Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Off Topic 50 Book Challenge 2020/What I've Read in 2020

And we start over with another new year! I love seeing what everyone is reading. Those suggestions lead me to try books I might not have have noticed otherwise.

#1 The Flickering Mind: Saving Education from the False Promise of Technology by Todd Oppenheimer


This book didn't have many reviews on Good Reads but I thought it was well done. It was a slow read - lots of information! The book is dated, published in 2003, but the ideas still hold.

Same here! In fact, this first title you put up here I find incredibly intriguing (I'm a teacher)!

1: Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster: I found this one in the library while trying to find something else by an author last name also Webster (which they didn't have, turns out it was at another branch of the library). I grabbed it because I recalled my sister reading it when we were young. It is an epistolary (written in letters). I really liked how authentic the letters felt. When I finished, I was pleased to find out its also a Fred Astaire movie, which I then watched. I'd recommend both.

2: Courting Trouble by Deanne Gist. I'm not sure about this one. It lacked the traditional happy ending I'm used to, but I was kind of glad about that? Can't decide if I'll read the next one in the series or not.

1) Pam Whidden: Life As A Muse. Pam was an artists model. After she passed away, a book of work done with her as the model was put together. Nice art book.

2) Night Agent by Matthew Quirk. Thriller. an FBI agent is trying to stop a Russian mole who is in the White House. First Time I've read this author. I'll be looking for more by him.

#2 An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green



An unusual mix of sci-fi and the impact of social media.

Just finished Darkness At The Edge of Town, by Adam Christopher. It's a Stranger Things novel centered around Detective Jim Hopper in NYC in 1977, so a few years before he returns to Hawkins, Indiana and the events of Stranger Things Seasons 1 and 2. The story itself wasn't bad and was, at times, compelling, but, being part of the Stranger Things universe (officially or not, depending on your take of off-shoot stories), I was really let down that the villain was JUST a man, with nothing more to him. I'm used to telekinesis and demogorgons and parallel universes from the franchise, so I was underwhelmed, to say the least.

Witch's Oath by Terry Goodkind

The latest adventures of Richard and Kahlan Rahl are, for some reason, broken up into 5 smaller books this time around, instead of a longer, more comprehensive story. This is book 4 of the Children of D'Hara series. I've been enjoying it thus far, but I've enjoyed the Sword of Truth series overall (some more than others). I'm just really bummed that I have to wait until May for the conclusion. And I do hope we get further adventures of Richard and Kahlan. It's been a fun ride.

3) Just as you are by Pepper Basham

Technically, I didn't finish it. A few chapters into it, I was sick of hearing about how the FMC is Appalachian (do Appalachians really refer to themselves as such in nearly every conversation they ever have, even if its with someone they've previously explained it to? It is apparently why she is a klutz and can't think before she speaks, among other things. I'm not Appalachian and I can't say if I know any, but it seemed so demeaning.). But I stuck it out because I was intrigued by the description of the plot - country girl happens to run into movie star and they solve a mystery. But things were happening so s l o w l y ... I started skimming about a third of the way into the book, and didn't feel like I missed anything. I continued skimming until I realized how cheesy everything was becoming and I stopped reading at about the two thirds mark. I bet I can tell you whats going to happen in the end. It was disappointing, especially since I've read some other Basham books that were amazing.

(This on the heels of starting and not finishing two other books that lost me before the end of chapter two... I'm beginning to question my ability to choose books to read...)

EDIT: I got stuck in a place with no wifi or physical book for hours and this was the only book downloaded on my phone. So I finished it. It continued to be cheesy, I wasn't surprised by the events that took place, but it did a fine job of keeping me busy. Also, in the author's notes, I read that she is Appalachian and am even more baffled by the way it was handled in the book...

#3 The Friends We Keep by Jane Green


Talk about chick-lit - light and fluffy. Lots of drama but everything works out. Totally forgettable characters but sometimes you need a light read.

4) A Most Peculiar Circumstance by Jen Turano

I chose this book because I know Jen Turano to be a light-hearted story-teller that would undoubtedly make me laugh. Her stories are generally quickly paced and filled with twists and turns that keep the reader guessing. This book was exactly that and just what I needed.

5) Havencross by Julie Daines

I chose this book solely by the cover. Historical romance, set in Cornwall 1800s. The cover shows a woman standing on the edge of the sea facing away, her dress billowing in the wind. I read it without reading the description and was drawn in by the end of the second page. Elaine is running from her past and is forced to face it when circumstances beyond her control require her to return home. Very good. Danger, romance, plot twists. I kept trying to guess what would happen and I was wrong sometimes and right sometimes which is just how I like it.

Groucho Marx, King of the Jungle by Ron Goulart.

Groucho and Frank Denby solve a murder on a set of a movie that Frank is doing some script doctoring for. The movie is a Tarzan knockoff and has all the expected characters.

The sixth in a series that starts with Groucho Marx, Master Detective where Groucho and Frank Denby a scriptwriter who was a crime reporter for the newspapers are pitching a radio series with Groucho as a comedic detective and end up having to solve a real murder. I often find Goulart annoying because he gets too odd but he writes a great Groucho. Lots of 1940s Hollywood cameos and locations.

The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton - I've read this one before and it's definitely not one of my favorites. While I can appreciate the need to give background on certain scientists and their theories on how a bacterium might spread and evolve, it does make for some dry chunks in the book. However, I enjoyed the story overall. The reason WHY I went back to this one is to prep for reading the new sequel, The Andromeda Evolution.

Admittedly, I’m not a person who likes to read fiction in general so most of the these books are probably not choices people would generally make:

1) A General’s Life: An Autobiography by Omar Bradley I’m a military history buff so I enjoy reading about people involved in the wars and also it is my belief that in order to understand the present I need to read about the past. This is the autobiography of America’s last five star general from his early life to the end of his official career in the army though officers who attain the five star rank never actually formally ‘retire.’ I admit that this is not everyone’s cup of tea in terms of a good read, but for me this is the kind of book I enjoy reading because sometimes even the best fiction writers can’t come up with the kind of things that happen in a person’s life

2) Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari I won’t get into a debate over the theory of human evolution as that isn’t really what this book is about. It’s more about how we as Homo sapiens overran the planet. Not a bad book, but I’ll admit that I didn’t necessarily agree with some of the ideas that he put forward

3) Becoming Japanese: Colonial Taiwan and the Politics of Identity Formation by Leo T.S. Ching Colonialism and Imperialism are ugly terms when we consider a national identity. I was born in Taiwan and although I thoroughly identify as an Australian, my ancestral roots are tied to this period of time through my mother. Identity is a tough thing to consider when you have ties ethnically to one place and yet at the same time have differing ideals (not the least of which is that mainland China is communist and Taiwan or more officially The Republic of China is democratic), but also trying to meld that with the influence of a former colonial ruler

4) To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Have had this novel on my to read list for years, but never got around to reading it. Don’t think this book needs much rehashing, but I will add that I thoroughly enjoyed it

5) Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee The sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird. Scout is now all grown up and is forced to confront the same issues addressed in To Kill a Mockingbird, but also the realisation that everything she thought she knew about the father she idolised wasn’t exactly the truth. Though less enjoyable and confronting as it’s predecessor I still would recommend reading it

6) How to Hide an Empire: A Short History of the Greater United States by Daniel Immerwahr Given that this book is of my usual taste I admit I had high expectations for it especially after reading the blurb (I admit to never judging a book by its cover. If the title is interesting then I read the blurb. If the blurb seems interesting enough I may decide to read it) in the end I was disappointed as it was not anywhere near my expectations and didn’t tell me anything beyond what I knew about empire and the collapse of British and French colonialism in Asia

7) Cannery Row by John Steinbeck I’m not sure whether this was intentional or not, but for the last few years I’ve read at least one book written by a Nobel Prize winning author. This novel I found out about from watching British chef Rick Stein in his series Road to Mexico when he visits Cannery Row in Monterey California. Set in the Depression era, it tells the story of life through the eyes of a group of people. Initially I thought that it was about the sardine canneries which dotted the landscape along the Monterey coast, but I was mistaken. While enjoyable it took a while to really get into it as it doesn’t really ‘flow’ like I normally would think a story would.

