Lady of the Lodge reads in 2019

Getting to the ROOT of the thing in 2019!

Added two ROOTS to start off 2019, both of which I read while on a 15-day trip during the holidays.
Good-bye, Christopher Robin by Ann Thwaite
Getting Old is a Disaster by Ruth Lakin

Looks like your 2019 is off to a good start! Enjoy your reading year! :)

Welcome back, Cheryl, Happy ROOTing.

Welcome back and happy ROOTing!

Welcome back, enjoy this year's reading!

Just finished Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary for BingoDog and AlphaKit challenges.

Finished Whittington by Alan Armstrong for BingoDog and AlphaKit challenges. Another Newbery Honor book.

Just finished When We Were Very Young by A.A. Milne for BingoDog challenge.

Another finish--Carney's House Party by Maud Hart Lovelace, counts for BingoDog challenge and TBR January Challenge.

Two kids books--When Zaydeh Danced on Eldridge Street for AlphaKit Letter "Z" and The Musubi Man Hawaii's Gingerbread Man for BingoDog.

You're getting through your ROOTs quickly. Good luck reaching your goal!

Thanks! I have way too many books at home that I need to read.

I just finished The Darkness Knows by Cheryl Honigford. This was for my RandomCAT January pick, "Your Name in Print." I was having a hard time finding books by people with my name, and I am thankful to some of my LT friends who suggested this one to me.

Ticker updated! I am almost 10% through my ROOTS for 2019.

Another finish--Dog Diaries: Sweetie by Kate Klimo. I got this book in Colonial Williamsburg and finally got around to reading it! This is the story of one of George Washington's foxhounds, told from the viewpoint of the dog! Although it is a kid's book, there is a lot of history within it, and I learned a lot.

Two more to add--Who Was Anne Frank? and Something Read, Something Dead for NetGalley. I think I read the Anne Frank book in the past. It was a good re-read, since we are going to see a stage version of The Diary of a Young Girl tomorrow.

Adding The Provincial Lady in America by E.M. Delafield. I have two copies of this on my shelf.

13 January ROOTS:

Good-bye Christopher Robin
Getting Old is a Disaster
Ramona Quimby, Age 8
Whittington
When We Were Very Young
Carney's House Party
When Zaydeh Danced on Eldridge Street
The Musubi Man: Hawai'i's Gingerbread Man
The Darkness Knows
Dog Diaries: Sweetie
Who was Anne Frank?
Something Read, Something Dead
The Provincial Lady in America
Howards End is on the Landing

Wow, you've had a really productive reading month!

That is very impressive!

Just added one more, squeaking in under the wire! I finished Howards End is on the Landing by Susan Hill. This did not live up to its expectations. She name-dropped too many people with whom I was not familiar. Organizing my books as she did would drive me nuts--I would never find anything, and would end up buying too many duplicates because of that. (I end up buying duplicates anyway, even with my relatively organized home library. I am sure I have a copy of her The Woman in Black somewhere since I recall seeing the play twice.

>22 LadyoftheLodge: I read Howard's End is on the Landing a few years back and didn't much care for it (partially, I'm sure, because I am quite fond of reading things she describes as "rubbish" rather than those she thinks will "nourish" me). While I don't recall her writing anything openly prescriptive, I did feel a bit that she was trying to bully me into enjoying books she deems worthy and do so by reading her way... and I didn't know many of the people she name-dropped, either, so got fairly little out of it.

I am still interested in seeing The Woman in Black, though...

