On The Same Page discussion
2023 Independent Challenges
>
Pat's Independent Challenge
12 & 4 Challenge--The Year of Number 21) The Postscript Murders finished 2/10; 4 stars
2) The Forgotten Kingdom finished 3/18; 4 stars
3) The Hidden Palace finished 3/29; 5 stars
4) The Story of a New Name finished 5/10; 4 stars
5) The Sentence is Death finished 5/31; 4 stars
6) The Angel's Game finished 6/23; 4 stars
7) Shield of Thunder finished 7/22; 4 stars
8) Olive, Again finished 8/17; 4 stars
9) A Necessary Evil finished 8/23; 4 stars
Motley Challenge1) A book with a villain A Treacherous Curse finished 4/18; 4 stars
8) a book with alternating time periods The Book of Cold Cases finished 1/25; 2 stars
12) a book under 300 pages The Mermaid of Black Conch (225 pp); finished 1/12; 5 stars
16) A book that starts with an "H" Homegoing finished 5/28; 5 stars
18) a female author that is new to me The Poet's House finished 2/1; 4 stars
20) a story about a road trip I Was Told It Would Get Easier finished 2/18; 4 stars
22) gothic or noir The Secrets of Hartwood Hall finished 5/4; 4 stars
26) a book with a happy ending Nora Goes Off Script finished 1/13; 5 stars
Popsugar Challenge24/50
*1 A book you meant to read in 2022 When Maidens Mourn finished 9/14; 4 stars
*2 A book you bought from an independent bookstore The Story of a New Name finished 5/10; 4 stars
*3 A book about a vacation The Vacationers finished 4/13; 3 stars
*4 A book by a first-time author Remarkably Bright Creatures finished 2/26; 4 stars
*5 A book with mythical creatures The Mermaid of Black Conch finished 1/12; 5 stars
*6 A book about a forbidden romance O, Juliet finished 8/8; 3 stars
*7 A book with "Girl" in the title Bloomsbury Girls finished 8/15; 4 stars
8 A celebrity memoir
*9 A book with a color in the title The Red Lotus finished 1/6; 3 stars
*10 A romance with a fat lead Parnassus on Wheels finished 2/13; 4 stars
*11 A book about or set in Hollywood Stars Over Sunset Boulevard finished 6/10; 4 stars
*12 A book published in spring 2023 Paper Names finished 6/4; 4 stars
*13 A book published the year you were born Huevos verdes con jamón finished 6/13; 5 stars
*14 A modern retelling of a classic By the Book finished 3/13; 4 stars
15 A book with a song lyric as its title
*16 A book where the main character's name is in the title Klara and the Sun finished 1/9; 3 stars
17 A book with a love triangle
*18 A book that's been banned or challenged in any state in 2022 Homegoing finished 5/28; 5 stars
19 A book that fulfills your favorite prompt from a past challenge
*20 A book becoming a TV series or movie in 2023 Happiness for Beginners finished 8/6; 5 stars
*21 A book set in the decade you were born Harlem Shuffle finished 2/13; 3 stars
*22 A book with a queer lead The Postscript Murders finished 2/10; 4 stars
*23 A book with a map The Lincoln Highway finished 5/7; 5 stars
24 A book with a rabbit on the cover
*25 A book with just text on the cover The It Girl finished 3/6; 5 stars
26 The shortest book (by pages) on your TBR list
27 A #BookTok recommendation
*28 A book you bought secondhand Runaway: Stories finished 1/23; 4 stars
29 A book your friend recommended
*30 A book that's on a celebrity book-club list Seven Days in June finished 3/28; 3 stars
31 A book about a family
32 A book that comes out in the second half of 2023
33 A book about an athlete/sport
*34 A historical-fiction book The Diamond Eye finished 3/25; 4 stars
35 A book about divorce
36 A book you think your best friend would like
37 A book you should have read in high school
38 A book you read more than 10 years ago
39 A book you wish you could read for the first time again
40 A book by an author with the same initials as you
41 A book written during NaNoWriMo
42 A book based on a popular movie
43 A book that takes place entirely in one day
44 A book that was self-published
45 A book that started out as fan fiction
46 A book with a pet character
*47 A book about a holiday that's not Christmas A Stroke of Malice finished 1/27; 4 stars
48 A book that features two languages
49 The longest book (by pages) on your TBR list
50 A book with alliteration in the title
Historical Mystery Lovers Settings ChallengeI'm going for Level #2. Was going to do #1 but that didn't seem like much of a challenge.
