leslie.98 goes to MDI in 2020 - Part 3

Somesville Historical Society & bridge

My theme is MDI - Mount Desert Island, Maine, home to Acadia National Park. In the first thread, I used photos; in the second, 19th century artwork featuring the island; this third thread I hope to show various architectural features.

I have finished my first BingoDOG card so I am starting a second one in this thread. I continue to work on my other challenges.

tickers & rating info



My attempt to define my rating system:
I rate by gut reaction & sometimes I will go back and change a book’s rating after some time has passed, based on how it has (or has not) stuck with me. Thus books that I enjoyed at the time may end up lower down on the scale if they are forgettable while books that I didn’t care for very much may rise up in the ratings if they strike me as significant in some way (even if I didn’t like them).

0.5 ★: Utter waste of paper and ink; should never have been written.
1.0 ★: Couldn't finish reading or a very poor read.
1.5 ★: Major disappointment.
2.0 ★: It was OK but either the writing or the plot was lacking.
2.5 ★: Flawed in some way but still enjoyable
3.0 ★: Good, a solid read that I finished but can't promise to remember
3.5 ★: Above Average, there's room for improvement but I liked this well enough to pick up another book by this author.
4.0 ★: A very good read; a book that I think will last
4.5 ★: An excellent read, a book I will remember, recommend and probably reread
5.0 ★: A powerful book, either because it was the right book at the right time for me or because it will stay with me for a long time to come

Some symbols & abbreviations:
·Books with an asterisk (*) are from The Guardian's List of 1000 Novels Everyone Should Read
·Authors with a capital N (ℕ) are Nobel Laureates in Literature
·books sourced as MOB are from my own bookcases; those from BPL are from the Boston Public Library (as opposed to my local library); SYNC refers to audiobooks acquired (for free) through the annual summer program hosted by http://www.audiobooksync.com/

Asticou Inn, Northeast Harbor

Goal 1: To read as many of my already owned books as I can - hopefully more than the number of new books I get but at least 50.

ticker from 2020 ROOT group -



List of books is available in my thread in the 2020 ROOT group:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/314700

New books obtained: 88 (this list is also available at the above link to the 2020 ROOT thread)
15 read already (so don't carry over to my 2021 ROOTing!)

Mount Desert Rock Lighthouse

Goal 2: To read at least 25 new-to-me books from The Guardian's List of 1000 Novels Everyone Should Read. This includes books in series that count as a single entry in the list (such as the Discworld series or Balzac's Human Comedy). Done as of 1 July

Note: Books from Balzac's The Human Comedy are denoted by a diamond ♦

List:
1. The Wings of the Dove by Henry James (1/5)
2. ♦At the Sign of the Cat and Racket (1/5)
3. Men at Arms by Evelyn Waugh (1/11)
4. Living by Henry Green (1/12)
5. Uncle Silas by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu (1/17)
6. ♦The Ball at Sceaux (1/20)
7. ♦The Purse (2/3)
8. The Baron in the Trees by Italo Calvino (2/16)
9. ♦Le Pere Goriot (2/22)
10. First Love by Ivan Turgenev (2/24)
11. ♦Vendetta (3/15)
12. Clayhanger (3/18)
13. The Recognitions (4/3)
14. The Forever War (4/6)
15. Good Behaviour (4/9)
16. ♦Madame Firmiani (4/10)
17. Snow Crash (4/13)
18. Melmoth the Wanderer (4/18)
19. The Sorrows of Young Werther (4/22)
20. ♦A Second Home (4/29)
21. Lonesome Dove (5/25)
22. Portrait of a Lady (6/3)
23. A High Wind in Jamaica (6/15)
24. ♦Domestic Peace (6/24)
25. The Years of Rice and Salt (6/27)
------------------------------------
26. Bones and Silence (6/30)
27. Revelation Space (7/10)
28. Joseph Andrews (7/11)
29. ♦Paz (7/15)
30. The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas (7/30)
31. True History of the Kelly Gang (8/13)
32. On the Road (8/21)
33. ♦Melmoth Reconciled (8/23)
34. The Heat of the Day (10/8)
35. The Bluest Eye (10/17)
36. The Radetzky March (11/11)
37. I'll Go to Bed at Noon (12/11)
38. The Friends of Eddie Coyle (12/31)

Rereads:
These books don't count towards this goal but since they are books from the Guardian's list, it feels natural to note them here.
1. This Gun for Hire (aka "A Gun for Sale") by Graham Greene (1/4)
2. A Lost Lady by Willa Cather (2/10)
3. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov (2/13)
4. Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers (2/15)
5. Dune by Frank Herbert (2/21)
6. Breakfast at Tiffany's (3/14)
7. Persuasion (3/21)
8. The Thirty-Nine Steps (5/5)
9. Greenmantle (5/11)
10. Of Mice and Men (7/6)
11. The Code of the Woosters (7/18)
12. The Jungle (8/6)
13. Treasure Island (8/25)
14. Vanity Fair (10/18)
15. Murder Must Advertise (10/25)
16. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (11/9)
17. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (11/22)
18. Cakes and Ale (12/13)
19. The Fellowship of the Ring (12/27)
20. The Two Towers (12/28)
21. The Return of the King (12/29)

'Downtown' Seal Harbor

Goal 3: Mysteries - to finish up the Nero Wolfe & the Dr. Thorndyke mystery series and to continue the Bruno Courrèges series & E.R. Punshon's Bobby Owen series. There will, of course, be many other mystery books read!
(added later) There are too many misc. mysteries to include all of them here so each month, the list will be transferred to the monthly round up post.

List of series books:
Winemaker Detective series by Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balen
Treachery in Bordeaux (2/24)
Grand Cru Heist (4/24)
Nightmare in Burgundy (6/19)
Deadly Tasting (7/17)
Cognac Conspiracies (8/28)
Mayhem in Margaux (9/27)
Flambé in Armagnac (10/14)
Montmartre Mysteries (11/20)
Backstabbing in Beaujolais (12/31)

Henry Gamadge series by Elizabeth Daly
Deadly Nightshade (3/21)
Murders in Volume 2 (7/31)
The House without the Door (8/28)
Evidence of Things Seen (9/29)
Nothing Can Rescue Me (11/14)
Arrow Pointing Nowhere (12/14)

Bobby Owen series by E.R. Punshon
Crossword Mystery (3/31)

Bruno Courrèges series by Martin Walker - done with ROOTs, series continues
Black Diamond (2/13)
The Crowded Grave (3/26)
The Devil's Cave (4/21)
The Resistance Man (5/12)
The Children Return (6/11)
The Patriarch (aka "The Dying Season") (7/7)
Fatal Pursuit (8/11)
The Templars' Last Secret (10/24)
A Taste for Vengeance (11/29)
Bruno and the Carol Singers (12/11)

Dr. Thorndyke series by R. Austin Freeman -- done as of May
The Penrose Mystery (1/3)
Felo de Se (2/4)
The Stoneware Monkey (3/3)
Mr. Polton Explains (4/8)
The Jacob Street Mystery (5/6)

Nero Wolfe series by Rex Stout -- done as of August
A Right to Die (1/30)
The Doorbell Rang (2/5) {reread via audiobook}
Death of a Doxy (2/26) {reread via audiobook}
The Father Hunt (3/2)
The Mother Hunt (4/8)
Trio for Blunt Instruments (4/19)
Death of a Dude (5/4)
Please Pass the Guilt (6/1)
A Family Affair (7/4)
Death Times Three (8/4)

Aurelio Zen series by Michael Dibdin -- done as of August
And Then You Die (1/29)
Medusa (2/11)
Back to Bologna (3/25)
End Games (8/18)

miscellaneous (December):
Split Code (12/1)
Gaudy Night (12/3)
Busman's Honeymoon (12/4)
The Whisper in the Gloom (12/7)
All the Devils Are Here (12/13)

January's misc. list is in post #130 of the 1st thread
February's misc. list is in post #194 of the 1st thread
March's misc. list is in post #42 of the 2nd thread
April's misc. list is in post #135 of the 2nd thread
May's misc. list is in post #156 of the 2nd thread
June's misc. list is in post #195 of the 2nd thread
July's misc. list is in post #39 of this thread
August's misc. list is in post #82 of this thread
September - none :(
October's misc. list is in post #122 of this thread
November's misc. list is in post #166 of this thread

Eagle Lake Carriage road bridge (built by the CCC)

BingoDOG - 2nd card 1st card done as of July



Books used:
1. Pen name/anon. author: Monk's Hood by Ellis Peters (7/24) (nom de plume of Edith Mary Pargeter)
2. 3+ letters of 'BINGO': The Kalahari Typing School for Men (8/9) (Typing)
3. Proper name in title: The Code of the Woosters (7/18)
4. Title contains a pun: On Her Majesty's Frightfully Secret Service (7/21)
5. Not set on Earth: Sargasso of Space (8/13)
6.
7. Red cover: 44 Scotland Street (7/30) (see below for image of cover)
8. Small press or self-published: Jade O'Reilly and the Mysterious Musician (7/28)
9.
10.
11. LT Author: Rules of Murder by Julianna Deering (7/28)
12.
13. Read a CAT: Asterix and the Banquet by René Goscinny (7/30) (July RandomCAT)
14.
15.
16. Non-U.S./U.K. female author: All the Devils Are Here by Louise Penny (12/13) (Canadian)
17. Set in Asia: A Case of Two Cities (8/8) (set in Shanghai & St. Louis)
18. Mystery or true crime: Photo Finish (7/18)
19. About birth or death: Deadly Appearances (10/5)
20. By journalist/about journalism: The Devil's Highway by Luis Alberto Urrea (10/10)
21. Weird book title: Livin' Lahaina Loca (11/21)
22.
23. From a Legacy Library: Grave Mistake (7/20) (in Edward Gorey's Legacy Library)
24. Published in 2020: All the Devils Are Here (12/13)
25. Involves real historical events: The Red Umbrella (7/26) (Operation Pedro Pan, 1961)

Square #7 - red cover:

Bar Harbor restaurants by the dock

The Read It, Track It 2020 Group challenge "Separated by the Pond" is tracked here graphically. To quote from that group's post:
"... we are looking to try and visit the states, counties and provinces of The USA, Canada, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Some may be easier than others!

To get a book added to the challenge post it below when you have read it, giving the book title, author and which state, county or province it visited. I will then allocate it to the right state / county / province. The book only has to visit the location and not all be set in that area. Each book can only be used for one state, county or province."

United States

Make yours @ BigHugeLabs.com

Canada


https://mapchart.net/canada.html

United Kingdom & Ireland
Red=England; Green=Ireland; Yellow=Wales; Purple=Scotland


https://mapchart.net/uk.html

"Eyrie", the Rockerfeller's Seal Harbor summer cottage

Here are the books I read for the various KITs and CATs of July...

AlphaKIT July: R & J
Junkyard Cats (7/1)
Double Contact by James White (7/3)
A Family Affair by Rex Stout (7/5)
*Revelation Space (7/10)
*Joseph Andrews (7/11)
Reginald in Russia and Other Sketches (7/13)
Just Add Salt (7/15)
Relative Fortunes (7/16)
Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit (7/22)
Raven Black (7/25)
The Red Umbrella (7/26)
The Janus Stone (7/26)
Rules of Murder (7/28)
Jade O'Reilly and the Mysterious Musician (7/28)

RandomCAT: Picture This!
Asterix the Gladiator (7/8)
Asterix and the Banquet (7/30)

MysteryKIT: Mash-up
The Caves of Steel (7/4)
The Naked Sun (7/11)
Relative Fortunes (7/16)
On Her Majesty's Frightfully Secret Service (7/21)
Murder in Grub Street (7/23)
Rules of Murder (7/28)

SFFKit: Space Opera
Double Contact (7/3)
*Revelation Space (7/10)

GeoCAT: South America, Latin America & Caribbean
Just Add Salt (7/15) (Mexico)
The Red Umbrella (7/26) (Cuba)
*The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas (7/30) (Brazil)

Group & Buddy Reads:
Five Red Herrings by Dorothy Sayers (Lord Peter Group Read) (7/3)
*Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (group read over at Goodreads) (7/6)

223. *The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse (1938) {reread}
Audiobook, full cast narration (LATW website); 238 pgs; finished 7/18; 5*
BingoDOG Square #3: Proper Name in the Title

From the book blurb:
"Take Gussie Fink-Nottle, Madeline Bassett, old Pop Bassett, the unscrupulous Stiffy Byng, the Rev., an 18th-century cow-creamer, a small brown leather covered notebook and mix with a dose of the aged aunt Dahlia and one has a dangerous brew which spells toil and trouble for Bertie and Jeeves."

My thoughts:
2020 reread via full cast audiobook (Martin Jarvis as Jeeves) streamed from LATW website. This (possibly slightly abridged) edition isn't quite as good as the Jonathan Cecil narration but it was still a extremely funny book. A great way to spend a morning :)

224. Photo Finish by Ngaio Marsh (1980)
Print (MOB, read in hardcover omnibus "Ngaio Marsh: 5 Complete Novels"); 224 pgs; finished 7/18; 3*
Mystery
ROOT: omnibus owned since June 2015
BingoDOG Square #18: Mystery or true crime

From the book blurb:
"MURDER IN HIGH C...
A persistent paparazzi has hounded operatic soprano Isabella Sommita until her nerves are at the breaking point. Now her millionaire boyfriend has whisked her to a New Zealand island to recover. There she plans a performance of an aria written just for her-- by her secret young lover, who, along with a bevy of envious celebrities, is also on the island. It's the perfect set-up for grand opera-- wild passions...and bloody murder. And when the great singer is found dead, a photo on her bosom, Superintendent Roderick Alleyn must find out who did the diva in..."

My thoughts:
Read in the hardcover omnibus "Ngaio Marsh: 5 Complete Novels"

Once again Marsh takes us to New Zealand, this time with Alleyn accompanying Troy on a commission to paint a famous soprano (with of course some commission of his own from the Chief Commissioner!). I liked the setting and I am always glad when Troy is involved but for some reason this late entry in the series seemed to lack some of the spark that her earlier books had. Maybe I am missing Fox?

225. The Butler Did It by P.G. Wodehouse (aka "Something Fishy") (1957)
ebook (Open Library); 214 pgs; finished 7/19; 4.5*

From the book blurb:
"Something Fishy is top-notch Wodehouse. When Keggs was a butler he eavesdropped on a meeting between his employer, J.J. Bunyan, and a covey of tycoons--J.J. and his associates each agreed to put up fifty-thousand dollars, the total to go to whichever of their sons was the last to marry. Thirty years later, Keggs wants to cash in on what he knows."

My thoughts:
Originally published under the title "Something Fishy", this stand-alone shows Wodehouse at his best. Hilarious!
Read in the omnibus "P.G. Wodehouse: 5 Complete Novels"

226. Grave Mistake by Ngaio Marsh (1978)
Print (MOB, read in hardcover omnibus); 256 pgs; finished 7/20; 4*
ROOT: omnibus owned since June 2015
Mystery
BingoDOG Square #23: From a Legacy Library (Edward Gorey's)
Read It, Track It - Separated by the Pond: England/Kent

From the book blurb:
"A spa stay turns into a homicidal holiday...
A bit snobbish and a trifle high-strung, Sybil Foster prides herself on owning the finest estate in Upper Quintern and hiring the best gardener. In fact, she is rapturous over the new asparagus beds when a visit from her unwelcome stepson sends her scurrying to a chic spa for a rest cure, a liaison with the spa's director...and an apparent suicide. Her autopsy holds one surprise, a secret drawer a second. And Inspector Roderick Alleyn, C.I.D., digging about Upper Quintern, may unearth still a third...deeply buried motive for murder."

My thoughts:
A good mystery of the Golden Age type despite the 1970s setting.

227. On Her Majesty's Frightfully Secret Service by Rhys Bowen (20
Kindle book (Dad's Kindle); pgs; finished 7/21; 3.5*
ROOT: Kindle owned since July 2017
Mystery
AlphaKIT July: R & J
BingoDOG Square 4: Title contains a pun

From the book blurb:
"There are more important things than being thirty-fifth in line for the British crown, and Lady Georgiana Rannoch knows her true love, Darcy O’Mara, is one of them. Luckily, the Queen agrees, but she has a little mission for Georgie before she can say “I do!”

When Darcy runs off on another secret assignment, I am left to figure out how to travel to Italy sans maid and chaperone to help my dear friend Belinda, as she awaits the birth of her baby alone. An opportunity presents itself in a most unexpected way— my cousin the queen is in need of a spy to attend a house party in the Italian lake country. The Prince of Wales and the dreadful Mrs. Simpson have been invited, and Her Majesty is anxious to thwart a possible secret wedding.

What luck! A chance to see Belinda and please the queen as I seek her permission to relinquish my claim to the throne so I can marry Darcy. Only that’s as far as my good fortune takes me. I soon discover that Mummy is attending the villa party and she has her own secret task for me Then, Darcy shows up and tells me that the fate of a world on the brink of war could very well depend on what I overhear at dinner! I shouldn’t be all that surprised when of one my fellow guests is murdered and my Italian holiday becomes a nightmare..."

My thoughts:

228. Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit by P.G. Wodehouse (1954) (reread)
Paperback (MOB); 191 pgs; finished 7/22; 4.5*
AlphaKIT July: R & J
Read It, Track It - Separated by the Pond: England/Worcestershire

From the book blurb:
"Fans of P. G. Wodehouse's comic genius are legion, and their devotion to his masterful command of the hilarity borders on an obsession.

In Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit, Bertie is in it up to his neck when a perfectly harmless visit to Aunt Dahlia at Brinkley Court finds him engaged and beleaguered on all sides, and only Jeeves can save the day. It was Bertie Wooster's opinion that the moustache he had recently allowed to sprout from his upper lip did something for him. Nor was he alone in this view; the moustache had other supporters among his circle of friends and no less an authority than Florence Craye had signified her approval of it. But there were some equally outspoken warriors in the opposing camp. Jeeves did not approve of the new growth and expressed himself in such terms that some feeling of coolness between him and Bertram could not fail to result. Then the thunder-clouds began to gather from another direction and Wooster thought to face the impending crisis alone. But not so, Jeeves; he was not the man to allow a domestic tiff to come between him and the common enemy. The feudal spirit burned bright within him and he rallied to his master's cause as resourcefully and imperturbably as ever before. Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit is a novel in which Jeeves and Bertie Wooster return to the Wodehouse scene at the very top of their form."

My thoughts:
July 2020 reread:
Classic Wodehouse zaniness. As I mentioned in my 2017 review (of the audiobook edition), it was fun having Spode reappear (especially having recently having revisited "The Code of the Woosters" in which he had previously appeared).

229. Broken Harbor by Tana French (2012)
Audiobook narrated by William Hogan (RBDigital); 535 pgs; finished 7/22; 3.5*
Mystery
Read It, Track It - Separated by the Pond: Ireland/Dublin

From the book blurb:
"Mick “Scorcherˮ Kennedy is the star of the Dublin Murder Squad. He plays by the books and plays hard, and thatʼs how the biggest case of the year ends up in his hands.

On one of the half-abandoned “luxuryˮ developments that litter Ireland, Patrick Spain and his two young children have been murdered. His wife, Jenny, is in intensive care. At first, Scorcher thinks itʼs going to be an easy solve, but too many small things canʼt be explained: the half-dozen baby monitors pointed at holes smashed in the Spainsʼ walls, the files erased from the familyʼs computer, the story Jenny told her sister about a shadowy intruder slipping past the houseʼs locks. And this neighborhood—once called Broken Harbor—holds memories for Scorcher and his troubled sister, Dina: childhood memories that Scorcher thought he had tightly under control."

My thoughts:
A bit darker story than I prefer but well written and compelling.

I have been finding that my tolerance of noir has been decreasing. I guess that I have decided that there isn't a lot of point to experiencing that pain and gruesomeness if I don't have to & what I really like about mysteries is the puzzle & the feeling that good triumphs over evil. If you feel differently, then I would recommend this book!

Happy new thread! My mum just finished an omnibus of Jeeves novels. I might have to borrow it next time I visit.

What beautiful pics!

Happy new thread! The pictures are lovely. Though the Rockefellers' idea of a cottage is a bit...odd, shall we say?

Happy new thread! I loved seeing the new pictures. Also, I see you're reading a lot of Wodehouse, which seems like the perfect antidote to life right now!

>15 rabbitprincess: Wodehouse can always be counted on to make you at least smile if not guffaw. And the books are quick reads :)

>16 Tess_W: Thanks Tess. MDI is a beautiful place so it isn't hard to find lovely pictures for my thread *grin*

>17 MissWatson: LOL - theirs isn't the only "cottage" that would be called a mansion by any sane individual! MDI in general & Seal Harbor in particular was the place where many wealthy families spent the summer (the Rockerfeller family had a couple of places owned by different branches of the family; the Fords also had a "cottage" nearby - in later years it was purchased by Martha Stewart). I guess that the term was used because it was the summer place, though you would think that they could have at least called it a house rather than a cottage!!

