Traci Gets Cozy in 2018 Part 2

My 2018 challenge is all about getting cozy. My categories are based on the names of cozy mysteries, most of which I've read and loved. I'm doing 18 categories with 8 10 books per category.

Murder She Wrote COMPLETE
Female Authors
1. Dead Witch Walking - Kim Harrison (finished 02/04)
2. Still Me - JoJo Moyes (finished 02/27)
3. A Court of Thorns and Roses - Sarah J. Maas (finished 03/10)
4. The Hate U Give - Angie Thomas (finished 03/23)
5. Illuminae - Amie Kaufman (finished 03/27)
6. Heart of Iron - Ashley Poston (finished 03/28)
7. Uprooted - Naomi Novik (finished 04/04)
8. American Princess - Leslie Carroll (finished 04/14)
9. Worth the Risk - Heather B Moore (finished 05/23)
10. I Love You, You Idiot - Cathy East Dubowski (finished 06/30)

Possibilities:
Liane Moriarty
Dorothy Cannell



Murder Sends a Postcard COMPLETE
Travel
1. Vespers Rising - Rick Riordan (finished 01/17)
2. The End of the World Running Club - Adrian J. Walker (finished 02/24)
3. The Medusa Plot - Gordon Korman (finished 03/08)
4. At Home in the World - Tsh Oxenreider (finished 04/09)
5. The Last Voyage - Dan Abnett (finished 04/13)
6. The Runaway Train - Oli Smith (finished 04/14)
7. The Little Prince - Antoine de Saint-Exupery (finished 07/21)
8. Gin and Daggers - Donald Bain (finished 09/07)
9. The Lost Hero - Rick Riordan (finished 10/12)
10. Waste of Space - Gina Diamico (finished 11/03)

A Murder in Time
Set in the Future
1. Artemis - Andy Weir (finished 01/01)
2. Altered Carbon - Richard K. Morgan (finished 02/03)
3. The Pirate Loop - Simon Gurrier (finished 03/03)
4. Leviathan Wakes - James S.A. Corey (finished 03/20)
5. The Day of the Troll - Simon Messingham (finished 04/11)
6. Lock In - John Scalzi (finished 11/02)
7. The Good Doctor - Juno Dawson (currently reading)
8.
9.
10.

Possibilities:
In Death series
New York 2140



Murder Is Binding COMPLETE
Books, Libraries, Librarians
1. The Art of the Book of Life - Jorge Gutierrez (finished 01/02)
2. Homicide in Hardcover - Kate Carlisle (finished 03/15)
3. Bookmarked for Death - Lorna Barrett (finished 03/22)
4. A Question of Murder - Donald Bain (finished 05/06)
5. Chapter and Hearse - Lorna Barrett (finished 05/17)
6. Lost in a Book - Jennifer Donnelly (finished 06/08)
7. The Man Who Loved Books Too Much - Allison Hoover Bartlett (finished 06/16)
8. The Great American Read - PBS (finished 10/30)
9. By Book or by Crook - Eva Gates (finished 10/28)
10. Booked for Trouble - Eva Gates (finished 11/17)

Turkey Day Murder COMPLETE
Set During a Holiday
1. Sugar Cookie Murder - Joanne Fluke (Valentine's Day - finished 01/21)
2. The Alienist - Caleb Carr (finished 02/22)
3. Read and Gone - Allison Brook (finished 05/03)
4. A Die Hard Christmas - Doogie Horner (finished 05/16)
5. The Battered Body - Ellery Adams (finished 05/18)
6. Christmas in Evergreen - Nancy Naigle (finished 06/15)
7. Columbus Day - Craig Alanson (finished 08/22)
8. Murder on Parade - Donald Bain (finished 09/01)
9. Plum Pudding Murder Joanne Fluke (finished 11/06)
10. Christmas Joy - Nancy Naigle (finished 11/16)



Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder COMPLETE
Food
1. A Dinner to Die for - Neil Richards (finished 02/06)
2. Fresh Meat - Alice Henderson (finished 04/06)
3. Cookie Dough or Die - Virginia Lowell (finished 04/20)
4. Cherry Cheesecake Murder - Joanne Fluke (finished 05/02)
5. The Secret Life of Bees - Sue Monk Kidd (finished 05/18)
6. Death Below Stairs - Jennifer Ashley (finished 07/02)
7. Key Lime Pie Murder - Joanne Fluke (finished 08/02)
8. Carrot Cake Murder - Joanne Fluke (finished 10/11)
9. Apple Turnover Murder - Joanne Fluke (finished 11/10)
10. Cinnamon Roll Murder - Joanne Fluke (finished 11/22)

Murder of the Century - COMPLETE
Books Set in the Past
1. Revenge of the Judoon - Terrance Dicks (finished 01/22)
2. The Slitheen Excursion - Simon Gurrier (finished 02/06)
3. Death Cloud - Andrew Lane (finished 03/24)
4. The Nemonite Invasion - David Roden (finished 04/05)
5. Dread Nation - Justina Ireland (finished 04/19)
6. Sky in the Deep - Adrienne Young (finished 05/20)
7. She Be Damned - M.J. Tjia (finished 06/05)
8. Indiana Jones and the Dance of the Giants - Rob MacGregor (finished 06/23)
9. The Case of the Left Handed Lady - Nancy Springer (finished 08/23)
10. My Plain Jane - Cynthia Hand (finished 10/02)



Murder with Peacocks - COMPLETE
Animals (in the story, on the cover, etc)
1. Meddling Kids - Edgar Cantero (finished 01/07)
2. Turtles All the Way Down - John Green (finished 03/11)
3. Authority - Jeff Vandermeer (finished 03/21)
4. Artemis Fowl - Eoin Colfer (finished 04/15)
5. Meg - Steve Alten (finished 05/13)
6. Doctor Who: Terrible Lizards - Jonathan Green (finished 05/21)
7. Web in Space - David Bailey (finished 05/26)
8. The Great Zoo of China - Matthew Reilly (finished 06/02)
9. Daniel Daniels and the World's Worst Zoo - Robbie Yates (finished 06/26)
10. The Hounds of Artemis - James Goss (finished 08/24)

Murder on the QE2 COMPLETE
Water Plays a Role
1. The Book of Dust - Phillip Pullman (finished 01/09)
2. Sail - James Patterson (finished 02/05)
3. Treasure Island Robert Louis Stevenson (finished 03/13)
4. Dead Air - James Goss (finished 04/13)
5. The Little Paris Bookshop - Nina George (finished 04/15)
6. Cinnamon and Gunpowder - Eli Brown (finished 04/20)
7. The Dry - Jane Harper (finished 04/27)
8. Clue - Paul Allor (finished 04/28)
9. Becca Fair and Foul - Deirdre Baker (finished 04/29)
10. Dry - Neal Shusterman (finished 12/05)



The ABC Murders COMPLETE
Author's Name Starts with A, B, or C
1. Prisoner of the Daleks - Trevor Baxendale (finished 02/19)
2. The Walking Dead: Search and Destroy - Jay Bonansinga (finished 02/27)
3. The Belles - Dhonielle Clayton (finished 03/2)
4. The Importance of Being Ernestine - Dorothy Cannell (finished 03/06)
5. The Monsters Inside - Stephen Cole (finished 03/11)
6. Weapons of Past Destruction - Cavan Scott (finished 03/15)
7. Doctormania - Cavan Scott (finished 03/17)
8. Official Secrets - Cavan Scott (finished 03/21)
9. Havana Libre - Robert Arellano (finished 04/28)
10. The Gemini Contagion - Jason Arnopp (finished 08/29)

Murder on the House COMPLETE
House in title or on cover
1. The Girl from Rawblood - Catriona Ward (finished 01/14)
2. Little House in the Big Woods - Laura Ingalls Wilder (finished 04/03)
3. Crooked House - Agatha Christie (finished 04/22)
4. The President Is Missing - James Patterson (finished 06/14)
5. This Old Homicide - Kate Carlisle (finished 07/17)
6. Homeland - Cory Doctorow (finished 07/19)
7. Crowned and Moldering - Kate Carlisle (finished 09/02)
8. Deck the Hallways - Kate Carlisle (finished 10/22)
9. Eaves of Destruction - Kate Carlisle (finished 11/05)
10. The Christmas Letter - Kathi Daley (finished 11/25)



Murder at the Academy Awards - COMPLETED
Big Screen / Small Screen
1. The Art of Coco - Lee Unkrich (finished 01/01)
2. American Gods - Neil Gaiman (finished 01/06)
3. Torchwood: Consequences - Joseph Lidster (finished 01/01)
4. The Walking Dead: Lines We Cross - Robert Kirkman (finished 03/07)
5. Pest Control - Peter Anghelides (finished 03/18)
6. The Forever Trap - Dan Abnett (finished 03/18)
7. Torchwood: Hidden - Steven Saville (finished 04/25)
8. The Shining - Stephen (finished 05/11)
9. Everyone Says Hello - Dan Abnett (finished 05/30)
10. Touched by an Angel - Jonathan Morris (finished 06/12)

A Second Helping of Murder COMPLETE
Series Reads (after one)
1. Caliban's War - James S.A. Corey (finished 04/26)
2. Doctor Who: Sin Eaters - Cavan Scott (finished 05/06)
3. The Usual Sacrifices - Yvonne Navarro (finished 06/15)
4. The Sinner - Tess Gerritsen (finished 05/10)
5. Girls in Pants - Ann Brashares (finished 07/22)
6. Only Human - Gareth Roberts (finished 08/24)
7. New World Order - Robert Kirkman (finished 09/26)
8. Of Blood and Bone - Nora Roberts (finished 10/02)
9. Eye of the Jungle - Darren Jones (finished 11/04)
10. Carved in Flesh - Tim Waggoner (finished 11/07)



Red Velvet Cupcake Murder COMPLETE
Color in the Title or in the Author's Name
1. The Redbreast - Jo Nesbø (finished 01/25)
2. Peach Cobbler Murder - Joanne Fluke (finished 01/31)
3. Red Rising - Pierce Brown (finished 05/21)
4. Plum Spooky - Janet Evanovich (finished 03/01)
5. Black Echo - Michael Connelly (finished 08/19)
6. Private Gold - James Patterson (finished 09/04)
7. Doctor Who: The Jade Pyramid - Martin Day (finished 05/06)
8. The Girl in the Red Coat - Kate Hamer (finished 10/27)
9. Silver Wedding - Maeve Binchy (finished 10/28)
10. Cream Puff Murder - Joanne Fluke (finished 10/30)

Murder on a Girl's Night Out COMPLETE
Night
1. Nighthawk - Clive Cussler (finished 02/09)
2. The Rising Night - Scott Handcock (finished 04/06)
3. Night Watch - Terry Pratchett (finished 04/10)
4. Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris (finished 06/03)
5. Living Dead in Dallas - Charlaine Harris (finished 06/09)
6. Dark Lover - J.R. Ward (finished 05/07)
7. By the Light of the Moon - Dean Koontz (finished 07/24)
8. Blood Dreams - Kay Hooper (finished 11/09)
9. The Vampire's Mail Order Bride - Kristen Painter (finished 12/3)
10. Night Probe - Clive Cussler (finished 12/08)



Murder 101 COMPLETE
Numbers
1. Hardcore Twenty-Four - Janet Evanovich (finished 01/01)
2. The Fourth Dimension - Eric Walters (finished 03/01)
3. Year One - Nora Roberts (finished 03/19)
4. The 17th Suspect - James Patterson (finished 05/08)
5. 24 Declassified: Operation Hell Gate - Marc Cerasini (finished 07/13)
6. One for the Money - Janet Evanovich (finished 09/25)
7. 24 Declassified: Veto Power - John Whitman (finished 10/13)
8. A King's Ransom - Jude Watson (finished 10/29)
9. Grace Against the Clock - Julie Hyzy (finished 11/30)
10. Look Alive Twenty-Five - Janet Evanovich (finished 12/08)

Murder Past Due
Library Books
1. XO - Jeffrey Deaver (finished 02/15)
2. The Woman in the Window - A.J. Finn (finished 03/30)
3. The Exile - James Patterson (finished 05/18)
4. City of Ember Graphic Novel - Jeanne Duprau (finished 10/13)
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.



It's Not Always Murder COMPLETE
Everything Else
1. Mae - Gene Ha (finished 06/09)
2. Torchwood: In the Shadows - Joseph Lidster (finished 06/26)
3. Princess Academy - Shannon Hale (finished 08/22)
4. X Files: Cold Cases - Joe Harris (finished 11/10)
5. Red Velvet Cupcake Murder - Joanne Fluke (finished 11/24)
6. Devil's Food Cake Murder - Joanne Fluke (finished 11/12)
7. BlackBerry Pie Murder - Joanne Fluke (finished 11/26)
8. Gingerbread Cookie Murder - Joanne Fluke (finished 11/29)
9. Double Fudge Brownie Murder - Joanne Fluke (finished 12/05)
10. A Wrench in the Works - Kate Carlisle (finished 12/09)

January COMPLETE

RandomCAT (Book Bullet): American Gods
ColorCAT (Black): Artemis, American Gods
MysteryCAT (Nordic): The Redbreast
ScaredyKIT (Gothic): The Girl from Rawblood
SFF KIT (Tomorrow): American Gods
AlphaKIT (M): Meddling Kids
AlphaKIT (V): Vespers Rising

February (hosting ScaredyKIT) COMPLETE

RandomCAT (Uncommon Holiday): Sail
ColorCAT (Brown): Nighthawk
MysteryCAT (Female Slueth): Cherringham: A Dinner to Die For
ScaredyKIT (Survival / Disaster): Sail
SFF KIT (Urban Fantasy): Dead Witch Walking
AlphaKIT (P): Sail by James Patterson
AlphaKIT (J): Sail by James Patterson

March COMPLETE

RandomCAT (Headline): The Hate U Give
ColorCAT (Green): Turtles All the Way Down
MysteryCAT (Global): The Importance of Being Ernestine
ScaredyKIT (Weird Fiction): Authority
SFF KIT (Off World): The Pirate Loop, Leviathan Wakes
AlphaKIT (F): The Fourth Dimension
AlphaKIT (I): The Importance of Being Ernestine

April (hosting SFFF KIT) COMPLETE

RandomCAT (April): Night Watch
ColorCAT (Yellow): Uprooted
MysteryCAT (Classic): Crooked House
ScaredyKIT (Supernatural): Fresh Meat
SFF KIT (Time Travel): The Nemonite Invasion
AlphaKIT (Y): A Year in the World
AlphaKIT (U): Uprooted

May COMPLETE

RandomCAT (Spring): The Secret Life of Bees
ColorCAT (Blue): Meg
MysteryCAT (Transit): Chapter and Hearse
ScaredyKIT (Close to Home): Meg
SFF KIT (Rise Up): Red Rising
AlphaKIT (Q): A Question of Murder
AlphaKIT (K): The Shining

June COMPLETE

RandomCAT (narrator): Dead Until Dark
ColorCAT (Purple): Dead Until Dark
MysteryCAT (True Crime): The Man Who Loved Books Too Much
ScaredyKIT (Adapted to Film): Dead Until Dark
SFF KIT (Series): Dead Until Dark
AlphaKIT (G): The Great Zoo of China
AlphaKIT (R): The Great Zoo of China

July

RandomCAT (Generations): Homeland
ColorCAT (Pink):
MysteryCAT (Police Procedurals): The Sinner
ScaredyKIT (Science / Techno Thriller): Homeland
SFF KIT (Cyberpunk / Techno SFFF): Homeland
AlphaKIT (S): The Sinner
AlphaKIT (A): Girls in Pants

August

RandomCAT (Mountain): Princess Academy
ColorCAT (Grey): Princess Academy
MysteryCAT (Historical): The Case of the Left-Handed Lady
ScaredyKIT (Series): Black Echo
SFF KIT (Funny): Columbus Day
AlphaKIT (O): Only Human
AlphaKIT (D): Only Human (Doctor Who)

September

RandomCAT (birthday): My Plain Jane (Jodi Meadows)
ColorCAT (Metallic): Private Gold
MysteryCAT (Noir):
ScaredyKIT (Stephen King Family):
SFF KIT (Myths, Legends, and Fairy Tales): The Lost Hero
AlphaKIT (B): Gin and Daggers (Donald Bain)
AlphaKIT (E): One for the Money (Janet Evanovich)

October (hosting ColorCAT)

RandomCAT (Cards): A King's Ransom
ColorCAT (Orange): Of Blood and Bone
MysteryCAT (Espionage): 24 Declassified: Veto Power
ScaredyKIT (Ghost Stories): My Plain Jane
SFF KIT (Historical / Alt Historical):
AlphaKIT (N): Of Blood and Bone
AlphaKIT (L): The Lost Hero

November (hosting MysteryCAT)

RandomCAT (money): Plum Pudding Murder
ColorCAT (Red): Blood Dreams
MysteryCAT (Cozy): Eaves of Destruction
ScaredyKIT (Serial Killers): Blood Dreams
SFF KIT (Creatures): The Eye of the Jungle
AlphaKIT (T): Carved in Flesh (Tim Waggoner)
AlphaKIT (H): Blood Dreams (Kay Hooper)

December

RandomCAT (Santa):
ColorCAT (White):
MysteryCAT (Futuristic/Fantastical):
ScaredyKIT (Psychological Suspense):
SFF KIT (This Is How It Ends): Dry
AlphaKIT (C): A Wrench in the Works
AlphaKIT (W): A Wrench in the Works

Possibilities: Christmas Camp for color and alpha (C), The Perfect Stranger for scaredy, Wagon Train to the Stars for alpha (w),

Yearlong (X): XO
AlphaKIT (Z):

1. Fits at least 2 CATs: Sail
2. Famous Person in Title: American Princess: The Love Story of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry
3. Money in Title: Cookie Dough or Die
4. Originally in a Different Language: The Redbreast
5. Unread 2017 Purchase: The Girl from Rawblood
6. New to Me Author: Meddling Kids
7. Autobiography / Memoir: A Year in the World
8. Published in 2018: Still Me
9. Longtime TBR: The Importance of Being Ernestine
10. Beautiful Cover: The Belles
11. Poetry or Play:
12. LGBTQ Main Character: Torchwood: Consequences
13. Read a CAT: Dead Witch Walking
14. Rank in Title: The President Is Missing
15. Published > 100 Years Ago: Treasure Island
16. Humorous Book: Plum Spooky
17. >500 Pages: American Gods
18. X in Title: The Slitheen Excursion
19. Relative Name in Title:
20. Pacific Ocean Related: Nighthawk
21. Set During a Holiday: The Art of Coco
22. Something in the Sky in the Title: Death Cloud
23. 1001 List: The Little Prince
24. Number in the Title: Hardcore Twenty-Four
25. Involves Travel: The End of the World Running Club

Possibilities:

2. Becoming Marie Antoinette
3. Crazy Rich Asians
7. Eat, Pray, Love, Born a Crime
11.
14. Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street, Queen of Babble
15.
19. My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry, The Storekeeper's Daughter, The Godmother
22. Red Sparrow, By the Light of the Moon



1. Famous Person in Title: Columbus Day
2. >100 virginiahomeschooler: Years Old:
3. Originally in Different Language: The Little Paris Bookshop
4. New Author: Altered Carbon
5. Relative Name:
6. Money: One for the Money
7. Published 2018: Heart of Iron
8. X in Title: XO
9. >500 Pages: Leviathan Wakes
10. Set During Holiday: Sugar Cookie Murder
11. LGBTQ Main Character
12. 1001 List:
13. Read a CAT: Artemis
14. Number in Title: Year One
15. Humorous: Night Watch
16. Unread 2017: Turtles All the Way Down
17. Something in the Sky in Title: The Secret Life of Bees
18. Pacific Ocean: Meg
19. Fits 2 CATs/KITs: Uprooted
20. Beautiful Cover: Lost in a Book
21. Autobiography / Memoir:
22. Poetry / Play:
23. Longtime TBR: Vespers Rising
24. Travel: At Home in the World
25. Rank in Title: Princess Academy

Title: Treasure Island
Author: Robert Louis Stevenson
Format: audiobook
Own or Loan: Borrowed from Oberdrive
Number of Books Read: 38
Number of MY Books Read: 20
Bingo Space: 1001 book
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★½
Narration Rating:★★★★★

When Jim Hawkins finds an old pirate map showing a small island marked with a red cross, he knows that a fortune in gold lies waiting for him. What could be more exciting than buried treasure?
Aboard a ship named the Hispaniola, Jim sails toward Treasure Island. The voyage goes well until Jim overhears a frightening conversation. He learns that the one-legged man who signed on as ship's cook is really the famous pirate Long John Silver. And worse - he discovers that the crew are teaming up with Silver to steal the treasure. Can Jim save the gold...and save his life?

