JayneCM Finds Magic in 2024

I am Jayne, a book lover for as long as I can remember.

This is my sixth year in the challenge. I am always too ambitious but you can never read too much!

“You can find magic wherever you look. Sit back and relax, all you need is a book.” – Dr. Seuss

My 'handle' on discord and Youtube is "IReadCerealBoxes" so a few years back I made my own TBR/reading challenge board game based on 1980s cereal boxes. I will be playing this in 2024 to make four of my book choices each month.

And just as my own extra challenge (and to encourage more use of my Kindle Unlimited subscription), I will fill as many challenges as possible with books from KU. I will mark books I read from KU so I can keep track and see if it is worth while, both in terms of numbers read and types of books available.

180/211 = 85.31%

Read Around The World 6/12 = 50%
I Read Cereal Boxes board game 44/48 = 91.67%
Reading Through Time = 11/16 = 68.75%
BingoDOG 19/25 = 76%
CalendarCAT 10/12 = 83.33%
HistoryCAT 11/12 = 91.67%
PrizeCAT 11/12 = 91.67%
RandomKIT 11/12 = 91.67%
AlphaKIT 25/26 = 96.15%
MysteryKIT 11/12 = 91.67%
ScaredyKIT 11/12 = 91.67%
SFFKIT 10/12 = 83.33%

'Read Around The World' - read a book from every country

“When I read a good book, it’s like traveling the world without ever leaving my chair.” Richard Peck


Create Your Own Visited Countries Map

1. The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See (China) - finished 18th January 2024
2. Night Train To Marrakech by Dinah Jefferies (Morocco) - finished 20th March 2024
3. The Collaborator's Daughter by Eva Glyn (Croatia) - finished 30th April 2024
4. The Interpretation of Cakes by Allan Tegg (Hungary) - finished 15th May 2024
5. Motherland: A Memoir by Paula Ramon (Venezuela) - finished 28th September 2024
6. The Puma Years by Laura Coleman (Bolivia) - finished 27th October 2024
7. Daughter of Fire by Sofia Robleda (Guatemala) -
8. The Curse of the Flores Women by Angelica Lopes (Brazil) -
9. The Great Divide by Cristina Henriquez (Panama) -
10. The Oyster Diver's Secret by Caroline Safstrand (Sweden) -
11. The Waves Take You Home by Maria Alejandra Barrios Velez (Colombia) -
12. The Red Clay of Burundi by Barbara Emrys (Burundi) -

6/12 = 50%

I Read Cereal Boxes board game

"Pay attention, don't let life go by you. Fall in love with the back of your cereal box." Jerry Seinfeld

January
1. Fantasy square - Pemberley: Mr. Darcy's Dragon by Maria Grace - finished 22nd January 2024
2. Card - big book - War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy - finished 31st January 2024
3. Card - most recent purchase - Lives of the Ancient Egyptians by Toby Wilkinson - finished 19th January 2024
4. Card - short stories - Edgar Allan Cozy by various authors - finished 2nd January 2024

February
5. Classic square - The Princess of Cleves by Madame de La Fayette -finished 10th April 2024
6. Card - World War II - The English GI by Jonathon Sandler - finished 4th February 2024
7. Non fiction square - The Greek Way by Edith Hamilton - finished 20th February 2024
8. Card - book in translation - Oblomov by Ivan Goncharov - finished 7th March 2023

March
9. Brown cover - Living On Almost Nothing by Amber Storck - finished 31st March 2024
10. Blue cover - Dead Voices by Katherine Arden - finished 1st March 2024
11. Sci fi - The Man Who Fell To Earth by Walter Tevis - finished 5th March 2024
12. Card - flowers on cover - Small Fry by Lisa Brennan-Jobs - finished 8th May 2024

April
13. Card - living creature in title - The Birds by Tarjei Vesaas - finished 14th June 2024
14. Card - ugly cover - Memento Mori by Muriel Spark - finished 25th June 2024
15. Card - published between 1990 and 2020 - Amelia Fang and the Lost Yeti Treasures by Laura Ellen Anderson (2019) - finished 20th May 2024
16. Grey cover - Edge of Collapse by Kyla Stone - finished 14th May 2024

May
17. Card - letter M in title - Edge of Madness by Kyla Stone - finished 22nd May 2024
18. Classic - The Water Babies by Charles Kingsley - finished 15th December 2024
19. Green cover - The Velvet City by Isobelle Carmody - finished 12th May 2024
20. Card - published between 1950 and 1990 - The Driver's Seat by Muriel Spark - finished 23rd October 2024

June
21. Yellow cover - A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning-Wroe - finished 3rd July 2024
22. Blue cover - The Stonekeeper's Curse by Kazu Kibuishi - finished 26th September 2024
23. Thriller - Edge of Anarchy by Kyla Stone - finished 4th July 2024
24. Orange cover - The Cloud Searchers by Kazu Kibuishi - finished 29th September 2024

July
25. Card - Random TBR - Christmas At Emmerdale by Pamela Bell - finished 3rd August 2024
26. Card - autumn book - Charlotte and the Cozy Cottage by Abigail Manning - finished 14th August 2024
27. Card - element in title - The Silver Blade by Sally Gardner - finished 21st October 2024
28. Free choice - Edge of Defiance by Kyla Stone - finished 19th August 2024

August
29. Grey cover - Man's Search For Meaning by Viktor Frankl - finished 17th August 2024
30. Contemporary - A Thousand Broken Pieces by Tillie Cole - finished 6th October 2024
31. Card - two word title - Owl Sense by Miriam Darlington - finished 24th August 2024
32. Purple cover - Untamed by Glennon Doyle - finished 24th October 2024

September
33. Card - spooky cover - Shadow Spell by Nora Roberts - finished 16th September 2024
34. Card - related to music - Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
35. Genre - mystery - Popcorn and Poltergeists by Nancy Warren - finished 31st October 2024
36. Card - 2 or more people on cover - Looking For Enid by Duncan McLaren - finished 20th September 2024

October
37. Card - winter book - Christmas Every Day by Beth Moran - finished 11th December 2024
38. Contemporary - Night Boat To Tangier by Kevin Barry - finished by 20th December 2024
39. Fantasy - Prince of the Elves by Kazu Kibuishi - finished 17th October 2024
40. Card - book with water on cover - Odder by Katherine Applegate - finished 2nd October 2024

November
41. Card - short book - Miss Hickory by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey - finished 5th November 2024
42. Yellow cover - Fake Death by Victoria Tait - finished 20th November 2024
43. Card - food on cover - Christmas Cakes and Mistletoe Nights by Carole Matthews - finished 19th December 2024
44. Card - time travel - A Chase In Time by Sally Nicholls - finished 16th December 2024

December
45. Card - water on cover - Lena, the Sea and Me by Maria Parr - finished 4th December 2024
46. Card - prize winner - Independent People by Halldor Laxness (1955 Nobel Prize for Literature)
47. Cosy mystery - The Puccini Connection by Sam Bond
48. Card - features mythical creature - The Dragons of Kellynch by Maria Grace

44/48 = 91.67%

Reading Through Time

"By reading we discover our world, our history and ourselves." Daniel J. Boorstin

Monthly challenges
January - Janus - House of Odysseus by Claire North - finished 13th January 2024
February - Aquarius and amethyst - Without Precedent by Owen Zupp - finished 27th February 2024
March - Medicine, epidemics and plagues - The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue - finished 30th March 2024
April - Character with disability - The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley - finished 31st May 2024
May - International Labour Day - The Iron Heel by Jack London - finished 18th June 2024
June - Wonders of the World - Pyramid of Secrets by Jim Eldridge - finished 11th October 2024
July - Vive la France! - The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner - finished 19th October 2024
August - The joy of reading - The Dictionary People by Sarah Ogilvie - finished 13th September 2024
September - Royal to the bone - The Last White Rose by Alison Weir
October - Adultery - The King's Pleasure by Alison Weir
November - Biography/memoir - Code Name: Lise by Larry Loftis - finished 3rd December 2024
December - Reader's choice - Christmas Bells by Jennifer Chiaverini

Quarterly challenges
January-March - Prehistoric - Scenes From Prehistoric Life by Francis Pryor - finished 28th January 2024
April-June - Ancient/Biblical - Eden: Biblical Fiction of the World's First Family by Brennan McPherson - finished 26th July 2024
July-September - Arthurian Britain - The Once and Future King by T.H. White
October-December - Medieval Ages Plus the Vikings - The Irish Princess by Elizabeth Chadwick

11/16 = 68.75%

BingoDOG

"It's not just luck; it's Bingo magic!"



1. A book featuring twins - Sing Fox To Me by Sarah Kanake
2. Epistolary or diary format Yours From The Tower by Sally Nicholls
* 3. A book featuring water - Dark Waters by Katherine Arden - finished 11th March 2024
4. A book written in another cultural tradition -
* 5. Read a current/recent bestseller - Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros - finished 3rd June 2024
* 6. A book about a topic about which you have specific knowledge or expertise - The No Spend Challenge Guide by Jen Smith - finished 10th May 2024
* 7. Title contains a person's name - The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone by Audrey Burges - finished 23rd January 2024
* 8. A book with an ugly cover - Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire - finished 3rd April 2024
* 9. A book with fewer than 100 copies on LT - Edge of Darkness by Kyla Stone - finished 6th June 2024
* 10. The words "Big" or "Little" in the title - The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson - finished 10th June 2024
* 11. Features a paper based item in the plot - The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan - finished 17th December 2024
* 12. Something themed around food or cooking - The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai - finished 5th July 2024
13. Read a CAT - April ScaredyKIT (Witches, Evil Spirits, Black Magic) - Of Blood and Bone by Nora Roberts
* 14. Written by an author 65 or older - Year One by Nora Roberts (aged 67 at publication) - finished 6th September 2024
* 15. A short story collection/anthology - What It Means When A Man Falls From The Sky by Lesley Nneka Arimah - finished 16th November 2024
* 16. Something written by a person of colour - The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas - finished 14th December 2024
* 17. A three-word title - The Ice Maze by Isobelle Carmody - finished 2nd February 2024
* 18. A book from one of the libraries listed under the "Similar libraries" featured on your LT profile page - The Fraud by Zadie Smith - finished 3rd February 2024
* 19. Set in the city - The Book Cat by Polly Faber - finished 9th May 2024
20. Involves warriors or mercenaries - Godkiller by Hannah Kaner
* 21. Reread a favourite book - Heidi by Johanna Spyri - finished 19th April 2024
* 22. A book about friendship - The Sad Ghost Club 4 by Lize Meddings - finished 16th August 2024
* 23. Something that takes place in multiple countries - Nights At The Circus by Angela Carter - finished 10th February 2024
24. A book with nothing on the cover but the title and author - 10:04 by Ben Lerner
* 25. First published in a year ending in 24 - The House of Last Resort by Christopher Golden

19/25 = 76%

CalendarCAT

"Don't be fooled by the calendar. There are only as many days in the year as you make use of." Charles Richards

January - Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum (published 17th January 2022) - finished 18th February 2024
February - Longbourn: Dragon Entail by Maria Grace (Year of the Dragon) - finished 24th February 2024
March - The Bitter Glass by Eilís Dillon (author born March 7, 1920; St Patrick's Day) - finished 2nd April 2024
April - When The Lights Go Out by Carys Bray (Earth Day) - finished 19th May 2024
May - The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (May 8th-9th, Time of Remembrance for those who lost their lives in WWII) - finished 16th June 2024
June - Heartstopper Volume 5 by Alice Oseman (Pride Month) - finished 4th June 2024
July - The Chocolate Factory by Mary-Lou Stephens (July 7th, World Chocolate Day) - finished 9th November 2024
August - August Is A Wicked Month by Edna O'Brien (for the title) - finished 7th November 2024
September - The Last Council by Kazu Kibuishi (first published in September) - finished 3rd October 2024
October - The Rise of Magicks by Nora Roberts (10th October, author's birthday) -
November - At The Going Down Of The Sun by Mary-Anne O'Connor (11th November, Remembrance Day) - finished 28th November 2024
December - A Christmas In Time by Sally Nicholls (Christmas) -

10/12 = 83.33%

HistoryCAT

"History cannot give us a program for the future, but it can give us a fuller understanding of ourselves, and of our common humanity, so that we can better face the future." Robert Penn Warren

January - Wars and Conflicts of the Americas - A Girl Called Samson by Amy Harmon (American Revolution) - finished 3rd January 2024
February - Georgian/Regency/Victorian Britain - When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn - finished 16th February 2024
March - Science and medicine - The Radium Girls by Kate Moore - finished 30th June 2024
April - Riots, revolutions, and mayhem - The Wardrobe Mistress by Meghan Masterson (French Revolution) - finished 7th May 2024
May - Middle Ages - A Proud Taste For Scarlet and Miniver by E.L. Konigsburg- finished 27th August 2024
June - Historians - The Rest Is History by Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook - finished 7th August 2024
July - Spies in July - The Spy by Paulo Coelho - finished 16th October 2024
August - The Byzantine Empire - Byzantine Empire: A History From Beginning To End by Hourly History - finished 4th November 2024
September - WWI/WWII - The Helsingor Sewing Club by Ella Gyland - finished 15th October 2024
October - Disasters - The Woman In The Photo by Mary Hogan
November - Ancient history - The Last Song of Penelope by Claire North - finished 18th November 2024
December - Religion and religious festivals - The Origins and Evolution of Christmas by Robert Enochs - finished 6th December 2024

11/12 = 91.67%

PrizeCAT

"Generally, literary prizes are significant not for who the winner is but the discussion they create around books." Richard Flanagan

January - Long running prizes - Portrait of Clare by Francis Brett Young (winner 1927 James Tait Black Memorial Prize) - finished 26th January 2024
February - Prize from your own country - Chai Times at Cinnamon Gardens by Shankari Chandran (winner 2023 Miles Franklin Award) - finished 5th February 2024
March - Prize that's new to you - Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami (winner 2001 Tanizaki Award) - finished 9th March 2024
April - Women's writing - Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton (winner 2023 Eisner Award for best graphic memoir) - finished 4th April 2024
May - Doubling Up - The Shipping News by Annie Proulx (1993 National Book Award for Fiction, 1993 Irish Times International Fiction Prize, 1994 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction) - finished 9th August 2024
June - Book lists - Life of Pi by Yann Martel (on 1001 Book list, won 2002 Booker) - finished 10th October 2024
July - Prize from country other than your own - The Little Bookroom by Eleanor Farjeon (1955 Carnegie Medal) - finished 1st November 2024
August - Genre prize - Mislaid In Parts Half-Known by Seanan McGuire (Wayward Children series has won Hugo and Nebula awards) - finished 30th August 2024
September - other September CAT/KIT (RandomKIT - weather) - The Conservationist by Nadine Gordimer (winner The Booker Prize 1974)
October - Missed it by that much - Everything Under by Daisy Johnson (shortlist for 2018 Booker) - finished 30th November 2024
November - Children's literature - Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly (winner 2018 Newbery Medal) - finished 26th November 2024
December - Prize of your choice - James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl (1982 Massachusetts Children's Award) - finished 2nd December 2024

11/12 = 91.67%

RandomKIT

"In a world like this one, only the random makes sense." Libba Bray

January - Early birds - The Secrets of the Huon Wren by Claire van Ryn - finished 5th January 2023
February - Escape or rescue - A Wolf Called Wander by Roseanne Parry - finished 14th February 2024
March - World Wildlife Day - Birds and Us by Tim Birkhead - finished 28th May 2024
April - Enchanting garden visitors - The Bird Singers by Eve Wersocki Morris - finished 27th May 2024
May - Art and Architecture - The Last Collection by Jeanne Mackin - finished 17th July 2023
June - Initials - Strange Journey by Maud Cairnes - finished 28th July 2024
July - Favourites - Life and Otter Miracles by Hazel Prior (favourite animal) - finished 3rd November 2024
August - Titles - The One Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson - finished 10th December 2024
September - Weather - Rainbow Grey by Laura Ellen Anderson
October - Spooky season - The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson - finished 8th October 2024
November - Told in the first person - The Only Light Left Burning by Erik J. Brown - finished 14th November 2024
December - any KIT from this year - October MysteryKIT - not too scary mysteries - Peppermint Pudding Peril by Tammy Beck - finished 1st December 2024

11/12 = 91.67%

AlphaKIT

"“There is another alphabet, whispering from every leaf, singing from every river, shimmering from every sky.” Dejan Stojanovic

January
For A - Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery - finished 8th January 2023
For Y - House of Yesterday by Deeba Zargarpur - finished 12th February 2024

February
For F - The Fifth Child by Doris Lessing - finished 19th February 2024
For E - Extraordinary Birds by Sandy Stark-McGinnis - finished 6th February 2024

March
For H - Amelia Fang and the Half-Moon Holiday by Laura Ellen Anderson - finished 31st March 2024
For R - The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts - finished 13th March 2024

April
For U - The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady by Sharon J. Mondragon - finished 16th May 2024
For O - Peril At Owl Park by Marthe Jocelyn - finished 23rd May 2024

May
For N - Neverhome by Laird Hunt - finished 8th July 2024
For P - Poor Things by Alasdair Gray - finished 27th June 2024

June
For J - Joy Moody Is Out Of Time by Kerryn Mayne - finished 20th June 2024
For B - Bobbles and Broomsticks by Nancy Warren - finished 19th June 2024

July
For I - A Proper Introduction To Dragons by Maria Grace - finished 22nd October 2024
For S - Edge of Survival by Kyla Stone - finished 31st August 2024

August
For M - The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy - finished 23rd August 2024
For G - Glow by Megan E. Bryant - finished 18th September 2024

September
For V - Edge of Valor by Kyla Stone - finished 3rd September 2024
For C - Amelia Fang and the Naughty Caticorns by Laura Ellen Anderson - finished 1st September 2024

October
For D - The Detective's Guide To Ocean Travel by Nicki Greenberg - finished 12th November 2024
For T - By Ash, Oak and Thorn by Melissa Harrison - finished 21st November 2024

November
For L - Escape From Lucien by Kazu Kibuishi - finished 2nd November 2024
For W - The Royal Windsor Secret by Christine Wells

December
For K - Kiki's Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono - finished 5th December 2024
For Q - The Queen's Secret by Karen Harper - finished 21st December 2024

Year Long
For X - Boy X by Dan Smith - finished 10th September 2024
For Z - Zorrie by Laird Hunt - finished 15th March 2024

25/26 = 96.15%

MysteryKIT

"“The possession of knowledge does not kill the sense of wonder and mystery. There is always more mystery.” Anais Nin

January - Short stories - Serpents in Eden: Countryside Crimes edited by Martin Edwards - finished 6th January 2023
February - True unsolved mysteries - The Survival of the Princes in the Tower by Matthew Lewis - finished 25th March 2024
March - Historical mysteries - The Body Under The Piano by Marthe Jocelyn - finished 22nd March 2024
April - Series - Lace and Lies by Nancy Warren - finished 25th May 2024
May - The Golden Age - A Man Lay Dead by Ngaio Marsh - finished 21st June 2024
June - New to you author - Spelling The Tea by Erin Johnson - finished 22nd June 2024
July - Cross genre mystery - With Scream and Sugar by Erin Johnson - finished 13th August 2024
August - Amateur sleuths - The Dead Man In The Garden by Marthe Jocelyn - finished 8th September 2024
September - Upstairs/downstairs - Garters and Gargoyles by Nancy Warren - finished 10th November 2024
October - Not too scary mysteries - Vitamin Sea by Maia Ross - finished 19th November 2024
November - Noir - The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett
December - Culinary mysteries - Cutie Pies and Deadly Lies by Addison Moore - finished 18th December 2024

11/12 = 91.67%

ScaredyKIT

"“Don't be afraid of being scared. To be afraid is a sign of common sense. Only complete idiots are not afraid of anything.” Carlos Ruiz Zafón

January - Psychological thriller - The Housemaid by Frieda McFadden - finished 10th January 2024
February - Gothic - The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole - finished 31st March 2024
March - True crime - The Babysitter: My Summers with a Serial Killer by Liza Rodman - finished 24th March 2024
April - Witches, Evil Spirits, Black Magic - Dark Witch by Nora Roberts - finished 11th May 2024
May - Graphic novels and short works - Something Is Killing The Children Volume 1 by James Tynion IV - finished 3rd May 2024
June - Serial killers - You'd Look Better As A Ghost by Joanna Wallace - finished 13th June 2024
July - Corporeal Undead - The Stitchers by Lorien Lawrence - finished 30th July 2024
August - YA/Middle grade horror - The Clackity by Lora Senf - finished 25th August 2024
September - Stephen King and family - Lud-In-The-Mist by Hope Mirrlees (published by Gollancz) - finished 25th November 2024
October - Contemporary horror authors - How To Sell A Haunted House by Grady Hendrix - finished 22nd November 2024
November - Things with a bite - Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer - finished 9th December 2024
December - Catch up - August YA/middle grade horror - The Midnight Club by Christopher Pike


11/12 = 91.67%

SFFKIT

"I define science fiction as the art of the possible. Fantasy is the art of the impossible." Ray Bradbury

January - Epic fantasy - Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb
February - Critters and creatures - Netherfield: Rogue Dragon by Maria Grace - finished 29th March 2024
March - Space opera - Black Sheep by Rachel Aukes - finished 30th May 2024
April - Time travel - Time Lost: A Time Travel Novel by Elyse Douglas - finished 7th April 2024
May - Archaeology - Navigating The Stars by Maria V. Snyder - finished 29th August 2024
June - Monsters - Rise of the World Eater by Jamie Littler - finished 14th July 2024
July - First contact - The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor - finished 25th September 2024
August - Paranormal investigators and space detectives - The Creeping Shadow by Jonathan Stroud - finished 1st October 2024
September - Gods, godlike beings, and mythology - Monkey King: Journey To The West by Wu Cheng'en -
October - Women authors - The Giver by Lois Lowry - finished 12th December 2024
November - Recommended - The Mossheart's Promise by Rebecca Mix - finished 6th November 2024
December - Bookish fantasy - The Grandest Bookshop In The World by Amelia Mellor - finished 13th December 2024

10/12 = 83.33%

All set up for 2024! How did it get here so quickly?!