Awww, I loved Howard's End is on the Landing and came away with a list of books I wanted to read from it. I found Hill's writing so engaging, except for the chapter on religious books, which doesn't interest me. But you may like her The Woman in Black more. She doesn't talk about herself at all there. :-D

February ROOTs
Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper. I am fairly certain that I read this a few years ago, maybe when I was in library school, for a YA seminar course (which, by the way, was fabulous). This was a Newbery winner or honor book. It is about a child who has cerebral palsy, confined to a wheelchair, unable to speak or do much for herself--but smart as a whip! I liked knowing what the young lady was thinking, and felt so sad for how she was treated by her fellow students. My experiences as a teacher and school principal tell me this is a fact, however, and underscores the cruelty of kids, and the fear that arises when we encounter someone who is different from ourselves. I thought it ended rather abruptly though, and the tragic occurrences at the end of the book seemed all lumped on top of each other. (However, this is sometimes the way life is, right? Trouble seems to breed more of same!) 4.0 stars

February ROOTs
Wicked Wildlife by Mildred Abbott, another in the Cozy Corgi mystery series. I started this one and left it for awhile, finally finished. This one was not as well written as the others in the series, and I was disappointed in how long it took to get to the scene that revealed all. The character accused of murder was a very minor character and had little part of dialogue in the storyline. Although all my fave quirky folks were there, I felt disconnected from the story. I read this one out of order (it was #8, and I already read #9), so maybe that was it. I hope #10 is better. 3.5 stars

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst is a kids book that I read years ago. It just seems to be very appropriate sometimes, and yesterday was one of those times. We had torrential rain, our lake was the highest it has been in years and the spillways could not handle the rain since it was coming down so fast, our landline and internet went out, and the water carved paths in our driveway as it was running down, and music rehearsal was cancelled, which was probably a good thing. I love this book, and read it for BingoDog Challenge.

Pie by Sarah Weeks, for BingoDog challenge. This story of a girl and her aunt who is a champion pie baker, connects to the reader on several levels. It is the story of the loss of an extraordinarily kind-hearted woman and how her influence of pie baking continues on long after she is gone from this earthly existence. The moral of the story: care most about friends and family and be kind, to find your own version of success. Quite a surprising ending! This was a fast read and a good kid book.

Who Was Beatrix Potter? by Sarah Fabiny is one of the series Who Was. . . for kids. These short biographies each provide an overview of the life of a famous person, and include black and white line drawings.

It seems you have read that VERY BAD DAY book on the best day to read it.

Yes, you are so right there! It would be good not to have that day again.

Just finished Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. This was a good read while traveling, and has been on my TBR list for a long time. It was fun to think of visiting PEI again, as we did not get to visit the Green Gables house when I was last there. 5 stars

Finished Wicked Wildlife by Mildred Abbott, and The Forgiving Jar for NetGalley, both on my Kindle reader.

Just finished Snowbound with Betsy by Carolyn Haywood (one of my fave childhood series) and Who Was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart?

February ROOTS
Out of My Mind
Who Was Queen Elizabeth?
Who Was Beatrix Potter?
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Wicked Wildlife
Pie
Anne of Green Gables
The Forgiving Jar for NetGalley

Good job, Cheryl.

March ROOTS so far

The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton (much loved book from my childhood, and a Caldecott winner, commentary on progress too.)

Anne of Green Gables: A Graphic Novel by Mariah Harsden which went right along with my recent rereading of the novel itself.

Catherine: the Great Journey by Kristiana Gregory, in the Royal Diaries series for young kids, similar to the Dear America series

Fat Cat Art by Svetlana Petrova and Zarathustra the Cat, a book I received from my sister for Christmas and is a crazy trip through art history, ginger cat images inserted into great art work. I have to admit that I got an art education through this book, in an offbeat kind of way.

SnowBound with Betsy by Carolyn Haywood, another childhood fave.

A Timeless Celebration by Dianne Ascroft for NetGalley (on my Kindle)

Who Was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart? by Yona Zeldis McDonough

A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck

The Underneath by Kathi Appelt

So You Want to be President by Judith St George and David Small

Ladies of Intrigue for NetGalley

Sense and Sensibility graphic novel version

A Deadly Feast by Lucy Burdette

Me for You by Lolly Winston

Blue Willow by Doris Gates

An Amish Reunion by various authors

Miss Hickory by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey

Till Death Do Us Tart by Ellie Alexander

Perilous Pottery by Mildred Abbott

Fulton J. Sheen by Alexis Walkenstein

Lupin Leaps In by Georgia Dunn

A Fortunate Grandchild by Miss Read

Amish Voices by Brad Igou

The Amish Spinster's Courtship by Emma Miller

>33 connie53: Thanks! Off to a good start for March too.