LEVELS:
Level #1: Bachelor of History - 3 to 10 books in at least 3 categories
Level #2: Master of History - 10 to 15 books in at least 5 categories
Level #3: Doctor of History - 15 to 20 books in at least 10 categories
Level #4: History with Honors - 20+ books in all categories
CATEGORIES:
- Ancient Egypt
- Ancient Greece The Pericles Commission finished 3/23; 4 stars
- Roman Empire Ovid
- Early Japan
Shogunate Japan
- *Medieval England The Unquiet Bones finished 2/23; 4 stars
- Medieval Europe Deed of Murder (Ireland 1511); finished 4/9; 4 stars
- Tudor / Stuart England Sovereign; Firedrake's Eye
- 16th-17th Century Europe
- Georgian England
- *Regency England When Maidens Mourn finished 9/14; 4 stars
- Victorian England A Treacherous Curse finished 4/18; 4 stars
The Secrets of Hartwood Hall finished 5/4; 4 stars
- Edwardian England
- Colonial America Bone Rattler
- Antebellum America Sold Down the River
- American Civil War
- Gilded Age America
- 19th Century Europe
-British Empire A Stroke of Malice (Scotland 1832); finished 1/27; 4 stars
- Early 20th Century The Bangalore Detectives Club finished 2/3; 4 stars
The Betel Nut Tree Mystery
Library Book Clubs:Mint Hill Mystery Book Club
January: The Red Lotus finished 1/6; 3 stars
February: The Bangalore Detectives Club finished 2/3; 4 stars
March: The It Girl finished 3/6; 5 stars
June: Marple: Twelve New Mysteries; finished 6/2; 4 stars
July: Death at Greenway finished 7/7; 3 stars
August: Killers of a Certain Age finished 8/6; 3 stars
Sept.: All Good People Here finished 9/9; 4 stars
Books & Banter
January: Klara and the Sun finished 1/9; 3 stars
February: Harlem Shuffle finished 2/13; 3 stars
March: Wish You Were Here finished 3/12; 4 stars
April The Sentence finished 4/9; 3 stars
May The Lincoln Highway finished 5/7; 5 stars
Sept: Dinners with Ruth: A Memoir on the Power of Friendships finished 9/11; 3 stars
Audio Books: (at least 10)1) Murder on the Red River finished 1/6; 3 stars
2) The Book of Cold Cases finished 1/25; 2 stars
3) Flying Solo finished 1/30; 3.5 stars
4) I Was Told It Would Get Easier finished 2/18; 4 stars
5) By the Book finished 3/13; 4 stars
6) Seven Days in June finished 3/28; 3 stars
7) The Vacationers finished 4/13; 3 stars
8) The Bodyguard finished 5/26; 4 stars
9) The Hotel Nantucket finished 7/31; 5 stars
10) When in Rome finished 9/4; 4 stars
11) The Golden Couple finished 9/11; 4 stars
Nonfiction: (at least8)1) The Message of Exodus: The Days of Our Pilgrimage (commentary); finished 1/3; 5 stars
2) Conversations with Birds (essays) finished 1/17; 3 stars
3) Woman, Watching: Louise de Kiriline Lawrence and the Songbirds of Pimisi Bay finished 2/5; 5 stars
4) John: Jesus - the Word, the Messiah, the Son of God finished 5/1; 4 stars
5) Slow Birding: The Art and Science of Enjoying the Birds in Your Own Backyard finished 5/11; 3 stars
6) A Wing and a Prayer: The Race to Save Our Vanishing Birds finished 7/16; 4 stars
7) Martin Luther: The Man Who Rediscovered God and Changed the World finished 8/27; 4 stars
8) All My Knotted-Up Life: A Memoir finished 9/3; 5 stars
9) Dinners with Ruth: A Memoir on the Power of Friendships finished 9/11; 3 stars
Tomes: (at least 8)1) The Lincoln Highway 576pp; finished 5/7; 5 stars
2) The Autumn Throne 514 pp; finished 5/14; 4 stars
3) Journey Under the Midnight Sun 560 pp; finished 5/22; 5 stars
4) The Angel's Game 531 pp; finished 6/23; 4 stars
5) Life After Life 529 pp; finished 7/13; 5 stars
Poetry, Short Stories, Essays, and Plays1) Conversations with Birds (essays); finished 1/17; 3 stars
2) Runaway: Stories (short stories); finished 1/23; 4 stars
War and Peace Challenge on instagram #WhiskyandPerseverence Read a chapter a day for a year.
