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Here is the Folder and thread to tell us what your monthly reads for September 2023 were.

Please provide:
~ A GoodReads link
~ A few sentences telling us how you felt about the book.
~ How would you rate the book

I'm putting this thread up a bit early because GoodReads is being so glitchy. I wanted to make sure I would be able to set the thread up.

Hello everyone! So I read a lot more books this month compared to last month and here they are:

This first one was Great Illustrated Classic's version of The Call of The Wild. As you might've already guessed, this is not the original by Jack London. Instead, it's an adaptation by Mitsu Yamamoto that's part of the Great Illustrated Classics series and intended for younger readers, the latter of which I didn't realize right away. I go into more detail as to why it really works as an adaption in my review, but if you want the short version, the person adapting this story really did their homework and did a fantastic job making it accessible for younger readers while remaining faithful to the original story. The only real complaint I had was that the dogs in the illustration looked way too similar to one another, making it hard to tell who was who.

Rating: A-

The next thing was the entire A Silent Voice manga series by Yoshitoki Oima. In short, this series is about a guy named Shoya trying to redeem himself by making amends with a deaf classmate he bullied in sixth grade named Shoko. As I've explained in my review, I decided to write one review for the entire series as opposed to a review for each entry is because each volume is just one part in a larger story as opposed to each one having its own story and I just thought it would be easier to review the series in this way. If you ever wanted to know how to write a redemption arc, read this series because my God, it's one of the best I've ever read. The characters themselves were just wonderful and aside from past Shoya and present day Shoya looking too similar at times, it's a wonderfully crafted series. Seriously, please check it out.

Rating: A

Another book I read was Richie the Caseworker by Christopher Febles. You can read my entire review here. This book stars Richie, a guy who loves baseball and takes a caseworker position after the pizza joint he works at goes out of business and has to gradually learn the ropes of this new position. I'm just gonna say it. I think it needs way more attention. I'm serious. Yes, there were too many co-worker characters and yes, many of them didn't really stand out that much. But Richie grows as a character in a way that was pretty interesting and it beautifully and thoroughly explores why sports people like Richie and his brother love sports (specifically baseball) and why it's important to them, making for a read that was insanely easy to get invested in (even as a non-sports nerd) and a read that was delightful and charming.

Rating: A

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus was another book I read. A murder mystery that cannot murder mystery. There, I just saved you, like, over three hundred pages. Okay Okay. I should probably explain. So I wrote a very in-depth review, but if you don't have the time or patience to read it, here's the abridged version:

So, to its credit, there are some bits of great characterization (such as Addy and the dynamic between Bronwyn and her sister Maeve), but man do they not make up for the many, many shortcomings of this novel. One of the biggest shortcomings is how the "mystery" was done. Not only did it give way too much information way too early (like, "within the first chapter" too early), but because of how everything was set up, I was able to solve the entire mystery within the first chapter. Basically, the "mystery" is supposed to be a murder mystery with a "twist" that involves Simon actually killing himself via peanut oil, which he is allergic to, so that way he could be remembered as a legend or something. Yes. I'm dead serious. The mystery in which the entire plot revolves around, can be solved within the first chapter. I think this should go without saying but, if your novel revolves around a mystery and the mystery doesn't work, that is a huge problem. Oh and before you ask, no. The novel doesn't compensate for this by having great characters or anything because, aside from Addy, all of them are little more than basic tropes. Also, there are times where it seems like the author is kind of out of touch with how technology and the internet work. Maybe she did do her research. But it certainly does not come off that way. Now, why did I even finish this? Because I'm writing a YA supernatural mystery thriller called I'm Pursuing a Monster and was basically told by this article on DIY MFA called "Writing a YA Thriller? Read These Books!" (which you can read here: ) that it was the absolute most important novel to read if you're going to be writing this kind of thing.

Rating: D-

After that, I read Earning My Spots by Mark Eastburn. This is a road trip story involving a werehyena named Sam who goes on a roadtrip with his new friend, a werejaguar named Manny, and Manny's mom to rescue Sam's family after they were kidnapped by some wereeagles and taken to South America. If you want my full thoughts, you can check out my review.

