Lisa's 2022 Category Challenge Reads

Welcome to my 2022 Category Challenge thread. My name is Lisa, and I’ve been a member of LibraryThing for 15 years and have been doing some form of the Category Challenge for 14. I pretty much read from the same genres each year, with mysteries and thriller being my favorite. I do occasionally read a book not in my usual genre and am so proud of myself when I do so. When I’m not reading, I enjoy the NYT crossword puzzles (not Saturday’s puzzle so much), the Spelling Bee and watching classic movies. This year I’m going to read from 12 categories, attempt to participate in the various KITS and CATS, and try to complete the Bingo Dog.

I'll be hosting the April Author CAT ( Debut Authors) and the December CATWoman (Prize Winners)



August Reading Plans
The Fell
Mecca
The Hate U Give
Hamnet
The Secret River
A Painted House
Mrs. Kimble
Educated
Marrying the Ketchups
The Pull of the Stars
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

1 Author Debut Books



Possibilities will include not only recent debut works, but debut works of established authors.

1 The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du bois January 4.5*
2 Black CakeFebruary 4.5
3 Such a Fun Age April 4*
4 Peach Blossom Spring April 4.5*
5 Memphis April 4*
6 Queenie June 3.5*
7 Of Women and Salt June 4*
8 The Maid July 3.5*
The Hate U Give

2 Historical Fiction



1 The Book Of Harlan January 3.5*
2 Still Life March 4.5*
3 A Sunlit Weapon March 4*
4 Glorious April 4*
5 Lady Clementine May 3*
6 Plum Bun June 3*
7White Houses June 4*
8Miss Kopp's Midnight Confessions June 3.5*
9 Woman of Light June 4*
The Secret River

3 Short Stories



1 A Common Person and Other Stories January 4.5*
2 Seasonal Work March 4*
3 An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed March 3.5 *
4 Where the God of Love Hangs Out March 4*
5 The Ordeal of Mrs. Snow and Other Stories April 3.5*
6 News from Heaven April 3.5*
7 Walk the Blue Fields May 3*
8 You Have a Friend in 10A June 4*
9 The Angel of Rome July 4.5*
10 Today a Woman Went Mad in the Supermarket July 4*

4 Fiction



1 Six Wicked Reasons January 3*
2 Ocean State March 5*
3 The Family Chao March 3.5*
4 The Last Romantics March 3*
5 Father of the Rain April 4*
6 Chorus April 4.5*
7 What's Mine and Yours May 3.5*
Mrs. Kimble

5 Series Reading



1 Even The Dead Janauary 3.5*
2 Out of Bounds February 4 *
3 I Hear The Sirens in the Street February 4*
4 Caramel Pecan Roll Murder March 3*
5 Red Bones May 4*
6 Blue Lightning June 4*
7 For Batter or Worse June 4*
8 Strawberried Alive June 3*
9 Dead Water June 4*
10 The Locked RoomJune 4*

6 Nonfiction



1 Just As I Am January 4*
2 Lorraine Hansberry: The Life Behind A Raisin in the Sun March 4*
3 The Window Seat April 4*
4 This is the Story of a Happy Marriage April 4*
5 These Precious Days May 5*
6 EDDIE: The Life and Times of America's Preeminent Bad Boy June 3*
7 Three Girls from Bronzeville July 4.5*
8 I am, I am, I am July 4.5*
9 The Color of Water July 5*
Educated

7 New To Me Authors



1 Halsey Street January 4*
2 The Fortune Men February 4.5 *
3 Very Cold People March 3*
4 The Bread the Devil Knead March 4*
5 Baker Towers April 4*
6 Magpie Lane May 3.5*
7 What We Keep May 3.5*
8 I Couldn’t Love You More June 3.5 *
9 At Weddings and Wakes July 3.5*
Mecca

8 Mysteries and Crime



1 Buried in Secret January 3.5*
2 In The Morning I’ll Be Gone March 4.5 *
3 The Getaway April 2*
4 Rubbernecker April 4*
5 The Drowning PoolApril 4*
6 What Happened to the Bennetts May 3*
7 The Girl Who Died May 3*
8 The Mystery of the Blue Train July 3*
9 The Beautiful Dead July 4*
10 Remain Silent July 3*
11 Thin Air July 4*

9 Books I Own



1 Before the Poison March 3.5*
2 Burnt SugarMarch 2.5*
3 Rainbow’s End April 3*
4 Gentlemen and Players May 4*
5 The Balloon Man June 3*
6 Cutting Edge July 4*
7 Off Minor July 4*
A Painted House

10 E Books



1 The Girls in the Garden January 3.5*
2 The Skeleton Road January 3*
3 Whiteout March 4*
4 Winterkill March 4*
5 The Sisters of Glass Ferry May 3*
6 The Warmest December June 3*

11 New Books



1 The Last House on the Street February 3*
2 One Step Too FarFebruary 3.5*
3 Abandoned in Death February 4*
4 French Braid March 4*
5 The Book of Cold Cases March 3*
6 The Accomplice April 4*
7 The Younger Wife April 3*
8 The Latecomer June 4*
9 It All Comes Down to This June 3.5*

12 Award Winners



1 The Gathering January 2* Booker Prize
2 A Visit From the Goon Squad March 3.5* Pulitzer
3 Waiting March 3* PEN/Faulkner
4 Song of Solomon May 4.5* National Book Critics Circle Award
5 She Rides Shotgun May 4* Edgar Award
6 ImprovementNational Book Critics Circle Award June 3*
7 Know My Name June 4.5* National Book Critics Circle Award
8 Elizabeth is Missing July 5* Costa Award
9 Death of a Red Heroine July 3 *Anthony Award
Hamnet

1. An Award Winning book A Visit From the Goon Squad
2. Published in a year ending 2 Black Cake 2022
3. A modern retelling of an older story The Family Chao
4. A book you'd love to see as a movie Still Life (maybe starring your favourite actor)
5. A book that features a dog
6. The title contains the letter Z
7. Published the year you joined LT The Gathering 2007
8. A book by a favourite author Ocean State
9. A long book (long for you)The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du bois
10. A book you received as a gift
11. The title contains a month The Warmest December
12. A weather word in the title Whiteout
13. Read a CAT Such A Fun Age April AuthorCAT
14. Contains travel or a journey The Mystery of the Blue Train
15. A book about sisters or brothers The Last Romantics
16. A book club read (real or online)
17. A book with flowers on the cover Chorus
18. A book in translation Buried in Secret
19. A work of non-fiction Just As I Am
20. A book where a character shares a name of a friend Elizabeth is Missing
21. A book set in a capital city Queenie
22. A children's or YA book
23. A book set in a country other than the one you live Still Life
24. A book by an LGBTQ+ author Out of Bounds
25. A book with silver or gold on the cover Waiting

Welcome! I'll be back in 2022!

So great to see you here Lisa!

Welcome back! Have a great reading year!

Good luck with your 2022 reading! You have some great CATS.

I'm looking forward to the CATs you will be hosting because I am curious to see if I can find anything on my shelves that fits!

Happy Reading in 2022!

>16 VictoriaPL: Hi Victoria! I was happy to see your thread up and running for next year! I need to check and see if Karin Slaughter has a new book coming out next summer for us to read together.
>17 rabbitprincess: Thanks RP! I hope you have a great reading year as well!
>18 Tess_W: Thank you Tess! Good luck with your reading!
>19 MissBrangwen: Thanks for visiting Mirjam. I hope that you have a great reading year also!

Glad to see you back and a great selection of categories. I'll be following especially your debut books category. I knew an older lady once who only read debut novels.

Have a great New Year and some really good books to fill your categories.

Looking forward to following your reading and getting hit by some well placed book bullets, Lisa!

Great categories! Looking forward to following along with you in 2022.

Looking forward to following your reading in 2022.

>21 dudes22: Hi Betty and thank you! That is awesome about the older lady, reminds me of my mom who at almost 92, constantly asks me about new authors, she doesn't want to miss anything!
>22 hailelib: Thanks, you too! I'll have to stop by your thread if I haven't already.
>23 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, I just know that I will be hit by your reads as well!
>24 VivienneR: Hi Vivienne, thank you. I'll have to head to your thread to see if I am missing any mysteries, I can't remember if I have "stopped by" there yet.
>25 Crazymamie: Thank you Mamie, I have been by your thread and now want to watch the Big Sleep again, even if the plot has always confused me!

Enjoy your 2022 reads!

