DeltaQueen Threads Her Way Through 2016 - Part 3

At the end of my last thread we were talking about the importance of color at this time of year. Some of us are seeing signs of Spring while others are hoping to see those signs soon. I have added a few pictures to remind us of the colors of spring.

Welcome everyone. My name is Judy and I live in the suburbs of Vancouver, B.C. I read many different types of books, both fiction and non-fiction. This will be my eighth year participating in the Category Challenge and I find the planning and sorting of books really fits my style of reading. I have enjoyed every year and am sure this will be another year of great reading, good discussions and friendly banter.



Since we here communicate by way of threads, I thought I would use the 2016 category challenge to pay homage to this colourful image to name each of my categories. I still like the idea of having a lot of themes so have gone with the full 16. I plan to read at least 9 (2 + 0 + 1 + 6 = 9) books in each category for a total of 144 books.

2016 CHALLENGE CATEGORIES



A. Threads of Mystery: This is where I will place mysteries and crime stories

B. Matched Threads: Series books will fit here

C. Vintage Threads: When it comes to vintage, my choice is often a mystery. This will be a place for my well-aged mysteries

D. Hanging By A Thread: This will be a category for adventure or thriller reads.

E. Colorful Threads: A place for YA and Children’s Literature

F. Threads of Love: Family Sagas and Romance will find a home here

G. Tangled Threads: Books that are set during a time of conflict or war

H. Fiber Optic Threads: Science Fiction

I. Magic Threads: Fantasy

J. Dark Threads: Dystopian, Apocalyptic, Horror

K. Thread Count: Thread Count must be absolutely accurate when labelling an item. This sounds like the perfect place for the truth that non-fiction reads will bring to me. There could be some DeweyCats listed here.

L. Designer Threads: Award Winners & Nominees, Books From Lists.

M. Threads of Time: Historical Fiction as determined by the Reading Through Time Group and other reads

N. Threads of Silk & Gold: Hope to find a few treasures in my Global Reading. Many of my GeoCat reads will be found here.

O. Threads of Fate: Randomly generated books by using the Folly button on LT. As I list all my TBR and wish lists here on LT, I will pick a book each month using this method. I have borrowed this idea from KatieKrug.

P. Jumbled Threads: Reader’s Choice. Books that don’t fit in other categories.

Tickers

Books Read:




Pages Read:




Books From My Own Shelves:

2016 BingoDog



2016 BINGODOG CHALLENGE

1. Debut Book: Girl At War by Sara Novic
2. Comics, Graphic Novel: Jack of Fables, Vol. 1: The (Nearly) Great Escape by Bill Willingham
3. Less Than 200 Pages: The Lost Garden by Helen Humphreys
4. About a Writer: Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen
5. Title Has a Musical Reference: The Earth Hums in B Flat by Mari Strachan
6. Title Uses Word Play:
7. Protagonist Has Job/Hobby I Want: Ill Wind by Nevada Barr
8. Body of Water In Title: Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch
9. Food Is Important:
10. Self Published
11. About or by an Indigenous Person
12. In Translation
13. Read A Cat: And The Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
14. Author Born in 1916: The End of The Night by John D. MacDonald
15. Features A Theatre:
16. One Word Title: Stonemouth by Iain Banks
17. About An Airplane Flight: Lost In Shangri-La by Mitchell Zuckoff
18. Focus on Art: Dior by Alexandra Palmer
19. About the Environment
20. Senior Citizen as Protagonist: The Thirteen Problems by Agatha Christie
21. Autobiography or Memoir: Resistance by Agnes Humbert
22. Adventure: Rogue Male by Geoffrey Household
23. Coming of Age Story: Revolution by Deborah Wiles
24. Published Before I Was Born: Night Has A Thousand Eyes by Cornell Woolrich
25. Survival Story: Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo

2016 WOMAN BINGOPUP CHALLENGE



1. Female Ruler:
2. Woman in Science: Tropic of Serpents by Marie Brennan
3. Less than 10 Year Old: Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick
4. Short Story Collection: It Falls Into Place by Phyllis Shand Allfrey
5. Women in Non-traditional Role
6. Published Before 2000: Conflict of Honors by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
7. Afro-American Author: Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
8. About A Spy: The Orchid Affair by Lauren Willig
9. Different Genre by Same Author
10. Award Winner: Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
11. Autobiography, Memoir, Correspondence: Resistance by Agnes Humbert
12. Women in Combat: Daughter of Xanadu by Dori Jones Yang
13. By or About a Woman: Bath Tangle by Georgette Heyer
14. A New-To-You Author: The Earth Hums In B Flat by Mari Strachan
15. Set in Latin America or Asia: A Golden Age by Tahmima Anam
16. African Author
17. Made Into A Movie
18. Set in Europe, Australia or New Zealand
19. About a Female Critter: Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
20. Author Over 60 years of Age
21. 1920's - 30's Detective Fiction
22. Author From the Middle East: Together Tea by Marjan Kamali
23. From Your TBR Pile
24. Poetry or Plays
25. Male Pseudonym: The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

Threads of Mystery - Police Procedurals/Mysteries



Books Read

1. Stonemouth by Iain Banks - 4.2 ★
2. Hear No Evil by Georgie Hale - 2.5 ★
3. Birthdays For the Dead by Stuart MacBride - 3.3 ★
4. Cold Light by Jenn Ashworth - 3.5 ★
5. Death At La Fenice by Donna Leon - 3.2 ★
6. The End of the Night by John D. MacDonald
7. The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith - 4.1 ★

Matched Threads - Series



Books Read

1. Buried Strangers by Leighton Gage - 3.8 ★
2. Junkyard Dogs by Craig Johnson - 4.3 ★
3. The Meanest Flood by John Baker - 4.1 ★
4. Ill Wind by Nevada Barr - 3.4 ★

Vintage Threads - Well Aged Mysteries



Books Read

1. The Silent World of Nicholas Quinn by Colin Dexter - 3.3 ★
2. The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett - 3.6 ★
3. Night Has A Thousand Eyes by Cornell Woolrich - 4.1 ★
4. The Thirteen Problems by Agatha Christie - 4.1 ★

Hanging By A Thread - Adventure/Thriller Reads



Books Read

1. Roosevelt's Beast by Louis Bayard - 3.4 ★
2. Tropic of Serpents by Marie Brennan - 3.8 ★
3. Rogue Male by Geoffrey Household - 4.5 ★
4. The Orchid Affair by Lauren Willig - 3.2 ★

Colorful Threads - YA & Children's Literature



Books Read

1. Darkness Be My Friend by John Marsden - 4.0 ★
2. Revolution by Deborah Wiles - 5.0 ★
3. Gatty's Tale by Kevin Crossley-Holland - 4.2 ★
4. Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo - 3.8 ★

Threads of Love - Family Sagas/Romance



Books Read

1. Bath Tangle by Georgette Heyer - 3.8 ★
2. The Lost Garden by Helen Humphreys - 5.0 ★
3. The Earth Hums in B Flat by Mari Strachan - 4.2 ★
4. Celebrations in Burracombe by Lilian Harry - 4.0 ★
5. The Duke and I by Julia Quinn - 3.6 ★

Tangled Threads - Conflict/War



Books Read

1. The Watch by Joydeep Roy-Bhattacharya - 4.3 ★
2. Elkhorn Tavern by Douglas C. Jones - 4.1 ★
3. Girl At War by Sara Novic - 3.7 ★
4. Where The Heart Is by Annie Groves - 3.4 ★
5. Daughter of Xanadu by Dori Jones Yang - 4.1 ★

Fiber Optic Threads - Science Fiction



Books Read

1. The Martian by Andy Weir - 4.3 ★
2. Pelquin's Comet by Ian Whates - 4.5 ★
3. Flowers For Algernon by Daniel Keyes - 5.0 ★
4. Conflict of Honors by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller - 4.1 ★
5. Brothers In Arms by Lois McMaster Bujold - 4.1 ★

Magic Threads - Fantasy



Books Read

1. Jack of Fables, Vol. 1: The (Nearly) Great Escape by Bill Willingham - 4.1 ★
Jack of Fables, Vol. 2: Jack of Hearts by Bill Willingham - 4.1 ★
Jack of Fables, Vol. 3: Bad Prince by Bill Willingham - 3.8 ★
2. The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie - 5.0 ★
3. Fables, Vol. 13: The Great Fables Crossover by Bill Willingham - 4.1 ★
Fables, Vol. 14: Witches by Bill Willingham - 3.9 ★
Jack of Fables, Vol. 7: The New Adventures of Jack And Jack by Bill Willingham - 4.0 ★
4. Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch - 4.1 ★
5. Moon Called by Patricia Briggs - 4.0 ★

Dark Threads - Dystopian, Apocalyptic, Horror



Books Read

1. Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick - 3.3 ★
2. The Twelve by Justin Cronin - 3.9 ★

Thread Count - Non Fiction



Books Read

1. Book Lust To Go by Nancy Pearl - 4.0 ★
2. Lost in Shangri-La by Mitchell Zuckoff - 4.1 ★
3. Resistance: A Woman's Journal of Struggle and Defiance in Occupied France by Agnes Humbert - 3.7 ★
4. Dior by Alexandra Palmer - 3.4 ★

Designer Threads - Award Winners & Nominees, Books on Lists



Books Read

1. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson - 5.0 ★
2. Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi - 4.0 ★
3. City of Thieves by David Benioff - 4.5 ★

Threads of Time - Reading Through Time



Books Read

1. The Dog Master by W. Bruce Cameron - 5.0 ★
2. Mademoiselle Chanel by C.W. Gortner - 4.5 ★
3. Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen - 4.1 ★
4. The Last Midwife by Sandra Dallas - 3.5 ★
5. Band of Angels by Julia Gregson - 3.0 ★
6. Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon - 4.1 ★

Threads of Silk & Gold - Global Reading



Books Read

1. A Golden Age by Tahmima Anam - 4.2 ★
2. And The Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini - 4.3 ★
3. Together Tea by Marjan Kamali - 3.3 ★
4. It Falls Into Place by Phyllis Shand Allfrey - 3.2 ★

Threads of Fate



Books Read

1. Bad Penny Blues by Cathi Unsworth - 4.0 ★
2. Ragtime Cowboys by Loren D. Estleman - 4.0 ★
3. Witch Light by Susan Fletcher - 4.2 ★

Jumbled Threads



1. Fables, Volume 11: War & Pieces by Bill Willingham - 4.0 ★
Fables, Volume 12: The Dark Ages by Bill Willingham - 3.8 ★
2. Jack of Fables, Volume 4: Americana by Bill Willingham - 3.8 ★
Jack of Fables, Volume 5: Turning the Pages by Bill Willingham - 3.6 ★
Jack of Fables, Volume 6: The Big Book of War by Bill Willingham - 3.8 ★
3. Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat - 3.8 ★
4. Kindred by Octavia E. Butler - 4.0 ★
5. The Fade Out, Act 1 by Ed Brubaker - 4.2 ★
The Fade Out, Act 2 by Ed Brubaker - 4.1 ★

Reading Plans



I have found out over the years that I am not very good with planned group reads. I often say yes but when the time comes I have to bow out due to other commitments.

This year I will try not to do too much advance planning but I will definitely be participating in the 2016 Dewey, Geo and Random Cats as well as the BingoDog, Women BingoPup and the Monthly Alphabet Challenge. I also am very interested in participating, at least some of the time, in the Canadian Author Challenge although I didn't do very well with either the American or British Author Challenges of 2015.

Schedule

January:
February: Canadian Author Challenge - Helen Humphreys - The Lost Garden - Completed
March: Canadian Author Challenge - Farley Mowat - Never Cry Wolf - Completed
April: Hosting the Reading Through Time Monthly Theme - Women in War
May: Canadian Author Challenge - Emily St. John Mandel - Station Eleven
June: Canadian Author Challenge - Joseph Boyden - The Orenda
July: Canadian Author Challenge - L.M. Montgomery - Rilla of Ingleside
August: Hosting the GeoCat: Sub-Saharan Africa, Hosting the SFFF-Kit: Start a Series, Continue a Series
September: Hosting the DeweyCat: 700's, September Series & Sequels
October: Canadian Author Challenge - Lawrence Hill - Someone Knows My Name
November: Hosting the RandomCat
December:

Your thread is so beautiful; happy new one!

Happy new thread! Such a busy schedule, I'm awed.

Happy New Thread, Judy! Happy Friday! Love the colorful topper. I am biding my time.

