vancouverdeb attempts to read in 2015 thread 6

January
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman 4 stars
As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust by Alan Bradley 4.5 stars
Moon Tiger by Penelope Lively 3.5 stars

February
The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers 4 stars
After The War Is Over by Jennifer Robson 3.3 stars
Washington Square by Henry James 3. 5 stars
The Vanishing Act Of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell 4 stars
A Fine Summer's Day: An Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery by Charles Todd 3.8 stars

March
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins 4 stars
A Test Of Wills: The First Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery by Charles Todd 3.8 stars
Aren't We Sisters by Patricia Ferguson 4.25 stars

April
A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler 4.5 stars
And No Birds Sang by Farley Mowat 4 stars
The Midwife's Daughter by Patricia Ferguson 3.8 stars
The Evening Chorus by Helen Humphreys 3.7 stars
Leaving Tomorrow by David Bergen 4 stars
El Deafo by Cece Bell 3.3 stars

May
Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert 3.5 stars
The Farm by Tom Rob Smith 4.3 stars
Inside the O'Briens: A Novel by Lisa Genova 4 stars
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah 5 stars *

June
The Crossing Places: A Ruth Galloway Mystery by Elly Griffiths 3.6 stars
Our Souls at Night: A novel by Kent Haruf 4.5 stars
The Janus Stone: A Ruth Galloway Mystery by Elly Griffiths 4 stars

July
The House at Sea's End by Elly Griffiths 4 stars
A Room Full of Bones by Elly Griffiths 4 stars

August
A Dying Fall by Elly Griffiths 4 stars
Crooked Heart by Lissa Evans 4.3 stars
The Illuminations by Andrew O'Hagan 4. 3 stars

September
A Folded Earth by Anuradha Roy 3.3 stars
Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear 4 stars
If I Fall, If I Die by Michael Christie 4 stars

October
Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear 4 stars
Did You Ever Have A Family by Bill Clegg 3.8 stars
Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear 3.8 stars
Fifteen Dogs by André Alexis 4 stars

November
Daddy Lenin by Guy Vanderhaeghe 4.2 stars
The Rector's Wife by Joanna Trollope 4 stars
Hungry Ghosts by Peggy Blair 3.3 stars
The Mammy by Brendan O'Carroll 4 stars
The Chisellers by Brendan O'Carroll 4 stars
The Granny by Brendan O'Carroll 4 stars
The Suspect by Michael Robotham 3.9 stars
Sky Bridge: A Novel by Laura Pritchett 4 stars
Red Lightning: A Novel by Laura Pritchett 3.6 stars

December
The Children Act by Ian McEwan 3.4 stars
The Drowned Boy by Karin Fossum 4 stars
The Golden Son by Shilpi Somaya Gowda 4 stars
Restless by William Boyd 4 stars
A Small Death in the Great Glen by A. D. Scott 4 stars
The Sari Shop by Rupa Bajwa 4.5 stars

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Currently reading

A Small Death in the Great Glen: A Novel by A. D. Scott

I had hoped not need a 6th thread for 2015, but my last thread was getting rather long! And, by mistake I created two new threads. Sighs to self.

Anyway, this is The Real Number 6 Thread

Welcome and please drop a star!

Happy New Thread, Deborah!

I hope I'm on the correct thread. Happy New One. Had the same problem on autumn.

>6 Carmenere: Oh such a cute graphic, Lynda! Thanks for stopping by!

>7 Ameise1: Barbara, yes, this is the correct thread. I'm glad to know that I'm not the only person who accidentally two threads at once. Leave it to me!

Thanks for dropping a star!

Happy new thread, Deb! And Happy Holidays!

Got lost following you for a minute there, Deb. I am hoping that my last thread of 2015 will squeak by so I can concentrate on setting up my thread for 2016. It does seem kind of long though. Happy new thread!

Merry New Thread! Merry Return of the Sun! Merry Christmas!

Have a great holiday, Deb! Dropped a star, and looking forward to 2016.

Happy New Thread! And a Merry Christmas to you and your family!

I add my wishes to those above. May your Christmas be merry and bright.

>9 scaifea: Thanks Amber! Merry Christmas!

