Connie ROOTs in 2017 part 2

I will keep my goal small. 36 books this year, the same as in 2016. 3 ROOTs a month leaves room for those new and shiny ones.
I'm Connie, married to Peter (Peet). We have one son, Jeroen. He lives with Rianne in the same town we live in. Roermond, The Netherlands. And we have a daughter, Eveline, She lives with her boyfriend Cyrille in Maastricht, The Netherlands. They have a baby-daughter Fiene.

The topper is a picture from Fiene and me and we are of course reading a book.

This is what she looks like now all dressed for Kingsday (April 27 - 2017)



And she loves animals, the smaller the better

ROOTs are all paper books that have been on the shelves for 6 months or more.




01. Erika Johansen - De kroon van de Tearling - bought 2016/05/10 - 444 pages -
02. Martijn Lindeboom en Remco Nieboer - De legende van de zwarte wolven - bought 2005/12/17 - 73 pages -
03. Erika Johansen - De invasie van de Tearling - bought 2016/7/13 - 506 pages -
04. Patricia Briggs - Ziel van ijzer - bought 2016/08/02 - 329 pages -
05. Dorothy Hearst - Geheimen van de wolven - bought 2012/03/31 - 366 pages -
06. Stepenie Meyer - het korte tweede leven van bree tanner - bought 2012/03/05 - 185 pages -
07. Benny Lindelauf - Hoe Tortot zijn vissenhart verloor - bought 2016/04/05 - 234 pages -
08. Tom Michell - De pinguïnlessen - bought 2016/03/15 - 279 pages -
09. Anita Amirrezvani - Dochter van Isfahan - bought 2010/09/01 - 325 pages -
10. David Mitchell - DroomNummerNegen - bought 2016/06/17 - 424 pages -
11. Simone van der Vlugt - Nachtblauw - bought 2016/03/15 - 309 pages -
12. Henriette Power - De erfenis - bought 2014/06/03 - 356 pages -
13. Brandon Sanderson - De wet van staal - bought 2014/11/29 - 316 pages -
14. Kate Elliott - Koud vuur - bought 2012/10/28 - 542 pages - Chunkster -
15. Natalie Koch - De stad van de alchemist - bought 2014/2/16 - 696 pages - Chunkster -
16. Rachel Hore - Het droomhuis - bought 2016/8/10 - 394 pages -
17. Matthijs Kleyn - Cesar - bought 2016/9/29 - 221 pages -
18. Christina Baker Kline - De kindertrein - bought 2015/10/13 - 297 pages -
19. Nina George - De boekenapotheek aan de Seine - bought 2015/11/01 - 317 pages -
20. Jennifer Fallon - Damin Wolfsblad - bought 2011/06/30 - 527 pages -
21. Jennifer Fallon - Wolfsblad voor altijd - bought 2011/06/29 - 542 pages -
22. Peter James - Tot in de dood - bought 2016/12/26 - 364 pages -
23. M.J. Arlidge - Pluk een roos - bought 2017/02/25 - 397 pages -
24. Karen Miller - Eiland van geheimen - bought 2010/01/27 - 575 pages -
25. Karen Miller - De hamer Gods - bought 2011/01/05 - 574 pages -
26. Karen Miller - De vloek van de magiër - bought 2012/02/23 - 639 pages - book -
27. Stella Gemmell - De onsterfelijke troon - bought 2017/02/07 - 622 pages - book -
28. Eleanor Catton - Al wat schittert - bought 2014/03/05 - 830 pages - book -
29. Mats Strandberg & Sara B. Elfgren - De cirkel - bought 2016/04/05 - 401 pages - book -
30. Mats Strandberg & Sara B. Elfgren - Vuur - bought 2016/06/02 - 485 pages - book -
31. Mats Strandberg & Sara B. Elfgren - De sleutel, het begin - bought 2016/11/15 - 422 pages - book -
32. Ransom Riggs - Bibliotheek der zielen - bought 2016/09/06 - 507 pages - book -
33. Unni Lindell - Honingval - bought before 2010 - 359 pages - book -
34. Unni Lindell - Suikerdood - won 2014/10/31 - 344 pages - book -
35. Santa Montefiore - Onder de ombu-boom - bought 2014/04/24 - 479 pages - book - *

* Currently reading

This will show the total of books read in 2017 (ROOTs and new books and ebooks)




01. Lemony Snicket - De slangenserre - 85 pages - ebook -
02. Anne Bishop - Grijze ogen - 490 pages - book -
03. Erika Johansen - De kroon van de Tearling - 444 pages - book -
04. Martijn Lindeboom en Remco Nieboer - De legende van de zwarte wolven - 73 pages - book -
05. Erika Johansen - De invasie van de Tearling - 506 pages - book -
06. Patricia Briggs - Ziel van ijzer - 329 pages - book -
07. Dorothy Hearst - Geheimen van de wolven - 367 pages - book -
08. Stephenie Meyer - het korte tweede leven van bree tanner - 185 pages - book -
09. Brandon Sanderson - Staalhart - 412 pages - book -
10. Brandon Sanderson - Mitosis - 39 pages - ebook -
11. Robert Haasnoot - De heugling - 163 pages - ebook -
12. Brandon Sanderson - Vlammenwerper - 412 pages - book -
13. Brandon Sanderson - Calamity - 412 pages - book -
14. Benny Lindelauf - Hoe Tortot zijn vissenhart verloor - 234 pages - book -
15. Tom Michell - De pinguïnlessen - 279 pages - book -
16. Anita Amirrezvani - Dochter van Isfahan - 325 pages - book -
17. David Mitchell - DroomNummerNegen - 424 pages - book -
18. M.J. Arlidge - Iene Miene Mutte - 372 pages - book -
19. M.J. Arlidge - Piep zei de muis - 382 pages - book -
20. Jane Harper - De droogte - 334 pages - book -
21. Simone van der Vlugt - Nachtblauw - 309 pages - book -
22. Henriette Power - De erfenis - 356 pages - book -
23. Branson Sanderson - De wet van staal - 316 pages - book -
24. Kate Elliott - Koud vuur - 542 pages - book -
25. Paula Hawkins - In het water - 351 pages - book -
26. Natalie Koch - De stad van de alchemist - 696 pages - book -
27. Helen Simonson - De majoor en mevrouw Ali - 382 pages - book -
28. Rachel Hore - Het droomhuis - 394 pages - book -
29. Matthijs Kleyn - Cesar - 221 pages - book -
30. Robin Hobb - Het lot van de moordenaar - 938 pages - book -
31. Christina Baker Kline - De kindertrein - 297 pages - book -
32. Nina George - De boekenapotheek aan de Seine - 317 pages - book -
33. Jennifer Fallon - Damin Wolfsblad - 527 pages - book -
34. Jennifer Fallon - Wolfsblad voor altijd - 542 pages - book-
35. Jennifer Fallon - Medalon - 439 pages - ebook -
36. Jennifer Fallon - Treason Keep - 469 pages - ebook -
37. Jennifer Fallon - Harshini - 450 pages - ebook -
38. Jennifer Fallon - The Lyre Thief - 444 pages - ebook -
39. Jennifer Fallon - First Kill - 29 pages - ebook -
40. Jennifer Fallon - Retribution - 426 pages - ebook -
41. M.J. Arlidge - Pluk een roos - 397 pages - book -
42. Peter James - Tot in de dood - 364 pages - book -
43. Simon Beckett - Watergraf - 445 pages - book -
44. Karen Miller - Eiland van geheimen - 575 pages - book -
45. Karen Miller - De hamer Gods - 574 pages - book -
46. Anthony Ryan - Het vuur van de draak - 702 pages - book -
47. Karen Miller - De vloek van de magiër - 639 pages - book -
48. Stella Gemmell - De onsterfelijke troon - 622 pages - book -
49. Eleanor Catton - Al wat schittert - 830 pages - book -
50. Claire Douglas - De pier - 334 pages - book -
51. Mats Strandberg & Sara B. Elfgren - De cirkel - 401 pages - book -
52. Mats Strandberg & Sara B. Elfgren - Vuur - 485 pages - book -
53. Mats Strandberg & Sara B. Elfgren - De sleutel, het begin - 422 pages - book -
54. Mats Strandberg & Sara B. Elfgren - De sleutel, de finale - 339 pages - book -
55. Ransom Riggs - Bibliotheek der zielen - 507 pages - book -
56. Unni Lindell - Honingval - 359 pages - book -
57. Unni Lindell - Suikerdood - 344 pages - book -
58. Santa Montefiore - Onder de ombu-boom - 479 pages - book - *

00. Elena Ferrante - De geniale vriendin - 334 pages - ebook - stopped

* Currently reading

I want to read 10 Chunksters too. (ROOTs or new and shiny). Chunksters are big books with more than 500 pages.




01. Erika Johansen - De invasie van de Tearling - 506 pages - book -
02. Kate Elliott - Koud vuur - 542 pages - book -
03. Natalie Koch - De stad van de alchemist - 696 pages - book -
04. Robin Hobb - Het lot van de moordenaar - 938 pages - book -
05. Jennifer Fallon - Damin Wolfsblad - 527 pages - book -
06. Jennifer Fallon - Wolfsblad voor altijd - 542 pages - book -
07. Karen Miller - Eiland van geheimen - 575 pages - book -
08. Karen Miller - De hamer Gods - 574 pages - book -
09. Anthony Ryan - Het vuur van de draak - 702 pages - book -
10. Karen Miller - De vloek van de magiër - 639 pages - book -
11. Stella Gemmell - De onsterfelijke troon - 622 pages - book -
12. Eleanor Catton - Al wat schittert - 830 pages - book -
13. Ransom Riggs - Bibliotheek der zielen - 507 pages - book -

* Currently reading

Here I will keep track of the books bought in 2017. I do not need to reach my goal, but I will certainly try not to surpass my goal of 40 bought books.




01. Brandon Sanderson - Staalhart -read
02. Brandon Sanderson - Vlammenwerper - read
03. Brandon Sanderson - Calamity - read
04. Justin Cronin - De stad van spiegels
05. Stella Gemmell - De onsterfelijke troon - read
06. M.J. Arlidge - Iene miene mutte - read
07. M.J. Arlidge - Piep zei de muis - read
08. M.J. Arlidge - Pluk een roos - read
09. Stephenie Meyer - De chemicus
10. Ilona Andrews - Op de grens
11. Nicci French - Zondagochtend breekt aan
12. Jane Harper - De droogte - read
13. Anthony Ryan - Het vuur van de draak - read
14. Paula Hawkins - In het water - read
15. E.O. Chirovici - Boek der spiegels
16. Helen Simonson - De majoor en mevrouw Ali - read
17. Karin Slaughter - Goede Dochter
18. Simon Beckett - Watergraf - read
19. M.J. Arlidge - Klikspaan
20. J.D Robb - Vermoorde getuige
21. Guillaume Musso - Vlucht uit New York
22. Sebastian Fitzek - Het pakket
23. M.J. Arlidge - Naar bed, naar bed
24. Mats Strandberg & Sara B. Elfgren - De sleutel, de finale
25. Claire Douglas - De pier - read
26. Bradley P. Beaulieu - De twaalf koningen van Sharakhai

Extra non fiction book Margriet Sitskoorn - ik2 de beste versie van jezelf
Week of books: gift in the shop Herman Koch - Makkelijk leven
Month of the thrillers: gift in the shop Deon Meyer - De vrouw in de blauwe mantel

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I decided to make a list of the BB's that are no doubt going to hit me here.




BookBullets in 2017

01. Helen Simonson - De majoor en mevrouw Ali

Welcome to all visitors

AWWWWW I love that picture of you and Fiene! And she looks very smart in her Kingsday wear! :) Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Connie! Such lovely pictures, thanks for sharing.

