Familyhistorian's ROOTing for a better year in 2021

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Familyhistorian's ROOTing for a better year in 2021

1Familyhistorian
Editado: Ene 10, 2021, 8:22 pm



An old photo of me with ties to a literary past. This was taken in Evershot, Dorset, a place some of my ancestors once called home.

2Familyhistorian
Editado: Ene 10, 2021, 8:26 pm

ROOTs Read in 2021

3Familyhistorian
Editado: Ene 10, 2021, 8:32 pm

I wasn't sure if I should increase my ROOTs goal in 2021 or stay with the same one as last year. I want to read and rehouse more of my own books in 2021 because it looks like I will be moving shortly so the fewer books to move the better. Knowing that, however, can only go so far as some of my reading time will of necessity be taking up with finding a new place and going through all of my stuff before the move. So, I decided to keep the same goal and hope for the best.

4Familyhistorian
Editado: Sep 8, 2021, 4:03 pm

Books Acquired in 2021

5Familyhistorian
Editado: Ene 10, 2021, 8:39 pm

Sorry it's taken me a while to set things up in 2021. Everything seems to have started up at the same time in January and already it's hard to keep up.

6Familyhistorian
Ene 10, 2021, 11:45 pm

1. Vendetta in Death by J.D. Robb

As a way of easing into the new year, my first ROOT was a book in one of my favourite series, the In Death series. This time it was the 49th book in the series, Vendetta in Death, in which Eve Dallas and her team hunted down a female serial killer. It was another good entry in this long running series.

7connie53
Editado: Ene 11, 2021, 3:53 am

Hi Meg, there you are. Glad you started your own thread with the ROOTers. I love the topper. I love the way an English village looks. The old houses look so cozy.

>5 Familyhistorian: No need to feel sorry. Everybody moves in his/her own pace and all is good.

Are you planning on moving this year?

8MissWatson
Ene 11, 2021, 6:30 am

Hi Meg, good to see you settled into your thread. The first days of the year are always so overwhelming. That's a lovely picture!

9KaiRice
Ene 11, 2021, 6:33 am

Este usuario ha sido eliminado por spam.

10Jackie_K
Ene 11, 2021, 1:23 pm

Hooray, you're back! I love Dorset, especially the coast. I've not been for many many years though. I still think that Corfe Castle is the best castle in the world!

Good luck with the move and the sorting out of stuff. I wouldn't relish that!

11rabbitprincess
Ene 11, 2021, 6:23 pm

Welcome back and good luck with the move!

12Familyhistorian
Ene 11, 2021, 8:27 pm

>7 connie53: Hi Connie, everything seemed to start up at the same time once January hit. I needed to get my thread up once I'd read a ROOT so it had to be done.

As for moving, it appears that I will be. I live in a townhouse complex which is owned collectively by a strata corporation. The strata is being sold to developers which means that the townhouses will be pulled down and something else put in their place. We're just waiting to see if the offer that's been made is confirmed and how much money each unit will have to buy somewhere new, then the hunt begins.

13Familyhistorian
Ene 11, 2021, 8:30 pm

>8 MissWatson: Thanks Birgit, it's good to be back. I'm glad you like the picture. It reminds me of when we could travel.

14Familyhistorian
Ene 11, 2021, 8:37 pm

>10 Jackie_K: I've never been to Corfe Castle, maybe I'll see it one day. I was lucky to have genealogical acquaintances with a car who took me to Evershot as we had ancestors in common who lived in the village and we think some of them had a connection to the Acorn Inn.

I'm not looking forward to moving, Jackie, not least because of my book collection. I'll have to see what size of place I can find which will give me an idea of how much stuff I need to get rid off. At least I've only been here 11 years so not that much accumulation.

15Familyhistorian
Ene 11, 2021, 8:37 pm

>11 rabbitprincess: Thanks RP, I'll need all the luck I can get!

16MissWatson
Ene 12, 2021, 3:44 am

>14 Familyhistorian: Culling the book collection sounds like a scary prospect.

17Familyhistorian
Ene 12, 2021, 1:00 pm

>16 MissWatson: It is a very scary prospect but then so is moving all those books!

18MissWatson
Ene 13, 2021, 9:12 am

>17 Familyhistorian: I know. I was scared when I moved to my current apartment, and that was before I became active on LT. The collection has grown in leaps and bounds since then.

19connie53
Ene 13, 2021, 11:13 am

I think I could not find an apartment big enough for all my books. So I understand the fear.

20Familyhistorian
Ene 14, 2021, 1:01 am

>17 Familyhistorian: Think of how much worse it would be if you had already started on LT, Birgit. I've been on LT for 12 years, the same amount of time that I've lived here.

21Familyhistorian
Ene 14, 2021, 1:03 am

>19 connie53: I'm not thinking of getting an apartment, Connie, and part of that is because of the books.

22connie53
Ene 14, 2021, 7:46 am

>21 Familyhistorian: We have to think about that eventually. I can't afford this house if Peet gets ill or something and the house and garden are really big and if I get older I might not be able to do all the cleaning. But I don't worry to much about that, I just think about it some times.

23Familyhistorian
Ene 14, 2021, 2:23 pm

>22 connie53: I think maybe it's a good thing to start sorting through things slowly and getting rid of stuff you don't need before you have to do it all in a rush, Connie. I wish I'd started earlier with weeding things out here but I haven't been here that long and have experience with do it before a move. I just resent the time it will take. I don't have the financial side to worry about this time.

24connie53
Ene 15, 2021, 11:28 am

>23 Familyhistorian: I'm doing that in small doses. Recently I've been cleaning cupboards in the garage. And the stuff I find there is very amazing. Like 5 righthand garden gloves and just 1 matching left one. So a whole garbage bag with unnecessary stuff went in the container. I do a small section when I feel like it.

25Familyhistorian
Ene 16, 2021, 1:47 am

>24 connie53: I wonder what happened with all those left handed gloves. It's a good plan to do it slowly. I wished I'd started a long time ago but then I had no plans to move out when I moved in here.

26connie53
Ene 16, 2021, 4:12 am

I probably find them somewhere in another cupboard once I get to them.

27Familyhistorian
Ene 17, 2021, 2:55 pm

>26 connie53: Good thought, Connie. If it was in my house they would most likely have disappeared forever.

28Familyhistorian
Ene 29, 2021, 11:53 pm

2. Busman's Honeymoon by Dorothy L. Sayers

I thought I had read all of the Lord Peter Wimsey books before but it seems that I haven’t. Busman’s Honeymoon was even on my shelves unread. It was a good one with Lord Peter and Harriet getting used to being together in less than ideal circumstances in a new to them home, unfortunately the previous owner hadn’t left things as he said he would and, yes, there was a body.

29Caramellunacy
Editado: Ene 30, 2021, 10:00 am

>28 Familyhistorian:
Oh! I think I remember this one! Peter ends up warbling "Aupres de ma blonde" while shaving?

(Of course, I remember nothing of the mystery...go figure)

30Familyhistorian
Ene 31, 2021, 12:56 am

>29 Caramellunacy: It's strange the parts of the book that we remember, isn't it? I just read it and that part didn't stick in my mind but it's quite possible that he did.

31Caramellunacy
Ene 31, 2021, 5:31 am

>30 Familyhistorian:
I may just have to do a Sayers re-read soon to find out myself :)

32Familyhistorian
Ene 31, 2021, 4:40 pm

>31 Caramellunacy: I've been doing a Sayer read/re-read as part of a group on the category challenge. They're at the tail end of it now but it was good to have someone listing the titles to read together.

33Familyhistorian
Ene 31, 2021, 8:03 pm

3. Eleanor and Hick: The Love Affair That Shaped a First Lady by Susan Quinn

The ROOTs have been few and far between for me in the first month of 2021. I’m still working my way through library holds but I’ve put a pause on most of them so that I can get to my own books. Needs must with a move in the offing.

