Susan (quondame) remains bookish in 2022 - Fourth Quarter

Sculptures by Paola Grizi.

Well, I don't seem to be getting any younger as the year continues, so still 70-something with a husband a daughter each of whom has a dog. We seem to get on fairly well and even speak to each other on occasion. The weather is cooling a wee bit - I found a light cool breeze outside the Santa Monica library to sit in while I caught my breath from carrying the 5 books I checked out.

I've been slogging through Speaking Bones but not fast enough to get through it in time for the September TIOLI challenges and so far it's not looking good for any of October's.

There have already been quite a few new threads for this month, but I suspect mine was getting sluggish on loading and it is a new quarter, so I hope you'll indulge me adding mine to the herd.

243) Big Bad Bruce



You may be able to reduce the impact of bad behavior, but the type remains true. A fun tale about a bear who doesn't learn much.

Pulled randomly off my daughter's shelf and it was good to
Read for TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #1: Read a book whose title words only start with the letters A, B, C, X, Y and/or Z

244) Le Petit Prince pour les enfants



Several episodes from the original minus pilot, snakes, sheep and all mention of elephants. The fox and rose remain.

Kindle Unlimited came to my aid so I could
Read for TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #7: Read a book in a language that is not your mother tongue

>3 quondame: I very much enjoy illustrated books. Thanks for listed these! I'll be sure to get them, except I will need to find the English version of the second book, as the extent of my ability to speak French hails from 8th grade -- and while I passed the class, it was a struggle. Thus, congratulations on knowing and reading another language!

Like your area, there were a lot of colder days this week. It prompts me to bring in the plants located on the deck. But, I'm not sure I have enough space with windows.

I hope the rest of your weekend provides time to do the things you like the most!

>4 Whisper1: I don't claim to understand all the words I read. I know a wee bit of French, and heard it spoken quite a bit as I grew up, but for words such things as streetlight and tame I needed help. Fortunately the Kindle has a translation feature.

You did a mighty fine job in reading this book!

>6 Whisper1: Thank you. It's one I grew up with and have shared with my daughter and read and re-read on my own, so I felt very comfortable with it.

Happy new thread, Susan!

>1 quondame: LOVE those sculptures!! Totally awesome. Et j'adore Le Petit Prince!! I read it in French back in high school. I think I might have a wee bit more trouble with it now since I am so out of practice. I am doing Duolingo to try and refresh my memory, but still... : ) Happy new thread.

>9 Berly: Thank you!

It is a classic, so brief and so full. I picked up a French copy of the entire book with the rest of my library haul today, so I may have to learn a few more words - though I know hat and would probably recognize snake and elephant.

245) Speaking Bones



This one rather grows on the flaws of the last. Long. The only fun parts are the inventions, but they come way too easily and work that would take 10 years or generations of developments is producing in weeks and months.

After slogging through this for 4 days I'm glad it
Meets TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #13: Read a book with an uneven number of pages

Happy new thread, Susan.

Your topper is very clever. xx

Amuse-toi bien!!

>12 PaulCranswick: Thank you!

and

>13 Berly: Thank you!

Hi Susan. Autumn means more time to ghost around on LT.
>3 quondame: You did well reading Antoine de Saint-Exupéry en français. I'm really out of practice, having read it in high school French class, like >9 Berly: I guess.

Garden chores (readying for the onslaught of winter) are wrapping up. I hope my new herbaceous perennials will have settled in well enough to survive. I've spent some time this fall digging out and discarding the lilies. We've such an infestation in Saskatchewan of the uncontrollable red lily-beetle. Although I didn't ever see any in my garden, there were hordes of lilies decimated in the neighbourhood, so out go any invitation to their visiting our yard.

I guess I've come to terms with the ever-present risk of a covid infection. That is to say, the stress of it all is less overwhelming. I've read about 62 books so far this year, including some comfort re-reads. My favourite book so far has been Walt Harrington's Crossings. It was a slow book to get through because the PL had only a rather heavy (thick) hardcover. I like reading in bed for an hour or two before sleeping, so my usual nightly progress was dedicated to lighter paperbacks.

Hi Susan, and happy new thread.

From your last thread:

I got a copy of The Vegetarian in 2019 via BookMooch. I rarely read books anymore that offer such a bleak view of life, but for some reason I still want to read this one.

Sorry to read about Nutmeg’s scratched eye.

>1 quondame: I love these sculptures. So creative and imaginative.

>11 quondame: Just getting through a book can be the best reward.

Happy new one, Susan!

>4 Whisper1: are you talking about illustrated book without words? if so peter spier then rain and christmas are amazing! If you are taling abuot chidlrens illustrated, I collect those. Are you a collector as well?

Happy new one!

>15 SandyAMcPherson: Hi Sandy! It's been good to see you around the threads more in the last weeks. Covid is just going to be a perennial risk from now on - if I understand the meaning of that word - and each of us adjusts as we can tolerate.
Since I pretty much kill plants on contact I just stay away from them in spite of my desire to live in the cave of terrariums such as I knew for a couple of years called St. Marie's Garden. But I couldn't afford one of theirs in the 70s and my efforts were ephemeral disasters.
My mother tried to bring us up speaking a bit of French and even went so far as to set up regular lessons with my older brother - which took - and with me - which didn't. But because I heard her speaking it regularly and because it was rare that I didn't understand what she was saying, I have some feel for the structure if not much understanding of it.

>16 karenmarie: Thanks Karen!
The Vegetarian doesn't pull the same weight as other Korean books I've encountered, it more like watching a weight (madness) depress a fragile tissue of stunted human connections until it falls through leaving shreds. More real than more sweeping novels, perhaps though.

I do hope Ken Liu can find stories better suited for his real talent than another epic fantasy of empire. The scale seems wrong for him.

>17 drneutron: Thank you Jim!

>19 figsfromthistle: Thanks for dropping by Anita!

246) Everything is Teeth



A young girl becomes fascinated with sharks and casualties of shark attacks one Christmas on the coast of Australia. Back in England she maps her anxieties onto shark attacks and avoidance in a lava floor way. The art is simple but expressive with photo-realistic sections which even in b&w were too realistic - shark inflicted wounds - for me.

Read for TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #6: Read a book with the word “teeth” in the title or the image of teeth somewhere on the cover

247) The Golden Dreidel



A discontented young girl is gifted an ornate dreidel which initially leads to trouble and leads her on an adventure. It didn't jell in any way for me.

Meets TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #3: Read a book for the Grady Girls rolling challenge

248) The Golden Enclaves



Oh, wow. The twists almost never stop coming in this almost relentlessly (there are a few stops for food, sleep, showers, and clean clothing) paced finale for the Scholomance series. Yes the revelations are a bit overload and the ending may not go as I think it should, still it is not at all disappointing even if we don't get to see El globe trotting from setting up one GE after another as the title seemed to indicate.

Meets TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #9: Read a book with a fall color (Red, Orange, Yellow, Brown) predominate on the cover or with one of the color names in the title or author name

Yesterday the vet pronounced Nutmeg officially healed, but she anticipated that declaration by going with Becky to a book club meeting coneless earlier in the afternoon, and I'm informed that she was very well behaved.
Gizmo was not happy being left behind and the second time Nutmeg left the house, the vet visit, was extremely distressed. Gizmo's world seems to require Nutmeg withing smelling distance.
It's a good thing Nutmeg didn't need the cone longer, Saturday night she was using it as an offensive weapon in her roughhousing with Gizmo - who ended the fracas by retreating under the bed. Our shins definitely suffered from cone impacts.

249) One Day in December



What's the point in reading a romance about people you don't find interesting. Twenty-somethings who are into their careers, drinking, their romantic partners and a bit of family pace through this story, dominated by the two who instantly fell for each other but couldn't meet at the time because her bus left the stop too soon.

Read for TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #15: Read a book with a 4th quarter month in the title

249 books thus far this year! What an amazing feat! Congratulations Susan!

>23 quondame: I laughed out loud at your comment of Nutmeg using the cone as an offensive weapon!

Happy New Thread Susan!
>11 quondame: I had thought about reading this series and have the first book added to a potential TBR list, but is was the cover art that drew me in, sounds like the books themselves might not be worth it.

>24 quondame: I felt the same way about this one and have no idea why people like it so much.

Hi Susan my dear, Happy New Thread dear friend.

>26 WhiteRaven.17: I like the first two in the series, and the third had it's moments, but the forth was like way more of the same but more improbable all tied up too pretty for the package contents.

>27 curioussquared: I think it's for the romance mainliner contingent.

>28 johnsimpson: Thank you John!

I spent this afternoon at urgent care. I woke late and had trouble attempting my in-bed arm stretches slowly awakening to the fact that while I could move the fingers on my left hand the shoulder and elbow would not do as I asked.
Once checked into UC I began to feel, dizzy, and loose the ability to keep track of what I was reading - OK I shouldn't have been reading Martian Chronicles, but still - and have been going through clear and zonked periods since. An EKG and Cat scan later and they determined I'm not dying or critical, my arm is working if reluctantly, and I'm back home very hungry. I feel like I would be scared if somehow scared or anxious were turned on but they are off, which is theoretically very scary indeed.

Oh no! I am so sorry. 1) that you are going through this and 2) no diagnosis was found. Hang in there. Sending good mojo and big hugs.

Your new-thread launch is a success. I had plans for today, but it was raining hard and that caused the electrica company's local grid to fail. No power, no internet. Had to do some working around. Ha: reading!

Susan, I join many others in gladness that you are doing ok after such a scare!

>30 quondame: oh thats so scary not knowing. do you drink plenty of liquid? did they give you any ideawhat to do?

>30 quondame: Oh no! I hope they will find out the cause. glad you are ok. ((hugs))

250) Castle in the Air



I spent the first half of this generally annoyed but it did improve though the connection to the Howl's cast was annoying in a different way. A generally silly adventure lacking in basic story integrity.

Read for TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #11: Read a book (F or NF) by an author with three names

>31 Berly: Thanks, Kim.

>32 weird_O: I hope your power is back on Bill. Good of you to drop by.

>33 Whisper1: Thanks Linda.

>34 cindydavid4: I did try to make sure I had water, and now am topping up. I'll be going in tomorrow for an X-ray and the pulmonologist is supposed be in touch tomorrow. Thanks Cindy.

>35 figsfromthistle: I do too, for sure. Knowing there is no sign of a stroke is really good though as my blood pressure likes to show off from time to time and most of my dad's family fell that way. Thanks Anita.

>30 quondame: Well FuBar, Susan. That UC trip/lack of cause diagnosis had to be quite freaky. At least as others have said, you know it wasn't a stroke. Maybe you will be scheduled for an MRI and rule out anything else. This aging business is no easy trip.
>36 quondame: I really enjoyed Howl's Moving Castle but like you, spent a certain amount of time frustrated with finding little connection to Sophie and Calcifer. I liked the Calcifer character best.

>38 SandyAMcPherson: Yep, a bad way to spend a day for sure. Today's X-ray went quickly and I have a consultation with a lung specialist on the 19th (they called back after phone take 2 min ago)
It's a true bitch trying to express yourself about confusion clearly - doubly so because important details just drop out of ones mind.

I liked the book Howl's Moving Castle much better than Castle in the Air and better than the movie, especially the war parts, although other parts were lovely.

251) Sinner



Even by the end there doesn't seem to be nearly enough to hold Cole and Isabella together - either as individuals or as a couple. Cole's LA is at least somewhat recognizable, but limited advantage is taken of the setting nor does any sense of real feeling for it settle into the story.

Straightforward enough in language and story for my scrambled brain to handle yesterday it
Meets TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #9: Read a book with a fall color (Red, Orange, Yellow, Brown) predominate on the cover or with one of the color names in the title or author name

>40 quondame: I hope your next book is better!

>40 quondame: I didn’t like the first book of that series, so never went beyond. But I really liked the first two books of The Raven Cycle, but not #5. Guess I should go back and read #3, at least.

>41 Whisper1: Yep. But I've still got niggles. I don't have much queued up that I'm enthusiastic about now that The Golden Enclaves is read. Not that there aren't plenty of good books on my TBR, and some I'll like, just the ones I'd been waiting for this year have hit.

>42 2wonderY: It's not her better work, that's for sure, and I'm not the right audience at all. But I've had Sinner checked out from one library or another for a good while, so now I can let it go!

252) The Martian Chronicles



I could not get past the male-centric blue-eyed American (US) nostalgia for a never-never middle American life. And the stories seemed to careen between caustic eyed views of human destructiveness and romantic flights of fancy. Oh, and women are the barest afterthought. Still there is something, but the big bitter seeds taint the flavor.

This is, I think, the third time I've tried to read this for a challenge and after the first I let my husband take back his precious delicate paperback and put a hold on an e-copy
Read for TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #12: Read a book whose title identifies what kind of narrative it purports to be

253) Riding Freedom



An interesting story well enough told, but very much written to offend the fewest possible number of parents of young children. That the story is based upon a real person is the most important part, because as a fable its been done so often.

BB from Whisper1

Read for TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #4: Read a book tagged "historical" or "historical fiction"

Bradbury is unfortunately of his time. Check out some of his short stories to get a better picture. And if you haven't read it Fahrenheit 451 is as prescient as it comes

>45 cindydavid4: Heh, I'm of his time too (well he was younger than my parents), and anything will be re-reads if not re-reads. I mostly read it in the 60s and 70s, so nothing would have stood out to me then.

254) Bronze Drum



Worthiness is all very well, but not enough to make good storytelling. When dealing with the legendary - an army of women, a killing of a tiger by a handful of women, a woman in the midst of childbirth and battle killing an enemy general, a staid matter of fact voice is no virtue. There are a few felt scenes, but nothing that encouraged me to read on to want to know how the inevitable, because it was history, happened. Contrast this with King Hereafter.

