MickyFine's 2018 Reading Adventures, Part the Fourth

I'm Micky, 32, librarian and general reading nerd. I'm a collections librarian for the public library system in Edmonton and as a result I read a solid chunk of non-fiction as I select it for work every day. The rest of my reading is a wide mix of genres but there's usually a healthy dose of romance, fantasy, YA, and historical fiction in the mix. In addition to books, I'm likely to discuss life events (sometimes featuring The Fiancé Mr. Fine), whatever I'm watching on TV, and our cats, Smee & Ash. Posters and lurkers alike are welcome.

January
1. Turtles All the Way Down - John Green
2. Kingdom Come - Mark Waid & Alex Cross
3. Down Among the Sticks and Bones - Seanan McGuire
4. Once Upon a Christmas Eve - Elizabeth Hoyt
5. The Trouble with Dukes - Grace Burrowes
6. Strange the Dreamer - Laini Taylor
7. Dunbar - Edward St. Aubyn
8. Dear Fahrenheit 451 - Annie Spence
9. Kill Shakespeare Volume 5: Past is Prologue: Juliet - Conor McCreery
10. The Miller's Dance - Winston Graham
11. The Vicar's Daughter - Josi S. Kilplack
12. Doctor Who: The Lost Dimension Vol. 1 - George Mann et. al.
13. Sandman: The Doll's House - Neil Gaiman
14. This Savage Song - Victoria Schwab
Favourite read(s):


February
15. Too Scot to Handle - Grace Burrowes
16. Spare and Found Parts - Sarah Maria Griffin
17. Rich People Problems - Kevin Kwan
18. Dandelion Wine - Ray Bradbury
19. Batman: Hush Volume 1 - Jeph Loeb
20. Batman: Hush Volume 2 - Jeph Loeb
21. Practical Magic - Alice Hoffman
22. Doctor Who: Touched by an Angel - Jonathan Morris
23. Die on Your Feet - SG Wong
Favourite read(s):


March
24. Love and the Art of War - Dinah Lee Küng
25. The Duchess Deal - Tessa Dare
26. Three to Get Deadly - Janet Evanovich
27. Batman: Under the Red Hood - Judd Winick
28. Enchantment - Orson Scott Card
29. A Gentleman in Moscow - Amor Towles
30. The Tales of Beedle the Bard - J.K. Rowling
31. Get on Top: Of Your Pleasure, Sexuality & Wellness: A Vagina Revolution - Meika Hollender
Favourite read(s):

April
32. A Night to Surrender - Tessa Dare
33. The Queen of the Tearling - Erika Johansen
34. The Reminders - Val Emmich
35. Green Arrow: Quiver - Kevin Smith
36. Shades of Milk and Honey - Mary Robinette Kowal
37. Sandman: Dream Country - Neil Gaiman
38. Batgirl and the Birds of Prey: Who Is Oracle? - Julie Benson & Shawna Benson
39. Almost Midnight - Rainbow Rowell
40. Come Hell or Highball - Maia Chance
41. If We Were Villains - M.L. Rio
42. A Study in Charlotte - Brittany Cavallaro
Favourite read(s):


May
43. Whatever Makes You Happy - William Sutcliffe
44. Seduce Me at Sunrise - Lisa Kleypas
45. The Accidental Dictionary - Paul Anthony Jones
46. Eliza and Her Monsters - Francesca Zappia
47. The Whispering City - Sara Moliner
48. Glamour in Glass - Mary Robinette Kowal
49. Six of Crows - Leigh Bardugo
50. Superman: Red Son - Mark Millar
51. A Princess in Theory - Alyssa Cole
Favourite read(s):


June
52. The Romance Reader's Guide to Life - Sharon Pywell
53. Books Can Be Deceiving - Jenn McKinlay
54. Civil War - Mark Millar
55. Mistress Pat - L.M. Montgomery
56. My Man Jeeves - P.G. Wodehouse
57. How to Be Married: What I Learned from Real Women on Five Continents About Surviving My First (Really Hard) Year of Marriage - Jo Piazza
58. Mad Richard - Lesley Krueger
59. Adulthood Is a Myth - Sarah Andersen
60. Juliet's Answer - Glenn Dixson
61. Tough Mothers: Amazing Stories of History's Mightiest Matriarchs - Jason Porath
62. Blue Ridge Sunrise - Denise Hunter
Favourite read(s):

July
63. The Invisible Library - Genevieve Cogman
64. No Other Duke Will Do - Grace Burrowes
65. The Incredible Hulk: Planet Hulk - George Pak
66. How to Find Love in a Bookshop - Veronica Henry
67. It Devours! - Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor
68. The Wind Dancer - Iris Johansen (re-read)
69. Eighty Days: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland's History-Making Race Around the World - Matthew Goodman
Favourite read(s):


August
70. The Woman Who Died a Lot - Jasper Fforde
71. Just the Funny Parts - Nell Scovell
72. Cyrano de Bergerac - Edmond Rostand
73. Surprise Me - Sophie Kinsella
74. Flashpoint - Geoff Johns
75. The Inimitable Jeeves - P.G. Wodehouse (re-read)
76. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
77. Last Hope Island - Lynne Olson
78. Love & Gelato - Jenna Evans Welch
Favourite read(s):


September
79. The Sandman: Season of Mists - Neil Gaiman
80. Lumberjanes: Friendship to the Max - Noelle Stevenson
81. A Treacherous Curse - Deanna Raybourn
82. The Masked City - Genevieve Cogman
83. Lumberjanes: A Terrible Plan - Noelle Stevenson and Shannon Watters
84. Lumberjanes: Out of Time - Shannon Watters
85. Lumberjanes: Band Together - Shannon Watters
86. Lumberjanes: Sink or Swim - Shannon Watters
87. Lumberjanes: A Bird's-Eye View - Shannon Watters
88. Lumberjanes: Stone Cold - Shannon Watters
89. Lumberjanes: On a Roll - Kat Leyh
90. The Librarian and the Spy - Susan Mann
Favourite read(s):

October
91. Competence - Gail Carriger
92. Duke of Desire - Elizabeth Hoyt
93. The Importance of Being Earnest - Oscar Wilde
94. A Pocket Full of Rye - Agatha Christie
95. An Echo in the Bone - Diana Gabaldon
96. The Kiss Quotient - Helen Hoang
97. Green Lantern: Rebirth - Geoff Johns
98. Blackest Night - Geoff Johns
Favourite read(s):


November
99. Mastiff - Tamora Pierce
100. The Book Lovers' Miscellany - Claire Cock-Starkey
101. The Jane Austen Project - Kathleen A. Flynn
102. The Hazel Wood - Melissa Albert
103. Once Upon a Winter's Eve - Tessa Dare
104. Fortunately, the Milk - Neil Gaiman
105. Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries - Kory Stamper
106. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) - Mindy Kaling
107. Once Upon a Marquess - Courtney Milan
108. Brightest Day Vol. 1 - Geoff Johns
109. Brightest Day Vol. 2 - Geoff Johns
110. Brightest Day Vol. 3 - Geoff Johns
Favourite read(s):


December
111. Written in My Own Heart's Blood - Diana Gabaldon
112. Maybe This Christmas - Jennifer Snow
113. Astonishing X-Men: Gifted - Joss Whedon
114. Spinning Silver - Naomi Novik
115. Feminists Don't Wear Pink and Other Lies - Scarlett Curtis (ed.)
116. Miss Confederation: The Diary of Mercy Anne Coles - Anne McDonald
Favourite read(s):

My rating system:

/ = Ran screaming in the other direction (aka did not finish)
* = Suffered through it for reasons I'm still not sure of
** = Had far more flaws than virtues
*** = A read I don't regret but could use some improvement
**** = A good, solid read that I might revisit
***** = Loved it beyond reason and will probably re-read in short order

My reading challenges for this year (besides reading at least 75 books):

1. Read one comic/graphic novel assigned by The Fiancé Mr. Fine every month.
Success rate: 12/12

2. Read one book off my own shelves every month.
Success rate: 9/12

This thread is open! Kick back, relax, and take wagers on how many books I can possibly finish while planning a move, a wedding, and a trip to Fiji and Hawaii all within the next two months.

That hammock looks like a great place to catch up on some reading!! :-)

🎵Come on over to my place,
Hey, you, we’re havin’ a party....🎶

...>7 MickyFine: Ooh, I like.

Happy new thread Micky!

Happy new thread, Mickey. There is life without internet as I am sure you will soon find out. Best of luck in your move.

Happy new thread, Micky!

Happy New thread!

Happy New Thread, Micky!

>7 MickyFine: Beautiful. And that's a lot of happy plan-making!

Happy new thread!

Loved that bookstore on your last thread. I don't remember if it was you or someone else who posted the photo. It reminds me of one of the bookstores that used to be in downtown Cincinnati in the 1980s.

Happy new thread Micky!

Happy new thread! Ooh, Hawaii and Fiji....

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread! Hope you had a great holiday weekend despite the lack of internet!

Happy new thread. That hammock likes very nice ;)

Thanks to Nina, Amber, Leah, Jim, Heather, and Laura for the general new thread well wishes.

>8 jennyifer24: One day I will have a hammock in my yard and it will be just for reading purposes. ;)

>10 Familyhistorian: I still have a decent data plan for my phone, so I'm never completely without internet but I can confirm there is life without internet and it's just as enjoyable. ;)

>13 jnwelch: It is happy when I remember that it is. A lot of the time it just feels a bit stressful.

>15 thornton37814: That was Nora, Lori. It's a bookstore in DC apparently.

>17 foggidawn: Yes! So excited for the trip. Lots of relaxing on the beach, which is sounding particularly amazing at the moment.

>19 ChelleBearss: My long weekend was great. We had some lazy time, hung some pictures at the townhouse, and did a bunch of shopping for The Fiancé so that he has clothes for the honeymoon.

>20 Kassilem: Doesn't it just? I don't think our resort in Fiji does hammocks, but we do have a daybed outside our bure that looks straight out on the beach. I think I'll be very happy. :)

Long weekend means plenty of down time for viewing. We knocked out the folllowing:



Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation
Library, first viewing

I missed watching this one when it first came out (despite the fact that Ghost Protocol was probably my favourite M:I movie). One of the podcasts I listen to did an episode on it recently so I wanted to watch the movie first. Highly enjoyable action fare.



Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
The Fianceé's, rewatch

Another case of podcast motivated rewatching. Alan Rickman remains fantastic in all his scenery-chewing glory. The plethora of accents going on here (why are Robin and Marian both American?), Kevin Costner's AWFUL mullet, and Marian's complete lack of agency in the final act remain terrible. Ridiculous but largely fun.


Jeeves & Wooster, Series 4
Library, first viewing

This may be my favourite season of this series just for the episode where Stephen Fry dresses in drag and looks AMAZING. An utter delight that has left The Fiancé and I a little sad that we've watched them all now.

Meme Book Seven



Anne has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. The 80s film adaptation was my go to movie to watch when I was home sick. When I first started reading on my own before bed, it was one of the first books I tried. Picking up one of these books is like settling in with an old friend and Montgomery's prose is so good it can make even me want to go for long walks in the woods.

Book 71



Just the Funny Parts - Nell Scovell

This memoir from television writer, show creator, producer, and director Nell Scovell is a fascinating insight into a woman's career as a television comedy writer. Scovell details experiences from throughout her career (#MeToo moments and all) and remains funny even when relating stories that would be enough to make any feminist's blood boil. Although the narrative jumps a bit, making it difficult to always keep track of the timeline, Scovell is charming and intelligent and her writing is compelling. Recommended whether you're a fan of one of the many shows she worked on, interested in television writing in general, or just interested in a smart memoir from a funny and bright woman in Hollywood.

Rating: ****

Book 72



Cyrano de Bergerac - Edmond Rostand

The classic play that follows the adventures of the titular character as he fights to defend his strong sense of honour, succumbs to love, and takes on anyone who makes even the slightest disparaging comment about his large nose.

I think my first exposure to this play was probably in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation and while I've always known the outline of the plot, I had never read it. I've now fixed that and while the play was enjoyable, I don't think it's one I'll revisit. That said, the complex stage descriptions leave me in awe of how it would have been staged in the 19th century.

Rating: ***

>24 MickyFine: Ooh, sounds interesting! I think I might suggest this one for the women's group book club at work.

>23 MickyFine: *happy sigh*

I picked up the first of the Emily books but it was such a heartbreaking beginning that I've put it aside for a bit. Apparently Emily was most like L.M.M. but I think I can see parallels to her life in Anne, too.

ETA: Enjoy Hawai'i and Fiji! We had been planning a trip to Hawaii next year, but it's an exam year for my 14 year old, so we'll do it another time. But we did go to Fiji in January this year. My mum and sister especially love it - the snorkelling is amazing - but it's a lot easier for them to get there from Australia than for us to fly 10 hours (direct or 24 via Sydney) from Singapore. Worth the trip though.

Happy new thread and good luck with all of the next couple months' craziness!

>26 curioussquared: I think it would be an interesting one to discuss, Natalie.

>27 humouress: I haven't tried the Emily books yet but as they've been released with the gorgeous Tundra covers also, I will be acquiring and reading them eventually. I'm so looking forward to our honeymoon even if getting to Fiji is a bit of a quest as we have to do Emonton to Vancouver to LA to Fiji (I think it's around 18 hours of flying time but longer with all of the layovers). I've been to Maui before but we're doing Oahu this time and I'm looking forward to trying a different island. Plus just lots of beach time.

>28 bell7: Thanks, Mary. I'll need it!

Book 73



Surprise Me - Sophie Kinsella

Sylvie and Dan have been together for ten years, they're parents to twin girls, and their lives are wonderful if a bit predictable. When Sylvie and Dan go to visit their new doctor and he informs them that based on their lifestyles, they're likely to have another sixty-eight years together, they both go into a bit of a mental tailspin. How on earth are they going to keep their marriage fresh for that long? As they experiment with new ideas, secrets will come to light that will shake their foundation and leave them wondering if they knew each other at all.

I found this an ok read but the initial premise seemed a little weird to me. If this couple is so blissfully happy together, how could the information that they're going to be together for a long time stress them both out so much? The characters also seemed a bit broad and not always believable as actual human beings. That said, if you enjoy Sophie Kinsella's writing generally, you're likely to enjoy this one. The novel also includes some very comic beats that make up for some of the more unbelievable plot elements. Not quite as much fluff as I was hoping for but a read I don't regret.

Rating: ***

In exciting news, my brother and sister-in-law had their third daughter yesterday. So I'm an aunt to three nieces now!* Super psyched to go see the new baby tonight after work. As my brother and his wife don't post pictures of their children on the internet I won't be sharing pictures or name details here on LT. But yay for new baby!

*Not including the nieces and nephew I'm about to marry into.

>31 MickyFine: Oooh, how exciting! Congrats to you & your family :D

Congrats! Welcome to the #ThirdTimeAunt club!

Congrats on your new niece! How very exciting!

Thanks to Mary, Leah, and Chelle for the congratulations on my new niece. She is so adorable!

Book 74



Flashpoint - Geoff Johns

These collected volumes see Barry Allen waking up in an alternate reality where his mother is still alive, he no longer has his powers, and Wonder Woman and Aquaman are at war and are devastating the planet in their efforts to defeat each other. Can Barry determine what changes his nemesis made in the past that created this horrifying new world before he loses his memories of his reality and before the world he's in tears itself apart?

An interesting read. I've always been most intrigued by The Flash as I'm a sucker for anything involving time travel. This entry into the canon is quite dark but it's fascinating to see the potential reality that could have been.

Rating: ***

Scrubs, Season One
The Fiancé's, first viewing (kind of)

This is The Fiancé's favourite sit com so we've been watching it a lot lately. I've seen the occasional episode of the series and enjoyed it but never binged the whole thing. Cute, fun, and an excellent way to fill a shorter span of time when we don't have time for a full 40ish minute episode of something else.

Book 75



The Inimitable Jeeves - P.G. Wodehouse (re-read)

This novel sees Bertie getting himself into all kinds of scrapes, often due to Bingo Little's love life, and being saved from his circumstances by the always unflappable Jeeves. As long as Bertie's latest wardrobe acquisition doesn't upset Jeeves' sense of appropriate wear for a gentleman.

Utterly delightful as one would expect of Wodehouse and his highly comic duo. One of those books that can most definitely make you laugh out loud.

Rating: ****

I'm enjoying your thoughts on the movies/TV shows you're watching, Micky. Now that I've nearly caught up on the Marvel universe movies I haven't been watching as much (well, I watched Thor: Ragnarok a second time), but I'm hoping to catch up on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. a bit more while dogsitting for someone with Netflix this weekend.

Happy newish thread, and congrats on your new niece! I may have missed it (I've missed a lot on LT this year!), but how are the bookish decorations coming for your wedding? Or was that just from your engagement photos?

I love the Bertie and Jeeves stories, Micky. I'm glad you're having such a good time with them.

>39 bell7: Thanks, Mary! The Fiancé and I were just discussing what our TV viewing schedule will look like after we get married. We're still introducing each other to our favourite shows so prioritizing which we want to watch with each other has been fun. :)

>40 aktakukac: Decorations are going great, Rachel. My mom (who is super crafty) has got them almost all entirely ready to go. The books for centrepieces have been wrapped in ribbon and half will be topped with teacups that have paper flowers (again, made by my mother) in them and the other half will have bottles with sand in them (The Fiancé is from Newfoundland so we're going for a message in a bottle kind of feel). I'll try and get pictures of them up here after the wedding.

>41 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe. Somehow, I hadn't realized that I'd read this book once before based on the fact that I had a review on it already. Thought the stories felt familiar just because I'd finished watching the series so recently. *shrug* I'm too young to be this forgetful.

Since just posting the book review was too subtle: I'VE REACHED 75 BOOKS!!!

Congratulations on reaching 75 books!

Congrats!

Congratulations on reaching 75! Jeeves is certainly a great one with which to reach it!

Congratulations on reaching 75! I'm looking forward to seeing pictures of your centerpieces.

Congrats!

Congrats! Love me some Wodehouse.

Thank you, Joe, Foggi, Lori, Zoe, Jim, and Natalie for the congratulations!

>46 thornton37814: I was happy it lined up that way.

>47 _Zoe_: I'll make sure to put one up after the wedding.

>49 curioussquared: His writing is so delightful.

Sorry, I was barely around the thread the last few days, I usually pick up the tiny hints...

Congratulations on reaching 75, Mickey!!!

>51 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita!

>31 MickyFine: Congratulations aunt Micky!

>38 MickyFine: Congratulations on 75! I noticed at 74; it’s just I haven’t been around in a while. Nice one to hit 75 with.

>53 humouress: Thanks, Nina!

Congrats on 75!

>55 lycomayflower: Thanks, Laura!

Darkest Hour
The library, first viewing

This drama follows Winston Churchill during his first month as Prime Minister of Britain, during which time he gave three of his most famous speeches and worked hard with his advisers on the War Cabinet to rescue the men at Dunkirk. Gary Oldman is a complete chameleon and allows us a glimpse into this fascinating historical figure. The supporting cast is equally brilliant. Definitely recommended.



The Wedding Date
Mine, rewatch

Not to be confused with the novel by Jasmine Guillory. This one sees Debra Messing's character hiring a male escort to accompany her to her sister's wedding in London where she'll have to face her ex, who is also the best man. Rom com plot ensues. Fluffy with plenty of British-ness and it's charming every time. Dermot Mulroney helps a lot on the charm front.

Book 76



The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

An epistolary novel set in 1946 and follows the interactions of author Juliet Ashton with her dear friends in Britain and new acquaintances on the island of Guernsey who are members of the titular society.

I know I'm spectacularly late to this novel and I chalk it entirely up to a case of being stubborn and skipping the book back when it was fantastically popular on LT a few years ago. Of course, the only person that punished was me. Utterly charming from the first page, I fell in love with these characters immediately. Beautifully written and effectively creating a sense of the reality of living in Britain in the wake of the end of the war. Highly recommended, particularly if like me you've ignored it due solely to its own popularity.

Rating: ****

>58 MickyFine: I loved this one. And you're just in time for the movie, which was just released on Netflix!

I couldn't believe the transformation into Churchill of Gary Oldman in Darkest Hour. What an amazing makeup job. And Oldman was terrific in the part - great supporting cast, too, as you say. We still talk about that scene with him riding the Tube.

A late congrats on 75 (I completely missed the number on your post!), and glad to see you enjoyed Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. It's among my favorite historical fiction novels.

>58 MickyFine: I passed over that one too but, I have to admit, a bit of cover bias was what got me. This just looks like one of these books my mom would read and foist on my as the "best thing ever" and it would be quaint crap.