Week 1: 8 chapters
Week 2:
Week 3: read through chapter 22
Week 4: read through Book 1 Part 2; chapter 2
Week 5--Book 1 Part 2 Chapter 10; p 141
Patricia wrote: I will keep buying books because it gives me pleasure and supports the book community in general."I really love this sentiment and am going to try and remember it everytime I buy a book I don't need!
Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "Patricia wrote: I will keep buying books because it gives me pleasure and supports the book community in general."I really love this sentiment and am going to try and remember it everytime I buy ..."
😊❤️
For fun! Yes! Great plan for the year. Good luck!
I love your list and your rationale to continue buying books and giving books to your daughter...and of course, to make lists that never get completed. Making lists is so much fun! :-)
Mod
THIS!! I really wanted to do the 1 book a day for the Advent Calendar, but really didn't find out about it until late. I love buy books; going to the bookstore or just shopping online.
Good luck with this challenge.
Patricia wrote: "I'm making a list and checking it twice, thrice, etc. I want to read at least 120 books in total. I will participate in my two library book clubs, but if for some reason, I just can't get into the ..."Pat, I see myself in your description (message 1) and I plan to remove the guilt when I don't finish a challenge or list. Good luck to all of us!
Thanks, Martha, Lea, Alondra, and Jackie! Happy Reading!
Patricia wrote: "I want to read at least 120 books in total. I will participate in my two library book clubs, but if for some reason, I just can't get into the book or just don't want to read it, I won't. I will reread a favorite because I want to and will not let my unread books give me a guilt trip. I will keep buying books because it gives me pleasure and supports the book community in general. I will continue to send books home with my daughter even though she's in law school & hardly has time for them. I will join several challenges and enjoy making the lists even though I know I'll never complete them. I will read books for fun, to learn, and for fun."A perfect rationale for why and how we read and I totally 100% agree with you. I'm sure it will be a great year, best of luck!
Mod
Thanks, Ioana & Bill! Happy Reading to you both!
So, I just added a challenge. I'm going to read War and Peace with a group on instagram. A chapter a day for a year. I have read it before; years ago. I've actually read it twice but when I say, I get such odd looks from people, I think maybe I dreamed that. Looking forward to reading it with a group. 500 have signed up so far.
Mod
How many chapters are there? I've never read.
Bill wrote: "How many chapters are there? I've never read"I was wondering the same, so....I did some math. 1391 pages (per GR) and 361 chapters (per wikipedia), that's less than 4 pages/chapter.
Patricia, I think this is absolutely doable, good luck! Can't wait to hear about your progress.
Yep, 361 chapters. Pretty short chapters really. Should be fun.
Mod
Agree with Ioana. That's doable. Nothing too overwhelming, and you get discussion and thoughts, which keeps it present. That's pretty cool.
Alondra wrote: "Patricia wrote: "Yep, 361 chapters. Pretty short chapters really. Should be fun."Agree with Ioana. That's doable. Nothing too overwhelming, and you get discussion and thoughts, which keeps it pre..."
😊
Jackie wrote: "Patricia wrote: "I'm making a list and checking it twice, thrice, etc. I want to read at least 120 books in total. I will participate in my two library book clubs, but if for some reason, I just ca..."I think most of us can relate to that paragraph!
