LittleTaiko's (Stacy) 80's Music Challenge - 2nd Half

Hello! I'm ready for another great reading year. This time I'll be reading along with some of my favorite songs from the 80's. These are the songs from my teenage years and while you couldn't pay me to be a teenager again, I do love revisiting these songs from time to time. (I might be listening to an 80's pop playlist as I'm typing this).

There are some standard categories that I usually have as well as a couple of new ones. There are 18 categories including one for the dreaded DNF. The goal is to have a nice balance between some structure while allowing for flexibility. I'll be participating in all the CAT's this year which is a first for me along with the AlpahKIT, oh and of course BingoDOG. The goal is to read at least 3 in each category though I know I'll exceed that in most of them.

Ratings:

1 Star - Didn't like at all or did not finish
2 Stars - It's okay but not something I would recommend.
3 Stars - I liked it but may or may not recommend it
4 Stars - Really liked it and am happy that I spent time reading it
5 Stars - Loved it and the whole world should read it too

Big Time by Peter Gabriel - Iconic Books
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBAl9cchQac

Andrea shared on her thread a link to Most Iconic Book Set in Every Country which sent me down the rabbit hole of looking up all the books on the list and adding them to my TBR list.

1. The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid - Pakistan (3 stars)
2. The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng - Malaysia (3 stars)
3.

Possibilities:

The Comedians by Graham Greene
The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
The Bridge Over the River Kwai by Pierre Boulle

The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades by Timbuk 3 - Books published in 2018
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qrriKcwvlY

1. The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin (3 stars)
2. Clue by Paul Allor (4 stars)
3. Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata (3 stars)
4. A Place For Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza (5 stars)

I'll Be Loving You Forever by NKOTB - Favorite Male Authors
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZT_7UjCVELg

1. Marcovaldo by Italo Calvino (4 stars)
2. The Woman in the Water by Charles Finch (4 stars)
3. The Mating Season by P.G. Wodehouse (4 stars)
4. The Lemon Table by Julian Barnes (4 stars)
5. Shots Fired by C. J. Box (4 stars)
6. Us Against You by Fredrik Backman (5 stars)

Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves by Eurthymics - Favorite Female Authors
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drGx7JkFSp4

1. Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie (3 stars)
2. Still Me by Jojo Moyes (4 stars)
3. Every Note Played by Lisa Genova (5 stars)
4. N or M? by Agatha Christie (4 stars)
5. Y is for Yesterday by Sue Grafton (4 stars)
6. I'll Be Your Blue Sky by Marisa de los Santos (4 stars)
7. The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie (4 stars)
8. Devotions by Mary Oliver (4 stars)
9. A Glass of Blessings by Barbara Pym (4 stars)
10. The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie (3 stars)
11. The Skeleton Makes a Friend by Leigh Perry (5 stars)
12. Murder in Retrospect by Agatha Christie (4 stars)

If Wishes Came True by Sweet Sensation - Book recommendations (book bullets)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHqqraFrrd0

1. The Gods of Gotham by Lyndsay Faye (4 stars)
2. The Golden Son by Shilpi Somaya Gowda (4 stars)
3. Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott (3 stars)
4. The Secret of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig (4 stars)
5. The Chilbury Ladies Choir by Jennifer Ryan (4 stars)

Possibilities:

Agatha Christie's Secret Notebooks by John Curran
Murder in Mykonos by Jeffrey Siger
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
Dear Mr. M by Herman Koch
Extreme Measures by Jessica Nutik Zitter

Right Here Waiting by Richard Marx - Borrowed Books
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_E2EHVxNAE

This includes all the books my dad lends me throughout the year, all the ones he's already loaned me, or the books that I get from the library. Currently I have 26 out from the library that just keep renewing.

1. The Last Painting of Sara De Vos by Dominic Smith (4 stars) - dad
2. Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate (3 stars) - library
3. Death Al Dente by Leslie Budewitz (3 stars) - library
4. You Couldn't Ignore Me If You Tried by Susannah Gora (3 stars) - library
5. Rise and Shine Benedict Stone by Phaedra Patrick (3 stars) - library
6. The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict (2 stars) - library
7. The Power by Naomi Alderman (3 stars) - library
8. The Flanders Panel by Arturo Perez-Reverte (3 stars) - dad
9. The Unseen World by Liz Moore (4 stars) - library
10. A Likely Story by Jenn McKinlay (4 stars) - library
11. The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz (4 stars) - library
12. The Versions of Us by Laura Barnett (3 stars) - library
13. The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis (4 stars) - library
14. Origin by Dan Brown (3 stars) - dad
15. The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg (3 stars) - library
16. Transcription by Kate Atkinson (4 stars) - library

One Moment in Time by Whitney Houston - Tournament of Books
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c84ogrNEds0

1. Dear Cyborgs by Eugene Lim (2 stars)
2. The Animators by Kayla Rae Whitaker (3 stars)
3. Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin (3 stars)
4. White Tears by Hari Kunzru (2 stars)
5. Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan (3 stars)

Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins - Cozy Mysteries
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siwpn14IE7E

1. Strangeways to Oldham by Andrea Frazer (3 stars)
2. Death in D Minor by Alexia Gordon (4 stars)
3. Aunt Bessie Enjoys by Diana Xarissa (4 stars)
4. Delivering the Truth by Edith Maxwell (3 stars)
5. Aunt Bessie Finds by Diana Xarissa (3 stars)
6. First Hit of the Season by Jane Dentinger (4 stars)
7. Murder in a Locked Library by Ellery Adams (4 stars)
8. Final Fondue by Maya Corrigan (3 stars)
9. The Hostess with the Ghostess by E.J. Copperman (3 stars)
10. Aunt Bessie Goes by Diana Xarissa (4 stars)
11. Murder at the Mansion by Sheila Connolly (3 stars)
12. Geared for the Grave by Duffy Brown (3 stars)
13. Aunt Bessie's Holiday by Diana Xarissa (3 stars)
14. Whack Job by Kendel Lynn (2 stars)
15. Boiled Over by Barbara Ross (4 stars)
16. Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding by Rhys Bowen (4 stars)
17. Musseled Out by Barbara Ross (4 stars)
18. Fogged Inn by Barbara Ross (4 stars)
19. Poisoned Pages by Lorna Barrett (4 stars)
20. Murder on Monday by Ann Purser (3 stars)
21. Death Takes Priority by Jean Flowers (2 stars)
22. Death Below Stairs by Jennifer Ashley (4 stars)
23. White Christmas with a Wobbly Knee by Andrea Frazer (3 stars)
24. Murder at Whitehall by Amanda Carmack (3 stars)
25. The Secret, Book, and Scone Society by Ellery Adams (3 stars)
26. Kneaded to Death by Winnie Archer (3 stars)

Thriller by Michael Jackson - Thrillers/non-cozies
Did you really think I'd pick any other song for this one?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOnqjkJTMaA

