Chrischi_HH's 2015 Category Challenge thread - 2nd half

Welcome to part 2 of my first ever participation in a reading challenge! I typically read 20-30 books a year, so there's no chance competing in e.g. the 75 books challenges. But the category challenge seems to be a good choice, as I can combine my modest amount of books with some interesting topics. There will be books, that fit into several categories, but they will only be counted in one. However, I will list them in both to get an overview for myself of what I have read.
And don't get confused by the different titles, I like to read books in German, English and Danish, so there will be books in these three languages. I will try to add the English or original titles as well to make it easier to follow internationally.

Happy reading!

These are my choices for 2015 (and the status of how many I wanted to read and have read):

Local Heroes (4/2) - completed
Travel the World (9/4) - completed
Bio & Non-Fiction (5/2) - completed
Sporty (3/2) - completed
Series (5/4) - completed
New Books (3/2) - completed
Classics / 1001 books (5/3) - completed
GroupReads (3/2) - completed
Miscellaneous (7)



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Read:
1. Malte Laband - 111 Gründe, den Hamburger SV zu lieben
2. Elizabeth Kostova - The Historian
3. Tommy Jaud - Millionär
4. Jo Nesbø - Marekors (Engl. The Devil's Star)
5. Charles Dickens - Oliver Twist
6. I J Kay - Mountains of the Moon
7. Petra Oelker - Die zerbrochene Uhr
8. Emily St. John Mandel - Station Eleven
9. Thomas Mann - Tonio Kröger
10. Hape Kerkeling - Ich bin dann mal weg: Meine Reise auf dem Jakobsweg (Engl.: I'm Off Then: Losing and Finding Myself on the Camino de Santiago)
11. T.C. Boyle - The Tortilla Curtain
12. Isabel Allende - Mayas Tagebuch (Engl. Maya's Notebook)
13. Sophie Kinsella - Shopaholic to the Stars
14. Antonia Michaelis - Die wunderliche Reise von Oliver und Twist
15. David Downing - Zoo Station
16. Joachim Meyerhoff - Alle Toten fliegen hoch: Amerika
17. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry - Der kleine Prinz
18. Jerome K. Jerome - Three Men in a Boat
19. Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird
20. Anthony Doerr - All the Light We Cannot See
21. Joachim Meyerhoff - Wann wird es endlich wieder so, wie es nie war
22. Lena Johannson - Das Marzipanmädchen
23. Alexandra u. Jobst Schlennstedt - 111 Orte in Lübeck, die man gesehen haben muss
24. Giulia Enders - Darm mit Charme (Engl. Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body's Most Underrated Organ)
25. Carla Federico - Im Land der Feuerblume
26. Dörthe Binkert - Brombeersommer
27. Jane Austen - Emma
28. Agatha Christie - Das fehlende Glied in der Kette (Engl.: The Mysterious Affair at Styles)
29. Susan Abulhawa - Während die Welt schlief (Engl: Mornings in Jenin)
30. Jan Christophersen - Schneetage
31. Regina Kölpin (publisher) - Muscheln, Möwen, Morde: Eine kriminelle Reise vom Darß bis Fehmarn
32. Ernest Hemingway - Der alte Mann und das Meer (Eng.: The Old Man and the Sea)
33. Uwe Seeler - Danke, Fußball!
34. Anne-Laure Bondoux - Die Zeit der Wunder (Engl.: A Time of Miracles)
35. Ildikó von Kürthy - Herzsprung
36. Jo Nesbø - Frelseren (Engl. The Redeemer)
37. Andy Weir - The Martian
38. Gaile Parkin - Kuchen backen in Kigali (Engl. Baking Cakes in Kigali)
39. Harper Lee - Go Set A Watchman
40. Helle Helle - Rødby-Puttgarden
41. Friedhard Teuffel - Teuffel, Friedhard – Timo Boll: Mein China – Eine Reise ins Wunderland des Tischtennis
42. María Luisa Bombal - House of Mist
43. David Benioff- Stadt der Diebe (Engl.: City of Thieves)
44. Henning Mankell and others - Das große Buch der skandinavischen Weihnachtsgeschichten

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Statistics:
Pages read: 14,774
Books from TBR (before 2015): 12
Books bought: 13
Books borrowed: 16
Books re-read: 3
Read in German: 28
Read in English: 13
Read in Danish: 3
Male / female authour: 20 / 21 (plus 3 collections by various authors)

Book bullets



I collected so many BBs in the first half of the year, and they deserve their own post. It will take me years to read all of them, but at least I will always have a great choice of what to read next.
So these have ended on my list:

1. The Ghost of Thomas Kempe by Penelope Lively (Ikernagh)
2. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (LittleTaiko, Tournament of Books) / COMPLETED in 2015
3. All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (LittleTaiko, Tournament of Books) / COMPLETED in 2015
4. Zoo Station by Davis Downing (Hanneri) / COMPLETED in 2015
5. The Lake District Murder by John Bude (rabbitprincess) / COMPLETED in 2018
6. The Collected Works of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin (christina_reads)
7. The Girls at the Kingfisher Club by Genevieve Valentine (christina_reads) / COMPLETED in 2017
8. Baking Cakes in Kigali by Gaile Parkin (cbl_tn) / COMPLETED in 2015
9. Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris (cbl_tn) / COMPLETED in 2018
10. Daughters of the Samurai by Janice P. Nimura (inge87)
11. The Christie Curse by Victoria Abbott (Mysterymax)
12. The Angry Island by A.A. Gill (mstrust)
13. Grand Central: Original Stories of Postwar Love and Reunion by Various (Roro8)
14. The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt (japaul22)
15. Half-Broken Things by Morag Joss (DeltaQueen50)
16. Wife of the Gods by Kewi Quartey (Ikernagh)
17. Red or Dead by David Peace (rabbitprincess)
18. The Amber Room by Steve Berry (Hanneri)
19. The Darkest Hour by Barbara Erskine (Roro8)
20. To My Daughter in France by Barbara Keating (DeltaQueen50)
21. The Windup Girl by Paolo Gacipalupi (Paruline) / COMPLETED in 2016
22. The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell (majkia) / purchased
23. Ashfall (trilogy) by Mike Mullin (DeltaQueen50)
24. Battle of Kings (Merlin trilogy) by M K Hume (Roro8)
25. My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier (DeltaQueen50)
26. Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lajiri (sturlington)
27. The Iron Necklace by Giles Waterfield (Roro8)
28. The Ice Twins by S.K. Tremayne (Roro8) / COMPLETED in 2016
29. The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty (deep220)
30. Stasiland by Anna Funder (Hanneri)
31. Frozen Assets by Quentin Bates (Hanneri)
32. The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe (deep220)
33. Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth (Roro8)
34. A Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff (DeltaQueen50)
35. Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer (DeltaQueen50)
36. The Vanishing Witch by Karen Maitland (Roro8)
37. The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones (RidgewayGirl) / COMPLETED in 2016
38. The Tamarind Seed by Evelyn Anthony (inge87)
39. The Story of Lucy Gault by William Trevor (VivienneR)
40. A Daughter's Tale: The Memoir of Winston Churchill's Youngest Child by Mary Soames (VivienneR)
41. The Ghosts of Belfast by Stuart Neville (VivienneR)
42. Little Red Lies by Julie Johnston (mamzel)
43. Katherine by Anya Seton (DeltaQueen50)
44. Tale for the Time Being by Ruth L. Ozeki (sturlington)
45. Maude by Donna Foley Mabry (deep220)
46. The Crime of Father Amaro by Jose Maria Eca de Queiros (avatiakh)
47. The Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma (avatiakh) / COMPLETED in 2017
48. Fagin the Jew: A Graphic Novel by Will Eisner (avatiakh)
49. Fünf by Ursula Poznanski (DeltaQueen50) / COMPLETED in 2019
50. Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness (DeltaQueen50)
51. The Book of Bright Ideas by Sandra Kring (Roro8)
52. Kindred by Octavia E. Butler (cbl_tn)
53. The Attacking Ocean by Brian Fagan (inge87)
54. The Italian Wife by Kate Furnival (Roro8) / COMPLETED in 2018
55. The Shape of Water (Inspector Montalbano series) by Andrea Camilleri (DeltaQueen50)
56. Light of the Moon by Elizabeth Buchan (DeltaQueen50)
57. The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar (LibraryCin)
58. Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown (clue)
59. The Summer of Dead Toys by Antonio Hill (Staci426)
60. The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson (mysterymax)
61. Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine (BookLizard)
62. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah (lindapanzo) / COMPLETED in 2019
63. After Alice by Gregory Maguire (sturlington)
64. Troubles by J.G. Farrell (japaul22)
65. The Gods of Gotham by Lyndsay Faye (mamzel)
66. Betwixt and Between by Jessica Stilling (DeltaQueen50)
67. Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Philips (Ikernagh)
68. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys (mamzel)
69. All the Rage by Courtney Summers (andreablythe)
70. Fiendish by Brenna Yovanoff (andreablythe)
71. Den serbiske dansker (Balkan-trilogy) by Leif Davidsen (RidgewayGirl)
72. In Bitter Chill by Sarah Ward (inge87)
73. A Beautiful Place to Die by Malla Nunn (tymfos)