1. Just As I Am Actress Cicely Tyson passed away in January of last year, shortly after her memoir was released. At 96, she had a lot to say and it was a very good read. I thought she was excellent in Sounder, Roots, and phenomenal in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman. In addition to her professional achievements, she also writes candidly about her personal life, her parents separation, giving birth to her daughter at 17, and her relationship with the love of her life, Miles Davis.

>27 thornton37814: Hi Lori, thank you !

2 The Love Songes of W.E.B. Du bois At over 800 pages, this book was a doorstopper! It's beautifully written and held my interest the entire time I was reading it. It's the story of Ailey Garfield, who explores her ancestral roots through the years. Set in the Deep South, the story goes back and forth between Ailey's childhood memories, adulthood, and various members of her family which include Black, White, and Indigenous individuals. Ailey is a great character, and her interactions with her Uncle Root, were just wonderful. For me, they were the best written characters in the book.

>30 lsh63: - I was just reading about this somewhere else and came on LT to see how it was rated and saw that you were one of the people who had added it. At 800+ pages, I think it will be an ebook for me. (and a BB)

>31 dudes22: Hi Betty, you’re right about that. It was gifted to me but way too heavy for me to lift and hold comfortably, so I used some of Christmas $ to get the ebook version. I expect that the price has gone down some by now.

3 Halsey Street explores the complicated relationship between Penelople Grand (Penny) and her mother Mirella. The story is told in alternating POV's with Penelope in Brooklyn, and Mirella in the Dominican Republic. At times, neither character is likable, however the relationship dynamic was realistic, and very well written. In addition to the story of Penny and Mirella, there is also the added element of gentrification and how it can change neighborhoods and the people who live in them, which is an important element in the storyline.

4. The Book of Harlan Bernice McFadden may be one of my favorite new discoveries. Last year I enjoyed Sugar and it's sequel This Bitter Earth, and noted that the author had written several other books that I wanted to read.

The Book of Harlan begins with the relationship between Harlan's parents in Macon Georgia, and his birth in 1917. Harlan's parents leave him with his grandparents as they try to get their lives in order with the intention of coming back for him once they get settled. The family eventually settles in Harlem, where Harlan later becomes a musician and lives a troubled lifestyle. Attempting to flee constant racism, Harlan and his friend, trumpet player Lizard Robbins, make their way across the ocean to perform in Paris cabarets.

When Paris falls under Nazi occupation, Harlan and Lizard are captured by the Nazis,and imprisoned at the Buchenwald concentration camp, which changes his life forever. I loved this story, especially the way that the authors intertwined both real and imaginary historical figures. I had one minor quibble that their was a character introduced who interacted with Harlan, whose storyline was abruptly dropped.

5 Even the Dead This book is the 7th in the Quirke series written by John Banville aka Benjamin Black. It's been almost 6 years since I read the 6th installment Holy Orders, so I think I may have been a little fuzzy with some of the details of certain characters and previous storylines. I enjoy the book's setting (1950's Dublin) and the characters Quirke, who is a pathologist, and his daughter Phoebe, who didn't always know that Quirke is her father. Quirke works with Police Inspector Hacket to investigate the death of a young man found in his crashed car which at first appears to be a suicide, but then evidence suggests otherwise. Phoebe is drawn into the investigation when the dead man's pregnant girlfriend asks for her help. I realize that this series is more atmospheric and character driven than mystery, I felt as though something was missing that I couldn't figure out, or maybe it has been too long since reading the last book, I'm not sure.

6 The Gathering This book won the 2007 Booker Prize. I thought it was a bit of a mess. The basic plot revolves around the death of the narrator's brother, both members of a large family of 9 children. I'm not a prude, but I thought that the author had way too many instances of describing genitalia, hers, her husband's, her grandparents etc. I found the storyline rather disjointed, with a few rambling thoughts thrown in. I finished it, but I can't say I really enjoyed it.

7 A Common Person and Other Stories

There were 17 stories in this 200 page collection, that I found very thought provoking. Some of the more memorable stories include: a young boy who tries to help a neighbor's mistreated dog, a woman who faces cancer, loses love, but could find love unexpectedly, and a woman who makes an innocent mistake that causes all heck to break loose and land her in trouble with legal authorities.

8 Buried in Secret
This is the 10th installment in the Sandhamn Murder series. When a woman's remains are found, the police narrow down the likely identities of the remains to two women. The story is told in alternate point of view of the two women as well as Thomas and Nora's storylines. Nora is struggling after her last encounter, and is on leave from her job. You would think that she would be reluctant to involve herself in anything else that could cause danger to herself and to her family, but nope! I'm curious to see what happens with her marriage and her friendship with Thomas in the future.

9 Six Wicked Reasons This was a story about a very dysfunctional family of six children and their odious father who all have reasons for not wanting him around any more. One of the sons disappeared for ten years and is suddenly back at home, but why? After a family party aboard a yacht to celebrate their father's engagement, each child becomes a suspect in his death. I found the book to be suspenseful, but in a slow and deliberate manner, as the secrets and lies of each child were revealed.

10 The Girls in the Garden After a traumatic event involving her husband, Clare and her daughters Grace and Pip move to a new neighborhood with a communal garden where they believe they will be able to start over and feel safe. The new neighborhood is complete with a communal garden, which becomes the focal point of what happens when Grace is assaulted one night. Told in multiple POV's, this book wasn't a heart racing thriller, but a good read all the same.

11 The Skeleton Road I'm greatly enjoying the Karen Pirie series, and although this book was a little slow to maintain my interest, it was a very good read. I like when I learn something along with police procedurals and other mysteries, and this book's focus was on a skeleton found in an odd place on a roof in Edinburgh, with flashbacks to the Croation and Serbian conflict in the 1990's. After the certain sad event that took place at the end, I must now read the next book.

Just getting caught up here, the end of January was a doozy for me, complete with agonizing pain and a gallbladder removal. I now realize that I had been having issues for a while, but since they would come and go, I tried to shake it off. I'm on the mend now, and thank goodness for working from home, because I don't think I could make it further than my front door right now. Now that I'm not taking the heavy duty pain pills, I hope to get my reading mojo back this month.

January recap:
11 books read
Books by Male Authors- 1
Books by Female Authors- 10
Library books- 1
Kindle books -9
Books I Own- 1

Books I most enjoyed The Love Songs of W.E.B. du Bois and A Common Person and Other Stories

Book I struggled with :The Gathering

I'm reading and enjoying The Fortune Men

Glad you are on the mend!

Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

Good that you took care of the problem. Best wishes for mending soon.

>42 lsh63: Been there, it hurts. Glad you're on the mend. Hope the healing goes quickly.

Glad that you are feeling better, Lisa.

Best wishes for a full and speedy recovery.

12 The Fortune Men This was a very good read, that I did not realize until later that it was based on a true story. I became engrossed in this book about a man wrongfully convicted and executed for a murder that he did not commit in 1952. Mahmood Mattan was a Somali sailor who had a run of bad luck and was in the wrong place at the wrong time when a shopkeeper was killed.

Sadly, his conviction was overturned but not until almost 50 years later.

>43 Tess_W:, >44 christina_reads:, >45 hailelib:, >46 RidgewayGirl:, >47 DeltaQueen50:, >48 MissWatson:- Thank you all for the recovery wishes. It's only been a week but it feels like it's been forever! I haven't been able to focus on reading as much as I would like, I guess my body is still tired and needs to rest.

>41 lsh63: I am just reading the first Karen Pirie book and I love it so much! It's so well written. I wish I could just sit down and read all day without a break.

>50 lsh63: Best wishes from me, too!

Hope you're feeling back to 100% soon!

>51 MissBrangwen: Thanks Mirjam. I just read book #4 and it was really good. Yes, I plan to take a break from work for a couple of weeks and reading is part of the plans.

>52 rabbitprincess: Thanks RP! I'm getting there.

13 Out of Bounds I'm really enjoying the Karen Pirie books, this is number 4 of 6. Karen becomes engrossed in her work after a tragic event in the last book. A teenager crashes a stolen car, and his DNA is connected with an unsolved murder more than 20 years ago. The case also intersects with the mystery of a terrorist bombing.

Oh Lisa! Wishing you a quick recovery!
Did you see the announcement on Karin Slaughter's newest release for this summer?

>55 VictoriaPL: Hi Victoria!

Sorry I didn't respond to you sooner, work has been nuts! Would you believe that I have already stalked the Slaughter release and hopefully when it comes out this summer, my library hold won't take too long.

