Juli (SuziQoregon) 2024 - Thread 1

Let’s see what happens this year . . .

I'm Juli and I’ve been hanging around the 75 books group on and off for several years. I have a bad habit of disappearing partway through the year.

Expect books, cats, jigsaw puzzles, and other random nonsense around here.

Giving this another try. Hope it sticks this time.

Hello from a fellow WA State LibraryThing-er! I was in your wonderful library early last year to get my reciprocal library card. They have a great Libby selection.

>2 SuziQoregon: I'm awfully glad to see your return, Juli. Whatever happens next, let it be a good thing or bust...we're all going to need refuges in 2024. Big stuff comin' up.

Welcome back, Juli!

Welcome Back Juli from another "75'er" in Oregon

Good luck with your 2024 reading!

>1 SuziQoregon: Hahaha I like that, Juli.

Lovely to see you back again. xx

Happy new year, Juli!

Happy New Year, Juli. We would sure like to see you around more in 2024! 🤞🦉

Thanks everyone. Glad to be back to attempt another year.

Happy New Year, Juli! Nice to see you -- hope we can arrange a meet-up sometime soon :)

>13 RebaRelishesReading: We should definitely get together for lunch sometime now that we live in the Orchards area.

2023 was a year of changes for us. In January we closed on our new house. For a variety of reasons we moved from the NW suburbs of Portland across the Columbia river to the NE suburbs of Vancouver, Washington. The primary reason was escaping Oregon income tax. Once The Hubster retires money from our retirement accounts would have been taxed as regular income so moving to Washington gives us a raise. We also wanted to move to a one level home while we could and before we had to. Also the move gave The Hubster a shorter commute to his job in the SE suburbs of Portland.

Fortunately we were in a position to buy, move, then stage and sell our Portland house. It was nice to get a few things done before we moved in such as window coverings, epoxy coating on the garage floor, swapping out one ugly light fixture that the builder chose, and putting in a pet door from my den to the garage into the enclosure where we keep the cats litter box. Once we got us and the cats moved in late in February we worked on the Portland house to finish clearing out 25 years of accumulated STUFF.

It was totally worth every penny we spent to clean and stage the Portland house before putting it on the market and we were very happy with the price we got and the people we sold it to. They had been renting several blocks away and really wanted to stay in the neighborhood.

Then, at the end of April, The Hubster changed jobs. He was recruited by a competitor of his company who just happened to be located 2.5 miles from our new house. So he went from an hour commute, to a 30 minute commute when we moved to now a 7 minute commute and we’re totally free of Oregon income tax. Unexpected but a good thing and the perfect last job before retirement for him. Now I just need to get him to actually retire.

The rest of the spring and summer was busy with getting things done at the new house. We hired landscapers to do the back and side yards. We purposlly got a small lot and since we have a wooded greenspace behind our house it doesn’t feel small. We have patio and artificial turf for our back yard with a bit of low maintenance flower bed between the turf/patio and the back fence. We’re just super happy with how it turned out and The Hubster was more than happy to leave his mower and other lawn care tools for the new owners of our Portland house.

Our last new house project finally got done in early November when we had pull out shelves installed in all the lower cabinets in the kitchen. I can get stuff out of the cabinets without feeling like I’m going on some sort of cave exploration.

So it took most of the year but we finally got all of the moving in and getting settled done. It was a good move for us and we love the layout and location of our home. Moving to a new development is kind of a crap shoot in terms of what neighbors you end up with but we got lucky. Everyone on our street is great and most are either retired or will be retired soon so are planning to stay here long term.

Wow! Sounds like the move was a great one! Congrats! Happy New Year!! : )

Still close enough to visit us Oregonians? I made a thread for a get-together...

https://www.librarything.com/topic/356633

Happy New Year, Juli. It sounds like you had a busy 2023, but also that it was a good move for you.

Wow! Congrats on the move, it sounds like a good one.

>1 SuziQoregon: Carson agrees, and approves of your choice of a ginger cat in this instance. :-)

Dropping off my star and wishing you a Happy New Year.

Interesting comments about moving to the state of Washington for future retirement purposes. Of course, we are talking about moving from Washington to Oregon now that I'm retired... it does mean paying income tax on our retirement "income".... A couple of times I have mentioned to P that we should look at Vancouver. She has not yet been interested.

Happy reading in 2024, Juli!

This morning from my patio

>15 SuziQoregon: OMG -- welcome to Vancouver!! Having done a big move myself a couple of years ago I know what a busy year you have behind you but it sounds like you're settled now and I hope we can get together (and even perhaps lure some of the Portlanders to come over). Do you know we have a new bookstore downtown? Opened a couple of weeks ago. It's not huge but it's well stocked and friendly. I'm babbling with excitement at having an LT'er north of the river :) Hope to see you soon!!

>22 RebaRelishesReading: I predict regular lunch and bookstore outings for us!

>23 SuziQoregon: PM me and we'll set something up

1. Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood 3.5 Stars

I enjoyed Hazelwood’s The Love Hypothesis so went ahead and got this one.It’s another mostly light romance in a science environment. Bee is a neuroscientist who is thrilled to get a job on an exciting project at NASA. Until she finds out that her co-leader is Levi Ward who she is certain has hated her since grad school. It’s got pleasant characters in an interesting setting and a predictable enemies to lovers story. There’s also a cat named Schrödinger. An enjoyable book that was perfect to read during the busy holiday weeks.

Hard to believe that it’s January 4th and I haven’t posted any photos of the cats yet ;-)

This is both of them in their favorite spot. The kitty condo with a view of the field and woods behind our house.
Sophie is in the back and Steve in front.


And this is my current favorite of Steve.

>26 SuziQoregon: I heart those kitties!

NE suburbs of Vancouver.... Are you willing to share which neighborhood (does Vancouver have neighborhoods the way Portland and Seattle do?)?

>27 EBT1002: I’ll send you a PM

>28 SuziQoregon: Thanks!

2. Heartstopper Volume 5 by Alice Oseman 4.5 Stars

I continue to adore this graphic novel series about a teen gay romance. Nick and Charlie are utterly charming. The series takes on serious subjects but it’s all done in a way that feels real. Case in point two conversations with mothers that are very different but both handled with love and in ways that seem true to the characters.

I’m happy that the author says there will be a sixth volume but sad that she says it will conclude the story. While I wait I might check out the TV adaptation and possibly some of the authors other books.

3. Foster by Claire Keegan 4 Stars

A couple of friends recommended Claire Keegan to me and this was the one that was available from the library first. It’s a short novella but there’s much more story there than the length would indicate.

A young Irish girl is sent to live with a couple in another town. Her life with them is very different from her life at home and the experience changes both her and the couple who care for her.

The writing is gorgeous and I definitely want to read more of Keegan’s work.

>31 SuziQoregon: I have this on my TBR, I've read Small Things Like These and have Walk the Blue Fields, a collection of short stories, on the go at the moment.

Hi Juli. I also loved Foster and Small Things Like These is also wonderful. Keegan writes so beautifully.

>31 SuziQoregon: Glad you enjoyed that one, Juli. I also enjoyed Small Things Like These.

I also have So Late in the Day on my TBR shelf.

>32 CDVicarage: >33 BLBera: I just got Small Things Like These from the library.

>34 EBT1002: Good to know. I definitely want to read more of her work.

Haven’t read much the past couple of days. Just busy with a bunch of chores and errands.

We started watching the new season of All Creatures Great and Small last night.

>15 SuziQoregon: This is great news, Juli. Good luck in the new house. I like your woodsy setting.

I am glad you discovered Keegan. I also really liked Foster but it was Small Things Like These that put her on my radar.

Good morning. Haven’t left the house since Friday. We had a weathergasm this weekend. Cold, snow, freezing rain, more snow, then just cold. Luckily we didn’t have the high winds like they did in Portland. Lots of trees down and power outages all over the Portland area but our part of Vancouver is just frozen and cold. Currently it’s 13° out there.

The Hubster made it to work this morning. I need to venture out to the grocery store. it’s not far but I have a window of opportunity today before we’re supposed to get more freezing rain tomorrow. By Wednesday this should all be over with.

