amanda4242's second thread

July
191. The Eagle of the Ninth--BAC ★★★★1/2
192. All Creatures Great and Small--BAC ★★★★1/2
193. Kingsman: The Secret Service--BAC ★★★
194. Books of Blood Volume One--BAC ★★★★
195. Deadpool vs. X-Force ★★★
196. The Little Broomstick--BAC ★★★★
197. The Rose of Versailles Volume 4 ★★★
198. Rain and Other Stories ★★
199. Moriarty the Patriot Vol. 4 ★★★
200. Hurrah St. Trinian's and Other Lapses--BAC ★★★1/2
201. I Was a Rat!--BAC ★★★1/2
202. Rebecca and Rowena--BAC ★★
203. Hellblazer: Rise and Fall ★★1/2
204. The Girl From the Other Side: Siúil, a Rún, Volume 1 ★★★
205. To Your Eternity Vol. 1 ★★★
206. To Your Eternity Vol. 2 ★★★
207. The Last Kingdom--BAC ★★★★
208. To Your Eternity Vol. 3 ★★★

August
209. Palladian--BAC ★★
210. Freddy vs Jason vs Ash: The Nightmare Warriors ★★
211. To Your Eternity Vol. 4 ★★★
212. The Pale Horseman--BAC ★★★★
213. The Opposite House--BAC ★★
214. The Lords of the North--BAC ★★★★
215. Eros/Psyche ★★
216. Inspector Chopra and the Million Dollar Motor Car--BAC ★★★
217. To Your Eternity Vol. 5 ★★★
218. F. Paul Wilson's Repairman Jack: Scar-Lip Redux ★1/2
219. The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of the Whole Stupid World ★★★1/2
220. Army of Darkness vs. Re-Animator ★★★
221. Army of Darkness: Ashes 2 Ashes ★★★
222. Army Of Darkness/ReAnimator ★★★1/2
223. Army of Darkness Vol. 2: Shop Til You Drop Dead ★★★
224. Army of Darkness: Old School ★★★
225. Army of Darkness: Ash vs. The Classic Monsters ★★1/2
226. Marvel Zombies vs. Army of Darkness ★★★1/2
227. The Lost Soul ★★
228. Army of Darkness: From the Ashes ★★★
229. Army Of Darkness: The Long Road Home ★★★
230. Army of Darkness: Convention Invasion ★★★
231. A Bargain of Blood and Gold ★★★
232. The Orphan King ★★1/2
233. God's Man: A Novel in Woodcuts ★★★★
234. To Your Eternity Vol. 6 ★★★
235. To Your Eternity Vol. 7 ★★★
236. To Your Eternity Vol. 8 ★★★
237. To Your Eternity Vol. 9 ★★★
238. Hellboy Omnibus Volume 1: Seed of Destruction ★★★1/2
239. Army Of Darkness: Home Sweet Hell ★★1/2
240. Yes, Dear--BAC ★★★1/2
241. Army Of Darkness: Hellbillies & Deadnecks ★★★
242. Imajica--BAC ★★★★1/2

September
243. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight--BAC ★★★★
244. Army of Darkness: League of Light Assemble ★★★
245. Army of Darkness Volume 1: Hail To The Queen, Baby! ★★★
246. Shelley - Volume 1 - Percy Shelley ★★★1/2
247. Shelley - Volume 2 - Mary Shelley ★★1/2
248. Oliver Sacks: The Last Interview and Other Conversations--BAC ★★★1/2
249. Rikki-Tikki-Tavi--BAC ★★★★
250. Army of Darkness Vol. 2: The King Is Dead, Long Live the Queen ★★
251. To Your Eternity 10 ★★★
252. The Black Moon Chronicles - Volume 1 - The Sign of Darkness ★★★
253. Ash and the Army of Darkness ★★★1/2
254. Army of Darkness: Ash Gets Hitched ★★★1/2
255. Army of Darkness 1992.1 ★★★1/2
256. Army of Darkness: Ash Saves Obama ★★1/2
257. What Did You Eat Yesterday? Vol. 15 ★★★1/2
258. What Did You Eat Yesterday? Vol. 16 ★★★1/2
259. Goblin Market--BAC ★★★★
260. Army of Darkness: Ash in Space ★★1/2
261. Army Of Darkness: Furious Road ★★★
262. Deadpool Pulp ★★★
263. Deadpool: Wade Wilson's War ★★★
264. Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash ★★★

October
265. Deadpool vs. Carnage ★★
266. Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons ★★★1/2
267. Esprit de Corps: Sketches from Diplomatic Life--BAC ★★★1/2
268. Paradise Lost--BAC ★★★
269. Renée Stone 1: Murder in Abyssinia ★★1/2
270. Renée Stone 2: The Red Sea Trap ★★1/2
271. Beneath the Trees: The Autumn of Mister Grumpf ★★★★
272. Journey to the Last River ★★1/2
273. The Witcher: Witch's Lament ★★★
274. To Your Eternity Vol. 11 ★★★
275. To Your Eternity Vol. 12 ★★★
276. The Pied Piper of Hamelin--BAC ★★★1/2
277. The Tale of Benjamin Bunny--BAC ★★★1/2
278. Alan Moore's The Courtyard ★★★1/2
279. Neonomicon--BAC ★★★1/2
280. Lady Mechanika: The Lost Boys of West Abbey ★★★★
281. Sherlock Holmes: The Vanishing Man--BAC ★★★
282. All of Us Villains ★★★1/2
283. Moriarty the Patriot, Vol. 5 ★★★
284. Hellboy Omnibus, Vol. 2: Strange Places ★★★1/2
285. Wild Robert--BAC ★★★1/2
286. Brideshead Revisited--1001 & BAC ★★★★1/2
287. Another Time, Another Place ★★★★

November
288. King Deadpool Vol. 1: Hail to the King ★★★1/2
289. King Deadpool Vol. 2 ★★★
290. Beneath the Trees: Winter Chills ★★★★
291. Hellboy: The Complete Short Stories, Vol. 1 ★★★1/2
292. Household Gods and Other Narrative Offences--BAC ★★★1/2
293. Witches of Lychford--BAC ★★★1/2
294. Love Comes Home--BAC ★★★
295. The Tale of Peter Rabbit--BAC ★★★1/2
296. The Blue Fox ★★★1/2
297. Told by Starlight in Chad ★★★★
298. The Cut-throat Celts--BAC ★★★
299. The Lifted Veil--BAC ★★
300. Saving Time ★★★★
301. Pandora's Jar: Women in the Greek Myths--BAC ★★★★
302. Counting, Colors & Cthulhu ★★★1/2
303. Naming the Dawn ★★★
304. The Naked Woman ★1/2
305. Dressing up with Archchi ★★★
306. Earth and Ashes ★★★★
307. What Did You Eat Yesterday? Vol. 17 ★★★1/2
308. The Eagles of Rome - Book I ★★★1/2
309. The Eagles of Rome - Book II ★★★1/2

December
310. Captain Slaughterboard Drops Anchor--BAC ★★★★
311. Fairy Tale Land: 12 classic tales reimagined--BAC ★★
312. Under the Tripoli Sky ★★★1/2
313. A Thousand Ships--BAC ★★★★
314. John Constantine, Hellblazer Vol. 25: Another Season ★★★★
315. The Hellbound Heart--BAC ★★★★
316. Bloody Hel ★★★
317. Angel--BAC ★★★★★
318. Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor Volume 4 - The Then and The Now--BAC ★★★
319. The Quiet Revolution of Caroline Herschel: The Lost Heroine of Astronomy--BAC ★★★1/2
320. Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor Volume 5 - The One--BAC ★★★
321. Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor Volume 6 - The Malignant Truth--BAC ★★★
322. Gnaw--BAC ★★★
323. Menfreya in the Morning--BAC ★★★1/2
324. Elegy for Kosovo ★★★
325. The Dead Lake ★★★1/2
326. Animal Adaptations: Unique Body Parts ★★★★
327. Look Down in Mercy--BAC ★★★★
328. The Iron Woman--BAC ★★1/2
329. Crude: A Memoir ★★★1/2
330. Jamila ★★★★
331. Troy--BAC ★★★★
332. The Cat, the Crow, and the Banyan Tree--BAC ★★1/2
333. Princess by Mistake--BAC ★★★
334. The Stained Glass Window--BAC ★★★1/2
335. The Sandman: The Dream Hunters--BAC ★★★★1/2
336. Last Victim of the Monsoon Express--BAC ★★★1/2
337. Sharpe's Christmas--BAC ★★★★
338. Daedalus and Icarus--BAC ★★★
339. The Serpent's Teeth: The Story of Cadmus--BAC ★★★
340. The Story of Persephone--BAC ★★★
341. A Bachelor Establishment--BAC ★★★1/2

