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2022 Independent Challenges
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Lillie's 2022 Individual Challenge
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Alissa
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Jul 01, 2022 02:26PM
I'm so sorry about your pup. Hope you rest up and feel better soon
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Sorry to hear about Snoopy, Lillie who was obviously much loved and must have enjoyed life with you, I hope your eyes recover soon.I'm adding Last Night at the Telegraph Club to the list, thanks for your review!
I'm sorry to hear what a bad month June was for you Lillie, RIP Snoopy, it's sadly the price we pay for sharing our lives with them. Glad things are going well after your cataract surgery.
Lillie wrote: "I had double cataract surgery and am still recovering from that. Added to that,..."How you managed to read 14 books in June is beyond me! I am sorry to hear about your dog, Snoopy. I lost my almost 20-year-old cat in May along with some "house" issues (i.e. lots of stress) and that pretty much decimated my reading. Sounds like you'll be reading even more now that the cataract surgery is behind you!
Mod
Well, first of all, I am so sorry for the loss of Snoopy, but I know Snoopy has many friends at the Rainbow Bridge 🌈🌈. Sarah and Rosie (Both mutts, but cute) love to play, so Snoopy has many friends.
Wishing you well on a healthy recovery from surgery. I am due for surgery, but haven't been back to the eye doctor in a minute. Ugh.
Kudos on your progress and for enjoying A Darker Shade of Magic. I really loved this series. As always, I have a Memory Called Empire on my TBR..... or maybe its in the house. Anyway, glad you enjoyed it. Now, I am looking forward to it.
🤗🤗🤗
Bill wrote: "I'm so sorry to hear about your puppies. They are such good friends to us. My thoughts are with you.Continued good luck on your recovery from cataract surgery.
Some excellent books you've read. Good luck in July."
Thanks Bill! Hopefully you have another 4-5 star month in July.
Alissa wrote: "I'm so sorry about your pup. Hope you rest up and feel better soon"Thanks Alissa!
Carolien wrote: "Sorry to hear about Snoopy, Lillie who was obviously much loved and must have enjoyed life with you, I hope your eyes recover soon.I'm adding Last Night at the Telegraph Club to the list, thanks for your review! "
Thanks Carolien! I hope you enjoy Last Night at the Telegraph Club. I listened to the audiobook and it was excellent.
Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "I'm sorry to hear what a bad month June was for you Lillie, RIP Snoopy, it's sadly the price we pay for sharing our lives with them. Glad things are going well after your cataract surgery."Thanks so much. He was a joy.
The recovery from the surgery has been surprisingly fast. I'm already able to see quite well, though I'll need a new prescription for glasses. Best part, I'm able to read print without too much trouble again.
Laurel wrote: "How you managed to read 14 books in June is beyond me! I am sorry to hear about your dog, Snoopy. I lost my almost 20-year-old cat in May along with some "house" issues (i.e. lots of stress) and that pretty much decimated my reading. Sounds like you'll be reading even more now that the cataract surgery is behind you!"Thanks Laurel. I'm so sorry about your cat 💕
Audiobooks have been my friend for the past year :)
Alondra wrote: "Wishing you well on a healthy recovery from surgery. I am due for surgery, but haven't been back to the eye doctor in a minute. Ugh."Thanks Alondra! Makes me happy to hear that Snoopy has some friends waiting for him. I'm sure he's having a blast with Sarah and Rosie :)
If you're dealing with possibly cataract surgery, I understand the trepidation. But it was the best decision I made. And it was so so so fast! Actually surgery took 20 minutes for both eyes. But I know you know all that as a health care professional. Good luck whenever you decide to do it 💕
Just got the third book in the Shades of Magic trilogy, A Conjuring of Light. Now I just need to find time to get to it.
Book #102
The Verifiers 4 stars audiobookI hope this is the beginning of a mystery series. Claudia is a very bumbling amateur detective and I found it to be a fun read. And boy o boy are there a ton of red herrings. Loved her dynamic with her family and friends. And, if it becomes a series, I'm here for the changing relationship with her co-workers. Went into this with no expectations and it worked out well.