I did read Eleanor and Hick, an account of the life of Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok which was a really interesting look at the lives of the two women over the many years that they knew each other.

34Familyhistorian
Editado: Feb 2, 2021, 12:28 am

I seemed to be doing so well keeping down the book acquisitions in January. A trip to Costco resulted in just three books:

The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict
Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz
A Promised Land by Barack Obama

I was cautiously optimistic that I would be able to keep the number of books coming in on the low side.

35Familyhistorian
Editado: Feb 2, 2021, 12:31 am

Then my Santa Thing books started coming in too until their numbers amounted to three:

Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years by Elizabeth Wayland Barber
Genealogy: Essential Research Methods by Helen Osborn
Terracotta Warriors: History, Mystery and the Latest Discoveries by Edward Burman

36Familyhistorian
Editado: Feb 2, 2021, 12:38 am

So far the acquisitions were on the low side. Well, for me at least but then I remembered my Thingaversary which is in early February. As the tradition goes, this is one book for every year on LT plus one for good luck. I joined LT in 2008 which is 13 years ago which adds up to 14 books. I've started to accumulate my stack and they include:

The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
The Lost and Found Bookshop by Susan Wiggs
Shadows in Death by J.D. Robb
Someone to Honor by Mary Balogh
Blood is Blood by Will Thomas
Lethal Pursuit by Will Thomas
The British are Coming: The War for America Lexington to Princeton 1775-1777 by Rick Atkinson
Adventures in Memory: The Science and Secrets of Remembering and Forgetting by Hilde Ostby and Ylva Ostby
The Invasion of Canada 1812-1813 by Pierre Berton

Only 5 more to go. I wonder if I can keep my acquisitions in February down to that number.

37rabbitprincess
Feb 1, 2021, 5:08 pm

Happy early Thingaversary! Thirteen years is amazing!

38Familyhistorian
Feb 2, 2021, 12:25 am

39connie53
Feb 2, 2021, 3:43 am

Congrats Meg. Good luck with limiting your book buying. I wish I could buy all the books I fancy.

I skipped my Thingaversary last year. I simply are not able to buy so many books in one go. I joined in 2009.

40MissWatson
Feb 2, 2021, 4:39 am

Have fun choosing your Thinagversary books, Meg. Minie is coming up, too, and I have been accumulating a few, to be announced on the day...

41Familyhistorian
Feb 2, 2021, 3:42 pm

>39 connie53: Thanks Connie. It is a temptation to keep buying all the books I fancy but I have a problem reading them and culling ones I don't want to keep. Maybe the problem is not the book buying but not spending enough time reading? At least, that's what I tell myself.

The Thinkaversary numbers really start adding up once you've been on LT for a while.

42Familyhistorian
Feb 2, 2021, 3:44 pm

>40 MissWatson: I always forget about my Thingaversary until it is almost upon me. I think that's because it's at the beginning of the year. Have fun with your collecting, Birgit.

43detailmuse
Feb 2, 2021, 5:02 pm

>1 Familyhistorian: Beautiful -- I'm so drawn to this photo...the sun? the possibility of new experiences?

44Familyhistorian
Feb 3, 2021, 12:52 am

>43 detailmuse: It's a very English village, MJ. Even better, the Acorn Inn which I'm standing outside of has literary links. Thomas Hardy called it the Sow and Acorn in Tess of the d'Urbervilles.

45clue
Editado: Feb 3, 2021, 10:08 am

My anniversary is coming up too (2007) and I decided to try something new. I'm going to buy 2 books a month and tag 14 or them as Thingaversary 2021. And really, I'm going to try to only buy those books this year. Really. Except for the few I bought in January with Christmas money. Our library has been offering curb service since April of last year and they started 30 minute appointments some months ago BUT no ILL. Its killing me!

46Familyhistorian
Feb 3, 2021, 1:03 pm

>45 clue: That sounds like a good plan and much better than trying to buy them all around the same time especially as the years mount up. Congrats on your 14 years on LT.

47MissWatson
Feb 4, 2021, 5:14 am

>45 clue: Good plan! I may do the same...

48Familyhistorian
Feb 4, 2021, 8:18 pm

>45 clue: >47 MissWatson: I'll try to remember the plan for next year.

49Familyhistorian
Feb 18, 2021, 1:56 pm

4. The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott



This month is shaping up better than last as far as reading ROOTs goes. So far anyway. I just need to get the write ups done. Those seem to be lagging. One book read in February was The Dressmaker. Quite obviously it was set in 1912 as it involved a young woman who talked herself onto the Titanic in an attempt to launch herself in a dressmaking career. A lot of it dealt with the aftermath of the disaster which was interesting.

50Familyhistorian
Feb 20, 2021, 7:15 pm

5. Off the Books by Lucy Arlington



I have a small collection of cozy mysteries on the shelf and read one of them, Off the Books recently. This series involves the members of a publishing house and this was a fun read to fit between more involving tomes.

51Familyhistorian
Feb 23, 2021, 5:19 pm

6. The Prince, the Princess and the Perfect Murder by Andrew Rose



A true life murder case, The Prince, The Princess and the Perfect Murder sat on my shelves for a about a decade. It was an interesting account of a woman who got away with murder.

52Familyhistorian
Feb 28, 2021, 4:45 pm

7. Death in Provence by Serena Kent



There are some interesting looking mysteries on my shelves. It’s strange that they grow such long roots. I enjoyed reading Death in Provence which was the story of an Englishwoman of a certain age retiring to Provence. She found more adventure than she was seeking when she bought a house there.

53connie53
Mar 4, 2021, 4:58 am

I love a good mystery too. You are getting along nicely with your ROOTing, Meg.

54Familyhistorian
Mar 4, 2021, 12:41 pm

>53 connie53: Hi Connie, I have dozens of mysteries on the shelf, many potential ROOTs! Thanks re the ROOts so far but I feel like my ROOTing is a lot slower than other years. I've now put a pause on some of my library holds so that I can get to my own books.

55Familyhistorian
Mar 4, 2021, 1:20 pm

8. Why Kings Confess by C.S. Harris



I’m reading my way through the Sebastian St. Cyr series. These stories are interesting mysteries set in the early 1800s. Why Kings Confess was built around the French aristocracy in England and the legend that the Dauphin had somehow survived the French Revolution.

56Familyhistorian
Mar 14, 2021, 7:12 pm

9. A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem by Manda Collins



I love a mysteries and history. It’s even better if they’re combined which they were in A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Mayhem, a mystery novel set in 1865. It looks like the beginning of a series. I can’t wait until the next one comes out.

57Caramellunacy
Mar 15, 2021, 7:17 am

>56 Familyhistorian: That looks very fun! Adding to Mt. TBR!

58clue
Mar 15, 2021, 11:12 am

>55 Familyhistorian: When I see books from this series reviewed it reminds me that I had read a few and should pick the series up again. I just checked and was surprised to see it was 10 years ago that I read them! I think it would be a good idea to start again from the beginning, I had only read 2 so it would't take me long.

59Familyhistorian
Mar 15, 2021, 8:50 pm

>56 Familyhistorian: It's a fun one and looks like the start of a new series too.

60Familyhistorian
Mar 15, 2021, 8:52 pm

>58 clue: Starting from the beginning to keep all the characters straight would be helpful as a lot changes in their lives as the series goes on. I find the series good pandemic reading.

61connie53
Mar 18, 2021, 3:47 am

>56 Familyhistorian: I love that title!

62Familyhistorian
Mar 18, 2021, 5:14 pm

>61 connie53: It's a fun one, isn't it, Connie? I wonder what the next one will be.

