Nina and Anton - face their own hurdles for the love match. Trollope presents Prague of the time period and there is a lot of focus in this story on Christian/Jewish relationships and societal prejudices against such inter-faith marriages. Hard when not just the immediate families but their religious communities are set against such a match. Add to this a complication: Anton's family owns the house Nina and her ailing father live in. Anton's request for the deed to the house leads to much misinformation and lack of trust issues. Themes of poverty, antisemitism, societal pressures and isolation flow through this story. While this is my first Trollope read, I get the impression from some searches that Trollope's more popular stories have a lighter, humourous aspect. Trollope presents readers to a strong female lead in Nina. While we get to see inside Nina's thoughts and tumultuous emotions, I felt that the characterization and plot took a bit of a back seat to Trollope's social-religious-economic critique. Overall I found it interesting to see 17th century Prague through Trollope's pen.

Book #65 - Queen Quail is Quiet: and other ABC Tongue Twisters by Erika Barriga
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: "Q" Title: Queen, Quail, Quiet
Source: GVPL
Format: ebook
Original publication date: May 13, 2013
Acquisition date: N/A
Page count: 56 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.50 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"The Alphabet is Amazing! Explore the letters and their sounds in this collection of illustrations and alliterations from Erika Barriga. Younger children will learn to associate the colorful letter with the sound and older children will enjoy wrapping their mouths around the funny, tongue-twisting text."

Review:
I do love tongue twisters! Barriga has come up with 26 delightful and fun tongue twisters, one for each letter of the alphabet and each one illustrated by the author. I read the ebook version but apparently the print version includes pop-up text, which would bring added fun for young children readers. Some of the tongue twisters are quite clever - like "House wears a hat while hearts lover high" and "Jester juggles jellybeans" - while two left me somewhat puzzled - "Duck will take a dip with a donut" (illustration shows duck wearing a floatation device) and "Koala cuddles his kosher ketchup" (does kosher ketchup exist?). An amusing little book that may be a springboard to some interesting conversations with young children readers.

Book #66 - A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: "O" Title: One's, Own
Source: TBR
Format: ebook
Original publication date: September 1929
Acquisition date: May 2, 2019
Page count: 141 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.40 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: adapted from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

" A Room of One's Own is an extended essay by Virginia Woolf, and is based on a series of lectures she delivered at Newnham College and Girton College, two women's colleges at Cambridge University in October 1928. While this extended essay employs a fictional narrator and narrative to explore women both as writers of and characters in fiction, the manuscript for the delivery of the series of lectures, titled "Women and Fiction", and hence the essay, are considered non-fiction. The essay is generally seen as a feminist text, and is noted in its argument for both a literal and figural space for women writers within a literary tradition dominated by patriarchy."

Review:
So happy to discover that Woolf, like Margaret Atwood, can give an essay the wonderful cadence and flow (and lively presentation) akin to a witty work of fiction! The title for this book comes from the premise of Woolf's thesis that “… a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction." Woolf proceeds to present a compelling argument, using author examples pulled from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Making use of the literary voice to communicate her arguments, Woolf alludes to three of the four Marys found in the 16th century Scottish ballad "The Fower Maries", with Mary Beton serving as the main narrator. While Woolf's focus is on women and fiction, she reaches some interesting conclusions, which I won't go into here. For me, I find the essay is most powerful in that it leads the reader (or at least this reader) to examine the arguments presented, arrive at one's own conclusion, possibly further research the topic in the context of the current literary landscape and keep the conversation going.

One book to go - "Q" author - and both of my Alphabet Challenges will be completed. As a teaser, the book I have chosen is a Canadian literary work, winner of a Canadian literary award and incorporated many Canadian themes, including ice hockey. ;-)

Can you guess the book (understanding that Canadian visitors to this thread may have an edge, but Google is everyone's friend).

My guess: King Leary, by Paul Quarrington

>175 rabbitprincess: - You guessed right! ;-)

Traditional End-of-Year meme with the answers all being titles of books I've read this past year (not including the one or two books I may finish before year end). A bit challenging with a year of a lot of murder mysteries read. Oh well, here goes:

Describe yourself: The Companion

Describe how you feel: Where is My Mind?

Describe where you currently live: A House Without Windows

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: What Remains of Heaven

Your favorite form of transportation is: The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World

Your favorite food is: Miss Cecily's Recipes for Exceptional Ladies

Your favorite time of day is: When Maidens Mourn

Your best friend is: Sophia of Silicon Valley

You and your friends are: Nowhere Near Goodbye

What’s the weather like: Rainwater

You fear: Where Serpents Sleep

What is the best advice you have to give: Jeneration X: One Reluctant Adult's Attempt to Unarrest Her Arrested Development; Or, Why It's Never Too Late for Her Dumb Ass to Learn Why Froot Loops Are Not for Dinner

Thought for the day: Why Kill the Innocent

What is life for you: What Angels Fear

How you would like to die: Where the Dead Lie

Your soul’s present condition: The Ghost in the House

What was 2020 like for you? Why Mermaids Sing

What do you want from 2021? Her Revolution

>177 lkernagh: LOL I feel the same!