Mod
Okay. I just need to make the appt. .... ugh
Alondra wrote: "Okay. I just need to make the appt. .... ugh"When it began to interfere with my reading and driving, that was the catalyst for me to make the appointment. Even still, it took almost 3 months of waiting. And then I got covid a month before. Let’s just say it was a roller coaster ride that I’m happy is at an end 😜
Books #103-106 Kate Burkholder mystery series by Linda Castillo
all 3.5 stars audiobooksConsistently good mysteries set in Amish country in Ohio. Kate Burkholder is a former Amish who has come back to her hometown as Police Chief. She lives in the world between the "English" and the Amish. My only quibble is the same as any mystery series set in one locale, why so many murders in that town?
Book #107
The Woman in the Library 5 stars print bookI've been waiting for this book from the library since I first read the description. And, for me, it was worth the wait. I loved it! It's book within a book about a writer writing a mystery about a writer writing a mystery. I'm going to leave it at that.
Lillie wrote: "Books #103-106 Kate Burkholder mystery series by Linda Castillo [bookcover:Gone Missin..."I love the Kate Burkholder series too Lillie but like you I wonder about the murder rate in that town. If you're thinking of vacationing in Amish country watch your back.
Michelle wrote: "I love the Kate Burkholder series too Lillie but like you I wonder about the murder rate in that town. If you're thinking of vacationing in Amish country watch your back."Exactly! I started to feel like this was a “Murder She Wrote” type of town (though to be fair it seems to be spread out throughout the county). I’m putting off reading anymore at the moment to give myself a bit of space.
Also, I’m starting to think I should start a database with all the different series I’ve started or continuing to read.
Book #108
Last Call at the Nightingale 4 stars print bookSpeak easies, friendship, prohibition, murder ends up being a lot of fun in this book. Really enjoyed the world the author created and became absorbed in the lives of the characters. Good mystery, wasn't able to solve it on my own and I love that. Looks like this is the first in a mystery series. Can't wait for the next one.
Book #109
Sovietistan: Travels in Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan 4 stars print bookSuch an interesting book! Author traveled through 5 former Soviet "stan" countries in the early 2010's and documented what she saw. I've always been fascinated in the Silk Road in Central Asia and loved that she touched on it. Took me about 3.5 months to read it as there is so much information to absorb. Saw that she's written another book, The Border, based on countries that border Russia. It's already on the list for next year!
Book #110
A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons 3.25 stars print bookA good start to what I think will be a new mystery series. Set in the 1920s in academia, a young woman, Saffron, who is a research assistant, is trying to break into that world as a graduate student. The wife of a professor gets murdered and Saffron's mentor/boss is arrested for it. I would've liked it more if Saffron hadn't had a few moments of "too stupid to live". Even with that, I hope this turns into a series.
Book #111
As Good As Dead 2 stars print bookI should've listened to my daughter when she said that this was not up to par. Didn't hate it but didn't like it either. It's so over the top and not in a good way. I hope this is the end of the series. Even if it isn't, it's the end for me.
Mid-month July check in (or a little past that 🤷🏻♀️)10 books read
2 books from my challenge (want to read 6 more this month to stay on top of the challenge)
Loved
5 stars3 4-star books
Started 2 new mystery series:
Kate Burkholder by Linda Castillo (all 3.5 stars)
Saffron Everleigh/A Botanist's Guide by Kate Khavari
3 stars2 star book
Currently reading:
The rest of my library books waiting for me to pick them up:
I totally agree about As Good As Dead. There was a part about 60% of the way through the book where I felt like the plot took a hard turn and I could not get on board. I will never read another book in the series either. It's a hard no. Happy reading!
Mod
I've been waiting for this book from the library since I first read the description. And, for me, it was worth the wait. I loved it! It's book within a book about a writer writing a mystery about a writer writing a mystery. I'm going to leave it at that..."
This sounds perfect for me. Let me check it out. :)
What a great month you're having Lillie! Glad you liked The Verifiers. I thought that was a good one. You just added The Woman in the Library to my mental TBR. I'm also looking forward to seeing your reviews on the next ones up from your library. Over half of them are on my TBR and at least one of them already on my hold list.
Lea wrote: "I totally agree about As Good As Dead. There was a part about 60% of the way through the book where I felt like the plot took a hard turn and I could not get on board. I will never read another book in the series either. It's a hard no."I'm actually relieved that I can cross off an ongoing series off of my list. Have way too many I'm reading.
Alondra wrote: "This sounds perfect for me. Let me check it out. :) "I hope you enjoy The Woman in the Library. Saw that the author's written another standalone plus a mystery series. Adding them to my list.
