April catches up in 2024 - the First Quarter

Catch-up day? I need a catch-up year.

Hi, I am April. I joined LibraryThing in 2015 and the Category Challenge in 2018. To honor these milestones I have 6 LibraryThing created challenges and 9 personal challenges.
Instead of doing monthly reading updates, I will make one update at the end of the quarter to post my favorite books and current stats. I hope to read 170 books this year.

January 31 update. I decided to do monthly recaps instead of one quarterly to help keep me on track.

RandomKIT - hosting April

January (Early Birds) - Birds Do The Strangest Things by Leonora and Arthur Hornblow
February (Escape or Rescue) - The Elephant Girl by James Patterson and Ellen Banda-Aaku
March (World Wildlife Day) - Still Alive by Forrest Galante
April (Enchanting Garden Visitors)
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

MysteryKIT

January (short stories) - Mystery Cats edited by Cynthia Manson
February (True Unsolved Mysteries) - Murder At Teal's Pond by David Bushman
March (Historical Mysteries) - The Tale of Holly How by Susan Wittig Albert
April (Series)
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

ScaredyKIT - hosting September (Stephen King and family) and November (Things with a Bite - Vampires and Werewolves)

January (Psychological Thrillers) - The Wives by Tarryn Fisher
February (Gothic) - Greygallows by Barbara Michaels
March (True Crime) - The Trial of Lizzie Borden by Cara Robertson
April (Witches, Evil Spirits, and Black Magic)
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

CalendarCAT

January - A Chosen Destiny by Drew McIntyre - Burns Night, January 25th.
February - Uncle John's Bathroom Reader: Book of Love by The Bathroom Reader's Institute - Valentine's Day, February 14th.
March - Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe - Rob Lowe's 60th birthday, March 17th.
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

PrizeCAT

January (Long-running prizes) - The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (Newberry Award winner, 1959)
February (A prize from your own country) - The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden (Newberry Award winner, 1961)
March (A prize that's new to you) - Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman (2017 Costa Debut Novel Award)
April (Women's Writing)
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

BingoDOG

01. Featuring twins
02. Epistolary or diary
✔ 03. Featuring water - Murder At Teal's Pond
✔ 04. Written in another cultural tradition - A Man and His Cat 02 - written in the Manga fashion
✔ 05. Current or recent bestseller - The Woman In Me (number #11 on the NYT bestseller list when read)
06. Topic about which you have specific knowledge
✔ 07. Person's name in title - Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
08. Ugly cover
✔ 09. Under 100 copies on LT - Let the Snow Begin (1 copy on LT)
10. "Big" or "little" in title
11. Paper-based item in plot
12. Food or cooking
✔ 13. Read a CAT - The Elephant Girl - February RandomCAT
✔ 14. Author 65 or older - Cat Under Fire (author was 68 when book was written)
✔ 15. Short story collection - Mystery Cats
✔ 16. POC (person of color) author - Redwood Court
✔ 17. Three-word title - First Lie Wins
✔ 18. Book from LT "similar library" (listed on your profile page) - Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats (in the library of MelodyCrim)
✔ 19. Set in a city - The Wives (set in Seattle and Portland)
20. Involves warriors or mercenaries
✔ 21. Re-read a favorite book - The Witch of Blackbird Pond
✔ 22. About friendship - Before We Were Innocent
✔ 23. Takes place in multiple countries - Still Alive
24. Only title and author on cover
25. Publication year ending in 24

Kindle Challenge - Read and discard 12 books off my Kindle. Books will not count towards the challenge if they are kept.

1. Cutthroat Cupcakes by Cate Lawley read and discarded January
2. Murder At Teal's Pond by David Bushman read and discarded February
3. My Evil Mother by Margaret Atwood read and discarded in March

Book Bullet Challenge As of December 2023, I have 60 books on this list. The goal is to read one from each person (23 contributors). My top 3 contributors were JayneCM (11 books), christina_reads (6 books), and DeltaQueen50 (5 books).

1. The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O'Neill from rabbitprincess - read in January
2. Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot from DeltaQueen50 - read in January
3. A Man and His Cat 01 by Umi Sakurai from JayneCM - read in January
4. I'd Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel from cyderry - read in February
5. The Dinner by Herman Koch from VivienneR - read in February
6. Hunted by Meagan Spooner from christina_reads - read in March


2024 Book Bullets
01. Mrs March by Virginia Feito from DeltaQueen50 1/1/24
02. The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver from christina_reads 1/2/2024
03. Cackle by Rachel Harrison from sturlington 1/4/2024 read in February
04. What You Are Looking For Is In The Library by Michiko Aoyama from charl08 1/4/2024
05. Effin' Birds by Aaron Reynolds from Jackie_K 1/6/2024
06. The Book That Wouldn't Burn by Mark Lawrence from majkia 1/7/2024
07. Chouette by Claire Oshetsky from staci426 1/15/2024 - read in March
08. Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll from RidgewayGirl 1/19/2024
09. Pemberley: Mr. Darcy's Dragon by Maria Grace from JayneCM 1/22/2024
10. Beauty and the Clockwork Beast by Nancy Campbell Allen from christina_reads 1/31/2024
11. Cold Crematorium by Jozsef Debreczeni from lindapanzo 2/1/2024
12. The Fur Person by May Sarton from DeltaQueen50 2/2/2024
13. All That Is Mine I Carry With Me by William Landay from threadnsong 2/4/2024
14. Ultra-Processed People by Chris Van Tulleken from Jackie_K 2/11/2024
15. The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley from LibraryCin 2/20/2024
16. Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey from mathgirl40 3/3/2024
17. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden from DeltaQueen50 3/6/2024
18. Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge from christina_reads 3/7/2024
19. Don't Point That Thing At Me by Kyril Bonfiglioli from mstrust 3/25/2024

Reese's Book Club Challenge I joined Reese's book club last year. The books were an average of 4 stars, so I am continuing the challenge. I get all the books from my library, so they are not necessarily read in order. I also want to read at least 3 books from the years before I joined the club.

✔ December 2023 - Before We Were Innocent by Ella Berman read in January
✔ January 2024 - First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston read in January
✔ February 2024 - Redwood Court by Delana R.A. Dameron read in March
March 2024 - Anita De Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez

Books read from previous selections
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman the first ever pick in May 2017 - read in March

Read all the books challenge I am reading books by two of my favorite authors in publication order. I hope to read at least 3 per author.

Stephen King
1. Carrie
2. 'Salem's Lot
3. The Shining

John Grisham
1. A Time To Kill
2. The Firm
3. The Pelican Brief

Let's finish the series challenge I am focusing on finishing these 3 series this year.

Alex Cross series by James Patterson
Alex Cross's Trial read in January
I, Alex Cross - read in March
Cross Fire
Kill Alex Cross
Alex Cross, Run
Merry Christmas, Alex Cross
Cross My Heart
Hope To Die
Cross Justice
Cross Kill (Bookshot)
Cross the Line
Detective Cross (Bookshot)
The People vs. Alex Cross
Target: Alex Cross
Criss Cross
Deadly Cross
Fear No Evil
Triple Cross
Cross Down
Alex Cross Must Die

Original Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters
Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse
Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth
Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian

Robert Langdon series by Dan Brown
Inferno
Origin

It's a purrfect time to read a mystery challenge I have so many of cat cozy mystery series started. I hope to make progress in several of them.

FINISH THE SERIES
A Bad Luck Cat Mystery by Kay Finch
Black Cat Crossing #1
The Black Cat Knocks On Wood #2
The Black Cat Steps On A Crack #4

Deep Dish Mysteries by Mindy Quigley
Ashes To Ashes, Crust To Crust #2
Public Anchovy #1 #3

Sassy Cat Mysteries by Jennifer J Chow
Mimi Lee Reads Between The Lines #2
Mimi Lee Cracks The Code #3

Witch Way Librarian Mysteries by Angela M Sanders
Seven-Year Witch #2 read in January
Witch and Famous #3
Witch Upon A Star #4

READ AT LEAST TWO MORE BOOKS IN EACH SERIES
Cat in the Stacks Mystery by Miranda James
Out Of Circulation #4
The Silence of the Library #5

Joe Grey by Shirley Rosseau Murphy
Cat Under Fire #2 read in January
Cat Raise The Dead #3

A Second Chance Cat Mystery by Sofie Ryan
A Whisker Of Trouble #3 read in February
Two Tall Tails #3.5

A Magical Cats Mystery by Sofie Kelly
Copycat Killing #3
Cat Trick #4

Just read the Thing already challenge This challenge is for all my SantaThing and Thingaversary (April 7th, 2015) books. I really need to get them read.

2023 SANTATHING GIFTS
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
Skyward by Brandon Sanderson

UNREAD SANTATHING GIFTS FROM PREVIOUS YEARS
The Crime That Binds by Laurie Cass (2022)
Getaway With Murder by Diane Kelly (2022)
Ghost of a Chance by Simon R Green (2018)
Heist Society by Ally Carter (2016)
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara (2017)
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs (2016)
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin (2017)
A Trip With Trouble by Diane Kelly (2022)

UNREAD THINGAVERSARY BOOKS
All Around Town by Mary Higgins Clark (2021)
The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden (2023) - read in February
Mimi Lee Reads Between the Lines by Jennifer J Chow (2023)
The Secrets of Dumbledore by J.K. Rowling (2023)
Seven-Year Witch by Angela M Sanders (2023) read in January
What the Cat Saw by Carolyn Hart (2022)
A Whisker of Trouble by Sofie Ryan (2023) read in February
The Wives by Tarryn Fisher (2023) read in January
Wolves of the Beyond: Lone Wolf by Kathryn Lasky (2022)

2024 THINGAVERSARY BOOKS --- COMING APRIL 2024

Read the books as they come through the door challenge This challenge is to help me lower my purchases and to read my new books as I receive them. The only books that can be bought and not counted for this challenge are the library book sales that I attend. All other books given or bought will need to be read this year.

