LauraBrook ROOTs in 2019
Forum2019 ROOT (READ OUR OWN TOMES)
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1LauraBrook
Hello everyone! I'm back again for another year in this most useful and encouraging group!
I started last year with a total of 2,200 physical TBRs in my home library, and as of December 31, 2018, I had 2,299. For me, only having 99 new unread books is as close to zero as I've ever had in my adult life!
So, with a starting total of 2,299 TBRs as of midnight on January 1st, my ROOT goal for this year is to read 100 already-owned books. As long as I own a physical copy, it doesn't matter to me when or how it came in to my house - it's here and it's unread, so it counts towards my goal. Also, if I get rid of any books without reading them (like when I read the first in a series, don't like it, and then get rid of the next 8 in the series that I already owned) I count all of the books that leave my shelves as ROOTs. For me, the main goal is to read and get rid of as many books as I possibly can by whatever means necessary. I'm starting to feel the weight of all of these tomes and I'd like my shelves to feel less stagnant. If it's possible to not have books boxed up in the basement that would be amazing, but at this point it's an unrealistic goal.
Cheers to us all!
I started last year with a total of 2,200 physical TBRs in my home library, and as of December 31, 2018, I had 2,299. For me, only having 99 new unread books is as close to zero as I've ever had in my adult life!
So, with a starting total of 2,299 TBRs as of midnight on January 1st, my ROOT goal for this year is to read 100 already-owned books. As long as I own a physical copy, it doesn't matter to me when or how it came in to my house - it's here and it's unread, so it counts towards my goal. Also, if I get rid of any books without reading them (like when I read the first in a series, don't like it, and then get rid of the next 8 in the series that I already owned) I count all of the books that leave my shelves as ROOTs. For me, the main goal is to read and get rid of as many books as I possibly can by whatever means necessary. I'm starting to feel the weight of all of these tomes and I'd like my shelves to feel less stagnant. If it's possible to not have books boxed up in the basement that would be amazing, but at this point it's an unrealistic goal.
Cheers to us all!
2connie53
Welcome Laura and good luck with ROOTing and RIDing those books.
Please don't forget to copy your ticker in the ticker thread. That's a great help for Chèli.
Please don't forget to copy your ticker in the ticker thread. That's a great help for Chèli.
3rabbitprincess
Welcome back and have a great reading year! Good luck with clearing the shelves!
4Jackie_K
Welcome back, and good luck with your 2019 ROOTing! Your TBR total makes me feel so much better about mine! :)
5MissWatson
Welcome back, Laura. And good luck with your goal!
6LauraBrook
>2 connie53:, >3 rabbitprincess:, >4 Jackie_K:, and >5 MissWatson: Thank you! I have no idea where this year has gone, so I'm going to jump right in and catch up.
Book 1: Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear What a fantastic ROOT to start the year with! A wonderful book, and start to the series. 4.5 stars, keeper
Book 2: Heartless by Gail Carriger. Fun, and it reminded me of why I enjoy this series, and her writing so much. 4 stars, keeper.
Book 3: Coffin, Scarcely Used by Colin Watson. I feel like I missed some of the charm to this series starter, as I read it on my Kindle (which I only read while in bed). Still, enjoyable, and I look forward to the next in the series, 3 stars, keeper.
Book 4: The Black Lyon by Jude Deveraux. I liked this classic romance, and I liked the author too, so I'm excited to keep reading her work, and this series. 3.5 stars, keeper on ebook and got rid of the paperback.
Book 5: Me, My Hair, and I edited by Elizabeth Benedict. An interesting collection of essays by all different kinds of women and their relationship to and with their hair. I purchased it for the essay by Adriana Trigiani, which I enjoyed, but like a lot of collections, it was mostly just okay. 3 stars, and it's gone.
Book 6: Good Things I Wish You by A. Manette Ansay. I liked this, 3 stars, and I don't remember much about it looking back to January. Huh. I think I may have donated this, but I honestly don't remember!
Book 7: Tart Noir edited by Stella Duffy. Another short story collection, acquired for the stories by Jenny Colgan, Denise Mina, and Val McDermid. I enjoyed all of those, and the rest were mostly okay. 3 stars, not a keeper.
Book 8: Voyager by Diana Gabaldon. Great, though it took me months to read it. 4 stars, keeper.
