DeltaQueen's 2024 Tea Party - Part 5

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Welcome to my 5th Tea Party Thread. It seems that the older one gets, the faster the time flies by! I have been reading and enjoying my Tea Party Challenge and now that August is here, I can turn my thoughts toward autumn, cooler weather and filling up my categories.

Please make yourself at home, get comfy and let’s have some chats about books or any other “friendly” subject.

2024 Tickers





Links

September TIOLI Challenge

Reading Through Time

1,001 Books Thread

Categories:

1. High Tea – This elegant and classic tea event is the perfect place to house my 1,001 reads.

2. Imported Teas – Oolong, Chai, Mint, Sencha and Rosibos Teas are all examples of teas from around the world. This is where I will place my global reading – books with a global setting or written by an author from a country other than Canada, America or the United Kingdom.

3. Boston Tea Party – This famous historical event is the perfect name for my historical fiction category as decided by the Reading Thru Time Challenge Themes.

4. Polly Put the Kettle On – Is making tea only a woman’s job? Not hardly. I will list books by female authors here.

5. Tea For Two - As the song says, twosomes are made for romance so this spot will be for romance fiction

6. A Cup of Tea Will Solve it - This sounds exactly like what Miss Marple would say, so this is where I will place my vintage mysteries

7. Badly Made Tea Is A Criminal Offense - A well made cup of tea is a matter of pride. Many tea lovers declare that tea that is too milky or too watery is a criminal offence. This sounds like a good place for crime and mystery stories.

8. One Lump or Two – Hopefully it won’t come to fisticuffs but this sounds like the perfect place to list my crime series and police procedurals.

9. Mad Hatter’s Tea Party - Where else would I place my fantasy reading?

10. The Dregs - Most people look away from the dark and gritty remains in the bottom of the cup, personally I like dark and gritty so this is where I will place my horror and darker reading.

11. The Formula For Your Cuppa – Is there a perfect scientific formula for a cup of tea? We can only hope so. This will be where I place my science fiction reading.

12. Mul-Tea-Tasking – My idea of multitasking is a cup of tea, a cookie (or two), and a good book! One of my reading tasks this year is going to be ensuring that I am reading the Kindle Unlimited books that I borrow in a timely fashion and I will place those reads here.

13. Cup or Mug? It’s great to have choices and that’s exactly what you get at the library. This will be where I place a selection of library books.

14. My Cup Runneth Over - I always need a place for extras

My Various 2024 Reading Challenges

I will be allowing myself a certain amount of overlap with my various challenges and I will only participate in the Cats/Kits if I currently have a book that fits.

1. Rainbow Reading Challenge – 12 prompts

2. Personal Reading Challenge – 40 prompts

3. Category Challenge Bingo – 25 prompts

4. AlphaKit

5. CalendarCat

6. RandomKit

7. SFFKit

8. MysteryKit

9. ScaredyKit

10. Reading Through Time Monthly Challenges

11. TIOLI Challenges – I participate in these challenges that are posted monthly at the 75 Challenge

2024 Bingo



1. Food or Cooking: Miss Cecily's Recipes for Exceptional Ladies by Vicky Zimmerman
2. Ugly Cover: Mouse and Dragon by Sharon Lee
3. Only Title and Author on Cover: The Trees by Percival Everett
4. Featuring Twins: Cassandra At the Wedding by Dorothy Baker
5. Topic Which You Have Specific Knowledge: The Typewriter Girl by Alison Atlee
6. Published in a Year Ending in 24: 49 Miles Alone by Natalie D. Richards
7. Epistolary or Diary: The Which Way Tree by Elizabeth Crook
8. "Big" or "Little" in Title: Little Shop of Found Things by Paula Brackston
9. Book From an "LT Similar" Library: The Witch Elm by Tana French
10. About Friendship: The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
11. Three Word Title: Race the Sands by Sarah Beth Durst
12. Paper Based Item in Plot: The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman
13. Read A Cat: Providence by Max Barry
14. Short Story Collection: The Fabulous Mrs. V by H. E. Bates
15. Person's Name in Title: Mrs. March by Virginia Feito
16. Set in a City: Girl on the Stairs by Louise Welsh
17. Less Than 100 Copies Listed on LT: Escape of the Amethyst by C. E. Lucas Phillips
18. POC author: Citizens Creek by Lalita Tademy
19. Author 65 or older: Third Girl by Agatha Christie
20. Featuring Water: Island of Sea Women by Lisa See
21. Warriors or Mercenaries: A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie
22. Reread a Favorite Book: The Black Stallion by Walter Farley
23. Written in another Cultural Tradition
24. Set in Multiple Countries: When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr
25. Current or Recent Bestseller: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

2024 Rainbow Reading Challenge

Based on the colors of the Rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo & violet) plus shades of black/white, grey, brown/sepia and pink. Each month a different color will be chosen and I will read a book where the cover reflects the chosen color. I have added a twelfth for December, that of Christmas colors – a festive combination of holiday colors.

Month - Color - Book

January - Black/White: A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie
February - Red: Providence by Max Barry
March - Green: Citizens Creek by Lalita Tademy
April - Yellow: Miss Cecily's Recipes for Exceptional Ladies by Vicky Zimmerman
May - Indigo: The Last List of Mabel Beaumont by Laura Pearson
June - Pink: Two of a Kind by Sasha Cottman
July - Violet: Phantom Lady by Cornell Woolrich
August - Brown/Sepia: Salt Creek by Lucy Treloar
September - Blue: Snow Angel by Mary Balogh
October - Orange
November - Grey
December - Festive Colors

2024 Personal Reading Challenge - Completed

1. Cover shows a large body of water: The Sea Gate by Jane Johnson
2. Award Nominated: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
3. A Memoir: Forever Young by Hayley Mills
4. The sun is shown on the cover: Day Zero by C. Robert Cargill
5. Set in the 1950s: The Incredible Shrinking Man by Richard Matheson
6. Set on an Island: The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See
7. A book with snow on the cover: A Winter Away by Elizabeth Fair
8. A book by an author that you have read once before: Anna by Niccolo Ammaniti
9. A book about or with Royalty: The Queen's Secret by Karin Harper
10. An audio book: The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary
11. A new-to-you author: She Rides Shotgun by Jordan Harper
12. A book that has been translated: Garden of the Finzi-Continis by Giorgio Bassani
13. A book set in Scotland: All That's Dead by Stuart MacBride
14. A book that is fairy-tale inspired: Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher
15. Flowers are on the cover: Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust
16. A book that is longer than 400 pages: The Bee Sting by Paul Murray
17. A book that is shorter than 200 pages: Mojave Crossing by Louis L'Amour
18. Part of a trilogy: The Little Shop of Found Things by Paula Brackston
19. A book that was a book bullet: The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts
20. Set in the American south: The Tilted World by Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly
21. A historical fantasy novel: A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie
22. A science fiction novel: Columbus Day by Craig Alanson
23. Set in Africa: Fever by Deon Meyer
24. A collection of short stories: The Fabulous Mrs. V by H. E. Bates
25. A book by an Australian author: Snapshot by Garry Disher
26. A Romance story: A Scandal in Spring by Lisa Kleypas
27. A Survival story: Devils Unto Dust by Emma Berquist
28. A Horror story: Empty Bodies by Zach Bohannon
29. Character wearing a hat is on the cover: Angels of the Pacific by Elise Hooper
30. A Color in the title: Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara
31. A Family saga: Citizens Creek by Lalita Tademy
32. A mystery/crime novel written by a woman: Water Like A Stone by Deborah Crombie
33. An animal is on the cover: Destry Rides Again by Max Brand
34. Written by an indigenous Author: Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson
35. Dystopian fiction: The Savage Boy by Nick Cole
36. Title Consists of a Name: Fay by Larry Brown
37. Cover is mostly sky: Palisades Park by Alan Brennert
38. In the style of “Fact-ion”: Strangers in the Night by Heather Webb
39. A book you’ve had far too long: High Midnight by Stuart Kaminsky
40. Set in Asia: Island of a Thousand Mirrors by Nayomi Munaweera

2024 AlphaKit



A January: A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie
B June: The Fabulous Mrs. V by H. E. Bates
C September: The Savage Boy by Nick Cole
D October:
E February: The Solace of Open Spaces by Gretel Ehrlich
F February: A Winter Away by Elizabeth Fair
G August: Grimm Up North by David Gatward
H March: Undead With Benefits by Jeff Hart
I July: Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls
J June: Exit Pursued by a Bear by E. K. Johnston
K December:
L November:
M August: All That's Dead by Stuart MacBride
N May: Falling by T. J. Newman
O April: The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary
P May: The Last List of Mabel Beaumont by Laura Pearson
Q December:
R March: The Fairacre Festival by Miss Read
S July: The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See
T October:
U April: In The Blood by Lisa Unger
V September: Hollow Beasts by Alisa Lynn Valdes
W November:
Y January: Speak For The Dead by Margaret Yorke

High Tea: 1,001 Books List



Books Read

1. The Birds by Tarjei Vesaas - 5.0 ★
2. The Garden of the Finzi-Continis - 3.8 ★
3. Perfume: The Story of A Murderer by Patrick Suskind - 4.0 ★
4. Spring Torrents by Ivan Turgenev - 3.3 ★
5. The Razor's Edge by W. Somerset Maugham - 4.0 ★
6. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams - 3.7 ★
7. The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene - 4.0 ★
8. Under Fire by Henri Barbusse - 4.0 ★
9. Sexing the Cherry by Jeanette Winterson - 2.0 ★

Imported Tea: Global Reading



Books Read

1. The Sandcastle Girls (Syria) by Chris Bohjalian - 3.5 ★
2. Against the Loveless World (Palestine) by Susan Abulhawa - 3.7 ★
3. Island of a Thousand Mirrors (Sri Lanka) by Nayomi Munaweera - 4.3 ★
4. Hunt for the Bamboo Rat (Philippines) by Graham Salisbury - 4.2 ★
5. Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line (India) by Deepa Anappara - 4.2 ★
6. Fever by Deon Meyer (South Africa) by Deon Meyer - 4.0 ★
7. The Cavalier of the Apocalypse (France) by Susanne Alleyn - 4.2 ★
8. Salt Creek (Australia) by Lucy Treloar - 4.1 ★
9. The Spider-King's Daughter (Nigeria) by Chibundu Onuzo - 3.6 ★
10. Anna (Sicily) by Niccolo Ammaniti - 3.7 ★
11. The Abominable Man by Maj Sjowall & Per Wahloo - 4.0 ★

