Play Book Tag discussion
Member ChallengeTracking 2016-20
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Cindy/LibraryCin's 2020 Challenges
12x12 Animals, RandomCAT, Trim the TBR (Classic), Poll BallotFire In The Turtle House: The Green Sea Turtle and the Fate of the Ocean / Osha Gray Davidson
4 stars
Beginning in the late 1970s, green sea turtles were appearing in very high numbers with tumors on them. Turtles in Hawaii, Florida and the Caribbean, independently. There weren’t many, but there were a few, who wanted to find out what was causing this.
Sea turtles (or any turtles) are one animal I’ve not read much about. Although, this was more about digging to find what was causing the tumors. (I’ll give you two (broad) guesses and the first one doesn’t count.) This book was published in 2001; I can’t imagine things have gotten better in the meantime. This has been on my tbr for ages – I have no idea why it took me so long to read it.
12x12 Audio, Poll Ballot TallyThe Rosie Project / Graeme Simsion
4.33 stars (average over 3 reads)
2015 read: Don is a professor and has only three friends. He is extremely socially awkward. He decides to start “The Wife Project” and comes up with a questionnaire to filter out any unsuitable candidates. His friend Gene goes over some of the applicants to help Don out and sends over Rosie. Don can't figure out why Rosie, as she is completely unsuitable!
I loved this! Don and his never-ending quirks... It's a fun, humourous, happy read. I did feel badly for Gene's wife, though.
2016 reread: The first time I read this, I gave it 5 stars. I think I felt similarly as the first time throughout most of it and last time, maybe upped my star rating for the ending. This time around I’m leaving my rating, overall, at 4 stars. It was still enjoyable and still humourous, and to be honest, I’d forgotten most of what happened in the book, which was nice for a reread. This time around, though, I do think the 5 stars was a bit too much.
2020 reread: This is my 3rd time reading this (the 2nd and 3rd times for different book clubs). I gave it 5 stars the first time around, and I suspect that was mostly due to the ending. The 2nd time and this time around, it’s a 4 star read. It is quite enjoyable and amusing. I listened to the audio this time, for something a bit different, and thought the narrator was quite good.
12x12 Trim the TBR, Trim the TBR (Classic), AlphaKIT, Poll BallotKingdom Under Glass: A Tale of Obsession, Adventure, and One Man's Quest to Preserve the World's Great Animals / Jay Kirk
3.5 stars
Carl Akeley (1864-1926) was a famous taxidermist, most notable for setting up dioramas at the American Museum of Natural History. He spent much time in Africa with this two successive wives, on hunting safaris, looking for the perfect specimens for scientific posterity.
I had a bit of a hard time with this. It’s an interesting story and he had an interesting life (he also invented a few things, one of them highlighted in the book being a video camera to take nature videos), but I had a really hard time with the hunting – in my mind, it was just glorified trophy hunting. So wasteful – he would kill animals, but not even use them because they were not exactly what he was looking for for his imagined displays for the museum. He later did help start a sanctuary for gorillas, but only after he’d killed the ones he wanted, and he continued to kill other animals after. It did read like fiction, but the author has notes at the end to explain where he got much of his information and where he “expanded” and how he came to decide on telling it that way.
12x12 Nonfiction, AlphaKIT, Poll BallotRevolution for Dummies: Laughing through the Arab Spring / Bassem Youssef
4 stars
Bassem Youssef was a doctor before the Arab Spring revolution in Egypt in 2011. After that, he started doing short satirical/political videos on youtube, and from there, he started a tv show, and he became known as the Egyptian Jon Stewart. This book chronicles Youssef’s experience at this time in Egypt, and his escape from his home country in 2014.
This was very good. I learned at lot, and of course, it has a nice dose of humour to go along with it. There are some parallels with our Western/North American society, as well, some of which he mentions specifically, and some that just popped into my head. He did eventually come to the US, so he can see what’s happening there now (or at the time of writing). This was published in 2017, so still fairly recent.
12x12 Oh Canada, Travel Across Canada, PBT Trim, Trim the TBR (Classic)Missing / Frances Itani
4 stars
In France, Luc was 12-years old in 1917 when he saw an air battle between one British and two German planes. The British plane came crashing down and Luc ran towards where the pilot landed. He was only able to notice/discover a few things before Germans shoo-ed him away, but enough to find out the pilot’s name, nationality (Canadian), and to collect a few souvenirs before heading home. Back in Nova Scotia, Jack Greenway’s parents are worried for their only son who went off to be a pilot in this war.
This is a very good short story. I would have loved for it to be longer, still, to be able to put more detail into the story. This was based on true events. Itani is a very good writer of war stories.
12x12 KIT Challenges, AlphaKIT, Travel Across Canada, Poll Ballot Tally, BingoDOG, Trim the TBR (Classic)Kiss of the Fur Queen / Tomson Highway
3 stars
Champion (later Jeremiah) and Gabriel are Cree, living in northern Manitoba. When they are young, in the ‘60s, they are sent away to a residential school. This book follows them beyond the residential school as they grow into adults.