Book 9: The Golden Girls: 'twas the night before christmas by Franceso Sedita. 4 stars, keeper, cute and funny, great for lifelong GG fans like myself.
Book 10: The Dark Angel by Elly Griffiths. The 10th Ruth book, and while the author seems to be focusing more on the personal relationships than the mystery each book, I am here for it. Also, after that big heart-stopper of an ending, I'm so glad that the next Ruth book comes out this coming Tuesday. 4.25 stars, keeper.
Book 11: The Usborne Classical Music Reference Book. An excellent starter for kids to get them interested in all aspects of classical music. 2.5 stars, and already gone.
Book 12: An English Room by Derry Moore. Lovely to look at, this coffee table-type book was fun to flip through, but I didn't find anything here that was either new information or that featured more rooms that I liked versus didn't like or was neutral about. 3 stars, and it's already gone.
Book 13: orange: future by Ichigo Takano. A bit of a disappointment, but still nice to spend time with this manga story again. 2 stars, already gone.
Books 14 & 15: Princess Jellyfish, Volume 8 and 9 by Akiko Highashimura. A fun wrap-up to the manga series, and I liked where the story went. 3.5 stars each, and both gone.
Book 16: The Crow Trap by Ann Cleeves. The start to the Vera Stanhope series (of which I'm a massive fan of the TV show), I was a little thrown off at first by the non-appearance of Vera herself until over 200 pages in, and how much younger and different she is compared to the fantastic Brenda Blethyn who portrays her on TV. I've come to accept that they're the same but different, just like most book and tv/movie series. 4 stars, and a keeper so far. I've been rewatching each corresponding episode when I finish a book, and it's interesting to see what was kept and what was left out or changed.
Book 17: Sidebarred by Emma Chase. The wrap-up novella to her Legal Briefs modern romance series, I liked it, and was happy to see most of the characters again. A fun ebook read, so 3 stars and kept.
Books 18, 19, & 20: The Next Always, The Last Boyfriend, and The Perfect Hope by Nora Roberts. Reading this Inn At Boonsboro trilogy of Nora's was fun, and felt familiar and new at the same time. Despite the fact that I knew where each book was ultimately going, there were a few surprises along the way, and I really appreciated the incorporation of Lizzie the ghost throughout the series. 3.5 stars each, and I'm not sure if I'll keep them yet or not.
Book 21: Nimona by Noelle Stevenson. I think I probably should have read this closer to its publication date - I think I would have enjoyed it more before most everyone told me to read it. 3.5 stars, and (this is going to make me sound really old) I wish there would have been less margin space and larger artwork. Sometimes it was difficult to read the words on the page between the font and the size.
Book 22: A Massage Therapist's Guide to Business by Laura Allen. A Continuing Education read, I enjoyed it, and probably could have found this a bit more useful if I'd read it closer to graduation. Still, it was full of good information and I learned a lot. 3.5 stars, keeper.
Book 23: The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook 3rd edition by Clair Davies. Another Continuing Education read, and yet another that I'll be referring back to over and over again in practice. Great info, and I enjoyed the layout. 4 stars, keeper.
Books 24 and 25: Timeless and The Curious Case of the Werewolf That Wasn't by Gail Carriger. Wrapping up the Soulless series, these were both a lot of fun, and I can see myself rereading them at some point in the future. 4 stars, keepers.
Book 26: The Villa by Nora Roberts. On a mini-Nora kick, it was a little bittersweet for me to read this story. One of my good friends, Normie, passed away about 13 years ago, and this was her favorite Nora book. Actually, she was the one who got me started on reading Nora in the first place. I was glad to read this story of wineries, family, deception, lies, and love, and to have finally been able to read this book that my friend so enjoyed. 4 stars, keeper.
Book 27: Do Not Disturb by Kate Kingsbury. The 2nd in the Pennyfoot Hotel cozy mystery series, this fell a little flat for me. Even though they're shorter books, and I enjoy the Edwardian setting and characters, it all seemed super obvious from the get-go. 2.5 stars, and a goner.