CHRISTMAS 2023 GIFTS
Answers in the Form of Questions by Claire McNear
Being Henry by Henry Winkler
Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Clever, Curious Caring Cat by Amy Newmark
The Elephant Girl by James Patterson and Ellen Banda-Aaku - read in February
Miss Peregrine's Museum of Wonders by Ransom Riggs
The Pursuit of Grouchiness by Oscar the Grouch - read in February

BIRTHDAY 2024 GIFTS - COMING MARCH 2024
Cat About Town by Cate Conte
How To Train Your Humans by Winston and Joey
The Running Grave by Robert Galbraith

PURCHASES 2024
Let the Snow Begin! by Bill Gray (1/2/2024) read in January
The Twelve Topsy-Turvy Very Messy Days of Christmas by James Patterson and Tad Safran (1/29/24)
Cross The Line by James Patterson (1/29/24)
A Man and His Cat 01 by Umi Sakurai (2/7/2024) read in January
A Man and His Cat 02 by Umi Sakurai (2/7/2024) read in February
Lars the Awkward Yeti Volume 1 by Nick Seluk (3/12/2024) read in March
Public Anchovy #1 by Mindy Quigley (3/12/2024)

KINDLE PURCHASES 2024
Tea Is For Trouble by Karen Sue Walker (3/25/2024)

AMAZON PRIME FREE READS (My Amazon Prime membership allows me to receive one (special times two) book a month for free)
January - Almost Surely Dead by Amina Akhtar
January - Last Night by Luanne Rice
February - The Canopy Keepers by Veronica G Henry
March - What Is Love? by Jen Comfort
March - Lovers At The Museum by Isabel Allende read in March

Pick a book, any book challenge I have 6 bookcases that are full of unread books. I hope to read 2 per bookcase. These books will not be books chosen for the monthly challenges. On the 24th of each month, I will pick the 24th unread book on the shelf (from the top for the first 6 months and the bottom for the final 6 months). By the roll of the dice, the first 6 months shelf order is (case 5, case 1, case 6, case 3, case 4, and case 2) I will roll the dice again in July for the remaining case order.

January (case 5, book 24) The Presence by John Saul - read in February
February (case 1 book 24) Mysterious Menagerie by Cynthia Manson - read in March
March (case 6 book 24) Emma's Secret by Barbara Taylor Bradford

JANUARY


Thanks for visiting. Grab a treat and make yourself at home. I hope to be a more responsive and gracious host this year.

There are some excellent memes there! I kept thinking I must remember the post number so I could tell you it was my favourite, and then I'd see the next one, and, well, you know!

Great illustrations! They’re all worth a second or even a third look.

Ooh, snacks! Also, I'm very flattered to be among those shooting book bullets your way -- I hope I don't lead you astray!

Happy reading in 2024! I do like the idea of quarterly updates.

Oh, and the meme in >8 lowelibrary: is especially lovely!

>19 Jackie_K: and >20 hailelib: Thank you. I even find myself scrolling back and enjoying them again.
>21 christina_reads: I have already received a 2024 bullet from you for The Two Lives of Lydia Bird.
>22 MissBrangwen: Thank you and happy reading to you. I found myself getting lost looking for my monthly updates in the threads last year.

All threads have been updated and challenge books selected for January.

Happy new year, April.
Your organisation for an catch up year is something else! Hoping it goes to plan.
Looking forward to seeing where it takes you.

Happy New Year--I love the concept of your challenge! I'd need a few years lol. And what great pictures--especially the cats :)

>2 lowelibrary: Awww what a handsome kitty sitting on the book pile! My cousin has always had orange cats so I have a soft spot for them :) Have a great reading year!

>24 Helenliz: Thank you. The organizing was the easy part. The hard part will be getting it all read.
>25 whitewavedarling: Happy New Year to you also. This catch-up year will only put a dent in things, but it is a start in the right direction.
>26 rabbitprincess: Wishing you a great reading year, also. I didn't do kitties last year and missed them terribly.

Happy new year! I hope you have a great reading year and meet all the goals you've set for yourself!

>12 lowelibrary: I think that meme is the reason I don't like finishing series. I would miss my favourite characters too much! Although it is lucky I enjoy rereading. :)

>28 cbl_tn: Thank you. Happy New Year to you also.
>29 JayneCM: I don't mind having a series end as much as a series having a definitive ending and then the author deciding to expand the series.

Hope you have a good year of reading. I'm envious that you only have 60 BBs on your list. Mine is over 400. So I should have years of good reading ahead of me.

>18 lowelibrary: - I did a dessert charcuterie board for a New Year's Eve party we went to and forgot to take a picture.

>31 dudes22: Thank you. I only started tracking my BBs in 2022. I don't do parties, New Year's Eve was a good book and a sub sandwich.

No category since this book was started last year.


1. Fifty Animal Stories of Saint Francis ★★½

Almost everyone knows that St. Francis of Assisi loved animals and once preached a sermon to the birds and tamed a fierce wolf. But how many of us have read all the other delightful stories about St. Francis and the spiders, the pigs, the air-cooling swallows, the nightingale, the alarm-clock falcon, and the mischievous crow?
Most of these stories have been found in early Franciscan writings that were recorded by the Saint's companions and retold for hundreds of years.

While the stories are enlightening, I found the writing to be too plain and boring for my tastes.

>7 lowelibrary: BingoDOG - under 100 copies on LT - I have the only cataloged copy
>15 lowelibrary: Read the books as they come through the door


2. Let the Snow Begin! by Bill Gray ★★★★★

It's Christmastime, but the local snowpeople have gotten caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays - that is, until one magical snowman rides into town with his piano and pal to spread music and cheer to all.

2023 was the 20th anniversary of the Hallmark Snowman collection. This companion book serves as a reminder to stop and remember the joys of Christmas instead of being lost in the Christmas rush. The bright, colorful, and whimsical illustrations by Ramon Olivera make the story even more enjoyable.

I have gone back and corrected all the links. I hate when a link goes to the wrong book and apologize that I did not catch this when originally posting my thread.

I love your "CAT-egories."

>18 lowelibrary: As I reach for chocolate!

>36 thornton37814: Thank you, I missed my "CAT" photos last year and had to include them again. Help yourself to all the chocolate you want, it is calorie-free here.

>9 lowelibrary: Book Bullet challenge - Bullet from rabbitprincess


3. The Tea Dragon Society by Kay O'Neill ★★★★

A charming fairy tale about Greta, an adventurous blacksmith apprentice, and the people she meets as she becomes entwined in the enchanting world of Tea Dragons. After discovering a lost Tea Dragon in the marketplace, Greta learns about the dying art of Tea Dragon caretaking from the kind tea shop owners, Hesekiel and Erik. As she befriends them and their shy ward, Minette, Greta sees how the craft enriches their lives - and eventually her own.

5 stars for the Tea Dragons themselves and the illustrations. I could look through the book all day just admiring them. The story itself is written in graphic novel form (which I am not a fan of). However, this beautiful tale is simple and well-written for its target audience. This book was originally a web-comic (free to read) on the site, https://teadragonsociety.com, which also has more information on the Tea Dragons and their history.

>2 lowelibrary: RandomKIT - Early Birds


4. Birds Do The Strangest Things by Leonora and Arthur Hornblow ★★★

This book describes 22 birds with strange habits or characteristics.

This book is aimed at beginner readers and contains interesting facts about birds. I will be passing it on to my grandson since he likes to read and learn.

>38 lowelibrary: I finished the trilogy last year and they are all charming and beautiful. The second was my least favourite but I still loved it. I also read Aquicorn Cove by the same author and loved it too. The artwork is just stunning.

Great categories and great pictures. I lost my heart to >7 lowelibrary:. Bulldogs just make me smile.

>40 JayneCM: I will be getting the remaining books, if only for the illustrations. I will have to look into Aquicorn Cove after I complete the Tea Dragon Society.

>41 DeltaQueen50: I lost my heart to that pic also. We used to own an English Bulldog when my son was young.

Happy New Year, April, and thanks for all the cat pictures!

>43 MissWatson: You're welcome and Happy New Year to you.

Good luck with your 2024 reading!

>45 Tess_W: Thank you.

Love the cate memes! And the idea of having a category for book bullets... thinking maybe I should prioritise those in my TBR too...

Happy reading in 2024!

>47 bookworm3091: Thank you. I love cat memes. My book bullet list was getting out of control and I hadn't read any of them so I decided to prioritize them.

>8 lowelibrary: Kindle challenge


5. Cutthroat Cupcakes by Cate Lawley ★½

Seems improbable to Lina, but when an attractive detective snaps cuffs on her and accuses her of witchy crimes she's forced to reconsider. The murder weapon? A cupcake topper sold in Lina's shop, Sticky, Tricky Treats. The method? A killing curse. The curse's origin? Lina...sort of. Lina hadn't a clue that she was a witch and certainly didn't know she'd accidentally cursed some of her confections. She's got to catch the killer who used her magic to murder or possibly face a conviction as an accessory. Now, if only the wizard detective assigned to the case weren't such a distraction.

This book started with the above synopsis and slowly got worse. One: we need a witch who doesn't know she is a witch to recognize who used her magic. Two: let's create a killer who is never mentioned as a suspect until we decide they are the killer. Three: Let said killer summon her dead mother to kill her again. I am ashamed to say I kept reading to see if it made sense or improved.

