Lori (thornton37814) Watches Birds with Her Fur Boys in 2021

Napping Cats. Barney, Sherlock, Mr. B

My cats love napping, but they love bird watching almost as much. This year's theme receives its inspiration from their pastime.

The topics for my categories remain similar to last year's. I split mysteries into multiple categories so I don't have 80+ books in one category again! I took out cats and replaced it with "Older than 50 years" so I would force myself to read more older and classic works. I expanded my "food" category to include other things associated with the old home economics class and called it "domestic arts." I anticipate developing a new genealogical lecture or two that will involve some works that fit here.

My main goal for 2021 is to read more history and social history books. I recently joined an online book club with other genealogists reading a title a month. In addition to the main monthly discussion, they also hold "Bring Your Own Book" nights where we get to share a few minutes about a book we read or are reading. I own many unread books that fit this category and just ordered several more with the end-of-the-year university press sales.

I'll address inspiration for individual category names under the first post for them.

My 2021 Categories:

1. Bald Eagle - Mysteries with a United States setting
2. Puffin - Mysteries set in the United Kingdom or Ireland
3. Peacock - Mysteries set in the Rest of the World
4. Bluebird - Children's & Young Adult Literature
5. Flamingo - Poetry
6. Goldfinch - Historical Fiction
7. Cardinal - History & Genealogy
8. Hummingbird - Domestic Arts (Food, Drink, Needlework, etc.)
9. Sparrow - Religion & Spirituality
10. Penguin - First published more than 50 Years
11. Lorikeet - Other Fiction and Literature
12. Owl - Other non-fiction

Abandoned Reads will go in the category - "The Raven."

Image Credit: Paul Friel, "“Helga” – A Bald Eagle," 2005, Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/34157260@N00/46140365);
CC BY 2.0

The United States national bird!

Category 1: Bald Eagle (Mysteries with a United States setting)

1. Murder on Cape Cod by Maddie Day - completed 9 January 2021
2. A Death Long Overdue by Eva Gates - completed 23 January 2021
3. Read It and Weep by Jenn McKinlay - completed 9 February 2021
4. Lavender Blue Murder by Laura Childs - completed 14 February 2021
5. Deadly Ever After by Eva Gates - completed 26 February 2021

Image Credit: Henrik Thorburn, "Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica) spreading its wings, Iceland," 2010, Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Puffin_Latrabjarg_Iceland.jpg); CC BY 3.0

I often read books set in northern parts of Scotland or the Shetland Islands which mention puffins.

Category 2: Puffin (Mysteries set in the United Kingdom or Ireland)

1. Monk's Hood by Ellis Peters - completed 4 January 2021
2. Murder on the Lake by Bruce Beckham - completed 20 January 2021
3. Busman's Honeymoon by Dorothy L. Sayers - completed 28 January 2021
4. In the Teeth of the Evidence by Dorothy L. Sayers - completed 7 February 2021
5. The Black Lizard Big Book of Locked-Room Mysteries edited by Otto Penzler - completed 14 Februrary 2014
6. The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz - completed 23 February 2021
7. Striding Folly by Dorothy L. Sayers - completed 1 March 2021

Image Credit: BS Thurner Hof, "Peacock (Pavo cristatus), displaying his tail, Duisburg Zoo," 2005, Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Pfau_imponierend.jpg); CC BY-SA 3.0; GFDL

Inspired because peacocks seem to be more populous in other parts of the world such as Africa.

Category 3: Peacock (Mysteries set in the rest of the world)

1. The Golden Egg by Donna Leon - completed 13 January 2021
2. Bruno, Chief of Police by Martin Walker - completed 2 February 2021
3. In the Shadow of Power by Viveca Sten - completed 12 February 2021

Image Credit: Blalonde, "Male western bluebird in December on the UBC Okanagan campus," 2014, Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/Western.male.jpg); CC BY-SA 4.0

Inspired by the nursery rhyme "Bluebird, Bluebird."

Category 4: Bluebird (Children's & Young Adult Literature)

1. Child Whispers by Enid Blyton - completed 26 January 2021
2. I Escaped the Donner Party: Pioneers on the Oregon Trail, 1846 by Ellie Crowe and Scott Peters - completed sometime in January 2021 but I forgot to record it so I'm putting down yesterday 1 February 2021
3. The Cat Man of Aleppo by Irene Latham and Karim Shamsi-Basha; illustrated by Yuko Shimizu - completed 4 February 2021

Image Credit: Adrian Pingstone, "Caribbean Flamingo, also known as the American Flamingo, at Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, England," 2004, Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Caribbean_Flamingo.jpg); Public Domain.

Flamingoes seem to be a bird made for poetry.

Category 5: Flamingo (Poetry)

1. The Space Child's Mother Goose by Frederick Winsor; illustrated by Marian Perry - completed 14 January 2020
2. What Though the Field Be Lost: Poems by Christopher Kempf - completed 15 January 2020

Image Credit: Rhododendrites, "American goldfinch at a feeder in Green-Wood Cemetery," 2020, Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Goldfinch_%2833612%292.jpg); CC BY-SA 4.0

Goldfinches remind me of "gold" which reminds me of kings. A lot of kings play roles in historical fiction set in the Renaissance or earlier.

Category 6: Goldfinch (Historical Fiction)

1. Dear Miss Kopp by Amy Stewart - completed 1 January 2021
2. A Dance in Donegal by Jennifer Deibel - completed 7 February 2021

Image Credit: Torindkflt, "Male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis Cardinalis) perched on a bird feeder," 2008, Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/Male_Northern_Cardinal_At_Feeder.jpg); CC BY 3.0; GFDL

I'm not really sure why I chose this one for this category. It just seemed to fit, and I went with it. Maybe red is associated with royalty?

Category 7: Cardinal (History & Genealogy)

1. The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal About Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power by Deirdre Mask - completed 2 January 2021
2. The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer - completed 5 January 2021
3. The Conquering Family by Thomas B. Costain - completed 17 January 2021
4. Gone to the Grave: Burial Customs of the Arkansas Ozarks, 1850-1950 by Abby Burnett - completed 31 January 2021
5. They Were Her Property: White Women as Slave Owners in the American South by Stephanie E. Jones-Rogers - completed 12 February 2021
6. The Passion of Anne Hutchinson: An Extraordinary Woman, the Puritan Patriarchs, and the World They Made and Lost by Marilyn Westerkamp - completed 18 February 2021
7. The Tombigbee River Steamboats: Rolladores, Dead Heads and Side-Wheelers by Rufus Ward - completed 18 February 2021

Image Credit: Pslawinski, "Male Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)," 2014, Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/Male_Ruby-Throated_Hummingbird_Hovering.jpg); CC BY-SA 4.0

As people look out their kitchen windows, they often see the ruby-throated hummingbird at a feeder.

Category 8: Hummingbird (Domestic arts--food, drink, needlework, etc.)

1. A Real Southern Cook: In Her Savannah Kitchen by Dora Charles - completed 29 January 2021

Image credit: Simon Pierre Barrette, "Song Sparrow, Refuge d'oiseaux de Nicolet, Quebec, Canada," 2010, Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/Song_Sparrow.jpg); CC BY-SA 3.0

"His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me."

Category 9: Sparrow (Religion & Spirituality)

1. Anchored in Jesus: Holding on to Truth in a Drifting World by Johnny Hunt - completed 10 January 2021
2. Bathed in Prayer by Jan Karon - completed 17 January 2021
3. The Gospel at Work: How the Gospel Gives New Purpose and Meaning to Our Jobs by Sebastian Traeger and Greg Gilbert - completed 29 January 2021
4. Uncommon Church: Community Transformation for the Common Good by Alvin Sanders - completed 9 February 2021
5. Magnify His Name by Ed White - completed 27 February 2021

Image credit: Gary Bembridge, "Gentoo Penguin Orne Harbour Antarctica," 2019, Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/tipsfortravellers/33460794478/); CC BY 2.0

Penguin publishes classics.

Category 10: Penguin (First published more than 50 years ago)

1. Good-bye, Mr. Chips by James Hilton - completed 16 January 2021
2. The Sweet Flypaper of Life by Roy DeCarava and Langston Hughes - completed 26 January 2021
3. Orley Farm by Anthony Trollope - completed 27 February 2021

Image source: Andrew Mercer, "Rainbow Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus) in Brisbane, Queensland," 2013, Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Rainbow_Lorikeet_-_AndrewMercer_IMG08212.jpg); CC BY-SA 4.0

I needed to use the colorful bird that bears my name, so I chose it for the fiction catch-all category since reading genres will vary. Other literary forms such as drama or essays will also fit here.

Category 11: Lorikeet (Other Fiction & Literature)

1. The Woman in the Mirror by Rebecca James - completed 14 January 2021
2. An Amish Surprise by Shelley Shepard Gray - completed 13 February 2021

Image source: William H. Majoros, "Megascops asio (Eastern screech owl, captive)," 2011, Wikimedia Commons https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Screech-owl-101.jpg); CC BY-SA 4.0

Reading non-fiction makes us wiser.

Category 12: Owl (Other non-fiction)

1. Thinking Inside the Box: Adventures with Crosswords and the Puzzling People Who Can't Live Without Them by Adrienne Raphel - completed 1 March 2021

Image source: Marcin Klapczynski, "A raven spotted on the roof," 2005, Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Raven.JPG); CC BY-SA 3.0

"Quoth the raven . . . Nevermore."

Abandoned Reads: Raven

1.

BINGO CAT


1.
2.
3.
4. Bathed in Prayer by Jan Karon
5.
6.
7. A Death Long Overdue by Eva Gates
8.
9.
10. The Gospel at Work: How the Gospel Gives New Purpose and Meaning to Our Jobs by Sebastian Traeger and Greg Gilbert
11. The Sweet Flypaper of Life by Roy DeCarava and Langston Hughes
12. A Dance in Donegal by Jennifer Deibel
13. Monk's Hood by Ellis Peters
14.
15. The Space Child's Mother Goose by Frederick Winsor; illustrated by Marian Parry
16.
17. Murder on the Lake by Bruce Beckham
18. The Woman in the Mirror by Rebecca James
19. The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer
20. Anchored in Jesus by Johnny Hunt
21. What Though the Field Be Lost: Poems by Christopher Kempf
22. Good-bye, Mr. Chips by James Hilton
23. The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz
24.
25.

Reserved for whatever I forgot!

I love the way you linked your reading to the pictures. Your boys are beautiful as always. They must be proud to have inspired your theme.

Great pictures, Lori. And that Lorikeet is certainly very colorful! Looking forward to following along with you.

What beautiful pictures, and a very imaginative set-up!

You've done a lovely job with the pictures. I always find that effective use of images is much harder than it looks.

I found that my "mysteries" category this year was huge, so good idea to split it up in a way that makes sense!

>17 VivienneR: It took awhile to come up with a theme, but once I figured this one out, I knew it was meant to be.

>18 DeltaQueen50: I don't remember when I first discovered the Lorikeet, but I was glad it was such a beautiful bird.

