Betty (Dudes22) – Quilts in the Garden in 2024

Garden Sampler, Copyright 2018 Fat Quarter Shop, This and That Pattern Company

Hi – My name is Betty and I joined LT in 2008 and I’ve been doing the Category Challenge since 2010. My husband and I live close to the coast in the tiny state of Rhode Island. Our son and daughter also live in RI so we can see them fairly often. Our grandchildren are scattered – one grandson In Maine, one in Florida and our granddaughter is in North Carolina. We moved to a retirement community 7 years ago and there’s lots to do here. Hubby golfs a couple of times a week and I play mah jong and cards with some of the girls. We both like to read and I also quilt.

When I was getting my “reflections” thread ready for 2023, I realized that 2024 will be 10 years since I did my quilt challenge in the Category Challenge Group and thought I’d do another one although in a slightly different format. I bought a commercial quilt pattern for a sampler quilt that has 12 blocks called “Garden Sampler”. I will confess that I worked on some of the finishing aspects of it in 2023 otherwise I won’t have a complete quilt to show at the end of the year. Each month I’ll post a picture for one block and list my reading for the month.

So - what do I want to concentrate on this year? I’d like to try and read more books that are new while at the same time try to reduce my TBR pile. I think I’m going to try and concentrate on books I’ve bought over the years for my Thingaversary that still aren’t read and books that I’ve acquired from BBs that haven’t been read yet. And, of course, my series reading. Maybe some author binging….

Besides the garden sampler, I have a few other quilting projects planned and I also keep a thread of my quilting projects over in the Needlearts Group. If you’d like to drop by occasionally to see what I’m up to, it’s here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/356476#n8334785

2. Tickers, Covers, & Book Bullet Tracking





Book Bullet Reading Tracking



BBs 2012: 0 of 6
BBs 2013: 1 of 8
BBs 2014: 1 of 11
BBs 2015: 0 of 13
BBs 2016: 0 of 20
BBs 2017: 2 of 18
BBs 2018: 1 of 21
BBs 2019: 1 of 54
BBs 2020: 0 of 54
BBs 2021: 0 of 80
BBs 2022: 2 of 53
BBs 2023: 0 of 80

Currently Reading



Recently Read

January:

Jan Block: Mint Block

AlphaKit A - Spanish Daggers by Susan Wittig Albert
AlphaKit Y – Aunty Lee's Chilled Revenge by Ovidia Yu
Book Club -
Mystery Kit - The Great Cake Mystery by Alexander McCall Smith
Random Kit - A Guide to the Birds of East Africa by Nicholas Drayson
Bingo Blocks: Aunty Lee's Chilled Revenge - Themed around Food
Yellow Bird Sings - 3 Word Title
Spanish Daggers - Author >65 pamelad:

1. The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger
2. Aunty Lee's Chilled Revenge by Ovidia Yu
3. Yellow Bird Sings by Jennifer Rosner
4. Spanish Daggers by Susan Wittig Albert
5. The Great Cake Mystery by Alexander McCall Smith
6. A Guide to the Birds of East Africa by Nicholas Drayson

February:

February Block: Fennel Block

AlphaKit F –
AlphaKit E – Look Alive Twenty-Five by Janet Evanovich
Book Club - Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Property by Valerie Martin
January Calendar Cat - Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (January Birthday)
February Random Kit: The Water Keeper by Charles Martin
February Calendar Cat: Property by Valerie Martin Black History Month)
February Prize Cat: The All of It by Jeannette Haien - Sue Kaufman Prize for First Fiction 1987
Alpha Kit Year-Long: "X"
Bingo Blocks: Look Alive Twenty-Five - Nothing but author & title on cover
Their Eyes Were Watching God - Written by POC
The Water Keeper - Features Water
The Baker's Secret - Similar libraries on LT
Aunt Bessie Decides - Name in title

7. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
8. Look Alive Twenty-Five by Janet Evanovich
9. Maureen by Rachel Joyce
10. The Water Keeper by Charles Martin
11. Property by Valerie Martin
12. Aunt Bessie Decides by Diana Xarissa
13. The All of It by Jeannette Haien
14. The Baker's Secret by Stephen P Kiernan
15. Corduroy Mansions by Alexander McCall Smith
16. Montana, 1948 by Larry Watson
17. The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline

March

March Block - Basil Block

Feb AlphaKit F - The Vanishing Man by Charles Finch
AlphaKit H – Slow Horses by Mick Herron
AlphaKit R - The Morisot Connection by Estelle Ryan
Book Club - True Biz by Sara Novic
March Calendar Cat - Foster by Claire Keegan - Irish author
March Random Kit: West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge
Bingo Blocks: The Morisot Connection - Less than 100 copies
Letters From Skye by Jessica Brockmole - Epistolary

18. Foster by Clare Keegan
19. The Morisot Connection by Estelle Ryan
20. West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge
21. The Vanishing Man by Charles Finch
22. True Biz by Sara Novic
23. Letters From Skye by Jessica Brockmole
24. Slow Horses by Mick Herron

April:

April Block - Oregano Block

AlphaKit U – Montmorency on the Rocks by Eleanor Updale
AlphaKit O - The Art of Inheriting Secrets by Barbara O'Neal
Book Club -
MysteryKit - Montmorency on the Rocks by Eleanor Updale
Calendar Cat - Chenneville - April birthday
Bingo Blocks - Chenneville - recent bestseller
Night of Miracles - about friendship
The Echo of Old Books - paper-based item in plot
The Record Keeper - features twins

25. The Letter Keeper by Charles Martin
26. Montmorency on the Rocks by Eleanor Updale
27. The Art of Inheriting Secrets by Barbara O'Neal
28. Chenneville by Paulette Jiles
29. Night of Miracles by Elizabeth Berg
30. The Echo of Old Books by Barbara Davis
31. The Record Keeper by Charles Martin
32. Where Coyotes Howl by Sandra Dalles