I bought a heater for the hummingbird feeder that’s out in the flowerbed. The window feeder is easy to bring in when it needs to be thawed out but the heater for this one has worked great throughout this cold spell. I only had to bring it in once to thaw it. Other than that the heater has worked well.

Watched a lot of football this weekend. Didn’t read that much though. Still reading Float Plan by Trish Doller and thoroughly enjoying it.

>38 msf59: Thanks Mark. We’re really glad we made the move. Super happy with our new house and neighborhood.

>40 SuziQoregon: I'm most interested in that heater. My feeder is glass and not quite shaped like that one but maybe.

>39 SuziQoregon: GAAAK on your weather!! I hope it warms up even sooner than Wednesday. About Heartstopper on Netflix, it is a really good adaptation of Oseman the author by Oseman the screenwriter. Good casting, good stories, a few weird little *things* but solidly made.

Stay warm! *smooch*

>41 RebaRelishesReading: this is the feeder heater I got. Hummer Hearth. It’s pretty adaptable and I’ve seen photos of it on many different styles of feeders. I got mine at Backyard Birdshop here in town.

>42 richardderus: My thoughts EXACTLY regarding the weather. Thanks for the info about the Heartstopper TV adaptation. Sounds promising.

>43 SuziQoregon: Thanks Julie. Once we can get out again I may pay them a visit :)

>44 RebaRelishesReading: If only it would actually warm up enough for,long enough to melt this mess!

Welp - our weather continues to be ridiculous. We got freezing rain starting Tuesday afternoon that just coated everything in ice. The world looked like a glazed donut out there. The predicted warm up on Wednesday just didn’t happen and we’re still just stuck in the low 30’s and the promised warm up keeps getting pushed out. Now they’re saying we could get more freezing rain later today.

We ventured out today for groceries. The Hubster took me out in his truck. Main roads are OK but parking lots and side roads are still treacherous. We’re well stocked now to get us through to our new “thaw by” date.

I continue to not be reading much. I did finally finish Float Plan by Trish Doller last night. Enjoyable contemporary romance. I decided to queue up Bel Canto by Ann Patchett on my ereader. It’s been sitting there unread for ages so it’s time to finally read it.

We are in much the same boat weatherwise, Juli. YUCK

Hi Juli--So does the move mean you are going to change your LT name? ; )

Happy that you are enjoying your new space. Just in time for great weather. LOL. We have power, but I still can't get out of my street - it's all ice!! Maybe by this weekend. Fingers crossed.

>47 richardderus: YUCK indeed!

>48 Berly: Glad you have power. Hopefully we’ll all be thawed out by the weekend. Not changing my screen name. Can’t. It’s been my online name everywhere forever.

>49 SuziQoregon: I use a what is now a previous address for my username and have moved three times since I chose it!

>50 CDVicarage: LOL

>48 Berly: I admit I had the same thought - LOL. (Although I think changing your LT name is complicated?) Anyway, I say no need to change anything, right??

>52 EBT1002: Ha! I have spent most of my life in Oregon and I’m just barely in Washington so I’m keeping the name.

>53 SuziQoregon: You're welcome in WA no matter what name you use :)

>53 SuziQoregon: Thanks!

Fun meetup today. A nice lunch with a combination of the usual suspects and some new people I hadn’t met before. Glad to expand our relatively local ranks. I did my book shopping at Powell’s before lunch but most of the group was headed that way after we finished eating

I only bought one book. Picked up a copy of North Woods by Daniel Mason. Powell’s was having a 30% off nearly everything sale today so it was super busy. Lines were long but they had all the registers staffed so it moved fast.

This lady in front of me in line was definitely taking full advantage of the sale today.

Jeez- and even i wouldnt get that many books-

It was great to see you, Juli!

>56 SuziQoregon: Pleasure to meet you and hear about your new home! Sounds very lovely. And you've inspired me to prioritize getting my hummingbird feeder out once I've organized my storage room in the next few weeks (after I get all my books shelved).

>30 SuziQoregon: I'd seen Heartstopper before, and it piqued my interest. Will definitely add it to my list now.

>56 SuziQoregon: Wow!!

Hi Juli! Great to see you yesterday. I also was one-and-done at Powell's. Although I'd love a grocery cart full of books (!), I already have so many TBRs : )

>56 SuziQoregon: Oh my! I wonder who is the designated helper to bring those books into the home!

You showed considerable restraint, only buying a single book.....

Happy week ahead

>56 SuziQoregon: Whoa!!! She most certainly was! Good for her, I say. And better her credit card than mine, LOL.

>57 Owltherian: Neither would I !!

>58 banjo123: Same to you. It's been ages since we've all been together.

>59 justchris: Great to meet you too. So glad you could join us. The entire Heartstopper series is wonderful!!

>60 RebaRelishesReading: My thoughts exactly :-)

>61 Berly: It's been so long since we've met up in person. Let's not let it be so long before we do this again!

>61 Berly: Oh that's a good question.

>67 SuziQoregon: Also a very good point. Even at 30% off that's a significant bill. We need to make sure that the next time we plan a meetup that you're able to join us!!!

4. Float Plan by Trish Doller 4 Stars

I accidentally read the second book about the Beck sisters before reading this first one. It didn’t make any difference. This was also very good. Ten months after the death of her fiancé, Anna sets out to complete the sailing trip they’d planned. After a treacherous first night she arrives at the first stop realizing she can’t do this alone. She hires Keane (a professional sailor) to help.

They’re both struggling with very different losses and living lives that are different than they had planned. Of course each turns out to be just what the other needed. It’s predictable but a good entertaining contemporary romance with a bit of adventure along the way as they sail the Caribbean.

There are discussions of suicide as noted at the beginning of the book. It’s a special kind of grief for the survivors of such a loss and this book is about healing from that grief.

5. An Irish Country Christmas by Patrick Taylor narrated by John Keating 4 Stars

This is the third book in this series about a physician in a small Irish village in the early 1960’s. It’s book three and only five months have passed since the beginning of book one so clearly it’s not a fast paced story.

Take All Creatures Great and Small make it Doctors instead of Vets and move it to Ireland about 25 years later and that’s this series.

It’s a very enjoyable series and the audiobooks narrated by John Keating are great driving around listening. I recommend the series and particularly the audiobooks but start with the first book.

>67 SuziQoregon: I have been eyeing that series for a while. I like the idea of listening to it as audiobooks. It seems like something P and I could listen to while working on jigsaw puzzles....

>68 EBT1002: It would be perfect for that. At least give the first book in the series a try.

6. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett 4.5 Stars

I got this book many years ago when it seemed that everyone I knew was reading and loving it. Then (as usual for me) I hesitated to read it because everyone I knew was loving it. It has sat untouched in my ereader library ever since. Now it seems everyone I know is reading and loving Patchett’s latest book. So I decided it was time for this one.

A birthday party is taking place at the Vice-President’s home in an unnamed South American country. It’s for a wealthy businessman and planned as a way to woo him to doing business in the country. A performance by his favorite opera singer is what got him there. The party is interrupted when a group of terrorists takes everyone hostage. The ensuing standoff lasts for months.

It seems odd to describe a book about terrorists and their hostages as lovely but that’s the most accurate description of this story. Over the course of the standoff the relationships that develop among the characters are wonderfully depicted. These characters will stay with me for a long time

On the off chance that I’m not the last person on the planet to read this and you also haven’t read it, you should.

I started The Bee Sting by Paul Murray a few days ago. It’s a shared read with a bunch of others around here. I’m not very far into it yet. I just finished the first section. It’s definitely interesting.

Glad you finally got to Bel Canto, Julie :) Up for Tom Lake yet?

>70 SuziQoregon: I loved Bel Canto!!! Less so The Bee Sting, but maybe you will enjoy it more. : )

>72 RebaRelishesReading: Probably soon.

>73 Berly: I’m nor really far enough into The Bee Sting to know yet. Just barely into the section section.

I also loved Bel Canto, Juli, but I know what you mean about hesitating to read books that everyone is talking about and loving. I do that all the time.

