A category devoted to widows and widowers. I sorrow for their loss but read for my delight.
I was lured in by all the good reviews. It read like a confused manic fever dream. Very over the top melodramatic. While no doubt it kept me reading I'm still confused and if truthful disappointed. The author couldn't pick a lane and I am still not sure who was villan and who was the victim. Like Claire keeps muttering to herself at the end --none of it is true. Maybe her other books are better.
As the New Year of 2018 approached, I picked up an old used book, "A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy" and I thought wouldn't it be fun to read a book for each season. I promptly went out and found books for spring, summer, and autumn, a particular talent of mine is finding and buying books.
That thought became a habit and I found myself doing category arcs of books with titles themed around birds, body parts, weather conditions...and by that time I was hooked on reading this way...and the seeds for this website were sown.
Here in 2022 I find myself drawn to taking another round of the Seasons...hoping to make this an annual category.
This novel follows a young Viennese medical student to the Eastern front during the winter of WWI in 1914. Even though he has minimal experience (ok basically none) there is already a severe shortage of trained medical personnel. He becomes the single doctor in a freezing, partially destroyed and deserted church that is serving as a field hospital. One nurse and a few orderlies.
This book is one of the best books that I have read this year- a fantastic depiction of the ravages andthe travesties that was WWI. I will put this on my forever shelf and no doubt read it again. First though I am sharing it with friends. I will definitely read more from this author.
A category devoted to the ordinal numbers whether they are expressed as 1st, 2nd, 3rd or as First, Second, Third and soon all as long as the titles hold out as readable choices.
I have had cause to do a fair amount of reading about addiction and alcoholism as my family is walking the path towards recovery. As a service to others--here is a reading list of literature that I have found most helpful.
This year (2023) I abdicated my crown. I stepped down from my throne as the Queen of Denial. Plan and simple: My son is an alcoholic. As I write this today he is sober- a journey now measured in months not just days. He has found help staying sober in AA. I have been doing a lot of reading about addiction this year. As my son and his sponsor are taking a long slow journey through the pages the Alcoholic Anonymous "Big Blue Book", I, too, have taken a long slow read through the Al-Anon version of this Twelve Step Program.
We will both take our own paths on this journey but bottom line --It is not necessary for AA to work for me, but if it keeps my son on a sober path--then I am all for it. Whatever sober endeavor works for him works for me. He will ever have my love, concern, and compassionate support--regardless the path his journy takes.
I am still on the fence and have yet to attend a meeting but I am grateful to know that Al-Anon is there if and when I need it. I will likely give this book another read. Journal about my thoughts and reflections. Read more books. Stayed tuned I'm sure there will be more to say...
This category points: North, South, East, West and all the compass ponits in between.
A category for books with a Castle in the title of the book.
While belonging to a book club has been a bucket list dream of mine--I've come to the conclusion that apparently this is not be--and believe me I've tried 3-4 clubs. Finger's crossed the Vignovic Book Club (found under V) has a few titles to its name. Therefore the category has switched gears. I originally intended it to contain books I read as part of a book club but now it will contain books about book clubs.
Bloody books. Need I elaborate more?
A category devoted to books about Bees and books with Bee in the titles.
You guessed it. All these books have "River" in the title.
In 2023 I picked up a few books on this subject, with innocent intentions, as I wanted to learn more about the recent scientific research into the behavioral disorders associated with anxiety, so that I could be of better help to others who were suffering from anxiety. Ironically, I found these books to be talking about my symptoms...Well as they say on airplanes (put your own oxygen mask of first) and in Ala-Non (you can only fix your own head)...so for the record this is a list of the books that have most helped me.
As a category this is one is pretty self explanatory. Angel, Demon, or both must be in the title to make this list. Just for the Hell of it I may even go back and give Angels and Demon's a Heavenly re-read.
This category promises to be quite the mixed bag of titles...so far it extends from the evolution of morals to the amoral activities of serial killers. And yes monkeys.
This category is going to be a challenge of sorts. I want to find book titles that consist of a single word--one for each letter of the alphabet-- (and of course, read them.)