Just finished A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck. I read this book once before, and I still love it just at much. This is the story of two kids from Chicago who spend summers with their Grandma Dowdel in a small town, set during the Depression. The stories remind me of the small town where I live now--I can imagine just these things happening. I want to be Grandma Dowdel when I get old. 5 stars

Just finished two more--The Underneath by Kathi Appelt, which is a past Newbery Honor Book, for AlphaKIT Letter U. This was on my TBR pile for years, and was recommended to me by my dearly loved departed spouse. He always read the Newbery books as soon as the awards were announced. (He worked at a bookshop. Alas, both he and the bookshop are now departed.) This was such a page-turner! I am glad I kept going with it, as I was tempted to set it aside after the first 128 pages. The story tells about a dog and three cats that live underneath the house of a wicked man. There are other animals too: snakes, birds, a huge alligator. The chapters are very short. Themes include revenge, good vs evil, the inhumanity of mankind, love, and paying a price for our actions. Aspects of myth and legend (selkies, mermaids, sirens) are also part of the mix. Highly recommended! 5 stars plus

So You Want to be President was an interesting compendium of facts about past presidents. It is worth reading just for the drawings, although I would read the updated version, since mine does not include recent presidents.

Just finished Sense and Sensibility graphic novel version. I found the tiny print difficult to see, and did not really care for the art style used. I got more muddled up trying to keep the characters straight than when I read the novel or listened to the audio version. It was fun to read though, a little diversion. My husband got a grat kick out of seeing me read a "comic book" as he said. 3.5 stars

Another finish for NetGalley. Me for You by Lolly Winston was a real winner for me. The author deals with grief, bereavement, and starting over. She uses humor and compassion to approach a difficult subject, as she describes Rudy's attempts to come to grips with the loss of his wife and start a new life chapter. Having been widowed, I can say that the author knows her subject, accurately describing the roller coaster of emotions the ensue after the loss of one's spouse. (Humor here too--Rudy's foray into internet dating is quite laugh worthy.) 5 stars

Also finished A Deadly Feast by Lucy Burdette for NetGalley, a culinary mystery set in Key West. This is the first I read by this author, but not the last! I loved the descriptions of Key West, and felt right at home, having been there. I could picture the locations she was discussing. Very enjoyable characters and plot, and not too much unbelievable meddling by the amateur sleuth. 5 stars

Just finished An Amish Reunion for NetGalley, and also Blue Willow by Doris Gates for my Newbery Books personal challenge. I am sure kids today would have a few questions about Janey in Blue Willow, since her dad is a migrant worker. Following the loss of their ranch in the Dust Bowl years, Janey and her mom and dad seldom live in one place for any length of time. Her dad is always looking for work, so they are always moving on. This book does inform the reader of what it was like during this time in the history of the United States, in addition to being a good story.

Another finished: Miss Hickory by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey. This is another for my Newbery winner personal challenge reading list for 2019. I read this book when I was a kid, and it was fun to read from the perspective of an adult. This is a whimsical tale of a little doll made of twigs, and her life through the seasons. She is helped along by a variety of different animals. The story put me in mind of the saying that one who puts you in a mess is not always an enemy, and one who gets you out is not necessarily a friend.

Two more ROOTs: Till Death Do Us Tart by Ellie Alexander, part of a series featuring the same characters in the town of Ashland, Oregon. I enjoyed the interactions of the characters and the plot twists. I felt as if this one was not as good as the others in the series. The book needed close editing to get rid of typos and word usage errors. The mystery was not wrapped up to my satisfaction--we never found out how the PI was killed, and the evidence was not conclusive as to the perps. Still fun, still like the quirky characters. This one has been on my TBR list for at least a year and has traveled quite a lot in my backpack without being read.