>19 Jackie_K: Thanks.

>20 NinieB: It takes me some time to find the "right" photo. I've learned to begin with Wikimedia Commons. It sometimes links to photos originally posted on Flickr. They are all public domain of Creative Commons. It makes it easy to use. I definitely needed to split up mysteries! There were other ways to do it, but I suspected this arrangement would work best.

Love the bird pictures. Lorikeets are feisty little birds. I've watched them compete for food with much bigger birds, like king parrots, and win. They're really noisy, and hang around in flocks. Happy reading in 2021.

Glad you're back, Lori. Looking forward to your mystery categories.

>21 thornton37814: Thanks. They sound a lot like Barney. He's the smallest cat, but he holds his own with his brothers.

>23 dudes22: Thanks, Betty. You can always count on me for reading mysteries.

Such beautiful bird pictures! I especially loved the cardinal. Good luck with your reading!

>26 LittleTaiko: I've always loved male cardinals.

I look forward to following your thread again next year Lori, good luck with great reading!

Lots of good categories, I am following you.

Love this theme and pictures! The puffin is my favourite. They are so cute!

>28 clue: Thanks. I hope I'm successful in my goals.

>29 Zozette: Thanks. Sometimes I think my reading is so predictable, but I'm trying to shift a little bit of my focus to get to a few things I might not get to otherwise.

>30 rabbitprincess: Thanks. I find the puffins fascinating in the books, so I'm glad to be able to incorporate them in the challenge.

The bird images are great and I especially like the cardinal.

You’ve made room for lots of mysteries next year. Good luck with them.

What a lovely flock!

Good luck with your reading in 2021!

I was lucky enough to visit Shetland in 2009. It was a bit late in puffin season, and most of them had already gone back to sea, but I did manage to see (from a distance - no amazing photos from me) a few late stragglers who were still to take flight which was very exciting!

Love Birds so enjoyed your pictures! Happy reading in 2021.

>32 hailelib: I read more than 80 so far this year, and with more than a month to go, it's likely to exceed 90.

>33 spiralsheep: Thanks. It's a multicultural flock!

>34 Jackie_K: I would love to see a puffin in person in its native habitat. Shetland is on my bucket list--thanks in part to Ann Cleeves.

>35 Kristelh: My cats love watching them too, so at least by using birds, they might show interest in my screen from time to time.

I'm happy to see you and the boys are back. I hope they enjoy the birdwatching!

Beautiful photos! And neat categories! Looking forward to keeping tabs on your mystery reads.

>37 MissWatson: I'm certain they will.

>38 mysterymax: Thanks, Max. I love mysteries . . . but everyone already knows that.

Love the bird pictures! I had not heard of a lorikeet before.

>40 markon: I don't remember when I stumbled across them, but I remembered it because of its name.

Hi Lori! I love the bird pictures! And the boys are adorable of course!

Several of the cats in my neighborhood come over to my neighbor's house to watch his pet birds--he's got ducks, geese, chickens, and turkeys. The cats are so funny, they sit there for hours perfectly still with just the tips of their tails twitching, staring at the poultry compound.

>42 casvelyn: I'm sure they'd love to find a way in!

>7 thornton37814: Oh, for once UK Goldfinches are more colourful than their cousins. Ours have red patches on their cheeks. And the collective noun is a "charm" which I think delightful.

>11 thornton37814: and who doesn't love a penguin?

Looking forward to seeing what you read this year.

>44 Helenliz: I'll have to look for a photo of a UK Goldfinch. I probably saw them as I was seeking one, but I went for one that looked like what I see. Penguins are cute!

Beautiful photos! Good luck with your 2021 reading.

>46 Tess_W: Thanks!

I love your abandoned reads category mascot. Nevermore!

Hi Lori, you've got some great categories for 2021. I'm also hoping to read more history, and historical fiction, in 2021.

>48 katiekrug: I confess that I couldn't resist that one!

>49 lindapanzo: That's good. I love both genres, but I think with the book club, it will keep me focused on those a little more. We read one social history type book per month. Sometimes it is non-fiction; sometimes it is historical fiction with a hefty dose of research into some era. I ordered lots of things from university presses during this month's sales that will fit the category. I also ordered some used books.

Beautiful photos! We have several bird feeders on our deck and I enjoy watching the feathered friends each season of the year. When we were traveling (before 2020) we got to see some exotic birds in different locations and island settings in particular.

>51 LadyoftheLodge: Birds are fun to watch. I miss traveling. I got to see some marsh type birds and sea birds right before the madness of 2020 began. I complained at the time about our "spring" break being in the middle of winter. (It began February 29.) However, I did provide me an opportunity to travel before the lockdowns began about a week later.

>52 thornton37814: We were in New Orleans in February, right at Mardi Gras, and right before the lockdowns started. That was our last travel experience. I am so glad it was a good one.

>53 LadyoftheLodge: I was in the Outer Banks. A lot of things were still closed down, but it was a change of scene. I got to visit lighthouses. Only one of those was completely closed, but you could still get photos of it. I also found a marshy natural area with a lot of birds open, some gardens, and the Wright Brothers Memorial. I found a few good places to eat. It was snowing when I left home in Tennessee. I had to visit the car wash. The guys working there asked me where I'd been in the snow because of all the stuff that came up on my car from the roads. It was cold in the Outer Banks, but I'm glad I went.

Nice to see you over here too, Lori.

>55 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul!

Beautiful pictures of all these birds! I think the cardinal looks very royal and worthy indeed!
The raven quote for abandoned books made me laugh, it fits so well :-)

>57 MissBrangwen: Yes, I like the cardinal too -- and Poe's classic line fits abandoned books so well!

Handsome boys up top. Lori! The images you chose are stunning, and like Katie, I love the Nevermore category.

>59 Crazymamie: Yes. I knew immediately what my unfinished reads would be called!

>60 thornton37814: *grin*

I LOVE the juxtaposition of those conspiring cats at the top of the thread, overlooking all of your gorgeous bird pictures!

>61 Crazymamie: :-)

>62 whitewavedarling: They love bird-watching!

It's great to see your cute boys again. And you have chosen very beautiful pictures for your categories. A good basis for another good reading year!

>64 Chrischi_HH: I hope it's a great reading year. I'm eager to begin some of my 2021 books.

While there's a slight chance I'll finish Dear Miss Kopp before my New Year's Eve party, I suspect I'll finish it tomorrow, and I know it won't be one of the meme answers.

So without further ado, here's the first 2020 year-end meme:

Describe yourself: Sugar and Vice

Describe how you feel: Full of Beans

Describe where you currently live: The Mountains Wild

Your favorite time of the day: The Enchanted Hour

If you could go anywhere, where would you go? Off the Grid

Your favorite form of transportation: The Hidden Ways: Scotland's Forgotten Roads

Your best friend is: The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

You and your friends are: The Innocents

Describe your job: Ancestry Quest

What are you eating? The Coroner's Lunch

What the weather's like: Fog Magic

You fear: A Killer in King's Cove

What is the best advice you have to give: Keep Calm and Carry On, Children

Thought for the day: Owl be home for Christmas

How you would like to die: Murder with Cinnamon Scones

Your soul's present condition: Guiltless

What was 2020 like for you? Garden of Lamentations

What do you want from 2021? Year of Wonders

Honorable mentions:

Describe where you currently live: The Asylum

Your favorite time of the day: The Remains of the Day

If you could go anywhere, where would you go? Outer Banks

What are you eating? Modern Comfort Food

How you would like to die: Death by Frosted Doughnut

The Other Meme:

What would you call the event? St. Valentine's Day Cookie Massacre

How did they find their way? Snowfall on Cedar Trail

How did they know they'd arrived? The Witch Elm

Any special activities? Clue

Did your guests stay over? Christmas Camp

Were there servants to help? The Haunted Lady

Was there turn down service? Chocolat

How were the guests greeted? Good Mews

Was dinner held for later comers? Scorched Eggs

And dinner was? Five Red Herrings

Afterward? A Midsummer Night's Dream

I first began doing the main year-end meme in 2011. I thought it would be fun to accumulate all my answers. I'm not going to bother with touchstones for this post. Some questions were not on earlier versions, and I kept doing the same ones until I figured out I was missing some new questions.

Describe yourself:

2011: Plum Gorgeous
2012: Maphead
2013: Daughter of the Loom
2014: The Girl of His Dreams
2015: Walking a Literary Labyrinth
2016: Waiting
2017: The Dream Stalker
2018: Keri Tarr, Cat Detective
2019: The Family Tree Problem Solver
2020: Sugar and Vice

Describe how you feel:

2011: I Am Half-Sick of Shadows
2012: Southern Discomfort
2013: Rotten to the Core
2014: Love So Amazing
2015: Restless
2016: Sorrow without End
2017: Separate from the World
2018: Flat Broke with Two Goats
2019: Plum Tea Crazy
2020: Full of Beans

Describe where you currently live:

2011: The Land of the Smokies
2012: Town in a Lobster Stew
2013: The Family Mansion
2014: Where Memories Lie
2015: The Strange Library
2016: Appalachia
2017: City of Secrets
2018: My Life in a Cat House
2019: Glass Houses
2020: The Mountains Wild

Your favorite time of day:

2019: The Darkness
2020: The Enchanted Hour

If you could go anywhere, where would you go?

2011: Bachelor Brothers' Bed and Breakfast
2012: Let's Go Camping
2013: The Most Beautiful Country Towns of England
2014: The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion
2015: Choosing Charleston
2016: Beneath the Book Tower
2017: The High Mountains of Portugal
2018: Over the Hills and Far Away
2019: The Library at the Edge of the World
2020: Off the Grid

Your favorite form of transportation:

2011: Parnassus on Wheels
2012: The Excursion Train
2013: Hearse and Buggy
2014: Killer Cruise
2015: Locomotive
2016: Gone Camping
2017: A Cruise to Die for
2018: Steering the Craft
2019: The Long Flight Home
2020: The Hidden Ways: Scotland's Forgotten Roads

Your best friend is:

2011: Remembering Knoxville
2012: Homer, the Library Cat
2013: The Postmistress
2014: Nora Webster
2015: Daisy Miller
2016: Anne of Green Gables
2017: Somebody at the Door
2018: The Ice Princess
2019: Sworn to Silence
2020: The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

You and your friends are:

2011: Birds of a Feather
2012: Kindred Souls
2013: Mad as the Dickens
2014: The Forgotten Girls
2015: The Hurricane Sisters
2016: Tailing a Tabby
2017: Common People
2018: Friends in High Places
2019: The Chosen
2020: The Innocents

Describe your job:

2020: Ancestry Quest

What are you eating?

2020: The Coroner's Lunch

What's the Weather Like?

