Tricia is still here in 2021

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Tricia is still here in 2021

1hailelib
Jan 1, 2021, 4:42 pm

This year I've decided to stay fairly simple and read by the month. Some months may have a particular focus but some may be just for reading whatever strikes my fancy on any given day.

Some Cats and Kits will show up if that month's topic sounds interesting and I'll probably have a few Bingo squares filled in at the end of the year.

The main goal will be to read a variety and still have fun.

2hailelib
Editado: Dez 28, 2021, 11:26 am

JANUARY:

1. Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford - finished January 2 - own
2. Death of a Red Mandarin by Christopher West - finished January 4 - own
3. Shadow of Victory by David Weber - own
4. Mission of Honor by David Weber - own
5. Busman's Honeymoon by Dorothy L. Sayers - own
6. A Rising Thunder by David Weber - own
7. Uncompromising Honor by David Weber - Finished January 21 - own
8. Written in Blood by Caroline Graham - Finished January 22 - own
9. A Thief or Two by Sara Woods - Finished January 24 - own
10. The Tenth Life by Richard Lockridge - Finished January 26 - own
11. The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie - Finished January 28 - own
12. Final Diagnosis by James White - Finished January 30 - own

3hailelib
Editado: Dez 28, 2021, 11:29 am

FEBRUARY

1. Trader's Leap by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - February 2, 2021 - own
2. Arrow Pointing Nowhere by Elizabeth Daly - February 2021 - own
3. Curses! by Aaron Elkins - February 2021 - own
4. Neogenesis by Sharon Lee and Steven Miller - February - own
5. The Gilded Fly by Edmund Crispin - February 2021 -own
6. Death and Letters by Elizabeth Daly - February 2021 - own
7. A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie - February 2021 - own
8. Unexpected Night by Elizabeth Daly - February 2021 - own
9. All Mortal Flesh by Julia Spencer-Fleming - Finished February 13, 2021 - own
10. The Bloody Book of Law by Sara Woods - Finished February 14, 2021 - own
11. A Heinlein Trio by Robert A. Heinlein - Finished February 2021 - own - contains 3 novels
12. An Alien Light by Nancy Kress - Finished February - own
13. Alliance of Equals by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - Finished February - ebook - own
14. Splinter Universe Presents by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - February - ebook - own
15. Plan B by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - February - own
16. Conflict of Honors by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - own
17. Ghost Ship by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - own
18. A Liaden Constellation by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - own
19. One Coffee With by Margaret Maron - ebook - own
20. Act of Mercy by Peter Tremayne - own
21. Shooting at Loons by Margaret Maron - own
22. Killer Market by Margaret Maron - own
23. Home Fires by Margaret Maron - own
24. In the Kingdom of Ice by Hampton Sides - own
25. Gently with the Innocents by Alan Hunter - Finished February 28 - own

4hailelib
Editado: Abr 2, 2021, 5:26 pm

MARCH

1. How to Hide an Empire by Daniel Immerwahr - Finished March 7 - own
2. The Locked Room by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo - Finished March 10 - own
3. Selections from Lord Peter by Dorothy L. Sayers and edited and introduced by James Sandoe - March 11 - own
4. In the Teeth of the Evidence by Dorothy L. Sayers - March 11 - own
5. Myth Adventures an anthology by Robert Lynn Asprin - March 12 - own
6. Myth Alliances an anthology by Robert Lynn Asprin - March 14 - own
7. Death in Time by Mignon Warner - March 15 - own
8. A Medium for Murder by Mignon Warner - March 16 - own
9. The Documents in the Case by Dorothy L. Sayers and Robert Eustace - finished March 19 - own
10. The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester - March 21 - own
11. Next to Last Stand by Craig Johnson - March 23 - own
12. Mercury by Ben Bova - March 25 - own
13. A Holiday for Murder - by Agatha Christie - March 26 - own
14. Treachery in Type by Josephine Bell - March 28 - own
15. The Other Side of Time by Keith Laumer - March 29 - own
16. A Great Deliverance by Elizabeth George - March 31 - own

5hailelib
Editado: Maio 2, 2021, 2:46 pm

APRIL - no particular plans except to finish at least one nonfiction book.

1. A Coffin from the Past by Gwendoline Butler - April 1 - own
2. Major Operation by James White - April 2 - own
3. The Robin & the Kestrel by Mercedes Lackey - April 3 - own
4. The Poisoned Chocolates Case by Anthony Berkeley - April 4 - own
5. The Piccadilly Murder by Anthony Berkeley - April 5 - own
6. The Murder at Sissingham Hall - by Clara Benson - ?- own - ebook
7. The Mystery at Underwood House by Clara Benson - ? - own - ebook
8. The Treasure at Poldarrow Point by Clara Benson - ? - own - ebook
9. Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne - April 7 - own
10. The Layton Court Mystery by Anthony Berkeley - April 9 - own - ebook
11. The Lake District Murder by John Bude - April 11 - own - ebook
12. At Bertram's Hotel by Agatha Christie - April 10 - own
13. Monsters and Medics by James White - April 12 - own
14. Beyond Blame by Stephen Greenleaf - April - own
15. Toll Call by Stephen Greenleaf - April - own
16. Miles in Love by Lois McMaster Bujold - April - own - ebook
17. Cordelia's Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold - April - own
18. Banker by Dick Francis - April - own
19. Any Shape or Form by Elizabeth Daly - April - own
20. Thomas Jefferson's Qur'an: Islam and the Founders by Denise A Spellberg - nonfiction - April - own
21. The Roads of Heaven by Melissa Scott - April - own
22.Elephants Can Remember by Agatha Christie - April 30 - own

6hailelib
Editado: Dez 28, 2021, 11:54 am

MAY

1. Murder in Gray and White by Corinne Holt Sawyer - finished May 2 - own
2. Asimov on Science Fiction by Isaac Asimov - finished May 11 - own
3. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie - Finished May 4 - own in omnibus
4. The Vanishing by David J. Delaney - finished May 14 - own - ebook
5. The Emperor's Snuff-box by John D. Carr - May 13 - own - ebook
6. Brilliance by Marcus Sakey - May 12 - own - ebook
7. Big Sick Heart by Mike Markel - May 5 - own - ebook
8. Deviations by Mike Markel - May 6 - own - ebook
9. The Broken Saint by Mike Markel - May 7 - own - ebook
10. Three-Ways by Mike Markel - May 9 - own - ebook
11. The Book of the Dead by Elizabeth Daly - May ? - own - ebook
12. The Newton Code by Liam Fialkov - May ? - own - ebook
13. Asimov on Science Fiction by Isaac Asimov - May 20 - own - nonfiction
14. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie - May? - own in Masterpieces of Murder
15. The Family Tomb by Michael Gilbert - May? - own
16. With a Bare Bodkin by Cyril Hare - May? - own
17. Death Walks the Woods by Cyril Hare - May? - own
18. Suicide Excepted by Cyril Hare - May? - own
19. Untimely Death by Cyril Hare - May? - own
20. Penric's Demon by Lois McMaster Bujold - May 20 - own - ebook - reread
21. Penric and the Shaman by Lois McMaster Bujold - May 21 - own - ebook
22. Penric's Fox by Lois McMaster Bujold - May 21 - own - ebook
23. Masquerade in Lodi by Lois McMaster Bujold - May 22 - own - ebook
24. Penric's Mission by Lois McMaster Bujold - May 22 - own - ebook
25. Mira's Last Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold - May 23 - own - ebook
26. The Prisoner of Limnos by Lois McMaster Bujold - May 24 - own - ebook
27. The Orphans of Raspay by Lois McMaster Bujold - May 25 - own - ebook
28. The Physicians of Vilnoc by Lois McMaster Bujold - May 25 - own - ebook
29. The assassins of Thasalon by Lois McMaster Bujold - May 27 - own - ebook
30. The Book of the Lion by Elizabeth Daly - May 28 - own - ebook
31. The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold - May 29 - own - reread
32. Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold - May 30 - own - reread
33. Mauve by Simon Garfield - May 31 - own - nonfiction
34. White Lies by Jayne Ann Krentz - May ? - own

7hailelib
Editado: Jul 8, 2021, 5:06 pm

JUNE

1. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie - own
2. Footsteps in the Dark by Georgette Heyer - own
3. Finders by Melissa Scott - own
4. The Singing Heart by Elizabeth Cadell - own - aka The Lark Shall Sing
5. The Wheel Turns by Elizabeth Lemarchand - own
6. Marque and Reprisal by Elizabeth Moon - recent purchase
7. The Zimmermann Telegram by Barbara w. Tuchman - June 12 - own - nonfiction
8. Thrones, Dominations by Dorothy L. Sayers & Jill Paton Walsh- June 13 - public library
9. Crimson Lake by Candice Fox - June 14 - public library
10. Gods of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs - own
11. Warlord of Mars by Edgar rice Burroughs - own
12. Deadly Nightshade by Elizabeth Daly - recent purchase - ebook
13. There is No Justice by R. B. Dominic aka Emma Lathen - recent purchase - ebook
14. Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho - June 18 - public library
15. The Gates of Sleep by Mercedes Lackey - June 19 - public library - reread
16. Murder in High Place by R. B. Dominic - June 20 - own
17. Photo Finish by Ngaio Marsh - June 21 - own
18. The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul - by Douglas Adams - June 22 - own
19. Bruno, Chief of Police by Martin Walker - June 24 - public library
20. Enola Holmes: The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer - June 25 - public library
21. Through the Wall by Patricia Wentworth - June 26 - own
22. The Shakespeare Murders by A. G. Macdonell - June 28 - recent ebook purchase
23. The Sleeping Beauty by Mercedes Lackey - June 28 - own
24. The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes Lackey - June 30 - own

8hailelib
Editado: Ago 4, 2021, 1:40 pm

JULY

1. Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine - July 1 - public library
2. Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith - July 4 - public library
3. Lost History by Michael H. Morgan - July 4 - own
4. Singapore Sapphire by A. M. Stuart - July 6 - own
5. The Vanishing by Jayne Anne Krentz - July 7 - public library
6. Golden in Death by J. D. Robb - July 8 - public library
7. Beauty and the Werewolf by Mercedes Lackey - July 11 - own
8. Deadly Valentine by Carolyn G. Hart - July 13 - own
9. Murder at The Mena House - by Erica Ruth Neubauer - July 15 - own - new
10. The Summerhouse by Patricia Wentworth - July 17 - own - original title: The Gazebo
11. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin - July - public library
12. The Mermaids Madness by Jim C. Hines - July - own - new
13. The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson - July 19 - public library
14. Sizzle and Burn by Jayne Ann Krentz - July 20 - own
15. The Stepsister Scheme - July - own
16. Phoenix and Ashes by Mercedes Lackey - July 22 - own
17. Trouble in Nuala by Harriet Steel - July 23 own - ebook
18. In the Balance by Patricia Wentworth - July 25 - own - recent ebook
19. Burn Bright by Patricia Briggs - July 27 - public library
20. The Purity of Vengeance by Jussi Adler-Olsen - July 29 - public library
21. Hot Money by Dick Francis - July 31 - own

9hailelib
Editado: Dez 28, 2021, 12:37 pm

AUGUST

1. Straight by Dick Francis - August 1 - own
2. Risk by Dick Francis - August 3 - own
3. Jolene by Mercedes Lackey - August 5 - public library
4. Likely to Die by Linda Fairstein - August 7 - own
5. Death at the Dog by Joanna Cannan - August 9 - own - ebook - recent purchase
6. Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart - August 10 - public library
7. Stargazer by Anne Hillerman - August 11 - public library
8. The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates - August 12 - public library
9. Death in a Strange Country by Donna Leon - August 12 - own - ebook
10. The September Society by Charles Finch - August 13 - public library
11. The Greek Coffin Mystery by Ellery Queen - August 14 - own - ebook
12. Thorn by Intisar Khanani - August 16 - public library
13. A Gift of Sanctuary by Candace Robb - August 18 - public library
14. Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky - August 21 - own - recent purchase - ebook
15. Missing and Endangered by J. A. Jance - August 22 - own - recent purchase - ebook
16. The Case of the Left-handed Lady by Nancy Springer - August 23 - public library
17. The Lost City of Z by David Grann - August 24 - own
18. The Anonymous Venetian by Donna Leon - August 25 - own
19. Poets and Murder by Robert van Gulik - August 26 - own
20. Death in the Air by Agatha Christie - August 27 - own
21. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner - August 28 - public library
22. The Riddle at Gipsy's Mile by Clara Benson - August 30 - own - recent purchase - ebook

10hailelib
Editado: Dez 28, 2021, 2:00 pm

SEPTEMBER

1. Invictus by Ryan Graudin - September 2 - public library
2. The Bartered Brides by Mercedes Lackey - September 3 - public library
3. The Incident at Fives Castle by Clara Benson - September 4 - own - ebook
4. Poison by Ed McBain - September 5 - own
5. The Imbroglio at the Villa Pozzi by Clara Benson - September 5 - own - ebook
6. Uncompromising Honor by David Weber - September 7 - own
7. Death and Judgement aka A Venetian Reckoning - by Donna Leon - September 8 - own - ebook
8. A Skinful of Shadows by Frances Hardinge - September 9 - public library
9. Blood Lure by Nevada Barr - September 11 - own
10. The Singers of Time by Frederik Pohl and Jack Williamson - September 12 - own
11. The Alington Inheritance by Patricia Wentworth - September 13 - own
12. Changes by Jim Butcher - September - public library
13. St. Mungo's Robin by Pat McIntosh - September - recent purchase
14. Plain Sailing by Douglas Clark - September - own
15. A Liaden Universe Constellation by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - September - own - Vol 4 as ebook
16. Icy Clutches by Aaron Elkins - September - ebook - recent
17. Skeleton Dance by Aaron Elkins - September - ebook - recent