Perilous Pottery by Mildred Abbott, next in the Cozy Corgi series. This one had interesting plot twists, and the same familiar characters found in other books in the series. I liked the book overall, but there are some grammar errors that appear in the other books too, and need to be corrected (my own personal quirkiness, I guess). I also found the interactions between the main character and her new love interest to be annoyingly overdone and mushy. No one is that perfect and beautiful! Love the dog though!

A couple more ROOTS: Fulton J. Sheen by Alexis Walkenstein which is a selection of works from Fulton J. Sheen's writings, part of my spiritual reading for Lent.

Lupin Leaps In by Georgia Dunn, a very cute and silly graphic novel about cat life as seen by cats and reported as if they are news reporters. This is what my husband would call a comic book, which I guess it is. Anyone who owns cats would see the humor in it. The only thing I objected to was a section that included a political commentary strip on gay rights, which seemed out of place with the rest of the book. I am just thinking about how I would explain that strip to a child who was reading the book, since this book is appropriate for kids and adults.

Squeaking in under the March wire here: three more to add to my March list.

For NetGalley, both of these on my Kindle--The Amish Spinster's Courtship by Emma Miller (I plan to read more by this author, as I thoroughly enjoyed this book) and Amish Voices by Brad Igou (a compilation of articles selected from 25 years of an Amish newletter Family Life.

A Fortunate Grandchild by Miss Read--This is one of my tried and true go-to authors. I enjoyed reading this memoir of short articles about Miss Read's childhood in London, focused on her relationships with her grandparents and uncles. I am sure I read this one in the past, as it has been on my home library shelves for many years. It was fun to get in touch with life in the early 1900's. I am sorry that Miss Read is no longer writing on this earth, as I love her books.

I just finished my first two ROOTs for April, both for NetGalley:

Amish Outsider by Marta Perry, which is a romantic suspense novel set amongst the Amish in Pennsylvania. I especially liked how the story was all tied up at the end, with some surprises and unexpected happenings. A man returning to the Amish culture brings with him some unsolved mysteries and lingering problems, yet finds support and encouragement as he reconnects with family. 5 stars

A Perfect Amish Match by Vannetta Chapman was another great read, set in an Indiana Amish community. Yay, I am very familiar with the places described in the book, another plus for this one! The matchmaker meets her match (pun intended) in this story. Despite the humorous and delightful dating scenes, there are serious notes in the story, as the matchmaker assists her aging grandparents. 5 stars

April Roots

Amish Outsider by Marta Perry
A Perfect Amish Match by Vannetta Chapman
Time Remembered by Miss Read
The Bishop's Daughter by Patricia Johns
Awesome Achievers in Technology by Alan Katz
What Was Pearl Harbor? by Patricia Brennan Demuth
Masked Ball at Broxley Manor by Rhys Bowen
The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg
Secret Sister: An Amish Christmas Tale by Sarah Price
Buzz Books 2019: Young Adult Spring/Summer

Another one: Time Remembered by Miss Read. She describes her childhood in the countryside, attending a country school. This served as the impetus for Miss Read to write the Thrush Green and the Fairacre series of books, which I love.

Just finished two for NetGalley that have been waiting on my Kindle: Awesome Achievers in Technology by Alan Katz and The Bishop's Daughter by Patricia Johns.

Also What Was Pearl Harbor?, which I actually bought in the bookstore at Pearl Harbor.
Yippee! That makes 50 ROOTS so far, and I am half way to my goal.

>48 LadyoftheLodge: Wow, that's awesome progress!

Two more: Masked Ball at Broxley Manor by Rhys Bowen
The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg

I read these on the motor coach while riding to and from Chicago to see Hamilton on the stage.