May:
picture arriving in May

AlphaKit N –
AlphaKit P –
Book Club -

June:
picture arriving in June

AlphaKit J -
AlphaKit B -
Book Club -

July:
picture arriving in July

AlphaKit I -
AlphaKit S –
Book Club

August:
picture arriving in August

AlphaKit M -
AlphaKit G –
Book Club

September:
picture arriving in September

AlphaKit V -
AlphaKit C -
Book Club

October:
picture arriving in October

AlphaKit D -
AlphaKit T -
Book Club

November:
picture arriving in November

AlphaKit L -
AlphaKit W -
Book Club

December:
picture arriving in December

AlphaKit K -
AlphaKit Q -
AlphaKit X -
AlphaKit Z -

Bingo Dog
I’m putting in a Bingo Dog card placehilder - just in case





1. Food or Cooking - Aunty Lee's Chilled Revenge
2. Book with an Ugly Cover
3. Only Title and Author on Cover -Look Alive Twenty-Five
4. Featuring Twins - The Record Keeper
5. Topic Which You Have Specific Knowledge
6. Published in a Year Ending in 24
7. Epistolary or Diary - Letters from Skye
8. "Big" or "Little" in Title
9. Book From an "LT Similar" Library - The Baker's Secret
10. About Friendship - Night of Miracles
11. Three Word Title - Yellow Bird Sings
12. Paper Based Item in Plot - The Echo of Old Books
13. Read A Cat
14. Short Story Collection
15. Person's Name in Title - Aunt Bessie Decides
16. Set in a City
17. Less Than 100 Copies Listed on LT - The Morisot Connection
18. POC author - Their Eyes Were Watching God
19. Author 65 or older - Spanish Daggers
20. Featuring Water - The Water Keeper
21. Warriors or Mercenaries
22. Reread a Favorite Book
23. Written in another Cultural Tradition
24. Set in Multiple Countries
25. Current or Recent Bestseller -Chenneville

I love the welcome square, and the Bingo Dog! Have fun and enjoy the reading.

Happy reading and quilting in 2024!

Enjoy your reading in 2024. I'll be following along.

Good luck with your reading in 2024. I look forward to popping in and getting more BBs.

Oh, I remember your previous quilting thread and I'm looking forward to both following your quilting and your reading in 2024!

Happy reading in 2024!

>17 majkia: - I've been using that welcome square for a few years now, Jean.. I love it too.

>18 pamelad: - Thanks, Pam.

>19 VivienneR: - Thanks, Vivienne, I'll be following you too.

>20 lowelibrary: - Hope I don't hit you with too many, April.

>21 DeltaQueen50: - I've put that Christmas quilt on my bed for the holidays and can't believe it's been 10 years, Judy. How time flies.

>22 MissWatson: - Thanks, Brigit.

Good luck with your reading Betty, I've got you starred and will look forwrd to any BB's and to see you lovely quilting!

As per, I'm expecting plenty of BBs from you, Betty! Enjoy your reading and quilting! I can imagine quilting can be quite relaxing, once you get into it (I don't have the patience or necessary skills, sadly!).

Good idea to focus on Thingaversary buys! Have fun reading and quilting this year :)

Good luck with your plans in 2024! Focusing on series is one of my reading goals for the next year, too. And of course, reducing the TBR pile.

>24 lsh63: - Thanks, Lisa. I expected we'll be trading BBs back and forth.

>25 Jackie_K: - I'll try, Jackie. I have a couple of non-fiction planned that I think might be something you'd like.

>26 rabbitprincess: - Yes, rp. I tend to forget that they were high on my list when I got them.

>27 MissBrangwen: - Thanks, Mirjam. I'm always surprised at how many series I'm reading. hope you make progress too.

Lovely quilt! Your BB tracking makes me realise I really need to keep track of where I get them from.
Enjoy your reading in 2024!

>29 JayneCM: - Thanks, Jayne. Looking forward to your readung too.

Hello Betty! I'm looking forward to seeing your quilting, as well as all the books :-)

I'm hoping to drop by from time to time!

>31 susanj67: - Thank you.

>32 mysterymax: - I hope so too.

I look forward to seeing your squares each month, I also remember your previous quilt thread. I'm caretaker for my sister who has alzheimer's. When I put a quilt on her bed this fall that my grandmother made she immeditely pointed to a swatch and said that it was the material from a blouse mother made for her when she was in high school (my mother was whiz of a seamtress). Once I saw it I remembered it very well. Jumpers were very popular then and the royal blue corduroy jumper and blouse with small flowers with a ruffle collar popped immediately into my mind. We're both in our seventies! Quilts are fun even decades from when they were made!

>34 clue: - That's a wonderful thing that your sister remembered that. Thanks for stopping by and I hope I can keep up and get the quilt done by the end of 2024.

Love your quilting theme! After I get home and can add photos--probably either Tuesday night or Wednesday, I'll add some photos to my categories.

My January quilt lock has been added at post #3.


Jan Block: Mint Block

Hi Betty. I love the January quilt block and look forward to seeing each new quilt block as we progress through the year. Wishing you a wonderful year of quilting and reading in 2024.

Thank you, Lori. I have a lot of quilting projects planned for this year so I hope I can keep up with this.

That’s a nice block for January. I have three quilts that my grandmother and her sister made together and do use them; two on the bed and one as a wall hanging.

>37 dudes22: That's a beautiful quilt block. I really admire quilters. I used to quilt but didn't have the patience to use traditional methods and used a sewing machine. It can be tricky (I broke many needles in the beginning) but I still managed to create several quilts for queen-sized beds.

I'm looking forward to seeing your reading and quilting this year.
I've dome some quilting, hand sewn hexies or machine sewn squares. Not been brave enough to try a triangle as yet!

>37 dudes22: Pretty! Anything with sewing is beyond me (I'm a knitter, if I can tear myself away from books long enough to craft) so I am always impressed by quilting handiwork.

>40 hailelib: - Thanks. I'm a firm believer in quilts being "used" not "stored".

>41 VivienneR: - Hi, Vivienne. I'm a machine sewing quilter. Too many to make and not enough time for traditional hand quilting. Having said that, see my answer to Helen.

>42 Helenliz: - I have one quilting project that is similar to hexies, but multiple shapes. It's taking me a long time. I just checked and the first time I mentioned it was back in 2019 although I think there were years where I didn't touch it at all. I'm hoping to make some progress this year.

>43 rabbitprincess: - Thanks, rp. I used to knit but it's fallen by the way-side over the years as I like quilting better and can see results faster.

>37 dudes22: Beautiful piece!

Happy New Year, Betty. I look forward to seeing your quilt blocks every month, and, of course, seeing what you are reading.

Today is my Thingaversary!

I joined LT back in 2008 so I have been here for 16 years now. I originally joined just to keep track of my books, but I soon found a community of like-minded people who love to read and talk about the books they’re reading. (and other things) I’ve had some great times and loads of book bullets over the years which have led to new authors and many interesting books. Since my Thingaversary falls so early in the year, I’ve been spreading my purchases out over the previous year now that there are so many. I’ve been very good about not reading any – even though I was tempted. Almost all of these were BBs and I’m hoping to get most of them read this year and not let them linger. (Although I said the same thing last year.)

Here are the 17 books I decided on:

Horse by Geraldine Brooks
Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery
The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
The Record Keeper by Charles Martin
Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese
The Trees by Percival Everett
The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts
The Enchanted April by Elizabeth Amin
The Archer by Paul Coelho
The Dry Grass of August by Anna Jean Mayhew
Numbers in the Dark by Italo Calvino
The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
Three Apples Fell From the Sky by Narine Abgaryan
North Country by Howard Frank Mosher
Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout
The Way Life Should Be by Christina Baker Kline
Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout

>47 dudes22: Happy Thingaversary! What a great list of books!

