mathgirl40's 2024 category challenge

Welcome to my 2024 challenge! I'm Paulina, living in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. I work as a software developer in the area of math education.

I read a lot of science fiction, fantasy and mystery, and I am constantly distracted from my TBR stacks by newly announced awards lists. Apart from reading, I love knitting, vegetable gardening, board and word games and cooking.

I'm also on Litsy (userid kwmg40) and BookCrossing (userid mathgirl40).

These are my categories for 2024:

1. 1001 Books to Read Before You Die and Classics
2. 1940-1979
3. Challenging Books to Read
4. Not a Novel
5. 2023 Hugo and Aurora Awards
6. Other 2023 Awards
7. BookCrossing and Gifted Books
8. Continue the Series
9. Travel -- Virtual and Real
10. Mysteries
11. Scary books
12. Miscellaneous

My main goal is to increase my reading in the first 4 categories, as that will help broaden my reading and get some languishing books off my shelves.

Category 1: 1001 Books and Classics



This category includes books listed in Peter Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die, as well as classics not on that list.

1. A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry (Jan. 26)
2. The Willows by Algernon Blackwood (Feb. 6)
3. Pointed Roofs by Dorothy Richardson (Apr. 10)
4. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (Apr. 26)
5. I Robot by Isaac Asimov (July 19)
6. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery (Aug. 7)
7. The Sign of Four by Sherlock Holmes (Aug. 8)
8. Anne of Avonlea by L. M. Montgomery (Aug. 24)
9. The Story Girl by L. M. Montgomery (Sept. 7)
10. The Golden Road by L. M. Montgomery (Nov. 19)

Category 2: 1940-1979

   

This category is meant to broaden my reading, to cover decades that I don't often read from, and to help fill out remaining slots in my Litsy "192025" (read books from 1920 to 2025) challenge.

1. Murder While You Work by Susan Scarlett, 1944 (Jan. 11)
2. The Dispossessed by Ursula Le Guin, 1974 (Jan. 21)
3. Mistress of Mellyn by Victoria Holt, 1960 (Feb. 10)
4. The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula Le Guin, 1971 (Feb. 14)
5. Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey, 1976 (Feb. 25)
6. The Man Who Fell to Earth by Walter Tevis, 1963 (Mar. 21)
7. Anna and Her Daughters by D. E. Stevenson, 1958 (Mar. 23)
8. The Demoniacs by John Dickson Carr (Apr. 19)
9. Way Station by Clifford D. Simak (Apr. 28)
10. The Secret of Greylands by Annie Haynes (May 20)
11. The Native Heath by Elizabeth Fair (July 25)
12. Earth Abides by George R. Stewart (Sept. 20)
13. A Fall of Moondust by Arthur C. Clarke (Sept. 28)
14. Spam Tomorrow by Verily Anderson (Sept. 30)
15. A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller (Nov. 6)
16. Ringworld by Larry Niven (Nov. 13)
17. Harlequin House by Margery Sharp (Nov. 28)
18. Off With His Head by Ngaio Marsh (Dec. 7)

Category 3: Challenging Books to Read



This category includes books that are challenging to read for one reason or another. It includes doorstoppers like Infinite Jest, which my bookclub at work will be reading over the course of 2024, as well as books in French.

1. The Ferryman by Justin Cronin (Jan. 10)
2. Mary l'Irlandaise by Maryse Rouy (Mar. 26)
3. Toll the Hounds by Steven Erikson (May 18)
4. Un crime en Hollande by Georges Simenon (May 22)
5. Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace (Nov. 12)
6. The Magnificent Century by Thomas B. Costain (Nov. 14)

Category 4: Not a Novel



My reading largely consists of novels, and I hope to expand my reading in other formats, such as nonfiction, plays, poetry, and short stories, this year.

1. Death at Sea by Andrea Camillleri (Jan. 3)
2. Four Lost Cities by Annalee Newitz (Feb. 24)
3. The Glass Universe by Dava Sobel (Mar. 19)
4. The Three-Body Problem (graphic novel) by Cixin Liu (June 14)
5. The Witches of World War II by Paul Cornell (June 21)
6. Saga, Volume 11 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (June 25)
7. Poirot Investigates by Agatha Christie (July 15)
8. Dreams Underfoot by Charles de Lint (Sept. 5)
9. Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant by Curtis Chin (Sept. 26)
10. Koresh by Stephan Talty (Sept. 29)
11. Montreal Noir edited by John McFetridge (Nov. 23)

Category 5: 2024 Hugo and Aurora Awards



This category will include nominees for the 2024 Hugo and Aurora science fiction and fantasy awards. This year, I will again rejoin as a voting member for both awards and read from the voter packets.

1. Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh (Mar. 27)
2. When Sorrows Come by Seanan McGuire (Apr. 18)
3. The Jennifer Morgue by Charles Stross (Apr. 21)
4. Mammoths at the Gate by Nghi Vo (Apr. 25)
5. Witch King by Martha Wells (May 10)
6. The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty (May 19)
7. Translation State by Ann Leckie (May 26)
8. A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske (May 31)
9. The Marigold by Andrew F. Sullivan (June 4)
10. The Valkyrie by Kate Heartfield (June 8)
11. The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera (June 11)
12. Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher (June 15)
13. The Moon of the Turning Leaves by Waubgeshig Rice (June 17)
14. Bad Cree by Jessica Johns (June 24)
15. Tea and Murder by Aliette de Bodard (June 27)
16. Shards of Earth by Adrian Tchaikovsky (June 30)

Category 6: Other 2024 Awards



I am easily distracted by the new and shiny and frequently read from newly announced awards list at the expense of books languishing on my shelves. My favourite awards lists include the Ontario Library Association's Evergreen Award, the Tournament of Books and Canada Reads.

1. All the Sinners Bleed by S. A. Cosby (Jan. 6)
2. Adrift by Lisa Brideau (Jan. 23)
3. Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Jan. 30)
4. Idlewild by James Frankie Thomas (Feb. 4)
5. The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride (Feb. 23)
6. Mobility by Lydia Kiesling (Mar. 2)
7. Biography of X by Catherine Lacey (Mar. 4)
8. Reuniting with Strangers by Jennilee Austria-Bonifacio (Mar. 31)
9. The Burden of Exile by Aaron Berhane (Apr. 12)
10. The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters (Apr. 22)
11. Fire Weather by John Valliant (Apr. 30)
12. Superfan: How Pop Culture Broke My Heart by Jen Sookfong Lee (Aug. 10)
13. The Story of Us by Catherine Hernandez (Aug. 29)

Category 7: BookCrossing and Gifted Books



This category includes books I receive from fellow BookCrossers and other books gifted to me.