Boston Tea Party: Historical Fiction



Books Read

1. The Sea Gate by Jane Johnson - 4.1 ★
2. Three Hours in Paris by Cara Black - 2.8 ★
3. The Which Way Tree by Elizabeth Crook - 4.5 ★
4. Escape of the Amethyst by C.E. Lucas Phillips - 3.5 ★
5. Dead Mountain by Donnie Eichar - 4.0 ★
6. The Fever Tree by Jennifer McVeigh - 4.5 ★
7. Moloka'i by Alan Brennert - 4.5 ★
8. Snipe Hunt by David Allin - 4.0 ★
9. The Tiger Queens by Stephanie Thornton - 4.5 ★
10. Sentinels of Fire by P. T. Deutermann - 3.8 ★
11. Palisades Park by Alan Brennert - 4.1 ★
13. The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See - 3.8 ★
14. Angels of the Pacific by Elise Hooper - 4.2 ★
15. The Queen's Secret by Karen Harper - 3.7 ★

Polly Put the Kettle On: Female Authors



Books Read

1. The Typewriter Girl by Alison Atlee - 3.5 ★
2. The Red Garden by Alice Hoffman - 4.0 ★
3. A Winter Away by Elizabeth Fair - 3.0 ★
4. Red Hair by Elinor Glyn - 3.0 ★
5. Lady-in-Waiting by Anne Glenconner - 4.0 ★
6. The Witch Elm by Tana French - 3.6 ★
7. Forever Young by Hayley Mills - 4.2 ★
8. Atomic Family by Ciera Horton McElroy - 4.0 ★
9. Falling by T. J. Newman - 4.1 ★
10. Uprising by Margaret Peterson Haddix - 4.0 ★
11. Exit Pursued by a Bear by E. K. Johnston - 3.7 ★
12. Grand Ambition by Lisa Michaels - 3.8 ★
13. The Ice Cream Queen of Orchard Street by Sarah Jane Gilman - 4.0 ★
14. Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls - 3.6 ★
15. 49 Miles Alone by Natalie D. Richards - 3.4 ★
16. Emily Davis by Miss Read - 4.0 ★
17. When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr - 4.5 ★

Tea for Two: Romance



Books Read

1. Salt Bride by Lucinda Brant - 3.7 ★
2. Sally-Ann by Susan Scarlett - 4.0 ★
3. A Scandal in Spring by Lisa Kleypas - 3.7 ★
4. The Dressmaker's Gift by Fiona Valpy - 3.7 ★
5. Bright Day Dawning by Anna Jacobs - 3.4 ★
6. Miss Cecily's Recipes for Exceptional Ladies by Vicky Zimmerman - 4.2 ★
7. The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary - 4.5 ★
8. Two of a Kind by Sasha Cottman - 3.6 ★
9. The Diamond of London by Andrea Penrose - 4.0 ★
10. Miss Buncle's Book by D. E. Stevenson - 4.3 ★
11. Snow Angel by Mary Balogh - 3.7 ★

A Cup of Tea Will Solve It: Vintage Mysteries



Books Read

1. Speak For The Dead by Margaret Yorke - 4.0 ★
2. Busman's Honeymoon by Dorothy Sayers - 4.5 ★
3. To Hunt a Killer by Julie MacKay - 4.0 ★
4. Third Girl by Agatha Christie - 3.3 ★
5. The Ginger Cat Mystery by Robin Forsythe - 2.4 ★
6. Devil Take the Blue-Tail Fly by John Franklin Bardin - 2.5 ★
7. The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman - 4.0 ★
8. Phantom Lady by Cornell Woolrich - 4.5 ★
9. The Lady Vanishes by Ethel Lina White - 5.0 ★
10. Hurricane by John D. MacDonald - 4.0 ★

Badly Made Tea is a Criminal Offense: Crime/Mystery



Books Read

1. After-Dinner Story by Cornell Woolrich - 4.0 ★
2. Fay by Larry Brown - 4.0 ★
3. The Girl on the Stairs by Louise Welsh - 4.2 ★
4. The Missing Place by Sophie Littlefield - 4.0 ★
5. In The Blood by Lisa Unger - 3.8 ★
6. She Rides Shotgun by Jordan Harper - 4.5 ★
7. The Wolf Wants In by Laura McHugh - 3.4 ★
8. Palm Beach Finland by Antti Tuomainen - 4.0 ★
9. The Tilted World by Tom Franklin & Beth Ann Fennelly - 4.0 ★
10. Beneath the Shadows by Sara Foster - 2.0 ★

One Lump or Two: Crime Series/Police Procedurals



Books Read

1. Insidious Intent by Val McDermid - 3.8 ★
2. From the Dead by Mark Billingham - 4.0 ★
3. High Midnight by Stuart Kaminsky - 3.8 ★
4. Chill Factor by Stuart Pawson - 3.8 ★
5. Dark Saturday by Nicci French - 4.1 ★
6. The Killing Room by Peter May - 4.2 ★
7. Even Dogs in the Wild by Ian Rankin - 4.2 ★
8. The Doll's House by M. J. Arlidge - 3.7 ★
9. Water Like A Stone by Deborah Crombie - 4.3 ★
10. Snapshot by Garry Disher - 4.0 ★
11. All That's Dead by Stuart MacBride - 4.2 ★
12. The Dead House by Harry Bingham - 4.2 ★
13. Force of Nature by Jane Harper - 3.4 ★

Mad Hatter's Tea Party: Fantasy



Books Read

1. A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie - 4.2 ★
2. Hero At the Fall by Alwyn Hamilton - 4.0 ★
3. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden - 4.3 ★
4. The Little Shop of Found Things by Paula Brackston - 4.2 ★
5. Penric's Demon by Lois McMaster Bujold - 4.0 ★
6. Race The Sands by Sarah Beth Durst - 4.5 ★
7. The Girl in Red by Christina Henry - 4.1 ★
8. Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust - 3.8 ★
9. Secrets of the Chocolate House by Paula Brackston - 4.0 ★
10. The Green Fairy Book by Andrew Lang - 3.8 ★

The Dregs: Horror



Books Read

1. Wanderers by Chuck Wendig - 4.0 ★
2. Devolution by Max Brooks - 4.2 ★
3. After Siege by Rhiannon Frater - 2.5 ★
4. Undead With Benefits by Jeff Hart - 3.4 ★
5. Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher - 4.2 ★
6. Hater by David Moody - 2.0 ★
7. The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow - DNF
8. Empty Bodies by Zach Bohannon - 3.8 ★
9. I Have No Mouth & I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison - 3.8 ★
10. Devils Unto Dust by Emma Berquist - 4.0 ★
11. The Savage Boy by Nick Cole - 4.0 ★
12. Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Hand - 3.8 ★

The Formula for Your Cuppa: Science Fiction



Books Read

1. Mouse and Dragon by Sharon Lee - 4.0 ★
2. Providence by Max Barry - 4.0 ★
3. The Incredible Shrinking Man by Richard Matheson - 4.0 ★
4. Stars Uncharted by S. K. Dunstall - 4.3 ★
5. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir - 5.0 ★
6. Day Zero by C. Robert Cargill - 4.0 ★
7. Tomorrow's Kin by Nancy Kress - 2.2 ★
8. The Post by Kevin Munoz - 3.7 ★

Mul-Tea-Tasking - Kindle Unlimited Books



Books Read

1. World Between by Sarah Lyons Fleming - 4.2 ★
2. The Solace of Open Spaces by Gretel Ehrlich - 4.0 ★
3. The Mugger by Ed McBain - 4.0 ★
4. Where the Lost Wander by Amy Harmon - 4.2 ★
5. World Without by Sarah Lyons Fleming - 4.5 ★
6. The Last List of Mabel Beaumont by Laura Pearson - 4.5 ★
7. Salt Redux by Lucinda Brant - 3.6 ★
8. Columbus Day by Craig Alanson - 3.6 ★
9. World Undone by Sarah Lyons Fleming - 4.5 ★
10. Grimm Up North by David Gatward - 3.7 ★
11. Hollow Beasts by Alisa Lynn Valdes - 4.0 ★

Cup or Mug: Library



Books Read

1. Mrs. March by Virginia Feito - 4.0 ★
2. The Beautiful Dead by Belinda Bauer - 3.8 ★
3. The Fur Person by May Sarton - 4.0 ★
4. Citizens Creek by Lalita Tademy - 4.2 ★
5. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus - 3.8 ★
6. The Bear by Andrew Krivak - 5.0 ★
7. Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Standal - 4.1 ★
8. The Fabulous Mrs. V by H. E. Bates - 3.8 ★
9. Strangers in the Night by Heather Webb - 4.0 ★
10. The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts - 4.3 ★
11. Yours Cheerfully by AJ Pearce - 4.1 ★

My Cup Runneth Over: Extras



Books Read

1. Cassandra At the Wedding by Dorothy Baker - 4.0 ★
2. The Bee Sting by Paul Murray - 4.5 ★
3. Fairy Water by Charlotte Riddell - 3.2 ★
4. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate - 5.0 ★
5. Mojave Crossing by Louis L'Amour - 3.6 ★
6. The Fairacre Festival by Miss Read - 4.0 ★
7. Destry Rides Again by Max Brand - 3.3 ★
8. Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson - 4.2 ★
9. Errol Flynn Slept Here by Robert Marzen & Michael Mazzone - 3.3 ★
10. Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid - 4.5 ★
11. The Memory of an Elephant by Alex Lasker - 5.0 ★
12. The Black Stallion by Walter Farley - 3.6 ★
13. The Trees by Percival Everett - 4.5 ★

2024 Hosting



March - SFFKit: Space Opera
April - MysteryKit: Series
May - Calendar Cat: May
June - RandomKit: Initals
July - ScaredyKit: The Corporeal Undead (Zombies, Vampires, Mummies, Ghouls)
September - Reading Through Time: Royal to the Bone

Book Number 129

The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts - 4.3 ★
Category: Cup or Mug
2024 Reading Challenge: A Book Bullet
August CalendarCat: American Adventure Month



I thoroughly enjoyed The Ride of Her Life by Elizbeth Letts as she tells the story of Annie Wilkens who at age 63, mounts her horse, Tarzan, gathers up her little dog Depesh Toi and sets out from Maine to California. It was 1954 and with very little money, planning or supplies, this impossible journey seemed to Annie like the best way to spend the last two years that the doctor had given her. Instead of moving into the county charity home, she kept her independence and set out to cross some 4,000 miles to the other side of America.

