CBL's 12 in 12

I finished my 11 in 11 challenge, and I'm ready to think more intentionally about next year now. I'll be doing a stepped challenge again, with a couple of bonus categories. I've decided on a School Days theme:

1. Science
2. Home economics
3. Math
4. Music
5. Lunch
6. Art
7. Religious studies
8. Field trips
9. Speech
10. English lit
11. Social studies/history
12. Recess

Bonus category 1: TBRs
Bonus category 2: Something borrowed

1. Science - Book about science, or in which science or scientists play a role - COMPLETE

1. Frontier Medicine by David Dary

Possibilities: The Seven Daughters of Eve by Bryan Sykes

2. Home economics - COMPLETE
1. The Lover's Knot by Clare O'Donohue
2. Elizabeth and Her German Garden by Elizabeth von Arnim

Possibilities:
The Short Life and Long Times of Mrs. Beeton by Kathryn Hughes
Dirt: The Quirks, Passions, and Habits of Keeping House, edited by Mindy Lewis
At Home by Bill Bryson
The Winding Ways Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini
The Lover's Knot by Clare O'Donohue

3. Math - Books about math, or in which math or mathematicians play a role - CATEGORY COMPLETE

1. The Oxford Murders by Guillermo Martinez
2. A Deadly Row by Casey Mayes
3. No One You Know by Michelle Richmond

Possibilities:
The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa
No One You Know by Michelle Richmond
The Oxford Murders by Guillermo Martinez

4. Music - CATEGORY COMPLETE

1. Hearts of Darkness by Dave Thompson
2. Haunted Ground by Erin Hart
3. Vienna Blood by Frank Tallis
4. The Jewels of Paradise by Donna Leon

Possibilities:
Death at La Fenice by Donna Leon
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
Buried in Quilts by Sara Hoskinson Frommer
The Secret by Anna Enquist
Hearts of Darkness by Dave Thompson

5. Lunch - Food-related books - CATEGORY COMPLETE

1. Friendship Bread by Darien Gee
2. Oolong Dead by Laura Childs
3. A Peach of a Murder by Livia J. Washburn
4. My Berlin Kitchen by Luisa Weiss
5. On What Grounds by Cleo Coyle

Possibilities:
The Long Quiche Goodbye by Avery Aames
State of the Onion by Julie Hyzy
A Peach of a Murder by L. J. Washburn
Oolong Dead by Laura Childs
The Teaberry Strangler by Laura Childs
On What Grounds by Cleo Coyle
Death a l'Orange by Nancy Fairbanks

6. Art - CATEGORY COMPLETE

1. Sophie and the Rising Sun by Augusta Trobaugh
2. The Lost Painting by Jonathan Harr
3. Pictures at an Exhibition by Sara Houghteling
4. The Monuments Men by Robert Edsel
5. Hermann Göring and the Nazi Art Collection by Kenneth D. Alford
6. A Brush with Death by Elizabeth J. Duncan

Possibilities:
The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva
The Titian Committee by Iain Pears
Feint of Art by Hailey Lind
The Flanders Panel by Arturo Perez-Reverte
The Museum Guard by Howard Norman
Pictures at an Exhibition by Sara Houghteling
Thieves of Baghdad by Matthew Bogdanos
The Monuments Men by Robert M. Edsel
Murder at the Gardner by Jane Langton

7. Religious studies - CATEGORY COMPLETE

1. The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million by Daniel Mendelsohn
2. Heresy by S. J. Parris
3. The Boy Who Stole the Leopard's Spots by Tamar Myers
4. Katarina by Kathryn Winter
5. Godric by Frederick Buechner
6. Revelation by C. J. Sansom
7. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

Possibilities:
Revelation by C.J. Sansom
Jesus in Beijing by David Aikman
Sins of a Shaker Summer by Deborah Woodworth
Katarina by Kathryn Winter
The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf by Mohja Kahf
Secrets of Mount Sinai by James Bentley
Dating Jesus by Susan Campbell
The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million by Daniel Mendelsohn
Broken English by P. L. Gaus

8. Field trips - Books with a travel theme or set in distant locations - CATEGORY COMPLETE

1. Good Morning, Irene by Carole Nelson Douglas
2. Red Station by Adrian Magson
3. The Black Mountain by Rex Stout
4. My Samoan Chief by Fay G. Calkins
5. And the Sea Will Tell by Vincent Bugliosi
6. Don't Look Back by Karin Fossum
7. Warriors in the Crossfire by Nancy Bo Flood
8. The Expats by Chris Pavone

Possibilities:
My Samoan Chief by Fay G. Calkins
Stamping Grounds: Exploring Liechtenstein and Its World Cup Dream by Charlie Connelly
Journey to Portugal by Jose Saramago
Red Station by Adrian Magson
A Year in the World: Journeys of a Passionate Traveler by Frances Mayes
The Miss Stone Affair: America's First Modern Hostage Crisis by Teresa Carpenter
The Black Mountain by Rex Stout
Precinct Puerto Rico by Steven Torres
The Heart of Danger by Gerald Seymour
A Freak of Freedom by Theodore J. Bent

9. Speech - Audiobooks - CATEGORY COMPLETE

1. Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith
2. Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo
3. The Flower Net by Lisa See
4. Extraordinary, Ordinary People by Condoleezza Rice
5. Little Bee by Chris Cleave
6. The Final Solution by Michael Chabon
7. The Conquering Family by Thomas B. Costain
8. The Regatta Mystery by Agatha Christie
9. The Arms Maker of Berlin by Dan Fesperman

10. English lit - British fiction or fiction set in the UK - CATEGORY COMPLETE

1. Lady Vernon and Her Daughter by Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway
2. The Invisible Ones by Stef Penney
3. Twelve Drummers Drumming by C. C. Benison
4. Unhallowed Ground by Mel Starr
5. Murder Is Easy by Agatha Christie
6. The Cold Light of Mourning by Elizabeth J. Duncan
7. The Solitary House by Lynn Shepherd
8. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
9. Death Comes to Pemberley by P. D. James
10. The Black Cat by Martha Grimes

Possibilities:
Village Affairs by Miss Read
Bodies in a Bookshop by R. T. Campbell
The Pit Prop Syndicate by Freeman Wills Crofts
A Regimental Murder by Ashley Gardner
Cornish Conundrum by Gene Stratton

11. Social studies/History - CATEGORY COMPLETE

1. Improbable Patriot by Harlow Giles Unger
2. My Name Is Not Angelica by Scott O'Dell
3. Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard
4. Under the Yoke by Ivan Vazov
5. Prague Fatale by Philip Kerr
6. Gentlemen of the Road by Michael Chabon
7. Night by Elie Wiesel
8. The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer
9. The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
10. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
11. For Liberty and Glory: Washington, Lafayette, and Their Revolutions by James R. Gaines

Possibilities:
Women and the Law of Property in Early America by Marylynn Salmon
Black Sheep and Kissing Cousins: How Our Family Stories Shape Us by Elizabeth Stone
Frontier Life in Colonial America by John C. Miller
Eagles and Empire by David A. Clary
Plain Lives in a Golden Age by Arie Theodorus van Deursen
Leafy Rivers by Jessamyn West
The Dutchman's Dilemma by Maan Meyers
Bridge to the Sun by Gwen Terasaki

12. Recess - Books read just for fun - CATEGORY COMPLETE
1. Murder at Longbourn by Tracy Kiely
2. Rebel Fire by Andy Lane
3. Scones and Sensibility by Lindsay Eland
4. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
5. Man Overboard! by Curtis Parkinson
6. Plunder by Mary Anna Evans
7. Cotillion by Georgette Heyer
8. Return of the Swallows by Aileen G. Baron
9. The Black Tower by Betsy Byars
10. The Deep Blue Good-by by John D. MacDonald
11. Harry Lipkin, Private Eye by Barry Fantoni
12. The Scarlet Pimpernel by Emmuska Orczy

Possibilities:
When in Germany, Do as the Germans Do by Hyde Flippo
The Cowgirl Aunt of Harriet Bean by Alexander McCall Smith
Powers of Arrest by Jon Talton

Bonus category #1: 12 TBRs - COMPLETE

1. Where Memories Lie by Deborah Crombie
2. The Copyright Handbook by Stephen Fishman
3. The Hemingses of Monticello by Annette Gordon-Reed
4. Murder on Waverly Place by Victoria Thompson
5. Goodbye, Nanny Gray by Susannah Stacey
6. Seneca Falls Inheritance by Miriam Grace Monfredo
7. Before Sherlock Holmes by LeRoy Lad Panek
8. Miss Julia Strikes Back by Ann B. Ross
9. The Miss Stone Affair by Teresa Carpenter
10. City of Shadows by Ariana Franklin
11. Medicus by Ruth Downie
12. The Heart of Danger by Gerald Seymour

Possibilities:
Goodbye Nanny Gray by Susannah Stacey
The Hidden Target by Helen MacInnes
Grave Consequences by Dana Cameron
The Sleeping Sphinx by John Dickson Carr
The Sin Within Her Smile by Jonathan Gash
Rum and Razors by Donald Bain
Too Many Cousins by Donald G. Browne
The Red Redmaynes by Eden Phillpotts
Where There's a Will by Mary Roberts Rinehart

Bonus category #2: Something Borrowed - 12 books borrowed from friends or the library - COMPLETE

1. The Emperor's Last Soldiers by Ito Masashi - library book
2. Precinct Puerto Rico by Steven Torres - library book
3. Dead Man's Ransom by Ellis Peters - library audio
4. Fever, 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson - friend
5. The Headhunter's Daughter by Tamar Myers - library book
6. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe - library book
7. Under Copp's Hill by Katherine Ayres - friend
8. The Successor by Ismail Kadare - library book
9. In the Shadow of Gotham by Stefanie Pintoff - library book
10. The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson - library book
11. Suddenly Everything Was Different edited by Olaf G. Klein - library book
12. Death Comes Silently by Carolyn Hart - library audio download

I love your categories! Especially "Something Borrowed" -- I could definitely use a category like that for library books. Good luck with your 12-in-12!

You and I are on the same road...my categories are in honor of my 40th anniversary for graduation from High School.

At least half of our categories are the same - we've just designated them differently. We should have a great time in 2012!

It's funny how that happens. I've been thinking about this theme since around March, I think. I'm particularly looking forward to the art category. I enjoy books, especially mysteries, with an art angle, and I didn't have a specific category for those in my 999 or 1010 challenges.

Hi Carrie, got you starred.

There you are! Ready to sit back and follow your reading.

The Long Quiche Goodbye - That title put a smile on my face.

Thanks! It will be interesting to see how many of the titles I've listed as possibilities end up on my list of books read at the end of the challenge.

I completed my first book of the challenge today for my "Recess" category: Murder at Longbourn by Tracy Kiely. Since it's late, I'll post the review tomorrow.

I'm also listening to the audio of Lady Vernon and Her Daughter. I'm only on part 2 of 9, so it will take a while longer to finish.

Next up: Rebel Fire by Andy Lane.

Murder at Longbourn by Tracy Kiely - Book 1 in my "Recess" category.

After the break-up of her relationship, Elizabeth Parker accepts an invitation from her aunt to spend New Year's at her new Bed & Breakfast, named “Longbourn” after the Bennet's residence in Pride and Prejudice. Aunt Winnie has planned a murder dinner mystery for New Year's Eve for both B&B guests and local residents. After a real murder disrupts the party, Elizabeth is determined to do whatever it takes to clear her aunt of suspicion of murder and restore her reputation, to the dismay of the investigator in charge. She reluctantly accepts the help of her childhood antagonist, Peter McGowan.

It was no surprise that the book is inspired by Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, but I wasn't expecting the allusions to Agatha Christie. Kiely does a nice job of sprinkling red herrings throughout the book. She offers plenty of credible suspects and motives. However, readers familiar with Agatha Christie's work will have an advantage in solving the mystery. This cozy mystery will have cross-over appeal for chick-lit readers and Jane Austen fans. Although I generally avoid chick-lit, I enjoyed this book, and I plan to continue with this series.

4 stars

Nice categories I will be interested to see what you read for your Math category. When I saw it I was surprised that I could think of a few I have read in the last few years E=MC2 A biography of the World's most famous equation by David Bodanis and, Fermat's Last Theorem by Simon Singh were both really good reads. I recently read A more perfect Heaven which would also fit here.

>25 fmgee: I'm pretty sure they'll all be fiction...

My second book is also in my Recess category. That doesn't seem like a promising start for the challenge, but I think it's more coincidence than anything. I've planned the rest of this month's reads, and they'll all fit in other categories.

Rebel Fire by Andy Lane (published in the UK as Red Leech)

What if John Wilkes Booth was not the man shot and killed by a Union soldier within days after Lincoln's assassination, and that he showed up in England years later under an assumed name? This is the premise for the second book in Andy Lane's Young Sherlock Holmes series. Holmes's tutor, Amyus Crowe, learns of Booth's possible reappearance through his ties to the Pinkerton detective agency. Young Sherlock's curiosity gets the better of him, and it triggers a chain of events that eventually takes him across the Atlantic to the United States.

Although Sherlock is developing his trademark skills of observation and deduction, this series leans much more toward action and adventure than detection. No sooner do Sherlock and his friends escape from deadly peril than they face another equally dangerous situation. The villains and dilemmas in this series remind me very much of the old TV series Wild, Wild West, a long-time favorite.

One aspect of the book troubles me. While the adult Sherlock Holmes acts at the request of clients, and James West of the similar TV series acts on government orders, the Sherlock in this series acts on his own impulse and isn't entirely accountable to others for his actions. His brother, Mycroft, and his tutor, Amyus Crowe, all but neglect his moral education. Both men seem to expect Sherlock to develop his own sense of morality without their guidance. Mycroft gives Sherlock a copy of Plato's Republic in Greek to work through on his own. After Sherlock kills a man in self-defense, the only counsel he receives from Crowe is that until he reaches the point where death doesn't bother him and it's no longer a last resort, he's still on the right side of the line. Even though Sherlock must work through these moral questions largely on his own, that doesn't mean that younger readers must be in the same position. The book may provide parents with an opportunity to discuss these issues with their children.

This review is based on an electronic advanced reading copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

3 stars

I don't recognize most of your titles, but can definitely recommend The Housekeeper and the Professor...I loved that book! I have three other books tagged "mathematics" in my library, but I haven't read them so I don't know if they're good reads or not - The Indian Clerk, An Invisible Sign of My Own, and Popco.

Good luck with your challenge! I look forward to following your reading.

Rebel Fire does have an interesting premise. I usually enjoy historical fictions where the author changes things around, as you said, the 'what if this happened instead' approach. Good review and I am curious to look into that one when it becomes available.

Book 1 in my English Lit category: Lady Vernon and Her Daughter by Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway

A mother/daughter writing team have taken Jane Austen's epistolary novella, Lady Susan, filled in a back story, and turned it into a novel worthy of Jane Austen herself. It's not like some Austen-inspired fiction, where Austen's beloved characters speak and behave according to 21st century standards. I didn't notice any anachronisms in the story. The authors do engage in a bit of name-dropping. Sir Walter Elliot's family is mentioned a couple of times, including his middle daughter. Mrs. Ferrars also gets a shout-out. Although I have a print copy, I ended up listening to the audio download from the public library. The narrator is outstanding. The only thing missing from the audio version is the genealogical table at the front of the book. My only quibble with the story is that it changes Susan Vernon's character from one that readers love to hate to one that readers will root for. Highly recommended for fans of regency novels.

4 1/2 stars

I'd be interested to know what you think of The seven daughters of Eve if you decide to try it. I took it on vacation a few years ago and didn't get to it.

I've been meaning to read it for several years. I hope this is the year I'll finally move it out of my TBR stash!

Book 1 in my Social Studies/History category: Improbable Patriot by Harlow Giles Unger

Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais may be the most famous person I never heard of in American History class. Although he was a commoner, his skills and personality provided an entry into the Bourbon court of France. He was a skilled clockmaker, and he charmed members of the royal family with his new invention, the wristwatch. He was the playwright who created the character Figaro. Thanks to Mozart, Rossini, and Bugs Bunny, I think of Figaro as an operatic character. However, he was already famous before Mozart or Rossini set his stories to music.

The ideals that inspired the American Revolution appealed to Beaumarchais. He followed the news from America, and he used his access to powerful members of the French government to promote recognition of and aid to the Americans as being in France's best interest. He devised a plan to provide military supplies to the revolutionists in exchange for American goods. Although the arms supplied by Beaumarchais allowed the colonists to continue the war with Great Britain, through a probably willful misunderstanding of the terms of the deal, the colonists did not fulfill their side of the bargain.

Despite his financial loss from the arms trade and his disappointment with the American leaders, Beaumarchais remained committed to the ideals that inspired the revolution. He was generous with the wealth he accumulated. He lived well, but he also provided for the physical needs of his less fortunate neighbors. When the French Revolution broke out a decade later, Beaumarchais, a commoner comfortable in the royal court, survived the worst of the Terror largely because he was loved and respected for his creation of Figaro (who regularly out-witted nobility) and for his philanthropy.

This engaging biography is a good introduction to a man who deserves to be remembered for his accomplishments and character. Highly recommended for readers with an interest in the American Revolution, the French Revolution, the Enlightenment, and theater history.

This review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.

4 1/2 stars

Book 2 in my English Lit category: The Invisible Ones by Stef Penney

Leon Wood hasn't seen or heard from his daughter, Rose, since her arranged marriage to Ivo Janko several years ago. This won't be a typical missing person investigation since the Woods and Jankos are Gypsy families without fixed addresses. Leon hires Ray Lovell, a private investigator with family ties to the Gypsy community, hoping that potential witnesses will talk to him more freely than they would to a complete outsider. When Ray locates the Janko family, instead of providing answers, they raise more questions. Are they as ignorant of Rose's whereabouts as they claim to be?

The characters and setting were strong enough to pull me into the world of the novel and keep me there until the end. The story is alternately narrated by Lovell and JJ Smith, a teenaged member of the Janko family. JJ also has an investigative role in the novel. He's young enough to be excluded from adult conversations, but old enough to realize that the adults have secrets. Although he's perceptive, he doesn't have enough experience to interpret the oddities he notices. He wants to understand his family, yet he's afraid of what he might learn about them.

I figured out where the story was heading about halfway through the book, which might have been disappointing had the characters and setting not been so appealing. Even though I wanted to find out how the mystery would resolve, I was a little sad when I reached the end of the book. I wasn't ready to say goodbye to these characters.

In some ways, this book reminds me of Kate Atkinson's Jackson Brodie novels, particularly When Will There Be Good News?. It would be a good choice for Jackson Brodie fans.

This review is based on an advance reading copy provided by the publisher through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.

4 stars

The second good review I've seen for The Invisible Ones now. Cements is place on the wishlist. Thanks!

>34 cbl_tn: I want to read this! I've always been fascinated by Gypsies... loved the connection in the Maisie Dobbs series, and have been hoping she will do more with it.

"the most famous person I never heard of" LOL @ this!

Great review of Penney's book - the similarity to the Brodie-series is very apt, I'm absolutely agreeing with that.

>35 AHS-Wolfy: I don't think you'll be disappointed with it. It's a well-told story with great characters.

>36 ivyd: The Maisie Dobbs with the Gypsie storyline is still my favorite one of the series!

>37 -Eva-: Thanks! I think Ray Lovell and Jackson Brodie would like each other if they ever met.

It looks like I might get a lot of reading done this weekend. I stubbed my toes while getting ready for work this morning and I'm pretty sure I broke one of them. I'm staying off my feet as much as possible. My December ER book arrived earlier this week and I picked up a couple of books from the library last night. I think I've got plenty of reading to keep me occupied!

First book in my "Speech" category: Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith

Leo Demidov has everything. He's an MGB officer in Stalin-era Russia with a beautiful wife and enough influence to provide his parents with a comfortable home. He's never thought much about the system he's a part of, until he's confronted by circumstances that cause him to question everything he thought he believed in. When he realizes that a serial killer is brutally murdering children in various parts of the country and that the authorities are covering up the murders for ideological and political reasons, he launches his own secret investigation. At this point, he has little left to lose. Will he be able to stay under the state's radar long enough to track down the killer?

The atmosphere of Stalin's Russia that Tom Rob Smith recreates in this novel is as much psychological as physical. Paranoia is essential for survival. It's dangerous to trust anyone, including spouses, parents, children, and siblings. Leo's transformation seems too abrupt to be believable, as is the connection between the murderer and other characters in the book. Readers willing to suspend their disbelief will be rewarded with a suspenseful thriller filled with memorable characters.

This is the first book of a series. Based on the descriptions I've read of subsequent books, I think readers will want to start at the beginning of the series rather than somewhere in the middle.

3 1/2 stars

I'm sorry to hear about your toe! I broke a toe once in a hotel in Guatemala - fortunately the night before I flew home. It was miserably uncomfortable, so you have my sympathy. I hope you make the most of your injured list reading time!

Thanks! My toe only hurts when I put pressure on it, so I'm staying off of it as much as possible.

Sounds like your toe is a good excuse to read, read, read. As good excuse as any, I say! Hope it gets better before Monday.

Ouch! Sorry about your toe, but at least you can comfort yourself with reading! Take care of yourself.

Sorry to hear about the toe, but glad you have books to keep you occupied.

Ow *winces in sympathy*

Thanks! My home treatment seems to be working. It's not as painful as it was 24 hours ago, and I've discovered a pair of shoes that I can wear comfortably.

First book in my Religion category: The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million by Daniel Mendelsohn

My interest in family history came from listening to my paternal grandmother's stories, which were often sparked by one of the objects that belonged to one of the relatives – a plate, a piece of jewelry, a photo album, a scrapbook, a diary. Daniel Mendelsohn's interest in his family's history seems to have developed in much the same way. His maternal grandfather told stories of the Jäger relatives who had emigrated from Bolechow, at the time a Polish town, to the U.S. His grandfather treasured the pictures and letters that were the only reminders left of his oldest brother, Shmiel, and Shmiel's wife and four daughters. While the rest of the family made new lives in the U.S., Shmiel decided to stay in Bolechow, where he was a “big fish in a little pond”. Shmiel and his family perished in the Holocaust along with almost all of Bolechow's Jewish residents.