I hope you're having a good Sunday.

Great pictures, Connie - looking forward to following your new thread :)

Thanks guys for visiting my thread so soon!

Happy new thread, Connie! That very first picture of you and Fiene reading is just perfect!

Fiene's getting big, isn't she?

The pic of you reading to Fiene is adorable!

Happy new thread, Connie! Fiene is growing so quickly!

Copying this post from my first thread

I'm reading Koud vuur by Kate Elliott right now.


This is the exact translation of Cold Fire
With 543 pages it is a chunkster and I'm keeping track of chunksters too, so that is a good thing. I'm not making very much progress though. RL is a bit busy these days.

Cat Barahal and her beloved cousin Bee think they have reached a safe place to shelter. But the Cold Mages who are conspiring to take them prisoner are closing in. The warlord who hopes to conquer all Europa is convinced their destiny is to aid him, whether they want to or not. And the man Cat was forced to marry is back, as vainly arrogant and annoyingly handsome as ever.
Worst of all, as Hallows' Night approaches, powers hidden deep within the spirit world are rising. Cat must seek allies against these threats and figure out who to trust, for if she makes the wrong choices, she'll lose everything.
Only one thing is certain. When Hallows' Night comes the Wild Hunt will ride- and it feeds on mortal blood.

Have a lovely weekend, Connie, and best wishes that RL treats you nicely.

Hi, Connie! I can't catch up, but happy reading!

Thanks Birgit and Tess!

Today is mothersday and my son invited me downtown for lunch and some shopping. I'm really looking forward to that. Just me and him talking about fun stuff. Yeah!!

>17 connie53: that's so nice, Connie. We don't see our son much as he works very long hours, but he's coming for dinner and staying over tonight. So, Yeah!!

That nice too, Donna. Our son lives in the same town as we do. And it's just a small town. We had a very nice afternoon. We went on our bicycles since the weather was nice and that way you have no parking problems ;-)
We went shopping first, jeans and two shirts and some perfume, all mothersday gifts from my son and daughter and there partners. And then we had lunch at Bagels and Beans. Delicious!
My son is very good in choosing things for me. Things I would not choose myself but he is right about them most of the times.

That sounds like a lovely day together - and lots of treats! Mothers' Day is a great invention ;)

What a wonderful Mother's Day, Connie. Great pictures of you and Fiene.

Sounds like you had a nice Mother's Day :). That top picture of you and Fiene is so cute.

Just dropping in to wish you a lovely weekend, Connie.

Thanks Birgit!

Last week I bought 3 books, just because I needed to do so.



In het water by Paula Hawkins

This is the translation of Into the water
And that's not really the same
Into the water = Het water in
In het water = In the water

From BOL.com
In the last days before her death, Nel called her sister. Jules didn’t pick up the phone, ignoring her plea for help.
Now Nel is dead. They say she jumped. And Jules has been dragged back to the one place she hoped she had escaped for good, to care for the teenage girl her sister left behind.
But Jules is afraid. So afraid. Of her long-buried memories, of the old Mill House, of knowing that Nel would never have jumped.

And most of all she’s afraid of the water, and the place they call the Drowning Pool . . .

I read this one immediately, because I thought it could fit in the RL book-club challenge for May: Read a book where a dead person plays a large role. It was a good read but it did not fit in completely.



Boek der spiegels by E. O. Chirovici

This is the exact translation of The Book of Mirrors

From BOL.com
When big-shot literary agent Peter Katz receives an unfinished manuscript entitled The Book of Mirrors, he is intrigued.
The author, Richard Flynn is writing a memoir about his time at Princeton in the late 80s, documenting his relationship with the famous Professor Joseph Wieder.
One night in 1987, Wieder was brutally murdered in his home and the case was never solved.
Peter Katz is hell-bent on getting to the bottom of what happened that night twenty-five years ago and is convinced the full manuscript will reveal who committed the violent crime.

But other people's recollections are dangerous weapons to play with, and this might be one memory that is best kept buried.

And



De majoor en mevrouw Ali by Helen Simonson

This is the translation of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand
I don't really know what Last Stand means, so perhaps someone can explain that to me?
De majoor en mevrouw Ali = The major and Mrs. Ali

This was a BB for me. The first one this year!

From LT
Major Ernest Pettigrew (retired) leads a quiet life in the village of St. Mary, England, until his brother's death sparks an unexpected friendship with Mrs. Jasmina Ali, the Pakistani shopkeeper from the village. Drawn together by their shared love of literature and the loss of their respective spouses, the Major and Mrs. Ali soon find their friendship blossoming into something more. But will their relationship survive in a society that considers Mrs. Ali a foreigner?

Quite right to buy books because you need to! I bought four on Wednesday from a bookshop - they weren't on my wishlist and they weren't as cheap as Amazon, but I needed to buy them there and then. :)

When someone makes a 'stand' on something it means taking a strong 'stance' or position. In a military sense (because this book involves a Major) it can mean a battle or confrontation. I've seen several positive reviews on that book and wishlisted it already!

>26 floremolla: I thought it might be something like that, Donna. Sometimes I find my knowledge of English is failing a bit.

Yes, a last stand is a battle where one side refuses to move, usually with the implication that they all die. Think of the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae in the film "300".

Hi Robert, thanks for explaining and visiting!

In the U.S. we have the infamous "Custer's Last Stand." Also in history Waterloo was considered Napoleon's last stand. Have a good weekend, Connie!

Another way of looking at "last stand" - Although the chances of survival may not be good, the results of surrender or retreat are no better.

Thanks Tess. Hi Luanne!

I finished Koud vuur by Kate Elliott half an hour ago and I'm glad I did.
I liked book 1 a lot but part 2 is very confusing and much to long. But I did finish it and another ROOT done (14)

Now I'm going to read ROOT 15. and Chunkster 3



De stad van de alchemist by Natalie Koch Part 3 in the Hidden University series

This is a book by a Dutch writer. So there is no description of it in English.

>1 connie53: So sweet!! Caught up on your previous thread and also enjoyed the pics there of family and travel. Never heard of "escape room" attractions but sounds like fun. haha also enjoyed readingtangent's mention of the stats/memes calc of Billy bookcases!

and >25 connie53: Last week I bought 3 books, just because I needed to do so
Of course! And they look good!

>33 detailmuse: Thanks, MJ. They did look good when I bought them. I rad one of them right away and liked it.

Today is going to be sunny and warm (not hot) So I will be in the garden reading. But first I plan to do some ironing.

Happy new thread!

>1 connie53: my goodness, she's getting so big! Can't believe how fast time passes!
She's so stinkin' cute!

>2 connie53: looks like you're doing great w/ your ROOTs goal too!

>4 connie53: and great job keeping your acquisitions roughly in line w/ your ROOTs pulled! I'm waaaaaay off base there this year already....

>17 connie53: and >19 connie53: Sounds like a great Mother's Day! :)

>25 connie53: lol "because I needed to do so" ;) I have the 1st and 3rd of your new books... Now I just need infinitely more time to read all the books I keep acquiring...

Glad you liked Hawkins' new book.. I still have to read her first!

>32 connie53: The City of the Alchemist looks interesting... maybe some day it will be translated into English :)

Oh ps - have you seen this? Made me think of you .. you really liked the book, right? http://forreadingaddicts.co.uk/news/filming-start-guernsey-literary-potato-peel-...

>36 avanders: Ohh, I'd like to see that film! And yes, I really did like the book a lot!

I finished De stad van de alchemist by Natalie Koch last Thursday. A very good read with the possibility for another book in this series. Loved it!

And I started in De majoor en mevrouw Ali by Helen Simonson on that same day. A new and shiny one and my first BB for the year.



From LT
Major Ernest Pettigrew (retired) leads a quiet life in the small rural English village of Edgecombe St Mary where he values the proper things that Englishmen have treasured for generations - honour, duty, decorum and a properly brewed cup of tea. The Major takes pleasure in his well-organised and rational life until he finds out that his patronising son, and the kind yet interfering ladies of the village, seem to have their own, rather special plans for him. It takes news of his brother's death, though, to open the Major's eyes to Mrs Jasmina Ali, the village shopkeeper, and confound all those carefully laid plans. Drawn together by their shared love of literature and the loss of their respective spouses, the Major and Mrs Ali soon find their friendship blossoming into something more. But although the Major was actually born in Lahore, and Mrs Ali in Cambridge, village society insists on embracing him as the quintessential local and her as a permanent foreigner. A most unlikely hero, Major Pettigrew finds himself contending with irate relatives and an outraged village before he comes to understand his own heart.

I hope to finish this book today. It's a very good read and I find my self smiling a lot while reading. I'm loving it. I love the cover too. It's brilliant.

I took that one as a BB this year too! Everyone I've read on LT who's read it this year has loved it.

I hope you have a lovely weekend, Connie!

>38 connie53: on my wishlist too, glad to hear another positive review for it!

Glad to hear you're enjoying Major Pettigrew's Last Stand! Lovely to have a book that makes you smile while you're reading it. :)

>38 connie53: I have Major Pettigrew on my TBR pile. I'm glad you like it!

>42 Tess_W:,>41 rabbitprincess:,>40 floremolla:,>39 Jackie_K:

Do read that book! It's sweet and heartwarming and funny and well written. I like the way the major tries to keep up his military principles but he has an inner dialogue going that wants to do otherwise.

Now reading another ROOT Het droomhuis by Rachel Hore
This is the exact translation of The Dream House



From LT
Londoners Kate and Simon are balancing the raising of two young children whilst holding down stressful jobs. As things start to fall apart, they decide to uproot to the Suffolk coast. Kate battles to make a new life for the family under her mother-in-law's roof, while they search in vain for the perfect home. When she stumbles upon the house of her dreams, it's tantalisingly out of reach. It belongs to a frail old lady, Agnes. As the two become close friends, Kate is amazed to discover how much the dying woman's story echoes her own. As past and present intertwine, Kate comes to realise how uncertain and unsettling a life built on dreams can be.

>38 connie53: >42 Tess_W: I also liked Helen Simonson's 2nd book The Summer Before the War. It's very different in subject but equally charming. I was fortunate to meet her shortly after Major Pettigrew came out. By that time it was clear she had a runaway success and she was so humble and clearly shocked by it, I really liked her.

>38 connie53: glad to hear the Pettigrew book is a good read... I have it on the shelves and I think it gets looked over too often ;p

>43 connie53: wow that's quite a high rating!

Fun reading lately :)

>45 avanders: Yes, it is a high rating, but I thought it was a great read.

Now reading 3 books

Cesar by Matthijs Kleyn



This is an original Dutch book about Cesar, the new born son of the writer and his girlfriend Bente. So it's a real story about the pregnancy ( with lots of things that go wrong), the birth 5 weeks premature and the first year of his live. It turns out Cesar is missing some thing in his brain. He can only see with one eye. I'm loving this book. It is very emotional for me, sometimes I really cry about it. That must be my grandmother hormones!

De geniale vriendin by Elena Ferrante



This is the translation of L'amica geniale (My brilliant friend) and it's an ebook

This story is about Elena and Lila. Ferrante’s inimitable style lends itself perfectly to a meticulous portrait of these two women that is also the story of a nation and a touching meditation on the nature of friendship.

The story begins in the 1950s, in a poor but vibrant neighborhood on the outskirts of Naples. Growing up on these tough streets the two girls learn to rely on each other ahead of anyone or anything else. As they grow, as their paths repeatedly diverge and converge, Elena and Lila remain best friends whose respective destinies are reflected and refracted in the other. They are likewise the embodiments of a nation undergoing momentous change. Through the lives of these two women.