I'm not sure how I made it to 43 without having read this story, but I somehow did. Overall, it was a good story. Not my favorite thing, but enjoyable enough. I had wanted to listen to the Big Finish version that had Tom Baker and Nicholas Farrell narrating, but Hoopla only had Part 1 (of 2) for some reason. As it turned out, the version I listened to, narrated by Jasper Britton, was superb. Britton made an excellent Long John Silver (he was a pretty good parrot as well). So, in the end, I'm glad I listened to it, and I'd recommend Britton as a narrator for sure.

>13 virginiahomeschooler: Ooh, a version with Tom Baker narrating would be awesome! I am glad that Jasper Britton proved to be a good narrator too :)

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread - I am envious of how organized you are!

Happy new thread! You've found so many books for the Bingo already, that's amazing.

Happy new thread!

>13 virginiahomeschooler:
I've only ever seen movie or TV versions myself, so it's absolutely on the to-read list.

>14 rabbitprincess: I was really disappointed that part 2 wasn't available. It looked great. Everything I've listened to that Big Finish has done has been great.

>15 DeltaQueen50: thank you!

>16 MissWatson: I love doing the bingo because it always helps with my decision-making. If I'm wavering between 2 or 3 books, I always check to see if one is a bingo topic and read that one.

>17 thornton37814: thanks!

>18 -Eva-: If you can find the Big Finish one with Tom Baker, I'd recommend that one most. I listened to part of it before I realized it wasn't the whole book, and it was terrific. The Jasper Britton one is a great second choice though.

Happy new thread!

Your Bingo cards are really impressive! I've been trying to space mine out over the year but might take a leaf from your book and do two.

>20 VivienneR: the only problem I have with doing 2 is that the ones that would have been hard to do once (like poetry / plays) are going to be doubly challenging. But fun. :)

Happy new thread! Sorry you didn't like Treasure Island more, but at least the narrator was very good. I listened to that one a few years ago, but I checked, and the narrator was different - Neil Hunt, who also did a very good job.

Title: Homicide in Hardcover
Author: Kate Carlisle
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 39
Number of MY Books Read: 21
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★½


The streets of San Francisco would be lined with hardcovers if rare book expert Brooklyn Wainwright had her way. And her mentor wouldn?t be lying in a pool of his own blood on the eve of a celebration for his latest book restoration.

With his final breath he leaves Brooklyn a cryptic message, and gives her a priceless?and supposedly cursed?copy of Goethe?s Faust for safekeeping.

Brooklyn suddenly finds herself accused of murder and theft, thanks to the humorless?but attractive?British security officer who finds her kneeling over the body. Now she has to read the clues left behind by her mentor if she is going to restore justice?

This is the first book in the Bibliophile Mysteries, and it was a decent start to a series. I wasn't crazy about the characters - a little too amazing and gorgeous for me, but I like the idea of a cozy that revolves around book restoration. There were lots of interesting little tidbits about repairing rare books, which was neat. The mystery itself was ok, nothing earth-shattering. I have the second book, so I'll probably read that one at some point. But it's not one I'd go out of my way to get.

>22 Crazymamie: There seem to be tons of different versions. My library had 5 different audio versions on Overdrive. Hoopla had tons of them.

Title: Doctormania
Author: Cavan Scott
Format: eBook
Own or Loan: Borrowed from Hoopla
Number of Books Read: 40
Number of MY Books Read: 21
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★½

The Ninth Doctor, Rose, and Captain Jack continue their trip through the Universe. Someone is impersonating the Doctor-- and has made him into a galactic celebrity! But something far more sinister is going on, as the trio are plunged into yet another shapeshifting civil war... The Slitheen are back! And just as they think their trip can't get any worse, living gargoyles invade San Francisco and residents begin to fly.

This is another fun trip with the Doctor, Rose, and Jack. I didn't like it quite as much as Weapons of Past Destruction, but it was still enjoyable.

Title: Pest Control
Author: Peter Anghelides
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Audible
Number of Books Read: 41
Number of MY Books Read: 21
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★½
Narration Rating:★★★★★



Title: The Forever Trap
Author: Dan Abnett
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Audible
Number of Books Read: 42
Number of MY Books Read: 21
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★
Narration Rating:★★★★★

These are the first two audio dramas in the Tenth Doctor Adventures series by BBC. I wasn't crazy about the plot of Pest Control, the story of a war between humans and centaurs in which the humans start turning into cockroach like bugs (complete with squishy clicky sound effects), but David Tennant's narration was terrific. Of course, I'd listen to him read a tax code textbook, so I may not be the best judge of that.

Catherine Tate narrated The Forever Trap, and she did an excellent job as well. I preferred the story for this one. The Doctor and Donna become imprisoned on the Edifice, a luxury apartment complex, after Donna is tricked into signing the contract. There they encounter their neighbors, some pleasant and some decidedly not so pleasant. It's a lot of fun. Plus there are no clicky squishy cockroach noises, so that's a bonus. I enjoyed them both, but The Forever Trap a bit more.

Currently Reading:

Title: Year One
Author: Nora Roberts
Format: eBook
Own or Loan: Borrowed from Overdrive
Number of Books Read: 43
Number of MY Books Read: 21
Bingo Space: Number in the title
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★

It began on New Year’s Eve.

The sickness came on suddenly, and spread quickly. The fear spread even faster. Within weeks, everything people counted on began to fail them. The electrical grid sputtered; law and government collapsed―and more than half of the world’s population was decimated.

Where there had been order, there was now chaos. And as the power of science and technology receded, magick rose up in its place. Some of it is good, like the witchcraft worked by Lana Bingham, practicing in the loft apartment she shares with her lover, Max. Some of it is unimaginably evil, and it can lurk anywhere, around a corner, in fetid tunnels beneath the river―or in the ones you know and love the most.

As word spreads that neither the immune nor the gifted are safe from the authorities who patrol the ravaged streets, and with nothing left to count on but each other, Lana and Max make their way out of a wrecked New York City. At the same time, other travelers are heading west too, into a new frontier. Chuck, a tech genius trying to hack his way through a world gone offline. Arlys, a journalist who has lost her audience but uses pen and paper to record the truth. Fred, her young colleague, possessed of burgeoning abilities and an optimism that seems out of place in this bleak landscape. And Rachel and Jonah, a resourceful doctor and a paramedic who fend off despair with their determination to keep a young mother and three infants in their care alive.

In a world of survivors where every stranger encountered could be either a savage or a savior, none of them knows exactly where they are heading, or why. But a purpose awaits them that will shape their lives and the lives of all those who remain.

The end has come. The beginning comes next.

If I hadn't read The Stand (several times), I probably would have given this book 4 stars. It's a good story, decent writing, with characters that annoyingly act and speak just like every other Nora Roberts character...I could get around the character bit. But what I couldn't escape feeling, increasingly as the book went on, was that I had read this all before. Yeah, there are some subtle differences, but, and I hate to accuse anyone of anything here, there is no way that Nora Roberts hasn't read The Stand. From the flu-like epidemic that wipes out half the world's population, to the travelling bands of survivors (The good side and the bad side, of course), to the group of leaders that step up to run the good guy town, to supernatural dreams complete with menacing crows, there's even a sinister field of corn episode. So, the similarities are inescapable, and what's worse is it's not as good. Not nearly so. Roberts is talented. I will give her that. Her books all sort of seem to run together to me, but she's got her formula down pat and she has a decent way with a story. But she isn't Stephen King, and this book slaps you in the face with that. I think fans of Nora who've never read The Stand but who are open to supernatural stuff will really enjoy this. For me it was a disappointment (it didn't help that I've been waiting on the hold for this since November).

Is it bad that I automatically read the title of Pest Control in a Dalek voice? "THIS IS NOT WAR! THIS IS PEST CONTROL!"

I've started listening to Classic Doctors, New Monsters: Volume One, and the Weeping Angel story is terrifying. Excellent, but don't read it after dark.

>28 rabbitprincess: Ooh, that sounds like a good one. I've sort of been putting off the classic Doctor stories because I haven't seen many of their episodes. I was sort of worried I'd be lost. Maybe one with familiar monsters would be a good place to start.

Title: Leviathan Wakes
Author: James S.A. Corey
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 44
Number of MY Books Read: 22
Bingo Space: More than 500 pages
Group CAT/KIT: SFF KIT (off world)
Rating: ★★★★★

When Captain Jim Holden's ice miner stumbles across a derelict, abandoned ship, he uncovers a secret that threatens to throw the entire system into war. Attacked by a stealth ship belonging to the Mars fleet, Holden must find a way to uncover the motivesbehind the attack, stop a war and find the truth behind a vast conspiracy that threatens the entire human race.

I discovered the show (The Expanse) first, but once I realized it was based on a book series, I knew I had to read them. This one, the first in the series, did not disappoint. Great characters, great story, tons of action. It was just so much fun - one of the most enjoyable books I've read in a really long time. I plan to start book two soon.



Title: Authority
Author: Jeff VanderMeer
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Borrowed from Overdrive
Number of Books Read: 45
Number of MY Books Read: 22
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: ScaredyKIT (Weird)
Rating: ★★★
Narration Rating: ★★★★

In Annihilation, Jeff VanderMeer introduced Area X—a remote and lush terrain mysteriously sequestered from civilization. This was the first volume of a projected trilogy; well in advance of publication, translation rights had already sold around the world and a major movie deal had been struck.
Just months later, Authority, the second volume, is here. For thirty years, the only human engagement with Area X has taken the form of a series of expeditions monitored by a secret agency called the Southern Reach. After the disastrous twelfth expedition chronicled in Annihilation, the Southern Reach is in disarray, and John Rodriguez, aka “Control,” is the team’s newly appointed head. From a series of interrogations, a cache of hidden notes, and hours of profoundly troubling video footage, the secrets of Area X begin to reveal themselves—and what they expose pushes Control to confront disturbing truths about both himself and the agency he’s promised to serve. And the consequences will spread much further than that.

Ok, confession. I would not have listened to this except for the ScaredyKIT challenge. I had read Annihilation 4 years ago, but I didn't really remember much. I looked up what I'd written about it at the time, and the first sentence was "This book was really weird." So many people have been talking about it lately, though, because of the film, so I thought maybe if I gave the rest of the series a shot now, I'd find something...good? About the second book. Well, it was weird. And, honestly not a whole lot happened. The audio version was narrated by Bronson Pinchot, and he did a good job, though I had to speed it up a bit because he speaks...really...slowly. Aside from pretty good narration, I mostly just felt lost. I think part of it was that I wasn't much enjoying it so I'd zone out a little and that made a story that was already confusing that much harder to follow. So I've come to the conclusion that weird fiction just isn't so much for me. I did try listening to Welcome to Night Vale first, but that just had no discernable plot, and while I have enjoyed the podcast in small doses, I couldn't do a full novel of it.

Title: Official Secrets
Author: Cavan Scott
Format: eBook
Own or Loan: Borrowed from Hoopla
Number of Books Read: 46
Number of MY Books Read: 22
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★

Team TARDIS are in hot pursuit of a monster they accidentally sent back to the 1970s (or was it the 1980s?), but there are more monsters than they ever could have imagined... and they're being controlled by an unknown source! Then the search for Jack's missing memories takes the TARDIS to 17th Century Brazil! Will Jack find what he seeks, and keep the trust of his friends?

This was the best of the graphics so far, I think. I really enjoyed the stories, especially the one set it Brazil. The artwork has improved as well. You can tell a big difference in Rose from the first one, which looked really nothing like her. Overall, I feel like the series is getting better and better. Can't wait to read volume four.

Title: Bookmarked for Death
Author: Lorna Barrett
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 47
Number of MY Books Read: 23
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★

To celebrate her bookstore's anniversary, Tricia Miles hosts a book signing for bestselling author Zoe Carter. But the event takes a terrible turn when the author is found dead in the washroom. Before long, both police and reporters are demanding the real story. So far, Carter's obnoxious assistant/niece is the only suspect. With a sheriff who provides more obstacles than answers, Tricia will have to take matters into her own hands - and read between the lines.

This is the second book in the Boomtown series, and I thought it was better than the first. I'm still not sure I care for Tricia, the main character, but I like the secondary characters, including her somewhat overbearing sister. The plot in this one was pretty good, though the mystery wasn't too difficult to work out. Overall, it was an enjoyable little cozy.



Title: The Hate U Give
Author: Angie Thomas
Format: Hardback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 48
Number of MY Books Read: 24
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: RandomCAT (Headlines)
Rating: ★★★★★

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.

Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.

But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.

I feel like this should be required reading for high schools. It is such a powerful story that is all too relevant to our world today. Even though the subject matter is rough, I found the book incredibly fast paced and readable and hard to put down. In fact, I started it last night and would have finished it in one sitting if it hadn't gotten to 1 am, and I knew that Henry would have me up at the crack of dawn. I think this may be my favorite read so far this year. It's definitely one that made a lasting impression.

Title: Death Cloud
Author: Andrew Lane
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Borrowed from Overdrive
Number of Books Read: 49
Number of MY Books Read: 24
Bingo Space: Something in the sky
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★
Narration Rating: ★★★★

In 1868, with his army officer father suddenly posted to India, and his mother mysteriously "unwell," fourteen-year-old Sherlock Holmes is sent to stay with his eccentric uncle and aunt in their vast house in Hampshire, where he uncovers his first murder and a diabolical villain.

Death Cloud was a good start to the Young Sherlock Holmes series. The plot was solid, secondary characters lots of fun, but mostly the atmosphere was what I liked most. You could almost feel the fog settling in and hear the horse's hooves striking the cobbled streets. The narration was very good as well. Overall, a great first book for a series I plan to continue.

Title: Illuminae
Author: Amie Kaufman
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Borrowed from Overdrive
Number of Books Read: 50
Number of MY Books Read: 24
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★½
Narration Rating: ★★★★½

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.

This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto one of the evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it’s clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she’d never speak to again!

This was a reread for me (well, a listen to a previously read book). I'd been told that the audio version of this was a must hear with its full cast and sound effects. And it was very good. I really enjoyed the physical book's format told in memos, interviews, schematics, etc. The audio version was just as fun, and though I wasn't crazy about Ezra's voice, I got used to him, and really enjoyed it. As for the story, it's unique and full of action and lots of fun no matter which way you experience it. There are two more books in the series that I haven't read yet (refreshing myself on the story was one of my reasons for the reread), and I'm looking forward to them. I haven't decided whether to listen to them or read them, though. I'm kind of leaning towards listening.

Currently Reading:

Title: Heart of Iron
Author: Ashley Poston
Format: Harback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 51
Number of MY Books Read: 25
Bingo Space: Published in 2018
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★½

Seventeen-year-old Ana is a scoundrel by nurture and an outlaw by nature. Found as a child drifting through space with a sentient android called D09, Ana was saved by a fearsome space captain and the grizzled crew she now calls family. But D09—one of the last remaining illegal Metals—has been glitching, and Ana will stop at nothing to find a way to fix him.

Ana’s desperate effort to save D09 leads her on a quest to steal the coordinates to a lost ship that could offer all the answers. But at the last moment, a spoiled Ironblood boy beats Ana to her prize. He has his own reasons for taking the coordinates, and he doesn’t care what he’ll sacrifice to keep them.

When everything goes wrong, she and the Ironblood end up as fugitives on the run. Now their entire kingdom is after them—and the coordinates—and not everyone wants them captured alive.

What they find in a lost corner of the universe will change all their lives—and unearth dangerous secrets. But when a darkness from Ana’s past returns, she must face an impossible choice: does she protect a kingdom that wants her dead or save the Metal boy she loves?

I wanted so badly to love this book. Based on the premise, I totally should have. Unfortunately, the execution didn't live up to the idea. The biggest issue I had was one of pacing. Poston had a great concept, the story of Anastasia set in space, and she's not a bad writer. But certain parts of the story were glossed over while other bits seemed to drag on, and it made for a frustrating reading experience. For instance, backstory. I'd have loved to have a chapter or two, or five leading up to where the book starts off. Let us get to know the crew of the Dossier and build on those relationships. At one point towards the end of the book, Ana compares the crowds of people where she is to ones in the markets back on another planet. I'd have loved a scene in those markets, describing the sights and sounds and smells. It's the sort of world-building that great books thrive on, and it could have been fabulous. Later in the book I felt like she went through chapters where everything either skipped over things that could have really been deepened or stretched out things that didn't need it. It was chaotic.

The story ended in a way that makes me assume it's the first in a series. I feel like she could have ended somewhere in the middle and added so much more meat to the story that would have made it so much more satisfying. All that said, I still liked the story. And the book is gorgeous - the purple edged pages are so pretty. But I don't think I'll be in a hurry to pick up book two, if there is one.

I wanted to give you guys a little update on how things are going with Emma. She's still struggling to get out, but she has had a couple of particularly good days (we were able to go out to lunch yesterday and today), and she's asked me to take her to the library tomorrow so she can get some information about volunteering. This would be a huge step for her. She would need me to stay while she works - however will I cope with spending time in the library ;) but she's optimistic, which goes a long way to her being able to do things. Baby steps, but steps in the right direction!

>36 virginiahomeschooler: I'm so glad to hear this! Go, Emma! :D

>36 virginiahomeschooler: This is awesome! Keeping you both in my thoughts.