>176 lkernagh: Yay! I liked that one a lot. If I ever get back to my parents' place, I'm going to have to borrow it for a re-read.

>171 lkernagh: I haven't read Nina Balatka but from the description it is quite atypical of Trollope's works. The Warden is a wonderful introduction to the best of Trollope; it's quite short and the first in the Barchester series. It is set in the cathedral town of Barchester. If you want to explore his London society novels, The Eustace Diamonds is funny and engaging. It does put you right in the middle of the Palliser series, but you don't need to have read the earlier ones to enjoy the story of the Eustace diamonds.

>171 lkernagh: >179 NinieB: I'm currently reading my first Trollope, La Vendee. Like you, Lori, I found that I had to absolutely not continue to read the Introduction. It was just too darn long! I find this book, set in the Western region, the Vendee, of France, a fantastic historical fiction look at the Royalist uprising against the supporters of the French Revolution. And unlike Dickens, Trollope has more than one female character and they are more than just asides or character-types. So yay! And thank you also NinieB for the list of other Trollope novels.

And Merry Happy Holidays Lorie! Hope you get some down time and echoing the self-care themes on this thread.

>178 rabbitprincess: - King Leary was a rather entertaining read! As for my mind, I do hope 2021 lets us all gain some semblance of normalcy.

>179 NinieB: - I was wondering about that. I do have a number of Trollope's works downloaded to my e-reader so happy to learn that Nina Balatka is atypical of his works. Now I am looking forward to more Trollope reading. Many thanks for the recommendations!

>180 threadnsong: - Sounds like La Vendee would be interesting to read. I don't think I have that one but easy to add it to my other e-books. ;-)
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Here we are.... the last day of 2020. Our New Years Eve plans have always been low-key (other half would typically do some online gaming with his buddies and then join me in toasting the New Year while watching recordings of fireworks displays in other cities/countries (one of the joys of being one of the last time zones to celebrate). Obviously, our plans will be pretty much the same this year. ;-) I am more of a New Years Day celebrator.... my thing is to use the left over champers from the night before and enjoy a mimosa (or two) as the sun rises while the other half sleeps. ;-)

I did finish my last book for 2020 - which means I have completed my Alphabet Challenges. Quick review to follow.

Book #67 - King Leary by Paul Quarrington
Challenge(s): 75 Group, 2020 Category
CAT/KIT: N/A
Bingo DOG: N/A
Category: "Q" Author: Quarrington
Source: GVPL
Format: ebook
Original publication date: 1987
Acquisition date: N/A
Page count: 240 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.20 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

" Percival Leary was once the King of the Ice, one of hockey's greatest heroes. Now, in the South Grouse Nursing Home, where he shares a room with Edmund "Blue" Hermann, the antagonistic and alcoholic reporter who once chronicled his career, Leary looks back on his tumultuous life and times: his days at the boys' reformatory when he burned down a house; the four mad monks who first taught him to play hockey; and the time he executed the perfect "St. Louis Whirlygig" to score the winning goal in the 1919 Stanley Cup final.

Now all but forgotten, Leary is only a legend in his own mind until a high-powered advertising agency decides to feature him in a series of ginger ale commercials. With his male nurse, his son, and the irrepressible Blue, Leary sets off for Toronto on one last adventure as he revisits the scenes of his glorious life as King of the Ice."

Review:
This story screams Canadiana and hockey history. While I enjoy watching hockey, I have no historical knowledge of the greats of yesteryear, so the name dropping meant nothing to me. What I did enjoy is the first person narrative, Percy's florid perspective (and hazy memory) as the King of the Ice, and how Quarrington tells what is in essence a rather bleak story in a poignant, entertaining way with wry humour. I did not find the characters overly loveable, but I do appreciate Percy - now an aged and infirm resident in a senior's nursing home - and how his hazy memories stir up emotions of both pride and regret. My favorite parts of the story include the monks who taught young Percy about hockey while he was in reformatory school. When they show up unexpected at his hotel room in New York... well, you will just have to read the book to find out more.

Overall, an interesting and entertaining CanLit story told with humour and pathos.

And that is a wrap for my 2020 reading. You can follow my 2021 reading over here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/325299#7286308

Wishing you all a safe and fabulous New Year's Eve and a

Happy New Year, see you in 2021.