1. Outrage by Arnaldur Indriaason (3 stars)
2. Black Skies by Arnaldur Indriaason (3 stars)
3. Verdict of Twelve by Raymond Postgate (3 stars)
4. Raven Black by Ann Cleeves (3 stars)
5. Cop Town by Karin Slaughter (3 stars)
6. Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor (4 stars)
7. The Anatomist's Wife by Anna Lee Huber (4 stars)
8. Infernal Angels by Loren D. Estleman (4 stars)
9. A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn (4 stars)
10. Mortal Arts by Anna Lee Huber (3 stars)
11. A Grave Matter by Anna Lee Huber (4 stars)
12. Hot Seat by Simon Wood (3 stars)
13. A Study in Death by Anna Lee Huber (4 stars)
14. A Pressing Engagement by Anna Lee Huber (4 stars)
15. As Death Draws Near by Anna Lee Huber (3 stars)
16. A Brush with Shadows by Anna Lee Huber (4 stars)
17. The Deepest Secret by Carla Buckley (2 stars)
18. Cold Mourning by Brenda Chapman (3 stars)
19. Payment in Blood by Elizabeth George (4 stars)
20. This Side of Murder by Anna Lee Huber (4 stars)
21. Murder on Astor Place by Victoria Thompson (4 stars)
22. A Terrible Beauty by Tasha Alexander (2 stars)
23. Mr. Churchill's Secretary by Susan Ella MacNeal (3 stars)
24. Strange Shores by Arnaldur Indriaason (3 stars)
25. Full Dark House by Christopher Fowler (3 stars)
26. Dove Season by Johnny Shaw (4 stars)
27. Hit and Run by Lawrence Block (3 stars)
28. Ten Dead Comedians by Fred Van Lente (4 stars)
29. Bibliomysteries by Otto Penzler (4 stars)
30. Bruno, Chief of Police by Martin Walker (4 stars)
31. The Last Kashmiri Rose by Barbara Cleverly (3 stars)
32. Treacherous is the Night by Anna Lee Huber (3 stars)
33. Murder at the Brightwell by Ashley Weaver (4 stars)
34. The Dime by Kathleen Kent (3 stars)
35. An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good by Helene Turston (4 stars)

Don't You, Forget About Me by Simple Minds - Classics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdqoNKCCt7A

1. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (4 stars)
2. Sandition by Jane Austen (4 stars)
3. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (4 stars)
4. Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling (3 stars)
5. My Cousin Rachel by Daphne DuMaurier (4 stars)
6. Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev (4 stars)
7. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens (4 stars)
8. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne (3 stars)
9. The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli (4 stars)

Rhythm is Gonna Get You by Gloria Estefan - Nonfiction about music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZkjeJKBI0M

1. Otis Redding: An Unfinished Life by Jonathan Gould (5 stars)
2. Dreams to Remember by Mark Ribowsky (4 stars)
3. Queen of Bebop by Elaine Hayes (3 stars)
4. Ratpack Confidential by Shawn Levy (3 stars)
5. Pops: A Life of Louis Armstrong by Terry Teachout (3 stars)
6. Beale Street Dynasty by Preston Lauterbach (3 stars)
7. Sam Phillips: The Man Who Invented Rock 'n' Roll by Peter Gurainick (4 stars)

Live to Tell by Madonna - Other nonfiction
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzAO9A9GjgI

1. Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget by Sarah Hepola (3 stars)
2. From Here to Eternity by Caitlin Doughty (4 stars)
3. The Black Count by Tom Reiss (3 stars)
4. Slow Reading in a Hurried Age by David Mikics (2 stars)
5. Failing Up by Leslie Odom Jr. (4 stars)
6. Calypso by David Sedaris (4 stars)
7. Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann (5 stars)
8. The Lobster Chronicles by Linda Greenlaw (3 stars)
9. Traffic by Tom Vanderbilt (4 stars)
10. Talking As Fast As I Can by Lauren Graham (4 stars)
11. Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson (4 stars)
12. Oh My Gods by Philip Freeman (3 stars)

Stuck with You by Huey Lewis and the News - Acquired before 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J08ZwySCoJ8

1. Oscar Wilde and a Game Called Murder by Gyles Brandreth (4 stars)
2. The Wit and Wisdom of Oscar Wilde by Ralph Keyes (4 stars)
3. Tuner of Silences by Mia Couto (4 stars)
4. Selected Poems II by Margaret Atwood (3 stars)
5. A Bitter Truth by Charles Todd (3 stars)
6. Mission to Paris by Alan Furst (4 stars)
7. And She Was by Alison Gaylin (3 stars)
8. The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti (3 stars)
9. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (4 stars)
10. Dancer by Colum McCann (4 stars)
11. Life, The Universe, and Everything by Douglas Adams (4 stars)
12. Zoo Station by David Downing (3 stars)
13. Christmas Stories by Diana Secker Tesdell (4 stars)

Together Forever by Rick Astley - Books over 400 pages
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPYZpwSpKmA

1. Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan (3 stars)
2. Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn (3 stars)
3. And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer (4 stars)

Simply Irresistible by Robert Palmer - Book Buying Binge of 2017
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrGw_cOgwa8

1. Blackberry Wine by Joanne Harris (3 stars)
2. The Age of Perpetual Light by Josh Weil (2 stars)
3. Fundraising the Dead by Sheila Connolly (4 stars)
4. The Chalk Circle Man by Fred Vargas (4 stars)
5. Blindness by Henry Green (4 stars)
6. Death by Darjeeling by Laura Childs (3 stars)
7. The Secret Life of Violet Grant by Beatriz Williams (3 stars)
8. Tiny Little Things by Beatriz Williams (3 stars)

Hit Me With Your Best Shot by Pat Benatar - New to Me Authors
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JRgHol94Xc

1. The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson (3 stars)
2. Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood (3 stars)
3. The Norths Meet Murder by Frances Lockridge (3 stars)
4. Chemistry by Weike Wang (4 stars)
5. The Hideaway by Lauren K. Denton (3 stars)
6. Pull Me Under by Kelly Luce (4 stars)
7. Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke (3 stars)
8. The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. LeGuin (3 stars)
9. Daddy Long-Legs by Jean Webster (4 stars)
10. The Windfall by Diksha Basu (3 stars)
11. The 12:30 from Croydon by Freeman Wills Crofts (3 stars)
12. Hope Never Dies by Andrew Shaffer (3 stars)
13. True Grit by Charles Portis (4 stars)
14. The Misfortune of Marion Palm by Emily Culliton (3 stars)

St. Elmo's Fire by John Parr - Other
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOvMpND2OZY

1. Tell Me How It Ends by Valeria Luiselli (4 stars)
2. Crome Yellow by Aldous Huxley (3 stars)
3. Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks (3 stars)
4. Civilwarland in Bad Decline by George Saunders (2 stars)
5. Emily Climbs by L.M. Montgomery (4 stars)
6. Emily's Quest by L.M. Montgomery (2 stars)
7. River Teeth by David James Duncan (2 stars)
8. Along the Infinite Sea by Beatriz Williams (3 stars)
9. The Continuum by Wendy Nikel (4 stars)

Could've Been by Tiffany - DNF
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDZzlmGkb18

1. The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
2. Giant of the Senate by Al Franken
3. Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
4. The Paris Bookshop by Nina George
5. River God by Wilbur Smith