>10 Familyhistorian: I got quite lost myself creating my new thread, , so I am not surprised if you did too! I was planning to squeak by til the end of the year, but I was up at 257 or 263 posts on my last thread , so I went ahead and created a new thread.

>11 evilmoose: Merry Christmas Megan and yes, we can celebrate the gradual return of longer days! I look forward to that!

>12 jnwelch: Thank Joe. Great that you dropped a star I already have a book or two in mind for January 2016. That is lot of forward planning for me. ;)

>13 cbl_tn: Thanks Carrie and Merry Christmas to you!

>14 Whisper1: Best wishes to you in 2016 Linda and Merry Christmas to you!

Yesterday I made it to the second hand bookstore and found a few books by William Boyd of Restless fame,which was my previous read.

I found Any Human Heart, Brazzaville Beach and The Blue Afternoon all by William Boyd. I also picked up a pretty chewed up copy of Remains of Dayby Kazuo Ishiguro. Remains of the Day looks to be quite good. I'm not sure why I have waited so long to have a look it . But still reading A Small Death in the In the Great Glen by A .D. Scott.

Happy new thread Deb.

A smiling, happy snowman. Great picture, Deborah. Good Christmas vibe to end your very last thread of the year.

You picked a masterpiece in Remains of the Day. You'll like it, I'm sure.

Happy holidays and new thread. Hope you've got some reading next to the fire there...

The library has ordered Man for me so I'm hoping it gets into the library in time to read for the Canadian challenge.

What a great book haul! A pre Christmas present to yourself.

>17 johnsimpson: Thanks John! Love and hugs to you!

>18 ctpress: Ah Carsten! I thought you were avoiding me! :) Great to see you! I had heard of Remains of the Day many times but somehow looking at in the second bookstore for $4.95 made it look inviting. Good to know that I've picked a masterpiece.

>19 charl08: Ah yes, Charlotte, I'm well stocked for reading over the holidays. Now to find enough time! Glad your library has ordered in Man, Of course my library has several copies, so I just put a hold on it and I'll pop in and get when I get a chance. I'm hoping the Canadian Challenge will be fairly easy to me . Famous last words.

>20 Whisper1: A second hand book haul, but still I was happy, Linda! Yes , my Christmas present to myself. I found my local library did not carry much by William Boyd , so I looked through what they had in the second hand bookstore and chose several.

Happy New Thread, Deb! I am glad I found "The Real Number 6 Thread". Whew!!

I really liked your book haul. Any Human Heart was my first Boyd and remains my favorite. Hopefully you added Sweet Caress to your WL, because these books complement each other. Remains of the Day is excellent. I am sure you will love it. Not familiar with the Scott.

Good job, on picking some titles for Dave, especially the Leonard.

I'm glad you found the "Real New Number Six Thread." One of those days for me!

Well, a second - hand book haul! :) As far the William Boyd book titles , I had to take what appealed to me and what the 2nd hand store had. I really enjoyed Restless , so of course I'm looking for books similar to that. I decided that I should try Any Human Heart since it seems to be one his more popular books.

Wishing you the Merriest of Christmases, my friend! Hope it's full of love, laughter, and books!

Have a great Christmas Deborah!

>24 Ameise1: Happy Holidays , Barbara!

>25 lit_chick: Merry Christmas to you too, Nancy!

>26 SandDune: Merry Christmas, Rhian! Lovely tree there!

For my Christmas/Hanukkah/Solstice/Holiday image this year (we are so diverse!), I've chosen this photograph by local photographer Mark Lenoce of the pier at Pacific Beach to express my holiday wishes to you: Peace on Earth and Good Will toward All!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, Deborah!

Have a great holiday, Deb! And happy reading!

Hi Deb, sending Christmas greetings to you and your family my dear, hope you have a wonderful day tomorrow. Sending love and hugs from a very unseasonally mild UK.

Merry Christmas, Deborah - hope you'll have some blessed days with your family.

Merry Christmas to you and your family. May 2016 be filled with light and laughter. ...and lots of good books to read.

Happy Solstice and Merry Christmas, Deborah!

No chance in me getting caught up with your thread, Deb but I did want to at least say how much I love the thread topper ! So perfect. ;-)

Wishing you and your family best wishes for the holiday season!

Have a lovely holiday, Deb

Merry Christmas, Deborah, and a very happy 2016 too!