As always, I have added all the CATs and KITs, in the hope that I will be able to keep up - we shall see.

Congrats on your setup and happy reading in 2024!

I love your quotes and the ScaredyKIT pic! Looking forward to following along with your 2024 reading.

Great setup. Hope the reading is wonderful.

I love the quotes and graphics! You are a star for me!

Love the format! Is it okay if I fashion mine after yours? It looks very similar to how I did mine on Goodreads.

Just dropping in to wish you happy reading in 2024. Your format is perfect!

Great quotes, Jayne. All the best for this ambitious challenge!

Thank you all!

>19 beccac220: Absolutely! I do love to keep track of the numbers, so mine is pretty structured. Whether I get to tick all the boxes or not is another question!

I love the quotes you've picked for your categories. Hope you have a great reading year.

Love the quotes! Happy reading in 2024!

Like last year, I admire your elaborate setup and enjoyed reading all those wonderful quotes! I'm looking forward to following along!

I've placed my star and I am looking forward to following along!

>24 Tess_W: >25 MissBrangwen: >26 DeltaQueen50: Thank you! It is fun setting up the challenge every year.

Happy new thread, and good luck in 2024! I'm looking forward to seeing what you read in the Mystery and Scaredy KITS.

>4 JayneCM: Those are quite challenging prompts! Good luck with those.

As Birgit says, very challenging! I'm looking forward to another year of following along!

Good luck with your reading this year. I love your use of percentages to keep track of your goals. Looking forward to getting more Bullets from your thread.

>29 MissWatson: >30 NinieB: >31 lowelibrary: Thank you! I do enjoy the 52 Book Club prompts as they are a little more challenging. But 2024 does seem even more so than other years!

I think I need to be ready for the BBs to flow! Your plan looks amazing and I hope you enjoy the year.

Love the illustration for >13 JayneCM: Gorgeous skies!

Have fun with your various challenges!

Slight revamp! I've added in my own board game for 2024 and Reading Through Time, where I have been a lurker and occasional poster for a few years. Taken out Pop Sugar and The 52 Book Club challenge - while I love them, they do contribute nearly 100 books to my 2024 total! Trying to wind it back just a smidge. :)

>35 JayneCM: Very clever! That will keep things interesting.

Great to see you planning on spending some time at the Reading Through Time site. I decided to also drop a couple of the longer challenges that I was originally planning on as I didn't want to burn out on challenges or feel obligated to read something that I wasn't in the mood for.

>36 VivienneR: Hopefully!

>37 DeltaQueen50: Yes, as we are getting to the tail end of the year and I find myself looking for the shortest books possible just to tick off boxes, I can see I need to be less ambitious! Quality not quantity.

My star is placed - you always read such interesting books!

>39 Jackie_K: Thank you! Hopefully you will find something of interest.

January 2024

1. Edgar Allan Cozy by various authors - finished 2nd January 2024 - I Read Cereal Boxes board game - short stories
2. A Girl Called Samson by Amy Harmon - finished 3rd January 2024 - conflicts in the Americas
3. The Secrets of the Huon Wren by Claire van Ryn - finished 5th January 2024 - January RandomKIT - early birds
4. Serpents In Eden edited by Martin Edwards - finished 6th January 2024 - January MysteryKIT - short stories
5. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery - finished 8th January 2024 - January AlphaKIT - letter A
6. The Housemaid by Freida McFadden - finished 10th January 2024 - January ScaredyKIT - psychological thriller
7. House of Odysseus by Claire North - finished 13th January 2024 - January Reading Through Time - Janus
8. The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See - finished 18th January 2024 - Read Around The World (China)
9. Lives of the Ancient Egyptians by Toby Wilkinson - finished 19th January 2024 - January I Read Cereal Boxes board game - most recent purchase
10. Pemberley: Mr Darcy's Dragon by Maria Grace - finished 22nd January 2024 - January I Read Cereal Boxes board game - fantasy
11. The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone by Audrey Burges - finished 23rd January 2024 - BingoDOG - title contains a person's name
12. Portrait of Clare by Francis Brett Young - finished 26th January 2024 - January PrizeCAT - long running prize
13. Scenes From Prehistoric Life by Francis Pryor - finished 28th January 2024 - Reading Through Time Jan-Mar quarter - prehistoric
14. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy - finished 31st January 2024 - January I Read Cereal Boxes board game - big book

14/211 = 6.64%

Read Around The World 1/12 = 8.33% The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane
I Read Cereal Boxes board game 4/48 = 8.33% Edgar Allan Cozy, Lives of the Ancient Egyptians, Pemberley: Mr Darcy's Dragon, War and Peace
Reading Through Time = 2/16 = 12.5% House of Odysseus, Scenes From Prehistoric Life
BingoDOG 1/25 = 4% The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone
CalendarCAT 0/12 = 0%
HistoryCAT 1/12 = 8.33% A Girl Called Samson
PrizeCAT 1/12 = 8.33% Portrait of Clare
RandomKIT 1/12 = 8.33% The Secrets of the Huon Wren
AlphaKIT 1/26 = 3.85% Anne of Green Gables
MysteryKIT 1/12 = 8.33% Serpents In Eden
ScaredyKIT 1/12 = 8.33% The Housemaid
SFFKIT 0/12 = 0%

My plan for January CATs, KITs and other reads

✅ Read Around The World - The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See (China) *
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 1. Fantasy - Pemberley: Mr. Darcy's Dragon by Maria Grace **
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 2. Big book - War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy *
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 3. Most recent purchase - Lives of the Ancient Egyptians by Toby Wilkinson
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 4. short stories - Edgar Allan Cozy by various authors *
✅ Reading Through Time - Janus - House of Odysseus by Claire North
✅ Reading Through Time - first quarter - prehistoric - Scenes From Prehistoric Life by Francis Pryor *
✅ BingoDOG - 1. - person's name in title - The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone by Audrey Burges
BingoDOG - 2. - book from LT similar library - The Fraud by Zadie Smith
CalendarCAT - January - Death In Rome by Wolfgang Koeppen ***
✅ HistoryCAT - Conflicts in the Americas - A Girl Called Samson by Amy Harmon *
✅ PrizeCAT - Long-running prize - Portrait of Clare by Francis Brett Young
✅ RandomKIT - Early birds - The Secrets of the Huon Wren by Claire van Ryn
✅ AlphaKIT - A - Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery *
AlphaKIT - Y - House of Yesterday by Deeba Zargarpur
✅ MysteryKIT - Short stories - Serpents in Eden: Countryside Crimes edited by Martin Edwards *
✅ ScaredyKIT - Psychological thriller - The Housemaid by Freida McFadden *
SFFKIT - Epic fantasy - Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb *

* available on Kindle Unlimited (in Australia)
** This book, the first in the series, was 99c (in December 2023) on Kindle. The remainder of the series (11 books) is on Kindle Unlimited.
*** available to borrow for free on archive.org

I could definitely fill all these with Kindle Unlimited books, but I also have some library and owned books that I would like to read.

>42 JayneCM: I am looking forward to your reviews of The Echo of Old Books and Pemberley: Mr. Darcy's Dragons. I already see some BBs in my future.

That's a nice variety of titles for January!

Have a great New Year.

Book 1. Edgar Allan Cozy by various authors

January I Read Cereal Boxes board game - short stories

The short stories included in this collection were enjoyable reads. They were just missing the sharp and creepy edge of the originals. My favourite was the first entry in the collection, which was a poem called The Raven.

Book 2. A Girl Called Samson by Amy Harmon

January HistoryCAT - conflicts in the Americas

"That's what I wanted most in the world, to be responsible for and to no one but myself."

A gripping read, based on the true story of Deborah Sampson who disguised herself as a man in order to join the Patriot forces in the American Revolutionary War.
As a girl/woman, Deborah has never been able to make her own life choices and the war offers her the opportunity to choose her own path, to use her bravery, cleverness and sense of justice for something that matters.
Still undecided on whether the romance element was necessary, particularly as it was not true to the real Deborah. But a compelling story, even more so as it was based on a true story. What an amazing woman.

I really didn't look at the BINGO card this year, but I like the categories better than most years. Hope you have a great year of reading!

Book 3. The Secrets of the Huon Wren by Claire van Ryn

January RandomKIT - early birds

A captivating and moving read and beautifully evocative of place; the descriptions of Tasmania are stunning. Although it depicts the devastation wrought by dementia and thus pain and loss, the overall feeling you are left with is uplifting.
A magnificent debut novel.

>49 JayneCM: And what a beautiful cover.

>50 clue: Oh, it is. It is actually a fairywren, my favourite bird. The huon wren refers to the fact that the main character has a fairy wren carved out of huon pine.

Book 4. Serpents In Eden edited by Martin Edwards

January MysteryKIT - short stories

This is my first read from the British Library Crime Classics series and as there are a huge number of them, both story collections and novels, on Kindle Unlimited, it will not be my last.
Thoroughly enjoyed all the stories, but two favourites stood out.
The Inquest by Leonora Wodehouse was sharp and witty and so tongue in cheek. Wonderful dry humour.
The Scarecrow was written by Ethel Lina White, who also wrote the books that the movies The Lady Vanishes and The Spiral Staircase were based on. You can definitely see in this story why her writing translates so well to the screen and this story would be no exception. Scarecrows are always creepy!

>49 JayneCM: What a beautiful cover indeed! Fairy wrens are such pretty birds. I have a small box picturing one that I bought on Kangaroo Island and that I still cherish.

>52 JayneCM: I have several British Library Crime Classics, but no short story collection so far. They all look so tempting and I just love the covers! It's good to hear that you enjoyed all the stories.

Hello Jayne! I love your categories and organisation above. I read a couple of the British Library Crime Classics collections of Christmas short stories last month and there were some excellent ones in those. It was always very snowy, though, which it rarely is in England at Christmas :-) I saw lots on KU so you'll have plenty to keep you going.

>52 JayneCM: I love the cover, but the first title word turns me off!

>55 thornton37814: There are definitely no actual serpents in the stories! :)

>54 susanj67: I am very keen to read more as this collection was very enjoyable.

I prefer the novels but the one collection I read had some pretty good stories in it.

>49 JayneCM: Definitely goes on my WL

>52 JayneCM: Fairy wrens are my favourite bird - I love to watch them flitting around the backyard. I would love to go to Kangaroo Island one day. It seems ridiculous that I have not, as it is only in the next state!

>53 MissBrangwen: I love that era of mystery writing. I think I could just read those for the whole year, there are so many on KU!

>54 susanj67: No serpents in any of the stories luckily!

>57 JayneCM: I need to decide on some of the novels to read - there are just so many to choose from!

>58 hailelib: I hope you enjoy it.

>56 JayneCM: An unfortunate title then!

Book 5. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

January AlphaKIT - letter A

"There's such a lot of different Annes in me. I sometimes think that is why I'm such a troublesome person. If I was just the one Anne it would be ever so much more comfortable, but then it wouldn't be half so interesting."

I agree, Anne, I agree!

Call me sentimental and wallowing in nostalgia, but I will always love rereading the Anne books and it felt like time for another go around of the series.
Nothing much needs to be said except that Anne and her adventures (and misadventures) will forever be delightful. And the nature descriptions of the island are beautiful.

Book 6. The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

January ScaredyKIT - psychological thriller

Really liked the format of the book; seeing the current day and then going back to see how this had all come to pass. The epilogue was great, enough so that I want to read the next book.
Most of the book though was a bit formulaic for me, which to some extent is part of the setup of the story and was cleverly woven into the framework. But overall a good read.

>62 JayneCM: A kindred spirit!

>52 JayneCM: I love reading mystery anthologies. I've discovered several new-to-me authors to explore after reading one of their short stories in an anthology like this. It's how I discovered Christiana Brand.

>47 JayneCM: A couple of years ago my book club read They Fought Like Demons about women soldiers in the Civil War. I'd love to read something similar about women who fought in the Revolutionary War if there is such a book.

>64 cbl_tn: Interesting - I have only Christiana Brand's Nurse Matilda books. I did not know she wrote mysteries as well.

I couldn't find many books specifically about women soldiers in the Revolutionary War, just books that had stories of a few women playing different roles, such as Revolutionary Mothers and Women Heroes of the American Revolution. There are a few books just about Deborah Sampson, which would be interesting to read as the author of the historical fiction I read did say she invented certain aspects of the story, such as the romance angle.

Book 7. House of Odysseus by Claire North

January Reading Through Time - Janus

'The only one who can tell you what to feel is you.'
'No one else must be permitted to put words in your mouth.'

But for the women of Ancient Greece, this is easier said than done. This is a reimagining of some of Penelope's time on Ithaca when Odysseus was away.
The men spend their time posturing and swaggering while that 'tricksy Ithacan queen' and the women around her use their cleverness and cunning to twist the men's doings (without them even knowing) to their advantage.
A fascinating look at court intrigue and politics in Ancient Greece. I just was not taken with it being from the viewpoint of Aphrodite. I would have much preferred it to be Penelope's voice.

Book 8. The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See

Read Around The World - China

A fascinating look into the lives of the Akha, one of China's ethnic minorities who have lived in isolated villages high up in the mountains for generations, and their tea growing heritage. What happens when the modern world intersects with their ancient culture?
Also a heart breaking look at international adoptions and how all concerned are affected.

Book 9. Lives of the Ancient Egyptians by Toby Wilkinson

January I Read Cereal Boxes board game - most recent purchase

Fascinating and enjoyable little snippets of 100 lives from Ancient Egyptians. Not just the pharaohs and high officials; there are also lives of scribes, farmers, workmen and others, covering 3000 years of the Ancient Egyptian culture. I appreciated the author's slightly tongue in cheek outlook on some of the events in these lives.

>67 JayneCM: I love Lisa See, especially Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

>69 Tess_W: This was my first book by this author, despite having them all on my to read list for ages. I am looking forward to more as this one seemed very well researched.

Book 10. Pemberley: Mr Darcy's Dragon by Maria Grace

January I Read Cereal Boxes board game - fantasy

Just loved this! The different varieties of dragons, ranging from the tiny and adorable to the huge and terrifying, are wonderful, each with their own distinct personality.
I loved how the author weaved in events from Pride and Prejudice and stayed true to the book, while making it fit with the 'new' dragon storyline. Elizabeth is just as feisty, yet now she is a Dragon Keeper. I particularly loved Mary's elevation to more than just the receptacle of either pity or derision.
This book ended at the Netherfield ball so am very keen to see what happens next.
A very cosy and charming read.

>71 JayneCM: I am drawn to this somewhat against my will...might have to check it out! Oddly enough, I do own (but haven't yet read) another book that melds P&P with dragons, Heartstone by Elle Katharine White.

I was waiting on your review of this book to see if you got me with a bullet. You did taking a BB for >71 JayneCM:

>71 JayneCM: And I will have to check that one out!

>72 christina_reads: I hope you enjoy it. It is a very cosy, light read, perfect for an afternoon of fun reading.

Book 11. The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone by Audrey Burges

BingoDOG - title contains a person's name

I was definitely drawn to this book as I love anything miniature. I used to collect miniature reproduction Victorian furniture and furnishings so I was very interested to read about Myra's mansion. A mansion, NOT a dollhouse!
It is certainly a slow build up and the multiple timelines may frustrate some readers. I am a fan of multiple timelines - the more, the merrier. I love the slow reveal as the timelines begin to meld and meet up with each other and you learn more and more about each character.
And the magical elements of the house, making it a character in its own right, were charming and sometimes a little sinister.
Definitely an enchanting read; slow, soothing and delightful.

>68 JayneCM: I've taken a BB on that one. It sounds fascinating. I have a hold on another Toby Wilkinson book but this one sounds more appealing.

>75 JayneCM: This would be a BB if it wasn't on my list already! I'm glad the book is good though, I added it to my TBR for the alliteration. :)

>76 VivienneR: It is a good book for dipping in and out of, as each life is only a few pages long. I have just picked up the author's book A World Beneath The Sands as well.

>77 casvelyn: Perfect for an alliteration prompt! Hope you enjoy it.

>71 JayneCM: I listened to a nonfiction book by Maria Grace about Regency Christmas traditions in 2022, but I wasn't aware that she also writes fiction, and such fiction as that!

>78 JayneCM: Oh, I have that book as well, or rather my husband has because I gifted it to him last year. He hasn't read it yet, though. I hope to read it one day, too, and I'm looking forward to your thoughts when you get to it!

Book 12. Portrait of Clare by Francis Brett Young

January PrizeCAT - long running prize

Winner of the 1927 James Tait Black Memorial Prize

An eloquent, meandering tale following Clare's life. In a note from the author, he mentions that he had difficulty in publishing this book, eventually changing publishers, as his original publisher declared the book to be too lengthy and not 'modern'. Certainly if you require a fast paced read with plenty of action, this is not for you. Yet, I adored it, for its beautiful writing, particularly of the landscape and nature of Herefordshire; for its clear sighted look at relationships and their success or failure; and a peek into times past.
It is often more engaging and illuminating to read contemporary books of the past than historical fiction, as the authors actually lived in those times. Francis Brett Young did not write about World War I from research - he used his own memories of his time serving.
Overall, a lovely book - about, in the author's words, "a normal and (possibly) a rather silly woman moving quite unimportantly across the West Midland landscape."

>80 JayneCM: Glad to see your lucky find was a good read.

Book 13. Scenes From Prehistoric Life by Francis Pryor

Reading Through Time Jan-Mar quarter - prehistoric

"There is a tendency to view the prehistoric past as somehow inferior to the modern world - to believe that we have 'progressed' beyond such superstitious beliefs. I disagree profoundly with this rather patronizing view of our ancestors."

The author has written this more as a chatty stroll through the various ancient sites of Britain, focusing on the landscape and the people who lived there rather than bogging the reader down with minutely detailed facts. It is clear that he has a deep respect for the inhabitants of the past and their achievements. Fascinating to read of sites lesser known to me - Stonehenge yes, but Seahenge? I'd never heard of it before.

>82 JayneCM: Sounds informative but enjoyable. Off to find.......