>75 BLBera: Glad to have company in this :-)

7. Capote's Women by Laurence Leamer narrated by Carrington MacDuffie 3.5 Stars

I got this audiobook after seeing some of the promotional information and photos for the TV series Feud: Capote vs. The Swans. It’s based in this book and I’ve recorded the series but wanted to listen to the book first.

It’s partly a biography of Capote and partly mini biographies of the wealthy socialites he befriended and dubbed “Swans”. It’s very much a story of an era and social class of people that are far from my own experiences.

I was familiar with Capote and some of the women in the book but many were unknown to me. Most of them married multiple times and were ridiculously wealthy jet setters. When Capote betrayed their friendships and published a story featuring extremely thinly veiled portrayals of some of the women who considered him a loyal friend their friendships were shattered.

It’s interesting in an in- depth celebrity magazine style. These people lived luxurious lifestyles but also lived out the idea that money can’t buy happiness.

The book was interesting and I’ll be curious to find out how the TV series compares.

Carrington MacDuffie does a great job of narrating and I would not hesitate to get another book narrated by her.

I'm still reading The Bee Sting but it's slow going. Partly because of the book and partly because of my lack of attention span. Anyway I'm a little over halfway through. Sometimes I'm loving it and sometimes I'm wishing it had been edited by about 100 pages.

Yes, I think it can be smart to hold off on reading those popular books. But I usually don't have the self-discipline to wait.

>79 banjo123: Oh that happens to me a lot too!

I finally finished The Bee Sting last night. I didn’t love it. I might have loved it if it had been edited down quite a bit. Posting my thoughts next. I’ve been avoid reading threads of others in the group who I knew were reading it because I didn’t want any spoilers before I finished it. Now I need to go do some major thread reading to catch up on other people’s thoughts on this one.

But today is the last day of the month and I have 2.5 hours left in my current audiobook. I really want to finish this today and get one more book in for February so I think after I finish my errands I need to start a new jigsaw puzzle while I finish listening.

8. The Bee Sting by Paul Murray 3 Stars

“So many of the bad things that happen in the world come from people pretending to be something they’re not.”

From the publisher:
“The Barnes family are in trouble. Until recently they ran the biggest business in town, now they’re teetering on the brink of bankruptcy – and that’s just the start of their problems. Dickie and Imelda’s marriage is hanging by a thread; straight-A student Cass is careening off the rails; PJ is hopelessly in debt to the school bully. Meanwhile the ghosts of old mistakes are rising out of the past to meet them, but everyone’s too wrapped up in the present to see the danger looming . . .”

I have extremely mixed feelings about this book. I thought parts of it were very good and I thought other parts were a total slog. I honestly think if it had been edited down by about 150 pages or more I would have liked it better. I never considered abandoning it because I wanted to find out where all the threads of differing viewpoints were going to lead. They led to an increasing spiral of an ending that turned out to be a bit of a mess.

I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it either. It was good but it could have been so much better.

>82 SuziQoregon: Hi Julie. Thanks for keeping me from adding yet another book to the towering stack near my desk!

Hope life is treating you well and that you're going to stay dry and snug today.

>83 RebaRelishesReading: Lots of people are loving this one but to me it had as many flaws as it had successes.

So I did manage to finish listening to Wild Strawberries last night while starting a new jigsaw puzzle. Light but fun.

In print I started The Red House Mystery written in 1922 by A.A. Milne (yes the A.A. Milne who wrote Winnie the Pooh). I had no idea he’d written any adult books much less a murder mystery until I read about this book in a NY Times newsletter. Luckily I was able to find a copy at my local library.

On audio I’ll be starting the latest No. 1 Ladies Detectives book today. These audiobooks are comfort food for me and other than one huge mistake with another narrator a couple of books back the audios narrated by Lisette Lecat are delightful.

9. Wild Strawberriesby Angela Thirkell 3.5 Stars

Wild Strawberries by Angela Thirkell narrated by Hilary Neville

This is the third book (or second depending on which list you use) in a series by Angela Thirkell set in the fictional county of Barsetshire created by Anthony Trollope. The books were written between 1933 and 1961 (this one in 1934). They are generally a light and delightful blend of social satire, comedy and romance.

The story revolves around the Leslie family and their family home Rushwater. The cast is confusing at first but I soon had them all sorted out. Lady Emily is the absentminded matriarch. Her daughter Agnes is equally silly. Emily’s sons John (a young widower) and David (much more interested in fun than work) don’t live at home but visit often. The Leslie’s eldest son died in the Great War and his 16 year old son. Martin is the heir and visiting the family for the summer. Also visiting is Mary Preston who is the niece of Agnes’s husband.

Romance is In the air as Mary falls for the imminently unsuitable David when everyone knows that John is the better match for her. Visitors in the neighborhood from France add more fun and a bit of fervor to restore the French Monarchy that fails to disrupt Martin’s birthday party near the end of the summer.

It’s light with more fun than substance but all in all entertaining. This is the first I’ve listened to instead of reading. Hilary Neville is a good narrator. I will likely get the next book on audio even though it has a different narrator.

>85 SuziQoregon: Totally agree re Ladies No. 1 I have From a Far & Lovely Country waiting for me on my phone -- is that what you started?

>87 RebaRelishesReading: Yep! So glad they corrected that awful narrator mistake and brought back Lisette Lecat!

Steve decided to help me with my puzzle this afternoon

Steve seems like a 'Big' help!

Happy Saturday, Juli. I am glad you also got to The Bee sting in February. I agree with the issues you had but I still came out on the more positive side of it. It definitely needed editing. Hooray for Bel Canto! I am a big Patchett fan.

Steve is a handsome fella. Don't often see common human names for cats, but it suits him.

>89 SuziQoregon: What a great photo. So nice that you have a helper for your puzzle.

I will have to look for the Thirkell books on audio. They might be fun to listen to.

>90 Owltherian: Ha! Yes he is a big boy. Both our cats are Siberians so they are very large and floofy.

>91 msf59: I avoided thread hopping until I finished The Bee Sting because I wanted to definitely firm my own opinion. Now that I’ve finished it I’m catching up with other people’s thoughts. Very interesting. I loved Bel Canto. I downloaded Tom Lake but not sure when I’ll start it. After Bee Sting I want to keep things light for a bit.

>92 ChrisG1: Thanks Chris. He agrees with you. He’s kind of a narcissist and admires himself in the mirrors regularly. We’ve always given our cats human names. They also get middle names so they know when they’re in trouble.

>93 BLBera: He normally doesn’t do that but he was determined yesterday. I do have a cover for my puzzle board for when I’m not working on it. Because cats.
The Thirkell books are definitely more light entertainment than substance but I think they’re fun.

I realized that I’d never posted the jigsaw puzzle I finished a couple of weeks ago.

Mountains on Fire from Buffalo Games
750 pieces. Gorgeous and more challenging than I expected for a 750:piece puzzle.

Steve is a handsome fellow. I love that you give animals middle names so they know when they're in trouble. Hope Saturday is treating you well.

>Yes he’s a good looking guy.

Swallowtail Dance by Phyllis Shafer from Pomegranate Puzzles
1000 pieces

I love Pomegranate Puzzles. They are so nice and feature such interesting artwork.

10. The Red House Mystery by A.A. Milne 4 Stars

I had no idea that A.A. Milne (yes the Winnie the Pooh author) wrote any adult novels much less a murder mystery. I learned about this book from a NY Times newlsetter and luckily found a copy at my library. Written in 1922 it's a locked room mystery set in a country house in England with a fun cast of characters and an amateur detective who of course figures out the truth.

This was a fun book and while very Agatha Christie-ish it also had some very funny moments.

Antony Gillingham arrives at The Red House just after the fatal shot. He's there to say hello to a friend who is a guest at the house. These two heartily embrace their roles as the Sherlock and Watson imitations and their friendship and banter is wonderful. The actual mystery kept me guessing for a bit and while I was pretty sure of the truth the way Milne had Gillingham work out what truly happened was a fun ride.

It's a quick light read and despite being written in 1922 is still an interesting murder mystery.

