Lori (lkernagh) Tries Again in 2024

"New Life... New Beginnings" Statue - photo by Kurayba - found on flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Lori (lkernagh) Tries Again in 2024

Hello everyone! For those who don't know me, I am Lori, a walking/kayaking/cycling enthusiast, bookworm, foodie 'gal' (age is a state of mind) who has happily called Vancouver Island on the west coast of British Columbia home for over 30 years. When I am not working or reading, my winter months are usually occupied with a craft project of some kind, while my spring and summer months are when I engage in my on-going attempts at container gardening.

I ended up bailing on my 75 Group thread back in 2021 (life got crazy) and did a complete pass on 2022 and 2023. I am dipping my toes back into the group for 2024. My reading lately has been a bit haphazard. I am finding I am easily distracted by shiny books or get sucked into binge reading a series that is either new to me or has been languishing on my electronic TBR pile for far too long. It is HIGHLY unlikely that I will manage to read 75 books in 2024, Just putting that out there. We will see how the year plays out. I also have a thread over at the 2024 Category Challenge, which can be found here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/356484#8334994

It is likely my visits to my own thread will be sporadic at best but I will try to post updates on my reading and reply to comments left here.

Here is hoping for a year of regeneration, health and well-being in 2024! Posters and lurkers welcome here. Thanks for stopping by!

Lovely to see you back, Lori! Happy New Year and many happy reads ahead!

Yay!!!
Lovely to see you back Lori. I have missed your presence in the group. xx

Hi, Lori. Good to see you. Happy New Year.

>1 lkernagh: LORI!! How lovely to see you back. I hope 2024's reads thrill and delight you. *smooch*

Lori, my heart is happy to see you back in the LT fold. I took a sabbatical two years ago. When I came back, I didn’t worry about posting as much. It took away from my limited reading time. I did find out that my life is richer with my LT friends in it.

Happy New Year!

Hi Lori! Happy New Year, and here's to a good one for all :) I look forward to keeping up with you and your reading this year.

Welcome back, Lori!

Happy New Year, Lori! I am SO glad to see you back!

Welcome back, Lori, and Happy New Year.

Glad to see you back, Lori, happy reading in 2024!

>2 vancouverdeb: - Hi Deb, lovely to see you here!

>3 PaulCranswick: - Hi Paul, it is great to be back. Hoping to spend a bit more time on LT than I have over the past few years.

>4 mitchma: - Hi Paula, Happy New Year to you!

>5 richardderus: - Hi Richard, thank you for the exuberant greeting! Right back at you with the *smooch*.

>6 Donna828: - Hi Donna, It so great to find lovely familiar 'faces' stopping by. I love the idea of a sabbatical and your decision to not worry about posting as much is a good one. Wishing you a Happy New Year.

>7 LovingLit: - Hi Megan, thanks for stopping by and Happy New Year wishes to you.

>8 drneutron: - Thanks Jim! It is good to be back.

>9 AMQS: - Hi Anne, great to see you stopping by and dropping a lovely star!

>10 BLBera: - Hi Beth! Thanks and Happy New Year to you!

>11 FAMeulstee: - Hi Anita! Lovely to see you here!

I hope everyone had an enjoyable New Years eve and day! I am not much of a party goer so we had a quiet evening at home to ring in the New Year. Stayed up way too late and drank a bit too much champers. Part of yesterday was spent undecorating (is that even a word???) the home. The tree is now down and our festive themed front door has been returned to its usual boring glory. Have left the outside lights up and probably won't take them down until next weekend. I enjoy seeing the lights strung along our balcony so not in a huge rush to take them down, just yet.

Starting my 2024 reading with a bit of a mixed bag (see post below).

Currently Reading or On Deck:

..

Audiobook:
The Poisoner's Ring by Kelley Armstrong - Book two in Armstrong's Rip Through Time series. I enjoyed the first book in the series, A Rip Through Time a few months back. Borrowed from my local library system.

ebook:
Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis - Reading this as a book from my TBR pile that fits the Category Challenge January PrizeCAT. I really enjoyed Main Street so I am looking forward to seeing how Babbitt compares to Main Street.

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena - Another book from my TBR Pile, this time for the Category Challenge January ScaredyKIT (Psychological Thrillers).

Physical books:
Nothing at the moment
... as always, my reading is subject to change, based on whim or some other random reason!

Happy New Year! And welcome back!

Nice to see you back again, Lori!

Happy New Year, Lori!

Good to see you back among the 75ers, Lori! A Rip Through Time is currently in my reading mix.

Hi Lori! Happy New Year, happy 2024 thread.

Good to see you here.

Dropping my star! Hope you have some great reads.

Welcome back, Lori. Happy New Year!

Hi Lori, how are you enjoying the wintery weather?

>23 Familyhistorian: It's supposed to arrive overnight or in the morning, I believe. They keep upping our estimate. The current prediction is 6-8 inches. (I'll believe it when I see it.)

>15 ChelleBearss: - Hi Chelle! Thanks for stopping by and belated Happy News Years to you.

>16 katiekrug: - Hi Katie! Lovely to be back. Thanks for stopping by!

>17 Carmenere: - Happy (belated) New Year to you, Lynda!

>18 Familyhistorian: - Hi Meg, it is good to be back! I hope you enjoy A Rip Through Time when you get around to it. ;-)

>19 karenmarie: - Happy (belated) New Year to you, Karen and thanks!

>20 thornton37814: - Thanks for the star and the visit Lori!

>21 ronincats: - Thanks Roni! Happy (belated) New Years to you!

>22 Berly: - A lovely wave of stars, Kim!