1. The Spectator Bird by Wallace Stegner (Jan. 17)
2. The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher (Feb. 4)
3. Kiki Man Ray by Mark Braude (Feb. 20)
4. Bellwether by Connie Willis (Mar. 17)
5. Silence in the Age of Noise by Erling Kagge (Apr. 5)
6. The Sheep's Tale by John Lewis-Stempel (Apr. 23)
7. The Bell in the Lake by Lars Mytting (June 20)
8. The Foundling by Stacey Halls (July 5)
9. Jamaica Inn by Daphne Du Maurier (Sept. 21)
10. Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson (Oct. 4)

Category 8: Continue the Series



So many unfinished series ....

1. The Bungalow Mystery by Carolyn Keene (Jan. 7)
2. Eric by Terry Pratchett (Jan. 15)
3. A Killing Frost by Seanan McGuire (Jan. 31)
4. The Mystery at Lilac Inn by Carolyn Keene (Feb. 13)
5. Mirage by Julie E. Czerneda (Feb. 17)
6. The Secret of Shadow Ranch by Carolyn Keene (Mar. 12)
7. Caliban's War by James S. A. Corey (Mar. 30)
8. The Secret at Red Gate Farm by Carolyn Keene (Apr. 16)
9. Ethan of Athos by Lois McMaster Bujold (May 1)
10. The Clue in the Diary by Carolyn Keene (May 2)
11. Interesting Times by Terry Pratchett (June 7)
12. Nancy's Mysterious Letter by Carolyn Keene (June 13)
13. The Sign of the Twisted Candles by Carolyn Keene (July 12)
14. The Last Continent by Terry Pratchett (July 14)
15. Abaddon's Gate by James S. A. Corey (July 30)
16. The Last Hero by Terry Pratchett (August 3)
17. Password to Larkspur Lane by Carolyn Keene (August 13)
18. Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold (September 6)
19. Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett (September 9)
20. The Clue of the Broken Locket by Carolyn Keene (September 15)
21. Moving Pictures by Terry Pratchett (October 9)
22. The Message in the Hollow Oak by Carolyn Keene (October 14)
23. The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik (October 22)
24. Memory by Lois McMaster Bujold (Nov. 9)
25. The Mystery of the Ivory Charm by Carolyn Keene (Nov. 10)
26. The Truth by Terry Pratchett (Nov. 17)
27. Migration by Julie E. Czerneda (Nov. 25)
28. Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry (Dec. 11)

Category 9: Travel -- Virtual and Real



This category will feature books set in places around the world that I'd like to visit, as well as ones associated with places I'll actually be visiting in 2024.

1. The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue -- Cork, Ireland (Mar. 15)
2. What You Are Looking For is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama -- Tokyo, Japan (Mar. 29)
3. The Hanging Garden by Ian Rankin -- Edinburgh, Scotland (May 15)
4. Purity of Blood by Arturo Perez-Reverte -- Madrid, Spain (June 6)
5. Disco for the Departed by Colin Cotterill -- Laos (July 28)
6. The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu -- China (Aug. 7)
7. Butter by Asako Yuzuki -- Japan (Sept. 14)
8. Snowblind by Ragnar Jonasson -- Iceland (Sept. 19)
9. Honor by Thrity Umrigar – Mumbai, India (Nov. 21)
10. The Cuckoo by Camilla Lackberg - Sweden (Dec. 9)

Category 10: Mysteries and Thrillers



1. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman (May 8)
2. The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles by Malka Older (Aug. 22)
3. The Eternity Ring by Patricia Wentworth (Aug. 30)
4. N or M by Agatha Christie (Sept. 14)
5. After the Funeral by Agatha Christie (Sept. 22)
6. Purls and Potions by Nancy Warren (Oct. 5)
7. Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop by Emmeline Duncan (Oct. 7)
8. Verdict in Blood by Gail Bowen (Oct. 10)
9. A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie (Oct. 12)
10. Under Cold Stone by Vicki Delany (Oct. 17)
11. Resurrection Men by Ian Rankin (Oct. 20)
12. Sovereign by C. J. Sansom (Oct. 24)
13. The Hollow by Agatha Christie (Nov. 24)
14. The Abbey Court Murder by Annie Haynes (Nov. 24)
15. Head On by John Scalzi (Nov. 26)

Category 11: Scary books



This category includes horror, the supernatural, dystopian fiction, and anything else that is scary!

1. Rose/House by Arkady Martine (June 18)
2. Lock In by John Scalzi (August 3)
3. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (August 19)
4. Ghost Station by S. A. Barnes (Oct. 5)
5. A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher (Oct. 19)
6. Into the Black Nowhere by Meg Gardiner (Oct. 29)
7. William by Mason Coile (Oct. 30)
8. Carmilla: The First Vampire by Amy Chu (Oct. 31)

Category 12: Miscellaneous

This is for books that don't fit in any of the above categories.

1. Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim (Apr. 7)
2. Liberty’s Daughter by Naomi Kritzer (July 21)
3. The Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (Aug. 5)
4. Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano (Aug. 9)
5. The Blighted Stars by Megan E. O'Keefe (Aug. 17)
6. The Giver by Lois Lowry (Sept. 10)
7. The Mercy of Gods by James S. A. Corey (Sept. 16)
8. Sundiver by David Brin (Oct. 28)

HistoryCAT

• ✔ January -- North & South American Wars & Conflicts: Mary l'Irlandaise by Maryse Rouy
  
• ✔ February -- Georgian/Regency Britain: The Demoniacs by John Dickson Carr
  
• ✔ March -- Science & Medicine: The Glass Universe by Dava Sobel
  
• April -- Riots, Revolution, & Mayhem
  
• May -- Middle Ages
  
• June -- Historians
  
• July -- Spies
  
• August -- Byzantine Empire
  
• September -- WWI/WWII
  
• October -- Disasters
  
• November -- Ancient & Classical History
  
• December -- Religions and Religious Festivals
  

PrizeCAT

• ✔ January -- Long-Running Prizes: The Dispossessed by Ursula LeGuin
  
• ✔ February -- A Prize from Your Own Country: Reuniting with Strangers by Jennilee Austria-Bonifacio
  
• March -- A Prize That's New to You
  
• April -- Women's Writing
  
• May -- Doubling Up
  
• June -- Book Lists
  
• July -- A Prize from a Country Other than Your Own
  
• August -- A Prize for a Genre
  
• September -- A prize winner/longlist/shortlist that also fits another CAT/KIT
  
• October -- One That Missed Out
  
• November -- Children's Book Awards
  
• December -- A Prize of Your Choice
  

CalendarCAT

• ✔ January: A Killing Frost by Seanan McGuire (author born in January)
  
• ✔ February: Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey (start of the Year of the Dragon)
  
• ✔ March: The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue (St. Patrick's Day)
  
