Mamie's 2018 Madness (Page 15)

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Books Read in October:
92. Fight No More by Lydia Millet (4.5 stars), library hardback, linked short stories - recommended by Beth
93. Mind's Eye by Håkan Nesser (3.5 stars), 2013 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural (Inspector Van Veeteren, book 1)
94. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, YA/historical fiction (Gentleman's Guide, book 1) - recommended by Meg
95. The Colorado Kid by Stephen King (3 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, mystery (Haven, the tv series is loosely based on this)

Books Completed in September:
86. Fatal Pursuit by Martin Walker (4 stars), 2017 acquired paperback, crime fiction/police procedural (Bruno Corrourrèges, book 9)
87. Soulless by Gail Carriger (reread), 2013 acquired ebook, steampunk (Parasol Protectorate, book 1)
88. The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman, illustrations by Chris Riddle (5 stars), library hardback, juvenile fiction/fractured fairytale - recommended by Amber and Birdy
89. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, mystery/autism/child narrator
90. Borkmann's Point by Håkan Nesser (3.5 stars), paperback acquired before 2012, crime fiction/police procedural (Inspector Van Veeteren, book 2)
91. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, play

Books Read in August:
78. Artificial Condition by Martha Wells (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, science fiction/AI (The Murderbot Diaries, book 2)
79. The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, crime fiction/espionage (Gabriel Allon, book 1) - recommended by Susan
80. Queenpin by Megan Abbott (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, crime fiction/noir - recommended by Roberta
81. Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells (5 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, science fiction/AI (The Murderbot Diaries, book 3)
82. Like Water For Chocolate by Laura Esquirel (4 stars) library hardback, translation, historical fiction/culinary fiction/magical realism
83. Tin Man by Sarah Winman (5 stars), 2018 acquired hardback, contemporary fiction
84. They Shoot Horses, Don't They? by Horace McCoy (3.5 stars), library hardback, crime fiction/noir
85. Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop (4.75 stars), acquired ebook, urban fantasy (The Others, book 3)

Books Read in July:
70. A Rising Man by Abir Mukherjee, narrated by Simon Bubb (reread), 2016 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/police procedural (Sam Wyndham, book 1)
71. Matilda by Roald Dahl, narrated by Kate Winslet (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, children's literature/classic - Katie's Dirty Dozen
72. A Necessary Evil by Abir Mukherjee (4 stars), 2017 acquired hardback, crime fiction/police procedural (Sam Wyndham, book 2)
73. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling (reread), illustrated hardback edition acquired in 2015, fantasy
74. The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, non-fiction/disaster/Hurricane Grace
75. The Dawn Watch: Joseph Conrad in a Global World by Maya Jasanoff (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, non-fiction/literary history
76. The Annotated Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler (5 stars), 2018 acquired paperback, crime fiction/noir/private detective (Philip Marlowe, book 1)
77. The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain (4.25 stars), 2010 acquired paperback, crime fiction/noir

I am planning on walking the cat again this year. That is, I am just going to go where my reading takes me. I am not committing to any challenges except for Katie’s PopReadHarderSugarEtc.Challenges 2018

Books Read in January:
1. Blizzard of Glass: The Halifax Explosion of 1917 by Sally M. Walker (4 stars), library hardback, YA non-fiction/history - mentioned on Julia's thread last year in reference to the 100 year anniversary of the incident
2. March: Book Two by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell (5 stars), library paperback, GN non-fiction/memoir/Civil Rights Movement
3. Artemis by Andy Weir (4 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, sci-fi
4. You Gotta Get Bigger Dreams by Alan Cumming, narrated by Alan Cumming (4.5 stars), 2018 purchased audiobook, non-fiction/vignettes with selfies
5. The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher, narrated by Carrie Fisher and Billy Lourd (4 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook - recommended by Mark
6. The White Album by Joan Didion (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, non-fiction/essays
7. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (3.8 stars), 2012 or earlier acquired paperback, gothic fiction/classic
8. Ties by Domenico Starnone (4 stars), library paperback, literary fiction/relationships - recommended by Lynda, translation
9. God Stalk by P. C. Hodgell (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, fantasy - recommended by Roni and read for her GR of it
10. The Jaguar's Children by John Vaillant (4.5 stars), library hardback, contemporary fiction/illegal immigration - recommended by Katie
11. Nightblind by Ragnar Jonasson (3 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural (Dark Iceland series, book 2), translation

Books Read in February:
12. The Dying Detective by Leif GW Persson (4 stars), library hardback, crime fiction/police procedural (Johansson and Jarnebring series, book 8) - recommended by Charlotte, translation
13. The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion (4.5 stars), library hardback, non-fiction/grief
14. The Girl With All the Gifts by M. R. Carey, narrated by Finty Williams (5 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, dystopian/zombies - recommended by Mark
15. Chimes at Midnight by Seanan McGuire (4 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, urban fantasy (October Daye series, book seven)
16. March: Book Three by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell (5 stars), library hardback, non-fiction/The Civil Rights Movement
17. A World Gone Mad: The Diaries of Astrid Lindgren 1939-45 by Astrid Lindgren (4.25 stars), 2016 acquired hardback, non-fiction/diary/WWII, translation
18. Greenglass House by Kate Milford (4 stars), library hardback, juvenile fiction/mystery - recommended by Amber
19. A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft, narrated by Fiona Shaw with Jonathan Keeble (4 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, non-fiction/feminism
20. On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, non-fiction/democracy - recommended by Joanne
21. The Cold, Cold Ground by Adrian McKinty (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/police procedural - recommended by Charlotte
22. My Favorite Thing is Monsters by Emil Ferris (4.5 stars), library paperback, GN - recommended by Mark and Joe

Books Read in March:
23. Not My Father's Son by Alan Cumming, narrated by Alan Cumming (4.5 stars) 2017 acquired audiobook. non-fiction/memoir/abuse - Katie's Dirty Dozen
24. The Strange Death of Fiona Griffiths by Harry Bingham (4.5 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural (Fiona Griffiths series, book 3)
25. Pictures at a Revolution: Five Movies and the Birth of the New Hollywood by Mark Harris (4.5 stars), 2014 acquired paperback, non-ficiton/film history
26. Slow Horses by Mick Heron, narrated by Gerard Doyle (5 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/espionage (Slough House, book 1) - recommended by Charlotte and Deborah
27. The Lady Vanishes by Ethel Lina White (3.5 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, crime fiction/mystery - recommended by Heather
28. How to Build a Girl by Caitlin Moran, narrated by Louise Brealey (5 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, contemporary fiction/coming of age
29. Binti by Nnedi Okorafor (4 stars), 2016 acquired ebook, sci-fi/space opera (Binti, book 1) - recommended by Joe
30. Acceptance by Jeff VanderMeer (4 stars), 2017 acquired paperback, weird fiction (Southern Reach, book 3)
31. Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maude Montgomery, narrated by Rachel McAdams (4.5 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, juvenile fiction/classic (Anne of Green Gables, book 1)
32. MI5 and Me: A Coronet Among the Spooks by Charlotte Bingham (3 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, non-fiction/memoir - saw this mentioned on Charlotte's thread and loved the quotes she posted from it
33. Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World by Pénélope Bagleu (5 stars), paperback borrowed from Birdy, GN/non-fiction/history, translated - recommended by Charlotte
34. Octopussy and The Living Daylights by Ian Fleming, narrated by Tom Hiddleston (4 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, short stories/crime fiction/espionage (James Bond, book 14)
35. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming, narrated by David Tennant (3 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, juvenile fiction
36. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré (5 stars), 2013 acquired paperback (also listened to the 2017 acquired audiobook), crime fiction/espionage (George Smiley novels, book 5)
37. A Rage in Harlem by Chester Himes, narrated by Samuel Jackson (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/noir (Harlem Cycle, book 1)
38. How to Cheat a Dragon's Curse by Cressida Cowell, narrated by David Tennant (4 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, juvenile fiction (How to Train Your Dragon, book 4)
39. The Moneypenny Diaries: Guardian Angel by Kate Westbrook (4 stars), 2015 acquired ebook, crime fiction/espionage (The Moneypenny Diaries, book 1)