>23 Familyhistorian: - I used to joke how I moved from Alberta to BC (specifically the island) to get away from the Canadian winters. Darn Arctic blast. As much as I hate the cold (and really should not be surprised when we do get it) it wasn't nearly as bad as the cold snap my family still in Alberta have been going through. I read somewhere about the frigid temps (-35'C before wind chill) has actually been impacting some vehicle tires! I hope you made it through the worst of it (as we are now on the warming side). :)

>24 thornton37814: - It sounds like the cold weather hit most of North America, Lori. Crazy!

---------------------------------
Hard to believe we are already at the halfway mark for January, and boy was it a cold one last week in my neck of the woods! We have warmed up but still a bit cooler than typical (happily, I own ski sweaters that have been put to use, so not complaining) and we got lucky compared to other parts of North America. I hope everyone in the Northern Hemisphere is staying warm and those in the Southern Hemisphere are not experiencing any crazy heat waves or other extreme weather conditions.

Not much to report. An elderly family member (bachelor uncle) passed away last week. Long term underlying health issues so not a huge surprise but still very sad, especially as they lived alone (they did not want to move into assisted living when it was gently suggested) and it was a welfare check that made the discovery. No funeral planned (at the deceased request) so mourning is taking the form of long distance conversations filled with memories. We are born. We live. We die. Kind of stark when looked at that way, I guess.

On the reading front, I have made a bit of progress. Have finished two books! Still managing to get sucked into some TV shows. Latest (premiered last night on Acorn TV) is "Monsieur Spade" starring Clive Owen as Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade, now retired in France and finds himself investigated a grisly crime. Watched episode 1 last night and can highly recommend it! For anyone interested, here is a link to the trailer on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoRPIEtbcBM

... now for those book reviews and reading update.

Book #1 - The Poisoner's Ring by Kelley Armstrong - audiobook read by Kate Handford
Source: GVPL
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 2022
Acquisition date: N/A
Pages / Listening time: 352 pages / 14 hours, 52 minutes
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.70 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: adapted from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"Edinburgh, 1869: Modern-day homicide detective Mallory Atkinson is adjusting to her new life in Victorian Scotland and is now officially an undertaker’s assistant for her employer,Dr. Duncan Gray, who moonlights as a medical examiner. Their latest case hits close to home. Men are dropping dead from a powerful poison, and all signs point to the grieving widows... the latest of which is Gray’s oldest sister. Poison is said to be a woman’s weapon, though Mallory has to wonder if it’s as simple as that. But she must tread carefully. Every move the household makes is being watched, and who knows where the investigation will lead."

Review:
I am enjoying the books in Armstrong's Rip Through Time series (I should probably mention this is book 2 in the series). Mallory's 'voice' and observations of 19th century Scotland from a 21st century point of view is refreshing. Now that she no longer engages in subterfuge with her employers, the candid conversations (and confused questions) give this otherwise grim murder mystery a bit of sass and levity. Let's be honest, restrictive 19th century clothing really hampers one's ability to run and is just not practical if one has to engage in a bit of street fighting! I love the Edinburgh Scotland setting. Yes, some time travel purists may take issue with the freedom with which Mallory shares certain knowledge from the future with the characters that know she is 'from the future', but it is fiction so, tough toenails... I am enjoying it, I think because Mallory does not spend half the time (or any of time really) trying to get back to her time so this is more a straightforward murder mystery. As for the murder mystery itself, this was a good one. Some interesting twists and turns and enough scientific evidence to make it work. Overall, this one is really not that much different from my typical historical fiction murder mystery reading. I hope there will be more books in the series published.

Book #2 - The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell - audiobook read by full cast
Source: GVPL
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 2023
Acquisition date: N/A
Pages / Listening time: 288 pages / 8 hours, 37 minutes
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.10 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: adapted from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"very summer for the past ten years, six awe-struck bakers have descended on the grounds of Grafton, the leafy and imposing Vermont estate that is not only the filming site for 'Bake Week' but also the childhood home of the show’s famous host, celebrated baker Betsy Martin. The author of numerous bestselling cookbooks and hailed as 'America’s Grandmother,' Betsy Martin isn’t as warm off-screen as on, though no one needs to know that but her. She has always demanded perfection, and gotten it with a smile, but this year something is off. As the baking competition commences, things begin to go awry. At first, it’s merely sabotage, but when a body is discovered, everyone is a suspect."

Review:
I will start off by admitting that I borrowed the audiobook version from my local library due to a combination of story synopses and published hype (Janet Evanovich is quoted as calling this a "delicious combination of Clue meets The Great British Bake Off, while another describes it as Only Murders in the Building meets The Maid). I should have realized that hype can be just that. Not to dish this one - that was bad of me, I know - the whole food angle and a secluded creepy mansion are usually good selling features to me. I think I was put off by the multiple points of view, with short chapters giving each character their turn to tell things from their perspective. Usually I don't mind this literary style as it can lead to some interesting 'reveals' and can stretch out the suspense, but when you have to cycle through POV of eight characters, it can get a little much. Just sayin'. With the audiobook, having a full cast narrating only partially helped. In fact, I still managed to confuse two characters until I was part way through. One of the narrator's was 'over the top' in their narration (not sure if that was an accurate presentation of that character), which was a bit of a put off for me. I might have enjoyed the story more if I had read it as opposed to listening to the audiobook. Don't know for sure, but wanted to put that out there.

For a debut novel, the author has created an interesting murder mystery spin on the popularity of reality baking shows and gave this reader a couple of unexpected developments to ponder. Will I read more books by this author? Absolutely.

Currently Reading or On Deck:

..

Audiobook:
Murder at the Serpentine Bridge by Andrea Penrose - Book 6 in the Wrexford & Sloane Mystery series. I am enjoying this series and taking advantage of the audiobooks via my local library to finally 'read' the books I have had lurking on by ereader for some time now.

ebook:
Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis - I am bout 38% of the way through this one. Not sure if I can provide any initial comments at this stage. It is different from Main Street but struggling to pin down why I am not enamoured with it.