I'll admit. I'm a sucker for road trip stories and this one is no exception. The characters are wonderful and it's very obvious that the author had a lot of fun crafting the shapeshifting system and really did their research into how the animals featured in this actually work. Honestly, this is one of the best shapeshifting stories I've read by far. One thing that I can't believe I forgot to mention in the actual review is (view spoiler)[Sam's alternative to the war between shapeshifters and regular humans. So at the end of the novel, Sam points out that humans outnumber shapeshifters and the animals that they transform into (i.e weretigers, regular tigers, etc) by a considerable amount and that the war would just worsen things for everyone. Instead, Sam suggests working with the humans that are dedicated to conservation and suggests that shapeshifters should work towards not fighting amongst themselves. (hide spoiler)] It is, without a shadow of a doubt, legitimately genius. Not only does it make a lot of sense, but it basically (view spoiler)[accomplishes what the shapeshifters or were-people want in a more positive, productive way. (hide spoiler)]

At times, it's a little too easy for the main characters and there is one thing in (view spoiler)[chapter eleven (hide spoiler)] that kind of puts a little dent in otherwise solid worldbuilding and power system, but to be fair, they don't take a boatload away from how awesome Earning My Spots really is.

Rating: A-

Stay Hidden by Paul Dorian was the second to last book I read this time around. This one is about Mike Bowditch, who not only has to learn the ropes of his new Warden Investigator position, but also has to solve the mystery of who shot and killed Ariel Evans. My review can be found here.

I have to say, for something I basically picked up on a whim, it was pretty enjoyable. It's one of those books that I was easily able to get immersed in thanks in part to the main character, the subtle way it handled its clues, the setting, and so much more. Honestly, the only real issue I had was that there were too many characters and that made it hard to know who was who and made the mystery needlessly harder to solve.

Rating: A

The final book was called Wild Blood by Kate Thompson. This is the final entry in the Switchers trilogy. If you want an idea as to what this entry is about, just read this actual blurb: (With her fifteenth birthday approaching, Tess is running out of time. She must decide who -- or what -- she will become when she makes the final Switch of her life. To make the impossible decision even worse, she finds herself shipped off to relatives in the country, miles from home, her parents, and, most important, her best friend, Kevin.In the third and final installment of the Switchers trilogy, Tess will choose what form she will take for the rest of her life. Will it be human, animal, or something even wilder?t a trip!) You can read my much more detailed and slightly unhinged review on it here.

I'll try to keep things short here, but I make no promises. Now yes it does have a couple of nice little things (such as taking place in a rural-type setting almost like the one where Tess originally grew up in that's also different than the city setting of the first two entries and giving insight into the origin of the Switcher power), they do not at all make up for just how much of a trainwreck this series finale really is. Like, because the Switcher power allows one to turn into basically anything they want (such as living and extinct animals, mythological creatures, and even fictional characters), the conflict is laughable and has no weight to it. Also, the long time feud between her Uncle Maurice and Uncle Declan is solved with a single conversation and honestly feels like an afterthought, the main character barely feels any different than she did in the first entry and goes through basically the same thing she did in the second entry (and had an actual resolution), and the ending. Oh God the ending. It basically tries and fails to justify why being a human is the best final form for Tess (including the point that it will somehow help Tess to protect the creatures of Earth and be their ambassador). Oh and to really rub salt in the wound, it leaves the reader with more questions than it does answers, like "Why don't Switchers just turn into shapeshifting mythological creatures to get around the 'lose your power at age fifteen' rule?".

In other words, it's a series finale that cannot series finale.

Rating: F

Overall, this was a mostly solid month for me. For the month of October, I plan on focusing more on horror and Halloween-themed books, as it is what I like to call "Spooky Month" and I have quite a few in my collection that I'd like to get around to reading.

Hailey, your month of reading sounds varied and, as you say, mostly a solid month.

I like your reviews. They show your involvement in the stories and their outcomes.

A Silent Voice sounds intriguing. I've read some graphic novels but not manga. I may look into this one. Thanks!

I haven't read much last month.

The Fountain Overflows (4-star) - a quirky, family saga. This book (part of a trilogy) is set in the childhood of the children. They are brought up in very unorthodox ways. With a gambler as a father, the family is poor. The mother was once a concert pianist and is training two of the daughters to follow in her footsteps. Music is a driving force in this novel. All in all, I liked this family. Quirky and interesting. The story ends in a spot where a reader could put the trilogy down, if so desired. I'm giving the second book a try.
Review: /review/show...