Books Read in April:
40. Women & Power: A Manifesto by Mary Beard (4 stars), 2018 acquired hardback, non-fiction/essays/feminism - recommended by Charlotte
41. A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf, narrated by Juliet Stevenson (5 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, non-fiction/essays/feminism - recommended by Joe
42. The Hounds of Spring by Lucy Andrews Cummin (5 stars), 2018 acquired paperback, contemporary fiction/utterly delightful
43. The Wendy Project by Melissa Jane Osborne, Illustrated by Veronica Fish (3.5 stars), paperback borrowed from Abby, GN/grief/fairy tale retelling
44. The Dark Angel by Elly Griffiths (4 stars), traveling paperback sent by Katie and going to Beth next, crime fiction/mystery (Ruth Galloway, book 10)
45. Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi, translation, (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired paperback, contemporary fiction/horror
46. The Chalk Circle Man by Fred Vargas (3.5 stars), library paperback, crime fiction/police procedural (Chief Inspector Adamsberg, book 1)
47. Above Suspicion by Helen MacInnes (4 stars), 2013 acquired ebook, espionage/WWII
48. Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome (3 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, humor - recommended by Lucy
49. The Chessmen by Peter May, narrated by Peter May (4 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/mystery (The Lewis Trilogy, book three)
50. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle (3 stars - reread), paperback borrowed from Birdy, YA science fiction/time travel (The Time Quintet, book 1)
51. All Systems Red by Martha Wells (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, science fiction/AI (The Murderbot Diaries, book 1)

Books Read in May:
52. Still Waters by Viveca Sten, translation (3.75 stars), 2018 acquired Kindle Book, crime fiction/police procedural (The Sandhamn series, book 1)
53. Closed Circles by Viveca Sten, translation (3.25 stars), ebook borrowed from the Kindle lending library, crime fiction/police procedural (The Sandhamn series, book 2)
54. Guiltless by Viveca Sten, translation (3.25 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural (The Sandhamn series, book 3)
55. The Quiet American by Graham Greene (4.5 stars), 2016 acquired paperback, literary fiction/espionage - recommended by Bill
56. Echo Park by Michael Connelly (4.5 stars), 2017 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural (Harry Bosch series, book 12)
57. The Terror by Dan Simmons (5 stars), 2018 acquired audiobook, literary faction/horror - recommended by Susan
58. The Overlook by Michael Connelly (3.5 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, crime fiction/police procedural (Harry Bosch, book 13)
59. The Duke's Tattoo by Miranda Davis (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, romance (The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, book 1) - recommended by Charlotte
60. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, narrated by Dan Stevens (4 stars - reread), 2018 acquired audiobook, mystery

Books Read in June:
61. The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired hardback, crime fiction/mystery/time travel - recommended by Heather
62. The Purple Diaries: Mary Astor and the Most Sensational Hollywood Scandal of the 1930s by Joseph Egan (3.75 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, non-fiction/Hollywood history
63. Tonight You’re Dead by Viveca Sten, translated (4 stars), borrowed from the Kindle Lending Library, crime fiction/police procedural, (Sandhamn Murders, book 4)
64. Scandal and the Duchess by Jennifer Ashley (reread), 2014 acquired ebook, historical romance (Mackenzies Series, book 6.5)
65. The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley (reread), 2010 acquired ebook, historical romance (Mackenzies Series, book 1)
66. I Hear the Sirens in the Street by Adrian McKinty, narrated by Gerard Doyle (4.25 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/police procedural (Sean Duffy, book 2)
67. Dead Lions by Mick Herron (3.6 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, crime fiction/espionage (Slough House, book 2) - recommended by Charlotte
68. The Last Man in Europe by Dennis Glover (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired hardback, historical fiction - heard about this on Charlotte's thread (Guardian reviews) and purchased it and then reading Beth's recent review of it made me want to get to it NOW
69. In the Morning I'll Be Gone by Adrain McKinty, narrated by Gerard Doyle (4.5 stars), 2017 acquired audiobook, crime fiction/police procedural (Sean Duffy, book 3)

Katie’s Dirty Dozen - That’s right, folks, KAK’s reserved spot is back for a fourth year, let’s see what she hits me with this time

1. The North Water by Ian McGuire - Mark and Judy loved this one, too. And also Richard, though a weentsy tidge less.
2. How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran - go with the audio
3. Brother, I'm Dying by Edwidge Danticat
4. The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan - Katie says for when I'm in the mood for something light and recommends the audio
5. When God Was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman - Katie mentioned on Joanne's thread that she loved this one
6. Matilda by Roald Dahl - the audio narrated by Kate Winslet COMPLETED 4.5 stars
7. Come Hell or Highball by Mala Chance - saw this first on Katie's thread and then Meg's enthusiasm sold it to me
8. The Map of Love by Ahdaf Soueif - Katie says,"...one of my very favorite books - easily in my top 10."
9. Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

From 2017:
1. Everyday people by Stewart O'Nan (linked short stories)
2. Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
3. Wait Till Next Year by Doris Kearns Goodwin (memoir)
4. The Golden Legend by Nadeem Aslam
5. Personal History by Katherine Graham
6. Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan
7. Taft by Ann Patchett
8. Dear Fahrenheit 451 by Annie Spence
9. Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood
10. The Lost Book of the Grail by Charlie Lovett
11. Snow in August by Pete Hamill - Katie mentioned how much she loved this one over on the AAC thread after Mark had posted the list for next year

From 2016:
1. Kamchatka by Marcelo Figueras
2. Destiny of the Republic by Candace Millard
3. The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez - seconded by Charlotte and Susan
4. In the Walled City by Stewart O'Nan COMPLETED 8/12/16 3.8 stars
5. My Reading Life by Pat Conroy - she recommended the audio, and don't speed it up
6. Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo COMPLETED 7/21/16 5 stars
7. Ruby by Cynthia Bond - seconded by Charlotte
8. Not My Father's Son by Alan Cumming - she recommends the audio read by Cummings himself COMPLETED 3/01/18 4.5 stars
9. Songs for the Missing by Stewart O'Nan
10. Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye - Roberta also loved this, Katie says the audio is great, purchased 5/15/16
11. The Jaguar's Children by John Vaillant COMPLETED 1/2018 4.5 stars
12. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi COMPLETED 10/2/16 5 stars
13. Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat - she pointed out that this was only $1.99 on Kindle and that it was one of her very favorites, purchased 7/13/16
14. Tribal: College Football and the Secret Heart of America by Diane Roberts
15. Manhood for Amateurs by Michael Chabon
16. Nutshell by Ian McEwan COMPLETED 1/2017 5 stars
17. Black River by S. M. Hulse

AND, from 2015:
1. The Mermaids Singing by Lisa Carey ($1.99 on Kindle), purchase on 2/18/15 COMPLETED 8/19/16 5 stars
2. Bright's Passage by Josh Ritter (2.99 on Kindle), purchased on 2/23/15
3. The Tilted World by Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly ($3.79 on Kindle), purchased on 3/31/15 COMPLETED 11/7/15 4.2 stars
4. Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler ($12.77 trade paperback), purchased on 4/1/15, COMPLETED read for Mark's AAC in January 2016, 4.25 stars
5. Paradise Alley by Kevin Baker ($.99 on Kindle), purchased on 4/9/15 - second book in a series, first book Dreamland was recommended by Katie and purchased last year
6. Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing - used an Audible credit COMPLETED 6/16/15 4.9 stars
7. Academy Street by Mary Costello ($9.99 on Kindle), purchased on 6/12/15 COMPLETED 7/2/16 5 stars
8. Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn ($5.99 on Kindle), purchased on 8/28/15
9. Sweetland by Michael Crummey ($.99 on Kindle), purchased 9/5/15 COMPLETED 11/19/15 4.5 stars
10. If You Only Knew by Kristan Higgins ($7.99 on Kindle), purchased on 10/26/15

Susan’s Summer Shivers - Susan’s suggestions for some cold reading during the hot summer, which lasts about 9 months in Georgia

1. The Terror by Dan Simmons LOVED this!
2. The Abominable by Dan Simmons
3. The Disappeared by C J Box "...there is an atmosphere of absolutely freezing throughout the book." (#18 in the series, so please don't mention that I'm thinking of reading this out of order)



Heather suggested Cold Earth by Sarah Moss - she says, "...it's about a group of archaeologists in Greenland who get cut off after reports of a virus spreading back home and then one of the team starts having strange nightmares."

Every year, LT is an embarrassment of riches for me. I like to keep track of who recommends what and any other pertinent info that lands a book on The List.