>49 lowelibrary: oh deary deary me. A no from me.

>50 Helenliz: If I can save someone else's time from this series, then my reading was not a total waste.

>49 lowelibrary: Nothing wrong with being hopeful that a book might improve. But sorry it didn't in this case.

I'm very flattered to be listed >09 Hope you like it if you get to it!

Good luck with the Book Shelf and Kindle Challenges. I hope all the contenders are much better than >49 lowelibrary:!

>3 lowelibrary: MysteryKIT - short stories
>7 lowelibrary: BingoDOG - short story collection


6. Mystery Cats edited by Cynthia Manson ★★★★½

This murderously entertaining collection assembles 16 purr-fect tales of crime and cats by some of today's best mystery writers.

These stories all put cats as the main characters, either as the victim, the detective, or the antagonist. The best stories were The Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe, Long Live The Queen by Ruth Rendell, and The Lady Wore Black by Hugh B Cave.

>49 lowelibrary: It is hard to sift through all these witchy mysteries on Kindle - SO many of them! Thanks for the tip to avoid this one.

>52 charl08: I don't think I have ever not finished a book, no matter how bad it was. The BB I took from you is available from my local library, so I hope to read it soon.
>53 pamelad: Thank you. I also hope that is the only stinker of the year.
>55 JayneCM: I think I have about 30 of them on my Kindle to sort through.

>54 lowelibrary: Looks interesting. Adding to my list :)

>57 bookworm3091: Hope you enjoy it.

>7 lowelibrary: BingoDOG - three-word title
>10 lowelibrary: Reese's Book Club -January 2024 pick


7. First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston ★★★★½

Evie Porter has everything a nice, Southern girl could want: a perfect, doting boyfriend, a house with a white picket fence and garden, and a fancy group of friends. The only catch: Evie Porter doesn't exist. The identity comes first: Evie Porter. Once she's given a name and location by her mysterious boss Mr. Smith, she learns everything there is to know about the town. Then the mark: Ryan Sumner. The last piece of the puzzle is the job. Evie isn't privy to Mr. Smith's real identity, but she knows this job will be different. Ryan has gotten under her skin, and she's starting to envision a different life for herself. But Evie can't make any mistakes--especially after what happened last time. Because the one thing she'd worked her entire life to keep clean, the one identity she could always go back to (her real identity) just walked right into this town. Evie Porter must stay one step ahead of her past while making sure there's still a future in front of her. The stakes couldn't be higher--but then, Evie has always liked a challenge.

A well-written thriller that draws you into the characters before the twists begin. The story uses flashbacks to fill in the missing pieces as the story unfolds in real-time. I really enjoyed the book, but took away a 1/2 star, because I didn't agree with the ending.

>2 lowelibrary: Sadly, in my case reading didn't make me taller. Your pics are fabulous!

Happy reading in 2024.

>60 VivienneR: Thank you. I am not tall by any standard, however, neither of my sisters reads as much as I do, and I am taller than them.

>4 lowelibrary: MysteryKIT - Psychological Thrillers
>7 lowelibrary: BingoDOG -set in a city (Seattle and Portland)
>14 lowelibrary: Just read the THING challenge - Unread Thingaversary book


8. The Wives by Tarryn Fisher ★★★★★

Imagine that your husband has two other wives. You’ve never met the other wives. None of you know each other, and because of this unconventional arrangement, you can see your husband only one day a week. But you love him so much you don’t care. Or at least that’s what you’ve told yourself. But one day, while you’re doing laundry, you find a scrap of paper in his pocket—an appointment reminder for a woman named Hannah, and you just know it’s another of the wives. You thought you were fine with your arrangement, but you can’t help yourself: you track her down, and, under false pretenses, you strike up a friendship. Hannah has no idea who you really are. Then Hannah starts showing up to your coffee dates with telltale bruises, and you realize she’s being abused by her husband. Who, of course, is also your husband. But you’ve never known him to be violent, ever. Who exactly is your husband, and how far would you be willing to go to find out? And who is his mysterious third wife?

This book is so good like Gone Girl good. Thriller, check. Psychological, double-check. Written from the perspective of one of the wives, the story draws you immediately in, so that you are unexpectedly jolted when the direction of the book changes. You then start to question everything you know about the story and the characters, only for the author to slap you with the ending. I recommend this book to all women. What would you do if this was you?

Hello! Just getting around to visiting threads. Love all of the memes, especially the kitty ones. I really like the idea of your book bullet challenge. I keep making a list of them but have been ignoring them trying to focus on books I already own. Might have to borrow this idea for next year. Especially since I just got three new ones from this thread!

>62 lowelibrary: Another book bullet for me

>63 staci426: Welcome. I decided on this challenge because I was getting overwhelmed with my bullet list. It looks like not much of a dent will be made since I planned on reading 23 of them and already have 6 new ones from this year.

>64 bookworm3091: Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Once the book got going, I was reading all night until my eyes refused to open any longer.

>65 lowelibrary: Yes, it will probably be a never-ending challenge, especially in this group, everyone keeps reading such great sounding books!

>66 staci426: I hope to at least break even by the end of the year.

>7 lowelibrary: BingoDOG - a book from an LT "similar library" - one of the 485 books I share with MelodyCrim (100 most similar libraries)
>9 lowelibrary: Book Bullet challenge - Bullet from DeltaQueen50


9. Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot ★★★½

Cats! Some are sane, and some are mad.
Some are good, and some are bad . . .
The whimsical 1982 illustrations by Edward Gorey showcase this beautiful edition, perfect for children and Eliot aficionados alike. These lovable cat poems were written by T. S. Eliot for his godchildren and continue to delight children and grown-ups. The collection inspired the musical Cats!, and features Macavity, Mr Mistofelees, and Growltiger!

This was my first time reading T.S. Eliot. I found the poems amusing, but my cats enjoyed them more.

>5 lowelibrary: CalendarCAT - January 25th (Burns Night)


10. A Chosen Destiny by Drew McIntyre ★★★½

From a young age, Drew McIntyre dreamed of becoming a WWE Champion. He trained and paid his dues with his parents' support, proving himself to tiny crowds in the UK’s Butlin's circuit. At age twenty-two, McIntyre made his WWE debut and was touted by none other than WWE Chairman Vince McMahon as “The Chosen One” who would lead WWE into the future. With his destiny in the palms of his hands, Drew watched it all slip through his fingers. Via a series of ill-advised choices and family tragedy, Drew’s life and career spiraled. As a surefire champ, he struggled under the pressure of expectations and was fired from the company. But the WWE Universe had not seen the last of this promising athlete. Facing a crossroads, the powerful Scotsman set a course to show the world the real Drew McIntyre. This is a story of grit, courage, and determination as a fallen Superstar discovers who he truly is and storms back to reclaim his dream.

This book focuses on Drew's wrestling history and career, touching on his childhood and only brushing on other personal parts of his life. It is a good book for fans of Drew and/or the ups and downs of the wrestling life. Not written for the general public to enjoy, this book is aimed at a focused audience.

I chose this for CalendarCAT since Drew McIntyre was born and raised in Ayr, Scotland, the birthplace of Robert Burns. This was my first time trying an audiobook (as I read along) since Drew himself reads the story. Not sure if audiobooks are for me since the reading pace is so much slower, but it was enjoyable listening to Drew's Scottish accent.

>62 lowelibrary: My favorite sub-genre. On my WL is goes!

>70 Tess_W: It was sooo good. I hope you enjoy it.

>6 lowelibrary: PrizeCAT - long-running prize (Newberry Award 1959)
>7 lowelibrary: BingoDOG Re-read a favorite book


11. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare ★★★★

Orphaned Kit Tyler knows, as she gazes for the first time at the cold, bleak shores of Connecticut Colony, that her new home will never be like the shimmering Caribbean islands she left behind. In her relatives' stern Puritan community, she feels like a tropical bird that has flown to the wrong part of the world, a bird that is now caged and lonely. The only place where Kit feels completely free is in the meadows, where she enjoys the company of the old Quaker woman known as the Witch of Blackbird Pond, and on occasion, her young sailor friend, Nat. But when Kit's friendship with the "witch" is discovered, Kit is faced with suspicion, fear, and anger. She herself is accused of witchcraft.

This was one of my favorite books when I was in school. While the book was nothing like I remembered, it was still highly enjoyable.

>72 lowelibrary: While the book was nothing like I remembered, it was still highly enjoyable. Isn't memory fickle? At least it wasn't a crashing disappointment, that's the worst outcome of revisiting a favourite book.

Hello, April! I love your memes. I think it is clever of you to focus on finishing three series - I should do that.

>73 Helenliz: SO true.

>73 Helenliz: I remembered the witchcraft allegation being a much bigger part of the plot than it was. Instead it is a more of a fish out of water story. It has been at least 40 years since I read it.

>74 Crazymamie: Thank you and welcome to the party. There will be monthly snacks provided.

>72 lowelibrary: One of my childhood favorite books as well!

>75 lowelibrary: I also did a re-read of this book last year and thought the very same thing....that the witchcraft focus was more reduced than I had remembered.

>76 christina_reads: >77 Tess_W: I am happy that others have fond memories of this book. I also have Island of the Blue Dolphins on my re-read list.

Last year I re-read 1984 by George Orwell for a challenge (re-read a book you hated in high school) and enjoyed it. So, since I have an omnibus of Orwell's novels and I have never read any other of his stories, I am reading one a month. I will count the book in my reading total when I finish the last story.