Michelle wrote: "What a great month you're having Lillie!"Thanks! It's been fun so far. I'm back into full on reading mode again :)
5 more books listened to this last week. Gotta love audiobooks. 2 mysteries:Book #112
The Key to Deceit 4 starsThe second in a new-to-me series by Ashley Weaver (Amory Ames is her other series). Set in 1940 London, Electra McDonnell is a former thief who's been recruited into helping "the government's war efforts" aka spying. Haven't read the first, didn't realize this was the second, still very enjoyable. Want to go back and read the first one to see how she was recuited.
Book #113
The Goodbye Coast 3 starsJoe Ide's new series is an updated version of Raymond Chandler's Phillip Marlowe. I liked it but found it lacking in the same charm as Ide's last series IQ. It's a series that, if I remember, I'll pick up the next one. Unfortunately, there were quite a few plot points that had me rolling my eyes. That said, it wasn't horrible.
and 3 contemporaries (it's beach read season and all of these were perfect in that regard):Book #114
Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting (UK title: The People on Platform 5) 4 starsLove the group of strangers coming together plot and Clare Pooley does a great job here. Really enjoyed her last outing as well, The Authenticity Project. On the surface it's a light hearted read but stir it up a bit and you see themes of loneliness, bullying, growing older and more.
#115
Adult Assembly Required 3.5 starsSet in the same world as The Bookish Life of Nina Hill and The Garden of Small Beginnings, it's another "quiet" book about a woman, this time, overcoming the trauma of a car accident and learning to live again. I wish I knew what this particular category was called "lighthearted drama"? I've been calling it "beach read". Enjoyed another ensemble cast with notable returns from previous novels.
Book #116
The Messy Lives of Book People 3.5 starsAnother beach read. A cleaner turns into a ghost writer for a famous mystery author. A bit of stretch in plausibility, it was, nevertheless, a fun read. I've had a love/hate relationship with the author so I wasn't sure going in. Ended up liking this enough to want to maybe delve into her back list. (Loved The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, didn't really like Rise & Shine, Benedict Stone)
You've read some books I've got on my own TBR (Abbi Waxman's & Phaedra Patrick's). I've read the first book in the IQ series & want to continue that, but didn't think the Marlowe series sounded like something I'd like. You've probably confirmed that. Also looking forward to The Woman in the Library.Agree with you about audio books! I'm starting to check out as many of those as I am hard copies! Libby & Overdrive just make it too easy.
Happy Reading!
Patricia wrote: "Agree with you about audio books! I'm starting to check out as many of those as I am hard copies! Libby & Overdrive just make it too easy."Right? I think at this point I'm at 50% print and 50% audiobook. If you had told me that 3, 4 years ago, I would've never believed you. I was adamantly a print reader.
Waxman and Patrick are part of authors that write what I consider my comfort reads. I like having authors that I know I can relax with.
Book #117
Rosemary and Rue 3.5 stars print bookReally thought this one was not going to go well for me. One, I wasn't in the head space for a fantasy and two, it took so darn long to get to the action. But now I'm invested. I want to know what's next for October (Toby) Daye. I want to delve more into her fae world. It helped that it takes place in San Francisco, a city I feel I know a bit. And, it helped that she's a PI in a fantasy world. Looks like it's a total of 17 books so far. 1 down 16 to go.
Book #118
Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void 2.5 stars print bookTook me way too long to read this because I kept putting it down due to not being interested. Honestly, I didn't care for most of the stories she told us. And I didn't connect to her humor this time around. I had a similar reaction when I read Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers last year until I got the audiobook.. Think I'll hold off on reading another of her books unless everyone raves about it and then I'll look for the audiobook.
Book #119
Assembly 4.5 stars audiobookWanted to sit with this for a couple of days. Packs a powerful and intense punch for such a short book. A young Black English woman in a short novella that touches on race, politics, slavery, misogyny, classism, and cancer. Just wow.
July Update:18 books read
6 books from challenge lists (37 books left)
5-star read:
4.5-star read:
4-star reads:
Worst book:
Current Reads:
Sitting on my table:
Waiting for me on Libby:
(a reread, trying it on audiobook, for real life book club)
August has really kicked my behind. I've been in a really strange state of reader's block. I can't read anything. And I haven't updated any of the books that I did manage to read/listen to. So this is a mid-month update as well as mini-reviews: 8 books read/listened toBook #120
Burntcoat 3 stars audiobookA pandemic book that's so full of bodily fluids of all kinds that feels over the top. Looking back, I didn't hate the book, it was just a little too much. If child neglect, gory details about bodily fluids or if you're super tired of our pandemic, I'm going to say maybe save this for another year. On the positive side, the writing was good and I'd like to try another of her books.