1. Curse of the Narrows by Laura m. MacDonald - about the Halifax explosion of 1917. Recommended by Bonnie, Meg, and Susan
2. Greenglass House by Kate Milford - recommended by Amber (she gave it an A!) COMPLETED 4 stars
3. In America: Travels With John Steinbeck by Geert Mak - recommended by Anita
4. The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton - recommended by Barbara
5. Darktown by Thomas Mullen - Jim, and he says the second book Lightning Men is just as good
6. The Book of Dust by Philip Pullman, audio narrated by Michael Sheen - recommended by Traci
7. Number 17 by Jefferson Farjeon - Harry recommended this series on his thread
8. Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney - recommended by Lisa (jonesli)
9. Slow Horses by Mick Herron - recommended by Deborah and Charlotte COMPLETED 5 stars
10. The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt - recommended by Carrie
11. Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley - recommended by Caro
12. For the Time Being: A Christmas Oratorio by W.H. Auden - recommended by Christina
13. Under Another Sky: Journeys in Roman Britain by Charlotte Higgins - recommended by Beth
14. The Good People by Hannah Kent - recommended by Bonnie
15. Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton - recommended by Shannon
16. How to Build an Android The True Story of Philip K Dick's Robotic Resurrection by David F. Dufty - recommended by Victoria
17. The Confession by Jo Spain - recommended by Susan (Irish noir, she says!!)
18. Four-Day Planet by H. Beam Piper - recommended by Richard
19. Black Hammer by Jeff Lemire - recommended by Jim (GN)
20. Hedy's Folly by Richard Rhodes - Jim again (the doctor is IN)
21. The Wandering Falcon by Pakistani author Jamil Ahmad - recommended by Judy - interlinked short stories
22. Exposure by Helen Dunmore - recommended by Anne
23. Silent Days, Silent Dreams by Allen Say - recommended by Richard
24. Dead Wake by Erik Larson - recommended by Karen
25. The Passage by Justin Cronin - recommended by Lori (ikernagh)
26. Drawing From Memory by Allen Say - recommended by Richard
27. A Catalog of Birds by Laura Harrington - recommended by Beth
28. The Largesse of the Sea Maiden: Stories by Denis Johnson - recommended by Mark
29. The Twelve-Mile Straight by Eleanor Henderson - recommended by Susan, it's Southern Gothic
30. Autonomous by Annalee Newitz - recommended by pammab
31. Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World by Pénélope Bagieu - recommended by Charlotte (GN) COMPLETED 5 stars
32. Women and Power by Mary Beard - recommended by Charlotte COMPLETED 4 stars
33. Go Down Together: The True Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde by Jeff Guinn - recommended by Mark and Jim
34. Twenty Thousand Streets Under The Sky by Patrick Hamilton - recommended by Susan
35. 1939: The Making of Six Great Films from Hollywood's Greatest Year by Charles F. Adams - recommended by LittleTaiko
36. MI5 and Me: A Coronet Among the Spooks by Charlotte Bingham - saw this mentioned on Charlotte's thread, and I loved the quotes she posted from it COMPLETED
37. Enchanted Islands by Allison Amend - recommended by Chelle
38. A Time of Gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor - recommended by Megan (evilmoose)
39. The Berlin Stories by Christopher Isherwood - recommended by Vivienne (VivienneR)
40. Conclave by Robert Harris - recommended by Vivienne (VivienneR)
41 The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband by Julia Quinn - recommended by Meg, she says it's a prequel to The Bridgertons series! *happy dance*
42. The Reapers Are the Angels by Alden Bell - recommended by Shannon (sturlington) - zombies!
43. Lonely Hearts by John Harvey - series recommended by Charlotte (she reviewed book 12 on her thread)
44. Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend - recommended by Anne
45. Time After Time by Jack Finney - recommended by Richard (time travel)
46. Time on My Hands by Peter Delacourt - Richard again (time travel)
47. The Grass Dancer by Susan Power - recommended by Charlotte
48. The Dry by Jane Harper - recommended by Charlotte
49. The Last Man in Europe by Dennis Glover - saw this mentioned on Charlotte's thread - "April, 1947. In a run-down farmhouse on a remote Scottish island, George Orwell begins his last and greatest work: Nineteen Eighty-Four" COMPLETED
50. Miss Burma by Charmaine Craig - recommended by Deborah and Charlotte
51. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee - recommended by Meg COMPLETED
52. Road to the Isles: Travellers in the Hebrides 1770-1914 by Derek Cooper - Meg again!
53. Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome - recommended by Lucy, and Reba also loved it COMPLETED
54. Bitten by Kelley Armstrong - recommended by Chelle
55. The lost by Claire McGowan - recommended by Charlotte for those who like Ruth Galloway
56. Astrid Lindgren: The Woman Behind Pippi Longstocking by Jens Andersen - saw this on Charlotte's thread in the Guardian reviews
57. Euphoria by Lily King - recommended by Karen
58. Happiness by Aminatta Forna - recommended by Beth
59. Paradise in Chains: The Bounty Mutiny and the Founding of Australia by Diana Preston - recommended by Susan
60. Assignment in Brittany by Helen MacInnes - recommended by Paul
61. The Shadow Killer by Arnaldur Indriðason - recommended by Chelle
62. Under the Pendulum Sun by Jeannette Ng - recommended by Heather
63. E. B. White on Dogs by E. B. White - recommended by Lucy
64. Less: A Novel by Andrew Sean Greer - recommended by Joe and Richard
65. The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turon - recommended by Heather COMPLETED
66. Almost No Memory by Lydia Davis - recommended by Lucy
67. Wish I Was Here by Jackie Kay - recommended by Helen
68. Fight No More by Lydia Millet - recommended by Beth - linked short stories COMPLETED

2018 PopSugar Reading Challenge

1. A book made into a movie you've already seen Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré
2. True crime
3. The next book in a series you started The Dark Angel by Elly Griffiths
4. A book involving a heist Greenglass House by Kate Milford
5. Nordic noir Nightblind by Ragnar Jonasson
6. A novel based on a real person The Terror by Dan Simmons
7. A book set in a country that fascinates you - The Chessmen by Peter May
8. A book with a time of day in the title - Chimes at Midnight by Seanan McGuire
9. A book about a villain or antihero - The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
10. A book about death or grief - The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
11. A book with a female author who uses a male pseudonym - The Chalk Circle Man by Fred Vargas
12. A book with an LGBTQ+ protagonist Tin Man by Sarah Winman
13. A book that is also a stage play or musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming
14. A book by an author of a different ethnicity than you - March: Book Three by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell
15. A book about feminism A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft
16. A book about mental health The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley
17. A book you borrowed or that was given to you as a gift
18. A book by two authors
19. A book about or involving a sport
20. A book by a local author - March: Book Two by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell
21. A book with your favorite color in the title All Systems Red by Martha Wells
22. A book with alliteration in the title - The Dying Detective by Leif GW Persson
23. A book about time travel - A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle
24. A book with a weather element in the title
25. A book set at sea - The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger
26. A book with an animal in the title The Jaguar's Children by John Vaillant
27. A book set on a different planet Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
28. A book with song lyrics in the title The Cold, Cold Ground by Adrian McKinty
29. A book about or set on Halloween Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling - counting this as it has a chapter titled Halloween, and it is a turning point in the book
30. A book with characters who are twins God Stalk by P. C. Hodgell
31. A book mentioned in another book Above Suspicion by Helen MacInnes (mentioned in A World Gone Mad)
32. A book from a celebrity book club
33. A childhood classic you've never read Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
34. A book that's published in 2018 MI5 and Me: A Coronet Among the Spooks by Charlotte Bingham
35. A past Goodreads Choice Awards winner Artemis by Andy Weir
36. A book set in the decade you were born - The White Album by Joan Didion
37. A book you meant to read in 2017 but didn't get to - The Girl With All the Gifts by M. R. Carey
38. A book with an ugly cover The Strange Death of Fiona Griffiths by Harry Bingham
39. A book that involves a bookstore or library - The Annotated Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler
40. Your favorite prompt from the 2015, 2016, or 2017 POPSUGAR Reading Challenges (you can easily Google these): A Book From A Nonhuman Perspective (2017 Challenge) Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells

Advanced Reading Challenge

1. A bestseller from the year you graduated high school
2. A cyberpunk book
3. A book that was being read by a stranger in a public place
4. A book tied to your ancestry
5. A book with a fruit or vegetable in the title
6. An allegory Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi
7. A book by an author with the same first or last name as you Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
8. A microhistory - Blizzard of Glass: The Halifax Explosion of 1917 by Sally M. Walker
9. A book about a problem facing society today On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder
10. A book recommended by someone else taking the POPSUGAR Reading Challenge Slow Horses by Mick Herron (Charlotte)

My 2018 Data:

Books read: 95
Group Read: 1
Formatted Challenge: 2
PopSugar Challenge: 38

Books that are part of a series: 50
In Translation: 14
Rereads: 6
GNs: 5

Format:
hardback: 17
paperback: 17
ebook: 36
audio: 23
audio/print or ebook combo: 2

Borrowed: 14 (public library), 2 (Birdy's library), 1 (Abby's library), 1 (traveling LT book), 2 (Kindle Lending Library)
Archive (Purchased in 2012 or earlier): 4
Purchased in 2013: 4
Purchased in 2014: 2
Purchased in 2015: 2
Purchased in 2016: 6
Purchased in 2017: 21
Purchased in 2018: 36