I came home from vacation to find my crocuses have actual flowers on them. The strange weather we've been having here has had many of my bulbs pushing their heads out of the ground, but these are the first actual flowers I've had.

I can sympathize with you, Judy, about making the decision of whether or not to move. We started thinking about 2 yrs ago that we might move somewhere south (after I retired for good). We've been back and forth - go/stay, house/condo. We even signed a purchase-and-sales agreement a few weeks ago on a condo that's being built where we'd have input on decorating. But my husband is like yours. He loves to be outside, puttering around, even on the cold, snowy days. We finally decided that for now we'll stay where we are. It's not an easy decision to make, that's for sure.

oh - and Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Judy!

Happy new thread! I love the flowering shrubs on your topper. I found the first stalks of daffodils poking up out of the ground yesterday so hopefully we will soon be joining you in seeing some spring colors here in New England.

Happy New Thread!
Right now our neighborhood smells deliciously of orange blossoms at night. The park across the street has an abundance of trees and we stand in the yard inhaling. : )

Re: your search for a new house. You'd better hurry because there may be a lot of Americans moving up there next November!

I see from your top post that you love spring as much as I do. I just wish we'd have more than an hour of sunshine at a time (especially after last spring when I got so spoiled).

Your thread's organization and creativity always floor me, Judy!

Happy new thread!!

>30 mamzel:
Haha!

>23 DianaNL: Hi Diana, Friday is certainly a day to celebrate! :)

>24 MissWatson: & >25 msf59: Hi and welcome, I have high hopes of lots of good reading going on here!

>26 dudes22: Betty, I have a feeling that we may be here for another year or two as well. My husband's face got longer and longer yesterday and I just don't think he is ready to give up the house yet. With hindsight we should have moved after the last daughter moved out. If we were in a smaller, one-level house than we probably wouldn't be thinking of moving at all.

>27 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie.

>28 leslie.98: Sounds like spring is knocking on your door, Leslie!

>29 mstrust: Oh, I'd right out there with you, Jennifer, as I love the smell of orange blossom.

>30 mamzel: My American sister-in-law is quite political and has strong feelings about Donald Trump. She is threatening to move north if things with him keep developing. She would perhaps just be one of many who would make that migration!

>31 Nickelini: I would love to have a string of sunny days, lately it seems for every 20 mins. of sunshine we get, we have to pay with a couple of hours of rain!
Joyce, I want to thank you for your advice about checking the strata minutes before making a decision. We have been warned about these strata councils. Someone even suggested that we should make sure to buy a condo in a new building and then quickly make any changes we want before a strata council is in place!

>32 ronincats: Hi Roni. I love to make lists and reading plans and new threads! I guess it's the secretarial side of me, I worked in offices for years, organizing other people so it comes naturally to me.

>33 -Eva-: Thanks, Eva!

40. Rogue Male by Geoffrey Household - 4.5 ★
Category: Hanging By A Thread
BingoDog: Adventure
TIOLI #3: Embedded Word In the Title



Rogue Male by Geoffrey Household is a incredible adventure story. A professional hunter slips into an unnamed country, stalks and aims at it’s dictator leader. He is caught, tortured, and thrown off a cliff but survives and manages to make his way back to England only to find he isn’t in the clear yet as agents of this unknown country are on his trail. The book is a first class survival story, as the protagonist now goes into hiding in rural Dorset, living in an expanded rabbit’s burrow with a feral cat as company.

What makes this book different from a straight adventure story is the reflections of the main character. With a lot of time on his hands and with paper to write, he keeps a journal and records his thoughts and philosophies. It seems as if this is all that keeps him human as he is living like an animal and using animal-like skills to engage in a battle of wits with his stalker. As the story unfolds the reason he hunted the dictator is revealed to have been a private act of revenge rather than a patriotic strike for freedom.

I had some prior knowledge of this book from the 1941 movie called Man Hunt. This movie was based on Rogue Male but other than the opening sequence was very different. In the novel, it is clear that the unnamed country is Germany and the dictator is Hitler even though this is never put in black and white. The movie, filmed during the war, glorified this attempt on Hitler’s life and patriotism was front and center.

For me, Rogue Male was an excellent read. The author manages to tell a story of depth without over writing. It is simply told, concise and vivid. I thoroughly enjoyed this taunt, tense thriller.

Happy new thread Judy! Lovely to see spring flowers on your header - even though I love winter! Good luck on your idea of moving to a condo or townhouse. It's a big decision that needs lots of thought.

>34 DeltaQueen50: I just hope that thoughtful, sane people will be sure to vote otherwise I may be your new neighbor!

>36 VivienneR: Thanks Vivienne. I suspect we will be thinking about this (and not doing anything) for quite some time yet.

>37 mamzel: Although you would be most welcome, I can't believe that sanity will not prevail when it comes down to the actual voting.

>35 DeltaQueen50: Ooh, I see a 4.5 star rating! I finished the Peter May novel last night so my reading decks are clear to start Rogue Male tonight :)

Happy new thread, Judy. I love the cover of Rogue Male.

Ooh, a colorful new thread!

Happy new thread, Judy! Love the colorful images up top! Here on the Front Range, I sure would love to see some color outside (besides brown, gray, grayish blue and white). I did notice the lilacs are in bud, though I think it's a bit early and wish they would wait for awhile before blooming, because we are sure to get a couple more heavy snows before winter ends.

>39 rabbitprincess: I am dying to know what you and Leslie thought of the book. It was like it was tailor-made for me as I am a survivalist junkie!

>40 BLBera: Hi Beth. This is a cover that had to grow on me. At first it made me feel a little jittery, but that suits the nature of the book and eventually I came to feel that it was a good match with the story.

>41 tymfos: Hi Terri!

>42 Storeetllr: Oh, it does seem early for lilacs, I hope they stay budded for awhile yet as I know the weather where you are is very unpredictable! By the time the lilacs bloom here in May the rest of Canada has caught up to us and then usually goes on to pass us into the warm weather.

41. Fables, Vol. 13: The Great Fables Crossover by Bill Willingham - 4.1 ★
Jack of Fables, Vol. 7: The New Adventures of Jack And Jack by Bill Willingham - 3.9 ★
Fables, Vol. 14: Witches byBill Willingham - 4.0 ★
Category: Magic Threads
Fables Group Read




Fables, Volume 13: The Great Crossover

This was an excellent episode. Lots of action and drama. One of my favorite couples, Snow White and Bigby Wolf, were front and center, and Bigby goes through a lot of changes. Jack (of Fables) was up to his old tricks and uses his charm to wiggle back into the Farm and Rose Red's bed and then, having no shame, taking advantage of the situation to put himself in power. Jack is in for a surprise in this issue as a unknown son of his shows up.

The Fables are still reeling from the destruction of Fabletown when Jack arrives to tell them of the even greater threat of Kevin Thorn and his rewrites. It takes a group of both Fables and Literals to find a resolution to this disaster.

The Great Crossover was an epic! Advancing both the stories of the Fables and also that of Jack, I am looking forward to both the next Jack and the next Fables to see where they go next.

Jack of Fables, Volume 7: The New Adventures of Jack and Jack

I really enjoyed this issue. The two Jacks mentioned in the title are the rascal Jack Horner and his new found son, Jack Frost. Although not travelling together, each is following their own inclinations. Jack Frost has decided that he wants to be a hero and sets off seeking a quest. Meanwhile Jack Horner is going through a change, at first he gets fat and sloppy but sensing that a bigger change is coming, he hurries off to find himself a cave.

Both Jacks have their trusty sidekicks along with them. Jack Senior has Gary, the Pathetic Fallacy while Jack Frost meets and obtains McDuff for his travelling companion. Also Babe the Blue Oxen makes an appearance or two.

I like the new direction this series has taken. The stories seem lighter and more humorous as the older Jack struggles with his new appearance. Jack Frost is a great addition to the series, a character that one can really root for. Of course, the issue ends with some important question unanswered, chief among them is whether Jack Senior will ever revert to his normal self.

Fables , Volume 14: Witches

This Fables volume brings us back to Mr. Dark and the destruction of Fabletown and it appears this will be the main storyline over the next little while. The witches of the 13th floor are highlighted and we can see there is a tug-of-war going on for the leadership. We see a far different Frau Totenkinder as she solves the mayor’s money problems and is now engaged in learning how to create a box that we hope will eventually hold Mr. Dark.

The secondary storylines involved Ambrose, Red Riding Hood and the people of Haven and the aftermath of a baseball game. But my favorite story starred Bufkin the flying monkey as he battles the evil witch Baba Yaga as they are trapped in the Battle office with all its nooks and crannies.

Over all this issue is a good mix of old friends and new faces facing their difficulties with dark humor and resolution. Lots of political intrigue and action to look forward to.

I think I will take a break from the Fables series during April and instead check out some other graphic titles that are on my wishlist.

>35 DeltaQueen50: Thanks for that review, sounds like a perfect read for the survival story square!

Isn't it funny how Rogue Male and the US election comes up together in this thread? :)

>45 MissWatson: It would fit "survival" perfectly! I used it for "Adventure" where it was equally at home. :)

>46 VivienneR: LOL, Vivienne!

42. Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat - 3.8 ★
Category: Jumbled Threads
March Canadian Author Challenge
TIOLI #13: A Study of Non-Human Animal Behavior



Never Cry Wolf is a very entertaining story of about wolves. Farley Mowat, the author, tells of how he spent the better part of a year living in the arctic tundra studying wolves and their habitat for the Canadian government. This was during the late 1940’s and in those days, wolves were still considered one of man’s greatest enemies.

Although slightly dated, for example Mowat refers to the indigenous people as Eskimos, I found this a fun read. His descriptions of wolfish life are interesting and observant. This book, originally published in the early 1960’s helped to stir an interest in the preservation of these fascinating animals, who were taken almost to the brink of extinction before we overcame the myths and realized these creatures deserved their place in the food chain and were not a threat to mankind at all.

Never Cry Wolf is a fine example of an adventure book that promotes the environment and wildlife preservation. I believe it’s light-hearted humorous approach makes it appealing to people of all ages and this is one of the reasons that it is still used in schools today.

Happy Sunday, Judy! I requested the audio of Never Cry Wolf. I remember seeing the film many years ago and thought it was very good.

I am really enjoying Girl Waits with Gun. This might just be your cuppa...

Hi Judy! I love your thread; I spend more time perusing your category and challenge descriptions than I do on most threads.

I'm tempted by Never Cry Wolf but I'm trying to work on the books on my shelves (I know, I know, we all say that, right?). But really, every time I hear Mowat's name I think of my MIL who was one of the best people I've known. She was a fan. Maybe I'll cheat just this one time (heh).

I hope you have a great week ahead.

>50 msf59: Hi Mark, Joe beat you to the punch with Girl Waits With Gun. It is on my wishlist and with such a striking cover I suspect I won't be overlooking this one for long!

>51 EBT1002: Hi Ellen, this was my second Farley Mowat within the last year as I read Lost in the Barrens last summer. They are both fairly light, quick reads and although there is some controversy over whether the book is fact or fiction (I think a combination of both), it is still a great book about wolves and their behavior. I think Mowat would be a great author to pick up between heavier reads.

>44 DeltaQueen50: You've now passed me on these series so I'm not going to read the reviews but good to see the ratings mean you're still enjoying them.

>49 DeltaQueen50: I really should try and pick up something else by Mowat as this one still remains the only one I've read by him. I quite enjoyed it when I did. I'm somewhat jealous that your book's cover is nicer than mine.

Happy new thread, Judy! Going back to your previous thread, great review of And the Mountains Echoed! I love books that are interconnected short stories (think Olive Kitteridge!) and absolutely loved Hosseini's debut novel so won't even try to dodge that BB.

I love this time of year... when it 'snows' pink cherry blossom petals on a windy day. It was doing that on Saturday afternoon where I was. ;-)

Good luck as you continue to decide about transitioning from a house to condo/townhouse living. My brother and SIL made the transition last year (or was it two years ago?) and found it works well for them but then, they also travel a lot to spend time with the grandkids back east so maintaining a house and garden really wasn't something they wanted to continue to do.

Great review of the Mowat book, yet another Canadian author I have never read. Shameful of me, isn't it? ;-)

>44 DeltaQueen50: Judy we are exactly in the same place with Fables and Jack of Fables. My thoughts echoed yours. It's good to see some of the residents of the 13th floor. They are usually so mysterious.

>49 DeltaQueen50: Another BB with Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat and looks like a candidate for next month's GeoCAT as well.