14 The Last House on the Street This was a pretty good historical fiction read with dual timelines which I enjoy. In 2010, Kayla, who was recently widowed, plans to move into the spacious new home that she had built with her husband, with her daughter. A strange woman warns her against moving into the home. Flash back to 1965, with the forbidden love of Ellie and Win, the KKK, and voting rights. At the end, the dual storylines tie together and all becomes clear about what happened in 1965 and why the strange woman didn't want anyone moving onto the property.

15 I Hear The Sirens in the Street This is the second in the Detective Sean Duffy series. I find these books to be the perfect blend of humor along with the atmospheric descriptions of the 1980's Ireland during the "troubles". When a dead body is found stuffed in a suitcase is identified as American tourist, Duffy bends the rules just a bit to solve the case. There was a cliffhanger at the end, which of course made me seek book number 3 right away.

16 Black Cake Admittedly, I had no idea what black cake is until reading this book. I later learned that it is a Caribbean rum soaked fruit cake. In this debut novel, an estranged brother and sister must come together after their mother's death, and find that she and their father had a hidden past. One of their mother's last wishes is that the siblings retrieve a frozen black cake from her freezer to share when the time is right. The cake recipe is a family one, with a long history. As the story evolves, the siblings learn their mother's secrets and are forever changed by her past actions. I thought that this book was beautifully written, and at times, the back and forthe between the Caribbean, the present, and past was a little confusing at times, but all of the storylines tied nicely at the end.

Good Morning everyone,

Today is my last day at work for a while and I am positively giddy! I'm taking a few weeks off since I have been working so much and didn't really use any recovery time after my surgery. We were on a deadline, and I'm ultimately responsible for the entire audit, so I was working around the clock.

Sometimes the tiredness sneaks up on me, and I have also been adapting to the major diet changes in my life. I'm looking forward to planning my March reading, researching low fat meals to make, and doing absolutely nothing for a couple of weeks. I hope to finish a few more books before the month is over now that I can concentrate .

Congratulations and enjoy your time off!

I'm glad that you are taking a break, Lisa, and will get to spend some quality time doing something other than work. Enjoy your time off!

Enjoy your time off! I hope it is restful and restorative :)

Enjoy your well-deserved time off, Lisa.

Enjoy your time off, you really deserve that.

>61 christina_reads: Thank you Christina!
>62 DeltaQueen50: Thank you Judy!
>63 rabbitprincess: Thank you RP, I hope so!
>64 RidgewayGirl: Thank you Kay, and good luck with your move!
>65 MissWatson: Thank you Birgit!

17 One Step Too Far This book is the second in the author's Frankie Elkin series. Although I have enjoyed her Detective D.D. Warren and Quincy and Rainie series, as well as all of her standalones, I'm not sure how I feel about this series. Frankie makes it her business to find lost people, and in this one, she goes deep into the woods to find out what happened to Tim O' Day who went missing five years ago with his friends. The plot is suspenseful, and although Frankie is not a professional, but she gets results. I felt as though there was quite a bit of filler in the story, and maybe not enough plot.

18 Abandoned in Death You would think after 53 books in this series, that I would grow tired of it, but somehow the author keeps me coming back for more. In this one, the plot unfolds in a before and after timeline, with an excellent combination of police procedural and mystery. Eve Dallas always gives her victims 100% in solving their murders, but when a body is placed at a children's playground near the site of Mavis's new house, it jars her that their killer has "mommy issues", as the victim has a sign placed next to her with the words "Bad Mommy". When the killer was revealed, I got a chill!

February recap
7 books read
1 male author
6 female authors
6 library books
1 Kindle book

Only 7 books read this month, I struggled with getting my concentration back and work was absolutely nuts, with people leaving left and right. I'm looking forward to a couple of weeks off, reading and getting caught up on things around the house that I ignored.

Of the books I read in February, the ones I most enjoyed were The Fortune Men and Black Cake. I'm looking forward to my March reading. I finally got my hands on Still Life which I've been looking forward to for a while now.

>68 lsh63: I need to speed a little time soon catching up with Dallas and friends.

19 In The Morning I’ll Be Gone This is the 3rd book in the Sean Duffy series. When the MI5 seeks him out, Sean knows they want him to help find escaped IRA man Dermot McCann, and also knows that he can also use the situation to his advantage. While he tries fo find him, he also stumbles across an old locked room murder mystery that seemingly has no solution. I enjoy reading these books not only for the storylines, but also the tie ins to real life events.

20 A Visit From The Goon Squad This was an interesting read, basically a series of connected short stories about various characters, mainly Sasha and Bennie, who work in the music industry going back and forth between past, present and future. The writing style was also interesting, which included 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person, and also Powerpoint graphics. I read this book because it was nominated for and won quite a few book awards.

21 Still Life This was a wonderful read full of vivid scenic descriptions, well developed characters who have lasting relationships with each other, food and music. In 1944, 64 year old Evelyn Skinner has a chance encounter with young British soldier, Ulysses Temper. Even though their meeting did not last long, they each made an impression upon the other, although it will be many years before they meet again. When the war is over, Ulysses returns to London and the pub where he worked. Upon his return, we meet his wife Peg, who is pregnant by another man,Cressy, a father figure, and Col, the pub owner, and last but not least, Claude the parrot. The story is told over the course of many years, with Ulysses eventually raising Peg's daughter Alys, as his own.

22 Very Cold People This was a sparsely written book that tells the powerful story of Ruthie, as she reflects on her upbringing in a Massachusetts town where she and her parents don't quite fit in. Although she is not physically abused, the neglect she often suffered was sad to read. The title of the book could describe her parents as well as the inhabitants of the town. It is an overall sad story, but there is also a glimmer of hope.

23 Seasonal Work I'm aa big Laura Lippman fan, and also a fan of short stories, so this was a win win for me. I enjoyed all twelve stories in this collection, each were different in their own way. In Just One More, a married couple at home with each other during the pandemic decide to spice up their marriage by creating a dating profile to see if they wind up each other. I'm also a big Columbo fan, and Lippman included most of the episode descriptions, which was fun to see, as this couple along with many other people, binged on old television shows and movies during the initial stay at home orders. In Slow Burner, the reader learns what can happen when a wife finds her husband's burner phone. And, in The Book Thing, I was pleased to see Tess Monaghan appear as she tries to save a local bookstore from theft.

24 Caramel Pecan Roll Murder This is the 28th book in the Hannah Swenson series, with the usual practice of Hannah insinuating herself in murder investigations, baking and hanging out with her family and Norman. There was an interesting cliffhanger regarding one of the characters that I will be interesting in seeing what happens in the next book.

25 Lorraine Hansberry: The Life Behind A Raisin in the Sun Lorraine Hansberry, best known as the playwright of A Raisin in the Sun, packed a lot of living and accomplishment into her 34 years, before she sadly succumbed to pancreatic cancer at the age of 34. Hansberry was the first Black woman to have a play performed on Broadway and also the youngest and first American playwright to win a New York Critics' Circle Award. Despite her accomplishments, she struggled with her upper class upbringing, embracing communism while also fighting for civil rights, and her sexual orientation in a racist and homophobic society.

I knew that her family was considered "well-off", but I did not know that her family made their money by turning old buildings into kitchenette apartments, rented to the many African Americans who fled to Chicago seeking a better life. These kitchenettes often housed too many people, did not have adequate heating or plumbing, and were frequently rife with vermin. It was very interesting to read the dichotomy between her capitalist upbringing and her communist ideology.

>75 lsh63: Sounds tempting! I'll stick it on the wishlist - thank you.

26 Whiteout Two days before Christmas, Ari Thor investigates the death of a woman beneath the cliffs of a destered village. The investigation takes a turn when he learns that the woman's mother and sister also died at the same spot. I was familiar with some of the aspects of Ari's relationship with Kristin, due to the reading the books in order of their translation, not necessarily in chronological order. This book was a solid entry in the Dark Iceland series.

27 Winterkill This is the finale in the Dark Iceland series, which takes place a few years later after Whiteout. Ari is now a police inspector, who investigates the death of a 19 year old girl who was either pushed or fell from a balcony of a house on the main street in town. At the end, Ari may be revisiting his past, which may not be a bad thing. This was the perfect read for a snowy, chilly day.

28 Before The Poison I saw that Judy (DeltaQueen) had recently reviewed this book, and I started thinking that I had this book in my possession at one time. It turns out that I did, I never added it to my LT catalog. I was intrigued by the plot and it held my interest until the very end. Chris Lowndes, returns home to Yorkshire, after the recent death of his wife. He buys a house sight unseen, where he hopes to focus on his work and come to terms with his grief. When he finds out that his house was the scene of a murder over sixty years ago, he becomes obsessed with the story of the accused murderer Grace Fox. It was nice to read a standalone from the author of one of my favorite series.