Het Lot van de Moordenaar by Robin Hobb



This is the translation ofAssassin's Fate part 3 in the series about Fitz and the Fool

More than twenty years ago, the first epic fantasy novel featuring FitzChivalry Farseer and his mysterious, often maddening friend the Fool struck like a bolt of brilliant lightning. Now New York Times bestselling author Robin Hobb brings to a momentous close the third trilogy featuring these beloved characters in a novel of unsurpassed artistry that is sure to endure as one of the great masterworks of the genre.

Fitz's young daughter, Bee, has been kidnapped by the Servants, a secret society whose members not only dream of possible futures but use their prophecies to add to their wealth and influence. Bee plays a crucial part in these dreams—but just what part remains uncertain.

As Bee is dragged by her sadistic captors across half the world, Fitz and the Fool, believing her dead, embark on a mission of revenge that will take them to the distant island where the Servants reside—a place the Fool once called home and later called prison. It was a hell the Fool escaped, maimed and blinded, swearing never to return.

For all his injuries, however, the Fool is not as helpless as he seems. He is a dreamer too, able to shape the future. And though Fitz is no longer the peerless assassin of his youth, he remains a man to be reckoned with—deadly with blades and poison, and adept in Farseer magic. And their goal is simple: to make sure not a single Servant survives their scourge.

Hi Connie, I hope you're having a lovely weekend!

>Hi Connie, hope all is well with you. You've got a good mixture of books on the go!

And I finished Cesar yesterday in tears! Lovely book that made me laugh and cry. Not recommended for new mums or grandmums. ;-)

Thursday I finished the last book in the series written by Robin Hobb - Het lot van de moordenaar . She is one of my favorite authors and this book was real real good. . I had a lot of fun reading about all my favorite people and saying goodbye to them.
It was a chunkster with 938 pages. And I really did not want this book to end because it is the last book and now I'm very curious what Robin is going to write next. I can't believe she will stop writing. So I'm looking forward to her next book.

Now I'm reading De kindertrein by Christina Baker Kline



Between 1854 and 1929, so-called orphan trains ran regularly from the cities of the East Coast to the farmlands of the Midwest, carrying thousands of abandoned children whose fates would be determined by pure luck. Would they be adopted by a kind and loving family, or would they face a childhood and adolescence of hard labor and servitude?As a young Irish immigrant, Vivian Daly was one such child, sent by rail from New York City to an uncertain future a world away. Returning east later in life, Vivian leads a quiet, peaceful existence on the coast of Maine, the memories of her upbringing rendered a hazy blur. But in her attic, hidden in trunks, are vestiges of a turbulent past. Seventeen-year-old Molly Ayer knows that a community-service position helping an elderly widow clean out her attic is the only thing keeping her out of juvenile hall. But as Molly helps Vivian sort through her keepsakes and possessions, she discovers that she and Vivian aren't as different as they appear. A Penobscot Indian who has spent her youth in and out of foster homes, Molly is also an outsider being raised by strangers, and she, too, has unanswered questions about the past. Moving between contemporary Maine and Depression-era Minnesota, Orphan Train is a powerful tale of upheaval and resilience, second chances, and unexpected friendship.

>38 connie53: I really loved Major Pettigrew's Last Stand too. It made a great gift for my aunt who loved it as well. :)

Hi Connie!

I'm back after a month in California. Mom's mail is forwarded, her safe deposit box permanently closed, and the house on the market. Back to retirement!

Drawing a line in the sand, and just moving forward seems wisest, otherwise I'd never get caught up!

But >25 connie53: The Paula Hawkins book looks good - I'm adding it to my wishlist. And I adored Major Pettigrew's Last Stand. We read it for RL book club several years ago and pretty much everybody thought it a great book.

I hope you're doing well.

>38 connie53: >51 avidmom: >52 karenmarie: I give in. Wishlisted

>49 connie53: a wonderful way to end a book!
I will certainly avoid for now.... ;)

>50 connie53: wow nearly 1000 pages! Congrats on finishing! I still need to read the first in that series... :)

Hi Connie, just dropping in to wish you a lovely weekend!

Thanks all! Live is moving too fast for me right now. I've read a few books the last week and I'm currently reading

Damin Wolfsblad by Jennifer Fallon part 2 in the Hythrun Chronicles.
This is the translation of Warrior



From LT
It is eight years since Marla Wolfblade buried her second husband. In that time, she has become the power behind Hythria's throne -- as much from a desire to control her own destiny in any way she can, as to protect her son, young Damin.
But while Marla plays the games of politics and diplomacy, the High Arrion of the Sorcerers' Collective is plotting to destroy her -- and the entire Wolfblade line.
And while Marla's power and fortune are great, they may yet not be enough to protect herself and her family from the High Arrion's wrath -- and her only ally and confidant, Elezaar the Fool, is toying with the idea of betrayal.
For he has discovered that the infamous Rules of Gaining and Wielding Power are not so useful when his own family is involved…

Last Sunday we celebrated Fiene's first birthday in the garden, because the weather was warm and sunny. We had a real nice time with family and close friends and Fiene was spoiled with lots of gifts (lots of books too)

Gorgeous photos, Connie, looks like a lovely party! :))

Thanks Donna!

Okay, what did I buy:



Goede dochter by Karin Slaughter
This is the translation of The Good Daughter

From BOL.com

Twenty-eight years ago, Charlotte and Samantha Quinn's happy smalltown family life was torn apart by a terrifying attack on their family home. It left their mother dead. It left their father - Pikeville's notorious defence attorney - devastated. And it left the family fractured beyond repair, consumed by secrets from that terrible night.

Twenty-eight years later, and Charlie has followed in her father's footsteps to become a lawyer herself - the archetypal good daughter. But when violence comes to Pikeville again - and a shocking tragedy leaves the whole town traumatised - Charlie is plunged into a nightmare. Not only is she the first witness on the scene, but it's a case which can't help triggering the terrible memories she's spent so long trying to suppress. Because the shocking truth about the crime which destroyed her family nearly thirty years ago won't stay buried for ever...

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Watergraf by Simon Beckett
This is the translation of Restless Dead

From BOL.com

Composed of over sixty per cent water itself, a human body isn't naturally buoyant. It will float only for as long as there is air in its lungs, before gradually sinking to the bottom as the air seeps out. If the water is very cold or deep, it will remain there, undergoing a slow, dark dissolution that can take years. But if the water is warm enough for bacteria to feed and multiply, then it will continue to decompose. Gases will build up in the intestines, increasing the body's buoyancy until it floats again. And the dead will literally rise ...'. Once one of the country's most respected forensics experts, Dr David Hunter is facing an uncertain professional - and personal - future. So when he gets a call from Essex police, he's eager for the chance to assist them. A badly decomposed body has been found in a desolate area of tidal mudflats and saltmarsh called the Backwaters. Under pressure to close the case, the police want Hunter to help with the recovery and identification. It's thought the remains are those of Leo Villiers, the son of a prominent businessman who vanished weeks ago. To complicate matters, it was rumoured that Villiers was having an affair with a local woman. And she too is missing. But Hunter has his doubts about the identity. He knows the condition of the unrecognizable body could hide a multitude of sins. Then more remains are discovered - and these remote wetlands begin to give up their secrets ...~

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De vrouw in de blauwe mantel by Deon Meyer

This is the translation of Die Vrou in die Blou Mantel (South-African)

This is Novella published and given to any one who buys books for more than € 12,50. Only in June because that is 'The Month off Thrillers'

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More about my 'read' books tomorrow.

Happy birthday Fiene! That first year has gone so very quickly!

Hope you have a lovely weekend, Connie!

Beautiful Fiene pictures, Connie!

Fiene is so big already! Happy first birthday! :)

Thanks, girls!

Oh my goodness, a year already! Happy 1st birthday to Fiene! What a beautiful little girl and lovely pictures!
And as always, looks like you've found some great books!

Update about the books I've been reading the last weeks.



De kindertrein by Christina Baker Kline

I loved this book and gave it The lives of 90-year old Vivian and Molly, a teenager in trouble, are more the same than one thinks at first sight. Both have had troubled childhoods and Vivian tells her story to Molly while they are sorting out stuff in the attic. Vivian has kept everything and every object has its own memory and story. Excellent book.

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De boekenapotheek aan de Seine by Nina George

At first this book was a bit of a disappointment, but it got better and I ended up loving it. Especially because there are so much books mentioned in the story (G.R.R> Martin, Terry Pratchett and many others). You can feel the love for books throughout the whole story.

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Damin Wolfsblad by Jennifer Fallon

I was really surprised by this book. It's book 2 in a series and I could not remember one thing about book 1. I did not have any trouble getting in to the story to my surprise. The writing is great, I found myself smiling a lot and it took me only five days to finish this chunkster. If you love good fantasy this is a perfect series. And the people who are reading English are lucky. There are 6 books but only three are translated.

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So now I'm reading book 3

Wolfsblad voor altijd by Jennifer Fallon



This is the translation of Warlord

From LT
Marla Wolfblade is reeling from the loss of her closest confidant, Elezaar the Fool, who taught her the Rules of Gaining and Wielding Power and helped shape her into a force to be reckoned with in Hythria. But Marla's plans for revenge are disrupted when she discovers she has a dangerous adversary." "On the border, Fardohnya has massed its troops for an invasion, and Marla's eldest son, Damin Wolfblade, heir to the throne of Hythria, finds his ability to fight back thwarted by tradition, politics, and the foolishness of the High Prince." "Back in Krakandar, Mahkas Damaran awaits news of the battle and has sealed the city against Damin's return. With the city on the brink of starvation, it seems only theft on an unprecedented scale can free Krakandar from Mahkas's madness and tyranny ... and destroy Hythria's web of secrets and lies.

Hi Connie!

Wow, it's already been a year. Happy Belated Birthday to Fiene! Thank you for sharing those lovely pictures.

Lots of good reading and book purchasing going on over here, congratulations!

>64 connie53: fun! I love reading a chunkster quickly and moving right on to the next ... such a satisfying feeling!

And The Little Paris Bookshop is already on my radar (wishlist) ... glad it ended up being an enjoyable read for you! I do love books that love books.... ;)

>56 connie53: Looks like a fun party, sweet people and pretty decor!

>64 connie53: I've heard of Orphan Train and you made it a BB for me :)

Glad you enjoyed The Little Paris Bookshop and The Orphan Train as they are both on my wish list.

Good to hear I hit you with my Bullets ;-))

Finished book 3 Wolfsblad voor altijd and gave it .

Exciting and written with humor. I love that in a book. I asked my brother to find the next three books in a digital format. And he did. so now I'm doing something I never do. I'm reading in English!!

Medalon by Jennifer Fallon



From Amazon.

The small country of Medalon lies between the vast nation of Karien in the north and the nations of Fardohnya and Hythria in the south. For centuries the Medalonians co-existed peacefully with the Harshini, a magical race that abhors killing. But now they are gone and in their place the Sisters of the Blade rule Medalon from the Citadel. An elite army of Defenders enforces the Sisterhood's oppressive rule. The Harshini and their demons are believed to be extinct and Medalon has an uneasy peace with its northern and southern neighbours.
R'shiel Tenragan and her half-brother Tarja find themselves caught up in the political infighting amongst the Sisters of the Blade. When their mother's scheming becomes too much to bear, R'shiel and Tarja are determined to follow their own path and they flee the Citadel. Their lives take a turn neither could ever have imagined and the Defenders of Medalon hunt them as traitors.
Meanwhile, far south in Hythria, Brak, a Harshini outcast, is called to find the demon child, the half-human child of the dead Harshini King, Lorandranek. But what can this mean to R'shiel

Congratulations on taking the plunge and reading in English. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Good for you, Connie - your written English seems very good so hopefully it'll be a breeze!