Along the way she relied on the kindness of strangers and even some celebrities of the day such as Groucho Marx, Art Linkletter and artist Andrew Wyeth. Annie set out each day to travel “just along the road” and faced all types of weather conditions and situations as she steadfastly worked toward her destination. Annie believed in herself and the goodness of others as she proved to all her incredible bravery in this, her inspiring story.

The Ride of Her Life is a feel-good true story about the adventure of a life time. The author used Annie’s journals, newspaper clippings and eye witness accounts to tell this fascinating story that also details some of the many changes that America was facing in the 1950s as the rural was giving way to the urban and people were starting to rely upon machinery and technology more every day.

Happy new thread. I love the calmness of the images in your thread topper. Feels very sit down and relax with a nice cup of tea.

up thread we were talking about a boy and his dog great book tho there are some very uncomfortable parts. It was a passable film, which I liked; remember a bunch of my dorm mates and I watching it and not really sure what to think

Happy new thread, Judy. I so enjoy reading through your tea party prompts. Yours has to be the most creative thread. I imagine you are already thinking of themes for 2025?

Happy new thread. I enjoyed revisiting the lovely teas.

Happy new thread, Judy. I'm looking forward to lots of BBs (as usual).

Happy New Thread! Beautiful topper pictures, I love the yellow hues. I'm typing this while having a cup of fennel tea.

Happy new thread Judy! I’m ready for autumn also. I’m sure you’ll hit me with some BB’s and I love the colors in your topper!

Happy new thread, Judy! I can't believe it's August already, but I won't start thinking of autumn until after our vacation. It's still iced tea for me.

Happy New Thread, Judy. Looks like your challenges are filling in nicely.

>25 DeltaQueen50: - I have this on my TBR pile and need to move it up.

>25 DeltaQueen50: Glad you enjoyed that one. Carrie, Meg, and I read it for our women's social history online book club.

Thanks to all my visitors for coming on over to my new thread.

To be sure, it is definitely still summer. I got to work early today and roasted up some nugget potatoes and have made a potato/turkey salad for dinner. It's now waiting in the fridge for some final touches. Now I can kick back and relax for the rest of the day (and, of course, that means plenty of reading!)

>26 Helenliz: I am actually sipping on a glass of iced tea right now. There is something about the tinkle of ice cubes against the glass that seems so cooling. Actually it is quite lovely here - about 24C degrees (76F degrees) so the only heat I am experiencing is the build up in the apartment - the temp. inside is around 28C (82F).

>27 cindydavid4: I have a feeling that Harlan Ellison enjoys putting some uncomfortable parts in all of his stories! ����

>28 BLBera: Welcome, Beth. I know it's early but yes, I have been thinking about next year and what my challenge is going to look like. Of course until I know all the Kits and Cats, it's pretty hard to plan much - just the basics.

>29 lowelibrary: I love looking at the beautifully decorated tea tables, tea with lemon is how my elder daughter takes tea so these pictures remind me of her.

>30 VivienneR: Hi Vivienne - I will try my best to supply some BB!

>31 MissBrangwen: & >32 lsh63: Hi Mirjam & Lisa, yellow and green are my favorite colors and for some reason August and yellow seem to go together well.

>33 MissWatson: I'm joining you with the iced tea, Birgit. We still have a lot of summer left even though the stores are already putting out their Fall decorations!

>34 dudes22: My challenge this year has worked out nicely. I bet you took the BB for Ride of Her Life from the same place as I did ...

>35 thornton37814: LOL! I credit the three of you with the book bullet for this book - it had all the ingredients I needed for a great read - a road trip, a feisty older woman, animals, and set in the 1950s.

Book Number 130

Salt Creek by Lucy Treloar - 4.1 ★
Category: Imported Tea
Rainbow Reading Challenge: Brown/Beige/Sepia tones
August TIOLI #3: Title consists of two or three words



Salt Creek by Lucy Treloar is a work of historical fiction. It is very well researched and gives the reader a clear picture on the treatment of the Australian indigenous people. During the 1830s when South Australia was established as a British province, the Colonists paid lip service to a commitment to protect and care for the rights and lands of the Indigenous Australians. In reality however, this commitment was mostly ignored. If the natives escaped genocide and forced removal, they often fell victim to disease, the fencing of lands, the protection of water rights and the steady erosion of their culture and language.

This book is the story of an English family’s attempts to establish a cattle farm in South Australia and the main character, Hester, paints a vivid picture of what life in this remote area was like as the book is based on her memories of that time. The family came to this area as the father, Stanton Finch, had fallen deep into debt due to his bad business decisions and he hoped to make good by working the land. The mother, Bridget, suffers from depression and her fear of the natives all-consuming. They meet a half English/half Aboriginal boy named Tully and welcome him into their home but learning the way of the English confuses Tully and he is torn between the Aboriginal way and the white way. The book goes on to show how the family’s fortunes undertook a downward spiral as their day to day life becomes more difficult.

Salt Creek is a debut novel and is beautifully written. My only problem is that the author obviously had done extensive research and wanted to cram in all the facts that she could which resulted in a rather uneven pace, too much detail and a lot of repetition. However both the characters of Hester and Tully kept me involved and eager to learn what was going to happen next. I believe that Salt Creek paints a very credible picture of what homesteading life was like and I was intrigued by this story.

Wow! Happy new thread indeed, and like others here, love the yellows and the lemons and all the nice colors of the August season. It's like somehow, at this time of the year, all of nature is getting ready for its explosion of color for fall. But not quite time, yet.

Look forward to seeing your reading adventures this quarter!

Happy new thread!
You've been hitting me with BBs. I've read maybe one Harlan Ellison story so far and need to dive in. Thanks for the reminder!

>36 DeltaQueen50: - I checked, and I took my BB for The Ride of Her Life from the library newsletter Book Pages. But I have seen it mentioned here.

>37 DeltaQueen50: Salt Creek is definitely a BB for me!

>38 threadnsong: Welcome, threadnsong. You are so right - there is still a lot of summer to come - and lots more summer reading!

>39 mstrust: I think you will enjoy Harlan Ellison's writing - he's weird and quirky - just the way we like 'em!

>40 dudes22: Ah, I thought that you most probably got hit by the reviews that were posted on LT. But of course good book have a way of surfacing in different places.

>41 MissBrangwen: I hope you enjoy Salt Creek when you get to it.

Book Number 131

Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust - 3.8 ★
Category: Mad Hatter's Tea Party
2024 Reading Challenge: Flowers on Cover
August TIOLI #3: Title consists of two or three words



Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust is a stand-alone YA fantasy story about Soraya, a cursed princess who is poisonous to the touch and so spends her life in the shadows, never welcomed, even by her own family. Her lonely existence has her yearning to be rid of the curse, no matter the cost, and she has a number of difficult decisions to make as she embarks on her journey of discovery.

The story reads like a Persian fairy tale and there are a number of plot twists and turns that I don’t want to give away so I have decided not to go into any significant details. The tone of the book is one of learning to balance hope and despair and whether power over others is worth the cost.

I found the first quarter of the book moved very slowly but once the story took off I became more invested in learning about Soraya’s choices and how everything was going to be resolved. I enjoyed how the author blended Persian culture with touches of magic in her world-building and although there was a hint of romance, this is mostly a story about one girl’s evolution and her choice of either turning to the light or entering the dark side of life.

Your challenge is so well organized! I'm jealous!;)

Happy New Thread, Judy. I hope those books are treating you fine.

Happy new thread! I liked the pictures at the top.

>44 Tess_W: I obviously have too much time on my hands!

>45 msf59: Hi Mark. Lots of good reading going on here. 😊

>46 hailelib: Thanks, Trisha.

Happy new thread! I am ready for Autumn, my favorite time of year.

I love the yellow and peach roses at the top of your thread, Judy.

>43 DeltaQueen50: Taking a BB for this one. I read my first Persian myth-related book this year and am interested in more of their stories.

>48 LadyoftheLodge: Not that I want to wish my life away - but I am ready for Autumn as well.

>49 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg. Apparently yellow roses symbolize friendship and joy which makes them the perfect color rose for LT!

>50 lowelibrary: I hope you enjoy Girl, Serpent, Thorn when you get to it.

You have been reading up a storm, Judy! I'm glad it's comfy up there--we've just had a string of 100+ (Fahrenheit) days.

Happy new thread, Judy! Love the roses and teacups theme you’ve got going!

A little late, but happy new thread Judy! I hope you and your family are keeping well.

>52 ronincats: Hi Roni, I've been a little neglectful in my visits but I will certainly be dropping by and seeing how everything is with you. Today is quite warm with the temp. in the 80s but over the next few days it is going to get cooler. 100 plus is not pleasant to even think about - I hope you are managing to stay cool somehow!

>53 Storeetllr: Thanks and welcome, Mary!

>54 Jackie_K: All are well here, Jackie. I hope the same is true for you and yours.

Book Number 132

All That's Dead by Stuart MacBride - 4.2 ★
Category: One Lump or Two
August AlphaKit: M
2024 Reading Challenge: Set in Scotland
August TIOLI #4: Author and I share a initial



All That’s Dead by Stuart MacBride is the 12th book in his Logan McRae series of police procedurals. In this one, Logan has just returned to work after a year recovering from injuries and he is assigned to Professional Standards. He is sent to oversee D.I. King’s handling of a case. Along with McRae, we find most of his previous underlings and associates, such as Tufty, Rennie and the hilarious ex-D. I. Steele, are also along to help out and while McRae is basically conscientious and competent, his work companions range from mildly eccentric to downright bizarre.

