Delta Queen's 11 in 11 Challenge, Part 3

11 in 11 Challenge

My second thread HERE

My first thread HERE

My Counter:

Categories

1. Timeless Mysteries
2. Crime & Thrillers
3. Following a Series
4. Non-Fiction
5. American West
6. Historical Fiction
7. Young Adult & Children's Literature
8. War & The Homefront
9. Fantasy
10. Random Recommendations
11. In The Mood

Timeless Mysteries



1. The A.B.C. Murders by Agatha Christie - 4 stars
2. Miss Pym Disposes by Josephine Tey - 4 stars
3. Sweet Danger by Margery Allingham - 3 1/2 stars
4. The Case of the Gilded Fly by Edmund Crispin - 3 1/2 stars
5. Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers - 3 1/2 stars
6. The Religious Body by Catherine Aird - 3 1/2 stars
7. At Bertram's Hotel by Agatha Christie - 4 stars
8. Why Didn't They Ask Evans? by Agatha Christie - 4 1/2 stars
9. Clouds of Witness by Dorothy L. Sayers - 3 1/2 stars
10. The Man In The Queue by Josephine Tey - 3 1/2 stars
11. The Bat by Mary Roberts Rinehart - 2 stars

CATEGORY COMPLETED

Bonus Reads

1. Malice Aforethought by Francis Iles - 4 1/2 stars
2. Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie - 3 1/2 stars

Crime & Thrillers



1. Forty Words For Sorrow by Giles Blunt - 4 stars
2. The Guards by Ken Bruen - 5 stars
3. A Share In Death by Deborah Crombie - 3 1/2 stars
4. Blacklands by Belinda Bauer - 5 stars
5. Iron Lake by William Kent Krueger - 4 stars
6. Driftnet by Lin Anderson - 3 stars
7. The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo - 4 1/2 stars
8. Blink by Andrea Badenoch - 4 stars
9. Above Suspicion by Lynda La Plante - 4 stars
10. Down River by John Hart - 4 stars
11. Exit Music by Ian Rankin - 4 stars

CATEGORY COMPLETED

Bonus Reads

1. Mr. Peanut by Adam Ross - 3 1/2 stars
2. The Poacher's Son Paul Doiron - 3 1/2 stars
3. The Merchant's House by Kate Ellis - 3 1/2 stars
4. Slay Ride by Chris Grabenstein - 3 1/2 stars
5. Open Season by C.J. Box - 4 stars
6. Her Last Letter by Nancy C. Johnson - 2 1/2 stars
7. The Whisperer by Donato Carrisi - 2 stars

Following A Series



1. All the Colors of Darkness by Peter Robinson - 3 stars
2. Country of the Blind by Christopher Brookmyre - 4 1/2 stars
3. Death Minus Zero by John Baker - 4 stars
4. The Way of the Traitor by Laura Joh Rowland - 3 1/2 stars
5. Blind Eye by Stuart MacBride - 4 stars
6. Wasted Years by John Harvey - 4 stars
7. Death Without Company by Craig Johnson - 4 stars
8. Winter Frost by R.D. Wingfield - 5 stars
9. Torch by Lin Anderson - 3 stars
10. A Faint Cold Fear by Karin Slaughter - 4 stars
11. Beneath the Bleeding by Val McDermid - 3 1/2 stars

CATEGORY COMPLETED

Bonus Reads

1. Silence of the Grave by Arnaldur Indridason - 4 stars
2. The Delicate Storm by Giles Blunt - 3 1/2 stars
3. Blind Fear by Lynn Abercrombie - 3 stars

Non-Fiction



1. A Walk In The Woods by Bill Bryson - 4 1/2 stars
2. The Children's Blizzard by David Laskin - 4 stars
3. I Shall Not Hate by Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish - 4 stars
4. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs - 3 1/2 stars
5. Murder In Mayberry: Greed, Death and Mayhem in a Small Town by Mary Kinney Branson - 2 1/2 stars
6. Jeremy And Amy: The Extraordinary Story of One Man and His Orang-utan by Jeremy Keeling - 3 1/2 stars
7. The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson - 4 stars
8. Just Kids by Patti Smith - 3 1/2 stars
9. In Harm's Way: The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis by Doug Stanton - 4 1/2 stars
10. Chinaberry Sidewalks by Rodney Crowell - 4 stars
11. Columbine by Dave Cullen - 4 1/2 stars

CATEGORY COMPLETED

Bonus Reads

1. Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond - 3 1/2 stars

The American West



1. The Indian Agent by Dan O'Brien - 3 1/2 stars
2. Appaloosa by Robert B. Parker - 4 stars
3. The Diary of Mattie Spenser by Sandra Dallas - 5 stars
4. Dances With Wolves by Michael Blake - 5 stars
5. Far Bright Star by Robert Olmstead - 4 stars
6. Etta by Gerald Kolpan - 3 1/2 stars
7. The Devil's Paintbox by Victoria McKernan - 3 stars
8. The Goodnight Trail by Ralph Compton - 3 1/2 stars
9. The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt - 5 stars
10. Heaven Is A Long Way Off by Win Blevins - 3 stars
11. Shavetail by Thomas Cobb - 4 1/2 stars

CATEGORY COMPLETED

Historical Fiction



1. The Black Rood by Stephen Lawhead - 3 1/2 stars
2. The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons - 4 1/2 stars
3. Elizabeth I by Margaret George - 4 stars
4. The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer - 5 stars
5. Sarah by Orson Scott Card - 3 1/2 stars
6. The Borgia Bride by Jeanne Kalogridis - 3 stars
7. The Conquest by Elizabeth Chadwick - 4 stars
8. Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson - 3 1/2 stars
9. The Siege of Krishnapur by J.G. Farrell - 5 stars
10. Empire Rising by Sam Barone - 3 1/2 stars
11. The Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer - 4 1/2

CATAGORY COMPLETED

Bonus Reads

1. The Shoe Queen by Anna Davis - 3 stars
2. Trouble's Daughter by Katherine Kirkpatrick - 3 1/2 stars
3. Mr. Darcy's Daughters by Elizabeth Aston - 3 1/2 stars

Young Adult & Children's Literature



1. City of the Beasts by Isabel Allende - 4 stars
2. Mockingjay by Suzanne Coillins - 4 stars
3. The Maze Runner by James Dashner - 4 stars
4. A Story Like The Wind by Laurens van der Post - 3 stars
5. The Enemy by Charlie Higson - 4 1/2 stars
6. I Am Not A Serial Killer by Dan Wells - 3 1/2 stars
7. 20 Years Later by E. J. Newman - 3 1/2 stars
8. Dairy Queen by Catherine Murdock - 3 1/2 stars
9. What Janie Found by Caroline B. Cooney - 4 stars
10. The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall - 4 stars
11. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater - 2 1/2 stars

CATEGORY COMPLETED

Bonus Reads

1. Unwind by Neal Shusterman - 4 stars
2. Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson - 5 stars
3. Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott - 3 1/2 stars
4. Waterslain Angels by Kevin Crossley-Holland - 2 1/2 stars

War & The Homefront



1. Rise To Victory by R. Cameron Cooke - 3 1/2 stars
2. The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng - 3 1/2 stars
3. Beside A Burning Sea by John Shors - 5 stars
4. The Postmistress by Sarah Blake - 3 stars
5. Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt - 4 1/2 stars
6. House to House by David Bellavia - 4 stars
7. The Blue Noon by Robert Ryan - 4 stars
8. Dog Company Six by Edwin Howard Simmons - 4 stars
9. The Sable Doughboys by Tom Willard - 4 stars
10. Fatelessness by Imre Kertesz - 4 1/2 stars
11. Angels of Mercy by Lyn Andrews - 3 1/2 stars

CATEGORY COMPLETED

Fantasy



1. The Lies of Locke Lamorra by Scott Lynch - 5 stars
2. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman - 5 stars
3. Ysabel by Guy Gavriel Kay - 3 1/2 stars
4. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones - 4 stars
5. The Bridge of Birds by Barry Hughart - 4 stars
6. Alphabet of Thorn by Patricia McKillip - 3 1/2 stars
7. Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George - 3 1/2 stars
8. Stardust by Neil Gaiman - 4 stars
9. Son of the Shadows by Juliet Marillier - 4 stars
10. The Chrysalids by John Wyndham - 4 stars
11. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner - 3 1/2 stars

CATEGORY COMPLETED

Bonus Reads

1. American Gods by Neil Gaiman - 4 stars
2. The Night Circus by Erin Morganstern - 5 stars

Random Recommendations



1. Pretty Birds by Scott Simon - 5 stars
2. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield - 5 stars
3. The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford - 3 1/2 stars
4. The Splendor of Silence by Indu Sundaresan - 3 stars
5. Mudbound by Hillary Jordan - 5 stars
6. The White Rhino Hotel by Bartle Bull - 4 1/2 stars
7. The Complete Essex County by Jeff Lemire - 5 stars
8. Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear - 4 stars
9. Blow Your House Down by Pat Barker - 4 1/2 stars
10. Case Histories by Kate Atkinson - 5 stars
11. The Woman In White by Wilkie Collins - 4 stars

CATEGORY COMPLETED

Bonus Reads

1. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie - 5 stars
2. The Country of the Pointed Firs by Sarah Orne Jewett - 4 stars
3. A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg - 4 stars

In The Mood



1. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson - 4 stars
2. The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender - 2 stars
3. The Other Side of Paradise by Margaret Mayhew - 3 1/2 stars
4. Black Swan Green by David Mitchell - 4 stars
5. The Various Flavours of Coffee by Anthony Capella - 3 stars
6. The Temptation of the Night Jasmine by Lauren Willig - 3 stars
7. Friday's Child by Georgette Heyer - 4 stars
8. World of Pies by Karen Stolz - 4 1/2 stars
9. Rommel's Gold by Maggie Davis - 2 1/2 stars
10. An Heir For Burracombe by Lilian Harry - 4 stars
11. The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett - 4 stars

CATEGORY COMPLETED

Bonus Reads

1. Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas - 4 stars
2. Shanghai Girls by Lisa See - 4 stars
3. The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen - 3 1/2 stars
4. An Irish Country Christmas by Patrick Taylor - 4 stars

You're almost done. In fact, I think we're neck-and-neck!