29 An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed Eighty nine year old Maud, is back and full of murderous intent as usual. In this story collection, Maud is taking a trip to South Africa, while reminiscing about her past and how she solved her various problems by committing murder. I hope to be as feisty as Maud one day, without committing murder of course.

30 Ocean State
I’m a big fan of Stewart O’Nan, and this book was no exception. Set in a Rhode Island coastal town, the reader is told early on that a high school teenage girl was murdered, and we also find out who did it. The story then unfolds with the stories of Angel, her mother Carol, sister Marie, and the victim Birdy. Angel and Birdy are both in love with the same boy, which is a recipe for disaster. There are no plot twists, just the beautifully written story of the relationships of mothers and daughters, sisters, and the haves and the have nots. This was a five star read for me.

>83 lsh63: Oh, I'm looking forward to finding out what you thought of this one.

>83 lsh63: - Me too!

31The Bread the Devil Knead This book is longlisted for the Bailey's Women's Prize, which is how it came to my attention. This book, which features the main protagonist, Alethea Lopez is not any easy read at all. Alethea had a abusive childhood, and is also in an abusive relationship, while also maintaining a secret relationship with her boss. At 40, Alethea realizes that she can change her life and become the woman she wants to be. Even though this was a difficult book to read, there is an overarching positive message with her story, that change is possible, and that she is not as alone as she thinks. You can't help but root for Alethea.

>84 RidgewayGirl:, >85 dudes22: Hi Kay and Betty! I loved it! But then again I have enjoyed everything I read by him.

>87 lsh63: I have loved everything that I have read by Stewart O'Nan as well, and I look forward to getting my hands on Ocean State.

>83 lsh63: I am eager to read this!

Lisa, thank you, I always get BBs from your thread! I have Sarah Winman's books on my wishlist and look forward to them after reading your comments. And I really must get back to the Adrian McKinty and Ragnar Jonasson series.

Since I live in the "Ocean State", I look forward to reading this.

>88 DeltaQueen50:, >89 RidgewayGirl: Hi Judy and Kay, I hope you can get your hands on the book soonish!
>90 VivienneR: Thank you Vivienne, I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the Sean Duffy series, I think I've finished everything in all of the Iceland series.
>91 dudes22: Hi Betty, I hope you enjoy it when you get to it.

32 Waiting This story of Lin Kong's desire for his girlfriend Mannu Wu, while trying to divorce his wife Shuyua for over 17 years because the Communist Party rules mandate that there has to be 18 years of marital separation before Lin can obtain the divorce without his wife's consent. This is a quiet character driven book that held my interest throughout my reading of it.

33 Where the God of Love Hangs Out I enjoyed this collection of interconnected stories that focused on later in life infidelity, and inappropriate moments between family members during their shared grief. The characters were well written and interesting, although not likeable.

34 The Family Chao When Lee, the owner of the Fine Chao restaurant is found dead, suspicion falls on his sons, Dagou, Ming, and James, who all may have a motive. One brother is eventually found guilty and tried for his father's death. Leo is a cruel man, so much so that his wife Winnie left the family home in order to become a Buddhist nun. It was interesting to see how the author put her spin on The Brothers Karamazov in telling the Chao family story.

35 The Last Romantics This is the story of four siblings Renee, Caroline, Joe and Fiona. The book begins as Fiona, the youngest, who is now 102 years old, is asked about her inspiration for her work, The Love Poem. She recounts to the audience about her life and how it changed for her and her siblings when her father died unexpectedly when they were young children. Their mother Noni, fell into a deep three year depression, while Renee the oldest, took on the maternal role, and the siblings grew closer as they depended on each other. The book drifted a bit between first and third person, and I'm not sure why the chapters about Fiona being 102 in 2079 were included, but it was an interesting read.

36 French Braid Anne Tyler is a consistent story teller. While I've loved some of her books more than others, her characters are always relatable, sometimes unlikable, and usually quirky. This story begins in 1959, when the Garrett family, father Robin, mother Mercy, and children Alice, Lily and David, take their first and last family vacation. The reader is given a glimpse of each family member's personality, and that even though they are a family, they are all vastly different.

The title is used as a metaphor toward the end of the book when one of the characters reflects on French braids, a hairstyle once worn by his stepdaugher, " the name of that braid that starts up high on little girls' heads.... "her hair would be in ripples, little leftover squiggles, that's how famlily works, you think you're free of them, but the ripples are crimped in forever".

37 The Book of Cold Cases In 1977,the Claire Lake Oregon community was horrified by the murder of two men, with the same murder weapon, both with weird notes left behind with their bodies. Beth Greer, a rich 23 year old, was seen leaving the scene of one the crimes by a witness, but was exonerated and lives in isolation in her mansion. Flash forward to 2017, Shea Collins is a receptionist who in her free time runs a true crime website, the Book of Cold Cases. Shea's passion for crime solving is directly related to her attempted abduction as a child. When Shea decides to interview Beth, danger and paranormal activity follow her.

38 Burnt Sugar It took me almost a year and a half to read this book. I was initially intrigued by the mother and daughter's toxic and complicated relationship. The mother Tara, is suffering from early onset dementia and the story timeline alternates, sometimes abruptly, between the present and Antara (the daughter)'s childhood. Some parts of the book were just odd. I was glad to have finally finished this one.

39 A Sunlit Weapon I always enjoy the Maisie Dobbs series, however this 17th installment contained a much more complex plot than I'm used to. The main plot was interesting, involving a series of possible attacks on British pilots. Other subplots involved a visit from Eleanor Roosevelt, and young Anna facing trouble at school.

I won't finish any more books this month so I will post my monthly recap. I read 21 books in March, which is directly related to me taking off from work for 2 and half weeks. The time off was great, I rested, read, and even completed household chores that don't really have great impact, but make you feel better and more organized. Things like organizing closets and dresser drawers, and getting rid of things that I found no longer useful. I even nagged my borderline hoarding hubby to let go of a few items!

March recap
21 books read
7 male authors
14 female authors
16 library books
3 Kindle books
2 books I owned
I had a great reading month and the books I most enjoyed were Ocean State, and Still Life. I struggled for over a year with reading Burnt Sugar, but finally finished it.

>100 lsh63: - I'm a Maisie Dobbs fan too although I'm only up to book 9.

>101 lsh63: - I have a hubby like that too!

>101 lsh63: Congrats on your great reading month, and I'm glad you enjoyed your time off!

>99 lsh63: I also did not really like this one.

>101 lsh63: My husband, too. He just can't throw anything away.

>102 dudes22: Hi Betty, you have a lot of Maisie to look forward to! Hubby makes me nuts sometimes, I've found things that I thought we got rid of hidden returned to closets, the basement or the garage!
>103 christina_reads: Thanks Christina, I enjoyed every bit of it!
>104 RidgewayGirl: Hi Kay, it was a struggle getting through that one. I'm surprised to see that it is on the Booker and Bailey's short and long list. Regarding the spouse, it's a constant struggle with my efforts to declutter!

>105 lsh63: - When we moved to this new house 5 years ago, I begged him for months prior to the move to go through things. Nope. - Like 2 days before just throwing things in boxes to take - took it all.

>105 lsh63: The move helped. Part was just seeing how much more stuff he had than the kids and now having to unpack his stuff.

>106 dudes22: My husband did one better, and left for his new job a few weeks before the movers came, leaving it all to me. But in this new house, his stuff is either in the garage or in his own closet area, where I can close the door and ignore it.

40 The Getaway I've read other books by this author The Killer Inside Me, Pop. 1280 and others, but I did not enjoy this one at all. The premise of Doc McCoy and his wife Carol on the run after a bank robbery that went wrong started out ok, but then took a weird turn at the end that made me think I was reading a different book. I was glad to finish it, and happy that it wasn't a longer story.

41 The Accomplice This was an addictive read. Owen and Luna are best friends who met in college, who never became a couple, and who become murder suspects twice. The story is told in two timelines, during their college years, and in 2019., when they are both married to other people. Even after marriage, their bond is unbreakable. I enjoyed the book and also realized that I always meant to read the author's Spellman series, but never got around to it.

>108 lsh63: I didn't much like this one either. The ending seemed like a weird dream and not an actual event in the story.

>110 rabbitprincess: Hi RP, luckily I have some other books of his to read.

