2025 September Reading Wrap Up

 

For September, I ready 6 books for a total of 2233 pages in which 2 were new to me authors 

1) Every Summer After by Carly Fortune:  304 pages   3 stars 

"“I fell in love with you when I was thirteen, and I never stopped. You’re it for me.” Sam closes his eyes for three long seconds, and when he opens them, they are glittering pools under a starry sky.”

2) The Book that Wouldn't Burn by Mark Lawrence:  559 pages   3 Stars

“All of us steal our lives. A little here, a little there. Some of it given, most of it taken. We wear ourselves like a coat of many patches, fraying at the edges, in constant repair. While we shore up one belief, we let go another. We are the stories we tell to ourselves. Nothing more.”

3) Neuromancer by William Gibson  304 pages   4 Stars

“His teeth sang in their individual sockets like tuning forks, each one pitch-perfect and clear as ethanol.”

4)  Bel Canto by Ann Patchett  318 pages   4 Stars

“If what a person wants is his life, he tends to be quiet about wanting anything else. Once the life begins to seem secure, one feels the freedom to complain.”

5)  Framed in Death by J.D. Robb  355 pages    5 Stars

“You can respect somebody without loving them, but if you don’t respect somebody you love, it’s never going to hold up.”

6)  Silver and Lead by Seanan McGuire 393  pages   4 stars

“Trauma moves in cycles. We pass it down, one to another, and there’s no time limit on how long that damage can endure.”

Reading Log as of September 24, 2025 - Silver and Lead

 

In Seanan McGuire's Silver and Lead, 19th Installment in the October Daye series, as ridiculous as it may seem, in typical beaten and bloody fashion, at 8 1/2 months pregnant October finds the culprits, has the baby on the warehouse floor with May doing a c section, then continues on until she save the day. 4 stars 

"Something is rotten in Faerie. In the aftermath of Titania's reality-warping enchantment, things are returning to what passes for normal in the Kingdom in the Mists―until it's discovered that the royal vaults have been looted, and several powerful magical artifacts are missing. None are things that can be safely left unsecured, and some have the potential to do almost as much damage as Titania did, and having them in the wrong hands could prove just as disastrous

At least the theft means that Sir October "Toby" Daye, Knight errant and Hero of the Realm, finally has an excuse to get out of the house. Sure, she's eight and a half months pregnant, but that doesn't mean she can’t take care of herself. But with the sea witch offering to stand godmother to Toby's child, maybe there are greater dangers ahead for Toby and her family than it appears....

Old enemies will resurface, new enemies will disguise themselves as friends, and Queen Windermere must try to keep her Hero on the case without getting herself gutted by the increasingly irritated local King of Cats. Sometimes, what's been lost can be the most dangerous threat of all."

BW36: Secret Agent Man

 Happy Sunday!  I had an ear worm in my head Saturday morning, which led me down a few musical rabbit trails this morning while thinking about our 52 Books Bingo theme this week.   We're having a Heat Wave, a magical heat wave, because we're expecting temps in the triple digits for the next two weeks. 

 

Which then segued to Secret Agent Man:  

"There's a man who leads a life of danger

To everyone he meets he stays a stranger

With every move he makes

Another chance he takes

Odds are he won't live to see tomorrow

Secret agent man, secret agent man

They've given you a number

And taken away your name."

 

Then Peter Gunn popped up.  But he was more of a private eye, than a secret agent. Right? Now the theme music written by Henry Mancini is cueing up.  

Enjoy!  

I read Seanan McGuire's Be the Serpent way to too fast and oh man, what a ride.  Currently on the second slow read to absorb it. So much happened and October is in over her head this time.  Also rereading Ben Coe's first book in his Dewey Andreas series - Power Down - for our 52 Books bingo.

Excited since series releases from two of my favorite authors are coming out this week:  J.D. Robb's Desperation Death and Faith Hunter's Final Heir.  Preordered a long time ago and will soon be on the way. 

BW35: Police procedurals

 It's week 35 in our 52 Books Quest and this week is all about Police Procedurals. I love police procedurals and there are so many to choose from.  

Currently reading Patricia Brigg's Soul Taken and Mercy is being put through the ringer with this one.  I feel like I should go back and reread the series again at some point.  

"The vampire Wulfe is missing. Since he’s deadly, possibly insane, and his current idea of “fun” is stalking me, some may see it as no great loss. But, warned that his disappearance might bring down the carefully constructed alliances that keep our pack safe, my mate and I must find Wulfe—and hope he’s still alive. As alive as a vampire can be, anyway.  

But Wulfe isn’t the only one who has disappeared. And now there are bodies, too. Has the Harvester returned to the Tri-Cities, reaping souls with his cursed sickle? Or is he just a character from a B horror movie and our enemy is someone else?  

The farther I follow Wulfe’s trail, the more twisted—and darker—the path becomes. I need to figure out what’s going on before the next body on the ground is mine."

I read Soul Taken, twice because it was so good.  Finished Ilona Andrews Iron and Magic which was a great second read.

