DeltaQueen's 2024 Tea Party - Part 3

Welcome to my third Tea Party Thread. As the year advances I am settling into my challenge and mostly enjoying the books that I am reading. My 14 categories all have a reference to tea and they are working out nicely with a good mix of literary, mysteries, historical fiction, romance and, yes, even zombies!

Feel free to pull up a comfy chair and pour yourself a cuppa!

2024 Tickers

Categories:

1. High Tea – This elegant and classic tea event is the perfect place to house my 1,001 reads.

2. Imported Teas – Oolong, Chai, Mint, Sencha and Rosibos Teas are all examples of teas from around the world. This is where I will place my global reading – books with a global setting or written by an author from a country other than Canada, America or the United Kingdom.

3. Boston Tea Party – This famous historical event is the perfect name for my historical fiction category as decided by the Reading Thru Time Challenge Themes.

4. Polly Put the Kettle On – Is making tea only a woman’s job? Not hardly. I will list books by female authors here.

5. Tea For Two - As the song says, twosomes are made for romance so this spot will be for romance fiction

6. A Cup of Tea Will Solve it - This sounds exactly like what Miss Marple would say, so this is where I will place my vintage mysteries

7. Badly Made Tea Is A Criminal Offense - A well made cup of tea is a matter of pride. Many tea lovers declare that tea that is too milky or too watery is a criminal offence. This sounds like a good place for crime and mystery stories.

8. One Lump or Two – Hopefully it won’t come to fisticuffs but this sounds like the perfect place to list my crime series and police procedurals.

9. Mad Hatter’s Tea Party - Where else would I place my fantasy reading?

10. The Dregs - Most people look away from the dark and gritty remains in the bottom of the cup, personally I like dark and gritty so this is where I will place my horror and darker reading.

11. The Formula For Your Cuppa – Is there a perfect scientific formula for a cup of tea? We can only hope so. This will be where I place my science fiction reading.

12. Mul-Tea-Tasking – My idea of multitasking is a cup of tea, a cookie (or two), and a good book! One of my reading tasks this year is going to be ensuring that I am reading the Kindle Unlimited books that I borrow in a timely fashion and I will place those reads here.

13. Cup or Mug? It’s great to have choices and that’s exactly what you get at the library. This will be where I place a selection of library books.

14. My Cup Runneth Over - I always need a place for extras

My Various 2024 Reading Challenges

I will be allowing myself a certain amount of overlap with my various challenges and I will only participate in the Cats/Kits if I currently have a book that fits.

1. Rainbow Reading Challenge – 12 prompts

2. Personal Reading Challenge – 40 prompts

3. Category Challenge Bingo – 25 prompts

4. AlphaKit

5. CalendarCat

6. RandomKit

7. SFFKit

8. MysteryKit

9. ScaredyKit

10. Reading Through Time Monthly Challenges

11. TIOLI Challenges – I participate in these challenges that are posted monthly at the 75 Challenge

2024 Bingo



1. Food or Cooking: Miss Cecily's Recipes for Exceptional Ladies by Vicky Zimmerman
2. Ugly Cover: Mouse and Dragon by Sharon Lee
3. Only Title and Author on Cover
4. Featuring Twins: Cassandra At the Wedding by Dorothy Baker
5. Topic Which You Have Specific Knowledge: The Typewriter Girl by Alison Atlee
6. Published in a Year Ending in 24
7. Epistolary or Diary: The Which Way Tree by Elizabeth Crook
8. "Big" or "Little" in Title: Little Shop of Found Things by Paula Brackston
9. Book From an "LT Similar" Library: The Witch Elm by Tana French
10. About Friendship: The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
11. Three Word Title
12. Paper Based Item in Plot
13. Read A Cat: Providence by Max Barry
14. Short Story Collection
15. Person's Name in Title: Mrs. March by Virginia Feito
16. Set in a City: Girl on the Stairs by Louise Welsh
17. Less Than 100 Copies Listed on LT: Escape of the Amethyst by C. E. Lucas Phillips
18. POC author: Citizens Creek by Lalita Tademy
19. Author 65 or older: Third Girl by Agatha Christie
20. Featuring Water
21. Warriors or Mercenaries: A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie
22. Reread a Favorite Book
23. Written in another Cultural Tradition
24. Set in Multiple Countries
25. Current or Recent Bestseller: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

2024 Rainbow Reading Challenge

Based on the colors of the Rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo & violet) plus shades of black/white, grey, brown/sepia and pink. Each month a different color will be chosen and I will read a book where the cover reflects the chosen color. I have added a twelfth for December, that of Christmas colors – a festive combination of holiday colors.

Month - Color - Book

January - Black/White: A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie
February - Red: Providence by Max Barry
March - Green: Citizens Creek by Lalita Tademy
April - Yellow: Miss Cecily's Recipes for Exceptional Ladies by Vicky Zimmerman
May - Indigo
June - Pink
July - Violet
August - Brown/Sepia
September - Orange
October - Blue
November - Grey
December - Festive Colors

2024 Personal Reading Challenge

1. Cover shows a large body of water: The Sea Gate by Jane Johnson
2. Award Nominated: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
3. A Memoir: Forever Young by Hayley Mills
4. The Sun is shown on the cover
5. Set in the 1950s: The Incredible Shrinking Man by Richard Matheson
6. Set on an Island
7. A book with snow on the cover: A Winter Away by Elizabeth Fair
8. A book by an author that you have read once before
9. A book about or with Royalty
10. An audio book: The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary
11. A new-to-you author: She Rides Shotgun by Jordan Harper
12. A book that has been translated: Garden of the Finzi-Continis by Giorgio Bassani
13. A book set in Scotland
14. A book that is fairy-tale inspired: Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher
15. Flowers are on the cover
16. A book that is longer than 400 pages: The Bee Sting by Paul Murray
17. A book that is shorter than 200 pages: Mojave Crossing by Louis L'Amour
18. Part of a trilogy: The Little Shop of Found Things by Paula Brackston
19. A book that was a book bullet
20. Set in the American south
21. A historical fantasy novel: A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie
22. A science fiction novel
23. Set in Africa
24. A collection of short stories
25. A book by an Australian author
26. A Romance story: A Scandal in Spring by Lisa Kleypas
27. A Survival story
28. A Horror story
29. Character wearing a hat is on the cover
30. A Color in the title: Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara
31. A Family saga: Citizens Creek by Lalita Tademy
32. A mystery/crime novel written by a woman
33. An animal is on the cover: Destry Rides Again by Max Brand
34. Written by an indigenous Author: Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson
35. Dystopian fiction
36. Title Consists of a Name: Fay by Larry Brown
37. Cover is mostly sky
38. In the style of “Fact-ion”
39. A book you’ve had far too long: High Midnight by Stuart Kaminsky
40. Set in Asia: Island of a Thousand Mirrors by Nayomi Munaweera

2024 AlphaKit



A January: A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie
B June:
C September:
D October:
E February: The Solace of Open Spaces by Gretel Ehrlich
F February: A Winter Away by Elizabeth Fair
G August:
H March: Undead With Benefits by Jeff Hart
I July:
J June:
K December:
L November:
M August:
N May:
O April: The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary
P May:
Q December:
R March: The Fairacre Festival by Miss Read
S July:
T October:
U April: In The Blood by Lisa Unger
V September:
W November:
Y January: Speak For The Dead by Margaret Yorke

High Tea: 1,001 Books List



Books Read

1. The Birds by Tarjei Vesaas - 5.0 ★
2. The Garden of the Finzi-Continis - 3.8 ★
3. Perfume: The Story of A Murderer by Patrick Suskind - 4.0 ★
4. Spring Torrents by Ivan Turgenev - 3.3 ★
5. The Razor's Edge by W. Somerset Maugham - 4.0 ★

Imported Tea: Global Reading



Books Read

1. The Sandcastle Girls (Syria) by Chris Bohjalian - 3.5 ★
2. Against the Loveless World (Palestine) by Susan Abulhawa - 3.7 ★
3. Island of a Thousand Mirrors (Sri Lanka) by Nayomi Munaweera - 4.3 ★
4. Hunt for the Bamboo Rat (Philippines) by Graham Salisbury - 4.2 ★
5. Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara - 4.2 ★

Boston Tea Party: Historical Fiction



Books Read

1. The Sea Gate by Jane Johnson - 4.1 ★
2. Three Hours in Paris by Cara Black - 2.8 ★
3. The Which Way Tree by Elizabeth Crook - 4.5 ★
4. Escape of the Amethyst by C.E. Lucas Phillips - 3.5 ★
5. Dead Mountain by Donnie Eichar - 4.0 ★
6. The Fever Tree by Jennifer McVeigh - 4.5 ★
7. Moloka'i by Alan Brennert - 4.5 ★
8. Snipe Hunt by David Allin - 4.0 ★
9. The Tiger Queens by Stephanie Thornton - 4.5 ★
10. Sentinels of Fire by P. T. Deutermann - 3.8 ★

Polly Put the Kettle On: Female Authors



Books Read

1. The Typewriter Girl by Alison Atlee - 3.5 ★
2. The Red Garden by Alice Hoffman - 4.0 ★
3. A Winter Away by Elizabeth Fair - 3.0 ★
4. Red Hair by Elinor Glyn - 3.0 ★
5. Lady-in-Waiting by Anne Glenconner - 4.0 ★
6. The Witch Elm by Tana French - 3.6 ★
7. Forever Young by Hayley Mills - 4.2 ★
8. Atomic Family by Ciera Horton McElroy - 4.0 ★

Tea for Two: Romance



Books Read

1. Salt Bride by Lucinda Brant - 3.7 ★
2. Sally-Ann by Susan Scarlett - 4.0 ★
3. A Scandal in Spring by Lisa Kleypas - 3.7 ★
4. The Dressmaker's Gift by Fiona Valpy - 3.7 ★
5. Bright Day Dawning by Anna Jacobs - 3.4 ★
6. Miss Cecily's Recipes for Exceptional Ladies by Vicky Zimmerman - 4.2 ★
7. The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary - 4.5 ★

A Cup of Tea Will Solve It: Vintage Mysteries



Books Read

1. Speak For The Dead by Margaret Yorke - 4.0 ★
2. Busman's Honeymoon by Dorothy Sayers - 4.5 ★
3. To Hunt a Killer by Julie MacKay - 4.0 ★
4. Third Girl by Agatha Christie - 3.3 ★

Badly Made Tea is a Criminal Offense: Crime/Mystery



Books Read

1. After-Dinner Story by Cornell Woolrich - 4.0 ★
2. Fay by Larry Brown - 4.0 ★
3. The Girl on the Stairs by Louise Welsh - 4.2 ★
4. The Missing Place by Sophie Littlefield - 4.0 ★
5. In The Blood by Lisa Unger - 3.8 ★
6. She Rides Shotgun by Jordan Harper - 4.5 ★
7. The Wolf Wants In by Laura McHugh - 3.4 ★

One Lump or Two: Crime Series/Police Procedurals



Books Read

1. Insidious Intent by Val McDermid - 3.8 ★
2. From the Dead by Mark Billingham - 4.0 ★
3. High Midnight by Stuart Kaminsky - 3.8 ★
4. Chill Factor by Stuart Pawson - 3.8 ★
5. Dark Saturday by Nicci French - 4.1 ★
6. The Killing Room by Peter May - 4.2 ★

Mad Hatter's Tea Party: Fantasy



Books Read

1. A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie - 4.2 ★
2. Hero At the Fall by Alwyn Hamilton - 4.0 ★
3. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden - 4.3 ★
4. The Little Shop of Found Things by Paula Brackston - 4.2 ★