63Familyhistorian
Mar 24, 2021, 7:00 pm

10. Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton



I try to read ROOTs for the challenges I take part in. This time it was for Reading Through Times and the theme for March had to do with pirates. That meant that I finally took Pirate Latitudes from my shelves. It hadn’t called to me before this and was an interesting read, if very pirate (read male) oriented.

64connie53
Mar 26, 2021, 7:36 am

>63 Familyhistorian: LOL pirate (read male) made me smile!

65Familyhistorian
Mar 27, 2021, 7:14 pm

>64 connie53: It's only too true, isn't it?

66Familyhistorian
Mar 29, 2021, 1:17 am

11. On Turpentine Lane by Elinor Lipman



The story of Faith, a nice Jewish girl sort of engaged to flaky Jewish guy, didn’t end up the way it started. That would have ended up with Faith in a wishy-washy relationship that pleased everyone except the woman involved. She deserved better and the story of how she got it was the often humourous tale found in On Turpentine Lane.

67Familyhistorian
Mar 31, 2021, 1:03 pm

12. The Nature of Things: Essays of a Tapestry Weaver by Tommye McClure Scanlin



My next ROOT was an ER book. Lately it has been harder to pick up the books I’ve received as an early reviewer. It has something to do with current times and how many things I’m now struggling to keep up with. The Nature of Things: Essays of a Tapestry Weaver an interesting mix of memoir and craft well worth the read.

68Familyhistorian
Mar 31, 2021, 6:59 pm

13. The Nine Lives of Charlotte Taylor by Sally Armstrong



I found out that The Nine Lives of Charlotte Taylor was a ROOT after I bought another copy for a shared read. I’d forgotten to enter it into LT when I acquired it. I hope there aren’t too many other books like that. It was an interesting fictionalized account of a woman who ended up living in what eventually became New Brunswick. It was set in the late 1700s.

69Familyhistorian
Editado: Mar 31, 2021, 7:40 pm

14. The Golden Age of Murder by Martin Edwards



I resisted reading The Golden Age of Murder for a long time. I knew it was a dangerous book. So, it proved. This book about the Golden Age of Murder and the books and authors of that era was really good. It was so good that it was the cause of lots more potential ROOTs.

70rabbitprincess
Mar 31, 2021, 10:09 pm

>69 Familyhistorian: Haha this one had much the same effect on my own to-read list!

71Familyhistorian
Abr 1, 2021, 12:51 am

>70 rabbitprincess: He's just so helpful at it too, RP. Two indexes in the back, one of just book titles to make it easier to look for them.

72connie53
Abr 3, 2021, 1:24 pm

>71 Familyhistorian:. That's really bad from mister Edwards! Enabling an addiction!

73Familyhistorian
Abr 6, 2021, 12:43 am

>72 connie53: I don't think we need any help with our addiction, Connie!

74Familyhistorian
Editado: Abr 13, 2021, 4:21 pm

If I don't do it soon, my March acquisitions won't show up on my thread until May! So here are the rest of them.

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
Elderhood: Redefining Aging, Transforming Medicine, Reimagining Life by Louise Aronson
Faithless in Death by J.D. Robb
The Girl from the Channel Islands by Jenny Lecoat
A Single Thread by Tracy Chevalier
A Girl Called Justice by Elly Griffiths
The Missing Sapphire of Zangrabar by Steve Higgs
Death Finds a Way by Lorine McGinnis Schulze
A Murderous Relation by Deanna Raybourn
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly
Seduce Me with Sapphires by Jane Feather
An Unkindness of Ravens by Ruth Rendell

75connie53
Abr 6, 2021, 3:30 am

>73 Familyhistorian: No, we don't. We have LT to give us some BB's. I've been hit by more BB's in the first three months of 2021 then ever before.

76Familyhistorian
Abr 7, 2021, 8:40 pm

>75 connie53: Having a thread on the 75ers as well can do that, Connie.

77connie53
Abr 8, 2021, 3:16 am

I know.

78Familyhistorian
Abr 8, 2021, 11:01 am

>77 connie53: I'm not doing as badly (or well) on the BBs this year but that's because I'm so far behind on the 75ers threads.

79Jackie_K
Abr 8, 2021, 4:47 pm

I have occasionally thought about having a thread in the 75ers group, but it's so fast moving it would just stress me out! I like being able to dip in and out of the ROOT and Category Challenge groups at more my own pace.

80Familyhistorian
Abr 9, 2021, 6:02 pm

>79 Jackie_K: It's much quieter in the ROOTs group. Even here I'm falling behind because I can't keep up with the 75ers. Part of that is because I have over 35,000 words now written on the first draft of the book I'm working on, the other part is that the 75ers' threads are really taking off.

81connie53
Abr 15, 2021, 7:03 am

>79 Jackie_K:, >80 Familyhistorian: That's why I stopped with the 75-ers a few years ago. But now I'm back there again thinking that with all my free time since retiring I could easily keep up, but no! It's just to much and to fast.

>80 Familyhistorian: Good for you, Meg. I think it's awesome to write a book. Good luck!

82Familyhistorian
Abr 15, 2021, 1:23 pm

>81 connie53: The 75ers seem particularly hard to keep up with this year, Connie. Almost like there's a competition or something. I have no idea how people who work can keep up.

Thanks re the book. I've got 40,000 words on my first draft so far and the push is on to get down the rest of the words.

83Jackie_K
Abr 15, 2021, 2:39 pm

>80 Familyhistorian: Congratulations on your book progress, Meg - you're doing better than me! I don't have 0 words of my first draft, but I'm not yet into 5 figures, so need to get going. Hopefully next week when the school holidays are over I can get back into a better writing routine again.

84Familyhistorian
Editado: Abr 15, 2021, 5:51 pm

>83 Jackie_K: I've been doing writing sprints on Zoom with a couple of different groups, Jackie. That's helped enormously and actually gotten me into a routine.

The Creative Academy for Writers has sprints at all hours and it's free. So you might want to check it out. I do the early morning writing sprint from 7:30 - 8:30 am PST. I'm one of the few people in the group that is writing in that actual time (all times are given in PST which is usually about 8 hours different than your time would be.)

85Familyhistorian
Abr 15, 2021, 5:51 pm

15. Golden in Death by J.D. Robb



The “in death” series is still one of my favourites. Golden in Death was the 50th book and still a strong narrative even if it didn’t offer anything extra to mark the special number.

86detailmuse
Abr 17, 2021, 4:52 pm

>66 Familyhistorian: I enjoyed a bunch of Elinor Lipman novels in the early 2000s, fast with dialogue and witty with eccentric characters. I should see if she's still publishing.

Great work on your writing!

87Jackie_K
Abr 18, 2021, 7:19 am

>84 Familyhistorian: Thank you, I might check that group out! I am hoping that from tomorrow I will have a bit more dedicated writing time, as A's out of school club is reopening two days a week (hopefully more once demand grows). This means that, assuming I don't have any freelance work coming in, I will have two blocks a week of about 3 hours to write before I need to collect her. The past couple of weeks have been the Easter holidays, and the weather has been brilliant, so writing has had to take a back seat to playing in the park! (I've got some good reading in at the park though, so I'm not complaining!)

88Familyhistorian
Abr 18, 2021, 1:34 pm

>86 detailmuse: Thanks MJ, I'm in a writing program so that helps!

On Turpentine Lane is a paperback edition published in 2017 so it looks like Lipman has recent work out there.

89Familyhistorian
Abr 18, 2021, 1:39 pm

>87 Jackie_K: The weather here has been amazing too, Jackie. The forecast high is 24 today. So odd to have summer weather when the cherry blossom is on the trees.

Best of luck getting in your blocks of writing time.

90connie53
Abr 23, 2021, 3:05 am

>89 Familyhistorian: We need to get some of your lovely weather here in the Netherlands. It's sunny but only 13C or something like that.

Good to hear the writing to going nicely!