A rather dreary rainy day here, but the pink, cream and white blossoms on the trees do help a lot to brighten up the grey day. Sadly said goodbye to Downton Abbey last night and after six seasons I will miss my weekly fix of over the top manners, dress and behavior. Happy Monday, everyone!

>53 AHS-Wolfy: I am still enjoying the Fables series. I do plan to take a break next month and try some other graphics for a change. I think I still have an issue of Saga to read and I've taken a book bullet for The Fade Out and want to try it. Dave, I do love that cover of Never Cry Wolf but unfortunately my version was on my kindle so I don't have that beautiful cover on my shelves to admire.

>54 lkernagh: Lori, Khaled Hosseini is a fantastic author, and everything he's written so far is so worth reading. Wow, it's unusual that I am ahead of you with Canadian authors, I get most of my Canadian book bullets from you! I do think you would enjoy Farley Mowat, as I've said his books are quick and light so are easy to fit in between the more serious ones.

>55 luvamystery65: Hi Ro, I am loving this year long Fables read, and I am looking forward to picking up the series again in May. And yes, Never Cry Wolf would fit next month's GeoCat!

I believe I made a longer comment on your thread in another group so I'll just wave as I drop by to catch up.

Judy you are going to love The Fade Out. I've got volume 2 in my hands.

>56 DeltaQueen50: I watched the end of Downton Abbey last night too. I thought that they did a good job with how they left things especially with Barrow. I can't think of any good substitutes for the "manners, dress and behavior" so if you come up with any, please let me know!

>49 DeltaQueen50: I thought that was a great movie but have not had much interest in reading the book. Have you seen the film? If so, how would you say it compares with the book?

I had no choice but to downsize a few years back. Had to sell the house when I split with my ex. I couldn't face moving into a condo and I think that a townhouse is the next step down. It has the advantage of someone else cutting the grass and looking after the common grounds but there is a front yard where a gardener can indulge themselves and most have a back yard as well - mine doesn't really but I can live with that because I enjoy the stream that resulted in my truncated back yard.

It is strange getting used to the sounds of other people living on both sides of you but probably better than if they were above and below you as well.

>60 Familyhistorian: I love the view at my house, but I don't enjoy mowing the "hill" on my yard and have hired it out after falling off the mower a few times. I really wish I had a yard conducive to gardening, but I'd have to haul in so much top soil for that to happen that I would not be able to afford it. I like not having people on the other side of the wall, but there are times I wish that I'd gone "condo".

>57 thornton37814: Waves back at Lori!

>58 luvamystery65: I am looking forward to The Fade Out it definitely sounds like something I will love!

>59 leslie.98: Yes, I thought Downton Abbey closed on a good note. I haven't seen the movie based on Never Cry Wolf so I don't know if it stuck closely to the book but I have heard that it is very good.

>60 Familyhistorian: There are so many things to think about and consider before making that big move. But you also don't want to wait too long either. A good outside space will be the number one concern for my husband, while I am more concerned with in-suite laundry, counter space and a walk-in shower.

>61 thornton37814: That's my husband's biggest concern, giving up his yard and patio. We have a lady who comes in to work the gardens and our grandson has been cutting the lawns for the last couple of years, but my husband really enjoys puttering around the yard and sitting out on the patio.

43. Celebrations in Burracombe by Lilian Harry - 4.0 ★
Category: Threads of Love
March RandomCat: Celebrations
TIOLI #9: Author's First of Last Name Starts with an "L"



Celebrations in Burracombe by Lilian Harry is the 9th book in her series about life in a small English village during the 1950’s. The celebrations mentioned in the title are simple ones, weddings, births, fall harvest and the end of meat rationing in England. The story moves slowly but nevertheless there are events, secrets and occasions that call for the villagers to pull together and to face both hard times and good times. The author captures the small Devon village and it’s residents effortlessly and reveals how village life moves at it’s own pace as the seasons come and go.

These books are sheer comfort reads for me, and I am sad that there are only two more books in the series.

44. Kindred by Octavia E. Butler - 4.0 ★
Category: Jumbled Threads
Woman BingoPup: An African-American Author
TIOLI #19: Eat Your Pulses!



Kindred by Octavia Butler is an unusual combination of slave memoir and time-travel fantasy. The story of a 1970’s era black woman being bounced back into 1815 Maryland makes for a very interesting read. In a time that is rife with danger for a black woman on her own, Dana finds herself again and again pulled back to rescue an ancestor of hers. That this ancestor is a slave owning white man is just one of the many things that horrify her. While Dana is trapped in the past she experiences first hand the uncertainty, violence and dehumanization that a slave goes through. Even though she comes to the past to save this ancestor, he repays her with cruelty.

Originally published in 1979, Kindred is considered the first science fiction book written by a black woman and, as it touches up subjects like race, man’s inhumanity to man and a person’s sense of worth it is still relevant today. I did feel the author’s underlying sense of anger and outrage that these injustices existed in America, and I also felt that by pointing out the flaws of the past, she knew full well that many of these flaws are still in existence.

Other than perhaps feeling that this book tended to oversimplify some complicated issues and never feeling all that attached to the main character, Kindred was a memorable read and I loved the author’s use of time-travel to showcase her story of prejudice and injustice.

>64 DeltaQueen50: Glad you enjoyed this as I've recently acquired my first book by this particular author. I keep hearing good things about her and to see another good review of her work adds to the anticipation for my own read.

Hi Judy! I'm working on getting caught up with everyone. Happy new(ish) thread!

Judy, since you just finished Kindred you might be interested in this article I just found online today, putting it in context in the history of black science fiction. Excellent piece!

http://www.fantasticstoriesoftheimagination.com/a-crash-course-in-the-history-of...

>64 DeltaQueen50: I took a BB with Kindred. Time travel/fantasy is outside my comfort zone, but it's going on the wishlist.

>65 AHS-Wolfy: I was surprised at how approachable Octavia Butler's writing was. I think I was expecting something far more complicated. I think my next Octavia Butler will probably be Bloodchild.

>66 katiekrug: Hi Katie, great to see you posting again!

>67 ronincats: Thanks for the article, Roni. Of course I have added to my wishlist, and I perhaps need to amend my statement that Octavia Butler was the first black American to write science fiction, it appears there were a few ahead of her.

>68 VivienneR: I think Kindred was a good introduction to Octavia Butler, Vivienne, and I hope you enjoy it.

>69 DianaNL: Thanks Diana. This week just flew by, can't believe we are on the brink of another weekend!

I love Octavia Butler's books, at least the ones I've read (not Kindred yet). I'm fascinated with the way she told stories about the black experience from a scifi/fantasy perspective. Reminiscent of the way Mary Doria Russell used scifi to tell a story of faith and redemption.

>71 Storeetllr: Hi Mary. I am looking forward to reading more from Octavia Butler.

45. City of Thieves by David Benioff - 4.5 ★
Category: Designer Threads - 2009 Alex Award
March GeoCat: Eastern Europe
TIOLI #18: Title Includes a Place That One Can Live



Set during the German siege of Leningrad, City of Thieves by David Benioff was a wonderful story about two young men, one considered a looter, the other a deserter and how they embark upon a quest to find a dozen eggs in the middle of a harsh Russian winter with food at an all time scarcity. Lev is a shy seventeen year old Jew arrested for looting the body of a frozen German solider. Kolya is a Russian soldier caught on the streets after curfew and considered a deserter. They are brought in front of a NKVD colonel who gives them the option of going on an egg hunt for one dozen eggs for his daughters’ wedding cake or being stood up against a wall and shot.

These two main characters couldn’t be more different but throughout the book, their bond grows and becomes so real that it was very easy to imagine these two trudging along together. As they seek their treasure, they meet many varied characters, from cannibals to partisans, get into difficulties and manage to fight, run or talk their way through.

This was a book that I literally couldn’t put down. It actually brought me to both laughter and tears. The writing is smart and engaging without becoming too clever to be believable. While the heart of the book is this developing relationship between these two fellows, the backdrop of war is horrifyingly vivid as the characters learn to face down their fears and rely on their inner resources. I found City of Thieves to be a vibrant, rich story that I will long remember.

>64 DeltaQueen50: I enjoyed your review of Kindred. I was impressed by Parable of the Sower when I read it a couple of years ago and have been meaning to read more of Octavia Butler's works.

Ooh, City of Thieves! Good review! I am glad more of my pals are discovering this gem. I absolutely loved it. Benioff has been very busy writing for the Game of Thrones series, but I would sure like to see him return to novel writing.

Happy Saturday, Judy! I hope the weekend is going well.

Hi Judy - I'm another fan of City of Thieves - great comments.

Hi Judy! I'm glad you continue to read and review the books in the Burracombe series. It sounds like a series I would love if I can only find the time to squeeze it in! It's not available from my public library so it's one I'll have to buy. It might be a good choice for my Thingaversary list!

I really liked Kindred when I listened to it last year for the SFFF Cat.

I am really finding it hard to feel awake and alert today, the time change seems to have really thrown my inner time system out. It's almost noon here, but I feel like I just got out of bed. It's looks like it's going to be a dark, dreary, rainy day here so I will probably spend the afternoon curled up in my comfy chair with a book or two.

>74 mathgirl40: Hi, Paulina. I am looking forward to reading more Octavia Butler, I actually thought her work not be an easy read so I was quite surprised to find it so accessible.

>75 msf59: Oh, I didn't know David Benioff was on the Game of Thrones writing team. And speaking of GoT, it's just about time for the new season! I also hope that there are more novels to come from this talented author!

>76 BLBera: Hi Beth, thanks.

>77 cbl_tn: Carrie, I have really been enjoying the Burracombe series. I like the time period as there were so many things changing in the fifties and this small village is having to learn to move with the times, from more independent women to farming methods becoming mechanized. Of course, not being English, there have been some references about radio programs and politics that go over my head, but overall I enjoy this encapsulated look at rural England.

46. The Meanest Flood by John Baker - 4.1 ★
Category: Matched Threads
TIOLI #1: Read With "Me"



The Meanest Flood by John Baker is the 6th in his series about private detective Sam Turner. Unfortunately it is also the last of the series. I have enjoyed every one of the Sam Turner books and I will miss this series a lot. This particular book is a fast moving thriller that has Sam being blamed for a series of murders. The victims are all women from Sam’s past, and someone is deliberately making it look like Sam is the murderer.

This has been an unique series, full of wonderful characters that were carefully developed into genuine individuals. They communicate with each other through a mix of banter and philosophy that is fresh and unique. The group of characters that work for Sam all have a deep caring and respect for each other. So in this book, when Sam must work outside the law to protect the women in his life, they are all there is help.

The Meanest Flood does not shy away from depicting the horror and violence of murder. Set against the backdrop of the city of York as it is being ravaged by flooding rivers, this book has a grim and dark side. The author keeps the book from descending into despair by touches of humor and with his warm characters. All these books are more than simple action driven thrillers, the characters and their dialogue as well as the finely crafted plots put these book in a class of their own and I am going to miss this consistently excellent series.

I'd never even heard of this series! Time to go looking for it.

>80 RidgewayGirl: Kay, Europe may be in the best place to find books from the Sam Turner series, I don't remember what I read that originally interested me in John Baker's books but I had to order them second hand from England as I couldn't find any here in Canada. This is a series that I recommend be read in order because of the character development that grows from book to book. Good luck in hunting for them.

Judy: I might have to stop visiting your thread -- you always have so many tempting series! The John Baker books sound great. Off to see where they might be found.

The first in the series is called Poet in the Gutter. I'll have to see if I can find a copy.

>73 DeltaQueen50:
I was about to take a bullet when I realized it's in my bookshelf already - looks great!

The first is still on my tbr shelves too. It's good to know that the series remains good all the way through though.

>81 DeltaQueen50: It is available on abe if one is wanted in the US. I only looked at the first title though.

>82 BLBera: Ha! That's funny, Beth, considering how many BB I take from your thread!

>83 RidgewayGirl: Yes, I should have mentioned that Poet in the Gutter was the first one.

>84 -Eva-: I had let City of Thieves sit on my shelf for quite some time, and what a lovely surprise to find such a good book right at my fingertips! Thank heaven for the GeoCat which gave me the push I needed to read it.

>85 AHS-Wolfy: I sure wish the author could be encouraged to continue the series. The last book didn't read like he intended to end it as there were a few threads left hanging.

>86 clue: I ordered the series through Awesome Books but it's good that it is available in other places as well.