BUT, I watched the movie and liked it a lot so I might have to pick the book up sometime soonish.

Congrats on hitting 75! That's great and in the middle of planning a wedding and moving too!

>58 MickyFine:, >62 leahbird: I also was somewhat biased against it when it first came out. I only ended up reading it in 2009 because I got a cheap copy while I was away at college (and thus had access to fewer books). It seemed like it was going to be too sappy.

Hi, Micky! Happy August thread, congrats on 75, hurray for the latest niece and happy wedding planning! Oh, and great books BTW. : )

>59 curioussquared: I have to admit, the trailer for the Netflix movie is what motivated me to finally pick up the book.

>60 jnwelch: I was referencing that scene myself because I've always made the joke that all newborns look like Churchill for a bit. :)

>61 bell7: Thanks, Mary. One of my close friends was appalled it had taken me this long to get around to it.

>62 leahbird: I haven't watched the movie yet but the book is really lovely so I do recommend giving it a try.

>63 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chelle. I'm surprised at how high my numbers have been this year despite everything going on. We'll see what the numbers look like once I start adjusting to married life.

>64 norabelle414: Nice when a book surprises our expectations.

>65 Berly: Thanks for all the things, Kim. :)

Life Update

This is my last weekend in my apartment so I'll be doing the last bit of the packing and moving boxes over the next couple days and hopefully start tackling some of the cleaning. The official move is on Wednesday evening when we'll take all my furniture over to the townhouse. From Wednesday night until the wedding I'll be staying with my parents so I'm also doing wardrobe math constantly right now figuring out how many outfits I need and where.

In between that productivity I'm also hoping to try and get to the Netflix adaptation of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (and possibly To All the Boys I've Loved Before) this weekend before I take my modem over to the townhouse on Sunday (internet installation at the townhouse is on Monday). And I want to finish or at least put a solid dent in my current read, Last Hope Island, which is a fantastic but chunky WWII history. Plus friends of mine who are moving from Toronto to Victoria are passing through town this weekend and we have plans to meet up on Sunday since they won't be able to come to the wedding.

Next week will be almost all moving and cleaning madness with Thursday and Friday off work for cleaning and final move out inspection. But I do also have my final wedding dress fitting on Monday (fingers crossed I don't need further alterations as they pushed back this fitting twice due to volume and an injured seamstress). Once next week is over, I'll only have one more week of work and more free time to focus on all the final wedding details. Is it September 16 yet?

>67 MickyFine: Sounds like things are getting really exciting!

>67 MickyFine: - I'm tired in solidarity with you.

>67 MickyFine: So much happening! Good luck getting through everything. I watched To All the Boys I've Loved Before earlier this week and really enjoyed it -- it totally captured the spirit of the book, in my opinion. And I'm getting takeout and watching Guernsey with a friend tonight :) Keep the book adaptations coming, Netflix!

>68 foggidawn: There's excitement in there somewhere although low-level anxiety about getting everything done and/or forgetting to do something reigns most often at the moment.

>69 katiekrug: I appreciate that, Katie. So much.

>70 curioussquared: Thanks, Natalie. I haven't read the Han but Nora assured me I wouldn't miss anything by doing the movie first. But Guernsey is definitely first on my priority list. I hope you and your friend have a great night in!

You can do it! Hope your weekend is productive but also fun!

>72 jennyifer24: Thanks, Jenny. It was both, thankfully.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Netflix, first viewing

Precisely the relaxing viewing I needed after packing a bunch of boxes after work. Sweet and charming, all of the changes from the novel I understood (although I do wish they hadn't made Amelia so angry, just because I was so fond of sweet, mother-ish Amelia from the book). I can see this becoming a comfort rewatch for me.

Book 77



Last Hope Island - Lynne Olson

A fantastically written history of WWII that focuses on six European nations whose governments were forced into exile in Britain. Olson makes a chunky and complex history compulsively readable and highlights figures both well-known and less so and makes them fascinating. While I have a good general handle on the broad strokes of WWII, this highlighted groups like the Polish 303 squadron who were some of the most successful fighters in the Battle of Britain and highlighted just how brutal the repercussions were for the people of the Netherlands after the Battle of Arnhem. Highly recommended.

Rating: ****

Ditched



The Wedding Date - Jasmine Guillory

I can't say I wasn't warned. I'm ditching this book five pages in because the writing is... not good. And I just don't have the patience right now to even attempt a proper Pearl rule. Sigh.

Rating: /

>76 MickyFine: - I did the same thing when I tried to read it, Micky. The audio was marginally less painful, and I made it though the whole thing, but my overall reaction was pretty meh.

>77 katiekrug: It's so disappointing because the premise hits some of my favourite romance tropes.

>76 MickyFine: Aw that's sad, I really liked that one. But also don't usually read romances so maybe it's just me.

>79 norabelle414: I'm sure it's not just you. The book has been huge this year. I just know there's better romance writing out there so I'll save my reading time for something I'll enjoy.

Good luck with all the moving/cleaning/wedding prep.

Too bad The Wedding Date wasn't your cuppa. I can't decide if I'd like it or not based on the mixed reviews it's been getting, but I don't generally gravitate to romance in the first place so there are a lot more books calling me to read them sooner than try that one.

>81 bell7: Thanks, Mary. It's been going ok so far this week.

I picked up my wedding dress yesterday and it's beautiful and it makes me want to twirl. :D

>83 MickyFine: That is what wedding dresses are supposed to do, can't wait to see it :-)

Me at the end of my wedding day:

>84 FAMeulstee: Awesome photo, Anita! Your dress is beautiful!

>83 MickyFine: - Wonderful feeling! I hope you'll share a photo with us after the wedding and honeymoon :)

>86 katiekrug: I'm sure I'll post a photo or two (or ten) over here sometime after I get back. :)

>76 MickyFine: That's unfortunate. I have a copy of that one and I lent it to my MIL. I guess I won't ask for it back :(

Yay for wedding dress twirling!! Good luck with the moving and last minute wedding stuff!

Hi Micky! Glad to see you're keeping your head on straight in the midst of wedding-and-moving-and-wardrobe-math madness. Can't wait to see pics of your wedding, it sounds so bookishly wonderful and awesome!

Catching up and: agreed on Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill, Congrats on 75, and continued best wishes for the move and wedding prep!

>88 ChelleBearss: Other people have enjoyed it more, Chelle. So maybe still give it a try.

>89 LauraBrook: Thanks, Laura. 12 days to go!

>90 swynn: Thank you, Steve!

I survived the move. It was a bit of a gong show due to elevator hiccups (one elevator broke so no exclusive use for the remaining elevator, 2 other people were trying to move out at the same time and another 2 people were moving in, plus regular elevator traffic... sigh) but everything made it to the townhouse unharmed and The Fiancé and I unpacked the last of the boxes yesterday. I still have to organize my non-fiction books but the house now feels much more homey. All that remains for settling in is hanging pictures. Whether that gets tackled before the wedding remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, I'm cozily ensconced in my parents' spare room for the next two weeks and it's kind of lovely being back home. One last week of work and then it will be all wedding things all the time, rather than just wedding things from when I get home until bedtime. :P

I did get some reading in on the long weekend despite all the craziness. August wrap up to come shortly.

Congrats on reaching 75 books! And I gasped aloud when I noticed "67. It Devours! - Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor" in your list. I don't think I'd started listening to Night Vale yet when you read it, but now I have, and have thoroughly fallen in love with it (and hurrah, I now have one person on my list of "semi-local people who may join me if they come and visit for a live show somewhere nearby"). Perhaps I should read this book? It never really occurred to me before, I'm not sure why. And golly, the wedding is getting close! Good luck!

Hi Micky!
>92 MickyFine: Yaaaaay being mostly done with moving! When I moved several years ago there was a tornado-y storm the night before and the power came back on maybe 30 minutes before my stuff got to the new building, where I was moving to the 7th floor. Phew!

>93 evilmoose: Yaaaaay Night Vale!

>93 evilmoose: Thanks, Megan! There are TWO Welcome to Night Vale books and they're both great (although I prefer the first to the second as the first has more things with librarians *evil cackle*). They are fine to read no matter where you are in the podcast as they have almost no spoilers.

>94 norabelle414: Thanks, Nora. Ok, you win on the nightmare moving scenarios! ;)

Book 78



Love & Gelato - Jenna Evans Welch

In the wake of her mother's death, Lina has been shipped to Italy for the summer to meet the father she didn't know existed. Lina is less than wild about the idea, but even with her consuming grief, Italy has its charms. And when an old acquaintance of her mom's gives Lina the journal her mom wrote while she was living in Italy, Lina becomes consumed by the mystery of how her mom and dad ended up where they did.

A charming YA romance that includes some heavy issues. The depictions of Lina's grief are well done and Welch also describes Italy beautifully, which is sure to ignite some wanderlust in its readers. While the mystery around her mom's time in Italy wasn't super mysterious for me, watching Lina come to the conclusions I had already reached was still great fun. Definitely an appealing read-alike for fans of Anna and the French Kiss.

Rating: ****

August Summary





Numbers in parentheses are for year to date.

Books read: 9 (78)
Books ditched: 1 (6)

Fiction: 6 (68)
Non-fiction: 3 (10)

Library: 8 (63)
Mine: 0 (6)
Borrowed elsewhere: 1 (9)

Re-reads: 1 (2)

Female authors: 6 (47)
Male authors: 4 (33)

Adult fiction: 5 (55)
YA fiction: 1 (11)
Children's fiction: 0 (1)

Pages: 3,074 (24,516)

Average rating: 3.3 (3.47)

Average time to read book: 4.1 days (3.97 days)

Favourite book(s): I adored every minute of The Woman Who Died a Lot but The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society has lingered in my brain so they both get the nod.

Book 79



The Sandman: Season of Mists - Neil Gaiman

This collection of issues sees Dream being gifted the key to Hell by Lucifer and dealing with the many offers that come in for the realm as a result.

Dark, bleak, and with inconsistent art I was left feeling that this volume was really not my jam. That said, it is interesting to read to see Gaiman's fascination with certain types of characters and mythologies peek out in advance of his other works on the topics. I'll be continuing with the series for now but I may be ultimately deeming it as one of the Gaiman narratives that just isn't for me.

Rating: **

Book 80



Lumberjanes: Friendship to the Max - Noelle Stevenson

I adored every second of this second volume of Lumberjanes comics. As the girls continue to have the weirdest summer at camp ever (Velociraptors! In the outhouse!), they also learn the value of their friendship with each other. Fun, funny, and full of such positivity for all forms of femininity and the challenges of being a young woman, this comic series is so very much my thing.