There was some magical realism in the book, which I’m not a fan of. It didn’t make sense to me. The book skipped ahead – skipped years in their lives – quite a bit. That is, we’d get a very brief time at their age, then suddenly (without any real indication beyond a new chapter or part), we would have advanced years. Some of it was good and held my interest, but much of it was also very vague, and you had to figure out what was going on... it wasn’t clear. I hate that. Despite this mostly negative-sounding review, I am rating the book “ok”, for the parts that I liked.
12x12 Audio, Poll BallotLittle Women / Louisa May Alcott
3.5 stars
Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy are sisters. Their father is away fighting in the Civil War. They don’t have a lot of money, but they are very loved. The make friends with the neighbour-boy next door, Laurie. They are all quite different personality-wise. This follows them as they grow from teenagers into adulthood.
This was good. I read it when I was much younger and did a reread via an audio book for my book club. My mind did travel a bit while listening but mostly it held my attention. I did remember most of it, I think, though more due to the movie from the ‘90s.
12x12 Series, PBT, Poll Ballot, Trim the TBR (Classic), MysteryKITCat and Mouse / James Patterson
4 stars
Serial killer, Gary Soneji, is out of jail and looking for revenge on detective Alex Cross. He wants to kill Cross and his entire family. But, before doing so, he is leading up to it with other killings and taunting Cross. Meantime, Cross is attracted to his kids’ principal, but she is hesitant to date someone with his job.
I really liked this one. I remember the name Soneji, but don’t really remember details of him in the other books (this is 4th in the series), but it’s not necessary to remember anything about him to enjoy this one. If there was anything from the previous book(s) I needed to know, I was reminded of it. I liked the potential relationship between Alex and Christine.
12x12 Series, BingoDOG, TravelKIT, Trim the TBR (Classic)Lady Of Sherwood / Jennifer Roberson
4 stars
King Richard the Lionheart has died and his brother John is now king. The Sheriff of Nottingham is desperate to be sure he is still employed. Robin Hood and his friends, once pardoned by King Richard, are now outlaws once again, and must hide in Sherwood Forest. The Sheriff is upset with Marian and wants revenge. Robin’s father is not healthy, but the two don’t see eye-to-eye on anything.
I liked this much better than the first one. It took a short bit at the start to get “into” it, but once I did, I really liked this one.
12x12 PBT Challenges, PBT Bingo, Poll BallotA Gift of Magic / Lois Duncan
3.5 stars
Teen twins, Kirby and Nancy, and their younger brother Brendan, move to Florida with their mom, and learn that their parents are getting a divorce. Nancy seems to have a harder time of it then either of her siblings. At school, she discovers that she has a bit of “magic” in her in the form of ESP. Her sister has a talent for dancing and brother a talent for music. They all try to come to terms with their parents’ divorce while Nancy tries to figure out how best to deal with her “gift”.
I listened to the audio. It was a quick YA read, and things moved quickly, but likely due to being YA. I enjoyed it. I’m not sure any of the kids were particularly likeable, but they’re teenagers (at least the girls are), so...
12x12 PBT Challenges, Poll Ballot Tally, RandomCAT, ScaredyKITTo Kill a Kingdom / Alexandra Christo
4 stars
Elian is a prince and a pirate. He is not interested in taking over his father’s kingdom, and much prefers the pirate life. Mostly, he hunts sirens. Lira is a siren and the princess of the ocean, and will one day rule the sea (if her mother, the Sea Queen, doesn’t manage to find a way out of Lira doing it – this is putting it mildly). When Lira is punished so that she is turned human and left in the water to die, Elian’s ship comes along and rescues her, not knowing what she really is.
I really enjoyed this. It’s a darker twist on The Little Mermaid. I also enjoyed the banter between the secondary characters (the crew on Elian’s ship).
12x12 Reading Through Time, Reading Through Time, Poll BallotMurder at the Vicarage / Agatha Christie
3.5 stars
When Colonel Prothero is murdered at the vicarage, two people come forward to confess. Meantime, in this small town, where Miss Marple lives next door to the vicarage, people are trying to figure out what happened.
This is (kind of) a reread. I have already listened to the BBC dramatization, but this time I actually read it. I believe I rated the dramatization 4 stars, so this one not quite as high. It was good. This was Miss Marple’s introduction, but through most of it, she seemed a very secondary character. The main character, the first person “I”, was the vicar, who found the murdered Prothero, so the story was from his point of view.
12x12 PBT, PBT, AlphaKITKiller Within / S.E. Green
3.5 stars
This is a sequel to “Killer Instinct”. Lane was the “famous” vigilante, the “Masked Avenger” they called her. (view spoiler)
She’s finding unworthy people to go after, but it doesn’t seem to be enough. Also, there seems to be a copycat out there, bringing vigilante justice under her (Masked Avenger) name! Plus, someone has put up a fan website. She never wanted to publicly “celebrate” in this way. Who is running the site and who is the copycat?
I listened to the audio (I did for the first one, as well). This was good, but not quite as good as the first one. There were tense moments, but also a couple of people whom I missed the introduction to, so when mentioned again, I couldn’t place who they were. If there later comes a 3rd book in the series (and I find out), I will read it.