47. Flowers For Algernon by Daniel Keyes - 5.0 ★
Category: Fiber Optics
Reading Through Time Monthly Theme: Discoveries & Innovations
TIOLI #3: Embedded Word In Title



Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes was originally published as a short story in 1959 and was then fleshed out and published as a novel in 1966. It has won both a Hugo Award for Best Short Story in 1960 and a Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1966. The Algernon of the title is a lab mouse who has been operated on to increase his intelligence. The next step in the experiment is to perform the same operation on a human.

Charlie Gordon is a mentally disabled man of about 35, his IQ has been measured to be 68. He is deemed to be suitable for the operation and he is both excited and nervous about the operation but has a great desire to be ‘made smart‘. The story unfolds through a series of journal entries made by Charlie. The operation is a great success and eventually Charlie’s IQ reaches 185. However as his intelligence and education increases, his relationship with people deteriorate. While the retarded Charlie was happy in his life, the new Charlie can look back and see the slights and ridicule. Unfortunately, Charlie, with his new intelligence is able to discover the flaws in the experiment and what the final outcome will be.

I found Flowers For Algernon to be an incredibly sad yet tremendously brilliant story. The writing style makes this a personal story, Charlie comes alive on the pages and becomes an unforgettable character. This book really forces the reader to look through the mentally disabled label and see the person underneath. I understand that the publishers originally wanted to change the ending of the story, but the author refused and rightfully so. The ending puts this book in a class of its own. Both meaningful and thought-provoking, I highly recommend Flowers For Algernon.

>88 DeltaQueen50: I remember reading this book a long time ago. But, after reading your review, I'm going to read it again and soon!

>88 DeltaQueen50: Such a great book. Glad you enjoyed it as much as I did.

>88 DeltaQueen50: - Love the 5* rating and fabulous review! I so need to get around to reading that one.

>88 DeltaQueen50: Loved Flowers for Algernon, both the book and the film adaptation, which was (if I remember correctly), true to the story. Charlie was played by Cliff Robertson, who won an Academy Award for the part.

I was given a copy of Flowers for Algernon as part of SantaThing. At the time I thought it was an odd choice in an otherwise brilliant selection. And then I read it. It really is excellent.

I loved both the book and the movie. Many years ago.

I'm glad to see you liked both City of Thieves and Flowers for Algernon. Two excellent books.

>89 Dianekeenoy: Hi Diane. I spent far too much time avoiding books that were tagged with the science-fiction label when I was younger and it's only been these last few years that I have discovered that I really like most sci-fi books and Flowers For Algernon is a true gem.

>90 AHS-Wolfy: Your review was one of the reasons Flowers For Algernon was moved up to the top of the TBR pile, Dave.

>91 lkernagh: I think you would love Flowers For Algernon Lori.

>92 Storeetllr: I also haven't seen the movie, "Charly" which was based on the book. I will have to keep an eye out for it.

>93 RidgewayGirl: I had always dismissed Flowers For Algernon as not my type of book, but now, after reading it, I can see how short-sighted that was. This is a book with so much heart that I think it may well be a book for just about anybody!

>94 dudes22: Hi Betty, yes, I am kicking myself that I waited so long to read Flowers For Algernon!

>95 Chrischi_HH: I love that I am finding such treasures on my TBR pile!

48. Girl At War by Sara Novic - 3.7 ★
Category: Tangled Threads
BingoDog: Debut Book
March GeoCat: Eastern Europe
TIOLI #19: Eat Your Pulses



Girl At War by Sara Novic is the story of a young girl caught up in the Bosnian War. It opens in Zagreb in 1991. Ana Juric is 10 years old and the war has come to her town. This is partly a coming-of-age story, partly a story of war, and partly a story of love and remembrance. In her 10 year old voice we learn of the end of Ana’s childhood and then in her 20 year old voice, after 10 years in America not talking much about her experiences, she returns to Zagreb and is able to finally find inner acceptance and a measure of peace.

I found this book quite realistic and had a hard time separating the author, Sara Novic from the narrator, Ana Juric. The emotions felt real, the sense of loss and despair and the overwhelming sadness all rang true. In light of what is happening in the world today, it is obvious mankind never learns that violence over ethnic origins, religion and culture never solves the problem as it only leaves behind more hatred and people that have been impacted by the violence.

There are a number of books written from a child’s point of view with a backdrop of war and although Girl At War doesn’t have anything new to add, Ana’s story is heartfelt and engaging and well worth picking up.

Judy, I remember reading Flowers for Algernon years ago, but I think it was the short story version. I should read the book.

>98 tymfos: Terri, I find it amazing that Flowers For Algernon started as an award winning short story and then was turned into an award winning novel. I would like to read the short story just to compare.

>88 DeltaQueen50: Oh yes. Such a sad book, but worth reading for sure. That goes in my "too sad to re-read" tag.

Hi Judy,
I have found your wonderful thread and signed on with a star. It is a wonderful thread full of creativity and colour and a very interesting approach for categorizing your reads and so much reading that you do. I appreciate your reviews and rating of books too.

Hi Judy - I'll look for Girl at War. Already read Flowers for Algernon, so only one BB today.

I just got Girl at War on audio from the library... Not sure when I'll get to it, though!

>100 rosalita: Hi Julia, although Flowers For Algernon was sad there was such a sense of inevitability that I was ok with how everything worked out.

>101 mdoris: Hi Mary, glad you were able to track me down. I will be dropping by your thread shortly.

>102 BLBera: Hi Beth.

>103 katiekrug: Katie, I am reading a romance by Julia Quinn and really enjoying it! I have seen both you and Mamie mention this author and since Q is one of the letters for the AlphaKit this month I decided to check her out. Great escape read. Although enjoy isn't the right word, I do hope Girl At War is a good read for you.

>73 DeltaQueen50: I have City of Thieves in the pile for this month for the GeoCAT, and your review tells me that I'll have to make sure I fit it in.

The Sam Turner series sounds good; I'll have it check it out.

I read Flowers for Algernon in the mid-80s. I remember nothing other than I really liked it. At the same time I got one of those Gund teddy bears that were so fashionable, and I named him Algernon Rupert Phinneas Gund.

>63 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, I've added the first of the Burracombe series to my wishlist.

>78 DeltaQueen50: It's time to join the DST protest group!

>79 DeltaQueen50: Taken another bullet with that series too!

>105 LisaMorr: I sure hope you are able to fit City of Thieves in, Lisa. It's really good.

>106 Nickelini: I have to admit this book has made me find Algernon a cute name whereas before reading it I would have said "Yuck".

>107 VivienneR: Hi Vivienne. I hope you like the Burracombe books. I have mixed feelings about daylight savings - I begrudge my lost sleep but it's just one hour and I love those long summer evenings! The Sam Turner series is well worth hunting for!

49. Dior by Alexandra Palmer - 3.4 ★
Category: Thread Count
BingoDog: Focus on Art



This is a small volume about the fashion designer that set the style for the 1950’s. After the harsh styles of the 1940’s, his New Look featured lush fabrics, ruffles, folds, more material and a look of femininity that captured the mood of optimism that prevailed after World War II. He was an innovator in fashion and business as he created global licensing agreements, sold many different products from perfume to stockings.

This book gives a brief look at his life, but it is mostly pictures of his fabulous creations which was fine by me. My only complaint is that I wish more of the pictures had been in color. Approximately one third are in color leaving two-thirds up to the reader to guess at colors.

Upon his death in 1957 the future of the House of Dior was up in the air. Among the list of contenders to take over were names such as Pierre Cardin, Guy Laroche and Givenchy. It was a surprise when 21 year old Yves Saint Laurent was chosen, but even though young he had been with Dior since 1953. Saint Laurent went on to present six collections for the House of Dior before he left to strike out on his own. The House of Dior is still today a major name in the fashion industry.

I couldn't resist putting up a couple of his delicious designs - The emerald green is from his 1954 collection, the other from 1953:

>108 DeltaQueen50: I love those long summer evenings too. It felt really strange to have dark evenings in southern places. But somehow losing that hour this year was difficult.

>109 DeltaQueen50: Excellent review of Dior. Too bad about the lack of colour photos. I have an audiobook biography of Dior by Marie-France Pochna that I'm hesitant to even start as it has no photos at all.

>110 VivienneR: I went back and added a couple of his 'New Look" evening gowns. They really are art!

>109 DeltaQueen50: Ooooo, I want that emerald green dress! It would be perfect for St. Patrick's Day ;)

>109 DeltaQueen50: The 1953 gown looks very Princess Margaret.

Those gowns are scrumptious. And of course all the plates should be in color. I read a book at the beginning of the year (Fashion Victims) and one of the things that made the book special is that a great deal of care was taken to make each illustration look as perfect as possible (including gangrenous legs, but the point still stands).

> 112 I love that shade of green! The perfect outfit for when you want to the the belle of the ball.

>113 VivienneR: You know your fashion, Vivienne. The book mentions both Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret as clients. Some of his other famous regulars were Lauren Bacall, Josephine Baker, and Marlene Dietrich.

>114 RidgewayGirl: While I am not sure about color pictures of gangrenous legs, I certainly agree that fashion should always be in color!

50. The Last Midwife by Sandra Dallas - 3.5 ★
Category: Threads of Time
TIOLI #19: Eat Your Pulses



I can always rely on Sandra Dallas to provide a good story and The Last Midwife was no exception. Set in a small mining town in Colorado in 1885 Gracie Brookens is the person the women turn to when giving birth. She is a skilled midwife and has helped thousand of babies arrive safely. But when a baby is found dead, and she is accused, things change. Now facing a murder trail, Gracie learns who she can trust and who she can’t. Gracie is as honest as the day is long and so the reader knows right away that she would never hurt a newborn, but as the trial starts it does appear that it’s going to be very difficult to prove her innocence.

The book was eventful. There were birthings, secrets being revealed, and an ongoing murder trial as well as learning Gracie’s back-story and how she became a midwife. I found the book both lively and interesting. Gracie herself was a wonderful character. I listened to an audio version of the book, read by Pilar Witherspoon and the voice felt so right both for Gracie and the rest of the characters.

While I would not put this book at the top of my Sandra Dallas list, it was a solid read and I enjoyed listening to Gracie’s’ story.

51. The Duke And I by Julia Quinn - 3.6 ★
Category: Threads of Love
March AlphaKit: Q



The Duke and I by Julia Quinn is the first in a historical romance series and this author knows how to write great characters and deliver a satisfying romance. The Bridgertons are a warm and funny family, the widowed mother and her eight children are close-knit and endearing to read about. This book features Daphne, the eldest daughter as she is launched into the marriage market. Daphne has had her share of attention, but none from anyone she would consider as suitable husband material and an attachment to an eligible duke would attract some proper suitors. Meanwhile Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings has decided he needs protection from unmarried girls and their pushy mothers. He and Daphne enter into a sham courtship, which of course guarantees that they fall for each other.

Of course falling love is just the beginning, there are many difficulties to yet be overcome as Simon has had a difficult childhood and has vowed to never marry or ever have children. Daphne, coming from a large and loving family, sees both marriage and children as her goal.

This story of a warm hearted girl and her damaged Duke was simultaneously funny and heartfelt. Full of witty banter that gave a strong hint of a Georgette Heyer influence, I found The Duke and I a joy to read. I look forward to the many more swoon-worthy romances in this series about the Bridgerton family.

>116 DeltaQueen50: - although this Sandra Dallas is not in my TBR pile, I have liked the books of hers that I've read in the past.

Happy Weekend!

>117 DeltaQueen50: I've enjoyed a couple Julia Quinn books in the past, but for some reason I've never checked out her Bridgerton series! I'll have to add The Duke and I to my TBR list.

>118 dudes22: Betty, for me Sandra Dallas has become an author I know I can turn to and be assured of a good story. My favorites of hers so far are The Diary of Mattie Spencer, Tallgrass, and The Persian Pickle Club. Luckily I still have a few of hers yet to read.

>119 DianaNL: Great picture, Diana. Lambs and daffodils are such great symbols of spring.

>120 christina_reads: This was my first Julia Quinn and I loved it, I also like that there a number of books in this series so I will be enjoying them for the foreseeable future.

>121 DeltaQueen50: - I too consider The Diary of Mattie Spencer one of my favorites of hers. Although I don't consider her writing "chick-lit", her books fill that area in my reading when I need something light.

>117 DeltaQueen50: - I'm so glad you enjoyed your first Julia Quinn! They are fun reads. I love the humor.

>122 dudes22: I find it hard to classify Sandra Dalla's books, I consider them woman's light literature, but whatever they are classified, they are good reads.

