Reading with Style discussion
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FA 22 Completed Tasks
20.8 Soup’s OnAlias Grace by Margaret Atwood
+20 (task) (“she tried to baptize me with soup, thin soup it was and with cabbage in it”)
+10 Review
+5 Oldies (1996)
+5 Combo (10.2 Oktoberfest - Canada)
+5 Combo (20.10 Birthday 1996)
Alias Grace is a work of fiction, but based on actual historical events. Margaret Atwood delves into the life of a woman named Grace Marks who is one of the most well known Canadian women of the 1840s. She was a convicted murderess at the age of 16 whose story of the crime changed several times throughout her life as well as her suffering from amnesia…..or did she?
I am a big fan of Margaret Atwood. I think her writing is superb and her stories are all so varied. Alias Grace was no exception but I feel it could have been tightened up a bit as it dragged in places. Overall an interesting read.
Task Total 45
Season Total 220
20.6 ColeridgeBy the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept by Paulo Coelho
+20 pts - task (#132 on list)
+15 pts - Combo (10.2-Brazil, 10.4 - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1..., 20.10- 1994)
+5. pts - Oldies
+10 pts - LiT
Task Total - 50 pts
Task 20.1 JemisinRead any book whose main character is a person of color.
Te-Ping Chen is of Chinese descent. This debut collection of 10 short stories all star individuals of Chinese descent. (One of the stories is told first person by an American, and while everyone she interacts with is Chinese, it is left undefined if she is of Chinese descent.)
For 20.8 Soup:
In the short story “Land of big numbers”, p. 157: “She took the pen with her, tucked inside her purse, and rode two buses to a night market, where she sat on a stool amid other workers finished with their shifts and ate a bowl of especially good noodle soup with pickled vegetables, then walked back in the direction of her rented room.”
Land of Big Numbers: Stories (2021) by Te-Ping Chen (female) (Goodreads Author) (Paperback 233 pages)
Review: Te-Ping Chen was raised in California. She is (minimally) bi-lingual with English and Chinese. From 2006 to 2018 she lived in China, and worked as a correspondent for The Wall Street Journal. This is her first published book. It contains 10 stories, a few of which were published previously in publications including The New Yorker and Atlantic. I came across this book because it was on Barack Obama’s 2021 recommended reading list. (See: https://www.usatoday.com/story/entert... )
As is typical of The New Yorker stories, these 10 stories are all slice-of-live stories. All stars individuals of Chinese ancestry and most of the stories are set in China. They all have a good balance of action, character descriptions and situational detail. A few I related to more than others. “Lulu”, about twins who make different life choices, was interesting. “Flying Machine”, about an elderly man who tinkers in his garage – not so interesting. There’s even a ‘magic realism’ story, “New Fruit”, wherein food affects personal mood. (I enjoyed it as I generally enjoy ‘magic realism’ done well.) Recommended for readers of literary short stories.
+20 Task
+10 (#20.2 debut collection, #20.8 Soup)
+10 Review
Task Total: 20 + 10 + 10 = 40
Grand Total: 385 + 40 = 425
10.1A Cosmology of Monsters by Shaun Hamill
Ouch. Back-to-back “horror” that wasn’t scary, just sad. Despite the lack of scare factor, I really enjoyed this one. First of all, it had me absolutely hooked with the disdain for Lovecraft’s actual writing. 100% on point there. Lovecraft had evocative imagery but horrible prose, and I was happy that one of the MC’s agreed.
So, this is a family drama about a smart woman and a nerdy boy who fall in love and start a family and struggle… and all the while they are being haunted. Stalked. But they want to be normal so they ignore it until it is too late.
Despite that blurb, this is more eerie than frightening. It is much more fairy-tale than horror. And above all it’s a family drama. Like the TV adaptation of The Haunting of Hill House the supernatural aspects are symbolic of grief.