That's a great list of books! Glad to have gotten to "know you" through LT!

Happy Thingaversary! Three Apples Fell From the Sky is the only one of your list that I've read, I really enjoyed it.

Happy Thingaversary, Betty. That's a great haul!

>47 dudes22: Great haul! I think you'll enjoy The Ride of Her Life. I was surprised that I enjoyed it. It was probably in my top 10 reads last year. I have Lucy By the Sea checked out. I'll get to it soon, but it's from the university library, so I don't have to rush to read it.

Congratulations on your anniversary! Mine is next month and I'll be 17. If you think about it, it's amazing how much LT has changed and grown through the years. It was recommmended to me by a friend who was a librarian (she's one who lost her job because a couple of people in her county didn't think she could be trusted to buy books) although I don't think she ever used it!

Happy Thingaversary! Hope you enjoy all those books.

Happy Thingaversary from me too! In spite of new changes always happening I still love it here.

Happy Thingaversary and happy reading in 2024. What a beautiful start to your quilt.

Happy Thingaversary, Betty. That is a great haul of books. My Thingaversary is in June but it's not too early to start thinking about adding 17 books to my library.

Happy Thingaversary! What a great haul of books. My 17th anniversary is in May and I will be starting to consider the 18 books I'll be adding. In the early days a quick trip to the bookstore was all that was needed.

Thank you all for the Thingaversary wishes. Now - at last - I can start reading them.

Book 1: The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger



"On Memorial Day, 1958, as the people of Jewel, Minnesota gather to remember and honor the sacrifice of so many sons in the wars of the past, the half-clothed body of wealthy landowner Jimmy Quinn is found floating in the Alabaster River, dead from a shotgun blast."

Sheriff Brody Dern is going to have to solve the mystery of whether this was a suicide, an accident, or a murder. Many things about the crime scene don't make sense and the people of Jewel, Minnesota all seem to have an opinion. As the rumors spread that it might be a murder, a man that Jimmy recently fired from his farm seems to be the one that people want to blame and assume that he is the murderer. Krueger does an excellent job, as always, of bringing not only great characters, but moral/ethical issues to the story to give the reader things to think about.

When I first started the book, I was a little disappointed that this was along the same vein as his Cork O'Connor series where his other stand-alone books are very different. (At least the two I've read). But the story was engrossing, and the epilogue brings answers to "what happens after".

ETA: When I first got this from a very long hold list at the library, I ran out of time and had to return it and go back on a very long hold list. So I ended up reading the beginning twice.

My RL book club meets at the beginning of the month, so, to make December easier on everyone, at our January meeting everyone comes and talks about the 2 best books they read the previous year that were not book club reads. It always is interesting, and I got a few more BBs from it.

Happy thingaversary. I like the list, several on there that pique interest. I've read 2 of them, Three Apples Fell from the Sky and The Enchanted April Quite different, but I enjoyed both.

>47 dudes22: Happy Thingaversary.

>61 dudes22: That's a great idea for the book club!

Happy Thingaversary! I loved The Enchanted April.

>64 rabbitprincess: - We started doing this a couple of years ago and I think everyone likes one less stressful thing to do during December. Plus, we all get ideas for good books.

>65 pamelad: - It's definitely on my reading plan for this year.

Happy Thingaversary! I see you have a nice selection of books there. I want to get to Horse and The Trees sometime soon.

I'm looking forward to reading a bunch of these this year.

>47 dudes22: So many good reads! Enjoy!

>47 dudes22: Happy Thingaversary! I always forget that I am 'allowed' to buy books then - must check my date.
I enjoyed Three Apples Fell From The Sky and I have The Ride of Her Life out from the library currently. Want to read all the rest!
A Booktuber I enjoy (and trust for recs) had Indian Horse in her top 10 for 2023.

>47 dudes22: You joined LT one month before me. Your celebratory book stack is lovely.

>69 Tess_W: - Thanks Tess.

>70 JayneCM: - I am looking forward to reading a bunch of these this year.

>71 RidgewayGirl: - I remember that we joined around the same time, Kay.

>70 JayneCM: I'll second your Booktuber friend and recommend Indian Horse. I've enjoyed all the Richard Wagamese books that I've read. My favourite was Medicine Walk which takes place in the area where I live.

>73 VivienneR: - It looks like I took a BB for this back in 2018 so it's about time I got around to reading it. Medicine Walk is the only one of his that I've read so far.

>47 dudes22: Happy Thingaversary. Great choice of books!

Weird that Krueger is writing a standalone that is similar to the Cork O'Connor series.

>73 VivienneR: Annoyingly, my library has none of Richard Wagamese's books, although they do have a DVD of the movie of Indian Horse. I am also interested to read some of his non fiction works. Looks like I will just have to buy them!

Book 2: Aunty Lee's Chilled Revenge by Ovidia Yu
January Alpha Kit: "Y"
Bingo Block: Themed Around Food or Cooking



In this 3rd entry in the Aunty Lee series, Aunty Lee is letting her assistant have a meeting in her cafe with some friends from an animal rescue group she was once associated with and an ex-pat (Allison) who has come back to Singapore to file a lawsuit against them in the hopes of negotiating a settlement. Instead of Allison, her sister shows up and soon after they hear that Allison has been found murdered in her hotel room. As usual Aunty Lee gets involved in seeking out what really happened. This time I figured part of the answer early in the book although not the actual murderer.

>77 dudes22: I still haven't tried any in the Aunty Lee series. I may eventually get around to some.

>78 thornton37814: - I find them a better-quality cozy than some and I listened to book 2 and enjoyed it as an audio also. (If that encourages you)

Book 3: Yellow Bird Sings by Jennifer Rosner, Narrated by Anna Koval, afterward narrated by Jennifer Rosner
Bingo Block: Three Word Title
Book Bullet: JayneCM 2022



Set in Poland during WW II, this is the story of a mother and daughter and the lenghts a mother will go to in order to save her child. Roza and her five-year old daughter escape from their town and hide out in a neighbor's barn to escape the Nazi's. Hidden in a hayloft, Roza creates a story of an enchanted garden to help keep her daughter quiet during the many hours they must stay hidden. When the Germans come to requisition the barn, Roza and Shira must leave. The wife arranges for Shira to be taken and hidden at a convent and Roza takes to the woods to try and avoid capture.

The book is wonderfully written. You can feel the fear of the Nazi's, the love of a mother, and the hopelessness of the decision Roza must make. I took a BB from JaynceCM in 2022 for this and I really enjoyed the audio. There was also an afterward narrated by the author which was very interesting also.

