Mary’s Comments (group member since Jan 06, 2017)

Mary’s comments from the Challenges from Exploding Steamboats group.

The Testaments by Margaret Atwood

I read "A Spark of Light" by Jodi Picoult. I didn't want to put it down.

Stina wrote: "Stina wrote: "Of course, it doesn't need to be one of the old classic CYOA books. There are many modern takes on the form, some decidedly not for the kiddies. ..."

I did read [book:The Cave of Tim..."

I am certain, I read "The Cave of Time" way back when. :)

I read “Edinburgh Castle” by Matt Doeden. This book is very like the CYOA I read as a kid, but it includes facts from the history of Edinburgh and its castle. Like I did as a kid, I explored all the options. Quick and fun read, takes me back to my childhood. Borrowed from the library.

I read "Doctor Who: Now We Are Six Hundred: A Collection of Time Lord Verse" by James Goss and illustrated by Russel T. Davies. The illustrations are wonderful. The book is a fun mix of Doctor Who poems, loosely based on the A.A. Milne book, "Now We Are Six".

I read "I Just Made the Tea: Tales From 30 Years Inside Formula 1" by Di Spires. It is a pleasant read if you like F1. It is more like storytelling than literature. Di and her husband provided hospitality for various F1 teams, World Cup Rallying, Le Mans 24 Hours, and a few minor types of motor racing. They started when the hospitality was from tiny, ramshackle motorhomes, and left about the time the teams started introducing massive, portable buildings that get transported by a couple of dozen trucks.

I have just read "The Girl in Red" by Christina Henry. It was recommended by fellow BCer, Laura. It is a modern, post-apocalyptic tale based loosely on Little Red Riding Hood. It could, therefore, fit at least two other topics from this year's Challenge list. :) I read it in less than 48 hours, so yeah, I liked it.

I read The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood.

So, for this one I have chosen a book about cricket, which is a popular summer sport in some countries. It is "Field of Shadows: The remarkable true story of the English cricket tour of Nazi Germany1937" by Dan Waddell.

“As Old as Time (Twisted Tales #3)” by Liz Braswell - a book I didn't want to put down. What if the enchantress who cursed the Prince into the Beast was Belle's mother?

Logan's Run by William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson

I read "Madame de Villeneuve's The Story of the Beauty and the Beast: The Original Classic French Fairytale". It is very much a product of its time and place, France in 1740. I enjoyed it, and liked having the back story to both Beauty and the Beast.

"The Living Mountain" by Nan Shepherd. My mother gave this to me for Christmas (from my wishlist) a few years ago. The Introduction by another author was so booooring, I couldn't really get into it, until I ditched the Introduction and went straight to the proper book. It is an absolute delight!! I can't find when I first added this to Goodreads, only when I started reading the proper book 13 months ago (interrupted by requested library books and reading challenges!!). The rest of the book, with life getting in the way, took me two weeks to read. Without Life, I could have read it in one sitting, the writing is so lovely.

The Aftermath by Rhidian Brook. I first became aware of this book when I saw the trailers for the new movie. It is set in Hamburg just after WWII, which is why it caught my attention. I lived in Hamburg for nine years. The movie is mostly true to the book, although there are two major differences.

I'm going to stretch this one. I have just read a book about the Jacobite rebellion on 1745-46. Scotland is my adopted home. Bonnie Prince Charlie actually wanted to retrieve the crown over Britain (not just Scotland), but many who joined him wanted to free Scotland from the king in London. Those fighting the Jacobites were definitely fighting the "barbaric" Scots. The book is "Damn' Rebel Bitches, The Women of the '45" by Maggie Craig.

“A Crew That Time Forgot: Rubislaw to Ruhleben” by Margie Mellis and Doreen Black tells how the crew of the Rubislaw based in Aberdeen arrived in Hamburg just as WWI broke out. They were stuck in Germany and ended up in the civilian prisoner of war camp at Ruhleben near Berlin.

Alabama - To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Alaska -
Arizona - Wyatt Earp by Matt Braun
Arkansas - I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
California - The Library Book by Susan Orlean
Colorado - The Grilling Season by Diane Mott Davidson
Connecticut -
Delaware -
Florida -
Georgia -
Hawaii -
Idaho -
Illinois - Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen
Indiana - The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Iowa -
Kansas -
Kentucky - The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
Louisiana -
Maine -
Maryland -
Massachusetts -
Michigan -
Minnesota -
Mississippi - A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult
Missouri -
Montana -
Nebraska -
Nevada -
New Hampshire -
New Jersey - Replacement Child by Judy Mandel
New Mexico -
New York - Whistling for Elephants by Sandi Toksvig
North Carolina -
North Dakota -
Ohio - Sula by Toni Morrison
Oklahoma -
Oregon -
Pennsylvania -
Rhode Island -
South Carolina -
South Dakota -
Tennessee -
Texas -
Utah -
Vermont -
Virginia - Big Cherry Holler by Adriana Trigiani
Washington -
West Virginia -
Wisconsin -
Wyoming -

Puerto Rico -
Washington, DC

The Library Book by Susan Orlean, which is about the Los Angeles Central Library

I just finished "The Umbrian Thursday Night Supper Club" by Marlena de Blasi. I originally started it for last year's prompt with a month or day of the week in the title.

I did the first two prompts last year, so I won't work on those this year. I have three from last year I am going to try to finish this year. :) Thank you!!