JulieLill's 2022 Reading Challenge

Ready to read some good books this new year!

2022 Reading Challenge
1. 1970- Zelda: A Biography by Nancy Milford 2.5/5 stars 1/3/2022
2. 1971- The Abortion by Richard Brautigan 4/5 stars 1/10/2022
3. 1972 - The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury 4/5 stars 1/25/2022
4. 1973 - Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut 3/5 stars
2/17/2022
5.1974 - Helter Skelter- The True Story of the Manson Murders
Vincent Bugliosi 4/5 stars 4/6/2022
6. 1975- The Great Train Robbery by Michael Crichton
4/5 stars 5/19/2022
7. 1976- Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less by Jeffrey Archer 3/5 stars 5/11/2022
8. 1977- The Plague Dogs by Richard Adams 3/5 stars
6/9/2022
9.1978- The Cement Garden by Ian McEwan
4/5 stars 5/3/2022
10. 1979- A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II by Sonia Purnell 5/5 stars
6/8/2022

11. Mary Roach Book - Packing For Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach 4/5 stars 1/16/2022
12. Ian McEwan Book - The Child in Time by Ian McEwan 3/5 stars 1/23/2022
13. Frederick Backman Book - Things My Son Needs to Know about the World by Fredrik Backman 4/5 stars 2/11/2022
14. A. Scott Berg Book- Lindbergh by A. Scott Berg 5/5 stars 11/19/2022
15. Book about film or television - Forever Dobie-The Many Lives of Dwayne Hickman by Dwayne Hickman 4/5 stars 1/20/2022
16. Geography- Unruly Places: Lost Spaces, Secret Cities, and Other Inscrutable Geographies by Alastair Bonnett 4/5 stars 6/19/2022
17. Toys- Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops?: The Lost Toys, Tastes, and Trends of the 70s and 80s byGael Fashingbauer Cooper
3/5 stars 4/11/2022
18. Patrick Ness Book- The Rest of Us Just Live Here by
Patrick Ness 3/5 stars 3/7/2022
19. Susan Orlean Book - The Bullfighter Checks Her Makeup: My Encounters With Extraordinary People by Susan Orlean 4/5 stars 5/17/2022
20. Historical Fiction - Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders 3/5 stars 4/22/2022

21. Peter Heller Book- The Guide by Peter Heller 4/5 stars 4/8/2022
22. Architecture - The Last Castle: The Epic Story of Love, Loss, and American Royalty in the Nation's Largest Home by Denise Kiernan 4/5 stars 8/28/2022
23. Cartoon Artist - Chuck Amuck: The Life and Time of an Animated Cartoonist by Chuck Jones 4/5 stars 4/13/2022
24. LGBT Fiction - They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera 4/5 stars 8/22/2022
25. True Crime - The Brown's Chicken Massacre by Maurice Possley 4/5 stars 5/5/2022
26. Comics History - The SUPERGIRLS – Fashion, Feminism, Fantasy, and The History of Comic Book Heroines
by Mike Madrid 4/5 stars 9/7/2022
27. Barbara Ehrenreich book - Natural Causes: An Epidemic of Wellness, the Certainty of Dying, and Killing Ourselves to Live Longer by Barbara Ehrenreich 4/5 stars 8/12/2022
28. Richard Matheson book - A Stir of Echoes by Richard Matheson 4/5 stars 7/5/2022
29. Circus - Barnum: An American Life by Robert Wilson 5/5 stars 7/10/2022
30. Food - Chocolate Wars: The 150-Year Rivalry Between the World's Greatest Chocolate Makers by Deborah Cadbury 4/5 stars 6/30/2022

31. Mary Higgins Book - Where Are the Children? by
Mary Higgins Clark 4/5 stars 5/22/2022
32. Paulette Jiles Book - Simon The Fiddler by Paulette Jiles 3/16/2022 4/5 stars
The County Nurse Series-
33. Call the Nurse: True Stories of a Country Nurse on a Scottish Isle by Mary J. MacLeod 1/7/2022 5/5 stars
34. The Island Nurse by Mary J. MacLeod 5/5 stars 3/20/2022
35.Nurse, Come You Here! :More True Stories of a Country Nurse on a Scottish Isle by Mary J. MacLeod 2/5/2022 5/5 stars

The Witcher Series -
36.- The Last Wish (The Witcher, #0.5)
by Andrzej Sapkowski 4/5 stars 6/7/2022
37.- Sword of Destiny by Andrzej Sapkowski 6/23/2022 3/5 stars
38. Blood of Elves by Andrzej Sapkowski 4/5 stars 7/1/2022
39. The Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski 4/5 stars 7/11/2022
40. Baptism of Fire by Andrzej Sapkowski 3/5 stars 7/20/2022
41. The Tower of Swallows by Andrzej Sapowski 3/5 stars 8/1/2022
42. The Lady of The Lake by Andrzej Sapowski 4/5 stars 8/26/2022
43. Season of Storms by Andrzej Sapowski 4/5 stars 9/4/2022

