NorthernStar's Notes for 2021

En/na NorthernStar's Notes for 2022 ha continuat aquest tema.

ConversesThe Green Dragon

Afegeix-te a LibraryThing per participar.

NorthernStar's Notes for 2021

1NorthernStar
gen. 3, 2021, 11:23 pm

Well, I did an abysmal job with my reading thread last year. I might still go back and fill in some book info, or maybe not. I did not come close to enough posts for a continuation, so am just starting a new thread.

2020's thread can be found here:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/314798

Happy New Year everyone, and happy reading!

2Marissa_Doyle
gen. 3, 2021, 11:54 pm

Happy New Year! Starred and following--and I hope you have a better reading year.

3NorthernStar
gen. 4, 2021, 12:03 am

>2 Marissa_Doyle: I read a lot last year, I just sucked at keeping notes on it!

4NorthernStar
gen. 4, 2021, 12:40 am

Read so far this year (or maybe partly in the last week of 2020):
I took advantage of a sale at Book View Cafe to get a few ebooks
Between Silk and Sand, By Jove, and Evergreen by Marissa Doyle - enjoyed all of these, but especially the first and last. Both feel like there should be sequels.
Also read The Watchmaker's Daughter by C. J. Archer, enjoyed this, will probably look for more in this series.

5pgmcc
gen. 4, 2021, 2:03 am

>1 NorthernStar: I am taking my pkace to watch your thread. Have a brilliant 2021.

6Karlstar
gen. 4, 2021, 5:23 am

Happy New Year!

7majkia
gen. 4, 2021, 5:43 am

Fingers crossed for a better year on all fronts.

8reading_fox
gen. 4, 2021, 6:18 am

Happy New Year!

9YouKneeK
gen. 4, 2021, 6:34 am

>1 NorthernStar: Best wishes for 2021!

10Bookmarque
gen. 4, 2021, 9:00 am

Happy New Year & New Thread. May they both be filled with great books.

11clamairy
gen. 4, 2021, 10:28 am

Happy New thread! You've nailed me with quite a few excellent book bullets over the years, so I'll be playing close attention.

12libraryperilous
gen. 4, 2021, 10:29 am

Happy new year/thread!

re: The Glass Magician, mentioned on your 2020 thread: It was on sale for $1.99, so I grabbed it for my Paperwhite. I'm intrigued by the setting, plus it reminds me a bit of Lackey's Elementals books, which I quite like so far.

13Narilka
gen. 4, 2021, 11:58 am

Happy new year!

14-pilgrim-
gen. 4, 2021, 12:13 pm

And a happy new year to you too!

15chalton
gen. 4, 2021, 2:06 pm

Happy new year!

16Sakerfalcon
gen. 6, 2021, 7:30 am

Happy new year! I hope it is a good one for you in every way. I'm looking forward to seeing what you read this year, even if you don't have time to post very much.

>12 libraryperilous: Unfortunately in the UK it seems to be the other Glass magician title that keeps going on sale. I'm trying to be patient and wait for Stevermer's novel to be released in paperback.

17Maddz
gen. 6, 2021, 1:09 pm

>16 Sakerfalcon: I got the Stevermer one on Kindle when it came out.

18NorthernStar
gen. 6, 2021, 11:25 pm

>12 libraryperilous: I got it on sale too. I hope you enjoy it. I'd only read some of her collaborations with Patricia Wrede before.

Thank you to all for the new years wishes!

Finished Skin Game and am now working on Peace Talks by Jim Butcher. I like the Harry Dresden books, but he and his friends do get beat up a lot. I have Peace Talks out from the library, and have to get it back soon.

19libraryperilous
gen. 6, 2021, 11:40 pm

>16 Sakerfalcon: I see that one frequently, too. I read one of Holmberg's other novels and didn't like it much, so I don't think I'll be tempted anytime soon. I'll try to get to the opposite Glass Magician so you can perhaps decide if it's worth staying patient.

>18 NorthernStar: I've heard the Sorcery and Cecelia books are quite good.

20-pilgrim-
Editat: gen. 7, 2021, 2:33 pm

>19 libraryperilous: I have read Holmberg's The Glass Magician. (My review is here.) That was nearly two years ago, and I still remember how much it irritated me. In retrospect, 2 stars seems excessively generous.

21Peace2
gen. 7, 2021, 6:30 pm

Belated happy new year wishes.

22libraryperilous
gen. 7, 2021, 8:01 pm

>20 -pilgrim-: Oh, dear. It sounds like I did well to buy the other novel. Great review!

23Maddz
gen. 8, 2021, 1:44 am

>20 -pilgrim-:, >22 libraryperilous: Various Holmbergs keep popping up in deals on Amazon; I've so far resisted them because one Amazon review mentioned the author's shaky geography. Apparently, the Essex coast abounds in rocky cliffs complete with smuggler's caves...

In fairness to the leaving London bit, you have to remember that London only started engulfing satellite villages in the 1800s. Heck, my employer (the London Borough of Islington) was a country village that was a noted day trip from London proper.

24-pilgrim-
Editat: gen. 8, 2021, 5:26 am

>23 Maddz: Very true, but the 1900s is not the 1800s. And Dartford was already industrialised by the mid nineteenth century.

I did try another of Holmberg's - Smoke and Summons - from a purely fantasy setting. One might think that she would do better without little inconveniences like facts to get in her way. No, the result is even worse..

ETA: Inspection of my Kindle library shows that I in fact possess another Charlie Holmberg novel - The Fifth Doll - which has, apparently, a "Russian" fantasy setting.

I have not dared to open it. I fear for the survival of any electronic device that I attempt to read it on (as an overwhelmingly urge to throw it against the wall would probably not be healthy).

25Sakerfalcon
gen. 8, 2021, 6:26 am

>19 libraryperilous:, >20 -pilgrim-: I think your reviews were what warned me to stay away from Holmberg in the first place!

26NorthernStar
gen. 8, 2021, 9:10 pm

Finished Peace Talks last night, so it could go back to the library. Definitely ends on a cliffhanger. Unfortunately Battle Ground, the next in the series, is not available. I have a hold on the ebook, but there is only one copy so the estimate is for delivery in 6 months. sigh

27Jim53
gen. 9, 2021, 1:09 pm

Belated happy new year! Hope it's a good one for you.

28MrsLee
gen. 10, 2021, 12:03 am

>26 NorthernStar: Yikes! 6 months? You will be a saint after all that patience.

29NorthernStar
gen. 10, 2021, 12:06 am

>28 MrsLee: I am really hoping my library gets a physical copy before too long. They had the copy of Peace Talks in October. But just in case, I have a hold on the ebook.

30tardis
gen. 10, 2021, 1:59 pm

>29 NorthernStar: Maybe the people ahead of you for the eBook will be kind and return it as soon as they're done reading it so you will get it sooner. That's what I do, even if there isn't a wait list. I think others do, too, because I've had many occasions when estimated wait times have been much longer than actual.

31NorthernStar
gen. 11, 2021, 12:03 am

>30 tardis: Or the library might get more copies.

32NorthernStar
gen. 11, 2021, 9:05 pm

Even though it isn't long since I last read it, the group read inspired me to reread The Curse of Chalion. A favourite.

Then I finished Lord of the Changing Winds, an interlibrary loan based on a well-aimed book bullet from tardis. I have the next two in the trilogy in hand as well, and have started Land of the Burning Sands.

33Marissa_Doyle
gen. 13, 2021, 9:15 pm

>19 libraryperilous: Sorcery and Cecelia is great fun, but I like A College of Magics much, much more.

34NorthernStar
Editat: gen. 17, 2021, 9:59 pm

After finishing The Curse of Chalion, I couldn't resist rereading Paladin of Souls.

Ilona Andrews' Blood Heir came out this week, and I couldn't resist getting an ebook copy, which I read. I'd already read bits of it as it was posted on their website last year. Enjoyed it, but Julie's story is definitely not finished, and it feels like a bit of a teaser.

Then I read Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher, just because I had a copy. Not quite what I expected, but I enjoyed it. I think it is the first book of hers that I've read. Probably won't go out of my way to read more of her books, though.

Now I've started on The Hallowed Hunt, because I love Bujold's world of the five gods. I have library books that I need to finish, but I'm easily distracted.

>33 Marissa_Doyle: I haven't read A College of Magics. I'll have to look for a copy.

35reconditereader
gen. 17, 2021, 4:19 pm

>34 NorthernStar: I'm also easily distracted from library books. I'm here to say that A College of Magics is a perfect book.

36libraryperilous
gen. 17, 2021, 4:51 pm

>33 Marissa_Doyle:, >35 reconditereader: It sounds extremely delightful!

>34 NorthernStar: I'm currently having the opposite problem. I have books of my own I want to start, but I have three library books to finish first.

37NorthernStar
gen. 20, 2021, 1:15 am

Finished The Hallowed Hunt. I like that it features different parts of the world of the five gods, and that we learn more about sorcerers/demon magic, and that it also introduces shamanic magic.

I next read a free ebook I picked up, Tides of Time by Luna Joya. A paranormal romance featuring one of a family of witchy sisters. Not the worst I've read by a long shot, but if you don't like paranormal romance, don't bother.

Due to the problems with my ereader, I've got a bit behind with my ER books. I have several to review, and several still to read. This pushed me to read Black Willows by Jill Hand. Not what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it. Some of the threads didn't seem to connect, but I understand this is part of a series, so some loose ends may be left to be tied up in the next book.

I still have library books to go back, but I like to read ebooks in bed because of the built-in light, and because I don't lose my place when I fall asleep.

38clamairy
Editat: gen. 23, 2021, 5:42 pm

>34 NorthernStar: What didn't you like about the Rosamunde Pilcher? Just curious. That one wasn't my favorite of hers. I loved both The Shell-Seekers and Coming Home, but many other folks in here prefer the one you just read. (I just checked the LT stats, and Coming Home and The Shell-Seekers both have higher ratings than Winter Solstice. Makes me feel a little bit better.)

39NorthernStar
gen. 23, 2021, 8:29 pm

>38 clamairy: I did like it quite a bit. Just not enough to put her other books at the top of my already overfull reading list.