The Dregs: Horror



Books Read

1. Wanderers by Chuck Wendig - 4.0 ★
2. Devolution by Max Brooks - 4.2 ★
3. After Siege by Rhiannon Frater - 2.5 ★
4. Undead With Benefits by Jeff Hart - 3.4 ★
5. Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher - 4.2 ★
6. Hater by David Moody - 2.0 ★

The Formula for Your Cuppa: Science Fiction



Books Read

1. Mouse and Dragon by Sharon Lee - 4.0 ★
2. Providence by Max Barry - 4.0 ★
3. The Incredible Shrinking Man by Richard Matheson - 4.0 ★
4. Stars Uncharted by S. K. Dunstall - 4.3 ★
5. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir - 5.0 ★

Mul-Tea-Tasking - Kindle Unlimited Books



Books Read

1. World Between by Sarah Lyons Fleming - 4.2 ★
2. The Solace of Open Spaces by Gretel Ehrlich - 4.0 ★
3. The Mugger by Ed McBain - 4.0 ★
4. Where the Lost Wander by Amy Harmon - 4.2 ★
5. World Without by Sarah Lyons Fleming - 4.5 ★

Cup or Mug: Library



Books Read

1. Mrs. March by Virginia Feito - 4.0 ★
2. The Beautiful Dead by Belinda Bauer - 3.8 ★
3. The Fur Person by May Sarton - 4.0 ★
4. Citizens Creek by Lalita Tademy - 4.2 ★
5. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus - 3.8 ★
6. The Bear by Andrew Krivak - 5.0 ★

My Cup Runneth Over: Extras



Books Read

1. Cassandra At the Wedding by Dorothy Baker - 4.0 ★
2. The Bee Sting by Paul Murray - 4.5 ★
3. Fairy Water by Charlotte Riddell - 3.2 ★
4. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate - 5.0 ★
5. Mojave Crossing by Louis L'Amour - 3.6 ★
6. The Fairacre Festival by Miss Read - 4.0 ★
7. Destry Rides Again by Max Brand - 3.3 ★
8. Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson - 4.2 ★
9. Errol Flynn Slept Here by Robert Marzen & Michael Mazzone - 3.3 ★

2024 Hosting



March - SFFKit: Space Opera
April - MysteryKit: Series
May - Calendar Cat: May
June - RandomKit
July - ScaredyKit: The Corporeal Undead (Zombies, Vampires, Mummies, Ghouls)
September - Reading Through Time: Royal to the Bone

Welcome!

Happy new thread, Judy. I love your opening pictures

Love all the cats at tea in your topper images, Judy. Happy new thread!

Happy New Thread! I also enjoy the cat pictures you chose! They look so cosy.

Happy new thread. Ironically, I am currently sitting in a cafe drinking coffee!

Happy new one, Judy!

Happy New Thread, Judy. I hope you had a nice holiday weekend.

As always, the diversity of your reading and the detailed descriptions of your categories are truly astounding to me. A very joyous new thread.

Happy new thread, Judy. I do love scrolling down to see your tea-themed reads. Also, now I want a cup of tea.

I love the kitten in the teacup! A good time to start a new thread.

Love those kitties!!!

>25 VivienneR:, >26 Familyhistorian:, >27 MissBrangwen: I love having a shiny, new thread to come to this morning. When I was looking for pictures to decorate this thread with I was amazed at how many cat and tea pictures I found. I guess they go together!

>28 Helenliz: Sitting in a cafe, sipping on a coffee sounds like a lovely way to spend some time. I am looking forward to doing very little today. House is clean enough and we have plenty of leftovers so I can spend lots of time with my book without feeling that I should be doing something more productive!

>29 katiekrug: & >30 msf59: Thanks, Katie and Mark. We are having some nice, sunny spring weather and I am enjoying the holiday.

>31 JoeB1934: Hi, Joe. Hope your reading is progressing well.

>32 BLBera: Welcome, Beth.

>33 hailelib: I am a fan of that little kitten as well. I wanted to kick of a new month with a new thread so it worked out well.

>34 cindydavid4: Cats are hard to resist - of course, so are dogs!

Happy new thread, Judy! Love all the tea pics!

Happy new thread! I hope you had a lovely Easter.

Happy New Thread day and also April Fool's Day! I love the kitty and tea pics. My kitties are celebrating birthdays (March 30 and April 8) and they approve of the pics. They are also urging me to buy some books as birthday gifts for them, my choice of topics. They are good boys!

Happy new thread and I want tea with all the kitties in >1 DeltaQueen50:

Happy New Thread, Judy. I love reviewing the list of books you've read when a new thread comes along.

Morning everyone, I hope you are all having a better than than I am. I am in the process of switching my phone, television and computer to a different company and it isn't going smoothly. Right now, even though the new internet has been installed, I am still connected to the old server. My phone is working but they had to put it under a new number but hopefully we will get our old number back eventually. My tv was working for the last few days but yesterday when I turned it on, it said I had no internet connection. This morning I was looking at all the wires and tried to pull out the old company's stuff that I have to return to them but then my tv said I had disconnected the cable. So the new company had my tv still running through the old company's cable connections! My husband's tv is still connected to the old company and is working fine - because the new company didn't bring the right equipment when they came and we are now waiting for it to arrive. All this plus they are impossible to get hold of and when I go to their web site, it's not working properly either!! I am now going to go to their store which they have locally and see if they can help me place a service call. I am regretting making this change. Sorry for such a long rant but I am trying to get it out of my system so that when I go to their store I don't act like a crazy person.

>36 mstrust:, >37 Jackie_K:, >38 LadyoftheLodge:, >39 lowelibrary: and >40 dudes22: Thank you for dropping by. I really needed to see some friendly words this morning.

>41 DeltaQueen50: Autocorrect can be your worst enema (so says my mouse pad)! The same can be said for technology in general. That sounds like enough of a bad experience to require retail therapy in the form of books, with lashings of tea and kitties to pet.

>41 DeltaQueen50: Is it too late to change back to your previous provider?

Hopefully tomorrow morning will go much more smoothly for you. I find trying to communicate with companies is a real pain.

>41 DeltaQueen50: That sounds really complicated. Best of luck with sorting it all out, pronto.

>42 LadyoftheLodge: I deplore the lack of face-to-face service that you get nowadays. I have just treated myself to a new Kindle and when I get some time I suspect that I will be looking for some new books as well.

>43 RidgewayGirl: The reason that I am switching is that my original company decided to stop carrying a number of tv stations and about 6 or 7 of them were ones that I watched all the time. With the new carrier I get all of my stations back plus Crave for less money monthly. I just need to get it set up!

>44 hailelib: I am hoping that the box for my husband's tv comes today or tomorrow so that when and if I get a technician to come, they can finalize the whole thing. I just want to be able to be on my computer or watch tv - how hard can that be?

>45 pamelad: Thanks, I hope we can get someone to help us. When we visited the store today they totally brushed us off but they did give me a phone number that I can try to use to book a home service call. Fingers crossed ...

Good luck with all these tech issues, Judy. I hope it goes more smoothly than expected. 🤞

>41 DeltaQueen50: - We don't have a choice about our cable company in the retirement village we're in and are considering trying to cut the cable. But they are also my land line company and I'm not sure about switching everything to my cell phone. I hope you make out ok. I find lack of customer service so annoying too.

Sending connected thoughts. Hope it all ends up where you need it to be.

I hope you get your internet service sorted, Judy. Rant away.

Happy new thread, Judy, and good luck with the tech issues. It's a wonderful world when it's working but hell when it doesn't.

Technology is great and it also sucks. Sorry it's being so difficult. Teach it who's boss.

Now on top of all my other issues, my internet keeps coming and going. I had written a message but lost it so I will try again but will keep it much shorter.

>47 msf59:, >48 dudes22:, >49 Helenliz:, >50 BLBera:, >51 MissWatson: & >52 mstrust: Thanks for checking up on me, technology is definitely a heaven or hell situation. Hopefully these couple of weeks of frustration will end with me happily watching my tv or being on my computer. Fingers crossed.

Book Number 61:

World Without by Sarah Lyons Fleming - 4.5 ★
Category: Mul-tea-tasking
April TIOLI #14: April Fooler - read a fantasy, alternative history, magical realism



When I am feeling stress there is nothing better than reading about characters that are in a much worse situation than I and I found the perfect book for me with World Without by Sarah Lyons Fleming. This is the third volume of a zombie apocalyptic story and when we last left the characters, they were escaping from Eugene, Oregon and the massive horde of zombies that were being directed towards them.

One of the group has a home some forty miles east of Eugene and they find refuge there. Leaving as they did, they have very little supplies and so have to fish, hunt and forage for food. It’s good that it is coming into Fall and they are able to harvest a lot but bad that winter is just around the corner. They are in danger of starving but when winter comes and the temperatures drop, they discover that the zombies freeze so they are able to get back to Eugene and retrieve their supplies. Of course the people that drove them out are still there and a final confrontation is brewing.

This is the third zombie series by Sarah Lyons Fleming that I have read and she certainly has a way of bringing her characters to life and getting her readers eager to find out what is going to happen next. There was less zombie action in this book, but I was glued to the pages by their survival efforts. The story unfolds through four different narrators each with their own distinct voice and I found myself totally involved with the story. I am looking forward to reading the fourth and last book in this series but I certainly hope that this talented author continues to write and supply me with such great escape reads.

Happy new thread, and I hope that your technology issues are resolved, or close to being resolved! A zombie book is always good for what ails you!

>55 LisaMorr: I totally agree with you about the zombie books. Unfortunately, my on-going problems are continuing as I had to practically throw a temper tantrum in order to get a real live technician to come here and finish the set up. As it was it took me quite a while to actually get to talk to someone and they weren't much help. The best time they could give me is April 18th so no tv for me until then. :(

The local electric company is now offering high speed internet in our area. I'm probably going to switch. Everyone who has them says it is so much nicer than dealing with the "big" company.

>56 DeltaQueen50: Ugh! Sorry to hear this! Hang in there!

>57 thornton37814: We dealt with a small local company for years and had excellent service but when the owner passed away the family sold the company to a large eastern concern and that's when my troubles began.

>58 LisaMorr: Thanks, Lisa. Tomorrow my daughter and I are going shopping for a new computer for me, that should keep me occupied for the foreseeable future.

>41 DeltaQueen50: Oh, I sympathize with your woes regarding the new ISP. I changed provider a few years ago and had similar problems. Fortunately I was still able to go back to the old service and only had a cancellation fee for the new one, but it was a costly, frustrating experience and all for nothing. I wish you good luck.

I hope you get everything fixed and are happy with your set up soon, Judy. Your situation sounds very frustrating!

Sorry for your technical woes. Hope you get it sorted without loads of frustration!

>60 VivienneR: Thanks, Vivienne.

>61 Familyhistorian: Meg, you have probably read between the lines and realize that I am trying to deal with Telus! I am finding it very disheartening that a communications company is so difficult to communicate with!

>62 Tess_W: Thanks, Tess. Today I went with my daughter and bought myself a new computer. It's now set up through my new internet server, so one step is completed. Now I just have to hang on until the 18th when they come to finish the set up for the televisions.

Book Number 62:

Dark Saturday by Nicci French - 4.1 ★
Category: One Lump or Two
April MysteryKit: Series
April TIOLI #10: Title contains only 1 adjective



Dark Saturday is the 6th book in the Frieda Klein series of crime stories written by the husband and wife team of Nicci French. It’s been awhile since I read one of these dark and complex books but I still found the set up and the characters interesting. Following psychotherapist Frieda Klein allows the reader not only to meet depressed and unhappy people, but also to meet an entire group of characters who support and help Frieda in her quests.