Years of research allowed Mendelsohn to fill in many details on his family tree. As he filled in more and more details about other family members, Mendelsohn began to feel that he needed to learn more about his great-uncle Shmiel to complete the family tree. In order to find what could still be known about Shmiel's family and their fate, Mendelsohn needed to talk with the surviving remnant of Bolechow's Jews who were old enough to remember the Jäger family from before the war. Accompanied most of the way by his photographer brother Matt, Mendelsohn traveled to Australia, Israel, Sweden, Denmark, and Ukraine to meet people who had been there and to find out what they knew and what stories they had heard.

I was particularly struck by this passage:
It's different to write the story of people who survived, because there's someone to interview, and they can tell you these amazing stories. As I said these words, I thought of Mrs. Begley, who had once looked coldly at me and said, 'If you didn't have an amazing story, you didn't survive.'

My problem, I went on..., is that I want to write the story of people who didn't survive. People who had no story, anymore.

That passage sums up how this book differs from other books I've read about the Holocaust. It's not a survival account. It's about six individuals who didn't survive.

This is an inspirational book despite the grim subject matter. Mendelsohn frames his journey with meditation and commentary on weekly Torah readings (parashat) from Genesis. Along the way, he develops a stronger bond with his brother, forms new friendships, and discovers long-lost relatives. The journey is as meaningful as the destination. Highly recommended for readers with an interest in family history, Jewish genealogy, the Holocaust, and the history of Ukraine (formerly eastern Poland), particularly the town of Bolechow/Bolekhiv.

5 stars

First book in my TBR bonus category: Where Memories Lie by Deborah Crombie

When Erika Rosenthal learns that a valuable brooch that once belonged to her has been entered in an auction at a London firm, she turns to friend and neighbor Gemma James for help. Gemma makes an unofficial inquiry on Erika's behalf. When one of the auction house employees dies suddenly, requiring Scotland Yard to investigate, Gemma talks her domestic partner, Duncan Kincaid, into requesting the case. Duncan, Gemma, and their current working partners work together to solve a crime with roots in Germany's Holocaust.

Although this is one of my favorite series, this book seemed a little flat to me. Maybe it was the fact that I read it right after reading a non-fiction book about the Holocaust, and fiction can't compare to the reality of what happened during those years. I had trouble identifying with Gemma, who took personal leave to spend time with her seriously ill and hospitalized mother and then spent most of that time working on Duncan's case. I've been through serious illnesses and hospitalizations with both of my parents, and I spent as much time as possible at the hospital with them, particularly at the beginning of the hospitalization when they were undergoing tests and we were waiting for word from doctors about the prognosis and course of treatment.

I think this book would work as a stand-alone. However, most readers will want to read the books in this series in sequence, since the main characters' personal lives are as important as the crimes they investigate.

3 1/2 stars

You make a great case for The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million - it may have to fit into my Religion category, too!

I'm glad to hear that your toe is doing better -- it seems as though you put your reading time to good use.

->48 cbl_tn:
Sounds like a difficult but fascinating book - thanks for the great review! *thumbing*

Book 3 in my English Lit category: Twelve Drummers Drumming by C. C. Benison

After his wife's murder, Vicar Tom Christmas (please don't call him Father) moves from Bristol to the village of Thornford Regis. The village is in need of a new vicar after the previous vicar disappeared without a trace. Tom's wife's sister and her husband live in the village, and he thinks it will be a safer place to raise his 9-year-old daughter, Miranda. It's just wishful thinking. Barely two months after his arrival, in the midst of the May Fayre, the vicar discovers the body of a local teenager inside a large Japanese drum that was to be used during the festival. The suspects include the girl's ex-con employer, a verger with a mysterious past, and someone with a possible motive who appears to have been physically incapable of committing the murder.

The plot was full of surprises, and it kept me guessing until the end. A couple of aspects didn't work for me. There seem to be too many characters to keep track of, even with the list of characters provided at the beginning of the book. The drums seem more like a gimmick to fulfill the requirements of the title rather than an essential part of the plot. On the other hand, the vicar's prior career as a magician was mentioned several times throughout the story, and his skills ended up being useful for the plot.

Vicar Christmas isn't much like other fictional clergymen I've spent time with. His deceased wife was Jewish, and with his sister-in-law's help, he's raising his daughter in the Jewish faith. He also seems to spend a lot of time either ogling or trying not to ogle just about every woman who crosses his path. It got to be a bit much after a while.

I think most readers who like English village cozies will enjoy this one. Readers who have enjoyed the author's other series (Her Majesty Investigates) will be pleased to know that one of the characters from that series makes an appearance in this book.

3 1/2 stars

Book 2 in my Speech category: Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo

After the discovery of the mutilated body of a young woman, the residents of Painter's Mill, Ohio are fearful that a serial killer has returned after a 16-year hiatus. Police chief Kate Burkholder is one of three people who know differently. When she was a 14-year-old Amish girl, Kate killed the serial killer. Her family covered up the death and they haven't spoken of it since. Although the small town police department is too small to handle a murder investigation of this nature, Kate is reluctant to ask for assistance from either the Holmes County Sheriff's Department or the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Eventually the three agencies join forces, and Kate works hard to meet everyone's expectations while secretly trying to confirm that she had, in fact, killed the serial killer. Perhaps her family only thought he was dead, and he's returned to take up where he left off?

I had trouble getting into the story in the first half of the book. Once I reached the last third of the book, I stayed up well past my bedtime in order to finish it. The suspense was too great to stop listening. One of my biggest problems in the first half of the book was trying to figure out the jurisdictional boundary of the Painter's Mill police department. The bodies were found in areas that, from their descriptions, were isolated and rural. I would have thought that the County Sheriff would have had jurisdiction rather than the police department. That question troubled me all the way to the end of the book. Also, I had a slight problem with Tomasetti's sudden transformation from alcoholic prescription drug addict to romantic hero. I think it would have worked better for Tomasetti's psychological state to have been more ambiguous when his character was introduced.

I like Kate, and her relationship to the Amish community creates some interesting tensions for a crime series. She's a bit of an outsider as a relatively young female in a traditionally male-dominated profession, and she's an outsider among the Amish community she chose to leave. This book reminded me of Margaret Maron's Deborah Knott series, so her readers might want to give this one a try.

4 stars

First book in my "Something Borrowed" bonus category: The Emperor's Last Soldiers by Ito Masashi

Ito Masashi arrived on Guam with the Japanese Army in 1944. After the Americans arrived and the battle began, Ito and a few others became separated from the main unit. Following their commander's instructions, they hid themselves in the jungle to await reinforcements from Japan. He stayed hidden for 16 years, long after the war had ended. Ito and other stragglers organized themselves into small units, and their activities were completely focused by survival. They were able to gather useful material from American rubbish dumps, and they fashioned tools for catching, killing, and cooking live animals, implements to collect water, needles and scraps of material to sew clothes, and tires to make shoes.

When Ito and his remaining companion were discovered in 1960, they had difficulty adjusting to life outside the jungle. They believed they had walked into a trap, and that the Americans intended to kill them. Ito continued to believe this until he landed on Japanese soil after spending several days in a Guam hospital. Ito continued to talk to his jungle companion in the low voice that had been necessary for their survival in the jungle, even though he was aware that there was no longer a need to do so. After their years of isolation, they were overwhelmed by the crowds and the media attention. Ito was aware that his withdrawal was probably hurting his mother, but he continued to prefer solitude to company. He had trouble sleeping since he had spent years listening for the slightest noise that might signal that he was in danger of being discovered. Ito concluded his story shortly after his return to Japan. I would like to know more about his life since then. Was he able to re-integrate into Japanese society and culture? How did his experience in the jungles of Guam continue to impact his life?

Ito and his companion, Minakawa, believed that they were the last Japanese stragglers on Guam. By 1960, it had been several years since they had encountered any other stragglers in the jungle. They both believed that it would have been impossible for either of them to survive in the jungle on their own. However, another Japanese straggler was discovered in 1972 after 28 years in the jungle.

This is strictly a survival story. He doesn't address political issues, causes of the war, or military strategy. It will probably be of more interest to readers of survival adventures than to readers of military history.

4 stars

Thanks, Carrie, for writing such a great review and bringing this book to my attention. The Emperor's Last Soldiers sounds like something I would love.

>55 DeltaQueen50: Judy, I actually thought about that when I was reading! I think it's out of print, but maybe you can get a copy through your local library. I discovered it in my public library's catalog when I was looking for a book to read about Guam.

Oh pooh! I just checked and my library doesn't have it. I will keep it on the wishlist and maybe someday I will be able to track it down.

2nd book in my TBR bonus category: The Copyright Handbook by Stephen Fishman

Although this book is subtitled “What Every Writer Needs to Know”, this copyright handbook will be useful to anyone who has questions or needs information about copyright law. The clear explanations and numerous examples make this book a good starting point for non-specialists. The sample forms will help readers handle simple copyright matters on their own. Readers with more complex copyright problems will find information that will help them develop a strategy to address their problems, including who to contact (a copyright attorney, an organization, or an agency), what information to provide, and what questions to ask.

As a librarian, I've read works about copyright targeted specifically for librarians. This book allowed me to look at a familiar topic from a different perspective. It's a useful addition to a copyright reference collection, and it's a source I'll consult in the future whenever I deal with copyright issues.

This review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.

4 1/2 stars

Book 3 in my Recess category: Scones and Sensibility by Lindsay Eland

Inspired by the books she loves so much and encouraged by her success with canine matchmaking, 12-year-old Polly Madassa vows to spend her summer finding matches for the special people in her life. She's as effective as the boy scout who drags the elderly woman across the street only to learn that she didn't want to cross the street in the first place.

This was an interesting idea that didn't live up to its promise. Polly uses Pride and Prejudice as the pattern for her speech and behavior. It was cute for a while, but the charm wore off well before I reached the end of the book's 300 pages. The device would have worked better in a shorter book. I doubt that many of the tweens in the book's target audience will have read Pride and Prejudice. Teen readers are more likely to have read that book, but they probably wouldn't want to read a book with a 12-year-old heroine.

2 stars

School Days January recap

1. Science 0/1

2. Home economics 0/2

3. Math 0/3

4. Music 0/4

5. Lunch 0/5

6. Art 0/6

7. Religious studies 1/7
The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million by Daniel Mendelsohn

8. Field trips 0/8

9. Speech 2/9
Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith, read by Dennis Boutsikaris
Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo, read by Kathleen McInerny

10. English lit 3/10
Lady Vernon and Her Daughter by Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway
The Invisible Ones by Stef Penney
Twelve Drummers Drumming by C.C. Benison

11. Social studies/history 1/11
Improbable Patriot by Harlow Giles Unger

12. Recess 3/12
Murder at Longbourn by Tracy Kiely
Rebel Fire by Andy Lane
Scones and Sensibility by Lindsay Eland

Bonus category 1: TBRs 2/12
Where Memories Lie by Deborah Crombie
The Copyright Handbook by Stephen Fishman

Bonus category 2: Something borrowed 1/12
The Emperor's Last Soldiers by Ito Masashi

Best of the month: The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million by Daniel Mendelsohn
Worst of the month: Scones and Sensibility by Lindsay Eland

13 read is a great first month summary!

Book 3 for Speech class: Flower Net by Lisa See (abridged ed.)

The murders of the son of the U.S. Ambassador to China and the son of a powerful Chinese family launch a joint investigation between the U.S. and China. U.S. Attorney David Stark works with Chinese counterpart, Inspector Liu Hulan to uncover the series of events that led to the murders. This isn't the first meeting for the pair. A decade ago, David and Hulan worked for the same U.S. law firm and were much more than co-workers.

David seems more naive than someone in his position should be. After each conversation with potential suspects, Hulan has to explain the cultural nuances to David (and thus to the reader). Although the web of criminal activity is complex, the narrative is easy to follow. A few too many of the threads are explained briefly after the climactic scene, and it seems a little awkward. (I did listen to the abridged version, but I think I would have had the same reaction to the unabridged novel.)

The setting and plot are similar to Qiu Xiaolong's Inspector Chen crime novels. Readers who like that series may want to give this one a try.

3 1/2 stars

Book 2 for Social Studies/History class: My Name Is Not Angelica by Scott O'Dell

In the transition period after their leader's death, Raisha and many others from Barato were tricked, captured, and sold into slavery. Separated forever from her parents and sister, Raisha travels on a slave ship with others from her village to the island of St. Thomas, where she is sold to a Danish plantation owner from the island of St. John. As was the custom, her master's wife gave her a new name, Angelica.

When Raisha arrived on St. John, the island was suffering the effects of a drought and a hurricane earlier in the year that had destroyed the crops. Food was scarce among both white and slave populations, and already harsh laws became even harsher in an attempt to intimidate the slave population. Many slaves had escaped to a hard-to-reach spot on the island, where they planned a rebellion. Raisha's fiance, Konje, soon joined the colony and became its leader. As the time for the planned revolution approaches, Raisha is forced to make some difficult choices.

Before I read this historical novel, I had no idea that the Danish were involved in the Caribbean slave trade. The author describes the difficult conditions on the island while building toward the climax of the rebellion. The ending was the only flaw in this well-told story. I thought it was too abrupt, and I wanted a little more resolution. It also left me questioning which, if any, of the characters were historical and which were fictional. This book has piqued my interest in the topic, and I'll have to look for more books on the experience of slaves in the Caribbean.

4 stars

Book 1 for Music class: Hearts of Darkness by Dave Thompson

Hearts of Darkness focuses on three singer-songwriters who came to prominence in the early 1970s: Jackson Browne, Cat Stevens, and James Taylor. The author sticks mainly to a chronological account of their lives and careers, switching back and forth among the three singers. Their stories often overlapped, since, although none of the three worked together during the time period, they had mutual friends and worked with several of the same musicians. For instance, James Taylor and Jackson Browne were both romantically involved with Joni Mitchell, and Cat Stevens dated Carly Simon before she married James Taylor.

The book was often hard for me to follow. The author would go off on tangents about other musicians who worked with one of the three men who were the book's primary focus. So many names entered the narrative so quickly that it was very easy to lose track of which person was the focus of that section of the book. It was easy to start the book since all three singers began their careers at about the same time. The ending doesn't work well. The author seemed to pick a date and just stopped at 1972.

Technically I'm a baby boomer, but I'm too young to remember the pop music world in the years covered in this book. My favorite albums at the time were a collection of Disney songs, Mickey and the Beanstalk, and Peter and the Wolf. My first exposure to Carly Simon's “Anticipation” (written while waiting for Cat Stevens to show up for their first date) was as a ketchup jingle. I was in my twenties before I learned that the jingle came from a real song. I'm familiar with the hits that are now considered classics, but I wasn't familiar with a lot of the other songs mentioned in the book. This book is probably best suited for the serious music fan on the other end of the baby boom generation.

This review is based on an electronic advanced reading copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

2 1/2 stars

Book 4 for English Lit class: Unhallowed Ground by Mel Starr

Hugh de Singleton, bailiff of Lord Gilbert Talbot, receives a summons when a suicide is discovered on land belonging to Lord Gilbert. The dead man was a troublemaker with criminal tendencies who at some point had harmed almost everyone in Bampton. His death would not be mourned. He would be buried where the body was found, for the tree from which he hung was at the crossroads where suicides were buried since they could not be laid to rest in hallowed ground. Master Hugh has no wish to question the suicide verdict, yet he is troubled by evidence that points to murder rather than suicide. Hugh has too much integrity to let the matter rest, even as he worries that the murderer may well be someone he looks upon as a friend.

No words or scenes are wasted in this well-written book. The author creates well-rounded suspects, reasonable motives and in a plausible 14th century setting in a book that can be easily read in a single evening. The only flaw, in my opinion, is the author's reliance on coincidence to create a couple of red herrings. The book could be read as a stand-alone, but readers who think they might want to read the whole series will want to start from the beginning. This book includes spoilers that reveal the culprits and outcomes of previous books in the series.

This series reminds me of Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael series. Hugh de Singleton has had some medical training, and he occasionally provides treatment for sick or wounded people. Like Cadfael, Hugh also wrestles with religious and ethical questions as he considers which course of action he should pursue.

This review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.

4 stars

>65 cbl_tn: This sounds great, Carrie! Is Lord Gilbert Talbot supposed to be the real one? I want to start at the beginning of the series. I'll be going to the bookstore in the next day or two, and Unquiet Bones has popped to the top of my list, along with The Invisible Ones.

I am keeping my eye out for the Hugh de Singleton series..... it sounds great!

Book 3 for Social Studies/History class: Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard

Destiny of the Republic is the story of both an event – the assassination of U.S. President James Garfield – and the individuals whose lives were connected to this tragic event. The “cast of characters” includes Garfield; his assassin, Charles Guiteau; Garfield's wife, Lucretia; Garfield's children; inventor Alexander Graham Bell; physician Dr. D(octor) Willard Bliss; surgeon Joseph Lister; a host of politicians including New York Senator Roscoe Conkling, Vice President (and Conkling puppet) Chester Arthur, Maine Senator James G. Blaine, and Secretary of War Robert Todd Lincoln, who made the fateful decision to summon Dr. Bliss to attend the wounded president.

For most people, Garfield is probably one of the lesser-known presidents because his term in office was so short. I was probably more familiar with Garfield through our common heritage in the Restoration (or Stone-Campbell) Movement. Garfield attended a Disciples of Christ school, Western Reserve Eclectic Institute (now Hiram College) and later served as its president. He also preached in Disciples of Christ churches during his Hiram College years.

Discussions of Garfield's biography within Restoration Movement circles tend to stick to his public life as a college president, lay preacher, Civil War general, and politician. The gorilla in the corner is safely avoided that way, the “gorilla” being Garfield's affair with reporter Lucia Calhoun. I already knew about the affair, but Millard's account put it into context for me. Letters exchanged by Garfield and his wife reveal Garfield's early reservations about their marriage. As Millard described it, I was reminded of Elinor and Marianne in Sense and Sensibility. Garfield was demonstrative like Marianne, while his wife was reserved like Elinor. Early in their relationship, Garfield mistook Lucretia's reticence for lack of feeling, much like Marianne's accusation against Elinor in Sense and Sensibility. In her defense, Lucretia finally resorted to showing Garfield her diary, which revealed the depth of her emotions. I was glad to learn that after weathering the rocky early years of marriage, Garfield and Lucretia had many happy years together. Garfield was a great reader and frequented the Library of Congress during his years in Washington. I couldn't help thinking that the Garfields might have avoided some of their early misunderstandings if he had only read Jane Austen!

As a librarian, I was interested to learn that Lucretia Garfield established what was essentially the first presidential library after her husband's death. She included the letters the couple exchanged during their courtship and marriage without succumbing to the temptation to remove letters that exposed the rough edges of their personalities and flaws in their characters. That's quite a contrast to the behavior of the survivors and descendants of other presidents who have attempted to control their relative's legacy by removing documents from their relative's personal papers before depositing them in a library or archive.

While the account of the events surrounding Garfield's assassination is spellbinding, I have some reservations about the biographical sketches of the people involved in the incident. For instance, Millard discusses Garfield's talent for and enjoyment of public speaking without mentioning the years he spent preaching. Debates were common among the Disciples of Christ in the 19th century (e.g., the debate between Alexander Campbell and Robert Owen), and Garfield did his share of debating. It's a curious omission, since these experiences surely must have contributed to Garfield's public speaking skills.

Recommended for readers looking for a popular history of an event that changed the course of U.S. history.

4 stars

Oh good, glad to hear you like Destiny of the Republic since I just got it out of the library. Popular history is what I'm looking for from this book, so it looks like it will suit me.

>69 japaul22: Earlier today I had a chance to discuss the book with a friend who is working on his Ph.D. in history and who recently read the book. He had reservations about some of the author's generalizations, particularly the notion that the country was united in response to Garfield's assassination.

Interesting. I find that there's such a fine line for me with non-fiction between wanting to read an impeccably researched and accurately portrayed book vs. something that's entertaining, readable, and captures the spirit of the time. I rarely know enough about history to know if something is completely accurate, so I tend to tell myself that if I just keep reading enough books I'll end up with as complete a picture as I need. Views of history definitely change over and time and new research surfaces even about very old events, so even a book that is regarded as very scholarly and well-researched when published may not necessarily hold up over time. Because of that, I try to just enjoy non-fiction and take all of it with a grain of salt, thinking that each book is one piece of a puzzle that may never be totally complete.

The destiny of the republic by Candice Millard sounds interesting.

I liked Millard's book very much.

Book 3 in my TBR bonus category: The Hemingses of Monticello by Annette Gordon-Reed

Although stories about Thomas Jefferson's children by his slave, Sally Hemings, have been in circulation for over 200 years, new attention has been given to Sally and her children in the last decade following the publication of the results of a DNA analysis of descendants of Jefferson's father's brother, Jefferson's Carr nephews, and Sally Hemings' son, Eston. Annette Gordon-Reed reconstructs the lives, not just of Sally and her children, but also of Sally's mother, Sally's siblings and half-siblings, and other slave families who were integral to life at Monticello.

Sally's mother, Elizabeth Hemings, was the daughter of an apparently full-blooded African slave and an English sea captain named Hemings. Captain Hemings tried to buy his daughter, but her owner refused to sell her to her father. Elizabeth was part of the marriage settlement of Martha Eppes and John Wayles, parents of Martha Wayles Jefferson. After Wayles was widowed for the third time, he did not remarry, but had several children by Elizabeth Hemings. The youngest, Sally, was born the same year that Wayles died. When John Wayles' estate was divided, Elizabeth and her children were included in Martha Wayles Jefferson's portion of the estate, the beginning of their decades long association with Thomas Jefferson and Monticello.

Gordon-Reed presents evidence that Jefferson treated Elizabeth Hemings and her children and grandchildren differently than he treated his slaves who were not related to her. A succession of Hemings males served as Jefferson's personal attendants. The Hemings women had fewer duties than other slave women, and were spared the rigors of field work. The few slaves that Jefferson freed during his life or upon his death were all descended from Elizabeth Hemings.

Inevitably, Gordon-Reed's book is as much about Thomas Jefferson as about the Hemings family. The inescapable reality of slavery is that much of what is known about Elizabeth Hemings and her children comes from Jefferson's records and correspondence. The Jefferson that the Hemings knew was a man who desired to be liked by those around him and who hated confrontation and interpersonal conflict. He seems to have kept promises he made. No matter how agreeably Jefferson tried to conduct himself, he was still the master and controlled the lives and destinies of the slaves.

The main flaw in the book is perhaps its repetitiveness. Since there are many people who are not convinced that Thomas Jefferson was the father of Sally Hemings' children, or who just refuse to believe it, maybe Gordon-Reed thought the repetition was necessary. However, the readability of the author's prose makes it a quick read for a book of its size, so potential readers shouldn't be discouraged by its length.