BingoDOG

Card #1



1. Book that fits at least 2 KIT’s/CAT’s - Black Skies by Arnaldur Indriaason
2. Title contains name of a famous person, real or fictional - Oscar Wilde and a Game Called Murder by Gyles Brandreth
3. Money in the title - any form of currency, type of payment, etc... - The Windfall
4. Originally in a different language - Outrage by Arnaldur Indriaason
5. Book bought in 2017 that hasn’t been read yet - Strangeways to Oldham by Andrea Frazer
6. New-to-you author - Verdict of Twelve by Raymond Postgate
7. Autobiography/memoir - Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget by Sarah Hepola
8. Book published in 2018 - Still Me by Jojo Moyes
9. A long-time TBR/TBR the longest - The Wit and Wisdom of Oscar Wilde by Ralph Keyes
10. Book with a beautiful cover (in your opinion) - Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
11. Poetry or plays - Selected Poems II by Margaret Atwood
12. LGBTQ central character - The Animators by Kayla Rae Whitaker
13. Read a CAT (middle square) - Blackberry Wine by Joanne Harris
14. Title contains a person’s rank, real or fictional - The Black Count by Tom Reiss
15. Published more than 100 years ago - Sandition by Jane Austen
16. Book that is humorous - The Mating Season by P.G. Wodehouse
17. Fat book - 500 plus pages - And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer
18. X somewhere in the title - Dreams to Remember: Otis Redding, Stax Records, and the Transformation of Southern Soul
19. Relative name in the title (aunt, niece, etc...) - Aunt Bessie Enjoys by Diana Xarissa
20. Related to the Pacific Ocean - Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
21. Book set during a holiday - White Christmas with a Wobbly Knee by Andrea Frazer
22. Title contains something you would see in the sky - Raven Black by Ann Cleeves
23. Book on the 1001 list - The Picture of Dorian Gray
24. Number in the title - The 12:30 from Croydon
25. Story involves travel - From Here to Eternity by Caitlin Doughty

Card #2



1. Title contains name of a famous person, real or fictional - Otis Redding: An Unfinished Life by Jonathan Gould
2. Published more than 100 years ago - Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling
3. Originally in a different language - Marcovaldo by Italo Calvino
4. New-to-you author - The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson
5. Relative name in the title (aunt, niece, etc...) - Aunt Bessie Finds by Diana Xarissa
6. Money in the title - any form of currency, type of payment, etc... - The Dime by Kathleen Kent
7. Book published in 2018 - Every Note Played by Lisa Genova
8. X somewhere in the title - Beale Street Dynasty: Sex, Song, and the Struggle for the Soul of Memphis by Preston Lauterbach
9. Fat book - 500 plus pages - David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
10. Book set during a holiday - Murder at Whitehall by Amanda Carmack
11. LGBTQ central character - Calypso by David Sedaris
12. Book on the 1001 list - Blindness by Henry Green
13. Read a CAT (middle square) - Cop Town by Karin Slaughter
14. Number in the title - Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding by Rhys Bowen
15. Book that is humorous - Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham
16. Book bought in 2017 that hasn’t been read yet - The Age of Perpetual Light by Josh Weil
17. Title contains something you would see in the sky - Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie
18. Related to the Pacific Ocean
19. Book that fits at least 2 KIT’s/CAT’s - Death in D Minor by Alexia Gordon
20. Book with a beautiful cover (in your opinion) - A Brush with Shadows by Anna Huber
21. Autobiography/memoir - The Lobster Chronicles by Linda Greenlaw
22. Poetry or plays - Devotions by Mary Oliver
23. A long-time TBR/TBR the longest - Tuner of Silences by Mia Couto
24. Story involves travel - Pull Me Under by Kelly Luce
25. Title contains a person’s rank, real or fictional - Queen of Bebop by Elaine M. Hayes

June Recap

Books read: 11

Favorite Book: And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer - really it's the whole Lady Darby series

Books from my shelf: 6
Borrowed: 5

Junel YTD

Books read: 94
Favorite Book - January: Otis Redding: An Unfinished Life by Jonathan Gould
Favorite Book - February: Dreams to Remember by Mark Ribowsky
Favorite Book - March: Every Note Played by Lisa Genova
Favorite Book - April: I'll Be Your Blue Sky by Marisa de los Santos
Favorite Book - May: A Brush With Shadows by Anna Huber - really it's the whole Lady Darby series
Favorite Book - June: And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer

Books from my shelf: 70
Books acquired but not read yet: 56
Borrowed: 24

Currently Reading
CivilWarLand in Bad Decline by George Saunders

Managed to wrap up some books yesterday for a nice start to July.

95. A Bitter Truth by Charles Todd (3 stars)

I bought this book about five years ago after reading and enjoying the first two books in the series. Not sure why it took me so long to read it - probably because I tend to forget about ebooks once I've purchased them. Anyway, I enjoyed returning to WWI and the adventures of Bess, a British nurse serving in the war. On leave, she finds a young woman huddled outside of her flat on a really cold evening and takes her in. While I didn't really buy into Bess's concern and the lengths that she went to assist the young woman, I couldn't help but enjoy the story.

96. The Flanders Panel by Arturo Perez-Reverte (3 stars)

An intriguing thriller that combines art and chess. An art restorer for a hidden message on a painting that depicts two men playing chess. The message asks - who killed the knight? As she starts to look into it further it kicks off a series of crazy events that includes the murder of a couple of her friends in the art world. I'm still a bit confused by the ending, but really enjoyed the cat and mouse game played and the in depth look at both art and chess.

97. Devotions by Mary Oliver (4 stars)

I've been slowly working my way through this collection of some of Mary's best poems. It was enjoyable to revisit some favorites and to discover some new poems (well, new to me).

98. Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata (3 stars)

A cute, quirky book about a Japanese woman who is befuddled by society's norms. All she wants is to continue with her job in a convenience store while figuring out how to be "normal".

Happy new thread for the second half of the year! I forget about ebooks too, which is annoying when I borrow them from the library and they expire before I've had a chance to read them.

>22 LittleTaiko: I've got Devotions lined up to read. Its size is huge. I probably need to approach it as you did--read a little at a time. That way I can savor the poems! Maybe I'll pull it out tonight to begin!

>24 thornton37814: - Hope you enjoy it! It took me several months to get through it, but I was only reading a poem or two at night before bed. Sometimes I'd skip a few days.

99. Mission to Paris by Alan Furst (4 stars)

I'm not normally a huge fan of spy novels for some reason. This time around I thoroughly enjoyed this tale of a Viennese born actor who has made a career in Hollywood who finds himself caught up in the tensions between Germany and France while in Paris to film a movie. The story took some time to get going but once it did I was hooked with enough tension to keep me turning the pages. The characters were accessible and the behind the scenes of the movie business added a nice touch.

Happy new thread! I always enjoy reviewing the categories in a new thread. Great progress on your Bingo cards!

Happy new thread! Looks like you are making great progress with your categories and both Bingo cards!

Happy New Thread. I'm amazed that you're doing two cards.

Thanks for the comments on the Bingo cards! It was easy in the beginning to do both but I've really hit a wall recently. Maybe I'll get both finished this year, maybe...