January
1. The Hundred and One Dalmatians--BAC ★★★★
2. Doctor Dolittle's Caravan--BAC ★★★1/2
3. A Dog of Flanders--BAC ★★
4. Tales of the Mist ★★★
5. Asterix and the Soothsayer ★★★1/2
6. Stig of the Dump--BAC ★★★1/2
7. The Reluctant Dragon--BAC ★★★★
8. The Brothers ★★★
9. Weep Not, Refugee ★★
10. The Old Drift ★★★1/2
11. Asterix in Corsica ★★★1/2
12. Widdershins ★★★★
13. Some Days ★1/2
14. Armed in Her Fashion ★★★1/2
15. Arid Dreams: Stories ★★1/2
16. The Poison Master--BAC ★★★1/2
17. Threshold ★★★★
18. The Original Dream ★★
19. The Boggart--BAC ★★★1/2
20. The Terror ★★★1/2
21. Across the Green Grass Fields ★★
22. Stormhaven ★★★★
23. The Boggart and the Monster--BAC ★★★1/2
24. Necropolis ★★★★
25. The Starlight Barking--BAC ★★★
26. Bloodline ★★★★
27. Black Caps and Red Feathers ★★
28. Miss Buncle's Book--BAC ★★★★
29. Three Apples Fell from the Sky ★★1/2
30. Hoarfrost ★★★★

February
31. Ermyntrude and Esmeralda--BAC ★★★★
32. Emiline: Knight in Training ★★1/2
33. Patience & Esther: An Edwardian Romance ★★★1/2
34. The Ice Dragon ★★1/2
35. Orlando--1001 & BAC ★★1/2
36. The Jumblies, and Other Nonsense Verses--BAC ★★★1/2
37. The Line of Beauty--1001 & BAC ★★★‌1/2
38. A Tale of Two Time Lords: A Little Help From My Friends ★★★‌1/2
39. What Ho, Automata--BAC ★★★‌1/2
40. Deja Vu Halloo--BAC ★★★‌1/2
41. A Pilgrimage of Swords ★★★★
42. The Kraken's Tooth--BAC ★★★★
43. The Last Wish ★★★‌1/2
44. A Room with a View--1001 & BAC ★★★★1/2
45. Sexing the Cherry--1001 & BAC ★★
46. Maurice--BAC ★★★★1/2
47. Constantine: The Hellblazer Volume 1: Going Down ★★1/2
48. Constantine: The Hellblazer Volume 2: The Art of the Deal ★★★
49. Deadpool & Cable Ultimate Collection Book 1 ★★★1/2
50. How to Fight a Dragon's Fury--BAC ★★★★

March
51. The Worst Breakfast--BAC ★★
52. Raven 1: Nemesis ★★★1/2
53. Mistress of Mellyn--BAC ★★★1/2
54. The Big Score ★★★★
55. Deadpool Classic Vol. 1 ★★★
56. The Boggart Fights Back ★★★1/2
57. Asgard - Volulme 1 - Ironfoot ★★1/2
58. The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra--BAC ★★★
59. Bigfoot and the Bodhisattva ★★★★
60. Gloria Victis - Volume 1 - The Sons of Apollo ★★★
61. The Red Knight: The Bloody Tapestry ★★★
62. The Rescuers--BAC ★★★
63. Earwig and the Witch--BAC ★★1/2
64. Stopping for a Spell--BAC ★★★
65. Angel Vol. 1: Being Human ★★★
66. Angel Vol. 2: City of Demons ★★★
67. Angel & Spike Vol. 1: All the Devils Are Here ★★★
68. James Herriot's Treasury for Children--BAC ★★★★★
69. Seven Shakespeares Vol. 3 ★★★
70. Seven Shakespeares Vol. 4 ★★★
71. Forever Evil: Blight ★★
72. Heartbeat ★1/2
73. Folklords ★★★1/2
74. The Perplexing Theft of the Jewel in the Crown--BAC ★★1/2
75. Castle Waiting ★★★★1/2
76. Queen Pokou ★★★1/2

April
77. Castle Waiting Volume II ★★★★1/2
78. Thornyhold--BAC ★★★1/2
79. Ludo and the Star Horse--BAC ★★★1/2
80. The Green Book--BAC ★★1/2
81. The Corner Shop--BAC ★★★
82. Heathen Volume 1 ★★★1/2
83. Heathen Volume 2 ★★★1/2
84. Heathen Volume 3 ★★★
85. Ghosted in L.A. Vol. 1 ★★1/2
86. Black Angel - Volume 1 - Night Hawk ★★★1/2
87. Something is Killing the Children Vol. 1 ★★★★1/2
88. Something is Killing the Children Vol. 2 ★★★★1/2
89. Something is Killing the Children Vol. 3 ★★★★1/2
90. The Red Mother Vol. 1 ★★★
91. The Red Mother Vol. 2 ★★★
92. The Red Mother Vol. 3 ★★★
93. Ghosted in L.A. Vol. 2 ★★1/2
94. Ghosted in L.A. Vol. 3 ★★★
95. Miss Buncle Married--BAC ★★★★
96. Alberic the Wise and Other Journeys ★★★★★
97. What Did You Eat Yesterday?, Volume 1 ★★★
98. Bernard the Brave--BAC ★★★
99. What Did You Eat Yesterday?, Volume 2 ★★★
100. Mask ★★
101. Saijiki - A Calendar of Poems - Prologue: The First Campaign ★★★
102. Black Cowl ★★1/2
103. The Inviolable Dolce ★★★
104. You, My Dearest, Crying In My Apartment ★★1/2
105. An Alien Heat--BAC ★★★★
106. What Did You Eat Yesterday? Vol. 3 ★★★
107. Hellblazer Vol. 24: Sectioned--BAC ★★★1/2
108. What Did You Eat Yesterday? Vol. 4 ★★★