>80 dudes22: That one sounds good.

>80 dudes22: A 4 star book is always good.

>47 dudes22: Happy Thingaversary! Your list looks great. I really enjoyed Horse(with one reservation) It was still a 4.5 * for me, one of my favorites of the year. I will look forward to your review so I can see how you felt about it. I also loved The Lincoln Highway...I'll read anything that man writes!
I finally posted my 2024 thread...you can find me here https://www.librarything.com/topic/357398#8369531

Book 4: Spanish Daggers by Susan Wittig Albert
January AlphaKit: "A"
Bingo Block: Witten by an author over 65



While gathering yucca leaves to be used in a papermaking class, China and her friend Carole discover the dead body of Ruby's ex-boyfriend. Ruby is away trying to get her mother settled into assisted living because she's showing signs of dementia. When China goes to tell her that Colin is dead, Ruby convinces China that Colin left a shoebox at Ruby's house and China needs to go get it right away. China manages to get herself involved in the investigation against the wishes of her friend the police chief.

There's also a secondary story that started in the last book and isn't finished yet so, if you aren't already reading this series, it's probably best to start at the beginning.

Book 5: The Great Cake Mystery by Alexander McCall Smith, Narrated by Adjoa Andoh
January MysteryKit: Short Story



This turned out to be a children's book about the first mystery solved by Precious Ramotswe who is the main character in Smith's No 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. Introduces Precious when she is just a young girl.

Belated congratulations on your Thingaversary! Nice book haul. Both The Trees and Indian Horse were 5-star reads for me.

>86 mathgirl40: - I'm anxious to get to many of those I bought - sooner rather than letting them sit as I get intrigued by newer books.

>80 dudes22: Taking a BB for this one!

>88 Tess_W: - Hope you enjoy it.

Looking forward to seeing your quilt blocks each month, Betty. Your Thingaversary haul looks great - I really loved The Enchanted April when I read it, and the movie of it is also wonderful.

>90 Crazymamie: - I'm hoping to get to that this year. I'm pretty sure that was a BB from somebody.

Book 6: A Guide to the Birds of East Africa by Nicholas Drayson
January Random Kit: Early Birds
Book Bullet: Judy - DeltaQueen50 2019



Mr. Malik goes to the East African Ornithological Society each Tuesday to go on a bird walk headed by Rose Mbikwa. He wants to ask her to the Asadi Club's annual ball and has ordered tickets. If he gets them, he has a letter ready to be mailed to ask. On this particular Tuesday a new person shows up for the walk and turns out to be Malik's nemesis from his school days. He wants to ask Rose to the ball also and so they decide to have a competition to see who gets to ask her. For one week they will make a list of all the birds they see and the one with the most will get the privilege of asking her. How they go about it reveals the differences in their characters.

Seems there is also a sequel to this which I'll put on a list to check out.

92 Oh, I didn't know there is a sequel to this! I will also have to check it out. :)

>92 dudes22:, 93

I looked for this a few weeks ago and it must be out of print. I did evetually find a used one in Very Good Condition on abe, but I think I got the only one in that condition. I'm sure you'll find one somewhere though.

>94 clue: - I checked the ILL system and there isn't one there so I may have a difficult time finding it. I'm going to AZ in April and I may have my friend check her library system before I get there and take it out if they have it.

I only managed to read 6 books this month, but I was pretty busy. We're going on vacation at the end of February and I'm planning to lay on the beach and read for a week.

>92 dudes22: I loved Drayson's book! Tried to convince a friend to try it but the title put her off.

>97 VivienneR: - I stopped over to see my sister yesterday and passed it along to her. I think she'll like it. I saw a couple of reviews that compared it to Alaxander McCall Smith's books, but I didn't get that vibe.

The February sampler block for my quilt which I've also posted at post #4: (It's called the fennel block.)

>99 dudes22: I love the color combination, so pretty!

>100 clue: - Thanks, Luanne. I was just mentioning on my Needlearts thread that this is one quilt where I searched out the fabrics shown on the pattern which helps them to co-ordinate.

Book 7: Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, narrated by Ruby Dee
January Calendar Cat: January Birtday
Bingo Block: Written by a Person of Color
Book Bullet: Mamzel 2017



Janie Crawford is an African American woman living in the 1920s/1930s. She has been raised by her grandmother and when she begins to start taking an interest in boys, her grandmother marries her to a much older man. One day a traveler comes by and she gets swept off her feet with his sweet talking and she goes away with him to Florida. Eventually he dies and she meets Tea Cake and marries him and they move to the Everglades. But the book is centered on Janie. I loved this character – her thoughts, her self-possession, her view of the world at this time.

This is our book for book club next week. When I first started reading it, I had trouble with the dialect in the book and found I needed to read sections over to understand what was being said. So, I decided to take the audio from the library and what a good decision that was. The book is narrated by actress Ruby Dee and it was wonderful. I’m just in awe of the author’s writing. It’s so lyrical. `I would never have gotten so much from the book had I read it, I don’t believe.

>102 dudes22: Lovely review, Betty. I completely agree with you about the audiobook - just so perfectly delivered by Ruby Dee.

>103 Crazymamie: - it turned out to be somewhat not what I expected, but in a much better way.

Book 8: Look Alive Twenty-Five by Janet Evanovich
February Alpha Kit: "E"
Bingo Block: Only title and author on cover



This is the 25th book in the Stephanie Plum series about a rather inept bounty hunter in Trenton, NJ. I've got one more in my TBR pile and then I think I'll might quit the series. It's begun to feel rather routine.

Love your quilt blocks! I also like how you've laid out your book bullets by the year you got hit - I have them organized by who recommended them to me, but not by how many in any particular year. I should be able to do that by when I entered them on my wishlist; thanks for the idea!

I really loved Their Eyes Were Watching God also. I had trouble with the dialect at the beginning and then I started to read out loud the passages I was having trouble with, and it started making sense.

>106 LisaMorr: - I think reading it out loud was probably a good idea. I can see how that might help.

The quilt block is nice! I enjoyed the Hurston book when I read it.

>99 dudes22: Another beautiful quilt block!

>105 dudes22: I found I got tired of Stephanie Plum stories too, but a good break can handle that, then it's fun to get back to them.

>108 thornton37814: - Thanks, Lori.

>109 VivienneR: - Thanks, Vivienne. I looked and there are only 30 so far, so I guess I'll keep going.

>105 dudes22: Hi Betty, I agree with your comment about the Stephanie Plum series. At one time, I faithfully put a hold on each new book. Then I stopped requesting them as well as the Alex Cross series. I think I'll see where I left off with both and maybe resume reading soon. Stephanie and her grandmother's shenanigans are almost always hilarious.