44. James Thurber Book- The 13 Clocks by James Thurber
3/5 stars 6/21/2022
45. Stephen King Book - Lisey's Story by Stephen King 3/5 stars 2/25/2022
46. PG Wodehouse Book - The Adventures of Sally by P.G. Wodehouse 3/5 stars 9/17/2022
47. Dashiell Hammet Book Woman In The Dark by Dasheill Hammett 4/5 stars 9/7/2022
48. Mystery - Something to Hide by Elizabeth George 4/5 stars 3/11/2022
49. Michael Connolly Book - Chasing The Dime by Michael Connolly 4/5 stars 10/7/2022
50. Keigo Higashino Book The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino 4/5 stars 9/11/2022

51. YA Novel - Mister Death's Blue-Eyed Girls by Mary Downing Hahn 4/5 stars 4/20/2022
52. Animal Book- The Good Good Pig: The Extraordinary Life of Christopher Hogwood by Sy Montgomery 5/5 stars 7/21/2022
53. Book on A Scandal - Ponzi's Scheme: The True Story of a Financial Legend by Mitchell Zuckoff 4/5 stars 9/19/2022
54. Diary - This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor by Adam Kay 5/5 stars 6/14/2022
55. Coming of Age - The Tender Bar: A Memoir by J.R. Moehringer 4/5 stars 4/29/2022
56. Horror- House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland
4/5 stars 7/23/2022
57. Satire- Heart of a Dog by Mikhail Bulgakov 4/5 stars 9/26/2022
58. Western- The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt 3.5/5 stars 9/23/2022
59. Sports- Strong Boy: The Life and Times of John L. Sullivan, America's First Sports Hero by Christopher Klein
4/5 stars 9/30/2022
60. Religion- Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape by Jenna Miscavige Hill
4/5 stars 10/22/2022

Books picked out from the Initials’ of One of My Favorite Cartoonist - https://www.collinstoons.com/
61.D - Dumplin' by Julie Murphy 4/5 stars 10/12/2022
62. A - Alexander Hamilton A Life by Willard Sterne Randall
4/5 stars 4/30/2022
63.N - Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon 3.5/5 star 10/29/2022
64.C Caddyshack: The Making of a Hollywood Cinderella Story by Chris Nashawaty
4/5 stars 10/22/2022
65.O - Old Sparky: The Electric Chair and the History of the Death Penalty by Anthony Galvin
5/5 stars 11/8/2022
66.L - Lady Oracle by Margaret Atwood 4/5 stars 8/6/2022
67.L- The Little Girl Who Fought the Great Depression: Shirley Temple and 1930s America by John F. Kasson
68.I - I Moved Your Cheese For Those Who Refuse to Live as Mice in Someone Else's Maze by Deepak Malhotra 3/5 stars 10/4/2022
69. N - Notes on a Cowardly Lion: The Biography of Bert Lahr by John Lahr 3/5 stars 11/2/2022
70. S- Surfacing by Margaret Atwood 3/5 stars 1/30/2022

70/70

Hi JulieLill! I'm Dea, and I just want to say that I love your 2022 reading ideas. I honestly never thought to read books from the 70's. Maybe I could do that next time.

>3 deaflower: I did 50's 2 years ago and the 60's last year. It was interesting researching what books I wanted to read for those years.

>4 JulieLill: A very good idea. I think too many of those excellent quality reads, are lost because of the newer books.

Zelda: A Biography
by Nancy Milford
2.5/5 stars
This is the story of Zelda Fitzgerald, her life, her marriage to Scott Fitzgerald and her fight against mental illness. This was an awfully long book not helped by the extremely small print. It seemed to me that a lot of the information was repeated but the author was thorough in her research. 1970

Call the Nurse: True Stories of a Country Nurse on a Scottish Isle
Mary J. MacLeod
5/5 stars
This was a wonderful recollection of a nurse’s time working on a Scottish Isle in the late sixties. There are two more books in this collection and I look forward to them. This reminds me of the writings of James Herriot’s books.
The County Nurse Series

The Abortion
Richard Brautigan
4/5 stars
This is the story of a young man who runs an unusual library where the patrons bring books that they wrote to be added to the library. One day he meets Vida, a young woman who writes poetry and has a book to add to the library. They fall in love and she becomes pregnant leading them to go to Tijuana for an abortion. This was quite an unusual book but very intriguing.
1971

Packing For Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void
Mary Roach
4/5 stars
One of my favorite authors is Mary Roach and she does not disappoint in this book about the space program and living in space. She discusses the myriad of problems of living in space including living in confined quarters, eating, washing and toilet issues. This still holds up even though it was written in 2010. I would love to see her write about the space program from where she ended this book. Mary Roach Book

