Lori (thornton37814) reads in 2023 - thread 2

"Strawberry Faire" by October House Fiber Arts. Completed 1 March 2023.

Welcome to my second thread.

I also participate in the Category Challenge. I usually try to come up with a theme there, but I didn't really come up with one this year so my categories are "plain vanilla." They are:

1. Mt. TBR Bingo
2. Benita's Mystery Group Read
3. Gena's Book Club
4. Christmas All Year
5. Cooking & Crafting
6. Christian Books
7. Keeping the Series Current
8. History, Genealogy, and Historical & Genealogical Fiction
9. Other Fiction & Creative Literature
10. Other Non-Fiction

January calls: 6, 10
February calls: 7, 11
March calls: 22, 2

Books 1-10:

1. A Birthday Lunch by Martin Walker - completed 1 January 2023
2. Foster by Claire Keegan - completed 2 January 2023
3. The Librarian Spy by Madeline Martin - completed 7 January 2023
4. The Ride of Her Life: The True Story of a Woman, Her Horse, and Their Last-Chance Journey Across America by Elizabeth Letts - completed 7 January 2023
5. Dark Chocolate Demise by Jenn McKinlay - completed 9 January 2023
6. On Borrowed Time by Jenn McKinlay - completed 14 January 2023
7. Shunned and Dangerous by Laura Bradford - completed 14 January 2023
8. When Poets Pray by Marilyn Chandler McEntyre - completed 15 January 2023
9. We're Going to the Farmers' Market by Stefan Page - completed 17 January 2023
10. Five Little Kittens by Nancy Jewell; illustrated by Elizabeth Sayles - completed 17 January 2023

Books 11-20:

11. Nini Lost and Found by Anita Lobel - completed 17 January 2023
12. Dear Librarian by Lydia M. Sigwarth; illustrated by Romina Galotta - completed 17 January 2023
13. Gracie, the Lighthouse Cat by Ruth Brown - completed 17 January 2023
14. Embroidering Her Truth: Mary, Queen of Scots and the Language of Power by Clare Hunter - completed 22 January 2023
15. Wound Up in Murder by Betty Hechtman - completed 26 January 2023
16. Detective Inspector Huss by Helene Tursten - completed 28 January 2023
17. Blood Hollow by William Kent Krueger - completed 7 February 2023
18. Death in a Darkening Mist by Iona Whishaw - completed 8 February 2023
19. For Her Own Good: Two Centuries of the Experts' Advice to Women by Barbara Ehrenreich and Deirdre English - completed 8 February 2023
20. The Silver Pigs by Lindsey Davis - completed 13 February 2023

Books 21-24:

21. Murder on Black Swan Lane by Andrea Penrose - completed 17 February 2023
22. The Dead Man in the Garden by Marthe Jocelyn - completed 19 February 2023
23. Murder in the Mystery Suite by Ellery Adams - completed 27 February 2023
24. The Birdwatcher by William Shaw - completed 1 March 2023

Book 25. The Coldest Case by Martin Walker

Date Completed: 8 March 2023

Category: Benita's Mystery Group Read

Rating: 4 stars

Review: It's a quiet time crime-wise in Saint-Denis, and Bruno sees a facial reconstruction technique he feels holds promise for J. J.'s first case--a cold case from 30 years ago. After convincing the powers-that-be to give it a try, a promising student/apprentice is allowed to work on reconstructing the skull that resides in J. J.'s office. Meanwhile wildfires threaten Saint-Denis and the region, and Bruno mainly works in managing it. His military experience leads him to creative ways to manage the fire that make him a hero. As the facial reconstruction process continues, DNA analysis is also used. It leads to a match with the brother of a female gendarme who is expected to be a son. This gendarme becomes involved with the case as well. Old photos from an event 30 years before find a match with the description the gendarme's mother gives and leads the police to a suspect. The end is satisfying. In this installment Balzac's pups he fathered are born. Bruno tries to decide who will receive the first two pups. I loved this installment as much as the others. The raging wildfire added some intensity as well as interest. Bruno even cooks a vegan meal in this one! The conclusion was quite satisfying! I listened to the audiobook read by Robert Ian Mackenzie who always does a great job.

Book 26. Thread and Gone by Lea Wait

Date Completed: 9 March 2023

Category: Mt. TBR Bingo

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Eighteen-year-old Mary Clough is cleaning out her ancestral home. She discovers an old piece of needlepoint and brings it to Angie at Mainely Needlepoint for evaluation. She plans to marry officer Ethan Trask's younger brother Rob. Rob hopes the needlepoint is valuable so he can buy a boat. Angie suggests storing it in the attorney's safe until the mystery around it resolved. It isn't long until the attorney is murdered and her jewels and Mary's needlepoint piece are both gone. When one of the Mainely Needlepointers examines it, she feels some of the motifs resemble things done by Mary, Queen of Scots. She knows the provenance of the piece is important and suggests getting a museum needlework expert to evaluate it. In the meantime, Angie works with Mary to try to establish a provenance for the piece while trying to find the piece of needlework. Angie seems to be a smart cozy sleuth in that she tries to make sure there will be a police presence around in case of a problem. I'm enjoying this series, and I look forward to the next installment.

Hi Lori, Hope I'm not jumping in too soon.
I love that needlepoint/cross-stitch work for your topper.
It kind of ties in with this Thread and Gone book.
I added it to my TBR mountain.

Have a great readerly weekend, eh?

Wow, Lori. 25 books and 2 threads! And it's not even mid-March yet! Yay, you.

Happy new one!

Hi Lori my dear, Happy New Thread and what a lovely piece of cross-stitch as your thread topper my dear friend.

Happy new thread Lori!

Happy new thread. I share your interest in mysteries. Lots of BB’s for me here.

Happy new thread, and I love the cross-stitch on your topper!

Happy new thread, Lori! And a third of the way to 75 already. Nicely done. Happy reading!

Wow...I have been offline for most of the week and just happened to get here to wish you a happy new thread!

I was going to comment on your last one: I thoroughly enjoy Ellery Adams Storyton Hall. I think I have listened to all of them. The narrator is excellent.

>8 SandyAMcPherson: I didn't even think of that, but I decided I'd start the thread with a cross-stitch topper this time. It does fit in with the "Thread and Gone" in that they both feature needlework.

>9 mitchma: In my better years, I'd have hit 25 before mid-February. Some of those were children's books for the "KiddyCAT" so I guess I should be grateful of having them to boost my reading numbers.

>10 figsfromthistle: Thanks.

>11 johnsimpson: Thanks. I'm glad you enjoy that topper.

>12 quondame: Thanks!

>13 Oregonreader: Mystery is definitely my favorite genre. I've got a historical fiction audiobook going at current which is a bit of a change for me. I guess I'll see if the other BINGO call for March is available so I can begin it this evening since I finished Thread and Gone last night.

>14 atozgrl: Thanks! I'm glad you enjoy the piece. I really love the colors and the way it stitched up. The strawberry was a little fussy, but there was a pattern to it, and once you figured that out, it was easier to stitch.

>15 Berly: I hope I can make it to 125 this year. We'll see! My reading has been off the last couple of years.

>16 witchyrichy: I'm glad to know others enjoy the Adams series. Someone took a book bullet from me, and she enjoyed it as well.

>19 thornton37814: That pattern for the strawberry does look unusual. But it turned out really well!

Now that I'm retired, I'll have to see if I can take up embroidery or cross-stitch. I did some of that when I was young, but never had time to keep up with it as a working adult.

Happy new thread, Lori.

Can I say that embroidered in murder had me in stitches?!

>20 atozgrl: Irene, I'm not sure where you live in NC, but I understand Sassy Jacks is re-opening in early summer in Asheville. It's currently online only. There's a great shop in Johnson City, Tennessee called Cross Stitch & Crafts. Anabella's opened in Waynesville, NC around Christmas--if you can ever catch the store open. (She does a huge online business. Definitely call them before you drive to visit. She has quilting and paper crafting too.) I'm less familiar with others but you can look at the directories for Yarn Tree and Hoffman Distributing (hoffmandis.com) which are the two big shop suppliers to catch most of the stores open. Sometimes they are behind in updating. I noticed one of the two still had Dixie Darling in Pigeon Forge listed, and it closed in November.

>21 PaulCranswick: You certainly can--and I really do like needlework mysteries if they are done well. I enjoyed the Monica Ferris series, and I'm really enjoying the Lea Wait ones.

Happy new thread! I like your Mt. TBR Bingo — I may have to adopt that next year.

>22 thornton37814: Thank you so much for the information! I will definitely check those out! They're in western NC, which is quite a drive from where we live, but we do occasionally make trips that direction, so I will keep them in mind for our next visit. I will certainly check out the online stores!

Hey, Lori, Question: I looked at e books on Dixie Regional. Apparently to read them, one has to have Freading app; however, it doesn't appear that Freading is compatible with Kindle. My question is--do you have any experience/insight with either Freading or downloading books from library to Kindle? Thanks. Paula

>1 thornton37814: That is beautiful!

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Lori!

>6 thornton37814: I liked the Bruno books, sadly the Dutch publisher only published the first 3 books over ten years ago. The good news is that and other publisher picked Bruno up now, and two more were translated. So I might get to this one some day :-)

>23 foggidawn: I decided I would do it. Fortunately the cross stitch world has someone who does monthly calls. Many people use 13 as a free spot so the month that 13 is called they call three numbers. I chose to put a small chart in spot 13 and a book in 13. I'm just using the same numbers for "WIPGO" as it is called in the cross-stitch world and my Mt. TBR Bingo.

>24 atozgrl: I'm sure there are stores listed that may be nearer to you. Some designers who went to Nashville Needlework Market said that they sene a trend of quilt shops are beginning to stock cross-stitch. If so, that may help people where there isn't a cross-stitch shop presently.