Read: 13/73

Local Heroes (> 2)



Books that are set where I live (or nearby) or that are about people from here. „Here“, in my case, is Schleswig-Holstein/Hamburg in Germany.

Possible books:
Johannson, Lena - Das Marzipanmädchen
Oelker, Petra - Die zerbrochene Uhr

Read:
(Petra Oelker - Die zerbrochene Uhr) counted in cat: Series
1. Lena Johannson - Das Marzipanmädchen
2. Jan Christophersen - Schneetage
---------------------------------------------
3. Regina Kölpin (publisher) - Muscheln, Möwen, Morde: eine kriminelle Reise vom Darß bis Fehmarn
4. Helle Helle - Rødby-Puttgarden

Travel The World (> 4)



Books that are set in other countries and on other continents. And not only set there, the location should also play a certain role in the book, e.g. by rather precise descriptions of the area or due to cultural backgrounds. I will list the countries travelled to here as well.

Possible books:
Boyle, Tom Corraghessan – The Tortilla Curtain // L.A., USA
Kostova, Elizabeth - The Historian
Leine, Kim – Profeterne i Evighedsfjorden // Greenland
Allende, Isabel – Mayas Tagebuch // Chile
Adiche, Chimamanda Ngozi - Americanah // Nigeria
Hosseini, Khaled - And the Mountains Echoed // Afghanistan
Nayeri, Dina - Ein Teelöffel Land und Meer (A Teaspoon Land and Sea) // Iran

Read:
1. Elizabeth Kostova - The Historian // US, UK, Netherlands, France, Turkey, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria
2. T.C. Boyle - The Tortilla Curtain // US
3. Isabel Allende - Mayas Tagebuch (Engl. Maya's Notebook) // Chile, US
4. Carla Federico - Im Land der Feuerblume // Germany, Chile
-------------------------------------------
5. Susan Abulhawa - Während die Welt schlief (Engl. Mornings in Jenin) // Palestine, Israel, US
6. Anne-Laure Bondoux - Die Zeit der Wunder (Engl. A Time of Miracles) // Georgia, Russia, Ukraine, Romania, France
7. Gaile Parkin - Kuchen backen in Kigali (Engl. Baking Cakes in Kigali) // Rwanda
8. María Luisa Bombal - House of Mist // Chile
9. David Benioff - Stadt der Diebe (Engl. City of Thieves) // Russia

Countries visited in 2015: (countries visited with my other categories are included)
Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Cuba, Denmark, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Netherlands, Norway, Palestine, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Spain, Turkey, UK, Ukraine, US

Make yours @ BigHugeLabs.com

Bio & Non-Fiction (> 2)



Bigraphies by/about famous or interesting persons and incidents. Plus any other non-fiction book. I have not read much of this category in the past, but there are books both on my shelves as well as on my wishlist. So it's time to get started!

Possible books:
Enders, Giulia - Darm mit Charme
Kerkeling, Hape - Ich bin dann mal weg

Read:
(Malte Laband - 111 Gründe, den Hamburger SV zu lieben counted in cat: Sporty
1. Hape Kerkeling - Ich bin dann mal weg (Engl. I'm Off Then)
2. Joachim Meyerhoff - Alle Toten fliegen hoch: Amerika
--------------------------------------------
3. Joachim Meyerhoff - Wann wird es endlich wieder so, wie es nie war
4. Alexandra u. Jobst Schlennstedt - 111 Orte in Lübeck, die man gesehen haben muss
5. Giulia Enders - Darm mit Charme (Engl. Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body's Most Underrated Organ)
(Teuffel, Friedhard – Timo Boll: Mein China – Eine Reise ins Wunderland des Tischtennis) counted in cat: Sporty

Sporty (> 2)



Books related to sports, can be biograhies, but also other non-fiction and even fiction books. There are a few that have been on my shelves for quite a while, maybe this category helps me picking them.

Possible books:
Laband, Malte - 111 Gründe den Hamburger SV zu lieben
Teuffel, Friedhard – Timo Boll: Mein China – Eine Reise ins Wunderland des Tischtennis
Anonymous – The Secret Player

Read:
1. Malte Laband - 111 Gründe, den Hamburger SV zu lieben
2. Uwe Seeler - Danke, Fußball!
-----------------------------------------------------
3. Teuffel, Friedhard – Timo Boll: Mein China – Eine Reise ins Wunderland des Tischtennis

Series (> 4)



I have three series ongoing and more on my list, so I definitely need to continue here.

Possible books:
Kinsella, Sophie - Shopaholic to the Stars
Nesbø, Jo - Marekors
Nesbø, Jo - Frelseren
Oelker, Petra - Die zerbrochene Uhr
Oelker, Petra - Die ungehorsame Tochter
Gabaldon, Diana - Outlander
Hjorth & Rosenfeld - Der Mann, der kein Mörder war

Read:
1. Jo Nesbø - Marekors (Engl. The Devil's Star) / Harry Hole #5
2. Petra Oelker - Die zerbrochene Uhr / Claes & Rosina #4
3. Sophie Kinsella - Shopaholic to the Stars / Shopaholic #7
4. David Downing - Zoo Station / John Russell #1
-------------------------------------------------
(Agatha Christie - Das fehlende Glied in der Kette (Engl: The Mysterious Affair at Styles) / Hercule Poirot #1) counted in cat GroupReads
5. Jo Nesbø - Frelseren (Engl. The Redeemer) / Harry Hole #6

New Books (> 2)



Books as fresh as the first spring flowers. However, as I read mostly paperbacks it will not necessarily be brand new books. But the paperbacks should be from 2015.

Possible books:
St. John Mandel, Emily - Station Eleven (January 2015)
Tremayne, S.K. - The Ice Twins (January 2015)
Gorelik, Lena - Die Listensammlerin (February 2015)
Nayeri, Dina - Ein Teelöffel Land und Meer (A Teaspoon Land and Sea) (February 2015)
Doerr, Anthony - All The Light We Cannot See (March 2015)
Valentine, Genevieve - The Girls at the Kingfisher Club (May 2015)

Read:
1. Emily St. John Mandel - Station Eleven
2. Anthony Doerr - All the Light We Cannot See
------------------------------------------
3. Harper Lee - Go Set a Watchman

Classics (> 3)



Real classics and books from the 1001 books list, as I haven't read that many yet. Long way to go...

Possible books:
Austen, Jane - Emma
Dickens, Charles - Oliver Twist
Mann, Thomas - Die Buddenbrooks
Mann, Thomas - Tonio Kröger

Read:
1. Charles Dickens - Oliver Twist
2. Thomas Mann - Tonio Kröger
3. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry - Der kleine Prinz
---------------------------------------------
4. Jerome K. Jerome - Three Men in a Boat
(Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird) counted in cat GroupReads
(Jane Austen - Emma) counted in cat GroupReads
5. Ernest Hemingway - The Old Man and the Sea

GroupReads (> 2)



I will participate in the GroupRead here and also with another group, at least when I have the time and like the suggested book. Let's see what comes out of it.