Meets TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #14: Read a book with a verb used as a noun in the title

None of your recent reads seem to be rising above the humdrum for you, Susan, so I hope whatever you have lined up for this weekend does indeed hit the spot.

>48 PaulCranswick: The Golden Enclaves was excellent and 3.5 is limited-recommend on my scale, 4 being generally recommend and 4.5-5 being push this book (except maybe onto that one over there).
But, yes, more than usual less than usually enjoyable books. And this month's challenges just don't promise much in my line.

A week ago, out of the blue, Mike presented me with a new French press, a brushed steel Coffee Gator.

This week I have been trying it out in place of my old Bodum (one of two)


So the Coffee Gator is 100% steel, which means that the innards won't break like the Bodun, which nevertheless still works fine, it's just that the lid spins freely from the pouring grate so the arrow on top is useless.

So far the Coffee Gator brews very nice coffee, is heavier, holds about 0.5 C less, and is tricky to open for clean up - a bit of extra energy and it is coffee grounds out across the sink and beyond.

It was very nice of Mike and I'm taking it as a hint to clean up my birthday/Christmas gift list.

>50 quondame: Lovely Susan. All things coffee related will increase my heartbeat a little!

>51 PaulCranswick: Coffee is one of life's great blessings. Dogs are up there, and comfy bedding. But books, well, best invention ever.

255) Gods of Jade and Shadow



A young woman with nothing but determination to lead a fuller life inadvertently becomes enmeshed in a rematch between twin deities of the Mayan underworld Xibalba. Generally good pacing and the character of Casiopea Tun keep the book interesting, though it stumbles at the start with the introduction of Casiopea as the overworked mistreated poor relation, and could use a bit of trimming throughout. Still, good use is made of non-European mythology and the early 1920s setting is perfect for the story.

Meets TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #5: Read a book with a cover image in which a woman's face is important

>22 quondame: Glad to see a good review of The Golden Enclaves -- I think it will be my next read, barring some whim or caprice.

>54 foggidawn: It was a bit overly neat, but otherwise absolutely fabulous.

256) The Turn of the Screw



I found nothing to appeal in this famous story and quite a lot of it's artistry was of itself and to an end for which I was largely indifferent if not hostile. The governess's certainties about her charges were particularly repulsive as was the 3rd handed really 4th - taking no responsibility presentation of the narration. The drawn out, undeciphered causality and the classism and rigid but relativistic moralism inherent as the basis for the situation are additional turnoffs.

I have read a couple of Henry James's books with some appreciation, so even though I didn't expect to enjoy this one I didn't expect it to be so entirely repulsive.

Read for TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #2: Read a scary book

256) The Crown in Crisis



This is a very readable account that still seems three steps forward two steps back as it seem to stutter over every day between October and December 13th 1936 and a few earlier bits as well before watching Edward leave England.
I don't doubt that for George VI and his family the events were of crisis proportions and that they disrupted many careers of those who had wagered on Edward VIII's continued reign I don't question, but the over the top language boding dire consequences doesn't seem the least bit justified by the departure of a less suitable figurehead and his replacement by an improved model. I found myself constantly in disagreement with the choices of judgement expressed by the author's liberally applied adjectives and with many of his flat out statements. If one doesn't believe in monarchy at all, this is a bit of a tempest in a teapot.

Read for TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #18: Read a book in honour of Queen Elizabeth II

Hi Susan!

>21 quondame: Sharks. We never worried about them in SoCal when I was little and we went to the beach for day trips. Here in NC I started worrying about them, fortunately after we regularly went to the beach for a week at a time when Jenna was little. I started hearing of shark attacks in shallow waters at NC beaches and am not inclined to go in the water beyond a few inches. But Jenna and I have always loved find shark’s teeth and mermaid purses while walking along the beach.

>23 quondame: A weaponized cone of shame. Poor Gizmo. And poor human shins.

>24 quondame: Even reading your pithy review of it makes my eyes glaze over.

>30 quondame: How scary. I’ll read further on to see if there are any more developments.

>36 quondame: Even though it’s not a multiple of 75, congrats on reading 250 books.

>37 quondame: there is no sign of a stroke Ruling things out is always good.

>50 quondame: Thoughtful of Mike. It sounds like you prefer the Bodum, even with breakable innards, though. So will you continue to use the new one or subtly or not so subtly just use the Bodum? When Bill gives me things that might be thoughtful but that don't give me joy, I just hang them in the back of the closet or just don't use them.

>58 karenmarie: Thanks!
I'm using the new French press. The coffee seems a bit better - of course it could be the same amount of coffee grounds brewed in less volume. I've gotten used to the stiffness when opening it back up.

For me the fall starts the first day that the butter isn't soft for my morning toast. This year that's today!

hee, for us fall starts the first morning the temperture is in the 80s! And the mornings are cool enough for a long sleeves

>61 cindydavid4: Oh, well, coastal Los Angeles has cool interludes in summer - and hot ones in winter, so we'd cycle seasons fast enough to induce nausea.

Ive always said we have two seasons - summer and not summer. Makes life easier and less disappointing :)

>63 cindydavid4: We have cool with warm incursions and hot with mild incursions where warm/hot/mild can overlap completely.

Well, the next few days are going to be intense. Becky has decided that it's time for Nutmeg to have the surgery that will clear up her breathing paths. But it carries more risk than I'd like, and I can't help feeling worried sick, and Becky must be even more torn.

>64 quondame: sending best wishes for an excellent outcome wrt Nutmeg. The dog people in a household are as precious as the children.

>53 quondame: Tempted by Gods of Jade and Shadow . Added to my "maybe WL" at our PL.

>65 SandyAMcPherson: Almost. And easier to get along with. Thank you.

>64 quondame: Keeping my fingers crossed for Nutmeg.

>67 FAMeulstee: Thank you. News on Sunday.

257) Into the Broken Lands



A solid coming of ages adventure in an environment in which literally everything is out to get you. There aren't any lovely behind the waterfall moments in this trek - in fact, well, it's surprising even the weapon makes it through. It drags just a bit and the past scenes detract almost as much as they add, but on the whole it does work.

Meets TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #3: Read a book for the Grady Girls rolling challenge

258) Book of Iron



Bijou, wizard in the court of her sponsor's father, is happy with her life but disengaged with her necromancer lover. Enter Salamander in an adventuring party with an ageless witch and a dead bard on whom Bijou focuses as a potential non-romantic friend. I found that the adventure didn't jell with the development of the friendship, but that the short adventure had good features.

Read for TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #16: Read a book by an author who teaches writing

259) The Murderer



In contrast to his elder brother Selwyn, Galton has neither self awareness nor self confidence, ascribed to his bad tempered and controlling mother and leaving him withdrawn and misogynistic. This wanders through fatally toxic masculinity remaining ambiguous as to responsibility with regard to it. Galton and certain other characters are repulsive and all are flawed and fairly shallow.

Read for TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #17: Read a book by an author sharing the name of a Post-War (WW2) British Prime Minister or book about or by a Post-War British PM

260) Resistance Reborn



Don't bother unless - well ....

This is the second bad Star Wars book I've read (and if I'm sane, the last) by an author I've liked
Read for TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #3: Read a book for the Grady Girls rolling challenge

Hi Susan!

>60 quondame: We leave butter out on the counter, too – both salted and unsalted. It was still soft enough for sourdough toast this morning.

>64 quondame: and >68 quondame: Fingers crossed for a positive outcome.

>72 karenmarie: Thanks - and



Nutmeg is returned to us. She will remain on leash for a couple of weeks while she heals.

261) Royal Blood: Richard III and the Mystery of the Princes



Apparently written in a snit over the 1992 book The Princes in the Tower by Alison Weir which repeats as true every slander against RIII ever made. There is very little but biased hearsay available after the Tudor scrub of whatever records they had, but Fields makes what case he can as a lawyer to weigh and present evidence. Entirely missing is consideration that had RIII not separated the Princes from their power and protectors he would not have been responsible for their fate. But he did, and was, so what happened to them became his responsibility even if it may not have directly been his fault. Of course his life, his son's life, possibly even his wife's life, were pretty much on the line and protecting England from the Woodville family would have been compelling.
As a read it lacked involving interest and Field's hobby horse leaves hoof prints through too many chapters.

The cover shows such a romantic vision of the two boys, but recall if you will 13 and 10 year old boys of your own acquaintance, but raised to be a king and a duke. It should blow that image out of your mind. I think they were probably strangled in a fit of temper by whoever first had to say no to them.

Read for TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #10: Read a book, fiction or nonfiction, about the British royal family

>73 quondame: Glad it went well, give Nutmeg a hug from me.

>75 FAMeulstee: Nutmeg is well hugged. Thank you. She's making such different noises now. This morning Becky announced that she didn't snore during the night and I had to say I was sorry. Nutmeg's snores were so comfy.

262) The Massey Murder



On February 8, 1915 the maid Carrie Davies shot Charles "Bert" Massey as he returned from work in view of at least one witness. By February 27, 1915 her trial was complete. This book gives the known details of events, the statements of Carrie and other witnesses, but is at least as much about Canada and Toronto and the changes society was experiencing. And early Canadian involvement in The Great War. For a U.S. citizen it is interesting to be forced to filter a different sort of continental nationalism, and view the lives of individuals who mattered to their community in 1915 and beyond.

There seemed to be a lot of questions that could have been asked of which there is no record. That's not strange when the case was over 100 years ago and there seemed to be no doubt about what happened, just why. Most of Toronto seemed satisfied with the why presented at the trial and almost no one saw any real advantage in making a bigger scandal out of what happened.

Read for TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #8: The “Murder She Wrote” Challenge: Read a murder mystery, solved or unsolved, written by a woman author (NF only, please)

263) Threshold



Whyborne & Griffin investigate trouble at a coal mine! for Whyborne's estranged father only to find things more trouble than they imagined and an old lover/associate of Griffin complicates matters. I'm not motivated to continue with the series.

Being total fantasy it shouldn't but it does
Meet TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #4: Read a book tagged "historical" or "historical fiction"

Hi Susan!

>76 quondame: I’m glad to hear that Nutmeg is doing well. We love our kitty snores, so I can see you missing comfy Nutmeg snores.

>77 quondame: Onto the wish list it goes.

>22 quondame: This book looks interesting.

Hooray for the return of Nutmeg! How is she doing?

>79 karenmarie: >81 msf59: Nutmeg is doing quite well. Still drugged for comfort and to keep her quiet, but clearly improving daily. Thanks for asking Karen and Mark!

>80 murtazahashwani: It is, very.

265) Nona the Ninth



WTF. This book isn't what I expected, which seems a common report. Nona is a character with maybe 6mo of experience, a couple of unusual abilities, ready affections in a world which looks like it won't be around to finish out the week. She is being cared for by 3 people in 2 bodies and "works" as a teacher's aid. I've rated this 3.5 because that's mostly what I rate books that are interesting to read and don't annoy me, but really I have no idea, just I didn't love it or feel it carried enough substance to rate it more highly.

Meets TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #13: Read a book with an uneven number of pages

266) My Two Border Towns



We go with a young boy on a biweekly shopping trip with his father to the town across the border in Mexico where his cousins live and where they pick up things for their family and for some friends caught at the border. Sweet and simple and a bit sad. The illustrations are colorful and full of extra details.

Read for TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #16: Read a book by an author who teaches writing

267) Mis dos pueblos fronterizos



Ditto.

Read for TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #7: Read a book in a language that is not your mother tongue

Glad Nutmeg is doing well! Enjoy your weekend :)

>85 figsfromthistle: Thanks. It's good to see her much improved.

268) The Bullet That Missed



A fun romp with the gang, with diversions and distractions that all get to the point.

On my Kindle it
Meets TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #13: Read a book with an uneven number of pages

269) Giving Good Weight



John McPhee has the ability to infect the reader with his enthusiasm for whatever subject he writes about. For moments at a time you will want to work at a farmers' market, shoot the rapids in northern Maine, but especially hang out with Otto eating mussels, scallops, and sweetmeats, even if you'd much rather the veal chop. So generating electricity for New Jersey on a seaborne nuclear power station or watching pinball players isn't quite up there with the perfect leek, McPhee still makes it worth reading about. And easy too.

Read for TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #16: Read a book by an author who teaches writing

270) Bad Axe County



Acting Sheriff Heidi Kick, former Wisconsin beauty queen whose parents died violently during her reign, finds bad weather and a confluence of cases involving local big names quite a strain. While the landscape sounds interesting, it is populated by a confusingly similar rota of violent misogynistic truck driving jerks all of whom collect felonies while still circulating freely. And some of them are in law enforcement. If this is even slightly what WI is like now, I'm ever so glad my father was never sufficiently tempted to move back to his home state in the 1950s.

Driftless does not appear anywhere in the book, but that area of SW WI near the Mississippi is the location of Bad Axe County, an imaginary county stuffed between two real ones.

Read for TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #1: Read a book whose title words only start with the letters A, B, C, X, Y and/or Z

Hi Susan!

>83 quondame: interesting to read and don't annoy me As always, I love your pithy comments/reviews.

>87 quondame: On my shelves, just waiting.

>90 karenmarie: Hi Karen! Thanks.

271) The Survival of the Bark Canoe



In this singular narrative we spend rather a lot of time with Henri Vaillancourt who makes birch-bark canoes and go on a journey through Maine which he makes both difficult and possible. While Henri is portrayed vividly, what is hardly credible is the equanimity the author attributes to himself in situations where his endurance and likely his life are challenged by Henri's inexperienced arbitrariness.

