Anita's (Figs) Reading in 2021! Third thread.

I chose this ticker image because perhaps by the time I reach my reading goal,
the world will be normal again and I will be able to travel. A girl can dream, can't she?

My rating system is as follows:

1 = Very Very bad. Either I could not finish the novel, or the plot was ill-conceived

2= Still bad. I managed to finish the book. It was probably boring, unoriginal or poorly written

3= Solid. There was character development, the pace was probably slow or parts of the book were well thought out. Still had the ability to make me think or at the very least want to continue reading, however, something was missing or could have been further developed. Slightly better than average.

4= Excellent read. I probably couldn't put the book down till it was finished. The Pace was spot on, complex characters, made me think in a different way and so on

5= Absolutely perfect.

Books I should have read a long time ago

1. Aleksandr I. Solzenitsyn: The Gulag Archipelago

Books read in January



Best of the month: The Colditz legacy

Books Read In February


Best of the month: A gentleman in Moscow.

Books read in April

Books read May-October

Favourite Books of the Past. Third thread selection


Maryse Condé: Heremakhonon



Details to follow in a few days.

Photo Wednesday ( techincally Tuesday.....) A few photos of my vegetable gardens at the beginning of May where the garden was just beginning to grow and still looked neat. Of course, now it's quite overgrown. The first photo on the left was the beginning of my forest garden. It was the first time that I made an attempt at building a wattle fence out of junk growth in the forest.

Welcome!

>1 figsfromthistle: Oh dear, Anita, are we autumnal already!?

Happy new thread. x

Happy new thread!

>10 figsfromthistle: Making your own wattle fence is impressive. The guys on Tudor Monastery Farm probably had lots of help.

Wonderful pictures on your thread (garden) and love all the month by month book covers! Happy new thread to you!

>12 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul! Actually the picture was taken in mid spring. The sunrise hitting the spruce trees. It was taken on my phone so the picture quality is not the best.

>13 quondame: Thanks, Susan. The fence took a solid two days to build/prepare. One day to hand cut the branches, and trim them. The other day to build. The one thing that I found was that since all my branches were different lengths/widths it was a little harder to build. Also, it doe not look perfect however, it does fit in with the roughness of the forest ;)

>14 mdoris: Glad you are enjoying the pictures :)

Happy new thread, Anita!

>10 figsfromthistle: Your vegetable garden looks good, very curious how they look now.

Happy new thread, Anita! Your gardens are lovely!

Happy new one! I love the fence.

Happy new one, Anita! I love the garden photos. So charming, and I can imagine just how much hard work went into making that wattle fence.

Love the book covers by month - very fun to look at, and you can see in just a glance what you have read.

Happy new thread! You put an amazing amount of work into that fence and it looks really cool!

Happy new thread, Anita. The fence is wonderful!

We need an *after* pic of those gardens, now...just saying...

Mine, sadly, are just so wilted and parched from the unrelenting and disgusting heat and lack of rain, no matter how much I water. The tomatoes are loving it, though.

Happy new thread, Anita. I love your garden pictures!

I also love your book covers.

Hi Anita my dear, Happy New Thread. I love the photo of your Veg plot even though it was taken in May and the Wattle fence is very good. I am in the process of building the veg beds for Karen but the DIY stores have no cement, i got the first foundation done and wanted to put the first row of blocks down this week but it will have to wait.

Sending love and hugs dear friend.

>16 FAMeulstee: Thanks! The vegetable gardens are looking quite wild with cucumber, squash and zucchini plants tumbling out of their designated zone. I have harvested quite a bit already and preserved/canned/frozen for winter.

>17 scaifea: Thank you :)

>18 drneutron: Thanks!

>19 Crazymamie: I do have to update those book covers soon.

>20 mstrust: Thanks! I am quite pleased with how it turned out.

>21 jessibud2: Yes the heat can wreak havoc on the plants. The cucumber leaves are all turning brown.
Do you water your garden early in the morning? If you water when the sun is beating down, it actually does more harm.

Are you enjoying the heatwave we are having? I have been limiting my time in the garden-it's that sticky outside! Ah well soon I will be complaining about the cold :)

>22 BLBera: Hi! Thank you :)

>23 johnsimpson: Hi John. That's quite a big project. I am sure that Karen will love her new veg beds. Can't wait to see a picture of them when they are done :)

I water the front yard in the morning, when the sun is in the back and after the sun moves to the front, early afternoon, I water the back. Or if the sun isn't too strong, I just do both in the morning. And no, I HATE the heat and humidity. I can't breathe outside in this. Even in the early morning when I put out the birdbath with fresh water, more often than not I get that oven-blast of hot air when I walk out my front door.

I can't wait for autumn. If we even get autumn... hard to imagine. :-(

>26 jessibud2: It seems that there is relief on the way soon. At least in the sense that it won't feel like 40 C after the weekend :) I am soooo glad I have central air! In my university days, my apartment did not have it. I don't know how I was able to stand it.

Stay cool :)

So today is my Thingaversary! I can't believe that I have been here this long. Time flies with such great company :) To think that I accidentally stumbled upon Librarything!

Here is my book haul

1.McLynn, Frank: the Sierras to the Pampas: Richard Burton's Travels in the America, 1860-69
2. Tess Gerritsen: The Shape of Night
3. Maryse Condé: Les derniers Rois Mages
4. R.Buckminster Fuller: Nine chains to the moon
5. Sylvia Nasar :A Beautiful Mind
6. Matt Haig: The Midnight Library
7. Alice Hoffman: The World That We Knew

>15 figsfromthistle: Shows how long I have been in the tropics, Anita - I cannot even tell the seasons apart now!