This month's story was Animal Farm ★★★★

The animals of Mr. Jones's Manor Farm are overworked, mistreated, and desperately seeking a reprieve. In their quest to create an idyllic society where justice and equality reign, the animals of Manor Farm revolt against their human rulers, establishing the democratic Animal Farm under the credo, "All Animals Are Created Equal." Out of their cleverness, the pigs Napoleon, Squealer, and Snowball emerge as new community leaders. In a development of insidious familiarity, the pigs begin to assume ever greater amounts of power, while other animals, especially the faithful horse Boxer, assume more of the work. The story's climax is the brutal betrayal of Boxer when totalitarian rule is reestablished with the bloodstained postscript to the founding slogan: "But Some Animals Are More Equal than Others."

I found this story to be well-written and a great description of how the hierarchy takes over (sometimes even with the support of the oppressed). While I understand the book was written about the Russian Revolution, I feel that it could serve as a warning to the current American political situation. This often-banned book should be a must-read.

>12 lowelibrary: Let's finish the series challenge - Alex Cross


12. Alex Cross's Trial by James Patterson and Richard DiLallo ★★★★★

Alex Cross tells the incredible story - passed down through generations - of an ancestor's courageous fight for freedom. From his grandmother, Alex Cross has heard the story of his great-uncle Abraham and his struggles for survival in the era of the Ku Klux Klan. Now, Alex passes the family tale along to his children in a novel he's written - a novel called Trial. A lawyer in early-1900s Washington, D.C., Ben Corbett fights against oppression and racism and risks his family and his life in the process. When President Theodore Roosevelt asks him to return to his hometown to investigate rumors of the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan there, he cannot refuse. In Eudora, Mississippi, Ben meets the wise Abraham Cross and his beautiful granddaughter, Moody. With their help, Ben discovers that lynchings have become commonplace. He vows to break the reign of terror - but the truth of who is really behind the killings may break his heart.

While not a part of the actual Alex Cross series, this companion book is a fabulous read. The book can be enjoyed as part of the series or as a stand-alone. This historical thriller, Trial written by Alex Cross, tells the story of the lynching era in Mississippi. This is a great story although it does not pull punches about the reality of the time and is pretty graphic in its descriptions of the lynchings. I recommend this to anyone who wants to know more about race relations in the South at the turn of the century. I lived in Pike County, Mississippi in the 1990s and can tell you a lot of the sentiments of the book were still true then.

>79 lowelibrary: I use this book each year when I teach world history! One of my favs. The students "hate" it while reading it. However, when they have finished, somehow the "magic" does it work and they like it!

>81 Tess_W: I enjoyed it while reading it, although I did have to stop at some points and process what I had read.

>7 lowelibrary: BingoDOG - about friendship
>10 lowelibrary: Reese's Book Club -December 2023 pick


13. Before We Were Innocent by Ella Berman ★★

A summer in Greece for three best friends ends in the unthinkable when only two return home. . . .Ten years ago, after a sun-soaked summer spent in Greece, best friends Bess and Joni were cleared of having any involvement in their friend Evangeline’s death. But that didn’t stop the media from ripping apart their teenage lives like vultures. While the girls were never convicted, Joni, ever the opportunist, capitalized on her newfound infamy to become a motivational speaker. Bess, on the other hand, resolved to make her life as small and controlled as possible so she wouldn’t risk losing everything all over again. And it almost worked. . . . Except now Joni needs a favor, and when she turns up at her old friend's doorstep asking for an alibi, Bess has no choice but to say yes. She still owes her. But as the two friends try desperately to shake off their past, they have to face reality. Can you ever be an innocent woman when everyone wants you to be guilty?

I found it hard to enjoy this book since I could not garner any sympathy for the characters. The girls struck me as the kind you see on reality TV, rich and privileged. Even 10 years later, I did not like any of the characters and did not care what happened to them. Even an ending that allows the reader to reach their own conclusion, did not save the book.

>9 lowelibrary: Book Bullet Challenge bullet from JayneCM


14. A Man and His Cat 01 by Umi Sakurai ★★★★★

A kitten languishes in a pet shop, unwanted and unloved. Even as his price drops with each passing day, no one spares him a glance unless it’s to call him names. Having practically given up on life, the kitty himself is most shocked of all when an older gentleman comes into the store and wants to take him home! Will the man and the cat find what they’re looking for...in each other?

I read this manga on Kindle as a library loan and immediately ordered a physical copy for myself. I may have also ordered the second one. I loved the story and read it twice in a row. The book brought back memories of when my rescue baby came home. The unease and insecurities of an older cat who no one wanted. Highly recommended to all cat lovers.

>13 lowelibrary: It's a purrfect time to read a mystery challenge - finish the series Witch Way Librarian
>14 lowelibrary: Just read the Thing already challenge - Unread Thingaversary books


15. Seven-Year Witch by Angela M.Sanders ★★★★

While Josie develops her witchcraft with the help of letters left by her grandmother, other changes are happening in her new hometown. A retreat center is being built at the old mill site, and rumor is that the location is cursed. That piques Josie's interest almost as much as Sam Wilfred, handsome FBI agent and descendent of the town's founder... When Sam's soon-to-be ex-wife, Fiona, goes missing at the same time that a bloodied weapon is found, Josie enlists her witchy insight, and her cat familiar, to clear Sam's name. But then the mill project's architect is found dead, and it's clear that someone has been drawing up a vicious plan. Josie will have to divine her way out of fatal mischief before this deadly trouble turns double...

The second book in the series was better than the first. This cozy mystery series includes my favorite things: cats, books, and witches. The premise is simple with well-liked characters, even if I guessed the killer halfway through the book, I still enjoyed waiting on Josie to figure it out.

"I'd always loved books, but it wasn't until my magic opened up that I understood how much books loved us. Their pages craved touch, and they were happiest in a person's hands as they poured out their stories. The books on my nightstand almost purred as I walked by them. When I pulled a volume from the library's shelves, it sighed in delight."

>84 lowelibrary: This sounds like one my daughters and I would love - onto The List it goes!

>85 lowelibrary: Sounds fun! Adding it to my wishlist!

>86 Crazymamie: It is very well written, and manga is not one of my favorite genres.
>87 bookworm3091: The first book is Bait and Witch. It introduces all the characters in the series and sets up how Josie discovers her abilities. I gave the first book a 3 1/2 star rating.

>7 lowelibrary: BingoDOG - author 65 or older -author was 68 when the book was written
>13 lowelibrary: It's a purrfect time to read a mystery challenge - continue the series Joe Grey


16. Cat Under Fire by Shirley Rousseau Murphy ★★★★

A big, powerful, gray feline, Joe Grey is perfectly content with his remarkable ability to understand and communicate with humans - especially now that he has company. A mysterious accident similar to the one that enabled him to speak and read has transformed his friend Dulcie as well. The trouble is, the cute tabby female not only hears human words, she believes them. Now she's convinced the man who was jailed for murdering a famous local artist and burning down her studio is innocent - simply because he says so - and she's willing to do whatever it takes to dig up the evidence that will exonerate the accused. Joe would much prefer just lazing around the house doing kitty things, but the lady cat is determined. And Joe must admit that he is curious...though everyone knows what that can lead to!

This second book in the series reminded me of how entertaining Joe Grey and Dulcie can be while they solve crimes and anonymously inform the police of the clues and criminals.

JANUARY RECAP

I will not finish any more books this evening. I am currently reading my Pick a Book selection for January (>16 lowelibrary:) The Presence by John Saul

Note: I changed my mind about one quarterly update as posted in >1 lowelibrary: and decided to do monthly recaps instead. This will keep me organized and focused.

I read 16 books in January - 1 Kindle, 3 library loans, and 12 from my shelves. I discarded 1 Kindle and 2 physical books.

I read 3 book bullets but added 9 more to the list. See >9 lowelibrary: for the list of 2024 bullets.

I added 2 Kindle and 3 physical books this month and read 1 of them. See >15 lowelibrary: for the new additions.

I filled 8 Bingo squares this month.

This month's books (in alphabetical order)
★★★★★
Alex Cross's Trial
Let The Snow Begin
A Man and His Cat 01
The Wives
★★★★½
First Lie Wins
Mystery Cats
★★★★
Cat Under Fire
Seven-Year Witch
The Tea Dragon Society
The Witch of Blackbird Pond
★★★½
A Chosen Destiny
Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats
★★★
Birds Do The Strangest Things
★★½
Fifty Animal Stories of Saint Francis
★★
Before We Were Innocent
★½
Cutthroat Cupcakes

FEBRUARY


Welcome to February. Grab a treat and enjoy the reviews. This month I am looking forward to the Oklahoma City Friends of the Library sale (23rd through 25th). This will be the largest book sale I attend this year.

>91 lowelibrary: Yum!

All three of the cat books look good, like I need three new series. Or new chocolate, for that matter... On an unrelated note, there's a Ghirardelli shop not far from here, and that strawberry bark looks good :)

>91 lowelibrary: - Nice picture. What a great way to celebrate February.

The two cat series look interesting and my library does have some of the Joe Gray series.

>92 DeltaQueen50:, >93 antqueen:, >94 dudes22: Glad you enjoyed the treats and thanks for stopping in again.
>93 antqueen:, >95 hailelib: I recommend reading the first Joe Grey book Cat On The Edge, it will explain all about Joe and Dulcie and their unique abilities. I had read a previous book first and while it was enjoyable, it did not make a lot of sense until I read the first book.

Love your memes! Especially the cat memes!

And great categories as well. I think I did something similar a while back regarding book bullets - although I had no illusions that I would actually reduce the total number of book bullets I had! I think that I should definitely re-visit a category like that where I at least attempt to read some of the book bullets I've taken.

