DeltaQueen's 2020 Reading Room of Follies and Quirks - Part VII

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It’s my favourite time of the year, crisp air, crunchy leaves, and fall colours. Although we are not getting out on the road this year, we can still sit out on our deck and see leaves changing colour and then drifting down through the air. We have some bronze Chrysanthemums in pots to help give our outside some autumn colour and there is a hint of smoke in the air, which helps to set the mood but unfortunately, is still from the wild fires in Washington State. To give this thread it’s fall look, I have once again used artwork by Susan Winget.

My name is Judy and I have been doing the Category Challenge for over 10 years. I live in the suburbs of Vancouver, British Columbia with my husband. My two daughters live not too far away and I have two wonderful grandchildren, a boy and a girl. As we are getting on in our years, we live a pretty quiet life but I am always up for a joke or a shenanigan! I am an avid reader who dabbles into many different genres. I am always ready to put the kettle on for visitors so please feel free to comment on this thread, whether it’s about books or life in general, the welcome mat is always out.

This year I built my Category Challenge around an LT feature as well as some of the various challenges that I like to participate in. There is a feature on Library Thing called the Folly and this in turn leads to a Librarything Roulette which I used to help me read from my shelves this year. With a push of a button one can find various books in various ways – from following a random tag to finding an unread book on your own shelves. This works for me as I have catalogued all my TBR, Kindle books, and library wishlists on LibraryThing. I identified 6 captions from the Librarything Roulette that I used every month to pick 6 separate books. I did give myself the opportunity to hit the folly button more than once so I can find books of mine that will fit.

When it comes to quirks, one of mine is that I can’t resist a reading challenge, so the rest of my categories were designed to help me feed the fever of the Cat and Kit Challenges, the Reading Through Time Challenge, 1,001 Books List Challenge and the TIOLI Challenges. This gave me the option of reading 15 plus books a month but most months I couldn’t control myself and tried for 18 to 20 – not always successfully. I have completed the BingoDog Challenge and hopefully by year’s end I will have read enough books to count 2020 as a successful reading year.

As 2020 enters it’s final quarter, I wish health and safety to everyone, and I am hopeful that 2021 will be a better year for everyone.

Categories

A. Random Member - using the folly button to bring up a random LT member and then choose a book that we have in common. I will only use members that have at least 25 plus books in common with me.

B. Random Tag – Again using the folly button to bring up a random tag and then find a book of mine to match that tag.

C. Random Awards or Lists – I will chose a book to read that has been in contention for winning the Award or being on the List that comes up.

D. Random Character – Clicking on this brings up a random character from fictional names to real people. I will read a book that either has a connection to the real character, or has a part of the fictional name in one of characters in my book. Example: I clicked and got a fictional character called Max, checking my books for the name Max, I find I have a number of choices that I could read that have a character named Max.

E. Random Place – While it doesn’t have to be the main setting, this random place must come into the book somehow, either in setting or in discussions.

F. Random Book of Mine: A book from my own library comes up and if I haven’t read it, it will be the choice for that month. If the book is part of a series, I will read the next book in the series that I haven’t yet read.

G. RandomCat: A surprise every month as the theme is chosen by that month’s host.

H. GeoCat – A different location every month!

I. The Alpha Kit

J. The Scaredy Kit

K. The SFFFKit

L. The 2020 Bingo Challenge

M. Reading Through Time Challenge: A new theme every month as chosen by the host

N. 1,001 Books to Read Before You Die List: My ongoing project and competition with my brother

O. Take It Or Leave It Challenges: This will be a place to add books that I want to read for these monthly challenges that don’t fit elsewhere. Hopefully I won’t need to use this option every month.

P. Others: For challenges that I won’t be doing every month such as the Non-Fiction Cat & MysteryKit and also Group Reads and other books that don’t fit elsewhere.

Tickers

1. Books Read




2. Pages Read




3. Books Read From My Shelves

How I Rate Books:

I am not a professional book critic nor do I consider myself to be an expert on literary standards, my reviews are based on my reaction to the book and the opinions expressed are my own personal thoughts and feelings.

2.0 ★: I must have been dragged, kicking and screaming, to finish this one!

2.5 ★: Below Average but I finished the book for one reason or another.

3.0 ★: Average, a solid read that I finished but can't promise to remember

3.5 ★: Above Average, there's room for improvement but I liked this well enough to pick up another book by this author.


4.0 ★: A very good read and I enjoyed my time spent with this story

4.5 ★: An excellent read, a book I will remember and recommend

5.0 ★: Sheer perfection, the right book at the right time for me

I use decimal points to further clarify my thoughts about the book, therefore you will see books rated 3.8 to show it was better than a 3.5 but not quite a 4.0; etc. These small adjustments help me to remember how a book resonated with me.

A. Random Member



Books Read

1. Thou Shell of Death by Nicholas Blake - 4.0 ★
2. Arsenic Labyrinth by Martin Edwards - 3.3 ★
3. The First Days by Rhiannon Frater - 4.0 ★
4. The Missing and The Dead by Stuart MacBride - 4.5 ★
5. Clean Cut by Lynda La Plante - 4.0 ★
6. Bones by Jan Burke - 4.0 ★
7. Morning Frost by James Henry - 4.1 ★
8. The Mercy Seat by Elizabeth H. Winthrop - 4.3 ★
9. The Lesser Dead by Christopher Buehlman - 4.2 ★
10. Started Early, Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson - 4.5 ★

B. Random Tag



Books Read

1. Binti by Nnedi Okorafor - 4.0 ★
2. My Life on a Plate by India Knight - 2.8 ★
3. Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai - 4.5 ★
4. The Wolf Border by Sarah Hall - 3.8 ★
5. As She Left It by Catriona McPherson - 4.5 ★
6. Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank Gilbreth Jr. - 4.2 ★
7. The Mountain Between Us by Charles Martin - 4.5 ★
8. American Salvage by Bonnie Jo Campbell - 4.3 ★
9. The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Cogan - 4.0 ★
10. The Howard Hughes Affair by Stuart Kaminsky - 4.0 ★
11. Lily and the Octopus by Stephen Rowley - 3.0 ★

C. Random Awards & Lists



Books Read

1. I Am Not Esther by Fleur Beale - 4.0 ★
2. After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall by Nancy Kress - 4.2 ★
3. The Raft by S. A. Bodeen - 3.7 ★
4. Broken Monsters by Lauren Beukes - 3.8 ★
5. Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich - 4.5 ★
6. Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy - 5.0 ★
7. Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver - 4.5 ★
8. Late Nights on Air by Elizabeth Hay - 4.0 ★
9. Waltzing With the Earl by Catherine Tinley - 3.8 ★

D. Random Characters



Books Read

1. The Trespass by Barbara Ewing - 5.0 ★
2. The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty - 4.2 ★
3. The Drowned World by J. G. Ballard - 4.0 ★
4. The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi - 4.2 ★
5. The House At Sea's End by Elly Griffiths - 4.0 ★
6. Lucy by Ellen Feldman - 3.8 ★
7. To Sir Phillip, With Love by Julia Quinn - 4.0 ★
8. Constable on the Hill by Nicholas Rhea - 4.0 ★
9. Thursday's Child by Nicci French - 4.1 ★
10. I'm Not Scared by Niccolo Ammaniti - 5.0 ★

E. Random Place



Books Read

1. The Red Box by Rex Stout - 4.0 ★
2. The Outlaw Album by Daniel Woodrell - 4.1 ★
3. The Sorrows of Young Werther by Johann Wolfgang Van Goethe - 3.2 ★
4. The Leaving of Liverpool by Lyn Andrews - 3.8 ★
5. As the Crow Flies by Craig Johnson - 4.2 &39733;
6. Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie - 4.1 ★
7. The Marsh King's Daughter by Karen Dionne -3.4 ★
8. Five Roads to Texas by W. J. Lundy plus - 3.7 ★
9. The Language of Threads by Gail Tsukiyama - 4.0 ★
10. Blackberry Winter by Sarah Jio - 2.0 ★
11. Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie - 3.8 ★

F. Random Book of Mine



Books Read

1. Fast One by Paul Cain - 3.0 ★
2. Forbidden Daughter by Shobhan Bantwal - 4.2 ★
3. Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid- 4.0 ★
4. Death Message by Mark Billingham - 4.0 ★
5. The Devil's Waters by David L. Robbins - 4.0 ★
6. The Last Survivors by Bobby Adair and T. W. Piperbrook - 3.0 ★
7. Along the Broken Bay by Flora J. Solomon - 4.0 ★
8. Bloodless Shadow by Victoria Blake - 3.8 ★
9. Whiskey When We're Dry by John Larison - 4.5 ★
10. Thin Air by Michelle Paver - 4.5 ★
11. Fever of the Bone by Val McDermid - 4.2 ★

G. 2020 RandomCat Challenge



Books Read

1. January - Challenge Yourself: The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner - 3.3 ★
2. February - Leap Year: The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers - 4.0 ★
3. March - Seasons of Love: Spring Flowers, Spring Frost by Ismail Kadare - 2.0 ★
4. April - Showers or Flowers - Sunshine After Rain by Dee Williams - 4.0 ★
5. May - Believe in Your Shelf - Gone With the Windsors by Laurie Graham - 4.2 ★
6. June - Take to the Sea - The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley - 3.7 ★
7. July - Picture This - Postal, Volume 1, Postal, Volume 2, Postal, Volume 3 - Matt Hawkins & Bryan Edward Hill - 4.0 ★
8. August - Get Your Groove On - Funeral Music by Morag Joss - 3.3 ★
9. September - Reccies - Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens - 4.1 ★
10. October - Health Workers - An Outback Nurse by Thea Hayes - 3.2 ★

H. 2020 GeoCat Challenge



Books Read

1. When the Moon is Low by Nadia Hashimi - 4.5 ★
2. Piglettes by Clemetine Beauvais - 4.0 ★
3. The Fourth Queen by Debbie Taylor - 3.8 ★
4. The Dry by Jane Harper - 4.5 ★
5. The Commandant by Jessica Anderson - 4.2 ★
6. Dead Water by Ann Cleeves - 4.2 ★
7. Local Custom by Sharon Lee - 4.5 ★
8. Country of the Bad Wolfes by James Carlos Blake - 4.0 ★
9. Pachinko by Min Jin Lee - 4.1 ★
10. Cold Earth by Sarah Moss - 4.3 ★
11. Thin Air by Ann Cleeves - 4.2 ★
12. Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga - 4.2 ★

I. 2020 AlphaKit



Books Read

1. A - The Fever by Megan Abbott - 4.0 ★
2. B - Divorcing Jack by Colin Bateman - 4.0 ★
3. C - The Night She Won Miss America by Michael Callahan - 3.0 ★
4. D - The Golden Prince by Rebecca Dean - 3.2 ★
5. E - Kissing the Demons by Kate Ellis - 4.0 ★
6. F - The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg - 4.1 ★
7. G - The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom - 4.3 ★
8. H - The Midwife of Hope River by Patricia Harmon - 4.3 ★
9. I
10. J - Pride of Lancashire by Anna Jacobs - 4.0 ★
11. K - China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan - 4.0 ★
12. L - All The Earth, Thrown to the Sky by Joe Lansdale - 4.1 ★
13. M- Northanger Abbey by Val McDermid - 2.8 ★
14. N
15. O - Girl by Edna O'Brien - 4.2 ★
16. P - Seafire by Natalie C. Parker - 4.0 ★
17. Q - Death by his Grace by Kwei Quartey - 3.8 ★
18. R - Holy Island by LJ Ross - 1.0 ★
19. S - The Last Good Paradise by Tatjana Soli - 4.0 ★
20. T - My Name Is Resolute by Nancy E. Turner - 4.3 ★
21. U - Into the Beautiful North by Luis Alberto Urrea - 4.0 ★
22. V - The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman - 4.0 ★
23. W
24. X - The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino - 3.7 ★
25. Y - Death on Account by Margaret Yorke - 4.5 ★
26. Z - We by Yevgeny Zamyatin - 3.3 ★

J. 2020 ScaredyKit



Books Read

1. The Rats by James Herbert - 4.0 ★
2. Swerve by Vicki Pettersson - 2.0 ★
3. No One's Home by D. M. Pulley - 4.0 ★
4. Phantom Limb by Lucinda Berry - 4.0 ★
5. The Three by Sarah Lotz - 4.0 ★
6. Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman - 4.1 ★
7. Hunt for the Skinwalker by Colm Kelleher - 1.5 ★
8. The Uninvited by Dorothy Macardle - 4.4 ★
9. The G-String Murders by Gypsy Rose Lee - 4.0 ★
10. Exit Strategy by Kelley Armstrong - 4.0 ★
11. Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End by Manel Loureiro - 3.6 ★
12. The Night Country by Stewart O'Nan - 4.0 ★

K. 2020 SFFFKit



Books Read

1. A Blade of Black Steel by Alex Marshall - 4.2 ★
2. The Decoy Princess by Dawn Cook - 4.0 ★
3. A War in Crimson Embers by Alex Marshall - 4.1 ★
4. I, Robot by Isaac Asimov - 4.0 ★
5. Revenger by Alastair Reynolds - 3.6 ★
6. Invasion by Sean Platt and Johnny Truant - 3.8 ★
7. Hospital Station by James White - 4.0 ★
8. Peripeteia by Sarah Lyons Fleming - 4.3 ★
9. The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski - 4.0 ★
10. Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut - 3.3 ★
11. A Boy And His Dog At The End Of The World by C. A. Fletcher - 4.3 ★