May
109. The Swirling Hijaab--BAC ★★★1/2
110. Bernard into Battle--BAC ★★★
111. Hard Time--BAC ★★★★
112. The Desert and the Drum ★★★★
113. What Did You Eat Yesterday? Vol. 5 ★★★
114. What Did You Eat Yesterday? Vol. 6 ★★★
115. What Did You Eat Yesterday? Vol. 7 ★★★
116. What Did You Eat Yesterday? Vol. 8 ★★★
117. What Did You Eat Yesterday? Vol. 9 ★★★
118. What Did You Eat Yesterday? Vol. 10 ★★★
119. What Did You Eat Yesterday? Vol. 11 ★★★
120. What Did You Eat Yesterday? Vol. 12 ★★★
121. What Did You Eat Yesterday? Vol. 13 ★★★
122. What Did You Eat Yesterday? Vol. 14 ★★★
123. The Unknown Ajax--BAC ★★★1/2
124. Faithless ★
125. Faithless II ★
126. Moriarty the Patriot, Vol. 1 ★★★
127. Moriarty the Patriot, Vol. 2 ★★★
128. Journey through Islamic Art--BAC ★★★
129. Going to Mecca--BAC ★★1/2
130. The Mystic Masseur--BAC ★★★
131. Fugitive Telemetry ★★1/2
132. Cable Vol. 1 ★★
133. Stranger Things: Science Camp ★★★1/2
134. Wynd Book One: The Flight of the Prince ★★★1/2
135. The Drops of God Vol. 1 ★★★
136. The Drops of God Vol. 2 ★★★
137. The Drops of God Vol. 3 ★★★
138. The Drops of God Vol. 4 ★★★
139. The Drops of God Vol. 5 ★★★
140. The Drops of God Vol. 6 ★★★
141. The Drops of God Vol. 7 ★★★
142. The Drops of God Vol. 8 ★★1/2
143. The Drops of God Vol. 9 ★★★
144. The Drops of God Vol. 10 ★★★
145. The Drops of God Vol. 11 ★★★
146. The Drops of God Vol. 12 ★★★
147. The Drops of God Vol. 13 ★★★
148. Jim Lives: The Mystery of the Lead Singer of The Doors and the 27 Club ★
149. Lady Mechanika Volume 1: The Mystery of the Mechanical Corpse ★★★★
150. Lady Mechanika Volume 2: The Tablet of Destinies ★★★★
151. Moriarty the Patriot Vol. 3 ★★★
152. The Witcher: Fading Memories ★★★★
153. Origins ★★★
154. An Unkindness of Ravens ★★1/2
155. The Empress of Salt and Fortune ★★★
156. Elizabeth and Monty: The Untold Story of Their Intimate Friendship ★★1/2
157. A Cruel God Reigns Volume 1 ★★★★
158. A Cruel God Reigns Volume 2 ★★★★
159. A Cruel God Reigns Volume 3 ★★★★
160. A Cruel God Reigns Volume 4 ★★★★
161. A Cruel God Reigns Volume 5 ★★★★
162. A Cruel God Reigns Volume 6 ★★★★
163. A Cruel God Reigns Volume 7 ★★★★
164. A Cruel God Reigns Volume 8 ★★★★

June
165. A Cruel God Reigns Volume 9 ★★★★
166. A Cruel God Reigns Volume 10 ★★★1/2
167. A Cruel God Reigns Volume 11 ★★★★
168. A Cruel God Reigns Volume 12 ★★★★
169. A Cruel God Reigns Volume 13 ★★★1/2
170. A Cruel God Reigns Volume 14 ★★★1/2
171. A Cruel God Reigns Volume 15 ★★★1/2
172. A Cruel God Reigns Volume 16 ★★★★
173. A Cruel God Reigns Volume 17 ★★★★
174. The Caiman ★★★1/2
175. Ramadan Moon--BAC ★★★1/2
176. The Way We Live Now--BAC ★★★1/2
177. The Lost Ages 1. The Fort on the Moors ★★★
178. Embodied: An Intersectional Feminist Comics Poetry Anthology ★★★
179. The Sins of the Cities of the Plain--BAC ★★
180. The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water ★★★1/2
181. The Last Witch ★★★
182. Nottingham ★★★1/2
183. Cape Town Curios ★★★★
184. Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor Vol. 1 - After Life--BAC ★★★1/2
185. Fantastic Mr. Fox--BAC ★★★★1/2
186. The Count of Monte Cristo--1001 ★★★★★
187. Chicken in the Kitchen ★★★1/2
188. Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor, Volume 2 - Serve You--BAC ★★★
189. Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor, Vol. 3 - Conversion--BAC ★★★1/2
190. We Only Find Them When They're Dead Vol. 1: The Seeker--BAC ★★★★

British Authors Challenge

January: Children's classics (before 1996)
1. The Hundred and One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith ★★★★
2. Doctor Dolittle's Caravan by Hugh Lofting ★★★1/2
3. A Dog of Flanders by Ouida ★★
4. Stig of the Dump by Clive King ★★★1/2
5. The Reluctant Dragon by Kenneth Grahame ★★★★
6. The Boggart by Susan Cooper ★★★1/2
7. The Starlight Barking by Dodie Smith ★★★
8. The Jumblies, and Other Nonsense Verses by Edward Lear ★★★1/2
9. The Rescuers by Margery Sharp ★★★
10. Stopping for a Spell by Diana Wynne Jones ★★★
11. James Herriot's Treasury for Children by James Herriot, illustrated by Ruth Brown and Peter Barrett ★★★★★
12. Ludo and the Star Horse by Mary Stewart ★★★1/2
13. The Green Book by Jill Paton Walsh ★★1/2
14. Bernard the Brave by Margery Sharp ★★★‌
15. Bernard into Battle by Margery Sharp ★★★‌
16. Yes, Dear by Diana Wynne Jones, illustrated by Graham Philpot ★★★1/2
17. The Tale of Benjamin Bunny by Beatrix Potter ★★★1/2
18. Wild Robert by Diana Wynne Jones ★★★1/2
19. The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter ★★★1/2
20. Captain Slaughterboard Drops Anchor by Mervyn Peake ★★★★
21. The Iron Woman by Ted Hughes, illustrated by Andrew Davidson ★★1/2
22. The Cat, the Crow, and the Banyan Tree by Penelope Lively ★★1/2
23. Princess by Mistake by Penelope Lively ★★★
24. The Stained Glass Window by Penelope Lively ★★★1/2
25. Daedalus and Icarus by Penelope Farmer, illustrated by Chris Connor ★★★
26. The Serpent's Teeth: The Story of Cadmus by Penelope Farmer, illustrated by Chris Connor ★★★
27. The Story of Persephone by Penelope Farmer, illustrated by Graham McCallum ★★★

February: LGBT+ History Month
1. Ermyntrude and Esmeralda by Lytton Strachey ★★★★
2. Orlando by Virginia Woolf ★★1/2
3. The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst ★★★‌1/2
4. A Room with a View by E. M. Forster ★★★★1/2
5. Sexing the Cherry by Jeanette Winterson ★★
6. Maurice by E. M. Forster ★★★★1/2
7. We Only Find Them When They're Dead Vol. 1 by Al Ewing ★★★★
8. Imajica by Clive Barker, read by Simon Vance ★★★★1/2
9. Fairy Tale Land: 12 classic tales reimagined by Kate Davies, illustrated by Lucille Clerc ★★
10. Look Down in Mercy by Walter Baxter ★★★★

March: Eleanor Hibbert & Vaseem Khan
1. Mistress of Mellyn by Victoria Holt ★★★1/2
2. Menfreya in the Morning by Victoria Holt ★★★1/2

1. The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra by Vaseem Khan ★★★
2. The Perplexing Theft of the Jewel in the Crown By Vaseem Khan ★★1/2
3. Inspector Chopra and the Million Dollar Motor Car by Vaseem Khan ★★★
4. Last Victim of the Monsoon Express by Vaseem Khan ★★★1/2

April: Love is in the air
1. Thornyhold by Mary Stewart ★★★1/2
2. The Corner Shop by Elizabeth Cadell ★★★
3. Miss Buncle's Book by D. E. Stevenson ★★★★
4. Miss Buncle Married by D. E. Stevenson ★★★★
5. An Alien Heat by Michael Moorcock ★★★★
6. Hellblazer Vol. 24: Sectioned by Peter Milligan ★★★1/2
7. The Unknown Ajax by Georgette Heyer ★★★1/2
8. Love Comes Home by Molly Clavering ★★★
9. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh, read by Jeremy Irons ★★★★1/2
10. A Bachelor Establishment by Isabella Barclay, read by Anna Bentinck ★★★1/2

May: Na'ima B. Robert & V. S. Naipaul
1. The Swirling Hijaab by Na'ima bint Robert, illustrated by Nilesh Mistry ★★★1/2
2. Journey through Islamic Art by Na'ima bint Robert, illustrated by Diana Mayo ★★★
3. Going to Mecca by Na'ima B. Robert, illustrated by Valentina Cavallini ★★1/2
4. Ramadan Moon by Na'ima B. Robert, illustrated by Shirin Adl ★★★1/2