Possible books:
Lee, Harper - To Kill a Mockingbird (planned for June)
Austen, Jane - Emma (planned for July/August)
Christie, Agatha - TBD (planned for August)
Finder, J. - Goldjunge (?)

Read:
1. Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird
2. Jane Austen - Emma
---------------------------------------------------
3. Agatha Christie - Das fehlende Glied in der Kette (Engl.: The Mysterious Affair at Styles)
(Ernest Hemingway - The Old Man and the Sea) counted in cat Classics

Miscellaneous



Other books I've read that don't fit into any of the other categories. I expect some chick lit here in the end, because this is something I do not plan to read, but read anyway just to relax once in a while.

Read:
1. Tommy Jaud - Millionär
2. I J Kay - Mountains of the Moon
3. Antonia Michaelis - Die wunderliche Reise von Oliver und Twist
4. Dörthe Binkert - Brombeersommer
5. Ildikó von Kürthy - Herzsprung
6. Andy Weir - The Martian
7. Henning Mankell and others - Das große Buch der skandinavischen Weihnachtsgeschichten

Additionally I follow a reading challenge with another group. As many do with the BingoDOG here, I will not focus on it, but see what fits in during the year, and I might also move them around within the different categories along the way. For this, books from my other categories are allowed as well. Here are the 49 options (which actually are 50):
*a book with more than 500 pages: Im Land der Feuerblume
*a classic romance: Emma
*a book that became a movie: Oliver Twist
*a book published this year: Go Set a Watchman
*a book with a number in the title: 111 Orte in Lübeck, die man gesehen haben muss
*a book written by someone under 30
*a book with nonhuman characters: Die wunderliche Reise von Oliver und Twist
*a funny book: Millionär
*a book by a female author: Mornings in Jenin
*a mystery or thriller: Die zerbrochene Uhr
*a book with a one-word title: The Devil's Star (Danish: Marekors)
*a book of short stories: Muscheln, Möwen, Morde
*a book set in a different country: The Tortilla Curtain
*a nonfiction book: Darm mit Charme
*a popular author's first book: To Kill a Mockingbird
*a book from an author you love that you haven't read yet: The Redeemer
*a book a friend recommended: I'm Off Then
*a Pulitzer Prize-winning book: All the Light We Cannot See
*a book based on a true story
*a book at the bottom of your to-read list: Mountains of the Moon
*a book your mom loves
*a book more than 100 years old: Three Men in a Boat
*a book based entirely on its cover
*a book you were supposed to read in school but didn't
*a memoir: Joachim Meyerhoff - Wann wird es endlich wieder so, wie es nie war
*a book you can finish in a day: Der kleine Prinz
*a book with antonyms in the title
*a book set somewhere you've always wanted to visit: City of Thieves
*a book that came out the year you were born
*a book with bad reviews: Shopaholic to the Stars
*a trilogy
*a book from your childhood
*a book with a love triangle: Brombeersommer
*a book set in the future: Station Eleven
*a book set in high school: Alle Toten fliegen hoch: Amerika
*a book with a color in the title
*a book that made you cry: 111 Gründe, den Hamburger SV zu lieben
*a book with magic
*a graphic novel
*a book by an author you've never read before: Zoo Station
*a book you own but have never read: Tonio Kröger
*a book that takes place in your hometown: Das Marzipanmädchen
*a book that was originally written in a different language Maya's Notebook
*a book set during christmas: Das große Buch der skandinavischen Weihnachtsgeschichten
*a book written by an author with your same initials
*a play
*a banned book
*a book based on or turned into a TV show: The Mysterious Affair at Styles
*a book you started but never finished: Danke Fußball!
*a book that scares you: The Historian

Thread is open for business now!

And I'll leave the computer again, and find a spot outside in the shadow and read. We have close-to-a-new-record summer weather here, as the map shows. 30°C all over Germany, in many areas even close to 40°C. Good we live close to the Baltic Sea, that's where you will find me later in the afternoon. :)

It is hot! But the thing about Munich is that the heat never lasts too long. We should be down ten degrees by Wednesday. I'm looking forward to it, not being near any oceans at all.

Happy new thread! I love the picture in your book bullets category.

Happy new thread! The list of book bullets looks intimidating!

Happy new thread! Love the book bullet list.... I took a few BBs from some of the same books as you! great progress with your reading challenge! Yikes on the high temps you have been experiencing. I struggle with temps over 25'C unless there is a cool breeze.

Hope you are able to stay cool, which is something I am struggling to do as well. I love how you are keeping track of your book bullets, that is something I should try to do. Often when I finish a book, I don't remember who I got the BB from and so don't know who to thank!

Happy new thread! Looks like you could use a Kevlar vest to prevent getting hit by all those BBs!

>13 RidgewayGirl: We are 10 degrees down today, only 23°C. We had thunderstorms both Saturday and Sunday evening, and the one on Sunday finally brought some fresher air. The lighting-spectacle in the sky was amazing, it's a long time since I've seen something like this. We were lucky, though, the forcasted heavy rain and tornado-like winds did not hit us. As far as I could see Munich was not hit at all?

>14 rabbitprincess: >15 MissWatson: Thanks! :)

>16 lkernagh: I like warm temperatures in summer, but only if I don't have to move a lot. And it gets annoying when also the appartement has heatened up. I had 28°C inside the last two days, today it's already much better luckily.

>17 DeltaQueen50: That was also the main reason for me, knowing who I got the BB from.

>18 mamzel: Haha, yeah, that might have helped. But I'm happy with it, I will not run out of books to read for a long time!

I'm now about half-way through All the Light We Cannot See. Faster than expected, but in the heat over the weekend sitting outside in the shadow reading was one of the few things I felt like doing. One day at home at the balcony, the other at a lake. The lake was a brilliant idea, because it was less crowded than the beach. This was the first time we went there, but certainly not the last!

>19 Chrischi_HH: We had a bit of rain last night, enough for the cat to come in while wet and want to sit on people. Today is nice, but we're back up to 38 tomorrow. But it hasn't been as hot here as it has been in Frankfurt. The Englischer Garten was nearly deserted yesterday, except along the river.

Nice new thread. I hope you are keeping cool. It's the middle of winter at my place and it's about 20 degrees, pretty tolerable.

We are down to 15°C today. Combined with quite strong winds this doesn't resemble the summer weather we had the days before. At least I managed to cool down all my rooms, but I honestly hope summer is coming back soon...

I am a rather fickle summer fan. I love moderate temps so I tend to complain if the weather is too (or too muggy) and if it is too cold. I guess I am Goldilocks when it comes to summer weather. ;-)

>23 lkernagh: Finding the perfect summer weather is not so easy! ;) For me it should be between 22 and 29°C, with mostly sunshine and some clouds in between, a bit of wind and a bit of rain once in a while to keep everything green. Just like yesterday, and certainly not like today...

--------------------------------------



Book #20:
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, 2014
Paperback, 530 pages, English
Source: bought
Cat: New books & RandomCAT
The 49: a Pulitzer-Prize-winning book
Countries visited: Germany, France
Rating:

All the Light We cannot See was a BB from LittleTaiko and I have seen many others recommending it here on LT. It was a book I found hard to put down, written in small bits and with fantastic language. On the one hand the both beautiful and sad story of the blind French girl Marie-Laure, on the other hand the German orphan Werner, experiencing the cruelties of nazism and WWII. The story is intens and frightening, but also filled with hope and love. The book has an unusual focus with not putting emphasis on e.g. the holocaust, but with following the war from children's/young adults' eyes and taking a more personal view. I can absolutely recommend it.

I saw DeltaQueen50 reviewed a book focusing on the French Résistance (Light of the Moon by Elizabeth Buchan), which perfectly fits as this is a (small) topic in AtLWCS as well. I think I will try to get my hands on that one soon.