In this outing Frieda has been called upon to investigate a thirteen year old crime where 18 year old Hannah Docherty was arrested for the brutal murder of her family. The case was quickly brought to court and Hannah has been incarcerated in a gruesome secure hospital ever since. Frieda finds it all too easy to identify with Hannah and finds that her questions and concerns are being deflected by all involved parties which only makes her dig that much deeper. When one of her witnesses is murdered she realizes that someone is desperately trying to cover their thirteen year old tracks.

Dark Saturday is an excellent entry into this compelling series. Although we see very little of Frieda's policeman friend Karlsson in this outing, it was interesting to see her taking over and acting much like a detective would. There was also an advancement on the story of Frieda’s stalker and one can sense that this story arc is coming to a head. I am looking forward to the next book, Sunday Silence.

Book Number 63:

Spring Torrents by Ivan Turgenev - 3.3 ★
Category: High Tea
April TIOLI #4: Spring Season Comes to Mind



Spring Torrents by Ivan Turgenev is a novella about love, lust and betrayal. It opens with the elderly Dmitry Sanin remembering his past and contemplating his
failure to secure love, marriage and children in his life.

As a young man in 1840, Sanin arrives in Frankfurt where he meets and falls in love with Gemma Roselli. Although Gemma is engaged to another, Sanin pursues her. They eventually admit to loving each other and go on to become engaged. He declares himself deliriously happy and decides to sell his Russian estate to fund his marriage to Gemma. He then meets a wealthy young married woman, the seductive Maria. He allows himself to fall for her charms and though feeling remorseful he decides to follow Maria and leave Gemma.

The story sharply defines the idea of love versus the concept of lust. Love is meant to be the ideal, but Sanin turned toward lust and ended up losing everything. Although Spring Torrents is meant to be autobiographical I still found it difficult to have much sympathy for Sanin. He didn’t have the strength of character to resist Maria, who was obviously toying with him. The author does give the story a sense of closure by having Sanin write to Gemma in later life and in turn receives her forgiveness.

>65 DeltaQueen50: I'm adding Torrents of Spring to the ever-growing WL! I haven't read Turgenev before (or much of any other Russian writers) and I see that this one is fairly short, so it might be a good place to start.

>66 MissBrangwen: I am also just beginning to read some of the Russian authors. Torrents of Spring is a good choice as it is short and easy to read. At this point I haven't read a lot of Russian authors but the few I have read, I've enjoyed which makes me more confident to tackle some of the longer books in the future.

Book Number 64:

Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher - 4.2 ★
Category: The Dregs
April ScaredyKit: Witches, Evil Spirits & Black Magic
2024 Reading Challenge: Inspired by a Fairy Tale
April TIOLI #14: April Fooler - Magic, Magical Realism, Fantasy



Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher is a 2022 fantasy novel. This is a dark fairy tale about Marra, the third princess of a small kingdom, who has seen her sisters suffer at the hands of an abusive prince of the northern lands. When his first wife, Marra’s elder sister dies, he marries the next sister, Kania, and at the same time, has Marra sent to a convent to keep her on hold in case he needs a third wife in the future. Marra spends years at the convent waiting for someone to come to their rescue but just as she is about to turn 30 she comes to the realization that she will have to do the job herself.

Meanwhile her sister Kania is going through one pregnancy after another in the hopes of delivering a male heir. Her babies either die or are still born. She also suffers injuries from her husband. Marra is afraid that time is going to run out for Kania. She gathers a small group together and these characters - a witch, a godmother, a disgraced warrior and Bonedog, an animal pieced together from resurrected bones of deceased dogs form a strong, close group who set off on a quest to save Marra’s sister.

Nettle & Bone was a fun read that was high in both humor and excitement. The author mixes some horror elements, some fairy tale elements and a generous helping of righteous feminist anger. This quirky adventure story was made all the more interesting by alternating dark and grim sections with warm and cozy ones.

I need to put Nettle & Bone higher on my wishlist.

>68 DeltaQueen50: I loved that book -- glad to see you enjoyed it also!

>69 hailelib: It's a fun read, Trisha - hope you enjoy it when you get to it.

>70 christina_reads: It was a lot different than I expected - lighter with more humor - I didn't even get around to mentioning the chickens in my review and I loved both of them! ;)

>68 DeltaQueen50: Another BB for me!

>72 LisaMorr: Hope you enjoy it, Lisa.

>65 DeltaQueen50: Short moves this up higher on this month's TIOLI list. I kind of overdid it this month and still have 17 TIOLIs to read this month.

I've not read any Turgenev, but I notice this one is also on the 1001 books to read. I need to re-start my reading there so this one seems ideal.

>74 lindapanzo: I have too many books planned for this month as well, Linda. Right now I am trying to read the ones that are for various "Cats". When it comes to Russian authors - short is often hard to find, but Torrents of Spring is also fairly easy to read which helps as well. Hope you are able to fit it in this month. I have slowed down on my 1,001 reading but do try to read at least one book a month, I've come to accept that I don't have the time to finish the whole list but I will keep plugging away.

Book Number 65:

Miss Cecily's Recipes for Exceptional Ladies by Vicky Zimmerman - 4.2 ★
Category: Tea for Two
April Rainbow Reading Challenge: Yellow
Bingo: Food or Cooking
April TIOLI #9: Title Contains Multiple esses



I had purchased Miss Cecily’s Recipes for Exceptional Ladies by Vicky Zimmerman quite some time ago and it was quietly tucked away on my Kindle. I needed a book with a yellow cover and decided to give this one a try. I assumed from the title that it was a historical romance but quickly found that yes, it is chick-lit but that it is set in the modern world. At first I was a little disappointed but all to soon this delightful book gathered me in and I very much enjoyed it.

The book isn’t really a romance at all. Instead it is the story of how a woman learns to like and admire herself, accept herself and realize that she can hold out for the best that life has to offer. It is also the story of a unique friendship between two stubborn and lonely women of different generations. And, best of all the story is served alongside some wonderful cooking scenes that truly had my mouth watering. Forty-to-be Kate and Ninety-seven year old Cecily meet when Kate volunteers at an old age home and although Cecily is quite caustic and contrary, they hit it off and Cecily gives Kate a unique cookbook that helps to guide Kate through the difficult year ahead.

Miss Cecily’s Recipes for Exceptional Ladies is a light-hearted and warm escape read that builds it’s story around themes of gaining confidence, building healthy relationships, and forming solid friendships. The wonderful descriptions of delicious recipes is an added bonus to this light and entertaining read.

>75 DeltaQueen50: I went through my list of sign ups and deleted a few I was certain not to get to. This left me with 20 books for the month. So far, I’ve read only 3. Further pruning is needed for sure.

>77 lindapanzo: I have 19 books on my "To Read in April" list and I can tell that I won't get to them all. I am struggling a little with my reading right now but hopefully will not have to call this a "slump". I actually have decided to DNF one of my current reads so I am down to 18.

I am not going to finish my current read of The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison. I am really struggling with this book. I'm okay with the dark and twisted nature of the story, but I am finding the plot very weird and unbelievable. There is a group of young women that have been captured and kept as sex slaves by a sicko - yet they seem so docile and accepting of their fate. He even lets some have scissors that could easily be used as weapons - yet no one tries to attack him. The book desperately needs a good editor and a touch of reality. Frankly I don't have the time to muddle through.

>79 DeltaQueen50: - I'm trying to do a better job of letting go of books that aren't working for me this year. Some don't even make a comment on LT. Some leave the house and others I've just decided it wasn't the right time and have put them aside.

>80 dudes22: I don't know why it's so hard to decide not to finish a book that isn't working for me - I guess it's like having to finish what's on your plate. I can hear my mom saying "You took it so you need to finish it!"

>81 DeltaQueen50: I have become almost ruthless as I realize that there are only so many hours to read per month. The author doesn't know me and, even if the book was recommended to me by a friend, I realize that each of us has the privilege to spend our time where we want to spend it.

Just like, what entertainment should I spend money on.

To top it all off there are almost limitless numbers of books that I could enjoy reading more.

>80 dudes22: I was that way once, now I realize time is very short. If its bad I choose something else. If someone says its great I might try again sometimes that works but usually not. take it back for trade and read something you want

>82 JoeB1934: & >83 cindydavid4: Being more selective is so much more important now than when I was younger. As I get older I have less time to fit everything in so I have to learn to be more picky about what I read and do.

Book Number 66:

Forever Young by Hayley Mills - 4.2 ★
Category: Polly Put the Kettle On
2024 Reading Challenge: A Memoir
April TIOLI #3: In Honor of Dad



Forever Young by Hayley Mills is a memoir that mostly covers her younger years. I listened to an audio version read by Mills herself and hearing the actress recount her personal stories from her childhood and on into her twenties was both entertaining and enlightening.

She really had nothing bad to say about Walt Disney and her treatment at that studio. She felt protected and secure there and enjoyed acting in the various films that she was given. Her difficulties mostly came when she had left the studio and was on her own. She faced a world that didn’t want to see her grow up or to take on more challenging roles. Her fans wanted to see her as the young ingenue but she did manage a number of interesting films and she particularly liked working on the stage. She also had legal battles to fight as she came of age and found that most of her Disney money was being taken by the Revenue Service. She was married to Roy Boulting from 1971 until 1977 and has one son with him, it was a difficult marriage as he was 32 years her senior. She never remarried but went on to have a second son with Leigh Lawson and has now been with her current partner Firdous Barnji since 1997.

I was a huge fan of Haley Mills and found this book a treat as she came across pretty much as I expected. She is close to her family, enthusiastic about life, and enjoyed the acting profession but was not obsessed with fame or fortune. Although I thought she was very careful in revealing anything about other famous people that she knew, she was very honest about her mother’s alcoholism and her own bout with bulimia. I was surprised at her deep spirituality but this and her love for her children has guided her through life’s ups and downs.

oh I want to read this!

>86 cindydavid4: I think you will enjoy it, Cindy.

Book Number 67:

Hunt For The Bamboo Rat by Graham Salisbury - 4.2 ★
Category: Imported Teas
April CalendarCat: World Rat Day - April 4th
April TIOLI #6: In Honor of Linda P's Parents 65th Anniversary



Hunt for the Bamboo Rat by Graham Salisbury is based on a true story and tells of the World War II military intelligence service of a young Hawaiian born American-Japanese who under the code name of Bamboo Rat spies on the Japanese in the Philippines.

When the Japanese invade, Zeniji who is 17 at the time, sticks to his cover story and hides the fact that he is in the American military. He is arrested, beaten and tortured but stands his ground. Eventually, the Japanese accept his cover story and as he speaks both Japanese and English he is forced to work for a high ranking officer. He continues his spy work and his information is delivered to the Americans through the Philippine guerrillas. Even after the Americans return to the Philippines, Zeniji must be very careful how he approaches people as all they see is a young Japanese man not the American hero that he has become.

Hunt for the Bamboo Rat is an intense and exciting survival story. Zeniji proved to be a strong, intelligent young man, a very loyal American who survived as a spy and a POW. His story is one of courage in the face of insurmountable odds and I was glued to this adventure-filled historical fiction novel.

I haven't read anything bu Nikki French, but this sounds like a series I would enjoy.

The only Turgenev I've read is Fathers and Sons, and that was years ago, but I have fond memories of it. I might give this one a try.

Hayley Mills! I haven't seen or heard about her for years!