Merry Christmas Deborah. I thought of you today as we were picking up our daughter at YVR flying from Denver and did a three cheers for your husband Dave and his wonderful work behind the scenes keeping our flights safe. Hope that you have a wonderful day!

Merry Christmas, Deb! I think you have a couple of hours to wait still. Hope you have a very happy day.

I hope your Christms was Merry and Bright, Deborah!

Merry Christmas, Deb!

Merry Christmas, Deb, and Happy 2016. I look forward to following your reading in 2016.

>28 ronincats: Roni, thanks so much for Merry Christmas wishes!

>29 Familyhistorian: Meg, such a smile! Merry Christmas to you!

>30 Copperskye: Merry Christmas, Joanne!

>31 msf59: Happy Holiday,s Lone Ranger!

>32 johnsimpson: Happy Christmas John and family! Hugs and love to you and yours!

>33 ctpress: Carsten, thank you! Merry Christmas! I did enjoy some wonderful time with extended family, but my husband worked til yesterday . I am glad he is off for four days now!

>34 Whisper1: Merry Christmas Linda! I hope your 2016 is filled with happiness!

>35 EBT1002: Merry Christmas/ Solstice to you! Yes, the days are getting longer very gradually!

>36 lkernagh: Glad to see you back on LT, Lori! No worries about getting caught up on my threads! I'll never get caught up on wishing every one a Merry Christmas!

>37 PaulCranswick: The perfect graphic for a book lover, Paul! Merry Christmas to you and yours!

>38 LizzieD: Merry Christmas, Peggy!

>39 mdoris: Thanks for the three cheers for Dave at YVR. He tells me it was busy indeed. I felt like we two ships crossing at night, with his long shifts and me being out with family . I am glad that you have your daughter home to visit , Mary.

>40 cushlareads: Merry Christmas, Cushla! Well, by now we are past Christmas day and Boxing Day!

>41 Donna828: Christmas was wonderful, Donna, but I confess that I am glad that things are returning to normal! I can only take so much visiting and lack of time with my books and my husband and dog! :) Don't tell the rest of my family!:)

>42 ChelleBearss: Merry Christmas Beth and Happy New Year, Beth!

Thanks everyone for the Merry Christmas Greetings! I had a lovely time but overall I am so glad to get back to usual! Book, my husband home, and walking my dog! We still have a dinner to attend and then shortly the New Years creeps up on us. More dinners and family! :)

I am sorry that I have not got around to many thread to wish everyone a Merry Christmas!

All good wishes for a bright and happy New Year.

Happy Sunday, Deb! Hope you are having a good weekend. And you are right, it is nice getting back to our usual routine. Have you joined the 2016 Group yet? I started my new thread over there too, just because I had the time this morning.

Finished A Small Death in a Great Glen by A . D. Scott a couple of days ago. I'll put a few short comments here on the story before I forget what is about! ;) My library has the 4 or 5th in the series, but of course I had order the first in the series because I am fussy like that.

This is a cozy mystery, almost too meandering for my liking, I felt at first. The series is known as " The Highland Gazette" after the newspaper that our protagonist works for. The novel takes place a small town in Scotland during the 1950's. As the novel begins, the body of a small boy is found dead in a canal lock. As the novel unravels, we get to know those who publish the Highland Gazette, in particular the typist, an abused wife named Joanne Ross. She has two children. There are many possible suspects, and two young children describe seeing a " hoodie crow" with the young dead child's body. However, the two young children are thought to be too young and fanciful to be revealing anything of value.

Thougt this is a mystery, it is just much a tale of life in the 1950's in a small town in the Scottish Highlands. As an abused wife, Joanne, struggles with feeling that she deserves to be beaten by her husband. She is brave enough to go to work as a typist at the Highland Gazette, but the many other townsfolk regard her badly for both for being abused and being employed. . She guards the abuse carefully and worries about the effect of it on her two young daughters. It is the tale of a small town and it varied inhabitants, many of them of the gossipers, and prejudiced against the " lesser Scots' known as "tinkers" and the few immigrants who live on the fringes of the town.

The Highland Gazette is a newspaper that is committed to revamping the paper to something more substantial than a gossip rag . In the bid to become more than a small town gossip newspaper, the employees of the Highland Gazette become determined to solve the crime of the dead young child. Joanne Ross leads the charge.