11. From a Far and Lovely Country by Alexander McCall Smith narrated by Lisette Lecat 3.5 Stars

This is book 24 in the series so obviously I enjoy them. These books on audio are the audio version of comfort food for me. The characters feel like old friends and the stories continue to be enjoyable listening. This is very much due to the excellent narration by Lisette Lecat. She also feels like an old friend at this point because she's told me so many stories over the years.

These are light and charming. There is often not a lot that happens but the observations and conversations among the cast are just a nice way to spend time.

The mysteries are always fairly light and often the minor parts of the books because so much ot the ongoing story in the series is the lives of the cast of characters.

Go with the audio editions (except for the one they stupidly had narrated by someone other than Lisette Lecat - read that one in print) and pour yourself a cup of tea and enjoy the stories.

12. Kissing Kosher by Jean Meltzer 4 Stars

I heard about this one from a Debbi (Walklover). The author herself has a chronic illness and her protagonists are always Jewish and always coping with some sort of chronic illness themselves.

The Cohen family and the Lippman family haven't spoken in decades. since the original founders of a kosher bakery had a falling out. Avital now runs Best Babka and also deals with a chronic painful illness. Ethan Rosenberg has been dispatched to get a job at Best Babka by his grandfather Moishe Lippman. His assignment is to steal their signature Pumpkin Spice Babka recipe without letting them know he's the grandson of the man who founded Best Babka with Avital's grandfather.

Of course Ethan and Avital fall for each other. Of course they have differing interpretations about why the families despise each other. Ethan becomes less concerned about finding the secret recipe and more interested in both Avital and baking. The secret has to come out and you know it will be devastating to their relationship when it does.

I loved this one. I learned a lot about kosher laws, Jewish traditions, baking, Interstitial Cystitis, Medicinal marijuana and thoroughly enjoyed the whole story.

I will definitely be reading the author's other books.

>100 SuziQoregon: This sounds like a fun read, Juli. I will look for it. I love the pictures of your puzzles.

Happy birthday, Juli. xx

>103 BLBera: it was fun. I'm glad I was able to find a copy.

>104 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul! I had a great day with lots of reading.

13. Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn 4 Stars

I enjoy the Bridgertons both in the books and the TV series. This is the fourth book in the series but it will be the upcoming season 3 of the show.

I have been looking forward to this one which features Colin and Penelope’s story. It was as delightful I had hoped. I did want to punch Colin a couple of times but he managed to get his act together and straighten out his errant ways.

These books have a great mix of romance and humor. I think I laughed more while reading this one than I did with the previous books. The banter among the Bridgerton siblings and their mother is wonderful.

I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

>106 SuziQoregon: I really hope they do the adaptation to an even higher than usual standard...Penelope's, um, secret is so very important and the sheer bravado this could get from Nicola Coughlan is drool-worthy.

Belated birthday orisons!

>107 richardderus: I totally agree!!

Lovely puzzles! I've finally cleared my dining table enough to think about doing my first puzzle in my new home. I pulled out my Klimt puzzle because I love the art so much! I'll be relying on my puzzle keeper to keep it safe from my kitty between sessions.

>102 SuziQoregon: and that sounds like an interesting read...maybe I'll add it to my list.

>106 SuziQoregon: Have only read the first book and then watched Season 1 and 2. Looks like I would enjoy book #3. : )

>109 justchris: Yep - with cats a covered puzzle board is a necessity for me!

>110 Berly: This was actually book 4 in the series. The TV show is skipping the third book to make Penelope and Colin’s story season 3 of the show. Not sure why they decided to make it confusing.

>111 SuziQoregon: Gotcha. Also, check out the Oregon thread because Jim and Judy are coming for a visit!

>112 Berly: Excellent! I’ll check in on the thread.

Latest puzzle
Couldn’t find a title but it’s from the Sure Lox Hometown Collection.
1000 pieces

>114 SuziQoregon: Lovely.

Have a great weekend, Juli.

>115 PaulCranswick: Thanks

14. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros 4 Stars

Fantasy is very much not my go to genre but enough of my friends with varied reading tastes were liking this one that I decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did. This was quite the adventure.

A war college class of twenty somethings with a high likelihood of dying before graduation. The dragons they might or might not bond with are the other major group in the cast of characters. I think I liked the dragons more than the people but it was all interesting, frightening, exciting, maddening, and occasionally funny. That last part is because a snarky dragon can be hilarious even in the midst of a dangerous situation.

The plot is reminiscent of many dystopian YA books I've read but these are not teenagers and many of them have had some serious hardships in their lives.

Interesting story with lots and lots of secrets and since this is the first in a series not all of the secrets are revealed by the end. I will definitely continue with the series but since the third book isn't due out until January I'll probably wait until closer to the release of that one to read book number two.

Not my usual fare but I thought it was very good.

15. Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto narrated by Eunice Wong 4 Stars

Well this was fun. Vera Wong is a 60ish woman who owns a teashop in San Francisco's Chinatown. She spends more time trying to micromanage her grown son than she spends dealing with the very occasional patron at her teashop.

When she discovers a dead body in the shop one morning, Vera decides to help the police solve what she's sure is a murder. She helpfully draws an outline of the body on the floor with a sharpie and steals the flash drive the dead man has in his hand.

Soon she's in full detective mode and narrows her suspects list to four people. She brings them together and tries to determine which is the killer. Before long the group has become friends and Vera begins to dread that one of her new friends might be a killer.

A humorous amateur sleuth story with a bit of a found family plot. Realistic? Of course not. Entertaining? Absolutely.

Eunice Wong's narration of the audiobook is excellent. I wouldn’t hesitate to listen to another book narrated by her.

16. The Patience of the Spider by Andrea Camilleri narrated by Grover Gardner 3.5 Stars

This is the eighth book in Camilleri’s series about a Sicilian detective. They are fun police procedurals that always include a bit of humor and tempting Italian food.

This time around it’s a kidnapping. Inspector Montalbano is on leave after getting shot at the end of the previous book. He’s not the lead on the case but is asked to return to duty to assist. Because he’s not running the investigation it allows him some leeway to do his own thing on the side.

There are plenty of twists and turns and of course Montalbano figures it out but not without a couple of arguments with his love interest and a few delicious sounding meals along the way.

17. Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey 3.5 Stars

This was a mostly fun golf related romance. A formerly successful golfer who has lost his game and his longtime biggest fan team up to get him back in the game.

There was lots of fun banter between the two of them and I enjoyed most of it. I could have done without a couple of the details of their sexual activities but it was still an enjoyable contemporary romance.

>118 SuziQoregon: Arrggh! You got me! On hold now.In the meantime, I'll check out Didn't See That Coming.

Delurking to say Hi!

How are you, Juli? Hoping there's good reading going on.

>122 Berly: Hello to you too!

>123 richardderus: I’m doing well, my friend! I’ve finished a few good ones recently. I need to catch up with posting them.

18. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde 4 Stars

I've had this book on my ereader for ages. So many friends have recommended this series and while I've read other books by Fforde I hadn't gotten around to starting this series.

Based on the recommendations from friends I was pretty sure I'd love it and I was right. It's different, it's funny, it's imaginative, it's a little weird but in a great way and I'm looking forward to continuing with the series.

1985 alternate history set in the UK. Things are very different. Pet dodos are common now that they've been regenerated (some versions are better than others). The Crimean War has still not ended and Wales is a socialist state. That's just the beginning

Thursday Next works for the Special Operations branch of Literary Detectives (LiteraTecs) who deal with literary crime. This is definitely a series for book lovers. She's on the trail of Archeron Hades a villainous mastermind who is stealing original literary manuscripts and altering them by entering the stories and removing characters.

It's a whirlwind mix of science fiction, fantasy, and literary history and I loved it.

19. Broken (In the Best Possible Way by Jenny Lawson narrated by the author 4 Stars

I've been reading Jenny Lawson's blog on and off for years. She's always had a mix of hilarity and deeply thoughtful things to say about navigating life with multiple chronic health conditions as well as severe depression and anxiety.

Her books have that same mix and this is no exception. The audio editions read by her are wonderful because you truly get her stories in her voice.

There were chapters that made me aware of the invisible mental and physical health issues that people may be struggling through without me being aware. Some of it was heartbreaking (such as her open letter to her medical insurance company) and other parts were incredibly insightful and lovely.