12x12 Off the Shelf, Trim the TBR (Classic), KITastrophe, Poll BallotDark Tide: The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919 / Stephen Puleo
3.75 stars
In 1915, a giant tower meant to store molasses was built in Boston, near the water, near the train tracks, right beside a poor and crowded area of the city. In January 1919, the molasses burst from the tower, creating a wave that eventually left 21 dead and many more injured.
In addition to info on the tower and the disaster, the book included information on politics at the time and other happenings (the war, the Spanish flu). It followed a few families who were affected or who had some “doings” with the tower, who later testified in court. It had information about anarchists at the time (the company that owned the tower blamed anarchists for dropping a bomb in the tower causing the flood).
I found the parts about the families, the people involved, the flood itself, and the trial after to be quite interesting. Where I lost interest (and the book lost a quarter star) was in the political discussion and the anarchists. I read the ebook, which apparently came from the slightly later paperback edition, which included an additional afterword. This was interesting, as the author described letters he received from descendants of many of the people involved.
12x12 Nonfiction, NonfictionCAT, Poll Ballot, Trim the TBR (Classic)Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed / Jared Diamond
3.5 stars
Diamond looks at different societies -- some historical, some current -- to see what they’ve done in order to survive/succeed. Some have disappeared. This includes current-day Montana, the Vikings (in Iceland, Greenland, Newfoundland, some of the smaller islands nearer Europe...), Easter Island and other Polynesian Islands, the Mayans in Mexico, Haiti/Dominican Republic, Australia, China, Japan, New Guinea, Rwanda... He looks at some of them in more detail than others.
And I found some stories more interesting than others: Montana, Vikings, Easter Island, Rwanda, Haiti/Dominican Republic. He had a few chapters at the end that looked at business – the economy “vs” the environment. I was surprised to hear about how one of the big oil companies is set up in New Guinea – to the benefit of the environment around the area!
Too bad more oil companies didn’t do similar (or too bad it wasn’t required that they all do better, as it apparently can be done).
I do have a hard time rating a lot of nonfiction 4 stars and higher. I think those that I rate that high read more like fiction, this one was good, but it didn’t read like fiction.
12x12 Off the Shelf, MysteryKITAlaska Bound / Margaret Frank
3 stars
Patience and Forrest meet at the airport, heading to Alaska. Patience is going to help with a count of whales as an environmental assessment for a proposed oil rig. Forrest is heading back home where he is a police officer. When they cross paths again in Alaska, things become dangerous.
Was a bit put off at the start with all the “romance” going on. Too much. The rest of the plot might have been better, except there were a lot of characters and I somehow “missed” the introductions of some and when they came up later, I wasn’t sure who they were. Figured some of that out, but it moved very quickly (the book was short), so it got a bit confusing, as well. Just about everyone had secrets and might have been double crossing others or at least lying/hiding things. Might have been better if there had been more time to flesh out the characters and the happenings a bit more? In any case, I didn’t particularly like any of the characters, either. Overall, I’m rating it ok.
12x12 Series, RandomCAT, Poll BallotFables, Vol. 22: Farewell / Bill Willingham
4 stars
There is a war coming between Rose Red and Snow White. And a final wrap up for many of the characters.
Storylines with war are not as interesting to me, and I was happy with how this ended. I enjoyed the wrap ups for many of the characters, particularly for Snow and Bigby’s cubs/kids. There was one text section in the middle, then more wrap-up text at the end by the author, which I quite enjoyed. As always, illustrations are quite nice and I’ve always loved the extra touch of the borders. The cover actually folds out and includes many (all?) characters in the series. One of the extras at the end of the book is the “key” that shows you who is who on the cover. There is also an additional 4 page fold-out close to the end of the book.
12x12 Trim, Trim the TBR (Classic), Poll BallotThe Hate U Give / Angie Thomas
4 stars
Starr is a black girl who lives in a black neighbourhood, but goes to a white school. When she is in a car after a party with one of her black friends, they are pulled over by a cop, and Khalil ends up being shot by the police officer. Starr talks to the police about what happened – Khalil didn’t deserve to die – but decides to not let on to others she knows that she was the one with him when they were pulled over. She continues to lead a double life until things start coming out.
This was really good. I listened to the audio and the narrator was very good. This really does show the unfairness (to put it mildly) of racial profiling and the overreactions of police towards a black teenager. I have to admit there was one part where Starr got really upset about something racist her white friend said – I didn’t even know it was a racist thing (fried chicken?). There were humourous parts in the story to lighten things up a bit, which I thought were done really well. I am happy (for the most part, except one thing) with how the book ended.
12x12 Nonfiction, Poll Ballot, KITastrophe, Trim the TBR (Classic)Storm Warning: The Story of a Killer Tornado / Nancy Mathis
4 stars
On May 3, 1999, Oklahoma saw multiple tornadoes, including one of the biggest to hit a city. All the years leading up to it, though, had meteorologists, most notably Ted Fujita (Mr. Tornado), studying tornadoes. This helped with warnings (although for a long time in history until the 1950s (after another deadly tornado in 1947), weather forecasters were not even allowed to say the word “tornado”!) that could help people take cover. The book not only looks at the tornado in 1999 (and the one in 1947), but also looks at the history of weather forecasting – with a focus on tornadoes – and at the life of Ted Fujita (who created the Fujita scale).