Happy new thread! I heard about the European heat from my mum - it was much too hot for her, but she did get a bunch of books read because she couldn't really spend any time outside. She was very happy when the rain came in. :)

I have All The Light We Cannot See on my shelf so I am looking forward to getting to it one of these days!

>25 -Eva-: Thanks Eva! This summer is quite weird, at least here in the north of Germany. Some hot sunny days, then some cold grey days, then hot again, then cold... Nothing to get used to.
>26 DeltaQueen50: Absolutely recommended! I hope you like it when you get to it. :)

Book #21:
Wann wird es endlich wieder so, wie es nie war by Joachim Meyerhoff, 2013
Paperback, 350 pages, German
Source: borrowed
Cat: Bio & Non-fiction
The 49: a memoir
Countries visited: Germany
Rating:

While Meyerhoff's first book focused on his high school year in the US, this book follows him through his entire youth, starting at the age of seven until he is 24. He grew up on the grounds of a psychiatry where his father is director. Meyerhoff tells us about the daily family life, about the interaction with the mentally ill living around them, about harmony, fun, love and death.
Meyerhoff knows perfectly well how to handle the German language, and connects ridiculously funny incidents with tragic incidents like his father's death. This secomd book is less structured than the first, probably because of the much longer period of time, but still a very enjoyable read which sometimes reminds me of a photo album – single pictures beautifully put together.

Note: This has only been published in German.

So many books, so little time! I am currently reading three books (two of them for quite a while already...) and have three more on the list until end of August. Considering that I read three on average per month and need to focus on the thesis, this will be challenging. Let's hope the boyfriend and me find a good last minute holiday offer so I can get more reading time over the next few weeks. :)

Wouldn't it be nice to have an outdoor reading spot similar to this? (seen at Malmö Garden Show 2014)

>29 Chrischi_HH: Oh yes, that's gorgeous! Good luck with the holiday trip!

>30 MissWatson: Thanks! We still haven't book, but will do so later today. :)

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Book #22:
Das Marzipanmädchen by Lena Johannson, 2007
Paperback, 440 pages, German
Source: TBR
Cat: Local Heroes
The 49: a book that takes place in your home town
Countries visited: Germany
Rating:

Das Marzipanmädchen follows the fictional life of Marie Kröger in the late 19th and early 20th century. Her family is wealthy and their marzipan business is running successfully, but her family suffers from personal incidents. One brother already dead, Marie has to take over the family business when her second brother does not return from a journey to Russia. So she gives up her own dreams, but soon becomes happily commited the marzipan world. On her first business trip she meets two gentlemen, both attracted ther, and eventually falls in love with one of them. However, the happiness won't last for long, and she has to fight for the marzipan business, while she also fights for an improvement of the poors' situation in the town.

This book is very easy to read, perfect for the summer holidays. What I really liked, is that the reader gets a detailed impression of how life in Lübeck was at that time, of what it looked like, how rich and how poor people were, what the famous old buildings we see every day were used for ages ago. Also the marzipan – which Lübeck is still known for – is described in detail, so the reader can almost taste it. The romantic part and Marie's struggles are well developed and not overloaded. What I didn't like, is that Marie partly appears as too strong and their marzipan business as too successful, which makes the story a bit unrealistic. Also, a few details were not perfectly researched, the author used a few words that probably were not used at that time. Nevertheless an enjoyable read, that I recommend to everyone interested in Lübeck's history, looking for a good holiday read.

Note: This book has only been published in German.

Book #23:
111 Orte in Lübeck, die man gesehen haben muss by Alexandra und Jobst Schlennstedt, 2015
Paperback, 231 pages, German
Source: library
Cat: Bio & Non-Fiction
The 49: a book with a number in the title
Countries visited: Germany
Rating:

111 Orte in Lübeck, die man gesehen haben muss takes the reader on a journey through the city of Lübeck and its surroundings. The authors present 111 places that are worth seeing, each of them with 1 page text and 1 page picture(s). There are many historical buildings, but also parks, museums, art galleries, restaurants and much more, all presented with valuable background information and information on how to get there.
I moved to Lübeck only half a year ago, so there is a lot I already knew, but also a lot I did not know, especially from the background information. As I am interested in photography, this book gave me a lot of inspiration on where to go next, but also without the photography focus readers will certainly learn something new and find interesting spots in the city they were unaware of. Recommended for tourists and residents alike.

Note: This book has only been published in German.

There is a series of these "111 places" books published, on many other places, both in Germany and abroad: Berlin, Cologne, Hamburg, Munich, the Baltic coast, the island of Sylt, Mallorca, Madrid, Vienna, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Venice and many more. I might pick up another one before travelling.

Book #24:
Darm mit Charme (Engl. Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body's Most Underrated Organ) by Giulia Enders, 2014
Paperback, 271 pages, German
Source: bought
Cat: Bio & Non-Fiction
The 49: a nonfiction book
Countries visited: Germany
Rating:

Darm mit Charme is a medical non-fiction book presenting one of our inner organs: the gut. What sounds boring and maybe emparrasing is actually highly interesting and impressive. Giulia Enders manages to present a lot of facts as well as assumptions in a very modern and entertaining way, so even the most embarrassing parts do not feel embarrassing any more. A both fun and informative book, that gives food for thought. Recommended for everyone who is interested in what happens inside us, with the food we eat.

I have finished the books I read over a few weeks or even months, so now I can go on holiday and don't have to come back to unfinished books. We only have a week, but I take a few books with me:
Carla Federico - Im Land der Feuerblume (an emigration story about Germans moving to Chile in the 1850s
Jane Austen - Emma (for the group read)
Dörthe Binkert - Brombeersommer (for the August RandomCat, a story about life and love in post WW2 Germany
I'll be back in a week! :-)

That looks lovely. There are several versions of 111 Orte in München, die man gesehen haben muss, including one in English, which I really should pick up to join the other local travel books I keep in the guest room for visitors.

>34 Chrischi_HH: Have a great time! :D

Enjoy yourself!

Have a wonderful vacation!

I hope you have a terrific holiday :-)

Have a great holiday!!

Have a wonderful holiday!

Thanks everyone! We had a lovely week at Mallorca, with lots of sun and time to relax. I finished two of the books I took with me, and started the third, so the August reading month looks promising. :-)

Both finished books were perfect holiday reads, but have only been published in German. Anyway, reviews will be up in a bit.

Book #25:
Im Land der Feuerblume by Carla Federico, 2010
Paperback, 780 pages, German
Source: borrowed
Cat: Travel the World
The 49: a book with more than 500 pages
Countries visited: Germany, Chile
Rating:

Im Land der Feuerblume follows some German families migrating to Chile in the 1850s. The reader experiences their long journey as well as their first hard years in Chile. With this historical background a story of love and friendship, but also hatred and loss unfolds and draws the reader deeper and deeper into the book. I expected a "light" emigration saga, but it was not that light after all, with all the challenges the families had to go through. A great holiday read.
There are two more books following the descendents until the early 20th century, and I look forward to reading both of them.

Note: This has only been published in German.

Book #26:
Brombeersommer by Dörthe Binkert, 2012
Paperback, 270 pages, German
Source: borrowed
Cat: Miscellaneous & RandomCAT
The 49: a book with a love triangle
Countries visited: Germany
Rating:

Brombeersommer is set in post WWII Germany. The three main characters, just as the country, struggle to build up a new life after the war. Karl and Theo know each other from before the war, but accidentally meet again. They both marry, but Karl is soon divorced again. The focus of this book is on Karl, Theo and his wife Viola, how the live their post-war lives, and their relationship between one another. Brombeersommer is not really a historic book, and not a romance, but combines both to a bittersweet and quiet book. A short and enjoyable book, perfect as holiday read.

Note: This has only been published in German.

----------------------------------------

The third book I took with me was Jane Austen's Emma, but I didn't get too far. I will read this over the next couple of days/weeks, and my Agatha Christie group read is also ready to be picked up at the library.

