Vivienne's Year of the Cat - End of the Year

This photo was taken at a local ski resort that is opening a week earlier than planned because of all the snow we've had. A good start to the season.

Welcome to the End of the Year wrap up of The Year of the Cat.

My goal was to read at least one book in each category each month as well as BingoDOG for a total of 157. I've already passed that number so I am pleased with the year.

As usual, I can also be found at the Club Read group: Vivienne's Club Read 2017

The theme and some of my categories were inspired by CATs that didn't make the cut this year.

To make things interesting I have limited AlphaKIT to mysteries only.

1. Dust collectors - TBR owned for more than two years
2. Recommendations
3. Series
4. Translations
5. Biography
6. History / historical fiction
7. Calendar memos - Books related to commemorative days on the calendar
8. Alpha-Mystery-KIT - AlphaKIT limited to mysteries
9. CATwoman
10. AwardsCAT
11. RandomCAT
12. BingoDOG

Dust collectors
Chosen from books that have been on the TBR shelves for more than two years

January: Quite honestly by John Mortimer
February: Mortal Coils by Aldous Huxley
March: The lark in the clear air by Dennis T. Patrick Sears
April: The book of Stanley by Todd Babiak
May: Call the dead again by Ann Granger
June: Olivia Joules and the overactive imagination by Helen Fielding
July: The Rebel Angels by Robertson Davies
August: In a Dry Season by Peter Robinson
September: The Religious Body by Catherine Aird
October: The Critic by Peter May
November: The Cat Who Said Cheese by Lilian Jackson Braun
December: Mystery in White by J. Jefferson Farjeon

Recommendations
From LTers and other friends and family

January: My name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout - recommended by RidgewayGirl
February: Dead ground in between by Maureen Jennings - from an author bullet from rabbitprincess
March: On Canaan's side by Sebastian Barry from bookbullets
April: Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden recommended by my friend, John
         Autumn by Ali Smith Elizabeth Strout - another recommendation from RidgewayGirl
May: His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet a bookbullet from SassyLassy
June: Freeze Frame by Peter May
July: The Specific Ocean by Kyo Maclear, illustrated by Katty Maurey
         A rule against murder by Louise Penny from multiple BBs
August: Restless by William Boyd BB from Ameise1
September: One Fine Day by Mollie Panter-Downes bookbullet from All Virago, All August thread on Virago Modern Classics group
October: Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny from flying BBs
         Cleopatra: a life by Stacy Schiff from rebeccanyc
November: On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan recommended by AlisonY
         The Big Five: Five simple things you can do to live a longer healthier life by Sanjiv Chopra
December: Merry merry ghost by Carolyn G. Hart

Series
I'd like to limit this to series I'm already reading, but I'm not excluding new series

January: Ruling Passion by Reginald Hill (Dalziel & Pascoe)
February: The curious case of the copper corpse by C. Alan Bradley (Flavia de Luce)
            Skeleton Hill by Peter Lovesey (Peter Diamond series)
            Smiley's People by John le Carré
March: A Question of Blood by Ian Rankin
April: Desert heat by J.A. Jance
May: Career of evil by Robert Galbraith
June: Doctor Thorne by Anthony Trollope
         Dry Bones that Dream by Peter Robinson
July: The Taken by Inger Ash Wolfe
August: Love over Scotland by Alexander McCall Smith
September: The Likeness by Tana French
October: Black and Blue by Ian Rankin
November: My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
December: A Christmas Garland by Anne Perry
            The cat who blew the whistle by Lilian Jackson Braun

Translations

January: The terracotta dog by Andrea Camilleri, translated from Italian by Stephen Sartarelli
February: A man called Ove by Fredrick Backman, translated from Swedish by Henning Koch
March: The Dinner by Herman Koch, translated from Dutch by Sam Garrett
April: Dimanche and other stories by Iréne Nèmirovsky, translated from French
May: August Heat by Andrea Camilleri translated by Stephen Sartarelli
June: The white lioness by Henning Mankell, translated by Laurie Thompson
July: Sanaaq: an Inuit novel by Mitiarjuk Nappaaluk translated from Inuktitut to French to English
August: The Snack Thief by Andrea Camilleri translated from Italian
September: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry translated from French
October: The Man who went up in Smoke by Maj Sjöwall translated from Swedish
November: The Red Notebook by Antoine Laurain translated from French
December: An Aboriginal Carol by David Bouchard translated to Inuktitut