Book 28: Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams. The first BOTM that I've ever read (in over 2 years of being a member - that's totally on me), and I didn't enjoy it too much. There were several things that felt thrown in (like the #metoo and race relation stories in the US - this book takes place in London), and a few storylines that were never resolved. I liked parts of Queenie's journey, and wish that the author would have focused more on her internal growth and less on the floundering career ( all on her shoulders and her employer would probably have fired her ages ago in real life), misguided sexual partners, and quick hints about her sexually abused past. Still, it was easy to read and I liked parts of Queenie and her friends. 2.5 stars, and a goner.
Book 29: Fanny & Stella by Neil McKenna. Something from my shelf that I'd really wanted to read for years, and while I liked it, it was fairly repetitive and could have probably been half as long and just as informative. 3 stars, and a goner.
Book 30: Death of an Honest Man by M.C. Beaton. I'm so glad that I waited a year to read this latest Hamish book, since not only did I forget about a few villagers, but I also got to hear that there would thankfully be another in the series. No spoilers, but just an enjoyable entry in one of my favorite series. 4 stars, keeper.
Book 31: Northbridge Rectory by Angela Thirkell. I wish I'd known this was the 10th in her Barsetshire series - I'm an always-start-at-the-beginning kind of reader - but it was still easy to fall into the non-story about the lives of villagers in WWII rural England, their quirks and foibles and humanity. 4 stars, keeper.
Book 32: Year of Wonder by Clemency Burton-Hill. I'm rating this one early because I know I'll love it throughout the year. If you've ever wondered where to start in listening to classical music, this is an excellent place to be! With a thoughtful introduction, Clemency gives an entry/page a day for a whole year. She described a little of the piece, about the composer, and about the world it was written in. There's also a playlist on YouTube for anyone who wants to listen along. I've loved classical my whole life, and played viola for 13 years, so it's been really fun to hear new pieces by old favorites, and find new composers too. 5 stars, keeper!
Book 1: Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear What a fantastic ROOT to start the year with! A wonderful book, and start to the series. 4.5 stars, keeper
Book 2: Heartless by Gail Carriger. Fun, and it reminded me of why I enjoy this series, and her writing so much. 4 stars, keeper.
Book 3: Coffin, Scarcely Used by Colin Watson. I feel like I missed some of the charm to this series starter, as I read it on my Kindle (which I only read while in bed). Still, enjoyable, and I look forward to the next in the series, 3 stars, keeper.
Book 4: The Black Lyon by Jude Deveraux. I liked this classic romance, and I liked the author too, so I'm excited to keep reading her work, and this series. 3.5 stars, keeper on ebook and got rid of the paperback.
Book 5: Me, My Hair, and I edited by Elizabeth Benedict. An interesting collection of essays by all different kinds of women and their relationship to and with their hair. I purchased it for the essay by Adriana Trigiani, which I enjoyed, but like a lot of collections, it was mostly just okay. 3 stars, and it's gone.
Book 6: Good Things I Wish You by A. Manette Ansay. I liked this, 3 stars, and I don't remember much about it looking back to January. Huh. I think I may have donated this, but I honestly don't remember!
Book 7: Tart Noir edited by Stella Duffy. Another short story collection, acquired for the stories by Jenny Colgan, Denise Mina, and Val McDermid. I enjoyed all of those, and the rest were mostly okay. 3 stars, not a keeper.
Book 8: Voyager by Diana Gabaldon. Great, though it took me months to read it. 4 stars, keeper.
Book 9: The Golden Girls: 'twas the night before christmas by Franceso Sedita. 4 stars, keeper, cute and funny, great for lifelong GG fans like myself.
Book 10: The Dark Angel by Elly Griffiths. The 10th Ruth book, and while the author seems to be focusing more on the personal relationships than the mystery each book, I am here for it. Also, after that big heart-stopper of an ending, I'm so glad that the next Ruth book comes out this coming Tuesday. 4.25 stars, keeper.
Book 11: The Usborne Classical Music Reference Book. An excellent starter for kids to get them interested in all aspects of classical music. 2.5 stars, and already gone.
Book 12: An English Room by Derry Moore. Lovely to look at, this coffee table-type book was fun to flip through, but I didn't find anything here that was either new information or that featured more rooms that I liked versus didn't like or was neutral about. 3 stars, and it's already gone.
Book 13: orange: future by Ichigo Takano. A bit of a disappointment, but still nice to spend time with this manga story again. 2 stars, already gone.
Books 14 & 15: Princess Jellyfish, Volume 8 and 9 by Akiko Highashimura. A fun wrap-up to the manga series, and I liked where the story went. 3.5 stars each, and both gone.