+10 task
+10 review
+10 combo (10.2, 20.2)
Task total = 30
Season total = 580
20.6 ColeridgeA Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro
+20 pts - Task (#91 on list)
+20 pts - Combo(10.3, 20.1, 20.2, 20.5)
+5 Pts - Oldies (1982)
Task Total - 45 pts
15.5 EotP2008 James Tiptree, Jr. Award Filter House by Nisi Shawl.
+ 15 2008 James Tiptree, Jr Award
Points This Post: 15
Season Total: 80
Roster:
2008 James Tiptree Jr. Award Filter House by Nisi Shawl
2009
2010 Cartier Diamond Award The Mermaids Singing by Val McDermid
2011 Jerusalem Prize Black Dogs by Ian McEwan
2012
2013
2014 Scotiabank Award Us Conductors by Sean Michaels
2015 Bram Stoker Award A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay
2016
2017
20.3 VonnegutThe Lie by Helen Dunmore
Twelve hours after finishing, my thoughts are still somewhat scattered. I'll try to be coherent, and I apologize if I fall short.
Each chapter opens with a sentence or paragraph from what appears to be some sort of military manual, mostly pertaining to how the men should behave under war conditions. I expected these would relate in some way to the rest of the chapter, but I usually forgot all about them as I immersed myself in the actual story.
This is told in the first person by Daniel Branwell. Many novels have multiple time lines as does this one. We are never told exactly when the present is, but I think it isn't too long post war, so probably about 1919 or 1920. The two other timelines are Daniel's war experiences and his life as a child when about 10 to 12 years old.
My experience with multiple timelines is that it is clear when they change and to when. Such is not the case in this novel. Daniel's thinking could change in the middle of a paragraph, and I think there was a time or two when it changed in the middle of a sentence. Daniel clearly has some lingering issues with his war experiences. It shouldn't be a surprise, therefore, that I sometimes wondered whether or not Daniel was an unreliable narrator. Especially so, given the title of the novel.
There isn't much plot. I like the way Dunmore writes and I'm glad I have another of hers on hand, though I don't have any immediate plans to read it. I think only Daniel's characterization is fully-fleshed, but it is he that is telling the story so that is to be expected. I am counting this as one that contributes to my overall understanding of WWI. For that and the writing this is a low 4-stars for me, but I don't think this is a must read for most.
+20 Task
+10 Review
+ 5 Combo (20.8 - "'Will you have some chicken soup?’ asks Felicia." )
Task total = 35
Season total = 690
15.6 EotP2017 Nebula Award for Novella. All Systems Red by Martha Wells.
+ 15 2017 Nebula Award for Novella
Points This Post: 15
Season Total: 95
Roster:
2008 James Tiptree Jr. Award Filter House by Nisi Shawl
2009
2010 Cartier Diamond Award The Mermaids Singing by Val McDermid
2011 Jerusalem Prize Black Dogs by Ian McEwan
2012
2013
2014 Scotiabank Award Us Conductors by Sean Michaels
2015 Bram Stoker Award A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay
2016
2017 Nebula Award for Novella All Systems Red by Martha Wells
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10.6 Bless the Animals (Rebekah's Task)What Abigail Did That Summer by Ben Aaronovitch
(talking foxes! as noted in summary on book page)
+10 task
+15 combo (10.4; 10.8; 20.1 (Abigail is mixed, her father from Sierra Leone, same as her cousin, Peter Grant the main character of the larger part of the series))
Post Total = 25
Season Total = 745
20.6 ColeridgeA Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
+20 task
+15 combo (10.3; 20.1; 20.10)
Post Total = 35
Season Total = 780
20.9 ABCsGentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos
Review: This is a very character-driven narrative, told entirely in the unpolished voice of Lorelei Lee (colloquialisms, misspellings, malaprops, bad grammar, etc). Loos does a great job of walking the line between taking Lorelei too seriously and making her a complete joke. As a reader, I could laugh and shake my head, but also empathize with Lorelei.
I also really appreciated Dorothy and her willingness to say what she thinks, social conventions be damned. Lorelei's reactions to things Dorothy says are some of the best parts. Like this bit:
“So when I got through telling Dorothy what I thought up, Dorothy looked at me and looked at me and she really said she thought my brains were a miracle. I mean she said my brains reminded her of a radio because you listen to it for days and days and you get discouradged and just when you are getting ready to smash it, something comes out that is a masterpiece.”