Good for Emma! I hope the experience is positive for her (and you). :)

Also, I definitely agree with you about Heart of Iron. I feel like the book focused too much on things I didn't care about and not enough on the things I was interested in.

The Library will make a great outing for both you and Emma, hope all goes well. I was happy to see such a good review for Illuminae as I have it on my Kindle, but I've told myself I need to finish her other trilogy before I start on this one.

Well, the librarian in charge of volunteers is on vacation this week. So we didn't get to speak to her, but another very nice librarian (they re all pretty nice here) spoke to Emma a bit about volunteering and gave her an application. We decided to fill it out at home and take it back next week when the volunteer coordinator will be back. Em is really excited about it, and honestly seeing her excited about anything is a treat.

Christina, exactly. I kept thinking of the book it could have been. Oh well.

Judy, I hope you like Illuminae. I've heard really good things about the rest of the trilogy, too.

What Henry's Reading:

Henry's new favorite is a book we picked up at the library. He adores Pete the Cat books, especially the ones where you sing the story. He's got one that is based around the Wheels on the Bus that he loves. This new one is set to the tune of The Ants Go Marching, and it's really cute. He loves singing the "boom boom boom" parts.

Title: The Woman in the Window
Author: A.J. Finn
Format: eBook
Own or Loan: Borrowed from Overdrive
Number of Books Read: 52
Number of MY Books Read: 25
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★

Anna Fox lives alone—a recluse in her New York City home, unable to venture outside. She spends her day drinking wine (maybe too much), watching old movies, recalling happier times . . . and spying on her neighbors.

Then the Russells move into the house across the way: a father, a mother, their teenage son. The perfect family. But when Anna, gazing out her window one night, sees something she shouldn’t, her world begins to crumble—and its shocking secrets are laid bare.

What is real? What is imagined? Who is in danger? Who is in control? In this diabolically gripping thriller, no one—and nothing—is what it seems.

So, every so often I will read a book without looking at the blurb. I base the choice on the cover style and title, and often hype. This was one of those books. I did not know that it was about a woman with panic disorder and agoraphobia. Had I known, I doubt I'd have picked it up. But I'm actually glad I did. Interestingly, the first person perspective seemed to make it easier to distance myself from it. Whatever the reason, it didn't bother me as much as Turtles All the Way Down did. I had read a few reviews (which didn't have much in the way of synopsis since I didn't know the fundamentals of the story), and they all said Anna was an unlikable character. I didn't find that so. Perhaps the fact that I inhabit her particular world led me to be more sympathetic to her. She had flaws, without question, but mostly I saw a woman trying to deal with the horrible hand life had dealt her. She was very real, and it's one of the biggest strengths of the novel. While I'd figured out most of the "twists" before they were spelled out, I still really enjoyed the story and found it hard to put down. I read the whole thing in 2 sittings, most of it during Henry's nap this afternoon.

I've heard it's being turned into a film, and I think it could make an excellent one.

March Recap

Number of Books Read Total: 52
Number of Books Read in March: 26
Number of Books I Own Read Total: 25
Number of Books I Own Read in March: 13
Number of Books Acquired Total: 54
Number of Books Acquired in March: 21, sigh...
Number of Bingo Squares Filled (in 2 cards): 27
Best of March: The Hate U Give and Leviathan Wakes
Worst of March: Plum Spooky

March CATs and KITs

RandomCAT (Headline): The Hate U Give
ColorCAT (Green): Turtles All the Way Down
MysteryCAT (Global): The Importance of Being Ernestine
ScaredyKIT (Weird Fiction): Authority
SFF KIT (Off World): The Pirate Loop, Leviathan Wakes
AlphaKIT (F): The Fourth Dimension
AlphaKIT (I): The Importance of Being Ernestine

Acquired in March

1. The Last Tudor (kindle)
2. Red Sparrow
3. The Hazel Wood
4. The Lying Game
5. The Book of Speculation
6. A Court of Thorns and Roses
7. A Court of Mist of Fury
8. The Safest Lies
9. The Lonely Hearts Hotel
10. A Study in Charlotte
11. The Right Thing to Do at the Time (ER win)
12. Children of Blood and Bone
13. Leviathan Wakes
14. Caliban's War
15. Abaddon's Gate
16. Ancillary Justice
17. As Old as Time (kindle)
18. Heart of Iron (Owlcrate)
19. Gunslinger Girl
20. The Wicked Deep
21. The Shadow Land

I had a great reading month in March. Finished a good number of books, many good ones and several exceptional. I still need to get a handle on bringing books into the house faster than I am reading them. Here's to doing better on that front in April.

These are all the books I've pulled off my own shelves for next month. I've started Uprooted already, and I'm loving it so far.

So glad to hear Emma is considering being a library volunteer. It is a perfect idea! I wish you both all the best.

>42 virginiahomeschooler: I have The Woman in the Window on my Overdrive wishlist although I've seen some negative reviews. Good to hear you enjoyed it.

>45 VivienneR: I hope you like The Woman in the Window. If you like old black and white noir films at all I think you'll like it.

Title: Little House in the Big Woods
Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Borrowed from Overdrive
Number of Books Read: 53
Number of MY Books Read: 25
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★½
Narration Rating: ★★★

A year in the life of two young girls growing up on the Wisconsin frontier, as they help their mother with the daily chores, enjoy their father's stories and singing, and share special occasions when they get together with relatives or neighbors.

I think I read all of these books when I was a little girl. I know I loved the show, and I'm certain I at least read (and adored) Little House on the Prairie. But a few decades has gone by, so I'm having trouble remembering if I actually read this one. Whether I did or didn't, listening to it felt like hearing these stories for the first time. To be honest, I was a tad disappointed. It is more a collection of short stories than a novel. Which is fine if that's what you're expecting, but I was thinking it'd be more a cohesive single story. It works well enough for what it is, but it just didn't have the magic I remembered from my youth. The stories are sweet and simple, and the setting is very charming. But I think listening to it on audio may have been a mistake. The narrator was not terrible, but that's about the best compliment I can give. She certainly didn't add to the enjoyment of the story, and I ended up speeding it up towards to the end just to be rid of her. I plan to continue on with the series, but I think I'll read the physical books for the rest. I own the set, but somehow was missing this one, which is how I ended up borrowing the audiobook. I've got a lot planned for April, so it'll probably be a month or so before I move on to Farmer Boy.

Title: Uprooted
Author: Naomi Novik
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 54
Number of MY Books Read: 26
Bingo Space: Fits 2 CATs/KITs
Group CAT/KIT: ColorCAT (yellow) and AlphaKIT (U)
Rating: ★★★★½

Seventeen-year-old Agnieszka is unexpectedly chosen by The Dragon, her valley's resident wizard, to be his companion in a ritual enacted every 10 years. As she finds herself thrust into a world of magic, she's shocked to learn that she is herself a powerful witch. Prince Marek enlists the help of The Dragon and Agnieszka to help rescue his mother the Queen, who has been ensnared in the evil Wood for decades. But even if they manage to rescue the Queen, will she emerge uncorrupted by the evil spirits who imprisoned her or will her freedom endanger the existence of the kingdom itself?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Great and unusual plot with interesting and well-written characters and a charming setting came together to form a terrific story. I adored Agnieszka, even when she was a bit frustrating in her decisions. She reminded me of Sir Terry Pratchett's Tiffany Aching, which is high praise as Tiffany is one of my favorite literary characters. I also really liked Sarkan, but I think much of that has to do with seeing David Tennant in that character, as he really had few redeeming qualities, so shouldn't have been that likeable. I'd have rated this one 5 stars had it not bogged just a tad in the middle. A superb beginning and ending more than made up for a slow 50 or so pages, though. I highly recommend this one, and I plan on seeking out more of Novik's work.

Currently Reading:


Currently Listening To:

>48 virginiahomeschooler: Hooray, so glad you loved this one! And you've convinced me that I need to read the Tiffany Aching books sooner rather than later!

>49 christina_reads: Oh you will love her! The Wee Free Men is one of my most favorite books. In fact, I think it's due for a reread. If you do end up reading her books, I'd love to know what you think. I just know you'll love them. :)

So, I think I may just have to give up on my goal of reading more off my shelves than I add to them. I'd been doing ok this month. The first 5 days I was so good. Then today was the FotL book sale. Sigh. They do it monthly, and it's not even a particularly good one, but I bought 17 books. Two for Henry, and Emma (who went with me, yay!) picked one (she got all the restraint in the family). So I technically only added 14 to my shelves. Only 14... which brings me to 68 for the year. On April 6th. Oh well. At least I have books to console myself about my lack of self control.

Today's haul:

>50 virginiahomeschooler: I love the idea of us consoling ourselves regarding lack of control with the very books we've lost control over :) I'm sure I would have done no better! I'll be curious to hear how you feel about the 24 books since I think we've had similar tastes on a number of things. I've had the first few sitting around and waiting to be read for ages...

>51 whitewavedarling: The 24 books had been at the sale the past few times I'd gone, so I decided to give them a try. At 50 cents each, I figured it's no big loss if they're awful, and I can always donate them back. I tend to like that sort of thing, so I don't expect awful. :)

Title: The Nemonite Invasion
Author: David Roben
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Audible
Number of Books Read: 55
Number of MY Books Read: 26
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: SFFKIT
Rating: ★★★★
Narration Rating: ★★★★½

The Doctor and Donna take on a race of dangerous bloodsucking aliens. When the sky rips open somewhere over Dover, two objects hurtle out of the Vortex and crash-land in the sea. One is the TARDIS, out of control and freefalling -- but the other, a mysterious crystalline sphere, is far more sinister. The Doctor and Donna are rescued and taken to a secret command centre in the Dover cliffs. It's May 1940, and Vice-Admiral Ramsey is about to finalise one of the most daring plans of the Second World War: Operation Dynamo. But something else has got inside the War Tunnels, a parasitic Nemonite from the crashed sphere. Its aim is to possess all humans and spawn millions of young. The Doctor and Donna must fight for their lives in order to save both Operation Dynamo and the world at large.

Catherine Tate did an excellent job narrating this one. The story was pretty good, though I wasn't wild about the "buggy" aspects. This is the 3rd of 7 tales in this particular box set, and I think it's my favorite so far, even with the more squeamish bits.

>50 virginiahomeschooler: I'm very excited about this recommendation now! Should I jump right into them, or wait for them to come up in the Discworld reading order? (I've only just begun to dip my toes into Discworld.)

>54 christina_reads: The Wee Free Men was the first Discworld book I ever read. I've only read a couple that aren't Tiffany Aching, actually. I imagine there are things you pick up if you read them all in order that I missed by reading them out of order, but I didn't feel like I was missing anything. But someone who's read them all might say differently.

Title: Fresh Meat
Author: Alice Henderson
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 56
Number of MY Books Read: 27
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: ScaredyKIT (Supernatural)
Rating: ★★★★½

A rash of strange deaths in the Tahoe National Forest bring Sam, Dean and Bobby to the Sierra Nevada mountains to hunt a monster with a taste for human flesh. Soon walking corpses, bodies with missing organs, and attacks by a mysterious flying creature lead the trio to a cunning and deadly foe which can assume a human form and will do anything to survive. When a blizzard strikes the area, and not knowing who they can trust, they must battle not only the monster, but also the elements to survive.

This is hands down the best Supernatural tie-in I've read so far. It's obvious Henderson knows the show dynamics and the characters as they all rang really true. She also knew her stuff when it came to the "monsters" they were hunting. There was a lot of intricate detail given, but in a way that stayed interesting and exciting and didn't feel like a mythology textbook chapter (like in a couple of the tie-in novels). The fact that this all took place during a blizzard just added a whole other element of suspense and fun. And top it all off with Bobby being involved, and it makes for a fantastically fun addition to the Supernatural story. Loved this one. I wish Henderson had written more of these.

Currently Reading (Kindle):



Currently Reading (Hardback):

Title: The Rising Night
Author: Scott Handcock
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Audible
Number of Books Read: 57
Number of MY Books Read: 27
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★½
Narration Rating: ★★★★★

The TARDIS arrives in an 18th Century village in the Yorkshire Moors, where livestock has been vanishing from the farmland and strange lights have been seen in the skies. Something is very wrong here, and he soon becomes involved in a nightmarish adventure, in which he is helped by a young local woman named Charity. Who is feeding on the blood of the locals, and where will the carnage stop?

This one started out better than it ended up, but it was still a fun one overall. Michelle Ryan, who played Christina in the "Planet of the Dead" episode, did a superb job narrating the story.



Title: At Home in the World
Author: Tsh Oxenreider
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Borrowed from Overdrive
Number of Books Read: 58
Number of MY Books Read: 27
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★
Narration Rating: ★★★

In her late thirties and as a mom to three kids under age ten, Tsh Oxenreider and her husband decided to spend a rather ordinary nine months in an extraordinary way: traveling the corners of the earth to see, together, the places they’ve always wanted to explore. This book chronicles their global journey from China to Thailand to Australia, Sri Lanka, Uganda, France, Croatia, and beyond, as they fill their days with train schedules, world-schooling the kids, and working from anywhere.

This book is the sort that reminds me what I love about travel memoirs. While a year-long trek around the world with 3 littles doesn't exactly sound like my ideal, Oxenreider and her husband make it work and her telling of their journey almost makes me think it'd be worth the effort. Theirs was the trip of a lifetime, and not something I think most people could afford. First of all, most people can't take a year off from their lives to spend galavanting the globe. And, though she often talks of budgets and cheap food, it's obvious this wouldn't be something the average family could accomplish. But that's actually why a book like this works. It allows the rest of us a chance to tag along for a bit.

The thing that impressed me most about the Oxenreiders is that they seem to be adventurous and simultaneously conscientious travelers. They have their own beliefs (she discusses this quite a bit, but it never feels preachy), but they are never disrespectful or disdainful of any of the cultures they encounter.

My only complaint, and it's a small one, was in Oxenreider's narration. It wasn't terrible, just not great. I can understand, though, why she would be chosen to read her story. It was just a minor hangup I had, and it didn't detract much from the enjoyment. If you like armchair traveling, give this one a try.

Good for Emma! Of course, such an activity quite often leads to one becoming a librarian. Just saying!

>58 mysterymax: I'd be thrilled if she went that route. :)

Title: Night Watch
Author: Terry Pratchett
Format: Hardback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 59
Number of MY Books Read: 28
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: RandomCAT (April) and SFFKIT (time travel)
Rating: ★★★★

One moment City Watch Commander Sam Vimes is fighting a ruthless murderer. The next, he's thrown back 30 years in time when the Discworld city of Ankh-Morpork is on the brink of revolt.

I've been reading these a bit out of order, and I was a little worried that I hadn't read any of the City Watch Discworld, of which this is one of the later ones. But it turned out not to matter (at least not much). I quickly figured out who was who and what was what. And it ended up being a bunch of fun. The story was told in sort of a backwards way since Vimes was sent back in time and was reliving something he'd already lived through once before. I did get a little confused at times with just which Sam Vimes (young or old) was speaking, but it was a very clever plot, and I loved the characters. Death is particularly charming.



I can't imagine anything much sadder than the end of cake.

>60 virginiahomeschooler: that's the one discworld book that always reduces me to tears. And not just because the cake is over.

NW was one of the clues for the Easter Egg Hunt. I needed help for that clue since I didn't have one (a clue, I mean).

>61 Helenliz: I expected these books to be funny, but it surprises me how sweet and even philosophical it was at times. I think I'd like to reread it after I've read the others in the City Watch part of the series.

>62 mamzel: I had that one before I even started trying because I'd gone on the book's page for something else. I'm sure I'd have needed help had I not stumbled on it accidentally.

I'm quite late to the party, but I'm glad to hear that Emma is making some new plans for the future.
Some good reviews on here! And I must admit that Death is my favorite Terry Pratchett character.

>64 cmbohn: we're still waiting to hear back from the volunteer coordinator. Which is frustrating because Emma gets easily discouraged. On her paperwork it had asked about medical conditions that could affect your work, and she had written a bit about her issues. Now she's worried that they don't want her because of it. I've tried to tell her that the woman is probably just really busy, but she's not convinced.

You know, I've never ever read any Pratchett, but I have a number of friends who are in a similar position and have been asking for recommendations, and I've heard so many that I really want to start too. But Mt TBR is too huge at the moment! When it's calmed down a bit (hahaha) maybe I'll get to it - along with all the others I say I'll get to when Mt TBR is a bit lower (sigh).

End of Cake sounds like a terrible way to go. Unless it was Death by Chocolate, of course.

Title: The Day of the Troll
Author: Simon Messingham
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Audible
Number of Books Read: 60
Number of MY Books Read: 28
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★
Narration Rating: ★★★★★

When the Doctor arrives in England, 2073, he's in for a nasty shock. Instead of the greatest party ever held in the Solar System (according to the guide), he finds a time of famine and world starvation. England is a barren wasteland, and scientists are desperately seeding the ground to make the crops grow again. But even worse than that, something is coming out of the ground to steal away the people.

Another great story with David Tennant's brilliant narration.



Title: The Last Voyage
Author: Dan Abnett
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Audible
Number of Books Read: 61
Number of MY Books Read: 28
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★½
Narration Rating: ★★★★★

The TARDIS materializes on board the maiden voyage of a pioneering space cruiser, travelling from Earth to the planet Eternity. The Doctor has just started exploring the vehicle when there is a loud bang, a massive jolt and a flash of light. Soon he discovers that nearly all the passengers and crew have disappeared. Unless The Doctor and flight attendant Sugar MacAuley can take control and steer the ship, they could crash-land -- or stay in space forever!

I really enjoyed this one. I think it's a toss up between this one and Dead Air for which was my favorite of the set.



Title: Dead Air
Author: James Goss
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Audible
Number of Books Read: 62
Number of MY Books Read: 28
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★½
Narration Rating: ★★★★★

At the bottom of the sea, in the wreck of a floating radio station, a lost recording has been discovered. After careful restoration, it is played for the first timeto reveal something incredible. It is the voice of the Doctor, broadcasting from Radio Bravo in 1966. He has traveled to Earth in search of the Husha terrible weapon that kills, silences, and devours anything that makes noiseand has tracked it to a boat crewed by a team of pirate DJs. With the help of feisty Liverpudlian Layla and some groovy pop music, he must trap the Hush and destroy itbefore it can escape and destroy the world.

The Last story in the set was a bit shorter than the other 6, but it was no less entertaining. Tennant again is amazing in his narration. I kept forgetting that he was doing the other voices along with his own. This story reminded me some of The Silence in the Library episode. I loved all of the stories in this set, and I am kind of sad to be done with them. I definitely wish there were more. I still have Eleven's to work through, so at least there's that.



Title: American Princess: The Love Story of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry
Author: Leslie Carroll
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: ER win
Number of Books Read: 63
Number of MY Books Read: 29
Bingo Space: Famous Person in Title
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★

When Prince Harry of Wales took his American girlfriend, Meghan Markle, to have tea with his grandmother the queen, avid royal watchers had a hunch that a royal wedding was not far off. That prediction came true on November 27, 2017, when the gorgeous, glamorous twosome announced their engagement to the world. As they prepare to tie the knot in a stunning ceremony on May 19, 2018, that will be unprecedented in royal history, people are clamoring to know more about the beautiful American who captured Prince Harry’s heart.