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena - Still planning on getting to this one for the January ScaredyKIT (Psychological Thrillers).

Physical books:
Nothing at the moment
... as always, my reading is subject to change, based on whim or some other random reason!

>28 lkernagh: I struggled with Babbitt, too, Lori. I know he, and Zephyr, are *meant* to be awful, but it was such a seamless job of making them awful and seemingly lacking the self awareness to know they were awful, that it took a long time for me to plow through. I still respect more than love it. You are, in short, not alone.

I am sorry to hear about your uncle, Lori.

>27 lkernagh: eight characters' POVs? I'm not sure if its that or the 'full cast' doing the audio taht puts me off more - it takes me a while to get used to a voice, so I can't really cope with chopping and changing.

The Couple Next Door sounds good. Strangely, it took me w while to see that the cover was a person; I saw the lighter shapes on each side as the main features and was wondering what it was!

>27 lkernagh: eight characters' POVs? I'm not sure if its that or the 'full cast' doing the audio taht puts me off more - it takes me a while to get used to a voice, so I can't really cope with chopping and changing.

The Couple Next Door sounds good- is that the psychological thriller? Strangely, it took me w while to see that the cover was a person; I saw the lighter shapes on each side as the main features and was wondering what it was!

It's good to have you back, Lori! I struggle to keep active on LT, too. But I've been doing well the last half a year.

I have trouble keeping multiple characters straight on audio--a problem I am currently having with my audio book by Robert Galbraith The Ink Black Heart. Also, it is WAY past my usual audio length -- over 32 hours long!! I prefer 10-12 hours. Oh well. Live and learn.

>29 richardderus: - I am so happy I am not the only one to struggle with Babbitt, Richard! Lewis really had a 'bee in his bonnet' and wrote quite the scathing satire about 1920's middle-class America with this book!

>30 AMQS: - Thank Anne. He lived a long life, but the health issues probably did not allow him to enjoy much of his last few years. I like to think he is in a better place now.

>31 LovingLit: and >32 LovingLit: - I know, right?! I don't mind three, four or even five POVs but sheesh, eight is just crazy. If your enjoy psychological thrillers, I can highly recommend The Couple Next Door, especially if you like great suspense, fantastic plot twists and not a likeable character in the bunch! ;-)

>33 The_Hibernator: - Thanks Rachel, it is great to be back, even if it's just occasionally. Real life expectations keep my reading and social media time more in check these days. Glad to learn you have been doing well.

>34 Berly: - LOL, Berly! Sounds like the Galbraith is quite the epic story based on the audio length!

--------------------------

Yes, it is safe to say that 2024 will be another year where I will make occasional visits to LT to record books read and to say hello to anyone who stops by my rather quiet thread. What can I saw.... January was a month of rather extreme weather. From a brutal cold snap to warmer than usual temps we just take it day by day. If the weather is warm enough (above 0'C), dry enough (rain is fine but not torrential downpour) and calm enough (darn those 60-80km wind gust days!) I cycle commute to the office for my 'in-office' days (hybrid worker). As famous in the news as groundhog Punxsutawney Phil is, Vancouver Island has 'Van Isle Violet', a marmot to do the groundhog day predictions. Violet saw her shadow, but as far as I am concerns, any reliable long range predictions about weather seems to be of the blindfolded dartboard variety so we just roll with it.

I did manage to complete a couple of books in January. Book reviews to follow. Wishing everyone a wonderful February!

Book #3 - Murder at the Serpentine Bridge by Andrea Penrose - audiobook read by James Cameron Stewart
Source: TBR / GVPL
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 2022
Acquisition date: N/A
Pages / Listening time: 386 pages / 11 hours, 58 minutes
Decimal/ Star rating: 2.80 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: adapted from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"Charlotte would like nothing more than a summer of peace and quiet with her unconventional family and friends. Still, some social obligations must be honored, especially with the grand Peace Celebrations unfolding throughout London to honor victory over Napoleon.

But when Lord Wrexford and their two young wards, Raven and Hawk, discover a body floating in Hyde Park's famous lake, that newfound peace looks to be at risk. The late Jeremiah Willis was the engineering genius behind a new design for a top-secret weapon, and the prototype is missing from the Royal Armory's laboratory. Wrexford is tasked with retrieving it before it falls into the wrong hands. But there are unsettling complications to the case - including a family connection.

Soon, old secrets are tangling with new betrayals, and as Charlotte and Wrexford spin through a web of international intrigue and sumptuous parties, they must race against time to save their loved ones from harm - and keep the weapon from igniting a new war . . ."

Review:
I have to be honest here. Either I have been reading the books in this series too quickly (almost back-to-back) or Penrose has penned a bit of a dud this time. Certain aspects of the story are starting to lose their charm for me. The murders, technology 'bits' and society of the time period in general continues to provide me with enough content to continue reading, but my enjoyment for the series is starting to wane. At least the quoting of Latin phrases has started to diminish in frequency (or I am blocking them out), only to be replaced with a new penchance for Wrexford and friends holding "War Councils" whenever murder happens and they need to discuss.). At least the publisher for the audiobooks has managed to keep the same reader throughout this series, and James Cameron Stewart does a rather good job, so that is a positive.

I do have a hold at the library for book 7 in the series, so we shall how that one stands up.I am not completely writing off the series at this point.

