BW52: 2021 Reading Wrap up

 

Happy New Year! Come on in, help yourself to a snack, a drink, find a comfy place to sit while we talk about books.  This year turned out differently than planned, but that's quite all right.  There's a quote I saw somewhere that said "Time is never wasted, it's just spent on something else." I was talking with another BAWer the other day and the thought crossed my mind, that we come to some books, when we are ready to appreciate and enjoy or learn from them. We can make all the plans we want, but it just may not be that book's time yet, and need to put it aside for another day until it is. Sometimes you'll know, other times, it will be a matter of trial and error, and maybe the third time will be the charm.  This year wasn't the year for some of my chunky wanna reads and I gave up, intending to still read them at some point.  So on to answering our wrap up questions for this year. 

What were your reading goals: 

To read more physical than ebooks - Failed. I lost track at some point and I'm not counting the Nora Rereads. 

Read at least 12 non fiction - Failed with only three completed. 

Read 10 books in 10 categories -  Win, win, and only had to change a couple categories.  

In January decided to reread the books I currently own from Nora Robert's bibliography.  Win Win. Reread several series and spent a lot of time in Ireland. 

Last but not least, finish Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. Win Win. Happily I did finish the Memory of Light, the last book in the series.  I don't know why it took me years to do so when I devoured the Outlander series a couple years ago in a matter of months.  I think it's because Jordan's series was a dense, intense, massive undertaking for the characters, it took time to absorb between each reading.  That's my theory and I'm sticking with it. LOL!  Maybe I'll binge read it one of these years when I have nothing else to read.  Ha Ha! 

How many books did you read?  The official goal is 52 but usually read twice as many. 100 or so. Not really sure since I counted all the series as one book. 

Did you explore outside the box, delve into new worlds or take comfort in the old.  Yes, definitely

Let your fingertips doing the walking, sorting through your TBR stacks, reading whichever book caught your eye or yelled the loudest for your attention.  Nora's books yelled the loudest. LOL!

Did you heed the call  of your dusty books calling your name, whispering read me, read me. Unfortunately I didn't heed the call this year. Soon, my darlings, soon

That's not creepy at all, is it? Only a bookworm would understand and listen.... *grin* 

What was your most entertaining read of the year?  I think it is The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab, a new to me author. Addie makes a deal, her soul to live forever, but didn't realize part of the deal was that no one would ever remember her. The moment she left someone's sight, they forgot who she was. Imagine waking up in the morning and the person she's with had no idea who she was. 

The most entertaining series of the year is Darynda Jones Charley Davidson series  which was hilarious as well as charming about Charley who is the Grim Reaper and a part time investigator. The dead help her solve crimes and her knowledge makes the police might suspicious.  I binged the 13 book series within a couple weeks and will definitely be rereading. 

Which stories stuck with you the longest:  The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. It was beautifully written story within a story within a story and you never were quite sure which world was real. Also The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden. The story drew me in with its vivid imagery, and you can almost feel the bite of the freezing snow, and played on your emotions with plenty of love, fear, and anger, as well as evil and hope and magic.

Which characters did you fall in like or love with?  So many.  The Bridgeton clan in Julie Quinn's series and The Dove sisters in Karen Hawkins Dove Pond series. 

Which stories or characters made you want to dive into their world and live there?  Ireland has always been a big draw and a mystical land and I would have loved to live in Talamh with the characters from Nora Roberts Dragon Heart Series.  And I'd love to live in the Library from Genevieve Cogman's Invisible Library series.  

Which story surprised you: My Christmas Number One by Leonie Mack.  I was in the mood for a cozy romance and what I got instead was a poignant story about two characters, singers from different cultures, both affected by long term grief, brought together to create a Christmas song. 

Which story made you reflect: Matt Haig's Midnight Library where the character was given a chance to try on another life to see if anyone of them was better than the one they had currently. 

Which story made you laugh out loud:  Darynda Jones Charley Davidson series. 

“After a long pause in which he took the time to blink several times, he asked, "You named your breasts?"

I turned my back to him with a shrug. "I named my ovaries, too, but they don't get out as much.”

Which story made you cry:  I had five hanky moments with several books including My Christmas Number one, Karen Hawkins A Cup of Silver Linings, Also The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George.

"What task do the departed want us to do?  

"To carry them within us-that is our task. We carry them all inside us, all our dead and shattered loves.  Only they make us whole. If we begin to forget or cast aside those we've lost, then..then we are no longer present either.  All the love, all the dead, all the people we've known. They are the rivers that feed our sea of souls. If we refuse to remember them, that sea will dry up too."

Which story irritated the heck out of you?  Charlaine Harris Real Murders, the first book in her Aurora Teagarden series. I couldn't make up my mind whether I disliked Aurora or the writing which drove me crazy with all the telling vs showing. There were several times I almost quit reading because Aurora annoyed me, but liked the premise and didn't have a clue who committed the murder, so was pleasantly surprised.

Which story made you want to keep reading?  I immersed myself in Jennifer Armentrout's world in the Blood and Ash series.  Really fat books at 600 some odd pages each full of vampires, wolves, gods, deities, royalty and magic.  And of course, hot sex.  #1 From Blood and Ash, #2 A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire, and #3 The Crown of Gilded Bones which are all so very good. But damn, it ended in a cliff hanger and now I have to wait until the next book comes out in a year or so probably. I really hate that. 