Rating: *****

>96 MickyFine: Looks cute! I'll have to put that one on the list.

>99 MickyFine: I devoured the first 6 Lumberjanes volumes last year. So good! Might be time to see if my library has more of them now.

>100 curioussquared: I definitely mentioned to my co-worker who does our selection for juvenile and YA material that we didn't have all the volumes as ebooks so that I can get at more when I'm on my vacation and not borrowing physical books from the library. :D

Book 81



A Treacherous Curse - Deanna Raybourn

The third Veronica Speedwell novel sees Veronica and Stoker digging into the disappearance of the current husband of Stoker's ex-wife. Recently returned from an expedition in Egypt, there are the rumours of a mummy's curse clouding the waters of the disappearance. As Veronica and Stoker work to determine what actually happened, Veronica will also gain whole new insights into her investigative partner.

Yet another solid mystery in this series with a fun Victorian Egyptological element. As always, it's just as entertaining to watch the relationship between Veronica and Stoker grow and I look forward to developments on that front in the next book. My only quibble is Veronica had almost no friendly interactions with other female characters in this book, which was disappointing. While she is atypical for the period and often ostracized for her differences, she does have female friends in previous volumes who are completely absent for this outing. Hopefully they'll be back next time around.

Rating: ***

Book 82



The Masked City - Genevieve Cogman

The second book in The Invisible Library series sees Librarian Irene Winters heading off on a rescue mission when her apprentice (and dragon in human form), Kai, is kidnapped. Heading to a parallel world where the chaos levels are so high that almost all interactions resort to narrative tropes (the best form of feeding Fae). To prevent a war between the Fae and Kai's royal family of dragons, which will be destructive mostly to the innocent human population, Irene must rescue Kai with almost no support from the very powerful Library.

This one took a little bit longer to build into itself and really enthrall me due to the political machinations but the last 100 pages are full of some truly excellent action that had me turning the pages as fast as I could. Definitely recommended for fans of the series.

Rating: ****

I just read last month The Woman Who Died a Lot and The Masked City and I loved Gurnsey when I read it--we should hang out together!! LOL

Glad you survied the move and you seem to be handling wedding-detail-stress well. Hang in there!!

Hi Micky, stopping by to get caught up. I understand that feeling of regret/loss when you discover you have finished viewing all of the Jeeves and Wooster episodes. The cast almost become your second family - in a lovingly quirky way.

Congrats on becoming an Auntie once again!

I love reading about all the personal details being included in your wedding decorations.

Wahoo on flying past the 75 books mark! >43 MickyFine: Loving the Grover dance! (That is the muppet Grover, right?)

Congratulations on surviving the move considering the elevator issues. That must have delayed things a bit.

So exciting that your big day is so close. Wishing you perfect weather for next weekend!

Glad you survived the move despite the elevator challenges! Hope everything goes well this last week heading up to the wedding :)

Thinking of you in this last sprint to the Big Day, Micky!

>105 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori. I'd wish harder for that weather. ;)

>106 bell7: It's been going ok. Thanks, Mary.

>107 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie!

Life has been full but good. All the final preparations are coming along smoothly. The only hitch has been the weather. It's been cool all week, it snowed today, and it's forecasted to be 3C (37F) with rain and snow on Sunday, the Big Day. So indoor pictures. :/ On the spectrum of things that could go wrong, it's pretty minor so I'll take it.

Three more sleeps to go! :D

Hope the weather comes through and everything else goes smoothly!

Happy wedding weekend! I hope the snow (?!) and rain hold off for you.

Congrats on a successful move!
Best wishes for your wedding day!!

Thinking of you today! Hope it’s beautiful and amazing!

Happy Wedding Day!

I think I accidentally stumbled in on the big day.

HIP HIP HOORAY!

I hope it's dreamy and wonderful and the perfect start to a new chapter, full of great stories and memories.

I hope you're having a great wedding day!

Happy wedding day!!

Best wishes for an amazing wedding day!

Hope your wedding was wonderful and that everything went as planned!

Congratulations on your wedding, Micky! Very best wishes to both of you!

Hope you had a wonderful wedding day!

Congratulations!! You must be on your honeymoon. Hope you are having fun, best wishes for the years ahead and post some pictures when you get back!! : )

Congratulations, Micky and Mr Micky! I hope you two had a wonderful day and are relaxing (no more wedding plans!) on your honeymoon. :) OXO

Congratulations, Micky! Enjoy the honeymoon!

*peeks in* I think I might be ready to come back to LT. Still in the last few days of my honeymoon (we're currently in the hermit staycation phase) but also ramping up for Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend. Given that we're about to go back to interacting with other humans, I figured it was a decent time to try and get caught up around here. My plan of attack is:

1. Responses to everyone who kept my thread warm in my absence.
2. Reading updates.
3. Wedding and honeymoon pictures with annotations.
4. Catch up on everyone else's threads.

So, stick around and you might see something you'll enjoy. ;)

welcome back! I hope you've had a great couple of weeks!

>110 curioussquared: >111 jennyifer24: Thanks, Natalie and Jenny. The weather was exactly as forecasted (more on that later) but it was still a fantastic day.

Thanks to Chelle, Foggi, Katie, Luxx, Zoë, Nora, Mary, Rachel, Leah, Steve, Kim, Laura, and Joe for the well wishes for our wedding. It was everything we hoped and more.

>126 jennyifer24: Thanks, Jenny. Definitely great (more updates to come).

Welcome back! Can't wait to see photos!

>125 MickyFine: Glad to see you both have surfaced again! Hope your trip was great!

Have a great Thanksgiving!

>128 London_StJ: Thanks, Luxx. They're coming soon, I promise!

>129 ChelleBearss: Trip was fantastic, Chelle. Hope your Thanksgiving is also great!

Yayyyyy! Micky’s back!

Yay, you're back! Looking forward to allll the updates ;)

>131 foggidawn: Yay! I am!

>132 bell7: Thanks, Mary. Working on them, I promise.

Books 83-89




Lumberjanes: A Terrible Plan - Noelle Stevenson
Lumberjanes: Out of Time - Shannon Watters
Lumberjanes: Band Together - Shannon Watters
Lumberjanes: Sink or Swim - Shannon Watters
Lumberjanes: A Bird's-Eye View - Shannon Watters
Lumberjanes: Stone Cold - Shannon Watters
Lumberjanes: On a Roll - Kat Leyh

I had an afternoon of down time about a week before the wedding and I devoured all of these volumes of Lumberjanes during that time. The comics are smart, funny, embracing of all sorts of identities, and a pure delight from start to finish. Whether the girls are hanging out with mermaids or trying to sort out issues between Yetis and Bigfoots, there's always great hijinks afoot with great underlying messages.

Rating: ****

Book 90



The Librarian and the Spy - Susan Mann

Los Angeles librarian Quinn Ellington has loved spy novels her entire life. So when a patron she's been helping identify artifacts with turns out to be a spy who actually needs her help, Quinn couldn't possibly resist the adventure. Especially when the spy is as cute as James.

Once again I get suckered into a mediocre novel because it involves a librarian. Pitfalls of professional narcissism, I guess. In this case, there wasn't anything particularly wrong with the plot - a little unbelievable but what else is new when it comes to this genre? And happily, Mann writes gorgeous descriptive passages and really knows her way around librarianship (although there was perhaps a bit too much librarian detail - I don't need search strategies in my romance novel). Where the book really fell down and left me disinclined to pick up the next book in the trilogy was the dialogue: stiff, unbelievable, and occasionally eye-roll-inducing. Sigh. But you can't win them all.

Rating: **

>135 MickyFine: I don't need search strategies in my romance novel
Hahahahaha...ahem
Sorry it didn't work well for you.

I actually tend to avoid books that talk about librarians or librarianship. Either they get it so, so wrong or I feel like I'm bringing work home.

>136 bell7: I'm always a sucker for them because sometimes they get things right and they're a fun read. And it's fun to make fun of the novels that get it wrong. :P

September Summary





Numbers in parentheses are for year to date.

Books read: 12 (90)
Books ditched: 0 (6)

Fiction: 12 (80)
Non-fiction: 0 (10)

Library: 12 (75)
Mine: 0 (6)
Borrowed elsewhere: 0 (9)

Re-reads: 0 (2)

Female authors: 11 (58)
Male authors: 1 (34)

Adult fiction: 4 (59)
YA fiction: 8 (19)
Children's fiction: 0 (1)

Pages: 2,192 (26,708)

Average rating: 4.1 (3.79)

Average time to read book: 3.6 days (3.79 days)

Favourite book(s): I loved every page of Lumberjanes: Friendship to the Max and it made me laugh out loud the most so it walks away with the September prize.

Book 91



Competence - Gail Carriger

In this third outing in the Custard Protocol series, the crew is headed to South America in search of vampires who may be nearly extinct. Around that pesky mission a great deal of character development happens.

More a character study of Prim and Percy than the rousing adventure romance that occurs when Rue is the focus of these novels, it's still highly enjoyable. The vampire adventure takes a significant backseat to exploring who Prim and Percy are and developing them both as human beings. Fun but not necessarily what one would expect of this series.

Rating: ***

Wedding things!

The wedding was fantastic even with mixture of snow/rain/slush that was coming out of the sky that day. Below are the three sneak peeks are photographer has released so far:





Plus, since I know there was interest in the bookish decorations here's us cutting our cake:



I promise if there's interest in centrepieces, etc. I'll try and get pics of those up when I get some. :)

Yay for the photos! They are great.

And I, for one, would love to see the centerpieces... :)

Love the photos!

Great photos!! Love the sneak peeks! Great book cake!

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

Cool pics! And great cake!

Congrats, Micky! Everything looks great!

Is that the library you work at in the third photo? Did you take photos while they were open or after hours??

Gorgeous photos and love the cake!

Ha! Great photos, Micky. It looks like you married a book reader.

>141 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie! I might have to wait for pictures from the photographer before I can post centrepiece photos but I'll get one up when I can. :)

>142 foggidawn: Thanks, Foggi!

>143 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chelle! Thanksgiving was a good mix of social with big family Thanksgiving on Saturday, Friendsgiving on Sunday, and a pj day filled with binge watching on Monday.

>144 drneutron: Thanks, Jim. The cake was made by a fantastic family friend.