Born and raised in Los Angeles to a white father of German, English, and Irish descent and an African American mother whose ancestors had been enslaved on a Georgia plantation, Meghan has proudly embraced her biracial heritage. In addition to being a star of the popular television series Suits, she is devoted to her humanitarian work—a passion she shares with Harry. Though Meghan was married once before, Prince Harry is a modern royal, and the Windsors have welcomed her into the tight-knit clan they call “The Firm.” Even a generation ago, it would have been unthinkable, as well as impermissible, for any member of Great Britain’s royal family to consider marrying someone like Meghan. Professional actresses were considered scandalous and barely respectable. And the last time an American divorcee married into the Royal Family, it provoked a constitutional crisis!

In American Princess, Leslie Carroll provides context to Harry and Meghan’s romance by leading readers through centuries of Britain’s rule-breaking royal marriages, as well as the love matches that were never permitted to make it to the altar; followed by a never-before-seen glimpse into the little-known life of the woman bringing the Royal Family into the 21st century; and her dazzling, thoroughly modern romance with Prince Harry.

Sigh. Where to begin with this one? First, I won this from the Early Reviewer program last month. I was really excited about it, too, because I find the royal idea fascinating, and specifically this generation of royals an interesting bunch. Let's start with the good. Well, the cover is pretty. And I didn't notice any typos or grammatical errors. The weight of the book is nice, too....the perfect size for my hands. And what little info was given about Harry and Meghan as a couple was interesting, though not something I couldn't have found with a quick Google search.

So the bad. Oh it's bad. I must first say that maybe I am mistaken in my opinion of what a book such as this should be and what it should not be. I do think it should be factual...it's a memoirish thing, right? We should be getting a glimpse of their lives. What we shouldn't (again in my maybe misguided opinion) be getting the author's moral judgments about the people this book isn't even about. This book weighs in at 226 pages. The first nearly 100 was spent as mostly a glowing homage to Princess Diana and a rant against Prince Charles. Now, I'll admit, Charles does seem rather insufferable, but Carroll all but calls him a complete bastard while stating of her marital indiscretions "Diana was just desperate to be loved." Perhaps. But unless you live inside someone else's head, how can you make such statements with the confidence of fact, and it is inapporpriate to offer such moral commentary in a book about neither of these people.

I think the biggest issue this book had, and this isn't really the fault of the author, is that there just isn't enough story yet to be writing this book. Their story didn't really even begin until 100 pages in, and then the 100 pages that were about them were repetitive and padded unnecessarily, the author using 12 words when 5 would have been sufficient. I feel bad about this review. Because I was given the book, and I always feel like I'm meant to be making people want to read it. And I can't do that with this one.

TL/DR: SKIP THIS ONE.

I've really liked James Goss's work in the Doctor Who series, particularly in the Big Finish sets. His stories have been my favourites in the last two sets I listened to.

>68 rabbitprincess: I've read a couple of his Torchwood novels, and I really liked them. He seems to have a good feel for the characters.

>60 virginiahomeschooler:
I love Death! (The character, that is...)

>70 -Eva-: I agree! I also agree that it is a very odd sentence to use. >:-)

>67 virginiahomeschooler: of deary deary me, that sounds like a right stinker. The UK can only apologise for having a royal family, which allows for this type of tosh to be written. We apologise again.

>67 virginiahomeschooler: >71 Helenliz: Oh I agree, as if our government isn't awful enough we're also known throughout the world for the complete and utter anachronism that is the royal family, we should have got rid of the lot of them centuries ago. I'm sure that many of them are individually nice people, but as an institution I really wish it wasn't there.

>70 -Eva-: Haha! I'd say I love him but would prefer not to meet him for a very long time.

>71 Helenliz: & >72 Jackie_K: I think the idea of royalty is extremely fascinating. I enjoy reading (good books) about them. I admit I don't really understand how it all works with Parliament and the Prime Minister and the Queen. It seems an odd custom being born into power. I imagine (for the royals) it's both a wonderful and horrible thing all at the same time. I feel like the lesser royals (is that the right term?) have it better. They get the perks without as much of the responsibility and scrutiny. I will say that, against all odds, William and Harry seem to have grown into very nice men. (Oh, and as an American, I can say we have no room to complain about anyone else's heads of state...)

>73 virginiahomeschooler: oh well that's certainly true! (re heads of state, and the quality thereof!) But even though whenever you talk about getting rid of the royals, someone will always say "But think of the alternative, do you want President Blair/May/Johnson/Farage/whoever?", I honestly think that pointing to one particular rubbish politician as proof that we should keep the royals is a really weird argument. Even though I think (say) a President Farage would be a disaster of epic proportions (as in, at least on a par with Trump), at least a % of the population would have voted for him, unlike the royals who were born into their privilege (and even with the royals still being there and Farage not being a politician of any significance, he still manages to make himself heard disproportionately in any case, as do the others). I am a bit tired of being assumed to be a 'bad Brit' because I am not pro-monarchy. I can't get my head round the people who will be camping outside Windsor Castle for weeks before the wedding, and don't think they're more British (or better British) than me.

Sorry, that came out as much more ranty than I intended it to! Apologies for the thread hijacking!

>74 Jackie_K: It seems like an argument of "we should keep doing it this way because we've always done it this way." Which I feel is a horrible argument.

As far as being born into power, I'm afraid that's something that isn't going away even if the concept of royalty went away. People who are born into money certainly have a huge advantage and more power over people born into poverty. Our current White House inhabitant would never have gotten where he is today had his parents been a janitor and a high school guidance counselor (not saying it's impossible for someone with that background to make it that far, but it wouldn't have been this guy and it would be infinitely more difficult). And just look at his rich friends. They can get things done because they can "buy" time with him. (This has been going on long before Trump, of course). Money is power. And most people with money were born into it in at least some way. It's the lottery of birth, I suppose.

>74 Jackie_K: and don't apologize. It's interesting to me to hear the perspective of someone who lives within that system. :)

>75 virginiahomeschooler: That's very true re being born into money/power. It's a sucky world sometimes, isn't it?

I wouldn't claim to be representative of all in the British system, not by a long shot - but hopefully it helps to know when you see the footage of the crowds at royal occasions, waving flags and cheering and all the rest of it, that not all of us feel the same.

Anyway, I'm sorry the book sucked! :D (to try and get back to the purpose of the thread, lol)

(rant) I'm not an ardent republican, I would support a meritocracy - and we seem to be shifting further and further from that. However, if given the choice of who to represent us overseas, the Queen or a politician (any or all of them really) I know who I would prefer. However, I have a lot less confidence in Charles in that role. A system that relies on the personality of the individual in charge isn't really a system, it's a cult.
I don't do flag waving either, but neither can I get wholeheartedly behind a presidential system when you see the people who rise to the top (and who is is, therefore, advisable to call the cream). I have little faith in the career politicians of today. I'd change the rules such that you couldn't be an MP until, oh, about 45. At least then you'd have to have had some real life experience before turning to politics. Not being some fresh faced party liner straight from an Oxbridge PPE who has no experience of the real world. (/rant over)
Wishing you a better book in the future.

>78 Helenliz: I know a lot of people who want to make the world a better place, but I don't know anyone who'd knowingly choose to be President. I think most, with maybe one or two exceptions, of the people who've seriously aspired to that have done so largely for selfish reasons. Because what sane reasonable person would really want that responsibity and pressure and would feel confident they could do it well? So we end up with narcissists and power-hungry career politicians with no real altruism. I don't know that there's a good solution. I don't think any system is without flaws. And even leaders who seem to be largely loved aren't going to be what everyone needs.

>78 Helenliz: That sounds like a sensible system, Helen - whilst occasional outstanding young politicians like Mairi Black emerge (and Ross Greer in the Scottish Parliament currently, the youngest ever MSP), I think our experience in Scotland after the 2015 election with the SNP almost-landslide here was that a number of the young candidates had been put in to gain experience in seats they weren't expected to win, and were a bit out of their depth when they did. And as you say, that's before you even get to the career politicians like the Bullingdon Club brigade. I think at the very least candidates should have at least one term as a local councillor under their belt.

And >79 virginiahomeschooler: sadly I think that's true too. Although (as a non-American) I would have infinitely preferred Hillary Clinton in the White House, I was looking at the news of the strikes on Syria this weekend and thinking that if she was in the White House they would already have happened a long time ago (with who knows what impact?). Whilst I think that she would have been sincere in her belief that she was doing the right thing by the Syrian people (as opposed to wanting to salvage some reputation and divert headlines now that another book dishing the dirt is coming out), the end result would have been just as awful.

>80 Jackie_K: oh I definitely agree. I cried on election night. I'd cried the night of the 2008 elections, too, but for very different reasons.

Title: Doctor Who: The Runaway Train
Author: Oli Smith
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Audible
Number of Books Read: 64
Number of MY Books Read: 29
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★
Narration Rating: ★★★

Arriving on Earth in the midst of the American Civil War, the Doctor and Amy must get a posse together to help them retrieve an alien artifact that has fallen into the clutches of the Confederate Army.

The terraforming device belongs to the Cei, a race of invaders who plan to use it to turn the planet into a new home world. But neither the Army nor the aliens are keen to let the Doctor and his gang interfere with their plans, and they give chase across the Wild West. The only hope of escape for the Doctor and friends is to catch the 3.25 to Arizona and race along the newly built transcontinental railroad.

Well, they can't all be winners. I don't know what was wrong. Maybe I just wasn't paying enough attention. Maybe it was Matt Smith's horrendous Amy Pond voice. Whatever it was, I just could not get into this one. And then before I even knew what was really going on in the story, it was over. I still don't really know. Were they on a train? Couldn't even tell you. Well, it's in my audible library, so I can go back and listen to it again and maybe get more out of it in the future.

To celebrate World Book Day, the following books are all available on Amazon free for kindle through April 24th:







Just FYI. ☺

>82 virginiahomeschooler: That sounds...bizarre, even for a Doctor Who novel.

Thanks for that. I got a couple and added on the Audible version. I plan on doing a lot of walking this summer!

>84 rabbitprincess: Matt's accents were really distracting. Everyone that wasn't him or Amy sounded like John Wayne had been put on a record and played on about 75% speed. And his Amy just sounded like Matt whispering. I like his voice normally, and the basic narrating parts were fine, and he did far better than I could have. But I was so dumbfounded by his voice that the story could have been brilliant and I'm not sure I'd have noticed. It was really short, too. Like just over an hour.

>85 mamzel: There were a couple I was thinking about adding the Audible too as well.

Title: Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novel
Author: Eoin Colfer
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 65
Number of MY Books Read: 30
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★★

Young Artemis Fowl is a criminal genius and the mastermind behind some of the most devious and technologically advanced crims of this century. What is he after this time? Gold of course. And not just any gold, fairy gold. The only thing is, these are not just any old fairies.

I loved the Artemis Fowl novels, and the graphic is just as much fun. The plot isn't quite as intricate, but the spectacular artwork more than makes up for any missing storyline bits. I definitely plan to get my hands on the others in the series, and I can't wait for the film to come out next year.



Title: The Little Paris Bookshop
Author: Nina George
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 66
Number of MY Books Read: 31
Bingo Space: in translation
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★

Monsieur Perdu calls himself a literary apothecary. From his floating bookstore in a barge on the Seine, he prescribes novels for the hardships of life. Using his intuitive feel for the exact book a reader needs, Perdu mends broken hearts and souls. The only person he can't seem to heal through literature is himself; he's still haunted by heartbreak after his great love disappeared.

This book took me over 6 months to finish. I kept setting it down and not wanting to pick it back up, only doing so because I owned it and felt a sense of obligation. The thing is, it isn't a bad book. It's a bit slow and drawn out, but it's not terrible. It sounded right up my alley. The Last 100 or so pages were probably the best of the book, and I suppose I'm glad I finished it. But it's not one I'd recommend.

>67 virginiahomeschooler: Your review of American Princess is particularly amusing, though I'm also sorry it didn't work for you. I could believe that someone sold a book, the publisher was convinced it would sell because of the topic matter, and only when they got down to writing it did they realize there might not be enough content there for the number of pages that they needed to write -- so maybe in a few more decades it'll work out for the rights.

>82 virginiahomeschooler:
Poor reading can ruin even great books. Making a note to read this one on paper, thanks!

>88 pammab: I think that is exactly what happened. But I'm sure it'll sell.

>89 -Eva-: Unfortunately I think it's only available as an audio drama. :(

Title: Cinnamon and Gunpowder
Author: Eli Brown
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Borrowed from Overdrive
Number of Books Read: 67
Number of MY Books Read: 31
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★
Narration Rating: ★★★½

In 1819, kidnapped chef Owen Wedgwood transforms meager shipboard supplies into sumptuous meals at the behest of his kidnapper, pirate queen Mad Hannah Mabbot, while she pushes her exhausted crew to track down a deadly privateer.

Do you ever hear about a book, and everyone is just raving about it, and you read it and just feel meh? That's this book for me. It wasn't awful, but I couldn't for the life of me figure out what everyone else sees in it. Which makes me feel like I missed some sort of greatness. Maybe if I'd read it instead of listened, but the narration was fine. But by the last two hours of the book, I found myself setting it to 1.5 speed just to get it over sooner.



Title: Dread Nation
Author: Justina Ireland
Format: Hardback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 68
Number of MY Books Read: 32
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★½

Slavery comes to a halt when the dead on Civil War battlefields begin to rise and eat their compatriots. The north and south put aside their philosophical differences and join forces against the undead. They are aided in their efforts by the passage of the Native and Negro Reeducation Act which forces African American boys and girls into combat schools. Graduates from these schools are a buffer between the living and the undead. Jane McKeen is a biracial girl sent to Ms. Preston's school of combat to obtain an attendant certificate. Jane is about to graduate when her friend, Red Jack, asks for help locating his sister Lily. Jane's attempts to discover Lily's whereabouts land her in a survivalist colony. Survivalists advocate a disordered view of natural selection that places Jane firmly under the thumb of a vicious sheriff and his psychopathic family. Jane is tasked with finding a way out of Summerland not only for herself, but also for those she loves. She must make some unlikely alliances of her own if she is to survive long enough to find her own path to freedom.

This was a fantastic alternate history that is so much more than it seems on the surface. Yes, there are zombies (or shamblers), but at it's heart this is the story of a young woman's attempt to survive in a world that's determined to break her down. And there just happen to be zombies milling about. Don't get me wrong - I love a good zombie book, and this has some great action-packed zombie butt kicking. But, there's so much more to this hugely entertaining book. Even if you're not big on YA, I'd highly recommend this one.

>91 virginiahomeschooler: I am definitely going to add Dread Nation to my list. I love both historical fiction and zombies (no matter what they are called) so this looks like one that I will enjoy.

>92 DeltaQueen50: oh, do, I think you will definitely love it. She talks in the afterword about her inspiration for the story, and it was really interesting - made me want to do some non-fiction reading.

I'm so excited to read that one! I'm glad to hear that you liked it.

Taking a BB for Dread Nation!

>94 cmbohn: & >95 lkernagh: hope you both like it.

Title: A Year in the World
Author: Frances Mayes
Format: Hardback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 69
Number of MY Books Read: 33
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: AlphaKIT (Y)
Rating: ★★

With her beloved Tuscany as a home base, Mayes travels to Spain, Portugal, France, the British Isles, and to the Mediterranean world of Turkey, Greece, the South of Italy, and North Africa.

This book was a terrible disappointment. I generally love Mayes' writing but found her rather insufferable in this selection. Much duller than her other books, it also shows a fairly nasty side of Mayes that I didn't like. Throughout the book she goes on rants about how things aren't up to her standards, leaving rental homes that had already been paid for because of tacky decor or because it was closer to a busy road than she would like. On top of that, and more grating to me was her constant berating of other people she encountered. She and Ed would giggle over some woman's choice of attire, this one being so out of fashion, that one looking like a sofa. The descriptions of overweight people was particularly galling. Describing one mother as an "albino hippopotamus" and depicting in detail her rolls and bulges because she dared to wear a white bathing suit in public - how dare she! There was one endearing chapter in which they visit Fez (although Ed was sick throughout this visit so perhaps without an audience to share her Mean Girl giggles with, she's less obnoxious). Unfortunately the Fez chapter was a mere 30 pages of 417. Not nearly enough to save the book from itself. I come away from this one really displeased with the author. I won't be reading more of her work.

Title: Crooked House
Author: Agatha Christie
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Borrowed from Overdrive
Number of Books Read: 70
Number of MY Books Read: 33
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: MysteryCAT
Rating: ★★★★
Narration Rating: ★★★★★

In the sprawling, half-timbered mansion in the affluent suburb of Swinly Dean, Aristide Leonides lies dead from barbiturate poisoning. An accident? Not likely. In fact, suspicion has already fallen on his luscious widow, a cunning beauty fifty years his junior, set to inherit a sizeable fortune, and rumored to be carrying on with a strapping young tutor comfortably ensconced in the family estate. But criminologist Charles Hayward is casting his own doubts on the innocence of the entire Leonides brood. He knows them intimately. And he's certain that in a crooked house such as Three Gables, no one's on the level...

My hold for this audiobook finally came through today, and I enjoyed it so much I have already finished it. It is such a charming little mystery. Hugh Fraser's narration was superb, and the story was great, keeping me guessing til the end. I do believe it is now my new favorite Christie novel. My husband is thrilled because I've been waiting to watch the film until I finished the book. Maybe we will watch it tonight.

Title: Cookie Dough or Die
Author: Virginia Lowell
Format: eBook
Own or Loan: Borrowed from Overdrive
Number of Books Read: 71
Number of MY Books Read: 33
Bingo Space: Money in the title
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★½

No one is more shocked than Olivia when prominent business owner Clarisse Chamberlain is found dead. It was Clarisse who encouraged Olivia to open The Gingerbread House--and she was one of her best customers. The sheriff is ready to call the case an accident, but Olivia's convinced there's a murder to solve. Then word spreads that Clarisse left Olivia a large sum of money, along with a collection of valuable antique cookie cutters. Suddenly, Olivia is the prime suspect, and when the local postman falls ill after sampling one of their cookies, all eyes are on The Gingerbread House. If the cookie-loving duo doesn't find the real killer, their reputation--and quite possibly their lives--will be battered for good.

As cozies go, this is mediocre. The characters are pretty flat. The mystery was decent, but the resolution was a bit silly. Mostly the issues stemmed from pacing and lack of information. The murder occurs offscreen before the book even starts, so we don't ever meet the victim and have no knowledge of their relationships with anyone in the story. Since this is the first in a series, we don't even have previous books to clue us in to any relationship dynamics. I might consider going forward in the series because I think the author has potential. But I'm not going out of my way to do so.