• April
  
• May
  
• June
  
• July
  
• August
  
• September
  
• October
  
• November
  
• December
  

MysteryKIT

• ✔ January -- short story mysteries: Death at Sea by Andrea Camilleri
  
• ✔ February -- true unsolved mysteries: Four Lost Cities by Annalee Newitz
  
• March -- historical
  
• April -- series
  
• May -- golden age
  
• June -- authors new to you
  
• July -- cross genre mysteries
  
• August -- amateurs
  
• September -- upstairs/downstairs
  
• October -- not too scary mysteries
  
• November -- noir
  
• December -- culinary mysteries
  

SFFKIT

• January -- swords & sorcery/ epic fantasy
  
• ✔ February -- critters/creatures: Mirage by Julie E. Czerneda
  
• ✔ March -- Space Opera: Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh
  
• April -- Time Travel
  
• May -- Archaeology
  
• June -- Monsters
  
• July -- First Contact
  
• August -- amateurs
  
• September -- Gods/Mythology
  
• October -- Women Authors
  
• November -- Read that book that was recommended to you by a friend, family member, or some other personal acquaintance, but not a software program
  
• December -- Bookish Fantasy
  

ScaredyKIT

• ✔ January -- Psychological Thrillers: Adrift by Lisa Brideau
  
• ✔ February -- Gothic: Mystery of Mellyn by Victoria Holt
  
• March -- True Crime
  
• April -- Witches, Evil Spirits, and Black Magic
  
• May -- Graphic Novels and Short Fiction
  
• June -- Serial Killers
  
• July -- Corporeal Undead
  
• August -- Middle grade and YA horror
  
• September -- Stephen King and Family
  
• October -- Contemporary Horror
  
• November -- Things with a Bite - Vampires and Werewolves
  
• December -- Catch Up! Read Something That Fits Any Month's Theme
  

Historical Fiction Challenge

1. ✔ Read a work of historical fiction set in the country you’re from: Mary l'Irlandaise by Maryse Rouy
   
2. ✔ Read a work of historical fiction set in a different country to the one you’re from: Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
   
3. Read a work of historical fiction set in your favorite historical time period to read about
   
4. ✔ Read a work of historical fiction set in a time period you’re less familiar with: The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
   
5. Read a work of historical fiction with a speculative element
   
6. Read a work of historical fiction about a real historical figure or a specific historical event
   
7. ✔ Read a work of historical fiction of over 500 pages: A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
   
8. Read a Classic work
   

Happy New Year to all my friends here at LT! I'm a bit late to the party but eager to get going on my 2024 reading and catching up with all the threads in this forum.

My 2023 categories ended up really unbalanced, so I hope I chose better ones this year!

I'm looking forward to following your reading again this year! Have a good one!

Have a good year and lots of good books in 2024.

Interested to see what turns up in your 1940 - 1979 category. Happy reading.

Yay Paulina is here!!! That's a brave book club, tackling Infinite Jest. Looking forward to seeing what catches your eye from the Evergreen list!

I've placed my star and am looking forward to following along with your reading.

I'll be looking forward to your Evergreen award choices also. Happy readying.

Glad to see you're here, Paulina. Happy reading!

I like your Category 2 cat! I read a lot of Victorian literature, so I will keep a watch on what you read for that very interesting period (at least in history).

Good luck with your 2024 reading.

>11 VivienneR: >12 hailelib: >13 pamelad: >14 rabbitprincess: >15 DeltaQueen50: >16 dudes22: >17 MissWatson: Thank you all for stopping by and for the good wishes!

>13 pamelad: >18 Tess_W: I decided to concentrate on 1940-1979 because I noticed from my LT Zeitgeist chart that books published 1980 and after make up a large part of my catalogue. I managed to read more from the earlier decades in 2023 and discovered all these great authors that I'd completely overlooked!

>14 rabbitprincess: Yeah, we'll see how it goes with Infinite Jest. Our book club at work has been doing a year-long read for the past few years, in addition to our regular selections. When we did Don Quixote, only two people finished it, but we had much better luck with A Suitable Boy and The Deptford Trilogy.

One of my co-workers shared this great article about how to "read" Infinite Jest.

>14 rabbitprincess: >16 dudes22: The Evergreen list is not a well-known prize list, but I like it because it includes a mix of genres and it's curated by a group of librarians, so it must be trustworthy! :)

I'm glad you're back and I can see what you're reading this year!

Happy reading in 2024! I really like the variety of your categories. Category 2 is such a good idea - I think that apart from the odd mystery, I don't read much from these decades.

>4 mathgirl40: oh, I love watching the Hugo awards! I did not know you were on the voting panel. How exciting.
I love the Evergreen program - just had a look. I will have to see if I can find the backlist for previous winners. I do love a list!

>21 RidgewayGirl: Thanks! I'm also looking forward to see what you'll be reading this year. I always pick up so many BBs from you.

>22 MissBrangwen: Most of the books that I read from these decades also tend to be mysteries, but there are still many well-known mystery writers from these years that I've not read yet.

>23 JayneCM: Actually, it's not that hard to vote for the Hugo awards. You just have to be willing to pay for a supporting membership, usually around $50-60 USD. It seems like a lot just to vote, but members also get a Voter's Packet, which typically includes some of the novels and most of the shorter works and graphic novels in digital form. The Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association has a similar offer with its annual awards program, but it's much more affordable (just $10 CAD)!

You can see the archives of the Evergreen awards here: https://forestofreading.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/10-Evergreen-Archive-2022...

1. Death at Sea by Andrea Camilleri (3.5 stars)
Category: Not a Novel

This book is a collection of short stories featuring a younger Inspector Montalbano. The mysteries themselves are mixed in quality and lack the depth and complexity of the full-length novels. However, it's always fun to spend time with the usual cast of characters in the wonderful Sicilian setting.

My husband and I have been watching the TV adaptation and love it. The actors are excellent, and it's convincing us to take a vacation in Sicily one day.

2. All the Sinners Bleed by S. A. Cosby (5 stars)
Category: Other Awards

This Southern noir novel about a Black sheriff in Virginia searching for a serial killer who is targeting Black youths is fantastic, with loads of depth in the characters and a poignant exploration of guilt, grief and racism.

The book made it on to the 2024 Tournament of Books longlist but unfortunately wasn't included on the shortlist. I found it very hard to put down once I started reading, and I highly recommend it, though I should warn readers that there are some very disturbing scenes of violence.

3. The Bungalow Mystery by Carolyn Keene (4 stars)
Category: Continue the Series

I've been following a group read of the Nancy Drew series on Litsy. This is the 3rd book and a reread for me, though it may as well be a first read, as I'd read it decades ago. In this installment, Nancy assists her father in investigating a bank heist while also helping an orphaned teenager sent to very suspicious guardians. I found this story well paced, with an interesting mystery. It did feel quite dated, especially when Nancy was on the lookout for "a foreign car". I guess foreign cars were pretty rare when this novel was written!

>26 mathgirl40: On your recommendationI'm taking a BB on that one.

edited to correct post reference number

>26 mathgirl40: Definitely a BB for me!

>28 VivienneR: >29 Tess_W: I hope you enjoy the book! I'm definitely going to seek out more of S. A. Cosby's works.