>18 christina_reads: When I started reading Broken Harbor, I could tell right away that I would need something light to read before going to bed if I didn't want to have nightmares. Having just reread The Code of the Woosters, it was inevitable that more Wodehouse would come to mind to solve my problem.

Sorry, Touchstones don't seem to be working.

Happy new thread - I am enjoying all the pictures of MDI, it looks like it would be wonderful area to explore.

>20 DeltaQueen50: Thanks Judy! I feel that way about your neck of the woods.

230. Murder in Grub Street by Bruce Alexander (1995) (reread)
Paperback (MOB); 320 pgs; finished 7/23; 4*
Mystery
MysteryKIT July: Mash-up

From the book blurb:
"The crime appeared as easily solved as it was wicked. A Grub Street printer, his family, and two apprentices brutally murdered in their sleep. A locked building. And at the scene, a raving mad poet brandishing a bloody axe. Surely the culprit had been found, and justice would be swift and severe.

But to Sir John Fielding, justice was more than finding a culprit-it was finding the truth. Aided by thirteen-year-old Jeremy Proctor, Fielding decided to investigate further. And the truth behind the Grub Street massacre was more evil-and more deadly-than the dastardly crime itself."

My thoughts:
2020 reread:
This second book in the Sir John Fielding series has more thrills than the first book but it is still a mystery (rather than a thriller or suspense story). Even having read this before, I enjoyed watching events unfold and the historical fiction is excellent.

Despite the gruesome nature of the killings, this book doesn't strike me as dark. The emphasis is on the investigation of the case and on the daily life of Jeremy Proctor in Sir John's household.

231. Death of a Cad by M.C. Beaton (1987)
Audiobook narrated by Anthony Ferguson (BPL); 187 pgs; finished 7/23; 2.5*
Mystery

From the book blurb:
"When Priscilla Halburton-Smythe brings her London playwright fiancé home to Lochdubh, everybody in town is delighted . . . except for love-smitten Constable Hamish Macbeth. Yet his affairs of the heart will have to wait. Vile, boorish Captain Bartlett, one of the guests at Priscilla's engagement party, has just been found murdered-shot while on a grouse hunt. Now with many titled party guests as the prime suspects, each with a reason for snuffing out the despicable captain, Hamish must smooth ruffled feathers as he investigates the case. When the hidden culprit strikes again, Hamish will find himself trying to save Priscilla from a miserable marriage-and catch a killer before he flies the coop."

My thoughts:
I thought that this 2nd book in the Hamish Macbeth series was an improvement over the first book. However, the culprit was obvious to me long before Hamish figured it out & the trope of the incompetent superior officer was beginning to wear thin.

I might have enjoyed this a bit more if there had been a bigger gap between reading the first book & this one, but unfortunately, my library audiobook was an omnibus edition with both of them. I just couldn't return it without listening to both books! I will probably return to this series again but not for a while.

232. Monk's Hood by Ellis Peters (19
Kindle book (BPL); 286 pgs; finished 7/24; 4*
Mystery
MysteryKIT July: Mash-up
BingoDOG Square #1: Pen name/anon. author (Ellis Peters is the nom de plume of Edith Mary Pargeter)
Read It, Track It - Separated by the Pond: Wales/Powys

From the book blurb:
"Silver Dagger Award Winner: In this medieval mystery, Brother Cadfael faces suspicion when one of his herbal ingredients is used to kill a man.

Christmas 1138. Gervase Bonel is a guest of Shrewsbury Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul when he suddenly takes ill. Luckily, the abbey boasts the services of the clever and kindly Brother Cadfael, a skilled herbalist. Cadfael hurries to the man’s bedside, only to be confronted with two surprises: In Master Bonel’s wife, the good monk recognizes Richildis, whom he loved before he took his vows—and Master Bonel has been fatally poisoned by monk’s-hood oil from Cadfael’s stores.

The sheriff is convinced that the murderer is Richildis’s son, Edwin, who hated his stepfather. But Cadfael, guided in part by his concern for a woman to whom he was once betrothed, is certain of her son’s innocence. Using his knowledge of both herbs and the human heart, Cadfael deciphers a deadly recipe for murder."

My thoughts:
Honestly, I cannot say whether this is a reread or not. I recalled the basics of the plot from seeing the TV adaptation (with Derek Jacobi) but even knowing the solution to the mystery, this book was enjoyable to read. Peters did a masterful job of conveying life in 1100s England & Wales and Cadfael is a wonderful protagonist.

233. Raven Black by Ann Cleeves (2006)
Kindle books (Dad's Kindle); 384 pgs; finished 7/25; 4*
ROOT: Kindle owned since July 2017
Mystery
AlphaKIT July: J & R
Read It, Track It - Separated by the Pond: Scotland/Shetland

From the book blurb:
"Winner of Britain’s coveted Duncan Lawrie Dagger Award, Ann Cleeves introduces a dazzling new suspense series to mystery readers.

Raven Black begins on New Year’s Eve with a lonely outcast named Magnus Tait, who stays home waiting for visitors who never come. But the next morning the body of a murdered teenage girl is discovered nearby, and suspicion falls on Magnus. Inspector Jimmy Perez enters an investigative maze that leads deeper into the past of the Shetland Islands than anyone wants to go."

My thoughts:
This first book in the Shetland series was better than I expected (based upon watching the TV adaptations). A tad more about Jimmie Perez's personal life than I prefer but at least it wasn't completely angst-ridden!

234. The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez (2010)
Audiobook narrated by Kyla Garcia (SYNC); 288 pgs; finished 7/26; 4*
ROOT: audiobook owned since June 2017
GeoCAT July: The Caribbean & South, Central and Latin America (Cuba)
BingoDOG Square #25: Involves real historical events (Operation Pedro Pan, 1961)
Read It, Track It - Separated by the Pond: U.S.A./Nebraska

From the book blurb:
"The Red Umbrella is the moving tale of a 14-year-old girl's journey from Cuba to America as part of Operation Pedro Pan—an organized exodus of more than 14,000 unaccompanied children, whose parents sent them away to escape Fidel Castro's revolution.

In 1961, two years after the Communist revolution, Lucía Álvarez still leads a carefree life, dreaming of parties and her first crush. But when the soldiers come to her sleepy Cuban town, everything begins to change. Freedoms are stripped away. Neighbors disappear. Her friends feel like strangers. And her family is being watched.

As the revolution's impact becomes more oppressive, Lucía's parents make the heart-wrenching decision to send her and her little brother to the United States—on their own.

Suddenly plunked down in Nebraska with well-meaning strangers, Lucía struggles to adapt to a new country, a new language, a new way of life. But what of her old life? Will she ever see her home or her parents again? And if she does, will she still be the same girl?"

My thoughts:
Great book! And Kyla Garcia's narration was wonderful. The main thing holding me back from giving it 5* is the happy ending. I liked it but think it might have been more realistic, if more tragic, if the family hadn't been reunited.

235. The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths (2010)
Kindle book (BPL); 337 pgs; finished 7/26; 4*
Mystery
AlphaKIT July: R & J
Read It, Track It - Separated by the Pond: England/Norfolk

From the book blurb:
"It’s been only a few months since archaeologist Ruth Galloway found herself entangled in a missing persons case, barely escaping with her life. But when construction workers demolishing a large old house in Norwich uncover the bones of a child beneath a doorway—minus its skull—Ruth is once again called upon to investigate. Is it a Roman-era ritual sacrifice, or is the killer closer at hand?

Ruth and Detective Harry Nelson would like to find out—and fast. When they realize the house was once a children’s home, they track down the Catholic priest who served as its operator. Father Hennessey reports that two children did go missing from the home forty years before—a boy and a girl. They were never found. When carbon dating proves that the child’s bones predate the home and relate to a time when the house was privately owned, Ruth is drawn ever more deeply into the case. But as spring turns into summer it becomes clear that someone is trying very hard to put her off the trail by frightening her, and her unborn child, half to death."

236. Rules of Murder by Julianna Deering (2013)
Kindle book (Amazon); 338 pgs; finished 7/28; 3*
ROOT: Kindle book owned since June 2015
Mystery
MysteryKIT July: Mash-up
AlphaKIT July: R & J
BingoDOG Square #11: LT Author

From the book blurb:
"Drew Farthering loves a good mystery, although he generally expects to find it in the pages of a novel, not on the grounds of his country estate. When a weekend party at Farthering Place is ruined by murder and the police seem flummoxed, Drew decides to look into the crime himself. With the help of his best friend, Nick Dennison, an avid mystery reader, and Madeline Parker, a beautiful and whip-smart American debutante staying as a guest, the three try to solve the mystery as a lark, using the methods from their favorite novels.

Soon, financial irregularities at Drew’s stepfather’s company come to light and it’s clear that all who remain at Farthering Place could be in danger. Trying hard to remain one step ahead of the killer–and trying harder to impress Madeline–Drew must decide how far to take this game."

My thoughts:
Good mystery but I could have done without the slight Christian emphasis... this was not as marked as I have come across before but there was enough that I noticed and was a bit annoyed.

237. Jade O'Reilly and the Mysterious Musician (2012)
Kindle book (Amazon); 57 pgs; finished 7/28; 3*
ROOT: Kindle book owned since Aug. 2012
Mystery
AlphaKIT July: J & R
BingoDOG Square #8: Small press or self-published (self-published)

From the book blurb:
"Sassy private investigator Jade O’Reilly solves her own problems. She doesn’t cry when her Jeep is crudely vandalized. When news of Jade joining her ex-fiancé at a bar following her date with another man hits the small-town gossip circuit in Sweetwater, NC, she doesn’t whine to her co-workers. And when one of those co-workers suggests she trade in her combat boots for stilettos, Jade doesn’t demurely give in. She takes care of business. That business includes getting to the bottom of an investigation into a mysterious young bass player who sounds too good to be true. Will Jade be able to close the case, or will she finally have to admit defeat?"

My thoughts:
Not bad short mystery story but what was up with the gigantic font??

And I just realized that I forgot to include a play I listened to over the weekend:

238. The Constant Wife by W. Somerset Maugham (1927)
Audiobook with full cast (LATW website); 72 pgs; finished 7/25; 4.5*

From the book blurb:
"There’s something Constance Middleton’s friends are dying to tell her: her husband is having an affair—with her best friend! Despite their hints, Constance remains ever cool, and seemingly oblivious. Or is she? In this biting comedy of manners, marriages and mistresses from W. Somerset Maugham, Constance — a not-so-desperate housewife — has some ideas of her own about extra-marital activity that surprise everyone in the end.

Recorded before a live audience at the Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles in April of 2010."

My thoughts:
I listened to this full cast audiobook by streaming from the LATW website. What a funny play! And I loved the ending... I'll have to keep my eye open to see if I can catch a performance sometime. The theme was a bit similar to the later play, "The Women" by Clare Boothe Luce, but Maugham's play is more acerbic and surprisingly more feminist.

Starring: Kate Burton, Rosalind Ayres, Mark Capri, Stephen Collins, John de Lancie, Jen Dede, Christina Pickles, Kirsten Potter

>30 leslie.98: Glad you enjoyed this. I have it on my ereader, but not yet read.

>31 Tess_W: You can listen to the full cast audiobook for a little while longer at

https://latw.org/broadcasts#broadcast

If it isn't the first (top) play shown, scroll down to the recent broadcasts section.

239. Heretics Anonymous by Katie Henry (2018)
Audiobook narrated by Michael Crouch (SYNC); 329 pgs; finished 7/29; 4*
ROOT: Audiobook owned since June 2019

From the book blurb:
"* New York Public Library Best Books 2018 *

Put an atheist in a strict Catholic school? Expect comedy, chaos, and an Inquisition. The Breakfast Club meets Saved! in debut author Katie Henry’s hilarious novel about a band of misfits who set out to challenge their school, one nun at a time. Perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Robyn Schneider.

When Michael walks through the doors of Catholic school, things can’t get much worse. His dad has just made the family move again, and Michael needs a friend. When a girl challenges their teacher in class, Michael thinks he might have found one, and a fellow atheist at that. Only this girl, Lucy, isn’t just Catholic . . . she wants to be a priest.

Lucy introduces Michael to other St. Clare’s outcasts, and he officially joins Heretics Anonymous, where he can be an atheist, Lucy can be an outspoken feminist, Avi can be Jewish and gay, Max can wear whatever he wants, and Eden can practice paganism...."

My thoughts:
Less humor than I expected based on the blurb & very much a YA novel (lots of teenaged angst & young love), but still a good read. The book is more about how do groups or societies balance the need for cooperation & trouble-free operation with the needs of individuals who don't conform or challenge authority's rules than it is about religion.

240. *The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas by Machado de Assis (1881), translator unknown
Kindle book (Sensational books); 240 pgs; finished 7/30; 3*
ROOT: Kindle book owned since Oct. 2015
Guardian's list
GeoCAT July: Caribbean & South, Central and Latin America (Brazil)

From the book blurb:
"Fans of Latin American literature will be thrilled by Oxford University Press's new translations of works by 19th-century Brazilian author Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis. His novels are both heartbreaking and comic; his limning of a colonial Brazil in flux is both perceptive and remarkably modern. The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas is written as an autobiography, a chronicle of the erotic misadventures of its narrator, Brás Cubas--who happens to be dead. In pursuit of love and progeny, Cubas rejects the women who want him and aspires to the ones who reject him. In the end, he dies unloved and without heirs, yet he somehow manages to turn this bitter pill into a victory of sorts. What makes Memoirs stand up 100 years after the book was written is Machado's biting humor, brilliant prose, and profound understanding of all the vagaries of human behavior."

My thoughts:
I wish I had read that Oxford University Press edition! You'll see why below.

I should just face up to the fact that I just don't get South American literature. Each time I try, I end up feeling like there is some hidden meaning that I am not understanding :(

Of course, my difficulty in understanding the point was increased in this instance by the poor translation I had (book downloaded from http://ebook.visitbrasil.com/detalhe.html?idbook=7); my complaint is ungracious as the book was free but I would advise anyone thinking of reading this book in English to seek out a better translator. For example, there were several instances when a woman was referred to as "he" rather than "she" - could be a typo, I suppose, but there were also some strange word choices.

Having voiced my complaints, I will say that I didn't find the book dull though I did have to read it in small doses. That seemed fitting as the (many) chapters were all quite short - a few just a single sentence!

Oh dear, I have once again fallen behind... I could blame the power outage following the passage of tropical storm Isaias (which included an extended internet outage even after the power came back on) but that only happened yesterday. In the next day or so, I should be able to at least do my July summary & post on several (if not all) of my books read since The Posthumous Memoirs (5 finished since then!).

241. The Misanthrope by Molière (1666), translated by Richard Wilbur {reread}
Audiobook with full cast narration (NOBLE); 64 pgs; finished 7/30; 4.5*

From the book blurb:
"The Misanthrope or Le Misanthrope ou l’Atrabilaire amoureux is a comedy of manners in five acts and in verse.

It is one of the best of Molière's plays — and one of the greatest of all comedies — spotlighting the absurdities of social and literary pretension, focusing on a man who is quick to criticize the faults of others, yet remains blind to his own.
This play satirizes the hypocrisies of French aristocratic society, but it also engages a more serious tone when pointing out the flaws, which all humans possess. The play differs from other farces at the time by employing dynamic characters like Alceste and Célimène as opposed to the traditionally flat characters used by most satirists to criticize problems in society. It also differs from most of Molière's other works by focusing more on character development and nuances than on plot progression. The play, though not a commercial success in its time, survives as Molière's best-known work today. Much of its universal appeal is due to common undercurrents of misanthropy across cultural borders."

My thoughts:
This play is full of humorous word-play so make sure that you have a good translation; in my opinion the Richard Wilbur translation is the best one. The L.A. Theatre Works full cast production was excellent. The only thing that would have been better would have been to see the performance instead of just listening to it!

242. 44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith (2005)
Kindle book (CW MARS); 352 pgs; finished 7/30; 4*
Read It, Track It - Separated by the Pond: Scotland/Edinburgh
BingoDOG Square #7: Red cover

From the book blurb:
"Welcome to 44 Scotland Street, home to some of Edinburgh's most colorful characters. There's Pat, a twenty-year-old who has recently moved into a flat with Bruce, an athletic young man with a keen awareness of his own appearance. Their neighbor, Domenica, is an eccentric and insightful widow. In the flat below are Irene and her appealing son Bertie, who is the victim of his mother’s desire for him to learn the saxophone and italian–all at the tender age of five.

Love triangles, a lost painting, intriguing new friends, and an encounter with a famous Scottish crime writer are just a few of the ingredients that add to this delightful and witty portrait of Edinburgh society, which was first published as a serial in The Scotsman newspaper."

My thoughts:
Enjoyable light reading

243. Asterix and the Banquet by René Goscinny (1963), illustrated by Albert Uderzo & translated by Anthea Bell and Derek Hockridge
ebook (Internet Archive); 48 pgs; finished 7/30; 3.5*
RandomCAT July: Picture This
BingoDOG Square #13: Read a CAT

From the book blurb:
"Gaul, now France, has always been famous for its food and drink - so when, for a bet with the Romans, Asterix and Obelix travel round collecting local delicacies they start on the journey home with all sorts of goodies. First, however, they must outwit the thieves Villanus and Unscrupulus. And who's that little dog who has been following them all the way?"

My thoughts:
Pleasure as always!

244. Murders in Volume 2 by Elizabeth Daly (1941)
Kindle book (Dad's Kindle); 232 pgs; finished 7/31; 4*
ROOT: Kindle owned since July 2017
Mystery: book #3 in the Henry Gamadge series

From the book blurb:
"One hundred years earlier, a beautiful guest had disappeared from the wealthy Vauregard household, along with the second volume of the collected works of Byron. Improbably, both guest and book seem to have reappeared, neither having aged a day. The elderly Mr. Vauregard is inclined to believe the young woman's story of having vacationed on an astral plane. But his dubious niece calls in Henry Gamadge, gentleman-sleuth, expert in rare books, and sufficiently well-bred to avoid distressing the delicate Vauregard sensibilities. As Gamadge discovers, the household includes an aging actress with ties to a spiritualist sect and a shy beauty with a shady fiancé."

My thoughts:
This 3rd book in the Henry Gamadge series is the first to take place in Henry's home city of New York. Though his logic in the final summing up was obvious (once I read it), I had not managed to figure it out for myself despite there being no "hidden" clues or specialist knowledge that gave Henry any advantage. And there were some interesting possible developments in his personal life...

I am adding this series to the ones I am 'working' on.

July summary: 43 books read, 20 of which were ROOTs, and 8 new books acquired.
Best books of the month:
*Of Mice and Men & *The Code of the Woosters {rereads} - both 5*
The Butler Did It (aka "Something Fishy") & The Constant Wife {new-to-me} - both 4.5*

4 new-to-me books read from the Guardian's list, 1 of them from Balzac's Human Comedy.

And I also read the worst book of the year (at least so far!) in July - Just Add Salt by Jinx Schwartz (1.5*). The post about this book is in the previous thread.

New books obtained: (all Kindle editions unless otherwise noted)
Fresh Ink (audiobook) {SYNC freebie}
Trust No One July Amazon Prime First Reads freebie
Twelth Night (audiobook) {SYNC freebie}
A Christmas Carol: What if Scrooge were a Woman? adapted by Alison Larkin (audiobook) {SYNC freebie}
New York 2140 (audiobook) {SYNC freebie}
Fake (audiobook) {SYNC freebie}
Burn Baby Burn (audiobook) {SYNC freebie}
*Kindred (audiobook) {SYNC freebie}

Miscellaneous mysteries read (not from series I have been working on):
Five Red Herrings (7/3) {reread}
The Caves of Steel (7/4) {reread}
The Naked Sun (7/11) {reread}
Just Add Salt (7/15)
The Overnight Kidnapper (7/16)
Death of a Gossip (7/17)
Photo Finish (7/18)
Grave Mistake (7/19)
On Her Majesty's Frightfully Secret Service (7/21)
Broken Harbor (7/22)
Murder in Grub Street (7/23) {reread}
Death of a Cad (7/23)
Monk's Hood (7/24)
Raven Black (7/25)
The Janus Stone (7/26)
Rules of Murder (7/28)
Jade O'Reilly and the Mysterious Musician (7/28)

Gatehouse near the Jordan Pond House

Here are the books I read for the various KITs and CATs of August...

AlphaKIT August: O & H
The Old Reliable (8/1)
Have His Carcase (8/3) {reread}
Headaches Can Be Murder (8/5)
The Obelisk Gate (8/9)
The Hanged Man of Saint-Pholien (8/13)
*On the Road (8/21)
One Fine Day the Rabbi Bought a Cross (8/23)

RandomCAT: Get Your Groove On
Amadeus (8/14)

MysteryKIT: International
A Case of Two Cities (8/8) (Shanghai & St. Louis)
The Kalahari Typing School for Men (8/9) (Botswana)
Fatal Pursuit (8/11) (France)
The Hanged Man of Saint-Pholien (8/13) (France)
End Games (8/18) (Italy)
One Fine Day the Rabbi Bought a Cross (8/23) (Israel)

SFFKit: By a female author
The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin (8/9)
Sargasso of Space by Andre Norton (8/13)
Marianne, the Magus and the Manticore by Sheri S. Tepper (8/21)

GeoCAT: East & Southeast Asia
A Case of Two Cities (8/8) (Shanghai & St. Louis)

Group & Buddy Reads:
Have His Carcase (8/3) {reread} - August Lord Peter Wimsey group read
*True History of the Kelly Gang (8/13) - group read over at Goodreads

245. The Old Reliable by P.G. Wodehouse (1951)
ebook (Open Library); 176 pgs; finished 8/1; 3.5*
AlphaKIT August: O & H

From the book blurb:
"King Solomon, Brigham Young and Henry VIII may have enjoyed marriage but Smedley Cork had doubts- much to the regret of Wilhelmina 'Bill' Shannon.

