Reading with Style discussion
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SP 24 Completed Tasks
10.2 The DispossessedThe Clue By CAROLYN WELLS: A Fleming Stone Mystery by Carolyn Wells
A locked room (actually locked house) mystery in which a young woman is found dead the evening before her marriage. The crime is investigated by two amateur detectives who slowly eliminate all of the potential suspects. It is not until a professional investigator is involved in the case (in the last couple of chapters) that the culprit is identified.
If you are a mystery fan, you will probably figure out whodunnit relatively quickly but how the murder wasdone is obscure and not really fairplay. All in all, this was a fun read and worth the time if you are a mystery fan.
10 pts 10.2 The Dispossessed
10 pts Review
Task Total: 20 pts
Season Total: 130 pts
Post 102
� 10.2 � � � � � � � �
� 20.2 � � � � � � � �
15.1 15.2 � � � � � � � �
15.2 HDYGG?A Shot in the Dark by Lynne Truss
Vegetables:
Brighton 90% - BEET
Herbs: 304 pages
3 - RUE
0 - PEPPERMINT
Plants this post = 3
Total plants = 5
+15 Task
Post total = 15
Season total = 250
20.3 The Madonna of the Cat Bleeding Heart Yard by Elly Griffiths
+20 Task (Chris's family has a cat called Foxy)
+15 Combo (10.3 third in series, 10.9 340 pages, 20.6 three alternating points of view: Harbinder, Cassie, Anna)
Post total = 35
Season Total = 285
10.8 ElementalTunneling to the Center of the Earth: Stories by Kevin Wilson
Delightful, strange, and wonderful short stories. This is a collection of early stories by this author including such wonderful ideas as a rent-a-granny service and people working in a scrabble factory where they are each assigned to find tiles of a certain letter. I can't remember what caused me to get this collection for my kindle many years ago, but I'm glad I finally dredged it up to read now.
These stories aren't just quirky, though. There's real heart and thinking about grief, loss, and family through the lens of these stories. I was gutted by the title story about three siblings digging tunnels under their town as a story about burying feelings and grief and loss of dreams.
Highly recommended.
+10 Task
+5 Combo (10.5 - "to" from "A Gala Tribute to Joshua Logan")
+10 Review
Task total: 25
Grand total: 90
20.1 National GalleryThe Enchantment of Lily Dahl by Siri Hustvedt
I only realized while reading other comments on this book that this author is the spouse of Paul Auster. They must have some fascinating conversations.
I seem to be coming to Hustvedt's work in a random order. Many readers seem to think What I Loved is her best work; I haven't read it. Instead, I read and loved The Blindfold. This book has some similar themes -- the title character is a woman trying to figure out who she is and what her true self is. She's testing her own feelings by seeing herself in the eyes of the men around her, but Lily Dahl is a stronger and more independent character. Her actions don't always make sense, even to her, but they come from some internal drive for authenticity.
This book is also permeated with a strong claustrophobic feeling and a general unease that leaves both Lily Dahl and the reader uncertain what is real and what is fantasy. Lily is involved in a relationship with a painter who has come to her small town to paint portraits of some of the residents. She's also working at a roadside cafe, and dreaming of getting out of the town and becoming an actress.
Unfortunately, the author didn't seem to know how to end the story, and wrote an ending that didn't fit with the rest of the book and that I found seriously unsatisfying and implausible.
+20 Task (one of the main male characters is a painter)
+10 Review
+5 Combo (10.4 - auth. b. 1955)
Task total: 35
Grand total: 125
10.4 Baby BoomThe Crow Road by Iain Banks
Review
🎧 Audiobook Review 🎧
This is a matter of expectations of the book and feeling a little bit lost because the book was quite different than what I expected. Yes, there is a bit of mystery and then a tiny bit of 'thriller' action near the ending but wow, it took a very very long time to get there.