Book 16: The Crow Trap by Ann Cleeves. The start to the Vera Stanhope series (of which I'm a massive fan of the TV show), I was a little thrown off at first by the non-appearance of Vera herself until over 200 pages in, and how much younger and different she is compared to the fantastic Brenda Blethyn who portrays her on TV. I've come to accept that they're the same but different, just like most book and tv/movie series. 4 stars, and a keeper so far. I've been rewatching each corresponding episode when I finish a book, and it's interesting to see what was kept and what was left out or changed.
Book 17: Sidebarred by Emma Chase. The wrap-up novella to her Legal Briefs modern romance series, I liked it, and was happy to see most of the characters again. A fun ebook read, so 3 stars and kept.
Books 18, 19, & 20: The Next Always, The Last Boyfriend, and The Perfect Hope by Nora Roberts. Reading this Inn At Boonsboro trilogy of Nora's was fun, and felt familiar and new at the same time. Despite the fact that I knew where each book was ultimately going, there were a few surprises along the way, and I really appreciated the incorporation of Lizzie the ghost throughout the series. 3.5 stars each, and I'm not sure if I'll keep them yet or not.
Book 21: Nimona by Noelle Stevenson. I think I probably should have read this closer to its publication date - I think I would have enjoyed it more before most everyone told me to read it. 3.5 stars, and (this is going to make me sound really old) I wish there would have been less margin space and larger artwork. Sometimes it was difficult to read the words on the page between the font and the size.
Book 22: A Massage Therapist's Guide to Business by Laura Allen. A Continuing Education read, I enjoyed it, and probably could have found this a bit more useful if I'd read it closer to graduation. Still, it was full of good information and I learned a lot. 3.5 stars, keeper.
Book 23: The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook 3rd edition by Clair Davies. Another Continuing Education read, and yet another that I'll be referring back to over and over again in practice. Great info, and I enjoyed the layout. 4 stars, keeper.
Books 24 and 25: Timeless and The Curious Case of the Werewolf That Wasn't by Gail Carriger. Wrapping up the Soulless series, these were both a lot of fun, and I can see myself rereading them at some point in the future. 4 stars, keepers.
Book 26: The Villa by Nora Roberts. On a mini-Nora kick, it was a little bittersweet for me to read this story. One of my good friends, Normie, passed away about 13 years ago, and this was her favorite Nora book. Actually, she was the one who got me started on reading Nora in the first place. I was glad to read this story of wineries, family, deception, lies, and love, and to have finally been able to read this book that my friend so enjoyed. 4 stars, keeper.
Book 27: Do Not Disturb by Kate Kingsbury. The 2nd in the Pennyfoot Hotel cozy mystery series, this fell a little flat for me. Even though they're shorter books, and I enjoy the Edwardian setting and characters, it all seemed super obvious from the get-go. 2.5 stars, and a goner.
Book 28: Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams. The first BOTM that I've ever read (in over 2 years of being a member - that's totally on me), and I didn't enjoy it too much. There were several things that felt thrown in (like the #metoo and race relation stories in the US - this book takes place in London), and a few storylines that were never resolved. I liked parts of Queenie's journey, and wish that the author would have focused more on her internal growth and less on the floundering career ( all on her shoulders and her employer would probably have fired her ages ago in real life), misguided sexual partners, and quick hints about her sexually abused past. Still, it was easy to read and I liked parts of Queenie and her friends. 2.5 stars, and a goner.
Book 29: Fanny & Stella by Neil McKenna. Something from my shelf that I'd really wanted to read for years, and while I liked it, it was fairly repetitive and could have probably been half as long and just as informative. 3 stars, and a goner.
Book 30: Death of an Honest Man by M.C. Beaton. I'm so glad that I waited a year to read this latest Hamish book, since not only did I forget about a few villagers, but I also got to hear that there would thankfully be another in the series. No spoilers, but just an enjoyable entry in one of my favorite series. 4 stars, keeper.
Book 31: Northbridge Rectory by Angela Thirkell. I wish I'd known this was the 10th in her Barsetshire series - I'm an always-start-at-the-beginning kind of reader - but it was still easy to fall into the non-story about the lives of villagers in WWII rural England, their quirks and foibles and humanity. 4 stars, keeper.