Biography

January: Escape from the land of snows: The young Dalai Lama's harrowing flight to freedom and the making of a spiritual hero by Stephan Talty
February: Michelle Obama: an American story by David Colbert
March: Jane Austen by Carol Shields
April: Me, the mob and the music : one helluva ride with Tommy James and the Shondells by Tommy James
May: I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
       Circling the Sun by Paula McLain
June: Boys in the trees: a memoir by Carly Simon
July: Birds, art, life: a year of observation by Kyo Maclear
      Waging a heavy peace: a hippie dream by Neil Young
August: Screamin' Jay Hawkins' greatest hits by Mark Binelli
September: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
October: The Final Curtsey: A Royal Memoir by the Queen's Cousin by Margaret Rhodes
November: Books: a memoir by Larry McMurtry
December: The Shepherd by Frederick Forsyth

History / historical fiction

January: The journal of Hildegard of Bingen by Barbara Lachman
February: Innocent heroes: Stories of animals in the First World War by Sigmund Brouwer
March: Birds without wings by Louis de Bernières
           Classic John Buchan Stories by John Buchan
April: Bog Child by Siobhan Dowd
May: To kill a mockingbird by Harper Lee
June: A Jest of God by Margaret Laurence
           Churchill remembered by BBC Archives, Mark Jones
July: Reading the bones by Gina McMurchy-Barber
August: Atonement by Ian McEwan
September: The Baker's Secret by Stephen P. Kiernan
October: Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club by Dorothy L. Sayers
           Innovation Nation by David Johnston
November: Aiding and Abetting by Muriel Spark
December: Christmas at Thompson Hall by Anthony Trollope

Calendar memos
Books related to commemorative days on the calendar

January 25: Robert Burns Night: The naming of the dead by Ian Rankin
February 14: Valentine's Day: The pursuit of love by Nancy Mitford
March 8: International Women's Day: Roast Beef, Medium: the business adventures of Emma Chesney by Edna Ferber
March 1: St. David's Day: Miss Peregrine's home for peculiar children by Ransom Riggs
April 1: April Fool's Day: April Fool by William Deverell
April 2: International Children's Book Day: Millhouse by Natale Ghent
May 8: VE Day: Peace by Richard Bausch
May 24: Commonwealth Day: West with the night by Beryl Markham
June 6: D-Day: Double cross: the true story of the D-Day spies by Ben Macintyre
June 17: Icelandic Day: Burial rites by Hannah Kent
July 1: Canada Day: Running in the family by Michael Ondaatje
                             Vegetarian celebrations by Nava Atlas
July 4: My birthday: Birthday Party by C.H.B. Kitchin
August 1: Yorkshire Day: Not the end of the world by Yorkshire-born author Kate Atkinson
August 7: British Columbia Day: The tiny hero of Ferny Creek library by Vancouver author Linda Bailey
August 12: International Youth Day: Solace of the road by Siobhan Dowd
September: Labour Day: A Question of Proof by Quentin Blake
September 21: International Peace Day: International Peace Day: Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
September 26: European Day of Languages: Roseanna by Maj Sjöwall & Per Wahlöö
October 5, 2017: Full Moon: When the Moon Comes by Paul Harbridge, illustrations by Matt James
October 29: National Cat Day: The Black Cat by Martha Grimes
October 31: Hallowe'en: The Skeleton Haunts a House by Leigh Perry
November 5: Guy Fawkes Day: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John le Carré
                              Marbeck and the Gunpowder Plot by John Pilkington
November 11: Remembrance Day: Night by Elie Wiesel
November 30: St Andrew's Day: Death of a Maid by M.C. Beaton
December 10: Human Rights Day: Animal Farm by George Orwell
December 25: Christmas: The Mistletoe Murder and other stories by P.D. James
                             Classics of Childhood a Christmas anthology