It got a bit bogged down in the history at the start of the book (but, I was also having trouble finding larger chunks of time to read, which can help me focus), but it got better as the book went on. Of course, when we hit the 1999 tornado, no question – this was the best part of the book. I still found the rest quite interesting, though
12x12 Travel, TravelKIT, Trim the TBR (Classic), PBT BingoOutlaw / Angus Donald
4.25 stars
A minor character in the Robin Hood tale, Alan Dale, tells this story. When only 13 “summers” old, he manages to escape his sentence of a hand being chopped off (as a thief), and ends up with Robin Hood and his men in the forest. He is given training in fighting and music, and is with them on many of their adventures, including saving Marie-Anne from having to marry the sheriff.
This was surprisingly violent and quite unlike any other Robin Hood story I’ve read or seen. Granted, I’ve not read very many, but still. Robin Hood. himself, is portrayed quite differently from what I expected. I really liked this one, though. Interesting that I often am not all that interested in war/fighting scenes, but the big one in this book really had me engaged. I don’t know if it was something with the story itself that I was more interested, or if it’s the way the author writes, or something else, but this was really really good for me.
It is a series and I will continue. Hopefully I’ll like the next one, though. It does concern me that it seems to be about the Crusades – again, we have that war/fighting bit that often I end up skimming and being bored by, so hopefully it holds up as this one did.
12x12 Reading Thru Time, Read Thru Time, Trim the TBR (Classic), Poll Ballot, AlphaKIT, Travel Across CanadaThe Great Halifax Explosion: A World War I Story of Treachery, Tragedy, and Extraordinary Heroism / John U. Bacon
4 stars
On Dec. 5, 1917, two ships collided in the Halifax Harbour. One of them was loaded down with explosives, meant to head to Europe for the war effort. Instead, with the collision, a good chunk of Halifax and neighbouring Richmond were wiped out in an instant, along with a couple thousand (likely a low estimate) people, and more thousands injured.
This was very well researched. It does include some discussion of the war, and a soldier from Nova Scotia who ended up helping out after the disaster, as he was back home after being severely injured. Also includes a detailed account of the ships and crew involved in the collision, as well as tidbits of time of some of the civilians on shore who were affected (lost family members, lost homes, injuries...).
12x12 PBT, PBT, Trim the TBR (Classic)A Bone to Pick / Charlaine Harris.
3.5 stars
Aurora Teagarden is a librarian and used to attend meetings of the Real Murders club in her town. They disbanded, but she knew (somewhat) the elderly Jane from the club. When Jane dies, Aurora is surprised to learn that Jane has left everything to her (except her cat and a bit of money). Aurora suddenly owns a small house, and has plenty of money. But, she finds an odd item in Jane’s house and isn’t quite sure what to do with or about it...
I quite enjoyed this! I really liked the guy Aurora started dating and I loved that she now has her own house. It’s a short/quick read.
12x12 Audio, Trim the TBR (Classic), Poll BallotThe New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness / Michelle Alexander
3 stars
This book takes a look at mass incarceration in the US and, in particular, the effect on black men.
Well, sorry, but I imagine mine is not a popular opinion. I’m not convinced. Although she tried to link it to black men, most of what she talked about holds true for all criminals with a record. She ties some things to people of colour, but not everything (unless I missed it, which is possible, given that I listened to the audio). I actually agreed with some of the laws, and such, though many of the laws and sentences are ridiculous, no question. I certainly don’t agree with any type of racial profiling, however.
I listened to the audio which may have made a difference. It’s hard enough to read a bunch of stats and such, but maybe harder still to listen to it. By the end, though, I was really tired of the phrases “mass incarceration” and “black caste system”. I was likely also tuning out more the longer the book went, so I very well may have missed a number of arguments.
12x12 Off the Shelf, PBT Trim, Trim the TBR (Classic), AlphaKIT, MysteryKIT, ScaredyKITDeep Freeze / Lisa Jackson
4.5 stars
Jenna was an actress until an accident on her last movie. She quit and left for a small town in Oregon, after divorcing her husband and taking her two teenage daughters with her. Unfortunately, there seems to be a serial killer in the area, and Jenna seems to be the target of smaller crimes.
Probably not the most exciting summary, but I was really hooked on this one! I could call it a mystery, a thriller, suspenseful, and horror. I added in horror after reading one night before bed and having to convince myself to get up and do the nightly routine, including heading to the basement to clean the cat litter! Didn’t want to head down there... Although she wrapped up this book, at the end she started up what will be the second book in the series. I had already decided if it was a series, I’d be continuing; she didn’t need the cliffhanger to convince me.