Forever Dobie-The Many Lives of Dwayne Hickman
by Dwayne Hickman
4/5 stars
This was a wonderful autobiography of Dwayne Hickman who starred in the TV series The Many Lives of Dobie Gillis which aired from 1959-1963. He talks about his life on the show, his career as an actor and life after being an actor including running a Las Vegas resort and later as a CBS executive where he managed comedic shows like MASH and more. Highly recommended! Book About Film/Television

The Child in Time
Ian McEwan
3/5 stars
A young couple’s daughter is kidnapped at a grocery store and the couple struggle to deal with the loss of their child and end up separating. Will they ever get over their grief and re-unite? Not my favorite of his books but never the less, it is compelling! Ian McEwan Book

The Halloween Tree
By Ray Bradbury
4/5 stars
It is Halloween and Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud, a sinister man appears to a group of friends who are about to go trick or treating but their friend Pip is missing. Moundshroud takes them on a journey which transcends time and place to find their friend. I enjoyed this Bradbury tale. 1972

Surfacing
Margaret Atwood
3/5 stars
A young, woman artist, along with her boyfriend and another couple, travel to an isolated island in Quebec. She is searching for her father who has gone missing and they end up staying in his cabin. Unfortunately, the longer she stays there, the relationships between her friends and lover strain and the more her state of mind unravels. Not my favorite of all her books but I love her writing and the ideas she provokes. S

Nurse, Come You Here!: More True Stories of a Country Nurse On A Scottish Isle
by Mary J. MacLeod
This is the second book in the series of MacLeod’s life as a nurse and mother. In this one, the family re-locates to California due to her husband’s new job. She talks about life in the USA compared to life on the Scottish Isle they lived on but unfortunately she was unable to work as a nurse since she did not have a license to practice in the US. I am enjoying her books. There is one more book in the series that I look forward to reading. The Country Nurse Series

Things My Son Needs to Know about the World
Fredrik Backman
4/5 stars
This non-fiction book revolves around the author Fredrik Backman, his relationship with his son and what he wants to teach him. I have always enjoyed his books and this non-fiction doesn’t disappoint. Short but very sweet! Fredrik Backman Book

Breakfast of Champions
Kurt Vonnegut
3/5 stars
Writer Kilgore Trout who writes fiction finds out that a car dealer thinks he is writing the truth in this unusual satire. I thought I had read some Vonnegut before this book but nothing comes up in my logs. I’m not sure if I would read any more of his books though he is highly acclaimed. 1973

Welcome to Dunder Mifflin: The Ultimate Oral History of The Office
Brian Baumgartner and Ben Silverman
4/5 stars
I loved The Office and when I found this book at the library, I put everything else down to read this wonderful book told by everyone who acted, produced, wrote and worked on the series. If you haven’t seen the series -don’t read this book but definitely see the series then read this book. Highly recommended for fans of the series!

Could not fit this into my challenge but definitely did not want to wait to read this book!

Lisey's Story
Stephen King
3/5 stars
Lisey Debusher's husband, Scott, a famous writer died a couple of years ago after a long marriage. Lisey continues struggling from his death and goes to a place to where he fought his demons. With the help of one of her sisters, she comes to terms with her life with Scott and his death.
Not my favorite book of King's, I found it awfully long and somewhat repetitive. Stephen King Book

The Rest of Us Just Live Here
Patrick Ness
3/5 stars
"This" is the story of Mikey and his friends, ordinary kids living in times that are no longer ordinary. Indie students at their school are trying to prevent an Immortal invasion. Mikey does not want to accept that he is simply average but ultimately finds that having good friends is what makes life important."
https://www.supersummary.com/the-rest-of-us-just-live-here/summary/
I read Ness' A Monster Calls and loved it but this book was just only okay for me. Patrick Ness Book

Something to Hide
Elizabeth George
4/5 stars
Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley and his partner Detective Sergeant Havers are on a new case which involves the death of a Nigerian colleague, as she was investigating the illegal practice of FGM - Female Genital Mutilation in the Nigerian community in London. Heartbreaking! Mystery

I did not realize this was still going on. How terrible that this is still accepted today. For more information - check out this website. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/female-genital-mutilation

The Country Nurse Remembers: True Stories of a Troubled Childhood, War, and Becoming a Nurse
Mary J. MacLeod
5/5 stars
This was the third book in the series but chronologically it is the beginning of her life story and the beginning of her career in nursing during WWII. She discusses her life, the death of her mother and her problems with her stepmother. I really enjoyed this book and the rest of the series. Highly recommended! Country Nurse Series

Alexander Hamilton A Life
Willard Sterne Randall
4/5 stars
I knew little about Hamilton’s life before reading this book but Randall paints a portrait of a very smart and interesting man who was willing to become involved in the building a nation. Highly recommended! A