Just finished two more:
Secret Sister: An Amish Christmas Tale by Sarah Price (for Category Challenge)
Buzz Books 2019: Young Adult Spring/Summer for Netgalley

Finished my first two for May!
The Colors of All the Cattle by Alexander McCall Smith
Buzz Books 2019 for NetGalley

May ROOTS

The Colors of All the Cattle by Alexander McCall Smith
Buzz Books 2019 for NetGalley
The White City by Grace Hitchcock for NetGalley
City of Flickering Light by Juliette Fay for NetGalley
The Artist Who Loved Cats by Susan Bernardo
The Tinderbox by Beverly Lewis
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm

Congrats on reaching and surpassing the halfway point!

Thanks! I am reading a bunch of books for NetGalley (slumbering on my Kindle) to try to get caught up, although my TBR pile is calling me. In addition, my sister sent me a box full of books from the library sale!! Yippee!!

Two more from NetGalley that have been languishing on my Kindle:
The White City by Grace Hitchcock--A sort of true crime fiction novel, based on the serial killer of the Chicago World's Fair. I enjoyed the historical detail and the storyline that incorporates the crime thread.

City of Flickering Light by Juliette Fay--This is a tale of three young adults trying to make it big in the early days of talking pictures in Hollywood. There were some hilarious scenes in the theater, plus interesting insights into the lives of would-be actors.

Just a few more for NetGalley
The Artist Who Loved Cats by Susan Barnardo--a really cute rhyming picture book that tells the life of Steinlen. A lot of people are probably familiar with his posters. The colored illustrations provide interest, and there are facts about the artist at the end of the book, along with some seek and find pictures.

The Tinderbox by Beverly Lewis--novel about an Amish family dealing with past events that catch up with them. Shunning makes me sad--why turn one's back on someone who is a sinner and needs support and care? We all fit that description at some time. I am not Amish, so maybe I just don't get it.

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie--I read this book years ago, and have seen it on the stage at least twice. I was still surprised by the ending! What a twist! This is for a Category Challenge in June, just getting a head start!

Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm--I am sure I read this book for a YA Seminar in library school, but it was so much fun to read it again. The book tells the story of Turtle, a girl who goes to live with her relatives in Key West in 1935 due to financial hardship. This situation opens up a whole new family and a whole new life for Turtle. She has many adventures with her all-boy cousins,, who run a baby care service as the Diaper Gang. A lot of the book is laugh out loud hilarious! I did wish for a somewhat different ending though.

Having been to Key West, the book meant a lot more to me than when I first read it. Good historical info at the end. The book was somewhat biographical, as the characters are based on actual people, many of whom are family members of the author. This was a Newbery Book, so it will go on my Challenge list of Newbery Award Winners or Honor Books. 5 stars

Finished two while on a short trip to South Dakota:
Black Coffee by Agatha Christie--a novelized version of her play. I found it slow going, and it seemed as if I was reading the play and all the stage directions. This was turned into a novel by an actor.

Deadly Deception by Hope Callaghan--This is number 4 in the Cruise Ship mystery series. The author is quite prolific and has several cozy mystery series going. This was the first one I read in this series, and I quite enjoyed it. I have a few more on my Kindle. The author definitely has a handle on cruising and the layout of the cruise ship.

June ROOTS
Black Coffee by Agatha Christie
Deadly Deception by Hope Callaghan
The Amish Cookie Club by Sarah Price
The Healing Jar by Wanda E. Brunstetter
Sweet on You by Becky Wade
One Summer in Paris by Sarah Morgan
The Noble Guardian by Michelle Griep
Curiosity Thrilled the Cat by Sofie Kelly

Just finished The Amish Cookie Club for NetGalley.

Another for NetGalley: The Healing Jar by Wanda E. Brunstetter. This is the third in the Prayer Jar series, and all the loose ends are finally tied up. 4 stars

One more for NetGalley: Sweet on You by Becky Wade, which was a mystery and romance.