The case starts out as a hunt for a missing anti-nationalist professor. A large amount of blood has been found at his home but the police are uncertain as to whether he is dead or alive. All too soon a package is delivered to the BBC which contains the missing man’s hands. As the case continues to escalate, the police soon learn that there has been more than one victim taken.

As always I was happy to revisit McRae and his team of cohorts but I did feel that there was a sense of closure with this book. It seems that the author has completed this series, and he certainly did it with a bang as one atrocity was closely followed by another. I plan to continue to follow this author as he explores new avenues but as a faithful fan of the series, I will miss my visits with Logan McRae, but I do understand that the end is here as I can’t imagine that there could be much left to write about.

Book Number 133

The Lady Vanishes by Ethel Lina White - 5.0 ★
Category: A Cup Of Tea Will Solve It
August MysteryKit: Amateurs
August TIOLI #9: Zodiac Challenge



The Lady Vanishes by Ethel Lina White was a stellar read. It kept me on the edge of my seat, anxious for the characters both to find out what was going on and also to emerge from this adventure safely. I have seen the 1938 Alfred Hitchcock film many years ago so I had a vague idea of what was going to happen but there were changes that Hitchcock made, including changing the name from “The Wheel Spins” to "The Lady Vanishes”.

Socialite Iris Carr is coming home from her holidays in a remote corner of Europe, travelling alone as she got into a quarrel with one of her friends over a man. Unfortunately she suffers from too much sun as she waits for the train to arrive. She barely makes the train but is soon taken under the wing of another English woman, who gets her to eat and rest. When Iris wakes up, her friend, Miss Froy has disappeared and none of the other passengers will admit to ever seeing her. In fact many suspect that Iris is suffering from delusion brought on by her sunstoke while others are avoiding the truth in order not to get involved. Iris remains isolated in her mission to find Miss Froy and the claustrophobic setting of an express train, her lack of language skills and the overall sense of urgency adds to the pressure. By continuing to make inquiries, Iris has now put herself in danger as well.

It’s been awhile since a book has affected me as strongly as The Lady Vanishes did. The author did a fantastic job of setting the suspense and keeping up the tension. Of course there is a slight dated quality to the story by the inclusion of sinister foreign political elements and the strong message that it is only the English who are sensible, reliable and clever. Nevertheless, this is a classic mystery that continues to beguile it's readers today.

>57 DeltaQueen50: A stellar review about a stellar read! I immediately snatched it up for 1,25€ and downloaded it to my kindle!

>57 DeltaQueen50: Sounds great! I also just purchased on Kindle for $.99. Noticed there was a 1938 movie by the same name by Hitchcock. May watch that after I read the book!

Happy new thread, Judy! Once again I have wishlisted things at the elibrary :-) I was interested in your comments about Logan McRae book 12, too - maybe it really is the end of the series. I still have two or three to go.

>57 DeltaQueen50: - I grabbed it too. How could I resist a 5 star read.

>58 MissBrangwen: I hope you enjoy The Lady Vanishes as much as I did, Mirjam.

>59 Tess_W: I would like to watch that movie again as it has been years since I saw it. I do remember a few plot changes that Hitchcock made so now with the book fresh in my mind, it would be great to compare the two.

>60 susanj67: I'm wondering if there will be another Logan McRae book but this one was published in 2019 and there hasn't been one since so I suspect he's done with the series. The author did give this book a sense of closure so I am fine if it is the last one.

>61 dudes22: I really enjoyed The Lady Vanishes, Betty, and I hope you do as well.

Book Number 134

Under Fire by Henri Barbusse - 4.0 ★
Category: High Tea
August TIOLI #1: Title Begins with a Protypical Preposition



Published in 1916, Under Fire by Henri Barbusse was one of the first novels about World War I to be published. Although it is classed as fiction, it is based on the author’s experiences as a French soldier on the Western Front. The book captures the horror, disillusionment and brutality of trench warfare and it was awarded the Prix Goncourt in 1916.

This was not an easy read as it was filled with memorable images and incidents of savagery that were realistic and believable. As the war was still ongoing when the book was published, the author was aiming his book at the people on the home front, those that did not know what day-to-day life at the front was actually like. Barbusse’s raw emotions and gripping descriptions show that his war was a sharp contrast to those who were selling the war as glorious and honorable.

Under Fire was first published in serial form in a monthly literary journal that was not scrutinized heavily by wartime censors but nevertheless this work was received with mixed sentiments. Many felt that it was unpatriotic to speak so strongly about the conditions but Barbusse felt that it was important to show civilians what the day-to-day life of a solider was like. Personally, although the book is short I did find it was a slow but vivid read and can appreciate that Under Fire has become a classic anti-war novel.

>57 DeltaQueen50: I purchased it from Kindle as well. Hard to resist at $.99.

>64 hailelib: It's always handy to have a vintage mystery to pull out when you need one! I hope you enjoy it.

Hi Judy! My star came unglued around the start of this month (I blame scrolling on my phone), and I missed your move to a new thread. I came looking for you because you had seemed to be awfully quiet :) My bad!

Glad to be caught up now. As always, I enjoyed your reviews, even if I escaped the BBs.

>66 katiekrug: Hi Katie, I have been reading a lot and keeping my thread current but have found myself slacking off on staying up-to-date with everyone else. I expect when the weather cools down and I spend more time indoors, I will be on LT more.

>57 DeltaQueen50: I enjoyed both the book and the Hitchcock film of The Lady Vanishes. Excellent cast and plenty of light, comic interludes.

Some of the Golden Age crime writers who've been republished digitally should have stayed in obscurity, but Ethel Lina White is a good rediscovery.

>68 pamelad: Ethel Lina White is a great discovery! I enjoy reading some of the Golden Age authors but many of them serve as a good reminder why Agatha Christie was and is the Queen of the Crime Writers!

Book Number 135

World Undone by Sarah Lyons Fleming - 4.5 ★
Category: Mul-Tea-Tasking
August TIOLI #6: Book Was Published Within the Last Three Years



World Undone by Sara Lyons Fleming is the 4th book in her zombie apocalyptic series and I thought it was the final book of the series. To my surprise it ended with a cliffhanger and I am now anxiously awaiting the next book.

In this fourth outing we get to see our group of survivors relax and start to enjoy life again. They have plenty of food, have made solid friends with another group that live nearby and although still on guard and careful, are starting to make plans for the future. Unfortunately, they live in Oregon and zombies or not, one of the biggest dangers is wildfires. In this new world there are no ways to control or fight Mother Nature and the only course is flight. By the end of the book many are dead and the rest have been scattered and trying to figure out how to find their friends again. Of course fire is not the only problem, a huge zombie herd has worked it’s way up from South America and is steadily marching north across North America.

I am a huge fan of this author and her take on a zombie apocalypse. I have read her two previous series, but this one is my favorite and a great deal of the attraction is because she is writing about places that I know or have been. I am attached to these characters and enjoy the detailed survivor tactics that she includes in the story. Usually I am running behind in my series reading but with this one I am in the position of having to wait for the next book to come out. Hurry, Sara Lyons Fleming, hurry!

Book Number 136

Beneath the Shadows by Sara Foster - 2.0 ★
Category: Badly Made Tea is a Criminal Offsense
August TIOLI #1: Title starts with a protypical preposition



Since the beginning of the month I have been listening to an audio version of Beneath the Shadows by Sara Foster – and therein lies the problem. I never got fully absorbed by the story and was quite able to put it down and stop listening to it for a week at a time.

This book is a modern Gothic mystery and so there was a dark atmosphere, a hint of the paranormal, and a dash of romantic suspense with an intense and brooding leading man. The main character, Grace, has come back to North Yorkshire a year after her husband went for a walk one day and never returned. Grace is ready to sell the cottage and needs to clear it out. The police and Grace’s family believe that Adam ran off, but Grace believes he came to grief here as she believes in the love he had for her and their baby daughter. It soon becomes obvious that someone or something wants Grace gone and she becomes unnerved enough to plan to leave. A snowstorm delays her escape and her research starts to fall into place – but is it too late?

There were a few things that I found quite irritating about this story. There was a lot of harping on Grace to get on with her life and the general feeling that Adam ran away instead of running into trouble seemed forced and false. Also there was a lot of unexplained actions that made no sense except to increase the suspicion and distrust. The writing seemed a little chunky and heavy-handed and I think I might have abandoned it if I had been reading instead of listening. My final thoughts are that this was a flawed read and I should have simply skipped on to something else.

The Lady Vanishes looks like an interesting one and the Vancouver library has it but there is another hold ahead of mine. This book was published in 2001 so they must have released again at that time.

>72 Familyhistorian: I think since The Lady Vanishes gained a lot of popularity from the 1938 Hitchcock film, it has been re-published every few years. Originally it was released in 1936 under the name "The Wheel Spins" - Hitchcock changed it to The Lady Vanishes which is what we know it by today.

Book Number 137

Miss Buncle's Book by D. E. Stevenson - 4.3 ★
Category: Tea for Two
August Reading Thru Time: The Joy of Reading
August TIOLI #4: At least one of the author's initials match with mine



Miss Buncle’s Book by D. E. Stevenson was originally published in 1934 and introduces it’s readers to the quaint village of Silverstream and it’s inhabitants. While the residents go about their lives little do they suspect that soon all will be turned upside down by the publishing of a book. The book has been written in secret by Miss Buncle who drew her inspiration from the people who live in the village. The author is credited as “John Smith”.

Miss Buncle declares that she has no imagination so what she writes is pretty much the absolute truth and it isn’t always flattering to her subjects. As the villagers start to read the book many are shocked to see how they have been depicted so accurately and their secrets disclosed for all to read about. The hunt is on as they tear about looking for “John Smith” but Miss Buncle keeps her head down and avoids suspicion all the while working on a sequel. She comes into frequent contact with her considerate and clever publisher, Mr. Abbott, and by the end of the book wedding bells are ringing.