>25 mitchma: I've not used Freading. It appears to be coming from Baker & Taylor. Most libraries use Overdrive which works on multiple devices. I looked at the FAQ page (https://dixie.freading.com/questions/index). It appears you might be able to read it on your phone if the Kindle doesn't work. You could also read on a Desktop or Laptop computer although you can't curl up with that. You might check with the library to see if they have an answer for you.

>26 laytonwoman3rd: I'm glad you like it!

>27 drneutron: Thanks!

>28 FAMeulstee: I hope they translate all of them. I've really enjoyed this series!

>29 thornton37814: Yes, thank you, I did see several stores near where I live, so I've got a few places to check out. Thanks for pointing me in that direction!

>31 atozgrl: Great! Glad you found some.

Interesting article on why historical fiction matters: https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/higher-ed-gamma/why-historical-fiction-matt...

Thanks, Lori.

>33 thornton37814: Interesting. Thank you.

>33 thornton37814: Thank you for that. Since I love historical fiction, I'm glad to see this defense.

>35 quondame: You're welcome! I thought it was a great read!

>36 atozgrl: He did an excellent job defending it. As a genealogist, I immediately thought of a couple of genealogists who fictionalized, but kept close to the true story, of persons whom they researched. That's why we always teach genealogists that context matters. We want our ancestors to have dimension and not just be flat characters with a lists of births, marriages, deaths, and begats.

>37 thornton37814: Yes, I agree completely! That's one reason I really enjoy watching Finding Your Roots on PBS. They show so much of the context around the ancestors that they find.

>33 thornton37814: Lori, Thanks for posting the link regarding Why historical fiction matters. I agreed with it and found it fascinating!

>38 atozgrl: They know their audience.

>39 Whisper1: Glad you enjoyed it!

Happy new thread, Lori. Thanks for the link to the article about the importance of historical fiction - so true!

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/349452

>41 Familyhistorian: I thought others would enjoy it.

>42 SilverWolf28: Thanks. I doubt I'll have time this weekend since I work Sunday and have a full weekend otherwise.

>1 thornton37814: Beautiful Lori.

Happy new thread, Lori and thank you for the beautiful topper.
>6 thornton37814: I love the series and should go back soon - but there are so many books and so little time...

>44 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks!

>45 SirThomas: There are definitely more books than I'll ever get around to reading in my TBR list.

Book 27. Wise Gals: The Spies Who Built the CIA and Changed the Future of Espionage by Nathalia Holt

Date Completed: 11 March 2023

Category: Gena's Book Club

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Following five women who worked for the CIA in its early years, the author demonstrates how women failed to achieve equal pay and failed to receive the promotions and other recognitions men might receive. The "Petticoat Panel" on which the women served is the only way these women interacted as they all served on different missions and in different areas. The book felt a bit disjointed because of the author's focus on feminist ideals rather than on the women and their careers.

Book 28. The Light Over London by Julia Kelly

Date Completed: 15 March 2023

Category: History, Genealogy, and Historical and Genealogical Fiction

Rating: 3 stars

Review: In the modern period, Cara discovers a diary written by a woman who served on a special assignment as a gunner during World War II. In the older story, we see how the woman who wrote the diary (Louise) joined up to escape an oppressive mother. She falls in love with RAF pilot she met at a dance she attended with a cousin. I'm not sure why so many people ruin a good story by using dual timelines. I found the older story the most fascinating although there is plenty of stuff that might attract some to the modern one. I listened to the audiobook.

Book 29. Read or Alive by Nora Page

Date Completed: 18 March 2023

Category: Mt. TBR Bingo (#2)

Rating: 2.5 stars

Review: When used book dealers gather in Catulpa Springs, books begin missing from private collections and from the bookmobile. Henry, Cleo's friend and the town's used bookdealer, becomes the chief's top suspect although Cleo knows he is innocent and enlists Gabby to help. This one had a little too much occultic content with the fake fortune teller for my taste. I also grew tired of the story which seemed to stretch out longer than necessary.

Book 30. The Bookstore Sisters by Alice Hoffman

Date Completed: 21 March 2023

Category: Other Fiction & Creative Literature

Rating: 3 stars

Review: This short story is a tale of two estranged sisters who grew up in Maine. Isabel moved to New York and recently divorced her husband. Sophie remained in Maine to run the family bookstore that as children they'd promised to keep going. A message sends the Isabel back to Maine to help. It felt a bit unfinished to me.

>47 thornton37814: It's disappointing when an author addresses a side interest, isn't it? The title certainly leads one to believe that a historical look at the CIA and women's contribution to the organization was the prime focus.

I like your reviews, Lori. They're sassy and snappy, catching the tone of the story just right. Useful to help me decide "BB or not". So far my favourite 'new to me' author was a BB from you: Andrea Penrose ~ the Wrexford and Sloane series. I'm waiting for Book 3 to become available. I'm finishing off a couple other library loans, so not like I have nothing on the go.

>48 thornton37814: I've pretty much read enough dual timeline books. There might be a few worthwhile ones out there, but boy is it getting to be an overdone format.

>51 SandyAMcPherson: You might want to take a look at Carrie or Meg's comments. They are both in Gena's book club (a group of genealogists reading about women's social history). I think a lot of us were disappointed in the book although a few liked it better than others.

>52 quondame: Dual timelines are overdone. I wish they'd move on to something that works better!

>50 thornton37814: >51 SandyAMcPherson: I didn't like it any better than you did, and I usually like reading about espionage.

>54 cbl_tn: I just thought she might want to read your review though. You went into a little more detail. Meg may have liked it better than we did. I was at work and needing to check in to make sure all the student workers for the final shift were there before I could leave, so I just logged out. I was only half paying attention because I was trying to listen to see if I was needed for reference too.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/349607

Thanks!

Mississippi tornado update: My home town (Amory) was hit and destruction is bad. There's damage to the home in which my parents lived although it appears to be minor--mainly shingle damage and debris. My uncle's former home on the other side of the creek didn't fare as well. There is a huge tree that came down atop the house, and it looks like it did some major structural damage at least to one end of the house. Some of the higher end homes in the neighborhood were really hit badly. (Most of them were two story instead of ranchers like the original ones were.) The church I attended was hit. The steeple is gone, and there is at least some roof damage. I can't see the front of it from the drone angle. One friend has 2 trees on top of his house. Another friend said she had water in her house, and I've seen a photo of it from the front. It has quite a bit of damage to the roof. I think the back side of her parents' home is gone. All of us who grew up in Amory know someone who has major damage. Many of our beloved places--such as Bill's Hamburgers and Dairy Kream (which has the best beefsteak sandwich) are damaged, so it will be a bit before they reopen. Other things are completely gone. There's damage to all the athletic fields at the high school and some damage to the high school. The West Amory Elementary School sustained quite a bit of damage too. It's really bad!

Hi Lori my dear, on a weekend we only have short news programmes but even so there has been nothing on about the Mississippi tornadoes at all. I am so sorry about all the damage and hope that everyone is safe, this is something that we do not get over here and so we cannot comprehend the damage they can cause. Is it Tornado season or is this somewhat unexpected my dear.

>59 johnsimpson: It's hard to comprehend even when you've lived around them all your life. Spring is prime time for tornadoes. There are 25 deaths (known so far) in the state of Mississippi related to the storm damage. The worst thing for people living there right now is that there is no power, water, or gas (due to gas leaks). The main water plant was damaged so it feeds Amory and the nearby community of Becker. They've already issued a boil water notice for when water comes back on. I think a few people are beginning to get power--if they are not in the hardest hit areas.

>58 thornton37814: I'm so sorry to hear about the damage to your home town and hope your family, friends, and community will be able to recover quickly.

>58 thornton37814: Oh, Lori, how awful. I'm sorry to hear this destruction touched your home town, and the loss of life associated with it is heart-breaking. So unpredictable, so sudden...

That’s awful! I had no idea the storm was that bad. I’m so sorry.

Lori, so sorry to hear that the tornado destruction hit your hometown! So sad.

Lori, I'm sorry to hear that your home town, friends, and relatives were affected by the tornadoes. My husband's family lives in Laurel, MS. I always worry about them this time of year.

>61 quondame: Thanks.

>62 laytonwoman3rd: It is really bad.

>63 drneutron: There is a bit of confusion over the storm rating. Some residents have been posting it was EF4, but the official preliminary assessment is EF3. I suspect it will be upped to EF4 as they tend to go conservative at first and then upgrade.

>64 tymfos: Many of the things I remember will now be "gone." It's sad.

>65 atozgrl: I hate tornadoes. My home town had always been spared in the past. It would hit the big hill on the west side of town and then bounce over our town to hit one of communities or a rural area east of us. That didn't happen this time. It did hit the big hill (Wren) where there were a couple deaths and then headed straight into town. As the meteorologist saw what was going to happen, he prayed on the air briefly, then got right back into telling them where it was going to hit. He was very accurate. Fortunately he'd been warning them for several days of the probable bad storms Friday night so most everyone was prepared. I think he knew it was headed in the general direction and gave locations in the line of it well in advance so most people were prepared and were in the safest location in their homes.

>60 thornton37814:, Hi Lori my dear, there has finally been a decent report on BBC news today, the devastation is terrible and our hearts go out to all those affected and it is so sad to hear that 25 deaths have been reported. I am pleased that President Biden has called a State of Emergency and hope that the basics to live are given to all those who need it right away. I will continue to follow the news fro more updates along with checking your thread for updates.

>58 thornton37814: Ouch! You don't mention anyone being injured or killed, so I hope it's limited to property damage.

>60 thornton37814: (Edit - sadly, all I needed to do was scroll down a bit more to find I was wrong. I hope no one you knew was hurt.)