Read for TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #16: Read a book by an author who teaches writing

272) The Past is Red



A bittersweet episode in Tetley's life on the continental sized floating garbage patch that is her world, to which she, in spite of what she has gone through seems better adjusted than those who don't let her live among them.

Meets TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #9: Read a book with a fall color (Red, Orange, Yellow, Brown) predominate on the cover or with one of the color names in the title or author name

How is Nutmeg doing after her surgery, do you notice any positive effects?

>94 FAMeulstee: Nutmeg is doing well, though the swelling still has some effects on her breathing - in the last few days she has been snorting more rather raggedly and unevenly which is a big contrast to her comfy rhythmic snorts prior to surgery. We have no idea what she'll be like when finally all healed of course. Her energy seems good, if a bit difficult to handle as we head into the final stretch of limiting her activity level. 2 more days.

273) The Gray Earth



The nine year old youngest son wounds himself in pursuit of shamanism, and is abruptly taken by his older half brother to the local school. His unprepared arrival exposes him and the half brother, the principal of the school, to difficulties with the party and complicates his stay there because of his shamanistic leanings and his brother's gift of state owned clothing. An unusual look at a society tying itself in knots to avoid soviet scourging and win soviet benefits.

Meets TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #3: Read a book for the Grady Girls rolling challenge

274) Rogue Protocol



A Re-re-re-read. I needed something quick and savory. Murderbot does not disappoint.

A good solid episode in the series of short novels featuring the SecUnit with a deactivated governor who would prefer to use its freedom to watch media dramas and dislikes eye-contact. Trying to remain undetected while collecting data for the case against Grey it is noticed and suborns the perky human form unit Miki. Miki is deliberately annoying, and that doesn't count as a strength in the narrative. Some characterization, but the action is quite fast and thick and flows very well, but a rather large amount has to do with one AI taking over others, so secondary characters don't have any play.

Meets TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #3: Read a book for the Grady Girls rolling challenge

Belated happy new thread wishes! Sorry for my late arrival. I've been stuck with using my phone for online stuff, and LT isn't easy to maneuver on the small screen. Wonderful scrulptures up top!

>11 quondame: I loved The Paper Menagerie collection by Liu and thought it was brilliant. Unfortunately, nothing else of his I've (tried to) read has impressed.

>30 quondame: Any word on what was going on?

>40 quondame: The only Stiefvater book I've managed to finish is The Scorpio Races, which I loved.

>74 quondame: Apparently written in a snit over the 1992 book The Princes in the Tower by Alison Weir which repeats as true every slander against RIII ever made. I don't blame him. Weir's book was full-on bias. Total balderdash. (ETA I read Weir's book in 2008, and I am still annoyed at it.)

>77 quondame: Sounds interesting!

>83 quondame: I haven't been able to get into any of the "Ninth" books.

>87 quondame: I tried listening to this as an audiobook, but the reader was dreadful. Mostly whispered her way through the entire thing. I'm planning to get a kindle copy from the library sometime.

>97 Storeetllr: I think that I slept in such a way that a nerve was blocked, but I needed to get it checked - then, waiting at UC, the mask interfered with my breathing enough that with no food and limited water I sort of just went into overload. I've been given an inhaler and will see a neurologist next wee.

I can see going into a snit over blatantly biased bit of attention grabbing garbage history, but writing a whole book as if you took it seriously?

The Ninth books sort of snuck up on me. Weird but in a grossly endearing way.

It's a shame about the poor reader. What's the point.

275) Artificial Condition



A Re-re-re-read. After Rogue Protocol I needed a short visit with ART.

Murderbot has gone to investigate the massacre he (may have) committed and encounters a sarcastic intelligent shuttle who/which rather severely against his intuitions gives him help and support which he/it accepts on the bases of shared media appreciation. Seeking a way to get to the surface so he can investigate he gets employment from a group of young entrepreneurs trying to recover data illegally reft from them. This turns out to be not entirely to his benefit and the information he finds for himself is less than satisfactory.
An enjoyable if bloody story of growing up artificial. This murderbot doesn't want to be more human, but at least has to appear so to retain independence.

Meets TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #9: Read a book with a fall color (Red, Orange, Yellow, Brown) predominate on the cover or with one of the color names in the title or author name

Sending good thoughts for your neuro appointment.

If you’d read Weir’s highly biased book, you might feel differently. 😄

I just reread the first 4 Murderbot novellas. Although Exit Strategy is my favorite of the 4, I love Artificial Condition. ART is such a cool character!

>100 Storeetllr: I like ART more for the effect it has on Murderbot than for itself. In itself I find it very very scary - though not enough to feel the book qualifies for TIOLI #2.

It has happened. The cleanup has been called. I forgot a face mask and feel like I have a cold. So far only some mild edges have been cleaned and my Hitty prime stuff boxed for safety, but soon comes the fall of the house of Madeline. I may be able to stow it partially dismantled in a box that I have, but all the furnishings and inhabitants are going to keep me from peacefully dedicating my time to reading for a couple of weeks. I didn't even sign on my MAC until 9PM.

276) Little Bear's Visit



I remember the Little Bear books fondly, but not from my childhood. Perhaps from reading them to children I was babysitting. This is a typically gentle story with two short embedded tales.

Read for TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #11: Read a book (F or NF) by an author with three names

277) Danny and the Dinosaur Go to Camp



Aside from a ketchup shortage nothing goes wrong and a dinosaur might even be an asset at camp. Who knew?

Read for TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #14: Read a book with a verb used as a noun in the title

278) Petty Treasons



The Emperor's story about how he got his Hands, and potential friend Cliopher sayo Mdang, and why that was more important than Kip ever knew.

Meets TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #9: Read a book with a fall color (Red, Orange, Yellow, Brown) predominate on the cover or with one of the color names in the title or author name

279) The Return of Fitzroy Angursell



We know the Emperor went on a quest to find his Heir, and now we go with him - only he takes on a past persona, but with each of his old companions that old role seems to fit less comfortably. A fast moving series of interesting if fairly mild adventures across parts of 2.5 worlds in a sort of stranger comes to town and someone benefits serial sort of way.

Meets TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #3: Read a book for the Grady Girls rolling challenge

>101 quondame: You may be right, though it’s personality gets more defined in Network Effect. After re-re-rereading all the books over the past few years, it’s hard to separate my thoughts about the characters chronologically. If that makes sense.

>103 quondame: I really loved the Little Bear books. I read them to my daughter; now she’s got them for her kids.

Ack! I knew it was the 31st of October and still didn't realize that it was Halloween until FB finally got through to me... people have been posting costumed photos for weeks, so it took a few before it clicked. Then I realized no Babe Ruth candy bars had appeared according to ancient tradition and the proper rites had to be invoked. Mike took the direction to do general shopping as well.

280) The Redoubtable Pali Avramapul



Pali Avramapul, famed outlaw, swordswoman, adventurer is indeed well defended by her skills and wits, but perhaps at a disadvantage when gates are a better way to a goal than ramparts. Many scenes from the first book of the subseries - and even from The Hands of the Emperor are repeated from Pali's view point so it's not until 60% through that the timeline advances for the reader. As pleasant to read as the other books set in this world.

Meets TIOLI Challenge October TIOLI #3: Read a book for the Grady Girls rolling challenge

281) Stargazy Pie



We are thrown into a backwater with the Jemis, scion of a disgraced father who abandoned his college career after a devastating personal loss. But backwater that it is, the local ground of his home region soon surrounds Jemis in strange and dangerous goings on. Amusing and just different enough to whet the appetite.

Re-read:
In some ways this benefits a good deal from having read The Hands of the Emperor so that the confusions of the accelerating pace and the strange new world are less of a tangle.

Meets TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #6: Read a book with a silhouette illustration on the cover

282) Stone Speaks to Stone



We learn something about the most controversial Greenwing.

Meets TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #6: Read a book with a silhouette illustration on the cover (works)

283) Bee Sting Cake



Jemis encounters one of the two friends who stood by him at the end of his college career when his former lover turned the campus against him. That his friend is an Imperial Duke and knows that Jemis' father was innocent of any treason begins to shift his status in Ragnor Bella - until they encounter the dragon that requires Jemis to solve a riddle.

Meets TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #7: Read a book Rolling Challenge - E L T O N & B E R N I E

284) Whiskeyjack



Finding himself in jail for the murder of a legendary outlaw in the form of a dragon is a new experience for Jemis, but it's worse that he doesn't remember how he got there across the northern forest from stopping at the crossroads during his morning run. No time is wasted as he escapes with two shady characters and they return to the not so sleepy anymore area of Ragnor Bella. Then things get more interesting. Another headlong rush of an adventure in at which a thing or two - but not that thing - get explained.

Meets TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #11: Read a book whose title is not unique

285) Blackcurrent Fool



Jemis and Dart leave Ragnor Bella for business on the east coast, hoping to complete it before being discovered by Jemis' enemies. It turns out that the quietest region on the continent isn't the only place where Jemis gets into deep trouble.

So far Victoria Goddard has provided me with fun reads and met challenges of which I hope for at least a couple more.

Meets TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #12: Read a book where the title completes the phrase, "I am thankful for..."

286) The Tower at the Edge of the World .25



A young man finds the key to a freedom he didn't know existed.

The earliest Victoria Goddard I found, is only a hint of a hint of what follows.

Meets TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #14: Read a book with the numbers 1 and 3, or 2 and 5 in the ISBN

287) Love-in-a-Mist .25



In a huge departure from previous titles this one is not a pastry, but a beverage. Jemis and companions have moved from high adventure to country house mystery on their way home, and despite vague echos of the dangers to the east we are in a very local, if multiply connected tale.

She's relatively new to me, but has endeared herself so that this
Meets TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #1: Read a book by one of your favorite authors

Nothing big this week, an appointment Wednesday with the neurologist whose only concern was that the CatScan wasn't as clear as she'd like and is setting me up for an MRI. Thursday I took Mike to get his root canal and when I went to pick him up something fell in front of my car and, as it turned out, tore out some plastic bits so that turning right created a grinding sound. He took the Prius to the dealer and got the insurance going, but it may come in under the deductible. Meanwhile, the kitchen sink backed up and and fortunately the plumber was able to come by in the afternoon to clear that out.

Then today I had a phone appointment followup with the pulmonary Dr. who is putting me on a daily inhaler. We got Oaxacan from a previously untried restaurant for dinner and that one will be a keeper.

I've been meaning to read Victoria Goddard (people keep raving about The Hands of the Emperor) -- maybe your streak will inspire me to do so.

>113 foggidawn: The Hands of the Emperor is pretty amazing. It may not work for everyone, exalting calm determination rather than exciting action in both story and tone by having almost all the exciting bits told past tense to clarify the current moment.

As I discovered, I'd read Stargazy Pie several months earlier. It is somewhat the opposite, a headlong rush of adventures packed into a few days. Though the somewhat more immediate past is a strong element as well. It takes place at sort of the opposite end, if end has meaning, of the set of worlds of the shattered Empire.

My current binge has reached the current end of the sub-series started with Stargazy Pie about which more in >115 quondame:

288) Plum Duff



Back in his home barony Jemis is, along with the reader, not surprised that trouble is stirring over Winterfest, the time when the Goddess is most vulnerable.
As in Love-in-a-Mist, this is not a novel of fast action and many developments, nor, though progress is made, do we reach the summer of The Return of Fitzroy Angursell, so there is some sense that the action is being drawn out. Also, it is a bit too obvious that plans made in the previous book will not work out since those plans are given the barest attention by the characters before it becomes clear they will fall through. That is a particular annoyance of mine as real people are pretty dependable in having strong reactions to broken plans, but I rarely see that worked with in fantasy novels.
It's not that I didn't enjoy reading this, just over exposed to the series and feeling the last 2 books have slowed the action considerably. Not that I'll avoid the next in the series, though it looks to be some ways off.

Meets TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #1: Read a book by one of your favorite authors

I reserved Hands of the Emperor from the library. Hope it doesn't take to long to get it.

>116 Storeetllr: I hope you enjoy it. I'll probably buy a copy for my Kindle soon.

Well, referring to broken plans (>115 quondame:), my plan for the day was to wash my hair and sit drying it while reading LT and doing other Internet stuff. It does take a while. But. Mike needed a ride to pick up the Prius V. And Becky was exercising so waiting for her would take to long, and besides he likes harassing me. So I dropped him off and went a picked up Sushi for myself and Becky. It would have been donuts, but the good donut shop was closed. And beside, he would have enjoyed a donut.

290) In the Company of Gentlemen



This is a story of an encounter with the original Red Company told after the Fall in a university town and the power of that encounter and the telling of it has on the teller. It features the swordsmanship of Damian Raskae rather than the wizardry of Fitzroy Angursell.

Meets TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #13: Read a book with a title 5 words long or longer not including subtitle

291) Till Human Voices Wake Us



We start almost at the end of a millennia old game of which only hints of the play are ever given, but what's important is how the seemingly coincidental events scant days before the final duel effect its conclusion and the inner life of the main character. Goddard seems to like dealing with the fallout of major events rather than the lead up.
This is included in The Nine Worlds series, but a detail or two of the timeline (I know!) seem too skewed to quite fit. And I can't say I was pleased with the given explanation of the fall of Astandalas.

Meets TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #11: Read a book whose title is not unique

292) In the Realms of Gold



Ysthar isn't quite our world and the stories we tell had different resolutions, but fitting all the same.

Meets TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #7: Read a book Rolling Challenge - E L T O N & B E R N I E

293) You Want Women to Vote, Lizzy Stanton?



This is a sparkling little biography, clearly told and a pleasure to read!