Miss Buncle’s Book was a charming, lightly humorous book that gives a huge nod to the power of the printed word. The author made sure that both the obnoxious characters and the kind characters got their just rewards. While not a story of passionate romances, we do end up following three new couples as they find each other and make plans to be together. I thoroughly enjoyed this gentle, absorbing book finding it wise, sweet and funny.

>74 DeltaQueen50: I MUST read this book as I was born in 1934, and my Scottish Mother came from a small village life.

>75 JoeB1934: I hope you enjoy Miss Buncle's Book when you get to it, Joe. It's a lovely, light read.

>74 DeltaQueen50: D. E. Stevenson is one of my favorite go-to authors, and I still have my older paperback versions of her books, this one among them.

>77 LadyoftheLodge: I can see why she would be a "go-to" author. I think I have just read one other book by her, but I certainly will be reading the sequels to Miss Buncle, and I have a couple of others by her as well.

>56 DeltaQueen50: I'm a fan of Stuart MacBride but I have a way to go before I get to this one.

>57 DeltaQueen50: I had Lina White's book on my wishlist until I saw a performance on the small screen. I don't think it was Hitchcock's version but it was so silly that I took the book off my wishlist. After reading your review I may rethink that.

Book Number 138

Grimm Up North by David Gatward - 3.7 ★
Category: Mul-Tea-Tasking
August AlphaKit: G
August TIOLI #3: Title Consists of 2 or 3 Words



Grimm Up North by David Gatward is the first book in his police procedural series that features DCI Harry Grimm. As a punishment of sorts, Harry Grimm is sent away from Bristol to the far reaches of the Yorkshire Dales. Harry is accustomed to city life and sounds and the rural Dales has him wondering if he will now be chasing sheep rustlers but he needn’t have worried as a murder occurs on his second day.

The battered body of Martha Hodgson, whom Harry had met earlier in the day when her teenage daughter was reported missing, has turned up by the side of a lake. It doesn’t take long before Harry and his team have a suspect but unfortunately the facts just aren’t fitting together. It becomes a race against time for Harry to figure out who the actual murderer is.

I enjoyed Grimm Up North even though I did find the story rather simple. As the first book there was a certain amount of characters to introduce and the setting to be filled in which the author did in a seamless manner. A lot of humor was used, mostly that of a city boy being introduced to country ways, that helped to move the story along. Grimm has been given an interesting back story that I am sure will be touched on in future books. The setting of the Yorkshire Dales and the quaint village is a big plus and I am planning on continuing on with the series as I expect there will be some refinements and improvements added as the author develops the story.

>80 DeltaQueen50: That sounds like something I might like, especially because of the setting.

>74 DeltaQueen50: Taking a BB for this one. I like a light read now and then.

>57 DeltaQueen50: Thank you for your review and for clearing up the mystery of what makes "The Lady Vanishes" so very intriguing for so many years. I'm a fan of Hitchcock but it doesn't sound like I've seen this movie. Something to look forward to, either in the cinema (we do have art houses around) or on the printed page.

>74 DeltaQueen50: Also sounds very intriguing and a good fun read.

I also loved Miss Buncle's Book, Judy. Great comments.

>79 VivienneR: I know that Hitchcock did change a few things from the book to make it more exciting and perhaps the film that you saw did as well. I really enjoyed The Lady Vanishes and I hope that you do as well.

I am planning on reading Stuart MacBride's stand alone crime stories, I see he has a few and that hopefully will give me my "fix" on this author for the next little while.

>81 MissBrangwen: I love books that are set in Yorkshire so I will add David Gatward to my list that already includes Peter Robinson (sadly missed) and Stuart Pawson.

>82 lowelibrary: British villages are another weakness of mine. I think I can safely say that Miss Buncle's Book will bring a smile to your face.

>83 threadnsong: "The Lady Vanishes" is an early Hitchcock film and was made while he was still living in England. It is certainly well worth searching out.

>84 BLBera: Thanks, Beth. This is another book that has been sitting on my shelf for years before I got around to it.

Book Number 139

The Post by Kevin Munoz - 3.7 ★
Category: The formula for your cuppa
August SFFKit: Paranormal Detectives
August TIOLI #3: Title consists of two or three words



The Post by Kevin Munoz is a combination of two genres being both a science fiction novel and a mystery. It is 10 years after the apocalypse that caused the world’s oil supply to go bad and a pandemic disease to affect the majority of the population. What’s left are some humans and a great deal of hollow-heads who were formerly human but now are predators that hunt the living for food.

Sam Edison is the sheriff for Five Points a fenced and guarded community. Two people show up at the gates, a young man and his pregnant and abused companion seeking security and safety. Unfortunately they are murdered within days of arriving and Sam must hunt down the killers. Then to make things even worse, the daughter of the mayor, Phoebe, is kidnapped. The author keeps things lively with numerous battles against the hollow-heads but as she uncovers a human trafficking ring with connections to people in the community the story turns even darker.

The Post is a strange and violent story. The author’s world building was interesting and he described the small, struggling community and it’s efforts to survive in a realistic manner. There was plenty of action but I did find the writing was a bit uneven and Sam’s tendency to fall into brooding about the past was distracting and her motivations were not always clear. Of course, it is not easy to bring order to a world that’s lost and these survivors have a lot to deal with. As always in these types of books, the living are worse than the un-dead.

Hi, Judy! Hope you’re having a lovely Sunday.

>87 DeltaQueen50: I’m putting this one on my Spooktober list.

>88 Storeetllr: Hi Mary, this year is moving along so quickly - October is just around the corner! I'm going to have to set some scary books aside for Spooktober as well.

Book Number 140

The Black Stallion by Walter Farley - 3.6 ★
Category: My Cup Runneth Over
Bingo: Re-read a favorite book
August TIOLI #8: Anita's Memorial - 1940s & 50s



I wasn’t particularly into horses when I was a girl, my bookshelves were for Anne of Green Gables, Little Women and Little House on the Prairie, but my sister was and so I also got to read books like My Friend Flicka, Black Beauty and The Black Stallion. I remember loving The Black Stallion by Walter Farley and now having just re-read it I can see the appeal of the book although, for me, the story didn’t really hold up.

The book was originally published in 1941 and starts off as a great adventure as the main character, a boy called Alec, and a beautiful horse survive a ship wreak, spend some time on a deserted island and then are rescued. For me, once Alec and “The Black” are back home in New York State and racing becomes the aim, the story becomes contrived with everything falling into place a little too easily to be fully believable. Of course this book is not aimed at adults but at children, and so, I suspect that it’s appeal to those of a young age still holds.

The author certainly gives this majestic horse the fierceness, strength and intelligence that makes him unique, but I rather suspect that if this story was written more recently, the friendship between the boy and the horse would lead him to be set free somewhere where he could live the live of a wild horse. Nevertheless, it was nice to revisit this childhood favorite.

>90 DeltaQueen50: You might like to read King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry. I am not a big horse fan (unless it is the Kentucky Derby) but some of my girlfriends were horse-crazy when we were growing up. I also read Airs Above the Ground many years ago, and that was how I learned about the Royal Lipizzaner stallions.

>91 LadyoftheLodge: My sisters' horsey books also included King of the Wind and I gobbled all of Mary Stewart's books when I was in my teens. I do remember loving both of those books.

Book Number 141

Secrets of the Chocolate House by Paula Brackston - 4.0 ★
Category: The Mad Hatter's Tea Party
August TIOLI #10: The Words "House" or "Home" are in the Title



Secrets of the Chocolate House by Paula Brackston is the second novel in her time-travel series entitled “Found Things”. Rather than a full on fantasy, I would class these books as magical realism as the only unusual thing is the time travel that some of the characters are capable of. In this outing, we find Xanthe trying to settle back into her regular life with her Mother at the antique store. But she comes across an antique chocolate pot which sings out to her and she also has a vision of Samuel back in the 17th century, but in mortal danger. She knows that she must return and ensure his safety.

On this trip she learns more about her abilities and that she isn’t alone, there are others who are “spinners” capable of travelling through time. She meets a dangerous adversary in Benedict Fairfax, another time spinner, but one that isn’t interested in helping others but instead wants power and control for himself. He sees that having Xanthe at his side would greatly benefit himself and although she is able to get the better of him this time, we are sure he will be back.

There is a lot to like with this series but I would suggest that it be read in order as the story continues from one book to another. A lot of my questions about the purpose of Xanthe’s time travel have been answered in this book, but I still have more and I am hopeful that the next books will fill in the blanks. While this episode was completed to my satisfaction, there are also hints as to what is coming. There are some interesting relationships to develop, situations to be resolved and a strong, independent heroine to follow across the centuries so I am looking forward to the next book.

Happy Wednesday, Judy. Just checking in. You seem to be having a good time with the books. I have avoided catching any BBs, which is fine, since I am never short of reading material.

>94 msf59: Hi Mark, not getting hit with BBs is a plus when one has more books than they will ever get time to read. I have been reading a lot yet still feel like I have barely made a dent in the piles of books I have.

Book Number 142

The Trees by Percival Everett - 4.5 ★
Category: My Cup Runneth Over
Bingo: Nothing on the cover but the title and the author's name
August TIOLI #12: Author is nominated for a 2024 Booker Prize



The Trees by Percival Everett is a hard-hitting novel that grabs the reader and doesn’t let go until the last page. It is set predominantly in the small town of Money, Mississippi and is based on the 1955 killing of a young black boy, Emmett Till, aged 14. Carolyn Bryant declared that Emmett flirted or spoke sexually toward her and three days later, he was dead and within months his killers were acquitted.

Fast forward to 2018, Trump is in the White House playing up to his base and trying to make America great again for white people. When a series of gruesome murders occur in Money, Mississippi, all identical with each white victim related to the killers of Emmett Till. Then to make things even stranger, the black body found at each site disappears and reappears at each new murder. Suddenly, these revenge murders spread and are taking place in just about all states. Law enforcement are completely confused and we, the readers, realize we are reading a cleverly plotted racial allegory.