Then there are the chapters that made me laugh out loud while driving around in my car totally alone. The one about why she can never go to the post office again is the best. Another favorite is the one where her social media followers shared their most embarrassing moments. I need to play those two chapters for my husband.

As always, time with Jenny made me laugh, made me cry, and made me appreciate all the little things in life.

>125 SuziQoregon: I just listened to the audiobook last week! Or maybe the week before. I enjoyed it too. Book 2 is on hold, expected soon.

>126 SuziQoregon: Will probably have to look this up. I really enjoyed Let's Pretend This Never Happened.

>127 justchris: Oh so glad you enjoyed the Thursday Next one too. How was the audio?? I have the second one on my ereader.

And you will definitely have to listen to this latest one by Jenny Lawson. If you haven't read or listened to Furiously Happy yet, you should.

>127 justchris: I enjoyed the audio enough to continue with audio for the next book; I'm now second in line for Lost in a Good Book.

I recognize the cover of Furiously Happy, and now I'm not sure which one i borrowed from my friend. LT says it was Let's Pretend This Never Happened, so I guess my initial take was correct.

>129 justchris: All of Jenny Lawson’s are good. Glad to hear the audios of the Thursday Next series are too.

Oh, Thursday Next! plock

>131 richardderus: LOL

20. The Big Bamboo by Tim Dorsey 4 Stars

The Serge Storms series by Tim Dorsey is bananas. Serge is insane and usually off his meds. His eternally stoned sidekick Coleman is either going along with whatever Serge wants or randomly messing up Serge's well laid plans. Usually, these books are some version of Serge's love of Florida and its history.

This time around the story is set mainly in LA and Hollywood where a massively overbudget film is getting no closer to being finished and the studio owners and their Japanese investors are increasingly frustrated with the director.

Then the lead actress gets kidnapped, and an innocent young screenwriter is accused of the crime, but he didn't do it.

The rest gets even crazier than the usual Serge and Coleman adventures. The twists keep twisting and keeping track of who is conning who is nearly impossible but also hilarious.

Very dark humor and remember that Serge is technically not a serial killer. He just keeps coming across people who need killing.

21. Mr. Mulliner Speaking by JP.G. Wodehouse narrated by Jonathan Cecil 3.5 Stars

P.G Wodehouse books are always entertaining and amusing. I prefer listening to them because I think they just come across better on audio than in print. There are many different narrators, but I always try to get the ones narrated by Jonathan Cecil if at all possible. He's definitely my favorite narrator of Wodehouse's work.

The Mr. Mulliner books feature the resident storyteller of the bar parlor of the Angler's Rest Public House.

This is a series of nine short stories almost always featuring some relative of Mr. Mulliner and usually some romance that's either going well or going poorly or (often) both.

Plenty of delightful characters with delightful names and quirks. Some characters are in multiple stories.

Written in the late 1920's, these stories and still delightful and I recommend listening to the editions narrated by Jonathan Cecil.

Hi Juli. I loved The Eyre Affair when I read it. I need to continue with this series.

>136 BLBera: I just heard today that another book in the series is coming in. 2025.

22. Rivals by Katharine McGee 3.5 Stars

This is the third book in the American Royals series that is based on an alternate history where George Washington became king, and his descendants are still on the throne of America.

In this one Beatrice is the young queen and trying to be respected despite being the first female ruler of the country. Her younger siblings Samantha and Jefferson are still finding their way as heir and spare (at least until Beatrice gets married and has kids). They are each still having relationship and romance problems but also wanting to support their sister as best as they can.

The world of the series expands a bit with this one by introducing other rulers of countries around the globe which in our timeline do not still have monarchs. The fun bits that come through about the alternate history are always kind of fun.

This one ends on a cliffhanger and the next book is the final one in the series. I'm probably going to be reading it sooner rather than later just to find out how all of this ends.

It's been a frustrating series at times but a fun ride nevertheless.

>138 SuziQoregon: The idea is such a fantastic one! What if the US was, instead, like Napoleonic Brazil? Got to admire her for taking it on.

While I wish they'd been more snappy for you, I'm encouraged to try the first one by the enjoyment you're obviously getting. Happy June to come, Juli!

>139 richardderus: They are definitely YA/New Adult somewhat romancy but the alternate history and society stuff makes for some interesting stuff that keeps them from being totally run of the mill.

Definitely a Fforde fan and glad you are now, too. ; )

Broken (In the Best Possible Way) sounds great -- off to find it.

See you Saturday!!

>141 Berly: Hope you like it!

23. Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood 4 Stars

This is the third Ali Hazelwood book I’ve read, and I’ve enjoyed them all. The characters in this one are younger. Although it’s in the YA section at the library I’d probably classify this one as more New Adult and for an audience a little older than typical YA.

Mallory is 18 and working at a car repair business. College wasn’t in her post high school plan for a lot of reasons. She’s struggling with her friends going off to college when she feels responsible for her chronically ill mother and younger sisters. Mallory was an excellent young chess player but when her father left the family she left chess. One of her friends convinces her to join the members of the chess club at a tournament just to help the club. She ends up beating the reigning world champion Nolan Sawyer.

The inevitable romance and Mallory’s love hate relationship with the world of professional chess is an entertaining story. I liked this one quite a bit.

>142 SuziQoregon: Just checked out the audio of Broken (In the Best Possible Way)!! Happy weekend.

>142 SuziQoregon: Hope you like it!

24. Plan for the Worst by Jodi Taylor narrated by Zara Ramm 4 Stars

This is the 11th book in the Chronicles of St. Mary’s series about a the “Disaster Magnets” known as the time traveling historians that work there. I’ve read some in print and listened to most on audio. No matter the format they’re fun and entertaining. You must start at the beginning of the series due to the many ongoing threads of story. You can jump around it time with the crew from St. Mary’s, but you can’t jump around in the series order.

This one winds up some of the ongoing story but also ends with what appears to be some major changes ahead for the characters.

From a chance to see the Princes in the Tower before they disappeared, to an eruption that destroys an island and devastates Crete with a massive tsunami in the 15th century BCE these historians find all kinds of interesting things to document and risk their lives along the way.

There’s plenty of adventure, humor, danger, and interesting historical speculation by the author and it’s all highly recommended.

I am enjoying Broken! What a sense of humor, laughing at the dark side.

And now I'll have to get my hands on the latest Chronicles of St. Mary's...Yay!

>147 Berly: Excellent! She’s not for everyone so I’m glad you’re enjoying it.

25. North Woods by Daniel Mason 4.5 Stars

This was very different and very good. It begins with a young couple running away from their Puritan village in order to be together. They make their way to the woods in what will become Western Massachusetts. There they find a place to make their home. What follows is the story of that place and the inhabitants that come after. Humans, animals, trees, the land itself all become characters in the story of this place and the connections that are built, maintained and broken. The chapters read like connected stories but it’s also all about those connections.

It's an interesting book with varied formats and ways of telling the story. I thought it was good enough that as soon as I finished I handed to The Hubster and told him it was his next book.

>149 SuziQoregon: I've just moved this up my TBR (virtual) pile!

>149 SuziQoregon: Oh Juli -- you are tempting me!!

>150 CDVicarage: Hope you like it as much as I did

>151 RebaRelishesReading: It was very different but I thought it was very good. I think you'd like it.

26. Mrs. Quinn's Rise to Fame by Olivia Ford 4 Stars

I like books about cooking shows almost as much as I like watching cooking shows. This is not a rom com like some of the other book I’ve read that involve cooking shows.

Jennifer Quinn is 77 years old and has been married to her husband for nearly 60 years. When she decides to apply to be a contestant on Britain Bakes she keeps her application and audition a secret. Once she makes the cut she obviously has to tell him but readers find out it’s not the only secret she’s kept from him.

The baking show is really about only half the story. The rest looks back to when Jennifer was young and how her baking memories spark other memories of important people and events of her life.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. It’s a sweet (and a bit predictable) story with utterly charming characters. I would not hesitate to read another book by this author.