Which stories inspired web wonderings and lead you on rabbit trails? The Sworn Virgin by  Kristopher Dukes. I had to find out if there really was such a practice 

Which stories would you read again and again?  So many, I can't narrow it down to just a few. 

One book you think everyone should read?  The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern.

Where in the world and through what time periods did your reading adventures take you? Outer space, Victorian era, England, Russia, Ireland, Albania, France, South America.

Stats wise, I read 30 new to me authors, 26 known authors of which 44 were female and 9 were male. 

All in all, now that I've reviewed the year, I'd have to say it was a very good reading year. I discovered some great authors and read some very interesting series. 

~Cheers to a wonderful reading new year and new adventures.     

BW40: Sunday's Book Babble - October Spooktacular

 

It's week 40 in our 52 Books Quest and October which means it's time for our OCTOBER SPOOKTACULAR:

I have the music of The Addams family theme song running through my head today:

Their creepy and their kooky

Mysterious and spooky

Their all together ooky

The Adams family

Their house is a museum

When people come to see 'em

They really are a screaming

The Adams family.

Neat.

Sweet

Petite

So put a witch's shawl on

A broomstick you can crawl on

We're gonna play a call on

The Adams family

Their creepy and their kooky

Mysterious and spooky

Their all together ooky

The Adams family

Strange

Deranged

The Adams family

Does it put you in the mood for some spooky or kooky, spine-chilling or thrilling, creepy or cozy, scary or mysterious? Yes, me too.

Spooky to me doesn't necessarily equal horror. I detest blood and guts horror books or movies. Give me emotion, give me pee in your pants scary moments. Give me tense moments that make you laugh or cry. Give me mind bending stories with devious and conniving characters and lots of twists and turns. Give me stories that make me think and go whoa, I didn't see that coming. Entertain me, thrill me, shock me.

I think for my spooky read I’m going to dive into the world of Dean Koontz. I have several books on my shelves to choose from.

Meanwhile I'm currently enthralled in the Wheel of Time with the last book A Memory of Light and happy to see the characters all coming together or coming back for the final battle.

BW29 Sunday's Book Babble - The Wheel of Time

 

It's book week 29 in our 52 Books Quest and highlighted  William Makepeace Thackeray's The Cane Bottome Chair this week. 

Reading the 14th and last book in the Wheel of Time series, A Memory of Light which will probably take me a while since it’s a chunky book.  I’m in a reread mood as well and just finished Cherry Adair’s Hush, which was just as good the second time.

“Thrill seekers Zakary and Gideon Stark travel the globe in search of extreme adventure, but a trip to Venezuela to jump off the world’s highest falls catapults them into a perilous game of life or death—where they don’t know the rules.

Kidnapped with a woman Zak knows nothing about, the brothers are held prisoner deep in the jungle. A risky, deathdefying escape separates them and nearly claims Zak’s life . . . until his recovery reveals a baffling new sixth sense.

Now, to find his missing brother, Zak and the mysterious Acadia Gray will have to out-smart, out-gun, and out-maneuver not just the brutal kidnappers but also a new player who joins the adrenaline game: a ruthless opponent who wants the Stark brothers dead—at any cost.”

Also finished reread of the first book in Keri Arthur’s Souls of Fire series with Fireborn. 

“ Emberly Pearson—a phoenix capable of taking on human form, and cursed with the ability to foresee death…

Emberly has spent a good number of her many lives trying to save humans. So when her prophetic dreams reveal the death of Sam, a man she once loved, she does everything in her power to prevent that from happening. But in saving his life, she gets more than she bargained for.

Sam is working undercover for the Paranormal Investigations Team, and those who are trying to murder him are actually humans infected by a plague-like virus, the Crimson Death—a by-product of a failed government experiment that attempted to identify the enzymes that make vampires immortal. Now, all those infected must be eliminated.

But when Emberly’s boss is murdered and his irreplaceable research stolen, she needs to find the guilty party before she goes down in flames…”

January and February Reading Wrap Up!

A bookworm leads a thousand lives 

I totally forgot to do a wrap up for January so combining with February.   I've done really well with my buying ban and reading from my shelves, considering that our shop is only five minutes away from Barnes and Noble.  The temptation to go buy a latte and spend my lunch time in the bookstore has been great, but I've been good so far.  

I did buy one book but that was because the grocery store check out line was hecka long  so I went to look at the books and ended up getting Karen Robard's Fifth Doctrine.   It's all their fault *grin* 

Stats wise, I read more female authors (16) versus male authors (5) and managed to clear a few dusty books from my shelves.  I read 11 physical books versus 14 e books so my ratio of e books is still way too high.  