4 1/2 stars

1st Lunch entree: Friendship Bread by Darien Gee
(Why not start with dessert?!)

I first heard of Amish friendship bread in the summer of 1990, when I received a starter from a source I no longer remember. I made it several times that summer and shared it with shut-ins from church. I probably stopped making it when I started graduate school that fall and no longer had time to bake.

In Darien Gee's novel, Friendship Bread, the bread is a catalyst for change in a small Illinois town. Julia Evarts is a wife and mother who has been consumed by grief for the last five years. Her grief is associated with the death of her son. Julia is clearly depressed, with little interest in personal interaction with anyone but her daughter, Grace. When Julia and Grace discover several slices of the friendship bread and a bag of starter on their doorstep, Grace's enthusiasm prompts Julia to bake bread from the starter, and to find people to share it with. She forms friendships with two women who have recently moved to the town and who have their own sorrows. A local reporter hears about the bread and thinks she can turn it into a story that would gain national attention. Her investigation leads to surprising results.

Having recently experienced a bereavement, I found myself more annoyed with Julia than sympathetic toward her. Granted, I lost a parent rather than a child, but I still think 5 years is much too long for Julia's family and friends to give her “space” and not insist that she seek professional help. I also had a hard time accepting that Julia would pursue new friendships rather than seek the company of long-time friends. That's the opposite of my experience, although I do realize that everyone grieves differently. I also found it a little odd that Julia was more worried about her new friend Hannah's marriage than about her own. I'm not sure I would have reacted to Julia so critically if I had read the book at a different point in my life.

As a story about a small town, family, friendship, and baked goods, this is definitely a comfort read. I listened to the audio version, and the reader's voice reminded me so much of Lauren Holly (NCIS fans will recognize her as Director Shepard) that I checked to see if she and Nancy Linari might be the same person. (They're not.) The seeming familiarity of her voice added to the ambiance of comfort.

3 1/2 stars

First book for Art class: Sophie and the Rising Sun by Augusta Trobaugh
(A painting plays an important role in the plot.)

In a small Georgia town, Miss Anne's Asian gardener with a mysterious past is content to admire her neighbor, Miss Sophie, from afar. At least, he's content until he sees a crane from his father's homeland that he recognizes only from his father's description. What can its appearance mean? Soon after its appearance, an unexpected encounter with Sophie begins a new friendship, but it is soon interrupted by news of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Is a happy ending possible for them?

The story adds another dimension to the theme of racial discrimination often found in Southern literature. It's more novella than novel, and the author seems to rely primarily on stereotypes for character development. One chronological error should have been caught by editors if not by the author herself. The author talks about a meeting that took place on the first Sunday of December. The next Sunday after that was December 7, 1941, the day of the Pearl Harbor bombing. When December 7 is a Sunday, it is the first Sunday of December. The preceding Sunday would be November 30, not December 1. Although I read an electronic galley of the book, the recently-released publication is a reprint of a book first published a decade ago. That's more than enough time for the error to have been caught and corrected.

This gentle middle-aged romance will appeal to many readers who prefer reading romances without graphic sexual content. However, those who primarily read Christian fiction might be put off by the attitudes of the main characters toward church membership and attendance.

This review is based on an electronic advanced reading copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

3 1/2 stars

The Hemingses of Monticello sounds fascinating! Not normally my type of book, but it's definitely going on the wishlist.

Stopping by and enjoyed reading your recent trio of reviews!

>74 cbl_tn: Have you read her first book about Sally Hemings? I read it a long time ago, when it was first published, and it mostly satisfied my curiosity about the relationship. I've seen this 2nd book mentioned, and I've wondered how much it adds to what she presented in the 1st book. Apparently more about Sally's ancestry and siblings. I'm still not sure whether I want to read it, but your 4 1/2* rating is persuasive!

Thanks Eva & Lori!

Ivy, if you've read Gordon-Reed's 1st book I'm not sure that this would be a must-read for you unless you want to know more about Sally's extended family. I haven't read the first book, so I can't be sure. Sally's brother, James, gets a lot of attention in this book. He spent a lot of time with Jefferson away from Monticello in Paris and Philadelphia. If the first book didn't say much about Sally's mother, it might be worth reading at least the first couple of chapters for her story.

I think her first book was published before the DNA analysis. If she identified Thomas Woodson in the 1st book as Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings' first child, this has since been ruled out by the DNA study. I don't think any of her other claims from the first book were contradicted by the DNA results.

Book 4 in my Recess category: The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

The Eyre Affair is so different from what I usually read that it's hard for me to describe it. The best I can do is to say that Thursday Next and company remind me of the heroes in the Saturday morning cartoons I used to watch in the 70s. I'm also a little envious of Ms. Next. Who hasn't dreamed about living within the pages of a favorite novel?

The idea of rewriting literature by altering the original manuscript isn't as far-fetched as it used to be. With the proliferation of e-readers and e-texts that has occurred since this book was published, it's not such a stretch to think that there might be a day when every existing copy of a work could be rewritten in an instant. I wonder how many of us would notice if that happened?

4 stars

Book 4 for Speech class: Extraordinary, Ordinary People by Condoleezza Rice

Condoleezza Rice's family memoir covers the period of time from her childhood to her father's death, which occurred shortly after the 2000 presidential election as Rice prepared to join the President's staff as National Security Advisor. I listened to the audio version read by the author and I felt like she was in the room having a conversation with me. I liked what I knew of her before I listened to the book, and I like her even more now. She's still relatively young, and she has already participated in so many historic events during her childhood in segregated Birmingham, in her academic career at Stanford, and in her service in Washington under both Bushes.

Some parts of the book were difficult for me to listen to. I have a lot in common with Dr. Rice. Our mothers were musicians, our fathers were preachers who left full-time ministry for careers in college and university administration, we both began piano lessons at an early age, we both work in academia, we both love football, we both lost our mothers to cancer, and we both lost our fathers several years later. The episodes surrounding her parents' final illnesses and deaths brought back painful memories, particularly since my father's illness and death was so recent.

I wish more government officials were like Dr. Rice. She is able to disagree with others' ideas and opinions without being disagreeable. This book should appeal to readers across the political spectrum. Readers will find a lot to admire, and not much, if anything, to cause offense.

4 1/2 stars

Book 4 for social studies/history class: Under the Yoke by Ivan Vazov

The cover of the library edition I read calls this a “Bulgarian classic”. Written about a decade after the events, this novel tells of the months leading to the uprising of 1876. The book ends with the Ottoman defeat of the Bulgarian rebels in 1876. However, news reports of the Turkish massacre of Bulgarian villages swayed public sympathy toward the Bulgarians, ending to Bulgarian autonomy just a couple of years later.

The conflict was both ethnic and religious, with Bulgarian Christians and Turkish Muslims occupying neighboring villages. Not all Bulgarians supported the rebellion. Some Bulgarians were content with their lives and were sympathetic toward the Turkish officials, and some were even willing to spy on and betray their Bulgarian neighbors. There are no sympathetic Turkish characters in the story. In fact, the Turkish characters don't have much personality at all. They're just violent and cruel. The heroes, cowards, and villains are all Bulgarian.

Most of the characters were identified at various times by different forms of their names. Some of the characters also assumed aliases, and the aliases also had different forms. It was hard for me to keep all of the characters straight, although I had worked out who was who pretty well by the time I reached the end of the book.

Recommended for readers who enjoy 19th century Russian literature, historical fiction, and adventure novels.

4 stars

Interesting comment about The Eyre Affair, re-writing books and today's emerging e-book world.

Another book in my TBR bonus category: Murder on Waverly Place by Victoria Thompson

Sarah Brandt reluctantly agrees to accompany her mother, Mrs. Felix Decker, to a séance. Mrs. Decker wants to contact Sarah's older sister, who died while estranged from her parents. Unbeknownst to Sarah, her mother goes back for a second séance. When one of the attendees is murdered during the session, Mrs. Decker requests that Sarah's friend, officer Frank Malloy, be assigned to the case.

This variation on a locked room plot is a refreshing change for the series. Sarah's career as a midwife gives her access to women and families from a variety of social and ethnic backgrounds. While Sarah has often assisted Malloy with murder investigations, the necessity of a having a pregnant woman as one of the central characters of the mystery has its limitations in a long-running series. The murder during a séance and Sarah's mother's involvement provides a good reason for Sarah to become involved with the investigation without a need for her professional services. It wasn't too difficult to spot the murderer. However, the cast of characters and the new revelations about Sarah's nanny, Maeve, made up for any weaknesses in the mystery.

4 stars

>80 cbl_tn: I finally located my copy of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, which was not where it should have been. I don't remember whether I read it before, during or after the release of the DNA results, but it was close enough in time that I'd cut out a newspaper article and a magazine article about the DNA & stuck them in the front of the book!

There is a genealogy table and some information about Sally's ancestry, but it sounds like she covers a lot more in the second book, and more about the descendants, too. I'm putting it on my "maybe sometime" list.

Field trip #1: Good Morning, Irene by Carole Nelson Douglas (Paris & Monte Carlo)

Rumored dead in a train accident, Irene Adler and her husband, Godfrey Norton, are alive and well and lying low in Paris. Irene is suffering from boredom since her “death” means the end of her opera career. She finds a new outlet for her creative energy in the unraveling of a mystery that spans several years and at least two countries. When Irene and her friend, Penelope Huxleigh, view the body of a drowned sailor recently pulled from the Seine they immediately notice similarities to the body of a drowned sailor they had viewed in England years earlier. Both men had unusual tattoos and were missing one finger. Irene and company encounter a missing girl, mysterious pursuers, a famous actress, the royal family of Monaco, rumors of hidden treasure, and the renowned Sherlock Holmes in their quest to solve the mystery.

Irene, Godfrey, and Penelope work well as an investigative team, with each contributing valuable skills and talents to the group effort. While Irene Adler's character is borrowed from one of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories, the characters in Douglas's novel are strong enough to stand on their own. The competition between Irene and Sherlock Holmes to solve the mystery is a distraction rather than a help to the plot. Penelope compares favorably to Watson as a first-person narrator. Although she might miss some of the clues that Irene spots, she's not often very far behind, and she doesn't necessarily jump to the wrong conclusion. However, there were a few places where I felt like I had missed something because Penelope hadn't been present to describe an event as it happened.

This book will appeal to many fans of historical mysteries, particularly those with husband and wife investigators like Robin Paige's Sir Charles and Lady Kathryn Sheridan or Tasha Alexander's Colin Hargreaves and Lady Emily Ashton. However, Sherlock Holmes aficionados might be disappointed.

3 1/2 stars

School Days February recap

1. Science 0/1

2. Home economics 0/2

3. Math 0/3

4. Music 1/4
Hearts of Darkness by Dave Thompson

5. Lunch 1/5
Friendship Bread by Darien Gee

6. Art 1/6
Sophie and the Rising Sun by Augusta Trobaugh

7. Religious studies 1/7

8. Field trips 0/8

9. Speech 4/9
Flower Net by Lisa See
Extraordinary, Ordinary People by Condoleezza Rice

10. English lit 4/10
Unhallowed Ground by Mel Starr

11. Social studies/history 4/11
My Name Is Not Angelica by Scott O'Dell
Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard
Under the Yoke by Ivan Vazov

12. Recess 3/12
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

Bonus category 1: TBRs 4/12
The Hemingses of Monticello by Annette Gordon-Reed
Murder on Waverly Place by Victoria Thompson

Bonus category 2: Something borrowed 1/12

Best of the month: The Hemingses of Monticello by Annette Gordon-Reed
Worst of the month: Hearts of Darkness by Dave Thompson

Book 2 in my Something Borrowed bonus category: Precinct Puerto Rico by Steven Torres

While Sheriff Luis Gonzalo of Angustias and his wife are visiting her family in Rincón, a boat filled with Dominican illegal residents crashes near a local beach. Even though he is out of his jurisdiction, Gonzalo rushes to the scene to help search for survivors. One body among the dozens on the beach catches his attention. The young man's fatal injury appears to be the result of murder. Before Gonzalo can do anything about it, a police sergeant arrives and orders him to leave. Soon Gonzalo begins to receive telephone threats against his family. When he tries to find out more about the dead man, he discovers that the body is not among those taken to any of the morgues. Gonzalo has unknowingly stumbled onto a conspiracy involving police corruption. He must work fast to identify and capture the conspirators before he, his family, or his deputies come to harm.

The unusual Puerto Rican setting initially drew me to this series. Gonzalo and his family will have me coming back for more. Gonzalo is a good man who loves his family, cares about his co-workers, takes his responsibilities seriously, and tries not to allow his years in law enforcement to harden him. That won't be easy after the events of this book, which resulted in more than enough physical violence and serious injuries to haunt its witnesses for the rest of their lives. The denouement is the book's main weakness. The suspense built nicely toward a final confrontation, but the ending was flat. The author allowed readers inside the hero's head throughout most of the book, then left us to observe the after-effects from outside. I hope this is just first novel awkwardness that won't affect future books in the series.

3 1/2 stars

Nice monthly summary. 12 books read in February is a good number!

And here I was just thinking that there aren't any books taking place in the Caribbean!

There don't seem to be many of them. I'm glad I ran across this series!

Book 5 for Speech class: Little Bee by Chris Cleave

A British couple on vacation in Nigeria and a Nigerian girl meet under horrifying conditions that none of them will ever forget. A couple of years later, the three are reunited in England with unexpected consequences.

The advance publicity and marketing for this book didn't provide many details about the plot or themes of the book so I had little idea what to expect from it. The book addresses important themes and some situations I wasn't familiar with in a way that arouses sympathy for the plight of the characters. Besides Little Bee, the character with the most appeal for me was 4-year-old Charlie, who imagines he is a superhero and divides the world into two categories: “goodies” and “baddies.” Upon reflection, the book doesn't seem to analyze the issues at its heart any more deeply than Charlie analyzes his world. The book has its moving passages, but ultimately it's not a novel that will linger in my thoughts for days or weeks.

3 stars

Book 5 for Recess: Man Overboard! by Curtis Parkinson

In the summer of 1943, teenage friends Scott and Adam have jobs aboard the Rapids Prince on Canada's St. Lawrence River. Before one of the ship's runs, Scott overhears a suspicious conversation. Remembering the conversation after a man disappears overboard during the trip, Scott realizes that German agents were among the passengers. Revealing what Scott had overheard might cost Scott and Adam their jobs, so they tackle the situation on their own, with the help of Scott's girlfriend and another young girl in close proximity to the German agents.

In adult novels, I find this kind of situation unbelievable. However, it works in this YA novel. Teenagers worry about getting in trouble with parents, teachers, and other authority figures, and sometimes they don't seek help when they should. When they finally do alert adults to the threat, the adults don't believe their story, which is also realistic. The adventure reminds me of the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew books I read in my early teen years. The book provided an enjoyable escape for a couple of weekend hours, as well as exposure to unfamiliar aspects of geography and history.

This review is based on an electronic advanced reading copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

3 1/2 stars

Field trip #2: Red Station by Adrian Magson

After an operation gone wrong, MI5 agent Harry Tate becomes the fall guy for the agency. He's sent to a remote outpost in the nation of Georgia known as Red Station. He joins a small crew of other agents in exile. It gradually becomes apparent that the powers that sent them to Red Station don't intend for them to leave it alive. Meanwhile, Russian troops are on the move heading south across the border with Georgia.

The story and characters were good enough to make me regret the few problems that intruded on my reading experience. I never quite understood what made Harry so dangerous to the agency that he had to be removed, and why the same reasoning didn't apply to another character who had been involved in the same failed operation. The unusual location was intriguing, but I wish the sense of place had been stronger. Most of the characters in the book were part of the international community of intelligence operatives, engineers, and journalists. The book could have been set in any number of countries in eastern Europe. Nevertheless, I had trouble putting the book down, and book two of the series is already on my TBR list.

3 1/2 stars

Book 2 for music class: Haunted Ground by Erin Hart (Several of the characters are amateur musicians, and music and song are important elements in the plot.)

The discovery of a woman's head in an Irish bog brings together archaeologist Cormac Maguire and forensic pathologist Nora Gavin. As they conduct their archaeological investigation, they're forced to deal with a much more recent mystery. Cormac's client for the archaeological survey, Hugh Osborne, has become a controversial figure in the small community. His wife and young son disappeared without a trace two years earlier, and the police investigation is still open. For personal reasons, Nora, like many, believes that Osborne must have murdered his wife and child. However, other people are behaving oddly, including Osborne's cousin's widow, her teenage son, and an angry neighbor.

While I enjoyed the characters and the setting, neither the historical nor the modern mystery captured my interest. The combination of archaeology and pathology is one that appeals to me, but there wasn’t enough of either one in this book. Nora and Cormac spent more time on their developing romance than on a systematic investigation of either mystery. The breaks in the mysteries seemed almost effortless on their part, the result of luck or convenient confessions. If I continue with the next book in the series, I'll borrow it from the library rather than purchase it.

3 stars

Book 2 for Art class: The Lost Painting by Jonathan Harr

The Lost Painting referred to in the title is Caravaggio's Taking of Christ, one of three Caravaggio paintings commissioned by wealthy Roman Ciriaco Mattei. The painting wasn't lost in the sense of having been misplaced. Although it never left the possession of the Mattei family during its first 200 years, by the time it was sold in 1802, its identity as a Caravaggio had been lost to the passage of time and memories that weren't passed on to subsequent generations. Harr tells the story of the painting's rediscovery in the late 1990s through the research of two Italian students of art history and the educated eye of an art restorer.

I particularly enjoyed the first half of the book describing the research of Francesca Cappelletti and Laura Testa, two graduate students in art history. Because of her friendship with a Mattei relative, Francesca was able to gain access to the Mattei family archives, where the women examined Ciriaco Mattei's account books and the periodic inventories of the family's possessions over the centuries. They also used government archives and conducted a thorough literature search, examining exhibition and auction catalogs and following footnote trails from the journal literature. I have used the same kinds of documents for family history research, and the thrill I felt when Francesca and Laura made their discoveries was similar to the thrill of discovering a link to another generation on my family tree.

The audio recording included a bonus interview with the author, in which the author revealed that he learned Italian in order to conduct the interviews that form the basis for the book. Because the book is so reliant on the personal stories of the art experts and researchers involved in the rediscovery of the painting, Harr didn't want to conduct his interviews through an interpreter. The time he spent in language study was well spent. Harr's account is as thorough as an eye witness's. Enthusiastically recommended for anyone with an interest in art history or archival research.

4 1/2 stars

The Lost Painting sounds like a fascinating read. Nice review, too.

Book 5 for Social Studies/History class: Prague Fatale by Philip Kerr, a mystery set in Nazi-era Germany & Czechoslovakia

In the fall of 1941, Berlin policeman Bernie Gunther is called upon to investigate a locked room murder at a country “house party” outside Prague. While borrowing plot elements and setting from crime novels from the Golden Era of detective fiction, this is anything but a cozy mystery. The guests are all high ranking officials in the Nazi party. Each one has already proven himself capable of murder through participation in torture and the mass murder of Jews.

Gunther doesn't try very hard to disguise his loathing of the Nazi party. However, he doesn't seem to consider himself morally superior to the Nazis. He loathes himself as much as he does anyone else. Even though he is not a party member, his superiors are, and he has been forced to carry out unspeakable acts that have driven him to the brink of suicide.

The book presents an interesting view of Nazi-era Germany. While Gunther airs his anti-Nazi views more outspokenly than other characters in the novel, he isn't the only disaffected German character. Most of the characters who show signs of disapproval of the Nazi regime also seem resigned to its power.

I've been avoiding this series because I was afraid the atmosphere and tone would be too heavy for me. However, the book's dark humor and my knowledge of the eventual downfall of the Nazi regime kept the book from being too depressing to read.

This review is based on an advance reader's edition provided by the publisher through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.

4 stars

This was an ER book I requested, but didn't get. I, too, was a little worried the dark tone might be too dark for me. Even though your review is positive, I still think it might be too dark! Thanks, and a thumbs up from me.

>100 Dejah_Thoris: I was surprised at how many things there were to laugh at in the book. Gunther is the 1st-person narrator. Irony seems to be his method of coping with the psychological effects of his work and his environment.

Book 5 for English Lit: Murder Is Easy by Agatha Christie

When Luke Fitzwilliam meets Lavinia Fullerton on a train on his first day back in England, he is charmed by this imaginative elderly lady who reminds him of his aunt. She's on her way to consult Scotland Yard about a string of accidental deaths in her village. He dismisses her belief that the “accidents” were actually murders – until he reads about her death in a hit-and-run accident in the next day's paper. Luke heads for the village to finish what Miss Fullerton started, claiming to be writing a book on local superstitions about death so that his questions about the deadly “accidents” wouldn't raise too much suspicion.

While Luke isn't quite as clueless as Hastings, he's definitely not Hercule Poirot. Had Poirot been on the case, this might have been a short story rather than a novel. Luke's process is logical and methodical, but he overlooks some important clues. The local knowledge and insight of his host, his supposed “cousin” Bridget Conway, keeps Luke from getting too far off track.

As in most of Christie's Superintendent Battle books, the superintendent has only a minor role in the book, while young people do most of the detecting. I've always liked Christie's Tommy and Tuppence novels and have regretted that she didn't write more of them. Murder Is Easy, The Secret of Chimneys, and The Seven Dials Mystery have a similar feel to the Tommy and Tuppence books and are almost as much fun.

4 stars

Book 6 for English/British Lit class: The Cold Light of Mourning by Elizabeth J. Duncan

When bride-to-be Meg Wynne Thompson disappears on her wedding day, it soon becomes apparent that manicurist Penny Brannigan was the last person to see her. Penny's observations provide helpful leads for DCI Gareth Davies and DS Bethan Morgan. As the police draw close to a solution with Penny's help, DCI Davies begins to develop more than a professional interest in Penny.

The clues weren't subtle enough to fool me, and I correctly pegged the guilty party very early on. However, I was charmed by the small Welsh town and its residents, including Penny and her new friend, harpist Victoria; the vicar and his wife with their secret (and harmless) vices, the gossipy retired postmistress, and the DCI and his younger partner. Llanelen is a town I'd like to visit. There are plenty of other series that I read for the puzzle. This is one I'll read for the setting and characters.

3 1/2 stars

I just glanced back at my review of The Cold Light of Mourning. My final sentence was "However, the characters and setting are pleasant enough that I'll probably read the second in the series." I guess we thought alike on that one.