M. 2020 Reading Through Time Challenge



Books Read

1. The Burning of Bridget Cleary by Angela Bourke - 2.8 ★
2. Bronze Summer by Stephen Baxter - 4.0 ★
3. The Wife, The Maid and The Mistress by Ariel Lawhon - 3.2 ★
4. Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah - 2.8 ★
5. Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir - 4.2 ★
6. The Moor's Account by Laila Lalami
7. Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran - 4.1 ★
8. The Sisters of St. Croix by Diney Costeloe - 3.8 ★
9. The Island by Victoria Hislop - 4.0 ★
10. A Prayer for the Dying by Stewart O'Nan - 4.0 ★
11. Silk Road by Colin Falconer - 4.5 ★
12. Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy by Karen Abbott - 4.2 ★
13. Bracelet of Bones by Kevin Crossley-Holland - 2.6 ★
14. Agatha Christie, A Biography by Janet Morgan - 3.3 ★

N. 1,001 Books To Read Before You Die Challenge



Books Read

1. Passing by Nella Larsen - 4.0 ★
2. The Diviners by Margaret Laurence - 4.0 ★
3. Vernon God Little by Dbc Pierre - 3.8 ★
4. The Sea by John Banville - 4.0 ★
5. Get Shorty by Elmore Leonard - 4.5 ★
6. Mr. Norris Changes Trains by Christopher Isherwood - 4.0 ★
7. Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel - 5.0 ★
8. The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo - 3.3 ★
9. The Water Margin: Outlaws of the Marsh by Shi Nai'An - 4.5 ★
10. Queen Margot by Alexandre Dumas - 3.7 ★
11. Summer by Edith Wharton - 4.0 ★
12. The Master by Colm Toibin - 4.0 ★
13. The Reader by Bernhard Schlink - 4.5 ★
14. Miss Lonelyhearts by Nathaniel West - 2.0 ★
15. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe - 4.3 ★
16. The Once and Future King by T. H. White - 4.5 ★
17. Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad - 3.8 ★
18. The Magician of Lublin by Isaac Bashevis Singer - 4.0 ★
19. The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann - 3.7 ★
20. The Life and Death of Harriet Frean by May Sinclair - 3.4 ★
21. The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall - 3.7 ★
22. Notes From the Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky - 2.0 ★
23. Living by Henry Green - 4.0 ★
24. Unknown Soldiers by Vaino Linna - 4.2 ★

O. 2020 Take It or Leave It Challenges



For those TIOLI Challenges that don't fit any other challenges.

Books Read

1. January TIOLI #8: Hobby/Skill/Sport - Read a Cozy Mystery: Sprinkle With Murder by Jenn McKinley - 3.8 ★
2. January TIOLI #13: Rolling Challenge Based on Genesis - The Stalking Moon by T. V. Olsen - 3. ★
3. January TIOLI #2: From a Best Books of 2019 list - My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
4. January TIOLI #8: Tag Mash of 20th Century fiction and Existentialism - The Grifters by Jim Thompson
5. January TIOLI #15: Published or Set in any XX20 Decade - The Loudwater Mystery by Edgar Jepson - 3.7 ★
6. February TIOLI #10: Author has a Sorority Connection - Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink - 3.5 ★
7. February TIOLI #2: Morphy's Challenge - Tag Mash of Favorite, Romance - How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff - 4.0 ★
8. February TIOLI #4: Book Title Contains one of the 32 NFL Teams - The Vanishing Raiders by Fred Grove - 3.8 ★
9. February TIOLI #7: Next Book in a Series by a Woman Author - The Year At Thrush Green by Miss Read - 4.3 ★
10. March TIOLI #8: Book Title Includes a Mathematical or Astrological Term - Girl on A Plane by Miriam Moss - 4.1 ★
11. March TIOLI #10: Tour de Suisse - All That I Have by Castle Freeman Jr. - 5.0 ★
12. March TIOLI #12: Anthology of Genre Fiction - Nevertheless She Persisted - 3.7 ★
13. March TIOLI #1: Culture Clash - Beneath the Same Stars by Phyllis Cole-Dai - 4.0 ★
14. March TIOLI #7: Physical Activity - The Run to Gitche Gumee by Robert F. Jones - 3.3 ★
15. April TIOLI #1: Non-fiction About an Animal - A Wolf Called Romeo by Nick Jans - 4.0 ★
16. June TIOLI #18: A "Fly" in the Ointment - A White Bird Flying by Bess Streeter Aldrich - 3.7 ★
17. July TIOLI #8: A Inspiring, Cheerful or Uplifting Title - Belles on Their Toes by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. - 4.0 ★
18. July TIOLI #1: 7th Book on a Shelf - The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel - 3.8 ★
19. August TIOLI #8: Morphy's Challenge - Immortality - Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie - 4.0 ★
20. August TIOLI #12: Read a book by Louis L'Amour - Lando by Louis L'Amour - 3.0 ★
21. September TIOLI #12: Birthstone Challenge - Dark Blue Cover - Dying Day by Robert Ryan - 4.0 ★
22. September TIOLI #7: Title Starts With a Preposition - In the Dark by Loreth Anne White - 4.5 ★
23. October TIOLI #12: October Birthstone - colorful or gold cover - When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn - 4.1 ★
24. October TIOLI #4: 3 Word Title - The Red Scarf by Gil Brewer - 3.8 ★
25. October TIOLI #10: A Book by Andre Norton - Imperial Lady by Andre Norton and Susan Schwartz - 4.0 ★
26. November TIOLI #4: The word "Love" is Embedded in a Title Word - A Lovely Way to Burn by Louise Welsh - 4.0 ★

P. All Others - Extra Cats & Kits, Group Reads etc.



Books Read

1. January Non-FictionCat: Journalism & News - Dispatches From the Edge by Anderson Cooper - 3.6 ★
2. February Non-Fiction Cat: Travel - Paris in Love by Eloisa James - 4.5 ★
3. February Fantasy Month: The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson - 4.0 ★
4. March MysteryKit: Golden Age - Gaudy Night by Dorothy Sayers - 4.2 ★
5. March Non-FictionCat: Biography/Memoir - Aprons and Silver Spoons by Mollie Moran - 4.0 ★
6. March MysteryKit - Dancers in Mourning by Margery Allingham - 4.2 ★
7. April Non-Fiction Cat: Law & Order - Alligator Candy by David Kushner - 3.3 ★
8. April MysteryKit: Espionage - Decision At Delphi by Helen MacInnes - 4.0 ★
9. Personal Goal to Complete Series - Written in My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon - 4.2 ★
10. May MysteryKit - No Orchids for Miss Blandish by James Hadley Chase - 4.0 ★
11. June MysteryKit - Dead Man's Grip by Peter James - 4.2 ★
12. July TravelKit - The Foretelling by Alice Hoffman - 4.5 ★
13. July MysteryKit - The Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov - 3.7 ★
14. August MysteryKit - Calling Out For You by Karin Fossum - 4.3 ★
15. September MysteryKit - Blood Men by Paul Cleave - 3.7 ★
16. October MysteryKit - The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino - 3.8 ★
17. November MysteryKit - The Bride Wore Black by Cornell Woolrich - 4.0 ★

2020 Hosting Plans & Group Reads



February: Non-Fiction Cat – Travel
& ScaredyKit - Psychological Thrillers
March: Reading Thru Time – Mothers and Daughters
April: GeoCat – Australia, New Zealand & Oceania
May: RandomCat
May & June: Group Read - Queen Margot by Alexandre Dumas
June: SFFFKit: Aliens and Mythical Creatures
September: Group Read - Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann
October: MysteryKit: New-To-You Authors

The Welcome Mat is out!

Happy new thread, Judy!

After reviewing all your books read I'm left wishing I liked SFF more and then I could use the image of that little kitty in a space helmet. I love it.

Here's to more great reading in the last quarter of the year.

Happy new thread! Your pictures are lovely, as usual!

180. Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War by Karen Abbott - 4.2 ★
Category: Reading Through Time
October Reading Through Time: Deception
October TIOLI #8: Title Contains a Halloween Costume



Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War by Karen Abbott is a fascinating story about four women, patriots to their own beliefs, who took a stand during the Civil War. Two were loyal Confederates and two were for the North. By using diaries, eyewitness accounts, contemporary news articles and official records the story of these four women gives us a glimpse of how women overcame the rigid roles there cast into and managed to influence the War in many ways.

I admit to having a favourite among these women. Canadian Emma Edmondson, disguised herself as a man and calling herself Frank Thompson joined the Union Army as a private for Company F, 2nd Michigan Infantry. Frank eventually found herself donning disguises and crossing military lines to spy on the Confederates. All of these women, Emma (Frank), Belle, Elizabeth and Rose, sacrificed something of themselves in order to serve their respective countries and this up-close and personal look at them made for an engrossing read.

Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy is a portrait of four strong women who became ground-breakers and helped to pave the way for others to appreciate women’s abilities. The book is well researched and gives the reader a good overview of both the political and military viewpoints of the day.

>22 VivienneR: & >23 Jackie_K: Welcome to my new thread, I like to imagine that I am serving something to compliment the season so let's picture apple cinnamon doughnuts and warm cider. :)

Okay, I'm here and ready to hear what you're reading

Happy New Thread! I'll have a cup of that cider.

>24 DeltaQueen50: - I'm guessing it's four separate stories or do they connect somehow? Doesn't really matter - I'll take a BB anyway. Just curious.

>25 DeltaQueen50: I just went to an orchard today and had doughnuts and cider! We also bought apples to make a pie for Thanksgiving. Not sure if we'll be able to enjoy it with my in-laws, but maybe we can do curbside pickup for them :)

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread! I really like the fall pictures!

Happy Saturday, Judy! Happy New Thread. I hope you are having a fine, book-filled weekend. You got my attention with Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War. I have heard good things about Abbott. Is this your first by her?

Happy new one, Judy!

>26 Nickelini: Hi Joyce, hard to believe we are starting the last quarter of the year! I am trying to read a good number of books from the 1,001 list this quarter as I think I may have caught up to or overtaken my brother - he's not being too forth coming with his numbers right now which leads me to believe I'm gaining on him!

>27 dudes22: The stories of each woman in Liar, Temptress, Soldier & Spy are separate, although there is a slight overlap with two of them, the author keeps to a timeline and each woman's story is unfolded as the war goes on over a number of years.

>28 rabbitprincess: I think we will be having an apple pie for Thanksgiving as well since I made a pumpkin pie this week. A trip out to an orchard sounds like a perfect way to spend a fall day - doughnuts and cider, of course, make it even better!

>29 SilverWolf28: Thanks, I am quite taken with Susan Winget's artwork and of course, I love anything to do with autumn!

>30 msf59: Hi Mark! I have read Karen Abbott before with a biography on Gypsy Rose Lee called American Rose which really liked. I will be looking for more non-fiction reads from this author.

>31 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie. I hope you are having a good weekend.

Good news, my son-in-law's Covid test was negative, which is a big relief for us all.

>32 DeltaQueen50:

he's not being too forth coming with his numbers right now which leads me to believe I'm gaining on him! LOL Go Judy, go!! I don't know where I am on my 1001 count, but I'm sure you've passed me by now. Although it's possible I'll read one (Day of the Triffids) or even two (Hound of the Baskervilles) this month, so I might be able to make a very little progress.

>33 DeltaQueen50: Good news, my son-in-law's Covid test was negative, which is a big relief for us all.

That's fabulous news. Isn't it a great feeling when you find out? I've only known two people who have gone for testing and it was worrisome waiting for the result. The first person went to the hospital and had his results in about 6 hours, and the other went to the drive-through at Central Park on Boundary Rd and had them in less then 24 hrs. Where did your SIL go, and how long did it take to find out?

HI Judy! I'm looking for the Kitastrophe for October and I can't find it. Could you post the link, please and thank you! Great news about your son in law!

Happy new thread, Judy. Good to hear that your son in law doesn't have to put up with having the same diagnosis at the same time as Trump. he's not being too forth coming with his numbers right now which leads me to believe I'm gaining on him! That sounds exactly like what my older brother would do! They all must have the same handbook or something.

Happy new thread.
And good news on the test comming up negative. Always better to know than worry.

Happy new thread, Judy. The book about the Civil War women spies sounds like a good one.

Good news about your SIL.

>34 Nickelini: My son-in-law had his test at the Peace Arch Hospital in South Surrey. It was taken Thursday night and he got the results yesterday (Saturday). Waiting for results is a stressful time, so I was very happy that they didn't make him wait over the entire weekend.

>35 Tess_W: The Kitastrophe is one of the challenges that I do not participate in, but I see that Dejah Thoris was scheduled to be the host for October. She hasn't been around LT for a couple of months, I hope it is simply a case of a busy life and not anything too serious. I don't know who oversees that challenge, but a new host may have to volunteer.

>36 Familyhistorian: Brothers can be the most annoying things, but then they can also be the best of friends! I really miss not seeing him or the rest of my family these days. (But I am also very gleeful that I am making him squirm!!)

>37 Helenliz: It is better to know, but it's also good to remember that Covid is always out there, and always ready to claim another victim.

>38 BLBera: Thanks, Beth. I haven't been reading much non-fiction this year and so, that is one category that I want to include in my next year's challenge.