The book description made the book sounds funny, "It was the day my grandmother exploded." However, there weren't really any laugh-out-loud moment. More of the snort and eye roll as these characters' antics play out. We hear all these stories from Prentice's point of view; him in the present as a young adult (early 20s) and him in the past as a child as he witnessed or heard other adults' interactions. In a way, it was quite interesting and could be entertaining but as I was waiting for the mystery to 'start', I found the length chafes me.
Unfortunately, I also had trouble with the accent. I don't have very good ears in catching tones of voices so it took me until about halfway of the audiobook before I can actually relax and go with the flow. I guess the narrator did a good job lol
+10 Task (born 1954)
+10 Review
+10 1001
+5 Jumbo (501p)
Post Total: 35
Season Total: 160
10.4 Baby BoomThe Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
James McBride intertwines stories about the residents of Chicken Hill in Pottstown, Pennsylvania in the 1920s and 1930s. It was a ramshackle neighborhood of African Americans who had migrated from the South, and Jewish immigrants from Germany and Eastern Europe. They were all holding on to dreams of prosperity and equality.
The book opens in 1972 when a skeleton and a mezuza were found in an old well. Then, the Depression-era characters of Chicken Hill and their activities are introduced--which were entertaining, but I wondered where the story was going. The threads all came together in saving a deaf boy from the horrors of the Pennhurst sanitarium.
The book had wonderful characters such as Moshe, a Jewish theater and dance hall owner, and his wife, Chona, who ran the Heaven and Earth Grocery Store and always extended credit to anyone short of cash. African American Nate helped Moshe run his theater business while his wife, Annie, worked in the store. Nate's orphaned nephew, Dodo, had lost his hearing when a stove exploded. The state was trying to incarcerate Dodo in Pennhurst, a state school for people with disabilities where residents were abused and neglected.
Even though the characters came from diverse backgrounds, there was a group in the Chicken Hill community who had good, kind hearts. Their friendships transcended racial or religious differences. The story is told with a big dose of honesty about racial prejudice and antisemitism, but it is also full of humor and hope for a better future. The book is worth reading if only to meet Dodo and his sweet friend, Monkey Pants.
+10 task (author born in 1957)
+10 combo 10.3 (pub in 2023); 10.4 (earth)
+10 review
Task total: 30
Season total: 145
15.3 HDYGG?A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson
Herbs
397 pages
3, Rue
9, Chamomile
7, Parsley
Flowers
a waLk in the woods: redisCOVERing america on the appalachian trail CLOVER
A wAlk In tHe wooDs: rediscovering america on the appaLachian trail DAHLIA
a Walk in ThE woodS: rediscovering AmErica on thE aPpalachian trail SWEET PEA+
a walk in the woods: ReDiScoveriNG americA ONthe ApPalachian trail SNAPDRAGON
Plants used this post =7
Total plants used = 17
+15 points
+10 flower bonus
Post Total = 25
Season Total = 345
...; ...; 10.3; ...; ...; ...; ...; ...; 10.9; ...
15.1; 15,2; 15.3;
20.1; ...; ...; ...; 20.5; 20.6; 20.7; ...; 20.9; ...
20.8 Fancy Meeting You HereNos mondes perdus by Marion Montaigne
This graphic novel is partly autobiographic, partly non fiction about the evolutions theories & the history of dinosaurs discoveries, and starts when the author views Jurassic Park for the first time. In the book, there are several extracts of the movies and books, with different character appearing (Professor Grant, the kids, Dr Malcolm, the raptors...). Graphical representations are mostly based on the movies, but Michael Crichton and the books are cited as well (specifically when he writes the raptors as huge when they're actually the size of chickens).