27. Starter Villain by John Scalzi narrated by Wil Wheaton 4.5 Stars

Well, this was just a hoot! Charlie is divorced, has lost his job as a business journalist and is just surviving as a substitute teacher. Then his estranged billionaire uncle dies and Charlie inherits his businesses. Charlie thought his uncle’s fortune came from parking garages. It turns out his uncle was a supervillain complete with volcano island lair.

There is also a consortium of villains who are now out to get Charlie. He’s clearly in over his head and learning as he goes and trying to avoid getting killed. Then there are the genetically engineered cats who can communicate by typing. Don’t forget the foul mouthed dolphins who want to unionize and are threatening to go on strike.

It’s over the top. It’s violent. It’s hilarious. If you listen to audiobooks at all get the audio of this because Wil Wheaton is perfect as the narrator.

>143 SuziQoregon: I really like Check & Mate. It might be my favorite of Hazelwood's romances, or tied with Love, Theoretically.

>153 SuziQoregon: That sounds lovely! Baking show-centered rom-coms I've enjoyed this year are Chef's Kiss and Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble. A Sweet Mess was ok too.

>154 SuziQoregon: I've heard really great things about this audiobook. I just never remember to look it up. Looks like my library doesn't carry the audio version. Good to hear it's a romp.

>152 SuziQoregon: I've put it on the list for my next bookstore visit :)

>154 SuziQoregon: I listened to the audiobook of Starter Villain last November - it's the only audiobook I've managed to complete & agree Wheaton did a good job. Scalzi thinks up some crazy stuff!

>157 ChrisG1: Scalzi is a great writer and I love Wheaton as a narrator. : )

>155 justchris: Good to know. I haven't read Love, Theoretically yet. I've read Paris Daillencourt but not the others. Will have to hunt those up.

>156 RebaRelishesReading: Looking forward to hearing what you think.

>157 ChrisG1: Definitely!!

>158 Berly: I agree!

28. The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley 4 Stars

Five years earlier in The Guncle, Maisie and Grant spent the summer with their GUP (Gay Uncle Patrick) after the death of their mother. The three of them managed to help each other in dealing with their grief.

Now the kids are older, and their father is getting remarried. Patrick is facing turning 50 (and not coping with it well at all). He’s broken it off with his boyfriend and is winding up a movie in London. Their father asks Patrick to take the kids for a few weeks before meeting up in Italy for the wedding.

Once again, the three of them manage to have some fun and sometimes hilarious adventures while at the same time all three of them do a bit of growing up and facing things they don’t really want to face.

I loved it as much as the first one. Read The Guncle first but read them both.

29. An Irish Country Girl by Patrick Taylor narrated by Terry Donnelley 3 Stars

This is the fourth book in the Irish Country series. This one takes a break from the usual cast of characters and setting to look at the early life of Maureen “Kinky” Kincaid who is the housekeeper to the two doctors who have been the focus of the series so far. I understand the reason to use a female narrator for this one so I knew before I started it that John Keating wasn’t narrating this one.

The story begins in the current timeline of the series when Kinky is watching several village children while the adults are at a Christmas party. She tells them a story from her childhood full of fairies, spirits, and even a Banshee. This story went on far longer than any child would sit through but it was a way to tell Kinky’s introduction to having the “sight” that her mother was known to have. Later the story shifts to Kinky remembering meeting her future husband and what led her to her longtime role as Dr. O'Reilly’s housekeeper.

This was OK. I knew it would be a departure from the usual setting and characters and with a different narrator. I’m glad to have more background on Kinky but I didn’t enjoy it as much as the other books in the series. The narration began to annoy me by the time I was nearing the end with too many whiny voices. You could probably skip this one in the series and not miss too much.

30. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon 4 Stars

I really enjoyed this one. It’s set in 1789 in Maine. When a body is found in the frozen river the local midwife is called to examine the body and report on the cause of death. This is partly a murder mystery and partly historical fiction about a real midwife named Martha Ballard.

The story is about Martha’s life, her work as a midwife and healer, and country life in that era in Maine. I thought it was very well written and fascinating. I don’t want to say too much about the story because it’s best to experience it as Martha did and as she told it.

Definitely recommend this one.

Hi Juli! Sounds like some great reading. I loved Starter Villain.

I am trying to revive the Oregon Meet-up thread---it's here https://www.librarything.com/topic/356633#n8561501

>163 banjo123: Yay! I'll go check out the thread. Thanks for letting me know.

31. The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith 4 Stars

I knew next to nothing about this book. I never watched any of the movie productions and haven’t yet watched the newish Netflix show. That was probably a good thing because it allowed me to be surprised at the turns of events several times in the book.

Set in the late 1950’s, the story begins with Tom Ripley trying to make a life for himself in New York and he’s not above a con game here and there. He’s approached by a wealthy businessman who believes that Tom is a friend of his son, Dickie. He offers to pay Toms travel and expenses to go to Italy and convince Dickie to return to America.

Once there, Tom inserts himself in Dickie’s life and sees that he’s a man who thinks nothing of money because he has plenty. Tom finds himself both fascinated by and jealous of Dickie and his lifestyle.

I really don’t want to say more because the events of the story build on each other and become a web of deceit and crime. It was a fascinating thriller and there are more Ripley books that I plan to read. In the meantime I’m looking forward to watching the Netflix series.

>165 SuziQoregon: Sounds like a good one!! Nice writeup. : )

Hi Juli. Think you'll be able to make the meet-up while Roni is here? 9/21 is getting close! I'll post on Oregon meetups

>167 RebaRelishesReading: Yes I'm planning on it. I have something that evening but should be available earlier in the day.

>166 Berly: I'm glad I read it. Not sure if I'll read any of the sequels. Maybe at some point.

32. Funny Story by Emily Henry narrated by Julia Whelan 4 Stars

Several friends recommended this book but when one mentioned that the audio edition was narrated by Julia Whelan, I knew I’d be listening to it. Julia Whelan is one of my favorite narrators and her performance made a good book even better than if I’d read the print edition.

When Daphne’s fiancé Peter returns from his bachelor party and announces that he’s not going to marry her she’s stunned. Then he announces that she needs to move out because his supposedly platonic best friend Petra is moving in. Daphne doesn’t want to leave the town she moved to for Peter until after the end of summer event she’s been planning as the Children’s Librarian. She’s counting the days until after that and looking for jobs elsewhere. Needing a place to live she moves into the second bedroom of the apartment where Petra’s ex (Miles) is living.

Yeah, you can predict this, but the journey is a good one. Daphne and Miles both have issues to work through separately and together. Daphne is ready to leave but because she feels she has to stay until after the library event she does begin to move on to her life after Peter.

This was very good, and the audio is as good as I’d hoped. I definitely recommend this and will be getting other books by Emily Henry narrated by Julia Whelan.

33. Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde 4 Stars

I finally (after several years) listened to my friends and read the first book in the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde. My friends were right and it’s intelligent, fun and thoroughly entertaining. However, this second book in the series is even better.

Set in an alternate universe mostly in Great Britain, this series features Thursday Next, who is a literary detective. Fforde is delightfully imaginative in the scenarios he can create and the intelligent humor throughout is wonderful for book nerds like me.

Jumping around in time and in books the story is impossible to describe and have it make any sense to someone who hasn’t experienced the story.

All I can say is start with the first one (The Eyre Affair) and keep going because this one is even better.

34. The Ordeal of the Haunted Room by Jodi Taylor narrated by Zara Ramm 4 Stars

This is a short story in the Chronicles of St. Mary’s series. This series is great in print but in my opinion it’s even better on audio because Zara Ramm’s narration is wonderful.

In this story our favorite time traveling historians are in 1895 England to observe Victorian Christmas traditions. Then Peterson injures his foot so they seek shelter at a nearby home. Hoping they can still experience a Victorian Christmas celebration they soon learn that things are different in this house tonight. On the longest night of the year each new Harewood heir must spend the entire night locked in a supposedly haunted room. If they survive the night then they are the true heir.

That didn’t go well a year ago when Henry Harewood’s father was found dead the morning after his ordeal in the room. Henry is set to be locked in at midnight and of course things will not go well.

Another fun story in a fun series. Start at the beginning and read or listen to them in order.