Audiobooks
Cat O Nine Tales - Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock)
Junkyard Cats - Faith Hunter (futuristic)

Dragons and other fantastical creatures
The Burning Page - Genevieve Cogman (#3 Invisible Library, 368, Dusty)
Dragon Bound - Thea Harrison (#1 Elder Races, 338, e)(Gift, Ntma)
The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien (288, dusty)

Fantasy
Iron and Magic - Ilona Andrews (#1 Iron Covenant, 394, e, dusty)
Knife of Dreams - Robert Jordan (#11 WOT, 880, dusty)
The Unkindest Tide - Seanan McGuire (#13 October Daye, 366e, ms)

Feed My Muse
Reading Like a Writer - Francine Prose (Dusty, 273)

Ladies of Fiction
Kitchen/Midnight Shadow - Banana Yoshimito (Japan, 177e)(Ntma)
The Crystal Cave - Mary Stewart (# 1 Arthurian Saga, Historical Fantasy, dusty, 288)

Love and Mystery
Brewed Awakening - Cleo Coyle (#18 Coffee House, e, ms)
The Bookshop of Yesterday - Amy Meyerson (384, Dusty, Ntma)
Golden in Death - J.D.Robb (#50 In Death, 400, new release preorder)

Mood
The Fifth Doctrine - Karen Robards (#3 Guardians, thriller, 406)(New/Ntma)
Long Road to Mercy - David Baldacci (#1 Atlee Pine, Thriller, 417 e, dusty)
Silent Blade - Illona Andrews (World of Kinsman, Fantasy, 64e, dusty)

Non Fiction
Girl with Seven Names - Hyeonseo Lee (N/S Korea, 322e) (Dusty, Ntma)
When Books Went to War - Molly Manning (history, 288) (Dusty, Ntma)
It's All Relative - A.J. Jacobs (352, dusty)

Science Fiction
Dark Horse - Michelle Diener (2) (#1 Class 5, 380e) (KU - Ntma)
Dark Deeds - Michelle Diener (#2 Class 5, 360, e)
Dark Minds - Michelle Diener (#3 Class 5, 286, e)
Dark Matters - Michelle Diener (#4 Class 5, 321, e)
Son of Heaven - David Wingrove (#1 Chung Kuo, England/China, 449 e)(Dusty, Ntma)

Steampunk 

Clockwork Angel - Cassandra Clare (#1 Infernal Devices, Steampunk, 497,e, dusty)



MS - My shelves purchased prior to 2020
Dusty - on both virtual and physical shelves for a while
KU - Kindle unlimited freebie book
Ntma = new to me author

Book Talk: Knife of Dreams - Robert Jordan

This is my year for epic fantasy series with Tolkien's Lord of the Ring, Stewart's Merlin Trilogy as well as The Wheel of Time.  I read the first book, The Eye of the World, as part of a Dare Challenge,  back in 2010 and didn't expect I'd end up reading only one book a year in the 14 book saga.  I love stories with ensemble casts and is probably why I prefer to read series books over stand alone stories.  But it's oh so hard to leave that imaginary world once it's over which is probably why I reread these books over and over again.  

I'm currently on book# 11 in the Wheel of Time -- Knife of Dreams and I'm assuming if you haven't read the books by now, you won't mind spoilers.  

"The dead are walking, men die impossible deaths, and it seems as though reality itself has become unstable: All are signs of the imminence of Tarmon Gai'don, the Last Battle, when Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn, must confront the Dark One as humanity's only hope. But Rand dares not fight until he possesses all the surviving seals on the Dark One's prison and has dealt with the Seanchan, who threaten to overrun all nations this side of the Aryth Ocean and increasingly seem too entrenched to be fought off. But his attempt to make a truce with the Seanchan is shadowed by treachery that may cost him everything. Whatever the price, though, he must have that truce. And he faces other dangers.    The winds of time have become a storm, and things that everyone believes are fixed in place forever are changing before their eyes. Even the White Tower itself is no longer a place of safety. Now Rand, Perrin and Mat, Egwene and Elayne, Nynaeve and Lan, and even Loial, must ride those storm winds, or the Dark One will triumph."


Multiple story lines are coming together, reaching a fevered pitch and the characters are finally making progress, which makes me want to dive into the next book, but I'll hold off for a while. Although  Rand is still battling for control with Lews, he's defeated the fake daughter of the nine moons.  Perrin finally rescued Faile, and Matt, bless him, has gotten the girl.  Tuon saw the man through the eyes of his faithful warriors, and pledged herself to him. He's not sure if it was a good idea or not, but the dice quite tumbling in his head for a while. We still have a lot of braid pulling with Nynaeve and she left Lan at the farthest edges of the Borderland in hopes of helping him survive.  Elayne is doing the best she can to win over the 10 houses and the aes sedai are plotting against each other and with each other.  Loial's mother finally caught up with him and Egwene is trapped in the White Tower.    There is quite a bit of gate time traveling and  I still don't see how they managed to move thousands of men so fast even with the gate.  

I'm looking forward to diving back into the Wheel of Time with all my favorite characters!

2020 Reading Plans

I'm going back to reading whatever I'm in the mood for on any particular day. I'm also going to Feed My Muse as much as possible in order get back to writing regularly.  My physical shelves reflect my various moods over the years which have segued from science fiction and fantasy to historical fiction to mystery and romances, which means I have a wide variety to which to choose.  I'm bound and determined to read from my teetering tbr stack, both physical and ebook wise. Although I'll make room for new releases from my favorite authors of course and books that arise from the various 52 Books optional challenges. 

Since we are entering the year 2020, I going to play with several categories and mix it up a bit and do a 20/20 challenge. I plan to read 10 books in two categories and either 4 books in 5 categories or visa versa.

10 x 2 plus 4 x 5 = 20/20

Yes, I realize for those who are mathematically minded, this doesn't compute, but reading is all about suspending disbelief, so we'll ignore that little fact for the moment.  *Grin*  

Categories

All about Eve  

Answer me this (writing craft and other non fiction)

Clocks and Corsets (Steampunk)

Dragons and other fantastical Creatures

Ladies of Fiction

Love and Mystery 

Mood
Out of this world (Fantasy/Science Fiction)

Revisit Old Friends
Step into the Past (Historical Fiction)

Listed below are just a few books on my shelves I want to read this year. 

