Sheila’s Comments (group member since Dec 31, 2016)

Sheila’s comments from the READ 100+ BOOKS IN 2017 group.

Book Concierge wrote: "The last two I read in April



The Mighty Miss Malone
– Christopher Paul Curtis – 4****
In Bud, Not Buddy, Bud met a precocious girl at a camp nex..."

Rocket Boys was good. I enjoyed it very much. I have his memoir Coalwood Way. I haven't read it yet but I will.

Here I go. I've been reading up a storm and haven't wanted to stop reading to post the reviews.

8/9, 21 books

1. Read a book whose author's last name begins with Z--A New Prospect by Wayne Zurl--finished 5/11/17.
2. Mother's Day is this month in the U. S. so read a book where the mother is the central character--Heat and Light by Jennifer Haigh--finished 5/16/17 .
3. Read a book with a character's name in the title--The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick--finished 5/27/17.
4. Vacations are being planned so read a book about where you are going on vacation this year or your ideal vacation destination--The French House: An American Family, A Ruined Maison and the Village that Restored Them All by Don Wallace--finished 5/31/17--ideal vacation--France .
5. Memorial Day is this month in the U. S. so read a book with a character who is in the military--Ask, Tell by E. J. Noyes--finished 5/20/17 .
6. Basketball and hockey both are in their playoff seasons so read a book about basketball or hockey.--Crashing the Net by Samantha Wayland--finished 5/2/17
7. Classic car shows are starting in local parking lots on the weekend so read a book with a car on the cover.
8. Read a book that is being made into a movie this year.--Live By Night by Dennis Lehane--finished 5/8/17
9. Your choice--The Lawrence Browne Affair--Cat Sebastian--finished 5/5/17
BONUS:
Checking It Twice--Samantha Wayland--finished 5/2/17
Should've Known Better--Cassandra Carr--finished 5/4/17
Until You--Melody Heck Gatto--finished 5/6/17
Simmering Ice--Veronica Forand and Susan Scott Shelley--finished 5/8/17
Liliana's Letter--Alina K. Filed--finished 5/10/17
Point Shot Trilogy--V. L. Locey--finished 5/11/17
Love in the Stacks--Cara Malone--finished 5/12/17
How My Drum Major Turned Me Gay--Julie Zen--finished 5/13/17
The Missing Comatose Woman--Sarah Ettrich--finished 5/18/17
Return of the Earl--Sandra Schwab--finished 5/23/17
Plus One--Aleatha Romig--finished 5/24/17
Warriors: A Dangerous Path--Erin Hunter--finished 5/26/17
My Best Friend's Stepfather--Opal Carew--finished 5/31/17

Wow! Spring has definitely sprung. Everything is green and colorful. I'm reading lots. I hope you are also.

Here's May's challenge:
1. Read a book whose author's last name begins with Z.
2. Mother's Day is this month in the U. S. so read a book where the mother is the central character.
3. Read a book with a character's name in the title.
4. Vacations are being planned so read a book about where you are going on vacation this year or your ideal vacation destination.
5. Memorial Day is this month in the U. S. so read a book with a character who is in the military.
6. Basketball and hockey both are in their playoff seasons so read a book about basketball or hockey.
7. Classic car shows are starting in local parking lots on the weekend so read a book with a car on the cover.
8. Read a book that is being made into a movie this year.
9. Your choice

I have to recommend THE BAD-ASS LIBRARIANS OF TIMBUKTU by Joshua Hammer. It's a little dry but it tells the cultural and social history of Mali and ancient manuscripts that are hidden in and around Timbuktu and how they were gathered and saved from jihadists. I found the history fascinating. I learned a lot.

Rachel wrote: "-Alina Adams 4-7-17
This was a fairly entertaining cozy mystery with a few well drawn characters. However, the writing itself was rather poor; the story began too ..."

The Rebel sounds really interesting. I'll have to put it on my TBR list. I never knew that about Lancaster and the 1960's.

Book Concierge wrote: "

The Coincidence of Coconut Cake
– Amy E Reichert – 4****
What a deliciously delightful foodie romance! I liked the characters, and was inve..."

I loved this book It's on my keeper shelf.