40clamairy
gen. 23, 2021, 9:09 pm

41NorthernStar
gen. 28, 2021, 12:30 am

Finally finished Land of the Burning Sands by Rachel Neumeier. I'm not sure what was going on with me, but I found this middle book easy to put down. It may well have been just me, not the book, though. Once I really got into it, it went pretty fast. I went right on into Law of the Broken Earth, the third in this trilogy. Interesting world and magic system, and I liked the characters. And griffins! Worth reading.

Now I'm into Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts, by Kate Racculia. I believe I was hit by bullets from several directions on this one.

42NorthernStar
gen. 29, 2021, 11:04 pm

I missed a few ebooks that I read in between posts 37 and 41:
Blackthorn Winter by Liz Williams, a sequel to Comet Weather, which I haven't read. I think I would have been less confused if I had read the first book, but I enjoyed it anyway. A fantasy set in modern Britain, with refence to traditional folklore elements, it follows four sisters and their friends and family. From early reviewers.
Wherever She Goes by K. L. Armstrong, a psychological thriller. An ebook from the library. I like Kelley Armstrong's writing. A mother sees another woman's child kidnapped, but can't get anyone to believe her, and no child is reported missing.

I'm still working on Tuesday Mooney, and enjoying so far, but put it aside in favour of a couple of ebook rereads. I was feeling headachy and wanted something easy to read in bed, and I had picked up both of these on sale recently. Cry Wolf and Night Broken by Patricia Briggs.

43Sakerfalcon
feb. 1, 2021, 10:52 am

>42 NorthernStar: I really want to read those two by Liz Williams. They sound right up my alley.

44NorthernStar
feb. 10, 2021, 11:37 pm

>43 Sakerfalcon: I think you would probably like them, although I haven't read Comet Weather. Someone in another thread mentioned the wild hunt, and it is one of the elements in Blackthorn Winter.

I've been doing more ebook reads than paper book reads. I picked up a cheap e-copy of Catherine Aird's Harm's Way, which is one of hers I hadn't read before. She writes British village mysteries that are more police procedural than cosy. They feature Inspector C.D. Sloan (Seedy) and Constable Crosby, and a varied cast of other characters. I had forgotten how much I enjoy Catherine Aird. This one was a good addition to the series. Some walkers find a human finger on the path, and the police have to figure out where the rest of the body is, who it is, and how it died.

I also reread a couple more Patricia Briggs ebooks after this - always good comfort reads for me. I've picked up ebooks of some of her books whenever I see them on sale. I already own the paperbacks.

I also picked up an e-copy of Hard Time by Jodi Taylor, the second in the Time Police series. I always have fun reading her books.

Next up (book bullet from tardis) was Death on the Green by Catie Murphy - another Dublin Driver mystery. I've not been to Dublin (yet) but enjoy the setting and the characters.

I'm now working on another Catherine Aird ebook, After Effects. I haven't read this one before either.

I found a new source of cheap ebooks - Early Bird Books. This is where I found the two by Catherine Aird and also one by Ngaio Marsh. They are sending me a daily email of specials, most of which I'm not interested in, but there have been a few gems.

45-pilgrim-
feb. 11, 2021, 9:49 am

>44 NorthernStar: I am so behind in my Patricia Briggs reading! But I have copies of the next books in two series waiting for me somewhere that I cannot go until the pandemic restrictions are over. And I cannot justify wasting money on duplicates. So I possess my soul impatience...

I have some Liz Williams waiting too.

46libraryperilous
feb. 11, 2021, 11:24 am

The Liz Williams books sound intriguing, especially the Wild Hunt element. :)

Ooh, they both are available through Kindle Unlimited, and I have another month on my free trial. Yay!

47-pilgrim-
Editat: feb. 11, 2021, 2:07 pm

>46 libraryperilous: Ooh, thanks for discovering that. I can get it that way too.

48libraryperilous
feb. 12, 2021, 10:13 am

>47 -pilgrim-: Excellent! I'm going to read the first one this weekend.

>44 NorthernStar: Thanks for the Early Bird Books tip. I signed up yesterday, and this morning there was an email about a large one-day book sale. I snagged a couple of history books that are on my TBR.

49-pilgrim-
feb. 12, 2021, 2:22 pm

>48 libraryperilous: And I have just loaded it onto my Kindle...

50NorthernStar
feb. 12, 2021, 10:22 pm

>48 libraryperilous: always happy to help someone with their book addiction!

51NorthernStar
feb. 24, 2021, 9:58 pm

Finished After Effects, by Catherine Aird. Some suspicious goings-on around a hospital with some doctors running drug trials. I hadn't read this one before. I enjoyed it.

Read a couple more ER books: Talk Radio by Ham Martin, and Ghost of an Enchantment by J. E. McDonald. Haven't written reviews yet. Talk Radio is a slice-of-life type story featuring a newly single woman in a small Maine town. She applies for and gets a job at the radio station after the previous host has a stroke. Ghost of an Enchantment is a paranormal romance. Not bad, but not the best I've read.

Dead in the Water is a mystery set in small town northern Ontario. Reid Bennet is the police chief (and most of the police department). He comes from a military then big-city police background, and has moved to Murphy’s Harbor to get a new start. An abandoned boat is the first sign of bigger problems afoot.

Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts by Kate Racculia - I started this some time ago, and kept putting it aside, not because I didn't like it, but because it was a large-format paperback from the library and was hard to read in bed or while knitting. Finally started over from the beginning and finished it. Good book.

I have several newish ebooks on my kobo, a new paperback by Seanan McGuire, and two books to finish from the library. Must finish the library books!

52libraryperilous
feb. 25, 2021, 10:10 am

>51 NorthernStar: I'm one of those terrible people who keeps library books past their due date to finish them and then just pays the fine. I know it's wrong.

53NorthernStar
feb. 25, 2021, 1:49 pm

>52 libraryperilous: I do it too, but what else are you supposed to do when you run out of renewals?

54NorthernStar
feb. 25, 2021, 1:52 pm

Machine by Elizabeth Bear - awesome science fiction. Rescue specialists in space, rogue AI, secrets, betrayals, interesting characters, action, and adventure. Really enjoyed this one. And now it can go back to the library.

55NorthernStar
feb. 26, 2021, 2:11 am

I forgot to include some re-reads that I finished before Tuesday Mooney. I re-read all of Ilona Andrews Hidden Legacy series, starting with Burn for Me, in a mix of audio book, ebook, and paperback. I enjoy the characters, the magic, and the stories, although sometimes the romantic angst gets to be a bit much. Still a lot of fun, and excellent escapism.

56NorthernStar
feb. 28, 2021, 3:12 pm

Finished Calculated Risks by Seanan McGuire, the latest in the Incryptid series, and continuing the story of Sarah Zellaby. Lots of fun. This and Imaginary Numbers make up a separate story arc within the series.

I was notified that my preordered ebook copy of Paladin's Strength by T. Kingfisher was available last night, and have already finished it. Loved it. I would highly recommend all of T. Kingfisher's books set in this world. This one is the second of the Saint of Steel arc, and features another of the paladins finding a way to go on after their god has died. Istvhan is part of a group following up on some of the events in Paladin's Grace when he encounters Clara, a nun of the order of St. Ursa, whose convent has been attacked. Their goals take them in the same direction.

57NorthernStar
març 6, 2021, 7:49 pm

I enjoyed Paladin's Strength enough that I felt a quick reread of the rest of T. Kingfisher's books set in that world was in order. So I have revisited Clockwork Boys and The Wonder Engine (one story in two books), Swordheart, and Paladin's Grace. Not being tired of the author I also reread The Seventh Bride. If you haven't read these, I would recommend all. My favourite is still my first, Swordheart.

I have a stack of paper books awaiting, so those should be up next.

I finally sent my computer out to get the battery replaced (under warranty and needed since late November) so am working on my old laptop. It is very slow at times, some keys are uncooperative, and the lid/screen is presently held together by a clamp on either side. Sigh

58NorthernStar
Editat: març 14, 2021, 11:40 am

Well, rather than the paper books, I've been rereading some more ebooks. My excuse is that I've been doing some knitting, and I can knit and read if the book stays open, which is much easier with my ereader. Stargazy Pie, Bee Sting Cake, Whiskeyjack, Blackcurrant Fool, and Love in a Mist - all in the Greenwing and Dart series by Victoria Goddard. Someone here (Marissa Doyle, I think) recommended the series. An interesting magic system, likeable characters, mysteries, and intrigue. (not to mention the bookstore, the dragon, a mermaid, the unicorn, highwaymen (and women), and kittens) Lots of fun.

59NorthernStar
Editat: abr. 1, 2021, 12:02 am

I thought that I had Dead in Dublin, the first of Catie Murphy's mysteries, but must have borrowed it from the library. I managed to find it at a pretty good price as an ebook, so bought it and reread it.

Next up was some of my recent purchases: Wyrd Sisters, Lords and Ladies, and Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett. I was still in the mood for Pratchett, so I finished up with Guards! Guards!. I haven't read all of Pratchett as our library has a very meagre selection and tardis lives too far away to borrow all of them. I am gradually working my way through them, mostly not in any particular order. At some point it would be lovely to go through them all in order, but unless and until I possess them all, it isn't likely to happen.

Next up was a reread of Patricia Wrede's Frontier Magic trilogy - Thirteenth Child, Across the Great Barrier, and The Far West. I owned copies of the first two, but never picked up the third. When I checked, it seemed to be only available in hardcover, so I may have been waiting for a paperback which never came out. Our library has a copy, but it was out, so I ended up buying an ebook copy. I really enjoyed this series, and would love to see another book set in this alternate timeline.

I've also been rereading some Patricia Briggs off and on, most recently Storm Cursed, and now reading Smoke Bitten.

It feels like ages since I've read anything new (although at least one of the Pratchetts was new to me), but that's the kind of mood I've been in.

In other news, I've had my first shot of vaccine, Duncan (my dog) turned 4, Angus (my old cat) is still hanging in there, MacDuff (my not-so-old cat) desperately wants to go out in the nice weather and kill some of the birds that come to my feeders, we still have tons of snow but it is starting to melt (except for the blizzard Sunday), and I'm still skiing every day.