I loved The Trees and admire the author who excelled in keeping a fine line between comedy and tragedy, past and present, mystery and history. Like all good satires he defined his characters so we, the audience knew exactly what was happening. The residents of Money, Mississippi were caricatures of overweight, rural, bigoted simpletons, the two black detectives that were sent from the “big” city were slick, cynical and seemed like they belonged on television. While most of the story verges on farce, when it came to listing the actual victims of the past, the book was dead serious.

>96 DeltaQueen50: I read Erasure by him and was sure there was a moral in there, I just wasn't sure what the message I was supposed to be taking home was. I see the library has this, I might give him another go.

>96 DeltaQueen50: - I've been meaning to read this for a while now. Gah. So many books!

>97 Helenliz: - I haven't read Erasure, Helen, but the film adptation of it, called 'American Fiction,' was very good and worth seeking out.

>97 Helenliz: I haven't read anything else by this author although I will be looking for his latest book, James which is getting a lot of attention right now.

>98 katiekrug: I love books that surprise me and this one sure did - I think you will like it as well, Katie.

>96 DeltaQueen50: That book has stayed with me since I read it right after it came out. It was both horrifying and funny, which is a difficult thing to pull off.

>96 DeltaQueen50: I am sure I will enjoy this when I get to it. Taking a BB.

>96 DeltaQueen50: I've read much NF about Till, but not a work of fiction. Definitely going in search of this one.

>100 RidgewayGirl: I can see that this will be a book that will be impossible to forget. It's different, very clever, and as you said, a great mix of horror and comedy.

>101 lowelibrary: It's certainly made me eager to read more from this author!

>102 Tess_W: I don't want to mislead you, Tess. Although Emmett Till's murder is the driving force behind the story, the book is totally set in the present. It's a very hard book to describe but an excellent read!

>96 DeltaQueen50: Okay, you really got me with your review of this one! Hard to comprehend just how it was done. I’m looking forward to finding out.

>104 Storeetllr: I hope it grabs you the way it did me, Mary!

Book Number 143

The Spider-King's Daughter by Chibundu Onuzo - 3.6 ★
Category: Imported Tea
August TIOLI #11: The letter "au" or the words "August" or "gold" are in the title



The Spider King’s Daughter by Nigerian writer Chibundu Onuzo delivers a Romeo and Juliet story that focuses on the relationship between Abike Johnson, the daughter of a very wealthy man, and, Runner G who hawks ice creams on the streets of Lagos. Abike is spoiled and manipulative and obviously takes after her tycoon father, the spider king who has his hands in many businesses in Nigeria. Runner G’s family originally had money but his father died leaving debts. He had to drop out of school and now tries to support his depressed mother and his younger sister.

Abike and Runner G never really fit together, she is a mean girl who was rude and demanding to those who worked for her and while he is rather naive, the more he is around her the more her character is exposed to him. He starts to pull away from her and then revelations from the past threaten their relationship and both of them must decide where their loyalties lie.

The strength of The Spider King’s Daughter for me was in the descriptions of life in Nigeria, the food and the culture as well as how the class system works. It was highly unusual that the two main characters lives collided in such a way but this is far from a traditional love story as it slowly takes a darker turn and ends on a shocking note. The novel unfolds in two voices, that of Abike and Runner G. Unfortunately I often had difficulty figuring out who was speaking and had to go back and reread sections in order to keep the story straight.

Book Number 144

49 Miles Alone by Natalie D. Richards - 3.4 ★
Category: Polly Put the Kettle On
Bingo: Published in a year ending in 24
August TIOLI #6: Published within the last 3 years



I had a mixed reaction to 49 Miles Alone by Natalie D. Richards. On one hand I enjoyed the setting of back country Utah and the hiking techniques but the story was far-fetched and the writing did not flow easily. Cousins Aster and Katie are spending 4 days alone in the desert, but it turns out they are not as alone as they though they would be. The girls were hoping to work on their relationship which was strained since Aster left Katie alone at a party and she was subsequently assaulted.

Katie is nervous around strangers and they seem to be meeting them left and right along the trail. Small things start to go wrong and a heavy rain storm comes through but when they meet a couple, Riley and Finn, they are at first happy to spend some time with them, but soon it becomes obvious that this couple are not getting along at all. Riley tells the girls about how scared she is of Finn and then runs off. The cousins try to avoid Finn, they want to find Riley and assure themselves that she is safe. Their water and supplies are dwindling, they meet another threatening man, spot a body through their binoculars, and one of them gets injured.

49 Miles Alone was almost a good story, but the author overdid everything. Too many unbelievable incidents and too many oddballs out in the middle of nowhere. While the two main characters were well developed, all the secondary characters were basically stick people. There was a plot twist that was meant to be a surprise but was as secret as a flashing neon light. Overall I would say the author took a big swing, but unfortunately she missed.

>90 DeltaQueen50: I loved this book when I was growing up and read the island scene over and over again. Somehow their surviving, just the two of them, with the island as a character was compelling. And the film did a great job of showing this portion of the book.

>93 DeltaQueen50: This sounds like a great series and thank you for your review!

>108 threadnsong: There is something about a deserted island that calls to me as well. Although I have never been a huge fan of time travel, these books by Paula Brackston are fun.

Great comments on The Trees, Judy. I really liked the book as well. I am waiting for a copy of James to become available.

My daughter liked The Black Stallion books.

The Spider King's Daughter sounds interesting as well. You've had some good reads lately.

>110 BLBera: Hi Beth, I loved The Trees and I am looking forward to snagging myself a copy of James. The Spider King's Daughter was interesting as well, a definite take on Romeo and Juliet.

Book Number 145

Yours Cheerfully by AJ Pearce - 4.1 ★
Category: Cup or Mug



If you are in the market for a light, inspirational historical fiction story with a feisty, independent female main character then I recommend that you check out Yours Cheerfully by AJ Pearce. Although I should point out that this is the second book in a trilogy that begins with Dear Mrs. Bird, and as the story arcs over all three books it would make the most sense to start with the first book.

Yours Cheerfully continues Emmy Lake’s story with her journalism career as an advice columnist for Woman’s Friend Magazine advancing and she is also encouraged to take on other challenges as well. When the Ministry of Information asks women’s magazines to help recruit female workers for the war effort, Emmy comes up with a series of stories about the workers at a munitions factory. This leads to her becoming involved in the worker’s struggle to get a government nursery installed. At the same time she and Charles are trying to plan a wedding as it very much looks like Charles will be sent overseas again. Emmy’s best friend, Bunty, proves to be a very efficient wedding planner.

As the title implies, Yours Cheerfully is an upbeat and charming story yet it does picture the difficulty that women war workers faced in being alone, fearing for the safety of their husbands, brothers, and fathers, trying to work a 12 hour shift and still run a home and look after their children. In trying to do her part, Emmy finds herself having to walk a fine line between supporting her friends and doing her duty to recruit women workers. I have completely enjoyed the first two books of this trilogy and look forward to the third.

>112 DeltaQueen50: - I skipped most of your review because I listened to Dear Mrs Bird earlier this summer and already have this on my list to probably listen to also.

>113 dudes22: It seems to be a popular trilogy - I've had to put my blinders on to avoid reading a few reviews myself.

>112 DeltaQueen50: I loved these and probably liked the 3rd the most.

>115 clue: Good to hear - I'm looking forward to the third but I also just found out that a fourth book, entitled "Emmy's War" is in the works as well!

>112 DeltaQueen50: I read and enjoyed Dear Mrs Bird. In fact, I think I picked up the second book and promptly forgot about that series.

Thanks for the reminder.

>117 lindapanzo: Hi Linda. I was a little disappointed that I couldn't fit Yours Cheerfully into any of the September TIOLI Challenges but I ended up getting it read before the month started and then I was too lazy to go back and try to place it in August. With less Challenges being posted these days, I will have to get used to not being able to fit all my books into the TIOLIs. 😒

Book Number 146

The Dead House by Harry Bingham - 4.2 ★
Category: One Lump or Two
September TIOLI #4: Book Title Begins with one of the capitol letters from "Having Fun With TIOLI"



The Dead House by Harry Bingham is the 5th entry in his Fiona Griffiths series of police procedurals. As always this author respects his audience’s intelligence and keeps us guessing along with Fiona as she works through the case.

A young woman’s body has been found at a rural monastery but Fiona’s tenacity and her obsession with the corpse leads to the discovery that this young woman was kidnapped for ransom. The investigation eventually discovers that there is an organization that kidnaps family members of wealthy East Europeans. It also connects with the disappearance of a local teenage girl a number of years ago. Fiona has an unusual psychological condition that causes her to engage with people in a unique way. She sees things differently from others and this strange perspective paired with her intelligence often enables her to put the pieces of the puzzle together before others do.

The Dead House is a great addition to this series. The writing is clever, insightful and infused with plenty of humour. Fiona and her immediate supervisor on this case, DI Alun Burnett make a great team and I would love to see them together again in the next book. I was fascinated by this story and look forward to spending a little more time with Fiona in the future.

>117 lindapanzo: I understand that. I had a cozy I really wanted to read but couldn't fit into August and I ended up finishing it today. I'll look again but I don't think it'll fit anywhere. But I don't mind.

I need to put in a category to the effect of "read a book you always wanted to read." Then I could clean up.

>119 DeltaQueen50: I adore Fiona and love the entire series! May be time for a reread. I wish Bingham would write another installment, but I believe he’s been dealing with some personal issues and hasn’t had time. He’s really a nice man and responded kindly to my fan email asking about another book.

>120 lindapanzo: I am trying hard not to get too locked into the TIOLI Challenges but I do love them and it saddens me to see them getting smaller.

>121 Storeetllr: This is one of my all time favorite series and I too am hoping that the author writes more of Fiona. I have one more book on my kindle so at least I have that to look forward to.

>I'm glad to know something specific, I thought there would be a fourth to bring some hanging threads to a close.

>123 clue: I am happy that I now have two more book about Emmy and her friends to look forward to!