Hey, Lori. We're so very sorry for all the damage Amory suffered. That storm system passed within half a mile of us. Michael and I (&Pooh Bear) were in the storm shelter Michael had installed on our carport. It's the most scared I've been in awhile. Continued prayers for all the folks in Amory, Rolling Fork, Silver City, Winona and all who lost loved ones.

Lori, Adding my heartfelt condolences for loss of hometown memories, loss of property and certainly the terrible toll in human casualties.

I do understand how devastating these weather events can be. They're so very fierce.
Here in Saskatchewan we live just north of "Tornado Alley" and our usual worst months are May to the end of August. Our area has 5 or 6 twisters per year (recorded officially) compared to more than 20 in the "Alley". 💖

>58 thornton37814: Sorry to hear about the tornado damage Lori, it looks awful.

>68 johnsimpson: There were two deaths in the nearby community of Wren which it hit before it came into Amory, but most of those deaths are from Rolling Fork/Silver City. There may be a few in Winona which was also on the path to Amory.

>69 ArlieS: The meteorologist had been warning people for days that the situation would be bad. He said a quick sentence prayer on air as the storm approached Amory and jumped right back into the broadcast and telling people where it would hit. He was accurate. They had time to get to their safe places, and he's a big hero right now. I like to think it was the prayer of that meteorologist and many others lifting similar prayers that spared lives.

>70 mitchma: I think there will be a lot more storm shelters added in Amory. I also want to just mention a tale of two houses. I looked at drone photos of the area where my dad and uncle lived in town. (Both are dead now and other people own the homes.) My uncle's house had damage (probably structural) to both ends of the home from fallen trees. My dad's house looked like just a few shingles were off the roof--mainly on the kitchen and mud room end of the house (and pretty much on the back side). He had always been very careful to make sure there were no trees that might potentially fall on the house. I think this paid off for the new homeowner because another house two doors down had two trees atop it too. Moral of the story: If you live in tornado country, be sure you watch your trees and take care of them before they cause disaster to your home.

>71 SandyAMcPherson: As I probably mentioned elsewhere, Amory had traditionally been skipped over by tornadoes. They would hit Cotton Gin Hill on the west side of town (Wren), and then they'd skip over the town and hit an outlying area to the east like Smithville, Hatley, Splunge, or Gattman. This time it just kept on barreling through. Because they'd been able to follow the path the tornado was taking, folks in Amory had plenty of notice it was coming toward them. We can be thankful for that.

>72 Caroline_McElwee: It is awful!

>67 thornton37814: I saw that clip of the meteorologist praying for them. It really brings the urgency of the situation home. North Carolina is sending lots of people to help; there have been multiple reports on the news showing preparations. Mr. A. plays in a jazz band and one of the players in the band works with the Red Cross. He's already been called up to go to Mississippi.

So sorry to hear about the damage - prayers to everyone!!

>75 atozgrl: The Red Cross was in very early as was the United Way. Several denominational disaster relief teams are also coming. It's wonderful. The meteorologist is a local hero. He is excellent at storm coverage--when it really matters. He knows how to read the radar and how to predict things. Tupelo is very fortunate to have him.

>76 DFED: Thanks for the prayers.

Yikes, very sorry to hear about all the tornado damage and the fatalities in Wren. Kudos to that meteorologist for making a bad situation better. That’s a rarity - we’re usually shaking our heads here over how inaccurate the weather forecasts are.

I hope all the displaced folks get the help they need.

>78 jnwelch: This meteorologist grew up in Kansas and really wants to keep people safe from tornadoes. He's proven himself over and over to the people of North Mississippi. He can read radar. One friend reposted a comment someone had made that said "If I ever hear somebody say something bad about Matt Laubhan over at WTVA news, I'm going to judo chop them in the neck. That dude has saved more lives than a seatbelt. He's my favorite nerd . . ." She reposted it saying, "Best comment ever." FEMA and MEMA are both going to be in today so people can begin the process of applying for federal aid. Most of the insurance companies are trying to weazel out of paying from what I'm hearing. They are trying to put a deductible on this thing and that thing rather than the overall picture. It's really sad.

>73 thornton37814:, Hi Lori my dear, there was a longer news report yesterday about the tornado devastation and i was horrified to find out that it reported 26 deaths and one man survived by hiding in his bathroom, the only thing that survived. The pictures of the devastation was so sad to see and i hope that decent support is being made available to those affected by this.

Sadly it lost prominence due to the horrific shooting tragedy in Nashville and our hearts go out to all the families who have suffered such a sad loss. It seems that over here we see this every month happening in the US and yet nothing meaningful is being done. I understand that it is in the Constitution but that was written at a time when it was necessary to bear arms but since the beginning of the 20th Century i don't think it is necessary and is outdated. I do not live in the US but this is my honest opinion. I wonder if the opinion of the NRA would change dramatically if they lost young children due to this idiotic (IMHO) Constitutional rule.

>80 johnsimpson: I know that FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) and MEMA (Mississippi Emergency Management Agency) were both on the scene in Amory--and I suspect in Rolling Fork and Winona--today. The Red Cross, United Way, Samaritan's Purse, Eight Days of Hope, and many other church-related disaster relief organizations are on the ground now. I understand insurance companies are trying to nickel and dime people to death with deductibles on this and that rather than an overall one for "tornado damage." As far as the shooting, it is tragic; however, firearms control is not going to solve the problem. It's only when the person gets his heart right that the problem will be resolved. If you try to take guns away from most Southerners, another Civil War will break out. They like to hunt--and many depend on the meat for food.

Sorry to hear about the tornado and the damage it has caused.

((hugs))

>82 figsfromthistle: Thanks

I've been following the horrendous damage on your facebook posts, but thought I'd pop over here and give a hug.

>82 figsfromthistle: Thanks.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/349763

>86 SilverWolf28: Thanks.

Book 31. A Colourful Death by Carola Dunn

Date Completed: 23 March 2023

Category: Other Fiction and Creative Literature

Rating: 2 stars

Review: This second installment of Dunn's Cornish mystery series is more dreadful than the first. Eleanor Trewynn's neighbor Jeff becomes the chief suspect when a woman who seems him standing over a dead body says she saw him commit the deed. Fortunately inconsistencies in witness testimony and Eleanor's alibi for Jeff convince police to hold off on arresting him. The biggest problem of this mystery is the author cannot decide whether it is a cozy mystery with Eleanor as sleuth or a police procedural with the official investigation in which Eleanor's niece DS Megan Pencarrow is a participant. Readers hear both voices and see both sides, making it an annoying mystery lacking direction. The mystery would be so much stronger as a DS Megan Pencarrow investigation without the annoying Eleanor Trewynn. I listened to the audiobook version.

>88 thornton37814: Ouch! One of those books where the cover is better than the content.

Happy week ahead!

Book 32. The Taking of Jemima Boone: Colonial Settlers, Tribal Nations, and the Kidnap that Shaped America by Matthew Pearl

Date Completed: 29 March 2023

Category: History, Genealogy, and Historical & Genealogical Fiction

Rating: 4.5 stars

Review:Matthew Pearl writes a very readable account of Jemima Boone's capture along with a couple other girls from the Boonesboro settlement in Kentucky as a starting point for telling the story of Daniel Boone's role in the settlement of Kentucky and of his relations with others in the settlement and with the Shawnee and Cherokee of the region. He separates the myth of the frontiersman from the reality in his well-documented tale. Like most non-fiction intended for a general audience, the story uses the terrible "blind endnote" feature where someone interested in the sources must keep a finger in the end notes and pay attention to words and phrases. (This is almost impossible to do when reading an ebook in which they are unlinked such as this one was.) Pearl used extensive manuscripts and archival sources from a variety of jurisdictions in his research. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of Kentucky, particularly during its settlement as part of Virginia.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/349961

>91 SilverWolf28: Thanks

So sorry about the tornadoes and damage. There were several in our area last Saturday morning. Our farm got hit, but the houses are ok and nobody was hurt.

I'm glad to see your positive rating in >90 thornton37814: as this is one I ordered for work and have on a reading list.

>93 aktakukac: I'm glad you are okay. It was a good read! Matthew Pearl is a great storyteller. He knows how to write nonfiction without making it boring--even when it's grounded in historical sources.

>90 thornton37814: Ooh, sounds interesting! It might be good for folks in NC as well, since Daniel Boone lived in the state for a while, and of course the Cherokee connection. That's another BB for me.

I've been away and offline...so sorry to hear about the tornado damage.

>90 thornton37814: Adding Matthew Pearl to my TBR.

I'm sorry to see that your hometown saw damage from the tornado, Lori. It's so sad to see the devastation, even more so when it's a place you love.

I'm late in seeing your notes posts about the tornado, Lori, and sorry to hear there's was so much destruction.

>95 atozgrl: It does reference his wife returning to NC, etc.

>96 witchyrichy: I cried so hard yesterday after they announced graduation plans for my old high school. They'll be held in the town with the community college about 25 minutes away because the football stadium has to be rebuilt. I don't think they've ever held them outside of town. The rain plan always included the high school auditorium.

>97 Copperskye: It really is. I just wish I could be there to help out, but I'd be limited to working some of the distribution centers because of my knees.

>98 bell7: It will be years before things recover completely. However, people have come together. Even though the Red Cross and United Way are there, the people are praising churches all over who've sent labor teams to help them clean up, the small businesses in Tupelo who have sent food and food trucks to town (often with no charge to the people who suffered loss), and even a few name businesses such as Walmart that provided portable showers, Chick-fil-a that came in with food, and Lowe's that provided big boxes full of cleaning supplies and food.

>81 thornton37814: I agree with you, Lori, completely.
Sensible gun controls and proper verification of who has them go hand-in-hand with taking the hatred out of society and the latter is far more important - and often ramped up by the politicians seeking to sow division rather than bring people together.