Happy Thingaversary

Happy new thread, Anita, your garden looks beautiful.
And happy Thingaversary - Your book haul looks great, but isn't there a book missing?
All the best for you!

Happy new thread Anita!

I'm afraid I can't see your ticker either. If I click on the little blue box, it's a link that takes me to the Ticker Factory site to create a ticker.

>10 figsfromthistle: Yeah, now you're just showing off and I'm not jealous at all ;0)

Happy New Thread, Figs! Happy Thingaversary! I love the topper up there and your garden looks amazing.

Happy Thingaversary, Anita!

Yes, today with the humidex, it will feel like 41C. Since when did Canada become the new Tropics?! I know the use of A/C contributes to the climate change problem but this is one thing I don't think I could survive without. We never had an air conditioner growing up (in Montreal) but really, never really needed one back then. I don't even remember a fan in the house.

They said there was *a chance* of a thunderstorm yesterday but we never got a drop of rain here at all. I have a doctor's appointment later in the day but other than that, I have no plans to leave the house.

>29 PaulCranswick: Ha! Indeed. Do you have a specific growing season? Or are you able to grow vegetables all year round?

>30 SirThomas: Thanks Thomas! No book missing for the Thingaversary. I did add 8 books to my library. The 8th was one I have had on my shelf for a few years.

>31 humouress: Good to know! Don't know what happened to it. I will have to make another one.

>32 msf59: Thanks Mark!

>33 jessibud2: Thank you. My cousin lives in Toronto and she always says that the rain passes by her and goes via lakeshore. Today the heat was unbearable and to make matters worse the AC at work broke down. I am exhausted!

>34 figsfromthistle: - We actually did have a thunderstorm this afternoon. It rained for about maybe 15 minutes, I think, not nearly enough. Everything looks dry out there already.

>35 jessibud2: The ideal rain would be light/steady for a day or so. At least you don't have to water your garden for a day :)

Hi Anita! I love your garden pics and was especially taken with your wattle fence.

Being highly distractable, I watched a YouTube video on how to make them - everything from raised garden beds to fences. With all the cottonwood saplings on my place, I think I could do this. I love the look and may well give it a try. :)

>37 streamsong: Hi Janet!

Or course you can! I wish you good luck with your fence building. You already have a head start with the you tube videos. I should have thought of researching first. It would have saved me some time. Ah well it was fun to wing it as well ;)

57. Matt Haig: The Midnight Library

Nora is a 35 year old woman who one day decides to end her life. She ends up in a library that holds different lives that she is living or has lived in other parallel universes. She is able to peruse through her greatest regrets, see how other lives pan out and find her own happiness.

The premise of the book was interesting however, I found the middle to be slightly boring. I know that many will enjoy this one however, it was just meh for me.

3/5

>39 figsfromthistle: Sorry to hear it wasn't everything you'd hoped it would be, Anita.

>28 figsfromthistle: Good haul! Amazing how fast the present becomes the occasion of nostalgia and longing, no?

>40 richardderus: Indeed, Richard!

There was quite a bit of hype surrounding that book so I think that I was just expecting more than I normally would have. Hope you have a splendid weekend.

58. Michael Connelly: The Law Of Innocence

Lincoln Lawyer Mickey Haller's life changes when he is pulled over for a minor infraction which leads to a search of the luggage compartment of his vehicle. The discovery of a dead body lands him in jail with a murder charge. Due to his insistence of a speedy trial, he and his team have a limited amount of time to prove his innocence.

A decent instalment in the Harry Bosh and Mickey Haller series.

3.5/5

>39 figsfromthistle: If everyone had the same taste, life would be boring!
I wish you a good start to the week, Anita.

Hi Thomas!

Thanks! My start to the week is excellent so far. I have my first day off since working 12 days in a row.

Have a great Monday :)

>44 figsfromthistle: Hi Anita. Enjoy your day off.

Happy new thread, and I loved the pictures of your garden. I’m sorry about the ongoing heat, 40C, yuck. Here we are enjoying a kind of ongoing autumn, cool, cool, cool, rain, rain, rain, and lots of slugs in the garden. Wish we could swap some weather with you, every once in a while.

>45 EllaTim: Hi Ella!

It was my only day off so I had a lot of errands to run. Still enjoyable though. The weather has since cooled down and is quite comfortable. Hope you are having a great week!

Happy Wednesday!

Here is Wednesday's photo instalment. A wonderful patch of Alpenrose.

>47 figsfromthistle: Lovely!

>47 figsfromthistle: I don't know what alpenrose is, but that shade of pink is VIVID.
***
Normally I am a person who Knows My Own Mind. Startling, I realize, for you to hear this...as I've always been such a soft-spoken crowd-goer-alonger.

Stop laughing.

Anyway. I need help. The wisdom of the crowd is sought to help be decide between two equally strong contenders for Read of the Month. I am simply incapable to unparalyzing myself from the FOMO I get thinking about this problem.

Please vote on the poll or you will be directly responsible for my re-admission to the Goofy Garage this birthmonth.

>48 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita

>49 richardderus: Headed over to your thread and voted. Glad to be of service ;)

Happy Friday, everyone!

Finally home after working on my birthday. It was a relatively easy day. Going to shower and change and then head over to my parent's house to celebrate :)

Happy birthday!!

>52 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley!

Hi Figs! A very belated happy new thread and a belated Happy Birthday. I hope you had a bit of a celebration after working all day.

>10 figsfromthistle: Very nice forest garden, beautiful wattle fencing. I love seeing vegetables in rows at the beginning of a season. I can see all the hard work, too.