Book Concierge wrote: "

West With the Night
– Beryl Markham – 5*****
Markham was an independent woman who lived life to the fullest, and on her own terms. While there has been sig..."

I read this. I enjoyed it. I like reading about women who don't fit society's mold and go out and do what they want to do.

Literary wrote: "frankly speaking i love this group. I havnt been that active in the grp as i didnt have my phone with me since mid jan. anyhow now I'm back hopefully I'll be really active"

I'm glad that you're back!

Chuck wrote: "And I forgot "Go Angels!"

1. Read a book whose author's last name begins with Y.
2. It's been raining all day here so read a book about water.
3. Baseball season is starting. Hockey and basketball..."

I'm still rooting for the Pirates.

Here's my April books:

8/9, 33 books

1. Read a book whose author's last name begins with Y--The Other Side of What--Shannon Yarbrough--finished 4/7/17.
2. It's been raining all day here so read a book about water--Mr. Blanding Builds His Dream House by Eric Hodgins--finished 4/23/17 .
3. Baseball season is starting. Hockey and basketball are coming to their playoff seasons. Read a book about a sport. Sacking the Quarterback by Samantha Towle--finished 4/2/17
4. Arbor Day is this month so read a book about trees or set in the woods.--Rising Storm by Erin Hunter--finished 4/15/17
5. Read a book that is under 150 pages--Little Black Dress by James Patterson and Emily Raymond--finished 4/1/17.
6. Reread a book that you enjoyed.
7. Read a book that won a prize--Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison--finished 4/10/17
8. Read a mystery--Murder on Pointe--C. S. McDonald--finished 4/7/17.
9. Your choice--A Touch of Death--Marissa Dobson--finished 4/8/17.

Bonus books:
The Visitor--Leslie Wolfe--finished 4/2/17
Rump Raiding Raptors--Alan Melos--finished 4/2/17
The Sweetest Girl--Jeanna Yung--finished 4/2/17
Bugs--Rachel Yu--finished 4/7/17
Andy and the Angry Dragon--Thomas Yu--finished 4/7/17
Rod Dormin, Comet Corps Cop--Rachel Yu--finished 4/7/17
Cowboy Crock Pot Cooking-- Brent Younger--finished 4/7/17
Vampire Island--Adele Griffin--finished 4/13/17
The Beast's Desire--Emerald Ice--finished 4/16/17
Heart of Eve--Pam Godwin--finished 4/16/17
V is for Vampire--Adele Griffin--finished 4/16/17
The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates--Wes Moore--finished 4/18/17
Betting His Wife--Ava Sterling--finished 4/26/17
Her Happy Ending--Ava Sterling--finished 4/26/17
I'm Afraid of the Vampire State Building--Patti Greenberg-Wollman and Merill Feinstein-Feit
One Kiss--Lisa Fox--finished 4/19/17
Someone I Loved--Anna Gavalda--finished 4/19/17
The Dating Tutor--Melissa Frost--finished 4/29/17
The Mysterious Mr. Blackstone--C. R. Lemons--finished 4/21/17
BDSM Romance--J. R. Luxor--finished 4/23/17
The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu--Joshua Hammer--finished 4/26/17
Damned If You Do--Lisabet Sarai--finished 4/27/17
Summer Passions--Michelle McMaster--finished 4/27/17
Home and Away--Samantha Wayland--finished 4/29/17
The Brick Wall--Stephanie Julian--finished 4/30/17

Wow! A quarter of the year is over. I've been reading what everyone has posted and I got a lot more books I want to read and get. I've been doing a lot of reading lately and enjoying it. Hope you're all getting the reading in that you want. Now onto April's challenge.

1. Read a book whose author's last name begins with Y.
2. It's been raining all day here so read a book about water.
3. Baseball season is starting. Hockey and basketball are coming to their playoff seasons. Read a book about a sport.
4. Arbor Day is this month so read a book about trees or set in the woods.
5. Read a book that is under 150 pages.
6. Reread a book that you enjoyed.
7. Read a book that won a prize.
8. Read a mystery.
9. Your choice.

Book Concierge wrote: "

Bookmarked For Death
– Lorna Barrett – 3***
This is a typical cozy mystery scenario, with an amateur sleuth who cannot keep out of the investigation. T..."