Still, I didn't really love this reading experience. Partially times have changed, but the joke of it also got a bit old after a while, and the final chapter felt rushed and like desperation to bring things to a close.
+20 Task (AL)
+10 Combo (10.2 – U.S.; 20.2 debut novel)
+10 Review
+10 Oldies (pub’d 1925)
Task total = 50
Season total = 500
10.3 9, 10, 11The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
Review: This was just okay. It covers similar territory (VERY similar in the second half) to The Grapes of Wrath, but from the perspective of women.
The first half is better - very visual, clear relationships between characters, and a focus on characterization and where motives come from.
The second half lacks that careful writing and characterization. Plus the ending is overwrought, almost to the point of melodrama. Her characters get both too lucky and too unlucky. It felt like she wanted them to experience all aspects of this fascinating history that she was learning about, but that's not really how life works. It felt off that her characters were active players in every important moment and nuance.
+10 Task (K for Kristin)
+5 Combo (10.2 – U.S.)
+10 Review
Task total = 25
Season total = 525
10.7 GeocachingWinds of Fateby Mercedes Lackey
MPG Adventure
Combo +10 10.4 series #1 in series, 10.2 Octoberfest
Task +20
Grand Total: 355
10.5 Autumn Colors (Rosemary's Task)The Shadow Throne (The Shadow Campaigns #2) by Django Wexler
standard colour: SHADOW
+10 Task
+15 Combo (10.2 - USA; 10.4; 20.9 - DW)
+5 Jummbo (512p)
Post Total: 30
Season Total: 910
20.10 BirthdayThree Bedrooms, One Corpse by Charlaine Harris
+20 task pub 2008
+5 10.4 series Aurora Teagarten
Post total: 25
season total 230
20.9 ABCsDesire: Gabby & Daniel by Lilia Moon
This is the third book in the slightly formulaic erotic romance series set in Seattle. Each book in this series features the budding relationship of two characters from that are overlapping from book to book. Here, we have 44-year-old cookie baking grandmother getting together with playboy rich guy Daniel. As happened in the last book, the timeline for the relationship is approximately six seconds, so typical of romance novels but not especially realistic.
As a side note, I think it's sort of hilarious that these mid-40s main characters are considered practically too old for romance.
These books are my cotton candy space fillers for times when I'm really busy at work and need something to help me shut down the whizzing brain to get some much needed sleep. I find thirty minutes or so of a mindless audiobook generally does the trick.
+20 Task
+10 Review
+10 Combo (10.4, 10.9)
Task total: 40
Grand total: 810
10.1 TBRAn Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed by Helene Tursten
on my shelf since August 2021
So far there are only two volumes in this series...and I sure hope there are going to be more.... but what can you do with an 89 year-old protagonist? Maud is a little old Swedish lady who exacts revenge...sometimes understandably...other times...a bit more dubiously. She connives. She puts on an act as deaf, or helpless...depending on the situation. I love her....despite my misgivings. (I've discovered I somehow relate to characters who seek revenge...The Count of Monte Cristo is my all-time favorite book. I don't think of myself, though, as the type of person who seeks revenge himself.) Anyway...the author has two other series I will start....involving detectives who have made appearances in this Elderly Lady series.
Task=10
Combo=10 (20.8*, 20.9)
*- p.52…”She enjoyed a delicious lentil soup in a very pleasant cafe.”-
Review=10
LiT=10
Post Total=40
Grand Total=580
10.1; ---;10.3; 10.4 (2x); 10.5; ---; ---; ---; ---; ---;
15.1; 15.2; 15.3; 15.4;15.5; ----; ----; ----; ----; ----;
----;20.2; ----;20.4; ----;20.6;20.7; 20.8; ----; 20.10
20.5 FaulknerThe Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx
https://www.stamps-sieger.com/karl-ma...