Termination Shock (3-star; audio) - told in the near future, with global warming as an issue, this book has a large set of characters & settings and encompasses it all. I liked the characters. They felt real. Some were trying to solve global warming, some wanted to keep the economic status-quo either for themselves or their country, some just waited to see what would happen. As a whole, I think the story encompasses what our world is going through: we know there's a problem, but cannot come together (as a planet) to focus on a solution. This is well written and the story is logical, the science interesting.
Review: I'll have to update. I haven't written one yet.

All in all, a good month. I enjoyed both books.

Last month, oddly enough, I read the fewest books that I have in ages. Only three total! They were all marvelous, though. One was even five stars for both content and style. (/book/show/9...)

I just discovered Chilean writer Maria Jose Ferrada so the other two books were hers. It was a great month!
The other two were four stars, so I consider the month a success. /book/show/5... and /book/show/6...

I also read the fewest books in September that I've read in a long time, Patti, and it was also three books.

Little Follies: A Mystery at the Millennium
The Doctor and the Saint: The Ambedkar - Gandhi Debate
The New Girl

The New Girl and Little Follies were rated four stars, and The Doctor and the Saint was rated five stars. So it was a very good month.

Petra wrote: "Hailey, your month of reading sounds varied and, as you say, mostly a solid month.

I like your reviews. They show your involvement in the stories and their outcomes.

A Silent Voice sounds intri..."

Thank you, Petra. I think my approach to my reviews comes in part from being a bookworm and being an author.

Patti wrote: "Last month, oddly enough, I read the fewest books that I have in ages. Only three total! They were all marvelous, though. One was even five stars for both content and style. (...."

Hello Patti. I'm glad to hear you had a great reading month.

If you're looking for more great works by other Chilean authors, I definitely recommend the Memories of The Eagle and The Jaguar series by Isabel Allende. The entries in this series aren't masterpieces, but they are fun little old school style adventure stories with great characters and great twists.

Hailey wrote: "Hello everyone! So I read a lot more books this month compared to last month and here they are:

This first one was Great Illustrated Classic's version of The Call of The Wild. As you might've alre..."

Excellent reviews, Hailey. I enjoyed reading them. Except for two clunkers, you had a very nice reading month.

Regarding the illustrated classic and the Manga books, I read something that I didn't know in Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World. I had little idea how these drawing were done. Cooper, who worked for a time at Marvel Comics said, The inker is one of the two line artists in traditional comic book production. the penciller creates a drawing, the inker outlies, interprets, finalizes, retraces this drawing by using a pencil, pen or a brush.

Petra wrote: "I haven't read much last month.

The Fountain Overflows (4-star) - a quirky, family saga. This book (part of a trilogy) is set in the childhood of the children. They are brought up i..."

It's always a good reading month when you enjoyed what you read.
I appreciate you letting us know that The Fountain Overflows can stand on it's own if one doesn't want to continue with the series. I'm not a series gal, so that is key for me.

After reading the birding book I just finished and then your review of The Fountain Overflows it really makes me wish we were at a point were a hyperlinks would routinely be inserted into the text to give you music, YouTube links, or wiki type links.

Patti wrote: "Last month, oddly enough, I read the fewest books that I have in ages. Only three total! They were all marvelous, though. One was even five stars for both content and style. (...."

Patti, all 3 books sound wonderful and I'm going to put them on my TBR.

What You Are Looking For Is in the Library-Michiko Aoyama How can I not love this title !

How to Order the Universe
How to Turn Into a Bird
María José Ferrada

Hailey wrote: "Hello everyone! So I read a lot more books this month compared to last month and here they are:

This first one was Great Illustrated Classic's version of The Call of The Wild. As you might've alre..."

Hailey, i liked reading your reviews of the books you read in September. You take the time to figure out what works and what doesn’t, which makes a reader’s decision-making easier. Thank you for that.

I’m particularly intrigued by the Jack London book. My first thought was why do that, as i felt the book, while somewhat gory was fit for a YA audience. Your observations about this version explains that to me. Very interesting. Thanks.

The issue about similarly named characters and descriptions bugs me no end, particularly in fiction, where an author has the control. Why do that? (Unless, of course, it turns out to be part of the plot/resolution.)