100. Dry Bones That Dream by Peter Robinson (4 stars)

I had read a couple of books in this series but that was quite a while ago. In fact, this book book has been languishing on my shelves for at least 5 years if not longer. I'm glad I finally read it as I do enjoy a solid police procedural. A mild-mannered accountant was murdered rather brutally and the police are trying to figure out why. Lots of detective work at a time that computers were just becoming more common. I liked the main character of Inspector Banks as he seemed rather real.

101. The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig (4 stars)

This was a very fun read. The references to the Scarlet Pimpernel made my heart happy. The contemporary story didn't really hold my interest too much but I'll be curious to see how it plays out in some of the other books. The historical portion of the book was the most fun though I really could have done without the more explicit sex scenes. They didn't really fit with the rest of the story. Amy was too silly for my tastes but she does make for an intriguing heroine. However, I'm just hoping that one of the later books in the series focuses on Jane as she and Miss Gwyn were my absolute favorites! This is not the sort of book to read if you want serious historical fiction. It is the type of book you read for fun escapism though.

>30 LittleTaiko: I'm glad to see you liked the Carnation...I haven't read any of them yet but I've had the first two on the shelves for awhile. This weekend I ran across the next 2 at a used book sale for a total of $4. What could I do but bring them home?? Maybe I can get the first one in later in the month.

Happy new thread! And good luck with the two Bingos.

>31 clue: - At that price you really had no choice!

>32 MissWatson: - Thanks! Maybe I'll start making a more concerted effort to fill the rest of the squares during the second half of the year.

>30 LittleTaiko: I'm glad you liked Pink Carnation! The series varies a bit in terms of how explicit it is, but I don't think you'll get anything *more* explicit than the first book, if I'm remembering correctly. The second book, The Masque of the Black Tulip, is one of my favorites in the series!

>30 LittleTaiko: - Echoing Christina >34 christina_reads:, I really enjoyed the Pink Carnation books I have read so far. Nice bit if escapism reading!

>34 christina_reads: - I'm definitely look forward to reading more in the series. It'll be the sort of thing I save for those days when I just want to have some fun.

>35 lkernagh: - I know lots of people have loved them and I took a book bullet from you for this one. Thanks!!

Quick round of reading recaps.

102. Death by Darjeeling by Laura Childs (3 stars)

Really enjoyable cozy mystery set in Charleston that is set around a tea shop. Really enjoyable cast of characters that I look forward to reading more about.

103. Daddy Long-Legs by Jean Webster (4 stars)

Such a sweet story about a young orphan who is given a chance to go to college when an anonymous benefactor offers to pay her way. The only requirement is that she write him regularly to give him updates on her life and school. The letters show a remarkable smart and lively young woman who is genuinely delighted with life.

104. Calypso by David Sedaris (4 stars)

Man I love spending time with David Sedaris. He has such a funny, dark look at life that I often find myself laughing and shaking my head at the same time. This is another collection of stories about his life and family.

105. Aunt Bessie Goes by Diana Xarissa (4 stars)

I'm still enjoying this series even when the mysteries aren't the strongest. It's hard to pinpoint why I like them so much. It might be because I want to live Bessie's live when I am retired. Her days seems to be filled with eating and reading which doesn't sound so bad. Oh yeah and long walks on the beach. This book wraps up some story lines from a couple of previous books and sets up some possibilities for books down the road.

The sequel to Daddy Long Legs, Dear Enemy, is one of my favorite books. There's some truly appalling beliefs (eugenics) to address, but somehow I still love it.

>38 RidgewayGirl: - That's good to know before actually reading it so I can adjust my expectations accordingly. The characters in the first book were just so charming that they are easy to love.

106. And She Was by Alison Gaylin (3 stars)

One of my personal goals for this year was to read more of the older books on my TBR shelf, so I finally read this one which has been on my e-reader since either 2012 or 2013. This was a thriller with an unusual protagonist and pretty solid story line. Brenna suffers from a disorder that allows her to recall every single moment of her life which can be both a blessing and a curse. It comes in handy with her work as a private investigator since she can remember people's faces and specific evidence details. It can be a problem though in her personal life when she can relive the really bad moments from her past on a regular basis. Brenna was an interesting character and I hope to read the other two books in the series.

Happy new thread! Am quite impressed with the page-number of your June read, And Ladies of the Club - I thought only old European classics came at that size. :)

>41 -Eva-: I read And Ladies of the Club back when it came out. I enjoyed it at the time.

Another quick roundup of reads:

107. Civilwarland in Bad Decline by George Saunders (2 stars)

I've enjoyed other books by Saunders but this collection of short stories and a novella was not for me. Too much dystopia and darkness for my personal taste right now.

108. Payment in Blood by Elizabeth George (4 stars)

I do enjoy a good police procedural and this one hit the spot. It's the second in the Inspector Lynley series so the main characters are still evolving. The actual mystery was set in a country house with a group of theater related people visiting to discuss a new play that they are all involved with. The author of the play is murdered and Lynley is called upon to investigate. The investigation is complicated by Lynley's feelings for one of the suspects as well as the feeling that someone is manipulating the situation.

109. Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann (5 stars)

I kept putting off reading this book because I was convinced that it was going to be depressing and dry. Man was I wrong! While the story being told is disturbing of course, this book read more like a detective novel. It centers around the murder of many members of the Osage community in the early 1900's as well as the early days of the FBI. This book seemed well researched and was quite engaging, not too mention extremely educational.

110. The Windfall by Diksha Basu (3 stars)

This was a funny if slightly uneven story of how one family in India coped with becoming very wealthy unexpectedly. The reader gets to see events from multiple perspectives, Mr. and Mrs. Jha, their son, a friend, and new neighbor. The story works best when told from the female perspective as the men come across as weak and quite frankly ridiculous, especially as they compare their symbols of wealth and try to outdo the other. The first part was really hard to get into, but the second half was pretty fun.

111. The 12:30 from Croydon by Freeman Wills Crofts (3 stars)

Crofts takes the traditional murder mystery and turns it on it's head in this golden age mystery. The book opens with the death of an elderly man on a plane. The rest of the book is told from the perspective of the person who committed the crime. The readers sees how the idea first came to the murderer, how it was executed, and the repercussions. The tension builds as you wonder whether he's going to get away with it or not.

The Windfall sounds like Ghachar Ghochar, which I enjoyed quite a bit. I'll have to hunt down a copy.

I'm reading Killers of the Flower Moon now and a lot is happening. I'm shocked at how badly we've treated the Osage people -- I thought I'd been fairly well-informed, but it's all a lot worse than I'd thought.

>44 RidgewayGirl: - It was definitely eye-opening regarding the extent that they were ill-treated. It really boggles the mind that people could be so cruel.

Squeezed in a couple of books before the end of the month. Having a weekend trip to the DC area helped since I had plenty of reading time on the plane.

112. The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti (3 stars)

So, I bought this book by accident a few years ago. I was trying to buy a book that everyone was buzzing about and I confused The Good Thief with The Book Thief - oops! Still haven't actually read The Book Thief yet though I do have it on loan from the library so hopefully I'll get to it soon. Anyway, I'm glad that I did buy this book. It read more like a young adult book that features a young orphan boy name Ren who is currently living in an orphanage. One day a man shows up claiming to be his brother and takes him away. The truth ends up being a bit more complicated than that. It was hard to pinpoint when this book actually takes place but it's definitely not in the current day. It's best described as an adventure novel for a younger crowd.