2011: A Dark and Stormy Night
2012: Hurricanes in Paradise
2013: Winter Chill
2014: The Summer Wind
2015: Clouds without Rain
2016: Reading Up a Storm
2017: Thin Air
2018: Rain
2019: The Dry
2020: Fog Magic

You fear:

2011: The Haunted Bookshop
2012: The Czar's Madman
2013: Lotions, Potions, and Deadly Elixirs
2014: The Curse of the Pharaohs
2015: Creepy Carrots
2016: A Fatal Winter
2017: War and Turpentine
2018: A Shot in the Dark
2019: Wild Fire
2020: A Killer in King's Cove

What is the best advice you have to give?

2011: A Praying Life
2012: Sunday Is for God
2013: Books Can Be Deceiving
2014: Go Tell It on the Mountain
2015: A Prayer Journal
2016: To Live Is Christ: Joining Paul's Journey of Faith
2017: Do Not Say We Have Nothing
2018: Anything Is Possible
2019: Grow Your Own Herbs
2020: Keep Calm and Carry On, Children

Thought for the Day:

2011: If God, Why Evil?
2012: Who Do You Think You Are?
2013: Dead Men Don't Crochet
2014: Who's Picking Me Up from the Airport
2015: Why Was the Partridge in the Pear Tree?
2016: Things Fell Apart
2017: The Fish Can Sing
2018: Horses Make a Landscape Look More Beautiful
2019: The Grave's a Fine and Private Place
2020: Owl Be Home for Christmas

How I Would Like to Die:

2011: Shaking the Family Tree
2012: Quietly in Their Sleep
2013: Buried in a Book
2014: Out of the Blue
2015: Read and Buried
2016: Sudden Death
2017: Death Overdue
2018: Dying in the Wool
2019: Assaulted Caramel
2020: Murder with Cinnamon Scones

Your Soul's Present Condition:

2011: Book Lust
2012: A Darkly Hidden Truth
2013: Silent in the Sanctuary
2014: The Ponder Heart
2015: Journey
2016: Hand in Hand: Walking with the Psalms through Loneliness
2017: Dark Night of the Soul
2018: Gardenlust
2019: A Sea of Troubles
2020: Guiltless

What Is Life for You?

2019: Tracing Your Ancestors in Lunatic Asylums

What Was 2020 Like for You?

2020: Garden of Lamentations

What Do You Want from 2021?

2020: Year of Wonders

And keep up with my friends here as well, Lori. Have a great 2021.

Happy New Year, Lori! I love your bird theme for your 2021 challenge. I am looking forward to following your reading this year.

>69 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul!

>70 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori! I like the birds too. Hopefully I'll learn which birds represent which category soon so I won't always need to consult my own categories.

Book 1. Dear Miss Kopp by Amy Stewart

Date Completed: 1 January 2021

Category: Goldfinch (Historical Fiction)

Rating: 4 stars (really closer to 4.25)

Review: The Kopp Sisters lives took different directions after their training at the camp. Constance works for as the only female agent in the Bureau of Investigation. Norma took her pigeons to France where a new commander does not see their value. Fleurette's dreams of show business took off by joining May Ward's tour which takes them to different army training camps. She does not get along well with the show's star. The entire novel unfolds through letters from the sisters to each other and to and from other acquaintances and associates to the sisters. While I feared the epistolary nature might lessen my enjoyment, I found I loved this one more than the preceding installment. Each sister's separate identity emerged as they pursued things within their own range of interests and talents. I received an advance reader's copy through NetGalley with the expectation of an honest review.

I arrive at your thread on the first day of the year to find there are already 72 posts! Love the owl - he has such a quizzical look on his face.

>73 RidgewayGirl: I liked him too. Of course, you have many charming owls on your thread.

My top 10 of 2020 (in order)

1. Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
2. Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks
3. The Summer Country by Lauren Willig
4. Eureka Mill by Ron Rash
5. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
6. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
7. When We Were Young & Brave by Hazel Gaynor
8. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
9. The Innocents by Michael Crummey
10. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson (delightful audio version)

The Worst of 2020

While I did have some abandoned reads, I won't include those here. Some were just not the right book at the right time. Others were not good fits for me. Some probably were just dreadful. You can look at my 2020 thread for the list of those. All three of these were 1 star reads:

1. Putting Flesh on the Bones: Bringing Your Ancestor to Life by Mark W. Swarthout
2. Speaking Chileno: A Guide to Spanish from Chile by Jared Romey
3. That's My Church: The Seven Churches of Revelation by J. M. Hope

All of the above books were Kindle freebies at one time or another. I had 24 two-star reads. About half of them also fell into that category. Here are some of the 2-star reads that should have been better since I found them on "best of" lists or were from major publishers.

(In order read)

1. Stag's Leap by Sharon Olds
2. Nighttime Is My Time by Mary Higgins Clark
3. Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions by Mario Giordano
4. Outer Banks by Anne Rivers Siddons
5. Lake of the Ozarks: My Surreal Summers in a Vanishing America by Bill Geist
6. We Must Be Brave by Frances Liardet
7. American Predator by Maureen Callahan
8. The Old Success by Martha Grimes
9. The Best American Poetry 2020 edited by Paisley Rekdal
10. An Expert in Murder by Nicola Upson

>72 thornton37814: Taking a BB on this one! I own two others from the series. Thanks! Happy New Year!

>75 thornton37814: Treasure Island is a favorite of mine. And I have read The Old Man and the Sea several times - my favorite version of it is the audio narrated by Donald Sutherland. I am looking forward to Hamnet - I have that one in the stacks.

>76 LadyoftheLodge: I hope you enjoy it. I found this one really interesting even though it was written in letters.

>77 Crazymamie: Treasure Island is such a great adventure story. The audio version I listened to last year was so good! I'll have to look for that audio version when I get ready to revisit The Old Man and the Sea. I hope you won't be disappointed in Hamnet. I loved it so much!

I think it was Karen who posted how many books she'd read each year since joining Library Thing. I joined in 2007, but I didn't start tracking until 2010, so here's what I have.

2010 - 101
2011 - 230
2012 - 242
2013 - 191
2014 - 114
2015 - 165
2016 - 112
2017 - 144
2018 - 302
2019 - 227
2020 - 242

Love your boys. They look absolutely adorable.
I think the cardinal is the perfect pick for history and genealogy. A cardinal appears whenever loved ones who are no longer with us are near.
Good luck with your reading.

Found and starred...love the birds!

>81 lowelibrary: Cardinals are one of my favorite birds. They probably were my favorite in childhood.

>82 fuzzi: Thanks!

Book 2. The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal About Identity, Race, Wealth, and Power by Deirdre Mask

Date Completed: 2 January 2021

Category: Cardinal (History & Genealogy)

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Deirdre Mask, who writes for publications such as the New Yorker and Atlantic, toured the world, coming up with information on the influence street addresses wield. She discusses the origins of street addresses and different systems used around the world. Japan uses blocks instead of streets. She (and others) attribute it to the way persons learn writing in various cultures. She goes on to discuss the role politics and race play in the process. She then turns to a discussion of social strata by showing how the elite purchase custom addresses and how homeless persons fail to move beyond their circumstances by lack of an address. At the end she discusses the future of addresses by looking at emerging trends using big data. While parts of the book were interesting, the book did not engage me as I hoped it would. I tend to dislike books that rely more on journalistic perspectives bringing the first person into the discussion of a possible academic topic. While the book was more engaging than an academic tome might be, the first person perspective creates a distrust of information presented, particularly in this day of blind endnotes. The book used these detested blind endnotes. Many of these referred to web articles rather than academic publications. The book included an index. One of the book's weaknesses was a failure to examine rural America adequately. While she examined some names in rural West Virginia, she did not look at the many places where roads are simply numbered with "County Road XXX" with XXX being a number. She simply failed to look at the rest of the country for patterns. I conclude that those who name streets should refrain from naming them after persons. Someone heroic to one generation may represent something else entirely to future generations.

Sorry that one was not a better fit for you, Lori. The premise sounds fascinating.

>84 thornton37814: I saw on Carrie's thread that she's reading this, too. It looks interesting. I don't think that we are ever going to give up naming streets (and bridges, etc...) after people. It's just such an easy way to honor them.

>85 Crazymamie: Marie, I think it's really a matter of not a good fit for me. People who are not bothered by the journalist inserting themselves in the narrative would like it more. I also detest blind endnotes and will always count off points for those.

>86 RidgewayGirl: Yes. I don't think we will either, but it does seem to create a lot of problems. You probably lived in Germany long enough to be familiar with some of the ones challenged there because of reunification.

>87 genealogy_nana: We're cheering for you. Carrie was hoping to finish last night, but I'm sure she'll finish today. Meanwhile, it's a good thing I didn't wait until today to finish it. I lost some momentum later yesterday evening after learning a friend was in a Raleigh ICU unit after suffering a heart attack. I've read some since then, but other things like church, a nap with the cats (because I didn't sleep well last night), and an upcoming North Carolina genealogy chat are getting in the way today.

I was happy to read in >71 thornton37814: that you are also struggling to match your books with your categories, Lori. Last year my categories were pretty obvious with names like GeoCat, ScaredyKit etc. but this year I need to check my list of chocolates to figure out where every book fits!

>89 DeltaQueen50: It will take me a little while to get used to the new categories. I'll be okay by mid-February (or may the end of December?). ;-)

>16 thornton37814: Ha! I like that one. I should have done that last year over in my thread on Goodreads. I forgot two challenges until after I'd posted one review, then a few more reviews!

By the way, good for you for crediting the images. (Librarian here... I should follow your example! (I use them when I post a monthly thread.))

>91 LibraryCin: Actually, I think I miscounted how many I would need so I just kind of ended up with an extra one. It comes in handy at times. Some of the images are CC0 and don't require attribution, but I find I'd prefer to acknowledge those also. It's the librarian and genealogist in me (and probably more the genealogist than librarian).

Book 3. Monk's Hood by Ellis Peters

Date Completed: 4 January 2021

Category: Puffin (Mysteries with UK or Ireland setting)

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Angry at his stepfather, Cadfael's former girlfriend's son flees his home. The stepfather falls dead from poisoning a few minutes later. A sheriff's office sergeant pursues the boy. Because the poison likely came from the monastery, Cadfael investigates. He calls on his friend deputy sheriff Hugh Beringar to hear the evidence he's gathered. When confined to the monastery to minimize contact with the woman he once loved, Cadfael must rely on others to gather evidence. This enjoyable medieval mystery still appeals.

Book 4. The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer

Date Completed: 5 January 2021

Category: Cardinal (History & Genealogy)

Rating: 4.5 stars

Review: Ian Mortimer's work provides readers insights into the lives of both the common people and nobility living in the fourteenth century. The readable prose talks about the landscape, people themselves, clothing, residences, travel accommodations, diet, health concerns, laws, amusements, and more.

I found it interesting that many thought disease, especially the great plague, to be caused by planets and stars. One quote mentioned "The conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter brings about the death of peoples and the depopulation of kingdoms." In this age of COVID-19 when the "Bethlehem Star" (conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter) just made an appearance, I found the parallel more than a little interesting.