+20 pts - task
+15 pts - Combo(10.2 -Germany{Prussia}, 10.3, 20.9)
+15 pts - Oldies (1848)
+10 pts - LiT
Task total - 60 pts
15.1 (x2) EotPRS is for Silence. Sue Grafton
Cartier Diamond Dagger (Crime novelists) 2008 – Sue Grafton
Task Total: 15
Total: 15
Season Total: 1445
10.1; 10.2; 10.3; 10.4; 10.5; 10.6; 10.7; 10.8; 10.9;10.10
15.1; 15.2; 15.3; 15.4; 15.5; 15.6; 15.7; 15.8; 15.9; 15.10; 15.11
20.1(x2); 20.2; 20.3; 20.4; 20.5; 20.6; 20.7; 20.8; 20.9; 20.10;
Task 10.3 9, 10, 11Read a book where any of the author's names begins with the 9th, 10th or 11th letter of the alphabet (I, J, K).
Kelley Armstrong was born in Ontario, Canada. Here’s the ISFDB (Internet Speculative Fiction Data Base) link:
https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?...
A Twist of Fate (A Stitch in Time #2) (2021) by Kelley Armstrong (Goodreads Author) (Hardcover 283 pages)
+10 Task
+05 Combo (#10.2 born Canada)
Task Total: 10 + 05 = 15
Grand Total: 425 + 15 = 440
20.10 BirthdayLife on the Mississippi by Mark Twain
Pub 1883
+20 pts - Task
+15 pts - Combo (10.2, 20.5- on list, 20.9)
+10 pts - Oldies
Task Total - 45 pts
20.8 Soup's On!The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan
Great Britain had a food rationing system during World War II that restricted the amounts of meat, dairy products, sugar, tea, and other foods that could bought. Home cooks had to be careful to cook the fruits and vegetables that were in season, plant kitchen gardens, and forage in the woods and fields. German U-boats had cut off the supply of imported food. To help home cooks deal with a limited supply of ingredients, the BBC radio program "The Kitchen Front" had a three round cooking contest. The competitors had to come up with recipes for a starter, a main dish, and a dessert, and present their creations. The winner of the contest would become the co-host of the radio program.
The historical novel tells the story of the four women contestants, each who had to overcome adversity. The women used their cooking skills to support themselves financially, feed their family members, and participate in the contest. This is a tale of transformation as the women came to depend on each other and forged strong friendships.
The book contains lots of interesting historical material about rationing. Recipes of most of their creations were included. The desserts sounded delicious but I'll pass on the Spam and Game Pie, and the Sardine Rolls. This was a lighter World War II novel that kept getting better as the women's backstories were revealed.
Soup: Pg 141 "Wild Mushroom Soup was a clever choice."
+20 task
+10 combo 10.3 (9, 10, 11); 20.9 ABCs
+10 review
Task total: 40
Season total: 835
20.1 Main character is a person of color.-El is of Indian decentThe Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik
A good ending to a good series. Novik, being one of my favorite authors, has knack for writing her characters realistically. However, in this series El, whose voice is the entire book, annoyed me to no end. As I said in my reviews on the first two books, I am positive Novik based her on teenagers she knows, who talk endlessly without stopping for a breath. As a reader, I need to stop for a breath and El just wore me out at times.
The book picks up right where book #2 left off and El is back in the commune with her Mum. She is worn down to thin paper and lost and angry. Not a good combination for a a wizard prophesized to destroy the wizarding world. I loved how Novik brought Liesel into the main plot of the story. It felt true to life, where teenage girls can change their alliance with the drop of a hat.
All in all, a good wrap up and the ending left me satisfied.
I sullenly went inside and rummaged through the cupboards
and got a bowl of Mum's vegetable soup
+20 Task
+10 Review
+ 15 Combo (10.2, 20.8, 20.10)
Total Task 45
Season total
20.9 ABCsKnow: Mattie & Milo by Lilia Moon
This is the fourth book in the slightly formulaic erotic romance series set in Seattle. Each book in this series features the budding relationship of two characters from that are overlapping from book to book. Here, we have a newly introduced character, Mattie. She's been hanging around for years, but never found the right match. Now, she's interested in a deeper relationship, and maybe a family. Suddenly, she sees a guy that she's known for years and thought wasn't a good fit in a new light. I liked the deeper discussion in this book about how needs change over time and how to decide what things are non-negotiable deal breakers and what things might be able to adjust to fit a particular relationship. As happened in all the books in this series, the timeline for the relationship is approximately six seconds, so typical of romance novels but not especially realistic.