>145 norabelle414: Thanks, Nora. That is the St. Albert Public Library who were super cool about us taking photos. We managed to sneak in there in the last half hour before they closed.

>146 curioussquared: Thanks, Natalie.

>147 jnwelch: I did marry a reader for sure, Joe. There's more comics in his collection than books with no pictures but reading is reading is reading.

Book 92



Duke of Desire - Elizabeth Hoyt

Iris is pretty sure she's about to die when she's kidnapped and dragged to the revels of the Lords of Chaos. But when one of the Lords surprises her by coming to her rescue, Iris finds herself under the protection of, and very shortly thereafter married to, Raphael, Duke of Dyemore. But can their marriage of convenience become something more and overcome the demons of Raphael's past?

I always enjoy Hoyt's romances and while this is no exception, it's also not amongst my favourites. While she very respectfully deals with the trauma from Raphael's past, I also got tired of his repetition of the same issues. Iris likewise had to go through the same arguments repeatedly making her feel less well-developed. However, the framing fairy tale Hoyt always uses as epigraphs for her books is lovely. If you're a completist, it's a fine addition to the Maiden Lane series, but not required reading in my books.

Rating: ***

>140 MickyFine: Lovely pictures, Micky, especially the bookish pictures :-)

Oh, man what great photos of your wedding! Gorgeous!!

>150 FAMeulstee: Thanks, Anita!

>151 scaifea: I'm very pleased with the teaser photos. Can't wait to see the rest! :)

Book 93



The Importance of Being Earnest - Oscar Wilde

I've always enjoyed this play and couldn't turn down the opportunity to listen to this audio production with James Marsters (SPIKE!) in one of the lead roles. The play remains as funny and charming as ever, and while not all of the actors rocked the English accent as well as others, it was a delightful and fast listen. Highly recommended.

Rating: ****

>153 MickyFine: This is my favorite play of all time :) The movie is super well done, too, if you haven't seen it.

>154 curioussquared: Oh I have. :D

Book 94



A Pocket Full of Rye - Agatha Christie

When Rex Fortescue is discovered to have been murdered by poison in his office, Inspector Neele of Scotland Yard is quite sure he knows exactly who's behind it. But when two more members of Fortescue's household are also found dead, Neele is suddenly left quite perplexed. When Miss Marple arrives to aid the investigation due to her knowledge of one of the victims, the astute insights of the innocuous-looking old woman are likely to set everything on its ear.

Yet another thoroughly satisfying Miss Marple outing. As ever, she had me fully stumped on the whodunnit and her ability to create fantastic characters who feel utterly real from the moment they appear on the page is astounding. Christie continues her run of being unable to disappoint.

Rating: ****

I did promise a few photos from our honeymoon also, so enjoy your beach envy!

*beach envy!*

>157 MickyFine: You look like you're both having a fabulous time! Also love the bookish wedding. How cool!

Love your beach photos! I am very jealous as it went down to 3c here overnight and snowed in a town nearby! Ugh.

>158 jnwelch: *sigh* I do miss those.

>159 lycomayflower: It was a great trip, Laura!

>160 ChelleBearss: We've had snow here multiple times since mid-September, Chelle, so I'm afraid I have little sympathy. ;)

I'm late, I'm late - but just wanted to say thanks for sharing all the lovely photos! Looks like the wedding & honeymoon were fantastic :)

>134 MickyFine: I love the Lumberjanes! I've only read up to volume 5 so need to do some catching up but they are always fun.

>140 MickyFine:, >157 MickyFine: Yay for wedding and honeymoon photos and being married :-)

OH HECK TO THE YES. Finally catching up and going all googly eyed over your gorgeous wedding photos! Then again over the honeymoon ones because SEA AND FANCY LOUNGE CHAIRS YASSSSSS. Congratulations beautiful lady! :D

>162 bell7: Thanks, Mary. They were both lovely and after two weeks back at work, I really miss the honeymoon lifestyle. ;)

>163 souloftherose: Enjoy the catch up on Lumberjanes!

>164 elliepotten: Thanks, Ellie. Glad to add a bit of googly-ness to your day. :D

>135 MickyFine: I don't need search strategies in my romance novel

Rarely have I been so tempted to read a romance novel ... not that I'm tempted much, mind, I don't need romance in my search strategies. :)

>140 MickyFine: Brilliant pictures. The library setting is perfect of course.

>166 swynn: It's a very gentle romance, Steve, if that helps at all. No heaving bosoms at all. ;)

And thank you for the compliments on the pictures. We managed to get them in about 20 minutes before the library closed that day.

Book 95



An Echo in the Bone - Diana Gabaldon

The seventh book in the Outlander series sees Jamie and Claire embroiled in the Revolutionary War, while Brianna and Roger have returned to 1980s Scotland only to discover that they may not have left all threats to the safety of their family in the past.

The description does little to describe the sprawling nature of the narrative of this one as various plot threads interweave and characters resurface, disappear, and collide in new and fascinating ways. There are a few dangling plot threads that leave me very eager to pick up the next novel but I also worry as then I will be caught up with the series and have to wait for the next book to be published just like long-time fans of the series. The horror! ;)

Rating: ****

Those wedding pictures are amazing! The library and the cake!!

And your honeymoon looks amazing too!

>169 _Zoe_: Thanks, Zoë! I can't wait to see how the rest of the photos turn out.

Hi Micky! Stopping by to get caught up. Absolutely love your wedding pics! What a fabulous dress, cake and decor pieces for the reception!

>153 MickyFine: - I loved that audio read! LA Theatre Works productions are fabulous to listen to.

>157 MickyFine: - Great honeymoon pics!

>171 lkernagh: Hi Lori! Lovely to see you as always.

I've done a few LA Theatre Works productions. Radio plays are the exception to my inability to stay with audiobooks. They have a great collection of Noel Coward plays which are all delightful.

Book 96



The Kiss Quotient - Helen Hoang

When Stella Lane's mother drops the not-so-subtle hint that she wants grandchildren, Stella is at a bit of a loss. Interacting with other people has always been a bit of a challenge for her due to her autism and all of her attempts at romantic relationships have been completely dissatisfying for everyone involved. In an effort to try and make herself better at the whole romance thing, Stella comes up with an unorthodox solution: hire a male escort to teach her the basics of sex and romance. But when Stella hire Michael Larsen, neither of them are prepared for what will come of their business arrangement.

A fantastically diverse and very smutty romance novel. Hoang does a fantastic job of putting the reader inside Stella's way of experiencing the world and also makes Michael a thoroughly believable hero with a whole cart's worth of baggage that led to his current job as escort. The romance between the two is very sweet but be warned that if you aren't into lots of sex in your romance novel, this one may be a bit much.

Rating: ***

Book 97



Green Lantern: Rebirth - Geoff Johns

The return of Hal Jordan.

My first foray into all things Green Lantern and it's definitely a way to do it with a bang. There's a nice interweaving of all the different men who have taken up the mantle of Green Lantern plus some appearances from other heroes in the DC universe. There's enough back story given that you don't feel completely lost but I have to admit that the art, while beautiful, had me a little confused as to what was actually happening in a few fight sequences.

Rating: ***

>157 MickyFine: Such wonderful photos. What a nice place for a honeymoon :)

Great wedding and honeymoon photos, Micky! And you've almost read 100 books! I'm slightly jealous...I won't be anywhere near that number by the end of the year :)

>175 figsfromthistle: Thank you! It was a great trip.

>176 aktakukac: Hi Rachel! I am getting close to triple digits but that was helped out a lot by many graphic novels this year.

Book 98



Blackest Night - Geoff Johns

When the ancient prophecy of the Guardians come true and Black Lantern rings begin to fall on earth, bringing the dead back to something resembling life, Hal Jordan, the Green Lanterns, and the superheroes of Earth will have to align with Lanterns across the colour spectrum to attempt to defeat this new evil.

The art in this one is fantastic, which is little bit much in some cases as big chunks of the narrative is filled with what are essentially zombies off the flesh falling off and skeletons protruding school. If the initial darkness and creepiness of the villains isn't enough to throw you off, there's a great heroes unite plot going on here that focuses heavily on the Lanterns but incorporates tons of characters from across the DCU.

Rating: ***

>168 MickyFine: I can attest that waiting for the next book is painful!

>179 ChelleBearss: At least we have new seasons of the show to enjoy. :)

October Summary




Numbers in parentheses are for year to date.

Books read: 8 (98)
Books ditched: 0 (6)

Fiction: 8 (88)
Non-fiction: 0 (10)

Library: 5 (80)
Mine: 1 (7)
Borrowed elsewhere: 2 (11)

Re-reads: 0 (2)

Female authors: 5 (63)
Male authors: 3 (37)

Adult fiction: 8 (67)
YA fiction: 0 (19)
Children's fiction: 0 (1)

Pages: 3,000 (29,708)

Average rating: 3.4 (3.60)

Average time to read book: 7.6 days (5.70 days)

Favourite book(s): I'll give the prize to An Echo in the Bone for being fantastic read regardless of whether I was in an airport, at the pool, or back at home.

Oh no, quick, find a book that is one page long and read it before midnight!

>182 norabelle414: Well I estimated the page length of the audio of Importance of Being Earnest. I could nudge it up one page. ;)

>183 MickyFine: Please do, it's giving me hives.

>184 norabelle414: Fixed. Wouldn't want you to be all itchy. :D

Book 99



Mastiff - Tamora Pierce

In the final book of the trilogy, Beka Cooper, her scent hound, Achoo, and her partner, Tunstall are sent on the most challenging Hunt they'll ever face.

I really enjoyed this final book in the trilogy and even though I've read these books really spaced out (by a year or two at least), I still was able to sink back into them easily after every interval. Beka remains a compelling character, the quest plot of this one is enthralling, and I continued to love the magic of the world. I'll definitely be coming back to Tortall with the other series by Pierce and I look forward to when the next one crosses my path.

Rating: ****

>186 MickyFine: Looks like we were reading Mastiff at the same time! Your review was rather kinder than mine :) I'm excited for you to read some of Pierce's other series, as I honestly think these are some of her weakest books.

>187 curioussquared: I'm interested to see how I like the other books but I won't be trying any until the new year. I've got a book exchange coming up with friends in December and so I'm limited to only books I've said I was planning on reading or books I already own.

Book 100



The Book Lovers' Miscellany - Claire Cock-Starkey

A collection of random book-related trivia compiled by a staff member at the Bodleian Library. Light and fast reading, with a feeling more of pub quiz level trivia than deep history of the book as object but fun all the same.