Field trip #3: The Black Mountain by Rex Stout (Montenegro)

Nero Wolfe becomes his own client when his lifelong friend, Marko Vukcic, is killed. Wolfe's search for Vukcic's killer takes him back to his native Montenegro and to Vukcic's connections in an underground political movement. Since it would be dangerous for Wolfe to appear in Montenegro as himself, he and his assistant, Archie Goodwin, use assumed names and identities. Between the physically demanding terrain and the risk of discovery of their true purpose and identities, will Wolfe and Archie survive their adventure?

I am a huge fan of the Nero Wolfe series starring Maury Chaykin and Timothy Hutton, but I hadn't read any of the books until now. If one book is anything to judge by, the TV series captured the essence of the books. Archie Goodwin is the first-person narrator, and I heard Timothy Hutton's voice in my head as I read. In this book, Archie was dependent on Wolfe as a translator since he doesn't speak a language other than English. Archie's thoughts during conversations he couldn't understand provide comic relief in some tense situations.

It never occurred to Wolfe or Danilo to give a damn whether I had any notion of what they were talking about, which I hadn't, but Meta couldn't stand a guest at her table feeling out of it, so about once a minute she turned her black eyes to me just to include me in. I was reminded of a dinner party Lily Rowan had once thrown at Rusterman's where one of the guests was an Eskimo, and I tried to remember whether she had been as gracious to him as Meta Vukcic was being to me, but I couldn't, probably because I had completely ignored him myself. I resolved that if I ever got back to New York and was invited to a meal where someone like an Eskimo was present, I would smile at him or her at least every fifth bite.

This might have been my first Nero Wolfe novel, but it won't be my last!

4 1/2 stars

Book 3 in my "Something Borrowed" bonus category: Dead Man's Ransom by Ellis Peters

When sheriff Gilbert Prescott is captured during the battle of Lincoln, Hugh Beringar arranges for an exchange of prisoners. Before the exchange is complete, one of the prisoners dies. Although he was wounded, his battle wounds were not considered fatal, and his death came as a surprise. Brother Cadfael examines the dead man's body and discovers evidence of murder. The circumstances seem to leave little hope for the much-desired reconciliation or for two pairs of young lovers kept apart by the tragic circumstances.

I was afraid I knew where the story was heading, but I was wrong. I didn't see the end coming, and it was better than the ending I had imagined for the book. I was pleased by the appearance of one of my favorite characters in The Leper of St. Giles, the best of all the Cadfael books I've read so far. The book does have an uncharacteristic flaw. Fairly early in the book Peters introduces a character with a potential motive for murder, but then doesn't follow up on the character or the motive. I kept waiting for him to reappear but he didn't. I listened to this one in audio, so I might have been confused by unfamiliar names that sounded similar.

4 stars

Book 5 in my TBR bonus category: Goodbye, Nanny Gray by Susannah Stacey

While former nanny Phoebe Gray was loved by the many children she had cared for in the small English village, not all adults felt the same way about her. Nanny had Parkinson's and was prone to falls, so when her body was discovered in a wooded area, it was assumed that she had fallen and hit her head. However, the Superintendent Bone and his partner are unable to find anything in her home that matches the fatal injury. Nanny had recently inherited a large sum of money from a former charge. Was this the motive for her murder? Or did she know a secret that one of her families would kill to keep?

There were several things I liked about this debut mystery, but it had a few problems. The development of characters and motives wasn't consistent. A few suspects received a lot of attention, while a few others weren't developed very well. I frequently felt like something was missing from a description or a conversation. I think the book needed a little more detail. There was a nice balance between the investigation and Superintendent Bone's personal life. I liked his relationship with his daughter Charlotte, who is recovering from a serious brain injury from the accident that killed Bone's wife and young son. The book's good points outweigh its flaws, and I'll be on the lookout for more books in this series.

3 1/2 stars

Goodbye, Nanny Gray sounds interesting, I'm adding it to my wishlist.

Thanks, Judy! My copy originally belonged to my grandmother, and it's been sitting on my shelf unread since she died in 2000. I'm glad that Linda's March TIOLI challenge prompted me to get this one off of my shelf!

Book 4 in my "Something Borrowed" bonus category: Fever, 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

During the 1793 yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia, 14-year-old Mattie Cook and her mother become separated. Mattie must grow up quickly if she is to survive disease and the shortage of food in the city.

While Mattie and her family are fictional, the story of her survival is filled with historical characters like Dr. Benjamin Rush, painter Charles Willson Peale, and my favorite Philadelphian, financier and philanthropist Stephen Girard. (My family benefited directly from Stephen Girard's legacy. After my grandfather lost his father at age 5, he was eventually admitted to Girard College, a boarding school founded by Girard for the education of fatherless boys.) Historical details about the yellow fever epidemic support the plot without dominating it. Mattie's attitude and behavior may occasionally seem too modern for her time, but they probably make her more of a kindred spirit for today's young readers. Recommended for readers of all ages who enjoy historical fiction.

4 1/2 stars

Book 6 for Recess: Plunder by Mary Anna Evans

Dr. Faye Longchamp-Mantooth and her husband, Joe, are racing against time to complete an archaeological inventory/survey of the Louisiana coastal area as oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill approaches the coast. Faye and Joe are distracted from their work by the plight of Amande, a bright teenager with an interest in antiquities and a difficult family situation. When two of Amande's relatives are murdered, Faye and Joe become fearful for Amande's safety. Will they figure out the source of danger before something happens to Amande?

Faye and Joe are the kind of amateur sleuths I admire. They're observant and savvy, and they work with the police, not against them. When they end up in physical danger, it's not due to their own stupidity. They assess risk before acting. If I was in trouble, I'd feel confident in my chances of success if I knew they were on my side.

This series has been on my radar for a while, so I was happy to have an opportunity to read this book. Likeable characters, a strong sense of place, and a well-plotted mystery have me looking forward to the continuation of the series. While I wait for the next installment, I can go back and pick up the earlier books that I've missed.

This review is based on an electronic advanced reading copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

4 stars

> 111

I've read the entire series and I love it. They aren't all equally good (what series is) but you will be particularly blown away by the first book, Artifacts. One thing that's fascinating about the series is that Evans states in a reading guide in one of the later books that she never expected Joe to develop into the character / person in Faye's life that he becomes. Knowing that, reading (or in my case rereading) the early books becomes all the more interesting!

I've been hoping the main branch of my local library system would be getting Plunder as they have some of the other books, but it's been out for three weeks now and there's no sign of it. I may have to break down and buy it, read it and donate it. I have never understood why these books aren't more popular; hopefully, lots of people will see you review and begin reading them. I may have to reread them all (again) myself!

Nice to see Fever 1793 gets a great review from you! I already have it on my To Read Later list courtesy of Judy (DeltaQueen650) review last year but my time has not been my own lately or I have been too tired to read so happy to keep that one where it is for when I do find time for it!

>112 Dejah_Thoris: I'm always drawn to mysteries with an archaeological angle, and this appears to be one of the better ones out there. I think my public library has a lot of the earlier ones. If the library doesn't have all of them, I'll have to do the same thing - buy & donate!

>113 lkernagh: It won't take a lot of time since it's a juvenile/YA book. It's a pretty quick read.

Book 3 for Music class: Vienna Blood by Frank Tallis

A serial killer is at work in Vienna in 1902. As he investigates the brutal murders, Detective Inspector Oskar Rheinhardt enlists the help of his friend, Dr. Max Liebermann, whose training in psychoanalysis may be useful for creating a psychological profile of the murderer. The friends share a love of music, and their knowledge of music will come in handy during the investigation. The fictional characters rub shoulders with historical figures including Sigmund Freud, Gustav Mahler, and Guido List.

I don't think audio is the ideal format for this book. The narrator does a decent job. However, the plot is complex, and it's not at first clear how some scenes are connected to the plot. The narrative frequently includes untranslated German words. Since I couldn't see the words, I didn't know how to spell them and couldn't look up their meanings. The cast of characters includes some obscure historical figures. Since I didn't know how to spell many of the names, I wasn't able to check to see which characters were real and which were fictional. The book could have been tightened up by leaving out many of the scenes about Liebermann's personal life, which don't do much to advance the plot, and by eliminating repetitive information. The same events are described multiple times – as they occur, and as the details are repeated to various characters who weren't present when the event happened or when the discovery was made. This aspect of the book worked well for the audio version, since I occasionally miss bits of the story while I'm doing something that requires my full attention (like driving!), but I would have found it annoying had I read it in print. I'll probably continue the series at some point, but I don't feel a sense of urgency about it.

3 stars

Book 6 in my TBR bonus category: Seneca Falls Inheritance by Miriam Grace Monfredo

When Seneca Falls librarian Glynis Tryon discovers a body in the canal behind the library, it's assumed the woman's death was a tragic accident. After the woman's injuries have been examined, it becomes apparent that she was murdered. The woman, a stranger in town, claimed to be an heir of a recently-deceased local man, one of the wealthiest farmers in the area. Is the woman's death related to her potential inheritance? While the sheriff, Glynis's good friend Cullen Stuart, is away on business, Glynis conducts an unofficial investigation with his blessing. Meanwhile, Glynis's friend, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, has roped her into canvassing the town's women to see if they would be willing to attend a public meeting on women's rights. Glynis worries that her involvement with Stanton's project may cause her to lose her job as the town's librarian.

I wanted to like this book more than I did. I was troubled by some logical inconsistencies and historical anachronisms. The book was set in 1848, the year of the Seneca Falls Convention. This was almost a decade before the first female librarian on record. Melvil Dewey wasn't even born yet, and female librarians didn't become common until he founded his school for the education and training of librarians.

SPOILERS
Elizabeth Cady Stanton had urged the mother of the dead woman to reveal her father's identity to her daughter after his death. She was said to be a friend of the mother's, yet she was contemporary in age to the daughter. It never made sense to me that the mother would have revealed this secret to Stanton and not to her daughter. Also, everyone assumed that the only way to prove the daughter's claim was to find the missing family Bible to see if her birth was recorded there. Her parents had been married and the marriage was later annulled. Both of these events would have generated records, but no one suggested looking for them. These records and her mother's testimony would have supported the daughter's claim. When the dead woman's husband made a claim as her heir, he was asked for and produced their marriage certificate. It didn't seem logical to me that they would look for a marriage record in one instance but not in the other.

2 1/2 stars

Book 1 of 1 for Science class: Frontier Medicine by David Dary

I had hoped that I might learn something from this book that would provide historical context for my family history. I thought I might find information about common illnesses, diseases, and epidemics that affected people living in frontier regions. Instead, I found a rather dull biographical survey of doctors in various eras and locations. The errors I was able to spot without specialized knowledge of the field (e.g., “omitted” used for “emitted”; a person referred to as “Roberts” and “Robertson” in the same paragraph) made me concerned that there might be factual errors that only a subject specialist would recognize. I did glean a few useful tidbits from the book, but not enough to recommend it to other readers.

2 1/2 stars

School Days March recap

1. Science 1/1
Frontier Medicine by David Dary

2. Home economics 0/2

3. Math 0/3

4. Music 3/4
Haunted Ground by Erin Hart
Vienna Blood by Frank Tallis

5. Lunch 1/5

6. Art 2/6
The Lost Painting by Jonathan Harr

7. Religious studies 1/7

8. Field trips 3/8
Good Morning, Irene by Carole Nelson Douglas
Red Station by Adrian Magson
The Black Mountain by Rex Stout

9. Speech 5/9
Little Bee by Chris Cleave

10. English lit 6/10
Murder Is Easy by Agatha Christie
The Cold Light of Mourning by Elizabeth J. Duncan

11. Social studies/history 5/11
Prague Fatale by Philip Kerr

12. Recess 6/12
Man Overboard! by Curtis Parkinson
Plunder by Mary Anna Evans

Bonus category 1: TBRs 6/12
Goodbye, Nanny Gray by Susannah Stacey
Seneca Falls Inheritance by Miriam Grace Monfredo

Bonus category 2: Something borrowed 4/12
Precinct Puerto Rico by Steven Torres
Dead Man's Ransom by Ellis Peters
Fever, 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

Best of the month: Fever, 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson (fiction); The Lost Painting by Jonathan Harr (nonfiction)
Worst of the month: Seneca Falls Inheritance by Miriam Grace Monfredo (fiction); Frontier Medicine by David Dary (nonfiction)

Milestones: Completed one category (Science)

Nice recap. Sorry to see your last few books were sub-par. Here is hoping your next read is great!

I'll add to that wish, Carrie, here's hoping a 5 star read is soon coming your way!

Thanks for the good wishes. Things are already looking up. I'm really enjoying the first part of 2666. I hadn't planned to finish it this month, but I may find it hard to stop for other things!

Oh no, Frontier Medicine sounded like it should go on the wishlist until I got to the errors - if nobody's proofread those things, what else hasn't been proofed? Such a shame - the topic would have made this a must-read for me.

Book 5 in my "Something Borrowed" bonus category: The Headhunter's Daughter by Tamar Myers

In a kidnapping plot gone wrong, a white infant is abandoned in a deserted area of the Belgian Congo, where she is discovered by a young boy of the Bashilele tribe. Not knowing what else to do, the boy takes the baby home. The boys' parents adopt her and raise her as a member of their tribe. Thirteen years later, missionary Amanda Brown accompanies the local police chief to find the white girl rumored to live among the Bashilele, setting in motion a chain of events that will lead to tragedy.

Issues of race and culture are at the heart of this story. The white population of the Belgian Congo, whether Catholic or Protestant, Belgian or American, see only the girl's white skin. They don't think it's suitable for a white girl to live as an African – never mind that the European culture is completely foreign to her and she can't speak any of its languages. In addition to the racial and cultural tensions between the black and white communities, there are tensions between cultural groups within each community. The Americans don't completely trust the Belgians, and the Flemish Belgians and Walloon Belgians are wary of each other. Amanda's head housekeeper, Protruding Navel, and his assistant, Cripple, are of different tribes that despise each other, but are united in their dislike of the Bashilele. With independence looming in the not-too-distant future, there are hints that things are going to become a lot worse.

The humor in the novel frequently made me uncomfortable. It's the kind of humor that comes at others' expense, far different from the affectionate humor of Alexander McCall Smith's No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency novels. Amanda is the kindest of the characters, yet even she is often motivated by self-interest rather than a desire to help others. It's an interesting place and time to read about, but it's not somewhere I want to linger.

3 1/2 stars

>123 cbl_tn: I'm well into The Boy Who Stole the Leopard's Spots, which I won as an ER book last month, and I'm also bothered by the unkind "humor" as well as a couple of other things. The view of the Belgian Congo in 1958 is fascinating, but I can't seem to identify the mystery!

Book 2 for Religious Studies class: Heresy by S. J. Parris

After fleeing from an Italian monastery to escape the Inquisition, former monk Giordano Bruno eventually ends up in Oxford during Elizabeth I's reign. Before making a trip to Oxford with his friend, Philip Sidney, Bruno is enlisted by Sir Francis Walsingham to provide information on the underground Catholic movement in Oxford. Bruno is a guest at Lincoln College, where he is to engage in a disputation with its rector, John Underhill. Before the disputation, the college is thrown into turmoil by the death of one of its members. Both Bruno and the rector suspect murder. Despite Underhill's undisguised dislike of Bruno, he tasks Bruno with undertaking a quiet investigation of the murder. Soon, there is another death, and another, and the circumstances seem to have a strange literary connection.

Even though the plot, characters, and setting were all interesting, I didn't have any trouble when I had to stop at a climactic point in the story. Something about the book didn't quite work for me. Maybe it was the reader on the audio version, who I thought read a little too fast and with too little expression. Maybe it was the forcing of fictional events (the murders) and characters into the framework of a real event (the disputation). I wondered as I listened what the purpose of the disputation was. It seemed to be a distraction from the plot, and I thought the story would have worked better without it. I found out afterward that the disputation was an actual historic event. I'll give this series another try before I give up on it. Next time I'll try the print (or ebook) version rather than the audio and see if that makes a difference.

3 stars

Ivy, I haven't read any of the other books in Myers' Africa series so I'll be coming at The Boy Who Stole the Leopard's Spots from the viewpoint of someone new to the series. I'm sorry to hear it has problems. I'll see what I think when I get there.

>126 thornton37814: Lori, I finished it last night but probably won't get my review written for a day or two. I'm really interested in seeing what you and Carrie think about it. I haven't read the first two books, either.

I probably won't get to this one until the end of the month. I've read the first two books in the series. I liked the first one better than the second one. The first one had more of a mystery to it. The second one had a crime with an unknown person behind it, but the crime went wrong and no one but the conspirators was aware of it for over a decade. Amanda Brown didn't do anything that I would call sleuthing.

Book 6 for Social Studies/History class: Gentlemen of the Road by Michael Chabon

The Gentlemen of the Road in this medieval adventure story are an odd couple of Jewish soldiers of fortune – a smallish Frank with some medical knowledge and a large Abyssinian with a tragic loss in his past. Following a chance encounter at an inn, the pair end up with a young Khazar prince in their charge. They have been commissioned to escort the prince, who has survived an attack on his family's home, to safety with relatives. However, the young prince would rather pursue the attackers and avenge the destruction of his home and family. The adventures that follow require as much wit as physical strength. There are plenty of surprises in store for the pair as they discover more about the young stranger whose fate has become entwined with their own.

This pairing of characters and setting is unusual, but it works. The audio version was a little difficult to follow because of the unusual vocabulary of the time period and geographic setting. However, actor Andre Braugher's narration was as good as I had hoped it would be, and it was worth the extra effort required for listening to this tale.

4 stars

I have always loved Andre's voice. I think he was the main reason I watched Homicide: Life on the Streets.

I agree! The show was never the same after he left.

Book 6 in my "Something Borrowed" bonus category: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

Okonkwo is an Igbo man whose greatest desire is to be the successful man his father wasn't. Tragically for Okonkwo, the rules for success change during his lifetime with the arrival of British colonial government and the influence of Christian missionaries.

Achebe gives the reader an insider's perspective on the culture of Umuofia, Okonkwo's Nigerian village. Viewed from the inside, one can discern the source of many of the traditions and values of Okonkwo's world. The life and stability of the community takes precedence over individual rights, and men take precedence over women and children. In Umuofia, an entire village bears the weight of guilt for one man's crime, and it is considered just to execute an innocent man as payment for this collective guilt. Under such circumstances a clash with Western/European culture is inevitable.

Achebe's novel addresses universal themes of family, generational conflict, fear of failure, fear of change, friendship, religion, and social conflict. It's a must-read for anyone preparing to live and work in a cross cultural setting.

5 stars

Book 7 for Social Studies/History class: Night by Elie Wiesel

Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel recalls the horrors of life in the Auschwitz, Buna, and Buchenwald concentration camps. If you've read other Holocaust memoirs, many of the details will be familiar, yet each survivor's story is unique and each tragedy is personal. One of the themes of Night is God's silence in the face of extreme suffering, a theme echoed in Shusako Endo's Silence. Wiesel experienced a crisis of faith due to the unspeakable things he witnessed and the suffering he endured. This is probably the most widely known Holocaust memoir, and it should be on everyone's “books to read before you die” list. As the number of Holocaust survivors shrinks with the passage of time, books such as this will be increasingly important for preserving the memory of this great tragedy and making sure that it never happens again.

4 1/2 stars

Book 6 for Speech class: The Final Solution by Michael Chabon

Michael Chabon has done a favor for all of us who can't get enough Sherlock Holmes. Chabon imagines “the old man” at the end of his life, outwardly feeble but still mentally sharp, although not as quick as he once was. The old man's routine is disturbed by a mute Jewish boy with a pet parrot and an aura of sadness. The boy, a refugee from Nazi Germany, is lodging with the local vicar. When a fellow lodger is murdered and the parrot disappears, the old man gathers his strength and his wits to tackle one last case. He's driven not so much by solving the murder as he is by his desire to reunite the forlorn boy with his beloved pet.

I've noticed that young children and elderly people often have a special affinity. It's as if they recognize their limitations and join forces to do things that neither one could accomplish alone. The boy and the old man seem to have this kind of relationship, and the pair upstage the other characters in the story. I probably won't remember much about most of the characters in the book, but I'll never forget the boy or the old man.

I listened to the audio version on a road trip. Michael York's narration is perfectly pitched and paced for this story. Warmly recommended!

4 stars

I just finished Things Fall Apart as well - such a great work.

I was going to pick up a paper copy of The Final Solution, but I might go for the audio instead - I do like Michael York a lot.

I am enjoying Gentlemen of the Road so far and will most likely be looking for more from this author. The Final Solution sounds like a good read, and as I am also a fan of Michael York, the audio version sounds like a good bet.

>135 -Eva-:,136 I don't usually read (or in this case, listen) the same author this close in succession, but in this case the books are so different in style and content that it didn't make any difference. The Final Solution audio is just the right length for a short distance trip (200 miles or so) or a half-day cleaning/home maintenance project.

Abandoned book: I'm giving up on Birdsong after about 50 pages. There hasn't been enough character development to make me care what happens to any of these people. The protagonist and his host's wife don't know each other well enough to do the things they're doing, and I don't know them well enough to have the least desire to read about it. I think I'll probably skip the PBS adaptation this weekend, too.

I understand your feeling about Birdsong. I did finish it, but I wasn't terribly impressed and I thought that the 2nd plot (the recent one) was distracting.

Book 7 for English Lit class: The Solitary House by Lynn Shepherd

Ex-policeman Charles Maddox went into business as a private investigator after his dismissal from the police force. While working on a case involving the disappearance from a workhouse of a woman and her newborn sixteen years earlier, he takes on a second case at the request of a prominent lawyer. The case is one of apparent blackmail, and Maddox's client wants to identify the author of some threatening letters. Maddox gets more than he bargained for when he learns that his client has been holding something back. Maddox's investigations take him all over Victorian London. Meanwhile, Maddox's domestic situation becomes complicated when he moves in with his uncle and mentor, who is suffering from what appears to be Alzheimer's.

This is just the sort of historical mystery I ought to like with its Victorian London setting, but it didn't work for me. I couldn't read for more than a short stretch of time without switching to something different. Maybe it was the author's unusual choice of third person present for the narrative. The resolution to Maddox's cases relied too heavily on coincidence. I can tolerate coincidence in Dickens, but not in his emulators (with occasional exceptions). I seem to be the exception rather than the rule in my lack of enthusiasm for the book, so if you like atmospheric historical mysteries you might want to give this one a try.