I like her books.

Book Concierge wrote: "

My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She’s Sorry
– Fredrik Backman – 4****
I was charmed by Elsa and her crazy grandmother, ..."

I want to read this book. I loved his other books A MAN CALLED OVE and BRITT-MARIE WAS HERE. I have it on my shelves but until I get to it. My house rivals a small town library.

If you are looking for a good mystery I recommend TONIGHT IN THE RIVERS OF PITTSBURGH by Brian Lee Weakland. I had it on my shelf for 9 years (and I met the author.) It was so good. If you know Pittsburgh, it is even more enjoyable because he gets so much of the city right. There is some poetic license taken but not too much. It's about the governor whose car plunges into the Monongahela River but they can't find his body. There are a lot of story lines but the governor and his family connect them all. I was on the edge of my seat towards the end of the story. It was so good.

It's been a busy time. At the end of February I was at a book conference in San Antonio. I began March at a book conference near my home. I then went to visit family in Virginia. I've done quite a bit of reading during the last two weeks and have finally gotten the reviews posted. I am still trying to catch up with all the books I got at the conferences. I love them!

Chuck wrote: "Traveling right now so we're listening to the audio book "A Walking in the Woods" by Bill Bryson.

"The Appalachian Trail stretches from Georgia to Maine and covers some of the most breathtaking te..."

I loved this book. I enjoyed the movie also even though Redford and Nolti were too old to play the characters.

Chuck wrote: "1. Read a book by an author whose last name begins with X.
2. Since St. Patrick's Day is coming, read a book set in Ireland.
3. Since spring is coming, read a book with a season in the title.
4. Re..."

Works for me.

My reads for March:

4/9, 20 books

1. Read a book by an author whose last name begins with X.
2. Since St. Patrick's Day is coming, read a book set in Ireland.
3. Since spring is coming, read a book with a season in the title.
4. Read a book with water on the cover--Tonight in the Rivers of Pittsburgh--Brian Lee Weakland--finished 3/25/17.
5. Reads a book with pictures--Dark Shadows by Doreen Gronin--finished 3/18/17.
6. Read a book with a one-word title.
7. Read a book published before 1950.
8. Read a book you bought on a trip--Unmasked Secrets by Brenna Zinn--finished 3/18/17.
9. Your choice--Mastered by Her Captor--Opal Carew--finished 3/5/17 .

Bonus:
Duke of Secrets--Gaelen Foley--finished 3/6/17
The Mouse and the Motorcycle--Beverly Cleary--finished 3/8/17
Captivated: Stiles 1--Before--Katherine King--finished 3/9/17
Passion's Last Promise--Christie Adams--finished 3/14/17
Communication Skills--Minxie Wells--finished 3/16/17
Raise the Jolly Roger--Tracy Kincaid--finished 3/19/17
Pretty Dirty Secrets--Jeana C. Mann--finished 3/19/17
Beauty and the Highlander--Hildie McQueen--finished 3/22/17
My Life as a Cartoonist--Janet Tashjian--finished 3/22/17
Naughtiness is Contagious--C. R. Lemon--finished 3/25/17
Alien Mail Order Bride: Alyssa--Meg Cooper--finished 3/25/17
The Knaveheart Curse--Adele Griffin--finished 3/28/17
Requiem for the American Dream by Noam Chomsky--finished 3/28/17
Seven Letters from Paris--Samantha Verant--finished 3/29/17
No Getting Over You by Cerise DeLand--finished 3/31/17
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce--finished 3/31/17

Sorry for the delay. I was at Wild Wicked Weekend in San Antonio. When I got back we had a death in the family. Now I'm off to Angels and Sirens and a visit to my sister in Virginia. It's been a hectic week and a half with another one to come.

1. Read a book by an author whose last name begins with X.
2. Since St. Patrick's Day is coming, read a book set in Ireland.
3. Since spring is coming, read a book with a season in the title.
4. Read a book with water on the cover.
5. Reads a book with pictures.
6. Read a book with a one-word title.
7. Read a book published before 1950.
8. Read a book you bought on a trip.
9. Your choice.

Literary wrote: "When is the march list coming???????????/////"

Tonight.