Jane has had a bad experience (broken engagement) and her friend Lady Isobel invites her to Christmas at Scargrave Manor. But before the holidays commence, the Earl of Scargrave, Isobel's new husband, dies suddenly. When threatening notes, presumably from her maid, make the Countess the prime suspect in murder, Jane is left to uncover the real murderer and clear her friend.
The mystery was interesting however, I'm not sure I can buy in with Jane Austen as a detective. I'm not planning on rushing to the next one.
★★★
GENRE: Historical Fiction
CHARACTERS: Jane Austen, Lady Isobel Scargrave, Fitzroy Payne, Fanny Delahoussaye, Hortense Delahoussaye, Lord Harold Trowbridge, Sir William Reynolds
Series/ Progress: Jane Austen Mystery/1
DATE READ: January 24 - January 30
NO. OF PAGES: 318
Challenges: 75, Category, TIOLI, AlphaKit
SOURCE: Bookshelf Stockpile
Dan and Amy Cahill are still searching for the clues to world power, but are forced to combine forces with the Kabra branch and Alisitar Oh to move forward.
This episode seemed a bit rushed as if the kids wouldn't stick with it if it went more in depth. Not really a great deal of info but good action.
★★★
GENRE: young adult
CHARACTERS:
Series/ Progress: The 39 Clues, Book 3
DATE READ: January 29 - January 29
NO. OF PAGES: 156
Challenges: 75, Category, TIOLI, AlphaKit
SOURCE: Audio Stockpile
Temeraire has returned to the Orient but before he can reach China he must recover Laurence who has amnesia and been captured by the Japanese.
As the stories of Temeraire continue, we see this special dragon taking on human traits - jealousy in this episode. Great fun!
★★★
GENRE: Fantasy
CHARACTERS: Temeraire, William Laurence, Iskierka, Napoleon
Series/ Progress: Temeraire (8/8)
DATE READ: January 5 - January 24
NO. OF PAGES: 431
Challenges: 75, Category, TIOLI, AlphaKit
SOURCE: Audio Stockpile
The White House kitchen staff has been reduced due to the government sequester which only makes the visitation of 4 chefs from Saardisca a little more tricky. Olivia Paras, the executive chef, needs diplomacy to handle these chefs with diverse personalities as well as various culinary talents. When Marcel, the head pastry chef, is taken out of the equation, suspicions begin and then the death of the head of the foreign delegation causes Ollie to concentrate on he other visitors.
You know too many cooks spoil the broth, well here, the reduction of cooks many be the problem.
This is my favorite series, I just wish I didn't have to wait so long between installments.
★★★★
GENRE: Cozy Mystery
CHARACTERS:
Series/ Progress: White House Chef Mysteries (8/8)
DATE READ: January 20 - January 21
NO. OF PAGES: 304
Challenges: 75, Category, TIOLI, AlphaKit
SOURCE: Nook
Emily and her siblings arrive in Colyton incognito so that they can hunt for their family treasure. Having run away from a cruel uncle, Emily undertakes the position of innkeeper. While bringing the Inn back to life, Emily's involvement with the Inn owner overshadows her need to find the treasure. What they find and where along with the love story, entertain for sure.
★★★
GENRE: Romance
CHARACTERS: Jonas Tallent, Emily Ann Colyton, Isobel Colyton, Rev. Filing, Harold Potheridge
Series/ Progress: Cynsters #15/23
DATE READ: January 14 - January 19
NO. OF PAGES: 355
Challenges: 75, Category, TIOLI, AlphaKit
SOURCE: Nook
Queen Ann Soforth of Oogaboo has decided that things are just a bit too boring at home so she drafts an army and heads out to conquer all of Oz. She meets up wih Shaggy Man, makes friends with Betsy Bobbin from Oklahoma and Princess Ozga of the Rose people. Tiktok is solicited into Queen Ann's army. They are all sent to the other side of the world by the Nome King, but the rulers there send them back on the tail of Quox the dragon. The ending brings all the characters home peacefully.
★★★
GENRE: Classics
CHARACTERS: Ann Soforth, Shaggy Man, Princess Ozga, Quox the Dragon, Nome King
Series/ Progress: Wizard of Oz/9
DATE READ: January 11 - January 13
NO. OF PAGES: 101
Challenges: 75, Category, TIOLI, AlphaKit
SOURCE: Nook
Willow is continuing to work on settling into her home and has been working on getting Blueberry Cottage stabilized so that she can rent it out. After a skeleton is found on the grounds of the new hotel under development, making the townfolk remember Snoozy who disappeared with a supposed treasure, the town isn't at all surprised when the treasure box is unearthed in Willow's backyard during the work on Blueberry Cottage.
A community picnic renders the Police chief "under the weather" with food poisoning, and Willow takes up the search for the cause and the culprit.
The characters are wonderful - well-developed allowing for good and bad traits to stand together, as well as strength of character while supporting others. The mystery is well thought out and has sufficient twists and turns to keep the reader entertained.
