Lori's (thornton37814) Cincinnati Tribute - thread 2

Attribution: Ynsalh, Cincinnati Skyline from Devou Park, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

My 2022 reading will mainly focus on my TBR list which includes books from the library and books from my print and electronic stashes.

Those who follow me will know mysteries will always outweigh all other reading. I also love historical fiction, and I've recently been drawn to Amish fiction--partly because of my own Amish ancestry and partly because it is just clean, wholesome, and pure escape reading. I sometimes read literary fiction and will also read poetry, drama, and maybe even a few essays this year.

As far as non-fiction, you'll most often find me picking up history or social history books, books on Christianity and the Christian faith, and cookbooks. I occasionally pick up travel books, craft books, books on nature, and whatever else strikes my fancy at the time.

Each year I struggle to come up with a theme for the year's reading. Since the focus was on making a dent in my reading lists, I thought about using a cleaning theme. I even came up with potential categories, but it never felt right. I've grown pretty nostalgic about Cincinnati over the last few months, so I decided to create my categories featuring all things Cincinnati.

2022 Cincinnati Themed Categories

1. Great American Ballpark - First in series mysteries
2. Paul Brown Stadium - Second or third in series mysteries
3. Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park - Fourth to seventh in series mysteries
4. Taft Theatre - Eighth and beyond in series mysteries
5. Kings Island - Children's or YA literature
6. Busken Bakery - Amish fiction
7. Skyline Chili - Cookbooks or other culinary books
8. Music Hall - Historical fiction
9. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden - Other fiction & literature
10. Holy Cross Monastery & Church - Christianity
11. Cincinnati Museum Center - History & Social History
12. Cincinnati City Hall - Other non-fiction
13. Cincinnati Public Library - Shiny & new books that grab my attention
14. Fountain Square - Book Club Picks & Group Reads
15. Findlay Market - Impulse Reads
Abandoned Category: Cincinnati Subway

I'll try to provide info on each landmark as it is introduced below.

Attribution: redlegsfan21, Great American Ball Park, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

The Great American Ballpark is the home of the Cincinnati Reds. When I lived in Cincinnati, the Reds still played at Riverfront Stadium. Since the Reds always want to play in the World Series, I knew this had to go with one of the series categories. I still have my shirt from when the Reds won the 1990 World Series, sweeping the Oakland A's.

Great American Ballpark (First in series mysteries)

1. Elementary, She Read by Vicki Delany - completed 3 February 2022
2. Crossed by Death by A. C. F. Bookens - completed 31 March 2022
3. Snowblind by Ragnur Jonasson - completed 24 April 2022
4. Murder in an English Village by Jessica Ellicott - completed 23 May 2022
5. A Man of Some Repute by Elizabeth Edmondson - completed 13 July 2022

Attribution: JonRidinger, Paul Brown Stadium interior 2017, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Paul Brown Stadium is home to the Cincinnati Bengals. Although it was under construction when I lived in Cincinnati, it did not open until the year after I moved to Tennessee.

Paycor Stadium (formerly known as Paul Brown Stadium) (Second or third in series mysteries)

1. The Heron's Cry by Ann Cleeves - completed 23 January 2022
2. 'Twas the Knife Before Christmas by Jacqueline Frost - completed 28 January 2022
3. Threads of Evidence by Lea Wait - completed 26 February 2022
4. Sleight of Paw by Sofie Kelly - completed 11 March 2022
5. The Turkish Gambit by Boris Akunin - completed 14 May 2022
6. Assaulted Pretzel by Laura Bradford - completed 19 May 2022
7. Breaking Silence by Linda Castillo - completed 24 July 2022
8. Danger on the Atlantic by Erica Ruth Neubauer - completed 31 July 2022
9. A Distant Grave by Sarah Stewart Taylor - completed 8 September 2022

Attribution: Greg5030 at en.wikipedia, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, CC BY 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

The Playhouse in the Park is located in Eden Park which is one of my favorite city parks. It's a great place to catch a musical or other play.

Playhouse in the Park (Fourth to seventh in series mysteries)

1. The Resistance Man by Martin Walker - completed 24 January 2022
2. A Market Tale by Martin Walker - completed 30 January 2022
3. The Children Return by Martin Walker - completed 11 February 2022
4. Pouncing on Murder by Laurie Cass - completed 28 April 2022
5. Silent Voices by Ann Cleeves - completed 6 June 2022
6. Going, Going, Ganache by Jenn McKinlay - completed 5 July 2022
7. A Cold White Sun by Vicki Delany - completed 24 August 2022
8. Shroud for a Nightingale by jamespd::P. D. James - completed 21 September 2022

Attribution: Warren LeMay from Cincinnati, OH, United States, Taft Theatre, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Taft Theatre was the main place one went to watch theatre arts events during my time in Cincinnati. The Aronoff Center opened a few years before I moved away and many of the off-Broadway plays moved to it. Today the Taft houses many of the plays designed for juvenile audiences.

Taft Theatre (Eight and beyond in series mysteries)

1. Twisted Tea Christmas by Laura Childs - completed 4 January 2022
2. The Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny - completed 14 January 2022
3. Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie - completed 10 February 2022
4. The Shadow Dancer by Margaret Coel - completed 18 February 2022
5. Unto Us a Son Is Given by Donna Leon - completed 8 March 2022
6. Buried in Secret by Viveca Sten - completed 20 March 2022
7. Blood at the Root by Peter Robinson - completed 24 March 2022
8. The Patience of the Spider by Andrea Camilleri - completed 2 April 2022
9. The Patriarch by Martin Walker - completed 13 April 2022
10. Fatal Pursuit by Martin Walker - completed 4 May 2022
11. The Names of Our Tears by P. L. Gaus - completed 15 May 2022
12. Trace Elements by Donna Leon - completed 16 June 2022
13. The Templars' Last Secret by Martin Walker - completed 16 July 2022
14. Death by Beach Read by Eva Gates - completed 24 July 2022
15. A Taste for Vengeance by Martin Walker - completed 6 August 2022
16. The Chocolate War by Martin Walker - completed 7 August 2022

Attribution: Jeremy Thompson from United States of America, Paramount Kings Island, 1996, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Kings Island was featured on an episode of The Brady Bunch back in the 1970s. The park is known for its roller coasters. I purchased a season pass most years so I could go whenever friends wanted to go.

Kings Island (Children's or YA literature)

1. God's Wonderful World by Jan Berenstain and Mike Berenstain - completed 19 July 2020
2. The Berenstain Bears' Easter Sunday by Mike Berenstain - completed 19 July 2020
3. The Berenstain Bears and the Easter Story by Jan Berenstain and Mike Berenstain - completed 19 July 2020
4. The Very First Easter by Jan Berenstain and Mike Berenstain - completed 19 July 2020

Attribution: Yelp, Inc., Yelp @ Busken 8708, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/, via Flickr

Busken Bakery makes some of the tastiest baked goods in the Cincinnati area. It is local but offers several locations. They also sell to some stores such as Jungle Jim's.

Busken Bakery (Amish fiction)

1. The Bake Shop by Amy Clipston - completed 5 March 2022
2. Among the Innocent by Mary Alford - completed 24 June 2022
3. Murder Tightly Knit by Vannetta Chapman - completed 30 Jun 2022

Attribution: Derek Jensen (Tysto), Skyline Chili location on Vine Street in downtown Cincinnati, 2009, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Skyline Chili is my go-to chili. When I first arrived in Cincinnati, new friends took me to Skyline almost immediately. I was not quite sure what to think of that first bite. It was unlike any other chili I'd ever eaten. It grew on me. Today it's my favorite chili of any variety. This is the Skyline nearest the Cincinnati Public Library. Whenever I spend a long day researching there, this is where I usually eat lunch.

Skyline Chili (Cookbooks or other culinary books)

1. Shetland: Cooking on the Edge of the World by James Morton and Tom Morton - completed 14 September 2022

Attribution: Cincinnati Music Hall 2002a, Uploader has written permission to license as GNU-FDL., CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Music Hall is the home of the musical arts in Cincinnati. It houses the Cincinnati Ballet, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Cincinnati Pops, the Cincinnati Opera, and the May Festival Chorus. The building first opened in 1878.

Music Hall (Historical fiction)

1. My Name Is Red by Orhan Pamuk - completed 16 January 2022
2. Murder in Old Bombay by Nev March - completed 19 February 2022
3. Granada by Radwa Ashour - completed 29 March 2022
4. Rizzio by Denise Mina - completed 13 August 2022
5. The Vanished Days by Susanna Kearsley - completed 21 August 2022
6. Small Island by Andrea Levy - completed 23 August 2022

Attribution: Kabir Bakie, Orangutan, Cincinnati Zoo, CC BY-SA 2.5 , via Wikimedia Commons

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden houses some great animals as well as gardens. It is the U.S.'s second oldest zoo and is located in the Avondale neighborhood.

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden (Other Fiction & Literature)

1. Together in a Sudden Strangeness: America's Poets Respond to the Pandemic edited by Alice Quinn - completed 4 January 2022
2. King Lear by William Shakespeare - completed 12 January 2022
3. Sonnets from the Portuguese by Elizabeth Barrett Browning - completed 9 February 2022
4. The Gold Bug by Edgar Allan Poe; illustrated by Elizabeth O'Neill Verner; introduction by Frank Durham - completed 23 February 2022
5. Shakespeare's Comedy of Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare; edited by William J. Rolfe - completed 26 February 2022
6. The Mayor's Tale by David Pickering - completed 27 February 2022
7. Hamlet by William Shakespeare - completed 28 April 2022
8. The Life of Henry V by William Shakespeare - completed 15 May 2022
9. The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum - completed 21 May 2022
10. Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare - completed 26 July 2022
11. The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare - completed 28 July 2022
12. The Life of Timon of Athens by William Shakespeare - completed 4 August 2022

Attribution: Photo by Greg Hume (Greg5030), Holy Cross Monastery, CC BY 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Holy Cross Monastery & Church is located on Mount Adams. While the buildings have been converted for other use now, they are on the historic register. During my Cincinnati days, I always admired the buildings when I went to eat in the nearby historic Rookwood Pottery.