Book Number 147

Sexing the Cherry by Jeanette Winterson - 2.0 ★
Category: High Tea
September TIOLI #7: Title contains an "ING"



I can say immediately that Sexing the Cherry by Jeanette Winterson was not a book for me. I could see that it is very creative and imaginative but it didn’t draw me in or make me want to read more by this author. I spent a great deal of time puzzling over what the author was saying and wondering why people actually enjoy reading this book

Originally published in 1989 this feminist and queer story reminded me somewhat of Angela Carter in that the author used aspects of the fairy tale, The Twelve Dancing Princesses to enhance her story. Mostly however, I did not understand what I was reading, and found it to be pretentious, surreal and not at all to my taste. Although it did show me pineapples and bananas in a different light.

I did read one review that stated that the goal of the book is not comprehension, but exploration. Unfortunately though I like to understand what I am reading and this bent, weird, unrealistic narrative went right over my head.

Book Number 148

The Savage Boy by Nick Cole - 4.0 ★
Category: The Dregs
2024 Reading Challenge: Dystopian Fiction
September AlphaKit: C
September TIOLI #5: Title is a Name or a Description of a Character



The Savage Boy by Nick Cole is the second book in a dystopian trilogy entitled American Wasteland. I read the first book a year or so ago and was both impressed and intrigued. This second book goes back further in time and shows us an America 40 years after being destroyed by a Global Thermonuclear War. This is a very dark book filled with barbaric tribes, empty ruins that had once been thriving cities and, areas of nuclear wastelands.

Through this devastated land travels a boy and his horse. Up until recently he had been travelling with Sargent Presley who led him to believe he was on a mission to find out what was left of America. They had travelled across the land to the city of Washington D.C. and now were travelling back west to San Francisco where Presley assured the boy, his unit waited. Of course this journey had taken years and the Sargent eventually succumbed to radiation poisoning. Alone the boy continues on.

The Savage Boy is not a happy story but with short, sparse prose the author paints a very vivid picture of a destroyed civilization but does leave the reader with a sense of hope by showing the adaptability of mankind and how indomitable the human spirit can be.

Book Number 149

Hollow Beasts by Alisa Lynn Valdes
Category: Mul-Tea-Tasking
September AlphaKit: V
September TIOLI #4: Having Fun With TIOLI



Hollow Beasts by Alisa Lynn Verdes is the first book in her crime thriller series featuring Jodi Luna a rookie game warden who in her first week on the job has a series of encounters with a group of white supremacists who are camping out in the wilds of New Mexico while planning a terrorist attack in the hopes of stirring the like-minded to rise up against non-whites. To keep themselves amused, they are kidnapping young women of color to torture and hunt.

This group is not very clever. Their methods are sloppy, their members inept and their plans are not well thought out. In order to control Jodi, they kidnap her daughter, Mila not realizing that Mila is almost as well versed in wilderness tactics and survival as her mother. Having grown up in the area, Jodi is very familiar with this remote country and, assisted by Deputy Ashley Romero, the two women set out to take this group of supremacists down.

I thought that Hollow Beasts was a great launch to a series that promises to be full of action. Although I thought the writing could have been improved somewhat, I am a fan of books that are set in the outdoors and I enjoyed reading and learning about the area and the Hispanic culture. With a tough, smart heroine and plenty of interesting secondary characters I am looking forward to the next book.

>112 DeltaQueen50: You have reminded me to follow up on AJ Pearce series as well as Harry Bingham's series - number 3 in each series. I really enjoyed what I have read of both series.

Right now I'm reading Thunder Bay by William Kent Krueger, a BB I picked up from you. Enjoying it a lot.

>128 VivienneR: Ohh, Thunder Bay is the next book up for me and I can't wait! Have you tried any of William Kent Krueger's stand alone books such as Ordinary Grace and This Tender Land - they are excellent as well.

Book Number 150

The Queen's Secret by Karen Harper - 3.7 ★
Category: The Boston Tea Party
2024 Reading Challenge: A Book About Royalty
September Reading Through Time: Royal To The Bone
September TIOLI #4: Having Fun With TIOLI



I had been looking forward to The Queen’s Secret by Karen Harper as I had read another book by this author last year and really enjoyed it. While I ultimately enjoyed the story, I had some difficulty accepting as truth the many secrets that were exposed in this book. From what I can find out most of these were unfounded gossip and straight author’s imagination and while I know that Elizabeth, the Queen Mother wasn’t always the jolly, elderly lady that everyone loved, being asked to accept some of these implausible facts about the Queen Consort was difficult. Eventually I reminded myself that I was reading a work of fiction and so relaxed into the story and found it entertaining.

I do know that she had little use for Wallis Simpson and the former King, but in this story she feared them as they were privy to her deepest secret. I wasn’t a fan of Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon at the beginning of the book, but as the character was developed and we learned much of her backstory, she became a sympathetic character. I did like how the author showed how close the Royal Family were and how supportive of her daughters she was. As the Queen Consort during the dark years of World War II, she did an excellent job and I believe she had a great deal of influence on both her husband and her daughter when she became Queen.

While I wouldn’t accept this as an actual source regarding the Queen Mother, as a story of fiction, it was interesting and made for a fun read. Chock full of historical characters like Winston Churchill, Dwight Eisenhower and Eleanor Roosevelt, the author painted a vivid picture of England during World War II.

I read this book to and like you wondered what was real. But I know enough about the era and the royal family to make some basic assumptions. but regardless I enjoyed the book. what is the other one you read?

>131 cindydavid4: Hi Cindy, I have read The Royal Nanny which was about Charlotte Bill, nanny to George V & Queen Mary's children. She made an short appearance in The Queen's Secret as well when George VI and Elizabeth visited Sandringham

Book Number 151

The Green Fairy Book by Andrew Lang
Category: The Mad Hatter's Tea Party
September TIOLI #2: The word "Book" is in the title



I have been reading The Green Fairy Book on and off for some time and seeing it fit into a challenge this month gave me the extra push to finish it. The “Coloured” Lang Fairy Books are a series of 12 collections of fairy tales published between 1889 and 1913 by Andrew Lang and his wife, Lenora Blanche Alleyne. I have previously read The Blue Fairy Book and a great deal of The Red Fairy Book.

The Green Fairy Book was originally published in 1892 and consists of 42 stories and as with all story collections, I preferred some of the stories over others. I liked “The Bluebird”, “The Dirty Shepherdess” and “Little Two Eyes”, and of course the familiar versions of “The Three Little Pigs”, “The Three Bears” and “The Fisherman and his Wife”. There was, however, a lot of repetition in the stories and many were quite blood-thirsty, which is probably why they have faded away or been changed for modern tastes.

I doubt that I will read all 12 of these books, but I grew up on these historical children’s fairy tales and do enjoy revisiting them occasionally. Although many of the stories are quite moralistic, fairy tales are excellent for inspiring children’s imaginations as they do give a sense of wonder and magic to the world.

Book Number 152

Hurricane by John D. MacDonald - 4.0 ★
Category: A Cup of Tea Will Solve It
September RandomKit: Weather
September TIOLI #8: Picked by Talpa



Hurricane, a 1956 thriller by John D. MacDonald was originally entitled Murder in the Wind. This is an intense character driven story that details five different groups of people as they are driving north along the Florida Gulf Coast when Hurricane Hilda, brewing out in the Gulf of Mexico takes a sharp turn and heads right for them.

Five vehicles get over the first bridge but before they can get over the second, trees come down on both sides of them, trapping them. They shelter in a deserted old house to wait out the storm little knowing that one of the groups includes a young man with a knife and a dark plan. As the storm mounts and the old house shakes, the tension rises as well.

Hurricane was a great read. The author develops his thirteen characters as he develops the storm, giving equal attention to both. The interaction between the characters is interesting and the book definitely reflects the times and, I am sorry to say, the chauvinism that was prevalent in those days. The story unfolds from various perspectives in his trademark sharp prose and distinct style resulting in a riveting read.

Book Number 153

Emily Davis by Miss Read - 4.0 ★
Category: Polly Put the Kettle On
September TIOLI #5: Title alternates between a character's name and a character's description



I listened to an audio version of Emily Davis, the 8th book in Miss Read’s Fairacre series of stories about rural life in England. In this outing we explore the life of Emily Davis, after her death. She had been a well-loved teacher and in her twilight years had lived with another beloved local teacher, Dolly Clare.

Dolly, as well as other friends in the village and previous pupils remember Emily for her warmth and wisdom and through their individual recollections we grow to know Emily and at the same time are given a lovely portrait of life in the country from the turn of the century to the beginning of the 1970s. Emily and Dolly grew up together and were each other’s best friend. Emily was there to comfort Dolly when her fiancé was killed in WW I and Dolly returned the favour when Emily’s fiancé fell in love with another woman. The story is full of little stories about Emily's care and concern for others.

Emily Davis is a delightful read and an intriguing addition to the Fairacre series. Yes, Emily and Dolly are elderly spinsters, but Miss Read depicts them as strong, independent and interesting women whose stories touch the heart but are not at all “sappy”. A quiet, simple read that soothes the soul.

Book Number 154

Anna by Niccolo Ammaniti - 3.7 ★
Category: Imported Tea (Italy)
2024 Reading Challenge: An author I have read once before
September TIOLI #5: Title alternates between a character's name and a character's description



Anna is a 2015 post-apocalyptic novel by Niccolo Ammaniti in which we follow thirteen year old Anna around Sicily where a virus has wiped out all the adults. Everyone carries the virus, but it doesn’t affect you until puberty. Anna cares and looks after her younger brother but in order to keep him from wandering she has told him a number of lies about what is outside their fence.

One day she arrives home to find their house trashed and her brother gone. She sets out to get him back and after a number of adventures which includes her getting a dog who follows and obeys her, she and her brother are reunited. Now their plan is to leave Sicily and see what is waiting out in the rest of the world, Anna has reached the age where the dormant disease could awaken in her and she wishes to follow her mother’s last instructions which are to find a way to get to the mainland and search out any surviving adults.

Anna was written and published before we felt the effects of Covid, but when describing the conditions, it certainly seemed familiar. I have previously read I’m Not Scared by this author and he obviously is a writer who seems to like writing from a child’s point of view and he is well able to show both the vulnerability as well as the thoughtless bravery that a child can exhibit. I found the setting of Anna, a world run by feral children, to be terrifying and although the storytelling ventured into the strange and weird occasionally, it was a worthwhile read.