There are so many threads in this challenge! Sorry to say I have only now stumbled across yours! What lovely photos, you have a real eye!

>45 mysterymax: Don't worry, I know the feeling. There are so many threads here, that I still discover new ones I had not seen earlier. And thanks :)

I'll finish Emma tonight, but will post the review a few days later. We're having a family get-together this weekend in the (low) mountains. The weather looks promising, so I guess we'll be outside a lot and have barbecue and drink wine, but of course I'll also take a book with me: the German version of The Mysterious Affair at Styles for the Agatha Christie group read.

Enjoy one of the last summer weekends!

Sounds like the perfect way to spend a weekend - have a great time and I'll keep my fingers crossed that the weather turns out to be nice!

>47 -Eva-: Thanks Eva! We had a lovely weekend with sunshine all day long! :)

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Book #27:
Emma by Jane Austen, 1816
Paperback, 367 pages, English
Source: borrowed
Cat: GroupRead
The 49: a classic romance
Countries visited: England
Rating:

I had seen a few Jane Austen movies, but Emma was now the first of her books I read. I had a hard time getting into it, because I read some easy-to-read, contemporary German novels before, so I had to get used to the language. In the first part I also found the dialogues a bit long at times. However, having finished the book, I must say I really enjoyed the precise, beautiful and vivid language. I found the story captivating and constantly wanted to go on reading. There was just one major drawback for me: I found Emma quite annoying. I can't say I disliked her, but it wasn't enough for liking her either. Therefore I can give the book only 3.5 stars, as that certainly had an impact on my reading throughout the book. I'd still recommend it, though, because it is a good book and the liking or not liking of a character merely a personal thing.

While still having about 60 pages left for Agatha Christie, I bought two new books to read. One is Fünf by Ursula Poznanski (BB from DeltaQueen). It is the first in a series, and as I recently bought the second one, which was on offer in our local supermarket, I just had to by the first one now. The other one is The Children Act by Ian McEwan.

Edit: Ursula Poznanski is Ursula Archer in English, and the book is called Five. I just can't make the English touchstone work...

Book #28:
Das fehlende Glied in der Kette (Engl. The Mysterious Affair at Styles) by Agatha Christie, 1920
Paperback, 222 pages, German
Source: borrowed
Cat: GroupReads
The 49: a book based on or turned into a TV show
Countries visited: England
Rating:

I had long planned with finally starting to read Agatha Christie's mysteries, so this Group Read was perferct for me. I started with her first novel and first Hercule Poirot, A Mysterious Affair at Styles. Hastings visits an old friend at Styles, and during his stay the friend's stepmother is killed. The house is full of suspects, and Poirot is called in to investigate.
It was a a quick and charming read with many twists and turns and I look forward to reading more by Agatha Christie.

Your first Christie! You have years of pleasurable reading ahead of you. Of course, some of hers are better than others but overall, she has a very good body of work for you to explore.

>51 DeltaQueen50: I think it won't be long until I pick the next Christie. :)

Someone here on LT had Autumn Alerts in the thread, but I just can't find it. I can add a Christmas Alert: the first German supermarkets have the Christmas sweets and Gingerbread etc. available. In August, while there are 23 deg C outside! Can you believe it!

>52 Chrischi_HH: It is officially too hot for stollen!

>52 Chrischi_HH: Christmas stuff? Already? Yeargh!

>52 Chrischi_HH: - Christmas stuff in August when the temps are, as you have noted, at 23 deg C outside, is just crazy!

This morning there were fallen leaves on my lawn. I am NOT through with summer yet, darn it.

I love all the Christmas sweets, but am not eating them until 1 December (or 1 advent, if that comes first). The German supermarkets are always early in starting to sell, so the past years I started buying the sweets end of October, to get "my share" before it is sold out. But August! Seriously!

>56 mysterymax: Neither am I. I haven't seen fallen leaves yet, but I think it won't be long. I am still looking forward to all the beautiful autumn colours, though. :)

Book #29:
Während die Welt schlief (Engl. Mornings in Jenin) by Susan Abulhawa, 2010
Paperback, 422 pages, German
Source: birthday present
Cat: Travel the World
The 49: a book by a female author
Countries visited: Palestine, Israel, USA
Rating:

Mornings in Jenin covers the story of a (fictional) Palestinian family between the 1940s and the early 21st century, right in the middle of the Arab-Israeli-conflict. It describes the tragic life of this family and their friends and neighbours in the refugee camp Jenin, how they try to survive but struggle repeatedly. It is a sad and moving story of death and loss, of violence, hatred and war. Some reviews judge this book as one-sided, but there is a truth in Mornings in Jenin: the truth of the human tragedies. There is also hope and partly even happiness in it, though, and the book is written in beautiful prose.
I finished the book yesterday and I am sure it will stay with me for a while, before I feel ready to start a new book. Recommended, but be aware of that this is heart-wrenching.

I know little about this conflict, probably also because it started many years before I was born. But this book opened my eyes for the cruelties that have happened and still happen, and I will certainly look out for more books, both fiction and non-fiction, from both an Israeli and a Palestinian perspective, on the topic of the Arab-Israeli-conflict to learn more.

>58 Chrischi_HH: I read Mornings In Jenin last year and thought it was an excellent story that touched me immensely.

>59 DeltaQueen50: Susan Abulhawa has another book published, I have put that one on my list as well.

Even though it's another region, I think this topic is very up-to-date with the war in Syria and all the people fleeing from there. I don't know how much there is in the news about this outside of Europe?

Different topic: Michael Fassbender set to star in Jo Nesbø's The Snowman
I read this yesterday, and am so much looking forward to the first Harry Hole movie! I'm just wondering why they start with the 7th book, The Snowman... Now I need to get myself together and go on reading the series.

>60 Chrischi_HH: Oh yes, the refugee situation is getting a lot of attention here in Canada. We are in the midst of an election and this situation is playing a big part as each party leader has different ideas on the number of refugees we should take, how quickly we should act and what Canada's role should be in the mid-east.

I will definitely be looking for Susan Abulhawa's book.

>60 Chrischi_HH: - Michael Fassbender? Now I'm really interested in a Harry Hole movie.

>61 DeltaQueen50: Ok, thanks for the info. We do not hear much about how other parts of the world are handling this situation, so it's interesting to know.

>62 LittleTaiko: Same here. :)

Book #30:
Schneetage by Jan Christophersen, 2009
Hardcover, 366 pages, German
Source: library
Cat: Local Heroes
The 49: a book set somewhere you've always wanted to visit
Countries visited: Germany, Denmark
Rating:

Schneetage is the debut of German author Jan Christophersen. There is a lot in this story: the story of a family, how they live their life after WW2. The story of a (fictional) village close to the German-Danish border and the North Sea. The story of the search for the island rungholdt, drowned centuries ago. The book is divided into two main parts, alternately told. There is the turn of the year 1978/1979, that came with loads of snow and has been known as the snow catastrophe ever since. And then there are the retrospects to the period of 1945-1956 where it all began. Paul's search for whatever is left from Rungholdt leads him repeatedly into the mud flats, together with his foster son Jannis. The family struggles, while Paul spends more and more time with his search instead of helping out in their pub.
It is an authentic story of search for identity, giving insights into the life at the border and the coast. There is some Danish in it, which I liked, but which might annoy others. I think I would have rated the book a bit higher if I had not expected the focus to be more on the snow days than on the search for Rungholdt.

Note: This has not (yet) been published in English (German and Danish only).

--------------------------------------------
I have heard a bit about this winter from my parents. Here is a picture to give you an impression of what it looked like (this must have been either early on or later, when they had cleaned the streets, because there was a period of not getting through):

And with that another category is complete: Local Heroes. I have only one category (Sporty) left, and only one book in it. Therefore I have decided I will only count my challenge as 100% competed if I have read one more than planned in each category, which means that I need to read another 5 books:
1x Local Heroes
2x Sporty (which will be the hardest one for me)
1x Series
1x New Books

Wow, those are quite the snowbanks! Looks like the Atlantic provinces of Canada when a big storm blows through.