Holy Cross Monastery & Church (Christianity)

1. The Untold Story of the New Testament Church: An Extraordinary Guide to Understanding the New Testament by Frank Viola - completed 9 January 2022
2. Twelve Extraordinary Women: How God Shaped Women of the Bible, and What He Wants to Do with You by John MacArthur - completed 23 January 2022
3. What the Amish Teach Us: Plain Living in a Busy World by Donald B. Kraybill - completed 30 January 2022
4. Another Gospel?: A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity by Alisa Childers - completed 8 September 2022

Attribution: Greg Hume, Union Terminal, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Cincinnati Museum Center is housed in the historic Union Terminal. It houses the Cincinnati Historical Society and its collections of artifacts and books. The building housed the train center in its former life.

Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal (History & Social History)

1. The Inclines of Cincinnati by Melissa Kramer - completed 1 January 2022
2. The Radical Potter: The Life and Times of Josiah Wedgwood by Tristram Hunt - completed 11 January 2022
3. The Habsburg Empire: A Very Short Introduction by Martyn Rady - completed 16 December 2022
4. Hamilton County's Green Township by Jeff Lueders - completed 30 January 2022
5. The Doctors Blackwell: How Two Pioneering Sisters Brought Medicine to Women and Women to Medicine by Janice P. Nimura - completed 13 March 2022
6. Irish Country Life by Olive Sharkey - completed 10 July 2022

Attribution: EEJCC, Cincinnati City Hall, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Cincinnati City Hall houses part of the city's government offices. Construction was completed in 1893. I think it is a beautiful building.

Cincinnati City Hall (Other non-fiction)

1. Books and Islands in Ojibwe Country: Traveling through the Land of My Ancestors by Louise Erdrich - completed 23 January 2022
2. Kentucky Quilts & Their Makers by Mary Washington Clarke - completed 28 January 2022

Attribution: Valereee, Main Branch, Public Library of Cincinnati & Hamilton County (Ohio), CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Cincinnati Public Library (aka Public Library of Cincinnati & Hamilton County) housed one of the top ten genealogical libraries in the country during my Cincinnati days. The main branch occupied an entire block during my days but has now expanded across the street. They had other great collections, and I discovered some of my favorite books while browsing its shelves. While I used some branch locations, I used this main library the most because I went there to do genealogical research or use their other collections for research while pursuing a second master's degree.

Cincinnati Public Library (Shiny & new)

1. Someday the Plan of a Town: Poems by Todd Boss - completed 2 April 2022
2. The Littlest Library by Poppy Alexander - completed 29 June 2022
3. A Quilt for Christmas by Melody Carlson - completed 27 July 2022

Attribution: Niagara66, Cincinnati Tyler Davidson Fountain, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Fountain Square's trademark feature is the Tyler Davidson Fountain dedicated in 1871. It was relocated from its original location several years after I moved away, and it always seems like it is in the wrong place when I visit the city now.

Fountain Square (Book Club Picks & Group Reads)

1. A Chosen Exile: A History of Racial Passing in American Life by Allyson Hobbs - completed 6 February 2022
2. Winesburg, Ohio: A Group of Tales of Ohio Small-Town Life by Sherwood Anderson - completed 9 March 2022
3. All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley's Sack, a Black Family Keepsake by Tiya Miles - completed 10 April 2022
4. St. Dale by Sharyn McCrumb - completed 20 April 2022
5. Around the World on Two Wheels: Annie Londonderry's Extraordinary Ride by Peter Zheutlin - completed 7 July 2022
6. They Fought Like Demons: Women Soldiers in the American Civil War by DeAnne Blanton and Lauren M. Cook - completed 11 August 2012
7. The Lady from the Black Lagoon: Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick by Mallory O'Meara - completed 10 September 2012

Attribution: Wholtone, Findlay Market East Entrance, CC BY 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Findlay Market is the historic farmer's market located in Over-the-Rhine. While it contains more flea market stuff than produce nowadays, it remains an important feature in the Cincinnati landscape.

Findlay Market (Impulse Reads)

1. The Fell by Sarah Moss - completed 18 April 2022
2. In a Time of Distance: And Other Poems by Alexander McCall Smith - completed 28 July 2022

Attribution: Jonathan Warren, Cincinnati Subway, Race Street Station, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

The Cincinnati Subway is probably the most famous abandoned feature in the city. The subway is only a little over two miles in length. Let's hope the list of books in this category is as short as the system!

Cincinnati Subway (Abandoned Reads)

1. Shylock Is My Name by Howard Jacobson - abandoned 9 March 2022
2. Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk - abandoned 3 August 2022

Category notes:

1. Great American Ballpark - First in series mysteries

The books in this category are the first in their series. In some cases I may have read later installments, but I want to go back to the beginning. I intend for all these books to be on my existing wish list.

2. Paul Brown Stadium - Second or third in series mysteries

The books in this category are either the second of third books in their series. All of these should be series in progress. In most cases I will have read the first in the series. In some cases I may have read later books in the series. These books will not be new on my radar.

3. Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park - Fourth to seventh in series mysteries

The books in this category fall somewhere between the fourth and seventh installments in the series. They are series that I've liked well enough to continue. These will be comfortable friends.

4. Taft Theatre - Eighth and beyond in series mysteries

The books in this category are old friends. I've liked the series well enough to stick with it to this point!

5. Kings Island - Children's or YA literature

I suspect most of the books in this category will be children's picture books, but I sometimes get the urge to read books that are a little longer and designed for elementary school, middle school, or high school readers. This category is not restricted to things already on my TBR list.

6. Busken Bakery - Amish fiction

I want to read from series in progress or books that are on my Kindle or on my TBR list for this category. If it's brand new, it will go in the "Shiny & new" category. I might even find something that is an "Impulse read" that isn't on my list.

7. Skyline Chili - Cookbooks or other culinary books

I have lots of unread cookbooks and culinary books in the house, on my Kindle, and on my wish list. I'm going to other ones in "Shiny & new" or "Impulse reads" and leave this to the ones already on my radar.

8. Music Hall - Historical fiction

I'm generally going to use this for historical fiction that is non-mystery but that is already in my possession or on my radar. New works can go into "Shiny & new." Some older works might go into "Impulse reads."

9. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden - Other fiction & literature

I have several non-series mysteries, fiction that doesn't fit one of my other categories, and things like poetry and drama on my radar. Essays could also fit here. Shakespearean works read for the ShakespeareCAT will go here. I'm sure some things will go into "Shiny & new" or "Impulse reads" that might otherwise fit here.

10. Holy Cross Monastery & Church - Christianity

I enjoy reading books that enrich my faith or books about church history. I have a huge TBR list for these. I have enough books on my TBR list or downloaded on my Kindle or in my personal library to restrict this one to those titles.

11. Cincinnati Museum Center - History & Social History

I own so many unread books in this category that I really want to focus on those. However, I do have a lot on my TBR list as well. Either will work for the category, but I would like to read what is on hand.

12. Cincinnati City Hall - Other non-fiction

This is where my eclectic taste in books takes over. I have a lot of books on TBR lists as well as some owned print and Kindle books that fit here.

13. Cincinnati Public Library - Shiny & new books that grab my attention

I know I won't be able to resist some shiny & new books! This is where 2021 and 2022 copyright books can fall if they are not on my TBR list or owned.

14. Fountain Square - Book Club Picks & Group Reads

I participate in a faculty book club at work that reads one book per semester spread out over the semester. I'm also taking part in a book discussion with a group of Christian librarians. We'll finish up sometime in spring. Then I belong to an online book club that general reads women's social history or sometimes historical fiction with a good dose of social history or genealogy infused. I'll also put LT group reads in this category except the Bruno and Brunetti ones which I'll put in the mystery categories.

15. Findlay Market - Impulse Reads

I know I'll get a book bullet or two from you all. The ones with copyright dates prior to 2021 can go in this category. This will be for books not on my TBR lists or in my possession.

Abandoned Category: Cincinnati Subway

As stated earlier, I hope this is a short list of Abandoned Reads!

I obviously need to work on getting a few books into some of those categories. I have a couple for the "shiny and new" (Cincinnati Public Library) in process, and I have a cookbook or two that will solve the one category's lack of books. I'm just not reading as much as usual.

Next spot is yours.

Book 39. The Patience of the Spider by Andrea Camilleri

Date Completed: 2 April 2022

Category: Taft Theatre

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Inspector Montalbano, still recovering from a minor wound, is called to what appears to be a kidnapping. He assists in the case, formally being handled by another detective, She disappeared on her way home after a study session. She took a different route than usual, her bike is parked in a wrong position, and her helmet is missing. The family's financial situation is well known although the girl has an uncle with hopes of a future political run capable of paying a hefty ransom. Montalbano pieces together seemingly trivial details to arrive at the correct solution. As always Grover Gardner does an excellent job narrating this installment.

Happy new thread and happy belated Thingaversary, Lori! I'm waiting on getting my books until I've put all the ones I already own into bookcases and on shelves. It was fun revisiting the pictures on your thread.

Happy New Thread, Lori.

>20 thornton37814: - I need to get back to this series. I'm way behind.

>21 RidgewayGirl: Thanks. I love revisiting the photos too as I post them. I guess I'll see if I'm brave enough to hit the used bookstore when I have to go to Knoxville the week after next.

>22 dudes22: I thought I'd listened to them all, but when I began to examine things, I saw I had not. It will be fun to mix the few remaining into my audiobook rotation (as long as Grover Gardner is reading them).