Book #121
The Bean Trees 3.5 stars audiobookThis is from my reread category of books I was interested in revisiting. I liked it this time around too. I like the way Barbara Kingsolver writes. Basically a coming of age story of a young girl from Kentucky, Taylor, who gets a baby given to her on her drive to Arizona. Though I enjoyed Taylor's relationship with her "daughter" Turtle and her roommate Lou Ann, and their various friends, I kept thinking about Turtle not being with her culture and all she would miss. Can't remember if I read the next book but it's on my list as this issue gets explored further.
Book #122
Special Topics in Calamity Physics 3.5 stars audiobookI've seen reviews where this book is compared to The Secret History and it comes up lacking. But for me, that was a solid recommendation for reading this one as I disliked Donna Tartt's book. Whereas Tartt's book was set in a college, this one was in a private high school where Blue van Meer is a new student and is absorbed into the "popular" clique who meet at a teacher's, Hannah Schneider, house every Sunday. I liked the fact that for most of the time I had no clue as to what was going on. Why was Blue invited in? Why did they meet at Hannah's? What was up with camping trip? Why did Blue and her father move around so frequently? So many questions, lol. Not a perfect book but a fun one.
Books #123 & 125
A Great Deliverance
Payment in Blood (Inspector Lynley #1 & 2) 3 stars audiobooksI've been wanting to read this series since I watched the tv show several years ago (thank you Britbox!). They were both good books though I hate the fat phobic way Barbara is always described. I almost stopped reading because of that but glad I continued on. Have the next one set to go in Libby.
Book #124
All Systems Red 4.5 stars audiobookA RLBookclub book as well as a reread for me. Read the print book last time and listened to the audiobook this time. Still a hit. Still love Murderbot. Wanted to introduce the book club to a shorter science fiction as most are historical fiction readers. They liked it :) Maybe I'll have them read the first in the Wayward Children to get them to change their minds about fantasy ;)
Book #126
Clark and Division 4 stars print bookSet in 1944, mostly in Chicago, Japanese prisoners of the Internment Camps are slowly being released and relocated. The Ito family is sent to Chicago. On the day Aki and her parents arrive, they're told that Aki's older sister, Rose is dead by suicide. Aki doesn't believe it and starts trying to figure it out. I had no idea that some Japanese had been relocated to Chicago/midwest. Loved exploring Aki's new home and neighbors with her. There's just so much material here that I hope this turns into a series. I did see that she's written a couple of other mystery series. They promptly went on my list.
Book #127
A Conjuring of Light 3 stars audiobookI wanted to love this book but I didn't. I mostly felt annoyed at how long it was. The ending was fine but I did have questions. Maybe this gets addressed in another series set in the same world? But I'm not interested enough to look into putting it on hold.
This reaction here was the first clue I was having a hard time reading. I hate these reading blocks. Ugh.
Would like to finish by the end of the monthCurrently reading:
The Sentence liking it but haven't gotten too far into it
Rabbits reminds me of Ready Player One as there's a hunt for something
Machinehood started this as a print book, listening to it now. This is the one I'm having a hard time with
Agatha of Little Neon this is a weird little book, a group of nuns need to relocate as their church and convent are being shut down
Providence after contact sci fiSitting on the nightstand:
On Libby:
Lillie, Good luck with your choices. I read The Exiles and really liked it. The Sentence hear is very good, but I haven’t started it yet.
Glad to see you liked Clark & Division that's on my hold list. I loved The Sentence, hope you enjoy it.
Hope your reader's block ends soon and you finish up all those great looking books you have on the go and waiting for you. I haven't read a single one, so I can't help with pointing you towards something exciting. But I'll be here, hoping that you love all the books you are reading. :-)
Definitely an eclectic mix this month. Agatha of Little Neon, Rabbits. Gioca se hai il coraggio and Civilizations sound interesting. Hope the ones you are reading now get better. Looking forward to your reviews
August update: 14* books read, 10 audiobooks and 4 print booksPreviously reviewed:
Burntcoat
The Bean Trees
Special Topics in Calamity Physics
A Great Deliverance
Payment in Blood
All Systems Red
Clark and Division
A Conjuring of Light
Best Book of the Month:
The SentenceSecond Best (was a reread):
All Systems RedThird Best:
Clark and DivisionWorst Book for me:
That Old Cape MagicLooking at my challenge lists, have read 60/88 of the books
Reading Group Challenge: is my largest left with 7! books to read, what have I been doing? What the heck?