You had a fine month of reading. I hope October is as rewarding for you. Thank you for sharing these reviews with us.

Petra wrote: "I haven't read much last month.

The Fountain Overflows (4-star) - a quirky, family saga. This book (part of a trilogy) is set in the childhood of the children. They are brought up i..."

Petra, thanks for the review of the first book in the trilogy. I can understand the attraction to such a family. I hope the ensuing books are as engaging.

I was set to give the Neal Stephenson book a try. At the risk of sound lame brained, i couldn’t wrap myself into a 700 page novel. It’s a superficial way to decide but i know myself too well, particularly at present, where 350 page books are dragging me down. Even the good ones!

Regardless, i appreciate your observations about it. Thanks for sharing.

Patti wrote: "Last month, oddly enough, I read the fewest books that I have in ages. Only three total! They were all marvelous, though. One was even five stars for both content and style. (...."

Wow, Patti, the three books with links all sounded good to me. The first most f all. This is probably not surprising, given “library�� is in the title. Thank You!

PS, to Hailey�� thank you for adding the Allende titles to the mix, too.

Here are my reads for Sept. I reviewed all the books in more depth during the month. All in all, a nice reading month for me.

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict
Genre- Historical Fiction
Rate: 3/5- good

The end notes acknowledge much had to be fictionalized as little is know about the main character, Belle.

This is the story of Marion Greener, known as Belle de Costa Greene. She was the personal librarian to J.P. Morgan who curated his private library of rare books and manuscripts. The library today is open to the public thanks to Ms. Greene.

The story centers around the fact that Ms. Greene is black but passes as white to be accepted in the business world and the high society of the Gilded age.

I do wish there was more info on J.P. Morgan, the Gilded age and the world of rare books, art and manuscript collecting

I look forward to seeing the Morgan Library one day.

Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose
Genre: Play
Rate 4/5 .

The premise is you have 12 male jurors who are deliberating on murder trial. You have one holdout against a conviction. I've seen the classic movie a dozen times, so I was very familiar with the story. If you haven't seen the movie with the stellar cast please do so. Here is the trailer for the movie.

I think you can see the full movie on YouTube


The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
Genre: Mystery
Rate: 2/5

This book was published in 1926. It's said to be one of Christie's best. I'm just not a big fan of this type of mystery. I know I'm an outlier on Agatha Christie.

I found the plot slow moving and I really wasn't invested in the mystery. I didn't find the characters compelling. That made it hard for me to keep them all straight in my mind. Though I did enjoy the gossip hound Caroline.


The Blue Zones Challenge: A 4-Week Plan for a Longer, Better Life by Dan Buettner
Genre: Non fiction- health
Rate: 3/5 Good

I also watched the Netflix documentary which was very well done. If I didn't already know about the Blue Zones through the author's other books, I would have given this a much higher rating.
A Blue Zone is where the population lives into their 90s or 100s and still is active and healthy. This book gives you a 4 week plan, including lists for you to fill out and journal. It's a plan that will set you on your way to a long healthy life.

Old in Art School: A Memoir of Starting Over by Nell Irvin Painter
Non fiction
Rate: 3/5 Good

Nell Painter was a retired 64 year old Princeton History Professor and author who decides to go back to school to get a BFA and MFA in painting. She currently is 81 and lives in New Jersey. You can look at her art by checking out her web page or googling her name.

I think readers who are well versed in art or are considering getting a degree in art would enjoy this book.

For awhile I did enjoy looking up the numerous artists that she mentions in depth and viewing their work. But to be honest after some time it did become burdensome to have to keep looking things up as I read just to be able to understand what she was talking about.

Besides her humble bragging about her credentials for what it seemed like Every Single Chapter, I found it hard to warm up to the author. While in art school Painter seemed to do an awful lot of complaining about the teachers and other students.

Nell felt she was an outsider due to her race, sex and age. Which is probably very valid. I have to give her credit for trying a whole new field of endeavor.

I found the writing to be a bit jumpy which didn't help with the flow of the book.

I have mixed feelings about the memoir. I vacillated between a 3 or a 2. Two being did not meet my expectations. I think others who are more knowledgeable about art, and want to know the specifics of how it is created, and sold will enjoy the book more than I did.

Oddly when I was discussing the book with two friends I found I had a lot to share.

All that said, I'm glad I read it, but I think the audience for the book is a narrow one.