8) Mindhunter Inside the FBI Elite Serial Crime Unit by John Douglas & Mark Olshaker John Douglas is considered to be one of the pioneers in the science of criminal profiling. Delving into the mind of some of America’s most notorious criminals he would help establish the FBI’s elite Behavioural Science Unit into what it is today. If you like true crime this is a great read. Though I will warn that you will need a strong stomach as the description of some of these crimes is very descriptive and you can easily let your imagination run wild.

#4 Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel


I love post apocalyptic stories and this was a good one.

#5 The Rosie Result by Graeme Simsion


A fun conclusion to the trilogy of books. The other two books had more laugh out loud moments. But they also had more cringe worthy moments too .

9) A Line in the Sand: Britain, France and the Struggle that Shaped the Middle East by James Barr it’s very easy to say that the problems plaguing the Middle East are driven by turf wars from rival tribes and of course differing ideologies. The reasons behind it are much more complicated, post WWI policy and lingering desire to hold on to the ideas of colonialism post WWII have all contributed to the issues today further reinforcing the notion that a line in the sand does not make a nation. Not something that most people read, but if you like history and are interested in geopolitics this is a good read.

10) In Xanadu: A Quest by William Dalrymple at age 22 while still a student at Cambridge the author embarked on a journey across the Middle East into Central Asia to end up at Kublai Khan’s summer palace of Xanadu in Mongolia (or rather Inner Mongolia which is technically part of China) following in the footsteps of Venetian Marco Polo. Quirky and interesting

Two oddly similar books set in different time periods and with entirely different subplots. Also, I did some more choosing books by covers here and intentionally NOT reading the description.

6) Wager for a Wife by Karen Tuft
Regency era, maybe late regency. Turns out Louisa's grandfather lost her in a wager long before she was even born and William, who just inherited a failing estate - and Louisa, comes to claim his prize. Louisa agrees out of duty. This was very ... predictable? No, that's not it. I have no idea how to describe this book without giving too much away.


7) Eleanor and the Iron King by Julie Daines
Medieval era, based on descriptions of clothing. Eleanor's dad has just bartered her as part of a peace treaty to a Welsh guy whose name - and just about everything related to him - is difficult to pronounce. She agrees out of duty (and also because she has no choice in the matter). This was very ... unpredictable! And in an awesomely good way. Just when I think I had things figured out, I didn't. It was also very gothic feeling, which I love.

8) My Lady Jane by C Hand, B Ashton, and J Meadows.

A recommendation from a friend. Oh, this was delightful! It's the story (albeit re-written) of Lady Jane Grey, the 9-day queen of England. The narrator in my head sounded much like the one from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I LOVED the fantasy elements added to the story and the changes to history the authors made. The only thing I didn't like was the tendency of the authors to present the girsl-are-better-than-boys attitude (honestly, why does one always have to be better, can't we just be equal?), but it was few and far between so I had an easy time continuing. So glad a snow day allowed me to sit and read all day to finish it because I did not want to put it down.

11) Law & Disorder: Inside the Dark Side of Murder by John Douglas and Mark Olshaker this again is not usually my type of reading, but having read Mindhunter this was a recommendation from my Goodreads app. Douglas here talks about a couple of high profile cases before and after his work at the FBI. It also outlines the dangers of prejudice during the investigation into the collection of evidence and how the innocent can also be wrongly convicted of crimes they didn’t commit. This book gets bonus points too for the Superman reference of fighting for ‘truth and justice’ while not in the context of Lois and Clark (he was referring to the George Reeves series) I will take it!

12) The Art of War by Sun Tzu squeezed in a Lois and Clark reference this time with this one and no unlike Monique, this is not the Reader’s Digest version though you don’t really need it as it’s not a long book by any stretch. Written over 2000 years ago, it is considered to be one of the earliest and seminal works on military strategy and tactics of which are still applicable today. I had actually read this years ago, but I was given a beautiful hardbound and illustrated copy of it by a friend so I decided to read it again. Divided into 13 chapters (or rather 13 points) and then within those headings further sub-points outlining what military planners (or corporate raiders such as Lex Luthor) must do in order to achieve success and what to avoid if you don’t want to be defeated. Still as enjoyable as it was when I first read it.

Hi Crazy_Babe,

I'll also add that parts of "The Art of War" are as applicable to cyber warfare as to traditional. For example, I used the following quote in my information security classes.
Joy,
Lynn

Absolutely

13) Mulan: Five Versions of an Ancient Chinese Legend edited and translated by Shiamin Kwa and Wilt L. Idema I’m embarrassed to admit that if it weren’t for Disney, I probably would have never heard of the story of Mulan which is an odd thing because I’m fairly well versed in many Chinese classics despite the fact that I only speak it and not read it. These are translations of five versions of the story of the girl who disguised herself as a man to fight for China against foreign invaders in her elderly father’s place as she at 17 and the oldest of the family with a younger brother not yet old enough to fight in his place (Disney’s version has her as an only child, perhaps keeping with modern China’s one child policy). Also much like other Disney movies it deviates a little from the original material. Personally I much preferred the poem to the play versions of the story.

14) A Holy Mountain: A Journey in the Shadow of Byzantium by William Dalrymple Combining history with travel the author recreates a journey eastward made by 2 Byzantine monks 1500 years ago from modern day Turkey to Alexandria in Egypt. This one reminded me of a well known story about a Chinese monk named Xuanzang whose journey westward from China is not only immortalised in Tang Dynasty records, but also a famed Chinese novel called Journey to the West (probably better known to western audiences as Monkey). Insightful and also he does well to tread lightly when it comes to the area’s political turmoil at the moment

15) Miracle at Midway by Gordon W. Prange, Donald M. Goldstein and Katherine V. Dillion I’m quite the history buff and in particular I enjoy military history so most of my books tend to be books on military history or personnel with a smattering of fiction and classics. This is more academic than a general history as it is quite detailed and also draws a lot of its material from the perspective of the people involved in what many describe as one of the greatest naval engagements in history. Informative and interesting it allows people to see the Battle of Midway from both sides of the battle and also acknowledges not only Japanese failures, but also just how lucky American was dealing the Japanese a decisive blow from which they would never fully recover

The Andromeda Evolution by Daniel Wilson.

This one picks up 50 years after the events of The Andromeda Strain. Far less "techy" than it's predecessor, this was an enjoyable read with far more "nail biting" sequences. There were some really nice details that tied the events of the two books together and I really enjoyed the ride it gave me.

Great to see more people (and book suggestions!) on this thread!

#6 A Nearly Normal Family by M. T Edvardsson


I didn't like this one nearly as much as people on Goodreads did. It's told from the POV of the dad, mom and daughter. I didn't like the characters They never seemed normal to me. Their actions didn't make sense. The legal aspects didn't make sense (daughter suspected of a crime is in jail, unable to leave and not allow to see her parents until the trial?) It was entertaining but not a great story. I've read much better versions of this plot.