This book won a Pulitzer Prize in 1963. I have read other of her books and I credit "A Distant Mirror" for igniting my love of reading history. For the most part, this book does a fine job painting a picture of the first month of WWI, however...it left me needing more. I do give myself credit for the selfless forced march I took on to slog through to the end of this book. It is mostly compelling reading but it does bog down in parts.
It is a top down look from the perspective of the bumbling, weepy, arrogant idiots --oops my bad-- the fine moustachioed gentleman who were in charge of making goverment, diplomatic, and battlefield decisions.
Since this book was writtten much more is known and much more has been written. Off to the trenches...
What can I say-it was already in my TBR stack-and I needed a book to meet my December reading requirement. This reads like a Hallmark movie set mostly in London and paper thin even by Hallmark movie standards. Not my cup of tea.
Guy sitting in a bar on a rainy night decides to chat up an attractive blonde who sits down next to him--she thinks he is someone else and he plays along--ruthless mayem ensues.
Cormoran Strike #5
Although I have enjoyed all my reading time spent with Robin and Strike I think this outing has been my favorite. Good plotting and good character development.
I liked this book more than I expected too. It is a bit weird and has too much sex (easy to skim over which I did). Clever storytelling but a little far-fetched--suspend your disbelieve and just enjoy.
A series of books that I am reading out of order about the cases of Inspector Ian Rutledge. I do like his writing and I do like the other book that I have read. The first book I picked up was a flashback to Ian Rutledge before he left England and fought in the trenches during WWI. And this book (#2) is Ian as he is after the war, as that is how the series began.
I just don't remember what this book was about. So catch me later...I am going back to the beginning and starting over.
Of all the books in my "wolf" category this was the book I looked forward to the most. MFK Fisher is esteemed to almost goddess like status as both a cook and a cookbook author. This book was written to encourage those daunted by wartime shortages in England in the aftermath of WWII. Making something out of near nothing. Effective use of leftovers, cheap cuts of meat, trying to use up all ingredients in pantry and frig, etc.
I don't want to disparage this book. I did not live through WWII in England or its immediate aftermath so I don't understand or relate to the English sensibilites of that time. L was really dismayed that I didn't like this book--indeed it was one of the very few books that I haven't been able to heroically stick through to the bitter end. There is just something about the Post WWII English "housewife" that I simiply can't relate with--I experienced the same when ploughing through "The Provincial Lady" series of books.
it is my issue not the issue of these authors. I just had hoped to like her writing as much as I enjoy her contemporary Julia Child.
A very interesting take on Sci Fi. It was also interesting to read more about the Chinese Cultural Revolution. This is a multi book series and I am highly anticipating reading the next. Very inventive and complex world building.
If you do not like spoilers of any sort--please do not read any further.
I consider my self lucky to have read this series out of order because at least I wasn't totally blindsided by the ending of this book. It was hard enough to read even knowing what was to come. Good read nontheless.
Truth be told--I had picked up this book to read a couple of times and couldn't get hooked in. Third time must have indeed been the charm. I think going back and giving "In The Woods" a second read really helped. Glad I did as this was a really good read--looking forward to the next Dublin Squad Murder.
This was one of my favorite books in 2023. I loved the structure, the writing, and the plot. I look forward to reading more from this author.
During 2020 I decided to read about all things dark, black and demon haunted and I came up with quite the collection of titles.
This is my final outing with Elizabeth Chase, psychic detective, and I am more than a little sad. I will miss her. While Martha C. Lawrence is a fabulous writer, she, alas, lost her enthusiam for writing fiction after September 11, 2001. She even completed a book tour for this last book in the immediate aftermath of these terrorist attacks, which must have been surreal to say the least. Thankfully for her, she has found success and happiness in "behind the scene" writing. Maybe some day...
I really enjoyed reading this book. Good plot. I would have happily read my way through the whole zodiac had this series continued.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly.
This book was recommended/sent to me by my husband, he thought I would like it--even though he had not read it himself. Not sure if he has even read it since I did, so much for book club.