Simon the Fiddler
Paulette Jiles
4/5 stars
Set in the 1860’s, we find Simon Bouldin who has been able to remain out of the Civil War. Simon has spent most of his time traveling with his band. Unfortunately, Simon has finally been caught and ends up in a regimental band with his fellow bandmates and at a performance spies a beautiful young woman, Doris. The only problem is she is an indentured slave and they go their separate ways. However, Bouldlin is still attracted to her and vows to find her, while saving up his money to buy land for a homestead and hopes to make a home with her. I enjoyed this book, not as much as her book News Of The World but look forward to reading more of her stories. Paulette Jiles Book

Helter Skelter- The True Story of the Manson Murders
Vincent Bugliosi
4/5 stars
This is the fascinating and horrible story of the Manson murder spree when 5 people were killed in an attack masterminded by Charles Manson that occurred in August 1969 near Hollywood. Vincent T. Bugliosi Jr. was a Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney and the lead prosecutor in the trials and this book was written by him. I thought this was a well written, detailed account of the crimes and the trials of the people involved in the crimes.
I was curious to see who was still alive of the people involved and found this article from March 2022. https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/manson-family-guide-where-they-are-now 1974

The Guide
Peter Heller
4/5 stars
Jack, who was also the main character in Heller’s book The River, gets a job at a retreat as a guide to visitors to help them find the best spots to fish. However, nearby is Kingfisher Lodge, cordoned off by a huge fence and frequented by the visitors’ that go there for treatment. When he hears screams coming from the Lodge, he questions why is it so barricaded and guarded and what treatment are these people receiving. Heller is one of my favorite writers and I think this is the first fiction book I read that has the Covid epidemic as part of the story. Fascinating! Peter Heller Book

Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops?: The Lost Toys, Tastes, and Trends of the 70s and 80s
Gael Fashingbauer Cooper
3/5 stars
The authors talk about the bygone products, TV shows, stars and trends of the 70’s and 80’s. If you grew up in that time period you will probably get a kick out of this book. Anyone up for a candy cigarette? Toys

Chuck Amuck: The Life and Time of an Animated Cartoonist
Chuck Jones
4/5 stars
Chuck Jones who worked for Warner Brothers, discusses his life growing up and his career in animation, drawing Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pigs and many more toons. This book contains lots of his sketches and drawings. I enjoyed it and all the sketches, cartoons and pictures. Cartoon Artist

Mister Death's Blue-Eyed Girls
Mary Downing Hahn
4/5 stars
Set in 1956, two young high school girls are killed in the woods causing great consternation in their community. Buddy, a young man is thought to have killed them but is let go. Will they ever find the killer(s)? This is based on a true story. This is also considered a Juvenile book but I really enjoyed it and wondered why it was in that section because I think adults would enjoy it. I have read Hahn’s other books and would like to read more of her. YA Novel

Lincoln in the Bardo
George Saunders
3/5 stars
This is the interesting and unusual story that takes place during the Civil War in 1862 and involves the death of Lincoln’s son Willie who has just died and the struggle over his soul. I don’t think ever read a book quite like this. There are multiple characters (living and the dead) discussing his death. Historical Fiction

The Tender Bar: A Memoir
J.R. Moehringer
4/5 stars
Author JR Moehringer writes about his life growing up in New York City with his mother who was abandoned by his father. He spends a lot of time with his uncles as they substituted for his father and learns from them. I really enjoyed this memoir!
Coming Of Age

The Cement Garden
Ian McEwan
4/5 stars
When their parents died, four children were left behind in their home. Though they were capable of informing the authorities, they stayed in the house doing whatever they wished. I do like McEwen and his dark stories. 1978

The Brown's Chicken Massacre
Maurice Possley
4/5 stars
Maurice Possley discusses the shockingly, true story of the massacre of the staff of a Brown's Chicken in Illinois, as they closed down the store one night in January of 1983. It took 10 years and advances in DNA testing before they could solve the case. Well researched and written. True Crime

Wizard of Oz: An Over-the-Rainbow Celebration of the World's Favorite Movie
Ben Nussbaum
4/5 stars
This is a short book celebrating the movie - The Wizard of Oz. The author discusses a myriad of topics on the film, the actors who performed and even talks about the Broadway musical - Wicked. Definitely for fans of the movie.

This is not on my challenge but when I found it, I just had to read it.

Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less
Jeffrey Archer
3/5 stars
Four men are swindled in an investment by Harvey Metcalfe, a wealthy man who has no remorse. The men get together to take him down and get their money back. Not my favorite of the Archer books but I enjoyed it. 1976

The Bullfighter Checks Her Makeup: My Encounters With Extraordinary People
Susan Orlean
4/5 stars
I always enjoying read Susan Orlean’s books and this book has her original interviews with the famous and not so famous people she encountered. This book was published in 2001 but is still entertaining though it would be interesting to see where those people are today. Susan Orlean Book

The Great Train Robbery
Michael Crichton
4/5 stars
Set in Victorian London, Edward Pierce sets up a crime with his cohorts to steal a gold shipment that will be traveling by steam train. But will they succeed? Very clever and a fast read! 1975

Where Are the Children?
Mary Higgins Clark
4/5 stars
Years ago, Nancy Harmon was accused of killing her children. However, her sentence was overturned, allowing her to start her life over again. Married with two new children, she feels her life is more settled. But once again, her life is in turmoil when her new children are missing and she is suspected in their disappearance. I enjoyed this book and it kept me reading to see how it was going to end. Mary Higgins Clark

The Little Girl Who Fought the Great Depression: Shirley Temple and 1930s America
John F. Kasson
Kasson relates the story Shirley Temple, one of the most popular child actress of her time period amidst the background and history of the Great Depression. He explores the films she was in, her popularity with the public who had sent her four thousand letters a week at the height of her fame and her parents who supported her but also spent most of her money, leaving her very little after her career was over. Highly recommended. L

The Last Wish (The Witcher, #0.5)
by Andrzej Sapkowski
4/5 stars
There are several books in this series and according to one source this book was first book to read. Geralt of Rivia is a witcher (bounty hunter). He uses his magical powers to protect fiends from hurting others. He sometimes travels with a friend named Dandelion who helps him out. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the others in the series. The Witcher Series Book One

Fun Fact -In the TV series, they changed the name of Dandelion to Jaskier, which is the character's name in Polish.

A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II
by Sonia Purnell
5/5 stars
This is the amazing story of Virginia Hall, a woman who had lost her leg in a hunting accident at the age of 27 and who ended up becoming a spy in World War II for the SOE (Special Operations Executive), helping to organize and aid the French Resistance. After the war, she ended up working for the CIA. Highly recommended! 1979

The Plague Dogs
Richard Adams
3/5 stars
Written by the author of Watership Down, this is the story of two dogs, Rowf and Snitter, who live in a research testing facility in England where they have been experimented on and handled cruelly by the men who work there. One day, a handler did not lock them in properly and they escape from the facility causing great consternation that they may be carrying the plague and a huge man hunt for the animals ensues. I loved Adam’s Watership Down but I found that this book dragged on too long. 1977

This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor
Adam Kay
5/5 stars
This is the diaries that Adam Kay kept while being a resident in the National Health Service in the UK. After 12 years in school and working as a doctor, he quit his job. Fortunately for him, he wrote this book and ended up selling about 1.5 million books. I enjoyed this immensely and could empathize with him and the pain he dealt with treating the sick and their families, working non-stop, missing meals and sleep, dealing with administrators and the constant change in policies. Great book! Diary

Unruly Places: Lost Spaces, Secret Cities, and Other Inscrutable Geographies
Alastair Bonnett
4/5 stars
While most of us live in suburbs, cities and in the countryside, Bonnett explores the unusual places that people live in, including cities that have changeable boundaries, islands where people live on that can disappear and reappear with the changing of sea levels, people who live on ships year round and he also discussed the re-population of cities that had been abandoned like Chernobyl and Wittenoom in Australia which was closed due to asbestos which was mined there. Very interesting! Geography

The 13 Clocks
James Thurber
3/5 stars
I don’t know how to describe this book; it is more of a fairy tale about the princess, Sara Linda who is shut up in a castle with thirteen clocks which have been frozen. A prince who is disguised as a minstrel, and who has fallen in love with Sara Linda and is then given the task of finding the jewels of Zorna and restart the 13 clocks before Sara Linda could be released. Interesting! James Thurber Book

The Sword of Destiny
Andrzej Sapkowski
3/5 stars
This Witcher book is a compilation of short stories of the deeds and antics of Geralt of Riva and his companions. I enjoy Sapowski’s writing and the characters he has created. I am going to read Blood Of Elves next. Witcher Series

Chocolate Wars: The 150-Year Rivalry Between the World's Greatest Chocolate Makers
Deborah Cadbury
4/5 stars
Deborah Cadbury, a Quaker family relative of one of the famous chocolate makers relates the history of chocolate, the manufacturers who made the chocolate and the rivalries between the chocolate manufacturers including Cadbury, Milton Hershey, Nestle, Lindt and Forrest Mars. Very interesting! Food

Blood of Elves
Andrzej Sapkowski
4/5 stars
Queen Calanthe commits suicide during an attack on the capital city and her granddaughter, Ciri manages to flee from the burning capital. Emhyr var Emreis, Imperator of Nilfgaard, has sent his people to find her. Young Ciri is wanted because of her royal blood, but she also has elven blood and possibly will be able to perform magic. Geralt of Rivia, a witcher vows to find and protect her. Exciting! Witcher Series

