foggidawn reads and stuff in 2020, thread 2

Welcome! I'm foggi, and this is my thirteenth year on LibraryThing and my tenth year in this group! I'm a collection development librarian/youth materials selector (means I buy all the kids' and teen books) for the public library system in a medium-sized Ohio town, and a voracious reader.

I'll read anything that catches my fancy, but here are some of the kinds of books I particularly like:

Books for kids and teens

Fantasy for any age -- plus the occasional work of science fiction

Inspirational fiction, if the writing is good

Mysteries, particularly cozies and golden age British detective stories

The occasional memoir or biography

Here are some of the other things I like, which can distract me from reading, but which I may occasionally post about here:

Theatre -- both viewing live theatre and participating in community theatre. I was in a show at my local community theatre during 2019; here's hoping for good audition luck in 2020!

Sewing -- it's a love/hate relationship, really. I'm only barely proficient at it, so it's slow going when I get on a sewing kick, but when it goes right, I love the results.

Gardening -- I've been trying container gardening lately. I had a pretty good season in 2019. Looking forward to this year's efforts!

Gaming -- I love board games when I can find people to play them with (which is not as often as I like) and I occasionally play video games, but most often I waste my time playing games on my phone. Right now, I'm mostly playing various puzzle games and Pokemon Go.

Dogs -- My Sophie passed away on April 12th of 2019. I have been very lonely without a dog, but I've recently adopted the darling Springer Spaniel puppy pictured above -- Lottie!

Family and friends -- I recently became a first-time aunt! I'm always looking forward to my next chance to see the baby, and I'm working on building up his library. Also, my parents recently retired and moved to their newly-built cabin in rural Pennsylvania, so I foresee many visits there, as well. At home, I've recently had a college friend move in with me, proving that I can still surprise myself sometimes. Our weird platonic house-sharing arrangement may occasionally be something I mention in my posts.

Thanks for visiting my thread!

2020 Reading Resolution


For the past few years, I've made a book-based reading resolution: longstanding TBR books, unread classics, overdue Early Reviewers. This year, I'm going to make a list of 20 books from my TBR shelves that I'd like to finish, with the reason why. They may fall into the categories above, or I may have other reasons for wanting to read them. This feels a little ambitious, but it's a new decade and I'm thinking big! (My non-book-related resolution is to find a way to like myself better, so in comparison 20 books doesn't sound so extreme.) As with last year's resolution, I'm giving myself full permission to DNF any book that doesn't grab me, if I've given it a fair shot. Here they are, listed in the order they appear in the photo above:

1. Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper -- Longstanding TBR Read 1/12/20
2. The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander — Unread children’s classic
3. You Can’t Take It With You by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman — longstanding TBR
4. A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat -- Early Reviewer (2019) Read 3/2/20
5. The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett — longstanding TBR
6. The Key to Rondo by Emily Rodda — longstanding TBR
7. The Book of Pearl by Timothee de Fombelle -- Early Reviewer (2017)
8. Curse of the Evil Librarian by Michelle Knudsen -- Early Reviewer (2019)
9. Light Beyond Light: Beauty, Transformation, and the Kingdom of God by Patrick Adams -- Written by a friend
10. Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy -- Unread classic
11. Unspoken by Dee Henderson -- Early Reviewer (2013)
12. Inside Prince Caspian by Devin Brown — Written by a friend
13. Broken Strings by Eric Walters -- Early Reviewer (2019) Read 2/16/20
14. The Various by Steve Augarde — longstanding TBR
15. The Time Traveler’s Guide to Elizabethan England by Ian Mortimer — recommended by Rob
16. Jim Henson by Brian Jay Jones -- Early Reviewer (2013)
17. Mythos by Stephen Fry -- Early Reviewer (2019)
18. Queen of the Sea by Dylan Meconis -- Early Reviewer (2019) Read 1/8/20
19. Good Masters! Sweet Ladies by Laura Amy Schlitz -- Award winner, longstanding TBR
20. Wren, Journeymage by Sherwood Smith -- Early Reviewer (2010) (Ebook, not pictured)

Books read so far in 2020

(Rereads are in italics, new favorites in bold.)

1. Old Toffer's Book of Consequential Dogs by Christopher Reid
2. The Apprentices by Maile Meloy
3. Queen of the Sea by Dylan Meconis
4. Unworthy: How to Stop Hating Yourself by Anneli Rufus
5. Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper
6. Pat of Silver Bush by L.M. Montgomery
7. Why We Can't Sleep: Women's New Midlife Crisis by Ada Calhoun
8. Mistress Pat by L.M. Montgomery
9. The Cat Who Wasn't There by Lilian Jackson Braun
10. The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Kadir Nelson
11. Landwhale by Jes Baker
12. The Mystery of the Masked Medalist by Maia and Alex Shibutani
13. Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell
14. Brave by Svetlana Chmakova
15. Unmarriageable by Soniah Kamal
16. Crush by Svetlana Chmakova
17. The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
18. The Hand on the Wall by Maureen Johnson
19. Rules for Visiting by Jessica Francis Kane
20. Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams
21. Broken Strings by Eric Walters and Kathy Kacer
22. The Dark Lord Clementine by Sarah Jean Horwitz
23. Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls by Jes Baker
24. The Distance from Me to You by Marina Gessner
25. Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Happy new thread!

Cute topper

>4 figsfromthistle: Thanks!

Yay! New thread! Lottie is looking so grown up!

Happy new thread, Foggi!

>1 foggidawn: With Lotti at the top I feel right at home :-)

Happy New Thread, foggi! Lottie continues to look adorable (she's a BABY!). I've read #s 1, 2, 5, 6, and 20 of your books in >2 foggidawn:. The first three are classics that I continue to reread upon occasion, the Rondo series is a little young for me without the gravitas to keep me coming back, and the Wren books are a good one-time through read. The sequel to Over Sea, Under Stone is one of my rare 5 star books.

Happy new thread, foggi! Love the picture of Lottie up top :)

I'm not sure if we have met, Foggi, but it is great to meet you. I too enjoy mysteries and memoirs. Lottie is a darling! I have a small white dog named Poppy. She is 6.5 years old and quite a ball of energy. Her mom was a rescue who came up from California to Vancouver. Mom was pregnant and we adopted one of the puppies. She has proved to be a handful :-) She is just from a romp on the beach in the rain. Nothing stops her from her exercise.

Happy new thread. I've enjoyed several of the Smokies trails over the years, but I don't think I could do a lot of them any more. I can handle some of the less strenuous ones, but I used to do the ones labeled "difficult."

>6 compskibook: Isn’t she? I remember when she was so tiny, not very many months ago, and now she’s about as big as Sophie was, full grown. She’ll get a little bigger, but the rate of growth is slowing.

>7 FAMeulstee: Dogs make a thread a home, right?

>8 ronincats: Thanks for the input! I’ve read the rest of the Wren series long ago. I kept thinking I would reread them before reading Wren Journeymage, but I think I will not — I just need to clear that book from my TBR.

>9 alcottacre: Thanks! She’s so photogenic.

>10 vancouverdeb: Thanks for visiting my thread! I’ve seen you around, but I’ll have to drop by your thread and say hello. “Ball of energy” certainly describes Lottie right now!

Happy new thread! I agree with Roni -- I don't think I'd read the Wren series again, though I enjoyed them the first time.

>11 thornton37814: Yes, if I wanted to seriously get back into hiking, I would need to work at it — I’m sure I couldn’t do anything strenuous at this point!

>13 curioussquared: Thanks! I agree, once through is probably enough.

(26 books read)



A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat — Pong grew up inside a prison. When he sees a chance to escape, he takes it — even if it means leaving his best friend Somkit behind. Pong ends up at a monastery in a small mountain town, but he knows he can’t stay there forever. Events come to a head when the former prison warden visits the monastery with his family, and his daughter Nok recognizes Pong. Holding him responsible for her father’s disgrace, Nok pursues Pong. He flees to the city, where unrest is brewing among the poor, who can’t afford the magical light globes that the governor creates.

This middle-grade novel is loosely based on Les Miserables — just, you know, less miserable. (Sorry, couldn’t resist.) Knowing the basis of the story actually lessened the surprise of a certain plot twist for me (Nok, the Javert figure, learns that she was born inside the same prison Pong had lived in), but that’s unlikely to be an issue for the intended readership. All in all, I found this enjoyable but not gripping. The setting is great, but the way magic works in that world isn’t fully explained. Recommended for kids, and for adults who are particularly interested in diverse fantasy and/or retellings of classic literature for young readers.

(This is one of the books from my 2020 Reading Resolution, and an ER win from last year.)

Happy new thread!

>2 foggidawn: I like your idea of setting aside twenty books you want to read during this year.

>17 drneutron: Thanks!

>18 Whisper1: Thank you. I’m already starting to wonder if I’ll be able to finish them all.

Happy new thread, Foggi. xx

I kind of got distracted by Thread 1 all over again. And forgot to post here (#2).
I'm thinking of Why We Can't Sleep: Women's New Midlife Crisis by Ada Calhoun --
Even though I'm the 'baby boom' generation (a term I dislike intensely), (imho) amongst other things, these generational overviews are iterations of centuries of women's difficulties.

Can't decide how soon to read this, if I can find a copy to borrow, but it went on my WL!

>20 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul!

>21 SandyAMcPherson: I do that sometimes! I agree, there may be specific generational quirks, but for women, the issues persist, and have persisted, for a long time. Hope you can find a copy to read soon!

Happy new thread!

(27 books read)



I Am Princess X by Cherie Priest -- As middle-schoolers, May and Libby created Princess X, a katana-wielding, sneaker-wearing heroine who lived in a house haunted by friendly ghosts. They had piles of notebooks filled with her adventures, written by May and drawn by Libby. And then, the unthinkable happened: Libby died in a car accident, along with her mother. May was devastated -- and even more so when she realized that Libby's father had left, hiring a cleaning service to clear out the house. All of the Princess X notebooks were gone. Years later, May starts seeing something impossible: stickers and graffiti bearing the phrase "I am Princess X," accompanied by the unmistakable image of the princess, just as Libby once drew her. There's even a website with a Princess X webcomic. Did someone find their old notebooks and recreate the character, or is it possible that Libby somehow survived the crash, and is out there somewhere, waiting for May to find her?