>39 figsfromthistle: Sorry The Midnight Library was meh for you. I really liked it.

Happy slightly belated birthday, Anita. I am in good company in the first week of September.

A birthday celebrated...yay!

A descent into madness averted...more yay!

>54 karenmarie: Hi! Thanks. My mom made a cake for me. Four layers of hazelnut, with grand marnier infused whipped cream.



>55 PaulCranswick: >56 richardderus: Thanks, Paul and Richard

>57 figsfromthistle: Oh it must have been a happy birthday! Hazelnut & Grand Marnier oh wow oh wow! And berries too?

I miss hazelnut pastry which seems to have gone out of style in these parts.

59. Letters across the sea: Genevieve Graham

1933, Toronto is in the height of the depression era. Unfortunately, it is also the time where anti-semitic behavior toward Jews is beginning to rise. Tensions are at a all time high. Molly ( a protestant) and Max ( Jewish) are left to fight for what is right for them.

Quite well written and the scenes were very vivid. Some of the revelations based on Toronto's history may be surprising for some.

3.3/5

>58 quondame: Hi Susan! It was good! Yes, Berries on top for decoration. They were also soaked in Grand marnier :)

Hazelnut is not really in fashion here either ( hence why my mom went through all that effort). I believe hazelnut pastries are still going strong in central Europe.

That cake looks scrumptious. Happy birthday to you!

>59 figsfromthistle: - I am in the middle of this book right now! Though I grew up in Montreal, I have lived here in Toronto since 1980. I did know some of the history and I find it fun (though this not a *fun* story) to read about street names and places that are familiar to me here in the city. This is my first book by this author and I will seek out more. I like that her historical fiction involves Canadian history, too.

>61 mdoris: Hi Mary! Thank you :)

>62 jessibud2: Hi Shelley! I did not know some of the history ( such as the swastika club). I found her writing to be quite good. I will also seek out more of her books. Up until I bought this book by browsing, I hadn't heard of this author.

Hope you have a great Sunday.

>57 figsfromthistle: Oh wow!! That looks so good! Hazelnut is my favorite.

I hope you had a wonderful birthday!!

>64 scaifea: Thanks, Amber. It was a lovely birthday.

>63 figsfromthistle: - I do own one other of her books, as yet unread: The Forgotten Home Child. I had not heard of her before, either, but if you google her, you will see that she has written quite a few books. And she only started writing after the age of 40! I like *discovering* new (to me) authors. That she writes a genre I like, historical fiction, and Canada plays a role, is a bonus.

>66 jessibud2: Oh wow! Definitely glad to have jumped on the discovery bandwagon! Hope you enjoy the forgotten home child. I shall have to add it to my list.

HI, Anita. Finally catching up here. Belated happy Thingaversary AND Happy Birthday wishes to you! Hope the garden has been productive--I miss mine, but there's always next year.

Belated birthday wishes from me too! That cake looks amazing and I think it must have started your new year off right.

Belated Happy Birthday, Anita! That cake looks delicious. I’m glad you had a lovely day of celebration.

>57 figsfromthistle: That looks amazing. Happy birthday!

>68 ronincats: Nice to see you! Thank you! I'm sure you will have a splendid garden just the way you want next season :)

>69 mstrust: Thanks, Jennifer!

>70 jnwelch: Thank you. Unfortunately, the cake's all gone :(

>71 BLBera: Thanks!

60. Tess Gerritsen: The Shape of Night

Ava Collette, a food writer, finds herself running from her present day problems. She rents a mansion by the sea and begins writing her cookbook. However, like with most mansions there is a ghost. The only difference is that this one has erotic intentions. Ava soon begins to realize that there is more mystery surrounding the mansion and the tiny town it sits in than meets the eye.

A different book than from Gerritsen's normal. It was more of a harlequin romance with a splash of mystery.

2.5/5

Belated happy birthday! The cake sounds DElicious.

Also from me belated birthday wishes, Anita!
>57 figsfromthistle:... and again I get an appetite...

>74 humouress: Thanks, Nina! It was scrum-diddly-umptious

>75 SirThomas: Hi Thomas! Thank you :)

>57 figsfromthistle: Happy belated birthday!! I won't post a cake image because this one is just so great. : )



>39 figsfromthistle: I have The Midnight Library in my TBR pile. Hope I like it a little better than you!

>77 Berly: Thanks Kim!

I think you will enjoy The Midnight Library more. It is a good story.

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Here is Wednesday's photo ( I actually remembered!)

>79 figsfromthistle: Ohh, cool! Cranes!

>79 figsfromthistle: Lovely picture of the storks on their nest, Anita, where did you take it?

>80 richardderus: Hi Richard! Glad you like the storks :)

>81 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita. I took the picture in Rust, Austria. A place known for storks. Unfortunately, I had to really hunt them down as there seems to be less of them every year.

>82 figsfromthistle: Over here the storks are doing well enough, Anita, a lot better than 40 years back.
Every time we drive to the highway, we pass the "stork appartments", a lot of nests in high-voltage pylons, like this:

>83 FAMeulstee: Oh Wow! So many of them on one pylon! Very nice

61. Keith Donohue: The Stolen Child

A little boy, named Henry Day runs away from home. He is taken by fairy like children while a older fairy takes over Henry's old life. Unfortunately, forgetting who you once were is more difficult than it seems.

This was just OK for me. Some parts were slow and it felt as if this book is trying to set up a second in a series. Not sure if it is part of a series. Great description which will make it a book I will remember.