To Sir, With Love by E.R. Braithwaite
Genre:- Education, racism, poverty-
Rate; 5/5

The is a 1959 autobiographical novel. It's a classic school room drama. . You can watch the wonderful 1967 move staring Sydney Poitier on YouTube. Which I will admit made me tear up at the end. The book is more expansive than the movie so I do recommend it even if you feel you already know the story from the movie.

The Proof is in the Plants by Simon Hill
Genre- non fiction- health-
Rate: 5/5
Audio Book

Simon Hill who is the author narrates. He has a pleasant Australian accent. Hill advocates a whole food plant based diet and explains the science and offers practical tips. However, he is never dogmatic.

I was already familiar with Hill as I listen to his podcast and watch him on YouTube. I enjoyed the audio book a lot. However, I do recommend the eBook or paper book over audio. That is only because the book contains graphs and recipes. There is a PDF that you can download if you are motivated to do that.

I like the way topics were clearly discussed. I've read many health/diet books and I would say this one is one of the best as it doesn't over promise.

Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World by Christian Cooper
Non fiction- nature, race, LGBTQ

Christian Cooper, you may recall, was involved in an incident back in 2020 at the start of Covid in New York's Central Park. Cooper has been an avid bird watcher since he was a child. On the Memorial Day weekend he was bird watching in the park's Ramble, which is a protected area and requires that dogs be kept on the leash. There he encountered Amy Cooper (no relation) who had her dog off the leash. He asked her to leash the dog and she refused and called the police and said she was being assaulted by a black man. The video of the incident went viral.

This incident is only a very small section of the book. Maybe a chapter at the end of the book.

The books main focus is on birding and his experience as a gay black man. I enjoyed the memoir as I know nothing about birding and little of the hardship that a gay black man in American experiences. I think the blend of the three topics serves the memoir well.

The writing is clear and well done
I wish the book contained photos of some of the birds he mentions. Fortunately, I have a Kindle Fire and was able to easily go to YouTube to see and hear the birds he mentions.

He now hosts the show Extraordinary Birder.

Extraordinary Birder | Teaser Trailer
...

I found this to be a thoughtful memoir and I would recommend it.

Alias Reader wrote: "Here are my reads for Sept. I reviewed all the books in more depth during the month. All in all, a nice reading month for me. ..."

What a good month for you, Alias, with only one disappointment. Continued success in selecting books.

I had an ok reading month for September. These were the ones I finished:



By: Laurie Notaro

5 Stars

Laurie is one of my favorite authors. I'd say about 96% of her books that I've read, I've loved, and this one did not disappoint.
Laurie hilariously tells stories about being a middle aged woman. I related to about 90% of the book.

~*~*~*~*



By: Anita Abriel

3 Stars

This one disappointed me. There was an ok twist at the end, but over all the book was a flop for me.

~*~*~*~*



By: Freida McFadden

5 Stars

I wanted to see what the hype behind this author was, so I picked up this one. It was a quick read and had me going back and forth with what I thought was going to happen. As with most thrillers, there was a twist at the end. I actually didn't figure this one out, though. But it wasn't a jaw dropper like I was hoping.

Overall a very nice reading month, Kim.

Kim, to me, the marvel that you could read at all, given the month you had, is impressive. Thanks for sharing about these three.

I've mentioned them during the month, but here are my reviews:

Medieval Bodies: Life and Death in the Middle Ages by Jack Hartnell ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


/review/show...



Touch and Go by Thad Nodine ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


/review/show...



A Little Luck by Claudia Piñeiro ⭐️⭐️⭐️


/review/show...



Miss Ella of Commander's Palace by Ella Brennan ⭐️⭐️⭐️


/review/show...



I'll Get There. It Better Be Worth the Trip. by John Donovan ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


/review/show...

John wrote: "I've mentioned them during the month, but here are my reviews:

Medieval Bodies: Life and Death in the Middle Ages by Jack Hartnell ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


..."

I appreciate the honest reviews, John.

When you mentioned it during the month, I added Touch and Go to my TBR notebook.

John wrote: "I've mentioned them during the month, but here are my reviews:

Medieval Bodies: Life and Death in the Middle Ages by Jack Hartnell ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


..."

Those liking medieval mystery series might like the Hartnell book, but maybe they get enough of that in those stories.

