JayneCM Lives A Thousand Lives

I am Jayne, a book lover for as long as I can remember.

This is my fifth year in the challenge. I am always too ambitious but you can never read too much!

183/308 = 59.42%

Read Around The World 4/5 = 80%
1001 Monthly Challenge 4/12 = 33.33%
BingoDOG 21/25 = 84%
KiddyCAT 10/12 = 83.33%
SeriesCAT 5/12 = 41.67%
GeoCAT 5/12 = 41.67%
ClassicsCAT 5/12 = 41.67%
RandomKIT 7/12 = 58.33%
AlphaKIT 15/26 = 57.69%
MysteryKIT 5/12 = 41.67%
ScaredyKIT 7/12 = 58.33%
SFFKIT 9/12 = 75%
Off Your Shelf Challenge - monthly prompts 35/72 = 48.61%
Off Your Shelf Challenge - TBR game 51/72 = 70.83%

'Read Around The World' - read a book from every country

"That's the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet." Jhumpa Lahiri


Create Your Own Visited Countries Map

1. The Hidden Palace by Dinah Jefferies (Malta) - finished 24th April 2023
2. Winter In Wartime by Jan Terlouw (The Netherlands) - finished 11th July 2023
3. The Sorrow of Belgium by Hugo Claus (Belgium) - finished 21st August 2023
4. The Same Earth by Kei Miller (Jamaica) - finished 13th October 2023
5.

4/5 = 80%

'A Challenge in a Challenge' - monthly group challenge reads from 1001 Books group

"Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers." Charles W. Eliot

January - Short book - Chess by Stefan Zweig - finished 20th January 2023
February - Random letter generator - H - The Year of the Hare by Arto Paasilinna - finished 27th April 2023
March - International Women's Day - The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith - finished 22nd May 2023
April - Features a child - Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro - finished 20th October 2023
May - National Sorry Day - Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey
June - Summer/winter - Summer by Edith Wharton
July - Another reader's last read (puckers) - The Poor Mouth by Flann O'Brien
August - A-U-G-U-S-T - The Sea by John Banville
September - The TBR Machine - won an award - The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro (1989 Booker Prize) -
October - Trick or treat -
November - Bildingsroman (coming of age story) -
December -

4/12 = 33.33%

'BingoDOG'

"It's all fun and games until someone yells Bingo!"



1. Topic you don't usually read - Stolen From Under The Stars by Jonothan Taylor
2. Next in series you've started - The Sad Ghost Club Volume 03 by Lize Meddings - finished 26th April 2023
3. Book that taught you something - I, Mona Lisa by Natasha Solomons
4. Switched/stolen identities - The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry - finished 10th October 2023
5. Book on the cover - The Book Haters' Book Club by Gretchen Anthony - finished 25th March 2023
6. 4+ LT rating - A Man and His Cat Vol 1 by Umi Sakurai - finished 31st August 2023
7. Set on plane, train or ship - Grey Nomad by Alison Ferguson - finished 22nd July 2023
8. Bestseller from 20 years ago - An Offer From A Gentleman by Julia Quinn - finished 9th September 2023
9. STEM topic - Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus - finished 7th March 2023
10. Features inn or hotel - The Hotel Witch by Jessica Miller - finished 20th August 2023
11. Features journalist/journalism - The Day The World Stops Shopping by J.B. MacKinnon - finished 27th May 2023
12. Small town/rural setting -The Midnight House by Amanda Geard - finished 5th March 2023
13. Read a CAT - January SeriesCAT (series new to you) - The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling - finished 18th March 2023
14. Number/quantity in title - Seven Kinds of People You Find in Bookshops by Shaun Bythell - finished 5th December 2023
15. Local or regional author - A Walk In The Dark by Jane Godwin - finished 25th June 2023
16. Author is your zodiac sign - Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones - finished 18th October 2023
17. Popular author's first book - The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood - finished 18th September 2023
18. Art or craft related - The Vampire Knitting Club by Nancy Warren - finished 2nd January 2023
19. Author under 30 - The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams - finished 8th May 2023
20. Memoir - Beyond The Wand by Tom Felton - finished 1st May 2023
21. Features member of cat family - Leonard: My Life As A Cat by Carlie Sorosiak -finished 1st April 2023
22. Involves an accident - Das Jahr des Dugong (The Year of the Dugong) by John Ironmonger
23. More than 1000 copies on LT - Birdbox by Josh Malerman - finished 26th January 2023
24. Plant in title or on cover - How To Be Remembered by Michael Thompson
25. Features music or musician - Grace Notes by Karen Comer - finished 15th June 2023

21/25 = 84%

KiddyCAT

"A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest." C.S. Lewis

January - Picture books/graphic novels - Garlic and The Vampire by Bree Paulsen - finished 25th January 2023
February - Mystery - Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens - finished 23rd March 2023
March - YA historical fiction - We Are Not Free by Traci Chee - finished 20th November 2023
April - Middle grade/YA fantasy - Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A.F. Steadman - finished 16th June 2023
May - YA/childrens classics - Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster - finished 19th September 2023
June - Animals as main characters - The Story of Greenriver by Holly Webb
July - Arts and crafts - The Space Between Lost and Found by Sandy Stark-McGinnis - finished 14th October 2023
August - Series - Maelyn by Anita Valle
September - History and biography - Shark Lady by Ann McGovern - finished 9th September 2023
October - Siblings - The Sky Beneath The Stone by Alex Mullarky - finished 12th November 2023
November - Fairy tales, myths and legends - The Three Billy Goats Gruff and Other Read-Aloud Stories by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey - finished 19th November 2023
December - Holiday stories - Green Christmas by Nance Donkin - finished 4th December 2023
10/12 = 83.33%

SeriesCAT

"We conquer by continuing." George Matheson

January - Series new to you - The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
February - Series in translation - The Griffin's Feather by Cornelia Funke
March - Children and YA series - Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch by Julie Abe - finished 30th July 2023
April - Read as a one off - What Once Was Mine by Liz Braswell - finished 24th June 2023
May - Trilogies - The Dover Cafe Under Fire by Ginny Bell - finished 7th July 2023
June - Favourite author - The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis
July - Nonfiction series - Georgia O'Keeffe: She Saw the World in a Flower by Gabrielle Balkan (What The Artist Saw series) - finished 15th September 2023
August - I've been meaning to get back to this series - Little House In The Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder - finished 23rd October 2023
September - more than 50 years old - Little House On The Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
October - set in Asia/Asian inspired setting - A Venom Dark and Sweet by Judy I. Lin
November - Historical series - When Souls Tear by Karen Ginnane
December - Set in country other than your own - Fair Isle and Fortunes by Nancy Warren

5/12 = 41.67%

GeoCAT

"To travel far, there is no better ship than a book." Emily Dickinson

January - Central and Eastern Europe - I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys (Romania)
February - Place you would like to visit - The Last Balfour by Cait Duggan (Scotland) - finished 12th June 2023
March - Australia and New Zealand - Limberlost by Robbie Arnott (Australia) - finished 1st June 2023
April - South America, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean - River Sing Me Home by Eleanor Shearer (Barbados) -
May - Polar regions, islands, bodies of water - Metronome by Tom Watson (island) -
June - South Asia and South East Asia - The Great Reclamation by Rachel Heng (Singapore) -
July - Western Europe - Sky by Holly Webb - finished 6th September 2023 (Scotland)
August - Central and Western Asia - Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi (Afghanistan) -
September - Africa - Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor (Nigeria) -
October - Canada and the USA - The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd (USA) - finished 6th November 2023
November - East Asia - Four Seasons in Japan by Nick Bradley (Japan) - finished 4th November 2023
December - Books you missed earlier - Dark Waters by Katherine Arden (island) -

5/12 = 41.67%

ClassicsCAT

"A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say." Italo Calvino

January - Adventure classics - The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas - finished 8th August 2023
February - Classic published before 1900 - Journey To The Centre Of The Earth by Jules Verne
March - Classics on the screen - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl - finished 30th March 2023
April - Classic mystery - At Bertram's Hotel by Agatha Christie
May - Children's classics - Little Women by Louisa May Alcott - finished 10th August 2023
June - Humour - The Wind In The Willows by Kenneth Grahame
July - Classic you've always wanted to read - The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens
August - Classics in translation - Bonjour Tristesse by Francoise Sagan - finished 9th November 2023
September - Nonfiction classics - The Common Reader by Virginia Woolf
October - Women authors - Good Wives by Louise May Alcott
November - The Ancient World - The Odyssey retold by Geraldine McCaughrean -finished 24th November 2023
December - Re-read a classic - Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

5/12 = 41.67%

RandomKIT

"So much of life, it seems to me, is determined by pure randomness." Sidney Poitier

January - Hidden gems - The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden - finished 18th January 2022
February - Second - Yesterday Crumb and the Teapot of Chaos by Andy Sagar
March - Water - The Water Horse by Holly Webb - finished 30th November 2023
April - Seven stages of (wo)man - the emotional lover - Wait For Me by Santa Montefiore
May - Royal names - The Dog of the North by Elizabeth McKenzie - finished 2nd August 2023
June - Walls - Within These Walls by Robyn Bavati - finished 10th September 2023
July - The Muppets - Statler and Waldorf - book featuring senior citizens - Over The Hill & Up The Wall by Todd Alexander - finished 10th July 2023
August - Tell me something good - Sleigh Spells by Bella Falls - finished 20th September 2023
September - The Wild, Wild West - The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis - finished 27th November 2023
October - Treats, not tricks - Every Witch Way but Ghouls by K.E. O'Connor
November - A little light - Letters From The Lighthouse by Emma Carroll
December - Trees on cover - Twitch by M.G. Leonard

7/12 = 58.33%

AlphaKIT

"Each letter of the alphabet is a steadfast loyal soldier in a great army of words, sentences, paragraphs, and stories." Vera Nazarian

January
For I - Ithaca by Claire North - finished 7th January 2023
For S - The Mirror Crack'd From Side To Side by Agatha Christie -finished 24th January 2023

February
For J - J. R. R. Tolkien (Little People, BIG DREAMS) by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara - finished 28th March 2023
For F - The Tea Dragon Festival by K. O'Neill - finished 29th November 2023

March
For G - Where The Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire - finished 14th March 2023
For A - Amazing Grace Adams by Fran Littlewood - finished 14th April 2023

April
For W - Wingbearer by Marjorie Liu and Teny Issakhanian - finished 23rd July 2023
For D - Love, Locked Down by Beth Reekles - finished 3rd May 2023

May
For U - The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen - finished 29th August 2023
For C - The Dover Cafe On The Front Line by Ginny Bell- finished 5th July 2023

June
For B - The Bookshop at Water's End by Patti Callahan Henry
For K - Victory In The Kitchen by Annie Gray - finished 30th June 2023

July
For O - Dusty In The Outwilds by Rhiannon Williams - finished 12th July 2023
For P - Skandar and the Phantom Rider by A.F. Steadman-finished 25th August 2023

August
For M - Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn - finished 27th October 2023
For Q - The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis

September
For V - The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides - finished 22nd September 2023
For E - Ember and the Ice Dragons by Heather Fawcett

October
For N - The Night Travelers by Armando Lucas Correa
For H - How Not To Be A Vampire Slayer by Katy Birchall

November
For T - The Tea Dragon Tapestry by K. O'Neill
For L - The Sisters of Luna Island by Stacy Hackney

December
For R -
For Y -

Year Long
For X - Malcolm X: A Life From Beginning To End by Hourly History -
For Z - Zorrie by Laird Hunt

15/26 = 57.69%

MysteryKIT

"Dance on the edge of mystery." Alan Cohen

January - Movie and TV detective - 4:50 From Paddington by Agatha Christie - finished 2nd January 2023
February - Classic setting - A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie - finished 16th March 2023
March - Paranormal - Baker's Coven by Nancy Warren - finished 28th April 2023
April - Tartan noir - The Bookseller of Inverness by S.G. MacLean
May - True unsolved mystery - Missing: True Cases of Mysterious Disappearances by Andrew J. Clark
June - Vintage mystery - Nemesis by Agatha Christie
July - Police procedurals and private detectives - The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
August - Past and future - A Tale of Two Murders by Heather Redmond - finished 6th October 2023
September - Academic setting - The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths - finished 4th December 2023
October - Locked room - A House of Ruin by Pamela Crane
November - Senior sleuths/kid sleuths - The Mystery of Hollow Inn by Tara Ellis
December - Cosy mysteries - Reindeer Runes by Danielle Garrett

5/12 = 41.67%

ScaredyKIT

"I will not let you go into the unknown alone." Bram Stoker

January - Comedy horror - Fright Squad by Flint Maxwell - finished 1st January 2023
February - Historical horror - See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt - finished 15th May 2023
March - Indie - Ravens Hollow by Judith Rook - finished 17th July 2023
April - Food horror - Woman, Eating by Claire Kohda - finished 27th June 2023
May - Surviving the horror - The Last Kids On Earth by Max Brallier - finished 10th May 2023
June - Stephen King and family - The Pram by Joe Hill
July - Beach reads - Welcome To Camp Nightmare by R.L. Stine - finished 25th July 2023
August - Favourite scary trope - The Southern Book Club's Guide To Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix - finished 7th November 2023
September - Haunted house - How To Sell A Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
October - Tricks, not treats - Little Eve by Catriona Ward
November - I don't like spiders and snakes - The Monsters of Rookhaven by Padraig Kenny
December - Ghost stories - Dead Voices by Katherine Arden


7/12 = 58.33%

SFFKIT

"I define science fiction as the art of the possible. Fantasy is the art of the impossible." Ray Bradbury

January - Cobwebs and dust - The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend - finished 23rd August 2023
February - SFF with romance - Small Town, Big Magic by Hazel Beck - finished 6th May 2023
March - To the Dark Side - The Land of Yesterday by K.A. Reynolds - finished 25th July 2023
April - Historical SFF - The Snow Song by Sally Gardner - finished 4th April 2023
May - Science fantasy - A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle
June - Humorous SFF - The Constant Rabbit by Jasper FForde
July - Series and trilogies - When Days Tilt by Karen Ginnane - finished 15th November 2023
August - Space - Orion Lost by Alastair Chisholm - finished 26th August 2023
September - Non-English language SFF - Spice and Wolf Volume 1 by Isuna Hasekura - finished 27th September 2023
October - Award winners - Among Others by Jo Walton (2012 Hugo Award for Best Novel) -
November - Graphic novel, novella, short stories - The Amber Anthem by Mark Siegel - finished 1st November 2023
December - Wrap up - The Emerald Gate by Mark Siegel - finished 1st December 2023

9/12 = 75%

Off Your Shelf Challenge - monthly prompts

"Challenge yourself; it's the only path which leads to growth." Morgan Freeman

January - Theme - Stephen King author spotlight
1. Stephen King was born in 1947 in Portland, Maine, USA- read a book from or set in the 1940s - The Dover Cafe At War by Ginny Bell - finished 3rd July 2023
2. Stephen King's first published novel was Carrie in 1974 - read an author's first published novel - Wylah The Koorie Warrior by Jordan Gould - finished 9th June 2023
3. More of Stephen King's books have been made into movies than any other living author - read a book that has been made into a movie - The Godmother by Hannelore Cayre
4. Stephen King suffers from triskaidekaphobia: fear of the number 13 - read a book with a number in the title - Summer of a Thousand Pies by Margaret Dilloway
5. Stephen King's Bangor house has a massive underground library with over 17,000 books. And he’s read them all except for a handful of the newest ones - read a book that has been in your library/TBR for too long - Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
6. Stephen King's two sons are both published authors and his daughter is a church minister and gay activist - read a book about a family or siblings - Daughters of War by Dinah Jefferies - finished 21st April 2023

February - Theme - The Muppets
1. Gonzo - nerdy or geeky character - Matilda by Roald Dahl - finished 27th March 2023
2. Fozzie - warm and fuzzy - Always, Clementine by Carlie Sorosiak - finished 5th February 2023
3. Animal - animal on cover or in title - The Girl, The Dog and the Writer in Rome by Katrina Nannestad - finished 9th March 2023
4. Miss Piggy - glamourous or wealthy character - The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell
5. Kermit - green cover - The High House by Jessie Greengrass - finished 7th February 2023
6. Swedish Chef - set in a Scandinavian country - Seacrow Island by Astrid Lindgren - finished 16th April 2022

March - Theme - Reading Rainbow
1. red - Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu - finished 8th September 2023
2. orange - The Sun Walks Down by Fiona McFarlane - finished 2nd April 2023
3. yellow - The Gallery of Vanished Husbands by Natasha Solomons - finished 25th October 2023
4. green - Here Comes The Shaggedy by R.L. Stine - finished 26th November 2023
5. blue - Night Blue by Angela O'Keeffe - finished 19th March 2023
6. indigo/violet - Small Spaces by Katherine Arden

April - Theme - Elements
1. Water - Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson - finished 17th June 2023
2. Fire - Words On Fire by Jennifer A. Nielsen
3. Air/wind - The Red Wind by Isobelle Carmody - finished 18th June 2023
4. Earth - Earth To Dad by Krista Van Dolzer - finished 12th October 2023
5. Wood - Dread Wood by Jennifer Killick
6. Metal - Metal Fish, Falling Snow by Cath Moore

May - Theme - Fairy Tales
1. Snow White - unusual/unexpected friendship - Call of the Penguins by Hazel Prior - finished 20th June 2023
2. Sleeping Beauty - sleep, dreams or nightmares - Early Riser by Jasper Fforde - finished 12th August 2023
3. Hansel and Gretel - features food or food on cover - A Rolling Scone by Nancy Warren - finished 5th September 2023
4. Rumpelstiltskin - gold or silver foiling - The School Between Winter and Fairyland by Heather Fawcett - finished 19th July 2023
5. The Little Mermaid - features the sea or seaside location - Make Yourself At Home by Ciara Geraghty - finished 16th November 2023
6. Cinderella - secret or hidden identity - The Book Spy by Alan Hlad - finished 30th May 2023