Book 14. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

January I Read Cereal Boxes board game - big book

When I drew the 'big book' card in my board game, I figured why not go all in and read a REALLY big one!

This epic novel is a triumph of life, love, sorrow, suffering, joy, grief, happiness, the entire spectrum of human emotion. Yet it is also a historical masterpiece, with Tolstoy often digressing to discuss his philosophy of history and other topics. This is particularly so of the Second Epilogue, which as an ending to the book, is a real let down. You know when you have spent so long with characters and you just want to close the book at the end, give it a hug and think about Pierre, Natasha, Mary and Nicholas for a while? By the time you work your way through the Second Epilogue, you have forgotten all about them!
A minor issue though for this absorbing and magnificent novel.

Tolstoy's insight into human nature, both individual and collective, is remarkable. And shows that we as humans don't change through time - although we think now we are all so intelligent and modern and technologically advanced, we are still the same.

The futility and chaos of war is movingly depicted, with heart rending depictions of death and injury, torture and hardship throughout the war scenes.

Tolstoy's humour and tongue in cheek attitude shows through in lines such as:

""Everything had been admirably thought out as is usual in dispositions, and as is always the case, not a single column reached its place at the appointed time."

"Though the doctors treated him, let his blood, and gave him medications to drink, he nevertheless recovered.

Truly a fabulous book.

Not too bad for the first month of 2024.

5973 pages read.

14 books read in the following formats:

6 Kindle Unlimited
3 library
4 owned (reducing that owned TBR!)
1 Kindle owned

I do need to carry over three books, but that is my fault for choosing a 1200+ page book and an 800+ page book in the same month. But let's be honest, I will probably do it again throughout the year!

My plan for February CATs, KITs and other reads

Read Around The World - The Life of Insects by Viktor Pelevin (Russia) -
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 1. Classic square - The Princess of Cleves by Madame de La Fayette
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 2. World War II - The English GI by Jonathon Sandler
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 3. Non fiction - The Greek Way by Edith Hamilton
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 4. Book in translation - Oblomov by Ivan Goncharov
✅ Reading Through Time - Aquarius and amethyst - Without Precedent by Owen Zupp
✅ BingoDOG - 1. - Something that takes place in multiple countries - Nights At The Circus by Angela Carter
✅ BingoDOG - 2. - three-word title - The Ice Maze by Isobelle Carmody
✅ CalendarCAT - Year of the Dragon - Longbourn: Dragon Entail
✅ HistoryCAT - Georgian/Regency/Victorian Britain - When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn
✅ PrizeCAT - Prize from your own country - Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens by Shankari Chandran (winner 2023 Miles Franklin Award)
✅ RandomKIT - Escape or rescue - A Wolf Called Wander by Roseanne Parry
✅ AlphaKIT - F - The Fifth Child by Doris Lessing
✅ AlphaKIT - E - Extraordinary Birds by Sandy Stark-McGinnis
MysteryKIT - True unsolved mysteries - The Survival of the Princes in the Tower by Matthew Lewis
ScaredyKIT - Gothic - The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole
SFFKIT - Critters and creatures - Netherfield: Rogue Dragon by Maria Grace

Carry forward from January

✅ BingoDOG - book from LT similar library - The Fraud by Zadie Smith
✅ CalendarCAT - January - Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum
✅ AlphaKIT - Y - House of Yesterday by Deeba Zargarpur
SFFKIT - Epic fantasy - Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb

>85 JayneCM: - 14 books with a couple of chunksters is a great month. I almost always carry over 3 books - 1 physical, 1 audio, and 1 e-book that I don't quite manage to finish.

>84 JayneCM: I also really liked War and Peace, but I agree with you about the second epilogue! Tolstoy certainly was cranky about How To Do History (and How Everyone Else Was Doing It Wrong).

>84 JayneCM: I'm sure I'm a terrible person, but I just skimmed the bits where he was pontificating about battle strategy, and barely bothered with the Second Epilogue at all! I found his "I know best and I'm going to tell you in excruciating detail whether you want to hear it or not" manner really annoying!

>82 JayneCM: Looks good and my library actually has. I may read it eventually.

>86 JayneCM: I've put Chai Times at Cinnamon Gardens on hold for the February PrizeCAT.

>85 JayneCM: Great stats! I also liked W&P.

February 2024

15. The Ice Maze by Isobelle Carmody - finished 2nd February 2024 - BingoDOG - three word title
16. The Fraud by Zadie Smith - finished 3rd February 2024 - BingoDOG - book from similar LT library
17. The English GI by Jonathon Sandler - finished 4th February 2024 - February I Read Cereal Boxes board game - World War II
18. Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens by Shankari Chandran - finished 5th February 2024 - February PrizeCAT - prize from your own country (2023 winner Miles Franklin Award)
19. Extraordinary Birds by Sandy Stark-McGinnis - finished 6th February 2024 - February AlphaKIT - letter E
20. Nights At The Circus by Angela Carter - finished 10th February 2024 - BingoDOG - set in multiple countries
21. House of Yesterday by Deeba Zargarpur - finished 12th February 2024 - January AlphaKIT - letter Y
22. A Wolf Called Wander by Roseanne Parry - finished 14th February 2024 - February RandomKIT - escape or rescue
23. When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn - finished 16th February 2024 - February HistoryCAT - Georgian/Regency/Victorian Britain
24. Welcome To The Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum - finished 18th February 2024 - January CalendarCAT - published 17th January
25. The Fifth Child by Doris Lessing - finished 19th February 2024 - February AlphaKIT - letter F
26. The Greek Way by Edith Hamilton - finished 20th February 2024 - February I Read Cereal Boxes board game - non fiction
27. Longbourn: Dragon Entail by Maria Grace - finished 24th February 2024 - February CalendarCAT - Year of the Dragon
28. Without Precedent by Owen Zupp - finished 27th February 2024 - February Reading Through Time - Aquarius and amethyst

28/211 = 13.27%

Read Around The World 1/12 = 8.33%
I Read Cereal Boxes board game 6/48 = 12.5% The English GI, The Greek Way
Reading Through Time = 3/16 = 18.75% Without Precedent
BingoDOG 4/25 = 16% The Ice Maze, The Fraud, Nights At The Circus
CalendarCAT 2/12 = 16.67% Welcome To The Hyunam-dong Bookshop,Longbourn: Dragon Entail
HistoryCAT 2/12 = 16.67% When He Was Wicked
PrizeCAT 2/12 = 16.67% Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens
RandomKIT 1/12 = 8.33%
AlphaKIT 4/26 = 15.38% Extraordinary Birds, House of Yesterday, The Fifth Child
MysteryKIT 1/12 = 8.33%
ScaredyKIT 1/12 = 8.33%
SFFKIT 0/12 = 0%

Book 15. The Ice Maze by Isobelle Carmody

BingoDOG - three word title

While slower paced than the previous two books in this series, your attention is still held by the wonderful descriptions and the relationships between Zluty, Bily, the diggers and the monster. The diggers in particular are just delightful. Their speech reminds me of Mr Miyagi or Yoda - "Never stupidness to think before acting."
The reasons for the journey being undertaken are intriguing - the whole world is intriguing. There are so many weird and wonderful concepts and I am fascinated to read the final book to see how all the pieces slot together.

Book 16. The Fraud by Zadie Smith

BingoDOG - book from similar LT library

I am so sad to be disappointed as this should have been an automatic win for me. It was just too disjointed, with too many topics mixed in. The short chapters that jumped between people/location/time meant that you were unable to immerse yourself before you were yanked to somewhere or someone else. The section on Mr. Bogle's past was the strongest in the book and I definitely became invested in his story.
There is more than one potential book in here. The schism between Ainsworth and Dickens would have been fascinating in itself as would the Tichborne case and the sugar or cotton industries.

Book 17. The English GI by Jonathon Sandler

February I Read Cereal Boxes board game - World War II

In 1939, sixteen year old Bernard Sandler went on a schoolboy trip from Leeds UK to the US and Canada. The beginning of World War II meant that he was not to return until 1946.
Bernard Sandler had written a memoir of his time serving in the US army which forms the basis of this graphic novel by his grandson.
The artwork depicts the 1940s perfectly and the use of newspaper articles, photos and other family memorabilia enhance the reading experience.
This would be perfect for younger students to learn more about serving in the army, particularly from a Jewish perspective, in a more immersive and engaging fashion than reading a written account. There are also extensive notes providing more details on each of the episodes and people in the book.

Book 18. Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens by Shankari Chandran

February PrizeCAT - prize from your own country (winner 2023 Miles Franklin Award)

As the author says in the notes, cultural erasure, the appropriation of history and the rewriting of narratives happens all over the world and continues to happen.
There is so much to 'unpack' in this novel. At first it seems to be focusing on the plight of the elderly and the need to provide them with respect and dignity in their care. Cinnamon Gardens is owned by Sri Lankan immigrants and most of the residents are also South Asian. Gradually we learn more of their stories and their experiences and the atrocities committed during the civil war in Sri Lanka. After a certain incident, the novel shifts to the casual racism that exists throughout Australia and the ridiculousness that is so-called 'reverse racism' and the illogical arguments presented by its advocates.
The parts of the book relating to the 'incident' may be less accessible to some readers as it is quite Australian in its references. As an Australian, so much was instantly recognisable yet I am unsure it will translate to a wider audience as well.
Important issues aside, this was also an engaging read about love, grief, family, friendship, dignity, forgiveness, courage and sacrifice and you will fall in love with the characters, particularly sassy Maya.

Book 19. Extraordinary Birds by Sandy Stark McGinnis

February AlphaKIT - letter E

December knows a lot about birds. In fact, she knows she was born to fly and is just waiting for her wings to grow in so she can transform into a bird herself and fly away.
A book about hope and searching for a safe and happy space where you can be who you were meant to be.

Book 20. Nights At The Circus by Angela Carter

BingoDOG - set in multiple countries

A winged woman hatched from an egg telling her life story to a journalist for joins the circus to follow her around the world - this story should have captivated me from the beginning. But to me, it seemed to be a delirious, disjointed spiral into madness. Which again, would totally be for me. I am not discounting the possibility that I was just not 'feeling' this book now and a reread may have me singing its praises.

>99 JayneCM: I read Nights At the Circus last year and I also had some difficulty with the read, ultimately deciding that it wasn't the book for me.

Hello and finally getting around to dropping by your 2024 thread! What a great set of challenges and categories you have set for yourself and I especially love the cereal box challenge. What a great idea!

I will be interested to read your review of "Princess of Cleves." It's been a while since I read it and can remember the details that have slipped my mind.

>100 DeltaQueen50: My review was somewhat ambiguous as I still cannot seem to articulate just what I feel about it. I am not normally put off by 'strange' books but this one just didn't grab me.

>101 threadnsong: Thanks for stopping by!

>99 JayneCM: It's many years since I read Nights at the Circus, but I remember the confusion and the chaos. I think I tried at least one other of Angela Carter's books, but didn't seek out any more. An author I read more of from that era is Fay Weldon.

>104 JayneCM: I quite enjoyed Angela Carter's short stories - maybe her style is better in small doses.
I have been meaning to read The Life and Loves of a She-Devil as I have never read any Fay Weldon.

Book 21. House of Yesterday by Deeba Zargarpur

January AlphaKIT - letter Y

Firstly, the cover, absolutely stunning.
The book itself I would call a beautiful mess. The difficulties of immigrant families, the grief and trauma associated with divorcing parents, an aging grandmother suffering from dementia, coping with adolescence and friendships gone awry, all these topics were presented in a beautiful and compelling style. The paranormal aspect however seemed quite incoherent at times and cut into the flow of the present time narrative.
Overall, a good read and the ending was quite emotional.

I tried Nights at the Circus a while back but couldn’t get into it and I DNFed. I recently unhauled it and left it at a street library. Someone took it so I hope they enjoy it more than I did.

Book 22. A Wolf Called Wander by Roseanne Parry

February RandomKIT - escape or rescue

I always enjoy middle grade told from the viewpoint of an animal. And I love wolves. This is based on the true story of a journey taken by a lone wolf and how he found a new pack. Also includes interesting facts and photos at the end, both about the particular wolf and the animals and landscape in general.

>107 JayneCM: Oh, my 10 year old daughter loves wolves! (and has been writing a book about rival wolf packs). I'm going to see if I can get hold of this book for her.

>108 Jackie_K: Writing a book! That's wonderful. I always feel that wolves get a bad rap so really enjoyed this one. Hope she enjoys it too.

>109 JayneCM: To be fair, she has started hundreds and most don't get beyond the first few paragraphs (I wonder how many authors can relate to that?!). But the wolf one has made it to at least chapter 2, so we'll see how it goes. As far as I can tell it's fanfic inspired by Erin Hunter.

>110 Jackie_K: Oooh, I have never seen Erin Hunter's books - they look great. Off to see if my library has them!
Hope the writing goes well.

>111 JayneCM: my daughter is a big fan!

>95 JayneCM: Sorry to hear of your disappointment. I have her White Teeth on my TBR and it does have mixed reviews.

Book 23. When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn

February HistoryCAT - Georgian/Regency/Victorian Britain

Predictable but still fun. I enjoyed the earlier books more - Lady Whistledown is definitely the highlight of the series for me. This one was too descriptive in the steamy scenes for me, but still an entertaining enough read.

>114 JayneCM: I've definitely had mixed results with the Bridgerton series -- I really enjoyed The Viscount Who Loved Me and To Sir Phillip, with Love, but the others were all varying degrees of meh.

>115 christina_reads: Definitely! But I will still finish the series as I am so close to the end now!

Book 24. Welcome To The Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum

January CalendarCAT - published 17th January

Such a gentle and comforting read about making changes to your life and living a life that may not be 'successful' per society's terms but makes you happy. And set in a bookshop - what more could a book lover ask for?!

>117 JayneCM: Thanks for the review. This is on my TBR for NetGalley.

>117 JayneCM: The only thing I would say is some of the writing, particularly conversations, seems a bit stilted.
But the other day, totally unrelated to my reading of this book, my son and I were talking about language and Fifty Words For Snow that I borrowed from the library and he wondered which language has the most words. It is Korean (that is all Google called it, although I'm sure there are many dialects) with over a million words. With English only having about 170,000, it now makes sense why Korean books in translation always seem a bit stiff and clunky. We don't have enough words to convey what the author is writing in Korean.

Book 25. The Fifth Child by Doris Lessing

February AlphaKIT - letter F

Ben, the fifth child, is certainly creepy in this story about a family and their pursuit of happiness and having a 'successful' family life. Is the arrival of Ben a punishment for being too happy, too self-satisfied, too complacent about the gorgeous children and idyllic family life they already had?
You will certainly question whether having children is worth it after reading about Ben!

Book 26. The Greek Way by Edith Hamilton

February I Read Cereal Boxes board game - non fiction

An easily accessible work on Ancient Greece and the various elements that made it unique.
Ancient Greece culture/society comprised a balance that has rarely been seen again - between mind and spirit, the rights of the individual and the needs of the community, things seen and things not seen, fact and beauty.
This is not a scholarly work but that is what makes it so approachable for the everyday reader who simply wants to learn a little more about Ancient Greek culture.

>117 JayneCM: Not much!

Book 27. Longbourn: Dragon Entail by Maria Grace

February CalendarCAT - Year of the Dragon

So entertaining! Again, love the way the author weaves the happenings from Pride and Prejudice into the dragon world. This book ends with Lydia's elopement with Wickham, but for potentially dragon related reasons. Again, the variety of dragons is magnificent - the scene in which Elizabeth takes on a female cockatrice is simply superb. The incomparable Lizzy becomes even more imposing in this series - a force to be reckoned with indeed.

Book 28. Without Precedent by Owen Zupp

February Reading Through Time - Aquarius and amethyst

Written by Phillip Zupp's son, this is Phillip's life story, through growing up poor on a Queensland farm to his perseverance in becoming a fighter pilot in the Korean War. It is the story of the unknown (to the recipient) awarding of the US Purple Heart to an Australian pilot which led to his son attempting to follow the paper trail in hopes of seeing his father's medal finally awarded and officially recognised.
This would be of particular interest to an aviation enthusiast as there are numerous detailed descriptions of the missions flown by Zupp during the Korean War. But still an interesting read overall.

February reading:

4739 pages read

14 books read in the following formats:

3 Kindle Unlimited
10 library
1 Faded Page free ebook

My plan for March CATs, KITs and other reads

✅ Read Around The World - Night Train To Marrakech by Dinah Jefferies (Morocco)
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game 1. Brown cover - Living On Almost Nothing by Amber Storck
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game 2. Blue cover - Dead Voices by Katherine Arden
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game 3. Sci fi - The Man Who Fell To Earth by Walter Tevis
I Read Cereal Boxes board game 4. Flowers on cover - After The Forest by Kell Woods
✅ Reading Through Time - Medicine, epidemics and plagues - The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue
BingoDOG - 1. - Read a CAT - The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall (January CalendarCAT - published 1st January 1928)
✅ BingoDOG - 2. - a book featuring water - Dark Waters by Katherine Arden
CalendarCAT - The Bitter Glass by Eilís Dillon (author born March 7, 1920)
HistoryCAT - Science and medicine - The Radium Girls by Kate Moore
✅ PrizeCAT - Prize that's new to you - Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami (winner 2001 Tanizaki Award)
RandomKIT - World Wildlife Day - Birds and Us by Tim Birkhead
✅ AlphaKIT - For H - Amelia Fang and the Half Moon Holiday by Laura Ellen Anderson
✅ AlphaKIT - For R - The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts
✅ MysteryKIT - Historical mysteries - The Body Under The Piano by Marthe Jocelyn
✅ ScaredyKIT - True crime - The Babysitter: My Summers with a Serial Killer by Liza Rodman
SFFKIT - Space opera - Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente

Carry forward from January

SFFKIT - Epic fantasy - Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb

Carry forward from February

I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 1. Classic square - The Princess of Cleves by Madame de La Fayette
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 4. Book in translation - Oblomov by Ivan Goncharov
✅ MysteryKIT - True unsolved mysteries - The Survival of the Princes in the Tower by Matthew Lewis
✅ ScaredyKIT - Gothic - The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole
✅ SFFKIT - Critters and creatures - Netherfield: Rogue Dragon by Maria Grace

I am halfway through both Oblomov and The Survival of the Princes in the Tower - the shorter month caught me out!

March 2024

29. Dead Voices by Katherine Arden - finished 1st March 2024 - March I Read Cereal Boxes board game - blue cover
30. The Man Who Fell To Earth by Walter Tevis - finished 5th March 2024 - March I Read Cereal Boxes board game - sci fi
31. Oblomov by Ivan Goncharov - finished 7th March 2023 - February I Read Cereal Boxes board game - book in translation
32. Strange Weather In Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami - finished 10th March 2024 - March PrizeCAT - prize new to you
33. Dark Waters by Katherine Arden - finished 11th March 2024 - BingoDOG - features water
34. The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts - finished 13th March 2024 - March AlphaKIT - letter R
35. Zorrie by Laird Hunt - finished 15th March 2024 - Year long AlphaKIT - letter Z
36. Night Train To Marrakech by Dinah Jefferies - finished 20th March 2024 - Read Around The World (Morocco)
37. The Body Under The Piano by Marthe Jocelyn - finished 22nd March 2024 - March MysteryKIT - historical mystery
38. The Babysitter: My Summers with a Serial Killer by Liza Rodman - finished 24th March 2024 - March ScaredyKIT - true crime
39. The Survival of the Princes in the Tower by Matthew Lewis - finished 25th March 2024 - February MysteryKIT - true unsolved mysteries
40. Netherfield: Rogue Dragon by Maria Grace - finished 29th March 2024 - February SFFKIT - creatures and critters
41. The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue - finished 30th March 2024 - March Reading Through Time - medicine, epidemics and plagues
42. Living On Almost Nothing by Amber Storck - finished 31st March 2024 - March I Read Cereal Boxes board game - brown cover
43. The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole - finished 31st March 2024 - February ScaredyKIT - gothic
44. Amelia Fang and the Half-Moon Holiday by Laura Ellen Anderson - finished 31st March 2024 - March AlphaKIT - letter H

44/211 = 20.85%

Read Around The World 2/12 = 16.67% Night Train To Marrakech
I Read Cereal Boxes board game 10/48 = 20.83% Dead Voices, The Man Who Fell To Earth, Oblomov, Living On Almost Nothing
Reading Through Time = 4/16 = 25% The Pull of the Stars
BingoDOG 5/25 = 20% Dark Waters
CalendarCAT 2/12 = 16.67%
HistoryCAT 2/12 = 16.67%
PrizeCAT 3/12 = 25% Strange Weather In Tokyo
RandomKIT 1/12 = 8.33%
AlphaKIT 7/26 = 26.92% The Ride of Her Life, Zorrie, Amelia Fang and the Half-Moon Holiday
MysteryKIT 3/12 = 25% The Body Under The Piano, The Survival of the Princes in the Tower
ScaredyKIT 3/12 = 25% The Babysitter: My Summers with a Serial Killer, The Castle of Otranto
SFFKIT 1/12 = 8.33% Netherfield: Rogue Dragon

Book 29. Dead Voices by Katherine Arden

March I Read Cereal Boxes board game - blue cover

"Ghosts like it when you're afraid. It means you acknowledge them."