It’s a shame the Brennan book wasn’t more compelling, as it’s always mentioned as a “Must�� stop in NO.

Good recaps, John. Thanks for sharing these with us.

The restaurant itself probably would be a great experience, no doubt. However, Louisiana cuisine isn't really a favorite of mine.

Shomeret wrote: "I also read the fewest books in September that I've read in a long time, Patti, and it was also three books��.."

Thank you, Shomeret, for posting your September books. The Arundhati Roy book sound very good, so i’m adding it to my TBR list.

From your blog review of the Carolyn Korsmeyer book, i’m intrigued with Gertruda and am grateful for the link you provided. Interesting.

Shomeret wrote: “There is someone referred to as Saint Gertruda in this book. I thought it likely that she is Gertruda of Poland who was never made a saint. She is considered by many to have been the first Polish born writer. She is also known for commissioning an illustrated prayer book and saving a monastery from destruction.��

madrano wrote: "Kim, to me, the marvel that you could read at all, given the month you had, is impressive. Thanks for sharing about these three."

LOL! Yea, I try to read at least a little bit each night. The Inmate was a super fast read, too, so that helped.

Shomeret wrote: "I also read the fewest books in September that I've read in a long time, Patti, and it was also three books.

Little Follies: A Mystery at the Millennium
[book:The Doctor and the Sa..."

4 and 5 stars. Very nice.
It's not the quantity of books read but the quality that matters. You clearly had good ones .
Sorry I didn't see your post. With all the crazy GR issues we are having, I fear I am not seeing a lot of posts. :(

Alias, interesting you made that comment about not seeing Shomeret's post because i missed it the first day, too. Who knows what we are missing...or what new may pop up some days?

Deb, I can't tell if GR is working on the problem or not. Some threads seem ok, others not. Some leave my un-read list after I read them, others do not.

I figure I'll wait a week or so and use the link again to see where things stand. That is if I can get any info.

As for now, I use the time posted to try an ascertain if a post is new or not.

Alias Reader wrote: "Deb, I can't tell if GR is working on the problem or not. Some threads seem ok, others not. Some leave my un-read list after I read them, others do not.

I figure I'll wait a week or so and use th..."

Ditto, Alias. Wednesday, it was looking up but that was it, now more of the eternal "unread", so to speak.

My September Books include the following:
A Loyal Character Dancer--Qiu Xiaolong, part of the The Inspector Chen Collection 1-3: Death of a Red Heroine, A Loyal Character Dancer, When Red is Black series. The two i have read are set in the 1990s and i've learned much about The People's Republic from that. I suppose i should have been more informed but the advance of the Chinese embrace of capitalism mentioned in the books are informative.

The Mill House Murders--Yukito Ayatsuji. A wealthy art collector lives in a remote location with a unique architecturally-designed home, along with his young wife. Yearly he invites several men to visit his home to admire his art collection, all from the same deceased artist. I learned from the GR reviews that Ayatsuji writes "Honkaku", which is a "sub-genre of mystery fiction as a detective story that values the entertainment derived from pure logical reasoning", a la Doyle & Christie. This one, which includes a rubber mask, wheelchair-bound, son of the artist and other characters, should have been very good. Somehow, it failed me. There is a character list at the beginning, thank goodness, but the story itself didn't grab me. I liked the house, particularly the Mill! So, there ya go.

The Mediterranean Caper--Clive Cussler. I reviewed this here--/topic/show/... Post #275. This was my brush with Cussler and i was only so-so about it.

Freedom Farmers: Agricultural Resistance and the Black Freedom Movement--Monica M. White covers the cooperative efforts of a number of communities by those of African descent, often families of former southern slaves. Remarkable stories. My full review is at the same link above, but post #288.

Postmortem--Patricia Cornwell, my first book by this author, which is the introduction to her series featuring medical examiner Kay Scarpetta. Often i only read the first in an old series, finding a lack of interest. However, this character and situation appealed to me. When i'll read further, i do not know, but i shall.

Hollywood Homicide--Kellye Garrett is a mystery, first in a series, which Barbara mentioned awhile back when reviewing a different series by Garrett. The humor in this one was delightful and i liked learning a bit about Hollywood show biz. The mystery was fine but i won't be rushing to revisit the characters or city or industry. I thank Barbara because now i know where to go for some great laughs.