Edited to add - I also finished knitting a sweater and started another. Productive in terms of using up some of my wool stash, but I have several partially-finished projects that are not getting any further towards getting finished.

60Marissa_Doyle
abr. 1, 2021, 5:59 pm

>58 NorthernStar: I'm glad you liked the Greenwing and Dart books! They deserve a wider audience--they are a lot of fun!

61clamairy
abr. 1, 2021, 10:24 pm

>59 NorthernStar: It's amazing to me that you are still skiing, but then I remember where you are. Is the blizzard you are talking about due this coming Sunday or did you have it last Sunday?

62NorthernStar
Editat: abr. 1, 2021, 11:24 pm

>61 clamairy: it was last Sunday. Saturday was beautiful, thawing, calm weather. Sunday was windy, snowing, cold, with snow drifts and whiteouts. We rarely get much wind in the winter, so we rarely get that kind of weather. It is back to spring weather again, but still lots of snow everywhere. The ski trails are shaded and have a bit of a north slope, so the snow is still skiable there even when there is grass showing in town. I should have at least a couple more weeks, although it sometimes goes pretty fast.

It's still freezing at night, but supposed to go up to +10°C during the daytime this coming Sunday.

63catzteach
abr. 2, 2021, 11:31 am

Catching up on threads.

I’m putting The Thirteenth Child on my TBR list. Sounds very good!

64Maddz
abr. 2, 2021, 12:35 pm

>63 catzteach: Frontier Magic is a fun series, although I read one review where the reviewer completely missed the point of alternate universe (as in why would their world follow the same history)...

65Marissa_Doyle
abr. 2, 2021, 5:31 pm

>64 Maddz: I really liked that series too--but it raised a bit of a controversy (completely unjustified in my mind) that actual American history and Native Americans had been "erased." Hello, it's fantasy! And there were very good reasons for there being no humans in the far west of these books--because there were so many large, dangerous beasties there that thought humans were very yummy. Sigh.

66Maddz
abr. 3, 2021, 2:12 am

>65 Marissa_Doyle: I did wonder how humanity had survived anyway - large, dangerous beasties with a taste for flesh appearing to be common world-wide.

67NorthernStar
Editat: abr. 6, 2021, 10:33 pm

I finished a couple more library books, Seeing Darkness and Deadly Touch by Heather Graham. Both new additions to the Krewe of Hunters series. They pretty much follow the formula, but they are fine for a light read. Paranormal mystery, dash of romance, good guys win, etc.

I'll post here for those who wouldn't have seen it on facebook. I went for a drive yesterday after dinner, hoping to see an owl some photographer friends have posted pictures of since February. I've looked several times and seen nothing, but last night I not only saw one, but two owls. They are short-eared owls, which shouldn't even be up here in the winter. There was a bit of contact/chase between the two, which (according to the All About Birds website) is territorial conflict.

This is the best of the pictures. I got some video, including the two birds attacking (or whatever they were doing) but it was taken freehand, and would probably make most people sick to watch it.

68MrsLee
abr. 7, 2021, 9:16 am

>67 NorthernStar: What a gift, seeing that in action. Lovely photo.

69Narilka
abr. 7, 2021, 8:07 pm

>67 NorthernStar: What a beautiful bird.

70Bookmarque
Editat: abr. 7, 2021, 8:39 pm

Woo hoo - what a lovely SEO!

71pgmcc
abr. 7, 2021, 9:18 pm

>67 NorthernStar: Great picture.

72clamairy
abr. 8, 2021, 10:08 am

>67 NorthernStar: Gorgeous! Lucky you to get such a clear pic. How close were you?

73NorthernStar
Editat: abr. 8, 2021, 3:51 pm

>72 clamairy: I was on the far side of a 2-lane highway, and it was on a gate post on the other side of the ditch - probably about 30m or 100 ft. I have a good zoom on my camera, and this is cropped.

74Sakerfalcon
abr. 12, 2021, 6:55 am

>67 NorthernStar: That is a gorgeous owl! Well done on getting such a great pic!

75Storeetllr
Editat: abr. 13, 2021, 3:30 pm

>67 NorthernStar: Great shot!

Thanks for the tip on the Heather Graham paranormal mysteries. I'm out of my reading slump (touch wood) and am putting them on my TBR list.

ETA is Crewe of Hunters a series that needs to be read from Book 1?

76NorthernStar
abr. 13, 2021, 5:08 pm

>75 Storeetllr: No, they don't need to be read in order. I have picked them up from the library or used book sales as I find them. It is one of those looong series (these are 30 and 31), but although some characters recur, each book is complete in itself, as far as I've read.

Thanks for the compliments on the picture. My focus isn't perfect, but the owl was cooperative. I went out last night to see if they were still around, and saw two, one sitting and one flying. The light was going, so I didn't even try for more pictures, but I might go out again. Spring is on the way (slowly) so new birds are starting to show up. I've seen a few juncos, and thought I heard geese yesterday.

77Storeetllr
abr. 14, 2021, 3:27 pm

Thanks! I'll see what's on offer at the library.

78NorthernStar
Editat: abr. 17, 2021, 9:03 pm

Over the past week or so I read a few romance-y novels by Robyn Carr - fluff, but enjoyable. Then picked up a book on Overdrive that is listed as a "Big Library Read" and available without any wait or holds. The Art of Taking it Easy is by Dr. Brian King, a neuroscientist, psychologist, comedian, and public speaker (yes, really). The subtitle is How to Cope with Bears, Traffic, and the Rest of Life's Stressors. Here is a link: https://biglibraryread.com/current-title/

I wasn't sure what to expect, as I just downloaded it on impulse. I found it fairly interesting, especially the personal information and anecdotes, even if I didn't get any marvelous insights from it. I don't think I usually tend to get super stressed by most things anyway. My ex could have used some of the tips for handling road rage.

79clamairy
abr. 18, 2021, 9:02 am

>78 NorthernStar: I was looking at that one as it pops onto my screen whenever I visit OverDrive or use the Libby app. It did look interesting, I was just wondering if it was worth my time. I do get stressed out but not as often as I used to.

80Storeetllr
abr. 20, 2021, 9:32 pm

Yes, I remember the days of road stress (which never quite descended all the way to rage for me). So glad those days are over. I find being retired and not having to rush anymore has eased that area of stress immeasurably! Other stressors, unfortunately, are still around, but we aren't allowed to talk politics in the pub so less said the better.

81hfglen
abr. 21, 2021, 6:40 am

>80 Storeetllr: Agreed. Before covid, whenever (about once a quarter) we had to go on the route I used to take to work each day, either Better Half or I would comment on the awful standard of driving in our town. Fortunately the reason for going that way (society meetings) are almost totally banned still under our vestigial lockdown, and it's over a year since we last did that run.

82Storeetllr
abr. 21, 2021, 12:39 pm

>81 hfglen: How freeing!

83NorthernStar
abr. 22, 2021, 1:11 am

Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory by Martha Wells - at $0.99 for new Murderbot, I couldn't resist. Very short story or snippet at about 19 pages. Good.

84NorthernStar
Editat: abr. 22, 2021, 1:18 am

Light My Fire by G. A. Aiken, number 11 in the Dragon Kin series. Impulse purchase because it was really cheap, and I liked The Blacksmith Queen by the same author, and it had a really high rating on LT. Really wasn't sure about this at first, as I found the characters confusing (probably due to it being #11) and not very likeable. And then there were some fairly graphic sex scenes... I persevered, and I actually liked it by the end, but I don't think I will go out of my way to look for any others in the series. I don't usually rate books, but this might be a 2 or 2.5 out of 5.

Note: I probably wouldn't have gone for this book if I had seen the cover that comes up as the default in LT.

85NorthernStar
abr. 22, 2021, 1:16 am

Library ebook: The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben. I really enjoyed this. It was a pretty quick read, and quite interesting, even though the forests he uses as examples are mostly European managed forests which are very different from what I am familiar with. I'm not sure I even know what a beech tree looks like. I think this was a book bullet from someone, so thank you, whoever you are.

86NorthernStar
Editat: abr. 22, 2021, 1:32 am

>80 Storeetllr:, >81 hfglen: Many years ago, when I lived in Vancouver, I had to deal with awful traffic on a regular basis. At one point I had one job in downtown Vancouver, and a second on the south side of the Vancouver airport in Richmond; a 15 minute drive under ideal conditions. I had about 1/2 hour to get from one job to the other, at rush hour. Now I live in a very small town and can get from one side of town to the other in 10 minutes or less, at the busiest time of day. Probably among the (many) reasons my ex is my ex were his extreme reactions to any perceived poor driving and his stress (panic) at any big city driving. I much preferred to have him in the passenger seat (or not in the vehicle) most of the time.

87clamairy
abr. 22, 2021, 12:54 pm

>85 NorthernStar: I bought this one a few months ago when it was on sale. Glad to hear it's decent. I also just snagged To Speak for the Trees on Tuesday as part of that Earth Day sale. Hopefully I'll get to them both.

88Meredy
abr. 22, 2021, 1:40 pm

>85 NorthernStar: That one's on my list too. I didn't realize it was based on managed forests, though. How does that affect the treatment of the subject?

89NorthernStar
abr. 22, 2021, 11:35 pm

>88 Meredy: It's not just about managed forests, but the author is a forester in Germany, and that's what he knows best. He has some really interesting comparisons between forests of different ages, both managed, regrowth, and wild (as in never cut).

>87 clamairy: that one is still on sale, so I picked it up.

90clamairy
Editat: abr. 23, 2021, 1:27 pm

>89 NorthernStar: I'm glad you were able to grab it. Now I really hope it's good. LOL It looked like an interesting book! Perhaps a little less science and a bit more history... based on the reviews, anyway.

91Storeetllr
abr. 23, 2021, 2:52 pm

>83 NorthernStar: I loved it. It was short, but anything Murderbot is worth it! I've preordered Fugitive Telemetry and am waiting impatiently for April 27 and it to arrive.

>85 NorthernStar: I read The Hidden Life of Trees last year and enjoyed it too.