Creepy and chilling, just like the first book in the series. The friendship between the three main characters is inspiring and would be very encouraging for middle grade readers, especially as Coco was able to be the hero of this story.

Book 30. The Man Who Fell To Earth by Walter Tevis

March I Read Cereal Boxes board game - sci fi

What an unbelievably sad and gentle science fiction read. An alien has come to Earth, not to invade but to save us from ourselves. Like so many of us humans who begin with lofty intentions, intending to sacrifice all for their cause, Newton's mission is doomed to failure and he is ultimately left a broken 'man'.
I don't think I have ever called a sci fi book beautiful, but this truly was a beautiful, melancholy, thought-provoking read.

>129 JayneCM: Not a sci-fi fan but put this on my WL.

>129 JayneCM: I think you may enjoy it - it is not very sci fi at all.

Book 31. Oblomov by Ivan Goncharov

February I Read Cereal Boxes board game - book in translation

A melancholy read about a man who doesn't really live life. Oblomov represents the dying Russian aristocracy of the time, in his indolence and apathetic behaviour. The beginning of the book is amusing, as Oblomov's laziness and extreme aversion to doing anything at all means that he spends the majority of the first half of the book in bed.

"After breakfast, he sat up and nearly got out of bed."
"Only two hours left before dinner, and what can one do in two hours? Nothing. "

His justifications for why he cannot possibly do anything are so ludicrous and entertaining.

The second half of the book did drag on a little, as we follow his courtship of Olga.

An interesting look at the Russian upper class during this time period.

>129 JayneCM: There is a DVD based on this book. I’m putting the book on my wishlist.

>132 JayneCM: Haha, you've piqued my interested with those quotations! I'm sometimes guilty of similar thinking at work..."Only half an hour before it's time to go home, so obviously I can't get anything else done today!"

Book 32. Strange Weather In Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami

March PrizeCAT - prize new to you (winner 2001 Tanizaki Award)

The descriptions of nature were enchanting, and if you love Japanese food, you will salivate at the food descriptions.
But somehow I couldn't warm to this story. Maybe Tsukiko always calling him Sensei, thus emphasising the fact that he was her former teacher and never seeming to get past that relationship. Maybe it was his slightly patronising tone towards her.
I did enjoy the gentle and slightly awkward way they interacted.
The companion story, Parade, was much more interesting, with its various figures from Japanese folklore. I would have liked this to be elaborated further.

Book 33. Dark Waters by Katherine Arden

BingoDOG - features water

Not my favourite book in the series, but that ending! Ooh, gives me shivers leading into the final book of the series.
Still an enjoyable read, just not as creepy as the previous books.

Book 34. The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts

March AlphaKIT - letter R

"Should she accept the fact that she was just an old woman whose time had passed, from whom nothing surprising or new or vivid was expected?

From the title and the mere fact of the existence of this book, we can see that Annie Wilkins did not accept this as fact - she pulled together her courage and embarked on an epic journey across America on horseback. This is the story of her amazing perseverance against all odds and all the kind and helpful people she met along the way. It is also the story of the special friendship between Annie and her three animal companions. Truly heartwarming.

Carrie, Meg, and I read that for our book club. It was a remarkable story.

>137 JayneCM: That must be where I got the BB from! I knew it was from someone in this group. She was an amazing lady.

Book 35. Zorrie by Laird Hunt

Year long AlphaKIT - letter Z

Every word of this beautiful and thoughtfully crafted novel resonates as we follow Zorrie through her life. Although only 161 pages long, it encapsulates an entire lifetime and the path we will all follow, whether we chose to accept or fight against "time's ruthless determination."
A calm and gentle read, sparkling with Zorrie's own calm, gentle, accepting yet determined personality.

I picked this up entirely for the fact that the title started with Z, and I am always on the hunt for Z and X books for year long AlphaKIT. So glad I did! I had no idea of the content and was interested to find that it dovetails nicely with The Radium Girls, which I also have on my list to read in March. The author cites it as a reference, as Zorrie worked painting clock faces with radium, a 'ghost girl' as they call themselves in the book. It was chilling to read what they did with the radium, knowing what we now know about the its effects, even taking it internally as a health tonic.

>149 JayneCM: - My book club read this last year and I liked it a lot too. I'm interested to read some of his other books too.

Book 36. Night Train To Marrakech by Dinah Jefferies

Read Around The World (Morocco)

Being the final book in a trilogy, I had been waiting for its release. It was an interesting story, but ultimately not as enjoyable as the first two books.
Perhaps as the 1960s is not my era - I much prefer the 1920s, 30s and 40s (the settings of the previous books).
Vicky was not a character that I warmed to or cared about much.

>140 JayneCM: I loved this book and have since picked up a copy of Indiana, Indiana, which is about her husband.

>143 RidgewayGirl: Ooh, I didn't know about that one. I will definitely have to look for it.

Book 37. The Body Under The Piano by Marthe Jocelyn

March MysteryKIT - historical mystery

A charming middle grade mystery, featuring an imagined Agatha Christie as a twelve year old. Particularly amusing was her friend, Hector Perot, a Belgian refugee, and his discussion of the most elegant moustaches he would sport when he was a man.
It took a while for this book to grow on me but I quite enjoyed it and catching the little nods to Agatha Christie's works.

>145 JayneCM: sound like a fun read. I just bought a copy. I have read each Agatha Christie book at least three times.

>145 JayneCM: I think I enjoyed the ones after the first one better than the first. I think it is because I was used to the characters then.

>145 JayneCM: You really are a fan! Hope you enjoy it.

>146 Zozette: That is good to hear. I have put the second book on library hold.

Book 38. The Babysitter: My Summers with a Serial Killer by Liza Rodman

March ScaredyKIT - true crime

I must confess that true crime is my least favourite genre, especially gruesome serial killers. This was a very readable account (I just cannot say enjoyable) as it was more than just the story of a serial killer and his crimes. The book alternated between chapters on Tony Costa and Liza, the little girl who idolised Tony. Thus it was also a memoir of Liza and her childhood. In some ways it was also an account of a town, Provincetown, Massachusetts, and how it changed over time, especially in the volatile and fast moving 1960s.
Although the murders were described, it was not overly macabre and was not dwelled upon for pages and pages of detail.

Book 39. The Survival of the Princes in the Tower by Matthew Lewis

February MysteryKIT - true unsolved mysteries

The majority of the discussion about the 'princes in the tower' has always been about their murder by their uncle Richard III. This book however approaches their story from a different angle - what if the princes, either or both of them, survived? Certainly enough information was provided to show that the princes may not have been murdered by their uncle, Richard III; in fact, it seems to be more plausible that they were not.
This is an interesting read, definitely for enthusiasts of the subject, as it is quite convoluted and can become confusing in discussing the various plots to retake the thrown for Edward IV's sons.

Book 40. Netherfield: Rogue Dragon by Maria Grace

February SFFKIT - creatures and critters

So much enjoyment reading this series! While the earlier books stayed within the parameters of Pride and Prejudice, we have now ventured past the timeline of the original book and are following more of Elizabeth and Darcy's lives (and the dragons, of course!)
The minor dragons, particularly the adorable hatchlings, stole the show again. The variety of dragons depicted is very entertaining.
On to book four!

Book 41. The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue

March Reading Through Time - medicine, epidemics and plagues

Set in Dublin during the 1918 flu epidemic, the story is told over three days in the quarantined maternity ward by Nurse Power who is unexpectedly left in charge of the ward. With cases skyrocketing and staff and resources dwindling, Nurse Power must do what she can to care for her patients.
If you do not care for detailed medical descriptions of all kinds - births, autopsies, flu, deaths - it would be best to avoid this book as the author conceals nothing. The workings of the ward are laid bare for the reader to absorb in all its horror but also all its compassion.
A riveting, heart breaking story, told in a no nonsense manner which makes it all the more heartrending.

Hi Jayne, I am heading off to Budj Bim soon. Have you been there?

>153 pamelad: Very close to where I live, very interesting place. This is a good book about it, The People of Budj Bim - have you seen it?

Book 42. Living On Almost Nothing by Amber Storck

March I Read Cereal Boxes board game - brown cover

All relevant information but very basic. This is a very short book, summarising simple ways to save money and manage your finances to make the most of your money. Only for the beginner though as it is all first level information.

>154 JayneCM: Perhaps there will be copies at the Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre. I've booked the full-day tour.

>156 pamelad: I would say there would be. I haven't been to the new centre yet but have heard great things about it. Why do we never visit the places that are in our own backyard?!

Book 43. The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole

February ScaredyKIT - gothic

Gothic melodrama, which I definitely enjoy, but there was too much dialogue and not enough description. It needs more detailed descriptions of the ghosts, giant armour and general atmosphere to set the mood.

Book 44. Amelia Fang and the Half-Moon Holiday by Laura Ellen Anderson

March AlphaKIT - letter H

The next book about Amelia Fang and her friends is just as delightful as the previous ones. The illustrations are such fun and so charming. Just adorable.

My plan for April CATs, KITs and other reads

✅ Read Around The World - The Collaborator's Daughter by Eva Glyn (Croatia)
I Read Cereal Boxes board game 1. - living creature in title - The Birds by Tarjei Vesaas
I Read Cereal Boxes board game 2. - ugly cover - Dallergut Dream Department Store by Miye Lee
I Read Cereal Boxes board game 3. - published between 1990 and 2020 - The Ventriloquists by E.R. Ramzipoor
I Read Cereal Boxes board game 4. - grey cover - In the Light of Morning by Tim Pears
Reading Through Time - character with disability - The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
BingoDOG - 1. - big or little in title - The Secrets of the Little Greek Taverna by Erin Palmisano
BingoDOG - 2. - written by person of colour - Stolen by Ann-Helen Laestadius
✅ BingoDOG - 3. - ugly cover - Lost In The Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire
CalendarCAT - Armenia, Australia and the Great War by Vicken Babkenian (ANZAC Day) -
HistoryCAT - Riots, revolutions, and mayhem - The Wardrobe Mistress by Meghan Masterson (French Revolution)
✅ PrizeCAT - Women's writing - Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton (winner 2023 Eisner Award for best graphic memoir)
RandomKIT - Enchanting garden visitors - The Bird Singers by Eve Wersocki Morris
AlphaKIT - For U - Growing Up In Communist Albania by Nosh Mernacaj
AlphaKIT - For O - When The World Was Ours by Liz Kessler
MysteryKIT - Series - Dark September by Inger Wolf
ScaredyKIT - Witches, Evil Spirits, Black Magic - Dark Witch by Nora Roberts
✅ SFFKIT - Time travel - Time Lost: A Time Travel Novel by Elyse Douglas

Carry forward from January
SFFKIT - Epic fantasy - Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb

Carry forward from February
Read Around The World - The Lace Weaver by Lauren Chater (Estonia)
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 1. Classic square - The Princess of Cleves by Madame de La Fayette

Carry forward from March
I Read Cereal Boxes board game 4. Flowers on cover - Small Fry by Lisa Brennan-Jobs
✅ CalendarCAT - The Bitter Glass by Eilís Dillon (author born March 7, 1920)
HistoryCAT - Science and medicine - The Radium Girls by Kate Moore
RandomKIT - World Wildlife Day - Birds and Us by Tim Birkhead
SFFKIT - Space opera - Black Sheep by Rachel Aukes

My favourite readathon takes place from 13th April to 11th May - Eurovisionathon!

37 countries will be competing this year. If you can read a book for each of the 37 countries, then you will definitely rack up lots of points! If you read a book for a country that is knocked out in a semi final however, the points for that book will be lost from your tally. So although I try to choose a book for each country, I know I will not read them all. Thus I read based on the odds. At the moment, Croatia is the favourite to win, with Switzerland a close second.

The books I have chosen so far are:

Albania - Growing Up In Communist Albania by Nosh Mernacaj
Armenia - Armenia, Australia and the Great War by Vicken Babkenian
Australia - The Strays by Emily Bitto
Austria - When The World Was Ours by Liz Kessler
Azerbaijan - Ali and Nino by Kurban Said
Belgium - The Ventriloquists by E.R. Ramzipoor
Croatia - The Hired Man by Aminatta Forna
Cyprus - The Sunrise by Victoria Hislop
Czechia - The Prisoner's Wife by Maggie Brookes
Denmark - Dark September by Inger Wolf
Estonia - The Lace Weaver by Lauren Chater
Finland - The Winter Place by Alexander Yates
France - The Wardrobe Mistress by Meghan Masterson
Georgia - Hard By a Great Forest by Leo Vardiashvili
Germany - Gutenberg's Apprentice by Alix Christie
Greece - The Secrets of the Little Greek Taverna by Erin Palmisano
Iceland - Independent People by Halldor Laxness
Ireland - Dark Witch by Nora Roberts
Israel - The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem by Sarit Yishai-Levi
Italy - The Madonna of the Mountains by Elise Valmorbida
Latvia - The Story of the Forest by Linda Grant
Lithuania - Words on Fire by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Luxembourg - The Expats by Chris Pavone
Malta - The Jukebox Queen of Malta by Nicholas Rinaldi
Moldova - A Wartime Marriage by Mary Jane Staples
Netherlands - Vincent & Sien by Silvia Kwon
Norway - The Birds by Tarjei Vesaas
Poland - The Bird Singers by Eve Wersocki Morris
Portugal - Summer Lightning by Pamela Oldfield
San Marino -
Serbia - The Snows of Serbia by Stevan Idjidovic Stevens
Slovenia - In the Light of Morning by Tim Pears
Spain - Hidden Valley by Paul Richardson
Sweden - Stolen by Ann-Helen Laestadius
Switzerland - Heidi by Johanna Spyri
Ukraine - The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh
UK - The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Any suggestions for San Marino gratefully accepted (although they are sitting at the bottom of the odds). There is a wonderful series called Around The World in 80 Men and San Marino is one of the books. Definite last resort!

March reading:

3929 pages read

16 books read in the following formats:

4 Kindle Unlimited
12 library

April 2024

45. The Bitter Glass by Eilís Dillon - finished 2nd April 2024 - March CalendarCAT (author born March 7, 1920; St Patrick's Day)
46. Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire - finished 3rd April 2024 - BingoDOG - ugly cover
47. Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton - finished 4th April 2024 - April PrizeCAT - womens writing
48. Time Lost: A Time Travel Novel by Elyse Douglas - finished 7th April 2024 - April SFFKIT - time travel
49. The Princess of Cleves by Madame de La Fayette - finished 10th April 2024 - February I Read Cereal Boxes board game - classic
50. Heidi by Johanna Spyri - finished 19th April 2024 - BingoDOG - reread a favourite book
51. The Collaborator's Daughter by Eva Glyn - finished 30th April 2024 - Read Around The World (Croatia)

51/211 = 24.17%

Read Around The World 3/12 = 25% The Collaborator's Daughter
I Read Cereal Boxes board game 11/48 = 22.92% The Princess of Cleves
Reading Through Time = 4/16 = 25%
BingoDOG 7/25 = 28% Lost in the Moment and Found, Heidi
CalendarCAT 3/12 = 25% The Bitter Glass
HistoryCAT 2/12 = 16.67%
PrizeCAT 4/12 = 33.33% Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands
RandomKIT 1/12 = 8.33%
AlphaKIT 7/26 = 26.92%
MysteryKIT 3/12 = 25%
ScaredyKIT 3/12 = 25%
SFFKIT 2/12 = 16.67% Time Lost: A Time Travel Novel

Book 45. The Bitter Glass by Eilis Dillon

March CalendarCAT - author born March 7, 1920; St. Patrick's Day

Subtle, understated writing leading to such sorrow. We see the events from so many different viewpoints, yet the narrative does not seem jumpy or disjointed at all. Perfectly captures the tension and tragedy of these few days against the backdrop of the Irish Civil War in 1922.

Book 46. Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire

BingoDOG - ugly cover

On the surface, this series can be seen as a delightful fantasy series about magical worlds and the doors between them. In reality, the author's understanding and compassion for the lost children makes this so much more. This book in particular dealt with grooming and gaslighting and was very disturbing. I very much appreciate that the author has no fear of bringing these topics into the light, showing how difficult it is for children to recognise the danger signs when they have no experience or knowledge to draw from.
These 'wayward' children are not "difficult to control or predict because of wilful or perverse behaviour"(dictionary meaning) - they just need to be seen and understood.

Book 47. Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton

April PrizeCAT - womens writing - winner 2023 Eisner Award for best graphic memoir

I have never read a graphic memoir and what a stunning introduction to the medium this was. The author displays brutal honesty in relating her experiences, where most of the time such experiences are swept under the carpet and treated as 'just the way things are in the camps.' A harrowing, but oftentimes humorous read, this is an important and necessary book to shed light on the harassment, bullying and other toxic behaviour that occurs in these fishbowl environments.

"They don't think that the loneliness and homesickness and boredom and lack of women around would affect their brother or dad or husband the same way-"

The author takes pains to point out that it is not simply a case of 'bad people' behaving badly, but the insular workplace and the wilful ignoring of the problems from top management down that create such terrible working and living conditions.

>149 JayneCM: True crime is also ne of my favorite genres, also. Putting this one on my ever burgeoning WL!

Book 48. Time Lost: A Time Travel Novel by Elyse Douglas

April SFFKIT - time travel

I'll admit, time travel is my favourite and it would be difficult to find a time travel book I would not enjoy. That being said, this was a gripping read and different from others I have read. The time travel being instigated by aliens added an extra dimension to this story as did the choice Sally had to make. Sally really grabbed your heart and made you care about her past/future. All the characters were well written and well rounded, making you interested in them all.
A wonderful story. I am looking forward to reading more of this author's time travel novels.

Book 49. The Princess of Cleves by Madame de La Fayette

February I Read Cereal Boxes board game - classic

"Ambition and gallantry were the soul of the Court, and employed both sexes equally."

"Truth and appearances seldom go together."

The French Court with all its secrecy, affairs, deception, ambition and intrigue, but Madame de Cleves wants no part of it. A woman with a conscience does not belong.
Unfortunately not terribly interesting and much too drawn out.

Book 50. Heidi by Johanna Spyri

BingoDOG - reread a favourite book

Heidi is just as charming and delightful as I remember her to be. A sweet read, although maybe a little preachy for some readers. I remember as a young reader being somewhat obsessed with these late Victorian era children's books about invalids and Heidi is a lovely example.

>170 JayneCM: This was also one of my fave books when I was a child. I am not sure how many times my sisters and I saw the movie starring Shirley Temple.

Book 51. The Collaborator's Daughter by Eva Glyn

Read Around The World - Croatia

An interesting story told through dual timelines. Fran's struggle with finding meaning in her life as she grows older and is no longer needed by her family was very relatable, but it could have been condensed somewhat. Too many pages of Fran's questioning herself and debating what she should do. The World War II timeline was more compelling, but made up much less of the book.