June - Theme - To The Movies
1. Horror/thriller - Wintering by Krissy Kneen - finished 5th June 2023
2. Romance - In The Weeds by B.K. Borison - finished 4th September 2023
3. Fantasy/sci fi - Amazing Agent Luna by Nunzio DeFilippis
4. Drama - The Great Godden by Meg Rosoff
5. Kids -
6. Mystery - Stockings and Spells by Nancy Warren - finished 12th September 2023

July - Theme - Travel The Continents
1. North America -
2. South America -
3. Europe - An Accidental Murder by J. New - finished 3rd September 2023
4. Africa - African History For Kids by Captivating History
5. Australia/Oceania - Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood
6. Asia -

August - Theme - Opposites Attract
1. Summer/winter - A Cornish Summer At Pear Tree Farm by Angela Britnell
2. Stand alone/series - Snow & Rose by Emily Winfield Martin (stand alone) - finished 11th August 2023
3. Male/female author - Things We Didn't See Coming by Steven Amsterdam - finished 18th August 2023
4. City/country - Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder
5. New/older release - Wilder by Penny Chrimes (new release) - finished 6th August 2023
6. Black/white cover - The Clackity by Lora Sene

September - Theme - Fall Into Autumn
1. autumn colours - The Red Maze by Mark Siegel - finished 17th September 2023
2. Australian - Smart Ovens For Lonely People by Elizabeth Tan
3. random pick - Sculptor's Daughter by Tove Jansson - finished 25th November 2023
4. cosy vibes - The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa
5. nature/weather - The Cloud Road by Isobelle Carmody - finished 16th September 2023
6. fall/autumn - Fall Into You by Caroline Frank

October - Theme - A Few Of My Favourite Things
1. Favourite genre - The Ice Maze by Isobelle Carmody
2. Favourite season/holiday - Mr Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal by Ryan Cowan
3. Favourite colour on cover (purple) - Amelia Fang and the Unicorn Lords by Laura Ellen Anderson - finished 22nd November 2023
4. Favourite setting/location - Once Upon A Wardrobe by Patti Callahan - finished 28th November 2023
5. Read in your favourite place - Love On The Line by Bella Muse
6. Favourite author (or one you think will be a favourite) -

November - Theme - Where Do You Work?
1. Medicine/healthcare - An Outback Nurse by Thea Hayes
2. Food/drink related - The 24-Hour Cafe by Libby Page
3. Book related - Bookshop Girl by Chloe Coles
4. Education - To Sir, With Love by E.R. Braithwaite
5. Law/politics - Who Was Nelson Mandela? by Pam Pollack
6. Retail - Ladies In Black by Madeleine St John

December - Theme - In The Title
1. 'the' - The Angel and the Gift by J.R. Rain
2. pronoun - Her Christmas Rescue by Grace J. Croy
3. a living thing - The Partridge: The First Day by Kit Morgan
4. a name - The Impending Blindness of Billie Scott by Zoe Thorogood
5. two word title - Aquicorn Cove by Kay O'Neill - finished 3rd December 2023
6. holiday related - Joy's Christmas Escape by P. Credden

35/72 = 48.61%

Off Your Shelf Challenge - monthly TBR game

"Whenever there is a challenge, there is also an opportunity to face it, to demonstrate and develop our will and determination." Dalai Lama

January - Theme - Sink Your TBR
1. Title starts with 'the', 'a' or 'an' - An Afterlife For Rosemary Lamb by Louise Wolhuter - finished 13th March 2023
2. Recently published - The Timber Girls by Rosie Archer -finished 30th January 2023
3. Female main character - Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes - finished 29th March 2023
4. Published over five years ago - The Hate Race by Maxine Beneba Clarke - finished 24th February 2023
5. White cover - Marple: Twelve New Stories - finished 13th January 2023
6. Pretty cover - The Psychology of Time Travel by Kate Mascarenhas - finished 15th February 2022

February - Theme -Let's Climb Series Mountain!
1. The Girl In The Tower by Katherine Arden (2) - finished 10th February 2023
2. The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams (1) - finished 18th February 2023
3. Stitches and Witches by Nancy Warren (2) - finished 8th April 2023
4. Crochet and Cauldrons by Nancy Warren (3) - finished 29th June 2023
5. Escape From Aurora by Jamie Littler (2) - finished 16th August 2023
6. Rise of the World Eater by Jamie Littler (3)

March - Theme - Top of the Pops (I chose top 100 musicals)
1. The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn (If I Loved You from Carousel) - finished 8th June 2023
2. A Little In Love by Susan E. Fletcher (Can You Feel The Love Tonight from The Lion King) - finished 5th April 2023
3. Live A Little by Howard Jacobson (On The Street Where You Live) from My Fair Lady - finished 20th May 2023
4. A Place To Hang The Moon by Kate Albus (Stars and the Moon from Songs For A New World) - finished 2nd June 2023
5. The Dangerous Business of Being Trilby Moffat by Kate Temple (There's No Business Like Show Business from There's No Business Like Show Business) - finished 7th April 2023
6. When Rain Turns To Snow by Jane Godwin (Don't Rain On My Parade from Funny Girl) - finished 18th July 2023

April - Theme - Words and Letters
1. Two words in title starting with same letter - The Ghost Garden by Emma Carroll - finished 31st October 2023
2. Double letters in title - The Last Heir To Blackwood Library by Hester Fox - finished 7th September 2023
3. Noun in title - From The Heart by Susan Hill - finished 12th May 2023
4. Verb in title - Laura Ingalls Is Ruining My Life by Shelley Tougas
5. Proper noun in title - The Real Enid Blyton by Nadia Cohen - finished 18th May 2023
6. Question word in title - Where The Trees Were by Inga Simpson - finished 19th April 2023

May - Theme - Famous First Lines
1. "All this happened, more or less." - The Last Man In Europe by Dennis Glover - finished 14th July 2023
2. "It was a dark and stormy night." - The Thief Who Sang Storms by Sophie Anderson
3. "This is the saddest story I have ever heard." - A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole - finished 21st July 2023
4. "The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there." - The Go-Between by L.P. Hartley - finished 16th October 2023
5. "The circus arrives without warning." - The Magpie's Sister by Kerri Turner
6. "Under certain circumstances there are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea." - Vanessa Yu's Magical Paris Tea Shop by Roselle Lim - finished 11th September 2023

June - Theme - On The Cover
1. Feather - Bohemian Negligence by Bertie Blackman - finished 16th July 2023
2. Animal - The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibuishi - finished 31st July 2023
3. Person - The Sand Warrior by Mark Siegel - finished 15th July 2023
4. Bird - Away With The Penguins by Hazel Prior - finished 19th June 2023
5. Book - The Wild Book by Juan Villoro - finished 22nd October 2023
6. Plant - The Invisible Women's Club by Helen Paris - finished 30th October 2023

July - Theme - Year By Year Countdown
1. 2023 - The Vintage Shop of Second Chances by Libby Page - finished 1st July 2023
2. 2022 - Birdsong by Katya Balen - finished 13th July 2023
3. 2021 - Miss Eliza's English Kitchen by Annabel Abbs - finished 27th July 2023
4. 2020 - Over The Woodward Wall by A. Deborah Baker - finished 2nd September 2023
5. 2019 - Purls and Potions by Nancy Warren - finished 13th September 2023
6. 2018 - The Cobalt Prince by Mark Siegel - finished 14th September 2023

August - Theme - A-Z Challenge
1. A - The Angry Women's Choir by Meg Bignell - finished 30th August 2023
2. B - The Blue Salt Road by Joanne Harris - finished 19th October 2023
3. C - Crying In H Mart by Michelle Zauner - finished 2nd November 2023
4. D - Deep Magic, Dragons and Talking Mice by Alister McGrath - finished 21st November 2023
5. E - Elsewhere by Alexis Schaitkin
6. F - Foster by Claire Keegan

September - Theme - The TBR Machine
1. red on cover - The Dragon With A Chocolate Heart by Stephanie Burgis
2. adapted into movie/series - Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
3. YA - New Moon by Stephanie Meyer - finished 1st September 2023
4. LGBTQI+ rep - The Prize by Kim E. Anderson
5. fantasy - Kiki's Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono
6. ugly cover - The Sitter by Angela O'Keeffe - finished 3rd October 2023

October - Theme - Choose For Each Other
1. The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle by Janet Fox - finished 8th November 2023
2. The Weaver and the Witch Queen by Genevieve Gornichec
3. The Murder of Mr Wickham by Claudia Gray
4. The Air Raid Book Club by Annie Lyons
5. The Dragon and Her Boy by Penny Chrimes - finished 18th November 2023
6. The Sisters of Reckoning by Charlotte Nicole Davis - finished 2nd December 2023

November - Theme - Choose Your Own Theme
All blue covers
1. Extraordinary Birds by Sandy Stark-McGinnis
2. The Beginning Woods by Malcolm McNeill - finished 14th November 2023
3. Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton - finished 23rd November 2023
4. The Realm of the Blue Mist by Amy Kim Kibuishi - finished 9th November 2023
5. Under The Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Horan - finished 11th November 2023
6. The Impulse Purchase by Veronica Henry

December - Theme - Board game
1. Paperback -
2. Short book - Spoiled by Rob Baddorf -
3. Flowers on cover -
4. About family -
5. Book in a series - The Governess' Debut by Wendy May Andrew
6. Beautiful cover -

51/72 = 70.83%

Open for 2023!

I am keeping it pretty simple this year - it is all about reading all those unread books on my Goodreads to read list and keeping up with my Netgalley.

I have 6,685 books on my Goodreads to read list! Admittedly, I do add anything that looks interesting and these are not all books I own (thank goodness!)

Looking forward to finding out what the CATs will be!

Looks like you have a busy reading year planned! I have a feeling that my challenge will have a lot in common with yours.

Great plans, and I enjoyed reading all the quotes!

Oh, very cool pics! And interesting challenges. Good luck!

>18 DeltaQueen50: >19 MissBrangwen: >20 majkia:
Thanks for visiting! It seems reading down owned or TBR books is a common theme next year. Too many books, too little time, as always!

I like the quotes! My fave picture is Off Your Shelf with all those books tumbling about and stacked up. Good luck and happy reading!

That's a great setup! And good luck with whittling down the TBR. I hope to do that every year, and I keep failing. But I have fun trying.

Excellent theme! I'm (as usual) going to be TBR-focused too.

Have a great challenge year!

Wonderful setup! And very challenging. Happy reading in 2023.

Great challenge! Happy reading in 2023!

>17 JayneCM: 6685 on the tbr is 18.3 books a day over a year, so you might have to spread them over two. Happy reading in 2023!

>29 pamelad: Sounds totally doable!

Great idea to fit everything in. I'm still pondering but I like your set-up.

Love the photos. Good luck with your 2023 reading

The quotes are great. Good reading in 2023.

> My favorite quotes are
"We conquer by continuing." George Matheson (may steal this one as a motto for my decluttering project this year.)

and "A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say." Italo Calvino (this is one reason I reread)

Good luck reading off your shelves & toread list.

>34 markon: I love this: ""We conquer by continuing." George Matheson (may steal this one as a motto for my decluttering project this year.)"
I tell my kids I am trying to get organized.

>35 mnleona: 100%! Decluttering and organising is also big on my 2023 agenda. For some reason, I have a lot of books to sort out!

Count me in for the decluttering and organizing. I did go through some of my books this year and passed them along to the library, but there are many other things and places that need a good declutter.

>37 dudes22: Be careful about weeding your collection, whether it is books or other stuff! I did that nearly two years ago when we were getting ready to move to a smaller home, and regretting getting rid of some items. I ended up buying some stuff I discarded!

>38 LadyoftheLodge: - I did that too when we moved.

>38 LadyoftheLodge: 100% agree! This is why I hardly ever get rid of books. I have done it before and missed them so much!

Happy reading in 2023!

>40 JayneCM: Yes, it was like missing old friends! I had this same conversation with our neighbor last week, and he said the hardest thing in moving was cleaning out his office and weeding his books. I agree!

Stopping by with best wishes for your 2023 reading.

Enjoy your 2023 books!

Finished my last book of 2022 with just under eight hours to go to 2023!
I may just start my next book a little early.

January 2023

1. Fright Squad by Flint Maxwell - finished 1st January 2023 - January ScaredyKIT - comedy horror
2. 4:50 From Paddington by Agatha Christie - finished 2nd January 2023 - January MysteryKIT - Tv/movie detectives
3. The Vampire Knitting Club by Nancy Warren - finished 2nd January 2023 - BingoDOG - art/craft related
4. Ithaca by Claire North - finished 7th January 2023 - January AlphaKIT - letter I
5. Marple: Twelve New Stories -finished 13th January 2023 - January Off Your Shelf monthly TBR game - white cover
6. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden - finished 18th January 2022 - January RandomKIT - hidden gems
7. Chess by Stefan Zweig - finished 20th January 2023 - January 1001 Challenge - short book
8. The Mirror Crack'd From Side To Side by Agatha Christie - finished 24th January 2023 - January AlphaKIT - letter S
9. Garlic and the Vampire by Bree Paulsen - finished 25th January 2023 - January KiddyCAT - picture books and graphic novels
10. Bird Box by Josh Malerman - finished 26th January 2023 - BingoDOG - more than 1000 copies on LT
11. The Timber Girls by Rosie Archer - finished 30th January 2023 - January Off Your Shelf monthly TBR game - recently published

11/318 = 3.46%

Read Around The World 0/15 = 0%
1001 Monthly Challenge 1/12 = 8.33% Chess
BingoDOG 2/25 = 8% The Vampire Knitting Club, Bird Box
KiddyCAT 1/12 = 8.33% Garlic and the Vampire
SeriesCAT 0/12 = 0%
GeoCAT 0/12 = 0%
ClassicsCAT 0/12 = 0%
RandomKIT 1/12 = 8.33% The Bear and the Nightingale
AlphaKIT 2/26 = 7.69% Ithaca, The Mirror Crack'd From Side To Side
MysteryKIT 1/12 = 8.33% 4:50 From Paddington
ScaredyKIT 1/12 = 8.33% Fright Squad
SFFKIT 0/12 = 0%
Off Your Shelf Challenge - monthly prompts 0/72 = 0%
Off Your Shelf Challenge - TBR game 2/72 = 2.78% Marple: Twelve New Stories, The Timber Girls

Book 1. Fright Squad by Flint Maxwell

January ScaredyKIT - comedy horror

Gross comedy horror, with slimy tentacles protruding from unmentionable body parts and funny chapter titles. This is written in an easy to read first person conversational style with plenty of silly puns and slapstick humour, reminiscent of spoof horror movies.
I enjoyed this first visit with the monster hunters of Fright Squad.

>49 mstrust: And to you!

Book 2. 4:50 From Paddington by Agatha Christie

January MysteryKIT - Tv/movie detectives

Why can I never solve an Agatha Christie?! Right up until the last pages, Miss Marple plays her cards close to her chest and then just reveals the murderer so easily.
This was one of the more intriguing Miss Marples - I liked that is was based around a family. And the fact that the murder was witnessed so fleetingly was a great plot point.

>51 JayneCM: One of my favorite Christies as well.

Book 3. The Vampire Knitting Club by Nancy Warren

BingoDOG - art/craft related

Such a cosy, fun and enjoyable read. The setting was delightful, both the knitting shop itself and the town of Oxford. The fact that there were both witches and vampires, and such charming ones, added extra interest to the story. And I loved the descriptions of the knitted jumpers.

>46 JayneCM: I felt the same joy when I was able to pick up my first book of 2023!

>51 JayneCM: That's a great Miss Marple story.

Book 4. Ithaca by Claire North

January AlphaKIT - letter I

As you can imagine, this is a slow moving story but still so powerful. Penelope, while appearing to be meek and submissive, is quietly scheming. All the men around her discount her intelligence, her strength and her cunning.

. . . . the queens of Greece are not given many choices that are their own.

But Penelope makes her choices regardless, and succeeds as she knows how to play the men without them even realising.

The story is relayed by Hera, who, despite being a goddess, is also a woman discounted by the men around her, particularly her husband Zeus. The reader delights in Penelope's success, just as Hera does. Hera's witty and sarcastic comments are such fun.

A worthy addition to the plethora of Greek mythology retellings.

Popping in to say I just finished listening to The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street and really enjoyed it.

>56 JayneCM: - I read her book The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August last year which was one of our book club reads last year. Which was science fiction, so obviously she writes in various genres.

I heard an interview with Claire North a couple of years ago and thought she sounded so interesting I really ought to read one of her books (although of course, I've never got round to that). I might add Ithaca to my wishlist, I like the sound of that.

>56 JayneCM: Oooooo I have this out from the library!

>57 dudes22: I only read that about the author after reading this book - very interested to read her other works now.

>58 Jackie_K: >59 rabbitprincess: Hope you enjoy it!

Book 5. Marple: Twelve New Stories by various authors

January Off Your Shelf monthly TBR game - white cover

If you love Miss Marple, this is an enjoyable collection of stories featuring our favourite elderly sleuth. Nothing can match Christie, of course, but it was fun to read different interpretations.
I liked that the stories covered different decades so we 'met' a few different Miss Marples. And that noone really altered her persona - the stories included her nephew, Dolly Bantry and all the people we expect to encounter in a Miss Marple book.
And the last story - naughty Miss Marple!

>56 JayneCM: Been on my WL for sometime. Need to move it up!

>1 JayneCM: Your challenges always draw me in. Happy Reading this year!

>61 JayneCM: Perhaps one day! I'm not sure if I want to read these or be true to the canon.

>56 JayneCM: Sounds really interesting so I've requested it from the Library. I'm also interested in Marple.

>61 JayneCM: I have that book in my stack but it has a different cover. Looking forward to it!