42 Such A Fun Age This was the author's debut novel with an interesting storyline featuring race and prvilege when a black babysitter and her supposedly well intentioned white employer. The babysitter, Emira Tucker is accosted by a security guard in an upscale grocery store accused of kidnapping the white toddler that she's babysitting. This scene causes Alix, Emira's employer, to get to know Emira better even while violating her privacy. I though that the ending was a little abrupt, but it was a solid read.

43 Rubbernecker I enjoy Belinda Bauer's books, the storylines are always well plotted and the characters are interesting. In Rubbernecker, Patrick Fort, who has Asperger's Syndrome, is haunted at an early ages by the death of his father when he was a child, and remains committed to trying to understand what happens when you are dead. Later, as a young adult, he enrolls at Cardiff University's Anatomy course for medical students and begins to figure out that something is wrong with the official cause of death listed for one of the cadavers he's working on in his anatomy class. No one believes his theories, but he is vindicated at the end.

44 Father of the Rain I was incredibly moved by the story of Daley's relationship with her alcoholic father. The storyline spanned 30 years. Her father's world is turned upside down when Daley's mother decides she can't take any more and leaves her husband. After their divorce, she is torn between both parents and is subjected to his cruelty and feeling unwanted after he remarries. As an adult, Daley is in a healthy relationship and is about to embark on a prestigious career path. She abandons both to take care of her father after he falls apart when his second wife leaves him. An event occurs which then causes Daley to avoid her father for 15 years, but then is once again drawn to him, looking for the loving father she always wanted. The book was very well written and made me reflect on the complications of family dynamics.

45 The Ordeal of Mrs. Snow A very good collection crime short stories, most of them with interesting plot twists. They reminded me a lot of various episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. The first and longer story, The Ordeal of Mrs. Snow, I immediately recognized as an episode of the Alfred Hitchcock Hour, where a no good nephew in law, who has a gambling problem, locks his wife's aunt in an air tight safe over a long holiday weekend, after she discovers that he has forged her name on some checks. Most of the other stories included instances where various individuals tried to kill others and either didn't succeeed or things didn't turn out as they planned. It was a very entertaining read.

46 The Window Seat I enjoyed these though provoking essays which covered travel, sleeplessness, and the author's experiences in Sierra Leone, Scotland, Iran and the United States. There were also essays about Obama and the inauguration of you know who. I will definitely read one of the author's novels very soon.

47 The Drowning Pool This second book in the Lew Archer series finds a wealthy woman is found drowned in a pool. The victim is the mother in law of the woman Archer hired to find the writer of blackmail letters that she has been receiving. The story started slowly, and introduced a lot of characters , and held my interest throughout. I haven't been reading these in order, so I will likely read another one or two before the year is out.

48 Chorus This book is presented as a series of short stories about the members of the Shaw family from the early 1900's through the 1950's and their lives on a Virginia farm. Each chapter focuses on the seven sisters and brothers, Wendy, Sam, Henry, Lane, Maeve, Jack and Bette, as well as their parents Jim and Marie. The book is not plot driven, rather it focuses on each character with alternating timelines, and their reactions and interpretation of two major events in their lives, their mother's death, and a teenage pregnancy.

49 Peach Blossom Spring A beautifully written novel about three generations of a Chinese family. The story begins in 1938, when Meilin and her 4 year old son Renshu, are forced to run for their lives as the Japanese army approaches. Their journey for a place to call home is filled with hardhsip and danger, yet Meilin does everything in her power to protect her son. Eventually Renshu makes his way to the United States, where he struggles with his new life, while being miles away from his mother. Renshu eventually marries and has a daughter Lily, who is frustrated her quest to learn more about her Asian culture that her father does not want her to embrace. This was an excellent read.

50 The Younger Wife Stephen Aston is remarrying Heather, his interior designer, who is younger than both of his daughters. He must however divorce his current wife, Pam, who is suffering from dementia. Their daughters Tully and Rachel of course are loyal to their mother and view Heather as a golddigger. The narrative is told by Heather, Rachel, and Tully, where various hidden secrets are revealed. I was expecting an explosive ending, which was not the case.

51 Rainbow's End I decided I was in the mood to read a few of the James M.Cain books languishing on my shelf and electronic devices. After reading and loving The Postman Always Rings Twice, Double Indemnity, and Mildred Pierce, I decided to look into some of the author's lesser known works. Rainbow's End, written in the 70's, is more modern, but still contains the classic noir elements; a no good dame, a fight for a lot of money, and murder. While not as well written as the author's earlier works, it kept me reading just to find out how the weirdness all worked out.

52 Glorious Glorious is an interesting work of historical fiction in that the author includes factual references in addition to her plotline. Although this was a short read, the storytelling is wonderful. The protagonist, Easter Bartlett leaves home at an early age traveling from Waycross, Georgia finding her way to Harlem during the Harlem Renaissance era, interacting with Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, while also crossing paths with Marcus Garvey and other notable figures. All I can say is that before Easter eventualy found herself back in Waycross in her later years, she lived a wild life.

53 Baker Towers I enjoyed this story about a family of 5 children set in the fictional mining town of Bakerton, PA. The book begins with the death of the husband and father, Stanley Novak, in 1944 and ends in the 1970's. Most of the charactes were well developed and the author depicted life in small town very well. I liked th book so much that I immediately started reading News From Heaven, a short story collection which brings back members of the Novak family, as well as several other characters from the book.

54 News From Heaven In this short story collection of ten stories, the author returns to Bakerton PA, and several characters from Baker Towers, with the focus on the dying mining industry and the effect on the town and its residents.

55 This is The Story of a Happy Marriage Ann Patchett is an excellent author, and I found her essays on marriage, writing, opening a bookstore, and the touching stories of her relationships with her grandmother and best friend all very thought provoking. I am on the list to receive These Precious Days very soon, and look forward to reading even more of her essays.

>125 lsh63: That is an amazing cover.

56 Memphis I thought that this book was a very good debut. However, there is an incident of childhood sexual abuse between cousins that was very hard to read. The story is about three generations of black women and the tragedies and violence that they face. While the book was heartbreaking at times, I was encouraged by the resilience of these women, and the hope of the next generation in changing the family's legacy.

Happy Friday to everyone!

I'm don't think I will read anything between today and tomorrow, so here is my monthly recap:

April Recap
17 books read
4 male authors
13 female authors
10 Library books
6 Kindle books
1 Book off my shelf

I enjoyed most of my reading, Chorus and Peach Blossom Spring were rated the highest at 4.5* each.

In other news we just received word that the return to the office will commence in June (2 days a week), we get to select the days, but must stick to our choice as much as possible. It will be weird to say the least, as I haven't had a regular routine in a long time. I imagine I will be walking back and forth around the house looking for various items as the date gets closer. I'm curious to see how the hybrid work schedule will impact my reading. I believe I read more when I was commuting. We shall see.

>126 MissWatson: Hi Birgit, it does draw the eye, doesn't it?

>126 MissWatson: It certainly does, I really like it.

57 Magpie Lane I took a chance on this one and was pleasantly surprised. A nanny named Dee, becomes a suspect when Felicity, the 8 year old daughter of an Oxford College Master disappears one night. Felicity is a troubled child, suffering from selective mutism after the death of her mother, and is basically ignored by her father and stepmother. At the end when it is revealed what happened to Felicity, I was left with a few questions, but overall it was a satisfying read.

58 What Happened to the Bennetts A thriller about what happens to a family after they are carjacked drving home one night. A tragedy takes place but was the crime random or was the family targeted for some reason? Each chapter ended with a plot twist or cliff-hanger, but I felt like there was a lot of filler that didn't really pertain to the storyline.

59 These Precious Days I hadn't intended to read These Precious Days so soon after reading This is the Story of a Happy Marriage, but my library hold came in sooner than I expected. As much I really like This is the Story of a Happy Marriage, I loved every aspect of These Precious Days. The author reflects on her father and stepfathers, the title story of Ann's friendship with Tom Hanks's assistant Sooki who is suffering from cancer, childlessness, knitting and so much more. I plan to read more of her work, my collection of Eudora Welty short stories, and see if I remember how to knit.

60 Song of Solomon I'm trying to overcome my avoidance with reading Toni Morrison due to the fact that I started Paradise several times and became intimidated because I don't always get the symbolism right away. Song of Solomon is a complex story, yet I found it easy to read. The main protagonist Macon "Milkman" Dead, is the son of a wealthy black man, whose focus in life in material possessions and social standing. While Milkman is the main character in the story, it's the female characters that stood out for me. Milkman's mother the unhappy Ruth, his sister Lena, whose too afraid to tell her father that she has a boyfriend at age 40, and my favorite character, his aunt Pilate, who was born with no navel, and tells Milkman all about his family's past. The last part of the book was fantastic.