Hi Victoria, I originally tried to space the challenge out so it would last most of the year, but now I want to get it finished (looking forward to the 12/12). I will probably finish in early November now. Good luck on completing your Challenge.

Well - I had to add another series to my wishlist. Your review of the Val McDermid book piqued my interest. Have you tried any of her other series or stand-alones?

I too am intrigued by your review of the Val McDermid. I plan on reading A Place of Execution for my 12-12.

I really like Val McDermid's stand-alones. A Place of Execution was particularly good, I thought. I also remember enjoying The Distant Echo.
I haven't read any of her other series, mostly because they haven't been readily available at the bookstores.

110. Chinaberry Sidewalks by Rodney Crowell - 4 stars
Category: Non-Fiction



Rodney Crowell’s memoir, Chinaberry Sidewalks covers his early years. This is not a book about his rise to fame, but more of a loving tribute to his parents. Rodney was often in the middle of his father’s drunken rages against his mother, who in her turn, was a holy-roller who also had a fondness for beer and whipping Rodney. Yet his words are laced with humor, wryness and a loving fondness and the final pages, when he’s by the bedside at first his father and then his mother’s death there is a tender strength that often shows up in his musical lyrics.

Growing up in the 1950’s and 60‘s, his parents were scrabbling to make a living in East Austin. Rodney both idolized and abhorred his father. Together they had a love of music, and Rodney was taken to see Hank Williams Senior, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis by him. But the dark undercurrent that was brought out by his father’s drinking was never far from Rodney’s thoughts. He also had to keep a close eye on his mother at all times as she was epileptic and Rodney had to be ready at a moments notice to administer to her when she had a seizure.

Rodney Crowell is a master lyricist and this ability shines through the pages of this book. Honest, humble, and humorous, he paints a picture of growing up poor, with these damaged parents, yet also is able to portray the love that his family ultimately shared and the value in this upbringing that shaped the man he is today.

111. Fatelessness by Imre Kertesz - 4 1/2 stars
Category: War & The Homefront



This story opens as we are immediately plunked into a young, 15 year old boys life. We come to realize very quickly that we are reading about World War II and that young Gyuri is Jewish, and getting ready to say goodbye to his father who is being shipped out to a work camp. Set in Hungry, Fatelessness follows along as Gyuri is separated from his family and shipped off to Auschwitz. Trying to make sense of senseless acts, this boy, who doesn’t particularly think of himself as Jewish, slowly loses the last things he owns, his identity and his sense of self.

This story is made all the more powerful by the author, Imre Kertesz, who writes in a matter-of-fact, unsentimental way as he portrays this chilling, haunting story. As we follow Gyuri from Auschwitz to Buchenwald, he slowly becomes aware that he is one of the few that haven’t been immediately killed. He is crammed into a shed with two hundred and fifty other men, kept alive on starvation rations and forced to labour in an adjacent factory. At first he thinks he will get along by being a model prisoner, but polite obedience and a willingness to work until his fingers bleed eventually give way to the slow realization that he is powerless to change things.

A heart-rendering story, Fatelessness, is Imre Kertesz story as well, as he was imprisoned in Buchenwald as a young man, and this, his first novel, does much to shed light upon this terrible moment in history.

Fatelessness sounds like a powerful read. I've added it to Mount TBR.

I've had Fatelessness on Mt. TBR for a while now - I'm just bracing myself and waiting for the "right" mood. Thumbing!

I think waiting for the right mood before reading Fatelessness is an excellent idea. Although it is easy to read as the style is straight forward and simple, it is difficult due to the subject matter.

I put off reading Fatelessness forever, I think it had stood on my shleves for ten years when I finally picked it up for my 1010 Nobel category. And it turned out to be one of my top reads of last year. For me, it was really the detached style, as if all feelings are deliberately shut off, that made this a Holocaust story I'll always remember.

112. The Woman In White by Wilkie Collins - 4 stars
Category: Random Recommendations



An epistolary novel, The Woman In White by Wilkie Collins is told in many voices. Using diaries, journals, written statements and letters the story unfolds with each different narrator having their own tone and style. Originally published in 1859 in serial form, it is widely considered to be among the first mystery novels published.

In order to avoid spoilers, I am not going to describe the plot in any great detail. It is intricate, well thought out and presented in an original way. I admit it took me almost the first hundred pages to really get into the story. I found the first narrator’s tone overly sentimental and flowery, but as other narrator’s took over, and the story was revealed layer by layer, I found myself quite absorbed and captivated by this book.

Wilkie Collins gives us a handful of characters, both true to their time yet original. A couple really stood out to me, Marian Halcombe, with no real rights of her own, destined to spinsterhood, yet independent of nature, brave and extremely protective of her sister. Also the sinister Count Fosco, the arrogant, controlling foreigner, whom both Marian and her sister call a “Monster” is one of the best drawn villains I have ever read about.

The Woman In White is a Victorian Melodrama of the highest order, and I enjoyed my time spent lost in it’s pages.

" Victorian Melodrama" is the perfect way to describe The Woman in White, which I enjoyed when I read it earlier this year.

I just finished another Victorian goodies, Lady Audley's Secret. Its plot wasn't as intricate as The Woman in White, but enjoyable all the same.

Judy you've got me interested in The Woman In White, I'm a little bit nervous about picking up Victorian books because of the style but this might be one I have a go at. Thanks for the review.

Hi Lisa and Alana, I am going to give the "Victorian" novels a rest for now, but I really want to tackle some Dickens soon as I have only read a couple of his.

Alana, I was pretty nervous about reading The Woman In White, but once I got into the flow of it, I found it wasn't that difficult. The story was interesting and the characters are, in a couple of cases, exceptional.

113. The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett - 4 stars
Category: In The Mood



The Uncommon Reader is a small, slim book about the Queen’s discovery of reading for her own enlightenment and enjoyment, and is simply a delightful read that gently pokes fun at all readers, no matter our station in life.

And how like the common reader, this royal is. Her discovery of books, lending libraries, and how one book leads inheritably to another, her creation of reading lists, her enquiries into other’s reading habits and her desire to read over and above all her duties certainly rang a bell with me. In her case it is her secretary and staff who see reading as an act of exclusion and try to curtail this pastime, in mine, I am sure both friends and family have had times when they would wish to do the same. I kept thinking what a treat Library Thing would be for this uncommon reader, a place to step out from under her crown and simply delight in the company of other readers.

This original story of how the Queen picks up the reading habit is very pleasing and tickled the funny bone in a warm-hearted, pleasant way. The ending however, I found to be totally unbelievable and out of character for this very dutiful and traditional Queen.

Quite clearly not a probable scenario for Her Majesty, but a lovely fantasy, I thought. I loved the image of her puttering about in an old cardigan with a book under her arm. :)

Glad you enojoyed The Uncommon Reader Judy, such a fun little book. I'm with you on the ending though, I wasn't satisfied with it either.

This is already on my wishlist so good to know that it's worthy to be on the list.

I think you just added An Uncommon Reader and Fateless to my wishlists :P Great reviews!

It is interesting to read more about The Woman in White.. I knew it was an older book, and had an idea that it was a mystery of sorts, but did not know much beyond that. I think I will have to download that one onto my Ereader from Gutenberg if I can find it there. Thanks!

I think The Woman In White will be a worthy download, it's an excellent story. I always like to read the original version of a story that has been copied so many times over the years.

A big thank you to everyone for visiting my thread. I am spending today recovering from the huge Thanksgiving Dinner I cooked yesterday. Recovering both from the work I put into it and from the overeating that I indulged in!

And I just now realized you're in Canada. Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanks :)

Unwind by Neal Shusterman - 4 stars
Bonus Category: YA and Children's Lit



Unwind by Neal Shusterman is a disconcerting look at how the abortion question is answered in the future.. After a civil war is fought over pro-life issues, laws are passed that protect human life from the moment of conception to the age of thirteen, when the parents get to decide whether to keep the child or to “Unwind” him. The unwinding is a process whereby all useful organs are harvested from the child. Of course this leads to all manner of other problems such as storking, where a unwanted baby is left on a random doorstep, and supposedly must be taken in. And AWOL’s who are children meant to be unwound but manage to escape and go into hiding. If these children can survive until they turn eighteen, they are safe.

There appears to be a lot of candidates for Unwinding. The over-populated government run group homes pass on a certain percentage, people who wish to be free of storked children, religious fanatics who donate a child to be unwound as a tithe or donation to God, and of course, those troubled teens whose families just can’t deal with them anymore.

Although the premise is far-fetched and I personally couldn’t see either pro-life or pro-choice activists settling for this solution, I found myself willing to suspend my disbelief as I became totally invested in this dystopian story of teens trying to escape their unwinding. There were definitely parts of this book that were difficult to read, and, I was left feeling a little dissatisfied by the ending, I guess I thought as this is a YA story everything would be tied up neatly at the end. Nevertheless, Unwind is a good story that manages to pose some very interesting questions.

Excellent review of Unwind. Shusterman is one of my favorite YA authors, he's so creative.

114. The Man In The Queue by Josephine Tey - 3 1/2 star



The first book in Josephine Teys’ series that introduces Scotland Yard’s Inspector Alan Grant, The Man In the Queue is a fascinating look at the solving of a murder in the days before forensics and computers. A deceptively simple murder of a man standing in line for a theatre performance. Unfortunately neither the identity of the victim or the murderer will come easy to Inspector Grant.

The story follows along as the Inspector painstakingly tracks down each miniscule clue in order to firstly identify the man that was stabbed in the back, and then to build a picture of his life and who was in it that could possible be the murderer.

The story, the language and it’s careless and casual racism are all a bit dated, but it is interesting to look at this early mystery of hers simply for the influence she has had on future writers. Her many references to World War I, even years after that event, certainly highlight the impact this war had on a generation. Although the ending seems to come out of the blue, the clues are there, but as we are so firmly embedded in Alan Grant’s mindset, we, like him, don’t pick them up.