+20 Task
No style points, graphic novel
Task total = 20
Points total = 180
10.1 (x3) ; � ; 10.3 ; � ; � ; � ; � ; � ; � ; �
� ; � ; � ; � ; � ; � ; � ; � ; � ; �
� ; � ; � ; 20.4 ; 20.5 ; � ; � ; 20.8 ; � ; 20.10
15.5 HDYGG?The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II by Denise Kiernan
Flowers:
tHEGirlsofAtomiccitY:theuNtolDstoRyofthewomenwhohelpedwinworldwArii - HYDRANGEA +5
thegirlSOfatoMiCcity:theuntOldStoryofthewomenwhohelpedwinworldwarii - COSMOS
thegirlsofatomiccity:theuntoldstorYofthewomeNwhohelPEdwinwOrldwarii - PEONY
Vegetables:
Tennessee: TOMATO
North America: NAPA CABBAGE
Herbs: None
5 Plants this post
27 Total plants
+15 Task
+ 5 Flower bonus
Task total = 20
Season total = 220
Anika wrote: "Jayme(theghostreader) wrote: "20.10 world of crimeBlue Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith
Set in Botswana
Task +20
Grand total: 40"
I hate being the bearer ..."
I will use it for the subchallenge.
Repost15.2 How Does Your Garden Grow
Blue Shoes and Happinessby Alexander McCall Smith
Lupine in title
bLUe shoes and haPpINEss
Garlic-Garabone
Beet-Botswana
Parsley-227 page count
Flower-lupine-1
Vegetables-2 beet, garlic
Herb-parsley-1
Task+15
Flower bonus +5
Grand total:35
15.3 HDYGGSo Late in the Day: Stories of Women and Men by Claire Keegan
Flowers:
sOlAtEiNthEdaystoriesofwoMeNandmen - ANEMONE
No Vegetables
Herbs: 119 pages
9 - CHAMOMILE
Plants this post: 2
Total plants: 10
Task points: 15
Season total points: 160
20.1 The National GallerySacré Bleu by Christopher Moore
I am a big fan of Moore’s and a big fan of Modern art, so a book by Moore about said artists (and their art) seemed like a good choice. The short premise is Vincent van Gogh is murdered (not a spoiler) and his friends Henri Toulouse-Latrec and Lucian Lessard investigate what happened.
The genius of the book is how Moore uses actual history and mixes in fantasy, intrigue and even a tiny bit of steam-punk. The story takes place almost wholly in the Paris of the late 1800s, and you really feel like you are there. As well, there is much humor (of course). I particularly enjoyed Etienne (‘this is bullshit�). The imagination that Moore has used in this book really is wonderous.
I listened to the audiobook ready by Euan Morton, who was very good. I would recommend this version of the novel. 4.5*
20 task
10 review
10 combo 10.9, 20.10
______
40
Running total: 200
15.6 How Does Your Garden GrowSigrid Rides: The Story of an Extraordinary Friendship and An Adventure on Two Wheels by Travis Nelson
Flowers;
sigrid rides: the story of an extraOrDINAry friENDship: an adventure on two wheeLs = Dandelion +5
siGRID rides: the story of AN ExtrAordinary friendship: an adventure on two wheels = Gardenia +5
sigrid rides: the story of an extraordinaRY friendship: an AdventuRe on twO Wheels = Yarrow
plants this post: 3
total plants: 23
15 task
10 plant flowers - dandelion, gardenia
_____
25
Running total: 225
10.8 ElementalThe Camp Fire Girls Solve a Mystery by Hildegard G. Frey
Old young adult books often shed light on the standards and moyres of the past. In this book, the Camp Fire girls are older than we would generally expect � apparently in their late teens and generally are portrayed as resourceful young women who use the skills they have learned in the Camp Fire Girls organization to solve a (very flimsey) mystery.
Oddly enough, the group of girls with a few boys added are for some reason visiting a friend and her husband over Christmas. There are no signs of any of the girl’s families in evidence even by mention. Lots of little mysteries surround the group and magically they are all resolved in one neat package.
We do learn how the Camp Fire principles help when one has to take action but overall there are a few too many scrapes that seem unrealistic for the time and setting of the book.
Some casual racism (dialect and observations of groups being « scary ») that is indicative of the time period.