>86 NorthernStar: Driving in California was horrible when I left, and I understand from friends who still live there that it's worse now. When I moved into my Santa Clarita house in 1988, it took me maybe 10 minutes to drive to the freeway. When I left it in 2009, it was at least a 30 minute drive. And rush hour? It lasted all day and into the night. I was lucky when I got a job downtown and was able to take public transportation into the city. It was a 1.5-hour-each-way commute, but I made some good friends on the train and we had lots of fun, plus I got to read much of the way. (Yes, my friends teased me sometimes but they were understanding.) Anyway, before I moved to NY, I lived in Pueblo CO. Driving from one end of the city to the other during rush hour took maybe 20 minutes. I loved living there!

92Busifer
abr. 23, 2021, 4:01 pm

>83 NorthernStar: I had missed that one, I got Fugitive telemetry today and some searching tells med that Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory apparently was given out to people who pre-ordered Telemetry? Not if one is in Sweden, though, apparently.

Thank you so very much for making me aware of its existence!

93Storeetllr
Editat: abr. 23, 2021, 5:59 pm

>92 Busifer: YOU GOT FUGITIVE TELEMETRY TODAY??? Argh! Waiting another four more days here in the U.S. is just excruciating.

94Busifer
abr. 24, 2021, 5:38 am

>93 Storeetllr: I got the notice for it this past Wednesday but still felt too weak in the aftermath of covid to walk to the bookshop to pick it up.
Sometimes this happens, both with DAW and TOR books, though seldom with other publishers: I guess Sweden is such an insignificant market that they ship earlier to Swedish distributors? Or DAW and TOR has a special relationship with the owners of the Science Fiction Bookshop?
I have no idea. Either way I'll finish A desolation called peace before I get to Fugitive telemetry, so I think you'll read it before me anyway ;-)

95Storeetllr
abr. 24, 2021, 6:53 pm

Oh! I hadn't known you were recovering from COVID. I'm so sorry you got it but glad you are recovering. If I lived closer, I'd go to the bookstore and pick up your copy for you and NOT EVEN STOP TO READ IT BEFORE BRINGING IT TO YOU. How's THAT for friendship?!?

96Jim53
abr. 24, 2021, 9:24 pm

>85 NorthernStar: this sounds interesting. Put another notch on your belt.

97Busifer
abr. 25, 2021, 5:38 am

>95 Storeetllr: Appreciated! It's so short I'm sure if you dragged out on it you'd manage to read it on the way over ;-)
Anyway, it's already right beside me, I managed to go pick it up the Friday just past.

98NorthernStar
abr. 27, 2021, 11:22 pm

Finished a library ebook - The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden. I read it a couple of years ago, and was rereading it in preparation for reading the sequels, but now I am out of room in my holds, and there is a wait list of weeks or months for the sequels. Our system only lets you have 7 ebook/audiobook holds, which doesn't work well if there is a long wait time. I may try getting them through interlibrary loans instead. I did finally get Battle Ground, though, so will be starting that soon.

99NorthernStar
abr. 27, 2021, 11:27 pm

In a visit to the library last weekend, I picked up A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem by Manda Collins. Set in 1865 London and environs, it is a light, historical mystery, with a bit of romance. I'm sure it is full of anachronisms, but it was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed it. I would read more in this series.

100NorthernStar
maig 1, 2021, 11:42 am

Finished Battle Ground by Jim Butcher. Hard to put down. If you're reading Harry Dresden, this is a must, but definitely can't be read out of order. However, it is mainly one big battle with some heartbreaking losses and several things unresolved at the end. Personally I would prefer more plot, less battle, and I don't know where things are going from here.

Now I'm reading Sibley's What it's Like to be a Bird - very interesting so far. https://www.librarything.com/work/24531745

101pgmcc
maig 1, 2021, 11:45 am

The Eric Ambler story I am reading at the moment, Judgment of Deltchev has a character named Sibley.

102NorthernStar
maig 1, 2021, 11:49 am

>101 pgmcc: Hmm - no relation, I'm sure. Unless he's very into birds.

103NorthernStar
maig 2, 2021, 4:10 pm

I was putting some books away, and realized I hadn't posted Tales from the Folly by Ben Aaronovitch, a gift from tardis. I finished it some months ago, and never posted anything. I really enjoyed this, especially getting to know some of the other characters in the Rivers of London world a bit better. I do find short stories a bit frustrating, though, mainly because they are short.

104NorthernStar
maig 4, 2021, 1:38 pm

Finished Sibley's What it's Like to be a Bird. I found this very interesting, although sometimes repetitive, and sometimes a bit simplistic (but not the language used). He introduced most of the things that would be discussed in the first part, with links to those sections. The second part went into more detail, using examples of specific birds to illustrate the fascinating factoids. The third part went over the birds discussed in the first part, with more about the actual birds, not just what he had used them to illustrate. There were lots of neat pictures, which were not served well by the greyscale screen of my kobo reader. Especially the ones that said things like "A greatly simplified schematic diagram of a bird's respiratory system, with air sacs in blue and lungs in purple." or "Arctic Terns migrate south (orange lines) to the Antarctic winter range (blue) then return north on a different route (green)." Worth reading if you are interested in birds, although maybe a paper copy or a colour screen would have worked better.

105Storeetllr
maig 4, 2021, 2:31 pm

>104 NorthernStar: Interesting but yes, probably much better as a paper book or on a laptop screen.

106NorthernStar
maig 4, 2021, 3:08 pm

>104 NorthernStar: I forgot to add that there is a really excellent reference section at the end of the book.

107Bookmarque
maig 4, 2021, 3:20 pm

I have it as a coffee table book and it’s beautifully done.

108NorthernStar
maig 4, 2021, 3:32 pm

>107 Bookmarque: I bet! It is a book one could easily pick up and browse a bit from time to time.

109NorthernStar
maig 12, 2021, 1:35 am

Lois McMaster Bujold has released a new Penric book - The Assassins of Thasalon
It's on my ereader already, but I have to work tomorrow (I'm working as a census enumerator, and was given an extra area yesterday). It will go to the top of my reading list, though.

110NorthernStar
maig 13, 2021, 11:59 pm

Finished The Assassins of Thasalon - very good, and I love getting more Penric & Desdemona. I've been doing a lot of driving for the census job in the last few days, and have been listening to Penric's Demon and Penric and the Shaman while I was driving.

111NorthernStar
maig 29, 2021, 1:50 am

I'm gradually working on adding to my Terry Pratchett books, and added 3 more to my collection recently (buy 3 books, get a $5 credit). So far I've only read Eric, but I also picked up Sourcery and Going Postal. I'd never read Eric before, and am not sure what I may have missed by not having read Faust, but it was short and enjoyable. I borrowed Going Postal from tardis a few years ago, and it is my favourite Pratchett so far.

112NorthernStar
maig 29, 2021, 1:56 am

I enjoyed reading the latest Penric book, and was revisiting the first two of the series in audio, so I decided to reread them all: Penric's Demon, Penric and the Shaman, Penric's Fox, Masquerade in Lodi, Penric's Mission, Mira's Last Dance, The Prisoner of Limnos, The Orphans of Raspay, and The Physicians of Vilnoc. They are short, but if you haven't read these yet, put them on your list.

113NorthernStar
maig 29, 2021, 2:06 am

I downloaded the Tor free book this month, and as someone here pointed out (clam) it was the second in a series. I'm not sure if it was necessary to read the first, The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo, but it was short and inexpensive. And enjoyable. Then I read When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain, also short and enjoyable. They are set in an alternate version of somewhere very like China.

114NorthernStar
maig 29, 2021, 2:06 am

For a change of pace, I'm now reading the ebook copy of Krakatoa by Simon Winchester which I bought on sale last month. Very good so far. Geology, natural history, and disasters!

115Sakerfalcon
juny 1, 2021, 6:44 am

>112 NorthernStar: I've just started reading the Penric books now that they are available in print omnibus editions. I really enjoyed the first one, and the second book has started well too.

116NorthernStar
juny 6, 2021, 12:25 am

>115 Sakerfalcon: Glad you are enjoying Penric. I love these stories.

Finished Krakatoa today. Very interesting. I like that Winchester tied in both local and worldwide physical, social, scientific and political effects. Seemed a bit repetitious in places, though.

I was delayed by getting library ebook copies of Patricia Briggs' Wild Sign and Every Step She Takes by K. L. Armstrong. Enjoyed them both, with a few reservations.

I felt that Wild Sign, the latest in the Alpha and Omega series, was a bit uneven and it left some hanging threads which are connected to ones from the last book. I liked getting to know a few of the recurring characters a bit better and learn some of their backstory.

Every Step She Takes is a standalone (and non-paranormal) thriller by the author of the Women of the Underworld, Rockton, Cainsville, and other series. Aside from wanting to tell the main character to smarten up a few times, I liked this.

117Storeetllr
juny 6, 2021, 2:30 pm

>116 NorthernStar: Agree with your thoughts on Wild Sign. I didn't think it was as good as the prior Alpha and Omega books, but it was still enjoyable enough.

118pgmcc
juny 6, 2021, 5:36 pm

>116 NorthernStar: I have had Krakaoa on my shelf for decades. You have pushed it up the tbr pile with your comments.

119NorthernStar
juny 17, 2021, 1:12 am

More library ebooks:
Fugitive Telemetry by Martha Wells, more Murderbot - so good!

The Midnight Bargain by C. L. Polk. I liked Witchmark, and had heard a bit about this on CBC's Canada Reads. I enjoyed it, but wanted to shake the heroine at least once or twice. Fun.

Now reading some more non-fiction: Fossil Men by Kermit Pattison. Very interesting so far.

120-pilgrim-
Editat: juny 19, 2021, 6:06 am

>119 NorthernStar: OH. I never realised that Kermit was a normal name...

121NorthernStar
juny 17, 2021, 2:35 pm

>120 -pilgrim-: maybe he is green...

122Storeetllr
juny 17, 2021, 7:59 pm

>119 NorthernStar: Glad you enjoyed Fugitive Telemetry! It really was good and filled in some answers as to how SecUnit managed to get along on Preservation Station, tho I missed ART and can't wait for the next Murderbot book which I hope follows the action in Network Effect.