>89 BLBera: Hi Beth, the Freida Klein series by Nicci French is very good. I was hooked from the first book. I enjoyed reading about Hayley Mills as I admired her a lot when I was younger. I am working my way up to reading one of the big fat Russian novels so I keep picking up the shorter ones to get a feel for them. :)

Book Number 68:

In The Blood by Lisa Unger - 3.8 ★
Category: Badly Made Tea is a Criminal Offense
April AlphaKit: U
April TIOLI #5: Title has many words - all of one syllable



In the Blood by Lisa Unger is a psychological thriller that had enough suspense to keep me reading and trying to fill in the pieces. The novel is set in The Hollows in upstate New York, a location that this author has used previously. There are some familiar characters but the story is centered around college student Lana Granger.

Lana, is full of secrets. Secrets that very few know all of, she even keeps many secrets from the reader and slowly drops clues as the book progresses. Lana is haunted by her mother’s murder and her father is sitting on death row, found guilty of that murder. Lana was a difficult child growing up in the violent dysfunction of her parent’s marriage yet she takes on a job of babysitting a disturbed young boy. Lana and this boy play cat and mouse games with each other and bond in a strange way. Meanwhile Lana’s best friend Beck goes missing. This is the second friend of Lana’s who had disappeared in a suspicious way from the college and it isn’t very long before the police are looking at Lana much more closely. Is someone using Lana as a front to cover their own misdeeds?

In The Blood hits all the right notes for a thriller as this author delivers a tightly plotted, riveting story that unsettles rather than frightens. There were a few things that I had to accept over my disbelief but overall this twisty story was a good read.

>91 DeltaQueen50: Oh I read that ages ago, loved it. Dont care for mysteries but psychological thrillers are just my speed. Have read more of hers, I liked Ruth Rendell so should probab;y try some

>92 cindydavid4: I discovered Ruth Rendall back in the 1980s & 90s and I read them all straight through - I would say that my favorite was Judgement in Stone and Demon in my View but I really liked all her books. I read most of her Inspector Wexford books and her Barbara Vine books as well. I like psychological thrillers as long as they don't expect me to totally suspend my belief sometimes they simply go too far.

Oh loved those too along with dark adapted eye and babes in the woods Should reread these one of these days. Esp loved annas book (why does the touchstone say Astas book?) Rendall as Barbara Vine. Why do author write under different names? esp since I didnt notice any differences between the two.

>94 cindydavid4: I think the Barbara Vine books were considered a little darker than her straight forward mysteries. I knew that book as Asta's Book - perhaps it was named differently depending on the country it was published in.

ok that makes sense, thx

>65 DeltaQueen50: Adding that one to my WL. Have never heard of it before!

>97 Tess_W: Hope you enjoy it, Tess. :)

I fully sympathize with your IT troubles. I received my new iMac for Christmas along with a whole new thing called 1Password, and it's taken months for me to get used to. Agree with all of the comments about the lack of personal, face-to-face customer service when trying to resolve issues like yours.

I was going to put Nettle and Bone on my Wishlist but realized it was already there! Will have to find a challenge to obtain a copy of this book.

And yes to culling one's bookshelves! I recently looked at my feminist shelf and realized that, while I love the idea that Mary Shelley wrote more than Frankenstein, I was never going to finish reading either Valperga or The Last Man. i left them for some other readers to enjoy at a local free library kiosk and had more room for more recently purchased books.

>99 threadnsong: Hi Threadnsong. I seriously worked on clearing my bookshelves last year and I actually did make a lot of space but I very rarely get to a bookstore these days so now I have to live with half-empty shelves. These days I tend to mostly buy electronic books or audio books - they are certainly easier to store.

Book Number 69:

The Little Shop of Found Things by Paula Brackston - 4.2 ★
Category: The Mad Hatter's Tea Party
2024 Reading Challenge: Part of a Trilogy
Bingo: The words "Big" or "Little" appear in the title
April SFFKit: Time Travel
April TIOLI #9: Multiple "esses" in title



The Little Shop of Found Things by Paula Brackston was a fun read involving time travel, romance, ghosts and antiques. Mother and daughter, Flora and Xanthe Westlake move to the market town of Marlborough in Wiltshire and plan to open an antique store. Although Flora is the lover of antiques and Xanthe prefers singing for a living, it is Xanthe that some pieces sing to and draw her into their story.

One particular piece that they acquire speaks loudly to Xanthe and it, as well as a very forceful ghost directs her to time travel to the 1600s in order to help a young girl who has been accused of theft and is in danger of being hung. The ghost is the mother of this young girl and she threatens to harm Flora unless Xanthe can get her daughter proven innocent and freed. Xanthe must figure out what happened and how it can be fixed. She is aided in the present by the handsome Liam and in the past by the dark and brooding Samuel.

The Little Shop of Found Things is the first of a trilogy so I am expecting that Xanthe will be doing more time travel in the next books. And although Liam seems very interested in her, it is obvious that she is drawn to the 17th century and Samuel. I am looking forward to continuing on with the trilogy and finding out what happens.

>101 DeltaQueen50: Taking a BB for this one. Your thread is dangerous. It is only April and this is my 5th BB this year.

>102 lowelibrary: I hope you enjoy The Little Shop of Found Things, of course it is the first in a trilogy so be prepared - it could lead to more! :)

Book Number 70:

The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary - 4.5 ★
Category: Tea for Two
2024 Reading Challenge: An Audio Book
April AlphaKit: O
April TIOLI #11: Author's name could be a nickname



I finally understand all the hype and praise that The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary was given. As two roommates who never meet face-to-face fall in love through notes, the reader can’t help but join them. As romantic comedy novels go, this one was top-notch.

Tiffy who works as a publisher of DIY books, and is going through a difficult break-up from her nasty ex-boyfriend, discovers a flat that is within her budget. Leon, a palliative care nurse, works nights so the arrangement is easy, Tiffy has the use of the bed at night, while Leon sleeps in the day. But as they exchange notes on day-to-day things their lives start to entwine and slowly they discover what the reader already senses, these roommates could soulmates. Of course there are a number of things to sort through before these two can live happily ever after and it’s a fun ride with these two lovable characters.

The Flatshare is a clever, slightly quirky story. The two main characters are fun to follow and the author gives us some interesting secondary characters who help move the story along. I liked how the characters developed a friendship before getting romantic and that they both had issues to deal with.
I was surprised that this is the author’s debut novel but happy that I can now search out more of her stories.

>104 DeltaQueen50: So glad you enjoyed The Flatshare! I will say, I haven't liked any of O'Leary's subsequent novels as much. Her next-best (in my opinion) is her latest one, The Wake-Up Call. But she's definitely an author I continue to follow!

>104 DeltaQueen50: Another BB for me.

>104 DeltaQueen50: >105 christina_reads: The only other one I've read is The No-Show, which I would also call quirky. Including in its composition.

If you like O'Leary & you haven't already tried her, check out Jenny Colgan. I've liked several of hers, including 500 Miles from You. She has a way of writing light seeming novels imbued with serious modern concerns. It's third in the Scottish Bookshop series.

>104 DeltaQueen50: ohhhh this sounds a bit like this is how you end the time war but not so deep. Definitly want to read this!

>105 christina_reads: Your recent re-read of The Flatshare gave me the push I needed to finally get this one read - and it was certainly worth the wait! I have The Road Trip and now I will be adding The Wake Up Call as well.

>106 lowelibrary:& >108 cindydavid4: I hope you both enjoy The Flatshare and wow - I am happy to find that I wasn't the last person that needed to read this one!

>107 ReneeMarie: I have read and did really like The Bookshop on the Corner and have the next couple of hers on my Kindle. I need to get back to Jenny Colgan as well!

>109 DeltaQueen50: If you like Jenny Colgan, you might also like Sara Bennett and Judy Leigh if you have not read any of their books yet.

Whenever I think of weeding my shelves again, I get cold feet! I did that three years ago when we moved but regretted some of my aggressive weeding and had to buy back a few books! Our retirement community is having a book sale in July (I am co-chair) and I have a box full of books my hubby and I have finished and are ready to give off. I read a lot more on my Kindle though because they do not take up the shelf space.

>104 DeltaQueen50: This was a good one, wasn't it? And it's not the kind of book I usually read. Great comments.

>110 LadyoftheLodge: I'm making a list of these authors and will check them out soon.

>111 BLBera: The Flatshare is my idea of the perfect comfort read - nothing too serious but not totally silly either.

Book Number 71:

Moloka'i by Alan Brennert - 4.5 ★
Category: Boston Tea Party
April Reading Through Time: Book Has a Disabled Character
April TIOLI #15: A book I've had on my shelf for more than 10 years



Moloka’i by Alan Brennert is a deeply engaging story about Rachel Kalama who in the late 1800s, at the young age of six, is diagnosed with leprosy. She is torn from her family in Honolulu and shipped to the leper colony of Kalaupapa on the island of Moloka’i to be raised by nuns. The impact of this destroys her parents’ marriage and leaves this little girl alone in the world.

The isolation and fear that the lepers received was quite simply heartbreaking. Rachel’s world has becomes the leper colony and she could very well be spending the rest of her life there. She does eventually form a family comprised of friends although many of her ‘found family’ die from the disease. She also meets the man that she will marry but the disease and the rules that society place on it’s victims mean that true happiness is elusive. Rachel matures into a strong young woman who learns to overcome the challenges in her life. Her fascinating story is set against a backdrop of 20th century events.

Moloka’i is a well written and informative work of historical fiction. The author draws the reader into Rachel’s world and we easily learn to care for her and the people around her. He also shows a great respect for Hawaiian culture, religion and history. This is a rich, complex story that pulls on the emotions as it tells of Rachel’s personal strength and bravery.

>113 DeltaQueen50: I should probably stay off your thread but you read such great books. I am taking a BB for this one.

>114 lowelibrary: Moloka'i was a great read and I hope you enjoy it. (Although enjoy is the wrong word when it comes to leprosy!!)

The technician finally came today and finished setting us up so now we have a working landline, internet and television. Fingers crossed that everything stays the way it should so I don't have a breakdown!

He was saying that there are less and less people signing up for cable TV and that he sees the company giving up on television services down the road. We will all be streaming our programs through our computers in the future. The problem is that right now the people who want service for their tvs tend to be senior citizens and they don't want or understand streaming or DIY TV. I resemble that remark!

>113 DeltaQueen50: oh I read that ages ago, didn't realize there was a sequel daughter of moloka'iI really enjoyed this and like you learned alot about Hawaii as well as how they were treated. The sequel is about the child Rachel had to give up, the family that took her in, and their subsequent internment at Manzanar Relocation Camp during World War II. think it would be an important book to read.

>116 DeltaQueen50: me too!

Glad you got your services back, even if it came with a little doom speech.
He's probably right, down the line people will stop buying tvs. And if that happens, computer screens will keep expanding because a family isn't going to squeeze in round the laptop.
Wishing you a good weekend, Judy!

>117 cindydavid4: I will be getting myself a copy of Daughter of Moloka'i soon!

>118 cindydavid4: I am developing a strong love/hate relationship with technology - every time I turn around I have gotten left behind again. :(

>119 mstrust: Thanks, Jennifer. We are kicking off our weekend by meeting some friends for lunch today which will be fun. Hope you have a great weekend as well!

>119 mstrust: ha!!! no kidding and they will be twice as expensive as well and almost impossible to use....

>120 DeltaQueen50: in the 70s my mom was the manager of a large dr office. She was the first of the staff to get one of those computers. Mom would come home just fuming, they keep telling me it will make life easier, and paperless, theyre mushiginah. She complained about it till she retired a few years later. Wasnt easier than certainly isnt now.

Nice to see that you have service now, Judy. Telus is getting harder and harder to deal with. I was without TV for 2 months while they kept saying they would send me a new modem but never doing it. Finally they sent a live person who set everything up.

I really enjoyed The Flatshare when I read it.