My plan for May CATs, KITs and other reads - main plan is to try and catch up! :(

Carry forward from January
SFFKIT - Epic fantasy - Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb

Carry forward from March
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game 4. Flowers on cover - Small Fry by Lisa Brennan-Jobs
✅ BingoDOG - set in the city - The Book Cat by Polly Faber
HistoryCAT - Science and medicine - The Radium Girls by Kate Moore
✅ RandomKIT - World Wildlife Day - Birds and Us by Tim Birkhead
✅ SFFKIT - Space opera - Black Sheep by Rachel Aukes

Carry forward from April
I Read Cereal Boxes board game 1. - living creature in title - The Birds by Tarjei Vesaas
I Read Cereal Boxes board game 2. - ugly cover - You'd Look Better As A Ghost by Joanna Wallace
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game 3. - published between 1990 and 2020 - Amelia Fang and the Lost Yeti Treasures by Laura Ellen Anderson (2019)
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game 4. - grey cover - Edge of Collapse by Kyla Stone
✅ Reading Through Time - character with disability - The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
✅ CalendarCAT - When The Lights Go Out by Carys Bray (Earth Day)
✅ HistoryCAT - Riots, revolutions, and mayhem - The Wardrobe Mistress by Meghan Masterson (French Revolution)
✅ RandomKIT - Enchanting garden visitors - The Bird Singers by Eve Wersocki Morris
✅ AlphaKIT - For U - The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady by Sharon J. Mondragon
✅ AlphaKIT - For O - Peril At Owl Park by Marthe Jocelyn
✅ MysteryKIT - Series - Lace and Lies by Nancy Warren
✅ ScaredyKIT - Witches, Evil Spirits, Black Magic - Dark Witch by Nora Roberts

May
✅ Read Around The World - The Interpretation of Cakes by Allan Tegg (Hungary)
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 1. - letter M in title - Edge of Madness by Kyla Stone
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 2. - Classic - On The Seaboard by August Strindberg
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 3. - Green cover - The Velvet City by Isobelle Carmody
I Read Cereal Boxes board game 4. - Published between 1950 and 1990 - Independent People by Halldor Laxness
Reading Through Time - International Labour Day - The Iron Heel by Jack London
Reading Through Time (second quarter - ancient/biblical) - Eden: Biblical Fiction of the World's First Family by Brennan McPherson
BingoDOG - fewer than 100 copies on LT - Edge of Darkness by Kyla Stone
✅ BingoDOG - a topic about which you have specific knowledge or expertise - The No Spend Challenge Guide by Jen Smith
CalendarCAT - Sisters Under The Rising Sun by Heather Morris (May 24th, International Tiara Day) -
HistoryCAT - Middle Ages - Gutenberg's Apprentice by Alix Christie
PrizeCAT - Doubling up - The Shipping News by Annie Proulx (1993 National Book Award for Fiction, 1993 Irish Times International Fiction Prize, 1994 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction)
RandomKIT - Art and architecture - Vincent & Sien by Silvia Kwon
AlphaKIT - For N - Neverhome by Laird Hunt
AlphaKIT - For P - Poor Things by Alasdair Gray
MysteryKIT - The Golden Age - A Man Lay Dead by Ngaio Marsh
✅ ScaredyKIT - Graphic novels and short works - Something Is Killing The Children Volume 1 by James Tynion IV
SFFKIT - Archaeology - Navigating The Stars by Maria V. Snyder

May 2024

52. Something Is Killing The Children Volume 1 by James Tynion IV - finished 3rd May 2024 - May ScaredyKIT -graphic novels and short works
53. The Wardrobe Mistress by Meghan Masterson - finished 7th May 2024 - April HistoryCAT - riots, revolutions and mayhem
54. Small Fry by Lisa Brennan-Jobs - finished 8th May 2024 - March I Read Cereal Boxes board game - flowers on cover
55. The Book Cat by Polly Faber - finished 9th May 2024 - BingoDOG - set in a city
56. The No Spend Challenge Guide by Jen Smith - finished 10th May 2024 - BingoDOG - a topic about which you have specific knowledge or expertise
57. Dark Witch by Nora Roberts - finished 11th May 2024 - April ScaredyKIT - witches, evil spirits, black magic
58. The Velvet City by Isobelle Carmody - finished 12th May 2024 - May I Read Cereal Boxes board game - green cover
59. Edge of Collapse by Kyla Stone - finished 14th May 2024 - April I Read Cereal Boxes board game - grey cover
60. The Interpretation of Cakes by Allan Tegg - finished 15th May 2024 - Read Around The World - Hungary
61. The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady by Sharon Mondragon - finished 16th May 2024 - April AlphaKIT - letter U
62. When The Lights Go Out by Carys Bray - finished 19th May 2024 - April CalendarCAT (Earth Day April 22nd)
63. Amelia Fang and the Lost Yeti Treasures by Laura Ellen Anderson - finished 20th May 2024 - April I Read Cereal Boxes board game - published between 1990 and 2020
64. Edge of Madness by Kyla Stone - finished 22nd May 2024 - May I Read Cereal Boxes board game - letter M in title
65. Peril At Owl Park by Marthe Jocelyn - finished 23rd May 2024 - April AlphaKIT - letter O
66. Lace and Lies by Nancy Warren - finished 25th May 2024 - April MysteryKIT - series
67. The Bird Singers by Eve Wersocki Morris - finished 27th May 2024 - April RandomKIT - enchanting garden visitors
68. Birds and Us by Tim Birkhead - finished 28th May 2024 - May RandomKIT - World Wildlife Day
69. Black Sheep by Rachel Aukes - finished 30th May 2024 - March SFFKIT - space opera
70. The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley - finished 31st May 2024 - April Reading Through Time - character with disability

70/211 = 33.18%

Read Around The World 4/12 = 33.33% The Interpretation of Cakes
I Read Cereal Boxes board game 16/48 = 33.33% Small Fry, The Velvet City, Edge of Collapse, Amelia Fang and the Lost Yeti Treasures, Edge of Madness
Reading Through Time = 5/16 = 31.25% The War That Saved My Life
BingoDOG 9/25 = 36% The Book Cat, The No Spend Challenge Guide
CalendarCAT 4/12 = 33.33% When The Lights Go Out
HistoryCAT 3/12 = 25% The Wardrobe Mistress
PrizeCAT 4/12 = 33.33%
RandomKIT 4/12 = 33.33% The Bird Singers, Birds and Us
AlphaKIT 9/26 = 34.62% The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady, Peril At Owl Park
MysteryKIT 4/12 = 33.33% Lace and Lies
ScaredyKIT 5/12 = 41.67% Something Is Killing The Children Volume 1, Dark Witch
SFFKIT 3/12 = 25% Black Sheep

Book 52. Something Is Killing The Children Volume 1 by James Tynion IV

May ScaredyKIT - graphic novels and short works

"We're going to need weapons. LOTS of weapons."

Chillingly crafted with dark and horrifying artwork, this gives you the creeps in all the right ways. Erica is an awesome badass with a heart which I hope won't get her into trouble in future volumes. Ending on a cliff hanger - definitely need to get to Volume 2!

Book 53. The Wardrobe Mistress by Meghan Masterson

April HistoryCAT - riots, revolutions and mayhem

Following the story of Giselle, a fictional tirewoman serving Marie Antoinette, we see the ill-fated queen's last years. Rather than the flighty, rather silly woman often described, Marie Antoinette is timid and unsure of herself, yet retains her dignity and poise until the end. Through Giselle, we see the contrast between the revolutionary fervour stirring up extreme hatred for the royal family and the royal family, particularly the queen, as actual people.
A melancholy read about a turbulent period of French history.

Book 54. Small Fry by Lisa Brennan-Jobs

March I Read Cereal Boxes board game - flowers on cover

". . . he just withholds his affection in a pattern I can't predict or control."

What a confusing childhood. Steve Jobs was certainly a strange man - manipulative, unpredictable and often cruel - leading to an inconsistent and bewildering childhood for his oldest daughter.
An honest and beautifully written memoir.

Book 55. The Book Cat by Polly Faber

BingoDOG - set in a city

Books and cats - what's not to love?!
Polly Faber's grandfather ran Faber and Faber during World War II, the time period of this book. The author has invented a story based on Morgan, the real book cat who turned up at Faber and Faber one day during the war and never left.
The story of Morgan training the kittens of the Blitz to be book cats so they can be evacuated is just charming, while still bringing home to readers the terror of that time.
The illustrations are lovely.
I particularly love how the book has been formatted to look like older books, with the font and the illustrations being in those traditional colours of black, white and red/pink.

Book 56. The No Spend Challenge Guide by Jen Smith

BingoDOG - a topic about which you have specific knowledge or expertise

A great guide for those starting out with a no spend challenge, but nothing ground breaking here. You could easily find this information, and much more, on the author's podcast. There is not much detail, more a general guide to use as a jump off point.
But it is always useful to read anything about the road to financial freedom as a motivator.

>178 JayneCM: Taking a BB for this one. I agree nothing compares to books or cats.

Book 57. Dark Witch by Nora Roberts

April ScaredyKIT - witches, evil spirits, black magic

The perfect setting for this story of evil and the three who must defeat it. The beginning of the book was strong, with the story of the original Dark Witch in the 1200s. Fast forward to modern day Ireland and we meet the three descendants who, on finally having been brought together, will have the power to defeat the evil Cabhan.
Such atmosphere in the setting, with ruined castles and graveyards aplenty. The animal guides of the three also added much to the ancient magic feel. However, it was quite slow and meandering in the lead up to the battle. And the battle itself was over incredibly quickly and not very well described.
But still a very enjoyable read and I am certainly intrigued and love the premise enough to continue with the series.

Book 58. The Velvet City by Isobelle Carmody

May I Read Cereal Boxes board game - green cover

The final book in the Kingdom of the Lost and it was just as intriguing as the previous books. A totally unique fantasy experience as the world building is so unusual. As always though, I adore the relationships, the love and friendship, between the two brothers and the Monster. A very satisfying conclusion to their quest.

Book 59. Edge of Collapse by Kyla Stone

April I Read Cereal Boxes board game - grey cover

Wow, this started from the first page and didn't let up! An adrenaline ride for the whole book. I may have stayed up way too late to read it all in one sitting!
I am a big fan of post-apocalyptic fiction, so went into this expecting the usual fare - this is more a thriller.
The EMP gave Hannah the chance to escape the sadistic man who has kept her captive for five years. But he is determined to hunt her down.

Book 60. The Interpretation of Cakes by Allan Tegg

Read Around The World - Hungary

What a bizarre, fascinating and rewarding novella. The choice of a customer's cake determines their mental state. But as the cake seller helps the customer, he is also being helped, reflecting the nature of the relationship between a psychotherapist and their client.
Heart warming, charming and delightful, this book also has such a beautiful sense of place in its descriptions of Budapest in the early twentieth century.
And of course, the cakes! I felt like I needed to make an immediate trip to Monarch Cakes in Acland Street and pick up some Chocolate Kooglhoupf!

Book 61. The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady by Sharon Mondragon

April AlphaKIT - letter U

A cosy, heart warming book about the power of knitting and the power of prayer, particularly prayer that may not be answered as we wish it to be.

>150 JayneCM: I read a book about the Princes in the Tower - the one by Alison Weir I believe - and how great that there is a book that sets out to show how one or both of them survived.

>176 JayneCM: It seems that more books written about Marie Antoinette these days talk about her growing common sense and not just her flightiness. Or at least, looking at her with a modern vision, how many 15 year olds from the upper echelons of society could handle all that life threw at her just in her first few years of marriage?

>177 JayneCM: Oh wow. So now the children of the tech giants have grown into adults and are willing to shed light on their dads. Good for her - I will definitely put this on my Wishlist! I love my Apple laptop, but the more I hear about Steve Jobs the less I like and respect him.

Can't wait to see what else you read this spring and summer!

Book 62. When The Lights Go Out by Carys Bray

April CalendarCAT - Earth Day (April 22nd)

This is not the post-apocalyptic book you may expect from the title, but more a portrait of marriage and other family relationships. How do we weather change when the viewpoints, values, goals and dreams of each person are heading off on different tangents? How far is too far? How different can each person become to make the relationship untenable?
The author explores marriage and parent/child relationships in a story that builds slowly with, to be honest, not much happening. But in this way it is completely reminiscent of real life. How much actually happens in our daily lives that is worth reporting or exciting? I feel this made the book instantly accessible and recognisable, whether you are concerned about climate change or not. This was simply the catalyst for the developments in Chris and Emma's marriage.

Book 63. Amelia Fang and the Lost Yeti Treasures by Laura Ellen Anderson

April I Read Cereal Boxes board game - published between 1990 and 2020

Another adorable adventure with Amelia and the gang. I love the little touches of perhaps more adult humour, such as a chapter titled "Draw Me Like One Of Your Yetis."
Perfect illustrations as always. The page colours alternating between white on black and black on white make it much more interesting and add to the spooky feel.

Book 64. Edge of Madness by Kyla Stone

May I Read Cereal Boxes board game - letter M in title

The build up in this second book was slower, more of your typical post-apocalyptic story than the first book. How long does it take for the veneer of civilisation to wear thin when the normal world breaks down?
In the case of some people, not very long, which leads to a thrilling end to the book.
A highly addictive series. I cannot wait to head to the next book.

Book 65. Peril At Owl Park by Marthe Jocelyn

April AlphaKIT - letter O

Another murder mystery for the young Aggie Morton and her Belgian friend, Hector Perot, to solve. This is a most enjoyable series - I particularly enjoy the references to Agatha Christie's works.

>190 JayneCM: One I haven't read!

>190 JayneCM: I know this is on my Kindle somewhere! Thanks for the reminder.

>189 JayneCM: I am adding Edge of Collapse and Edge of Madness to my Kindle Unlimited list, it sounds like a fun series!

Book 66. Lace and Lies by Nancy Warren

April MysteryKIT - series

A fun addition to the series. I found it entertaining that literally every person had a connection to the victim - this definitely led me off the track. There was also some more about Lucy's burgeoning powers as a witch.

>194 JayneCM: This one bears looking into. I have only read a few in this series.

Book 67. The Bird Singers by Eve Wersocki Morris

April RandomKIT - enchanting garden visitors

"Lean in! To hear a tale of dark misdeeds,
A cunning foe - a villainess - draws near . . .
Released from myth, she prowls with feathered tread.
Mistrust her human face - monster she does be."

I love stories based on myths and legends from around the world, in this case the Vila or Vile of ancient Slavic poetry and other bird/woman creatures of mythology.
A captivating story of the choices and responsibilities that come with great power.

Book 68. Birds and Us by Tim Birkhead

March RandomKIT - World Wildlife Day

A fascinating look at the history of human interaction with birds. As you learn more about birds, the author's epilogue strikes home even harder as he asks for our "compassionate empathy" for birds, and indeed the entire planet.
Very readable and extremely interesting with the author's love and respect for birds shining through.

Book 69. Black Sheep by Rachel Aukes

March SFFKIT - space opera

While the story was interesting and high on action, the characters were two-dimensional, particularly the main character, Throttle. There was so much scope for development of her character and provision of more back story.
While appreciating the fact that the main character is a paraplegic, it was countered by the fact that she has high-tech leg braces that enable her to walk and run 'normally'. Certain aspects of the portrayal of Throttle made me cringe.

Book 70. The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

April Reading Through Time - character with disability

A beautiful story of a beautiful girl finding her place and a family to love and be loved by. Told in first person, Ada's voice is heart breaking and movingly portrayed as we see her slowly move towards acceptance of herself. The abuse she has suffered from the person who should love her most is horrendous and so difficult to read. Yet Ada shines through. The author has created a true heroine in Ada.

Totals For May

5973 pages read.

19 books read in the following formats:

5 Kindle Unlimited
13 library
1 owned

My plan for June CATs, KITs and other reads

Carry forward from January
SFFKIT - Epic fantasy - Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb

Carry forward from March
✅ HistoryCAT - Science and medicine - The Radium Girls by Kate Moore

Carry forward from April
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game 1. - living creature in title - The Birds by Tarjei Vesaas
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game 2. - ugly cover - Memento Mori by Muriel Spark

Carry forward from May
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 2. - Classic - On The Seaboard by August Strindberg
I Read Cereal Boxes board game 4. - Published between 1950 and 1990 - Independent People by Halldor Laxness
✅ Reading Through Time - International Labour Day - The Iron Heel by Jack London
Reading Through Time (second quarter - ancient/biblical) - Eden: Biblical Fiction of the World's First Family by Brennan McPherson
✅ BingoDOG - fewer than 100 copies on LT - Edge of Darkness by Kyla Stone
✅ CalendarCAT - The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (May 8th-9th, Time of Remembrance for those who lost their lives in WWII)
HistoryCAT - Middle Ages - Gutenberg's Apprentice by Alix Christie
PrizeCAT - Doubling up - The Shipping News by Annie Proulx (1993 National Book Award for Fiction, 1993 Irish Times International Fiction Prize, 1994 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction)
RandomKIT - Art and architecture - The Last Collection by Jeanne Mackin
AlphaKIT - For N - Neverhome by Laird Hunt
✅ AlphaKIT - For P - Poor Things by Alasdair Gray
✅ MysteryKIT - The Golden Age - A Man Lay Dead by Ngaio Marsh
SFFKIT - Archaeology - Navigating The Stars by Maria V. Snyder

June
Read Around The World - Motherland: A Memoir by Paula Ramon (Venezuela)
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 1. - yellow cover - A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning-Wroe
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 2. - blue cover - The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 3. - thriller - Edge of Anarchy by Kyla Stone
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 4. - orange cover - My Way To You by Catherine Bybee
Reading Through Time - Wonders of the World - The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World by Bettany Hughes
✅ BingoDOG - current or recent bestseller - Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
✅ BingoDOG - big or little in title - The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson
✅ CalendarCAT - Heartstopper Volume 5 by Alice Oseman (Pride Month) -
HistoryCAT - Historians - The Rest Is History by Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook
PrizeCAT - Book lists - Life of Pi by Yann Martel (on 1001 Book list, won 2002 Booker)
RandomKIT - Initials - Strange Journey by Maud Cairnes
✅ AlphaKIT - For J - Joy Moody Is Out Of Time by Kerryn Mayne
✅ AlphaKIT - For B - Bobbles and Broomsticks by Nancy Warren
✅ MysteryKIT - New to you author - Spelling The Tea by Erin Johnson
✅ ScaredyKIT - Serial killers - You'd Look Better As A Ghost by Joanna Wallace
SFFKIT - Monsters - Rise of the World Eater by Jamie Littler

>199 JayneCM: I enjoyed that one when I read it.

I popped in to let you know that a short story The Buttercross Dragon is available on Kindle for free. You introduced me to this series, so thank you very much.

>201 JayneCM: I am now waiting on your reviews of You'd Look Better As A Ghost (I love the title) and Poor Things (my husband and I both enjoyed the movie).

>201 JayneCM: I am hoping to read the second book this month.

>202 thornton37814: Ooh, thank you! I need to continue with my dragons! I have been holding off watching Poor Things until I have read the book - it looks like a fabulous movie.

For June, July and August, I will also be attempting to fit my reads into The 52 Book Club Summer Reading Challenge. Not summer for me, but it is based on the Olympics this year.

There are 24 prompts in total, 8 sets of 3 focusing on different sports or sections of the Olympics, with a bronze medal, silver medal and gold medal prompt in each set.
For example:



All the prompts are here.
https://www.the52book.club/summer-2024-reading-challenge/

I love the Olympics, so this should be fun!