123NorthernStar
juny 22, 2021, 12:34 pm

I re-read Katherine Arden's The Bear and the Nightingale way back in April (>98 NorthernStar:) and had to get the sequels The Girl in the Tower and The Winter of the Witch by interlibrary loan. I kept reading other things, but have finally finished them. On the whole I liked these books, but didn't love them, and am not sure why. I did like the ending of the trilogy. Perhaps my reaction is because the author is very hard on her characters, and there is a lot of violence and misunderstandings. Perhaps it was the characters. Perhaps it was just the mood I'm in.

124jjwilson61
juny 22, 2021, 1:39 pm

>123 NorthernStar: I just finished the middle one and I did have to put it down a few times because the protagonist is so reckless and thoughtless sometimes. I guess that's her personality but it's hard to read.

125clamairy
juny 22, 2021, 1:49 pm

>123 NorthernStar: & >124 jjwilson61: I agree with both of you, but I was still sucked in nevertheless.

126NorthernStar
juny 24, 2021, 1:01 am

Based on tardis's keen aim, and because the ebooks were very cheap, I read Spellbreaker and Spellmaker by Charlie N. Holmberg. Fun.

127NorthernStar
juny 24, 2021, 1:16 am

Had to drop my interlibrary loans back at the library before my fines got too big, and I picked up Heather Graham's Danger in Numbers. It is the first of hers that I've read that was not a Krewe of Hunters book. Thriller, romantic suspense, mystery. No paranormal in this one. Set in Florida, it features gruesome murders by a suspected cult. Special agents from the Florida state police and FBI get together to try to find the killers before there are any more victims. I enjoyed it. If you have liked Heather Graham's previous books, you'll probably like this.

I also picked up and read another Robyn Carr, Return to Virgin River. Her books are another of my guilty pleasures - the characters are just so nice, and nice to each other. This is definitely prime escapism.

128NorthernStar
Editat: juny 26, 2021, 1:23 pm

Finished Fossil Men. Very interesting - about the search for early hominid fossils and the men who found and worked on them, and particularly about Ardipithecus ramidus, Lucy's less-famous predecessor, and the new ideas she led to. Gets a lot into the politics and personalities of paleoanthropology.

Edited to add: My first dog was named Lucy. After that Lucy.

129catzteach
juny 26, 2021, 10:40 pm

>123 NorthernStar: I just finished The Winter of the Witch. I didn’t like it as well as the other two, but it was a satisfying ending. The main character does finally stop and think about her choices a bit more than the other books. I had to keep reminding myself that she is young.

130NorthernStar
jul. 1, 2021, 1:26 am

Finished a library ebook a few days ago. Ink & Sigil by Kevin Hearne. As others mentioned, the accents are a bit distracting. I'm not familiar enough with Glasgow to know how authentic they are. Aside from that, I enjoyed it.

131-pilgrim-
jul. 1, 2021, 6:42 am

>130 NorthernStar: I ranted at length about the pseudo-Glaswegian in my review. NO ONE mixes Weegie words and Standard English in the same sentence in that way. If you are actually familiar with Glasgow, that pseudo-dialect becomes even more annoying.

132NorthernStar
jul. 1, 2021, 11:42 pm

>131 -pilgrim-: it was your post I was thinking of.

133NorthernStar
jul. 1, 2021, 11:52 pm

In the hot weather we've had lately, I've been reading a lot. I just finished an ebook omnibus version of the first three Miss Silver mysteries by Patricia Wentworth, Grey Mask, The Case is Closed, and Lonesome Road. These are definitely comfort reads for me. My mother had copies of many of Wentworth's books, so I grew up with them and still enjoy them.

I'm now starting another ebook omnibus - Dorothy Sayer's Lord Peter Wimsey stories. I think it has all the books and short stories. It has been a long time since I've read these books, and I'm starting at the beginning with Whose Body?.

134-pilgrim-
jul. 2, 2021, 9:05 am

>132 NorthernStar: Ah.

>133 NorthernStar: I discovered Grey Mask in June 2019, and enjoyed it - although it did hinge on a massive coincidence at one point! (Review here.)

135MrsLee
jul. 2, 2021, 9:37 pm

>133 NorthernStar: Always a comfort to Piffle with Peter. Whether he's a Lord, or our friend here in the pub.

136NorthernStar
jul. 3, 2021, 12:30 am

>135 MrsLee: yes indeed!

137NorthernStar
jul. 3, 2021, 12:31 am

Finished Whose Body? and on to Clouds of Witness.

138NorthernStar
jul. 4, 2021, 3:33 am

Missed a few ebooks I read recently:

C. E. Murphy's Urban Shaman and Thunderbird Falls, which were rereads after I found inexpensive ebook copies. I like C. E. Murphy's books, but had mostly read parts of this series out of order, as I found copies. It was good to start at the beginning.

A Lethal Lesson by Iona Whishaw, the latest in the Lane Winslow mysteries, set in post-WWII Nelson, BC, and area. Lane and Inspector Darling are back home after their honeymoon and get involved when neither the new teacher nor the outgoing one show up at the local school. I like this series.

139NorthernStar
Editat: jul. 6, 2021, 2:34 am

140pgmcc
jul. 6, 2021, 3:28 am

>139 NorthernStar: I enjoy the Lord Peter books. I must get back onto them. I have not read them all yet.

141NorthernStar
jul. 11, 2021, 12:52 am

Continuing my Dorothy Sayers revisit. Finished Clouds of Witness, then The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club, Strong Poison, and Five Red Herrings, then my e-omnibus edition served up Gaudy Night, which I was sure was out of order. When I checked the series order I realized that not only was Gaudy Night out of order, but I had missed Unnatural Death, which looks like it is missing from the set. All the short stories are at the end too, which is annoying. Still, I think this was very cheap, and I do have most of the books already.

142Meredy
jul. 11, 2021, 2:12 am

>141 NorthernStar: You have to read the Harriet Vane books in order:
Strong Poison
Have His Carcase
Gaudy Night
Busman's Honeymoon

143NorthernStar
jul. 11, 2021, 2:38 pm

>142 Meredy: yes indeed! I did think that this omnibus had all the Peter Wimsey stories in order, and found not only at least one novel was missing, but they weren't all in order.

144Meredy
jul. 11, 2021, 3:09 pm

>143 NorthernStar: My mother had all those books in the living room bookcase when I was a youngster, and I started reading them. I'd already done all of Sherlock Holmes and a lot of Agatha Christie and John Dickson Carr by then.

She set aside the four Harriet Vane stories, saying that they were "too old" for me and that I should wait to read them until I was a little more grown up. I guess she found them a little steamy for my innocent, sheltered youth. And here's the surprising thing: I obeyed her.

Sometime in my twenties, I decided I was old enough, and I did enjoy them then. As a kid I wouldn't even have understood what I was missing.

One of the most deliciously evocative lines in literature, to me, is this one:

Tin tan din dan bim bam bom bo

That bo is surpassingly brilliant.

145NorthernStar
jul. 11, 2021, 4:01 pm

>144 Meredy: My mother had them all too, and I think I read them all, regardless. I'm not sure at what age, but probably quite young. I have picked up my own copies of most since, and read them more than once, but not recently.

146pgmcc
jul. 11, 2021, 6:19 pm

I am still working my way through the Lord Peter books for the first time.

147-pilgrim-
Editat: jul. 12, 2021, 12:09 am

>146 pgmcc: I envy you.

>144 Meredy:
My mother did the same thing. I had already read all the Sherlock Holmes and Father Brown stories, and she encouraged me into Unnatural Death, but Strong Poison was apparently a step too far.

148Meredy
jul. 12, 2021, 1:39 am

>147 -pilgrim-: Oh, yes, Father Brown too. I read them all. As a young reader, I didn't waste much time with Nancy Drew as soon as I discovered the real thing. I don't even know how I found my way past Holmes, but it was probably via the library.

Interesting that it was our mothers who set us up with Sayers and then warded us off the romantic stuff.

I didn't catch on to Nero Wolfe until I was in college, and even then I was too naïve to get what Archie was up to a lot of the time. Ah, me, for a genuine innocence that just isn't possible any more.

149pgmcc
jul. 12, 2021, 3:37 am

>148 Meredy: I am reading Fer-de-Lance due to a BB from MrsLee. This is my first introduction to Archie and Nero Wolfe.

150NorthernStar
Editat: jul. 12, 2021, 10:42 pm

Finished Unnatural Death, and am back on track with Have His Carcase.

>148 Meredy:, >149 pgmcc: I have read a few Nero Wolfe books, but not all, and not in any order. tardis could lend them to me if she lived closer, but due to Covid we haven't met in person for well over a year. People keep firing those book bullets at me, though.

151Meredy
jul. 13, 2021, 1:25 am

>150 NorthernStar: I gang-reviewed the first twenty-five when I reread them in order starting in 2016:

https://www.librarything.com/work/84457/reviews/155190289

I cited a particularly apt take on Archie from one of the relatively recent reissues.

And I still have a few left to look forward to. That's a comforting thought.

152pgmcc
Editat: jul. 13, 2021, 6:53 am

>151 Meredy:
I have just finished Fer-de-Lance and, based on this one sample, concur with your excellent, spoiler-free, “gang-review” comments.

153NorthernStar
Editat: jul. 13, 2021, 1:24 pm

>151 Meredy: You'd already winged me, firing more bullets was just cruel!

>152 pgmcc: and no need for accomplices!

154clamairy
jul. 13, 2021, 3:48 pm

155Meredy
jul. 13, 2021, 3:48 pm

>153 NorthernStar: How can I get my target practice in if you just keep jumping in front of bullets like that?

156NorthernStar
Editat: jul. 15, 2021, 1:50 pm

157Meredy
jul. 15, 2021, 2:00 pm

Lucky you!

158pgmcc
jul. 15, 2021, 2:10 pm

>156 NorthernStar:
Nine Tailors; the Gothic tale.

159-pilgrim-
Editat: jul. 15, 2021, 3:02 pm

>158 pgmcc: I enjoyed our discussion of that one. I was looking forward to a re-read, in the light of it, but my copy turns out to have been in the crate whose contents were destroyed by mould.