The pacing of this book is spot-on, and the characters are great. I sometimes questioned their choices, but not because they were unbelievable (at one point I asked the book, "Have these people never seen a horror movie?" because they kept going places they shouldn't). It's a quick, fun read, and there's no romance to speak of -- it's all about strong friendships. It would be easy to pick holes in the plot, I think -- the mystery element wasn't particularly strong or twisty, and I thought the "clues" in the Princess X comic weren't as cryptic as the author wanted you to think, but all in all, I bought even the sometimes tenuous plot details in the moment as I read. Recommended to readers who enjoy YA for the quick pacing, and don't mind making a few leaps in terms of plot.

>24 foggidawn: Oof, I've been hit. Going on the list!

>23 quondame: Thanks!

>25 curioussquared: Enjoy!

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, and happy weekend, foggi!

>27 leahbird: Thanks!

>28 AMQS: Thanks! My weekend should be pretty low-key: laundry, some baking this afternoon for church coffee hour tomorrow, but no major plans.

>24 foggidawn: I've added this book to my list. I've am reading a lot of illustrated books. The artistry is incredible. And, it relaxes me to see such beauty.

I hope your Saturday is a good one! I plan to go to Barnes and Noble, drink ice tea, and check out the latest books.

>30 Whisper1: Hope you enjoy it. Sounds like you had some nice weekend plans -- hope they went well for you.

*lurking, lurking**

>32 Kassilem: Thanks for lurking! That's about all I'm doing lately on my own thread!

I'm currently reading How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse and loving it, of course. I also started listening to Always Never Yours and am not loving it; I may DNF that one because the main character annoys me so much.

Oh! Exciting news: I am on the Association for Library Service to Children ballot to be a member of the 2022 Newbery Committee! If you are an ALSC member, or know any ALSC members, and need to know my real name so that you (or your friends) can vote for me, send me a PM. I would very much appreciate your vote!

>33 foggidawn: I knew you'd love Rory.

And sending all the best wishes for your candidacy!

>34 MickyFine: Thanks! If any of the children's librarians in your system are ALSC members, you know what to tell them! ;-)

Glad you are enjoying Rory, and CONGRATULATIONS!!! Wish I could vote for you.

Congrats! Fingers crossed!

Happy new thread! Love your writeup of Princess X and best of luck getting on the Newbery Committee!

>36 ronincats: Thank you! Review of Rory to come shortly.

>37 leahbird: Thanks! Mine, too.

>38 Berly: Thank you!

(28 books read)



How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse by K Eason -- Rory is the first firstborn princess in 200 years of Thorne rule. Following tradition, twelve fairies are invited to her christening -- but nobody suspects that they will actually come. And then the uninvited thirteenth fairy arrives...

From that description, you might think that this was a fairly normal Sleeping Beauty retelling, but the story quickly takes a turn towards space opera, as Rory is betrothed to a foreign prince and sent to live on a distant space station. Conflict! Intrigue! Romance! It's all very cleverly done, and very enjoyable. Highly recommended.

>33 foggidawn: Woot! Fingers crossed that you make it onto the committee!! That would be *amazing*!!

>41 scaifea: Thanks! I'm trying not to let myself get too excited, but I think I have a decent chance. Spread the word around your library system, if you get a chance -- after all, I used to work there, though I think the whole children's department has turned over since my time.

>40 foggidawn: Yay! So much fun and I'm hopeful there will be more in the same universe.

>43 MickyFine: Yes, it seems like there's a definite opening left for that possibility!

>24 foggidawn: Adding that one to the BlackHole!

>33 foggidawn: I would love to vote for you, but I am not an ALSC member, nor do I know any :(

>40 foggidawn: Already in the BlackHole or I would dd it again.

So glad to see you enjoyed Rory! I am not an ALA member or I'd vote for you - good luck!

>42 foggidawn: I will definitely do that! I've mentioned that we're friends here on LT and you are remembered very fondly here and deservedly so.

>45 alcottacre: Hope you enjoy Princess X and Rory when you get to them. Thanks for the good wishes!

>46 bell7: Thanks! If you happen to talk with anyone who is an ALSC member, you know what to tell them. :-)

>47 scaifea: Thanks! That is nice to know.

(29 books read)



Ansley's Big Bake Off by Kaitlyn, Olivia, and Camryn Pitts -- reviewing elsewhere, just including it in my count here.

Thanks for the review of I Am Princess X, foggi. I've thought about reading it more than once, and your review put it in the plus column. Adding it to the WL.

>33 foggidawn: How exciting! I look forward to reading what this committee is like from an insider... I would vote except, ummm --- I don't believe Canadians can be ALSC members.

>50 jnwelch: I hope you enjoy it, Joe!

>51 SandyAMcPherson: I know that some Canadian librarians belong to ALA and ALSC, but I’m not sure how common it is.

>33 foggidawn: Good luck! That is great news.

>53 curioussquared: Thanks! I am crossing my fingers that, even amid the current craziness, people will remember to vote.

Board Gaming Update:

We had a game night recently, before the social distancing push.

   

We played Ticket to Ride: Europe, which I had purchased with a Christmas gift card. Since there were six of us (and the game maxes out at five players), we played as three teams of two. Rob and I were a team, and we dominated with the longest train and six or seven routes completed.

Our second game was a cooperative one called Spaceteam, where all of the players are attempting to repair a constantly malfunctioning spaceship before the timer runs out. Each player has tool cards that they have to share around to fix problems that arise, and since everyone is working on everything at once, it gets a little hectic and shouty. We won our first round, which we played on the easiest level, so we tried bumping it up a notch and adding in more problem cards, and we lost that round. We might have played again, because we were having fun with it, but the shouting proved too upsetting to the host's toddler, so we moved on.

Our last game, Not Parent Approved, was a Cards Against Humanity-style game geared towards middle schoolers (I dubbed it "Cards Against Tweenagers"). Lots of scatological humor, but much cleaner than the real thing. I got tired of it pretty quickly, though we played it for a good half hour, I think. I can see it being a good option if you're trying to entertain a group of middle-schoolers for a while.

>55 foggidawn: I LOVE Spaceteam. It's definitely a fun one to play after a few glasses of wine, lol. I think there's a card that requires you to have robot hands, and one of our house rules is that if you draw that one, you have to talk like a robot, too.

>55 foggidawn: Spaceteam sounds like a riot! And I am sure my kids would be most vociferous.

>56 curioussquared: Also, the wine sounds like a good add. LOL

Robot talk?! Monotone and moving the head jerkily? ; )

>57 Berly: Lol, essentially! I think it's up to the interpreter -- if you wanted to go full-on R2-D2 beep boop, we definitely wouldn't stop you :)

>56 curioussquared: We loved it, too. Hmm, we didn't break out the wine this time...

>57 Berly: Right?!

>58 curioussquared: Maybe next time!

Just got the news that my library is closing for three weeks. I'm going to get so much reading done (if Lottie will let me)! Also looking at sewing projects and yard work.

>60 foggidawn: Enjoy all your reading time! Our libraries are closed here, too.

>61 curioussquared: Thanks!

I grabbed a few things to read while quarantining:



In no way do I think that this will last me three weeks, but I keep reminding myself that I do actually own some books, as well. :-D

>62 foggidawn: LOL. That's a good stack!! Honestly, my response to the whole social distancing/self-quarantining thing is "I've been preparing for this my whole life." I think I have about ~370 unread books to get through when you count both print and digital? (And of course, what am I reading right now? Harry Potter, again.)

>62 foggidawn: LOL! I only have 8 books out and I just finished 2 of them, one being The Dark Lord Clementine, which was definitely fun without being in any way deep. I believe I see the Murderbot quartet at the top? Enjoy!

>63 curioussquared: There's something to be said for comfort reading, to be sure! And according to LT, I have 266 books in my physical TBR, which seems low. I've been pretty careful about cataloging everything I put on my shelves, though, so that must be fairly close to accurate. In any case, over a year's worth of reading at my current rate, so I think I'm good. Plus, library ebooks are a thing. I also keep coming up with ideas of things I could do -- there's some church music stuff that I could work on, and I'm borrowing a library ukulele in hopes of learning the basics of playing it. I could start learning another language! I could sew that denim quilt that I've been hoarding old jeans for! I could be really intentional about using my exercise bike! I could... sit in my recliner and refresh Facebook over and over. (I'm definitely going to use an app that limits my screen time while I'm at home!)

>64 ronincats: Good description of The Dark Lord Clementine! And yes, I'm pretty sure that I will enjoy the Murderbot books, so I went ahead and grabbed all of them -- I didn't want to finish the first one and be unable to access the rest!

Our library is closed to the public but all the staff still have to come work. My job looks basically the same regardless of whether there's people in the building or not so not much change on that front (other than anxiety from the constant changes to guidelines every day). And for the moment I have a co-worker who is driving to work and we're carpooling so I've reduced my chance of exposure on public transit.

>66 MickyFine: I halfway expected that, since my job is also behind the scenes, but they closed us down entirely, so I will be heading home shortly and then only leaving the house for necessities. I need to go grocery shopping sometime in the next few days, but after that, it's pajamas 24/7!

>67 foggidawn: I'm a little envious. However, as long as the provincial health system doesn't put a hold on elective surgeries I'll able to do that in less than a month. *fingers crossed*

>62 foggidawn: If we get to the point where the staff works in a limited capacity from home, I'm debating whether I should also have such a stack or just read some of my own books :)

>33 foggidawn: Congratulations on your nomination! I really hope you win!!!!