Authors:
Living: 75
Dead: 20

Male: 49
Female: 46

American: 42
Australian: 1
Canadian: 2
English: 24
French: 2
Icelandic: 1
Iraqi: 1
Irish: 4
Italian: 1
Mexican: 1
Scottish: 7
Swedish: 8
Welsh: 1

New to me authors: 48

fiction: 75
non-fiction: 19

Genres/category:
non-fiction/memoir: 8
non-fiction/essays: 4
non-fiction/film history: 1
non-fiction/history: 5
non-fiction/politics: 1
classic: 2
literary fiction/contemporary fiction: 6
literary fiction/espionage 1
literary fiction/historical fiction: 4
crime fiction/espionage: 7
crime fiction/mystery: 6
crime fiction/noir: 5
crime fiction/police procedural: 17
romance: 3
weird fiction: 1
dystopian: 1
fantasy: 3
urban fantasy: 2
sci fi: 6
steampunk: 1
juvenile fiction: 7
play: 1
short stories: 1
YA: 1

LT Recommendations Read:
Amber: 2
Beth: 2
Bill: 1
Birdy: 2
Charlotte: 10
Deborah: 1
Heather: 2
Katie: 3
Lucy: 1
Lynda: 1
Mark: 3
Meg: 1
Joanne: 2
Joe: 3
Roberta: 1
Roni: 1
Susan: 2

Time Travel Book Recommendations:

1. Time And Again by Jack Finney - Richard (ask Richard if he meant the Time and Again book or if this is different), Shelley, Joe and Debbi also loved this
2. Time on My Hands by Peter Delacorte - Richard
3. If I Never Get Back by Darryl Brock - Shelley, but it involves Mark Twain AND baseball, so maybe not
4. Replay by Kevin Grimwood - Shelley and a BIIIIG second from Richard
5. A Time to Remember by Stanley Shapiro, about the Kennedy assassination - Shelley
6. Doomsday Book by Connie Willis - Julia
7. Murder in Time by Julie McElwain (they are good but not spectacular) - Julia
8. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffeneggar - Beth (and Helen says DO NOT read the coda) and Chelle
9. Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach by Kelly Robson - Susan (quondame)
10. The Dechronization of Sam Magruder by George Gaylord Simpson - Karen
11. The House on the Strand by Daphne du Maurier - Karen
12. 11,000 Years Lost by Peni R. Griffin - Karen
13. The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes - Karen
14. Kindred by Octavia E. Butler - Karen
15. Household Gods by Judith Parr and Harry Turtledove - Richard loathed it but Susan (quondame) says yes
16. How To Stop Time by Matt Haig - Chelle
17. To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis - Lucy says, "Helps (but not at all essential) to have read Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome. Highly recommended. A hoot! I actually listened to it on Audible."

This should do it - next one's yours!

Happy new thread, Mamie!! :-) Love the topper

Happy new thread, Mamie! Great thread topper.

>3 Crazymamie: I like that term, “walking the cat.” I’m kind of in that reading mode this year.

>12 jessibud2: Thank you, Shelley! SO glad you love the topper!

>13 tymfos: Thanks, Terri! The topper love makes me happy. *grin*

I highly recommend walking the cat - I plan on doing it again next year.

Happy new thread, Mamie and happy Wednesday to you.

August already. Can you believe it?

Happy new thread, Mamie!

Happy new thread, Mamie! I'll pretend I didn't see your comments about book 18 in the Joe Pickett series :-)

>15 karenmarie: Morning, Karen, and thank you! Happy Wednesday to you.

No, I cannot believe it is August - I am in shock.

>16 harrygbutler: Thanks, Harry!

>17 susanj67: Thank you, Susan! I have no idea what you are talking about. *blinks*

Happy new thread!

I love the category "weird fiction" in your list. Great idea!

Happy new thread!!

Happy new thread, Mamie.

Happy new one Mamie.

Due to a mix up at the library (mine, not theirs) I have to wait for the Bauer. Humbug!

Happy new one, Mamie!

I am planning to walk the cat next year, except I might consider doing the PopSugar challenge again...

Happy New Thread, Mamie. I love the walking the cat idea.

>19 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

>20 sibylline: Lucy, there was actually a challenge over in the Category Challenge group to read a weird fiction book! And Happy Birthday one day late!

>21 ChelleBearss: Thank you, Chelle!

>22 BLBera: Thanks, Beth!

>23 charl08: Thank you, Charlotte! Total bummer! Crossing my fingers that your wait is not a long one.

>24 katiekrug: Thanks, Katie! Yep - I was thinking about doing the PopSugar one again, too. It's been a fun one to just see what I read that fits into it.

>25 jnwelch: Thank you, Joe! I love walking the cat - takes all the pressure off.

Happy new thread, Mamie!

Happy new thread, Mamie!! (and happy August too)

Happy New Thread, Mamie. I hope all is well with you. Still miss seeing you around...

Happy new thread, Mamie. Looks like you ended up ahead of the pack last month and you are there again - you go girl!

Happy new one! Love your topper. : )

Happy new thread Mamie!

Happy new one, Mamie and belated congrats on reaching 75.

Happy new thread, Mamie!

Rain again today, which I don't mind at all. It has been raining for the past week or so, but the overcast skies are a nice break from the unremitting heat of the Georgia sun this time of year. Shockingly, no reading got done last night - Rae and I started the fourth season of Bosch - love that show. The books are better, but they did a good job with the tv series.

I need to start catching all ya'll up on all the recipes I have tried this summer - only a few losers, I am happy to report. Last night we tried two new ones, and they both got rave reviews here at the Pecan Paradisio. First, I made mashed potatoes in the slow cooker, and they turned out pretty yummy, but I think I can tweak it to be even better - it was lovely not to have to mess with the big pot of boiling water, plus, I needed that burner on the stove for the chicken. The chicken recipe we tried was Maple Bourbon Pecan Chicken from the iowagirleats blog:



Today will be strength training and a power walk, then Birdy and I will pick up Abby from work and hit a few stores. I have no idea yet what's for dinner, so I do need to figure that out. Also hoping to squeeze in some reading.

>28 FAMeulstee: Thank you, Anita!

>29 RebaRelishesReading: Thanks, Reba! Happy August to you!

>30 msf59: Morning, Mark! Thank you. Things are going really great for me - I just have less LT time because I have been focusing on my health. I am losing the weight and feeling great, so it is full of fabulous, but also time consuming, I am missing all of you, too, and I SO appreciate being missed. Hopefully, by winter, I will be back here more.

>31 Familyhistorian: Thanks, Meg! I walked over 20 miles the last two days of July - I was a bit of a nut trying to get my next lifetime stepping badge, and also I was so close to getting over 500,000 steps for the month. BUT I did manage both - I am now the proud owner of the Great Wall of China badge! Thanks so much for all the encouragement!

>32 Berly: Thank you, Kim! I need to come catch up with you!!

>33 souloftherose: Thanks, Heather!

>34 Ameise1: Thank you, Anita!

>35 scaifea: Thanks, Amber! I have been lurking on your thread - congrats on the successful move and the new library cards acquisitions. Charlie looked so happy! Your new home sounds full of fabulous.

Oh Nate and I enjoyed the first season of Bosch! We should find the rest of them now for winter binge watching!

Thanks for the recipe update! More welcome (when you have time - no pressure!)...

Happy New Thread, Mamie!

>40 ChelleBearss: Seasons two and three are just as good, Chelle.

>41 katiekrug: You're welcome, Katie. I am hoping to post at least one a day until I get caught up on what we have made - at least, what I can remember we have made. Heh.

>42 jnwelch: Oh, I love that! Thanks, Joe! Totoro rocks!

I get behind a couple of days and your thread just explodes! Belated best wishes on your new thread.

Thank you, Lori!

>36 Crazymamie: I'm drooling.

Happy Friday.

>36 Crazymamie: Hi, Mamie! We've been having welcome rain nearly every day, and the garden has been loving it. Our tomatoes are starting to ripen — beginning with the quite tasty Sun Sugar cherry tomatoes, and I think we should be able to harvest some wax beans soon. Enjoy your Friday and the weekend!

Happy new one, Mamie!

Happy new month, happy new thread! We are getting all the overcast skies from this system hovering from south to north east but haven't had the benefit of good drenching rains. We are a bit parched :+

Happy new thread! The topper is gorgeous.

>36 Crazymamie: That chicken looks amazing.

I did want to mention just one thing. We have enough rain now. Thank you Georgia. Really. Enough. We wanted rain, just not ALL OF IT IN ONE WEEK. If you could just tell whatever weather generator you have working over there above GA, that would be great.