And speaking of book bullets - have taken two on your thread so far: First Lie Wins and The Wives. Both look really interesting!

>97 LisaMorr: Thank you. I seem to be moving backward on the Book Bullets. For January I read 3 and took 9 more. The Wives surprised me, I highly recommend it.

>16 lowelibrary: Pick a book, any book challenge - January pick


17. The Presence by John Saul ★★★½

Beyond the sparkling Hawaiian beaches, masked by the deceptive beauty of the rainforest, evil awaits sixteen-year-old Michael Sundquist and his mother, Katherine, an anthropologist who has come to the Islands to study the unusual skeletal remains unearthed on the volcanic flanks of Haleakala, Maui. Yet far below the black depths of the Pacific a mysterious substance snakes through undiscovered fissures in the ocean floor, as nature itself seems to portend the terror to come. Then, with the sudden, unexpected death of Michael’s friend, a disturbing truth dawns: the corporation that is funding Katherine’s dig has a far greater investment than she ever imagined—an investment in medical terror. And her son may be part of their hideous grand plan. . . .

This book grabbed me instantly and I was fully invested, right up to the M.Night Shyamalan style ending. I was so disappointed I removed a whole star from my rating.

>7 lowelibrary: BingoDOG - current or recent besteller


18. The Woman In Me by Britney Spears ★★★

In June 2021, the whole world was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court. The impact of sharing her voice and her truth was undeniable, and it changed the course of her life and the lives of countless others. The Woman in Me reveals for the first time her incredible journey and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history. Written with remarkable candor and humor, Spears's groundbreaking book illuminates the enduring power of music and love and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her terms, at last.

The book was a decent read. It is a story of a young girl who had fame before she could handle it and like many others, the wrong family and people around her.

>15 lowelibrary: In The Door Challenge - Christmas 2023


19. The Pursuit of Grouchiness by Oscar the Grouch ★★★★★

There’s no greater expert on celebrating a crummy day than Oscar the Grouch. After complaining about cheerfulness for decades from his trash can on Sesame Street, Oscar now shares his secrets for making sure you’re as curmudgeonly as possible, all day, every day.

My favorite Sesame Street character has always been Oscar. This book made me smile on each page. The book even ends appropriately, "Don't let the back cover hit you on the way out"

About the author page: "Oscar the Grouch doesn't need to explain himself to you"

>101 lowelibrary: Oscar was my favorite Sesame Street character too. :) I like his "about the author" bio!

>101 lowelibrary: I love Oscar too! I think my favourite though is the Count. Ah ha haaaa!

>102 christina_reads: Oscar is an introvert favorite.
>103 Jackie_K: Count Von Count was too loud for me.

>2 lowelibrary: RandomCAT - Escape or rescue
>7 lowelibrary: BingoDOG - read a CAT
>15 lowelibrary: In The Door Challenge - Christmas 2023


20. The Elephant Girl by James Patterson andEllen Banda-Aaku ★★★★★

Clever, sensitive Jama likes elephants better than people. While her classmates gossip—especially about the new boy, Leku—12-year-old Jama takes refuge at the watering hole outside her village. There she befriends a baby elephant she names Mbegu; Swahili for seed. When Mbegu’s mother, is frightened and stampedes, Jama and Mbegu are blamed for two deaths—one elephant and one human. Inspired by true events, The Elephant Girl is a moving exploration of the bonds between creatures and the power of belonging.

I have a soft spot in my heart for baby elephants so this was a very emotional read for me. And the ending, could not have been more perfect.
If I had been the market audience (9-12 years old) I would have been overwhelmed by the emotions in the book. The book does not tread lightly on the subjects of poaching and the plight of orphaned elephants (even in a wildlife sanctuary).

>6 lowelibrary: PrizeCAT - A Prize From Your Own Country - Newberry Award 1961
>14 lowelibrary: Just Read the Thing Already challenge - unread Thingaversary book


21. The Cricket in Times Square by George Seldon ★★★★★

Tucker is a streetwise city mouse. He thought he'd seen it all. But he's never met a cricket before, which really isn't surprising, because, along with his friend Harry Cat, Tucker lives in the very heart of New York City—the Times Square subway station. Chester Cricket never intended to leave his Connecticut meadow. He'd be there still if he hadn't followed the entrancing aroma of liverwurst right into someone's picnic basket. Now, like any tourist in the city, he wants to look around. And he could not have found two better guides—and friends—than Tucker and Harry. But Chester has a hidden talent and no one—not even Chester himself—realizes that the little country cricket may just be able to teach even the toughest New Yorkers a thing or two.

Not feeling well today so I picked up this childhood favorite. I watched the cartoon every year. The book still worked its magic, I forgot all about how I felt as I joined Chester and friends on their adventures. I had forgotten some details of the book, so there were some surprises as I read.

>106 lowelibrary: I hope you are feeling better. When I am not feeling well there is nothing like an old favorite to cheer me up.

>9 lowelibrary: Book Bullet Challenge - 2024 Bullets - bullet from Sturlington


22. Cackle by Rachel Harrison ★★★

A darkly funny, frightening novel about a young woman learning how to take what she wants, from a witch who might be too good to be true. All her life, Annie has played it nice and safe. After being unceremoniously dumped by her longtime boyfriend, Annie seeks a fresh start. She accepts a teaching position that moves her from Manhattan to a small village upstate. She's stunned by how perfect and picturesque the town is. The people are all friendly and warm. Her new apartment is dreamy too, minus the oddly persistent spider infestation. Then Annie meets Sophie. Beautiful, charming, and magnetic Sophie takes a special interest in Annie, who wants to be her friend. More importantly, she wants Annie to stop apologizing and start living for herself. That's how Sophie lives. Annie can't help but gravitate toward the self-possessed Sophie, wanting to spend more and more time with her, even though the rest of the townsfolk seem...a little afraid of her. And like, okay. There are some things. Sophie's appearance is uncanny and ageless, her mansion in the middle of the woods feels a little unearthly, and she does seem to wield a certain power...but she couldn't be...could she?

I disliked Annie (or maybe I disliked the parts of her that reminded me of my past self) and detested Sophie and her attitude. For me the book was saved by Ralph, the spider. He needed to be more of the story. The end of the book was the best part.

>4 lowelibrary: ScaredyKIT - Gothic


23. Greygallows by Barbara Michaels ★★★★

Lucy Cartwright accepted the hand of dashing Baron Clare, despite whisperings of his mysterious past. Trusting his dark eyes and gentle manner, she followed him to Greygallows, his magnificent estate, and stepped into a web of betrayal and danger. A ghostly legend stalks the grounds. And now it's too late to leave...

When I think Gothic, I think of Barbara Michaels first. This one is what I expect from a Barbara Michaels book. Innocent heroine, brooding lord, mysterious castle, and an ending that was not completely expected.

>109 lowelibrary: Awwww!

>111 thornton37814: You can't go wrong with vintage Valentines and kitties.

>9 lowelibrary: Book Bullet Challenge - bullet from cyderry


24. I'd Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel ★★★★½

For so many people, reading isn't just a hobby or a way to pass the time--it's a lifestyle. Our books shape us, define us, enchant us, and even sometimes infuriate us. Our books are a part of who we are as people, and we can't imagine life without them. I'd Rather Be Reading is the perfect literary companion for everyone who feels that way. In this collection of charming and relatable reflections on the reading life, beloved blogger and author Anne Bogel leads readers to remember the book that first hooked them, the place where they first fell in love with reading, and all of the moments afterward that helped make them the reader they are today.

This collection of essays hits home in many ways. Reading them reminded me of why I love books and am happy others do also.

>5 lowelibrary: CalendarCAT - Valentine's Day (February 14th)


25. Uncle John's Bathroom Reader: Book of Love by Bathroom Reader's Institute ★★★★½

Who wrote the book of love? Uncle John, of course! To honor all the sweethearts out there, we've compiled this collection of love-ly things. From love stories to proverbs to historical happenings, it's all here. So settle in with your beloved and read about dating on reality TV, the colorful history of lipstick, the risque practice of "bundling", the three Valentines who inspired the holiday, and much, much more!

The book of Valentine and love trivia contained a lot of information I did not know. This must be one of the cutest covers ever.

>113 lowelibrary: That sounds like a wonderful book! Added to the wish list.

>113 lowelibrary: I've been following Anne for years. I loved this book and it has a special place on my forever shelf. Thanks for sharing your thoughts...so well said.

>115 MissBrangwen: >116 beebeereads: It was a great book and easy to read straight through or take each essay at a time. It was a well-needed brain cleanser.

>3 lowelibrary: MysteryKIT - True Unsolved Mysteries
>7 lowelibrary: BingoDOG - featuring water
>8 lowelibrary: Kindle Challenge


26. Murder at Teal's Pond by David Bushman ★½

In 1908, Hazel Drew was found floating in a pond in Sand Lake, New York, beaten to death. The unsolved murder inspired rumors, speculation, ghost stories, and, almost a century later, the phenomenon of 'Twin Peaks.' Who killed Hazel Drew? Like Laura Palmer, she was a paradox of personalities--a young, beautiful puzzle with secrets. Seeking escape from her poor country roots, Hazel found work as a domestic servant in the notoriously corrupt metropolis of Troy, New York. But the investigation that followed her brutal murder was fraught with red herrings, wild-goose chases, and unreliable witnesses. Did officials really follow the leads? Or did they bury them to protect the guilty? The likely answer is revealed in an absorbing true mystery that's ingeniously reconstructed and every bit as haunting as the cultural obsession it inspired"--

This unsolved murder inspired Twin Peaks. With very little information from the time other than sensationalized newspaper articles. The book did not need to be written. So little was known about Hazel Drew and her murder that the authors had to provide a history of every character they introduced to fill the 327 pages. After reading the book I still no nothing about Hazel or her murder. If it hadn't filled 3 challenges for me, I would not have been able to justify the hours reading it.