The story, like the solving of this murder, tends to plod along until we switch to the Scottish Highlands, at that point the story took off for me, and I read avidly to the end. I would say not the best of her work, but certainly interesting enough for me to continue with the series.

I enjoyed all of Josephine Tey's books, but I think Franchise Affair and Shilling for Candles are tied for my faves.

You are almost finished with your challenge!

Hi Lisa, I want to read both of the above, but with my obsesssion with reading in order, I had to read the first Alan Grant before moving along!

Yes, I am looking forward to finishing, probably early next month and having some "free" reading time. Then I know I will be raring to go on the 12 in 12!

I didn't even know she was a real writer! A friend is reading Nicola Upson's series starring "mystery writer Josephine Teys" and I never thought she was anything other than a fictional character. I have to look into this series now! :)

Hi Judy - happy belated Thanksgiving! Loved your review of The Woman in White - added to the TBR pile. The Uncommon Reader is a fun, quick read!

Hi Lori, I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving as well.

Eva, I think Josephine Tey is worth checking into. She was one of the British mystery writers that was published during Britain's Golden Age of Mysteries, along with Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Margery Allingham etc. Her stand-alones would be a good place to start, either Brat Farrar or Miss Pym Disposes for example.

Re 37 - great review, sounds like an interesting read. Will be adding it to my wishlist!

Mr. Peanut by Adam Ross - 3 1/2 stars
Bonus Category: Crime & Thrillers



Mr. Peanut is a deceptive piece of work, on the one hand we are reading a domestic drama of a wife, Alice Pepin, dying from an allergic reaction to peanuts. But did this wife commit suicide or were the peanuts forced into her mouth and rammed down her throat by her husband? The two police detectives must work this out, but they also have domestic issues of their own. One, Ward Hastroll, has a wife that has taken herself to bed and left him to figure out why and how to get her back up again. The other detective is Sam Sheppard, yes, the Sheppard of the famous murder case. The author, Adam Ross, details this murder for our consideration - Did he do it or was he just another victim?

And what about Alice’s husband, David? He appears to be deeply in love with his wife, yet he often dreams up different ways to kill her. Is this a normal preoccupation of most married men, or is he deeply disturbed and about to act upon his fantasy? More questions than answers arise with each turned page. What about the private investigator, Mr. Mobius, hired by David, but apparently working his own agenda. Lastly what about David’s book, who does write the ending?

A interesting concept, this dark look at marriage raises many questions to ponder upon . Does love always come with a flip side of hate? Do we ever really know our mates? How can we ever fit together when women are intuitive, always seeing various shades of grey, whereas men are more pragmatic, seeing black and white with very little in between.

I can’t say I loved this book, I found it an uncomfortable read, yet I do believe Mr. Peanut is a book that will stay with me due to the riveting way the author presents his dark and disturbing subject matter. Squirm inducing yet gripping.

rocking a baby and typing this with one hand: mr peanut sounds fascinating. thanks for a good review!

I agree, an excellent review. I'm putting it on my wishlist.

I am so glad that you two are both considering Mr. Peanut. I would really like to see your opinions of this book.

115. The Chrysalids by John Wyndham - 4 stars
Category: Fantasy



I first read The Chrysalids by John Wyndham many years ago as a student, and about all I retained from then was the feeling that I really liked the book. My re-read has confirmed that, yes, I do really like this book. On so many levels this story of life after the nuclear holocaust is well done, imaginative and leaves us with many questions to ponder.

Very subtly written, with religious overtones, I can see why this book was chosen for students to read. Instead of laying out his opinions, the author gently sets the scene and lets his reader reach his or her own opinion. Questions of what is normal, how much direct truth can we take from the bible, and why do we, as humans, cling to bigotry and cruelty are all part of this story.

A group of young people living in a strait-laced rural community are different. Their difference is not evident to the naked eye. They can communicate by thoughts. People, animals and crops that are not “normal” are considered deviants and while the animals and crops are destroyed, the people are sterilized and sent to live in a wild area called The Fringe. Eventually some of the thought-senders are discovered, tortured and made to reveal the identity of others. Our three main characters manage to flee to the Fringe, but do not find safety there either. One thought sender, is able to send her thoughts half-way around the world and manages to contact people that are like them.

Well written though slightly dated, I was totally caught up in the story. I find it interesting that not all was neatly wrapped up at the end of the book. If The Chrysalids were to be written today, I’m sure it would be the first part of a YA trilogy. When John Wyndham wrote it back in the fifties, he wisely ended the story and allowed his audience to reach their own conclusions.

Well I know for a fact that I have never read The Chrysalids, I will probably find that one or more than one of my siblings have. As for Mr. Peanut I tried to imagine it fitting my 12 in 12 category for biology and came to the conclusion that a peanut allergy might be a bit of a stretch to include that one in that category. Still, it does look interesting, so onto the ever growing potential reading list it goes!

The Chrysalids is my favorite John Wyndham book. He is very good at life-after-holocaust stories. If you haven't read The Day of the Triffids I highly recommend it.

Lori, I do hope you are able to fit Mr Peanut into your reading eventually.

Caroline, The Chrysalids is the only John Wyndham book I have read so far, but I intend on reading some others of his, especially The Day of the Triffids.

I second that recommendation, I've now read 3 of his: The Midwich Cuckoos, Day of the Triffids (which the Beeb did a great series of in the '80s) and Web. I'm not normally a sci-fi fan, but I find his books easy to connect with.

I need to read more Wyndham having so far only picked up Triffids which I thought was excellent.

soffitta1, The BBC also produced a 2-part mini series in 2009 which was also pretty good.

Thanks to everyone, I am adding The Day of the Triffids and The Midwich Cuckoos to my wishlist. It speaks volumes that we can still connect to an author who wrote these particular works of sci-fi in the 1950's.

>50 DeltaQueen50: I made note of Wyndham some years ago after much raving here on LT, and The Chrysalids was the title I was thinking of starting with. Thanks for the nudge!

116. The Bat by Mary Roberts Rinehart - 2 stars
Category: Timeless Mysteries



The Bat by Mary Roberts Rinehart was originally published in 1926. Unfortunately I found the story quite dated. The mystery was alright, but presented in a melodramatic style that quickly became too much. The background details, the settings, styles and manners of the time period were of more interest to me. There were some definite racial slurs, mostly aimed at a Japanese Butler that I found quite distasteful. But she also made sure the overwrought ghost-believing maid, Lizzie, was identified as Irish many times.

An older woman leaves New York City to take a house in the country for the summer. She brings along her maid and her niece. The rural area is the haunt of a master criminal called the Bat. Before too long the residents of the house are experiencing nightly noises and strange sights. Add to this a dead man who isn’t quite as dead as everyone thinks and a bank robbery where the cash is missing, mix with some very stereotypical characters and the end result is The Bat.

I prefer my older mysteries to be low-keyed and to use humor and/or wry observations to advance the plot. The Bat, on the other hand is presented in an over-blown, clichéd style that just didn’t hold up or keep my attention.

I re-read a Mary Roberts Rinehart book in the past few years and was much less impressed with it than I remembered being about her books about 35 years ago. (Am I really that old?) Maybe I just wasn't as picky of a reader back in my junior high days. Who knows?

Hi Lori, you know I think I used to read Mary Roberts Rinehart back then as well. It's probably a combination of our reading tastes have matured, and the that the writing wasn't that good to start with. I found it a much more dated style than some even older books like The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes or Kim.

117. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner - 3 1/2 stars
Category: Fantasy



The Scorch Trials pick up right where The Maze Runner left off. We, the readers, are immediately thrown into this story with all of it’s twists and turns. Familiar characters like Thomas, Minho, and Newt are here with some new additions that help to keep the story flowing. This second instalment has a very different setting from the original. Instead of a lush, jungle-like maze, this time our group has to cross a burning hot desert and get to the other side of a large city populated with infected zombie-like people called Cranks.

The focus of the book remains on Thomas, who still experiences small flash-backs or dreams of the past and is desperately trying to figure out what role he played in setting up these trials. Although Minho is the nominal leader of the group, Thomas if often the one to make the decisions. I wonder at the state of Thomas’ mental health as it seemed that he was knocked out or fell unconscious at the end of every other chapter. Thomas’ relationship with Teresa is very different in this book, and is one of the things that he must work out. Of course, the group befriends a couple of Cranks-in-the-making, of which one is a pretty girl called Brenda.

What I didn’t like about The Scorch Trials is that no questions were answered and we are left as much in the dark as before. This book, exciting as it is, is more of a lateral move, continuing on with the story but not moving forward. It was an exciting and tense read and I will continue on as I really want to know the whys and wherefores of this story but I was left feeling that The Scorch Trials were a bit of a tease. I sincerely hope that this remains a trilogy and the answers are going to be found in the next book.

I think I'll pass on the zombies.

118. Shavetail by Thomas Cobb - 4 1/2 stars
Category: American West



Shavetail by Thomas Cobb is a character study of three men who serve at the remote outpost of Camp Ramsey in southern Arizona in the year 1871. Ned Thorne is a young, seventeen year old runaway, and as a new recruit he is ill prepared for life in the army. Both Captain Robert Franklin and Lieutenant Tony Austin are veterans whose posting here is perceived as a punishment from General Crook for past mistakes. Franklin is desperate for redemption, while the more introspective Austin ponders life and nature.

Although the local Chiricahua Apaches are staying peaceful, another band, fleeing from a betrayal, have attacked a small ranch, and it is believed that a woman has been taken. A patrol is formed and sets out to ascertain where these Apache are, as a full rescue mission cannot be undertaken until they have the permission of General Crook. The tension mounts as time passes and this permission is not forthcoming. Eventually, something happens to goad the troopers of Camp Ramsey into heading out into the unforgiving desert to save this woman.

Shavetail is far from an action driven western. This is a thoughtful, descriptive piece of writing that is far more character-driven than plot-driven. The landscape of southern Arizona is realistically painted, and we can smell the juniper and mesquite, feel the burning sun and sense the dust clogging the pores. The hard life of a soldier is laid out for us to examine and Cobb does not shy away from showing the base nature of men.