Just finished One Summer in Paris for NetGalley. I did not like the ending, and also the use of the "f-bomb". One hot sex scene, also not necessary for the storyline. I did enjoy the evocation of Paris in summer, and the growth of the characters throughout the story. They were better people at the end of the book.

Finished The Noble Guardian for NetGalley. Lots of suspense and action along with romance.

Just finished Curiosity Thrilled the Cat by Sofie Kelly. This will squeak in under the wire for a June read. It takes care of several categories in the Category Challenge too.

Finished Shelter from the Storm (North Country Amish) by Patricia Davids. This was an Amish fiction novel, which I read and reviewed for NetGalley. I really enjoyed the theme of this book, which dealt with an unwed Amish mother. I have not found many Amish fiction novels that deal with controversial topics, although more of them are starting to show up. 5 stars

July ROOTS:
Shelter from the Storm (North Country Amish) by Patricia Davids
Guarding the Amish Midwife by Dana R. Lynn
What Was the Battle of Gettysburg? by Jim O'Connor
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
The Little Teashop on Main by Jodi Thomas
His Convenient Royal Bride by Cara Colter
The Guest Book by Sarah Blake
More Than Words Can Say by Karen Witemeyer
The Key to Happily Ever After by Tif Marcelo

Two finishes: Guarding the Amish Midwife for NetGalley, and What Was the Battle of Gettysburg? to finish off my History category in the Category Challenge.

The Amish story started off slowly, but picked up speed and had a real twist at the end! Glad I finished it.
The Gettysburg book reminded me of our driving tour of the battlefield and also seeing the Cyclorama there at the Visitor Center. Wish I had read this little book before I went there, as it would have made more sense.

Just finished The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall. I loved this book the last time I read it in Library School, and I love it just as much. This book reminds me of the "family" stories I read as a child, such as the Betsy, Tacy, and Tib books by Maude Hart Lovelace and the B is for Betsy series by Carolyn Haywood. (Maybe even The Bobbsey Twins books by Laura Lee Hope. I think we read them all!

I finished The Little Teashop on Main by Jodi Thomas for NetGalley. This was a good beach/pool/rainy day read, but I never really felt engaged with the book or the characters.

Wow, You are sooooo ahead in your challenge, Cheryl!

I am finally getting back here! I finished several for NetGalley:
His Convenient Royal Bride--a fun read, very light, but the ending was not very satisfying or consistent with the main character's actions in the rest of the book.
More Than Words Can Say--fun historical fiction, excellent, 5 stars
The Key to Happily Ever After--great read about three sisters running the family wedding planner business--5 stars
The Guest Book--I could not get into this one, found the movement of action from person to person and time period to time period very confusing.

>73 connie53: Thanks! I have been concentrating on the NetGalley reads that have been languishing on my Kindle.

I decided to go into August with some of my fave "teacher" reads in honor of back to school, especially since I am a retired teacher and "No more pencils, no more books!" (Except the ones I choose to read, of course!)

Oh, How I Wished I Could Read by John Gile
Franklin Goes to School by Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda Clark
Dog Loves Books by Louise Yates
Miss Malarkey Leaves No Reader Behind by Judy Finchler and Kevin O'Malley

August ROOTS

Oh, How I Wished I Could Read by John Gile
Franklin Goes to School by Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda Clark
Dog Loves Books by Louise Yates
Miss Malarkey Leaves No Reader Behind by Judy Finchler and Kevin O'Malley
The House of Unexpected Sisters by Alexander McCall Smith
The Golden Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse
Roll With It by Jamie Sumner
Mrs. Sommersby's Second Chance by Laurie Benson
Amish Front Porch Stories by Wanda Brunstetter
Portrait of an Artist: Vincent van Gogh by Lucy Brownridge
The Brides of the Big Valley by Wanda Brunstetter
Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary

Just finished The House of Unexpected Sisters by Alexander McCall Smith. Now I am up to date with the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books. I hope there are more forthcoming!