Other people had their problems too, at the Hollywood home of Adela Shannon, Empress of Stormy Emotion, none more than Phipps, butler extraordinary and safe-cracker cum laude...

When Smedley found the revealing diary of a torrid film star, eagerly sought after by the Studios in exchange for cash by the handful, it looked as though joy would be unconfined for the many.

Yet, as some wise bird once said, there's many a slip... and Phipps proved a very slippery customer indeed..."

My thoughts:
One of Wodehouse's standalone novels that are set in the U.S., in this case Hollywood. Many grins & giggles but not quite as hilarious as some of his books.
Read in the omnibus "P.G. Wodehouse: 5 Complete Novels"

246. Have His Carcase by Dorothy L. Sayers (1932) {reread}
Audiobook narrated by Ian Carmichael (NOBLE) & paperback (MOB); 440 pgs; finished 8/3; 4*
Mystery: book #7 in the Lord Peter Wimsey series
AlphaKIT August: O & H
Group Read - Lord Peter group read

From the book blurb:
"Mystery writer Harriet Vane, recovering from an unhappy love affair and its aftermath, seeks solace on a barren beach -- deserted but for the body of a bearded young man with his throat cut.

From the moment she photographs the corpse, which soon disappears with the tide, she is puzzled by a mystery that might have been suicide, murder or a political plot.

With the appearance of her dear friend Lord Peter Wimsey, she finds a reason for detective pursuit -- as only the two of them can pursue it."

My thoughts:
2020 reread via audiobook narrated by Ian Carmichael:
I enjoyed this entry in the Lord Peter series much more than I had remembered so I am increasing my rating from 3 to 4*.

247. Death Times Three by Rex Stout (1985)
Audiobook narrated by Michael Pritchard (BPL); 214 pgs; finished 8/3; 3.5*
Mystery: book #47 (and last one) in the Nero Wolfe series

From the book blurb:
"Archie Goodwin has his hands full when three baffling murders make him the recipient of a poisonous lunch, the fall guy for a beautiful woman, and the target of the U.S. Federal Government."

My thoughts:
Contents: Bitter end — Frame-up for murder (Murder is no joke) — Assault on a brownstone

These 3 novellas were all vaguely familiar to me - I guess from watching the TV adaptations... I enjoyed them all but I think that the first one, "Bitter End", was my favorite.

This collection was published posthumously by arrangement of Rex Stout's family. And so I come to the end of all the Nero Wolfe books written by Stout. Should I proceed to sample those Nero Wolfe books written by Robert Goldsborough?? Goldsborough's first Nero Wolfe book came out in 1986, just a year after this one, and he is still writing them (the most recent was published earlier this year) so they can't be terrible but I have a prejudice against authors taking over another (deceased) author's characters.

248. The White Feather by P.G. Wodehouse (1907)
Kindle book (Amazon); 128 pgs; finished 8/5; 3.5*
ROOT: Kindle book owned since July 2011

From the book blurb:
"In order to save his reputation and the honour of his house at school after he shames himself by running away from a fight between fellow pupils and toughs from the local town, a studious schoolboy takes up the study of boxing. This charming early novel by P. G. Wodehouse plays a series of witty variations on the standard school story of the period, balancing the minor heroics of the action against a humorously ironic commentary. The simple tale is given sparkle by vivid character drawing and the author's sharp ear for schoolboy dialogue."

My thoughts:
Despite my ignorance involving sports (what is the English sport "Fives"? is it handball?), once I got into this 'School Story' I really enjoyed it. It wasn't as humorous as many of his novels but instead was a good coming of age story from the early years of the 20th century.

249. Headaches Can Be Murder by Marilyn Rausch & Mary Donlon (2012)
Kindle book (Amazon); 256 pgs; finished 8/5; 3*
Mystery
ROOT: Kindle book owned since Dec. 2012
AlphaKIT August: O & H
Read It, Track It - Separated by the Pond: U.S.A./Iowa

From the book blurb:
"Serendipity leads Chip Collingsworth into mystery writing and to the small community of Turners Bend, Iowa, where he intertwines his new life and local events into Brain Freeze, his second novel with hero and alter ego Dr. John Goodman and FBI Agent Jo Schwann. Two crimes are solved and two romances emerge."

My thoughts:
While I enjoyed (both) the stories, it felt a little bit like the author didn't have enough material for a full novel so padded it out by including the book within a book. However, as I progressed through, I found that it was interesting to see how Chip's "real life" was showing up in his writing. I would try another book in this series.

250. *The Jungle by Upton Sinclair (1906) {reread}
Audiobook narrated by Casey Affleck (Audible) & Kindle book (Amazon); 343 pgs; finished 8/6; 4.5*
ROOT: audiobook & Kindle book both owned since April 2015

From the book blurb:
"Upton Sinclair's The Jungle is a visceral and tragic story of immigrants trying to scratch out a living in the meatpacking plants of Chicago. The resulting public outcry led directly to the US government enacting changes in food and workplace safety practices still in place today.

With food production, business ethics, and immigration back in the news, Academy Award nominee Casey Affleck (Gone Baby Gone) taps into the emotion behind these issues to breathe life back into the struggling inhabitants of Packingtown. Affleck, a committed vegan and animal rights spokesman, delivers a moving performance that connects with the book’s enduring legacy.

The Jungle revolves around the life and family of Jurgis Rudkus, a Lithuanian immigrant whose dreams of a better life are crushed by punishing work in gruesome stockyards and an unforgiving city. Brilliantly written and vividly described, it provides a poignant and incredibly detailed snapshot of a striking point in American history."

My thoughts:
I read this book in high school and recalled it as powerful and upsetting. This reread confirmed that recollection! The horrors of work in Chicago stockyards/meat packing industry in the early years of the 20th century were enough to turn my stomach as well as wrench my heart. Books like this one & Dos Passos's U.S.A. trilogy make it clear why socialism and anarchy were growing movements at that time along with labor unionism. It should be required reading for anyone who wants to roll back or eliminate health and safety regulations for industry!

And now I am up to date - for at least a short while! *grin*

>46 leslie.98: I used 2 chapters of The Jungle in my American history class. The students were appalled and astounded!

>48 Tess_W: Appalled and astounded sounds about right!

>49 leslie.98: I then take it a step further and have them read about modern day kill floor at Quaker Oats (horses made into dogfood) and then I pull our State's requirement for food inspection for dry goods--like a Nestle's Crunch Bar--where it is permitted to have no more than: 2 insect legs or wings, 1 rodent hair, etc. By now, they are gagging! Loved those kids!

I would be gagging too! As I went from 'young adult' to adult, I realized that I am a believer in the German saying "Laws are like sausages. It is better not to see them being made." especially in regards to the sausages - I would prefer not to know & enjoy them. It will be a while before I can eat them after reading The Jungle despite what one hopes are better conditions today.

251. A Case of Two Cities by Qiu Xiaolong (2006)
ebook (Open Library); 307 pgs; finished 8/8; 3.5*
Mystery
MysteryKIT August: International (China)
GeoCAT August: East & Southeastern Asia
BingoDOG Square #17: Set in Asia
AlphaKIT Yearlong: Z & X
Read It, Track It - Separated by the Pond: U.S.A./Missouri

From the book blurb:
"Inspector Chen Cao of the Shanghai Police Bureau is summoned by an official of the party to take the lead in a corruption investigation—one where the principle figure and his family have long since fled to the United States and beyond the reach of the Chinese government. But he left behind the organization and his partners-in-crime, and Inspector Chen is charged to uncover those responsible and act as necessary to end the corruption ring. In a twisting case that takes him from Shanghai, all the way to the U.S., reuniting him with his previous cohort from the U.S. Marshall's service—Inspector Catherine Rhon."

My thoughts:
I really like Chen Cao. In this 4th entry in the series, Chen is asked to work on a case of corruption with connections very high up in the government. The realities of both the difficulties in investigating and the likelihood that most of the high ranking officials involved will end up getting away with it, though well portrayed, were depressing.

I did like the fact that Chen met up with U.S. Marshal Catherine Rhon once again during his visit to the U.S.. I just wish I hadn't waited so long since my last reading from this series...

252. The Obelisk Gate by N.K. Jemisin (2016)
Kindle book (Dad's Kindle); 410 pgs; finished 8/9; 4*
ROOT: Kindle owned since July 2017
AlphaKIT August: O & H
SFFKit August: Female authors

From the book blurb:
"The second novel in a new fantasy trilogy by Hugo, Nebula & World Fantasy Award nominated author N.K. Jemisin.

THIS IS THE WAY THE WORLD ENDS... FOR THE LAST TIME.

The season of endings grows darker as civilization fades into the long cold night. Alabaster Tenring -- madman, world-crusher, savior -- has returned with a mission: to train his successor, Essun, and thus seal the fate of the Stillness forever.

It continues with a lost daughter, found by the enemy.

It continues with the obelisks, and an ancient mystery converging on answers at last.

The Stillness is the wall which stands against the flow of tradition, the spark of hope long buried under the thickening ashfall. And it will not be broken."

My thoughts:
Now that a few days have passed since I finished this book, I think it might even deserve 4.5*... Because I am slowly beginning to understand what is going on in this world, I enjoyed it more than the first book of the trilogy (The Fifth Season). I can see that this trilogy will be one that I will need to reread so that my grasp of what was really happening in the first book can be enhanced by what I learn in the following 2!

253. The Kalahari Typing School for Men by Alexander McCall Smith (2002)
Audiobook narrated by Lisette Lecat (RBDigital); 191 pgs; finished 8/9; 3.5*
Mystery
MysteryKIT August: International (Botswana)
BingoDOG Square #2: 3+ letters from the word 'BINGO'

From the book blurb:
"Now that the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is established, its founder, Precious Ramotswe, can look upon her life with pride. But life is never without its problems, as she discovers in this fourth book in a series the L.A. Times calls thoroughly engaging and entertaining."

My thoughts:
Lisette Lecat does a marvelous job narrating this audiobook. While the mystery is slight, the view of human nature and life in Botswana continued to charm.

254. Fatal Pursuit by Martin Walker (2016)
Kindle book (Dad's Kindle); 320 pgs; finished 8/11; 3.5*
ROOT: Kindle owned since July 2017
Mystery: book #9 in the Bruno Courrèges series
MysteryKIT August: International (France)

From the book blurb:
"A pair of murders, a romance and rivals in pursuit of a long-lost vintage car of unfathomable value—Bruno, chief of police, is busy in another mystery set in the beautiful Dordogne

At the annual fête in St. Denis, Bruno’s biggest worry is surviving as a last-minute replacement navigator in a car rally race. The contest and a classic-car parade are new to the festivities and draw a spate of outsiders with deep pockets, big-city egos and, in the case of a young Englishman, an intriguing story. It’s the tale of a Bugatti Type 57C, lost somewhere in France during World War II. Among the most beautiful cars ever made, one of only four of its kind—Ralph Lauren owns one—it is worth millions and drives its pursuers mad with greed. In the midst of the festivities, a local scholar turns up dead and Bruno suspects unnatural causes. After a second death, there is mounting evidence that the events in St. Denis are linked to international crime.

To make matters even more complicated, a family squabble over land brings to St. Denis a comely Parisienne who turns Bruno’s head. As usual, Bruno’s life offers its challenges—but there is always time for a good bottle and a home-cooked meal."

My thoughts:
I liked this 9th book in the Bruno Courrèges series but it would be nice if the Brigadier and/or Isabelle were not involved in one of these books. They seem to be connected to each one of Bruno's cases!

255. *True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey (2000)
Kindle book (CLAMS); 386 pgs; finished 8/13; 3.5*
Guardian's List
Group Read over at Goodreads

From the book blurb:
" “I lost my own father at 12 yr. of age and know what it is to be raised on lies and silences my dear daughter you are presently too young to understand a word I write but this history is for you and will contain no single lie may I burn in Hell if I speak false.”

In True History of the Kelly Gang, the legendary Ned Kelly speaks for himself, scribbling his narrative on errant scraps of paper in semiliterate but magically descriptive prose as he flees from the police. To his pursuers, Kelly is nothing but a monstrous criminal, a thief and a murderer. To his own people, the lowly class of ordinary Australians, the bushranger is a hero, defying the authority of the English to direct their lives. Indentured by his bootlegger mother to a famous horse thief (who was also her lover), Ned saw his first prison cell at 15 and by the age of 26 had become the most wanted man in the wild colony of Victoria, taking over whole towns and defying the law until he was finally captured and hanged. Here is a classic outlaw tale, made alive by the skill of a great novelist."

My thoughts:
I liked this novel much more than the only other Carey book I have read - Oscar and Lucinda. But something kept me from really loving it; I don't know if it was the style of the writing (which I admired for what appeared to me to be its fidelity to what writing Ned Kelly might actually have been like but found wearisome after a while) or what...

>56 leslie.98: I read the first part of this book in Granta quite a few years ago, and I've been meaning to read the entire book ever since. The style of writing was urgent and compelling as I recall; interesting that it wearied you after awhile. I really need to finally turn to this one!

>57 NinieB: Urgent and compelling are not bad descriptors of the writing but it never let up - I found it hard to keep that level of intensity. Perhaps if I had read the book in smaller doses that issue wouldn't have arisen.

256. Sargasso of Space by Andre Norton (1955)
ebook (Hoopla); 174 pgs; finished 8/13; 4*
SFFKit August: Female authors

From the book blurb:
"In the future, venturing out into the stars is more than a way for humanity to chart the cosmos--it's big business. Every time a new planet is discovered, the highest bidder gets first dibs with exclusive property rights for a year. Anything they can find, they can keep.

The planet Limbo was considered a waste of rock to most, which is the only reason apprentice cargo master Dane Thorson and the rest of the crew of the Solar Queen could afford to bid on it. But they soon discover that Limbo is far from uninhabited, the Solar Queen is far from the first ship to explore it--and they can never leave..."

My thoughts:
Great space opera and did not feel dated to me, despite the fact that it is 65 years old now.

The story is told from the perspective of a new cargo apprentice, traveling on his first Trade ship. I liked Dane and look forward to reading more about him and his shipmates.

257. The Hanged Man of Saint-Pholien by Georges Simenon (1931), translated by Linda Coverdale
Kindle book (BPL); 144 pgs; finished 8/13; 5*
Mystery: Book #4 in the Maigret series
MysteryKIT August: International (France)
AlphaKIT August: O & H

From the book blurb:
"A new translation of a haunting tale about the lengths to which people will go to escape from guilt and book four of the Inspector Maigret series.

On a trip to Brussels, Maigret unwittingly causes a man's suicide, but his own remorse is overshadowed by the discovery of the sordid events that drove the desperate man to shoot himself."

My thoughts:
Compelling and unusual mystery. This early book is the best of the (admittedly few) Maigrets I have read so far!

>59 leslie.98: A long time ago, in a galaxy far away, I read Han Solo's revenge whose dedication starts with "For Cargo-master-apprentice Dane Thorson... and at the time I wasn't able to track down where he comes from. Now I know. Thank you!

>61 MissWatson: lol - glad I could help! :-)

258. Amadeus by Peter Shaffer (1979)
Audiobook, full cast narration (LATW website); 97 pgs; finished 8/14; 4*
RandomCAT Aug: Get your groove on

From the book blurb:
"Ambition and jealousyall set to music. Devout court composer Antonio Salieri plots against his rival, the dissolute but supremely talented Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. How far will Salieri go to achieve the fame that Mozart disregards? The 1981 Tony Award winner for Best Play.

An L.A. Theatre Works full cast performance featuring:

Steven Brand as Baron van Swieten
James Callis as Mozart
Michael Emerson as Salieri
Darren Richardson as Venticello 2
Alan Shearman as Count Orsini-Rosenberg
Mark Jude Sullivan as Venticello 1
Simon Templeman as Joseph II
Brian Tichnell as Count Johann Kilian Von Strack
Jocelyn Towne as Constanze

Directed by Rosalind Ayres. Recorded in Los Angeles before a live audience at The James Bridges Theater, UCLA in September of 2016.
Listening time: 2:02:53"

My thoughts:
Good full cast audiobook though seeing the play in the theater is still better...

259. End Games by Michael Dibdin (2007)
ebook (Open Library); 352 pgs; finished 8/18; 3.5*
Mystery: book #11 (final book) of the Aurelio Zen series
MysteryKIT August: International (Italy)

From the book blurb:
"When an advance scout for an American film company disappears, Aurelio Zen's most recent assignment in remote Calabria becomes anything but routine. Despite a savage attack that has scared the locals silent, Zen is determined to expose the truth. To make matters more complicated, a group of dangerous strangers, led by a rich, single-minded American have arrived to uncover another local mystery—buried treasure—and they will stop at nothing to achieve their goal. What ensues is a fiendishly suspenseful case that only Aurelio Zen could stumble into and only Michael Dibdin could have created: a wild thriller that takes us deep into a remote region of Italy and the darkest corners of human nature."

My thoughts:
An interesting plot but there were several aspects of the book that rubbed me the wrong way (which sadly made this an unsatisfactory book to end the series on for me). Firstly, there were no chapters though the text had clear breaks both in the layout & the point of view which seemed like natural places for them. Not a big deal but earlier books in the series did have chapters so it struck me as weird that this one didn't.

Secondly, the American mentioned in the blurb above was unbelievable to me - so overdrawn as to be a caricature! There were actually several American characters who were all unappealing (and imo, amazingly stupid) :(

260. Marianne, the Magus and the Manticore by Sheri S. Tepper (1985)
Kindle book; 193 pgs; finished 8/21; 3*
ROOT: Kindle book owned since Sept. 2019
SFFKIT August: Female authors

From the book blurb:
"When Marianne's parents died, leaving control of their fortune to her feared older brother, she struggled to make her way as a student in America - and her old home began to seem as unreal as a fairy tale, her childhood there as distant as a dream . . . Until the Magus came to claim her, and the Black Madame to destroy her, and the Manticore to hunt her down through the streets of another world - for there is magic in Marianne's blood, and magic in her soul. And in a battle fought in an everchanging world of warped time and wicked magic, it is the souls of Marianne and her family that are the ultimate prizes. Marianne, the Magus and the Manticore is the first volume of Sheri S. Tepper's acclaimed Marianne Trilogy."

My thoughts:
While I enjoyed this fantasy, the book didn't live up to my expectations based upon Tepper's later books.

261. *On the Road by Jack Kerouac (1957)
Audiobook narrated by Will Patton (Audible); 307 pgs; finished 8/21; 3*
ROOT: Audiobook owned since Aug. 2019
Guardian's list
AlphaKIT August: O & H
Read It, Track It - Separated by the Pond: U.S.A./Michigan

From the book blurb:
"A quintessential novel of America & the Beat Generation. On the Road chronicles Jack Kerouac's years traveling the N. American continent with his friend Neal Cassady, "a sideburned hero of the snowy West." As "Sal Paradise" & "Dean Moriarty," the two roam the country in a quest for self-knowledge & experience. Kerouac's love of America, compassion for humanity & sense of language as jazz combine to make On the Road an inspirational work of lasting importance. This classic novel of freedom & longing defined what it meant to be "Beat" & has inspired every generation since its initial publication."

My thoughts:
I think that this book would have had more impact for me if I had read it when I was younger. I can see it as a snapshot of a section of American life in the post-WW2 years but I couldn't really admire Sal or Dean in their irresponsible behavior...

262. One Fine Day the Rabbi Bought a Cross by Harry Kemelman (1987)
Kindle book (Amazon Prime lending library); 234 pgs; finished 8/23; 3.5*
Mystery
MysteryKIT August: International (Israel)
AlphaKIT August: O & H

From the book blurb:
"Retired millionaire Barney Berkowitz, from the small Massachusetts town of Barnard’s Crossing, invites Rabbi David Small to come to Israel and bar mitzvah him, as Berkowitz never went through the ceremony in his youth. On what should be a joyous occasion—and an all-expenses-paid trip to the Holy Land—the rabbi discovers danger lurking in every corner and a conspiracy that threatens to destroy the state of Israel.

An innocent American has been murdered and when the sleuthing rabbi begins his investigation, he finds the death may have been part of an international conspiracy fueled by religious radicals and an arms-smuggling scheme. Anyone, from a liberal Jewish-American professor to a young religious fundamentalist, could be a suspect—and the rabbi must rely on his Talmudic logic and daring chutzpah to untangle the mystery and prevent an even more deadly attack."