Hi Connie! I'm always impressed with anybody who has more than one language; alas, I'm not one of them.

Hi Connie, I hope you're having a lovely weekend. Not too much rain?

Wow, Long time ago since I've been here. I will try to catch up with threads this coming weeks. One more week at school and then the summer break starts and I will have more time to visit here.
Peet is still doing badly. We had some visit to the GP with him hyperventilating. In fact he went to the emergency GP post this morning. He is now seeing a psychologist. We hope she can help him get out of his depression. We are getting very tired of it. It's almost taking over everything. But I am determined not to let nice things pass me by anymore. He has to let me do some things on my own, just to keep me sane.

I've been reading English books for the past weeks.

I finished Treason Keep by Jennifer Fallon



From LT

On the brink of death, R'Shiel is taken to the Harshini haven of Sanctuary, wher crucial decisions are being made. Can the demon child's life be saved? On Medalon's northern border, Tarja Tenragan and the Defenders are helpless as Karien threatens war. An alliance with the Hythrun could be Medalon's only chance, but should Tarja trust Damin Wolfblade, Warlord and heir to the throne of Hythria? King Hablet of Fardonyha will ally with whoever seems to offer the most reward. His eldest daughter, Princess Adrina, could prove to be his greatest asset. However, the wayward and rebellious Adrina has her own plans and they do not include obedience... to her father or her new husband.

And I'm now halfway through Harshini by Jennifer Fallon



From LT

Medalon has surrendered to foreign invaders, Tarja is once more an outcast, the Defenders have scattered… and their only hope is Damin Wolfblade.
But Damin has his own problems--the High Prince is dead, so Damin must lift the siege on the Hythrun capital and defeat an usurper before he can come to Medalon's aid.
For R'shiel, time is running out. She must find a way to bring peace to the divided southern nations, to free Medalon from Karien occupation, and to find the strength to put an end to Loclon. And she has finally accepted her destiny as the Demon Child, which means she must be the one to defeat Xaphista--soon, before the Harshini are destroyed.
But how can she kill a god?

>74 connie53: Good to see you back Connie - I bet you're counting the days now till school finishes! (I know I would be!)

I'm sorry to hear things are still bad for Peet. I really hope this psychologist can help him. Still thinking of you here xx

>74 connie53: well done reading in English!

Hope things improve for Peet, and you, with the psychologist's help.

Well done for reading in English, Connie. I know how daunting reading in a foreign language can be.

Sorry to hear things are still bad for Peet. I hope the new treatment works for him and that you find ways to avoid being dragged down as well.

I'm sorry to hear things aren't really improving for Peet. I hope you can make some time for yourself once the holidays start.

Thinking of you, Connie. I know how difficult it is to live with a patient who is suffering with depression. It's so important that you take your time for yourself. Keep going with that.

Wow, Connie, I'm impressed with your reading in English. Also sad to hear that Peet isn't really improving. I know depression can cause wear and tear on the patient's partner, also. You must take care of yourself!

Books bought in the last few weeks:



Vermoorde getuige by J.D.Robb

This is the translation of Witness in Death
Vermoorde getuige = Murdered witness

From LT

Opening night at New York's New Globe Theater turns from stage scene to crime scene when the leading man is stabbed to death center stage. Now Eve Dallas has a high profile, celebrity homicide on her hands. Not only is she lead detective, she's also a witness -- and when the press discovers that her husband owns the theater, there's more media spotlight than either can handle. The only way out is to move fast. Question everyone and everything ... and in the meantime, try to tell the difference between the truth -- and really good acting.

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Klikspaan by M.J.Arlidge

This is the translation of Liar, Liar Which means about the same.
Again this is the title of a children's song, both in Dutch as in English

From BOL

In the dead of night, three raging fires light up the city skies. It's more than a tragic coincidence. For DI Helen Grace the flames announce the arrival of an evil she has never encountered before.Because this is no firestarter seeking sick thrills, but something more chilling: a series of careful, calculating acts of murder.But why were the victims chosen? What's driving the killer? And who will be next?A powder keg of fear, suspicion and dread has been laid. Now all it needs is a spark to set it off . . .

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/9400508964.01._SX142_SY224_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg...;

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Vlucht uit New York by Guillaume Musso

This is the translation of Sept ans après... French
Sept ans après = Seven years after
Vlucht uit New York = Flee from New York (if flee is the right word for getting away from somewhere very fast) or it could be that it's the plane flight they make)

No blurb in English available so you can try the Dutch blurb ;-)

Als Nikki's vijftienjarige zoon Jeremy verdwenen is, neemt zij contact op met haar ex-man Sebastian, die sinds de scheiding zeven jaar geleden maar weinig interesse in zijn zoon heeft getoond en zich ontfermd heeft over hun tweelingdochter Camille. Op zoek naar aanwijzingen, vinden zij een kilo cocaïne en een adres van een pokerclub in Jeremy's kamer. En dan ontvangt Nikki ook nog eens een filmpje waarop te zien is hoe Jeremy in een Parijse metro ontvoerd wordt.

Nikki en Sebastian vertrekken halsoverkop van New York naar Parijs om hun zoon te zoeken. Maar daar blijkt niets te zijn wat het lijkt...

Something like: If you want to see the blurb in Engish, read the spoiler.
When Nikki's 15 year old son Jeremy disappears, she gets in contact with her ex-husband Sebastian, who has shown little interest in his son since their divorce seven years ago. He was taking care of the twin-sister Camille. Looking for clues they find a kilo of cocaine en an address that belongs to a poker-club in his room. The Nikki receives a video of Jeremy being kidnapped in a Parisian Subway. Nikki and Sebastian leave for Paris as soon as possible. But In paris nothing is what is appears to be....

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Het pakket by Sebastian Fitzek

The is the translation of Das paket,/i> = The package/packet - German

From BOL

De jonge psychiater Emma Stein komt haar huis niet meer uit. Ze is namelijk doodsbang sinds ze werd verkracht in een hotelkamer, en herkent in elke man de dader. Emma was het derde slachtoffer van de psychopaat die in de pers de Kapper genoemd wordt, en zij is de enige die dat heeft overleefd. Op een dag neemt ze een pakje aan van de postbode, dat voor haar buurman bedoeld is. Maar als het niet wordt opgehaald begint ze zich af te vragen wat er in het pakje zit. En of het niet voor haar bedoeld is...

Emma Stein is a young psychiatrist who does not leave her house anymore. She is scared to death since she was raped in a hotel-room, and recognizes the perpetrator in every man. Emma was the third victim of this psychopath, who is called the 'Hairdresser' by the press, and she is the only one who survived the attack. One day she takes a package from the postmen, meant for her next-door neighbor. But the package is never collected by him ans she starts to wonder what is in it. And wasn't it meant for her...

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De sleutel, de finale by Mats Strandberg & Sara B. Elfgren Swedish

This is the translation of The key, the final part 4 in the Engelsfors series

From BOL

Boven de cirkels zijn de tekens van de elementen in de rots gekerfd.
Vuur. Aarde. Lucht. Water. Metaal. Hout.
Vuur en Hout geven minder licht. De tekens van de elementen die zich op school al hebben geopenbaard. En daaronder verschijnen voor Anna-Karins ogen letters die woorden vormen die zij niet begrijpt.
TENEBRIS APERIAR – ik open wanneer de duisternis valt.

De apocalyps is ophanden. De zielen van de Uitverkorenen vormen de sleutels tot het openen van de poort waarmee de demonen onze wereld kunnen betreden. Wie kunnen zij nog vertrouwen?
De klok tikt. Is het einde der tijden echt nabij? Dodelijke spanning in Engelsfors..

Above the circle are the signs of the elements carved in the rock: Fire, Earth, Air, Water, Metal, Wood.

Fire and wood give less light. These are the signs that revealed themselves in school and beneath those appear words before the eyes of Anna-Karin she can't understand/ TENEBRIS APERIAR - I open when darkness falls.
The apocalypse is near by. De souls of the Chosen are the keys that open the gate for the demons to enter our world. Who can they trust? The clock is ticking. Is the end of time nearby? Deathly tension in Engelsfors (a school)

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Naar bed, naar bed by M.J. Arlidge

This is the translation of Little Boy Blue

Naar bed, naar bed = to bed, to bed
Little boy blue = ?? kleine blauwe jongen/

From LT

Helen Grace and her team are called to a murder at the Torture Rooms. They find the victim wrapped up and his head covered in duct tape. Helen recognizes the victim. Helen knows she cannot say a word. But then a second victim turns up, and he has a connection to Helen as well. This is not looking good for Helen, and she should proceed carefully (we know Helen will not). Then Helen ends up finding another victim with a close connection to her. Someone has been watching Helen. Can Helen find this crafty killer?

Nice haul, Connie. Have you read any books by Sebastian Fitzek yet? He seems to be very popular in Germany at the moment.

Nice haul!

Great haul - I haven't read any crime novels for a while but you're tempting me!

Hi Connie!

I was hoping that your not mentioning Peet recently meant that things were getting better and am so sorry to hear that they are not.

It's good that you realize that you need to carve out time for yourself and do nice things for yourself.

Hugs from North Carolina, USA!

>85 karenmarie: thanks, Karen, for the hugs. I can use them. Peet is really not getting any better and now I'm looking at 6 weeks home together. I hope I can get away sometimes or I will go crazy. He is acting like a victim instead of a fighter.

>84 floremolla: Just try them, Donna. A good crime novel is sometimes very nice to read.

>83 Tess_W: >82 MissWatson: Thanks Tess, @ Birgit. No, but I've heard good things about his books, so I wanted to give this one a try.

I'm now reading two more books next to the one I've been reading for a while, no ROOTs though.

The Lyre Thief by Jennifer Fallon this is the first book in the War of the Gods series (you could say book 7 of the Hythrun chronicles. And again I'm reading in English!



Her Serene Highness, Rakaia, Princess of Fardohnya, is off to Hythria, where her eldest sister is now the High Princess, to find herself a husband, and escape the inevitable bloodbath in the harem when her brother takes the throne.
Rakaia is not interested in marrying anyone, least of all some brute of a Hythrun Warlord she's never met, but she has a plan to save herself from that, too. If she can just convince her baseborn sister, Charisee, to play along, she might actually get away with it.
But there is trouble brewing across the continent. High Prince of Hythria, Damin Wolfblade, must head north to save the peace negotiated a decade ago between the Harshini, Hythria, Fardohnya, Medalon and Karien. He must leave behind an even more dangerous conflict brewing between his wife and his powerful mother, Princess Marla.

...And in far off Medalon, someone has stolen the music.

Their quest for the tiny stolen lyre containing the essence of the God of Music will eventually touch all their lives, threaten everything they hold dear and prove to be far more personal than any of them can imagine.

and

Het vuur van de draak by Anthony Ryan



Claydon Torcreek is a Blood-blessed, able to channel the powers contained in the blood of wild drakes. While his brethren serve as elite spies and assassins, Clay prefers the life of a small-time criminal in the dangerous slums of Carvenport.

Yet war is coming, and it seems Clay is going to end up on the losing side - unless he can track down a legendary drake, whose powerful blood might just be enough to achieve victory. Clay has handled many things in his time (most of them illegal) but nothing as priceless as his nation's future.

>86 connie53: I've bought The Dry by Jane Harper - I saw someone had given it a good review. I used to read a lot of crime and forensic science stuff and I'm looking forward to getting back into it!