12x12 Trim, Trim the TBR (Classic), AlphaKIT, NonfictionCAT, Poll BallotStuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things / Randy Frost, Gail Steketee
4 stars
The authors are psychologists who were the first to really study hoarding behaviour. This tells of some of the psychology of hoarding and presents many case studies of people they worked with. Hoarding is usually associated with OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder), but the authors feel that it should be its own category.
People who hoard show different symptoms of different mental health disorders, including OCD, perfectionism, anxiety, and more I’m forgetting. People have different reasons they present for not wanting to get rid of their things, including not wanting to be wasteful, growing attached to their belongings, and more. Their families are affected. The case studies in this book include children of hoarders and how they are affected, as well as children who are, themselves, hoarders. One chapter also looks at animal hoarding.
I can see myself, just a tiny bit in some of the traits the authors present in their case studies, but I don’t go anywhere near the extremes of people who really are hoarders. I found this so interesting.
12x12 KIT Challenges, AlphaKIT, RandomCAT, Trim the TBR (Classic)Jane / Aline Brosh McKenna, Ramon K. Perez
4 stars
This is a graphic novel, modern-day retelling of Jane Eyre. Jane is an orphan who manages to leave the unloving home where she grows up to move to New York City to become an artist. While at school, she finds a job as a nanny to a girl whose mother has died and her father is never around.
This was really good. In addition to being a very well-told story, the illustrations are really well done and easy to follow.
12x12 PBT, PBT, Poll Ballot, Trim the TBR (Classic)Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man / Fannie Flagg
3.5 stars
Daisy Fay is an 11-year old growing up in Mississippi in the 1950s. Her parents don’t always seem to get along. Her dad drinks, and doesn’t seem to have much luck with the businesses he sets up. It’s told in diary/journal form when Daisy Fay is 11, 15 and 17/18 years old.
It was good, but nothing special. There was some humour. Still not exactly sure who the “Miracle Man” is.
12x12 Series, Trim the TBR (Classic), ScaredyKIT, MysteryKIT, Poll BallotIron Kissed / Patricia Briggs
3 stars
Mercy is a shapeshifter (coyote) who was raised by werewolves. She is brought into a fae community to help sniff out a murderer. Somehow someone Mercy knows who is not the murderer (or was this a retaliation murder?) is arrested, so Mercy is trying to help find who is the (one of the?) real murderer(s?). In addition, Mercy is torn between two men, one the alpha werewolf.
Listened to the audio, and I had a hard time focusing (that may be obvious from my summary!). Enjoyed what I paid attention to, but I’ll try to remember not to listen to another audio in this series, for as long as I continue the series. I’ll at least try the next one (not audio) and see if I want to continue after that at all.
12x12 Series, MysteryKIT (May), Trim the TBR (Classic), AlphaKIT, Poll BallotRed Bones / Ann Cleves
3 stars
When this small Shetland Island sees two deaths in a very short time, one apparently accidental, and one a suicide, the police begin to wonder. Mima, an older lady who owns the land an archaeological dig is happening on, is accidentally shot and killed. And not long after, one of the people working on the dig appears to have committed suicide.
There are a lot of characters and I had a hard time keeping some of them straight, especially as to how they related to each other. I did think the book picked up in the second half when the second body was found. Or, really, when it appeared the person was missing. For the first half of the book, I thought it was time to give up on the series, but with the second half, I think I’ll do one more. Just not on audio. This one wasn’t, but I’ve read one of the others on audio, and that is definitely not the way to go for me for this series.
12x12 Off the ShelfLittle Disasters / Sarah Vaughan
4 stars
Liz is a pediatrician and is called in to help with an emergency of a baby who was brought in with a skull fracture. The mother’s story is fishy. Unfortunately, Liz is friends with the mother. Even so, others are alerted and there is an investigation.
This is told from multiple points of view, including Jess’s, the mother of the baby. We don’t get a full account of what’s happened until later in the book, with a couple of twists along the way. I’m not a mom, but you can see how stressful parenting can be in some instances. I thought this was really good. It kept me reading and wanting to know what happened to that poor little girl.
12x12 Read Thru Time, Reading Thru Time, Poll Ballot, NonfictionCATThe Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic—and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World / Steven Johnson
3.75 stars
In the mid-19th century, London was hit (a couple of times, a few years apart) by a cholera epidemic. It hit quickly and in a small area within London. While many went with the prevailing theory of miasma (something in the air) of spreading it, Dr. John Snow did additional research and found that it was something in the water. He was able to convince one doubter, a reverend who knew and visited many of the sick. Together, they continued to promote their theory.
I really liked this investigation and the medical history in this book. There is an additional chapter or two at the end that talks more about cities (I think it’s mentioned in the extended version of the title), and the pros (environmental – yup) and cons (spread of epidemics/pandemics) of having such a huge majority of the world’s population living in cities. This was the part that wasn’t quite as interesting to me and where I took off a quarter star.
12x12 PBT Challenges, Poll Ballot, RandomCATLoretta Lynn: Coal Miner's Daughter / Loretta Lynn
3.75 stars
Originally published in 1976, this is country music star Loretta Lynn’s autobiography.