Alpha-Mystery-KIT - AlphaKIT limited to mysteries

Jan: M & S: The locked room by Maj Sjöwall & Per Wahlöö
Feb: W & H: The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison
Mar: E & K: End of Watch by Stephen King
Apr: I & D: Death at the President's Lodging by Michael Innes
May: C & T: Bad Luck and Trouble by Lee Child
Jun: Y & N: You who know by Nicholas Freeling
Jul: B & G: No such creature by Giles Blunt
Aug: O & F: On Her Majesty's Secret Service by Ian Fleming
Sep: U & P: Unnatural Causes by P.D. James
              Monk's-Hood by Ellis Peters
Oct: A & V: The Voice of the Violin by Andrea Camilleri
Nov: L & Q: Don't cry, Tai Lake by Xiaolong Qiu
Dec: J & R: Strip Jack by Ian Rankin
Year-Long Z: The Zig Zag Girl by Elly Griffiths
Year-Long X: Don't cry, Tai Lake by Xiaolong Qiu

CATwoman

January - Classics: Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
February - Debut books: Harry Potter and the sorceror's stone by J.K. Rowling
March - Genre, Mystery from ALA Reading List: The Cruellest Month by Louise Penny
April - Biography/memoir: Brown girl dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
May - Women in the arts: Heart of a stranger by Margaret Laurence
June - Professional women: Angela Merkel: Europe's most influential leader by Matthew Qvortrup
July - Women of colour: How does a single blade of grass thank the sun? by Doretta Lau
August - Historical fiction/non-fiction: An Incomplete Revenge by Jacqueline Winspear
September - Children's books: The Sea of Adventure by Enid Blyton
October - Regional writing: Treading Water by Anne DeGrace
November - LGBQ/Feminist writing: The Evening Chorus by Helen Humphreys
December - Modern novels: Trespass by Rose Tremain

AwardsCAT

January: Family Album by Penelope Lively - Costa shortlist 2009
February: Unless by Carol Shields - Canada Reads nominee 2011
March: Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear - Macavity Award 2006
April: An available man by Hilma Wolitzer - IMPAC long list 2014
May: Faithful Place by Tana French - Edgar nominee 2011
        The Vegetarian by Han Kang - Man Booker International prize 2016
June: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi - PEN longlist 2017
        Another Brooklyn: a novel by Jacqueline Woodson - National Book award (finalist 2016)
July: Do not say we have nothing by Madeleine Thien - Bailey's shortlist 2017
August: The narrow road to the deep north by Richard Flanagan - Miles Franklin shortlist 2014
September: Saturday by Ian McEwan - Booker long list 2005
October: We'll all be burnt in our beds some night by Joel Thomas Hynes - Giller Prize long list 2017
November: Buffalo Jump: a woman's travels by Rita Moir Van City Book Prize (2000) & Hubert Evans Non-Fiction Prize finalist (2000)
December: I see you by Clare Mackintosh The British Book Industry Awards shortlist (Crime & Thriller, 2017)

RandomCAT

January - Search and Rescue:
        The art detective: fakes, frauds, and finds and the search for lost treasures by Philip Mould
February - Mine, Yours, Ours:
        Three weeks with my brother by Nicholas Sparks, Micah Sparks
        For your eyes only: Ian Fleming and James Bond by Ben Macintyre
March - The Luck o' the Irish
        An Irish Country Girl by Patrick Taylor
April - Love in the Stacks
        The Ides of June: a mystery set in Roman Britain by Rosemary Rowe
May - All About Mom
        Death of a dreamer by M.C. Beaton
June - Step into the Unknown:
        No signposts in the sea by Vita Sackville-West
July - Let's Celebrate!
        The view from Castle Rock by Alice Munro
August - Animal Kingdom
        Fifteen Dogs by Andre Alexis
        Dog Night at the Story Zoo by Dan Bar-el illustrated by Vicki Nerino Little Bee by Chris Cleave
September - Where did the time go?
        Little Bee by Chris Cleave
October: Turn on the Dark
        We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
November: Traffic Jam
        The Moving Toyshop by Edmund Crispin
December: One Day
        Penguin the Magpie: the odd little bird who saved a family by Cameron Bloom and Trevor Greive