113. Murder at the Mansion by Sheila Connolly (3 stars)

This is the first in a new series by the rather prolific author. The story opens with Kate living in Baltimore and successfully running a hotel. Her best friend from high school has come to town to ask her to help save the small town that they grew up in. The town has fallen on hard times and they need some ideas on what can be done if anything. Kate agrees to help. Not soon after she gets to town, her high school nemesis has been murdered. In a switch from the usual cozy, Kate isn't under suspicion nor is anyone related to her. She actually isn't doing that much investigating into the death, but instead is focused on her plan to help revitalize the town. In fact the book really doesn't feel like a mystery at all as the resolution was rather anti-climatic and not terribly surprising. I loved that she did a crossover with one of her other series. An added bonus was learning more about Clara Barton - I was unaware that she ran The Office of Missing Soldiers after the Civil War and helped find thousands of missing soldiers.

114. Geared for the Grave by Duffy Brown (3 stars)

This is the wackiest group of characters in a cozy mystery that I have ever read. Evie has arrived on Mackinac Island to help her boss's father with his bicycle rental shop. The craziness starts on page one and never really lets up. At first it was a bit off-putting but I couldn't help but get sucked into their hi-jinks and rather unusual way of looking at life.

July Recap

Books read: 20

Favorite Book: Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
Books from my shelf: 17
Borrowed: 3

July YTD

Books read: 114
Favorite Book - January: Otis Redding: An Unfinished Life by Jonathan Gould
Favorite Book - February: Dreams to Remember by Mark Ribowsky
Favorite Book - March: Every Note Played by Lisa Genova
Favorite Book - April: I'll Be Your Blue Sky by Marisa de los Santos
Favorite Book - May: A Brush With Shadows by Anna Huber - really it's the whole Lady Darby series
Favorite Book - June: And Ladies of the Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer
Favorite Book - July: Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann

Books from my shelf: 87
Books acquired but not read yet: 58
Borrowed: 27

Currently Reading
Us Against You by Fredrik Backman

I'm so happy that I've cleared 29 more books from my shelf than I have acquired. Happy dance! I have found that I'm starting to ease off on the CAT's and just focus on reading books that will help me achieve a couple of personal goals that I set at the beginning of the year. It's made me a much happier reader to feel that I'm accomplishing something. It's also allowed for me to read what I'm in the mood for which has been nice too.

I'm very impressed with you having read 29 books MORE than you've acquired this year. I was feeling satisfied with my condition of only having brought home twice as many books as I've read off of my tbr. Now you've set the bar so much higher.

>46 LittleTaiko: Based on Sheila Connolly's other books I've read more than your review, I'm giving that one a pass.

>43 LittleTaiko: Thank you, Killers of the Flower Moon has been added to my wishlist. Not that I want to read any more about how wicked humans can be to each other, but your review and rating makes the book so tempting.

>48 RidgewayGirl: - I've been really trying hard to not buy as many books this year since I went way overboard last year. The number of books on my shelves that haven't been read yet is starting to make me a bit twitchy. :)

>49 thornton37814: - It was good but I haven't felt the urge to rush right out to read the rest yet.

>50 VivienneR: - I hope you enjoy it when you get to it. It is a grim topic but yet it was so very readable and interesting that it made it easier to read about.

Good grief - it's mid-month and I haven't posted any book updates. Time for another quick hit on what I've been reading.

115. Us Against You by Fredrik Backman (5 stars)

I didn't know that I needed a sequel to Beartown in my life until I read this book and absolutely loved it! It picks up right after the events in Beartown and features his signature writing style and well-drawn characters.

116. This Side of Murder by Anna Lee Huber (4 stars)

Huber may be my new favorite mystery author. I recently devoured her other series and decided to give this one a try and found it just as good. The setting is soon after WWI and Verity Kent is a young war widow who is starting to come to terms with life on her own. She attends an engagement party for a friend of her dead husband. However instead of a gay, lively time she finds a group of very tense party goers. Is it just the lingering effects of the war or something else?

117. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (4 stars)

I definitely read this in high school but am not sure if I had reread it at any other point. I picked this up as part of my goal to finally read the few remaining books that I purchased in 2014. Parts of it were still very familiar and some aspects I had forgotten. It is still such a strong depiction of teenage life. Nice to revisit this old friend.

118. Murder on Astor Place by Victoria Thompson (4 stars)

Overall it is safe to say that historical mysteries are in my sweet spot and this one was no different. Set in 1896, Sarah is a mid-wife who finds herself aiding the police in investigating a murder. Sarah is such an intriguing character and the historical elements add to the atmosphere. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more in the series.

119. The Unseen World by Liz Moore (4 stars)

I'm very embarrassed to say that I've had this book on loan from the library for about 2 years now. I had requested it since one of her other books, Heft was something I truly enjoyed. Finally I picked up this book and was immediately hooked. Ada is a serious, studious twelve year old girl who has been home-schooled by her rather eccentric father., David They share an interest in math, science, and puzzles. His lab partners are additional family figures for Ada. When David starts to show signs of Alzheimer's, life gets complicated, especially when it starts to seem that David might not be who he says he is. Ada is such a delight to read more about and my heart went out to her awkward teenage self. There were a couple of times where the book seemed to bog down slightly but the author nailed the ending.

120. A Terrible Beauty by Tasha Alexander (2 stars)

I used to really enjoy this series, but lately it's been a struggle and I think it's time for us to break up. Lady Emily should be interesting but has become insufferable with her perfection and the need to comment on how great she is as well as her husband Colin. Also, this one had way to much travel description and minimal action.

121. A Likely Story by Jenn McKinlay (4 stars)

Nothing like a good dose of humor and mystery with librarian sleuth, Lindsey. Lindsey is delivering books to the island where reclusive brothers, Peter and Stewart, reside. When Stewart doesn't come to meet her at the shore, she and boat captain, Sully go to the house to try to find them. What they find instead is Peter's dead body and no sight of Stewart. Lindsey tries to help find Stewart and solve the murder. I do enjoy this series and need to get caught up.

122. The Lobster Chronicles by Linda Greenlaw (3 stars)

After reading a wonderful book about lobsters a couple of years ago (The Secret Life of Lobsters) and going out on a lobster boat when I visited Maine to pull up traps and send them back with new bait, I became interested in reading this book about a woman who fished for lobsters. Greenlaw is a native of Maine is probably more famous for being the sea captain of the Hannah Boden, the sister ship to the ill-fated Andrea Gale from the book The Perfect Storm. Her memoir is a collection of stories about the thrills, frustrations, challenges, and general life of being a lobster fisherman in a small Maine town. It's full of the colorful characters you would expect since it takes a special group of people to survive that life.

>52 LittleTaiko: I've got a feeling I added The Secret Life of Lobsters to my wishlist because of your glowing review. I went to check my wishlist and I already have The Lobster Chronicles on my wishlist too. I think I added it because I have a thing about books about islands, rather than because I have a thing about lobsters!

123. The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz (4 stars)

I adored Magpie Murders and found this one to be just as enjoyable. He manages to hit on a lot of references that are near and dear to my heart. Loved that he was part of the story.

