November AlphaKIT: I and Q

Conversazioni2020 Category Challenge

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November AlphaKIT: I and Q

1majkia
Ott 13, 2020, 9:43 pm

Welcome to AlphaKIT for November.
The rules are... none! Use the letters however you like to choose your reads for the month. Well, okay, there is one rule: Have Fun!

November AlphaKIT letters are : I and Q.

and

Please remember to update the wiki and enter books alphabetically: https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/2020_AlphaKIT#November:_-_Letters:_I_and...

2LittleTaiko
Ott 13, 2020, 9:48 pm

Definitely planning on Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey since it works for the GeoCAT. Will have to think about the I read.

3dudes22
Ott 13, 2020, 9:58 pm

I'm planning on The Alice Network by Kate Quinn which will also work for the Nov Random and Remains of the Day by Kazou Ishiguro which I'll be reading for my book club.

4LibraryCin
Ott 13, 2020, 10:16 pm

Both of these might be a bit tougher without picking something out specifically, but I'll dig around for what I'll read for the other challenges and see if anything fits, anyway. If not, I'll find something specifically for this.

5Robertgreaves
Ott 13, 2020, 10:49 pm

I don't have much for either of these letters, so I think I will look at Ice by Anna Kavan and The Great Quake by Henry Fountain

6fuzzi
Ott 14, 2020, 6:29 am

I'm planning to read The Sound and the Furry by Spencer Quinn.

And I have a lot of Hammond Innes waiting in the TBR stack, too.

7majkia
Ott 14, 2020, 7:18 am

8LadyoftheLodge
Ott 14, 2020, 11:44 am

I will read The Blended Quilt by Jean Brunstetter and Wanda Brunstetter which is on my TBR list, and maybe Murder at an Irish Christmas.

9DeltaQueen50
Ott 14, 2020, 12:30 pm

I am planning on reading A Change of Heir by Michael Innes and Death By His Grace by Kwei Quartey.

10majkia
Modificato: Ott 14, 2020, 1:37 pm

Just want to point out to anyone who hasn't noticed, but the 2021 Category Challenge group has been created and we're already working on setting things up. Come join us!

ETA: https://www.librarything.com/groups/2021categorychalleng

11jeanned
Ott 14, 2020, 2:34 pm

I thought this month would break my streak for the year of finding one book for both letters of the month, but...
Dog On It by Spencer Quinn... on my TBR list and available as an ebook. Yay!

12VivienneR
Ott 14, 2020, 6:05 pm

I'm thinking of Quintin Jardine or Quentin Bates. It will be easier to find and "I" book.

13EBT1002
Ott 15, 2020, 8:04 pm

I'm planning to read IQ by Joe Ide.

14LittleTaiko
Ott 15, 2020, 9:55 pm

>13 EBT1002: I just remembered that I have this as an ebook. Seems like the perfect time to read it.

15JayneCM
Ott 16, 2020, 1:08 am

>10 majkia: Thank you! I was just sitting here planning my 2021 and thinking I was way too early. Obviously I am not the only keen one!

16christina_reads
Ott 16, 2020, 5:44 pm

Right now I'm thinking about Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro and The Alice Network by Kate Quinn.

17NinieB
Ott 16, 2020, 9:58 pm

I have a couple of mysteries, A Question of Identity by June Thomson, and A Question of Inheritance by Josephine Bell, as well as Anna Quindlen's Imagined London.

18LadyoftheLodge
Ott 17, 2020, 5:08 pm

>17 NinieB: I read Imagined London for another challenge this year. I hope you like it. It was not exactly as I expected, but worth taking a look.

19NinieB
Ott 17, 2020, 5:21 pm

>18 LadyoftheLodge: That's good information. It seems like I have seen some tepid reviews/comments about it; perhaps yours was one of them. It's more likely I will read one of the mysteries, if I'm honest with myself.

20jlshall
Ott 26, 2020, 10:43 pm

I've had An Artist of the Floating World by Ishiguro on my TBR pile for years now. Maybe this will be the nudge I need to pull it out and read it. For Q, I'm thinking of a re-read of Quartet in Autumn by Barbara Pym - one of my favorites. Actually, I guess that one would work for both I and Q.