1. The Third Policeman by Flann O'Brien
2. The Sunday Hangman by James McClure
3. The white cat and the monk: a retelling of the poem "Pangur Bán" by Jo Ellen Bogart, Illustrated by Sydney Smith
4. I let you go by Clare Mackintosh
5. Calibre by Ken Bruen
6. A Detective Under Fire by H.R.F. Keating
7. The Fog by Kyo Maclear, illustrated by Kenard Pak
8. The Man on the Balcony by Maj Sjöwall
9. Still Alice by Lisa Genova
10. Witness for the prosecution and other stories by Agatha Christie
11. People of the book by Geraldine Brooks
12. Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd by C. Alan Bradley
13. Being Mortal: ageing, illness, medicine, and what matters in the end by Atul Gawande
14. An ordinary decent criminal by Michael Van Rooy
15. Last bus to Woodstock by Colin Dexter
16. Why we make mistakes by Joseph T. Hallinan
17. Shake hands forever by Ruth Rendell (born 1930)
18. At the water's edge by Sarah Gruen
19. Anne's house of dreams by L.M. Montgomery
20. The Dry by Jane Harper
21. The Pigeon Tunnel: stories from my life by John le Carré
22. The Big Book of Canada: Exploring the Provinces and Territories by Christopher Moore
23. Smoke and Mirrors by Elly Griffiths
24. After the war is over by Jennifer Robson
25. Trick of the Light by Louise Penny

Up and running to the finish line, December 31.

Happy new thread! It looks like you had a good reading year.

Thank you, Birgit. Yes, I had a good reading year with not too many duds.

Happy new thread! I've taken quite a few BBs from you this year.

Happy New Thread! I love new threads as it gives me a chance to look over all the books read so far.

>17 Jackie_K: Oh good, it works in both directions!

Wow, it seems strange that 2017 is so close to being over! You've done well with all your categories and look to be right on target!

You're right, 2017 went by so quickly! It started zipping past even quicker when we started thinking about the 2018 challenge!

>21 VivienneR: Amen, sister!

Great effort on reaching your targets already.
I always get re-inspired when we start planning for the next year.

>23 Roro8: Thanks Ro! I get re-inspired about planning for next year, but can easily get fed up with the dregs of this year :)

Happy end-of-year thread!

Happy new thread! Sounds like you've had a great reading year so far!

>25 rabbitprincess: Thank you. I'm so looking forward to the 2018 challenge!

>26 mathgirl40: Thanks. Yes, it was a good year, I believe I hit a record number of titles - although there were a number of children's books making the numbers look good!

Finished two books yesterday:



Category: History/historical

Aiding and Abetting by Muriel Spark

Spark imagines Lord Lucan, an infamous figure who disappeared in the 70s, seeking the help of a psychologist in Paris, twenty-five years after being accused of murder and still on the run. I know there is a message in the story, but never quite got it. It was a slow read. I kept wondering how Lord Lucan's children reacted to the book.



Category: Calendar Memos:

Nov 30, St Andrew's Day: Death of a Maid by M.C. Beaton

A trip to Scotland to celebrate St Andrew's Day. It's always a treat to visit Hamish Macbeth.

>28 VivienneR: I have Aiding and Abetting on my shelves, Vivienne, and I picked it up earlier this year but couldn't get into it. I will have to give it another try at some point. I usually like Muriel Spark's writing but this one just didn't seem to grab me.

>29 DeltaQueen50: That's exactly how I felt. I believe Ms Spark was in her nineties when she wrote it, so she does have an excuse of sorts. It's a slim little book but for me, lasted as long as a doorstopper. Maybe it was just me. Give it a try sometime, the Lord Lucan story is interesting.

>28 VivienneR: - It looks like I enjoyed Aiding and Abetting more than you did, Vivienne, but I can see how you kept wondering how Lord Lucan's children reacted to the book. Never easy when your father disappears in real life and remains a mystery to this day. Reminded me of this Telegraph article published earlier this year: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/happened-lord-lucan-still-alive-likely-theories/

>31 lkernagh: Thanks for the link, Lori. It's a fascinating story. It seems nobody liked or missed Lady Lucan. When custody of the children was given to someone else (Lucan's brother I think) they broke off communication with their mother. The real story is fascinating but I didn't get the same impression from Spark's book. I may have thought differently if I'd read it in one sitting, instead I dragged it out too long.

Category: Recommendations

On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan

This story of a young couple on their wedding night is one of McEwan's best, or the best I've read so far by the author. It is astonishing just how McEwan can get inside the head of a woman. He is spectacularly successful in capturing the mid-century society and conventions just as the sixties are about to bring changes to many facets of life. This is especially worthy of note because the time frame is a few years ahead of McEwan's own youth. Every word of this story is captivating.