June 2024

71. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros - finished 3rd June 2024 - BingoDOG - current or recent bestseller
72. Heartstopper Volume 5 by Alice Oseman - finished 4th June 2024 - June CalendarCAT - Pride Month
73. Edge of Darkness by Kyla Stone - finished 6th June 2024 - BingoDOG - less than 100 copies on LT
74. The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson - finished 10th June 2024 - BingoDOG - word 'big' or 'little' in title
75. You'd Look Better As A Ghost by Joanna Wallace - finished 13th June 2024 - June ScaredyKIT - serial killer
76. The Birds by Tarjei Vesaas - finished 15th June 2024 - April I Read Cereal Boxes board game - living creature in title
77. The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley - finished 16th June 2024 - May CalendarCAT - May 8th-9th, Time of Remembrance for those who lost their lives in WWII
78. The Iron Heel by Jack London - finished 18th June 2024 - May Reading Through Time - International Labour Day
79. Bobbles and Broomsticks by Nancy Warren - finished 19th June 2024 - June AlphaKIT - letter B
80. Joy Moody Is Out Of Time by Kerryn Mayne - finished 20th June 2024 - June AlphaKIT - letter J
81. A Man Lay Dead by Ngaio Marsh - finished 21st June 2024 - May MysteryKIT - The Golden Age
82. Spelling The Tea by Erin Johnson - finished 22nd June 2024 - June MysteryKIT - new to you author
83. Memento Mori by Muriel Spark - finished 25th June 2024 - April I Read Cereal Boxes board game - ugly cover
84. Poor Things by Alasdair Gray - finished 27th June 2024 - May AlphaKIT - letter P
85. The Radium Girls by Kate Moore - finished 30th June 2024 - March HistoryCAT - science and medicine

85/211 = 40.28%

Read Around The World 4/12 = 33.33%
I Read Cereal Boxes board game 18/48 = 37.5% The Birds, Memento Mori
Reading Through Time = 6/16 = 37.5% The Iron Heel
BingoDOG 12/25 = 48% Fourth Wing, Edge of Darkness, The Little Wartime Library
CalendarCAT 6/12 = 50% Heartstopper Volume 5, The War I Finally Won
HistoryCAT 4/12 = 33.33% The Radium Girls
PrizeCAT 4/12 = 33.33%
RandomKIT 4/12 = 33.33%
AlphaKIT 12/26 = 46.15% Bobbles and Broomsticks, Joy Moody Is Out Of Time, Poor Things
MysteryKIT 6/12 = 50% A Man Lay Dead, Spelling The Tea
ScaredyKIT 6/12 = 50% You'd Look Better As A Ghost
SFFKIT 3/12 = 25%

Book 71. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

BingoDOG - current or recent bestseller

This book made me ANGRY from beginning to end. How does an author get to sell so many copies of a book that has not an original thought in it? Many previous reviews have pointed out the blatant copying from sources such as The Hunger Games, Shadow and Bone and Game of Thrones, to name a few. My thoughts on reading were that it is basically Skandar and the Unicorn Thief, but with dragons and sex.
Nope, just nope. Still annoyed about it.

>207 JayneCM: I'd already pretty much decided not to read Fourth Wing, and your review definitely validates my decision! :) Sorry you had to suffer through it, though!

>208 christina_reads: I had previously decided not to read it. But then a friend read it and loved it and I thought I'd give it a go. Definitely regretting that choice now!

Book 72. Heartstopper Volume 5 by Alice Oseman

June CalendarCAT - Pride Month

Nick and Charlie are so adorable! I never want Heartstopper to end.

>205 JayneCM: -That does look like fun. Someday I'm going to try one of them.

Book 73. Edge of Darkness by Kyla Stone

BingoDOG - less than 100 copies on LT

"How will we hold onto our humanity? Our souls?

To survive, maybe we need to set our humanity aside for a while."

It is now two weeks since the EMP and civilised behaviour is definitely out the window. The residents of Fall Creek are looking more at future survival and there are many disagreements about what is acceptable.
This is a highly addictive series; keeps you on the edge of your seat through the whole book.

Book 74. The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson

BingoDOG - the word 'big' or 'little' in title

"We can look back upon this subterranean library with mixed feelings of pride in a task well done, and heartfelt hope that it will never have to be done again."

So said George F. Vale, borough librarian of Bethnal Green, and one of the founders of the underground library.

I thoroughly enjoyed this fictional look at the Tube station library established during World War II, particularly the extra 40 pages of notes, history and anecdotes.
The fictional librarians in the book, Clara and Ruby, were indomitable and such an inspiration. Such a fascinating look into the community of the underground shelters.

Book 75. You'd Look Better As A Ghost by Joanna Wallace

June ScaredyKIT - serial killer

"The best kind of friend, my hammer has been with me during all the important moments of my life."

Deliciously macabre, Claire's dark, irreverent and hilariously insightful inner monologue as she ponders the strangeness of 'ordinary' people is just a delight. Her voice reminded me of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine but with a hammer and a heart for murder. Or is it justice?
The humour is wicked and shocking - you find yourself laughing out loud and then thinking 'I shouldn't laugh at that'. It makes you feel a little bit naughty yourself!
Who thought you could term a book about a serial killer a delight?!

>214 JayneCM: Taking a BB for this one. I feel like I would enjoy it immensely.

>215 lowelibrary: Hope you enjoy it!

>207 JayneCM: This sounds like my experience with an earlier book from the 70's (that became a series) that was far too closely based on Tolkien for my taste.

>214 JayneCM: It sounds wonderful! And I loved "Eleanor Oliphaunt" so thank your excellent review.

Book 76. The Birds by Tarjei Vesaas

April I Read Cereal Boxes board game - living creature in title

"Mattis asked: 'Why are things they way they are?'"

"The world was full of forces you couldn't fight against which suddenly loomed up and aimed a crushing blow at you."

A beautifully melancholic piece. The story of Mattis and his sister Hege is gentle and poignant. The confusion, frustration, terror and anger of Mattis at his condition is so genuinely told, you feel every emotion with him. All set in the majestic surrounds of the Norwegian landscape. The graceful beauty of this book will stay with me.

Book 77. The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

May CalendarCAT - May 8th-9th, Time of Remembrance for those who lost their lives in WWII

Another beautiful story about Ada. The uncertainty and terror of the war is vividly brought to life, particularly for children who would have not understood or known exactly what was happening.
Ada shows, once again, her bravery in the face of physical and emotional danger. She is an inspiration.

Book 78. The Iron Heel by Jack London

May Reading Through Time - International Labour Day

I do enjoy the technique of writing the story as though it is a manuscript from the past, including footnotes. We are looking at the beginning of the twentieth century from many centuries in the future.
London tells the story of Ernest Everhard and the revolutionists fight for justice for the common labourer. It is about the class struggle and conflict of interest between labour and capital.
The extremely abrupt ending is frustrating but also ensures that the reader will continue to ponder the story well after finishing it in an attempt to create their own ending.

Book 79. Bobbles and Broomsticks by Nancy Warren

June AlphaKIT - letter B

Another enjoyable book in this series as Lucy finally learns to fly! Nyx the cat is adorable as Lucy's familiar and total cool cat on the broomstick.

Book 80. Joy Moody Is Out Of Time by Kerryn Mayne

June AlphaKIT - letter J

A beautiful, quirky and intriguing mystery, all about what makes a family and the lengths a mother will go to for her children. The time travel element was fascinating as the reader tries to unravel the mystery of where the twins came from. The characters are all wonderful, even if a few of them are somewhat obvious.
A most enjoyable and captivating read.

Book 81. A Man Lay Dead by Ngaio Marsh

May MysteryKIT - The Golden Age

What a shame that only the first book in the Roderick Alleyn series in available on Kindle Unlimited - hopefully I can track down others elsewhere.
An intriguing and unusual method of carrying out the murder, with two crimes being played out simultaneously.
The detective was not fleshed out much as a character, but I am sure he will be in future books, of which there are 32!

Book 82. Spelling The Tea by Erin Johnson

June MysteryKIT - new to you author

I must admit to a particular fondness for witch/vampire cosy mysteries and the first in this series is delightful. The setting of Bath, the love of Jane Austen and especially the charm of the Bath Butler Cafe made this a charming read.

>223 JayneCM: I hope you continue to enjoy the Alleyn series! I think his character doesn't really start developing until six or seven books in, though. :)

My mother loved Ngaio Marsh. I read most of my mother’s collection when I was a teenager and enjoyed them and reread a few of them in the 1990s.
I recommended Ngaio Marsh to a friend and she read A Man Lay Dead and hated it. I think I gave it 3.5 stars when I reread it.

Book 83. Memento Mori by Muriel Spark

April I Read Cereal Boxes board game - ugly cover

"'Remember you must die."'

So says the anonymous voice on the telephone, making calls to various elderly people. Is it a threat, or simply pointing out a simple fact of life? We are born, we live, we die.
Muriel Spark's keen and scathing wit is turned on a group of elderly men and women. As always, she is brutally honest in her forthright descriptions of her characters and the indignity, frustration and often humiliation of growing old.

Book 84. Poor Things by Alasdair Gray

May AlphaKIT - letter P

An intriguing book within a book, featuring two contradictory narrators, describing the creation of Bella Baxter. With obvious nods to Frankenstein and Jane Eyre among others, this is a quirky and fascinating ride through Victorian Glasgow as we see Bella bloom while she investigates the world.
Many questions are raised - who is Bella, which account of her story is the correct one, will we ever really know?

>228 JayneCM: Taking a BB for this one. My husband and I both enjoyed the movie.

>224 JayneCM: Taking a BB on this one!

>227 JayneCM: I really like Muriel Spark's books and wish I hadn't read read her autobiography. Trying to forget it!

Book 85. The Radium Girls by Kate Moore

March HistoryCAT - science and medicine

A harrowing read. The pain and suffering endured by the 'ghost girls' is unimaginable. And then for the companies involved to deny any responsibility and even cover up misinformation they supplied to their workers is reprehensible.

My plan for July CATs, KITs and other reads

Carry forward from January
SFFKIT - Epic fantasy - Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb

Carry forward from May
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 2. - Classic - On The Seaboard by August Strindberg
I Read Cereal Boxes board game 4. - Published between 1950 and 1990 - Independent People by Halldor Laxness
✅ Reading Through Time (second quarter - ancient/biblical) - Eden: Biblical Fiction of the World's First Family by Brennan McPherson
HistoryCAT - Middle Ages - Gutenberg's Apprentice by Alix Christie
PrizeCAT - Doubling up - The Shipping News by Annie Proulx (1993 National Book Award for Fiction, 1993 Irish Times International Fiction Prize, 1994 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction)
✅ RandomKIT - Art and architecture - The Last Collection by Jeanne Mackin
✅ AlphaKIT - For N - Neverhome by Laird Hunt
SFFKIT - Archaeology - Navigating The Stars by Maria V. Snyder

Carry forward from June
Read Around The World - Motherland: A Memoir by Paula Ramon (Venezuela)
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 1. - yellow cover - A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning-Wroe
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 2. - blue cover - Fed To Red Birds by Rijn Collins
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 3. - thriller - Edge of Anarchy by Kyla Stone
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 4. - orange cover - My Way To You by Catherine Bybee
Reading Through Time - Wonders of the World - The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World by Bettany Hughes
HistoryCAT - Historians - The Rest Is History by Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook
PrizeCAT - Book lists - Life of Pi by Yann Martel (on 1001 Book list, won 2002 Booker)
✅ RandomKIT - Initials - Strange Journey by Maud Cairnes
✅ SFFKIT - Monsters - Rise of the World Eater by Jamie Littler

July
Read Around The World - The Puma Years by Laura Coleman (Bolivia)
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 1. - random TBR - Christmas at Emmerdale by Pamela Bell
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 2. - autumn book - Charlotte and the Cozy Cottage by Abigail Manning
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 3. - element in title - The Golden Bowl by Henry James
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 4. - free choice - Edge of Defiance by Kyla Stone
Reading Through Time - Vive la France! - The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner
✅ BingoDOG - themed around food or cooking - The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai
✅ BingoDOG - first published in a year ending in 24 - The House of Last Resort by Christopher Golden
CalendarCAT - Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand (Olympics)
HistoryCAT - Spies in July - Code Name: Lise by Larry Loftis
PrizeCAT - Prize from country other than your own - The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (1940 Pulitzer Prize)
RandomKIT - Favourites - Tarka the Otter by Henry Williamson (favourite animal)
AlphaKIT - For I - A Proper Introduction To Dragons by Maria Grace
AlphaKIT - For S - Edge of Survival by Kyla Stone
MysteryKIT - Cross genre mystery - With Scream and Sugar by Erin Johnson
✅ ScaredyKIT - Corporeal Undead - The Stitchers by Lorien Lawrence
SFFKIT - First contact - The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor

July 2024

86. A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning-Wroe - finished 3rd July 2024 - June I Read Cereal Boxes board game - yellow cover
87. Edge of Anarchy by Kyla Stone - finished 4th July 2024 - June I Read Cereal Boxes board game - thriller
88. The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai - finished 5th July 2024 - BingoDOG - themed around food or cooking
89. Neverhome by Laird Hunt - finished 8th July 2024 - May AlphaKIT - letter N
90. The House of Last Resort by Christopher Golden - finished 11th July 2024 - BingoDOG - published in year ending in 24
91. Rise of the World Eater by Jamie Littler - finished 14th July 2024 - June SFFKIT - monsters
92. The Last Collection by Jeanne Mackin - finished 17th July 2024 - May RandomKIT - art and architecture
93. Eden: Biblical Fiction of the World's First Family by Brennan McPherson - finished 26th July 2024 - Reading Through Time - April-June quarter - Ancient/Biblical
94. Strange Journey by Maud Cairnes - finished 28th July 2024 - June RandomKIT - initials
95. The Stitchers by Lorien Lawrence - finished 30th July 2024 - July ScaredyKIT - corporeal undead

95/211 = 45.02%

Read Around The World 4/12 = 33.33%
I Read Cereal Boxes board game 20/48 = 41.67% A Terrible Kindness, Edge of Anarchy
Reading Through Time = 7/16 = 43.75% Eden: Biblical Fiction of the World's First Family
BingoDOG 14/25 = 56% The Kamogawa Food Detectives, The House of Last Resort
CalendarCAT 6/12 = 50%
HistoryCAT 4/12 = 33.33%
PrizeCAT 4/12 = 33.33%
RandomKIT 6/12 = 50% The Last Collection, Strange Journey
AlphaKIT 13/26 = 50% Neverhome
MysteryKIT 6/12 = 50%
ScaredyKIT 7/12 = 58.33% The Stitchers
SFFKIT 4/12 = 33.33% Rise of the World Eater

Book 86. A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning-Wroe

June I Read Cereal Boxes board game - yellow cover

If the book had continued as it began, with full on sobbing by page 20, it may have been difficult to continue. The opening scenes in Aberfan were utterly heart breaking, as were the closing scenes of the book.
So beautifully and sensitively written, both the Aberfan experience and then as we follow William's life as a child chorister and later as an embalmer.

"William is happy to take his place in a world in which you do a difficult but honourable job to the very best of your ability, most of the time for little reward beyond your own sense of satisfaction."

Becoming an embalmer is not an occupation you think of people wishing to become, but William is the perfect soul for this work. His quiet dignity and gentle handling of the dead is lovely to read. His sensitive soul is of course what causes Aberfan to leave such a lasting effect on him.

"But all we're left with, my precious son, is whether we can forgive, be forgiven, and keep trying our best."

A beautiful book about forgiveness and the strength and resilience of the human spirit.

Book 87. Edge of Anarchy by Kyla Stone

June I Read Cereal Boxes board game - thriller

Another gripping instalment in this series as Hannah finally reaches home. But power and corruption have taken hold, as is bound to happen in a situation where people are starting to starve and need to protect their families. I absolutely love Ghost - the dog you definitely want by your side!

>235 JayneCM: I’m taking a BB for this one.

Book 88. The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai

BingoDOG - themed around food or cooking

A comfort read in a similar vein to the Before The Coffee Gets Cold series (although this was published first in Japan, but translated into English later).
The care taken with food preparation and the precision of execution that personifies Japanese food is shown as the labour of love that it is. Food is definitely not just fuel for the body in Japan. The descriptions are mouth watering and very detailed.
A charming and delicate read.

>238 JayneCM: Taking a BB for this one. I love the cover.

Book 89. Neverhome by Laird Hunt

May AlphaKIT - letter N

The title is particularly apt - after fighting as a man in the Civil War, Constance can never feel at home, either in a certain place or in her own skin.
Constance experienced such terrible things, yet I felt the reader could never connect with her. She always seemed so removed, so aloof, that it was difficult to feel much for her.

Book 90. The House of Last Resort by Christopher Golden

BingoDOG - published in year ending in 24

A disappointing read. For a book in the horror genre, it was extremely slow to reach the creepy sections. The main characters were both quite unlikeable, with their privileged outlook on the town they had moved to and the people who live there. It also seemed to be a platform for a lot of bashing of the Catholic church, which became repetitive and annoying.

Book 91. Rise of the World Eater by Jamie Littler

June SFFKIT - monsters

A glorious conclusion to the adventures of the Frostheart and her crew. Again, the imagery of the song weaving is just magnificent. The pictures it conjures up in my mind of the songs weaving together are beautiful.
All the characters are so creative, all different from each other yet joining to make the perfect found family.
The accompanying illustrations and page layouts are stunning and make this series a total delight.

So enjoying your recent reading adventures this month. There seems to be a bit of everything, from food to the American Civil War, to music as a unifying quality. Sort of like >238 JayneCM:, that food can do more than just keep the body going.

>243 threadnsong: Thanks! I do tend to be a bit of an eclectic reader - I like to try pretty much anything!

Book 92. The Last Collection by Jeanne Mackin

May RandomKIT - art and architecture

An elegant read, focusing on the rivalry between fashion designers the flamboyant and madcap Elsa Schiaparelli and the more restrained and classic Coco Chanel. Set in Paris in the last days before the German invasion, the tension is palpable.
The main character is an artist, an abstract painter, and the book is all about colour, mood and emotion. The descriptions of the fashion designs paint wonderful pictures in your mind - I needed to look them all up to see them in their full glory.



Shocking pink was Schiaparelli's signature colour and the striped boots in the photo make an appearance in the book. She was certainly ahead of her time with designs such as the skeleton dress.

Book 93. Eden: Biblical Fiction of the World's First Family by Brennan McPherson

Reading Through Time - April-June quarter - Ancient/Biblical

It was interesting to give Adam and Eve more of a story with more detail on their emotions, actions and the consequences of such. The descriptions of Eden are, of course, idyllic.
The author's notes on Scripture at the end of the book were much appreciated.

Book 94. Strange Journey by Maud Cairnes

June RandomKIT - initials

My initials are JCM, so Strange Journey by Maud Cairnes covers them all!

I have always loved body swap books, since reading Freaky Friday as a child.
This is a charming book, as we see middle class wife and mother Polly swapping with Lady Elizabeth. It is different to many body swap stories as the two women are strangers and the body swaps go backwards and forwards. This makes it infinitely more interesting as they never know when they will end up as each other.
A delight to read, as much for the 1930s lifestyles as for the main story. There are some comedic episodes as Polly attempts to navigate upper class life, but it is the heartfelt connection between the two women and how they help each other that makes it such a lovely book.
Perfect for an afternoon curled up by a cosy fire.

>247 JayneCM: Taking a BB for this one.

Book 95. The Stitchers by Lorien Lawrence

July ScaredyKIT - corporeal undead

A fun and creepy read about the 'Oldies' and Mike and Quinn's search to find out why their neighbours do not seem to age. Predictable but still an enjoyable read.

Totals For July

3087 pages read.