1. The Mystic Masseur by V. S. Naipaul ★★★

June: The Victorian Era (1837-1901)
1. The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope ★★★1/2
2. The Sins of the Cities of the Plain by Anonymous ★★
3. Rebecca and Rowena by William Makepeace Thackeray ★★
4. The Lifted Veil by George Eliot ★★

July: Don't judge a book by its movie
1. Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Quentin Blake ★★★★1/2
Fantastic Mr. Fox {2009 film} directed by Wes Anderson ★★★★
2. The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff ★★★★1/2
The Eagle of the Ninth {1977 mini-series} ★★★
The Eagle {2011 film} directed by Kevin Macdonald ★★★
3. All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot ★★★★1/2
All Creatures Great and Small Season 1 {2020 series} ★★★★
4. Kingsman: The Secret Service by Mark Millar ★★★
Kingsman: The Secret Service {2014 film} directed by Matthew Vaughn ★★★★
5. Books of Blood Volume One by Clive Barker ★★★★
Books of Blood {2020 movie} directed by Brannon Braga ★★1/2
Tales from the Darkside Season 4, Episode 7: "The Yattering and Jack" directed by David Odell, teleplay by Clive Barker ★★
The Midnight Meat Train {2008 film} directed by Ryûhei Kitamura ★★★★
6. The Little Broomstick by Mary Stewart ★★★★
Mary and the Witch's Flower {2017 film} by Hiromasa Yonebayashi ★★★
7. Hurrah for St. Trinian's and Other Lapses by Ronald Searle ★★★1/2
The Belles of St. Trinian's {1954 film} directed by Frank Launder ★★★★
8. I Was a Rat! by Philip Pullman ★★★1/2
I Was a Rat {2001 movie} directed by Laurie Lynd ★★★
9. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight translated by Burton Raffel ★★★★
The Green Knight {2021 movie} directed by David Lowery ★★
10. Rikki-Tikki-Tavi by Rudyard Kipling ★★★★
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi {1975 animated film} directed by Chuck Jones ★★★★★
11. The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker ★★★★
Hellraiser directed by Clive Barker ★★★★

August: Helen Oyeyemi & Bernard Cornwell
1. The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell ★★★★
2. The Pale Horseman by Bernard Cornwell ★★★★
3. The Lords of the North by Bernard Cornwell ★★★★
4. Sharpe's Christmas by Bernard Cornwell ★★★★

1. The Opposite House by Helen Oyeyemi ★★

September: She blinded me with science
1. Oliver Sacks: The Last Interview and Other Conversations by Oliver Sacks ★★★1/2
2. The Quiet Revolution of Caroline Herschel: The Lost Heroine of Astronomy by Emily Winterburn ★★★1/2

October: Narrative poetry
1. Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti, illustrated by Arthur Rackham ★★★★
2. Paradise Lost by John Milton ★★★
3. The Pied Piper of Hamelin by Robert Browning ★★★1/2

November: Elizabeth Taylor & Tade Thompson
1. Palladian by Elizabeth Taylor ★★
2. Angel by Elizabeth Taylor ★★★★★

1. Household Gods and Other Narrative Offences by Tade Thompson ★★★1/2
2. Gnaw by Tade Thompson ★★★

December: Awards & honors
1. The Boggart and the Monster by Susan Cooper ★★★‌1/2 (Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award Nominee)
2. How to Fight a Dragon’s Fury by Cressida Cowell, read by David Tennant ★★★★ (Audie Winner)
3. Earwig and the Witch by Diana Wynne Jones ★★‌1/2 (Bank Street CBC Best Children's Book of the Year, Maine Regional Library System Cream of the Crop List)
4. Neonomicon by Alan Moore ★★★‌1/2 (Bram Stoker Award, British Fantasy Award Nominee)
5. Witches of Lychford by Paul Cornell ★★★‌1/2 (British Science Fiction Association Award Shortlist, British Fantasy Award Nominee)
6. A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes, read by the author ★★★★ (Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction Shortlist)
7. The Sandman: The Dream Hunters by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano ★★★★1/2 (Bram Stoker Award, Eisner Award, Hugo Nominee)

Wildcard: Books off your shelves
1. The Poison Master by Liz Williams ★★★1/2
2. What Ho, Automata by Chris Dolley ★★★1/2
3. Deja Vu Halloo by Chris Dolley ★★★1/2
4. The Kraken's Tooth by Anthony Ryan ★★★★
5. The Worst Breakfast by China Miéville and Zak Smith, illustrated by Zak Smith ★★
6. Hard Time by Jodi Taylor ★★★★
7. Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor Vol. 1 - After Life by Al Ewing and Rob Williams ★★★1/2
8. Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor, Volume 2 - Serve You by Al Ewing and Rob Williams ★★★
9. Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor, Vol. 3 - Conversion by Al Ewing and Rob Williams ★★★1/2
10. Esprit de Corps: Sketches from Diplomatic Life by Lawrence Durrell ★★★1/2
11. Sherlock Holmes: The Vanishing Man by Leah Moore & John Reppion ★★★
12. The Cut-throat Celts by Terry Deary ★★★
13. Pandora's Jar: Women in the Greek Myths by Natalie Haynes ★★★★
14. Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor Volume 4 - The Then and The Now by Si Spurrier and Rob Williams ★★★
15. Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor Volume 5 - The One by Si Spurrier and Rob Williams ★★★
16. Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor Volume 6 - The Malignant Truth by Si Spurrier and Rob Williams ★★★
17. Troy by Stephen Fry ★★★★

Create Your Own Visited Countries Map

Last year I read books by authors from fifty-one different countries. I'm going to continue the count and I hope to get to seventy-five this year.

I'm only listing the first book I read for a country because I don't want the list to get out of hand.

2020
1. United Kingdom--Weight: The Myth of Atlas and Heracles by Jeanette Winterson
2. South Korea--Tokyo Ueno Station by Yu Miri
3. Equatorial Guinea--La Bastarda by Trifonia Melibea Obono
4. Iran--Women Without Men by Shahrnush Parsipur
5. Brazil--Along the Tapajós by Fernando Vilela
6. United States--Come Tumbling Down by Seanan McGuire
7. Bangladesh--The Gurkha and the Lord of Tuesday by Saad Z. Hossain
8. Poland--Blood of Elves by Andrzej Sapkowski
9. Japan--The Heart of Thomas by Moto Hagio
10. Canada--Fifteen Poems by Leonard Cohen
11. Spain--Bowie: An Illustrated Life by María Hesse
12. Nigeria--We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
13. Suriname--The Cost of Sugar by Cynthia McLeod
14. France--The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
15. Taiwan--Notes of a Crocodile by Qiu Miaojin
16. Egypt--Heart of the Night by Naguib Mahfouz
17. Turkmenistan--The Revenge of the Foxes by Ak Welsapar
18. Russia--Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
19. Jamaica--Falling in Love with Hominids by Nalo Hopkinson
20. Rwanda--The Barefoot Woman by Scholastique Mukasonga
21. India--Shubh Diwali! by Chitra Soundar
22. Israel--Bear and Fred: A World War II Story by Iris Argaman
23. China--The Moon Opera by Bi Feiyu
24. Republic of the Congo--Jazz and Palm Wine by Emmanuel Boundzéki Dongala
25. Belgium--Cassio 1. The First Assassin by Stephen Desberg
26. Malaysia--Rupert Wong, Cannibal Chef by Cassandra Khaw
27. New Zealand--Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
28. Sweden--Vei Vol. 1 by Sara Bergmark Elfgren
29. Croatia--Harleen by Stjepan Šejić
30. Botswana--The Silence of the Wilting Skin by Tlotlo Tsamaase
31. Singapore--Farquhar by Joshua Ip
32. North Korea--The Red Years: Forbidden Poems From Inside North Korea by Bandi
33. Australia--Phoresis by Greg Egan
34. Mexico--Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
35. Netherlands--Rampokan Java by Peter van Dongen
36. Barbados--Redemption in Indigo by Karen Lord
37. Madagascar--Beyond the Rice Fields by Naivo
38. Zimbabwe--Running with Mother by Christopher Mlalazi
39. Algeria--The Meursault Investigation by Kamel Daoud
40. Eswatini (formerly Swaziland)--Teaching English in Swaziland: essays on the life of Gordon James Thomas by Sarah Mkhonza
41. Angola--Good Morning Comrades by Ondjaki
42. Italy--Mirka Andolfo's Mercy Vol. 1: The Fair Lady, the Frost and the Fiend by Mirka Andolfo
43. Kenya--The Perfect Nine: The Epic of Gĩkũyũ and Mũmbi by Ngũgĩ wa Thiongʾo
44. Turkey--Soulscape by Bahadir Baruter
45. Switzerland--Lyric Novella by Annemarie Schwarzenbach
46. Germany--Lucky Luke Saddles Up by Mawil
47. Austria--Little Death by Thomas Kriebaum
48. Norway--Peer Gynt by Henrik Ibsen
49. Columbia--The Bitch by Pilar Quintana
50. Argentina--Petite Fleur by Iosi Havilio
51. Ireland--Deadpool vs. Old Man Logan by Declan Shalvey