Category: Dust Collectors

The Cat Who Said Cheese by Lilian Jackson Braun

I read this book for the "dust collectors" category challenge - an appropriate choice because it's been on my shelf for years. It's an entertaining tale, perfect for a rainy afternoon, and the feline content was not overdone. Although there was reference to previous events, presumably covered in earlier books, it was not difficult to pick up the lay of the land.

One line that made me smile was regarding a nearby town settled by some Canadians back in the 1800s, who wanted to name their new dwelling place after their home town. The council mistakenly spelled it "Trawnto" just as the Canadians had pronounced it.

>34 VivienneR: I enjoyed the "Cat Who" books at the time they were coming out. I might actually find it interesting to revisit Qwilleran, Koko, and YumYum at some point. Right now, it's "so many books, so little time." Also many books such as these don't live up to the memories when one reads them later, so I'm a little afraid to do so.

>35 thornton37814: I came to this series quite late so I don't have any nostalgic expectations. I think I've only read one before this, however, I intend to keep on reading them. They make me want a couple of Siamese cats.

>36 VivienneR: I would recommend you visit some and experience their yowling before you do. I doubt I could live with it myself.

>37 mamzel: Ah, yes. I know what you mean. We had a completely silent cat for about 15 years until she became deaf and yowled her head off for the rest of her life. The worst was when she yowled during the night!

Category: Translations

The Red Notebook by Antoine Laurain

This book is a little gem!

A Parisian bookseller found a handbag, obviously abandoned by a mugger after removing anything of value. Although it still held many fascinating possessions, there was nothing to identify the owner. A red moleskin notebook had many of her thoughts noted so that the bookseller was able to learn much about this mystery woman. His daughter convinced him to begin a search for her, which he does, reluctantly.

The story captured me from the first words and I was tempted to turn the pages quickly to find out what happens. Curbing the desire, I instead enjoyed the utterly charming story. Highly recommended.

>39 VivienneR: - That is a book for me! Sounds wonderful.

>40 lkernagh: Lori, knowing your taste in books, you will love this one.

>39 VivienneR: - Oh, this sounds lovely! Added to my wishlist.

>42 LittleTaiko: Stacy, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did when you get to it!

>39 VivienneR: - It's a BB for me too!

I just wish I could remember who got me with a BB, I'd like to thank them.

>39 VivienneR:, I like the sound of that one too. Plus, it has a colour in the title (thinking of next year!)

>46 Roro8: I thought of next year's colourCAT too but it was a good fit for my translations category this year.

Category: Biography

Books: a memoir by Larry McMurtry

It is always interesting, sometimes amazing, to hear how readers get started. McMurtry's story is one of the impressive ones. However, in this book he swings around in time a lot leaving the reader trying to figure out when the events happened. The most disappointing aspect was that this was hardly a memoir but a random account of rare book collecting, a topic that would normally attract me but in this case fell flat.

Category: Recommendations

The Big Five: Five simple things you can do to live a longer healthier life by Sanjiv Chopra

The librarian at the public library recommended this one. I have to admit it is comforting to know Dr Chopra, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, endorses coffee, my favourite drink! Vitamin D, activity, eating nuts and meditation make up the rest. This is a straightforward book of advice, much of which we know already, but Chopra sets it out concisely and in simple language making it easy to take in.

November Summary:

It was a good month with some great books, some not so great!

Category: Dust Collectors
The Cat Who Said Cheese by Lilian Jackson Braun 3.5★

Category: Recommendations
On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan 5★
The Big Five: Five simple things you can do to live a longer healthier life by Sanjiv Chopra 4★

Category: Series
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante 2.5★

Category: Translations
The Red Notebook by Antoine Laurain 5★

Category: Biography
Books: a memoir by Larry McMurtry 2★

Category: History/historical
Aiding and Abetting by Muriel Spark 3★

Category: Calendar Memos:
Nov 5, Guy Fawkes Day: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John le Carré 4★
Nov 5, Guy Fawkes Day: Marbeck and the Gunpowder Plot by John Pilkington 4★
Nov 11, Remembrance Day: Night by Elie Wiesel 5★
Nov 30, St Andrew's Day: Death of a Maid by M.C. Beaton 3★