Book 32: Year of Wonder by Clemency Burton-Hill. I'm rating this one early because I know I'll love it throughout the year. If you've ever wondered where to start in listening to classical music, this is an excellent place to be! With a thoughtful introduction, Clemency gives an entry/page a day for a whole year. She described a little of the piece, about the composer, and about the world it was written in. There's also a playlist on YouTube for anyone who wants to listen along. I've loved classical my whole life, and played viola for 13 years, so it's been really fun to hear new pieces by old favorites, and find new composers too. 5 stars, keeper!
7rabbitprincess
Awesome update! I've started the Vera series as well and really like it. I prefer it to the Shetland series. Will you be trying Ann's new series, set in Devon?
8connie53
>6 LauraBrook: That is an awesome update! I'm a fan of the Vera series too!
9LauraBrook
>8 connie53: Yay! I don't know anyone in real life who has read the books, just the TV show. They're both so good!
>7 rabbitprincess: Thanks, rp! Good to know about her other series, I'm on a long waiting list at the library for the ebook of the first Shetland book. And I'd like to start the Devon one soon, but need to see if I preordered it already (and if so, where), or if it's already out or what. I've been busy in my house cleaning out and things, and not so mentally focused on books and reading so far this year. I need to get back to what I'm used to and focus on more books! None of this "adulting" funny business. ;) Have you read any of Ann Cleeves other stuff?
>7 rabbitprincess: Thanks, rp! Good to know about her other series, I'm on a long waiting list at the library for the ebook of the first Shetland book. And I'd like to start the Devon one soon, but need to see if I preordered it already (and if so, where), or if it's already out or what. I've been busy in my house cleaning out and things, and not so mentally focused on books and reading so far this year. I need to get back to what I'm used to and focus on more books! None of this "adulting" funny business. ;) Have you read any of Ann Cleeves other stuff?
10rabbitprincess
>9 LauraBrook: Haha adulting is overrated ;) From what I recall, the Devon book is out in the fall. My mum has preordered it!
I've read the first three books in the Shetland series and the first book in the Vera series. I've requested the second Vera book from the library but it will be a while before I get it.
I haven't read her Palmer Jones or Inspector Ramsay series, and I'm not sure I'll get around to them.
I've read the first three books in the Shetland series and the first book in the Vera series. I've requested the second Vera book from the library but it will be a while before I get it.
I haven't read her Palmer Jones or Inspector Ramsay series, and I'm not sure I'll get around to them.
11LauraBrook
Hello, friends. In the last 4 months I've pretty much just been watching and taking care of my 16 year-old kitty, Chico, and 2 1/2 weeks ago I had to put him to sleep. I'm really heartbroken, but I know it was time for him to go (lifelong kidney disease finally caught up with him) and he was really struggling the last day. This is the first time in my adult life I've ever really been alone at home (I had to put his sister to sleep 2 years ago), and until a few days after he passed I didn't realize how much I was watching him and caring for him. So I'm making myself go through all of the grief and awkwardness and sadness, trying to process everything.
In my "sitting out the awkwardness" stuff I've been going through some of my TBR books, and I've managed to get rid of several more. I didn't keep track of specific titles in a big list, but since I count a book as a ROOT as long as it leaves my house, regardless of being read or not, I'm up quite a few more and am closing in on my goal of 100 books. It's been hard for me to concentrate on reading this year, but I'm just starting to get into it again without feeling guilty. Fingers crossed I can keep it up and ditch the guilt!
In my "sitting out the awkwardness" stuff I've been going through some of my TBR books, and I've managed to get rid of several more. I didn't keep track of specific titles in a big list, but since I count a book as a ROOT as long as it leaves my house, regardless of being read or not, I'm up quite a few more and am closing in on my goal of 100 books. It's been hard for me to concentrate on reading this year, but I'm just starting to get into it again without feeling guilty. Fingers crossed I can keep it up and ditch the guilt!
12rabbitprincess
>11 LauraBrook: Oh Laura, I'm so sorry about Chico :(
13LauraBrook
>12 rabbitprincess: Thank you, rp.
14Jackie_K
>11 LauraBrook: Oh, so sorry to hear about Chico. Take care of yourself.