Title: Ring of Steel
Author: Stephen Cole
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Audible
Number of Books Read: 72
Number of MY Books Read: 33
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★
Narration Rating: ★★★★

When the TARDIS lands on Orkney in the near future, the Doctor and Amy arrive to find a large demonstration in progress over the construction of new electricity pylons. The Doctor tries to break things up peacefully - but suddenly the road splits open without warning and swallows police, security guards and protestors alike...

Arthur Darvill narrated this one, and he did quite a good job. His eleventh Doctor was perfection, although his Amy was pretty bad. I'm thinking her voice is just a hard one to get right. The story of this one was a fun adventure, albeit short.

>90 virginiahomeschooler:
Oh, booo!

>83 virginiahomeschooler: - Thanks for sharing - I just "bought" all of them. It doesn't really count towards the TBR total if they're free, right? :)

>102 LittleTaiko: Lol I didn't count them towards mine. It's just a library book you never have to return, right? 😁



Title: Torchwood: Hidden
Author: Steven Saville
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Audible
Number of Books Read: 73
Number of MY Books Read: 33
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★
Narration Rating: ★★★★

After a series of violent and seemingly unrelated deaths, the solution to a riddle points the finger of blame at Captain Jack Harkness. Can the Torchwood team uncover the truth in time to save Jack?

This was my first Torchwood audio, and I really enjoyed it. I've missed having the entire group together, so this was a nice treat, and Naoko Mori did an excellent job narrating. Looking forward to the next one.

Title: The Dry
Author: Jane Harper
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 74
Number of MY Books Read: 34
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★
Narration Rating: ★★★★

A small town hides big secrets in The Dry. After getting a note demanding his presence, Federal Agent Aaron Falk arrives in his hometown for the first time in decades to attend the funeral of his best friend, Luke. Twenty years ago when Falk was accused of murder, Luke was his alibi. Falk and his father fled under a cloud of suspicion, saved from prosecution only because of Luke's steadfast claim that the boys had been together at the time of the crime. But now more than one person knows they didn't tell the truth back then, and Luke is dead. Amid the worst drought in a century, Falk and the local detective question what really happened to Luke. As Falk reluctantly investigates to see if there's more to Luke's death than there seems to be, long-buried mysteries resurface, as do the lies that have haunted them. And Falk will find that small towns have always hidden big secrets.

I'd started reading the hardback a few months ago but lost interest and set it down. The audio captured my attention much better. The narrator was excellent, and it ended up being a captivating story. I'd pretty much figured things out midway through, but it was still fun seeing how it all resolved. I'm looking forward to the second book.

Title: Caliban's War
Author: James S. A. Corey
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 75
Number of MY Books Read: 35
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★★

We are not alone. On Ganymede, breadbasket of the outer planets, a Martian marine watches as her platoon is slaughtered by a monstrous supersoldier. On Earth, a high-level politician struggles to prevent interplanetary war from reigniting. And on Venus, an alien protomolecule has overrun the planet, wreaking massive, mysterious changes and threatening to spread out into the solar system. In the vast wilderness of space, James Holden and the crew of the Rocinante have been keeping the peace for the Outer Planets Alliance. When they agree to help a scientist search war-torn Ganymede for a missing child, the future of humanity rests on whether a single ship can prevent an alien invasion that may have already begun ...

I am in love with these books. The second in the series was even better than the first. I think this just may be the best book I've read this year...certainly the most fun. Can't wait to get to book three.

Title: Becca Fair and Foul
Author: Deirdre Baker
Format: eBook
Own or Loan: NetGalley
Number of Books Read: 76
Number of MY Books Read: 35
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★½

When eleven-year-old Becca returns to her grandmother’s rustic cottage for another summer, she finds herself seeing her beloved island in new ways. A hunting owl mistakes a bobbing ponytail for prey. A cozy sleepover on the beach takes on the tinges of a nightmare when a family of river otters shows up to claim their territory. An argument between a nestbound baby eaglet and its haranguing mother reaches operatic dimensions. Becca finds a dead bear on the beach and helps to give it a burial at sea.

Then there are dramas of the human variety. Aunt Meg is grieving over a miscarriage, and Aunt Clare’s medical work in Africa has brought on a sadness that even the love of family and the island’s beauty can’t cure. And there is the burning question of whether Aunt Fifi and the local plumber will ever become an item, and would that mean losing the only plumber on the island?

Meanwhile, cousin Alicia claims to be too old to participate in the kids’ summer project — a performance of The Tempest, a play that seems to find unsettling echoes in the natural surroundings Becca thought she knew so well.

I requested this one from NetGalley because my Emma was interested in it. It didn't sound like something I'd much enjoy, but I read it because I'd committed to review it. I was so pleasantly surprised at just how sweet and charming this little story was. It's not particularly exciting or filled with action. But it's got this almost indefinable quality that had me grinning through most of the book. It left me feeling ... content. I'd absolutely recommend this one. Especially for girls. From 8 to 108.



Title: Clue
Author: Paul Allor
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 77
Number of MY Books Read: 36
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★★

When the mysterious Mr. Boddy turns up dead at his own dinner party, everyone’s a suspect! Miss Scarlett, Colonel Mustard, Mrs. Peacock, Professor Plum—all the familiar faces from the famous board game are back, with a couple new twists. But will Boddy’s body be the last to fall, or is it just the beginning?

Very funny and cute graphic novel based on the game and with hints of the 1985 film. If you're a fan of the movie, I think you'd love this collection of 6 comic installments.



Title: Havana Libre
Author: Robert Arellano
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Borrowed from the Library
Number of Books Read: 78
Number of MY Books Read: 36
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★

This is the story of a Cuban doctor sent to Miami to help thwart a bombing. I picked this up at the library because of the title. The cover, which is very off-putting and essentially had nothing to do with the book, almost made me put it back down. I kind of wish I had. The first half of the story, which takes place in Havana, I quite enjoyed. But once the doctor gets to Miami, the atmosphere is lost and so, unfortunately, is the plot. The ending was abrupt and felt very forced. If I were rating this book in parts, I'd give the first half 41/2 stars and the second half 2.

April Recap

Number of Books Read Total: 78
Number of Books Read in April: 26
Number of Books I Own Read Total: 36
Number of Books I Own Read in April: 11
Number of Books Acquired Total: 88
Number of Books Acquired in April: 34 - I may need professional help
Best of April: Caliban's War
Least Best of April: A Year in the World

April CATs and KITs

RandomCAT (April): Night Watch
ColorCAT (Yellow): Uprooted
MysteryCAT (Classic): Crooked House
ScaredyKIT (Supernatural): Fresh Meat
SFF KIT (Time Travel): The Nemonite Invasion
AlphaKIT (Y): A Year in the World
AlphaKIT (U): Uprooted

>106 virginiahomeschooler: - You just made my day with the news that there is a Clue graphic novel. Off to order a copy right now!

>108 LittleTaiko: I hope you like it. If you're a fan of the movie, I think you will.

>105 virginiahomeschooler: That's high praise indeed for Caliban's War. This is another series that I have lingering on the back burner, but so many LTers seem to love these books that I am thinking that I need to get going with the first book.

>109 virginiahomeschooler: - I adore the movie so will probably get a big kick out of this. I'm anxiously waiting for it to be delivered tomorrow.

>110 DeltaQueen50: I have been watching the show as I've been reading it, too. So I hear the actors' voices in my head, which I think has just made it that much more enjoyable.

>111 LittleTaiko: I'd love to hear what you think about it. ☺

MAY PLANS

These are the books I've pulled off the shelves for this month. All of them I own except for Dune and Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows, both of which I've borrowed on audio.

>113 virginiahomeschooler: Uh-oh, I see some future book bullets! ;)

>113 virginiahomeschooler: One of my favourite things about the Murder She Wrote books is trying to find the skull hidden in the cover image. The earlier books in the series were much more cunning about it and would weave the skull into the surroundings. The newer ones just slap a skull in there and it's not quite as fun ;)

>115 rabbitprincess: Oh that sounds cool! Axel Schleffler (illustrator of The Gruffalo) often sneaks a gruffalo into the other books he illustrates for Julia Donaldson, so I always enjoy finding them (and am disappointed if it's one of the books where he didn't). Some of them are really clever (I think the one in Superworm is my favourite).

>115 rabbitprincess: & >116 Jackie_K: I didn't know about that! I just looked at the couple I have on my windowsill (I really need more bookshelves), and found them. I don't know how I didn't notice them before.



I thought the martini one was a bit more obvious than the brandy one. I was surprised to see a new book coming on NetGalley since Donald Bain passed away a little while back. Apparently there's a new author doing them.

Title: Cherry Cheesecake Murder
Author: Joanne Fluke
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 79
Number of MY Books Read: 37
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★½

When Main Street in Lake Eden becomes a movie set, a clever killer rewrites the script and bakery owner Hannah Swenson must sift through a cast of suspects before the film wraps with an even deadlier ending.

May started out with a mediocre book. The mystery part of this one was fine, but the dialogue borders on ridiculous and the love triangle (then square...) is just stupid. And Hannah's obnoxious "humor" is beginning to grate. Describing an anchorwoman as anorexic because she's very thin isn't funny. Hannah isn't funny. I get the feeling Joanne Fluke isn't funny. I've got 5 or 6 more of this series on my shelves, so I'm sure I'll read them eventually. If I didn't own them, though, I think I'd be done with Hannah.

Title: Doctor Who: Sin Eaters
Author: Cavan Scott
Format: eBook
Own or Loan: Borrowed from Hoopla
Number of Books Read: 80
Number of MY Books Read: 37
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★★

This is the fourth, and hopefully not final, installment in the Ninth Doctor's adventures with Jack and Rose. Of the four so far, this was definitely my favorite. It's a bit more gruesome in parts than you'd expect from Doctor Who, but it's terrific fun.



Title: Feast of the Drowned
Author: Stephen Cole
Format: Hardback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 81
Number of MY Books Read: 38
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★

When a naval cruiser sinks in mysterious circumstances in the North Sea, all aboard are lost. Rose is saddened to learn that the brother of her friend, Keisha, was among the dead. And yet he appears to them as a ghostly apparition, begging to be saved from the coming feast - the feast of the drowned.

I'm a sucker for the books with Ten and Rose. Throw in Mickey and even a teeny bit of Jackie, and I'm hooked. This one was loads of fun, even though it reminded me somewhat of Waters of Mars (which I didn't care for). Cole does a great job with the characters' voices, and the story was strong. Overall, one of the better tie-ins.



Title: A Question of Murder
Author: Donald Bain
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 82
Number of MY Books Read: 39
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: AlphaKIT (Q)
Rating: ★★★★½

While attending a writers' conference in the Berkshires, Jessica Fletcher finds the murder-mystery party taking an all-too-real turn when a young actor is murdered in front of the group, forcing her to use her keen skills of detection to unmask a clever killer.

I don't know why exactly, but I really enjoyed this one. I think it may be my favorite of those I've read. I typically like the ones where Jessica is away from Cabot Cove, and this one had the whole play within the story thing going on. It was just really entertaining. I'd figured everything out fairly early on, but that didn't lessen the enjoyment. Highly recommended!

Ok, so I just spent half an hour typing my reviews and stuff out on my phone, and I got to the last bit and the screen reset and erased everything. I'm too frustrated to do it all over. I'll just do the brief stuff this time.



Title: Read and Gone
Author: Allison Brook
Format: eBook
Own or Loan: NetGalley
Number of Books Read: 83
Number of MY Books Read: 39
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★



Title: The 17th Suspect
Author: James Patterson
Format: eBook
Own or Loan: Borrowed from Overdrive
Number of Books Read: 84
Number of MY Books Read: 39
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★



Title: Doctor Who: The Jade Pyramid
Author: Martin Day
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Audible
Number of Books Read: 85
Number of MY Books Read: 39
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★

>120 virginiahomeschooler: Arrrrgh! I hate when that happens. My iPad has eaten posts before and it is so frustrating.

>121 rabbitprincess: I like the portability of my phone and being able to post without dragging out a laptop, but it stinks when it randomly decides to tab to another page (or possibly it could be my fat thumbs), and everything is lost. It's frustrating.

Title: The Shining
Author: Stephen King
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 86
Number of MY Books Read: 40
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: AlphaKIT (K)
Rating: ★★★★★

Danny is only five years old but in the words of old Mr Hallorann, he is a 'shiner', aglow with psychic voltage. When his father becomes caretaker of the Overlook Hotel, his visions grow frighteningly out of control. As winter closes in, the hotel develops a life of it's own. Somewhere, somehow there is an evil force, and that too is beginning to shine.

Oh this book. It is brilliant. There's no doubt about that. Stephen King definitely knows how to set the scene and keep you pinned on the edge of your seat. I can't say that I loved it. Or even liked it. It made me extremely uncomfortable. It is by far the scrariest thing I've ever read. And if I'd had a brain in my head there's no way I'd have finished the last 120 pages at close to midnight. It took hours to get to sleep because my heart was pounding so hard. Anyway, I will concede that this book is a work of genius. And then I never want to think about it again.

>123 virginiahomeschooler: I was reading this book when I was in college. I returned from vacation early and was the only person in the dorm. It was so hard to make myself stop reading and going to sleep was even harder!

>124 mamzel: I can't even imagine reading it in the house alone. My husband was in bed with me, and I still couldn't get my brain to stop telling me all the horrible ways I was about to die.

Title: Meg
Author: Steve Alten
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 87
Number of MY Books Read: 41
Bingo Space: Pacific Ocean Related
Group CAT/KIT: ScaredyKIT and ColorCAT
Rating: ★★★★

A prehistoric shark surfaces off California and proceeds to wreck havoc. Sixty feet long, it is a member of a species living in the ocean depths for the last 100,000 years. Jonas Taylor, a paleontologist and deep-sea submariner, tries to capture it for an aquarium.

I was drawn to this one because of the (kind of over the top and ridiculous) trailer I saw for the movie that's set to come out this summer. It looks pretty awful, but also like something I'd totally love. When I found out it was a book I knew I had to read it. Then I found it for 50 cents at the FotL book sale (a signed copy, at that!). It was fate. Anyway, it was a fun little book. Very fast paced. The characters are rather wooden, and the dialogue is at times cheesy. But, like I am sure the movie will be, it was a pretty thrilling ride. If you're not looking for great literature and just want a fun, larger than life action adventure story, this is a great pick.



Title: A Die Hard Christmas
Author: Doogie Horner
Format: Hardback
Own or Loan: Borrowed from the Library
Number of Books Read: 88
Number of MY Books Read: 41
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★★

Told in the manner of The Night Before Christmas, this adorable picture book recounts the scenes from the classic film. I saw this on the new shelf at the library (our library is a big lagging in their new stuff - I'm pretty sure this came out 7 or 8 months back) and knew I had to get it. It was even better than I ever imagined. The art style is cute, and the rhymes are clever, and it's just hilarious. It's probably not one I'll be reading to Henry, but we did end up introducing Emma to the movie last night, as being rated R, she'd never seen it. Since she's a couple weeks shy of 16, we figured it was ok. She ended up loving the book as well, though probably not as much as me, since I've loved Die Hard for nearly 30 years (omg, I hate that sentence so much). Anyway...if you're a fan of the film, it's a hoot. If you haven't seen the movie, it's available for streaming on HBO GO. :)



Title: Chapter and Hearse
Author: Lorna Barrett
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 89
Number of MY Books Read: 42
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: MysteryCAT
Rating: ★★★

Mystery bookstore owner Tricia Miles has been spending more time solving whodunits than reading them. Now a nearby gas explosion has injured Tricia's sister's boyfriend, Bob Kelly, the head of the Chamber of Commerce, and killed the owner of the town's history bookstore. Tricia's never been a fan of Bob, but when she reads that he's being tight-lipped about the "accident", it's time to take action.

These books are decently written, the mysteries are solid, and the minor characters are likeable. Unfortunately, Tricia, the protagonist, is so unlikable that it makes enjoying this series next to impossible. I just can't get past how much I can't stand her. It's unfortunate because I like everything else about these books. This one was good. But she's loathsome. Meh. I think I'm done with these.

Title: The Secret Life of Bees
Author: Sue Monk Kidd
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 90
Number of MY Books Read: 43
Bingo Space: Something in the Sky
Group CAT/KIT: RandomCAT
Rating: ★★★★★

Fourteen-year-old Lily and her companion, Rosaleen, an African-American woman who has cared for Lily since her mother's death ten years earlier, flee their home after Rosaleen is victimized by racist police officers, and find a safe haven in Tiburon, South Carolina at the home of three beekeeping sisters, May, June, and August.

This book is so wonderful. I fell in love with Lily and Rosaleen and the Boatwright sisters. It's a beautiful story with so much heart. I just loved everything about it. Two or three chapters in everything started to seem really familiar, so I'm quite certain I had read this about 15 years ago. Normally, I'd have stopped reading once realizing that, but this one was well worth a reread. I'm going to go ahead and say it's the best book I've read this year.

Title: The Exile
Author: James Patterson
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Borrowed from the Library
Number of Books Read: 91
Number of MY Books Read: 43
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★

Ex-cop Finn O'Grady hasn't been home in years. But the woman he swore to protect is convinced an ancient curse has put her and her son in deadly danger. O'Grady has seen too much evil on earth to believe in the supernatural. And then the killing starts....

The good...it was short. The words were in the right order and spelled correctly.

The bad...everything else.

>128 virginiahomeschooler: Great review! 'in the right order and spelled correctly'. Hah! I have found that when books are by a famous author and "with" someone else whose name is in tiny letters, they usually aren't very good. At least it was short.

>127 virginiahomeschooler: And another bullet hits the mark!

>128 virginiahomeschooler: Great review - but no bullet. :)

>128 virginiahomeschooler: Haha! I am glad that the spelling was OK ;)

>129 owlie13: and >131 rabbitprincess: To be fair, the writing wasn't bad, but there was absolutely nothing original, the "mystery" wasn't a mystery at all, and it just felt pointless. Luckily it was only a waste of about an hour.

>130 VivienneR: I hope you love Secret Life of Bees. I saw the film years ago, and from what I remember, it was great too.

Title: Sky in the Deep
Author: Adrienne Young
Format: Hardback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 92
Number of MY Books Read: 44
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★

OND ELDR. BREATHE FIRE.

Raised to be a warrior, seventeen-year-old Eelyn fights alongside her Aska clansmen in an ancient, rivalry against the Riki clan. Her life is brutal but simple: fight and survive. Until the day she sees the impossible on the battlefield—her brother, fighting with the enemy—the brother she watched die five years ago.

Faced with her brother's betrayal, she must survive the winter in the mountains with the Riki, in a village where every neighbor is an enemy, every battle scar possibly one she delivered. But when the Riki village is raided by a ruthless clan thought to be a legend, Eelyn is even more desperate to get back to her beloved family.

She is given no choice but to trust Fiske, her brother’s friend, who sees her as a threat. They must do the impossible: unite the clans to fight together, or risk being slaughtered one by one. Driven by a love for her clan and her growing love for Fiske, Eelyn must confront her own definition of loyalty and family while daring to put her faith in the people she’s spent her life hating.