>104 DeltaQueen50: Just purchased this one as well as Moloka'i

Just to let you know that The Wake Up Call is kobo's daily deal today, at least in the UK. That often means that it's on offer in the kindle store as well.

>116 DeltaQueen50: Our cable company ended its television services, Judy. I don't even miss it.

>122 cindydavid4: I bet it was difficult for your Mom, Cindy, I went through that as well in the office that I worked at. Those old computers were intimidating! I was working on the order desk of a cigarette manufacturing company and I had to go from sending my orders to head office on a old-fashioned telex machine to processing everything through a computer. I hated it!

>123 Familyhistorian: So you probably have a similar set up to the one we got, Meg. Do you find the tv remote difficult to use? It's not very user friendly - I sat there last night trying to figure out how to fast forward through a recorded program and then how to delete the recording. We didn't get any instructions and the remote isn't labelled so I had to just keep pushing buttons to see what worked.

>124 Tess_W: I've been buying books right and left the last little while and so I am trying to curb my buying impulse. I have well over 2,000 books just on my Kindle. I need to make a rule of reading a couple before I buy one. Amazon makes it so darn easy - just click the button and book is yours!

>125 Jackie_K: Of course after saying the above, I did rush off to see if I could get The Wake Up Call as a daily special - but it's not being offered in Canada. Thanks for the heads up though.

>126 BLBera: Hi Beth, so does that mean that you don't watch tv or do you stream programs? I can see that we may have to rely on our grandchildren to set us up and keep things working smoothly.

>127 DeltaQueen50: Regarding TV remotes & things: sometimes I just run a web search & up will pop directions for doing whatever tech task I'm trying to do. Sometimes it's even a video. Quality varies, though, of course.

>128 ReneeMarie: Thanks, I need to explore some more and hopefully, I will be able to find some information on-line, but why couldn't "they" have put a couple of little arrows on the remote to designate fast forward and reverse!

>127 DeltaQueen50: My DH has three diff remotes, one for the tv one for the cable and one for prime. I have no idea which is which each has its own rules and so I can not watch tv without asking him for help. Whats wrong with just using a dial knob for goodness sakes!!!

>130 cindydavid4: I feel your pain! I used to have to use two remotes but with my new setup I only have to use one now - so that's a good thing. My husband still has to use two for his tv and he isn't a happy camper.

Book Number 72:

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus - 3.8 ★
Category: Cup or Mug
Bingo: A Recent Bestseller
April TIOLI #9: Multiple "esses" in title



I am slightly conflicted over Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. There were some aspects of the book that I loved, while there were others that I definitely didn’t. This debut novel tells the story of Elizabeth Zott, who becomes a celebrated cooking show host in 1960s Southern California. Although she considers herself to be a scientist who specializes in chemistry, the world at that time liked to place women in the role of housewives and mothers.

I had some difficulty warming to Elizabeth as I found her to be too obtuse and stubborn in how she presented herself and perhaps too exceptional to be relatable. In her constant bid to use the power of science to bring about changes she had the tendency to plow over everyone. The story became quite repetitive and I was constantly hoping to see the discrimination and sexual abuse addressed a little more seriously than it was.

On the other hand, Lessons in Chemistry is very witty and intelligent. It paints an interesting picture of the early days of affirmative action when societal norms desperately needed an overhaul. The author also wisely supplies some very endearing secondary characters like Calvin, Harriet, Madeline and especially the lovable dog, Six-Thirty. So mixed reaction but overall an absorbing and interesting read.

Book Number 73:

Third Girl by Agatha Christie - 3.3 ★
Category: A Cup of Tea Will Solve It
Bingo: Author was 65+ when book was published
April TIOLI #6: In honor of Linda P's parents anniversary



Agatha Christie rarely makes a misstep in her mysteries but Third Girl, originally published in 1966, falls a little short of her usual fare. The book features Hercule Poirot, but an older, slower Poirot who takes a long time to put the pieces together and figure out exactly what is going on.

He is approached by a perplexed girl who thinks that she might have killed someone. She appears totally spaced out and announces that Poirot is too old to help and leaves. Although his feelings are hurt at being called “old”, he tracks her down with the assistance of Ariadne Oliver to her London flat that she shares with two other young ladies but she is missing both from there and from the family’s country house.

Although Ms. Christie tries very hard to inject excitement to the story with hints of drugs and gas-lighting, the story actually plods along and Poirot’s efforts to establish whether the third girl is guilty, innocent or insane never really picks up. I guess you could say that I prefer Poirot in the 1930s and 40s to seeing him fuddle around with long haired mods in the 1960s.

I agree with everything you said! Third Girl stands out as the one that really showed Christie trying to get with the times, and it just didn't work. It seems far more dated than her older books.

>133 DeltaQueen50: >134 mstrust: I agree with all you said, I was rather disappointed when I read Third Girl.

>134 mstrust: & >135 MissBrangwen: Unfortunately I think Hercule Poirot just wasn't meant for the 1960s. On the other hand, I remember reading her Endless Night and being very impressed.

Good review of Lessons in Chemistry, Judy. I can understand your complaints but they did not bother me as much. glad to hear you still found it a worthy read. The TV series adaptation was excellent.

>132 DeltaQueen50: I gave up on Lessons in chemistry because I didn't like the stereotyped characters.

It takes place in the 50s so I would expect the characters to be so. Some , granted, were a bit much

>137 msf59: Hi Mark. I think perhaps the author, Bonnie Garmus, wrote Lessons in Chemistry with her tongue firmly planted in her cheek. She had something to say and used humor and repetition to get that point across.

>138 pamelad: I think Lessons in Chemistry is a book that people either really like or really don't.

>139 cindydavid4: I think the author used those stereotype characters to get her point across. We still don't have total equality of the sexes but we have come a long way from those early days.

Book Number 74:

Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson - 4.2 ★
Category: My Cup Runneth Over
2024 Reading Challenge: Indigenous Author
April TIOLI #1: Author's first and last names end with the same letter



Son of a Trickster is by Indigenous Canadian author Eden Robinson. It is an intense coming-of-age story about Jared who at 16 has a lot to deal with. A broken family, a dead beat father, social pressures, drugs, alcohol, poverty and a slightly insane mother. Throughout the story the author has interwoven a First Nations myth about the trickster, Wee’jit.

Set in Kitimat, B.C. this is a dark story. Drug abuse and alcoholism are the driving force in both Jared’s father and mother’s lives. The author does insert plenty of humor, but it is hard to ignore the fact that Jared is more responsible that either of his parents but his life appears to be heading much the same way as theirs. His rough life is not unusual among the Indigenous of Canada and the author’s inclusion of the folklore and magical elements help in our understanding of the culture but do nothing to lighten the story.

Son of a Trickster is built around the character of Jared and he is someone that I could really root for. Yes, he drinks, uses drugs and makes money by baking pot cookies but he is generous to others, thoughtful and caring and his close relationship with his mother was endearing. Although there was very little resolution to the story, I understand that this is the first of a trilogy and so the story will continue on. Son of a Trickster works at giving a voice to the Canadian First Nations and the author is to be applauded to painting such a strong and vivid picture.

>139 cindydavid4: It was the scientist stereotype that I didn’t like. Are all scientists social misfits?

oh, yeah ok I do get that. but as a reader I didn't pick up on that because I know its n ot true? but you have a point

>142 pamelad: As a scientist/science educator, no, we are not all social misfits. That is an unfortunate stereotype. I started to read Lessons in Chemistry, but the rape scene early in the book put me off completely. I used to work in a science lab and that scene was all too real and nightmarish for me.

>144 LadyoftheLodge: I briefly worked in a research institute so am also familiar with the rampant sexism and sleazebaggery. Those things rang true. But none of the scientists fitted into that otherworldly, on-the-spectrum stereotype.

Wow, once again I am truly horrified at how difficult it has been for women to break into many careers. There must have been a lot of scared men when women were first hired as police officers, fire fighters, doctors and now, scientists! I really appreciate those of us who took those first steps into developing careers that work for both sexes.

Book Number 75:

She Rides Shotgun by Jordan Harper - 4.5 ★'
Category: Badly Made Tea is a Criminal Offense
2024 Reading Challenge: A new-to-me author
April TIOLI #9: Title contains multiple "esses"



The debut novel She Rides Shotgun by Jordan Harper was a dark and grim tale about an ex-con’s efforts to protect his young daughter after the leader of the gang Aryan Steel puts out a hit on him, his ex-wife and his daughter. While they succeed at murdering her mother, young Polly is grabbed by her father, Nate, and with only her teddy bear to comfort her, they set off on a bumpy ride through the seamy side of Southern California.

In a desperate effort to get the vendetta lifted, Nate trains Polly to fight and understand the evil they are facing. Together they start to hit back at Aryan Steel in the hope that they can do enough damage that the hit will be cancelled. When that doesn’t work, Nate approaches a rival gang and put’s his own life on the line in a bid to save Polly.

The book is labelled as “Grit Lit” and doesn’t shy away from describing violence, ugliness and the dark side of life. But for all of that, it also clearly shows the character’s loyalty and love for each other and was a story that really touched my emotions. Nate and Polly go from being total strangers to creating a special Father-Daughter bond as they experience this dark adventure together. She Rides Shotgun was a well written, intelligent story that I highly recommend to anyone who loves the work of Donald Ray Pollock and Daniel Woodrell.

>146 DeltaQueen50: Thank you for your kind comments. Here is another story for you. The first year I was a science teacher, a parent said to me, "I did not know they allowed women to be science teachers!" and another "I thought you would be a lot older!"

Another sexist area is administration of many types. When I looked for a career in school admin, it took me several years and hundreds of applications to even get an interview. At one interview for an assistant principal (interviewers were male) I was told that I would be making the coffee in the office, and they showed me where the restroom was (men only, they did not show me the ladies). They said, "If some parent or kid is nasty towards you, you cannot just cry or something." That was in 1995. When I did get hired as a school admin, parents would often address me as the office secretary. They did not believe that a woman would/could be a school administrator. (The kids did not seem to have a problem with that.)

>144 LadyoftheLodge: In high school in my physics class there were just two girls, one going on to college in math and the other in physics. The teacher was very upset all year that there were girls in his class and that they were the ones making A's. Edited to add that was the 60's and we both went to graduate school.

I haven't been around the threads much this month, so I'm far behind.

>104 DeltaQueen50: Wasn't The Flatshare a wonderful surprise? I loved it and I'm hoping O'Leary can keep it up.

>116 DeltaQueen50: My equipment for cable and internet service was sadly outdated and had become unreliable. My husband still watches the news on tv (nothing else) but he was reluctant to give it up. I went to the office and was given a load of equipment with instructions on how to hook it up. The internet was straightforward, but tv turned out to be a bigger job than what I was led to believe. Thankfully it's up and running now (and still on the same station).

>132 DeltaQueen50: I have Lessons in Chemistry on the shelf but I watched the movie recently (really liked it) so I won't be reading the book for a while.

>147 DeltaQueen50: You had me at "grit lit," LOL.

>148 LadyoftheLodge: I was trying to remember if I ever had a female science teacher and thinking back I did have one in Grade 12 (1968). Mrs. Clarke was half of a husband and wife teaching team - she taught biology and he taught marketing and English. But other than Mrs. Clarke all my science teachers were men. I wonder how that stacks up to today's figures! I do know something about administration - it was very hard for a woman to break through - it seemed that in most cases management positions were saved for men.

>149 hailelib: Along with Cheryl, we need to applaud you as well, Trisha! It's hard to be the first but those coming behind you benefit from your effort!

>150 VivienneR: Unfortunately, there have been mixed reviews for Beth O'Leary's books after The Flatshare but her latest, The Wake Up Call seems to be getting the best reviews.