124. Mr. Churchill's Secretary by Susan Ella MacNeal (3 stars)

Enjoyable start to a series featuring Maggie, who starts as a secretary to Churchill an becomes embroiled in the world of espionage. It started strong an then seemed to bog down during the multiple endings that seemed to go on forever.

125. Aunt Bessie's Holiday by Diana Xarissa (3 stars)

Bessie and her friend Doona are going across to take advantage of an expenses paid trip that Doona won. Things get complicated when Doona's ex-husband is at the same resort and is subsequently murdered. Overall the mystery was a good one until the end which seemed a bit rushed and similar to how the previous book ended. Or maybe murders just have a habit of spilling their guts due to guilt at a more frequent pace than I was previously aware of.

126. The Versions of Us by Laura Barnett (3 stars)

I am a complete sucker for stories that imagine multiple life stories being played out. This one offers three different scenarios for Jim and Eva. Once you get into the stories it's pretty easy to keep track of which version you're reading about. However I would caution to not take a big break in reading or else it would be completely muddled. I think I enjoyed the concept more than the actual execution and that might be that the characters weren't that likable for the majority of the time. My favorite version was version 2 as I felt that the choices made were overall the right ones most of the time.

127. Whack Job by Kendel Lynn (2 stars)

Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood for scatterbrained and whimsical heroine trying to solve a murder. Elliott is supposed to be a rather competent director of the Ballantyne Foundation while also working on her PI licenses. After reading this book I'd find it hard to believe that Elliott is competent at anything. She continuously ignored her actual job in order to go off on ridiculous searches on half of a rather eccentric and completely irritating client. Her complaints that the police weren't sharing information with her were enough to make me roll my eyes on a regular basis.

128. The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis (4 stars)

There is something about Davis's characters in this book and previous novels that don't sit quite well with me but yet I find them compelling enough to keep reading. She follows her usual formula of two stories set in New York City and centered around a particular building. This time it's Grand Central Station (Terminal). Clara is an aspiring artist in the late 1920's who is teaching at the art school at Grand Central. Virginia is a divorced mom who is trying to get back on her feet during the 1970's when Grand Central has lost it's luster. How their stories intersect was fun to read about. Plus I loved learning more about Grand Central Station.

129. Emily Climbs by L.M. Montgomery (4 stars)

The second book in the Emily trilogy gives us an Emily who is starting to grow up a bit and is taking more steps towards her dream of becoming a writer even if she can't write untrue stories for a few years due to a promise she made her aunt in exchange for her being allowed to go to school.

130. Emily's Quest by L.M. Montgomery (2 stars)

Ugh, everything that gave me pause in the earlier books came out in full force during this one. It was barely a cohesive story but instead a series of supposedly charming vignettes with Emily pondering the beauty of everything or else in despair about something. Don't even get me started on the Dean story line that played out for part of the book. The ending was quite a let down as well with every kind of over the top plot twists that you could think of.

131. Hope Never Dies by Anthony Shaffer (3 stars)

This book was good for some chuckles and nostalgia. Joe Biden is trying to figure out what to do with his free time now that he is no longer VP. When Barak Obama shows up one night to tell him about a mysterious death it sets the two off on a buddy detective adventure. It was a hoot to read and visualize - the cover alone made me smile.

132. Traffic by Tom Vanderbilt (4 stars)

I bought this book so long ago that some of it is a bit dated, I mean there was even a Blockbuster Video reference in there! However, the basics regarding human nature and why we drive like we do haven't changed. It was full of lots of interesting pieces of information and had made me view driving with a slightly different perspective. It's not so dated though that it isn't aware of self-driving cars and what kind of impact that could have.

For some reason I tend to get burned out on LT things towards the middle of the year. I blame it on the heat in Texas and the fact that it makes me crabby. :) All I need is a really good cold front to perk me right up! Latest round of reading is below:

133. Boiled Over by Barbara Ross (4 stars)

Finally picked up books 2 & 3 in the series recently on a birthday splurge and found this one to be perfect airplane reading during my trip to Idaho. This Maine mystery focused on a dead body found in the Snowden family clambake oven. Who was the victim and why was he there? Julia can't help but look into things to help clear her family from suspicion.

134. Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding by Rhys Bowen (4 stars)

Another fun entry in the Royal Spyness series. Lady Georgie has been gifted the use of house by her godfather as a wedding gift. When she shows up though there is something definitely odd about the household staff. Georgie starts trying to implement some order while also preparing for her upcoming wedding. It was nice to see her develop more of a backbone and the ability to think for herself.

135. Strange Shores by Arnaldur Indriaason (3 stars)

Erlendur has fled to the town where he spent his youth and tragedy struck his family. He is still obsessed with finding out what really happened to his brother and is also intrigued with another missing person case from around the same time. While I enjoyed the other story line, how it got resolved seemed a bit off to me with some out of character actions.

136. Talking As Fast As I Can by Lauren Graham (4 stars)

This was exactly what I thought it would be and what I needed. Lauren Graham shares some stories about her life, working on the Gilmore Girls, Parenthood, and back to Gilmore Girls. If you're a fan of her or the shows then I would recommend the book.

137. A Place For Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza (5 stars)

Initially I was skeptical about this book since it had so much praise, could it live up to the hype? The first few chapters were really hard to find my way with as there were jumps in time and character points of view. However, once I settled in I was completely caught up in the story and wanted to get to know the family more. While they are all definitely flawed it's in such a genuine well meaning way. I really hated for this book to end.

138. Musseled Out by Barbara Ross (4 stars)

The third book in the Clambake series and while there were a couple of moments I thought were a tad silly it was still a good mystery with nice character development. Julia is still trying to figure out whether to stay in Maine or go back to New York and has some much needed honest conversations with her family.

139. Dancer by Colum McCann (4 stars)

McCann has the ability to make me want to keep reading a book even when the person he's writing about is a complete ass. This is a fictionalized account of the famous dancer Rudolph Nureyev who may have been a fabulous dancer but boy did he struggle as a pleasant person to be around. Loved the multiple points of view and ways that McCann let the story unfold.

140. Fogged Inn by Barbara Ross (4 stars)

One complaint of cozy mysteries is that the person investigating does stupid things and gets away with them. However, this time Julia not only does stupid things but people call her out on it and she realizes that maybe sticking her nose in police business might not be the smartest decision. Still enjoy the characters and their ongoing development.

A whole month away from my thread?! Not sure why except that I've been enjoying life and reading and just haven't felt much like writing about what I've read. However, I'm trying to get back into it. Won't really post any reviews today but will at least list what I've been reading.

141. A Glass of Blessings by Barbara Pym (4 stars)
142. Poisoned Pages by Lorna Barrett (4 stars)
143. Full Dark House by Christopher Fowler (3 stars)
144. Dove Season by Johnny Shaw (4 stars)
145. Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson (4 stars)
146. Hit and Run by Lawrence Block (3 stars)
147. Pops: A Life of Louis Armstrong by Terry Teachout (3 stars)
148. Ten Dead Comedians by Fred Van Lente (4 stars)
149. Murder on Monday by Ann Purser (3 stars)
150. The Secret Life of Violet Grant by Beatriz Williams (3 stars)
151. Tiny Little Things by Beatriz Williams (4 stars)
152. River Teeth by David James Duncan (2 stars)
153. Bibliomysteries by Otto Penzler (4 stars)
154. Beale Street Dynasty by Preston Lauterbach (3 stars)

Congrats on your double!