9) She walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchel. The main character Clara is somewhat timid and does what she's told. Learns her life is a sham and steps up to the challenge. It was enlightening.

10) The Lacemaker by Laura Frantz. My first audiobook. The story overall was good, daughter of someone important on the British side of the revolutionary war gets left behind and eventually switches sides. I didn't really follow why she switched so the last half of the story felt abrupt. As far as the audiobook nature of it, I appreciated how I could do things while listening to the book and how I could make it play faster but I did not like the accents the person reading used for the characters.

16) A Quiet Warrior: A Biography of Raymond A. Spruance by Thomas B. Buell When I think of Admiral Spruance I think of Glenn Ford’s portrayal in the 1976 movie Midway (to Superman audiences better known as Jonathan Kent) and his conversation with Robert Mitchum’s portrayal of Admiral Halsey and the scene where he says ‘did that itch go to your head?’ This book is the biography of a man who although is quiet, shy and reticent to the point he comes across as cold and unfeeling who perhaps is largely overshadowed by the more flamboyant Admiral Halsey and of course General MacArthur (who interestingly enough, Spruance got along well with despite the traditional Army/Navy rivalry). Reads like the man himself clear and concise

17) Totally Unofficial 100 Things Superman Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die by Joseph MaCabe I thought I’d lighten my usual reading a little bit with this one. Joseph McCabe is the editor of SFX Magazine on the West Coast and a writer. In this book he’s compiled a list of 100 things fans of Superman should know and do. A lot of tidbits as to where some of the locations used for various scenes in the Superman movies that you can visit. This also has interviews with comic artists and story writers as well as interviews with actors who have been involved in Superman including Dean Cain and John Shea.

18) War as I Knew It by General George S. Patton this is not a memoir by any stretch, rather this is Patton’s war time diaries. This interestingly enough doesn’t show his known bravado and flamboyance. Rather it shows a more human side to Patton beneath the brash exterior he presented.

#7 The First Mistake by Sandie Jones

A woman's seemingly perfect life unravels. The women in this story drove me nuts. The first response to, "I think my husband is having a affair" is to drink massively. I didn't like the women and the situation felt too contrived.

19) Infantry Attacks by Erwin Rommel Erwin Rommel is perhaps better known for his WWII exploits in the North African desert that would earn him the nickname ‘The Desert Fox’ as well as for his infamous suicide for his alleged involvement in the July 20 plot. This however, is not about his WWII exploits as he’d died before it was completed, but rather this is about his experience on the battlefields during WWI. Essentially this could be described as a 20th Century version of The Art of War, just as mechanised warfare was in its infancy. While I felt at times it jumped between first and third person points of view, overall I did see glimpses of the brilliant tactician he was

#8 The Dog Stars by Peter Heller


I love post-apocalyptic stories and have read a lot of them. This wasn't the best. And it wasn't the worst. The author had an odd writing style. The main character was very much a hunter/nature person which I can''t relate to as much, but still appreciate.

20) Lois Lane: Fallout by Gwenda Bond read this years ago actually, the first in the Lois Lane series. This series is aimed at the young adult market, but I couldn’t resist. This follows the DC Comics canon of having Lois as an Army brat who moves to Metropolis with her family. Starting a new high school she meets Perry White her first day who invites her to join the the Daily Scoop staff (The Daily Planet aimed at the teenaged market). The plot did remind me of one particular episode of Lois and Clark as the premise is rather similar, but I won’t say which one except only to say that it involves the concept of mind control. Also interesting is her online friendship (or maybe romance) with a guy she only knows by his online handle SmallvilleGuy. This is actually a lot of fun as you can totally imagine this is what Lois was like as a teenager too.

@scifiJoan: M. T. Edvardsson is Swedish, and European tastes in literature don't always make the transition to their intended American audience. Those folks have a different idea about what constitutes tension and compelling stories. For example, I like mysteries by Dick Francis, an English author who apparently knows horses and the racing world in England like the back of his hand. I, conversely, know next to nothing about horse racing save that the tracks are in business to make money, not to make bettors rich. His stories are tight, tense, and full of surprises, yet I still feel a bit of detachment when coming down to the final reveal. I've just read Decider and Driving Force, and they are as different as they could be and still come from the same mind. His protagonists are real people with real problems and real failings, and they are both excellent stories. They both kept me turning the pages, but I still feel as if I read each one with a distance between myself and the endings.

This is not a criticism, just a subjective observation. I'd rather read Francis than many American mystery writers who do a much less complete job with the plot or the characters. He's good, really good, but he doesn't grab my heartstrings like some others do. But that's why we have McDonald's and Burger King and Arby's and Subway and Chick-Fil-A and The Manhattan Club to buy lunch. Not everyone has the same tastes, and that's a good thing. I'd hate to live in a world where everyone ate the same thing, read the same thing, thought the same thing, did the same thing. That's totalitarian, and I'm nowhere near that. Even with that subjective caveat, though, one can learn much about writing by reading his works with a dissecting mind.

My opinion only. Your mileage will almost surely vary.

11) The Weaver's Daughter by Sarah E Ladd. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell meets Romeo and Juliet, with less death...

12) The Social Tutor by Sally Britton. I expected this one to be cheesy and silly, and while it had its moments, it was actually a good story. Christine, whose mother died when she was young, doesn't understand some things about society and enlists the help of her neighbor (who just returned from war to a failing estate) to learn the ways of society.

13) The Gentleman Physician by Sally Britton. In the previous book, Christine's sister, Julia, spends a good bit of time trying to get Christine to understand some things as well. In this book we learn why.

14) A Heart's Revolution by Roseanna M White. This is one of my favorite authors. For some reason, the library always has her books at another branch but I finally got my hands on this one. Lark Benton is betrothed and doesn't want to be. Lots of sub plots going on here, more than I would have liked, but interesting enough. White does a great job building tension and writing characters you can cheer for.

21) Lois Lane Double Down by Gwenda Bond book number 2 in the Lois Lane series. Leave it to Lois to find a juicy story while assigned to do another. After going down to Suicide Slum to interview an artist who is painting a mural she finds her friend Maddy’s twin sister collapsed outside one of the areas derelict buildings (not surprising also that Lois’ disdain for ‘puff pieces’ was there right from the get go). She races against the clock to not only help her friend’s sister, but also uncover the truth behind her friend James’ father the recently released from prison and under house arrest former Mayor of Metropolis’ conviction for corruption. All this while she navigates her maybe romance with her online crush SmallvilleGuy. Again, this had many elements in it that reminded me of a few episodes of Lois and Clark. I’ll admit too that I usually do not enjoy reading stories in a series, because I’m often disappointed with the subsequent books, but this I thoroughly enjoyed because the storyline is fast paced and full of intrigue even if you may find it unbelievable in the end. But hey this is Lois Lane and we know what stories she is capable of uncovering no matter how ridiculous they may seem.

22) Lois Lane Triple Threat by Gwenda Bond the last of the Lois Lane series. This actually made me wish that there would be more because she finally gets to meet her now long-distance boyfriend SmallvilleGuy who up until now had been a complete mystery to her in not only name, but also in appearance too. Thrown into the mix is a bunch of enhanced teenagers who are threatening her and her friends. While the first two books can probably be counted as separate books, this one definitely requires that you read the first two in order to be able to understand the plot fully as it ties them full circle. My only criticism is that now that we’ve met SmallvilleGuy (although I’ll be honest it was pretty obvious from the handle who it could be ) and another mysterious online friend known as TheInventor, I found myself wanting to see the continued progression of their relationship. Alas, Ms Bond has stated that there no plans for now, but she did put up two short stories on her website about Lois’ exploits prior to her moving to Metropolis to whet your appetite for more of our favourite reporter

Excellent points Terry.