I'm sure many will enjoy it.

2.8/5

62. Alice Hoffman: The World That we Knew

WW2. Hanna is aware that the only way to keep her daughter safe from the concentration camp is to secure a future far away from France. Hanna, along with a bold Rabbi's daughter do something daring; they create a mystical creature ( Golem) who's sole purpose it to protect Lea.

If you enjoy magical realism, then dive in! As always, Hoffmann delivers a great book.

3.5/5

63. Emma Donoghue: The Pull Of The Stars

Ireland, end of WW1, there is a massive flu pandemic. Julia Power's a nurse in charge of the maternity ward. She and her patients are pushed to the limits and find out what resilience really is.

I enjoyed this one. Donoghue has the gift of vivid description. If you are faint hearted when it comes to blood and bodily functions and birth, then you may want to skip this one.

3.7/5

>79 figsfromthistle: Aw, neat! Makes me think of The Wheel on the School!

>85 figsfromthistle: I listened to that one a few years ago and I think I felt the same way about it. It seemed...darker...than I was expecting, maybe? I can't quite remember the details, but I do remember that I didn't *love* it...

>88 scaifea: Happy Thursday!

Yes, you are quite right it was a little darker than expected.

>79 figsfromthistle: >83 FAMeulstee: You know I love bird photos. These are cranes? What kind?

I also really enjoyed The Pull of the Stars, which I also recently read.

>90 msf59: Yes I know you do! They are white storks.

Have a fantastic Thursday

Hi Anita! My weekend has picked up pace after a decent night's sleep last night.

Hi Anita!

>57 figsfromthistle: Lovely to look at and it sounds wonderful.

>79 figsfromthistle: Excellent photo, thanks for remembering and sharing.

>83 FAMeulstee: I really like the stork apartments.

>92 richardderus: Glad you were able to sleep soundly! Back to your old self again :)

>93 karenmarie: Hi Karen!

Storks have such a grand presence, don't they? Hope you had a great weekend!

Hi Anita, I'm mostly visiting silently these days.
But you mentioned on my thread that you were quite undecided about your choice for Sept. 20 (and no, I didn't watch/listen to any debates).

Our riding overwhelmingly has always voted Conservative (which I never have), that my vote usually goes to the person that I wouldn't like to see lose their candidate's deposit! I think in the last election (in our electoral unit) the Cons had about double the votes of the next contender (NDP).

>95 SandyAMcPherson: - To just butt in here. I also think the pool is shallow. My heart has always been NDP though I have, more than once, voted Liberal to prevent Conservatives (ie Harper) from getting in. This time, I am so disappointed and fed up with Trudeau and though I think Singh is decent enough, I don't fool myself that he will win. But to think that O'Toole might be our next PM is not a pleasant thought. I will go with my heart this time, because I just have to. I refuse to watch debates. They are not as bad as the American debates, but close. As a former teacher, I would never allow my students to interrupt one another and be so disrespectful to others when talking or *debating*. Watching so-called *leaders* do this is just beyond my tolerance level.

Sigh...

>95 SandyAMcPherson: Nice to see you :)

Picking the "right" candidate can be tricky. I find that the debates usually muddle things more.

>96 jessibud2: I must say that there really should not have been a costly election, during a pandemic in the first place. I must admit that one thing that really irks me is that Trudeau's promise from the last election to improve First Nations drinking water is far from being realized. If all party members would focus and work together on important issues rather than finger pointing and casting blame then perhaps we would not have to go to the polls at the worst possible time.

Ah well. I think I will also have to go with my heart. I know very little about O'Toole and feel insecure about his ability to address important issues.

64. John Banville: Snow

A priest is murdered and is dragged into the library where a key organ is cut off post mortem. Why would someone dare to kill this seemingly gregarious priest?

A decent crime novel that was however, predictable and yet mostly enjoyable.

3.2/5

I have already voted by mail and for me it was quite easy. I did not watch the debates and if I did it would be like watching grade 4 students voting for class president. Actually maturity level would be higher for the grade four students! Time to suggest all women run each party and then we could get some work done.

>99 mdoris: Voting by mail seems like a perfectly convenient way to vote! Yes, a few more women in power would definitely help.

65. Sherman Alexi: the Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Junior as he is called by his peers on the Spokane Indian reserve, is a shy boy who is trying to navigate through high school. However, life does not make it easy for him. Dealing with constant grief, bullying, poverty and alcoholic parents he decides to change his surroundings. What he finds surprises him and changes his view on life.

This coming of age story is sad, funny and sometimes quite graphic. I enjoyed it because it sort of surprised me. Apparently this is listed as YA fiction. I would not recommend it for children who are not emotionally ready to handle some though themes and graphic violence.

I quite enjoyed the illustrations that went along with the story.

3.8/5

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

>101 figsfromthistle: - This was a fun book to teach, Anita.

>102 figsfromthistle: Nice photo.

>103 BLBera: I heard that certain schools even banned this book. I think it's the perfect book for someone in grades 7-9

Glad you like the photo that was the qualifiers for the mens world junior championship a few years ago.

66. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle: Haruki Murakami

In short this story is about an average man who looses his cat and his wife. As a result of his loss he seeks to gain everything back. However, what Toru Okada does not realize is that things can never be the same again.

This is the first novel by Mr. Murakami that I have read. I am still mulling it over. I did love it but yet I can't really explain why that is. I was immediately drawn in by his linguistic and narrative style. There are soo many possibilities here to analyze. My initial reading was more philosophical and the more I think about the it, the more layers I uncover.

A book that really worked for me and I will definitely be seeking out more.