>39 DeltaQueen50: So sorry, I thought you were in charge of that one!

>40 Tess_W: No problem, I just hope that everything is ok with Dejah.

181. I'm Not Scared by Niccolo Ammaniti - 5.0 ★
Category: Random Character - Maria
1,001 Books To Read Before You Die List
October TIOLI #11: A Word in the Title Describes Your Feelings About 2020



I’m Not Scared by Niccolo Ammaniti is a coming of age story, a suspense-thriller and a tale of shattered innocence. I was drawn into this story immediately by first the setting, the hot dry summer of 1978 rural Italy, and then the story of a group of children wandering the countryside on a hot afternoon who discover a deserted farmhouse. One of these children, nine year old Michele, uncovers a secret so immense, it is beyond his immediate comprehension.

The author has captured the actions and thoughts of a child who has stumbled into a dangerous adult situation that he doesn’t understand. Throughout the book, the child’s confusion, his not being able to separate fantasy from the truth, keeps the reader on edge. As the boy learns more about the situation and how the adults around him react, he realizes that he can longer ignore the facts and he needs to act immediately placing himself in extreme danger.

I’m Not Scared had all the elements that I enjoy in a book. The story unfolds at a fast pace and builds to an exciting climax. Although a short book, the author supplies some beautiful descriptions and the story never felt particularly rushed. His portrayal of a nine year old’s inner thoughts felt absolutely authentic, and reading of innocence lost with no expectation of redemption made this a very dark read that I devoured as well as introducing me to an author that I fully intend to read more of.

I had a lovely birthday yesterday. A quiet day spent on my computer and reading then my husband took me out to dinner at a local restaurant and we were joined by my elder daughter, her husband and the two grandkids. Spending time with family made my day special. :)

Belated happy birthday, Judy!

>43 DeltaQueen50: happy birthday - glad you had a good day.

I hope your day was blessed!

>43 DeltaQueen50: Happy birthday, Judy! I'm glad you were able to spend time with your family :)

>43 DeltaQueen50: Happy day after birthday--glad you were able to go out to celebrate!

Happy new thread Judy! And belated happy birthday as well :)

>33 DeltaQueen50: said "Good news, my son-in-law's Covid test was negative, which is a big relief for us all."
Such good news.

>44 katiekrug:, >45 Helenliz:, >46 Tess_W: >47 rabbitprincess: & >48 NinieB: Thanks everyone, I loved seeing the family but I have to admit turning 70 makes me feel quite ancient!

>49 leslie.98: We are very happy that his test came back negative, the more I hear about this disease and it's long term affects, the more worried about it I become.

Happy birthday, Judy!

Happy new thread and happy birthday, Judy! And of course it is such happy news that your SIL's test was negative. Have a wonderful time planning your next challenge!

Just read In the Dark, which you reviewed on your previous thread. Enjoyed it.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/323406#7276121

Happy birthday!

>51 VivienneR: Thanks, Vivienne. I am slowly adjusting to entering my seventies.

>52 MissWatson: Thanks, Birgit. I have come up with a theme for next year and a tentative list of books which I am sure will go through many changes before it is finalized. The 2021 Cats and Kits will certainly bring some changes.

>53 pamelad: I am glad that you enjoyed it. I think it was one of those books that just hit me at the right time, as I enjoyed it a lot - except for the too long wrap-up at the end.

>54 SilverWolf28: Thank you, Silver.

>35 Tess_W: Here's the October KITastrophe: https://www.librarything.com/topic/325079

Belated Happy Birthday wishes to you, Judy!!

A belated Happy Birthday, Judy. Sounds like your celebration was a good one even if entering your 70s gives you pause.

>56 SilverWolf28: Thanks for that link!

>57 ronincats: Thanks Roni.

>58 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg. Turning 70 is giving me pause but I guess I will get used to it in time.

182. Thin Air by Ann Cleeves - 4.2 ★
Category: GeoCat
October GeoCat: Great Britian, United States, Canada
October TIOLI #9: Title Contains the Word "Air"



The Shetland Island Mysteries have become one my favourite series with it’s scenic settings, intense atmosphere and unique blend of modern day blended with the past. Thin Air, the sixth in the series continues to link past to present as a group of Londoners come to the islands to help celebrate one of their friends marriage into a Shetland family. Two of the women in the group appear to see the ghost of a little girl who drowned in the area during the 1920s. Then when one of the women from London goes missing only to be discovered murdered, Jimmy Perez and his team are launched into finding the connection to the past that possibly lead to murder.

As in the last book, Inspector Willow Reeves comes from the mainland to head up the investigation, but Jimmy, now well on the road to recovery from a past event, is the one that everyone looks to for answers. A second murder, instead of helping to clarify the situation, only seems to muddy the waters even more. Amid dense swirling fog, ghostly sightings and plenty of secrets, Jimmy is able to put the pieces together and see that justice is done.

Happy new thread, Judy! I love the autumn theme.

>24 DeltaQueen50: - Oh, that looks interesting! I am not usually very interested in the Civil War time period but I am all for a book about ground-breaking/pioneering women.

Yay for the good news that your son-in-law testing negative for Covid! What a relief for everyone.

>42 DeltaQueen50: - Okay, you are not supposed to get me with two BBs on one visit (there should be a rule). ;-)

Sending you belated Happy Birthday wishes, Judy!

Happy (late) birthday!

>60 DeltaQueen50: I've read one of her series set in the Cotswolds (I think ?!). The different locaiton sounds interesting.

>61 lkernagh: Hi Lori, well you picked a couple of good ones to get struck by, if that's any consolation! Thanks for the birthday wishes.

>62 Kristelh: Thanks - I enjoyed the celebrating - just not so happy about growing older. ;)

>63 Helenliz: Ann Cleeves has a number of series. I've been reading her Shetland Island series for a number of years but I believe I only have one more book in the series to read. She has a new series set in North Devon that I have my eye on. The first book is called The Long Call and it's been highly recommended by readers here on LT that I trust.

183. The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman - 4.0 ★
Category: AlphaKit
October AlphaKit: V
October TIOLI #6: Morphy's Challenge - First Sentence in book has a gerund or infinitive



The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman is a YA novel that is based on the stories of real homeless children in India. The author’s mother volunteered at an organization called Concerned for Working Children and the life stories of these children were the basis for this book. The narrator is eleven year old Viji who runs away from home, bringing along her twelve year old developmentally disabled sister, when their abusive father starts to beat them. The two sisters struggle to support themselves and overcome problems of hunger, shelter and violence from others. They meet and forge a friendship with two homeless boys who help them adjust to life on the street. They also find a stray dog who makes their little family complete.

Viji always dreams of more than just surviving. Scavenging various garbage dumps barely gives the four children enough to live on. She would like to continue with her education and be able to work and provide a real home for herself and her sister. Eventually conditions deteriorate and two of the children become seriously ill. Viji realizes that she needs help so she turns to a woman who runs a shelter for homeless children and fate smiles on her as this woman is a genuinely caring and responsible person.

The Bridge Home is a thoughtful and engaging story that includes real stories about the abuse, neglect and tragedy that leaves so many children alone in the world. Most of these children survive through luck alone, trusting on their instincts to guide them. Although this book is aimed at middle grade children, I found it an interesting and moving story.

>65 DeltaQueen50: - Although I haven't read this latest book, I have read her three earlier books and enjoyed them all. Ms Venkatraman is a local author and speaks at the local library occasionally. She was an oceanographer teaching at the local university before she started writing. I'm sure I'll be reading this one.

>65 DeltaQueen50: I can order this book from another library so will also read it for AlphaKIT, letter V. Thanks for the recommendation!

Belated happy birthday, Judy. Many happy returns. I must continue with the Shetland series; I've watched and loved the TV show but have only read the first couple of books.

Belated happy birthday wishes, Judy, and happy new thread!

Love the autumn theme in >1 DeltaQueen50:. Orange can be such a happy color. I can't wait until we can reclaim it down here in the States.

Happy Thanksgiving! Have a great holiday weekend!

This is our Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend and I am having some of my family for dinner tomorrow night. I slipped out this morning and picked up all the last minute items and tomorrow I will be cooking a turkey dinner with all the trimmings. Actually my daughter is coming early to help me and she is making the dessert so we'll have as much fun with the cooking as we will have with the eating!

>66 dudes22: I would certainly read more from Venkatraman if I find anymore of her books, I have to admit this story brought tears to my eyes.

>67 JayneCM: I hope you enjoy the book, Jayne.

>68 BLBera: Oh, I loved the tv series that was based on the books - absolutely fell in love with those Islands. I will be sorry to see the end of the series.

>69 Storeetllr: Hi Mary. Yes, I guess orange has taken a hit over the last 4 years - here's hoping everything will soon change and orange can go back to being a happy color!

I hope you have a lovely family Thanksgiving, Judy!

I hope you have a good Thanksgiving. I can't wait until we have ours next month. I should maybe have mentioned that Venkatramen's third book A Time to Dance is written in - what I would call - long verse and has a lyric quality which marries well with the dance theme. I hope you can find more of her books.

ETA: I know I could cook a turkey anytime, but there's something about having it at Thanksgiving.

>70 DeltaQueen50: - Sounds like you have the perfect Thanksgiving meal planned (with help), Judy. Wishing you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving!

>70 DeltaQueen50: Enjoy your family Thanksgiving, Judy! Ottawa's case-number situation has prompted our public health authorities to strongly discourage Thanksgiving with anyone outside one's own household, so it's just me and other half for dinner today. He's already made apple crisp for dessert, and we've both already sampled it for quality control purposes ;)

>71 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie. Now I just have to give myself a kick in the backside and get going - I am feeling quite lazy today.

>72 dudes22: Turkey is very much our family's choice for the holidays as well, although I am quite partial to ham as well. So it's usually turkey at Thanksgiving and at Christmas with Ham being served at Easter.

>73 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori, the same wishes are being sent to you.

>74 rabbitprincess: If it wasn't for the fact that my daughter is bringing the dessert later, I would be holding off my husband from sampling it for quality control as soon as I made it - he has a sweet tooth. Have a lovely Thanksgiving, RP!

Happy Thanksgiving, Judy and all the Canadians! The stores down here have not had any canned pumpkin in stock for months (I discovered this the day after finding a recipe for pumpkin cake), so I hope it's simply a case of the north having first dibs.

>65 DeltaQueen50: What a beautiful book cover!

I just wanted to stop by and wish you a lovely Thanksgiving weekend, Judy. xx

I am absolutely stuffed! We had an excellent dinner and my daughter brought a delicious pumpkin cake for dessert that was fabulous. Now I have the rest of our long weekend to do nothing - which I am very good at doing actually!

>76 RidgewayGirl: Thanks, Kay. It was so nice to have some of my family here with us especially our grandson who we just don't get to see as often as we would like. It's funny that you mentioned a pumpkin cake cause that's what my daughter brought for dessert. It had a creamy cheese cream icing and was very tasty. I guess maybe we are to blame for your pumpkin shortage!!

>77 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul, and welcome. That is a gorgeous book cover isn't it, it certainly caught my eye! Thanks for the Thanksgiving wishes, we had a lovely holiday.

184. When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn - 4.1 ★
Category: TIOLI Challenges
October TIOLI #12: Birthstone Challenge - A Colorful or Gold Cover



Author Julia Quinn delivers another winning romance story with When He Was Wicked, the sixth book in her Bridgerton Family Series. Francesca is the sixth Bridgerton child and has just enjoyed two years of marital bliss with John, Earl of Kilmartin. When John dies unexpectedly, both Francesca and John’s cousin, Michael, the new Earl, are devastated. Michael has been holding tight to his secret love for Francesca and tried to be happy for the two people that he cared for most. John’s death makes him feel guilty about the feelings that he has for the new widow and so he leaves the country and spends the next few years in India.

Francesca was rather put out with Michael, leaving the way he did, as she was relying upon him for support. She sees him as her best friend not realizing the torture he is going through over her. Francesca goes through her grieving period and begins to think about remarriage and having a child. As she takes off her widow’s clothing, society takes note, and suitors spring up everywhere. Michael, meanwhile has returned, still believing that Francesca is untouchable. It takes a quiet word in his ear from Francesca’s brother Colin, to open Michael’s eyes to the possibilities. Meanwhile, Francesca has noticed that Michael’s return has the society mamas and debutantes desperate to be the one to land him, and she doesn’t understand why she feels hostile about this. Can these two every work through all their issues and find happiness?

This was a fun addition to the series, both Francesca and Michael were characters that I could easily root for. The age old story of falling in love with your best friend’s girl was handled well and I enjoyed this smouldering romance story.

We have completed the 3rd Quarter of 2020 and these were my favorite books of the 3rd Quarter:

: Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy
: The Reader by Bernhard Schlink
: Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver
: The Mountain Between Us by Charles Martin
: The Once and Future King by T. H. White
: Whiskey When We're Dry by John Larison
: Silk Road by Colin Falconer

>64 DeltaQueen50: I really enjoyed The Long Call, Judy. Looks like the first book in a promising series.

Looks like you had a wonderful Thanksgiving meal. I did too as my son came to share it with me. Enjoy the rest of the long weekend.

>81 Familyhistorian: As sad as I am to be winding up the Shetland series, Meg, I am looking forward to starting her "Two Rivers" series. Glad that you had a nice Thanksgiving, I enjoyed having a smaller group than usual, I wasn't nearly as tired as I usually am after preparing a full family dinner.