A number of color illustrations appear in the e-book following the text. They are plates inserted in the text. While one of these shows a map of rivers, I wished for the inclusion of a good map of medieval England from this period with counties and towns.

Still, this book should interest people interested in an overview of life in fourteenth century England. Genealogists will find many takeaways which may be incorporated into ancestral narratives for the period if their ancestors can reliably be traced back to the time and place.

>94 thornton37814: Well, that sounds so much more interesting than my medieval book! Agreed about the Saturn/Jupiter thing.

>95 LibraryCin: I really enjoyed it. It's been on my wish list for awhile. Since it was available in Overdrive/Libby from one of my libraries, I decided to download and read it. Now I want my own copy!

After a whole month of being somewhere in the United States postal system, an order I placed in late November finally arrived today. It took two weeks between scans in Durham, New Hampshire and somewhere in New Jersey. Then almost another two weeks between New Jersey and Atlanta. With a couple days on either end from point of origin and to point of destination, it took a month to arrive from the time it was shipped.

Here's the belated haul:
1) Under God's Spell: Frontier Evangelists, 1772-1915 by Cathy Luchetti
2) A Harvest Yet to Reap: A History of Prairie Women by Linda Rasmussen, Lorna Rasmussen, Candace Savage, and Anne Wheeler
3) So Much to Be Done: Women Settlers on the Mining and Ranching Frontier edited by Ruth B. Moynihan, Susan Armitage, and Christiane Fischer Dichamp
4) Inferior Courts, Superior Justice: A History of the Justices of the Peace on the Northwest Frontier, 1853-1889 by John R. Wunder
5) Connecticut Quilts: Bed Quilt Entries Listed in Woodbury, Connecticut, Probate Inventories, 1720-1819 by Robert G. Stone

Looks like a great haul!

>98 Tess_W: They are all social histories of some sort or another with the exception of the quilt entry book. That one I grabbed out of curiosity and for a presentation I've been working on.

>94 thornton37814: Ohh! That's sounds great! And that bit about Saturn & Jupiter pretty amazing! I just went over to check out the book on AMZN and, discovered The Time Traveler's Guide to Elizabethan England as well. I've put both on my Wishlist for now; but I did purchase the ebook edition of Edward III: The Perfect King (by Ian Mortimer)---so maybe not a direct BB but rather a ricochet? I'll be reading "E3" next month when I'm also reading Edward III (by William Shakespeare).

>100 Tanya-dogearedcopy: Yes. I need to check into the Elizabethan one. If his Edward III bio is as interesting as his time traveler's guide, you'll be in for a treat! I'll watch for your review.

>84 thornton37814: Oh no, not much on rural addresses? That's too bad. That's one of the dimensions I'm most curious about, especially around whether my experience of perceiving rural areas to be more insular / less friendly to random visitors because the roads are poorly marked/change names at borders is shared or something unique to my baggage. It felt just "journalist" enough that I was hoping the book might take it on.

>94 thornton37814: That Saturn/Jupiter parallel is rather disconcerting to me.

>99 thornton37814: I love reading about women homesteading or women in the west, in general. I know that one of our CATS this year contains a social history category. I'm copied a few of your suggestions and will be seeking at least one of those out for that category.

Look forward to hearing more about your genealogical book group's reads, that sounds like a brilliant way to read more relevant NF.

I have only read the first two Kopp books, I want to pick this series up again. I really like how Any Stewart writes.

>102 pammab: It certainly didn't work for me, and the parallel made me pause.

>103 Tess_W: I certainly have a huge stack of social history on hand so I will be able to find something that month.

>104 charl08: Every few months, our group's leader sticks in historical fiction, but most of the reads are non-fiction. Tonight's discussion got moved to next week because several members had a conflict with a genealogy institute's orientation.

Book 5. Murder on Cape Cod by Maddie Day

Date Completed: 9 January 2021

Category: Bald Eagle (Mysteries with U.S. setting)

Rating: 2 stars

Review: A mystery book club sets out to solve a murder discovered following a meeting. On a foggy evening, Mackenzie, owner of a bicycle shop in a Cape Cod tourist town, nearly tripped over the man. She recognizes the knife that stabbed the man as her brother's custom-made one. Her father pastors a church and her mother works as an astrologist--a rather unusual combination. The mystery's writing lacks cohesiveness, and its solution seems obvious.

Book 6. Anchored in Jesus: Holding on to Truth in a Drifting World by Johnny Hunt/>

Date Completed: 10 January 2021

Category: Sparrow (Religion & Spirituality)

Rating: 3 stars

Review: I expected this book to be written more for believers who needed encouragement in the present days when it seems our culture drifts further and further from faith in God. It seemed to be more about evangelism or coming to faith in Jesus instead. I expected one with deeper spiritual truths than the one written. If seeking that type book, look elsewhere. If you are a young believer, the book may help you in your spiritual walk.

LibraryThing has now messed up our groups portal pages. I hate the new style. It almost makes me want to give up groups completely.

>108 thornton37814: - I'm not crazy about it either, but I'm going to wait a couple of days and watch the Talk group to see what happens.

ETA: I notice there's a toggle at the bottom of the page for desktop view/mobile view but it doesn't seem to change anything.

>108 thornton37814: I couldn't find anything at first, but I persevered. It might take a bit of getting used to, but don't give up!

>109 dudes22: I tried to change it to alphabetical so my groups would be in the same order they were in on the sidebar. It did nothing.

>110 pamelad: I wish they would go back to changing the color to purple as you click on it, but making it blue again when there's a new message. I also wish the star were back next to the number of messages instead of way out on the left. I hate the changes. They are ruining everything.

>110 pamelad: I think I'll just need to get used to it.

>112 LibraryCin: You are more optimistic than I. The new is not improved in my opinion.

I have to agree. The new may be better for some things I guess, but not one has made me happy.

>114 mysterymax: Glad I'm not alone in my thoughts.

It was so weird to have it change while I was on the group page yesterday! I was reading a thread and then went back to the portal page and "what the heck???"

>116 LadyoftheLodge: That would be awful. I'd begun using the group tab at the top and navigating to specific groups because I couldn't stand the way the "your groups" on the side or the "starred topics" displayed. Now they are all behaving the same way. Everything stays blue all the time. Of course, it was bad when everything was staying purple forever--even where there was a new post--on the first incarnation of the threads revision. Why can't they make it where it will turn purple until there is a new post and back to blue like it used to be? Some things are just not improvements.

BTW--I just noticed that one of your furry boys looks very similar to my Judah cat. The main difference is Judah has a gray "soul patch" on his chin (if that is not too outdated a term....)

>117 thornton37814: My unread posts are a deep,thick, navy blue. Once I've read them they are just plain black.

>118 LadyoftheLodge: My boys have their own unique coloring features too. That is what makes them each special in their own way in regards to looks.

>119 Tess_W: Yes - they are black after you refresh the page. I guess in the old scheme, they turned purple so you could see exactly where you stopped opening tabs and not need to refresh the page to see where that was. Then they turned back to blue if there was a new post upon refreshing. Otherwise they stayed purple. I'm okay with the black. I guess I just don't like having to refresh the page so often when I'm working through a page. I open up to 20-25 tabs at a time, but still it takes a while to get through them all.

Book 7. The Golden Egg by Donna Leon

Date Completed: 13 January 2021

Category: Peacock (Mysteries Set in the Rest of the World)

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: A "deaf and dumb" young man who worked at the dry cleaners died. Paola feels guilty she knows so little about him and urges Brunetti to learn more. When he begins probing, he discovers no official records of the man. He brings other colleagues at the Questura into this investigation. Patta assigned him to look into a less significant matter which was easily resolved, but he makes it seem more difficult to gain a favor. If you are seeking a mystery for the sake of a mystery, this will probably leave you wanting. If you enjoy your visit with Brunetti and colleagues, you'll enjoy it. It took me a bit to grow used to the new narrator for this installment, but he did a fairly good job.

Here's my review of an ARC of this from 2013:
Brunetti is put on an insignificant case regarding vending laws, but his wife Paola has a request for Brunetti. She learned that a deaf handicapped boy who had worked at the dry cleaners has died from an overdose of sleeping pills. She thinks it strange that no one has taken notice. Brunetti begins looking into the boy's past and discovers that there is no record of his having ever been born and that there are none of the usual records to even show he exists. When his mother is questioned, she claims the papers were stolen in a burglary. Brunetti systematically works through his discoveries until he understands how the boy and his mother were able to survive with what appeared to be no source of income. I found this an interesting read, but it wasn't totally absorbing, and I wouldn't really classify it as a mystery in the traditional sense of the word. I prefer Brunetti when he's investigating a murder and traveling around the canals of Venice. I received an electronic galley of this book for review purposes from NetGalley.

>120 thornton37814: My cats are also very different from each other in personality as well as coloring! I have two black cats who are siblings, but they still look different from each other. I have my gray and white, most senior of the group, and finally the youngest who is Abyssinian mix (oops!) so he is tawny with four white feet. They are all loveable fellows.

>122 LadyoftheLodge: Yes. All my kitties are loveable guys!

Book 8. The Woman in the Mirror by Rebecca James

Date Completed: 14 January 2021

Category: Lorikeet (Other Fiction & Literature)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Alice Miller becomes governess to twins at Winterbourne along the Cornwall coast in 1947. She loves the house, the children, and its master. In the present, the death of the female twin results in an unexpected inheritance for Rachel Wright, an art gallery owner from New York. Readers are treated to an old-fashioned Gothic novel with the perfect house, setting, and backstory. It reminded me of that genre's novels I read in the 1970s and loved. While I generally don't like novels that switch back and forth between time periods, this one worked better than many. I will see what other novels by this author might await me.

Book 9. The Space Child's Mother Goose by Frederick Winsor; illustrated by Marian Perry

Date Completed: 14 January 2021

Category: Flamingo (Poetry)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: If you love nursery rhymes and science, this volume will make your chuckle a few times. While most rhymes appear in English, several languages make appearances in one poem each. My LibraryThing 2020 Secret Santa chose a book I'm certain to revisit a few times.

>87 genealogy_nana: A geneology-focused book club is intriguing. Such a thing would never have occurred to me. But then, I am not the geneology bug in my family--that's my cousin. Fascinating!

>103 Tess_W: Have you read "Lone Women" by Victor LaValle? It's included in Long Hidden. Here's a review of the story:
https://apostrophen.wordpress.com/2020/04/26/short-stories-366117-lone-women-by-...
Sounds like you might like it, if you like a speculative fiction take on women homesteaders.

>126 justchris: The book club is focused on social history which adds so much to our ancestral narratives. There's also an International Genealogy Book Club on Facebook, but we only share what we are reading or what has been good. I tend to wait and share only things I find very good. A few people share things as they purchase them or as they are going to read them. I'll skip the speculative fiction. Others would appreciate it far more than I do.