The six innocent people including three children were murdered simply for the fact that they were practicising Christians and the failure to recognize it as a hate crime because it seems somehow politically inexpedient to do so is shameful.

Hope Tennessee with its tornadoes - both climatic and political - will soon get back to normality.

Take care dear lady.

>100 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. My home state of Mississippi has had more than its share of tornadoes the last couple of weeks. Fortunately this weekend was milder. Tennessee has had a lot of bad press in the last couple of weeks. ;-) I'm sure things will look up soon. The one thing the devastating tornado in my hometown has shown is that people are capable of putting aside political and racial differences and pulling together toward a common goal. It has brought out the best in people--and other people have shown so many kindnesses to the people in that city.

>101 thornton37814: It seems like the only thing bringing people together in this country any more is response to a disaster. How sad!

>100 PaulCranswick: Paul, is there really enough evidence yet to call it a hate crime? All I've heard so far says the motive is unknown and they're still investigating. Since she (or preferred he?) previously attended school there, maybe the motive was personal, something against the administrators/teachers there, rather than the fact that they were Christians. I attend a PCA church here, same denomination as the one attacked, so I wouldn't object to calling it a hate crime if the evidence pointed that way. I'm just not sure that it does yet.

>102 atozgrl: Yes. It is sad.

>103 atozgrl: It's tragic regardless of her motivation. I've been amazed at how many people in my church in a city 3.5 to 4 hours away from Nashville have personal connections to this tragedy.

>103 atozgrl: I will stand corrected, Irene, if it turns out these kids and their elders were not killed because they were practicing Christians. It takes a disturbed mind filled with hatred to do this so it will always be a "hate crime" for me when six innocents get murdered so senselessly. But this should be about the victims not the perpetrator.

>104 thornton37814: It is indeed incredibly tragic, as are all of the many similar incidents so far this year. I'm sorry that so many people you know have been directly affected by it. My condolences to all.

>105 PaulCranswick: It takes a disturbed mind indeed to do such a thing. And hate is certainly involved, whether it qualifies as a "hate crime" or not. I just don't want to label it as such without knowing more about the individual's motives.
ETA: Because labeling something a "hate crime" politicizes it, and I'm not ready to go there yet.

>105 PaulCranswick: >106 atozgrl: I think one of the problems in categorization is that the country is so polarized politically/philosophically that it's difficult to define what is or isn't a "hate crime." I think we all have our own definitions of what it is and isn't, but those definitions are defined by the philosophies we embrace. We may never know what motivated the woman to kill those people since she can't speak for herself. Perhaps the evidence will point to something, but may never fully know. What we do know is that she purposed in her own heart to do evil and 6 people died as a result. Those of us who are Christians know that she must give an account before God of her actions. (Romans 14:12; Hebrews 4:13; 1 Peter 4:5, etc.) Her motives will be laid bare then.

Book 33. The Pirate's Wife: The Remarkable True Story of Sarah Kidd by Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos

Date Completed: 8 April 2023

Category: Gena's Book Club

Rating: 4 stars

Review: The author's research into pirate's wives led her to the figure of Sarah Kidd, clergyman's daughter and wife of the notorious pirate "Captain Kidd." Kidd was Sarah's third husband. Both previous husbands died. She brought a lot of silver and personal treasures into the marriages and had to fight to hang onto them just about every time. Sarah truly loved Kidd and probably believed he was just a privateer helping the British recover materials lost to piracy and capture the pirates. When he returned to take her away briefly to hide some goods on Block Island, she became an accessory to his adventures. His story differs from the charges brought against him. Was he led to allow his discouraged crew to become pirates to prevent mutiny? or was he the ring-leader as his accusers charged? The reader comes away questioning the stereotypes of Kidd but not really having an answer. One does feel a bit sorry for him as those he trusted turn against him and because of the corruption of governmental leaders who were more interested in their own gain than true justice. After Kidd's death, Sarah did marry again after an appropriate mourning period, and she eventually regained some things that had been wrongfully seized from her during Kidd's trial. The account was very readable. The author took some liberties with the story, but perhaps she stretched her creative license in a few places and should probably have stuck to social context to fill the gaps. Because the ebook copies were unavailable, I borrowed the large print edition from the library. While the end notes were numbered throughout the text, no end notes were included in the text. Instead, the book referred users to the author's web site. Most readers do not read at their computers, so this is very inconvenient. What happens when that web site is no longer available? This is a very poor method of handling end notes. A bibliography was included in the book so I was able to make guesses of the overall source the author might have used while reading it.

Book 34. Night Rounds by Helene Tursten

Date Completed: 9 April 2023

Category: Benita's Mystery Group Read

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Huss investigates a murder at a struggling private hospital. The power had been cut as well as the back-up. A nurse is found murdered. A patient dies because of the lack of power. Another nursing is missing. People thought they saw the ghost of a nurse who hanged herself decades before. Other crimes occur, making it clear the murderer is trying to cover his or her tracks. This case was stronger than the previous installment. The personal story tidbits about her vegan daughter and the trouble she got in distract from the main story.

>107 thornton37814: Thank you. That is well said.

From what I know so far, it strikes me as more like a workplace shooting, in that the shooter had a personal relationship to the school, and therefore it looks more like a grudge against the school itself or the people who worked there. A hate crime to me is when someone attacks a group of people just for who they are (a religion or race or ethnic group), and doesn't personally know them.

In any case, hate was involved in this incident, and I think your take on it is right. It was a terrible thing.

>108 thornton37814: This sounds very interesting! I may need to add it to my TBR list.

>110 atozgrl: Yes.

>111 atozgrl: I really enjoyed it. Meg and Carrie will probably be putting their thoughts on the book up since they are part of our book club that read it. One of my biggest takeaways is that my ancestor who was an original Block Island settler likely knew Captain Kidd.

>112 thornton37814: Wow! Now that's really interesting! It's amazing to think that one of your ancestors probably knew someone famous (infamous?), and you realize it in a book you're reading. That would blow my mind.

>113 atozgrl: He was certainly in the right place at the right time. The island is not that big and the population was small. I feel certain he met him.

Book 35. The Glass Room by Ann Cleeves

Date Completed: 11 April 2023

Category: Mt. TBR Bingo

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Vera's next door neighbor Jack report his wife Joanna as missing and asks Vera to help find her because she hasn't been taking her medication. Vera only needs to phone the cab to discover Joanna's whereabouts. Vera arrives at the scene of a writer's retreat where a man known to help authors break into the publishing world was murdered. Because she was seen with a knife, Vera's neighbor is initially the chief suspect so she allows Joe to take a bigger role in the case. Before the case be solved, a second murder occurs. Another instructor feels her life may be in danger as well. Vera and her team must search for the solution that fits all the pieces. While it's not Cleeves' best work, it entertains.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/350101

Book 36. Cat with a Clue by Laurie Cass

Date Completed: 17 April 2023

Category: Mt. TBR Bingo

Rating: 4 stars

Review: In this fifth book featuring bookmobile librarian and cat Eddie, Minnie serves as acting director while the library board seeks a replacement for her former boss Stephen. The staff members want her to apply, especially when they see some of the candidates. Eddie already expressed his thoughts on one candidate. She comes in one day where she discovers a dead body in the friends' book sale room. Although the room was tossed, nothing appears to be taken. The bookmobile is hit as is another place with a collection of books. Minnie is good at putting two and two together and realizes the common denominator is books. She has a theory, but she keeps law enforcement in the loop. This series has become one of my favorite cozy series. While the mystery itself is not that difficult to decipher, the setting and characters keep me interested. The sleuth does not take non-calculated risks as so many cozy sleuths do.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/350311

Book 37. Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

Date Completed: 19 April 2023

Category: Christmas All Year

Rating: 4.5 stars

Review: Deliveryman Bill Furlong's eyes are opened when he brings coal to a convent where young girls are forced into labor. Bill and his wife Ellen barely get by as they raise their own daughters, but Bill takes action on Christmas eve. This powerful novella shows one man's reaction. He must struggle with what coming forward would mean to him and his family before he acts. It does not provide a detailed expose on the horrors of these Magdalen laundries, but the reader may be interested enough to seek out a book providing that information. Keegan is a master of the novella form.

>118 SilverWolf28: Thanks.

Book 38. Death Below Stairs by Jennifer Ashley

Date Completed: 21 April 2023

Category: Other Fiction & Creative Literature

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Cook Kat Holloway, a victim of a marriage scam and mother of a young girl in the care of friends, embarks on a new adventure in the home of Lord and Lady Rankin. The next morning she discovers her assistant's murdered body and a fragment of paper with some interesting numerical figures. She calls upon an old friend Daniel McAdam to help discover who killed the young woman because she realizes no true investigation will occur. The paper leads them to suspect a Fenian plot against the queen herself. The main characters of Kat and Daniel as well as Daniel's "son" James and Lady Rankin's sister Cynthia are all interesting and well-developed. It is, however, inconceivable that Kat would have been allowed to get away so early in her work for the Rankins. Daniel is somewhat of a mystery as he's comfortable as a servant or as a gentleman. Kat must also make a decision that will impact her future with her daughter. Although this is the first in the series, I felt I'd missed the backstory. There is a prequel novella I wish I'd read first. The series holds promise. I want to read the prequel and then move to the second book.

>121 thornton37814: I am glad you mentioned there is a prequel (A Soupçon of Poison), because I was looking for a cozy mystery read that had a lighter plot than the ones I've been reading lately. Your review of Death Below Stairs sounds just the thing, so I've noted that the prequel is available in my library as an e-book. I'll give it a whirl tonight!

>122 SandyAMcPherson: Hope you enjoy it.