Category: Mystery AlphaKIT: L & Q, & yearlong X
Don't Cry, Tai Lake by Xiaolong Qiu 4★

Category: CATwoman: LGBQ/Feminist writing
The Evening Chorus by Helen Humphreys 5★

Category: AwardsCAT: Local award
Buffalo Jump: a woman's travels by Rita Moir 3★

Category: RandomCAT: Traffic Jam
The Moving Toyshop by Edmund Crispin 4★

Category BingoDOG:
#6 Author uses initials A Detective Under Fire by H.R.F. Keating 3.5★
#8 Published 1940-60s: The Man on the Balcony by Maj Sjöwall 3.5★
#25 Next in Series: A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny 3.5★

No Category
Counting on Snow by Maxwell Newhouse 5★

Stats: November
Read this month: 19
Read year-to-date: 181       *** this is a record and still with one month to go!!
A - acquired before 2015: 41 (23%)
B - acquired since 2015: 113 (62%)
C - borrowed: 27 (15%)

You have certainly done well this year. Good for you!

Thank you, mamzel. So far I've hit each category at least once every month but it's looking iffy for December. I got a bit antsy at times so I won't repeat that plan in 2018, but just read as they come.

Category: Translations

An Aboriginal Carol by David Bouchard

It is said that when Europeans first arrived in North America they found that the people already knew of Jesus by the name of Deganawideh the Peacemaker. The original version of The Huron Carol, written by a Jesuit missionary 400 years ago relates the birth of Jesus using familiar imagery of the people. Jesus was born in "a lodge of broken bark' and wrapped in "a robe of rabbit skin". Bouchard enlarges upon the lyrics creating more of a complete story.

This book is a collaboration between the three groups that comprise Canada's Aboriginal peoples: First Nations, Mètis and Inuit. Mètis poet David Bouchard's text is accompanied by the Inuktitut translation. Inuk singer Susan Aglukark provides a very pleasing musical translation in Inuktitut on the accompanying CD that also includes a reading in English. Each page is spectacularly illustrated by First Nations artist Moses Beaver. Whether Christian or not, this is a fabulous treasure to be brought out and appreciated every Christmas.

Category: AwardsCAT

I see you by Clare Mackintosh

The British Book Industry Awards shortlist (Crime & Thriller, 2017)

Filled with suspense, this will keep you frantically turning pages. One by one, I picked each character as the perpetrator right up to the end.

Congrats on your last thread of the year. Looks like you had a great reading year.

Thank you, Kristel. It was a good year, I read much more than I ever imagined.

Category: Calendar Memos:

December 25th - Christmas

The Mistletoe Murder and other stories by P.D. James

I'm not a fan of short stories but with P.D. James as the storyteller, these were a class above the ordinary.

Category: RandomCAT: One Day

Penguin the Magpie: the odd little bird who saved a family by Cameron Bloom and Trevor Greive

The prologue, written by Bloom, gives a brief biography and an account of the hearbreaking injury to his wife Sam. Soon after her return from hospital their son found an injured magpie chick that had fallen from its nest onto a parking lot and the family had two patients to look after. The book describes Sam's devastating injury along with captivating photos of Penguin and how her antics helped. The photos, on opposite pages to text, correspond beautifully with the content of the text, illustrating how the magpie shared the lives of the Bloom family. As Cameron said: "Angels come in all shapes and sizes."

Sam wraps up the book with her side of the story and gives excellent advice about how to treat someone who has suffered a life-shattering injury.

A percentage of the royalties will be donated to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation and matched by the publisher.

My thanks to Kerry (avatiakh) who fired the BB in my direction.

Category: CATwoman: Modern novels

Trespass by Rose Tremain

The story features a poor, uneducated brother and sister. The brother wants to sell their farmhouse to a rich foreigner, a plan that troubles his sister considerably. When a wealthy English buyer and his sister show up, passion, retribution, and the clash of cultures complicate the plan.

Although the seriously flawed characters are all unlikeable in this dark story, Tremain skillfully portrays them as if from inside their heads. Each one trespasses in different ways. This chilling novel is well-written and completely engrossing to the last page.