I'm tearing through this series, which is a sign that I'm not sleeping as well as I wish I were. These books are my cotton candy space fillers for times when I'm really busy at work and need something to help me shut down the whizzing brain to get some much needed sleep. I find thirty minutes or so of a mindless audiobook generally does the trick.
+20 Task
+10 Review
+10 Combo (10.4, 10.9)
Task total: 40
Grand total: 850
15.3 EotPNine Pints: A Journey Through the Money, Medicine, and Mysteries of Blood by Rose George
15 pts 15.3 2018 Los Angeles Times Book Prize Nominee, Science & Technology
Task Total: 15 pts
Season Total: 675 pts
10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 … 10.6 … … … …
20.1 … 20.3 20.4 20.5 … … 20.8 20.9 20.10
15.1 15.2 15.3 … … … … … … …
Task 10.7 Geocaching (Kim's Task)Read a book with an MPG of ADVENTURE or Outdoors.
The author, John Scalzi, was born in California. Here’s the link:
https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?...
The Kaiju Preservation Society (2022) by John Scalzi (Goodreads Author) (Hardcover 264 pages)
Review: John Scalzi writes in his afterword to The Kaiju Preservation Society that "this book is meant to be taken as the reading equivalent of a catchy three-minute pop song. Light entertainment, nothing too challenging, but it brightens your day and puts a smile on your face.” I agree! This is light science fiction entertainment! The deadpan humor is spot on (deadpan humor: say something amusing while affecting a serious manner). Scalzi takes several standard science fiction tropes and tweaks them for the reader’s entertainment. I don’t want to do spoilers, as spoilers would spoil the fun of this novel, so instead I’ll state the dictionary definition of ‘Kaiju’: “Kaiju is a Japanese genre of films and television featuring giant monsters.” Importantly, “The term kaiju can also refer to the giant monsters themselves.” Hint, hint.
Scalzi has a brisk and humorous way of telling a story. This novel ‘works' for me. Recommended for readers of lighthearted science fiction.
+10 Task
+10 Review
+20 Combo (#10.2 born California; #10.3 “J”; #20.9 J-S; #20.10 pub. 2022)
Task Total: 10 + 10 + 20 = 40
Grand Total: 440 + 40 = 480
20.5 FaulknerThe Last Chronicle of Barset by Anthony Trollope
+20 Task
+15 Combo 10.4, 20.8 they frequently ate soup with their meals, 20.9
+15 Oldies published 1867
+15 Jumbo 890 pages
Post total: 65
Season total: 1155
10.10 Group readsEverything Under by Daisy Johnson
+10 Task
+20 Combo 10.3, 20.2, 20.8 lamb stew, 20.9
Post total: 30
Season total: 1185
15.7 EotPStand the Storm by Breena Clarke
+15 task Hurston/Wright Legacy Award Nominee, Fiction (2009)
Task total: 15
Season total: 300
20.1 JemisinThe Arab of the Future 2: A Childhood in the Middle East, 1984-1985: A Graphic Memoir by Riad Sattouf
The author, also the main character since it's autobiographic, is syrian and french.
+20 Task
No style, graphic novel
Task total = 20
Points total = 340
... ; ... ; 10.3 ; 10.4 ; 10.5 ; 10.6 ; ... ; ... ; ... ; ...
15.1 ; ... ; ... ; ... ; ... ; ... ; ... ; ... ; ... ; ...
20.1 ; 20.2 (x2) ; 20.3 ; 20.4 ; ... ; ... ; ... ; 20.8 (x2) ; 20.9 ; 20.10 (x2)
20.9 ABCs My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
+20 Task
+10 Combo (10.4 ; 20.10 - 2011)
+10 Lost in Translation (written in italian, native language is french)
Task total = 40
Points total = 380
... ; ... ; 10.3 ; 10.4 ; 10.5 ; 10.6 ; ... ; ... ; ... ; ...