4.3/5

>105 figsfromthistle: I read that book in the Aughties...some friends wanted to know if I thought it was appropriate for their 16yr old to read for his IB essay, I said sure, but be prepared for the prostitution questions.

It was *not* the essay's subject.

Hi, Figs! I am also a big fan of both The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian & The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. Glad you enjoyed them.

>106 richardderus: Hi Richard!

HA! Now that would be an interesting essay to read!

>107 msf59: Good morning Mark! Hoe you are having a great week so far.

Happy Wednesday!

>109 figsfromthistle: Lovely!

>108 figsfromthistle: I think it would've brought the parents to their knees.

>110 richardderus: Ha! However, the look on their faces would have been priceless ;)

67. Guillaume Musso: Central Park

After a night of heavy drinking, Alice wakes up to find herself handcuffed to a complete stranger in a less frequented part of Central Park. How did she get there? Who would go through all the trouble to bring her there?

This was just ok for me. Many parts were interesting ( Alice's traumatic experience as a cop).Unfortunately, some parts fizzled. The twist 3/4 of the way in was clever however, very unrealistic. I rolled my eyes a few times at Alice's birdbrained behaviour.

A quick, frivolous read that is perfect for a moment of escape. I suspect many will enjoy this one.

3/5

>112 figsfromthistle: I don't see that one landing on my reading table, Anita.

>113 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul. Nice to see you

It's Chanterelle season!

I love mushrooms and I'd really like to go on a hunt.

>116 mstrust: I know, right? Mushroom foraging is quite fun. I remember when I was little every time it had just rained, we would go hunting for mushrooms. They were difficult to find as they hide in strange/unexpected places.

68. Jeffrey Archer: Turn A Blind Eye

A drug trafficker goes to trial and later a bent cop is put through trial as well. Both these trials and the people involved have commonalties.

Third book in the William Warwick series.

2.8/5

Today was a busy day. I was able to get a little housework done however, most of the time was spent pressing apples. Since I only have a grape press and no apple crusher things took longer. I had to pick the apples, wash them, cut them into quarters. I then put them through the meat grinder. I put burlap around the inside of the grape press ( because of the distance between the wooden spindles) and then press. It does taste great though. I will be saving some as apple cider to drink, and the other for vinegar. The leftover "stuff" will be mixed with the wild grapes that I picked and I will let it ferment. Should hopefully make a great wine. It does smell fantastic though. Just the way fall should smell like :)

>119 figsfromthistle: I can almost imagine the smell. Nothing like that in Los Angeles. It also sounds exhausting.

>119 figsfromthistle: Oh, gosh, that sounds *wonderful*! Apple cider is one of the best things about fall. I've got a recipe for apple cider ice cream that I'm going to try this weekend, I think...

>120 quondame: My basement does smell wonderful. Today's job will be to bottle the juice.

>121 scaifea: Oh wow! I haven't heard of cider ice cream. Sounds delicious.

>115 figsfromthistle: Yum! and >119 figsfromthistle: Yum again! It does sound like a lot of work.

>123 BLBera: Happy Friday!

It was a lot of work because I don't have the apple crusher. With it, it would go faster. I brought my leftover apples to my parents and they in return made a traditional apple strudel. I just had some for breakfast :)

Wow, now that's a really Autumn day! I'll bet it did smell fantastic!

>125 mstrust: It certainly put me in the fall spirit!

69. Rachel Cusk: Outline

A novel about a woman who goes to Greece and meets various people along the way who talk about their life accomplishments, failures and regrets.

Although the idea and the writing was nice, I found it boring. Perhaps because I have not reached these stages in my life ( ie: marriage, divorce and kids) that I was unable to connect.

2.8/5

70. Waubgeshig Rice: Moon of the crusted snow

A small native community must learn to survive after the power goes down.

I quite enjoyed this novel. It was engaging and well edited. I did expect a little more turmoil though

Quite an enjoyable read.

3.5/5

I managed to snag today and tomorrow off. It's a nice rainy day. Perfect to relax, clean, putter around the house and most importantly, read.

Technically, I would have a lot of work to do and should go into town to do my errands but I think I will save all that fun for tomorrow. Hopefully, everyone is having a great weekend.

71. Margot Livesey: The Flight of Gemma Hardy

Gemma, having lost her parents and the Uncle who agreed to take care of her, finds herself alone. She ends up winning a scholarship in a boarding school and must earn her keep by performing various domestic tasks. Gemma is strong, determined, resourceful and smart. In order for her to move forward with her future she must find a way deal with her past.

I enjoyed the writing. Apparently this is a retelling of Jane Eyre. I have not read it so I can't say if it is similar or not.

3.5/5

Beautiful picture up top, Anita! Getting close to 75, I see. I hope the magic number is a great book for you.

Have a wonderful week!

>131 alcottacre: Hi Stasia! Great to see you here.

* begin rant*

So the last few days we have had a consistent rainfall. I live on a gravel road and all the gravel from grating has filled up my 5m deep ditch. Along with it the drainage pipes for the road are clogged up. I was knee deep in gravel trying to clear the pipe and unfortunately the pipe inside is completely full. So all the water drains into my property. I phoned the township on several occasions and they were supposed to fix the road at the end of August. Still waiting. It's been years since they had planned to fix it. I am beyond frustrated as my numerous complaints are not being heard and seem to me to be ignored. Now I have all of the water backed up into my laneway ( and I live on a hill!). I am really annoyed. It should not be my responsibility to clear 5 m worth of gravel on city property. I already put in a pipe at my own expense. GRRRRR! Soon it will be winter and all of that water will turn to ice and then I fear I will have more damage and problems.