Here's the latest.

155. Bruno, Chief of Police by Martin Walker (4 stars)
156. Along the Infinite Sea by Beatriz Williams (3 stars)
157. The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie (3 stars)
158. The Continuum by Wendy Nikel (4 stars)
159. The Last Kashmiri Rose by Barbara Cleverly (3 stars)
160. My Cousin Rachel by Daphne DuMaurier (4 stars)
161. Death Takes Priority by Jean Flowers (2 stars)
162. Oh My Gods by Philip Freeman (3 stars)
163. Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev (4 stars)
164. Death Below Stairs by Jennifer Ashley (4 stars)

You are moving right along. I think I enjoyed the Cleverly books more than you did.

I enjoyed it and would most likely read more in the series if I come across another one. For this one, it was the romance aspect that felt a bit contrived and unnecessary to me.

165. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens (4 stars)

While not my favorite or even second favorite Dickens this was still quite an enjoyable read mainly due to Betsey Trotwood, Twaddles, and the Micawbers. Such wonderful characters! David was sweet but oh so very naive. Situations that are obvious to the reader just don't register with him. Plus some of his choices regarding his personal life had me wanting to sit him down for a much needed talking to.

166. Origin by Dan Brown (3 stars)

Quick, fun read that really makes me want to visit northern Spain some day.

167. Treacherous is the Night by Anna Lee Huber (3 stars)

Second in the Verity Kent series that finds Verity dealing with the events from the first book as well as potential repercussions from her work as a spy during WWI. I enjoyed it but still prefer the author's other series.

168. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne (3 stars)

I would have preferred more adventure and a little less science with this one. I appreciate what Verne was able to do in imagining what submarines could be capable of. The constant description and lists of every single sea creature that they observed had me skimming quite a bit. Still it was a fun book that I'm glad to have read.

169. The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli (4 stars)

While my knowledge of 16th century history is extremely limited, I still found this book to be rather interesting and on point for how I imagine things work today to some extent. I don't think Machiavelli is necessarily advocating for these rules, but instead is acknowledging that the way politicians and rulers get to be in charge is sometimes very twisted.

170. Life, The Universe, and Everything by Douglas Adams (4 stars)

I really don't have anything new to add regarding this installment in this fabulous collection of Hitchhiker's stories. All the crew is there and Arthur is still so delightfully befuddled, brave, and droll. Looking forward to reading the rest of the stories soon.

171. The Skeleton Makes a Friend by Leigh Perry (5 stars)

I generally don't give five star ratings to cozy mysteries for some reason but his time I really couldn't find a reason not to. I loved everything about this fifth installment featuring adjunct professor Georgia, her teenager daughter Madison, Akita named Byron, and the star of the books, Sid the skeleton. I love the family dynamics, the humor, the mysteries, and the way the author keeps it fresh. Plus, I really would love to have a Sid in my life.

I don't give five stars to cozies either so now you have me really intrigued. I might have to check out this series. Just what I need ;)

So many series, so little time...Luckily this one only has five so far so it's still early on. :)

172. The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg (3 stars)

Sweet and predictable story about an elderly widow who still visits his wife's grave every day. It's also about a confused teenager with family problems and an elderly woman trying to make connections where she can. I did find it bothersome how the darker aspects to the story were completely glossed over and only hinted at. I also found the circumstances surrounding the teenager to be a bit far-fetched and the resolution a tad too easy. However these are sweet people to read about. Just not sure I buy them as actual people.

>67 LittleTaiko: - That's too bad - I really like Elizabeth Berg. Eventually I'll probably read it anyway.

>68 dudes22: - You'll probably still enjoy it. The librarian who was checking me out raved about the book and how much she loved Elizabeth Berg. It was a very quick read and I did tear up from time to time, there were just some aspects I found strange, especially with Maddy's (the teenager) story line.

173. White Christmas with a Wobbly Knee by Andrea Frazer (3 stars)

While these books are fun escapism, the best part are the titles which are actual cocktail names. Who knew there was a drink out there called White Christmas or one called Wobbly Knee? This time the Belchester "Fearsome Four" are at it again with cocktails and solving murders. Full of the usual eccentric characters and odd situations.

174. Murder at Whitehall by Amanda Carmack (3 stars)

Fans of historical mysteries and stories set in Elizabethan times should enjoy this fourth installment in the series. I haven't read the prior books but didn't feel like I was missing any significant backstory. The story was a tad plodding at times in that it seems to cover the same ground a couple of times. However that was countered by seeing Queen Elizabeth and her court in their day to day lives preparing for the Christmas season. The book seemed well researched but I'm by no means a scholar so would not pick up on any glaring mistakes.

175. Chilbury Ladies' Choir by Jennifer Ryan (3 stars)

Sweet, engaging story set during WWII in a small English village. The men are way fighting and the women are left to handle everything. The thing keeping them together is their choir. Told from alternating perspectives from different women, it's a story of love, loss, growing up, secrets, lies, and figuring out who you are.

176. Murder in Retrospect by Agatha Christie (4 stars)

When all else fails read an Agatha Christie, Hercule Poirot mystery. This time Poirot has the challenge of solving a 16-year old murder. This was a reread for me and I remembered a lot of the important plot points so it must have been a book that resonated with me when I read it the first time. Knowing how it ended made it more fun to read and pinpoint the clues.

177. Murder at the Brightwell by Ashley Weaver (4 stars)

Set in the early 1930's this features Amory Ames a woman in a frustrating marriage with Milo and needing a bit of a change. She takes up her friends Gil invitation for a seaside holiday and ends up investigating the murder of one of their fellow guests. The mystery was solid and overall I enjoyed the characters. The dynamics between Amory and Miles are definitely not found in your typical mystery novels which was refreshing and weird at the same time.

>72 LittleTaiko: I'm pretty sure Murder in Retrospect was the first Agatha Christie I ever read, and I still remember a lot of the plot too!

>73 christina_reads: - It's funny what can trigger memories. As soon as one of the character's name was mentioned it all came back to me.

178. Zoo Station by David Downing (3 stars)

Spy novels aren't my normal reading fare but I did enjoy this WWII spy novel featuring John Russell, an Englishman living in Germany. He is somehow aiding the Soviets and his home country England while side stepping the Germans. Add in a German son and girlfriend, teaching English to a Jewish family, and his general journalism job and you find that John has a very busy life. For such a busy man the pace was really sort of slow.

179. The Secret, Book & Scone Society by Ellery Adams (3 stars)

I'm a fan of the author's Book Retreat series so thought I'd give this one a try. This is set in a small North Carolina town where people come for healing. Part of the healing happens at the bookstore where Nora has a knack for finding the right book to help improve someone's life. When she encounters a man who seems to need her help she invites him to her store. Before he can get there he meets with a violent death by apparently jumping in front of a train. Nora and a few other women who are each harboring their own secret find themselves investigating since the local sheriff seems inclined to just pass it off as a suicide. Overall I enjoyed this mainly because of the relationship of Nora and her friends. The men are rather thin characters and seem to be a bit pigeon-holed into stereotypes.