Physical 

A Lesson in Secrets - Jacqueline Winspear (Mystery)
Amazing Adventures of Cavalier and Clay - Michael Chabon (Historical Fiction)
Boneshaker - Cheri Priest (LOF - 1879 Seattle steampunk)
Burning Page - Genevieve Cogman (#3 Invisible Library - Fantasy)
Devlin Diary - Christie Phillips (17th/21st Century England - Historical Fiction)
Devotion of Suspect X - Keigo Higashino (#1 Galileo International, asia mystery 
Far Pavilions - M.M. Kaye  (historical india, LOF - July)
the Fifth Season - N.K. Jemison  (Fantasy, LOF - June)
The Gathering Storm - Robert Jordan (#12 WOT series - Epic Fantasy)
Green Mile - Stephen King (Thriller)
Hollow Man - Dan Simmons (dark fantasy)
Intensity - Dean Koontz  (Thriller)
the Lady of the English - Elizabeth Chadwick  (12th Century England - Historical Fiction)
Oil and Marble - Stephanie Storey (16th Century Italy  - Historical Fiction)
Queen Hereafter - Susan Fraser King (11th Century Scotland - Historical Fiction)
Running Blind - Lee Child (#4 Jack Reacher - Thriller)
Sacred Hearts - Sarah Dunant (1570 Italy,  Historical Fiction, LOF - Sept)
Snow Queen - Joan Vinge (Fantasy)
This Census Taker - China Mieville (Fantasy)
the Three Body Problem - Cixin Lui (Science Fiction Chinese - Asia)
When Christ and His Saints Slept - Sharon Kay Penman (Historical Fiction, LOF - May)


Fantasy reads and rereads

Heralds of Valdemar Series by Mercedes Lackey
Arrows of the Queen 
Arrow's Flight 
Arrow's Fall 

Arthurian Saga - Mary Stewart 
Crystal Cave 
Hollow Hills 
Last Enchantment

Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman - Dragonlance Chronicles
Dragons of Autumn Twilight 
Dragons of Winter Night 
Dragons of Spring 

Lord of the Rings - J.R. Tolkein
Hobbit 
Fellowship of the Ring
Two Towers
Return of the King


Non Fiction Books

52 Lists Project- Moorea Seal
Crafting the Personal Essay - Dinty Moore
Just Write- James Scott Bell
Field Guide to Writing Flash Fiction - Edited by Tara Marsh
the Year of Writing Dangerously - Barbara Abercrombie


E Books

A Share in Death - Deborah Crombie (#1 Duncan Kincaid, LOF-March) 
A Madness of Sunshine - Nalini Singh (LOF - August)
A Trace of Cooper - Anne Renwick (#1 Elemental tale - Steampunk)
Atomic Sea - Jack Connor (Dragons, etc)
Boundary Born - Melissa Olson (# 3 Boundary Magic -  Paranormal)
Boundary Broken - Melissa Olson (#4 Boundary Magic
Brewed Awakening - Cleo Coyle (#18 Coffee House Mystery)
Clockwork Scarab - Colleen Gleason (#1 Stokes and Homes - Steampunk)
Devil's Advocate - Morris West (Religious Fiction)
Eve - Anna Carey (Apocalyptic - All about Eve)
Fortune's Fool - Angela Board (Historical Fantasy)
Frozen Ground - Debra Web (#1 Storm watch series - mystery)
Grit - Elizabeth Hunter (LOF - April)
In the House of Brede - Rumer Godden (LOF - December)
Kitchen by Banana Yoshimito (LOF - Jan)
Let it Shine - Alyssa Cole (Multicultural Romance)
Priory of the Orange Tree - Samantha Shannon (Dragons)
Sins of the Angels - Lydia Hawke (Thriller)
Snow Angel - Jayne Fresina (Victorian or romance)
Tea with a Black Dragon - R.A. Macavoy (Dragons, etc)
Ten Thousand Doors of January - Alix Harrow (Fantasy)
The Golden Spider - Anne Renwick (#1 Elemental Chronicles - Steampunk)
The Pirate - Jayne Ann Krentz  (Romance, LOF - October)
The Unkindest Tide - Seanan McGuire (#13 October Daye - Paranormal)

2017 Reading Wrap Up

Where did your reading take you this year?  

I went all over the place – USA, Italy, India, Russia, Iceland, Sweden, England, Scotland, Europe, Middle East, through the Arctic and up into outer space.  I time traveled back to the time of the dinosaurs, through Dystopian and Utopian worlds as well as into the future.

What was your reading goal for the year and did you meet or beat your personal goal?  Did you end with a prime number of reads?  

My primary goal was to complete Birthstone Bookology which I did and even did so with a prime number.  I also attempted to do A to Z by Author but didn’t get to Q, U, or X so calling that incomplete. I waited until later in the year to start, shouldn’t have left the more difficult letters  until last and ran out of time.  Oh well.   Overall I read 117 fiction books and 8 non fiction books.

My top favorite reads:   

My top read is The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, a historical fiction novel which left me misty eyed at the end and encompassed two timelines.  The story started out in 1995 and takes the reader back into France during WWII and the French resistance from 1939 to 1941.  Two sisters, separated by distance and estranged from their father, get involved in the French Underground.  One sister in the present is sick with cancer and finds an old trunk in her attic containing mementos of her life during WWII.   Memories takes the reader back during the days of the German takeover of France, resistance, fear, strength,  and survival.  The story is both haunting and beautiful and well worth reading.