160pgmcc
jul. 15, 2021, 5:03 pm

>159 -pilgrim-: Too bad. Disappointing.

161Sakerfalcon
jul. 16, 2021, 4:44 am

I need to reread The nine tailors since I have learned change ringing since the first time!

162Meredy
jul. 17, 2021, 1:18 am

>161 Sakerfalcon: Wow! Absolutely come back and tell us about it.

163NorthernStar
Editat: jul. 17, 2021, 7:01 pm

Finished The Nine Tailors - definitely one of Sayer's best, but it can never be reread as if it were the first time. Often I can forget most of a mystery, including the ending, but although I had forgotten many of the details, the solution was still fresh in my mind. Now on to Gaudy Night.

>161 Sakerfalcon: I'd love to hear what you think!

>159 -pilgrim-: That's very sad. I hope you didn't lose too many other favourites. You might be able to pick up an inexpensive ebook copy of Sayers. I think the omnibus edition I picked up (The Lord Peter Wimsey Megapack) was very cheap. It does have at least one novel missing and some out of order, though.

164NorthernStar
jul. 18, 2021, 11:19 pm

165Meredy
jul. 19, 2021, 1:14 am

166-pilgrim-
jul. 19, 2021, 5:06 am

>163 NorthernStar: 55 books. Replacing the Sayers may be relatively easy. Other volumes are likely to be harder. I don't like bowdlerisation. I want to read what the author originally wrote; not what someone else thinks they shouldhave written. If they had views that are offensive, I want to read that, and form my own judgment. I don't like airbrushing history. And - particularly when a book is likely to be read by children - this bowdlerisation seems to be the usual approach with modern reprints. (For children's books, I can see some justification. But I am not a child, so I want to read the original, flaws and all.)

167NorthernStar
jul. 19, 2021, 3:53 pm

>166 -pilgrim-: I totally agree about the bowdlerisation, also abridged versions.

168-pilgrim-
Editat: jul. 19, 2021, 4:37 pm

>167 NorthernStar: I read a lot of "classics", in my childhood and teens, that were abridged versions.

Two impressions I gained that I remember were
(i) "Jules Verne handwaves his science" (!)
(ii) "Robert Louis Stevenson writes stories n which people do things for no reason; he has no understanding of human nature" (!)

Of course the problems were that
(i) the abridger evidently thought the technical detail boring and cut it all out.
(ii) the "hero" in Black Arrow does quite a lot of really bad things - like stealing and burning the ship of a merchant who had been kind to him, thus ruining him completely. He also switches sides. RLS's purpose is more to show how wretched a civil war is, than to write a romance. But the editor has excised anything where Dick did not act heroically, so it comes as a complete puzzle when old friends start trying to kill him!

The problem with abridged versions is that they usually spoil the original: you know too much of the plot already to get it fresh.

Any suggestions of publishers that produce unaltered versions of 19th century novelists like Scott and Twain?

169Meredy
jul. 19, 2021, 10:47 pm

>168 -pilgrim-: For unaltered versions of Scott, Eliot, and others, I go to the library and seek out the oldest editions I can find, usually something published in the early 20th century. They stick to the original, they are cleanly proofread, and the old gold-stamped leather bindings are a pleasure to hold.

When I borrow them, I'm also affecting the library's algorithm for deacquisitioning, so I hope the result is that they stay on the shelves a little longer.

170-pilgrim-
jul. 20, 2021, 11:21 am

>169 Meredy:
When I borrow them, I'm also affecting the library's algorithm for deacquisitioning, so I hope the result is that they stay on the shelves a little longer.
A very valid point.

When I became my school's librarian, in my final year, I discovered that the stock room had a complete 19th century set of "the Waverley novels". I managed to read my way through about a third of them before sitting Cambridge entrance (7th term was still the norm for that then). Since my 'A'-levels were the pure sciences, they made a welcome break and confirmed my addiction to Scott.

But libraries are not really a viable option nowadays. I cannot get out that often, and my mobility has been reduced still further by recent consultant decisions.

The current sequence of EUP hardback editions are things of beauty, but at £40 per volume, a little out of my budget.

171NorthernStar
jul. 22, 2021, 3:17 pm

Finished Busman's Honeymoon and went on to read the short stories included in the omnibus. They were the ones included in Lord Peter Views the Body, Hangman's Holiday and Striding Folly (with the exception of Talboys, which is the best of the lot, in my opinion). There were also a number of Montague Egg stories included. To finish up my Sayer's reread, I read my paper copy of In the Teeth of the Evidence and Talboys from Striding Folly. I'm not that fond of short stories, and for the most part these were no exception. I did like the Wimsey ones best, next the Montague Egg ones, and the others the least.

172NorthernStar
jul. 24, 2021, 12:32 am

After finishing up with Dorothy Sayers, I have returned to some neglected library books. The first I finished was Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney. This was the selection for a book club I was asked to join in June. The club has been running for years, and I know and like most of the members. The June meeting was their first face-to-face meeting since COVID, and I was only able to get the book a few days before, so I hadn't read more than a few pages. I still had a lovely time at the meeting, but I didn't rush to finish the book since the meeting was over. Next meeting isn't until September, and the next book hasn't been chosen yet.

Boxfish is a semi-biographical novel about an elderly woman in 1980s NYC. During the course of a New Year's Eve she walks around town and reminisces about her life in New York from the 1920s to the present. She was a poet, an advertising copywriter for Macy's and later freelance, married and divorced, with one son and now grandchildren. The main character, based on a real person, led an interesting life. I didn't love it, but did enjoy it.

173NorthernStar
jul. 24, 2021, 6:17 pm

Finished another interlibrary loan - A Woman in the Polar Night by Christiane Ritter. Thank you to whoever recommended this (Sakerfalcon?). Enjoyed this very much.

174NorthernStar
jul. 25, 2021, 1:27 am

Also finished listening to the audiobook of Wild Sign by Patricia Briggs. Just finished it an hour before my library loan on it would have expired. I had planned to listen to this on my recent drives, but had problems with the playback. I had to listen to Murderbot instead - not a hardship.

175NorthernStar
jul. 28, 2021, 1:52 pm

I've been doing some catch up on Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. Finished Look Alive Twenty Five and Twisted Twenty Six, and I have Fortune and Glory (twenty seven) on hand. I need a bit of a break before starting it, though. These are fun books, but there is little difference from one to the next, and Stephanie and her associates don't seem to have changed or grown much at all over the entire series, especially the later books.

176Sakerfalcon
jul. 29, 2021, 10:58 am

>173 NorthernStar: I'm glad you enjoyed Woman in the polar night! I imagine you could relate to some of the winter ski treks!

>172 NorthernStar: Lillian Boxfish takes a walk has been on my TBR pile for ages. I really must find it and read it.

177catzteach
ag. 1, 2021, 10:59 am

>175 NorthernStar: I have noticed I haven’t enjoyed them as much lately. I think it’s that Stephanie isn’t growing as a person. The whole “who will she end up with” thing is getting old. The books don’t seem to be as witty or funny. I wonder how many more she can get out of these characters.

178pgmcc
set. 23, 2021, 4:06 am

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

179Sakerfalcon
set. 23, 2021, 5:52 am

>178 pgmcc: You beat me too it!

Happy birthday from me too!

180hfglen
set. 23, 2021, 7:11 am

Hippo Birdie two Ewe!

181NorthernStar
set. 25, 2021, 2:17 am

Thank you all for all the birthday wishes! I had a lovely day - finished the roof on my front deck, went for a nice walk with Duncan, talked to both my parents on the phone, and had a wonderful birthday dinner with friends.

182-pilgrim-
set. 26, 2021, 2:28 am

Belated birthday greetings! I bring cake.

183NorthernStar
set. 26, 2021, 4:10 pm

>182 -pilgrim-: Mmmm cake!

184catzteach
set. 26, 2021, 6:03 pm

I know I’m late, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

185NorthernStar
set. 30, 2021, 9:05 pm

>184 catzteach: Thank you!

Well, I finally got around to adding several months worth of books to my library. Most of them were ebooks - either inexpensive or on sale, plus a couple of paperbacks and a lovely new hardcover dinosaur book. I think there are still ebooks I own and have not added, but I did catch a lot of them. I'm still very behind on updating my reading, though.

186NorthernStar
Editat: oct. 3, 2021, 3:35 pm

I haven't updated my reading here since the end of July - not that I wasn't reading, but most of it was pretty light fluff or rereads.
Some of the library fiction I have read since then:

Grave War by Kaylana Price - ok paranormal/urban fantasy. I've read some of the series, and this is the final book. I wouldn't go out of my way for these.

Colonyside by Michael Mammay - third in this science fiction series, and should be read in order. It's been a while since I read the previous books, and I felt a bit lost from time to time, even though it didn't matter to the plot. These are pretty good, enjoyable, but in no way exceptional.

A Summer at Sea Katie Fforde - slice-of-life romance, pretty predictable, but very enjoyable.

Phantom Evil and The Unforgiven by Heather Graham - first and 33rd of the Krewe of Hunters series - paranormal mysteries with a bit of romance. These are pretty predictable but reliable and usually good fun.

This Side of Murder by Anna Lee Huber - first in a mystery series set in 1919 England. A war widow is drawn into a mystery involving her late husband, and discovers that many things are not as they seem, including her widowhood. I enjoyed this, and will look for more in the series.

187NorthernStar
oct. 3, 2021, 3:11 pm

Another library book I recently finished is First Steps: How Upright Walking Made Us Human Excellent book - I really liked the way it took us from the beginning of paleoanthropology to how we are affected today. Anyone interested in human evolution, prehistory, anthropology, or the process of scientific discovery would likely enjoy this.

188NorthernStar
oct. 3, 2021, 3:43 pm

More library books - these are the library ebooks I've read over the past while.

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. Mixed feelings about this one, some bits I liked, and some were a bit frustrating. The main character could use a bit more self-reliance. It is pretty long and a bit slow for the first part in a trilogy. I have the next two parts on hold, but it may be a while before I get them.