11hailelib
Editado: Out 31, 2021, 4:28 pm

OCTOBER

1. Agent of Change by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - October - own - ebook
2. The Problem at Two Tithes by Clara Benson - October - own - ebook
3. Trader's Leap by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - October 4 - own
4. A Dying Fall by Henry Wade - October 5 - own
5. An English Murder by Cyril Hare - October 6 - own
6. A Clubbable Woman by Reginald Hill - October 8 - own
7. The Fashion in Shrouds by Margery Allingham - October 10 - own
8. The Marco Effect by Jussi Adler-Olsen - October 12 - own
9. The Key by Patricia Wentworth - October 12 - recent purchase - own
10. To End in Fire by David Weber and Eric Flint - October 14 - own - recent purchase
11. Pied Piper by Nevil Shute - October 17 - own
12. The Middle Temple Murder by J. S. Fletcher - October 18 - own
13. Atlantic by Simon Winchester - October 20 - own
14. Crystal Clear by Elizabeth Cadell - October 21 - public library
15. Untouchable by Jayne Ann Krentz - October 22 - own - ebook - recent purchase
16. Rite of Passage by Alexei Panshin - October 23 - own - Nebula Award 1968 - reread
17. Knot of Shadows by Lois McMaster Bujold - October 26 - own - ebook - recent purchase
18. Pursuit of a Parcel by Patricia Wentworth - October 30 - own - ebook - recent purchase
19. Among the Mad by Jacqueline Winspear - October31 - public library

12hailelib
Editado: Nov 30, 2021, 5:58 pm

NOVEMBER

1. Daughter of the Morning Star by Craig Johnson - November 3 - public library
2. Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kindle - November 4 - own
3. What Happened to the Corbetts by Nevil Shute - November 5 - ebook - recent purchase
4. The Rough Collier by Pat McIntosh - November 6 - own
5. The Silk Roads: A New History of the World by Peter Frankopan - November 8 - public library
6. Dead in the Morning by Margaret Yorke - November 9 - own
7. Kindling aka Ruined City by Nevil Shute - November 10 - own
8. Ghost Story by Jim Butcher - November 12 - public library
9. Flying Too High by Kerry Greenwood - November 14 - own - ebook
10. The Lady Chapel by Candace Robb - November 22 - own - ebook
11. The Chocolate Wars by Deborah Cadbury - November 23 - own
12. The Dig by John Preston - November 26 - public library
13. Desert Heat by J. A. Jance - November 26 - own
14. Tombstone Courage by J. A. Jance - November 27 - own - ebook
15. Shoot/Don't Shoot by J. A. Jance - November 28 - own - ebook
16. Dead to Rights by J. A. Jance - November 29 - own - ebook
17. Skeleton Canyon by J. A. Jance - November 30 - own

13hailelib
Editado: Dez 28, 2021, 11:04 am

DECEMBER

1. Dead Men Don't Ski by Patricia Moyes - December 2 - own - recent ebook
2. Murder a la Mode by Patricia Moyes - December 4 - own
3. Wild Sign by Patricia Briggs - December 1 -public library
4. The Blade Itself by Joe Abercombie - December 7 - public library
5. And Dangerous to Know by Elizabeth Daly - December 11 - own - recent ebook
6. Acqua Alta by Donna Leon - December 12 - own - recent ebook
7. Double, Double, Oil and Trouble by Emma Lathen - December 14 - own
8. 1632 by Eric Flint - December 16 - own - ebook
9. 1633 by Eric Flint and David Weber - December 18 - own
10. 1634 - The Baltic War by Eric Flint and David Weber - December 21 - own
11. Ring of Fire edited by Eric Flint - December 23 - own
12. The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie - December 25 - public library
13. Vicious Circle by Douglas Clark - December 26 - own
14. The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow - December 27 - public library

14hailelib
Editado: Dez 8, 2021, 2:09 pm

BINGO



1. environment - Blood Lure
2. describes you - Stargazer
3. contains love story - Miles in Love
4. will recommend - How to Hide an Empire
5. impulse read - The Tenth Life
6. recommended by another generation - A Clubbable Woman
7. about time - Death in time
8. marginalized group - Daughter of the Morning Star
9. 20 or fewer copies - Treachery in type
10. classical element - Death in the Air
11. would like to visit - Murder at The Mena House
12. dark or light in title - Footsteps in the Dark
13. Read a Cat or Kit - Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World
14. New to you author - Written in Blood
15. recreation - Dead Men Don't Ski
16. Senior citizen - The Body in the Library
17. building in title - At Bertram's Hotel
18. Less than 200 pages - Death of a Red Mandarin
19. 2 or more authors - Trader's Leap
20. might be friends with - Rite of Passage
21. one word title - Curses!
22. history - Thomas Jefferson's Qur'an
23. made you laugh - Myth Adventures
24. Southern Hemisphere - The Lost City of Z
25. involves magic - The Roads of Heaven

15hailelib
Editado: Jan 2, 2021, 3:10 pm

CATS

GenreCAT
January - Nonfiction - Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World

HistoryCAT
January: The Middle Ages -

RandomCAT
January: - Theme: LOL

16hailelib
Editado: Jan 3, 2021, 2:30 pm

KITS

AlphaKIT
Year long - X and Z
January - P and M - Death of a Red Mandarin

GeoKIT
1. Asia - Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World

MysteryKIT
January - Featuring water - Death of a Red Mandarin

SSFKIT
January - never completed -

17hailelib
Jan 1, 2021, 4:47 pm

AND STILL MORE

18hailelib
Editado: Jan 1, 2021, 4:48 pm

OTHER AND DONE

19lkernagh
Jan 1, 2021, 5:41 pm

Happy New Year, Tricia! Lovely to see your thread in place. Wishing you wonderful reading in 2021!

20rabbitprincess
Jan 1, 2021, 6:23 pm

Welcome back, Tricia! Looking forward to seeing where your reading will take you!

21pammab
Jan 1, 2021, 7:14 pm

Welcome back! I heartily support the idea of reading with variety and for fun.

22VivienneR
Jan 1, 2021, 7:20 pm

Good to see you again for 2021. Happy new year and good reading.

23thornton37814
Jan 1, 2021, 9:31 pm

Hope you have a great year of reading!

24Crazymamie
Jan 2, 2021, 3:49 pm

Happy new Year! Looking forward to following your reading.

25DeltaQueen50
Jan 3, 2021, 2:36 pm

Hayy New Year, Tricia, great to see you back!

26Zozette
Jan 3, 2021, 2:44 pm

I am currently about 1/3 of the way through Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World. It is proving to be an excellent book.

27hailelib
Editado: Jan 3, 2021, 3:26 pm

January - The focus this month will be on partially finished books left over from 2020 and perhaps some of the ones that I meant to read but never actually started. I've completed two so far.

1. Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern Worldby Jack Weatherford - finished January 3 - own
GenreCat, GeoKit-Asia, Bingo square for read a Cat

This book covers some history that I knew very little about and seems to me to be very readable. The author is a bit obsessed with his research into the lives of Genghis and his children and grandchildren but he still makes his case that they had a great influence on the history of Asia and to a lessor extent on Eastern Europe. However his more extravagant claims might be taken with a grain of salt. Weatherford begins with describing the homelands of the Mongol clans and the childhood of the man who became Genghis Khan and continues to the Yuan Dynasty of Khubilai Khan and his family in a united China.

2. Death of a Red Mandarin by Christopher West - finished January 4 - own
AlphaKit, MysteryKit, Bingo square for under 200 pages

This mystery takes place in Hong Kong shortly before the British hand it over to the Chinese government. A Party official has been found dead by drowning in the water between Kowloon and Hong Kong and Beijing sends Inspector Wang Anzhuang and his boss to Hong Kong to assist in the investigation. The Party officials overseeing the transfer want to blame the murder on British agents but Wang doesn't believe that to be the case and undertakes a real investigation. Apparently this is part of a series featuring Wang.

3. In the Kingdom of Ice by Hampton Sides - just restarted

28MissBrangwen
Jan 4, 2021, 9:13 am

Great start! I have a few books left from 2020 that I would like to finish this month, too. Death of a Red Mandarin sounds very intriguing!

29This-n-That
Jan 4, 2021, 10:39 am

Enjoy your challenges and BingoDOG.

30MissWatson
Jan 5, 2021, 11:16 am

Happy reading in 2021!

31Tess_W
Jan 5, 2021, 10:36 pm

Good luck with your 2021 reading!

32lowelibrary
Jan 8, 2021, 12:33 am

A nice and simple concept. What a great idea. Good luck with your reading.

33hailelib
Jan 31, 2021, 3:13 pm

Additional books read in January:

JANUARY

3. Shadow of Victory by David Weber - own
4. Mission of Honor by David Weber - own --Both of these are part of the Honor Harrington series (space opera)

5. Busman's Honeymoon by Dorothy L. Sayers - own -- the last Peter Wimsey novel by Sayers

6. A Rising Thunder by David Weber - own
7. Uncompromising Honor by David Weber - Finished January 21 - own -- two more Honor Harrington novels

8. Written in Blood by Caroline Graham - Finished January 22 - own -- One of the episodes of Midsommer Murders was based on this book. I noticed that Gavin Troy was a more likable character in the TV series.

9. A Thief or Two by Sara Wood - Finished January 24 - own -- British courtroom drama where Antony Maitland is a bit of a British Perry Mason

10. The Tenth Life by Richard Lockridge - Finished January 26 - own -- Confirmed my opinion that most 70's era American mysteries were not as much to my taste as British mysteries of the same period.

11. The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie - Finished January 28 - own -- I had recently seen Joan Hickson as Miss Marple in this and was curious as to how closely the screenwriter followed the book. It was closer than a lot of book to film productions and I enjoyed both.

12. Final Diagnosis by James White - Finished January 30 - own -- A Sector General novel

34hailelib
Editado: Jan 31, 2021, 3:24 pm

My original reading plans for January were somewhat derailed by the events of earlier this month and retreating into binge rereading the later Honor Harrington novels . While there was a lot of political talk between space battles I skimmed some of that and skipped the bad guys making their plans entirely. Then I largely switched to older mysteries. This last week I've read some of my polar exploration book and I also read the first chapter of The Three Kingdoms and definitely intend to continue both.

35MissBrangwen
Fev 1, 2021, 5:59 am

It looks like you had a great reading month albeit not sticking to your plans!

I want to read The Body in the Library this year, too. And I admire you for reading The Three Kingdoms, I think it is so intimidating!

36rabbitprincess
Fev 1, 2021, 4:44 pm

The Joan Hickson Marples are great for their fidelity to the source material.

37hailelib
Editado: Mar 1, 2021, 3:06 pm

It would seem that I haven't posted all month but I have been reading. A lot! Here's the list:

1. Trader's Leap by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - February 2, 2021 - ebook - own -The latest novel in the Liaden Universe and some new characters

2. Arrow Pointing Nowhere by Elizabeth Daly - February 2021 - own
3. Curses! by Aaron Elkins - February 2021 - own
I liked both of these older mysteries.

4. Neogenesis by Sharon Lee and Steven Miller - February - own
The Liaden rereads were inspired by the new novel and by the stories in Splinter Universe Presents which I had been reading once in a while.

5. The Gilded Fly by Edmund Crispin - February 2021 -own
6. Death and Letters by Elizabeth Daly - February 2021 - own
7. A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie - February 2021 - own
8. Unexpected Night by Elizabeth Daly - February 2021 - own
More older mysteries which fit my mood and were fast reads.

9. All Mortal Flesh by Julia Spencer-Fleming - Finished February 13, 2021 - own
A new to me author and not the first in the series but I liked it well enough II may look for the earlier ones.

10. The Bloody Book of Law by Sara Woods - Finished February 14, 2021 - own
Older mystery series with lots of courtroom scenes in London.
11. A Heinlein Trio by Robert A. Heinlein - Finished February 2021 - own - contains 3 novels: The Puppet Masters, Double Star, The Door into Summer. I liked the last two though they are somewhat dated, but I grew up reading Heinlein.

12. An Alien Light by Nancy Kress - Finished February - own - interesting and supposedly broke new ground when published in 1988.

13. Alliance of Equals by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - Finished February - ebook - own
14. Splinter Universe Presents by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - February - ebook - own
15. Plan B by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - February - own
16. Conflict of Honors by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - own
17. Ghost Ship by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - own
18. A Liaden Constellation by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - own - short stories

19. One Coffee With by Margaret Maron - ebook - own
Had some of her books but had never read them. Inspired by mention of her death and several people talking about how they enjoyed her mystery series.