Mid-January Report: I have finished 7 books.1) The Message of Exodus: The Days of Our Pilgrimage (commentary) . I read most of this last year, but it’s one I will continue to return to for study and help. Motyer has a way of explaining passages that may be confusing, but, even better, bringing out points you may not have considered. 5 stars
2) Murder on the Red River audio; narrator—Siiri Scott. Set in the 70’s in Fargo, N.D., Cash is a young Ojibwe woman who mostly grew up in the foster care system. Sheriff Wheaton has become her friend and guardian, and now they are working at solving the murder of a Native American stranger. I listened to this audio and enjoyed this first in a series. It was a read-along with the podcast, Book Cougars. 3 stars
3) The Red Lotus suspense; Mystery Book Club (January). Not my usual fare but read for library book club. A group of Americans are on a bike tour in Vietnam. Alexis has only known Austin for six months, but she believes she could be falling in love. When he disappears, she soon learns he may not be who she thought he was. From Goodreads: “Set amidst the adrenaline-fueled world of the emergency room, The Red Lotus is a global thriller about those who dedicate their lives to saving people, and those who peddle death to the highest bidder.” 3 stars
4) Klara and the Sun Another book club read, but one I did want to read. Ishiguro has a strange but interesting imagination. Klara is an Artificial Friend who finds a home with Josie. She soon learns that Josie is sick and Klara does what she can to save her new friend. I will say this book made for very interesting discussion. No one loved it, but no one could say it was boring. 3 stars
5) A Great Reckoning (Gamache #12) A series read I have enjoyed for the most part. I didn’t really care for the last one, but this one made up for it. Gamache has taken over the police academy. Though he has already had a part in cleaning up some of the corruption there, he leaves one professor there who has probably done more than anyone else to lead the cadets astray. So, why didn’t Gamache fire him? Soon enough, Gamache has a murder to solve, and (of course) the good people of Three Pines find themselves in the middle of the investigation. 4 stars
6) The Mermaid of Black Conch I really loved this book though it may be hard to describe. In the 70’s some white Americans pay to fish off a Caribbean island. They capture a mermaid, one that a local fisherman has already made friends with, so when she is captured and left hanging up on the dock, David goes to rescue her. He plans to return her to the sea, but circumstances and a curse intervene. 5 stars
7) Nora Goes Off Script romance. I don’t read a lot of romance but when this one was highly recommended on a podcast, I decided to give it a try. Besides our heroine and hero, there are two kids who make the story different in a good way. Wonderful characters that you wish lived next door to you and, of course, a happy ending. 5 stars
War and Peace At the two week mark, I've read 13 chapters and should read 14 & 15 today.
Some of my books have fit into different challenges, but I still haven't started any for my 12 &4. But, I've got plenty of time, right?
Patricia wrote: "Klara and the Sun No one loved it, but no one could say it was boring. 3 stars"I think this is a very good description. Lea and I read it together a few months ago, and had some interesting discussions. I gave it 3 stars too.
Ioana wrote: "Patricia wrote: "Klara and the Sun No one loved it, but no one could say it was boring. 3 stars"I think this is a very good description. Lea and I read it together a few months ago, and had some ..."
Definitely a good book for discussion. I'm glad I read it with a group even though I still have questions that weren't answered.
Mod
Mod
January update: 15 books total.See above for first 7 books.
8) Conversations with Birds A group of essays by a bird watcher. I enjoyed Kumar’s descriptions of the birds she has watched, the refuges she has visited, and the lengths she went to find certain birds. 3 stars
9) Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. Reviewed in group discussion. 4.5 stars
10) The Shadow of Memory
(Kate Hamilton Mysteries #4). I’ve enjoyed all 4 of the books in this series. Kate is an American art dealer who came to Scotland in the first book and hasn’t gone back. Yet. She’s too busy solving crimes and falling in love with a local policeman. 4 stars
11) Runaway: Stories Group of short stories by Canandian author, Munro. Some are loosely connected but not all. 4 stars
12) The Book of Cold Cases audio. Though I’ve enjoyed several books by St. James, this one fell flat for me. I continued on because of her other books and hoping it would get better. In this one, Shea is fascinated by cold cases and runs a website dedicated to them. While she's working a doctor's office, she sees Beth Greer in the waiting room. Shea decides to follow Beth and find out more about her because Beth is known as “The Lady Killer” and was accused of murdering two men back in the 70’s. Though she was acquitted, the case was never solved and Shea hopes for an interview and maybe she can solve this cold case herself. 2 stars
13) A Stroke of Malice (Lady Darby Mysteries #8) One of my favorite mystery series and one that is best to read in order though not necessary. It’s 1832 Scotland and Kiera and her husband, Sebastian, are celebrating Twelfth Night at the home of a duchess whose portrait Kiera has been painting. When one of the Duchess’s sons leads a group on a tour of the crypt, the fun and games comes to an end when a body is stumbled upon. And, of course, not a body that has been put there in the normal fashion. 4 stars
14) Abide with Me I didn’t really enjoy the first book I read by Strout, but I feel like I’m learning to like her. This one takes place in the 1950’s where a young pastor and his wife come to a small town in Maine. Though the church falls in love with the pastor, his wife they’re not too sure about. Then when tragedy strikes, the town and the pastor have to learn how to love and forgive. 4 stars
15) Flying Solo I had been listening to a couple of rather dark audio books, so I got this one for a change of pace. I did enjoy it--liked the characters and the story--but not crazy about the ending. If anyone else has read this, I would love to know what you thought. 4 stars
Mod
See above for first 7 books.