Book 39. The Sentence by Louise Erdrich

Date Completed: 26 April 2023

Category: Other Fiction and Creative Literature

Rating: 4.5 stars

Review: This beautifully written novel tells the story of Tookie and Pollux. We learn of their past where Pollux arrested her, resulting in her imprisonment. We experience their lives in the Minneapolis area during COVID 19 and the riots resulting from the George Floyd incident. We also learn that Flora's ghost haunts the bookstore. Elements of the Ojibwe culture are present and important to the book's action. The author successfully uses the Ojibwe culture to foreshadow and to add interest. We read this for our faculty book club, and I think our consensus is that this is our favorite among the books we've read over the years.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/350466

It's been a while since I caught up with your thread, Lori. I didn't realize that your town was so badly hit by the tornado. I hope that everyone is still pulling together in the recovery.

>126 Familyhistorian: They are. The biggest issue at the moment is housing. Some people are having to move--at least temporarily to other counties where they can find a place to live until they can rebuild. Some insurance companies are giving people and businesses trouble. It's partially due to needing more insurance adjusters, but in some cases, I think it goes beyond that.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/350624

>128 SilverWolf28: Oops! Missed it!

Book 40. MASH: A Novel about Three Army Doctors by Richard Hooker

Date Completed: 29 April 2023

Category: History, Genealogy, and Historical & Genealogical Fiction

Rating: 4 stars

Review: I listened to this novel that started MASH. It was a fun listen, and I mostly pictured the TV cast as I listened. There are differences between the novel and TV series. For example, "Hot Lips" was interested in a doctor but his name wasn't Frank Burns, although they seemed to have similar personalities. Klinger was not in it. Radar's role was minor. There was another doctor--Duke from Georgia--in the Swamp with Hawkeye and Trapper. It was hard to picture Father Mulcahey as "Diego Red" since the actor didn't have the red hair the book star had, but of course, when they called him Father Mulcahey, I had no troubles! It was fun. It reminded me while MASH is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, TV shows of all time.

Book 41. Murder at the Blueberry Festival by Darci Hannah

Date Completed: 1 May 2023

Category: Keeping the Series Current

Rating: 3 stars

Review: While I enjoyed my visit to Beacon Harbor, Michigan, I found the plot less appealing that earlier installments. A prankster is at work at the town's annual blueberry festival. Lindsay is trying to avoid being a victim. Before it's her turn, however, a rather deadly prank happens, and Lindsay's dog alerts her to a "Viking ship" with a corpse and a goat. The victim was a friend of Rory's, and with his military background, he helps with the investigation--and, of course, Lindsay is going to help too. It was humorous, but I'm not a fan of all the extra characters and wish we'd see the official investigation a bit more.

>130 thornton37814: They had "Duke" in the movie

I did like the novel of MASH a lot for the similarities and the differences. Apparently so much of the movie was improvised by the cast on the set a lot of Ring Lardner's script was just tossed away.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/350767

>132 magicians_nephew: It's been awhile since I've seen the movie, but I do remember the cast being different. You have to admit that Alan Alda was the perfect Hawkeye!

>133 SilverWolf28: Thanks.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/350931

>135 SilverWolf28: Thanks. I should be finishing up Women in White Coats. I have a couple other completions to report, but I'm staying behind right now.

Book 42. The Black Tower by P. D. James

Completed: 16 May 2023

Category: Mt. TBR Bingo

Rating: 3 stars

Review: DS Adam Dalgliesh visits Toynton Grange, a small private nursing care facility, in response to a letter received from his old friend Father Baddeley. When he arrives, he discovered the man died a few days earlier and left him his book collection. He stays on a few days to sort and box the books and discovers other unexpected deaths in the facility's recent past. Then a suspicious fire takes place in a detached black tower on the property nearer the coastline. Soon another death occurs. Dalgliesh had recently been released from the hospital following a critical situation and decided to "retire" from his police career when this book begins. Readers still don't have resolution to that situation by the book's end. My biggest problem with the book was this was an unofficial snooping rather than a formal police procedural. There really wasn't an official crime through most of the book although Dalgliesh could see the tell-tale signs and was able to follow them. Dalgliesh, of course, solves the case, but this isn't one of my favorites. It reminds me a lot of "And Then There Were None" because of the small pool of suspects where one keeps dying. I listened to the audiobook, and Penelope Dellaporta always does a good job with this series.

Book 43. A Killing of Innocents by Deborah Crombie

Date Completed: 16 May 2023

Category: Keeping the Series Current

Rating: 3 stars

Review: A female doctor in training is stabbed in a square on the route from the hospital to where she resided. The murder takes place on Duncan's beat. He and Doug had just seen the woman at a pub where she'd seemed like she was awaiting someone who perhaps never showed up. Gemma and Melody are working desk jobs now, and both miss their roles as detectives. Duncan involves Emma by asking her to do some undercover bar hopping with his less-than-reliable DI. I'm getting tired of the continuing soap opera drama with Melody, Andy, Poppy, and Doug. (I liked things better before Andy and Poppy came into the picture to complicate the relationship between Doug and Melody.) I've waited for this installment's release for years, and I was disappointed. While the mystery itself was quite good, the rest of the story didn't keep me wanting to read it.

Book 44. Women in White Coats: How the First Women Doctors Changed the World of Medicine by Olivia Campbell

Date Completed: 21 May 2023

Category: Gena's Book Club

Rating: 4 stars

Review: This book covers many early women doctors in the United States and Great Britain and their contributions to the fight for women to become doctors. Elizabeth Blackwell, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, and Sophia Jex-Blake are the main focus of the story although many other women in medicine are mentioned, particularly when their lives intersected with one of these. Although American progress is mentioned, the main thrust of this book is in England and Scotland, with a brief mention of Ireland toward the end of the book. Higher education institutions and the men who ran them were set against allowing women to enter the profession. When a sympathetic administrator was persuaded to allow admission, it was usually overturned by the students or professors who refused to share facilities with the women or teach them. The author relied on correspondence, published medical histories, biographies--personal and collective, articles, and medical journals for much of the information. Persons interested in the American side of things and Elizabeth Blackwell and her sister should read The Doctors Blackwell: How Two Pioneering Women Brought Medicine to Women -- and Women to Medicine by Janice P. Nimura.

>139 thornton37814: Good review! It's so shameful the way gender influenced who was considered acceptable in the medical profession. Careers in Chemistry, Astronomy and Physics were equally discriminatory. I upthumbed your review on the book page, too.

>140 SandyAMcPherson: Thanks! I'm really behind on visiting threads. I am feverishly trying to finish up my slides for my talks next week at National Genealogical Society. They are mostly done, but I always keep tweaking to the last minute. I will need to make sure my timing is okay on them as well--and hide slides when necessary to cut it down.

>141 thornton37814: No problem. Best wishes in your presentation!

>142 SandyAMcPherson: Thanks.

Here's the Memorial Day readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/351075

Wishing you the very best of luck with the presentation, Lori.

>145 PaulCranswick: There are 3 at one conference and one at another. I'll try to get back to being more active when I get back. I'm already behind a book review. If I could count all the partial books I'd read in preparation for two of the presentations, my numbers would look much better--although not up to old standards. I've got a presentation in August and then some in the fall.

>146 thornton37814: I'm sure that you'll break a leg, Lori!

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/351187

>148 SilverWolf28: Thanks. I listened to some, but I was traveling.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/351336

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/351550

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/351696

>151 SilverWolf28: >152 SilverWolf28: Thanks. I'm so behind on everything.

>153 thornton37814: You're welcome!

Here's the Fourth of July readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/351865#n8176378

Hi Lori my dear, hope you have had a good weekend and wishing you a good week ahead. Sending love and hugs from both of us, dear friend.

Hi Lori! Don't worry about being behind. It feels like I'm always behind...and this group is for fun, not obligation.

>155 SilverWolf28: Thanks!

>156 johnsimpson: The weekend was fine. I only worked a half-day today and will be off tomorrow. I'll work Wed-Fri though.

>157 The_Hibernator: I will hopefully catch up at some point!

Book 45. The Paper Moon by Andrea Camilleri

Date Completed: 30 May 2023

Category: Mt TBR Bingo

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Inspector Montalbano accompanies a concerned sister to her brother's apartment where he finds the man was shot in the face. Some aspects of the way the body was found indicate he might have been engaging in sex, but the coroner's report shows that was not the case. Most of his team members have been investigating cases involving drug deaths of somewhat important persons. Montalbano investigates persons connected to the man and must not let his judgment be clouded by his attraction to some of the females.It's not my favorite in the series, but it is solid.

Book 46. Murder at Archly Manor by Sara Rosett

Date Completed: 3 June 2023

Category: Other Fiction

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Olive Belgrave does not want to move back in with her parents, but if she does not find a job soon, she'll need to do so. Olive has always been good at figuring things out so her aunt hires her to look into the background of Roger Eton. Olive's cousin Violet has been dating him and is engaged, but neither the aunt nor Violet's sister like him. Olive hasn't been having a lot of success, and when Roger is murdered at a country estate party, Violet becomes the top suspect. The local officials really think it is an open and shut case. Fortunately the Scotland yard investigator is not as quick to judgment, providing Olive with more time to try to find others with motives. She discovers he had been blackmailing others who attended the party. Olive must find the culprit before Violet is arrested. Once she succeeds, she sets up her own detective agency. I listened to this one and found it to be a better first-in-series installment than many.

Book 47. To Kill a Troubadour by Martin Walker

Date Completed: 11 June 2023

Category: Benita's Mystery Group Read

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Bruno and all the others prepare to host a music festival in St. Denis. The featured artist is a target of Spanish nationalists, and law enforcement need to find those intending to kill. The assailants appear to be armed with long-range weaponry. Is it even safe for the festival to go on? I enjoy the village life depicted in these novels, but they certainly seem to have a lot of international crime in this small community.