Congrats on your progress!

You are doing really well with your challenge. And that photo is pretty interesting. I can't imagine driving through that. Are the banks stable or is there a risk of them slipping? I always thought that living somewhere where it snows would be beautiful but having hung around on LT for a while and reading about the practicalities of it I'm not so sure any more.

>66 rabbitprincess: Absolutely! Could be anywhere, just not here. We typically have a bit of snow, or none at all...

>67 MissWatson: Thank you! I see you are very close to finishing, too! :)

>68 Roro8: Thanks. :) I think those snow banks are stable. During the storm they probably were not, and rather moving constantly, but it looks like the picture was taken when the snow storm was over and roads were at least partly cleaned again. I also like snow, but we rarely have more than 30cm (mostly less, if any) which is easier to handle than those masses. It also depends on if the institutions in charge are prepared and ready to clean streets etc. If they are, snow is beautiful. If they are not, snow is annoying.

>64 Chrischi_HH: - That is some snow!

>65 Chrischi_HH: - Congrats on completing another category!

>70 lkernagh: Thank you!

Book #31:
Muscheln, Möwen, Morde published by Regine Kölpert, 2012
Paperback, 308 pages, German
Source: library
Cat: Local Heroes
The 49: a book of short stories
Countries visited: Germany
Rating:

Muscheln, Möwen, Morde is a collection of short stories all set along the German Baltic Sea coast. It a murderous journey from east to west. The stories are written by German authors of crime fiction, some of them living in the described area, others knowing the places from holidays or their past. I am not used to short stories, but I liked to just read one in the evenings before sleeping. I like some very much (e.g. Die letzte Soljanka or Der letzte Kirchgang), but others were not so good.

The book is part of the series Mordlandschaften, with more crime short stories set in the north and other areas of Germany. If my library has more of them, I might try another one.

Note: This has only been published in German.

>72 Chrischi_HH: That sounds like a neat concept!

>73 rabbitprincess: This is what made me pick it up in the first place, I liked the idea of going on a crime fiction trip here in the area. :)

------------------------------------------



Book #32:
Der alte Mann und das Meer (Engl. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, 1952
Paperback, 124 pages, German
Source: library
Cat: Classics
The 49: -
Countries visited: Cuba
Rating:

The Old Man and the Sea is one of those books that everyone should have read. I had it on my list for years, and now finally got to it thanks to the group read. It's a simple and straight story about an old fisherman, catching a giant fish. It was a great struggle to catch it, and when being on the way home, he loses it again, bit by bit.
The writing style (as far as I can judge from the translation) is fantastic, very clear, and I could see the story in front of my eyes. I was afraid that a story about fishing might be boring, but this was not the case. Maybe because my boyfriend also goes fishing once in a while, or maybe because it was all so neatly described, that I just had to feel with the old man.
This was my first Hemingway, but will not be the last.

Book #33:
Danke, Fußball! by Uwe Seeler, 2003
Paperback, 305 pages, German
Source: re-read
Cat: Sporty
The 49: a book you started but never finished
Countries visited: Germany
Rating:

I discovered a small piece of paper in the middle of this book, which probably was a reading sign from some years ago. I can't even remember I read this, so I thought it's time to start all over again and finish this book.
Danke Fußball! Mein Leben is the story of football (soccer) player Uwe Seeler, who was successful for the local club HSV as well as the German national team from the 1950s until the early 70s. As a football fan (and former fan of HSV) I find his story very interesting, because it starts when football still was very small and not professional, and ends today (2003) when football is big business. A fascinating development. He met other interesting characters along the way and also portrays his family. However, I had one major problem with this book: even though it is divided into chapters, he jumps back and forth a lot. There never seemed to be a red line, which I found very confusing. The content is great, but the structure simply didn't work for me (I know others loved the book)...

(I might be biased though. Even though he is very popular and I really liked him in the past, in the more recent years I found him rather annoying when he repeatedly commented publicly on whatever was going on in the club we all loved, i.e. HSV. Funny that this is one of the things he criticises in his book: he found external comments and media coverage annoying when he was the club's president - now he does exactly the same.)

With that, I completed my original challenge. Hurray! :) For the adjusted challenge, I still need 3 more books, though.

>76 Chrischi_HH: That's quite the success! Congratulations!

>75 Chrischi_HH:
"a reading sign from some years ago"
Haha, I've found those too! :)

>76 Chrischi_HH:
Congrats!!

Congratulations on finishing your challenge!

Hurray, congratulations on finishing your original challenge! :D

>77 MissWatson: >78 -Eva-: >79 RidgewayGirl: >80 rabbitprincess: Thank you! :)

And here is a demon cat for all you Halloween and cat lovers (not too scary, so don't hesitate to click):
Demon cat

That is one pissed off cat! I can practically hear the throaty yowl from here.

>82 mamzel: That's what I thought when I saw the pictures. Certainly not satisfied with the situation!

------------------------------------



Book #34:
Die Zeit der Wunder (Engl. A Time of Mircales) by Anne-Laure Bondoux, 2009
Paperback, 189 pages, German
Source: birthday gift
Cat: Travel the World / RandomCat
The 49: -
Countries visited: Georgia, Russia, Ukraine, Romania, France
Rating:

"My name is Blaise Fortune and I am a citizen of the French Republic. It's the pure and simple truth."

A Time of Miracles is a short, but moving YA book. It tells the story of the young boy Blaise Fortune, who grows up in the Caucasus region, in a time when the Soviet Union collapses and war takes over. Together with Gloria, his motherly guardian, he flees and goes on a 5-year journey across Europe, but also a journey to finding his own truth.
The story is told through the boy's eyes, which I liked a lot, because by that the story became lively and touching, without any political reasoning. It is a YA book, but also perfectly suitable for adults. Recommended!

>81 Chrischi_HH: Yep, that is one angry cat! He probably was mad at being messy and then having his picture taken sent him over the edge!

Congratulations on completing your challenge!

>81 Chrischi_HH:
Haha, that's brilliant!!! Too funny.

>85 lkernagh: Thank you!

----------------------------------------------------



Book #35:
Herzsprung by Ildikó von Kürth, 2001
Paperback, 248 pages, German
Source: own shelves
Cat: Miscellaneous
The 49: -
Countries visited: Germany
Rating:

Herzsprung is the second chick-lit novel written by German author Ildikó von Kürthy. Puppe is soon 32 and happy with her life and boyfriend. Until she hears a voice mail on her boyfriend's phone, giving her reason for doubts. She decides to leave him right away and the reader follows her and her thoughts for the next 48 hours.
I read this, because I wasn't sure if I had done so before (I found out that I did) and because I want to sell it and make room for new books. Well, I guess I liked it 10 years ago, but now I found it stupid. Not one chick-lit cliché that is not in this book, this was way too much for me. I finished it, because I hate unfinished books, but can't really say I enjoyed reading it.

Tomorrow the yearly Frankfurt Book Fair starts and this year the Guest of Honour is Indonesia. In the past I have only occasionally followed what happens in Frankfurt, but this year I look forward to discover some new authors from a grey spot at my literary world map.
Here is the link to the Guest of Honour's website: click

Worth a click, not only for next year's GeoCAT. :)

>88 Chrischi_HH:
Thanks - some good ideas there!

I just spent a few days in Copenhagen again, after a few months I had started to miss the city. A lot has happened there, new buildings, new cafés and restaurants popping up. But the city is as lovely as ever with all the smiling people (at least when the sun is shining), the cyclists and the shopping offers. ;) Unfortunately I couldn't find the one book I wanted to buy, so I'll have to try again next time or online. During the 4h train ride there was time to read and I finished another book:



Book #36:
Frelseren (Engl. The Redeemer) by Jo Nesbø, 2005
Paperback, 479 pages, Danish
Source: bought (in January)
Cat: Series
The 49: a book from an author you love that you haven't read yet
Countries visited: Norway
Rating:

The Redeemer is no. 6 in Jo Nesbø's Harry Hole series, and just as good as – if not slightly better than – the previous books. This time a member of the Salvation Army is hot during a street concert, and Harry Hole and his team have to search Oslo for a professional killer. Another suspenseful mystery with a great plot and the typical Nesbø-twist including a confusing start. Recommended! (but it absolutely makes sense to read them in original publication order)

Copenhagen is a place I have yet to visit. Sounds like you had a wonderful trip. Glad to see that even with the new buildings, etc, you still find it to be a lovely city.