Not recommended
10 pts 10.8 Elemental
5 pts 10.6 Modernisn
5 pts 10.9 Anniversaries
10 pts Review
Task Total: 30 pts
Season Total: 160 pts
Post 118
� 10.2 � � � � � � � �
� 20.2 � � � � �10.8 � �
15.1 15.2 � � � � � � � �
15.7 How Does Your Garden GrowSandokan: The Tigers of Mompracem by Emilio Salgari
Flowers:
SANDOkaNthetiGersofmomPRAcem - SNAPDRAGON, +5
sandokanthetigERSOfmompracem - ROSE
setting = Malaysia = mung bean
272 pages = Parsley, Lemon Verbena
plants this post = 5
total plants = 28
15 task
5 plant - snapdragon
_____
20
Running total: 245
20.2 The Virgin on the RocksNever Cry Wolf: The Amazing True Story of Life Among Arctic Wolves by Farley Mowat
After serving his country during WWII, Mowat worked for the Canadian government. The common belief of the time was that wolves were decimating the caribou population. The department wanted the evidence documented. This is the story of the author traveling to the far north to study arctic wolves.
Mowat's writing has a strong sense of humor. Sometimes he tells tall tales. I admit that for the first 50 or so pages I thought that whoever designated this as non-fiction must surely be the most gullible person in the world. And then Mowat sort of turned on a dime and got serious about what he was doing. Other scientists have taken the position that what Mowat writes here isn't true, that wolves don't exist on small rodents, particularly mice. Perhaps those scientists didn't read the entire book. Mowat reports that in the summer, while the caribou are in their summer grazing area, there is nothing for the wolves to eat other than mice, lemmings, and other small rodents. When the caribou return, they hunt and eat caribou.
Anyway, what is written here is almost everything I know about arctic wolves. I was pleased to learn what Mowat offers here. I'd like to believe, for example, that wolves communicate, that their howls and yips vary enough so that there is at least close to an actual language. For the first part of this, I would have given a low 3-stars, but too much came through that I will likely remember and so it rises to the low 4-star group.
+20 Task
+10 Review
+10 Combo (10.3 - 1963; 20.5)
Task total = 40
Season total = 260
10.9 Anniversaries (Apple's task)Unruly Places: Lost Spaces, Secret Cities, and Other Inscrutable Geographies by Alastair Bonnett-
270p.
I really love books like this. Unfortunately, I have found few. I have always loved maps and flags...and I have already read several books that discuss how strange borders were created. This book goes a step beyond. There are discussions of micro-states...but also an essay about people, including the author, who travel into nearly inaccessible places (like traffic islands in the middle of a freeway) .... occupy those place for a period of time.... name them...and have a sense of ownership. Another essay discusses an island that has been on maps for centuries.... but when the Australians went to look for it recently.... it wasn't there...and evidence was that no island had ever been there. Fascinating stuff. I encourage you to give it a try.
Task =10
Review=10
Task total=20
Season Total=95
Tasks Completed: 3
10.9
20.5; 20.10
20.5 Surprised! Sandokan: The Tigers of Mompracem by Emilio Salgari
Emilio Salgari was a prolific Italian writer of adventure stories, almost pulp fiction. This book is the first in a series set around the coasts of Malaysia, featuring Sandokan, the leader of a crew of pirates with a whole fleet of boats, who operate in a kind of Robin Hood manner, raiding the British colonists to benefit the native people. In the course of one such raid, Sandokan meets and falls in love with Marianna, the beautiful niece of one of the officers of the British army. His feelings are returned, so Sandokan spends the rest of the book risking all (including the lives of his men) to rescue her from her "wicked" uncle.
It’s kind of anti-colonial, but that would be more convincing if it had been written by someone from the colonised nation, rather than someone who had never even visited the country� but it is refreshing to have a swashbuckling adventure story written mostly from the point of view of an indigenous and rebellious character, even if the author’s credibility is questionable.
+20 Task
+10 Combo (10.9 272 pages, 20.6 POV of Sandokan, Yanez, Lord James)
+10 Review
+10 LiT (Italian)
+10 1001 list
Post total = 60
Season Total = 345
20.3 The Madonna of the CatAgatha Raisin and the Witch of Wyckhadden by M.C. Beaton-3/7/24
The title character has two cats (Hodge and Boswell) at home...and adopts a lost kitten while on vacation in Wyckhadden.