Both the subject matter and the writing brought Robert Olmstead’s Far Bright Star to mind with both authors being particularly strong with the dialogue. Swinging from harsh realism to the poetically beautiful, Shavetail was an absorbing read that I will long remember.

Nice review of Shavetail Judy. I usually steer clear of books of this nature but the story does sound good and I loved Olmstead's Far Bright Star, one of the few books I have delved into of this nature. I will keep Shavetail in mind.

119. The Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer - 4 1/2 stars
Category: Historical Fiction



I am running out of superlatives to use when describing Georgette Heyer’s work. In The Devil’s Cub we are treated to another exquisite work of historical romantic fiction. All her usual ingredients are here; a smart heroine, a dashing hero, amusing and interesting secondary characters and clever dialogue that enthrals while tickling the funny bone.

This classic plot has been reworked many times, most recently Lauren Willig paid homage in her book, The Deception of the Emerald Ring, an elopement that goes awry with the wrong sister being spirited away. In Heyer’s deft hands we are presented with the Marquis Vidal and with his rakish good looks, strong temper and masculine yet boyish ways, he is the perfect foil to Mary, the quiet, gentle yet practical elder sister who wishes to protect her younger sister’s reputation. This along with the secondary plot about Vidal’s cousin, Julianna’s involvement with an unsuitable man gives us lots of family upheaval and excitement. Of course, even better is that this is the Alastair family that starred in another of my favorite Heyer books, These Old Shades.

The Devil’s Cub plastered a smile on my face during the whole read. Finally, a deserving heroine with just the right amount of spunk gets her “bad boy” and he turns out to be worth the trouble. A playful, joyful read.

Aww, LOVE Devil's Cub! (Then again, when do I NOT love Heyer?) I think I even prefer it to These Old Shades.

The Devil's Cub is destined to be one of my favorites as well. But I will always have a soft spot for These Old Shades since it was my first Georgette Heyer.

Ahh, you're just two books away! Congratulations on being in the home stretch!

B&N was having a e-book sale on Georgette Heyer a few weeks ago and I got three to see how I liked them because you (and maybe others) have sung her praises. Haven't gotten to them yet, but at least I know where they are.

#69 - Betty, I really hope you do like Georgette Heyer. She seems to be an author people either really love or they don't care for her at all.

Knowing where your books are is important. I was just going on about a book I read and how I had bought the whole trilogy, but when I went to look for the other two I couldn't find them. I finally realized the other two are on my Kindle.

#68 - Thanks Christina.

120. Angels of Mercy by Lyn Andrews - 3 1/2 stars
Category: War & The Homefront



Starting in the years just prior to World War I, Angels of Mercy by Lyn Andrews tells the story of the young people of one small street in a poor section of Liverpool. The author paints a vivid picture of this hard-working community, their daily struggles and the importance of family, work and religion.

When the war comes, the young men of the neighbourhood are eager to sign up and fight. All they can see is the adventure and glory of war. All to soon, one, a sailor on the HMS Victorious is dead as all on the ship are lost when it is sunk by U-boats. Determined to do their part, three of the girls sign up for nursing and are shipped to France. At the Battle of the Somme, the Regiment from Liverpool suffers terrible losses, and just about every house in the neighbourhood has to bear the death of a husband, a son or a brother. Over one hundred thousand men were lost at the Somme. Descriptions of conditions at the front for both the soldiers and nurses alike is horrifying. It’s not surprising that so many died from infections caused by unsanitary conditions.

A well written story showing the inner strength, hope and love that binds these characters together and allows them to carry on into an uncertain future. The author manages to tug on all your emotions and makes this a hard book to put down and walk away from.

The Shoe Queen by Anna Davis - 3 stars
Bonus Category: Historical Fiction



The Shoe Queen by Anna Davis was an interesting read. Set in Paris during the 1920’s, it captures the glittering life of the authors and artists that had flocked to this city, and the swirling dedication to living life to it’s fullest that this war-torn generation had committed itself to. This party life-style was paid for by the haute mode and rich Americans that also arrived in Paris at this time. Drinking, fun and outrageous behavior was the style of the day.

There is much name dropping throughout the 400 pages of this book. Celebrities of the day such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Hemmingway, E.E. Cummings and Coco Chanel all appear at one time or another. Other characters are obviously based on real people that were living in Paris during the 1920’s.

The fashions and styles of the day are described in great detail, particularly the shoes. But, unfortunately, what this book was lacking was a good story. The main characters are a self-centered, shoe obsessed, spoiled rich girl and her wet blanket of a husband. It was hard to have any feeling about the disintegration of their marriage or have any sympathy for either of them. There was some effort to show that she, at least, had grown and matured by the end of the book, but by that time, I hardly cared.

So, an interesting read about Paris in the 1920’s, but disappointing that the author couldn’t have provided a stronger storyline to compliment this marvellous setting.

Well, darn about The Shoe Queen lacking a good story. Sounds like the potential was there... and I am a bit of a shoe collector - my family uses other terms to describe my fascination with purchasing shoes but we won't go there! - but the spoiled rich girl character also turns me off from considering this one.

Good review!

Paris in the 1920's. I'm there. I'll have to give The Shoe Queen a try.

Just one to go?!? Congrats on almost finishing!!

Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson - 5 stars
Bonus Category: YA and Children's Literature



Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson is the moving story of Lonnie Collins Motion, an 11 year old boy who, orphaned and separated from his sister, is trying to come to terms with his life at it is now. We learn Lonnie’s story through a series of poems that he’s written. Lonnie records his good days, his bad days, and his feelings of isolation created by the loss of his family.

He has been separated from his younger sister, Lili and misses both her and his sense of family identity

Lili’s new mama didn’t want no boys
Just a sweet little girl. Nobody told me that
I just know it
Not a lot of people want boys
That ain’t babies …

He dreams of the day that he and Lili can be together as a family again, but realizes that this is an impossible dream and that he must lean to accept seeing Lili on a supervised visit, once a month.

Lonnie’s poems reveal other issues that he is facing such as his relationship with his teacher, his feelings upon learning that his friend is sick with sickle cell leukemia, and his search for God.

A truly remarkable book, this author has captured the voice of one young boy with a handful of simple, heart-felt poems that resound with insight and truth.

Now you're just teasing us! Each time I see you've posted here I expect a celebration to ensue but your last couple of reads have only made the bonus lists rather than completing your challenge. Nice to see that you're still finding good reads though.

I know I keep getting distracted by books other than my non-fiction one that will complete the challenge. But keep checking ... :)

I have 5 books to go--all mysteries--and I am not at all distracted. At least not yet.

I'm aiming to finish on 11/11/11.

It's going to be a close call.

Good luck on finishing, Linda. I am getting behind already on my November reads because of life! I may finish the 3rd in the Flavia de Luce series tonight. However, it may be awhile before I have a chance to post a review.

You can do it, Linda! 5 mysteries in 8 days seems like it should be a cakewalk for you. :)

Add me to your rooters, Linda. You can do it!

And OF COURSE, so can you, DQ! :)

121. Columbine by Dave Cullen - 4 1/2 stars
Category: Non-Fiction



Columbine by Dave Cullen is an intense, close look at the events that unfolded at Columbine High School in April of 1999. An enormous amount of research, interviews and follow-up was put into this project by the author in order to give us a final, comprehensive view of this tragedy.

I vividly remember following this incident on TV that day, and in the days that followed. I ended with a vague impression that 2 Goth students, fed up with being bullied, went to school that day with guns for the purpose of vengeance. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Dave Cullen lays out the evidence that took him ten years to gather from a step by step outline of what Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold’s mind set was that day, to the accusations of police cover-ups, to the recovery process for the survivors, and the emptiness left by those who did not survive. So many rumors swirled around in the days immediately following the massacre that it was hard for the police, the press, the families and even the students themselves to separate the fact from fiction. It took years of painstakingly working through the evidence that finally led the investigators to a resolution.

There is no easy answer when violence of this nature erupts but this book goes a long way toward giving us a clearer picture of what happened and to a certain degree why it happened. Author Dave Cullen is to be commended for providing such a memorable, thoughtful analysis of this hateful event.

TA-DA! I have now finished my 11 in 11 Challenge. Time for some free reading, but, of course, I will continue to post here until I start the 12 in 12 Challenge.

You finished with a great book. Congrats on finishing and enjoy that free reading time.

'bout time too! ;)

Congratulations on completing your challenge! Even though it will no doubt be bad for my wishlist, I'm glad that you're sticking around. Enjoy the break until it all comes around again.

Double congrats from me.... I just posted over on the 'finished' thread that I couldn't locate your mention on this one and low and behold,..... there it is!

Congratulations!

Congrats!

Congratulations!

Congratulations on finishing!

Well done! Congratulations!

Congratulations Judy!

Congratulations - looks like you had a great challenge. A good range of books.

Congratulations, Judy!

Thanks everyone, even though I mention looking forward to some free reading, I feel that planning my reading ahead of time works best for me. I like to sit down at the beginnning of a month and pull various books down from the shelf, order some from the library and have a list of what I am planning to read that month.

And since I tend to keep my categories very broad, most books I pick up seem to fit somewhere on the list.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie - 5 stars
Bonus Category: Random Recommendations




I have been dragging my feet on reading The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie for some time. I thought the book was being over-hyped, so many rave reviews - how could it be that good? Well, after reading this book I understand. Yes, it is that good.

With rich, dark humor Sherman Alexie paints life on the Rez. Perfectly capturing the voice of Arnold Spirit Jr. we learn of the trials and tribulations of growing up Indian. Enhanced by the wonderful cartoon drawings of Ellen Forney, this truly is a book that brings both smiles and tears as we read of the life of a contemporary Indian boy trying to improve himself and break away from the sad legacy that so many Native North Americans fall plight to.

Every character on these pages rings true. I particularly thought his best friend Rowdy was an exceptional character and his struggle to accept Junior’s decision to break free of the reservation was both poignant and realistic.

Wonderfully written, the author uses humor and honesty to tell his quirky story of how one boy forces himself to leave the safe cocoon of the reservation and take that first step into a wider world in hopes of a better future. I highly recommend The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.