Book Number 155

Snow Angel by Mary Balogh - 3.7★
Category: Tea for Two
September Rainbow Reading Challenge: Blue
September TIOLI #9: The word "Angel" or "Devil" is in the title



Snow Angel by Mary Balogh is a historical romance that was written in 1991 and recently republished. When widowed Rosamund Hunter quarrels with her brother and leaves the carriage during a snowstorm, she is picked up by the Earl of Wetherby although she only learns to know him as Justin Halliday.

Stranded at a hunting lodge, they have a few days where they are alone. They find themselves well matched and fall in love, but the Earl has family obligations and is expected to announce his engagement in a month. Little do Justin and Rosamund know that his upcoming engagement will bring the two back into each others lives.

Although the outcome of the story was very obvious, I enjoyed this light romance.

>134 DeltaQueen50: That one sounds interesting.

>135 DeltaQueen50: I read that series 30+ years ago. It would be fun to revisit.

>138 thornton37814: Hi Lori. The story Hurricane was a little different for John D. MacDonald. Although he had some bad guys in it, the villain of the piece was the hurricane. He doesn't hesitate to show violence and the dark side of life so this story really showed what a hurricane is capable of.

I don't think there is another author who quite does what Miss Read does. Her stories paint a warm, cheerful and timeless picture of English rural life the way we would love it to be. She is definitely my favorite comfort author!

>137 DeltaQueen50: I like Mary Balogh's early books. They're much shorter than her later ones!

>140 pamelad: I have picked up a few of her earlier books and have enjoyed the ones that I have read, I think I still have a couple more on my Kindle.

Hi Judy, I finished the John D. MacDonald book. I thought it was pretty slow til the hurricane really got going. Definitely picked up when they were in the house.

Glad I read it as I've never read anything by him before. Have you read any of his Travis McGee books? Mom says that when I was a little kid and she'd take the bus to work in the Loop in the city, she'd always have a Travis McGee book with her.

>142 lindapanzo: Hi Linda. I have been working my way through John D. MacDonald's stand alone novels and haven't tried a Travis McGee yet. I do have the first one in the series, The Deep Blue Goodbye so will get to it eventually. Hurricane was quite different from his usual "hard-boiled" style. His books are usually very fast moving and quite violent. I am a fan and really liked the book but it certainly did take a while to get going.

Hi Judy! Just spending a quiet evening catching up on your thread. A cup of tea is definitely in order, and I'm always glad to see the wide variety of books you read and your thoughtful reviews.

>133 DeltaQueen50: When I was a child, the branch of the Edmonton Public Library we lived near had all of them and I think I read all of them. My mother was constantly trying to get me to branch out but I just wanted to read the Olive Fairy Book or the Ochre Fairy Book. The colors got pretty obscure toward the end of the series.

>144 threadnsong: Hi Threadnsong, I am sipping on a hot drink too but this evening I chose coffee. I know it's early but I have been thinking about next year's Challenge and how I want to set it up. I love planning and making lists so I expect this is just a first effort and I will fine tune it as the year draws to a close.

>145 RidgewayGirl: I have picked up the next book, The Yellow Fairy Book and will start reading the odd story now and again, I am thinking this one will last me well into next year. I loved fairy tales when I was young and enjoy revisiting them now.

Book Number 156

The Abominable Man by Maj Sjowall & Per Wahloo
Category: Imported Tea
September TIOLI #3: Anita's Memorial Book



The Abominable Man by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo takes place over the course of a day. First in the early hours we are shocked by the murder of a police officer, Nyland, killed in his hospital room, cut down by a bayonet.

Martin Beck spend their time examining old records, interviewing the family and tracking down suspects. A picture of Nyland emerges and it is one of corruption and brutality. Beck learns that the police have been covering up Nyland’s abuses and ignoring the numerous complaints about this man’s treatment of others. One fellow policeman had reported on the death of his wife which he blamed on Nyland and his associates. Beck then finds out that just yesterday, this ex-policeman lost custody of his daughter due partially to Nyland and others on the police force. The story culminates with the suspect on the roof of his apartment building armed with numerous guns.

Originally published in the early 1970s, this is a timeless story that could have happened today. The Abominable Man was a simple story but very effective in asking the questions of who is policing the police, and why are they able to cover up their abuses and have their word accepted as the truth. This was an excellent addition to the series, but also could very well stand on it’s own.

>147 DeltaQueen50: You can really find books like no one else! I have loved their early Beck books and watched all of them on MHZ network. Of course they are mostly done 'in the spirit of' Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo

>148 JoeB1934: Hi Joe, I hope all is good with you. This was my second Martin Beck book and I enjoyed both of them. I will certainly be on the lookout for more of this series!

Book Number 157

Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Hand - 3.8 ★
Category: The Dregs
September TIOLI #7: "ING" in Title



Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Hand is a novella that blends folklore and horror and is set in a decaying English manor house. During the 1970’s a British group of young musicians have been placed there by their manager so that they will concentrate on getting their second album ready. For the group it is an isolated summer of booze, drugs and incredible creativity. It is also a summer of strange happenings, foreboding incidents and dark vibrations, ending with the disappearance of one of the group members.

We are being told about this summer by the very few people who knew of it. The band members, their manager and a few friends who visited Wylding Hall are being interviewed by a documentary film-maker. The story emerges through these conversational-style entries and although some thirty years have passed, the recounting is still impactful and quietly horrifying. But we are never quite sure whose story is the truthful one.

At first I was a little impatient with the story as it moved very slowly, but the author took her time both in introducing the characters and building the plot. With it’s dark atmosphere and implications of the supernatural, it was clear that something was drawing ever closer to these young people. While not a lot happened in this story, it was well written and both engaged and unsettled this reader.

>149 DeltaQueen50: You have inquired twice about how I am doing and I decided that I should reply to that inquiry.

My wife Cynthia passed away on June 22 at age 87 from several long-term issues. We have been processing all of the accumulated 'junk' acquired in 67 years of marriage. I am in excellent health at 90 and decided I needed to write a personal memoir of my life for the benefit of my children and other family members.

Not a published memoir but one that can be read by family friends, including LT friends like you.

This is a big project, and I will be doing far less reading until I am finished. Meanwhile my TBR keeps getting larger from your posts!

>151 JoeB1934: I am so sorry to hear about the passing of your wife, Joe. I am in my 70s and my husband is in his early 80s so we keep a close eye on each other and our health issues. Leaving your family a memoir of your life is a great idea, and indeed, I can imagine a lot of work! Having your life available for them to read about will be something for the next generations to treasure.

>151 JoeB1934: Joe, I'm sorry for your loss. Take care of yourself.

I love the Martin Beck series. I keep thinking I will read them again...

>154 BLBera: Hi Beth! Considering that the Martin Beck books were written in the 1960s and 70s, they stand up well. Of course they reflect their time, but the stories are engrossing. I certainly don't need another series, but I do hope to continue to pick up a few of these books now and again.

Book Number 158

Force of Nature by Jane Harper - 3.4 ★
Category: One Lump or Two
September CalendarCat: Australian Flag Day
September TIOLI #4: Having Fun with TIOLI



Force of Nature by Australian author Jane Harper is the second entry in her Aaron Falk series. It is set in the mountainous forest area north-east of Melbourne as Falk and his current working partner join a search party to look for a missing woman, Alice Russell. Five women had entered the forest together and only four came out.

Alice was part of a group of women from a Melbourne tech company who were on a morale building retreat. Falk was currently investigating this family owned company for money laundering and Alice was his informant. Had Alice simply got lost or had her connection with Falk been discovered or had she run into a known serial killer’s son who was known to be in the area.

I found this book not as interesting or intriguing as the first book in the series, the introductions of the various characters took up a good portion of the book and the author spread the POV around many of them. Also in order to hype up the story the references to a serial killer that had worked these various trails a number of years ago seemed overdone and misleading. I think I am done with this series but I do have a couple of a stand-alone mysteries by this author and they will help me to decide if I wish to go further with her.

>156 DeltaQueen50: I read her The Dry for some Australian prompt. I did like it (4*), but don't really have a compulsion to find another one by this author.

>157 Tess_W: I think there are much better Australian authors when it comes to crime & thrillers. I will give a couple of her stand alones a try but will be lowering my expectations.

>156 DeltaQueen50: - My sister just gave me this and based on reviews of this and the next one, it might just go directly to the library donation pile.

>159 dudes22: It's unfortunate that this book just doesn't work very well but on the other hand I am happy that here is a series that I'm not going to add to my list!

Book Number 159

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr - 4.5 ★
Category: Polly Put the Kettle On
Bingo: Set in Multiple Countries (Germany, Switzerland, France & England)
September TIOLI #1: Author's last name is of 4 letters and the last two are doubles



Simply put, I loved When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr. This touching story of a Jewish family escaping Germany when Hitler comes into power caught the essence of the times and how this family’s forward thinking saved their lives. Written by children’s author Judith Kerr and aimed at middle grades, this is a story that appeals to all ages.

The story is semi-autobiographical based on the author’s own family’s escape from the Nazi’s. They first go to Switzerland but work is difficult to come by and as the father is well-known for his opposition to the Nazi’s, the Swiss are hesitant to stir up problems with their German neighbours. It is soon announced that Hitler has put a price on the father’s head. The family then moves to Paris and although the children fit in and begin to become fluent in the language, work for the author was again difficult to come by. France was suffering through a massive depression and what writing assignments there were went to French citizens first. I was happy when an English company bought a film script from the father and it was decided that they would have a better future by moving to England and as we know now, this move got them away from Hitler's clutches.

The author changed her family’s name and fictionalized portions of the book but this is essentially her family’s story. Her father was a well known newspaper columnist who had openly criticized the Nazi party. Beautifully written and illustrated by the author, this story shows the lengths that the parents went to to keep their family together and their children innocent and ignorant of the horrible fate that was hanging over them.

>150 DeltaQueen50: What a great setting and premise for a book. Both Led Zeppelin and Queen found pastoral locations the perfect thing for their signature albums. Good timing, too, with Daisy Jones and the Six being such a hit.