Just a note to anyone who is interested in reading historical fiction. The group "Reading Through Time" is in the planning stages for next year and we are looking for people to both join in and if they want, to host a month. The set up is much like our RandomCat here. The host chooses a theme and puts up the thread. As well as our monthly themes, we have a quarterly theme that is set for a specific time in history so if you desire, you can read a number of books that are set in the same time period or are about a specific subject.

Here is the link to the Reading Through Time group: http://www.librarything.com/groups/readingthroughtime

and,

here is the link to the 2021 planning thread: http://www.librarything.com/topic/324978

Come on over and check us out!

Unfortunately when I turned off my computer to go grocery shopping today, it wouldn't power up again. I took it in to the shop this afternoon and they had some bad news. Firstly as it is an all-in-one computer they can't fix it on site but have to send it to their depot. The depot will have to order the part and wait for it to arrive and they won't order it until they get the computer and check it over for themselves. Also they won't order the part until they call me and I agree to pay for the repair. So it looks like I will be without my computer for at least two weeks possibly longer. I will try to check in now and again on my husbands' laptop but access will be limited. :(

>84 DeltaQueen50: Booooo computer problems!! :(

>84 DeltaQueen50: Oh no, I hope they can fix it soon! We don't realise how reliant we've become on our computers until they break down on us.

Makes me want to back mine up.

I'm sorry about your computer, Judy. That is so frustrating!

I hope on one of your peek-ins here you see this: The Bridgerton series on Netflix will premier on December 25 :D

>84 DeltaQueen50: Arrghh! I need to take my laptop in for a check as the screen doesn't always come on when I boot it up. My sympathies - it's hard to be without technology these days.

>65 DeltaQueen50:, >66 dudes22: I may be a copycat and try The bridge home myself.

Hope the PC is solved quickly and painlessly as possible.

>85 rabbitprincess: I know, Sob!

>86 Jackie_K: I am not sure how I am going to fill my time now that my computer has gone AWOL - heck, I may have to actually do some house cleaning!!

>87 dudes22: Betty, I will go stark raving mad if I lose anything from my comuter. I have carefully drawn up my 2021 Challenge all ready to copy it to LT. I would hate to have to start over.

>88 katiekrug: What great news, Katie. It's an early Christmas present!

>89 markon: This problem just came out of the blue - it was working perfectly well ... until it wasn't

>90 Helenliz: Thanks, I sure hope I get it back soon and don't have to beg my hubby for some computer time.

185. The Golden Prince by Rebecca Dean - 3.2 ★
Category: AlphaKit
October AlphaKit: D
October TIOLI #3: A Fiery or Autumnal Word is in the Title



The Golden Prince by Rebecca Dean is a historical fiction story based on the a young Prince Edward who was, in the future, destined to give up the British throne for the woman he loved.

The book is set when he is seventeen and I believe is meant to justify the callow lifestyle he eventually followed. In this book, he hates the restrictions and protocol of being the crown prince and yearns to escape. He does stumble into the life of four sisters and before too long fancies himself in love with one of them. Of course his rigid disciplinarian father and other officials will never agree to a love match, only a royal princess is fit to marry their future king.

The premise of the story was interesting but the writing just didn't capture me. The characters felt flat and formulistic and the author's attempt to romanticize this self absorbed, overly privileged young man didn't ring true.

I have a number of other books on my shelf by this author, including the sequel to this novel, but I don't think I will be in any hurry to pull them down.

I have picked my random books for next month:

Random Member - Indiestarr - Started Early, Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson
Random Tag - Grief - Lily and the Octopus by Stephen Rowley
Random Award - The Rita Award - Waltzing with the Earl by Catherine Tinley
Random Character - Malcolm - Standing in Another Man's Grave by Ian Rankin
Random Place - London - Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie
Random Book - Fever of the Bone by Val McDermid

Ooh, yay, Ian Rankin! That's a good one.

>95 rabbitprincess: This is one of the series that I have let slip and I am looking forward to getting back to it!

186. The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino - 3.8 ★
Category: Others
October MysteryKit: New-to-You Author
AlphaKit: X
TIOLI #1: An Odd Number is in the First Sentence of the Book



The Devotion of Suspect X is part of a series about Japanese police detective Kusanagi that has been translated into English. Unfortunately this story didn't totally work for me. The description was that a veteran detective matches wits with a brilliant adversary, the Suspect X from the title. What I actually read was that the veteran detective seemed to focus on one suspect when he had no evidence to support his theory. He appeared to simply zero in and didn't seem to bother to look elsewhere. Luckily his very intelligent friend was along to help point him in the right direction.

Although the readers knew exactly whodunit this was still a clever mystery as the pieces were slowly put together and the reasoning behind everything was exposed. The ending was rather a surprise and I admit to being a little disappointed in how it was wrapped up.

Overall I didn't find The Devotion of Suspect X to be different or intriguing enough for me to go looking for more of these mysteries.

Happy Saturday, Judy. I remember reading The Devotion of Suspect X quite a few years ago. It may have been an ER book. I recall enjoying it, but my memory is a bit fuzzy on it.

I pretty much felt the same about TDoSX, Judy.

>98 msf59: Hi Mark, thanks for dropping by. I am having difficulty with using my husband's old laptop so I am not doing much visiting - hopefully I will have my computer back in a week or so. At least being without a computer is giving me a lot more reading time!

>99 katiekrug: I have so many series on the go that it's actually a good thing that I don't want to add another one to the list!

187. The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall - 3.7 ★
Category: 1,001 Books List
October 1,001 Group Read
October TIOLI #2: An Author Who Does Not Fit the Binary Gender/Sexuality Sterotype



The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall was first published in 1928. It tells about the life of Englishwoman, Stephen Gordon, born to an upper-class family, but a disappointment to her parents as she wasn't the expected boy. From an early age, it was apparent that she was a lesbian. Her father recognized this and tried to help her and guide her but he fell short of actually explaining to her what her sexual identity meant, leaving her confused and uncertain. Her mother knew her daughter was different and that this difference made her unlovable to her, yet she failed to recognize or acknowledge what that difference was.

I found this an incredibly sad story as she faced manipulation, ridicule and scorn all of her life. It is all too easy to forget how not following the 'norm' in sexual identity was treated not all that long ago. My heart goes out to people who have had to struggle to find their place in the world and be accepted for their true nature.

This book has been banned on and off again over the years, but for quite some time it was one of the main books about being lesbian and as such was the guidebook for many a young girl. I can't say that I particularly enjoyed this story of gender identity but I can understand it's importance. Believed to be auto-biographical, The Well of Loneliness is a slow, thoughtful, and non-explicit story about wanting love and acceptance but mostly finding despair and loneliness.

>101 DeltaQueen50: Well done. I'm just about half way.

>102 Helenliz: Not having my computer means that I have plenty of time for reading right now. I certainly found The Well of Loneliness a fairly straightforward read, but thought it could have been shortened somewhat without taking away from the content.

Lovely review of The Well of Loneliness, Judy.

>104 RidgewayGirl: Thanks, Kay!

188. The Howard Hughes Affair by Stuart Kaminsky - 4.0 ★
Category: Random Tag - Private Detective
October TIOLI #9: The Word "Air" is in the Title



The Howard Hughes Affair by Stuart Kaminsky is the 4th entry in his mystery series that features private detective Toby Peters. Peters works in L.A. during the 1940's and often gets called by the famous to help them get out of whatever trouble they have gotten themselves into. This time he is called by Howard Hughes to find out who stole the plans for an experimental plane.

Although he is working for Howard Hughes, Toby is aided in this case by movie star, Basil Rathbone, which greatly added to my enjoyment as Basil Rathbone is one of my favorite actors from that era. They team up to question the suspects which appears to stir things up as before too long, Toby is dodging bullets and stumbling over corpses.

I find this a fun series with it's great 1940s Hollywood setting and the inclusion of many of the top stars of the day. This plot with it's many references to Nazis took place in the days leading up to Pearl Harbor. I am already looking forward to Toby's next case which is foreshadowed at the end of this book as Toby gets a phone call from Boris Karloff.

The Toby Peters series sounds like a good one, Judy. I can't find it at either of the libraries that I use though. Have you read any of his other series?

I hope that you have your computer back soon. You must be lost without it.

Oh, I hope you get your computer back soon, Judy! It's a reminder to back up files.

Your Thanksgiving sounds lovely, not the usual frantic day that requires a holiday to recover. Not that I know anything of that, we have a very small family (just one son and his wife) and we've never done Thanksgiving. However, this year we had a picnic in our son's backyard and as it was cool, we had a campfire. Actually, we do this often and it's one of our favourite things.

Your random choices sound wonderful. Kate Atkinson is one of my favourite authors.

This evening I am a very happy camper as I was able to pick up my computer just before the store closed. I still don't really know why it wouldn't power up for me, but it only cost me $25.00 and it works. The technician spoke with a foreign accent and with my bad hearing and my inability to pick up heavily accented english, I couldn't quite get what he was telling me except he said the power up had been corrupted. I still think it may have had something to do with those huge updates that Windows likes to install sometimes.

>107 Familyhistorian: Meg, I think I stumbled on the Toby Peters series through a Kindle Daily Deal and I have been getting them for the Kindle ever since. It's an older series, I believe, written in the 1990s, but since it's set back in the 1940's it still works today. I am a huge old movie fan, so I really enjoy this 1940s Hollywood setting and the author's use of 1940 movie stars. I know the author has done other series but I haven't read anything else by him except the Toby Peters books. And yes, I was lost without my computer - it's almost scary how much I rely on it!

>108 VivienneR: Got it back and all my files are fine - the first thing I checked was my documents cause all my reading plans and ideas are there including my 2021 Reading Challenge. I used to love those big holidays with lots of family around me but I have to admit, I really like the smaller, quieter gatherings these days. Your outside dinner and campfire sounds so nice, something to remember on those upcoming cold, snowy nights! I am looking forward to the Kate Atkinson book.

Good luck with getting the computer problems resolved!

The Toby Peters series sounds like a lot of fun. I see it's available from our library's e-book collections, so I'll have to check it out sometime.

>110 mathgirl40: It's a fun series, there is some violence but it's not particularly graphic, it just seems to be par for the course that Toby gets beat-up at some point in the story.

>109 DeltaQueen50: Congratulations on the safe return of your computer. It's good news that its ailment wasn't fatal!

>112 pamelad: Thanks, whenever my computer returns from the shop things are set up differently. This time the size of the fonts have been enlarged and I really like it - so much easier on the eyes.

Good to know you've got your computer back. Sometimes it's hard to remember how we managed our lives without them.

>114 MissWatson: Thanks. I love my computer - when it's working right - but I really hate it when things go wrong.

189. The Night Country by Stewart O'Nan - 4.0 ★
Category: ScaredyKit
October ScaredyKit: Halloween
October TIOLI #7: An Author You Have Read Again Since March 15, 2020



Five teens are out joy-riding on a Halloween night. The car, going too fast, leaves the road and slams into a tree. Three of the teens, Marco, Danielle and Toe, are killed, one, Kyle, is so damaged both physically and mentally that he will require constant care for the rest of his life, and the last one, Tim, emerges from the backseat uninjured but perhaps the most damaged of all.

It is exactly one year later and Tim has had enough of life and thinks it’s time for both he and Kyle to join his girlfriend, Danielle and the others. The three dead teens return to follow their two friends on this important day. It is not apparent whether they are there to just observe, or if they are going to help Tim survive or even, if they are there to ensure that Tim dies. This was a difficult read for me. I am sure I am not alone in having experienced the loss of young teens in a horrific crash. My grand-niece who was the driver, went over the side of a mountain, there were three in the car and two, including my niece didn’t make it. So reading of the horror, the waste, the emptiness left behind was hard for me.

The story is narrated by one of the dead teens, Marco. As the three ghosts visit the people that they were close to when alive, the story of their death is revealed and the affect this had on members of the community such as the Kyle’s mother and the small town cop who was the first to arrive at the accident scene.

I found The Night Country to be a very powerful and moving read, Stewart O’Nan has become a favorite author and although this was a tough read, he allowed the story to unfold at a restrained pace that gave the reader time to understand that death has many victims. The Night Country is a modern ghost story that has moments of dark humor but very little in the way of chills so instead of being spooked, we are left with the lingering feelings of guilt and sorrow that this story evokes.

Glad that comp is up and working again and it didn't cost and arm and a leg!

>116 DeltaQueen50: - This is one of the O'Nans I haven't read yet. Sounds like I should move it up!

>117 Tess_W: Thanks, Tess, I was very please that it cost so little. I expect that means there wasn't much wrong with it which makes me question why the technician had to send it in to their warehouse for repairs.

>118 katiekrug: Katie, Stewart O'Nan certainly takes an all-too common tragedy and weaves a good story. It was a difficult read for me, but one I couldn't put down.

Today was one of those perfect autumn days with deep blue skies and sunshine so my husband and I went out for lunch and a drive. We drove along Zero Avenue which is a road that follows the border between British Columbia and Washington State, rolling through farm land and hilly ridges. It was lovely to get out of the house! We had lunch in a 1950s style Roadhouse and ate so much that I won't be making dinner this evening!

>120 DeltaQueen50: Your day sounds so nice. I love drives to anywhere or for that matter nowhere and have taken several during the pandemic. Leaves are beginning to change here and that calls for a drive up into the hills within the next week or two. One annual event we don't have to give up.