Not sure if I should count The Golden Bride for NetGalley, since I skimmed some parts and read other parts in depth. It had been languishing and waiting to be read.

I just finished several books for NetGalley while I was traveling. They have been waiting on my Kindle reader.
Roll With It by Jamie Sumner
Amish Front Porch Stories by Wanda Brunstetter et al
Mrs. Sommersby's Second Chance by Laurie Benson
Portrait of an Artist: Vincent van Gogh by Lucy Brownridge

Two more finishes before the end of August:
The Brides of the Big Valley by Wanda Brunstetter
Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary

Here are my first September ROOTs:
I just finished The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline by Nancy Springer. This is part of the Enola Holmes series for kids. I read the others in the series when I was in library school, but somehow this one slipped my mind. I thought it was fun and I like Enola as a spunky young lady. Some parts seemed confusing and were not explained as well as I would like, but it was still worth a read.

Sweet September (Home to Heather Creek) by Kathleen Bauer, which is part of a series. I read most of the books in the series, but am still filling in the gaps of those I missed.

September ROOTs

The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline by Nancy Springer
Sweet September (Home to Heather Creek) by Kathleen Bauer
Jane Austen: Her Complete Novels in One Sitting by Jennifer Kasius
The Golden Oldies Guesthouse by Dee MacDonald
An Amish Christmas Kitchen by Gould et al
The More the Merrier by Linda Byler
The Amish Christmas Matchmaker by Vannetta Chapman
Christmas by the Lighthouse by Rebecca Boxall
The Bakeshop at Pumpkin and Spice by several authors

You are doing great, Cheryl. Almost there, only 7 to go.

>84 connie53: Thanks! I am enjoying the challenge but looking forward to victory over the pile.

>85 LadyoftheLodge: That's a good thing to look forward to.

Another finish! This is for NetGalley, and was a thoroughly enjoyable and humorous read. Nothing serious here, just fun.
The Golden Oldies Guesthouse by Dee MacDonald

Just finished Amish Christmas Kitchen by Gould et al for NetGalley. This book contained three novellas, set at Christmas time. Each story centered on family situations, but from different perspectives. I especially appreciated that the novellas did not portray the Amish as perfect or sugary sweet, but as people with their own problems that are like those of us in the English world.

For NetGalley:
The More the Merrier: An Amish Christmas Romance by Linda Byler
The Amish Christmas Matchmaker by Vannetta Chapman
Christmas by the Lighthouse by Rebecca Boxall

Yippee! I just finished Book #100!
I read The Bakeshop at Pumpkin and Spice for NetGalley.

“The Bakeshop at Pumpkin and Spice” contains three novellas about love that are set in Moonbright, Maine, and all are touched with a bit of magic at Halloween. I thought the main (magic) premise of the stories was cute, and the emphasis on family ties in the first story added depth to the plot. I also appreciated that the female main characters were curvy women and highly admired by their men. No skinny little girls here, just mature women! Another plus (no pun intended) is the respect accorded to elderly folks in the stories. Too often they are portrayed as curmudgeons, cranky, feeble or ill. Although the cranky and curmudgeon characteristics are present, they are not the main features of these senior folks. More emphasis is placed on the good they do for others and their community contributions. The setting is delightful and the time of year adds interest to the plot. The stories contain a common thread with the town, Halloween celebration, and characters.

My main objection was the inclusion of so much sexual detail. This definitely demonstrated the passion between the lovers, but I did not really want to know whose body parts were where. The plot and humor of each story was enough to carry the character and relationship development without it. A little mystery and lack of detail is a lot more spicy than all the particulars. I prefer that the writer leave something to the imagination of the reader. And I guess marriage is just incidental and comes after the consummation of the relationship any more. I guess my morals are different.

Very good job, Cheryl.

Congrats!