Congratulations on finishing the challenge! And good news for the rest of us that you keep finidng treasure even post festum. Alexie's book sounds fascinating!

Congratulations on finishing!! That last non-fiction took a while. :) Good to see you're sticking around! Diary of a Part-Time Indian is on Mt. TBR and I can't wait to get to it - I haven't found an Alexie book yet I didn't like.

I am really looking forward to trying more of Sherman Alexie's books.

Congratulations on finishing!!

By the way, I agree with your thoughts on Columbine. I just finished it myself and thought it was a disturbing but gripping read.

If you haven't read it, I'd recommend starting with The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven - it's heartbreaking at times, but so very beautiful as well.

#102 - Thanks Mathgirl, I am glad to be finished, but knowing me, I'll be chewing the bit to get started on the 12 in 12 shortly!

#103 - Thanks Eva, I will add The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight In Heaven to my wishlist.

Glad you enjoyed The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Judy! I loved it too.

I've been meaning to read more Sherman Alexie, so I signed up on the TIOLI challenge for The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. I read the first couple of stories the other night, and totally agree that

it's heartbreaking at times, but so very beautiful as well.

I've been catching up on threads and want to add my congratulations to the list.
Well done review on Columbine; will be putting that on the wishlist and also the The Absolute True Diary of a Part-TIme Indian. Glad you're hanging around even tho I know my wishlist will keep growing when I read your reviews.

The Poacher's Son by Paul Doiron - 3 1/2 stars
Bonus Category: Crime & Thrillers



This debut mystery novel by Paul Doiron, The Poacher’s Son is both well written and absorbing. The story is of a rookie game warden who has to come to terms with his feelings for his father, while at the same time, trying to clear his father from the suspicion of murder.

Mike Bowditch is a rookie game warden in the northern woods of Maine, and strongly identifies with the vanishing wilderness both due to his love of nature and the strong ties his father has with the backwoods country. He and his father have a complicated relationship, and Mike has spent his life trying to gain the respect and approval of a man that just doesn’t seem that interested in bonding with his son.

When he learns of a double murder and that his father is the number one suspect, Mike is torn between his law officer status and his conviction in his father’s innocence. Having to make some difficult decisions, Mike follows his belief and ends up alienating his colleagues. Although he knows all too well that his father, a hard-drinker and womanizer who makes his living poaching illegal game, has his demons, he strongly believes in his innocence.

I found this to be a page turning mystery and particularly enjoyed the Maine north woods setting. A very good debut that is a combination mystery, outdoor adventure and a story of relationships.

See what I mean? - another one for the wishlist

I know, Betty, it's hard to stop adding to that wishlist isn't it. Someone pointed out that I had well over 3,000 books on my library wishlist the other day. I realize I will never get to read all of them. I am going through that list now and trying to cull it, but for every book I remove, I find more to add.

The Country of the Pointed Firs by Sarah Orne Jewett - 4 stars
Bonus Category: Random Recommendations



A quiet, peaceful read, The Country of the Pointed Firs by Sarah Orne Jewett conveys both a timeless quality and a feel of yesterday. Exploring the value women place in the friendship of other women, along with the strong community ties that existed in rural regions, this short read is one to savour.

A young woman writer spends her summer in the small coastal Maine town of Dunnet Landing. She develops a friendship with her landlady, Mrs. Todd, and through her meets other women of the area. These women tell stories of both the inhabitants of Dunnet and the surrounding islands, and their vivid descriptions of both people and places naturally includes the beauty and ruggedness of the country.

There is no direct plot, instead the book consists of the weaving together of these stories. These reminiscences tell of a simple world with straight forward values that encourage the reader to dream of their own yesterdays. Originally published in 1896, this book still resonates with spiritual quality and merit in our busy lives today.

Great review.

#110 Great review. A thumb from me.

In fact, I saw this on Joyce's friendship TIOLI challenge. After reading your review, I want to read this book, too.

Linda, it's a great little book, only about 180 pages but full of lovely descriptions and interesting characters.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman - 4 stars
Bonus Category: Fantasy



Where does one start with a book as complex and convoluted as American Gods? Neil Gaiman demonstrates his genius with this tale of mystery, magic and myths. Amazing in scope and subject matter, this book deals with characters as far apart as American folk hero Johnny Appleseed to the Norse God, Odin.

The basic plot of the old gods having to battle it out with the newer, shinier gods is an interesting one, and Neil Gaiman shapes his story around an America that has little time for religion or gods, instead being caught up in the worship of technology. The new gods are based on the internet, the TV, and the Media. Sprinkled throughout the story are small vignettes that tell of how the old Gods were brought to America and slowly lost their power as their people were absorbed into the North American culture. America as a melting pot has created a wonderfully diverse country, but this melding together has caused the vanishing of many customs and religious beliefs.

What I couldn’t do is totally love this book. Awe and admiration, yes. Love, no. I tried and tried to get some kind of emotional handle on the main character, Shadow. He is so detached and cold that I eventually just didn’t care what happened to him. I actually thought his dead wife, Laura, had more personality and warmth I also found parts of the book very confusing, but I do admit that the author pretty much explained everything by the end of the book. And what an ending, indeed. With twists, turns, reveals and incredible pacing, the ending is a great reward for the readers.

Great review - thumbing! I'm clearly due for a reread!! Just a note, though, that you may want to change "vinaigrettes" to "vignettes" - were you by any chance hungry when you wrote this review?! LOL!

LOL! Thanks, Eva. I was relying on Spell Check and I guess it thought I wanted a salad!

Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas - 4 stars
Category: In the Mood



During the dark days of World War II, President Roosevelt signed an act that required Japanese Americans to be relocated to interment camps for the duration of the war with Japan. A absolute act of racism, these people “looked” foreign and so were treated as such. In Tallgrass we read of one such camp in Colorado. Told from the point of view of a young girl who lives next to the camp, the story revolves around a horrific murder and the suspicions that arise because of it.

The small town of Ellis, Colorado and it’s inhabitants aren’t bad people, but fear and prejudice, plus strong patriotic feelings after Pearl Harbor, allow many to turn away from the few that persist in taunting and tormenting the Japanese. Life, as seen through the eyes of thirteen year old Rennie is changing and change can be at times confusing and scary.

This is my second book by Sandra Dallas and she is rapidly becoming one of my favorite authors. Her characters come alive on the pages and I know I will be thinking of them for some time to come. Her storytelling is rich and rewarding, and the addition of the mystery to this poignant story made for an engrossing read.

I have several Sandra Dallas books in my TBR pile. I need to get around to reading some of them!

>117 DeltaQueen50: This sounds really good, and I've added it to my wishlist. But it may be a while before I get to it; it seems to me that I've recently read too many books about "man's inhumanity to man," and in particular, about Americans' inhumanity to Americans. It's important to know about, important to remember, but I'm finding it rather depressing as well...

I am hoping to get to Sandra Dallas' The Chili Queen soon as it will fit my 50 States Challenge as a book about New Mexico.

Ivy, I see you recently read Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain so I can see why you need a break from books about "man's inhumanity to man". Those books give me the shivers, but I am reminded that I need to pick up the third one in the series.

>120 DeltaQueen50: I'm sure you're right about Chelsea Cain, Judy! I not only just read Sweetheart but I'm right now listening to Evil at Heart! When I made my comment, though, I was thinking more about Sherman Alexie's book and Beloved and the several books I've read this year about the Holocaust and WW I.

> 120 - Those books would certain do it as well. When you think about it, happy reads are few and far between.

Silence of the Grave by Arnaldur Indridason - 4 stars
Bonus Category: Following A Series



Silence of the Grave by Arnaldur Indridason is the gripping second instalment in his Erlendur series which is set in Iceland. When a shallow grave is found on a building site, Erlendur and his crew painstaking dig into the history of the area and, with two avenues to explore, they slowly put the pieces together to discover the identity of the skeleton found in the grave.

This is a dark tale of family violence that is slowly revealed in a series of flashbacks. The author doesn’t shrink from showing the terrible damage and emotional scars that domestic abuse leaves. In fact, be prepared for a stark look at the underbelly of Reykjavik as we are taken on a tour of drug dealings and their side effects. Erlendur himself is a cold, detached man haunted by his own demons, his son and daughter have little to do with him, his ex-wife despises him, and he is not able to forgive himself for events from his past. A absolute loner who, nevertheless is unrelenting when it comes to solving his cases.

I liked the first book in this series, but with Silence of the Grave, Arnaldur Indridason has moved to a new level. This intense, multi-layered story totally caught and held my attention from the first sentence to the last.

Good to know you like the 2nd book in the Erlendur series even more than the first. It's another series I need to continue on with at some point and your review makes it move nearer to the top of the pile.

I just added the third in the Erlendur series, Voices, to my Christmas list.

>109 DeltaQueen50:-110: Now I don't feel so bad having a wish list of just over 1000. But my TBR is also very close to that and I think that, after the holidays, I'm going to go through it and see if I can winnow it down. I know there are books/series in there that I could easily get when I get around to reading them.

I've added The Country of Pointed Firs to the wish list. I've read a few books this year by Kris Radish whose books are themed around women interacting/helping other women and the relationships they share. More in the vein of "chick lit", but I enjoyed them. Although this sounds a little different, I look forward to it.

Shanghai Girls by Lisa See - 4 stars
Bonus Category: In the Mood



I approached Shanghai Girls by Lisa See with a certain amount of trepidation. I loved Snow Flower and the Secret Fan but disliked intensely her Peony In Love, I was very happy that Shanghai Girls fell more to the side of the first book for me. The story of two Chinese sisters who grew up in Shanghai in an upper middle class family, they earn their pocket money by modelling for photographers and artists. Called “Beautiful Girls’, they love their life in 1937 Shanghai, with it’s parties, clubs and excitement. They are rather shallow and spoiled, and take very little notice of political events. They dismiss the idea that Japan is on the verge of invading China and can‘t imagine that anything could change their pampered way of living. Unfortunately, their father is a weak man and one day they are informed that not only has he lost all his money, but in order to save himself, he has arranged marriages for both girls to American Chinese brothers.