>91 lkernagh: It's absolutely worth a visit. There are so many beautiful areas, lots of water and greens, and the people are pretty laid back. Regarding the architecture I have mixed feelings. Most of the new buildings are in the old harbour area and - from what I could see from ads and the half-ready houses - keep the typical style you find all over the city. So that will bring more life without destroying anything. Then there are also some other new business buildings, which are declared to become landmarks, but which I personally find very ugly... Will be interesting to see what it looks like when I come back next year.

I have not yet uploaded the pictures from my latest trip, but here are some of my personal Copenhagen impressions, if you're interested: my Flickr

Wonderful pictures! I can see why you love the place so much!

I'll be in Copenhagen next week, but only for a day. We're spending a week near Aarhus, but are planning a day trip.

>92 Chrischi_HH:
Great pics! Copenhagen is so lovely.

I couldn't resist checking out the pics too. There are some really interesting shots.

>93 lkernagh: >95 -Eva-: >96 Roro8: Thank you!
>94 RidgewayGirl: Enjoy your week in Denmark! Aarhus and the surrounding area are a nice place, too.

I'm still working on the latest autumn pictures from Copenhagen, and hope to be able to post one or two in the next few days.

----------

On the reading front, I have about 150 pages left for The Martian, which I've enjoyed a lot so far. I hope I can convince my boyfriend that we need to see the movie next week.

>97 Chrischi_HH:
So far I've not heard anyone who didn't think the movie was amazing. And it was, even if I had already read the book and knew what was going to happen!

>97 Chrischi_HH: I second that. Read the book and loved it. Was tense about them making a mess of it, but no... it was just right!

>98 -Eva-: >99 mysterymax: Thanks, that's great to hear. Let's see if we can make it happen next week. :)

And here we go, I finished The Martian this morning:



Book #37:
The Martian by Andy Weir, 2014
Paperback, 369 pages, English
Source: borrowed (library)
Cat: Miscellaneous
The 49: -
Countries visited: Mars, eh?
Rating:

I had seen so many positive reviews here on LT, and still I wasn't convinced to read The Martian. Basically because science fiction is not my favourite genre and because space is not my favourite setting. But then I saw, that the library had it available (it ended up in my hands when I was looking for another book), so I git to read it anyway. And I'm glad I did! The Martian is packed with adventure and humour, and – of course – science. The story of astronaut Mark Watney ending up on Mars all alone and having to fight for survival was moving and thrilling. I got hooked right away and had a hard time putting the book away for the night or for work. The only reason why I'm not giving the book full 5 stars, is that some scientific descriptions were a tad too long for my taste, but besides that the book is brilliant. Clearly recommended!

>100 Chrischi_HH: - Glad to see you enjoyed The Martian!

>100 Chrischi_HH:
Watley has such a great voice - glad you enjoyed it. Hope you get to see the movie too!

>101 lkernagh: >102 -Eva-: Thanks! I hope we find the time next week. This week the cinema is occupied with the Nordic Film Days, showing movies from the Nordics, Baltics and northern Germany. Unfortunately I cannot make it, though.

I am about halfway through Baking Cakes in Kigali, a great read so far.

This is what the day after Halloween looks like in Tivoli, Copenhagen's leisure park:

That's so cool!

You did better than me with The Martian. I only got to p50 and decided I didn't want to read any more about making dirt to grow potatoes in his pod. I know I am in a very small minority of people in this opinion.

>90 Chrischi_HH: I'm happy to see your positive review of The Redeemer. I just finished The Devil's Star and this is next in the series for me.

Copenhagen sounds wonderful. I've always wanted to visit!

>104 mamzel: Thanks! There is always so much to discover in Tivoli!
>105 Roro8: Maybe you should try again (or watch the movie), there's much more to it than the potatoe story. ;)
>106 mathgirl40: It's always good to see that others read and like the series, too. I'm looking forward to the next book, which is The Snowman for me. Need to read it before the movie is released. :D Copenhagen is certainly worth a visit!

Book #38:
Baking Cakes in Kigali by Gaile Parkin, 2009
Hardcover, 352 pages, German
Source: borrowed (library)
Cat: Travel the World, RandomCAT
The 49: -
Countries visited: Rwanda
Rating:

Baking Cakes in Kigali was a book bullet from Carrie (cbl_tn). It is a lovely novel about Angel, a woman from Tansania living in Rwanda. She runs a cake business, because every special occasion needs a beautiful cake to be complete. Her customers, ranging from foreign government officials to those locals hardly able to survive, tell her their own stories, which gives the book a great width. The reader gets an impression of Rwanda after the genocide, when people still have painful memories, but have started to live again. This heavy background, including Aids and poverty, is wrapped into Angel's and her customers' stories of love, hope and happiness. A great read!

>107 Chrischi_HH:, I'm not going to try the book again but I am willing to see the movie.

I hardly find time to read these days, I'm pretty occupied with job hunting, (hopefully) finalizing my thesis and and three evenings a week with an online education class. Fortunately the class is only for four weeks, so it'll end before Christmas.

But I was inspired to do some baking, and maybe I can inspire others again. ;) Chocolate-apple-cake & Vanilla cookies with chocolate drops

The cake looks yummy. Gorgeous photo, too.

Maybe you missed a calling as a food stylist.

I would love to sit down with a cup of coffee and a piece of that chocolate-apple cake!

Yum! The weather's getting colder here so I should get back to baking. Almost Christmas cookie season!

>110 Chrischi_HH: - I have never thought of a chocolate apple combination before but your cake looks super moist and yummy, as do the cookies!

My goodness, those look amazing!

Thanks everyone! No leftovers, so I baked more cookies yesterday, again trying two new recipes. So good! And we're having the first snow of the winter! Not much, maybe 3 cm with most streets completely free, but it's just about the right weather for baking and getting the Christmas stuff out. Tomorrow the Christmas markets open up as well. I love these last weeks of the year. :)

We had some snow here too. Not enough to stick on the ground, but enough to make it undeniable that winter is on its way!

Have fun at the Christmas markets!

We came home to Munich last night and were delighted to see snow falling. It didn't last, but it did make coming home more festive than just cold. Baking a carrot cake here, as soon as I get to the store for carrots and cream cheese.

>118 rabbitprincess: I will! :) Here the snow turned to rain again now...
>119 RidgewayGirl: Carrot cake, yummy! Hope you enjoyed Denmark!



Book #39:
Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee, 2015
Hardcover, 278 pages, English
Source: borrowed (library)
Cat: New Books
The 49: read a book published this year
Countries visited: USA
Rating:

I read How to Kill a Mockingbird only a few months ago and decided to follow up now with Go Set a Watchman while memories are still fresh. I had seen a few reviews and knew roughly what to expect. The earlier hero Atticus appears in a different light, and racism casts its cloud over him as well as Scout's oldest friend Hank and many others in town. But at the same time this book teaches Scout as well as the reader that we should see other people, no matter how fantastic they appear to us, as humans, and accept their mistakes.
I am a little bit torn regarding the rating. I liked the book, but somehow I couldn't really get into it. Not sure if it was the wrong time to read it, with all the thesis writing, job hunting and evening classes. For now I give it 3.5 stars.

Book #40:
Rødby-Puttgarden by Helle Helle, 2005
Paperback, 175 pages, Danish
Source: acquired in 2015
Cat: Local Heroes
The 49: -
Countries visited: Denmark, Germany
Rating:

The two small coastal cities Rødby (Denmark) and Puttgarden (Germany) have been part of my life for the last few years. When I lived in Copenhagen, I passed them every single time I went home or to see my boyfriend in Germany, because these are the cities where the ferries connecting Denmark and Germany leave/arrive. So when I heard that there is a book with this title, I just had to buy it.