#9 Time After Time by Lisa Grunwald


This was an okay story. The characters and setting were interesting. The explanation for time travel unique. But I felt the author could've done more with the premise of the two lovers from different times.

23) The First South Pacific Campaign: Pacific Fleet Strategy December 1941-June 1942 by John B. Lundstrom I ended up being rather disappointed with this one especially when I had the expectation of it being about the Battle of the Coral Sea the first naval engagement in history whereby the adversaries did not see each other in direct surface vessel combat and the first engagement whereby it was fully engaged by aircraft carriers. This is more about American strategy during the early stages of the Pacific campaign and didn’t contribute to me any more than what I already knew.

24) Notes on Nationalism and 25) Fascism and Democracy both by George Orwell both these books (although books is a rather loose description as they are really essays) can serve as a companion read to Orwell’s 1984. I found them both to be insightful and alarming. While they refer to the time period they are written (the latter stages of WWII) they serve as warnings of what dangers extreme politics can pose.

#10 The NIght Circus by Erin Morgenstern

My daughter recommended this one a while back and it's good. Great sense of mystery and magic and an intriguing plot.

26) Timaeus and Critias by Plato for those interested in the story of Atlantis, this is the primary source from which all other mentions of the fabled island that disappeared into the sea derive from. Originally written in two parts, but because they are similar are often put together in modern re-printings. Timaeus is Plato’s writings on the creation of the universe as well as the nature of the physical and eternal world. Critias, is the description of the rise and fall of Atlantis and often seen as a allegory to the hubris of nations. Not a very light read if you were hoping for it to be and certainly for me who is capable of reading books that most people find not enticing this was a hard one even for me to really persevere with still, it is interesting enough.

15) The Earl and His Lady by Sally Britton: I skipped book three in this series because I didn't recognize any of the characters (the first two books were of sisters and there were several in the family, but I didn't even recognize any of the names. This one wasn't about any of the sisters, but I at least recognized the characters. A widow marries an earl to keep her evil brother-in-law from taking her children away after her husband changes his will to exclude him only months before he dies. (audiobook)

16) Daisies and Devotion by Josi S Kilpack. A woman attempts to help her friend find a suitable wife and then (audiobook)

17) Promises and Primroses by Josi S Kilpack. So these two are part of a series in which the men (and I believe there will be a woman in one of the books but it hasn't been written yet) are cousins and their rich uncle is giving them incentives to marry suitable brides (in a good way suitable) This was actually book 1, but I'm glad I read it second. In this one the mother of suitable bride holds a grudge against the uncle. (audiobook)

18)The Blue Castle by LM Montgomery. Valancy finds out she's going to die within the year and decides to do whatever she wants, which includes marrying the towns known bad guy. There were parts of this that I liked and parts of this that I didn't. I liked how Valancy stood up for herself. I didn't like how they went on and on about how not pretty she was. Even her new husband never once told her she was pretty (or even pretty on the inside), not even at the end. I also couldn't keep up with the millions of relatives Valancy seemed to have that were excessively described.
(audiobook that I wish I had a copy of so I could skim the irritating descriptions of her family...)

19) The Truth about Miss Ashbourne by Joanna Barker. This was excellent! Juliana's estranged grandfather leaves her an inheritance that she can only have if she agrees to spend a month with the rest of her estranged family.

20) Kiss by Ted Dekker. I stepped out of my historical romance genre for this one. Doing a bit of research on mystery/suspense/thriller novels. This one was so intriguing that I finished it in a day. Shauna wakes up after an accident and can't remember what happened to get her there. Her quest to figure it out reveals that even things she does remember aren't exactly true either. (audiobook)

Side note: Reading has been a coping strategy of mine, but its been almost all audiobooks because I can clean (my other coping strategy) at the same time.

Heart of Black Ice by Terry Goodkind

I've been reading the Sword of Truth series since 2008, when I discovered the original book(s) were being developed into a TV series by Sam Raimi and Robert Tapert (same guys who brought us Xena and the Evil Dead movies - some of my favorites). This latest book does not center on Richard and Kahlan, but on (former) Sister of the Dark, Nicci, as she and her companions as they are split apart while trying to save the world from two rampaging armies. After so many books, I'm still enjoying the series, even if the author can, occasionally, be a little predictable with his solutions to problems. It's still a really fun ride though.

Conceal, Don't Feel by Jen Calonita

A Disney "Twisted Tale" that centers on, of course, Frozen. In this AU, Elsa and Anna began life as sisters but circumstances forced them to grew up apart, with no memory of one another. We see a young Elsa learning how to one day rule Arendelle only to lose her parents just as she did in the film. However, unlike the film, she is unaware of her ice powers until the agony of losing her parents forces them to the surface - her grief makes her create ice. She spends the next 3 years alone with only Olaf for company, while Anna grows up in a different village as the daughter of bakers. When Coronation Day arrives, everything goes awry with Elsa's powers and she and Anna start to remember the past...

21) All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda - another mystery/suspense recommended by a friend (I gave her a list of what I was looking for and this one totally met my requirements: 1st person POV, no gore or explicit scenes, suspense, face paced). I'm not sure I can describe this book without giving it all away. What sticks with me right now is how much I hated the ending. I really hated the ending. It was so good leading up to it. It's written out of order but still in a somewhat logical fashion. And I got over some other little things that bothered me. But I stopped liking the characters about two-thirds through the story, and near the end when I realized where it was going, I hoped and prayed I'd missed something, but no. And now I'm just sitting around feeling cheated and disappointed. It makes me nervous to take any more recommendations from the friend who suggested it.

22) The Bluestocking and the Dastardly, Intolerable Scoundrel by Jenni James. After the last one with the ending I didn't like, I needed a bit of fluff. I appreciated this ending much better, though the story was very cheesy.

23) Brentwood's Ward by Michelle Griep. This one was a nice bit of mystery wrapped up in a love story. Plenty of twists I didn't see coming. It was an audiobook that I finished in a day and now my kitchen (including inside the microwave and under the fridge ) is spotless.

Tomorrow I start teaching from home, so presumably fewer books will be read...

27) China in Disintegration: The Republican Era in Chinese History, 1912-1949 by James Edward Sheridan this was given to me by a friend who found it in her local op-shop who knew my love of history and in particular the history of this period. While I did already know the basics it also filled in quite a few blanks in my understanding of this period in history of The Republic of China when they were still on the mainland. I’ve always believed that history isn’t entirely black and white, but has shades of grey and of course there are two sides to every story. This certainly is that, it also confirms to me the utter ineptitude of the KMT was apparent even right from its beginnings to now. Even today despite the 70 year exile on Taiwan they still harbour the desire to return even though it is not really the desire of the Taiwanese who are now generations removed from the era.

Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls

I picked this one up in the local "Little Free Library" where you can put books you don't want anymore and take a new book to read. Wilson Rawls is the author of Where The Ren Fern Grows, one of my favorite young adult books ever. I still reread that one and I still cry like a baby by the end every time. So I was thrilled to find another book by the author (I almost bought it from Amazon but something stopped me). I really enjoyed the book, but I felt like it lacked the emotional gut-punch of Where The Ren Fern Grows. And I found the two books to be almost a little TOO similar to one another - poor boy living in the Ozark Mountains having adventures with his dog(s) and eventually winning/earning money that helps his family in a big way. But overall, I found the story enjoyable and in maybe another year or so, I'll recommend it to my girls, or perhaps read it to them. (Nothing racy or over their heads, but there is a fair amount of "women are crazy and boys can't understand them, boys are hunters and girls stay in the kitchen" because it takes place in the late 1800s, and I'm not sure my girls will fully grasp how different life was back then.)


Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Another favorite from my childhood that I decided to reread. Its been a long time since I last picked this one up and only thought of it because I stumbled upon that fact that there are now 5 books in the series. I had known and read the sequel long ago, but the others are new, so I figured I would restart from scratch. As I've always felt, the book feels almost too short to me. I wish we'd seen more of Brian's struggles to survive and the ending feels a little too convenient and abrupt, but I still find it to be a short, fun little read.

#11 The Night Before by Wendy Walker

Woman goes on blind date and doesn't come home the next day. Her sister is worried and tries to find her.

I thought this was a poor thriller. It was all over the place. I don't recommend it.

The River by Gary Paulsen

A sequel to Hatchet, 13 year old Brian returns to the wilderness with a man named Derrick, in order to show the man how he survived on his own in the woods after the plane crash in Hatchet. I've read this one once before and didn't care for it, and I'm still not overly thrilled with how short it was. Yes, it IS a younger reader novel, but it could have been a beefier story. Brian's new set of challenges seem almost trivial to what he faced in the first book, even with Derrick's life depending on the choices Brian makes. It's disappointingly short, even if it's an okay read.


Brian's Winter by Gary Paulsen

This one is an AU of a sorts, exploring what would have happened to Brian if he had not been rescued at the end of summer in the first book. Here, Brian is still stranded in the Canadian wilderness as a brief fall and harsh winter set in. Forced to hunt bigger game for both meat and clothing, Brian faces a whole new set of problems from the ones that nearly killed him in the gentle summer days. As with the others, I wish the book was longer, more in depth, and threw more curveballs at our hero. I wish the series was meant for adults, in order to give us those more involved stories, but I really did enjoy this one, as much as I enjoyed Hatchet.

28) Gallipoli by Peter Fitzsimons Gallipoli is to Australia what perhaps the War of Independence is to Americans in that both events forever defined a nation. Unlike America though, the birth of Australia as a nation (or more correct the Commonwealth) was not established in bloodshed and Gallipoli would be the event that would define Australia as a nation. This goes through the events that would lead to Australia’s involvement in the invasion of the narrow Dardanelles strait and the subsequent withdrawal from the peninsular. There is no doubt that the events of Gallipoli were an unmitigated disaster for the Australian and New Zealand soldiers, but however disastrous the Gallipoli campaign It would be the birth of the ANZAC legend. In Australia we are about to come to the 105 year anniversary of the invasion (April 25) and while the men of that day have long departed, this book brings them to life again serving to remind me that their stories should never be forgotten

29) Retreat from Kokoda by Raymond Paull I once had a chance meeting with a very sweet elderly man who informed me that he was a veteran of this campaign. My deepest regret is that I didn’t have any further opportunity to ask him what he endured because the story of Kokoda (and also that of The Siege of Tobruk) is pretty much the WWII equivalent of Gallipoli and one that is entrenched in Australian legend. This book was one I found on an online charity bookshop (which however many times I tell myself I don’t need to buy any more books I always guilt trip myself by saying the money is going to charity) and I was not disappointed. This brought the story to life and like that of Gallipoli is shrouded in mystery, probably for most Australians like myself this really hits home as it reminds us that the war was literally on our doorstep (not withstanding also that the Japanese had already bombed Darwin) and it was our own troops that drove back the Japanese

Brian's Return by Gary Paulsen


In an interesting turn of events, this book continues after the "AU" of Brian's Winter. Not only did Brian survive the Canadian winter on his own, but he also willingly returned in The River. Here, Brian is haunted by memories of his time in the woods and finds himself unable to adjust to living back in the city. Everything becomes a source of sensory overload/saturation until he finally explodes, beating a bully up after slipping into the "predator/prey" mindset (ie: "I have to keep him down or the predator will kill me"). It's nice to see some consideration given to his mindset and how surviving a traumatic experience changes a person. However, being a parent now, I couldn't get on board and believe the whole "his parents have some concern about letting him return to live in the woods on his own with no assurances that he will come back out - alive or willingly" aspect. It just felt too contrived and the ending was too open ended. (Note: there is an author's note that this would be the final "Brian" book, which would have made the ending awful, IMO.)

Brian's Hunt by Gary Paulsen

So, this one picks up directly after the last book. Brian is still in the wilderness and still planning to visit the Cree family of trappers that saved him in Brian's Winter. Along the way, he meets a dog who is clearly comfortable with humans, is wounded, and in the middle of nowhere. Brian's instincts kick in, telling him something is terribly wrong.... I liked the book, but again, felt the situation was less enjoyable than the events in Hatchet and Brian's Winter. It's less fun for the reader when the main character is surviving with modern conveniences like a lighter and canoe. The "hunt" was short and disappointing and terribly contrived. And I'm convinced the author can't write an ending to save his life. Once again, it was abrupt, open ended, and not all that satisfying. Still, not a bad read, all things considered.

30) Anzac to Amiens by C. E. W. Bean Charles Bean was an Australian war correspondent during WWI. After the Armistice, he returned home and would write a 12 volume account of Australia’s involvement. This however, is a condensed version of that 12 volume account as Bean believed that the story of what those brave men went through in a foreign land was to be made known to all Australians. What I loved about the book, is that it took me back to my trip to Europe several years ago where I actually visited the battlefields themselves where I had to imagine in my head what it must have been like over 100 years ago. Given the current situation, it served to remind me too that there were many who made greater sacrifices for me.

#12 Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

I read this book a few years ago and was excited to see that Hulu was adapting it to a series. There are obvious differences from the start. I started watching the series and kept thinking, "I don't remember it happening this way". So that motivated me to re-read the book. I finished the book but I'm only three episodes into the series. There are big differences between the two. I'm predicting I'll like the book better but we shall see...

31) The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux definitely not my usual read here, but I was curious about the original story after watching the YouTube stream of the 25th anniversary production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s beloved musical. I felt though that it dragged on longer than necessary and therefore made it less suspenseful than the show. What also made it less enjoyable was the fact that it jumped between perspectives of a third party observer to that of a first person’s recollection of the events towards the end which ends up being confusing especially when you get right to the last chapter. I am happy though that I watched the musical first because it allowed me to see why things are often left out of movies or changed when books are adapted into movies and in this instance I vastly prefer the show to the novel which is rare for me.

Ooh! I read that one about 10ish years ago after seeing Phantom on Broadway for the second time. I remember the book having some enlightening moments (the hand at the level of your eyes as mentioned by Madame Giry is because the Phantom might throw a noose over over head and hang you, which is not elaborated on in the show, and I think the book shows Meg as Madame Giry's daughter, which I don't remember the show touching on, but it's also been 10 years...I really should bust out the dvd). But overall, I enjoyed the show more than the book.

Side note: The show you watched on Youtube is available on DVD. So is the sequel, Love Never Dies, which I watched on Youtube over the weekend and did not like, although a few of the songs are still haunting my brain.

Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds by Gwenda Bond

The first official Stranger Things novel, this book begins well before the events of the first season. Terry Ives is a college student who fills in for her roommate at the newly built Hawkins Lab, where they are doing strange experiments involving dosing volunteers with LSD and trying to bring out hidden abilities. It's at the lab that Terry meets Alice, Ken, and Gloria, all members of the experimental group, as well as a five year old little girl called Kali...aka Subject 008. Terry starts to suspect that something sinister is going on at the lab...


I really, really loved the book. Fast paced and engrossing, the Dr. Brenner presented on the page is just as evil and manipulative as he is in the show. The story fit perfectly, seamlessly lining up with the events we see in the actual show. I tip my hat to the author. I usually find novels based on shows to be less than stellar, way off character, or full of plot holes, and I found none of that in this book.

Watched the sequel too and didn’t really like it either although the little boy who played Gustave is adorable, but some of the songs are beautiful. Did buy the Phantom of the Opera on iTunes so am happy there. I agree with your points there with respect to Madame Giry and you’re right it isn’t really mentioned in the musical that Meg is her daughter (although I think the sequel alludes to it)

Yep, in the sequel, it's mentioned over and over that Meg is Madame Giry's daughter. And I agree that Gustave was adorable. Quite the singing voice on him too! I was utterly impressed!


So, my last book was:

A Whole New World: A Twisted Tale by Liz Braswell

What if Aladdin hadn't been the one to take ownership of the lamp? What if Jafar's plan to trick Aladdin into retrieving it from the Cave of Wonders had worked the way he wanted it to, with Jafar taking possession of the genie from the start? This story explores that scenario and gets pretty dark fairly quickly, with lots of gruesome deaths and some truly twisted turns of events. From the start, Jafar is able to make himself sultan and then the most powerful sorcerer in the world. He throws Jasmine's father off a balcony right then and there, murdering the true sultan in cold blood, then sets his sights on breaking the laws of magic to try and make Jasmine (and all the kingdom) love him. With the help of good old fashioned fear, greed, and an army of the undead (he breaks the laws regarding not being able to bring people back from the dead), he wages war on the city, and Jasmine, who escapes the palace and allies herself with Aladdin and an army comprised of Street Rats...

24 - A Proper Scandal by Esther Hatch - It took me a while to get into this one. I read the first chapter, put it down, the second chapter, put it down. Then I read the rest of the book. I'm no good at describing characters, but I loved how hard it was for Grace to be pushed into doing something dishonest. The characters were both wonderful and had excellent character. Anything else I could say would spoil the story. This was fantastic.

25 - Beneath an Italian Sky by Stacy Henrie - Oh wow. This one was powerful. Written in a sort of twin-timeline sort of view. The back story was revealed at the same time as the resolution slowly worked its way out. Very well written.

26 - Wyndcross by Martha Keyes - I had to force myself to finish this one. Probably the published book with the second most amount of errors I've read. The characters were supposed to be aristocratic, but the low class language spoken by them made it hard to believe. But despite all these errors, I really wanted to know what happened. The further I got the easier it was to ignore the glaring typos and inconsistent speech.

27 - The Viscount and the Vicar's Daughter by Mimi Matthews - I believe this is a novella in length. I've read another by this author that I had wished was longer. This one was very well written and easily pulled emotions from me as I read. I was very invested in the characters.

#13 The Alice Network by Kate Quinn



Interesting story with a lot of it inspired by real-life events and people.

32) Blood and Sand: Suez, Hungary and the Crisis that Shook the World by Alex von Tunzelmann a day by day account of the Suez Canal crisis and the concurrent revolution in Hungary in 1956. This reads like a novel so if you don’t really read non-fiction then this is a good one for you. I knew a little about the Suez blockade, but this went into full detail of what happened and so I learnt a lot about more about what happened. It also goes into detail about the Soviet crush of the revolution in Hungary that happened at the same time.

33) Lizzy and Jane by Katherine Reay if you’re a fan of Jane Austen then this is a good one for you as it is littered with references to her books and in particular Pride and Prejudice (which is my favourite novel). Lizzy and Jane were named after Jane Austen’s heroines, but the similarity ends there. In the aftermath of their mother’s death from breast cancer, Lizzy escapes to New York and establishes herself as a renown chef, but when she loses the spark that made her a top chef her boss encourages her to return home to see her family and in particular her estranged older sister who has recently been diagnosed with the same cancer that killed their mother. This is an enjoyable read, even if the topic of family and cancer is a difficult one

28) Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. Gothic Novel. First published in 1938. First person POV and full of mystery and suspense, strange creepy scenes that make sense later. A long read, but excellently written. I had some preconceived notions about what the book was about based on something that I can't remember now. It was not at all what I expected. An excellent read, or listen. I went back and forth between the book and audiobook this time.

Have heard many great reviews on this book. Look forward to reading it

34) Dear Mr Knightly by Katherine Reay again with Jane’s Austen’s novels as a back drop with emphasis on Emma, Reay delivers another story of redemption and finding romance when you least expect it. As a bookworm I totally understand the desire to escape into the world of books, but personally I didn’t enjoy this as much as Lizzy and Jane. This book is set out as a series of letters with additional tidbits too showing what led to the writing of said letter so it may some across as a little disorientating. Also definitely was not expecting the twist in the end.

35) Catch-22 by Joseph Heller have had this book on my to read list for many years and while in the end I did enjoy it even if I found some parts of it rather ridiculous, it took me a while to really absorb myself in it

36) The End of the Affair by Graham Greene the second novel by Greene that I have read. While of the two The Quiet American is definitely my favourite, The End of the Affair is still a good read dealing with a jealous man who meets his former lover years after she broke it off with him and his obsession with her every move.

37) The Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck as far as modern classics go, this is one I feel where the subject matter still has resonance even today in the form of what defines success and how success can also be tied to corruption as well as trying to retain your integrity in the midst of blatant corruption and deceit. This is John Steinbeck’s last novel and while my favourite remains East of Eden, this is right up there with it.

#14 The Cruel Prince by Holly Black


My daughter is very excited about this series so I thought I'd try it out. I'm not usually a fantasy person but this author did a good job creating the faerie world. I didn't love the main character but she was interesting. Some plot points I could predict, others I couldn't, which was refreshing. I'll read more in this series to see what happens.

#15 Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors and the Drug Company that Addicted America by Beth Macy



Not a fun read but very informative. It ought to lead to interesting discussion during book club.

#16 The Testaments by Margaret Atwood

Sequel to "The Handmaid'sTale". I read the first book back in the 80s. It was excellent. I watched the original movie version and just recently caught all three seasons of the show on Hulu. When I learned about "The Testaments", my first thought was, "She's cashing in on the show popularity". The book was more entertaining that I thought it might be but it wasn't nearly as good as the original.

BTW, I loved Rebbeca too. The movie is good too.

#17 You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley


This one didn't do it for me. It came off kinda silly. Good for a car read.

#18 Zoo Nebraska: The Dismantling of an American Dream by Carson Vaughan


A true story about a troubled zoo in a small town in Nebraska. I read this for book club, thinking it was going to lead to issues many small towns deal with. Overall it was just a series of very bad decisions.

Straight on Until Morning by Liz Braswell

What if Wendy went to Neverland with Captain Hook, instead of Peter Pan? After Peter leaves his shadow at the Darling House and doesn't return for over 4 years, Wendy trades it to Hook for passage to Neverland to escape her dreary life in London, where she feels like she doesn't fit in (especially with her parents, who want to send her to Ireland to knock out her habit of writing Peter Pan stories). But Hook has nasty plans that involve using the shadow to destroy Neverland, so Wendy is forced to escape and befriend a very begrudging Tinkerbell in over to save the world...