Category: Calendar Memos: December 10 - Human Rights Day

Animal Farm by George Orwell

I've read this before, more than once, but yet again I was astonished at how brilliant it is. I had almost forgotten a favourite minor character, Moses the Raven, who promises unimaginable heavenly rewards. Parallels to contemporary political events are unmistakable making Orwell's fable just as relevant today as it ever was.

Category: Mystery AlphaKIT: J & R

Strip Jack by Ian Rankin

This is an early Rebus novel that fills a gap in the series for me. As usual, I really enjoyed the story. Rankin always stays on topic instead of having his detective working on many unrelated cases as so often is the case.

This completes the AlphaKIT for the year.

I just realized that I have six categories to complete for December. If - if - that happens, it will mean I'll have covered each category at least once, for every month this year. I'm just not sure I can fit in six books during this busy time.

Category: History/historical

Christmas at Thompson Hall by Anthony Trollope

A lighthearted and humorous tale about mistaken identity on Christmas Eve when a hypochondriac husband and his formidable wife journey to the family home in time for celebrations.

Another category completed! Just four to go plus one bingo square.

That sounds like the perfect read for Christmas time. I'll have to look for it.

It wasn't very Christmassy, and quite predictable. The story was just average, but Trollope's writing is great.

Category: Calendar Memos: December 25 - Christmas

Classics of Childhood a Christmas anthology

This is an excellent selection of Christmas stories in audio format, read by celebrities. Of the six stories Santasaurus by Niamh Sharkey was the only one new to me and easily my favourite. "What hustle and bustle and squoosh!" It was longer than the pre-school story I expected, with lots of bookish references.

Category: Recommendations

Merry merry ghost by Carolyn G. Hart

A cute cozy Christmas mystery with the fashion-conscious ghost of Bailey Ruth Raeburn as sleuth or at least leading the investigators in the right direction. A bit long and repetitive, with little Christmas flavour.

Category: Series

A Christmas Garland by Anne Perry

An unusual Christmas story from Perry, set as the British Raj begins in India. A soldier is killed and an Indian prisoner escapes leaving the only person around, a medic, obviously guilty. Lieutenant Narraway is ordered to defend the orderly in a trial where the verdict has already been decided.

We're in the middle of a major snowstorm! That means most people around here will be getting what they wished for and hitting the slopes for the Christmas holiday!

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas!

Category BingoDOG: #23 Set in a beach community/resort

Smoke and Mirrors by Elly Griffiths

I love this series that takes place in 1950s Brighton and is reminiscent of the Golden Age mysteries because of the setting, the era, and the lack of modern investigation techniques. This time the plot takes place in winter while Mephisto is appearing in a pantomime, a traditional element of an English Christmas. Pantomime is different to any other type of production and Griffiths' story illustrates a typical performance and reception. Despite the fact that the victims are children, this is an entertaining mystery, not horrifying. Recommended.

*** This Christmas mystery completes my Bingo card!

Congratulations, Vivienne. I really like the Elly Griffiths series as well even though I am way behind you. My next book of hers will be #3 in series.

>71 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy. My next Griffiths too will be #3. I haven't yet tried her other series but am looking forward to them.

Hi Vivienne, stopping by to wish you and your loved ones peace, joy and happiness this holiday season and for 2018!

To all my friends here on LT:

>73 lkernagh: Many thanks, Lori. I wish you and yours the same.

Stopping by to wish you the best of the end of 2017 and the start of 2018.

Vivienne - My wish for you this year:

>76 Kristelh: Thank you, Kristel. I am sure there will be lots of them!

>77 dudes22: Thank you, Betty. What a lovely picture!

I wish the same to both of you.

Vivienne, I hope you had a happy Christmas. Wishing you a Happy New Year !

>79 VioletBramble: Thank you, Kelly, and the same wishes to you. With holidays and a boring book, my reading has almost come to a standstill. I'm really looking forward to starting afresh in 2018! See you there!

Category: Biography

The Shepherd by Frederick Forsyth

Without question, this is my favourite Christmas story! You won't find crowded shopping malls, a laden Santa, or scary visions, yet Forsyth captured the perfect spirit of the season in this novella. Highly recommended.

I have one more category to complete and I'm done - although I'm really struggling with the last book required to fill it - Mystery in White by J. Jefferson Farjeon. I may just speed-read the remaining ~100 pages and move on to 2018.