It's as if the libraries across the *entire* continent are closing for the duration. I don't ever remember a pandemic like this or even in stories from my parents or grandparents. But back in those days, people just weren't as mobile, although I guess the spread of that post-WWI 'flu was due to soldiers returning...

I also had to remind myself that a 5-book library cascade turns out to be A Good Thing. Oh yeah, and I have the leaning tower of TBRs that are actually my own books. 😳

I had to keep reminding myself yesterday that I have *so* many unread books on my shelves, and mentally slapping my hand so that I wouldn't take books off the library shelves to bring home with me. I *did* bring home a stack of dvd's, though...

>68 MickyFine: Oh, fingers crossed that they don’t cancel elective surgeries! There’s been talk of that here, though since I don’t know anyone who’s having one, I haven’t paid special attention to what they’re planning in that regard.

>69 bell7: I mean, there’s no reason why you couldn’t do both!

>70 Whisper1: Thanks, me too!

>71 SandyAMcPherson: It’s interesting to think that this will be in the history books, isn’t it? My housemate the historian is enjoying that aspect of the situation, I think!

>72 scaifea: I reminded myself of that several times. It didn’t work! I only picked up a couple of movies and a couple seasons of TV shows — I was much more restrained with those. If I do get sick and feel too ill to read, I may regret that, I suppose. Nah, probably not. :-)

>73 foggidawn: I appreciate the finger crossing.

I’d like to keep a record of what I’m doing while in social isolation mode. I thought about just keeping a diary, but I thought it would be more fun to post it here, and maybe hear what some of you are up to as well. Ideally, I’d wait until bedtime, but I’m not gonna. :-)

On my first day of leave from work, I got up early and went to Walmart. I was able to get nearly everything on my list, other than a few pantry staples (flour, lentils) that we are not out of, but a little low on. Fresh veggies were plentiful, there was lots of bread, and I splurged a bit on ‘fancy’ milk (I don’t know why it’s fancy, but it had better be good because it’s three times as expensive) because the store brand was sold out. I also bought several different types of chews in hopes of keeping Lottie occupied.

We were supposed to vote today, but the governor canceled it at the eleventh hour, so I guess we will vote in June.

After putting the groceries away, I read for a while, making good progress on The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel. I also played fetch with Lottie. So. Much. Fetch.

For lunch, I had leftover broccoli soup and a bagel.

In the afternoon, I made a list of projects to work on over the next few weeks. I worked for a while on one of them: copying recipes into my personal cooking notebook. (I tend to print out recipes from the Internet or copy pages from cookbooks, tinker with them a bit, and eventually put them in my notebook if I like them enough to make them more than once or twice. Right now, I have a large backlog of messy printouts because I’ve been doing a lot more cooking lately.)

I expect to spend more time reading this afternoon and evening, including a chapter of The Two Towers with Rob (we are halfway through the book, so halfway through the trilogy). There are a couple of chunksters in my stack of books to read this year; I may try to read a chapter or two of each every day. We’ll see if I can maintain that sort of discipline!

For supper, I plan to make a spinach mushroom quiche. Maybe cookies as well, since the oven will be hot. I’ll let you know!

Update on the above: I did make quiche, and peanut butter blossom cookies. And we did read a chapter of LotR, but I didn’t get any reading done on my chunksters. Nor did I work on any of the other projects that I meant to spend time on. Ah, well. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

>73 foggidawn: I caved and got some books yesterday that fulfilled some of the BookRiot Read Harder challenges.

I like your idea of keeping a record of what you're doing! I'm still reporting for work, but yesterday I also cooked French onion soup in the InstantPot, watched the latest Supernatural and This is Us episodes, worked on a sock knitting project, did a short stretching exercise routine, and read a bit in Pachinko.

Today I'm planning on going to work, taking a walk, eating some leftovers, do an upper body exercise routine, and reading.

We were talking at work about keeping a record or journal of things during these times. I'm still going to work (although we are closed to the public) and I haven't been to a store since last Wednesday (I worked Saturday, had a sick, clingy toddler to take care of, and my aunt and husband picked up things I needed last weekend) so in a way things are still somewhat normal for me. I have been thinking of making a quiche recently - I've never made one before. I have a stack of books in my office that I will take home if/when we get word not to report to the library. Also, belated congratulations for the Newbery Committee nomination!

It's fun to read your record of daily events, so thanks for posting it. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Definitely!

We normally exercise at a gym three times a week, and we just had our first session with our trainer via FaceTime. It worked way better than I expected - he could see us, and we him - and we're going to keep that happening every other day.

>77 bell7: Sounds like you got a lot done, especially considering that you still have to work.

>78 aktakukac: Quiche is pretty easy and definitely delicious! And thanks.

>79 jnwelch: Glad the FaceTime training sessions are working for you!

So far today, I read another chunk of The Glass Hotel, which I will finish this afternoon. I made carrot fritters with salad for lunch. Rob is working second shift today, so I cooked lunch before he left, and will eat leftovers for supper. I spent an hour or so on yard work, clearing some brush from an overgrown area in the back yard. It’s raining now, so I will focus on reading and indoor projects this afternoon and evening. I’ll check back in later with what I accomplish!

(30 books read)



The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel — This one is impossible to summarize. It’s a little bit about a luxury hotel on an island, a place that always feels a little bit out of normal time. It’s also about a crooked investment broker, and about two siblings who go their separate ways, lives occasionally bumping up against each other. And other things. It plays with the idea of liminal spaces, and with questions of morality. I enjoyed the fine writing, but I’m still not sure what I think of the story. I’m left with an unfinished feeling — not that I have a lot of unanswered questions, but I feel that there could be more to it, that maybe there’s something I’m not getting. That’s life, I suppose.

>80 foggidawn: It sounds like more because I listed them separately - the onion soup was in the slow cooker, so a little before work and a little after and the knitting happened while I was watching TV.

>82 foggidawn: I was only so-so about her Station Eleven and so far haven't been convinced I'd love her others. I had a similar reaction to you - lovely writing, but something felt missing.

>83 bell7: I loved Station Eleven, but this one didn’t come together for me in the same way.

Enjoying your "journal"!

Our library is closed to the public, but a nice lady called me yesterday to let me know that I can pick up my book on hold if I call before I come. She said they have curbside pickup 10-4, so if I just get out of work a little early tomorrow I can do it.

>85 fuzzi: Thanks! Glad you will be able to get your holds.

(31 books read)



Not if I Can Help It by Carolyn Mackler — Willa hates change, so when her father and her best friend Ruby’s mother announce in the middle of an ice cream parlor that they have been dating and have fallen in love, Willa doesn’t react well. Ruby thinks the romance is wonderful, but Willa thinks it’s the worst thing ever. Willa has Sensory Processing Disorder, so she has many routines and quirks that she doesn’t want to share with anyone, not even Ruby. Plus, what if their parents break up? What will become of their friendship?

This is a great middle-grade novel about adapting to change. Though each person’s experience of Sensory Processing Disorder is different, readers who have sensory issues are likely to relate to Willa’s experiences, as will readers who have experienced the complicated process of blending two families together. The writing is strong, and a small plot twist at the end made me smile. Recommended for kids and adults who enjoy realistic middle-grade fiction.

Today, as you can see, I read Not If I Can Help It, and I’ll probably start another book this evening — possibly Scary Stories for Young Foxes. I made creamy avocado pasta for lunch, which was okay, but I didn’t love it (so I’m not linking the recipe). I focused on getting several small tasks accomplished this afternoon: I changed a lightbulb in the kitchen (this involved getting the ladder out and bringing up a new fluorescent tube from the basement), worked a little on some house plant maintenance, including potting a cutting and adding soil to a couple of plants that I brought home from work, and made a few phone calls (ugh). I did some cleaning and vacuumed the living room, played with Lottie for a while, and learned how to tune the ukulele I borrowed from the library.

I’ll have leftover soup for supper, and I may fill out the census form this evening. I’ll either read or watch a movie later, maybe both.

Busy day today! It was Rob’s day off, so we tackled the basement. When he moved in, we put most of his stuff down there, not very neatly (we were in a hurry to get the truck unloaded). Today we did a lot of work organizing and consolidating.

This didn’t leave a huge amount of time for reading, but I did make a start on Scary Stories for Young Foxes, plus we read two chapters of LotR. I made broccoli cheese soup for lunch, and we had Chinese takeout for supper. The Chinese restaurant was doing a booming business, and people waiting for food were being very good about social distancing, so that was good to see.

Hi foggi, wow, congratulations on your nomination!! When will you find out? That would be amazing.

I love your quarantine stack, and love the Vanderbeekers! I brought home a few books from school but I'm not sure when I'll be able to get to them. I am on spring break, but once I'm not it's all over. I haven't been able to actually read a print book for awhile, though I'm trying!

You got me with How Rory Thorne... looks really good! You got me with Spaceteam also. What age is it recommended for? Sounds like a great addition to our games, and a great gift as well.

>90 AMQS: Thanks! Results are in early April — the 8th, I think. Hoping people still remember to vote amidst all the craziness. I don’t have the box in front of me, but I’d guess 8 and up for Spaceteam.

I didn’t get a lot of reading done today, though I’m still working on SSfYF. I made a Savory Zucchini Galette for lunch, but with a store bought crust, because I had one that needed to be used up. I’ve made this a few times, and I’ve just about decided that I don’t care for the lemon zest in the filling. I also made brownies. I did my laundry and started working on a sewing project: I’ve been saving denim for years to make patchwork with, and the time has come. If the project comes together well, I’ll post a picture.

Not much to report today. I listened to a little bit of an audiobook, Dangerous Alliance. Made a Thai curry for supper. Can’t get to sleep, so tomorrow’s going to be rough. Oh, well, at least I can nap, and don’t have to worry about being a zombie at work.

Hi Foggi, just wandering through the threads seeing what titles peeps are loving.

I like the reviews you post for middle grade readers. Spaceteam looks promising. I'm doing the March Murder and Mayhem group reading. It's fun and I've learned of some new series that look appealing.