Another favorite is Snowed by Maria Alexander who is  an old friend and once upon a time roommate back in my pre-married days.  Once I started reading, I  couldn't put it down. What an awesome and unique story. Instantly memories of high school filter through my brain as I read - bullies and clicks, geeks and jocks, trips and tricks in the hallways. Now throw into the pot - a death, a dark past, love, electronics, skepticism, a dash of spice, a tablespoon of humor, and a cup of mythology. Mix it all up and you have an action packed story that won't let you go until the end.  Snowed won the Bram Stoker award for superior achievement in a young adult novel.

I also fell in like and consumed the  Inspector Armand Gamache books in Louise Penny’s detective series as well as Sir October Daye in  Seanan McGuire’s paranormal series.

Also Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series – I finished four more books including Lords of Chaos, Crown of Swords, Path of Daggers and Winter’s Heart.


Which book stayed with you the longest after finishing it?  

The Nightingale definitely as well as Louise Penny’s The Beautiful Mystery


Which book made you want to read it all over again? 

The Beautiful Mystery.  I read it in ebook, then bought the book and downloaded it from audible.  Plus, anything by J.D. Robb or Faith Hunter make me want to read them all over again. I always end up reading their latest books fast,fast, fast, then read again much more slowly absorbing the nuances of the story. 

Which book did you think you were going to love, but didn't?  

Midnight Crossroads by Charlaine Harris.  I totally devoured her Sookie Stackhouse series so maybe I was expecting to love the characters just as much.

Which genres or authors you thought you'd never read and was pleasantly surprised to like them?  

Dorothy Dunnet, Steig Larsson, Halldor Laxness and Kij Johnson are all new to me authors and I look forward to reading more books by them.

Please share favorite covers or quotes:

From the Nightingale – first line:  "If I have learned anything in this long life of mine, it is this: In love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are."

Statistics wise: 

Physical books - 41  (the majority of which were over 500 pages)
E books - 74  (the majority of which were an average of 300 pages)
Rereads not included in overall total:  Faith Hunter Jane Yellow Rock series 1 - 10 (ebook) as well as J.D. Robb's In Death series 1 - 24 (physical books) 
Written by female - 46
Written by male - 22

Most books were in the science fiction/fantasy genre including paranormal, urban fantasy, and magical realism.  Twenty were in the mystery genre as well as twelve historical with a few romance and literary reads thrown in for good measure. 

Complete list of books

2017 Completed Reads

2017 Completed Reads 

Fiction

1.       Aimee & David Turlo -  Turquoise Girl - (Ella Clah series, mystery, e)

2.       Alexandra Ivy - Kill Without Mercy - (#1 Ares Security, TX, Romantic suspense, e)

3.       Alister McGrath - Aedyn Chronicles: Chosen One - (YA fantasy, 208)

4.       Anne Bishop - Etched in Bone - (#5 Others, Urban fantasy, 416)

5.       B N Toler -  Where One Goes - (paranormal, e)

6.       Ben Kane - Spartacus: The Gladiator -  (74bc Italy, historical, 480)

7.       Benedict Jacka-  Fated - (#1 Alex Verus, paranormal, e)

8.       Charlaine Harris -  Midnight Crossroad - (#1 Midnight series, Texas, paranormal, 384 pg)

9.       Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni - The Mistress of Spices - (India, magical realism, e)

10.   Daniel O'Malley - The Rook - (#1 Rook, paranormal, 504) 

11.   Daphne Kalotay -  Russian Winter - (historical U.S./Russia, 484 pg)

12.   Dean Koontz -  Ashley Bell - (Psychological thriller, 768)

13.   Dean Koontz -  From the Corner of His Eye - (thriller, 729)

14.   Della Jacobs -  Fire Dance - (historical romance,  e) 

15.   Devon Monk -   Dead Iron - (#1 Age of Steam, steampunk,  e)

16.   Devon Monk -  Gods and Ends - (#3 Ordinary Magic, paranormal, e)

17.   Dorothy Dunnett -   Niccolo Rising - (#1 House of Niccolo, historical fiction, 496)

18.   Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child -  Relics  (#1 Pendergast, thriller e)