21LadyoftheLodge
Ott 27, 2020, 1:57 pm

>20 jlshall: I like Quartet in Autumn, one of my faves by Pym.

22dudes22
Ott 29, 2020, 10:27 am

I've actually finished The Remains of the Day by Kazou Ishiguro for my Nov "I" book before I finished my Oct books. It's our Nov book for book club next week and I wanted to be sure I finished it.

23cyderry
Modificato: Dic 1, 2020, 10:29 am

Not as many as usual but these were tough letters.

✔Dead In the Doorway
✔Death In Tranquility
Ink and Shadows
✔Jewels of Queen Elizabeth II
✔Knot In My Backyard
Lady In the Lake
Lost Queen
✔Murder at the Opera by D.M. Quincy
✔Murder In the First Edition
✔Murder In Venice
✔Murder In Waiting
Queen's Secret
✔Uncrowned Queen
✔Veiled In Death

24Robertgreaves
Modificato: Nov 8, 2020, 7:49 am

COMPLETED The Huntress by Kate Quinn

Starting "Indian Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction" by Sue Hamilton

25LadyoftheLodge
Nov 8, 2020, 3:14 pm

COMPLETED Murder at an Irish Christmas for letter "I".

26clue
Nov 10, 2020, 9:15 pm

I completed The Quiet Game by Greg Iles, covering both I and Q.

27EBT1002
Nov 10, 2020, 11:16 pm

I completed IQ by Joe Ide, taking care of both letters for the month. :-)

28majkia
Nov 11, 2020, 8:47 am

I've started The Quantum Magician.

29Robertgreaves
Nov 11, 2020, 8:38 pm

30LadyoftheLodge
Nov 12, 2020, 4:15 pm

COMPLETED The Blended Quilt by Wanda and Jean Brunstetter

31Robertgreaves
Nov 13, 2020, 12:21 am

COMPLETED Ice by Anna Kavan

32fuzzi
Nov 13, 2020, 6:37 am

Finished Indian Fur by Glenn Balch.

33LittleTaiko
Nov 13, 2020, 10:18 am

34markon
Nov 13, 2020, 3:45 pm

I am reading An indigenous peoples' history of the United States for young people by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz. My library owns the YA version, but not the adult version. Hmmm.

It's rather frustrating because it covers so much in a fairly slim book, so doesn't cover anything well, but I'll get what I can out of it.

35majkia
Nov 14, 2020, 12:09 pm

36leslie.98
Nov 17, 2020, 10:20 pm

I have managed to finish both letters through rereads:

I: The Inimitable Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse

Q: Quick Service by P.G. Wodehouse & The Quiet Gentleman by Georgette Heyer

37NinieB
Nov 18, 2020, 6:25 pm

>18 LadyoftheLodge: I actually ended up reading Imagined London, and I loved it!

38VivienneR
Modificato: Nov 18, 2020, 8:07 pm

39LadyoftheLodge
Nov 19, 2020, 2:27 pm

>37 NinieB: I am glad you liked it.

40NinieB
Nov 19, 2020, 3:55 pm

>39 LadyoftheLodge: Now I'm wondering when I can fit in some of my other "about London" TBRs!

41LadyoftheLodge
Nov 19, 2020, 4:31 pm

>40 NinieB: I get that! I am somewhat of an anglophile myself. I also love to read about the Royal Family, and I am a sucker for every new book about them that appears. I was a big fan of Princess Diana and was shocked when she was killed.

42NinieB
Nov 19, 2020, 5:53 pm

>41 LadyoftheLodge: I still remember that I was crushed when I slept through her wedding (it was at something like 3am in my time zone)!

43VivienneR
Nov 20, 2020, 5:16 pm

Just finished The Ice Harvest by Scott Phillips 4★

I almost abandoned this Christmas noir crime novel because it is so crude but glad I stayed with it. The sleazy characters provided some comic spots and the ending is darkly excellent. Not for everyone.

44leslie.98
Nov 20, 2020, 8:39 pm

>43 VivienneR: You liked that book more than I did when I read it last year. But that style of crime novel is definitely not my cup of tea - no mystery to figure out, just unpleasant people and sleazy activities. As the saying goes, different strokes for different folks!