We should do some basement consolidation and culling around here but The Man has to be on hand because I know very little about (and would not be welcome) sorting his tools. I get that - he couldn't know how to cull my fabric stash, which not surprisingly needs a good cull.

>94 SandyAMcPherson: Oof, culling the fabric stash can be rough! And tools, too. Yikes.

Today I relocated, and will be quarantining with my parents at the farm until time to go back to work. I am hoping they will let me do the shopping, and I can convince my mother that she does not need to go to the store every single day! I thought about dragging my sewing projects along, but opted not to, in the end — there are plenty of projects here for me. I did bring all of my library books, though! Today I listened to more of Dangerous Alliance, and read a bit of Prairie Lotus.

>95 foggidawn: A friend sent this to me:

>95 foggidawn: Good luck with getting your mom to let you do the shopping! I'm still trying to convince my dad to work from home. He's a lawyer with his own practice over retirement age, and he claims he can't work from home because all of his files are at his office. I keep telling him we'll help him move his files and get a workspace set up at home, but he's so set in his ways I'm not sure he'll give in. At least pretty much everyone else in his office is working from home, and he drives himself to work, so he's not really seeing anybody. And he is being very careful about sanitizing after touching doorknobs, etc, and not going to the grocery store. Still, I worry.

Does Lottie like being at the farm?

>95 foggidawn: Good luck with the relocation and trying to reduce the shopping frequency. Glad you brought some books. ; )

>96 quondame: Susan, that 'poster' is really great. Thanks for circulating it.

I love the idea of you with your parents, and hopefully you can convince your mom to change some habits. If anything, my mother hen instinct wants all chicks under one roof, but Callia is staying put in Oregon and I have to make peace with it. She checks in every night. Our parents are all over. My dad and stepmother live "up the hill" in a fairly remote mountain community and should be just fine. My mom lives in Munich and while her classes have gone online, she is expected to be at school to deliver them synchronously which I hate. She can walk rather than take the U-Bahn but is walking home in the dark through empty streets. I feel so helpless with her there. Good luck!

>97 curioussquared: I want to know about Lottie, too.

>96 quondame: Agreed, that wording is much more concrete!

>97 curioussquared: Oof, that’s tough. My dad came out of retirement to work part time, and he’s still doing so. I worry about that a bit, but there’s no stopping him. :-/ Lottie adores the farm!

>98 Berly: Thanks! We made a big grocery list today, and Mom let me go in and do the actual shopping (she drove, and waited in the car), so I think that’s great progress! The grocery store here was still out of some things, but we went to another smaller market and I found the things that weren’t at the big store. We should be set for several days, hopefully a week.

>99 SandyAMcPherson: Yes, agreed!

>100 AMQS: Thanks! We’re in a pretty rural area, so I feel that it will be slow to spread here, but there’s been a case in the larger city in the next county, where my parents go for certain medical appointments. I’m glad to be here, though it means Rob is on his own back at home (his miserable job is an “essential” one, or I would have tried to get him to come with me). Hope all of your folks stay well.

>101 fuzzi: I will try to post some pictures soon of Lottie playing with the farm dogs. She is in heaven, and they wear her out so she’s not constantly needing attention and play from me. So everyone is happy.

Today, apart from the aforementioned meal planning and grocery shopping, I finished Prairie Lotus (review to come). I worked on the raspberry plants (the main “crop” on this farm) — in the spring, the dead canes have to be removed. I didn’t spend too long on this, but will probably do some every day that the weather is nice. And Mom and I worked on the basement a bit — it’s an unfinished walk-out that they’re slowly working on finishing on their own, so there was a lot of dust from some recent plaster-work. It’s another big project that will take multiple days. Phew! No wonder I’m tired!

>102 foggidawn: thanks for the update!

I've been piddling around my ponds during my "coffee breaks" now that I'm working from home. It's such a relaxing chore, of sorts.

>103 fuzzi: I can see how that could be the case.

Lots of chores today: worked on the basement some more, helped Mom turn the mattress on her bed. Made spinach mushroom quiche for supper. Started reading Abigail by Magda Szabo; it’s good so far. That’s all for today.

That’s great that you could go be with your parents on the farm. I’ll look forward to your review of the Szabo book. I have several books by Hungarian authors that my former students and colleagues gave me, but I haven’t read any. There might be one by Szabo in the stack.

>105 aktakukac: Thanks, and I will certainly let you know. A Hungarian friend recommended this one, and I’m enjoying it so far, though I only read a little of it today.

Today I groomed my parents’ dog (I was jokingly calling her a “Sheeper Spaniel” because her fur was so thick), made broccoli cheese soup for lunch, and watched the first half of the extended edition of The Fellowship of the Ring. I also spent a few hours checking email and ordering ebooks for work, since that’s one thing we can still do.

>106 foggidawn: sounds like you are having some R & R, enjoy!

>107 fuzzi: Thanks!

I forgot to post yesterday. We watched the rest of The Fellowship of the Ring. I read a little more of Abigail. The weather was nice, so I worked on the raspberries some more.

Today was rainy and foggy and I wore my pajamas all day. I read Abigail a little more, and read about half a chapter of The Two Towers to Rob over the phone. We’re near the end, so maybe tomorrow we can read again. I thought my reading pace would pick up here, but I find myself still distracted. I made coconut curry lentils for supper tonight.

>96 quondame: Yes, that is a good graphic, Susan. Newspeak is not necessary in a time when people need clear direction. Stay at home rather than the bland political correctness of "social distancing" every time.

Stay safe, Foggi.

>109 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul. I’m planning to weather as much of the storm as possible here on the farm. I’m not sure yet when we’ll be able to go back to work; I do miss it. In the meantime, here’s a fun questionnaire I saw on your thread:

1. Who(m) are you named after? I was named after a camping trip.
2. Last time you cried? I shed a few tears earlier today. I cry most days, tbh.
3. Do you like your handwriting? I print, mostly. So, no.
4. What is your favorite lunch meat? I like Lebanon bologna, but it doesn’t particularly like me any more.
5. Longest relationship? I would have to have had one, now wouldn’t I?
6. Do you still have your tonsils? Yes.
7. Would you bungee jump? That’s a big nope.
8. What is your favorite kind of cereal? Cream of Wheat with plenty of brown sugar.
9. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? Not unless I can’t remove them otherwise.
10. Do you think you're strong willed? No.
11. Favorite ice cream? Chocolate.
12. What is the first thing you notice about a person? I don’t really know. Depends on the person and situation, I guess.
13. Football or baseball? Baseball, unless by football you mean soccer.
14. What color pants are you wearing? Light blue pajama pants with multicolored gingham scottie dogs on them.
15. Last thing you ate? Banana cream pie.
16. What are you listening to? The occasional light snore from my dog.
17. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Teal.
18. What is your favorite smell? Either old library books or banana bread baking.
19. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone? My housemate Rob.
20. Married? No.
21. Hair color? Brown.
22. Eye color? Green.
23. Favorite food? Chocolate.
24. Scary movies or happy endings? Definitely happy endings. I don’t do horror at all.
25. Last movie you watched in a theater? Little Women.
26. What color shirt are you wearing? Lavender.
27. Favorite holiday? Pascha (Orthodox Easter). I am sad that it looks like we’ll be watching it online this year.
28. Beer or Wine? Wine.
29. Night owl or morning person? Night Owl.
30. Favorite day of the week? Sunday.
31. Favorite animal? Dogs. If we’re just talking about wild animals, otters.
32. Do you have a pet? Lottie, my Springer Spaniel.
33. Where would you like travel to? I have a list. Canada was where I was next planning to go, before everything fell apart.

>110 foggidawn: What an intriguing first answer!

>111 PaulCranswick: My parents went backpacking in the Smoky Mountains when my mom was eight months pregnant. (Her doctor thought she was nuts!)

>112 foggidawn: It is a lovely story, Foggi. Reminds me of the David Beckham story. He was asked why he called his first son, Brooklyn? He responded that he was conceived in New York. One wag replied that it was a good job he wasn't conceived in Manchester or the poor kid would be now called Shithole! Sorry to any Mancunians out there in the ether!

>102 foggidawn: Glad the shopping paid off and you are set for a while. Phew.

>110 foggidawn: Most original answer to this one I've seen yet! "1. Who(m) are you named after? I was named after a camping trip."
And I am sad that your answer to #2 "Last time you cried?" was "I shed a few tears earlier today. I cry most days, tbh." It is a tough time right now. I hope you also find a way to laugh or smile a little each day. Hang in there.

I am hoping for a pajama day tomorrow. ; )

>113 PaulCranswick: Hahaha!

>114 Berly: Thanks. I do find something to smile about most days. And truly, at least so far, our current situation is not too hard for me to endure. I worry a bit more than usual about my loved ones, but I’m glad to have this extended time with my parents. If I could just get my brain to settle down and focus on reading, I think I could be quite content. Unfortunately, like many others I’ve talked to, focus and concentration are hard to come by just now.

Update for today: I watched a live-streamed church service from my home church in Kentucky, the one I usually visit at Pascha. It was good to see that they are still well (the few people there to do the service, at least), but sad to think that I probably won’t be there with them in a few weeks. Mom made stir-fry for lunch, and we watched the second half of the extended edition of The Two Towers. I played fetch with the dogs outside for some time, since the gloomy weather of the morning cleared off and it was warm for March, with a brisk wind blowing big, puffy clouds across the sky. Then I came back in and read the last chapter and a half of The Two Towers with Rob (it was not intentional that I watched the movie and read the book in the same day). I also read a little more of Abigail. I’d like to finish it tonight, but we’ll see. I’m now two books behind on reviews, and I haven’t been keeping up with everyone’s thread; sorry! I’m pretty sleepy, but not as sleepy as Lottie — all of that play time finally exhausted her seemingly bottomless store of puppy energy!

>115 foggidawn: News Flash!! I am still in my PJs. : )

>116 Berly: Hah! There’s a lot of that going around lately.