A Stir of Echoes
Richard Matheson
4/5 stars
Tom Wallace was an easy going man with a wife and a son. At a party, he was hypnotized and now he is having headaches but he can also hear people’s thoughts and he starts seeing aberrations. Why is this happening to him and is he and his family in danger because of this. Compelling! Richard Matheson Book

Barnum: An American Life
Robert Wilson
5/5 stars
This is the biography of the amazing PT Barnum, who ran a museum of oddities, brought life to the circus and introduced some of his most famous acts to the American public including Jenny Lind, the Swedish songstress, Jumbo, the elephant and General Tom Thumb. The author paints a wonderful picture of his life, his family, the people that surrounded him and mostly his drive to entertain people. Highly recommended! Circus

The Time of Contempt
Andrzej Sapkowski
4/5 stars
While war has commenced between the elves, other races and humans, Ciri returns in this novel along with Witcher and Yennefer. However, she is in grave danger because there are several who want to control her while her magic is still not under her complete control. Witcher Series

Baptism of Fire
Andrzej Sapkowski
3/5 stars
Geralt is still on the search for Ciri and fears that she has been captured by the Nilfgaard Court. A new female character, Milva an archer joins in the search for Ciri. Witcher Series

The Good Good Pig: The Extraordinary Life of Christopher Hogwood
Sy Montgomery
5/5 stars
This is the delightfully true story about Sy Montgomery, naturalist, writer and radio commentator, who along with her husband raised a pig who was sickly. With the help of their neighbors providing food and support, he recovered quickly, grew to 750 pounds and was a friend to the neighbors, a local celebrity and a beloved pet. Animal Book

House of Hollow
Krystal Sutherland
4/5 stars
In this dark YA novel, the author tells the tale of three unusual sisters who as children disappeared for a month and returned not knowing what happened and with changes in their appearances. This time their older sister, Grey goes missing and Iris Hollow and her sister Vivi take up the challenge of where their sister went and what really happened the first time they went missing! Compelling! Horror

Lady Oracle
Margaret Atwood
4/5 stars
Written in 1976, Margaret Atwood relates the fictional tale of author Joan Foster, a woman who writes gothic romance novels but her real life is more bizarre than her books. I like Atwood’s books and this doesn’t disappoint. L

Natural Causes: An Epidemic of Wellness, the Certainty of Dying, and Killing Ourselves to Live Longer
Barbara Ehrenreich
4/5 stars
I have read Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed and enjoyed that book. In this book she talks about how we spend more time worrying about living a long life as we put our bodies through dieting, fitness and medical tests. But science shows that the cells make those decisions on how long we live and not us. That maybe we should live our life fully and not worry about what we cannot control. I thought this was very thought provoking! Barbara Ehrenreich Book

They Both Die at the End
Adam Silvera
4/5 stars
Interesting book about two young men who meet up when they are selected to be on the death list and are to die today but they don't know when. They meet through an app called Last Friend and become good friends on their last day on Earth. As far as I remember the author doesn't discuss why people are selected to die - but I am assuming due to overpopulation. This book sounds weird but I enjoyed it. LGBT Ficition

The Lady of the Lake
Andrzej Sapkowski
4/5 stars
Ciri has been trying to get home after escaping from the Tower of the Swallow. For all that she has gone through she needs to rely on her inner strength to return to her family and friends. Will she be able to get away for good from Bonhart, the man who hurt her? One more book to go in this series! The Witcher Series

The Last Castle: The Epic Story of Love, Loss, And American Royalty In The Nation's Largest Home
Denise Kiernan
4/5 stars
This was quite an interesting story of George Vanderbilt, his wife and the building and history of the Biltmore House on 125,000 acres in North Carolina. The author takes us through the good and bad times of the family including what happened to them from both World Wars and the Depression. I have never been to the estate but I really enjoyed this book. Architecture

Season of Storms
Andrzej Sapkowski
4/5 stars
Geralt of Rivia is in this stand-alone and final novel in which he has his swords stolen and travels around trying to find them and overcomes wizards and monsters to get his swords back. Enjoyable! The Witcher Series

The SUPERGIRLS – Fashion, Feminism, Fantasy, and The History of Comic Book Heroines
by Mike Madrid
4/5 stars
Madrid discusses the history of the comic supergirls from the beginning in the 1940’s until the 2000’s. Very detailed and interesting.
Comics History

Woman In The Dark
By Dashiell Hammett
4/5 stars
A young woman on the run shows up on the doorstep and is taken in to help her. However, the couple who live there have no idea what they are getting into. Dashiell Hammett Book

The Devotion of Suspect X
Keigo Higashino
4/5 stars
Detective Kusanagi gets involved in a case of murder of a divorced man but has no clue who is involved. The man had a contentious relationship with his ex, Yasuko Hanaoka. He had been threatening her and he ended up dead. The wife goes to her neighbor, Ishigami who has feelings for her and he helps deal with the body. The detective has no answers and reaches out to his friend, physicist Dr. Manabu Yukawa, also known as “Detective Galileo” to help his solve this mystery. Very interesting! Keigo Higashino Book