I don't remember all the fine details of the plot and truthfully I thought it would be more about bowling--instead it is more of dark character study.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly.
I do remember this being a great read. I will no doubt keep in on my shelf to read again. I am a soft sell for a good time traveling yarn.
The is the second time I have read this book. I have also seen the movie (Matt Damon does a great job). My son and did a little book clubbing this summer. We both give this a thumbs up.
This category is devoted to books that feature a ladie's name in the title. It is an ongoing list as there are many such books.
By far my favorite read in 2023 and as much as I enjoyed The Martian I liked this book even more, beginning to end a great read.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly.
This is the second time I have read this book and as I didn't really remember the plot, I found it reading time well spent. I primarily read it again because I wanted to read "The Likeness" which also follows DI Cassie Maddox--and is told in her voice. I'm glad I did the re-read as while one could read this as a stand alone--it was nice to have a refresher on Cassie's relationship with her former partner--Rob Ryan. This book is told in Rob's voice.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly.
I'm guessing that Ms. Hannah has grown in to her skills as a writer. I have read a few of her more recent books and really enjoyed them. This book was written in 2001. Maybe it was cutting edge when first written but to my eyes the story telling went down an overly used pathway. I will stick to this author's more recent books.
Here is an author that has written a great many books--his Alex Delaware series is at least 30+ books long. I was hoping for a lot of good reading--I love a good series. This is the first book and was published in 1985. And I realize that some would write off his phraseology as a symptom of his age and time--how I simply get past that a psychologist, especially one of Dr. Delaware's suppoded stature, would refer to the mentally challenged as retards, refer to a physically challenged man as a gimp, an Asian woman as an Oriental and a physically deformed person as a harelip--not to mention his sexist writing about women. I am not a particularly PC person but I found this hard to swallow. I won't even get into the ridiculous nature of the plot, I will simply say that this author is not for me.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly.
Back in the day I had read Ms. Howard's Cazalet Chronicles set in England during WWII--a series I really enjoyed. I decided to delve back into her offerings. This was a very good book and she is a very good writer. I especially admired the way she wrote the character of Henry Kent, as she cleverly got me to become sympathetic to Henry in spite of knowing he was up to no good. Looking forward to going back and reading more from this author.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly.
I mean who can resist a book with this title. It was chock full of the weird stuff a human brain gets up to when you don't pay attention to its doings. I need to go back and read the capsulations in the last chapter and refresh my mind. Helped increase my knowledge about the Default Mode Network and using a mindfulness practice,
I had two books set in Paris languishing on my shelves so I decided to cross the English Channel for this category. I thought I had planned my transition quite cleverly by moving from "Lost in Good Book" to "A Parisian Categorie" with a novel entitled The Little Paris Bookshop 
My mistake, not hers, I thought it was going to be a completely different book, Nina George is a good writer and judging by the number of positive reviews on Amazon--a lot of fans, but this book wasn't the prescription I needed. The main character, the owner, has a floating bookstore set on a barge in the River Seine, he is styled as a literary apothecary dispensing the very "books" that would counteract the hardships of life for his clients, he was said to have an intuitive feel for the exact book that a readers needs.
Forgive me, I expected the book to be about the bookstore, his clients, and the books he recommended as cures. Instead, I left the main character reminiscing about an ancient love affair with a married woman-- the memory involved riding naked and bareback on horses--there was also a mention of sand-- in the South of France. I didn't find it romantic I found it chafing. Her main character left Paris behind in the space of a few chapters and I sold my book back to Half Priced Books.
I will use Lunch in Paris and The Paris Wife to spring off into two separate categories. Lunch in Paris will serve as a springboard for a category about chefs and the restaurant world starting with a most famous transplanted- Parisian wife, Julia Child. The Paris Wife will serve as a springboard for a category of books that feature "wife" as part of the title.
I have decided to read these categories in tandem because I think I will need to give the restaurant/chef category a break so that I can keep it fresh.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly.
A quick read, good book. Just don't remember how it ended. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly.