I didn’t post yesterday, because I did the grocery shopping at Walmart and it was exhausting. I did finally finish Abigail! Maybe I will write reviews today.

Looking forward to your reviews, as usual.

I'm working from home, so I'm brewing coffee and making myself get dressed before I use the time clock and start reading emails.

(32 books read)



Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park -- When 14-year-old Hanna and her father move to a new town on the South Dakota prairie, she hopes that it will be a permanent home for them -- a place where her father can start the dress goods store that he's always wanted, where she can go to school and get her diploma, and then maybe start designing and sewing dresses to sell to the ladies of the town. But Hanna's mother was Chinese, and racism rears its ugly head when Hanna starts attending the local school. Will she be able to achieve her dreams?

I really enjoyed this story, the author's answer to some problematic elements of the Little House series. With strong characters and good pacing, this is a book guaranteed to appeal to lovers of frontier stories. If you liked Little Town on the Prairie and Hattie Big Sky, you should seek out this one.

>118 fuzzi: Thanks! I'm enjoying my time here, but the LT routine has definitely been upended.

(33 books read)



The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien -- The Fellowship has been broken. Frodo and Sam must take the One Ring to Mordor, but how will they find a way in without Gandalf to guide them? Meanwhile, the other hobbits have been taken by the enemy, with the remainder of the Fellowship in hot pursuit. Will they reach them in time? And what of the wizard Saruman, plotting away in his tower?

Tolkien's epic continues to delight (and occasionally frustrate) us as a read-aloud. Rob and I had both forgotten that the book essentially ends of a cliffhanger, with Frodo taken by the enemy and Sam stuck outside, holding the Ring. I'm sure we'll be starting the next one soon, though it's difficult to make our schedules mesh when we're not physically in the same house -- so we may not make much progress until life returns to something like normal.

(34 books read)



Abigail by Magda Szabó, translated by Len Rix -- Georgina Vitay is unpleasantly surprised when her father announces that she is to be sent to boarding school until the end of the war. As he is a general in the army and her beloved governess has had to return to her native France, it makes a sort of sense, but must she be parted from everything she knows and sent to the strict Bishop Matula boarding school, far away? When she arrives at the school, the other students tell her of many of the school rules and customs, including appealing to Abigail, a statue in the garden, in times of great trouble. Gina inwardly scoffs at this idea, but she is soon embroiled in troubles of her own, when she thoughtlessly betrays a secret and is ostracized by the other girls. When she appeals to her father to be sent elsewhere, or allowed to return to her home in Budapest, she learns that her troubles are far greater than she had initially suspected.

I found this an enjoyable, engaging story. It reminded me of some of Madeleine L'Engle's young adult novels, particularly with the boarding school setting. For a World War II story, the stakes are relatively low, but there is an element of suspense and danger. The author winds in a thread of mystery as to the identity of "Abigail" (the person behind the statue's mysterious abilities), which was revealed at the end, and which I had guessed fairly easily. There are also touches of romance, all very lightly handled -- most of the book is about the relationships between the girls, and between Gina and her father. Gina's character development is also a major focus, as she is a bit immature and spoiled at the beginning of the novel. The book is beloved in Hungary (in fact, it was recommended to me by a Hungarian friend), though only recently translated into English, and it has a "classic" feel to it. If you enjoy young adult fiction with any of the elements I've mentioned, you should give this a try.

>122 foggidawn: oh bummer...another book bullet... ;)

>122 foggidawn: Yeah, what fuzzi said... I hope it is available in our library, should I ever get to check out a real, actual physical book this year!

>123 fuzzi: Sorry not sorry!

>124 SandyAMcPherson: You may have to request it; I think this translation was a small print run.

Yesterday, apart from writing reviews and catching up on some threads (not nearly all, but I am making progress!), I finished an order of ebooks for the library, and... I’m sure I did other stuff, but what? Mom and I watched Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears, and the costumes were great but other than that I was a bit lost, frankly. I’ve never seen the rest of the series, or read the books. I started reading A Castle in the Clouds, hoping something light and funny would make for a quick read, but I haven’t gotten far yet.

So far today I’ve done some cleaning, and played with the dogs for a while. Will hopefully read and LT some more, and maybe bake something.

Lovely reading your daily updates, Foggi. Sounds like you're having some good times in the midst of everything which is wonderful to see.

>127 MickyFine: Thanks! I have been slacking a little bit; I’ve gotten to the point where the days all seem to blur together. I miss my job and my coworkers and my house and Rob (and I worry about him being alone there, though as an “essential” worker, I couldn’t bring him with me to the farm. But I must admit, being quarantined here is better than many options.

Yesterday the weather was lovely, so I helped Mom transplant some flowers. That took most of the morning and wore me out, so I had a nap in the afternoon. In the evening we watched the first disc of the extended edition of The Return of the King. I also started reading All Systems Red, and am about halfway through. I’m hoping a short, fast read will kickstart my reading again.

>128 foggidawn: I feel you on the days all running together, even if I'm still working full time from home. And yay, Murderbot. I hope you enjoy it!

>128 foggidawn: I hear you on days blurring. Even with having full work days (at home) I'm still having a hard time remembering what day of the week it is.

>129 curioussquared: I did enjoy it! Review to come.

>130 MickyFine: It’s strange, isn’t it? I know today is Saturday, but it doesn’t feel like Saturday.

Yesterday Lottie had a vet appointment in the morning — she was due for a shot, and I set up an appointment with the vet here so she could get it. This vet had us call from the parking lot when we arrived, and they sent someone out to get her. Lottie was not a fan of this procedure; she doesn’t feel that there is really any reason she should be separated from me, and she’s wary of strangers. However, they said she was fine once she got into the building.

In the afternoon, Mom and I weeded part of the strawberry bed. We watched the remainder of The Return of the King in the evening. I finished All Systems Red and started Artificial Condition. Loving the series so far!

>132 foggidawn: I have found that vets have a large list of complimentary or comforting phrases designed to make pet owners compliant. Since I know our dogs, I know they can't be speaking from actual observed behavior.

>133 quondame: I see my skepticism was showing through, about Lottie’s good behavior! :-D

Today I napped, finished off Artificial Condition, did the grocery shopping, and watched a couple episodes of Star Trek: Picard. I’m liking it very much! I must be in the mood for sci-fi.

Have a lovely, peaceful, safe and healthy weekend, Foggi.

>132 foggidawn: >133 quondame: Reminds me of the days when my daycare lady would say, "Oh she stopped crying as soon as you were out of sight".

Uh-huh.

>135 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul; I hope yours was the same.

>136 SandyAMcPherson: Yep, exactly.

Today I live-streamed the church service from my home parish in Kentucky again, worked on clearing out my email, wrote a letter to an old friend whose birthday approaches, and read half of Rogue Protocol -- I might finish it tonight. I also played so much fetch with Lottie. Hope all of you are well and not too terribly bored!

(35 books read)



All Systems Red by Martha Wells -- You'd think a disenfranchised security bot who has hacked its governor module might go on a murderous rampage, but Murderbot (as it calls itself, privately) really just wants to be left alone to consume media. Besides, it's already done the murderous rampage thing, apparently, though its memory has been scrubbed after that fiasco. Now it's on assignment at a mining camp, trying to keep a small group of humans alive. When another camp on the same planet goes dark, and the humans want to check and see if they need help, things get a lot more complicated...

This is the first in a series of sci-fi novellas, and it's a delightfully quick, engaging read. I'm going to tear through the whole series in very short order. I'm kind of late to the party on this one, but if you like sci-fi and haven't discovered this series yet, you should check it out!

(36 books read)



Artificial Condition by Martha Wells -- Murderbot is on its own now, trying to delve into the mysteries of its past. Along the way, it inadvertently teams up with a highly intelligent (and sarcastic) research transit ship, and takes a job as a security consultant for a small group of humans, trying to get their research back from an unscrupulous employer who really just wants to make the problem go away. Permanently. So, here Murderbot is again, trying to keep a group of idiot humans alive.

Another fun and fast entry in the series -- I enjoyed this one almost as much as the first, though I was sad that the humans from the first novella don't make an appearance in this one. I'm already halfway through the next book, so obviously I still recommend this series for any fans of the genre, or those looking for an engaging spot to dive in.

>140 foggidawn: I think having different humans in this episode increases the focus on Murderbot rather than any group of humans.

>122 foggidawn: Great review. On my WL it goes

>141 quondame: That makes sense.

>142 figsfromthistle: Hope you enjoy it!

It was a gorgeous day here today, so I spent some time working outside: caning the raspberries again, weeding the strawberries again, cutting potato sets, and helping Mom plant those sets. She also planted out the cabbage and broccoli she had started, as those are hardy and can withstand some cooler temperatures. Made pasta with mushrooms and Alfredo sauce for supper. I finished Rogue Protocol and started Exit Strategy. Soon I will have to shift reading gears to something other than science fiction!

>144 foggidawn: Sounds good. I'm awaiting soil for my new container gardens. The landscape place was out, but they told me to call later in the week. If they don't have it then, I'll probably need to try to find Miracle Gro.

>145 thornton37814: Interesting thing for them to be short of, but I guess a lot of people are doing projects at home right now. I will need to amend the soil in my containers, but I think I have the stuff to do so already.

Yesterday I worked in the raspberries for quite a while. Another day or two might be enough to finish that project. I also worked a little on a jigsaw puzzle Mom and I are doing. In the afternoon I made some fabric masks. My grandmother has a medical appointment and wanted one, and I had been meaning to make one for myself, for grocery shopping. I also made ones for my parents, and for my brother and sister-in-law. I read a little more of Exit Strategy, and will probably finish it today. And I bathed both Lottie and Sasha, because they had been playing hard.

Something odd seems to be happening with Talk, as I was sure I posted something earlier, but it seems to have disappeared.

Anyhow, big exciting news: I have been elected to the 2022 Newbery Committee! I’m so excited.