61 What's Mine and Yours I liked this family story with intersecting characters over a 30 year span. The characters are affected by a senseless death, as well as drug addiction, incarceration and family dynamics. There were many characters as well as three different timelines which became disjointed at times, but overall it was a good read.

62 The Sisters of Glass Ferry I took a chance on this book, which was written by the author of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, which I have yet to read. It's the story of Flannery and Patsy Butler, identical twins. Patsy disappears along with her date on the night of the prom. Every year since then, their mother bakes Patsy's favorite cake on their birthday, thinking that this years will be the year that Patsy returns home. On the twentieth anniversary of Patsy's disappearance, a muddy car is found, which provides many clues about what actually happened that night. The story unfolds alternating from past to present, with just about every character harboring one secret or another.

63 She Rides Shotgun This book was disturbing but also very good. Eleven year old Polly doesn't fit in at school, but she is extremely intelligent for her age. Polly never met her father, but after he is released from prison, he shows up at her school one day and takes her on the run with him to keep her safe, as they are both marked for death by an Aryan gang. Although he teaches her things that no 11 year old should learn, their bond becomes unbreakable.

64 Red Bones I've been meaning to get back to this series, so that there isn't too much time between and I forget storyline details. This book is third in the series and finds Jimmy Perez investigating the discovery of human remains and the shooting of an elderly woman late at night. The elderly woman is the grandmother of Jimmy's colleague, Sandy Wilson, which complicates the case since Jimmy is unfamiliar with the community residents. I will be reading the next book very soon!

65 Walk The Blue Fields A collecion of 7 short stories, most of them set in rural Ireland. Most of the stores feature people unhappy with their familiies and lives. I enjoyed them all, but my favorite was the title story, where a priest who is presiding over a wedding has a past relationship with the bride.

>137 lsh63: I was looking for one last book to add to my upcoming "Thingaversary Collection" and She Rides Shotgun has appealed to me.

>140 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, I hope you enjoy it!

>139 lsh63: Oh, I liked that one too. All of them really, though. She packs so much in to such compact stories.

>142 charl08: Hi Charlotte, I intend to read more of her work. I think I have another one of her short story collections.

66 Gentlemen and Players This was a very good psychological thriller. It's the story of the private grammar school St. Oswald's, and what happens when someone returns to the school in order to exact revenge. The plotline involves two narrators, the unknown perpetrator who is plotting revenge, and Roy Straitley, Classics Master who is made fun of by both the students and faculty, but is back at the school for his 100th term. I don't play chess, but I thought it was very clever that the parts of the books were divided into Pawn, King, Knight, etc. The ending was fantastic!

67 What We Keep This was a quick read, about a woman named Ginny Moore, who at 47, is going to see her mother after 35 years. When Ginny was 12, her life changed forever, when her mother left her family. Toward the end of the book, the reader realizes what actually happened all those years ago. It was a good story about misunderstanding, forgiveness, and perhaps most salient, at least for me, is that sometimes becoming a mother can help one understand their own mother's actions.

68 The Girl Who Died Thirty year old Una leaves her problems in Reykjavik, and takes a teaching position in the small town of Skalar, where she is hired to teach two little girls. Not only is the village isolated, Una soon finds herself having nightmares about a little girls singing a lullaby, and also finds that the village residents are hiding a secret from her. I wasn't sure how I felt about the supernatural element in this story, but it was a good read.

69 Lady Clementine I enjoyed this historical fiction account of Clementine Churchill. The story covers the time of their meeting and marriage in 1908, and his rise to Prime Ministre during World War II. Although this book is fiction, I really wanted to know how accurate some of the conversations and interactions with various public figures (i.e. Eleanor Roosevelt) were.

May Monthly Recap

I won't finish any more books today, so here's my reading activity for the month:

13 books completed
2 male authors
11 female authors
4 Library books
8 Kindle books
1 Book from my shelf

My absolute favorite book for the month was These Precious Days. I never figured that I would be a reader of essays, but I certainly enjoyed these. I also enjoyed Song of Solomon as well. Slowly, I am giving Toni Morrison's books a try, after being intimidated for so many years.

Next week starts my hybrid work schedule, with Mondays and Tuesdays in the office. I'm looking forward to a lot of light reading for my commute.

>148 lsh63: - I've seen a couple of mentions of how good These Precious Days is and, although I don't read that many short stories/essays either, I've put in into my BB list to keep it in mind. (I should try to read more of them)

70 I Couldn't Love You More I enjoyed this family story of three generations of women spanning from the WWII era in London to 1960's Ireland, to the present. There are three POV's presented, Aoife, Rosaleen, and Kate. Aoife is Rosaleen's mother, and Rosaleen is Kate's mother. Most of the book focuses on Rosaleen, who becomes pregnant by her married lover and finds herself at Catholic institution where she is forced to give Kate up for adoption. An overall theme of the book is Aoife looking for Rosaleen, hoping that she will come back home, and Kate constantly looking for her birth mother.

At times, the individual stories jumped back and forth in time with no warning, which made the book a little disjointed at time, however I found it to be an overall satisfying read. I would definitely read more by this author.

>149 dudes22: Hi Betty, I've been reading a ton of short stories lately, they work for me when I can only read for a short period of time or when my brain is tired, and I can't handle a complicated plot line or try to keep track of a host of characters.

>151 lsh63: - We read a book of short stories for our book club this month and a few people mentioned how nice it is to be able to read a whole story in a short amount of time and then let it go. Someone mentioned they found it a nice way to end the day - read one in bed and then turn out the light.

71 You Have A Friend in 10A I've been more short stories lately, and am constantly on the hunt for new collections. I enjoyed most of them, in particular, Cowboy Tango, a love triangle between and aging rancher, a woman named Sammy, and his nephew. I also Liked La Moretta, a story of a couple's honeymoon in Romania, that ends in tragedy. Most of the stories have to do with love, death, and relationships and I thought that they were very well written.

72 Plum Bun The story of Angela Murray, a young black girl who finds that she can pass for white, unlike her sister who is of a darker complexion. Upon her parents death, Angela moves to New York, thinking that she can escape rampant racism and live a life filled with opportunity and happiness. She learns important lessons about being a woman and that love and marriage may not offer her the safety she craves.

73 The Latecomer This is a story about the wealthy Oppenheimer family, parents Salo and Johanna, their triplets Harrison, Sally and Lewyn, and Phoebe born when her siblings were in their late teens. The triplets were conceived using IVF, while Phoebe (the last remaining egg) was born via surrogate. The title of the book refers to the fact that Phoebe was "late" to the family. As much as their mother hopes that they will bond, none of the triplets want anything to do with one another, and are at times cruel. None of the characters are likeable, with the exception of Phoebe, but I found this book to be a satisfying read.

74 The Warmest December This was a heartbreaking and difficult to read story of how generational alcoholism and abuse, devastated a family. Kenzie is holding a vigil for her abusive, alcoholic father as he is dying. As she goes back and forth to the hospital to sit by the beside of the man she hated and hoped that he would die, various childhood memories are recounted. As difficult as this was to read, at the end, I hoped Kenzie found some peace in her life and was able to live with her act of forgiveness.

75 Queenie Queenie Jenkins is a 25 Jamaican British woman living in London, whose life is spiraling out of control. After a breakup with her long-term boyfriend, she tries to comfort herself with risky behavior and questionable, potentially dangerous actions. I thought it was a good read and addressed Queenie's dating woes, her anxiety, and trying to find her place being torn between two cultures. I liked that the book addressed the fact that Queenie needed therapy, while also highlighting the stigma that still exists with it.

76 For Batter or Worse This book is the 13th in the Cupcake Mystery Series, and I read them for fun and to get baking ideas. In this one Melanie and Joe are finally set to tie the knot at the resort where Oz is the pastry chef. Oz has an argument with the head chef who is later found murdered. Mel and Joe try to clear Oz's name as the primary suspect so that their wedding can take place.



77 Strawberried Alive This is the next book in the above mentioned series, which finds Mel being shot at, and a potential serial killer whose targets are various business owners in the town. Both of these books were perfect for my early morning commute. I can't eat rich desserts any more, but I enjoy reading about them!