Touch wood - but my electronics are working really well for me now and even my husband is getting used to the changes. It's a joy that I can now switch on the TV and have all my programs available (although I still hate the remote control).

>151 RidgewayGirl: "Grit Lit" has become a trigger word for me as well - the grittier the book is, the better!

Book Number 76:

Atomic Family by Ciera Horton McElroy - 4.0 ★
Category: Polly Put the Kettle On
April TIOLI #8: The word "family" is in the title or appears on the cover



Atomic Family by Ciera Horton McElroy takes us back to the early 1960s, a very different time from today. Country and family were held in the highest esteem and the “Bomb”, Commies and Red Spies were to be feared and rooted out.

The Porter family, father Dean, mother Nellie, and 12 year old son, Wilson live in the small town of Oakleigh, South Carolina where the bomb was a major concern as the largest employment centre in town is the research and development plant for the hydrogen bomb. The book covers one day, November 1, 1961, as each member of the Porter family confronts their fears about nuclear war. Nellie secretly joins an anti-nuclear movement of angry housewives, while Dean mulls over the secrets that he has recently uncovered at work. Wilson has been bombarded on all sides by atom bomb information. The lessons and drills at school, the warning posters around town, and the fearful radio broadcasts have him obsessed and positive that nuclear war is coming. His parents are looking at the big picture but their attention should be on their own son as it soon becomes very apparent that Wilson’s Cold War paranoia is out of control.

Atomic Family transports us back to a time that I well remember, The “Duck and Cover” drills and the large ticking clock on the nightly news that was counting down our atomic doom were a daily part of life. In this book the author has delivered a well written, layered account of the era and the pressure surrounding our concerns about the arms race. Although a little predictable, this was an interesting read.

>152 DeltaQueen50: circa mid 70s One of my fav teachers whose name suddenly escapes me taught Biology, and AP Biology which I loved . she and her husband also directors of the Lapidary club, and led many desert hikes to find specimens to work with. Still have some of the jewlery i made

Another female science teacher here. I started teaching science in the technical school system in 1975 and for years was the only woman in the faculty. Some of my colleagues were kind and supportive and others were vicious. Before that I was a research assistant. The director hired only young women for the job, but the post-docs warned me about him so when he asked me out I knew why and found it easy to say no.

I had a couple of female science teachers over the years, in fact our head of science was female. In Physics A level there were a couple of sets (due to timetabling). The one we were in was just me & Jenny as the only girls. We did partner up. We seemed to have a lot less trouble that the other set that was split more evenly. Mind you, we were also in the top few every test, so maybe that had something to do with it.
I don't know that I remember there being any female lecturers once I went to university, did Physics & Chemistry.

Glad to hear that your IT issues have been resolved - sorry it's been such a pain! ...and I'll take a BB for Moloka'i. :)

And jumping into the convo - I got Lessons in Chemistry for Christmas - I've read some comments here and there about it, but I still think I'll give it a shot. Speaking of female teachers/professors - my calculus teacher in high school was female, which was pretty cool, and also my physics teacher, so that was something. Once I headed off to the University of Arizona to study chemical engineering, I can't remember any female professors at all, at least not in any of the technical subjects. And I do remember my differential equations professor asking me out (at least he asked me after I finished the class, lol). No, thank you!

Hi Judy! I hope you are doing well. I think you will enjoy The Last List of Mabel Beaumont and The Night in Question when you get to them. I had to look up Spongy Moths, and I know them better by their old name , gypsy moths. As I mentioned on my thread, I think just your area of the Lower Mainland is being sprayed and the other places are elsewhere in BC, mainly on the Island. The spraying in your area has been postponed according to Google due to today's rain and wind. I did not have any female teachers in the Sciences classes I took through high school and my first year at UBC either. I think that must have changed by now. I'll have to ask my nieces and nephews is they had any female teachers or prof's in Science courses, or my son and DIL .

Another cool, rainy day here - a good day to curl up with a book or two - which is exactly what I am planning to do. I am finding this female scientist talk very interesting. We've heard so much about the difficulty women have had breaking into management, police and firefighting etc. but I guess any job that was considered for "men" has been a struggle for women to break through in. It makes you realize what fragile egos some men had. I actually have much more positive feelings about Lessons in Chemistry as the author has exposed an issue that I didn't know about. Thank you >154 cindydavid4:, >155 pamelad:, >156 Helenliz:, >157 LisaMorr: & >158 vancouverdeb: for joining in!

>158 vancouverdeb: Hi Deborah. Thanks for the information about the moth spraying. I just checked the website and apparently the spraying is done at dawn so I don't have to worry about being outside when it's happening. I guess they are just spraying areas where moths have been found and we do have a lot of blueberry farms around here. At this point I just want them to get it done and over with!

I agree with >144 LadyoftheLodge: >138 pamelad: and DNFd Lessons in Chemistry after that scene. Though I was not a science aficionado when I was in school (though I am now-go figure), I’m sure the field was rife with misogyny, but, then, so was pretty much every field of study. And every profession except maybe nursing and primary school teaching.

We have Roku, which I guess is a streaming service. It doesn’t work half the time for me, and I’m constantly asking my son in law to come down and fix it. Luckily, I am not a big TV watcher or I would go mad.

Ok. I’m going to have to read The Flat Share just to find out how they handled the sleeping arrangement on weekends.

>159 DeltaQueen50: No a "hard" scientist here, but a social scientist! I am the sole woman in the history department at two different universities. That being said, I had no trouble obtaining the job and feel that I am treated most equitably.

Hi, Judy. You got me with She Rides Shotgun. I like "grit lit". 😁

>161 Storeetllr: Hi Mary. I hate that it's become a world where I have to ask a younger generation how to set up, fix, or even use things! I hope you enjoy Flatshare if and when you get to it.

>162 Tess_W: I could be naive but I think woman are more readily accepted today than they were just 10 to 15 years ago. We're getting there - of course, there is still a major issue with pay equality!

>163 msf59: Hi Mark - I think you would enjoy She Rides Shotgun and at less than 300 pages, it's a quick read as well! :)

Hi, Judy, hope your week is starting off well!
I hate that it's become a world where I have to ask a younger generation how to set up, fix, or even use things! Exactly. Because the technology is moving so quickly, as soon as I get used to something, we have to update. I still haven't attempted posting my pics on LT since getting new computer software.
My two cents: one of my elementary school principals in the late 70s was a woman. Sounds like that was unusual.

>165 mstrust: Hi Jennifer. Yes, my week has gotten off to an excellent start. We saw our accountant today and signed off on our taxes. I have a a nice size refund to look forward to. Yes, I think women principals were scarce when I was young. Even if women teachers were highly qualified, the administrators were mostly chosen from the male teachers.

Book Number 77:

Snipe Hunt by David Allin - 4.0 ★
Category: Boston Tea Party
April TIOLI #7: A book featuring a war that divided a country



Snipe Hunt by David Allin was an exciting story set during the Vietnam war as a team of inexperienced Army snipers are sent on a five day mission into the communist-controlled Michelin rubber plantation with vague orders to intercept a high priority target. Unfortunately they have no idea of what or who this target could be.

The plantation is overgrown and dense and due to the heavy foliage that blocks the light, it is permanent twilight during the day and exceedingly dark at night. The story takes off immediately as this small group encounters a meeting of Viet Cong and some North Vietnam Army personnel. A quick gunfight and the Americans find they are in possession of a huge cache of American dollars. Now they are being hunted as they travel through the endless rows of rubber trees towards their designated pick -up only to arrive to find that the NVA have arrived first and have set up an ambush.

This fast moving story was a page turner. The small group of two snipers, two spotters and a guide on this five day mission quickly drew the reader in. The author is a combat veteran himself so the tactics described seemed creditable and the descriptions of this huge rubber plantation supplied great detail. A fascinating story.

In answer to the conversations above: My middle school (Jr. High in those days) science teacher was a woman in her fifties. She was highly respected in town and when she died a bird sanctuary was named in her honor. I'm sure that was the first public place named for a woman here.

I have a good story (I think!) about the treatment of women at work. I was one of two women working in a large manufacturing plant at management level. By the time this took place I had 18 years of experience in manufacturing suspervision/management. The job for the 2nd spot in plant leadership opened and I bid on it. The only other candidate was a Golden Boy who had less than 10 years of manufacturng experience, but had been in the Air Force 3 years and had been in the Guards for several more years. He was very well liked, especially by the men. After the interviews, I was called into the HR managers office, the exact words he spoke were: "We've made a choice and you're not it." I had worked with the hiring manager many years and considered him a friend. It took him several days to get around to talking to me. When he did, he came into my office and all he said was "You know, Bradley is like a son to me," paused, and walked out.

A few months later the hiring manager came to me and told me he had heard I was looking for a house and he thought I should buy his, his wife had died and he was remarryng. He lived in a lovely settled neighborhood with big yards and lots of trees and yes, I knew I would like to have it. He gave me the asking price and a realtor friend and I went to look at it. When we left the house she asked if I was sure I had the asking price right. I said yes, we're playing a game. I bought the house for $7,000 under market. Thirty-five years later I'm still living in the house. When I remodeled it in 2015 I invited him and his wife (we were friends in high school) to come see it and he did, approved everything. After a couple of years Golden Boy was promoted to a higher level job in a another plant but resigned after a short time. I had an occasion to talk to him and he told me he didn't like working in manufacturing. So much for the investment they put in him!

As for me, a new job was created that I had the opportunity to move into. I had to travel a lot, but I liked the work, and it was at the same level as the job I didn't get.

>127 DeltaQueen50: I'm not too fond of the Telus remote but haven't tried to record or fast forward or anything like that. I just watch what's on. Back when we had VCRs I recorded a bunch of stuff and never watched it so I gave up on that.

I loved Lessons in Chemistry when I read it and can remember work places in the era when women weren't taken seriously. In an office that I worked at men were paid more than women for the same job because "they had more responsibilities". I took it in stride though because when I got the job I lied and said I wasn't going back to school but I was. As if I'd stick it out in a job where men were paid more.

I found myself rooting for Jared in Son of a Trickster because he had such a good heart and he was just getting by the best way he knew how. I haven't moved on to the next books in the trilogy yet.

>168 clue: Sometimes I just have to shake my head at the maneuverings that went on in the work place to ensure men stayed on top. At least they created a job for you that you loved (and that you got what sounds like a wonderful house as well). :)

>169 Familyhistorian: I have mixed feelings about reading on in the Trickster books as I really was left hoping that Jared went on to have a full and rewarding life, but with two more books yet to read, I suspect there are tragedies and bleak times ahead.

Meg, I think the whole "streaming" thing is changing how TV is being watched and the idea of needing to record a program to watch later is becoming obsolete.

Book Number 78:

The Killing Room by Peter May - 4.2 ★
Category: One Lump or Two
April MysteryKit: Series
April TIOLI #10: Title contains only one adjective



The Killing Room by Peter May is the third book in his crime series that features Chinese police supervisor Li Yan and American doctor of forensic pathology, Margaret Campbell. In this outing Li Yan has been asked to come to Shanghai to take over the investigation into the death of twenty plus women whose body parts turned up on a construction site. Li Yan requests that Margaret Campbell be brought into the investigation to handle the complicated matching of these body parts and the autopsies.

With a romantic relationship that is almost as complicated as the case they are working on, things are not going smoothly. Li Yan is working with Mei-Ling, the deputy head of Shanghai’s serious crime squad who obviously is interested in more than a working relationship. Margaret is jealous and as always, their cultural differences cause problems between Li and Margaret. The case becomes mired in politics and it is not clear who is helping and who is hindering the investigation.