20. Act of Mercy by Peter Tremayne - own - good medieval story

21. Shooting at Loons by Margaret Maron - own
22. Killer Market by Margaret Maron - own
23. Home Fires by Margaret Maron - own

24. In the Kingdom of Ice by Hampton Sides - own - good book about Arctic exploration

25. Gently with the Innocents by Alan Hunter - Finished February 28 - own - a quick read but not as good as the other older ones I read in February.

I'll try to come back and make a few comments. And here they are.

38pammab
Fev 28, 2021, 11:41 pm

Lots of Liaden! Sounds comforting.

39Tess_W
Mar 1, 2021, 5:16 am

February was good for you, reading-wise!

40DeltaQueen50
Mar 1, 2021, 12:36 pm

You have been reading a lot! I need to spend less time on my computer and more time actually reading this month as I have quite a stack to get through.

41rabbitprincess
Mar 1, 2021, 9:37 pm

Wow, that's a great reading month! Glad you had a good bunch of older mysteries. A Murder is Announced is one of my favourite Marples :)

42hailelib
Mar 7, 2021, 7:53 pm

I finished my first book for this month today and it is one I would definitely recommend to anyone interested in U.S. history. And I put it in the book I would recommend square.

How to Hide an Empire: A Short History of the Greater United States by Daniel Immerwahr

A good but somewhat long book chock full of information that I didn't know and that certainly wasn't taught in the American history I learned in school. Easy to read with extensive notes on his sources.

43hailelib
Mar 7, 2021, 8:17 pm

The past week has been busy and full of things we didn't want to do as well as things we did.
Monday - house cleaning and odd jobs as well as making an appointment for the Honda.
Tuesday - recovering from too much Monday for me and Jim taking the car and finding that it was NOT a small problem. Then walking home (not a short distance).
Wednesday - more chores and in the afternoon picking up the car. We both went in the other vehicle and I had to drive the Honda home even though it was technically illegal since my new glasses had not yet arrived. (My cataract surgery made me less near-sighted and the glasses were for distance vision.) Then making up a grocery order for Friday curbside pickup.
Thursday - Early morning (7:30) Jim went to the store to look for items not eligible for pickup and also flowers and chocolates. Two big bunches of flowers which I wasn't expecting. They are really good ones, roses in one and mixed bouquet for the other. Then a rush to Greenville for my doctor appointment. By the time we came home we were beat.
Friday - My glasses had arrived as well as new prescriptions so the morning was filled by various Wal-Mart departments. Came home and put up groceries, lunch, then made rolls and ice cream but didn't get to the cake. At some point there was also polishing silverware and getting out our original china which hadn't been used in years.
Saturday - March 6 is our anniversary and this was the one for fifty years.
We made an applesauce cake - one of our favorites - in the morning, then took most of the afternoon off and had a celebration dinner in the evening.
Today, I rested most of the day finishing a book and then had some really good left-overs for dinner.

44MissWatson
Mar 8, 2021, 3:28 am

Congratulations on your anniversary. That is an amazing number of years.

45spiralsheep
Mar 8, 2021, 6:42 am

>43 hailelib: "My cataract surgery made me less near-sighted and the glasses were for distance vision."

I'm glad to hear your sight has improved so much that it's now illegal. :-)

Congratulations on your golden anniversary!

46DeltaQueen50
Mar 8, 2021, 12:59 pm

Congratulations on your 50 years together - that's a great milestone!

47Tess_W
Mar 8, 2021, 7:42 pm

I found you! Happy anniversary! I've been told that I will need cataract surgery in 1-2 years.

48rabbitprincess
Mar 8, 2021, 8:43 pm

Happy 50th anniversary! Congratulations :)

49MissBrangwen
Mar 10, 2021, 12:09 pm

Happy anniversary! And I hope you were able to get some more rest. It sounds like a very full week indeed.

50christina_reads
Mar 15, 2021, 2:47 pm

Wow, happy 50th anniversary! I hope you enjoyed your celebration.

51RidgewayGirl
Mar 15, 2021, 2:51 pm

Happy 50th Anniversary!

53hailelib
Mar 15, 2021, 4:23 pm

More mysteries and fantasy:

2. The Locked Room by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo - Finished March 10 - own - mentioned here on LT and sounded interesting. I had an old paperback copy but I don't think I read this one though I did read others by these authors back in the 70s.

3. Selections from Lord Peter by Dorothy L. Sayers and edited and introduced by James Sandoe - March 11 - own - 5 stories, an essay and a parody
4. In the Teeth of the Evidence by Dorothy L. Sayers - March 11 - own - read the stories not in Lord Peter.

5. Myth Adventures an anthology by Robert Lynn Asprin - March 12 - own
6. Myth Alliances an anthology by Robert Lynn Asprin - March 14 - own - When I first got these books from the SF book Club in the 80s and tried them I didn't get very far but this time I loved them although there is a lot of silliness in the stories. I think the difference is that I've read a lot more authors at this point and so got a lot more of the puns and allusions. One example was a couple of characters who were based on Sharon Lee and Steve Miller.

7. Death in Time by Mignon Warner - March 15 - own - owned long time but never read - an OK mystery.

54hailelib
Editado: Mar 15, 2021, 5:05 pm

Though its rather cool today and there will be a kinda cold rain tomorrow it would seem that spring is here. Not only are the daffodils blooming but when we were out earlier for a doctor appointment we both noticed that the Bradford pears were at their peak and everyone's forsythias are also in full bloom. I'm really ready for warm weather.

Currently reading:

The Documents in the Case by Dorothy L. Sayers and Robert Eustace
A Medium for Murder by Mignon Warner
Thomas Jefferson's Qur'an: Islam and the Foundersby Denise A. Spellberg

And I need to get back to The Three Kingdoms.

55hailelib
Mar 16, 2021, 4:46 pm

March #8

A Medium for Murder by Mignon Warner - finished March 16

The first book in the Mrs. Charles series. I liked the other one better and don't think I'll actually look for any more of this series. The two books were just OK and nothing special. These were from the mid to late 70s and Mrs. Charles is a clairvoyant who is suspected of murder in the first book and helps investigate crimes later on.

56pammab
Mar 19, 2021, 11:35 pm

Congratulations and happy anniversary! Sounds like a busy week last week with a nice culmination. I hope this week has treated you well too.

57Tess_W
Mar 20, 2021, 1:05 am

Glad you got to enjoy the greenery! Will be a couple more weeks here before that happens.

58spiralsheep
Mar 20, 2021, 8:08 am

>54 hailelib: Spring hasn't fully sprung here yet but there are signs. The early blooming flowers are slowly arriving, the birds have paired off to sing for their territories, and our postie has removed the thermals from under his year-round shorts, lol.

59hailelib
Mar 20, 2021, 3:36 pm

>56 pammab: -- Thanks. A couple of doctor appointments that went well. Otherwise lots of reading.

>57 Tess_W: -- We're still having cool, even cold, temperatures and a frost is still possible but occasional warm days are becoming more frequent. I'm hoping the dogwoods and azaleas have a good year!

>58 spiralsheep: -- We've been hearing more birds this year than usual, at least half a dozen different calls are heard if we go for a walk.

Another book read -

9. The Documents in the Case by Dorothy L. Sayers and Robert Eustace - finished March 19 - own

Rather different from the Peter Wimsey novels and not one I'm likely to reread like I do her others. A somewhat interesting mystery but dragged a bit in the middle. The authors told the story mostly in the form of letters, notes, reports, and newspaper clippings. I found the characters of Miss Milsom and Mrs. Harrison a bit irritating. However, the form of the novel lets the reader hear both sides of the story.

60hailelib
Editado: Mar 21, 2021, 10:48 am

Esta mensagem foi removida pelo seu autor.

61spiralsheep
Mar 21, 2021, 10:00 am

>60 hailelib: It looks as if your original comment was saved too. :-)

62hailelib
Mar 21, 2021, 10:49 am

Just one of those LT glitches!

63hailelib
Mar 22, 2021, 3:47 pm

10. The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester - March 21 - own

This is a classic SF reprinted by Vintage in 1996 and has an introduction by Neil Gaiman.
It was originally published in 1956 and while somewhat dated it reads surprisingly well. In some ways The Stars My Destination is a retelling of The Count of Monte Christo and leads with a quote from Blake - "Tiger, tiger burning bright in the forests of the night" and was published in the UK as Tiger, Tiger. Gaiman's introduction talks a little about Alfred Bester and why this book is still readable and even a little relevant. I really thought that I had read this in the sixties but now think it was The Demolished Man that I read all those years ago as I had no memory of any of the book. It was a fast read at 258 pages and immediately sucked me in to Gully Foyle's world.

-------

In other news my doctors all agree that I'm "stable" whatever that means and I have appointments for the Covid vaccine. Like everyone else, I'm looking forward to going somewhere for fun instead of only going out for medical related stuff.

64spiralsheep
Mar 22, 2021, 3:56 pm

>63 hailelib: I think I've only read short stories by Alfred Bester.

Congratulations on the vaccination appointment, my first is on Wednesday. I hope everything goes smoothly for you.

65Tess_W
Mar 22, 2021, 7:19 pm

>63 hailelib: Glad you are able to schedule. I have had both of mine and while I will still mask, it does feel "freeing." I hope that I do not have an over-confidence.

66MissBrangwen
Mar 23, 2021, 1:42 pm

>63 hailelib: Great to hear about your appointments!

67RidgewayGirl
Mar 23, 2021, 2:01 pm

Glad your doctors think you're doing better. I hope you're feeling well, or well enough.

68hailelib
Mar 23, 2021, 5:54 pm

>64 spiralsheep:, >65 Tess_W:, >66 MissBrangwen:, >67 RidgewayGirl: -- Thanks for dropping by. I hope we can all see a little more normality by summer but meanwhile I still intend to be careful out of the house.

More reading -

11. Next to Last Stand by Craig Johnson - March 23 - own

I enjoyed visiting with Walt Longmire and the other characters but I do agree with the LT reviewers who found it to be a bit weaker than a lot of the other books in the series. Still, for those who are following Walt's adventures it's an OK read with some new characters that play a part in the mystery.

69hailelib
Editado: Abr 6, 2021, 4:09 pm

A few more books finished in March -

12. Mercury by Ben Bova - March 25 - own - Ok, but I thought while reading it that Bova may have been a better editor (Analog) than writer

13. A Holiday for Murder - by Agatha Christie - March 26 - own - A good Poirot story originally published as Murder for Christmas

14. Treachery in Type by Josephine Bell - March 28 - own - An interesting mystery from 1978 involving a plagiarized manuscript with a different title in the US from the original UK edition

15. The Other Side of Time by Keith Laumer - March 29 - own - SF with an odd version of time travel from 1965

16. A Great Deliverance by Elizabeth George - March 31 - own - The first Lynley/Havers book. The first I've read from this series but I have seen some of the videos based on these characters. I'll probably read some more of this series.

---------

It turns out that I haven't followed any particular reading plan so far this year but just read what appealed to me at the moment. The total for the year up to March 31st is 53 books with one nonfiction each month. The fiction books have been a mix of SFF and mystery and many of them were short and from the decades before 1980. Also, except for a few Amazon buys, I've been reading from my own shelves books that have been there a long time - some rereads and some for the first time.

70hailelib
Abr 6, 2021, 4:31 pm

April: Lots of reading so far. No plans beyond finishing at least one nonfiction book though I'm still in the mood for older mysteries and sff.

1. A Coffin from the Past by Gwendoline Butler - April 1 - own - acceptable but I probably won't look for any more of these. From 1970

2. Major Operation by James White - April 2 - own - A Sector General book. I need to find the rest of these.

3. The Robin & the Kestrel by Mercedes Lackey - April 3 - own - I enjoyed this fantasy book even though I haven't read the previous one in the series.

4. The Poisoned Chocolates Case by Anthony Berkeley - April 4 - own - From 1929 and sometimes considered a classic. A group of amateurs try to solve a case that Scotland Yard has given up on.

5. The Piccadilly Murder by Anthony Berkeley - April 5 - own - Also from 1929 but in a Dover edition based on the first American edition. One of those amateurs gets his very own case when he witnesses a murder. I enjoyed both of these.

-------

Currently reading the Penguin Classics edition of Around the World in Eighty Days.

71Tess_W
Abr 6, 2021, 6:14 pm

For not having a reading plan, you are doing great~! I love Elizabeth George but was unaware of the series of which you write--I'm going to go purchase the very first one right now!

72spiralsheep
Abr 7, 2021, 7:09 am

>69 hailelib: "The fiction books have been a mix of SFF and mystery and many of them were short and from the decades before 1980."

I realised a couple of years ago that one of the reasons I appreciate older fiction, from before the 1980s blockbusters, is that writers were expected to tell the same amount of story in fewer words and it made them edit with more care. While I've been reading my way around the world I've found the same blessed economy in books published in the developing world where funds were limited and novels were often shorter.

73MissBrangwen
Abr 10, 2021, 9:01 am

You have been reading so many interesting mysteries! I haven't heard about most of them before. I especially like the sound of "The Poisoned Chocolates Cases" - great title!

>72 spiralsheep: "I realised a couple of years ago that one of the reasons I appreciate older fiction, from before the 1980s blockbusters, is that writers were expected to tell the same amount of story in fewer words and it made them edit with more care. While I've been reading my way around the world I've found the same blessed economy in books published in the developing world where funds were limited and novels were often shorter."

That is an interesting observation!