78 Blue Lightning I've been meaning to get back to this series for a while now. I think I read Raven Black approximately 10 years ago, and I didn't read White Nights until 8 years later. For this reason, I worried that I may have forgotten pertinent details, but a few details came back to me. In Blue Lightning, Jimmy Perez takes his fiancee, Fran, home to Fair Isles to introduce her to his parents. When a woman's body is discovered at the bird observatory, he must get to work the solve the case. I totally did not see the sad ending coming, and it was quite a shock.

79 It All Comes Down to This I picked up this book because I had read the author's A Good Neighborhood. It was a solid read about the lives of the Geller sisters Beck, Claire, and Sophie when their mother Marti dies from lung cancer. Marti was aware of her prognosis and has made specific instructions for the handling of her estate. One of her wishes is that the family's summer house in Maine be sold, with the proceeds of the sale distributed evenly among the sisters. The oldest daughter Beck, does everything she can to hold onto the house , while her other sisters want the house sold because they could use the money. While the book held my interest, I think I was expecting more drama, and I would have been ok with reading less of the youngest sister's social influencer lifestyle.

>160 lsh63: - I'm listening to her book A Well-Behaved Woman which is our book for book club next month.

80 Of Women and Salt A multi-generational series of connected short stories about Cuban women(Maria, Cecilia, Dolores, Carmen, Jeanette, Elena and Maydelis), and Salvadorian immigrants (Gloria and Ana). Most of the story involves the drug addiction of Jeanette and her mother Carmen's unwillingness to face certain truths about her own life. I had to refer to the family tree at the beginning of the book several times, as the timeline and POV's shifted quite a bit. For a short book, it covers a lot of topics; immigration, mother daughter relationships, abuse and drug addiction. I found it to be a worthwhile read.

81 EDDIE: The Life and Times of America's Preeminent Bad Boy This is a book written by Ken Osmond, also know as the ultra polite sneaky Eddie Haskell from the tv show Leave It To Beaver. The show aired from 1957 through 1963. After the show ended, Osmond became a police officer, was shot twice, and understandably suffered a bout of depression and post traumatic stress as a result. It was an ok read, however I suppose I was expecting a little more detail about the television show.

82 White Houses An account of the relationship between First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok, set shortly after Franklin Rooselvelt's death in 1945. Eleanor was a trailblazer, not afraid to speak her mind when necessary, Lorena was "rough" around the edges and grew up very poor in contrast to Eleanor's upbringing, but their friendship developed into something more. I just happened to be watching the series "The First Lady" and was able to learn a little more about their relationship during the FDR years.

83 Improvement A series of interconnected stories about the main character, Reyna, her boyfriend Boyd, her aunt Kiki, and various other characters whose lives Reyna impacted. The book moves around from New York to Istanbul, and Berlin. This book won the National Book Critics Circle Award, and the PEN/Faulkner Award, but I wasn't blown away by it. It was well written, however, and I will seek out other books by the author.

>161 dudes22: Hi Betty, that book looks interesting!

>166 lsh63: - I'm listening to it as an audio book in the car and I'm liking it more than I expected to.

84 Dead Water After the events of the previous novel, Blue Lightning, Jimmy Perez is slowly becoming involved in police work again, while also dealing with his devastating loss. We meet his new boss, Willow Reeves, who is called in to investigate the murder of a journalist. I will be diving into the next installment of this wonderful series very soon.

85 Miss Kopp’s Midnight Confessions I like everything about this series. In this installment, Constance and her sister Norma have their hands full with their flighty sister Fleurette, now 18, who dreams of stardom and runs away to join a vaudeville act. At the same time, Constance fights for the rights of two young women arrested for running away from home.

86 The Balloon Man I noticed that I had a few Charlotte Armstrong books on the shelf and decided to give this one a try. I had previously read A Dram of Poison and The Unsuspected and thought that they were pretty good. In this one, a woman, Sherry, tries to leave her abusive husband Ward, who is using drugs and who is also coddled by his wealthy parents. When one of Ward's drug induced outbursts injures their 3 year old son Johnny, Sherry flees to rent a room in a boarding house near the hospital where her son is being treated. Her in-laws file for custody of their grandson, and Sherry meets a friend in the boarding house, but can be trusted? This was a decent read, and I will definitely read some of the others on my shelf.

87 Woman of Light I previously read the authors short story collection Sabrina and Corina and thought I would enjoy her first novel. I became engrossed in the story about generations of a Mexican American family and their experiences from the late 1800's to the 1930's.

The plot alternates between 1930's characters Luz, cousin Lizette, brother Diego, aunt Maria Josie, and her ancestors background. Luz and her family reside in Denver, and are subject to many acts of racism and poverty. I enjoyed the book immenselfy, however, I found myself wanting a little more of Luz's grandparents story.

88 Know My Name This was a heartbreaking read of the author's experience after being sexually assaulted by Brock Turner. As difficult as it was to read, it was also amazing. Her powerful writing takes the reader into the horror of what happened to her, but also her state of mind, and the inadequacies of the legal system and how assault victims are treated. After reading this book, it is so clear to me why many assault victims suffer in silence rather than put themselves through the rigors of intrusive investigations and trials where they are treated like they did something wrong.

Good Morning Everyone,

I won't be reading anything else this month, as I just started The Locked Room last night.

I read 19 books this month, which I think is a direct result of my work commute now that we are on a hybrid work schedule.

7 Library books
11 Kindle books
1 book from my shelf

18 female authors
1 male author

My standout read for the month was Know My Name, but I also enjoyed Woman of Light, Of Women and Salt, and You Have a Friend in 10A. I plan to focus on some of my own books next month, however I will definitely be treating myself to some books and/or possibly a new Kindle I've been eyeing as my birthday and Thingaversary(15th) are in July.

Congrats on the 19 books -- very impressive!

>174 christina_reads: Thank you Christina! The work commute is helping the reading stats.

>173 lsh63: Nineteen books! I'm still just trying to get back into the normal rhythm again.

Excellent reading month!

>176 RidgewayGirl: Hi Kay, the 19 books are definitely because of the increased reading time on the bus commute to work!
>177 rabbitprincess: Thanks RP!

89 The Locked Room This is the 14th book in the Ruth Galloway series, which I always find to be a satisfying read. In this one, Ruth finds out a secret from her mother's past, while Nelson and Judy appears various deaths which appear to be suicide cases, but may not be. While all of this is taking place, COVID 19 strikes which affects one of the characters. The ending was teriffic, I can't wait to read the next book! I hope it's what I think it is.

90 The Maid Twenty five year old Molly Gray is a maid at an exclusive hotel. She struggles with social skills and mistakes the intentions of others, which leads to her being taken advantage of. Since her grandmother died a few months ago, she has been struggling even more withough her guidance. When a hotel patron is found dead, Molly becomes a suspect in his death. I enjoyed the Columbo references and her love of the Olive Garden. This was not a bad read for a debut novel.

91 Three Girls from Bronzeville This book definitely struck a chord with me. It's the story of Dawn Turner, her sister Kim, and best friend Debra, all from the Bronzeville neighborhood in South Side Chicago. One of the girls dies at an early age, another is convicted of murder. The author reflects on how all of them came from the same background, had the same opportunities, yet fate sends them into different directions in their life. This memoir is very well written, at the time I was unaware that the author is a journalist, which explains why it was very readable.

92 I am, I am, I am The author's memoir of her near-death and dangerous experiences was a riveting read. The author's experiences were heartbreaking to read; her miscarriages, her childbirth experience during the birth of her son, being held at knifepoint, and a childhood bout of encephalitis, just to name a few, all shaped her into the person she is today. I suppose it depends on your outlook on life whether you consider her lucky or unlucky. I was particularly moved by her efforts to help her daughter through the pain of numerous allergies and eczema. I've enjoyed every book I've read by this author and this one was no exception.

93 The Mystery of the Blue Train Hercule Poirot investigates the murder of an wealthy American heiress who was planning to divorce her husband. The murder takes places on the Blue Train, a luxury French night express train destined for the French Riviera. Poirot is also a passenger on the train and works to find out if the woman's murder and the disappearance of a very large ruby given to the victim were committed by the same person. The obvious suspects are the woman's husband and the other man she was seeing. But did they do it? While I found the actual murderer odd, I didn't suspect them.

I thought I would take a minute to reflect on today being my 15th Thingaversary! I buy books all the time, as my morning ritual includes looking at the Kindle and other site's daily deals. Most of my books these days are e-books, as I find that physical books hard on my eyes and sometimes difficult to hold. The drawback of the e-book format, is that of course I often forget to include them in my library here.