Rating: ****

Congrats on reading 100 books!

>190 norabelle414: Thanks, Nora!

It was my birthday on Tuesday and Mr. Fine and I took the day off to celebrate. Amongst our adventures was a trip to a used book store where I acquired some fluffy mass market paperbacks:

Vision in White - Nora Roberts
Bed of Roses - Nora Roberts
Crime and Poetry - Amanda Flower
Do You Want to Start a Scandal - Tessa Dare

Happy belated birthday!!!!

What Nora said! ;-)

Thank you, Nora and Foggi! :)

Happy belated, Micky!

>196 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie!

Book 101



The Jane Austen Project - Kathleen A. Flynn

Colleagues Rachel Katzman and Liam Finucane have been sent on the most ambitious mission of their time travel institute since its inception: travel back to 1815 and enmesh themselves in the lives of the Austens in order to rescue a copy of "The Watsons," which due to a recently discovered letter has been proven to be completed rather than a fragment. However, while working their way into the lives of the family they must grapple with the question of whether there are other things they could change and what the repercussions would be.

I really enjoyed this historical science fiction novel. Flynn does an excellent job of creating a believable Jane Austen that is in line with the historical record we have. She also creates really compelling characters in Rachel and Liam although I found Liam too much of a Darcy-esque enigma and the ending a bit to quick, even if it is an homage to Austen's works. This is definitely light on the science fiction element - there isn't a lot of detail about the logistics of time travel but everything makes sense within the world. High appeal for Janeites, of course, but also for fans of historical fiction or time travel novels.

Rating: ****

That one's on my list! Glad to hear it's worthwhile...

>198 MickyFine: This sounds awesome and is totally going on my list.

>58 MickyFine: I watched the Netflix movie of that book and was surprised afresh at the titanic wall of happy it generates. Lovely-looking film, isn't it, and well worth your time to watch since you liked the book. I'm so pleased that Genevieve Cogman has a fan in you! And The Jane Austen Project is sitting right here glowering at me from the library book pile...so pleased it has your seal of approval, now I'll noodge it up the pile.

Also, love the wedding photos! The honeymoon photos! The book-shaped cake!!

Sending all good wishes to you both for the longest and happiest life together that's possible.

Hi, Mickey.

I really enjoyed The Jane Austen Project, too. Definitely one Janeites will enjoy.

I’m another Invisible Library fan.

>199 katiekrug: I think you'll enjoy it, Katie.

>200 curioussquared: Glad to be of service. :)

>201 richardderus: So lovely to see you, RDear. Thank you for all the sweet wishes. *smooch*

>202 jnwelch: Nice to see you, Joe. Happy to hear you've enjoyed those books as well. :)

Book 102



The Hazel Wood - Melissa Albert

Alice has always been fascinated by her grandmother, Althea Proserpine. Author of a collection of dark fairy tales, Althea disappeared into obscurity as a recluse at her estate, Hazel Wood. Alice's fascination is fed by her mother's absolute refusal to discuss her childhood. Instead Alice and her mother have spent their lives constantly moving, never settling anywhere long as they are pursued doggedly by bad luck. When they receive news that Althea has died, Alice's mother is convinced the bad luck will now end. But instead something darker that neither of them could have imagined crawls from the woods.

A very dark take on fairy tales and the power of story, this novel was fascinating in the way of a car crash. Everything about it is horrifying and yet it's difficult to look away. Albert obviously knows her way around fairy tales and weaves in the structure into her stories, which feel like the darkest elements of any of the traditional folk tales. For those who don't mind some horror mixed in with their fairy tales.

Rating: ***

>204 MickyFine: I keep walking past that book in my library. I refuse to be drawn into colloquy with this author or story solely based on the cover art. But it's soooo coool...the comb, the bone, the spilled coffee...the tree on the gates...I wanna! But I remain steadfast. Your absence of rapturous warbling arms me with reason to resist.

>204 MickyFine: I have a galley of this on my TBR shelf, but it's just never grabbed my attention. Now I'm wondering if I would find it too dark...

>205 richardderus: You might appreciate it more than I did, Richard. My horror tolerance is low so the book just didn't work as well for me. The writing is solid and the book as object is gorgeous. Next time you wander past it, check out the endpapers too. So pretty!

>206 foggidawn: It's not one I'd recommend for you since I know your horror tolerance is similar to mine, Foggi. It wasn't so bad I wanted to quit the book but I also have no interest in picking up the eventual sequel.

>207 MickyFine: ...not...listening...nope...

>207 MickyFine: Well, your reaction certainly does not inspire me to run over to my shelf and grab it. I’ll leave it alone for now.

>208 richardderus: Giggle. Hanging out in Egypt, are we? ;)

>209 foggidawn: Good call, I think.

Book 103



Once Upon a Winter's Eve - Tessa Dare

Violet Winterbottom retreated to Spindle Cove in the wake of heartbreak and was utterly relieved that no one there tried to change her wallflower ways. But when an injured stranger bursts into the town's Christmas ball and makes his way directly to Violet, she's suddenly in the spotlight. In a single night, Violet's life will change while she tries to determine if the attractive is man is really a stranger at all.

A cute Christmas novella in the Spindle Cove series. Dare does an impressive job of crafting two believable characters with actual depth in such limited space and creates a romance that doesn't feel too rushed. Not particularly Christmas-y so if you're looking for a holiday romance this probably won't scratch that itch but it is a lovely historical romance novella.

Rating: ****

Book 104



Fortunately, the Milk - Neil Gaiman

When their Mum goes off to a conference, a brother and his younger sister are left at home with their absent-minded Dad. When there's no milk for cereal, Dad goes to the corner store to get some and takes absolute ages. When he returns he tells the tale of the epic quest he had bringing the milk back home.

On just the right side of ridiculous, this children's book is a delight for all ages. Gaiman crafts an excellent adventure tale with plenty of humour that feels a bit Douglas Adams-esque and the illustrations by Skottie Young are utterly charming. Whether you're a kid, reading it to a child in your life, or reading it as someone who is no longer a child, there's plenty to enjoy.

Rating: ****

>212 MickyFine: Those illos are the bomb!

I'm fresh back from the library where I categorically refuse to acknowledge what leapt into my bag.

>212 MickyFine: - I read that one earlier this year and quite enjoyed it!

>213 richardderus: I look forward to seeing your thoughts on the thing that didn't jump into your bag. :)

>214 katiekrug: So charming.

Ran across this bit of history from 1938 and it made me laugh:

>216 MickyFine: Lol! Good riddance!

>216 MickyFine:, >217 curioussquared: AMEN!!

>216 MickyFine: Hahahahahaha that's amazing.

Book 105



Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries - Kory Stamper

An insider's view into the realities of being a lexicographer at Merriam-Webster's dictionary and what a fascinating world it is. From getting the skinny on how you become a lexicographer to what that work actually looks like to the research that goes into features like pronunciations and dates, is made into enthralling and funny reading. Stamper doesn't glamorize the life of a lexicographer however. There are plenty of tales of the weeks taken to revise a single definition but the result is a book that will delight word nerds of every stripe. Went back to my library with a staff picks sticker on it.

Rating: ****

>220 MickyFine: Ooo, I've looked at that one many times. Looks like I should check it out.

>221 lycomayflower: I think you'll enjoy it.

>220 MickyFine: ...and my library has it! W00t!

>223 richardderus: Huzzah!

I'm here! I caught up! The wedding and honeymoon photos are gorgeous :-D

>225 archerygirl: Glad you made it over here. And thanks!

Book 106



Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) - Mindy Kaling

Not quite a memoir but also not quite a collection of essays, this feels a bit like delving into Mindy's brain into a curated tour of the bits she thinks are funniest or most interesting. It's entertaining and if you're a fan of hers, you'll enjoy it but not a must-read.

Rating: ***

Ditched



Searching for the Amazons: The Real Warrior Women of the Ancient World - John Man

This non-fiction work about who the Amazons actually were sadly just didn't work for me. The writing is perfectly approachable but I had issues with the lack of qualifications Man used around descriptions of the history of "Amazons" from Herodotus. I was expecting more anthropology and archaeology and while the book might get there eventually, it lost me to disinterest in its first few chapters. Also, no in-text sourcing for the history offered of these women which makes it difficult to determine its reliability. May work better for other readers.

Rating: /

Have you read The Amazons: Lives and Legends of Warrior Women across the Ancient World? I heard Mayor speak on this one at a National Book Festival a few years ago - very interesting.

>104 Berly: Glad to see that you liked that one! I'm pretty sure I have it upstairs on the shelf waiting for Chloe to be a bit older. Perhaps I'll break it out sooner!

>229 drneutron: I haven't. Thanks for the recommendation, Jim!

>230 ChelleBearss: I think that was supposed to be for The Hazel Wood in >204 MickyFine:. I think you'd really dig it, Chelle.

Book 107



Once Upon a Marquess - Courtney Milan

Lady Judith Worth has done everything in her power to keep her world and that of her younger siblings as normal as possible for the past eight years. Not an easy feat when your father and brother have both been accused of treason, the former committing suicide and the latter disappearing after being sentenced to transportation those same eight years ago. When Judith reaches a problem she can't resolve on her own, she finally reaches out to her former beau, Christian Trent, Marquess of Ashford. Spending time together reminds them both of the strong connection between them, but can either of them forgive Christian for his role in bringing Judith's father and brother to trial?

If you're considering dipping your toe into historical romance as a genre, I cannot recommend Courtney Milan highly enough. She creates such vividly real characters who face believable conflicts and she also manages to be funny at the same time. For example, the running verbal gag between the lead characters in this novel about a pair of gay swans is utterly delightful. I adored this novel and was almost sad that I have a few other books lined up that will keep me from diving immediately into the next book in this series.

Rating: ****

>232 MickyFine: - Onto the list!

>232 MickyFine: I'm reading one of Mme Milan's titles in the Worth Saga, The Pursuit of..., with gay men at its heart. I have to say she does one helluva job with her research, and the fact that I would gleefully throttle Henry the British deserter shows me how good she is at character development.

Hi Micky! Forgot that part. Heh, sorry.

>233 katiekrug: Good. I was going to come over to your thread and warble about it if you didn't notice it here. :)

>234 richardderus: She's so great! And what I love is that she was traditionally published, got sick of how the system was treating her, and switched to self-publishing where she's maintained high quality writing. She has some contemporary romance novels out as well, one of which features a trans lead. I haven't read it but my voracious romance reading friend quite liked it. :)

Also, hi Richard!