Today (2/25) was the OKC Friends of the Library Book Sale (the largest one I attend during the year). I was utterly amazed by the number of people with their little resell scanners and cases of books in their carts. I guess this fair is not going to be for readers like me much longer. I found these resellers to be grabby and rude. However, I did manage to snag some books and spent under $30.

Cookbooks - all by Art Ginsburg (I am not a cook by nature, so I enjoy easy quick meals)
The Best of Mr. Food: Quick and Easy Recipes
The Best of Mr. Food: Weeknight Quickies
The Mr. Food Cookbook

Nonfiction
✔ Evil Penguins: When Cute Penguins Go Bad read in February
The Jeopardy Book by Alex Trebek
✔ The Trial of Lizzie Borden by Cara Robertson read in March
The True Tails of Baker and Taylor by Jan Louch
Walk The Blue Line by James Patterson and Matt Eversmann

Fiction
Bodyguard (James Patterson BookShots Flames) by Jessica Linden
The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave an autographed copy

Cat Cozy Mysteries
books needed for my series
Cat Laughing Last by Shirley Rosseau Murphy
No Escape Claws by Sofie Ryan
and I did not need any new series to start, BUT
The Cat, the Quilt and the Corpse by Leann Sweeney #1 in the A Cats In Trouble Mystery series
Curiosity Killed the Cat Sitter by Blaize Clement #1 in the Dixie Hemingway series

My library book sales do not count towards my in-the-door challenge (read all the books I buy or are gifted during the year), but I am going to try to read some of them.

>119 lowelibrary: Book Sale picks (not an official category)


27. Evil Penguins by Elia Anie ★★★★★

What's black-and-white and evil all over? Get ready to find out the terrifying truth.... Penguins. They're everywhere - gracing movie screens, Coke ads, and merchandise. But don't let those happy feet fool you. When they're not surfing or marching bravely across the Antarctic, penguins have a whole other agenda going on. And it isn't pretty. In Evil Penguins, Elia Anie captures the antics of cute little birds who have gone over to the dark side. If you thought the worst a penguin could do is make you feel guilty about global warming, think again. Here are cartoons of penguins leading revolts, giving SpongeBob a swirly, causing plagues, clubbing baby seals, killing Inuits while dressed as ninjas, and wreaking havoc in dozens of other hysterically appalling ways. Both penguin lovers and those who know that evil can come in even the cuddliest packages will appreciate these bad birds.

I have not laughed so much at a cartoon in a while. The humor is for fans of Chas Addams and The Far Side.

Last year I re-read 1984 by George Orwell for a challenge (re-read a book you hated in high school) and enjoyed it. So, since I have an omnibus of Orwell's novels and I have never read any other of his stories, I am reading one a month. I will count the book in my reading total when I finish the last story.

This month's story was Burmese Days ★★★★½

Colonial politics in Kyauktada, India came to a head when the European Club, previously for whites only, is ordered to elect one token native member. The deeply racist members do their best to manipulate the situation, resulting in the loss not only of reputations but of lives. Amid this cynical setting, timber merchant James Flory, a Brit with a genuine appreciation for the native people and culture, stands as a bridge between the warring factions. But he has trouble acting on his feelings, and the significance of his vote, both social and political, weighs on him. When Elizabeth Lackersteen arrives - blonde, eligible, and anti-intellectual - Flory finds himself the hapless suitor.

I enjoyed this dark story. This novel could not be written today with its overt racism, graphic violence, and language. The book is very realistic in its approach and offers no apologies for the hard and unwelcome occurrences of life in Burma. The shock at the end should have been foreseen by me, but I was too engaged in the story to expect it. I enjoyed this George Orwell better than either Animal Farm and 1984

>13 lowelibrary: It's a purrfect time to read a mystery challenge - continue the series A Second Chance Mystery
>14 lowelibrary: Read the Thing Already challenge - unread Thingaversary book


28. A Whisker of Trouble by Sofie Ryan ★★★★

Spring has come to charming North Harbor, Maine, and with the new season comes a new haul for Second Chance, the shop where Sarah Grayson sells lovingly refurbished and repurposed items. Sarah is turning her keen eye to the estate of collector Edison Hall, hoping for fabulous finds for Second Chance—but when her rescue cat Elvis discovers a body in the kitchen, everything goes paws up. The body belongs to an appraiser who had been hired to check out Edison’s wine collection. When Edison’s sister shows up at Second Chance, she hires Sarah’s friends—the kooky and charismatic trio of ladies who call themselves Charlotte’s Angels and work out of the shop—to solve the murder, Sarah knows she and Elvis are only going to get deeper into the case. But as it becomes a cat-and-mouse game of lies, cons, cheats, and family squabbles, can Elvis and Sarah claw their way to the truth before the killer slinks away forever?

A good addition to the series, this book was a blend of solving the mystery and furthering the potential love life of Sarah. I think cozy mysteries need this balanced blend, as the characters are just as important as the mystery.

>7 lowelibrary: BingoDOG - written in another cultural tradition
>15 lowelibrary: In the Door Challenge - Purchases


29. A Man and His Cat 02 by Umi Sakurai ★★★★★

Now that Fukumaru and Mr. Kanda have found each other, every new day brings with it a series of surprises and delights. As the pair navigate their new life together, time, which had frozen for Mr. Kanda following a personal tragedy, gradually begins to move again...

I read the first book last month and automatically fell in love with Fukumaru. I cannot thank JayneCM enough for introducing this series to me. The next book is already on my Amazon wishlist.

>123 lowelibrary: That sounds sweet - I might have to bite the bullet!

>124 LisaMorr: They are very sweet. I have to find my kitty as soon as I finish reading for snuggles.

>9 lowelibrary: Book Bullet Challenge - bullet from VivienneR


30. The Dinner by Herman Koch ★★★

Two couples meet for dinner at a fashionable restaurant in Amsterdam. Behind their polite conversation, terrible things need to be said, and with every forced smile and every new course, the knives are being sharpened. Each couple has a fifteen-year-old son. The two boys are united by their accountability for a single horrific act; an act that has triggered a police investigation and shattered the comfortable, insulated worlds of their families. As the dinner reaches its culinary climax, the conversation finally touches on their children. As civility and friendship disintegrate, each couple shows just how far they are prepared to go to protect those they love.

The book had a good concept and story. I found myself a little uncertain of the reasons for some of the flashbacks and could not agree with the parents and their decisions. I was raised to face the consequences of your actions, I raised my son this way also, so to me, the parents should not have "protected" their son and hiding his identity

FEBRUARY RECAP

I will not finish any more books this evening. I am currently reading I, Alex Cross, the next in the series.

I read 14 books in February - 1 Kindle, 4 library loans, and 9 from my shelves. I discarded 1 Kindle and 1 physical book.

I read 3 book bullets but added 5 more to the list. See >9 lowelibrary: for the list of 2024 bullets.

I added 1 Kindle and 2 physical books this month and read 2 of them. See >15 lowelibrary: for the new additions.

I filled 4 Bingo squares this month, getting my first Bingo. This leaves 13 squares left.

This month's books (in alphabetical order)
★★★★★
The Cricket in Times Square
The Elephant Girl
Evil Penguins
A Man and His Cat 02
The Pursuit of Grouchiness
★★★★½
I'd Rather Be Reading
Uncle John's Bathroom Reader: Book of Love
★★★★
Greygallows
A Whisker of Trouble
★★★½
The Presence
★★★
Cackle
The Dinner
The Woman In Me
★½
Murder At Teal's Pond

MARCH

Welcome to March. Grab a treat from this birthday cake as we celebrate my birthday on Good Friday this year.

>128 lowelibrary: That cake is the bomb! I'll eat a real treat shown on your cake when your birthday arrives!

>122 lowelibrary: That sounds like a nice series. A secondhand shop is a mystery setting I haven't encountered before.

>128 lowelibrary: That is a great cake. I can't help but take a Twizzler (or two)!

>129 LisaMorr: Thank you for sharing a real birthday treat with me. I will be having a real cake and probably a Hershey bar that day.
>130 MissBrangwen: It is a great series. All the characters are great, from the senior citizen sleuths to the shop owner who gets pulled into every case. Every book describes some items found and/or refurbished for the shop.
>131 DeltaQueen50: Help yourself to all the Twizzlers you like.

>12 lowelibrary: Let's finish the series challenge - Alex Cross


31. I, Alex Cross by James Patterson ★ ★ ★ ★

When a beloved relative is murdered, Detective Alex Cross vows to hunt down the killer . . . and discovers a secret that could rock the entire world.
Detective Alex Cross is pulled out of a family celebration and given the awful news that a beloved niece was brutally murdered. Alex vows to hunt down the killer and soon learns that she was mixed up in one of Washington, D. C.'s wildest scenes. And she was not this killer's only victim. The hunt for the murderer leads Alex to Washington's most infamous club where every fantasy is possible if you have the credentials to get in. The killer could be one of their patrons, one of Washington's elite who will do anything to keep their secrets buried. With astonishing plot twists and electrifying revelations that will keep readers on the edge of their seats, I, Alex Cross is the master of suspense at his sharpest and best.