>38 Crazymamie: Congrats on your Great Wall of China badge and for topping 500,000 steps for the month, Mamie. That is amazing!

Happy new thread, Mamie.

Happy Sunday, Mamie! Hope you are having a fine weekend at the Pecan Paradiso.

Hi Mamie! Congrats on the weight loss and power walking and etc.

Here's to a wonderful Sunday!

Happy new one!

Oof, made it through M-day...

Happy New one, Mamie!

>36 Crazymamie: I am glad to hear the rain is giving you a break from the sun.

That Bourbon Pecan Chicken looks delicious!

>47 BLBera: It was very good, Beth, and very easy to make.

>48 harrygbutler: Hello, Harry! Craig's garden is going crazy this year- he is so thrilled! Loads of tomatoes, and they are delicious. We have finally gotten our sun back, and it is a return to low 90s, high 80s, but at least the humidity is not as high.

>49 brodiew2: Thanks, Brodie!

>50 Carmenere: Thank you, Lynda! Hoping you have gotten some rain by now.

>51 nittnut: Thanks, Jenn! Glad you like the topper. The chicken was really yummy - definitely one we will make again.

Oh, dear! Has the rain finally stopped? We are enjoying sunny days currently, but the rain is back in our forecast later this week. Georgia seems to get rain like you describe - I can't remember it raining in Indiana the way it does down here - just kind of settles in for days and comes straight down drenching everything in sight. I actually kind of love it.

>52 Familyhistorian: Thank you, Meg! I have slowed down this month due to some heel pain that I am not loving. I am dealing with plantar fasciitis, which I like to call Planter's Flashy Alice, just to make Craig groan. SO, I have been doing more stretching and less stepping. *grimace*

>53 Helenliz: Thank you, Helen!

>54 msf59: Thanks, Mark! The weekend was a good one, and I am looking forward to the end of this week because both Rae and Abby have taken a few days off - should be fun to hang out.

>55 karenmarie: Hello, Karen! Thank you. I have now lost a total of 15 pounds, so I am pleased with my progress, although it would probably go more quickly if I would just ditch the wine. SO not happening.

>56 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita!

>57 charl08: Truth! And that is exactly how I always feel about it, Charlotte.

>58 brodiew2: Thanks, Brodie! The chicken dish was most yum.

Okay, so here are two more of my favorite recipes that I recently discovered - everyone here at the Pecan Paradisio loves both of these:


Recipe is from the iowagirlseats blog Signature Spicy Smoky Sweet Chili

And by happy coincidence, the chili is really delicious on top of this:


The Best and Quickest Baked Sweet Potatoes from this Live Simply blog.

The sweet potatoes are also really good with a bit of the herb butter that I posted about from the iowagirlseats blog:

I like that you can bake off a batch of these on the weekend and then enjoy them throughout the week - they hold up well to being reheated from the refrigerator.

Hi Mamie. Those sweet potatoes look yummy! As soon as the tropical heat is gone here, I will turn on the oven. No need for that at the moment.....

Hope your heel heals. I had a bout of Plantar's Flashy Alice once. Not fun!

>64 jessibud2: Hello, Shelley! The sweet potatoes are da Bomb - my latest favorite thing.

And thank you. You are so right it is not fun, and I was kind of bummed with the timing, but "you get what you get and you don't throw a fit", so...

I need to try to like sweet potatoes.

>60 Crazymamie: I've had doses of PF, it is soooo not fun. I now have a ball of unknown sports origin, about the size of a tennis ball but made of stuff more similar to a squash ball, that sits under my desk. Most days (as in she hasn't done it for a while and should) I roll the ball about under my bare foot to work a stretch into the sole of the foot. Hurts in a nice way, if that makes any sense...

>61 Crazymamie: giving up wine? >:-o I should think not too.

>66 katiekrug: No, you don't, Katie. Not every food is for every person.

>67 Helenliz: It does, Helen. I just got a kind of spiky ball and a tube thing that I have been using, and they really help. Especially good first thing in the morning before getting out of bed and also after I have been sitting for awhile because it really hurts when I put weight on it after I have been off of it for more than a half hour or so.

Right. The wine stays. I have cut back, but I am not giving it up.

>67 Helenliz: What finally, after years with cortisone shots and every other stretch imaginable, cured my PF was to bring my ankle onto my knee hold the ankle with my opposite hand and pull back my toes with the same side hand. I did and do this before putting a foot on the ground in the morning and don't have to do anything else. I'm not an active person at all, but I do put rather a lot of weight on my feet, so there is always some stress involved. http://uppercanadasportsmedicine.com/documents/Plantar%20Fasciitis%20reading.pdf

>69 quondame: I am totally going to try that, Susan. Thanks!

Yum! Love sweet potatoes. Gonna have to try that one. Sorry your heel is not cooperating, dang Alice! Congrats on losing 15 and I would not give up the wine either!

>70 Crazymamie: Good luck! I do 3 10 second stretches on each foot. At first I'd do it 2-3 more times a day when my foot felt stressed, and then for a few months, but it hasn't been necessary for years now.

>71 Berly: Me, too, Kim! I love how quick and easy the recipe is, and the caramelization that happens to the sweet potato is awesomesauce.

I am hoping the stretching and the icing will do the trick with the heel. And thank you.

>72 quondame: Thanks, Susan! I did it yesterday, and I could really feel the stretch - I will try it with three sets of ten seconds several times a day and see how it goes. I really appreciate your sharing it with me.

Congrats on your weight loss. I've been gaining, of course, because I'm pregnant and have not been able to exercise with all this pneumonia I've been dealing with. But now that I'm feeling better I hope to get some walking in during evenings when Aaron is home with the kids. Neither kid is athletic enough to have to sort of walk I want to go on, and I like listening to audiobooks while I'm walking. :)

ETA: Doc says not to gain any more weight! :(

>74 The_Hibernator: Hello, Rachel! Thank you. I am hoping you get your walk in very soon. I also like to listen to audiobooks while I walk - a great way to squeeze in some reading on the fly. Sorry about the no more weight advice from the doctor - it's not like you can help gaining weight when exercise is not an option. I am so happy you are feeling better and hope your health continues to improve - you have had your hands very full lately. I think you are doing a great job with so much on your plate.

Hi Mamie, welcome to the weekend. Hurrah.
On the subject of weather, the UK's summer seems to be back to normal. After weeks with no rain we've had it coming down in buckets for the last week or so. I put washing on the line this morning then had to do the mad dash out to get it back in when the heavens opened later on.

>60 Crazymamie: Thank you for sorting things out Mamie. We are now getting reasonable amounts of rain at reasonable times, Lol. I love rain, and I love it pouring down until there is a river running down my street. Then I begin to have slight reservations.

Happy new(ish) thread, Mamie, and hope you're having a wonderful weekend!

I hope your feet are back into shape soon, Mamie. I wondered what was happening when I almost caught up to you. We are still waiting for some rain to fall, they keep promising but no appreciable amount has fallen yet.

>76 Helenliz: The weekend was good, Helen. Oh dear about the washing on the line. I love the smell of laundry dried on the line, but I would never attempt it here as everything would be completely covered in pollen after just a few moments.

>77 nittnut: You are welcome, Jenn. Heh. We have mostly been getting evening showers, which is kind of nice. I am ready for a break in the humidity, though. It's very YUCK out there currently.

>78 bell7: Thank you, Mary! The weekend was excellent.

>79 Familyhistorian: I am working on it, Meg. The stretches are definitely helping, but it is a slower process than I would like. I got my steps in yesterday for the first time in what feels like forever, but I paid for it later.

Hoping you have gotten your promised rain.

Catching up on the reading front, here is what I finished up July with:


Book #76: The Annotated Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler (5 stars), 2018 acquired paperback, crime fiction/noir/private detective (Philip Marlowe, book 1)

Well, this was delightful, which is not usually how one would describe noir, but I have BIG love for The Big Sleep, both the book and the movie. I grew up watching Humphrey Bogart bring characters like Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe to life, and even now whenever I read Hammett and Chandler, it is Bogart's voice I hear in my head narrating the story. I love the darkness and the grittiness found in these pages, but also the clever use of dialogue and the language that is a world of its own. I love how Chandler makes the city a living breathing thing - a device that has been much copied by his admirers. When I heard that there was an annotated edition coming out for the first time ever, I immediately pre-ordered it. What a treat. The editors did a brilliant job of deciding what to highlight and also of choosing the book's layout. The original text is on the lefthand page and the notes are on the facing righthand page, making it so easy and enjoyable to read the story and the notes in tandem. And the size of the book is perfect - an oversized paperback that stays open without one having to fight or break the spine. I wasn't sure what they would choose to include, but I hoped for discussion on how the novel and the movie compared. I got this and so much more - maps and photos of the city of Los Angeles from Chandler's time, comparisons between the book and the movie with discussion about why certain things were changed, definitions and origins of the slang that is used throughout the text, and excerpts from the original pulp stories that Chandler used to piece together the novel - he stole the best bits from stories he previously sold to magazines to give us some of the most memorable moments of the novel, changing names and some content to gift us with an even better version. And I laughed out loud when I read that during the making of the movie they queried Chandler about who actually killed Owen Taylor - the movie is one you have to watch several times to wrap your head around the plot, which, to me, is part of its charm. Anyway, Chandler responded that he had no idea. I LOVE this! All this to say that the annotated edition met and exceeded my expectations - highly recommended to anyone with an appreciation of and/or a fascination with noir.