8) Conversations with Birds A group of essays by a bird watcher. I enjoyed Kumar’s descriptions of the birds she has wa..."
You're off to a great start. I've read a few of Munro's short story collections. She can be hit or miss but she is a short story specialist. If you are interested in her, check out Lives of Mothers & Daughters: Growing Up With Alice Munro by her daughter, Sheila Munro. I met her once and she was lovely.
Bill wrote: "Patricia wrote: "January update: 15 books total.See above for first 7 books.
8) Conversations with Birds A group of essays by a bird watcher. I enjoyed Kumar’s descriptions of the..."
That sounds interesting. Thanks, Bill!
Quite a month, Pat. I have never heard of the Lady Darby series and I must see if I can find them, they look interesting.Good luck with War and Peace!
What a great month Pat! How is War and Peace coming along? I'm going to tackle that monster one of these days! I'm glad you liked Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow; that was my book of the month this past month. Looks like you had quite a few great books, I hadn't heard about quite a few of them.
Thanks, Carolien & Lea! I hope you enjoy Lady Darby, Carolien. I'm staying on top of War & Peace. I try to read ahead if I know I will be busy the next day (it's a little cumbersome to carry around), but I'm pretty much still doing a chapter a day & I'm enjoying it so far.
Mid-February report:7 books completed
1) The Poet's House In her 20’s, Carla works for a landscaper and meets Viridian, a famous poet; though Carla doesn’t know this at first. Carla had trouble in school because of a learning disability, but when she hears Viridian at a reading one night, she falls in love with poetry and becomes involved with a group of people she seems to have nothing in common with. Both her mother and her boyfriend think she should be doing something else with her life and can’t see the appeal of these strange poets. My first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. 4 stars.
2) The Bangalore Detectives Club Nagendra (Kaveri & Ramu #1). This takes place in 1920’s Bangalore. Kaveri is married to the doctor, Ramu, and has just moved to Bangalore to be with him. Ramu allowed her to finish school, but Kaveri has plans for more schooling as she loves math and problem solving. When a murder takes place at the country club where they are having dinner and Kaveri is meeting some of the doctors and their wives for the first time, Kaveri finds herself with a different kind of problem to solve. 4 stars
3) Woman, Watching: Louise de Kiriline Lawrence and the Songbirds of Pimisi Bay I loved this book and learning about this extraordinary woman, Louise de Kiriline Lawrence. Lawrence was a Swedish aristocrat who fell in love with a Russian soldier. When her husband was murdered by the Bolsheviks, she joined the Canadian Red Cross, visiting her patients by dogsled. When Elzire Dionne gave birth to quintuplets, Louise helped her through the birth and for some months afterwards. When she tired of what became a media circus, she went to live alone in a cabin in the woods. She met a young man who helped her out with building and other chores. Eventually, they married, but when war called, Louise found herself alone in the Canadian wilderness. She began to study the birds she had already been feeding. She contacted ornithologists, asking questions and learning so much that she wrote countless articles, six books, and became very well-respected by international ornithologists. The author met Lawrence in her later years, became interested in her story, and eventually wrote this biography. 5 stars