Book 48. The Return of the Gods by Jonathan Cahn

Date Completed: 25 June 2023

Category: Christian Books

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Cahn, a Messianic Jew, presents his case that the very same pagan gods that tripped up Israel time and again in the Old Testament are currently alive and well in the United States. He shows how Baal, Ashterah (or Ishtar), and Molech manifested themselves over time in such cultures as the Greek and Roman cultures and how they manifest themselves in today's America. While readers may not agree with everything, the book will cause Christians, the intended audience, to reflect on some of the things going on in today's culture.

Book 49. Bobbins and Bodies by ACF Bookens

Date Completed: 27 June 2023

Category: Mt TBR Bingo

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Paisley enters a house to rescue architectural features before it comes down. She discovers a corpse. The clues lead her and a friend to a cult abusive to women. The official law enforcement folks need to play a more prominent role in warning the cozy sleuths off in this series, but we always see they are keeping a somewhat watchful eye on the unofficial investigators.

Book 50. The Farm Stand by Amy Clipston

Date Completed: 30 June 2023

Category: Mt TBR Bingo

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Amish maidel Salina operates a produce stand in the flea market. Will, an Old Order Mennonite man, operates a restaurant. He visits Salina's stand and arranges for her produce to be used in his restaurant, both on the salad bar and in dishes he makes. Both are dating other people that their families want them to marry. They feel an attraction to one another. There are so many barriers to their relationship. Will they be able to overcome them or will they find themselves settling to meet family expectations?

I'm caught up with reviews until I think of a title or two I possibly omitted. I can't find them on lists of books borrowed in Libby, so I hope I'm caught up. I lost the calendar where I was marking what I read each day, so I haven't kept up with that. I'm sure it will turn up, but there will be a huge gap!

I'm sorry for you, I hope it turns up soon.
In addition to my reviews, I also enter the books I read in
a list in LT - Books Read in 2023.
It's very quick and I keep track of everything.

>166 SirThomas: This was more a day-by-day what I read whether I finished it or not calendar. It will turn up. It just got lost when I traveled. It probably got put in the wrong thing. I haven't searched as thoroughly as I could.

>159 thornton37814: I need to get back to Montalbano and Bruno...I think I have my "next" in both series somewhere in the TBR wilderness.

>159 thornton37814: & >168 laytonwoman3rd: I have finished Montalbano (apart from short stories) but have yet to start Bruno.

Great to see you back, Lori.

>162 thornton37814: I'm *almost* tempted to try The Return of the Gods, but not quite. I'm not part of the intended audience, and I don't need any more ammunition for the part of my mind that wants to blame Christianity and all Christians for every evil committed by any one of them, and especially by the louder ones.

Hi Lori 😊 I've seen all of your catch-up posts today... look forward to following you! We seem to share a few farming/homesteading-type books... always interesting reads!

>90 thornton37814: Thanks for your comments on this book. I am curious if it covers the question of whether Jemima was actually Daniel's daughter or if Ned or Squire was the actual father. I'm interested in Boone history esp since reading Robert Morgan's book a few years ago. Moreso because the Boone's are ancestors of my wife. Per our tree on Ancestry Jemima would be a first cousin 7x removed. Quite a ways back.

>166 SirThomas: Ah, I just include a tag for the year. I may go and change all "2023" to "read-in-2023" or something similar....

Is there a way to include a book in a list from a book page rather than the list page?

Looks like you did a lot of reviews yesterday, Lori. Good luck trying to keep on track!

>172 RBeffa: Hi Ron - not to hijack Lori's thread, but the Boones are ancestors of mine too - small world! I'll have to dig back into Ancestry at some point and see if I can track down Jemima.

>175 PlatinumWarlock: Nice coincidence. There were a lot of Boone children so probably a lot of descendants! Daniel's sister Sarah is the 6th great grandmother of my wife. The Boone family has a lot of documentation. I'm going to get the Matthew Pearl book on Jemima from our library.

>173 quondame: I also use the tag "read in 2023", I did that before the lists and kept it.
Adding the book from the book page to a list a good idea, but haven't found anything about it.
Maybe a topic for Recommend Site Improvements.

I'm glad to see you back on LT, Lori! I'm behind too, since we went out of town for a week-long trip. It's amazing how fast the threads go! I do my best, and don't worry if I can't catch up on everything.

>168 laytonwoman3rd: I've worked my way through the Bruno series with the group read. I've still got a few Montalbanos that I haven't read.

>169 PaulCranswick: You definitely need to start Bruno.

>170 ArlieS: That's why I was careful to word it that it was intended for Christians.

>171 PlatinumWarlock: I tried my hand at a raised bed garden during COVID. I haven't been able to do one last year or this year because of vacation timing and having no one else to watch it while gone. I could have almost done it this year if it had not been for the late start to spring in these parts.

>172 RBeffa: It did not treat the parenthood issue.

>173 quondame: It's an interesting read by a well-established author.

>174 Familyhistorian: I hope I can keep up.

>175 PlatinumWarlock: Just make sure the trees you use are well-documented with good sources.

>176 RBeffa: I did not purchase it to read either. I just downloaded it on Overdrive

>177 SirThomas: I'm really bad at remembering to add tags like that so it wouldn't work for me. I mainly use the lists I create here to keep track of what I read in what year. It doesn't work though if I forget to record them somewhere when I'm away and reading and not having time to post.

>178 atozgrl: I just decided to try to keep up from here on. I skimmed things, but that's about it.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/352063

>183 SilverWolf28: Thanks. I did listen to an audiobook today, and I'm planning to crack open a print book soon!

Book 51. Lemon Curd Killer by Laura Childs

Date Completed: 6 July 2023

Category: Keeping the Series Current

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Delaine's sister Nadine's murder becomes Theodosia's next sleuthing adventure when Nadine's daughter Bettina asks her to solve it. Although Nadine was not likeable, evidence shows she may have stumbled across a drug deal. This takes us into the world of fashion. We also see bits of the film industry and antique gun trade. Since the murder takes place in a nearby county to Charleston, Tidwell barely makes an appearance. I missed his involvement in the case. The drug angle makes it possible the case relates to one on which Riley, the detective Theodosia dates, is working. The author waited until page 55 to introduce us to the person who committed the crime when the murder was committed on page 7. Little interaction between this person and Theodosia or the detectives occurred. Official investigators seem less visible in this installment than in previous ones. Riley admonishes Theodosia not to get involved rather than Tidwell. While change and development must come to any series to keep readers interested, Theodosia never seems to learn from her previous sleuthing efforts. I miss the interactions between Theodosia and Tidwell, even though I like Riley. It was still an enjoyable escape from real life near one of my favorite cities--Charleston.

Book 52. Missing in the Snow by Ann Cleeves

Date Completed: 6 July 2023

Category: Keeping the Series Current

Rating: 3 stars

Review: This short story featuring Jimmy Perez was offered through the author's newsletter. Since Shetland is my favorite of Cleeves' series, I couldn't resist. Jimmy now lives in Orkney but he still maintains jurisdiction over Shetland in a more supervisory capacity. He's called in when an author goes missing, leaving behind his phone but taking his laptop. His missing status is reported by a neighbor. While the resolution is a cute concept for a short story, the solution just comes "crashing in" too quickly. It needs further expansion before the solution's revelation.

>162 thornton37814: Hi Lori! That seems interesting. Are his arguments not generally accepted? It seems like either they're here in the US ir they're not.

I feel behind on threads and reviews after a few busy, more chaotic than usual weeks. Hope all is well!

>188 witchyrichy: Things are okay. Life just gets busy sometimes.

Hi Lori my dear, stopping by to say hello, RL does get in the way at times, sending love and hugs from both of us my dear friend.

>190 johnsimpson: Thanks, John!

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/352222

>192 SilverWolf28: Thanks. I missed it, but it was a busy weekend.

Book 53. Winter Study by Nevada Barr

Date Completed: 13 July 2023

Category: Mt TBR Bingo

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Anna Pigeon leaves Mississippi for a short-time assignment at Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior. She joins a research team that studies the winter wildlife population and a rather obnoxious Homeland Security representative. The researchers believe winter park closure remains a necessity for biodiversity while Homeland Security would like to see the park opened year-round to visitors.It isn't long until a death occurs. They spot some paw prints that don't match any known wildlife, but paired with a possible sighting of an irregular animal that, from a distance, appears to possibly be a wolf-moose cross-breed, the group knows they need to be cautious. One female graduate student goes missing and is later found dead. It appears she was attacked by wolves. This doesn't quite add up for Anna so she begins a secret investigation and finds a secret spot to stash her evidence. Another person eventually goes missing. It's a locked room puzzle in a survival-type atmosphere. The story's multiple layers add tension and interest. While this wasn't my favorite in the series, mainly due to a disturbing sexual predator scenario discovered in the course of the investigation by Anna, it was a solid installment. I listened to the audiobook read by Barbara Rosenblat who does a good job with the series.

Book 54. Stitched & Sewn: The Life-Saving Art of Holocaust Survivor Trudie Strobel by Jody Savin; photographs by Ann Elliott Cutting

Date Completed: 18 July 2023

Category: Cooking and Crafting

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Trudie Strobel and her mother Masha were taken by the Nazis during the Holocaust. Her mother's skill in needlework caught the attention of one of her captors, so she was often assigned to repair their uniforms. Trudie was very young, and when one of the soldiers took Trudie's prized "Papa Doll" from her, Masha vowed to always be with Trudie. Their story through the Holocaust is told. They had no surviving family and wanted to leave Germany after the war. It took some time because of immigration policies but they eventually made it to America where they settled in Chicago. Trudie married and ended up in California. When issues surfaced from the horrors of the Holocaust, Trudie began to see a psychologist. She stitched, in vivid detail, the scene in which "Papa Doll" was snatched from her. Her embroidery became a type of therapy for her, and she stitched many treasures depicting Jewish history and symbolism. I loved her tapestry depicting Jewish women. Her work is amazing for the stories it tells.