Seanan McGuire’s 16th book in her October Daye series Be the Serpent was just released so will be reading it next.

I added a bunch of books to my stacks:  While birthday shopping for hubby at Barnes and Noble picked up a few books for me:  Pierce Brown’s Red Rising, Mark Pryor’s Book Artist, Susan Mallery’s Boardwalk Bookshop, and Alice Henderson’s A Blizzard of Polar Bears.  Already read Boardwalk Bookshop which was quite emotional and really good.

Oh and guess what dummy me did. I went on Amazon and choose four books I loved to send as birthday gifts to family in Texas and they suddenly arrived here. I didn’t change the address. Doi! Fortunately they are ones I wanted to read again: Shannon’s Priory of the Orange Tree,  Arden’s Bear and the Nightingale, Rollin’s Sandstorm, and Coes Power Down  so added them to my stacks and will arrange for gift certificates or something instead.

More books for the tbr stacks

 

My friends have talked about the Expanse series so much I finally had to check it out.   Added Leviathan Wakes to my virtual stacks along with several other books in including Jo Walton's Among Others, Ann Perry's Face of a Stranger, and Willo Davis Roberts Girl with the Silver Eyes.  A bunch more dragon and bookshop books. I see some themes evolving.  I think I'm done buying books for the time being and will wait to see what my guys get me for my birthday and Christmas.   The poor dears had to force themselves to go the store today because they missed the time window for Amazon to get here by Sunday, even though I gave them plenty of warning.  It'll be a total surprise since neither one has any idea what to get and hubby always looks for the fattest book possible.  😁

Finished When Sorrow Comes and happy that October and Tybalt finally managed to get married. 

Gave up on 42nd Street Library for the moment, just couldn't get into his writing.

Philippa Gregory's Wise Woman has captured my attention so far.  

BW46: Sunday's Book Babble - Why You Need a Reading Plan

 It's week 46 in our 52 Books Quest. We're in the midst of planning our 2022 bookish adventures and having loads of fun with the bingo categories and coming up with new challenges. Meanwhile getting side tracked and adding to my TBR pile.  So many good books.  I went a little bit link happy while writing this week's post and figured out I need to have a better plan for actually reading all the books I've been acquiring.

Which lead me to The Art of Manliness, which is actually a wonderful site to explore. 

I came across Why you need a Reading Plan detailing the importance of having a plan and sticking with it.  I ditched my non fiction reading plan somewhere in the middle of the year and need to revise for 2022. I have a whole slew of nonfiction books on my shelves from memoirs like Trevor Noah's Born a Crime to Adam Savage's Every Tool's a Hammer to multiple writing books such as Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes by Maria Konnikova.  

Stumbled across their article on The Best of the Marine Corps’ Reading Lists with many books my hubby will enjoy reading. Unfortunately, it looks like The Art of War has been removed from the current list which is a must read for anyone.  Caboodle lists it among the  10 non-fiction books that changed the world. 

Today is the 170th anniversary of when Moby Dick was published.  If you haven't read it yet, maybe 2022 would be the perfect time. Why read Moby Dick? makes the case for why and In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex gives you the real story behind the fiction tale.  Another seafaring tale that captured my attention is Hampton Side's In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette.   Both Philbrick and Hampton make history come alive.

Check out the links on 52 Books 

******

Still reading Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet.  I came across this article Can Rilke Change Your Life in the New Yorker on Saturday which lead to me to a new edition of Letters which includes the missing letters of the young poet which weren’t included in the original edition.  Maybe if I’m curious enough after finishing the edition I have, I may get it.

Finished The Riviera House by Natasha Lester which was good, but I liked Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale so much more.

Ebook – started #15 in the October Daye series When Sorrows Come by Seanan McGuire and in hard cover – Philippa Gregory’s The Wise Woman.   

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

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

Yikes! There are only two week and a half weeks left to our summer break and we haven't accomplished 1/4 of our to do list, nor did we manage to take off somewhere and explore.  I need one of those - stop the world, I want to get time off buttons. A Tardis would actually do quite nicely.   Yes, I've been watching way too much Doctor Who.

Another sleepless night since my body has now decided it doesn't like Bel Air's Chipotle Panini's. Maybe it's the Chipotle sauce?   I've been dragging all day and managed to get out to the grocery store. Otherwise, have lazed around, reading.  I'm almost finished spelling out Sardonyx and have X left. I ordered Jeff Vandemeer's Area X: The Southern Reach Trilogy which will arrive in a couple days.  Meanwhile I'm reading Seanan McGuire's first book - Discount Armageddon in her InCryptid series.  Delightful light paranormal read which is just what I needed right now.

It's book week 33 in our 52 Books Quest and this week I highlighted a new to me American Poet - Alfred Corn.

This next week's goal is to do an all court press to finish outlining curriculum for 12 grade.   Writing goals are to continue posting every day and begin the 30 day writing challenge on the 15th.

~Cheers~

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! 

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.