Nevermoor, Wundersmith, and Hollowpox by Jessica Townsend - Recommended by tardis. Lots to like about this children's series, but although I thought it was a trilogy it definitely doesn't feel finished. Morrigan Crow is a child unwanted and neglected by everyone including her family until she it taken away to a magical school and discovers that there is a place for her. Sound familiar? But it's not a HP ripoff.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir - I deliberately avoided finding out too much about this book before I read it, so the subject was not what I expected. Really liked it. Highly recommended.

Bannerless by Carrie Vaughn - audiobook - I'd read the book several years ago. Good.

I've also been working my way back through Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series in audiobook. These are reliable comfort reads for me, and great for listening to while I work.

A Stitch in Time by Kelley Armstrong. A historical paranormal romance involving a time slip. Enjoyed this story and how the mysteries and problems were resolved. I like Kelley Armstrong's books, and this was no exception.

Heart of Evil by Heather Graham - second in the Krewe of Hunters series.

189NorthernStar
Editat: oct. 4, 2021, 12:23 am

White Silence (a reread), Dark Light, and Long Shadows by Jodi Taylor - the Elizabeth Cage Series. Supernatural thrillers. I'd read the first one before, but I must have been mixing it up with another book because it wasn't what I expected. I don't like this series as much as Taylor's Chronicles of St. Mary's series but did enjoy them.

The Sudden Appearance of Hope by Claire North reminds me a lot of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue (which I liked), but predates it. I had a hard time connecting with the main character. DNF, but I may come back to it. Maybe.

A Curious Beginning and Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn - historical mysteries featuring Veronica Speedwell and Lady Julia Grey - both OK but not great. Would read more if I come across them.

A recommendation by tardis got me started on a whole bunch of ebooks by Celia Lake starting with Outcrossing. These are a mix of fantasy and romance set in the early 1900s in an alternate version of England. Like candy they are sweet, predictable, and easily consumed.

Death of an Irish Mummy by Catie Murphy. Third in her Dublin Driver mystery series. Fun.

Silent Blade by Ilona Andrews. Kinsmen series short novella.

Paranormal Bromance by Carrie Vaughn. Short, cute novella about some unlikely vampires set in the world of Kitty and the Midnight Hour.

Ring Shout by P. Djeli Clark - rather creepy novella set in an alternate US south, with literal monsters in the KKK. Good.

190NorthernStar
oct. 3, 2021, 4:35 pm

A Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel - read for the next book club meeting next Friday. Historical fiction with a touch of the mystical set mainly in the forests of Poland in WWII. I found this hard to put down and finished it quickly. That said, I'm not sure what I feel about it. The main character was a bit too improbable at times, and there were some very convenient coincidences.

191catzteach
oct. 3, 2021, 8:02 pm

>188 NorthernStar: I’ve read Nevermoor, but haven’t read the others. Maybe I’ll pick them up. I haven’t read a children’s book in a while.

192Marissa_Doyle
oct. 4, 2021, 1:11 pm

You got me with Outcrossing. For 99 cents, I'll give it a whirl...

193clamairy
oct. 4, 2021, 2:45 pm

>187 NorthernStar: That looks awesome! Thank you for the BB.

>188 NorthernStar: Yeah, I have the rest of that Harkness series on my Kindle, and I am not sure if I'll ever get to them. That main character 'needed more spine', as Darth-Heather put it.

194Marissa_Doyle
oct. 4, 2021, 3:30 pm

>193 clamairy: Methinks she needed some other parts of the nervous system as well...like a brain. :P

195pgmcc
oct. 4, 2021, 5:24 pm

>193 clamairy: & >194 Marissa_Doyle:
You make her sound like the narrating character in Rebecca.

196Marissa_Doyle
oct. 4, 2021, 6:13 pm

>195 pgmcc: Worse. Far worse.

197NorthernStar
Editat: oct. 24, 2021, 12:25 am

Read a few more library books by Heather Graham over the past few weeks: Heart of Evil, Sacred Evil, The Evil Inside, and The Forbidden. All from the Krewe of Hunters series. The first three are early ones, the last is #34. I find these books enjoyable but predictable. I've read quite a few randomly and am now working my way through the series from the beginning. I don't think the order really matters for these, though.

Some library ebooks: A Stitch in Time by Kelley Armstrong - a modern girl goes through a time slip into the past. Romantic fantasy, with some ghosts and a bit of mystery, which I enjoyed, and the start of a new series.

A Stranger in Town by Kelley Armstrong - 6th in the Rockton series. Still enjoying this mystery/suspense series set in the Yukon, even if I have to work hard to suspend my disbelief.

198NorthernStar
oct. 24, 2021, 12:55 am

I've also picked up quite a few ebooks over the past few weeks, and read quite a few of them.

Gail Carriger's Ambush or Adore - a novella in her delightfully deadly series, in the world of the parasol protectorate. OK, but not great. Features Pillover and Agatha from the Finishing School series.

What Lies Beneath by Marissa Doyle - released in September. I really enjoyed this one. Set on an island on the US East Coast during WWI, a nice mix of history and fantasy, with a bit of romance.

Scales and Sensibility by Stephanie Burgis - cute regency romance/fantasy, with dragons. It was fun.

Ballgowns & Butterflies by Kelley Armstrong - Christmas novella featuring the characters from A Stitch In Time. Fun.

A Twist of Fate by Kelley Armstong - second in the A Stitch In Time series, following a new main character, who was mentioned in the previous book and novella. The previous characters also show up. Fun historical/time slip/romance/mystery, with ghosts.

Paladin's Hope by T. Kingfisher - third in the Saint of Steel series. Enjoyed this, but not quite as much as the previous books in the series. A mix of horror, romance, and mystery, in the world of the Clocktaur War.

Cursed Luck by Kelley Armstrong - paranormal mystery with a bit of romance. I had read some of this in online installments in 2020. Pretty light, and I enjoyed it.

Knot of Shadows by Lois McMaster Bujold. The newest Penric and Desdemona book, just released yesterday. Really enjoyed this! However, I have to admit I reread the end twice wondering if I missed something, as it seemed to end a bit abruptly.

199pgmcc
oct. 24, 2021, 3:59 am

>198 NorthernStar:
I find that I tend to forget about e-books I have purchased and fail to catalogue them sometimes. Frequently enough I come across a book in a thread here and think, "Oh! That sounds interesting." I then look it up, see it's at a reasonable price on the Kindle, and am about to hit the "Buy" button when I see the phrase, "Buy this again".

200Maddz
oct. 24, 2021, 4:04 am

>199 pgmcc: It's not so much Kindle editions for me, it's other sources of ebooks. When doing my most recent cataloguing exercise, I found an entire Storybundle I'd dropped in a book folder but never imported to Calibre let alone catalogued. Kindle I usually keep reasonably up-to-date.

201pgmcc
oct. 24, 2021, 4:11 am

>200 Maddz: My first e-reader was a Sony. I used it for Gutenberg editions and some PDFs. That e-reader died :-( , so I ended up going Kindle. I hate being cornered into a tied technology.

I still prefer physical books, but with working from home I cannot redirect deliveries to the office; the number of deliveries to the house would reveal my tsunduko to the family. There is also the house size limitation.

202Maddz
oct. 24, 2021, 4:27 am

>201 pgmcc: The limitation of house sizes on book space has meant ebooks are a godsend! When Paul & I moved in together, we merged 2 libraries, purged a lot of books and still don't have sufficient space for everything we want to keep in hard copy... We literally have books in every room of the house bar the dressing room (technically a third bedroom), the bathroom, the downstairs loo and the utility room.

We check for deals daily and if it's 99p for a copy we've got in paper, we usually snap it up and dispose of the paper copy - especially if it's a book only one of us will read. I have literally just completed my Georgette Heyer collection - I now have all her regencies and historicals in ebook and can clear out my ancient Pan paperbacks.

At some point, I must purge the sitting room bookcases - general fiction, crime fiction, non-fiction and various comic-related and art-type books. Not all the general fiction is catalogued - Paul had some, and I got more when we cleared my Mum's house.

203NorthernStar
oct. 24, 2021, 8:22 pm

>199 pgmcc:, >200 Maddz: that sounds so familiar! I started with a Sony Reader too, but switched to a Kobo when it started giving problems. I side load a lot of things using Calibre. That way I can get books from kobo, kindle, storybundle, ER, the library, or wherever, and load them to my ereader. If I already have a paper copy I don't always catalog the ebooks.

204Maddz
oct. 25, 2021, 2:01 am

>203 NorthernStar: I started with an Elonex (a Hanlin model? clone?). When the screen cracked (I fell asleep on the sofa and rolled over), I got an Aluratec Libre, then a Kobo Touch. When that started disagreeing with the Mac, I had an Icarus, then I got a 32GB Kobo Forma.

I've been eying up a Kobo Sage - I rather like the note-taking capability. It would be useful for work purposes: every so often I have to read through large PDFs to work out just what it is I'm supposed to be extracting.

205NorthernStar
Editat: oct. 25, 2021, 2:09 am

>204 Maddz: my current device is a Kobo Clara. I like the small size and the warmer-colour-at-night light, although there are times a larger screen would be nice. I miss the buttons for page turns that my Sony had.

206reading_fox
oct. 25, 2021, 4:38 am

Similar started with the sony 505 which I loved (esp the buttons!), but eventually wore the batetry out, replaced it (fiddly!) wore that out, and am now on a Kobo AuroaH20, although I've had it too for so long that I doubt the waterproofness is still there. I think I own about 2x many ebook novels and I do paper ones. I try to remember to catalogue them all, but only if I've read them, some of the storybundle ones don't always appeal. I stuggle to sideload from kobo they want to be clever and transfer direct to the device, so I don't buy from there. But sourcing UK ebooks is getting tricky, Hive seem to be limited on recent releases, ebooks.com is notably more expensive and that only leaves google books where you have to buy them one at a time. Anyone got any better sites?

207Maddz
oct. 25, 2021, 7:45 am

>206 reading_fox: Most of my purchases (90%?) are from Amazon.co.uk, and I convert to epub using Calibre. It's a bit fiddly - I'm still using K4Mac 1.17 (I have blocked updates), and for my occasional Kobo purchase ADE 2.0. Of course, this means until I get Parallels or similar running on the new iMac, I'm stuck with Calibre 3.48 (still using High Sierra on the Macbook).