The Adventures of Sally
P.G. Wodehouse
3/5 stars
The story surrounds the life of Sally Nicholas, dancer, her adventures with her friends and her beaus during the 1920’s. When she inherits a fortune, things change for her and her lifestyle. It originally was a serial but then became a novel. A fun romp! P.G. Wodehouse Novel

Ponzi's Scheme: The True Story of a Financial Legend
Mitchell Zuckoff
4/5 stars
Charles Ponzi, an immigrant from Italy came to America in 1920 to make it big. Unfortunately, life was hard in America but he eventually latched on to a scheme in Boston that made him a lot of money at the expense of others. Unfortunately, his scheme ended to be a house of cards falling when he thought he had it made! Well written and very interesting! Book On A Scandal

The Sisters Brothers
Patrick deWitt
3.5/5 stars
Set in the 1850’s in the old West, Charlie and his brother Eli are on their way to kill Hermann Kermit Warm, a prospector as ordered by the Commodore for stealing from him. Things do not go well for them in their travels to find Warm. This was later made into a movie. I enjoyed DeWitt’s tale of mishap! Western

Heart of a Dog
Mikhail Bulgakov
4/5 stars
This is the strange tale of a dog, Sharik, in Moscow in whom a scientist transplants a man's glands into the mongrel. Sharik, the dog, turns into a man who then wreaks mayhem in the scientist's life. This satirical novel written in 1968 exposes the flaws in "creating a new Soviet man". Short but very enjoyable. I would read more of this author. Satire

Strong Boy: The Life and Times of John L. Sullivan, America's First Sports Hero
Christopher Klein
4/5 stars
Klein does a wonderful job describing the colorful life of John L. Sullivan, pugilist and sports icon who was born in 1858 as he follows the ups and downs of his life and career till his death in 1918. Despite the lack of TV and radio, Sullivan’s popularity was one of the highest in the US and he was considered the US’s first sports hero. Highly recommended! Sports

Chasing the Dime
Michael Connelly
4/5 stars
Henry Pierce is about to make the biggest deal in his life with his new tech company. Things go awry when his new phone number turns out to be previously owned by an escort named Lilly and now he is getting multiple calls from her clients. As he tries to track her down, to sort out this phone mess, he gets obsessed with finding her distracting him and his work at his new company. This is the first book I have read by Connelly and I really enjoyed it! Michael Connelly Book

Dumplin'
Julie Murphy
4/5 stars
In this coming of age novel, we meet teen Willowdean Dickson who is fatherless and lives with her mother and grandmother. Her mom was a former teen pageant winner and runs the local pageant. Life is hard for her but she has a best friend to lean on. Her self-confidence is not good with her being overweight and with her luck with boys, but she decides to enlist in the pageant and convinces some of her friends to join her. What a wonderful about confidence and being yourself! D

Dark Matter
Blake Crouch
4/5 stars
Jason Dessen, physicist lives with his wife and son in the suburbs but one day everything goes wrong and he is kidnapped by unknown assailants. He awakes to find himself in a large cube in a laboratory not knowing where he is. He finds out that he had built a cube that allows the person in the cube to move between infinite worlds and infinite possibilities. Will he be able to get back to his original family or will he end up traveling through time forever? Very interesting!

Not part of my challenge but enjoyed it!

Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape
by Jenna Miscavige Hill
4/5 stars
This is the fascinating true life story of Jenna Miscavige and her life in Scientology. She describes her and her family’s life and roles in Scientology, where life for children and adults are very different and highly structured from those on the outside. Children are harshly punished for disobeying and parents and children are separated at an early age and forced to work doing menial tasks. Definitely, a page turner.
Religion

Caddyshack: The Making of a Hollywood Cinderella Story
by Chris Nashawaty
4/5 stars
This is the wonderfully interesting book on the making of the film Caddyshack. Nashawaty dishes all the dirt surrounding the production of the movie. Definitely for film buffs! C

Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Irin Carmon
3.5/5 star
This was quite an unusual book about RBG. It talks about her life with her husband who ended up more of a stay at home husband but still working and supporting his wife, her law career and her eventual rise to Supreme Court judge. It was also quite a fascinating look at the juggling the nominees go through before getting on the court. N

April Morning
Howard Fast
4/5 stars
A fictionalized story of the Battle of Lexington fought on April 19, 1775 and the effects it had on Adam, a teen who along with his father fought in the battle. But only one of them comes home. Very moving!