>111 lsh63: - We're on the same wavelength, Lisa. I finally gave up on the Alex Cross books. They just got so short and there wasn't much effort in plot development for me. I decided that Patterson was only interested in pushing them out. They just weren't very good anymore. (rant finished) Surprisingly, there were only a couple of mentions of her grandmother in this book.

Book 9: Maureen by Rachel Joyce, narrated by Penelope Wilton



I recently became aware that Rachel Joyce had written a third book in the Harold Fry series. This book concentrates on Harold's wife Maureen. Briefly - in book one Harold finds out an old co-worker is dying and goes out one day to post a letter. Instead, he ends up walking 600 miles to see her. Book 2 is about Queenie, the person he was walking to see. Now in book 3, Harold's wife Maureen has found out that Queenie made a garden and put some kind of memento to Maureen and Harold's son who passed away. She decides that she must go see for herself. I have to say that Maureen is not a likable person in this book. I'm not even sure the last chapter redeemed her.

Book 10: The Water Keeper by Charles Martin
February Random Kit: Escape or Rescue
Bingo Block: Featuring Water



Murphy Shepard lives alone on an island in northeast Florida tending an abandoned church. While he is preparing to take his friend’s ashes to the Keys to release them, there is a knock on his door one night and a young girl is there wanting to use his bathroom. When he sees the party boat she came from, He gives her his phone number in case she’s ever in trouble as he has a feeling things are not good. As she goes back to the boat, he realizes that it might be more than just a party boat.

As he travels down the Intercoastal Waterway, she soon comes across Summer when she steals a boat, doesn’t know how to pilot it and gets thrown overboard. Turns out she’s trying to chase her daughter who turns out to be the girls that showed up on Murphy’s island.

We eventually learn/surmise – and this is not a spoiler, it happens early in the book – that Murphy rescues girls from the sex traders. And he intends to find Summer’s daughter. There are other story lines that are interwoven into this first book in a series (there are 3 currently) including much of Murphy’s backstory. Charles Martin is one of my favorite authors and I can’t wait to read the next one.

Book 11: Property by Valerie Martin
February Calendar Cat: Black History Month
Book Club: March Book



Property by Valerie Martin won the Women’s Prize for fiction in 2003. It’s a small book that tries to imagine what life would be like for a slave owner’s wife in the 1830s. It’s quickly shown that Manon Gaudet is a very dissatisfied woman. She dislikes her husband to the point of wishing him dead especially since he is “using” her maid that her mother gave her when she married. She knows that her husband is almost bankrupt, and his sugar plantation is failing from reading his account books when he is not around. She worshipped her father when she was little and constantly compares the two and their ideas on how Negroes should be treated.

There is a typhus and cholera epidemic during which her mother dies. And then there is a slave uprising, and her husband is killed and her maid Sarah escapes. Although she doesn’t like the way her husband treated their slaves, she still had an indifference to the life they lead. This is our book club read for March and it will be interesting to see what kind of discussion it prompts.

>115 dudes22: Great review and I've added the book to my wishlist.

>116 dudes22: I read this way back in 2010 and parts of it still stick with me, mainly that no one involved in slavery came out without moral injury. I wish I had been writing reviews back then, as I'd like to know what I specifically thought about it.

>117 RidgewayGirl: - re>115 dudes22: - There was so much to say, it was hard to frame it concisely.

re: 116 - I saw you were one of the members who had it and looked for your review. I may use your phrase "moral injury" when we talk about it.

A quick note to say hi. Tomorrow (Saturday) I'm going to be at the book expo at the Cumberland Public Library from 1 to 4 pm. It would be good to see you again. We're leaving right after it is over in order to get home before it's too late. Rich is coming with me (to do the book carrying!)

After your review I ordered the bird guide mystery. Haven't had a chance to read it yet, but Rich took it up to Ottawa with him and read it. He just brought it back and said he really enjoyed it. Compared it to Colin Cotterill's books for their whimsy.

And another note...we've talked about James Benn's Billy Boyle WWII mysteries...He just wrote a nice blurb for the third Somerset book. I was hoping to have it in hand in time for the RI trip but it won't been here for maybe two weeks.

Hope to see you!

>119 mysterymax: - I'm sorry we won't get to see you. We're away on vacation right now. I hadn't even heard about the book expo in Cumberland. (And my favorite quilt store is in Cumberland too, so I could have made it a shopping trip also.) It would have been so nice to see you. Pete's read the first 3 (?) in the James Benn series. Once we get back, I need to get a couple more for him from the library. Nice to hear that there will be a third Somerset book although I haven't gotten to the second yet - it's on the list.

Book 12: Aunt Bessie Decides by Diana Xarissa
Alpha Kit: Year-Long "X"
Bingo Block: Person's Name in Title



When Aunt Bessie, Doona, Hugh, and John go up to the local castle to see a rendition of Shakespeare, they are surprised to be seated next to a famous actor Scott who is on a British soap opera. The play is awful, runs too long, and in the dark after it's over, they discover that Scott has been murdered. As they were seated next to the tent where the principal performers changed, it seems that one of the cast must have done it. Once again Aunt Bessie is drawn into a murder investigation.

I wasn't overly thrilled by this installment. Going over the motives the cast might have had for murdering Scott, seemed to be repetitious. And the ending seemed a little abrupt. (Much like this review).

>121 dudes22: Overall, I liked this book a little more than the previous ones (the case was more interesting to me), but like you, I did not enjoy the ending.

>122 MissBrangwen: - I have to admit that references to the previous book didn't ring any bells. I consider these as escapism and don't really try to remember what happens from one book to the next.

Book 13: The All of It by Jeannette Haien
February Prize Cat: A Prize From Your Own Country - Sue Kaufman Prize for First Fiction 1987



This small book is more of a novella than novel but won the Sue Kaufman Prize for First Fiction in 1987. The award is administered by the American Academy of Arts and Letters and was established in 1979 in memory of author Sue Kaufman. The author was 65 when this, her first novel was published.

I think I'll just take a quote from the book description as that probably tells best what it's about:

The story begins on a rainy morning as Father Declan de Loughry stands fishing in an Irish salmon stream, pondering the recent deathbed confession of one of his parishioners. Kevin Dennehy and his wife, Enda, have been sweetly living a lie for some 50 years, a lie the full extent of which Father Declan learns only when Enda finally confides "the all of it." Her tale of suffering mesmerizes the priest, who recognizes that it is also a tale of sin and scandal, a transgression he cannot ignore. The resolution of his dilemma is a triumph of strength and empathy."

>120 dudes22: I should have let you know earlier! It was a good day, not as many people as I had anticipated, but still good.

>125 mysterymax: - It probably wouldn't have mattered. We're in Mexico and had these plans for a while. Maybe next time you're close.