You need to get a support network in place, Connie, to help you through the six weeks - over the weekend I'll send you a little email about how I cope with my husband's disabilities and low mood which might offer you some practical ideas.

I hope you enjoy The Waking Fire. Take good care of yourself.

Connie I'm so sorry about Peet, it must be anguish for him and it's anguish for you. I'm glad to hear the energy and self-care in your posts. Is there a support group -- online or local -- for you? Check with his psychologist. The weight on caregivers is enormous and any tip/strategy/tweak of mindset might make a real difference for you.

Just stopping by to say hello :)
>74 connie53: >86 connie53: I'm so sorry you and Peet are going through that.. I agree with Donna (>87 floremolla:) that you need a support network! Although we're here... it certainly helps to have something live... Hope he finds something to help him move forward soon!
And exciting that you've been reading English books! I can't imagine reading a book in another language for enjoyment.... maybe someday!

Hi Girls, I feel so blessed with you all. LT and my online bookclub are my main support online. My kids and friends are there for me and Peet in real life. And my books are there too. I can really lose myself in books.

I've been reading another book by Jennifer Fallon yesterday, a novella this time, only 29 pages



From LT
How do you kill with honor? When is murder not a murder?

In "First Kill", assassin Kiam Miar will find out when his first assignment goes awry and he is faced with an ethical choice…as if assassins could have ethics.
And if he makes the wrong choice, he could not only lose his life but throw a good chunk of his world into chaos…

Today I'm going to start in the latest book by her

Retribution by Jennifer Fallon



From GR
Since fleeing Winternest to avoid King Hablet's wrath when he discovers the truth about her parentage, leaving her slave, Charisee, to take her place, Rakaia has been on quite an adventure. She has met the demon child, traveled the continent with the charming minstrel, Mica the Magnificent, enjoying more freedom then she ever imagined trapped in the harem in Talabar. But her freedom has come at a cost. Mica has committed an unthinkable crime, worse even, than stealing the golden lyre, and she is now his unwilling accomplice, sailing the high seas on a Tri-lander pirate ship, doing everything she can to avoid upsetting the man she once thought she loved, but has now realized is quite insane. Meanwhile, Charisee, still pretending to be Rakaia, is trying to make the best of her new life as the Lady of Highcastle. But Rakaia's past will catch up with her, even as her own lies are in danger of being exposed. As Adrina struggles to hold Hythria together, and Marla tries to deal with the fallout from the shocking events that take place in the Citadel during the treaty negotiations, Wrayan Lightfinger and the apprentice sorcerer, Julika Hawksword, must travel to Sanctuary to find out why the fortress is back. What they will discover is shocking and will affect the entire world, even though they don't realize it.

Hi Connie!

Thinking about you and sending hugs. Books are such a great thing to get lost in.

>93 karenmarie: I know! It's giving me lots of comfort.

Hi Connie, I hope you have a lovely weekend coming up and can spend some time in the garden with a book!

>95 MissWatson: Thank you, Birgit. In fact I'm in the garden right now with my laptop. It's really fine weather here and there is still enough light to see what I'm doing. I've been reading up till now and watched the Tour de France outside too.

Hurray! I'm finally done reading (and skimming the long ones) threads. Now Keeping Up is what I need to do.

I hope you're having a good weekend and the weather is kind enough to let you read in the garden! (it's not here, that's for sure! Today is very dreich*)

* Scottish word, for that particularly wet, grey, miserable, particularly Scottish weather.

Hi Connie! I hope you're having a good Saturday.

Hi Connie. I don't have much to add, but I too wish you and your family all the best. Enjoy your vacation!

Thanks, guys. I had a perfect Saturday. The sun was out all day till right now. (18.40) so I spend all day in the garden reading while my washing-machine was washing all 11 curtains from the living-room. You can see them on the pic below. Those light yellow ones.



I feel very pleased with myself right now.



Now I'm going to think about what I will do tomorrow, house-work wise.

It feel good to get a big job done, eh?

Good weather + getting jobs done + reading = 😃

Can I come over? ;)

I'll drive ... oh, wait .....

>101 connie53: I need to wash curtains too, I keep telling myself I'll get that done before summer is over. I think if there was a chance the curtains would jump back on the windows I'd have them done already, I don't like putting them back up.

Actually, I'm getting quite a bit of housework done right now, our weather is very hot and I've not gone out much in the afternoons for a couple of weeks. Next week is predicted to be about the same so I can knock a few more once or twice a year chores off my list.

>101 connie53: I love those flowers in your room. Did they come out of your garden? They are beautiful!!!

>106 avidmom: No, I don't really know where they came from but certainly not from our garden. Might be left over from my birthday or mothers-day. The picture is from a while back.

>104 avidmom: Yes you can!

>105 clue: Yes taking them of and putting them back up is a real job. The very large ones are really heavy.

>103 floremolla: When you put it like that it's a bit odd for a perfect day, but hey I felt very accomplished and good about it.

For today the forecast is rainy with some sun, so maybe I will tackle the refrigerator and the freezer. And get some reading done too.

>103 floremolla: I'd be exactly the same - I like the feeling of getting a big job done but good weather is so rare here I usually abandon everything and go sit or potter in the garden on a sunny day! I just checked my weather app and its showing the next nine days as rain - which wouldn't be so bad but we had the wettest June since records began and July so far has only yielded a handful of fine days. So, still time for lots of big jobs before 'summer' arrives in the west of Scotland ;)

Hi Connie!

Congratulations on a job well done! It always feels good to do some major housework-y thing, doesn't it?

I really need to clean out our freezer - there's so much stuff in it that it actually isn't freezing things as well as it should. I have a standalone freezer in the garage, too, so it might be time to move most of the stuff in the kitchen out to the garage! Maybe tomorrow morning....?

>109 karenmarie: Then you have a good enough reason to rearrange the frozen stuff, Karen.

>107 connie53: Freezer and refrigerator cleaned! Another thing of the list.

Maybe tomorrow morning I will tackle the kitchen cabinets. It will be a rainy day. Maybe I will start another ROOT or at least figure out what my next ROOT will be.

>110 connie53: You and I are thinking alike! On Friday I took everything out of my kitchen cabinets, wiped down the shelves, put in new shelf paper and washed down the fronts. Also did this to the bathroom vanity. It rained all day. I was done by 2pm and spent till about midnight reading with about an hour's break to cook hubby dinner. Today we are in flood stage, has rained for about 24 hours straight and Interstate 70 both East and West bound are closed in my area. Today I'm going to do the refrigerator and freezer. And it's definitely another type of serious rooting day!

>111 Tess_W: Wow, that's very coincidental, Tess. Almost some kind of weird ;-))

That must have been lots of rain to have interstates closed because of a flood. That does not happen very often in The Netherlands.

>112 connie53: This is first time I can remember since we have lived here (1980). This has been twice in the last 2 weeks.

>113 Tess_W: Weather is changing drastically here too. With mild winters and wet summers it's very different then we were used to.

Yesterday I finished Retribution by Jennifer Fallon. I loved this book just as much as I loved her previous books. Fast written with humor and plot twists that surprised me. If you love a good fantasy story I would certainly recommend all her books (in the right reading order).

I decided to stop reading De geniale vriendin by Elena Ferrante. I'm not enjoying it very much, maybe this is not the time for such a book.

But I chose another book to read to get my ROOTs going again.

Tot in de dood by Peter James



From Amazon.
The last words Jamie Ball hears from his fiance, Logan Somervile, are in a terrified mobile phone call from her. She has just driven into the underground car park beneath the apartment block where they live in Brighton, and seen a man acting strangely. Then she screams and the phone goes dead. The police are on the scene within minutes, but Logan has vanished, leaving behind her neatly parked car and cell phone. That same afternoon, workmen digging up an old asphalt path in a park in another part of the city, unearth the remains of a young woman in her early twenties, who has probably been dead for 30 years. At first, to Detective Superintendent Roy Grace and his Major Crime Team, these two events seem totally unconnected. But then another young woman in Brighton goes missing and another body from the past surfaces. At the same time a strange man visits an eminent London psychiatrist, claiming to have a piece of information on the missing woman, Logan, that turns out, at first, to be wrong-or so it seems. It is only later Roy Grace makes the chilling realization that this one thing is the key to both the past and the present-and now, beyond any doubt, he knows that Brighton has its first ever serial killer.

Now I'm going to start cleaning the kitchen cabinets!

The sun is shining here today for a change and might reach a balmy 22 degrees! I'm doing some work for a client (my so-called 'retirement' is flexible that way) and have to be on hand for the rest of the day as we're jointly preparing a document and emailing to and fro. At least I can enjoy the sun and a quick read between times. No kitchen cabinets for me today! :))

Nor me! I've made the most of the sun too and the washing is out. As my 3 year old sidekick is with me today, no work will get done, so I'm embracing it and reading instead. Going great guns on one of my current ROOTs and hoping I will have it finished later today!

You guys inspired me! I cleaned out the freezer in the garage, getting rid of expired or compromised items. Then I brought all the stuff from the kitchen freezer that we don't use regularly to the garage freezer, wiped down the shelves in the kitchen freezer, and put stuff back in. Yay. Done. Now I just have to take stuff to the dump so it doesn't stink up our garage in the awful, humid heat wave we're experiencing right now.

I have a corner glass-front cabinet in my kitchen, with wine glasses, and etc. that keeps staring at me and saying "clean me". Not today, but perhaps this coming weekend when husband can help me get everything out. Then it's wash, pack up some things for the attic, and only put back in what we're really using.

>117 karenmarie: Sounds like a plan, Karen! However, I've become somewhat a minimalist (not really) in that if I clean it out and I don't use it, when I pack it--that box goes to charity not down to my basement. I've probably taken 20 boxes/tubs to Goodwill and other places in the last 2 years and it's so freeing for me. To date, I've not missed anything and I don't think I could tell you what I got rid of. Of course, I always ask my kids first if they want it before it goes. I think next I am going to tackle my buffet wherein lies real linen tablecloths and napkins which must be ironed and starched after each use. I think the last use was maybe 10 years ago. You don't use them with 6 grandchildren!

Daughter's in a one-bedroom apartment 3 hours away, is sentimental, and I can't just get rid of things without running them by her. Some of the things have intrinsic value and I could sell them, too. But for now they go into the attic. She'll probably have to go through what I didn't have to go through with my Mom - tons of stuff, true estate sale stuff, all my books. But, I hope this will be in 30 years..... *smile*

Glad I'm inspiring you all whit tackling household things. So I cleaned all the cabinets and drawers. Threw some things away ( who needs three old pepper-mills when we also have a new bright red one on batteries with a light that shines down on whatever you want pepper on. (and its twin in silver for salt). Found some things I did not know we had, never uses, so out with them.

But I did get some reading in. It was supposed to be a rainy day but there were periods with enough sun to sit outside and read. So I'm halfway Tot in de dood.

On tomorrows to-do list is the livingroom and the dining area. Including the book shelves. Always fun to dust and rearrange them.

>118 Tess_W: >119 karenmarie: I'm going minimal too - just got rid of a pine chest of drawers to my daughter - usually she looks a bit disdainful of stuff I offer her but I told her she could paint it as she wished and that sealed the deal (it's now pea green). Now I need to get her to take the matching one and offload the summer clothes it holds to my sister. All very therapeutic and a bit less to clean. :))

>120 connie53: I like rearranging my shelves too!

My basement has been a repository for "things." My washer and dryer are in the basement (ugh) and I make at least 1-2 trips up and down daily. Each time I come up I'm bringing something to either give away, give to a child or just plain pitch. Today I brought up a cassette player that was for a 1980 GM car we had. Pitched it! And P.S.I must do this when my husband is away from the house.