15.1 ; ... ; ... ; ... ; ... ; ... ; ... ; ... ; ... ; ...
20.1 ; 20.2 (x2) ; 20.3 ; 20.4 ; ... ; ... ; ... ; 20.8 (x2) ; 20.9 (x2) ; 20.10 (x2)
20.9 ABCsThe End of Everything by Katie Mack
Review: This is a book on astrophysics for regular people, and it's extremely readable. I loved the focus on the end of the universe as an intriguing, high-stakes jumping off point for someone like me who has interest but no expertise in astronomy and physics. The author's tone is full of humor, an obvious love of her field, and an understanding of how to write for "regular people" without condescension or pretension.
I kept reminding myself that even though Mack describes astrophysical theories in visual and metaphorical terms, she and her colleagues discern these things in mathematical formulas and models. I very much appreciated the translation to descriptive words.
Even so, I can't say I understood it all. But it was enjoyable reading.
+20 Task (KM)
+10 Combo (10.2 – U.S.; 10.3 – K for Katie)
+10 Review
Task total = 40
Season total = 565
20.9 ABCsThe Secret Life of Saeed: The Pessoptimist by Emile Habiby
Review: Habiby compares Saeed to Candide (right in the middle of the novel, too). He also reminded me of Don Quixote if Don Quixote was foolishly timid instead of foolishly brave. The style reminded me a bit of Kafka, but less dark. Maybe more like Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five.
Although Saeed's predicament, while unfair, is also partially of his own doing. He could have fled Israel, or he could have fought back like his son. Neither is easy or safe, but both would leave him his humanity, his spine. Instead, he's spineless - flowing like water to the path of least resistance because it means survival (at all other costs). He loses everything, except his life.
That makes it sound like a serious or dramatic book, but the tone is one of farce and humor. Saeed is clueless and has no filter. He is timid and scared and also immediately says or does whatever comes into his head.
This is a unique look at what it was mid-19th-century to be a Muslim in Israel. It's also an interesting experiment with tone and characterization. A quick read too - well worth the time.
+20 Task (EH)
+5 Combo (20.5 – https://www.hipstamp.com/listing/isra...)
+10 Review
+10 LiT (from the Arabic)
+5 Oldies (1974)
Task total = 50
Season total = 615
20.7 CervantesA Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende
This is a novel about a compassionate true-love story caught up in the major political events of the time. The impetus for this novel was the historical event of Pablo Neruda arranging for the exodus of the Spanish Civil War refugees from camps in France to settle in Chile. The fictional characters of Victor and Roser Dalmau (and her baby) are the people we follow along as their lives unfold – first in Spain and it’s war, then in Chile when Pinochet takes over and after. The world events that took place during this time period are somewhat overwhelming when you think of them as taking place during the course of a character’s lifetime. I particularly enjoyed Victor and Roser’s romance – this is not one of Joanna’ six second courtships she has been reading. They are certainly not in love when they get married and board the boat, and it’s only over the course of years of companionship that they realize the depths of their feelings. The relationship felt very real and mature to me. Well done, interesting and readable. 4*
20 task
10 review
10 LiT
10 combo 10.3, 20.8 (pg 63: '…he offered them a salty broth with bits of potato and herbs in it….")
______
50
Running total: 830
20.8 Soup's On!Cinnamon and Gunpowder byEli Brown
I let her rest and rushed to the galley to prepare some broth
This book included 2 things I adore-Pirates and cooking!
Chef Owen Wedgwood is abducted by a saucy pirate Captain "Mad" Hannah Mabbot . Mabbot is not mad at all, just misunderstood. Her shenanigans on the the high seas are a direct result of her hating how the merchant ships are smuggling slaves and opium, and she means to put a stop to it. I will admit the book was a bit slow for me, in the beginning, but it picked up about 4 chapters in. The characters are solid and the relationship between Mabbot and Wedgewood was believable and loads of fun to be a part of.
Not my usual fare, a fun breather between heavier reads, the story was solid and it made me laugh and also tear up (just a little at the end).