Book 6. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

January RandomKIT - hidden gems

I have been meaning to read this series for SO long as I love Russian folklore and retellings. A retelling of Vasilisa the Beautiful (I have also seen it called Vasilisa the Brave), this is a chilling and oh so atmospheric story. Vasya's family and the village live on the edge of existence, often almost starving by the time each winter ends. Conditions are ripe for someone to be blamed for their harsh lives and the finger points at Vasya. But Vasya may be the only one who can save them.
The atmosphere of deep winter and the folkloric creatures of Russia were haunting. Vasya's struggle to contain her differentness yet also embrace it was beautifully written. My only issue would be it was slow pacing for most of the book. The ending was suitably abrupt and left it on such a cliffhanger that you want to get straight to the next book in the trilogy.

>67 JayneCM: Glad you liked it! I read it last year and could barely finish!

>68 Tess_W: I was expecting to absolutely adore it as I love anything Russian. It is definitely slow, but the setting and the folklore boosted it just enough for me. I am hoping the next one will be a quicker paced book.

Book 7. Chess by Stefan Zweig

January 1001 Challenge - short book
January 1001 group read

A perfect novella, fast paced and absorbing. The two opposing character studies of the two men who will ultimately play each other are compelling. All the more so as this book was published during the height of Germany's power during World War II, yet Zweig was brave enough to publish a book describing Gestapo interrogations during the annexation of Austria and mentioning the concentration camps, of which people were still unclear as to the true extent of the horrors being perpetrated.
The unveiling of the mind being tortured rather than the body is brilliantly written.

>70 JayneCM: - Great review! I have dodged that book for some time (not a chess player) but your review intrigues me enough to add it to my ‘maybe at some point’ reading list.

>71 lkernagh: There is not much at all about chess - and it is very short!

Book 8. The Mirror Crack'd From Side To Side by Agatha Christie

January AlphaKIT - letter S

I think this may be my favourite Miss Marple so far. Despite her age and everyone's insistence that she requires 'looking after', Miss Marple still solves the mystery in her own indomitable way.
I am almost at the end of the Miss Marple series. Will I ever solve one before Miss Marple reveals the murderer?!

Book 9. Garlic and the Vampire by Bree Paulsen

January KiddyCAT - picture books and graphic novels

I just want to hug this book forever! It is simply perfection.
Garlic is anxious, worries about everything and fears disappointing others. How can Garlic confront the vampire? A wonderful read for those of us who suffer from the same.
The illustrations are just adorable and so detailed, with every vegetable having its own distinct personality. The relationship between Garlic and Carrot is beautiful.

>70 JayneCM: have several of his on my shelf, including that one. Need to get to it!

>74 JayneCM: I must be a Garlic, since I fit the description so well.

Book 10. Bird Box by Josh Malerman

BingoDOG - more than 1000 copies on LT

Just my kind of story - dystopia, survival against unknown creatures, a fierce mother caring for her children against all odds.
This is a fast moving and compelling read, made more so by the use of a split timeline. Malorie is a strong and fierce yet compassionate character, finding the strength to do what she must to survive and train her children to survive.
Unfortunately, I had watched the movie before I knew it was a book, something I will NEVER do if I can help it! Some of the suspense was lessened by knowing what was coming, but not to the detriment of my reading enjoyment. It still definitely made me read faster, even though I knew the outcome.

>75 Tess_W: I am a Garlic too. Why I loved this so much! Also loved The Sad Ghost Club for those with social anxiety.

Book 11. The Timber Girls by Rosie Archer

January Off Your Shelf monthly TBR game - recently published

While this was an enjoyable enough read, it was simplistic and predictable. There was too much telling - I really dislike when characters convey historical information in conversation as it becomes too stilted and forced rather than sounding like a natural conversation.
The first half of the book was very slow; it did become more interesting as it progressed, enough so that I will probably continue the series.
It was particularly interesting to see a book about a lesser known occupation of women during the war. It was not until 2007 that these women received official government recognition of their efforts.

February 2023

12. Always, Clementine by Carlie Sorosiak - finished 5th February 2023 - February Off Your Shelf Monthly Prompts - warm and fuzzy
13. The High House by Jessie Greengrass - finished 7th February 2023 - February Off Your Shelf Monthly Prompts - green cover
14. The Girl In The Tower by Katherine Arden - finished 10th February 2023- February Off Your Shelf TBR Game - number 2 in a series
15. The Psychology of Time Travel by Kate Mascarenhas - finished 15th February 2023 - January Off Your Shelf TBR Game - pretty cover
16. The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams - finished 17th February 2023 - February Off Your Shelf TBR Game - number 1 in a series
17. The Hate Race by Maxine Beneba Clarke - finished 24th February 2023 - January Off Your Shelf TBR Game - published over five years ago

17/318 = 5.35%

Read Around The World 0/15 = 0%
1001 Monthly Challenge 1/12 = 8.33%
BingoDOG 2/25 = 8%
KiddyCAT 1/12 = 8.33%
SeriesCAT 0/12 = 0%
GeoCAT 0/12 = 0%
ClassicsCAT 0/12 = 0%
RandomKIT 1/12 = 8.33%
AlphaKIT 2/26 = 7.69%
MysteryKIT 1/12 = 8.33%
ScaredyKIT 1/12 = 8.33%
SFFKIT 0/12 = 0%
Off Your Shelf Challenge - monthly prompts 2/72 = 2.78% Always, Clementine, The High House
Off Your Shelf Challenge - TBR game 6/72 = 8.33% The Girl In The Tower, The Psychology of Time Travel, The Bromance Book Club, The Hate Race

Book 12. Always, Clementine by Carlie Sorosiak

February Off Your Shelf Monthly Prompts - warm and fuzzy

"Here's another thought, Rosie: if someone is telling you what you have to be, then you might miss the opportunity to be what you are."

The story of Clementine the lab mouse and her best friend Rosie the chimpanzee is so beautiful - beautifully written and so special. It takes the form of letters Clementine is composing in her head for Rosie, telling all her adventures since she was freed from the lab.
The humans who help Clementine are a delightfully eclectic bunch, the best kind of people.
A book that highlights the good that we all have inside us; we just have to look for it and make sure it shines.

>81 JayneCM: Taking a BB for this one. Sounds adorable. I loved the author's book Leonard: My Life as a Cat

>82 lowelibrary: And I will take a BB for Leonard - it looks like heaps of fun!

>83 JayneCM: Ditto that! I love cat books!

Book 13. The High House by Jessie Greengrass

February Off Your Shelf Monthly Prompts - green cover

". . . . that all the safety and the comfort we had, the heating and the insulation, the gas hobs and electric lights, the things which happened when a switch was pressed, had their own cost. For decades, we had deferred payment, or passed the bill along, but soon it would be due, and who else was there left to pay?"

This book is categorised on Goodreads as science fiction and dystopia, but if so, this is the dystopian book that everyone must read as this, as the above quote says, is coming closer to our reality every day.
Despite the harsh reality of its topic, the book is quite gentle and calming to read. It shows that we need to face the realities of climate change and prepare for them, without the guns and zombies. But it is also a story of family and found family and how much we will need each other even more in the future to come.

>85 JayneCM: I immediately ordered this because it looks as if it is just the right text to use excerpts from in one of my upcoming courses (it deals with challenges of the English-speaking world and climate change is one of the aspects included). This will be a great addition, thank you so much for sharing!

I am also interested in The High House and have added it to my list.

Enjoyed catching up on your thread!

>86 MissBrangwen: I certainly hope it turns out to be helpful for you. I liked that it was a realistic portrayal - there was a particular passage that talked about how people in the UK had all donated money to charities when the climate refugees were in the Pacific islands and other regions that were first impacted by climate disasters, but it was just something happening 'over there'. Then there were images on the news of 'us', people from their own country, becoming homeless due to flooding, and it all became real to them. I am hoping people take more notice before we all have to face the situations discussed in this novel.

>87 DeltaQueen50: I hope you find it interesting. It is hard to say 'enjoy', although it is also a lovely story.

>88 VictoriaPL: Thanks for visiting!

>85 JayneCM: I wondered if that was a pen name (Greengrass) but none of the websites I looked at say so. I look forward to reading this.

>85 JayneCM: I took a good look at this a year ago...might have read 10 pages. I set it aside...I'm such a mood reader and it didn't capture me then. The premise absolutely appeals to me though so now with your review, I will put it back on my TBR and hope to get to it soon.
Thanks!

Book 14. The Girl In The Tower by Katherine Arden

February Off Your Shelf TBR Game - number 2 in a series

" "I want freedom. But I also want a place and a purpose. I am not sure I can have either, let alone both." "

Vasya has travelled from the small village that has been her whole life to now, hoping to find her purpose and a place where she can belong as she is. Yet this seems to become more and more impossible to her.

"Every time you take one path, you must live with the memory of the other: of a life left unchosen."

The legend/fairy tale of Vasilisa has always been one of my favourites and the author has done a magnificent job of bringing her to life, with all her doubts and flaws as well as her incredible courage and determination. The 'romance' is bittersweet and perfect. The brutality of life in medieval Russia is expressed on every page as is the beauty and harshness of the landscape.
A captivating book.

Book 15. The Psychology of Time Travel by Kate Mascarenhas

January Off Your Shelf TBR Game - pretty cover

"Two women, who'd already witnessed each other's deaths, married on the first day of spring."

The enigma of time travel, with all its twists and turns, is a topic that always catches my attention. I love to see how different authors use the device of time travel in constructing their story. And I must say, this is the most ingenious one I have read. It follows various POVs across various timelines but melds them together so well that there is no difficulty in following them. I especially love how the author has included a number of appendices, detailing psychometric tests used by the Conclave when assessing time travellers as well as a glossary of terms, all as though this is reality.
The characterisation is superb. And the romance was exquisitely written. I was not expecting it, but it was beautiful.
Although this is not action packed, it is so cleverly constructed and elegantly written that it is a totally engaging read.

Book 16. The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams

February Off Your Shelf TBR Game - number 1 in a series

First let me preface this review by saying that I have pretty much come to the conclusion that I am too much of a cynic to enjoy romance. At face value, this is an enjoyable enough read and I quite liked the introduction of chapters from the Regency romance that the book club were reading.
But overall, this book seemed insulting to the intelligence, both 'brain' and emotional, of both the male and female characters. The characters were all flat and one-dimensional.
But I can see why romance readers love this book - just not for me!

>94 JayneCM: I can't read contemporary romances but can manage to suspend my cynicism and enjoy historical romances, perhaps because marriage was usually the best option for women back then. Even so, the people and the plots are very unlikely!

>95 pamelad: Same. I think because the historical context makes it more interesting as well.

Book 17. The Hate Race by Maxine Beneba Clarke

January Off Your Shelf TBR Game - published more than five years ago

Being the playgrounds and school of my childhood and teen years, this felt instantly recognisable in some aspects. The horror we know feel (hopefully most of us) at racist comments and actions were ignored and thus tacitly accepted in the 80s and 90s. The reactions of some of the teachers was just appalling.
A memoir that shows the deep scarring caused by casual and indifferent racism that grinds you down day after day.

March 2023

18. The Midnight House by Amanda Geard - finished 5th March 2023 - BingoDOG - small town/rural setting
19. Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus - finished 8th March 2023 - BingoDOG - STEM topic
20. The Girl, the Dog and the Writer in Rome by Katrina Nannestad - finished 9th March 2023 - February Off Your Shelf Challenge Monthly Prompts - animal on cover or in title
21. An Afterlife For Rosemary Lamb by Louise Wolhuter - finished 13th March 2023 - January Off Your Shelf TBR Game - title begins with the, a or an
22. Where The Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire - finished 14th March 2023 - March AlphaKIT - letter G
23. A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie - finished 16th March 2023 - February MysteryKIT - classic setting
24. The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling - finished 18th March 2023 - BingoDOG - Read a CAT (January SeriesCAT - a series new to you)
25. Night Blue by Angela O'Keeffe - finished 19th March 2023 - March Off Your Shelf Monthly Prompts - Reading Rainbow - blue
26. Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens - finished 23rd March 2023 - February KiddyCAT - mystery
27. The Book Haters' Book Club by Gretchen Anthony - finished 25th March 2023 - BingoDOG - book on the cover
28. Matilda by Roald Dahl - finished 27th March 2023 - February Off Your Shelf Monthly Prompts - Gonzo - nerdy or geeky character
29. J. R. R. Tolkien (Little People, BIG DREAMS) by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara - finished 28th March 2023 - February AlphaKIT - letter J
30. Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes - finished 29th March 2023 - January Off Your Shelf Challenge TBR Game - female main character
31. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl - finished 30th March 2023 - March ClassicsCAT - classics on the screen

31/318 = 9.75%

Read Around The World 0/15 = 0%
1001 Monthly Challenge 1/12 = 8.33%
BingoDOG 6/25 = 24% The Midnight House, Lessons In Chemistry, The Ex Hex, The Book Haters' Book Club
KiddyCAT 2/12 = 16.67% Murder Most Unladylike
SeriesCAT 0/12 = 0%
GeoCAT 0/12 = 0%
ClassicsCAT 1/12 = 8.33% Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
RandomKIT 1/12 = 8.33%
AlphaKIT 4/26 = 15.38% Where The Drowned Girls Go, J. R. R. Tolkien:(Little People, BIG DREAMS)
MysteryKIT 2/12 = 16.67% A Caribbean Mystery
ScaredyKIT 1/12 = 8.33%
SFFKIT 0/12 = 0%
Off Your Shelf Challenge - monthly prompts 5/72 = 6.94% The Girl, the Dog and the Writer in Rome, Night Blue, Matilda
Off Your Shelf Challenge - TBR game 8/72 = 11.11% An Afterlife For Rosemary Lamb, Stone Blind

Book 18. The Midnight House by Amanda Geard

BingoDOG - small town/rural setting

My favourite kind of historical fiction. The story evolves over three timelines as Ellie in 2019 finds out what happened to Charlotte in 1940 and Nancy and Hattie in 1958 and the pieces gradually start to fall into place.
A wonderful story about family and the secrets they keep.

Book 19. Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

BingoDOG - STEM topic

Spectacular, inspiring, witty, Elizabeth Zott bursts from the pages and captures your heart, mind and soul. I want to be Elizabeth when I grow up!
Uncompromising on issues that no one should have to comprise on, Elizabeth's courage is an inspiration to us all. From the start, Elizabeth is determined that "I will not play along." And she shows us why no woman should play along.
Mad is also wonderful. I remember being that child that the teacher said was lying, that you couldn't possibly be reading Dickens at nine years old. How lucky she is to have the determination and unconventional wisdom and support of a mother like Elizabeth.
With a supporting cast of misfit characters, this book is the perfect antidote for anyone who feels like they don't fit in, that they cannot achieve their dreams, that they will not be accepted for who they are. Elizabeth will cure you of that feeling!

"Do not allow your talents to lie dormant, ladies. Design your own future.

Oh, and the beautiful, bittersweet ending. Just perfection in every word.

>100 JayneCM: - I've had a few people recommend this to me as well as the hype I've been seeing about it, so I guess I'll need to get on the library list.

>100 JayneCM: I put this on hold six weeks' ago and have five to go. From your review it's worth the wait.

>101 dudes22: >102 pamelad: I really loved Elizabeth - hope you love her too.

Book 20. The Girl, the Dog and the Writer in Rome by Katrina Nannestad

February Off Your Shelf Monthly Prompts - animal on cover or in title

This is just the book I would have loved as a tween. A quiet, painfully shy, book and nature loving girl has to deal with changes in her life and learn how to open up to new people. All while visiting Rome and solving a mystery.
The writer, Tobias, may have been a little too over the top and the people of Rome's acceptance of his terrible behaviour and that of his dog may have been unrealistic (I think in reality there would have been more anger and less laughing!) but this is a charming story and all the characters are a delight.

>101 dudes22: - >103 JayneCM: - The wait list at the library is really long. I'm going to run in today to see my sister and I might see if it's on the 7-day no reserve shelf - probably not but it's worth a look.

>100 JayneCM: I, too, have been hearing about Lessons in Chemistry and your review makes it sound very appealing - so, onto the list it goes!

Book 21. An Afterlife For Rosemary Lamb by Louise Wolhuter

January Off Your Shelf TBR Game - title begins with the, a or an

"What can we take with us in the end, but the hope that we've left a memory with someone who will care enough to keep it?"

A beautifully crafted debut novel. The writing is stunning and painful in its melancholy. The setting is so evocative of place, stunning in its harshness and a perfect foil to the the story of the three women.
The story is told from three points of view, by three women who have become lost to the world. Through finding each other and developing a friendship, they discover the bravery to change their lives rather than letting life happen to them.

"It's incredible how completely your life can change when you haven't made any steps to change it yourself."

Do not read this expecting a murder mystery. The story of the missing girl is just a small part of this haunting and elegant novel.

Book 22. Where The Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire

March AlphaKIT - letter G

Although this book takes place in the 'real' world, new characters and worlds have been set in place which I am sure will be the settings for future books.
Another solid instalment in the Wayward Children series. I am totally in love with this series, the amazingly inventive world building and diverse and fascinating characters.

Book 23. A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie

February MysteryKIT - classic setting

Miss Marple is such a delight, not at all your sweet fluffy elderly lady. While not my favourite Marple for plot, it was a pleasure to have more Miss Marple in this book than some of the previous ones. Miss Marple was front and centre throughout the book.

>109 JayneCM: I have read the first three Miss Marple books so far and while I enjoyed them, I am delighted to hear that she will appear a bit more in one of the following books!

Book 24. The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling

BingoDOG - Read a CAT (January SeriesCAT - series new to you)

This was cute and fun, nothing special but an enjoyable way to spend a quiet afternoon. I appreciated that it was just a little steamy, not overly descriptive but just enough. A sweet, cosy witchy romance.