As the story went on and I got more invested in the characters and varied tales of it's inhabitants , my enjoyment of the novel increased .

Suspicion of the murder fell on several of the finely veneered townspeople, and their troubling secrets are slowly revealed.

I ended up giving the story 4 stars .

I don't really recommend it , unless you don't mind a meandering tale that is just as much about small town Scotland and it's inhabitants as it is a mystery. Personally I really ended up enjoying it, but it certainly is not for everybody.



This was my 50th book this year , so despite this being a 75 thread, I was happy to meet the milestone.

>47 msf59: Mark, so Happy to getting back to the usual routine! I'll get to creating my new thread in couple of days! ;) Thanks for stopping by!

Currently reading The Sari Shop by Rupa Bajwa.The novel was long listed in for the Orange Prize in 2004 and 115 pages into the story, it seems very interesting.

Yay to 50 books, Deb! And you have read some fabulous ones this year! Think I will pass on A Small Death, in spite of your excellwnt review. You've caught my eye with The Sari Shop though ...

>51 lit_chick: Thanks Nancy! I can understand you wanting to take a pass on A Small Death in a Great Glen . Though I eventually enjoyed it enough to give it 4 stars, was a very slow start and very cozy - at times a bit cliched, I suppose. But in the end , I did enjoy it enough to give it 4 stars.

But yes, The Sari Shop is one I think that you and many would enjoy - though let me finish it first.

Congrats on 50, Deb!

If A Small Death in the Great Glen was almost too cozy for you, I think I may have to take a pass even though I love all things Scotland.

I am feeling overwhelmed by the startup of 2016 threads but I'm trying to just ignore it. I will start my thread on December 31.

I hope you have a great week and I'll "see" you in a few days!

Happy Holidays, Deb! Hope you and yours have been having a good Christmas break.

>53 EBT1002: Thanks Ellen! Yes, A Small Great Glen was almost too cozy and well, a little trite for me , but yet in the end, I enjoyed it. But I don't recommend it . Or if you read it, be prepared for it to be really cozy! :) I find the start up threads to be too much too - I'll start my 2016 thread in a few days - likely in 2016.

>54 jnwelch: Thanks Joe! It is great to have my husband off work for four days!

The Sari Shop sounds wonderful. I'm a sucker for beautiful fabrics, even when I have no idea what to do with them.

>56 charl08: Oh! I finished The Sari Shop and it was quietly devastating! Definitely not much about saris. I'll write some comments later :) I think The Sari Shop was among my favourite reads of 2016. That was so unexpected! It's really a quiet sort of book about the a microcosm of India that serves as much larger look at the class system and the inability to make a move from one class to another. It kept me awake pondering on the story last night.

Deb, I just added The Sari Shop to my wish list. It looks interesting (and I look forward to your comments when you get to them).

>58 EBT1002: I hope you can find The Sari Shop by Rupa Bajwa, Ellen. I count it among my best reads of 2016, which was most unexpected as I chose it from the library shelf.

The Sari Shop by Rupa Baja

Ramchand is a young man working as a shop assistant in a sari shop in Amritsar, India. Prior to the loss of his parents, Ramchand haboured bigger dreams for himself. However, seven years of rolling and unrollling silk and cotton saris for the " status woman" of Amristar, he is relatively content with his mundane existence.

As time goes on, Ramchand is sent on two errands that stand in stark contrast to one another , and shake him out of his narrow life view. One errand is to a wealthy household in which the educated and beautiful bride- to- be and her family are choosing opulent saris for the occasion. Ramchand's hope for a better life is re-ignited, and he begins to better himself. The second errand is to check on fellow shop assistant. Here he is exposed to the filthy squalor of the slums , where men are commonly drunk and routinely beat their wives.

This is a devastating look at class division in India. It is a powerful narrative, told in a quiet, unassuming manner.

Long -listed for the 2004 Orange Prize, this is among the most memorable and heartbreaking books that I have read in 2016.

Highly recommended

4.5 stars

Currently reading This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance! by Jonathan Evison.