This review is based on an advanced electronic reading copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

A generous 2 1/2 stars.

Good review of The Solitary House and the heads up of the third person present narration. I have that one on my for later list and will probably give it a go when my local library gets in a copy.

Book 7 for Recess: Cotillion by Georgette Heyer

Convinced he's near death, Matthew Penicuik determines to leave his fortune to his ward, Kitty Charing, on one condition: that she marry one of his great-nephews. Kitty has no interest in any of them except for Jack Westruther, who also happens to be his uncle's favorite despite his wild nature. When Jack doesn't show up with the rest of his cousins in answer to their uncle's summons, Kitty convinces cousin Freddy to pretend to be engaged to her. As Freddy's fiancee, Kitty will have an excuse to travel to London and make Jack jealous enough to offer for her. However, Kitty's plan soon escapes her control.

I've read several of Heyer's mysteries, but this was my first experience with the historical romances she's primarily known for. I found Kitty to be a charming heroine, even though her naivety occasionally annoyed me. The story doesn't read like a Jane Austen novel, yet I can see Kitty fitting comfortably into one of Austen's works. She reminds me most of Emma with her well-intentioned impulsiveness that more often than not gets her into trouble. This is a sweet, funny romance that had me alternately laughing and crying. Enthusiastically recommended.

4 1/2 stars

I love Cotillion -- one of my favorite Heyers! Since this was only your first Heyer romance, you have a lot of wonderful treats awaiting you! :)

Our last Jane Austen book club meeting of the school year is this week. This year we've been reading Austen-inspired works. For our final meeting of the year we're all reading and reporting on different Georgette Heyer romances. I'm looking forward to hearing about the books the other group members have read!

thanks for the review for The Solitary House - I've been twitching at the "Purchase" button on that one, but I think I'll press the "Borrow" one instead.

Book 3 for Art Class: Pictures at an Exhibition by Sara Houghteling

Max Berenzon grew up in Paris between the wars as the privileged only son of a well-respected Jewish art dealer. Max's only ambition was to follow in his father's footsteps. However, his father doubted his instinct and ability to succeed as an art dealer and tried to steer him in a different direction. Max is both jealous of and attracted to Rose, a young Louvre employee who has become the latest of his father's live-in assistants. When it appeared that France would fall to the Nazis, the Berenzon's stored their collection for safe keeping and went into hiding. Upon their return to Paris, they discover that their entire collection has been looted. Max becomes fixated on the single goal of finding his father's lost paintings. Will Rose be an ally or a foe?

This is unusual for Holocaust novels in that it skips the war years almost entirely. The focus of the novel is on what was lost during the war. I was surprised by the intensity of the outrage I felt as Max scoured Paris after the war looking for traces of the lost collection. Non-Jewish art dealers had profited from trade in the art works left behind by Jews who had been deported or had gone into hiding. The survival and return of the former Jewish owners was at best inconvenient. Because Max was not in Paris during the Nazi occupation, he had to hear about it from other characters who had lived through and witnessed the events. These long conversational information dumps diluted the novel's emotional impact for me.

This novel may appeal to readers with an interest in art and/or art history, World War II and the Holocaust, Paris, and father/son relationships.

3 1/2 stars

Book 3 for Religious Studies class: The Boy Who Stole the Leopard's Spots by Tamar Myers

Tension is high in the Belgian Congo in 1958. Independence is less than two years away, and many indigenous Africans talk of the revenge they'll exact from their Belgian oppressors once the tables are turned. In addition to racial conflicts, there are conflicts between the followers of the Catholic, Protestant, and traditional religions, between Africans of different tribes, and between Europeans of different nationalities. It's October, known locally as the “suicide month” because the oppressive humidity inevitably drives at least one European to suicide. A disagreement over the ownership of a goat partially swallowed by a recently deceased snake is the catalyst for violent conflict.

I'm not sure why the book is marketed as a mystery. Although there is a murder and the identity of the culprit is unknown until near the end of the book, there doesn't seem to be a detective. There is a policeman, but he's got his hands full keeping order after the partial destruction of the bridge linking the Belgian and African sides of the town. None of the characters are likeable. The best you can say of some is that they are less obnoxious than others.

I thought the first book in the series was very good, but I've liked each subsequent book less than the one before. I don't enjoy spending time with the characters, and the setting is someplace I'd rather avoid. I would rather read a memoir about the author's childhood in Africa than another novel featuring these characters.

This review is based on an advanced reading copy provided by the publisher through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.

3 stars

Field trip #4: My Samoan Chief by Fay G. Calkins (Samoa, American Samoa)

While working on her thesis, Fay Calkins obtained a permit for the use of a desk in the Library of Congress. She was happy to be assigned a desk in the stacks. She figured there would be fewer distractions there. She hadn't reckoned on meeting and falling in love with the man at the neighboring desk – a Samoan named Vai. After a short courtship, they married. After Vai finished his thesis, the couple moved to American Samoa, where Vai had a government position waiting for him.

Fay seemed unprepared for what she encountered in Samoa. Since most Samoan homes didn't have walls – just a floor with a roof over it – there was very little privacy, and there was no concept of personal property. Everyone helped themselves to whatever they needed or wanted. However, society was anything but informal. There were strict customs governing almost every social situation. Fay had to learn most of these customs on the fly, usually after making a major faux pas.

Fay tried to establish first a cooperative enterprise, and then a banana plantation, and was often frustrated by the Samoan work ethic that was very different from her own. Every incentive she tried had a different effect than she intended. Her frustration eventually gave way to acceptance as she learned to appreciate the difference between Samoan values and her American values.

This book is similar to Betty MacDonald's The Egg and I. Although the writing lacks MacDonald's sparkle, I think MacDonald's readers would like this book.

3 1/2 stars

Interesting review of Pictures at an Exhibition. Although you didn't rate it highly, I think I might have to add it to my wishlist.

>149 RidgewayGirl: I think you will like it, especially since the Paris landscape is a prominent feature of the book.

>147 cbl_tn: Love your review, especially there doesn't seem to be a detective! I finally just wrote my review and then read what you and Lori had to say; we seem to all agree!

Book for for Religious Studies: Katarina by Kathryn Winter

8-year-old Katarina's life in 1942 Slovakia is almost perfect. Although her parents died when she was very young, she's being raised by an aunt she adores, and who indulges her love for games and stories. She has a best friend to share her secrets with. Katarina doesn't understand when Aunt Lena tells her they must move. Katarina and her aunt are non-observant Jews, and Aunt Lena has shielded Katarina from most of the rumors about what has been happening to Jews in surrounding countries. Since Katarina's aunt hasn't provided any Jewish religious instruction for Katarina, their Catholic maid fills the void, and Katarina considers herself to be Catholic.

As conditions become more dangerous, the family is forced to go into hiding. Eventually Katarina is separated from her family. Her story becomes one of survival as she moves from place to place, and of a journey home at the end of the war. Katarina's resilience keeps her story from becoming too bleak.

This fictional story is based on the author's experience as a Jewish child in Slovakia during World War II. The recommended reading level is grade 6 and higher. Because of a brief description of sexual activity and another incident describing inappropriate touching of a child by an adult, I would not recommend the book for younger readers who read above their grade level. This well-written novel would be good supplemental reading for social studies, and might also be a good book group selection. It should stimulate some interesting discussions.

4 stars

Book 8 for social studies/history: The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer

If you're planning a trip back in time to 14th century England, this is the book you need to leave before getting into the time machine. In 11 chapters, Ian Mortimer describes the landscape, the people, the medieval character, basic essentials, what to wear, traveling, where to stay, what to eat and drink, health and hygiene, the law, and what to do. I read a chapter a day until I had finished the book. I'm not sure I would have finished the book if I hadn't done that. There isn't a narrative thread to pull the reader from chapter to chapter. I'm glad I stuck to my plan because the last three chapters were the most interesting to me.

The book's organization suits it for use as a reference book. For instance, readers researching medieval dress might want to read just the “what to wear” chapter. The color illustrations have been well selected to complement the text. The 8-page bibliography is more substantial than is often found in works aimed at a general audience. My only disappointment is that, while religion is present in several of the chapters, it didn't get its own chapter.

3 1/2 stars

I started the audio of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None this evening. I must have downloaded the interactive version. I had a wasp in the house over the weekend and ignored it, figuring it wouldn't live very long without food. Sure enough, I discovered it on the carpet while I was vacuuming. Just as I was headed over to pick it up, one of the characters in the audiobook said "There's a wasp!"

LOL! That's too funny!

Be careful, though - as I recall there are parts of that book you really don't want 'interact' with!

>155 Dejah_Thoris: It really should have come with a warning! I've read the book before so I hope I remember enough to stay one step ahead of the killer.

Book 5 for Religious Studies: Godric by Frederick Buechner

Frederick Buechner's biographical novel tells the story of Godric, an Anglo-Saxon hermit who was born just before the Norman Conquest and who died just months before the murder of Thomas à Becket. At the time of the novel, Godric is nearing the end of his life. His biographer, Reginald of Durham, is persuading a somewhat uncooperative Godric to tell his life story. The cadence of his words seems to flow straight from the 12th century to the reader's ear.

In his early adulthood, Godric was an adventurer with few scruples. Whatever comforts he enjoyed in life were usually gained at another's expense. A mystical encounter on the island of Farne eventually led him to repent of his former lifestyle and to withdraw from the world and its temptations. However, a hermit's life couldn't free him from all temptation, for he carried the seeds of temptation in his thoughts and in his dreams.

Godric's words are infused with the wisdom found in contemplation and reflection:

That's five friends, one for each of Jesu's wounds, and Godric bears their mark still on what's left of him as in their time they all bore his on them. What's friendship, when all's done, but the giving and taking of wounds?

This would easily have earned five stars from me had it not been for Buechner's attributing to Godric one great temptation that troubled him throughout his life. It's not a common temptation, and I'm not sure that there is a historical foundation for it. I'm not convinced that the distance of 1000 years is sufficient justification for artistic license of this magnitude.

4 stars

School Days April recap

1. Science 1/1 – Category complete

2. Home economics 0/2

3. Math 0/3

4. Music 3/4

5. Lunch 1/5

6. Art 3/6
Pictures at an Exhibition by Sara Houghteling – 3 ½ stars

7. Religious studies 5/7
Heresy by S. J. Parris – 3 stars
The Boy Who Stole the Leopard's Spots by Tamar Myers – 3 stars
Katarina by Kathryn Winter – 4 stars
Godric by Frederick Buechner – 4 stars

8. Field trips 4/8
My Samoan Chief by Fay G. Calkins – 3 ½ stars

9. Speech 6/9
The Final Solution by Michael Chabon – 4 stars

10. English lit 7/10
The Solitary House by Lynn Shepherd – 2 ½ stars

11. Social studies/history 8/11
Gentlemen of the Road by Michael Chabon – 4 stars
Night by Elie Wiesel – 4 ½ stars
The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer – 3 ½ stars

12. Recess 7/12
Cotillion by Georgette Heyer – 4 ½ stars

Bonus category 1: TBRs 6/12

Bonus category 2: Something borrowed 6/12
The Headhunter's Daughter by Tamar Myers – 3 ½ stars
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe - 5 stars

Best of the month: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
Worst of the month: The Solitary House by Lynn Shepherd

Book 9 for Speech class: The Conquering Family by Thomas B. Costain

The first volume of Thomas B. Costain's 4-volume history of England's Plantagenet dynasty covers the period between the death of Henry I and the death of John. Costain makes the most of the colorful characters and events of the period – the civil war that followed the death of Henry I, when both Stephen and Matilda claimed the throne; Henry II's marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine; the rise and fall of Thomas à Becket; the bitter rivalry and changing allegiances among Henry's sons; the 3rd Crusade; the Magna Carta. I listened to the audio version, and the reader's sardonic tone and aristocratic voice are a perfect fit for the dramatic nature of this era's history. This book provides historical context for some popular series such as Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael mysteries and Ariana Franklin's Mistress of the Art of Death mysteries, and it would be good background reading for fans of either series.

4 stars

Field trip #5: And the Sea Will Tell by Vincent Bugliosi (a trip that went terribly wrong)

Two couples, both seeking solitude on a deserted Pacific Island, arrive at Palmyra Island in close succession. Only one couple survives to tell the story. Fugitive Buck Walker (using alias Roy Allen) and his girlfriend, Jennifer Jenkins, intend to live off the land out of reach of the authorities who are on the lookout for Buck. Avid sailor Mac Graham and his reluctant wife, Muff, aim to spend a year on their well-stocked, well-equipped boat. When Buck and Jennifer are discovered in Hawaii on the Graham's boat with no sign of the Grahams, the pair are tried for theft. Several years later, human remains are discovered on Palmyra Island and Buck and Jennifer are tried for murder.

Much like TV's Matlock, defense attorney Vincent Bugliosi, a former prosecutor, accepts cases only when he believes his client is innocent of the crime(s) with which they have been charged. After hearing Jennifer's story, Bugliosi believes she is innocent of murder. Bugliosi and co-counsel Len Weinglass take on her defense.

The book reveals what I've always suspected about Gilligan's Island. This remote Pacific island is no paradise. There is a sinister aspect to the island itself. The tension builds as other visitors to Palmyra come and go until only two couples are left. The suspense is sustained throughout the trials, first of Buck Walker, then of Jennifer Jenkins. The most appealing aspect of the book for me is the inside look at Bugliosi's legal strategy. Bugliosi starts with his summation and works backwards. He researches the background of every witness statement and piece of evidence. He scripts examinations, cross examinations, and motions. He anticipates what the prosecution will do and stays a step ahead of them. It's a fascinating look at the inner workings of the legal system.

4 1/2 stars

I remember reading about half of this book and setting it aside. I don't think I made it to the trial. Now, where did I leave it...?

Book 7 in my "Something Borrowed" bonus category: Under Copp's Hill by Katherine Ayres

11-year-old Innie Moretti is thrilled when she finds out from her older cousin, Carmela, about the girls' library club at the new settlement house in Boston's North End. Innie and her cousin, Teresa, volunteer to help unpack the books, clean, and do other tasks to get the house ready for business. Smoke from the recent Chelsea fire left lots of soot to be removed. Innie can't resist the temptation to explore as she works. She thinks she hasn't been observed, but when food and other items keep disappearing from the house, Innie's snooping makes her the prime suspect. With the help of her cousin, Teresa, and their new friend, Matela, Innie conducts her own investigation to find the guilty party.

This is just the type of mystery I loved when I was in elementary school. In books, old houses always seem to hide secrets, and I used to dream about exploring old houses with secret passages and hidden rooms. The mystery and its solution are believable, although older readers will probably guess the solution long before it is revealed. Readers of any age will enjoy the friendship between immigrant girls of different ethnic backgrounds (Italian Catholic and Russian Jewish). Readers familiar with Boston will enjoy reading about places and events in the city's past.

3 1/2 stars

>162 cbl_tn: I used to dream about exploring old houses with secret passages and hidden rooms.

So did I. And then, when I was 11, we moved into a big old house that did have a hidden room! Actually, it was a closet, that had been closed off so that a larger "modern" wardrobe could be built in front of it, so there was no way to get into it. It wasn't until I was 18 that my parents finally opened it up (to create a hallway to the enclosed sunporch). What a disappointment to find that it was totally empty, after all the years of speculation as to what was hidden there...

Book 8 for English Lit: And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Ten strangers gather on a deserted island at the invitation of a mysterious host. One by one, they begin to die by means foreshadowed in a nursery rhyme. If the plot sounds familiar, it's because so many authors have borrowed it over the years, most less successfully than the original. Although Christie had already used some of the same character elements in one of the Poirot novels, Cards on the Table, the similarities end there.

This novel was later adapted into a play with a different ending more suited for theatrical performance. I prefer the play's resolution because it isn't as dark as the book. This is one Christie novel that doesn't fit into the cozy genre. It's a psychological thriller with tension that increases as the number of guests dwindles. It's one of the must-reads of Christie's oeuvre.

4 stars

This is one of my favorite Agatha Christie books - it gives me chills every time even though I know how it ends.

Ivy, my grandmother's house had a couple of "hidden" cubbyholes. Like you, I was thrilled to discover them and very disappointed when they turned out to be empty.

>165 LittleTaiko: I kept warning the characters not to do whatever it seemed they were about to do, but they didn't listen...

Carrie, it seems unlikely that I'll ever close off a room, but if I did, I'd put something in there for someone to find someday. Imagine how thrilling it would be to find even a picture, a newspaper, an article of clothing!

>164 cbl_tn: And Then There Were None is truly a classic. I haven't read it in years. Maybe I should!

Book 8 in my "Something Borrowed" bonus category: The Successor by Ismail Kadare

The Designated Successor was found dead in his bedroom at dawn on December 14. From this starting point, Kadare moves both backwards and forwards in time, looking dispassionately at the event from multiple perspectives, including that of the Successor's family, the Guide (Albania's aging, blind dictator), the new heir apparent, the architect in charge of the recent renovations of the Successor's house, and various unnamed foreign intelligence agencies. Did the Successor commit suicide, or was he murdered? If he was murdered, who killed him, and who will be blamed? (These are not necessarily the same person.) Is it possible to discover the true facts about the death? What are the implications for the future? It's a fascinating psychological study of Albanian politics in the Cold War era, perhaps best summed up by the anonymous intelligence agency analysts: The only way you can get a grip on a place overcome by paranoia is by becoming a little paranoid yourself.

4 stars

Book 1 for Math class: The Oxford Murders by Guillermo Martinez

Not long after his arrival in Oxford, a Argentinian graduate mathematics student discovers his elderly landlady's murdered body. The murder doesn't appear to be an isolated event. An Oxford mathematics professor arrived at the scene at the same time as the mathematics student, explaining that he had received an anonymous note about the murder. The note included a mathematical symbol and it claimed it was the first in a series. More deaths follow, each one with a new symbol to add to the series. How quickly can the mathematicians solve the code to catch the killer and prevent more deaths?

When I learned fairly early in the book that the mathematics professor had written a book in which he discusses crime in mathematical terms, I thought the plot might develop like an episode of Numbers. Although there are complex mathematical theories and philosophical discussions sprinkled throughout the book, the plot is actually very simple for a mystery novel. I was generous with my rating because I liked the main characters and the Oxford setting. Other readers may find it difficult to overlook the weak mystery and underdeveloped secondary characters.

3 1/2 stars

Book 6 for Religious Studies class: Revelation by C. J. Sansom

When lawyer Matthew Shardlake discovers the murdered body of a dear friend, his determination to find his friend's killer and see justice done brings him once again into the political arena he has tried hard to avoid. Soon more murders are discovered, and it seems that the killer is motivated by religion. The religious and political climate is already tense. The reformers have fallen out of the king's favor and the traditionalists have once again gained in favor. The investigation into the murders will require discretion, diplomacy, and good luck to satisfy one faction without arousing the wrath of the opposing faction.

Religion is often a polarizing topic, but C.J. Sansom handles it in an unoffensive manner. It's not uncommon for religious adherents to be categorized as either “right” or “wrong”, “good” or “bad”. While it's clear to the reader which views Shardlake approves of and which he disapproves of, he doesn't condemn those with opposing views just because they hold those views. Nor does he approve of people whose opinion he agrees with just because they share the same view. He recognizes that there are sincere, humble people, as well as zealots or calculating opportunists, on all sides.

Matthew Shardlake is an unconventional yet appealing hero. He's professional, a loyal friend, and a gentleman. Sansom's Matthew Shardlake books are among the best historical mysteries available. He brings Tudor London to life. The series is best read in order since each book introduces at least one continuing character and since later books refer to events in earlier books.

4 stars

Good review of The Oxford Murders. I agree with your assessment. The mystery itself was pretty simplistic but I found the characters interesting enough to keep me reading. I haven't gotten around to the Shardlake series yet but will at some point!

Lori, whenever you get around to the Shardlake books, I think you'll like them. The series has been consistently good. Not a dud among the four I've read so far.

I've only read 2 of the Shardlake books (so far) but wouldn't hesitate to recommend them either.

Book 2 for Lunch period: Oolong Dead by Laura Childs

When she is first on the scene at a murder, Theodosia Browning is shocked to see that the victim is Abby Davis, a television news anchor as well as Theodosia's ex-boyfriend's sister. After the police decide Theodosia isn't a suspect, she's asked to unofficially help with the investigation because of her familiarity with the family. Ex-boyfriend Jory Davis wants Theodosia's help, too. Abby made a lot of enemies during her short life so there's no shortage of suspects.

It was pretty obvious early on where and how the story would end, no matter who the murderer turned out to be. I think most readers who correctly guess the killer's identity before it's revealed will have inferred it from plot cues (which should not be confused with clues). Many readers will spot the problem with the call sign of Abby Davis's former Savannah television network, KSAV. Savannah is well east of the Mississippi River and is not one of the handful of exceptions to the east/west W/K division of call signs. However, the charm of the Indigo Tea Shop in its historic Charleston setting and the great cast of characters are a great compensation for the plot weaknesses. After all, it's the characters and setting that hooked me on this series in the first place!

3 1/2 stars

I had a fun outing with friends this afternoon at our local used bookstore. I came back with a great haul of books that were mostly from my wishlist:

Father Melancholy's Daughter by Gail Godwin
Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose
The Key by Patricia Wentworth
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
Berlin Game by Len Deighton
The Spy Who Came In from the Cold by John le Carre
The Deep Blue Good-by by John D. MacDonald
Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson
A Truth Universally Acknowledged: 33 Great Writers on Why We Read Jane Austen edited by Susannah Carson

I also downloaded a couple of Project Gutenberg e-books earlier today:
In a German Pension by Katherine Mansfield
Elizabeth and Her German Garden by Elizabeth von Arnim

Finally, I picked up a hold from the public library:
Reading on Location: Great Books Set in Top Travel Destinations by Luisa Moncada and Scala Quin

Now if I could only find time to read them...

Book 9 for Social Studies/History class: The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

The Devil in the White City interweaves the story of Chicago's 1893 World Columbian Exposition, from its planning through its aftermath, with the story of H. H. Holmes (an alias), a serial killer who preyed on naive young women and children. Some of the parts about the construction of the buildings and landscaping dragged for me in the audio version. I might have skimmed through those parts more quickly if I had been reading the print version. I lived through the planning and construction of Knoxville's 1982 World's Fair and, although the era and location were different, Knoxville experienced the same sorts of disagreements and controversies regarding the site, building design, expense, etc.