91Familyhistorian
Abr 23, 2021, 12:51 pm

>90 connie53: Unfortunately, it looks like our beautiful weather is at an end, Connie. It's getting cooler and rain is on the way settling in for the foreseeable future.

I'm on a mission to finish my first draft so still writing when I can fit it in.

92connie53
Abr 25, 2021, 4:44 am

Hi Meg, your weather has arrived here, the last few afternoons I spend reading in the sun. Sorry!

93Familyhistorian
Abr 26, 2021, 1:03 am

>91 Familyhistorian: Well, I suppose our nice weather had to go somewhere, Connie. Can you send it back our way when you're done with it.

94connie53
Abr 26, 2021, 2:51 am

Of course I can. I think that will be somewhere in October. ;-)

95Familyhistorian
Abr 27, 2021, 12:54 am

>94 connie53: Oh, don't think I can wait that long. Will have to find my own.

96connie53
Abr 27, 2021, 5:15 am

>95 Familyhistorian: LOL. I would love to share my sun with you, Meg.

97Familyhistorian
Abr 29, 2021, 11:49 pm

>96 connie53: :-) Thanks Connie.

98Familyhistorian
Abr 29, 2021, 11:50 pm

16. Girl Town by Carolyn Nowak



I pulled a graphic novel from my shelves this month. Girl Town contained a number of mini-comics about being a young adult female. It was interesting.

99Familyhistorian
Abr 29, 2021, 11:51 pm

Today I was going to get caught up on all my write ups for the end of the month, so of course LT acted up for hours.

100Familyhistorian
Abr 30, 2021, 12:04 am

17. Trapped by Scandal by Jane Feather



I’m reading my way through the romances on my shelves. The latest was Trapped by Scandal a story set in both England and France during the Reign of Terror.

101Familyhistorian
Abr 30, 2021, 12:24 am

18. The Cracked Spine by Paige Shelton



Among my cozy mystery collection was The Cracked Spine which was billed as a Scottish Bookshop Mystery. It was an okay mystery but I’m not sure that I’ll continue with the series.

102MissWatson
Abr 30, 2021, 4:57 am

>100 Familyhistorian: The Reign of Terror? I would never have guessed that from the cover.

103Familyhistorian
Abr 30, 2021, 1:21 pm

>102 MissWatson: The clothing doesn't give the idea of that era, does it? I was surprised when I started reading.

104Familyhistorian
Abr 30, 2021, 1:25 pm

19. The Palace Tiger by Barbara Cleverly



My next mystery was more to my liking. One of the Joe Sandilands series set in India just after the First World War The Palace Tiger showed a country on the brink of change and delivered a good mystery.

105Familyhistorian
Abr 30, 2021, 2:05 pm

20. Blood of the Celts: The New Ancestral Story by Jean Manco



On a more serious note, I read one of the books off my nonfiction shelves. Blood of the Celts is a keeper and an interesting look at the early history of the people know as the Celts.

106Familyhistorian
Abr 30, 2021, 2:32 pm

21. The Serpent and the Pearl by Kate Quinn



My last ROOT of the month was historic fiction. The Serpent and the Pearl was based on the life of the beautiful mistress of Rodrigo Borgia who became Pope. I had very little knowledge of this time period outside of the British Isles. Now I have a bit more.

107Familyhistorian
Abr 30, 2021, 2:48 pm

Sorry I haven't been visiting the threads as much as in the past. I'm happy to report that I now have over 50,000 words done in the first draft of the book I'm writing. I do a lot of composing while walking so, even if I have been rubbish at keeping up with LT, I'm still getting in my steps.

108Caramellunacy
mayo 1, 2021, 7:48 am

>107 Familyhistorian: Congrats on your writing progress (and step count)! That's amazing

109Familyhistorian
mayo 1, 2021, 8:49 pm

>108 Caramellunacy: Thanks, not as amazing as the word count of some of the people in my writing program. The comparison is egging me on!

110connie53
mayo 2, 2021, 2:13 pm

>98 Familyhistorian: That's really an awful cover!

>107 Familyhistorian: Congrats om the progress!

111Familyhistorian
mayo 2, 2021, 6:45 pm

>110 connie53: I think I picked up that graphic novel because of the title not the cover, Connie. It isn't very flattering is it?

Thanks re the progress.

112Familyhistorian
Editado: mayo 17, 2021, 1:17 am

Now for April's acquisitions which weren't that bad. Maybe keeping busy isn't so bad. The new books added were:

Your DNA Guide: the book by Diahan Southard
The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody
Truth and Lies by Caroline Mitchell
The Hanging of Angelique by Afua Cooper
Hi Five by Joe Ide
Your Career in Animation: How to Survive and Thrive by David B. Levy

113Familyhistorian
mayo 12, 2021, 12:04 am

22. The Laird by Grace Burrowes



Maybe if I read a few romances, I can get my ROOTing numbers up and qualify for a star. I have a few of these on my shelves. The latest read was The Laird which was set in Scotland just after the Napoleonic War. It was a good one.

114Familyhistorian
mayo 13, 2021, 8:07 pm

23. A Sorrowful Sanctuary by Iona Whishaw



The books I the Lane Winslow series are growing ROOTs on my shelves, the result of having so many series on the go, I suppose. The latest ROOT in this series that I read was A Sorrowful Sanctuary, another interesting mystery.

115Familyhistorian
mayo 20, 2021, 2:15 pm

24. Journey to a Star by Barbara Cartland



The ROOTs are going down easier this month. It might be because I’m choosing slimmer books. One of those was Journey to a Star. It was a fast read.

116Familyhistorian
mayo 23, 2021, 7:55 pm

25. Murder Once Removed by S.C. Perkins



The genealogical mystery, Murder Once Removed has been on my shelves for a while. I picked it up because I enjoy mysteries and I’m always on the look out for genealogical ones. I wasn’t too impressed by this one. Still, it’s one more ROOT done.

117Familyhistorian
mayo 28, 2021, 1:34 pm

26. Holy Terror in the Hebrides by Jeanne M. Dams



I have a few cozy mysteries on my shelves. Just the thing for quick reads to make me feel that I am making some headway with my TBRs and getting some books done and gone. Holy Terror in the Hebrides was not as harrowing as the title suggests, the sleuth in this case being old enough to have arthritic knees. It was a good mystery and one more book done.

118Familyhistorian
mayo 28, 2021, 3:03 pm

27. Sweet Tea Revenge by Laura Childs



Another cozy from my shelves, this time it was one of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Sweet Tea Revenge. It was a fun and fast read.

119Familyhistorian
mayo 28, 2021, 8:43 pm

28. The Potato: How the Humble Spud Rescued the Western World by Larry Zuckerman



From my nonfiction shelves I read The Potato: How the Humble Spud Rescued the Western World. It was both a history of the potato and the civilizations that it affected. I didn’t know there was so much to know about this humble vegetable before I read the book.

120Familyhistorian
mayo 31, 2021, 12:51 am

29. The Blitz by Peter Doyle



I’ve started a read through of my WWII collection, books which have grown ROOTs on my shelves. There will be more and more of these books showing up on my thread as I work my way through them. I started small with the Shire Library book The Blitz. It told the story of this time in a nutshell.

121Familyhistorian
mayo 31, 2021, 2:17 pm

30. Mrs. Jeffries Wins the Prize by Emily Brightwell



Another cozy mystery, Mrs. Jeffries Wins the Prize was my next ROOT and possibly the final one for this month. I’ve got another ROOT on the go, not sure if it will be done by the end of the day. The cozy mystery was a fun fast read.

122detailmuse
mayo 31, 2021, 3:48 pm

>114 Familyhistorian: This cover gave me a warm fuzzy -- brought to mind quite a few Nancy Drew covers where Nancy is peering out from behind a tree or bush etc.!