74christina_reads
Abr 10, 2021, 4:57 pm

>73 MissBrangwen: I really liked The Poisoned Chocolate Case too, if that helps -- it's a lot of fun, especially if you're a mystery lover!

75MissBrangwen
Abr 11, 2021, 6:29 am

>74 christina_reads: I noted it down on my mystery wishlist!

76hailelib
Abr 11, 2021, 8:09 pm

>71 Tess_W:, >72 spiralsheep:, >73 MissBrangwen:, >74 christina_reads: - Thanks for stopping by.

After some serious reading I have a few books to report.

6. The Murder at Sissingham Hall - by Clara Benson - ?- own - ebook
7. The Mystery at Underwood House by Clara Benson - ? - own - ebook
8. The Treasure at Poldarrow Point by Clara Benson - ? - own - ebook
I'm not sure which dates I read them on, whether it was late March or very early in April but for some reason I didn't add them. They were written in the 1920's and are fairly simple mysteries with a somewhat reluctant female amateur detective. I did enjoy them and may eventually read the rest of the series.

9. Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne - April 7 - own
I read this in the Penguin Classic edition with translation by Michael Glencross and an introduction by Brian Aldiss. For some reason I kept picturing David Niven as Phileas Fogg even though I've seen the two more recent movie versions in video. A great adventure story.

10. The Layton Court Mystery by Anthony Berkeley - April 9 - own - ebook
This may be Berkeley's first book and it is the first one with Roger Sheringham who is one of the amateur detectives in The Poisoned Chocolates Case. Here Roger is rather full of himself but he does figure out what happened. It's a locked room murder with a twist at the end but a careful reader will see the murderers identity. OK, but not as good as the other two I have read.

11. The Lake District Murder by John Bude - April 11 - own - ebook
This was a fairly good mystery but I haven't decided about reading more of Bude's work.

12 . At Bertram's Hotel by Agatha Christie - April 10 - own
I always enjoy Miss Marple and it gave me a Bingo square and a filled row.

77Tess_W
Abr 11, 2021, 10:07 pm

Happy bingo!

78spiralsheep
Abr 12, 2021, 3:18 am

>76 hailelib: Congratulations on your bingo row!

79pammab
Abr 13, 2021, 12:21 am

>76 hailelib: I tried to read Around the World in Eighty Days when I was much younger and I remember hating it, especially the pacing and random details. I wonder if I'd enjoy it more now, being more worldly and having more context to attach it to.

Congrats on filling 5-in-a-row!

80hailelib
Abr 13, 2021, 2:30 pm

>79 pammab:

I didn't really think of the various happenings as being random while I was reading it but I can see why some people would get that impression.

13. Monsters and Medics by James White - April 12 - own
This book is an anthology containing a short novel and a group of short stories published in 1977. The short novel is a last man on earth story. It took we a while to read these stories as none of them really excited me. Probably read better in the seventies but for several I could see the ending before I got there. I much prefer White's Sector General series.

Currently reading for fiction: Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.

81hailelib
Abr 13, 2021, 3:08 pm

>77 Tess_W: & >78 spiralsheep: - Thanks for stopping by.

We took a walk a little way down our road yesterday and today. Along the edge of the road the violets and wild strawberries were in full bloom and the woods are full of dogwoods just coming to full bloom. We also saw that the miniature iris that grow wild here were coming up and there were even a couple of tiny blooms there already. Usually when its a good year for dogwoods its also a good year for our mountain laurels and rhododendrons but we won't know for sure for a while. Our azaleas are also in bloom but I forgot to look and see if the native azaleas are also blooming. They don't do as well as the cultivated ones and tend to look like young and rather spindly trees and are well away from the house so takes some looking to locate them.

82spiralsheep
Abr 13, 2021, 3:26 pm

>81 hailelib: Your spring is ahead of ours. I'm glad you had a good walk. Few of life's simple experiences are better than some gentle exercise and natural eye pleasers.

83DeltaQueen50
Abr 13, 2021, 10:19 pm

>81 hailelib: It was a beautiful spring day here on the West Coast and we also went for a short walk in our neighbourhood and admired all the spring blossoms.

84hailelib
Maio 2, 2021, 3:37 pm

It's been longer than I thought since I last posted but here's the reading I've done since then.

14. Beyond Blame by Stephen Greenleaf - April - own
15. Toll Call by Stephen Greenleaf - April - own

Beyond Blame along with some others by Greenleaf had been on my shelf for years, most likely brought by my mother when she came for a visit. She always brought me bags of books that everyone she traded with weren't interested in keeping and I generally kept the mysteries rather than trading them at the bring two-get one store. Tanner is a private investigator and much of the story takes place in Berkeley, California.
there as been a murder and the victim's parents ask Tanner to investigate the presumed killer. At first I was a bit skeptical about the book but it did finally draw me in and I think it is a bit above average. At any rate good enough for me to try Toll Call. I'll probably get around to the others on my shelf eventually.

16. Miles in Love by Lois McMaster Bujold - April - own - ebook
17. Cordelia's Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold - April - own

There was a discussion of A Civil Campaign and I thought why not read some of the Vorkosigan series. Miles in Love contains Komarr, A Civil Campaign and Winterfair Gifts while Cordelia's Honor contains Shards of Honor and Barrayar. Very enjoyable rereads.

18. Banker by Dick Francis - April - own - Another reread for a change of pace. I always enjoy Dick Francis

19. Any Shape or Form by Elizabeth Daly - April - own - Another that has been on my shelves for a long time. Good but not my favorite of the ones by Daly that I have read so far this year.

20. Thomas Jefferson's Qur'an: Islam and the Founders by Denise A Spellberg - nonfiction - April - own

It took me a while to get into this nonfiction book but I learned a lot. The author spent the first two chapters, over 80 pages exploring European ideas about and attitudes towards Islam and how they shaped American ideas prior to 1800. Then she explored Jefferson's approach to Islam and the idea that a Muslim could become a citizen as he developed the idea that US society should be one of complete religious freedom and that state should be separate from religion. Therefore no government sponsored religion. Towards the end she brings us almost up to date with the election of Keith Ellison and his using Jefferson's copy of the Qur'an for his private oath. A lot of research went into this book and I was slowed by all the new facts and new names I encountered but I glad I kept on reading to the end.

21. The Roads of Heaven by Melissa Scott - April - own

Another omnibus with three moderate length novels that could be considered space opera although the travel between stars was based on the Art which was a mix of astrology and magic. A bit strange but interesting enough and quick enough to read that I finished all three. The primary society was very restrictive about was was proper for women who must always be veiled and under the guardianship of a close relative. However, two of the six main characters in the trilogy were women who managed to become more. One was a star pilot and a magus; the other was a royal princess who wasn't content to let others decide her fate.

22.Elephants Can Remember by Agatha Christie - April 30 - own

Mrs. Oliver and Poirot investigate a very cold case. Not a particularly good example of a Christie novel.

85hailelib
Editado: Jun 1, 2021, 8:16 pm

A quick list of May reads:

1. Murder in Gray and White by Corinne Holt Sawyer - finished May 2 - own
2. Asimov on Science Fiction by Isaac Asimov - finished May 11 - own
3. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie - Finished May 4 - own in omnibus
4. The Vanishing by David J. Delaney - finished May 14 - own - ebook
5. The Emperor's Snuff-box by John D. Carr - May 13 - own - ebook
6. Brilliance by Marcus Sakey - May 12 - own - ebook
7. Big Sick Heart by Mike Markel - May 5 - own - ebook
8. Deviations by Mike Markel - May 6 - own - ebook
9. The Broken Saint by Mike Markel - May 7 - own - ebook
10. Three-Ways by Mike Markel - May 9 - own - ebook
11. The Book of the Dead by Elizabeth Daly - May ? - own - ebook
12. The Newton Code by Liam Fialkov - May ? - own - ebook
13. The Family Tomb by Michael Gilbert - May? - own - aka The Etruscan Net
14. With a Bare Bodkin by Cyril Hare - May? - own
15. Death Walks the Woods by Cyril Hare - May? - own
16. Suicide Excepted by Cyril Hare - May? - own
17. Untimely Death by Cyril Hare - May? - own
18. Penric's Demon by Lois McMaster Bujold - May 20 - own - ebook - reread
19. Penric and the Shaman by Lois McMaster Bujold - May 21 - own - ebook
20. Penric's Fox by Lois McMaster Bujold - May 21 - own - ebook
21. Masquerade in Lodi by Lois McMaster Bujold - May 22 - own - ebook
22. Penric's Mission by Lois McMaster Bujold - May 22 - own - ebook
23. Mira's Last Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold - May 23 - own - ebook
24. The Prisoner of Limnos by Lois McMaster Bujold - May 24 - own - ebook
25. The Orphans of Raspay by Lois McMaster Bujold - May 25 - own - ebook
26. The Physicians of Vilnoc by Lois McMaster Bujold - May 25 - own - ebook
27. The assassins of Thasalon by Lois McMaster Bujold - May 27 - own - ebook
28. The Book of the Lion by Elizabeth Daly - May 28 - own - ebook
29. The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold - May 29 - own - reread
30. Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold - May 30 - own - reread
31. Mauve by Simon Garfield - May 31 - own - nonfiction
32. White Lies by Jayne Ann Krentz - May ? - own

86spiralsheep
Jun 1, 2021, 5:54 pm

>85 hailelib: Congratulations on your May reading!

I remember thinking Paladin of Souls was one of Bujold's best books when I read it but I can't remember why now or even what it's about, apart from Ista being a great character.

87hailelib
Editado: Jun 1, 2021, 8:26 pm

I spent a lot of time reading in May (instead of following LT!) although a lot of the books were short and some were novella length. They were mostly mystery and sff again but there were two nonfiction.

Asimov on Science Fiction was a group of mostly previously published short essays about definitions of SF, various writers, the magazines, and Asimov's own experiences. Best read only a couple at a time.

At the end of May I finished reading Mauve: How one man invented a color that changed the world. Very interesting history of science and technology and full of good anecdotes. Recommended.

The best mysteries were The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and a couple of the ones by Cyril Hare. The worst were Murder in Gray and White and The Newton Code.

The best sff were the Lois McMaster Bujold books in the World of the Five Gods series starting with Penric and Desdemona and their adventures and followed up with rereads of The Curse of Chalion and Paladin of Souls. Great fantasy and recommended. Brilliance by Marcus Sakey was OK and I may some day read the rest of the trilogy.

May brings my total to 107 items.


------

My main goal for June is to keep up with my thread and maybe even catch up on other treads!

88hailelib
Jun 1, 2021, 8:18 pm

>86 spiralsheep:

I think that both Memory and Paladin of Souls are probably Bujold's masterpieces.

89Tess_W
Editado: Jun 2, 2021, 4:18 am

>85 hailelib: What a great reading May, Trisha! I hope you are well, also.

90DeltaQueen50
Jun 2, 2021, 3:22 am

You read some good ones in May, Trisha! I love Paladin of Souls, it was definitely a 5 star read for me. I have a couple of Cyril Hare books on my shelves so I need to give him a try one of these days!

91MissWatson
Jun 2, 2021, 8:42 am

That's an amazing number of books for one month. I hope June has just as many great reads.

92hailelib
Jun 16, 2021, 8:06 pm

JUNE so far in no particular order.

1. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie - own - not politically correct even with the changed title but an interesting idea for a mystery

2. Footsteps in the Dark by Georgette Heyer - own - not her best mystery, in my opinion, but got me a bingo square

3. Finders by Melissa Scott - own - liked this a lot. Scott creates some strange societies and ways to travel space.

4. The Singing Heart by Elizabeth Cadell - own - aka The Lark Shall Sing - The story of 6 siblings who have spent the time since their mother's death apart for financial reasons coming back home. It was very good; much better than I remember her books being. I will certainly read another since the library has several.

5. The Wheel Turns by Elizabeth Lemarchand - own - We know the criminal from the first chapter and the suspense comes from his efforts to cover up his crime. Part of the Inspector Pollard series.

6. Marque and Reprisal by Elizabeth Moon - recent purchase - space opera - part of the Vatta's War series with Ky Vatta learning more about the universe outside her home system and also more about her family.

7. The Zimmermann Telegram by Barbara w. Tuchman - June 12 - own - nonfiction - events leading up to the US joining in WWI.

8. Thrones, Dominations by Dorothy L. Sayers & Jill Paton Walsh- June 13 - public library - Peter and Harriet after the honeymoon and their settling down in London. Not quite Sayer but I did like it.

9. Crimson Lake by Candice Fox - June 14 - public library - I wasn't sure about this book at first but in the end it was very good and I will read the next one soon.

10. Gods of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs - own - John Carter getting into trouble on Mars
11. Warlord of Mars by Edgar rice Burroughs - own - more of the same

12. Deadly Nightshade by Elizabeth Daly - recent purchase - ebook - second in Daly's series about Henry Gamadge and the murders he gets involved in.

13. There is No Justice by R. B. Dominic aka Emma Lathen - recent purchase - ebook - a political mystery featuring Rep. Ben Safford as detective.

14. Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie - own - Poirot of course

93spiralsheep
Jun 17, 2021, 7:40 am

>92 hailelib: I'm glad you enjoyed the Elizabeth Cadell!

I'm tempted by Finders, Melissa Scott, but it will have to go on my maybe 2022 list.