I can’t believe that I let so much time go by between these books as I really like this series. The characters ring true and the setting of modern day China is fascinating. I still have a few more books of this series on my shelf and I will certainly ensuring that they are read in a more timely fashion.

>171 DeltaQueen50: - I took a BB from you 10 years ago for the first book in this series and it's still on my "recommended" list. There are just so many books I want to read.

The Peter May book sounds interesting. He has been hit or miss with me. I really liked The Blackhouse, but there was another that was meh about a pandemic? I don't remember the title.

>172 dudes22: I read and read, yet I never get caught up with all the books that I want to complete! I guess having too many books isn't much of a problem when you consider the big picture so I will try to keep my complaints to a minimum.

>173 BLBera: Hi Beth. Peter May writes a lot but personally, I think he excels in crime fiction. This series is particularly interesting due to the setting of modern day China - although if I keep leaving it on the shelf for such a long time, it is in danger of becoming historical fiction! The Lewis Trilogy is another one where I read the first book, really liked it, but haven't gotten to the second book yet.

>166 DeltaQueen50: When I was in elementary school, all the principals and teachers were females--they were nuns or women (non-religious/lay) teachers. In high school, my math teachers were all female as were my biology and chemistry teachers. My high school biology teacher was my inspiration to become a science teacher. (However, all 12 years of schooling were at the Catholic schools, so most of the teachers were women religious.)

>175 LadyoftheLodge: Of course, Catholic girls schools usually had all positions covered by nuns/lay teachers so were the exception although I do wonder if there wasn't a priest that oversaw the whole operation.

>164 DeltaQueen50: Heh, yes, new tech can be challenging. I enjoy learning it, though—mostly.

It may be awhile before I get to Flatshare. I’ve got quite a few books already waiting for me. I’ll let you know when I do.

>176 DeltaQueen50: In high school, the principal was a priest, and in elementary, there was always the parish pastor who was affiliated with the school too. Always a male lurking in the background!

>177 Storeetllr: I know about having more than a few books waiting for me! I'll watch for your thoughts on The Flatshare when you get to it.

>178 LadyoftheLodge: Exactly!

Book Number 79:

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir - 5.0 ★
Category: The Formula for your Cuppa
2024 Reading Challenge: Award Nominated - Hugo Award Nominee 2022
May TIOLI #1: The letter "Y" is at the beginning or end of the title or author's name



Andy Weir once again delivers a fantastic story with Project Hail Mary. For the last couple of days, all I have wanted to do was read and absorb this story. I was intrigued, excited and educated by this tale of science and wonder.

I am not going to describe the plot in any way as, firstly, many have gone before me and have written far better descriptions that I could come up with and, secondly, if you haven’t already read the book then I don’t want to ruin the surprises that are to come. While there is a lot of science to read through, the author makes every effort to keep the book user-friendly and understandable. In other words you don’t have to be a scientist to understand this thrilling and twisty book.

With characters that one can relate to, and a story to have you rooting for civilization to survive, this was a fun read. And as the two main characters decided between themselves, Grace and Rocky were good people who gave their best and became true heroes. If you are looking for a compelling read with wit, humor and plenty of heart I highly recommend Project Hail Mary.

Stopping in to say hello!

Hello Judy! I'm so glad you got your internet and TV sorted out - it's very hard to do without it now! I use the Amazon Fire Cube for my streaming services, although currently I only have Netflix.

I loved Lessons in Chemistry, although I understand why people might not. But I loved the secondary characters like the doctor and the neighbour, and of course the dog :-)

I've picked up quite a few other suggestions from this thread, so my library reserve list may soon be out of control again!

>181 thornton37814: Hi Lori, I am surprised by how quickly the year seems to be going. It's hard to believe that it's May already!

>182 susanj67: I am having a few hiccups with my television but mostly I am happy with the new setup. I am working through a pile of library books right now - they do tend to pile up!

>180 DeltaQueen50: One of my all-time favorites. So glad you enjoyed it!

“Hail Mary, full of Grace…” (Something I saw online.)

>184 Storeetllr: "Hail Mary, full of grace" is the beginning of a Roman Catholic prayer.

Yes, that’s the joke. (You had to read the book to get it.)

Hi Judy! I feel your pain with the new tech. We still watch TV although I'm getting used to streaming. It's just not as normal to me. And while I know that cable is going away, I also know that streaming services don't always have the movies I want to watch. Like "Excalibur," which is a movie I recorded and sadly I cannot download it onto any medium from our cable box.

And also, Bill the DH decided to get me a new laptop for Christmas with one of these "We'll save your password for you and generate a new one any time you we like" sites uploaded. It's taken me months to get used to logging onto the password saving site, then my regular websites, and there was much gnashing of teeth and expletives sent over the internets for my learning curve.

And speaking of women breaking into science and school administration, I had a woman biology teacher I just loved in 10th grade, as well as algebra and geometry teachers in junior high and early high school who were women. The chemistry and physics classes, though, were taught by men. My elementary school principals were women in the South in the early 1970's. Reading your thread has been eye opening on how rare this achievement was. My first grade year, girls could only wear dresses or skirts, but that finally changed by 3rd grade.

third grade? that didnt change for us until 8th grade!

>180 DeltaQueen50: This does sound good, Judy. I did love The Martian, and I don't read a lot of science fiction.

>187 threadnsong: Hi Threadnsong, I really hate that technology has left me behind. My husband is even less knowledgeable when it comes to technology - he gave up when VCRs came into play!

Passwords are the bane of my life as I struggle to remember them, think of new ones, and not repeat them too often. These days it seems as if you need a password for everything!

When I was young we lived in Ottawa and I remember all the kids having to wear ski pants to walk to school in when it was really cold. Of course the girls had to carry their skirts/dresses along and immediately change into them when they got to the school. No pants on girls allowed in school. Even in high school we still had the no pants for girls and boy's hair couldn't touch their shirt collar.

>188 cindydavid4: I'm showing my age when I tell that it wasn't until first year of college that we were able to wear pants - and at that point they had to be part of a 'pant suit' in order to qualify as proper wear for girls.

>189 BLBera: Andy Weir uses a lot of science in his writing but he makes that science very accessible. In this case one of his main characters is a middle school science teacher so he keeps the science mostly at that level.

Book Number 80:

Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara - 4.2 ★
Category: Imported Tea (India)
2024 Reading Challenge: A color is in the title
May TIOLI #5: Acquired in 2024 (library)



Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara is set in the slums that have risen along the Purple Line of an unnamed Indian city’s metro. When one of his classmates goes missing, nine year old Jai and his two friends Pari and Faiz decide investigate the disappearance. Jai is inspired by his favorite reality cop television program. As more children start to disappear, it seems as if this hapless trio are the only ones who are looking into the disappearance of these children.

The story is an excellent mixture of a coming-of-age with a mystery and an intense social commentary on life lived in these crowded slums. We learn of their day-to-day life, their food, clothing, education, religions and culture. The children know of no different life so they are for the most part cheerful and happy. Of course the fact that someone or something is taking children is constantly in the background and causing the rules to tighten, parents to become more demanding and freedoms to be curtailed. The tension builds as more children disappear and finally, someone very close to Jai is taken.

Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line is a compelling read that lays bare the complex social and political realities of modern day India and immerses us in Jai’s world both through his imagination and his very sharp observations. This difficult story filtered through a child’s eyes brings a sense of reality to the fact that in India up to 180 children go missing every day. These unfound and unlooked for children are from slums very much like the one that Jai lives in.

Hi, Judy. I will start The Razor's Edge this week. I am also going on a birding adventure, so not sure I will get much reading in. How about you?

>192 msf59: I expect that I will be able to start The Razor's Edge later on in the week - maybe Thursday. Right now I am working my way through a pile of library books but I am looking forward to my first Maugham. :)

>188 cindydavid4: We wore uniforms in both elementary and high school, always a skirt&vest or skirt and jacket/or jumper, with white blouse. Elementary uni featured a blue crisscross tie also, and a beanie/beret hat. Boys had to wear shirt and tie, dress pants, no jeans, no sneakers for anyone. Hair on boys had to be above the collar, suit coats also required in high school.

Hi Judy! Getting caught up here. I bought a new TV a couple of months ago and the remote is pretty minimal in terms of buttons. The phone app for the remote has a lot more features and I think it's how the manufacturer intends for you to control the TV. Most of the time I just use the mic button on the remote and tell the TV what I want it to do. My brother is an engineer at the manufacturer, so I was able to get advice from an expert during the setup process. And when one of my streaming apps kept crashing, he checked the error log to see if the Mother Ship had recorded an event for my TV. (It hadn't, so the problem is likely with the app and not the TV.)

>194 LadyoftheLodge: It's funny when you think back on how it used to be - all those rules have certainly gone out the window. I see kids walking by on their way to school and they seem to be able to wear pretty much anything they want today in public schools - of course private schools seem to still have a dress code although I have seen a lot of individual touches added to the uniforms.

>195 cbl_tn: Hi Carrie. I was just talking to my sister last night and we were laughing at how behind we were in technology. She has two sons that keep her tech up to date and I have two son-in-laws and a grandson to help us. Nowadays one's list of relatives and close friends needs to include a tech expert!

Book Number 81:

The Tiger Queens by Stephanie Thornton - 4.5 ★
Category: The Boston Tea Party
May TIOLI #2: A 4-legged animal is in the title



The Tiger Queens by Stephanie Thornton is a wonderful combination of fiction and history as she writes of a group of women who helped to shape, sustain and control the wide-spread empire of Genghis Khan. These women were relatives and friends who supported, advised and watched out for each other while sharing their intimate confidences.

The women were Borte, the first wife and queen of the empire, her daughter Alaqai, a warrior princess, her daughter-in-laws Toregene and Sorkhokhtani, and finally Fatima, taken as a slave but evolved into a well loved and revered scribe and friend. They lived in violent times and women were not often elevated to a position of power, but these women were members of the ‘Golden Family’ and were situated to have influence, political savvy and ability.

The book is set in the late 12th century and details the life of Genghis Khan and, after his death, how the family plotted and schemed for his throne. The story unfolds through the voice of 4 of the women who played such strong and fierce roles in the reign of Genghis Khan. I loved the story and in particular the setting of the sweeping grasslands and harsh steppes of central Asia. The author immerses us in the food and culture and doesn’t shy away from the horrific violence that was part of the Mongol horde’s day to day life. This mix of a great story with fascinating history makes The Tiger Queens a very compelling read.

Book Number 82:

The Bear by Andrew Krivak - 5.0 ★
Category: Cup or Mug
May TIOLI #2: A 4-legged animal is in the title



The Bear by Andrew Krivak is a beautifully written fable about the last humans on Earth. A father and daughter who live close to the land and to nature. When the girl is eleven, they travel to the ocean to gather salt. Unfortunately, tragedy strikes, leaving only one human to travel on. It is here that the tale swings into fantasy as a bear now arrives and is willing to keep the last human safe and accompany them home.

This unusual tale, set far in the future is a story of survival as the last human must survive a long winter alone in the wilderness. The bear guides them to a cave but he must hibernate and so the human must cope on their own. In many ways this tale resembles the legends of indigenous people as it closely interacts with nature and animals and has the feel of a story that has been handed down through the generations. We never learn the names of the characters, where they are located or even how they came to be the last humans. Instead this is a simple tale of survival and the processing of grief accompanied by lush descriptions of nature.

While I loved this book, I can see that it would not appeal to all as it is emotionally moving but melancholy. I found I became wrapped up in the deceptively simple story, and very invested in the character so I wanted to find out how it was going to play out. The Bear is a dystopian folktale that I won’t soon forget.

>198 DeltaQueen50: I’m taking a BB for The Bear. In looking at reviews for this online, I learned a sad new word: solastalgia, the distress caused by environmental change. So I’ll save it for some time when I’m not feeling too solastalgic.