That news about sums up my day. I made some more masks for friends who had requested them. If any of you need one, send me a private message. I’m working from Mom’s bottomless fabric stash and I’ve gotten pretty efficient at making them.

>147 foggidawn: Congratulations!

>147 foggidawn: congrats -- that's fantastic!

>147 foggidawn: WOOHOO!!!! That. Is. Amazing!!

>147 foggidawn: What wonderful news! Congratulations!

Go Foggi!

Congrats!

>146 foggidawn: The shortage is weather-related (rain) rather than being due to COVID-19. They say it's just been too wet for the supply network to get back up.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

>147 foggidawn: CONGRATULATIONS! I'm so happy for you.

Thanks to all who have offered congratulations! I’m still processing my feelings — it’s exciting and overwhelming.

Today I read about half of The Skylarks’ War by Hilary McKay. (I did finish Exit Strategy last night; I’m behind on reviews.) I played a lot of fetch with Lottie. We watched another episode of Picard, and I’m going to bed early.

Congratulations on making the committee. That is fantastic news!

Congrats and best of luck on the committee! I'm so happy for you :D

Thanks, Micky and Mary!

I forgot to check in yesterday; I was busy making masks and watching Picard. Today, more of the same. A friend of mine who is a retired nurse has asked me to make a large quantity of masks. I’ve run through Mom’s supply of thin elastic, so any future efforts will have fabric ties. I also finished The Skylarks’ War today, so add that to the pile of reviews that need writing. I attended a Zoom birthday party for one of my college roommates. I read half of the first chapter of The Return of the King to Rob over the phone, so we’ve finally made a start at that.

Happy Easter to all of you in the West who celebrate it tomorrow (Orthodox Easter is next weekend), and Chag Pesach Sameach to those observing that holiday.

I wanted my message this year to be fairly universal in a time we all should be pulling together, whatever our beliefs. Happy Celebration, Happy Sunday, Foggi.

Splendid news on the Newbery Committee by the way.

Happy Easter!

Foggi, CONGRATULATIONS!! That is fantastic news!!

You got me good with the Murderbot books - how fun! I also had Prairie Lotus on my order list but ultimately took it off because the reviews consistently rate it for grades 5 and up. According to the collections guidelines for my district, a book must be recommended for 2 grade levels of my school, so in my case: 4th and up. I bend that rule all the time because 5th grade seems to be such a significant benchmark for children's literature, because some professional reviews rate for different recommended grade levels, and because we're a gifted and talented center school with a large population of students reading way above their grade level. Now I regret not getting Prairie Lotus, so I may have to see if I can get a copy and decide for myself.

Happy Easter! We celebrate both, more from a cultural standpoint than a religious one. Our Greek Easter celebrations have often involved a large open-house Greek feast for our friends and family but that won't be happening this year.

>161 PaulCranswick: and >162 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul! I’m headed into Holy Week, the strangest any of us have ever had — I’ll be watching a lot of live-streamed services rather than being in church. Still, it’s good to have reached this time, however sad and odd.

>163 quondame: Thanks! I’m looking forward to it. :-)

>164 AMQS: Thanks! I’m so excited about the Newbery. As for Prairie Lotus, reviews must be going by the character’s age, because I can’t think of any reason it wouldn’t be appropriate for a fourth-grader. And yeah, one of the highlights Pascha for me has always been the big midnight feast and the party the next afternoon. None of that this year, though I’m going to attempt my own Easter bread with cheese paska, and probably some other favorite delicacies. Mom made kulich for western Easter, so I’ve been enjoying some of that already.

I’ve been pretty lazy yesterday and today, I’m ashamed to admit. Watched the end of season 1 of Picard yesterday — I liked it but didn’t love it. I might watch more if others around me want to, but I probably won’t seek it out. I took the dogs on a tramp around the farm and found a few misplaced fetch balls and frisbees (I called it an Easter Egg Hunt). I've been reading A Castle in the Clouds; I might finish it this evening, but maybe not. Storms have been rolling through today. Our power was out for part of the night last night, it they got it back on by 8:15 this morning, which was a relief!

>147 foggidawn: Just stopped by to say how exciting that you are on the Newbery committee.
Thrilled to hear this and many congrats. Will you be allowed to discuss all the behind-the-scenes aspects of this committee?

>166 SandyAMcPherson: Thanks! As to behind-the-scenes stuff: Not at all, I’m afraid! We will all sign a strict confidentiality agreement, and I won’t be able to talk about our committee discussions, ever. I also won’t be allowed to post what I am reading here, unless it’s ineligible stuff (adult books, books published before 2021, etc.), so next year’s thread will be a bit mysterious, I suspect. (In fact, if I read any advance copies of 2021 books this fall, I’ll have to be all mysterious about them, too.) I do intend to have a thread here next year, and I’ll keep a count of books read, even though I can’t list titles or write reviews.

>167 foggidawn:. Well, I thought as much, but did wonder how these committees operate. Thanks for clarifying.

You will have many tasty novel tidbits to say what you liked about them, I expect. Perhaps those thoughts can be shared in 2022?

See, I'm planning on *not* having Covid complications!
Stay well and don't get sucked into leaving off being isolated!

>168 SandyAMcPherson: Yes, I will be free to talk about my own opinions about books in 2022, definitely! And no worries, I’m isolating as much as possible. Grocery trip today, but I’ll wear my mask and try to be quick getting in and out. And at the end of the week I’m heading home, in order to comply with the two weeks of strict quarantine that the governor has mandated for out-of-state travelers. (By going home then, I will be quarantined until the stay-at-home order ends. I suspect that the library won’t open up right when the stay-at-home order expires, if, indeed, it doesn’t get extended, but I want to be ready just in case.)

>119 foggidawn: Adding that one to the BlackHole!

>122 foggidawn: Already in the BlackHole, but my local library does not have a copy of it.

>139 foggidawn: I have very much enjoyed that series!

>170 alcottacre: Hope you enjoy those whenever they make their way out of the Black Hole! And yes, the Murderbot books were great!

As mentioned above, we did a big shopping trip today. Mom and Dad should be stocked up for a while. That really took it out of me. Made broccoli cheese soup for supper, finished reading A Castle in the Clouds this evening. Maybe I’ll catch up on reviews tomorrow...

(37 books read)



Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells -- Murderbot, after confronting its past, decides to gather some information that might be useful to the only humans it considers friends. Of course, things get complicated along the way.

I'm trying not to be too spoilery, hence the not-very-detailed summary. This is a great series, fun and quick to read. It helped kick me out of a reading slump. Recommended.

(38 books read)



Exit Strategy by Martha Wells -- When Murderbot hears that a friend is in trouble, it goes to help -- even though it knows that the whole situation might be a trap. Getting stupid humans out of trouble is, after all, what it was made for.

A satisfying conclusion to this series of novellas, though I certainly hope we hear more about Murderbot in the future, and the ending of the book left just enough space for that to be possible. At any rate, I recommend the whole series.

>173 foggidawn: New novel-length Murderbot is coming in May! You're just in time :D

(39 books read)



The Skylarks' War by Hilary McKay -- Clarry adores her older brother Peter and her cousin Rupert. Their idyllic summers with their grandparents in Cornwall are what keep her going through the rest of the year, living in a cold London house with her distant, disapproving father. However, it's the early 1900s, and the Great War is coming. When it does, it will change all of their lives forever.

McKay is a favorite of mine, but though I enjoyed this book, I didn't feel it was her strongest writing. It has some problematic elements (the gay character dies in the war; also, Clarry, falling in love with your cousin is icky), and I found it generally just a little unsatisfying. If you really love this author, it has all of the hallmarks of her writing, particularly where dialogue is concerned. And if you really want a World War I book for middle-grade readers, this might fit the bill. It doesn't shy away from the realities of war, so your sensitive readers may need some guidance if they attempt it.

(40 books read)



A Castle in the Clouds by Kerstin Gier -- Sophie Spark decides that university is not for her, so she takes a position as an intern at a luxury resort in the Swiss Alps, much to her parents' dismay. Her position has her doing a little of everything, from working in the laundry to babysitting the children of the hotel's guests. She meets a lot of fascinating characters, some of whom may be jewel thieves and kidnappers -- or is that just her overactive imagination?

Sophie reminded me a little of Jane Austen's Catherine Norland, always seeing dramatic plots everywhere. Jewel heists! Kidnappings! Curses! Ghosts! ...Then again, maybe there really are all of those things in this book -- I won't give it away. Plus, there's the obligatory love triangle: two hot, nice guys, both interested in Sophie. Decisions, decisions! I found this book a little over the top, but young teens who enjoy this sort of romantic comedy adventure will probably love it. The romance goes no further than kissing, there's a little bit of violence but nothing too gruesome, and the setting is delightful. I probably wouldn't recommend it to grown-ups or even older teens, but for tweens it could be just the thing.

Congrats!

I really need to read a Martha Wells novel soon.

>177 figsfromthistle: Thanks! The Murderbot ones are the only ones of hers that I have read, but I am interested to see her others now.

Today we had really lovely weather, so I spent much of the day outside. In the morning I caned raspberries again, nearly finishing off the main patch. In the afternoon I helped Mom clear an area that was all brush and scrap metal at the back edge of the yard; my uncle will take a load of metal to the recycler once we’re done isolating. I read a good bit of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, which is very good so far.

>179 foggidawn: Ooh, is this your first time reading Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry? I read it many times as a kid and teen, and picked it for the book club at work a few years ago. As many times as I have read it, I have never read any others in the series. It’s a powerful book that has stayed with me all these years.

>175 foggidawn: >176 foggidawn: Your thread is becoming dangerous. Two book bullets!

>175 foggidawn: >176 foggidawn: I don't think I'll read either of these, but I do love the cover art on both!

>180 aktakukac: Yep. I can’t believe I missed it as a kid, but I finished it today, and wow.

>181 thornton37814: Sorry not sorry!

>182 curioussquared: They are pretty, aren’t they?