My thoughts:
Well, that is a terrible blurb! It contains errors & presents other facts in a way that is misleading...

I enjoyed this 10th book in the Rabbi Small series, which was no surprise as I have liked all the other ones I have read. However, I felt that in this case the reader learns far more about what is going on than Rabbi Small ever does which made the elucidation of the mystery & Small's part in it less prominent than in the earlier (and to my mind, better) books.

263. *Melmoth Reconciled by Honoré de Balzac (1835) , translated by Ellen Marriage
Kindle book (Project Gutenberg); 53 pgs; finished 8/23; 4*
Guardian's list
Book #4 of Philosophical Studies from The Human Comedy (based upon Project Gutenberg's arrangement)

From the book blurb:
"Honoré de Balzac is considered the founder of social realism. Balzac was the first writer to write about all social levels of the social scene in France. His vast collection of works encompasses the Restoration period and the July Monarchy. La Comedie Humaine was written between 1799 and 1850. This collection contains 95 novels, stories, and essays. Melmoth Reconciled, written in 1835, is part of the Philosophical Studies (Études philosophiques) section of La Comedie Humaine.

Wherefore, that race of corsairs whom we dignify with the title of bankers, the gentry who take out a license for which they pay a thousand crowns, as the privateer takes out his letters of marque, hold these rare products of the incubations of virtue in such esteem that they confine them in cages in their counting-houses, much as governments procure and maintain specimens of strange beasts."

My thoughts:
This novella from the Human Comedy is best read by those who have already read Maturin's Melmoth the Wanderer (as might be expected from the title). I enjoyed Balzac's ironical discourse about cashiers which prefaces the plot involving the cashier Castanier much more than the philosophical resolution to Castanier's situation (a bit too pat for me but that section is quite short & not without interest).

I read this in Project Gutenberg's omnibus "The Works of Balzac"; this novella was translated by Ellen Marriage.

264. Hangman's Holiday by Dorothy L. Sayers (1933) {reread}
Paperback (MOB), Kindle (Dad's Kindle) & audiobook narrated by Ian Carmichael (YouTube); 191 pgs; finished 8/25; 3.5*
Mystery
AlphaKIT August: O & H

From the book blurb:
"Amusing and absolutely appalling things happen on the way to the gallows when murder meets Lord Peter Wimsey and the delightful working-class sleuth Montague Egg. This sumptuous feast of criminal doings and undoings includes a vintage double identity and a horrid incident of feline assassination that will tease the minds of cat-lovers everywhere. Not to be missed are "The Incredible Elopement of Peter Wimsey" (with a lovely American woman-turned-zombie) and eight more puzzlers penned in inimitable style by the mistress of murder."

My thoughts:
This collection of short stories contains:

Lord Peter Wimsey stories:
"The Image in the Mirror"
"The Incredible Elopement of Lord Peter Wimsey"
"The Queen's Square"
"The Necklace of Pearls"
Montague Egg stories:
"The Poisoned Dow '08"
"Sleuths on the Scent"
"Murder in the Morning"
"One Too Many"
"Murder at Pentecost"
"Maher-Shalal-Hashbaz"
Other stories:
"The Man Who Knew How"
"The Fountain Plays"

As much as I enjoyed the Lord Peter stories, in this reread I found that the Montague Egg stories appealed to me most. Good mysteries plus the humor of Egg's aphorisms :)

265. *Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson (1879) {reread}
Paperback & audiobook narrated by Kara Shallenberg (LibriVox); 223 pgs; finished 8/25; 4.5*
Group Read over at Goodreads

From the book blurb:
"One-legged Long John Silver, treacherous Captain Billy Bones, wicked Black Dog and the terrifying Blind Pew are the most cruel and frightening pirates ever to sail the high seas! They all dream of finding Captain Flint's buried treasure, but it is young Jim Hawkins who finds Flint's map of Treasure Island. Can Jim and his friends outwit these bloodthirsty pirates and claim the glorious bounty?

Treasure Island, the most famous pirate story ever told, has been thrilling young readers for generations with its tales of buccaneers, buried gold and X marks the spot."

My thoughts:
2020 reread via LibriVox audiobook, version 5, narrated by Kara Shallenberg. I also read along in some sections in my print copy... Despite my initial hesitation about having a female narrator to a book which is predominantly male in its characters (and being told from the point of view of Jim), Shallenberg did a very good job narrating this book.

I don't remember how old I was when I first read "Treasure Island" but it was an instant hit with me & I have reread it several times over the years. So much fun!

-----
2013 review of my audiobook edition narrated by Frederick Davidson:
Excellent adventure story with pirates singing about bottles of rum & a dead man's chest, a one-legged rogue, and a talking parrot - I suspect that this book is responsible for all the pirate stereotypes I grew up with!

Frederick Davidson did a good job narrating, but I found his voices for a few of the characters didn't feel quite right to me. The doctor in particular was given a quick way of talking with some pauses in strange places.

Once again I am behind in my updating :(

But this time I have an excuse - I have been shopping for a new car. I finally took the plunge and bought one Monday - a 2020 Honda Accord Hybrid - and got possession today. My previous car was old enough that it didn't have any of the technology that has become standard so I plan to spend my Labor Day weekend getting accustomed to the display, connectivity and, of course, to the hybrid engine!

>71 leslie.98: Enjoy your new smart car! I purchased a new Honda CRVX in December and I love mine.

Have fun with the new car!

>71 leslie.98: Congrats on the new car!

>71 leslie.98: Enjoy your new car! I'm a happy Accord owner, although mine's a 2007 and doesn't have any fancy features.

Very exciting! Enjoy getting acquainted with your new means of transportation!

266. Hangman's Holiday by Dorothy L. Sayers (1933) {reread}
Paperback (MOB) & audiobook (YouTube); 191 ps; finished 8/25; 3.5*

267. The Masterharper of Pern by Anne McCaffrey (1998) {reread}
Paperback (MOB) & audiobook (Audible); 420 pgs; finished 8/26; 5*
ROOT: audiobook owned since May 2019
SFFKit

2020 reread via audiobook narrated by Dick Hill:

I love this entry in the Pern series - Robinton is one of my favorite characters and, having seen him and come to love him in the earlier books, it is very enlightening to read about his life from his birth up to the events in the first book of the series, "Dragonflight". Dick Hill does a great narration.

268. Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey (1976) {reread}
Paperback (MOB) & audiobook (BPL); 176 pgs; finished 8/27; 4.5*
SFFKit

2020 reread via audiobook narrated by Sally Darling - just had to read more about harpers after finishing my reread of "The Masterhaper of Pern"!

269. Dragonsinger by Anne McCaffrey (1977) {reread}
Paperback (MOB) & audiobook (BPL); 240 pgs; finished 8/27; 4*
SFFKit

2020 reread via audiobook narrated by Sally Darling - just had to read this again after finishing my reread of "Dragonsong" to see Mennolly in Harper Hall!

270. Cognac Conspiracies by Jean-Pierre Alaux & Noël Balen (2004), translated by Sally Pane
Kindle (Dad's Kindle); 164 pgs; finished 8/28; 3*
ROOT
Mystery

271. The House Without the Door by Elizabeth Daly (1942)
Kindle (Dad's Kindle); 220 pgs; finished 8/28; 3.5*
ROOT
Mystery
AlphaKIT

272. Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding by Rhys Bowen (2018)
Audiobook (Audible); 304 pgs; finished 8/29; 3*
ROOT
Mystery

I enjoyed this audiobook of the 12th 'Her Royal Spyness' book more for the developments in Lady Georgiana's private life than for the mystery. The mystery aspect seemed obvious to me and Georgiana's willingness to believe whatever people told her (or at least consider that they were telling the truth) struck me as a bit hard to believe given her experiences in the first 11 books.

August summary: 27 books read, 11 of which were ROOTs, and 1 new book acquired.
Best books of the month:
still to come

3 new-to-me books read from the Guardian's list, 1 of them from Balzac's Human Comedy.

New books obtained:
Interference August Amazon Prime First Reads freebie

Miscellaneous mysteries read (not from series I have been working on):
Have His Carcase (8/3) {reread via audiobook}
Headaches Can Be Murder (8/5)
A Case of Two Cities (8/8)
The Hanged Man of Saint-Pholien (8/13)
One Fine Day the Rabbi Bought a Cross (8/23)
Hangman's Holiday (8/25) {reread via audiobook}
Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding (8/29)

>81 leslie.98: I was just notified that book 1 of Bowen's Royal Spyness series was available to me through the library, but I had to pass as I'm reading 3 other books currently. I hope to get to it in the next month!

>83 Tess_W: It is a fun series even though a bit silly in its premise - hope you enjoy it.

273. An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen (1882), translated by Rebecca Lenkiewicz??
Audiobook with full cast narration (SYNC); 154 pgs; finished 9/2; 4*
ROOT: audiobook owned since June 2019
AlphaKIT Sept: E & M

From the book blurb:
"When a small town relies on tourists flocking to its baths, will a report of dangerously polluted waters be enough to shut them down? Henrik Ibsen weighs the cost of public health versus a town's livelihood in An Enemy of the People.

Also includes an interview with Joel K. Bourne, Jr., former senior environment editor for National Geographic, on man-made environmental disasters, climate change, and the state of the world's water supply.

An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast recording, featuring:
Richard Kind, Rosalind Ayres, Gregory Harrison, Josh Stamberg, Emily Swallow, Tom Virtue, Alan Shearman, Alan Mandell, and Jon Matthews. Additional voices by Sam Boeck, William Hickman, Adam Mondschein, Julia Coulter, and Jeff Gardner. Directed by Martin Jarvis."

274. Our Town by Thornton Wilder (1938)
Paperback (C/W Mars); 181 pgs; finished 9/10; 4*
Read It, Track It - Separated by the Pond: U.S.A./New Hampshire

From the book blurb:
"Our Town was first produced and published in 1938 to wide acclaim. This Pulitzer Prize-winning drama of life in the town of Grover's Corners, an allegorical representation of all life, has become a classic. It is Thornton Wilder's most renowned and most frequently performed play.

It is now reissued in this handsome edition, featuring a Foreword by Donald Margulies, who writes, "You are holding in your hands a great American play. Possibly the great American play." In addition, Tappan Wilder has written an eye-opening Afterword, which includes Thornton Wilder's unpublished notes and other illuminating photographs and documentary material."

After a lackluster start to my reading in September, between RL business and general lack of focus (partly due to not really enjoying the books I was, and still am (!), trying to finish), I found myself re-energized by some rereading. I had watched some of the Jack Ryan movies (again) on TV which spurred me to reread some of the books, putting aside those books I had been reading.

275. Debt of Honor by Tom Clancy (1994) {reread}
Paperback (MOB); 990 pgs; finished 9/14; 4*

From the book blurb:
"Razio Yamata is one of Japan's most influential industrialists, and part of a relatively small group of authority who wield tremendous authority in the Pacific Rim's economic powerhouse. He has devised a plan to cripple the American greatness, humble the US military, and elevate Japan to a position of dominance on the world stage.

Yamata's motivation lies in his desire to pay off a 'Debt of Honor' to his parents and to the country he feels is responsible for their deaths—America. All he needs is a catalyst to set his plan in motion.

When the faulty gas tank on one Tennessee family's car leads to their fiery death, an opportunistic U. S. congressman uses the occasion to rush a new trade law through the system. The law is designed to squeeze Japan economically. Instead, it provides Yamata with the leverage he needs to put his plan into action.

As Yamata's plan begins to unfold, it becomes clear to the world that someone is launching a fully-integrated operation against the United States. There's only one man to find out who the culprit is—Jack Ryan, the new President's National Security Advisor."

276. Executive Orders by Tom Clancy (1996) {reread}
Paperback (MOB); 1358 pgs; finished 9/16; 4*
AlphaKIT Sept. - E & M

Based on the book blurb: (spoilers in original blurb hidden at my discretion)
"At the climax of Debt of Honor, the most devastating terrorist act in the history of the world left the President, the Joint Chiefs, the Supreme Court, and nearly all of Congress dead. Only Jack Ryan, confirmed Vice President mere minutes before, survived to take the reins of a shaken and leaderless country. Now he (Jack Ryan) must rebuild a government, comfort a grieving nation, and become a true leader. Meanwhile, he is surrounded by enemies --- both inside the White House and around the world --- all of them plotting to destroy an untested President. And bring an already wounded country to its knees ..."

277. The Bear and the Dragon by Tom Clancy (2001) {reread}
Paperback (MOB); 1137 pgs; finished 9/19; 5*

Based on the book blurb: (spoilers in original blurb hidden at my discretion)
"In The Bear and the Dragon, the future is very near at hand indeed.

Newly elected in his own right, Jack Ryan has found that being President has gotten no easier: domestic pitfalls await him (Jack Ryan) at every turn; there's a revolution in Liberia; the Asian economy is going down the tubes; and now, in Moscow, someone may have tried to take out the chairman of the SVR--the former KGB--with a rocket-propelled grenade. Things are unstable enough in Russia without high-level assassination, but even more disturbing may be the identities of the potential assassins. Were they political enemies, the Russian Mafia, or disaffected former KGB? Or, Ryan wonders, is something far more dangerous at work here?

Ryan is right. For even while he dispatches his most trusted eyes and ears, including black ops specialist John Clark, to find out the truth of the matter, forces in China are moving ahead with a plan of truly audacious proportions. If they succeed, the world as we know it will never look the same. If they fail...the consequences will be unspeakable.

Blending the exceptional realism and authenticity that are his hallmarks with intricate plotting, razor-sharp suspense, and a remarkable cast of characters, this is Clancy at his best--and there is none better."

While I don't actually agree with Clancy's political views, I find his books compelling reading & find the ultimate triumph of American military & intelligence in the books satisfying - perhaps I have a hidden conservative "hawk" in my psyche that I only let out when I read these books? It does track with my enjoyment of Ian Fleming's James Bond books...

Tom Clancy and Robert Ludlum novels were teenage summer time reading material for me, mainly because I would borrow my Dad's books after he had finished reading them. Great escapism reading!

>88 lkernagh: Oh, Robert Ludlum!! I also read a bunch of his books as a teenager - I'll have to check which of his books are still on my shelves *grin*

>86 leslie.98: Love Our Town. Two great film versions:

--1940 film, with William Holden and music by Aaron Copland
--2003 TV movie with Paul Newman--you might be able to watch this online

...off to listen to the 1940 Copland score...

>90 kac522: Thanks for the info - I have found the 1940 film on YouTube :)

278. Espresso Tales by Alexander McCall Smith (2005)
Paperback (C/W Mars); 345 pgs; finished 9/21; 3.5*
AlphaKIT Sept - E & M

From the book blurb:
"The residents and neighbors of 44 Scotland Street and the city of Edinburgh come to vivid life in these gently satirical, wonderfully perceptive serial novels, featuring six-year-old Bertie, a remarkably precocious boy—just ask his mother.

Back are all our favorite denizens of a Georgian townhouse in Edinburgh. Bertie the immensely talented six year old is now enrolled in kindergarten, and much to his dismay, has been clad in pink overalls for his first day of class. Bruce has lost his job as a surveyor, and between admiring glances in the mirror, is contemplating becoming a wine merchant. Pat is embarking on a new life at Edinburgh University and perhaps on a new relationship, courtesy of Domenica, her witty and worldly-wise neighbor. McCall Smith has much in store for them as the brief spell of glorious summer sunshine gives way to fall a season cursed with more traditionally Scottish weather.

Full of McCall Smith’s gentle humor and sympathy for his characters, Espresso Tales is also an affectionate portrait of a city and its people who, in the author’s own words, “make it one of the most vibrant and interesting places in the world.” "

279. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden (1997)
Audiobook narrated by Bernadette Dunne (Audible); 434 pgs; finished 9/21; 4*
AlphaKIT Sept - E & M

From the book blurb:
"Nitta Sayuri tells us in a voice at once haunting and startlingly immediate of her life as a geisha. Her story begins in a poor fishing village in 1929, when, as a nine-year-old girl with unusual blue-gray eyes, she is taken from her home and sold into slavery to a renowned geisha house. We witness her transformation as we enter a world where appearances are paramount; where a girl's virginity is auctioned to the highest bidder; where women are trained to beguile the most powerful men; and where love is scorned as illusion.
It is a unique and triumphant work of fiction - at once romantic, erotic, suspenseful - and completely unforgettable."

280. The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by F.C. Yee (2017)
Audiobook narrated by Nancy Wu (SYNC); 320 pgs; finished 9/26; 3.5*
ROOT: audiobook owned since May 2019
AlphaKIT Sept - E & M

From the book blurb:
"The struggle to get into a top-tier college consumes sixteen-year-old Genie Lo's every waking thought. But when her sleepy Bay Area town comes under siege from hell-spawn straight out of Chinese folklore, her priorities are suddenly and forcefully rearranged.

Her only guide to the demonic chaos breaking out around her is Quentin Sun, a beguiling, maddening new transfer student from overseas. Quentin assures Genie she is strong enough to fight these monsters, for she unknowingly harbors an inner power that can level the very gates of Heaven.

Genie will have to dig deep within herself to summon the otherworldly strength that Quentin keeps talking about. But as she does, she finds the secret of her true nature is entwined with his, in a way she could never have imagined…"

My thoughts:
The big "reveal" towards the end was predictable but it was still good escapist YA fantasy.

281. Mayhem in Margaux by Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balen (2004), translated by Sally Pane
Kindle book (Dad's Kindle); 164 pgs; finished 9/27; 3*
ROOT: Kindle book owned since July 2017
Mystery: Book #6 in the Winemaker Detective series
AlphaKIT Sept: M & E

From the book blurb:
"Fine wines, dirty secrets. It’s summer in Bordeaux. There’s a heat wave, the vineyards are suffering, vintners are on edge, and wine expert Benjamin Cooker’s daughter is visiting. A tragic car accident draws the Winemaker Detective and his assistant Virgile into a case where the stakes are very personal, and they uncover the dirty secrets hiding behind some of Bordeaux’s finest grand cru classé wines from Margaux."

My thoughts:
Perhaps only 2.5* - it was a pleasant read but more for the family dynamics than the mystery.

282. Evidence of Things Seen by Elizabeth Daly (1943)
Kindle book (Dad's Kindle); 201 pgs; finished 9/29; 3.5*
ROOT: Kindle book owned since July 2017
Mystery: Book #5 in the Henry Gamadge series (though LT seems to think it is book #6)
AlphaKIT Sept: M & E

From the book blurb:
"In the sticky summer of 1943, a secluded cottage in the Berkshires sounds just the ticket to the newly married Clara Gamadge. The resident ghost, a slender woman in a sunbonnet who died just one year ago in the cottage Clara is now renting, merely adds to the local color. It’s all nothing more than a spooky game, until the woman’s sister is strangled while Clara sits in a chair by her bed. The only clue: Clara’s panicked memory of a woman in a sunbonnet standing at the door. Happily, Henry Gamadge arrives in time to calm his wife and solve the mystery (though not without some stellar help from Clara!)."

My thoughts:
This entry in the Henry Gamadge series was interesting in that his wife Clara was the main character for the first section while Henry is away doing some secret war work. Despite the fact that I figured out the murderer fairly quickly, I couldn't figure out the motive and Daly did a good job of making me doubt my conclusion with several red herrings.

283. Normal People by Sally Rooney (2018)
Kindle book (C/W Mars); 268 pgs; finished 9/29; 2*
Group read over at Goodreads

From the book blurb:
"Connell Waldron is one of the most popular boys in his small-town high school--he is a star of the football team and an excellent student, and he is never wanting for attention from girls. The one thing he doesn't have is money. Marianne Sheridan, a classmate of Connell's, has the opposite problem. Marianne is plain-looking, odd, and stubborn, and while her family is quite well off, she has no friends to speak of. There is, however, a deep and undeniable connection between the two teenagers, one that develops into a secret relationship.

Everything changes when both Connell and Marianne are accepted to Trinity College. Suddenly Marianne is well liked and elegant, holding court with her intellectual friends, while Connell hangs at the sidelines, not quite as fluent in the language of the elite. Throughout their years at university, Marianne and Connell circle each other, falling in and out of romance but never straying far from where they started. And as Marianne experiments with an increasingly dangerous string of boyfriends, Connell must decide how far he is willing to go to save his oldest friend.

Sally Rooney brings her brilliant psychological acuity and perfectly spare prose to a novel that explores the subtleties of class, the electricity of first love, and the inescapable challenges of family and friendships. Normal People is a book that you will read in one sitting, and then immediately jump up to share with your friends."

My thoughts:
The publishers' prediction that I would read this book in one sitting was woefully off base in my case. I really didn't care for the writing style of this book. Unfortunately, the plot didn't wow me either. Neither Connell or Marianne appealed to me, though I did feel that their emotional reactions to their situations came across as believable. Oh well, just not my kind of book...

September summary: 11 books read, 4 of which were ROOTs, and 3 new book acquired.
September was a very poor reading month for me - a combination of RL distractions and dislike of the books I have been reading...

no new-to-me books read from the Guardian's list and no miscellaneous mysteries either (!)... but I did manage to read several books for a few KITs even though I didn't pull it together enough to make a space for them in my thread.