Read for TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #15: Read a book about voting or with the word vote in the title

294) How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe



Every now and then, as I brought myself back to this book, having read at least 5 others and maybe as many as 10 since I started it, I got over my profound disinterest with its loser protagonist to notice how clever it is. It's also very philosophical, but yawn, not the least bit compelling for me.

Meets TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #13: Read a book with a title 5 words long or longer not including subtitle

It's was time to search for titles for the remaining TIOLI challenges. I'm pleased to have met 7 with the author I'm binging on, but this isn't a set of challenges easily met by one author, not that there isn't a Malaysian Edward out there who wrote about an election, but I wouldn't bet on it.
I can meet at least 2 more challenges with what's on my reading list, but have had to rustle up 3 titles and may glom onto a couple more for shared reads.
Arrgh! It doesn't help that I've already read 3 of the titles entered for Challenge #10 : Read a book set in or about Malaya.

>121 quondame: Good luck finding fitting books, Susan.
I was glad to find challenges for all ahead planned books.

>122 FAMeulstee: Thanks. I don't think I could have done that - well, with some ISBN searching for older titles, but then my main issue this month is getting through one very long book that is intermittently absorbing, or not, that I've checked out 14 or more times.

I'm currently working through:

Better Luck Next Time
The Tradition
Magic by the Lake
The Island of Missing Trees
Though I Get Home

295) The Tradition



This poetry comprises manifold expressions of anger and emotions and insights arising from the difficult realty facing a gay African-American HIV positive poet.

Read for TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #4: The “Fiddler on the Roof” Challenge: Read a book with the word “Tradition” in the title

296) Magic By the Lake



It is as recalled, but no more. Four siblings stay at a lakeside cottage with their mother and new step-father. They seem to feel entitled to magic and not the least bit careful of it to start.

Read for TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #5: Read a book whose title or author includes Edward

297) Though I Get Home



This is a connected set of stories and vignettes centered around the arrest of a young woman for controversial poetry in Malaysia. The connections with disappearance of a the daughter of an English man in the 1950s and the brief love affair of a Malaysian engineer with a white woman in NYC are clearer than that of the Muslim vigilante. The stories are glimpses merely, but not altogether lacking depth.

Read for TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #10: Read a book set in or about Malaya (Malaysia) or the Malay Archipelago

298) Aurelius (to be called) Magnus



A young emperor who has been waging war for longer than he's been an adult begins his search for peace.

Meets TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #7: Read a book Rolling Challenge - E L T O N & B E R N I E

299) Better Luck Next Time



Outside Reno in 1938 a young man works at a ranch for well off women spending the 6 weeks in Nevada to establish residency for devorcing under that state's laws. Two young women, one returning for the third time, catch his particular attention, partly for their interactions with him, partly for the connects between them and partly for themselves. The author never quite manages to inflate the the 4 named but otherwise absent women who are resident at the same time, using only 2 of 6 to add in a bit of interaction outside the main characters, so that rather than a full constant mix of people in a small set there is a jarringly, clearly inaccurate sense that there is significant space around all the actors in every scene within the house. The book is very readable and not at all unpleasant, just not all that.

Read for TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #3: Read a book whose title is considered a “cliché”

Oooh! Almost to 300!!! How do you do it? LOL. Hope the Dr stuff continues to improve.

>127 Berly: Ha, by not doing much of anything else...
Thanks!

I took yesterday off the Internet to see if a back spasm would resolve if I avoided 90% of my sitting upright. It seems to have, so that's good, but there's a bit of catch up I'll have to do. I got lots of reading in as well.

300) The Hands of the Emperor



The re-read was just as much of a pleasure to read as the first time and it was additional fun to notice all the mentions of The Red Company and its members.

Meets TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #1: Read a book by one of your favorite authors

301) The Island of Missing Trees



The past is never gone and never substantially recoverable. A 16 year old London student has an episode when asked about what her father has held onto from the past. Told in 1974 when her parents were separated as teens, early 2000s when they reunited and late 2010s with many real details filled in by a fig tree propagated from a cutting from Nicosia. While the levels of trauma are fairly unbalanced the story is told with good pacing and sensitively distanced for dealing with damage without inflicting any.

Read for TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #16: Read a book by an author who wrote in a language not his own.

>129 quondame: Congratulations on reaching 4 x 75, Susan!

>130 FAMeulstee: Thank you!

302) Sacred Games



Life, crime and death in Mumbai. The writing and pacing did not pull me through this long complex novel nor did deep involvement with the characters only one of whom was mostly agreeable, but only mostly. It is also a bit of a self parody in that a film made within the story echos the most dramatic elements of the outer story, but without any of the blazing patriotic heroism. Still, there is a weary, gritty grappling with what's real in life that makes the effort, and it is some effort, of reading worthwhile.

Read for TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #9: Read a book you've been putting off

>129 quondame: correcting touchstone. No need to thank me. I did it for my own convenience.
The Hands of the Emperor

Ah well, significant clean up in the living room has seen Madeline's old house in Paris dismantled and fit into a rather large box with all it's furnishings in a somewhat smaller box which fits in the above large box and still leaves room - but I'm pretty sure I'll have to unpack and reinforce the large box if a nasty accident is to be avoided.

Becky has already attended the first holiday party of the (her) season. A social life seems rather a lot of effort.

303) The Alice Network



In 1947 young American woman in an interesting condition finds an old woman in London who may be able to help her find her dearest cousin lost in WWII France. The old woman turns out to have been a WWI spy in the Alice Network and the narrative is divided between their experiences. The interleaving rhythm of the stories works well to disguise the lack of tension of one and the twaddle of the other.

Read for TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #8: Read a book by an author whose name has different spelling variations

Oh my goodness what a reading roll, Susan.

Congratulations for flashing by 4x75 already!

>124 quondame: My copy of The Tradition arrived last night from Book Depo and I am looking forward to getting it read over the coming days.

>136 PaulCranswick: I'll grant you the already, but flashing? nope some of those were slogs and some were stretched and the flashes were rather rare this year.

I can't say you'll enjoy The Tradition, it does tramp on at least one of your sensibilities, but maybe appreciate?

304) Three Apples Fell From the Sky



The 20th century has been brutal to the once prosperous mountain hamlet of Maran in Anatolia. An earthquake destroyed half of it, insects ravaged it, drought and famine killed more and wars took all the young men. At 58 Anatolia, the youngest resident lies down to die, but her life is not over at all and we are taken through a centuries worth of episodes among the people of Maran, who do complain, but also persevere. It is set up as a miracle story, so yes, there are a couple, but it is a pleasant tale, edited for a compact read at a leisurely pace.

Read for TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #2: Read a book where one of the author’s names starts with a vowel

Congrats on passing the 300 mark! And your 300th book is a 5-star one that I’m impatiently awaiting from the library reserved list.

>139 Storeetllr: Thank you, Mary! It's the best comfort read I've encountered in like forever, and only some very minor flaws to my experience. I intend to finish up the rest of Goddard's available oeuvre by the end of November.

Hi Susan my dear, congrats on reaching 4 X 75 books read for the year, sending love and hugs dear friend.

>141 johnsimpson: Thank you, John!

305) Uncanny Times



Competent and a bit mechanical. Laura Anne Gilman has always before built her characters and story with an emotional sinew that supplied a motive for the reader to follow these people in this world. Not so much in this very early 20th century adventure near the east end of Lake Ontario where two 20 something siblings tackle a threat that is not at all like what they've prepared for.

Meets TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #2: Read a book where one of the author’s names starts with a vowel

>44 quondame: I am glad you liked the YA recommendation. I hope your Thanksgiving is as special as you are!

>144 Whisper1: Thank you so much Linda! May you have much to be thankful for in the coming months.

306) The Bride of the Blue Wind



Two Avramapul sisters use their crafts and skills to rescue the third whose beauty has caught the attention of an ambitious deity.

Meets TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #6: Read a book with a silhouette illustration on the cover

307) The Warrior of the Third Veil



Pali Avaramapur has taken a very roundabout journey back from rescuing her sister to return to the fortress to be judged as a candidate for the Second Veil. The reasons include that she killed a god on a quest that was supposed to be accomplished without violence.

Meets TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #13: Read a book with a title 5 words long or longer not including subtitle

308) Terec and the Wild



Wild Mages cannot easily survive in the Empire, and endanger all around them if the try to stay. Leaving the Empire is a long journey and dangerous for a young man like Terec, used to the support of civilization and comfort if not wealth, and deeply injured by leaving all he loves behind.

Meets TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #1: Read a book by one of your favorite authors

309) Portrait of a Wide Seas Islander



Tovo, Cliopher Mdang's mentor confronts his own disappointments and hopes and undertakes a journey almost halfway around the world to learn what his great nephew Kip has become at the center of power.

Meets TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #14: Read a book with the numbers 1 and 3, or 2 and 5 in the ISBN

Just letting you know I skimmed the books here, mainly to see what you had to say.

>135 quondame: Still laughing my head off about "the interleaving rhythm of the stories works well to disguise the lack of tension of one and the twaddle of the other." (Alice Network). I DNF'd that story. I couldn't seem to feel engaged by anything, although the premise was promising.

>147 SandyAMcPherson: Heh! It's good to feel appreciated!

I felt that The Alice Network really wanted to be about something relevant but never picked up the weight. And I'm ever so over person in time period N connected to person in time period N-generation yarns. The tangle is hardly ever worth the effort.

310) The Seven Brides-to-Be of Generalissimo Vlad



It's got some fun world building and character, is easy enough to read, and moves well. So, well, the parts don't build up to a whole and it just sort of threads over a huge gap to its end and leaves all the fun bits hanging.

Meets TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #13: Read a book with a title 5 words long or longer not including subtitle

311) Seventh Decimate



A prince of a small, much beleaguered, country goes on a quest to find a book of the sorcery he abhors to save his country. He has survived a mage strike which should have left him dead, and fears it was by the hated sorcery and he will betray the trust of his father and country. It is a rather solid lump of a nearly hopeless story about a rather solid lump of a prince, but not too long and competently told, which is the least one can expect of Donaldson

Meets TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #9: Read a book you've been putting off

312) Lizard Music



A boy left on his own for a couple of weeks can get into all kinds of trouble - or find interesting things on television late at night that lead him on adventures.

Those neglected "&"s were a bit irritating, so I
Read for TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #7: Read a book Rolling Challenge - E L T O N & B E R N I E - Read a Book with a word beginning with any of the letters in this challenge Or the authors name must begin with any of these letters. For "&" read a book with Musician, Poet, Piano, Concert, Lyricist in the title or somewhat similar word along those lines

313) The Bone Flute



When searching for love in a culture known for life-long love it is important to know that not only the definition of love can vary but also that of life-long.

Those neglected "&"s were a bit irritating, so I
Read for TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #7: Read a book Rolling Challenge - E L T O N & B E R N I E - Read a Book with a word beginning with any of the letters in this challenge Or the authors name must begin with any of these letters. For "&" read a book with Musician, Poet, Piano, Concert, Lyricist in the title or somewhat similar word along those lines

314) Hidden Pictures



Recovering addict Mallory gets an ideal summer job a nanny for a five year old in a posh suburb with a guest house for herself. But young Teddy's drawings get disturbing after a week or so. The story steadily ramps up the uncanny but caters a bit heavily to optimism.

Meets TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #14: Read a book with the numbers 1 and 3, or 2 and 5 in the ISBN

315) Those who Hold the Fire .25



Kip has learned the lays and dances and the forms of patience he must hold to be taná though his failure to dive for a flame pearl has shaken him and at 13 the strength of his desire pushes him toward perfection. Now he seeks to win the obsidian pendant to center his efela ko. We get snips of Kip's life outside his house in Tahivoa, the barber shop and the house of Saya Dorn and what seems like rather of lot of young impatient earnestness from Kip for such a short story.

Meets TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #13: Read a book with a title 5 words long or longer not including subtitle

316) The Song of Mavin Manyshaped



Mavin keeps her new ability to shift a secret from all but her man-beleaguered elder sister which gives her just time enough to plan and escape that fate. This compact adventure is a gem, only hampered a bit by being trimmed to precede the original 3 novels of the True Game.

Read for TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #7: Read a book Rolling Challenge - E L T O N & B E R N I E - ... For "&" read a book with Musician, Poet, Piano, Concert, Lyricist in the title or somewhat similar word along those lines

Pre-COVID Mike, Becky, and I liked to have Thanksgiving at The Stinking Rose, which shut its Los Angeles location. We will go out again, to the Polish restaurant Solidarity from which we ordered last year, but this year my brother Eric and his wife Chris will be joining us - very last minute, which is to say the called this afternoon when their prior plans were upended. I'm always glad to see Eric, but Becky dislikes having plans disturbed - and I admit E&C pretty much take over any occasion with us that they join. Oh well, family.

317) Little Miss Mismatched



A little girl wears "mismatched" outfits with her mother's support, but initially none from her contemporaries. The illustrations are very subdued for the content - nothing seems to pop as the mismatching is subtle.

Easily confused with Little Miss Mismatch, not that I did or anything....

Meers TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #14: Read a book with the numbers 1 and 3, or 2 and 5 in the ISBN

318) Shadows in Bronze



The novel, like its detective Falco wanders all over the place and the problem isn't who's the murderer, but how to get the new emperor's message to elusive conspirators. But there is a murder and a mystery or two and a tangled love affair or so. I remember other books in the series as having a bit more focus, but it has been a while.

Read for TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #8: Read a book by an author whose name has different spelling variations

Hi Susan.

>153 quondame: Ah well, yes, family. I hope Becky can enjoy herself and that E&C do NOT take over the occasion.