Another great installment in the series, for me the crime took second place to the suspense of the drama that occurs for the Cross family itself. I was as involved and emotional as Alex. For fans of the series, the ending was intriguing with a promise of the return of a well-known nemesis

>133 lowelibrary: I may have to get into the Alex Cross mysteries!

That's a cake and a half!
I've seen The DInner in the library catalogue and have been tempted by the idea. Still tempted, but I appreciate the reservations you note.

>122 lowelibrary: I've enjoyed the few books in that series I've read.

>134 LisaMorr: It is an addictive series.
>135 Helenliz: Lots of people enjoyed it, it just wasn't for me
>136 thornton37814: I am finding myself more drawn in with each book.

>16 lowelibrary: Pick a book, any book challenge - February pick


32. Mysterious Menagerie by Cynthia Manson ★★★

Penned by a diverse group of outstanding writers including classic masters and rising stars, these 16 irresistible animal capers from the pages of Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine and Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine will delight anyone who loves animals and a good mystery.

Most of the stories were just an average read, but I did want to mention a hilarious slapstick romp of a crime, Your Penguin or Mine? (no touchstone) by Bruce Scates.

>6 lowelibrary: PrizeCAT - 2017 Costa Debut Novel Award
>7 lowelibrary: BingoDOG - person's name in title
>10 lowelibrary: Reese's Book Club- May 2017 (first Reese's Book Club pick)


33. Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman ★★★★½

Meet Eleanor Oliphant: She struggles with appropriate social skills and tends to say exactly what she's thinking. Nothing is missing in her carefully timetabled life of avoiding social interactions, where weekends are punctuated by frozen pizza, vodka, and phone chats with Mummy. But everything changes when Eleanor meets Raymond, the bumbling and deeply unhygienic IT guy from her office. When she and Raymond together save Sammy, an elderly gentleman who has fallen on the sidewalk, the three become the kind of friends who rescue one another from the lives of isolation they have each been living. And it is Raymond's big heart that will ultimately help Eleanor find the way to repair her own profoundly damaged one.

I related to Ms. Oliphant too much and this book was hard to get through in several places. And I also survived and am "fine in all the ways that matter".

Edited 3/11: to add the PrizeCAT category to the list.

Thank you for sharing the link to your thread. I'm not sure what I have missed with my LT knowledge but something has slipped!

I was not a fan of Eleanor's but I think I'm in the minority.

I edited >139 lowelibrary: to show that it was also my PrizeCAT choice this month.

>140 charl08: I was in the minority when I read Tom Lake last year. It happens to all readers. I think I enjoyed Eleanor mostly because reading it reminded me of how far I have come.

>5 lowelibrary: CalendarCAT - March - Rob Lowe's 60th birthday (March 17th)


34. Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe ★★★★★

A teen idol, an international icon and founder of the Brat Pack, and one of Hollywood's top stars to this day, Rob Lowe chronicles his experiences as a painfully misunderstood child actor in Ohio who was uprooted to the wild counterculture of mid-'70s Malibu, where he embarked on his unrelenting pursuit of a career in Hollywood. The Outsiders placed Lowe at the birth of the modern youth movement in the entertainment industry. During his time on The West Wing, he witnessed the surreal nexus of show business and politics, both on the set and in the actual White House. In between are deft and humorous stories of the wild excesses that marked the '80s, leading to his quest for family and sobriety. Never mean-spirited or salacious, Lowe delivers unexpected glimpses into his successes, disappointments, relationships, and one-of-a-kind encounters with people who shaped our world over the last 25 years. These stories are as entertaining as they are unforgettable.

I have loved Rob Lowe since I saw The Outsiders in 1983. This book would have rated high just for the memories he shares of that movie, but then he goes on to share other memories from other movies that I have seen him in. I love it when I read a celebrity autobiography that is so well done that you can hear them "reading" to you in your head, like being told a bedtime story. I will be reading his second autobiography Love Life sooner rather than later.

>128 lowelibrary: Oooh, lovely treats! I'll have my favourite, a KitKat, thank you.

And wishing you an early Happy Birthday for the 29th. We have a wedding anniversary on that date (many many years).

>143 VivienneR: Happy early Anniversary to you.

Last year I re-read 1984 by George Orwell for a challenge (re-read a book you hated in high school) and enjoyed it. So, since I have an omnibus of Orwell's novels and I have never read any other of his stories, I am reading one a month. I will count the book in my reading total when I finish the last story.

This month's story was A Clergyman's Daughter ★★½

The novel follows the story of Dorothy Hare, the daughter of a clergyman in a small English town. Dorothy leads a dull and monotonous life, caught in the routine of her father's parish duties and society's expectations.
One day, Dorothy experiences a mysterious bout of amnesia and wakes up in London with no memory of who she is or how she got there. She embarks on a series of adventures and encounters various characters from different social classes, including tramps, prostitutes, and intellectuals.
As Dorothy struggles to piece together her past and find her place in the world, she confronts questions of identity, morality, and the meaning of life.

The book is written in parts. Each part seems to have no relation to each other. For example, when Dorothy wakes with amnesia in the second part, there is no rhyme or reason, or even any hint of its occurrence. I thought I had missed a significant portion of the book. Then we jump to the next section, again with no rhyme or reason, and then just return home at the end of the book. Yes, the book is as confusing as this review.

>9 lowelibrary: Book Bullets - bullet from christina_reads


35. Hunted by Meagan Spooner ★★★★½

Beauty knows the Beast's forest in her bones and in her blood. After all, her father is the only hunter who's ever come close to discovering its secrets. So when her father loses his fortune and moves Yeva and her sisters out of their comfortable home among the aristocracy and back to the outskirts of town, Yeva is secretly relieved. Out in the wilderness, there's no pressure to make idle chatter with vapid baronessas...or to submit to marrying a wealthy gentleman. But Yeva's father's misfortune may have cost him his mind, and when he goes missing in the woods, Yeva sets her sights on one prey: the creature he'd been obsessively tracking just before his disappearance. The Beast. Deaf to her sisters' protests, Yeva hunts this strange creature back into his territory, a cursed valley, a ruined castle, and a world of magical creatures that Yeva's only heard about in fairy tales. A world that can bring her ruin or salvation. Who will survive: Beauty, or the Beast?

It's a true retelling of Beauty & the Beast with more of a magical edge. I felt the conclusion of this story was very encouraging and truthful.
I borrowed this book from the library, but it is already on my purchase list to add to my Beauty & the Beast collection.

>146 lowelibrary: Yay, I'm glad you enjoyed this one! :) I also loved Sherwood by the same author if you're into Robin Hood retellings.

>147 christina_reads: My only experience with Robin Hood is through the movies, so I will probably give Sherwood a try at some point.

>4 lowelibrary: ScaredyKIT - True Crimes
>119 lowelibrary: Book Sale picks (not an official category)


36. The Trial of Lizzie Borden by Cara Robertson ★★

The Trial of Lizzie Borden tells the true story of one of the most sensational murder trials in American history. When Andrew and Abby Borden were brutally hacked to death in Fall River, Massachusetts, in August 1892, the arrest of the couple’s younger daughter Lizzie turned the case into international news and her trial into a spectacle unparalleled in American history. Reporters flocked to the scene. Well-known columnists took up conspicuous seats in the courtroom. The defendant was relentlessly scrutinized for signs of guilt or innocence. Everyone - rich and poor, suffragists and social conservatives, legal scholars and laypeople - had an opinion about Lizzie Borden’s guilt or innocence. Was she a cold-blooded murderess or an unjustly persecuted lady? Did she or didn’t she? Cara Robertson explores the stories Lizzie Borden’s culture wanted and expected to hear and how those stories influenced the debate inside and outside the courtroom. Based on transcripts of the Borden legal proceedings, contemporary newspaper accounts, unpublished local accounts, and recently unearthed letters from Lizzie herself, The Trial of Lizzie Borden offers a window onto America in the Gilded Age, showcasing its most deeply held convictions and its most troubling social anxieties.

I found this one of the more boring books about Lizzie Borden. The fact that the author states she spent 15 years researching the book makes it even more so. I credit the author for making it a true non-fiction account without adding speculation or personal decisions. She states the facts and uses actual trial transcripts (which I have read) and newspaper clippings, but it could have been provided more life.

>7 lowelibrary: BingoDOG - POC author
>10 lowelibrary: Reese's Book Club - February pick


37. Redwood Court by Delana R.A. Dameron ★★★½

The baby of the family, Mika Tabor spends much of her time in the care of loved ones, listening to their stories and witnessing their struggles. On Redwood Court, the cul-de-sac in the all-Black working-class suburb of Columbia, South Carolina, where her grandparents live, Mika learns important lessons from the people who raise her: her exhausted parents, who work long hours at multiple jobs while still making sure their kids experience the adventure of family vacations; her older sister, who in a house filled with Motown would rather listen to Alanis Morrisette; her retired grandparents, children of Jim Crow, who realized their vision of success when they bought their house on the Court in the 1960s, imagining it filled with future generations; and the many neighbors who hold tight to the community they’ve built, committed to fostering joy and love in an America so insistent on seeing Black people stumble and fall. With visceral clarity and powerful prose, Dameron reveals the devastation of being made to feel invisible and the transformative power of being seen. Redwood Court is a celebration of extraordinary, ordinary people striving to achieve their American dreams.

Once the story stops jumping characters and settles into Mika's story, it becomes a traditional coming-of-age story. It was interesting to read this perspective.