Happy new thread, Lori!

>24 MissWatson: Thanks!

Hi Lori! Happy New Thread. Hope the rest of the year brings you good reading. I just read a noir mystery and I think I am now hooked on Dorothy B. Hughes novels. Our library has them all on hoopla or Libby.

>26 LadyoftheLodge: I'm going to read one of the ScandiNoir series for that "noir" challenge--probably one by Ragnar Jonasson. I'm not really dislike most "noir' and "hardboiled" detective fiction. I do enjoy some of the ScandiNoir though.

Book 40. Someday the Plan of a Town: Poems by Todd Boss

Date Completed: 2 April 2022

Category: Cincinnati Public Library

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Author Todd Boss traveled around the world housesitting, returning just before the COVID epidemic. He wrote the poems as souvenirs of the places he visited. A sense of place is more prominent in some poems than in others, and I tend to enjoy the ones with more of a sense of place or relationship to landscape, gardening, or everyday life more than others. Many poems tell the place which inspired them in italics at the end; others lack this notation, leaving the reader wanting to know. One wonders how he traveled the world failing to pick up any souvenirs other than his poems.

>20 thornton37814: I just noticed the scooter on the cover of this book. My husband and I bought two of them last fall to ride around our community. As you might guess, the weather turned foul after we rode them once (and my husband fell off and skinned his knee), so they have been waiting all winter in our garage. They are electric, so need to be charged no doubt.

>29 LadyoftheLodge: The "bike" (or scooter) was what the girl rode home from her study session.

>30 thornton37814: It was fun to see them on the book cover. After we bought them, I thought they might be more targeted to kids or teens, but the description and handbook state they are also suitable for adults. They are a lot of fun to ride.

>28 thornton37814: After two years of next to no travel, the poet's life sounds wonderful to me.

>31 LadyoftheLodge: Sounds fun.

>32 RidgewayGirl: His motivation was a relationship break-up. He signed up with some group of trusted housesitters to do it.

Book 41. All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley's Sack, a Black Family Keepsake by Tiya Miles

Date Completed: 10 April 2022

Category: Fountain Square

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Miles tells the story of a family heirloom that became a museum piece, rescued in 2007 from a yard sale--a cotton sack on which was passed down by an enslaved woman named Rose to her daughter Ashley and eventually to Ashley's granddaughter Ruth Middleton who embroidered its story in 1921. We learn about far more than the sack itself. We learn about plantation life, about the women themselves, and so much more. Miles' research impresses the reader. The material object came to life through the telling of the story. While the chapters work together to tell the story, a careful reader observes they were written as separate stories because of the repetition of some themes. I love the Charleston area and have visited many of the plantations mentioned in the story. It's a fascinating story that touches readers.

Book 42. The Patriarch by Martin Walker

Date Completed: 13 April 2022

Category: Taft Theatre

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Bruno attends a celebration for a war hero known as the Patriarch. A man dies during the party. Most people attribute the death to the man's alcoholism, but the rapidity of disposing of the man's body leaves Bruno feeling there might be more to the story. He manages to collect evidence needed and build a case for murder. We also see the end of Bruno and Pamela's dating relationship in this one but see Bruno showing interest in another woman. The series' setting and the luscious food descriptions make these a joy to read. I listened to the audiobook read by Robert Ian Mackenzie.

Book 43. The Fell by Sarah Moss

Date Completed: 18 April 2022

Category: Findlay Market

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Laid off from her job and uncertain of her finances, Kate's exposure to a virus requires she quarantine for two weeks. Ten days into the quarantine, she can take it no more and decides to go for a walk along the moors. She thinks no one else will see her. She falls and suddenly she envisions her son Matt being left alone but fears legal consequences of her failure to abide by quarantine guidelines facing her when rescuers locate her. In the meantime, Matt cannot find his mother and realizes she broke the quarantine and will face consequences for him. Some sections feature a neighbor named Alice and a rescuer named Rob. The writing style clearly makes this book "literary fiction"--the type critics love but which divides casual readers on whether it is brilliant or a dull read. For me, it took a few chapters to get into the flow, but then it read quickly.

Finally catching up with your thread! Sure would like to get to a ballgame at Great American!

>37 mysterymax: I would too. When I lived in Cincinnati, the Reds played at Riverfront Stadium. I'm hoping to go sometime this summer. I might just go up for a couple of days--long enough to take in a ball game, but not so long that I need to arrange cat care.

Haven't been to a ballgame since before Covid! It's brutal!

>39 mysterymax: I haven't either, and the last ones I've been to have all been minor leagues. My nephew is almost always game for a baseball game if he's free, but we don't live that close to one another. I'm one of those persons who doesn't really like them on TV nearly as much as in person. There's just something about that atmosphere that makes it fun.

>34 thornton37814: - I've already taken a BB for this. Good to hear another good report on it.

>41 dudes22: I think you'll enjoy it.

We are signed up for a bus trip to the Cubs v Reds game in May at Great American. This will be our first in person game in several years--last one was to Wrigley Field before the pandemic hit.

>43 LadyoftheLodge: Sounds like fun!

Book 44. St. Dale by Sharyn McCrumb

Date Completed: 20 April 2022

Category: Fountain Square

Rating: 2 stars

Review: I am not the audience for this book. I don't enjoy NASCAR, and the book did nothing to change my mind. Our book selected this book which a Chaucer-expert faculty member understood was a modern retelling of the Canterbury Tales. He discovered the characters to be odd mixtures of Chaucer's characters--sometimes exhibiting characteristics of more than one. Of course, McCrumb's book had fewer characters on their pilgrimage, but it really disappointed. An odd assortment of characters go on a tour of the NASCAR circuit to pay tribute to the deceased Dale Earnhardt. Before they begin, one character sights Dale as he stops to help her change a tire along the side of a North Carolina road. One couple plans to marry in Bristol. A New Hampshire priest brings along a dying boy. A judge comes along with her sister. The guide was a man who lived and breathed NASCAR and had even raced a little on the circuit. I breathed a sigh of relief as we reached the conclusion. McCrumb writes about Appalachian themes, and people in Appalachia certainly love NASCAR for the most part. I'm just not one of them so my distaste for the sport extended to the book--regardless of McCrumb's ability to write.

Book 45. Snowblind by Ragnur Jonasson

Date Completed: 24 April 2022

Category: Great American Ballpark

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Ari Thor, newly-minted detective, takes a position in a town in the far north of Iceland. He failed to ask his girlfriend about her willingness to follow him, and she stays behind in his apartment in Reykjavik, refusing to leave school. Thomas, his boss, tells him nothing ever happens there, but one evening the old author who heads up the dramatic society appears to have died due to accidental causes, but some things just don't add up for Ari Thor. Thomas insists it was an accident and that Ari Thor needs more experience before jumping to conclusions. While working on Christmas Eve, Ari Thor receives a distress call which the anonymous woman caller later claims to be nothing. A woman is found in the snow outside her home. Is it murder or suicide? When her phone is later found and discovered to be the phone from which the Christmas eve call was made, the plot thickens. Ari Thor finds the town's atmosphere somewhat claustrophobic--a feeling accentuated by the darkness and avalanches. This feeling is often present in Icelandic and Scandi-noir. I enjoyed listening to the audio version. The book's conclusions somewhat reminded me of "justice" (or lack thereof) present in many of Leon's Brunetti series based in Venice.

Thingaversary haul update. You all convinced me to add those 3 freebies to my haul list. I still have more to purchase--nearly a month after my celebration date. If I counted cross-stitch charts/leaflets, I'd probably be getting close!

1) Mount Adams: A History by Jim Steiner - This was a brand new book I located at Joseph-Beth in Cincinnati. Info about the book is here.
2) The Dying Day by Vaseem Khan - I love his elephant detective, but this is a different series. I'm willing to give it a try.
3) It's Gonna Be Good, Ya'll by Brenda Gantt - This cookbook by the YouTube Southern cooking sensation is on order.
4) Linger Around the Table, Ya'll by Brenda Gantt - She just announced this one is forthcoming, so I've pre-ordered it, since pre-ordering will be the only way to acquire one.
5) Crossed by Death by A. C. F. Bookens (free)
6) Fallen Angel by D. K. Hood (free)
7) Catastrophe in the Library by CeeCee James (free)
8) Virginia Land Grants: A Study in Conveyancing in Relation to Colonial Politics by Fairfax Harrison - Offered at a great discount by Craig Scott at Heritage Books for watching his video. Although I could have found a free PDF to download, I decided I wanted this one in print.
9) A Cross-Stitch Christmas by Craftways Corporation - A flosstuber mentioned this book was in the clearance at Herrschners. She talked about the cute designs, so I ordered it.
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>47 thornton37814: It's nice that you still have some blank spaces on your Thingaversary List for those book bullets that make you want to immediately get hold of and read.

>48 DeltaQueen50: I just really haven't been shopping. I'm sure I'll eventually get the rest purchased.

>47 thornton37814: Nice that you added the cross-stitch Christmas book. I'd be tempted too, except I already have way too many pattern books. My sister-in-law in Singapore and I have been exchanging cross-stitch ornaments every Christmas for over 15 years now.

Have fun filling the rest of your Thingaversary list!

>50 mathgirl40: This week I'll purchase fabric for some ornaments using single color or few colors with large blocks of same colors to take on the plane for a couple upcoming trips. (Of course I'll stitch in the airport too.) I'm also picking up Heart in Hand's Hummingbird sampler that was released at Nashville market last month. It is a single color. My LNS pulled the chart and thread and will pull few fabrics they think might look nice with it since they don't stock the fabric brand on which the model was stitched. The main pieces on which I'm currently working seem to change color often.

>51 thornton37814: The Hummingbird sampler is a lovely pattern! Enjoy your travels.