2021
52. Finland--The Brothers by Asko Sahlberg
53. Burundi--Weep Not, Refugee by Marie-Thérèse Toyi
54. Zambia--The Old Drift by Namwali Serpell
55. Thailand--Arid Dreams: Stories by Duanwad Pimwana
56. Indonesia--The Original Dream by Nukila Amal
57. Cameroon--Black Caps and Red Feathers by John Nkemngong Nkengasong
58. Armenia--Three Apples Fell from the Sky by Narine Abgaryan
59. Côte d'Ivoire--Queen Pokou: Concerto for a Sacrifice by Véronique Tadjo
60. Mauritania--The Desert and the Drum by Mbarek Ould Beyrouk
61. Venezuela--The Caiman by María Eugenia Manrique
62. South Africa--Cape Town Curios by Colin Cloud Dance
63. Mozambique--Rain and Other Stories by Mia Couto
64. Iceland--The Blue Fox by Sjón
65. Chad--Told by Starlight in Chad by Joseph Brahim Seid
66. Djibouti--Naming the Dawn by Abdourahman A. Waberi
67. Uruguay--The Naked Woman by Armonía Somers
68. Sri Lanka--Dressing up with Archchi by Nadishka Aloysius
69. Afghanistan--Earth and Ashes by Atiq Rahimi
70. Libya--Under the Tripoli Sky by Kamal Ben Hameda
71. Albania--Three Elegies for Kosovo by Ismail Kadare
72. Uzbekistan--The Dead Lake by Hamid Ismailov
73. Czech Republic--Animal Adaptations: Unique Body Parts by Radka Píro
74. Ecuador--Crude: A Memoir by Pablo Fajardo and Sophie Tardy-Joubert
75. Kyrgyzstan--Jamila by Chingiz Aĭtmatov

Currently reading

reserved

Hope I'm not too early to wish you a happy new thread, Amanda?

I am doing ok with my BAC reads too this year and am over 40 already.

>9 PaulCranswick: Nope, not too early! I don't have quite as many introductory posts as you do. Thanks for stopping in. And I'd say over 40 BAC reads is more than "ok"!

214. The Lords of the North by Bernard Cornwell

Another ripping tale.

215. Eros/Psyche by Maria Llovet

The story is completely unfulfilled potential. Llovet's art is the same as it is in all her other works--even the characters look like they are the same person with different coloring.

Received via NetGalley.

216. Inspector Chopra and the Million Dollar Motor Car by Vaseem Khan

A novella in the Inspector Chopra mysteries series, in which the inspector and his baby elephant investigate the inexplicable theft of a luxury car. Not great literature, but it was an entertaining palate cleanser after my last read.

>10 amanda4242: I have managed to get those numbers because of your wildcard "off your shelves" by which I can put most of my UK author reads by default.

>11 amanda4242: I'm pleased to see that Uhtred of Bebbanburg has a fan on the West Coast of the US of A.

Happy new thread, Amanda!

Happy new one!

>12 PaulCranswick: That wildcard has proved very handy!

I've long enjoyed Richard Sharpe, so it's not surprising I'm also a fan of his 9th century counterpart.

>13 FAMeulstee: & >14 drneutron: Thanks!

217. To Your Eternity Vol. 5 by Yoshitoki Oima

218. F. Paul Wilson's Repairman Jack: Scar-Lip Redux by F. Paul Wilson

It truly pains me to give a 1.5 star rating to a Repairman Jack tale, but this was just awful. The story is bland and the art dreadful--the people looked like blobs and the monster like a giant newt!

219. The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of the Whole Stupid World by Matt Kracht

Kind of dumb, but I was chuckling all the way through. I probably wouldn't read this one cover to cover again, but I'd love to have a copy so I could flip through it occasionally.

Received via NetGalley.

220. Army of Darkness vs. Re-Animator by James Kuhoric
221. Army of Darkness: Ashes 2 Ashes by Andy Hartnell
222. Army Of Darkness/ReAnimator (one-shot) by Mark Rahner and James Kuhoric
223. Army of Darkness Vol. 2: Shop Til You Drop Dead by James Kuhoric
224. Army of Darkness: Old School by James Kuhoric and others
225. Army of Darkness: Ash vs. The Classic Monsters by James Kuhoric

I was in the mood for some brainless entertainment, and nobody is more brainless than Ash Williams! The ReAnimator one shot was slightly above average and the Classic Monsters slightly below, but all of them were pretty much exactly what I was looking for.

Some stats

Books

new reads: 187
re-reads: 38
1001 books (all editions): 5
British Author Challenge: 62

Original language
Dutch: 1
English: 140
Finnish: 1
French: 10
Indonesian: 1
Italian: 1
Japanese: 61
Polish: 2
Portuguese: 1
Russian: 1
Spanish: 5
Thai: 1

Translations: 86

From
Edelweiss: 2
Kindle Unlimited: 5
Library: 50
NetGalley: 14
New: 57
Open Library: 3
Prime: 2
Scribd: 31
Shelves: 61

pages read: 42,292
audiobook hours: 31 hours 35 minutes
average rating: 3.22 stars

Authors

female: 95 books by 46 authors
male: 96 books by 66 authors
N/A (multiple authors, unknown, etc.): 34 books

nationalities

American: 52
Argentinian: 1
Armenian: 1
Australian: 2
Belgian: 1
British: 64
Burundian: 1
Cameroonian: 1
Canadian: 2
Finnish: 1
French: 7
Indonesian: 1
Italian: 1
Ivorian: 1
Japanese: 49
Malaysian: 1
Mauritanian: 1
Mozambican: 1
N/A (multiple authors, unknown, etc.): 27
Polish: 2
South African: 1
Spanish: 4
Thai: 1
Venezuelan: 1
Zambian: 1

226. Marvel Zombies vs. Army of Darkness by John Layman

Ash of Army of Darkness gets transported to an alternate dimension where a zombie virus has infected the Marvel superheroes, leaving Ash as the lone hope of mankind. This was a surprisingly good crossover, and the ending was actually satisfying.

227. The Lost Soul by Olga Tokarczuk, illustrated by Joanna Concejo, translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones

Trite story about overcoming malaise. The art is lovely, though.

Congratulations on 3x75 Amanda. Way to go!

>21 PaulCranswick: Thanks!

228. Army of Darkness: From the Ashes by James Kuhoric

Ash is still kicking Deadite ass.

229. Army Of Darkness: The Long Road Home

And now he's branched out to demons and mutants.

>17 amanda4242: Congratulations on reaching 3 x 75, Amanda!

>24 FAMeulstee: Thank you!

230. Army of Darkness: Convention Invasion by Michael Moreci

Goofy one-shot of Ash defending a comicon from evil.