+20 Task
+10 Review
+10 Combo (10.2, 10.7)
Task total 40
Season Total 960
20.9 - A, B, C'sYesterday's Blood by Jane O'Brien
+20 task
+15 combo - 10.2 - USA, 10.3, 10.4
Task total: 35
Grand total: 690
20.9 - A, B, C'sGround Zero by Aimee Nicole Walker
+20 task
+10 Combo - 10.2 - USA, 10.4
Task total: 30
Grand total: 720
20.9 - A, B, C'sDevil's Hour by Aimee Nicole Walker
+20 task
+10 Combo - 10.2 - USA, 10.4
Task total: 30
Grand total: 750
20.9 - A, B, C'sZero Divergence by Aimee Nicole Walker
+20 task
+10 Combo - 10.2 - USA, 10.4
Task total: 30
Grand total: 780
20.9 - A, B, C'sTemptation by Rosemary Willhide
+20 task
+10 Combo 10.2 - USA, 10.4
Task total: 30
Grand total: 810
20.10 - BirthdayI Spy a Wicked Sin by Jo Davis
+20 task - 2009
+15 - Combo - 10.2 - USA, 10.3, 10.4
Task total: 35
Grand total: 845
20.1 JemisinMilk Blood Heat by Dantiel W. Moniz
+20 pts - Task
+10 pts - combo(10.2, 10.10)
Task total - 30 pts
20.10 BirthdayWhistlin' Dixie in a Nor'easter by Lisa Patton
Pub 2009
+20 pts - task
+30 pts - combo (10.2, 10.4, 10.9-Vermont, 20.2, 20.8- owns a restaurant with varieties of soup, 20.9)
Task - 50 pts
Task 20.9 ABCs (Kate S's Task)Read a book in which the author's initials appear in alphabetical order.
For 20.1 Combo:
Our main character, Nguyēn Sun Mao is the descendant of Vietnamese refugees.
Firewalkers (2020) by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Hardcover 184 pages)
+20 Task
+05 Combo (#20.1 ethnic Vietnamese)
Task Total: 20 + 05 = 25
Grand Total: 480 + 25 = 505
10.4 SeriesA Great Reckoning by Louise Penny
+10 task Armand Gamache #12
Post total: 10
Season total: 260
20.10 BirthdayThe Mad Hatter Mystery by John Dickson Carr
This was my first John Dickson Carr. His titles appeared many times on my deals emails (and not Amazon's!), but I had studiously ignored them. This title filled in a date on my mysteries challenge and I was happy to get after it.
A body is found at the Traitor's Gate at the Tower of London. Obviously an investigation ensues and Dr. Gideon Fell is involved. A few months ago I watched a documentary about the Tower of London and so I was able to picture some of the scenes in the book. There is a map of the Tower of London, which is undoubtedly helpful. I did spend a few moments looking at it, but then decided to just get on with reading. I suppose I might have referred to it later, but didn't.
I like the way Carr writes. Unfortunately I thought the names of the investigators other than Fell weren't different enough for me to keep them clear. There was an American among them. I didn't understand why. Admittedly, this is the 2nd in the series - perhaps his presence is clarified in Hag's Nook.
I also thought the mystery not up to the standard I have come to expect. There are too many books out there that interest me, that I'm unlikely to try this author again. This was just 2 stars for me, though to be fair, it almost makes 3 stars.
+20 Task (1933)
+10 Review
+15 Combo (10.2, 10.3, 10.4)
+10 Oldies
Task total = 55
Season total = 745
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Reading with Style
Books mentioned in this topic
Seven Types of Ambiguity (other topics)Where the Air Is Clear (other topics)
A Fantasy of Dr. Ox (other topics)
Dash & Lily's Book of Dares (other topics)
Glass Houses (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Elliot Perlman (other topics)Carlos Fuentes (other topics)
Jules Verne (other topics)
Rachel Cohn (other topics)
Louise Penny (other topics)
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Read any book whose main character is a person of color.
Not sure if it qualified for “series”, so I did not include 10.4 as a combo. "
I share your concern, but we added the series in the database when it was last claimed. We'll "presume" it is the author's intention to continue it.
Combo 10.4