123Familyhistorian
Jun 1, 2021, 1:23 am

>122 detailmuse: I knew it reminded me of something but I wasn't sure what. Nancy Drew, you hit the nail on the head with that one.

124Familyhistorian
Jun 2, 2021, 1:15 am

31. The Ventriloquists by E.R. Ramzipoor



A more substantial ROOT was The Ventriloquists, which was a novel based on a true story about a bunch of people who put out a fake newspaper in Belgium in defiance of the Nazis. It was a good one.

125Familyhistorian
Editado: Jun 26, 2021, 6:07 pm

May was a middling month for acquisitions with a total of 10 new books finding their way into my home. They are:

Gallows Thief by Bernard Cornwell
Lost in Paris by Elizabeth Thompson
The Chester Creek Murders by Nathan Dylan Goodwin
The Consequences of Fear by Jacqueline Winspear
To Have and to Hoax by Martha Waters
Ladies' Bane by Patricia Wentworth
Lethal Lesson by Iona Whishaw (I obviously spent a lot of times at the "W" fiction shelves)

The nonfiction items included the updated edition of
The Family Tree Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy by Blaine Bettinger
Race Against Time: A Reporter Reopens the Unsolved Murder Cases of the Civil Rights Era by Jerry Mitchell
Funny You Should Ask: Mostly Serious Answers to Mostly Serious Questions About the Book Publishing Industry by Barbara Poelle

126MissWatson
Jun 3, 2021, 5:05 am

>125 Familyhistorian: You have been very restrained in your book-buying, kudos!

127Familyhistorian
Jun 3, 2021, 12:16 pm

>126 MissWatson: Thanks, although I think its more a case of running out of places to put them.

128Familyhistorian
Jun 22, 2021, 12:48 am

32. The Courtship/The Duke and His Duchess by Grace Burrowes



I’ve been reading a lot of heavier books lately. For a change of pace, I picked up a novel that was actually two novellas in one volume. Both romances about the same couple and one after they’ve had quite children and are going through some struggles. A happy ending in each case was a nice change of pace.

129Familyhistorian
Jun 25, 2021, 12:42 am

33. Miss Seeton Plants Suspicion by Hamilton Crane



I’m reading through a set of mysteries before I send them off to the Little Free Library. These are the Miss Seeton mysteries, a series I stumbled on by chance and enjoyed. This first one I read was Miss Seeton Plants Suspicion. It was a charming cozy mystery.

130Familyhistorian
Jun 26, 2021, 6:00 pm

34. Longitude by Dava Sobel



I also read from my nonfiction shelves this month. I was going for small books working my way up to larger ones. Longitude was a slim volume but contained the interesting history of the discovery of longitude.

131Familyhistorian
Jun 26, 2021, 11:41 pm

35. Only a Kiss by Mary Balogh



For a change from all the other books I have on the go I picked up another romance, Only a Kiss. It was historical and a quick read.

132Familyhistorian
Editado: Jun 27, 2021, 2:05 pm

36. Farthing



In a more serious vane, Farthing was a reimaging of the outcome of WWII with a murder mystery thrown in. It was thought provoking.

133connie53
Jun 28, 2021, 6:50 am

Hi Meg, just visiting as many threads as I can fit in today to see what everybody is up to.
I've been neglecting ROOTers for a while because of the situation with Peet. Trying to better my ways now!

134Familyhistorian
Jun 29, 2021, 8:27 pm

>133 connie53: Thanks for the visit, Connie. I've been neglecting the ROOTers as well. Will have to check out the news on your thread. I hope everything is okay.

135Familyhistorian
Jun 29, 2021, 8:39 pm

37. World War Two: A Very Peculiar History



I’m slowly reading my way through my WWII collection of books, working my way from the small ones to the larger ones. World War Two: A Very Peculiar History was small but full of interesting facts.

136Familyhistorian
Jun 30, 2021, 6:55 pm

38. The Zig Zag Girl by Elly Griffiths



One last ROOT for the month, The Zig Zag Girl, the first in a new series because I don’t have enough series to follow. (Just kidding.)

137Familyhistorian
Editado: Jul 1, 2021, 12:37 am

June's acquisitions were a respectably low number. They were:

Big Sky by Kate Atkinson
Dead Dead Girls by Nekesa Afia
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
The Bee's Kiss by Barbara Cleverly
Survivors: British Merchant Seamen in the Second World War by G.H. and R. Bennet
The Case of the Murderous Dr. Cream: The Hunt for a Victorian Era Serial Killer by Dean Jobb
Nothe Fort and Beyond: In Defence of Weymouth & Portland by Susan Hogben

138Jackie_K
Jul 1, 2021, 10:57 am

>137 Familyhistorian: That's a good haul of books! Enjoy them! :)

139Familyhistorian
Jul 1, 2021, 2:46 pm

>138 Jackie_K: Thanks Jackie. A couple of them are family history related so I'm hoping they add to my knowledge.

140connie53
Jul 5, 2021, 5:59 am

Hi Meg. I loved the Kate Atkinson, but then I do love all her books. So I hope you do too.

141Familyhistorian
Jul 5, 2021, 1:53 pm

>140 connie53: I've enjoyed the Kate Atkinson's that I have read, Connie. The enjoyment was probably enhanced by seeing her in person when we could still do things like that.

142Familyhistorian
Jul 5, 2021, 2:18 pm

39. Not Dead Yet by Peter James



I finished my first ROOT for July on the first day of the month but I’m only getting around to posting about it now. Strangely, Not Dead Yet was also set in Brighton, like my last ROOT. This book was a police procedural with quite a few story lines some of which were left dangling but the main murder investigation centering around the death threat to a rock/movie star was resolved in typical thriller fashion.

143Familyhistorian
Jul 5, 2021, 2:20 pm

Today is a pleasant sunny day where I am. Quite a contrast to last Monday when the temperature was 42 C. Unheard of temperatures for BC in June, usually a month marked by rain.

144connie53
Jul 6, 2021, 4:00 am

>141 Familyhistorian:. Ohh, that is nice. You have met her, really cool.

145MissWatson
Jul 6, 2021, 4:22 am

>143 Familyhistorian: I heard about those awful temperatures in BC, it's news even here in Germany. I hope the cooler weather is stable!

146connie53
Jul 6, 2021, 6:32 am

>145 MissWatson: Birgit and I can send some storm, rain and thunder your way, Meg. We have lots of that.

147Familyhistorian
Jul 7, 2021, 6:00 pm

>144 connie53: Well, not actually met her but I saw her give a talk.

148Familyhistorian
Jul 7, 2021, 6:02 pm

>145 MissWatson: The high temperatures made the news because they are so unusual, Birgit. We usually have a lot more rain, especially in June.

149Familyhistorian
Jul 7, 2021, 6:05 pm

>146 connie53: Thanks but no thanks, Connie. Rain we can use but no lightning. We all ready have too much of that. There are currently about 200 forest fires burning in BC many of them caused by lightning.

150rabbitprincess
Editado: Jul 7, 2021, 6:41 pm

>142 Familyhistorian: I have Looking Good Dead out from the library, so that I can have it read before starting to watch the adaptation, Grace, on Britbox. Still waiting for Dead Simple, the first in the series.

151connie53
Jul 8, 2021, 5:15 am

>149 Familyhistorian: No, I can see why you don't need any lightning with all those forest fires.

152Familyhistorian
Jul 8, 2021, 6:35 pm

>142 Familyhistorian: I didn't realize there were adaptations, RP, not that I have Britbox anyway. I hope you enjoy the show.

153Familyhistorian
Jul 8, 2021, 6:36 pm

>151 connie53: We have lots of forest fires every year but this year it has started a month early.

154Familyhistorian
Jul 12, 2021, 7:39 pm

40. First Comes Scandal by Julia Quinn



Among the heavier tomes from the library, I snuck in a ROOT. First Comes Scandal was a romance billed as a Bridgerton Prequel. Not as good as some of the books but fun nonetheless.