231. A Bargain of Blood and Gold by Kristin Jacques

An apprentice monster hunter is sent to a remote community in Maine to dispatch a vampire that's been killing young women; upon arrival he discovers something far more dangerous is terrorizing the area.

Overall, I liked this one: the supernatural world-building was fair, the lead characters likable, and the mystery had some engaging twists and turns. I'd happily pick up a sequel if Jacques writes one.

232. The Orphan King by Tyler Chin-Tanner

I read this one because it's a blend of the King Arthur and Robin Hood legends, and I'm a sucker for both. Sadly, it's uninspired and predictable.

Received via NetGalley.

One of the interesting things about your reading this year is the very even split between male and female writers. How come there are 34 authors undefined? Collections?

>28 PaulCranswick: I find it interesting that while I have an even split between men in women in number of books, I am apparently more likely to read multiple books by the same author if they are female. *shrugs*

The undefined ones are mostly works with multiple authors, although there are a few in there where I just couldn't find any info on the authors.

Wishing you a great week ahead, Amanda

>30 PaulCranswick: Thanks! And the same for you!

How is your reading coming along, Amanda?

24 books not reviewed yet. Which were hits and which were misses?

>32 PaulCranswick: As always, I've neglected my posting in favor of reviewing. Just let me finish my current read and I'll see about catching up...if I'm not distracted by another book!

>33 amanda4242: I have a little of the same problem at the minute with too many books on the go and nothing finished.

233. God's Man: A Novel in Woodcuts by Lynd Ward

234. To Your Eternity Vol. 6 by Yoshitoki Oima
235. To Your Eternity Vol. 7 by Yoshitoki Oima
236. To Your Eternity Vol. 8 by Yoshitoki Oima
237. To Your Eternity Vol. 9 by Yoshitoki Oima
251. To Your Eternity Vol. 10 by Yoshitoki Oima

238. Hellboy Omnibus Volume 1: Seed of Destruction by Mike Mignola and John Byrne

239. Army Of Darkness: Home Sweet Hell by James Kuhoric and Mike Raicht
241. Army Of Darkness: Hellbillies & Deadnecks by James Kuhoric and Mike Raicht
244. Army of Darkness: League of Light Assemble by Mike Raicht and Elliott Serrano
245. Army of Darkness Volume 1: Hail To The Queen, Baby! by Elliott Serrano
250. Army of Darkness Vol. 2: The King Is Dead, Long Live the Queen by Elliott Serrano

240. Yes, Dear by Diana Wynne Jones, illustrated by Graham Philpot

242. Imajica by Clive Barker, read by Simon Vance

I adore this sprawling epic fantasy and Vance's narration is excellent, but it took me almost four months to listen to its 37+ hours of narration while I managed the 800+ pages in just under two weeks when I read it in paper last year. Future re-reads will definitely be in paper!

243. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight translated by Burton Raffell

This is the forth or fifth time I've read this poem, so I think it's fair to say I adore it. It's magical and mysterious and macabre and mirthful. Raffel's translation isn't the most beautiful I've read, but it's clear and a pleasant read.

The Green Knight {2021 movie} directed by David Lowery

Drab, plodding, and so poorly lit that the Green Knight didn’t even look freaking green most of the time. Joel Edgerton was good and Dev Patel deserves an Oscar for how much he was able to make out of so little, but almost everyone else seemed to be sleepwalking through the movie.

246. Shelley - Volume 1 - Percy Shelley by David Vandermeulen
247. Shelley - Volume 2 - Mary Shelley by David Vandermeulen

248. Oliver Sacks: The Last Interview and Other Conversations by Oliver Sacks

A collection of interviews with noted neurologist Oliver Sacks, mostly in promotion of his books. The interviews are mostly pretty dry reading, but his fascination with the human mind and how people adapt to different disorders really came across well, as did his interest in his patients as people; I've made a note to check out some of his books to see if his writings reflect this.

249. Rikki-Tikki-Tavi by Rudyard Kipling

This is the story of the great war that Rikki-tikki-tavi fought single-handed, through the bath-rooms of the big bungalow in Segowlee cantonment.

Originally appearing in The Jungle Book, this short tale of a valiant mongoose and his battle with two cobras has always been a favorite of mine.

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi {1975 animated film} directed by Chuck Jones

And this animated short probably has a lot to do with my love of Kipling's story! Jones's animation is stunning, and imbues Rikki's movements with a sinuous energy. Top it off with narration by Orson Welles, and you have a small masterpiece.

252. The Black Moon Chronicles - Volume 1 - The Sign of Darkness by Froideval

253. Ash and the Army of Darkness by Steve Niles
254. Army of Darkness: Ash Gets Hitchedby Steve Niles
255. Army of Darkness 1992.1 by various

256. Army of Darkness: Ash Saves Obama by Elliott Serrano

No, Ash does not.

257. What Did You Eat Yesterday? Vol. 15 by Fumi Yoshinaga
258. What Did You Eat Yesterday? Vol. 16 by Fumi Yoshinaga

>34 PaulCranswick: Well, just think of the feeling of accomplishment you'll get when you do finally get through your current stack.

>37 amanda4242: Yes, Amanda, but when?! I do have some genuine and possibly excusable distractions but still....

>38 PaulCranswick: Have anything short that you can zip through? I'm sure you have a short poetry collection hidden away somewhere...

>38 PaulCranswick: I might revert to a "quickie" or two to just give me some traction as it seems like I am stumbling through treacle at the moment.

>40 PaulCranswick: I've often found that finishing even a single short story can prime the reading pump.

259. Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti

I'd forgotten how odd this poem is. This rather short tale of a girl giving in to the temptations of goblins with their fruits and her bizarrely, uh, sensual restoration to health by eating fruit off of her sister is the sort of poem that makes you wonder wtf Rossetti was smoking. It's very good, but also very, very strange.

260. Army of Darkness: Ash in Space by Cullen Bunn

261. Army Of Darkness: Furious Road by Nancy A. Collins

262. Deadpool Pulp by Adam Glass and Mike Benson
263. Deadpool: Wade Wilson's War by Duane Swierczynski

264. Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash by James Kuhoric

265. Deadpool vs. Carnage by Cullen Bunn

266. Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons by Jody Houser

267. Esprit de Corps: Sketches from Diplomatic Life by Lawrence Durrell

268. Paradise Lost by John Milton

I had stalled out on this after book three when I tried reading it several years ago. Starting it again I couldn't understand why I had stopped as the first two books, while dense, are dramatic and epic in scope; and then I hit book three and remembered why I quit: book three introduces God and Milton's God is a dick. As I continued my reading, it was easy to see why basically everyone roots for Satan: Milton's Satan is eloquent and dynamic, and Milton's God is a smug tyrant in comparison.

My interest in the poem waxed and waned mightily. Any books with Satan are thrilling, especially the two that cover the war in Heaven, but there are entire books that just seem lazy, despite their glorious verse. Some low points:

the book that plagiarizes Genesis

the books that are essentially CliffsNotes of the rest of the Bible

the couple hundred lines waffling on about geocentrism vs. heliocentrism.

To sum up: parts of Pardise Lost are great and I'm glad I read it, but I won't be revisiting it soon.

269. Renée Stone 1: Murder in Abyssinia by Julie Birmant
270. Renée Stone 2: The Red Sea Trap by Julie Birmant

I like the art, but the story isn't very well developed and characters just run around with little purpose. I continue to be mystified as to why the series is named after the least interesting character.

271. Beneath the Trees: The Autumn of Mister Grumpf by Dav

272. Journey to the Last River by Teddy Keen

The art is pretty, but not terribly exciting. The story had me nodding off every few pages.

Received via NetGalley.

273. The Witcher: Witch's Lament by Bartosz Sztybor

Decent story, but the art is downright sloppy.