A wonderful, emotional story of two sisters who love and care one another deeply, but still harbour resentments and jealousies that are held deep within. The story is told through the eyes of Pearl, the elder sister. The one thing I wished for was that the younger sister, May, also had her own voice in this story.

Lisa See excels in telling stories of family. These sisters come alive on the pages as they mature and learn to deal with the ups and downs of life. There are some appallingly brutal scenes, but the deep protective love they share helps both them and the reader recover. The story ends with a bit of a cliff-hanger, and I understand she has carried the story to a new book, Dreams of Joy, which I will be reading soon. Shanghai Girls is a book with not only a good story, but gives the reader an informative look at Chinese customs and their way of life.

The Girl Who Chased The Moon by Sarah Addison Allen - 3 1/2 stars
Bonus Category: In the Mood



The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen continues her legacy of magical, charming books that are sweetly irresistible. This one gives us a sugary sparkle and the smell of cakes baking that drifts through the air of the small town of Mullaby, North Carolina. Julia Winterson and Emily Benedict both have roots in this town, and both need to discover why this is the one place on earth they truly belong.

Emily arrives in Mullaby to meet her grandfather and solve the mystery of why her mother left in disgrace and never returned to her hometown. Julia has returned to Mullaby after leaving as a troubled teen when she was sixteen, Both have much to discover, and while putting the pieces together, they learn how to accept, forgive and tolerate. Mullaby is a magical town and, of course, love is there for them to find as well.

Sarah Addison Allen writes feel-good books, books that make you smile and sigh with contentment. The Girl Who Chased the Moon has her signature touches of whimsical magical realism along with her warmly sympathetic characters. When you are in the mood for light reading, Sarah Addison Allen can provide a nice escape.

Sarah Addison Allen writes feel-good books, books that make you smile and sigh with contentment.

Totally agree... and that is why she is one of my go-to authors when I am under the weather or just in need of something that will spread a feel-good feeling.

Good review!

The Night Circus by Erin Morganstern - 5 stars
Bonus Category: Fantasy



The Night Circus by Erin Morganstern is a deliciously mysterious tale of magic, love and a very unique circus. In slow dream like stages the reader is drawn into a story of two young magicians who are set up to duel against each other. Much like the circus itself, the book reveals itself slowly, chapter by chapter, and above all Le Cirque Des Reves influences any who enter it’s gates.

Using symbolism and incredible imagery the author has created a story that, while easy to read, dwells in your mind long afterwards. Your senses of sight, smell and touch are all ignited by her words. The whole time I was reading this book I could smell a distant scent of caramel popcorn. I am not going to describe the plot in anyway as the best part of the book is the slow reveal of the story itself.

An enjoyable, escapist read from a promising new author. This is a story that will have many different meanings depending upon the reader, for me a bittersweet tale of love, loss and redemption.

->130 DeltaQueen50:
Such a lovely story, right? It's so visual that I could easily play a little film in my head while reading.

Hi Eva. I loved this book, it will definitely be on my list of top rated books for the quarter, and most probably will make my top 5 reads of the year.

I should trail along behind you, jotting down the name of every book you read and then add it to my wishlist.

After reading that entire novella at the dr's office this morning (long wait!!), I think I might start Malice Aforethought tonight, after all.

Great review of The night circus. I must pick it up someday soon!

Hi Judy - I just finished The Night Circus this evening and love your review.

I already had this on my wish list, now I'm tempted to go get it right away.

The Amazon description of The Night Circus had me dismiss it. I'll have to give it a try now.

Malice Aforethought by Francis Iles - 4 1/2 stars
Bonus Category: Timeless Mysteries



Malice Aforethought by Francis Iles was published in 1931 and will certainly bring thoughts of Agatha Christie to mind, but this book is much more of a psychological character study. The reader is very much aware of what is going on and who is responsible, yet we are drawn along by the well crafted story and the desire to see how it’s all going to work out.

Dr. Bickleigh appears to be a thoroughly henpecked, mousey sort of fellow, one who draws the sympathy of others, especially as they witness his wife’s bullying ways. But slowly we, the reader, get to know another side to this complicated man, a crafty, devious side. He is in actuality a very selfish person who only considers what he wants. At this point in his life, what he wants is his wife out of the way permanently.

I found this to be wonderful quirky book with a strong vein of humor, particularly as it pertains to the middle class country life of 1930’s England. The most sinister events often occurred over the tea table and gossip and slander are the main draws at most village affairs. Malice Aforethought is a classic example of an “inverted” mystery, and a darned good story.

Thanks go to Sandy (sjmccreary) for recently reading this great story and bringing it to my attention.

Great review of Malice Aforethought! Was this made into a Masterpiece Mystery? Your link led me to a book cover that looked like a movie still. I think I watched this on our local Public Broadcasting Station a few years back. If it's the show I remember it was very good. I will have to put it on my wish list.

#138 I'm glad to hear you loved it. I still haven't started it but hope to get to it this long weekend.

Hi Caroline, I believe it was done for PBS's Masterpiece Mystery quite some time ago.

Linda, I think you will enjoy it when you get to it.

The Merchant's House by Kate Ellis - 3 1/2 stars
Bonus Category: Crime & Thrillers



The Merchant’s House by Kate Ellis is the first in her series featuring DS Wesley Peterson. Newly transferred to the port city of Tradmouth, Wesley’s first investigation is into the murder of an unknown women found beaten to death on a cliff side path. This isn’t the only major case the police are working on as a young child was abducted from his home just a couple of weeks earlier.

I found this to be a story that moved along at a steady pace, the reader is introduced to all the main characters and gets a feel for both the community and for Wesley‘s private life as well.. Wesley has a background in archaeology and this is introduced to the storyline in a seamless way that actually enhances the plot. Even though Tradmouth, Devon is a fictional setting, I found it realistic and well portrayed. The author’s descriptions left me eager to visit this area again.

Although I found the mystery fairly easy to figure out, I did enjoy how the past shadowed the future and how all the various plots entwined with each other eventually. This is definitely a series that I intend to follow along with as I enjoyed how the author unfolded both the historical aspect and the police procedural into a cohesive unit..

A British mystery with an archaeological thread sounds like my kind of book! My public library has this one, so I've added it to my library TBR list.

Something to look for...

My library has that one too. It's going on my list!

If you like this series the good news is that it's ongoing and so far she has written 16. I took a quck look at her listed works here on LT and they seem to average just under 4 stars per book.

The Delicate Storm by Giles Blunt - 3 1/2 stars
Bonus Category: Following A Series



Set in the fictional town of Algonquin Bay in Northern Ontario, The Delicate Storm is the second entry in the Giles Blunt series. Detectives Cardinal and Delorme have two interesting cases on the go, a dismembered corpse is found in the woods, partially eaten by bears, and, a few days later a young woman is found strangled, naked and again, left in the woods.

Working separately, they eventually realize this these cases are connected, and again, the author draws on history, in this case the 1968 FLQ terrorist attacks of over thirty years ago. Along with dubious help from both the RCMP and CSIS, they struggle to put the pieces together. Meanwhile, Algonquin Bay is experiencing an intense ice storm that is knocking out power, and making getting around near impossible.

Well written, engrossing, and although he is careful to change the names, the FLQ storyline was quite accurate and brought back memories of a very tense time in Canadian history. The ice-coated Northern Ontario landscape is beautifully described, and we continue to get glimpses of the detectives personal lives which in turn helps to flesh out his main characters. I look forward to the third book and learning more about John Cardinal and Lise Delorme.

Final Recap of My 11 in 11 Challenge

Total Books Read: 121

1. TIMELESS MYSTERIES
- Average Rating of Books in the Category: 3.6

- Favorite Book: 4.5 stars - Why Didn't They Ask Evans? by Agatha Christie

- Least Favorite Book: 2.0 stars - The Bat by Mary Roberts Rinehart

2. CRIME & THRILLERS
- Average Rating of Books in the Category: 4.1

- Favorite Book: 5.0 stars - Blacklands by Belinda Bauer & The Guards by Ken Bruen

- Least Favorite Book: 3.0 stars - Driftnet by Lin Anderson

3. FOLLOWING A SERIES
- Average Rating of Books in the Category : 3.7

- Favorite Book: 5.0 stars - Winter Frost by R.D. Wingfield

- Least Favorite Book: 3.0 stars - Torch by Lin Anderson

4. NON-FICTION
- Average Rating of Books in Category: 3.9

- Favorite Book: 4.5 stars - A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson, In Harms Way by Doug Stanton & Colombine by Dave Cullen

- Least Favorite Book: 2.5 stars - Murder in Mayberry by Mary K. Branson

5. THE AMERICAN WEST
- Average Rating of Books in the Category: 4.0

- Favorite Book: 5.0 stars - The Diary of Mattie Spenser by Sandra Dallas, Dances With Wolves by Michael Blake & The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt

- Least Favorite Book: 3.0 stars - The Devil's Paintbox by Victoria McKernan& Heaven Is A Long Way Off by Win Blevins

6. HISTORICAL FICTION
- Average Rating of Books in Category: 4.0

- Favorite Book: 5.0 stars - The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer & The Siege of Krishnapur by J.G. Farrell

- Least Favorite Book: 3.0 stars - The Borgia Bride by Jeanne Kalogridis

7. YA & CHILDREN'S LITERATURE
- Average Rating of Books in Category: 3.7

- Favorite Books in Category: 4.5 stars - The Enemy by Charlie Higson

- Least Favorite Book in Category: 2.5 stars - Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

8. WAR & THE HOMEFRONT
- Average Rating of Books in Category: 3.9

- Favorite Book in Category: 5.0 stars - Beside A Burning Sea by John Shors

- Least Favorite Book in Category: 3.0 stars - The Postmistress by Sarah Blake

9. FANTASY
- Average Rating of Books in Category: 4.0

- Favorite Book in Categpry: 5.0 stars - The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch & The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

- Least Favorite Book in Category: None

10. RANDOM RECOMMENDATIONS
- Average Rating of Books in Category: 4.4

- Favorite Book in Category: 5.0 stars - Pretty Birds by Scott Simon, The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, Mudbound by Hillary Jordan, The Complete Essex County by Jeff Lemire, & Case Histories by Kate Atkinson

- Least Favorite Book In Category: 3.0 stars - The Splendor of Silence by Indu Sundaresan

11. IN THE MOOD
- Average Rating of Books in Category: 3.5

- Favorite Book in Category: 4.5 stars - World of Pies by Karen Stolz

- Least Favorite Book in Category: 2.0 stars - The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

Great recap!