I'm all caught up with you once again, Lori. I noticed a couple of my favorites from last year...Small Things Like These and The Sentence. Louise Erdrich is one of my favorite authors and it was fun to see she included herself in the book!

You have been very busy. I don't know what my excuse is for being absent except that I have spent more time reading books than threads. I'm fascinated by your last book and looked up Trudy Strobel on the internet to see more of her amazing embroidery projects.

I'm so sorry to hear about the storm damage to your hometown. Nothing feels safe anymore. This weather has been crazy for sure. Have a peaceful rest of the summer.

>196 Donna828: Since I'm heading to our public library once a week (when it town) for the cross stitch group, I decided to see what kinds of needlework books they might have in their collection. I stumbled across this one as I browsed by subject and put it on my list to grab when I visited. It really was fascinating.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/352404

>198 SilverWolf28: Thanks

Book 55. The Watchmaker's Daughter: The True Story of World War II Heroine Corrie Ten Boom by Larry Loftis

Date Completed: 20 July 2023

Category: History, Genealogy, and Historical & Genealogical Fiction

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Drawing from archival sources, Corrie's own writings, and other published writings about Corrie, this biography presents the story of Corrie Ten Boom and her family to a new generation. The Ten Boom family lived in the Netherlands. As Christians they believed in helping others, and when the horrors of the Holocaust came to their home country, they opened their home to Jews. The family built a secret closet which helped hide their guests when a threat came to the door. The goal was to get them to an even safer place. Eventually they were arrested in a raid. Corrie and her sister Betsie were transported together to many locations. Betsie often helped Corrie see how God was working through the situation, and she foresaw a postwar ministry for the family. Betsie grew weaker as the days passed, and she eventually died. God performed a miracle through a clerical error in Corrie's release from Ravensbruck. She pursued the ministry Betsie envisioned and spoke to many audiences about her experiences. Although she had written her own autobiography, her story really became known when John and Elizabeth Sherrill told it in The Hiding Place. The book was later turned into a film. A big theme in the book is forgiveness. With God's help, she forgave those who killed her family and who tormented her.

>200 thornton37814: You got me with that one. On to Mt. TBR it goes!

>201 atozgrl: I remember our youth group leaders reading parts of The Hiding Place to us when it came out. I would have been in middle school. My grandmother had a copy loaned to her by another lady that I read after that. I think I read it and some of the author's writings in college, but it's been many years since I read anything about Corrie.

Book 56. The Drowning Sea by Sarah Stewart Taylor

Date Completed: 21 July 2023

Category: Mt. TBR Bingo

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Maggie D'Arcy has left New York after her last detective case made her fearful for her daughter's safety. She and her daughter Lilly are staying at least for the summer with Conor while Maggie decides if she wants to join the garda. A Polish immigrant's body turns up in the sea, and investigators believe there is a chance it could be connected to a drug situation a few years back. When Lilly is dating the younger brother of another Polish man connected with the building site where the deceased immigrant worked, she questions whether this is a good thing or not. Most of the locals seem to like the buy, but the connection causes her concern. Police never tell Maggie what's going on, but she investigates a little on the side. The case conclusion is suspenseful and satisfying.

>202 thornton37814: I've got a copy of The Hiding Place. Although it's been many years since I read it, I remember it made a strong impression on me. There are some scenes from the book that I've never forgotten. The Watchmaker's Daughter sounds fascinating to me. Thanks for the review!

>204 atozgrl: I hope you enjoy it. When I saw the book listed among forthcoming titles, I knew we needed to order it for our library's collection, so I did.

>195 thornton37814: Needlework is not automatically seen as a form of artistic expression so it is interesting to see that Stitched & Sewn delves into the wider story behind the art.

>206 Familyhistorian: yes

Pure luck
Wordle 767 1/6

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

You deserve this!

>208 thornton37814: Wow! Congratulations! I recently got Wordle-in-one, and it was a thrill! I used my usual first word, so that won’t happen again for me (unless I change my first word).

Have a great day!

Karen O

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/352566

>209 SirThomas: Thanks!

>210 klobrien2: I rarely use the same starting word. A lot of times, I ask my cats what I should use. The word just felt right . . . and it was.

>211 SilverWolf28: Thanks. I've been at my brother's house, and I have not logged into my laptop in an entire week! Finally broke down and did so tonight. I'm not going to try to catch up on all email though. That will be gradual.

>208 thornton37814: brilliant

57. In a Dry Season by Peter Robinson

Date Completed: 24 July 2023

Category: Mt TBR Bingo

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: A drought caused the remains of a town flooded to create a reservoir to emerge. As a boy plays among the ruins seeking a treasure, he find the treasure, but he also finds a skeleton. Jimmy Riddle puts the disgraced DI Alan Banks on the case. No missing persons reports fit the skeletal remains, but as they look over historical records, DI Banks and DS Annie Cabbot believe the young woman may be someone who lived in that house.They must search for persons who lived in the town who knew the young woman and determine if the woman's killer is alive or deceased.It's a pretty good mystery, but I could do without romantic/sexual interests thrown into the mix.

Book 58. Torso by Helene Tursten

Date Completed: 31 July 2023

Category: Benita's Mystery Group Read

Rating: 2 stars

Review: Irene Huss investigates an odd case in which a torso with no limbs or head washes ashore. They discover a similar case occurred in Denmark when they broaden their search. Irene travels there to compare information. They even discover video showing the murders, but the person appearing to commit them is the deceased. There's an element of horror as it appears the perpetrator wants someone close to Irene to be the next victim. I did not enjoy this installment because necrophilia is a major theme. I've never connected to Irene either. While I may read the next installment to complete the year's group read, I doubt I will continue the series in 2024. There are too many other books I'd enjoy more begging for my attention.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/352748

>216 SilverWolf28: Thanks

Book 59. Her Amish Holiday Suitor by Carrie Lighte

Date Completed: 3 August 2023

Category: Christmas All Year

Rating: 4 stars

Review: I scoured our library's catalog for needlework-related books and found this one. Lucy Knepp who is a quiet Amish maidel spends her time embroidering. She makes things intended for the Pennsylvania Amish tourist market. Her big side project is a piece she plans to donate to an auction fundraising event for the soup kitchen where she volunteers. Nick Burkholder, still on his rumspringa, needs an excuse to spend time away from home as he covers up the fire damage his brother caused at a cabin. Nick plans to renovate it before the family uses it at Christmas, but his parents do not need the added stress of knowing his brother caused such damage. Nick comes up with a plan where he will pretend to be dating Lucy. It works to both their advantage because it allows Lucy to tuck herself into a quiet corner of the library to stitch without interruption on the fundraiser while providing Nick a cover for being gone so much. Although they don't try to overdo their excuses, word gets around they are seeing each other. Only the two of them know it is a pretense. Inevitably the two find they really do care for each other and it's not a pretense, but some assumptions and lack of being completely honest with one another threaten the relationship. I enjoyed this predictable story because it had a bit of a twist to it. I found myself wishing I could see Lucy's embroidery!

Book 60. Killing Raven by Margaret Coel

Date Completed: 4 August 2023

Category: Mt TBR Bingo

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Father John is called to say last rites at a scene where a young woman discovered a hand protruding from the ground. Vicki, struggling to gain enough clients to stay afloat now that she's back in Lander, receives an offer to assist the Lakota lawyer handling contracts for the Arapaho casino. A discrepancy in the mission's bank funds causes Father John and Father George to investigate. The story lines intertwine as it becomes clear casino loan sharks are making it hard on locals and that the tribe isn't getting all the money it should be. This is better than many in the series, and I like the fact that Vicki appears to be moving on in her relationships with other men and realizing Father John will remain true to his calling for the foreseeable future. I listened to the audiobook read by Stephanie Brush.

>218 thornton37814: I went through a phase when I was reading Love Inspired books a LOT. Not so much anymore, but it was sweet fluff.

>220 The_Hibernator: I read that one because of the needlework angle. I also don't mind Amish fiction since it is usually clean. I would like to find a few more needlework-themed books. I've got a few mystery series with it, but I'll eventually run out of them.

I imagine the needlework niche is not a large one, Lori. Good luck finding more.

>222 Familyhistorian: Thanks. I think I'll have to be creative in how I allow it. I may need to include quilting, crochet, and knit as well as cross stitch and embroidery.

>223 thornton37814: Lori, I wondered if I could be any help to you finding titles you haven't read in the Needlework theme.

I asked a Quilt Guild member who loves mysteries that use all sorts of needlework types for the theme. She's intrepid, and hand-quilts her patchwork. It's beyond gorgeous. OK, an aside.

Here's a short list of her recently read favourite series:
• Miss Seeton Quilts the Village (A Miss Seeton Mystery)
• Pinned for Murder (Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries)
• Dangerous Alterations (A Southern Sewing Circle Mystery)
• Pressed for Time (A Southern Quilting Mystery)
• Thread the Halls (A Mainely Needlepoint Mystery)

She also included this url.
Just in case, here's the full url if that link doesn't work --> https://cozy-mystery.com/blog/knitting-cozy-mysteries-needlecraft-needlework-coz....

I didn't double-check your library catalogue, so maybe you've read all these books. I did add the series lists after the titles, so a quick scan will likely tell you, yup, read (or not).

I am really intrigued with some of these. If you have favourites, do please give them a shout out!

>224 SandyAMcPherson: I don't think I've read any of the Miss Seeton books. It looks like this is the only one that deals with needlework. I'd probably want to read an earlier installment just to get to know Miss Seeton before diving into one that far into the series. It does sound like a series I might want to try though. I've read a couple in the Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries. I liked the debut better than the second one, but I should try to find the next one sometime. I haven't heard of the Southern Quilting Mystery series so I might give that one a try. I enjoy the Mainely Needlepoint series, and it's one of the series I'm actively reading through slowly but surely.