274. To Your Eternity Vol. 11 by Yoshitoki Oima
275. To Your Eternity Vol. 12 by Yoshitoki Oima

276. The Pied Piper of Hamelin by Robert Browning

277. The Tale of Benjamin Bunny by Beatrix Potter

>43 amanda4242: I must admit that Paradise Lost is one of those classics of British Literature that I have not yet been brave enough to endure. Isn't it scary how the bad guy is always the most attractive?

Long time since I read Robert Browning's version of The Pied Piper of Hamelin - it was a regular at school for some reason.

Reading updates done above I see, Amanda, but I'm missing some of your pithy reviews!

Have a lovely weekend, my friend.

>45 PaulCranswick: *looks up from book* Oh! Hi! Yes, I should get around to saying something about my reading...just let me finish this chapter.

Enjoy your weekend!

>46 amanda4242: Hahaha sorry to disturb you, Ma'am. x

>47 PaulCranswick: You are forgiven since you understand how terrible a thing it is to disturb a lady's reading. ;)

>48 amanda4242: :D

278. Alan Moore's The Courtyard by Alan Moore
279. Neonomicon by Alan Moore

280. Lady Mechanika: The Lost Boys of West Abbey by M. M. Chen

281. Sherlock Holmes: The Vanishing Man by Leah Moore & John Reppion

282. All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody & Christine Lynn Herman

All of Us Villains is everywhere being compared to The Hunger Games, but I was strongly reminded of Tamsyn Muir's The Locked Tomb series while reading. Granted, the plot is much closer to The Hunger Games, but the depth of the characters and world-building made me think far more of Muir's work.

There's quite a bit of set up in the early chapters, but events pick up quickly and soon I was racing through the pages to see what happened next. I'm greatly looking forward to the next instalment.

Received via NetGalley.

283. Moriarty the Patriot, Vol. 5 by Ryosuke Takeuchi

284. Hellboy Omnibus, Vol. 2: Strange Places by Mike Mignola

285. Wild Robert by Diana Wynne Jones

286. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh

287. Another Time, Another Place by Jodi Taylor, read by Zara Ramm

288. King Deadpool Vol. 1: Hail to the King by Kelly Thompson
289. King Deadpool Vol. 2 by Kelly Thompson

This run had a promising start, with Deadpool becoming the king of a monster colony on Staten Island; however, it was apparently canceled after ten issues, so the story stops rather than ends.

290. Beneath the Trees: Winter Chills by Dav, translated by Mike Kennedy

Another adorable entry in Dav's seasonally themed series. This one has a fox struggling with an over-long scarf, which leads to a playful and sweet romance with a vixen.

Received via NetGalley.

291. Hellboy: The Complete Short Stories, Vol. 1 by Mike Mignola

292. Household Gods and Other Narrative Offences by Tade Thompson

An enjoyable collection of speculative fiction tales. Thompson acquits himself well with these short stories, creating striking images and satisfying plots in just a handful of pages.

293. Witches of Lychford by Paul Cornell

294. Love Comes Home by Molly Clavering

295. The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

296. The Blue Fox by Sjón, translated by Victoria Cribb

297. Told by Starlight in Chad by Joseph Brahim Seid, translated by Karen Haire Hoenig

The history of a people is indeed unbroken; it cannot be distorted, it cannot be truncated, much less extinguished, by an ill-conceived act or by a policy tending to the cult of personality. It constitutes the only guarantee of a people's progress.

An excellent collection of short myths, legends, and folk tales from Chad. This book deserves to be far better known that it is, and I'm half tempted to shell out fifteen bucks to Amazon to have my own copy.

298. The Cut-throat Celts by Terry Deary

Entertaining entry in the Horrible Histories series, but I kind of like the TV series more than the books.

299. The Lifted Veil by George Eliot

A gothic novella in which a young man acquires intermittent bouts of precognition and telepathy. Generally pretty awful, and it makes me understand why Eliot is best known for her realistic novels.

300. Saving Time by Jodi Taylor, read by Zara Ramm

The science is as wibbly-wobbly as ever, but I do love Taylor's stories.

Some stats

Books

new reads: 252
re-reads: 48
1001 books (all editions): 6
British Author Challenge: 85

Original language
Dutch: 1
English (Middle): 1
English (Modern): 192
Finnish: 1
French: 18
Icelandic: 1
Indonesian: 1
Italian: 1
Japanese: 71
N/A: 1
Polish: 4
Portuguese: 1
Russian: 1
Spanish: 5
Thai: 1

Translations: 108

From
Edelweiss: 2
Kindle Unlimited: 15
Library: 69
NetGalley: 20
New: 76
Open Library: 4
Prime: 2
Scribd: 39
Shelves: 73

pages read: 52,218
audiobook hours: 105 hours 46 minutes
average rating: 3.23 stars

Authors

female: 121 books by 55 authors
male: 131 books by 90 authors
N/A (multiple authors, unknown, etc.): 48 books

nationalities

American: 70
Argentinian: 1
Armenian: 1
Australian: 2
Belgian: 3
British: 87
Burundian: 1
Cameroonian: 1
Canadian: 2
Chadian: 1
Finnish: 1
French: 12
Icelandic: 1
Indonesian: 1
Italian: 1
Ivorian: 1
Japanese: 59
Malaysian: 1
Mauritanian: 1
Mozambican: 1
N/A (multiple authors, unknown, etc.): 40
Polish: 4
South African: 1
Spanish: 4
Thai: 1
Venezuelan: 1
Zambian: 1

>52 amanda4242: Congratulations on reaching 4 x 75, Amanda!

>54 FAMeulstee: Thanks!

301. Pandora's Jar: Women in the Greek Myths by Natalie Haynes

A very interesting look at ten women in Greek mythology. Haynes compares the modern view of these women and contrasts them with the many variations of their myths found in ancient literature, and makes a very good case that ancient writers wrote the women with far more complexity than they are given today.

Much of the material Haynes covers will be familiar to fans of her excellent podcast, Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics, but there's still a wealth of information to explore here.

And in a reversal of my usual preferences, I actually like the American cover more than the British cover.


American cover


British cover

302. Counting, Colors & Cthulhu by Jason Ciaramella, illustrated by Joshua Janes

For parents who want to introduce their children to eldritch horrors at an early age.

This is actually a pretty cute book, with an adorable little Cthulhu hiding out on every page. Despite being inspired by Lovecraft's writings, this is no more frightening than Count von Count on Sesame Street.

303. Naming the Dawn by Abdourahman A. Waberi, translated by Nancy Naomi Carlson

I found these poems pleasant reading, but it was an ephemeral pleasure that was gone as soon as I was done reading.

304. The Naked Woman by Armonía Somers, translated by Kit Maude

A naked women wanders around a town, upending the status quo. Characterization is negligible, as is the plot; its ~100 pages felt ten times as long.

305. Dressing up with Archchi by Nadishka Aloysius, illustrated by Privanka Fonseka

I guess I won this one in a giveaway I don't remember entering. It's a charming picture book of a girl playing dress up while visiting her archchi (Sinhala for grandmother).

306. Earth and Ashes by Atiq Rahimi, translated by Erdağ M. Göknar

A harrowing story of a man traveling to tell his son that most of their family has been killed in an attack on their village. A perfectly crafted novella, although it's too painful to revisit regularly.

Slightly late for me but congratulations on passing 4x75, Amanda.

A Thanksgiving to Friends (Lighting the Way)

In difficult times
a friend is there to light the way
to lighten the load,
to show the path,
to smooth the road

At the darkest hour
a friend, with a word of truth
points to light
and the encroaching dawn
is in the plainest sight.

Amanda, to a friend in books and more this Thanksgiving

>57 PaulCranswick: & >58 PaulCranswick: Thank you and thank you!