>123 katiekrug: Katie, it was the humor that made the book shine IMO, I loved Daphne's mother, and all the rest of the family, and I'm looking forward to reading more about them.

Okay, I'm going to try Julia Quinn. I've ordered The Duke and I to be delivered to my local library branch.

52. Conflict of Honors by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller - 4.1 ★
Category: Fiber Optic Threads
March AlphaKit: L
March SFFF/Kit: Alternative World
Woman's BingoPup: Published Before 2000
TIOLI #6: In Honor of Coco



Conflict of Honors by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller is my second book in the Liaden Universe series. This is a delightful story, a blend of romance and adventure as well as a comedy of manners set in a trade ship that travels through space. It opens with Priscilla Delacroix being betrayed by her shipmates and abandoned in a backwater port, subsequently she is welcomed aboard a new ship by Captain Shan yos’Galen and given a position and, more importantly a home. They begin a subtle romantic dance around each other that involves loyalty, love and unlocking the past.

Shan is a member of Clan Korval, a half-human from Liaden. Priscilla is a Terran with a very interesting back story. She was banished from her home planet when she was sixteen. This series is building a extensive universe and each issue gives us more information on the various cultures. The authors world-building is excellent and the reader is drawn deeply into this fabulous universe with it’s complex connections and rules.

Giving us well-rounded characters that one cares for, a fresh and exciting universe to discover and enough action and adventure to keep the story moving along, the Liaden books are a great discovery for me, and I look forward to continuing on with the series.

Thanks for the reminder about Sandra Dallas. I really liked The Persian Pickle Club, but I haven't managed to work in any more of her books since I read that one.

>127 cbl_tn: Carrie, I think you would love The Diary of Mattie Spencer. It follows a young woman as she marries and heads west with her husband to homestead in Colorado.

>128 DeltaQueen50: I will keep an eye out for that one!

So glad you are continuing to enjoy the Liaden series, Judy! For that, I forgive you for enticing me into Julia Quinn. The next book, Carpe Diem, conjoins the story threads of the first two books.

>130 ronincats: Hi Roni, I am in serious Liaden love! I have Carpe Diem on my Kindle and this morning I have added three more Liaden books to my collection: Plan B, I Dare! and Fledgling. As for Julia Quinn, she may not be Georgette but she'll keep us Regency lovers enthralled between Heyers!

53. The Fade Out, Act 1 by Ed Brubaker - 4.2 ★
The Fade Out, Act 2 by Ed Brubaker - 4.1 ★
Category: Jumbled Threads



Act One

The Fade Out is a noir mystery story that harkens back to the Hollywood of old. It’s set during the late 1940’s - early 1950’s in Hollywood, the main character is a studio writer who wakes up after a party in a bungalow with a dead starlet. The studio covers up the murder, pays off the cops and announces it as a suicide. But along with the questions of who did this and why, the author adds a number of dark angles just to make the story even more interesting. Our writer is a damaged WWII war vet who has lost his writing ability and his ghost writer is a bitter fellow who has been blacklisted and labelled as a communist. There is a suspicious studio security muscleman who seems to know more than he’s saying. The new starlet, hired to take the murdered girls place has a shady past.

This graphic delivers. I was totally caught up in the story from the start. In Act one, the stage has been set. Now I need to continue on with Act Two to see exactly where I’m being taken.

Act Two

Act Two continued this polished noir mystery. We are given a real inside look at how the studio system worked. This volume stressed character development and although the murder story is advanced, at this point there are more questions than answers. I am looking forward to Act Three to see how it all comes together.

I love how the author has sprinkled real Hollywood personalities into the story. In this volume we have Dashiell Hammett playing a major role, with glimpses of Desi Arnez and Humphrey Bogart. The fictional characters are interesting and the dialogue is spot on. The artwork by Sean Phillips certainly gives these books their noir style.

I am a huge fan already and I can hardly wait till I get my hands on Act Three!

>132 DeltaQueen50:
First luvamystery65 and now you too? Darn, I guess I'm going shopping. :)

>132 DeltaQueen50: I knew you would love it Judy. I also think the colorist Elizabeth Breitweiser deserves major credit for making this series perfect.

>133 -Eva-: The sooner the better Eva. :D

>132 DeltaQueen50: Glad to see more good reviews for Brubaker's work. I'll get to him sometime.

Happy Sunday, Judy! Glad you discovered the Fade Out GNs. I am a big fan too. I NEED to read Vol. 3.

The Brubaker/Phillips team is one of the best out there and they are very prolific.

Hope the weekend is going well.

>132 DeltaQueen50: Oh, I'll go looking for those. I love noir and those look so cool.

>109 DeltaQueen50: - Dior was such an amazing designer. Like you, I find the emerald green gown to be wonderful. Such a fantastic colour!

I've had a busy couple of days and now finally I get a chance to sit down in front of my computer and catch up. We went down across the line on Sunday to see my brother & sister-in-law. The four of us have decided to plan a road trip this September to Yellowstone Park/Grand Tetons which is one of my favorite places. so we have to do some planning for that. On the way home yesterday we stopped to do a tiny bit of shopping and while in the store I found a couple of outfits that would be perfect for an upcoming family wedding. I didn't buy them but I spent all last evening thinking about them. So this morning my husband and I went back down across the border and I bought myself an outfit. Hubby was more that willing to do all that driving as he loves to take the new car out on the highway. So, that's one wedding planned for, but we have another one in August and I suspect it's going to be very hot again this year so I will something to wear that will help me deal with the heat.

All this driving up and down the I-5 hasn't helped my reading, but I do have one book finished and another one that I decided to abandon, I will post about those shortly.

>133 -Eva-: Eva, I'm so excited! Ed Brubaker has a few noir-ish graphic series so I can see that I will be getting well acquainted with him over the next year or so! The Fade Out is an excellent example of his work.

>134 luvamystery65: Ro, just like The Pointer Sisters, "I'm So Excited" about these series!

>135 AHS-Wolfy: Give these a little nudge, Dave, I think you will love The Fade Out!

>136 msf59: Hi Mark! I am in the same boat as you - "I NEED to read volume 3!"

>137 mstrust: Jennifer, they are cool. It's like a 1940's noir film only in graphic form and in color!

>138 lkernagh: Lori, Dior and many of the other designers that were around in the 1950's sure knew how to use color! So many of his gowns were in stunning colors.

Abandoned Book



The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black. I just couldn’t get into this book, the deeper I got into it, the angrier I got. Holly Black is an author I have read and enjoyed before, but by the time I got 40 percent through this book I knew I absolutely hated it. The plot wasn’t working for me, the main character just infuriated me and I couldn’t understand the point of the whole thing. The book is a YA vampire book, and although I often read and like YA books, I had to stop reading this one or I was afraid I would do my Kindle some permanent damage.

>140 DeltaQueen50: You are the second person I know that did not like this book at all. Good for you for saying enough.

>141 luvamystery65: Thanks Ro. I haven't felt such dislike for a book in a long while.

54. Together Tea by Marjan Kamali - 3.3 ★
Category: Threads of Silk and Gold - Iran
Woman BingoPup: Author From the Middle East
TIOLI #3: Embedded Word In Title



Together Tea by Marjan Kamali opens in 1996 when matchmaking mother, Darya brings her daughter, Mina together with a Iranian-American that was perfect on a spreadsheet, but failed to live up to expectations in real life. Mina is fed up with this constant push to find a husband. Darya feels it is her job as a mother to see her daughter settled with a husband and prospects for a family.

This book is about family, relationships and finding where one belongs. When Mina decides to go back to Iran for a visit, Darya comes along with her. Once again immersed in the Persian culture mother and daughter realize that neither feels truly American or truly Iranian, this in turn helps them turn to each other with a new understanding. Mina does meet the love of her life, and he ironically is an Iranian-American who somehow escaped being analysed by one of her mother’s spreadsheets.

The author tells her story in a light, humorous manner and at first I thought that I had picked up a chick-lit romance but then she veered into more serious material with descriptions of the Iranian Revolution and the difficult time the family had both there and in starting over again in America. I did enjoy learning more about the culture and people of Iran, but I would rather the author hadn’t stressed the romance angle quite so much.

Hi, Judy! Sorry your Holly Black let you down. I have only read The Darkest Part of the Forest, which I really liked. I'll be steering clear of "Coldest".

>144 msf59: I have read some short stories by Hollly Black and quite liked them so I am planning to read The Darkest Part of the Forest at some point.

Oh my goodness, an abandoned book. I haven't noticed you do that before Judy. There are so meany good books, you may as well pass one over if it doesn't appeal to you. Good decision.

>146 Roro8: I am usually pretty lucky with my book choices and I really don't find very many that I abandon. Of course, most of my books are ones that I have read about here or are recommended to me by other LTers so I usually have a good idea of I'm about to read.

Good for you in deciding to go back and buy the outfit! I know I have missed some wonderful purchases because I have 'paused' so I now have a firm/fast rule: If the store is convenient to get back to (sounds like your was), I give myself 24 hours to ponder. If it is still available after 24 hours, and I still want it, I buy it. I hate dealing with returns - even if a shop has a super easy return policy - and the 24 hour rule has been fantastic for any purchase that isn't an "OMG, must have now" kind of purchase. ;-)

>140 DeltaQueen50: - Wow, is that the first abandoned book for 2016? Now you have me really "hemming and hawing" about that one. Good thing my reading is pretty much lined up for the next little while. Will let the Black book simmer in the background while I continue to ponder reading it.

>148 lkernagh: Hi Lori, it was my first abandoned book of 2016. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown was not a good match with me at all.

55. Witch Light by Susan Fletcher - 4.1 ★
Category: Threads of Fate
TIOLI #3: Embedded Word In Title



It was the winter of 1692 and a young girl is being held as a witch. She is scheduled to burn as soon as a thaw sets in, but was she really a witch or was she simply a person who had witnessed the massacre at Glen Coe and is being silenced. Through the cold winter days she tells her story to an Irish rector, Charles Leslie, who is a firm supporter of the Stuart dynasty and was trying to prove that the English King, George, had a hand in this massacre.

Witch Light by Susan Fletcher is an incredibly beautiful yet sad tale. Full of rich, vibrant descriptions of the Scottish Highlands, the author’s wording of how the light plays off the hills, the mists, the colors and scents built strong images in my mind. This was writing that spoke to all five of my senses. Yet, Corag’s life was a sad one, both a granddaughter and a daughter of women who had been killed as witches, she fled England and found herself in a remote valley of the Scottish Highlands. This was a place that she thought she could make her home, she got along with the people and even formed an attachment with one Alastair MacDonald. Little did she know that the MacDonald clan was doomed.

This book details an event in history that was fascinating to read of and also led me to investigate further. The Jacobite feeling was strong in the Highlands and led to much confrontation and cruelty. The English soldiers were taxed with establishing loyalty to both England and George I while the Clans supported the Stuart claim. There were many acts of violence and cruelty that eventually led to the uprising that was ended by the Battle of Culloden. Witch Light was an amazing read that shines a light on one of incidents that was used to try and break the hold the clans had on Scotland.

Wow, Judy, you are reading up a storm! Two of your recent books are favorites of mine: The Duke and I and Conflict of Honors. Thanks for your warning about The Coldest Girl. I'll be avoiding it.

>150 DeltaQueen50: I've never heard comments on this one before. I picked up a copy from a remainders table a while back. So glad to hear it's a worthwhile read and now I'll look forward to it.

>151 Storeetllr: Mary, I loved both those books. When I am next in the mood for light romance, I will turn to Julia Quinn and the Bridgerton series. And now that I have read a second Liaden Universe, I know this is going to be a series that I am going to thoroughly enjoy. Next month I am finally returning to the Vorkosigan Saga with Brothers In Arms and I am looking forward to that.

>152 Nickelini: Joyce, I don't know why this book hasn't garnered more attention. I have seen it listed under at least three different titles which makes it confusing, but I thought it was a fine piece of historical fiction.

The Liaden Universe series sounds great!

You've definitely been busy reading! Hope things are going well for you.

>154 LisaMorr: The Liaden Universe series is good, Lisa. I am looking forward to many good reads coming up.

>155 thornton37814: Hi Lori. Things are going well here, and I hope the same is true for you!

56. Death At La Fenice by Donna Leon - 3.2 ★
Category: Threads of Mystery
March Alpha Kit: 'L"
TIOLI #9: Authors Name Begins With an 'L'



The first in her Inspector Brunetti series, Death at La Fenice by Donna Leon didn’t exactly blow me away. The mystery was pretty straight forward and seemed to require very little sleuthing on the part of the Inspector. I really enjoyed the setting of Venice, and because of that I will most likely continue on with this series at some point. The writing was good but not outstanding in any particular way and I never felt very involved with the characters, they were introduced and imparted their information and then they were gone. I have been assured that these books improve as the series goes on so I will look forward to trying another when I am in the mood to return to Venice.