Notes on a Cowardly Lion: The Biography of Bert Lahr
John Lahr
3/5 stars
This is quite an extensive book on Bert Lahr who was probably best known for his role of the Cowardly Lion in the film, The Wizard of Oz. Written by his son, the author traces his family life and extensive career on Broadway, in films and Vaudeville and the actors and actresses he worked with. N

Old Sparky: The Electric Chair and the History of the Death Penalty
Anthony Galvin
5/5 stars
This is an interesting book about the history of the death penalty, the electric chair and the people who underwent execution. Written in 2015, I would love to see this book added to include any changes in the death penalty and its outcomes. O

The Wolf Man
Kenny Abdo
3/5 stars
I thought this book was an adult book but it turns out that it is an easy reader book. But I did read it though I really wanted to read an adult book on The Wolf Man. This is one of a series of books on Hollywood Monsters for children. I will have to be more on alert when I order books. I am sure there is something out there about the wolfman and/or Lon Chaney on an adult level.

However, the most interesting part of the book was that the script of the movie was based on writer Curt Siodmark's Dresden experiences when the Nazi's took over. It did not come from German folklore.

The American Association of Patriots Presents: How to Talk to Your Cat About Gun Safety
by Zachary Auburn
2/5 stars
I saw this book and thought that this might be quite funny but after a few pages it started to drag and the jokes got old. However, it was a short read so no harm, no foul.

Twisted Twenty-Six
Janet Evanovich
3/5 stars
Stephanie Plum is back and now and has to look after her Grandma Mazur who decided to marry a local mobster who dies soon after the wedding. The problem with that, is that her dead husband supposedly has the keys to a large fortune, and his mobster associates think she now has the keys. Plum has to keep an eye on her grandma because the mob wants that money, and she is a target. I still get a kick out of these characters plus her books are a fast read!

Lindbergh
by A. Scott Berg
5/5 stars
I love A. Scott Berg and would read anything by him. He doesn't disappoint in this detailed and interesting book on the life and times of Lindberg which recounts his life, his tragedies and triumphs and his death. Highly recommended! Scott Berg Book

I am done with my challenge of 70 books - on to my never-ending reading list!!

>79 JulieLill:


Well done, Julie. And you still have a month to add more:)

>79 JulieLill: Woo!! Great Job!

>79 JulieLill: Well Done!

Thanks everyone! Now I can tackle some of the books on my never-ending reading list!

Dolls! Dolls! Dolls!: Deep Inside Valley of the Dolls, the Most Beloved Bad Book and Movie of All Time
Stephen Rebello
4/5 stars
If you have ever seen Valley of The Dolls, you’ll love this book that covers all the dirt in the making of this movie based on Jacqueline Susann’s 1966 book. Rebello thoroughly covers every aspect of the making of this movie!

>79 JulieLill: Wow! Congratulations, Julie. That is quite an accomplishment, and quite a variety of books you've read. And I totally love the way you are going to celebrate, too.

Nora Ephron: A Biography
Kristin Marguerite Doidge
4/5 stars
This isn’t the first book I have read about Nora Ephron but she is such an interesting subject to read about and was such a success in her career with writing and film that not every book on her can contain all that we know about her. When I checked this out from the library I work at, one of the patrons saw that I had that book and she wanted to check it out too. I think Ephron’s life was not long enough for her fans, family and friends yet she will still be a role model to women everywhere!

Winch
Paul Winchell
4/5 stars
Probably best known as a puppeteer and TV star, the rest of his life was a series of ups and downs especially regarding his mother. But he was also an inventor and friends with Dr. Heimlich. He consulted with him about using hypnosis during surgery and worked on an artificial heart. He also experimented on electric cars and was the first to develop disposable razors among other things. Highly recommended and very interesting!

Annie's Ghosts: A Journey Into a Family Secret
Steve Luxenberg
4/5 stars
Steve Luxenberg knew that his mother was an only child but then there was an episode that occurred at the doctor’s office when she talked to her doctor about a sibling that was institutionalized when she was quite young. The author had never in his life heard of this sister of his mother. It wasn’t until his mother’s death that the secret came out. He started to research his mother’s family and uncovered the truth about the aunt who he never met. I thought this was quite an amazing story and thoroughly researched.

The Color of Lightning
Paulette Jiles
3.5/5 stars
Set in 1863 at the end of the Civil War, Jiles tells the story of Britt Johnson, a former slave whose is looking for his wife and children after an Indian raid and Samuel Hammond, a Quaker who works for the Office of Indian Affairs who is to educate the Native Americans (Kiowas) and try to change their lifestyles and incorporate them into living among the rest of the population. I have read at least one other of her books and found this one and her other one very well done!

Muppets in Moscow: The Unexpected Crazy True Story of Making Sesame Street in Russia
Natasha Lance Rogoff
4/5 stars
Rogoff tells her tale of working for Sesame Street in the 1990’s and trying to get the post- Soviet Russians to embrace a Russian Sesame Street to air in their country. I really enjoyed this book and the author does a nice job relating her time in Russia and the people she worked with.