307. What Did You Eat Yesterday? Vol. 17 by Fumi Yoshinaga

308. The Eagles of Rome - Book I by Enrico Marini
309. The Eagles of Rome - Book II by Enrico Marini

310. Captain Slaughterboard Drops Anchor by Mervyn Peake, illustrated by the author

311. Fairy Tale Land: 12 classic tales reimagined by Kate Davies, illustrated by Lucille Clerc

A collection of fairy tales stripped of most of the familial conflicts and sanitized to insipidness. It's a tragedy that Lucille Clerc's beautiful illustrations are attached to this lame writing.

Received via NetGalley.

312. Under the Tripoli Sky by Kamal Ben Hamada, translated by Adriana Hunter

313. A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes, read by the author

314. John Constantine, Hellblazer Vol. 25: Another Season by Peter Milligan

315. The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker

316. Bloody Hel by Clayton McCormack

317. Angel by Elizabeth Taylor

A five star read. Taylor crafted a perfect portrait of a shallow, ignorant, and humorless hack novelist, but she also made Angel hard-working, occasionally intensely loyal, and capable of the occasional spot of empathy.

(If anyone is interested in seeing something like a real-life version of Angel, check out this thread. The short version: LT posts interview with author who claims she's proven that most of the works of the British Renaissance were written by six ghostwriters. Author reacts poorly when everyone says she's jumped to conclusion based on suspicious data generated by faulty methodology. I should also add that Ms. Taylor's character is far more pleasant.)

318. Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor Volume 4 - The Then and The Now by Si Spurrier and Rob Williams
320. Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor Volume 5 - The One by Si Spurrier and Rob Williams
321. Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor Volume 6 - The Malignant Truth by Si Spurrier and Rob Williams

319. The Quiet Revolution of Caroline Herschel: The Lost Heroine of Astronomy by Emily Winterburn

An interesting look at the scientific work of Caroline Herschel, an 18th century female astronomer. Winterburn makes a good argument that despite Herschel not having the same advantages and opportunities as her male counterparts, she nonetheless became an accepted and respected member of the scientific community.

I do have two complaints about Winterburn's writing:
1. She repeats herself. A lot.
2. She jumps back and forth in time so it can be a little hard to know what happened when.

To sum up, a flawed but rewarding read.

322. Gnaw by Tade Thompson

A decent take on a haunted house story. It's nothing revolutionary, but Thompson gives this novella enough twists to keep it interesting.

323. Menfreya in the Morning by Victoria Holt

A young heiress marries into an impoverished aristocratic family and gothic romance ensues. I'm amazed that nobody has made movies from Holt's books: her endings aren't great, but she tells entertaining tales that would work great as Masterpiece movies.

I make it 97 BAC books in 2021.....surely you will reach a century?

I am at about 68.

>62 PaulCranswick: Well, I am in the middle of another BAC book so 100 does seem likely.

Congrats on your 68! I'm sure you'll manage to sneak in a few more, too.

>63 amanda4242: Should add to it today with any luck!

>64 PaulCranswick: Hurray!

Have a lovely holiday, Amanda.

>66 PaulCranswick: Thank you, my friend.

324. Elegy for Kosovo by Ismail Kadare, translated by Peter Constantine

I can tell it's well written, but I need to know a bit more about the history of the area to really appreciate it.

325. The Dead Lake by Hamid Ismailov, translated by Andrew Bromfield

Beautiful descriptions of life on the steppes interspersed with the horrors of nuclear testing.

326. Animal Adaptations: Unique Body Parts by Radka Píro, illustrated by Lida Larina

Short, informative picture book that would be excellent for teaching young children about animals.

327. Look Down in Mercy by Walter Baxter

Gruelling, but well worth reading.

328. The Iron Woman by Ted Hughes, illustrated by Andrew Davidson

Pretty awful. The Iron Woman exacts vengeance on those who have polluted the environment, but it's really just a lot of hand wave-y nonsense. And it's only men that are held accountable for damaging the world; the story reads like Hughes didn't think women were important enough to do so.

329. Crude: A Memoir by Pablo Fajardo and Sophie Tardy-Joubert

A graphic novel about the fight to get Chevron to clean up there shit in Ecuador. If even half of what's in here is true, the Chevron executives should be jailed for crimes against humanity.

330. Jamila by Chingiz Aĭtmatov, translated by James Riordan

A beautiful love story that, surprisingly, doesn't end in tragedy.

331. Troy by Stephen Fry

Fry's take on the Trojan War is as much a history of the city and the many people involved as it is a war story. Highly entertaining, and I'll probably try the audio version next year.

332. The Cat, the Crow, and the Banyan Tree by Penelope Lively, illustrated by Terry Milne

Entirely forgettable story, but Milne's illustrations are nice.

333. Princess by Mistake by Penelope Lively

A modern girl gets turned into a fairytale princess and her brother has to rescue her. Mildly entertaining, but nothing terribly memorable.

334. The Stained Glass Window by Penelope Lively

For those with the eyes to see it, there is a beautiful love story embedded in an old stained glass window. Very enjoyable.

335. The Sandman: The Dream Hunters by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano

Gaiman retells the Japanese tale "The Fox, the Monk, and the Mikado of All Night's Dreaming" as a stand alone story in his Sandman world. Rather unsurprisingly, a story that involves dreams works very well as part of a series about Dream of the Endless. And Amano's illustrations make this one a must read.

336. Last Victim of the Monsoon Express by Vaseem Khan

A novella very much inspired by Golden Age murder mysteries. Probably my favorite of the series.

337. Sharpe's Christmas by Bernard Cornwell

Two short stories about Sharpe at Christmas. Entertaining and a great way to help wrap up the year's reading.

338. Daedalus and Icarus by Penelope Farmer, illustrated by Chris Connor
339. The Serpent's Teeth: The Story of Cadmus by Penelope Farmer, illustrated by Chris Connor
340. The Story of Persephone by Penelope Farmer, illustrated by Graham McCallum

Pretty good picture books of Greek myths, but they can't hold a candle to D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths.

341. A Bachelor Establishment by Jodi Taylor, read by Anna Bentinck

And my final book of the year was great fun. Taylor's foray into historical romance is delightful, and her characters have the sparkle I've come to expect from her.

Year end stats

Books

new reads: 288
re-reads: 53
1001 books (all editions): 6
British Author Challenge: 111

Original language
Albanian: 1
Dari: 1
Dutch: 1
English (Middle): 1
English (Modern): 222
Finnish: 1
French: 23
Icelandic: 1
Indonesian: 1
Italian: 1
Japanese: 72
Kyrgyz: 1
N/A: 1
Polish: 4
Portuguese: 1
Russian: 2
Spanish: 6
Thai: 1

Translations: 118

From
Edelweiss: 2
Kindle Unlimited: 15
Library: 71
NetGalley: 22
New: 89
Open Library: 11
Prime: 2
Scribd: 44
Shelves: 85

pages read: 57,024
audiobook hours: 121 hours 41 minutes
average rating: 3.25 stars

Authors

female: 139 books by 63 authors
male: 150 books by 104 authors
N/A (multiple authors, unknown, etc.): 52 books

nationalities

Afghan: 1
Albanian: 1
American: 72
Argentinian: 1
Armenian: 1
Australian: 2
Belgian: 3
British: 109
Burundian: 1
Cameroonian: 1
Canadian: 2
Chadian: 1
Czech: 1
Djiboutian: 1
Finnish: 1
French: 12
Icelandic: 1
Indonesian: 1
Italian: 3
Ivorian: 1
Japanese: 60
Kyrgyz: 1
Libyan: 1
Malaysian: 1
Mauritanian: 1
Mozambican: 1
N/A (multiple authors, unknown, etc.): 45
Polish: 4
South African: 1
Spanish: 4
Sri Lankan: 1
Thai: 1
Uruguayan: 1
Uzbek: 1
Venezuelan: 1
Zambian: 1

Forget your stresses and strains
As the old year wanes;
All that now remains
Is to bring you good cheer
With wine, liquor or beer
And wish you a special new year.

Happy New Year, Amanda.

>71 PaulCranswick: And a very happy new year to you, my friend.