>121 clue: Enjoy your drive when you get to it. It was nice to break our pattern for a bit today and get out in the fresh air!

>120 DeltaQueen50:

Wasn't it a lovely day! I had a fabulous walk at 7AM when I dropped my car off for servicing and then walked home (through Queens Park) and then this afternoon in reverse when I went to pick it up and then go do errands. Just gorgeous.

I love Zero Ave -- a funky little area of the world. Did you ever read Border Songs by Jim Lynch? It's a fun book set there, with characters on both sides of the border.

>123 Nickelini: It was a gorgeous day and driving in the country with scattered leaves falling down was very soothing. To my shame, I have not read Border Songs but I have had it on my shelves for some time. I think I originally heard about the book from Lori (Ikernaugh) which prompted me to get the book, but there it still sits. :(

190. Blackberry Winter by Sarah Jio - 2.0 ★
Category: Random Place - Seattle, Washington
October TIOLI #12: Birthstone Challenge - Opal or Gold Cover



I had to ingest a lot of coincidences in order to accept the premise of Blackberry Winter by Sarah Jio. This is a story where the author explores personal connections that transcend the boundaries of time but it definitely requires the reader not to question too closely how these connections were formed and whether they were believable. In 1933, during a freak snowstorm in Seattle, a three year old boy goes missing. When Seattle experiences a similar storm in 2010, reporter Claire Aldridge is asked to write a feature about the 1933 event. She settles on the strange disappearance of this child who appears to have vanished without a trace.

Claire is dealing with a loss of her own and her marriage is seemingly falling apart. The book jumps between the 1933 timeline as the mother of the young boy searches for her child and back to 2010 as Claire digs into the story and worries that it’s too late to save her own relationship.

I should have given into my impulse to toss this book aside, but I did carry on through to the end. It is my second book by this author and it will be my last. I found the characters unrealistic, the story was too predictable and I felt forced to accept things that were totally unbelievable. It’s a sad commentary when the best thing about the book is it’s pretty cover.

>120 DeltaQueen50: >123 Nickelini: Yesterday was lovely. I met some friends at a local coffeehouse where we could sit outside. It was wonderful to see them & enjoy the gorgeous weather.

>126 markon: It's good to get out and enjoy the nice weather while it lasts - our weather turned nasty today - it even snowed in areas of higher elevation. Where I live we had rain and wind all day.

>94 DeltaQueen50: Love Atkinson! Hope you enjoy that one.

>109 DeltaQueen50: And hurray for the computer working again. Phew! And $25 is not bad.

>120 DeltaQueen50: And nice day trip. I could use one of those....someday. Today is all about pumpkin carving! We are spreading out in the garage and having visitors, so there will be three tables, heaters and lots of masks.

>128 Berly: Hi Kim, a pumpkin carving get-together sounds like fun. My grandkids are really into pumpkin art and I am often amazed at the wonderful results.

191. The Red Scarf by Gil Brewer - 3.8 ★
Category: TIOLI Challenges
October MysteryKit: New-To-You Author
October TIOLI #4: 3 Word Title with the Format The (Color) (noun)



The Red Scarf by Noir author Gil Brewer is considered one of his best. This fast moving story is short and simple as it spins the tale of a man who accidentally gets mixed up with a couple of thieves who made the classic mistake of stealing from the “mob”. As the gruff man and beautiful woman pick up Roy Nichols as he hitchhikes home little does he know that just by entering the car, he and everyone he loves is now involved. As they hurl down the highway, they are being chased by a mob hit-man.

Roy needs money desperately and falls in with the couple’s schemes thinking he will get paid enough to keep his motel afloat until the highway that is go right by his auto court is put through. By helping, Roy enters a world of lies, deception and danger.

As I was reading this I felt like I was reading a script for a 1950s television drama. It had some great touches of 1950s kitsch, from the setting of the Florida roadside motel, to the fashions, language and habits of the characters. The Red Scarf is a fast paced page turner and I would certainly read more from this author, who unfortunately didn’t find a great deal of success when he was alive and spent much of his time with a bottle.

>130 DeltaQueen50: I hope to find that one at the library!

>131 Tess_W: Oh, I hope you are able to find it. It's a short, fun, and somewhat bumpy ride back to the 1950s.

192. An Outback Nurse by Thea Hayes - 3.2 ★
Category: RandomCat
October RandomCat: Healthcare Heroes
October TIOLI #8: A Halloween Costume Can Be Found in the Title



An Outback Nurse by Thea Hayes are the author’s memoirs of her life on a remote cattle station in the Northern Territory of Australia. It was obvious from the start that Thea had an adventurous nature. After working as a nurse to save money, she travelled the world by backpack for a year. She returned to Sydney, Australia and added midwife training to her resume. She then applied for jobs in remote areas, and in 1959, took a job offered in the Northern Territory, in the heart of the Outback. The book tells us about the land, the day to day activities on the cattle station, the Aboriginals, and the social life in the Outback but unfortunately she doesn’t go into much detail about her actual nursing. As she met and married one of the employees at the cattle station and so raised her family there as well.

The book was an easy read and felt much like reading a letter from a chatty acquaintance. While not overtly racist, her dismissive talk about the Aboriginals who were mostly in secondary or servants positions was disconcerting. The lifestyle of the white people on these stations read much like colonial life in the earlier part of the century, with the white people overseeing the work that was done by the natives. As they did live a rather remote life, their social lives were important, so a fair amount of drinking and partying were a regular part of their lives.

An Outback Nurse was interesting and informative about the life style of white people living in the Australian Outback but I felt that the author kept her personal emotions firmly in check and only gave us a look at the surface.

193. Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut - 3.3 ★
Category: SFFFKit
1,001 Books List
October SFFFKit: From a "Best Of" List
October TIOLI #5: A Controversial Author



In Slaughterhouse Five, Kurt Vonnegut blends science fiction and a war story to produce a novel that is not only anti-war but exceedingly strange. First published in 1969 Vonnegut’s novel was partly about his own experiences as a prisoner of war in World War II, but this was the era of Vietnam, Paris Peace Talks and anti-war marches in the streets of America, and so Slaughterhouse Five became a mecca for disenchanted youth.

This is a challenging read as the author and his characters bend reality and challenge the reader to look at war and violence in a different way. This is a satire full of wit and black humor and I freely admit that half the time I had no idea of what the author was trying to say other than war is bad and we have to find another way to negotiate our troubles. The book has very little structure so seemed to me to be a mass of strange thoughts that were either complete nonsense or fascinating symbolism.

I think Slaughterhouse Five is a book that perfectly captures the 1960s vibe, it is a flawed book but the unconventional writing called to the public and they made it a hit. Initially ignored by the critics and banned in many places where it was considered morally questionable, Slaughterhouse Five is today, considered Vonnegut’s most influential and popular book.

>116 DeltaQueen50: I quite liked the O'Nan I read a year or two back, and this one sounds very good as well.

>133 DeltaQueen50: Fascinating -- I had to reread to make sure I had the dates straight. The Outback in the 1960s and 1970s comes across as a much earlier colonial period. That is simultaneously surprising and not at all surprising, I suppose. Sounds like the sort of book that is going to be useful to have historically and may or may not be worth actively picking up, depending on your interest level. I think I am interested, but not enough to actively seek it out.

>135 pammab: I have liked all of the O'Nan books that I have read and consider him one of my favorite authors. I particularly liked Last Night at the Lobster. I was a little disappointed with An Outback Nurse as I was expecting more of the story to be about her nursing. I was obsessed with a TV show called "The Flying Doctor" that I watched many years ago. It was about the Australian Flying Doctor service and although I was only about 8 or 9 when it was on, I think I might have had a crush on the main character.

194. Imperial Lady by Andre Norton & Susan Schwartz - 4.0 ★
Category: TIOLI Challenges
SFFFKit: Classics
TIOLI #16: Read a Book by Andre Norton



Imperial Lady by Andre Norton and Susan Schwartz is a historical fantasy that was first published in 1989. It is based on an actual piece of Chinese history about a Han princess that was sent into the west to marry and cement a treaty with the Mongols in or around 40 BC.

By taking this story and enlarging on the characters and adding a touch of magic, they have produced a spellbinding tale about Silver Snow, daughter of a disgraced general who accepts her fate to be used as a political tool in a marriage to an aging barbarian chief and, who works to bring both honour to her family and also to avert a war. She is accompanied by her maid, Willow, who is a magical being. She can turn into a fox and talk to small animals, she has a vast knowledge of spells and herbs to assist her lady. They need all of Willows skills to fight the barbarian’s first wife, who is working her black magic against them in order to secure her son as the heir. She would like to wipe out both her husband and this new wife.

Imperial Lady was my introduction to the writing of Andre Norton and I thoroughly enjoyed this light, quick fantasy read. Descriptive, lyrical language unfolds a tale that totally absorbed me from start to finish. It nicely combined history with fantasy and added a touch of romance to deliver a fun story about a dainty Chinese lady who became a barbarian queen.

>109 DeltaQueen50: We're relying on our computers even more these days, Judy, I can't imagine being without a computer for so long. Maybe that's why I have 3.

It looks like we are in to the soggy days of autumn now but fortunately the trick or treaters will have a break in the weather. It remains to be seen how many will come out. I was leery about answering the door so will be going to visit a friend instead which seems much safer. I usually get 100 kids at the door.

>138 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg. I think I will invest in a laptop or a tablet so I don't have to go comuter-less again - the withdrawal is horrible!! Living in an apartment means no trick or treaters for us - I have a feeling that it's going to be a quiet Halloween night though. One of my daughters lives in a townhouse complex and usually gets a 100 or more kids so what the complex is doing is having the local kids gather at their clubhouse and then have a parade through the complex. People can then leave candy outside for the kids or come outside and pass candy out as they parade past.

I'm not sure if this anything more than local custom, but the trick or treaters only tend to knock at houses that are displaying some kind of Halloween decoration. We don't put anything up, so don't get disturbed. It works quite well.

>140 Helenliz: I think people today are more respectful of the idea that some may not want to participate in Halloween activities. This probably is because most kids nowadays are accompanied by their parents who know to look for signals that trick-or-treaters are welcome.

There was a report on our news last night about a local woman who wanted to figure out how she could manage the trick-or-treaters and she came up with a great idea. She has a two story house and she made a shute, it looked like a PVC pipe covered in black and purple striped material, and she'll stand in an upstairs window and the kids can hold their containers under the shute and she'll send candy down! I love that idea and could probably do it safely from my porch but I'm not sure I could get it ready prior to Halloween this year.

>142 clue: It's amazing what people can come up with when inspired!

195. Thin Air by Michelle Paver - 4.5 ★
Category: Random Book of Mine
October TIOLI #9: Title Contains the Word "Air"



Thin Air by Michelle Paver is an excellent and chilling ghost story that is set in the Himalayas in 1935. A small expedition prepares to tackle Kangchenjunga, the world’s third highest mountain that had so far not been climbed. They are following in the footsteps of a previous expedition, one that ended tragically many years ago. How tragic that expedition was is slowly revealed during the course of the book.

A troubled doctor, Stephen Pearce, is the narrator of the story, he has joined the expedition as a last minute replacement at the invitation of his older brother Kit. The sibling rivalry between these brothers helps to ground the story as it soon becomes obvious that although they love each other, there are times when they desperately don’t want the other to succeed. As they slowly climb this daunting mountain, Dr. Pearce is soon feeling and then seeing the presence of someone or something else that appears to be shadowing the party.

I had previous read Dark Matter by this author and found it to be an exceeding well done ghost story. The author seems to specialize in setting her haunted stories in inaccessible places that give her books a claustrophobic and dark atmosphere. While I think I was a little more scared while reading Dark Matter, this book was still eerily spooky and kept me anxiously looking over my shoulder. Thin Air has a classic ghost story feel that made it a perfect read for these October nights.

>144 DeltaQueen50:
I've never heard of either of these books, or this author, but you have me intrigued. I've had a good spooktober, and I've learned so many good titles for years to come. Thanks for introducing me to these

Thin Air sounds like a good read for this time of year, Judy.

I've been wanting to reread Slaughterhouse-Five; it's been years since I read it. I'll see how it holds up for me. Vonnegut is not for everyone. When I've taught his books, it seems like students either love him or hate him; there's little in-between.

>145 Nickelini: I love a good ghost story but unfortunately, I find they are very hard to find. For me, I don't like it when they are too over the top. Quietly spooky, eerie, and well written ghost stories are what I am looking for and Michelle Paver delivers!

>146 BLBera: I can't say that I loved Slaughterhouse Five but I did enjoy the 1960s memories it brought it. I remember when all the "literary" kids walked around with a well-thumbed copy of Slaughterhouse Five, Catcher in the Rye or A Clockwork Orange in their hands. Me?? I was reading James Bond, Mary Stewart and Helen MacInnes.

Happy Halloween!

I already had a Halloween scare this morning when both our internet and phones were down. Luckily, it was quickly repaired and all is back to normal.

>148 DeltaQueen50: That kitten is adorable!! The paws remind me of my Jessie cat, who was with me for all too short a time many years ago.

>149 NinieB: Isn't he/she sweet! My son-in-law posted this on facebook and I stole it to use here.

>150 DeltaQueen50: My kind of Halloween costume!

>147 DeltaQueen50: I love a good ghost story but unfortunately, I find they are very hard to find.

I agree! So hard to find just the right creepiness. But when you find it, it's soooo good.