>153 quondame: Good luck with the dining en famille. I hope you are able to reign in your brother, especially considering you (your immediate family) appear to have been second choice. Family gatherings are often fraught that way. Especially with older brothers although I don't know if that's in your case.

>153 quondame: Ah, that's too bad about The Stinking Rose's LA location -- I ate at the San Francisco one once, and it was memorable and delicious. Hope you have a good time, even with the added family!

>155 karenmarie: >156 SandyAMcPherson: >157 foggidawn: Eric is my favorite sibling. A bit amoral though not unprincipled, I always find him amusing and Chris is a very different addition to our family, not in being strong willed, but in using charm to carry her points - and now that she's run up against the limits charm has on me I find we haven't clashed much at all and it was never worse than her wanting full participation in games after holiday meals. Of course I suspect she has just deployed more subtle form of her charm, but as long as I'm not forced into "social activities" I'll go along.

As to Becky, she mostly hates having her expectations messed with. She'll probably be fine.

>157 foggidawn: I suspect I'll continue to miss The Stinking Rose - very tasty food and a fun place, but they did depend on packing people closely at small tables - all disguised with lots of draped booths - that ensuring social distancing and lots of cleaning wasn't in the cards for that location.

319) The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane



A strange mix of Hitty and The Velveteen Rabbit over a base of The Girl Who Trod on a Loaf, this is an ambitious story about a large toy. And I found Edward itself rather creepy. Expecting love from a porcelain rabbit, even an articulated one, is absurd, and there is rather a lot of pure mean spirits displayed.

Read for TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #5: Read a book whose title or author includes Edward

>159 quondame: I did not love that one either, for many of the same reasons you brought up.

>159 quondame: Im not one for over sappy children books (or adult ones for that matter) but this had me in tears. Really loved it; didnt find it creepy, but then I am used to children books and talking animals and such. Thought it was a lovely story with a lovely message. but as always, ymmv

>160 foggidawn: For me there was nothing that hadn't been done much more authentically in the actual 20th century, whether sentiment or moral lesson.

>161 cindydavid4: I've no issue with The Velveteen Rabbit, but the people in VR aren't nearly as awful as in this one - for every nice person there's someone who wants to cause pain, or at least doesn't mind doing so. Thinking of it, it is kind of like The Star Child where experience of pain opens the heart, something I'm not at all sure of.

320) Snow



There's nothing wrong with this novel - except that it was written 50-20 years too late to be relevant. Sure there's a twist or two, but so has any mystery post 1990. A "protestant" detective in the newly independent Ireland finds himself over his head when he really shouldn't be. And do Anglicans consider themselves protestant? I don't know that they weren't called that in Ireland, but they weren't and aren't really.

Read for TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #12: Read a book where the title completes the phrase, "I am thankful for..."

Two practically perfect pumpkin pies are cooling in the refrigerator and Mike is, not co-incidentally, in a good mood.

Thank you as always for books, thank you for this group and thanks for you. Have a lovely day, Susan.

Hi Susan my dear, Happy Thanksgiving Day.

>165 PaulCranswick: >166 johnsimpson: Thank you Paul & John. It's a lovely day here on the left coast and I'm sure the dinner will be one to be thankful for.

Last night Becky gave me a sample of the Trader Joe's Tteok Bok Ki (Korean rice cakes) she made herself for dinner. It was a bit of a shock, but not as much of one as I had this morning when I went to see what was causing the garbage disposal such grief. I pulled out about a cup of the solid caterpillars before the disposal was humming again.

>163 quondame: I think I read that one last year and recall not enjoying it all that much.

Hope you are having a wonderful thanksgiving meal!

>169 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita!

Eric and Chris came well before dinner time and played with the dogs for quite a bit. Really, it's the dogs that are the big draw for them. Alas the dog that lived next door to them reached the end of his long life and the chickens (there were supposed to be 4 hen chicks, but one has taken to crowing in the morning) that have replaced him are interesting but not at all the same.
We had a lovely dinner at Solidarity, once Warsawa. Earlier this year the two of them were in Poland and really enjoyed all their meals there, so we were happy that they praised our choice.

There, I did Christmas shopping and a birthday gift for Becky. A wee something for me too, natch.

321) The War Within



Fantasy minimal. Of course Donaldson is a competent writer and can, when he wants, pace a story pretty well, but here he continues to give us nothing much more than the minimal to care about. There is nothing magically wondrous or even scenic to be saved, and the characters spend almost all the time grimly getting along with their duty in the face of major doubts and disappointments.
A strange aspect is that before the start of the story the two kingdoms had no religion, no god or gods. But, they refer to the power used by sorcerers and Magisters as theurgy. I don't think that's a random choice on Donaldson's part, but it is a strange one.

My e-checkout expires tomorrow and I decide to forge through this, at least it
Meets TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #11: Read a book whose title is not unique

322) The Book of Goose



The strange adolescence of Agnès, a young French peasant girl whose overriding desire is to spend time with her friend Fabienne leads her to put her name to two books by Fabienne which gets her taken away from her village to an English school. There is a texture and a sparseness to the story which focuses on the obscure internality of Agnès and her observations and adaptions to what happens around her.

Read for TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #16: Read a book by an author who wrote in a language not his own.

>173 quondame: the touchstone leads to a mother goose book :) love that cover!

Happy Sunday, Susan. Just checking in. I hope you had a nice holiday and that those books are treating you fine.

So, I just got a 5 year badge from LibraryThing. It's been fun.

>174 cindydavid4: >175 msf59: Hi Cindy, hello Mark! Thanks!

323) The Night Tiger



Each of the characters followed in this story of haunting and limitations is under pressure so that reading it feels like being in a flower press with limited lateral movement and no up or down leeway. William has his own guilt and the expectations of his white community in Malaysia, Ren has his deceased twin pulling him toward death and his commitment to his previous master driving him and Ji Lin has her step-father's limitations on her choices and her mother's gambling debts causing her less than optimal choices. A were-tiger, a seller of hospital specimens, a poisoner, an attractive step-brother and an importunate suitor keep the action going, though the pace is a bit stately for the themes.

I though I'd read this, but no, though there are already plenty of tigers among my titles and Yangsze Choo was among my authors.

Read for TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #10: Read a book set in or about Malaya (Malaysia) or the Malay Archipelago

>176 quondame: Happy 5th Thingaversary, Susan!

>178 quondame: Your review is excellent! I own this book, but will have difficulty finding it. Perhaps 2023 will be the year when I can get my books in order. I am amazed that you read 323 books thus far this year!!!

>179 FAMeulstee: Thank you, Anita! It's been fun.

>180 Whisper1: Linda, thank you. It's a good deal easier to find a book on the Kindle, but occasionally I look for one that hasn't been downloaded - or that I bought from iBook.

Well, it seems good strategy gets some reward. On Saturday I ordered some Christmas gifts for Mike and Becky. On Sunday Becky lets Mike and I know she has put things on her Amazon gift list for Cyber Monday. So today I ordered more gifts for her - to be fair, she does have a birthday 6 days after Christmas.....

>181 quondame: I love the feel of turning the page and holding a book in my hands. But, I may try a kindle in the new year as I have developed arthritis in my right hand...must likely from holding books...I'm not complaining as I get so much joy from reading!

>183 Whisper1: I do love paper books - but my hands don't, don't even like holding my iPad with either its bulky case or sharp edges.
I do get significantly less exercise not requiring weekly piles of books from the local libraries.

324) Time Flies



A somewhat pun laden private I story about missing time pieces with all the characters letters. And the thief has a longstanding grievance.

Read for TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #3: Read a book whose title is considered a “cliché”

Ouch, I am sorry you also have difficulty holding on to your ipad or books. This is a new development for me, and I admit to feeling rather old these days.

>186 Whisper1: It is a drag, but the Kindle is great.

325) While Standing on One Foot: Puzzle Stories and Wisdom Tales from the Jewish Tradition



Short, simply told stories each with an introduction and a break between setup and solution. Some you know from similar versions or from another tradition and some may be new. Most are a bit humorous.

Read for TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #4: The “Fiddler on the Roof” Challenge: Read a book with the word “Tradition” in the title

>188 quondame: Have always loved Rabbi Hillels quote and his answer to the question - do unto others they way you want to be treated.The rest is commentary

>188 quondame: I haven't heard of that one, Susan.

Looks interesting though.

>189 cindydavid4: >190 PaulCranswick: It's a somewhat targeted and simplified retelling of a stories with a specific format, but interesting enough and pretty much painless.

326) Juniper Wiles and the Ghost Girls



This second Jennifer Wiles outing establishes vector for a series as Jennifer resolves within herself what she is doing and why over the course of her investigations of 3 different matters, a missing sister, the ghosts of 7 girls ritually killed and a nasty bit of embezzlement, calling on a substantial portion of the Newford paranormal or paranormal adjacent community centered on Jilly Coppercorn.
The novel is well paced, the characterizations generally well done with solid motivations, so this is a cut above most of the young woman with sight (or some relatively minor psy-power) detecting in the big city urban fantasy series, but not quite up with the fantastic journeys of the Newford novels before 2010.

This just came out today and I'm all for actively supporting Charles de Lint, especially now that his wife MaryAnn has such drastic health needs. So if you like Urban Fantasy, buy his books!

Meets TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #1: Read a book by one of your favorite authors

Seeing myself a few books away from a double sweep of TIOLI challenges for November I went to the children's section of our local LAPL. And was sent retreating to the help desk defeated again! There are picture books, but also "I can read" picture books, non-fiction and also folklore, not to mention all the age divisions. Who said being adult is more complicated?

The help desk person didn't have much trouble finding the books, but then she had both better understanding of what all those little letters in the catalog mean and knew which sections I'd already checked.

>193 quondame: I have often said that shelving in the children's department is the true test of a library page -- much more complicated than shelving adult!

>193 quondame: Looks like you have only one book to go for a double!

Congratulations on your 5-year Thingaversary!

>184 quondame: I remember when I worked in Downtown L.A. a few blocks up the hill from the library. I used to go on my lunch hour at least once a week and recall trudging back up the hill, arms laden with books. Ah, good times!

>194 foggidawn: True that!

>195 FAMeulstee: I'm working on it....

>196 Storeetllr: Thank you. I've only been to the Main LAPL once since the fire. I would love to be able to go more often, but my one attempt was stymied by having no idea where to park, and my ability to walk up hill, with or with out books, is pretty minimal. So many books are only available from the Downtown reference section, especially older books and unusual children's books.

I'm scheduled for an MRI this afternoon and it's taken over an hour to fill out the damned forms. Grumble grumble, I could be reading.

cartoon on a dr office counter: patient is returning forms and the recep says 'sorry it took you so long to fill those out we have to reschedule your appt!'

>198 quondame: >199 cindydavid4: Oops, I marked the wrong Wed. It's next week. Extra lost reading time. Yes, I can see that - especially since they want things that aren't always in my head. Well, the forms are ready for next week.

327) One Person, One Vote: A Surprising History of Gerrymandering in America



A real tour through the political sausage machine. The writing is clear and doesn't linger, occasionally diverts into somewhat excessive biographical data on its cast, but mostly directs attention to its abundance of data that putting any political party in charge of even a portion of the apportionment map will result in maximum unfairness, though the not entirely accurate simile of putting the foxes in charge of the hen house does wear.

Read for TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #15: Read a book about voting or with the word vote in the title

I had to take numerous breaks from 327) so just in case, I had back up:

328) One Vote, Two Votes, I Vote, You Vote



The disjoint between the Dr. Seuss style illustrations and the non-rhyming text is strong. Otherwise passable, no better.

Read for TIOLI Challenge November TIOLI #15: Read a book about voting or with the word vote in the title

>201 quondame: Congratulations on a double, Susan!

>163 quondame: Anglicans were Protestant in my childhood in Canada, for the purpose of deciding which school board their children should attend. But so were Jews; it was basically Roman Catholics and Others, with the latter referred to as Protestants.

Given Irish history, it was probably Roman Catholics (aka real Irish) vs Anglicans, Presbyterians (aka British colonists/overlords), and they might well have referred to both lots as "Protestant", in its common meaning of "not Roman Catholics".

It's incorrect in the sense that well educated Anglicans would see their church as Catholic, though not Roman Catholic. But I'm pretty sure Joe and Jane Random wouldn't recognize this, unless they were very regular attendees at Anglican churches.

>168 quondame: Yikes!

>203 ArlieS: Anglicans were Protestant in my childhood in Canada, for the purpose of deciding which school board their children should attend. But so were Jews; it was basically Roman Catholics and Others, with the latter referred to as Protestants.

confused: are you saying Jews were considered Protestant? Or am I misreading your answer

>197 quondame: Oh, you need to visit the Central Library! There’s underground parking, so you don’t need to walk anywhere. I don’t recall where the entrance ramp is, but I’m sure if you call they’ll be able to tell you.

I hope your MRI went well. Thinking of you and sending healing thoughts.

>202 FAMeulstee: Thank you, Anita.

>203 ArlieS: >204 cindydavid4: The RC view seems to have been that all other Christians are heretics, and where RC is embedded in government institutions, whether as majority or minority, I'd guess that Protestant is anybody not-RC.
Within non-RC western Christianity, Anglican/Episcopalian is not Protestant. I'm not sure of Lutheran or Presbyterian, but Methodists and Congregationalists, my dad's family's church, are. And that's not even touching the vast evangelical movement which seemed to have one group protesting against it's parent group every other year.

>205 Storeetllr: Yes, I do. I've only been once on a group tour. I missed the entrance the time I tried by myself.

>206 Whisper1: Alas, I had the day wrong. The office was closed when I got there which makes me a bit nervous about next week.