94Tess_W
Jun 17, 2021, 9:16 am

>92 hailelib: June is off to a great reading start for you, Trish!

95hailelib
Jun 23, 2021, 7:57 pm

>93 spiralsheep:

My local library has several Cadell titles so I'll read some more eventually.

>94 Tess_W:

Thanks for stopping by.

96hailelib
Editado: Jun 23, 2021, 8:30 pm

More June reads:

14. Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho - June 18 - public library -- I enjoyed this book and may read more by the author

15. The Gates of Sleep by Mercedes Lackey - June 19 - public library - reread -- A retelling of The Sleeping Beauty as one of the Elemental masters series.

16. Murder in High Place by R. B. Dominic - June 20 - own - - A political mystery from 1970 with a Congressman as amateur detective

17. Photo Finish by Ngaio Marsh - June 21 - own -- She set this one in New Zeeland for most of the book. Troy is to paint a portrait and Alleyn is to give advice on how to discourage a photographer following an opera star around the world. Of course someone dies and Alleyn investigates. Since they have been marooned on an island by a severe storm one of either the guests or the staff must be guilty. (the flaps of the book jacket told me this much and more)

18. The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul - by Douglas Adams - June 22 - own -- A Dirk Gently adventure. I had a little trouble getting into the story the first time I tried to start it a few weeks ago and put it aside until I was in the mood for the sort of book Adams writes. I might read more of Gently's adventures.

-----

Currently I'm reading Lost History: The Enduring Legacy of Muslim Scientists, Thinkers, and Artists by Michael Hamilton Morgan and I've started The Years of Rice and Salt.

97Tess_W
Jun 23, 2021, 8:23 pm

I'll be watching for your review of The Years of Rice and Salt as that is on my wish list.

98spiralsheep
Jun 24, 2021, 5:07 am

>96 hailelib: I'm glad you enjoyed Zen Cho's novel as I'm considering reading The True Queen as a challenge fulfiller.

I love the Dirk Gently books. They remind me as much of the later/better books in Terry Pratchett's series about the Ankh-Morpork City Watch as they do of Hitch Hiker's Guide.

99RidgewayGirl
Jun 24, 2021, 2:12 pm

I'm glad you liked Crimson Lake. It's fun when a book makes the rounds.

100DeltaQueen50
Jun 24, 2021, 5:53 pm

What >99 RidgewayGirl: says, above. I found it different enough to totally catch my attention and I am looking forward to book #2.

101hailelib
Jun 29, 2021, 10:46 am

>97 Tess_W: -- I've put The Years of Rice and Salt temporarily on hold though it is interesting as far as I've read.
>98 spiralsheep: -- I may read The True Queen eventually but probably not soon.
>99 RidgewayGirl: and >100 DeltaQueen50: -- I'll definitely try the second one at some point.

Thanks everyone for stopping by.

102hailelib
Editado: Jun 29, 2021, 11:12 am

So, having been fully vaccinated for a while we've been cautiously going out some though still wearing masks most of the time. We made one trip to Greenville to visit Mr. K's Used Books and we've been doing some in-person grocery shopping instead of ordering for pick-up. I've also started using the library again and Jim has returned to swimming at the community center but choosing a time when few people are there. The most exciting thing is that we have tickets to fly to Boston to see our son and his family for the first time in two years. There was supposed to be a meetup way earlier but the lockdown stopped that. Pictures, phone calls ,etc. aren't the same as in person.

----
This morning, as I was making a couple of requests for library books I though I should catch up here as well. I've read more of Lost History:The Enduring Legacy of Muslim Scientists, Thinkers, and Artists and some other books as well.

More June Reads;

19. Bruno, Chief of Police by Martin Walker - June 24 - public library
20. Enola Holmes: The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer - June 25 - public library

Both of these are very good and I'll be continuing those series.

21. Through the Wall by Patricia Wentworth - June 26 - own
22. The Shakespeare Murders by A. G. Macdonell - June 28 - recent ebook purchase

Two golden age mysteries that I enjoyed. I had read the Wentworth before but so long ago that it was like a new book.

103Tess_W
Jun 29, 2021, 11:00 am

Yea to going to see son!

104hailelib
Editado: Jun 29, 2021, 11:16 am

Tess_W --
And two grandchildren both under the age of three!

105DeltaQueen50
Jun 29, 2021, 11:49 am

Great news that you are finally going to see your family! I am looking forward to finally getting to see my Mom and hopefully I will be able to do that sometime in July or August.

106Tess_W
Editado: Jun 30, 2021, 1:22 am

>104 hailelib: How wonderful! I have 7 grandchildren: 4.5.13.16.18.19.21 I miss the younger ones, although I love them all!

107rabbitprincess
Jun 29, 2021, 7:19 pm

Hurray for being able to see your son and his family soon! Enjoy :)

108MissWatson
Jun 30, 2021, 5:19 am

Seeing the grandkids again after such a long time is a reason for celebration. Have fun!

109hailelib
Jul 8, 2021, 5:19 pm

I finished off June with two fairy tale retellings by Mercedes Lackey: The Sleeping Beauty and The Fairy Godmother. These are both from The Five Hundred Kingdoms series. So she has written two retellings of the Sleeping Beauty story and two of Cinderella. Elena was supposed to be a Cinderella but there was no suitable prince in her kingdom and her Godmother offered her the chance of an apprenticeship since there was so much magic gathered around her. Her other Cinderella retelling is Phoenix and Ashes in the Elemental Masters series.

110hailelib
Editado: Jul 8, 2021, 5:50 pm

July reading so far:

1. Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine - July 1 - public library - I liked the idea for an alternate world in this book and may continue the series.

2. Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith - July 4 - public library - A very long novel with multiple things going on. Both Strike and his partner have a lot happening in their personal lives and the very cold case they have taken on is looking difficult to solve. Then there's everything else ... I meant to read it a little at a time between other books but it got me and I powered through the over 900 pages.

3. Lost History by Michael H. Morgan - July 4 - own - finally finished - This is a very interesting look at the discoveries and thinkers of the Islamic cultures and their contributions that gradually filtered through to Europeans but it is best read in sections between other reads because there are so many names and events packed into each.

4. Singapore Sapphire by A. M. Stuart - July 6 - own - A good historical mystery taking place in Singapore and the first in a series.

5. The Vanishing by Jayne Anne Krentz - July 7 - public library - paranormal romantic suspense - her usual formula

6. Golden in Death by J. D. Robb - July 8 - public library - Lt. Eve Dallas future police procedural

Have started back on The Years of Rice And Salt and am going to start The Lost City of Z.

111Tess_W
Jul 8, 2021, 7:20 pm

>110 hailelib: Seems as if July is off to a good start for you! I'm going to put Singapore Sapphire on my WL as I need a book taking place in Singapore for my reading around the world.

112hailelib
Jul 9, 2021, 6:40 pm

>111 Tess_W:

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

-------

This afternoon I decided to finish a book I had been reading in bits on my iPad over a couple of weeks.

7. Trouble in Nuala by Harriet Steel - finished July 9 - own - This is the first book in a series of historical mysteries set in a small town in Ceylon in the 1930's. Not a particularly complex mystery but good descriptions of life there. Inspector Shanti de Silva is a Ceylonese man married to an English woman and along with the mystery we have descriptions of local society and the foods, gardens, and amusements of the town's people. Not as good as the novel set in Singapore but I may read another one in the series.

Now back to my other books!

113pamelad
Jul 9, 2021, 9:13 pm

>110 hailelib: Also adding Singapore Sapphire to the wish list, mainly because the writer lives in Australia. I read her Regency Romance, Lord Somerton's Heir, which was a mixed bag, and want to give her another try. Was there any noticeable religion in the Singapore book? Characters hanging around in churches contemplating stained glass windows?

114hailelib
Jul 9, 2021, 9:53 pm

>113 pamelad:

Harriet lives with her brother who is a clergyman and headmaster of a school for boys but I don’t think that religion was overly emphasized.

115pamelad
Jul 10, 2021, 4:46 pm

>114 hailelib: Thank you.

116hailelib
Editado: Jul 11, 2021, 3:15 pm

Another book that sneaked in

7. Beauty and the Werewolf by Mercedes Lackey - July 11 - own - Not quite as good as the other books I've read from The Five Hundred Kingdoms series but still enjoyable.

117hailelib
Jul 17, 2021, 4:08 pm

I took a break at the half-way point of The Years of Rice and Salt and read the following novels -

8. Deadly Valentine by Carolyn G. Hart - July 13 - own - From the Death on Demand series. I found the constant references to various titles, authors, and characters rather irritating but the setting was well described and the mystery OK.

9. Murder at The Mena House - by Erica Ruth Neubauer - July 15 - own - new - Read this right away as it was a b'day present from my son. A pretty good historical mystery in a very interesting place. I also read the wikipedia article on the real Mena House.

10. The Summerhouse by Patricia Wentworth - July 17 - own - original title: The Gazebo - A typical Miss Silver mystery, copyright 1955.

118hailelib
Editado: Jul 25, 2021, 3:04 pm

More for July:

11. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin - July - public library - I really enjoyed this little book based on Chinese folklore and myth. It would be a great book for 8 to 10 year olds and a possible book to read aloud to rather younger children.

12. The Mermaids Madness by Jim C. Hines - July - own - new - The second in a series featuring 3 princesses of fairy tale fame. In this retelling of the Little Mermaid Daniella, Talia, and Snow (a.k.a. Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White) encounter the mermaid who has descended into madness and is threatening their kingdom. They then set out to put things right and save the kingdom.

13. The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson - July 19 - public library - A long and complicated alternative history but well worth investing some time in. The novel is told in ten parts or books, each set in a different time period beginning with the plague killing 99% of the population of Europe rather than the one-third that happened in our history. At first I wasn't sure that I wanted to continue but by the time I finished Part 5 I was thinking that Robinson had written a great book and that I should look for a copy for a permanent place on my shelves. I did take some breaks to intersperse some lighter reading between some of the sections. Recommended.

14. Sizzle and Burn by Jayne Ann Krentz - July 20 - own - typical Krentz Arcane society novel

15. The Stepsister Scheme by Jim C. Hines- July - own - A reread of his first fairy tale retelling since I had forgotten a lot of it.

16. Phoenix and Ashes by Mercedes Lackey - July 22 - own - a different retelling of Cinderella as part of the Elemental Masters book and takes place during WWI. Probably my favorite of this series.

119Tess_W
Jul 22, 2021, 8:40 pm

>118 hailelib: Wow! Great job!

120mathgirl40
Jul 22, 2021, 10:53 pm

I'll be interested in hearing what you think of The Years of Rice and Salt. This has been highly recommended to me by one of my friends, but I've not gotten around to it yet. I have enjoyed other books by KSR.

121hailelib
Jul 25, 2021, 3:06 pm

Added some comments on the books in >118 hailelib: above.

>120 mathgirl40: -- I definitely recommend The Years of Rice and Salt.

122hailelib
Ago 4, 2021, 2:10 pm

The last books for July:

17. Trouble in Nuala by Harriet Steel - July 23 own - ebook - First in a mystery series set in 1930's Ceylon and featuring Inspector de Silva and his English wife Jane. Good enough that I may continue the series. The descriptions of the local countryside and the customs are pretty good.

18. In the Balance by Patricia Wentworth - July 25 - own - recent ebook - A young wife is afraid that her new husband wants to kill and contacts Miss Silver for help. Also published as Danger Point and fairly typical of the Miss Silver series.

19. Burn Bright by Patricia Briggs - July 27 - public library - From the Alpha and Omega series with Charles and Anna leading the Pack while the Marrow is away. Werewolves and evil witches ... I like this as well as the Mercy Thompson series of urban fantasy.

20. The Purity of Vengeance by Jussi Adler-Olsen - July 29 - public library - A Department Q novel. A 20 year-old cold case for Carl, Assad, and Rose to investigate and new information about the case that resulted in the death of one of Carl's partners and caused the other one to be paralyzed. I'm way behind on this series.

21. Hot Money by Dick Francis - July 31 - own - a reread of a Dick Francis mystery from 1987 picked at random from my shelves. Features a very disfunctional family with attempted murder of the head of said family. He asks his jockey (and estranged) son for help.

These books were all different although containing mysteries and I liked them all

123hailelib
Editado: Ago 4, 2021, 3:14 pm

AUGUST

1. Straight by Dick Francis - August 1 - own
2. Risk by Dick Francis - August 2 - own

Both of these are rereads and pretty good. I was surprised that Risk was last read in 2010. It's from 1977, so a relatively early Francis novel while Straight is from 1989. When I read one of his books I almost always immediately read another.

3. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik - August 4 - own - Excellent of its kind. I've been reading a lot of novels based on fairy and folk tales of late and this is definitely one of the best. It's been on my shelf for quite a while and I don't know why I didn't read it earlier. Miryem takes over collecting debts owned to her moneylending father and is rather successful at the business. Then she makes the mistake of saying that she can change silver into gold and catches the attention of the King of the Staryk leading to difficulties and unwanted involvement in the destinies of two nations. Recommended.

Currently I have four books that I'm reading a little at a time between others. These are

The Water Dancer, The Lost City of Z, Likely to Die, and attempting to get into Albion's Seed.

124Tess_W
Ago 4, 2021, 3:18 pm

Wow, Tricia, looks like some good reading for the last of July and the first of August. I've taken a BB for several of them and put them on my WL!