>51 thornton37814: I have not been a fan of patterns that change colors every few stitches or even rows. I guess I do not have the patience for changing the threads that often. I tend towards more geometric patterns with large blocks of color--I have stitched quite a few quilt blocks and the Prairie Schooler Santas.

>36 thornton37814: I've got Sarah Moss's book on my library list. I hope I can get to it soon.

>47 thornton37814: Congratulations on your Thingaversary (if I haven't already done so). It's a good idea to spread out the purchase of your celebration books when we get up into the teen years!

>52 mathgirl40: I do think it is a great design. I almost purchased it earlier, but I held off. As I got to thinking about the upcoming trips and stitching, I thought it would be perfect for it.

>53 LadyoftheLodge: I have one pattern for which I purchased a silk that uses a solid color also. The needlework shop advised me that most people only use one thread when stitching with silk so I think the single skein will be enough. The pattern didn't advise that you would need more (which they usually do if you'll need it). I just didn't want to take the silks with me. I found several that will work pretty well for the trips--and many of the ornaments are from a single Christmas issue of Just Cross Stitch which will limit the amount of extra stuff I need to take.

>54 VivienneR: I hope you enjoy The Fell when you get to it. I certainly had mixed feelings about it, but I suspect it's mostly because it was different. I suspect you wished me Happy Thingaversary previously since it's been nearly a month. I just thought I'd update everyone on the acquisition progress.

>55 thornton37814: I have a box full of cross stitch patterns in my storage unit. I plan to sort through them, so may be sending some your way, if you want them.

>56 LadyoftheLodge: I'm always game for stash. We have an intern who finishes next week. I decided this afternoon that I'll stitch a bookmark for her. I have one that has Snoopy, Woodstock, and a pile of books on it that will be a quick stitch.

>57 thornton37814: That sounds cute! Post a photo when done.

>58 LadyoftheLodge: I'll try to post it here. I've been posting to my thread in Needlearts which you might want to star just in case I forget. It is here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/338879

Book 46. Hamlet by William Shakespeare

Date Completed: 28 April 2022

Category: Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Hamlet, perhaps the best known of Shakespeare's tragedies, follows the title character as he seeks revenge upon his father's assassin--an uncle. The number of well-known lines from this work attests to its enduring influence. I chose to listen to the fully dramatized audio book produced from a performance of the Folger Theatre. It was well-done, but I do recommend either reading the book along with it or watching the recorded production to help sort cast members when you lack the name cues of the written format.

Book 47. Pouncing on Murder by Laurie Cass

Date Completed: 28 April 2022

Category: Playhouse in the Park

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Spring is arriving in Michigan, and it's time for Minnie to move back to her houseboat and out of her aunt's boardinghouse. A tree falls atop an elderly man, but Minnie feels something is not quite right. After talking to the man with him at the time of the accident, she feels certain it was murder. She presents her theory to the police. On the relationship front, things are not going so well with Tucker, her doctor boyfriend who never has time to visit her. Everyone in Chilson wants her to hook up with Ash Wolverson, a police officer. I love Eddie, the bookmobile cat, and how he always saves the day! This installment was slow for me in getting started, but once it picked up around the half-way point, I enjoyed it.

>61 thornton37814: Got to love those cats! This sounds like one for my TBR list.

>62 LadyoftheLodge: It's the 4th in the series so you may want to start at the beginning.

>63 thornton37814: Good plan. I think I have the first one on my Kindle, checking it out.

>64 LadyoftheLodge: Hope you enjoy it. Here's the bookmark I mentioned earlier in which you were interested. The bookmark will be gifted to an intern who is finishing up her time in our library this week. The designer is Alida (TweLoQ). It was found on her blog at some point in the past in PDF format. I downloaded it.

>65 thornton37814: That's such a cute bookmark!

>66 rabbitprincess: Thanks! Our intern loved it.

>65 thornton37814: That's lovely!

>68 MissWatson: Thanks!

>65 thornton37814: That turned out nicely! Tres cute! I dug out my cross stitch leaflet stash from the storage unit and will take some time to sort it out. I will let you know if I find something to send to you.

>65 thornton37814: What a thoughtful, personal gift!

>70 LadyoftheLodge: Sounds great!

>71 Jackie_K: I finished a retirement cross stitch tonight and got it in the frame (finally). It was really a little thick, and I had to remove the glass--and it was still thick, but I was finally able to close the back.

Book 48. Fatal Pursuit by Martin Walker

Date Completed: 4 May 2022

Category: Taft Theatre

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: When a researcher dies and his report and other things that should have been present are missing, Bruno suspects murder in what appears to be death by natural causes. The autopsy confirms his suspicion. They discover he was researching a historic automobile that disappeared just before World War II. Bruno finds a new romantic interest. Is she involved in the murder? There's some theft by adolescents. One is underage, and Bruno finds him a job with Pamela at the stables. The other is the son of a store owner and continues his bad behavior because his mother thinks he hung the moon. He finds a dose of reality when he passes his sixteenth birthday and is eligible to be tried as an adult. As always the food descriptions and countryside descriptions are wonderful! I listened to the audiobook read by Robert Ian Mackenzie who does a great job.

Book 49. The Turkish Gambit by Boris Akunin

Date Completed: 14 May 2022

Category: Paul Brown Stadium

Rating: 2.5 stars

Review: Set during a time when Russia and the Turks at war in 1877, Erast Fandorin finds himself accompanying a woman whose fiancee is covering the war. She is determined to reach him. When the Turks capture her, he wins her back by gambling. She must pose as his personal assistant to be allowed to continue seeking her fiancee whom they are certain has been captured. The plot deals more with espionage than being a true mystery, and while there are murders, they all stem from the espionage element. I did not like the first installment, but I mistakenly read the third next and enjoyed it quite a bit. I did not really enjoy this one--mainly because I don't enjoy espionage that much. I listened to the audio book read by Paul Michael.

Book 50. The Names of Our Tears by P. L. Gaus

Date Completed: 15 May 2022

Category: Taft Theatre

Rating: 3 stars

Review: As someone who enjoyed the first seven books in this series, this new installment with a new publisher disappointed me. In previous installments, Professor Michael Brandon was the main character/sleuth. Brandon is nowhere around for the first 2/3 of the book. When he does show up, he's conveniently in Florida with his wife when Ricky Neill needs to come down and will need help. The sheriff's department became central, and I felt the time was split between Sheriff Robertson and Ricky Neill. An Amish girl's brutal murder sparks an investigation which shows she unknowingly carried drugs from Florida back to Holmes County in an extra suitcase she was not to open. Other Amish girls who recently visited Pinecraft as well as other evidence help them identify suspects. Holmes County officials work with Florida officials and the DEA to bring resolution. However, the resolution is perhaps the weakest part of this installment. While I enjoy the characters of Sheriff Robertson and Ricky Neill, I want Professor Brandon back in a central role in future installments.

Book 51. The Life of Henry V by William Shakespeare

Date Completed: 15 May 2022

Category: Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: King Henry V of England seeks to conquer France. This play covers the period around the Battle of Agincourt. While most of the play's language is English, a couple of scenes are all or mostly in French and French phrases find their way into dialogue in several other places. I suspect I would have enjoyed it more if I'd taken time to find a video of the play to follow along with while reading. I just found I wasn't where I could do so when reading it.

Book 52. Assaulted Pretzel by Laura Bradford

Date Completed: 19 May 2022

Category: Paul Brown Stadium

Rating: 3 stars

Review: A man seeking to mass produce Amish toys turns up dead at a food festival. Knowing the peaceful ways of the Amish, the detective in charge of the case doesn't know where to look for suspects, but Claire, the shop owner/cozy sleuth, finds clues. The mystery lacks the interaction between the detective and cozy sleuth that it needs. The murderer was barely mentioned, so armchair sleuths had little chance of guessing the outcome unless they remember the mention. I did not feel there was a very good sense of place. I felt the Amish were an add-on instead of an integral part of the action. Perhaps this one was a tad too cozy?

>77 thornton37814: I have read other cozies with similar problems as you described. I like the characters in the Cackleberry mysteries, but sometimes the perp is a big surprise for the reasons you mentioned. I like this series too, but have not yet read this offering in the series.

Lori, driving home from a visit back to SC, I passed the exit for Cincinnati and thought of you.

>78 LadyoftheLodge: I hope the next one is better.

>79 RidgewayGirl: I'm guessing you took 64 across so that would have been at Lexington? I do love Cincinnati. One of the other librarians had visited Jungle Jim's in Cincinnati after another person who'd lived in Cincinnati and I had told her she should visit when she went. I'm not exactly sure when she went--perhaps last week when she was off? Anyway, she was trying to describe it to others and called me out to help describe it. I had, of course, gone when I was there in March and stocked up on my International foods.

53. The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum

Date Completed: 21 May 2022

Category: Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens

Rating: 3 stars

Review: L. Frank Baum imagines the back story of Santa Claus beginning with his discovery as a babe in a forest mentioned in The Wizard of Oz. He takes us through his mentorship by the Master Woodworker and to the beginnings of his own toy making for children. He eventually spends Christmas eve with his reindeer team delivering toys to stockings and Christmas trees. Then there is more! House designs change, and those chimneys aren't wide enough. It's a fun romp when you are in the mood for a little bit of whimsy! I received a copy through Library Thing Early Reviewers program with the expectation of an honest review.

Book 54. Murder in an English Village by Jessica Ellicott

Date Completed: 23 May 2022

Category: Great American Ball Park

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Times are difficult for Edwina Davenport, and she is forced to advertise for a lodger. Her old friend, the adventurous Beryl Helliwell, sees the ad, coming to her friend's rescue and attempting to alleviate some of the village gossip about her friend's circumstances by implying she works as a spy. The two end up becoming a pair of detectives when the local constable refuses to see a murder as a murder. It suffers some of the typical problems of first installments, but it is an enjoyable read in an English village setting which is always a win! I listened to the audiobook read by Barbara Rosenblat.