4) Strange Weather in Tokyo Tsukiko meets one of her old high school teachers while drinking alone at a bar. She calls “Sensei” (teacher) as she doesn’t remember his name. They continue to meet, though without making specific plans, eating and drinking together and becoming friends. On the surface, this sounds a little strange (I can’t imagine wanting to chat with any of my high school teachers), but Tsukiko and Sensei’s friendship is mostly casual though Tsukiko finds herself relying on him more and more. 4 stars
5) The Postscript Murders Griffiths has three different murder mystery series, and I have enjoyed books from all three. This is the second in the Harbinder Kaur series. An interesting cast of characters join Harbinder in trying to solve the murders of an elderly lady, a best-selling author of murder mysteries, as well as another author. Was the first even a murder? And how could they possibly be related? 4 stars
6) Parnassus on Wheels Roger Mifflin has been traveling the country in his book wagon, Parnassus, preaching about the joys of reading. He wants to retire to write his own book and sells his wagon and stock to Helen, a woman who has been keeping house for her brother but now wants to have an adventure of her own. Together, they take off and before Roger can get on a train out of town, they have a few adventures of their own. This charming book (or novella we would call it today) came out in 1917. 4 stars
7) Harlem Shuffle Read this for a book club and though everyone else loved it, I found it disappointing in comparison to Underground Railroad and Nickel Boys. Yes, I know both of those books are pretty depressing, but I still thought they were better. Anyway, from goodreads: “a gloriously entertaining novel of heists, shakedowns, and rip-offs set in Harlem in the 1960’s.” I did enjoy it but did not find it “gloriously entertaining”. 3 stars
Patricia wrote: "Woman, Watching: Louise de Kiriline Lawrence and the Songbirds of Pimisi Bay I loved this book and learning about this extraordinary woman, Louise de Kiriline Lawrence. Lawrence was a Swedish aristocrat who fell in love with a Russian soldier. When her husband was murdered by the Bolsheviks, she joined the Canadian Red Cross, visiting her patients by dogsled."This sounds really interesting, I've added it to my TBR.
You are having a great month of reading, and no duds, you must be so happy!
Mod
7 books completed
1) The Poet's House In her 20’s, Carla works for a landscaper and meets Viridian, a famous poet; though Carla doesn’t know this at first. Carl..."
Quite a nice mix there, Patricia. I'm currently reading Harlem Shuffle. Will be interesting to see what I think of it. I've no point of reference as it's my first book by Whitehead.
Ioana wrote: "Patricia wrote: "Woman, Watching: Louise de Kiriline Lawrence and the Songbirds of Pimisi Bay I loved this book and learning about this extraordinary woman, Louise de Kiriline Lawrence. Lawrence wa..."Thanks, Ioana! Yes, a good month so far. Hope you enjoy Woman, Watching!
Bill wrote: "Patricia wrote: "Mid-February report:7 books completed
1) The Poet's House In her 20’s, Carla works for a landscaper and meets Viridian, a famous poet; though Carla doesn’t know th..."
Hope you enjoy it, Bill! I think it just wasn't for me. My book club has pretty much already voted to read the sequel coming out this summer, so, obviously, most greatly enjoyed it.
Glad to see what you think about Harlem Shuffle, everyone seems to be talking about it. I really enjoyed Underground Railroad and Nickel Boys also, but have been holding off for the same reason you didn't find it gloriously entertaining. Now, The Bangalore Detective's Club, that wasn't on my radar, but it sounds very interesting.
Lea wrote: "Glad to see what you think about Harlem Shuffle, everyone seems to be talking about it. I really enjoyed Underground Railroad and Nickel Boys also, but have been holding off for the same reason you..."We seem to have the same feelings about a lot of books. So, if you do read it, I'll be interested in what you think.