The storyline of H. H. Holmes, his victims, his crimes, and his trial completely captured my attention. I'd like to think that I would have sensed that there was something that wasn't quite right about him if I had met him, yet for years practically everyone he met was taken in by his persona.

A minor storyline about the assassination of Chicago's mayor was included because it affected the Exposition's closing ceremony. Having listened to Destiny of the Republic earlier this year, I was struck by the similarity between the motives for the mayor's assassination and President Garfield's assassination. The murder must have given many of Chicago's adults a feeling of déjà vu.

3 1/2 stars

Book 9 for my "Something Borrowed" bonus category: In the Shadow of Gotham by Stefanie Pintoff

Detective Simon Ziele left New York City for a job in the small town of Dobson after a tragic accident that killed his fiancée and damaged his right arm. However, his investigation into a shocking murder takes him back to New York and into an uneasy alliance with a Columbia University research institute for the study of criminal behavior. The institute's founder has noticed similarities between details of the murder and the violent fantasies of a missing research subject.

This is a promising start for a historical mystery series. The turn of the 20th century was an era of modernization of forensic science and criminal investigation. The attitudes and dialogue at times seemed a little too modern for that era, though. Even though my top suspect turned out to be the culprit, I questioned my judgment right up to the point of revelation because no one in the story seemed to notice what I thought were clues. The author did a nice job of introducing characters and situations that,while they helped to resolve this mystery, may cause problems for Ziele in future installments of the series. The teasers have already prompted me to add the next book in the series to my TBR list.

3 1/2 stars

Interesting reviews - thanks!

@ 177 -- I have In the Shadow of Gotham on my TBR shelf, so I'm glad to see you liked it!

Book 1 for Home Ec class: The Lover's Knot by Clare O'Donohue

After a broken engagement, Nell heads to her grandmother's home in small town Archers Rest, New York, for a little TLC. Her grandmother runs a quilt shop, and, although Nell is not a quilter, she soon gets caught up in the expansion of the business and the Friday night quilting club. The local handyman, who has a reputation as a lady's man, is working on projects at Nell's grandmother's house and shop. His attentions to Nell boost her wounded self-esteem, but it leads to trouble when her ex-fiance, Ryan, shows up. Soon the handyman is dead and Ryan is high on the list of suspects.

This series has been compared to Jennifer Chiaverini's Elm Creek Quilts series, and it's an apt comparison. The quilting theme and the casts of characters are similar, yet it doesn't read like the author is trying to copy Chiaverini's formula to recreate her success. O'Donohue's voice is different. I do think that this series will appeal to Chiaverini's readers, particularly those who are also cozy mystery fans. Nell demonstrated a tendency to interfere with the police investigation, but the young and handsome police chief has tolerated it reasonably well so far. I'll have to see if I can be as tolerant as the police chief. I'll probably lose interest if she keeps up this kind of behavior as the series progresses.

3 1/2 stars

Recess #8: Return of the Swallows by Aileen G. Baron

Archaeologist Tamar Saticoy is at work on a small project for a California mission when she uncovers a skeleton at the excavation site. Following protocol, Tamar contacts law enforcement and asks a forensic anthropologist to examine the remains. Although it's logical to assume that the skeleton is an ancient Native American burial, the examination raises serious doubts about the age and ethnicity of the remains. Meanwhile, Tamar accepts a dying colleague's request to fill in for him as an Interpol consultant. Tamar has worked with Interpol in the past, so she agrees to the request. Her assignment takes her to Thailand and into unexpected danger from antiquities smugglers.

I'm familiar enough with archaeology to recognize that the author knows her stuff. The archaeological sites, museums, and conference have an authentic feel. The plot is solid and plausible. However, the story has a bit too much action and not enough description and analysis. I felt like I was watching Tamar, when I really wanted to be inside her head and viewing the world from her perspective. The series has enough strengths that I'd like to try another book in the series to see if I can get to know Tamar better through more exposure to her.

This review is based on an electronic advanced reading copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

2 1/2 stars

Hearing lots of good words about the C. J. Sansom-series - I must pick that up! Love your And Then There Were None-bee story - that would make me question my sanity a bit! :)

Recess #9: The Black Tower by Betsy Byars

Herculeah Jones' private eye mother gets a job for Herculeah reading to one of her clients who has been paralyzed by a stroke. The client, Mr. Hunt, can answer yes or no questions by blinking his eyes. The book he's selected for Herculeah to read aloud is Terror in the Black Tower. Mr. Hunt's spooky house has a black tower. Is he trying to send Herculeah a message? What secret does the black tower hold?

This is exactly the sort of book I would have loved as a tween, and my adult self enjoyed it almost as much as my younger self would have. Herculeah is precocious, but not too precocious to be believable. Her sidekick, Meat (real name Albert), is a loyal friend who is more cautious than Herculeah. Meat struggles when he has to choose between staying out of danger and joining Herculeah in her adventures. While there is a hint of the supernatural in the book - Herculeah has premonitions that make her hair frizz - the solution of the mystery doesn't rely on a supernatural revelation.

This is a series that will appeal to young mystery lovers and to young at heart mystery readers.

4 stars

Book 9 for English Lit: Death Comes to Pemberley by P. D. James

Several years after Darcy and Elizabeth's marriage, Wickham still manages to cause trouble for the couple by bringing murder to the Pemberley estate. Darcy can hardly avoid being involved in the inquest and subsequent trial since the murder occurred on his property and he and Colonel Fitzwilliam were among the first on the scene.

The book reminds me more of Anne Perry's William Monk series than either Pride and Prejudice or P. D. James's Adam Dalgliesh mysteries. The book is really Darcy's rather than Elizabeth's. I like James's idea of making Darcy one of the local magistrates. Although he couldn't be involved in this case in his official capacity because of his personal connection to the location and suspect, his position gave him knowledge of the process and possible outcomes that he could share with other characters (and thus with readers). If James had stopped writing when the crime had been solved and the legal process had taken its course, it would have been a 4 star book. I think revisiting Darcy and Elizabeth's courtship in Pride and Prejudice was a mistake. It's hard to improve on Austen's original, and the book would have ended more satisfactorily if James hadn't tried.

3 1/2 stars

Book 10 for Recess: The Deep Blue Good-by by John D. MacDonald

I suppose Travis McGee would be classified as a private eye, but he doesn't advertize. He operates unofficially, only taking cases when he runs out of money. He's usually the last resort for his clients, so his fee is 50% of whatever he recovers for them. After all, 50% is better than nothing. The first Travis McGee novel finds Trav helping a friend of a friend. He's reluctant at first, but something about the trail of damaged women Junior Allen leaves behind gets under his skin.

Travis McGee reminds me of The Equalizer or The A-Team with Jim Rockford's personality. He's also a bit of a philosopher:

These are the playmate years, and they are demonstrably fraudulent. The scene is reputed to be acrawl with adorably amoral bunnies to whom sex is a pleasant social favor. The new culture. And they are indeed present and available, in exhausting quantity, but there is a curious tastelessness about them. A woman who does not guard and treasure herself cannot be of very much value to anyone else. They become a pretty little convenience, like a guest towel.

Although this isn't my usual type of crime novel, the strong sense of place in South Florida and McGee's depth of character will eventually draw me back to the series.

3 1/2 stars

Book 7 in my TBR bonus category: Before Sherlock Holmes by LeRoy Lad Panek

This history of detective fiction traces the evolution of the genre in the 19th century from serial fiction. Authors like Poe, Dickens, and Collins became and remain popular, while others have been mostly forgotten.

The author credits the availability of digitized 19th century newspapers for making this history possible. His research revealed the surprising extent of plagiarism in 19th century serial publications. In many cases it was difficult for the author to pinpoint the original publication information, and sometimes even the author of a piece of fiction because it had been reprinted so many times with various, or no, attributions.

This is essentially a lengthy bibliographic essay that will be of interest mainly for students in advanced courses on the subject. The inclusion of spoilers for many of the titles mentioned in the text limit its usefulness as a reader's guide.

This review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.

3 stars

School Days May recap

1. Science 1/1 – Category complete

2. Home economics 1/2
The Lover's Knot by Clare O'Donohue – 3 ½ stars

3. Math 1/3
The Oxford Murders by Guillermo Martinez – 3 ½ stars

4. Music 3/4

5. Lunch 2/5
Oolong Dead by Laura Childs – 3 ½ stars

6. Art 3/6

7. Religious studies 6/7
Revelation by C. J. Sansom – 4 stars

8. Field trips 5/8
And the Sea Will Tell by Vincent Bugliosi – 4 ½ stars

9. Speech 7/9
The Conquering Family by Thomas B. Costain – 4 stars

10. English lit 9/10
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie – 4 stars
Death Comes to Pemberley by P. D. James – 3 ½ stars

11. Social studies/history 9/11
The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson – 3 ½ stars

12. Recess 10/12
Return of the Swallows by Aileen G. Baron – 2 ½ stars
The Black Tower by Betsy Byars – 4 stars
The Deep Blue Good-by by John D. MacDonald – 3 ½ stars

Bonus category 1: TBRs 7/12
Before Sherlock Holmes by LeRoy Lad Panek – 3 stars

Bonus category 2: Something borrowed 9/12
Under Copp's Hill by Katherine Ayres – 3 ½ stars
The Successor by Ismail Kadare – 4 stars
In the Shadow of Gotham by Stefanie Pintoff – 3 ½ stars

Best of the month: And the Sea Will Tell by Vincent Bugliosi
Worst of the month: Return of the Swallows by Aileen G. Baron

Book 8 for Speech class: The Regatta Mystery by Agatha Christie

The Regatta Mystery is a collection of short stories featuring three of Christie's detectives: Hercule Poirot, Parker Pyne, and Miss Marple. One story is a stand-alone suspense story with supernatural elements. The audio version uses various readers, including Hugh Fraser (Hastings in the British TV series), David Suchet (Poirot in the British TV series), and Joan Hickson (my favorite Miss Marple).

This collection would be a good introduction to Christie's works for newbies. Christie was at the top of her game when this collection was first published. The Poirot stories are all classics. The Miss Marple story is delightful, particularly since it is one of her few appearances in Christie's works up to this point in their publication history. Although Parker Pyne isn't my favorite Christie detective, his two stories in this collection are both entertaining. I don't care for supernatural fiction in general, and Christie's works in this genre are no exception. The single story in this collection is more tolerable than most.

4 stars

Book 10 in my Something Borrowed bonus category: The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson

Walt Longmire is marking time until he can retire as sheriff of Absaroka County,Wyoming. His co-workers and friends have tolerated the annoying bachelor habits he's developed since the death of his wife, but they're beginning to hint (not so subtly) that it's time for him to move on. He doesn't protest too much when his best friend, Henry Standing Bear, fixes him up with a beautiful, wealthy single neighbor. However, their budding romance must wait while Sheriff Longmire leads an investigation into the murder of a local youth. The young man was one of four involved in the rape of a Cheyenne teenager with fetal alcohol syndrome. There are some in the community, both on and off the reservation, who believe the boys were punished too lightly for their crime. Has someone taken up where the legal system is believed to have failed?

Although this is a character-driven story, there is plenty of action for readers who prefer plot-driven novels. There's just enough humor to keep the atmosphere from becoming unbearably depressing. Johnson gets the relationship between Longmire and Standing Bear just right. Their conversations are made up of the kind of back and forth that is characteristic of long years of familiarity and shared experiences, with an unstated undercurrent of deep affection and trust. I feel like the characters are real people in a real place, and if I went to Wyoming I'd find them there. This is one of those rare books I hated to finish because I didn't want my time with the characters to end. Fortunately, I have several more books in the series waiting for me!

4 stars

The Cold Dish has been on my wishlist for a while. Good to see another positive review for it though. I also noticed that a TV show based on the Longmire character has just started this past weekend.

I skimmed over your review of The Cold Dish because I plan to read it for the 12-12 as well. If only the line at the library would go faster!

>191 VictoriaPL: I was surprised there was a copy available at the library when I wanted to read it. I thought there might be a waiting list because of the TV series debut. I guess I checked it out just in the nick of time!

Book 8 in my TBR bonus category: Miss Julia Strikes Back by Ann B. Ross

While her new husband, Sam, is on a long-planned trip to Russia and her friend Hazel Marie is in Mexico, it would seem that Miss Julia would be at loose ends. However, when her engagement and wedding ring and Hazel Marie's jewelry are stolen by a gang of thieves, Miss Julia has plenty to do since her private investigator friend, Mr. Pickens, is out of town and is unavailable to take the case. Miss Julia and Hazel Marie's young son, Lloyd, take off for Florida after they learn that the gang's headquarters is probably located there. Miss Julia and Lloyd are soon hot on the theives' trail, with a little help from a drunken P.I. friend of Mr. Pickens and from the slightly trashy Etta Mae Wiggins.

The Miss Julia books are among my favorites for escape reading, and this one is the best yet of the series. I'm glad I didn't read very much of it in public. I laughed so hard in places that I know I would have attracted attention to myself. It's not great literature, but it's well written for its genre and it's just plain fun. Here's a sample passage, with Miss Julia and Lloyd trying to cope with a drunken P.I. Tuttle:

”If he's not closer to normal by morning, we might have to {call a doctor}. The problem is, though, we don't know what normal is like for him. We may be seeing it now.”

“It's got to be better than this,” Lloyd said as he gazed soberly at Mr. Tuttle. “All he's done is sleep and throw up, and I don't think that's normal for anybody.”

I nodded, marveling again at how incisive his mind was. He could cut through to the gist of a problem as quickly as Sam or Lillian could.

This book might work OK as a stand-alone, but I don't think it would be as funny without a knowledge of the characters from the earlier books in the series. I recommend starting from the beginning and reading the books in order.

5 stars

Book 11 for Recess: Harry Lipkin, Private Eye by Barry Fantoni

Harry Lipkin isn't your average private eye. He's 87 years old and still in business. His current case involves another senior citizen, a widow with a problem. Items of sentimental value are disappearing from her home, and only her household staff has access. Lipkin investigates the five staff members to identify the culprit.

The book is as much about aging as it is about crime solving. Harry's mind is still active, but his body has slowed down. He can't do things the way he would have done them when he was younger. He's not intimidated by physical threats. After all, he's 87 years old. What does he have to lose? The story is entertaining, but not particularly memorable. The author seemed to know when enough was enough. The novelty of an 87-year-old PI would have worn thin in a longer book, but 200 pages (give or take a few) feels just about right.

This review is based on an advanced reading copy provided by the publisher through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.

3 stars

I've been at a conference this week in West Palm Beach, FL. I haven't found much time to read, but I have managed to squeeze in some sightseeing, as you can see from this picture of Palm Beach I took a couple of evenings ago:

That's a lovely picture, Carrie, I hope you are having a great time!

I'm having a great time! Lori (thornton37814) attended the same conference & we traveled together from TN. The conference ended Thursday evening. Yesterday we went to find my great-grandmother's grave in Miami and then went to a historical museum in Fort Lauderdale. Today we took a bus tour to Key West. We only had about 6 hours, but managed to see just about everything we wanted to see - Hemingway's house, Truman's Little White House, & the Southernmost point in the continental U.S. We're headed back to Tennessee tomorrow.

I did finish a book on the bus on the way to Key West this morning - Don't Look Back by Karin Fossum. I'll review it when I get home!

Sounds like a nice break. Lucky you being able to read on a bus, I can't read in a car or bus, even a train has been known to do me in, if I am not facing the same way as the train is going.

I can't read in a car or van, but I can on a bus, train, and plane. I don't know what the difference is between the car and the bus, but there's a difference.

For a couple of months I've been tentatively planning a trip to Germany in July to visit my brother and SIL. My brother is temporarily working in northern Germany. He may be there until September, or he may only be there until near the end of July. I kept putting off making plans until I was certain he would still be there when I got there, but I decided I couldn't put it off any longer. This evening I booked a flight & made hotel reservations. A family friend is traveling with me so even if my brother leaves the country before I arrive I'll have someone to see the sights with. I haven't traveled in the northern part of Germany before. I'm looking forward to my first visit to Berlin.

I like to read about places I'll be visiting before a trip. My reading in the next few weeks will likely include many of the following:

The Spy Who Came In from the Cold by John le Carre
Elizabeth and Her German Garden by Elizabeth von Arnim
In a German Pension by Katherine Mansfield
My Berlin Kitchen by Luisa Weiss (no touchstone yet)
When In Germany, Do as the Germans Do by Hyde Flippo
Suddenly, Everything Was Different by Olaf G. Klein
Three Men on Wheels by Jerome K. Jerome
Death in Berlin by M.M. Kaye
Berlin Game by Len Deighton
A Paragon of Virtue by Christian von Ditfurth
The Monuments Men by Robert M. Edsel
City of Shadows by Ariana Franklin
In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson
The Arms Maker of Berlin by Dan Fesperman
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

And, because I have a not-quite-24-hour layover in Amsterdam on the way home:
Amsterdam: A Brief Life of the City by Geert Mak

My Berlin Kitchen is an e-galley from NetGalley so it will be a must-read. I'm not sure how many of the others I'll have time for, but I'll fit in as many as I can!

I read all the M. M. Kaye books years ago. I wish she had written more!

I read them all years ago, too, but it's been so long that I don't remember much about them.

Nice reading list - City of Shadows by Ariana Franklin was a 5 star read for me and is very different from her Mistress of the Art of Death series. God luck with your trip to Germany..... it has been a number of years since I was last there and your mention of it makes me wish I was making a trip there myself soon.

If City of Shadows was a 5-star read for you, I definitely need to make sure I get to it!

I think the last time I was in Germany (other than passing through an airport en route to somewhere else) was Christmas of 1989. It was right after the Berlin Wall came down, and I'll never forget seeing all of the East German cars on the roads.

I'll add my 5 stars for City of Shadows. I had images of Ingrid Bergman and Yul Bryner in my head as I was reading it.

Field trip #6: Don't Look Back by Karin Fossum

The investigation of the disappearance of a young girl in a small Norwegian town results in the discovery of a body. Who killed this seemingly-well-liked girl, and why was she killed? If Inspector Sejer and his partner, Skarre, can unlock the secret of her personality, this might lead them to her killer.

I was pleasantly surprised when the story went in some unexpected directions. Its ending was unpredictable until I had read well past the halfway point. Fossum cast suspicion on a number of credible suspects. The problem is that some of the suspects were cleared of suspicion by events or circumstances that weren't fully explained. Still, it's a strong start to a series that's become popular with fans of Scandinavian crime fiction.

The relationship between middle-aged Sejer and the younger Skarre reminded me a bit of the relationship between Armand Gamache and Jean-Guy Beauvoir in Louise Penny's Three Pines series. They're not quite as charismatic as Penny's duo, but the dynamic is similar. This might be a good series for Penny's fans to experiment with while waiting for the release of the next Three Pines novel.

3 1/2 stars

Book 10 for Social Studies/History class: A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

This book has one of the greatest opening statements and also one of the greatest closing statements in all of literature. I've read it more than once, and every time the ending leaves me in tears. Each time I read it, I discover something I overlooked in my previous readings. It hadn't sunk in until this time through how long a time span is covered in the book – from the American Revolution to the French Revolution, a period of 15-20 years. I always had a mental image of Lucy as a young woman, but she must be approaching middle age by the end of the book.

I think Dickens' real genius is in his characters and the world they inhabit. Although the plot details grow fuzzy between readings, the characters remain alive: Dr. Manette and his shoe bench; Mrs. Cruncher and her floppin'; Madame Defarge and her knitting; Sidney Carton, ever conscious of his moral weakness, yet capable of one great act of courage and sacrifice. This novel is on my top ten list, and it's one that I think everyone should read at least once.

5 stars

Book 9 in my TBR bonus category: The Miss Stone Affair by Teresa Carpenter

A middle-aged, single missionary seems an unlikely person to be at the center of a foreign crisis, yet that's what happened to Ellen Stone in the fall of 1901. While traveling in Macedonia with a group of Christians, Miss Stone and a young Bulgarian woman were kidnapped by a group of men who had been lying in wait for the party. The men demanded a ransom that was the equivalent of several thousands of dollars. The unprecedented kidnapping caught U.S. officials by surprise. In the past, the U.S. had dealt with citizens taken captive by pirates on the sea, but they had no policy for dealing with American citizens who were kidnapped in foreign countries. It hadn't happened before. The government's response was further complicated by a domestic crisis – the shooting of President McKinley on September 6, just 3 days after Miss Stone's kidnapping.

Several groups had an interest in Miss Stone's rescue, and more often than not they were at cross purposes. The U.S. government and the mission agency both initially refused to raise and pay the ransom, so Miss Stone's family appealed to the public through the media. As week after week passed without a resolution of the crisis, the government and the mission agency gradually accepted the need to pay the ransom, particularly since there was so much public sympathy for Miss Stone and her companion, who, to everyone except her husband's surprise, was 5 months pregnant at the time of the kidnapping.

This account of the kidnapping, although written for a popular rather than an academic audience, is at times difficult to follow. Although Carpenter used archival sources as well as contemporary newspaper accounts, I'm sure it was difficult to separate the facts from the speculation and misinformation surrounding the incident. As new participants entered the story, Ms. Carpenter shifted the focus to the new arrival and his or her involvement with the rescue effort. This resulted in a lot of backtracking. I think a chronological approach might have worked better, although, given the nature of Balkan politics, the intricacies of the story would be difficult to describe in any format.

3 1/2 stars

You liked The Miss Stone Affair much more than I did.

It tied in well with my Bulgaria book, Under the Yoke. Since journalists had some influence in the course of events, it also helped that I had read The Murder of the Century not too long ago.

I just read a passage in one of the books I'm reading that describes a character as having a complexion like milk. It's a description I've seen many times before, but for some reason I stopped to think about it. I just took a good look at the jug of milk in my refrigerator, and I think if I ever actually ran into someone whose complexion looked exactly like it, I'd take her to the nearest emergency room for a blood transfusion.

That would be strange!

>207 cbl_tn: - Glad to hear that A Tale of Two Cities holds up upon a second reading. I read it in high school and loved it and am impatiently waiting for it being time to reread it as I continue my march through Dickens novels.

>213 LittleTaiko: How are you determining the order for reading Dickens' novels? Are you following publication order? I have loved all of his works that I've read (except for The Old Curiosity Shop, I guess, because I know I've read it but I don't remember much about it). I've only read a handful, though, and I have many more that I want to read.