Book 55. Silent Voices by Ann Cleeves

Date Completed: 6 June 2022

Category: Playhouse in the Park

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Vera herself discovers the body of a woman at the fitness facility where she swims. The corpse's place in the sauna destroys any fingerprint evidence left behind. Why did someone want to kill this well-liked social worker? Vera can be a difficult boss because of her tendency to want to do everything herself, but she does manage to find things for Ashworth, her sergeant, and a lower-ranking female officer to do. Before long, there's a second body, and Vera knows the two deaths must be related. I enjoyed this installment more than some of the previous ones, but I doubt I'll ever like the Vera series as much as the Shetland series. I listened to the audiobook read by the capable Charlie Hardwick.

>83 thornton37814: Since Downton Abbey is no more I only watch Vera, Shetland, and Midsommer Murders (which we can't get on Brit Box right now!) I don't know if I would like reading them or not!

I don't watch a lot of TV, but when I do, it's usually either food-related or a mystery. Sometimes a good travel or gardening show will win me over.

While in Wichita, I made a stop at Heart's Desire, their local needlework store.



Here are some shots of the inside of the store:







Here's what I brought home--mostly grab bag fabrics marked to 50% off, but also a bookmark pattern, the spring issue of Punch Needle and Primitive Stitcher, and a free Lizzie Kate design.

When my accumulated mail was delivered this morning, I had a couple of grab bags from Colour and Cotton that I'd ordered in the mail. They also sent a free yummy-looking fiber.

Tuesday night, our librarian group went down to see the lighting of the Keeper of the Flame. Unfortunately it was a little too windy in Wichita that evening. Apparently they don't light it if winds exceed 20 mph. Here are shots of the statue early and later in the evening as well as a photo of downtown Wichita as seen from the monument. You can see the pots that are lighted.

Each day the pet resort posted photos of my boys to Facebook. I'm including one shot of each of them during their stay.

Here's Barney:



Here's Sherlock:



Here's Mr. B:

I also went to visit my 2g-grandfather at his cemetery near Inman, Kansas.

Here's the cemetery sign:



Here's his marker:



Here's his marker in context:

Great pictures! Love your handsome cats.

>89 thornton37814: Such lovely kitties

The boys look adorable.

>91 christina_reads: I love them too!

>92 lowelibrary: They are!

>93 MissWatson: Aren't they?!

Great photos of the boys!!

Thanks for sharing all the photos! I miss having a local needlework store--your photos made me homesick for the places I used to frequent.

>95 rabbitprincess: The boys really do photograph well when they cooperate.

>96 LadyoftheLodge: Fortunately you can order a lot online, and many stores will ship anywhere. Of course, they do charge postage. I know Keepsakes told me they ship when I was in Cincinnati back in March. Our local store, Cross Stitch and Crafts, in Johnson City will ship. Of course 1-2-3- Stitch does a huge mail order business.

I'll try to post photos this afternoon of my progress on the pieces I worked on this past week over on the Needlearts thread. All are new starts. (I may have put a few stitches in the Bookstore after I took the photo I posted, but not enough to really tell any difference.)

For those wanting to see my needlework progress, I posted it to my Needlearts thread.

Book 56. Trace Elements by Donna Leon

Date Completed: 16 June 2022

Category: Taft Theatre

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: A dying woman asks Brunetti and Griffoni to investigate her husband's death. She mutters something about "bad money," but doesn't say much more. The death, ruled accidental at the time, does show signs of being suspicious as they learn about the man and begin an informal investigation. The woman's final words puzzle the investigators who must make sense of them. Leon's novels often deal with environmental topics, and this one is no exception. While this is not Leon's best in the series, it is solid, especially for a novel so late in a series. I listened to the audiobook read by the very capable David Colacci.

Book 57. Among the Innocent by Mary Alford

Date Completed: 24 June 2022

Category: Busken Bakery

Rating: 4 stars

Review: 10 years ago, Leah's Amish family was murdered. The local police chief (Ellis) and his wife took her in. Blame was placed on an Amish boy visiting from another town who died in a fire. Leah joined the police force. The chief died a year ago, but the circumstances seem suspicious both to Leah and to the new police chief (Dalton) who arrives in town. Dalton has ties to the person blamed for the killings, but doesn't immediately let people know this. He wants to reopen the case, but before he can do so, a murder of an Amish girl with the same MO as those ten years ago occurs. Leah feels "John" is back. Leah had been secretly seeing John. He'd wanted her to run off with him, but she didn't want to leave her family. She always felt an enraged John returned to kill her family, but Ellis assured her the man who died in the fire had done the deed. Dalton, Leah, and the other officers along with back-up support from the tribal police and the next county, investigate and do their best to prevent others from becoming victims as they now find a serial killer now using the name Jonathan on the loose and dangerous. He makes it clear he plans to kill Leah on the 10th anniversary of her family's deaths. Dalton and others speak of their faith in God, but this Christian fiction work contains a depth not achieved by most works in the genre. The publisher classifies it as romantic suspense, but the romance is subtle and less than the amount contained in many cozy novels. I'd call this a police procedural suspense thriller. I enjoyed this and will look for other books written by the author. I received a copy through LibraryThing Early Reviewers in exchange for an honest review.

Book 58. The Littlest Library by Poppy Alexander

Date Completed: 29 June 2022

Category: Cincinnati Public Library

Rating: 4 stars

Review: I loved this delightful story about a librarian who loses her job due to library closure around the same time she loses the grandmother who raised her. She goes for a ride and discovers the house of her dreams in a Devonshire village and purchases it--complete with a phone booth with a stipulation. It must be used for the community. She comes up with the idea of turning it into a library to serve the community. She sees how the books--carefully curated by her grandmother--bring the community together. As the time she must find a job nears, she fears she may need to let go of her dreams of remaining in the village as well as her attraction to the man who sold her his grandfather's home. This book makes a perfect summer read, and it will certainly appeal to many book lovers. I received an advance reader's edition through a GoodReads giveaway where reviews are encouraged but not required. All opinions are my own.

Book 59. Murder Tightly Knit by Vannetta Chapman

Date Completed: 29 June 2022

Category: Busken Bakery

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: When Owen Esch is found murdered on a trail due to a crossbow injury, evidence points to an Amish person with ties to a survivalist group. Investigators are quick to arrest Jesse's brother Andrew Miller for the incident, even though the Amish who know him best know he would never do such a thing. Will they be able to prove their case for Andrew's release before it is too late? I failed to realize this was second in the series and felt at a disadvantage when it came to knowing the characters. References to the earlier installment figured into the narrative in several places. The mystery is stronger than many Christian fiction mysteries. I enjoyed this, but I do need to go back to the first in the series before moving forward. I listened to the audio version.

>101 thornton37814: a BB!

>101 thornton37814: - This sounds like so much fun. BB for me. (I wonder how many of us secretly wish for something like this.

>101 thornton37814: I grabbed an ARC on ABE. I'll read it and then pass it on to my sisters and her neighbors. I'm always on the lookout for books they will enjoy.

>101 thornton37814: The bit of southeast London I used to live in (Brockley) now has a phone box library, I'm so sad it wasn't there in my day!

>101 thornton37814: I was also hit with a BB for this one, Lori. I have pre-ordered it for my Kindle - there's something about English villages and libraries - they get me every time!

>103 Tess_W: I know! It's really fun!

>104 dudes22: It would be fun! It's just a great little story!

>105 clue: I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

>106 Jackie_K: Wouldn't that be fun! I should probably have mentioned that some in the community wanted a defibrillator instead of a library to go in the phone box. That figures into the story. I think the library is charming though!

>107 DeltaQueen50: I'm a sucker for a good English village story and a good library story any day!

Book 60. Going, Going, Ganache by Jenn McKinlay

Date Completed: 5 July 2022

Category: Playhouse in the Park

Rating: 3.5 stars

2017 Review: A magazine staff is "bonding" by working on cupcakes for a gala together. Mel discovers the body of one of the writers outside the bakery. His head has been bashed in. Uncle Stan responds to the call. Detective Martinez transferred to the Scottsdale police where he's now her uncle's partner. It's clear he is interested in Mel, but Mel is secretly engaged to Angie's brother Joe. In the meantime Tate quit his job, moved out of his upscale penthouse, and is nowhere to be found. When he's finally discovered, he's trying to prove himself worthy of Angie. The book is as much about the romantic relationships and triangles as it is about the mystery. Still it's an enjoyable read, even if it got off to a sluggish start.

2022 Added Comments: I listened to the audio version of this in 2022. I thought it sounded like a familiar plot. I think I liked it a little better than I did in 2017, possibly because I'd read more installments between. I'm upping my stars from the 3 stars I gave it in 2017 to 3.5.

>110 thornton37814: I have a copy of this book languishing on my bookshelves. Maybe it is time to find it. I think I also have others in this series--probably picked up from a used book sale.

I think it might be best to read the series in order based on the way I felt about it this time around. I didn't intentionally re-read this one, but based on the cliffhanger at the end, I'm glad I did re-read it before moving on to the next.

Book 61. Around the World on Two Wheels: Annie Londonderry's Extraordinary Ride by Peter Zheutlin

Date Completed: 7 July 2022

Category: Fountain Square

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Annie Kopchovsky chose to leave her husband and young children to travel the world by bicycle under the name Annie Londonderry. She made promises she had to keep regarding raising funds and such. She made the unfortunate mistake of heading west from Boston instead of east. Realizing her error, she changed bicycles to a male model by another manufacturer and backtracked to New York where she caught a vessel to Europe and began her world tour. No one is certain how much time she actually biked and how much she rode by train. She loved embellishing stories, and they often failed to be consistent from locale to locale as she gave lectures on her tour. Many viewed her as a charlatan, and if lie detectors dated back to the late 19th century when she made her journey, she would not pass. Her great-grand-nephew Peter Zheutlin meticulously researched her story by looking at cycling literature, other social history pieces of relevance, and world newspapers, particularly those from places she visited on her trek. I'm not a fan of blind end notes which were incorporated, preferring numbered ones so readers are aware of their presence. Zheutlin's bibliography and acknowledgements shows the depth of his research. While I do not admire the biography's subject, I do admire the research and the manner the author told the story.