329) Welcome to the School by the Sea



I guess I'm not a fan of boarding school books, or at least this one offers nothing to make me so. A headmistress, a new teacher from a poor public school in Glasgow, and two starting students, a rich girl who doesn't want to be there and the scholarship girl who does are the viewpoint characters, but none of them made more real than ridiculous by the described emotions, and gosh wow things work out.

Read for TIOLI Challenge December TIOLI #7: The Goodbye ‘22 Challenge: Read a book that has multiple 2 letter words in the title

Off to a late start today, even more so than usual after getting to sleep later than I planned. The dogs were cuddled up next to me when I turned off my alarm and did my before leaving bed stretches. I remember bringing my arms down wrapping one around Nutmeg - and waking up more than 2 hours later. Becky confirms that when Nutmeg is determined to sleep longer she is soporific to others.

Hi Susan!

>170 quondame: Glad you all had a good Thanksgiving meal out and that the dogs were the draw.

>171 quondame: Brava.

>176 quondame: Congrats on your 5-year badge.

>183 Whisper1: and >184 quondame: I’ve been using my Kindle a lot this year and have Kindle Unlimited, saving me beaucoup bucks.

>209 quondame: Yay Nutmeg for giving you more sleep. Of course, the real question is – did you do your before leaving bed stretches again? *smile*

>210 karenmarie: Hi Karen! Thanks. No, I didn't re-do, but it's not really necessary for the shoulder joint stretch - one set seems to make a positive difference, more are irritating.

At the Feet of the Sun is a long book, which I should have known, but I read so many shorter works by Victoria Goddard last month that I'd come to think of them as the norm.

Susan, I can't catch up with you, but have you started *Feet/Sun*? I'd be reading it all the time if only I could. As it is, I have Cliopher beginning to investigate the reappearance of Fitzroy Angursell and the Red Company. Happy Days!!!!

>212 LizzieD: I have gotten a bit further in to At the Feet of the Sun and it it is quite the A ticket.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/346265#n7992194

Sorry, 'twas late.

Asian Book Challenge thread is finally up. xx

>214 PaulCranswick: np :)

Happy Sunday, Susan. I will add One Person, One Vote: A Surprising History of Gerrymandering in America to my TBR but I am afraid I will just get boiling mad, while I read it.

>212 LizzieD: Done! What a ride. Almost an inverse of The Hands of the Emperor but sly.

>214 PaulCranswick: Thank you. Of course I fell off the world into the Sky Sea yesterday and didn't check LT or any other online thing at all.

>216 msf59: Boiling mad, but also deeply chagrined because it's been business as usual for both parties for the latter half of the 20th century and is still strong and has never been the least bit subtle.

>204 cindydavid4: Yep. Or more correctly, Jews who sent their children to public schools (North American sense) sent them the schools run by the Protestant school board. (Only Roman Catholics sent their children to schools run by the Catholic school board.) This led to a certain amount of humor about Jews being Protestants. We knew they weren't, but it was too good not to joke about. OTOH, we probably thought Eastern Orthodox must be some kind of Protestant, if we knew about them at all - Christians came in (only) two major groupings, Protestant and Catholic (sic).

>218 ArlieS: In my parts of California a number of non-Catholic families sent their children to Catholic schools because they felt they'd get a better education or for gender separation. But I rarely witnessed overt anti-Catholic sentiments - well other than that Orangeman, my dad.

mmm, being one of a few jewish kids in our grade school caused all sorts of problems including the time they wanted me to play mary in the christmas pagent (I was in second grade and tiny, not sure how that mattered) needless to say my dad went to the office the next day to remind them,hello? and dont get me started trying to take off for the High Holy Days. but this was in the early 60s, so they didn't care.

And we did have a Hebrew school at our synagogue that we went to for three days a week after school to prepare for bar/bat mitzvah, plus sunday school. There was also a private Jewish day school (still is) and a Jewish HS, both of them mostly attended by more orthodox kids. And there were Jewish youth groups like B'nai Brith. So we did have some Jewish education that made us feel a little less alone. Tough being a minority esp when most people didnt think we were.

>216 msf59: & >217 quondame: Gerrymandering is one export that Britain can certainly not take much pride in. (The practice not the name which was coined in Boston apparently). The UK is bad, the USA is worse but Malaysia has the most egregious gerrymandering of anywhere I have ever seen. The ruling party clung to power for at least a decade more than they had any right to as a result of extraordinary constituency boundary making. You could have a city seat (opposition strong) with 300,000 voters and a rural seat (government "bought") of about 20,000 voters.

https://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/columnists/along-the-watchtower/2022/11/23/tw...

It is exasperating.

>220 cindydavid4: My mother was so crypto about being Jewish that I didn't know she was until I was 13. She had converted when she married and had my two elder siblings baptized during WWII, but had decided she was agin any god by the time she had me and my younger brother.
As it turns out, whatever body decides who's a Jew in the US does not count conversions for the 1930s and 40s. Which became an issue when my sister's fiance wanted his uncle rabbi to perform the marriage because her first husband was Jewish and the rabbi required her to have a get. Which she couldn't get unless she was Jewish. Not that either she or I are, but we aren't not either. Which makes it easy for Becky who did go to Hebrew school and have a Bat Mitzvah. Like many west Los Angeles schools the one she went to had a large minority Jewish enrollment.

>221 PaulCranswick: Seabrook does talk about rotten boroughs, but distinguishes them from gerrymanders, but the ideas are similar, the preservation of power by keeping it out of the hands of ordinary voters.

>222 quondame: Usually that 'body' is orthodox; thats certainly who dictates 'jewishness' in Israel which is a huge sticking point among Jews there who are not orthodox. If someone says they are jewish, they are. end of story. so says I.

Oh yeah my HS was nicknamed Little Israel because of the very large Jewish population there (still a minority but one with numbers!) Right now its a Phoenix Union Magnet Program in International Studies which brings in kids from all over the city. I would have loved that when I was in hs.

>224 cindydavid4: Apparently there is the same thing in Boston, and yes orthodox as was my brother-in-law's uncle which is why he had an issue.
My daughter's rabbi was a woman. My brother-in-law (but not my sister's husband) came uninvited to the Bat Mitzvah and made a scene, typical behavior.
I've told Mike and Becky that any memorial service for me should be held on Saturday afternoon at the top of a hill reached by a gondola.

329) At the Feet of the Sun .25



In The Hands of the Emperor we learned of all the worldly accomplishments Clioper Mdang achieved by his heroic passion for detail and persistence to make the world better for its ordinary citizens. In at the Feet of the Sun we watch all his bureaucratic skills achieve mythical heroic feats, including reaching the goals of his innermost self. And he has the best of help.

As this is much closer to a standard quest story than the first book I was not as gobsmacked by it - it is still pretty amazing as a series of adventures and inner - literally - explorations, but I doubt anything will be as outrageously ambitious as making string of bureaucratic reconstitutions as the triumphs of a fantasy (though of course any such must be a fantasy) I mean, out thinking the gods has been done, tricking them too, but completely reworking and redirecting a world wide bureaucracy is the real challenge.

Meets TIOLI Challenge December TIOLI #12: Read a book you are reading because of a positive review for the book or author by a 75er Group Member

Gerrymandering. I live in NC, y'all in a congressional district that once looked like a 140 mile-long golf club.

Growing up Jewish in the South ---- I didn't; I'm Presbyterian. However, our few Jewish families, but enough of them to support a synagogue, were very much respected. They tended to call the Presbyterian minister for help in times of crisis and to send their kids to Presbyterian Bible school in the summer.

>227 LizzieD: So perhaps you can respond to the question of whether the Presbyterian's consider themselves Protestant, not in the not-RC sense but in the sense of the Methodists who I believe were protesting more against the Anglicans and their "Roman" practices than directly against the RCs.

330) Oh Holly Night



Can veterinarian Dr Holly Night, ignored child of parents who ignored Christmas, find joy in the town of Noelle where everything is a Christmas? Is this a pandering romance? Don't bother.

Read for TIOLI Challenge December TIOLI #13: Read a book with a title that is ALMOST a Christmas carol title or lyric

331) Red Scholar's Wake



This does not quite hold up as either a romance or an adventure. A prisoner with exceptional skills at data retrieval using bots is offered marriage of convenience with the ship intelligence which commands the section of the pirate fleet which captured her. While the story moves with dispatch the pieces are partial and jagged and don't lend themselves to the treatment.

Meets TIOLI Challenge December TIOLI #5: Read a book that helps to finish up a personal reading challenge

332) Ruby Fever



Crisp and heavy action, a dash of sex, and all the pieces moving all the time keeps the conclusion of Catalina's story absorbing and absurd in equal measure. Comp, comp, the potato chips are savory.

Though I would have gotten to it before too long I pulled this to
Read for TIOLI Challenge December TIOLI #1: Read a book by an author whose names (first, middle, and last) all begin with a vowel

So today was my MRI. Not fun, not because I have claustrophobic issues, rather the reverse, but the shoulder that is probably the reason for the need for the MRI was increasingly uncomfortable as the scans continued. I didn't know both brain and neck were scheduled so I think I was canned and rattled for well over an hour. On the neck scan my arms rested on a cross bar and slowly slipped into a less supportive angle. I do hope I remained still enough for a good result.

In addition to most of my evening going to the MRI, I woke really late and didn't have any Internet time before I had to leave and run errands before the MRI. So not much of a day and no time to do more than breeze through threads before kvetching here.

333) I Got a "D" in Salami



A not quite in gear story about Hank, a dyslexic 4th grader, and his friends as they try to help him deal with his not-quite failing report card which rapidly get absurd with soy salami.

Read for TIOLI Challenge December TIOLI #2: Read a book with a word in the title that can be found on a charcuterie board

334) The Loopy Coop Hens



Three of the hens, great admirers of the Rooster want to fly like he does - but what will they find out when they spy on him?

Read for TIOLI Challenge December TIOLI #9: Read a book in honor of the Twelve Days of Christmas

335) The Quail's Egg: A Folk Tale from Sri Lanka



A very determined quail mobilizes a series of attacks when denied help rescuing her errant egg.

Read for TIOLI Challenge December TIOLI #11: Read a book set between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn

>230 quondame: When will you be informed about the results of the MRI, Susan?

>232 FAMeulstee: I'm not sure, probably next week. I don't expect any revelations - it seems logical that the way I had my arm braced while sleeping caused the semi-paralysis that started all this and the neurologist just wanted clearer images than the Urgent Care CAT scan provided.

But who knows. I just learned that my sister (6 years older) had to have back surgery because the mutation for high bone density that she has - and I almost certainly do too - caused nerves to be pinched.

336) Into the Riverlands



We are presented with five interesting characters who join on a short trip from one river town to the next on foot. There are stories and story fragments told on the trip and the trip itself becomes a story. Unfortunately, that story somewhat overwhelms the character so that a most unusual young woman who shines in the first sections is reduced to her name after the action begins.

Meets TIOLI Challenge December TIOLI #4: Read a book with an 4 plus letter word embedded in the title

337) The River of Silver .25



If you've finished the Daevabad Trilogy and need a reminder of what happened, this book of a series of scenes not included will provide re-entry into that world. Some of the scenes make decent little stories, but won't mean much unless you've read all 3 and are full of spoilers if you've read fewer.

Meets TIOLI Challenge December TIOLI #6: Read a book by an author whose first name starts with the same letter as your first name

Hi Susan!

>219 quondame: Growing up in SoCal in the late ‘50s-‘60s, we had quite a few Catholic kids living in the neighborhood who’d disappear during the school year to go to Catholic School, then show up to play after school and during the summers. Jewish kids came to the public schools.

>230 quondame: Sounds quite awful, especially with the claustrophobia. I hope you get results/actions soon.

>236 karenmarie: I grew up in school district that had around 20K population for the high school and while there was a local Catholic school it only went to 8th grade, so high school started with an influx of "new" kids - not only from outside the military base on which I lived, but also the local Catholic students, one of whom became a close friend for a few years.

I feel lucky that I am not at all claustrophobic - I know a woman who is and has had many medical conditions for which the testing is sometimes more harrowing than the treatment.

338) Invisible Planets



An interesting and colorful collection of stories competently translated by Ken Liu. It is interesting how fanciful an author can get when a planet is described in a paragraph or even five. And the stories run from the fanciful to the grim, though more sad and resigned that buoyant or hopeful.

Meets TIOLI Challenge December TIOLI #17: Read a book with all title words 4 or more characters long

Happy Saturday Susan! Your MRI experience sounds unfun! I've had many, and never grew to be comfortable in that small tube.

I'm reading The Lost Metal. Long awaited, alas, I'm finding it rather dull. Lots of stuff happening but, well, no zing. Will our heroes save their world? Well, bets are yes, but it will be messy.

>239 Whisper1: I wasn't put in a tube, more like a cleft where I sat strapped in and the walls were brought close in to squeeze and braces were put under my arms. I would have been just fine except for my shoulder being pushed into a bad angle and not quite fully supported.

339) The Lost Metal



The story, with its strong emphasis on the characters having realized and being in command of their capabilities and accepting themselves just didn't draw me in. Maybe all the mutual support was just more "telling" or maybe it felt like treacle, but I was just about ready to see Scadrial go boom. Whatever got me zipping through the first 3 volumes of this sub-series wasn't there for me.

Meets TIOLI Challenge December TIOLI #8: Read a book with exactly 2 people on the front cover

340) Shutter



A somewhat overwrought thriller about a Navajo forensic photographer who sees and can communicate with ghosts. The pacing and story are good throughout, the past scenes giving some relief to the current tension but there is some discordance in the interactions that throws the storytelling off true.

BB from msf59.