>122 Tess_W: I must do this when my husband is away from the house.

LOL, I know the feeling. Mine is someone who wants to keep everything in case he might want/need it some day too.

>122 Tess_W: >123 connie53: How sneaky you are! My wife does that to me sometimes. Mostly she is right about her choices, but she has made a couple of very annoying misses and ditched stuff which really had sentimental value to mee. Just saying. 8-)

>101 connie53: Great job, Connie. We don't have curtains but there are lots of other things to do ;-)

>114 connie53: I know that you like Peter James. I haven't read him so far but szill have a book of him on the shelf.

Wishing you a lovely week. I hope your weather is better than ours.

Hi Connie!

Oh my. Salt and Pepper Shakers. I have at least 7 sets of them, not counting what might be in the attic. Okay - 2 just got moved to the little yellow table to take to the thrift shop. Sheesh.

My husband wants to keep everything in case he will use it some day. My problem is keeping clothes that are too small in case I ever lose enough weight to get into them again. I have things from 30 years ago in the closet. I guess I should at least go through them and keep the ones that I actually like and would wear.

>124 Henrik_Madsen: Haha, sorry Henrik! And sorry you lost some things valuable to you.

>125 Ameise1: Hi, Barb. Well the weather is really awful right now. I moving in and out of the garden, chair and all. wishing you a lovely week too

>126 karenmarie: Good for you, Karen.

I was a clothes hoarder too for the exact same reason. But the last few years I'm really very good at throwing away clothes. There were things I did not even like anymore, so out with them. Things you can't wear when your 60+ and not 30ish. And if I want them back because they are in style again I will just buy new ones.

Interesting reading about what people keep and get rid of - my mother-in-law was a hoarder and when she died in 1993 we inherited antique furniture, ornaments, jewellery, the family silver (they were posh folk!), army uniforms and medals, paintings and etchings, hand-embroidered table linen and a suitcase full of family photos and documents going back to the 1800s. Most of it gets used - we are a living museum! But I wouldn't feel comfortable disposing of any of it except to other family members.

Anyway, my point is, we're doing our children a favour by decluttering now and not leaving them with the burden of feeling guilty about disposing of stuff later.

I'm glad I have company in keeping stuff I really don't need. I remodeled my house 2 years ago and moved everything to storage while it was being done because we put in new drywall and floors. I did a pretty good job of purging then but its time to go back through everything again because I have things in the house I haven't used since I moved them back from storage 2 years ago! Since I don't work anymore I kept too many clothes and shoes especially.

>128 floremolla: Good point, Donna. But that works the other way around too. My kids left lots of stuff here when they moved to a place of their own. First they did move for studies to other towns in The Netherlands. They just had this one room in a student house. So they could not take their books, diaries, dolls, toys, car collection, Lego and Barbie things. But now they have their own houses and those things are still here. They promise to come by for a day and sort things out and take the stuff they want to keep home with them. But that day has yet to come.

>129 clue: Shoes! I need to sort them out too. Tanks for reminding me, Luanne!

>129 clue: I finally got rid of work clothes after retiring four years ago. I still do a bit of consultancy work but it's more casual so I don't need suits. Shoes, though.... I have too many of a type I'll probably never wear again because I'm all about the comfy now, trainers, boots or sandals. No heels here.

>130 connie53: ha! I'd forgotten about that - same here, we are no longer 'bank of mum and dad' (thank goodness) but still 'storage of mum and dad' - clothes, suitcases, sports equipment....and books :)

>131 floremolla: I don't mind the books though. ;-))

I'm another one who has a massive suitcase full of clothes I really think I'm going to fit in again some day. Now that I'm sorting out my home office I think I'm nearly at the point where I'll be strong enough to let go of them! I did sort out several bags of clothes for the recycling recently, and a few more that are waiting for me to take them to the charity shop.

Apart from the clothes, I think the main things I need to sort through (as mentioned on someone else's thread) are my folders with notes and articles from my PhD (I did ruthlessly go through my undergrad stuff some years ago, so I know that what I've kept of that is at least not useless. Although I may still get rid of more). I will have loads of lovely bookshelf space when I can get through them - someone suggested scanning them which is a genius idea, except that I'm not sure which unpacked box the scanner is in... I also have a lot of nice stuff that people have bought me as gifts over the years - candles, nice ornaments, scarves, etc, which are all still sitting in boxes from our last house move, as well as creams and soaps and stuff which I've just never used. I feel too guilty to get rid of those - maybe if I can get rid of the excess paper clutter I will have more space to put them where I'll see and appreciate them again. I certainly haven't bought myself anything like that for years - I'm getting much better now at only buying stuff I'm likely to use, but it's the stuff that's accumulated from before that point that I need to deal with now!

My son has 6 children and rent a house with no basement or garage. 1/3 of our basement is full of his tubs with stuff they need to store like Christmas items, etc. This could be permanent!

>133 Jackie_K: May I ask why you want to keep articles and notes from your PhD? Are you going to use them sometime in the future or do you keep them for sentimental reasons? I threw away report-cards form high school, just kept the certificates and diploma's.
I used to stock creams and soaps too. Saving them for special occasions that never came. So now I'm using them every day when I feel like it.

>134 Tess_W: I think when it's necessary to help in that way, it's allowed. ;-)

I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one with the clothes issue! I did go through the shoes once-upon-a-time, but still probably have 10 pair that could go to the trash or the thrift store, depending on condition. I might spend a bit of time with clothes today so that I can take them to the thrift store tomorrow when I go to town for a hair cut and lunch with a friend.

I, too, have gifts and partially-used toiletries that have accumulated. I made a resolution the other day to not buy any more soap, shampoo, conditioner, or handsoap until I've used up everything. I rarely burn candles any more, and should just give most of them to daughter too.

>135 connie53: That's a really good question, Connie! Initially I thought that I would be an academic after the PhD, so would still need the articles to use as references in the millions of world-changing articles I was going to write. Now I know that's not going to happen (and actually that's fine), but I think that just ditching them would still be a wrench, as it would be a very tangible sign that my career didn't go where I had once wanted it to. It would mark the end of my identity as a scholar, which is weird as I know for sure that I don't want my name in lights, I don't want to work in academia, and that's fine, but I still don't completely want to let it go. I think scanning them would be a really good thing to do because I could then get rid of them, but not entirely!

>137 Jackie_K: I sort of feel like that, too, Jackie. I am in academia and thankfully all my research papers for my master's and PhD courses are on the computer. I know nobody but me cares about my critical review of To The Finland Station or my research paper: When does a bystander became a perpetrator? Every so often I open them up and read them (admire them lol). I only wrote to get my degree. I did not enjoy it then and I do not enjoy it now. (as evidenced by my less than stellar 2 sentence reviews) If mine weren't on the computer I don't think I would keep them.

>137 Jackie_K: Understandable reason, Jacky. Go scan them!

I don't know if I'm able to describe what I feel about being an academic in the right way. Maybe my English is not sufficient. But I will try. Is being an academic not a state of mind? You are one or you aren't. It's not defined by papers or articles. It's in the way you think.

I wanted to go study English when I finished high school. But my mother died a week before I turned 15 and I stayed home to care for my dad, sisters and brother after I got my diploma. It was supposed to be for a year, but studying never happened. That's life. I'm perfectly okay with that. Now I think I would not want to be a teacher in high school. Maybe a translator (of books!!) but certainly not teaching.

>139 connie53: Another good question! I hadn't really thought about it in the state of mind sense - I was meaning it in terms of working in a university, doing teaching and research. I know in one sense I *am* an academic, because of my qualifications (and >138 Tess_W: I do that with my PhD occasionally! Although I always cringe at one point because there were a couple of typos I missed that are now immortalised! Mostly I think "ooh this sounds good, did I write that?", but also "I wonder what I meant by that?!"). But where I'm at in my career, such as it is, isn't entirely reflected by the studying choices I made, and that's hard sometimes.

>140 Jackie_K: the relationship between qualifications and career can be a tenuous one these days! so many professions have extended to embrace wider subjects and then there are new subjects that have flourished as separate professions in their own right. Town planning for example embraced social, economic, environmental and design issues over the decades - now there are specific degrees in urban design, environmental sustainability etc but you could still come out of one of those and end up working as a planner!

My thesis was a comparison of three cities' landscape strategies. When I received the bound volume from the printer I immediately noticed I'd forgotten to finish a sentence. It rankled so much, I could barely look at it!

>141 floremolla: I did keep one thesis typo in deliberately because it made me laugh so much (it was on the very final page of the bibliography so I'm not worried about anyone noticing it - having gone abroad and conducted my interviews in a foreign country in a foreign language, I couldn't believe it when I spotted that in this one reference I had misspelt the country!). The others, which bug me more, were from my corrections so I hadn't had time to run them by my proofreaders. Annoyingly, it was only about 2 years after graduation that I noticed them, but now I know they're there I cringe every time!

I think that's why printing was called a black art. No matter how often you go over the text, there is always something you overlook, but it hits you right in the eye when you look at the finished product.

I'm an editor and can't read any of my organization's work after it's been published -- I would be mortified to find a typo that got past us!

I do my best editing after I hit send. Always there is this feeling, how did I miss that? Am I really suited for this line of work?

Why I don't like to write--my mind races all the time at 1000 mph. However, my writing/keyboarding is only about half that. I often find errors 1-2 days after I've posted! When I am grading students papers or other adults ask me to look over things, errors jump from the page. Not so easy to find my own---thankful for spell and grammar check; although most of my errors are words of omission or to instead of so, etc.

>140 Jackie_K: I tend to think up good questions lately ;-))

>141 floremolla: You are so right about. I recognize your example. Peet used to teach in the area you mentioned. And we could see the specializations coming. Urban design and environmental sustainability were introduced as separate degrees.

>146 Tess_W: I find them a few days after typing too.

On another subject. My best friend Vera has come over for a few days and I won't be able to spend much time here. But I'll be back!

>147 connie53: Enjoy your time with your friend! No doubt we'll still be here when you're back :)

>147 connie53: I can see how if Peet's been teaching in that field he might feel at a loose end - it can be a bit removed from what's happening on the ground and maybe not easy to slide sideways into a consultancy or even voluntary work? But I'm sure Peet still has lots to offer once he's got through his problems and can rationalise, if that's what he wants to do.

Hope you have a lovely time with your friend, Connie, and see you on your return!

I hope you have a wonderful time with your friend, Connie! My sister's coming for the weekend, so I'll be otherwise engaged, too.

Such a wonderful discussion about being a scholar, degrees, and life's work! My first thought was of Harriet Vane in the Dorothy L. Sayers Peter Wimsey books, and her being a scholar in 1920s and 1930s England.

I only have a bachelor's degree. B.S.B.A. - a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. My interest was history but I didn't want to teach. The only way I wanted to teach would have been as a tenured professor at a small university somewhere in the mid-West. So my love of history has become my avocation, not my vocation.

By a strange fluke I ended up in what was then called DP - data processing - at my university. My statistics professor offered me a job as a junior programmer, part time, then full time, as I was completing my degree. It became my life's vocation and I retired a year and a half ago. Many years ago I got rid of most of my college papers, recently I got rid of most of my junior high school and high school papers, only retaining a few.

For my career, instead of writing papers I wrote documentation and memos, later e-mails. I would go back to some of THEM and see errors and cringe; frankly most of what I wrote was for worker bees, who were not a critical audience. Reputation preserved. *smile*

Connie, I hope you have a lovely time with your friend. Birgit, have fun with your sister.

Everybody have a great weekend. I plan to spend my weekend on doing nothing!