125christina_reads
Ago 4, 2021, 4:15 pm

>123 hailelib: I really loved Spinning Silver -- planning to reread it this winter!

126VictoriaPL
Editado: Ago 4, 2021, 4:21 pm

>123 hailelib:, >125 christina_reads: I just finished a book of fairy tales and a YA book involving a fairy and last night my dreams were all fae, LOL
I'm starting a Noir tonight for a complete change of pace!

127JayneCM
Ago 5, 2021, 12:02 am

>123 hailelib: One of my categories last year was retellings of fairy tales, but I did not get to this one last year.

The Water Dancer has been on my TBR since it was published. It seems that if I don't get to new releases straight away, they get missed and end up at the end of the list!

128hailelib
Editado: Ago 9, 2021, 7:38 pm

I'm about halfway through The Water Dancer and it's pretty good so far. Also about halfway through The Lost City of Z and Girl Waits with Gun.

More books:

3. Jolene by Mercedes Lackey - August 5 - public library - A somewhat different book in her Elemental Masters series set in Tennessee in about 1890 in mining country. As far as I can tell she got the countryside and the people about right (I grew up in Tennessee and I've been somewhat familiar with the area in the story) but the dialect the characters speak may be a tad exaggerated. Not too much though. Soddy-Daisy and the Ducktown Basin (also called Copper Basin) and the hill country are real and she got the bad mining practices right - the pollution was horrible. I kept thinking of the lyrics of "Sixteen Tons" while reading.
Anna and her parents live in Soddy where her Pa works as a miner but she is always sick and her mother decides to sent her to live with her Aunt Jinny who is a Root Woman in the hopes that Jinny can make her well. Anna then travels to the area just outside Ducktown where her aunt lives and she does get better. However she attacks the attention of the mysterious Jolene and the evil McDaran. And, as in the other books in the series there is a bit of romance.

4. Likely to Die by Linda Fairstein - August 7 - own - A sort of OK mystery with the main character being an Assistant District Attorney in NYC. As the book opens she is called to the scene of what appears to be a rape/murder of a prominent neurosurgeon. The author was an attorney with the same job as her protagonist so I'm sure the details were right but the book seemed dry and had too much procedural detail for me.

5. Death at the Dog by Joanna Cannan - August 9 - own - ebook - recent purchase - This was a British mystery with a Scotland Yard inspector from 1940. An average story but it suited my mood at the time.

129Tess_W
Ago 10, 2021, 8:15 am

I have both Girl Waits with Gun (audio) and Death at the Dog on my shelves. Will await your review!

130DeltaQueen50
Ago 10, 2021, 12:38 pm

I am also behind on the Jussi Adler-Olsen series. I have read Purity of Vengeance and I am hoping to fit the next one in before the year ends. It's a great series.

131hailelib
Editado: Ago 12, 2021, 8:40 pm

Hi >129 Tess_W: and 130 .

I've been a little under the weather this week but got in a lot of reading.

6. Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart - August 10 - public library - I loved this book and want to read more of Amy Stewart's work. A good historical novel and based on a time in the life of the Kopp sisters. I went and read the wikipedia article and the authors note also which told what was fact and what was fictional in the story. Definitely recommended.

7. Stargazer by Anne Hillerman - August 11 - public library - The latest in the continuation of the Leaphorn-Chee series. The focus is again on Bernie as she tries to find out the truth about a murder case. While a lot of people won't read these because they are continuations I do enjoy them.

8. The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates - August 12 - public library - Slavery in the southern US states from the point of view of the slaves. It had a slow start for me but ultimately very good. The magical element may put some off but it worked for me.

9. Death in a Strange Country by Donna Leon - August 12 - own - ebook - The second Brunetti story and I intend to read more of them soon.

132DeltaQueen50
Ago 13, 2021, 1:18 pm

>131 hailelib: I loved Girl Waits With Gun as well and I am looking forward to continuing on with the Kopp sisters!

133hailelib
Ago 16, 2021, 3:03 pm

>132 DeltaQueen50:

I also would like to continue with the sisters soon.

Meanwhile, I spent the last few days reading while my husband did some electrical work changing out some light fixtures on our main floor. And now he's putting some lights in the crawl space and I spent the morning listening to constant hammering under me.

10. The September Society by Charles Finch - August 13 - public library - I wanted to read more of this series and finally tracked down the second one in our local library. It's in large type which I don't normally read but after a couple of chapters the strange appearance didn't bother me. The mystery was interesting although Lenox was distracted the whole time trying to decide how to ask Lady Jane to marry him. I'll be looking for the next book in the series that I haven't read soon.

11. The Greek Coffin Mystery by Ellery Queen - August 14 - own - ebook - It had been a very long time since I had read an Ellery Queen story so I decided to give him a try. The puzzle was a good one but I didn't much like Queen or the cops. A style of story telling that I don't much like.

12. Thorn by Intisar Khanani - August 16 - public library - A terrific retelling of The Goose Girl. I would really like to read more by Khanani.

134christina_reads
Ago 16, 2021, 3:13 pm

>133 hailelib: Yay, I'm glad you enjoyed Thorn! I'd love to read more by Khanani as well.

135hailelib
Ago 23, 2021, 5:45 pm

I did a lot of reading over the weekend as well as following the progress of Henri towards New England.

Here are the books.

13. A Gift of Sanctuary by Candace Robb - August 18 - public library - the first book that I've read from this series as it was the earliest one that the local library had. I will definitely hunt down the earlier ones at some point. The young Chaucer was an interesting character but Owen Archer is the one that will bring me back to the series. Here he is visiting Wales for the first time since he left it years before. I think I could like these as well as I do the Cadfael novels. ( And maybe it's time to reread one or two of those.)

14. Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky - August 21 - own - recent purchase - ebook - A rather long book; after reading off and on most of a day Kindle told me that I was at 50% of the book. The human character on the ark ship, Gilgamesh, gives us the human side of the story. The ship is headed for a long ago terraformed planet after Earth becomes uninhabitable as the last hope for the human race. But evolution on the planet has produced a very different sentient race and a very different civilization. Is there room for the ship's people on the planet? May not be for everyone as there are a lot of science and tech details but I liked it. At some point I will read the sequel even though the reviews for it are rather mixed.

15. Missing and Endangered by J. A. Jance - August 22 - own - recent purchase - ebook - A fairly typical Sheriff Brady story with Joanna Brady's daughter Jennifer featuring in one of the plot lines. As in real life, the sheriff has multiple problems on her plate. I like this mystery series which takes place in southern Arizona but one should begin at the beginning.

136JayneCM
Ago 24, 2021, 6:14 am

>135 hailelib: I have Children of Time on my TBR as I enjoy the sciencey stuff. Just need to find time and a space to slot it in!

137hailelib
Ago 29, 2021, 4:09 pm

>136 JayneCM: - I hope you enjoy it!

A lot of quick reads plus 1 not so quick:

16. The Case of the Left-handed Lady by Nancy Springer - August 23 - public library - Since this is aimed at middle grade students the second Enola Holmes novel was a very fast read but also very good. I would recommend it for kids who have read a lot of Nancy Drew or Hardy boys and are ready for something a little different.

17. The Lost City of Z by David Grann - August 24 - own - In the end this was a good book but I tended to read it in sections between other things. It didn't really grab me until the last few chapters. I think this was due to the way the author told Fawcett's story of searching for a lost civilization in the Amazon jungle alternating with his own journey through the same territory. The ending surprised me a little and I would like to find something about current archaeology in the Amazon.

18. The Anonymous Venetian by Donna Leon - August 25 - own - The next Brunetti mystery which I already had on my shelves. I'll probably read the next one soon as I have it on my iPad. These are pretty good mysteries so far.

19. Poets and Murder by Robert van Gulik - August 26 - own - While this book has been floating around here for a long time I had never read it although I have read others in the Judge Dee series. Judge Dee was a historical person living from about 630 to 700 CE. He was both a detective and a government official during the Tang Dynasty. This story featuring Judge Dee is entirely fictional and was published in 1968. My particular copy has several illustrations drawn by van Gulik in as he put it "the Chinese style".

20. Death in the Air by Agatha Christie - August 27 - own - Also known as Death in the Clouds and a good example of a locked room mystery. It is one of the better Poirot stories and I'm glad I reread it even though the copy I had was falling apart as I read. Old paperbacks from the sixties will do that sometimes.

21. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner - August 28 - public library - Although marketed and catalogued by my local library as a YA novel this a very good story and I will definitely read more about the Thief and his exploits. We first find "Gen" in the prison of the king of Sounis. He is visited by the magus who takes him out to recruit him for a secret trip where he will be required to steal something at their destination. Everyone who is a part of the adventurous trip has a secret and there are some surprises along the way.

138Tess_W
Ago 29, 2021, 6:06 pm

>137 hailelib: I have the Lost City of Z on my shelf.....

139christina_reads
Ago 30, 2021, 11:02 am

>137 hailelib: I'm so excited that you liked The Thief! The series only gets better!

140hailelib
Editado: Set 12, 2021, 10:26 pm

To finish books for August

22. The Riddle at Gypsy's Mile by Clara Benson - August 31 - own - ebook - much like the other Angela Marchmont mysteries which feature an amateur detective in the 20's.

And so far in September:

1. Invictus by Ryan Graudin - September 2 - public library - Very good but a little strange even for time-travel.

2. The Bartered Brides by Mercedes Lackey - September 3 - public library - Another Elemental Masters book, this one featuring Nan, Sarah, and the Watson's with Holmes in the background. Moriarty's organization is still causing trouble even though the boss is no longer with them and our heroes have to to deal with the consequences.

3. The Incident at Fives Castle by Clara Benson - September 4 - own - ebook - Angela Marchmont and a mysterious death while snowed in at a Scotland castle.

4. Poison by Ed McBain - September 5 - own - An 87th precinct novel - I was looking for something different from the books I've been reading and pulled this off the shelf at random as I had not read this particular McBain. One of the investigating cops gets too close to a suspect. The ending left me a little disturbed so I would only recommend it to the author's fans.

5. The Imbroglio at the Villa Pozzi by Clara Benson - September 5 - own - ebook - Angela Marchmont runs into a mysterious death while visiting a friend in Italy.

6. Uncompromising Honor by David Weber - September 7 - own - A reread of the the (so far) final Honor Harrington novel. I was looking for some military space opera as a change from mysteries. Besides the treecats are often fun, especially when we get their point of view of the things their two-legged people do.

7. Death and Judgement aka A Venetian Reckoning - by Donna Leon - September 8 - own - ebook - Brunetti book #4 - didn't like this one quite as much as the others I've read. I think it was a combination of the type of crime he discovered and the way his investigation ended.

141Tess_W
Set 8, 2021, 4:44 pm

Looks like you had a great August, Tricia.

142rabbitprincess
Set 8, 2021, 6:18 pm

>140 hailelib: Good to know about Poison, because I have that one on my shelf as yet unread.

143hailelib
Set 12, 2021, 6:21 pm

>141 Tess_W: - It was pretty good from the point of reading.

>142 rabbitprincess: - Poison was mostly what I expected from the series but I kept thinking about the ending afterward. Anyway, I hope you enjoy when you finally get to it.

144hailelib
Set 12, 2021, 7:05 pm

The next books

8. A Skinful of Shadows by Frances Hardinge - September 9 - public library - I put some time between this book and The Bartered Brides because both involved ghosts. Anyway, they are quite different. A good book that I enjoyed once I got into it and I'll probably read more by Hardinge.

9. Blood Lure by Nevada Barr - September 11 - own - Anna Pigeon has been sent to Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park to learn how to do DNA studies of wildlife. The local researcher is studying Grizzle bears and there are both human and bear complications. Good descriptions of the park and a lot of information about the grizzles. If you've enjoyed the other books in the series then don't miss this one.

10. The Singers of Time by Frederik Pohl and Jack Williamson - September 12 - own - This was a relatively recent book by these SF authors (90's) but I remember them more from the 60's and 70's. There is a lot about theories of the formation of the universe and quantum theory treaded through the story so might not be for everyone. It took me a while to get into but was OK in the end.

145hailelib
Set 13, 2021, 4:19 pm

11. The Alington Inheritance by Patricia Wentworth - September 13 - own - A damsel in distress type of plot. Not quite as good as others by Wentworth but improved with the appearance of Miss Silver.

I've also been reading Simon Winchester's book Atlantic in small sections and I have a couple of books to pick up at the public library later this week.

146Tess_W
Set 13, 2021, 4:46 pm

>145 hailelib: Hi, Trish! I have Winchester's book on my shelf. I think it is a good idea to read it in small doses. I wanted to read it this year, but I think I won't get to it. Maybe make it a goal for next year.

147rabbitprincess
Set 13, 2021, 5:33 pm

>145 hailelib: I think I had to renew Atlantic three times (at 3 weeks a pop) in order to finish it!