19.   Emily Gee - Thief with No Shadow - (Paranormal, e)

20.   Emily Larkin -  Unmasking Miss Appleby - (#1 Baleful Godmother,  historical romance, e)

21.   Emily Larkin -  Resisting Miss Merryweather - (#2 Baleful Godmother, e)

22.   Faith Hunter -  Cold Reign - (#11 Jane Yellowrock, paranormal, 371)

23.   Faith Hunter – Jane Yellowrock reread  #1 – 10)

24.   Faith Hunter -  Blood of the Earth (#1 Soulwood,  Paranormal, 384)

25.   Faith Hunter - Curse on the Land - (#2 Soulwood, 341)

26.   Genevieve Cogman-  The Invisible Library - (#1 Invisible library, fantasy, 352)

27.   Halldor Laxness - Great Weaver of Kashmir - (1920's, Iceland, translated literary, 450)

28.   Hannah and Barb Taub - One Way Fare - (#1 Null, fantasy, 279)

29.   Ilona Andrews -  Clean Sweep (# 1 Innkeeper Chronicles, e)

30.   Ilona Andrews -  Sweep in Peace - (#2 Innkeeper Chronicles, e)

31.   Ilona Andrews - One Fell Sweep (#3 Innkeeper Chronicles, e)

32.   Ilona Andrews - Burn for Me - (#1 Hidden Legacy, urban fantasy, e)

33.   Ilona Andrews - White Hot - (#2 Hidden Legacy,  e)

34.   Ilona Andrews - Wild Fire - (#3 Hidden Legacy, e)

35.   Iris Johansen - Body of Lies - (#4 Eve Duncan, mystery,  400)

36.   J.D. Robb-   Reunion in Death - (#14 In Death, futuristic police procedural, 371)

37.   J.D. Robb -  Purity in Death (# 15 In Death, 355)

38.   J.D. Robb -  Portrait in Death - (#16 In Death, 347)

39.   J.D. Robb -  Imitation in Death - (#17 In Death, 342)

40.   J.D. Robb -  Origin in Death - (#21 In Death 384

41.   J.D. Robb -  Echoes in Death - (#44 In Death  341 pg)

42.   J.D. Robb -  Secrets in Death  - (#45 In Death, 384)

43.   J.R. Rain - Winter Wind - (paranormal, e)

44.   James Rollins  -  6th Extinction - (#10 Sigma Force, Suspense, Antarctica/Brazil, e)

45.   James Rollins -  Seventh Plague - (Sigma Force, Middle East and Arctic, 444)

46.   Jamie Beck - Worth the Wait - (#1 St James, NY, Romance, e)

47.   Jayne Ann Krentz - Light in Shadow (psychological mystery, e)

48.   Jeff VanderMeer -  Area X: Southern Reach Trilogy -  (dystopian/horror, 593)

49.   Jim Butcher  - Summer Knight - (#4 Dresden files, paranormal, 371)

50.   Jodi Taylor-Just One Damned Thing After Another (#1 Chronicles of St. Mary, time travel, 348)

51.   John Crowley -  The Translator - - (U.S. 60's, 295)

52.   John DeChancie - Starrigger - (Sci fi,  e)

53.   Karen Marie Moning -  Feversong- (#9 Fever Series, Paranormal, e)

54.   Kathrine Kurtz/Deborah Harris -  The Adept - (#1 Adept, Scotland, 323)

55.   Katie Meyer -   Do You Take This Daddy - (#3 Paradise Animal Clinic, Romance, e)

56.   Keri Arthur - Blood Kissed - (#1 Lizzie Grace, Paranormal, e)

57.   Keri Arthur - The Black Tide - (#3 Outcast, paranormal   e)

58.   Keri Arthur – Circle of Fire – (#1 Damask Circle, paranormal romance)

59.   Kij Johnson -  Dream Quest of Vellit Boe - (Paranormal, e)

60.   Kristin Hannah -  The Nightingale - (historical France, 1940's, e)

61.   Lilith Saintcrow -  Dark Watcher (#1 Watchers, Urban Fantasy, e)

62.   Lilith St. Crow - Storm Watcher (#2 Watchers, Urban Fantasy,  e)

63.   Louise Penny -  A Fatal Grace - (#2 Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, e)

64.   Louise Penny -  Bury Your Dead - (#6, e)

65.   Louise Penny -  A Trick of the Light (#7, e)

66.   Louise Penny - The Beautiful Mystery - (#8 e)

67.   Louise Penny - How the Light Gets In (#9 e)

68.   Louise Penny - The Long Way Home (#10)

69.   Louise Penny -  The Nature of the Beast - (#11  e)

70.   Louise Penny -  A Great Reckoning - (#12 e)

71.   Maria Alexander - Snowed - (Ya paranormal, e)

72.   Marie Brennan -  Natural History of Dragons - (#1 Lady Trent, fantasy, 359)

73.   Michael Ridpath -  Where the Shadows Lie - (#1 Fire and Ice, Iceland,  police procedural, e)

74.   Michael Scott -  The Necromancer - (#4 Nicholas Flamel, YA fantasy, 418)

75.   Michelle Gagnon -  Don't Turn Around - (#1 Don't Turn Around, YA thriller,  e)

76.   Nalini Singh -  Archangels Viper - (#10 Guild Hunter, paranormal, e)

77.   Nalini Singh - Silver Silence - (#1 Psy Changling Trinity, e)

78.   Nevada Barr - Ill Wind - (#3 Anna Pidgeon, mystery, 309)

79.   Nora Roberts -  Year One - (# 1 Chronicles of the One, apocalyptic,  419)

80.   Nora Roberts - Come Sundown - (Suspense, Montana, 474)

81.   Octavia Butler - Dawn - (#1 Xenogenesis, paranormal,  e)

82.   Patricia Briggs -  Silence Fallen - (#10 Mercedes Thompson, Europe, Paranormal, 379)

83.   Rachel Grant -  Tinderbox - (#1 Flashpoint, Africa, Military suspense, e)

84.   Rick Yancey - The 5th Wave - (#1 5th wave series YA dystopian, 480)

85.   Robert Charles Wilson   -  Axis  - (Space, e)

86.   Robert Jordan -  Spring - (Prequel to WOT, fantasy,  e)

87.   Robert Jordan- Lord of Chaos - (#6 WOT, e)

88.   Robert Jordan-  A Crown of Swords - (#7 WOT, e)