★★★½
GENRE: Cozy Mystery
CHARACTERS: Willow Vanderling, Haylee Scott, Clay Fraser, Chief Viki Smallwood, Cassie Smith, Max Brubaugh
Series/ Progress: Threadville Mysteries (3)
DATE READ: January 8 - January 10
NO. OF PAGES: 320
Challenges: 75, Category, TIOLI,
SOURCE: Nook
Continuing the stories in Oz, hoping to finish this year, I've found new characters mixed with the old and wondering why, after the success of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Hollywood abandoned the stories.
Patchwork Girl is made by the Crooked Magician to help his wife with the household chores but she and the magician's friend are accidently petrified. The Patchwork girl along with several others set out to finf the ingredients to fashion a cure.
New generations should read these.
★★★
GENRE: Children's Classic
CHARACTERS: Patchwork Girl, Ojo, Shaggy Maan, Dorothy, Scarecrow
Series/ Progress: Wizard of Oz/#8
DATE READ: January 5 - January 7
NO. OF PAGES: 116
Challenges: 75, Category, TIOLI,
SOURCE: Nook
For those that follow the characters of Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes in this series, the time frame of the story falls after Pirate King and Garment Shadows when they are cruising to Japan before returning home.
On the cruise Mary meets Sato Haruki, a current day ninja, while at the same time Holmes spies Lord Darley who he recognizes as a blackmailer. The story carries Holmes and Russell with Sato through Japan and into the presence of Prince Regent Hirohito. They are petitioned to aid in the recovery of a unique artifact.
Just as the reader thinks that the issues in the story have been resolved, Mary is back in Oxford and comes face to face with Haruki again asking for assistance for the same problem.
The actual resolution is exciting and totally unexpected.
★★★★
GENRE: Mystery
CHARACTERS: Mary Russell, Sherlock Holmes, Haruki Sato, Hirohito
Series/ Progress: Mary Russell/#13
DATE READ: December 30 - January 5
NO. OF PAGES: 330
Challenges: 75, Category, TIOLI,
SOURCE: LTER, NetGalley
The Cahill siblings Amy and Dan are on their own trying to find the 39 clues that their grandmother described in her will. The scavenger hunt is dangerous enough, but fighting with their extended family as well as the international flavor, makes these fun.
★★★
GENRE: Young Adult
CHARACTERS: Amy Cahill, Dan Cahill, Nellie Gomez, Jonah Wizard
Series/ Progress: 39 Clues/ #2
DATE READ: January 2 - January 3
NO. OF PAGES: 174
Challenges: 75, Category, TIOLI,
SOURCE: Audio Stockpile
2014 Recap
When I started to total up my reading numbers for 2014, I was very surprised at some of the numbers that I got.
Number of books read that were on my original list at the beginning of the year ..........63/102
First books in a series:............................................18
Second books in a series:..........................................7
Third books in a series:.............................................8
More books in a series (beyond the third):.................21
Number of series brought current:..............................6
I really thought I had done better.
Books abandoned:..............4
CLASSICS:........................................6
ROMANCE:........................................7
FICTION:......................................... 11
HISTORY:..........................................9
MEMOIR:...........................................2
COZY MYSTERY:...............................30
MYSTERY:........................................20
CHILDREN/YOUNG ADULT/FANTASY....17
Where did my books come from?
Library books______________12
E-books - my Nook or Kindle__43
ARDs (actual books)_________19
Audiobooks________________28
Progress on Challenges:
75 Book Challenge..................................102/75
Category Challenge..................................98/98
European Challenge.................................19/49
US state challenge...................................42/51
TIOLI Challenges..................................102/102
MysteryCAT..............................................22
GEOCAT...................................................8
ROOT Challenge......................................86/84
Gastro Challenge.....................................3
Total books read in 2014:................102
Total pages read in 2014:............34,677
READ OUR OWN TOMES Challenge.....86
Total ARC/ER books read:.................27
Total books read in 2014 for Euro Challenge = 2
Total books read in 2014 for US State Challenge = 2
Presidential Challenge = 6
Best of the Year:........How the Light Gets In
Worst of the Year........Anne of Green Gables
The book that kept me breathless: ........The Likeness
The mystery that I enjoyed reading the most: ........Terminal City
Book that gave the most smiles/laughs: ........ Where'd You Go, Bernadette?
Book I wish I'd read sooner: ........Emerald Atlas
Best Recommended book: ........Where'd You Go, Bernadette?
The book with the most surprises: ........Mists of Avalon
Most thought provoking book: ........State of Wonder
Series book that has me wanting the next one NOW!: ........ Blessings series - A Wish and a Prayer
Best Audio book: ........Where'd You Go, Bernadette?
Book I am still working on: ........Bully Pulpit
Book I'm glad I finished: ........Arabian Nights
TBRs 1/1/2014 419
Books read from TBR: 86
Books added to TBR: 84
Books moved from TBR: 78
Balance:.....339 I actually reduced my TBRs!
Library books/borrowed Books read: 15
Free Books Read: 8
Group Reads 4
Prettiest Cover = Emerald Atlas