Book 14: The Baker's Secret by Stephen P Kiernan
Bingo Block: Similar LT libraries - Vivienne R, Tess_W, mysterymax
Book Bullet: Mysterymax 2017



Emma lives in a small village in Normandy and the story takes place just prior to D-Day. She is 22 and began her apprenticeship when she was only 12. Now she receives and extra ration of flour so that she can make bread for the Nazis in town. But she figures out that if she grinds straw very finely, she can actually get 2 extra loaves which she uses to help feed the people from town. She has lost faith that the town will ever be rescued and so she does what she can to provide people in town with what they need most; fuel for the fisherman, tobacco for a farmer who gives her milk in return, which she uses to feed those in most need, even though she doesn't understand why she is asked.

Although the author has written the usual village characters (the village priest, a fisherman, the dairy farmer, the cafe owner), he has managed to entwine them in such a way that the writing never seems forced. One of the best fiction books I've read about WW II.

So glad you liked it!

Book 15: Corduroy Mansions by Alexander McCall Smith



I was wondering what I was going to say about this book, when I noticed that in Helenliz's review she mentions that this was originally a series of short stories in a newspaper. Which explains so much, I think.

I found the jumping around with bits and pieces of each person's story made the story hard to follow. There are a number of story lines that aren't completed - I'm guessing because this is the first in a series. Corduroy Mansions is a building with 3 flats in London. The residents that live here and some acquaintances are what make up the story, but overall, I just found it disjointed and not that amusing.

Book 16: Montana, 1948 by Larry Watson
Book Bullet: Judy (DeltaQueen50) 2014)



As I take book bullets from people here on LT as well as other places, I tend to let them linger on a list because I feel I need to read what I own first. And I'm sorry it took me 10 years to get to this one because I liked it so much.

Montana, 1948 is the story of events that took place in the summer of 1948 in a smalltown in Montana. It's told from the point o view of David, a 12-year-old boy who is beginning to notice the world he lives in. His father is the sheriff, his grandfather was the sheriff, and his uncle is one of the town doctors. His family is respected in town, something David doesn't really notice.

As the story develops, you can feel how is innocence is leaving him, and the agony and pain his parents are going through. It's not a long book but the author has fit a lot into a short novel.

>130 dudes22: And the good news is that Larry Watson has written a number of books. I particularly loved Let Him Go but I think all his books are worth reading.

>131 DeltaQueen50: - I'll put that on the list. I was planning to read some more by him so that will be a good place to start.

I finished 12 books in February thanks to a vacation on the beach spending days reading. I also started and abandoned a couple that weren't hitting me just right. I'm sure I'll eventually get back to them. I have one book left to post thoughts on that I finished on the plane but that might have to wait until later today. I need to get some groceries, pick up the mail, and stop by the library this morning.

ETA: Actually, I have 2 books left to comment on. One of them seemed to have way less pages than I've seen on here and elsewhere. So I ordered it from the library to make sure I didn't get an abbreviated addition.

Book 17: The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline



I like the in depth and research Ms Kline does when writing her books.

This time she looks at three women; two of them convicts who are sent to Australia in 1840 and one a native aboriginal young girl who is taken from her tribe to be civilized. Evangeline is a governess who is erroneously charged with theft when she is found with a ring that the son of the house gave her except, he is not there to defend her, and she's also pregnant. Hazel has stolen a single silver spoon and is charged with theft. Mathinna, the aboriginal girl is based on an actual person and her story. Evangeline and Hazel are sent aboard a convict ship to Australia. The story follows their lives and how they intersect. Although the story is fiction which the author stresses in her notes afterward, the amount of research she did gives a very good picture of how difficult a time this was for women.

>134 dudes22: That's a good one - BB for me!

I added both >130 dudes22: and >134 dudes22: to my WL! Great reviews and also beautiful covers.

>134 dudes22: I have The Exiles on my Kindle - apparently it was purchased for my 13th Thingaversary and this year I will be celebrating my 16th in June. Another book I need to give a nudge to!

>127 dudes22: I'm so glad you enjoyed The Baker's Secret.

>129 dudes22: I remember following this as it was published (weekly?) in the newspaper. I really enjoyed it but can understand that reading it in one go as a book would be choppy.

>134 dudes22: Glad to have the remindar for this book. I've had it on my Kindle 4 years but have't read so I've made a note for April. Thanks!

>135 LisaMorr: - I hope you enjoy it, Lisa.

>136 MissBrangwen: - Thanks, Mirjam. I'm looking forward to reading more by Larry Watson, myself.

>137 DeltaQueen50: - I've enjoyed every book I've read by Kline, Judy. Luckily I still have a few to read.

>138 VivienneR: - Another book I wish I hadn't taken so long to get to. My BB list is so big. And despite liking other Smith books, Vivienne, this won't be a series I continue.

>139 clue: - I'll be looking for your thoughts, Luanne.

Book 18: Foster by Claire Keegan
March Calendar Cat: Irish author
Book Bullet: Lisa (Ish63) 2022



Another wonderful novella by Claire Keegan. A young girl is sent to live with relatives over the course of one summer. As with her other book I read, this is a quiet book but deeply moving.

Book 19: The Morisot Connection by Estelle Ryan
March Alpha Kit: "R"
Bingo Block: Less than 100 copies on LT



Genevieve Lenard is a specialist in non-verbal communication, analyzing people's expressions and body language to determine if they are lying. When the director of an opera house is murdered and it's discovered that some of the paintings on his walls are not originals, but copies made with a 3-D printer, the team that Genevive is on has to ferret out why and who has done this.

These mysteries are always interesting and the relationships on the team enhance the story.

>141 dudes22: She's is really very good. I'm currently reading a book of short stories by her, Antarctica.

>143 Helenliz: - I have her book of short stories Walk the Blue Fields still in my TBR pile.

>141 dudes22: That was one of my best 2023 reads!

>145 thornton37814: - I read Small Things Like These last year and quickly added some of her other books to my reading list. So I already have a couple more but think I'll space out my reading of them.

Book 20: West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge
March Random Kit: World Wildlife Day



Based on actual events, this book is the story of two giraffes who survived the Great Hurricane of 1938 on the east coast of the US, and then made a two-week journey by truck to the San Diego Zoo in California.

Woody, whom is only 17, has made his way from the panhandle of Texas to New York by hopping trains. His family has died because of the Dust Bowl and he has decided to go to New York where his only relative lives. By chance, he sees the ship come into port carrying the crates with two giraffes that are destined to go to the San Diego Zoo in California and he is captivated by them. With a bit of trickery, he manages to become the driver of the truck which will take them along with the keeper from the zoo. The rest of the story is the journey that takes him across the country. Taking place between the Dust Bowl and WWII, it's an interesting story.

>147 dudes22: taking a BB for this one.