This is one of those books where the execution didn't quite live up to the idea and the hype. I kept hearing things like "badass Viking chick" in relation to it, and to be honest, I didn't find Eelyn to be that great of a heroine. Yes, she's tough. She can battle with the best of them. But, she was also a bit whiny, and when it came down to it, in several situations it seemed like she was depending on a man to rescue her. Typically this wouldn't be something I'd bring up, except she's billed as this super tough female, and when she was cowering behind a guy when facing a bear, well, it felt a little like false advertising.

All that said, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The setting was great. I really liked some of the secondary characters, like Inge, and it was just a lot of fun. It also made me want to delve into more Viking stories (maybe not YA ones). I can't really recommend this one (even though for me it was a 4 star read). I feel like some people will really love it, but I can see people hating it too.

>127 virginiahomeschooler: Another one here who loved The Secret Life of Bees - I'd definitely recommend it to anyone.

>128 virginiahomeschooler: I laughed out loud at this:

The good...it was short. The words were in the right order and spelled correctly.

The bad...everything else.

Pretty much the perfect review - no spoilers, but tells you all you need to know!

>127 virginiahomeschooler: I'll never, ever forget the salt on the floor punishment!

>128 virginiahomeschooler: - Excellent review! Patterson does seem to spit out formula reads, which don't appeal to me. I noticed that when I read Sundays at Tiffany's... not something I would have thought Patterson would write.

Have you noticed that Patterson's books have more white space than anyone else? Tree killer!

>134 Jackie_K: I hate putting more effort in the review than I feel like the author put in writing the book. ;)

>136 lkernagh: Occasionally I like Patterson because I don't habe to think too much. His Women's Murder Club is nice in between heavier stuff. But I think those are more down to his co-author.

>137 mamzel: Right? This one had 165 pages (short by any standards), but for anyone else, it wouldn't have stretched last 100 pages. So much white space.

Title: The Battered Body
Author: Ellery Adams
Format: eBook
Own or Loan: NetGalley
Number of Books Read: 93
Number of MY Books Read: 44
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★

There's trouble on the rise when the "Diva of Dough" arrives in Quincy's Gap to make the wedding cake for Milla and Jackson's Christmas Eve nuptials. The famous chef and television personality is Milla's sister, but while her confections are sweet and beautiful, the Diva herself makes enemies faster than you can say "praline pecan bundt cake." When the Diva is done in, her body found covered in cake batter, James and the other supper club members find themselves up to their elbows in suspects.

Ellery Adams is one of my favorite cozy mystery writers. She is a very good writer, her characters are always fleshed out, and her plots are always on point. This one was no exception. I did have a couple of issues. One was the number of important secondary characters. There were so many. And being the 5th, and that I hadn't read the first four (this is on me, I know), I didn't know enough of their backstories to care as much as I should have about them. And I kept getting them confused. Also, I felt she got a little long winded in the end. That said, I really enjoyed the story, and I liked the characters a lot. I'd definitely like to go back and read the others in the Supper Club series, preferably in the right order.



Title: Doctor Who: Terrible Lizards
Author: Jonathan Free
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Borrowed from the Library
Number of Books Read: 94
Number of MY Books Read: 44
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★

The Eleventh Doctor and his friends join a group of explorers on a Victorian tramp steamer in the Florida Everglades. The explorers are searching for the Fountain of Youth, but neither they nor the treasure they seek are quite what they seem.

I’m really enjoying this Eleventh Doctor Adventures series. It’s published by BBC Children’s Stories, so I suppose they are geared towards kids (I found them in the Teen section at my library), and maybe that’s why they are so enjoyable. They aren’t too dark – this one for instance didn’t even really have a bad guy, just a bad situation. They are short, but not too short, and they are filled with action. So, maybe gearing them towards young people helps in some ways.

So, how was this one specifically? Well, it was quite good. Like I said, it was filled with action, and the plot was loads of fun. But the best thing, and I think maybe the thing that makes or breaks Doctor Who tie-ins, was the characterization. Green gets the voices of Eleven, Amy, and Rory just right. You can hear them speaking in your head as you read, and everything felt true to character. There’s nothing that pulls me out of a story more than getting to a part and thinking “The Doctor would never say that!” Overall, it was a lot of fun and would have made a terrific episode.

Title: Doctor Who: Web in Space
Author: David Bailey
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Borrowed from the Library
Number of Books Read: 95
Number of MY Books Read: 44
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★½

A distress signal calls the Eleventh Doctor and the TARDIS to the Black Horizon, a spaceship under attack from the Empire of Eternal Victory. But the robotic scavengers are the least of the Doctor's worries. Something terrifying is waiting to trap him in space . . .

I am loving these Eleventh Doctor Adventures from BBC Children's Books. Aside from their shorter than average length, I really don't find anything that screams "You're reading a book written for kids" in them. As in the other two I've read (Rain of Terror and Terrible Lizards), the story line was solid, the characterization of Eleven, Amy, and Rory were spot on, and it was just a fun read. I believe there are 12 books total in this series, and I definitely plan to try to find them all. My only issue is the price. On Amazon these run $9.99 for a paperback. At around 150 pages of larger than average print, these usually last me just over an hour. I've been lucky to find the three I've read at the library, but that's all they had. So if I want the other 9, it's going to run close to $100. I'll probably end up doing it. It's the Doctor.



Title: Everyone Says Hello
Author: Dan Abnett
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Audible
Number of Books Read: 96
Number of MY Books Read: 44
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★½

Across Cardiff, ordinary people are behaving in odd ways: saying hello to one another, and going out of their way to greet people. Torchwood discovers that an alien communications field is gathering strength in the city. The team must find the device responsible and shut it off-before civil unrest engulfs the city.

This is a novella-length just for audio story produced by the BBC. I got it as part of a box set on Audible. The set, Torchwood Tales, contains ten of these shorter stories, which makes it a good value for one of my credits. You can also buy the stories individually, but why would you want to?

So, as for this tale, it was fantastic. Torchwood, being a bit darker and more adult than Doctor Who, does creepy stories really well. This one definitely has the creep factor. Burn Gorman is an excellent narrator, and he manages a fairly wide range of accents and voices (not perfectly, but well enough). I’d definitely recommend the set, and this story in particular.



Title: Worth the Risk
Author: Heather B. Moore
Format: eBook
Own or Loan: Goodreads Giveaway
Number of Books Read: 97
Number of MY Books Read: 44
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★½

Romance isn’t my typical genre, but this one sounded cute, so I thought I’d give it a shot. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. The story revolves around Jeff and Alicia, two childhood friends who end up not speaking to each other for ten years after an incident at their senior prom. Alicia had moved away from their hometown of Pine Valley but returned to care for her mother who is dealing with some mental health issues. Of course, she runs into Jeff, and she must decide if he is worth the risk of having her heart broken all over again.

This was a very sweet story of second chances and recovery. I really liked Alicia and Jeff, and I was rooting for things to work out for them. I also appreciated the inclusion of a character, Alicia’s mother, with a mental disability. Though it was maybe a bit sappy (most romance novels are), I thought it was a sweet and charming story and one I’d recommend to those who enjoy love stories.



Title: The Little Book of Hygge
Author: Meik Wiking
Format: eBook
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 98
Number of MY Books Read: 45
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★½

The Danes are famously the happiest people in the world, and hygge is a cornerstone of their way of life. Hygge (pronounce Hoo-ga) loosely translates as a sense of comfort, togetherness, and well-being. You know hygge when you feel it. It is when you are cuddled up on the sofa with a loved one, or sharing comfort food with your closest friends. It is those crisp blue mornings when the light through your window is just right. It is about gratitude and savoring the simple pleasures in life. In short, it is the pursuit of everyday happiness.

The first half of this book was delightful. Full of ideas of how to bring more (for lack of a better English word) cozy into your life, it presents the case for living more simply and with more emphasis on social interactions and relationships. It also talks about cake. A lot.

The problem lies in the fact that there was probably enough information for a nice long article, but it was stretched out into a book-length project. It got a bit tedious and repetitive in the last half. I bought this for kindle for $2. I definitely think I got my money's worth. However, with the formatting issues, I do think it would be more enjoyable (and more hygge) as a physical book. So, would I recommend it? Yes. With the understanding that it's a cute little book with some interesting information about attaining happiness, but a lot of it is just gimmick.

May Recap

Number of Books Read Total: 98
Number of Books Read in May: 20
Number of Books I Own Read Total: 45
Number of Books I Own Read in May: 9
Number of Books Acquired Total: No idea. I stopped counting. It's hopeless.
Best of May: Secret Life of Bees
Least Best of May: The Exile

May CATs and KITs

RandomCAT (Spring): The Secret Life of Bees
ColorCAT (Blue): Meg
MysteryCAT (Transit): Chapter and Hearse
ScaredyKIT (Close to Home): Meg
SFF KIT (Rise Up): Red Rising
AlphaKIT (Q): A Question of Murder
AlphaKIT (K): The Shining

June Plans



CAT and KIT Plans

RandomCAT (narrator): Dead Until Dark
ColorCAT (Purple): Star Trek Discovery: Desperate Hours
MysteryCAT (True Crime): ??
ScaredyKIT (Adapted to Film): Dead Until Dark
SFF KIT (Series): Dead Until Dark
AlphaKIT (G): The Great Zoo of China
AlphaKIT (R): The Great Zoo of China

I'm currently rereading Dead Until Dark, which will count towards three (four if it could be counted as purple) and The Great Zoo of China which will count for both Alphas. I haven't settled on the MysteryCAT yet, but I'm leaning towards The Man Who Loved Books Too Much.

>142 virginiahomeschooler: Yay, Poldark! Yikes, the Weeping Angel book! D:

Let me know how you find The Man Who Loved Books Too Much, if you do end up reading it. It's on my to-read list as well.

Traci, you have some very interesting books lined up for June and I am looking forward to hearing about them. I have set The Great Zoo of China aside for next month so I am particularly interesting in your thoughts on that one.

>143 rabbitprincess: I think I picked up Poldark because of you, actually. Well you and the fact that it was among the buy two, get one selections at Barnes and Noble. Did you post about one of the books or maybe the show recently? I know someone had said some positive things about it, and I was thinking it was you.

>144 DeltaQueen50: I'm about halfway through it at the moment, and it's lots of fun. It's really similar to Jurassic Park...with maybe more action and less science? It'd make a great movie. Especially if they used real dragons. ;)

>145 virginiahomeschooler: It's possible. I did read books 9 and 10 in the series in the past couple of months, and I do enjoy the series as a whole :) I'll take credit, unless you end up not liking it ;)

>119 virginiahomeschooler:
I have the Ninth Doctor graphic novels on my wishlist - need to get to them on Mt. TBR soon. :)

>146 rabbitprincess: I'm sure I'll like it. 😊

>147 -Eva-: They are really good. If you have access to Hoopla, there are loads of them on there.

Title: Dead Until Dark
Author: Charlaine Harris
Format: paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 99
Number of MY Books Read: 45
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: Random, Color, Scaredy, SFF
Rating: ★★★★

I'm rereading these at the moment because they help me deal with stress. It's nice sometimes to just read something I don't have to think about. Rereading this one reminds me how much I hate Bill and feel like he's creepy and abusive. Jason is no prize in this one either.



Title: The Great Zoo of China
Author: Matthew Reilly
Format: paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 100
Number of MY Books Read: 46
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: both Alphas (G and R)
Rating: ★★★★

Attending the opening of a magnificent zoo in China where a newly discovered animal species is being housed, National Geographic expert Dr. CJ Cameron confronts unexpected dangers posed by the mysterious creatures. "The all-new thriller from #1 internationally bestselling author Matthew Reilly! It is a secret the Chinese government has been keeping for forty years. They have found a species of animal no one believed even existed. It will amaze the world. Now the Chinese are ready to unveil their astonishing discovery within the greatest zoo ever constructed. A small group of VIPs and journalists has been brought to the zoo deep within China to see its fabulous creatures for the first time. Among them is Dr. Cassandra Jane "CJ" Cameron, a writer for National Geographic and an expert on reptiles. The visitors are assured by their Chinese hosts that they will be struck with wonder at these beasts, that they are perfectly safe, and that nothing can go wrong. Of course it can't...

So, this one isn't big on realism. But sometimes you go to the movies to see some deep Oscar-winning film that makes you think and feel. And sometimes you want the big budget, action flick starting the Rock and filled with explosions and fast cars. This is the second one for sure. It's a totally fun, edge of your seat read. I liked that the main character was a tough female as well. I'd read a sequel if Reilly decides to write one.

Title: She Be Damned
Author: M.J. Tjia
Format: eBook
Own or Loan: NetGalley
Number of Books Read: 101
Number of MY Books Read: 46
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★

London, 1863: prostitutes in Waterloo area are turning up dead, their sexual organs mutilated and removed. When another girl goes missing, fears grow that the killer may have claimed their latest victim. The police are at a loss and so it falls to courtesan and professional detective Heloise Chancey to investigate. With the assistance of her trusty Chinese maid, Amah Li Leen, Heloise inches closer to the truth. But when Amah is implicated in the brutal plot, Heloise must reconsider who she can trust before the killer strikes again.

I love historical fiction when it's done well, and this one was done very well. The plot was solid, and the characters were interesting and full of dimension. I particularly like Heloise, who makes a strong and likeable heroine. What I enjoy most about books like these, and about this one specifically, though, is the atmosphere. It's dark and gritty, and you can almost feel the fog pushing against your face. It really helps draw you into the story.

As for the mystery, it was a pretty good one. I'd assumed who the killer was fairly early on in the story, but that didn't make it any less enjoyable. I would highly recommend this one to anyone who enjoys historical mysteries.



Title: Lost in a Book
Author: Jennifer Donnelly
Format: Hardback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 102
Number of MY Books Read: 47
Bingo Space: Beautiful Cover
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★

Smart, bookish Belle, a captive in the Beast's castle, has become accustomed to her new home and has befriended its inhabitants. When she comes upon Nevermore, an enchanted book unlike anything else she has seen in the castle, Belle finds herself pulled into its pages and transported to a world of glamour and intrigue. The adventures Belle has always imagined, the dreams she was forced to give up when she became a prisoner, seem within reach again. The charming and mysterious characters Belle meets within the pages of Nevermore offer her glamorous conversation, a life of dazzling Parisian luxury, and even a reunion she never thought possible. Here Belle can have everything she ever wished for. But what about her friends in the Beast's castle? Can Belle trust her new companions inside the pages of Nevermore? Is Nevermore's world even real? Belle must uncover the truth about the book, before she loses herself in it forever.

This is a delightful middle grade / YA book that takes place in the middle of the Beauty and the Beast story, right after Belle is introduced to the library. It starts off full of all the magic you’d expect, drags just a bit in the middle, and finishes up with a nice little moral lesson.

I was never a particular fan of the original Disney Beauty and the Beast, but I do love the newer one with Emma Watson. So I went into this with warm and fuzzy feelings towards most of the characters, and of course a book about books is always an easy pick for me. I really loved the story and the additional characters added in Nevermore. If you love the original story or have a love of books and books about books, this is quite a perfect little book. And honestly, who can resist that cover??



Title: Mae
Author: Mae
Format: eBook
Own or Loan: NetGalley
Number of Books Read: 103
Number of MY Books Read: 47
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★

Abbie discovered a portal to a fantasy world as a child. Now she has returned home a hero, but her tales are too hard for her sister Mae to believe--until the monsters start to cross over to our world.

I like the idea behind this graphic novel, and there were moments when it was particularly good. The artwork was terrific, and I loved the geek culture references. Unfortunately, there were some very confusing moments where I wasn't sure exactly what was going on. At times the sequence of events seemed a little disjointed, and characters were added with little explanation. That said, the parts I enjoyed were so fun that I'd still like to see what happens in the next issue.



Title: Living Dead in Dallas
Author: Charlaine Harris
Format: paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 104
Number of MY Books Read: 47
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★½

Living Dead in Dallas is the sequel to Dead Until Dark in the Southern Vampire series from acclaimed mystery author Charlaine Harris. When a vampire asks Sookie Stackhouse to use her telepathic skills to find another missing vampire, she agrees under one condition: the bloodsuckers must promise to let the humans go unharmed. Easier said than done.

Still rereading these in between other things. This one is one of my least favorites of the series, but it's still fun.

Oh oh oh... making note of the Tjia book!

... and the Donnelly book. It has been a number of years since I last read something by her, which was her book Revolution.

>151 lkernagh: I had never read anything by Donnelly before, but she's definitely on my radar now.

Title: Touched by an Angel
Author: Jonathan Morris
Format: paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 105
Number of MY Books Read: 48
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★

In 2003, Rebecca Whitaker died in a road accident. Her husband Mark is still grieving. He receives a battered envelope, posted eight years ago, containing a set of instructions with a simple message: 'You can save her.' As Mark is given the chance to save Rebecca, it's up to the Doctor, Amy and Rory to save the whole world. Because this time the Weeping Angels are using history itself as a weapon.

This was a terrific story, though I could have done with more of the Doctor and the Ponds.



Title: The President Is Missing
Author: James Patterson and Bill Clinton
Format: eBook
Own or Loan: Borrowed from Overdrive
Number of Books Read: 106
Number of MY Books Read: 48
Bingo Space: Rank in Title
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★

The President Is Missing confronts a threat so huge that it jeopardizes not just Pennsylvania Avenue and Wall Street, but all of America. Uncertainty and fear grip the nation. There are whispers of cyberterror and espionage and a traitor in the Cabinet. Even the President himself becomes a suspect, and then he disappears from public view . . .

This one was pretty disappointing. I was really excited when I first heard about it. Then I stalked my library's Overdrive account and snagged the first spot in the holds queue, but it's taken me 10 days to finish the book. First of all, the title and even the summary are pretty misleading. And maybe it's just that I was expecting so much that it couldn't possibly live up to my expectations. I don't think that's it though. There were lots of issues, almost all of them things I don't want to go into because they would spoil certain aspects of the plot. The story wasn't bad. But I wanted more. More White House. More...I don't know. It's just not what I was hoping for, and I feel let down.

At least I finally filled that Rank in the Title bingo slot!

Title: The Usual Sacrifices
Author: Yvonne Navarro
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 107
Number of MY Books Read: 49
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★

Sam and Dean Winchester have spent their lives on the road, battling every kind of supernatural threat. Over the years, after dozens of bloody adventures, they have faced everything from the yellow-eyed demon that killed their mother to vampires, ghosts, shapeshifters, angels and fallen gods. With the help of allies-both human and supernatural-they've discovered that every threat they vanquish opens a new door for evil to enter in. Visitors passing through Brownsdale, Kentucky are often never seen again. The locals claim that it's easy to fall victim to the vast local caves if explored unaided, but when two young girls go missing Sam and Dean set out to investigate. As the brothers start to suspect something far more sinister in the town, and possibly lurking in Mammoth Cave, they realise that someone is determined to protect the town secret-even if it means killing Sam and Dean himself.

I really liked this one. It's the 15th in the series, and I'm hoping it's not the last one.