Today was a lot of cleaning and preparing for my trip home. I watched a livestream of one of my favorite Holy Week services and was sad that I wasn’t there in person. As I mentioned above, I finished Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry — a powerful read.

Tomorrow is Orthodox Good Friday and maybe the day I travel home, so I may not have time to post here at all. I’ll be back around at some point — I should have plenty of spare time for the next two weeks as I self-quarantine, theoretically.

(ETA: Looking at the weather, I may travel on Saturday instead. I’ll make that decision tomorrow. Either way, I probably won’t post much tomorrow.)

Hi, foggi. I'm glad you've been having such a good time with the Murderbot stories. I did, too. I'm impatiently waiting for the new one to come out!

>183 foggidawn: I should probably read Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry at some point, too.

Safe travels Foggi!

I just had a student review Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry on our library system. I emailed her back saying I guess I better get around to reading it!

Just dropping by to wish you happy Orthodox Easter, Foggi. I hope it's a blessed weekend for you.

I hope you have made it safely home by now, foggi. Although I kind of wish you could have stayed at the farm--it seems such a much more relaxed setting for waiting out a pandemic.

>184 jnwelch: Yes, I’m glad to see the series continue!

>185 curioussquared: It’s a good one!

>186 compskibook: Glad I’m not the only one just getting to it.

>187 MickyFine: Thanks! It was so strange and sad not to be in church, but there were good points, too.

>188 ronincats: I have, indeed! I’ll do an update in my next post. It was a lovely place to be, but I’m glad to be home, too.

So, I got off track about my daily updates with the holiday and all. Here’s what I did:

Friday: I watched three live-streamed church services. I did not travel, because the weather was bad. I didn’t do a whole lot else. I read a little bit of Of Curses and Kisses.

Saturday: I drove home. For part of the drive I listened to A Gentleman in Moscow, and for the other part I listened to a church service. When I got home I unpacked, found space in the fridge and cupboards for my many, many groceries, cleaned the kitchen, dusted the living room, and vacuumed most of the house. (You may draw what conclusions you like about the state of the house as a bachelor establishment from that summary of my actions upon returning.) Saturday night was the big church service. I’ll admit that I cried a bit while listening and singing along. I’m so glad we have the capability to livestream, but it’s a poor replacement for being there in person.

Sunday: I had eggs and bacon for breakfast, and then I made Easter bread and Cheese Paska (a spread made from cream cheese, ricotta, sugar, and other delicious things; the perfect complement to the traditional rich, sweet, eggy bread). I watched another live-streamed service. I lazed about quite a lot, read a chapter of The Return of the King with Rob, and ordered pizza for supper because I felt that the bread and cheese was enough cooking for one day. I also had Rob help me get the lawnmower out of the basement so I could mow the front lawn — it was a lovely day, so it was a pleasure to be outside.

Monday (today): I had bread and cheese paska for breakfast, made broccoli cheese soup for lunch, and ate leftover pizza for supper. I worked on some yard work for a few hours, as the weather continued to be beautiful. I cleaned the bathroom. I listened to more of A Gentleman in Moscow, which I’m really enjoying. I’ll probably read something else this evening, though I haven’t yet decided what. I also played fetch with Lottie. Though my back yard isn’t fenced, I find that she is so obsessively focused on the game that I can let her off the leash to play with the ball, with no worries about her doing anything else. So, at least in good weather, that’s an option to use up some of her energy. She’s made the transition home well, I think. She’s been kind of clingy, but then, she’s always liked staying close to my side. I’m glad to be home, but I suspect that cabin fever may set in eventually, now that I am not even going out for groceries.

Glad to hear you had a good Easter weekend, Foggi.

Wishing you luck with the cabin fever. Hopefully walks with Lottie will help a bit.

>191 MickyFine: Thanks! So far, so good.

Today was Rob’s day off, so that helped stave off the cabin fever. I suspect he’s glad I’m back (I mean, he says so, it’s not just a guess on my part). He’s doing some sort of research in his spare time, and I have some work tasks that I can do at home (especially since I’m back in the realm of good internet connection and have my own computer, which I regretted not bringing with me to the farm), so for a while today we were both set up with our laptops at the kitchen table, working from home in our pajamas, as 2020 a scenario as you can imagine at present. I had eggs and bacon for breakfast, snacked on various things around lunch time, and made gibanica for supper (a Serbian dish made of eggs and cheeses in between layers of buttered phyllo dough), which we had with some of yesterday’s soup. The gibanica (pronounced GHEE-bah-NEET-zah) is a specialty of the friend I usually visit at Pascha; my attempt was not as good as hers, but decent for a first attempt. Phyllo is fun stuff; I rarely get to use it, so I forget. Looking back over the day, I was afraid that I had not read a single thing, but that’s not the case: I read a chapter of The Return of the King after supper. Then Rob and I played a game of Lords and Ladies, which is basically Downton Abbey in game form, where the object of the game is to acquire status by marriage, progeny, and the hiring of servants, while taking down your opponents through gossip and various shenanigans. We played to a draw, ending the final round with the same number of points, though I had been trailing slightly most of the way through. While we were playing, Lottie got into a bag of games that I had taken with me to the farm (I was overly optimistic about getting my parents to play something with me, as it turns out). I had hoped that taking Lottie outside and playing fetch before we started the game would wear her out, but it did not, and she didn’t care for being ignored! She shredded the Word Yahtzee box and chewed up several Phase 10 cards, and chewed a bit of the corner and side of the Kill Doctor Lucky box, but fortunately for her, she did not harm the game pieces within. I think I can tape up the KDL box, and maybe make a bag or repurpose a shoe box for Word Yahtzee. And Phase 10 is easy to replace. But it’s a good thing I’m fond of her!

>192 foggidawn: Oh no!! Lottie, games are not for eating! Otter has chewed at least 4 or 5 books, luckily none to the point of being unreadable. It's a good thing he's cute.

>193 curioussquared: Lottie has chewed two books. One was a library book (!!!!!), and I had to shamefacedly bring it to my colleague and admit what had happened. Fortunately, it was very light damage to one corner. The other book was an advance copy that I had finished reading and didn’t plan to keep. She snuck it out of the “donate” bag I had left sitting on the floor. It’s technically still readable, but missing part of the back cover and with tooth marks throughout; I should probably just recycle it.

>193 curioussquared: no! My last dog, Tirzah, chewed the spine off a couple of books that were on the bottom of the bookcase. She was a puppy at the time, so...

>194 foggidawn: so glad you're safely home. I had to hang my head when I returned a library book that had a cup of coffee spilled on it (it was in a tote bag, coffee somehow was spilled IN the bag???). They were so nice about it, and though I offered to pay for the book and keep it, the library staff member just charged me a damage fee and said it could be rebound.

Welcome home!

I quite often tell Ace he is lucky he is so cute!

>195 fuzzi: That is nice, indeed!

>196 compskibook: Thanks! Yes, there are time in the lives of all pets when they’re lucky to be cute, I think!

Today was more yard work and more work on the computer, with leftovers and snack food featuring heavily in the meal rotation; tomorrow I will cook more real food. I listened to more of A Gentleman in Moscow while I was doing yard work, and heard the following quote:

“Mishka would pine for Katerina the rest of his life! Never again would he walk Nevsky Prospekt, however they chose to rename it, without feeling an unbearable sense of loss. And that is just how it should be. That sense of loss is exactly what we must anticipate, prepare for, and cherish to the last of our days; for it is only heartbreak that finally refutes all that is ephemeral in love.”

Sad and lovely—so Russian! I’m loving this book. (It’s not all sad and Russian; it’s quite funny in places.)

Other than that, I watched a live-streamed church service, read a chapter of Tolkien, and played fetch for a billion hours (or so it felt). Bedtime.

>198 foggidawn: I'm so glad you're enjoying the Towles. I really loved it when I read it. Hopefully Lottie was a little mellower today. :)

Hi Foggi. Your dog-chewing-the-library-book(s) saga brings back memories!
Our dog (~5 months old then) destroyed a new book (I was the first one to check it out). It was soooo embarrassing.

I had to pay the CA$25 charge, which sounds minor now, but was a big bite in our budget back then. According to that would be over a $100 in today's currency! Our monthly rent was that much.

I've had A Gentleman in Moscow on my TBR list at the library for quite awhile. I know what you mean, "so Russian". I think that's why I haven't actually checked out the book (and now I can't ).

>199 MickyFine: While both Rob and I have noted improvements in Lottie since our return from the farm (the big dogs really did teach her some manners, plus she’s growing up), she would still like to play fetch basically all the time. I feel like I could be replaced with one of those pitching machines from batting cages!

>200 SandyAMcPherson: Wow! That’s quite a charge.

Yesterday I did more library work, played with Lottie, and listened to more of A Gentleman in Moscow while cleaning out and vacuuming my car. I made white bean and sweet potato stew for supper, with cornbread.

Today I don’t feel like I did much. I made pancakes for breakfast, did a little more library work (it goes slowly when I’m throwing a ball for Lottie every 15 seconds), read more Tolkien with Rob. I had a “book club” Zoom meeting with a few friends I used to work with; we talked about books a little, but more about life in general. I didn’t get much reading done; I feel badly about my general inability to focus. I tell myself that it will get better, but will it?

Suggestion for Lottie:

https://youtu.be/3E8nf62nihw

I never get tired of watching this dog...

>203 fuzzi: She would love that!

Today, I read a little of Pippa Park Raises Her Game and another chapter of Tolkien — we’re to the last “book” (each volume of the series is comprised of two books, so we’re about to start Book Six). I spent some time chatting with a neighbor today, at an appropriate distance, of course. I put my hammock back up on my front porch. I baked a cake and made a quiche. I watched a short church service (Vespers). I was supposed to play an online board game via Tabletopia, but my pitiful computer couldn’t manage it. Instead, Rob and I played two rounds of Lords and Ladies — he won one, and I won one. All in all, a really nice day.