Book 25. Night Blue by Angela O'Keeffe

March Off Your Shelf Monthly Prompts - Reading Rainbow - blue



A fascinating and beautifully written book, told mainly in the first person voice of the painting Blue Poles by Jackson Pollock, highlighting the permanence and value of art opposed to the transient nature of human life.

"But mostly I am here with the people who visit me, alive in their gaze. I give myself to them, over and over. I am yours, I say . . . ."

Blue Poles is one of the few famous artworks I have ever seen in person and it is certainly a magnificent piece. Its sheer size makes it overwhelming and the fact that you can view it over and over and see and feel something different each time.

The author has brought to life the controversy over the purchase of Blue Poles (which is now valued at $500 million) and the fall of the Whitlam government in such a vivid and lyrical way.
And so evocative of place - you can smell the eucalyptus.

>109 JayneCM: After reading that one I was surprised to learn the location is a real place where Agatha Christie stayed. The hotel has cashed in on the fame and advertises it as such.

>112 JayneCM: I must have seen that art work when I visited the National Gallery in 2010, but I actually cannot remember! Such a pity! Added to the WL nevertheless.

>112 JayneCM: That is interesting! I will have to look it up.

>113 VivienneR: It has only been lent out twice, in 1998-99 and in 2016 and otherwise is on permanent display. As it weighs 99kg and measures 2.1 m x 4.86 m, I guess they don't want to move it around much! What a shame that you missed it. The book does talk about other artworks that the painting can 'see' from its position, so you may recognise some of them.

Book 26. Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens

February KiddyCAT - mystery

While I did like the mystery in this story and all the supporting characters, I found Daisy to be such an insufferable beast that I couldn't enjoy the book as much. I realise that her character is appropriate, both to the time and to an English girls' boarding school, but still. She was so unbearable in her belief in her own perfection and infallibility, although it was promising to see glimpses of that slipping and Hazel potentially coming into her own in future books.

>116 JayneCM: Hang in there with the series! Hazel does come into her own in later books.

>117 LadyoftheLodge: I figured she would - it was just starting to show a glimpse!

Book 27. The Book Haters' Book Club by Gretchen Anthony

BingoDOG - book on the cover

A book about a bookshop should be love at first sight. But I just couldn't get onboard with any of the characters - they all seemed quite flat.
If the book had been written in Elliott's voice, that would have been a different matter. He (and Judy!) were my favourites.
Or if the book had simply consisted of 300 pages of newsletters with book recommendations, that would have been perfectly amazing. I enjoyed agreeing with the recommendations for books I have already read (I tell everyone about Hollow Kingdom!) and immediately adding others to my to read list.

Book 28. Matilda by Roald Dahl

February Off Your Shelf Monthly Prompts - Gonzo - nerdy or geeky character

Matilda is a book I just love to reread. I cannot say I read it as a child (I certainly wish Matilda had been around then, to show that I wasn't alone in my love of books!) as the book was published when I was already a teenager. But it is a book I have read many times as an adult, both for myself and as a read aloud to my children. We all adore Matilda and Miss Honey and we all love to hate Miss Trunchbull, an extraordinary villain. Roald Dahl weaves a magical spell with his words and characters that is unsurpassed.

Book 29. J. R. R. Tolkien (Little People, BIG DREAMS) by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara

February AlphaKIT - letter J

Of course there is not much substance to this book as it is designed as a biography for very young readers or as a read aloud picture book. But anything that will introduce the world of Middle-Earth and hobbits to new readers will be loved by me. This biography will make young readers think, 'I want to read all about the elves, hobbits and dwarves.' The illustrations are delightful.

>120 JayneCM: While I loved Matilda, I feel this exact same way about Roald Dahl's The Witches

>122 lowelibrary: True, true! Or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Book 30. Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes

January Off Your Shelf Challenge TBR Game - female main character

" . . . as the story is always told, she is the one you should fear. She is the monster.
We'll see about that."

This is the story of Medusa from her perspective, showing the gods and goddesses and heroes such as Perseus to be not as perfect as we may have been led to believe. A book that shows that there are always more than one side to a story and we can never truly understand an event until we see it from all the viewpoint of all the participants.
I loved the depiction of the gods, goddesses and heroes as having clay feet, just like the rest of us; being just as disposed to whinging, and pathetic and petty behaviour.
A wonderful voice for Medusa.

Book 31. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

March ClassicsCAT - classics on the screen

It's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - what can I say?! Dahl's irreverent humour and the underdog taking the day is a winning combination. And of course the wonderfully imaginative setting of the chocolate factory. Kids (and many adults) will always love this book. There is a reason there are so many modern middle grade authors trying to copy Dahl's style!

April 2023

32. My Life As A Cat by Carlie Sorosiak - finished 1st April 2023 - BingoDOG - features member of cat family
33. The Sun Walks Down by Fiona McFarlane - finished 2nd April 2023 - March Off Your Shelf Challenge monthly prompts - Reading Rainbow - orange
34. The Snow Song by Sally Gardner - finished 4th April 2023 - April SFFKIT - Historical SFF
35. A Little In Love by Susan E. Fletcher - finished 5th April 2023 - March Off Your Shelf Challenge TBR Game - songs from musicals (Can You Feel The Love Tonight from The Lion King)
36. The Dangerous Business of Being Trilby Moffat by Kate Temple - finished 7th April 2023 - March Off Your Shelf TBR Game - songs from musicals (There's No Business Like Show Business from There's No Business Like Show Business)
37. Stitches and Witches by Nancy Warren - finished 8th April 2023 - February Off Your Shelf TBR Game - number 2 in a series
38. Amazing Grace Adams by Fran Littlewood - finished 14th April 2023 - March AlphaKIT - letter A
39. Seacrow Island by Astrid Lindgren - finished 16th April 2023 - February Off Your Shelf monthly prompts - Swedish Chef - set in a Scandinavian country
40. Where The Trees Were by Inga Simpson - finished 19th April 2023 - April Off Your Shelf TBR game - Words and Letters - question word in title
41. Daughters of War by Dinah Jefferies - finished 21st April 2023 - January Off Your Shelf monthly prompts - Stephen King author spotlight - Stephen King's two sons are both published authors and his daughter is a church minister and gay activist - read a book about a family or siblings
42. The Hidden Palace by Dinah Jefferies - finished 24th April 2023 - Read Around The World (Malta)
43. The Sad Ghost Club Volume 3 by Lize Meddings - finished 26th April 2023 - BingoDOG - next in series you have started
44. The Year of the Hare by Arto Paasilinna - finished 27th April 2023 - February 1001 Reading Challenge - random letter generator - H
45. Baker's Coven by Nancy Warren - finished 28th April 2023 - March MysteryKIT - paranormal

45/318 = 14.15%

Read Around The World 1/15 = 6.67% The Hidden Palace
1001 Monthly Challenge 2/12 = 16.67% The Year of the Hare
BingoDOG 8/25 = 32% My Life As A Cat,The Sad Ghost Club Volume 3
KiddyCAT 2/12 = 16.67%
SeriesCAT 0/12 = 0%
GeoCAT 0/12 = 0%
ClassicsCAT 1/12 = 8.33%
RandomKIT 1/12 = 8.33%
AlphaKIT 5/26 = 19.23% Amazing Grace Adams
MysteryKIT 3/12 = 25% Baker's Coven
ScaredyKIT 1/12 = 8.33%
SFFKIT 1/12 = 8.33% The Snow Song
Off Your Shelf Challenge - monthly prompts 8/72 = 11.11% The Sun Walks Down, Seacrow Island, Daughters of War
Off Your Shelf Challenge - TBR game 12/72 = 16.67% A Little In Love, The Dangerous Business of Being Trilby Moffat, Stitches and Witches, Where The Trees Were

Book 32. My Life As A Cat by Carlie Sorosiak

BingoDOG - features member of cat family

A touching, humorous, totally heartfelt story of a cat (or is he?) and the family he discovers.

"I don't understand everything about being human, but I do know a great deal about the soul: how it travels, and travels, until it finds someone that feels like home."

This is a story for all those kids who are made to feel 'weird' and socially unacceptable; who try to alter themselves to fit in the narrow confined spaces our society deems to be 'normal'. And how those kids should be able to embrace their thoughts and feelings wholeheartedly and live the lives that they want for themselves.
It is a story of finding family and acceptance and love, sometimes within a traditional family and sometimes elsewhere. Everyone has a soulmate, a friend or family member that truly gets you.
A pure delight to read - Leonard and Olive will stay in my thoughts.

>124 JayneCM: Taking a BB for this one.
>127 JayneCM: Happy to see you enjoyed Leonard as much as I did.

Book 33. The Sun Walks Down by Fiona McFarlane

March Off Your Shelf Challenge monthly prompts - Reading Rainbow - orange

Undoubtedly beautiful, lyrical and haunting writing, bringing to life the Australian bush. The colours are so vivid, using the colours of the sunset to mark the progression of Denny's journey through the bush. Each character is masterfully created, even the ones who appear for only a few pages.
Yet as a whole, the book seemed slightly disjointed, rather as though it was a series of character studies, loosely linked together by Denny's disappearance.
A wonderful representation of the Australian bush in all its beauty and terrifying harshness. I particularly enjoyed the nod to one of my favourite childhood books, Dot and the Kangaroo.

Book 34. The Snow Song by Sally Gardner

April SFFKIT - Historical SFF

"Stand tall, be brave. The one thing men fear most is the freedom of a woman to be herself."

The hauntingly beautiful and magical story of Edith.
Living in an isolated village in Transylvania, Edith is subject to the rule of the men of the village. Yet what happens to the women behind closed doors is destined to be revealed.
The claustrophobic setting adds to the suspense of the leadup to the inevitable ending. And the love story is heart breaking and ethereal and just so beautifully written.

>121 JayneCM: Oooh, that is one I need to have!

>124 JayneCM: I have always been fascinated by the myth of Medusa, so this is certainly a must read for the future.

>129 JayneCM: And yet another BB! "A wonderful representation of the Australian bush in all its beauty and terrifying harshness." I love this sentence.

Book 35. A Little In Love by Susan E. Fletcher

March Off Your Shelf Challenge TBR Game - songs from musicals (Can You Feel The Love Tonight from The Lion King)

Eponine's story is one of the most heart breaking in classic literature and this book captures her spirit perfectly. Even though you know the story, the ending is a tearjerker and beautifully written.
Alternatively, there is no need to have read Les Mis to become totally engrossed in this book. No prior knowledge of the characters is required to follow the story and fall a little in love with Eponine ourselves.

Taking a BB for Stone Blind! Thanks for pointing it out with your review.

Book 36. The Dangerous Business of Being Trilby Moffat by Kate Temple

March Off Your Shelf Challenge TBR Game - songs from musicals (There's No Business Like Show Business From There's No Business Like Show Business)

A fun ride through time. How can I not love a book that is narrated by a thylacine? The take off of the self-importance of some middle managers and the monotony and pointlessness of much office work is hilarious. The advertisement for the job in the mailroom is so good.
The ending was quite abrupt and definitely leaves the reader waiting for the next instalment in Trilby's adventures (coming out in July).

Book 37. Stitches and Witches by Nancy Warren

February Off Your Shelf TBR Game - number 2 in a series

Another quick and fun cosy mystery series. Although there is not much of the vampires or witches in the series so far, I love what I have seen of them. And the Oxford setting is perfect.

Book 38. Amazing Grace Adams by Fran Littlewood

March AlphaKIT - letter A

Grace Adams is having a very bad day, but she is taking control.

"She's had it with biting her lip, keeping the peace, squeezing herself into an ever-shrinking space that dictates what it's acceptable for her to say, to do, to be."

I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. It uses one of my favourite writing techniques, timelines that move towards each other, in this case three timelines. We know that something has happened to lead Grace to this terrible day and the whole picture is gradually built up until the full heart breaking story is revealed.
I totally related to Grace's current day scenario - I think we have probably all wanted to say and do exactly what we felt like, with no constraints.
Humorous and heartfelt.

Book 39. Seacrow Island by Astrid Lindgren

February Off Your Shelf monthly prompts - Swedish Chef - set in a Scandinavian country

"A dwelling in the uttermost parts of the sea."

This is one of those delightful books of an idyllic childhood - who didn't dream of having a whole island to roam with a rowboat to take you on adventures to other islands?
Complete with an eccentric, muddleheaded father, loving older sister to care for you and make you gorgeous food and animals galore, this is a classic that can be enjoyed by all ages.

>137 JayneCM: Oh, I read so many books by Astrid Lindgren when I was a child and I still have most of them! I haven't read this one, but plan to do so one day, because it sounds so beautiful.

>138 MissBrangwen: Hope you enjoy it. I love the Swedish holiday house tradition.

Book 40. Where The Trees Were by Inga Simpson

April Off Your Shelf TBR game - Words and Letters - question word in title

"It was bad enough taking the land, but we're talking about deliberately destroying a people's cultural heritage."

A beautiful, atmospheric book about childhood friends, growing up in an isolated farming community. After finding a grove of carved trees, they swear to always be friends and always protect the trees. As an adult, Jayne finds she needs to make a choice to keep this promise.

In the past, many Aboriginal artefacts were destroyed or removed and sent to various collectors, museums or other institutions, either in Australia or overseas. Even human remains were treated as such and we are only now really focusing on their return to their rightful places.
This book focuses on arborglyphs in particular, carved trees which marked important burial places and were often used for sacred rituals such as initiation rites. There are hardly any of these trees left in situ. There are still cases today of artefacts such as these in isolated areas being destroyed rather than admit the rightful land owners' have a claim to such sacred areas.



The ethics and responsibility of current 'owners' of these artefacts is explored, including practices such as museums being too embarrassed to admit they have such items in their collections so burying them in storage and the incredible slow and arduous process of reparation.

The alternate timelines between Jay as a child and Jayne as an adult shows how past experiences can define us and influence future decision making.

And also an absorbing nature read, articulating the Australian bush in all its beauty and harshness.

>140 JayneCM: That‘s another BB for me! I have never heard of arborglyphs before. Thank you for including the picture.

>141 MissBrangwen: I am ashamed to say I had not either, not their full meaning anyway. I appreciated that the book was about a little mentioned part of Aboriginal culture.

Book 41. Daughters of War by Dinah Jefferies

January Off Your Shelf monthly prompts - Stephen King author spotlight - Stephen King's two sons are both published authors and his daughter is a church minister and gay activist - read a book about a family or siblings

An easy and enjoyable read about three sisters living in Nazi occupied France. The descriptions of the area are lovely, as is the relationship between the sisters. Possibly a tad too predictable but most of these historical fiction reads tend to follow a certain formula. The ending is certainly left open enough that I wish to continue with the trilogy.

Book 42. The Hidden Palace by Dinah Jefferies

Read Around The World (Malta)

The search for the missing Rosalie was interesting, as was learning more about Malta. Another easy read in this series, but it lost momentum towards the end.

>140 JayneCM: Oh, this looks so interesting! I love the book world. When I want a book that isn't new, I normally look for a used trade paperback in Very Good condition from an independent bookstore or individual first. When it comes to authors from outside the U.S., if their books aren't well known buying that way may not be possible. I checked Amazon for this title and they had a few that meets my criteria but when I searched ABE I found a copy available from an individual in a town of 257 people in Southern Texas! Just the person I was looking for.

>145 clue: How wonderful! It is not a well known book even here in Australia, so that is a great find.

Book 43. The Sad Ghost Club Volume 03 by Lize Meddings

BingoDOG - next in series you have started

You had me at the dedication/opening page: "For anyone trying to prove your worth. You're already enough."

What can I say about this series except that it makes me feel seen.
I adore the ghosties and I always will - the end.

"Sad Ghosts Forever!"

Book 44. The Year of the Hare by Arto Paasilinna

February 1001 Reading Challenge - random letter generator - H

A quirky, odd collection of incidents in a year spent travelling around Finland. A middle-aged man hits a hare with his car and, as you do, he decides to leave his life behind and travel with his new companion, finding odd jobs as they go and running into all sorts of misadventures. Being written in the 70s, there are some politically incorrect moments but this is a bizarrely entertaining romp.

Book 45. Baker's Coven by Nancy Warren

March MysteryKIT - paranormal

A fun cosy series. I enjoy the mix of witches and baking. And there is enough interest generated by Poppy's birth story that I want to continue the series to find out about her past.

May 2023

46. Beyond The Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard by Tom Felton - finished 1st May 2023 - BingoDOG - memoir
47. Love, Locked Down by Beth Reekles - finished 3rd May 2023 - April AlphaKIT - letter D
48. Small Town, Big Magic by Hazel Beck - finished 6th May 2023 - February SFFKIT - SFF with romance
49. The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams - finished 8th May 2023 - BingoDOG - author under 30
50. The Last Kids On Earth by Max Brallier - finished 10th May 2023 - May ScaredyKIT - surviving the horror
51. From The Heart by Susan Hill - finished 12th May 2023 - April Off Your Shelf TBR Game - words and letters - noun in title
52. See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt - finished 15th May 2023 - February ScaredyKIT - historical horror
53. The Real Enid Blyton by Nadia Cohen - finished 18th May 2023 - April Off Your Shelf TBR Game - words and letters - proper noun in title
54. Live A Little by Howard Jacobson - finished 20th May 2023 - March Off Your Shelf TBR Game - Top of the Pops (top 100 songs from musicals) - On The Street Where You Live from My Fair Lady
55. The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith - finished 22nd May 2023 - March 1001 Challenge - International Women's Day
56. The Day The World Stops Shopping by J.B. Mackinnon - finished 27th May 2023 - BingoDOG - features journalist/journalism
57. The Book Spy by Alan Hlad - finished 30th May 2023 - May Off Your Shelf monthly prompts - Fairy Tales - Cinderella - secret or hidden identity

57/318 = 17.92%

Read Around The World 1/15 = 6.67%
1001 Monthly Challenge 3/12 = 25% The Talented Mr. Ripley
BingoDOG 11/25 = 44% Beyond The Wand, The Reading List, The Day The World Stops Shopping
KiddyCAT 2/12 = 16.67%
SeriesCAT 0/12 = 0%
GeoCAT 0/12 = 0%
ClassicsCAT 1/12 = 8.33%
RandomKIT 1/12 = 8.33%
AlphaKIT 6/26 = 23.08% Love, Locked Down
MysteryKIT 3/12 = 25%
ScaredyKIT 3/12 = 25% The Last Kids On Earth, See What I Have Done
SFFKIT 2/12 = 16.67% Small Town, Big Magic
Off Your Shelf Challenge - monthly prompts 9/72 = 12.5% The Book Spy
Off Your Shelf Challenge - TBR game 15/72 = 20.83% From The Heart, The Real Enid Blyton, Live A Little

Book 46. Beyond The Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard by Tom Felton

BingoDOG - a memoir

"It always surprises me, when people comment on the way I hold myself on set, that anything less than basic respect for the people around me should even be considered acceptable. That's an attitude we learned from people like Alan."