I discovered I never reported a few 2020 Kindle acquisitions at the end of the year. The first was an accidental purchase when my screen went crazy and hit the "buy" button. I decided it might be an interesting read and kept it. Two were either free or low cost. The Smith ones are the next 3 in series (and were all cheap).

1) Christina Thompson / Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia
2) Tricia Goyer / Beside Still Waters
3) Louise Welsh / A Lovely Way to Burn
4) Karen Rose Smith / Murder with Cucumber Sandwiches
5) Karen Rose Smith / Murder with Cherry Tarts
6) Karen Rose Smith / Murder with Clotted Cream

2021 Kindle Acquisitions to Date - All of these are free to $1.99; several were on my wish list (book bullets from some of you); the rest were free or "deal" offerings.

1) Ruth Hartzler / True Confections
2) Katerine Tuckova / Gerta
3) Lynda Rutledge / West with Giraffes
4) Molly Jebber / Hannah's Courage
5) Jerry S. Eicher / Phoebe's Gift
6) Clara Benson / Murder at Sissingham Hall
7) Lynn Cahoon / Murder in Waiting
8) Charlotte MacLeod / Rest Ye Merry
9) G. K. Chesteron / Father Brown: Complete Collection
10) The Cambridge Medieval History Collection (5 vols)
11) The Cambridge Modern History Collection (5 vols)
12) Charles Dickens: The Complete Novels
13) H. Y. Hanna / The Mousse Wonderful Time of Year
14) Fiona Valpy / The Skylark's Secret
15) Peg Cochran / Berried Secrets
16) Lilian Harry / The Bells of Burracombe
17) Jessica Beck / A Chili Death

Your thread is soooo dangerous for me. I got a couple of BBs from this one, and there are others on your list that I already own.

>130 LadyoftheLodge: I get a daily email from BookBub alerting me to deals. Some are a single day; others run a little longer. If it is any consolation, your thread is dangerous for me too. Some of the book bullets probably originated on your thread.

>131 thornton37814: LOL! I get the BookBub emails too! I am glad we can suggest reading ideas for each other. I prefer to get recommendations from other readers whom I know, rather than relying on online recs.

>129 thornton37814: Hooray for Father Brown! I also recently acquired Rest You Merry by Charlotte MacLeod, which is already on my TBR for December 2021. :)

>132 LadyoftheLodge: Definitely. If it is a book in a series, I've read (and didn't detest), I'll usually give one of the 99 cent or free ones a chance. I usually am a bit more discriminating as the price goes up. However, the majority of my reads come from reviews in journals or here on LibraryThing.

>133 christina_reads: I couldn't resist it. I don't remember if that was one of the 49 cent ones or one of the 60 cent ones. It was a good chance to snag them all quickly. I generally begin reading Christmas things in July for "Christmas in July." I may read one a month until about November when I'm ready to read Christmas stories again. I'll try to pencil it in for December so we can share the read.

>134 thornton37814: Ooh, Christmas in July sounds like a good idea, though! If you want to read Rest You Merry then, let me know -- I'm happy to do a buddy read.

>134 thornton37814: Either way works for me. I have lots of other books I can use for Christmas in July. If you want to do it then, just let me know, and I'll pencil it in there instead of December.

Book 10. What Though the Field Be Lost: Poems by Christopher Kempf

Date Completed: 15 January 2021

Category: Flamingo (Poetry)

Rating: 2 stars

Review: While the description on this one sounded intriguing, I found the juxtaposition of the Civil War with Hyundais, Dubai, Sirius, the Kiwanis Club, Sheetz's, Fanta, and other things from other eras distracting. I never quite understood what message the poet attempted to convey. I'm sure others will enjoy it much more than I did, but the collection didn't work for me. It was supposedly inspired by the poet's visit to Gettysburg and contains theme relevant to social justice. I received a copy from the publisher through Edelweiss for review purposes. No official review was required, but they are appreciated.

Book 11. Good-bye, Mr. Chips by James Hilton

Date Completed: 16 January 2021

Category: Penguin (Published more than 50 years ago)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: This classic work relates the story of Mr. Chipping, a boarding school teacher, who becomes known as "Mr. Chips." He prefers the old ways to the new and exhibits great loyalty to the school and its pupils. In retirement, he lives across the street and still gets to know its students. I always think of this as something for middle grades to read, but after re-reading it, I think adults would appreciate it more.

>138 thornton37814: One of my favorite books! I first read it in high school, and still have the original Bantam paperback version with a brown cover. Did you see the movie with Petula Clark?

>138 thornton37814: It's been 40 years since I've read that one. Perhaps, I, too, would appreciate it more the second time around.

>139 LadyoftheLodge: I really don't know. I can say I don't remember watching it. I was only 6 when the movie came out. My mom loved Petula Clark so there's a good chance I might have seen it. Hard to believe that book first appeared in 1934!

>140 Tess_W: I picked it up free or for less than $1 on Kindle at some point. At the time I downloaded it, I thought it was probably time for a re-read sometime. I got around to it and can cross another one off the Kindle TBR list.

Book 12. The Conquering Family by Thomas B. Costain

Date Completed: 17 January 2021

Category: Cardinal (History & Genealogy)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Containing no footnotes or end notes, this first of four volumes comprising a history of the Plantagenets presents a highly readable history from the Norman Conquest until the death of King John. The narrative offers a wealth of information on Eleanor of Aquitaine, Thomas a Becket, and others. The Magna Carta's text appears in the volume's final chapters. Although its lack of citations makes it inappropriate for scholarly pursuits, its readability endeared it to the masses.

Book 13. Bathed in Prayer by Jan Karon

Date Completed: 17 January 2021

Category: Sparrow (Religion & Spirituality)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Although this book presents no new content aside from the introductions to the book and various prayers (to provide context), it makes a great devotional. Many of Father Tim's prayers are filled with Scripture and thoughts on Christian living. Enough context was usually shared to understand why he prayed as he did. Fans of the series will appreciate the volume whose cover bears the subtitle "Father Tim's Prayers, Sermons, and Reflections from the Mitford Series." (It does not appear on the title page.) The book contains a ribbon marker to mark one's place.

>142 thornton37814: loved that and the following books. The only one I didn't read (yet!) was The Last Plantagenet. My mother had several of Costain's books on her shelves, where I discovered them as a preteen.

>144 fuzzi: I'm going to try to read the remaining volumes sometime this year (or it might go into next).

Book 14. Murder on the Lake by Bruce Beckham

Date Completed: 20 January 2021

Category: Puffin (Mysteries with UK/Ireland setting)

Rating: 3 stars

Review: As Inspector Skelgill begins to head back in after a day of fishing, a young woman on an island flags him down. She came for writing retreat held on the island's mostly abandoned country home, and now a publisher attending the retreat died. Because she and the others agreed to leave technology behind, their means of contacting the proper officials suffers. The inspector introduces himself as the authority. He views the body and expects nothing suspicious until his secured boat disappears from the island. Too late to do anything else, he spends the night on the island with them. By morning another member of the party dies, and officials find Skelgill's boat and show up at the island. This cross between a country house locked-room mystery and police procedural presents an interesting case, but its telling needs some work. It needed better editing. The use of em dashes for commas in many places drove me crazy.

Book 15. A Death Long Overdue by Eva Gates

Date Completed: 23 January 2021

Category: Bald Eagle (Mysteries with U.S. setting)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: This might be my favorite installment to date in this series. Bertie hosts a reunion of her library school classmates at the lighthouse library. She invites the former library director to the library get-together even though she was not part of that particular class. Helena Sanchez while not well-liked modeled efficiency when it came to her library responsibilities, but someone at the get-together wanted her dead. When the group takes a late night walk, a scream is heard and Helena's body is found in the marsh. This book mentions Wilkie Collins' The Moonstone and James Redfield's The Celestine Prophecy, and the plots of both inspired the story. Librarians and library users alike will appreciate the references to the days humans performed library tasks. Lucy, of course, becomes involved in the investigation. Connor keeps unsuccessfully trying to find time alone with Lucy. Right before last spring's lockdown, I visited the Outer Banks and many of the locations in the book. It helped me appreciate the book even more. A great installment in this series!

The Saturn/Jupiter quote up-thread was great!

I've read The Conquering Family and the following volumes a long time ago and kept them along with a lot of other books by Costain. I reread The Black Rose a while back and enjoyed the reread.

No touchstones tonight.

>147 thornton37814: That sounds like fun, but the library doesn't have it here and the kindle edition is not cheap. Hopefully it will come down though. I'd like to stay in a lighthouse: there's a national trust place you can stay in that I am tempted by (but again, cost!)

>148 hailelib: Sometimes I have trouble getting touchstones to work. I usually put them in and go back and load them when they seem to be working better.

>149 charl08: No. I actually purchased the Kindle edition because neither of my libraries had it. I have an ARC of the next one and didn't want to read them out of order, so I did. This series just seems to get better. I've seen a couple places where you can stay by being the lighthouse keeper for a time. I guess there are still a few not completely automated yet. Of course, the keeper's quarters are sometimes separate buildings instead of attached to the bottom.

>147 thornton37814: I am looking forward to reading this one. I have read others in the series and enjoyed them.

>151 LadyoftheLodge: I think it's probably my favorite to date!

Book 16. The Sweet Flypaper of Life by Roy DeCarava and Langston Hughes

Date Completed: 26 January 2021

Category: Penguin (Books first published more than 50 years ago)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: I really enjoyed this book in which Langston Hughes weaves a story of African Americans living in Harlem featuring the photographs of Roy DeCarava. I stumbled across it as I was reclassifying some books in the library. Because the photographs dominate the book rather than the text, it reads quickly.

I'm a new admin over at Genealogy@LT. I hope some of you who enjoy genealogy will help revive the group. Group page: https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/1700/Genealogy%40LT

Book 17. Child Whispers by Enid Blyton

Date Completed: 26 January 2021

Category: Bluebird (Children's & YA Literature)

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: I think I would have enjoyed this volume of children's poetry when I was a child. The author appears to be fascinated by fairies, and it's obvious she thought "nurse" was too strict. The epub formatting of the Project Gutenberg copy is poor.

Book 18. Busman's Honeymoon by Dorothy L. Sayers

Date Completed: 28 January 2021

Category: Puffin (Mysteries set in British Isles)

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Newlyweds Lord Peter & Harriet spend their honeymoon in their newly purchased country home. The previous owner's corpse turns up in the basement. Bunter doesn't get along with the housekeeper. The cast of local characters produces some interesting characters and a variety of motives. The first hour or so of the audio book was told in an epistolary fashion, but after that, Sayers turned back to her tried and true methods of telling the story. Overall it's an interesting plot, but it drags out a little longer than necessary.