Meets TIOLI Challenge December TIOLI #12: Read a book you are reading because of a positive review for the book or author by a 75er Group Member

341) The Book of Wonders



A boy lies in a coma after an accident and his mother tries to reach him by playing recordings of her accomplishing goals he wrote into a notebook called the book of wonders. While it repeats all the proper feels I felt it was completely artificial in the actions of it's characters and the situations, work, financial, and emotions, that they are run through in service to "our relationships with people are what's essential" mantra.

Read for TIOLI Challenge December TIOLI #16: Read a book about overcoming a tragedy

341) Thorn



Princess Alyrra who is despised by her mother and brother is surprised to be sought after as the bride for the prince of a much larger kingdom. Even before she leaves she learns that the cost of escaping a violent brother and disparaging mother is involvement in a conflict of magic which has plagued the other kingdom and she has no personal magic resources. And before she even reaches her new home the woman who was sent to accompany her has magically stolen her form and identity.
The somewhat overly long narrative is of how Alyrra, now called Thorn, deals with the comforts and problems of her new life and takes on the responsibilities for helping where she can and it mostly works, though not always smoothly or convincingly.

Read for TIOLI Challenge December TIOLI #3: Read a retelling of a myth, legend or Biblical story, name the legend

The new tree lights are one of my pre-Christmas gifts - the advent calendar was the other - for Becky this year.

>341 I read Thorn recently too, and my assessment was that it was all right, not great. There is a sequel duology following a different character which I liked a bit less.

>247 kgodey: I gave it a bit of slack for being a first book. But if the latter novels don't show a tighter grip and more realistic focus then the author probably isn't worth following further.

Yay for LT! I was going through a list of books that are fairy tale retellings and Six Crimson Cranes caught my attention. My LT catalog tells me that I haven't liked a book by Elizabeth Lim yet, and that after 3 tries.

>246 quondame: Oooh, pretty.

>249 quondame: Im also a fan of fairy tale retellings, so thanks for that heads up!

>246 quondame: Beautiful!

>246 quondame: I love the lights. So pretty!

>250 karenmarie: >252 foggidawn: >253 Narilka: Thank you!

>251 cindydavid4: I found a whole page of them here, though I can't vouch for any really. One of my favorites is Sheri Tepper's Beauty, well, it trashes/includes several, but I haven't found it forgettable.

341) Tread of Angels



In Goetia where the Fallen mine divinity, the flesh of a fallen angel, to power the technology for the Elect, Celeste and Mariel are mixed blood sisters who work at a gaming house. Unlike Mariel, Celeste does not show her Fallen parentage which allows her to defend Mariel when she is accused of murder. In this tale nothing has more disastrous consequences than revealing unwanted knowledge, though the acquisition of it is also unfortunate. The storytelling and world creation is compelling even if the latter feels a bit unstable.

I could have saved my myself the time reading Thorn if I'd know this
Meets TIOLI Challenge December TIOLI #3: Read a retelling of a myth, legend or Biblical story, name the legend

342) Ra the Mighty: The Crocodile Caper



This is not a cute picture book. It's a too long "chapter book" about Ra, an unlikable Pharaoh's cat, and his friends a dung beetle (kids love poop) and the kitchen cat, both smarter and responsible than he is. I doubt reading the first of the series would have provided a better experience.

If I had been willing to read an actual book in or about ancient Egypt I could have spared the pain of this
Read for TIOLI Challenge December TIOLI #14: Read a book set in or about Ancient Egypt or about Egyptology

343) One Thousand and One Nights



A very readable selection and arrangement of stories from Alf layla wa layla which after the standard introduction brings together both characters of and storytellers of the tales in the home of sisters who have had all sorts of misfortunes at the hands of husbands but who remain in the prime of life. The chosen stories are almost all centered more around lovers and spouses rather than powerful magic and stirring adventure.

I had to put my Kindle in airplane mode to finish this to be sure it wasn't returned to the library, and it
Meets TIOLI Challenge December TIOLI #9: Read a book in honor of the Twelve Days of Christmas (rolling challenge)

I've got two or three editions of this classic. The book squid squib says this is a reimagining of the tale. I ought to read at least ONE of the versions I have. Story of my reading life.

>258 weird_O: I'm not familiar enough with the raunchy AN tales, which would be most of these, to say whether or not they are reimagined or just presented differently, but the ones I know seem to be intact, just a very specific selection with a bit of a twist on the frame.
I do have the general intention of reading versions closer to the source than the ones I inherited from my parents.

There is no tinsel! And Amazon can't supply any until after Christmas! And weeks ago (two weeks) I was assured we had plenty!

OK, this is not my native language, but for a couple of decades it was my second nature one:

>261 quondame: I can't see the carolers on the doorstep slipping that little ditty into their repertoire!

>261 quondame: that's pretty great

>262 PaulCranswick: Heh, you've got to have the right interpreter.

>263 kgodey: I'm surprised I never saw it before. I haven't written a script in over 20 years, well, not for work.

344) In the Shadow of the Glacier



Young Molly Smith, a constable in her small home town of Trafalgar Canada discovers the body of the developer of a controversial resort on her rounds. She is assigned to the detective investigating for her local knowledge of which we all gain quite a bit as we follow the case and the hash made of it and the town by a right-wing journalist from the troublesome USA.
It book starts slowly and has uncomfortable bits but does pick up speed. The characters are close to real with only a bit of cardboard edges hear and there, but not all that interesting.

SB* from thornton37814

Read for TIOLI Challenge December TIOLI #15: Read a book with a winter word or a cold word in the title

*Series Bullet

Dropping in to wish you a wonderful weekend! On a side note, auto correct wanted to change in for gin. Now that really would make a festive weekend!

>266 figsfromthistle: Too bad it's not supplying rum. Gin's OK but I like rum in my eggnog. Good to hear from you, Anita!

I has new book! Long awaited. Very very long. No not as long as The Winds Of Winter, but still.
The Typical Tudor hit my mailbox today.

>265 quondame: The characters develop a bit more as you get into the series. I think I only have one more to be caught up on the series! I've usually listened to the books in this series so I'll miss those "comfort listens."

>269 thornton37814: That's good to know. The descriptions were gritty enough that I wouldn't go to a book in this series for comfort though.

345) The Family Chao



We meet the 3 Chao sons shortly before the deaths of their mother and father, the latter likely murder. Healthy, intelligent children and a successful business has not mellowed this patriarch who seems determined to drive away the chef son who has returned to the small Wisconsin town after not making it in New York. Good pacing and characterizations, but there isn't really anyone you'd be eager to meet.

Read for TIOLI Challenge December TIOLI #10: Read a book about a culture clash

For my birthday I made reservations at a restaurant way too hip for me but with a couple of dishes I really wanted Becky to try. Well, Saturday they had a DJ and we were seated right next to him. Also Eric and Chris decided to come on their way out of town cross country to visit relatives from Texas, Louisiana, Penn, Idaho and Washington. So they were dressed much more casually than usual, creating an interesting contrast to the uber sleek West Hollywood dating crowd.
The food was good and we eventually got some relief from the music.

Happy birthday, Susan!

Did Becky try those dishes (and what was it) at your birthday diner?

>268 quondame: Oooh!

http://www.tudortailor.com/the-typical-tudor

>273 FAMeulstee: Thank you!
3"x5" slabs of deep fried sourdough bread - really good bread - served with a slightly herb'd butter. It is gross but addictively good. My sister-in-law tried to get an order of the bread just toasted regularly but the chef refused. Their shoestring potatoes are also great. Becky tried a pasta with marrow bone and was surprised when the bones were brought to the table as scooped onto the past there.
The wait staff was very scenic.

>274 2wonderY: I have been waiting since the original announcement and due to Covid and personal health issues and upsets it is almost 2 years since the original release date.

346) The Serpent in Heaven



Gunnie Rose is not in this book. Her half sister Felicia is supposed to be safely enrolled in the Grigori Rasputin school in San Diego, but only as a blood donor for the Tsar, not as a student of magic. She appreciates being safe and well fed and free from the spells which delayed her physical maturity, but as she blossoms into womanhood attention from outside the school involves her in violent confrontations. The body count seems arbitrarily high for the stakes and I believe that element could have been better handled. The story is a high speed compulsive read, though not with the weight and grit of the Gunnie books.

Meets TIOLI Challenge December TIOLI #10: Read a book about a culture clash

>246 quondame: I like the colored lights!!! The tree looks so pretty.

I send all good wishes for a wonderful holiday!

>277 Whisper1: Have a lovely holiday!

My crackers are lost in litigation! I got a yen for Ry-Krisp crackers and Mike hasn't been able to find them. Today he brought home some Wasa Light Rye crispbread saying it was the only rye cracker at Vons. So I looked up Ry-Krisp and it went out of production (2015) what with mergers and spin offs and when the new owners looked into bringing it out again they got into legal wrangling with Barilla of which the Wasa brand is part.

347) The World Gives Way



The world is a huge space ship and when a contract worker's employers suicide rather than living to what they know to be it's coming end, Myrra takes their year old daughter and runs to where she hopes to have a better life for the couple of months remaining. Tobias is a new security agent tasked as the junior partner to bring her back, having no idea why the couple she worked for suicided - if even they did. Well written and neither emo or sentimental this explores what it might mean to be able to live right up until the last moments knowing the end is coming. As social SF, the structures aren't the best thought out, but they are more props than serious speculations.

Meets TIOLI Challenge December TIOLI #5: Read a book that helps to finish up a personal reading challenge

Since one of my birthday gifts was an Amazon gift card, I indulged in buying 7 of the Victoria Goddard titles I don't own. They are such great comfort reads I know I'll jump back into them. And I still have $10.07 left......

Another present was a set of 15 doll from Ralph Breaks the Internet, 14 Disney princesses in casual clothing and a Vanellope von Schweetz figure. I requested the set not because I'm a Disney princess fan - I don't think I have any other DP dolls, but because 5 of the 14 aren't European! Of course there are 4 blondes and 3 redheads, which is a not very representative, but it has been worse. The DP dolls are only 6" tall, so the set isn't overwhelming. Now the Encanto doll set ...


I also go The Domestic Revolution.

Susan, I've collected Julie Good Kruger dolls for awhile. I made a list of those I own, and those I still want to purchase. Though, I am running out of room.

>282 Whisper1: I've run out of room more than once - just about everything is in boxes and most of my doll play is in my head!

Feeling a bit disgruntled with my current to-read list and not at all ambitious to fit yet another TIOLI sweep in before year's end I just satisfied my need to revisit where Fitzroy encountered Terric and other persons of interest in the weeks following his departure from Solaara before reconnecting with Kip.

348) ->
>103 quondame: 279) The Return of Fitzroy Angursell

349) ->
>106 quondame: 279) 280) The Redoubtable Pali Avramapul

>281 quondame: >282 Whisper1: oh my; My DH has long collected barbie and kens dressed up as different characters from fav tv and movies, including a scooby doo set, a star trek set, frozen, harry potter. He also found for me a deaf teacher barbie complete with sign langauge book!

>285 cindydavid4: There are so many vectors for collecting, that's for sure. One of mine was "barbies" with light to medium brown hair. Mostly these were various character dolls from movies. Blonds, redheads, and black/dark brown are generally the choices. Not that I'm not overrun by blonds. For 8" dolls I have a soft filter up against 1) blonds, 2) pink outfits, 3) bangs, but still there are some book characters that are blond and are depicted with bangs and pink is very common...

Ack! I'm Pearl ruling The Brothers Jetstream. I can't catch the flow of it and find the amusing bits are only mildly so.

350) Fiddler Fair .25



A collection of stories very much within the expected emotional and inventive range of Mercedes Lackey, though a couple are the pure harsh edge of her judgemental streak and one does come up with a rather unusual take on a historical character. Also a couple of pair of remarkable blue eyes.

Meets TIOLI Challenge December TIOLI #17: Read a book with all title words 4 or more characters long

>286 quondame: Thanks for posting this! I am spending time listing all of the Julie Good Kruger dolls I have, and also those I do not have. She no longer produces dolls. She has quite a few. I think I have many, then go on ebay and learn of new ones. I'm holding off collecting for now. The house is getting overrun with books and dolls.

Did you like dolls when you were a young girl? Do you remember Chatty Cathy dolls? My best Christmas was when I received this doll.

>289 Whisper1: I loved dolls when I was young - and not so young! My parents kept telling me I was too old years before I stopped wanting dolls - especially as I was 10 when Barbie came out and I loved playing mix-and-match with her casual wardrobe and imagined all I could do with more than 3 outfits!
I liked "grown up" dolls best, Cissette and later Barbie, but there was the Betsy McCall year, though I never owned one then. I had an 18-21" Dollikin and a one or more similar sized supermarket dolls. All of my dolls were given away when I was away at college. Probably because my mother was angry at something I did or more likely didn't do.

Oh, NO! Your dolls were given away? Yikes. My mother had a habit of throwing out our things without asking my sisters and I. Regarding dolls, did you have a Patty Play Pal? They were rather large dolls. I believe there also was a Peter Play Pal.

>291 Whisper1: No, the only named dolls I had were two Barbies, the Dollikin, and two 8" Maggie Mixups - and in the case of the second Barbie and Maggie it was because a dog savaged the first. I did have Agnes Brush Piglet and Kanga&Roo as the only stuffed animals I ever remember owning though there was probably an Easter Bunny or so for the minute it took before they were Beagled.

>279 quondame: Sorry to hear about your lost crackers! And your beagled dolls. It's always a bummer when something you love just disappears. Love your tree lights though!!