15LauraBrook
>14 Jackie_K: Thank you, Jackie. He was my big baby, and we were really attached. I just looked for him a few minutes ago, actually, and then I remembered. Dang it! It's so hard to lose a furry kid.
16connie53
So sad you had to let Chico go! I think it's a good thing to let yourself grief for as long as is needed.
17LauraBrook
>16 connie53: Thank you so much. His poor little body was so toxic, and he'd lost 2 pounds the last 36 hours he was alive. It's been really tough to adjust to not looking for him all the time, among thousands of other things. This grieving period will be pretty darned long, I think.
18LauraBrook
It feels like I've hardly read anything this month, and what I did finish was thanks to insomnia. That's about the only positive I can find out of not being able to sleep!
Book 89: Keep the Home Guard Turning by Compton Mackenzie Eh. Supposedly a humorous look at life in fairly isolated Scottish islands during WWII (I think that's the war?). Fiction. I don't think this book was for me. I found it absurdist and that's not something I do well with in reading. It took me most of this year to read the ebook, chipping away at it a few chapters at a time. Maybe I read it wrong but I didn't really care for it. 1.5 stars
Books 90, 91, 92: Death Comes to the Village Death Comes to London and Death Comes to Kurland Hall by Catherine Lloyd The first three in a cozy Regency mystery series set in Kurland St Mary's, I really enjoyed not only the unusual main characters (I don't remember reading a book previously with an eldest rector's daughter as one of the main characters), but the setting and the stories. Looking forward to starting the 4th book soon. 3 and 4 stars each
Books 93, 94, 95: Library of Luminaries: Coco Chanel, Virginia Woolf, and Jane Austen by Zena Alkayat I loved everything about these small illustrated biographies. From the watercolors to what information was chosen and how it was written and laid out, I just like everything. 4 stars for the Chanel and Austen, and 5 for the Woolf.
Book 96: A Shot in the Dark Mydworth Mysteries #1 by Matthew Costello and Neil Richards What fun! By the same authors of the Cherringham series (of which I own the first audiobook but haven't listened to yet - narrated by Neil Dudgeon), this follows newlyweds after the First War in Sussex. They're heading to his family home to start their new life together when there's a murder at a house party held at his family Manor. Between the two of them, they are smart cookies and both had some kind of mysterious work with the war, he for England, and she for America as she's American. We get hints of their lives before they met in Egypt, and I look forward to not only spending time with these two people, but with everyone around them too. 4 stars
Book 97: Waiting for the Boatman by Stephen Wakelam, narrated by David Tennant and Anton Lesser A short audiobook that was really interesting. 4 stars
Book 98: Rumour Has It by Jill Mansell My purse book, started in July, and finally finished this month. This follows Tilly as she starts her life over in the country after breaking up with her long-term boyfriend and moving out of London. She moves to a small city where her best friend lives and owns a shop and ends up taking on a sort-of housekeeper job for a rich single Dad. Yes, it's "chick lit", and yes, parts were predictable, but I enjoyed the heck out of it regardless. I'm glad I have more Mansell on my TBR shelves. 3 stars - would have been 4 if the last 50 or so pages weren't so rushed and out-of-character from the rest of the book.
Book 99: West Cork by Sam Bungey and Jennifer Forde This true crime Audible original follows these two journalists as they investigate the cold case murder of a French woman outside of her West Cork home. A quirky cast of real-life characters, and the isolated setting in Ireland made it very interesting. Not quite as captivating as Serial or S-Town, but similar. 3 stars
Book 100: Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson A perfect book to officially complete my challenge! I've been a fan of Bryson since I first read him in 1999 (Neither Here Nor There was my first, and read while I was traveling around Europe), and aside from A Walk in the Woods this is probably his best-known work. I've had copies of this since 2000 and I finally decided to treat myself and read this. It was wonderful. Laugh-out-loud in some places, seriously and contemplative in others, his tour around Britain in the mid-90's before he and his family move back to American for awhile was just what you'd expect from the author. While he could have been nicer/kinder in a few instances, it was just so nice to spend time traveling around the countries that my heart calls home, though I've yet to go there. 5 stars. Looking forward to watching my DVD of the short TV series made from this book, though all the reviews say to lower expectations.
I'll be back throughout the next 3 months to help the group reach their goals. And I'm SO HAPPY that fall is finally here, it's my favorite time of year, and I can't wait to curl up with some Victorian books in October and watch the leaves change.