4. The Ferryman by Justin Cronin (4 stars)
Category: Challenging Books

The Ferryman is a post-apocalyptic science fiction novel where "ferryman" Prosper Bennett lives in a seemingly utopian community designed for a small number of elite people. I placed this novel in my "Challenging Books" category because it's somewhat lengthy and I also found myself feeling very disoriented many times while reading the book. It's only quite late in the book that things become clear to the reader. Despite these difficulties, I did like Cronin's writing very much and the ideas explored in the novel.

>26 mathgirl40: This is my mystery book club's pick for May, so I have to wait a few months to read it, but I am ready to read it now!

5. Murder While You Work by Susan Scarlett (4 stars)
Category: 1940-1979

This 1944 novel, republished as part of the Furrowed Middlebrow series, is the only mystery written by Susan Scarlett (pseudonym of Noel Streatfeild). In this story, Judy Rest travels to a small village to work at a munitions factory during WWII and billets with a family in which mysterious deaths have occurred.

Though the book is definitely more romance than mystery, this novel still had many elements of a good crime novel. I found it quite tense and suspenseful and I enjoyed the characters' sleuthing activities. The romance was charming, as I'd expect in a Susan Scarlett novel.

>32 RidgewayGirl: This is a great choice for a book club, as it's so much more than just a mystery/thriller. There should be plenty of ideas for discussion.

Looks like a great reading year...I will definitely follow along. I finally got my thread posted today. https://www.librarything.com/topic/357398#8369531

>35 beebeereads: I went and visited. Great theme!

6. Eric by Terry Pratchett (3.5 stars)
Category: Continue the Series

Rincewind isn't among my favourite Discworld characters (though the Luggage is right up there among the best), but this was still a fun romp through time. I might have appreciated it more if I were familiar with Faust. Pratchett's satiric observations are spot on, as usual.

7. The Spectator Bird by Wallace Stegner (3.5 stars)
Category: BookCrossing and Other Gifted Books

This book about an older man who thinks about his mortality and reflects upon a momentous visit to Denmark in his youth is a bit too slow-paced and contemplative for my tastes. I didn't feel especially engaged with the characters until quite late in the story, but I do appreciate the quality of Stegner's writing and how he explores the theme of aging.

>38 mathgirl40: Kudos for finishing this book! I started it 3-4 times and could not get pas the first 30-40 pages. I finally gave up.

>39 Tess_W: I probably would have also given up if it weren't for the fact that this was part of a BookCrossing "roundabout" where I was expected to read it and then pass it on to the next person in line. I am glad I finished it, but it was definitely a struggle at first.

8. The Dispossessed by Ursula LeGuin (4 stars)
Category: 1940-1979

This novel follows the path of a man who travels from an anarchist society to a traditional repressive one. It felt a little dated and had long passages of political theory that I didn't completely absorb, but otherwise, it was an excellent story contrasting two worlds that differed greatly in geography, societal norms and political structure.

9. Adrift by Lisa Brideau (3.5 stars)
Category: Other 2024 Awards

This near-future post-apocalyptic thriller, one of the nominees from the Ontario Library Association's Evergreen list that I read from every year, was a fairly entertaining and fast-paced story. It had an interesting premise -- amnesiacs are found among refugees displaced by climate disasters -- but there were aspects that I didn't find especially plausible.

10. A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry (5 stars)
Category: 1001 Books and Classics

I loved this historical fiction book set in India during the 1970's, a time of political turmoil, when I'd read it many years ago. I did a recent reread, as my book club at work had chosen it. About four people from widely differing backgrounds who come together amidst great hardship, this story is heartbreaking but it's also a totally absorbing read. I highly recommend it, but be prepared for a lot of emotional highs and lows.

11. Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (4 stars)
Category: Other 2024 Awards

This horror novel, nominated for the Ontario Library Association's 2024 Evergreen Award, is set in Mexico City in the 1990s but has many references and some flashbacks to the film industry of earlier decades. The story had some weaknesses. The characters were not always likable and the pace was fairly slow. However, I really liked the setting, the occult aspects and the interesting details about the Mexican film industry.

12. A Killing Frost by Seanan McGuire (4.5 stars)
Category: Continue the Series

This is the 14th book of the October Daye series, and after the first couple of chapters, I feared it might be a rehash of previous plots and themes. After all, what new ideas can an author bring to such a long-running series? My fears were unfounded. It's true that a big part of reading this series is reuniting with and spending time with all the familiar characters, but McGuire delivered a good number of surprises and twists along the way.

>31 mathgirl40: Very slowly making it around to people's threads... I love your categories and you've had some good reads so far for sure!

Taking a book bullet for The Ferryman. I really loved The Passage so I think I will like this one too.

>46 LisaMorr: Thanks for stopping by and for recommending The Passage. I'm definitely planning to read more Justin Cronin.

>47 mathgirl40: It's the first book in a trilogy - one of the best ERs I ever received! Then I had to wait for him to finish the trilogy...which he did, and it was amazing.

I keep meaning to get to A Fine Balance. Maybe this year . . .

>49 japaul22: It's pretty daunting, with its length! However, I found it a pretty fast-paced read.

>48 LisaMorr: Good to know that the trilogy is finished. I've been waiting on some unfinished series for years!

13. The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher (4 stars)
Category: BookCrossing and Other Gifted Books

This novel falls into the genre of cosmic horror. It's inspired, not by Lovecraft as is most of this genre, but by Algernon Blackwood's novella, The Willows. The story is about a woman who finds a portal to an isolated mysterious world in her uncle's shop of oddities and, with the help of her friend, survives the dangers there. This story was definitely more fun than most of the cosmic horror stories I've read in the past, and I really liked all the weird and wonderful characters in the novel.

14. The Willows by Algernon Blackwood (3.5 stars)
Category: 1001 Books and Classics

This classic novella was the book that inspired The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher, reviewed in my previous post. About two men who experience chilling horrors while camping on a canoe trip, this story was atmospheric and tense, and it inspired a lot of modern cosmic horror stories. However, I found it slow moving and didn't especially relate to any of the characters.

15. Idlewild by James Frankie Thomas (4 stars)
Category: Other 2023 Awards

This coming-of-age story about two queer teenagers set in the aftermath of 9/11 New York City was on the 2023 Tournament of Books longlist, though it didn't make it onto the shortlist. I can't say I "enjoyed" this novel, as it brought back memories of some of the aspects I hated the most about high school. However, it was a good exploration of high-school challenges and the search for identity, with a mix of light-heartedness and darkly satirical humour.

>53 mathgirl40: I have an audio book of short horror stories, many by Algernon. I listened to 1-2 of them a few years ago for a Halloween prompt, and I really didn't care for them. That's not to say that if given another prompt, I will probably go back to that book again.

>50 mathgirl40: The length is why I keep putting A Fine Balance off, but I do tend to like long books.

>55 Tess_W: Even though I didn't love The Willows, I'd be willing to try Algernon Blackwood again, especially around Hallowe'en time, when I appreciate the spooky atmospheric settings more.