Hi Judy. Donna Leon's series gets better as you go. The character develops (and your longing for Italian food will grow). But I agree that it's the setting that excels; they are not the most suspenseful of mysteries.

I hope you are well and that you have a wonderful weekend ahead!

Hi Judy - What Ellen said about the Brunetti series. Witch Light also caught my eye.

Happy Easter Judy

>157 DeltaQueen50: >159 EBT1002: I too was less than blown away by La Fenice. That series is on my "to continue sometime" list too.

>162 Storeetllr: - what she said.

Happy Saturday, Judy! Have a great weekend.

I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend. I have been cleaning house, buying groceries and planning my menu as the family is descending upon us for Easter Dinner tomorrow. I think there will be 10 of us altogether so a nice crowd but not too many. I am doing a ham dinner and one of my daughters is bringing dessert so really I haven't got a lot to do. We haven't all been together since Christmas so I am looking forward to this.

>158 DianaNL: Happy Easter to you also Diana.

>159 EBT1002: I suspected that the series must get better, Ellen, so many people read and seem to love it. I will continue on with a book or two. I often find the first of a series doesn't grab me that much.

>160 BLBera: I would love to see more people taking an interest in Witch Light, I thought it was very well done.

>161 Roro8: Happy Easter, Ro!

>162 Storeetllr: >163 dudes22: I hope we are all going to pleased with the series as we continue. I love the setting!

>164 katiekrug: Hi Katie, Happy Easter to you. Have a lovely weekend!

Sounds like you have a wonderful Easter Dinner in the works, Judy! Our family tradition is to go out for Easter brunch and then congregate at my parents house for casual chitchat and brunch digestion. ;-)

Wishing you a Happy Easter!

Have a wonderful Easter, with the family Judy! Enjoy!

Have a lovely day with your family, Judy!

Wishing you a wonderful day!

>170 mdoris: Now that's an Easter I can relate to.

Hope you and your family had a lovely dinner and visit together, Judy. Happy Easter.

Today is going to be a lazy day with no plans other than some LT time and some time with a book or two! My elder daughter has decided to cook her own Easter dinner tonight and we are invited so I don't even have to worry about any food prep. today. My dinner last night was great and my younger daughter brought a Lemon-Raspberry Meringue Pie for dessert that was delicious.

>166 mstrust: Thanks, Jennifer.

>167 lkernagh: That sounds like a great way to spend Easter, Lori.

>168 msf59: Thanks, Mark. Hope you are enjoying your Easter as well.

>169 Storeetllr: I had a lovely time, Mary. With everyone so busy all of the time, it was nice to have the family together and relaxing.

>170 mdoris: Thanks, Mary. I love that picture - that's going to be me today. :)

>171 Nickelini: Doesn't that look like a perfect way to spend part of the Easter weekend?

>172 dudes22: Thanks, Betty. I hope you also had a great Easter.

57. The End of The Night by John D. MacDonald - 3.7 ★
Category: Threads of Mystery
BingoDog: Author Born in 1916
TIOLI #7: Yellow On Cover



The End of the Night was my first John D. Macdonald and it was quite the read. A hard boiled thriller about 4 people who head across America on a cross-country trip spreading terror as they go. Robbery, rape and murder mean nothing to these three men and one woman. They are up to their eyebrows in drugs and have no thought of consequences.

The book is told in hindsight while the four are lined up for execution, it is a tale of brutality and darkness, and reminded me of some of the black and white B crime movies from the 1950s. Although the violence was obvious, the author avoided the more disgusting graphic descriptions of the damage caused by the these four psychopaths, instead leaving it up to the reader to fill in the blanks.

A quick, vivid story told from various viewpoints that made for a bleak and uncomfortable read, yet held me bound to the book until the last page. I don’t know exactly what I was expecting from this author but I was pleasantly surprised at how atmospheric and well plotted this story was. I will definitely be looking for more books by John D. MacDonald.

>173 DeltaQueen50: Lemon-raspberry meringue pie sounds delicious!!

>174 DeltaQueen50: 'Although the violence was obvious, the author avoided the more disgusting graphic descriptions of the damage caused by the these four psychopaths, instead leaving it up to the reader to fill in the blanks.'

This is exactly how I felt after reading The Deep Blue Good-by, The first Travis McGee book by MacDonald. The story revolved around a man how lured women to his boat, kept the them drugged up, and subjugated them. The tone of the writing was viscerally intense without the explicit descriptions.

I have not read another MacDonald since. Admittedly, it was hard core enough to turn me off. I'll stick with Parker's Spenser.

>173 DeltaQueen50: Oh, I hope your lazy day has been good and that the dinner your daughter is cooking is yummy!

Oh, I do recommend the Travis McGee series. I read all of them many eons ago and I have such great memories of them. Of course, they are set in a Florida that was so familiar to me -- a Florida before the huge development really took off in the 1970s (DisneyWorld opened in 1972 and Florida never looked back).

>173 DeltaQueen50: I've not read any of John D. MacDonald's books yet either though do have The Deep Blue Goodbye on my tbr shelves. I know he's generally well regarded in the field in which he writes so I will get to him at some point. Happy to hear he hits the spot for you.

>140 DeltaQueen50: Clever review. I have been there and done that. I am glad to hear your Kindle is safe. ;-)

>175 rabbitprincess: RP, it was delicious and also very pretty with a band of red then the yellow topped by the white meringue. And the best part of all was that I didn't have to make it!

>176 brodiew2: I think I expected John D. MacDonald's writing to be more conventional. I am rather intrigued by the degree of violence that was shown and was reminded somewhat of Jim Thompson's writing. He paints the underside of the 1950/60's as a dark and gritty place and I will be trying out more of his books.

>177 EBT1002: Hi Ellen, yes, I had a delightful day yesterday. Some LT time, some reading and Hubby and I went for a short drive in the afternoon as it was sunny and warm out. Not sure if I will start the Travis McGee series but I will check out a couple more of his stand-alone books for sure.

>178 AHS-Wolfy: I love it when I stumble on an author or a book that's been around forever but for some reason I hadn't tried before. I am looking forward to exploring a few more of John D. MacDonald's books, in particular I would like to read Cape Fear as the Robert Mitchum/Gregory Peck movie made from that book is a favorite of mine.

>179 brodiew2: I had a hard time with that book, there was a little too much of the teen angst and when I had to read lines about how attractive the teen girl found the young vampire, even with his red eyes and white, white skin, well, let's just say I prefer my vampires to be monsters not dates!

>180 DeltaQueen50: I was just over in the Bingo thread recommending Cape Fear to you based on the 1962 movie!

Hi Judy! I read The Deep Blue Good-by four years ago before I went to a conference in Florida. I was surprised that I liked it as well as I did. It pushed my boundary of comfort without going too far.

>174 DeltaQueen50: Hey Jude (I always wanted to start a post like that)! I recently (well, the past couple of years) read the entire Travis McGee series in order and loved them so much. I've not read any of his non-series books, but you've reminded me that I want to check them out.

McDonald, of course, wrote the science fiction classic The Girl, The Gold Watch, and Everything.

It's another beautiful day here and they are predicting the temperature is going to be very warm by tomorrow. I have 100 pages left in Red Seas Under Red Skies which I hope to finish today as I want to count it for the March SFFFKit. Got my April reading all lined up so I am ready for the new month.

>181 leslie.98: I was just making a list of John D. MacDonald books I want to get and Cape Fear was pretty much at the top of the list. :)

>182 cbl_tn: He seems to be very good at implying the less savory deeds and letting the reader fill in the blanks causing me to feel slightly uncomfortable but nevertheless totally hooked on his stories!

>183 rosalita: I am trying to stay away from another series, Julia, but I suspect I would enjoy Travis McGee and I may just have to give in eventually. For now I have quite a list of his stand-alones that I want to read.

>184 ronincats: I recognize the title, Roni, but know very little about that story. I am now intrigued and it has risen to the number 2 spot on my list.

58. Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch - 4.1 ★
Category: Magic Threads
BingoDog: A Body Of Water In The Title
March SFFFKit: Alternative Worlds
March AlphaKit: 'L'
TIOLI #5: Book Uses an Imaginary Poison or Medicine



Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch is the second book in the Gentlemen Bastard Sequence. And while it took me some time to totally get into this book, it eventually took off and launched the reader on an epic adventure that was exciting and fun. In this volume Locke and Jean have chosen the difficult target of a well protected gambling house in the rich city state of Tal Verrar, but before they can pull off their caper, their plans are sidelined and they find themselves out on the high seas involved in piracy.

Although this book had the style and excitement of the first, I was still missing some of the characters that I enjoyed in the original story. I found there was less humor and the characters weren’t quite as fresh and enthusiastic. At times it seemed as if this book had too much plot and I think it could well have had at least hundred pages shaved from it. I did appreciate that this story featured some strong women characters who made excellent foils to these Gentlemen Bastards.

Even though Red Seas Under Red Skies doesn’t carry quite the emotional depth of the first book, it is a fun swashbuckling story that is both enjoyable and original. I am looking forward to the third book especially as there is a rather important storyline that needs resolution. I can’t wait to find out what kind of trouble Locke and Jean will have to face in the next volume.

I really need to get back to this series.

ETA: He has 7 books planned in the series, but only 3 have been published. He sure takes his time.

>187 luvamystery65: Hi Ro, I think I heard somewhere that Scott Lynch suffers from depression which I am sure can sideline him from writing. I love this series so I will happily wait. :)

I did not know that. I just thought he was taking his time because he had a lot of stories planned with this Universe even after the 7 books. Kevin Hearne just tweeted some photos of him with Lynch, Chuck Wendig and Delilah Dawson. I love it when authors support each other.

>188 DeltaQueen50: Very true. He wrote an entry about it on his LiveJournal when the vitriol about the delay for book 3 was starting to really kick in. Anyone interested can read it here.

Glad you enjoyed book 2 of the series. After that particular ending there were quite a few people anxiously waiting to find out what happened next.

>189 luvamystery65: For some reason I have been thinking of the Gentlemen Bastards as a trilogy. I changed the wording of my review to reflect that the 3rd book will not be the final one. I tend to think of authors as solitary creatures scribbling away in an attic somewhere rather than socializing, but when you think about it who could relate better to authors than more authors!

>190 AHS-Wolfy: I admire Scott Lynch for being so open about his difficulties, he's probably helped others by writing about his situation. I have a friend who has suffered panic attacks and she was carted off to the hospital a couple of times as people thought she was having a heart attack, it's an impossible thing to have and live a 'normal' life. Luckily I have the next book waiting for me and hope to get to it in May.

Still catching up. My brain stopped at the lemon raspberry meringue pie!

>192 VivienneR: I know how you feel, Vivienne - Pie will do that!

59. The Thirteen Problems by Agatha Christie - 4.1 ★
Category: Vintage Threads
BingoDog: Senior Citizen as Protagonist
TIOLI #14: Title Includes a Word With Consecutive Identical Vowels



The Thirteen Problems by Agatha Christie features Miss Jane Marple as she astounds the guests at a pair of dinner parties when they each relate a mystery and the other guests try to guess the solution. In all cases Miss Marple, relating the facts to her knowledge of human nature, is the one to come up with the right answer.

Reading very much like a collection of short stories, each chapter consists of a separate incident and then the solutions are surmised. The people involved in this intriguing game are mostly members of the upper middle class and among them one can find a doctor, a lawyer, a mystery writer, a vicar, an actress and a retired Scotland Yard Inspector. Of course at first they mostly dismiss Miss Marple, leaving her to sit in a corner with her knitting, but as she repeatedly comes up with the right solution, they learn to give her the respect and admiration that this unlikely sleuth deserves.

I am a big fan of Miss Marple and I enjoyed this collection very much. My admiration for Agatha Christie and her abilities as an author were extended even further by the deceptive simplicity of these stories and how they were melded together into such a unified compilation.

60. Band of Angels by Julia Gregson - 3.0 ★
Category: Threads of Time
Reading Through Time Monthly Theme: Women & War
TIOLI #5: A Character Travels Between Continents



When I start to write about Band of Angels by Julia Gregson, I am wondering how could a story with so many interesting elements turn into the rather boring story that I just finished. I did just learn that this book is actually her first book, originally published as The Water Horse so perhaps some of the problems are due to that, but I should have thought a story about Florence Nightingale’s small group of nurses who went to Crimea to nurse the British soldiers in 1854 would have been more interesting than this story proved to be.