Book 62. Irish Country Life by Olive Sharkey

Date Completed: 10 July 2022

Category: Cincinnati Museum Center

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Sharkey looks back at Irish countryside life--mostly during her grandparents' time. Her thoughts divided into eight chapters or sections: Farmhouse Fare, Homecrafts, The Thatched House, Furniture and Fittings, Home-made Things, The Land, Springtime on the Land, and the Harvest. The last three chapters relate to one another. Drawings accompany the text to illustrate some of the items discussed. The book, first published as Old Days, Old Ways in 1985 and then as Ways of Old in 2000 was revised and published under the title Irish Country Life in 2020. A short bibliography and list of museums appear at the end of the book. The author discusses objects mostly from her personal knowledge rather than citing materials. While the depiction of everyday rural Irish life interests me, a more scholarly approach would benefit genealogical researchers, such as myself, more.

Book 63. A Man of Some Repute by Elizabeth Edmondson

Date Completed: 13 July 2022

Category: Great American Ballpark

Rating: 3 stars

Review: The wounded Hugo Hawksworth seems destined to spend his time pushing papers behind a desk, but an opportunity comes for him to work from Selchester Castle. His younger sister Georgia accompanies him. Shortly after his arrival, the missing earl's body turns up in the chapel buried under flagstones. The local investigators, wanting a quick resolution, seem happy to pin it on the man's deceased son with the man's niece Freya as an accessory. Hugo, convinced of their innocence, investigates on the side. The premise ended up being stronger than the writing and plotting. The earl was a man few admired. The weak ending did not help endear me to the series which was published through Amazon's Thomas & Mercer imprint.

>115 thornton37814: This one's on my shelves, but it sounds like I don't need to rush to read it!

>113 thornton37814: She'd be an instagram influencer today for sure.

>116 christina_reads: I was quite disappointed. I'd say it's a little under a 3 star read overall, but I couldn't quite bring myself to make it 2.5 stars.

>117 RidgewayGirl: That she would.

My first cousin died this morning. Arrangements are not complete. My brother and I are guessing the memorial service will be Tuesday. I'm scheduled to speak in Greeneville tomorrow morning. The current plan, unless I hear the memorial service is Monday, will be to head to my brother's on Sunday after the early service at church and for the two of us to travel on to the Gulf Coast on Monday. If we find the service is Monday, I may be doing a quick packing job and heading that direction sooner.

I'm sorry for your loss, Lori. I pray that everything goes smoothly.

>120 Tess_W: Thanks, Tess.

>119 thornton37814: I am so sorry for your loss. My condolences and wishes for safe travel.

>119 thornton37814: I'm sorry for your loss, Lori. Have a safe trip down.

Sorry for your loss. Safe travels.

>122 LadyoftheLodge: Thanks!

>123 RidgewayGirl: I appreciate it.

>124 Kristelh: Thank you.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Lori. I hope that you have a safe journey, and that you know peace and comfort as you grieve.

>126 Jackie_K: Thank you.

Sorry for your loss, Lori. Hope you have a safe trip.

I'm sorry for your loss. Safe travels!

Lori, I'm so sorry. Hope everything goes as well as these things can. Take care.

Sorry to hear of the passing of your cousin, Lori.

>128 dudes22: Thank you. I've made it to my brother's. Now we are just waiting on my cousin's widow to set date/time for the memorial. She's going to the funeral home this morning. She's really overwhelmed.

>129 MissWatson: Thanks.

>130 rabbitprincess: Thank you.

>131 DeltaQueen50: Thanks.

>132 thornton37814: Such a difficult time to be faced with decisions. My sympathies to her and to your whole family.

>133 beebeereads: Thank you.

Book 64. The Templars' Last Secret by Martin Walker

Date Completed: 16 July 2022

Category: Taft Theatre

Rating: 3 stars

Review: An Israeli woman falls to her death, but a few things about the scene don't add up and cause Bruno to expect murder. Readers find themselves in a "cozy thriller" involving the Knights Templar, Israeli-Muslim conflict, and cave paintings. The new woman this time is a Haitian woman from another agency accompanying Bruno on the investigation. Even though it was only a brief mention, another animal died in the story. Could the author please let all the animals live a few times? I love the setting of these and the food descriptions. The stories themselves are beginning to seem somewhat formulaic. There is enough difference to keep one interested in some aspects, but the book's general direction seems somewhat predictable.

Book 65. Death by Beach Read by Eva Gates

Date Completed: 24 July 2022

Category: Taft Theatre

Rating: 4 stars

Review: This series, set in the Outer Banks, quickly became a favorite and remains so. Lucy and Connor moved into their new home while Connor and his father continue renovations. When a dead man's body appears in their home, strangled by Charles the cat's leash, Lucy notices a strong resemblance to a man she knows and suspects it might be the man's relative. It turns out to be his estranged twin brother. The awful Diane Uppiton who caused so many headaches in the first book in the series comes back to town in this installment. Everyone expects she's trying to weazel her way back onto the library board. We also meet Jo Harper, the sister of the twin brothers, who has lived reclusively with her brother for years. Lucy even talks her into coming to the book club's discussion for The House of the Seven Gables. The tale relates events from the prohibition era up to the present as they relate to the house and parts of the current story, but the story is told entirely in the present. (I much prefer this to the dual or triple story line.) It's a long wait for the next in series!

Book 66. Breaking Silence by Linda Castillo

Date Completed: 24 July 2022

Category: Paul Brown Stadium

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Kate investigates the deaths of parents and an uncle of four siblings. All die in the farm's manure pit early in the morning. The mother died while trying to rescue the men. The Amish community wishes to adopt the children to keep them in the community, but Kate needs to follow protocol because a brother who left the faith remains in the area and is willing to adopt them. Social services places the children in his care. The daughter in the family reminds Kate of her own self, and Kate remembers her own secret demon during the investigation. Agent Tomasetti is sent to help with an investigation into Amish hate crimes in the area and becomes involved in the investigation. They are not sure whether or not it is linked to the hate crimes or not. As the novel progressed, the author lost sight of the Amish hate crime angle. They seemed to cease when the investigation into the case began to focus on another solution. Yet with the two things not being related, one would think they should continue. The author keeps the reader guessing with many twists. I listened to the audiobook.

>137 thornton37814: Not really one for Amish reads (except history) but I think I will try this one!

>137 thornton37814: How is the violence in this one? I read the first two but I thought they, particularly the second, went too far with murder scene for me.

>139 clue: I don't like a lot of violence in novels either. That is why I tend to read the light, cozy type mysteries.

>138 Tess_W: These aren't your traditional Amish fiction. They have a harder edge to them.

>139 clue: They can be gruesome in places. I think the murder scene isn't quite as involved. There is, however, an inappropriate family relationship in the plot.

>140 LadyoftheLodge: I like the P. L. Gaus mysteries better than the Castillo ones, but this series is growing on me.

Book 67. Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare

Date Completed: 26 July 2022

Category: Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: A man accused of fornication faces the death penalty. His cloistered sister and the Duke scheme to save him. Shakespeare explores justice in this play.

I just remembered that I read books to my grandnephew last week and didn't include those. I know they are out of order numerically, but I'm not going back to re-order things. Since I need some books for that category here, I'm going to include them! I'm just going to list them here and not review them.

           

Book 68. God's Wonderful World by Jan Berenstain and Mike Berenstain

Book 69. The Berenstain Bears' Easter Sunday by Mike Berenstain

Book 70. The Berenstain Bears and the Easter Story by Jan Berenstain and Mike Berenstain

Book 71. The Very First Easter by Jan Berenstain and Mike Berenstain

Date Completed: 19 July 2020

Category: Kings Island

Rating: 3 stars each

Comments: The books are cute and teach Bible stories to little ones. In the first, the children go on a nature walk at church to learn about God's creation. The other three focus on the biblical Easter story.

Book 72. A Quilt for Christmas by Melody Carlson

Date Completed: 27 July 2022

Category: Cincinnati Public Library

Rating: 4 stars

Review: This heartwarming novella relates the story of the widowed Vera Swanson who moves to Oregon to be near her daughter. About the time she moves, her daughter's husband transfers away. Now Vera must find her way in a new place on her own. The opportunity comes when a near five-year-old girl (Fiona) in the condo across the hall comes to Vera for help. Vera determines the woman needs medical help and gets her to the hospital, although the woman talks of no insurance. She learns two older siblings are at school and that the husband is working in California. The family moved to Oregon from Arizona, but lack of employment necessitated the husband's living away during the week. Fiona sees the quilt on Vera's bed and wants one for her mother for Christmas. Vera knows she cannot do it on her own. Fiona and her siblings suggest placing flyers with tear-off phone numbers at the market, the flower shop, and church they attend. When she arrives at the flower shop, Tasha, a lover of color, wants to learn to quilt. At the market, she meets Eleanor who used to sew and seeks a new hobby. After leaving the flyer at the church, Beverly responds. Her grandmother used to run the church's quilting circle, and Beverly always wanted to learn to quilt from her grandmother, but she died, and her death brought the demise of the circle. This women's circle brings some form of healing or happiness to each woman and to the lives each touches. This would make a great Hallmark Christmas movie. While Carlson is a Christian writer, the novel does not preach and mentions faith in appropriate and natural contexts. I received an advance reader's copy through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program in exchange for an honest review.