>76 LittleTaiko: - I've read a couple of her Books by the Bay series and have at least one of the Book Retreat in my TBR. I need to find a way to catch up a little bit. Other books keep stepping in front.

>76 LittleTaiko: I gave that one 3 stars, but I remember not liking it nearly as well as the books I've read in her other series.

>179 I recently read the first in the Book Retreat series and have just today received the second from Paperback Swap. I won't get to it very soon but it's good to know I have an emergency cozy on hand should I feel the need for gentle murder!

>77 dudes22: - I'll have to check out the Books by the Bay series and see how it compares to the other series. She must have a really vivid imagination to write so many different series. I just realized I have the first in her Supper Club series to try as well.

>78 thornton37814: - So far I definitely like the Book Retreat books better though I'm not willing to rule out reading more in the Secret Society series. Have you read any of her other series?

>79 clue: - I have definitely learned the value of having some cozy mysteries on hand for those occasions when I need a comfort read. :)

180. The Dime by Kathleen Kent (3 stars)

I love that this book is set in Dallas even if I don't think it necessarily gets Dallas right. Maybe it used some well worn stereotypes a bit more than I would have liked. But there was definitely some good insider details as well. Betty is a former Brooklyn cop who has transferred to Dallas along with her girlfriend Jackie. Betty works in the narcotics department and soon finds herself leading a drug investigation that goes all sorts of wrong. I enjoyed Betty's relationship with her fellow cops. The case itself went off in a really weird direction that I didn't necessarily buy.

>80 LittleTaiko: I've read the first in her Books by the Bay series. I like that one okay. I gave it 3.5 stars. I read one of her Supper Club mysteries authored as J. B. Stanley and gave it 3 stars. I've got the first Book Retreat one but haven't read it yet. Maybe next year.

>72 LittleTaiko: I've forgotten how this one worked out so it must be time to read it again! Given the theme of my 2019 challenge, I'm considering some Christie re-reads, I'll put this one at the top of the list.

>82 thornton37814: - Hope you like the Book Retreat book when you do get to it.

>83 VivienneR: - I've been slowly rereading her in order over the last few years and only get to maybe five a year. I don't always remember how they play out but almost always I enjoy the experience. The only one I'm truly dreading rereading is Passenger to Frankfurt as I remember finding it really dry when I read it the first time.

181. Transcription by Kate Atkinson (4 stars)

There is something about Atkinson's story telling that really works for me. It might be the sly humor, it might be how she plays with time, or it might be something else, but so far I have really enjoyed everything I've read. Juliet is a young woman in England during the beginning of WWII when she is recruited by the MI5 to listen in on conversations and transcribe them. The story alternates between 1940 and 1950. In the 1950 timeline, Juliet's actions from 1940 start to come back to haunt her. Juliet is fun, impatient, naive, and quick on her feet. The ending was quite satisfactory.

>85 LittleTaiko: Hmm, that's the second positive review of Transcription I've seen...time to add it to the TBR list!

>86 christina_reads: - Hope you like it when you get to it!

182. The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng (3 stars)

I love it when I learn something new from the book I'm reading. In this case, I was exposed to Malaya (now known as Malaysia) during and immediately after WWII and and was educated on the Japanese invasion of their country, the communist uprising after the war, tea, and Japanese gardening. The story of Yun Ling Teoh, a retired judge who was the sole survivor of a Japanese war camp when she was young, unfolds very slowly in the beginning. As Teoh starts to reflect on her life we are introduced to her friends who own a tea estate as well as the Japanese gardener who becomes her mentor despite her hatred for all things Japanese. It took me a while to warm up to the book but once I settled in I enjoyed.

>86 christina_reads: I've seen several reviews, all good and all remark upon the ending. I, too, am adding it to my (steadily growing) wish list.

183. True Grit by Charles Portis (4 stars)

I've never seen the movie but now I'm dying to look for it on Netflix or Amazon in order to see how the book translates to the screen. Mattie was such a unique character, very matter of fact, non-sentimental, practical, and pragmatic. What else is there to say that hasn't already been said?

Did you know there are two movies? Mattie comes to Fort Smith from Dardanelle in the beginning of the story. I live in Fort Smith and volunteer at the museum located in the building where court was held during those days, now a National Historic Site. We have movie posters for both movies on display and I always ask visitors which movie they prefer. Almost everyone, regardless of their age, likes the first one with John Wayne best. It's a fun movie but has little to do with reality, it's your average sanitized Western. I very much prefer the later, made by the Coen brothers and starring Jeff Bridges. It is more realistic and consequently, truly gritty. Maybe you'll want to eventually see them both.

>88 LittleTaiko: I liked this book very much, and one of the reasons was what you had mentioned about learning something new about a different country ad historical period.

Wishing you a Happy New Year filled with good health and good reading.

Thank you!! Happy New Year to you as well!!!

Final 2018 reads which I wrapped up yesterday around 7:00 pm.

184. An Elderly Lady Is Up To No Good by Helene Tursten (4 stars)

What a hoot of a book! Loaned it to my mother-in-law over the holidays and she loved it as well. Maude is the elderly lady in the title and she has no qualms about a bit of murder if it suits her end. This is a collection of four or five stories about Maude taking action.

185. Christmas Stories by Diana Secker Tesdell (4 stars)

I've had this collection of short stories for years and finally decided to read them. I'm so happy that I did and I look forward to rereading some of them in the future. This collection ranges from Dickens to Nabokov to Richard Ford. My favorites were the Sherlock Holmes story of course as well as the ones by Anthony Trollope, Leo Tolstoy, Vladimir Nabokov, Damon Runyon, Elizabeth Bowen, and Grace Paley.

186. The Misfortune of Marion Palm by Emily Culliton (3 stars)

Fairly funny look at how the NY rich live and their problems. Marion finds herself in a spot of trouble after embezzling a large sum of money from her children's school. When she takes off to escape her actions have consequences for not just herself but her husband and children. I enjoyed the husbands part of the story much more than I did Marions. I think we're supposed to have sympathy for her but I just couldn't muster any. Still entertaining to see her antics though.

187. Kneaded to Death by Winnie Archer (3 stars)

Rather solid entry into a new series. Ivy has moved back home to California to be with her dad and brother after her mom's sudden death. She starts to build her life there which involves taking bread making lessons. When one of the other classmates is murdered she finds herself investigating. I really enjoyed the characters, but points off for having the murderer be someone who was barely mentioned until the final reveal.

188. Sam Phillips by Peter Guralnick (4 stars)

What a fascinating book to finish off 2018 with! Sam Phillips was quite the character. He was a pioneer in the music field, a huge proponent of racial and gender equality when it came to the music business. His personal life was a bit of a mess but it seemed to work for all parties involved so who am I to judge. You really get a sense of the man and the excitement of being part of the birth of rock and roll. I mean he discovered Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, etc...which definitely makes him a big part of musical history.

Favorite books read in 2018:

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
Every Note Played by Lisa Genova
Otis Redding: An Unfinished Life by Jonathan Gould
Us Against You by Fredrik Backman
The Skeleton Makes a Friend by Leigh Perry
A Place For Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza

Glad you ended your year with a four-star book!