From my categories average rating I see that I should always let other people pick my books! My "Random Recommendation" categories averaged the highest rating, while the "In The Mood" category (books I picked at the time) was my lowest category.

With the lowest average of 3.5 I think it means you've had a pretty good year. I was especially pleased that you like The Guards and The Lies of Locke Lamora so much.

Love the final recap Judy! I am hoping to run some stats in December when I finish my 11 in 11..... I am always fascinated by what the numbers say, but... well, I am a bit of a data geek ;-)

I liked your idea too. Although I'm technically done at 66 books, I'm still reading so I might do the same closer to the end of Dec.

I did have a great reading year, of course, I kept my categories pretty close to what I really love to read. One of these years I may have to stretch myself a little more. Next year I have again chosen my categories around what I love to read.

And Wolfy, you deserve the pat on the back for my enjoying both those books, I believe they were both your recommendations!

Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott - 3 1/2 stars
Bonus Category: YA and Children's Literature



I had fond memories of Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott from reading it as a child, but I didn’t remember just how sweetly sentimental it truly was. Of course my reading taste has matured, and soured slightly over the years, so I found this book a little too sweet for my taste. In showing her readers the value of family, simple pleasures and an industrious life, we are told the story of Rose Campbell, orphaned and given over to the care of various aunts while awaiting the arrival of her guardian, the sea-faring Uncle Alex. Rose has been overly coddled and protected and is on the verge of becoming a sickly, timid child. Her uncle extracts a promise from the aunts to give him a year of total control over Rose’s life to see if he can bring out the healthy, vibrant girl he believes she can be.

Rose, along with her seven male cousins enjoys a year of outdoor activity, healthy eating, with many life and morality lessons. She, of course, blooms under this treatment. This book was originally published in 1875, so the outdated ideas on the female role, and the way that other races were looked at, I was able to excuse.

Overall the book held it’s charm for me, and I would encourage young girls to read this book, but treat it as a history lesson. As each chapter has a moral, this book would make a great launching pad for discussion. Overall I enjoyed my trip down memory lane and I do plan on eventually reading the sequel, Rose In Bloom, as I remember that as a charming and cozy read as well.

Aww, I have a soft spot for Rose in Bloom. I still reread it every so often!

Slay Ride by Chris Grabenstein - 3 1/2 stars
Bonus Category: Crime & Thrillers



My first seasonal read of the year was quite the zinger. Slay Ride by Chris Grabenstein is a fast paced, action packed thriller that is wrapped up in a Christmas theme. Lots of mayhem and murder interspersed with Christmas cookies, music and school concerts.

Starting two weeks before Christmas, the story revolves around Christopher Miller, a F.B.I. agent who gets involved with the Russian mafia while trying to solve a kidnapping. With a psychotic villain as evil as they come, he has his work cut out for him. Eventually the evil is brought too close to home and Miller’s family is threatened.

This story takes off the minute you open the book, the plot is a little contrived, but fairly well-crafted. There is both graphic violence and language, but if you are looking for high powered thriller, this book will push all the right buttons.

Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie - 3 1/2 stars
Bonus Category: Timeless Mysteries



Hercule Poirot’s Christmas opens with a gathering of the clan at the ancestral home in the English countryside for a family Christmas celebration. Except this is an Agatha Christie story, so bumps in the night and a bloodcurdling scream are more to be expected. Of course, Miss Christie delivers and the game is afoot!

The Lee family is not a close family. In fact some of the members are home for the first time in over 20 years. Gathered at the request of the aging patriarch, Simon, the various brothers and their wives are a simmering brew of resentment, greed and anger. Added to the mix is a half Spanish niece, a visitor from South Africa and various servants. It is no surprise that on Christmas Eve murder is on the menu.

Luckily for both the rural police and the readers, Hercule Poirot is spending Christmas with the District Police Superintendent and is on hand to help solve this locked room murder case. Doing what he does best, Poirot interviews the suspects and put the pieces together.

Although written as a contemporary piece at the time, Miss Christie has done a marvellous job of capturing a period in history so precisely that the reader is drawn back into that time. With a house full of interesting characters, lots of twists and turns and the anticipated scene where Poirot gathers the suspects and reveals the murderer, Hercule Poirot’s Christmas is an entirely satisfying read.

Trouble's Daughter by Katherine Kirkpatrick - 3 1/2 stars
Bonus Category: Historical Fiction



Based on a true story, Trouble’s Daughter by Katherine Kirkpatrick tells the story of Susanna Hutchinson whose family farm was attacked by Delaware Indians in 1643. Her family were massacred and Susanna, who was nine at the time, was taken captive. She had caught the attention of Delaware, Wam-Pak by the color of her red hair and he took her to replace a daughter that had died from smallpox.

Susanna lived with the Delaware for almost 6 years, when due to the terms of a Peace Treaty, she was traded back to the Dutch at New Amsterdam. She was reunited with an elder brother and moved to Boston where she eventually married and many famous Americans such as US Presidents James Garfield, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and both Presidents Bush are among her descendants.

Covering the years of her captivity, this YA story allows the reader to work through all the emotions that Susanna feels, from terror, sadness, anger to eventual acceptance. Of course, as she came to finally embrace the Delaware as her family, she had to face the ultimate betrayal of seeing them trade her back to the white people. A well researched and interesting historical fiction story.

Poirot for Christmas. I may have to try to find a copy of that one. I'm sure I've read it before, but it would be a fun re-read.

Lori, I know where you can find a copy!

I'm currently listening to Hercule Poirot's Christmas. I'm only about a half hour into the audio and the suspects are still being introduced.

Trouble's Daughter sounds interesting. My public library has several copies, so I've added to my list of library books to check out and read.

Hi Lori and Carrie, I hope you both enjoy Hercule Poirot's Christmas. I seem to be on a reading rampage right now, my next book was one I couldn't put down and so I read it pretty much in one go!

Open Season by C.J. Box - 4 stars
Bonus Category: Crime & Thrillers



Open Season is the first book in the C.J. Box’s series about Wyoming Game Warden Joe Pickett. Set in the fictional country of Twelve Sleep, Joe is the newly appointed Game Warden, replacing his mentor Vern Dunnegan in the position. Joe is a straight up family man, loving his wife, his two daughters, and his job.

Unfortunately he finds himself in the middle of an investigation involving three dead outfitters, and although someone is quickly charged with the crime, Joe is far from satisfied. Digging deeper seems to be an unpopular choice both with the locals and his federal department, and the more attention Joe gives this case, the more trouble he is bringing down upon himself and his family.

This is an excellent introduction to what looks to be a great series. Joe Pickett is far from a super man, but he is an admirable, honest person trying to do the right thing. The setting, although fictional is all to easy to pinpoint on a map, snuggled in against the scenic Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming. The last third of this book really keep me on the edge of my seat, and jumped this book up another notch in my appreciation. Intelligent with good-pacing and an excellent sense of place, Open Season will soon be followed by book number two.

Open Season is already on the wishlist for me due to other comments from LT'ers. Nice to get another good recommendation though.

I loved the reviews of the Christmas-themed books. Very timely! I've already read the Poirot, but Slay Ride sounds fun.

I'll pick up Hercule Poirot’s Christmas from the library - sounds like the perfect book for after-gift-time on Xmas! :)

A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg - 4 stars
Bonus Category: Random Recommendations



A seasonal feel-good story, A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg was just what the doctor ordered. Oswald T. Campbell, following his doctor’s orders, leaves his lonely existence in Chicago and travels to the milder climate of Alabama. He is warmly welcomed by the citizens of Lost River, and although Oswald has been told he doesn’t have long to live, his life takes an amazing turn for the better.

Oswald finds Lost River full of interesting and eccentric characters like the postman who delivers the mail by boat, the various members of the Mystic Order of the Royal Polka Dots, a secret society of do-gooders, and the friendly store keeper and his tame red cardinal. This is a town with heart, and when they decide to take a abandoned little girl under their wing, they put their heart and soul into making her a happy, healthy child.

I loved this slightly magical story, that for me had just the right touch of sentimentality that I look for at this time of the year. A book to curl up with while enjoying the lights of your Christmas Tree with a cup of cocoa in your hand.

Waterslain Angels by Kevin Crossley-Holland - 2 1/2 stars
Bonus Category: YA and Children's Literature



Waterslain Angels is a YA book about two children who decide to find the fourteen hand-carved angels that were taken from the village church and hidden during reformation days, gradually over time their hiding place was forgotten. Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to like this book, I just couldn’t warm up to it. Supposedly a straight forward mystery, but actually the children stumbled around clueless, mostly going by messages that came to them in dreams. To put suspense into the story, they were not the only ones looking for the angels, a church handyman was also eager to find them and make a profit from these priceless antiques.

Even looking at this book as children’s fiction did not make me inclined to give it a higher rating. I found the writing very choppy and abrupt and the plot was executed in a strange and unbelievable fashion. The ending came quickly, when all of a sudden one of the children showed a flash of genius and determined where the angels were hidden. I did find the marshy setting of Norfolk interesting and I wished there was more information about that in the story. All in all, I just wasn’t very impressed with Waterslain Angels.

Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond - 3 1/2 stars
Bonus Category: Non-Fiction



Breaking up with her LA boyfriend, and feeling disenchanted with the city, Ree Drummond decides to move to Chicago. On her way she stops in to spend some time with her parents in Oklahoma. Just before she leaves, she meets her Marlboro Man, and although she is entirely smitten, does she want to drop her dream of the city for a life on a cattle ranch?