*end of rant*

That is truly aggravating. Maybe you need to threaten to go to social media or take it higher up. Those are the only things that seem to work. When I had issues with Bell, and had no internet for 3 weeks, then had my phone cut off, I went higher up and said if all my services weren't restored in 24 hours, this would go public big time (they didn't have to know I am not on social media but I said so anyhow). And voila! Within 2 ours, everything was restored.

I feel the aggravation and frustration at lack of accountability by those who ought to be responsible. Good luck, and don't back down. If they think you are forgetting about it, it for sure won't get done.

>134 jessibud2: Unfortunately I live in a very small community and the people appointed to the road department are not skilled or trained to do anything. One road department guy switched over to be a local building inspector ( with little qualification). A simple fix would be to grate the road so it slopes away from the house where on the other side of the road there is a gully. The town council is made up of a few people who own most of the farming land and development in the area. It has always been this way that the few families rule the many. They apparently needed an engineer to draw up a plan of how to create a ditch and drainage. Apparently the plans are already finished for two years. It's just common sense. Social media in this case will not help and can create massive problems for me in the community. I have taken pictures and sent them to city council which has not helped either. I will have to wait and see and keep on calling, and leaving messages. In the meantime I am going to hunt for something in the barn and see if I can unclog the pipe by ramming it in. Perhaps I can ask for a property tax discount for the next quarter ;)

>133 figsfromthistle: Maddening!

>128 figsfromthistle: Delighting! I enjoyed the book as much as you did. I rated it the same as well, my deductions came from the same source. How was this kind of collapse not much, much more chaotic?!

Happy week-ahead's reads. I'll break out my voodoo dolly kit and whomp up some urgency in the roadwork crew.

>136 richardderus: Hi Richard!

Glad you enjoyed that book as well.

Hope your voodooing skills work! I was out there in the rain for two hours and the pipe is still clogged.

>132 figsfromthistle: Thanks! It is good to be seen.

>133 figsfromthistle: Sounds like a justified rant to me. Is there no legal aid that you can contact who might be of help?

>138 alcottacre: I don't think that legal action will make them decide to fix anything faster. I will just have to wait it out. :(

>139 figsfromthistle: That is terrible. I wish you had some kind of recourse to spur them on faster!

>140 alcottacre: Ah well. I suppose there are worse things.....

Oh, how frustrating! I hope they finally get it gear and get it fixed for you!

>142 scaifea: I'm crossing my fingers but not holding my breath ;)

>133 figsfromthistle: Seems sadly par for the course with most local authorities, Anita.

>144 PaulCranswick: Indeed, Paul.

72. Louise Penny: All the devils are here

In book number sixteen of this series, Gamache and his family are in France. Gamache meets with his godfather ( a billionaire) and watches as someone deliberately runs him down on the street. It is up to Gamache to find the truth which leads to a big conspiracy. Who will he be able to trust?

A decent instalment in this series.

3.3/5

HAppy Wednesday everyone!

I don't know why however the picture uploaded sideways. I wonder if there is a way to fix it. ah well just tilt your head to the side :)

>146 figsfromthistle: I have not yet picked that one up. I need to get around to it! Thanks for the reminder, Anita.

>147 figsfromthistle: I can do that - tilt my head sideways, I mean :)

>147 figsfromthistle: Pretty!

>146 figsfromthistle: Good that it was a pleasure for you.

>148 alcottacre: Just send me the chiropractic bill ;)

>149 richardderus: So far I am still enjoying Louise Penny's writing. It's my guilty pleasure. This phase has lasted longer than my Grisham phase.

Hope you are having a good week so far!

73. Eddie Jaku: The Happiest Man on Earth

A tale of how Eddie escaped and survived Auschwitz.

Some incredibly sad moments. What's even more incredible is how Eddie composed himself during these moments.

Eddie wrote this novel when he was 100 years old!

>151 figsfromthistle: Thanks for the recommendation of that one, Anita. I am going to see if my local library has a copy.

>133 figsfromthistle: >135 figsfromthistle: Oh no! I do hope you can get it resolved Anita.

>151 figsfromthistle: That is extraordinary, Anita.

>152 alcottacre: I hope it does have a copy.

>153 humouress: Fingers crossed :)

>154 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul! It is extraordinary. He also held a ted talk. It was the first time his kids heard his story. Can you imagine? Keeping something like that in for most of your life?

74. Emily St. John Mandel: The Glass Hotel

At a remote five star hotel in Vancouver, one act of vandalism sets in motion a series of events for different people.

I think many will enjoy the novel. For me, parts of it worked and other parts did not. Still a good read and I am sure it will linger longer in my memory than some other reads.

3.1/5

>155 figsfromthistle: My local library does have a copy so I am hoping to get to it soon.

>156 figsfromthistle: I started that one and just did not get on with it at all. I had high hopes since I loved Station Eleven.

>157 alcottacre: I have never read anything by Mandel before. I did find her writing to be good and may give Station Eleven a try. I found the beginning to be more interesting than the middle though.

>158 figsfromthistle: I will be curious to see what you think of Station Eleven if and when you give it a try, Anita.

>159 alcottacre: I will have to see if my library has a copy.

HI Anita. Making a visit here to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

>156 figsfromthistle: I liked it 0.4 stars more than you did. Mostly, if I'm honest about it, because Station Eleven.

A very happy Thanksgiving to you and all yours, Anita.

That looks so good, doesn't it?

>161 mdoris: Hi Mary! Nice to see you here. I hope you have a splendid Thanksgiving.