September AlphaKIT - E & M:
E: Enemy of the People, Executive Orders, Espresso Tales, The Epic Crush of Genie Lo, Evidence of Things Seen
M: Memoirs of a Geisha, Mayhem in Margaux

September MysteryKIT - series:
Mayhem in Margaux & Evidence of Things Seen

New books obtained:
Welcome to the United States of Anxiety September Amazon Prime First Reads freebie
*All the Pretty Horses (audiobook)
*Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (under the title "Blade Runner") (audiobook, free with purchase of above)

wall gate at Rockerfeller Gardens, Northeast Harbor

Here are the books I read for the various KITs and CATs of October...

AlphaKIT October: D & V
Deadly Appearances (10/5)
The Devil's Highway (10/10)
*Vanity Fair (10/18) {reread}

RandomCAT: Healthcare Heroes

MysteryKIT: new-to-you author
Deadly Appearances by Gail Bowen (10/5)

SFFKit: classics
Rocannon's World by Ursula K. Le Guin (10/4)

GeoCAT: Great Britain, Canada & U.S.
Deadly Appearances (10/5) (Saskatchewan, Canada)
Glengarry Glen Ross (10/6) (Illinois, U.S.A.)
*The Heat of the Day (10/8) (Greater London, England)
The Devil's Highway (10/10) (Arizona, U.S.A.)
Jamaica Inn (10/12) (Cornwall, England)
*The Bluest Eye (10/17) (Ohio, U.S.A.)
The Blythes Are Quoted (10/30) (Prince Edward Island, Canada)

Group & Buddy Reads:
Jamaica Inn - group read over at Goodreads
*Murder Must Advertise (10/25) - Lord Peter yearlong group read

284. Rocannon's World by Ursula K. Le Guin (1966)
Audiobook narrated by Stefan Rudnicki (Audible Plus lending library); 136 pgs; finished 10/4; 3*
SFFKit Sept: Classics

From the book blurb:
"A world shared by three native humanoid races - the cavern-dwelling Gdemiar, elvish Fiia, and warrior clan, Liuar - is suddenly invaded and conquered by a fleet of ships from the stars. Earth scientist Rocannon is on that world, and he sees his friends murdered and his spaceship destroyed. Marooned among alien peoples, he leads the battle to free this new world - and finds that legends grow around him even as he fights."

My thoughts:
While I enjoyed the story, I found the sociological or ethnographic sections both hard to follow in audiobook format and dull. Sadly for me, the book opens with one of these sections so I started off with a bad impression...

285. Deadly Appearances by Gail Bowen (1990)
Kindle book (C/W Mars); 298 pgs; finished 10/5; 3.5*
Mystery
BingoDOG Square #19 - about birth or death
Read It, Track It - Separated by the Pond: Canada/Saskatchewan
AlphaKIT October: D & V
MysteryKIT October: new-to-me author
GeoCAT October: Great Britain, Canada & U.S.

From the book blurb:
"Andy Boychuk is a successful Saskatchewan politician – until one sweltering August afternoon when the party faithful gather at a picnic. All of the key people in Boychuk’s life – family, friends, enemies – are there. Boychuk steps up to the podium to make a speech, takes a sip of water, and drops dead. Joanne Kilbourn, in her début as Canada’s leading amateur sleuth, is soon on the case, delving into Boychuk’s history. What she finds are a Bible college that’s too good to be true, a woman with a horrifying and secret past, and a murderer who’s about to strike again."

My thoughts:
Well done but because it is set in the world of politics, of which I have enough in real life at the moment, I only gave it 3.5*... It did check off a bunch of challenges for me :)

286. Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet (1983)
hardcover (library); 108 pgs; finished 10/6; 3.5*
GeoCAT October: Great Britain, Canada & U.S. (Illinois, U.S.)

From the book blurb:
"Winner of the 1984 Pulitzer Prize, David Mamet's scalding comedy is about small-time, cutthroat real esate salesmen trying to grind out a living by pushing plots of land on reluctant buyers in a never-ending scramble for their fair share of the American dream. Here is Mamet at his very best, writing with brutal power about the tough life of tough characters who cajole, connive, wheedle, and wheel and deal for a piece of the action -- where closing a sale can mean a brand new cadillac but losing one can mean losing it all."

My thoughts:
I have never seen this play (or the movie version) and it was not at all what I had expected based on the title. I suspect that this satire would come across much better in the theater than it did in written form - the characters' speech patterns were often a bit hard to follow in the written form as they broke off mid-sentence or repeated phrases.

287. *The Heat of the Day by Elizabeth Bowen (1948)
ebook (Open Library); 415 pgs; finished 10/8; 2*
Guardian's List
Read It, Track It - Separated by the Pond: Ireland/County Cork
GeoCAT October: Great Britain, Canada & U.S. (London, England)

From the book blurb:
"In The Heat of the Day, Elizabeth Bowen brilliantly recreates the tense and dangerous atmosphere of London during the bombing raids of World War II.

Many people have fled the city, and those who stayed behind find themselves thrown together in an odd intimacy born of crisis. Stella Rodney is one of those who chose to stay. But for her, the sense of impending catastrophe becomes acutely personal when she discovers that her lover, Robert, is suspected of selling secrets to the enemy, and that the man who is following him wants Stella herself as the price of his silence. Caught between these two men, not sure whom to believe, Stella finds her world crumbling as she learns how little we can truly know of those around us."

My thoughts:
This is the 3rd or 4th book by Elizabeth Bowen that I have read. This book reminded me a lot of the first book of hers that I read, The Last September, in that both books had the bones of a plot that I thought would be interesting but ended up boring me. These books are what I guess are now called character-driven (rather than plot-driven) which meant that I was continually frrustrated by the fact that NOTHING WAS HAPPENING. Because of the style of the writing, even when things did happen it was difficult to notice due to all the musing by the characters on their thoughts and feelings... Oh well, tastes differ and I am sure that many people will love this book but sadly I was not one of them.

288. Happy Dreams by Jia Pingwa (2007), translated by Nicky Harmon
Kindle book (Amazon); 494 pgs; finished 10/8; 3*
ROOT: Kindle book owned since Sept. 2017

From the book blurb:
"From one of China’s foremost authors, Jia Pingwa’s Happy Dreams is a powerful depiction of life in industrializing contemporary China, in all its humor and pathos, as seen through the eyes of Happy Liu, a charming and clever rural laborer who leaves his home for the gritty, harsh streets of Xi’an in search of better life.

After a disastrous end to a relationship, Hawa “Happy” Liu embarks on a quest to find the recipient of his donated kidney and a life that lives up to his self-given moniker. Traveling from his rural home in Freshwind to the city of Xi’an, Happy brings only an eternally positive attitude, his devoted best friend Wufu, and a pair of high-heeled women’s shoes he hopes to fill with the love of his life.

In Xi’an, Happy and Wufu find jobs as trash pickers sorting through the city’s filth, but Happy refuses to be deterred by inauspicious beginnings. In his eyes, dusty birds become phoenixes, the streets become rivers, and life is what you make of it. When he meets the beautiful Yichun, he imagines she is the one to fill the shoes and his Cinderella-esque dream. But when the harsh city conditions and the crush of societal inequalities take the life of his friend and shake Happy to his soul, he’ll need more than just his unrelenting optimism to hold on to the belief that something better is possible."

My thoughts:
Maybe even 3.5* -- I was in a reading slump while I was reading this and I think that affected my rating somewhat. This book reminded me somewhat of the American classic The Jungle by Upton Sinclair which I recently reread. Both books tell the reader about life in a city as recently arrived laborer, the struggle to make ends meet & the ways in which these lowest workers are taken advantage of. Generally I like this sort of 'social commentary' type of fiction, even when it is gritty, so I would be willing to try rereading this at some point.

289. The Devil's Highway by Luis Alberto Urrea (2004)
Audiobook, narrated by the author (SYNC); 239 pgs; finished 10/10; 4*
ROOT: audiobook owned since May 2018
AlphaKIT October: D & V
BingoDOG Square #?: by a journalist/about journalism
GeoCAT October: Great Britian, Canada & U.S. (Arizona, U.S.)

from the book blurb:
"The author of Across the Wire offers brilliant investigative reporting of what went wrong when, in May 2001, a group of 26 men attempted to cross the Mexican border into the desert of southern Arizona. Only 12 men came back out."

My thoughts:
An excellent book & well narrated by the author. Urrea does a great job providing a human face to many of the different sides to the complex issue of people smuggling across the U.S. - Mexico border.

290. So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish by Douglas Adams (1984) {reread}
Audiobook narrated by Martin Freeman (OCLN), 204 pgs; finished 10/10; 4*

From the book blurb:
"Just as Arthur Dent's sense of reality is in its dickiest state he suddenly finds the girl of his dreams. He finds her in the last place in the Universe in which he would expect to find anything at all, but which 3,976,000,000 people will find oddly familiar. They go in search of God's Final Message to His Creation and, in a dramatic break with tradition, acutally find it."

My thoughts:
Maybe only 3.5* but this entry in the Hitchhiker's Guide series was the perfect book for me right now. I remembered very little of it from my previous read decades ago & so it was almost like reading a new book. :)

291. Mostly Harmless by Douglas Adams (1992)
Audiobook narrated by Martin Freeman (SAILS); 288 pgs; finished 10/11; 3*

From the book blurb:
"This is the fifth volume in the ever-popular Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. Her father is Arthur Dent, her mother, unexpectedly to all concerned is Trillian, her godless godfather is Ford Perfect. Through a complicated series of misunderstandings at the naming ceremony she is named at random, or "Random" for short. When Random sets out across the galaxy to find out the truth about her vanished mother, her journey takes her to an utterly insignificant and little blue-green planet whose only entry in the guide reads, "Mostly harmless...." "

292. Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier (1936)
Kindle book (C/W Mars); 307 pgs; finished 10/12; 4*
Group read over at Goodreads

From the book blurb:
"The coachman tried to warn her away from the ruined, forbidding place on the rainswept Cornish coast. But young Mary Yellan chose instead to honor her mother's dying request that she join her frightened Aunt Patience and huge, hulking Uncle Joss Merlyn at Jamaica Inn. From her first glimpse on that raw November eve, she could sense the inn's dark power. But never did Mary dream that she would become hopelessly ensnared in the vile, villainous schemes being hatched within its crumbling walls -- or that a handsome, mysterious stranger would so incite her passions ... tempting her to love a man whom she dares not trust."

My thoughts:
Very enjoyable suspense! Du Maurier does a great job creating a spooky atmosphere. The main reason that I don't give this book a higher rating is that I found the identity of the man behind Joss Merlyn predictable (perhaps due to the fact that I have read extensively in this romantic suspense subgenre!). Despite that, reading this Gothic tale was a great choice for October, especially for someone like myself who doesn't particularly care for horror but wants a scary book for the Halloween season!

293. Flambé in Armagnac by Jean-Pierre Alaux & Noël Balen (2004), translated by Sally Pane
Kindle book (Dad's Kindle); 140 pgs; finished 10/14; 4*
ROOT (Kindle owned since July 2017)
Mystery: Book #7 in the Winemaker Detectives series

From the book blurb:
"A small town holds fiercely onto its secrets. In the heart of Gascony, a fire ravages the warehouse of one of Armagnac’s top estates, killing the master distiller. Wine expert Benjamin Cooker is called in to estimate the value of the losses. But Cooker and his assistant Virgile want to know more. How did the old alembic explode? Was it really an accident? Why is the estate owner Baron de Castayrac penniless? How legal are his dealings? The deeper the Winemaker Detective digs, the more suspicious characters he uncovers. There is more than one disgruntled inhabitant in this small town. As we witness the time-honored process of Armagnac distillation and the day-to-day activities of the hunt, the market place, and the struggle for power and duck confit, we get a glimpse of the traditions of southwestern France where this mystery of possible arson and murder lies below the surface."

My thoughts:
This novella, the 7th in the series, somehow clicked with me - the clues were all there but not too obvious; the Armagnac setting & learning a bit about how eau de vie are made; Benjamin & his assistant... Perhaps it is not quite a 4* book but it was the right book for me at the moment.

294. *The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison (1970)
Paperback omnibus (library); 216 pgs; finished 10/17; 4.5*
Guardian's list
Read It, Track It - Separated by the Pond: U.S.A./Ohio

From the book blurb:
"The Bluest Eye is Toni Morrison's first novel, a book heralded for its richness of language and boldness of vision. Set in the author's girlhood hometown of Lorain, Ohio, it tells the story of black, eleven-year-old Pecola Breedlove. Pecola prays for her eyes to turn blue so that she will be as beautiful and beloved as all the blond, blue-eyed children in America. In the autumn of 1941, the year the marigolds in the Breedloves' garden do not bloom. Pecola's life does change- in painful, devastating ways.
What its vivid evocation of the fear and loneliness at the heart of a child's yearning, and the tragedy of its fulfillment. The Bluest Eye remains one of Toni Morrisons's most powerful, unforgettable novels- and a significant work of American fiction."

295. Love and Death Among the Cheetahs by Rhys Bowen (2019)
Hardcover (library); 291 pgs; finished 10/18; 3*
Mystery: book #13 of Her Royal Spyness series

From the book blurb:
"Georgie and Darcy are finally on their honeymoon in Kenya's Happy Valley, but murder crashes the party in this all-new installment in the New York Times bestselling series.

I was so excited when Darcy announced out of the blue that we were flying to Kenya for our extended honeymoon. Now that we are here, I suspect he has actually been sent to fulfill another secret mission. I am trying very hard not to pick a fight about it, because after all, we are in paradise! Darcy finally confides that there have been robberies in London and Paris. It seems the thief was a member of the aristocracy and may have fled to Kenya. Since we are staying in the Happy Valley--the center of upper-class English life--we are well positioned to hunt for clues and ferret out possible suspects.

Now that I am a sophisticated married woman, I am doing my best to sound like one. But crikey! These aristocrats are a thoroughly loathsome sort enjoying a completely decadent lifestyle filled with wild parties and rampant infidelity. And one of the leading lights in the community, Lord Cheriton, has the nerve to make a play for me. While I am on my honeymoon! Of course, I put an end to that right off.

When he is found bloodied and lifeless along a lonely stretch of road, it appears he fell victim to a lion. But it seems that the Happy Valley community wants to close the case a bit too quickly. Darcy and I soon discover that there is much more than a simple robbery and an animal attack to contend with here in Kenya. Nearly everyone has a motive to want Lord Cheriton dead and some will go to great lengths to silence anyone who asks too many questions. The hunt is on! I just hope I can survive my honeymoon long enough to catch a killer...."

My thoughts:
Lady Georgiana & Darcy travel to Kenya and get involved in murder, possible treason & much more! A fun entry in the series but not as much mystery detection as in some of the books.

296. *Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray (1848) {reread}
Audiobook narrated by John Castle (Audible); 768 pgs; finished 10/18; 5*
AlphaKIT October: D & V

From the book blurb:
"Set during the time of the Napoleonic Wars, this classic gives a satirical picture of a worldly society. A novel that chronicles the lives of two women who could not be more different: Becky Sharp, an orphan whose only resources are her vast ambitions, her native wit, and her loose morals; and her schoolmate Amelia Sedley, a typically naive Victorian heroine, the pampered daughter of a wealthy family."

My thoughts:
October 2020 reread:
This 4th time through Thackeray's masterpiece made me love it all over again. Even though by now I know all the flaws (and virtues) of the main characters, seeing how it all unfolds is such a treat. Thackeray called this a book without a hero which upon my first reading made me puzzled - surely Dobbins is the hero! - but now I see that what he really meant is that all the characters, both the "good" and the "bad", have vices and virtues. I personally root for some and dislike others but I like the way that they are all portrayed as people rather than caricatures. And, as I have mentioned in previous reviews of this book, I love Thackeray's sarcastic comments about society!

Dec. 2018:
Having recently watched the Amazon video production of this classic, I felt the need to revisit the original. While Amazon did a very good job in its adaptation, I found that the author's asides and commentary (which don't translate to dramatic adaptations) were what made this a 5* read for me. I do enjoy the plot but it is the ironic comments that make me love the book.

Dec. 2014:
John Castle does an amazing narration for this wonderful classic. I think I enjoyed the book even more this time than I did before! So many little witty remarks I missed or had forgotten...

Nov. 2012:
I enjoyed this immensely! Although it is long, it never bogged down. My only regret is that I didn't read this years ago!!

297. The Templars' Last Secret by Martin Walker (2017)
Kindle book (Dad's Kindle); 336 pgs; finished 10/24; 3.5*
ROOT: Kindle owned since July 2017
Mystery: book #10 in the Bruno Courrèges series

From the book blurb:
"When a woman's body is found at the foot of a cliff near St. Denis, Bruno suspects a connection to the great ruined Château de Commarque, a long-ago Knights Templar stronghold that stands on the cliff above, and which, along with the labyrinth of prehistoric caves beneath it, continues to draw the interest of scholars. With the help of Amélie, a young Haitian newcomer to the Dordogne, Bruno learns that the dead woman was an archaeologist searching for a religious artifact of incredible importance, the discovery of which could have dramatic repercussions throughout the Middle East--not to mention in St. Denis. And the woman's ties to Islamic terrorists can only heighten the pressure on Bruno to unravel the centuries-old mystery. Meanwhile, an old flame of Bruno's is assigned to work with him on the case, and the two find time, naturellement, to enjoy the supreme pleasures of the wine, food, and beauty of the Dordogne."

>112 leslie.98: I love seeing your comments with each reading of the book!

Thanks >114 rabbitprincess: - this book is one that became an instant favorite after my first reading of it (as I guess is obvious by the number of times I have reread it in just 8 years!).

>112 leslie.98: I love Vanity Fair too! But I've only read it once to your four times--I have been thinking it is worth a reread, and your achievement proves it! I remember getting somewhat impatient with Amelia, but probably only in comparison with Becky.

>116 NinieB: Oh, yes, Amelia does make me impatient, especially in the second half of the book. She was one of the characters that I had in mind in my most recent review :)

Becky is less admirable but more interesting.

>112 leslie.98: You've made me look forward to reading Vanity Fair! :)

>118 DeltaQueen50: I hope that you like it as much as I do Judy!

298. *Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy L. Sayers (1933) (reread)
Paperback (MOB); 356 pgs; finished 10/25; 5*
Group Read - Lord Peter yearlong group read
Mystery

From the book blurb:
"When ad man Victor Dean falls down the stairs in the offices of Pym's Publicity, a respectable London advertising agency, it looks like an accident. Then Lord Peter Wimsey is called in, and he soon discovers there's more to copywriting than meets the eye. A bit of cocaine, a hint of blackmail, and some wanton women can be read between the lines. And then there is the brutal succession of murders -- 5 of them -- each one a fixed fee for advertising a deadly secret."

299. The Blythes Are Quoted by L.M. Montgomery (1942/2009 see below)
Kindle book (NOBLE); 544 pgs; finished 10/30; 3.5*
Read It, Track It - Separated by the Pond: Canada/Prince Edward Island

From the book blurb:
"The Blythes Are Quoted is the last work of fiction by the internationally celebrated author of Anne of Green Gables. Intended by L.M. Montgomery to be the ninth volume in her bestselling series featuring her beloved heroine Anne – and delivered to her publisher on the very day she died – it has never before been published in its entirety.

This rediscovered volume marks the final word of a writer whose work continues to fascinate readers all over the world.

Adultery, illegitimacy, revenge, murder, and death – these are not the first terms we associate with L.M. Montgomery. But in The Blythes Are Quoted, completed at the end of her life,the author brings topics such as these to the fore.

Intended by Montgomery to be the ninth volume in her bestselling series featuring Anne Shirley Blythe, The Blythes Are Quoted takes Anne and her family a full two decades beyond anything else she published about them, and some of its subject matter is darker than we might expect.

Divided into two sections, one set before and one after the Great War of 1914–1918, it contains fifteen short stories set in and around the Blythes’ Prince Edward Island community of Glen St. Mary. Binding these stories are sketches featuring Anne and Gilbert Blythe discussing poems by Anne and their middle son, Walter, who dies as a soldier in the war. By blending together poetry, prose, and dialogue in this way, Montgomery was at the end of her career experimenting with storytelling methods in an entirely new manner.

This publication of Montgomery's rediscovered original work – previously published only in severely abridged form as The Road to Yesterday – invites readers to return to her earlier books with a renewed appreciation and perspective."

October summary: 16 books read, 4 of which were ROOTs, and 3 new book acquired.

September was a very poor reading month for me - a combination of RL distractions and dislike of the books I have been reading... and sadly, October was little better. Given the current circumstances, I anticipate that November will also be a low reading month for me but I have already met most of my goals so I will try not to worry about that too much.

2 new-to-me books read from the Guardian's list plus 2 rereads & a few more places for my Read It/Track It challenge (specifically 2 Canadian provinces: Saskatchewan & PEI & one U.S. state).