89.   Robert Jordan -  The Path of Daggers - (#8 WOT  e)

90.   Robert Jordan -  Winter's Heart - (#9 WOT e)

91.   Roberta Rich - Midwife of Venice - (16th Century Italy, historical, 335)

92.   Robyn Carr - What We Find - (#1 Sullivan's Crossing, contemporary romance, 347)

93.   Ronlyn Dominguez -  Mapmakers War - (Utopian, 226)

94.   Roxanne St. Claire-  New Leash on Life - (#2 Dogfather, romance,  e)

95.   Roxanne St. Claire - Sit, Stay, Beg - (#1 Dogfather, romance, e)

96.   Scarlett Braden  -  Harvesting the Hummingbird (Ecuador, mystery, e)

97.   Seanan Mcquire – Rosemary and Rue (#1 October Daye, urban fantasy, e)

98.   Seanan Mcguire -  A Local Habitation- (#2 e)

99.   Seanan McGuire -  An Artificial Night - (#3 e)

100.  Seanan McGuire -  Late Eclipses - (#4  e) 

101. Seanan McGuire -   One Salt Sea - (#5 e)

102. Seanan McGuire - Ashes of Honor - (#6 e)

103. Seanan McGuire - Chimes at Midnight - (#7 e)

104. Seanan McGuire -  The Winter Long - (#8 e)

105. Seanan McGuire -  A Red Rose Chained - (#9 e)

106. Seanan McGuire -  Once Broken Faith - (#10 e)

107.  Seanan Mcguire - Discount Armageddon - (#1 Incryptid, urban fantasy,  e)

108.  Steve Berry -  Alexandria Link - (present Copenhagen/Middle East, 494)

109.  Stieg Larson  -  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - (#1 Millennium, Scotland, Mystery,590)

110. Stieg Larsson - The Girl Who Played with Fire - (#2 Millenium, Sweden, 724)

111.  Stieg Larsson - The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - (#3 Millenium, Sweden, 672)

112. Susan Wiggs -  Apple Orchard - (contemporary,  e)

113. Tracie Peterson -  Ice Cutters Daughter - (1900,  #1 Land of shining water, historical,  e)

114.Vicki Pettersson -  Signs of the Zodiac: The Scent of Shadows - (#1 zodiac, UF, e) 

115.  Vicki Pettersson -  The Taste of Night - (#2 Zodiac, UF,  e )

116.  Will Hill - Department 19 - (#1 Dept 19, YA Paranormal, e)

117.  Zoe Fishman -  Inheriting Edith - (NY, literary, 290)

Non Fiction

1.                   Benjamin Hoff -  The Tao of Pooh - (nf, 158)

2.                   Joe Bunting - Let's Write a Short Story - (nonfiction,  e)

3.                   Molly Totoro -  Journaling Towards Wholeness - (nonfiction, e)

4.                   Sage Cohen - Fierce on the Page - (nf writing, 229)

5.                   Shonda Rimes -  The Year of Yes - (nonfiction, 336)

6.                   Susan Reynolds -  Fire Up Your Writing Brain - (nf writing, 266)

7.                   Temple Grandin -   Autistic Brain: Thinking Across the Spectrum  - (NF e) 

8.                   Tyler Henry - Between Two Worlds - (nf, e)

Sunday Salon Chit Chat

Hubby came back from his walk yesterday morning and showed me pictures of bins of books he'd seen at a garage sale in his meanderings.  I quickly told him what authors I liked before heading off to work while he returned to pick up a few.  A few?  When I got home, he lead me into our bedroom and showed the haul.  He'd gone back with a backpack and stuffed it full.     Thanks honey. I love you too!  Gee, I won't have to buy any more books for a month, err, a week. Hmm....a while.  *grin* 

This past week I finished number eight in the Wheel of Time series - The Path of Daggers - in which Elayne and Nynaeve find the bowl of winds, Rand continues to win allies and fight enemies, Egwene proves she is capable of being the Amyrlin Seat and Perrin works to find and stop Masema Dagar, the self-proclaimed Prophet of the Dragon.   I'm still trying to wrap my head around the visual of Rand and others moving thousands of troops and all that accompany them through the gates.  The series continues to fascinate and entertain.  

I dove back into October Daye's world with Ashes of Honor written by Seanan McGuire.  October is searching for another lost child and trying to stay one step of head of those trying to stop and kill her. 

I also started reading Dorothy Dunnett's historical novel - Niccolo Rising - in her House of Niccolo series, which is set in the 15th century.  Much like Ben Kane historical novels, it is well written and one of those hard to put down, forget what time it is, and stay up way past your bedtime reads.  

Speaking of Dorothy, she is the author of the month and highlighted on 52 Books this week.  

James scored four video games, a few books, and several comic books for his birthday, plus a gift certificate from his grandpa.  Now he's contemplating what to buy next.  I advised no more video games for a while.  Then realized my books are his video games.  There are always unread books on my shelves just waiting for me to read.  Such a hard life.  

I found this adorable picture of mom and James on his 1st birthday. I missing mom today as its the anniversary of her 86th birthday. I'm sure she is having a grand party up in heaven with her folks and brothers and sister.  Love ya, mom!

Happy Sunday! 