35. The Lost World by Arthur Conan Doyle 3.5 Stars

In addition to Sherlock Holmes, Doyle also wrote a series of science fiction books and stories featuring a bombastic self righteous scientist, anthropologist with many other talents. Anger management is not one of those talents.

When journalist Edward Malone is friend zoned by his girlfriend because she wants someone more exciting and capable of great deeds he asks his editor for a dangerous assignment. He is sent to find out more about Challenger’s recent South American expedition. Since Challenger notoriously hates journalists Malone pretends to be an interested student.

Challenger convinces Malone that on his expedition he discovered a remote area where dinosaurs are still alive. Challenger appears at a public meeting which turns contentious and results in a group of volunteers chosen to travel to South America to prove or disprove Challenger’s claims.

Adventure awaits . . .

This was an interesting story and surprisingly funny at times. The group of adventurers was a fairly classic mix of character types from the genre. There were parts that were a bit slow but it was still fun. Supposedly this was one of the inspirations for Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park.

>173 SuziQoregon: You're much more generous than I am...no more than two-and-a-half from me.

Did you end up watching Ripley on Netflix?

Happy week-ahead's reads, Juli!

>174 richardderus: Ha! I think it was a timing thing. I was in the right mood for the silliness. Haven’t watched Ridley yet. Need to finish off a few other things we’re watching first.

I will look for the Jodi Taylor books in audio. I imagine with a good reader that they would be fun to listen to.

>176 BLBera: I love the narrator but they're still excellent in print.

36. The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean 4 Stars

This was a pretty good thriller. Chelsey Calhoun is a detective in a mostly rural area of Washington State. When a teenager walks out of the woods and turns out to be someone who went missing two years earlier Chelsey is on the case. She’s always been highly focused on cases about missing girls because her own teenaged sister disappeared many years ago.

This one took several surprising turns along the way. I equally liked and wanted to smack Chelsey, but I never doubted her dedication to the case.

Missing girls and some unsettling and disturbing scenes mean this isn’t for the faint hearted but it’s a well done slow building story with unexpected turns along the way.

I will definitely be watching for more thrillers from this author.

37. Mulliner Nights by P.G. Wodehouse narrated by Jonathan Cecil 3.5 Stars

Wodehouse stories are always delightful and when they are an audio edition narrated by Jonathan Cecil they’re even better.

This is another collection of short stories featuring Mr. Mulliner. He spends much of his time with friends and strangers in the Bar Parlour of the Angler’s Rest Pub. Patrons are usually only identified by their drink order. (Mr. Mulliner’s favorite is hot scotch and lemon.)

Every story begins with setting the stage at the pub and as the conversation gets going the subject sets Mr. Mulliner off on a story about one of his many relatives that may or may not actually be related to the subject of the conversation.

There were two stories in this collection that featured cats, and I particularly liked those. Usually there’s some sort of romance that has met an obstacle or gone wrong in some way but they’re always lightly amusing and feature plenty of witty wordplay.

38. The Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie 3 Stars

It had been a while since I read an Agatha Christie book, and I decided it was time to read this second book in the Hercule Poirot series.

Poirot and his friend and storyteller Captain Hastings (think Sherlock and Watson) head to France after receiving a request for Poirot’s help. When they arrive at Mr. Renaud’s home, they learn that he was found murdered that morning. Stabbed in the back and left lying next to a newly dug grave on an adjacent golf course.

Let the craziness begin. I lost count of how many people were considered serious suspects along the way. Poirot and the Sûreté detective Giraud continually annoy each other, and Hastings meets and immediately falls for a beautiful woman only known to him as Cinderella.

Try not to get whiplash from all the sudden turns and surprises along the way in this one. Just enjoy it.

>172 SuziQoregon: Defintiely getting that one on audio! Love the series, but haven't read this one yet. Thanks! And it was great to see you this weekend. Glad you are liking WA so much. : )

>181 Berly: It was fun. I love the audio versions of this series.

39. Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy 4.5 Stars

Helen Cartwright has moved back to the village where she grew up. She’s spent the last sixty years in Australia. Her plan is to quietly live out the little that remains of her life and die peacefully and quietly.

A chance encounter changes that plan.

I’m not going to say anything else about the plot. Just get this wonderful little book and read it. It’s just a lovely story and you should read it.

40. Reign by Katharine McGee 3.5 Stars

This is the fourth and final book in the American Royals series that is a mix of YA romance and alternate history. In the world of the series George Washington became King of America instead of President and his descendants are still on the throne.

This was a sufficient wrap up to the series. It’s always focused on four young women. The young new queen, her younger sister the rebellious princess, that sister’s best friend the commoner who has lived on the periphery of the royal family, and the ambitious girlfriend of the prince who has always dreamed of marrying into royalty.

The third book ended on a cliffhanger and this one finishes off the stories with a few surprises along the way. Like the other books it managed to be both entertaining and annoying but all in all it felt like a good conclusion.

41. The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune 4.5 Stars

This was a reread for me. I originally read it four years ago and absolutely loved it. When the sequel was recently released, I decided to reread this before reading the new book. I’m so glad I did. I loved it all over again. It’s an inventive and utterly charming story about love, diversity, inclusion, and acceptance.

Linus Baker is a caseworker in the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. When Extremely Upper Management sends him to report on an orphanage that has some particularly different young charges and an equally different housemaster.

It’s delightful and lovely and I’m glad I reread it before moving on to the second book.

Highly recommended.

42. A Perfect Storm by Jodi Taylor 4 Stars

Another short story from the Chronicles of St. Mary’s series about time traveling historians. I started this series in print and switched to the audio editions at some point. Now that The Hubster doesn’t have a long commute he’s not listening to audiobooks and wanted to get back to this series. When I was adding the books to his ereader I came across this short story that doesn’t appear to be available on audio, so I missed it. So, reading this was catching up a bit out of order.

I didn’t mind at all. It was another hilarious visit with the prone to disaster employees of St. Mary’s. A film producer, an epic pub crawl, a manuscript for a book that just might be too close to the truth about the goings on at St. Mary’s, the R and D team blowing things up (again) and Angus the chicken.

Hilarity ensues as usual.

Start at the beginning and read this series in order. You won’t be sorry.

43. Origin in Death by J.D. Robb narrated by Susan Ericksen 4 Stars

This is book 21 in the Eve Dallas series so obviously I’m still enjoying the series. I initially read the print editions but somewhere along the way switched to audio because I think Susan Ericksen does an excellent job on the narration.

It’s mostly a police procedural series set in fairly near future New York City. Far enough in the future to have flying cars and off-planet tourism but not so far that the gritty police work doesn’t seem too different from present time.

I say mostly police procedural because there’s also a bit of sexy romance story with Eve and her Husband the fabulously wealthy and attractive Roarke. Then there’s a bit of humor thrown in here and there with Eve’s assistant and the assorted supporting cast that has developed throughout the series. It’s great entertainment.

This time around two doctors (a father and son) have been murdered in a way that seems personal and possibly some sort of revenge killing. Who is the mystery woman on the security tapes and why did she kill these men who have a reputation as excellent reconstructive surgeons? It’s a gradually developing story that gets more and more chilling as it goes on.

>183 SuziQoregon:. I agree, Sipsworth is a delightful book.

>188 RebaRelishesReading: Loved it! Thanks for recommending it.

Just dropping by to wish you well, Juli.

Hi Juli. Lots of good reading. I've heard wonderful things about Sipsworth and you remind me that I haven't visited Jodi Taylor for a while.

>185 SuziQoregon: The House in the Cerulean Sea keeps popping up in places for me. I need to read it.

>190 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul.

>191 BLBera: I loved Sipsworth and Jodi Taylor is always fun!

>192 EBT1002: I loved it just as much the second time. I need to read the sequel soon.

Solstice cheer, Juli!

Thank you, my friend!!

Thinking of you at this time, Juli.

>196 PaulCranswick: Samt to you, Paul!

44. Pyramids by Terry Pratchett 3.5 Stars

You never now what you’re going to get with a Terry Pratchett Discworld book but it will always be something surprising and usually funny. I’m not sure why I didn’t start this series many years ago but I’m glad I finally did.