Love your Halloween kitty, and I'm relieved to hear you survived the great Halloween scare of 2020

The Halloween kitty is so cute!

>151 NinieB: That picture sure makes me wish I had a kitty cat again! Unfortunatey, no pets are allowed where we live.

>152 Nickelini: I hope you give Michelle Paver a try and let me know what you think.

>153 BLBera: Hi Beth, hope you are having a happy Halloween! We aren't planning much but will be dropping by to see the grandkids later and leave them some candy. They are far too old and sophisticated for costumes - but I think they still love the candy!

196. The Lesser Dead by Christopher Buehlman - 4.2 ★
Category: Random Member - jan.fleming
October TIOLI #15: Author Born After 1945



The Lesser Dead by Christopher Buehlman is a vampire tale set in New York City in 1978. New York made the perfect backdrop to this unsettling, dark yet humorous story that was as full of 1970s pop references as it was with vampires feasting on it’s inhabitants.

Although he was turned in the late 1930s and if alive would be a very old man, Joey Peacock appears as a teenager and he has perfected this camouflage. He lives with his tribe of vampires deep in the dark subway tunnels and enjoys his flashy, fun lifestyle, from hunting in the clubs and discos, to watching the current TV shows, and wearing the newest fashions. He and his friends are careful not to kill too often, to take what they need and leave their victims healing and forgetful. Then one night he sees a new group of vampires, little children who hunt and feed wherever they like, not caring about covering their tracks. These little ones are making life difficult for all careful vampires and the question is – should they teach them or simply get rid of them.

I enjoyed The Lesser Dead immensely. The book was extremely atmospheric with an excellent combination of creepiness and humor. I have read and enjoyed this author before and love the fact that he portrays vampires as the monsters that they should be, disgusting blood-sucking predators that prey on humans. And yet, he has also managed to show that although dead, some have retained a slight spark of humanity.

>155 DeltaQueen50:
Oh wow, another one I've never heard of that sounds amazing. Thanks for pointing out this one too.

>156 Nickelini: While the vampire story is a little more over-the-top and has more violence than the ghost story, it is still a fun read.

197. Notes From Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky - 2.0 ★
Category: 1,001 Books List
November TIOLI #10: Appears on a "Best Books List" on LT



One of my largest concerns when I decided to tackle the 1,001 Books to Read Before You Die List was the Russian authors. I wasn’t sure that I was up to the task of reading these literary giants so I was pleasantly surprised to find that I actually liked everything by Gogol that I have read, and that I really enjoyed Anna Karenina. I decided it was time to try Dostoevsky and chose Notes From Underground to read by installment. Bad choice as all my fears about Russian authors came true with this book.

For the first half of the book, the author appears to be on one long rant using the irritable, abrasive, and antisocial main character who rambles on about his philosophy and thoughts on life. Although this unnamed character is an educated and supposedly intelligent man, he comes across as a paranoid loner who despises Russian society.

The second half of the book is composed of the narrator sharing various stories from his life that illustrate how alienated he is from the world. The narrator is quite dislikeable, and I found his bitter and vengeful stories exhausting. I was very happy to reach the end of this book.

Luckily this was a short book of less than 200 pages, although its’ density and unpleasant subject matter made it seem much longer. I made the mistake of choosing a short book in the hopes that this would mean an easier read and I have since read that Notes From Underground is considered one of his most difficult reads. I’m not sure I would have been able to complete the read if it had been in a different format rather than the short installments that I read much as one would take a twice weekly dose of medicine. I’m not here to judge whether this is a great literary achievement, I rather suspect it is, but it is also a difficult read that I had trouble understanding, and I am glad to be done with it and happy to be able to check this one off my list.

>158 DeltaQueen50: Sorry you didn't enjoy your first foray into Dostoevsky! If you decide to try another, I think I'd recommend Crime and Punishment. I also personally found The Brothers Karamazov to be a real page-turner, but I think that might be a minority opinion. :)

>158 DeltaQueen50: >159 christina_reads: When I was a sophomore in high school we had to read Crime and Punishment. I've read Anna Karenina but otherwise I have avoided the Russians, and especially Dostoyevsky, ever since.

>158 DeltaQueen50: Oof! I find Dostoevsky harder to get through than Tolstoy for sure.

>144 DeltaQueen50: Making a note of this one! I'll keep an eye out for Michelle Paver.

>159 christina_reads: I do have Crime and Punishment on my shelf, Christina, but I can't say that I am all that motivated to pick it up right now - maybe next year sometime.

>160 NinieB: I think I would like War and Peace, but it really needs a huge amount of time to be invested in the reading.

>161 rabbitprincess: I am certainly not in any hurry to read another Dotoevsky, I will have to work up to that.
>162 RidgewayGirl: Her ghost stories are exceptional, Kay.

>163 DeltaQueen50: Yes, War and Peace would probably agree with me, too.

>158 DeltaQueen50: The Russians take longer to read and are more difficult to understand, I think. They aren't just straight out novels, but they have multiple layers and meanings. I've read 5 : War & Peace, Anna Karenina, Doctor Zhivago, Crime and Punishment and One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. I've liked them all--at least when I finished them and could reflect back on what the story was really about. I've also found out from talking to others, that it is more difficult to relate to the Russian writers unless you know a good bit about Russian history. Hopefully you will like your next "Russian"! For the group Reading Globally, this quarter's theme is Writing the Revolution in Russia, so for that I'm going to read Tolstoy's Master and Man.

>165 Tess_W: I will have to space the Russian novels out so that I don't become totally overwhelmed by them. I know that I will never actually read all the books on the 1,001 list, so I don't feel a great deal of pressure to get to every book that I am not overly excited about.

198. Fever of the Bone by Val McDermid - 4.2 ★
Category: Random Book of Mine
November TIOLI #16: Birthstone - Read a Book With a Black Cover



For a long time one of my favorite series was the Tony Hill/Carol Jordan police procedurals by Val McDermid. For some reason, I have not read one of these books in quite some time and recently when I was sorting through my various series, I realized that I needed to get back to this series by reading number 6, Fever in the Bone.

Although it’s been some time since I have read this series, I found it easy to jump back into the lives of psychological profiler, Dr. Tony Hill and his police supervisor and best friend DCI Carol Jordan. Carol is dealing with work changes that a new Deputy Chief Constable has brought, among them the ruling that she is not to use Dr. Hill but instead turn to in-house profilers. She and her team become involved in a particular nasty serial murder case, one involving the deaths of a number of teenage boys. Tony on the other hand has accepted an assignment with a different police force and it takes some time before Carol and Tony come to realization that they are both working different ends of the same case.

The investigations are interesting, well plotted and the story moves quickly. Along the way the reader is able to catch up with most of Carol Jordan’s team members as well as Carol and Tony themselves. There is a decision made at the end of this book that looks to bring about some major changes to the series. I will certainly not let this series slip through the cracks again as I am looking forward to number 7 and finding out where these characters are heading.

>158 DeltaQueen50:
Good to know not to take on Notes from the Underground any time soon! And I'm glad you were able to follow it up with a good McDermid.

>165 Tess_W: "I've also found out from talking to others, that it is more difficult to relate to the Russian writers unless you know a good bit about Russian history."

That's a very interesting observation -- thank you for sharing it. I keep thinking I should get into Dostoyevsky and the other Russians and not getting into it; maybe I should keep an eye open for some approachable non-fiction first. Or maybe that's wishful thinking. :)

>168 pammab: I'm not sure where to tell you to begin with some easy Russian history. Let me ponder it!

>168 pammab: I often find myself turning to favorite authors after reading one of the more difficult classics. But I also have found that I can appreciate most of these more difficult reads, they leave me with lots to think about.

>169 Tess_W: I have read a number of historical fiction books that have been set in Russia so I have a fairly good idea of the history. Nicholas and Alexandria was an excellent biography about the doomed Russian royal family and of course there is the movie of the same name and the movie "Reds".

199. Living by Henry Green - 4.0 ★
Category: 1,001 Books List
November 1,001 Challenge Read: A Book by an Author I Hadn't Heard of Before Checking the 1,001 List
November TIOLI #3: I Am Thankful for _________



Living by Henry Green is a 1929 novel that explores factory life in 1920s Birmingham. The author was only 24 when this novel was published. He had dropped out of Oxford University and worked in an iron foundry in order to experience a working class life. His resulting novel is one of social observation that brings the lives of workers, their families and their managers into sharp focus.

The author’s writing style makes this a reading experience as right from the first page you are set down amidst a group of Birmingham factory workers and their lives, jobs and conversations carry on as though you have been with them for some time. As you become immersed in their lives, you quickly figure out who everyone is and you start to focus on the story line. All through the book, there are characters that just come along, say their piece and then leave again, but you are able to build a picture of this world, one of mind-numbing labour, poor pay, and few expectations of betterment. These people are simply staying alive not enjoying much variety or pleasure.

Some of the characters made quite an impression on me. Lily Gates who wants to wed Bert Jones, a factory worker. Lily would like to get a job as well but her guardian is against women working. She and Bert dream of emigrating and starting a new life somewhere else. There are some characters from the upper class as well, in particular, the Dupret family who own the factory, and we learn of the constraints upon them and their way of life as well.

I started off confused and not really liking this book, but after 50 pages or so, I was totally drawn into this world of class boundaries and under-appreciated workers. Living is a rather short novel, but it is broad in scope, and as the reader becomes adjusted to author’s unusual writing style they can then appreciate the narrative.

>171 DeltaQueen50: You've encouraged me to give Living another go. I liked both Loving and Party Going, but couldn't get into Living, perhaps because of the dialect.

>171 DeltaQueen50: I'm taking a BB for Living. I'm still looking for books to fill up my 1001 Books category, and a shorter one is appealing.

>172 pamelad: It took me awhile to both get into the story and to be able to pick up the dialect. At first I was very confused but I had read some positive comments by Jennifer (japaul22) and that encouraged me to continue.

>173 mathgirl40: I sometimes find myself looking for some shorter books to move my 1,001 numbers along, but have found that sometimes the shortest novels can feel like the longest! I hope Living works for you.

200. Waltzing With the Earl by Catherine Tinley - 3.8 ★
Category: Random Award - The Rita
November TIOLI #3: I Am Thankful For ______



Waltzing with the Earl by Catherine Tinley is a light historical romance that won a 2018 Rita Award. Although it is difficult for me to totally embrace any Regency Romance that isn’t written by the incomparable Georgette Heyer, this story had definite fairy tale qualities that had me rooting for the heroine and left me smiling. The author includes a lot of information about society, culture and fashion that makes for an interesting backdrop to her romance story.

The very eligible Earl of Shalford feels the need to marry for money, yet he can’t keep the lovely Charlotte from distracting him from her spoiled and wilful cousin, Henrietta. At first finding him both aloof and arrogant, Charlotte’s quiet relationship with the Earl grows into esteem, friendship and eventually she realizes that she loves him.

Although the plot is a familiar one, the author handles her characters with ease, inserts some light humor, and delivers an engaging but unsurprising story. Waltzing With the Earl was a satisfying romance read that reminded me of Cinderella and gave me the escape read that I was craving.

201. Bracelet of Bones by Kevin Crossley-Holland - 2.6 ★
Category: Reading Through Time
4th Quarter Reading Through Time Theme: Vikings
November TIOLI #5: Author Born Between 1845 and 1945



Bracelet of Bones by Kevin Crossley-Holland is the first book in his YA Viking Saga. It is the story of Solveig who goes in search of her father, Halfdan a Viking mercenary who left her behind when he went to become one of the Viking Guard serving Empress Zoe in Constantinople. As she journeys from Norway to the fabled city she travels with others, first fur trappers and then sea-going traders. Unfortunately, the focus of the story becomes less about Solveig and more about the lives of the people she meets and travels with.

I was expecting an exciting coming-of-age story about a courageous young woman who risks travelling halfway around the known world to be reunited with her father, but for some reason the author tended to focus on the story lines of the various characters that Solveig met along the way. So instead of one strong narrative it became a watered down series of stories for the author to insert information and justify the extensive research that he obviously did.

Bracelet of Bones is the first in a planned trilogy, but I won’t be continuing on with this saga as I really can’t say that I enjoyed this read.

>171 DeltaQueen50: I started off confused and not really liking this book, but after 50 pages or so, I was totally drawn into this world of class boundaries and under-appreciated workers. Living is a rather short novel, but it is broad in scope, and as the reader becomes adjusted to author’s unusual writing style they can then appreciate the narrative.

I totally agree with this!

>177 japaul22: Thanks, Jennifer and thanks for bringing Henry Green to my attention, I am looking forward to reading more of him.

The Henry Green book sounds great, Judy. I love the Russians, but I did take some classes and read them in college, which was helpful. It's been a few years since I've read Dostoevsky, but I will pick him up again at some point.

>179 BLBera: Hi Beth. Personally, I wish I had tried more "classics" when I was in my 20s. At that age I was far more acceptable toward my reading material. At my advanced age now I struggle to stretch my reading habits cause most times I really would rather be reading a steady diet of genre fiction - Crime, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Romance etc.

>180 DeltaQueen50: But think about all that was going on in your life at that time. I'm guessing you were raising little kids. When I was in my 20s I was in school for the first half and in an incredibly demanding job in the second half. It's amazing I read at all.

>170 DeltaQueen50: I'll take the recommendation for Nicholas and Alexandra! If anything comes to you, Tess, I'll take that too.