Amanda Lee has an Embroidery series. There's a "Stitches in Crime" series by ACF Bookens that is okay but not great. Of course there are older series by Monica Ferris and Betty Hechtman and a few others that fall into the older series category too.

Book 61. Grandma Gatewood's Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail by Ben Montgomery

Date Completed: 5 August 2023

Category: Gena's Book Club

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Emma Gatewood, a woman who suffered at the hands of an abusive husband for much of her life, set out to walk the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. She was in her late 60s when she set out in the 1950s on her trek. While I enjoyed the story, I was disappointed in the lack of footnotes/endnotes to see exactly where the author got the information he passed along. A bibliography was included, but it was obviously not complete as it failed to list newspaper accounts consulted and diaries. I'm not sure the flashbacks to her life as an abused wife were handled in the best manner. Perhaps a more chronological approach would have been better than "flashbacks." (The dual timeline just wasn't necessary.) Gatewood rewalked the trail the following year and walked the complete course a third time in sections. She also walked across the Oregon Trail later. I'm amazed she did it in tennis shoes instead of hiking boots and that she was able to travel as lightly as she did. I was unaware of all the shelters built along the trail for those walking at regular daily intervals even though I live near portions of the trail.

Book 62. Intrigue in Istanbul by Erica Ruth Neubauer

Date Completed: 9 August 2023

Category: Keeping the Series Current

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Jane and Redvers return to Boston so Redvers can ask Jane's father for her hand in marriage. When they arrive, her father is gone, and letters from the bank threatening repossession of their home send Jane and Redvers on a mission to find him. They end up in Istanbul where they are joined by Aunt Millie and Lord Hughes. They meet an archivist who worked with her father, a lady at a place where he frequently ate, and others connected to her father, but he appears to be gone. He left behind some of his things indicating he may not have gone voluntarily. When the archivist dies, Jane and Redvers know they must take extra care. She still gets into dangerous situations. Both wonder who they can trust. However, Jane begins to find clues that eventually leads them on a ride along the Orient Express to Hungary. While the story is interesting, it's not quite as good as earlier installments.

>227 thornton37814: What an interesting mystery! I have never read anything by this author, so I plan to start with Murder at the Mena House.
Thanks for the review and caution that the latest in the seies was "not quite as good as earlier installments".

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/352884

Hi Lori. You read some very interesting books. In particular, I added Women in White Coats.

>228 SandyAMcPherson: I really enjoy this series overall.

>229 SilverWolf28: Thanks.

>230 Whisper1: Hope you enjoy it.

>224 SandyAMcPherson: & >223 thornton37814: Thanks to both of you for the info about books that have a crafting theme! I'll check those out too. :)

>232 PlatinumWarlock: Hope you find some good ones.

Did I miss why you're looking for needlework fiction?

>234 The_Hibernator: I just am doing a lot of cross-stitching now so I thought I'd see if there were some I had not read.

Book 63. Premeditated Peppermint by Amanda Flower

Date Completed: 12 August 2023

Category: Christmas All Year

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Harvest, Ohio, in Holmes County, is preparing for the Christmas market on the village square, and Swissmen's Sweets is busy preparing all things peppermint. They are suddenly invaded by Bailey's ex-boyfriend Eric and the crew from his television program. Bailey knows that permission must be secured not only from her Amish grandmother who owns the shop and from the bishop before she can accept any publicity opportunity as promising as this one. The next morning, Bailey notices something off with the gazebo lights on the square. When she investigates she discovers the producer's body. I'm not quite sure how I feel about this series from the Amish/Englisch perspective since the lead character is not Amish, but she would not be allowed to investigate if she were Amish, so I suppose it's the only way it is feasible.

Book 64. 1794: The City Between the Bridges by Niklas Natt Och Dag

Date Completed: 16 August 2023

Category: History & Genealogy & Historical & Genealogical Fiction

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Erik Three Roses fell in love with the daughter of a peasant on his father's estate. His father forbids him to marry her and sends him to Saint Barthélemy where he is horrified by slavery. He finds a way back to Sweden and marries the young woman who dies on her wedding night. He lands in a hospital, but most people believe he belongs in an asylum. I almost put this book down many times because it's not my type of book, but something compelled me to finish it. It is dark and would be classified as noir and perhaps also as literary fiction. I did not realize this was the second book in a series. I don't know if reading the earlier book would have helped or not.

Book 65. Shadows in Bronze by Lindsey Davis

Date Completed: 17 August 2023

Category: Benita's Mystery Group Read

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: I listened to the abridged BBC radio version of this book. In this installment, Falco helps Vespasian get rid of a dead body and then heads with Petronius to the Bay of Naples to begin an investigation into a failed coup and its members. Their investigation leads them to places frequented by those on holiday--Neapolis, Capreae and Pompeii. One of the conspirators is the former husband of Helena Justina whom Falco would like to get to know better. While this is still not my favorite series, the BBC abridgement made it more tolerable than the first installment.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/353058

>237 thornton37814: You would recognise some characters from the previous book, Lori.
For the third (and last) book you need to have read at least this one.

Very grim story, I can understand almost putting down. I certainly would have passed if it had been set in more recent times.

>239 SilverWolf28: Thanks

>240 FAMeulstee: I'm not sure if I'll seek out the others. I won't purchase them, but I might eventually see if they are available.

Book 66. Farm to Trouble by Amanda Flower

Date Completed: 18 August 2023

Category: Other Fiction and Literature

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Shiloh Bellamy worked as a producer in California after a young man she loved died. She returns to her native Michigan to help her Dad with the farm. She wants to turn it into an organic farm but she finds the man financing her venture dead at the local farmer's market. She and her father become suspects because it was one of his antique guns that was the murder weapon. She needs to find other suspects before the local police chief with whom she started on the wrong foot arrests them both. As in most recent cozies, a developing romance begins not long after she arrives. It was not bad for a first installment, and an unanswered question remains which may be stretched over one or more future installments. The narrator was the weakest link. At times her tone and cadence led this listener to believe she was completely bored with the novel and that it was "just a job" she couldn't wait to finish.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/353193

>243 SilverWolf28: Thanks. I finished an audiobook on Saturday and a print book on Sunday.

Book 67. Rupture by Ragnar Jonasson

Date Completed: 21 August 2023

Category: Mt TBR Bingo

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Ari Thor investigates a 50-year-old poisoning case that was ruled a suicide at the time because someone asks him to take a look at it. Crime is down because of the quarantine, so it frees him to take a look at the older case. He finds a connection to a case in Reykjavik and asks his reporter friend Isrun to look into it since travel is not an option due to the quarantine. Isrun is also looking into the kidnapping of a child. While the stories all come together, the English translation is awkward in places and makes it difficult to follow. This is not my favorite series by Jonasson. The leading characters personal issues makes it difficult to like them.

Book 68. Dangling by a Thread by Lea Wait

Date Completed: 26 August 2023

Category: Cooking & Crafting

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Angie encounters a man locals call "The Solitary" when she visits the harbor. She learns his name is Jesse Lockhart and that he lives on King's Island, about 3 miles off Haven Harbor's coast. The man moved to his family's island to protect the Great Cormorant which nests there. He comes into town to pick up mail and shop occasionally. A rich man wants to buy the island, and the local realtor wants to make it happen. Dave, a Mainely Needlepointer and Jesse's friend, and Angie go to warn the man that his cousin who co-owns the island is being flown in by the rich man, but two in the boat confuses Jesse and he shoots an arrow which pierces Dave's leg. When Angie goes with law enforcement to talk to Jesse the next day, they find him dead. The rich man is Patrick's uncle. Patrick has recently returned from convalescing in Boston following the fire in the last installment. Angie and Dave line up support from environmental groups to launch a campaign to "save the Great Cormorant." The plot's pretty convoluted, and it takes a long time to get to the murder. Angie uncovers the clues that lead to an arrest. The setting is pleasant, and I love the needlepoint angle. I wish needlepoint figured more prominently to the story. I felt the author failed to include the needlepoint discussed early in the story when concluding her plot. I listened to the audio book.

Book 69. On Moonberry Lake by Holly Varni

Date Completed: 27 August 2023

Rating: 4 stars

Category: Christian Books

Review: When Cora's mother dies, she discovers she inherited her grandparents' lodge where she spent some happy childhood moments. But there is a catch! She must live there one year or it is not hers. The lodge needs a lot of work, and Cora is not sure the funds available will bring it back to its former glory. She meets a lot of quirky people, including Widgy, her repairwoman, an elderly lady named Kitty who cared for the gravestones even when Cora was a child, and an eccentric man who becomes her employers. She also meets and is attracted to the local dentist whose receptionist is a nightmare. It's a feel good story with a very slight romance. The story focuses more on the neighbors who become her friends rather than on the romance in spite of it being labeled as "contemporary romance." I really enjoyed the book and would love to revisit all the characters. I received this through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program in exchange for an honest review.

Hi, Lori! Just stopping by to say hello. I've totally neglected the threads this year.

>208 thornton37814: I had posted a congratulatory post on your Wordle-in-one (which still holds!) and I realized that this was an older post, and I had already said my congrats, so…have a great day!

Karen O

>248 tymfos: I'm behind myself.

>249 klobrien2: I'm sure I've done something similar myself. Hope you have a great day also.

Mostly stopping by to say hello after being away for awhile.

>200 thornton37814: Corrie Ten Boom's book The Hiding Place came out when I was in middle school, the age group that Amazon recommends for the book. We all read it and talked about it. Adding this to my TBR list.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/353351

>251 witchyrichy: Hope you enjoy.

>252 SilverWolf28: Thanks.

Just popping in to wish you a wonderful weekend, Lori.

>254 SirThomas: Thanks!