Not my favorite book. It just felt overall slow, despite the constant peril Wendy finds herself in.


Part of Your World by Liz Braswell

Six years after losing her father and Prince Eric to Ursula, Ariel is Queen Under The Ocean (a punishment from her sisters for being the reason Triton is gone). But Ariel discovers that their father might not actually be dead, as was assumed, but alive and still in Ursula/Princess Vanessa's clutches, so she is compelled to return to land and her lost love, only to find that Ursula is setting the kingdom up for war. Still, without her voice (still in Ursula's magical necklace, her chances of winning are slim....

This was a fun one. It was neat to see Ariel being unable to talk or sing (using a specialized mer-sign language and lots of inner monologues). It was also refreshing to only see her "winning" in small snatches here and there before being forced to retreat to regroup/wait out her waning trident power as the tides changed.


The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

A middle aged man returns to home down the lane were he grew up, to a small pond dubbed "the ocean" and remembers long forgotten memories of ancient powers that once nearly consumed his life.

I've read a few Gaiman books and, for the most part, enjoyed them. (I couldn't get through American Gods though.) I liked this book. It was a super fast read, and although very bizarre at points, it was enjoyable.

#19 After the End by Clare Mackintosh





This was an interesting concept. Midway through the book, the author explores the consequences of both outcomes. While it got a little confusing, since chapters alternated with POV and time, I liked the overall message that no choice was the perfect choice.

38) Travels with my Aunt by Graham Greene Henry Pulling a retired bank manager has always lived his life on the safe side. At his mother’s funeral he is reunited with his Aunt Augusta whom he has not seen in fifty years. Flamboyant and unconventional Augusta is everything Henry is not. She persuades her straight laced nephew to take a trip with her starting with the fabled Orient Express to Istanbul. Along the way Henry uncovers family secrets learning more about his aunt and himself.

39) The Oil Conquest of the World by Frederick Arthur Talbot when I bought this from an online charity bookshop I had in my mind a book about the dominance of crude oil in the 20th century (although in saying that, this book was published in 1914), but this certainly didn’t meet that expectation. While interesting in some places I wasn’t expecting the part about the development of margarine. Also interesting was the whale oil industry.

#20 The Wicked King by Holly Black

(Second in the Folk of the Air series)


Exciting installment in the series. I can never tell where this story is going and maybe that's a good thing.

I don't often post here because I read a lot and don't have a chance to talk about those books. But I wanted to mention this one. I think you'll see the relevance.

More Deadly than War: The Hidden History of the Spanish Flu and the First World War by Kenneth C. Davis. published 2018.

As of the date of this post, the U.S. has suffered in excess of 110,000 deaths from Covid-19 against a population of 331 million, a death rate of 0.03%. None of that is good news - but look at the next statistic.

In 1918-1920, the U.S. suffered 675,000 deaths from what was called the Spanish Flu against a population of 103 million, a death rate of 0.5%. That's about 18 times the Covid-19 death rate. Approximately 25% of the US population contracted that virus. Worldwide deaths are estimated at 20 million.

The scenarios described in the book are horrendous, worse than any scary movie I've ever seen. Worth a read to get some perspective and some context for World War I. According to contemporary accounts, the disease dramatically affected the outcome of the war in 1918. And you'll find out why it was called the Spanish Flu (had nothing at all to do with the country of origin).

The text is easy to read, the photos and illustrations are top-notch, and the timelines interspersed through the chapters are enlightening. I won't spoil your reading - I was going to write "pleasure" but that's not right - edification.

Those who fail to learn from history will repeat the course.

Life is a terrible teacher. Life gives you the test first, then covers the lesson. Just like 1918-1920.

Sounds really interesting will have to look into it. This book is generally something I prefer reading

#21 The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black

Last book in the Folk of Air series.


I must admit the story got to the point where I had no idea how the author would resolve the situation. But she did. Entertaining series.

40) Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll read this book years ago, but I thought I would pick it up again just for the sake of a little fantasy and escapism (and also because one of the doctors I work for we have nicknamed him after White Rabbit). Still as whimsical as it was when I first read it, but a whole lot of fun. It is also interesting to see what Disney took from both stories to combine them into his original Alice in Wonderland movie.

41) The Power of One by Bruce Courtenay Growing up is hard, but growing up in 1930s South Africa is even harder especially in a country that is divided by intense racism not only with the way that the white minority view the Africans, but also between the Boers and the English. The Power of One is told through the perspective of Peekay as he reflects back on his childhood and the people who shaped his perspective on life and race. While this book was first published in 1989, the issues highlighted are still as relevant today as they were then. A powerful and timely reminder that racism is something that is taught and not something inherent. Wonderful testament to the power of the human spirit.

#22 All Adults Here by Emma Straub


I was hoping for a light read and this certainly fit the bill. I didn't like the characters very much.

29: I'm Telling the Truth but I'm Lying, by Bassey Ipki. A series of "essays" detailing bits and pieces of the life of former Def Poetry Jam performer as she struggles with anxiety and bipolar II disorder.

30: The Solicitor's Son by Rachael Anderson. Guy is treated abysmally by girl's family a long time ago, but he comes back to help her anyway. I didn't really like the way the ending played out.

31: The Jewels of Halstead Manor by Kasey Stockton. Girl goes to her uncle after her father dies and stumbles into some mystery. I felt like this one was poorly written, like the author was just filling space on the pages and it didn't matter if it made sense or was relevant to the story. But the kissing scenes were very well done.

32: The Rise of Miss Notley by Rachael Anderson. I read the previous book in the series some time ago and couldn't really remember what had already happened, so I was a little confused at what was happening, but it didn't really matter. I really liked the story and the characters. The best part was the absence of some very popular historical romance tropes which was so very refreshing.

#23 Something She's not telling Us by Darcey Bell


I enjoyed "A Simple Favor" and saw the movie so I was looking forward to more from this author. There was potential there - Brother with a reputation of choosing erratic girlfriends brings a new one to meet his sister and her family. There's instant tension between the girlfriend and sister which was interesting. It just didn't come together. Very disappointing.

Guess I'll start to number mine:

#18 - The Indian In The Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks

A favorite of mine as a child, it was fun to delve back into the story of Omri and his magic cupboard that brings plastic toys to life. I was wondering if it would be age appropriate to read to my daughters this summer, but it's a 1980 book that's a bit...shall we say...stereotyped. Not horribly so, but enough to make me put off reading it to my girls until they are a bit older and can understand that it's a reflection of it's time and not the way we would view things/people today. Still, it's a cute story despite that and, eventually, I'm sure they will pick it up.

#19 - Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

Another one from my childhood that I loved. I was into the whole "kid survives on their own in the wilderness" stuff at one point, as evidenced by my earlier stated love of Hatchet. I also read this one with the eye of "can I read this to my girls" and I think the answer to that one is yes. What really got me this time is...I don't think I'd ever read the afterword in the book. This time I did and was both pleased and surprised to find out that, while the story is fictional, the girl it is based on was actually real and she really did live on her own for a period of time. It definitely makes the story all the cooler!

#20 - Timeline by Michael Crichton

One of my favorite Michael Crichton books, I've read this one probably three or four times over the last maybe 20ish years. It's the first book I ever read and thought "I want to make this into a movie when I grow up." (PS - the movie came out when I was in college and it stunk!) I just love getting lost in the medieval world and following along with the time travelers who find themselves stuck there without a clear way home again.