The Alan mentioned is, of course, Alan Rickman (love always).
This quote is why I found this memoir thoroughly enjoyable. I will always love anything that provides behind the scenes information of the Harry Potter world. But the down to earth and honest voice of Tom Felton, as well as the fun of growing up on movie sets and in a family of three older brothers, made this a wonderful read. There was no holding back of unflattering or humiliating events in his life and the ending chapters were compelling in their raw honesty. I appreciated that the author did not use his memoir, as some do, as a platform for criticising or blaming others who played a part in their lives. He admitted and owned his mistakes. If anything, he may have been a little too self-deprecating - he has done wonderful work, after all.
Well worth the read.

Book 47. Love, Locked Down by Beth Reekles

April AlphaKIT - letter D

While this is an interesting record of a time that we will all remember, the characters were too flat and predictable for it to be a hugely enjoyable read. There were some fun and cute moments but not enough of them and it took three quarters of the book to reach them.

Book 48. Small Town, Big Magic by Hazel Beck

February SFFKIT - SFF with romance

The magical elements of the book were interesting and well executed, particularly Cassie, the familiar, and her sarcastic wit. However the feminist aspects were much too heavy handed and overdone, to the point it felt like a lecture.
Overall an enjoyable read - the ending definitely makes you want to continue to the second book.

Book 49. The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams

BingoDOG - author under 30

A book about books, and in particular reading lists (I love to tick off a list!), are pretty much a guaranteed winner for me. This was a beautiful story of how books can connect totally disparate people and bring them comfort and happiness when they need it. And how the books themselves show us the world we live in and make us more compassionate, caring and understanding people.

Book 50. The Last Kids On Earth by Max Brallier

May ScaredyKIT - surviving the horror

A fun and silly romp through a monster/zombie apocalypse. I had issues with the fact that the only girl character was assumed to be a 'damsel in distress' and had to prove otherwise, whereas it was automatic that the boys were all heroes and would save the day. The illustrations are a big plus.

Book 51. From The Heart by Susan Hill

April Off Your Shelf TBR Game - words and letters - noun in title

" . . . she was quiet and wore large glasses and plain skirts and jumpers, and so was safe."

Olive, like so many women of the 50s, goes through life feeling she has no choice, that she is small and inconsequential and has no voice.
The sparse, matter of fact writing style makes this small novel all the more powerful in its melancholy, as we follow Olive from childhood to young adulthood.

Book 52. See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt

February ScaredyKIT - historical horror

Such a visceral read - it is impossible to read this book without an underlying feeling of utter disgust. The entire family is loathsome and it was all just too much of the same. If Lizzie Borden's father and stepmother were as portrayed in this fictional telling, I can see why she ended up as she did. That is, if she did take an axe. Did she or didn't she?

>135 JayneCM: I've been meaning to get to Stitches and Witches, since the first was so much fun. I love the knitting theme and the Oxford setting. I'm glad to see your positive review of this second book.

>158 JayneCM: Taking a BB for this one. I love Lizzie Borden and have not heard of this book.

>159 mathgirl40: I have the third one ready on my Kindle - perfect weekend relaxing reads!

>160 lowelibrary: It is very slow paced. I do not know much about the actual case to know how true to events it is, but it really made everyone out to be horrible people!

Book 53. The Real Enid Blyton by Nadia Cohen

April Off Your Shelf TBR Game - words and letters - proper noun in title

Like so many, I grew up voraciously devouring Enid Blyton books. Whether you love her or not, consider her work trivial, simplistic, sexist and racist, her contribution to the reading habits of children is undeniable. We still all want to go on a picnic with 'lashings of ginger beer.'
As former children's laureate Anne Fine comments:
"In times of failing reading levels and limitless other distractions, we grasp at any author who has that turn-the-page quality. And for reasons that remain entirely mysterious to reading adults, she certainly has that."

After watching the movie Enid, featuring the incomparable Helena Bonham-Carter as Enid Blyton, this biography read very much like the movie script as well as featuring analysis of her works and her notoriety as the most criticised children's author. Her family life was a disaster and definitely paid the price for her prolific output, about 800 titles by her death.

Overall, an interesting look into an author we have probably already read at least once in our childhood.

>163 JayneCM: I'm one of those who can credit Enid Blyton with fostering my love of reading. Not that I loved all her books - I really didn't get on with the Secret Seven, I found those really boring. But I loved the Famous Five, and the Adventure books in particular, and the Faraway Tree stories too when I was younger. I'm not remotely tempted to reread them though, I'll just keep the happy memories and the childlike obliviousness to all the problematic bits! I might keep an eye out for this book though, it sounds interesting.

You got me with the Susan Hill. I hadn't hear of that one and I've liked everything I've read from her.

Book 54. Live A Little by Howard Jacobson

March Off Your Shelf TBR Game - Top of the Pops (top 100 songs from musicals) - On The Street Where You Live from My Fair Lady

The wicked, darkly sardonic humour in this novel is just my cup of tea. Beryl's stitching of morbid death samplers and concocting new and much grimmer (some may say, more honest and based in reality) epitaphs for gravestones is hilarious.
Beryl, whose mind is 'losing stuff' at a rate of knots, meets Shimi, a man whose mind cannot let go of all his recollections of the wrongdoings of his past. Their conversations cover all the worries that we all have of aging and death, as something that we will all unavoidably have to face; death spares no one. The verbal sparring is wonderfully written.

Book 55. The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

March 1001 Challenge - International Women's Day

Having heard not much about the details of the story and never having seen the movie, I was not expecting what happened to Dickie and am glad that I had no inkling of the way the story was heading.
For a book where, to be honest, not much happens in between a few major events, you are kept in the grip of the twists and turns of Ripley's thought processes. Is he a cold hearted psychopath or just a pathetic little man who grasped an opportunity to raise himself in the social classes?

>166 JayneCM: You got me on this one! I love a dark humor book about aging.

Book 56. The Day The World Stops Shopping by J.B. MacKinnon

BingoDOG - features journalist/journalism

"There appeared to be two distinct paths that humans could take to meeting everyone's needs and wants. The first was to produce much; the second was to want little."

We all know which path most of the Western world has taken.
This book holds a unique position (so far, as I am sure more will be published) in that it was published after the pandemic. The pandemic gave us a clear picture of what does happen when the world stops shopping. Nature returned, the skies cleared, many people found much more fulfilling pastimes and ways of living and vowed they would maintain them after the world returned to 'normal'. Unfortunately the governments of the day had another narrative for us, urging everyone to get back to spending as the only possible way to save our economies. We have bought into this fallacy for way too long, to our and the planet's detriment.
The author chronicles the changes that could occur if we just cut our spending by 25%. For the majority of people, this would cover all those wasteful purchases that we do not need anyway. But he does it without being preachy or unrealistic. There are stories of major companies, such as Levis and Patagonia, that are actively encouraging a reduction in consumption of their products with programs such as buy backs to resell as second hand.
My hope is that we all heed the call to reduce consumption and allow the whales to return to the shipping lanes and our planet to recover from our previous excesses.

>169 JayneCM: That sounds good - I've added it to my wishlist.

Book 57. The Book Spy by Alan Hlad

May Off Your Shelf monthly prompts - Fairy Tales - Cinderella - hidden or secret identity

An interesting look into an area of World War II I knew little about - the librarians who were posted to neutral countries such as Sweden and Portugal to obtain microfilm of Axis publications. The character of Maria is based on a combination of two people, one a librarian and one a double agent.
The story advances slowly but still retains interest until it all comes to a climax in the last few pages.

June 2023

58. Limberlost by Robbie Arnott - finished 1st June 2023 - March GeoCAT - Australia and New Zealand
59. A Place To Hang The Moon by Kate Albus - finished 2nd June 2023 - March Off Your Shelf TBR Game - Top of the Pops (songs from musicals) - Stars and the Moon from Songs For A New World
60. Wintering by Krissy Kneen - finished 5th June 2023 - June Off Your Shelf monthly prompts - To The Movies - horror/thriller
61. The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn - finished 8th June 2023 - March Off Your Shelf TBR Game - Top of the Pops (songs from musicals) - If I Loved You from Carousel
62. Wylah the Koorie Warrior by Jordan Gould - finished 9th June 2023 - January Off Your Shelf monthly prompts - Stephen King - read an author's first published book
63. The Last Balfour by Cait Duggan - finished 12th June 2023 - February GeoCAT - place you would like to visit (Scotland)
64. Grace Notes by Karen Comer - finished 15th June 2023 - BingoDOG - features music or musician
65. Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A.F. Steadman - finished 16th June 2023 - April KiddyCAT - middle grade/YA fantasy
66. Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson - finished 17th June 2023 - April Off Your Shelf monthly prompts - elements - water
67. The Red Wind by Isobelle Carmody - finished 18th June 2023 - April Off Your Shelf monthly prompts - elements - air/wind
68. Away With The Penguins by Hazel Prior - finished 19th June 2023 - June Off Your Shelf TBR game - On The Cover - bird
69. Call of the Penguins by Hazel Prior - finished 20th June 2023 - May Off Your Shelf monthly prompts - Fairy Tales - Snow White - unusual/unexpected friendship
70. What Once Was Mine by Liz Braswell - finished 24th June 2023 - April SeriesCAT - read as a one off
71. A Walk In The Dark by Jane Godwin - finished 25th June 2023 - BingoDOG - local or regional author
72. Woman, Eating by Claire Kohda - finished 27th June 2023 - April ScaredyKIT - food horror
73. Crochet and Cauldrons by Nancy Warren - finished 29th June 2023 - February Off Your Shelf TBR game - Let's Climb Series Mountain
74. Victory In The Kitchen by Annie Gray - finished 30th June 2023 - June AlphaKIT - letter K

74/318 = 23.27%

Read Around The World 1/15 = 6.67%
1001 Monthly Challenge 3/12 = 25%
BingoDOG 13/25 = 52% Grace Notes, A Walk In The Dark
KiddyCAT 3/12 = 25% Skandar and the Unicorn Thief
SeriesCAT 1/12 = 8.33% What Once Was Mine
GeoCAT 2/12 = 16.67% Limberlost, The Last Balfour
ClassicsCAT 1/12 = 8.33%
RandomKIT 1/12 = 8.33%
AlphaKIT 7/26 = 26.92% Victory In The Kitchen
MysteryKIT 3/12 = 25%
ScaredyKIT 4/12 = 33.33% Woman, Eating
SFFKIT 2/12 = 16.67%
Off Your Shelf Challenge - monthly prompts 14/72 = 19.44% Wylah the Koorie Warrior, Open Water, The Red Wind, Call of the Penguins
Off Your Shelf Challenge - TBR game 19/72 = 26.39% A Place To Hang The Moon, The Viscount Who Loved Me, Away With The Penguins, Crochet and Cauldrons

>169 JayneCM: Great review! I think it is crazy how quickly everything became just as before the pandemic. I am happy about some things, but had hoped for more change in other areas, such as the appreciation of key workers or, as pointed out by this book, consumption.

Book 58. Limberlost by Robbie Arnott

March GeoCAT - Australia and New Zealand

The layering of Ned's growing up against the beauty and slow destruction of the forests and wildlife of Tasmania and the loss of the indigenous peoples is magnificent. It covers so many issues while hardly seeming to at all. The pacing is perfect; the novel seems measured and gentle yet it covers a whole lifetime at a lightning pace. It is definitely a special art to achieve this in writing and the author does it to perfection.
The depiction of the wild and tamed landscape of Tasmania is beautifully portrayed; the colours, the smells, so evocative.

Book 59. A Place To Hang The Moon by Kate Albus

March Off Your Shelf TBR Game - Top of the Pops (songs from musicals) - Stars and the Moon from Songs For A New World

A warm hug and a steaming mug of hot chocolate by a cosy fireplace with your favourite comfort read - that is this delightful book. I did not want it to end.

Book 60. Wintering by Krissy Kneen

June Off Your Shelf monthly prompts - To The Movies - horror/thriller

Totally intriguing and very atmospheric. Granted, I have always been fascinated by the thylacine and whether there may still be some living in the deepest forests of Tasmania. The way the author weaves the story of the possible existence of surviving thylacines with the disappearance of men is creepy and definitely builds the tension of the story.
Those who desire a definite conclusion/explanation in their reading will, however, be disappointed. I love that the author left it all up to the reader to decide what happened, which leaves the book in your mind for quite some time as you ponder the possibilities.

>176 JayneCM: Added to the wishlist!

>177 MissBrangwen: I hope you enjoy it. Overall, the book does not have a high rating, but this is made up of a combination of star ratings. Obviously a book that some will find compelling and some not.

Book 61. The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn

March Off Your Shelf TBR Game - Top of the Pops (songs from musicals) - If I Loved You from Carousel

This was a fun read. Yes, a copy of Austen and books of that ilk; yes, the plots are predictable. But they are a fun, comforting, happy and totally enjoyable read. I particularly love Lady Whistledown - I decided from the first book who I think she is and to date have managed to avoid accidentally discovering her identity from elsewhere. I look forward to the reveal!
My favourite part of this book was the 2nd epilogue - very witty and I love to see more interaction between the Bridgerton siblings.

Book 62. Wylah the Koorie Warrior by Jordan Gould

January Off Your Shelf monthly prompts - Stephen King - read an author's first published book

An enjoyable and interesting read incorporating First Nations culture and stories. The illustrations are fabulous. There are a few mix ups with tense which make some sections read strangely. The ending was much too abrupt. Of course the author is allowing for the continuation of the story in the next book but this book just suddenly stopped in the middle of an adventure. But I will still be looking for the next book in the series as Wylah is a fierce and inspiring warrior for her people.

>179 JayneCM: I really liked that one too! So far I've read three Bridgerton novels (The Duke and I, The Viscount Who Loved Me, and Romancing Mister Bridgerton), and Viscount is by far my favorite. I'll be interested to see what you think of Lady Whistledown's true identity!

>181 christina_reads: I have the third book ready - maybe the reveal will be in that one!

Book 63. The Last Balfour by Cait Duggan

February GeoCAT - place you would like to visit (Scotland)

An interesting read about Iona who is accused of witchcraft in 1500s Scotland. It may be a little slow for some as a good part of the book was centred around Iona's trial. But there was a wonderful Scottish 'feel' to the book - I do like when I have to research terms that come up in my reading.

Book 64. Grace Notes by Karen Comer

BingoDOG - features music or musician

A young adult novel that pulses with energy and life and music and colour.

Crux, a street artist, and Grace, a violinist, meet during the 2020 lockdown in Melbourne (the most locked down city during the pandemic). And they show us how essential music and art are to us, particularly in difficult times.

There was some amazing pandemic related street art in Melbourne. The one below is my favourite.



This is a book that teenagers who lived through this, who had to study Year 12 online, who missed their first year of uni, who missed out on so many rites of passage, will give their kids to read in the future as it captures this moment in time perfectly.

"Will the scars of Covid-19 leave us decaying in beauty or rot?"

Book 65. Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A.F. Steadman

April KiddyCAT - middle grade/YA fantasy

"The cameraman heard the unicorns before he saw them.
High-pitched screeching, murderous growls, the gnashing of bloody teeth."

The book begins with this and ends with the words "bloodthirsty unicorns" and I am there for everything in between!

All the usual fantasy elements are there - the test to be chosen, the group of friends who have to battle the evil one (and who always manage to do a better job than the adults!), the main character having to hide his true abilities as they will not be understood by the majority.
But it was the depiction of the unicorns that was just fabulous - they leaped off the pages.
A thoroughly enjoyable and exciting first book in this new series.

Book 66. Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson

April Off Your Shelf monthly prompts - elements - water

This book is a song, a glorious, soaring piece of music that sweeps you up in its beauty. It is a work of art, poetry in prose, a graceful dance. It is also raw, searing and powerful in its vulnerability and anger.
I raced through this book on first reading but it is a book I must return to more slowly, to truly savour its beauty and melancholy.
A magnificent depiction of love juxtaposed against the anguish of being black in a world that, despite everyone being 'equal' and 'free', in reality this is just not true.

"It's one thing to be looked at, and another to be seen."

"Sometimes you forget that to be you is to be unseen and unheard, or it is to be seen and heard in ways you did not ask for."

Being seen or unseen, in a myriad of ways, lies at the heart of this book. Being a strong, young black man means being constantly on the alert, flight or fight at all times, as anything you do may be misinterpreted. Having to always think; better not walk in the park at night as it will look suspicious, having eyes on you when you are in a shop as you may be a thief, having eyes on you at all times, yet not really being seen.

Heartbreakingly magnificent - I look forward to more from this amazing new voice.

Jayne, I just noticed that we overlap a little on books about homesteading… not something I see in others very often!