Title: The Man Who Loved Books Too Much
Author: Allison Hoover Bartlett
Format: eBook
Own or Loan: Borrowed from Hoopla
Number of Books Read: 108
Number of MY Books Read: 49
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: MysteryCAT (True Crime)
Rating: ★★★½

Unrepentant book thief John Charles Gilkey has stolen a fortune in rare books from around the country. Yet unlike most thieves, who steal for profit, Gilkey steals for love - the love of books. Perhaps equally obsessive, though, is Ken Sanders, the self-appointed "bibliodick" driven to catch him. Sanders, a lifelong rare book collector and dealer turned amateur detective, will stop at nothing to catch the thief plaguing his trade." "In following both of these eccentric characters, journalist Allison Hoover Bartlett plunged deep into a world of fanatical book lust, and ultimately found herself caught between the many people interested in finding Gilkey's stolen treasure, and the man who wanted to keep it hidden: the thief himself."."With a mixture of suspense, insight, and humor, Bartlett has woven this cat-and-mouse chase into a narrative that not only reveals exactly how Gilkey pulled off his crimes and how Sanders eventually caught him, but also explores the romance of books, the lure to collect them, and the temptation to steal them. All collectors have stories of what first made them fall in love, and Gilkey and Sanders are no different. Bartlett puts their stories into the larger context of book passion, collection, and theft through the ages.

This one was in turns interesting and dull. It was short (I listened to it on audio, and it was only 6 hours) but still managed to seem to drag in spots. I liked the information she provided about the rare books, when she would talk to the booksellers. The parts about Gilkey were less interesting to me. He was an odd one. His theft of rare books didn't seem to me to stem from a particular love of books. It seemed like he just stumbled on something that was valuable and had a sort of intellectual status he was looking for. It just didn't feel like he loved books. More that he felt life, and other people, owed him something. As much as I enjoyed some aspects of the story, Gilkey just didn't seem to warrant an entire book being written about him.

Title: Christmas in Evergreen
Author: Nancy Naigle
Format: eBook
Own or Loan: NetGalley
Number of Books Read: 109
Number of MY Books Read: 49
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★★

Evergreen, Vermont is about to be in the rearview mirror of Allie Shaw’s vintage red pickup truck. It’s hard to say goodbye to her small town and her veterinarian practice, but she’s moving to Washington D.C., where her big-city-loving boyfriend lives.

Ever since Ryan Bellamy’s wife died, he hardly knows how to celebrate Christmas. He’s decided to take his daughter Zoe to Florida, and Evergreen is just a quick stop on the way to the airport. While they’re there, Zoe partakes in a local tradition, making a Christmas wish on the snow globe at the town diner.

But neither Allie’s nor Ryan’s Christmas goes as planned. They’ve checked their wish lists twice, and they didn’t say anything about meeting someone new…or about a fresh chance at love.

This book was just like warm cookies by the fire on a stormy winter night. Pure cozy. I love sappy Christmas movies, and the only thing better is sappy Christmas books (this one based on a sappy Christmas movie). It was sweet and totally predictable and just what I wanted it to be. ❤❤

>155 virginiahomeschooler: Aww, I would definitely watch that movie! Hopefully it will air on Hallmark or Lifetime or something during the holidays this year. :)

>156 christina_reads: I hope they do air it. It's a Hallmark Movie, and I didn't catch it last year, so I really hope they will replay it this year. They are apparently publishing books based on lots of their movies (Christmas and others) now, which I am so excited about. I've got another couple of theirs from NetGalley on my tbr kindle stack.

Title: Indiana Jones and the Dance of the Giants
Author: Rob MacGregor
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Borrowed from the Library
Number of Books Read: 111
Number of MY Books Read: 49
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★

Indiana Jones, new to the teaching profession, becomes intrigued by Dierdre Campbell, a student who claims to have uncovered a golden scroll that proves the existence of Merlin, and sets off with her on an adventure-filled chase across England, pursued by Parliament member Adrian Powell who wants the scroll to aid him in his efforts to resurrect an ancient order of Druids.

This was disappointingly dull. I'd picked up the five that my library has when I found these because they run around 200 pages, and I figured I'd fly through them. It took me 10 days to slog through this one. I won't be bothering with the others.



Title: Daniel Daniels And The World's Worst Zoo
Author: Robbie Yates
Format: eBook
Own or Loan: ARC for Blog Tour
Number of Books Read: 112
Number of MY Books Read: 49
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★½

This is the story of Daniel Daniels, a young boy who is bullied in school and who finds solace by visiting the animals in a run down zoo owned and operated by a cruel and inept keeper. When Daniel comes into contact with some "monkey medicine," hijinks ensue.

I didn't really find anything special about this middle grade chapter book. It's not terrible, though I did find Daniel's parents' almost criminal ambivalence and obliviousness towards him to be rather awful. But there's nothing in this one to make it stand out among its peers. It's cute enough, and if a child is really into zoo animals and enjoys the idea of talking animals, then they may enjoy it.



Title: Torchwood: In the Shadows
Author: Joseph Lidster
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Audible
Number of Books Read: 113
Number of MY Books Read: 49
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★

Torchwood receive reports of a strange death: a man in his 30s who died of old age. A series of other strange events leads Torchwood to conclude that someone is sending victims to a dark dimension, to be punished by the thing they fear most.

A fun and creepy Torchwood story. Eve Miles does an excellent job narrating this one.

This has been a pretty lackluster reading month for me. I've had houseguests off and on all month and spent some time in the hospital. I hope July will be better. I have one more book I'm going to try to finish today, but I may not be able to get to it.

Title: I Love You, You Idiot
Author: Cathy East Dubowski
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 114
Number of MY Books Read: 50
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★

It is crazy that Dean and I broke up. Things were going great between us. I mean, he tells me he loves me one minute, then the next minute he breaks up with me. My mom thinks I should wallow and stuff my face with junk food, but I'm not so sure that's the answer. And let's face it, when it comes to relationships, my mom doesn't always show the best judgment, especially if my dad's involved. What I really need to do is stay focused and keep busy. After all, I have Harvard to think about, so why waste time crying over a boy? Right?

I thought these books would be tie-ins to the tv show, but they are actually episodes written out in novel form. This one follows 4 episodes from season one. It was ok, but not what I wanted.

June Recap

Number of Books Read Total: 114
Number of Books Read in June: 15
Number of Books I Own Read Total: 50
Number of Books I Own Read in June: 5
Best of June: Christmas in Evergreen
Least Best of June: Indiana Jones and the Dance of the Giants

June CATs and KITs

RandomCAT (narrator): Dead Until Dark
ColorCAT (Purple): Dead Until Dark
MysteryCAT (True Crime): The Man Who Loved Books Too Much
ScaredyKIT (Adapted to Film): Dead Until Dark
SFF KIT (Series): Dead Until Dark
AlphaKIT (G): The Great Zoo of China
AlphaKIT (R): The Great Zoo of China

Title: Death Below Stairs
Author: Jennifer Ashley
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 115
Number of MY Books Read: 51
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★

Victorian class lines are crossed when cook Kat Holloway is drawn into a murder that reaches all the way to the throne.

Highly sought-after young cook Kat Holloway takes a position in a Mayfair mansion and soon finds herself immersed in the odd household of Lord Rankin. Kat is unbothered by the family’s eccentricities as long as they stay away from her kitchen, but trouble finds its way below stairs when her young Irish assistant is murdered.

Intent on discovering who killed the helpless kitchen maid, Kat turns to the ever-capable Daniel McAdam, who is certainly much more than the charming delivery man he pretends to be. Along with the assistance of Lord Rankin’s unconventional sister-in-law and a mathematical genius, Kat and Daniel discover that the household murder was the barest tip of a plot rife with danger and treason—one that’s a threat to Queen Victoria herself.

I really enjoyed this one. The characters, particularly Kat and Daniel, were complex and likeable, the setting seemed well-researched, and the story was lots of fun. Can't wait to read more in this series.



Title: A High-end Finish
Author: Kate Carlisle
Format: eBook
Own or Loan: Borrowed from Overdrive
Number of Books Read: 116
Number of MY Books Read: 51
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★

Shannon Hammer, owner of a successful home renovation and repair business in the seaside town of Lighthouse Cove in northern California, is the prime suspect in the murder of real estate agent Jerry Saxton. After the two of them go on a disastrous blind date, Jerry's body is found in a run-down Victorian home that Shannon has been hired to restore. The town's attractive new police chief suspects Shannon, who, with the help of her friends, her eccentric father, and a handsome crime writer who's just moved into town, tries to clear her name.

I picked this one up because I'd seen one of the made for tv movies based on the series, and I enjoyed it. I think in general this was a great start to the series. I liked the characters and the setting. I also really like the "hook" for this series being that Shannon is a contractor. I love architecture, and all the little details about the houses were a nice touch. I thought the mystery itself was decent, though I did figure it out from pretty early on. The only complaint I have is the treatment of sexual assault. It was brushed aside as no big deal. One of the characters even says "it wasn't that bad," and perhaps the author considers that if Shannon wasn't actually raped, it's not that bad, but I disagree. I find it odd that the subject was even brought up in a cozy, but if you are going to include that in the story, I feel like it should be done in a more sensitive manner. All that aside, though, and I liked this one a lot. I'll definitely continue the series.



Title: Devil's Highway
Author: Luis Alberto Urrea
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Got Free from Sync program
Number of Books Read: 117
Number of MY Books Read: 51
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★

This was an intense and heartbreaking true story of the 26 men who attempted to illegally cross into Arizona from Mexico in May 2001. It took me about a month to get through it because I could only listen in small doses. I was actually surprised that Urrea was able to tell the story and show the "walkers" (the men attempting the journey) in a sympathetic light while simultaneously showing the humanity of the border patrol. It was a story of devastation, but it never felt one-sided or politically motivated, which seems to me a near impossible task.

The tale was very well told, but I do wish Urrea hadn't narrated his story. He has a really halting way of speaking, and his voice often distracted from the story itself. I ended up listening to it at 1.8 speed just because I couldn't handle the natural cadence of his speech. I'd still highly recommend it, even in audio format.

Title: Dark Lover
Author: J.R. Ward
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 118
Number of MY Books Read: 52
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Yet none of them relishes killing more than Wrath, the leader of The Black Dagger Brotherhood.

Blech. I'd picked this one up because I kept hearing that this series is just so amazing. For me it was just awful. The characters were obnoxious. The plot was nothing special. The pacing was terrible. The names were idiotic (Rhage, Tohrment, Phury, Zsadist...). Ugh. I don't know. I couldn't find anything to like about the book, and I will not be reading the second one to see if it gets better.

>161 virginiahomeschooler: - Both those mysteries sound like fun! I'll have to be on the lookout for them.

>162 virginiahomeschooler: I must admit names in books are a pet peeve of mine. I don't expect everyone to be a John, Jim, or Sally, but seriously - Tohrment!? Phury!? Come on! Why wasn't the leader named "Whrath?"

>162 virginiahomeschooler: I assume you might not own that one for much longer? >;-)
One to avoid, methinks.

>163 LittleTaiko: They really were lots of fun.

>164 owlie13: yeah that's something that bugs me too. I can usually get over it if it's one character (though I'll still usually grumble quietly to myself every time that name pops up), but it was beyond ridiculous in this one.

>165 Helenliz: I already have it in the stack of books to drop off at the Little Free Library nearby. 😊

>166 virginiahomeschooler: I received an Early Reviewer book once where every character was named something like "Dinglehammer Fiddlepoof" or "Bartleby Whackbeetle" and these were just ordinary Americans, not even fantasy creatures! That's not the only reason I didn't finish it, but it was one of them!

>167 owlie13: lol, that sounds awful.

Speaking of names, I was reading comments in a Facebook article the other day, and this woman was talking about her kids. They all had normal names like Sue and Tommy, but she also had a daughter named Angina (This wasn't the point of her comment, but it was what I noticed). I told my daughter I missed the opportunity when she came along. I should have called her Migraine or Foot Fungus.

Title: The Sinner
Author: Tess Gerritsen
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 119
Number of MY Books Read: 53
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: MysteryCAT (police procedural) and AlphaKIT (S)
Rating: ★★★★

Not even the icy temperatures of a typical New England winter can match the bone-chilling scene of carnage discovered at the chapel of Our Lady of Divine Light. Within the cloistered convent lie two nuns–one dead, one critically injured–victims of an unspeakably savage attacker. The brutal crime appears to be without motive, but medical examiner Maura Isles’s autopsy of the dead woman yields a shocking surprise: Twenty-year-old Sister Camille gave birth before she was murdered. Then another body is found, mutilated beyond recognition. Together, Isles and homicide detective Jane Rizzoli uncover an ancient horror that connects these terrible slaughters. As long-buried secrets come to light, Maura Isles finds herself drawn inexorably toward the heart of an investigation that strikes close to home–and toward a dawning revelation about the killer’s identity too shattering to consider.

I really enjoyed this one. I've always been oddly fascinated by the idea of becoming a nun (I am not Catholic or in any way religious, but the tradition and rituals of it intrigue me), so that probably had something to do with it. But of the three books from the series so far, this one was the best.



Title: Operation Hell Gate
Author: Marc Cerasini
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 120
Number of MY Books Read: 54
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★

Within twenty-four hours a nightmare will be unleashed that could cause the death of untold millions and devastate a great nation. It's a plot being carried out by the unlikeliest of allies. A powerful mole within the deepest reaches of U.S. Intelligence has secretly conscripted the very criminals he's been charged with investigating -- former IRA terrorists, Latino and Asian gang members, Middle Eastern assassins and others -- creating one of the most insidious terrorist networks law enforcement has yet to take down.

One man stands between the destroyers and the death tide: Jack Bauer, lone wolf operative for America's brand-new elite Counter Terrorist Unit. But he's three thousand miles from the CTU command center without backup in a strange city, New York. He's been artfully set up and is being hunted by the FBI for the murder of two of its agents. And time's almost up . . .

This one, the first in the 24 Declassified series, started off strong and then fell sort of flat towards the end. Like the show, it flips from scene to scene and multiple points of view constantly. It wasn't confusing exactly, but it was kind of exhausting. And the massive number of bad guys made them hard to keep up with. It was ok, and I have 4 or 5 more from the series that I'll get to at some point.

>168 virginiahomeschooler:
Angina? Poor child. :(

It has been such a busy past few weeks that I have fallen really behind in keeping up with what I'm reading. I'm going to try to catch up but it'll be brief.

Title: This Old Homicide
Author: Kate Carlisle
Format: Hardback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 121
Number of MY Books Read: 55
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★½

Title: Homeland
Author: Cory Doctorow
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Borrowed from Hoopla
Number of Books Read: 122
Number of MY Books Read: 55
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: SFF, Random, Scaredy
Rating: ★★★½

Title: Girls in Pants
Author: Ann Brashares
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 123
Number of MY Books Read: 56
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: Alpha (A)
Rating: ★★★★

Title: The Little Prince
Author: Antoinne de Saint Exupery
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 124
Number of MY Books Read: 57
Bingo Space: 1001 List
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★½

Title: By the Light of the Moon
Author: Dean Koontz
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 125
Number of MY Books Read: 58
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★½

July Recap

Number of Books Read Total: 125
Number of Books Read in July: 11
Number of Books I Own Read Total: 58
Number of Books I Own Read in July: 8
Best of July: The Sinner
Least Best of July: Dark Lover

July CATs and KITs

RandomCAT (Generations): Homeland
ColorCAT (Pink):
MysteryCAT (Police Procedurals): The Sinner
ScaredyKIT (Science / Techno Thriller): Homeland
SFF KIT (Cyberpunk / Techno SFFF): Homeland
AlphaKIT (S): The Sinner
AlphaKIT (A): Girls in Pants

I was kind of bummed that I never finished a pink book, but time has really gotten away from me lately. It's now a week into August and I've only read one book, and I haven't even started anything for any of the CATs or KITs. I think I'm in a slump. 😔

Noooo not a slump! I hope the right book comes along soon.

Uh-oh the dreaded book slump, hopefully you find just the right book to pull you out of that!

>172 virginiahomeschooler: Echoing the others, I hope you find the right book soon! I'm not in a slump, but I feel like all my current reads (despite actually enjoying them all) are making more emotional demands of me than I can be doing with at the moment, so I'm on the hunt for a bit of fluff to try and get me out of it.

>173 rabbitprincess:, >174 DeltaQueen50:, & >175 Jackie_K: it's not so much the books, though I haven't picked up anything lately that just pulled me in, as other stuff. Emma's anxiety has been at its worst the past month or so. She's not been able to leave the house more than a couple of trips to the drive-thru (she won't get out of the car), and even at home she's miserable. It's beyond stressful watching your child suffer, and reading has just not given me the joy it usually does.

I have been sewing, though. My mom shipped Em her own sewing machine, and we've been working on a block of the week quilt along with fellow quilters online. She loves to sew, and it's the one thing that's gotten her excited, so I'm trying to encourage it. Our quilts are meant to be Christmas themed (we do a new block each week through the middle of November), but mine is turning out not so very Christmas-y.

Title: Key Lime Pie Murder
Author: Joanne Fluke
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 126
Number of MY Books Read: 59
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★½



Title: Princess Academy
Author: Shannon Hale
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 127
Number of MY Books Read: 60
Bingo Space: Rank in title
Group CAT/KIT: Random (mountain setting) and Color (grey cover)
Rating: ★★★★



Title: The Black Echo
Author: Michael Connelly
Format: eBook
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 128
Number of MY Books Read: 61
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: Scaredy (series)
Rating: ★★★★



Title: Columbus Day
Author: Craig Alanson
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Audible
Number of Books Read: 129
Number of MY Books Read: 62
Bingo Space: Famous Person in the Title
Group CAT/KIT: SFF (Funny)
Rating: ★★★★

Title: The Case of the Left-Handed Lady
Author: Nancy Springer
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 130
Number of MY Books Read: 63
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: Mystery (historical)
Rating: ★★★½

Pursued by her much older brother, famed detective Sherlock Holmes, fourteen-year-old Enola, disguised and using false names, attempts to solve the kidnapping of a baronet's sixteen-year-old daughter in nineteenth-century London.

This was an enjoyable second installment in the Enola Holmes series. It had been a while since I read the first book, but I think I liked this one more.



Title: Only Human
Author: Gareth Roberts
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 131
Number of MY Books Read: 64
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: Alpha (O) and (D - Doctor Who)
Rating: ★★★★

The Doctor looks and seems human. He's handsome, witty, and could be mistaken for just another man in the street. But the Doctor is a Time Lord: a 900-year-old alien with two hearts, part of a gifted civilization who mastered Time Travel. Brace yourself for some exhilarating experiences and deadly confrontations across time and space. The human race will survive - but only with the Doctor's help.

This was a good one involving Nine, Rose, and Captain Jack. I would have preferred if they'd stuck together through the story, but that always seems to be the way these work with them splitting off.



Title: The Hounds of Artemis
Author: James Goss
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Audible
Number of Books Read: 132
Number of MY Books Read: 64
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★½

The story and narration of this one were pretty good, but there were weird gaps in the narration. It split between two narrators, and there were long (weirdly long) pauses in between their parts. I enjoyed the rest, but the gaps kept pulling me out of the story.