Book #4 - Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis
Source: TBR
Format: ebook
Original publication date: 1922
Acquisition date: May 2, 2019
Pages: 375 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 2.70 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the penguinrandomhouse.ca book listing webpage:

"Since the 1922 publication of Babbitt, its eponymous antihero - a prosperous real estate broker and relentless social climber inhabiting a Midwestern town called Zenith - has become a symbol of stultifying values and middle-class hypocrisy. At once a conformist and a rebel, George F. Babbitt represents an ordinary man whose life turns upside down during one of the most profound sea changes in American cultural history: the mechanization and hucksterism of the Roaring Twenties. Babbitt, his family, and his social circle are the very essence of the American Dream in all its glory and emptiness, and their story is a stirring portrait of a way of life in profound flux. Babbitt remains one of Sinclair Lewis’s most widely read novels. Contemptible and touching, frivolous and tragic, Babbitt is a rich, complex character whose legacy carries an eerie resonance to this day."

Review:
It took me the majority of the month of January to get through this one. It is not 'dry' reading. More on the strange/peculiar side. Once I understand that this was supposed to be scathing satire - Lewis taking deep digs at middle-class America as he saw it - it was a little easier to sit back and see what he has to say.

Is this Prize worthy, as in Nobel Prize worthy? I seriously think not, but it helps to learn Lewis won the 1930 Nobel Prize based on the author's entire body of work. Thank goodness. Otherwise I would have questioned the committee's judgment. As a social commentator, the author does not pull any punches. In George Babbitt, he has created what I can only describe as a farcical character (a man of exuberance and rather extreme reactions) that is hard for me to feel any empathy for. One thing that kept cropping up in my mind as I was reading is I kept visualizing the voice of George as the voice of the actor James 'Jimmy' Stewart (It's a Wonderful Life, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, etc. movie fame). Even though George is described as shorter and pudgier in build, it was Jimmy's voice I heard throughout this book. Call me crazy.

Anyways. I am happy to say I have finally read this one, removing it off my TBR pile. There are more comprehensive reviews out there about this book so I am not going to elaborate further.

Book #5 - The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena - audiobook read by Kristen Potter
Source: TBR / GVPL
Format: ebook / audiobook
Original publication date: 2016
Acquisition date: October 31, 2021
Pages / Listening time: 336 pages / 8 hours, 40 minutes
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.10 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.com book listing webpage:

"Anne and Marco Conti seem to have it all - a loving relationship, a wonderful home, and their beautiful baby, Cora. But one night, when they are at a dinner party next door, a terrible crime is committed. Suspicion immediately lands on the parents. But the truth is a much more complicated story.

Inside the curtained house, an unsettling account of what actually happened unfolds. Detective Rasbach knows that the panicked couple is hiding something. Both Anne and Marco soon discover that the other is keeping secrets, secrets they've kept for years.

What follows is the nerve-racking unraveling of a family - a chilling tale of deception, duplicity, and unfaithfulness that will keep you breathless until the final shocking twist.."

Review:
Oh, I was captivated by this one! Great suspense, fantastic plot twists and not a likeable character in the bunch. Okay, maybe one character has a chance at redemption but the rest...... no comment. Every single one of them has a secret, some just do a better job of hiding these secrets from others. Like a magician with a bottomless top hat, the author keeps pulling more surprises out, just when you think there cannot be anything else shocking to uncover. It is not hard to imagine people like these characters can exist in real life (which does not give me much comfort!), but does make for a more compelling story for this reader.

I can see by the star ratings here on LT this story has a different impact on different readers. I am in the "Love it" camp. The story can get under your skin in a very uncomfortable way and yes, I agree with some reviews that while good, there were some areas where the plot could have been tightened up and the characters expanded upon.

Overall, very happy to stumble across this one lurking on my TBR pile and I look forward to reading more of Lapena's books!

Currently Reading or On Deck:

..

Audiobook:
Not a Happy Family by Shari Lapena - I am about 2 hours into the audiobook. Just as hooked on this story as I was with my previous Lapena read, The Couple Next Door.

ebook:
Love Me If You Must by Nicole Young - A book that has been on my Kobo since 2016 and fits the February CalendarCAT (Love in title). I am a couple of chapters in. Enjoying the Victorian home restoration project (and the two romantic love interests) lead character Patricia "Tish" Amble has on her plate. Still trying to figure out the ghostly angle to this one.

Doctor Thorne by Anthony Trollope - Book three in The Barsetshire Chronicles series and a perfect fit for the February HistoryCAT (published in Georgian/Regency/Victorian Britain).

Physical books:
Nothing at the moment
... as always, my reading is subject to change, based on whim or some other random reason!

>37 lkernagh: I read Babbitt some time ago but for the life of me I can't remember what happens in it.

>37 lkernagh: All I remember about Babbitt is that it was a disappointment after Main Street.

>40 SandDune: - If it is any conciliation, Rhian, I read Main Street back in 2015 and I cannot remember what happens in that book. I am starting to wonder if Sinclair writes social commentary stories that have no discernible/memorable plot lines.

>41 kac522: - At least you are able to remember a comparison of the two books, if nothing else Kathy!

-------------------------------

Happy Superbowl Sunday to those who are watching the game and Happy relaxing Sunday wishes to everyone else. I am not a big sports fan and have never understood the attraction for the Super Bowl, even if the half time shows are reported to be pretty darn spectacular! Taking advantage of a quiet Sunday to write a couple of quick reviews for my first two February reads. Both duds I am afraid (it happens).

Reviews and currently reading update coming up.

Book #6 - Not A Happy Family by Shari Lapena - audiobook read by Ellen Archer
Source: GVPL
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 2021
Acquisition date: N/A
Listening time: 9 hours, 11 minutes
Decimal/ Star rating: 2.80 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"Brecken Hill in upstate New York is an expensive place to live. You have to be rich to have a house there, and Fred and Sheila Merton certainly are rich. But even all their money can't protect them when a killer comes to call. The Mertons are brutally murdered after a fraught Easter dinner with their three adult kids. Who, of course, are devastated.