Book #77: The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain (4.25 stars), 2010 acquired paperback, crime fiction/noir

I can't believe it has taken me this long to get to this book. The story pulls you in and keeps you reading even though there are really no likable characters. And there is no postman. Just saying.

>81 Crazymamie: Nice review of The Annotated Big Sleep, Mamie! It sounds like a very helpful resource. I've never read The Postman Always Rings Twice; good to know that it's gripping despite the characters.

Enjoy your Tuesday!

>82 harrygbutler: Thank you, Harry! I was very happy that it lived up to me expectations. Definitely a keeper.

The Postman Always Rings Twice is very good with the pacing and with keeping the tension building - you keep thinking the story is over, and then it twists and goes in a new direction.

Good afternoon, Mamie!

>81 Crazymamie: I'll second that this is a wonderful review of The Annotated Big Sleep. You passion for both the book and the film is clear and infectious. I'll need to review the film right after Casablanca, which I have promised to another friend. It's Bogey time!

>84 brodiew2: Afternoon, Brodie. And thank you! Casablanca is another favorite of mine - enjoy!

Hi Mamie!

Just checking back in after my daughter left today to go back to Wilmington. Her fall classes start on Friday the 17th. We played lots of Hand and Foot and Yahtzee, in addition to watching some fun movies and documentaries. We've been getting lots of rain and the grass and weeds keep growing, drat it. No stunting in sight.

>86 karenmarie: Hello, Karen! Sounds like you have been having lots of fun - I really need to catch up on the threads. I have no idea what Hand and Foot is, but Yahtzee I know - we love that one.

More catching up on the reading front - here's what I have read so far in August:


Book #78: Artificial Condition by Martha Wells (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, science fiction/AI (The Murderbot Diaries, book 2) - the second entry in this very fun series. I loved ART!


Book #79: The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, crime fiction/espionage (Gabriel Allon, book 1) - recommended by Susan - Susan mentioned on her thread that this is one of her favorite series, and that she loves Gabriel even more than Jack Reacher, so of course I had to investigate. Interesting characters and very well written; my only complaint is that the ending felt abrupt, which is strange for a 500+ page book. Needing to know what happens next, I have already picked up the second book.


Book #80: Queenpin by Megan Abbott (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, crime fiction/noir - recommended by Roberta - Charlotte posted a link on her thread to an article written by Megan Abbott about whether or not we should be reading Chandler (Reading Raymond Chandler in the age of #MeToo), and reading the article is how I found out about The Annotated Big Sleep - Abbott is also a Chandler fan. Anyway, after reading the article, I wanted to read something by Abbott, and I remembered Roberta loving this one, so I picked it up. Written in the noir style, it is a very good story, and I loved that the men were one dimensional while the ladies stole the show. Recommended if you like noir. This is my fist book by Abbott, but it will not be my last.


Book #81: Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells (5 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, science fiction/AI (The Murderbot Diaries, book 3) - seriously, these are like candy. Another great entry - I cannot wait for the next one.


Book #82: Like Water For Chocolate by Laura Esquirel (4 stars) library hardback, translation, historical fiction/culinary fiction/magical realism - I picked this up from the library to have a shared read with Morphy.

"...she was thinking how easy it was to wish for things as a child. Then nothing seemed impossible. Growing up, one realizes how many things one cannot wish for, the things that are forbidden, sinful. Indecent."

It's very good - I loved the writing and the magical realism is beautifully done. It reminded me a bit of Garden Spells, which it preceded by years. Although I did not love it the way that I love Garden Spells, which is much more fully fleshed, I did really enjoy it. Each chapter is a month of the year, starting with January and includes a recipe, but the months are from different years, so the story advances in jumps as you read.


Book #83: Tin Man by Sarah Winman (5 stars), 2018 acquired hardback, contemporary fiction - recommended by Joanne

Okay, this is gorgeous. Please read it. You will need tissues and wine.

"He took a bottle of Scotch out of the cupboard and came back to the heat. In the silence, the echo of industry receded, just flames now, and the soft dull thud of car doors opening and shutting on a new day outside. This had always been the worst time, when the quiet emptiness could leave him gasping for breath. She was there, his wife, a peripheral shadow moving across a doorway, or in the reflection of a window, and he had to stop looking for her. And the whiskey helped - helped him to walk past her when the fire was doused. But occasionally she followed him up the stairs and that's why he began to take the bottle with him, because she stood in the corner of their bedroom and watched him undress, and when he was on the verge of sleep, she leaned over him and asked him things like, Remember when we first met?"

And one more:

"I rest till I'm calm and my breathing has settled. I lift myself out and sit by the edge of the pool with a towel around my shoulders. And I wonder what the sound of a heart breaking might be. And I think it might be quiet, unperceptively so, and not dramatic at all. Like the sound of an exhausted swallow falling gently to earth."

Tin Man goes on my list, Mamie. I just finished The Lightkeepers and it was great! Do you know that Geni has a new one coming out?

>89 BLBera: Hooray, Beth - I think you will love it. And I am thrilled that you thought The Lightkeepers was great!! I did not know she had a new one coming out, so thanks for that.

*edited to fix the touchstone

I have Tin Man - bought the beautiful hardcover soon after it came out. I absolutely loved her novel When God Was a Rabbit - probably the best ER book I ever won! If it's not on the Dirty Dozen list already, please add it!

>91 katiekrug: The writing and the story are just as beautiful as the hardcover, Katie. And I love how the cover ties into the narrative.

I added When God Was a Rabbit as soon as you mentioned loving it over on Joanne's thread. You are now up to eight for this year. *grin*

I guess I could have scrolled up to check for myself, huh?

Moving Tin Man higher up the pile....

>93 katiekrug: No worries - I am happy to assist. Happy dance that you are moving Tin Man up - the touchstone really wants it to be that tv miniseries, which is slightly disturbing.

I loathe the touchstones.

Yeppers.

Wow. I must never go away again, just caught up on your last 7 threads. Have a brilliant day!

>97 BBGirl55: Bryony!!! Hello there! Right - never go away again. Hoping your day is also full of brilliant!

Hi, Mamie. I just read Rogue Protocol and loved it, too. They are like candy. I want more now!

>99 jnwelch: Morning, Joe! I know, right?! I got Craig to read them, and he also loved them.

>88 Crazymamie: I'm so glad you liked The Kill Artist, Mamie! I like the whole cast of recurring characters who soon seem like old friends, with their various quirks and talents. That's one thing missing from the Jack Reacher novels, when it's usually just Jack. But Gabriel, yes, the world needs a Gabriel. I am actual envious of you having the whole series still ahead of you :-)

Tin Man sounds excellent - it seems my library has it but it's out right now, which is just as well because I've just been over there to pick up something else. Now there is no touchstone for it at all. Weird.

>101 susanj67: Hello, Susan! I did like it, and I loved how it told a very complicated story from multiple viewpoints. I am looking forward to getting to know Gabriel better.

Oh, please do get to Tin Man when you can. We have been going to another library, and it has been fun because the layout is completely different. I need to make a list of things to check for once I make it through the stack I have already checked out.

Morning, Mamie! Love the update. Lots of great books read recently!
Hope your summer heat is calming down a touch for you

>80 Crazymamie: We did get some rain but only for one day, not enough to make the grass green or anything. We are back into sunshine again but now the smoke has moved in keeping temperatures down a bit but making breathing a problem for those with respiratory issues.

I hope you are getting back into walking shape again. At least this time you had a good run before any issues showed up.

I have The Postman Always Rings Twice on the shelves. Would you call it a hard boiled mystery? If so, I will probably read it next month for the mystery category. Susan also got me with the Daniel Silva rave and I just picked up The Kill Artist from the library yesterday. I'll know better than to expect a complete ending.

>104 Familyhistorian: Hoping you get some more rain in the very near future, Meg. Ugh to the smoke.

SO true about the walking - I am stepping but paying close attention to the heel, and stopping when it tells me to. The stretches are really helping, and in the meantime I am focusing on my strength training, so it's all good.