Category: Dust Collectors

Mystery in White by J. Jefferson Farjeon

This was so disappointing. I enjoy Golden Age crime novels but this one was badly written. After a very promising opening, interest waned and in the end I didn't much care what happened.

I might get one more finished before the end of the month when I'll post the year end summary.

>83 VivienneR: Oops! That one is on my TBR list. I'll probably keep putting it off.

Sorry to hear that. I put mine back on the shelf and I'll give it another try sometime - maybe when I'm not as busy with other things.

>83 VivienneR: I bailed on this one. The excessively arch humour of the characters gave me a headache and I found I really didn't care what happened. Hope your next book is better!

>83 VivienneR: That's perfectly understandable. I thought it was because I had a few other things on my mind preventing me from paying attention but it was just annoying. My next book is Hide and Seek by Ian Rankin. A definite improvement. And I'm just about finished a "The Cat Who..." audiobook, chosen because it would be easy on the brain.

Hi Vivienne, I'm very tempted by your recent Rose Tremain read.

I hope you had a lovely Christmas and the new year is filled with excellent books!

>87 VivienneR: Started the Rankin book and discovered immediately that I've read it before and remember plot details. On to something else.

Category: Series

The cat who blew the whistle by Lilian Jackson Braun

A cheerful mild mystery involving Qwilleran and his two Siamese cats. Just right for an afternoon's entertainment.

This is the last book for 2017. It was a great reading year!

December and Year End Summary:

Category: Dust Collectors
Mystery in White by J. Jefferson Farjeon 2★

Category: Recommendations
Merry merry ghost by Carolyn G. Hart 2.5★

Category: Series
A Christmas Garland by Anne Perry 4★
The cat who blew the whistle by Lilian Jackson Braun 3★

Category: Translations
An Aboriginal Carol by David Bouchard 5★

Category: Biography
The Shepherd by Frederick Forsyth 5★

Category: History/historical
Christmas at Thompson Hall by Anthony Trollope 3★

Category: Calendar Memos:
Dec 10: Human Rights Day: Animal Farm by George Orwell 5★
Christmas: The Mistletoe Murder and other stories by P.D. James 3.5★
Christmas: Classics of Childhood a Christmas anthology 3.5★

Category: Mystery AlphaKIT: J & R
Strip Jack by Ian Rankin 4★

Category: CATwoman: Modern novels
Trespass by Rose Tremain 4★

Category: AwardsCAT
I see you by Clare Mackintosh 4★

Category: RandomCAT: One Day
Penguin the Magpie: the odd little bird who saved a family by Cameron Bloom and Trevor Greive 5★

Category BingoDOG: #23 Set in a beach community/resort
Smoke and Mirrors by Elly Griffiths 4.5★

December Stats:
Read this month: 15

2017 Stats
Read year-to-date: 196
A - acquired before 2015: 46 (23%)
B - acquired since 2015: 119 (61%)
C - borrowed: 31 (16%)

Conclusion: I achieved my aim of reading 80% of books that I own - however, many of those books were purchased this year - and the result is that I have more books than ever on my bookshelves.

Author gender:
female: 97
male: 97

Author nationality:
British: 80
Canadian: 48
American: 37
Other: 30 - including African, Australian, Chinese, Dutch, French, Ghanaian, Irish, Italian, Pakistani, Romanian, Russian, South Korean, Swedish

Looks like you had a great reading year! I love seeing everyone's stats :)

Just so you know - you were responsible for more book bullets that came my way than anybody else this year. Now, I just need to actually read them all. :)

>94 rabbitprincess: I love seeing stats too. I like to see what is chosen as "book of the month" or "book of the year" but I had so many good ones, that would be difficult.

>95 LittleTaiko: I don't have stats on bullets, but I know your bullets were worthwhile! You have a good aim!

I think the sheer number of books you've read is amazing. And 80% from your shelves no matter that they were new is great too!

It explains the thud in the front hall every time the letter carrier shoves mail through the letterbox. She earned her New Year's tip this year!

Happy New Year, and congratulations on a great reading year!

Thank you Christina, and a Happy New Year to you too. I was losing concentration near the end of the year because I'm looking forward to the 2018 challenge.