Miscellaneous mysteries read in October:
Deadly Appearances (10/5)
Love and Death Among the Cheetahs (10/18)
*Murder Must Advertise (10/25) (reread)

New books obtained:
Girls of Brackenhill October Amazon Prime First Reads freebie
*Midnight's Children (audiobook)
*The Fellowship of the Ring (audiobook, free with purchase of above)

No nice photo for November :-(

Here are the books I read for the various KITs and CATs of November.

AlphaKIT November: I & Q
The Inimitable Jeeves (11/11)
Quick Service (11/13)
The Quiet Gentleman (11/14)
Ice Blue (11/19)
I, the Jury (11/25)

RandomCAT: Lest We Forget

MysteryKIT: Noir/Gumshoe
I, the Jury (11/25)

SFFKit: dystopia
The Giver (11/18)
*Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (11/22)

Group & Buddy Reads:
The Nine Tailors (11/5) - yearlong Lord Peter group read
*The Radetzky March (11/11) - group read over at Goodreads

300. The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers (1934) (reread)
Paperback (MOB) & audiobook narrated by Ian Carmichael(BPL); 311 pgs; finished 11/5; 4*
Mystery
Group Read

From the book blurb:
"When a disfigured corpse is discovered in a country parish, the local rector pleads with Lord Peter to take on what will become one of his most brilliant and complicated cases."

My thoughts:
I reread this book by listening to the audiobook, narrated by Ian Carmichael (not the full cast BBC audio). Even though I haven't reread this book in at least 10 years, I remembered most of the details vividly. In some ways, this is the most melancholy of Sayer's Lord Peter books, especially regarding the Thoday family.

One aspect that I had forgotten though was the long time frame of the story. It starts on New Year's Eve and doesn't finish until almost a full year later at Christmas time! It doesn't feel as slow moving as it must have been because Sayers rigidly avoids any mention of Lord Peter's life outside the case - not even the oblique references to Harriet and his family that occurred in the previous book, Murder Must Advertise.

301. The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery (1926)
ebook (OCLN); 256 pgs; finished 11/6; 4*
Read It, Track It - Separated by the Pond: Canada/Ontario

From the book blurb:
"All her life, Valancy Stirling lived on a quiet little street in an ugly little house and never dared to contradict her domineering mother and her unforgiving aunt. Then she gets a letter-and decides that very day things need to change. For the first time in her life, she does exactly what she wants to and says exactly what she feels.

At first her family thinks she's gone around the bend. But soon Valancy discovers more surprises and adventure than she ever thought possible. She also finds her one true love and the real-life version of the Blue Castle that she was sure only existed in her dreams..."

My thoughts:
The perfect antidote to the stress of watching the 2020 U.S. elections - a gentle love story. IMO, it doesn't have quite the charm of her more famous Anne of Green Gables but it is still a lovely way to while away an afternoon.

302. *The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie (1926) (reread)
Paperback (MOB) & audiobook narrated Hugh Fraser (Audible); 255 pgs; finished 11/9; 5*
Mystery

From the book blurb:
"Roger Ackroyd knew too much. He knew that the woman he loved had poisoned her brutal first husband. He suspected also that someone had been blackmailing her. Now, tragically, came the news that she had taken her own life with a drug overdose.

But the evening post brought Roger one last fatal scrap of information. Unfortunately, before he could finish the letter, he was stabbed to death…"

My thoughts:
2020 review:
I decided to revisit this favorite Poirot novel after finding myself disappointed by the David Suchet adaptation. Don't get me wrong - I love Suchet as Poirot & I had seen this episode before. However, upon rewatching it yesterday, I was bothered by how different the mood of the adaptation was from my memory of the book. Such a relief to find that the book was indeed as I had remembered it!

2016 review:
Hugh Fraser's narration is perfect for this, one of my favorite Christie mysteries. Even knowing the solution, I find it a compelling story and look for all the subtle clues Christie has embedded in the narrative.

>125 leslie.98: I adored The Blue Castle! I love the anniversary party scene when she tells everyone what she thinks of them :D

>126 leslie.98: I find the later Poirot adaptations are gloomier and darker than the books. But they do tend to stick closer to the book than the Marple adaptations, which aren't even of Marple books. I'm still cross with the adaptation of Murder is Easy (inclusion of Benedict Cumberbatch notwithstanding).

>127 rabbitprincess: Oh, that party scene was great! It wasn't just Valancy finally deciding to speak her mind but the way Montgomery shows the reader how the different members of the family react to it :)

And don't get me started on any of the Miss Marple adaptations that came after the Joan Hickson - Hickson was marvelous as Miss Marple and there was no reason to remake them, much less substantially alter Christie's plots!

303. The Inimitable Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse (1923) (reread)
Audiobook narrated by Jonathan Cecil (Audible Plus); 224 pgs; finished 11/11; 4*
AlphaKIT November: I & Q

From the book blurb:
"When Bingo Little falls in love at a Camberwell subscription dance and Bertie Wooster drops into the mulligatawny, there is work for a wet-nurse. Who better than Jeeves?"

My thoughts:
2020 review:
Wodehouse can always be relied upon to make me laugh :) Thanks to Audible for putting this audiobook in their Plus Catalog.

2015 review:
This early Jeeves book is more of a collection of short stories, most involving Bertie Wooster's pal Bingo Little, than a novel. While highly amusing, it isn't quite as hilarious as "The Code of the Woosters" or "Jeeves in the Morning". However, I think it is a good introduction to the world of Jeeves & Wooster.

Jonathan Cecil continues to delight me with his narration of Jeeves, Bertie, and the rest. I was a little taken aback at first by his voice for Bingo, which has the slightest trace of a lisp, but I quickly got used to it.

304. *The Radetzky March by Joseph Roth (1932), translated by Joachim Neugroschel
Hardcover (library); 331 pgs; finished 11/11; 4*
Guardian's List
Group read over at Goodreads

From the book blurb:
"The Radetzky March charts the history of the Trotta family through three generations spanning the rise and fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Through the Battle of Solferino, to the entombment of the last Hapsburg emperor, Roth's intelligent compassionate narrative illuminates the crumbling of a way of life. Translated by a three-time winner of the PEN Translation Prize."

My thoughts:
Over and over again in reading this book, I was reminded of one of my father's favorite films - "La Grande Illusion" - especially towards the end of the book. Both this novel and that film show, as the blurb puts it, the crumbling of a way of life (really they both show the same loss of a code of behaviour for various classes, particularly that held in military circles). But there is an important distinction between these 2 works: Roth's novel deals with what we would now describe as the middle class while Renoir's film looks at the aristocracy. The Trotta family begin as Slovenian peasants who rise to military officers then a title & advancement in the Empire's bureaucracy only to start descending again. The men of the Trotta family have formal & chilly relationships with each other, which I could speculate about but won't take the time to do now. I felt most sorry for the middle generation Trotta...

This 1995 translation of the novel was very readable.

305. Unnatural Causes by Dawn Eastman (2017)
Audiobook narrated by Amanda Dolan (Audible Plus); 279 pgs; finished 11/12; 3*
Mystery
Read It, Track It - Separated by the Pond: U.S.A./Michigan

From the book blurb:
"Katie LeClair has finally settled down as the new doctor in Baxter, MI. After years of moving, schooling, and training, she wants nothing more than to find a place she can call home, and a small town outside of Ann Arbor seemed perfect.

Katie quickly gets to work in building a life for herself in Baxter, and beyond reviving her love life, she also finds a pair of business partners in a team of father and son family practitioners. But that idyllic dream is immediately shattered when one of her patients is found dead. That wouldn't be the worst thing, except the death is ruled a suicide, and as evidence has it, the suicide was a result of the medication Katie had prescribed. But she doesn't remember writing it.

When a closer investigation reveals it was murder, Katie is catapulted into an off-the-books investigation that leads her down a dark path of past secrets. But someone is willing to kill to keep part of the town's history in the shadows, and Katie must race to find out who before it's too late in nationally bestselling author Dawn Eastman's riveting series debut Unnatural Causes."

My thoughts:
Solid mystery though I was able to figure out most of the solution well before the end of the book.

>126 leslie.98: I loved this novel too. I can't remember if I'd seen the David Suchet adaptation, but I definitely agree with your 2016 comment about Hugh Fraser's narration. I'm currently listening to a David Suchet narration of Evil Under the Sun, and though he does it very well, I prefer Fraser's voice.

>132 mathgirl40: I love the early scene in which Poirot throws his vegetable marrow because it refuses to grow symmetrically *grin* Plus it is fun that his neighbors think that he is a retired hair dresser :)

I think that one reason that Fraser's narrations are a bit preferable to Suchet's is that we Christie fans have become conditioned to having the story told from the point of view of the sidekick (primarily Hastings, i.e. Fraser). I have Suchet's narration of The Mysterious Affair at Styles which as you say is very good but Fraser would have been better.

306. The Head of a Traveller by Nicholas Blake (1949)
Kindle book (Amazon Prime lending library); 271 pgs; finished 11/13; 3*
Mystery

From the book blurb:
"Upon stopping by Plash Meadows to visit revered poet Robert Seaton, Nigel Strangeways is absolutely enamoured: like something out of a fairy tale, a perfect Queen Anne house stands among sprawling lawns as smooth as green glass, and whimsical gardens overflowing with roses. And not so far off, a dark and winding wood…

While visiting with the Seatons, Nigel gets more than he bargained for. He learns about the contentious legacy of the family estate, stumbles upon a secret meeting, and at lunch, when table talk turns to murder and motive, Nigel leaves feeling a little uneasy.

Two months later, Nigel is summoned back to the Seaton’s in less pleasant circumstances. A headless corpse has been pulled from the river behind the house and no one can identify the victim… let alone the murderer.

As oppressive thunderstorms roll through the countryside and the mood in the house takes a turn, Nigel has only one lead, but it’s throwing up more questions than it answers. The corpse bears a striking resemblance to Robert Seaton’s long-missing brother… but he walked into the ocean ten years prior, never to be heard from again.

Bewitched by poet and property, will Nigel be able to put his admiration aside and get to the bottom of this case?"

My thoughts:
Maybe only 2.5* - in part due to the ending which felt inconclusive and abrupt. I generally like the Nigel Strangeways books but had been warned (correctly it seems) that this is the low point in the series. I could have skipped it especially since I have already read the book that comes after this one but the completist in me decided to give it a go despite the warning. Oh well.

307. Quick Service by P.G. Wodehouse (1940) (reread)
Audiobook narrated by Jonathan Cecil (Audible Plus); 192 pgs; finished 11/13; 3.5*
AlphaKIT November: I & Q

From the book blurb:
"This stand-alone novel is another fine example of the wonderful, zany humor of P. G. Wodehouse. Imperious American widow Beatrice Chavender is visiting her sister's country home near London when a most unfortunate thing happens, she takes a bite of inferior ham while having her breakfast. Soon everyone around her is suffering the consequences-her sister, her brother-in-law, the butler, poor Sally, Sally's fiancé, and even Mrs. Chavender's ex-fiancé, "Ham King" J. B. Duff.Don't miss this wild romp from the acknowledged master of British humor."

My thoughts:
May 2018 reread/listen:
Simon Vance does a good narration, though his American accents don't sound right to my New England ears. Still, listening to this book is a fun way to spend a rainy day.

Nov. 2020 reread/listen:
Still of the same opinion as above...

308. Nothing Can Rescue Me by Elizabeth Daly (1943)
Kindle book (Dad's Kindle); 201 pgs; finished 11/14; 3.5*
ROOT: Kindle owned since July 2017
Mystery: Book #6 in the Henry Gamadge series

From the book blurb:
"In mid-1943, and up to his elbows in war work, Henry Gamadge is longing for a quiet weekend. But when a half-forgotten classmate requests assistance, Gamadge is unable to refuse the tug of an old school tie. The problem, says Sylvanus, concerns his Aunt Florence—a giddy socialite terrified of Nazi bombs. Florence has moved her extensive household of hangers-on to the family mansion in upstate New York. But menace seems to have followed them, in the form of threatening messages inserted into the manuscript of Florence’s painfully bad novel in progress. Several members of the household are convinced the messages are emanating from Another World, but the politely pragmatic Gamadge suspects a culprit closer to home."

309. The Quiet Gentleman by Georgette Heyer (1951) (reread)
Paperback (MOB) & Kindle book (Dad's Kindle); 378 pgs; finished 11/14; 4*
AlphaKIT November: I & Q

From the book blurb:
"Drusilla Morville had come to stay at Stanyon as the guest of Lady St. Erth. When Gervase Frant, heir to the St. Erth fortune, returned from the Napoleonic Wars, he found himself less than welcome at his ancestral home.

Drusilla was quick to realize that Gervase was in danger. But Gervase was a quiet man who kept his problems to himself until circumstances forced him to distinguish his friends from his enemies and realize that his friendship with Drusilla, born in distress, had ripened into love."

My thoughts:
2020 reread:
I am increasing my rating from 3 to 4*. It has been over a decade since I last read this romance and I enjoyed it more than I anticipated (even though I did recall the ending). This book is one of the handful of Heyer's romances that incorporates a suspense or mystery plot (such as "The Reluctant Widow" and "The Talisman Ring") - being a mystery buff, I love the romantic suspense subgenre.

I picked this book to reread since it fit November's AlphaKIT. Having read my Heyer books multiple times, it didn't occur to me to read the book's blurb and so I settled down to read this book thinking it was a different Heyer book (this fact will become relevant in my next post so bear with me)! I quickly recognized my error which didn't impact my enjoyment of the book one whit.

310. The Unknown Ajax by Georgette Heyer (1959) (reread)
Paperback (MOB) & Kindle book (Dad's Kindle); 373 pgs; finished 11/15; 4*

From the book blurb:
"Miles from anywhere, Darracott Place is presided over by irascible Lord Darracott. The recent drowning of his eldest son has done nothing to improve his temper. For now he must send for the unknown offspring of the uncle whom the family are never permitted to mention. Yet none of that beleaguered family are prepared for the arrival of the weaver’s brat and heir apparent."

My thoughts:
Now this is the Heyer book that I had thought I was going to read when I took "The Quiet Gentleman" down from my shelf! So obviously I had to immediately read this one once I finished "The Quiet Gentleman" - lol!! I like Hugo & his sneaky sense of humor. The climactic scene is so wonderful but not possible to discuss without spoilers...

311. The Foundling by Georgette Heyer (1948) (reread)
Paperback (MOB); 351 pgs; finished 11/16; 4*

From the book blurb:
"A diffident young man of 24 years, easily pushed around by his overprotective uncle and the retinue of devoted family retainers who won't let him lift a finger for himself, Adolphus Gillespie Vernon Ware ("Gilly"), the seventh Duke of Sale, sometimes wishes he could be a commoner. One day he decides to set out to discover whether he is "a man, or only a Duke."

Beginning with an incognito journey into the countryside to confront a blackmailer, he encounters a runaway school boy, a beautiful but airheaded orphan, one of literature's most appealing and well-spoken comic villains, and a series of alarming and even life threatening events from which he can extricate himself only with the help of his shy and lovely fiancé…"

My thoughts:
Clearly it had been too long since I dipped into my collection of Heyer's books. Having started rereading them, I found it hard to stop! I first started reading these romances in my teens, borrowing my mother's copies. After I left home and moved away, I started collecting my own copies, scouring used bookstores for them (back then, they hadn't been reissued for a while so they weren't available as new books). Now, years later, I have my mother's newer editions (she replaced most of her old falling apart paperbacks with the Sourcebook editions in the early 2000s) when she decided to get Kindle copies. While the Sourcebook editions are handsome, I miss the covers of my old editions so have decided to keep them here...

Anyway, none of that relates to this particular book. This one is really only slightly a romance - it is more of a delayed coming of age story. Gilly has spent his life wrapped in cotton wool, as the saying goes. With his coming of age (at his 25th birthday, under the conditions of his father's will) rapidly approaching, he might have expected to have a bit more freedom until his uncle & guardian lets him know that everyone expects him to become married to his childhood friend Harriet - and soon. Suddenly his window of opportunity for adventure and freedom is closing. That sets the stage for what happens next, which is so much fun to read about.

312. When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon (2017)
Audiobook narrated by Sneha Mathan & Vikas Adam (SYNC); 380 pgs; finished 11/17; 3.5*
ROOT: audiobook owned since May 2018

From the book blurb:
"Now that Dimple Shah has graduated, she's ready for a break from her family—especially from Mamma's inexplicable obsession with her finding the Ideal Indian Husband. Ugh. But Dimple knows that her mother must respect that she isn't interested in doing that right now—otherwise she wouldn't have paid for her to attend a summer program for aspiring web developers, right? Rishi Patel is a hopeless romantic, so when his parents tell him that his future wife will be attending the same summer program as him—during which he'll have to woo her—he's totally on board. Because as silly as it sounds to most people in his life, Rishi believes in the power of tradition, stability, and being a part of something much bigger than himself. Although their parents hadn't planned suggesting the arrangement so soon, when their kids signed up for the same summer program, they figured Why not?"

My thoughts:
Overall, I enjoyed this young adult book about 2 recent high school graduates, both Indian-American, and the different ways that these young people coped with the expectations and demands of their parents and the clash that sometimes occurs between the Indian and the American cultures. The conclusion of the InsomniaCon was surprising and well done. The end of the book however was a bit disappointing - I wish the author had avoided the typical YA happy ending with the "one month later" bit and left it with the somewhat sad conclusion of InsomniaCon.

313. The Giver by Lois Lowry (1993)
Kindle book (BPL); 204 pgs; finished 11/18; 4*
SFFKit November: Dystopia

From the book blurb:
"The Giver, the 1994 Newbery Medal winner, has become one of the most influential novels of our time. The haunting story centers on twelve-year-old Jonas, who lives in a seemingly ideal, if colorless, world of conformity and contentment. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory does he begin to understand the dark, complex secrets behind his fragile community."

My thoughts:
Great dystopian novel for children - the society is clearly different from ours but isn't too miserable (such as in "The Hunger Games"), at least at first sight, so it is suitable for younger readers. Lowry does a great job through the character of the Giver of showing the choices that had been faced in the past to create the society, letting the reader ponder on whether the choice was good or bad or somewhere in between. As an adult reading this for the first time, certain things seemed obvious to me (such as the probable nature of being released) well before Jonas discovers the truth about them.

One comment about this Kindle edition - Don't read the past Chap. 23 to "Ever After" if you plan on reading the other books in the series! Lowry's discussion in this section is interesting but full of spoilers.

Whew! I am finally caught up (at least for the moment).

I love the Heyer reviews! I haven't read these particular titles in years...probably time to revisit!

>143 christina_reads: Glad to see another Heyer fan :) Revisit these (or others) - the joy of reading them never diminishes!

314. Ice Blue by Emma Jameson (2011)
Kindle book (Amazon); 269 pgs; finished 11/19; 3.5*
ROOT: Kindle book owned since Aug. 2015
Mystery
AlphaKIT November: I & Q

From the book blurb:
"Anthony Hetheridge, ninth Baron of Wellegrave, Chief Superintendent for New Scotland Yard, never married, no children, no pets, no hobbies, and not even an interesting vice, will turn sixty in three weeks. With the exception of his chosen career, too sordid for his blue-blooded family to condone, his life has been safe and predictable. But then he meets Detective Sergeant Kate Wakefield – beautiful, willful, and nearly half his age. When Hetheridge saves the outspoken, impetuous young detective from getting the sack, siding with her against Scotland Yard’s powerful male hierarchy, his cold, elegantly balanced world spins out of control. Summoned to London’s fashionable Belgravia to investigate the brutal murder of a financier, Hetheridge must catch the killer while coping with his growing attraction to Kate, the reappearance of an old flame, and the secret that emerges from his own past."

My thoughts:
Enjoyable first book in a series. A bit more about the personal lives of the protagonists than I prefer but I will probably pick up the next book in the series.

315. The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer (1940) (reread)
Paperback (MOB) & audiobook narrated by Georgina Sutton (Hoopla); 261 pgs; finished 11/20; 4*

From the book blurb:
"A daring escape

Penelope Creed will do anything to avoid marrying her repulsive cousin. Dressed in boy's clothing, she's fleeing from London when she's discovered by Sir Richard Wyndham, himself on the verge of the most momentous decision of his life.

And a heroic rescue

When Sir Richard encounters the lovely young fugitive, he knows he can't allow her to travel to the countryside all alone, so he offers himself as her protector. As it happens, at that very moment Sir Richard could use an escape of his own..."

My thoughts:
2020 reread via Hoopla audiobook narrated by Georgina Sutton:
While I enjoyed the story as much as ever, Sutton's narration was only passable. Too bad as a good narration could have added to the experience.

316. Montmartre Mysteries by Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balin (2005), translated by Sally Pane
Kindle book (Dad's Kindle); 146 pgs; finished 11/20; 3*
ROOT: Kindle owned since July 2017
Mystery: Book #8 in the Winemakers Detective series

From the book blurb:
"Wine expert Benjamin Cooker travels to the French capital, where he is called to help care for some vineyards in Montmartre, a neighborhood full of memories for him. He stops in on an old friend. Arthur Solacroup left the Foreign Legion to open a wine shop good enough to be in the Cooker Guide. But an attempted murder brings the past back into the present. But which past? The winemaker detective and his assistant Virgile want to know more, and their investigation leads them from the the sands of Djibouti to the vineyards of Côte du Rhône."