148hailelib
Editado: Out 7, 2021, 5:33 pm

I've been absent way longer than I meant to be! But here are the rest of my books finished in September -

12. Changes by Jim Butcher - September - public library - A Harry Dresden urban fantasy with Harry in trouble as usual.
13. St. Mungo's Robin by Pat McIntosh - September - recent purchase - My next book from a mediaeval series set in Glasgow. An interesting mystery series but a bit hard to find in print.
14. Plain Sailing by Douglas Clark - September - own - I enjoyed this English mystery but I think it would help the reader to know something about sailing. The sailing we did some years ago was very helpful with vocabulary and visualizing the action.
15. A Liaden Universe Constellation by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - September - own - Vol 4 as ebook - I read selected short fiction from all four volumes skipping quite a few. These stories add to the novels by covering such things as how Val Con became Brother to Edger. This led to reading some of the novels again.
16. Icy Clutches by Aaron Elkins - September - ebook - recent - Read this mystery and the next one between Liaden stories as a change of pace.
17. Skeleton Dance by Aaron Elkins - September - ebook - recent - same series as previous book

149hailelib
Editado: Out 7, 2021, 5:29 pm

Some for October

1. Agent of Change by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - October - own - ebook - Started here and kept going with the story arc of Val Con and Miri.
2. The Problem at Two Tithes by Clara Benson - October - own - ebook - Mystery set in the 1920s and featuring Angela Marchmont and a murder while she was visiting her brother's country home.
3. Trader's Leap by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - October 4 - own - Ended my rereads of Liaden novels with the latest which introduces some new places and characters and features Shan, Padi, and Priscilla.
4. A Dying Fall by Henry Wade - October 5 - own - Copyright 1955 and is contemporary to that period. Did Mrs. Rathlyn fall or was she pushed? There is a twist which I generally like but didn't find this to be more than mediocre.
5. An English Murder by Cyril Hare - October 6 - own - Copyright 1951 and also contemporary to the time. A country house murder and definitely better, to my mind, than the previous one. It took the visiting historian to put his finger on the motive.

150Tess_W
Out 8, 2021, 2:07 am

Wow, Trish, looks like some good reading. Off to a great October start!

151rabbitprincess
Out 9, 2021, 10:42 am

I really liked An English Murder, much more than Tragedy at Law.

152hailelib
Editado: Out 12, 2021, 5:00 pm

>150 Tess_W:

October's going well for fiction but I really should get back to the nonfiction I've started.

>151 rabbitprincess:

An English Murder could only have happened in the England of the time ...

And some new reads

6. A Clubbable Woman by Reginald Hill - October 8 - own - Reginald Hill having been mentioned on another thread I decided to read his first mystery in the Dalziel-Pascoe series since it had been on my shelf for ages. It was OK but Hill is never going to be a favorite author. I vaguely remember reading one by him after my mother gave me some of his books (she used to show up with bags of books a couple of times a year) and then not picking up the others right away. I think I'll use it as recommended by another generation.

7. The Fashion in Shrouds by Margery Allingham - October 10 - own - While this book had been here for years I'm pretty sure that I skipped over it in the period when I was reading a lot of Campion's adventures. Amanda I knew about but Val was a surprise. Good enough that I may read another before too long.

8. The Marco Effect by Jussi Adler-Olsen - October 12 - own - The fifth Department Q novel with Carl, Assad, and Rose tackling a missing person case and finding all sorts of crime associated with their case. Pretty good but start with the first in the series.

153pamelad
Out 12, 2021, 5:07 pm

>152 hailelib: I really liked the early Dalziel and Pascoe books, but as the series went on the books got longer and longer, to their detriment.

154hailelib
Out 14, 2021, 8:35 pm

I spent the last couple of days mostly reading and have two more books to add.

9. The Key by Patricia Wentworth - October 12 - recent purchase - own - Another Miss Silver story that takes place during WWII. A man who is researching a new explosive for the British government dies and there is a question of whether he committed suicide or was murdered.

10. To End in Fire by David Weber and Eric Flint - October 14 own - recent purchase - The latest book in the Honorverse series. To be able to easily follow the story one would really need to have read both side series as well as the main line of books. The subgenre is military space opera and Honor Harrington has one more battle to fight.

155hailelib
Out 18, 2021, 8:52 pm

I've made some progress on my two nonfiction books but there is still a way to go especially with The Silk Roads: A New History of the World.

Also thinking about next year. It seems to me that I should go back to challenges that are more of a challenge than what I've been doing this year.

meanwhile -

11. Pied Piper by Nevil Shute - October 17 - own - An old book, first published in 1942 and taking place in the early part of WWII. I've been reading and rereading Nevil Shute's books since I was about 13 and for me this is one of his best. An old man of about 70 decides to visit the Jura one last time before Germany makes the expected move on the Netherlands and Belgium. But Hitler's army moves faster than anyone thought possible and a woman at his hotel asks, when she learns he is going to return to England, if he would take her young children to her sister in Oxford. But the return journey is more difficult than just taking the train back the way he came and then a quick trip to Dover. I had forgotten a lot of the story but it was a fast read because it was one I didn't want to put it down.

12. The Middle Temple Murder by J. S. Fletcher - October 18 - own - comments coming

156Tess_W
Out 18, 2021, 10:12 pm

>185 pamelad: I love Nevil Shute. Have not heard of this book. Putting it on my list.

157hailelib
Editado: Out 20, 2021, 5:34 pm

>156 Tess_W:

I went looking and found several on Amazon that I didn't have. Some are very reasonably priced. I got three for $4 US. Some of my copies are falling apart so I may want to replace one or two eventually.

158hailelib
Editado: Out 20, 2021, 5:58 pm

I did promise some comments about Fletcher's book so here goes -

12. The Middle Temple Murder by J. S. Fletcher - October 18 - own - This was a Dover edition from 1980 of an unabridged book first published about 1918. As a mystery it holds up pretty well and reminded me of some of the ones from the '20s and '30s. Frank Spargo, who works for a London newspaper, is nearby when a body is discovered in Middle Temple Lane and decides to follow the story and do some investigating of his own. By sharing information with the policeman assigned to the case the two of them do solve a very puzzling case. I thought it was pretty good and the solution was fair if a bit unexpected.

13. Atlantic by Simon Winchester - October20 - own - Finally finished after weeks. The text is packed with facts, names, locations and lots of stories. I liked Winchester's book but I had to read it in short bursts to keep from being overwhelmed by the speed with which he covered the history of the Atlantic Ocean and the details he managed to include.

159Tess_W
Out 21, 2021, 3:04 am

>158 hailelib:

I put the Temple book on my WL

As to the Winchester book, I read his Krakatoa and it was overwhelming. In my review I said is was overambitious and should have focused exclusively on Krakatoa instead of going over the history of evolution, among other things.

160hailelib
Out 21, 2021, 1:42 pm

I've read several Winchester books and I like them but some are very dense in facts. I do want to read Krakatoa some day but not for a while.

161hailelib
Out 24, 2021, 3:09 pm

I took a detour through some light fiction after finishing Atlantic.

14. Crystal Clear by Elizabeth Cadell - October 21 - public library - This was more clearly a romance than the the one I read earlier this year but was somewhat humorous. The hero arrives home from a college course to find that there is a newspaper announcement of an engagement to a girl he has never heard of much less met. He is due to leave for a post in Africa inn five weeks so must quickly find out what is going on.

15. Untouchable by Jayne Ann Krentz - October 22 - own - ebook - recent purchase - A usual romantic suspense novel by Krentz with a light touch of the paranormal. Follows her usual pattern. The author has admitted that she writes the same basic plot just about every time but I enjoy an occasional visit with her characters. She used Eclipse Bay for a location so Arizona Snow showed up a few times which was a plus.

16. Rite of Passage by Alexei Panshin - October 23 - own - Nebula Award 1968 - reread - The main character and narrator is a 14 year old girl who lives on a generation spaceship. All the children must undergo Trial when they are 14 which involves living on one of the colony worlds for 30 days. They spend the two years leading up to this with a great deal of survival training. Mia is also studying philosophy and ethics during this period and there is a great deal of discussion of these in the novel. When they return to the ship after their trial they are now adults. Mia's trial goes horribly wrong and many more than usual don't make it back. The ending might be a bit disturbing for some readers.

162hailelib
Editado: Out 28, 2021, 8:11 pm

I finally got halfway through the 500 pages of The Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan and will probably take a little break before pressing on with it. My next finished book is

17. Knot of Shadows by Lois McMaster Bujold - October 26 - own - ebook - recent purchase - Further adventures of Penric in the city of Vilnoc. Not the best story in the series but still a pretty good if short read. Penric has an unusual problem that must be solved very quickly

-----------------

We got our pfizer booster shots this morning and then did the weeks grocery shopping which turned out to not be the best idea as I was feeling a little odd and moving slowly around the store. But it resolved itself after lunch and now I just have a slightly sore arm.
However my husband didn't have any reaction to the vaccine.

Has anyone else noticed a lot of empty spots on the grocery shelves? This is the first time I've been in the store for a while and really noticed the items that were missing. Also our local Walmart appears to be skipping Halloween and Thanksgiving and going straight to Christmas.

Jim has been trying to clear up and make some room in our small basement for some woodworking projects he wants to do and he had pulled up some boxes labeled toys for us to go through and mostly donate. Then he found another one and when we opened the rather large box it was full of Lincoln Logs which I thought had been given away years ago. This created some astonishment and amusement because we had ordered a set for Charlie and it had already shipped. Charlie and his little sister are going to have a lot of Lincoln Logs for building things. And the surprises kept on coming as yesterday he brought up a box labeled kitchen breakables. When we opened it and started unwrapping objects they were not that at all. At first I didn't even recognize anything be finally remembered some of them as probably having been packed for a major move over 30 years ago and then never unpacked. So this afternoon I had to decide what to definitely give away and what to keep for a while. A busy week so far with only one book to add!

163DeltaQueen50
Out 28, 2021, 9:05 pm

Sounds like you are having a week of discovering buried treasures!

My grocery store has got a lot of spaces on it's shelves. There seems to be no set pattern for what they have and what they are short of. I am the type that likes to plan out my menu and then shop for the ingredients that I need, so I have had to quickly figure out substitutions and alternatives while in the store.

164rabbitprincess
Out 28, 2021, 9:56 pm

>162 hailelib: I got my flu shot yesterday and the drugstore already had Christmas chocolate on the shelves! And the dollar store had one aisle of Halloween stuff, with Christmas stuff in the next aisle over. I'm not ready to think about Christmas yet.

165Tess_W
Editado: Out 29, 2021, 5:16 am

>162 hailelib: I can relate with the cleaning/clearing out. About 5 years ago we went through the basement and hauled about 5 carloads to donate. Then we did it again this year and I can't believe the stuff we "missed" the first time.

And yes, I had not been to the grocery for about 3-4 weeks except for milk and I was surprised at how bare the shelves were. The canned goods were gone except for the odd things like spinach and beets. Also, no noodles or taco/tostada shells. Not to mention the PRICES! I stocked up on dried navy, pinto, and green peas---will be a lot of soup this winter!

166hailelib
Out 29, 2021, 8:18 pm

>163 DeltaQueen50: >164 rabbitprincess: >165 Tess_W:
Thanks for stopping by.

>163 DeltaQueen50:
Some were treasures like the teapot that I had been wondering about its fate for years. It was a commemorative item for members of the Telephone Pioneers of America. My grandfather, my father, and his brother all worked for various incarnations of Bell Systems all there working lives.

>164 rabbitprincess:
I really wish that the stores wouldn't rush holidays the way they do.

>165 Tess_W:
Today we added getting rid of a 1994 Grand Cherokee jeep that wasn't going to run again without major repairs by donating it to an organization that welcomes vehicles in any condition. However we will have to replace it as our other car is getting rather old and living out of town we need reliable transportation.

We also need to go through our kitchen. I think we kept too many things we will never use the last time we did that.

167hailelib
Out 31, 2021, 5:27 pm

Two more for October.

18. Pursuit of a Parcel by Patricia Wentworth - October 30 - own - ebook - recent purchase - This was billed as an Inspector Lamb book but he didn't appear until very late in the story. Set early in WWII with the Germans occupying the Netherlands and the Blitz underway, this is a spy story with a bit of romance. Both the Germans and the British are looking for the parcel.

19. Among the Mad by Jacqueline Winspear - October31 - public library - I finally got back to this series and enjoyed reading more about Maisie even though the story has a rather serious look at the use of chemical weapons. If you read the earlier books and enjoyed them then try this one but I do think reading the series in order is best. Now to track down the next one.

168pamelad
Out 31, 2021, 5:35 pm

>167 hailelib: So many Patricia Wentworth books have been republished. The Miss Silver books are my favourites, but it's good to have so many others to fall back on.

169hailelib
Out 31, 2021, 6:24 pm

>168 pamelad:

I've picked up a lot of ones I don't have in print from the Kindle Daily Deals for very little and then of course I want to read them right away.

170hailelib
Nov 7, 2021, 5:36 pm

I've been keeping up with the planning for 2022 and now that the voting is done I'm thinking I'll mostly go with some of the Kits. I will check out the Cats but there may not be much reading based on them. Meanwhile a reading update -

1. Daughter of the Morning Star by Craig Johnson - November 3 - public library - The latest Longmire novel. Longmire is out of his jurisdiction again as he looks into the threatening notes that Jaya Long has been getting at the request of her aunt, the Tribal Police Chief Lolo Long. A fairly typical Longmire novel with a focus on the disappearances of Native women.

2. Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kindle - November 4 - own - A better than average historical romance from the early '90s but not quite as good as I thought when I read it when it was new.