>162 richardderus: Thank you, Richard. It looks Scrumdiddlyumptious.

>163 figsfromthistle: I'll bet you that it *is*, too...pumpkin with maple syrup inside a ginger-snap crust. Doesn't that light your taste buds up?

>164 richardderus: Yes it certainly does make my mouth water. Now I want more than my ordinary pumpkin pie ;)

>164 richardderus: While it is the loveliest presentation, the ginger-snap crust doesn't do it for me at all. >165 figsfromthistle: Nothing beats ordinary pumpkin pie, nothing.

>166 quondame: well, I don't like chocolate too terribly much, so who am I to criticize the lunatic anyone who doesn't love ginger-snap crusts on their pumpkin pie.

>165 figsfromthistle: pssst you got a weird one over *gestures* be very careful no tellin' what could set 'em off & result in tragedy

>166 quondame: To each their own. I hope you enjoy your ordinary pumpkin pie when you celebrate your Thanksgiving :)

>167 richardderus: Ha ha, Richard. You can't be too careful these days.

75. Malala Yousafzai: I am Malala

Malala was 15 years old when she was shot in the head by the Taliban while travelling home on a school bus. All she wanted to do was go to school and be free to dream of a better future.

Interesting story about how Malala began to speak out against the Taliban when they took over Swat Valley and began putting massive restrictions on women's movements and basic rights. I enjoyed how fondly she speaks about her father, someone who encouraged her to stand up for what she believes in.

A lot of the beginning of the book was filled with background information about Afghanistan, and it's political policies and leaders before the Taliban. So just be aware that it is not just about her experience. I found the second half of the book more interesting as it was more about her experiences, ideas and feelings.

>169 figsfromthistle: That looks like a good book for your 75th.

Congratulations!

Congrats on hitting the goal!

>170 humouress: It was!

>171 drneutron: Thanks!

Hooray for hitting 75!

Congratulations on reaching 75!

Hi Amita my dear, Congrats on reaching 75 books read for the year so far.

Congratulations on 75 books!

Hi Anita!

>105 figsfromthistle: Murakami is definitely layers and possibilities. I’m glad you liked it.

>119 figsfromthistle: How enterprising of you! It all sounds quite wonderful, especially the cider.

>124 figsfromthistle: Apple strudel. Oh my.

>169 figsfromthistle: Congrats on 75!

>169 figsfromthistle:
Congratulations!

>173 mstrust: Thanks Jennifer :)

>174 SirThomas: Hi Thomas! Thank you.

>175 johnsimpson: Hello John. It did seem to take me longer than I expected.

>176 quondame: Thanks Susan!

>177 karenmarie: Thank you. I am looking forward to reading more Murakami.

>178 richardderus: Wow! that's big! Thank you, Richard :)

Congrats on reaching 75, Anita. I loved The Glass Hotel and am looking forward to her new one coming out next year.

>180 BLBera: Thanks, Beth :)

Congratulations, Anita!

Happy hump day!

>182 alcottacre: Thank you :)

Congrats on hitting #75, Figs! I loved I am Malala. Perfect choice.

>184 figsfromthistle: You are most welcome :)

>185 msf59: Hi Mark! It was quite an interesting story.

>186 alcottacre: :)

Anita, did you know that there is a memoir by Malala's dad? I found it very interesting, to learn his background and how a man in the society he was raised in, became such a supporter of girls and education. I think I read it last year. Let's see if I can find the title...ah, here it is: Let her Fly - A father's Journey by Ziauddin Yousafzai.

Congrats on 75, by the way. I am hoping to hit it before the year ends...

>188 jessibud2: Oh wow! I did not know that. I will have to keep my eye out for that one.

>169 figsfromthistle: Belated congratulations on reaching 75, Anita!

>190 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita! Thank you :)

76. Matthew Sullivan: Midnight At The Bright Ideas Bookstore

At the end of Lydia's shift at the bookstore, something terrible happens to a regular customer. As a result, Lydia's photo ends up in the newspaper and thus her past begins to catch up with her.

I quite enjoyed this one. Good twists, well written. Quick read.

3.3/5

>192 figsfromthistle: I think I have that one somewhere around here to read. I am going to have to look for it. Thanks for the reminder, Anita!

>192 figsfromthistle: My library had it available and I have already downloaded the ebook.
I am looking forward to reading it.
Have a wonderful Sunday, Anita.

>193 alcottacre: Your welcome :) Hope it is worth the find.

>194 SirThomas: I hope you enjoy it :)

Figs--I haven't been here in forever. My bad. I have read so many of your recent reads and feel the same way about them! In fact, since I last posted, all of them except Eddie Jaku: The Happiest Man on Earth. LOL.

Hope you enjoyed Thanksgiving and congrats on reaching the hallowed 75!!

A slightly belated congratulations on passing the 75 book mark, Anita!

>196 Berly: Hi Kim! Nice to see you here. Thanksgiving was quiet. It was a much needed break. We ended up taking a scenic fall tour ( in my car). The color change on those leaves is absolutely beautiful.

>197 ronincats: Thank you :)

Okay, I'm back among the living. That is, I no longer want to die from the booster side effects; I want to kill everyone for being so annoying, starting with my deaf-old-woman neighbor and her $$!&%&)__&%$#$ tv.

Read hearty!

>199 richardderus: Hi Richard! Glad you are feeling better. It is always best to let your neighbour live and get even with her when she ends up with the flu :)

Happy week ahead!