10 books read in the following formats:

3 Kindle Unlimited
6 library
1 owned

The less said about July, the better! :(

My plan for August CATs, KITs and other reads

Carry forward from January
SFFKIT - Epic fantasy - Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb

Carry forward from May
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 2. - Classic - On The Seaboard by August Strindberg
I Read Cereal Boxes board game 4. - Published between 1950 and 1990 - The Driver's Seat by Muriel Spark
✅ HistoryCAT - Middle Ages - A Proud Taste For Scarlet and Miniver by E.L. Konigsburg
✅ PrizeCAT - Doubling up - The Shipping News by Annie Proulx (1993 National Book Award for Fiction, 1993 Irish Times International Fiction Prize, 1994 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction)
✅ SFFKIT - Archaeology - Navigating The Stars by Maria V. Snyder

Carry forward from June
Read Around The World - Motherland: A Memoir by Paula Ramon (Venezuela)
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 2. - blue cover - Fed To Red Birds by Rijn Collins
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 4. - orange cover - Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
Reading Through Time - Wonders of the World - The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World by Bettany Hughes
✅ HistoryCAT - Historians - The Rest Is History by Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook
PrizeCAT - Book lists - Life of Pi by Yann Martel (on 1001 Book list, won 2002 Booker)

July
Read Around The World - The Puma Years by Laura Coleman (Bolivia)
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 1. - random TBR - Christmas at Emmerdale by Pamela Bell
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 2. - autumn book - Charlotte and the Cozy Cottage by Abigail Manning
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 3. - element in title - The Golden Bowl by Henry James
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 4. - free choice - Edge of Defiance by Kyla Stone
Reading Through Time - Vive la France! - The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner
CalendarCAT - The Chocolate Factory by Mary-Lou Stephens (World Chocolate Day)
HistoryCAT - Spies in July - The Spy by Paulo Coelho
PrizeCAT - Prize from country other than your own - The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (1940 Pulitzer Prize)
RandomKIT - Favourites - Tarka the Otter by Henry Williamson (favourite animal)
AlphaKIT - For I - A Proper Introduction To Dragons by Maria Grace
✅ AlphaKIT - For S - Edge of Survival by Kyla Stone
✅ MysteryKIT - Cross genre mystery - With Scream and Sugar by Erin Johnson
SFFKIT - First contact - The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor

August
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 1. - Grey cover - Man's Search For Meaning by Viktor Frankl
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 2. - Contemporary - The Tricky Art of Forgiveness by Meredith Jaffe
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 3. - Two word title - Owl Sense by Miriam Darlington
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 4. - Purple cover - The Thief of Stickleback Hollow by C.S. Woolley
Reading Through Time - the joy of reading - The Dictionary People by Sarah Ogilvie
✅ BingoDOG - book about friendship - The Sad Ghost Club 4 by Lize Meddings
BingoDOG - Involves warriors or mercenaries - Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
CalendarCAT - August Is A Wicked Month by Edna O'Brien
HistoryCAT - The Byzantine Empire - Black Bird, Blue Road by Sofiya Pasternack
✅ PrizeCAT - Genre prize - Mislaid In Parts Half-Known by Seanan McGuire (Wayward Children series has won Hugo and Nebula awards) -
RandomKIT - Titles - The One Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
✅ AlphaKIT - For M - The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy
AlphaKIT - For G - Glow by Megan E. Bryant
MysteryKIT - Amateur sleuths - The Dead Man In The Garden by Marthe Jocelyn
✅ ScaredyKIT - Middle grade/YA horror - The Clackity by Lora Senf
SFFKIT - Paranormal investigators and space detectives - The Creeping Shadow by Jonathan Stroud

>250 JayneCM: Sorry your July was rough -- hope your August is much better!

August 2024

96. Christmas at Emmerdale by Pamela Bell - finished 3rd August 2024 - July I Read Cereal Boxes board game - random TBR
97. The Rest Is History by Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook - finished 7th August 2024 - June HistoryCAT - historians
98. The Shipping News by Annie Proulx - finished 9th August 2024 - May PrizeCAT - Doubling up (1993 National Book Award for Fiction, 1993 Irish Times International Fiction Prize, 1994 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction)
99. With Scream and Sugar by Erin Johnson - finished 13th August 2024 - July MysteryKIT - cross genre mystery
100. Charlotte and the Cozy Cottage by Abigail Manning - finished 14th August 2024 - July I Read Cereal Boxes board game - autumn
101. The Sad Ghost Club 4 by Lize Meddings - finished 16th August 2024 - BingoDOG - book about friendship
102. Man's Search For Meaning by Viktor Frankl - finished 17th August 2024 - August I Read Cereal Boxes board game - grey cover
103. Edge of Defiance by Kyla Stone - finished 19th August 2024 - July I Read Cereal Boxes board game - free choice
104. The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy - finished 23rd August 2024 - August AlphaKIT - letter M
105. Owl Sense by Miriam Darlington - finished 24th August 2024 - August I Read Cereal Boxes board game - two word title
106. The Clackity by Lora Senf - finished 25th August 2024 - August ScaredyKIT - middle grade/YA horror
107. A Proud Taste For Scarlet and Miniver by E.L. Konigsburg - finished 27th August 2024 - May HistoryCAT - Middle Ages
108. Navigating The Stars by Maria V. Snyder - finished 29th August 2024 - May SFFKIT - archaeology
109. Mislaid In Parts Half-Known by Seanan McGuire - finished 30th August 2024 - August PrizeCAT - genre prize - Wayward Children series has won Hugo and Nebula awards
110. Edge of Survival by Kyla Stone - finished 31st August 2024 - July AlphaKIT - letter S

110/211 = 52.13%

Read Around The World 4/12 = 33.33%
I Read Cereal Boxes board game 25/48 = 52.08% Christmas at Emmerdale, Charlotte and the Cozy Cottage, Man's Search For Meaning, Edge of Defiance, Owl Sense
Reading Through Time = 7/16 = 43.75%
BingoDOG 15/25 = 60% The Sad Ghost Club 4
CalendarCAT 6/12 = 50%
HistoryCAT 6/12 = 50% The Rest Is History, A Proud Taste For Scarlet and Miniver
PrizeCAT 6/12 = 50% The Shipping News, Mislaid In Parts Half-Known
RandomKIT 6/12 = 50%
AlphaKIT 15/26 = 57.69% The Porcelain Maker, Edge of Survival
MysteryKIT 7/12 = 58.33% With Scream and Sugar
ScaredyKIT 8/12 = 66.67% The Clackity
SFFKIT 5/12 = 41.67%

Book 96. Christmas at Emmerdale by Pamela Bell

July I Read Cereal Boxes board game - random TBR

A light and cosy read about an English village during World War I. Fairly formulaic but I always enjoy 'village life' books and look forward to reading more about the inhabitants of Beckindale.

>254 JayneCM: I love those English village life books too. I might have to give this one a try.

ETA: The libraries didn't have it, but I was willing to pay 99 cents for the Kindle version.

>254 JayneCM: I used to follow the tv serial drama of Emmerdale when it was shown in Canada. I've picked up three of these books as not only am I a fan of the tv show, I also love stories set in British villages.

Well, I'm sorry your July didn't work out well, and here's to a much better August!

>245 JayneCM: Thank you for including the pics of the designs that you found from this book. I would never have believe the brightness of the pink you mention in your review without them!

>255 thornton37814: >256 DeltaQueen50: Hope you enjoy it! I didn't know it was a TV series until after I read the first book. I cannot find it to watch for free in Australia but at least my library has all the books in the series.

>257 threadnsong: It is not a colour I would associate with the time. Some of her designs were very out there!

Book 97. The Rest Is History by Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook

June HistoryCAT - historians

This was a bit silly and quite fun. I very much enjoy the podcast but it doesn't come across as well in the written form. However, it does make history accessible to those who may not choose to read a whole book on one topic as it offers bite-sized pieces from different times and places. I laughed a lot at the chapter recreating Dan Brown's novels. I love British humour in general - it's always a laugh to poke fun at those who take themselves a tad too seriously.
There was even a chapter on Australian Prime Ministers, which I was not expecting. We don't rate a mention too often, unless it is to speak of convicts. And yes, the irony of the Harold Holt Memorial Swimming Centre was pointed out.

>254 JayneCM: Thanks for the BB. I enjoy the village stories too, and snagged this one for 99 cents on Kindle.

Book 98. The Shipping News by Annie Proulx

May PrizeCAT - Doubling up (1993 National Book Award for Fiction, 1993 Irish Times International Fiction Prize, 1994 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction)

"And it may be that love sometimes occurs without pain or misery."

Harsh, bleak, brutal but also beautiful, pretty much what life is all about. It seems that the author feels that all we can hope for from life is freedom from excessive trauma or misery - definitely no bucolic joy here. For those who have suffered though, this would be happiness. Who is any one person to judge another person's happiness or what makes them content?
I found this to be a stark and melancholy story, with the imagery of Newfoundland the perfect setting.

>261 JayneCM: I read that back in the 1990s. I enjoyed it back then.

>261 JayneCM: I remember enjoying this book too. I think I gave it 4 stars as well. I agree about it being stark and melancholy, but I didn't find it bleak.

>261 JayneCM: Oh yes! I remember when that book came out - a former boss gave me a gift certificate to a favorite local bookstore one Christmas and I bought that book on his recommendation. So glad you liked it.

Book 99. With Scream and Sugar by Erin Johnson

July MysteryKIT - cross genre mystery

These types of cosy mysteries are just fun reads. I particularly like the Jane Austen references and the setting in Bath. And I always love the cat familiars - Miss Tilda is adorable.

Book 100. Charlotte and the Cozy Cottage by Abigail Manning

July I Read Cereal Boxes board game - autumn

A delightful retelling of Rumpelstiltskin. The autumnal setting was particularly lovely. And as usual, I loved the cat companion.

Book 101. The Sad Ghost Club 4 by Lize Meddings

BingoDOG - book about friendship

So happy that the ghosties are back!
I appreciated that this story was a little messier, that the ghosties could not agree on the best way to help and that caused friction. Knowing how to help, how to show someone that you care about them and are concerned for their welfare, is difficult and sometimes we can let that difficulty paralyse us into doing nothing. But the ghosties are always prepared to reach out, even if their methods may sometimes go a little off track.
I really, really hope that the ghosties return soon, and that we see more of Charlie.

Book 102. Man's Search For Meaning by Viktor Frankl

August I Read Cereal Boxes board game - grey cover

A tribute to the human spirit in unimaginable circumstances. But it is how man bears the burden and suffering that he is given that injects meaning into life. When all choices are taken away, there is one choice left - how to react to a situation. Frankl gives us pause to reflect whenever we think our lives are difficult - nothing could compare to the suffering of Auschwitz.
The second half of the book is more textbook-like, being a study of Frankl's work in logotherapy. While not packing the emotional punch of his reflections on the concentration camps, this summing up of his life's work is interesting reading for anyone who wants to redefine their life's meaning.

Book 103. Edge of Defiance by Kyla Stone

July I Read Cereal Boxes board game - free choice

Full on action from start to finish. This series really sucks you in and keeps you on the edge of your seat as you need to find out what will happen next to the residents of Fall Creek.

Book 104. The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy

August AlphaKIT - letter M

Every time I read one of these fictionalised accounts of the Holocaust and the concentration camps, it is a sorrowful reminder of all the stories left untold, all the deaths that went undocumented, all the family members missing without a trace. It is impossible to comprehend the scale of this horrific time.
This is an imagined story of Max and Bettina, and the porcelain factory of Dachau, which did exist.
I did not know about Himmler's porcelain factory and its role in the Nazis conversion of the German art scene to remove 'degenerate' art and replace it with the Aryan ideal of art.



A story of love and sacrifice, beautifully written.

Book 105. Owl Sense by Miriam Darlington

August I Read Cereal Boxes board game - two word title

Most more recently published nature books cannot speak about their subject without at least some discussion of the effects of the degradation of the environment and climate change.

"Owls, like so many species, no longer exist purely as astonishing, innocent, wild beings. They are emissaries from an imperilled ecosystem, rare representatives of natural freedom and abundance."

"So what can a writer do, faced with a world whose wildness appears to be unravelling?"

The author takes pains to point out that the wild and its creatures must remain wild. Breeding in captivity is a very feeble second-best. But as humans destroy the wild in so many ways, we are at risk of losing many more species at an accelerating rate and must do what we can to save the remnants of our destruction.
This book was a perfect balance between the author's personal response to the owls and to her own family situation, the descriptions of nature and scientific facts. The beauty and majesty of the owls shines through every page, as well as the magnificence of the wilderness they inhabit. There is also the resourcefulness of the owls who live closer to human habitation and the people who have dedicated themselves to studying and preserving these striking birds.

Book 106. The Clackity by Lora Senf

August ScaredyKIT - middle grade/YA horror

"There was no shortage of otherworldly concerns in Blight Harbor, mainly because it was the seventh most haunted town in America (per capita)."

Deliciously creepy and spookily imaginative, the world beyond the abbatoir is just wonderful. Evie is a character to fall in love with, as she faces the terror of the Clackity and the ghost of a serial killer to rescue her aunt. Evie is brave but vulnerable and fragile and shows young readers that you can do hard things despite your fears. The book is inhabited with so many unique beings, both good and evil, and the journey through their world is fast paced and riveting.

Book 107. A Proud Taste For Scarlet and Miniver by E.L. Konigsburg

May HistoryCAT - Middle Ages

A very readable historical fiction about Eleanor of Aquitaine and her influence on the English throne and its succession. The plot device of having Eleanor in Heaven, looking back on her life 800 years after her death, was interesting and allowed the characters to speak in 'modern' English, making it easier to read for the intended middle grade audience. I loved Eleanor's wit and snarky attitude.

Book 108. Navigating The Stars by Maria V. Snyder

May SFFKIT - archaeology

The first book in a series, this was a great setup book. A little slow to get into, but the action stepped up towards the end and really kept those pages turning.
Having the book centred around archaeological discoveries on other planets and the part played by the Terracotta Warriors of ancient China made this different from other space books.
Lyra is a wonderful role model for the book's intended young adult audience as she "Refuses To Be Ignored" and is brave and clever, yet also vulnerable.

Book 109. Mislaid In Parts Half-Known by Seanan McGuire

August PrizeCAT - genre prize - Wayward Children series has won Hugo and Nebula awards

"Children of the doors know about being mislaid."

""We're perfectly normal in the right environment.""

This is what I adore about this series - it show young readers that we are all different and that we are all ok for being so. That you may feel 'mislaid' and in the wrong place but in time you will find your people and the place that you belong.
This was not one of my favourites of the series. Although it was enjoyable to see so many of the characters together in the same volume, it seemed like there was not much of a story this time. And there was not enough time spent in the dinosaur world - loved the descriptions of the dinosaur family they met. They sound beautiful!
This series will always have my heart and I look forward to the next adventure.

Book 110. Edge of Survival by Kyla Stone

July AlphaKIT - letter S

The last few chapters really got the heart thumping! I am totally invested in all the residents of Fall Creek and this second to last book in the series drew me right in. I need to go straight to the last book, even though I am terrified to find out what happens in the final battle for Fall Creek.

Totals For August

4205 pages read.

15 books read in the following formats:

5 Kindle Unlimited
6 library
3 owned
1 borrowed from a friend

August was better but still a lot of catching up to do! ScaredyKIT is the only CAT or KIT that I am up to date with!

My plan for September CATs, KITs and other reads

Carry forward from January
SFFKIT - Epic fantasy - Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb

Carry forward from May
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 2. - Classic - The Fortune of the Rougons by Emile Zola
I Read Cereal Boxes board game 4. - Published between 1950 and 1990 - The Driver's Seat by Muriel Spark

Carry forward from June
✅ Read Around The World - Motherland: A Memoir by Paula Ramon (Venezuela)
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 2. - blue cover - The Stonekeeper's Curse by Kazu Kibuishi
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 4. - orange cover - The Cloud Searchers by Kazu Kibuishi
Reading Through Time - Wonders of the World - Pyramid of Secrets by Jim Eldridge
PrizeCAT - Book lists - Life of Pi by Yann Martel (on 1001 Book list, won 2002 Booker)

July
Read Around The World - The Puma Years by Laura Coleman (Bolivia)
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 3. - element in title - Silver Linings by Katrina Nannestad
Reading Through Time - Vive la France! - The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner
CalendarCAT - The Chocolate Factory by Mary-Lou Stephens (World Chocolate Day)
HistoryCAT - Spies in July - The Spy by Paulo Coelho
PrizeCAT - Prize from country other than your own - The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (1940 Pulitzer Prize)
RandomKIT - Favourites - Tarka the Otter by Henry Williamson (favourite animal)
AlphaKIT - For I - A Proper Introduction To Dragons by Maria Grace
✅ SFFKIT - First contact - The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor

August
Read Around The World - Daughter of Fire by Sofia Robleda (Guatemala)
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 2. - Contemporary - The One-In-A-Million Boy by Monica Wood
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 4. - Purple cover - Untamed by Glennon Doyle
✅ Reading Through Time - the joy of reading - The Dictionary People by Sarah Ogilvie
BingoDOG - Involves warriors or mercenaries - Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
CalendarCAT - August Is A Wicked Month by Edna O'Brien
HistoryCAT - The Byzantine Empire - Black Bird, Blue Road by Sofiya Pasternack
RandomKIT - Titles - The One Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
✅ AlphaKIT - For G - Glow by Megan E. Bryant
✅ MysteryKIT - Amateur sleuths - The Dead Man In The Garden by Marthe Jocelyn
SFFKIT - Paranormal investigators and space detectives - The Creeping Shadow by Jonathan Stroud

September
Read Around The World - The Curse of the Flores Women by Angelica Lopes (Brazil)
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 1. - spooky cover - Shadow Spell by Nora Roberts
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 2. - related to space - Chasing The Shadows by Maria V. Snyder
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 3. - mystery - Popcorn and Poltergeists by Nancy Warren
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 4. - 2 or more people on cover - Looking For Enid by Duncan McLaren
Reading Through Time - Royal to the bone - The Last White Rose by Alison Weir
BingoDOG - Features a paper based item in the plot - Tolstoy and the Purple Chair by Nina Sankovitch
✅ BingoDOG - Written by an author 65 or older - Year One by Nora Roberts (aged 67 at publication)
CalendarCAT - The Last Council by Kazu Kibuishi (first published in September) -
HistoryCAT - WWI/WWII - The Helsingor Sewing Club by Ella Gyland
PrizeCAT - other September CAT/KIT (ScaredyKIT) - The Green Mile by Stephen King (1996 Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel)
RandomKIT - Weather - Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
✅ AlphaKIT - For V - Edge of Valor by Kyla Stone
✅ AlphaKIT - For C - Amelia Fang and the Naughty Caticorns by Laura Ellen Anderson
✅ AlphaKIT - For X - Boy X by Dan Smith
MysteryKIT - Upstairs/downstairs - The Seaside Corpse by Marthe Jocelyn
ScaredyKIT - Stephen King and family - Lud-In-The-Mist by Hope Mirrlees (published by Gollancz)
SFFKIT - Gods, godlike beings, and mythology - Monkey King: Journey To The West by Wu Cheng'en

September 2024

111. Amelia Fang and the Naughty Caticorns by Laura Ellen Anderson - finished 1st September 2024 - September AlphaKIT - letter C
112. Edge of Valor by Kyla Stone - finished 3rd September 2024 - September AlphaKIT - letter V
113. Year One by Nora Roberts - finished 6th September 2024 - BingoDOG - written by author 65 years or older (author was 67 at time of publication)
114. The Dead Man In The Garden by Marthe Jocelyn - finished 8th September 2024 - August MysteryKIT - amateur sleuths
115. Boy X by Dan Smith - finished 10th September 2024 - Yearlong AlphaKIT - letter X
116. The Dictionary People by Sarah Ogilvie - finished 13th September 2024 - August Reading Through Time - the joy of reading
117. Shadow Spell by Nora Roberts - finished 16th September 2024 - September I Read Cereal Boxes board game - spooky cover
118. Glow by Megan E. Bryant - finished 18th September 2024 - August AlphaKIT - letter G
119. Looking For Enid by Duncan McLaren - finished 20th September 2024 - September I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 2 or more people on cover
120. The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor - finished 25th September 2024 - July SFFKIT - first contact
121. The Stonekeeper's Curse by Kazu Kibuishi - finished 26th September 2024 - June I Read Cereal Boxes board game - blue cover
122. Motherland: A Memoir by Paula Ramon - finished 28th September 2024 - Read Around The World (Venezuela)
123. The Cloud Searchers by Kazu Kibuishi - finished 29th September 2024 - June I Read Cereal Boxes board game - orange cover

123/211 = 58.29%

Read Around The World 5/12 = 41.67% Motherland: A Memoir
I Read Cereal Boxes board game 29/48 = 60.42% Shadow Spell, Looking For Enid, The Stonekeeper's Curse, The Cloud Searchers
Reading Through Time = 8/16 = 50% The Dictionary People
BingoDOG 16/25 = 64% Year One
CalendarCAT 6/12 = 50%
HistoryCAT 6/12 = 50%
PrizeCAT 6/12 = 50%
RandomKIT 6/12 = 50%
AlphaKIT 19/26 = 73.08% Amelia Fang and the Naughty Caticorns, Edge of Valor, Boy X, Glow
MysteryKIT 8/12 = 66.67% The Dead Man In The Garden
ScaredyKIT 8/12 = 66.67%
SFFKIT 6/12 = 50% The Cottingley Secret

Book 111. Amelia Fang and the Naughty Caticorns by Laura Ellen Anderson

September AlphaKIT - letter C

Another fun adventure with Amelia and her friends as Amelia learns that she just has to be herself and others will love her as she is.
And the caticorns are so cute and fluffy and adorable!
Wonderful iilustrations as always.