Obviously she does and the book describes in hilarious detail all that she and he go through to be together. Ree has since gone on to become a well recognized blogger, and this book is the outcome of people wanting to know the story behind this city lover living on the Oklahoma plains with her cowboy. Included on the final pages are a number of recipes guaranteed to satisfy the cowboy in everyone.

Breezy, funny, light and heart warming, I enjoyed Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels, and although it is considered a non-fiction memoir, I suspect there might be a little glitz and gloss added here and there. Reads like a chick-lit novel, but entirely entertaining and enjoyable.

A Redbird Christmas is one of my favorite Christmas books. If it's available on the last day I work before the holidays, I may check it out so I can re-read it!

#170 - Hi Lori, I was very taken with A Redbird Christmas, I was afraid that it might be a little too sweet and sentimental, but I think she actually hit just the right note. This encourages me to try some of her other books as well.

Blind Fear by Lynn Abercrombie - 3 stars
Bonus Category: Following A Series



Blind Fear by Lynn Abercrombie is the second book in her series about MeChelle Deakes who works in the Cold Case Department for the Atlanta Police. This particular story starts as she wakes up with her eyes glued shut in a small soundproof room, all she can hear is the ticking of the clock and a disembodied voice telling her she has thirteen hours.

Meanwhile her co-worker has come to the realization that she has been abducted and knowing he doesn’t have the experience to handle this, he goes to MeChelle’s retired boss and begs him to help. On a constant countdown, the story follows both MeChelle as she explores her options and Detective Hank Gooch as he realizes the place to start from is MeChelle’s last case and painstaking untangles the clues and races against the clock to solve it and find her. As MeChelle’s last case was the reopening of an eighteen year old murder there is lot to put together in the thirteen hours that they have.

Even though the story takes off at lightning speed and there are many ups and downs along the way, I found it was still a very implausible plot that I really had a hard time swallowing. Even though I quite enjoyed the first book in the series, I doubt that I will be continuing on with this series.

I don't have A Redbird Christmas but I do have a couple of other Fannie Flagg books on my shelves that I'm hoping to get to in 12. Probably have to add this to the wishlist group.

Her Last Letter by Nancy C. Johnson - 2 1/2 stars
Bonus Category: Crime & Thrillers



Her Last Letter by Nancy C. Johnson was a rather bland mystery story about a woman who finds a note left behind by her murdered sister. The note says that the sister was having an affair with the boyfriend of one of her sisters and she was afraid he was going to kill her. As there are two sisters left alive, and both are now married to these men, they must discover the truth. Of course due to timing, there ends up actually being about four men who could have possible committed the murder, and in order to keep the reader guessing, all these men must look slightly suspicious.

By the end of the book, I really couldn’t care which one did it, they all came across as unpleasant and slightly nasty. The two women seemed naïve and gullible. The cop-out ending would have bothered me if I was invested in the book, but it wasn’t, so it didn’t. There was very little suspense build throughout the story, and it mostly seemed to be a tale of two rich women being taken advantage of.

I feel bad that the best thing I can say about this book is that at least it is cleared from my Kindle.

Mr. Darcy's Daughters by Elizabeth Aston - 3 1/2 stars
Bonus Category: Historical Fiction



Mr Darcy’s Daughters by Elizabeth Aston is based on Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice and therein is the biggest problem with this book. I personally am not in favor of taking these beloved stories and adding to them. The original author finished her book and so it should be left at that. Reviving old characters and putting your spin on them is inviting much criticism, therefore Elizabeth Ashton’s use of so many characters from the original is simply inviting trouble. That being said, I actually really enjoyed this book a great deal, I simply tried to divorce it from the original.

Mr. Darcy has five daughters, they all have their own personalities, and this book’s main focus is on the second daughter, Camilla. As their parents have gone to Constantinople, the five girls are installed under the care of their cousins the Fitzwilliams. The two elder daughters embark on their first London season and the readers are treated to the sights, tastes and fashions of Regency London with all it’s perils of social intrigue and romance.

I believe this is the first book of a series, and it is well written and quite engaging. As I said, I tried not to compare it to the original, and actually felt it had more in common with a Georgette Heyer novel, although lacking Heyer’s superb way with dialogue. I received this book as a gift quite a number of years ago and had very little expectations towards it, but I found myself engrossed and relishing this charming story. If you are looking for a pleasing regency romance, Mr. Darcy’s Daughters could do very nicely.

My mum is a ginormous P&P-fan and thought this idea of additional stories was great until she read one and realized that she didn't want to read someone else's idea of what happened afterwards, she wanted her own! I told her to go write it herself. :)

-Eva-
(formerly bookoholic13)

@ 175 -- I actually didn't think Elizabeth Aston messed with the original characters that much. As you point out, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are in Constantinople for the whole book, and all the major characters here (except for Lydia, but she's not in the book very much either) are Aston's invention rather than characters from Pride and Prejudice. I agree with you that "The original author finished her book and so it should be left at that" -- but I think Aston respected Austen's original work by leaving Lizzy and Darcy alone and creating new characters to focus on instead.

You're right Christina, Elizabeth Aston very wisely had Elizabeth and Darcy out of the country. And most of the main characters from P & P were mentioned only in passing. Instead she focused on this new generation, and a few lessor characters from the original book like Lydia, Caroline (Bingley's sister), and (if memory serves) both Fitzwilliam and Gardiner were in the original as well.

I'm just sorry that I let this book linger on my shelves for so long that the rest of the series isn't readily available anymore.

I find it interesting that you were willing to give a book a chance despite not liking the genre at all. I don't like cozies or paranormal romances and would not read one even if it were a gift. Maybe my TBR is taller than yours?

#179 - I think your TBR may be taller than mine, but mine is still a hefty 320 or so. I felt obligated to at least try the book as it was originally a gift and I felt guilty that I had put it off so long. I am a big fan of Georgette Heyer, so this wasn't too far out in left field for me. My quibble was more to do with an author taking another's work and adding their spin to the story. But, it all worked out rather well as I enjoyed the book a lot.

Well I'm glad you ended up liking the book, DQ! I understand why you were hesitant to pick it up and why you don't like to read Jane Austen "retellings." By and large, I really agree with you!

An Irish Country Christmas by Patrick Taylor - 4 stars
Bonus Category: In The Mood



Reading An Irish Country Christmas was like easing on my favorite warm robe and slippers and settling down in front of a nice cozy fire. Warm, familiar, and, yes, cozy. This is the third book in the series and held no real surprises, just the usual tales of living and doctoring in a quaint Irish village during the 1960’s.

Young Dr. Barry Laverty is missing his girlfriend, Patricia as she is away at school in Cambridge. Unfortunately his plans for a romantic reunion are put awry when he learns that she won’t be coming home for Christmas. Meanwhile senior partner, Dr. Fingal Flaherie O’Reilly is having some romantic complications of his own. They are also battling competition as a new doctor, with some rather strange views, has moved into the district. These distractions, along with their many eccentric patients, and Christmas preparations, keep them busy during the cold month of December.

This is a perfect book to read at a busy time in your own life, as the chapters are not overly long and each one tells it’s own story, making it an easy book to pick up for short reads. Well written and engaging, a great escape to a different time and place.

I have either 1&2 or 1&3 in the TBR group and hope to get to them next year (as I say about all the books in that pile.) I do like those. Oozy books sometimes where each chapter knd of stands alone. Good for bedtime.

Hi Betty, I am really enjoying this series. I originally bought the first three, now I have to acquire the next three, these are great books to have on the shelf when you are busy or need a comfort read.

I've been trying to wish everyone a joyful holiday season, but if I've missed anyone, I'll just leave my wishes here. I will be leaving on December 26th to visit my Mom and will be back in early January. I will be setting up over on the 12 in 12 Challenge. I've had a great reading year and, of course, thanks to everyone, my wishlist has grown even longer!

Happy Holidays Judy! Looking forward to following your reading over on the 12 in 12.... and over of the 75 group next year!

Judy, have a safe and happy trip. Enjoy the holidays and we'll see you next year.

Happy holidays to you too! I'm looking forward to hearing about your 2012 reads.

Happy Christmas to you, Judy. Have a great time with your family.

Merry Christmas, Judy!

The Whisperer by Donato Carrisi - 2 stars
Bonus Category: Crime & Thrillers



I was awarded The Whisperer by Donato Carisi as part of the Early Review Program here on LT. Originally I found it to be a rather disappointing read that I blamed on an awkward translation which slowed down my enjoyment of the story, but then, it’s increasingly unbelievable plot put the final nail in the coffin.

The book started off well enough with the discovery of a small graveyard of only left arms, obviously severed from young girls, and just as obviously belonging to the currently missing five young girls that had the police scouring the country. However with the discovery of a sixth arm, the police are puzzled as a sixth girl hasn’t been reported missing.

A major crime team is put together to discover both the identity of the sixth child and to hunt down this serial killer. From there the book becomes a convoluted, messy, over-done and ultimately silly story. The author’s refusal to identify the country that this story is set in was just one of the many minor annoyances that the reader faces. The book holds too many coincidences to be believed. The characters seemed forced and stiff; the story never flowed easily but always felt contrived.

This is a book that I would not have finished had it not been for the Early Review Program, at over 400 pages The Whisperer was a huge time waster that I cannot recommend.

I'm trying to read The Whisperer, which I also got through the Early Reviewer program. Geez, what a stinker. It lost me for good when the main character shoots herself as a way to stay awake. So over the top unbelievable, but sadly not in a fun way. I'm having trouble believing that this was a bestseller in several other countries. That can't be true, can it?

I came back from my trip just in time for new years. Didn't get to visit my mum, though. :( She's a bit too far away, but I have booked a trip to go to Sweden to see her in May. :) Hope you get to have a great new years! See you in 2012!

-Eva-
(formerly bookoholic13)

#192 - RidgewayGirl, "Stinker" is the perfect word for this book. It came very close to be thrown across the room. It definitely had me snorting out loud!

#193 - Hi Eva, glad you are home safely. I too came home early as I could feel myself coming down with a cold and I didn't want to pass that on to my 90 year old Mother. Of course, the first thing I had to do was check out what's happening here on LT!

Happy New Years everyone!

Time to close out this thread and move on over to the 12 in 12 Challenge. See you over there!