Book 67. The Red Wind by Isobelle Carmody

April Off Your Shelf monthly prompts - elements - air/wind

What starts as a sweet and calming story about Bily and Zluty, loving brothers living a gentle life together, soon takes a more sinister turn as the red wind comes and destroys much in its path and changes the brothers' lives.
There are some intriguing, as yet unexplained, parts to the story that I look forward to discovering more about in the next books in the series.

Book 68. Away With The Penguins by Hazel Prior

June Off Your Shelf TBR game - On The Cover - bird

"Life is a careful balance of what you let out and what you hold in. In my case, it is largely about holding in. Holding in is the only way of holding together."

There is something about a curmudgeonly old lady, so set in her ways that you know will all have to change throughout the course of the book, that I really love. Veronica is no exception. She sets about what she wants with total singlemindedness but learns to open her heart to others along the way.
The addition of the penguins just adds to her delightful, heart breaking story. Penguins must be the most charming and quirky of birds!

>186 JayneCM: I've added this one to the wish list. It looks as though you're having a run of good books.

>190 pamelad: I am! I am enjoying it while it lasts!

Book 69. Call of the Penguins by Hazel Prior

May Off Your Shelf monthly prompts - Fairy Tales - Snow White - unusual/unexpected friendship

Veronica's self-appointed position as penguin ambassador continues with this charming book. Daisy is a delight and the penguins are adorable. There is also a wonderful message of environmental concern and issues related to mental health that shine through and hopefully all readers will take to heart.

Book 70. What Once Was Mine by Liz Braswell

April SeriesCAT - read as a one off

A retelling of Rapunzel via the Disney Tangled movie version that will pull you in and keep you reading. The addition of the story telling being by a brother to his sick sister was a lovely secondary story.

Book 71. A Walk In The Dark by Jane Godwin

BingoDOG - local or regional author

There is definitely something about reading a book that is set in an area you know well, where you recognise every feature in the landscape, every road and town that is mentioned.
This book is set in the Otways, a beautiful forest off the Great Ocean Road.
The character interaction under stressful conditions and with such different personalities is concisely portrayed. The nature of the area bursts from the pages, particularly with colour - loved the use of the names of Derwent pencils as descriptors.
Just the right balance between suspense and action and the character development and relationships. Understated in the perfect way; somehow this book manages to be both calm and gentle and full of action.

Book 72. Woman, Eating by Claire Kohda

April ScaredyKIT - food horror

Reading this book is such a visceral, textural experience, engaging all the senses. The writing is in some ways brutal, yet also graceful and fluid.

It is about belonging, what it means to be a human in a society that expects certain levels and types of human interaction for a person to be considered 'normal' and accepted into the fold. Regardless of the nature of Lydia, she is just trying to belong. There are so many layers of belonging in this book - parental acceptance, love, race.

Lydia is striving for this feeling:

". . . the feeling that I was being a successful adult and, on top of that, a successful human full stop . . . "

Although having a different context, this book reminded me of Convenience Store Woman, in the striving to fit in and success being measured in the ability to fit in as a 'normal' human person.

>194 JayneCM: I've just come back from The Great Ocean Road! There's a lot of cliff stabilisation work going on and there are many more places to stop on the side of the road. We were surprised to come across, in a narrow winding section with a sheer cliff and no possibility of seeing oncoming cars, a No U-Turn sign! But it's winter, so there aren't many international tourists and no one was driving on the wrong side of the road or stopping on blind bends to take photos.

>196 pamelad: I spend a lot of time in the Otways, but definitely prefer it in winter! Much too hectic in summer.
It is amazing that they need to have signs for things that you would think are obvious!

Book 73. Crochet and Cauldrons by Nancy Warren

February Off Your Shelf TBR game - Let's Climb Series Mountain

Loving this series! Quick reading, a host of engaging regular characters as well as interesting new ones, love the knitting and crochet and, of course, Nyx.
My favourite so far as the mystery touched upon our main character herself this time.

Book 74. Victory In The Kitchen by Annie Gray

June AlphaKIT - letter K

Started off slowly as I was definitely more interested in the war years rather than Georgina's growing up and early working life.
An interesting look into the wartime menus and entertaining of the Churchills. Although if you are looking for juicy gossip, you will be disappointed. Mrs Landemare was loyal to Sir Winston and Lady Clementine to the end and had scant regard for tell-all memoirs about her employers.

July 2023

75. The Vintage Shop of Second Chances by Libby Page - finished 1st July 2023 - July Off Your Shelf TBR game - Year By Year - 2023
76. The Dover Cafe At War by Ginny Bell - finished 3rd July 2023 - January Off Your Shelf monthly prompts - Stephen King author spotlight - read a book set in the 1940s
77. The Dover Cafe On The Front Line by Ginny Bell - finished 5th July 2023 - May AlphaKIT - letter C
78. The Dover Cafe Under Fire by Ginny Bell - finished 7th July 2023 - May SeriesCAT - trilogies
79. Over The Hill & Up The Wall by Todd Alexander - finished 10th July 2023 - July RandomKIT - The Muppets - Statler and Waldorf - book featuring senior citizens
80. Winter In Wartime by Jan Terlouw - finished 11th July 2023 - Read Around The World (The Netherlands)
81. Dusty In The Outwilds by Rhiannon Williams - finished 12th July 2023 - July AlphaKIT - letter O
82. Birdsong by Katya Balen - finished 13th July 2023 - July Off Your Shelf TBR game - Year By Year - 2022
83. The Last Man In Europe by Dennis Glover - finished 14th July 2023 - May Off Your Shelf TBR game - Famous First Lines - "All this happened, more or less."
84. The Sand Warrior by Mark Siegel - finished 15th July 2023 - June Off Your Shelf TBR game - On The Cover - person
85. Bohemian Negligence by Bertie Blackman - finished 16th July 2023 - June Off Your Shelf TBR game - On The Cover - feather
86. Ravens Hollow by Judith Rook - finished 17th July 2023 - March ScaredyKIT - indie publisher
87. When Rain Turns To Snow by Jane Godwin - finished 18th July 2023 - March Off Your Shelf TBR game - Top Of The Pops - top 100 musicals - Don't Rain On My Parade from Funny Girl
88. The School Between Winter and Fairyland by Heather Fawcett - finished 19th July 2023 - May Off Your Shelf reading prompts - Fairy Tales - Rumpelstiltskin - gold or silver foiling on cover
89. A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole - finished 21st July 2023 - May Off our Shelf TBR game - Famous First Lines - "This is the saddest story I have ever heard."
90. Grey Nomad by Alison Ferguson - finished 22nd July 2023 - BingoDOG - set on a plane, train or ship
91. Wingbearer by Marjorie Liu and Teny Issakhanian - finished 23rd July 2023 - April AlphaKIT - letter W
92. The Land of Yesterday by K.A. Reynolds - finished 25th July 2023 - March SFFKIT - To The Dark Side
93. Welcome To Camp Nightmare by R.L. Stine - finished 25th July 2023 - July ScaredyKIT - beach reads
94. Miss Eliza's English Kitchen by Annabel Abbs - finished 27th July 2023 - July Off Your Shelf TBR game - Year By Year Countdown - 2021
95. Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch by Julie Abe - finished 30th July 2023 - March SeriesCAT - children and YA series
96. The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibuishi - finished 31st July 2023 - June Off Your Shelf TBR game - On The Cover - animal

96/318 = 30.19%

Read Around The World 2/15 = 13.33% Winter In Wartime
1001 Monthly Challenge 3/12 = 25%
BingoDOG 14/25 = 56% Grey Nomad
KiddyCAT 3/12 = 25%
SeriesCAT 3/12 = 25% The Dover Cafe Under Fire, Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch
GeoCAT 2/12 = 16.67%
ClassicsCAT 1/12 = 8.33%
RandomKIT 2/12 = 16.67% Over The Hill & Up The Wall
AlphaKIT 10/26 = 38.46% The Dover Cafe On The Front Line, Dusty In The Outwilds, Wingbearer
MysteryKIT 3/12 = 25%
ScaredyKIT 6/12 = 50% Ravens Hollow, Welcome To Camp Nightmare
SFFKIT 3/12 = 25% The Land of Yesterday
Off Your Shelf Challenge - monthly prompts 16/72 = 22.22% The Dover Cafe At War, The School Between Winter And Fairyland
Off Your Shelf Challenge - TBR game 28/72 = 38.89% The Vintage Shop of Second Chances, Birdsong, The Last Man In Europe,The Sand Warrior, Bohemian Negligence, When Rain Turns To Snow, A Thousand Boy Kisses, Miss Eliza's English Kitchen, The Stonekeeper

Book 75. The Vintage Shop of Second Chances by Libby Page

July Off Your Shelf TBR game - Year By Year - 2023

It is never too late to start living your dreams. Containing a cast of characters you will adore and be cheering on, this story is full of joy and sorrow and friendship and love.
I always love a dual timeline story, that slowly builds up the answers to the secrets of the past. And a vintage theme as well - perfect!

>201 JayneCM: Wooohooo! Book 75! Congratulations, Jayne. 😀

>202 PlatinumWarlock: Thank you!

Book 76. The Dover Cafe At War by Ginny Bell

January Off Your Shelf monthly prompts - Stephen King author spotlight - King was born in 1947 - read a book set in the 1940s

A real page turner about a loving family who have their fair share of problems but always support each other. The setting of Dover makes this a homefront story that comes very close to the war itself, with one of the events in the book being the evacuation of Dunkirk.
I particularly appreciate that the author does not do a lot of 'telling' of facts, letting the reader use their own resources if they wish to research the history further.
Very much looking forward to continuing with this series.

Book 77. The Dover Cafe On The Front Line by Ginny Bell

May AlphaKIT - letter C

Just as enjoyable as the first book. Even includes a cameo from a certain singer who made the cliffs of Dover known to all during World War II.

Book 78. The Dover Cafe Under Fire by Ginny Bell

May SeriesCAT - trilogies

Absolutely love this series; I am totally invested in the Castle family and all their relationships and drama.

Book 79. Over The Hill & Up The Wall by Todd Alexander

July RandomKIT - The Muppets - Statler and Waldorf - book featuring senior citizens

"When do we stop being our parents' child and become their parent?"

A charming, witty, loving book about dealing with ageing parents, especially when we can see that we may be becoming just a little like them ourselves.

Book 80. Winter In Wartime by Jan Terlouw

Read Around The World (The Netherlands)

The story is based on the author's own experiences in Nazi occupied Holland. It is towards the end of 1944 and the Germans are becoming more indiscriminate and cruel in their reprisals. Michiel is sixteen years old and is unwittingly thrown into the struggle against the Nazi regime.

A story that ultimately is about the futility of war - "War is so cruel, he thought."

The book ends with liberation for Holland and Michiel stating, "There is only one thing now that makes any sense. ... Never fighting in another war again, only figthing against war."
Yet then we see that we humans will never learn as we turn to the epilogue. Michiel is now eighty-nine years old and he has seen fighting in Hungary, Vietnam, Korea . . . . . . and the list continues for nearly a full page. A very telling end to the book.

Book 81. Dusty In The Outwilds by Rhiannon Williams

July AlphaKIT - letter O

"To grow out of magic - what a horrible thought."

To solve the mystery of her missing aunt, Dusty travels to an extraordinary world.
Reminiscent of Journey To The Centre of the Earth, this book is full of beautiful descriptions of a magical landscape filled with amazing creatures. It is also a story of grief, family and love and how sometimes these are all bound up in a messy tangle.

Book 82. Birdsong by Katya Balen

July Off Your Shelf TBR game - Year By Year - 2022

"There is music everywhere - if you know how to listen."

"We had to find our music again. It was wrapped up in fury and anger and pain and sadness, but it never left us."

How do we cope when we lose something that we has been the major focus of our lives?
A beautifully succinct story of a young girl coping with tragedy and the anger and blame she has directed towards the 'cause' of it.
The illustrations are delightful.

Book 83. The Last Man In Europe by Dennis Glover

May Off Your Shelf TBR game - Famous First Lines - "All this happened, more or less."

"It was this determination to live as one chose, he now realised, that was the very basis of freedom."

"The moral to be drawn from this dangerous nightmare situation is a simple one: don't let it happen. It depends on you."

A very interesting look at Orwell's last years and the writing of Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four.
You can see many of the influences in his life that led to both the ideology of the books and the details of certain events, such as the nightmare treatments he endured for his tuberculosis being used as inspiration for the torture scenes in Nineteen Eighty-Four.
Questions are also raised, such as did Orwell intend the novel's title to be 1984 or Nineteen Eighty-Four? Was 2+2 meant to equal 4,5 or nothing at all?
It is clear though that Orwell was determined that both books were to be a warning to his son's generation, that it can happen again, if we let it.

Book 84. The Sand Warrior by Mark Siegel

June Off Your Shelf TBR game - On The Cover - person

A theme common to many fantasy books - the unlikely heroes who save the day despite their supposed inadequacies.
Using sand as a medium is most imaginative and the illustrations are wonderful.
An engaging story - looking forward to more adventures with Oona, Jax and An Tzu as many questions have been left unanswered.

Book 85. Bohemian Negligence by Bertie Blackman

June Off Your Shelf TBR game - On The Cover - feather

"It is such a simple word, only four letters, yet in my experience love is anything but simple, and it is certainly not straighforward."

Such a vulnerable, beautifully written memoir, exposing the innocence of childhood even amidst disturbing events.
The use of lines and cracks, in both the writing and the illustrations, illuminate the lines we draw between various parts of our lives and relationships and the cracks that we can fall down and become lost in.
A visceral, yet matter of fact, writing style means that you enter a story that turns dark very suddenly.

Book 86. Ravens Hollow by Judith Rook

March ScaredyKIT - indie publisher

A haunting book about the lives of people in a small town over the generations and the lost souls that watch over them.
Set up as a series of interconnected stories as we follow the families of a gold mining town in Central Victoria, Australia, with the ravens as an ever present watch over the inhabitants.

Book 87. When Rain Turns To Snow by Jane Godwin

March Off Your Shelf TBR game - Top Of The Pops - top 100 musicals - Don't Rain On My Parade from Funny Girl

"Framily. A blend of friend and family."

Lissa loves words - and I loved the descriptions the author used for words Lissa comes across.
A heart warming and heart breaking coming of age story, covering battles and issues today's youth must contend with - climate change, cyber bullying, broken families, runaways, addiction. But with the love and support of her framily, Lissa sees that we can cope with tragedy and change.

Book 88. The School Between Winter and Fairyland by Heather Fawcett

May Off Your Shelf reading prompts - Fairy Tales - Rumpelstiltskin - gold or silver foiling on cover

An exciting page turner with an intriguing magic system, creative world building and fascinating monsters. Wonderfully descriptive writing leads to a vivid atmosphere.
The friendship between Cai and Autumn was heart warming and Autumn's bravery made the reader really get behind her.
Loved the little touches of humour - the gwyllions particularly.

Book 89. A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole

May Off Your Shelf TBR game - Famous First Lines - "This is the saddest story I have ever heard."

Yes, this is totally cliche. Yes, for those of us older readers who have read it, this is essentially A Walk To Remember with the addition of the jar of kisses.
But did I cry? Oh yes indeed!
I loved Poppy and Rune and their story. Poppy playing The Swan from the Carnival of the Animals is perfect - a hauntingly beautiful piece of music that is ideally suited to this heart breaking story.

Book 90. Grey Nomad by Alison Ferguson

BingoDOG - set on a plane, train or ship (spaceship)

"It's time to get back to boldly going where no CWA member has gone before."

Seventy year old Joyce Campbell thinks she is "just Joyce". She has always been told she is not capable of much so there is no point in trying.
But Joyce is determined not to end up like her mother, "eking out a sour old age having done nothing worth remembering."
So when the opportunity arrives in her email inbox to tour a visiting spaceship, Joyce decides to take up the offer. And what ensues is a rollicking space adventure where Joyce finally learns just what she can do.
This was such a fun ride. Joyce's determined yet kind spirit shines through as she copes with space travel and her not so cooperative aging body.
I certainly hope we will have more books about Joyce as the ending leaves us wondering what will happen next in the intergalactic storm Joyce has created.

Book 91. Wingbearer by Marjorie Liu and Teny Issakhanian

April AlphaKIT - letter W

A compelling story of a lost girl, lost souls and a journey to find answers.
The characters are wonderful, the story is imaginative and the artwork is simply stunning.

>218 JayneCM: What a great premise for a book!

>218 JayneCM: Great title! I've found Grey Nomad for free on KoboPlus, so it's now sitting on my ereader.

Do other countries have grey nomads, I wonder? Mainly they're retired people who head north in their caravans and camper vans to leave winter behind, but others spend years travelling round Australia.

>221 pamelad: USA has grey nomads too. Check out the book Nomadland which was recommended to me by friends.

Book 92 The Land of Yesterday by K.A. Reynolds

March SFFKIT - To The Dark Side

An enjoyable and intriguing read but it feels like the author is trying to fit too many strange ideas and creatures in and it becomes slightly jumbled at times. It reads like a mix of Coraline and the movie Monster House, but also has many imaginative and unique aspects.

Book 93. Welcome To Camp Nightmare by R.L. Stine

July ScaredyKIT - beach reads

Not much to this scary story of a summer camp gone wrong. Quick and enjoyable enough read.

Book 94. Miss Eliza's English Kitchen by Annabel Abbs

July Off Your Shelf TBR game - Year By Year Countdown - 2021

An interesting historical fiction based on the writing of the first modern cookbook by Eliza Acton. The friendship and cooking partnership of Ann and Eliza is quietly empowering. But worth reading for the delectable descriptions of food - mouth watering!

Book 95. Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch by Julie Abe

March SeriesCAT - children and YA series

Eva is such a delightful heroine - kind, humble, resourceful and brave. Loved every minute of this story, especially the Kiki vibes.
The ending definitely has me looking forward to the next book.