>56 japaul22: I love long books too, but still find them a struggle to get through!

16. Mistress of Mellyn by Victoria Holt (4.5 stars)
Category: 1940-1979

I've always been a fan of Jean Plaidy's historical novels but I've not read many that she authored as Victoria Holt. This one is a gothic romance, about a woman who becomes a governess for the daughter of a widower. It's set in a big spooky house in a remote location and is full of suspense and suspicious characters. There's even a good murder mystery, which sets this apart from some other gothic romances I've read. To be honest, the story seemed to borrow a lot of elements from Jane Eyre and Rebecca, but I really enjoyed it all the same.

17. The Mystery at Lilac Inn by Carolyn Keene (4 stars)
Category: Continue the Series

I've been continuing to enjoy a reread of the Nancy Drew series, initiated on Litsy. In this installment, Nancy helps a friend whose inn seems to be the target of malicious acts. There were a good number of perilous scenes in this story, and it still features Nancy's friend Helen, instead of her sidekicks Bess and George who appear later and are part of most of the series. I'd read the 1961 rewritten version (which was the same one I'd read as a child decades ago) and understand that there are many differences from the original 1930 version. For example, many racist statements were expunged -- a good thing, as they would probably have lessened my enjoyment of the book!

>58 mathgirl40: I didn't know that Victoria Holt was Jean Plaidy. I loved Holt's novels when I was a teenager. I'm glad she stands up to the test of time.

>60 RidgewayGirl: I loved the Jean Plaidy books when I was a teenager. Since then, I've discovered many other historical fiction authors, but I still have a fondness for Plaidy's/Holt's stories.

18. The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula Le Guin (4 stars)
Category: 1940-1979

This classic SF novel is about a man who, by dreaming, can alter the world around him, sometimes in minor ways and at other times, monumental ways that completely change history. The jumps to different realities definitely made the reading challenging, as I had to frequently reorient myself to the new situation. However, I found the book worthwhile to read, as Le Guin poses many thought-provoking questions. The much shorter length also made this an easier read than Le Guin's The Dispossessed, which I finished recently.

19. Mirage by Julie E. Czerneda (4 stars)
Category: Continue the Series

In this second book in the Web Shifter's Library series, we get the further adventures of lovable shapeshifter Esen and friends. Biologist Julie Czerneda is great at inventing interesting alien species, and a large number of them convene at the All Species’ Library of Linguistics and Culture, where Esen works.

Unfortunately, when I'd read the first book in this series, I hadn't realized that it's a subseries of the larger Web Shifters series. Even though I enjoyed the plot of this novel and I've gotten accustomed to all the characters, there were many references to past events and I wish I had started from the beginning of the series.

>62 mathgirl40: I loved The Lathe of Heaven! I think I first discovered Le Guin in 1980 when I saw the movie based on it on PBS - it starred Bruce Davison and Le Guin was heavily involved in it.

>64 LisaMorr: I saw that movie too. I honestly can’t remember if I read the book or not, but I remember that movie! Maybe it’s time to (re-)read it.

>65 Charon07: Yes, time for a re-read (or first read, I'm the same as you, not quite sure!) Either way, Le Guin is worth reading and re-reading!

>64 LisaMorr: >65 Charon07: I hadn't realized that a movie had been made from The Lathe of Heaven! I'll have to look it up.

20. Kiki Man Ray by Mark Braude (4.5 stars)
Category: BookCrossing and Other Gifted Books

This is a biography of model, artist and singer Kiki Man Ray, who was married to artist Man Ray for a time. While Kiki's life story was interesting, I enjoyed even more learning about the development of art in Paris (specifically the Montparnasse area) during the 1920's. Sadly, Kiki is not remembered as well as her husband Man Ray, who was renowned in the art world but seemed to be quite a horrible person!

21. Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride (4.5 stars)
Category: Other 2024 Awards

This book, which is on the 2024 Tournament of Books shortlist, is a heartwarming story set in a 1970's Pennsylvania neighbourhood, centred around a Jewish grocery store. It deals primarily with the relationship between the Jewish and Black communities.

The novel is rather messy as it involves a lot of characters and storylines and even a bit of a mystery, as it begins with the discovery of a dead body. I didn't love it as much as the earlier McBride novels I'd read but I still enjoyed it very much.

22. Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age by Annalee Newitz (4 stars)
Category: Not a Novel

In this nonfiction book, Newitz looks at 4 ancient cities, Çatalhöyük in Turkey, Pompeii in Italy, Angkor in Cambodia, and Cahokia in the US. The author examines the details of everyday life in these urban centres, instead of just looking at the major events that other historians tend to focus on.

Newitz seems to have done a lot of research on these cities and talks about visits to the sites and interviews with archeologists. I also enjoyed this author's science-fiction novel The Terraformers, which explores interesting urban-planning ideas.

23. Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey (5 stars)
Category: 1940-1979

This book was left behind by one of my daughters when she moved out years ago, and I wondered why it had taken me so long to read it, especially since I'd read Dragonflight, another Pern book, a few years ago, and enjoyed it.

The story is about a teenager who is not allowed to use her musical talents because it is considered inappropriate in the isolated society in which she lives. Then she runs away and discovers fire lizards and dragons! I loved this story and really wish I had read it when I was much younger, as I likely would have appreciated it even more then.

>71 mathgirl40: Taking a BB for this one.

>71 mathgirl40: Taking a BB for this.

>72 lowelibrary: >73 bookworm3091: I hope you enjoy it! I, for one, am eager to read more of the Pern books.

>70 mathgirl40: added Four Lost Cities to my library list to maybe read.

Also love Dragonsong and it’s sequel.

>75 hailelib: I hope you enjoy Four Lost Cities if/when you get to it, and nice to see so much love for Dragonsong!

24. Mobility by Lydia Kiesling (4 stars)
Category: Other 2024 Awards

Mobility is a coming-of-age novel about a woman, Bunny, whose life intersects with both the oil industry and political activists worried about climate change. This book was on the 2024 Tournament of Books longlist, though it did not make the shortlist. It took me a while to get into the story but I ended up liking it much more than I thought it would.

There are lots of satirical moments when Bunny ponders the momentous issues affecting the world but then naturally goes back to enjoying the perks of her privileged life. It's easy to mock Bunny but I also realize my life is not all that different from hers, with my energy-consuming house, car and appliances!

25. Biography of X by Catherine Lacey (4.5 stars)
Category: Other 2024 Awards

This was another book that was on the 2024 Tournament of Books longlist but didn't make the shortlist. I was surprised by that, as this seemed just the sort of book that makes for our ToB discussion.

The book is an account of a woman trying to uncover the secrets of her larger-than-life celebrity wife who had just passed away. The setting features an alternative history of the US, in which it splits into two nations but then reunifies, much like post-WWII Germany.

I really liked the speculative nature of the setting, the obsessive personalities, the slow revealing of X's secrets, and the exploration of the characteristics of art.