I'm back! Vera left yesterday after three days of chatting, doing jigsaw puzzles, shopping, visiting the museum and being outside with coffee, tea or wine. I really had a wonderful time.

When Vera left mid-afternoon I decided to start a new book. I had to because the title kept popping up in my mind.



Watergraf by Simon Beckett

This is the translation of The restless Dead

Composed of over sixty per cent water itself, a human body isn't naturally buoyant. It will float only for as long as there is air in its lungs, before gradually sinking to the bottom as the air seeps out. If the water is very cold or deep, it will remain there, undergoing a slow, dark dissolution that can take years. But if the water is warm enough for bacteria to feed and multiply, then it will continue to decompose. Gases will build up in the intestines, increasing the body's buoyancy until it floats again. And the dead will literally rise . . .

Once one of the country's most respected forensics experts, Dr David Hunter is facing an uncertain professional - and personal - future. So when he gets a call from Essex police, he's eager for the chance to assist them. A badly decomposed body has been found in a desolate area of tidal mudflats and salt-marsh called the Backwaters. Under pressure to close the case, the police want Hunter to help with the recovery and identification. It's thought the remains are those of Leo Villiers, the son of a prominent businessman who vanished weeks ago. To complicate matters, it was rumored that Villiers was having an affair with a local woman. And she too is missing. But Hunter has his doubts about the identity. He knows the condition of the unrecognizable body could hide a multitude of sins. Then more remains are discovered - and these remote wetlands begin to give up their secrets . . .

I'm really enjoying this book and are almost halfway now. I'm going to read all day!

>153 connie53: sounds like you've really got into that one. Have a great reading day!

>153 connie53: Seems like you had a perfect weekend!

Hi Connie! I'm glad you had a great time with your friend and have found a good read!

I finished Watergraf and give it .

It was a good read, sometimes a bit shocking because of the description of the state the bodies were found in. But that is what Simon is good at. I did not like the way he kept referring to things that were going to happen. Without that it would have been a .

Now I'm reading Pluk een roos by M.J.Arlidge



This is the translation of The Doll's House
The Doll's House = Het poppenhuis
Pluk een roos = Pick a rose.

From BOL.

A young woman wakes up in a cold, dark cellar, with no idea how she got there or who her kidnapper is. So begins her terrible nightmare.
Nearby, the body of another young woman is discovered buried on a remote beach. But the dead girl was never reported missing - her estranged family having received regular texts from her over the years. Someone has been keeping her alive from beyond the grave.
For Detective Inspector Helen Grace it's chilling evidence that she's searching for a monster who is not just twisted but also clever and resourceful - a predator who's killed before.
And as Helen struggles to understand the killer's motivation, she begins to realize that she's in a desperate race against time . . .

I enjoyed catching up on your thread and seeing the wonderful photos. All the discussion of decluttering was what I needed to hear. I hope that all is well with you and yours.

>158 billiejean: Hi BJ, good to see you here. Thanks for the nice words. And happy decluttering!

Lots of things to report here.





Going to the (kids) disco!

Fiene was here for a night. We drove to Maastricht to pick her up on Wednesday. We usually babysit her that day and her other grandparents babysit on Thursday. But grandmom Marion came back ill from their vacation in Portugal. Something with food-poisening and feeling real bad. So we had Fiene here till Thursday evening when Eveline came to pick her up. Fiene is now in the 'climbing everything' period. Stairs are her favorite so I had to watch her closely because she can move very quickly. I tried to post a video, but that does not work or at least, I can't make it work.

More to follow about books and stuff.

Well, she may be a climber but in the cute dress she looks like a little lady!

Oh, Connie, what a gorgeous picture of Fiene and sweet picture of her disco-ing!

I think that dress is soooo cute.

Fiene certainly knows how to dress stylishly. Such a gorgeous dress! Wishing you a lovely weekend!

Beautiful daughter and granddaughter!

Lovely pictures, Connie! I hope Fiene had a ball at the disco :)

Thanks, ladies.

The Books:

I finished Pluk een roos by M. J. Arlidge on Tuesday and gave it . I liked it but the writer uses the same format for this third book. Short chapters and each chapter has its own main character. I thought that was taking the depth of the story down to much. I never bonded enough with one person because of it. If that makes sense?

By then August had started and it was time for the August challenge: read a book about an island.

So I choose Eiland van geheimen by Karen Miller



This is the translation of The Riven Kingdom
Eiland van geheimen = Island of secrets
The Riven Kingdom = Het gespleten koninkrijk (if riven means split and not the name of the kingdom)

From LT.

The second fabulous story in the Godspeaker trilogy...The King of Ethrea is dying and his only surviving heir is the Princess Rhian, but if her enemies have their way the kingdom will not be ruled by a Queen. Ethrea, a small island of strategic importance, is known for its ability to keep the secrets of its business partners. Now civil war threatens as men of ambition eye the empty throne, and the other nations are getting nervous...and greedy. If Rhian cannot secure the crown, others will descend and conquer her lands. A toymaker and a mysterious exile from Mijak may be her only hope ...

A bit of news about Peet:
We were supposed to be away for the weekend and booked two night in a hotel in the south of Limburg, a Dutch province. Bur Peet felt terrible on Thursday so he canceled the hotel and now we are at home. My thoughts are double on this. I really looked forward to the weekend. We could have done lots of nice things, like visiting villages, walking and sitting outside a cafe or restaurant drinking coffee or wine and watch people go by. But I know too that if Peet feels this way it would be no fun at all. So I'm fine with staying home, sitting outside in the garden reading and watch birds and squirrels.

The GP send Peet for an appointment to the neurologist. He wants to test Peet for Parkinson's disease. The appointment is made for mid September, so that will take a while. Meantime we just wait and take whatever happens.

Hi Connie, sorry to hear about the long wait for the specialist's appointment. Try to keep your spirits up.

>160 connie53: That dress is the cutest! Does it come in grownup sizes?!

I'm sorry to hear that the specialist appointment is so far off. But at the rate this year has been flying by, it may be here in no time. I hope you'll have good weather this weekend for reading in the backyard, at least.

>167 MissWatson: Thanks, Birgit.

>168 rabbitprincess: LOL, RP! And thank you too.

Yesterday I finished Eiland van geheimen and today I will start in the third book in the series De hamer Gods by Karen Miller
This is the translation of Hammer of God



In Ethrea, Rhian sits upon a precarious throne. Defiant dukes who won't accept her rule threaten the stability of her kingdom. Dexterity has been banished from her court in disgrace. The blue-haired slave Zandakar, the man she thought was her friend, has been revealed as the son of a woman sworn to destroy her world. And Rhian's husband, King Alasdair, is unsure of her love.
The trading nations refuse to believe Mijak is a threat, and promise reprisals if she dares protect her realm. Only Emperor Han of mysterious Tzhung-tzhungchai knows that the danger from Mijak is real.
But is he an ally, or an enemy in disguise? As she struggles to learn the truth, and keep her embattled crown, the murderous warhost of Mijak advances ...

Sorry to hear about your disappointment, Connie. I hope the specialist can sort out what's happening with Peet.

Hi Connie!

I'm sorry about Peet's continuing problems and your disappointment in the cancelled trip. But you're wise to know that he would have been unhappy and stressed, and therefore you would have been unhappy and stressed too. Better to have not pushed it.

Gardens, birds, squirrels, and books are so good for the soul.

Waiting is hell on earth and I'm so sorry that there's no appointment until September.

I am so sorry to hear about your struggles with Peet's ongoing problems. One of my sons had issues along these lines years ago and it was so incredibly difficult to want to just "fix it" (and I couldn't, of course) and wanting so badly to do everything right for him (whatever THAT was!) and just wanting an answer! It was a bit exhausting - and scary. Things are much, much better now but yikes, that was no fun.

Sending love and prayers your way!

Thanks to >170 Robertgreaves:, >171 karenmarie: and >172 avidmom:. It feels very good that all of you are thinking about us.

On bookish things:

I finished De hamer Gods by Karen Miller this afternoon and gave it

I really liked this third and last part in the series. I will miss Zakander and Rhian and all the other people. I immediately searched Karen Miller's website to see if see wrote a sequel, because of the end could be the start of a new series with Zakander. But unfortunately the website has not been updated for years.

I'm still reading Het vuur van de draak by Anthony Ryan. Almost half way. So that will be the book I will finish next.

>174 connie53: Glad to see that you enjoyed your series, Connie. I like to see 4-5 stars!

Hello! It's been rather hard for me to get onto LT a lot lately! So... when I do, there's always so much... so I can completely relate to >97 connie53:
But... I'm not sure I can keep up right now. So I'll just stop through periodically :)

>101 connie53: sounds like a lovely weekend! And an inviting living room!

(I'm just skimming quickly here)
>117 karenmarie: nice! It's nice when we get inspired by others on here ;) Congrats on cleaning out the garage freezer!

>119 karenmarie: lol sounds like my sister .. my older sister is the sentimental one who doesn't like us getting rid of things ;) I think my dad is too, but he tempers it because my mom is *not* these days ;)

>135 connie53: >137 Jackie_K: oh yeah, me too.. I used to keep all the things from college & law school etc... then I just felt overwhelmed, thought about whether I'd use it, and got rid of what I wouldn't actually use. Except my theses... ;)
Jackie - I think it makes sense that you have a hard time getting rid of it.. it was a major part of your life and, even though the things *aren't* that part of your life, they represent it. When you're ready to let go, you will! :) It took me a while to come to terms with not being in private practice.. and sometimes I still think about "what if.." ;)

>139 connie53: >140 Jackie_K: I love the way you think about being an academic & I agree! It is a state of mind. (This being "in academia" seems to be what Jackie is talking about missing :))

>151 karenmarie: (I know, and I am skimming skimming and surely missing some golden nuggets! Hopefully not being too repetitive ;p)

>153 connie53: sounds like a lovely visit with your friend!

>157 connie53: ooh sounds good!

>160 connie53: What a beautiful granddaughter! I'm loving that dress ;) And what a wonderful time! The stair phase... not looking forward to that! :-o

>166 connie53: oh bummer that the book wasn't better...
So sorry to hear that your vacation couldn't happen.. but of course you're right that it wouldn't be fun if Peet was having such a hard time. :( And sorry that the appointment isn't scheduled for over a month still! But at least you have something to look forward to.. hopefully it comes with some good answers! Keeping you in my thoughts & prayers!

Fiene is so beautiful! And grown-up all of a sudden! (my daughter is too. 3 going on 16).

I'm sorry to hear your weekend away was cancelled, but glad that you could make the best of it and I hope you got some good reads in instead. Wishing you a good rest of the week!

I finished Het vuur van de draak by Anthony Ryan yesterday . And although the beginning was a bit confusing it got better after the first 100 pages. This was a chunkster with 702 pages and it took me the better part of a month to read it. I read some other books in that same month though.

Now I'm reading De vloek van de magiër by Karen Miller



From LT

Barl is young and impulsive, but she has a power within that calls to her. In her city, however, only those of noble blood and with the right connections learn the ways of the arcane. Barl is desperate to learn but her eagerness to use her power leads her astray and she is banned from ever learning the mystic arts.
Morgan holds the key to her education. A member of the Council of Mages, he lives to maintain the status quo, preserve the mage bloodlines, and pursue his scholarly experiments. But Barl's power intrigues him-in spite of her low status.
Together, he realizes they can create extraordinary new incantations. Morgan's ambition and Barl's power make a potent combination. What she does not see is the darkness in him that won't be denied.

Well done with the chunkster, Connie, even if you've enjoyed it, it's nice to be able to move on to something fresh.

Yes, that feeling of satisfaction when you finish a chunkster is great, isn't it?