>15 lowelibrary: In The Door challenge - Amazon Prime Free Reads


38. Lovers At The Museum: A Short Story by Isabel Allende ★★★★

Love, be it wild or tender, often defies logic. In fact, at times, the only rationale behind the instant connection of two souls is plain magic. Bibiña Aranda, a runaway bride, wakes up in the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao still wearing her wedding dress, draped in the loving arms of a naked man whose name she doesn’t know. She and the man with no clothes, Indar Zubieta, attempt to explain to the authorities how they got there. It’s a story of love at first sight and experience beyond compare, which involves a dreamlike journey through the museum. But the lovers’ transcendent night bears no resemblance to the crude one Detective Larramendi attempts to reconstruct. And no amount of fantastical descriptions can convince the irritated inspector of the truth.

The story flows quickly and fluently, leaving you unsure of where it is heading until the end. A beautifully written story that leaves room for interpretation.

>146 lowelibrary: Added Hunted to my wishlist.

Also Redwood Court.

>152 hailelib: Hope you enjoy them when you get to them

39. Charlie Darwin, Or the Trine of 1809 by Angel Leigh McCoy ★★½

Three young boys, pulled from their beds in the middle of the night, find themselves on a magical airship en route to an undocumented land where they are to entertain a princess. As it turns out, there’s much more going on, and the boys may never make it home again. Their fates hang in the balance. Working together, nine-year-old Charlie Darwin, Abe Lincoln, and Eddie Poe must outwit their captors and escape back to their world.

This is a version of the story of children being sent to the Fae world, with the rules being iterated for them to escape. A weirdly written story that had no premise other than the fact that these men lived at the same time and were the same age.

>8 lowelibrary: Kindle Challenge


40. My Evil Mother by Margaret Atwood ★★★★

Life is hard enough for a teenage girl in 1950s suburbia without having a mother who may—or may not—be a witch. A single mother at that. Sure, she fits in with her starched dresses, a string of pearls, and floral aprons. Then there are the hushed and mystical consultations with neighborhood women in distress. The unsavory, mysterious plants in the flower beds. The divined warning to steer clear of a boyfriend whose fate is certainly doomed. But as the daughter of this bewitching homemaker comes of age and her mother’s claims become more and more outlandish, she begins to question everything she once took for granted.

This short story made me smile as memories of my mother and her "witchiness" returned to mind. The story brought the mother-daughter relationship full circle for me and was worth my time.

>3 lowelibrary: MysteryKIT - Historical Mysteries (takes place in 1905)


41. The Tale of Holly How by Susan Wittig Albert ★★★½

Everyone in Sawrey likes Ben Hornby. So when Beatrix finds the shepherd dead in the meadow and suspects foul play, she wonders who would have done such a thing. A trio of village cats has an idea: When Ben breathed his last, his sheep must have seen his killer before scattering. So they set out to find the far-flung flock. Although she’s distracted by duties at the farm and the sad plight of a young girl, Beatrix must get to the bottom of this. As the stories intertwine, Beatrix and the creatures realize that to solve this case, all of Sawrey, both the two- and four-legged inhabitants, must work together.

The second book in the series is much more enjoyable than the first. This may be because there is more animal involvement and a much more interesting tale.

42. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen ★★★★

Love is in the air when five sisters discover that a wealthy and eligible bachelor is suddenly within reach. But it is his friend, the haughty Mr. Darcy, who becomes smitten. Unfortunately for him, the object of his affection is not so easily swayed. One of the most popular characters in English literature, Elizabeth Bennet is intelligent, witty, well-spoken, and ahead of her time. If the terrible rumors about Mr. Darcy are true, he doesn't stand a chance. Yet not all gossip is to be believed when marriage, money, and reputations are on the line. Will Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy circumvent her haste, his ego, and society's expectations to find love?
A tour de force of wit and sparkling dialogue, Pride and Prejudice shows how the headstrong Elizabeth Bennet and the aristocratic Mr. Darcy must have their pride humbled and their prejudices dissolved before they can acknowledge their love for each other.

I wanted to re-read this book after watching the Hallmark Channel's Loveuary with Jane Austen last month. This was the first adult book I read that made me love it. I fully believe this is the book that made me a reader for life. I will say that reading it at 55+, it is a very different book than the one I read as an early teen with unrealistic ideals of love. I fully understood the title this time, and while I still loved the book, I have a different appreciation for the characters and the story.

>157 lowelibrary: My absolute favorite! I really need to reread it sometime soon.

>158 christina_reads: It is worth the time.

>15 lowelibrary: In The Door Challenge - 2024 Purchases


43. Lars the Awkward Yeti, Volume 1 by Nick Seluk ★★★

Lars The Awkward Yeti is an ongoing gag-a-day webcomic by New York Times best-selling author Nick Seluk. Started in 2012, the comic follows the daily life of Lars, a socially awkward blue yeti, trying to get by in day-to-day life. Lars organs, Heart & Brain, have spawned their own empire of hit books and merchandise. This is the first of a trilogy of collected editions of Lars's stories, past and present, where it all started.

I became an Awkward Yeti fan when I discovered his Heart & Brain webcomics on Instagram. I enjoyed this glimpse at the start of the webcomic, although I am partial to the light-heartedness of his more recent works.

>2 lowelibrary: RandomCAT - World Wildlife Day
>7 lowelibrary: BingoDOG- takes place in multiple countries


44. Still Alive by Forrest Galante ★★★★

Very few individuals can truthfully say that their work impacts every person on Earth. Forrest Galante is one of them. As a wildlife biologist and conservationist, Galante devotes his life to studying, rediscovering, and protecting our planet’s amazing life forms. Part memoir, part biological adventure, Still Alive celebrates the beauty and determined resiliency of our world and the brave conservationists fighting to save it. In his debut book, Galante takes listeners on an exhilarating journey to the most remote and dangerous corners of the world. He recounts miraculous rediscoveries of species that were thought to be extinct and invites listeners into his wildlife: from his upbringing amidst civil unrest in Zimbabwe to his many globetrotting adventures, including suspenseful run-ins with drug cartels, witch doctors, and vengeful government officials. He shares all the life-threatening bites, fights, falls, and jungle illnesses. Still Alive is more than just a can’t-put-down adventure story bursting with man-eating crocodiles, long-forgotten species rediscovered, and near-death experiences. It is an impassioned, informative, and undeniably inspiring examination of the importance of wildlife conservation today and how every individual can make a difference.

I had never heard of Forrest Galante or his show when I began this book. This is one of the books, I don't even know how it got on my shelves. But I am glad it did. I enjoyed reading this well-written book. You can tell while reading the book, that he loves what he is doing and is passionate about conservation and animals. Now I need to watch his show.

>9 lowelibrary: Book Bullets - 2024 Bullets from staci426


45. Chouette by Claire Oshetsky ★★★★★

Tiny is pregnant. Her husband is delighted. "You think this baby is going to be like you, but it's not like you at all," she warns him. "This baby is an owl-baby." When Chouette is born small and broken-winged, Tiny works around the clock to meet her daughter's needs. Left on her own to care for a child who seems more predatory bird than a baby, Tiny vows to raise Chouette to be her authentic self. Even when Chouette's behaviors grow violent and strange, Tiny's loving commitment to her daughter is unwavering. When she discovers that her husband is on an obsessive and increasingly dangerous quest to find a "cure" for their daughter, Tiny must decide whether Chouette should be raised to fit in or to be herself--and learn what it truly means to be a mother.

This book is so good, I could not stop reading it. The book pulled my heartstrings in so many directions and on so many levels as a mother and as an individual. It is hard to describe what happens without giving away any part of this surprising story. It is unique and like nothing I have read before. I highly recommend this book.

MARCH RECAP

I will not finish any more books this evening. I am currently reading Mimi Lee Reads Between The Lines.

I read 15 books in March - 2 Kindle, 4 library loans, 1 PDF, and 8 from my shelves. I discarded 2 Kindle, 1 PDF, and 2 physical books.

I read 2 book bullets but added 4 more to the list. See >9 lowelibrary: for the list of 2024 bullets.

I added 2 Kindle and 2 physical books this month and read 2 of them. I also received 3 books for my birthday. See >15 lowelibrary: for the new additions.

I filled 3 Bingo squares this month. This leaves 10 squares left.

This month's books (in alphabetical order)
★★★★★
Chouette
Stories I Only Tell My Friends
★★★★½
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
Hunted
★★★★
I, Alex Cross
Lovers At The Museum: A Short Story
My Evil Mother
Pride and Prejudice
Still Alive
★★★½
Redwood Court
The Tale of Holly How
★★★
Lars the Awkward Yeti, Volume 1
Mysterious Menagerie
★★½
Charlie Darwin, Or The Trine of 1809
★★
The Trial of Lizzie Borden

QUARTERLY SUMMARY

I read 45 books this quarter.

The best book was Chouette
The worst book was Cutthroat Cupcakes

I am all caught up on my LibraryThing challenges (RandomKIT, MysteryKIT, ScaredyKIT, PrizeCAT and CalendarCAT) through March.
I have finished 15 BingoDOG squares, leaving 10 more to go.

In my personal challenges
Kindle challenge I have read 3 of 12
Book Bullets (before this year) I have read 6 of 23. I have added 19 bullets in 2024 and read 2 of them.
Reese's book challenge, I have read 4.
Stephen King/John Grisham challenge I have read 0
Alex Cross series I have read 2
Percy Jackson/Robert Langdon I have read 0
Cat Cozy Mysteries I have read 3
Thingaversary and SantaThing challenge I have read 4 of 20
In the Door challenge, I have read 7 of 19 (my birthday books brings this total to 22)
I bought 14 books at a library sale and have read 2 of them.
Pick a book challenge I have read 2 of 12.

I will be creating a new thread tomorrow for the 2nd quarter of the year.

New thread for the second quarter is here.
https://www.librarything.com/topic/359756