26. The Good Son by You-Jeong Jeong (3.5 stars)
Category: Travel (Virtual and Real)

This is a psychological thriller set in South Korea in which a young man wakes up one morning in his bedroom, covered in blood. He then finds his mother murdered. Prone to seizures and memory lapses, he tries to uncover the truth.

I didn't enjoy this book all that much as the story was extremely disturbing and the narrator both unreliable and unlikeable. At the same time, I couldn't stop reading once I started!

Back in the 1970s everyone seemed to be reading Jean Plaidy. My friend and I traded her books until we exhausted the supply. I'd no idea that the author also wrote as Victoria Holt.

>77 mathgirl40: I loved how well Kiesling inhabited the mind of a teenage girl.

>80 VivienneR: I knew about Plaidy writing as Victoria Holt early on, as I had a copy of My Enemy the Queen when I was a teenager, but I hadn't known about all the other pseudonyms she had used!

>81 RidgewayGirl: I agree. I too thought she did that especially well.

27. The Secret of Shadow Ranch by Carolyn Keene (3 stars)
Category: Continue the Series

This installment in the Nancy Drew series had first been published in 1931. I chose to reread the updated 1965 version of this book, but some aspects (the teasing about Bess's weight and the dressing up in Native American costumes for a party) still seemed very outdated and definitely cringey by today's standards. It was fun seeing Nancy and friends at a ranch setting but the plot was weaker than some of the other Nancy Drew books I've read.

28. The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue (4.5 stars)
Category: Around the World

This novel, from the 2023 Tournament of Books longlist (but not the shortlist), is a coming-of-age story set in Cork, Ireland. I loved the setting, the humour and the unexpected twists in the plot. I especially liked the characters, despite the fact that they all made bad decisions and were flawed in various ways.

29. Bellwether by Connie Willis (4 stars)
Category: BookCrossing and Other Gifted Books

This book, sent to me by a fellow BookCrosser, is a fun story about a researcher looking into the origins of fads and who ends up falling in love and herding sheep in the process.

Most of the Connie Willis books I've read have been part of the Oxford Time Traveller series, and I'll admit it's strange to read a Willis book that takes place in a single time. However, there are many interesting tidbits the author relays about fads from different eras.

30. The Glass Universe by Dava Sobel (4 stars)
Category: Other Formats

I enjoyed this account of the early female astronomers at the Harvard Observatory. I've seen mixed reviews of this book, as some readers have said they found it rather dry. The book does concentrate more on the scientific achievements than the personal lives of the astronomers.

Reading this has made me excited about the upcoming solar eclipse on April 8. My area just misses the zone of totality but should see 99% of the sun blocked. My husband and I are going to attend a community event about the eclipse at a local university where they'll be handing out eclipse glasses.

>86 mathgirl40: I love Bellwether -- glad you enjoyed it too!

I've got Bellwether on my library list for (maybe) sometime this year. I've liked everything by Willis that I've read.

Glad to see someone else liked The Glass Universe.

>88 christina_reads: >89 hailelib: Nice to see other Connie Willis fans here! I'm curious about her latest book, The Road to Roswell. Unfortunately, I've seen very mixed reviews for it.

>90 mathgirl40: I really enjoyed The Road to Roswell (with the caveat that I love Connie Willis and am probably not entirely objective about her)! It's one of her lighter books, combining elements of a road trip romp, alien-chasing adventure, throwback Western, and a bit of romance. It was in my list of top 10 books read in 2023.

>91 christina_reads: Glad to hear your recommendation! That sounds like a really fun book.

>87 mathgirl40: I really liked this book too!

We'll be at 99% totality as well. I'm working from home that day to avoid being out and about. Have fun at the community event!

>93 rabbitprincess: Good idea to stay at home. My parents in Montreal are in the path of totality and I suggested they also not go out that afternoon. (Two seniors in their late 90's walking about in the dark doesn't seem like a good idea to me!)

31. The Man Who Fell to Earth by Walter Tevis (3.5 stars)
Category: 1940-1979

There were many interesting ideas in this classic sci-fi story about an alien who comes to Earth with the intention of saving both his own people and humankind. Still, it was tough reading, as it was a very gloomy story overall and doesn't seem to show much faith in the human race making good decisions.

Taking a BB for Biography of X.

And when I saw that you read The Man Who Fell to Earth, all I could think of was the 1976 David Bowie movie directed by Nicholas Roeg - it was extremely well done, and yes, depressing. I never realized it was based on a book, duh! So I will need to find that one too!

>96 LisaMorr: I've not watched the David Bowie movie yet but have heard from several sources that it's definitely worth watching.

32. Anna and Her Daughters by D. E. Stevenson (4 stars)
Category: 1940-1979

This novel, set in a small Scottish village, was first published in 1958 and has recently been republished by the Furrowed Middlebrow press. It's about a family of women who must adjust to a quiet village life after leaving London. It's a light and mostly cosy read, but there are a couple of really great characters and some unexpected turns in the plot.

33. Mary l'Irlandaise by Maryse Rouy
Category: Challenging Books

This historical fiction novel is set in the years leading up to the Lower Canada Rebellion (1837-8) in Quebec. Written from the point-of-view of a young Irish immigrant, it is an engaging story that contrasts the lives of wealthy and poor immigrants from Ireland and examines the interactions between these immigrants and the French Canadian community.

Maryse Rouy is a French-born writer who lives in Quebec and I've enjoyed several of her historical fiction novels set in Quebec, many of which are classified as young adult novels. I've been reading these in French (which is a very slow process for me and why this is in my "Challenging Books" category), as her novels have unfortunately not been translated to English.

>99 mathgirl40: I'm always wanting to read more Canadian literature, especially French-Canadian. This one goes on my WL. Hopefully it will be published in English at some time.

>100 Tess_W: I too hope Maryse Rouy's works will be published in English eventually. Unfortunately, not a lot of French Canadian literature is available in English, though there are some classics like Gabrielle Roy's works, which are available. Coincidentally, I was telling a friend last week about The Hockey Sweater, a children's book by Roch Carrier, which has been translated into English and is considered a Canadian classic.

34. Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh (4 stars)
Category; Hugo Awards

Really good space opera, with an interesting array of characters and a lot of unexpected twists in the plot. It's nice to see that this book received a Hugo Best Novel nomination this year.

35. What You Are Looking for is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama (4 stars)
Category: Around the World (Tokyo, Japan)

This is a charming book with a lovely peaceful cover. Five very different people, with lives that intersect somewhat, are struggling with aspects of their lives. Somehow, they manage to find a way forward after visiting the library. Of course, we LibraryThing members already know that all the answers can be found at the library!

>103 mathgirl40: I am currently reading this book and enjoying it very much.

>104 lowelibrary: Glad to hear you are enjoying it too. It's such a lovely story.