I read All the Pretty Horses--Cormac McCarthy for our Prompt Challenge and because it's been on my TBR a long time. His command of English in describing the south Texas and Mexican landscape did not disappoint. However, the story, about a 17 or so year old man & his pal traveling South together didn't work for me. Apparently McCarthy's reputation was built on this book, part of an eventual trilogy, but it was a stretch for my imagination. And i really didn't like that there were no translations from the Spanish in my edition.

A nice September, Deb. It seems you are on a bit of a mystery kick.

I really was, Alias. And the ones i didn't include were all mediocre (at best) mysteries, to boot. Sad, imo, sad.

Thank you for Freedom Farmers: Agricultural Resistance and the Black Freedom Movement, Madrano. I put it on my library hold list.

My pleasure, Shomeret. I don't suppose you've read a bio of Hamer, have you? Rather than just select one, i thought i'd ask readers here.

I'm assuming you mean Fannie Lou Hamer. No, I haven't read a bio of Hamer.

There are a number of books about Hamer in the Further Reading section of the Fannie Lou Hamer Wikipedia article at

Shomeret, yes, sorry for the vague question. I have a few titles, from the bibliography of Monica White's book, but was hoping someone could lead me to one which might fit my needs. Thanks for the link.

I've been so busy that I haven't kept up posting about my books read for the 100 book challenge. I read quite a few in August and September. I managed to fulfill 15 prompts in those two months, though a few were rereads. I fulfilled:

2. Slaves of Freed Slaves Beloved by Toni Morrison. This was a reread of one of my favorite books.

5. An epistolary novel The Color Purple by Alice Walker. Another favorite book of mine. The ending makes me cry.

14. A Comic Novel. A Good Man in Africa by William Boyd. Hilarious! A reread of a favorite book by a favorite author.

23. A book about nature. A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson. I love all of this author's books.

34. A fiction and a nonfiction book on the same subject. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel for the fiction and Thomas Cromwell: The Untold Story of Henry VIII's Most Faithful Servant by Tracy Borman. I liked both of them, especially Wolf Hall which was a reread for me.

35. Book set in a country you don't live in. Absolution by Patrick Flanery. This was set in South Africa. I enjoyed it, but I wouldn't say it was a great book.

50. Book about a real-life person you admire. The King and I: The Uncensored Tale of Luciano Pavarotti's Rise to Fame by His Manager, Friend and Sometime Adversary I admired Pavarotti's operatic abilities and his ability to love and live life to the max.

53. Book set in Africa. A Good Man in Africa fulfills this one, too, as does Absolution by Patrick Flanery.

70. Business or Economics Book. I read Social Media Marketing For Dummies by Shiv Singh. This could be seen as a cop-out, but I don't like business books and know little about economics.

84. Author's name begins with B, N, or C. I reread Eclipse by John Banville. I also read April in Spain this year, also by Banville. I have The Lock-Up by Banville on my iPad.

92. A history book. Thomas Cromwell: The Untold Story of Henry VIII's Most Faithful Servant by Tracy Borman Loved it.

95. Short story or essay. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson. I didn't like it at all, at first, but it's growing on me. I might have to revise my review.

97. Book with a color in the title. The Color Purple

98. Historical Fiction. Wolf Hall fulfilled this one nicely.

I think I've found a few books for 79, A country you've never visited. Dan Simmons seems to have written some books taking place in Antarctica. I might try one of those, but haven't read one yet.

Sorry I didn't post these sooner. My apologies. Just so much going on and I'm trying to keep up with reading the reviews of others.

Kiki (Formerly TheGirlByTheSeaOfCortez) wrote: "5. An epistolary novel The Color Purple by Alice Walker. Another favorite book of mine. The ending makes me cry.."

I almost never say this, but I think the movie was better than the book.

Kiki (Formerly TheGirlByTheSeaOfCortez) wrote:23. A book about nature. A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson. I love all of this author's books..."

A Walk in the Woods is also a fav of mine. I own but have not yet read his A Short History of Nearly Everything .

I will always remember his description of the lobby of Trump Plaza in NYC with all the reddish marble. He said, It looks like someone threw up a pizza !

Kiki (Formerly TheGirlByTheSeaOfCortez) wrote: "I've been so busy that I haven't kept up posting about my books read for the 100 book challenge. I read quite a few in August and September. I managed to fulfill 15 prompts in those two months, tho..."