>171 DeltaQueen50: I am also very interested in Living. It feels like this one in particulara might be an O'Nan of another era, and definitely worth at least an attempt.

>176 DeltaQueen50: That looks like a good book for the RTT quarterly Viking challenge, Judy. Most of my Viking books appear to be nonfiction but I wonder if I can scare up a fictional one on my shelves.

>181 NinieB: For me it was my thirties during the 1980s that seemed to go by in a blur - raising kids, working full time and running a household took up a lot of time, leaving me little time to read. During my twenties I was a little more selfish about my time and although I was having babies and working, I still managed to read quite a bit. I guess when one is an avid reader, there's never enough time to get in all the books you want to read!

>182 pammab: I am looking forward to reading more of Henry Green, I have heard that he doesn't write in dialect in his other books so they may be easier reads.

>183 Familyhistorian: I have a weakness for historical fiction about vikings and have read a lot about them. One of my favorites would have to be The Long Ships by Frans G. Bengtsson. It had gone out of print but was re-issued a few years ago by the New York Review. I hope you find a good one, Meg.

202. Death By His Grace by Kwei Quartey - 3.8 ★
Category: AlphaKit
November AlphaKit: Q



Death by his Grace by Kwei Quartey is the fifth book in the police procedural series that features Chief Inspector Darko Dawson of Ghana. In this outing Darko is investigating the murder of his wife’s friend and cousin. Katherine had married into a family where both her mother-in-law and sister-in-law didn’t think she was good enough. Then when she failed to get pregnant, her marriage fell apart. The couple tried marriage counselling with a Pentecostal Bishop, but Katherine’s husband still left and she was being called a witch by her in-laws. Then the night before Katherine was going to move out of the marriage home, she is attacked and murdered.

This mystery played out against the backdrop of the city of Accra and the culture of Ghana and while the investigation plays out in a straight forward manner, we are also drawn into Darko’s private problems with his father’s dementia and his concern over his adoptive son, Sly, who appears to be hanging out with the wrong people. Along with these problems and the investigation, he is also dealing with training a new assistant and a re-occurrence of his malarial attacks.

I enjoy these books and appreciate learning about the culture of the country. I didn’t appreciate that this particular book ended with a massive cliffhanger and since it appears that the author has moved on to a new series, I am left wondering if this is the end of the series or whether there will be another book.

203. A Boy And His Dog At The End Of The World by C. A. Fletcher - 4.3 ★
Category: SFFFKit
November SFFFKit: Dystopia
November TIOLI #6: An Animal is Pictured on the Cover or Mentioned in the Title



A Boy And His Dog At The End Of The World by C. A. Fletcher is a story set in a post-apocalyptic world. Griz and his family live on a small island off the coast of what used to be Scotland. This world didn’t go out with a bang but instead faded slowly away, propelled by the fact that most humans became unable to have children. It is now hundreds of years later, and the few humans who are left live isolated quiet lives. Griz’s family are used to being just them, but when a trader comes to their island and then leaves, taking Griz’s dog Jess with him, Griz doesn’t stop to think but just immediately sets out with his other dog, Jip, to recover his stolen dog.

Thus begins Griz’s and Jip’s journey that takes them through the ruins of the old world. There are many new things to discover and plenty of dangers. Griz keeps a journal and carefully documents his travels and what emerges is a suspenseful, well imagined story set against a backdrop of crumbing ruins overtaken by nature. This isn’t a heart pounding, fast moving story but a well written, interesting tale of the love and loyalty that can exist between dogs and humans.

I was totally absorbed by this story and although some may find it too much of a slow burner, I relished the time I spent with Griz and Jip. A Boy And His Dog At The End Of The World was an absorbing read that leaves a message that kindness, loyalty and hope will guide one through many pitfalls. Yes, that, plus it is always better to have a dog at your side.

Hello, Judy! Two great reviews. I am not familiar with the series you mention in >185 DeltaQueen50:, so I need to remedy that. Total bummer about the current one ending on a cliffhanger - I hate when that happens.

>186 DeltaQueen50: I have this in the stacks, as it made the Katie's Dirty Dozen list of books that I keep recommended by her. I snagged it in a Kindle deal not that long ago. Sounds like I need to bump it up the list. I feel like we are living in our own dystopia at the moment.

>186 DeltaQueen50: - I really enjoyed that one, too, Judy!

>187 Crazymamie: - Hooray for the Dirty Dozen!

>188 katiekrug: Indeed!

>186 DeltaQueen50: - Shot again! This looks like something I'd really enjoy. And with some credits I have for kindle, I can get it for free.

>187 Crazymamie: Mamie!!! Great to see you back posting. I have noticed your presence on some other threads but have so far not visited yours as I am sure you are being overwhelmed at this point. I will be along soon though.

The police procedurals featuring Darko Dawson and set in Ghana are pretty good. The author gives us a real look at the culture of his country and Dawson and his family are interesting to read about.

A Boy and his Dog at the End of the World is a great dystopian story and one, that I think you will like. I had the book on my kindle but Katie's recent review had me pushing it up to the top of the pile.

>188 katiekrug: Katie, thanks to your review, I read this one sooner than I probably would have. I love dytopian and apocalyptic fiction so this one was perfect for me.

>190 dudes22: I think you will enjoy the book, Betty, and of course, getting it for free makes it all the better!

>148 DeltaQueen50: That is one scary cat! I'd like to take her home with me.

Did you have snow in the last day or two? We had a massive snowfall overnight and this morning. The power was out so like you I didn't have internet and only water and an apple for breakfast. Luckily it was restored before lunchtime.

More snow expected tonight and I really hope the power will be ok tomorrow. I need a more substantial breakfast to shovel snow. :)

I do love my dystopian fiction, Judy. I've heard good things about A Boy and His Dog at the end of the world and have requested it from my library.

>192 VivienneR: Hi Vivienne, we did not get any snow - Thank heavens! There was a snow warning out but we weren't too concerned as we live so close to the ocean that even when Vancouver does get snow, we often don't. I am glad that your power came back on, but sorry that your snow shoveling days have come so early this year!

>193 BLBera: I love dystopian stories as well, Beth, and A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World is a good one. I will look forward to reading your thoughts about it.

204. The Bride Wore Black by Cornell Woolrich - 4.0 ★
Category: Others
November MysteryKit: Noir/Gumshoes
November TIOLI #16: Birthstone - Black Pearl or Diamond - Black Cover



The Bride Wore Black by Cornell Woolrich is a 1940 American pulp-noir that shows the length one woman will go to extract the revenge she feels she is justified in taking. She blames five men for the death of her husband, killed as they left the church after their wedding ceremony. With her husband fatally shot and lying at her feet, the bride was still able to track the license plate of the car that drove erratically by as her new husband was shot.

Her life is now lived for one purpose, to make those five men pay for the life of her husband. She creates a new persona as she targets one man after another. Although the police are baffled, she is being slowly tracked by Wanger, a police detective who is determined to catch her.

The Bride Wore Black was not my favorite Woolrich but it was still highly entertaining and the twists and turns of the plot were well planned and surprising. I think it was the ending that let me down somewhat. After the inventiveness of the plot, I was expecting more of a bang to close out the story. Still, Cornell Woolrich is a master at noir stories and this one is well worth the read.

>195 DeltaQueen50: Great review, Judy - I agree with your thoughts about the ending. What is your favorite Woolrich?

>196 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie, so far my favorite Woolrich would be Fright, it really kept me on the edge of my seat. Following closely would The Black Angel. Of course I still have a number of his to read so things could yet change. ;)

>197 DeltaQueen50: Thanks for that, Judy!

Since I am planning on spending tomorrow setting up my 2021 Category Challenge thread, I went ahead and made my random choices for December:

Random Member - happysadnick: Autumn: Disintegration by David Moody
Random Tag - Scandicrime: The Purity of Vengeance by Jussi Adler Olsen
Random Awards/Lists - Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the Year (2019): The River by Peter Heller
Random Character - Alison: The Facts of Life and Death by Belinda Bauer
Random Place - California: Play It As It Lays by Joan Didion
Random Book of Mine: And Justice There is None by Deborah Crombie

Hard to believe that this is the last time that I will be doing this and that we will soon be heading into the last month of the year!

My 2021 challenge is almost ready to go but I'll probably wait until Thanksgiving to post it. I see by your ticker that you've already reached your goal this year. I think I'll probably squeak in by the end of Dec.

>199 DeltaQueen50: I'll be interested in your take on The River. It went on my shelf last year but I read Celene shortly after getting it and was disappointed in it so I haven't gotten back to him yet.

>200 dudes22: I feel that I should wait longer before posting my 2021 Challenge, but at the same time I want to put it up and start thinking about next year - I'm done with 2020!

>201 clue: I am looking forward to The River as I enjoyed The Dog Stars. It should be a good fit for me as it deals with survival, one of my favorite themes, but I have also noted that the reviews haven't all been great (or should I say consistent).

>202 DeltaQueen50:

I too am so done with 2020. My fear is that noting improves in 2021 -- still no travel? still not able to make plans? Sometimes it's hard to be optimistic. But I'm anxious to set up my 2021 reading journals (online and on paper). My fabulous new Leuchtturm1917 was due to arrive from Indigo last Tuesday and it's still not here (their delivery has been horrible lately). But today it's sunny, so there's that.

>203 Nickelini: Yes, it's the little things that we have to hold onto these days. I suspect this latest round of restrictions will be renewed come November 23rd, probably to at least the end of the year. I also think that we won't see much improvement until the second half of 2021, by then we may have a viable vacine. I doubt if we will ever see a complete shut down again, too harmful to the economy but rotating shut-downs and restrictions in the hardest hit areas. Whatever happens in 2021, I do think that reading will be more important than ever in my life!

205. Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga - 4.2 ★
Categry: GeoCat
November GeoCat: Africa 2
1,001 Books List
November TIOLI #8: A Book By a Woman of Color



Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga is considered fictional but in fact is based on the author’s own life growing up in the then-called Rhodesia, Originally published in 1988, the book concentrates on the challenges faced by women in a country where they are far from equal to their male counterparts. The main character, Tambu, is an intelligent young girl growing up on a rural homestead but is only given an opportunity for higher education after the death of her older brother.

The first third of the book shows how her brother, as the only male child in her immediate family, received the most attention and privileges. As he is sent to missionary school, he learns to embrace western culture and shuns their own ways. When Tambu is given the same opportunity, her mother fears that she will lose her daughter in the same manner and indeed, Tambu does grow and change as she is educated and experiences the wider world. Tambu’s life is guided and controlled by the head of her extended family, her uncle, Babamukuru. As she goes to live with him and his family, she learns to see through the front that he projects to the actual man he is, flaws and all.

During Tambu’s growing years, her country’s change is on the horizon and although not much is mentioned in the book about political and social upheavals, we are given a front seat to observe how African women were slowly absorbing the transformations that were occurring. Nervous Conditions was an absorbing and interesting book showing, from a woman’s perspective, Rhodesia under Colonial rule and how education could lift one from a primitive lifestyle of poverty and give them a greater understanding of their place in society.

>202 DeltaQueen50: I'm finished with 2020 too. I'm hoping for better in 2021, maybe even the word "concede" will be used.

I posted my thread early last year and had second, third, and maybe even fourth thoughts about it afterwards, although I believe that might happen no matter what theme I choose.

Nervous Conditions sounds really good.

>205 DeltaQueen50: - Although this is not a new book, I've been hearing/reading about it a lot lately and have already put it onto my recommended list.

>205 DeltaQueen50: Another positive review for Nervous Conditions. Your review makes me look forward to this one, which I had already been aware of -- but I didn't have any reason to actively seek out a moment ago, and seeing it again with positive remarks makes me think I likely should.

I too suspect 2020 will be more of the same. I was very hopeful at the beginning of this that with the ingenuity of everyone we would be through virus effects on normality in about a year, but I am also thinking we will be more stable but still not normal for a while yet.

Happy Sunday, Judy. I hope you and the family are doing well. I see that the books are treating you fine.

Just visited your mouth-watering 2021 thread! Just looking is so tempting!

>206 VivienneR: I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the word "concede". He may have to do it but I highly doubt he will ever say it!

>207 BLBera: Hi Beth, it was a very good read.

>208 dudes22: I am pretty sure I picked up the recommendation from Jennifer (japaul22). She has become one of my go-tos for 1,001 recommendations.

>209 pammab: I think you are right that we won't see any significant changes right away in 2021, but hopefully as the year goes on we could see a return to normality, especially if the vacine works!

>210 msf59: Hi Mark, we are doing well and I hope the same is true for you and yours. I am finding myself first avidly watching TV for the news and then being so concerned that I turn off the TV and bury myself in a book or two. It feels like the whole world is holding it's breath waiting for this one individual to come to terms with reality!

>211 VivienneR: Well, I'm ready for 2021. I feel like I gained a few pounds just putting that thread up!

206. Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie - 3.8 ★
Category: Random Place - London
November TIOLI #6: Animal on Cover or Mentioned in Title



Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie is a 1937 mystery story that features Hercule Poirot and is narrated by his friend Captain Hastings. The story opens by introducing Emily Arundell, a wealthy elderly spinster, and her family, a motley collection of greedy relatives. When Emily takes a fall upon the stairs, it is blamed upon her dog leaving his ball at the top of the staircase, but Emily is greatly afraid that it wasn’t a ball that she tripped over. She writes to Hercule Poirot, wanting his help and very importantly, his discretion.