Or are they? They each stand to inherit millions. They were never a happy family, thanks to their vindictive father and neglectful mother, but perhaps one of the siblings is more disturbed than anyone knew. Did someone snap after that dreadful evening? Or did another person appear later that night with the worst of intentions? That must be what happened. After all, if one of the family were capable of something as gruesome as this, you'd know.

Wouldn't you?"

Review:
This one was a disappointment after The Couple Next Door. We still have a bunch of unlikable characters (I am starting to think the author likes to write about characters who only appear socially acceptable on the surface!). I admit it was probably the suspense-filled adrenaline rush that made me enjoy The Couple Next Door - the race against time when an infant has been kidnapped is a bit different from this story which is more or less a straight-forward police procedural with dead bodies right at the start and two detectives grilling family members who have a nasty habit of lying or withholding information, "throwing shade" and casting suspicion at one another. Lapena gets under the skin of her characters so the story did intrigue me a bit as we watch some characters start to crumble while others start to exhibit a rather unhealthy detached emotion to what has happened. Also, there is a fair bit of vengeance and vitriol going on here. We are talking about one emotionally unhealthy family! Did I figure out "who did it/"? Yes, that was pretty easy to do.

Overall, I think I lucked in with The Couple Next Door as my first Lapena read. I will keep her other books in mind if I am in the mood for a visit to the darker side of humanity, but I am not going to binge-read my way through her books... I feel like I need to offset her stories with a bit of happy fluff and fun.

Book #7 - Love Me If You Must by Nicole Young
Source: TBR
Format: ebook
Original publication date: April 1, 2007
Acquisition date: March 2, 2016
Pages: 379
Decimal/ Star rating: 2.15 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.com book listing webpage:

"Professional renovator Tish Amble decided long ago that staying in one place is about as exciting as peeling wallpaper from plaster. So before the paint in each newly transformed home is dry, Tish is researching her next move. This time she chooses a small town in Michigan with a dilapidated Victorian that challenges her imagination. But Tish's idyllic small-town dream fizzles when she finds more in the creepy basement than what was revealed on the seller's disclosure-what looks like traces of foul play. With a hovering police officer living next door and a possible love interest just two doors down, Tish has her hands full. Will she discover the truth before it's too late?"

Review:
First book in what is currently a three book series, I am guessing I acquired my copy either as a free (or nearly free) ebook via the Kobo website, but I could be mistaken as I don't typically document where I buy/get my ebooks, just when. I have to say this is really a rather scattered story to try and make sense of. According to the author bio, she is a home restorer, so not surprising her protagonist is in that line of self-employment. What did not work for me is: the two competing love interests, the delayed explanation for Tish's criminal past (it is alluded to throughout the story, be we really do not learn the details until near the end), Tish's tendencies towards the dramatic and basically how the whole murder mystery gets solved.

This would probably be best categorized as a Christian chick-lit mystery. Overall, not my type of story. As happy as I am that I can finally mark this book as "read", I won't be continuing with the series.

Currently Reading or On Deck:

.

Audiobook:
The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry - Pulled this one from my TBR pile (another unread book on my Kobo!) as a potential fit for the February ScaredyKIT (Gothic novels), assuming the use of "Gothic" in the tags is accurate. Currently just under 2 hours in the audio version from my local library and undecided at this point what I think.

ebook:
Doctor Thorne by Anthony Trollope - Book three in The Barsetshire Chronicles series and a perfect fit for the February HistoryCAT (published in Georgian/Regency/Victorian Britain). I have not cracked this one open yet. I was kind of hoping my local library would have this one in audiobook format, but no such luck. A quick google search and I have now discovered LibriVox!

Physical books:
Nothing at the moment
... as always, my reading is subject to change, based on whim or some other random reason!

>45 lkernagh: I love Doctor Thorne. I hope you get a good audio reader. I think this one and The Last Chronicles of Barset are my favorites of the series, although they're all good.

>46 kac522: - That is good to learn, Kathy. The audiobook version of Doctor Thorne I am listening to via LibriVox is read by Nick Whitley, with an aptly English accent. :-)

I used to love Gothic novels, but haven't read one in a while.

Hi Lori! Happy February to you. For the past few years all I've managed is an occasional visit to my own thread, so I get it, and will be happy to see you whenever you come.

I listened to The Essex Serpent some years ago and I remember the narrator being quite good, though I didn't love (but did like) the book.

Now the The Barsetshire Chronicles just sound lovely. I've only read a couple and would probably need to go back and reread.

>45 lkernagh: That is an interesting pair to read together, Lori.

Have a lovely Sunday.

>48 The_Hibernator: - Rachel, it has been 'ages' since I read a Gothic novel. As you can guess by my statement, The Essex Serpent has not proven to be worthy, in my opinion, of having the 'Gothic' tag attached to it. My hunt for a Gothic novel continues. I hope all is well with you!

>49 AMQS: - Hi Anne! I know, my LT presence this year is pretty much non-existent. Yes, I also found the narrator for The Essex Serpent to be very good. Sounds like I enjoyed the story more than you did. As much as I love Trollope - he seems to be perfect balm for escape from the crazy world of today - I am finding I don't juggle between books as easily as I used to. Do we become 'one book at a time' readers as we age, although I believe it is just after a busy work day/week juggling priorities, I need the ease of just focusing one book at a time. ;)

>50 PaulCranswick: - LOL, Paul, the pairing ended up with me focusing on just one book at a time, so the Trollope is still awaiting my attention. Lovely to see you stopping by!