She’s pretty old-fashioned, but of course that could also just be that she’s a product of her time. I loved her “storytelling” style – it read like chatting with a friend as she tells stories of her life. I was not as interested in the other celebrity stories, and was more interested in her home life. Some interesting celebrity tidbits, though: I didn’t know Chrystal Gayle was her sister; she and Patsy Cline were friends; she felt badly for Olivia Newton John when people were “against” her winning country music awards because she wasn’t from Nashville.
I liked the first half of the book much better, as it focused more on her home life – growing up poor, her father working in a coal mine; marrying at 14-years old... Sissy Spacek was perfect to narrate the audio! So, overall, I’m rating it good (3.5 stars) with an extra quarter star for Sissy Spacek.
12x12 PBT, PBT, Poll Ballot, Trim the TBR (Classic), NonfictionCATIn the Devil's Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692 / Mary Beth Norton
2.5 stars
In addition to looking at the accusations and trials of the “witches” in the Salem, Mass. area in the late 17th century, this author looks at other things happening in the area at the time to see if there is a connection. Specifically, the First and Second Indian Wars happened in the years leading up to the witch accusations and trials.
I do find the Salem witches an interesting topic, but a number of nonfiction books I’ve read about it (including this one) have not held my interest. I do find it hard, sometimes, to read books with a lot of quotations from other sources, and this one (and other books on this topic) has a lot of that.
12x12 Oh CanadaThe Couple Next Door / Shari Lapena
4 stars
After the babysitter cancels last-minute, Marco convinces his wife Anne to leave their 6-month old baby home alone while they go (and take the baby monitor with them, plus a promise to check on the baby every half hour) to a dinner party at their neighbours’ place next door. When they arrive home an hour after they last checked on her (Anne trying to convince Marco to come home for that last half hour), the front door is open and their baby is gone!
This was really good. I wanted to keep reading. It turns out they both had secrets from each other. The neighbours were awful! I did figure out part of it at one point close to the end, but not all of it. And there was a twist (of course!). It was a fast read, and enjoyable.
12x12 Animals, PBT, Poll Ballot, MysteryKIT, AlphaKIT, ScaredyKITThe Werewolf of Bamberg / Oliver Potzsch
4 stars
In the mid-17th century Bavaria/Germany, two executioner brothers are executioners at neighbouring towns. Bartholomaus had come to replace the executioner, who disappeared at the end of the witch trials about 40 years earlier. Although the brothers are estranged, Jakob agrees to attend – with some of his family – Bartholomaus’ wedding. When they arrive in Bamberg a few days prior to the wedding, they discover that people have been going missing and parts of some of them have been found. Locals are convinced there is a werewolf attacking the people of Bamberg. This is beginning to be reminiscent of the witch trials from decades ago.
I really liked this. This is the 5th in the series and one of my favourites. Jakob’s two daughters are stubborn and strong. As I learned in the first book, at the time, executioners not only tortured and killed (it was their job), but they were also healers. They were the very bottom class of people and really were not permitted to rise above their station. Very interesting. Even more interesting was the brief author’s note at the end describing the panic surrounding werewolves at the time, not too long after witch trials that had happened. So, in addition to the characters being based on the author’s ancestors (he descended from the Kuisl executioner family), some of the events that make up the basis of the plot really happened.
12x12 Audio, ScaredyKITAll the Wrong Places / Joy Fielding
4 stars
There is a serial killer choosing his victims via online dating sites, and he sets his eyes on Paige. Paige, meanwhile, is dealing with a lot of things, including the fact that her husband cheated on her with her cousin, and she has recently lost her job. She is also helping her friend Chloe deal with some things, and Paige’s mother seems to be having some health issues.
I listened to the audio, which was well done. This was less of a thriller than I’d expected, as much of the book focused on Paige and her family and their relationships, as well as Chloe. The POV changes often throughout the book. There were a lot of characters to hate in this book, including of course, the killer.
So, the ending. I’m trying to keep it really vague. The end was a surprise, but not the usual twist, then shock kind of fast surprise. It was a slower dawning of what happened, as characters continue about their business. Still a surprising ending, but it came on a bit differently, more slowly. Well done, I thought! I do wonder if there will be a sequel.
12x12 Travel, KITastrophe, NonfictionCAT, RandomCATThe Band That Played On: The Extraordinary Story of the 8 Musicians Who Went Down with the Titanic / Steve Turner
3.25 stars
This book tells the biographies of the eight musicians on the Titanic. They were split into two groups on board, playing in different areas of the ship, but it seems that they joined together to play on deck as the ship sank.
I usually like biographies, but this one had eight. That’s a lot, and it was a small amount of information on each one, so as we continued on in the book, it was easy to forget who was who. It was more interesting once they boarded the ship to read about that. Much is speculation, including what songs were played, but that part was still more interesting to me.
The book continued on after they died with some information on their families, regaining any items found (though only three of the musicians’ bodies were recovered), and stories of (in one case) the father not acknowledging an illegitimate child (and therefore any compensation money should come to him, not to his son’s girlfriend and child); I can’t remember now if it was the same family (I think it was), but a sister who was mentally unstable and played a nasty “joke” on the rest of her family (that was one I believe I’d already heard about).