I had been enjoying this series but I didn't really care for this book. The character is going cold on me, not sure why. I will give this series one more shot, but perhaps it is time to say adieu to Aimee Leduc.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly.
Read during a particularly trying time and read it quickly at that--I'm sure it was good. The TV adaptation is good also--I hope to catch up with the plot as I watch the season dedicated to this book play out.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly.
Back in the day I read a lot of Joanna Trollope so I thought to give her another go. I found the book to be okay and I can see where it would have been progressive for its time. The ending was a little too "pat" for me but I am going to also give The Choir another go.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly.
I don't remember much about this book. I remember thinking that it was spread a bit too thin--too many different plot lines. But I did enjoy it. I learned a lot about forest fires and canoeing and it had a satisficatory ending--if I am remembering this book correctly.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly.
Back when I had dreams of posting book reviews on Twitter (or whatever it is called these days) there was a lot of hype about this classic book. It is weird I will give Twitter that and I will also say that I weirdly enjoyed this read.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly. I came very close to getting all my books logged in to the website by this March--I was down to two books when 2023 took the deep dive.
I am enjoying this series in fact as I write this I have finished the 4th and am currently reading number 5. I can't remember much about this book other than it made me feel a little frustrated. Lots of filler and misdirection. Glad I've kept reading this series though.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly. I came so close to getting all my books logged in this March and I was just two books out before 2023 took the deep dive.
It is a testimate to how much I liked this book that I can still remember how much I enjoyed this read. Such good story telling. I'm really looking forward to reading more from this author.
2023 has turned out to be a lot. In times of stress I read a lot BUT I don't retain a lot...it has been that kind of a year to put it mildly.
The trend continues downward. I skimmed most of this book and still can't tell you what the plot was...the tragedy here is Kinsey started as such a relatable and interesting character and now I almost totally dislike her. Another tragedy is that I am mostly through the alphabet. I need to buy M,N,O,P but alread have the other titles. Speaking of Killer: I think I am going to give this series a time out for the time being.
- "J" is for Judgment by Sue Grafton
- "I" is for Innocent by Sue Grafton
- "H" is for Homicide by Sue Grafton
- To Your Health
- My Unremarkable Brain by David Moore Robinson
- Redefining Anxiety by Dr. John Delony
- Unwinding Anxiety by Judson Brewer, MD, PhD
- Understanding and Helping an Addict by Andrew Proulx, MD
- Addiction In The Family by Louise Stanger
- How To Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan
- June
- June's Troubles by A.E. Howe
- July
- July's Trials by A.E. Howe
- August's Heat by A.E. Howe
- September
- October
- September's Fury by A.E. Howe
- Lethal White by Robert Galbraith
- October's Fear by A.E. Howe
- The Fourth Friend by Joy Ellis
- The Fourth Monkey by J. D. Barker
- Go Tell the Bees That I am Gone by Diana Gabaldon
- The Fifth to Die by J.D. Barker
- Murder of Angels by Jack Gatland
- Tuesday's Socks by Alison Ragsdale
- Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk
- The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton
- Who Watcheth by Helene Tursten
- Murder In Belleville by Cara Black (Aimee Leduc #2)
- Her Last Breath by Dan Padavona (A Wolf Lake Thriller)
- Murder in Scorpio by Martha C. Lawrence
- The Daisy Children by Sophia Grant
- May
- I'll Be Gone in the Dark (One Woman's Search...) by Michelle McNamara
- May's Danger by A. E. Howe
- Letter From The Dead by Jack Gatland
- G Is For Gumshoe by Sue Grafton
- Murder In The Marais by Cara Black (Aimee Leduc #1)
- The Silversmith by Jeff Carson (David Wolf #2)
- Spring House by Mary Ellen Taylor
- A Wolf at the Table by Augusten Burroughs
- April
- April's Desires by A. E. Howe
- F is for Fugitive by Sue Grafton
- Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult
- Foreign Deceit by Jeff Carson (A David Wolf Mystery)
- The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman
- Wolf Lake by John Verdon
- Mind on Fire by Arnold Thomas Fanning