I'm keeping one eye on the Colorado wildfires this week since I'm heading to the Denver area on Saturday for a family event. Normally I'd plan a day in Colorado Springs, but it looks like I won't be going there this time. I just learned that one of my favorite places, the Flying W Ranch, has been destroyed. It makes me sad to think that it's gone, as well as so many homes in the area. I'm praying for everyone's safety - homeowners, business owners, & firefighters.

>214 cbl_tn: - Yes, I'm reading them in publication order. Right now I'm on Martin Chuzzlewit which has been more of a struggle than some of the other books. I just need a few hours to devote whichis hard to find.

Have fun in Denver. I have some family in Colorado Springs and am hoping they are doing okay.

I'll say a prayer for your family. It doesn't look like Colorado Springs is a good place to be right now.

10th and last book for English Lit class: The Black Cat by Martha Grimes

When a murdered woman is discovered at a Chesham pub called The Black Cat, the case is assigned to Richard Jury of Scotland Yard. The difficulties encountered while attempting to identify the dead woman uncovered some surprising secrets. In order to solve the case, Jury enlists the help of his friend, Melrose Plant, in investigating the world of escort services.

The murder plot itself is unoriginal, but rather borrowed from well-known books and films. The book has ties to at least one of Grimes' previous Jury novels, The Old Wine Shades, which I hadn't read, unfortunately, since this book contains some major plot spoilers for it. While the mystery plot alone isn't enough to recommend the book, designer shoes and a cat and dog that talk with each other add an element of whimsey that might attract animal lovers or readers with a passion for shoes.

3 stars

Field trip #7: Warriors in the Crossfire by Nancy Bo Flood

When the fighting of WWII reaches the strategic island of Saipan, it falls to 12-year-old Joseph to help his family survive. The war exposes a rift between Joseph and his best friend and cousin, Kento. While Kento's mother and Joseph's mother are sisters from one of the local tribes, Kento's father is Japanese. Should Joseph trust Kento once the fighting begins? Which ties are stronger for Kento – family or nation?

This coming of age novel explores themes of war, family, friendship, loyalty, courage, fear, and grief. The point of view of the non-Japanese, non-American inhabitants of a Pacific island is probably unfamiliar to many readers. Each chapter opens with a short free verse poem, adding an emotional dimension to the story. The novel could be used as supplemental reading for a study of the Pacific Theater in World War II. Recommended for middle school age and up.

4 stars

Book 2 for Math class: A Deadly Row by Casey Mayes

This first-in-a-series cozy mystery introduces Savannah Stone and her husband, Zach, the former Charlotte, NC, police chief. Zach retired from the Charlotte police force after receiving a gun shot wound to the chest. After his recovery, Zach and Savannah moved to the country. Zach now works as a consultant, while Savannah spends her time creating puzzles for a syndicated newspaper column. A couple of related murders that threaten the life of Zach and Savannah's friend, Charlotte mayor Grady Winslow, prompt Zach's former colleagues in Charlotte to hire him as a consultant for the case. The killer seems to be taunting police – and Zach and Savannah, in particular – with cryptic clues pointing to the next victim. Can Savannah help Jack solve the puzzle and prevent the next murder in the series?

I liked a lot of things about this new series. Both Savannah and Jack are likeable characters and seem like people I'd enjoy spending time with. Since Zach is a self-employed consultant, there isn't a problem with Savannah's involvement in the case. Savannah doesn't have to be nosy like so many other cozy heroines. Zach recognizes that Savannah has skills that complement his own and asks her to take on some of the tasks of the investigation. Since they're working on separate aspects of the case, the couple don't spend much time together, and they seem to have the same conversation whenever they do get to see each other.

I wish the puzzle aspect of the book had been developed a little more. Although I've been addicted to logic puzzles since middle school, I had difficulty following Savannah's train of thought. I'm not sure if this puzzle required advanced math knowledge that I either never had or have forgotten since high school, or if there just wasn't enough of the puzzle presented in the book for readers to solve on their own.

I'm always on the lookout for good books set in my local region, so I'll be adding this series to those that I follow.

3 1/2 stars

11th and last book for Social Studies/History class: For Liberty and Glory: Washington, Lafayette, and Their Revolutions by James R. Gaines

Although this book is about both the American and French Revolutions, Washington and Lafayette, Lafayette ends up being the central figure in the book. The account of the American Revolution mainly deals with the events in which Lafayette was involved. If this is the only book you have read about the American Revolution, you're missing out on a lot of the history. For instance, Generals like Nathanael Greene and Henry Knox are barely mentioned. The British generals and strategy are also largely absent from the story. I'm not as familiar with the French Revolution, but I think the account of it, too, is probably missing some key figures and events.

I did learn a lot about Lafayette from this book, and my admiration for him has grown as a result. His contributions to the Revolutionary War were important for its success. His career in France after his return was even more remarkable. He seems to have had friends and admirers on all sides of the French revolution. (There did seem to be at least three sides!) He must have had a charismatic personality, with an ability to make himself agreeable to even those with whom he disagreed in principle. The hardships he shared with American patriots during the American Revolution formed the basis for lifelong friendships with many of the founding fathers. However, political considerations restrained his American friends from providing much assistance to Lafayette when the revolutionary zeal in France finally turned against him.

If you don't have some familiarity with the history of the American and French revolutions, this isn't the place to start. The best audience for the book is probably the general reader looking for a biography of Lafayette. I noticed more than a usual amount of typographical errors in the book (e.g., the state of Franklin referred to as Frankland), so readers may need to double-check facts in other sources.

3 stars

Book 3 for lunch: A Peach of a Murder by Livia J. Washburn

Now that she is widowed, retired teacher Phyllis Newsom has taken in boarders to fill her large home. The other retired teachers who live there include man-crazy Eve, eighty-something Mattie, and Carolyn, Phyllis's rival in the town's peach festival cooking contest. Phyllis's life is upset when she is among the first on the scene at a series of murders. Although she's not considered a suspect (it helps to have a son who's a sheriff's deputy), Phyllis is disturbed when the authorities focus on someone close to her as their primary suspect. Since Phyllis is sure her friend is innocent, she launches her own investigation to find the real killer. Meanwhile, Phyllis takes in a new boarder – Mr. Sam Fletcher – with interesting results.

This is the first book in the series, but it's the second one I've read. I didn't like this one quite as well as the first book I read. That's probably a good thing, since it suggests the series gets better as it progresses. It wasn't hard for me to figure out the murderer's identity and motive. I haven't been impressed with the mystery plot of either of the books I've read in this series. However, the characters seem like people who might be in my circle of friends if I lived in Weatherford, TX. Since I enjoy the characters and I'm curious about how Phyllis's relationship with widower Sam might develop, that's reason enough for me to continue with the series.

3 stars

School Days June recap

1. Science 1/1 – Category complete

2. Home economics 1/2

3. Math 2/3
A Deadly Row by Casey Mayes – 3 ½ stars

4. Music 3/4

5. Lunch 3/5
A Peach of a Murder by Livia J. Washburn – 3 stars

6. Art 3/6

7. Religious studies 6/7

8. Field trips 7/8
Don't Look Back by Karin Fossum – 3 ½ stars
Warriors in the Crossfire by Nancy Bo Flood – 4 stars

9. Speech 8/9
The Regatta Mystery by Agatha Christie – 4 stars

10. English lit 10/10 - Category Complete
The Black Cat by Martha Grimes – 3 stars

11. Social studies/history 11/11 - Category Complete
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens – 5 stars
For Liberty and Glory: Washington, Lafayette, and Their Revolutions by James R. Gaines – 3 stars

12. Recess 11/12
Harry Lipkin, Private Eye by Barry Fantoni – 3 stars

Bonus category 1: TBRs 9/12
Miss Julia Strikes Back by Ann B. Ross – 5 stars
The Miss Stone Affair by Teresa Carpenter – 3 ½ stars

Bonus category 2: Something borrowed 10/12
The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson – 4 stars

Best of the month: A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Worst of the month: Nothing stands out this month. It was a pretty good reading month for me!

I completed two categories in June for a total of 3 categories complete so far.

I didn't run into any major travel delays on my way to Denver yesterday. I had an aisle seat on my flight. The middle and window seats were occupied by a mother and a girl who couldn't have been any older than three. The little girl was by the window and she seemed surprised when we landed. She told her mother that she wanted to go to Colorado. Her mother told her that they were in Colorado, but I don't think the girl believed her. From her perspective, one airport probably looked exactly like the other (planes on a tarmac) and it seemed like she landed the same place she left!

Hope you enjoy Denver.

It looks like your challenge is going really well, and you're on track to an early finish!

Have a good time in Denver, Carrie.

My aunt & uncle's 50th anniversary reception this afternoon was lovely. My cousin Matt's wife has worked as a wedding director and she did most of the planning for the event. My cousin Cindy made the cake for the reception. She doesn't live here and didn't want to deal with high altitude baking, so she baked the cakes at home, froze them, boxed them up really well, and brought the layers in her suitcase. She spent the last four days decorating the cake. It was a white cake with lemon curd filling between the layers, with white chocolate and fondant icing and marzipan flowers. I think she did a fabulous job with it.

My aunt's wedding dress was on display at the reception. My mother was the first in the family to wear the dress two years earlier. My mother's sister wore it two years later. That aunt & uncle will celebrate their 50th in 2014.

I love the dispay with the dress - what a great idea! And, your cousin Cindy is a brave woman - well done her!

That's a beautiful cake!

The cake was so beautiful it was a shame to cut into it. There was quite a bit left over so everyone who is still in town is going over to my aunt & uncle's this evening for more cake!

Getting caught up here - Sounds like you had a great trip to the wedding anniversary and I love the pics. Your cousin is a talented individual and did a great job with the cake -transport and all!

I finished a book in Colorado and another one last night after the power went out. It may be a while before I get a chance to review either of them. There's a utility pole down near my house and no ETA right now for when the power might be restored. It looks like it might be tomorrow at the earliest. I have friends I can stay with tonight if I don't have any power at home.

I just found out that it may be Sunday morning before my power is restored at home. I'm planning to stay at a friend's house tonight.

Hope a utility crew gets to your neighborhood soon. Having grown up where outages were common, I'm always prepared with charcoal and camp stoves to fix food. During the winter it usually doesn't get so cold that we can't stand a day or two. I try and have a sense of humor while I read by candlelight.

I wish I could be more fatalistic about things like power-outs. I usually just get mad, and I'm one of the lucky ones, having a wood burning stove that I can use for heat and some light cooking. Hope your power is soon back, Carrie and you can get back to the comforts of your own home.

I came home around 2 p.m. yesterday to pack for another night and discovered the electricity had been on for about 3 hours. I'm not sure how that happened since the utility pole next to my house hadn't yet been replaced and the wires were still tangled in the trees and bushes next to the pole. I walked down to take a look and got there just as a utility truck arrived. The men in the truck were pole setters and they said the line setters would be along later. The one I talked to wasn't sure how I happened to have power, either!

My weekend continued to get worse, though. I went to a church picnic last night at the home of one of our member families. Everyone parallel parked on the street in front of their house. Someone backed into my car and dented the left side of the front bumper. I was inside the house and didn't see it happen, but the people outside said she hit it pretty hard. I guess I'll be talking to insurance people in the morning. Not what I was planning to do. I'm already behind on my end-of-fiscal year reports since I went to the family event last week. This won't help me catch up.

Meanwhile, I've finished a third book, this one on audio. I'll catch up on my reviews some day!

Bad news about your car. How rude of the person not to leave a name or offer any help.

I was at a church picnic and I knew everyone there. I've known the person who backed into my car for over 20 years. She gave me her insurance information.

Completing my "Recess" category: The Scarlet Pimpernel by Emmuska Orczy

I'm a huge fan of several movie versions of The Scarlet Pimpernel, but I had never read the book until now. How would it compare to the movies I love so much? Very well indeed. It's neither better nor worse than the movies – just a few plot differences. It's just the sort of book I look for when I want to escape to a different time and place – historical fiction with equal parts adventure and romance. Maybe the best thing about it is that there are sequels, so I have more escapes to look forward to!

4 stars

I got an estimate on my car this afternoon. Since they'll be able to do the repairs while I'm away, I won't have to deal with a rental.

I made a trip to the local used book store to take some of my father's books, and in the process a others ended up coming home with me:

Fer-de-Lance by Rex Stout
Death Dines In, edited by Claudia Bishop and Dean James
Malice Domestic 6, edited by Anne Perry
The Stones of Florence by Mary McCarthy
The Bayeux Tapestry by Carola Hicks
In Search of the World's Worst Writers by Nick Page
The Feud that Sparked the Renaissance: How Brunelleschi and Ghiberti Changed the Art World by Paul Robert Walker
The Gazebo by Patricia Wentworth
So You Think You Know Jane Austen?: A Literary Quizbook by John Sutherland & Dierdre Le Faye

4th and last book for Music class: The Jewels of Paradise by Donna Leon

During her four years of teaching in dreary Manchester, baroque music scholar Caterina Pellegrini has come to realize how much she misses her native Venice. When a colleague presents her with a job opportunity that will take her back to Venice, she jumps at it without much deliberation. Caterina finds herself in unusual circumstances. She has been hired to examine the contents of two recently-discovered trunks belonging to a baroque composer. Her clients are cousins and are direct descendants of the never-married composer's heirs. Caterina's task is to determine which side of the family the composer favored so that ownership of the trunks and their contents may be awarded to one of the cousins. Caterina's contact with the mysterious cousins is facilitated by an attorney who may have his own agenda. Just what treasure do the cousins suspect the trunks hold? If they know, they're not telling.

While there are some elements of physical danger, the mystery is primarily an intellectual challenge requiring extensive library, archival, and Internet research. I know a little bit about this kind of research, and I was puzzled by some aspects of her research strategy. For instance, due to the obscure nature of her research subject, Caterina decides to switch from using the “standard JSTOR site” to a “more mainstream search” (by which I assume she means Google). There's no mention of RILM or other specialized music indexes that someone with a doctorate in music should be familiar with. When computers and cell phone technology are mentioned, the language and descriptions seem to assume the characters' (and by extension the readers') unfamiliarity with the technology described. It made me wonder if the book's target audience is assumed to be on the low to intermediate end of the computer literacy spectrum.

Donna Leon's Commissario Brunetti series is still on my TBR list, so I can't say how this stand-alone compares to her popular series. I suspect it's a different kind of mystery, and that some Brunetti fans will like it while others might not. It will appeal most strongly to readers who like cerebral mysteries and to classical music lovers. Although the setting is modern, the historical research component might appeal to historical mystery fans.

This review is based on an electronic advanced reading copy provided by the author through NetGalley.

3 stars

8th & last Field Trip: The Expats by Chris Pavone

Working mother Katherine Moore sees her family's move to Luxembourg as an opportunity to reinvent her life. The new “Kate” Moore is learning the joys and frustrations of being a stay-at-home mom as well as learning the ins and outs of the expat community in one of Europe's financial capitals. Kate and her husband, Dexter, develop a friendship with another American couple, but Kate soon becomes suspicious that Bill and Julia are not what they seem. Even more disturbing, Kate discovers that Dexter may have his own secrets. Just what are Bill and Julia after? Is it related to Kate's past – or to her family's future?

Kate is a likeable heroine. Although the plot is a little far-fetched, it never crosses the threshold of unbelievability. This fun thriller will have strong crossover appeal for fans of other genres. Romantic suspense fans might enjoy this even though Kate is happily married. Kate's spirited personality may resonate with chick-lit readers. It's equally suited for beach reading or for curling up with by the fireplace on a snowy day.

3 1/2 stars

Book 4 for Art class: The Monuments Men by Robert Edsel

War is destructive. It destroys the future by prematurely ending the lives and potential achievements of thousands of individuals. The loss of a generation of their children who were never born can only be guessed at, not measured. War also destroys the past in the form of tangible objects of cultural significance: the art, architecture, and other artifacts that represent past cultures and that in some way have helped to define the present.

In The Monuments Men, Robert Edsel recognizes an under-appreciated group of World War II heroes, the 350 men and women who served in the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives section. The MFAA's task was often overwhelming as the scope of Hitler's looting became clear. When faced with inadequate resources and the occasional hostility of fellow soldiers and officers, the MFAA improvised to recover stolen and looted cultural property and to protect monuments damaged during military action from sustaining further damage when the fighting ended.

This passage is illustrative of the MFAA's mission in Europe:

When the Allies arrived at Chartres, they found the cathedral at risk of being damaged and possibly destroyed by twenty-two sets of explosives placed on nearby bridges and other structures. Demolitions expert Stewart Leonard, who after the end of active hostilities would himself become a Monuments Man, helped defuse the bombs and save the cathedral. As he later explained to Monuments Man Bernie Taper over drinks in a Berlin apartment, “There's one good thing about being in the bomb disposal unit: No superior officer is ever looking over your shoulder.”

But was art worth a life, Taper wanted to know. Like all Monuments Men, it was a question that haunted him. “I had that choice,” Leonard said. “I chose to remove the bombs. It was worth the reward.”

“What reward?”

“When I finished, I got to sit in Chartres Cathedral, the cathedral I had helped save, for almost an hour. Alone.”

Since the MFAA's work in Western Europe began during and after the invasion of Normandy, this book covers roughly the same time period as Stephen Ambrose's Citizen Soldiers. Highly recommended for all World War II and art history readers.

4 1/2 stars

I have placed this book on hold. I am interested to see if this might be a good book for my high school library. I think it would help students see how highly regarded art is. An interesting companion might be the graphic novel, Alia's Mission which is about saving books from destruction in Iraq.

>244 mamzel: I think it's the sort of book my friends and I would have been interested in reading in high school. It reads quickly for a book of 400+ pages.

That sounds really interesting. Thanks for the review!

7th & last book for Religious Studies class: The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

Teenaged Kit Tyler has left the only home she has ever known in Barbados to sail to the Puritan colony of Connecticut. She plans to surprise her Aunt Rachel, who was always spoken well of in Kit's family, but whom Kit has never met. Kit is greeted with mixed emotions by her Aunt Rachel, her Uncle Matthew, and her cousins, Judith and Mercy. Kit's pampered, carefree life in Barbados has not prepared her for life among the stern Puritans. She finds a place of refuge with Hannah Tupper, an elderly, nearly blind woman who lives a solitary life in a meadow outside of town. Kit's friendship with Hannah has its own risks. Hannah doesn't share the Puritans' beliefs, and because of her differences she's been labeled by some as a witch. Meanwhile, Kit has attracted the interest of two very different young men. Will the wealthy young Puritan, William Ashby, win her heart? Or will she choose sailor Nat Eaton?

I can't believe I went through my teenage years without reading this book. Somehow I missed the fact that it's historical fiction and I thought it was about the occult. The strong female characters are different enough that readers will have different favorites among them depending on the reader's personality. I felt the most affinity with Mercy, and I would count myself lucky to have her as a sister or a friend. There is food for thought for today's young women, particularly about friendship, dating, and life choices. The lessons never overshadow the story, though. It took me a while to unravel the romantic tangle. SPOILER: When it occurred to me to count the single men and single girls, I realized that they would all end up happily paired by the end of the book.

Mary Beth Hurt has done an outstanding job with the audio version. If it's been a while since you've read the book (or even if it hasn't!), the audio version would be a great way to re-familiarize yourself with this YA classic.

5 stars

I probably won't have much reading time in the next 10 days. I'm heading to Germany tomorrow to visit my brother. I'll probably get some reading done on the plane, but I also want to at least try to sleep since it's an overnight flight. I've got several short books lined up on my e-reader, and if I read them all it may take me a while to catch up on reviews after I get back!

I'm taking 3 print books: When In Germany, Do as the Germans Do; Death in Berlin, and Berlin Game.

Loaded on my e-reader: My Berlin Kitchen, Three Men on Wheels, Elizabeth and Her German Garden, In a German Pension, The Wrecker.

I should finish the two books I'm currently reading before I leave, but I may not post reviews until after I return.

Have a great time, Carrie.

Have a great trip! It's been a while since I was in Germany, but I still crave currywurst now and again - have some for me, please. :)

Have a safe and fun trip!

I didn't have much time for reading on my trip, but I did finish one book right before I left and two books during the trip (to be reviewed later). I opted for movies on the plane yesterday because I was too tired to read.

Eva, I wasn't able to eat currywurst in Germany, although I think I would have liked it if I had tried it before I developed an allergy to tomatoes. I walked past the Currywurst Museum in Berlin but didn't go in. It was very close to our hotel.

I might get a little reading time in this morning before the rest of my part of the world wakes up. I always seem to have more trouble with jet lag when traveling west. I wake up very early in the morning and can't get back to sleep, and then I crash in the middle of the afternoon.

Welcome back!

Thanks! I've been making up for lost time today (reading time, that is). As much as I enjoyed Germany, I was looking forward to being home and a quiet place to read.

Book #10 for my TBR bonus category: City of Shadows by Ariana Franklin

Nazis, Romanovs, Communists, German and Eastern European Jews, and expat Russians provide plenty of dramatic potential for this stand-alone historical mystery. Franklin uses the real-life Anna Anderson, who claimed to be the Grand Duchess Anastasia, as the focus of a serial killer. Once she is aware of the danger, Russian Jew Esther Solomonova does everything in her power to protect Anna, even if it means supporting Anna's claim to be Anastasia when Esther is convinced that she isn't. Esther joins forces with a German policeman who risks everything important to him to uncover the truth.

I think Ariana Franklin must be one of those authors who, for whatever reason, just doesn't click with me despite her popularity among readers with similar tastes to mine. A few anachronisms jumped out at me as I read, such as a woman described as a “silent film star” in the part of the book set in 1922-23. (Since all films were silent in those years, I think people of the era would call her a “film star” without the qualification.) I was also annoyed by Franklin's overuse of the “f” word. It's just not right for otherwise intelligent characters to have such a limited vocabulary. Although Esther very much reminded me of Maisie Dobbs, she didn't have Maisie's appeal.

Possible Spoiler
Franklin had the bad luck to release the book just months before the remains of the last two Romanovs were conclusively identified through DNA analysis. All of the Romanovs have now been accounted for, and none of them survived. Since the possibility that one of the Romanov daughters survived is integral to the plot, readers need to be willing to overlook all of the evidence to the contrary.

2 1/2 stars

Oh, no! I have City of Shadows. I picked it up despite disliking her historical mystery series (waaay too many anachronisms) because of the German setting. I hoped that a more recent time period would keep her from writing about modern people dressed up in costumes.

>256 RidgewayGirl: I hope you'll like it better than I did. She does seem to have gotten the German setting right.