155Caramellunacy
Jul 13, 2021, 5:02 am

>154 Familyhistorian: I haven't read this one, but I often find myself turning to Julia Quinn when I am in need of some light-hearted reading fun. Glad you enjoyed it!

156Familyhistorian
Jul 13, 2021, 6:32 pm

>155 Caramellunacy: The Julia Quinn books are fun. Did you watch the Bridgerton series? I thought that was well done.

157Caramellunacy
Jul 14, 2021, 8:27 am

>156 Familyhistorian: I did - and I really enjoyed it. I am looking forward to seeing the next season!

158Familyhistorian
Jul 14, 2021, 2:13 pm

>157 Caramellunacy: Me too. It just seems so long between seasons!

159Jackie_K
Jul 17, 2021, 9:06 am

Hi Meg - I hope you're well and keeping safe from the fires. The world's weather is crazy.

160Familyhistorian
Jul 17, 2021, 3:23 pm

>159 Jackie_K: Hi Jackie - Most of the fires are away from where I live. I'm in the Lower Mainland of BC so if you hear about fires threatening Vancouver or its suburbs that's when the fires would be getting near me. The world's weather now is crazy and worrying.

161Familyhistorian
Jul 31, 2021, 8:59 pm

41. The 1940s Home by Paul Evans and Peter Doyle



I’ve begun a project of reading through the World War Two books in my personal library. They aren’t all about military matters. Some are about the way that people lived, particularly in England which is my area of interest. I found The 1940s Home very interesting in the way it portrayed the effects that war restrictions had on the homes of the time.

162Familyhistorian
Editado: Jul 31, 2021, 11:10 pm

42. The Women's Land Army 1939-1940



The WWII books are research for my genealogy/history blog as my current posts are about the affect on my family who were based in England at the time. My mother was in the Land Army so I read The Women’s Land Army 1939-1950. There was some interesting information in there besides the photos but, unfortunately none of Hertfordshire where my mum was posted.

You can see my latest blog posts at: A Genealogist’s Path to History

163Familyhistorian
Editado: Ago 11, 2021, 7:50 pm

I almost forgot to post July's acquisitions. Here they are:

The Secret Life of Ceecee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain
The Radio Operator by Ulla Lenze
The Broadcast 41: Women and the Anti-communist Blacklist by Carol. A Stabile
The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
The Cartoon Guide to Genetics by Larry Gonick and Mark Wheelis
The Passion of Anne Hutchinson by Marilyn J. Westerkamp

164Familyhistorian
Ago 5, 2021, 3:31 pm

43. The Cafe by the Sea by Jenny Colgan



My first ROOT for August was The Café by the Sea. It was the story of a woman who thought she’d burnt her bridges back on the small island that she came from. When she went back, she found that was where she belonged but her time away changed her in a way that would change life on the island, in a good way.

165Familyhistorian
Ago 12, 2021, 8:06 pm

44. Tempt Me with Diamonds by Jane Feather



I’m trying to read down my stacks and romances are usually quick and reliable. I wasn’t that taken with the story in Tempt Me with Diamonds so I hope that the other stories in the trilogy are more to my reading taste. But its one ROOT down out of far too many.

166Familyhistorian
Ago 13, 2021, 7:39 pm

45. A Treacherous Curse by Deanna Raybourn



My next ROOT was much more to my liking. A Treacherous Curse was the third book in the Veronica Speedwell mystery series, an historical mystery/romance which keeps me turning the pages of whichever book in the series I pick up. Unfortunately, I hold on to these books which doesn’t help as I’m trying to divest myself of some tomes due to the fact that our townhouse development is up for sale still.

167Familyhistorian
Ago 17, 2021, 2:38 pm

46. J. Edgar Hoover: A Graphic Biography by Rick Geary



Biographies are a welcome sub-genre of graphic novels. I read J. Edgar Hoover: A Graphic Biography from my shelves and now have a better understanding of the man and the times he lived through.

168Familyhistorian
Ago 27, 2021, 1:13 pm

47. Reunion: A Search for Ancestors by Ryan Littrell



I finally got around to reading one of the genealogy related books on my shelves. This was Reunion: A Search for Ancestors by Ryan Littrell. It was about the author’s search for his ancestors and looks to be a self-published book. I wonder where I picked it up? I don’t remember as it has grown ROOTs on my shelf.

169Familyhistorian
Ago 31, 2021, 1:34 pm

48. Sailing Seven Seas: A History of the Canadian Pacific Line



This month’s nonfiction challenge theme was transportation so I read a ROOT from my shelves. Sailing Seven Seas: A History of the Canadian Pacific Line was an interesting account of the CP ships and also touched on the railway and airline and other ventures. Only the railway remains.

170Familyhistorian
Ago 31, 2021, 2:58 pm

49. Fun Home by Alison Bechdel



I was able to fit in one more ROOT for August. Fun Home was a compelling and insightful memoir/graphic novel that had remained unread on my shelves for too long. I’m glad I read it and look forward to Bechdel’s next graphic novel.

171rabbitprincess
Ago 31, 2021, 3:51 pm

>169 Familyhistorian: Ooh, I need to get a hold of this book! It ticks a lot of boxes for me.

172Familyhistorian
Ago 31, 2021, 11:47 pm

>169 Familyhistorian: It was published in 2010, so hopefully still to be found, RP. My copy now has lots of bookmarks in it because there are links to my family history. My grandfather immigrated to Canada in 1911 on the Empress of Ireland, a CP ship which later sank in the St. Lawrence.

173Familyhistorian
Editado: Oct 4, 2021, 11:24 pm

I got a bit carried away with book acquisitions in August. A trip to Victoria resulted in a few bookshop visits as did my visit to the optometrist which is in an easy walk of a book store. My research into WWII for my blog posts also resulted in a few books set in that time period. Here are my August buys:

An Unlikely Spy by Rebecca Starford
Poppy Redfern and the Midnight Murders by Tessa Arlen
The War Against Miss Winter by Kathryn Miller Haines
Fortune Favors the Dead by Stephen Spotswood
Between Silk and Cyanide: A Codemaker's War, 1941-1945 by Leo Marks
Her Heart for a Compass by Sarah Ferguson
The Clockmaker's Wife by Daisy Wood
The Lantern Men by Elly Griffiths
Briefs Encountered by Julian Clary
The Wire in the Blood by Val McDermid
Victoria Unbuttoned: A Red-light History of BC's Capital City by Linda J. Eversole
Mudlark: In Search of London's Past Along the River Thames by Lara Maiklem
Land Girl: A Manual for Volunteers in the Women's Land Army 1941 by W.E. Shewell-Cooper
Condemned: The Transported Men, Women and Children Who Built Britain's Empire by Graham Seal
The Civil War: A Visual History Smithsonian

174clue
Sep 4, 2021, 5:49 pm

>173 Familyhistorian: Looks like a great list, I have Between Silk and Cyanide on my to read list. I'll be intrested in your comments on it.

175Familyhistorian
Sep 5, 2021, 1:57 pm

>174 clue: It might take me a while to get to Between Silk and Cyanide but I did read a bit into it after I got it and before I tucked into my luggage to take back to the mainland with me. The bit that I read was promising.

176detailmuse
Sep 5, 2021, 3:55 pm

>166 Familyhistorian: our townhouse development is up for sale still

Oh I forgot that! Has the covid delay been a good thing or just more uncertainty?

177Familyhistorian
Sep 8, 2021, 1:01 pm

>176 detailmuse: The covid affect has been to increase the price of properties (not ours) so that the amount offered doesn't look as good any more which makes it less likely that all the townhouse owners will accept the offer. The complication is groundwater found on part of the property meaning that two layers of underground parking can't be sunk in some places. That means fewer units can be built and has revised the developer offer downwards. So with the prices of outside property going up and the offer to us going down the last offer fell through. Apparently there are more developers interested.