>147 dudes22: Sounds good and I see that it's offered at Kindle Unlimited so I will be picking up a copy. :)

>148 lowelibrary: - >149 DeltaQueen50: - It was very interesting.

Hello Betty! I have been meaning to catch up with your thread and say hi (especially because of your quilts) and my apologies for taking so long to do it.

I am always amazed by quilts and those who create them. There used to be a quilt store near me and I would just walk in and be entranced by the fabrics and color offerings that were there.

Your books that you've read sound like real winners. Thank you for the heads up on the Alex Cross series as well, and happy 10 year Thingaversary!

I went to the memorial service for a friend yesterday and the family had displayed quilts she had made for them. I loved that! Her most loved flower in her garden was shasta daises, and we were given seeds to plant in our own. It was a lovely and memorable service.

>151 threadnsong: - Thanks for stopping by. Quilt stores can be visual candy with all the fabrics and quilts they have on display. Makes it hard to decide what fabric to buy sometimes.

>152 clue: - The family of a lady that worked at the library did that at her memorial service. I think it's an awesome idea. The idea of flower seeds is a great idea to memorialize her too.

>152 clue: that's a lovely idea, both the quilts & the seeds.

Book 21: The Vanishing Man by Charles Finch
February Alpha Kit: "F"
March MysteryKit: Historical Mysteries



Although published in the middle of the series, this book is a prequel to the Charles Lenox series and takes place when he is only 26 years old and trying to establish himself in the new field of "detective".

He is asked to call upon the Duke of Dorset who wants him to find out who has stolen a painting from his private study. The painting is one of the Duke's ancestors, but the Duke believes that the wrong painting has been stolen as the one left on his wall contains a secret which has been passed on from father to son through many generations of his family.

This book in the series takes place in the 1853 and uses the intellect of Charles Lenox to solve crimes with no modern means.

>155 dudes22: That series sounds so good and I love the covers! Added to the ever-growing wish list!

>156 MissBrangwen: - It's one of my favorite series, Mirjam. I wondered if he changed publishers or editors because the covers changed partway through. I loved the original covers.

>155 dudes22: I like these too but it seems like a long time since he's had a new one out. I just checked and there is a new one coming in a little over a year you can already preorder is from Amazon if you've a mind to!

I liked those 3 of a kind jackets too. I noticed a lot of jackets copied that style for awhile. I don't like for other books to have a cover like others. I've seen a huge number with the back of a man or woman walking down a dark street. I don't know where that came from originally.

>158 clue: - I wasn't paying a lot of attention to the frequency of his books coming out, Luanne, because I still had a few to read. But now that you've mentioned it, I do see that it has been a few years.

I sometimes wonder things like that too (if I happen to notice). I remember a number of years ago there was a big to-do here about a book that only showed the back of a woman's head that apparently was not consistent with how she was described in the book. I'm still wondering what I'll read for the "ugly book cover" block on the Bingo this year.

>147 dudes22: I wondered about that one when it came out. You've given it such a high rating, I might try it if I see it while browsing.

>160 thornton37814: - Someone in my book club mentioned it as one of her best books last year and since I already had it on my e-reader, I decided vacation was a good time to get to it.

Book 22: True Biz by Sara Novic



The Rhode Island Center for the Book promotes one book each year that is intended to promote discussion around the state in schools, libraries and reading groups. This was the 2023 choice for the Reading Across Rhode Island book and is our book club book for next month.

The book explores the relationship between Deaf culture, history, and expectations through the fictionalized story of three people at the River Valley School for the Deaf. Austin and his family have been a part of the deaf community for generations. Charlie who was forced to get cochlear implants by her parents, who also thought she should be main-streamed, comes to the school way behind other students. And February, who is the school administrator, is hearing although both her parents are deaf.

The author is also deaf, and I think this added a unique perspective and gave the book an authentic feel. She also included a lot of information about American Sign Language and deaf history at the end of chapters.

Book 23: Letters from Skye by Jessica Brockmole, various narrators,
Bingo Block: Epistolary or diary format
Book Bullet: Early Reviewers - April 2013



This book has dual timelines so if you're not a fan, this is probably not for you.

The first takes places just prior and including WWI. When Elspeth Dunn who lives on the island of Skye receives a letter from David Graham who lives in Urbana, Illinois, USA, little does she know that her life will change as a result of the letter. Someone has given him a book of her poetry and he is writing to say how much he likes it. Because this is her first fan letter, she writes back to him and a correspondence is begun.

The second takes place at the beginning of WW II. Elspeth's daughter Margaret finds one of the letters that David wrote to her mother after a bomb falls close to their house in Edinburgh. When her mother disappears, she tries to find out what was so important about the letters.

I listened to this in audio form and found the use of various narrators enhanced my listening.

>163 dudes22: I liked that book, but I did feel it suffered from having dual timelines -- which I don't always have a problem with! But in this case, I felt like Elspeth's story was way more compelling than Margaret's, so I always got annoyed when the book jumped to Margaret's story.

>164 christina_reads: - I thought it was the stronger of the two also, but I can see why the author needed another "thread" to move the story along.

Book 24: Slow Horses by Mick Herron
March AlphaKit: "H"
Book Bullet: Judy (DeltaQueen50) 2018



Slow Horses refers to Slough House where agents from MI5 who have screwed up so badly that they can't be trusted are sent when MI5 can't afford to get rid of them. But when a young man is kidnapped and the kidnappers threaten to cut his head of live on the internet, they become involved in the case.

This was just ok for me although a lot of people here like it a lot.

>162 dudes22: >163 dudes22: I took BBs for both of these! I don't exactly like dual timelines (although I don't mind them as much as some do), but Letters from Skye sounds a bit different because both are set in the past. And well, it's set on Skye and in Edinburgh, so that is another plus! I added it to my audible wish list, although it's already so long that I don't know when I will get to it.

>167 MissBrangwen: - I think the audio made it more enjoyable for me.

Book 25: The Letter Keeper by Charles Martin



Charles Martin is probably my favorite author. The Letter Keeper is the second book in a trilogy (series?) about Murphy Shepard who has spent his life rescuing young girls and boys who have been abducted and forced into the sex trade. This book reveals more of Murphy's life, how he came to know Bones, and how this became the impetus to saving and helping others find freedom from human trafficking. It also seems that there is someone who intends to stop Murphy from continuing. And this puts those he loves into danger.

I think that because this is part of a series, the author didn't really explain some of the characters at the beginning of the book. So, although it could be read as a stand-alone, it would probably be better to read book one first. Martin explores some deeper questions in a way that comes naturally in the course of the story. And there was a plot twist in the last 3 paragraphs that has me wanting to read book 3 immediately.