77. B.A. Shapiro: the Collector's Apprentice

After a financial scandal, Pauline finds herself in Paris looking for a job as an art curator. She miraculously finds a job working as a secretary for Edwin Bradley. She ends up helping him curate a "modern" art collection like no one has ever seen before.

I am on the fence about this one. There was romance, mystery, scandal and lots of scheming. Not nearly as good as the Art Forger though.

2.7/5

Anita, until I saw your review at >151 figsfromthistle:, I had not heard of this author or book. Then, I saw the book in Chapters bookstore (but I did not buy it). Then, just a few days ago, I sadly saw this: https://www.npr.org/2021/10/13/1045685012/eddie-jaku-obituary-holocaust-survivor...

78. Max Eisen: By Chance Alone

Max Eisen is a well known, prolific speaker about the Holocaust. This memoir is about how he fought to survive on a daily basis in the most horrifying conditions and how he managed to learn to live again.

Well written memoir.

>202 jessibud2: Yes, I found out a few days ago about his passing. He was quite a remarkable man.

79. Jael Richardson: Gutter Child

For most of her childhood Elimina has lived a life of privilege. She is a Mainlander, free from menial labor, worries about debt or education. Her circumstance changes, when her adoptive mother dies. She is sent to a finishing school in the Gutter where she eventually is expected to find employment to pay off her "debt".

This was well written. Lots to think about. Excellent debut for Jael Richardson and I look forward to reading her next book. Also on a side note, it would make an excellent reading choice for teenagers as well.

4/5

Hi Anita!

>192 figsfromthistle: And onto the wish list it goes!

>206 karenmarie: Hi Karen! Glad I got ya with that one :)

Happy Wednesday!!

Happy Wednesday!

>209 mstrust: Thanks, Jennifer :) Hope you had a wonderful day!

>208 figsfromthistle: Beautiful!! Happy Wednesday!

>203 figsfromthistle: Went to add that one to the BlackHole and discovered it was already there. Too bad my local library does not have a copy of it.

>205 figsfromthistle: The library does not have that one either.

Thanks for the reviews and recommendations, Anita!

>211 Berly: Hey Kim! It was a frosty one but warmed up later in the day.

>212 alcottacre: Perhaps your library will carry it later on in the year.

80. Alice Hoffman: The Rules of Magic

The Owens family come from a long line of witches. Now that Franny, Vincent and Jet are coming of age, their aunt Isabelle invites them to her home for summer break. It is here where they begin to understand who they are. Unfortunately, due to a long standing curse, they must try their best not to fall in love.

Excellent read for me.

3.8/5

Good Morning! I just discovered your thread and now you are starred.
Have a wonderful Thursday.

Nice to see you here! Hope you find something on my thread that you like :)

>214 figsfromthistle: I have read several of Alice Hoffman's books, but not that one. I will have to rectify that. Thanks, Anita!

>217 alcottacre: Hi Stasia! This novel is actually part of a series. However, if it does not bother you, it can be read as a standalone novel. :)

Oh, Alice Hoffman...the woman who, along with Marion Zimmer Bradley, can make me feel I'm actually, physiologically, growing a uterus.

>219 richardderus: * Rushes off to see who Marion Zimmer Bradley is and discovers a whole new world*

Can't believe I've just heard about her now. Thanks, Richard :)

>220 figsfromthistle: Uh-oh...now, before you dive too deep into her work, I need to make you aware of some very important issues surrounding her life.

Very. Important.

>221 richardderus: Oh My! Not good at all. Thank you for the the link. I will pass on "diving" into her work.

>222 figsfromthistle: Better to let you in on the sad truth than get your reading-teeth all set for a poisoned feast.

>223 richardderus: Indeed, Richard.

>222 figsfromthistle: While her work was extremely helpful to people around my age, that territory is now covered much better by many.

>225 quondame: Hi Susan! Hope you have a fabulous Friday !

Happy Friday, Figs! I hope you have an R & R weekend planned.

>227 msf59: Hi Mark! I shall try. I do have to work all weekend though.

>217 alcottacre: Thanks for letting me know, Anita. Being me, I will have to read them in order.

>229 alcottacre: Yes, I know certain people are picky about those type of things ;)

>230 figsfromthistle: Oh, I definitely am! I am also a completionist so not only do I have to read them all in order, but I have to own them all too.

>231 alcottacre: A double whammy. I like owning the first book in a beloved series and the latest book. That way when friends come to visit, they can borrow the first in the series right away to get them hooked to the rest :)

I don't know how I missed celebrating your passing 75, Anita, but belatedly well done.

>232 figsfromthistle: I love that strategy! Your friends will never know what hit them.

>233 PaulCranswick: No worries, Paul. You've had a lot on your mind . Thank you :)

>234 alcottacre: I also do that with non series. I keep the book by the author that I enjoyed the most and I also keep their most recent published book. I have also learned that if I lend a book, I might as well think of it as gone. Only a few of my friends ever bring them back.

Belated congrats on 75! and apologies that I am so far behind.

>232 figsfromthistle: I love your book-saving strategy, too!

>232 figsfromthistle: ...genius...eville to the rotten core, of course, but...genius

Happy Humpday!

>236 streamsong: Nice to see you here, Janet.

>237 richardderus:

Hope everyone had a great Wednesday. I saw the first snowfall of the season which took me by surprise. It won't last long ( the snow that is) and it did look quite pretty.

>239 figsfromthistle: That is a gorgeous photo!

>240 mdoris: Thanks, Mary :)

>239 figsfromthistle: Isn't it gorgeous that first time!

...the fortieth, now...

>242 richardderus: No matter how many times you see the first snow of the season, it is always nice. Just seeing it after is a whole different story ;)