45VivienneR
Nov 21, 2020, 2:31 am

>44 leslie.98: I know exactly how you felt, Leslie. I actually managed to get to the halfway point when I decided to abandon the disgusting book. Next day, I finished it. It even made me laugh out loud a couple of times although the humour is as dark and crude as the rest of story. The surprise at the end pushed the rating up, although I'm reconsidering my four stars as a tad generous.

46dudes22
Nov 24, 2020, 3:23 pm

I've finished The Alice Network by Kate Quinn which was an excellent book based on the real lives of female spies during WW I.

47leslie.98
Nov 24, 2020, 10:01 pm

>45 VivienneR: I am currently having a similar reaction to I, the Jury - it has a strong mystery element though which keeps me going despite Mike Hammer's dreadful point of view.

48VivienneR
Nov 25, 2020, 12:50 am

>47 leslie.98: Thanks, Leslie. I'll keep that one on my 'avoid' list. :)

49fuzzi
Nov 26, 2020, 12:24 pm

Argh. I cannot find my "Q" book...

50Kristelh
Nov 28, 2020, 5:21 pm

I read Queen of the Damned for the Q. Third book in the vampire series by Anne Rice.

51DeltaQueen50
Nov 30, 2020, 12:38 pm

I have completed both of my November AlphaKit reads with Death by His Grace by Kwei Quartey and A Change of Heir by Michael Innes. Although very different from one another, I enjoyed both of these mysteries.

52Kristelh
Nov 30, 2020, 2:22 pm

For I, I am reading The Institute by Stephen King. Trying to get it done today, not sure I will make it but it will be close.

53LibraryCin
Nov 30, 2020, 3:33 pm

>52 Kristelh: Also listening to "The Institute". Will probably not finish for a few more days.

My Q book is also just being started today, so it will be a few days before I post that one, as well.

54rabbitprincess
Nov 30, 2020, 5:42 pm

Started and ended the month with "I" books!

The Inugami Curse, by Seishi Yokomizo, translated by Yumiko Yamakazi
The Informer, by Liam O’Flaherty

55LibraryCin
Dic 3, 2020, 12:03 am

The Quintland Sisters / Shelley Wood
3.75 stars

The Dionne quintuplets were born in a small town in Northern Ontario in 1934. It was amazing that they all lived. However, not long after they were born, they were taken from the parents to live across the street in a building built to keep them safe and healthy. 17-year old Emma was there when they were born to help the midwife. She becomes a nurse and is one of a revolving door of nurses and teachers (in addition to Dr. Dafoe and others) to help take care of the girls. They’ve immediately become sensations, being so rare. People come from all over to see the girls in their purpose-built play room, so the girls are visible to outsiders, but the visitors aren’t visible to the girls.

The story is told in diary form from Emma’s point of view up until the girls are 5-years old. It is interspersed with real newspaper articles. It’s a sad story, as the parents rarely had access to see their daughters. Since this is fiction, I don’t really know what the parents were like, but I waffled between feeling bad for them and really not liking them, as they were very strict and the father seemed more interested in the money and control of the girls’ lives.

I did appreciate the historical note. Emma was, as I’d suspected, not a real person. I was surprised at the end, but she did put a bit into the historical note that might help explain. I definitely want to find and read some nonfiction on the Dionne quintuplets.

56beebeereads
Dic 3, 2020, 9:03 am

Read Imagined London by Anna Quindlen
Meh...a disappointment.

57NinieB
Dic 3, 2020, 10:17 am

>56 beebeereads: Oh no! I liked it so much. I think either you identify with her perspective or you don't, and that's it, as I have seen others give similar reviews to yours.

58beebeereads
Dic 3, 2020, 9:09 pm

>57 NinieB: different strokes for different folks as they say! Glad you enjoyed it!

59LibraryCin
Dic 5, 2020, 12:18 am

The Institute / Stephen King
4 stars

Luke is a very gifted kid. He is going to go to college already at only 12(?) years old. But, he doesnt’ get the chance. He is kidnapped and his parents are murdered. And taken to the “Institute”. There are other kids here. They aren’t necessarily super-smart like Luke is, but they have other gifts: telepathy, telekinesis. Things are done to these kids...

I really liked this. I listened to the audio and it the narrator was good. I was a bit disappointed in the ending. I’d like to say more, but don’t want to spoil it for anyone. At the same time, I’d kind of like to know what happens with the characters going forward.