So after your message over on my thread, I got to poking around. This year's group URL is https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/23588/75-Books-Challenge-for-2022. No matter what I change the last part to, I get the same page. Each group seems to be a unique number. At any rate, I'm working up the pages for the new group and will be posting everything this weekend.

Happy Friday, Susan and Happy Holidays to you. I also hope you have a great reading year in 2023.

>294 drneutron: Yah!!

>289 Whisper1: I remember I was 3 or 4, going down to the basement on my birthday and seeing a box as big as I was. When it was opened, saw this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/385307520985?hash=item59b61e2fd9:g:QmMAAOSwCOpjo3g~ A susie walker doll from 1960s. Loved that doll, and as I grew made sure it had chicken pox when I did, cut her hair, took her swimming.Shes survived over the years and now sits on an antique rocker in our house. I don't remembre what happened to the original clothing, but I got on ebay to find some. Found out it was easier to buy another than pay for the clothing. So I now have three, with lots and lots of clothes!

I had Thumbelina, and a few others. Got a barbie and skipper but I just didn't get into them all that much

>291 Whisper1: my dolls werent given away. My books were. Came home from college to find my entier shelves cleaned off for sewing supplie. Mom claimed my brother took them for his house, no , he didn't. This sparked a drive to replace them, and once the net came around I found all of them online, and still continue to collect children's illustrated boooks to this day. So there, mom

This is my original doll https://www.ebay.com/itm/304732132005?hash=item46f37352a5:g:sIgAAOSwr1djkkuI

Happy Christmas from my Christmas gnome!

>293 Berly: Thank you! Of course there are many fine new things to be tasted and enjoyed, so letting go, while difficult, allows for grasping some of that.

>294 drneutron: (>295 msf59:) I'm looking forward to the new year's group - and am clearly in good company!

>295 msf59: Thank you! Have a great holiday!

>296 cindydavid4: I have repeatedly bought a doll for the clothing! Wardrobe options have always been a priority for me. But Suzie Walker has a face that makes me uneasy. I know some people have the same reaction to my Wendy faced Madame Alexander dolls, though rarely to the Maggie faced ones. I know part of what made a doll important to me was what my contemporaries had at the time and part was what caught some deep whim of mine.

>297 cindydavid4: I was able to pick up some Barbies and Maggies in the early 90s - pre-eBay, by going to auctions and doll shoes and there were both online and by mail forums for listing dolls for sale which I used. But when eBay took off I was on the early flights! As much for miniature tools and sewing antiques as dolls.
>298 cindydavid4: Yep, still creepy. And I'm not fond of that nick name, nope.

>299 SandDune: Thank you! May there be peace and family joy for you over the coming weeks.

I dont see the face as creepy but then Ive had it forever. Yeah, would prevfer something besides saucey, but that was the time.

may there be peace and joy for you and your family in the new year

BTW speaking of; our local Kohls store put all of the rosh hashana cards (not hanukah) in with the actual new years cards argh!

>301 cindydavid4: I know there is a very narrow range of doll faces that I'm happy to have around, and a couple of those I had to get used to. Some visitors have been creeped out in the past by the dozens of staring tiny faces. I don't have any dolls out except one or other of the latest gifts I've received, nor have there been many unready visitors post-Covid, so that's a past issue.

Ah, I'm spared from having to deal with the cluelessness of the card display maintainers - actually one of my friends spent some years chasing from CVS to CVS keeping their cards current, but she does have all the clues. But it was hard scheduling time with her in those days.

Hi Susan!

>256 quondame: I love the cover on that book. Based on your 2*, however, it’s not something I will seek out. 365 books were enough to acquire this year. Except for perhaps a few more as Christmas presents...

>261 quondame: What a hoot.

Merry Christmas

Hi Susan. Delurking to give you the treat of a picture of 'life noth of 49' and your laugh for the morning.



Merry Christmas wishes for a fabulous bookish year to come.

>305 SandyAMcPherson: The longest week I ever spent was recovering from pneumonia in January, it seemed to last forever and made me want to lie in the sun far to the south. I hate lying in the sun.

Thank you for the Christmas wishes!

>296 cindydavid4: I don't remember a Susie Walker doll. But, when I looked at the image, I think one of my playmates had this doll. I remember that a group of us got together and brought out dolls. Mainly, we played with Barbie dolls. The original Barbie I had (if it is in original box,) is quite pricey. My father took my sisters and I to the local store in our small town. We each got a Barbie doll. I had the one with the black and white bathing suit, and a black tightly pulled pony tail.

It is great to find another doll collector.

>307 Whisper1: There isn't a suzie walker, its a saucy walker. I always mix them up for some reason. Would actually have preferred suzie without the iffy connotations. These are the only dolls I have, but i do have two doll houses: one a victorian, the other is smaller that Ive made into a book and antique store. Have so much fun setting those up!

Malaysia's branch of the 75er's wishes you and yours a happy holiday season, Susan.

>307 Whisper1: >308 cindydavid4: Oh I so hate the nickname for Susan and rather like Saucy, though the doll is not my thing!

>309 PaulCranswick: Thank you!

351) Gastro Obscura



This is a report of all sorts of strange foods, most of which you would have to go far away to experience, some food history and quirky sellers of foods ordinary or unusual. It makes a good filler read - a few or many small bits snacked on as other reading permits or requires.

Meets TIOLI Challenge December TIOLI #5: Read a book that helps to finish up a personal reading challenge

I've been re-reading parts of At the Feet of the Sun just because it's so comfort read and I did go through it ever so quickly first thing this month. Fitzroy seems rather high maintenance, re-reading his sections, but Kip's self absorption and occasional obliviousness do require some remediation.

>313 Berly: Thank you, Kim!

Well, the pesto and veal were ready and devoured, and Becky added a tangy fennel salad this year. I received

The Romance of the Rose
Silk for the Vikings
Town and Country 1517-1550
for the third year in a row, no one ordered The Dwindling Party for me so I sprung for it myself.

And a set of Encanto dolls.

Happy holidays, Susan! Your Christmas dinner sounds scrumptious! Ruby also got Encanto dolls for Christmas: Mirabel and Isabella, and a huge dollhouse with furniture for them to live in.

>315 Storeetllr: Thanks Mary! I was eyeing the Encanto doll houses, but I think Mike and Becky are tired of my real estate cluttering the living room. One of the reasons I wanted this set is for Louisa, my favorite of the family. Counting the butterfly on Mirabelle's dress Becky and I figured that there were enough animals for Golden Compass style dæmons for the dolls.....

This morning it was an early wake up for a 10AM showing of the new Avatar, astounding visuals, total plot lace. Breakfast was left over breaded veal and lunch was pumpkin pie. Then there was reading with Nutmeg on my lap while Becky worked on this year's Lego set - Starry Night.
Life is full of things to enjoy even if Becky and I had to hold in our movie snarks in the morning.

>317 quondame: Then there was reading with Nutmeg on my lap while Becky worked on this year's Lego set - Starry Night

David made that for me, I just love it! Hes wanting to see Avatar next week but I dunno, havent heard good things

352) Interlibrary Loan



As much as I love Gene Wolfe's writing I would only recommend this to those who really liked A Borrowed Man so that they can spend more time with Ern A. Smithe. The ending is acutely abrupt and several of the scenes leading up to it are sketchy enough that it absolutely feels unfinished. While dropping the narrative mid-scene may be something Wolfe could have intended, leaving the situations of the last few scenes so partial seems less so.

Meets TIOLI Challenge December TIOLI #17: Read a book with all title words 4 or more characters long

We like Luisa too, but I couldn’t find her so got Isabella instead for Ruby. Her mom got her Mirabel. No Bruno doll? I’d get her one if I could find it. (Her birthday is in January.)

The dollhouse was used but in pristine condition. It’s taller than Ruby, who is 42” tall; she needs a little stepstool to reach the top floor.

>320 Storeetllr: I think Bruno fails the cute criteria, but yeah he would make a great addition. Becky and I are in disagreement about Isabella's coloring. I say that it's close to the animation but Becky finds it way too dark.

Hmm, not sure about Isabella's coloring as I didn't pay that much attention. I posted a pic of the dollhouse over on my thread.

>322 Storeetllr: Thanks, I'll check that out. I didn't find anything like that online.
I did find a Bruno doll and a Dolores the same fashion doll size scale as Isabelle and Mirabelle.

Help! I've fallen down a rabbit hole and I can't see out! Is there even an out?!?

In 2017, about the time I joined LT I was working on a list of women fantasy authors, specifically who were reader's favorite women fantasy authors in a specific FB group - which I neglected to record, silly me.
But that was 5 years ago and have I every read some good fantasy written by women I did not previously know of in those 5 years. It will take a while to
1) Make a list
2) Check it against previous lists

It's been grand knowing you!

Goodreads, which only knows about 2/3rds of what I've read has me at 232 books and 74,967 pages. Sacred Games was the longest.

Well, as for my list of women F&SF authors, I've come up with 105 names of authors I've read who have published in the last 5 years who do not appear on my earlier favorites list. That was a list not of may favorites, but of authors people in the FB group considered their favorites - there was a huge overlap, but also a few I tossed across the room.

353) To Each This World



This is a great human interfacing with alien story, but much longer than required, and while the characters are interesting to spend time with, the developments aren't driving the story, which is more watch the educated man reach just in time solutions - in the midst of adventures where he is not in control.

Meets TIOLI Challenge December TIOLI #10: Read a book about a culture clash

When we moved in 23 years ago we installed all new appliances, and the garbage disposal took everything we fed it until it died 6-7 years back. Since then we are on our 3rd and today was the day that Becky learned the perils of putting celery - and carrots - in it. The plumber said the carrots made very good glue for the celery strings.

All the Christmas food is now gone, the pie and the breaded veal. I would have saved the pie for breakfast tomorrow but wasn't given the option.

>327 quondame: Oh no!! Dang that carrot/celery glue. What happened to the pie? The nerve! Unless they ate it and enjoyed it....

>328 Berly: Oh, I ate the pie on the spot. Well I sent Mike down to get the whipped cream and then I ate it.

Tonight was the penultimate pig out of the year, Becky's birthday dinner at Ruth's Chris' Steak House. Yum. Becky is throwing a party tomorrow with lots of food as well. At least this year we will not be attending a 12th night party, cutting the season a bit short.

I think I'll start my dive into the 2023 75BPY threads tomorrow, but will hold on until the 1st to start my own thread.

>328 Berly: Well, it's all good if you ate it and it didn't go to waste! And at least you waited for the whipped cream.

>330 Berly: Oh yes. One has priorities!

Well, I've checked the list of women authors I've read between 2017-2022 who write F&SF and have published in the last 5 years against 1) My 2017 list of favorite women F&SF writers and 2) a list of all the women F&SF writers I've encountered, which was previously updated in 2019. So now I have this Excel list that I need to do something with.... Oh, I included rating info to sort on... that's what!

According to the LT Author ratings, the 5 top are:
Nancy Kress
Jessica Townsend
Tracy Deonn
Annette Marie
Julie Berry

My top 5 are:
Charlie Jane Anders
Victoria Goddard
Darcie Little Badger
Lila Bowen
Nicole Glover

Sometimes I think that the more an author has published and the more widely read she is the lower her rating falls, especially if there is something controversial about her writing.

>331 quondame: Wow! I recognize only one of these authors, and I read F&SF.

I'm not sure what that says about me, or about my sources of fiction and recommendations for fiction.

It's not that I don't read women authors; I've been sloppy about tabulating my reading for the past year, but I expect it to be about 40% female authors as usual. (I'd read 16 of each
as of 30 April, which is when I stopped updating my book stats post.)

Maybe "popular" and "I like it" are negatively correlated for me?

>332 ArlieS: What's going on in each of the groups of 5 is different, I think. The LT author ratings often are very much skewed by narrow readership, which if you don't like YA, girl with all the powers, isn't you.

As for my 5, that's sort of raw data - mostly just authors with books I've rated and , but I may have only read one of their books or have rated other of their works much lower. Victoria Goddard is the only one on that list that I know will stay on a more fully curated list.

Which is the one you know?

I have but a few hours to hold out. My current world will be **pfft** at midnight EST. Reincarnation on "the other side." But no need to stay up for it (as in samo-samo).

Loved Nancy Kress; havent read her lately but beggars in spain was amazing story and so prescient. Need to check out her later ones.

>335 cindydavid4: Oh, I read that before 2007 when I started recording my reads. I've only started recording my ratings much more recently - and probably only for Kindle books through Goodreads and later, 2018+ for almost everything on LT.

Even though I read Stargazy Pie last year as one in an collection of 8 free? F&SF books, I consider Victoria Goddard to be this year's discovery as I fell headlong in love with The Hands of the Emperor.

Over the past 2 weeks Becky has been steadily readying our house for today's party for her friends. I have, while occasionally put out, been constantly amused how she has planned and carried out this whole endeavor. At her age I would have started preparations the evening before and been still in full prep when the guests arrived. She is her own very special kind of amazing.

And I am not going to fit in any more reads this month/year. I have, for the present abandoned The Killing God as too dreary to exist and am comforting myself with the good companionship in At the Feet of the Sun, not that the Sun within the story is a nice god, but not entirely murderous.

Best wishes for a good time with that last book (At the Feet of the Sun).
I'll keep an eye out for your thread tomorrow (today, now, here in SK).
Mine is in progress, albeit a bit messy, Chatterbox Sandy. I didn't adopt a new nickname for my account, just for my thread header!

>338 SandyAMcPherson: Found it!

Well I lied was mistaken:

354) The Dwindling Party



Delightful macabre fun! Clever mobile bits.

Meets TIOLI Challenge December TIOLI #4: Read a book with an 4 plus letter word embedded in the title

I've officially started 2023!