Rødby-Puttgarden is a quiet story about the sisters Jane and Tine who live in tiny Rødby and work at the ferries. Tine is the older sister and has always been there for Jane, and when Jane decides to give up studying, they start living together again, with Tine's newborn daughter. They live their unspectacular lives mostly without men, just as their mother did, except for the occasional affair. They don't have much money and no great expectations of life, they just live from one day to the other, travel back and forth on the ferries and enjoy the little things.
I enjoyed this little book very much. Helle Helle has a particular style of writing, very precise with no more words than necessary. The story seems very banal, but she makes it worth being told and does so in a very realistic way. I'm not sure if it has been published in any other languages besides Danish, Swedish and German, but if you like quiet stories, then I can recommend this without hesitating.

I've traveled Rødby-Puttgarden quite a lot, but before I that, I thought they were the name of one city since they seem to always be mentioned together. :)

>122 -Eva-: I think a lot of people have the idea of them being one city.

I'm still reading Timo Boll: Mein China (65 pages left) and Das große Buch der skandinavischen Weihnachtsgeschichten (190 pages left), so no new reviews now. But in the meantime I am happy to help you get into the right Christmas spirit:


(seen in Bremen, Germany)

Before going to bed I could finish the Timo Boll book and can now declare my challenge officially completed! Yay! Review of the book will follow tomorrow.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Congrats on finishing your challenge! :)

Congratulations on completing your challenge - very good timing!

Congratulations!

Thanks everyone! :)

Book #41:
Timo Boll: Mein China by Friedhard Teuffel, 2011
Hardcover, 315 pages, German
Source: TBR
Cat: Sporty
The 49: -
Countries visited: Germany, China
Rating:

Timo Boll: Mein China is a non-fiction book about Germany's most successful table tennis player Timo Boll. It is written by Friedhard Teuffel, also a table tennis player, but not on a professional level. Teuffel accompanies Boll on a trip to China for the Euro-Asia-Cup and around this trip he builds his story about Boll. Teuffel talked to other players and coaches, observed Boll on the trip and let him speak, too. The reader learns a lot about Boll's personal life and career, but at the same time a lot about the history of table tennis, mainly in Europe and China. Did you know about the „table tennis diplomacy“? I didn't. A table tennis incident in the 70s led to new political contacts between the US and China, as referenced in the movie Forrest Gump and explained in this video and the wikipedia entry.

I found this an entertaining and educational read, it is great to learn about this great sport and the otherwise quite reserved player Timo Boll. Highly recommended for those interested in table tennis or even playing themselves.

Unfortunately I am not aware of an English version of this book.

Congrats on completing your challenge!

Mission Accomplished!! Congratulations. Plus you have time to spare.

Congratulations on finishing in plenty of time!

Congratulations on completing the challenge!

>132 AHS-Wolfy: >133 Roro8: >134 RidgewayGirl: >135 tymfos: Thanks a lot! :)

Book #42:
House of Mist by María Luisa Bombal, 1947
Paperback, 245 pages, English
Source: bought in 2015
Cat: Travel the World, RandomCAT
The 49: -
Countries visited: Chile
Rating:

House of Mist is set in the Chilean woods in the beginning of the 20th century. It tells the story of the young orphan Helga, who is brought up by her aunt and uncle, with their beautiful daughter and the childhood friend from next door. Years later Helga marries Daniel, the childhood friend, and moves with him to his hacienda. Although she is very much devoted to him, he is still in love with his dead first wife, so Helga's life is rather isolated. And not only the dense mist around the hacienda and Daniel's first wife's secrets are mysteries yet to be uncovered in the course of this book...

This little book feels like a fairytale, because Helga has her head full of these and sometimes reality and dreams blurry into one. This early example of magical realism is beautifully written and wonderful to read. Clearly recommended!

Oh, hey, House of Mist is on my tbr. I'll have to dig it out when I get back to the US.

Good job on completing your challenge!

Congrats on filling your challenge! May 2016 be an even better year.

>138 RidgewayGirl: It also fits the January GeoCAT, but that might be too early? When are you going back?

>139 lkernagh: >140 mysterymax: Thank you! :)

I just finished another book, City of Thieves by David Benioff. I hope I have time to write a few lines about it later today. Even though there's so much to do right before Christmas, I seem to be in a good reading flow and expect to finish one more book (or two) before the end of the year.

Merry Christmas and a happy new year!

>141 Chrischi_HH: Not until July. So, not in time.

When I wrote "I seem to be in a good reading flow" I didn't know that I would be sick only half a day later. I still went home to my parents, but this has not been Christmas as it should have been. Soup and medicine instead of the great Christmas food (well, ok, I did join the fondue on Thursday), tea replaced wine and tv had to be plan b for family visits. The first two days I didn't feel good enough to read, but today I finished the Scandinavian mystery short story book Das große Buch der skandinavischen Weihnachtsgeschichten. Right in time...

I hope you do better than me and are having a wonderful Christmas!

Sorry to read that you have been sick for Christmas. I hope you are back to good health soon!

Congratulations on finishing! Sorry about you missing the Christmas food, but hopefully some of it freezes well.

Get well soon!

>146 lkernagh: >147 -Eva-: >148 paruline: Thank you. I'm still struggling with my cold and today my doctor prescribes antibiotics. Which means I mostly likely feel better soon, but will do another round "Home Alone". First it was Christmas (2 out of 3 days), tomorrow it will be New Year's Eve. :( But yes, some of the food is frozen, so I have something to enjoy next week.

Book #43:
Stadt der Diebe (Engl. City of Thieves) by David Benioff, 2008
Paperback, 381 pages, German
Source: TBR
Cat: Travel the World
The 49: a book set somewhere you've always wanted to visit
Countries visited: Russia
Rating:

City of Thieves tells a moving story of an unusual friendship of two young men against the background of the Leningrad siege during WWII. The two men meet in prison and instead of the expected execution they get the chance to save their lives by bringing 12 eggs within a few days – an impossible task in a city of hunger. They start the race against time with hope, intelligence, courage and luck, leading them through the war's dangers in and around Leninggrad.

When I started City of Thieves I expected the novel to take me some time to read due to the heavy WWII background. But even though the reader is not spared the cruelties, this was a compelling and quick read for me. Benioff proves a lot of intuition here, there is never too much focus on one scene, while also supporting characters have a certain depth. It's a rare book which I enjoyed a lot and which I recommend to everyone who hasn't read it yet.

Book #44:
Das große Buch der skandinavischen Weihnachtsgeschichten by Henning Mankell and others, 2006
Paperback, 259 pages (read last year) + 265 pages (read this year), German
Source: TBR
Cat: Miscellaneous
The 49: a book set during Christmas
Countries visited: -
Rating:

Das große Buch der skandinavischen Weihnachtsgeschichten is a collection of Scandinavian short stories, mostly mysteries, by rather popular authors such as Henning Mankell, Liza Marklund, Jostein Gaarder and many others. I had already read the first half of the book last year, but put it away in order to wait for the right season again. As always with short shory collections, there were some stories I liked more than others, but overall this was fun to read. (And I love the cover!)

And with that I will more or less close this challenge thread. I have started the first book for the 2016 challenge already (for the DeweyCAT) and have one for the 2016 GeoCAT lined up as well. Over New Year's Eve and New Year's Day I plan to read Der satanarchäolügenialkohöllische Wunschpunsch by Michael Ende, just as I did when I was young, but that will then also count for the 2016 challenge.

Thanks to all of you for stopping by, I had a fun year on LT!

Feel free to comment here or to come visit my 2016 thread here. :)
Edit: Somehow I can't make the link work (it just refers back to this thread, even though the numbers are correct), so here is is again: http://www.librarything.com/topic/197295

Happy wrap-up! :) Happy new year and see you on the "other side."