End of the Year Meme with books read in 2016

Describe yourself: The Nightingale
Describe how you feel: Did You Ever Have a Family?
Describe where you currently live: Sky Bridge
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: The House at Sea's End
Your favorite form of transportation: The Girl on the Train
Your best friend is: Birds of a Feather
You and your friends are: Aren't We Sisters?
What’s the weather like: A Fine Summers Day
You fear: Fifteen Dogs
What is the best advice you have to give: This is Your Life, Harriet Chance
Thought for the day: A Spool of Blue Thread
How I would like to die: Our Souls at Night
My soul’s present condition: The Illuminations

>62 vancouverdeb: Did You Ever Have a Family? Ha! Love it. Great meme answers, Deb.

Love the meme, Deb! Great answers! I really enjoy this one, hehe : ).

Excellent review and thumb-up for The Sari Shop. This is one I have to WL.

>63 jnwelch:
>64 lit_chick: Joe and Nancy, I was a bit pressed for answers to the meme! :) Thought for the day A Spool of Blue Thread? It was either that or Pardonable Lies. I do not really life on any type of skybridge ,but rather a river delta , barely above sea level . But yes, it is a fun meme!

>64 lit_chick: My review likely does not do The Sari Shop full justice! Thanks for the thumb, but if you can find the book, do read it Nancy. I am sure you would enjoy it.

Hi, Deb! Just checking in with my pal. How is This is Your Life, Harriet Chance coming? It sounds like it has potential.

>66 msf59: This is Your Life, Harriet Chance is definitely a good read so far, Mark. It is about a recently widowed 78 year old woman who finds out that her now dead husband had entered a contest for an Alaskan Cruise. In part it is somewhat humourous, but also quite sad as she looks back over her life and life choices from childhood on. A good read!

Was out for dinner at my son and daughter in laws. Good food, good company!

Hi Deborah - Congrats on the 50+ books read, a nice round number for us who are also 50+ :)

From the Scottish Highlands to a sari shop in India. You end 2015 going around the world.

Great meme. I just chuckle at all of the titles read in a new way. I also fear Fifteen Dogs :)

I just finished Our Souls at Night and I'm in awe of his simple, yet profound wisdom. I guess a review is coming up in the new year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR. I guess I will see you on a new thread in january.

Congratulations on 50, Deborah. Happy New Year.

>68 ctpress: Gasp Carsten! You think I'm fifty - plus! What a shocking assumption !!!! :) Of course you are oh so correct and I'll be 55 in January! Shhh - that is our little secret! :) So glad you finished off the year with Our Souls at Night. It is really a wonderful book
Happy New Year Carsten!

>69 BLBera: Thanks Beth! Made it to 51 and maybe 52 by years end. Happy New Year to you too!

Happy New Year, friend!

Hi Deb, wishing you and your family a very Happy New Year and sending special love and hugs from the both of us.

Congratulations on 50 spectacular reads, Deb! Your reviews make every one of them a unique experience... even if you weren't happy with some of them! ;-) I am taking today to do the rounds of the various threads and get in some reading time... I love spending the day being lazy in my PJs!

Wonderful meme answers! I would say your did a great job coming up with answers to the questions.

Happy New Year, Deb and best wishes for 2016!

>71 lit_chick: Happy New Year, Nancy!

>72 johnsimpson: Happy New Year, John, Karen and family!

>73 Ameise1: I wish you a wonderful 2f016 Barbara!

>74 lkernagh: Happy New Year Lori! You are too kind!

I'd love to have pajama day, but family obligations call! :) Yes another dinner!

Last night I got out for a lovely walk with Poppy, while Dave was at work. Then I curled up on the couch and read a bit, watched some tv etc. But today I am " on". sighs to self!

Happy New Years everyone!

Happy New Year, Deb. I hope your fog lifted today, we were covered in a blanket of fog all day, I hope it lifts tomorrow.

>Happy New Year Meg! We did not have any fog yesterday, or so far today! Nice and sunny but rather cold at 2C! Brrr! :)

>77 vancouverdeb: Being stuck in the fog for two days is not an auspicious beginning to the New Year. Sounds like your New Year is off to a much better start, Deb.

Happy new year, Deborah!

>78 Familyhistorian: Not a bad start to the New Year, Meg! Sorry to hear that you had fog!

>79 Copperskye: Happy New Year, Joanne!

Okay, signing off this thread and moving to my new 2016 thread