>231 MickyFine: Yep. it sure was :)

>235 MickyFine: I actually like Milan's books as an indie author far more than her traditionally published novels. It seems like the freedom to write what she wants, rather than staying within the house style bounds, produces romances I'm far more invested in :-)

>237 archerygirl: I haven't tried her traditionally published books. I jumped in with her self-published stuff and fell in love with her writing.

Books 108-110



Brightest Day Vol. 1 - Geoff Johns
Brightest Day Vol. 2 - Geoff Johns
Brightest Day Vol. 3 - Geoff Johns

In this follow-up to the Blackest Night story arc, all of the characters who were resurrected by the white lantern find themselves struggling to understand why they were brought back. No one struggles more than Boston Brand (aka Deadman) who spent his time as a superhero dead. Boston also has far more invested in this mystery than anyone else as his is the only white lantern ring that has not disappeared and that appears to be taking Boston on a quest that is entirely part of the ring's own agenda.

Really solid arc with some interesting exploration of the backstory of a lot of the characters in the DCU, particularly Deadman, Aquaman, Firestorm, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, J'onn J'onzz, and Hawk and Dove. While the ultimate reveal of the end goal of the white ring felt a bit underwhelming after all the build up, there is some fascinating character development going on here. If you liked Blackest Night, this follow-up series is worth picking up.

Rating: ***

I just picked up Written in My Own Heart's Blood as my next read, which is definitely going to take me a week or two to get through so I'll be doing my November wrap-up shortly.

November Summary




Numbers in parentheses are for year to date.

Books read: 12 (110)
Books ditched: 2 (8)

Fiction: 9 (97)
Non-fiction: 3 (13)

Library: 9 (89)
Mine: 0 (7)
Borrowed elsewhere: 3 (14)

Re-reads: 0 (2)

Female authors: 8 (71)
Male authors: 4 (41)

Adult fiction: 6 (73)
YA fiction: 1 (20)
Children's fiction: 1 (2)

Pages: 3,412 (33,120)

Average rating: 3.6 (3.60)

Average time to read book: 3.4 days (4.55 days)

Favourite book(s): Word by Word for being such a nerdy delight and Once Upon a Marquess for being precisely the read I needed at the moment I read it.

Word by Word awaits me at the library. I should go...wait...45mph winds, nope I'm reclinin' right here, it won't grow legs and go away.

>220 MickyFine: Ooo, Word by Word sounds good, Micky. Adding it to the WL.

>238 MickyFine: I started with her independent books and fell in love, but I found them when she'd only published three (I think) so I got impatient and went looking for her traditionally published books while I waited for her next one. The trad books had a very different feel and there were elements I definitely didn't like, so I don't think they'll be great for anyone who has fallen in love with her self-published books.

>242 richardderus: Winds like that are one of many reasons I don't miss Lethbridge. I hope they've blown through and you've had a chance to pick up that delight of a book.

>243 jnwelch: Huzzah! I hope you like it, Joe!

>244 archerygirl: I think I've checked out one of her traditionally published books as an ebook when I was loading up on lots of options prior to a trip but didn't actually get around to it. Sounds like I don't need to rectify that.

Hi Micky! I am taking advantage of a quiet Sunday to finally make the rounds of various threads. Wishing you a fabulous week.

>245 MickyFine: I don't think you need to be in a great hurry to rectify that, if you ever do. Her indie books are much better and don't have the problematic elements that put me off her trad published books.

>246 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori. It was very full but I should have a mellow-ish long weekend ahead. :)

>247 archerygirl: Noted.

Ditched



Sadly, this one did not live up to its cover. After 60ish pages of a middle-aged man maundering on about the bleakness of life with a brief moment of deciding he's deeply in love with a woman he saw briefly in the street and knew even more briefly when he was six years old, I called it quits. YMMV.

Rating: /

So I apparently did my November summary a bit early. I did end up starting and ditching a book on November 30 (see above). Otherwise, reading life has been snatches of Written in My Own Heart's Blood in spare moments between three days of taking a course at work and full days running errands on my breaks during regular work days. Hopefully I'll knock out this tome in the next week or two.

Has anyone read the Lord John books? Are they worth delving into now that I'm (almost) caught up on the Outlander books?

>249 MickyFine: Oh sorry you didn't like that one. I remember enjoying it overall and thinking it was kind of like The Rosie Project.

>251 bell7: I could definitely see the similarity and I could also see the appeal for other readers. I just wasn't one of them. :)

>249 MickyFine: Nope.


>250 MickyFine: I like the Lord John books. Lord John and the Private Matter was, I think, my favorite. David Berry, who plays Lord John on the TV show, does a great job of showing the layers of the character. It might be time to revisit the books with him in mind.

>253 richardderus: How did you get a picture of me scuttling away from that book? LOL.

Thanks for your opinion of the Lord John books. The last couple Outlander books have definitely made some oblique references to events from those books so I think I'll have to give them a whirl. After I get some breathing space from the current Gabaladon. Just hit the 500 page mark today...

>250 MickyFine: - Chiming in to add my two thumbs up for the Lord John books, or at least for the three that I have read, with my favorite one being Lord John and the Hand of the Devils.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend, Micky!

>255 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori! Wishing you a lovely weekend as well.

I’ve read a few of the Lord John stories. They were decent enough and they gave me that little extra bit of Outlander fix when I ran out of books.

>257 ChelleBearss: Glad to hear that, Chelle.

Got my wedding photos on Friday. Mr. Fine and I are both super happy with how they turned out. For those of you who were curious, here is the long-promised photo of what our bookish centrepieces looked like:

>259 MickyFine: - LOVE it!

And yes, please, share more pics :)

>260 katiekrug: Be careful what you ask for. I got back 1164 photos. ;)

Ok, I think I'm done wedding photo spamming. :)

I love love love your book-themed wedding.

Of them all, and all are totes adorbs, my absolute favorite is you standing on the books to reach him for a kiss. I cracked and teared up.

The centerpieces are lovely indeed, and the pinky-swear photo was a hoot. The heels supporting the ring was lovely as well.

*baaawww*

Thank you, thank you for sharing!

I love them all, but I think the first one in >263 MickyFine: is my favorite because you both look so happy and lost in the moment. *happy sigh*

And please thank Mr. Micky for allowing his picture to be shared.

Awwww! What wonderful photos, Micky. It looks like such a joyful time, and you two make quite the adorable couple. Thanks for sharing those!

What wonderful and creative wedding photos! Thanks for sharing :)

Ohmygosh, those are fabulous!!

Love the "library" wedding photos!

Lovely pictures! Thank you both for sharing!

Such gorgeous photos! Love the book centerpieces :)

I've been traveling and missed your photos! They're fantastic!!!

>268 laytonwoman3rd: Thanks, Linda. My mom liked to refer to our theme as "literary vintage." :)

>269 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. Fun tidbit, those are my mom's wedding shoes. They were my "something old" and "something borrowed." They did a great job for being over thirty years old.

>270 katiekrug: Your favourite is also a candid. That was us grinning at each other just after we signed the legal documents and were officially hitched. :D

>271 jnwelch: Glad you enjoyed them, Joe.

>272 figsfromthistle: Our photographer was great.

>273 scaifea: Thanks, Amber! We're very pleased with them. Narrowing down which ones to print has been tricky.

>274 thornton37814: Real library in those photos, Lori. Managed sneak in and take them in the last half hour before they closed. :)

>275 foggidawn: I'm showing them off as much as other humans will let me. :P

>276 curioussquared: Thanks, Natalie. Pinterest-inspired and executed by my endlessly crafty mom.

>277 norabelle414: You're not that late, they just went up yesterday. Glad you're back safe from all your adventures!

Aw, wonderful photos! Thanks for sharing!

Love love love your photos! Your photographer did a great job and you both looked lovely!

>279 bell7: Thanks, Mary!

>280 ChelleBearss: Our photographer was great and it also helped that I've known her a long time (she went to high school with my brother) so I was also super comfortable with her.

Find the Light—Reflect the Light—Be the Light

Happy Yule 2018!

>282 richardderus: Thanks, Richard!

Book 111



Written in My Own Heart's Blood - Diana Gabaldon

Jamie and Claire continue to deal with realities of living through the Revolutionary War. Meanwhile Bree must determine what to do with Jem missing and Roger looking for him in a past that Jem hasn't travelled back to.

And that summary only scratches the surface. As always with the world Gabaldon has created there is a large cast of characters whose arcs we follow as they diverge and intersect with the Fraser clan. Completely enthralling with plenty of funny and deeply emotional moments (plus some exciting appearances from historical figures - my grin over Lafayette was huge) this read will definitely satisfy fans of the series. My only regret is that I'm now caught up and stuck waiting for the next book like long-time fans.

Rating: ****

>284 MickyFine: The books are wonderful, the story rich and enveloping, and the TV show is grand. What a universe Mme Gabaldon has created!

>285 richardderus: I'm behind on the current season as I'm trying to avoid spoiling Mr. Fine who has only seen the first couple episodes of the first season. I have added the first Lord John to The List so whenever it comes into the shuffle I'll give it a whirl. I should probably also try tracking down the novellas eventually. I've only done one (?) so far.

>286 MickyFine: Lots of juggling going on...luckily you're a librarian and have 13 arms and 11 eyes.

>287 richardderus: Snort.

I've been pondering potential reading goals for 2019 (besides the obvious 75). I'm considering trying to read the number of titles that are currently on The List (currently sitting at 145) but having never cracked more than about 120 I'm not sure if I'll be able to swing it. I'm also considering finally reading my copy of Le Morte D'Arthur over the course of the year - based on my math, twenty pages a week should finally knock this tome off the TBR.

>284 MickyFine: Welcome to the line of people waiting for the next instalment! I am hoping 2019 will be the year!

>289 MickyFine: Have you considered some of the internet challenges, lie Pop Sugar etc?

Your wedding photos are so amazing! Thank you for sharing them with us.

>290 ChelleBearss: I briefly considered BookRiot's Read Harder challenge but I want to try and reduce the number of books on The List more. Especially since I've added the unread books I own to the list.

>291 lycomayflower: Thanks, Laura. We really love them.