Book 96. The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibuishi

June Off Your Shelf TBR game - On The Cover - animal

Creatures with tentacles are always creepy - but they are not the only things to look out for when Emily and Navin enter a strange new world through the basement.
A great set up to the series; there is certainly enough happening and enough remaining questions to be answered.
The illustrations are dark and ominous when needed but Miskit is adorable.

August 2023

97. The Dog of the North by Elizabeth McKenzie - finished 2nd August 2023 - May RandomKIT - royal names
98. Wilder by Penny Chrimes - finished 6th August 2023 - August Off Your Shelf monthly prompts - Opposites Attract - New/older release (new release)
99. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas - finished 8th August 2023 - January ClassicsCAT - adventure classics
100. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott - finished 10th August 2023 - May ClassicsCAT - children's classics
101. Snow & Rose by Emily Winfield Martin - finished 11th August 2023 - August Off Your Shelf monthly prompts - Opposites Attract - stand alone/part of series (stand alone)
102. Early Riser by Jasper Fforde - finished 12th August 2023 - May Off Your Shelf monthly prompts - Fairy Tales - Sleeping Beauty - features sleep, dreams or nightmares
103. Escape From Aurora by Jamie Littler - finished 16th August 2023 - February Off Your Shelf TBR game - Let's Climb Series Mountain
104. Things We Didn't See Coming by Steven Amsterdam - finished 18th August 2023 - August Off Your Shelf monthly prompts - Opposites Attract - male/female author
105. The Hotel Witch by Jessica Miller - finished 20th August 2023 - BingoDOG - features an inn or hotel
106. The Sorrow of Belgium by Hugo Claus - finished 21st August 2023 - Read Around The World (Belgium)
107. The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend - finished 23rd August 2023 - January SFFKIT - Cobwebs and dust
108. Skandar and the Phantom Rider by A.F. Steadman - finished 25th August 2023 - July AlphaKIT - letter P
109. Orion Lost by Alastair Chisholm - finished 26th August 2023 - August SFFKIT - Space
110. The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen - finished 29th August 2023 - May AlphaKIT - letter U
111. The Angry Women's Choir by Meg Bignell - finished 30th August 2023 - August Off Your Shelf TBR game - A-Z Challenge - A
112. A Man and His Cat Vol 1 by Umi Sakurai - finished 31st August 2023 - BingoDOG - 4+ LT rating

112/318 = 35.22%

Read Around The World 3/15 = 15% The Sorrow of Belgium
1001 Monthly Challenge 3/12 = 25%
BingoDOG 16/25 = 64% The Hotel Witch, A Man and His Cat Vol 1
KiddyCAT 3/12 = 25%
SeriesCAT 3/12 = 25%
GeoCAT 2/12 = 16.67%
ClassicsCAT 3/12 = 25% The Count of Monte Cristo, Little Women
RandomKIT 3/12 = 25% The Dog of the North
AlphaKIT 12/26 = 46.15% Skandar and the Phantom Rider, The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy
MysteryKIT 3/12 = 25%
ScaredyKIT 6/12 = 50%
SFFKIT 5/12 = 41.67% The Trials of Morrigan Crow, Orion Lost
Off Your Shelf Challenge - monthly prompts 20/72 = 27.78% Wilder, Snow & Rose, Early Riser, Things We Didn't See Coming
Off Your Shelf Challenge - TBR game 30/72 = 41.67% Escape From Aurora, The Angry Women's Choir

Book 97. The Dog of the North by Elizabeth McKenzie

May RandomKIT - royal names

Filled with odd and quirky characters and happenings, we follow the hapless Penny who has way too much on her plate. The interactions between the characters are witty and totally absurd, but in such a real way. We are given an insightful look into dealing with grief in many facets - death, ageing and the loss of independence, divorce, the damage parental criticism can do to a child.
The ending was oddly abrupt but somehow fitting.

Book 98. Wilder by Penny Chrimes

August Off Your Shelf monthly prompts - Opposites Attract - new/older release (new release)

A beautiful story of magic and myth with a strong conservation message.

"You would not listen.
You would not see.
You have betrayed the wild."

A message we all must heed before it is too late.

Book 99. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

January ClassicsCAT - adventure classics

The classic tale of revenge. The machinations of the Count as he seeks revenge on those who wronged him are convoluted and intriguing to follow. But in the end, is revenge really worth the torture to his soul, or would forgiveness finally set him free?

Book 100. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

May ClassicsCAT - children's classics

"I am content with what I have,
Little be it or much;"

As we follow the joys and sorrows, adventures and lessons, of the March sisters, this is the main message we come away with. Learning to be content with what we have is still at the heart of many books today.
Like many, I grew up reading about the March sisters and they have always held a special place in my heart.

Book 101. Snow & Rose by Emily Winfield Martin

August Off Your Shelf monthly prompts - Opposites Attract - stand alone/part of series (stand alone)

"Snow and Rose didn't know they were living in a fairy tale - people never do."

Like the author, Snow White and Rose Red by the Brothers Grimm is one of my favourite fairy tales. And it is brought beautifully and faithfully to life in this retelling.
The story is engaging but the delightful watercolours bring the story to glorious life.

Book 102. Early Riser by Jasper Fforde

May Off Your Shelf monthly prompts - Fairy Tales - Sleeping Beauty - features sleep, dream or nightmares

Engrossing and intriguing, hints of Brave New World and the quirky badinage of Douglas Adams. The winter setting was bleak and perfect for the complicated machinations of the various players in this dreamscape sci fi.
Are you dreaming or is it real?

Book 103. Escape From Aurora by Jamie Littler

February Off Your Shelf TBR game - Let's Climb Series Mountain

A thrilling adventure with beautiful moments of compassion, love and kindness. Lots of middle grades focus on found families but the Frostheart crew are one of my favourites. And Ash is such a wonderful character - the perfect combination of bravery, fear and vulnerability which will make him much beloved by readers of all ages.
The imagery is beautiful. The landscape, both natural and human built, pulls you right into the atmosphere.
But it is the vividness and physical presence of the song weaving that really draws you in. It is so expressively portrayed that it feels like the song weaving takes on a life of its own.
And that ending! I cannot wait to dive straight into the conclusion of Ash's story.

Book 104. Things We Didn't See Coming by Steven Amsterdam

August Off Your Shelf monthly prompts - Opposites Attract - male/female author

While this was the story of an individual, it was more the story of a changing society, of a breakdown of the world as we know it, and how this has governed this man's life.
Told in a series of vignettes that appear to be approximately five or so years apart, we start at the man's childhood and end in middle age.
While I appreciate this type of story telling, where we are shown little snippets and have to build the world around these, I found myself wanting to know about the man and how he journeyed from one vignette to the next. I needed more detail! This style certainly worked for the world building as it provided a stark contrast between each timeframe and how society had deteriorated or improved (and for whom) over time. But it makes the book less personal to the reader.

Book 105. The Hotel Witch by Jessica Miller

BingoDOG - features an inn or hotel

A delightfully charming story about Sibyl, an apprentice witch at the Grand Mirror Hotel. As you can imagine, there are plenty of intriguing guests and a magical problem for Sibyl to resolve. Perfect for younger middle grade readers.

Book 106. The Sorrow of Belgium by Hugo Claus

Read Around The World - Belgium

This was an interesting, if overly long, read, about a young boy coming of age in wartime in Belgium. It was certainly an interesting read for the history of Belgium with a cast of eccentric characters providing for some amusing, albeit cringe worthy, interactions.
I was particularly struck by the writing, in that the tone never altered whether he was describing the uniform he wore for the youth group, or what he had for dinner, or a child being blown to pieces or suffering some other horrific accident (Maurice), or an incestuous incident.
You definitely needed to concentrate to keep track of all the characters who flitted in and out as they would often feature briefly and then reappear a hundred pages later in a different context.

>233 JayneCM: My granddaughter has this on her shelf. I was thinking of borrowing it. Now I think I will!

Thanks for pointing out a Jasper Fforde I'd never heard of, that's going on the WL!

>240 mstrust: I have only read the Thursday Next books, so I have a few of his standalones that I want to read.

Book 107. The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

January SFFKIT - cobwebs and dust (or why have I not read this yet?)

A thrilling adventure as we follow Morrigan through the four trials she must complete to become a member of the Wundrous Society. Totally engrossing, you will be swept up.
Very much Umbrella Academy vibes, but for a younger audience.
Love Fen, the Magnificat, with her sassy attitude!

I'm reading Minette Walters's latest book, The Swift and the Harrier, and the main character's name is Jayne, so naturally I thought of you :)

>242 JayneCM: I will definitely store that title away for when I need a character with my name! :)

Book 108. Skandar and the Phantom Rider by A.F. Steadman

July AlphaKIT - letter P

The second book in this series is just as exciting as the first. And again, it ends with an epilogue that gears you up for the next book. Such a long wait to 2024!

Book 109. Orion Lost by Alastair Chisholm

August SFFKIT - space

The many twists and turns kept this space adventure rocketing along. Great dynamics between the teenage characters who are thrust into positions of responsibility and how they cope with it. The plot was dynamic - I would have enjoyed the plot in an adult book as well.

Book 110. The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen

May AlphaKIT - letter U

You've Got Mail with demigods and zombies!
Started out as a fairly light hearted enemies to lovers, with fun sparring between Hart and Mercy, but make sure you have your tissues ready for later in the book. The romance is beautiful, the author really captures the fragility and uncertainty of a new relationship.
The world building is unique and wonderfully crafted. Although there are demigods, the mythology is not your usual Ancient Greek or Roman, but one constructed by the author based around death and where souls go after death. I appreciate that there are parts of the world that the author does not describe but leaves the reader to define and build their own image with the pieces of information throughout the book.
My favourite characters were the nimkilins. I love when secondary/minor characters just leap off the page and Bassareus and Horatio do just that. And you will have to read the book to find out what on earth a nimkilin is!

Book 111. The Angry Women's Choir by Meg Bignell

August Off Your Shelf TBR game - A-Z Challenge - A

"The choir shall be a place where we can breathe, where we can share, a place where we need not leave our troubles at the door but bring them in, hand them about and sing them away."

A wonderful mix of eccentric, yet totally believable characters, makes this book a joy. Be prepared to laugh, cry, sing and be fierce and furious as you read about these women. I appreciate that the author did not mask that this was feminism and activism from a privileged viewpoint or that some supporters of feminism can become too strident and use the platform for their own purposes.
Overall, an exuberant, brimming with life, book about women and friendship and what can be achieved when the two combine.

Book 112. A Man and His Cat Vol 1 by Umi Sakurai

BingoDOG - 4+ LT rating

How can a book where nothing happens be so captivating? This is an endearing tale of a man who on a whim chooses to purchase an ugly-cute cat from the pet shop. Fukumaru has been unwanted until the man see him and it is love at first sight for both of them. The illustrations are so adorable as are the interactions between man and cat. Totally charming.

>247 JayneCM: I really liked that book as well! Kind of hoping Bannen will write more stories set in that world...

>249 JayneCM: Taking a BB for this one. You had me at CAT.

>249 JayneCM: There is another book set in the Hart and Mercy world coming out 1st January 2024.

>250 christina_reads: My library only has the first volume, which makes me sad as the cat is so darn cute.

September 2023

113. New Moon by Stephanie Meyer - finished 1st September 2023 - September Off Your Shelf TBR game - The TBR Machine - young adult
114. Over The Woodward Wall by A. Deborah Baker - finished 2nd September 2023 - July Off Your Shelf TBR game - Year By Year Countdown - 2020
115. An Accidental Murder by J. New - finished 3rd September 2023 - July Off Your Shelf reading prompts - Travel The Continents - Europe
116. In The Weeds by B.K. Borison - finished 4th September 2023 - June Off Your Shelf reading prompts - To The Movies - romance
117. A Rolling Scone by Nancy Warren - finished 5th September 2023 - May Off Your Shelf reading prompts - Fairy Tales - Hansel and Gretel - features food or food on cover
118. Sky (not on LT) by Holly Webb - finished 6th September 2023 - July GeoCAT - Western Europe (Scottish highlands)
119. The Last Heir To Blackwood Library by Hester Fox - finished 7th September 2023 - April Off Your Shelf TBR game - Words and Letters - double letters in title
120. Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu - finished 8th September 2023 - March Off Your Shelf reading prompts - Reading Rainbow - red
121. An Offer From A Gentleman by Julia Quinn - finished 9th September 2023 - BingoDOG - a bestseller from 20 years ago
122. Shark Lady by Ann McGovern - finished 9th September 2023 - September KiddyCAT - history and biography
123. Within These Walls by Robyn Bavati - finished 10th September 2023 - June RandomKIT - walls
124. Vanessa Yu's Magical Paris Tea Shop by Roselle Lim - finished 11th September 2023 - May Off Your Shelf TBR game - Famous First Lines - "Under certain circumstances there are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."
125. Stockings and Spells by Nancy Warren - finished 12th September 2023 - June Off Your Shelf reading prompts - To The Movies - mystery
126. Purls and Potions by Nancy Warren - finished 13th September 2023 - July Off Your Shelf TBR game - Year By Year Countdown - 2019
127. The Cobalt Prince by Mark Siegel - finished 14th September 2023 - July Off Your Shelf TBR game - Year By Year Countdown - 2018
128. Georgia O'Keeffe: She Saw the World in a Flower by Gabrielle Balkan (What the Artist Saw series) - finished 15th September 2023 - July SeriesCAT - nonfiction series
129. The Cloud Road by Isobelle Carmody - finished 16th September 2023 - September Off Your Shelf reading prompts - Fall Into Autumn - nature/weather
130. The Red Maze by Mark Siegel - finished 17th September 2023 - September Off Your Shelf reading prompts - Fall Into Autumn - autumn colours
131. The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood - finished 18th September 2023 - BingoDOG - popular author's first book
132. Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster - finished 19th September 2023 - May KiddyCAT - YA/childrens' classics
133. Sleigh Spells by Bella Falls - finished 20th September 2023 - August RandomKIT - tell me something good
134. The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides - finished 22nd September 2023 - September AlphaKIT - letter V
135. Spice and Wolf Volume 1 by Isuna Hasekura - finished 27th September 2023 - September SFFKIT - Non-English language SFF

135/318 = 42.45%

Read Around The World 3/15 = 15%
1001 Monthly Challenge 3/12 = 25%
BingoDOG 18/25 = 72% An Offer From A Gentleman, The Edible Woman
KiddyCAT 5/12 = 41.67% Shark Lady, Daddy-Long-Legs
SeriesCAT 4/12 = 33.33% Georgia O'Keeffe: She Saw the World in a Flower
GeoCAT 3/12 = 25% Sky
ClassicsCAT 3/12 = 25%
RandomKIT 5/12 = 41.67% Within These Walls,Sleigh Spells
AlphaKIT 13/26 = 50% The Virgin Suicides
MysteryKIT 3/12 = 25%
ScaredyKIT 6/12 = 50%
SFFKIT 6/12 = 50% Spice and Wolf Volume 1
Off Your Shelf Challenge - monthly prompts 27/72 = 37.51% An Accidental Murder, In The Weeds, A Rolling Scone, Carmilla, Stockings and Spells, The Cloud Road, The Red Maze
Off Your Shelf Challenge - TBR game 36/72 = 50% New Moon, Over The Woodward Wall, Vanessa Yu's Magical Paris Tea Shop, Purls and Potions, The Cobalt Prince

Book 113. New Moon by Stephanie Meyer

September Off Your Shelf TBR game - The TBR Machine - young adult

Put aside the fact that Bella is definitely not a role model, with all her talk of not being 'enough' for Edward and her mind numbing and pathetically weak behaviour, let alone the atrocious editing of this book, it is still gripping enough to keep me reading. The werewolves are by far the best part of the book.

>252 JayneCM: Ooh, thanks for that heads-up! I will definitely be on the lookout for Bannen's next book.

>248 JayneCM: Definitely put on my WL!

>254 JayneCM: I totally agree. I finished the series solely for the wolves.

Book 114. Over The Woodward Wall by A. Deborah Baker

July Off Your Shelf TBR game - Year By Year Countdown - 2020

Two ordinary children are swept into an extraordinary adventure. With a very Alice in Wonderland feel and beautifully descriptive writing, this book just seems a little too disjointed as it jumps from character to character and new scene to new scene. The characters are wonderful though, both in their believable actions and conversations and the curious and creative creatures who live in the Up-And-Under.

Book 115. An Accidental Murder by J. New

July Off Your Shelf reading prompts - Travel the Continents - Europe

A quick and enjoyable first book in this cosy mystery series. Rather than discovering who was the murderer, the focus was more on the why. Fun banter between the brother and sister characters, a charming setting and a ghost cat - I will be reading more!

>259 JayneCM: Taking a BB for this cozy mystery with a ghost cat.

Book 116. In The Weeds by B.K. Borison

June Off Your Shelf reading prompts - To The Movies - romance

For a 'real' romance reader, one who loves romances for what they are, this may be the perfect read. I however have come to the realisation that romance is not for me. This was yawn inducing - page after page of the two main characters POV switching between their lust for each other, with lengthy detailed descriptions, both of what they are dreaming of doing and then what they are actually doing when they get together.
An extra star for the small town setting and the cast of fun secondary characters. The descriptions of the farm were quite lovely and cats are always appreciated.

Book 117. A Rolling Scone by Nancy Warren

May Off Your Shelf reading prompts - Fairy Tales - Hansel and Gretel - features food or food on cover

This series is becoming more enjoyable as we follow Poppy's adventures, solving a mystery in each book and slowly uncovering the secrets of her past. This one took a decided twist as the murder Poppy thought she was solving became something else entirely. And worth reading for the descriptions of baking alone!