Following tradition, I'm going to list here the first 16 books purchased this month. 10 more to go! I'm glad to have stumbled on this site in a magazine back in 2007, when I was intrigued by the concept of listing all of my books. It has been so nice conversing with people who read a lot and also amass great quantities of books.

1 Phoenix Noir
2 Hunger
3 The English Teacher
4 An Unnecessary Woman
5 Hamnet
6 A Place Like Home
7 The Last Talk with Lola Faye
8 Talking to Strange Men
9 Great Circle
10 The Vanishing Season
11 Cold As Hell
12 Unsheltered
13 The Candy Kid
14 The Lie
15 The Bamboo Blonde
16 A Day in the Life of a Smiling Woman

>184 lsh63: Happy Thingaversary! It's strange to think this little community has been around so long (it's ancient in internet years!) and yet is still thriving.

Happy Thingaversary, Lisa!

Happy Thingaversary! A friend hit me with a BB for An Unnecessary Woman a few years ago and I'm hoping to read it this year for one of my Bingo blocks.

Your LT account is old enough to drive! Happy Thingaversary :)

>184 lsh63: Snap! Same morning ritual. Same preference for ebooks for the same reasons.

Happy Thingaversary!

Happy Thingaversary, Lisa!

Happy Thingaversary!

>185 christina_reads: Thank you Christina!
>186 DeltaQueen50: Thank you Judy!
>187 dudes22: Thank you Betty!
>188 rabbitprincess: Thank you RP!
>189 pamelad: Thank you Pam!
>190 RidgewayGirl: Thank you Kay!
>191 MissWatson: Thank you Birgit!

94 The Beautiful Dead Crime reporter Eve Singer becomes a serial killer's muse while also dealing with her father's worsening dementia, the beginning of a relationship and the nagging fear that her career is going downhill fast. I can honestly say that I have enjoyed every book that I have read by this author.

95 The Color of Water This was an excellent memoir about author James McBride's mother Ruth, and her 12 children. McBride, who is biracial, spent his youth wondering why his Jewish mother looked and acted different from his friends' mothers and was embarrassed by her. He later embraces his heritage as his mother finally consents to tell him about her early life and the hardships she faced.

96 Remain Silent This book will be the last in the Manon Bradshaw series as the author passed away on July 2 at 51 years of age. I had planned to read this book soon but I moved it up into the rotation. Manon is newly married and trying her best to handle her demanding job, a toddler, and her adopted son Fly without losing her mind. Manon is working part time on cold cases as a way of having some sort of work life balance until she finds herself struggling with the realities of domestic bliss. While with her son in the park one day she discovers the body of a Lithuanian immigrant hanging from a tree with a note attached. Manon suddenly finds herself back on the job full time. The story is told from the POV's of Manon, one of the immigrants, and DS Davy Walker. While it was a good read, I wasn't as drawn in as I was with Missing, Presumed and Persons Unknown, but it has been about five years since I read the second book.

97 Cutting Edge This is one of those series that I have been meaning to get to for a while. You know the ones where you think they sound good and you purchase at least ten of them thinking you'll read them soon? I finally read the first book last year, probably a good ten years after buying it, and I'm glad that I have most of the series, as they are not available at my library. In this third book of the series, Resnick has to deal with his ex-wife while also investigating violent assaults agains doctors and nurses by a knife wielding killer. This is a solid police procedural that I look forward to reading more of in the near future.

98 The Angel of Rome I'm a bif fan of Jess Walter, and I enjoyed this short story collection immensely. My favorite story was the title "Angel of Rom", about Nebraskan Jake Rigel, who travels to Rome on a Latin scholarship in 1993. Just when he is about to head back home, he stumbles upon a movie set of a beautiful Italian actress know as the Angel of Rome. I read the twelve stories in the collection pretty quickly, and I can honestly say that I enjoyed all of them. Usually in a short story collection there is a dud or two, but I didn't find that to be the case here.

>195 lsh63: Oh, that's sad news. This is one of the rare series mysteries I put on my list after reading the first one. The second is on my kindle now.

>198 RidgewayGirl: Yes, I was sad to hear about it. Also good for you for not succumbing to the lure of various series. I can't seem to help myself sigh.....

99 Thin Air Jimmy, Sandy and Willow investigate the murder of Eleanor Longstaff who was in town to celebrate the wedding reception of her friend Caroline and her husband Lowrie. There is also a ghost story about a 10 year old girl who drowned on the island in 1930. I always enjoy this series, I love Jimmy Perez's character and the atmospheric descriptions of the Shetland Islands. I had no idea who the real murderer was. In stead of plowing through the rest of the series, I may wait a bit to savor them.

100 Today a Woman Went Mad in the Supermarket How could I not be intrigued by this title? It's so relatable. Most of these stories were written in the 1960's and 1970's, along with a new story where one of the characters succumbs to COVID. I had no idea who this author was, nor that she is the mother of Meg Wolitzer, and is still going strong at 91. The stories in this collection reflect real life situations, mainly how difficult it can be to try to keep house, care for small children, and deal with a spouse who means well, but maybe doesn't always "get it". The main characters in the majority of the stories Pauline, and Howard, who are featured at various points in their lives, meeting, marrying, and raising children while dealing with infidelity, forgiveness, depression, boredom and love.

My favorite story was the most recent story with Pauline and Howard in their older age, not sure about this COVID virus, thinking what a lot of people first thought that the virus was isolated to a certain area, or to cruise ships, all the while stocking up on toilet paper and hand sanitizer. When one of them contracts the virus, the reader can feel the emotion of not being able to be with your loved one in the hospital, not knowing what's happening and waiting for news via a phone call. I intend to read more by this author now that I have discovered her.

101 Off Minor This fourth book in the Charlie Resnick series finds him tracking the killer of little Gloria Summers when Emily Morrision vanishes from her home on a Sunday afternoon. Resnick investigates to determine if Gloria's killer also has taken Emily. I love this character, and also the jazz references. I am looking forward to reading more of this series.

102 Elizabeth is Missing This was a heartbreaking yet excellent read. Maud is slowly losing her memory, yet she believes that something has happened to her best friend Elizabeth. Her daughter, granddaughter, caretaker and the police won't take her seriously. Even though her memory is failing her, Maud is determined to help her friend who she believes is in great danger. Maud's memory issues also cause her to reflect on the past and the disappearance of her sister Sukey who vanished in the 1940's. I was impressed with the manner in which the author was able to convey the frustration and anxiety that Maud faced as she realizes that she can't communicate the way she wants to and that everyone becomes impatient with her at times. I loved this book it was very well written, sometimes funny and also sad all at the same time.

103 At Weddings and Wakes The story of multiple generations of an Irish family who live in New York. The novel is not plot focused, rather it is more character and detail driven. The book is narrated by the children of one of the sisters, Lucy, but it doesn’t unfold in chronological order, so it was confusing for me at times. The children recount various events in their lives, as well as their aunts, Veronica, Agnes, May, uncle John and their mother’s stepmother. The book was very well written, and I will seek out other works by this author.

104 Death of a Red Heroine This is the first in a series of books featuring Inspector Chen Cao. Set in 1990 Shanghai, the Inspector is met with strong political forces as he attempts to solve the murder of a young "national model worker". I found the book to be slow to start, filled with too many characters for me to keep straight. I also thought it was a bit too long. It was an ok read for me.

I'm going to post my July reading activity a bit early, as I am pretty sure I won't finish anything before Monday. I'm going to take it easy over the weekend as I had a bout of what the doctors believe was vertigo, and I want to make sure that I will be ok to go into the office on Monday. It was making me crazy yesterday because I wanted to read but I was too foggy to concentrate. Whatever they gave me in the hospital alleviated the weird spinning sensation but also made be very tired. I've been to the ER three times this year and I think that is enough haha.

July
I read 16 books this month.

7 Library books
7 Kindle books
2 books from my shelf

11 female authors
5 male authors

My best reads for the month were Elizabeth is Missing Three Girls from Bronzeville, Angel of Rome, and I am, I am, I am.

Hope you feel better soon!

Lisa, I hope you are feeling better. I noticed that you listed Elizabeth Is Missing as one of your best reads for July. I thought the book was amazing and it is still in the running for one of my best books of the year.

>207 christina_reads: Thank you Christina!
>208 DeltaQueen50: Thank you Judy. It was excellent. You reminded me that I should start making up my mind about my best book(s) of each month so I won't have to look back at the end of the year.

>206 lsh63: Have a restful weekend!