#21 - Where The Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

I read this book for the first time the summer before I entered the 6th grade. It was on my summer reading list (one of those "here's 20 books, choose 5 and do a book report" kind of things) and I had just given up on A Wrinkle In Time. My mom told me I would probably hate Where The Red Fern Grows because it is about a boy who, along with his two redbone hounds, hunts racoons in the Ozark Mountains. I decided to read it anyway and it swiftly became a treasured favorite, even now in my adulthood. I have read it I don't know how many times over the last 27ish years and I have never once made it through without crying by the end. It's just such a beautiful story with a heart shattering, yet equally beautiful, ending.

Also, not sure if it "counts," but my husband has read the first two Harry Potter books to the girls at bed time over the last 2ish months. I've been forced to listen to them against my will (I did fall asleep one of the nights). I'm not afraid to say that I really don't care for them all that much. I'm just not into the drawn out drama of a preteen wizard boy and find them to be all build up with very little in the way of climax and resolution. I've never read the series and I bailed on the movies halfway through. (Hubby had me watch the ones that were out on DVD while we were dating/engaged/maybe married? and then when the rest hit the theatres I declined to accompany him as I really didn't care to see how it ended.)

Yes, I know I am very much in the minority with my viewpoint on the series. I'm okay with that.


Also, I found it HILARIOUS that the girls had exactly ZERO reaction to the Tom Riddle = evil wizard revelation in the second book. This coming from the kids who gasped and then continually asked us "Is that for real?" when we watched Star Wars and Darth Vader told Luke he is his father.

#24 The New Husband by D.J Palmer

Nina's first husband mysteriously disappears and she learns he has lied about losing his job and has been draining their bank account. So of course she falls for a new guy almost immediately and doesn't think to question his background. There's an even sillier twist midway through the book.that had me laughing. Some one on Good Reads described this as a Lifetime movie and I completely agree!

I read too much to keep track. I think this one is about #65 this year for me.

I want to recommend When There Is No Applause by Rene Gutteridge, pub. 2019 by Writing Momentum LLC. This book is written to writers, for writers, by a writer. Here's her dedication.


How can you not love that?

The first chapter is titled "Dear White Page." It's a letter to the blank page facing the writer at the beginning of the writing session, whether it be on a word processor, a typewriter, or a legal pad.

Every chapter - all of which are posts from her blog - is an absolute gem. They're never dull, never boring, and my Kindle tells me the reading time is forty-three minutes. Anyone can get through that.

Don't misunderstand. This book is not about the writing craft, it's about the life of a writer and how very difficult it can be on any number of levels. But there are some good tips in there disguised as "just chatting," both for writing and for life, and they're valuable. Rene's books are well-written, tightly woven, interesting, and easy to read. This one is no exception.

I recommend it to anyone who is writer, a reader, or in need of a time-filler. And let me know how you like it.

#22 The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time by Akira Himekawa

This was a new experience for me. I've never read a Manga before, so there was a bit of an adjustment reading from right to left and from the back of the book forward. But, I'm a huge Zelda fan and Ocarina is my favorite of the games (tied neatly with Breath of the Wild, which I really, really need to get back to). This comic is, in every way, faithful to the game, so it was a lot like "going home" in that sense. (I've been known to go back to Ocarina over and over as time allows.) Non gamers might find the comic a bit abrupt in places, but gamers will recognize that these "jumps" in the action are where the player would be battling their way through a dungeon to get to the final boss. That wouldn't translate well to the page, so instead we have Link entering the dungeon and immediately facing off against the boss.

What struck me the most, however, was how faithful the comic is to the characters. Usually, I find comic dialogue to be very stilted and out of character (I've read my far share of Xena and Evil Dead comics), but not in this case. The goodness and innocence of Link shines through the page in a way I've never seen before. This is especially heartwarming and unexpected as Link NEVER TALKS in the games. So to see him having dialogue that remains true to the silent hero I've loved since 1987 is just incredibly special.

I've already dropped some not so subtle hints to my husband that I would like the other Mangas in the Zelda series.

#25 Time Salvager by Wesley Chu

A decaying future raids the past via time travel to gain resources. Interesting premise. There was blatant hinting that something was really wrong with the time travel organization but I guess that will be dealt with in future books. I'll check them out.

42) The Long Walk to Freedom: 1918-1962: Early Years, 1918-1962 vol. 1 by Nelson Mandela of the many books that I have in my collection, this is the one that I’ve been wanting to read for a long time and for me it didn’t disappoint. Nelson Mandela the first president of a post-apartheid South Africa reflects on his early years of his life, the people who would influence him the most and also the early years of his fight for the rights of his people.

43) The Long Walk to Freedom vol 2: Triumph of Hope, 1962-1994 v 2 by Nelson Mandela In this second part of his autobiography, Nelson Mandela will reflect back on his time while imprisoned on Robben Island to his release and his rise to become South Africa’s first fully democratically elected leader. A wonderful testament to his resilience and his character to remain positive that he could bring about change even in the most dire of circumstances

#26 Becoming by Michelle Obama

I'm not an Obama fan but I read this book for an upcoming book club meeting. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I found I could relate more to Michelle than I originally thought. It was a little annoying that she presented her husband as if he was perfect and could do no wrong.

44) Babysitters’ European Vacation (The Babysitters Club Super Special #15) by Ann M. Martin this was actually ghostwritten by another person, but billed under the series’ creator. In truth this was more a nostalgic memory rather than me actually wanting to read this as I was watching the remade series on Netflix (which I have to say I was impressed with with). If you’ve read the series as a child this follows the same vein, but the girls have all been split with one half in Stoneybrook running a summer day camp for children while the others go on a school trip to Europe. I long stopped reading the series by the time this book was originally published save for an occasional book here and there, but it was nice to revisit the world again. Especially for me most poignant is Stacy’s encounter with a WWII veteran who was a part of the D-Day landings as it took me back to when I visited those very beaches.

45) How to Lose a Country: The 7 Steps from Democracy to Dictatorship by Ece Temulkuran Temulkuran, is a Turkish journalist who was fired for criticising the Turkish government. This book serves as a guide to what the warning signs to look out for as a country descends into a dictatorship from a democracy and the rise of right wing populism. This was extremely interesting especially given the current climate of the world and while my opinion of these ‘leaders’ was already set in concrete even before reading this it was great to see how passionate she is about the state of the land of her birth.

#27 Kindness and Wonder: Why Mr. Rogers Matters Now More than Ever by Gavin Edwards

Great book about Mr. Rogers.

#23 Into Darkness by Terry Goodkind

The 5th book in the Children of D'Hara series, this one was satisfyingly longer than its predecessors. Although, I hate to say it, but it *almost* could have been split into two parts, as the first half deals with the threat of the "Witch's Oath" from the previous books and the second half sees the end of the threat from the Golden Goddess that has plagued the characters since the first book in the Children of D'Hara series. I'm glad, however, that it was left as one longer book and not two short ones. I found the end of the Golden Goddess extremely unsatisfying and far too easy, although the author makes up for it in the continued problems Richard faces after ending that threat. And the "Witch's Oath" section was pretty cool but ultimately not at all surprising in who was actually behind it (I called it as soon as I read that a Witch's Oath had been invoked). Still, it was nice to see some familiar faces pop up and have some untied threads finally put to rest and I had fun reading it. I do wonder if he will continue to write further adventures, as it's clear that certain new characters are going to be extremely powerful in their gifts of magic. If more books are written, I will gladly read them.

#28 Surfside Sisters by Nancy Thayer


Light and fluffy beach read with unrealistic plot turns.