36. Caliban's War by James S. A. Corey (5 stars)
Category: Continue the Series

This was, for me, a reread of book 2 in the Expanse, one of my favourite sci-fi series of all time. I love this installment for its unlikely friendships: Amos/Prax and Bobbie/Avasarala. The TV adaptation of this novel, in season 2 of the show, is just as good as the book.

37. Reuniting with Strangers by Jennilee Austria-Bonifacio (4.5 stars)
Category: Other 2024 Awards

This book, from the 2024 Canada Reads longlist, is an excellent collection of interconnected short stories set in the Filipino-Canadian community. The author explores both the joyous and painful experiences of reuniting with family members after many years apart.

The stories resonated with me, as among my own extended family, I saw a lot of similar reunions over the years. My grandfather left China for North America just after my father was born, and my father didn't see him again until he was 25 years old!

>106 mathgirl40: Someday I need to get to this series!

>98 mathgirl40: I keep meaning to get back to D. E. Stevenson. Anna and Her Daughters sounds enjoyable.

>108 LisaMorr: I hope you enjoy it. I've been rewatching the TV series recently.

>109 NinieB: I definitely enjoyed it enough to want to read more from D. E. Stevenson.

I apologize for not posting for over two months. I've still been doing lots of reading but have lots of catch-up to do in posting reviews and reading the latest news from everybody's threads.

I've been dealing with a lot of real-life stuff lately, including my parents' health issues (they are 88 and 90 years old), requiring several trips back to Montreal and calls/texts/emails to family members and health-care professionals every day. I know that a number of others in this group have dealt with similar situations so I'm sure you all understand. On top of that, a close friend is hospitalized and battling cancer and I've been trying to give his family a hand.

I've still been trying to keep up with work duties, so at the end of the day, I haven't had much mental energy for writing reviews but I'm still hoping to catch up with those. I've continued reading from the Aurora and Hugo Voter Packets, as I'm a voting member again this year.

I hope everyone here is well and I expect to be back more regularly soon!

>111 mathgirl40: Oof, that is a lot to be dealing with! Sending you good R&R (reading and resting) vibes to fortify you.

>111 mathgirl40: That's a lot on your plate. I hope reading allows you some time for yourself.

Sorry to hear that you are dealing with so much and I hope that things aren't too difficult for you. I'm adding my good thoughts to RP's good R&R vibes.

I’m sending well wishes your way for you and yours. I hope your reading gives you a bit of respite.

Helping aging parents is a lot to deal with, especially with a hospitalized friend as well. My husband and I are reversed, and are beginning to rely on our son to help out. I know how difficult it can be.

Look after yourself too.

>111 mathgirl40: Thinking of you and wishing you well.

>112 rabbitprincess: >113 MissWatson: >114 DeltaQueen50: >115 Charon07: >116 VivienneR: >117 christina_reads: Thanks so much for the messages of support, and I'm sorry I haven't kept this thread updated. At the moment, things are stable. My mom is out of hospital and comfortably settled in a nursing home, where she seems content and is getting good care. My dad is fiercely holding onto his independence, causing much stress among his relations but also inspires much awe at his will!

I've still been doing a lot of reading and have a backlog of reviews. Since there's not much hope of completing those, I'll commit to at least listing all the books I've read since April so that there's a record here. I do plan to join the 2025 group, probably with a less structured challenge so that it's easier for me to keep up! I hope all my LT friends are well and I'll hopefully be catching up with everyone's threads soon!

Way back in April, I finished these books:

38. Silence in the Age of Noise by Erling Kagge – BookCrossing and Gifted Books (3.5 stars)
39. Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim – Miscellaneous (4 stars)
40. Pointed Roofs by Dorothy Richardson -- 1001 Books and Classics (4 stars)
41. The Burden of Exile by Aaron Berhane -- Other 2024 Awards (5 stars)
42. The Secret at Red Gate Farm by Caroline Keene – Continue the Series (3.5 stars)
43. When Sorrows Come - Hugo and Aurora Awards (4 stars)
44. The Demoniacs by John Dickson Carr - 1940-1979 (3.5 stars)
45. The Jennifer Morgue by Charles Stross - Hugo and Aurora Awards (3 stars)
46. The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters - Other 2024 Awards (4.5 stars)
47. The Sheep's Tale by John Lewis-Stempel - BookCrossing and Other Gifted Books (4 stars)
48. Mammoths at the Gate by Nghi Vo - Hugo and Aurora Awards (4 stars)
49. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier - 1001 Books and Classics (5 stars)
50. Way Station by Clifford D. Simak - 1940-1979 (4 stars)
51. Fire Weather by John Vaillant - Other 2024 Awards (5 stars)

The two standouts for me were Fire Weather by John Vaillant, about the history and science of forest fires, and using the 2016 fire at Fort McMurray, Alberta, as a case study, and The Burden of Exile by the late journalist Aaron Berhane, his memoir about his escape from Eritrea and his fight for freedom to speak out against his government.

 

>5 mathgirl40: Oh wow! I've never heard of BookCrossing before but it sounds like such a fun idea! I am heading over there, making a profile and picking out a couple of books to send out on an adventure!

>120 shimmermarie: Glad that you're checking out BookCrossing! I don't often get journal entries for books sent "out in the wild", but occasionally, I'll get a notification from one that I'd released years ago, and it's very exciting when that happens.

>119 mathgirl40: Glad to hear that your mom is stabilized and that reading has stayed by you during this tough year.
Fire Weather is one of my top 10, if not top 5 books for 2024.

>122 beebeereads: Thank you for your kind words, and I'm so glad you feel as I do about Fire Weather.

Way back in May, I'd read these books:

52. Ethan of Athos by Lois McMaster Bujold - Continue the Series (4.5 stars)
53. The Clue in the Diary by Carolyn Keene - Continue the Series (4 stars)
54. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman - Mysteries and Thrillers (4.5 stars)
55. Witch King by Martha Wells - Hugo/Aurora Awards (3 stars)
56. The Hanging Garden by Ian Rankin - Travel - Edinburgh, Scotland (3.5 stars)
57. Toll the Hounds by Steven Erikson - Challenging Books (4.5 stars)
58. The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty - Hugo/Aurora Awards (4.5 stars)
59. The Secret of Greylands by Annie Haynes - 1940-1979 (3.5 stars)
60. Un Crime en Hollande by Georges Simenon - Challenging Books (3.5 stars)
61. Translation State by Ann Leckie - Hugo/Aurora Awards (5 stars)
62. A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske - Hugo/Aurora Awards (3 stars)

The standout books were Toll the Hounds and Translation State. Toll the Hounds is the 8th book in Steven Erikson's massive, complex and magnificent Malazan Book of the Fallen series. Translation State is the latest book from Ann Leckie's Imperial Radch series and in addition to exploring interesting sci-fi concepts, is simply delightful to read.