Overall, I’m rating it between ok (the biographies) and good (the disaster and aftermath).
12x12 Series, PBT, Poll BallotAn Echo in the Bone / Diana Gabaldon
3.5 stars
Possible spoilers for earlier books...(view spoiler)
Overall, I liked this one. I like the 20th century storyline, and I liked Claire, Jamie and Ian’s storylines, as well. I lost a lot of interest in Lord John Grey and William’s parts in the book, though. Up until William met up with Ian – then they got more interesting. I do normally like John Grey, but I just couldn’t get interested in his parts at first. As always, I enjoy the medical history in the book – Clair bringing her 20th century knowledge to the 18th century. There were a couple of surprises at the end of the book
12x12 Trim, Trim the TBR, AlphaKITEnchantments / Kathryn Harrison
2 stars
This fictional book follows one of Rasputin’s daughters after he has been murdered. She (a teenager by this time) goes to live with the Romanovs and is there (I think) when they are taken away before they are murdered.
I can’t really tell you much more than that. I listened to the audio and it did not hold my attention at all. She seemed to be all over the place chronologically, which didn’t help. There would be something about her father, then living with the Romanovs and back and forth. Oh, and throw in some after the Romanovs were killed. Too bad – I usually do enjoy reading about the Romanovs.
12x12 Travel, TravelKITBill Bryson's African Diary / Bill Bryson
3 stars
This is a diary as Bill Bryson travelled around Kenya, mostly visiting slums and refugee camps and similar places. He was travelling with people from an NGO/charity called CARE.
It was decent (44 pages for my ebook), but not nearly long enough. I would have loved for there to be more. He has his trademark humour, and he met some interesting people, but in one day, I’ve already forgotten much of it. It was just too short to really get “into”.
12x12 TravelThe Book of Hidden Wonders / Polly Crosby
3.5 stars
When Rommily is 9 years old, she and her dad move to a place in the country; Rom doesn’t remember much about her mom. Her dad, an artist, decides to write and illustrate a picture book, with Rom as the star. This turns into a series of books as Rom grows older. Not only that, but there seems to be a treasure hunt with clues in the books. Rom, herself, doesn’t know what the treasure is, and fans of the book are constantly showing up, looking for it.
It was good, but there were odd parts that I wasn’t sure about – magical realism? A fantasy in Rom’s head? Real? I couldn’t figure out a few of those things, and (no surprise to me) I did lose a bit of focus in those parts. I did not like Rom’s friend Stacey at all. It did get a bit more interesting/fascinating at the end (if also somewhat sad).
12x12 Nonfiction, Poll Ballot, Trim the TBR (Classic)Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal / Mary Roach
3 stars
The title pretty much tells you what this one is. Mary Roach is looking at the alimentary canal, or pretty much the digestive system (apparently it is a portion of the digestive system). She is looking at what goes in one end and comes out the other. And bits of what happens in between.
I listened to the audio. I’m not sure if there was as much humour as usual, or maybe I just missed some of it. I’m rating this one ok, and although the audio was fine, I think my mind did occasionally wander. Not sure if it would have had a higher rating if it hadn’t been the audio or not.
12x12 PBT Challenges, Poll Ballot, PBT Bingo, BingoDOG, Trim the TBR (Classic)The 100 Thing Challenge: How I Got Rid of Almost Everything, Remade My Life, and Regained My Soul / Dave Bruno
3 stars
The author decided he wanted to try – for one year – to live with 100 “things” or fewer. That is, 100 personal possessions. It’s a way to curb his “American-style consumerism” – the always wanting more, or better, or bigger. He took about a year to plan how he’d do it, and to get down to those 100 items. He came up with rules, and admitted that it may not work the same if others want to try.
It would be harder for me, as he didn’t want to pressure his family (wife and 3 daughters) to do this with him, which meant shared items (one of his rules) didn’t count as “his” personal 100 things. I live alone. The bed, and other of his shared items, might have to be considered my personal things. Again, though, he encourages people who want to try to come up with their own rules around it, or ever a different number.
It was ok. He mused into a lot of philosophy, as well. I guess doing something like that might change how you look at the world.
12x12 Off the Shelf, PBT Trim, Trim the TBR (Classic), Poll BallotSense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters / Jane Austen, Ben H. Winters
3.5 stars
This retelling of Jane Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility” adds in some additional... characters, adventure, etc. in the form of sea monsters! The Dashwoods – mother and three sisters – are put out of their house and must move to an island. Their son/brother inherited all the money, and though he initially intended (on a promise to his dying father) on providing his family with some money, his wife convinces him they can’t afford to. Anyway, while on the island, they still manage to visit with a lot of people, and to find men for the eldest two sisters, Elinor and Marianne, to fall in love with (in fact, Marianne has a choice of two men... though one has an odd facial/health issue in the form of tentacles).