I, also, seem to be struggling with the Historical category with 4/8 read.
The rest of the categories seem to be alright
*edited to add a book...yes it was that forgettable...not bad just forgettable
Lillie wrote: "August update: 13 books read, 9 audiobooks and 4 print booksPreviously reviewed:
Burntcoat
The Bean Trees
Special Topics in Calamity Physics
[book:A Gre..."
Lillie~Excellent Reading Month! Glad to see The Sentence was the best. I have this book out now and really want to read it this month.
Thanks Kristine!Hope you enjoy The Sentence as much as I did. I find, when reading Louise Erdrich, I've got to let go of any expectations and just let her lead me to wherever she's going.
Lillie wrote: "August update: 13 books read, 9 audiobooks and 4 print booksPreviously reviewed:
Burntcoat
The Bean Trees
Special Topics in Calamity Physics
[book:A Gre..."
Loved the ranking this month. I also enjoyed The Sentence and All Systems Red and I have Clark and Division on my hold list. Congrats on reading more than half your challenge list!
I'm glad to hear you liked The Sentence. Erdrich has been on my maybe list for quite some time.
The August books I haven't reviewed yet:Book #128
Machinehood 3 stars print book/audiobookStarted off with the print book but had to return it so got the audiobook. Both versions were the same to me, one didn't outshine the other. I liked it, it was an interesting world but I'm hoping it's not the first in a series because it didn't feel compelling enough for me to to go back to the world.
Book #129
Agatha of Little Neon 2 stars audiobookI think this one suffered from me listening to it on audio. For whatever reason, if the writing isn't strong enough, it doesn't translate well on audio for me. The premise looked so interesting, a young nun who is facing relocation as well as having a crisis of faith, and possibly reexamine her sexuality. There was just too much thrown in for me to settle in and enjoy it. And I like gentle contemplative books.
Book #130
The Sentence 5 stars print bookThis is an author whose writing I really enjoy. And her stories are so varied that they keep me coming back. I thought we were going one way with the story and then we were unexpectedly redirected, it hit me. When a story can make you smile/laugh and then make you cry and feel things, that does it for me. I'm definitely putting this on my want to own list.
Book #131
A Death Long Overdue 2 stars audiobookSometimes it's really hard to start a mystery series right in the middle, especially if you don't know it at the start. So much has gone on that if you don't start in the first, you're constantly questioning things. The mystery was ok. Shrug. It also a bad sign, when you're tallying up your books for the month and you've completely forgotten it.
Book #132
The Tuesday Night Survivors' Club 4 stars audiobookFirst in a new series about a book store owner who starts a cancer survivor book club. Who then have one of their members murdered. An enjoyable start to a series. I'll definitely be coming back. In fact, I think the next book comes out later this year. Will be on the lookout.
Book #133
That Old Cape Magic 2 stars print bookDid a little rant about this one on my Reading Group Challenge review. Basically a story about a narcissistic middle aged man who just can't fathom why his marriage is disintegrating. Yada yada. Didn't care. Why the 2 star? I was being generous because it was nice to revisit Cape Cod, even in a book.
Michelle wrote: "Loved the ranking this month. I also enjoyed The Sentence and All Systems Red and I have Clark and Division on my hold list. Congrats on reading more than half your challenge list! "Thanks! I was excited to see that I've read more books on the challenge than I realized.
I hope you enjoy Clark and Division. It is a mystery but it's so much more. I love the historical facts incorporated in the story.
Lea wrote: "I'm glad to hear you liked The Sentence. Erdrich has been on my maybe list for quite some time."I hope you like Erdrich but I've noticed that she's also an author people really enjoy or they really dislike her. To me, she's magic. I haven't loved all her books but overall, she's a fantastic writer.
Lillie wrote: "Lea wrote: "I'm glad to hear you liked The Sentence. Erdrich has been on my maybe list for quite some time."I hope you like Erdrich but I've noticed that she's also an author people really enjoy ..."
I agree. I have really like her books.
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