Book 112



Maybe This Christmas - Jennifer Snow

Asher Westmore is one game away from one thousand in the NHL when his older brother Ben checks him into the boards, turning Ash's bad knee into a full on injury. Now stuck in his small Colorado hometown over the holidays, the only silver lining Ash can see is that he'll get more time with his best friend (with benefits) and physiotherapist, Emma Callaway. What he doesn't know is that Em has been trying to work up the nerve for months to tell Ash she loves him. Maybe this Christmas will be her opportunity.

A not too shabby contemporary holiday romance, which is part of Jennifer Snow's Colorado Ice series. I blitzed through the entire book in a day but even at that reading speed there were a few things that stood out to bother me. The first was that I'm not sure the male lead actually grew as a person in any real way. He does things that get them over the final obstacle to the HEA but I didn't feel like his personality actually changed in a way that would make the relationship work long-term. Other more niggly things included some less than ideal depictions of safe sex and one scene where consent seemed coerced rather than freely given. Not the best romance novel but if you're looking for a seasonal read, you could do worse.

Rating: ***

Ya know what, Micky, it may be time to move the Holiday Contemporary goalposts: A Viking for Yule might just make you smile for a while (and let's be jolly) (sorry, that's random, those are the lyrics to I Never Promised You a Rose Garden)

>294 richardderus: I'll keep it in mind.

Book 113



Astonishing X-Men: Gifted - Joss Whedon

When Kitty Pryde returns to the rebuilt Xavier Institute as an instructor, co-heads Emma Frost and Scott Summers are keen to make the X-Men more of a presence on the world stage again. But when scientists announce a cure for the mutant gene, they find themselves in the midst of a controversy that could turn the mutant world upside down.

Really well-written entry into the X-Men universe with the ground work laid for some intriguing story arcs. If you've seen most of the X-Men movies, you should be able to jump in to this narrative with very little bumps.

Rating: ****

It's been far too long since I dropped in to your thread, Micky. I love all the wedding photos and the library theme. How great that you wore your mother's shoes. You got me with a BB for Fortunately, the Milk.

Have a wonderful holiday season, your first as a married couple!

>297 Familyhistorian: Lovely to see you, Meg! We're really looking forward to our first married Christmas.

Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!

>300 MickyFine: Merry Christmas, Chelle! Another few hours at work (super productive ones too, I promise :P) and then I'm off for all the Christmas-ing.

What fabulous wedding photos, Micky! Thank you so much for sharing them here.

Hard to believe 2018 is almost coming to a close. Stopping by to wish you (and Mr. Fine) peace, joy and happiness this holiday season and best wishes for 2019!

Happy holidays, Mickey.

>301 lkernagh: Thank you, Lori!

>302 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul.

Merry Christmas to all my thread visitors!

Belated congratulations on your marriage!

Yes, I have beach envy.

Wonderful photos; love how happy you both look.



Seasons Greetings from Singapore! Wishing you and your family joy, peace, good fortune and good health now and in the coming year.

Best wishes to you for a very merry Christmas!


OMG YOUR WEDDING PHOTOS! What a magical, beautiful day! Thank you for sharing these!

Happy Christmas Micky!!

>305 humouress: Thanks, Nina!

>306 AMQS: Thanks, Anne!

>307 norabelle414: It was. Hope yours was too! :)

I've set up my 2019 thread. I won't be over there until the New Year but feel free to go over and mark your place. :)

Book 114



Spinning Silver - Naomi Novik

When Miryem, the daughter of a Jewish moneylender, makes an unthinking boast that she can turn silver into gold (through her shrewd trading skills) she catches the attention of the Staryk king. A strange wintery race whose magic wreaks havoc in her own world, Miryem's boast begins a string of events that will have ramifications far beyond her own small circle.

A very loose retelling of Rumplestiltskin, Novik weaves together a beautiful and fascinating fairy tale that centres around three strong, intelligent women all of whom are striving to do what is best for their circle. The magic of the world Novik builds is fascinating and her characters, while not always likable are fantastically sympathetic. Recommended for those who enjoy fairy tale retellings or for those who just enjoy a good fantasy narrative with strong female characters.

Rating: ****

>310 MickyFine: Added to my ever growing list!

>311 ChelleBearss: Excellent one to be hit by, Chelle.

>310 MickyFine: I really liked this one - glad to see you enjoyed it too, Micky!

>313 bell7: I think your review may have been the one that tipped into finally succumbing to adding it to The List so thanks for the initial impetus. :)

Book 115



Feminists Don't Wear Pink and Other Lies - Scarlett Curtis

A collection of essays from women in fields as diverse as acting, journalism, activism, and academia discussing what feminism means to them. The collection works hard to be intersectional and has both British and American perspectives included (although maybe slightly more weighted to the British end) and as with any collection there are hits and misses throughout. My biggest quandary while reading was determining who this collection is for. The introduction (and my library's classification which reflects a larger publisher classification) seems to mark the book as being for teens and college-aged women. However, the vast majority of essays in this collection are of interest to feminists of all ages and there are several essays that I would argue aren't going to be as resonant for teens at all. For example, I adored Helen Fielding's revival of Bridget Jones to rant about feminism but I'm not sure how enjoyable the read would be for teens who weren't even alive when the first Bridget Jones book was published. That aside, this is a smart, inspiring, and challenging collection of essays and I encourage you to pick it up if even only one of the contributors names intrigues you.

Rating: ****

>310 MickyFine: I chose that one as a Book of the Month pick recently and haven't gotten to it yet. I'm hearing so many good things about it the last few weeks (keeps popping up in end-of-year best lists for sff), and I think I need to move it up the TBR!

>316 lycomayflower: I think it's right up your alley, Laura. Definitely a good one to start off 2019.

>317 thornton37814: Thanks, Lori.

Book 116



Miss Confederation: The Diary of Mercy Anne Coles - Anne McDonald

This publication of the diary kept by Mercy Anne Coles during her trip with her father and mother to the Quebec Conference in 1864 provides a new, different, and female perspective on Canadian Confederation history. As the daughter of one of the delegates from PEI, Mercy Coles provides insights into the social goings on around the Confederation talks and insight into the personalities of several of the men we study in Canadian History.

Anne McDonald, who has transcribed Mercy Coles' diary for the trip, also provides introductory and evaluative notes on either side of each section of the diary, broken down by events over the course of the two months it was written. McDonald provides interesting historical context, which does meander a bit far from the subject at times and occasionally feels repetitive as she more than once laments that Mercy doesn't give more detail on her thoughts and feelings about events. Despite those concerns, the book is a brief and fascinating read for those interested in women's history, Canadian Confederation history, and also American Civil War history (Mercy Coles and her parents returned from the Conference via the US and were in the country during the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln's reelection).

Rating: ***

And that's my final read of 2018 as Mr. Fine and I are doing a movie marathon today and I likely will get little, if any, reading time today. My end of year stats and the book meme are coming up soon.

December Summary




Books read: 6 (116)
Books ditched: 0 (8)

Fiction: 4 (101)
Non-fiction: 2 (15)

Library: 2 (91)
Mine: 2 (9)
Borrowed elsewhere: 2 (16)

Re-reads: 0 (2)

Female authors: 5 (76)
Male authors: 1 (42)

Adult fiction: 4 (77)
YA fiction: 0 (20)
Children's fiction: 0 (2)

Pages: 2,712 (35,832)

Average rating: 3.7 (3.65)

Average time to read book: 5.7 days (5.12 days)

Favourite book(s): Written in My Own Heart's Blood was an excellent continuation in the series.

Year Over Year Comparison

My reading trends for the past five years.

Books Read
2018: 116
2017: 91
2016: 120
2015: 90
2014: 75

Pages Read
2018: 35,832
2017: 30,562
2016: 42,960
2015: 34,178
2014: 25,152

Fiction Books
2018: 101
2017: 72
2016: 98
2015: 80
2014: 64

Non-Fiction Books
2018: 15
2017: 19
2016: 22
2015: 10
2014: 11

Re-reads:
2018: 2
2017: 2
2016: 8
2015: 7
2014: 3

Author Gender Breakdown
2018: 76 female, 42 male
2017: 71 female, 23 male
2016: 89 female, 35 male
2015: 57 female, 42 male
2014: 43 female, 36 male

Owned vs. Borrowed
2018: 91 library, 9 mine, 16 elsewhere
2017: 73 library, 6 mine, 12 elsewhere
2016: 103 library, 16 mine, 1 elsewhere
2015: 76 library, 14 mine
2014: 63 library, 12 mine

Average Time to Read a Book
2018: 5.12 days
2017: 7.09 days
2016: 3.04 days
2015: 3.74 days

I only completed one of my two reading goals for 2018. I did successfully read a graphic novel every month as assigned by Mr. Fine but I only managed nine books off my own shelf. However, two of those books were Outlander books which, are the same size as three regular books so I'm still pretty happy with my completion rate.

Hi, Micky! I'm very late in saying it, but congratulations on your wedding. It looked absolutely beautiful and I loved how you incorporated libraries and books in to your special day. I hope you enjoy your first year of marriage in 2019 and read a great many good books! :)

And finally, my favourite bit of the year-end wrap up: the book meme!

Describe yourself: A Princess in Theory

Describe how you feel: Stone Cold

Describe where you currently live: The Whispering City

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: The Invisible Library

Your favorite form of transportation: Spare and Found Parts

Your best friend is: Spinning Silver

You and your friends are: Tough Mothers

What’s the weather like: Brightest Day

You fear: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?

What is the best advice you have to give: How to Find Love in a Bookshop

Thought for the day: Adulthood is a Myth

How I would like to die: Surprise Me

My soul’s present condition: Shades of Milk and Honey

>325 MickyFine: Thanks, Marie! Lovely to see you!

All right friends, that it's for 2018. Join me over on MY 2019 THREAD.

Micky--I am sooooo far behind on the threads! Your wedding looked wonderful. I LOVE how you worked books in everywhere, especially cute was using them as a stepping stool. LOL. Also I love the ring between your two shoes. I wish you continued happiness as we step into 2019.



Happy New Year's Eve!

Ooh, what movies are you watching?

I chuckled at several of your meme answers, and laughed aloud at “Surprise Me!”

Happy New Year, Micky!

>323 MickyFine: two of those books were Outlander books, which are the same size as three regular books

*bangs on calculator* yep that checks out

>328 Berly: Thanks, Kim!

>329 foggidawn: Oh we watched all the things: the fifth Pirates of the Caribbean movie, all 4 of the 90s Batman movies, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, and When Harry Met Sally.

>330 jnwelch: Happy New Year, Joe!

>331 norabelle414: I totally rock at the maths. :P