Book 118. Sky (not on LT) by Holly Webb

July GeoCAT - Western Europe (Scottish highlands)

A delightful middle grade. It contains all my favourite things - nature, in particular snowy owls, snow, Christmas, Scotland, time travel - topped off with beautiful illustrations.
Charming from start to finish.

So many good reads! Over the Woodward Wall in particular sounds fun.

Book 119. The Last Heir To Blackwood Library by Hester Fox

April Off Your Shelf TBR game - Words and Letters - double letters in title

"Heaven truly was an untouched stash of books, just waiting to be opened and read."

Agreed! This book seemed to have all the elements I love - a library, book references, bleak setting on the Yorkshire moors, gothic. And a stunning cover that would attract anyone.
Yet, I remain ambivalent. In parts it drew me in and in others it was, to be honest, boring. The sentient library was creepy and interesting in what it did (do not want to include spoilers!) But the main character lacked depth and it was very difficult to care much about her.

Book 120. Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu

March Off Your Shelf reading prompts - Reading Rainbow - red

"It will never desist until it has satiated its passion, and drained the very life of its coveted victim."

The original vampyre tale obviously contains all the 'classic' vampire elements, particularly in relation to the vanquishing of the monster. The main characters are beautifully drawn and Carmilla stars as the languid beauty who courts her victims so she can take pleasure in their gradual decline. The delightfully ominous and eerie atmosphere draws you in as you watch Carmilla seduce the young ladies she has chosen.

>261 JayneCM: I put romances like that in my All Sex, No Plot sub-category of Why Did I Bother?

Recommending Laura Kinsale’s Flowers from the Storm as a historical romance worth trying.

Book 121. An Offer From A Gentleman by Julia Quinn

BingoDOG - a bestseller from 20 years ago

The best Bridgerton so far. A hidden/secret identity is one of my favourite tropes and loved the Cinderella theme of this book. Lots of fun and witty banter and Lady Whistledown continues to delight. I must be the only person in the known universe who does not yet know the identity of Lady Whistledown as I refuse to watch the series until it has been revealed in the books. With the ending of this one though, I am fairly certain the suspicions I have had since book one will prove to be correct. Looking forward to the next book!

Book 122. Shark Lady by Ann McGovern

September KiddyCAT - history or biography

The Scholastic biography series from the 70s and 80s are truly wonderful and I am glad they are being reprinted. Providing just enough information to pique interest but not too much to overwhelm, this series has been invaluable in reaching out to children and teaching history, science, etc. through biographies of interesting people. So happy they have retained the illustrations from the 1978 original as well.
Eugenie Clark was a fascinating and extremely driven woman, who advanced the acceptance of women in science as well as dispelling many of the myths of sharks as vicious killers.
Reading this has certainly made me keen to pick up her two books, Lady With A Spear and The Lady and the Sharks, and learn more about her studies and life.

Book 123. Within These Walls by Robyn Bavati

June RandomKIT - walls

"Once, I'd had a family. I'd had a home . . . "

A heart breaking look at a young Jewish girl's experience in the Warsaw ghetto. The contrast between the beginning of the book with her idyllic childhood before the war and the horrific conditions in the ghetto later in the book is stark. But what stands out and is very important for middle grade readers to understand is that the leadup to the Jewish incarceration in the ghetto was incremental. This was handled very well by the author as the main character's sister kept a list of all the new laws regarding Jews as they were implemented.
"Jews are not permitted to sit on public benches.
Jews are not permitted to enter parks."
With these incremental changes, it was shown that when change creeps up slowly, it is easier for good people to do nothing.
Of particular interest are the author's notes where she explains that while the characters in her book are fictional, every incident in the book actually happened. During her research, she spoke to and read about the experiences of many Jewish people and included many of these as experiences of the fictional family in her novel.

Book 124. Vanessa Yu's Magical Paris Tea Shop by Roselle Lim

May Off Your Shelf TBR game - Famous First Lines - "Under certain circumstances there are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea." -

Most of the stars in this review belong to Paris - you cannot deny that the setting is exquisite, with the descriptions of the food, fashion, art and culture of Paris. But even that dragged on for too long in the end.
The family dynamics and the antics of the aunties are amusing but ultimately this is a book where not much happens other than lots of descriptions of over privileged people and their over indulgent lifestyle. Even for an escapist romance, it was laid on too thick.

Book 125. Stockings and Spells by Nancy Warren

June Off Your Shelf reading prompts - To The Movies - mystery

Another enjoyable addition to the series.
For a book lover, the crimes being related to the contested authorship of a famous fantasy trilogy and the setting being Oxford where the works of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien and the other Inklings originated, is just wonderful.
The slow burn romance/attraction between Lucy and the two main male characters is just perfect. Who will it be? Has Lucy finally made a decision?

Book 126. Purls and Potions by Nancy Warren

July Off Your Shelf TBR game - Year By Year Countdown - 2019

Even more enjoyable than the last as we venture into Oxford College and a student production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Throw in a love potion gone wrong and chaos ensues.
And the love triangle just got a whole lot more interesting!

Book 127. The Cobalt Prince by Nancy Warren

July Off Your Shelf TBR game - Year By Year Countdown - 2018

A very enjoyable continuation of the 5 Worlds series. The artwork is just divine, so fluid and beautiful. The story is so imaginative, particularly the sand dancing.

Book 128. Georgia O'Keeffe: She Saw The World In A Flower by Gabrielle Balkan (What The Artist Saw series)

July SeriesCAT - nonfiction series

The perfect amount of detail for a middle grade biography, with enough to keep an adult interested as well. And the illustrations are divine - look at that stunning cover. Also includes hints for art projects inspired by Georgia O'Keeffe's work.

Just before Covid hit, my husband and I had a trip to New Mexico planned and going to the Georgia O'Keeffe museum was high on my list. I've been thinking about where our next trip might be and maybe I'll look into New Mexico again.

>276 dudes22: I would love to go there as the museum is her house and I love her house! I saw a documentary made in about the 70s that featured her house - wonderful. Now I am wondering if it might be available on Youtube as I'd love to watch it again.
I hope you will get to visit.

Book 129. The Cloud Road by Isobelle Carmody

September Off Your Shelf reading prompts - Fall Into Autumn - nature/weather

Totally fascinated by this series - so original and beautifully written and illustrated.
Bily and Zluty and their relationship is heart warming.
The mountain diggers are hilarious; I just love the way their conversation is written. Now we must do running very fastly . . .
So intrigued to find out what on earth is going on with all the various groups of characters in this captivating story.

Book 130. The Red Maze by Mark Siegel

September Off Your Shelf reading prompts - Fall Into Autumn - autumn colours

Such a fantastic series. Action and adventure as well as heartfelt interactions between the main characters. And the most glorious artwork. I love this more with each book!

Book 131. The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood

BingoDog - popular author's first book

"Whatever decision she had made had been forgotten, if indeed she had ever decided anything."

Though I wasn't at all certain why I had been acting this way, I had at least acted."

Published in 1969, Margaret Atwood's first published novel has common themes to many books of the era - female passivity and lack of control of their own lives, the loss of identity when a woman becomes a wife and mother, the vegetarian/vegan question, consumerist culture, the permanent academic and many others. All bundled in a witty, scathing story of Marian as she faces marriage and the possibilities of her future.
Although sometimes a little rambling, the future Atwood can be seen in this first work.

Book 132. Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster

May KiddyCAT - YA/childrens' classics

Considering my childhood love of any book pertaining to orphans (as well as epistolary novels), I am very surprised to have not read this book before now.
And how delightful it is. Judy is refreshing and candid in her letter writing to her anonymous benefactor. Her thoughts on life and all things are charming. Such a happy little book - reading it brings a smile to your face throughout the whole book.

"It isn't the great big pleasures that count the most; it's making a great deal out of the little ones . . . "

>281 JayneCM: I loved that one too! Judy gives Anne Shirley a run for her money.

>281 JayneCM: Definitely!

Book 133. Sleigh Spells by Bella Falls

August RandomKIT - tell me something good

If you love Christmas mixed with an assortment of misfit supernatural characters, you would enjoy this. It took a while to grow on me, but I finished the book quite keen to continue the series. An easy read to engage your Christmas spirit.

> 284 Taking a BB for this whimsical tale. A really need to stay off your thread this year.

>284 JayneCM: The writing is nothing special but it is one of those easy read, cosy series that have the entire series on KU. Trying to get my money's worth on KU as I often forget to look on there!
I am interested to read the next one as there are four authors for the series and they take turns writing the books. So the next book is focusing on a different character but also written by a different author.

Book 134. The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides

September AlphaKIT - letter V

“That girl didn’t want to die. She just wanted out of that house. She wanted out of that decorating scheme.”

I can only describe this book as languid; the words just ooze off the pages. Much as the girls seem to simply flow through life, doing and saying little, but still overwhelming us with their presence.
For a book where not much happens and we already know the ending, we are nevertheless fully engaged in the plight of the Lisbon girls and how a family could come to such a tragedy.

>268 JayneCM: I have The Duke and I (book 1) on my TBR. Must get to it soon!

>288 Tess_W: They are such light hearted fun - I have the next book ready to go!

Book 135. Spice and Wolf Volume 1 by Isuna Hasekura

September SFFKIT - Non-English language SFF

Very much enjoyed this light novel version, especially as some of the illustrations were included. Holo is just beautiful, in both her forms. She is definitely not "just a girl"! Looking forward to seeing further developments in Lawrence and Holo's relationship as they travel north.

October 2023

136. The Sitter by Angela O'Keeffe - finished 3rd October 2023 - September Off Your Shelf TBR game - The TBR Machine - ugly cover
137. A Tale Of Two Murders by Heather Redmond - finished 6th October 2023 - August MysteryKIT - past and future
138. The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry - finished 10th October 2023 - BingoDOG - switched/stolen identity
139. Earth To Dad by Krista Van Dolzer - finished 12th October 2023 - April Off Your Shelf reading prompts - elements - earth
140. The Same Earth by Kei Miller - finished 13th October 2023 - Read Around The World - Jamaica
141. The Space Between Lost and Found by Sandy Stark-McGinnis - July KiddyCAT - Arts and crafts
142. The Go-Between by L.P. Hartley - finished 16th October 2023 - May Off Your Shelf TBR game - Famous First Lines - "The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there."
143. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones - finished 18th October 2023 - BingoDOG - author has same zodiac sign as you
144. The Blue Salt Road by Joanne M. Harris - finished 19th October 2023 - Off Your Shelf TBR game - A-Z Challenge - B
145. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro - finished 20th October 2023 - April 1001 Challenge - features a child
146. The Wild Book by Juan Villoro - finished 22nd October 2023 - June Off Your Shelf TBR game - On The Cover - book
147. Little House In The Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder - finished 23rd October 2023 - August SeriesCAT - been meaning to get back to this series
148. The Gallery of Vanished Husbands by Natasha Solomons - finished 25th October 2023 - March Off Your Shelf monthly prompts - Reading Rainbow - yellow
149. Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn - finished 27th October 2023 - August AlphaKIT - letter M
150. The Invisible Women's Club by Helen Paris - finished 30th October 2023 - June Off Your Shelf TBR game - On The Cover - plant
151. The Ghost Garden by Emma Carroll - finished 31st October 2023 - April Off Your Shelf TBR game - Words and Letters - two words in title starting with same letter

151/318 = 47.48%

Read Around The World 4/15 = 26.67% The Same Earth
1001 Monthly Challenge 4/12 = 33.33% Never Let Me Go
BingoDOG 20/25 = 80% The Secret Book of Flora Lea, Howl's Moving Castle
KiddyCAT 6/12 = 50% The Space Between Lost And Found
SeriesCAT 5/12 = 41.67% Little House In The Big Woods
GeoCAT 3/12 = 25% Sky
ClassicsCAT 3/12 = 25%
RandomKIT 5/12 = 41.67%
AlphaKIT 14/26 = 53.84% Romancing Mister Bridgerton
MysteryKIT 4/12 = 33.33% A Tale Of Two Murders
ScaredyKIT 6/12 = 50%
SFFKIT 6/12 = 50%
Off Your Shelf Challenge - monthly prompts 29/72 = 40.28% Earth To Dad, The Gallery of Vanished Husbands
Off Your Shelf Challenge - TBR game 42/72 = 58.33% The Sitter, The Go-Between, The Blue Salt Road, The Wild Book, The Invisible Women's Club, The Ghost Garden

Book 136. The Sitter by Angela O'Keeffe

September Off Your Shelf TBR game - The TBR Machine - ugly cover

"There are ways of being close to our most horrendous hurt and still being able to live."

A beautiful, tragic and moving experience. The author weaves the ghost/spirit of Hortense Cezanne into the life of a contemporary woman who is writing her biography. Encompassing many events of 2020 that we will not forget, the most prominent being the pandemic, this is an elegant look at how we live, what we choose to share or to keep hidden from our loved ones, and the legacy of memories we will leave behind.

Also, I feel bad using this for an 'ugly cover' prompt as I feel that is impolite to Hortense. In this book, Hortense does mention that Cezanne always seemed to paint her in a way that was not the most flattering.

Book 137. A Tale Of Two Murders by Heather Redmond

August MysteryKIT - past and future

As Charles Dickens is my favourite author and I love fiction that is based on real historical figures, it was inevitable that I would enjoy this. Although a bit repetitive and circular, to me this was more a look at the beginning of the relationship between a twenty two year old Dickens and the woman who would become his wife, particularly as we know how their marriage would end.
A promising beginning to the series.

>293 JayneCM: Definitely going on my WL!

>294 Tess_W: I am looking forward to book 2, Grave Expectations.

Book 138. The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry

BingoDOG - switched/stolen identity

Like the author, I have often wondered what the powers that be were thinking when they named the evacuation program of London children to the countryside Operation Pied Piper - had they never read the original story?!
This is a story of how a loss alters the lives of all who are connected with it; how a tragedy reverberates through the years and never really leaves you.
Wonderful characters throughout and a heart breaking story, this will draw you in as you hope against hope that the lost Flora will be found.

>296 JayneCM: I too enjoyed this book. I found one of the questions raised very thought provoking. Who is the real person? The first or the longest lived? Reading your review sent me back to read mine again and do some more thinking on that subject. Thanks!

>297 beebeereads: 100% - it would be a terrible discovery to make as you would have to reconcile everything you thought your life was.

Book 139. Earth To Dad by Krista Van Dolzer

April Off Your Shelf reading prompts - elements - earth

Timid Jameson and brash Astra are the perfect duo in this story of grief and loss and the different coping mechanisms people employ to navigate these.
The story itself is somewhat secondary to the interactions between these two as they form the friendship that they both need.

Book 140. The Same Earth by Kei Miller

Read Around The World - Jamaica

A story about the confusion of being an immigrant and returning home, finding you do not really fit in either place. A story about prejudice and the damage that can be done by overzealous, small minded people.
Comprised of a series of vignettes about the various inhabitants of a small village in Jamaica woven through the story of Imelda, it is full of colourful characters and subtle humour. I particularly enjoyed the chapter titles, such as "The Silly Things People Told Imelda About England" and "The Silly Thing England Assumed About Her Colonial Subjects".
Ultimately the ending was very abrupt and somewhat unsatisfactory, but still an interesting read.

Book 141. The Space Between Lost and Found by Sandy Stark-McGinnis

July KiddyCAT - arts and crafts

Cassie is hoping that her art will bring her mother back to her. Kim suffers from early onset Alzheimers and cannot remember her daughter's name.
Such a sad story about a girl who has to grow up too quickly to care for her mother. But ultimately there are little windows of hope and happiness to be found.

Book 142. The Go-Between by L.P. Hartley

May Off Your Shelf TBR game - Famous First Lines - "The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there."

A charming yet haunting story of a young boy as he navigates the complexities of the adult lives around him. At first, his employment as the 'go-between', carrying messages to allow young lovers to arrange clandestine meetings, seems exciting and makes Leo feel quite self-important. But as he realises the import of the messages and the deception with which he is complicit, he becomes conflicted. Eventually it all leads to an event that will totally alter the course of his entire life.
Told in the first person, we follow Leo's emotional and moral conflict, which is much too harrowing for a twelve year old boy to navigate.
The book is also a delightful exploration of the languid lifestyle of the rich in the early 1900s, overlaid with a sense of the impending doom for such a lifestyle.

Book 143. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

BingoDOG - author has same zodiac sign as you

Totally charming and delightful. A wonderful mix of quirky and unlikely magical characters makes for a fantastical adventure.

Book 144. The Blue Salt Road by Joanne M. Harris

Off Your Shelf TBR game - A-Z Challenge - B

"This is my story; the story of the land-folk and the seal-folk, a story of love, and of treachery, and of the call of the ocean."

The stories of selkies have always been my favourite, so while this is not a new story as it is very much based on the traditional, I still loved it. Beautifully written, capturing the anguish of the trapped selkie and his love of the sea and his true people. And the illustrations are just gorgeous.

>303 JayneCM: After a slow start, I ended up enjoying Howl's Moving Castle a lot too. I loved the twist just before the end, which I didn't see coming at all!

Book 145. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

April 1001 Challenge - features a child

"I saw a new world coming rapidly. More scientific, efficient, yes. More cures for the old sicknesses. Very good. But a harsh, cruel world."

Medical ethics is a minefield as Kazuo Ishiguro's grim entry into that minefield shows. All sorts of questions are raised throughout and while this may seem like a future we will never see, many of this issues are already in the scientific/medical community in a less drastic form. And sometimes it is only a small step from an innovation that seems justifiable to a scenario such as in Never Let Me Go.
The story is slow, rambling and circuitous in execution, as it is told from the first person perspective of Kathy H., as she jumps back and forth through her memories from early childhood to her current age of thirty-one. Clues are left along the way that all is not as it seems with the children of Hailsham. The truth, when we discover it, is even more chilling in that none of the children (now adults) shy away from their fate. Their fatalistic acceptance is horrifying.
A dark story about medical possibilities that could all too easily come true.