---------------------
My reading has slowed to a bit of a crawl. Even long weekends seem to be too packed with other things to occupy my time. Have to figure out how to make the clocks stand still or at least slow down when I want to enjoy some reading time. One book finish and a rather disjointed review coming.

Book #8 - The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry - audiobook narrated by Juanita McMahon
Source: TBR / GVPL
Format: ebook / audiobopok
Original publication date: 2016
Acquisition date: December 9, 2018
Pages: 464 pages / 14 hours, 44 minutes
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.65 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.com book listing webpage:

"London, 1893. When Cora Seaborne’s brilliant, domineering husband dies, she steps into her new life as a widow with as much relief as sadness: her marriage was an unhappy one, and she never suited the role of society wife. Seeking refuge in fresh air and open space, she leaves the metropolis for coastal Essex, accompanied by her inquisitive and obsessive eleven-year-old son, Francis, and the boy’s nanny, Martha, her fiercely protective friend.

Once there, they hear rumors that after nearly three hundred years, the mythical Essex Serpent, a fearsome creature that once roamed the marshes, has returned. When a young man is mysteriously killed on New Year’s Eve, the community’s dread transforms to terror. Cora, a keen amateur naturalist with no patience for religion or superstition, is immediately enthralled, certain that what locals think is a magical sea beast may be a previously undiscovered species.

Eager to investigate, she is introduced to parish vicar William Ransome, who is equally suspicious of the rumors but for different reasons: a man of faith, he is convinced the alarming reports are caused by moral panic, a flight from the correct and righteous path. As Cora and William attempt to discover the truth about the Essex Serpent’s existence, these seeming opposites find themselves inexorably drawn together in an intense relationship that will change both of them in ways entirely unexpected. And as they search for answers, Cora’s London past follows her to the coast, with striking consequences."

Review:
Not sure what I was expecting (some 2.0 version of Wuthering Heights or Rebecca probably), but it wasn't this. I am NOT complaining. It took me a while to get into the story, but once I was acquainted with the characters - social justice Martha, scientific-minded Cora, medical genius Luke, his faithful friend George, and the Ransome family - against the backdrop of the Essex countryside, this reader was swept away. Perry's wonderful descriptive prose brings the sights, sounds and smells to life in vivid detail. Her characters are SO human... it is easy to feel their joy, pain, frustrations and suffering, just as it is easy to understand the superstitious beliefs of the locals, a determined vicar trying to tend to his flock through theological methods and the disruptive(?) influx (via Cora and crew) of modern scientific beliefs.

I know... I am rambling. I love this story for what it represents: At a microcosm level, this is a story about love, in all its forms. While a very atmospheric story with some Gothic elements, I would not attach a "Gothic" label to this one.

Overall, a truly wonderful story and I was very happy to discover my local library has a copy of the author's book Melmoth available for borrowing. Maybe Melmoth will be worthy of the Gothic tag I see here on LT.

Currently Reading or On Deck:

.

Audiobook:
Melmoth by Sarah Perry - As noted above, I "loved" The Essex Serpent and hopeful Perry will continue to captivate me with this one.

ebook:
Doctor Thorne by Anthony Trollope - Book three in The Barsetshire Chronicles series and a perfect fit for the February HistoryCAT (published in Georgian/Regency/Victorian Britain). I STILL have not cracked this one open. what can I say, distracted by shiny books.

Physical books:
Nothing at the moment
... as always, my reading is subject to change, based on whim or some other random reason!

Happy March!! Happy reading!

Hi Lori!

>54 Berly: - Thanks Kim!

>55 The_Hibernator: - Hi Rachel!

-------------------------------
Happy Sunday, Happy end of March and Happy Easter for those who celebrate! I am gobsmacked that we are already 3-months into 2024. Where the heck does the time go??? I hope everyone in the Northern Hemisphere is starting to see signs of Spring. Cherry blossoms have been in full bloom here for a few weeks now. Daffodils are starting to wane. It was actually warm enough both mornings this weekend that we were able to sit on our balcony and enjoy our morning coffee while wearing short sleeves!

I hope everyone is keeping well. While I have not been present here on LT, I have been reading (well, listening to audiobooks, not 'reading'). New batch of book reviews below.

Book #9 - Melmoth by Sarah Perry - audiobook narrated by Jan Cramer
Source: GVPL
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: October 2018
Acquisition date: N/A
Pages / Listening time: 304 pages / 10 hours, 39 minutes
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.75 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"For centuries, the mysterious dark-robed figure has roamed the globe, searching for those whose complicity and cowardice have fed into the rapids of history’s darkest waters - and now, in Sarah Perry’s breathtaking follow-up to The Essex Serpent, it is heading in our direction.

It has been years since Helen Franklin left England. In Prague, working as a translator, she has found a home of sorts - or, at least, refuge. That changes when her friend Karel discovers a mysterious letter in the library, a strange confession and a curious warning that speaks of Melmoth the Witness, a dark legend found in obscure fairy tales and antique village lore. As such superstition has it, Melmoth travels through the ages, dooming those she persuades to join her to a damnation of timeless, itinerant solitude. To Helen it all seems the stuff of unenlightened fantasy.

But, unaware, as she wanders the cobblestone streets Helen is being watched. And then Karel disappears...."

Review:
I will start off by saying that this story is definitely more Gothic in feel than The Essex Serpent and a very different type of story. I can understand why some readers who loved The Essex Serpent are not as enamoured with Melmoth. I fall into the other camp: I feel that Melmoth is more worthy of praise. I love the rich descriptive details, the blending of story lines across time and place and the slow building tension as we learn of troubling dark secrets. Perry give readers her own spin on Gothic. As one reviewer here on LT has commented, Perry's "brand of Gothic is an existential one". This not to deter the traditional Gothic readers... more the explain how Perry brings a modern twist to the genre. To fully appreciate this story, it might be an idea to read Melmoth the Wanderer by Charles Maturin, but I feel Perry has provided enough context to give readers the requisite background on Melmoth. Personally, I knew next to nothing about the story of Melmoth and that did not deter me from becoming absorbed in the story. It is the lush, descriptive prose and the spectre of Melmoth, fluttering in the periphery that, IMO, gives this story such a deliciously creepy Gothic feel, laced with supernatural elements.