>144 thornton37814: I'm making a note on this as a Christmas present for my sister. We have quilts our grandmothers made and we really enjoy them.

>145 clue: It's a nice Christmas story!

Book 73. The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare

Date Completed: 28 July 2022

Category: Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: This tragedy features triumvir Mark Antony and Queen of Egypt Cleopatra. She loves him although he is married. Octavius Caesar, the third political figure in the book, keeps the play's action interesting. Based on texts from Plutarch's Lives, we learn a little history of the Roman Republic prior to the time of Christ. It's not my favorite Shakespeare, but I liked it better after reading it this second time. I probably would not have re-read it, if I"d remembered how Cleopatra died. It's a classic, and a great way to share a little ancient history.

Book 74. In a Time of Distance: And Other Poems by Alexander McCall Smith

Date Completed: 28 July 2022

Category: Findlay Market

Rating: 4 stars

Review: I really enjoyed McCall Smith's poems. I thought most of them would focus on the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing, but the majority of the poems were likely written before that time. Many poems included featured Scottish themes. Poems are grouped by theme with an "unrelated" section at the end. I'm glad I picked this up at the library! I wouldn't mind owning a copy.

>147 thornton37814: Congrats on finishing this! I haven't read it for about 40 years. Time for a re-read...but no time!

>149 Tess_W: Thanks. I just made myself keep going. Once I get started, it isn't so hard. That was actually the June ShakespeareCAT, but it catches me up. I just kept forgetting to check it out, and I preferred to read it in print.

I finished a book last night, but I'm too tired tonight to even think about it. I just spent 11 hours with 3 cats in my car on what should have been a 6 hour trip. About 4 hours of it was spent parked on Interstate 24 outside Chattanooga. The Interstate closed and reopened twice while I was there so we did get to creep along briefly a couple of times. When we finally got through, we all stopped to use the restroom at the first open exit and talked about how horrible it had been. I saw at least 5 accidents in the area we went through. The radio was reporting 3 accidents on I-75 between Chattanooga and Cleveland. I decided to take US 27 north of Chattanooga and to cut over to I-75 north of the accidents.

Sounds like you had a really hellish trip. I hope you get some rest now!

>152 MissWatson: It was awful.

>151 thornton37814: So glad you are safe (even though frustrated & tired!)

>151 thornton37814: On my last trip back to Greenville, I was stuck for two hours outside of Knoxville. But double that length of time and add cats? Glad you made it home.

>154 Tess_W: Yes. I'm glad I made it home safely.

>155 RidgewayGirl: Knoxville can be horrible at times. I'd come up with a way to avoid Knoxville rush hour if my timing was going to be such that I got there about that time, but rush hour was long over by the time I was going to reach it. I deemed it safe to get on I-75 instead of going the other way. Of course, I was tempted to use the cat's litterbox myself, but I didn't.

Abandoned Book #2: Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk

Date Abandoned: 3 August 2022

Category: Cincinnati Subway

Comments: Abandoned. I read about half of it, but I just couldn't get into it, and I did not enjoy the astrological theme in part of it. Life's too short to keep reading something you don't enjoy.

>157 thornton37814: Agree with that sentiment! Our book club had a meeting the other day to choose the books for 2023 and order them from the Humanities Council. A few books came up for a very short discussion and I think I ruffled a few feathers when I mentioned that I started to read one and abandoned it and did not want to try it again. "One person's dislike should not mean we don't read it!" Oh well! (But they did not pick it anyway.)

>157 thornton37814: Loved it! Gave it five stars.

>157 thornton37814: I loved it and the reveal at the end was fun, but there is no reason to continue reading a book you're not enjoying and having read half, you are in a solid position to know you're not a fan of Tokarczuk.

>157 thornton37814:. I loved it too. Agree with >160 RidgewayGirl:. No reason to continue if you haven't been pulled in by the half way point.

>158 LadyoftheLodge: There was one book I refused to read for our group earlier this year. It covered a topic I cared absolutely zero about reading.

>159 pamelad: It just didn't work for me.

>160 RidgewayGirl: I know a lot of people loved it, and I took a book bullet from someone--after all it was a mystery.

>161 Kristelh: Glad you liked it. It just wasn't for me.

Looks like I failed to post this or that it didn't post.



75. Danger on the Atlantic by Erica Ruth Neubauer

Date Completed: 31 July 2022

Category: Paul Brown Stadium

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Trying to locate a German spy, Jane and Redvers embark on a trans-Atlantic voyage posing as a married couple. A third agent poses as a cabin steward. The observant Jane notices a couple as they set out. When the woman's cries that her husband disappeared occur later and the ship's captain and crew largely ignore her complaint, Jane sets out to help the woman. The agency identified three persons as the potential spy. When Jane rents a camera and takes photos during a stop in Cherbourg, they decide the captain and some crew members' likely smuggle alcoholic beverages into prohibition-era America. This could be the reason they were reluctant to assist the woman. A death aboard promises to make the challenge even greater for Jane and Redvers, but as usual, they discover all they need to learn by the time they arrive in America. This historical cozy espionage tale makes a fun read. Some solutions, such as what happened to the missing husband, seem rather obvious, but the search for the spy took an interesting turn at the end. While not as strong as previous installments, mainly because of similarities to other published mysteries, it still entertains.

Book 76. The Life of Timon of Athens by William Shakespeare

Date Completed: 4 August 2022

Category: Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Wealthy Athenian Timon spreads his wealth generously and hold parties. After giving all his wealth away, he discovers his so-called friends only cared about his wealth. He spends his remaining days in a cave. Shakespeare borrowed from other sources to create this work, and critics attribute portions to other authors. It's not among Shakespeare's best efforts.

Book 77. A Taste for Vengeance by Martin Walker

Date Completed: 6 August 2022

Category: Taft Theatre

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Bruno receives a promotion which creates confusion in his line of reporting. One of Pamela's cooking school students fails to show. Since she phoned a few days early with great enthusiasm about attending, Pamela asks Bruno to look into it. As they track her to the home of a man with whom she was seen earlier, law enforcement officials discover her corpse inside the house and his outside where birds preyed on his body. As the investigation progresses, they discover the woman's husband near death in a Texas hospital and that the dead man used a fake name. With links to the Irish Republican Army and intelligence forces from England, Ireland, and America, this one presents a little "cozy" international intrigue. As always the food descriptions make readers drool! I enjoyed seeing Bruno's new role. I listened to the audio book read by Robert Ian Mackenzie who is the perfect series narrator.

I applaud your decision to set aside a book that just wasn't working for you, Lori. There are so many books waiting for us that forcing a read just doesn't make sense.

I have no problem giving up on a book that I'm not enjoying, but will sometimes persevere with a book I'm struggling with if I think the author has something important to say e.g. I ploughed through Ulysses because it's such a classic, but really disliked it. There's no need to feel guilty about giving up on a book you don't like.

>166 DeltaQueen50: I probably read further than I should have because the wait list was so long. I was positive it wasn't for me by the time I abandoned it.

>167 pamelad: I don't abandon that many, but I usually abandon 3-5 per year.

>157 thornton37814: I've got that one on my TBR. I knew if it was on the 1000 Book list, I probably wouldn't like it, but somebody gave it to me. I think it will stay on my shelf or be donated.

>169 Tess_W: It's definitely not for everyone.

I must announce the renaming of one of my categories. Paul Brown Stadium is now known as Paycor Stadium. I honestly wish they'd go back to neutral stadium names like "Riverfront Stadium" which was around when I lived in Cincinnati. I'll include both names in the description. I won't go back on old ones to change the name because it was Paul Brown Stadium when I read them, but I will call new entries in the category by the new stadium name.

Book 78. The Chocolate War by Martin Walker

Date Completed: 7 August 2022

Category: Taft Theatre

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Very short story focusing on a conflict between a new market vendor and the established village cafe owner. Bruno, of course, helps the two parties find a way to work together. The food and regional descriptions are always great!

Book 79. They Fought Like Demons: Women Soldiers in the American Civil War by DeAnne Blanton and Lauren M. Cook

Date Completed: 11 August 2012

Category: Fountain Square

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: The authors' research into the topic shows that many more women fought in combat roles in the United States Civil War on both sides of the conflict that most of us suspect. Being caught usually meant they were sent home, but sometimes they were moved to non-combative roles such as the nursing. The authors also acknowledge that because so many used assumed male names, we may never know the true extent of the female battlefield presence. Excavations at battlefields such as Shiloh show women's bodies among the corpses. While the authors used some official records, they also used "recollections." In the case of one unusual name who allegedly fought from Tennessee, all references were to such a source. Not once did the authors attempt to prove the person or her brother's existence through the census or through official records. Another LibraryThing user and I attempted to find traces and concluded this person should have been omitted until existence could be proven. While the book is eye-opening about the extent of female involvement in combat, the reliance upon less trustworthy documents sometimes weakens it.

Book 80. The Vanished Days by Susanna Kearsley

Date Completed: 21 August 2022

Category: Music Hall

Rating: 3 stars

Review: The story jumps around at various points between 1685 and 1707 during the time of the Jacobite Rebellion. At question is whether a widow was really married to a man killed during the Darien expedition. It is up to Sgt. Adam Williamson to find whether her claim is true or not. The finding could prove dangerous to the widow or to the man's daughter Lily. The way the story was told by skipping around within the time period did not work well, and I found myself nearly abandoning the book several times. I did enjoy the setting--both time period and location--but the story seemed disjointed because of its telling. This appears to be the third book of a Scottish series by the author but was not advertised as such. I did not read earlier installments. I did not feel I'd missed anything by failing to read those stories.

I discovered I failed to report a book read! I'll insert it here, but I won't re-order my read numbers.