This is the ninth book in the series which I enjoyed very much in the beginning... and then began to feel that the storylines became too formulaic. It is fluff comfort reading...and this one was amusing enough. Agatha, an accidental detective by circumstance, once again steps into while on vacation. The witch in the title is actually a fortune-teller...who sells Agatha a hair restorer tonic and a love potion...which she uses unwisely. I haven't watched any of the dramatizations yet of this series...but, I have a feeling that the madcap nature would actually be funnier than the books.
Task =20
Review=10
Task total=30
Season Total=125
Tasks Completed: 4
10.9
20.3; 20.5; 20.10
Post 115 Connie wrote: "15.3 HDYGGSo Late in the Day: Stories of Women and Men by Claire Keegan
Flowers:
sOlAtEiNthEdaystoriesofwoMeNandmen - ANEMONE
No Vegetables
Herbs: 119 pages
9 - ..."
Connie, we have your total at 180. Maybe you didn't count the 20 points in post 15?
Post 113 Jayme(theghostreader) wrote: "Repost15.2 How Does Your Garden Grow
Blue Shoes and Happinessby Alexander McCall Smith
Lupine in title
bLUe shoes and haPpINEss
Garlic-Garabone
Beet-Botswana
Parsley-227..."
Jayme, the flower bonus only applies to flowers with 8 letters or more, so the score for this post is just 15 points.
Post 114 Jayme(theghostreader) wrote: "20.5 SuprisedN or M?by Agatha Christie
Task +20
Grand total +55"
+10 Combo 10.3 third in series, and 20.9. I've read this book and it involves a conspiracy.
So we now have your grand total at 60.
Post 116 Valerie wrote: "20.1 The National GallerySacré Bleu by Christopher Moore
I am a big fan of Moore’s and a big fan of Modern art, so a book by Moore about said artists (and their ar..."
+5 Combo 10.4, born 1957
Rosemary wrote: "Post 115 Connie wrote: "15.3 HDYGGSo Late in the Day: Stories of Women and Men by Claire Keegan
Flowers:
sOlAtEiNthEdaystoriesofwoMeNandmen - ANEMONE
No Vegetabl..."
Thanks, Rosemary.
10.3 St. Patrick's DayEvil Eye by Etaf Rum
Published in 2023
+10 Task
+ 5 Combo: 10.9 Anniversaries (352)
Task total = 15
Season total = 230
15.3 HDYGG?The Voluptuous Delights of Peanut Butter and Jam by Lauren Liebenberg
Flowers
thE voLuptUous delIghts of PeaNut butter and jam= LUPINE
the voluptuOus dEliGhts of peanut ButteR And jam= BORAGE
The volUptuouS deLights Of peanut butter and Jam= LOTUS
Vegetables:
rhodesia= RUTABAGA (as used in book's time period)
africa= ARTICHOKE
Herbs: page count = 256
2= LEMON VERBENA
6 Plants this post
21 Total plants in the garden
+15 Task
+ 0 Flower Bonus
Task total = 15
Season total = 245
20.1 The National GalleryThe Gauguin Connection by Estelle Ryan
Focuses on art theft and forgery, in particular a Gauguin.
+20 Task
+ 5 Combo: 20.9 Beware the Ides of March (a criminal conspiracy is involved)
Task total = 25
Season total = 270
20.6 Fruit Dish, Bottle, and ViolinHello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
I enjoyed this book. I didn't love it, but I was entertained while reading it.
The book tells the story of four sisters and their dramatic reactions to everything. On the one hand, I felt like if these people really loved each other as much as they were supposed to, they wouldn't behave in such silly ways. On the other hand, families are weird and people do actually do really silly things when they get their feelings hurt. Still, overall, these characters seemed to make dramatic and emotional decisions then they would stick with them in such straight-line consistency for the next twenty years that it felt unreal to me.