The Postman Always Rings Twice is definitely a hard boiled mystery. The Kill Artist is over 500 pages, and I read it on my Kindle, so when I turned the page to find the epilogue, I was shocked. I knew I was near the end, but not AT the end. Heh.

>88 Crazymamie: Hello Mamie. I listened to the first few of the Gabriel Allon series on audio as narrated by John Lee. He is among my favorite narrators. The series shifted narrators and lost me after The Confessor, which is my favorite of the few I listened to.

Crazy--I am too tired to say anything very intelligent. Made it to work today for a few hours. Still exhausted from the pneumonia. Sigh. Glad you got some stepping in again. Hope the feet hang in there. The next TKD test is looking very dubious at this point. But I am caught up here! For at least 30 seconds....

Good luck with the feet. I have been struggling with PF too, so have been trying the recommended stretches upthread - so handy! A friend also recommended an acupuncturist, but I am not sure...

>105 Crazymamie: The ending thing - this is especially weird on the library e-loan system. One I read last week jumped from p75 to the end (p130) with no pages in between, so the ending completely caught me by surprise and I had to find something else to read.

Hi Mamie!

Hand and Foot is a type of Canasta. Daughter and I also like Spite and Malice (which my grandmother, born in 1909, endearingly and daringly called Shit on Your Neighbor).

I hope you have a lovely day and that your PF goes away soon. I've had it twice - both times in both feet at once. That pain makes my recent adventure with tendenosis in my right foot seem like a cake ... er ... walk.

Hello Mamie! I hope all is well with you.

So, I go to the library website to pull Casablanca and The Big Sleep and there is a hold list! Can you believe it? 13 for Casablanca and 4 for The Big Sleep. I did not suspect to have to wait. :-)

>105 Crazymamie: It is hard boiled? I will add The Postman Always Rings Twice to my reads for next month's challenge. It's a good thing that it is slim because my library holds keep showing up in bunches. I'm hoping The Kill Artist is a quick read.

Look at you continuing to work out despite injury. I really should get back into strength training. I just need to get my book shelf reorganization finished to get the books off my weight bench.

The smoke isn't too bad today but is supposed to get worse on the weekend. We are now sharing it with our neighbours and it can be seen on satellite images.

Hello? Anyone home? Hope the workouts are continuing to go well. Missing you here. : )

Hello Mamie! I hope all is well with you. With all the NOIR happening around here, I couldn't help myself.

>113 brodiew2: - LOL!

>113 brodiew2: *snerk*

Hi, Mamie! I see you started this new thread just as I was heading out to Kansas. I'm home now and just starting to catch up on threads. I am first in line for Artificial Condition when the next one of their 3 copies is returned, and am 7th in line for the 4 copies of Rogue Protocol that are on order. Hurrah for the weight loss. Now that the hubby can walk normally again, I'm hoping we pick up our activity level and I can do some of that weight loss stuff.

Hiya, Mamie!

>113 brodiew2: Ha! Perfect, Brodie.

Hallo, Mamie! Come out to play!

>113 brodiew2: I love Calvin and Hobbes. It's perfect.

>113 brodiew2: Ooh, I like that one, Brodie.

Hi Mamie, I hope you are doing something fun that is keeping you from here.

Hiya, Mamie! I'm just dropping in to say hello!

Hi Mamie. I too, am cruising by to say hello. I was just over at Joe's thread reading about one of the Murderbot books - I need to get going on this series - it sounds like a lot of fun. Luckily I have the first one on my Kindle - now I just need to fit it into my reading schedule. :)

Hi, Mamie. How are you, my friend? It looks like I have not been by in awhile. I aim to correct that oversight. Good review of Tin Man. It is now firmly on the list.

>113 brodiew2: LOL! :D

Hi, Mamie! I'm just skimming to catch up, just catching a few things for responses:

1) Congrats on weight loss
2) Yum! for recipes
3) Hiss, boo! for foot trouble.

Wishing you a great rest of the week, and a return to walking comfort!!

Hey Mamie! Another "skimmer" here! Ditto on weight loss! and foot trouble is a bummer! My husband has been having issues which dr will check out later this week. It is a hindrance for sure! Hope your's recovers soon.
I just copied the chili recipe (I figured Smoked Paprika gave it the smoky taste and I just so happen to have a container in my cupboard) I'll hold off on this one for a nice coooooool day.

Mi Mamie! Looks like you are MIA. Hope all is well!

Just popping by to hope you're doing OK out there in the real world.

The noir is calling me....I recall you advising me on the classic films to see, and wouldn't you know that today I purchased a book which boasts being set in the places "that allowed film noir to flourish". Ooooh! (It is The Long Take).

Hope all is well at the Pecan Paradisio, Mamie.

Not been exactly active myself so I hope you come and make this place less quiet as you are surely missed. xx

What Paul said. Happy Labor Day, too!

Come out, come out, wherever you are! Hope RL is treating you well. : )

Hello Mamie! I hope all is well with you on this Labor Day.

When one Robert isn't enough...

Hey! Just dropping by to say hello! Hope all is well with you.

Morning, Mamie! I hope you had a nice holiday weekend, at the Pecan Paridiso! And I hope those books are treating you fine. We miss seeing you around.

What Mark said, Mamie. Tipping my hat, and I hope your week goes well.

Happy Friday, Mamie. Hope you have a great weekend!

I see you posting on other threads and just rushed over here to say HI!

Saw you posting on other threads, Mamie, and rushed over here to say HI!

Hello, Mamie! Hope all is well with you :)

Hiya, Mamie! Thinking of the Pecan Paradisio, and hoping you're all doing okay.

Hi Mamie! I hope things are going well for you.

Just popping in to plump up the cushions and put the heating on. Hope the world is treating you well.

Crazy--Are you having trouble keeping up with your own thread? LOL. You can just post on mine. ; ) Nice to see your name pop up here and there.

Oof! Sorry, everyone, about the lack of posting - September was a doozy. September is always hard for me because it is the anniversary of my Dad's death, and it was a heavy burden this year as I was missing him even more than usual. For those of you familiar with our tradition of Death Day Dinner and a Movie, the film this year was Double Indemnity.

In addition, Craig has been having some health issues - he has dealt with acid reflux for a long time, and this year they decided to scope his esophagus - they had to take a biopsy, and it was a scary thing to wait for the results. Luckily, they came back benign, but he needs a surgery to help with the reflux issue because it is damaging his esophagus. So September was full of testing, and he is now scheduled for surgery on the 16th of this month. He is having LINX esophageal procedure - any of you familiar with it? They place a band that is made up of magnetic titanium beads around the lower part of the esophagus that will allow you to still swallow but that prevents stomach acid from entering the esophagus. It has a very good success rate.

AND...this may be TMI for some of you, but I have entered The Change of Life. Apparently, 51 is the average age, so there goes all my ambitions of being above average. Luckily, I have not lost my sense of humor:



Anyway, I have missed all of you, and I am more than ready for some snark and shenanigans again. Thanks, everyone, for keeping my thread warm and for thinking of me.

Sorry about all the stress lately! Hopefully things will calm down for you soon.

"Doozy" doesn't even begin to cover it! Yowza.

Glad to see you popping in now and again. Shenanigans have been on hold with your absence, but are ready to begin again at a moment's notice...

>144 The_Hibernator: Thanks, Rachel. Calm would be most excellent.

>145 katiekrug: Your post made me smile BIG, Katie - thanks for that!

Yay, Mamie's posting on her own thread!

Lots going on for you, for sure. Haven't heard of the LINX esophageal procedure, but for the COL Black Cohosh supplements helped me a lot. Just sayin'.

Even with all the foof and stress, looks like you've been getting some good reading in.

Welcome back, Mamie. A colleague of mine had the same issues as Craig. I know she had some procedure done but not sure of the name. I can ask her and see if she has anything encouraging to add to the conversation. She is young, I think just 40, but I know she is still teaching so it must have worked. I, on the other hand, am no longer teaching, so am not as in touch as we used to be (her class was directly across the hall from mine).

Big hugs to you as you go through everything. And yay for that sense of humour. :-)

Hi, Mamie. Good to have you back! I'm sorry to hear that last month was a stressful one.

I had/have what probably is a milder version of what Craig has. For me, the surgery was ballooning out (expanding - my nontechnical words) my acid-scarred esophagus to ease eating, and I take an acid-reducer (Omeprazole) every day. I've since found out that both my parents had the same condition (they were famously close-lipped about any physical ailments). I get checked every half-year; I'll keep LINX in mind to ask about if the condition worsens at any point.

Good luck with everything, Mamie.