Book 81. Rizzio by Denise Mina

Date Completed: 13 August 2022

Category: Music Hall

Rating: 4 stars

Review: A plot to remove Mary Queen of Scots from power. Mary's own husband was in on the plot. They need to remove Mary's private secretary David Rizzio from his position of influence in order to succeed. How better to do that than assassinate him? This story follows the coup as carried out as well as the actions of and consequences to Mary and her husband. It's a well-told story and can be read quickly.

>175 thornton37814: hit me with a BB!

>175 thornton37814: Looks good. I've just borrowed it to read for the Historical Fiction Challenge: about a real historical figure or a specific event.

>176 Tess_W: It's an interesting read!

>177 pamelad: I think you'll enjoy it.

Book 82. A Cold White Sun by Vicki Delany

Date Completed: 24 August 2022

Category: Playhouse in the Park

Rating: 4 stars

Review: When a teacher is gunned down on her jog through the park with her dog, Sgt. Winters, Constable Molly Smith, and all the others on the Trafalgar police force must sift through the evidence to find motive, means, and opportunity. They also know the perpetrator's gun skills are at the sniper level. The woman taught English at the high school and also a night class in creative writing at the local community college. There's her husband whose business sometimes takes him out of town. There's a teenage son who is known to the police for the bad company he keeps. There's a math teacher on whom the victim had a crush.

Meanwhile in Trafalgar, Margo Franklin who works for Sgt. Winter's wife Eliza at the art gallery is acting oddly. As a teen, she birthed a son whom she was forced to give up for adoption. She's certain she's seen him in Trafalgar so she begins stalking him.

On the relationship front, Molly's mom has begun seeing Molly's boss, Chief Constable Paul Keller. Molly begins to doubt her future with RCMP officer Adam Tocek. She meets a skilled skiier on Trafalgar's slopes who wants to see her. I won't give this part away, so you'll have to read it to see what happens.

Molly seemed less involved in this case than many earlier ones although she was present at many of the crucial times. Still I love this series. I keep hoping Molly will be promoted and will become an official part of Winter's team. I guess that's asking too much in a town like Trafalgar?

Book 83. Another Gospel?: A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity by Alisa Childers

Date Completed: 8 September 2022

Category: Holy Cross Monastery & Church

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Alisa Childers who sang with contemporary Christian music group Zoegirl found her faith challenged when she encountered a progressive pastor. She decided to investigate his claims by studying the Bible and reading and studying theology. Childers became convinced progressive Christianity was the falling away the Bible asserts will happen in the last days. One can tell the author studied progressive and conservative theologians in her quest to find the truth. I enjoyed the book overall, but her writing style was a little more "familiar" than I prefer. Given her background, I understand many who followed her career would appreciate that tone, but it didn't work as well for me.

Book 84. A Distant Grave by Sarah Stewart Taylor

Date Completed: 8 September 2022

Category: Paycor Stadium

Rating: 4 stars

Review: This excellent second series installment features New York detective Maggie D'Arcy. Right before she is to visit her boyfriend in Ireland, she responds to the homicide of an Irish man. The man's body showed signs of a severe beating in the past. Maggie's doubts about the long-distance relationship seem compounded when she must use part of her vacation time seeking leads on the case. An angry prosecutor calls her back to New York before her vacation time is up. Readers see the detectives sifting through every piece of evidence, even finding a connection between the prosecutor and the victim. I don't want to give away too much of the plot, but this one drew me in and kept me wanting to listen. While in Ireland, Maggie ponders what moving to Ireland might look like, but she knows her experience would not get her a position in the garda and that she would need to go through their training program. I look forward to the next installment.

Book 85. The Lady from the Black Lagoon: Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick by Mallory O'Meara

Date Completed: 10 September 2022

Category: Fountain Square

Rating: 3 stars

Review: I'm not a huge fan of the Hollywood scene. I'm not enamored of any part of the industry. When this book was selected for my women's history book club, I sighed. I could think of a thousand other books I wanted to read. It wasn't as bad as I feared, but neither was it great. The book's subject was makeup artist and animator Milicent Patrick who went by various names over her life. Her most famous creation was the Creature from the Black Lagoon. While the author dug into Milicent's background, her research could have been improved by paying for genealogical services--whether in the form of digging into the lives of the FAN Club or just expert consultation. Toward the end she did consult "the Mormons," but it is obvious she neglected some of the things she couldn't find earlier when she did consult them and that she put too much stock into trees that may or may not meet standards. Still the author found quite a bit of information through newspapers, interviews, and even some corporate archives. Fans of monster movies or animators may enjoy this, but it's a safe pass for most readers.

Book 86. Shetland: Cooking on the Edge of the World by James Morton and Tom Morton

Date Completed: 14 September 2022

Category: Skyline Chili

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Ann Cleeves' series featuring Jimmy Perez brought Shetland to my attention. I knew it existed, but I didn't realize just how far north it was until I read the series. James and Tom Morton, long-time residents, showcase the island's native cuisine. As expected, many recipes feature seafood--and smoking them seems to be popular. I think I would probably starve if I needed to eat the foods showcased in the book. Besides recipes, the authors discuss life on the islands. I enjoyed those discourses more than the recipes. I'm not sorry I purchased the ebook, but I won't use it much for cooking.

>183 thornton37814: James Morton was a finalist in the Great British Bake-Off a few years ago, and has produced a few recipe books since (his speciality is bread) - he is also a qualified doctor, he was on Bake-Off during his final year at medical school. Tom Morton, his dad, was for many years a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio Scotland, although he's done his own thing the past few years, I think, and has written a few books.

>184 Jackie_K: I didn't really know them. I enjoyed the parts about Shetland much more than the recipes. I didn't even realize I'd purchased a "celebrity" cookbook. I was just picking one up about Shetland because I'd enjoyed the Vera books and because Living DNA shows I have Orkney/Shetland heritage. (I haven't found it yet on the paper trail.)

>185 thornton37814: I'd say they're more 'local celebrities' than household names - but then I suspect it's quite easy to be a local celebrity in Shetland, given that the population is less than 25K people!

>186 Jackie_K: There is that, but several people, even here in the U.S., seem to be familiar with the authors.

I'm being inundated with books "on hold" (which are really suggestions for purchase I made no telling how long ago) that the library suddenly decided to purchase. I'm carefully managing them. I've put some of them as "send to me after 90 days" just because I don't have time right now for them. I've put a couple off 21 days because I want to read them soon, but I can't get to them before they'd expire.

>188 thornton37814: I've done exactly the same thing today. One book I pushed back for the second time!

>188 thornton37814: Ditto!

>188 thornton37814: - At my library, the choice is to "freeze" the book which effectively puts it on permanent hold. You do move up the list so when you're ready and unfreeze it, you should get it next. But it expires after a year and then you need to start over again.

>189 clue: >190 Tess_W: I'm glad I'm not the only one. They are purchasing them all at once!

>191 dudes22: That would be nice.

>192 thornton37814: An acquaintance of mine who works for a library told me that their fiscal year ends on June 30. New funds are then released and they purchase a ton of books at that time.

>193 Tess_W: That does make sense, but it was just odd to have so many coming all at once.

Yesterday as I was cleaning up the cataloging on some vertical file records for our upcoming system migration, I needed to go to special collections to gather additional information for one of the entries. I noticed the next file coming up on my spreadsheet was labeled "Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain." I was curious why our special collections might have such a file since it was outside the scope of the majority of our things so I decided to take a peek while I was up there. This is what I found:

   

I was shocked. Our archivist had even forgotten we had it. A little later, I came across an entry for "George VI, King of Great Britain" so I had to see that for myself, especially when I could tell I needed additional information about the identity of a couple others mentioned by title only in the description a prior person entered in the record. I found this:



Inside it were all sorts of photos of the family--lots of George VI, some of Edward VIII who abdicated, some of George VI's wife that most of us know as the "Queen Mum" but who was "queen" then, and some of the "little princess," whom we affectionately know as Queen Elizabeth II. Those pictures range from baby pictures up until the present which was 10 years for her in 1936.

Definitely some archival treasures found at a very appropriate time!

>195 thornton37814: Serendipitous!

>196 Tess_W: Definitely! I immediately showed several other librarians, and we've shown other faculty and staff we know have an interest.

Wow! That's cool.

>195 thornton37814: Wow! What a great and timely find.

>198 dudes22: >199 LadyoftheLodge: Definitely cool and timely!

Good for you for following up to see exactly what they were. Great find!

>201 clue: I couldn't resist checking them out.

Book 87. Shroud for a Nightingale by P. D. James

Date Completed: 21 September 2022

Category: Playhouse in the Park

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review: Supt. Adam Dalgliesh investigates the deaths of nursing students at the Nightingale House. The first murder, left to the local constabulary, resulted in no real solution. Dalgliesh, of course, recognizes some irregularities and pieces together the evidence to reach a solution. It dragged a bit in the middle, but every little bit seemed important in the end. My early guess was incorrect although I did begin suspecting the person before we learned too much. It's an interesting mystery in an interesting setting.

Book 88. Small Island by Andrea Levy

Date Completed: 23 September 2022

Category: Music Hall

Rating: 3 stars

Review: Set in the years past World War II, a Jamaican immigrant faces racism in Great Britain. While it's not an easy read, it's an important one because it shows racism occurred in many places around the globe--not just in America.

Book 89. William Shakespeare: Poetry for Kids by William Shakespeare

Date Completed: 25 September 2022

Category: Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

Rating: 3 stars

Review: This small volume's series is probably inappropriate. The vocabulary is too advanced for "kids." It consists mostly of the sonnets and play segments high school students memorized back in the late 1970s. It was fun to revisit the memorable passages and sonnets. Library catalogs link this with the Dover thrift edition entitled Shakespeare: A Book of Quotations so you don't need to purchase one if you own the other. This one does contain some illustrations.