Unfortunately by the time Poirot receives the letter Emily has died presumably of natural causes. After reading the letter Poirot isn’t convinced that her death was natural so, with Hastings at his side, he sets out to investigate.

Dumb Witness definitely showcases the intelligence of Hercule Poirot, but I felt that his manner of solving the crime was a little extreme. However, the book has all the ingredients that we have come to expect from an Agatha Christie novel, plenty of red herrings, unreliable witnesses, interesting dialogue and a clever murderer who probably would have gotten away with it, if only Hercule Poirot wasn’t involved. I also enjoyed meeting Bob, the wire haired-terrier, the title’s Dumb Witness.

207. Agatha Christie, A Biography by Janet Morgan - 3.3 ★
Category: Reading Through Time
November Reading Through Time: Author Biographies
November TIOLI #5: Author Born Between 1845 and 1945



I was disappointed with this biography as I didn’t feel that the author left me feeling as if I knew Agatha Christie any better than I did before I read it. However this was a family authorized biography and I am sure that this publicity shy family had many conditions and exceptions laid out before they allowed the author access to the author’s private papers. Agatha Christie, A Biography gives a surface overview of the author’s life, but leaves one with little or no information about the inner workings of this brilliant author’s mind.

I expect Miss Christie herself would have been pleased with this book as she consistently avoided the press. She disliked giving interviews and never agreed to appear on television. She did not discuss her writing process and saw no good reason why the public should expect a window into her life or mind. What does come across in this book is that she felt her writing was secondary to her roles of wife and mother. She strove to live a conventional and quiet life. The one incident that is often referred to is her strange disappearance when her car was found abandoned and she could not be located. Some said this was a publicity-stunt, which doesn’t ring true when she went out of her way to avoid any publicity, while others thought that she was suffering from amnesia. The author explains this incident as a time in her life when her marriage was going sour and her mother had recently died. Her husband had just announced that he was leaving her for another woman and she was suffering from depression.

I will always admire this author and love her mysteries but I think in the future I will honour her wish for privacy and not read anything more about her private life. Her wonderful characters, sparkling dialogue and intriguing mysteries are certainly enough for me.

>214 DeltaQueen50: I really liked her Autobiography when I read it many years ago. No, she doesn't talk about the famous disappearance, but it gave me a sense of her personality. One of her Mary Westmacott novels is autobiographical as well.

>215 NinieB: I definitely got the opinion that Agatha Christie was a very likeable person, she had definite ideas of how her life should be and I think she was very much a product of her time and culture. I think I was looking more for something that went into more detail about her writing and how she developed her ideas.

Some of her notebooks have been published: Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks and Agatha Christie: Murder in the Making. Someday I'm going to read these!

>217 NinieB: Oh, those two books sound exactly like what I was looking for - I'm adding them to my ever expanding list!

I endorse the rec in >217 NinieB:: they are fascinating! And the best part is that each chapter begins with a list of the books discussed in that chapter, so you can avoid spoilers ;)

>199 DeltaQueen50: I picked up a copy of The River a few months ago and both my husband and my father loved it.

I've got Nervous Conditions on my wishlist.

>219 rabbitprincess: Thanks, RP, I still have a few Agatha's that I haven't read yet, so avoiding spoilers is a good thing!

>220 RidgewayGirl: I am looking forward to The River, Kay, as I usually love survival stories. I hadn't heard of Tsitsi Dangarembga before I saw Jennifer's review of it and since it was a 1,001 Book, I picked it up. She is an excellent writer and, I see now that she was on the list of finalists for the 2020 Booker prize for her novel, This Mournable Body.

208. Unknown Soldiers by Vaino Linna - 4.1 ★
Category: 1,001 Books List
November 1,001 Group Read
November RandomCat: Least We Forget
November TIOLI #1: A Character on the Cover is Wearing a Head Covering



Originally published in 1954, Unknown Soldiers is a dark and gritty story set in 1941 about a Finnish machine-gun company fighting along the border of their country trying to push the Russians back and regain land that was taken a year or so ago during the Winter War. Set during 1941. The viewpoint of the book is that of the Finnish soldiers, an assorted group of young men, who are exposed to warfare for the first time in all it’s messy, bloody, horrifying pointlessness.

The secret to reading a book with an ensemble cast is for each character to have a clear identity and have names that are easily remembered. Unfortunately, I struggled with the Finnish names of the characters and it took me a long time to be able to immediately identify which character was which. Of course, with a book that features soldiers during war, characters often finally became recognizable to me only to have them immediately killed off.

As the story goes on, we learn more about these soldiers and their lives. Their bonds to each other grow and other than some of the officers who are more concerned with medals and careers than the lives of their men, they learn to watch out for each other and help each other during times of difficulty.
Translator Liesl Yamaguchi does an excellent job with the story and, in particular, the dialogue, helping the reader to know each character by their individual tone.

Unknown Soldiers is a war story that showcases the horror, chaos and futility of war. I was fascinated by the history as I knew next to nothing about Finland during World War II. At first, Russia had an alliance with Germany, allowing them to attack Finland. Then the Germans attacked Russia, and Finland entered into a non-aggression pact with Germany. Unfortunately, at the end of World War II, even though Russia had been the first to attack, and Finland only tried to gain back what they had lost, Finland was considered part of the Axis and had to pay reparations to Russia.

209. Started Early, Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson - 4.5 ★
Category: Random Member - IndieStarr
November TIOLI #6: An Animal is Pictured on Cover or Mentioned in the Title



Started Early, Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson is the fourth book featuring private detective, Jackson Brodie. In this outing Jackson is trying to trace the history of a lady in New Zealand who wants to know more about her roots. She was adopted in Leeds in the 1970s and then shortly after, she and her new parents emigrated. Jackson’s inquiries appear to have set alarm bells ringing with more than a few local citizens. As with all Kate Atkinson’s books, there are a number of story lines to follow and part of the reward in the reading of one of her books is seeing how each of these stories connect to each other.

Tracy Waterhouse a lonely, retired ex-cop now works as a security guard in a mall. When Tracy sees a prostitute that she knows mistreating her child, she steps in and before really thinking about it, offers to buy the child. Once the transaction has been made, Tracy realizes that she has committed a crime and she and the child need to disappear and start a new life somewhere.

Tracy and Jackson are just two of the characters that become embroiled during the course of this story. By the end of the book we have also become involved with Tilly, an aging actress who is experiencing signs of Alzheimer's, and Barry, a Leeds DS who both worked with Tracy and is still her friend. Of course, for me, the most interesting character of all was the dog that Jackson rescues and invites into his life. As always with this series, the mystery, although intriguing, is less important than the development of her characters which gives her books emotional depth and a strong sense of reality. Started Early, Took My Dog is an entertaining addition to this series, and I am very happy knowing that the author recently published a fifth book featuring Jackson Brodie.

>223 DeltaQueen50: - I love the Jackson Brodie books. I haven't read the most recent one - I kind o f want to re-read the series first, but I am bad about getting around to re-reads...

>224 katiekrug: I'm not good with re-reads either, but I think the Jackson Brodie series would be a good one to revisit. I have heard very good things about the newest one.

210. Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley - 3.0 ★
Category: Random Tag - Grief
November TIOLI #6: Animal Pictured on Cover or Mentioned in Title



Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley was a very different book from what I was expecting. I thought I had picked up a charming book about how a dog came into a man’s life and helped him get over the loss of his life partner. Instead this was a very sad book about the death of a well loved dog.

Told in the form of a fable with plenty of magical realism, this was a heart-wrenching account of the final weeks that the author spent with his adored 12 year old dachshund, Lily, who succumbed to a brain tumour. Lily, the dog, was a wonderful heroine, the tumour, or as it was called in the book, the octopus, was a dastardly villain, leaving the human, a lonely middle-age gay man, stuck in the middle, trying to to do the right thing but not wanting to let go.

I was not in the right head space for this book so I can’t say that I appreciated it or will take anything away from it. It was obvious that the human, Ted, absolutely adored his dog but I found the whole thing a little too self-indulgent and the raw emotions that were exposed made me very uncomfortable. It appears that there are many people who found this book touching and, yes, charming, but unfortunately I wasn’t one of them.

>223 DeltaQueen50: This is my favorite of hers and what a great title!

> 209 This is my favorite of hers and isn't it a great title?

> 226 I've started this twice and put it aside both times. I liked The Editor a lot, you might take a look at it sometime when you're looking for something to read (wink, wink).

>226 DeltaQueen50: - I gave it the same rating for many of the same reasons that you did.

>227 clue: I pretty much have loved everything that I have ever read by Kate Atkinson, she is an author that I know I can rely upon to deliver an excellent read. I love that title as well.

>228 clue: & >229 dudes22: I believe that the author was writing about the loss of his own beloved pet and as such it is a wonderful tribute but for some reason, although I can read and appreciate certain books that are violent and touch upon death, I found this one very difficult. I just checked into The Editor and it sounds like a book that I would enjoy, so it's going on the wishlist!

Hi, Judy. Just trying to catch up here. Hope you are doing well on the physical and the reading front!

>231 ronincats: Hi Roni, I'm doing as well but battling depression over the Covid numbers and restrictions as I see the numbers rising everywhere. I am happy that hope in the form of a vacine is on the horizon, but there is still a long way to go. Meanwhile, reading is still the best escape there is!

211. A Lovely Way To Burn by Louise Welsh - 4.0 ★
Category: TIOLI Challenges
November TIOLI #4: The Word "Love" Is Embedded in a Title Word



In A Lovely Way to Burn, author Louise Welsh has done an excellent job of combining two genres into one exciting story. While a pandemic called The Sweats is rampaging through the city of London, killing people by the thousands, Stevie Flint discovers her doctor boyfriend, Simon, has been murdered. She barely takes this in when she falls ill herself with the disease. After days of this feverish illness, she recovers enough to embark on a quest to discover the truth behind Simon’s death.

As London falls into chaos and those still healthy are desperately trying to escape the city, she relentlessly hunts down and questions Simon’s associates. Stevie finds herself pretty much alone in this as slowly the city shuts down, the police become non-existent, the army appears to give up and London becomes a lawless, unsafe place to be.

A Lovely Way to Burn is the first volume in a planned trilogy called The Plague Times so I expect we will learn more about this devastating pandemic in later installments. The book is fast paced, filled with action and although this particular story is wrapped up at the end, there is still plenty of material left for the author to explore. I have the next two volumes and I am looking forward finding out where the author is going to take us.

>233 DeltaQueen50: ooooo, sounds lovely! I'm putting it on my wish list.

Hey Judy! Of course, you know it's U.S Thanksgiving today and a great time for me to tell those outside our borders how thankful I am to have you as an LT buddy.
Have a nice Thursday :0)

>233 DeltaQueen50: That sounds like a fascinating book!

>233 DeltaQueen50: - That sounds like a good read, Judy, and it's only $0.99 on Kindle! I snapped it up :)

>224 katiekrug:, >225 DeltaQueen50: I also love the Jackson Brodie books but like Katie, I have not read the most recent one - I am saving it. I have reread through the series more than once, and I can tell you that after you have read them once, they are full of fabulous to revisit on audio.

>233 DeltaQueen50: A direct hit. Great review - if you posted that, I will add my thumb.

>237 katiekrug: Oh! Thank you kindly for the tip, Katie!

>234 Tess_W: I hope you enjoy it, Tess.

>235 Carmenere: Hi Lynda, I hope you are able to have the best Thanksgiving possible under the circumstances. I am very appreciative of all the great LT friends I have made over the years. You were one of the first - way back!

>236 NinieB: It was a fun escape read and I am looking forward to seeing how the pandemic goes as this book really only talked about London. I am assuming that it will be a world-wide disaster and I hope the next two books give us more details. Ha! One would think that I get enough pandemic in our day-to-day lives, but I enjoy this one as it is make-believe and goes away when I shut the book.

>237 katiekrug: It's always more fun when a book bullet is also a good deal for the Kindle as well. I hope you enjoy it, Katie, I would say it isn't as good as A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World, but still highly readable.

>238 Crazymamie: I tend to horde last books in a good series, saving them as I don't want to say goodbye. I held onto the last Rebus novel so long that by the time I finally read it, the author had gone back to the series and now I am in catch up mode! Thanks for the thumb, Mamie. :)

I hope all my American friends are having the best possible Thanksgiving Day that they can. I suspect many are napping now after enjoying their festive turkey dinner with all the fixings! Although we had our Thanksgiving in October, I still look to this weekend as the kick off to the holiday season and, although I am a bit of a grinch when it comes to Christmas, I suspect my husband will have us decorating the tree this weekend and listening to Christmas music.

>233 DeltaQueen50: Had to listen to Peggy Lee's Fever after seeing this title. Fever, yea, I burn, forsooth.

>233 DeltaQueen50: I liked this one a lot and I have the next one on my shelf. I'm tempted to read it next.

>241 pamelad: I could listen to Peggy Lee singing the phone book - she had such a fantastic voice.

>242 RidgewayGirl: I remember that you liked A Lovely Way to Burn, Kay. I think you should go ahead and read on, your opinion could move the next volume up (or down) my TBR stack. ;)

>243 DeltaQueen50: I've put Death is a Welcome Guest in my stack of books I'm reading now, so I'll let you know what I think of it soon enough.

>244 RidgewayGirl: Excellent!