It's like if someone towed my car and I was so mad that I said, "I'll never drive again." Then, I just felt like now that I've said it, I have to live with the consequences and can't change my mind, like, ever. The level of stubbornness and nose cutting off was the only dramatic tension, and it was kind of infuriating.
I'm sure my bookclub will love this book.
+20 Task (told from different sister and one man POV)
+10 Review
+10 Combo (10.3 - pub. 2023; 20.1 - one of the sisters is a painter who paints portraits and murals)
Task total: 40
Grand total: 165
10.8 Elemental (Tien's task) Dead in the Water: A True Story of Hijacking, Murder, and a Global Maritime Conspiracy byMatthew Campbell
In 2011 in the waters of The Gulf of Aden a ship, hauling a supply of oil, called for help in repelling a Somali Pirate attack. The waters of the gulf were patrolled by many nations to specifically aid and stop these attacks. A U.S. Coastguard ship was able to get to the tanker, however, by the time they arrived the attackers were gone and the vessel was on fire.
The Brillante Virtuoso was insured by Lloyds of London and an investigation began to uncover what exactly happen. After leaving his inspection of the vessel a maritime investigator came away with more questions then answers. From that point on the story becomes a "I cannot put it down" book. There's the who, what and where of a conspiracy that seems almost impossible to have been pulled off.
This is one of those non-fiction books that reads like fiction and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The journalists who wrote it tell a well-written story. The research and writing are top notch.
Points this task 10
Combo 10 (20.9)
Review 10
Task Total 30
Season Total 135
10.9 Anniversaries The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner by James Hogg
A badly-matched wealthy couple separate, the father keeping custody of their first son while the wife goes to live with a clergyman who may or may not be the father of the second son. This second son is given a strict religious upbringing and is taught to hate his irreligious father and older brother. Then the older son is murdered� and we read a document written by his brother, a man haunted by demons.
I really enjoyed this book. It has so many layers, as well as the stories within stories. There are themes of doppelgangers and mental illness/possession by the devil.
The first part is an introduction supposedly written 100 years after finding the document that forms the second part. But even this introduction is very dramatic.
The whole leaves the reader guessing at the "truth". Readers are invited to judge for themselves and yet we are left uncomfortably aware that our judgements are made on the basis of our own prejudices, just like the characters whose opposing views seem equally justified to them. This is as true in our time as it was then.
+10 Task (272 pages)
+ 5 Combo (10.5 "private" from Private Lives)
+10 Review
+10 1001 list
Post total = 35
Season Total = 380
10.10 Group readsThe Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann
I listened to the audiobook of this text, which made it very hard to remember that it was a non-fiction text as it was told in such a dramatic and engaging way, and the twists and turns really made you feel like it could not be something that was true.
Whilst the focus of the story is the various tragedy that befell The Wager, it also includes the broader story of broader campaign it was involved in. From this, the reader can infer that the whole expedition was ill-planned, poorly resourced, and really didn't have much of chance. In this way, we realise, that what was to befall The Wager was fated to occur to at least one of the vessels involved.
Through the logs of various crew members, the Captain, the Gunner, and the young midshipman Byron, grandfather of that Lord Byron, we are presented with various persepectives of evidence of what unfolded, the reasons why the ship wrecked, the conditions of the castaways, the competing groups seeking control and a way to get home, the mutiny that left some of the crew, including the tied up captain, on the island whilst others made their journey home.
Eventually, 3 groups of people eventually return to England, and their conflicting stories must be reconciled to determine who is responsible, and for what.
(I am hesitant to add 20.10 as a combo, much occurs in International waters, and it definitely would not take place 75% on any form of land.)
I gave this 3 stars, not because of the story being poorly written, not at all, it's just not my kind of read.
+10 task
+10 review
+25 combos (10.2; 10.3 - first published 2023; 20.5; 20.6; 20.9 - approved in help thread)
Post Total = 45
Season Total = 390
...; ...; 10.3; ...; ...; ...; ...; ...; 10.9; 10.10
15.1; 15,2; 15.3;
20.1; ...; ...; ...; 20.5; 20.6; 20.7; ...; 20.9; ...