317. Livin' Lahaina Loca by JoAnn Bassett (2012)
Kindle book (Amazon); 290 pgs; finished 11/21; 3.5*
ROOT: Kindle book owned since Feb. 2013
Mystery
Read It, Track It - Separated by the Pond: U.S.A./Hawaii
BingoDOG Square #21 - weird book title

From the book blurb:
"It's Halloween night in Lahaina, Maui, and the Mardi Gras of the Pacific is in full swing. But wedding planner Pali Moon isn't in costume--she's on a mission. A bridesmaid has vanished and Pali's canvassing Front Street, ducking into every overcrowded waterfront watering hole hoping to spot a girl with long red hair and a lingerie model's figure. No luck. Back at her car, Pali opens the door and finds the remnants of a bizarre trick or treat stunt. Turns out, Halloween in Lahaina isn't just a night for island high-jinx, it's also a night for vengeance."

My thoughts:
More of a thriller than a mystery. Good balance of plot with personal life of main character Pali (sounds like Polly) Moon.

318. *Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick (1968) (reread)
Audiobook narrated by Scott Brick (Audible) & Kindle book (BPL); 244 pgs; finished 11/22; 4.5*
SFFKit November: Dystopia

From the book blurb:
"Here is the classic sci-fi novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, set nearly thirty years before the events of the new Warner Bros. film Blade Runner 2049, starring Harrison Ford, Ryan Gosling, and Robin Wright.

By 2021, the World War has killed millions, driving entire species into extinction and sending mankind off-planet. Those who remain covet any living creature, and for people who can't afford one, companies build incredibly realistic simulacra: horses, birds, cats, sheep. They've even built humans. Immigrants to Mars receive androids so sophisticated they are indistinguishable from true men or women. Fearful of the havoc these artificial humans can wreak, the government bans them from Earth. Driven into hiding, unauthorized androids live among human beings, undetected. Rick Deckard, an officially sanctioned bounty hunter, is commissioned to find rogue androids and "retire" them. But when cornered, androids fight back-with lethal force."

My thoughts:
2013 review of Kindle edition: rating 5*
Perhaps 4½ stars, but my initial reaction is "Wow!". Not just a great story which pulls you in and keeps you involved but layers of implications about the nature of life and living. No wonder that this novel is on so many "must read" lists!

2020 review of audiobook: rating 4-4.5*
I got this audiobook free in a 2-for-1 sale at Audible a few months ago. I don't know why Audible and/or Random House Audio decided to retitle this book with the movie title, Blade Runner. Just to be sure that it was actually the text of the book, I checked out the Kindle edition from the library - thank goodness, this is the book not an adaptation!

I still think that this is a great book but there were a few places where Scott Brick's narration sent my mind wandering persistently despite several rewinds. Luckily I had the library Kindle edition and managed to read those sections to get me past that roadblock.

>137 leslie.98:, >138 leslie.98:, >139 leslie.98:, >146 leslie.98: You're right. It's time for a Georgette Heyer re-read.

>150 pamelad: In my opinion, there is no bad time for reading Heyer *grin* If you do decide to revisit her books, I hope you have as much fun as I have been having!

So, on a non-book note, despite the fact that my COVID-19 test results came back today as negative, I have decided not to drive to my brother's house for Thanksgiving. I am a bit depressed about spending this, my favorite, holiday alone but I feel better safe than sorry... With 3 teenagers in his household & my being the most at-risk person in terms of age & general health, plus the travel restrictions in place here which will mean I would have to quarantine for 14 days upon my return (or pay ~$200 for another test), it seems the most sensible decision.

I have bought the fixings for making my own feast (with some shortcuts such as precooked turkey breast & jarred gravy {pretty sure this will be terrible compared to my Mom's recipe which requires drippings from the turkey pan, but better than none, I hope}). I made Mom's cranberry sauce today, which I would have done anyway since my niece & nephews have the poor taste to prefer the canned variety.

>152 leslie.98: Yikes! I'm sorry you had to take the test, relieved that it's negative, but sad that you will miss out on Thanksgiving.

At Easter my other half and I did one of those frozen turkey breasts for ourselves and it actually ended up yielding some gravy. We were surprised!

>153 rabbitprincess: I didn't "have" to take the test but didn't want to 'mingle' without it. I didn't have any symptoms and hadn't come into contact with anyone with the disease, at least that I knew about. Massachusetts has extended their free public testing so with the prevalence of people who test positive without symptoms, it seemed like a good idea to verify my belief that I was free from infection. For some reason, it took longer than I expected for me to get my results which led to me becoming increasingly nervous plus watching lots of news about how travel was a bad idea :(

Good news about the turkey breast - maybe I can make my own gravy & save the jarred stuff for some unspecified later time! I have stuffing mix, potatoes & assorted veggies plus some wine so even though I will miss the family dynamic, I will at least be full! And hopefully I will figure out video chat so I can get a bit of the family feeling even though I won't be there in person.

>152 leslie.98: Sorry that you won't be able to get to your brother's house for Thanksgiving this year and shocked that you had to pay for the test. At least the news about the vaccines is promising, so hopefully things will be a lot safer by next Thanksgiving.

Just read your post. First test was free, and it's either a fortnight's isolation or pay for the second test?

>155 pamelad: At least here in Mass., if you arrive here from out-of-state you have to either quaratine for a fortnight or pay for a test or have the results of a test you took elsewhere within a 3 day window of your arrival; there are exceptions for essential workers and some others, none of which would apply to me. It is part of the state's attempt to discourage travel and the spread of the disease. So I could take another free test as long as it wasn't required due to my having travelled out of state.

The travel restrictions have been tightened since the fall "second wave" - there used to be several nearby states which were considered 'safe' and if you came from those, you didn't have to do all that. But with this surge in infections, my brother's home is no longer included in that list. I am hoping that things will calm down by Christmas, unlikely though that is, otherwise I will be revisiting this dilemma again in a few weeks.

>152 leslie.98: That must have been a hard decision, but sometimes safe really is best. I wish you success with the video chat!

I think you made a wise decision and although we may also be having a very quiet Christmas this year, at least there is hope for the near future. I hope you are able to find something - books, TV, video chats, etc. that fills your time and makes your Thanksgiving special.

Thanks >157 MissWatson: & >158 DeltaQueen50: for the support. I am sure that I will end up watching sappy Hallmark movies at least part of the day, a weakness that I don't normally get to indulge in when I am with family, so that is at least a copper lining (not quite good enough for silver though)!

319. I, the Jury by Mickey Spillane (1947)
Audiobook narrated by Mike Dennis (Hoopla); 246 pgs; finished 11/25; 2.5*
AlphaKIT November: I & Q
MysteryKIT November: Noir & Gumshoes
Mystery

From the book blurb:
"Here's Mickey Spillane and Mike Hammer in their roughest and readiest—a double-strength shot of sex, violence, and action that is vintage Spillane all the way. It's a tough-guy mystery to please even the most bloodthirsty of fans!"

My thoughts:
The mystery was good but Mike Hammer himself was dreadful. I can see the appeal of his character to a certain segment of the male population - he is the virile male who is tough and (apparently) has so much appeal that every woman he meets wants to have sex with him and he pretty much always gets his way, even if his way is illegal and/or immoral. Sort of like the movie version of James Bond without the suavity and international travel; a fantasy figure...

For example, the title of this book refers to the fact that Hammer decides early in the book that he will constitute the judge & jury of his friend's killer and will "take him out" in the same manner that the murderer used to kill his friend. Not only does he decide this but he tells the cop in charge of the case, who doesn't approve but still continues to feed Hammer information (!)

My holiday dinner which I managed to share with my family via Zoom



Now I have lots of left overs to eat, even now several days later!

320. A Taste for Vengeance by Martin Walker (2018)
Kindle book (CLAMS); 337 pgs; finished 11/29; 3.5*
Mystery: book #11 of the Bruno Courrèges series

From the book blurb:
"When a British tourist fails to turn up for a luxurious cooking vacation in Bruno's usually idyllic Dordogne village of St. Denis, the worried hostess is quick to call on Bruno for help. Monica Felder is nowhere to be found, and her husband, a retired British major, is unreachable. And not long after Bruno discovers that Monica was traveling with a mysterious Irishman (her lover?), the two turn up dead. The Irishman's background in intelligence and his connection to Monica's husband only raise more questions for Bruno. Was she running away? How much does her husband really know? What's the real story behind a scandal buried in the threesome's military past? Meanwhile, the star of the girls' rugby team, a favorite of Bruno's, is pregnant, putting at risk her chances of being named to the French national squad. Bruno's search for the truth in both cases leads him to places he hadn't intended to go--but, as ever, he and his friends take time to savor the natural delights of the Dordogne. Santé!"

My thoughts:
While I continue to enjoy St. Denis & Bruno, I found myself sighing while reading this 11th book in the series because once again Bruno has become embroiled in a case involving national & international agencies. It would be nice for him to have a purely local case once in a while!

>161 leslie.98: That meal looks like a good showing! All the important parts.

Wishing you some good books for the next month, and then we can put 2020 behind us and see what 2021 brings.

>161 leslie.98: Looks good! Were you able to get gravy out of the turkey breast after all?

>163 pammab: Thanks - a few sides didn't make it on to the plate :)

>164 rabbitprincess: No, but I bought jarred turkey gravy and added my 'secret' ingredient, Madeira (courtesy of a 1970s Gourmet magazine). Neither the turkey nor the gravy were great but still pretty good.

November summary: 20 books read, 5 of which were ROOTs, and 2 new book acquired.

Lots of rereading this month, though I did manage to read several library books as well; all that combined to mean not many ROOTs finished but I have already passed my goal so that is OK.

1 new-to-me books read from the Guardian's list plus 2 rereads. A couple of new places for the Read It/Track It Across the Pond challenge but not enough that I could hope to finish them all :/

Miscellaneous mysteries read in November:
The Nine Tailors (11/5) (reread)
*The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (11/9) (reread)
Unnatural Causes (11/12)
Head of a Traveller (11/13)
Ice Blue (11/19)
Livin' Lahaina Loca (11/21)

New books obtained:
Every Last Secret Nov. Amazon Prime First Reads freebie
The Way of Kings (audiobook)

and one of September's new audiobooks was read - *Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (under the title "Blade Runner") - for Nov.'s SFFKit.

House in the woods of MDI

Here are the books I read for the various KITs and CATs of December... I will be glad to move on to 2021 in just a few short weeks!

AlphaKIT December: W & N
The Whisper in the Gloom (12/7)
various short stories (see post 177)
The Name of the Star (12/12)
Wild Bird (12/13)
Wizard's First Rule (12/15)

RandomCAT: Books with a number in the title
various short stories (see post 177)
On Two Feet and Wings (12/11)
Wizard's First Rule (12/15)
*The Two Towers (12/28)

MysteryKIT: Cozies
Gaudy Night (12/3)
Busman's Honeymoon (12/4)
Arrow Pointing Nowhere (12/14)
Backstabbing in Beaujolais (12/31)

SFFKit: Short fiction
various short stories (see post 177)

GeoCAT: Catch up month
A Zoo in My Luggage - Cameroon
On Two Feet and Wings - Turkey & Iran

Group & Buddy Reads:
Gaudy Night (12/3) - Lord Peter group read
*Cakes and Ale (12/13) - group read over at Goodreads
*The Friends of Eddie Coyle (12/31) - group read over at Goodreads

Your Thanksgiving dinner looks really good, Leslie. I think we are all eager for 2020 to be over, but we should bear in mind that things won't change for awhile yet.

Thanks >168 DeltaQueen50:. The turkey & gravy weren't as good as I had hoped but all the sides came out well.

Intellectually I recognize that life won't return to normal for quite a long time yet (perhaps even as much as a year) but emotionally getting to a new calendar year will be a relief!

321. Split Code by Dorothy Dunnett (1976)
Kindle book (Dad's Kindle); 205 pgs; finished 12/1; 4*
ROOT: Kindle owned since July 2017
Mystery
Read It, Track It - Separated by the Pond: Canada/Manitoba

From the book blurb:
"A Johnson Johnson mystery, first published as "`Dolly' and the Nanny Bird". Joanna Emerson - apparently a gold-medalled graduate of the world's finest college of nursery nurses - gets caught up in a complex kidnap plot. But the enigmatic Johnson Johnson knows the dangerous game she's playing."

My thoughts:
Good espionage thriller though there are some dated attitudes - I was a bit surprised that the 1970s still had a good bit of 1950s Cold War feel to it.

>166 leslie.98: Wouldn't it be great to read Roger Ackroyd for the first time?

>171 NinieB: I have read it so many times by now that I can't recall what reading it for the first time was like! But I love it so have to imagine that if someone who hadn't read it before (or seen any of the TV adaptations), he/she would find the final twist such a surprise.

322. Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers (1935) (reread)
Paperback (MOB) & audiobook narrated by Ian Carmichael (BPL); 501 pgs; finished 12/3; 4*
Lord Peter Group Read
Mystery
MysteryKIT December: Cozies

From the book blurb:
"Mystery novelist Harriet Vane, an alumna of Shrewsbury College at Oxford University, is asked by her old school to make a strictly private investigation of the recent rash of poison pen letters and vandalism. When things escalate to assault, she accepts the help of her long-time suitor, Lord Peter Wimsey, who successfully unmasks the culprit."

My thoughts:
2020 reread via audiobook narrated by Ian Carmichael:
I found myself enjoying this entry in the Lord Peter series more than I had expected. I guess my teenage jealousy of Harriet has worn off (finally!). Due to that jealousy, I have read this entry in the series less frequently than many of the earlier books. Thus while I remembered the motive in this case, I wasn't sure about the culprit. Sayers cleverly provided 2 suspects for whom this motive might apply and I spent most of the book waffling between them.

323. Busman's Honeymoon by Dorothy L. Sayers (1937) (reread)
Paperback (MOB) & audiobook narrated by Ian Carmichael (MVLN); 409 pgs; finished 12/4; 4*
Mystery
MysteryKIT December: Cozies

From the book blurb:
"Lord Peter Wimsey and his bride, mystery writer Harriet Vane, start their honeymoon with murder. The former owner of Talboys estate is dead in the cellar with a misspelled "notise" to the milkman, not a spot of blood on his smashed skull, and £600 in his pocket."

My thoughts:
2020 reread via audiobook narrated by Ian Carmichael
I am upping my rating from 3 to 4 stars - I guess that I have mellowed in my old age re:Harriet!! And Carmichael's narration really was a plus. I particularly liked the first section which was epistolary showing various people's reactions to Peter's engagement & wedding.

324. A Zoo in My Luggage by Gerald Durrell (1962)
Audiobook narrated by Rupert Degas (Hoopla); 198 pgs; finished 12/5; 3.5*
AlphaKIT Year-long: Z & X
GeoCAT December: Catch up month - Cameroon

From the book blurb:
"A Zoo in My Luggage is the colorful, first-hand account of Gerald Durrell's six-month animal-collecting trip in British Cameroon, and his attempts to create his own zoo. Motivated by a passion for wildlife, and a desire to save endangered species from extinction, Durrell assembles a glorious panoply of exotic animals – including a female baboon called Georgina, who later runs amok in a department store; a black-eared squirrel, who tries to bury nuts in his ear; and a gentlemanly chimpanzee named Chumly, who greets him with an outstretched hand. Aided by the Fon of Bafut, who houses the collection (and hosts many long and lively parties), Durrell amasses more than 250 animals. He struggles to find a home for the animals back in England, until a stroke of luck leads him to Jersey, and the eventual founding of Durrell Wildlife Park (now Jersey Zoo).

Listening time: 5 hours 23 minutes"

My thoughts:
I enjoyed this nonfiction book but don't think it was quite as good as some of the other Gerald Durrell books I have read. Maybe I should have read it rather than listening to the audiobook... I like G. Durrell's sense of humor and his love of animals shines through even when he's swearing at them!

325. The Whisper in the Gloom by Nicholas Blake (1954)
Hardcover (library); 254 pgs; finished 12/7; 4*
Mystery
AlphaKIT December: W & N

From the book blurb: (an abbreviated form is given here as the full blurb has spoilers in it)
"You can’t keep Strangeways out of mischief...

On a fine August day in Kensington Garden, Bert Hale is anxious to test out his toy boat, a police informant is running for his life, and Nigel Strangeways is out for a stroll.

By the Round Pond, blood seeps into the water, a young boy flees with a note, and a private investigator is left bewildered."

My thoughts:
Nigel Strangeways gets pulled into an unusual thriller by an encounter with a 12-year-old boy in this 11th entry in the series. I really liked how much of the story is told from the perspective of the boys involved.

326. selected short stories from various "Free Stories" anthologies from Baen Books
Kindle books, owned since Sept 2019 (and earlier)
ROOT
SFFKit December: Short fiction

I have been dipping into my "Free Stories 20xx" from Baen books - I have these anthologies from 2011-2019 (though for some reason 2017 seems to be missing at the moment). I have read the following stories, picked for various KITs and CATs:

RandomCAT December: Titles with numbers in them
"71" by David Brin, "Free Stories 2016", finished 12/7, 3.5*
"Seven Miles" by T.C. McCarthy, "Free Stories 2013", finished 12/7, 4*
"The 100 MPG Carburetor and Other Self-Evident Truths" by Robert Buettner, "Free Stories 2015", finished 12/7, 4*
"Pawn to King Four" by Timothy Zahn, "Free Stories 2011", finished 12/8, 3.5*
"Honorverse Tech Bu9" by David Weber, "Free Stories 2011", finished 12/9, 2.5*

AlphaKIT December: W & N
"Wise Child" by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, "Free Stories 2016", finished 12/7 (reread), 4*
"Waiting for the Talisman" by P.C. Hodgell, "Free Stories 2019", finished 12/8, 3*
"New Moon Wolf" by David B. Coe, "Free Stories 2015", finished 12/8; 3.5*
"The night don't seem so lonely" by Sharon Lee, "Free Stories 2014", finished 12/9, 3*
"When the Lion Feeds" by John Lambshead, "Free Stories 2015", finished 12/9, 2.5*

no particular KIT or CAT (other than the SFFKit):
"Long Nights Moon" by David B. Coe, "Free Stories 2014", finished 12/9, 3.5*
"Cutting Corners" by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, "Free Stories 2017", finished 12/10, 3.5*
"Block Party" by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, "Free Stories 2017", finished 12/10 (reread), 4*
"The Grimnoir Chronicles: Detroit Christmas" by Larry Correia, "Free Stories 2011", finished 12/10, 3*

327. On Two Feet and Wings by Abbas Kazerooni (2005)
Audiobook narrated by author (SYNC); 238 pgs; finished 12/11; 4.5*
ROOT: audiobook owned since May 2018
RandomCAT December: number in the title
GeoCAT December: Catch up month - Turkey & Iran

From the book blurb:
"He is in a foreign city, he is alone, and he is just a boy...

Close to his tenth birthday, Abbas has to leave his parents and friends, and flee Tehran. The Iran-Iraq war is at its bloodiest. The Ayatollahs, the rulers in Iran, have reduced the age of recruitment into the army. And if Abbas doesn’t leave soon, he will have to go to war.

In the strange and often frightening city of Istanbul, Abbas has to grow up faster than ever. He has to learn difficult things – how to live on his own, how to make his way around, and most importantly, how to judge who is a friend and who an enemy.

Living alone for fifteen weeks in a run-down hotel, Abbas finds a friend in Mourat, the owner, while he waits to get his dream-visa to England. Meanwhile, he has to deal with his new life and work at several jobs to make ends meet. Most of all, he has to guard against being manipulated, and watch his back at all times.

This is young Abbas’s remarkable story of innocence and wisdom, and survival against the worst odds. Like all stories, this one is often happy and sometimes sad. But unlike most others, this one is true."

My thoughts:
The author did a great job capturing the viewpoint of his younger self and provided a magnificent narration as well. So glad that this audiobook was one of the SYNC offerings as I probably would never have heard of it otherwise.

328. *I'll Go to Bed at Noon by Gerard Woodward (2004)
ebook (Open Library); 437 pgs; finished 12/11; 2.5*
Guardian's list

From the book blurb:
"Colette Jones has had drink problems in the past, but now it seems as though her whole family is in danger of turning to alcohol. Her oldest son has thrown away a promising musical career for a job behind the counter in a builders' merchants, and his drinking sprees with his brother-in-law Bill, a pseudo-Marxist supermarket butcher who seems to see alcohol as central to the proletarian revolution, have started to land him in trouble with the police. Meanwhile Colette's recently widowered older brother is following an equally self-destructive path, having knocked back an entire cellar of homemade wine, he's now on the gin, a bottle a day and counting. Who will be next? Her youngest son had decided to run away to sea, but when her own husband hits the bottle Colette realises she has to act. As the pressure builds on Colette to cope with these damaged people, her own weaknesses begin to emerge, and become crucial to the outcome of all their lives.