 

Back in June, I'd read these books:

63. The Marigold by Andrew F. Sullivan - Hugo/Aurora Awards (3 stars)
64. Purity of Blood by Arturo Perez-Reverte - Travel - Madrid, Spain (4 stars)
65. Interesting Times by Terry Pratchett - Continue the Series (3.5 stars)
66. The Valkyrie by Kate Heartfield - Hugo/Aurora Awards (5 stars)
67. The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera - Hugo/Aurora Awards (4 stars)
68. Nancy's Mysterious Letter by Carolyn Keene - Continue the Series (3.5 stars)
69. The Three-Body Problem (graphic novel) by Cixin Liu - Not a Novel (4 stars)
70. Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher - Hugo/Aurora Awards (4 stars)
71. The Moon of the Turning Leaves by Waubgeshig Rice - Hugo/Aurora Awards (3.5 stars)
72. Rose/House by Arkady Martine - Scary Books (4 stars)
73. The Bell in the Lake by Lars Mytting - BookCrossing (5 stars)
74. The Witches of World War II by Paul Cornell - Not a Novel (3.5 stars)
75. Bad Cree by Jessica Johns - Hugo/Aurora Awards (4 stars)
76. Saga, Volume 11 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples - Not a Novel (4 stars)
77. Tea and Murder by Aliette de Bodard - Hugo/Aurora Awards (3.5 stars)
78. Shards of Earth by Adrian Tchaikovsky - Hugo/Aurora Awards (4 stars)

My June reading was dominated by reading from the Hugo and Aurora ballots, as I was a voting member for those awards. The standout books were The Valkyrie by Kate Heartfield and The Bell in the Lake by Lars Mytting.

The Valkyrie, which ended up winning the Aurora Best Novel award, is a retelling of stories from Norse mythology. I've loved every work of Kate Heartfield that I've read so far.

The Bell in the Lake is a historical fiction novel that taught me a lot about Norwegian stave churches.

 

Adding The Valkyrie immediately to my to-read list!

>125 mathgirl40: Taking BBs for both The Valkyrie and The Bell in the Lake!

>119 mathgirl40: Fire Weather is a BB for me! And I've noticed other books in the library by John Vaillant that will go on my reading list.

>126 rabbitprincess: I hope you enjoy it. In case you hadn't been aware, Kate Heartfield is a "local" author -- born near where I live and currently living in your part of the world.

>127 MissBrangwen: I hope you enjoy them when you get to them. I loved both books so much.

>128 VivienneR: I've read a couple of others but Fire Weather was definitely the one that stayed with me the most. Others have highly recommended The Golden Spruce to me, so that's on my own TBR list.

Back in July, I finished these books:

79. The Foundling by Stacey Halls - BookCrossing (4 stars)
80. The Sign of the Twisted Candles by Carolyn Keene - Continue the Series (3.5 stars)
81. The Last Continent by Terry Pratchett - Continue the Series (3.5 stars)
82. Poirot Investigates by Agatha Christie - Not a Novel (3.5 stars)
83. I Robot by Isaac Asimov - 1001/Classics (4 stars)
84. Liberty’s Daughter by Naomi Kritzer - Miscellaneous (4 stars)
85. The Native Heath by Elizabeth Fair - 1940-1979 (3.5 stars)
86. Disco for the Departed by Colin Cotterill - Travel - Laos (4 stars)
87. Abaddon's Gate by James S. A. Corey - Continue the Series (4.5 stars)

The standout book was Abaddon's Gate by James S. A. Corey, the third book in the Expanse science fiction series and a reread for me. I can't say enough about this series. It's got the perfect mix of (plausible) sci-fi ideas, well developed and complex characters, action and suspense. The television adaptation is just as good as the book series and I'd recommend it highly to sci-fi fans.

In August, I finished these books:

88. Lock In by John Scalzi - Scary Books (4.5 stars)
89. The Last Hero by Terry Pratchett - Continue the Series (4.5 stars)
90. The Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi - Miscellaneous (3 stars)
91. Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery - 1001/Classics (5 stars)
92. The Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu - Travel - China (4 stars)
93. The Sign of Four by Sherlock Holmes - 1001/Classics (4 stars)
94. Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano - Miscellaneous (3.5 stars)
95. Superfan: How Pop Culture Broke My Heart by Jen Sookfong Lee - Other 2024 Awards (3 stars)
96. Password to Larkspur Lane by Carolyn Keene - Continue the Series (4 stars)
97. The Blighted Stars by Megan E. O'Keefe - Miscellaneous (3.5 stars)
98. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - Scary Books (4 stars)
99. The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles by Malka Older - Mysteries and Thrillers (4 stars)
100. Anne of Avonlea by L. M. Montgomery - 1001/Classics (4 stars)
101. The Story of Us by Catherine Hernandez - Other awards (4 stars)
102. The Eternity Ring by Patricia Wentworth - Mysteries and Thrillers (3.5 stars)

The standout books were Lock In by John Scalzi and Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery. Lock In was a reread for me, and I love the mix of police procedural, science-fiction and humour, along with some really thought-provoking exploration of the pros and cons of current and near-future technologies. As for Anne of Green Gables, I've probably read this book a dozen times but still haven't got tired of it!

 

>131 mathgirl40: Anne of Green Gables is one of those stories that I know so well but don't know if I actually read the book It's time to fix that!

>132 VivienneR: I know what you mean! I've experienced this story is so many forms -- stage play, musical, TV show and graphic novel, in addition to the original.

In September, I finished the following books:

103. Dreams Underfoot by Charles de Lint - Not a Novel (5 stars)
104. Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold - Continue the Series (5 stars)
105. The Story Girl by L. M. Montgomery - 1001/Classics (4 stars)
106. Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett - Continue the Series (4.5 stars)
107. The Giver by Lois Lowry - Miscellaneous (5 stars)
108. N or M by Agatha Christie - Mysteries and Thrillers (4 stars)
109. Butter by Asako Yuzuki - Travel - Japan (4 stas)
110. The Clue of the Broken Locket by Carolyn Keene - Continue the Series (4 stars)
111. The Mercy of Gods by James S. A. Corey - Miscellaneous (4 stars)
112. Snowblind by Ragnar Jonasson - Travel - Iceland (3.5 stars)
113. Earth Abides by George R. Stewart - 1940-1979 (4 stars)
114. Jamaica Inn by Daphne Du Maurier - BookCrossing (4 stars)
115. After the Funeral by Agatha Christie - Mysteries and Thrillers (3.5 stars)
116. Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant by Curtis Chin - Not a Novel (4.5 stars)
117. A Fall of Moondust by Arthur C. Clarke - 1940-1979 (3.5 stars)
118. Koresh by Stephan Talty - Not a Novel (3.5 stars)
119. Spam Tomorrow by Verily Anderson - 1940-1979 (4.5 stars)

September included rereads of several favourite books, so it was hard to choose a single standout book: Dreams Underfoot by Charles de Lint, Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold and The Giver by Lois Lowry.

The one new book that stood out for me was Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant by Curtis Chin. So much of the author's story matched my own experiences growing up in a Chinese restaurant, and we even share the same surname. :)