Crazy--Sorry September was a rough one, but really glad to see you back here. Best of luck to you and Craig. Good thing you still have your sense of humor. ; )

September sounds rough, Mamie. I hope things are looking up now that there is potential remedial surgery for Craig. Maybe the change of life will be relatively easy for you - it does happen that way, you know. Good to have you back among us.

Hope October settles down for you. Sorry to hear you too suffer with the loss of a loved Dad. Mine went 11 years ago and it still feels, at times, like I've lost an arm. There are days when I feel whoever said time is a healer is a great big fat liar. And then life goes on.
Oh that time. mmm, that's still in my future... something to look forward to then?
Lovely to have you back.

Hope that October is a calmer month, Mamie. Sending lots of good vibes your way.

So good to see you, Mamie, and I'm sending big hugs - and several cooling fans - your way.

Morning, Mamie! Happy Friday. Glad to see you check in. I hope everything goes smoothly with Craig.

Good morning, Mamie! I'm glad to see you back. I hope all goes well with Craig's surgery.

Soooo long September! And take your doozyness with you!! Good luck to Craig I hope the procedure is a complete success!
What a wonderful time in your life, Mamie! Everybody is different so you never know how it's going to hit you. One thing that seems to affect every woman is the crepey skin, that seems inevitable, so stock up on all the moisturizing lotion you can, pour it all in a tub and just lay in it everyday.
Oh! In case I forget..........it's a day early but

So sorry to hear about your rough September but really glad to see you back again.

We are having internet woes - the stupid thing goes down every day for at least an hour, usually longer. Sometimes multiple times. Very. Annoying. Anyway, for the moment it is up, so...

Today is our 28th anniversary, and it is looking to be just as hot, well, actually, hotter than the day we got married - we had freakish weather back then and it was 90F in Fort Wayne, Indiana on that day. Thank goodness the church had air conditioning. In Georgia, this weather is sadly not out of place - going to 95F today. *sigh* I miss Fall.

On the reading front, here is what I read last month:

Books Completed in September:


86. Fatal Pursuit by Martin Walker (4 stars), 2017 acquired paperback, crime fiction/police procedural (Bruno Corrourrèges, book 9) - Another fun entry in this series set in the French countryside that features loads of delicious food paired perfectly with a lot of wine.


87. Soulless by Gail Carriger (reread), 2013 acquired ebook, steampunk (Parasol Protectorate, book 1) - Chelle's recent enthusiasm for this series made me want to get back to it. Since it had been years since I read this first entry, I decided to reread it before moving on to book two.


88. The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman, illustrations by Chris Riddle (5 stars), library hardback, juvenile fiction/fractured fairytale - recommended by Amber and Birdy - Birdy checked this one out from the library, and I told her that Amber had loved it when she read it earlier this year. Birdy also loved it, and said I had to read it, so I did. I'm not sure which I love more, the story or the illustrations - truly delightful.


89. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (4 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, mystery/autism/child narrator - I have been meaning to read this one for years, and I am so glad that I finally made time for it. Very well done - I love books that can make you want to laugh and cry at the same time. Life is like that.


90. Borkmann's Point by Håkan Nesser (3.5 stars), paperback acquired before 2012, crime fiction/police procedural (Inspector Van Veeteren, book 2) - Okay, funny story; I thought this was the first book in the series. It was a paperback that moved with us from Indiana, and I did not realize it was not the beginning of the series until I was more than half way through it. When I went to Amazon to look up the first book, it told me that I owned it and purchased it back in 2013. Weird. I have no idea why I have book one on Kindle and book two in paperback, and I acquired the second book first. Is your head spinning yet? Anyway, I loved the humor in this and the weirdness of a detective that seems to be pursuing a serial killer at a leisurely pace.


91. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams (4.5 stars), 2018 acquired ebook, play - Loved this. I think I might have read it back in high school, but I didn't remember much of it except for the basic premise. This version is very interesting in that it has both the original version of the play that Williams wrote and the modified version. After asking Elia Kazan to take a look at it, Kazan wanted changes to Act Three, and because Williams really wanted Kazan to direct it, he made the changes even though he didn't agree with them. I liked that the edition presented the original play first, then a letter from Williams explaining the changes to Act Three and why they were made, and then the modified version of Act Three. I think Williams was right, and that the original version was better. I followed up my reading with watching the 1958 movie starring Paul Newman and Elizabeth Taylor, which is excellent, but now I wish I could see them perform the play as it was originally written.

>147 karenmarie: *grin* I will check out those supplements, Karen - thank you. And I have been doing some good reading - just as a much slower pace, it feels like. Hoping to get back into the swing of things this month.

>148 jessibud2: Thank you, Shelley. I would love to know what you find out from your friend when you have the chance to ask her. And thanks for those hugs and the kind words - greatly appreciated.

>149 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe. Craig has been taking acid-reducers for years, and the doctor really wants to get him off of them. He says this procedure will be life-changing for Craig, and that would be wonderful. I will be sure to report back on how he does with the surgery. The doctor said to allow for a two week recovery time, which Craig was not thrilled with, but you get what you get and you don't throw a fit, so...

>150 BLBera: Thanks, Beth.

>151 Berly: Thank you, Kim. A sense of humor is a very valuable thing, as I know you are very well aware.

>152 Familyhistorian: I think I have settled into the change of life, Meg. The hot flashes and the night sweats are not fun but also not terrible. Really, the worse thing is that it seems to have really cranked up my insomnia. Thank you so much for your encouragement and your kind words.

>153 Helenliz: Me, too, Helen! And thank you for sharing - I know just what you mean. My Dad died seven years ago, and I still feel raw at times. It's a journey, and I am thankful for how very much he meant to me and how very much he loved me. A rare thing, that kind of love, and I feel him still with me, and yet I mourn that I cannot physically spend time with him. I am thankful he left me so many very special memories and so much laughter to share.

"Oh that time" cracked me up. I am always happy to be moving forward, so there is that. You could not pay me to go backwards.

It's lovely to be back, thanks.

>154 charl08: Thank you, Charlotte! That has to be a clip from the NPR's tiny desk, which is one of my favorite things.

>155 scaifea: Thank you, Amber! The hugs and the fans are most welcome!

>156 msf59: Hello, Mark! Thanks so much for those good wishes!

>157 harrygbutler: Thank you, Harry! Much appreciated!

>158 Carmenere: Agreed, Lynda! Hmmm...your advice made me laugh. You are reminding me of when my sister first noticed the crepey skin on herself - she said she was going through the drive-thru for a beverage, and she saw her reflection in the drive-thru menu screen and was horrified. When did that happen to my neck, she thought. She was so distracted by it that the lady had to ask her multiple times to please drive forward.

And thank you for the anniversary wishes! Should be an interesting one - Craig is on this high protein, low calorie diet prior to his surgery, and it is a very interesting list of things that he can actually eat. Let's just say that we will not be doing dinner out. Also no caffeine and no alcohol, so really it's distressing.

>!59 Thank you, Reba!

Mamie is back! *happy dance*

Happy 28th aniversary, Mamie & Craig!

>164 FAMeulstee: Aw! Thank you, Anita! So sweet!

Happy Anniversary! Hope you have a good day despite the not-going-out.

>166 Helenliz: Thanks, Helen! So far so good...

Hiya, Mamie. So good to see you back.

Happy anniversary!

>160 Crazymamie: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time is one which has stuck with me over the years.

>160 Crazymamie:, >170 thornton37814: - It was also transformed into a brilliant stage play. I could not imagine how that might work but it did, and wonderfully, with creativity and sensitivity and humour. I saw it as part of my theatre subscription last year and would highly recommend it, if you ever have the opportunity to see it.

I just saw the play of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time last Sunday. It was brilliant. If you ever get the chance to see it, I'm sure you would enjoy it.

>168 weird_O: Hey there, Bill! Thank you.

>169 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

>170 thornton37814: Hello, Lori. I can see that - he did such a good job of capturing the main character's nuances and rhythms.

>171 jessibud2: That's so interesting, Shelley - I cannot wrap my head around it, but then I am always amazed at what can be achieved on stage.

>172 Familyhistorian: And you, too, Meg! I'll make a note of it.

Happy belated anniversary!
Sorry to September was a whomper! I am hoping for a great, and cool, October for you!

Glad to see my enthusiasm sent you back to Carriger! :)

>174 ChelleBearss: Thank you, Chelle! I appreciate those good wishes. I would really love to see an end to the temps in the 90sF - we are supposed to experience some 80s temps this week, and I am hoping the weather forecaster is not messing with us.

I had forgotten how fun the first book was in that series - I have all of them in the stacks, but I just got sidetracked and never got back to them. Thanks for the little push I needed.

Morning, Mamie! Woot for the Gaiman book! So, so good.

Morning, Amber! It was wonderful - I would love to see him do more in that vein.