Not a book that will appeal to all (as reviews here on LT can attest), but I found it to be a near perfect blending of myth and legend with a modern examination of the fallible human condition.

Book #10 - Cocktails & Chloroform by Kelley Armstrong
Source: GVPL
Format: ebook
Original publication date: December 2023
Acquisition date: N/A
Pages: 115 pages
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.20 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.com book listing webpage:

" For modern-day detective Mallory Atkinson, being trapped in the body of Victorian housemaid means overcoming endless obstacles. Her current challenge is winning over the suspicious young parlormaid, Alice. Mallory’s plan starts with teaching the girl to make Molotov cocktails, which is a perfectly valid science experiment and not at all a desperate ploy to gain Alice’s attention. Before the lesson can begin, though, Alice receives a letter that has her slipping off in the night. Concerned for her safety - and naturally curious - Mallory follows.

Mallory finds Alice at what seems like a simple dance hall, watching young men and women flirting and whirling in pretty dresses and dapper suitcoats. But nothing here is what is seems, and what starts as a simple surveillance exercise turns into a full-scale spy mission with Mallory’s boss, Dr. Duncan Gray, at her side. Before the evening is done, those Molotov cocktails are probably going to come in handy."

Review:
I continue to enjoy Armstrong's Rip Through Time series. I am usually a tad leery of the novellas that crop up in a book series as I find some authors struggle to provide a great, cohesive story into such a small package. Usually attention to detail, plot or character development is impacted, given a lacklustre experience. Not to worry here! Armstrong gives readers a wonderful story, full of action details and plot arch to feel in keeping with the full length novels in the series.

Overall another delightful mystery adventure romp in Victorian Scotland! Even better, the next book in the series, Disturbing the Dead, has an estimated publication date of May 7, 2024. Cannot wait!

Book #11 - Murder at the Merton Library by Andrea Penrose - audiobook narrated by James Cameron Stewart
Source: GVPL
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: August 2023
Acquisition date: N/A
Pages / Listening time: 368 pages / 12 hours, 12 minutes
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.35 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: adapted from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"Responding to an urgent plea from a troubled family friend, the Earl of Wrexford journeys to Oxford only to find the reclusive university librarian has been murdered and a rare manuscript has gone missing. The only clue is that someone overheard an argument in which Wrexford’s name was mentioned.

At the same time, Charlotte must determine whether a laboratory fire was arson and if it’s connected to the race between competing consortiums to build a new type of ship - one that can cross the ocean powered by steam rather than sails - with the potential to revolutionize military power and world commerce. That the race involves new innovations in finance and entrepreneurship only adds to the high stakes - especially as their good friend Kit Sheffield may be an investor in one of the competitors.

As they delve deeper into the baffling clues, Wrexford and Charlotte begin to realize that things are not what they seem. An evil conspiracy is lurking in the shadows and threatens all they hold dear - unless they can tie the loose threads together before it’s too late . . ."

Review:
After taking a break I decided to dip back into this series. I do enjoy the interesting details about science and technology that are included in the stories. The intrigue of to what lengths some people will go to own/control new technology developments provide a lovely level of chilling suspense. This series is becoming a comfort read series for me and I do look forward to the next book in the series... I am assuming there will be a next book in the series???

Book #12 - Dirty Thirty by Janet Evanovich - audiobook narrated by Lorelei King
Source: GVPL
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: October 2023
Acquisition date: N/A
Pages / Listening time: 336 pages / 8 hours, 2 minutes
Decimal/ Star rating: 3.85 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: adapted from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"Stephanie Plum, Trenton’s hardest working, most underappreciated bounty hunter, is offered a freelance assignment that seems simple enough. Local jeweler Martin Rabner wants her to locate his former security guard, Andy Manley (a.k.a. Nutsy), who he is convinced stole a fortune in diamonds out of his safe. Stephanie is also looking for another troubled man, Duncan Dugan, a fugitive from justice arrested for robbing the same jewelry store on the same day. With her boyfriend Morelli away in Miami on police business, Morelli’s absence also means the inscrutable, irresistible security expert Ranger is front and center in Stephanie’s life when things inevitably go sideways. And he seems determined to stay there.

To complicate matters, her best friend Lula is convinced she is being stalked by a mythological demon hell-bent on relieving her of her wardrobe. An overnight stakeout with Stephanie’s mother and Grandma Mazur reveals three generations of women with nerves of steel and driving skills worthy of NASCAR champions. As the body count rises and witnesses start to disappear, it won’t be easy for Stephanie to keep herself clean when everyone else is playing dirty. It’s a good thing Stephanie isn’t afraid of getting a little dirty, too."

Review:
You all knew it was just a matter of time before I cracked this one! I love the Stephanie Plum series. It is full of zany characters, crazy situations and a lot of wise-cracking humour. A visit with Stephanie and crew is like coming home for a high school reunion and discovering some people haven't changed one bit, even if the town has. I did enjoy the jewellery heist angle. in this story. The whole mythical demon stalker angle is far fetched, but we are talking about Lula so you just have to roll with some of this stuff and wait for the explanation to eventually come. Given the 'cliff-hanger' style ending, I can only assume the next book is already in the works by our 80-years young author Evanovich!