Congratulations on some good reading, Connie! Chunksters are especially gratifying.

And I finished another Chunkster De vloek van de magiër by Karen Miller

I liked the story, it was exciting and sometimes weird, but I did not particularly like the main characters. They are both great mages, but they say that too often to themselves and others.

Now Looking for another read.

I hope you find someone more likable in your next book!

Thanks, Birgit. I think there is a great change that my current book has a likable person.

That book is De onsterfelijke troon by Stella Gemmell
Book 2 in the series about The City = De stad



From BOL

The emperor is dead…long live the emperor!

The fervent hope of the victorious rebels and the survivors of the uprising that liberated the City from tyranny is that the accession of Archange to the imperial throne will usher in a new era of freedom, peace and stability. If only that were so...
As the the City struggles to return to something resembling normal life after the devastation brought on by the rebellion, word arises of a massive army gathering to the north. No one knows where it has come from or who leads it, but it soon becomes apparent that its sole purpose is to destroy the City and annihilate all - man, woman and child - who live within its battered walls. And while warriors go forth to fight and die on the battlefield in defence of their homeland and all that they believe in, bitter family feuds and ancient rivalries, political and personal betrayals, and mindless murder surface within the palaces and corridors of power: it seems the City is under siege - from both without and within . . .

You are really getting some reading done - though I hope you soon stumble on a great one.

Hi Connie! Just waving. (Been gone 4 days)

I finished De onsterfelijke troon yesterday and gave it .
I liked it very much. It was very well written with people I could relate to, like Rubin and Walla. I was very surprised there were so few people on LT with a taste for fantasy that own this book.

Now I'm reading Al wat schittert by Eleanor Catton



This is the translation of the Luminaries
Al wat schittert = All that glitters
The Luminaries = De uitblinkers (a person who inspires or influences others, especially one prominent in a particular sphere)

On a blustery January day, a prostitute is arrested. In the midst of the 1866 gold rush on the coast of New Zealand, this might have gone unnoticed. But three notable events occur on that same day: a luckless drunk dies, a wealthy man vanishes, and a ship's captain of ill repute cancels all of his business and weighs anchor, as if making an escape. Anna Wetherell, the prostitute in question, is connected to all three men.

This sequence of apparently coincidental events provokes a secret council of powerful townsmen to investigate. But they are interrupted by the arrival of a stranger: young Walter Moody, who has a secret of his own...

THE LUMINARIES is an intricately crafted feat of storytelling, a mystery that reveals the ways our interconnected lives reshape our destinies.

I finished Al wat schittert by Eleanor Catton yesterday

I've got mixed feelings about this book. It is fascinating and intriguing for the first 700 pages and then it turns into something I can't understand. The chapters get shorter and stranger And I did not get the end. So **** for the first 700 pages. I really thought this could be my first ***** book for the year.

And a new book arrived! And I plan to read this now!

De pier by Claire Douglas



Someone knows where she is…

The old Victorian pier was a thing of beauty until it was allowed to decay. It was where the youth of Oldcliffe-on-Sea would go to hang out. It's also where twenty-one-year-old Sophie Collier disappeared eighteen years ago.

Francesca Howe, known as Frankie, was Sophie's best friend, and even now she is haunted by the mystery of what happened to her. When Frankie gets a call from Sophie's brother, Daniel, informing her that human remains have been found washed up nearby, she immediately wonders if it could be Sophie, and returns to her old hometown to try and find closure. Now an editor at a local newspaper, Daniel believes that Sophie was terrified of someone and that her death was the result of foul play rather than "death by misadventure," as the police claim.

Daniel arranges a holiday rental for Frankie that overlooks the pier where Sophie disappeared. In the middle of winter and out of season, Frankie feels isolated and unnerved, especially when she is out on the pier late one night and catches a glimpse of a woman who looks like Sophie. Is the pier really haunted, as they joked all those years ago? Could she really be seeing her friend's ghost? And what actually happened to her best friend all those years ago?

I finished De pier by Claire Douglas on Tuesday and gave it . A bit disappointing because of the way it was written. Very sloppy. The story jumped around but it had a unsuspected ending.

Now I'm reading a YAffie De cirkel by Mats Strandberg & Sara B. Elfgren


Original Swedish.

From LT

On a night after the apparent suicide of high school student Elias Malmgren, a blood-red moon fills the night sky. Minoo wakes up outside her house, still in her pajamas, and is drawn by an invisible force to an abandoned theme park on the outskirts of town. Soon five of her classmates--Vanessa, Linnea, Anna-Karin, Rebecka and Ida--arrive, compelled the same force. A mystical being takes over Ida's body and tells them they are fated to fight an ancient evil that is hunting them. The park is a safe haven; the school, a place of danger. The six are wildly different and definitely not friends...but they are the Chosen Ones. As the weeks pass, each girl discovers she has a unique magical ability. They begin exploring their powers, but they are not all firmly committed to their mission--to discover the truth about Elias's death. Then a horrible tragedy strikes within the circle. Newly determined to fight the evil forces, they begin to learn magic from The Book of Patterns, an ancient work with a will of its own that reveals different things to different witches. In this gripping first installment of the Engelsfors Trilogy, a parallel world emerges in which teenage dreams, insanely annoying parents, bullying, revenge, and love collide with flirtation, dangerous forces, and ancient magic.

Loving it so far.

I'm just dropping by to say hi :)
I couldn't possibly catch up on the threads here (explanation on my own thread), though I wish I could!
I hear that you feel like you have a little more time again at some point after having a kid... here's to hoping ;)

>190 connie53: oh my goodness, you read The Luminaries so quickly!!
Now I can't wait to get to it! I think it's on my kindle.. should make "carrying it around" a little easier ;)

Looks like you're reading a lot of other interesting books! :) Fun!

Hi Connie!

Between your review and donna828's review, I've ordered The Luminaries.

I hope you have a good week.

Well I've read a lot of books the last few days. We had lovely really hot weather. The only thing one could do was sit and read. To hot for anything else.

So I finished the whole Engelsfors serie, all four books. This is series for Young Adults and the highschool is the place where all adventures start. So teens and romance and magic. I liked the books and gave them all


Vuur by Mats Strandberg & Sara B. Elfgren = a ROOT
This is the translation of Eld (Swedish) = Vuur = fire

From LT

The Chosen Ones are about to start their second year in senior high school. The whole summer break they have held their breaths waiting for the demons' next move. But the threat shows up from another direction, somewhere they could never have foreseen. It becomes more and more obvious that something is very, very wrong in Engelsfors.



De sleutel, het begin = The Key, the beginning = a ROOT



De sleutel, de finale = The Key, the final = non ROOT

This is the translation of Nyckeln (Swedish) = sleutel = key
In Sweden these two book are published as one book.

From LT

Only a few weeks have passed since the final events of ”Eld”, and the remaining witches of the Circle are still staggering to cope with losses, death and the desperate upholding of illusion. Engelsfors is now not only a rather drab little town, but, a place where the frequency of tragedy is getting harder and harder to ignore, even for regular people. Something is just not right, everybody is starting to feel it. And the Chosen Ones get no time to rest – signs start to show that the apocalypse is coming fast, the Council are now not only red-taping them down but actively and aggressively working against them, the Demons’ Blessed escapes from her prison. And fairly soon Minoo is forced to make an impossible choice, straining loyalty to the maximum. Watching from the mists of the borderlands however, are forces trying to make contact. But will they get through in time? Does it even matter?

Also, while the occult events move towards a shattering climax, the “normal side” of teenage life of the girls is also at an all time low. A parent dies. Linnea is going to trial for the assault she was the victim of and is forced to realize that almost all her school is on the side of the culprits. Vanessa sees her involvement in the Circle pulling her further and further way from her friends. A love story is killed by cowardice and old ghosts. An alcoholic falls off the wagon. As before, one of the real talents of Elfgren and Strandmark is making these parts as engaging, nailbiting and horrific as the magic battles.

Now I'm reading another ROOT



Bibliotheek der zielen by Ransom Riggs
This is the exact translation of Library of Souls

From LT

Time is running out for the Peculiar Children. With a dangerous madman on the loose and their beloved Miss Peregrine still in danger, Jacob Portman and Emma Bloom are forced to stage the most daring of rescue missions. They’ll travel through a war-torn landscape, meet new allies, and face greater dangers than ever. . . . Will Jacob come into his own as the hero his fellow Peculiars know him to be? This action-packed adventure features more than 50 all-new Peculiar photographs.

Something somewhere on my shelves have the name Miss Peregrine on it!

You're making great progress with your ROOTing, Connie! Like you, some of my ROOTs have led me on to non-ROOTs by the same author - it's not helping my TBR pile but it's good to find great authors whose work you want to read.

The weather here has continued to be be disappointing - I'm reading a lot because I'm indoors! If the sun was shining I'd have to catch up with the weeding and mowing as the garden's becoming a jungle - I kind of resent the amount of time I've put into maintenance already this year because I've hardly had use of it and now autumn is beginning to creep in and the leaves have started to yellow already. Bah!

Hi Donna! the weather is still nice here. But school has started again and that leaves less time for reading.

But I finished Bibliotheek der zielen yesterday. It was an okay book, .

Now I'm reading a book for the challenge for September: read a book with leaves/trees on the cover.

So I'm reading a very old ROOT, added in 2010 but I probably owned that one for much longer.



Honingval by Unni Lindell
Original Norwegian.
The translation of Honningfellen = Honingval = Honey trap.

No description found in English.

Almost finished Suikerdood by Unni Lindell



I read this for the September challenge: trees and leaves on the cover.

This is the translation of Sukkerdøden (Norwegian) = sugar death = suikerdood.

I finished Suikerdood today and gave it .
The beginning of the book was a bit messy. But it got better after 50 pages or so. I will read more Unni Lindell in the future but not right now.

Now I'm reading another ROOT Onder de ombu-boom by Santa Montefiore.
This is the translation of Meet Me Under the Ombu Tree
Only 'meet me' is not translated. It should have been 'Ontmoet mij onder de Ombu-boom'

I read this for the September challenge: trees and leaves on the cover.



From LT

Sofia Solanas grew up on a magnificent ranch in the middle of the Argentine pampa, amid the grand traditions of the Argentine nobility and the mysticism of the native gauchos. Spoilt, wilful, resourceful and proud, she is loved by all around her. All, that is, except her Irish mother, Anna, who punishes her daughter for her own sense of alienation and inadequacy while doting on her sons. Then Sofia embarks on a passionate love affair that can only bring shame upon the family. When Anna discovers the relationship, she is horrified and sends Sofia away to Europe, inadvertently exiling her from her family and the man she loves for over twenty years. Until, years later, a family tragedy calls Sofia home.

AND I bought a new and shiny one

De twaalf koningen van Sharakhai by Bradley P. Beaulieu


This is the almost exact translation of Twelve Kings in Sharakhai

Part 1 in the series: The Song of the Shattered Sands

Sharakhai, the great city of the desert, center of commerce and culture, has been ruled from time immemorial by twelve kings -- cruel, ruthless, powerful, and immortal. With their army of Silver Spears, their elite ompany of Blade Maidens and their holy defenders, the terrifying asirim, the Kings uphold their positions as undisputed, invincible lords of the desert. There is no hope of freedom for any under their rule.
Or so it seems, until Çeda, a brave young woman from the west end slums, defies the Kings' laws by going outside on the holy night of Beht Zha'ir. What she learns that night sets her on a path that winds through both the terrible truths of the Kings' mysterious history and the hidden riddles of her own heritage. Together, these secrets could finally break the iron grip of the Kings' power...if the nigh-omnipotent Kings don't find her first.