All I can say is, Wow ! Congratulations on filling in all these prompts. Well done, Kiki ! You read a nice eclectic selection of books. It's one reason why I love this challenge.

Alias Reader wrote: "Kiki (Formerly TheGirlByTheSeaOfCortez) wrote: "5. An epistolary novel The Color Purple by Alice Walker. Another favorite book of mine. The ending makes me cry.."

I almost never say this, but I th..."

I almost never say that, either, Alias, but in this case, I totally agree with you. I loved the movie.

Alias Reader wrote: "Kiki (Formerly TheGirlByTheSeaOfCortez) wrote:23. A book about nature. A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson. I love all of this author's books..."

A W..."

I have not read A Short History of Nearly Everything, either, Madrano, but I've read several other of his books, and I've loved them all. The first that comes to mind is In a Sunburned Country. I loved that one, too, but I really loved A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail.

LOL at the description of Trump Tower.

Kiki (Formerly TheGirlByTheSeaOfCortez) wrote: "I've been so busy that I haven't kept up posting about my books read for the 100 book challenge. I read quite a few in August and September. I managed to fulfill 15 prompts in those two months, tho..."

Terrific progress, Kiki! Thank you for sharing the titles with us. I see a couple of intriguing titles/subjects.

I want to clarify that it is Alias, not me, who likes Bryson. Something about him really bothers me, even though his topics appeal. I read the Appalachian book & was ready to throw it onto the floor by the end. No Fan.

Again, thank you for the titles and comments.

madrano wrote: "Kiki (Formerly TheGirlByTheSeaOfCortez) wrote: "I've been so busy that I haven't kept up posting about my books read for the 100 book challenge. I read quite a few in August and September. I manage..."

Thank you for clarifying that for me, Madrano. Like Alias, I do like Bill Bryson, but there are popular authors who irritate me no end, till I can't even read their books despite liking the subject matter. Louise Penny comes to mind immediately. I would like the Inspector Gamache mysteries, but Penny's writing style drives me crazy.

Thanks for illustrating the point, Kiki. I stopped reading the Gamache series but i don't remember disliking her writing. Although, one never knows whether that is the real reason behind our dislike. Maybe we just don't realize it.

I am behind on posting on here. I read 11 books in September.

The Rochdale Poltergeist: A True Story by Jenny Ashford - 4 stars.
My review:
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The Jalakh Bow by Jamie Edmundson - 5 stars.
My review:
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Coffin Cemetery by Ron Ripley - 1 star
My review:
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Holly by Stephen King - 5 stars
My review:
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1722 by Amy Cross - 4 stars.
My review:
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One Autumn in Kane Grove by Dan Padavona - 4 stars
My review:
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House Beneath the Bridge by Iain Rob Wright - dnf
My review:
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ZWA T-68 FLIGHT OF THE DEAD by J.D. Allen - 5 stars.
My review:
/review/show...

Floor Four: Part 1 by A. Lopez Jr. - 5 stars.
My review:
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Floor Four: Part 2 by A. Lopez Jr. - 5 stars.
My review: /review/show...

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix - 5 stars.
My review:
/review/show...


That is my wrap up for September and I had two bum books with a dnf and 1 star. Other than that a good month. :)

Another amazing reading month for you, Marie !

Alias Reader wrote: "Another amazing reading month for you, Marie !"

Thank you so much, Alias! :)

Marie wrote: "I am behind on posting on here. I read 11 books in September.

The Rochdale Poltergeist: A True Story by Jenny Ashford - 4 stars.
My review:
...."

Great list of books, Marie, and your reviews bring them alive to us. Like you, the rain phenomenon is new to me, in the haunted category. What an awful thing to experience.

I liked the honesty & concluding line of your King book review. Of course, reading your thoughts on books you disliked is always interesting but with King, you had plenty for comparison, as it seemed many have an opinion on it.

It's interesting that you read both the first & second installment of Floor Four at the same time. I've not heard of a reader doing that but it makes such sense, if you've read the first previously. Why is it abandoned asylums seem the scariest places for haunting? I suppose it's the insanity aspect, combined with all we bring to the genre.

As always, i like reading your reviews and comments, Marie. Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm for series and how you eagerly await more.