Book 19. A Real Southern Cook: In Her Savannah Kitchen by Dora Charles

Date Completed: 29 January 2021

Category: Hummingbird (Domestic Arts)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Dora Charles is the woman who made Paula Deen's restaurant Lady & Sons a success story. Now she tells both her own and her grandmother's story and mixes in a heaping portion of Southern recipes. If you grew up in the South, you'll recognize most of the recipes and have your own favorite versions. Well-illustrated with food and other photos, Dora's book is a pleasure to read. I loved the shout-out to a friend and fellow genealogist in the credits at the end of the book.

Book 20. The Gospel at Work: How the Gospel Gives New Purpose and Meaning to Our Jobs by Sebastian Traeger and Greg Gilbert

Date Completed: 29 January 2021

Category: Sparrow (Religion & Spirituality)

Rating: 3 stars

Review: The authors discuss work in a biblical context. While not a theology of work, the authors seek to make practical applications for persons in their jobs. The book probably applies most to those in white-collar settings although some parts apply to blue-collar employees as well. I found this book as unremarkable as many business books in today's market. The appendices provided the most unique and useful content, specifically the one drawing upon several chapters of the book of Acts and the one discussing the future of missionary endeavors.

>156 thornton37814: My book cover is so not that cover, which is vibrantly alive with color! I suppose the story did drag on--I took it as Sayers reveling in Wimsey and Vane reveling in each other and drawing that out to some degree. Bunter vs the housekeeper was pretty funny.

>159 justchris: That was the jacket that was featured with the audiobook version to which I listened. It is a great one though!

Book 21. Gone to the Grave: Burial Customs of the Arkansas Ozarks, 1850-1950 by Abby Burnett

Date Completed: 31 January 2021

Category: Cardinal (History & Genealogy)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: This fascinating look at death and dying in Arkansas' Ozark Region goes beyond the stated scope to provide additional context for the reader or researcher. The author used primary sources, oral history, newspapers, and regional and national periodicals in her research body, making a comprehensive study of the subject. Some readers may remember portions of these practices from their own lives. The author traced origins of many practices to places Arkansans or their ancestors previously lived. While one might expect the focus to be entirely on practices from the death of an individual until their interment, the author includes information on causes of death and procedures followed in dealing with disease, the aged, the poor, and more. While the book possesses a very academic tone, it still presents interesting information useful to genealogists and historians working both inside and outside the Ozark Region.

>161 thornton37814: I love old cemetaries and funeral records. Our library has the record book of a local funeral home from something like 1870 through 1920. One of my favorite entries is of a middle aged mother of nine who died from aggravation!

>162 clue: The funeral home records are interesting when you can get access. Some libraries hold some historic ones in special collections or on microfilm, and they are interesting. I think all genealogists love cemeteries--at least when it isn't snake season--and sometimes even then.

>162 clue: LOL I thought that was going to happen to me--when my boys were young, just 18 months apart.

>162 clue:
>163 thornton37814:
My car has always stopped at cemeteries, if they look interesting, old, or we needed to stretch our legs on a long trip. I was particularly interested in graves of young children, sometimes with their parents, especially when not in isolation. I would often mark down names, dates, and location and go back home and research and I would usually find an outbreak of typhoid fever or cholera.

>164 Tess_W: Cemeteries can be very interesting places. The tombstones are very telling about localized epidemics.

Spotted this Read Native challenge sponsored by the American Indian Library Association: https://ailanet.org/readnative21/

Book 22. I Escaped the Donner Party: Pioneers on the Oregon Trail, 1846 by Ellie Crowe and Scott Peters

Date Completed: sometime in January 2021, but I forgot to report it so I'll use 1 February 2021

Category: Bluebird (Children's & YA Literature)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: This book for younger readers relates the story of the Donner Party through the eyes of a teenager survivor. The party attempted to take a shortcut which ended up taking longer and leaving them stranded in the Sierra Nevadas without enough food. It managed to describe the problem and minimize the "gross" factor. While the middle school age boy will definitely pick up on the cannibalism, it won't leave him with nightmares. The book appears to be well-researched, and it was told in a manner younger readers will enjoy. I received an electronic copy through LibraryThing Early Reviewers with the expectation of an honest review.

Book 23. Bruno, Chief of Police by Martin Walker

Date Completed: 2 February 2021

Category: Peacock (Mysteries set in the rest of the world--not US or British Isles)

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Bruno serves as police chief in a small community in southwestern France. Like Sheriff Andy Taylor of Mayberry fame, he prefers to not carry a weapon unless he's hunting game. The area, known for its food and wine, suits Bruno who appreciates good food and wine. When an elderly man's mutilated corpse turns up, the gendarme want to pin it on a teenager born in France but whose ancestors came from North Africa. Bruno and the mayor work behind the scenes to make sure the wrongfully-charged lad does not become convicted of the crime. They must find answers in the dead man's past. While I enjoyed the descriptions of the village and the food, the story line itself became too embroiled in political maneuvering for me to enjoy it.

>166 thornton37814: Thanks for sharing that. I've passed it along and will try it myself.

>167 thornton37814: I'm entertained that someone wanted to intro kids to the Donner party history.

>169 justchris: "I'm entertained that someone wanted to intro kids to the Donner party history."

I'm also intrigued by this, especially when there are so many other detailed historical accounts of wagon trains.

>167 thornton37814: I've always been intrigued by the Donner party. I've read 2 books on it and they have been conflicting.

>169 justchris: You have to admit the Donner Party is gruesome enough that middle school boys would like the story. I'm just glad they kept it a little more low-key than adult versions.

>170 spiralsheep: There are lots of wagon train accounts. It was an Early Reviewer win.

>171 Tess_W: I can see where accounts could differ.

>172 thornton37814: I guessed it was a book that had come your way via sidelong means. I often read books as read-a-longs with other people, especially kids to encourage them to read, or I read unusual free books out of curiosity (my village has a "little" free library which fills a disused red phone box). It was the publisher's thinking that intrigued me, and we will never know: could be anywhere from cashing in on tragedy to publishing a better version than one already available. And, of course, any descendants might want to introduce their children to that history as early as possible before they hear rumours elsewhere.

>173 spiralsheep: I have several print ARCs that I'll take to a Little Free Library when I feel safe enough to go to the space where the one I know about is located.

>174 thornton37814: It's sensible to be careful.

One of my neighbours organises our phone box library but she's had so many more donations, from people reading more and decluttering, and so many fewer people taking books that her summerhouse is overflowing with boxes. She's literally been begging villagers to visit her summerhouse and take an armful of books.

>175 spiralsheep: The little free library (near the grocery store that I frequent) was missing for a few days, and then reappeared. I suspect it went to get refurbished. I often take books there when I go to shop, but do not often pick up something. It seems to occasionally contain a bunch of good selections, and I suspect that is when the local Literacy Coalition stocks it. I try to place items in it that I think people will want to read, such as popular fiction, romances, cowboy stories, mysteries.

>176 LadyoftheLodge: I think most people around here take books in good condition to charity shops, such as Oxfam or the local hospice, so the phone box library books are usually much loved and thoroughly re-read books or an occasional oddity seeking a sympathetic home. Non-fiction tends to be passed around at local specialist clubs, i.e. gardening, baking, crafts, music, etc.

>175 spiralsheep: Even before the pandemic, our Friends of the Library shop was overwhelmed with book donations. They had a holding large storage locker for it all. At the big sales events, they used to charge $3/bag/box; but by March 2020, they were asking people to take as much as possible, only asking for donations at the door.

There used to be a great LFL near our house, stocked by a teacher who had a wide range of genres that got refreshed weekly (plus fresh vegetables from their garden in the summer!) But they sold their home and now it's owned by people who are indifferent at best to the LFL. Their "seed" donations mainly consisted of Christian and Western titles which don't have high circulation rates in our neighborhood and, any books that are donated are quickly ruined with water (they ran into the LFL with their RV and it hasn't been the same since).
We also had one at work a few years ago, but people got caught taking the books and selling them to second-hand bookstores! #SMH

>175 spiralsheep: I suspect that might be hard. I began thinking that there might be a LFL in a church parking lot that I've seen from the road. Most of these ARCs are Christian fiction so they might be appropriate there.

>176 LadyoftheLodge: I'm not going to put anything in one I don't think would be read. It's great the literacy coalition helps stock yours. I think crafting books and some recent popular biographies and self-help books might appeal to some people also. My tastes in non-fiction tend to run to things that probably wouldn't appeal as much.

>177 spiralsheep: Around here we have some bookstores that take used books for credit. One of them will take a variety of non-fiction, but the other one is more limited in what it takes. I haven't used the one up in Johnson City enough to know what it is like. About the only way to get rid of an ARC legally is to give it away. It cannot be added to a library collection, and it cannot be sold. I tend to put them in Little Free Libraries now that we have them.

>178 Tanya-dogearedcopy: Not every LFL is created equal. The one in Jefferson City is in a recently built public space that gets a lot of foot traffic. Several retirees from our university keep it stocked and kept up. I only donate the things I think will be read by a LFL patron. I take other things to one of the used bookstores. The used bookstore is not going to really give me nearly the trade-in credit I would like so I don't might donating elsewhere.

One of the things our local Friends of the Library did during this past year was put a rolling cart outside everyday with books you could just take. Since there were no sales this year, I guess it was a way to keep their stock down. I've been saving books hoping that when the clubhouse in our development is finished there will be some space for a LFL.

>181 dudes22: That works! A LFL in your clubhouse would be a nice addition.

I had some bananas that were past their prime, so a loaf of banana bread is baking in my oven.

>178 Tanya-dogearedcopy: I don't want to take over Lori's thread with book donation chatter but...

Our local charity shops tend to keep high turnover bestsellers for the shelves, ebay more valuable books, and send everything else to used book wholesalers in bulk so they have to deal with the sorting and storage.

>184 spiralsheep: Our library signed up for one of those places that will take your used books IF when you scan the ISBN or type it in, it comes back as one they'll take. I still haven't hit the 50-minimum so they'll send you a box to ship them--and it's been over a year. It hasn't been worth it for us. We're hoping to get the retired faculty to set up a "friends" group that can sell on Ebay, but that's on hold until after COVID.

>185 thornton37814: Our local hospice shop is lucky enough to have a very experienced ebayer volunteer, and the manageress once told me she finds a use for every donation. Blankets that can't even be sold for rag are sent on to local animal rescue charities.

>186 spiralsheep: That's great.

I've been considering the Bruno series. Is this one the first you've read? Are you planning to continue or are you giving up on it?

>188 mysterymax: This is my first one. We have a group read going so I'll continue for a bit. It's an every other month commitment. Link is here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/328017

>189 thornton37814: Enjoyed the link. I'm bad because I want to read the entire series all at once. It's very painful when I get hooked on a new series and have to wait for the next book! Bruno sounds a bit like Camilleri with his love for food, but the mysteries are good in his books as well.

>180 thornton37814: Great to see the LFL love here! I rarely interact with them, but we have a LOT of them where I live. On a recent bike ride around the neighborhood, I counted 6. One of my neighbors created a photo scavenger hunt with LFL because of how personalized they are. A nearby Lutheran church has a church-shaped LFL, then there's the mini-TARDIS, etc.