>199 Charon07: I have now also learned a new word. :) I hope you find The Bear as emotionally touching as I did.

Book Number 83:

The Wolf Wants In by Laura McHugh - 3.4 ★
Category: A Bad Cup of Tea is a Criminal Offense
May TIOLI #2: A 4-legged animal is in the title



The Wolf Wants In by Laura McHugh is a mystery story that is told through the narration of two characters, both women and both residents of the small town in Kansas that has declined into apathy from drugs, alcohol and crime. Sadie Keller is determined to find out how her brother died even though it was registered as a “natural” death and eighteen-year-old Henley Pettit wants to escape the town and her family reputation’s for being behind most of the crimes being committed.

When bones are found in the nearby woods neither woman realizes that time is running out both for Sadie to discover the truth and Henley to make her escape. Family loyalty and dangerous secrets abound in this book as the characters deal with their grief, frustration and suspicions. Using the Opioid crisis as a backbone to the story, the author delivers a solid rural crime story.

While The Wolf Wants In is an effective mystery, I found that I wasn’t as emotionally drawn in as I would have hoped. The story is dark and gritty but somehow the characters didn’t gel for me. This is the second book by this author that I have read and I can see I will be reading more by her in the future. My slight hesitations regarding this book could very well be from my being so emotionally invested in the previous book that I read.

>201 DeltaQueen50: - I read that one in 2022 and rated it 4 stars, but I can't remember a thing about it now :-P

Have a great weekend, Judy!

One more thing I learned about the Telus TV last night, Judy. If the batteries in the remote run out of juice it seems that the system has to initialize again so keep those batteries up to date. It took me a while to get my TV back again yesterday evening.

>202 katiekrug: Hi Katie! I am in the same boat with this author, I read The Weight of Blood by her, gave it 4 stars and remember nothing about it. I suspect The Wolf Wants In will fade just as quickly!

>203 Familyhistorian: Thanks for the information, Meg. I will make sure to pick up some extra batteries - do you know - does it warn you when it is getting low? If not I will change them right away since I don't recognize the brand of the batteries it came with and I expect they won't last very long.

Book Number 84:

Errol Flynn Slept Here by Robert Matzen & Michael Mazzone - 3.3 ★
Category: My Cup Runneth Over
May RandonKit: Art & Architecture
May TIOLI #4: Rolling Challenge - Mother



I suspect that one could choose any number of houses in Hollywood that have an illustrious past and celebrity owners but in Erroll Flynn Slept Here, authors Robert Matzen and Michael Mazzone chose to document Mulholland Farm, built by Errol Flynn and lived in by him, Stuart Hamlin, and Ricky Nelson. The authors supply a lot of interesting information about the owners of this home as well as pictures that capture Hollywood’s Golden Era and on into today.

Flynn, who designed and built the house installed a number of secret passageways, two-way mirrors and other voyeuristic tools in order to spy on those he was entertaining. His bad boy reputation was well earned and he lived in this house through a number of marriages as well as his playboy bachelor years. Flynn left America due to his fading reputation, child support delinquency and tax issues, and around the time of his death in 1959, the house was sold to the Stuart Hamlin family. Hamlin was a very well known singing cowboy and Christian singer/songwriter. During this time, the famous visitors were Roy and Dale Rogers, Johnny Cash, Ronald Regan and Billy Graham. Finally the house was sold to singing legend Ricky Nelson who lived there until his death in a plane crash on New Year’s Eve, 1985. The house was torn down in 1988, the land purchased by actress Helen Hunt who had a new home built on the site, apparently today it is the home of Justin Timberlake.

The detailed story of this house spans 5 decades and the authors obviously interviewed many family members, friends and acquaintances of the various owners. Although some fascinating tidbits are revealed and even a ghost story is brought to light, I would consider this a rather mediocre read. The primary focus was on Errol Flynn and, in truth, I was uncomfortable learning about his peekaboo habits and mean drunken bouts. I would far rather remember Flynn as the boyishly handsome Robin Hood or swashbuckling, adventurer pirate, Captain Blood from his movies.

Hi Judy: I loved Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line as well.

>198 DeltaQueen50: Great comments on The Bear. That has been on my shelf for a while, time to read it, I guess.

>206 BLBera: Hi Beth, I hope you are having a nice weekend. I spent some time outside today on the deck, reading. Hubby was preparing all the pots for planting so I guess we'll be heading off to the nursery one day next week!

Book Number 85:

Sentinels of Fire by P.T. Deutermann - 3.8 ★
Category: Boston Tea Party
May CalendarCat: Military Appreciation Month
May TIOLI #10: First Person Narration



Sentinels of Fire by P.T. Deutermann is part of the author’s World War II series. This entry singles out an American destroyer, the fictional USS Malloy which has been assigned to the radar picket line set up around the island of Okinawa. Narrated by the newly promoted Executive Officer Connie Miles, the author brings to life the stress and strain of battling a desperate people who have no intention of ever giving up and, in particular, dealing with the kamikaze attacks that this desperation generated.

As the battles rage on, XO Miles comes to the realization that the popular and experienced captain is slowly succumbing to what is today recognized as PTSD, and there soon comes a time when the XO must take over command even though he is new to the destroyer and it’s techniques. The Battle of Okinawa was the costliest battle of World War II and the author paints an accurate picture, both of the conditions faced and the steady heroism of the Americans who followed orders and stayed the course.

As the author himself served in the American Navy for 26 years, he knows of what he writes and although at times his wording gets too technical, the story is historically accurate, intense and gripping. Sentinels of Fire is a compelling military adventure that I enjoyed reading.

>197 DeltaQueen50: I've got that on an audible book. Waiting for just the right time to read it. Your review is very good!

>209 Tess_W: I am pretty sure that you will love The Tiger Queens, Tess. It totally immersed me in both time and place.

Book Number 86:

The Razor's Edge by W. Somerset Maugham
Category: High Tea
May TIOLI #4: Rolling Challenge - Mother



The Razor's Edge is a 1944 novel by W. Somerset Maugham and is considered to be the most accessible of his books. It tells the story of Larry Darrell, an American pilot traumatized by his experiences in World War I along some of the people who had an impact on Larry’s life, including his fiancee Isabel and her uncle Elliot, a snobbish expat American who cannot imagine any other way of life but that of following European high society.

Larry sets off in search of the transcendent meaning to life and although he invites Isabel to join him, she, needing to choose between her love of Larry or her need for a life of wealth and privilege, breaks off their engagement. One unique feature of the story is that it is narrated by a character who happens to be the author, W. Somerset Maugham. Larry Darrell spends the book travelling and searching for life’s meaning and intermittently passing his observations on to Maugham who then interprets these concepts of war, death, life, marriage, and profession onto the pages.

I found The Razor’s Edge an interesting read. It’s philosophical theme of finding one’s true purpose in order to live a meaningful life certainly made this reader reflective. Of course it is obvious that one has to find out for himself what the meaning of life is as it is different for everyone. I believe that by exposing his characters inner desires, whether it was stability, spirituality or simply working and caring for others that Maugham was trying to point out that the way to peace and happiness is one’s ability to accept and respect other people’s choices.

>211 DeltaQueen50: Maugham's short stories are really good and, dare I say it, enjoyable, although they deal with some serious topics. Most recently I read Rain, which I recommend, and many years ago I read all the stories in East and West.

I really need to read more Maugham! I did read The Razor's Edge at some point but don't remember much about it. I loved The Painted Veil, which I think is quite accessible -- it has more of a plot than many of Maugham's other works, as I understand it.

The movie is a good adaptation, beautifully filmed and acted, except for the change of the ending. If you dont mind, it may be of interest

>212 NinieB: I was pleasantly surprised with The Razor's Edge as I wasn't expecting to like the book as much as I did. I read that this book really came into popularity during the 1960s when "the meaning of life" was a subject that interested many people. I am looking forward to reading more by him - most likely starting with The Painted Veil as I already have that one on my Kindle.

>213 christina_reads: Hi Christina. The Razor's Edge read somewhat like a collection of short stories that were connected by being about the same group of characters. I am looking forward to The Painted Veil which as you say has more of a plot.

Hi, Judy. I am so glad you joined us on The Razor's Edge and ended up enjoying it. I am feeling the same about the book and may finish it up tomorrow. I would also be up for The Painted Veil. Maybe, a shared read, later in the year?

>211 DeltaQueen50: I liked Ashenden which is a collection of linked short stories about spying, based on Somerset Maugham's work for the Secret service during WWI. I also liked Cakes and Ale, which is about a writer who might be Thomas Hardy, but found it a bit nasty. That condescension and dislike for so many people are Maugham's biggest drawbacks, in my opinion. But his writing style is quite straightforward and accessible.

It's quite a while since I read Of Human Bondage, which I remember as being bleak and depressing. So is the film, but it stars Bette Davis, who is compelling.

>216 msf59: Thanks, Mark, and yes, I would love to read The Painted Veil later on this year. I already have the book so just let me know when and I will fit it into my reading for that month. :)

>217 pamelad: Ashenden sounds interesting and like something I would enjoy and, of course, Cakes and Ale is on my radar since it is on the 1,001 List. I am a huge Bette Davis fan so I am pretty sure that I have seen Of Human Bondage but I have to admit I can't recall it - something to keep my eyes open for in the future.

Book Number 87:

Hater by David Moody - 2.0 ★
Category: The Dregs
May TIOLI #1: The Title or Author's Name ends in the letter "Y"



Hater by David Moody is a dark and violent story about society suddenly becoming divided into two types of people. Each type hates the other and simply wants to destroy them before they get a chance to do the same. The division doesn’t go by family ties, friendship, or ethnic background. Some become what is called “Haters” and some do not. Murder and mayhem become the norm. People are advised to stay home and wait for the situation to be controlled.

When people suddenly start attacking others with the intention of killing them, Danny McCoyne has no idea of what is going on. He witnesses several attacks but it takes him, and the rest of the world some time to grasp what is happening. By then he, his wife, Lizzie, their three children and father-in-law are sheltering together but who is a Hater and who is not?

David Moody is the author of one of my favorite zombie series and I have had Haters and it’s sequels sitting on my shelf for some time. This is the first of a trilogy and I fully expected to be enthralled by this horror story but instead I was left feeling a little queasy and disappointed. Other than repetitive violence, there didn’t seem to be much story here. We are told over and over how Danny is stuck in a dead end job, doesn’t earn much money, lives in a sub-par apartment with his family that he does love, but finds annoying. Personally I found Danny annoying. I hate the fact that I have the next two book of the trilogy but highly doubt that I will ever get the urge to read on. Haters just didn’t work for me.

>204 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy - there was no warning that the batteries in the remote were low. The TV just stopped working and I tried to figure out what was going on. When I opened up the battery compartment I could tell that the batteries were done.

>219 DeltaQueen50: Morning, Judy!
The cover alone is scary, but I love your I hate the fact that I have the next two book of the trilogy...
What was the previous book from the author that you liked so much? (The touchstone comes up at a McBain.)

>219 DeltaQueen50: Sounds too much like the current situation in real life for me. Pass. I’d be more interested in his zombie series, I think.

>220 Familyhistorian: Thanks for letting me know about this, Meg. I have make sure that we have a supply of the right size batteries and my husband has already changed his, I will change mine today!

>221 mstrust: Hi Jennifer. I've fixed the touchstone. The zombie books that I liked by this author were a series of 5 books with the first one titled Autumn. Then Autumn: The City, Autumn: Purification, Autumn: Disintegration and finally Autumn: Aftermath.

>222 Storeetllr: Hi Mary. The Zombie series was much better IMO. :)