Foggi , I had not realized that you had the great pleasure and responsibility of purchasing the children's and teens book's for your library. What fun! But also it must be hard to chose. For a few years about 15 years ago I acted as my church's librarian. A small thing, I know. But I chose all of the books for kids, teens and adults. Of course I took suggestions and tried hard to chose books/ media that I thought people would enjoy. But it was always a little risky.

>205 vancouverdeb: Thanks! I really enjoy it. I think that selecting for a small library like that might in some ways be more difficult. :-)

Today was a weird day. I watched a live-streamed church service in the morning, then had a Zoom coffee hour with a bunch of people from my church. Chatted on the phone with my aunt for a bit. In the afternoon my mood took a turn for the worse; I’m blaming it on a poor night’s sleep. When I found myself crying angrily at an online article, I tried to nap but couldn’t, so I quit trying and instead made a Thai red curry for supper. Read a chapter of Tolkien. I’m hoping tomorrow will be better.

>206 foggidawn: I'm sorry about your day and mood turn: I have stopped watching news as it's mainly doom-and-gloom-we're-all-gonna-die stuff, and I pick my online articles carefully. I keep in mind so many of those who are blanketing the internet with "news" are doing it for ratings and attention.

Go outside if you can and just listen to the Robins singing.

I am enjoying the cooler-than-normal weather here in NC, and that the mosquitoes haven't appeared in force, yet. I sit by my ponds, listening to the waterfall(s), the frogs, and the birds scolding me because they are wary of visiting the feeders with me just a few feet away. The Chickadees and Titmice and Nuthatches are the boldest ones, and often glare at me as they dart in to grab a seed.

And yesterday a Catbird visited my feeders and figured out how to access the suet. I snapped a few pictures. I've loved Catbirds since I was a little girl.

Not my photo:

>207 fuzzi: Thanks. I certainly am enjoying the spring weather, and the birds and squirrels. Your setup sounds lovely! Today I spent as much time as possible outside, as we’re going into another rainy spell.

I decided that I would try reading a book a day this week (juvenile fiction — I’m not talking War and Peace!), just to prove to myself that I can. So I finished Pippa Park Raises Her Game (review to follow). I also mowed both yards, front and back, and played fetch with Lottie and sat in my hammock on the porch for a little bit. And I vacuumed the living room, swept the kitchen, did laundry, put fresh sheets on my bed, and dusted the bedroom ceiling fan. We ate leftovers today, because we have a lot of them. I was dubious about our ability to eat an entire bundt cake (baked Saturday) before it went stale, but it appears that I need not have worried, as there is maybe 1/6th of it left, and I imagine we will take care of that when Rob gets home from work tonight. While doing my chores, I listened to more of A Gentleman in Moscow. I’m still loving it so much, I don’t want it to end. My mood was somewhat improved today, between better (though still slightly inadequate) sleep, nice weather, and keeping busy/feeling a sense of accomplishment. Hope you are all well!

(41 books read)



Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor -- Growing up in the Deep South, Cassie has always been surrounded and supported by her family, but as she gains more experience of the world, she becomes increasingly aware of the ways in which it is unjust.

This is such a powerful book. I can hardly believe that I missed reading it when I was a child. I cannot do it justice in this review, so I will just say that it is highly recommended, and leave it at that.

(42 books read)



Pippa Park Raises Her Game by Erin Yun -- When Pippa Park receives an unexpected scholarship to a private school, she decides to keep her public school past a secret in order to fit in better with the popular girls. As one might expect, this complicates matters.

We all have specific plot devices that particularly appeal to us, and ones that get on our nerves. A friend of mine (hi compskibook ) hates the familiar trope of middle schoolers who develop new interests and lose friendships because of it. Me, I'm not a big fan of the "living a lie" scenario, where a character needlessly complicates her life by pretending to be someone she's not, or by obscuring certain key facts about her history or personality, as Pippa does. Nevertheless, I thought this book was well-written an interesting, with great characters and lots of interesting #ownvoices detail about Korean American culture. For young readers who enjoy contemporary narratives, I would certainly recommend this.

>209 foggidawn: Read that one in a class geared for middle school aged readers in library school. Definitely a classic now!

Ha! So maybe I will have to read this book!

>209 foggidawn: Oh that's one I really loved too. It's on my mental "reread someday for sure" list, and I want to read other books by the author too.

>211 thornton37814: For sure!

>212 compskibook: Hahaha!

>213 bell7: Yes, I’d like to read her other books someday.

Yesterday I read The Vanderbeekers to the Rescue, and it was so good. Review to come. I made a start on Homerooms and Hall Passes, which promises to be hilarious. I made a fresh pan of cornbread to go with the leftover stew. Read a chapter of Tolkien, listened to a little more of A Gentleman in Moscow, did some library work. An ordinary day, pretty much.

Yesterday I read Homerooms and Hall Passes, and it was very funny! I also read Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!, so I am ahead of the game in terms of my book-a-day project. I need to write some reviews. I made lasagna for supper. Rob is watching Picard now, so I'm kind of re-watching it in the background of whatever else I'm doing.

(43 books read)



The Vanderbeekers to the Rescue by Karina Yan Glaser -- When a disastrous encounter between a city inspector and the Vanderbeeker pets results in Mama losing her license to sell baked goods from home, the Vanderbeeker siblings are determined to right the wrong. But in the meantime, some mysterious person keeps dropping off stray animals on the Vanderbeeker doorstep. Where are these animals coming from?

Another delightful entry in the Vanderbeekers series! The whole series is full of warmth and humor, and I just adore it. You could probably read this one as a stand-alone, but I recommend starting at the beginning. Fans of The Penderwicks, in particular, should take a look at the Vanderbeekers.

(44 books read)



Homerooms and Hall Passes by Tom O'Donnell -- It's an adventurer's life for Apprentice Mage Albiorix and his four friends (a Paladin, a Thief, a Barbarian, and a Shadow Elf). They earn their living through completing various quests, but once a week, they gather in the back room of a local inn for some light entertainment: a game of Homerooms and Hall Passes. In this game, they take on various roles (the Nerd, the Loner, the Class Clown) and complete various nonadventures at J. A. Dewar Middle School. All well and good, until certain peculiar circumstances result in the characters being pulled into their own game. Now, they face challenges that they had never imagined: class elections, using computers for assignments, and worst of all... algebra! How can they escape from this nightmare and return to their own realm?

I found this book delightfully amusing. The characters were great, the pacing kept me reading at a brisk clip, and the premise was just such fun. Recommended for middle-school fantasy enthusiasts, and anyone who's ever rolled for initiative.

(45 books read)



Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz -- This collection of monologues (and a couple of dialogues) introduces readers to medieval life, from the son of a knight, to the daughter of a villein who tends his hounds. It's a fantastic educational tool, meant to be used in a classroom setting. I can see why it won the Newbery when it first came out -- the writing is terrific, and the last line of the last monologue is just perfection. I'd love to direct a group of children presenting this. Recommended to those who have an interest in the medieval, particularly if they enjoy books like The Inquisitor's Tale or The Midwife's Apprentice.

>219 foggidawn: Book Bullet!

>220 quondame: Hope you enjoy it -- I notice (I checked other reviews after I wrote mine) that I enjoyed it more than some others in this group, so it may have been just the right book at the right time for me.

>203 fuzzi: Omg, I loved that! And the follow up. It was a real smile generator. Thanks.

(46 books read)



Some Writer! The Story of E.B. White by Melissa Sweet -- With her trademark watercolor and collage illustrations, Sweet takes readers on a leisurely stroll through the highlights of White's life, from his childhood in suburban New York, to marrying fellow writer Katharine Angell and having a son, to purchasing a farm in Maine, to writing his best-known works, to his death as an octogenarian. I learned some new facts about White (he was good friends with Thurber, and once shared an office with him), and enjoyed this plainly told account of what seems to have been a mostly happy, simple life. It's not particularly gripping, but it's a pleasant read, and not particularly lengthy. If you're looking for a short biography, beautifully illustrated, this should be a good fit. If you're wanting something with more meat to it, I have also enjoyed The Story of Charlotte's Web by Michael Sims.

>218 foggidawn: Book Bullet!! The library has it...I've written the book down for when it finally opens.

>224 ronincats: Great! Hope you like it as much as I did.

Today, as you can see, I read Some Writer. I also made a start on Brave Red, Smart Frog, and read another chapter of Tolkien. The Ring has been destroyed, but there’s still a good ways to go before the book is over. (It seems silly to put LOTR plot elements in spoiler tags, but just in case...) We ate leftovers today, but I did bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies, and I made waffles for breakfast. (Not our healthiest day of eating, to be sure!) I did more library work. It appears that I’ll be working mostly from home for a while even after we’re allowed to go back to work. I’m contemplating upgrading my home computer.

>226 foggidawn: I like waffles, especially with a slice of melted cheese on top!

If you are working from home on your personal computer, there should be some sort of compensation from your employer if you need to upgrade. I'm fortunate in that last year I had requested and received approval to purchase a laptop for my duties when I'm not sitting in my office. It's been incredibly helpful to have for my work-from-home status.

>227 fuzzi: I would never have thought of putting cheese on waffles. Hmm... might have to try it some time. I have heard of making grilled cheese in a waffle iron. And yeah, I’m going to check about the computer upgrade thing. If nothing else, it will be a tax deduction.

(47 books read)



Brave Red, Smart Frog by Emily Jenkins — Seven familiar tales, told with just the slightest of twists. They often touch on one another, but they generally end up just as you’d expect. In the author’s note, Jenkins offers as explanation that she is contributing to the spirit of the oral tradition, retelling these stories and putting her own touches on them, but not with any particular didactic intent or ideological bent. The book as an object is lovely, and reading the stories was pleasant, but I was left with a bit of a “So what?” feeling. If you love fairy tales, it’s a pleasant way to while away an evening, but don’t expect new revelations.

And with a new month, I think it's time for a new thread! See you there:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/319766