20.10 World of Crime (Rosemary's task)Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell
I am not understanding the criteria for books to be on the 1001 list, to be honest. I have now read 260 books from the list of over 1300 (yes, I know it is called 1001, but there are 3 editions), and whilst I haven't always enjoyed them, I can see why they might be there.
This does not mean that I think Faceless Killers is not a good book, or that it is worth reading, if you like mystery and have not read it, then I definitely recommend it, but I just don't understand what elevates it above other books to be included on the list.
Perhaps I have read books in the wrong order, was this groundbreaking at the time, and because I have read other mysteries, and other Nordic Noir, I don't recognise it?
It can't be because Kurt Wallander is presented as a flawed character, Raymond Chandler did that long ago with Philip Marlowe. It's not really any grittier than anything else I have read, there are aspects of realism that I don't feel where necessary, namely Wallander's digestive issues (it adds nothing), so what is it that makes this special?
If that sounds like I didn't enjoy it, you are wrong, I did. It was well written, and had all the twists you could want, and the main twist as we get close to the end. The uncertainty towards the end was well done, I would have even have liked if this had not been solved, as it would have felt appropriate. It was entertaining, and kept me hooked.
4 stars, and recommended if you haven't read already.
+20 task
+10 review
+10 LIT
+10 1001
+10 combo (10.9 - 280 pages), 20.3 - Nyström, the neighbour who finds the victims, warns Wallander not to pat his cat, as it bites)
Post Total = 60
Season Total = 450
...; ...; 10.3; ...; ...; ...; ...; ...; 10.9; 10.10
15.1; 15,2; 15.3;
20.1; ...; ...; ...; 20.5; 20.6; 20.7; ...; 20.9; 20.10
20.5 Surprised!The Looking-Glass Sisters by Gøhril Gabrielsen
Hyphen in the title
+20 Task
+ 5 Combo: 20.9 Beware the Ides of March (one of the sisters conspires against the other with her husband on a secret plan)
+10 Lost in Translation (Norwegian)
Task total = 35
Season total = 305
Task 20.3 The Madonna of the CatRead a book where a character has a pet cat. Tell us the name of the character (and if you like, the name of the cat).
Mariana Pineda agreed to take care of her beloved step-sister Shay’s pet cat Maggie. Then Shay disappeared. Over the course of the novel, Maggie identifies as Mariana’s cat.
A Quantum Love Story (2024) by Mike Chen
Review: A Quantum Love Story is a time loop science fiction novel. Our two main characters, neuroscientist Mariana Pineda, and technician Carter Cho, become stuck in a time loop, re-living the same 4 days over and over again. Mike Chen is a science fiction writer, so the emphasis is on how our protagonist pair figure out (1) why the time loop is happening and (2) how to get out of the loop and return to regular time. Along the way they experience a slow-burn, friendship-based romance, which is nice to read about after so many insta-love novels. Pet cat Maggie makes her presence known, as she needs to be fed and played with inside of each and every time loop. I enjoyed the novel, but then, I enjoy reading about scientists and science fiction. Most of the novel is set in the San Francisco, California metropolitan area (which is a plus for me as I enjoy reading novels set in California). It’s obvious that the author has spent a lot of time there. Recommended for science fiction readers.
+20 Task
+05 Combo (#10.5 Broadway Show #15: “Love for Love�)
+10 Review
Task Total: 10 + 05 + 10 = 25
Grand Total: 60 + 25 = 85
10.9 Anniversary Lovely Darknessby R. Sullins
Page count 352 MPE
Task +10
Combo+5 20.9 Beware the Ides of March( human character conspires to reveal the supernatural world)
Grand Total 85
15.2 How Does Your Garden GrowThe Iron King by Maurice Druon
Set in France
1 Herb-
Fennel Planted
Plants this post 1
Total plants 7
Points this task 15
Season Total 150
20.8 Fancy Meeting You Here The White Rose
The character Raven, from previous books, reappears . Other characters in the series saw him killed, or so they thought.