I read 5 more books in February for a total of 12.8) I Was Told It Would Get Easier. A mother takes her high school daughter on an organized trip to visit different colleges. Will this bring them closer or will they only be counting the days until the daughter graduates and leaves? I listened to this audio and enjoyed hearing both sides of the relationship and also their different takes on the other people who were also on the trip. 4 stars
9) The Stolen Heir I loved the Folk of the Heir trilogy, so was anxious to read this follow-up. Even though I know I should have waited until the second book of this duology comes out, I’m glad I read it, so I can pass it on to my daughter. 4 stars
10) The Daughter of Doctor Moreau . I’ve heard so much about this author, decided to give her a try, though her books don’t sound like my cup of tea. This is a take on a H.G. Wells book (which I’ve never read), so that further intrigued me. Living in an isolated area of Mexico, a doctor is experimenting with different creatures, his hybrids. He is being sponsored by a rich man who wants the hybrids to be future workers for him. The doctor’s daughter has grown up there in virtual isolation, and the hybrids are her companions. When the doctor tries to arrange a marriage between his daughter and the owner’s son, secrets begin to come out and life begins to unravel for everyone. 3 stars
11) The Unquiet Bones Mel Starr (The Chronicles of Hugh de Singleton, Surgeon #1) Finished 2/23; 4 stars First in a series of historical mysteries in medieval England. Hugh of Singleton has been educated as a clerk but turns to being a surgeon. He starts off in Oxford but when a local lord is injured in a nearby street, Hugh has a chance to prove his skill and the lord asked to come to his castle and be the doctor for the village he rules. Not long after he begins his new life, bones are found in the castle cesspool and Hugh is called on to learn what he can about them. When he determines a young woman has been murdered, his lord assigns him to discover what has happened and who might be guilty.
I enjoyed this and will look to continue the series. 4 stars
12) Remarkably Bright Creatures Though 70 years old and not in need of money, Tova begins working the night shift at an aquarium in Washington state. She has recently lost her husband of 40 years and some 30 years ago, they lost their college-bound son in mysterious circumstances, so she is doing something to get out of the house. One of the captives of the aquarium is Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus. Marcellus is an escape artist and also very perceptive. He knows his days are numbered and when he learns something of how Tova’s son died, he wants to make sure she finds out before it’s too late. At first, I couldn’t understand why the hold list was so long at our library for this. I thought, “well, it’s good but that good?” Still, I greatly enjoyed it, and in the end, I even got a little teary-eyed.
I kind of want to read The Stolen Heir too. I really loved the The Folk of the Air trilogy so much. I've heard so many good things about Remarkably Bright Creatures too. :-)
I'm on the waiting list for Remarkably Bright Creatures too :-)158 copies and 13 weeks wait!!!!
Lea wrote: "I kind of want to read The Stolen Heir too. I really loved the The Folk of the Air trilogy so much. I've heard so many good things about Remarkably Bright Creatures too. :-)"Since you loved The Folk of the Air, you will probably like it. I'm probably going to want to reread it next year though. Not that that is a bad thing.
On The Same Page
Books mentioned in this topic
The Invisible Hour (other topics)Everyone Here Is Lying (other topics)
The Little Italian Hotel (other topics)
The Cheat Sheet (other topics)
The Searcher (other topics)
More...
Total Books:
1) The Message of Exodus: The Days of Our Pilgrimage finished 1/3; 5 stars
2) Murder on the Red River; audio; finished 1/6; 3 stars
3) The Red Lotus finished 1/6; 3 stars
4) Klara and the Sun finished 1/9; 3 stars
5) A Great Reckoning finished 1/10; 4 stars