Thursday First Lines: The Path of Daggers by Robert Jordan

Ethenielle had seen mountains lower than these misnamed Black Hills, great lopsided heaps of half buried boulders, webbed with steep twisting passes.  A number of these passes would have given a goat pause.  You could travel three days through drought withered forests and brown grassed meadows without seeing a single sign of human habitation, then suddenly find yourself within half a day of seven or eight tiny villages, all ignorant of the world.  The Black Hills were a rugged place for farmers, away from the trade routes, and harsher now than usual.  A gaunt leopard that should have vanished at the sight of men watched from a steep slope, not forty paces away, as she rode past with her armored escort. Westward, vultures wheeled patient circles like an omen. Not a cloud marred the blood red sun, yet there were clouds of a sort. When the warm wind blew, it raised walls of dust.

July Reading Wrap Up

Goodbye July!  The month went by way too fast. You'd  think with the birthstone of the month being a short simple stone - Ruby - I'd be able to finish off the task quite quickly.   However, I did read two non fiction books, both which took time. Fire Up Your Writing Brain took a bit of time because I started reading through it again, sharing information discovered with hubby and son and taking lots of notes.  Once again the majority of stories read are paranormals, my go to genre.  Stats wise, I read twelve books with the majority in e book form. My eyes are getting older and finding it impossible to read some books, especially the Wheel of Times series in physical form since the lettering is so small. 

R: The Rook - Daniel O'Malley.  A dusty paranormal book that's been in my virtual files for quite a while.   The lead character wakes up with amnesia and discovered letters written by her former self, explaining her life and the secret organization she's involved in.  Someone is trying to kill her and she needs to find out who before they are successful.  

U: Fire Up Your Writing Brain - Susan Reynolds.  Wonderful book on the neuroscience of writing and to train your brain to be more productive.  

B:  The Beautiful Mystery - Louise Penny.     Number eight in the detective series takes place in a cloistered monastery.  One of the monks is killed and it's up to Gamache and Jean Guy to solve the murder. In the process, many personal unresolved issues from the past surface for both the men.   Out of all the Inspector Gamache books, this one really captured my attention and I wanted to read it all over again after I finished it.  However, I immediately had to read #9 How the Light Gets In to discover what happened after.  

Y:  The Year of Yes - Shonda Rhimes.  The writer and producer of Grey's Anatomy is used to saying no to any invitation outside of work. When confronted and challenged by her sister to say yes, she begins her year of yes and talks about how it changes all the relationships in her life and the impact on her.  

A Crown of Swords - Robert Jordan (#7 Wheel of time, fantasy, 902, e) 
Fated - Benedict Jacka  (#1 Alex Verus, Paranormal, 302, e)
One Salt Sea - Seanan McGuire (#5 October Day, Paranormal, 368,e)
Dawn - Octavia Butler (#1 Xenogenesis, science fiction, 256, e)

How the Light Gets In - Louise Penny (#9 Inspector Gamache, mystery, 545, e)
Light in Shadow - Jayne Ann Krentz (#1 Whispering Springs, psychological mystery, 365, e)
Ill Wind - Nevada Barr (#3 Anna Pidgeon, mystery, 309) 

Journaling Towards Wholeness - Molly Totoro (nonfiction, 139, e)
Let's Write a Short Story - Joe Bunting (nonfiction, 108, e)

Sunday Salon Chit Chat

All systems are go. Our architect and contractor are working out details with subcontractors and gave us homework to start picking  out the rock siding for the columns on the front of the house.  I had it in my head that river rock or irregular rectangular rock would look good.  John likes stacked stone and even asked customers for their opinions  and they agreed with him. Generally, he lets me make the final decision as he usually ends up agreeing with me.  No, I don't always have to be right, I told him.   He patiently waited for me to come around to his viewpoint.   After photo shopping different styles onto a picture of the house, I came to the conclusion he was right and stacked stone created a more clean look. Miracle of miracles, we passed the first test in husband and wife decision making 101 with the new building without a major argument.  *grin*

My sister and brother in law came by on Sunday and dropped off the box of stuff I'd collected from Dad's house.  A couple months ago, we had a packing party and relieved dad of lots of knick knacks and such. I was pretty conservative and didn't take a whole lot. Happy to say I now have another crafty birdhouse to add to my collection as well as a few books hubby will enjoy reading.

Speaking of reading,  I read through the whole of Fire Up Your Writing Brain and highlighted plenty of sections in which I'll go back and write down to remember.  And which is something they talk about in the book. Hand writing contributes to better memory as well as reading literary books and learning new things.  Keep your brain engaged and challenged and it will reap dividends.   However, I'm just not ready for a reread of War and Peace. Some day soon however.    

I finished Anne Stuart's Wild Fire as well as Seanan McGuire's One Salt Sea, #5 in her October Daye series.    I'm currently reading Daniel O'Malley's The Rook which is a dusty book in my nook virtual pile.  Thoroughly enjoying it and don't know why it took me so long to read.   I may dive back into the world of a Wheel of Time with #8 The Path of Daggers.  Given than August's birthstone is Peridot or Sardonyx, it will suit perfectly.  

James curriculum is rolling in for the 12th grade and now I get to have the fun of sorting through, outlining and figuring out the schedule.  Always Fun!

I'm sort of surprised, but not overly so with the choice for the new Doctor in Dr. Who. Never expected a woman to be chosen.  James and I had a big debate over it. He's excited and I'm skeptical and since the head writer and producer is also new, we'll have to see what course direction the show takes.  I'm going to be my perpetually optimistic self and wait patiently for the Christmas special.