Book 112. Edge of Valor by Kyla Stone

September AlphaKIT - letter V

A satisfactory wrap up of this series. Once again, it kept you on the edge of your seat as the final battle for Fall Creek raged.

Book 113. Year One by Nora Roberts

BingoDOG - author 65 years or older (author was 67 at time of publication)

I picked up this book as a pandemic, end of the world read and was unaware of the magick element. That, of course, became my favourite part of the book. I love a prophecy too and cannot wait to continue the series to find out how the prophecy is fulfilled.
The battle between dark and light keeps you reading - and there is definitely some dark in here - but hope reigns and the light continues.
Favourite character - hands down Fred the fairie. Named after Freddie Mercury as her mother was a huge Queen fan (who isn't?!), her joy and optimism is just a delight.

>282 JayneCM: I used to read a lot of Nora Roberts, taking a BB for this one.

>283 lowelibrary: I don't know why, but I always thought she wrote crime. I have started another of her series with magick this year and enjoyed that as well.

>284 JayneCM: She writes the Eve Duncan mysteries as JD Robb and has some mysteries under her name.

>282 JayneCM: Oh wow, both Freddie Mercury and magick, in one volume?? Will have to add this to my list!

And some great reading, especially your YA choices. It's such an important style and audience and I'm glad to see these have been wins for you.

Book 114. The Dead Man In The Garden by Marthe Jocelyn

August MysteryKIT - amateur sleuths

A very enjoyable series featuring child amateur sleuths Aggie Morton and her Belgian friend Hector Perot. Inspired by an imagined potential childhood of Agatha Christie and with lots of little Christie Easter Eggs throughout, this series is sheer delight. The wonderful friendship between Aggie and Hector, Hector's foibles, the charming late Victorian setting and the visit to the baths so Mummy can 'take the waters' are all charming. The mystery is intriguing and certainly kept my interest.

Book 115. Boy X by Dan Smith

Yearlong AlphaKIT - letter X

An interesting enough story for its middle grade target audience. A little slow paced for an adventure and somewhat disjointed in parts. The evolving friendship between Ash and Isabel was the best part of the book for me.

Book 116. The Dictionary People by Sarah Ogilvie

August Reading Through Time - the joy of reading

"I went through a stage in my research when I seemed to spend every holiday in Britain and every day of my holiday in the Bodleian Library."

Not really directly related to the topic of the book but I read this sentence and practically drooled with envy. What an absolute dream of a holiday!

Now to the book itself. I love stories of the quirks of the Victorians and their tendency to obsessive hobbies. For some, collecting words for the dictionary became that hobby. There are lots of interesting people amongst the Dictionary People from all around the world.
I liked the layout of the book with each chapter starting with a letter of the alphabet, beginning with A For Archaeologist.
It did become slightly repetitive after a while, a bit like a grocery list of too many people. Understandably, the author wanting to include as many people as possible but it may have been more interesting to focus in more depth on less people rather than jumping from one to the next.
Overall, an entertaining read if you are a word nerd and love the Victorian era.

>289 JayneCM: I'm taking a BB for this! I'll soon have to start a wishlist just for all the books I wish to read that are concerned with dictionaries, haha!

Book 117. Shadow Spell by Nora Roberts

September I Read Cereal Boxes board game - spooky cover

You can tell this is the middle book in a trilogy. I am holding out hopes that the final book will pull everything together in a more interesting and exciting fashion. This book meanders with no real storyline and nothing terribly much happens. The hawks, hounds and horses were the best part of the book as well as the Irish setting.

Book 118. Glow by Megan E. Bryant

August AlphaKIT - letter G

This is the third book I have read this year about the Radium Girls and each one just rips your heart out. The pain and suffering of these young women was so horrendous and the way they were treated by the companies was cruel and reprehensible.
The use of the paintings was the perfect way to highlight imagery of the horrors of radium poisoning and what happened to the girls as they succumbed to it.
Often, when using dual timelines, one is more interesting. In this case, both timelines were equally interesting - the current one as we follow Julie's intrigue with the provenance of the glowing paintings and the past one as it makes your heart break knowing what little future lies ahead for these girls.

As the author says in her author's note:
"We remember Mollie and Grace and Quinta and Albina and Catherine and all the other dial painters, known and unknown. We remember."

Book 119. Looking For Enid by Duncan McLaren

September I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 2 or more people on cover

Quirky and unusual, this book uses an entirely different approach. Is it a biography, a memoir, a travelogue, fiction based on Enid Blyton's books? It is all of these, which is intriguing but also somewhat disjointed.
I enjoyed the author's charity shop searching and the discovery of treasure this involves, as I am equally thrilled with the search for secondhand books (if I see a green Virago cover, I am in heaven!)
There were many amusing tidbits of Enid information that only a dedicated Blyton fan would notice. Such as the illustrations of early Blyton works by Eileen Soper - the one on the book cover above being a case in point. This illustration had to be corrected in later editions as George is looking through the wrong end of the telescope!
I particularly loved this one, speaking about The Children's Life of Christ:

"Obviously Eileen Soper was obsessed with Timmy, because opposite the title page is the colour frontispiece from which I learn that Timmy was present at the Nativity."

So I had to look up the illustrations and yes, there is Timmy the dog from the Famous Five series with the Three Wise Men.





Overall, an interesting read but some tenuous and peculiar connections between Enid's writing and her life.

Book 120. The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor

July SFFKIT - first contact

The Cottingley fairies and the questions surrounding the photographs have fascinated me since watching the movie about the events, Fairy Tale: A True Story. As a TV documentary made in 1975 expressed: ". . . the mystery of the fairies they saw here at Cottingley remains delightfully unresolved. Some people believe in it implicitly. Others says it's nonsense. But the lovely thing about this fairy story is that no one can ever be quite sure."
And this is the true delight of the story. "Whether fairies were real or not, Olivia liked to believe in the possibility." Deep down, we all want to believe in magic, other worlds and fairies at the bottom of the garden. Otherwise, why would fantasy books and shows be so popular?
The Cottingley fairies spread some well-needed magic in a world taken over by the horrors of the First World War. To some extent, it was irrelevant whether the images were real - people wanted to believe.
And over a hundred years later, it is still up to each person what they want to believe. To her dying day, Frances adamantly defended the fifth photograph taken as being real (although Elsie had revealed that the girls had faked the other four photographs). And there is still speculation of a possible sixth photograph.
Anyway, to the book itself! Obviously the subject matter had already drawn me in. And I do love a dual timeline historical fiction where the current timeline slowly discovers the story of the past. Add in Something Old, the bookshop owned by Olivia, and I am all in!
Beautifully written, the story of the Elsie, Frances and the fairies is delightful. The touching, mysterious and sorrowful story of Aisling, and Nana Martha slow decline from Alzheimers add depth to the whole story.
This was a joy to read.

Book 121. The Stonekeeper's Curse by Kazu Kibuishi

June I Read Cereal Boxes board game - blue cover

Emily has accepted her inheritance as the Stonekeeper but now must learn to control its powers.
The artwork is again brilliant, from sweeping landscapes and intricate towns to the many creatures - human and animal, robot and monster, even evil elves.
The pacing is perfect, with the adventure and action interspersed with personal moments with Emily and her family and new friends.
Very Studio Ghibli feel, which I am totally there for!
Very much looking forward to the next instalment.

>295 JayneCM: Oh, that looks really good! I am new to the world of graphic novels, but I am definitely adding this one to my WL.

Book 122. Motherland: A Memoir by Paula Ramon

Read Around The World - Venezuela

Caring for an aging parent is extremely difficult. Imagine having this responsibility while living in another country, while the country your mother refuses to leave is falling apart.

"I thought about everything we'd normalised over the last decade. Without our realising it, scraping by had become the new normal."

The disintegration of Venezuela's economy and thus the day to day lives of the people reads like a post-apocalyptic novel. I did not know much about the history and politics of Venezuela and appreciated the author's succinct telling of the events that led to the country's terrible fall into ruin.
The focus then shifts to the author's mother and the frustrations of organising her care from afar, while it is virtually impossible to even buy food and rampant inflation means that money becomes worthless overnight.
Very interesting and heartfelt read.

Book 123. The Cloud Searchers by Kazu Kibuishi

June I Read Cereal Boxes board game - orange cover

This was a quick adventure as we see Emily learn more about her destiny as a Stonekeeper.
Again, the illustrations are just superb with such intricate detail.

Totals For September

4017 pages read.

13 books read in the following formats:

2 Kindle Unlimited
11 library

My plan for October CATs, KITs and other reads

Carry forward from January
SFFKIT - Epic fantasy - Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb

Carry forward from May
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 2. - Classic - Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game 4. - Published between 1950 and 1990 - The Driver's Seat by Muriel Spark

Carry forward from June
✅ Reading Through Time - Wonders of the World - Pyramid of Secrets by Jim Eldridge
✅ PrizeCAT - Book lists - Life of Pi by Yann Martel (on 1001 Book list, won 2002 Booker)

July
✅ Read Around The World - The Puma Years by Laura Coleman (Bolivia)
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 3. - element in title - The Silver Blade by Sally Gardner
✅ Reading Through Time - Vive la France! - The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner
CalendarCAT - The Chocolate Factory by Mary-Lou Stephens (World Chocolate Day)
✅ HistoryCAT - Spies in July - The Spy by Paulo Coelho
PrizeCAT - Prize from country other than your own - The Little Bookroom by Eleanor Farjeon (1955 Carnegie Medal)
RandomKIT - Favourites - Life and Otter Miracles by Hazel Prior (favourite animal)
✅ AlphaKIT - For I - A Proper Introduction To Dragons by Maria Grace

August
Read Around The World - Daughter of Fire by Sofia Robleda (Guatemala)
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 2. - Contemporary - A Thousand Broken Pieces by Tillie Cole
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 4. - Purple cover - Untamed by Glennon Doyle
BingoDOG - Involves warriors or mercenaries - Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
CalendarCAT - August Is A Wicked Month by Edna O'Brien
HistoryCAT - The Byzantine Empire - Byzantine Empire: A History From Beginning To End by Hourly History
RandomKIT - Titles - The One Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
✅ SFFKIT - Paranormal investigators and space detectives - The Creeping Shadow by Jonathan Stroud

September
Read Around The World - The Curse of the Flores Women by Angelica Lopes (Brazil)
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 2. - related to space - Chasing The Shadows by Maria V. Snyder
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 3. - mystery - Popcorn and Poltergeists by Nancy Warren
Reading Through Time - Royal to the bone - The Last White Rose by Alison Weir
BingoDOG - Features a paper based item in the plot - Tolstoy and the Purple Chair by Nina Sankovitch
✅ CalendarCAT - The Last Council by Kazu Kibuishi (first published in September)
✅ HistoryCAT - WWI/WWII - The Helsingor Sewing Club by Ella Gyland
PrizeCAT - other September CAT/KIT (ScaredyKIT) - The Green Mile by Stephen King (1996 Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel)
RandomKIT - Weather - Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
MysteryKIT - Upstairs/downstairs - The Seaside Corpse by Marthe Jocelyn
ScaredyKIT - Stephen King and family - Lud-In-The-Mist by Hope Mirrlees (published by Gollancz)
SFFKIT - Gods, godlike beings, and mythology - Monkey King: Journey To The West by Wu Cheng'en

October
Read Around The World - The Great Divide by Cristina Henriquez (Panama)
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 1. - winter book - Let It Snow by Beth Moran
I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 2. - contemporary - Night Boat To Tangier by Kevin Barry
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 3. - fantasy - Prince of the Elves by Kazu Kibuishi
✅ I Read Cereal Boxes board game - 4. - book with water on cover - Odder by Katherine Applegate
Reading Through Time - adultery - The King's Pleasure by Alison Weir
BingoDOG - book featuring twins - Sing Fox To Me by Sarah Kanake
BingoDOG - read a CAT - April ScaredyKIT (Witches, Evil Spirits, Black Magic) - Of Blood and Bone by Nora Roberts
CalendarCAT - The Rise of Magicks by Nora Roberts (10th October, author's birthday)
HistoryCAT - Disasters - The Woman In The Photo by Mary Hogan
PrizeCAT - Missed it by that much - Everything Under by Daisy Johnson (shortlist for 2018 Booker)
✅ RandomKIT - Spooky season - The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
AlphaKIT - For D - The Detective's Guide To Ocean Travel by Nicki Greenberg
AlphaKIT - For T - By Ash, Oak and Thorn by Melissa Harrison
MysteryKIT - Not too scary mysteries - Garters and Gargoyles by Nancy Warren
ScaredyKIT - Contemporary horror authors - How To Sell A Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
SFFKIT - Women authors - Defending The Galaxy by Maria V. Snyder

October 2024

124. The Creeping Shadow by Jonathan Stroud - finished 1st October 2024 - August SFFKIT - paranormal investigators and space detectives
125. Odder by Katherine Applegate - finished 2nd October 2024 - October I Read Cereal Boxes board game - water on cover
126. The Last Council by Kazu Kibuishi - finished 3rd October 2024 - September CalendarCAT - first published in September
127. A Thousand Broken Pieces by Tillie Cole - finished 6th October 2024 - August I Read Cereal Boxes board game - contemporary
128. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson - finished 8th October 2024 - October RandomKIT - spooky season
129. Life of Pi by Yann Martel - finished 10th October 2024 - June PrizeCAT - book lists (on 1001 Book list, won 2002 Booker)
130. Pyramid of Secrets by Jim Eldridge - finished 11th October 2024 - June Reading Through Time - Wonders of the World
131. The Helsingor Sewing Club by Ella Gyland - finished 15th October 2024 - September HistoryCAT - WWI/WWII
132. The Spy by Paulo Coelho - finished 16th October 2024 - July HistoryCAT - spies in July
133. Prince of the Elves by Kazu Kibuishi - finished 17th October 2024 - October I Read Cereal Boxes board game - fantasy
134. The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner - finished 19th October 2024 - July Reading Through Time - Vive La France!
135. The Silver Blade by Sally Gardner - finished 21st October 2024 - July I Read Cereal Boxes board game - element in title
136. A Proper Introduction To Dragons by Maria Grace - finished 22nd October 2024 - July AlphaKIT - letter I
137. The Driver's Seat by Muriel Spark - finished 23rd October 2024 - May I Read Cereal Boxes board game - published between 1950 and 1990
138. Untamed by Glennon Doyle - finished 24th October 2024 - August I Read Cereal Boxes board game - purple cover
139. The Puma Years by Laura Coleman - finished 27th October 2024 - Read Around The World - Bolivia
140. Popcorn and Poltergeists by Nancy Warren - finished 31st October 2024 - September I Read Cereal Boxes board game - mystery

140/211 = 66.35%

Read Around The World 6/12 = 50% The Puma Years
I Read Cereal Boxes board game 36/48 = 75% Odder, A Thousand Broken Pieces, Prince of the Elves, The Silver Blade, The Driver's Seat, Untamed, Popcorn and Poltergeists
Reading Through Time = 10/16 = 62.5% Pyramid of Secrets, The Red Necklace
BingoDOG 16/25 = 64%
CalendarCAT 7/12 = 58.33%
HistoryCAT 8/12 = 66.67% The Helsingor Sewing Club, The Spy
PrizeCAT 7/12 = 58.33% Life of Pi
RandomKIT 7/12 = 58.33% The Haunting of Hill House
AlphaKIT 20/26 = 76.92% A Proper Introduction To Dragons
MysteryKIT 8/12 = 66.67%
ScaredyKIT 8/12 = 66.67%
SFFKIT 7/12 = 58.33% The Creeping Shadow

Book 124. The Creeping Shadow by Jonathan Stroud

August SFFKIT - paranormal investigators and space detectives

Another action packed adventure with Lockwood and Co. It certainly ended on an intriguing note, to lead into the final book of the series.
While this was undeniably the slowest paced book of the series to date, thus not quite as exciting, it is still a compelling read. The interactions between the characters are witty and whip-smart, particularly the skull - I love the skull!

Book 125. Odder by Katherine Applegate

October I Read Cereal Boxes board game - water on cover

"And it's not hard to fall in love with an otter pup."

In fact, I would say it is impossible not to fall in love! Particularly with the delightful illustrations and the charming and meaningful story of Odder.
A beautiful story, told in free verse, which brings to life the playful nature and sleek grace of the otters, while also making sure we humans know the part we have played in their demise. Fortunately, the sea otter population is recovering and humans are now playing a role in helping rather than hunting.

>302 JayneCM: I watched "Lockwood & Co." on Netflix and really enjoyed it, so I definitely want to get to the book series at some point!

>303 JayneCM: This is on my Scholastic wish list. I think I will buy it for myself when I order the Christmas books. I loved her The One and Only Ivan series

Book 126. The Last Council by Kazu Kibuishi

September CalendarCAT - first published in September

Not my favourite book of the series so far. This is definitely a set up book, laying the groundwork for the battle to come. Stunning artwork as always.

Book 127. A Thousand Broken Pieces by Tillie Cole

August I Read Cereal Boxes board game - contemporary

I loved Poppy and Rune so much but I am so glad that this excruciating book is over. Absolutely the best part was finally finding out what happened to Rune, but the rest of the book was monotonous. If I read one more time about either big blue eyes, silver-blue eyes, pretty face or cherry and almond scent, I was going to scream.
This would appeal, I am sure, to a younger audience; perhaps I am simply too old and cynical. But things such as seeing the Aurora Borealis being a lifelong dream of Savannah's - the girl is seventeen years old, for goodness sake! And the whole funded trip around the world seemed unrealistic. Surely public funds would not be allocated for six teenagers to take such a trip. I'm sure you could help many more people in a more realistic way with those same funds. What about families from poorer neighbourhoods whose children are gunned down in the street in front of them? It all just smacked too much of privilege.
Obviously not the book for me, I'm afraid.

Book 128. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

October RandomKIT - spooky season

Not my favourite Shirley Jackson. Quite meandering and lacking the conciseness of other works, such as The Sundial. The banter between the characters was amusing, particularly in reference to the housekeeper. But overall, not much happened at all and it all seemed quite disjointed.

Book 129. Life of Pi by Yann Martel

June PrizeCAT - book lists (on 1001 Book list, won 2002 Booker)

Such wonderful writing - Martel makes the incongruous seem completely plausible.

"Tigers exist, lifeboats exist, oceans exist. Because the three have never come together in your narrow, limited experience, you refuse to believe that they might."

A book replete in the human condition when under extreme stress and danger, and in spirituality and faith, whichever version of Pi's shipwreck experience you choose to believe.

Book 130. Pyramid of Secrets by Jim Eldridge

June Reading Through Time - Wonders of the World

Good for a young middle grade read as an introduction to life working on the pyramids. The story did finish rather abruptly though.

Book 131. The Helsingor Sewing Club by Ella Gyland

September HistoryCAT - WWI/WWII

"Just ordinary people performing extraordinary acts of bravery . . . "

Whenever I read a book like this, it makes me think of just how many stories of bravery and sacrifice went untold, their stories lost forever.
This story is based on the Elsinore Sewing Club in Denmark, a country which managed to save almost all the Jewish population from the Gestapo, the majority being smuggled by boat to neutral Sweden. Of the almost 8000 Jews living in Denmark, only 474 were arrested.
This is a story of love and loss, of courage and the fight to help those in need simply because it is the right thing to do.
It was particularly interesting to read about a country that does not feature often in historical fiction about World War II.

>311 JayneCM: - I love that quote! I'm going to take a BB for this.

Duplicate - sorry