It was a bit hard to keep the characters straight, between using first names or sometimes a title with last names (Mr. or Miss). I thought the book did pick up in the 2nd half and especially the last 1/3 with the sea monster and underwater action! I did enjoy those parts of the book, odd as they might have been. There were some good illustrations that were added to the book, as well. It helped me picture some of the odd sea creatures. It also included humourous book club discussion questions, which I quite enjoyed reading, as well.
12x12 Oh Canada, Trim the TBR (Classic), PBT TrimOnce Every Never / Lesley Livingston
3 stars
Clare is in England with her aunt when, at a museum, she touches an artifact and it transported to another time. Clare’s best friend Al is with her and they figure out that she was transported back to when a woman led her tribe against the invading Romans. Of course, there is a hot warrior to help keep things interesting... and a kidnapping in Clare’s current timeline.
It was ok. For some reason, I just didn’t get into it as much as this type of story might normally grab me; I’m not sure why that is. I guess I didn’t really “connect” with the characters. Not sure what else it might have been. I believe this is the first in a series, but at this point, I don’t plan to continue.
12x12 Audio, Poll BallotA Single Thread / Tracy Chevalier
3.25 stars
It’s 1932. Violet is a single woman in her 30s and is living with her complaining oppressive mother. She jumps at the chance to move away, and becomes involved with a group of women who embroider cushions for a church. There, she makes friends and discovers a purpose in life (in addition to the newfound freedom from her mother). While on holidays, she also meets Arthur, who is, unfortunately, married.
It’s a slow moving book. I listened to the audio and my mind did wander some. I do suspect it might have rated it slightly higher had I read it. I almost rated it a bit lower, but I was focused enough throughout the end of it, that I wanted to up it just a little (that’s why the 1/4 star). Anyway, it’s also just after WWI, and this is shown to affect many of the characters. It is a time where some things are less accepted, and that is portrayed in the book, as well. It was interesting how the few times Hitler was mentioned, the context reminded me very much of Trump.
12x12 Oh Canada, TravelKIT, Poll Ballot?The Gown / Jennifer Robson.
4 stars
It’s 1947. Ann is working as an embroiderer for Hartnell, who designed Princess (now Queen) Elizabeth’s wedding gown. Miriam has just come to England from France and also finds work as an embroiderer for Hartnell. The two soon become friends and roommates. In 2016, Heather’s grandmother has just died, and she is left a box with her name on it and embroidery inside it. Her grandmother never talked about her life in England before she emigrated to Canada, and Heather wants to find out more.
I really liked this. I wasn’t sure what I was going to think, as I’m not much for fashion, so I think if there had been more focus on the gown than there was (and all the details in creating it), I might not have liked it as much. But, I liked all the additional stories of Ann, Miriam, and Heather. They all had a romantic interest, and as Miriam got to know Ann better, more of her own past in France was revealed. I did, at one point, stop to look up a photo of the gown itself, and even looked for a video of Princess Elizabeth’s and Prince Philip’s wedding.
12x12 Animals, MysteryKIT, AlphaKIT, Trim the TBR (Classic)Mew Is for Murder / Clea Simon
3.5 stars
Theda is a reporter and has an idea for a story on cat hoarders after she comes across an older lady in her neighbourhood who seems to have an abundance of cats. She may or may not be a hoarder, but the neighbour sure doesn’t like the woman or her multiple cats. When Theda comes around again, she discovers the woman dead. The police think she just fell, so it was an accident, but Lillian (the old woman)’s young friend and helper (and musician) Violet, doesn’t agree. She insists Lillian must have been murdered.
30-some years old and Theda’s still a bit of a partier, so I wasn’t crazy about that (I thought she acted way younger than her age). Wasn’t as interested in the bar hopping and the music, but loved the cats! So, it was up and down for how interested I was in certain parts of the book, but overall, I liked it enough to look into the next in the series. If it has more focus on animals, I’ll continue; if it’s more focus on music, it’s unlikely. (Another one with a cat title, so I will continue on.)
12x12 KIT Challenges, AlphaKIT, KITastrophe, Poll BallotZeitoun / Dave Eggers
4 stars
Zietoun (pronounced Zay-toon) and his wife Kathy lived in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit. Zietoun ran a painting/consulting business. They had 4 kids at the time. Kathy evacuated with the kids and Zeitoun stayed behind to keep watch on his home, plus the rental properties that they owned. It wasn’t long before things got really bad for him, while Kathy couldn’t get ahold of him and had no idea what had happened...
This was really good. There were a few parts – mostly Zietoun’s background in Syria – that I kind of lost focus, but the rest of it was really good. I did see a sort-of “spoiler” when I was only part-way through that I wish I hadn’t seen, though it wasn’t specifically about the storyline.
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Seven Lies / Elizabeth Kay
4 stars
Jane and Marnie have been best friends since they were 11-years old. They’ve done everything together. As adults, though, Jane is now confessing (to the reader) that she told Marnie seven (big) lies; the first one was a lie that she liked Marnie’s boyfriend, Charles.
It’s not fast-paced, but I wanted to know what would happen. It’s one of those potentially unreliable narrators, as you wonder if Jane is telling the truth, or what really happened. I’m not sure I really liked any of the characters, but that didn’t change that it was still compelling reading for me.