Book 4 for Lunch: My Berlin Kitchen by Luisa Weiss

Luisa Weiss is a third culture kid, having been born in West Berlin to an American father and an Italian mother. After her parents' divorce, she shuttled between Boston and Berlin through her school years. Sometime during her youth she began reading and collecting cookbooks and recipes, and spending more and more time in the kitchen. The kitchen became her home, where she could create familiar tastes and smells. Her life-long interest in cooking led her to a career in the cookbook publishing industry and a successful hobby as a food blogger. The “love story” of the subtitle is not just about meeting and marrying her soul mate. The book is filled with the people and places Weiss loves – her parents, extended family, girlfriends, New York, and Berlin.

Each chapter includes a recipe related to the memories shared in that chapter. The nice thing about the recipes is that Weiss includes tips about what the food will look like at various stages of the preparation process, as well as mistakes to avoid. Her recipes don't just tell the cook what to do. She also explains why the steps are important for achieving the desired result.

This review is based on an electronic advanced reading copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley. I liked it well enough to want a copy for my permanent collection, and it's fairly high on my wish list. I've also added the author's blog to my RSS feed.

3 1/2 stars

Welcome back! I had no idea that there even was a Currywurst Museum, but I'm definitely going there if/when I get to go back to Berlin!

One of my brother's friends has been to the museum and enjoyed it. What we could see from the street looked like a place that kids might enjoy, as well as anyone who loves currywurst.

I'm getting close to the end of my challenge and couldn't find a slot for this one. I thought I'd post a review anyway.

Death in Berlin by M.M. Kaye

I had read all of M.M. Kaye's Death In series by the time I finished college, and I remember being sad when I finished the last one because there weren't any more to read. However, it's been so long since I've read the books that I don't remember much about them. Since I was planning a couple of days in Berlin while on vacation in Germany, I thought this would be a good time to re-read this one.

I liked this one, but perhaps not as well as I did the first time I read it. My reading tastes have changed, and romantic suspense doesn't appeal to me as much as it did when I was a young adult. The mystery plot was well done and reads a lot like a Christie novel. The author's husband was briefly stationed in Berlin in the 1950s, and the description of the bombed-out city has an authentic feel. There's an undertone of class consciousness that was uncomfortable for me, and that I didn't remember from my first reading of the book. It seemed odd for the English/British expats to refer to Germans as “foreign” in Germany. They don't realize that they are the foreigners. I suppose that attitude is authentic to the era but it just feels wrong.

3 1/2 stars

It is interesting how our reading tastes change over time. I blame LT, which has pointed me in the direction of better fiction.

Hi Carrie, glad to see you are safely home again. I got home today and have been rushing around unpacking and getting dinner made so I could come here and try to catch up. I'm one of the ones that really enjoyed my first Ariana Franklin, so I might take a look at City of Shadows eventually.

Book 11 in my Something Borrowed bonus category: Suddenly Everything Was Different compiled by Olaf G. Klein

This is a collection of oral history transcripts documenting the lives of twelve former East Germans before and after reunification. The individuals whose stories are included in this collection represent a variety of age groups, occupations, and political views. Some had been supportive of the East German government, while others had been opposed to it. They all seemed to agree on one point. Even the interviewees who desired a change in the structure of government wanted their country to remain independent. None of the interviewees seemed to be in favor of reunification with West Germany. They all experienced an identity crisis in various degrees resulting from the loss of their national identity.

Readers of the English translation shouldn't skip the translator's preface. The translator describes some of the loaded German terms used to refer to the transition period and explains her choice of words for the English translation.

3 1/2 stars

Another off-challenge read: Finger of Guilt by Paul Grossman

I haven't yet read either of Paul Grossman's Willi Kraus novels, but this short story has bumped the series higher on my wish list. Kraus's role in the story is a bit like Olive Kitteridge. His presence affects the protagonist in the story, but Kraus stays in the background. It was a free download for my e-reader and it still appears to be available as a free Kindle download. It's a nice opportunity for historical mystery fans to try out a new author.

4 stars

Another off-challenge read: Berlin Game by Len Deighton

Worried about a traitor in the highest ranks of British intelligence, Brahms Four, one of Britain's most important and most secret East German sources, wants out. Bernard Samson is the only current agency employee who has ever seen Brahms Four, but he's no longer a field agent and he would like to keep it that way. As he is reluctantly pulled deeper and deeper into the crisis, Samson races against time to identify the traitor among his colleagues.

This spy thriller from the early 1980s seems to reflect some of the uncertainties in the Eastern Bloc that would result in revolutionary changes by the end of the decade. I enjoyed reading about Berlin locations that I had visited right before I read the book. The plot was occasionally difficult to follow, and Samson didn't reveal all of his suspicions to the reader. Samson is a likeable hero, and I'll look for more of his adventures when I'm in the mood for this genre.

4 1/2 stars

2nd and final book for Home Ec class: Elizabeth and Her German Garden by Elizabeth von Arnim

This is a book for book lovers. Whether or not gardening is your thing, if you're even a little bit introverted, you'll identify with Elizabeth's longing for the peaceful solitude of her garden. It's a perfect spot for reading (although leaving your books there overnight is a no-no).

My favorite part of the book tells about Elizabeth's uninvited holiday guests. Her friend Irais is the most congenial of Elizabeth's friends and neighbors, and together they entertain themselves at the expense of the unwelcome Minora. (No, this isn't how a hostess should treat her guests, but Minora is so obnoxious that it's hard to see how Elizabeth could have done otherwise!)

This book belongs on every book lover's TBR list. It's fairly short and, thanks to Project Gutenberg, is freely available to anyone with Internet access. It's well worth the time and expense.

4 stars

School Days July recap

1. Science 1/1 – Category complete

2. Home economics 2/2 - Category complete
Elizabeth and Her German Garden by Elizabeth von Arnim

3. Math 2/3

4. Music 4/4 – Category complete
The Jewels of Paradise by Donna Leon – 3 stars

5. Lunch 4/5
My Berlin Kitchen by Luisa Weiss – 3 ½ stars

6. Art 4/6
The Monuments Men by Robert Edsel – 4 ½ stars

7. Religious studies 7/7 – Category complete
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare – 5 stars

8. Field trips 8/8 – Category complete
The Expats by Chris Pavone – 3 ½ stars

9. Speech 8/9

10. English lit 10/10 - Category complete

11. Social studies/history 11/11 - Category complete

12. Recess 12/12 - Category complete
The Scarlet Pimpernel by Emmuska Orczy – 4 stars

Bonus category 1: TBRs 10/12
City of Shadows by Ariana Franklin – 2 ½ stars

Bonus category 2: Something borrowed 11/12
Suddenly Everything Was Different compiled by Olaf G. Klein – 3 ½ stars

Best of the month: The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
Worst of the month: City of Shadows by Ariana Franklin just didn't work for me.

5th & final book for Lunch: On What Grounds by Cleo Coyle

When Clare Cosi agrees to return to the Village Blend as manager and part owner, she hasn't counted on being in such close proximity to her ex-husband. Nor did she count on discovering one of her employees near death after a fall down the basement stairs. Was it an unfortunate accident, or was she pushed? Clare's gut tells her it was attempted murder, and she sets out to prove it. One more thing Clare hasn't anticipated – her attraction to the taciturn detective assigned to the case!

This first-in-series mystery compares favorably to one of my favorite cozy series, Laura Childs' teashop mysteries. It has the feel of a mash-up of Childs' teashop series and her scrapbooking series. It's hard to get the balance right in the first book of a series. Often the mystery plot seems secondary to the introduction and development of the main character(s) and the supporting cast. This one spends more time on the mystery plot and less on character development, and that's the way I like it. I'm sure I'll get to know the regulars better as the series progresses, and I look forward to spending more time with them in the Village Blend.

3 1/2 stars

9th and final book for Speech class: The Arms Maker of Berlin by Dan Fesperman

When his former mentor is arrested for possessing stolen classified documents, professor Nat Turnbull is called to the rescue. When the FBI makes it clear to Nat that they want him to undertake research on the stolen files and report to them, Nat reluctantly agrees, thinking he'll be helping his mentor, Gordon Wolfe, in the process. The material in the boxes of documents, minus some missing folders, s Nat's focus to war-time Berlin and Switzerland, the activities of Allen Dulles and the OSS, and a German resistance organization called the White Rose with links to Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Nat isn't the only person interested in the files, and he races against competing interests to be the first to locate the missing documents and the secrets they hold. The book alternates between Nat's current day search and two World War II era stories that follow Gordon Wolfe and Kurt Bauer, son and heir of a German arms dealer.

I loved the treasure hunt aspect of the book. Although Nat faces occasional physical threats, the adrenaline rush comes from Nat's race against time as he deciphers Gordon's clues. At times I felt like the historical sections were holding up Nat's progress. The earlier parts of the historical back story didn't have the same urgency as Nat's quest, and I found myself wishing I could rush through those parts to get back to the action. (This wouldn't have been easy to do since I listened to the audio version.) Fesperman did his homework, and the result is a historical spy thriller laced with enough truth to be believable.

4 stars

Book 11 in my TBR bonus category: Medicus by Ruth Downie

Newly arrived in Britannia after a stint in Africa, medicus Ruso of the Roman army finds himself in increasingly difficult circumstances after he is asked to examine a woman's corpse found in the river. Ruso's questions about the woman's death lead him to a local bar/brothel, but the proprietor and the women who work there aren't forthcoming with answers. Ruso's new slave, Tilla, whom Ruso had rescued from a slave trader, proves herself useful as a source of information about the goings-on at the bar. Will Tilla's knowledge put her in danger, too? Meanwhile, Ruso has to adjust to the hospital bureaucracy in his new posting. His feckless fellow doctor, Valens, is often a hindrance rather than a help in this process.

This novel didn't completely succeed as either historical fiction or a mystery. It has a Flintstones feel to it, as if a Roman dressing has been superimposed on contemporary situations and attitudes. Although Ruso asks a lot of questions, he doesn't deduce anything from them. Most of the answers to the puzzles are revealed through confession(s) by the culprit(s). I'm reading the series out of order, having started with the fourth book, so I know the series gets better. It's worth reading this one just to see Ruso try to keep a handle on Tilla and Valens.

3 stars

Completing my "Something borrowed" bonus category: Death Comes Silently by Carolyn Hart

When Annie's volunteer shift at local charity shop Better Tomorrow conflicts with an event at her bookstore, she asks fellow volunteer Gretchen Burkholt to swap shifts with her. Gretchen calls Annie several times during the shift since she's nervous about being alone with handyman Jeremiah, an ex-con. After the bookstore event is over, Annie heads over to Better Tomorrow to check on Gretchen, who won't have a better tomorrow because she's been murdered with the handyman's ax. Is Jeremiah as guilty as everyone assumes? Or was Gretchen killed because of something she found in the pocket of some donated clothing and described to Annie in one of her telephone calls?

Although Annie takes the lead in the amateur investigation, it's a group effort involving Annie's husband, Max, her friend Henny Brawley, Annie's mother-in-law, Laurel, and local author Emma Clyde. There are multiple suspects and each clue could reasonably implicate any one of them. As usual for this series, references to other mysteries and mystery writers are sprinkled throughout the book, so it will contribute to wishlist bloat for most readers. References to now-popular TV series like Glee and House are probably a mistake that will make the book seem dated fairly quickly. I had a mixed reaction to the audio version. Some characters' voices (like Annie's) worked well, while others sounded wrong (like Max's). I don't think sequence is as important for this series as it is for some, so feel free to jump in any time!

3 1/2 stars

Book 5 for Art class: Hermann Göring and the Nazi Art Collection by Kenneth D. Alford

I recently read The Monuments Men and was left with a desire to know more about the thousands of works of art that were taken by the Nazis during World War II. Did some of them end up in museums I've visited, and I have seen some of them without knowing their history? Hermann Göring and the Nazi Art Collection addressed some of my questions. Although the works acquired by Göring are the book's primary focus, other looted art works are mentioned in the text. The detailed lists of paintings, sculptures, and other art objects provided in the appendices don't identify the current locations of the listed items, but they do identify Göring's source and the country to which each item was returned following the war.

The quality of the black and white photographs is disappointing. I noticed quite a few grammar errors, as well as spelling errors that wouldn't be caught by a word processor's spell check feature. In a few instances, the same information was presented multiple times in almost identical phrasing. These problems should have been found and corrected during the editorial process.*

This book wouldn't be the best starting point for a study of World War II art looting. Readers with some prior knowledge of the topic will benefit most from this book. The extensive appendices would make the work useful in a reference collection.

*This review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program. The copy I received appears to be the final, published version of the book. There is no indication that it is an uncorrected proof.

3 stars

Another off-challenge read: Finding Amelia: The True Story of the Earhart Disappearance by Ric Gillespie

What happened to Amelia Earhart when she failed to reach Howland Island on her round-the-world flight in 1937? Author Ric Gillespie, founder of The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR), has pieced together evidence from numerous archival collections to recreate Earhart's flight and the subsequent search and rescue operation. At the time of the crisis, no one person/agency had access to all of the information the author has gathered.

Earhart did not finalize communication procedures for her arrival at Howland Island before she set out on her journey. Attempts to contact Earhart en route to iron out details were hampered by the length of time it took to route messages to Earhart, the differences in time zones, and Earhart's constant travel. Sometimes messages reached a location after Earhart had departed on the next leg of her trip.

There were multiple communication breakdowns during Earhart's last flight and the subsequent search for the downed plane. The Coast Guard vessel positioned at Howland Island for Earhart's arrival had incomplete information about the plane's communication system and were not aware that neither Earhart nor navigator Fred Noonan were skilled in Morse code. When it became clear that Earhart was missing, the ship's captain formed a theory of the plane's probable location based on a number of erroneous assumptions. When subsequent evidence seemed to contradict his theory, he forced the evidence to fit his original theory rather than adjusting his theory to the new evidence. Although several agencies were cooperating in the search, for the first few days there was no command and control center. Different agencies formed different theories about what had happened and where the plane might be and acted accordingly.

Gillespie spends a lot of time analyzing radio communications during and after the flight, with lots of technical detail about frequencies and equipment. It appears that Earhart did survive for at least a few days and was able to transmit messages that were picked up by receivers at various locations in the Pacific and even in the continental U.S. Based on the evidence presented in the book, it seems likely to me that Earhart and Noonan might have been rescued if the search had been better coordinated and had the parties involved not been selective about the information they shared with the others.

I had a hard time putting the book down once I started it. The narrative flows well even with all of the technical details about navigation and radio electronics. Gillespie provides enough explanation about the technical details for non-specialists to understand their significance. Even though I knew the search would fail, I kept hoping until the end that the searchers would find Earhart and Noonan.

4 1/2 stars

Great review of Finding Amelia! Sounds like a fascinating book.

Thanks, Paulina! I hoped it would be a good book, and it turned out to be a great one. I always like it when books exceed my expectations!

Definitely adding this Earhart book to my wishlist, I have long been intrigued by her disappearance.

Judy, this seems like a good book to start with. It does seem to debunk some long-standing beliefs about Earhart's disappearance, many of which seem to have been based on inaccurate news reports during the crisis. The author also identifies numerous discrepancies between the coast guard captain's official reports and the original communication logs. Two of the operators kept their original logs as souvenirs and they didn't become available for public scrutiny until the 1970s, when enough time had passed for theories to become accepted as facts.

I remember seeing a documentary on TV some time ago, and the discrepancies, rumors and mishandling of this whole situation was astounding. I'm looking forward to this book.

Yet another off-challenge read. For some reason nothing I was currently reading appealed to me today. Luckily I found this one handy on my bookshelf and it was just what I was in the mood to read.

Powder and Patch by Georgette Heyer

Childhood friends Philip Jettan and Cleone Charteris seem destined for each other. Philip adores Cleone, and Cleone loves Philip. She just wishes he was more like the society gentlemen in dress and manners. When Cleone rejects Philip's affection, a hurt Philip vows to become the man she wishes him to be. What better place to acquire social graces than Paris? But will Cleone be happy with the new Philip?

I've read a number of books about women who undergo a makeover to win a man's affection. I think this is the first one I've read where the man undergoes the transformation. Heyer describes men's fashion in the Georgian era in great detail, and it's very different than the mental picture I usually have for a romantic hero. There's a lesson here about character being more important than outward appearance. However, I was uncomfortable with the “helpless female needs a man to protect her from herself” aspect of the story.

3 stars

Completing my TBR bonus category: The Heart of Danger by Gerald Seymour

When the body of a young British woman is discovered in a mass grave in a Croatian village, her mother hires former MI5 private investigator Bill Penn to find out what led to her daughter's death. Through his investigation, Penn learns that the young woman was a victim of a war crime. The book was fairly interesting up to that point. Everything past that point was unbelievably stupid. Penn put himself in danger of his own making. There was nothing urgent about the situation. Penn wasn't racing against the clock to prevent something terrible from happening. The crime had already been committed. There wasn't a single likeable character in the book, except perhaps the headmaster of the school in the Serbian village. I'm sure there are better books, probably non-fiction, about the war in Croatia, the plight of the refugees, and war crimes and criminals.

1 1/2 stars

That sounds absolutely awful! :( My biggest pet peeve is characters who get in trouble because they do something stupid. The baddies need to be powerful not just lucky that the "hero" is a nitwit or all bets are off for me.

I've had that on my tbr shelves for a while. May have to stay there a while longer or until I have a clear-out. Unfortunate, as I've read and enjoyed the one other book that I have read by Gerald Seymour, Harry's Game.

>283 AHS-Wolfy: Based on the LT ratings, some readers have liked it. Maybe you'll be one of them.

> 281 - Wow, a 1.5 rating. I have to say, what you have commented on, it doesn't strike me as a book I would gravitate to so I will happily skip off without the book bullet and await your further reviews.

6th and final book for Art class: A Brush with Death by Elizabeth J. Duncan

While moving into the cottage she inherited from her friend, Emma, Penny Brannigan discovers a decades old mystery. Penny learns that a local artist who painted a picture hanging in the cottage was killed in an unsolved hit-and-run accident. Who killed the artist and why? Penny can't feel at home in the cottage until she finds answers to these questions.

I thought this book suffered a little from sophomore slump. Nothing about it was quite as interesting as the first book in the series. The relationships between Penny and the supporting characters haven't quite gelled. Her new business partner, Victoria, keeps reminding Penny that their business suffers when Penny spends time sleuthing that should be spent working. Penny is still unsure about the future of her budding relationship with DCI Davies.

Possible spoiler: It's not really possible for readers to piece together the clues to form their own conclusions since crucial information isn't available to Penny (or to the reader) until the end of the book. Also, some readers might want to know that the historical part of the book involves a lesbian romance.

I like the location and the characters have the potential to develop into a group of people I'd like to have as friends. I'll continue with the next book in the series and hope it improves from here.

2 1/2 stars

3rd and final book for Math class: No One You Know by Michelle Richmond

Every story is an invention, subject to the whims of the author. For the audience on the other side of the page, the words march forward with a certain inevitability—as if the story could exist one way only, the way in which it is written. But there is never just one way to tell a story. Someone has chosen the beginning and end. Someone has chosen who will emerge as the hero or heroine, and who will play the villain. Each choice is made at the expense of an infinite number of variations. Who is to say which version of the story is true?

Since her sister's unsolved murder two decades ago, Ellie Enderlin has been living out her role in her family's story. In the months after her sister's death, Ellie had worked through her grief in conversations with a trusted professor/mentor/friend. Her trust was betrayed when her mentor revealed his intention to publish a true crime account of her sister's murder, filled with the details Ellie had shared with him about her family's life and the effect of her sister's death. The book became a best-seller and launched a successful writing career for the professor. In the intervening years, Ellie accepted his account of her sister's murder and the circumstantial evidence pointing to the guilt of a person who had never been charged with the murder. However, an unexpected encounter with the supposed murderer causes Ellie to question what she had believed for so many years, and to launch her own investigation into her sister's death.

This is much more than a murder mystery. It's a reflection on truth and story, on perception and reality. It's a meditation on mathematical conjecture and proof. It's a contemplation of relationships – sibling, parent/child, teacher/student, husband/wife/lovers. It's a beautifully told story that pulled me in from the first page and held me until the last. Even though I couldn't put it down and ending up reading it in just a few sittings in the course of 24 hours, it didn't feel like I was rushing through the story to finally learn “whodunit”. I savored every word. Highly recommended for literary mystery readers, coffee lovers, and math geeks.

4 1/2 stars

This completes my 2012 challenge. It was nice to end it with such a good book. I'll be sticking around for the rest of the year. I'll start a new thread soon for my post-challenge books. I've already joined the 2013 category challenge group and, now that I've finished the 2012 challenge, I'll be working out my categories and starting my 2013 thread soon.

School Days August recap

1. Science 1/1 – Category complete

2. Home economics 2/2 - Category complete

3. Math 3/3 - Category complete
No One You Know by Michelle Richmond – 4 ½ stars

4. Music 4/4 – Category complete

5. Lunch 5/5 - Category complete
On What Grounds by Cleo Coyle – 3 ½ stars

6. Art 6/6 - Category complete
Hermann Göring and the Nazi Art Collection by Kenneth D. Alford – 3 stars
A Brush with Death by Elizabeth J. Duncan – 2 ½ stars

7. Religious studies 7/7 – Category complete

8. Field trips 8/8 – Category complete

9. Speech 9/9 - Category complete
The Arms Maker of Berlin by Dan Fesperman – 4 stars

10. English lit 10/10 - Category complete

11. Social studies/history 11/11 - Category complete

12. Recess 12/12 - Category complete

Bonus category 1: TBRs 12/12 - Category complete
Medicus by Ruth Downie – 3 stars
The Heart of Danger by Gerald Seymour – 1 ½ stars

Bonus category 2: Something borrowed 12/12 - Category complete
Death Comes Silently by Carolyn G. Hart – 3 ½ stars

Best of the month: No One You Know by Michelle Richmond
Worst of the month: The Heart of Danger by Gerald Seymour

Best of challenge: The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million by Daniel Mendelsohn
Worst of challenge: The Heart of Danger by Gerald Seymour

I've set up a new thread for my post-challenge reading:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/141383

Congrats on completing your challenge!

Thanks, Lori!

Congratulations! Glad to see you finished with a good one and good to hear you're staying on in the challenge group for the rest of the year.

Thanks! I'd miss this group too much to think about leaving!

Congrats on completing your challenge! Glad you'll be sticking around, and I look forward to seeing you in the 2013 group as well.

Congratulations!