The main character, Catherine, disguises herself as a boy, and aided by her childhood friend, joins the drovers and travels from Wales to London. Once in London she was hired for nursing duties at Florence Nightingale’s Institute for the Care of Sick Gentlewomen and when a group was put together to go to Crimea, Catherine applied and was accepted. The nurses arrived there ready to go to work, but the doctors and medical officers were appalled at the thought of women nursing the wounded soldiers but eventually Florence Nightingale won out and the nurses were allowed to attend the soldiers. Conditions were terrible, disease rampant and chaos reigned.

This should have been an exciting story but between characters that were undeveloped and a story that seemed to want to focus on a dull romance rather than the actual history left me rather unenthusiastic about this book. I do think the author did her research and I wish she had included more about the actual nursing than she did.

61. It Falls Into Place by Phyllis Shand Allfrey - 3.1 ★
Category: Threads of Silk & Gold - Dominica
Commonwealth Challenge - Dominica
Woman BingoPup: Short Story Collection
TIOLI #3: Author Has A Three Barrelled Name



It Falls Into Place by Phyllis Shand Allfrey is a collection of short stories, many of them set on the island of Dominica, the author’s birthplace. This collection consists of 14 stories, most of which are quite short and colorful. Published in 2004, years after her death, some of the stories have a autobiographical feel to them as they are from a young person’s point of view and have a definite “colonial” feel to them as she expresses her feelings about her identity.

I am not a huge fan of short stories and this book really didn’t change my mind. I prefer to have my characters more developed and a story to slowly unfold rather than reading a few pages about various perspectives that clash in an attempt to bring about transformations or an "aha" moment for the reader. These particular stories cover a wide range of emotions and subjects which, although interesting, didn’t feel like a cohesive collection. It is obvious that this author had a great talent but her life was difficult and today her work is not as well known as it probably should be.

62. Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon - 4.1 ★
Category: Threads of Time
TIOLI #19: 2+ Consecutive Embedded Words in Title



Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon is the fourth book in the Outlander series. This book both thrilled and disappointed me. I am still a huge fan of this series but there were a number of things that I had trouble accepting in this volume.

Claire and Jamie are one of my favorite couples of all time and I love the time I spend in their world but I can’t say the same for their daughter Brianna. At one point or another I was disappointed with all the characters reactions in this book. Brianna didn’t seem able to overcome her modern sensibilities and realize that things were very different in the 17th century and that women shouldn’t go waltzing around by themselves or follow a pirate into his cabin. Jamie on the other hand really showed that he is a 17th century man when it came to how he reacted to his daughters’ situation. When he wasn’t blaming her he was trying to marry her off. Another 17th century man, Lord John, was far more understanding about the situation. Claire who usually has no problem speaking up, seemed to just let Jamie and Brianna continue to be at loggerheads without making an effort to help them work through their differences. The other thing that bothered me was that a great deal of the plot was hung on the fact that these so-called adults didn’t have at least one conversation that would avoided the identity confusion and saved Roger from a world of hurt.

So much for the disappointment, I was still thrilled by this story, my enthusiasm not dimmed by the flaws. I still love reading about this family, and still enjoy Gabaldon’s rich, lush descriptive writing. Over the last couple of months, I have listened to an audio version of this book and was totally carried away by Davina Porter’s reading. Even though Drums of Autumn is not my favorite, I look forward to continuing my audio exploration of this epic historical romance series.

>197 DeltaQueen50: I have this on my TBR shelf :(

Victoria, have you read the other Outlanders? I think if you have, you will excuse Drums of Autumn for being a little flawed.

>199 DeltaQueen50: Only the 1st

It took me a while to find the two words embedded in the title. Were they rum and sofa? Or did you find something else. That was a hard challenge!

>200 VictoriaPL: I would advise reading the series in order as it is one continuing story as it follows Claire and Jamie and all the various people that cross and recross their lives over many years.

>201 mamzel: Yes, Mamzel - rum and sofa are the words I found for that challenge. Although we do sometimes repeat challenges, it is asked that we tweak them or change them in some way and now after years of challenges, they are sometimes quite difficult.

I've looked at those TIOLI challenges and thought the people who participated were brave and dedicated. So many choices to choose from!

I admit to being totally addicted to the TIOLI Challenges, they can be quite a challenge. I am finding them even more difficult this year when I have 16 Categories that I am trying to fill. These days all my books must first fit here and then I try to fit them into other challenges. Certainly keeps me on my toes!

>202 DeltaQueen50: I plan to, Judy. I just picked that one up at a sale and so it's sitting on my TBR shelf patiently waiting its turn, LOL.

>205 VictoriaPL: I understand that completely, Victoria. I have done the same with many of my series.

63. The Orchid Affair by Lauren Willig - 3.2 ★
Category: Hanging By A Thread
Woman BingoPup: About A Spy
TIOLI #4: Flower in Title or Author's Name



The Orchid Affair by Lauren Willig is the eighth book in her Pink Carnation series and sticking with her winning formula all the usual ingredients are here. Laura Grey has been trained at the Selwick Spy School and has now been installed as the governess in the home of Andre Jouen, the right-hand man to the French minister of police. She is given the code name of the Silver Orchid.

Of course sparks fly between Laura and Jouen and the story culminates in a daring escape from France to England. The author also continues to insert the story of modern-day Eloise and Colin as their romance carries them to Paris for the birthday of Colin’s mother.

By this 7th book, the author knows full well what makes these books so successful, but I don’t know if it is me or the author but I felt as if it was a little tired and old. I also admit I rather missed the high comedy of the last book. There are still four books remaining for me in this series and I would like to read them all but if the next one doesn’t do a better job of engaging my interest, it may be the end of the road for The Pink Carnation.

>207 DeltaQueen50: I'll admit, the later books in the Carnation series did not hold me as much as the earlier ones. Speaking of which, I still need to read the last one!

>207 DeltaQueen50: I also found The Orchid Affair a bit stale. Even when books follow a formula, I don't want to feel like it is predictable (even when it is!) and that is what I felt here. I had been disappointed earlier in the series with The Betrayal of the Blood Lily which is the last one I purchased but thought I would give the series another try by listening to The Orchid Affair audiobook from my library. It was better than I had feared but not as good as I had hoped...

>207 DeltaQueen50: I too felt The Orchid Affair was a bit stale. Even when books follow a formula, I don't want to feel that everything is predictable. I had been disappointed earlier in the series with The Betrayal of the Blood Lily, which is the last of the series I purchased. I thought that I would give the series another try by listening to the audiobook of The Orchid Affair from my library -- it was better than I had feared but not as good as I had hoped. And by the way, I think that this is #8 not #7... the Christmas one (Mistletoe something) comes in between The Betrayal of the Blood Lily and The Orchid Affair.

>208 VictoriaPL: I really want to read all of the books in the series but one does get the feeling that the author is ready to move on and do something different.

>207 DeltaQueen50: I remember not being all that happy with The Betrayal of the Blood Lily either, but mostly I really enjoyed the earlier books in the series. Thanks for pointing out that this was Book #8, I don't know how I got that wrong but I will correct it now.

>157 DeltaQueen50: I have similar feelings about Donna Leon. I'd read a couple of books in the series, thought they were just OK but loved the Venice setting. So I'm wondering if I should go back to the series. I'm glad that you've been told it gets better.

>212 mathgirl40: For me, reading about different parts of the world is as interesting as the mystery itself and I will be continuing on with the Donna Leon series. If the mysteries get more suspenseful, that will be an added bonus.

64. The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith - 4.1 ★
Category: Threads of Mystery
Woman BingoPup: Woman Author Using a Male Pseudonym
TIOLI #14: Title Contains A Word That Has Consecutive Identical Vowels



The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith, better known as J.K. Rowling, is an intelligent, absorbing mystery that is well-plotted and has compelling characters. Cormorant Strike is fascinating to read about and I look forward to the next book and to the further character development of both him and his assistant, Robin.

The investigation of the death of super-model Lula Landry took a little while to really take off but in the meantime I enjoyed being introduced to Cormorant and Robin. The author has added an abundant supply of details that I thought added to the overall excellence of the story although the book did feel a little overlong. Overall, I think the author has demonstrated her deftness at the mystery genre and I look forward to continuing on with more of these books.

I have come late to this series so I already knew that the author is indeed J.K. Rowling and my hat is tipped to her for moving on and tacking another genre and another series.

65. Brothers In Arms by Lois McMaster Bujold - 4.1 ★
Category: Fiber Optic Threads
SFFFKit: From NPR;s Top 100 Science Fiction/Fantasy List
Vorkosigan Saga Group Read
TIOLI #3: Author Has a Triple Barrelled Name



It’s been some time since I last read one of Vorkosigan books and I had forgotten how much I enjoy them. Brothers In Arms follows Miles and his mercenaries as they arrive on Earth for much needed repairs and R & R. Miles drops his Admiral Naismith identity and reports to the Barrayar Imperial Embassy as Lieutenant Vorkosigan. Much to his surprise his cousin Ivan is also currently assigned to this embassy.

When his payroll of eighteen million marks disappears his suspicion falls upon his immediate superior, Captain Galeni. Upon further investigation it appears that Galeni could be connected to a Komarran rebel force. This book brings Miles a love interest and a huge surprise with a newly found relative that could (and I hope does) lead to many further storylines.

With humor, science and an exciting plot, the author brings us another great story. The books in this series are a mix of science fiction, political thriller, romance and mystery in various amounts depending upon the storyline. Brothers In Arms is I believe a pivotal book and I am interested in finding out in what direction the series will go from here. If you are thinking of reading these books, don't let the ghastly covers put you off, they are excellent.

Dropping in after a long while. I loved the one fantasy book I've read by Bujold and I keep eying her science fiction series although it's such a big series that it feels daunting.

Whoa, Brothers in Arms is just the entry ramp to the explosiveness of Mirror Image and where all the chickens come to roost in Memory--characterized by Bujold as "Miles hits 30, 30 hits back!" Don't leave them too long.

Happy Sunday, Judy! I hope you had a good weekend. Glad you liked The Cuckoo's Calling. I also liked it and hope to bookhorn in, The Silkworm, in the coming months.

>216 andreablythe: Hi Andrea, great to hear from you. The Vorkosigan Series is huge, and the reading order is one that is debated upon. I joined the group read a year ago and have been slowly working my way through. They are very, very good.

>217 ronincats: Roni, a couple of years ago I would never have thought that I would be loving science fiction as much as I have found that I do! It's by far my favorite category this year. I have Mirror Dance scheduled for August and then back to Sharon Lee in September.

>218 msf59: Hi Mark, I thought Cuckoo's Calling was a well thought out and interesting mystery. It could probably have had anywhere up to a 100 pages shaved from it, but it does seem that mysteries are getting thicker these days.

66. Ill Wind by Nevada Barr - 3.4 ★
Category: Matched Threads
BingoDog: Main Character Has A Job That I Would Like
TIOLI #18: One Letter is Repeated Three Times in Author's Name



Ill Wind by Nevada Barr is the third book in her Anna Pigeon series and in this case, I listened to the audio version of the book. These are books that I read first and foremost for the setting as each mystery is placed in a different American National Park. Ill Wind is set in Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado. This park was established in order to preserve a number of ruins built by the Pueblo people who lived there from AD 600 - 1300.

The mystery concerns the apparent sickness that has affected a number of tourists. After the death of a little girl, and then the death of a fellow ranger, more attention is brought to the matter. Anna is paired with FBI agent Frederick Stanton, who we have met in a previous book. Of course, there are plenty of red herrings thrown in to keep the reader on his toes but I enjoyed the interplay between Anna and Frederick. In this book, the park didn’t receive a great deal of attention and I missed the usual descriptions of the beauty of these places. Anna herself, has to deal with some personal issues, as she finally faces up to her drinking problem.

I enjoy these mysteries, Anna is a strong, forthright character and I particularly enjoyed reading the scenes between her and FBI Agent, Frederick Stanton. So although these are not the strongest of mysteries or the most suspenseful, I intend to carry on with the series because of its settings and my interest in the main character.