Book 89: Keep the Home Guard Turning by Compton Mackenzie Eh. Supposedly a humorous look at life in fairly isolated Scottish islands during WWII (I think that's the war?). Fiction. I don't think this book was for me. I found it absurdist and that's not something I do well with in reading. It took me most of this year to read the ebook, chipping away at it a few chapters at a time. Maybe I read it wrong but I didn't really care for it. 1.5 stars
Books 90, 91, 92: Death Comes to the Village Death Comes to London and Death Comes to Kurland Hall by Catherine Lloyd The first three in a cozy Regency mystery series set in Kurland St Mary's, I really enjoyed not only the unusual main characters (I don't remember reading a book previously with an eldest rector's daughter as one of the main characters), but the setting and the stories. Looking forward to starting the 4th book soon. 3 and 4 stars each
Books 93, 94, 95: Library of Luminaries: Coco Chanel, Virginia Woolf, and Jane Austen by Zena Alkayat I loved everything about these small illustrated biographies. From the watercolors to what information was chosen and how it was written and laid out, I just like everything. 4 stars for the Chanel and Austen, and 5 for the Woolf.
Book 96: A Shot in the Dark Mydworth Mysteries #1 by Matthew Costello and Neil Richards What fun! By the same authors of the Cherringham series (of which I own the first audiobook but haven't listened to yet - narrated by Neil Dudgeon), this follows newlyweds after the First War in Sussex. They're heading to his family home to start their new life together when there's a murder at a house party held at his family Manor. Between the two of them, they are smart cookies and both had some kind of mysterious work with the war, he for England, and she for America as she's American. We get hints of their lives before they met in Egypt, and I look forward to not only spending time with these two people, but with everyone around them too. 4 stars
Book 97: Waiting for the Boatman by Stephen Wakelam, narrated by David Tennant and Anton Lesser A short audiobook that was really interesting. 4 stars
Book 98: Rumour Has It by Jill Mansell My purse book, started in July, and finally finished this month. This follows Tilly as she starts her life over in the country after breaking up with her long-term boyfriend and moving out of London. She moves to a small city where her best friend lives and owns a shop and ends up taking on a sort-of housekeeper job for a rich single Dad. Yes, it's "chick lit", and yes, parts were predictable, but I enjoyed the heck out of it regardless. I'm glad I have more Mansell on my TBR shelves. 3 stars - would have been 4 if the last 50 or so pages weren't so rushed and out-of-character from the rest of the book.
Book 99: West Cork by Sam Bungey and Jennifer Forde This true crime Audible original follows these two journalists as they investigate the cold case murder of a French woman outside of her West Cork home. A quirky cast of real-life characters, and the isolated setting in Ireland made it very interesting. Not quite as captivating as Serial or S-Town, but similar. 3 stars
Book 100: Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson A perfect book to officially complete my challenge! I've been a fan of Bryson since I first read him in 1999 (Neither Here Nor There was my first, and read while I was traveling around Europe), and aside from A Walk in the Woods this is probably his best-known work. I've had copies of this since 2000 and I finally decided to treat myself and read this. It was wonderful. Laugh-out-loud in some places, seriously and contemplative in others, his tour around Britain in the mid-90's before he and his family move back to American for awhile was just what you'd expect from the author. While he could have been nicer/kinder in a few instances, it was just so nice to spend time traveling around the countries that my heart calls home, though I've yet to go there. 5 stars. Looking forward to watching my DVD of the short TV series made from this book, though all the reviews say to lower expectations.
I'll be back throughout the next 3 months to help the group reach their goals. And I'm SO HAPPY that fall is finally here, it's my favorite time of year, and I can't wait to curl up with some Victorian books in October and watch the leaves change.
19rabbitprincess
>18 LauraBrook: My mum and I loved Notes from a Small Island, too! Now whenever we go on trips as a family and have to board a train or a plane, we always point at the one we're boarding and ask each other "Is THIS the train?" The Road to Little Dribbling was funny too, but definitely grumpier than this one was.
20MissWatson
Congrats on reaching your goal!
21Jackie_K
>18 LauraBrook: The bit in Notes from a Small Island where he gets lost in Glasgow walking back to the city centre after visiting the Burrell Collection and ends up in a random pub always has me crying with laughter.