>180 thornton37814: About the only way to get rid of an ARC legally is to give it away. It cannot be added to a library collection, and it cannot be sold. I tend to put them in Little Free Libraries now that we have them.

I've done this, but not even sure if it was appropriate! I'm happy to hear that it is ok. :-)

>190 mysterymax: Brunetti also appreciates food, and he's the one we're reading on alternate months. Hope you enjoy the book if you decide to read it.

>191 justchris: It sounds like more people tend them in your area.

>192 LibraryCin: Most of these come with a note encouraging you to share it. I think its pre-publication status and caution notes are usually printed right on the cover.

Book 24. The Cat Man of Aleppo by Irene Latham and Karim Shamsi-Basha; illustrated by Yuko Shimizu

Date Completed: 4 February 2021

Category: Bluebird (Children's & YA Literature)

Rating: 4.5 stars

Review: Beautifully illustrated with a story about Mohammed Alaa Aljaleel who saved many hungry cats from starvation when refugees fled Syria. The book is deserving of its Caldecott honor status. I read this to my cats, and they enjoyed it.

>194 thornton37814: LOL! It sounds like a charming story, and I am glad your cats liked it too. Mine have been hyper today, just a lot of running and chasing and chatter. This usually happens when the weather is about to change.

>195 LadyoftheLodge: We got snow overnight. While the ground is still covered, the morning sun has begun the melting process. The roads appear to be okay.

Book 25. A Dance in Donegal by Jennifer Deibel

Date Completed: 7 February 2021

Category: Goldfinch (Historical Fiction)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Moira Doherty, daughter of an Irish immigrant, grew up in the United States. Her mother's dying wish for Moira to return to the village of Ballymann from whence she came, and she arranged for Moira to become the village's schoolmistress. Sean McFadden, a thatcher's understudy/apprentice, comes to her rescue on more than one occasion as she encounters problems. A surly pupil alludes to something in Moira's mother's past which seems impossible to Moira. She feels the village turning against her, but some godly friends stick by her side. The book describes Moira's personal and spiritual journey as she overcomes the adversity she faces. This book is better written than many works of Christian fiction. While certain plot elements seemed a little underdeveloped, the book still held together well and kept me engaged. Some people might call this one "preachy," but most overtly Christian elements seemed to flow naturally from the moment's circumstances. I enjoyed the story and its charming setting. I received an advance reader's copy from LibraryThing Early Reviewers in exchange for an honest review.

Book 26. In the Teeth of the Evidence: And Other Mysteries by Dorothy L. Sayers

Date Completed: 7 February 2021

Category: Puffins (Mysteries with British Isles setting)

Rating: 2 stars

Review: A disappointing collection of short stories from Dorothy L. Sayers. While a couple of the mysteries involve Lord Peter, the majority feature Montague Egg, another detective, or no detective at all. Maybe I'm just burned out on short stories at the moment, but I really did not enjoy this collection. The ones featuring Wimsey and Egg seem more developed than the rest, perhaps because readers of previous Sayers works know these detectives.

Book 27. Uncommon Church: Community Transformation for the Common Good by Alvin Sanders

Date Completed: 9 February 2021

Category: Sparrow (Religion & Spirituality)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Alvin Sanders discusses urban ministry and the work of World Impact, a ministry he serves as president. He shows how true urban ministry must partner with community development. He shows how gentrification often hurts those who need low cost housing most. He shares insights from his own work in the "hood." Many years ago Alvin was a student at a Bible college and seminary where I worked as a librarian. His love for the Lord manifested itself in his attitude and his attention to his studies. I enjoyed seeing how God has used him to reach others over these years. He talks about the ups and downs in terms of his ministry, showing that urban ministry is not an easy calling. I was struck by a statement he made early in the book. To paraphrase it, he stated that many Christians become involved in a service project to the hood because it makes them feel good--not to show what God can do. I couldn't help but wonder how much more effective our efforts to reach the "hood" would be if Christians forgot themselves and focused on what God can do. Certainly some of the most effective work with the poor came from people such as Mother Teresa who embraced this principle. Christians interested in reaching the poor should read this thought-provoking book.

Book 28. Read It and Weep by Jenn McKinlay

Date Completed: 9 February 2021

Category: Bald Eagle (Mysteries with U.S. setting)

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Well-known actor Robbie Vine came to Briar Creek to play the role of Puck in Violet's community theatre production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. With library director Lindsey Norris and Sully giving each other space, Robbie shows interest in Lindsey. When paramedics pronounce Robbie dead after drinking his signature coconut water, Lindsey wants to help the investigation. While she sticks mainly to online research, she does find a few things she reports to the police chief. Most seasoned cozy readers will determine "whodunnit" fairly early in the book, but it is interesting to see how the plot unravels . . . and it contains an interesting twist. I listened to the audio version read by Allyson Ryan, but I found her male voices not that great, and I did not like the voice she gave Lindsey that well. Still it's a pleasant way to spend a few hours, particularly in stressful COVID days.

Knox County Library Friends are sponsoring a Stay Home and Read a Book Ball: http://www.knoxfriends.org/news-events/book-ball/

Definitely a creative fund-raising idea!

>201 thornton37814: Now that's my idea of a good ball!

>201 thornton37814:

What a great idea, especially if I had kids still at home! I would do a real ball--dress up, finger sandwiches, punch bowl, etc.

>202 DeltaQueen50: It's better than my attempts at dancing.

>203 Tess_W: I think I'd skip the dressing up part. If I'm going to read, I want to be comfy!

>201 thornton37814: I love that idea. I bought a t shirt for last year's Seattle Indy bookstore day: "stay home edition".

>205 charl08: I liked it so well that I sent a donation to join in even though I'll be stuck in a genealogy society board meeting part of the day.

>201 thornton37814: What a fabulous idea! Especially for people like me who are self-conscious when dancing - especially when wearing pjs. :)

>207 VivienneR: The idea is getting lots of love!

Book 29. In the Shadow of Power by Viveca Sten

Date Completed: 12 February 2021

Category: Peacock (Mysteries Set in Rest of World--outside US and British Isles)

Rating: 3 stars

Review: In this installment, Thomas ponders his future--will he seize an opportunity or remain on the force? A man chooses Sandhamn to build his monstrosity home, infringing upon other people's right-of-ways. When a building which housed his construction workers goes up in flames and a charred corpse turns up in the ashes, the team including Thomas goes in to investigate. No persons matching the victim's description appear missing, but with so many persons apparently withholding information, the situation lacks clarity. Nora, living on Sandhamn, attended the party the night of the fire, but her efforts to befriend the family fail. A newer investigator Aram played a key role in this installment. Margit stayed behind most of the time, only appearing in briefings and at the station. I put my finger on what did not work for me in this story. With the mystery not told from the perspective of a single person, the reader witnesses too much action first-hand. While the reader does not necessarily know the identity of the person committing the crime, more of the story needs to come from the detective or from Nora. Readers must wait until the next installment to learn Thomas' decision.

Book 30. They Were Her Property: White Women as Slave Owners in the American South by Stephanie E. Jones-Rogers

Date Completed: 12 February 2021

Category: Cardinal (History & Genealogy)

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Author Stephanie E. Jones-Rogers powerfully challenges the often-held belief that white women willingly gave their husbands charge of their property, including slaves. Drawing from slave narratives, court records, plantation records, and other sources, she demonstrates white women actively participated in slave management, often usurping their husband's authority when it came to slaves she owned prior to the marriage or their descendants. She shows the women's desire to keep their property at a high value by preventing cruelty, but also the desire of some to actively participate in disciplinary actions. She finally moves past the rather dense topic of slave discipline to areas such as using slaves as wet nurses, actively participating in slave markets, and their concern for a livelihood when slaves were emanicipated. The academic writing style creates a very dense narrative in many places. The author spent too much time describing the brutality of slave punishments in the book's first half. It is, however, an important work in African-American studies.

>209 thornton37814: I've never heard of that series, but I love Nordic Noir! Would you recommend the series as a whole or rather not?

>211 MissBrangwen: It's a very uneven series. It has a lot of promise, but it never seemed to develop to its potential. We began a read through the series last February with every other month. Book 8 will be read in April and Book 9 in June. Then we'll be caught up until Book 10 comes out in English in January 2022. At some point, the plots began to seem repetitive. I understand there was a several year gap before book 7 appeared in the original language. The plot does seem more original than repetitive this time. I'm hoping the next installments will continue the trend.

The 2021 group read thread is here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/328895

The 2020 threads are here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/315923 and here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/318236

>212 thornton37814: Thanks! I think I'll wait and do some more research before I decide if it's for me or not.

>213 MissBrangwen: They aren't quite as noir as a lot of ScandiCrime. There are some noir elements, but they don't seem to remain as dark as some. Someone asked the other day who people considered their favorite character in the series. I answered "the island." Thomas and Nora both frustrate me at times.

Book 31. An Amish Surprise by Shelley Shepard Gray

Date Completed: 13 February 2021

Category: Lorikeet (Other Fiction & Literature)

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Calvin meets Miles, a foster child staying with a nearby family, when he visits the bookmobile. He and his wife Miriam wanted to start their family, but so far she could not carry a baby to term. He knows Miriam does not want to adopt yet because doing so would admit her failure to produce offspring, but he feels drawn to this child. In the meantime, Miriam cuts her foot while visiting her parents. While at the urgent care facility, she discovers she is pregnant, but she tries to keep it from Calvin. Bookmobile librarian Sarah Anne Miller, aged 61 years, rediscovers love. An underlying theme throughout the book deals with honesty in relationships. While the stories touch the heart, the books lack the strong Amish feel because of so much interaction with the Englisch--in the forms of social worker, doctors, and bookmobiles. Because the series focuses on the bookmobile, it will always face the challenge of the Englisch story overwhelming the Amish story. I received an advance review copy via Edelweiss with the expectation of publisher feedback, but not a review requirement.

Book 32. The Black Lizard Big Book of Locked-Room Mysteries edited by Otto Penzler

Date Completed: 14 February 2021

Category: Puffin (Mysteries set in British Isles)
Comment: This book could fit any of my mystery categories, but the number of British ones seemed to be higher so I'm including it here.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Otto Penzler, owner of the Mysterious Bookshop, created a wonderful anthology featuring locked-room mysteries from the advent of the genre to the present. Penzler introduces each story with comments about the author's work in the genre and mentions prominent writings. While the mystery selected may not be the one usually chosen for mystery anthologies, the selection always fits the "locked-room" subgenre. As with most anthologies, some stories provide more enjoyment than others. It is difficult to write mysteries in short-story form because of the lack of time for character development, red herrings, and other genre characteristics. A few entries seem to be great examples of how it can be done, but readers can find a fault or two in most included stories. In the grand scheme of anthologies featuring mystery short stories, this one outshines most.

>216 thornton37814: This is the sort of anthology I have to buy, because it's so huge! Either that or I keep returning it and re-requesting it from the library.