I really enjoy reading about the many National Parks of America and after reading I always find myself looking for more pictures and information on the settings. I would love to go to Mesa Verde, it looks incredible:



I seem to always be behind here and rushing to catch up, but I am leaving tomorrow morning to visit my Mom and the rest of the family for a week or so and as I will have limited internet access, I know I am going to be very much "out of the loop". I am taking plenty of reading material and hope to be able to post my reads and I will get caught up with everyone when I get back. Hope everyone is having a great month - both in reading and in RL.

Have a good trip, Judy!

Have a lovely trip!

Have fun! We'll be here waiting for your vacation pics.

Have a good trip Judy!

I love the Anna Pigeon books though I haven't kept up with the series. Thanks for the great images of Mesa Verde -- I visited this national park as a teenager with my family and the picture on the left is just how I remember it!

And I agree with >217 ronincats: that you shouldn't wait too long to follow up Brothers in Arms with Mirror Dance & Memory. These 3 really go together and are pivotal to what follows in the series (and some of the best books are still to come, in my opinion *grin*).

Like leslie.98 I had forgotten about that series. Maybe I'll try to find one at the library sale in a couple of weeks.

The weather isn't behaving itself very well, we've been having some really heavy rain showers but we did manage to go shopping yesterday. Haven't had time for a lot of reading, but did manage to finish one book on the ferry ride over to the Island.

>222 katiekrug: Hi Katie, I am enjoying my visit with my family. I haven't been over since Christmas so we have a lot of catching up to do!

>223 andreablythe: Thanks, Andrea.

>224 mstrust: And here's me without my camera!

>225 leslie.98: I am planning to read Mirror Dance soon and will also try to fit Memory in as well. I am looking forward to the next Anna Pigeon as it is set in a park that I have actually visited.

>226 dudes22: Waves to Betty.

67. Moon Called by Patricia Briggs - 4.0 ★
Category: Magic Threads
Woman BingoPup: Featuring a Woman Critter
TIOLI #14: Title Contains A Word With Consecutive, Identical Vowels



Shape shifters, vampires and werewolves, oh my! I picked up Moon Called by Patricia Briggs mostly because it fits a reading challenge. I thought it would be a quick and easy read but I wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did. Now I am totally hooked and looking at yet another new series!

Mercy Thompson is an independent, snarky, no-fuss heroine who also happens to be a magical being, a shape shifter who can become a coyote at will. Her next door neighbour just happens to be the pack leader of the local werewolf pack. Mercy was raised by werewolves, so she understands the pack dynamics and is well able to hold her own.

Although this book didn’t really bring anything new to the urban fantasy table, it was still an engrossing, fun read and I think that is so because of the writing, in particular the dialogue. Patricia Briggs gives us an inventive, witty, action-packed paranormal mystery that pulled me in and left me eager to continue on with these characters.

You are doing a lot of excellent reading, Judy! I loved The Cuckoo's Calling -those just keep getting better, IMO. Also loved Brothers in Arms - you are reminding me that I need to get back to that series. And Mercy Thompson is a family favorite here - Craig, Rae, Abby and I all adore those books - and we named our cat after Mercy! You will like the character development as they go forward - that series holds up so well.

Wishing you continued fun on your visit with family, Judy, and safe travels home.

>228 DeltaQueen50:
It's been a while, but I also enjoyed what I've read of this series (I think it was the first three books). I keep meaning to come back to it and read more, because I'm curious as to what's happened to the characters.

Ah, Judy I wondered why you were slowing down enough that I could catch up with your thread - of course, you are out of town. Sounds like the weather will be better on the weekend. Hope you are enjoying your time visiting family.

You got me with a couple of BBs with the Fade Out series and Witch Light.

>214 DeltaQueen50:
That whole series is very solid. Rowling has impressed the heck out of me with it - I know she's a good plotter, but writing mysteries takes a lot more skill than people think, I think. :)

Hope you're having a great trip!

Stopping by to get caught up with your reading Judy and find myself thinking about a re-read of the Outlander series, possibly as an audioread if I can track them down in that format. I plowed through the first four books in the series one summer but it got to be a bit much and I never did get around to the other books in the series. Enough time has passed that it will seem like a fresh read for me.

Have a wonderful trip!

>229 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie. I really surprised myself with how much I enjoyed Moon Called, I am looking forward to continuing to read about Mercy.

>230 andreablythe: I keep telling myself "No More New Series!!", but somehow I never listen. This looks to be a fun series that will be perfect to fit between more serious books.

>231 Familyhistorian: From your lips, Meg! Yesterday the clouds cleared and it was actually quite warm. My brother and I went to the airport to pick up my sister who was coming home from a trip and we went early and did some book shopping. I am happy to report that other than a couple of Rex Stout mysteries, I mostly shopped for books for my husband.

>232 -Eva-: I was impressed with her writing as well. I think because Harry Potter is YA, I expected the writing to be more juvenile.

>233 lkernagh: Hi Lori, I am having a good time with my family. I was the same, I had read the first 4 or 5 of the Outlander series but then failed to carry on. So the audio versions are a great way to catch up and now that the characters are firmly established in my mind, I can carry on with the audios for the rest of the series. I love the reader of this series!

68. Where The Heart Is by Annie Groves - 3.4 ★
Category: Tangled Threads
Reading Through Time Monthly Theme: Women & War
TIOLI #15: A Book With A Connection To A Parent



Where The Heart Is by Annie Groves is the fourth book in her series about a British family living in Liverpool during WW II. It’s been awhile since I read this series, but had no trouble catching up. This book is centered on the youngest members of the family, twin girls. They are now 18 years and while one, Sasha, is contented to work at the local telephone exchange and keep company with her bomb disposal soldier, the other, Lou, has joined the WAAF and is being trained in airplane repair. Lou dreams of getting a chance to fly.
The doings of the rest of the family are described, from new engagements to broken ones, a couple of weddings and of being away from home fighting in Northern Africa. These books are like tiny time capsules that capture the conditions and emotions of the British nation during this time. Where the Heart Is brings us up to the beginning of 1943 so there are still a couple of books left to complete the series

I loved The Cuckoo's Calling too! It was a real surprise even though I had heard nothing but good about it. I loved Cormorant Strike and Robin and look forward to others in the series.

The Cuckoo's Calling is sitting on my bookshelf too. I look forward to getting to it.

I'm enjoying the Cormoran Strike series too, and the Vorkosigan series was a hoot and on my TBRRSD* pile. The Mercy Thompson series is one of my favorite urban fantasies! You've got some great reading ahead of you with those three series!

*To Be ReRead Some Day

We are having such great weather right now, it feels like summer. Thank heavens I packed some lighter clothes cause it's far to warm for my heavier clothes. We went for a walk around a local lake yesterday and I could smell the skunk cabbage flowers that are in bloom right now. I am strange in that I actually quite like that smell - in small amounts. My brother and nephew went fishing early Saturday morning and caught a mess of trout. We had trout for dinner and they were delicious.

I am planning on coming home on Thursday, and hope to get caught up with everyone over the weekend.

>236 VivienneR: Even though I moan and groan about another new series, it's always exciting to find one isn't it! I have the next book on my Kindle and I am looking forward to it.

>237 Roro8: Hi Ro, it's a good start to what appears to be a very promising series.

>238 Storeetllr: Hi Mary. I was really happy to get back to the Vorkosigan series and to find two new ones, but I also really need to concentrate on some of my older series as well. I need to finish some to make room on my reading lists for the new ones!

69. Daughter of Xanadu by Dori Jones Yang - 4.1 ★
Category: Tangled Threads
Woman BingoPup: Woman In Combat
Reading Through Time Monthly Theme: Women & War
TIOLI #3: Author Has A Triple Barrelled Name



Daughter of Xanadu by Dori Jones Yang is the fictional story of Emmajin, a granddaughter of Khubilai Khan. She was raised with her male cousins and allowed to partake in activities such as archery, horse-back riding, racing and wrestling. She had decided that she did not wish to marry and would rather be trained to serve the Khan in his army. All she had to do was convince her grandfather of this.

At first her grandfather was not receptive to her wishes, but did decide to use her as a spy, assigning her the youngest of the Polo’s, a family of merchants from the far city of Venice. Marco Polo was a young man of nineteen and when the two young people starting spending time together at the Khan’s summer palace of Xanadu, they formed both a friendship and a bond. But Emmajin did not forget her mission and her information was so well received that she was allowed to join a military expedition to the far south as a soldier. She was there when the King of Burma invaded and took part in the bloody battle to overcome the invaders. This battle showed her that she really didn’t have the stomach to be a soldier but she also did not want to settle into a woman’s traditional role so she had to once again convince her grandfather to allow her to become an emissary and travel to far lands for him.

This is a YA historical novel that was interesting, fully researched and well written. There is a sequel about Emmajin’s travels to Christendom with Marco Polo and I am looking forward to continuing on with this story.

>240 DeltaQueen50: Sounds fascinating!

I'm glad your trip is going well. Enjoy yourself!

Glad to hear that you're having such great weather and that you're having a good time on vacation!

Sounds like a great time to be on the Island, Judy. The weather is great on the Lower Mainland but it is predicted that temperatures will cool off for the weekend - too bad. I was getting used to the heat.

>244 Familyhistorian: -- it's been lovely (8:10 PM and I just moved in off my back deck), and I was outside most of today, but I don't want summer to start too soon. Spring is my favourite season, and I want it to last. I'm a yoga pants and sweatshirt or jeans and a sweater person, so nice weather is great but I'm not a fan of heat. Unless I'm on holiday and have a pool or ocean to jump in to.

>241 VictoriaPL: Hi Victoria, I really enjoyed Daughter of Xanadu. I enjoy finding historical fiction that is set in an exotic and different location. Mongol women had much more freedom than the Chinese women of the same era as both horseback riding and archery were encouraged. Her greatest difficulty in joining the army was the fact that she was the Khan's granddaughter and everyone was always trying to protect her.

>242 RidgewayGirl: >243 rabbitprincess: Thanks, Kay and RP. It is another beautiful day here and we are thinking of taking a walk on a beach later on.

>244 Familyhistorian: >245 Nickelini: I am loving this weather but like Joyce, I am in no hurry for summer to arrive. I love the sunshine but I don't want too much heat too soon. Although we often have a spell of this kind of weather in April or May and then return to some cooler weather before the real summer sets in. This is great weather for the gardeners to get out and get their gardens organized for the year.

Love your review of The Cuckoo's Calling, Judy. I can't decide about it. I have owned it for a while now but keep avoiding it. Many folks have loved it but I have also heard the "too much detail, get on with it" complaint. So. I will certainly keep it on the TBR shelves for a while longer and maybe one of these days I'll give it a whirl.

I hope you're having a good week!

70. Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo - 3.8 ★
Category: Colorful Threads
BingoDog: Survival Story
April GeoCat: Islands
TIOLI #12: A Book That Was Hated By Someone Else



Kensuke’s Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo is a children’s adventure story about 11 year old Michael and his dog, Stella who are washed overboard and end up on a desert island in the Pacific during a family trip in the 1980’s. There is one other human on the island, an elderly Japanese man who looks after Michael but doesn’t seem to want him to try to catch the attention of any passing boat or do anything that could perhaps end in Michael’s rescue and reunion with his mother and father.

At first Michael is bitterly angry at Kensuke’s attitude but life on the island has its own gentle rhythm that eventually finds Michael and Kensuke bonding as they fish, paint and play football together. Kensuke tells Michael his story of how he ended up on the island. Kensuke eventually realizes that Michael is too young to be stranded on the island the rest of his life so the two build a signal fire and through their conversations, Michael is sure that Kensuke will come off the island with him. But when rescue finally arrives, Kensuke elects to stay on the island as he feels responsible for protecting the orangutans and other wildlife that are to be found there.

My granddaughter read this book for school and wasn’t particularly taken with it and as I knew this author and love survival stories, I decided to read it for myself. I can understand why she wasn’t enthralled by the book as there wasn’t a lot of action or humor in the story, both elements of which she looks for. This is a book to bring an awareness of the environment to the young and as such, I thought the author did a fine job. I enjoyed the book with its simple language and quiet understated story.

>247 EBT1002: Ellen, there is a LOT of exposition in The Cuckoo's Calling as Galbraith/Rowling try to set the scene and provide backstory for the characters. But if you can plow through that, the next two really pop!

>247 EBT1002: >249 rosalita: Julia has whetted my appetite for the next Cormorant Strike books! I think The Cuckoo's Calling did have a lot of "first book" information. There was a fair amount of back story on Cormorant to catch up with that helps to set the stage as to the whys and hows of his life. For me, the writing was good enough to find all the extra information fairly interesting.

Time for a new thread, please come on over and join me.