Young Teppic graduates from Assassin’s school but he really doesn’t want to kill anyone. He’s the crown prince of a tiny kingdom that is deeply in debt due to its tradition of building pyramids to entomb its deceased rulers. The pyramids have used up most of the valuable farmland in the kingdom.

Shortly after graduating, Teppic returns home because his father has died and he is now King. The High Priest seems to truly be in charge and insists that in accordance with tradition a massive pyramid must be built for Teppic’s father.

Then things begin to go horribly wrong. And it’s hilarious.

I love this series and I’m looking forward to reading more.

45. The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer 3.5 Stars

This was a fun holiday romance. Rachel has a secret. She’s the daughter of a well-known Rabbi and Jewish Community leader. She can’t hold down a traditional job because of her chronic fatigue syndrome. She’s managed to make a successful career as a romance novelist, but she can’t tell her family because she writes Christmas romances. When her publishers demand a Hanukkah romance this year she’s stumped.

Rachel’s nemesis from childhood summer camp is in town. His business is planning and staging major events, and he’s made a success of it. He’s going to put on a Hanukkah celebration in New York this year.

Yes, the childhood falling out is silly to be an issue for adults and yes there’s a lot of ridiculous things that happen but it’s a fun romance anyway.

46. Here by Richard McGuire 4 Stars

After I saw ads for the recent movie I found out that it’s based on this graphic novel and was curious. Luckily it was available at my library.

It’s a graphic novel that’s almost totally told through visual images. There is minimal text and dialog in this one. You can get through it quickly but I ended up paging through it several times to make all the connections.

It’s about a place. Specifically, the corner of the living room in a house built in 1907. The story is not limited to the happenings in the house, however. The pages often contain events from several different time periods in several panels. The story covers millions of years in the past to thousands of years in the future.

This was interesting.

47. Beyond the Wand by Tom Felton narrated by the author 4 Stars

Celebrity memoirs are a regular staple of my audiobook listening. Tom Felton did an excellent job of telling and narrating his story. Although he’d had several acting jobs before he was cast as Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies that series became a huge part of his life from childhood into adulthood.

He’s got lots of stories about the making of the movies. I loved hearing that his grandfather was cast as an extra after being on set as Tom’s chaperone. There are great stories about the kids and well known actors from the movie series.

It’s not all Harry Potter though. Felton is quite open about the fact that mental illness is something that several of his family members have struggled with and this was part of his own addiction issues.

The additional chapter added to the audiobook after the initial publication of the book was a nice bonus telling what the reaction to the book meant to him.

48. Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer 3.5 Stars

Well, this was fun. Is it a complex fantasy saga? Nope. Is it a fun send up of many common romantasy tropes? Yep. Did I enjoy the heck out of it? Also, yep.

Evangeline Sage needs a job. Her father is ill and her younger sister has been her primary responsibility since their mother left. She ends up working for The Villain as his administrative assistant. She keeps this a secret from her family because, Villain.

It’s a light and superficial story but just what I wanted at the time. There’s magic, dragons, a king that may not be as benevolent as people think, bad guys, good guys, bad guys who are really good guys and good guys who are really bad guys.

It’s told partly from Evangeline’s viewpoint and partly from the Villain’s.

Don’t expect literature, but just have fun with it. I plan to read the sequel soon.

49. A Match Made for THanksgiving by Jackie Lau3.5 Stars

I was looking for a Thanksgiving themed romance and found very few of them. This novella is the first in a series featuring the Wong family and each one is set around a different holiday (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Chinese New Year, and Valentine’s Day). It was a fun quick read.

Nick arrives at his family’s Thanksgiving celebration to discover that his family has invited blind dates for him and his three siblings. Mom and Grandma are ready to get the kids married off. The problem is that the blind date they have arranged for his brother is Lily. She and Nick had a very steamy one night stand the week before. And Nick hasn’t stopped thinking about her since.

This one is all about sex and food. It was fun and I will probably read the Christmas novella in the next few weeks.

50. The Great Hippopotamus Hotel by Alexander McCall Smith narrated by Bianca Amato 3.5 Stars

Yes I’m still listening to the No. 1 Ladies Detective books at book number 25. They are just enjoyable comfort listening for me. Most have been read by Lisette Lecat but this is the second one that was narrated by Bianca Amato who also does an excellent job with the story and the characters. There was one misstep with a terrible narrator that made me read the print edition but I’m happy to listen to Lisette Lecat or Bianca Amato any time.

This time around Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi are looking into some troubling things that are happening at a nearby hotel. The longtime owner has handed the company to his nephews and niece but ever since then, trouble seems to haunt the hotel. Food poisoning, scorpions, snakes, etc. are not the things that result in good reviews. The hotel’s reputation is in trouble and the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency is on the job.

It's just a delightful series that at this point is like sitting down for a cup of tea with old friends.

51. A Vineyard Thanksgiving by Katie Winters 3.5 Stars

This is actually the 4th book in a series about an extended family who live on Martha’s Vineyard. I was looking for a book set around Thanksgiving so I read this one first.

It was a pleasant contemporary romance and I’ll probably go ahead and read the first three books. They are fairly short and will be quick reads.

Charlotte has been a widow for about a year and a half. Her husband was a fisherman and died in a boating accident. Charlotte has a successful wedding planning business and help from her 14 year old daughter and cousins. She’s hired to plan a huge celebrity wedding on the island over Thanksgiving weekend with only a few weeks notice. It’s all the family hands on deck to pull this off.

Everett is a professional photographer who specializes is celebrity events. He’s heading to the island for the big event instead of spending the holiday with his family.

It was a little difficult to keep the large cast straight at first without reading the previous books, but I quickly got it all sorted out. I enjoyed this one as a nice quick read during a busy holiday week.

52. The Littlest Library by Poppy Alexander 3.5 Stars

This was just a charming little book. It's a little bit of romance but it's also a little bit of a story of dealing with loss and moving on with life and finding a new definition of family.

Jess is dealing with the loss of her grandmother who raised her after her parents were killed in a car crash. Now her library job is gone with the closing of the library. Her best friend lives on the other side of the world and their facetime calls are her social world. Deciding to sell her grandmother’s house and start over she takes a detour around a traffic jam and finds her dream cottage for sale in a small village. She takes an impulsive leap of faith and buys it.

Then she finds out that she's also responsible for the unused phone booth in front of her cottage. The village council agrees to the idea of turning it into a library.

Then there's the handsome neighbor. There's also a village full of fun characters.

I could easily ignore that the solution to a major conflict throughout the story is painfully obvious because I was just enjoying getting to know Jess and her new neighbors. I definitely recommend this enjoyable little escape of a book.

53. Ruddy Gore by Kerry Greenwood narrated by Stephanie Daniels 3 Stars

This is the seventh book in the Phryne Fisher series about a female private detective in 1920’s Australia. Phryne is a free spirit and although she was poor as a child her father inherited a family title and wealth so she’s both independent and financially independent.

This time around she’s at a gala performance of a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta when one of the actors collapses onstage. While the theater troupe rallies to finish the show another actor apparently succumbs by the end of the show. Who is poisoning the actors? What is this about a ghost? Is there a curse on the theater or the acting troupe? The police are involved but you know Phryne is the one who will solve all the mysteries.

This is a fun series, and I typically enjoy listening to Stephanie Daniels narrate the books. Unfortunately, in this one she does a lot of “singing” and I discovered that she might be the only person on the planet who sings worse than I do. They should have had her read the lyrics rather than torture them the way she did. I dropped the rating due to that.

The series is fun but read this book in print instead of listening to the audio edition.

>204 SuziQoregon: I just finished that one too!! The Ladies' continue to be delightful imho.

Hope you're doing well over there on the other side of town :). Happy holidays and hope to see you in the new year.

>208 RebaRelishesReading: Yes they do! All is well here on the east side of town. We’ll have to plan a lunch date.

>209 SuziQoregon: My grandkids are coming for a visit (so excited!! can't wait!! they're such great people) first full-week of January but after that the calendar is fairly clear.

Oh yay for a visit with the grandkids! Enjoy!