Title: The Gemini Contagion
Author: Jason Arnopp
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Audible
Number of Books Read: 133
Number of MY Books Read: 64
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★

Meera Syal's narration was good, but I didn't enjoy the story quite as much.

I think the odds of finishing anything else th us month are slim, so I am going to go ahead and call it for August.

AUGUST SUMMARY

Number of Books Read Total: 133
Number of Books Read in August: 8
Number of Books I Own Read Total: 64
Number of Books I Own Read in August: 6
Best of July: Columbus Day
Least Best of July: The Gemini Contagion



AUGUST KITS AND CATS

RandomCAT (Mountain): Princess Academy
ColorCAT (Grey): Princess Academy
MysteryCAT (Historical): The Case of the Left-Handed Lady
ScaredyKIT (Series): Black Echo
SFF KIT (Funny): Columbus Day
AlphaKIT (O): Only Human
AlphaKIT (D): Only Human (Doctor Who)

SEPTEMBER PLANS AND POSSIBILITIES



I plan my reading around the CATs and KITs first, then add others that I just want to get to. So for September, this is what I'm planning for the categories:

RandomCAT (birthday): It and/or End of Watch
ColorCAT (Metallic): Silver Wedding
MysteryCAT (Noir): End of Watch
ScaredyKIT (Stephen King Family): It and/or End of Watch
SFF KIT (Myths, Legends, and Fairy Tales): Essex Serpent
AlphaKIT (B): Silver Wedding (Maeve Binchy)
AlphaKIT (E): Essex Serpent

Just for fun:
Crowned and Moldering
Return of the King

I'd love to get to more than just these, but with It in the mix (which kindle is telling me will take roughly 40 hours - about 6 times as long as my normal reads), I am not too optimistic. We'll see.

Title: Private Gold
Author: James Patterson
Format: eBook
Own or Loan: Borrowed from Overdrive
Number of Books Read: 134
Number of MY Books Read: 64
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: ColorCAT
Rating: ★★★

Meh. This was one of Patterson's Bookshots, which are super short. To be honest, I only read this because I was looking for a metallic book for ColorCAT. It was ok. Nothing special. Only took about 50 minutes to read, so no real loss.

Title: One for the Money
Author: Janet Evanovich
Format: eBook
Own or Loan: Borrowed from Overdrive
Number of Books Read: 135
Number of MY Books Read: 64
Bingo Space: Money in the title
Group CAT/KIT: AlphaKIT (E)
Rating: ★★★★

This was a reread. I have been in a bit of a slump reading wise, and I find that rereading books that I like helps (especially fluffy ones like this). I think I enjoyed it more this time around, and it had been long enough (more than a decade) that I had forgotten enough for it to be like a first time read.

Title: Murder on Parade
Author: Donald Bain
Format: eBook
Own or Loan: Borrowed from Overdrive
Number of Books Read: 136
Number of MY Books Read: 64
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★

Not the best of the Murder She Wrote series. Not the worst.

Title: New World Order
Author: Robert Kirkman
Format: eBook
Own or Loan: Borrowed from Hoopla
Number of Books Read: 137
Number of MY Books Read: 64
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★½

I have been disappointed with the show the past couple of seasons, but the comic has remained enjoyable. I'm afraid I'm hitting the end of the comic as well, now. This one was repetitive and implausible (Ok, so it's a world with zombies, plausibility sort of went out the window, but still...within the confines of this world, this one was hard to believe). I'm just over the finding of new groups of people only to discover they are seemingly good people who have all these evil intentions. I don't know. This one was just a disappointment.

Title: Gin and Daggers
Author: Donald Bain
Format: eBook
Own or Loan: Borrowed from Overdrive
Number of Books Read: 138
Number of MY Books Read: 64
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: AlphaKIT (B)
Rating: ★★★

This is the first in the Murder She Wrote book series, and it's sort of dated. The mystery itself was ok. Story was a bit convoluted.

So, that's it for September. Another slow, and not particularly enjoyable, reading month. Here's hoping October is better.

October Plans and Possibilities



I'm hoping to get to all of these and cover all the categories for the month. I've not done so well the past two months in that regard, so we'll see. These are my CAT plans

RandomCAT (Cards): The Lonely Hearts Hotel (or possibly The Genius Wars)
ColorCAT (Orange): Carrot Cake Murder and / or Of Blood and Bone
MysteryCAT (Espionage): The Night Manager (I started this a couple of years ago, and I'd really like to finish it)
ScaredyKIT (Ghost Stories): My Plain Jane
SFF KIT (Historical / Alt Historical): Anathem
AlphaKIT (N): Anathem
AlphaKIT (L): The Lonely Hearts Hotel

Of those, I'm most looking forward to My Plain Jane.

I also plan (hope) to get to some random fluff reading. Life has been extremely stressful the past few months, which has really impacted my reading. I think for my mental health, I need to start prioritizing some brainless "happy" books.

>182 virginiahomeschooler: I relate to your last paragraph so hard! I hope you are able to practice self-care by reading some brainless happy books this month!

Good idea to add some fluffy books to the reading rotation! I hope they do the job. I also hope you have better luck with The Night Manager than I did...

>183 christina_reads: I hope you can get some happy reading in, too. I do think it helps if you can make time for it.

>184 rabbitprincess: I picked up the book after watching the mini-series with Hugh Laurie and Tom Hiddleston, which I really enjoyed (but then again, Hugh Laurie and Tom Hiddleston - makes it hard not to like). I think I got about halfway through the book before I set it down. I kept meaning to get back to it. Now I'm worried I've forgotten where I was, and I really don't want to go back to the beginning. I would like to finish it, but I'm a bit worried at how slow I remember the first half being.

Title: My Plain Jane
Author: Cynthia Hand
Format: Hardback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 139
Number of MY Books Read: 65
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: ScaredyKIT (ghost story)
Rating: ★★★★½

You may think you know the story. Penniless orphan Jane Eyre begins a new life as a governess at Thornfield Hall, where she meets one dark, brooding Mr. Rochester--and, Reader, she marries him. Or does she? Prepare for an adventure of Gothic proportions, in which all is not as it seems, a certain gentleman is hiding more than skeletons in his closets, and orphan Jane Eyre, aspiring author Charlotte Bronte, and supernatural investigator Alexander Blackwood are about to be drawn together on the most epic ghost hunt this side of Wuthering Heights.

I really didn't expect to love this one as much as I did. My main concern was that I've never read Jane Eyre. I figured I'd miss many of the subtleties, but if I did, I didn't notice it. What I found was an incredibly fun and original story (as original as a "retelling" can be) that was filled with wit and heart. I have no idea how 3 people can work together to create a cohesive novel, but these women have done it and done a superb job of it. I absolutely adore their writing style, and if this book is an indication of their other work, I will definitely be reading more from them. I'd recommend this one for those who love Jane Eyre and those like me who've never even read it. (This has pushed me to put it at the top of my TBR stack, by the way).

Currently Reading:
Of Blood and Bone (paperback)
Carrot Cake Murder (kindle)
The Lost Hero (audiobook reread)

>186 virginiahomeschooler: I'm glad to know that My Plain Jane is enjoyable even if you haven't read Jane Eyre! You should definitely check out these authors' other joint book, My Lady Jane!

I saw on BBC One's Facebook page yesterday that the team that adapted The Night Manager will be adapting The Little Drummer Girl. Thought you might be interested (although it doesn't seem to have Laurie or Hiddleston...).

>187 christina_reads: I plan to get to that one. I probably wouldn't have picked up My Plain Jane, but I got it in an Owlcrate box, and I'm so glad I did.

>188 rabbitprincess: ooh, but it has a Skarsgård! Lol. I do watch stuff for plot and other reasons besides the men in them. But they make a nice bonus.

Title: Of Blood and Bone
Author: Nora Roberts
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 140
Number of MY Books Read: 66
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: ColorCAT and AlphaKIT (N)
Rating: ★★★

This is the second book in Nora Roberts' The One series. While reading the first book, Year One, I couldn't help noticing how extremely similar it was to The Stand (one of my favorite books, but Nora's wasn't nearly as good). This one had me thinking of Michael Grant's Gone series. It had a very YA feel, probably because it was largely about teenagers. I'm giving it 3 stars because I do enjoy this sort of story, and it's not a bad one. BUT. There are issues. Some of them pretty significant.

First issue: repetition and writing 5 pages where 2 will tell the tale. Yeah. That sums it up.

Second issue (and the one that actually bothered me the most): the depictions of male/female relationships and actions. So I know Nora writes romance as her bread and butter. And she's good at it. But there are certain...attitudes...within romance novels that I'd love to see go the way of the dinosaurs. Nora seems very "women are strong and can do anything they set their mind to," and yet... There's always a man who sort of forces himself onto the woman. Now, she inevitably wants him too, so it's not bad, right? Eh. For me. ESPECIALLY in this book where we are talking about a teenager (she's 14 in the first scene and 15 in another, far worse, scene). It's just not ok. In the second scene a teen boy walks in on the 15 year old who's naked, and she's uncomfortable, but he just stands there being "Nora Roberts" witty. It left me completely skeeved, and honestly I'm still feeling it absolutely should have been left out of the book.

Anyway, story...not particularly original but a good one. Writing...decent but repetitive. Icky feelings about the (forced) sexual dynamics...way too much for me.

Currently Reading:
The Great American Read
Carrot Cake Murder
The Lost Hero

Title: Carrot Cake Murder
Author: Joanne Fluke
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 141
Number of MY Books Read: 67
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: ColorCAT
Rating: ★★

The tenth book in the Hannah Swenson series left me wondering why I'm still reading these books. Generally at least the mystery is good, even if the characters are lame. But this one was just so meh, and the lameness of the characters was so over the top. At one point Hannah describes her sister's outfit (white shorts and a pink tank top). She seems to be making an unflattering judgment about the clothes - that it wasn't appropriate attire (for a twenty something woman hanging out in summertime...ok Hannah, we get it; you're stringing two dudes along in relationships but you're a ginormous judgmental prude). That I can look past. But then the sister says something along the lines of "I need to change into something else cause I'm going out with Lonnie (the boyfriend), and he doesn't like when I wear shirts like this because other men look at me." These words aren't uttered in irony or sarcasm. She's totally serious, and it makes my skin crawl. Ok so I have issues. Obviously.

Currently Reading:
The Great American Read
Anathem
The Lost Hero

>191 virginiahomeschooler: I'd say it's the book that has issues, not you!

Title: The Lost Hero
Author: Rick Riordan
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Borrowed from Overdrive
Number of Books Read: 143
Number of MY Books Read: 67
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: AlphaKIT (L)
Rating: ★★★



Title: Veto Power
Author: John Whitman
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 144
Number of MY Books Read: 68
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★



Title: A King's Ransom
Author: Jude Watson
Format: Hardback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 145
Number of MY Books Read: 69
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: RandomCAT
Rating: ★★★



Title: City of Ember: The Graphic Novel
Author: Jeanne Duprau
Format: Hardback
Own or Loan: Borrowed from the Library
Number of Books Read: 146
Number of MY Books Read: 69
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★

Title: Deck the Hallways
Author: Kate Carlisle
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 147
Number of MY Books Read: 70
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★

Another fun fixer upper mystery. I do wish they'd done these movies with someone other than Jewel.



Title: The Girl in the Red Coat
Author: Kate Hamer
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 148
Number of MY Books Read: 71
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★

This was a pretty good, tense (but not too tense) story about a little girl who goes missing. My daughter pulled it off the shelf for me to read. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, though I found the ending a bit disappointing.



Title: Silver Wedding
Author: Maeve Binchy
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 149
Number of MY Books Read: 71
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★½

I have owned this book for nearly 30 years. It's been with me through high school, college, marriage, about a dozen moves. I've no idea why I hung onto it for so long but never read it, but I finally did it. And it was good, not great - I definitely preferred Circle of Friends, which I actually read probably closer to 30 years ago. And now I feel ancient.



Title: By Book or by Crook
Author: Eva Gates
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 150
Number of MY Books Read: 72
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★

A fun little start to a new to me cozy series.

Currently Reading (and hoping to finish by the end of the month):

Lock In (on audio)
The Great American Read (which is fantastic but slow going)
Cream Puff Murder (my current fluff read)

Congratulations for reading Silver Wedding, a book that has been on your shelves so long. I don't think I have any unread books quite that old, but I have a few that are pushing 10 to 12 years.

>195 DeltaQueen50: on the one hand, I'm happy to have finished something after holding onto it for so long. On the other, I'm rather disgusted that it took so long. I have several others that I have had probably around the same amount of time. I'm thinking it's maybe time to go through my shelves and reevaluate whether I need to keep certain books that just never get read.

Title: Cream Puff Murder
Author: Joanne Fluke
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 151
Number of MY Books Read: 73
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★



Title: The Great American Read
Author: PBS
Format: Hardback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 152
Number of MY Books Read: 74
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★★

That was it for October. It ended up being a pretty good reading month all things considered.

Number of Books Read Total: 152
Number of Books Read in October: 14
Number of Books I Own Read Total: 74
Number of Books I Own Read in October: 10
Best of October: The Great American Read
Least Best of October: Veto Power

Title: Lock In
Author: John Scalzi
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 153
Number of MY Books Read: 75
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★½

I really enjoyed this story, and Wil Wheaton's narration was fantastic.



Title: Eaves of Destruction
Author: Kate Carlisle
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 154
Number of MY Books Read: 76
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: MysteryCAT
Rating: ★★★★



Title: Waste of Space
Author: Gina Damico
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 155
Number of MY Books Read: 77
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★

Title: Eye of the Jungle
Author: Darren Jones
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 156
Number of MY Books Read: 77
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: SFFKIT (Creatures)
Rating: ★★★



Title: Blood Dreams
Author: Kay Hooper
Format: Hardback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 157
Number of MY Books Read: 78
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: ColorCAT, ScaredyCAT, AlphaKIT (H)
Rating: ★★★



Title: Carved in Flesh
Author: Tim Waggoner
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 158
Number of MY Books Read: 79
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: AlphaKIT (T)
Rating: ★★★



Title: Plum Pudding Murder
Author: Joanne Fluke
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 159
Number of MY Books Read: 80
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT: RandomCAT
Rating: ★★★★

And now I've finally made it to the point where over half the books I've read have been ones I own. I'd really like to try for a better percentage next year. Maybe try to keep it over 75%?

>199 virginiahomeschooler: Over half is a good percentage!

I've been reading a ton but not posting lately. I have some as yet undiagnosed issue that's been causing nonstop relentless nausea (lost 20 pounds unintentionally in less than 6 weeks). Makes it hard to do much of anything, even read some days. I've had some tests this past week that haven't determined a cause but have ruled out some of the scarier prospects, so I'm trying to be grateful for that at least. I'm gonna try to get caught up on everything as best I can.

Title: Apple Turnover Murder
Author: Joanne Fluke
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 160
Number of MY Books Read: 81
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★½

Title: Devil's Food Cake Murder
Author: Joanne Fluke
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 161
Number of MY Books Read: 82
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★½

Title: Cinnamon Roll Murder
Author: Joanne Fluke
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 162
Number of MY Books Read: 83
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★½

Title: Red Velvet Cupcake Murder
Author: Joanne Fluke
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 163
Number of MY Books Read: 84
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★½

As you can see I've been on a Hannah Swenson kick lately. I've felt so lousy (and anxious and a bit depressed), and these quirky, silly little books have helped me hold on to my sanity a bit.

Title: X-files: Cold Cases
Author: Joe Harris
Format: Audiobook
Own or Loan: Audible
Number of Books Read: 164
Number of MY Books Read: 85
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★½

Meh, this one wasn't one I'd recommend unless you're a diehard fan. At least it was free.

Title: Christmas Joy
Author: Nancy Naigle
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 165
Number of MY Books Read: 86
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★★½

Lovely little cozy Christmas story. Put me in a holiday mood for sure. There's also a Hallmark Movie based (not very closely) on the book, but it's not nearly as good.

Title: Booked for Murder
Author: Eva Gates
Format: eBook
Own or Loan: Borrowed from Overdrive
Number of Books Read: 166
Number of MY Books Read: 86
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★½

The second in the Lighthouse mystery series. Not as good as book one, but still enjoyably cozy.

Title: The Christmas Letter
Author: Kathi Daley
Format: eBook
Own or Loan: Kindle Unlimited
Number of Books Read: 167
Number of MY Books Read: 86
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★½

This was another I was glad was free. The writing could do with a good editor, and the mystery was just terrible. I enjoyed the setting and the characters, though, so I'd possibly give book two a try (as long as it was free).

I think I'm all caught up now.

I'm sorry you're not feeling well and hope they figure out what's wrong soon!

Not knowing what is wrong is scary. I hope you'll have good news soon.

>202 rabbitprincess: and >203 MissWatson: thanks. The medication they put me on covers quite a lot of bases and seems to be working moderately well, and I'm feeling a good bit better than I have in a while. Crossing my fingers it stays that way.

I'm having a hard time not getting ahead of myself with my reading plans. I've started looking at my shelves and making stack a for next year. Which is fun, but I know how I am with planning and then not actually getting to what I plan for. I don't know. I guess it doesn't hurt anything. I do love my lists and stacks and plans. Even if I don't actually follow through with them.

I'm happy that they ruled out the scarier options but it must be so frustrating to not have any actual answers to know what you're dealing with. I'm glad you were able to find some comfort with some good cozy mysteries. They really do help when feeling blue, don't they?

>205 LittleTaiko: it's been very frustrating. I finally am at least feeling like they're starting to listen and not just write everything off as stress and anxiety.

I finished a few more book in November.

Title: BlackBerry Pie Murder
Author: Joanne Fluke
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 168
Number of MY Books Read: 87
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★½

Decent Hannah Swenson story. Lots of fluff dialogue meant to set up the recipes, but the story was pretty good.

Title: Gingerbread Cookie Murder
Author: Joanne Fluke et al
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Own
Number of Books Read: 169
Number of MY Books Read: 88
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★½

Set of three Christmas themed cozy mystery novellas. The Fluke one was about on par with her novels, and I enjoyed it. I liked the Jaine Austen one, too (by Laura Levine). I'd never read her, but I would pick up more by her in the future. I didn't care for the Leslie Meier (Lucy Stone) story at all. I have one of her books on my shelf, and I'll probably still read it, but I wasn't wild about the character from the story.

Title: Grace Under the Clock
Author: Julie Hyzy
Format: Paperback
Own or Loan: Borrowed from the Library
Number of Books Read: 170
Number of MY Books Read: 88
Bingo Space:
Group CAT/KIT:
Rating: ★★★½

I love Julie Hyzy. Her White House Chef Mysteries are some of my favorites. The Grace books aren't quite as good, but they're still well written and enjoyable.

So that's it for November. Here are my numbers:

Total number of books read this year: 180
Books read in November: 18
Number of My books read this year: 88
Number of My books read in November: 14
Best Book(s) in November: Christmas Joy and Lock In
Worst Book of November: The Christmas Letter