178Jackie_K
Sep 8, 2021, 2:06 pm

>177 Familyhistorian: Oh I hope it gets resolved soon. We're looking at properties at the moment, and prices are nuts here.

179Familyhistorian
Sep 8, 2021, 2:59 pm

>178 Jackie_K: Me too, Jackie. Good luck with your house hunt.

180Familyhistorian
Sep 8, 2021, 3:00 pm

50. Miss Seeton Rules by Hamilton Crane



I’m steadily reading my way through a small pile of Miss Seeton books prior to releasing them back into the world. The latest was Miss Seeton Rules. There was a new royal made up so that she could be kidnapped in this one!

181Familyhistorian
Sep 8, 2021, 3:38 pm

51. London's Burning by Constantine FitzGibbon



I’m still reading my way through my WWII books. The latest finished was London’s Burning, a book from the 1970s which has been on my shelves for a while. Not since it was published though. It looks like I picked it up second hand. It was good even if the printing left something to be desired as some of the words ran off the edge on some of the pages.

182clue
Sep 9, 2021, 8:55 pm

Yes, the housing frenzy is everywhere. A friend told me something funny about her relative. He had a very large home, got something like $700,000 for it which was a healthy increase from what he had paid just a few years ago. She said the only problem was when it sold they had no where to go. I asked what they did and she said they were living in a trailer!

183Familyhistorian
Sep 10, 2021, 12:25 am

>182 clue: Housing markets seem tight in a lot of places. Hopefully they'll find something else soon. $700,000 wouldn't buy much here, either.

184Familyhistorian
Sep 13, 2021, 1:01 am

52. A Shadow on the Household: One Enslaved Family's Incredible Struggle for Freedom by Bryan Prince



I read A Shadow on the Household: One Enslaved Family’s Incredible Struggle for Freedom which was about the struggles of one large family to find freedom in the years before the Civil War.

185detailmuse
Sep 15, 2021, 4:51 pm

>177 Familyhistorian: I'm sorry to hear of more uncertainty. And how has time progressed so late into yet another year already!

186Familyhistorian
Sep 15, 2021, 8:41 pm

>185 detailmuse: Yes, I'm not expecting anything to happen soon. This seems to be a very long process!

187Familyhistorian
Sep 16, 2021, 2:11 pm

53. Getting Out of Hope by James Cadelli



There are a few graphic novels growing ROOTs in my collection. Sometimes I wonder why I bought them and sometimes what’s between the covers is a delightful surprise. That was the case with Getting Out of Hope.

188Familyhistorian
Sep 18, 2021, 3:37 pm

54. Seduce Me with Sapphires by Jane Feather



I found the next book in Jane Feather’s London Jewels Trilogy, Seduce Me with Sapphires more enjoyable that the last and it was one more ROOT done.

189Familyhistorian
Sep 26, 2021, 6:32 pm

55. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle



I picked up A Wrinkle in Time a while back and recently read it to meet a reading challenge. It was cute but not quite what I was expecting.

190Familyhistorian
Sep 30, 2021, 5:28 pm

56. Someone to Honor by Mary Balogh



I pulled another romance from the stacks. This time it was Someone to Honor an interesting quick read.

191Familyhistorian
Editado: Oct 2, 2021, 2:49 pm

57. Defiant Spirits: The Modernist Revolution of the Group of Seven by Ross King



And now for something much more erudite, Defiant Spirits: The Modernist Revolution of the Group of Seven. This was an excellent history of that group of painters. I read it because it was both related to my family history and also because it fit this month’s nonfiction reading challenge.

192Familyhistorian
Editado: Oct 4, 2021, 11:30 pm

My acquisitions grew in September and included the following:

Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead
To Know You're Alive by Dakota McFadzean
Invitation to Die by Barbara Cleverly
Murder at Archly Manor by Sara Rosett
The Egyptian Antiquities Murder by Sara Rosett
Glory In Death by J.D. Robb (I tried to get this from the library I put it on hold, but before I could take it out it became a discard after being in mend for weeks)
We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter
The Heron's Cry by Ann Cleeves
Portrait of a Scotsman by Evie Dunmore
Vile Spirits by John MacLachan Gray
Britain 1940: The Decisive Year on the Home Front by Anton Rippon
DNA & Destiny by R. Grant Steen
The Middle Ages: A Graphic History by Eleanor Janega and Neil Max Emmanuel
Arthur and the Kings of Britain by Miles Russell
Jack the Ripper's Streets of Terror by Rupert Matthews

193connie53
Oct 8, 2021, 4:18 am

Hi Meg. Lots of new books! I like that a lot. House prices seems to go sky-high all over. It's really nuts here too. Not that I'm looking but my daughter and SIL bought a new to be build house last week and that was gigantically expensive. They hope to move in 2023. I hope you hear good new soon.

194Familyhistorian
Oct 11, 2021, 2:24 pm

>193 connie53: Hi Connie, nothing much seems to be happening on the housing front for me. Good luck to your daughter and SIL with building their house.

195connie53
Oct 17, 2021, 6:51 am

>194 Familyhistorian: Keep up searching, Meg. You will succeed some day, I hope soon.

196Familyhistorian
Editado: Oct 17, 2021, 2:02 pm

>195 connie53: I'm not at the searching stage yet, Connie. Still waiting to see if the townhouse complex will receive an acceptable offer.

197Familyhistorian
Oct 20, 2021, 5:52 pm

58. When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn



I have been getting some ROOTs in this month. When He Was Wicked was a romance novel I fit between books read for challenges. It was a pretty good historical novel and a quick read to boot.

198Familyhistorian
Oct 24, 2021, 10:03 pm

59. The Fade Out, Act One



Graphic novels are good fast reads and a great way to read more ROOTs. So, I read The Fade Out. The only problem was it as Act One and definitely a continuing story. Now I have to track down the others. Fortunately, my library has them or they’d be more ROOTs in the making.

199Familyhistorian
Oct 24, 2021, 10:27 pm

60. The Last Days of Richard III and the fate of his DNA by John Ashdown-Hill



I’m a history buff and I’m into genetic genealogy so The Last Days of Richard III and the fate of his DNA was a good one for me. Not sure how I let it sit so long that it grew ROOTs.

200Familyhistorian
Oct 28, 2021, 3:49 pm

61. The Visitors by Sally Beauman



The Visitors was a story of two girls, Lucy and Frances, who were in Egypt at the time of the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb. It was interesting to see behind the scenes goings on which happened at the time that the artifacts were being recovered.

201Caramellunacy
Editado: Oct 29, 2021, 4:43 am

>200 Familyhistorian: I enjoyed The Visitors when I read it a few years ago - the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb is so fascinating. I would love to have a look at the artefacts in the new Egyptian museum!

202Familyhistorian
Oct 31, 2021, 12:19 pm

>201 Caramellunacy: The Visitors was a good way to find out more about the Tut discovery. That new Egyptian museum looks fascinating.

203Familyhistorian
Editado: Nov 7, 2021, 1:18 am

Before we get any further into the new month, I should list my acquisitions for October. They were:

Write Your Novel from the Middle by James Scott Bell
State of Terror by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny
I Will Judge You By Your Bookshelf by Grant Snider
I'm Only Wicked With You by Julie Anne Long
The Less Dead by Denise Mina
A Line to Kill by Anthony Horowitz
The Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny
Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens by Tanya Boteju
Victoria Sees It by Carrie Jenkins
Hell and Gone by Sam Wiebe

204Familyhistorian
Nov 5, 2021, 1:23 am

62. Raven's Gate by Anthony Horowitz



I have no idea where I picked up Raven’s Gate which was not my usual fare. It was a YA sci-fi horror type tale and not a bad read.