>217 rabbitprincess: I began reading it in December (right before Christmas) at a story per day. It took a while to complete!

Book 33. Lavender Blue Murder by Laura Childs

Date Completed: 14 February 2021

Category: Bald Eagle (Mysteries with U.S. setting)

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: When Theodosia and Drayton visit an area plantation for an English-style hunting party, they hear an odd gunshot which sounded like it came from a pistol rather than a shotgun. Theodosia sets out to investigate and comes across the dying body of their host Reginald Doyle. He was shot at close range directly in the heart. The widow begs them to stay the night, and against their better judgment, they do so. They awaken when the house is afire. With two incidents happening so closely together, there's no question a party attendee wishes evil upon the host's family. Back in Charleston, Theodosia continues to investigate at the urging of various persons connected with the case and against the wishes of her detective boyfriend and his boss. She continues about her tea shop business, planning for and hosting themed teas involving Gone with the Wind and Lavender, as well as catered events. This installment returns Theodosia and Drayton to the teashop where the atmosphere is cozy and charming. The food descriptions make one's mouth water. As usual, Theodosia takes too many risks which could endanger her and those with her. This installment returns to the charm of earlier installments--a great improvement over the last several.

>219 thornton37814: I have not read this one yet. Thanks for the review. Kind of makes a person wonder what happens sometimes when the intervening installments are not so great. Maybe someone is ghost-writing?

>220 LadyoftheLodge: I think she got tired of the series. I was about to give up on the series, but this one gives me a little bit of hope. It made me want to go visit the tea shop again! (I do think I'd wait until COVID is mostly past before doing so though.)

>221 thornton37814: I wonder when authors "know" it is time to end a series and maybe start something else? Sometimes I think they hang on too long, as in the Joanne Fluke series.

>222 LadyoftheLodge: I'm not sure. The Lilian Jackson Brauns were also bad at the end.

>223 thornton37814: For sure! The book of short stories was amazingly badly written. I kept wondering what the heck she was thinking! Maybe they were leftover manuscripts or drafts??

>224 LadyoftheLodge: I think it is hard to write short stories for the mystery genre anyway, but hers were really poor. She probably realized she wasn't a gifted short story writer. I know we all get upset when series end too soon for us, but perhaps those writers who leave us wanting more really do it best--maybe they are the ones who know when to quit.

Book 34. The Passion of Anne Hutchinson: An Extraordinary Woman, the Puritan Patriarchs, and the World They Made and Lost by Marilyn Westerkamp

Date Completed: 18 February 2021

Category: Cardinal (History & Genealogy)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Marilyn J. Westerkamp presents her extensive research on Anne Hutchinson's influence in a Puritan culture in a well-documented narrative designed for a mostly academic audience. She discusses the Puritan culture and how they treated all manner of dissidents--from Quakers to Anne herself. The book discusses the migration of many of these persons to Rhode Island and even back to England. The book depicts Hutchinson as a woman with a message from God and a great following who threatened the Puritan leadership, resulting in her being labeled heretical. The author does not believe she qualifies as an early feminist.

I found the book fascinating for many reasons but perhaps my happiest moment came when an ancestor Stephen Bachiler received a paragraph of treatment. (She spells it Batchelor; it is also often spelled Batchelder.) Her wording made me feel she did not realize the church at Lynn was formerly the Saugus church as she listed them separately. I expected she might mention the belief he stood up for Hutchinson in her trial, but it was never discussed either to confirm or repudiate the claim made by other researchers. (I must confess that researching her trial transcripts to find evidence for the claim remains on my to do list.) I realize this is a minor quibble as the passage demonstrated other pastors who differed from the Puritan mainstream rather than showing my ancestor's interaction with Hutchinson.

Persons interested in Hutchinson, colonial women, Puritans, early New England, New England Quakers, and American religious history should read this book. I received an advance electronic review copy, but I intend to purchase my own copy upon publication.

Note: Current release date is 1 July 2021.

>226 thornton37814: Oh, that sounds good. On my WL it goes.

>227 Tess_W: I think a lot of people will enjoy it. It's definitely written for an academic audience so be mindful of that.

Book 35. The Tombigbee River Steamboats: Rolladores, Dead Heads and Side-Wheelers by Rufus Ward

Date Completed: 18 February 2021

Category: Cardinal (History & Genealogy)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: The town in which I grew up was along the Tombigbee River. In fact my grandmother's property had only a gravel pit between her home and the old river course (before the Waterway came through). Since some ancestors resided in the area during the steamboat era, I wanted to read this book even though I feared the author would mostly treat the Alabama portion of the river. As I began reading, I realized his interests also laid in the northern portion of the river, specifically in the steamboats reaching Columbus and Aberdeen. He even mentioned a few reaching Cotton Gin Port, the forerunner of my hometown of Amory. Cotton Gin Port merchants moved businesses to Amory when the railroad arrived, creating a "ghost town" in the former location.

Until the railroads came through, steamboats were the main way cotton made its ways to the port of Mobile for trade. Because the water became too low during late spring through early fall, the upper river could only be navigated a few months of the year. Depending on the year, it could be four to seven months. The earliest steamers seemed to meet disaster quite often so most ships lived a short life. The process of loading the ships, which included slave labor as well as other hired hands, actually placed the slaves in more favorable positions because of their value to those selling the goods.

I found this an interesting piece of social history that will find a place in narratives of some of my Monroe County, Mississippi ancestors. The author used the Columbus and West Point Public Libraries and Mississippi State's special collections in his research as well as an Alabama museum. I cannot wonder how much he missed by not going to Evans Memorial Library in Aberdeen whose special collections were almost certain to include information as well as the Southern Historical Collection in Birmingham and the state archives in both Mississippi and Alabama. He did include writings of a couple of Monroe County historians whose papers are in the Aberdeen library.

Book 36. The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz

Date Completed: 24 February 2021

Category: Puffin (Mysteries set in UK or Ireland)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Anthony Horowitz created a dark and gritty mystery featuring Sherlock Holmes and Watson. Much later in life, Watson recalls the events leading to Sherlock Holmes' investigation into the "House of Silk." It begins as an older woman suspects she is being poisoned. Her son and daughter-in-law insist she eats only what they eat. It also leads to a street urchin, part of a group Sherlock often uses to run errands, and to his sister, working at a pub called the "Bag of Nails." Holmes is called to an opium den. When a murder takes place outside and Holmes holds the weapon, he is arrested for murder. Watson finds himself trying to find a way to free Holmes when he knows a conspiracy is afoot. The audiobook narrated by Derek Jacobi maintained my interest. Horowitz obviously studied Holmes and Watson carefully before embarking on this work.

>226 thornton37814: How fun to have traced your ancestry back so far!

>231 RidgewayGirl: It's much easier to get further back on New England lines than on Southern ones!

Book 37. Deadly Ever After by Eva Gates

Date Completed: 26 February 2021

Category: Bald Eagle (Mysteries with U.S. setting)

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Lucy's parents visit the Outer Banks in preparation for Lucy and Connor's upcoming wedding. Evangeline and Ricky, the wife and son of her father's business partner, also visit Nags Head. When the business partner everyone thought remained in Boston turns up dead outside Jake's restaurant, the investigation extends beyond Nags Head to Boston in search of a motive. In other story lines, a couple of British researchers keep Charlene busy in the rare books room, and Connor and Lucy search for a home they can call their own. I fear including more summarization would reveal spoilers. This installment marks some changes that will occur in the lighthouse library's story. The reader can't help but wonder how these changes may affect the series' charm, but it still shows promise to remain an outstanding series. I received an an advance electronic copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book 38. Magnify His Name by Ed White

Date Completed: 27 February 2021

Category: Sparrow (Religion & Spirituality)

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: This sermon collection mostly features sermons from the Gospels. The sermons tend to be expository in nature and help the listener/reader understand the Scripture by revealing insights from first century culture. I enjoyed the content of the sermons. Unfortunately the volume needed a proofreader. Quite a few spelling errors appeared in the pages, and Bible seemed to be non-capitalized throughout the volume with a possible rare exception. I felt someone transcribed the sermons from recordings but no one proofread.

Book 39. Orley Farm by Anthony Trollope

Date Completed: 27 Feburary 2021

Category: Penguin (Books first published over 50 years ago)

Rating: 2 stars

Review: Lady Mason wanted her son to inherit Orley Farm rather than her husband's older son by a previous marriage. She found a means to do this which was contested both at the time and twenty years later. Your sins will find you out. I did not enjoy this book. The overdone prose and slow-moving plot kept me wanting the three chapters a day to be over long before I completed the first chapter. Boring!

>235 thornton37814: That's a shame. Have you enjoyed other books by Trollope?

>236 pamelad: I remember reading one book pre-LT and really loving it. I've read one since LT besides this one. I gave that one 3 stars. So I guess maybe he's a "one-hit wonder?"

Book 40. Striding Folly by Dorothy L. Sayers

Date Completed: 1 March 2021

Category: Puffin (Mysteries set in UK and Ireland)

Rating: 3 stars

Review: This short work contains the last three Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries. "Striding Folly" barely mentions Lord Peter at all, and the plot disappointed. "The Haunted Policeman" concerns a young constable who encounters Wimsey the night Harriet gave birth to their first son. Lord Peter loosens the officer's tongue with champagne. The third, "Talboys," features Lord Peter's son Bredon in trouble for stealing a couple of peaches. Then all the neighbors' peaches disappear overnight. Many modern readers probably agree with Miss Quirk's dislike of the means Lord Peter chose of punishing the boy. However, I don't like what the boy (and his father) did to the woman later. All three were mediocre reads although it was nice to see Lord Peter and Harriet settling in as a family.

>237 thornton37814: The first Trollope I tried to read was The Warden, which I couldn't get into, but so many people recommended him that I had another go with The way We Live Now, which I loved. So I followed up with the Palliser series, then went back to The Warden and read the Barchester series. I'm so glad I wasn't put off by The Warden, because I would have missed out on some brilliant books.

Perhaps Orley Farm just isn't your cup of tea, and a different Trollope would suit you better. He's worth another try.

>239 pamelad: I will probably try another at some point. As I mentioned in post 232, I read one before LT I enjoyed.

Book 41. Thinking Inside the Box: Adventures with Crosswords and the Puzzling People Who Can't Live Without Them by Adrienne Raphel

Date Completed: 1 March 2021

Category: Owl (Other Non-Fiction)

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Author Adrienne Raphel explores the history of the crossword and her own interest in it. I enjoyed things pertaining to the crossword's history and to the crossword in the mystery genre most. When she began discussing computer tournaments and exploring more technical aspects, I lost interest. Obsessive crossword enthusiasts will enjoy the book; more casual enthusiasts will like some parts and not others. Most readers will find themselves wanting to work one or attempt to create one.

>241 thornton37814: I definitely got the crossword itch while reading this book!

>242 rabbitprincess: It does that to you!