There aren't many good UK sites these days...

208NorthernStar
oct. 31, 2021, 12:23 am

>207 Maddz: I run two versions of Calibre on my Windows laptop. I have the 32-bit version 4.23 which works best for converting files, and the latest update of the 64-bit version.

209NorthernStar
oct. 31, 2021, 12:35 am

Finished another library book: Beasts Before Us by Elsa Panciroli. Really enjoyed this nonfiction book about mammal evolution. It included a lot I didn't know about the origins of mammals, including that their ancestors (including Dimetrodon, often thought of as an early dinosaur) were large and dominant during the Permian, smaller in the Triassic, and mainly very small in the Jurassic and Cretaceous. There are parts of the book that could be better organized or explained, but it was a good read for me.

210NorthernStar
oct. 31, 2021, 12:44 am

Re read Old Man's War by John Scalzi, which I think is the next book for our book club. I'm not actually sure when the meeting is, though. I had thought it was this week, but it wasn't. I have ebook copies of more in this series which I haven't read, and I think I will put them on my reading list.

211NorthernStar
Editat: nov. 2, 2021, 1:57 am

Read Hex on the Beach a compilation of three novellas by Kelley Armstrong, Melissa Marr, and Jeaniene Frost. The Kelley Armstrong story is a follow-up to Cursed Luck, and I enjoyed it. The others featured characters I was not familiar with, and don't care about getting to know better, but were OK.

I am now working on Flying Dinosaurs - good so far!

212NorthernStar
nov. 18, 2021, 7:48 pm

Well, another long gap!

Finished Flying Dinosaurs - very good, should be of interest to anyone interested in birds, dinosaurs, evolution, or paleontology. I was not aware how many different fossils have been found with feathers.

213NorthernStar
nov. 18, 2021, 8:00 pm

I'm not sure in what order I read the next several books:

The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires - darker than I expected, given the name. I enjoyed it, but would probably not re-read. I did get frustrated at the book club members and their family's valuing of manners over caution, safety, and common sense.

A couple of library books: A Rose Petal Summer by Katie Fforde, nice, escapist romance.
No Offense by Meg Cabot - romantic comedy on a Florida island between a librarian and a sheriff. Enjoyable fluff.

214NorthernStar
Editat: des. 31, 2021, 10:57 pm

Some ebooks: Re-read some of Patricia Briggs Mercy Thompson series. I've been listening to the audioboooks from the library, and they were missing a few. These are comfort reads for me.

Read Carrie Vaughn's latest Cormac and Amelia novella, Fatal Storm - this is the third novella in a spinoff from her Kitty series. (I just realized that I missed cataloging #2, which I have had for quite some time) Snowed in with psychics - what could go wrong?

I've started two or three other books which I will finish eventually. I'm wanting comfortable and familiar right now. I have one library book to finish before I leave to visit Dad, plus the copy of What's the Matter with Mary Jane? that tardis just sent me. They both might have to wait until I get home.

215catzteach
nov. 19, 2021, 9:43 pm

>213 NorthernStar: Southern Bookclub was a lot more horror than I expected. The rat scene *shivers*. I had to keep reminding myself it was taking place in the 80s because of how the men treated the women.

216NorthernStar
Editat: nov. 20, 2021, 11:28 pm

>215 catzteach: yes, it was, wasn't it.

I finished my last library book, The Invisible Library. Really enjoyed this one, although I had some issues with the characters and pacing from time to time.

I then went on to another library-themed ebook, The Bookbinder's Daughter. It was excellent. Recommended by several here. (pgmcc!)

217pgmcc
nov. 20, 2021, 11:29 pm

218NorthernStar
Editat: des. 31, 2021, 11:29 pm

The following several books were read around the end of November, on the trip to visit Dad.

What's the Matter with Mary Jane? by Candas Jane Dorsey - second in the Epitome Apartments series, gift from my sister. Really liked it.

219NorthernStar
des. 31, 2021, 11:27 pm

As You Wish by Cary Elwes - stories from the making of The Princess Bride. I don't often read this type of book, but enjoyed this.

220NorthernStar
des. 31, 2021, 11:33 pm

Ghostly Whistles by Irene Radford. ER book, 4th in the Whistling River Lodge Mysteries. I've read a couple of the previous books in the series. They are mysteries with a little bit of the supernatural. I enjoyed this, but you would probably want to have read at least the first book in the series before this one.

221clamairy
des. 31, 2021, 11:38 pm

>219 NorthernStar: Oh, I loved that one. I'm glad you found it enjoyable.

222NorthernStar
des. 31, 2021, 11:43 pm

Bared & Betrayed by Heather McCorkle, another ER book. Paranormal romance, 4th in a series. OK

223NorthernStar
des. 31, 2021, 11:44 pm

>221 clamairy: - I think I picked up the ebook on sale, and it may have been by your recommendation.

224NorthernStar
gen. 1, 2022, 12:01 am

Fated Blades by Ilona Andrews - novella, 4th story in the Kinsmen universe, but you wouldn't need to have read the others. I thoroughly enjoy pretty much anything Ilona Andrews writes, and this was no exception. Business competitors - whose spouses are not only cheating with each other, but have stolen company secrets to sell to evil aliens - team up to foil the plot and make sure the tech doesn't fall into the wrong hands.

225NorthernStar
gen. 1, 2022, 12:06 am

Snowstorms & Sleigh Bells by Kelley Armstrong - Christmas novella in the A Stitch in Time series. Cute, quick read.

226NorthernStar
gen. 1, 2022, 12:15 am

Questland by Carrie Vaughn - library ebook - fun read about a geeky literature professor asked to help troubleshoot a so-high-tech-it-looks-like-magic theme park island under construction. Jurassic Park for fantasy fans.

Geared towards fans of RPGs, which I am not. I enjoyed this. I'm not a player, so I can't comment on that aspect of the story.

227NorthernStar
gen. 1, 2022, 1:09 am

Charmed Waters by Carrie Vaughn - the fourth Cormac and Amelia novella. Cormac and Amelia; with friends Kitty, Ben and their son; discover a mermaid at a reservoir in Colorado, and decide to help her get back to the ocean where she belongs. All does not go smoothly. Excellent.

228NorthernStar
gen. 1, 2022, 1:19 am

High Jinx by Kelley Armstrong - second in the Cursed Luck series. Kennedy attempts to buy a famous cursed painting to remove the curse, but it isn't that simple, and it turns out to be part of a larger plot. The relationship between Kennedy and Aiden is developing, but there are complications there too.

229NorthernStar
gen. 1, 2022, 1:29 am

Burning and Dodging by Julie Wittes Schlack - ER book. I had thought this was a mystery, but it isn't. Although it wasn't what I was expecting, it wasn't bad.

230NorthernStar
gen. 1, 2022, 1:41 am

A Bachelor Establishment by Jodi Taylor writing as Isabella Barclay. Regency romance with bit of mystery, reminiscent of Georgette Heyer with a bit of Jodi Taylor's attitude. I liked it, and hope she does more like this.

231NorthernStar
gen. 1, 2022, 1:54 am

A Rare Benedictine, A Morbid Taste for Bones, One Corpse too Many, Monk's Hood, St. Peter's Fair, The Leper of St. Giles, and The Virgin in the Ice - all re-reads of the Brother Cadfael series by Ellis Peters. I have paperbacks of all of the series, but have been buying ebook copies as they go on sale. These are definitely comfort reads for me, and I like them as well as ever. I also realized that they remind me of Lois McMaster Bujold's Penric books to some extent. I stopped here because I had library books to read and return.

232NorthernStar
gen. 1, 2022, 1:59 am

Bath Haus by P. J. Vernon. Interlibrary loan for book club. Came just before I left town, and I had time to read it after I got back, but I couldn't get in to it. Unpleasant people being mean to each other. DNF

Only a few people made it to this meeting, and they mostly enjoyed it.

233NorthernStar
gen. 1, 2022, 2:13 am

Lark! The Herald Angels Sing, Terns of Endearment, Owl be Home for Christmas, The Falcon Always Wings Twice by Donna Andrews - These are fun books, but mostly ones I get from the library rather than buy. Our library seems to have just got a bunch in, so I took out all the ones I hadn't read yet. Fun.

Bring Me Home for Christmas by Robyn Carr - one of the Virgin River books I hadn't read yet, and a Christmas story. Another library read.

234NorthernStar
Editat: gen. 1, 2022, 2:36 am

Once I caught up on my library books I read two series by C.E. Murphy writing under the pseudonyms Zoe Chant and Murphy Lawless - Virtue Shifters and Gladiator Shifters - These are fun, quick reads, but pretty predictable and all feature insta-love fated mates. The characters and story lines are likeable, though. A mix of novellas and novels.

Amy Herzog's Ultimate Sweater Book - interlibrary loan. I was thinking of buying this, and I'm glad I got a chance to look at it first. I don't necessarily agree with her on some of her ideas. There a few things I'd like to make note of though, and unfortunately it has to go back and I can't renew it.

I may have missed a few books from the last month here, but I think I caught most of them. Anything missed is probably a reread.

235NorthernStar
Editat: gen. 1, 2022, 2:26 am

And my final book for 2021 is Victoria Goddard's Plum Duff, the latest installment in the Greenwing and Dart series. Thanks to Athabasca and Marissa Doyle for alerting me to it's existence. Not quite finished, so it will also be my first book for 2022. I think I'll go back to Cadfael after that.

Happy New Year everyone!

236clamairy
gen. 1, 2022, 8:12 pm

>235 NorthernStar: I think that's the third (or fourth?) bullet I've taken for that Greenwing series...

237NorthernStar
gen. 1, 2022, 9:29 pm

>236 clamairy: Happy to help!

238MrsLee
gen. 2, 2022, 4:29 pm

>231 NorthernStar: I also read Cadfael for comfort. I haven't begun the Penric books, you may be nudging me towards them.

239NorthernStar
gen. 2, 2022, 11:10 pm

>238 MrsLee: I highly recommend Penric!
En/na NorthernStar's Notes for 2022 ha continuat aquest tema.