Book 26: Montmorency on the Rocks by Eleanor Updale
April AlphaKit: "U"
April MysteryKit: Series



The second book in the Montmorency series has Montmorency and friend Fox-Selwyn trying to help the Home Office solve a bombing while Dr Fawcett becomes involved in trying to figure out why babies have been dying on a small Scottish island.

Book 27: The Art of Inheriting Secrets by Barbara O'Neal
April AlphaKit: "O"



Olivia has had a bad year – her dog has died, a car accident has left her badly hurt, her boyfriend has been less that sympathietic and now her mother has died. When she gets a letter telling her she has inherited a castle and a title, she leaves for England to find out why her mother has never told her anything about this. The castle is in bad shape and she’s not sure if she wants to try and fix it or if she should sell it. And how does she get the answers to the questions she has?

As much as I enjoyed this book, I felt the author left many threads of the story hanging in limbo. There were lots of things that needed just a little bit more finishing.

Book 28: Chenneville by Paulette Jiles
April Calendar Cat: April birthday
Bingo Block: Recent Bestseller



When John Chenneville comes home to St Louis after having spent a year in a hospital because of a head wound sustained in the Civil War, he discovers that his sister, husband and their son have been murdered. He decides to seek revenge and after spending some more time building his strength and trying to find out information about the killer, he sets off to find the man. Places he goes and people he meets on his journey are the rest of the story.

There was a small section of the story where he reflects back on how things might have been different if he had been home to stop his sister from marrying a Confederate soldier which he perceives as the reason this set of circumstance started that I particularly liked. The age-old question of what of the road not traveled.

Jiles descriptions of people and places truly made this a wonderful book. And her sly reference to News of the World made me smile.

>172 dudes22: I'm happy to see how much you liked Chenneville!. Although she's an author I've read for years and generally buy when a new title comes out, I've let this one sit on the shelf because I wanted to read it with my book club. I choose the books (we have 2 choices each month), for August and I have it scheduled for then. I had suggested News of the World when it came out and our members thought it was one of the year's best so I hope they will like this one as much.

>172 dudes22: - If they liked News of the World, I think they probably will. As part of your discussion, you should see if they see the reference to NOTW.

I "run" our book club too. I come up with a theme for each year and sometimes a monthly theme and whoever is leading the discussion for the month picks the book. Like last year the theme was award winning books and I picked an award category for each month. Then the host for the month pulled an award from the hat and that was the award they picked the book from. I don't want the responsibility of picking the books.

ETA: I'll be looking for your comments in Aug.

I am getting my copy of Chenneville in June for my Thingaversary - I am eagerly looking forward to reading it.

>175 DeltaQueen50: - As I know you like westerns and have hit me with many a BB for them, I'm sure you will enjoy it. I'll be looking for your comments.

Book 29: Night of Miracles by Elizabeth Berg
Bingo Block: About Friendship



This sequel to The Story of Arthur Truluv continues the story of Mason, Missouri and the people who live there. Lucille is the central figure this time and her baking school and neighbors. A feel-good story.

Beth (BLBera) put Chenneville on my radar, and with your positive review also, I'd really like to read it. I've actually never read anything by Paulette Jiles. Should I read her other books first? Sounds like News of the World connects somehow.

>178 japaul22: - News of the World is the only other one of hers that I have read (and seen the movie - Tom Hanks - good). I do have a couple of others on my TBR pile that I'm hoping to get to soon. NOTW doesn't actually connect. I just noticed a one-sentence reference and it was at the end of the book. I think I liked Chennenville more than I did NOTW.

>179 dudes22: Thanks! I think I'll read Chenneville since it is more "of the moment".

>180 japaul22: - I'll be looking to see what you think.

Hi and Happy April! The books on your list that are the parts of series that explain earlier in the series are very intriguing. How did a detective come to be the detective we know when we've read about how he solves mysteries is a great way for established authors to explain the "whys" and "hows" of their detectives.

Hope you are having a good spring and enjoying catching up on your thread!

>182 threadnsong: - Thanks for stopping by.

Book 30: The Echo of Old Books by Barbara David
Bingo Blocks: Features a paper-based item in plot



”The number of lives we are capable of living is limited only by the number of books we choose to read.”

Ashlyn is a rare book dealer and restorer who can decern the feelings of people who have owned the books when she touches them. When she discovers two books that are linked to each other, she becomes obsessed with the story of the two people who wrote them. The books tell of the same events from two different points of view. The book is written with chapters representing what was in the two books as well as the steps Ashlyn takes to find out more about the writers.

If I had one quibble with the book, it’s that it’s about 50 pages too long. There are a few things/emotions/perceptions of what happened that get rehashed over and over. There were some great quotes about books at the beginning of each chapter, I've posted one above.

Book 31: The Record Keeper by Charles Martin
Bingo Block: A book featuring twins



”Love shows up..”
”Because the needs of the one outweigh those of the ninety-nine…”
Apollumi – That which was lost…”

This is the third book in the trilogy featuring Murphy Shepard who spends his life rescuing boys and girls who have been taken for the sex trade. Books one and two tell the story of Murphy Shepard and his past among the rescues. Book three tells the story of Bones, his mentor, trainer, and friend. I found myself close to tears in this last book a number of times. Also holding my breath occasionally as I was reading.

It’s not an easy read. The facts of the sex trade are difficult, and I believe there’s probably not much that’s made up. The depravity of men (and that’s not sexist – it’s usually men) is hard to digest. And, although this can be read just concentrating on the thriller aspect of the book, Martin slips in deeper meanings and questions to be noticed and thought about.

Kay (RidegewayGirl) wrote recently in a review of the third book in a trilogy, that the “final book has to pull everything together while also providing larger stakes”. I think this book does that extremely well. The epilogue even alludes to the book titles and why they are named as they are: “The Water Keeper”, “The Letter Keeper”, and “The Record Keeper”.

This will be my best book of the year. Hard to imagine anything being better.

Book 32: Where Coyotes Howl by Sandra Dallas, narrated by Stephanie Nemeth-Parker



Ellen Webster travels out to Wallace Wyoming in 1916 to be the teacher at the one-room school. She meets Charlie Bacon and falls in love and marries him. Life on the Wyoming plains is difficult with harsh winters and dry, hot summers. But Ellen likes her life as a wife and finds ways to make a difference.

I like listening to Sadra Dallas’s books about life out in the West from the perspective of women. Unfortunately, my library system only has a couple more audio books by her.

>166 dudes22: Sorry Mick Herron's Slow Horses didn't appeal to you. I loved it, read the series so far and looking forward to more.

>185 dudes22: Congratulations on reading the Charles Martin trilogy. I am hesitant to pick up reading material on the subject even though I trust the opinions of readers I know here on LT.

>187 VivienneR: - It is rather disheartening to know that this is happening and there are parts that are hard to read, but it is a really well written trilogy.