+20 Task
Season Total 170
15.4 HDYGGReading with Patrick: A Teacher, a Student, and a Life-Changing Friendship by Michelle Kuo
Flowers:
reADINg wiTH patrick a teacher a StUdent and a life changing friendship - DIANTHUS, +5
readinG with pAtRick a teacher a stuDENt and A lIfe changing friendship - GARDENIA, +5
reading with patrick a teacher A student and a Life chAngIng frienDsHip - DAHLIA
Vegetables:
Helena - HEART OF PALM
Arkansas - ARTICHOKE
Herbs: 296 pages
6 - CHIVES
Plants this post: 6
Season total plants: 16
+15 points
+10 flower bonus
Task total: 25
Season total: 205
20.8 Fancy Meeting You HereSalt & Broom by Sharon Lynn Fisher
In this retelling of Jane Eyre, Jane Aire is a teacher of witchcraft at Lowood School. Mr. Edward Rochester is in need of a witch to identify and cleanse his house of the curse that hangs over it so contacts the school and requests the presence of a suitable employee. Thus, Jane ends up at Thornfield Hall.
At first, I was not impressed by the writing--like it was trying to be Charlotte Bronte but failing as NO ONE writes like Charlotte Bronte! But as the story progressed, I was sucked in. Witches and fairies and zombies, oh my! (view spoiler)
I don't know if I can recommend this, since the writing was not super my favorite...but I did enjoy the changes to the plot and it was nice to peek back into Jane's world and experience the slowly growing love of Jane and Edward.
+20 Task, Mr Brocklehurst, Mrs Fairfax, Antoinette Mason Rochester, and Edward Fairfax Rochester maintained their names from the original story
+10 Combo: 10.3, pub. 2023; 20.3, Jane has a cat named Sibyl
+10 Review
Task total: 40
Season total: 140
15.8 How Does Your Garden GrowFuturistic Violence and Fancy Suits by David Wong
futurIStIc violence and fancy Suits = iris
futuristic viOLence and fancy sUiTS = lotus
pgs 384 = Rue
veg = none
plants this post = 3
total plants = 31
15 task
______
15
Running total: 265
20.5 - SurprisedDeath's Justice by Jack Probyn
+20 task
+5 Combo - 10.3 - 2013
Task total: 25
Grand total: 85
20.5 - SurprisedDeath's Grip by Jack Probyn
+20 task
+5 Combo - 10.3 - 2013
Task total: 25
Grand total: 110
15.2 HDYGGLater
Karen Michele wrote: "15.3 HDYGG?The Voluptuous Delights of Peanut Butter and Jam by Lauren Liebenberg
Flowers
thE vOLuptuous DelIghts of peANut butter aND jam= DANDELION
the voluptu..."
"Dandelion" was already claimed in post 73 (the accidental highwayman: being the tale of kit brIstol, his horse midNight, a mystEriOus priNcess, and sunDry mAgicaL persons besiDes = DANDELION +5), so plant total for The Voluptuous Delights of Peanut Butter and Jam is 5, total plants in your garden is 20.
I don't know if you already have "tulip," "lupine," or "anemone" slated elsewhere, but with the letters from "dandelion" opened up, you could use one of those to keep your plant total 6 for this book...let me know if you'd like to make a change to your post!
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Reading with Style
Books mentioned in this topic
An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us (other topics)Code Name Hélène (other topics)
The Teacher (other topics)
A Man's Head (other topics)
Redoubt (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Ed Yong (other topics)Ariel Lawhon (other topics)
Freida McFadden (other topics)
Georges Simenon (other topics)
Mercedes Lackey (other topics)
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A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon
word in title, NIGHT, found in "The Night That Made America Famous"
+10 Task
+5 Combo (20.6 - 4 POVs)
+15 Jumbo (868p)
Post Total: 30
Season Total: 125