205Familyhistorian
Nov 27, 2021, 8:06 pm

63. The Genealogical Sublime by Julia Creet



It’s taken me a while to post any more ROOTs for November. Library holds have been coming in bunches and distracting me. I did finish a book off my nonfiction shelves, The Genealogical Sublime, which looked at the business side of the genealogical pursuit, much food for thought.

206Familyhistorian
Nov 29, 2021, 8:50 pm

64. Ravish Me with Rubies by Jane Feather



I managed one more ROOT, the third in the jewel trilogy, Ravish Me with Rubies. It was a good romance novel but didn’t capture my attention like some do.

207Familyhistorian
Dic 1, 2021, 7:39 pm

I went a bit crazy with the acquisitions in November but I'll probably lie low in December as I wait for my Santa Thing books to come in. In recent years they actually show up some time in January and, since there are delays in any kind of shipments here due to Vancouver being cut off from thee rest of Canada for a while due to wrecked roads and rail lines due to flooding I might have to wait even longer this time.

The Scoundrel's Daughter by Anne Gracie
Without the Moon by Cathi Unsworth
The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros
Perks of Loving a Wallflower by Erica Ridley
The Pilot's Daughter by Meredith Jaeger
Blue Madonna by James R. Benn
Find You First by Linwood Barclay
Impossible Saints by Clarisa Harwood
Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel by Hallie Ephron
The Penguin Social History of Britain Sixteenth-Century England by Joyce Youings
A History of British Secret Service by Richard Deacon
The Marriage Bureau by Penrose Halson
Croydon in the 1940s and 1950s by John B Gent
Becoming Vancouver by Daniel Francis
A Nation of Descendants by Francesca Morgan

208Jackie_K
Dic 2, 2021, 9:20 am

Wow, that's an impressive haul! I hope the roads and railways are not out for too long (although obviously they need to make sure that the repairs can withstand future bad weather and conditions). It's been a year and a half for bad weather in Canada, hasn't it?

209Familyhistorian
Dic 2, 2021, 3:12 pm

>208 Jackie_K: There's major work to be done getting everything back to what it was before only better, Jackie. The weather has been bad and the direct result of climate change as far as I can see, particularly here on the west coast.

210Familyhistorian
Dic 14, 2021, 7:58 pm

65. The Viscount who Loved Me by Julia Quinn



I’m not sure why it took me so long to post about this book, The Viscount who Loved Me, the second book in the Bridgerton series and the ROOT with which I obtained my goal. It must have been all of those library holds that I needed to write about and get back asap.

211clue
Dic 14, 2021, 9:10 pm

>210 Familyhistorian: Congratulations on making it to goal! I used to be finished by the end of summer but the last two years I've struggled to get there by end of the year. I'm reading my last one for this year now and don't like it but will soldier on.

212MissWatson
Dic 15, 2021, 9:02 am

Congrats on reaching your goal!

213Familyhistorian
Dic 15, 2021, 5:44 pm

>211 clue: Good luck making it through the last one!

>212 MissWatson: Thanks, I hope to do better next year!

214connie53
Dic 16, 2021, 9:34 am

Congrats on reaching your goal, Meg!

215Familyhistorian
Dic 17, 2021, 12:53 pm

>214 connie53: Thanks Connie. It was a long time coming!

216Familyhistorian
Dic 20, 2021, 7:52 pm

66. The Blood Doctor by Barbara Vine



The Blood Doctor has been on my shelves so long that I don’t remember where I got it. The narrator in this story was researching the life of his illustrious great grandfather, once physician to Queen Victoria. The further his research took him, the more he began to question what his ancestor had been up to.

217Familyhistorian
Dic 23, 2021, 7:52 pm

67. Beneath These Stones by Ann Granger



Another one down, this time a mystery in the Mitchell and Markby series, Beneath These Stones. It was nice to get back to this couple and a satisfying mystery.

218connie53
Dic 25, 2021, 12:41 pm


Hello Meg!

Trying to catch up on threads again. I want to wish you

219Familyhistorian
Dic 26, 2021, 10:59 pm

>218 connie53: Thanks Connie. I hope you had a happy Christmas!

220connie53
Dic 29, 2021, 7:23 am

We did, Meg! It was very nice to see them all again.

221Familyhistorian
Dic 29, 2021, 1:31 pm

>220 connie53: That's good, Connie. We were so snowed in here that Christmas dinner didn't happen until December 26 for some, me included.

222Familyhistorian
Dic 29, 2021, 1:47 pm

68. Are You My Mother by Alison Bechdel



I have some of Alison Bechdel’s graphic memoirs in my collection. My latest read was Are You My Mother? in which the author looks at her relationship with her mother. It was interesting and quirky.

223connie53
Dic 31, 2021, 4:07 am

>221 Familyhistorian: We celebrated on the 26th too. No snow though. It's rather warm here. 12 degrees C in the night is not right at all. The weather is doing strange things.

224Jackie_K
Dic 31, 2021, 10:17 am

Wishing you a happy new year, Meg - I hope 2022 is full of good things for you!

225Familyhistorian
Dic 31, 2021, 1:41 pm

>223 connie53: Hi Connie, I'd rather have your warmer not normal than our colder not normal. Have a Happy New Year.

226Familyhistorian
Dic 31, 2021, 1:42 pm

>224 Jackie_K: I hope that you have a wonderful New Year, Jackie!

227Familyhistorian
Editado: Dic 31, 2021, 5:33 pm

69. Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton



I must have picked up the classic Ethan Frome some time back. It has now been read due to a challenge to read about something cold. It was that!

228floremolla
Dic 31, 2021, 5:21 pm

Wow, solid reading for 2021, Meg! Hope 2022 is just as productive for you.

229Familyhistorian
Editado: Dic 31, 2021, 6:17 pm

70. An Infamous Army by Georgette Heyer



My last ROOT for 2021 was a good one. An Infamous Army was a novel about the battle of Waterloo. It was a well written account. Hard to get into because of all the people to keep straight but worth the read.

230Familyhistorian
Dic 31, 2021, 6:15 pm

>228 floremolla: Good to see you back posting, Donna. Thanks re my reading year. Hope the next one is good for you too!

231Caramellunacy
Ene 3, 2022, 10:22 pm

>229 Familyhistorian: I heard that the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst (used to?) use An Infamous Army to teach cadets about the Battle of Waterloo as it was a well-researched account - whether true or not, I like the mental image :)

232Familyhistorian
Ene 4, 2022, 1:17 am

>231 Caramellunacy: The battle scenes did seem like they were realistic and dealt with all of the combating forces. I vaguely remember something about that rumour now that you've mentioned it.

233clue
Editado: Ene 4, 2022, 10:49 am

>229 Familyhistorian: When I was browsing through 1000 Book to Read Before You Die a few months ago I noted that An Infamous Army was James Mustich's favorite Heyer. He called it A perfect combination of romantic allure and historical absorption. Then went on to say it is a marvelous introdduction to the joy of reading Heyer.

I haven't read this one and I look forward to reading it sometime this year.

234Familyhistorian
Ene 4, 2022, 1:18 pm

>233 clue: While An Infamous Army kept me reading it was hard to get into at first because there were so many characters to keep straight. Heyer included lots of the real players. It also lacked the sparkling language of her Regency romances so I'm not sure that I would consider it a good introduction to her work. It would be better than reading one of her mysteries though!

235Caramellunacy
Ene 4, 2022, 5:00 pm

>234 Familyhistorian: I recently listened to an (abridged) audio version of Venetia - read by Richard Armitage, which I found very charming and suspect would make a lovely introduction for those looking for a first Heyer.

236Familyhistorian
Ene 5, 2022, 11:30 pm

>235 Caramellunacy: I've never read Venetia but I have it on my shelves. I'm kind of saving it for later like I do with a lot of my anticipated reads, which really doesn't make any sense.