Book #13 - An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena - audiobook narrated by Hillary Huber
Source: GVPL
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 2018
Acquisition date: N/A
Pages / Listening time: 320 pages / 8 hours, 27 minutes
Decimal/ Star rating: 4.20 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"It's winter in the Catskills and Mitchell's Inn, nestled deep in the woods, is the perfect setting for a relaxing--maybe even romantic--weekend away. It boasts spacious old rooms with huge woodburning fireplaces, a well-stocked wine cellar, and opportunities for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or just curling up with a good murder mystery.

So when the weather takes a turn for the worse, and a blizzard cuts off the electricity--and all contact with the outside world--the guests settle in for the long haul. Soon, though, one of the guests turns up dead--it looks like an accident. But when a second guest dies, they start to panic. Within the snowed-in paradise, something--or someone--is picking off the guests one by one. And there's nothing they can do but hunker down and hope they can survive the storm."

Review:
This is definitely my favourite Lapena novel so far! Nothing like being completely cut off from help in a mountain resort during an ice storm that takes out power to ratchet up the suspense. In true Lapena form, we have an interesting mix of characters and, as we learn as the weekend unfolds, some have checkered pasts. For me, this story has what I am going to call a modern Agatha Christie locked room vibe. It is as the guests interact - and try to decide who they can trust - that we learn interesting (dare I say crucial) tidbits of information. Usually I can just escape into a story. For some strange reason I cannot fathom, in the earlier part of the story - before the body count started to rise - I couldn't help but think "This would make such a perfect Inspector Colombo mystery". The places our minds take us!

Anyways, a great suspenseful murder mystery and I will continue to check out other books by the author.

Book #14 - Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives by Siddharth Kara - audiobook narrated by Peter Ganim
Source: GVPL
Format: audiobook
Original publication date: 2022
Acquisition date: N/A
Pages / Listening time: 288 pages / 11 hours, 18 minutes
Decimal/ Star rating: 5.00 out of 5 /
Book description/summary: from the amazon.ca book listing webpage:

"Cobalt Red is the searing, first-ever exposé of the immense toll taken on the people and environment of the Democratic Republic of the Congo by cobalt mining, as told through the testimonies of the Congolese people themselves. Activist and researcher Siddharth Kara has traveled deep into cobalt territory to document the testimonies of the people living, working, and dying for cobalt. To uncover the truth about brutal mining practices, Kara investigated militia-controlled mining areas, traced the supply chain of child-mined cobalt from toxic pit to consumer-facing tech giants, and gathered shocking testimonies of people who endure immense suffering and even die mining cobalt.

Cobalt is an essential component to every lithium-ion rechargeable battery made today, the batteries that power our smartphones, tablets, laptops, and electric vehicles. Roughly 75 percent of the world’s supply of cobalt is mined in the Congo, often by peasants and children in sub-human conditions. Billions of people in the world cannot conduct their daily lives without participating in a human rights and environmental catastrophe in the Congo. In this stark and crucial book, Kara argues that we must all care about what is happening in the Congo - because we are all implicated."

Review:
This was a sobering read for me. Living on the west coast of Canada, I am surrounded by environmental awareness campaigns that oil/LNG is evil and we must replace our internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles with electric vehicles (EV), blah, blah, blah. Listening to this audiobook on my rechargeable lithium battery-powered smart phone, (and now writing this review on my rechargeable lithium battery-powered laptop), I was stunned to discover just how little I knew about the role cobalt plays in today's so called "green revolution", and the devastating human toil mining cobalt has on the Congolese people. Part history lesson, part investigative journalism this book is nothing short of a gut punch to learn of the ongoing financial slavery, environmental hazards and child labour violations faced by the Congolese just trying to survive in the Copperbelt of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Sure, there have been attempts to create 'model' mines that claim better working conditions and fairer pay for artisanal miners (miners not directly employed by the large mining companies who are paid on a piece-work/per bag basis), but the author discovers time and again that this is nothing more than lip service. Even the big tech companies - Apple, Microsoft, EV car manufacturers, etc - may 'claim' the cobalt used in their products are ethically mined, but the evidence provided by Kara indicate that is far from the truth, and probably has never been the truth.

My heart bleeds with the Congolese. This is such an important book and it should be required reading for every shareholder of the mining companies operating in the DRC and the companies who use the cobalt mined in the DRC in their products. This has to change.

Currently Reading or On Deck:

..

Audiobook:
What the Dead Leave Behind by Rosemary Simpson - Why this now? I was scrolling through the local library's 'available now' digital selection and stumbled across this. Since I have had an e-book copy lurking unread on my ereader since 2019, I figured now was as good a time as any to see if I might have a new series to dive into. This is a slight departure from my usual Victorian era historical mystery reading as this series is set in New York City during the Gilded Age.

ebook:
Cobalt: Cradle of the Demon Metals, Birth of a Mining Superpower by Charlie Angus - Yes, Cobalt Red has me going down a rabbit hole, this time with a book that examines the troubled history of resource extraction in Canada. The author is a Canadian Member of Parliament I respect so I am pretty sure he will be turning over rocks and exposing issues Canadians tend to turn a blind eye to.

Doctor Thorne by Anthony Trollope - Book three in The Barsetshire Chronicles. I REALLY will get to this at some point.

Physical books:
Nothing at the moment
... as always, my reading is subject to change, based on whim or some other random reason!

>62 lkernagh: That looks like a hard book to read.

Just dropping by to wish you a lovely weekend, Lori.

>63 lkernagh: as always, my reading is subject to change, based on whim or some other random reason!
Me too! I love that sometimes I will be reaching for a book on my shelf to start reading, and my arm will deviate from its course and select an entirely different book. For some reason like the font on the spine, or the colour that grabs me....haha.