6) The Mermaid of Black Conch finished 1/12; 5 stars
7) Nora Goes Off Script finished 1/13; 5 stars
8) Conversations with Birds finished 1/17; 3 stars
9) Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow finished 1/21; 4.5 stars
10) The Shadow of Memory finished 1/22; 4 stars
11) Runaway: Stories finished 1/23; 4 stars
12) The Book of Cold Cases finished 1/25; 2 stars
13) A Stroke of Malice finished 1/27; 4 stars
14) Abide with Me finished 1/28; 4 stars
15) Flying Solo finished 1/30; 3.5 stars
16) The Poet's House finished 2/1; 4 stars
17) The Bangalore Detectives Club finished 2/3; 4 stars
18) Woman, Watching: Louise de Kiriline Lawrence and the Songbirds of Pimisi Bay finished 2/5; 5 stars
19) Strange Weather in Tokyo finished 2/7; 4 stars
20) The Postscript Murders finished 2/10; 4 stars
21) Parnassus on Wheels finished 2/13; 4 stars
22) Harlem Shuffle finished 2/13; 3 stars
23) I Was Told It Would Get Easier finished 2/18; 4 stars
24) The Stolen Heir finished 2/19; 4.5 stars
25) The Daughter of Doctor Moreau finished 2/20; 3 stars
26) The Unquiet Bones finished 2/23; 4 stars
27) Remarkably Bright Creatures finished 2/26; 4 stars
28) Beautiful World, Where Are You finished 3/2; 4 stars
29) The It Girl finished 3/6; 5 stars
30) Wish You Were Here finished 3/12; 4 stars
31) By the Book finished 3/13; 4 stars
32) The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise finished 3/17; 4 stars
33) Otter Country: In Search of the Wild Otter finished 3/22; 4 stars
34) The Forgotten Kingdom finished 3/18; 4 stars
35) The Pericles Commission finished 3/23; 4 stars
36) The Diamond Eye finished 3/25; 4 stars
37) The Lake finished 3/27; 4 stars
38) Seven Days in June finished 3/28; 3 stars
39) The Hidden Palace finished 3/29; 5 stars
40) The People We Keep finished 4/5; 3 stars
41) The Lantern Men finished 4/6; 3 stars
42) The Sentence finished 4/9; 3 stars
43) Deed of Murder finished 4/9; 4 stars
44) The Vacationers finished 4/13' 3 stars
45) The Blackhouse finished 4/13; 2 stars
46) A Treacherous Curse finished 4/18; 4 stars
47) A Flicker in the Dark finished 4/20; 4 stars
48) Where the Rhythm Takes You finished 4/25; 4 stars
49) John: Jesus - the Word, the Messiah, the Son of God; finished 5/1; 4 stars
50) The Secrets of Hartwood Hall finished 5/4; 4 stars
51) The Lincoln Highway finished 5/7; 5 stars
52) The Night Portrait finished 5/3; 4 stars
53) The Story of a New Name finished 5/10; 4 stars
54) Slow Birding: The Art and Science of Enjoying the Birds in Your Own Backyard finished 5/11; 3 stars
55) The Autumn Throne finished 5/14; 4 stars
56) The Ice Garden finished 5/17; 3 stars
57) The Golden Spoon finished 5/19; 5 stars
58) Hungry Ghosts finished 5/21; 3 stars
59) Journey Under the Midnight Sun finished 5/22; 5 stars
60) The Bodyguard finished 5/26; 4 stars
61) Homegoing finished 5/28; 5 stars
62) The Sentence is Death finished 5/31; 4 stars
63) Marple: Twelve New Mysteries finished 6/2; 4 stars
64) The Devil's Cave finished 6/2; 4 stars
65) Paper Names finished 6/4; 4 stars
66) Bryony and Roses finished 6/6; 4 stars
67) The Missing Treasures of Amy Ashton finished 6/10; 5 stars
68) Stars Over Sunset Boulevard finished 6/10; 4 stars
69) After You'd Gone finished 6/11; 4 stars
70) Huevos verdes con jamón (Green Eggs and Ham Spanish Edition) (Beginner Books finished 6/13; 5 stars
71) Treacherous Strand finished 6/18; 4 stars
72) Small Admissions finished 6/20; 5 stars
73) The Angel's Game finished 6/23; 4 stars
74) Glass Houses finished 6/25; 4 stars
75) Other Birds finished 6/27; 4 stars
76) Symphony of Secrets finished 6/29; 5 stars
77) A Bitter Feast finished 7/4; 5 stars
78) Death at Greenway finished 7/7; 3 stars
79) Her Name Is Rose finished 7/8; 4 stars
80) Life After Life finished 7/13; 5 stars
81) The Layover finished 7/15; 4 stars
82) A Wing and a Prayer: The Race to Save Our Vanishing Birds finished 7/16; 4 stars
83) Sweet Bean Paste finished 7/16; 3 stars
84) Shield of Thunder finished 7/22; 4 stars
85) Once Upon a Wardrobe finished 7/23; 4 stars
86) Beaches finished 7/24; 4 stars
87) Weyward finished 7/26; 4 stars