By way of an odyssey through the pubs, parks and drying-out clinics of suburban North London, Gerard Woodward's richly woven second novel I'll Go To Bed At Noon charts in microscopic detail the continuing history of a troubled but unforgettable family (first encountered in August) as it lurches from farce to tragedy and back again, and from one end of the 1970's to the other, and at the same time presents an unflinching portrait of British society in the unstable years leading up to the Thatcher revolution."

My thoughts:
While this book was well written, its content was depressing to me. This novel deals with a dysfunctional family with many alcoholic members.

329. Bruno and the Carol Singers by Martin Walker (2012)
Kindle book (Dad's Kindle); 66 pgs; finished 12/11; 3.5*
ROOT: Kindle owned since July 2017
Mystery: Book # 4.5 in the Bruno Courrèges series

From the book blurb:
"St. Denis is experiencing its coldest winter in years—bringing the promise of snow and shared chocolats chauds in the village’s cafés—and Bruno is occupied with his Christmastime duties. From organizing carolers to playing Father Christmas for the local schoolchildren, Bruno has his hands full . . . at least until some funds raised for charity go missing. Then it’s up to Bruno to save the day (and perhaps manage a Christmas miracle) in this charming holiday installment of Walker’s best-selling series."

My thoughts:
I put off reading this short story/novella until December (for the obvious reasons) so some aspects of the story were out of sync with where I had last left Bruno. But it is a great, heart-warming story though not much of a mystery.

330. The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson (2011)
Audiobook narrated by Nicola Barber (SYNC); 372 pgs; finished 12/12; 3.5*
ROOT: audiobook owned since July 2019
Mystery
AlphaKIT December: W & N

From the book blurb:
"Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London to start a new life at boarding school just as a series of brutal murders mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper killing spree of more than a century ago has broken out across the city. The police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man believed to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him - the only one who can see him. And now Rory has become his next target...unless she can tap her previously unknown abilities to turn the tables."

My thoughts:
I am not a big fan of books featuring the paranormal. However, I liked the character of Rory very much and found the story engaging. Nicola Barber does a great narration especially in the Southern drawl for Rory's voice (and the way, when the story asks for it, she can tone it up or down).

331. Wild Bird by Wendelin Van Draanen (2017)
Audiobook narrated by Alex McKenna (SYNC); 320 pgs; finished 12/13; 4*
ROOT: audiobook owned since May 2019
AlphaKIT December: W & N
Read It, Track It - Separated by the Pond: U.S.A./Utah

From the book blurb:
"3:47 a.m. That's when they come for Wren Clemens. She's hustled out of her house and into a waiting car, then a plane, and then taken on a forced march into the desert. This is what happens to kids who've gone so far off the rails, their parents don't know what to do with them any more. This is wilderness therapy camp.

The Wren who arrives in the Utah desert is angry and bitter, and blaming everyone but herself. But angry can't put up a tent. And bitter won't start a fire. Wren's going to have to admit she needs help if she's going to survive.

In her most incisive and insightful book yet, beloved author Wendelin Van Draanen's offers a remarkable portrait of a girl who too a wrong turn and got lost--but who may be able to find her way back again in the vast, harsh desert."

My thoughts:
At first I wasn't sure that I was going to like this book - 14-year-old Wren, the main character & narrator of the story, wasn't very likeable. In the end, though, it is an uplifting story and I thought that the author made a bold & important choice with Wren. Unlike many of the other girls at the camp, Wren doesn't have a dysfunctional family or a history of some terrible abuse which caused her to turn to drugs and alcohol. That doesn't make her pain and anger any less real or her need for this intervention less urgent but it does make her a character that more readers (both teens and adults) can identify with.

Being an adult reader of this YA novel, in some ways I couldn't help feeling sympathy for her parents - I can imagine the situation at the start of the book as being one parents of teenagers have nightmares about.

Alex McKenna did a good narration - I am not sure whether the somewhat hoarse voice is one she adopted for the character of Wren. It fit this character but I am not sure that I would select her as the narrator of another book without checking that aspect...

332. *Cakes and Ale by W. Somerset Maugham (1930) {reread}
Paperback (MOB); 308 pgs; finished 12/13; 5*
Group Read in a Goodreads group

From the book blurb:
"Cakes and Ale is a delicious satire of London literary society between the Wars. Social climber Alroy Kear is flattered when he is selected by Edward Driffield's wife to pen the official biography of her lionized novelist husband, and determined to write a bestseller. But then Kear discovers the great novelist's voluptuous muse (and unlikely first wife), Rosie. The lively, loving heroine once gave Driffield enough material to last a lifetime, but now her memory casts an embarrissing shadow over his career and respectable image. Wise, witty, deeply satisfying, Cakes and Ale is Maugham at his best."

My thoughts:
2020 reread: Still think it is a great book especially for book-lovers :)
----------------------------------
2013 review:
What a wonderful book! Even though it was written over 70 years ago, so many of Maugham's jabs at writers, critics, and the reading public are still right on the mark. In particular, I smiled in appreciation while reading his description of how writers become what we now call trendy - reminded me a lot of the "Fifty Shades of Gray" frenzy:)

333. All the Devils Are Here by Louise Penny (2020)
Hardcover (library); 438 pgs; finished 12/13; 4*
Mystery
BingoDOG Square #24: Book published in 2020

From the book blurb:
"The 16th novel by #1 bestselling author Louise Penny finds Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Quebec investigating a sinister plot in the City of Light

On their first night in Paris, the Gamaches gather as a family for a bistro dinner with Armand’s godfather, the billionaire Stephen Horowitz. Walking home together after the meal, they watch in horror as Stephen is knocked down and critically injured in what Gamache knows is no accident, but a deliberate attempt on the elderly man’s life.

When a strange key is found in Stephen’s possession it sends Armand, his wife Reine-Marie, and his former second-in-command at the Sûreté, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, from the top of the Tour d’Eiffel, to the bowels of the Paris Archives, from luxury hotels to odd, coded, works of art.

It sends them deep into the secrets Armand’s godfather has kept for decades.

A gruesome discovery in Stephen’s Paris apartment makes it clear the secrets are more rancid, the danger far greater and more imminent, than they realized.

Soon the whole family is caught up in a web of lies and deceit. In order to find the truth, Gamache will have to decide whether he can trust his friends, his colleagues, his instincts, his own past. His own family.

For even the City of Light casts long shadows. And in that darkness devils hide."

My thoughts:
An excellent mystery/thriller but, despite the fact that all of the Gamache family are involved, the Paris setting meant that all the wonderful secondary characters from Three Pines are missing. I did like the Paris setting and the plot was wonderfully intricate.

334. Arrow Pointing Nowhere by Elizabeth Daly (1944)
Kindle book (Dad's Kindle); 226 pgs; finished 12/14; 4*
ROOT: Kindle owned since July 2017
Mystery: book #7 in the Henry Gamadge series
MysteryKIT December: Cozies

from the book blurb:
"Something is not right at the elegant Fenway mansion on the Upper East Side of New York City. The only clues are coded distress messages thrown out of a window and addressed to Henry Gamadge and, once he gets himself admitted to the mansion, a missing page in a book. But who is the member of the household who has asked for Gamadge’s assistance, and what is the nature of the danger?"

So I had a digital credit at Amazon expiring soon and Terry Goodkind's Temple of the Winds was on sale (enough that the credit would pay all but $1) - of course I bought it. Then I decided that I didn't want to jump into the series at book #4 thus ...

335. Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind (1994)
ebook (BPL); 848 pgs; finished 12/15; 4*
AlphaKIT December: W & N
RandomCAT December: (die=2) Titles with numbers in them

From the book blurb:
"Wizard’s First Rule, the first novel by Terry Goodkind, was a phenomenon from the moment it was published by Tor Books in 1994, selling more than 100,000 copies in North America alone. It still sells more than 100,000 copies a year and has gone on to bestsellerdom in the United Kingdom and in more than twenty foreign translations as well as audiobook form.

It is now being developed as one of the most ambitious television miniseries of all time. Executive Producer Sam Raimi (director of the three Spider-Man movies), in collaboration with Disney/ABC, is creating a 22-episode adaptation of the book to be filmed in New Zealand.

Richard and Kahlan’s story unfolds over ten more novels, collectively known as the Sword of Truth series, concluding with Confessor in 2007. Placing Goodkind in the elite club of #1 New York Times bestselling authors, the series has sold more than twenty million copies to date worldwide.

In Wizard’s First Rule, Goodkind introduced the world to an ordinary forest guide, Richard Cypher, and the mysterious, powerful woman he comes to love, Kahlan Amnell. Learning his true identity, Richard accepts his destiny as the one man who can stop the bloodthirsty tyrant Darken Rahl. Hunted relentlessly, betrayed and alone, Kahlan calls upon Richard to reach beyond his sword and invoke something more noble within himself as the final confrontation with Darken Rahl looms.

The importance of Wizard’s First Rule is sourced in Goodkind taking on the toughest of all literary challenges: to tell an electrifying story of action, violence, and adventure that also makes people think, and that would influence the choices and actions of its readers."

My thoughts:
I couldn't put this down! I had errands and Xmas gifts to buy but instead I spent most of Tuesday glued to my book - it was that good. Of course, I am a sucker for the epic fantasy genre (hence my reading & rereading Tolkien since the 1970s); if you are not, you might not have the same reaction.

336. Stone of Tears by Terry Goodkind (1995)
Audiobook narrated by Jim Bond (Audible); 979 pgs; finished 12/20; 2.5*

From the book blurb:
"In Wizard's First Rule, Richard Cypher's world was turned upside down. Once a simple woods guide, Richard was forced to become the Seeker of Truth, to save the world from the vile dominance of Darken Rahl, the most viciously savage and powerful wizard the world had ever seen. He was joined on this epic quest by his beloved Kahlan, the only survivor among the Confessors, who brought a powerful but benevolent justice to the land before Rahl's evil scourge. Aided by Zedd, the last of the wizards who opposed Rahl, they were able to cast him into the underworld, saving the world from the living hell of life under Rahl.

But the veil to the underworld has been torn, and Rahl, from beyond the veil, begins to summon a sinister power more dreadful than any he has wielded before. Horrifying creatures escape through the torn veil, wreaking havoc on the unsuspecting world above.

If Rahl isn't stopped, he will free the Keeper itself, an evil entity whose power is so vast and foul that once freed, it can never again be contained."

My thoughts:
This second book in the series had many irritating features - so much so I almost stopped reading it in the first few chapters. It also showed how much Goodkind was influenced by Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time" series - there were lots of things copied from that, unfortunately including the infuriating behavior of many of the main characters. Looking back, I can see that the first book also had some of these features (such as the collar used to control those with magic, the divide between worlds, the desire of several people to use prophecy for their own ends, etc.). As with Jordan's series, ultimately the excitement of the main plot caused me to continue reading despite my annoyance at several of the characters.

337. Blood of the Fold by Terry Goodkind (1996)
ebook (Hoopla); 644 pgs; finished 12/21; 3*

From the book blurb:
"Richard comes to terms with his true identity as a War Wizard. The New World, and all the freedom of humankind, is under threat from the Imperial Order after he had brought down the barrier between the Old and New World. The Imperial Order has already sent delegations and armies into the New World. Richard’s only option to stop the invasion is to claim his heritage and unite all free kingdoms and provinces under one rule and one command."

My thoughts:
Having accepted the fact that this series is basically a ripoff of Jordan's "Wheel of Time", I had more patience with the characters' annoying qualities in this 3rd book. I do like how each book picks up almost immediately after the previous book's ending so there aren't any passages catching the reader up on what had happened in between. The Blood of the Fold were certainly patterned after the Children of the Light but I found the conclusion of their leader in this book very satisfying.

338. Debt of Bones by Terry Goodkind (1998)
Audiobook narrated by Sam Tsoutsouvas (Audible Plus lending library); 160 pgs; finished 12/22; 3.5*

From the book blurb:
"A milestone of storytelling set in the world of The Sword of Truth, Debt of Bones is the story of young Abby's struggle to win the aid of the wizard Zedd Zorander, the most important man alive.

Abby is trapped, not only between both sides of the war, but in a mortal conflict between two powerful men. For Zedd, who commands power most men can only imagine, granting Abby's request would mean forsaking his sacred duty. With the storm of the final battle about to break, both Abby and Zedd are caught in a desperate fight to save the life of a child...but neither can escape the shadow of an ancient betrayal.

With time running out, their only choice may be a debt of bones. The world - for Zedd, for Abby, for everyone - will never again be the same."

My thoughts:
This novella is a prequel to the series, set at the time when Richard's mother was a young child (~5 years old).

339. Temple of the Winds by Terry Goodkind (1998)
Kindle book (Amazon); 836 pgs; finished 12/23; 3.5*

From the book blurb:
"Jagang, Emperor of the Imperial Order, has invoked a bound fork prophecy binding Richard and Kahlan to a fate of pain, betrayal, and a path to the Underworld. At Jagang’s behest a Sister of the Dark gains access into the fabled Temple of the Winds and has unleashed a plague that sweeps across the lands like a firestorm consuming lives at an alarming rate. To stop the plague Richard and Kahlan are forced to sacrifice everything they have between them."

My thoughts:
The similarities to Jordan's "Wheel of Time" series become increasingly obvious but if you like epic fantasy, that isn't necessarily a bad thing...

340. A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas (1952)
Audiobook narrated by Dylan Thomas (? not sure); 160 pgs; finished 12/24; 4*
ROOT: Audiobook owned since Dec. 2019

From the book blurb:
"First recorded in February of 1952, this remastered recording of Dylan Thomas reading his A Child's Christmas in Wales recalls all of the sights, smells, and sounds of a long-ago-Christmas.

Thomas's wonderful recollection of this holiday in the seaside town of his youth is captured in this vivid performance."

341. *The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkein (1954) (reread)
Audiobook narrated by Rob Inglis (Audible) & paperback (MOB); 527 pgs; finished 12/27; 4.5-5*

From the book blurb:
From paperback: "QUEST PERILOUS
The dark fearsome Ringwraiths were searching for a hobbit. Frodo Baggins knew they were seeking him and the Ring he bore - the Ring of Power that would enable evil Sauron to destroy all that was good in Middle-earth. Now it was up to Frodo and his faithful servant Sam, with a small band of companions, to carry the Ring to the one place it could be destroyed - Mount Doom, in the very center of Sauron's dark kingdom."

From audiobook: "Inspired by The Hobbit, and begun in 1937, The Lord of the Rings is a trilogy that Tolkien created to provide "the necessary background of history for Elvish tongues." From these academic aspirations was born one of the most popular and imaginative works in English literature. The Fellowship of the Ring, the first volume in the trilogy, tells of the fateful power of the One Ring. It begins a magnificent tale of adventure that will plunge the members of the Fellowship of the Ring into a perilous quest and set the stage for the ultimate clash between powers of good and evil. In this splendid, unabridged audio production of Tolkien's great work, all the inhabitants of a magical universe-hobbits, elves, and wizards-step colorfully forth from the pages. Rob Inglis' narration has been praised as a masterpiece of audio."

My thoughts:
4.5* for the audiobook edition, 5* for the book.
Rob Inglis does an excellent job narrating this book but having read this book many (many) times before, it was a bit disconcerting to have him pronounce some of the names differently than I had imagined! In particular, Celeborn (Galadriel's husband) - Inglis pronounced this name with a hard C (Keleborn) whereas I had always thought of it with a soft C (Seleborn, similar to the pronounciation of celebration).

342. *The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkein (1954) (reread)
Audiobook narrated by Rob Inglis (MLN) & paperback (MOB); 447 pgs; finished 12/28; 4.5*
RandomCAT December: Books with a number in the title (die=2)

From the book blurb:
From paperback: "The middle novel in The Lord of the Rings — the greatest fantasy epic of all time—which began in The Fellowship of the Ring, and which reaches its magnificent climax in The Return of the King.

The Fellowship is scattered. Some are bracing hopelessly for war against the ancient evil of Sauron. Some are contending with the treachery of the wizard Saruman. Only Frodo and Sam are left to take the accursed One Ring, ruler of all the Rings of Power, to be destroyed in Mordor, the dark realm where Sauron is supreme. Their guide is Gollum, deceitful and lust-filled, slave to the corruption of the Ring."

From the audiobook: "The Two Towers is the second volume of J.R.R. Tolkien's epic saga, The Lord of the Rings.

The Fellowship has been forced to split up. Frodo and Sam must continue alone towards Mount Doom, where the One Ring must be destroyed. Meanwhile, at Helm’s Deep and Isengard, the first great battles of the War of the Ring take shape.

In this splendid, unabridged audio production of Tolkien’s great work, all the inhabitants of a magical universe - hobbits, elves, and wizards - spring to life. Rob Inglis’ narration has been praised as a masterpiece of audio."

My thoughts:
2020 reread via Recorded Books audiobook narrated by Rob Inglis: 4.5*
This middle book of the trilogy has grown on me the last few times I have read these books so I am upping my rating from 4 to 4.5*.
-------------------------
This is my least favorite of the trilogy (the parts with Frodo and Sam are so dark). However, I love the Ents so much!

343. *The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkein (1955) (reread)
Audiobook narrated by Rob Inglis (BPL) & paperback (MOB); 544 pgs; finished 12/29; 5*

From the book blurb:
From the paperback: "The Companions of the Ring have become involved in separate adventures as the quest continues. Aragorn, revealed as the hidden heir of the ancient Kings of the West, joined with the Riders of Rohan against the forces of Isengard, and took part in the desperate victory of the Hornburg. Merry and Pippin, captured by Orcs, escaped into Fangorn Forest and there encountered the Ents. Gandalf returned, miraculously, and defeated the evil wizard, Saruman. Meanwhile, Sam and Frodo progressed towards Mordor to destroy the Ring, accompanied by Smeagol--Gollum, still obsessed by his 'precious'. After a battle with the giant spider, Shelob, Sam left his master for dead; but Frodo is still alive--in the hands of the Orcs. And all the time the armies of the Dark Lord are massing. J.R.R. Tolkien's great work of imaginative fiction has been labeled both a heroic romance and a classic fantasy fiction. By turns comic and homely, epic and diabolic, the narrative moves through countless changes of scene and character in an imaginary world which is totally convincing in its detail."

From the audiobook: "One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. As the Shadow of Mordor grows across the land, the Companions of the Ring have become involved in separate adventures. Aragorn, revealed as the hidden heir of the ancient Kings of the West, has joined with the Riders of Rohan against the forces of Isengard, and took part in the desperate victory of the Hornburg. Merry and Pippin, captured by Orcs, escaped into Fangorn Forest and there encountered the Ents. Gandalf has miraculously returned and defeated the evil wizard, Saruman. Sam has left his master for dead after a battle with the giant spider, Shelob; but Frodo is still alive -- now in the foul hands of the Orcs. And all the while the armies of the Dark Lord are massing as the One Ring draws ever nearer to the Cracks of Doom."

My thoughts:
Such a great final book in this trilogy - I still don't really like Sam & Frodo's travel through the dark land of Mordor but the rest is so exciting! And I love the final battle which takes place in the Shire... and I once again cried at the very end, even after reading this book so many times before.

I've taken a few BBs with the Martin Walker books. You've had some great reading recently, may it continue in the New Year.

>195 VivienneR: Happy New Year's Eve! Hope you enjoy the Bruno, Chief of Police books.

344. *The Friends of Eddie Coyle by George V. Higgins (1970)
Kindle book (BPL); 193 pgs; finished 12/31; 4*
Guardian's List
Group Read over at Goodreads

From the book blurb:
"George V. Higgins, the internationally-acclaimed grand master of crime fiction, returns to thrill listeners with this riveting tale of cops, robbers, and big city low life. An expertly crafted story of loyalty and betrayal, it is peppered with wonderfully authentic dialogue and seedy black market atmosphere. Eddie Coyle is a small-time gun dealer with a big-time problem: who to sell out to avoid going to prison. While mob bosses, cops, hoods, gunmen, thieves, and executioners give Eddie plenty of choices, he has few options. Any decision could cost him his life."

My thoughts:
3.5* rounded up to 4* due to all the Boston & Cambridge landmarks that I recognized :)

This crime novel, while well-written and fast-paced, was not my kind of story - I prefer mysteries and thrillers that have a strong puzzle element, something that needs to be figured out. Still, I am glad that I tried this one.

345. Backstabbing in Beaujolais by Jean-Paul Alaux & Noël Balen (2005), translated by Anne Trager
Kindle book (Dad's Kindle); 163 pgs; finished 12/31; 3*
ROOT: Kindle owned since July 2017
Mystery: book #9 in the Winemaker Detectives series (#9 in English but #11 in original French series)
MysteryKIT December: Cozies

From the book blurb:
"A business magnate calls on wine expert Benjamin Cooker to kickstart his new wine business in Beaujolais, sparking bitter rivalries. Can the Winemaker Detective and his assistant keep calculating real estate agents, taciturn winegrowers, dubious wine merchants and suspicious deaths from delaying delivery of the world-famous Beaujolais Nouveau? Another adventure in this cozy mystery series set in France. A wine novel and a mystery."

And that's it for 2020. Join me for 2021 at:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/326386