3. What Happened to the Corbetts by Nevil Shute - November 5 - ebook - recent purchase - Also known as Ordeal the story begins with the first days of the Germans bombing a number of cities in England and thus beginning England's entry into war with Germany. The Corbett family has a nice life in Southampton but soon they leave the city to try and live on their boat. How they cope with the various difficulties was interesting but there were a lot of details about sailing their boat.

4. The Rough Collier by Pat McIntosh - November 6 - own - Another in the medieval mystery series featuring Gil Cunningham and his new wife, Alys. While the two are visiting his mother when some near-by peat-cutters come asking for him after finding a body in the peat. They are convinced that the body is the result of witchcraft and have already decided who the body is but Gil is not so sure.

171hailelib
Nov 9, 2021, 4:05 pm

5. The Silk Roads: A New History of the World by Peter Frankopan - November 8 - public library - FINALLY! - This took me a long time to read it's 500 pages but I'm glad I did as I learned a lot I didn't know (even in the last sections which I lived through). I would recommend the book even though the LT reviews show that a lot of readers have some problems with the way the latter half is handled. Frankopan started with the beginnings of trade among the peoples of Asia and the development of what came to be called the Silk Road and ends in the mid-2010s with the resurgent of Central Asian countries
.
6. Dead in the Morning by Margaret Yorke - November 9 - own - A couple of days ago Judy mentioned a book by Yorke and I realized that I had several of her books on my shelves and couldn't remember reading any of them. Since I wanted something a little different from my previous couple of books I choose this one. It is the first book of a short series with Patrick Grant, a professor at Oxford, as the amateur detective. Grant is visiting his sister and becomes involved in solving the mystery of a housekeeper's death. It was an easy read but I did spot the probable murderer early on. I'll probably read the other two I have from this series.

172pamelad
Nov 9, 2021, 5:03 pm

>170 hailelib: Sorry Flowers from the Storm wasn't as good as you remembered it. I'd read so many mediocre to bad romances before coming across Laura Kinsale that she was a shining light!

173hailelib
Nov 9, 2021, 7:20 pm

>172 pamelad:

Oh, I did enjoy it. However, it seemed really great back then because I was reading mostly romances and some are just not that good.

174Tess_W
Nov 10, 2021, 4:40 pm

>170 hailelib: I like Nevil Shute, I may give it a try.......

175hailelib
Nov 13, 2021, 4:58 pm

7. Kindling by Nevil Shute - November 10 - own - also known as Ruined City - For some reason I got to thinking about this one so pulled it off the shelf to read. Henry Warren, a London merchant banker during the depression, works long hours and is constantly traveling to arrange deals. His marriage is in trouble, he can't sleep, and he begins to have transitory abdominal pains. Deciding to do something about his poor health, Henry goes to the North of England and begins walking across country. Collapsing by the side of the road he is picked up by a lorry driver and taken to a nearby hospital. There he finds help and kindness and a dying city with thousands out of work. Thus begins Henry's attempt to fix the ruined city. - warning - the book was first published in 1938 and contains a few racial comments that reflect the attitudes of the times.

8. Ghost Story by Jim Butcher - November 12 - public library - a Harry Dresden novel and the next unread in the series for me. Almost anything I say would be a spoiler for either the previous book or the next one. Harry spends a lot of time reflecting on his past and on unintended consequences of actions undertaken in haste. This was a interesting story that I read fairly quickly.

Currently slowly reading The Chocolate Wars as my nonfiction book.

176pamelad
Editado: Nov 13, 2021, 5:20 pm

>175 hailelib: It's many years since I read anything by Nevil Shute, but after your review I'm adding him to my wish list. We had to read Slide Rule at school, but that's a while ago so there's no need to keep avoiding him.

I really liked the film of On the Beach, mainly for the nostalgia of seeing Melbourne in 1959.

Added Pied Piper and Trustee from the Toolroom to my Overdrive wish list.

177hailelib
Nov 13, 2021, 6:31 pm

Trustee from the Toolroom and A Town Like Alice are my favorites of his.

178mathgirl40
Nov 13, 2021, 7:12 pm

>171 hailelib: Taking a BB for The Silk Roads. This sounds really interesting.

>175 hailelib: Glad you enjoyed Ghost Story. I've only finished book 8 in the Dresden File series. I'm currently trying to get further along in Seanan McGuire's October Daye series, which I find has some similarities to Butcher's series.

179rabbitprincess
Nov 14, 2021, 8:28 am

On the Beach was the most moving of Shute's work for me, but I don't think I could read it again because it was so devastating. So I call No Highway my favourite, because it's about planes :)

180hailelib
Nov 14, 2021, 7:13 pm

On the Beach may be the only one of his books that I own that I have never reread and will never reread. I don't want to see the film again either.

181Tess_W
Nov 15, 2021, 3:45 pm

>177 hailelib: I loved A Town Like Alice and also On The Beach--but not quite as much.

182hailelib
Editado: Nov 17, 2021, 2:04 pm

Another mystery -

9. Flying Too High by Kerry Greenwood - November 14 - own - ebook

A light mystery set in Australia in the twenties and the third in this series that I have read. In this one Miss Fisher takes on a suspected murder and a young child's kidnapping while settling into her new house with Dot and meeting her new staff. Although I like these well enough to keep reading one occasionally I think that I prefer the TV series.

183hailelib
Dez 1, 2021, 8:14 pm

The last books for November.

10. The Lady Chapel by Candace Robb - November 22 - own - ebook - An early book in the Owen Archer series which I enjoyed. good medieval atmosphere. I intend to read more of these mysteries.

11. The Chocolate Wars by Deborah Cadbury - November 23 - own -nonfiction - Finally finished this one. It was quite interesting with a lot of good stories about the men who built the chocolate empires of Cadbury, Nestle, and Hershey, as well as their rivals. It took a lot of experimenting to develop a good tasting chocolate bar. The author tried to keep the history chronological so there was a lot of skipping from one place and set of people to another. However she did indicate with each change where she was going next.
For those who enjoy food histories and also business histories.

12. The Dig by John Preston - November 26 - public library - This is a fictional account of the Sutton Hoo archeological dig in 1939. A pretty good book with some interesting characters and descriptions of how Mr. Brown began the dig and how it progressed. While I would recommend the book I liked the Netflix movie even more, perhaps because of the visualizations of the scenery and the dig itself.

13. Desert Heat by J. A. Jance - November 26 - own - The first book in the Joanna Brady mystery series set in Arizona. I've actually spent some time in the area where the action occurs and the sense of place is very good. The novel begins with Tony Vargas in the process of fulfilling his contract to eliminate a couple of people one of whom is Joanna's husband. He is a Cochise County deputy and is running for Sheriff. After his death Joanna starts investigating the who and why as the police are satisfied with a ruling of suicide. This was a reread and motivated me to read some more of the series through book 5.

14. Tombstone Courage by J. A. Jance - November 27 - own - ebook - Joanna ran for sheriff in her husband's place and was elected. There were some difficulties with some of the staff and a particularly dangerous case.

15. Shoot/Don't Shoot by J. A. Jance - November 28 - own - ebook - Joanna attends a course for new members of the various Arizona police forces and encounters murder.

16. Dead to Rights by J. A. Jance - November 29 - own - ebook - Back home and more problems for Joanna and her staff to solve.

17. Skeleton Canyon by J. A. Jance - November 30 - own - Smuggling leads to murder.

I didn't say much about the last four because it would be too easy to include details that would be spoilers for the previous books. All of the stories include a lot of Joanna's interactions with family and friends and end with the current problem fairly well resolved.

184hailelib
Editado: Dez 8, 2021, 2:53 pm

For the first time I've completely filled a Bingo card! And I did by reading want I wanted through the year and didn't really choose any books just because they. fit.

Here are my December reads so far:

1. Dead Men Don't Ski by Patricia Moyes - December 2 - own - recent ebook - When offered on Amazon for $1.99 I remembered that I liked this series when I read some years ago. It was the first in the series and pretty good . Set in the Italian Alps near Austria at a remote hotel in the winter most of the characters are there for to ski or they are from the local village. Inspector Tibbitt and his wife are there primarily for a holiday but Scotland Yard has asked him to be on the lookout for a suspected drug smuggling operation and to coordinate with the local authorities.

2. Murder a la Mode by Patricia Moyes - December 4 - own - A little later in the series we find the Tibbitts at home in London and Henry Tibbitt has to learn more than he wanted to know about the fashion industry. He has a niece who is a model for both Style magazine and some of the fashion houses who wants to help when a murder occurs.

3. Wild Sign by Patricia Briggs - December 1 -public library - One of the Alpha and Omega series. Charles and Anna go to a remote area to investigate the disappearance of a whole town of people and naturally find trouble. We get some more backstory on a few characters, mostly on Leah. This is not one to read without having read the previous books in the series but I have enjoyed all of the books and will continue both with this one and the Mercy Thompson series.

4. The Blade Itself by Joe Abercombie - December 7 - public library - This volume spends much of its time introducing the characters that are to play a role in the First Law Trilogy for over 500 pages. That said, I did finally get into the story and will be looking for the next volume soon. If you like dark fantasy (lots of violence and even torture scenes) you might give it a try.

185pamelad
Editado: Dez 8, 2021, 3:19 pm

Congratulations on finishing the Bingo card.

186rabbitprincess
Dez 8, 2021, 5:35 pm

>184 hailelib: Excellent work on filling the bingo card by reading what you want! I'm going to try that next year; my attempt at the card this year blew up with my reading energy in the spring.

187DeltaQueen50
Dez 8, 2021, 10:13 pm

>184 hailelib: I don't know what it says about me, but I love anything and everything that Joe Abercrombie writes - the darker, the better for me!

188Tess_W
Dez 9, 2021, 6:37 am

Congrats on the Bingo Card! That is certainly the way to go. I didn't work on one this year because it was too confining---but now that I see it can be done otherwise, I might take a stab at it in the future.

189hailelib
Dez 9, 2021, 3:07 pm

>188 Tess_W:

I've done the Bingo card since we started having it and usually get most of them just from my regular reading.

190hailelib
Dez 11, 2021, 2:15 pm

5. And Dangerous to Know by Elizabeth Daly - December 11 - own - recent ebook -
Fairly typical of the Henry Gammage series but not Daly's best. Somehow the solution didn't quite convince me. Either the clues were very subtle or I missed them completely since I was quite tired while reading the first half last night.

191hailelib
Editado: Dez 26, 2021, 7:38 pm

Catching up -

7. Double, Double, Oil and Trouble by Emma Lathen - December 14 - own - reread -Thatcher investigates financial shenanigans over a prospective North Sea oil contract.

8. 1632 by Eric Flint - December 16 - own - ebook - reread - The West Virginia town of Grantville suddenly finds itself in 1631 Germany instead of 2001 USA. The story is about how they coped with the dislocation of their town and began adjusting to their new reality.

9. 1633 by Eric Flint and David Weber - December 18 - own - reread - Newly allied with Gustavus, King of Sweden, Grantville's involvement in The Thirty Years War increases as they try to leverage their technology to their advantage.

10. 1634 - The Baltic War by Eric Flint and David Weber - December 21 - own - reread - A direct sequel to the previous book.

11. Ring of Fire edited by Eric Flint - December 23 - own - reread - Short fiction set in the 1632 universe with two pieces by Flint and the others by various authors. Some of the later books will build on these stories.

12. The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie - December 25 - public library - A very good fantasy with a very interesting narrator. It took me a while to settle into the book but I'm glad I persisted with reading it.

13. Vicious Circle by Douglas Clark - December 26 - own - reread - Pulled off the shelf at random. I did finish it but some of his other titles are better.

These books were along the lines of comfort reads for the most part - a distraction from the pandemic news I think.

192hailelib
Dez 28, 2021, 11:06 am

One more -

14. The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow - December 27 - public library - A fantastic fantasy. Stories within stories and a girl growing up and finally coming into her own. Not to mention the lovely book jacket.

193hailelib
Editado: Dez 30, 2021, 10:08 pm

On impulse, I decided to read To End in Fire again. See >154 hailelib:. Not counting as an additional book. This will be the last one that I finish this year.

----

So in 2021 I read about 235 books which is a record. While there were some long ones , most were relatively short; many written before the average fiction book started getting longer and longer.

Here are the ones that stand out for me:

Non-fiction

The Silk Roads: A New History of the World
Lost History
Genghis Khan and the making of the modern world

Fiction

Trader's Leap
Miles in Love
Crimson Lake
The Years of Rice and Salt
To End In Fire
The Ten Thousand Doors of January

The bottom ranked ones

The Newton Code
The Greek Coffin Mystery
Toll Call

194rabbitprincess
Editado: Dez 30, 2021, 6:07 pm

>193 hailelib: Congrats on your record reading year!

195DeltaQueen50
Dez 30, 2021, 8:09 pm

Congratulations on a successful reading year. I loved Crimson Lake and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series during 2022.

196mathgirl40
Dez 30, 2021, 9:57 pm

>193 hailelib: Wow, what a great year of reading! Congratulations.

>192 hailelib: I loved Ten Thousand Doors of January too. I've heard that The Once and Future Witches is just as good.

197christina_reads
Jan 1, 2022, 7:51 pm

Adding my congratulations for your record-breaking year! I also really liked The Ten Thousand Doors of January.