Wrap-Up of TBR Challenge 2019

I did pitifully bad this year, especially compared to last year when I did 9 of my 12 books.
I do have one other one nearly done (The Half-Brother) and another started. Others I'm not even sure where to locate on my bookshelves! Yikes!
It definitely wasn't the best year for me for reading.

This is hosted by Roof Beam Reader

A few of them were carryovers from 2018, and others are long-term TBRs. Here is my sign-up post

1. The Portable Dorothy Parker by Dorothy Paker. Finished December 31
2. Going After Cacciato by Tim O'Brien Finished October 27
3. Memoirs of an Infantry Officer by Siegfried Sassoon
4. A Princess of Roumania by Paul Park
5. The Half Brother by Lars Saabye Christensen
6. State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
7. The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides
8. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
9. The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton
10. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
11. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
12. The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt
Alternates:
1. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
2. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

European Reading Challenge 2020

I'll be back doing the European Reading Challenge again for 2020.

Again, I'll be going for the 5 Star challenge level of participation.

I always enjoy this challenge, and hope to commit to more country coverage than last year (which was only seven).

Wrap-up of European Reading Challenge

I did European Reading Challenge again in 2019. It is hosted by Rose City Reader.

1. The Light over London by Julia Kelly. Finished February 5 (England)
2. A Chill in the Air by Iris Origo. Finished February 12 (Italy)
3. The Ruin by Dervla McTiernan. Finished March 14 (Ireland)
4. The Paris Diversion by Chris Pavone. Finished May 2 (France)
5. Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly. Finished May 20 (Russia)
6. Not to Disturb by Muriel Spark. Finished September 8 (Switzerland)
7. The Faster I Walk, The Smaller I Am by Kjersti A. Skomsvold. Finished September 11 (Norway)

This was less countries than I've done in the past, so hope to increase it again next year. 

The Portable Dorothy Parker

Finished December 31
The Portable Dorothy Parker edited by Marion Meade, jacket design by Seth

This collection covers Parker's career, containing pieces from 1905 to 1962. The variety is also wide, from letters to book reviews, essays, poems, and short stories. The first part of the book contains a collection Parker published in 1944 under the title The Portable Dorothy Parker consisting of short stories and poetry; and it is followed by a section of other writing ranging in date from 1917 to 1959 and consisting of short stories, essays, book reviews, and magazine articles. The final section, entitled A Dorothy Parker Sampler, ranges from 1915 to 1962 and consists of magazine pieces, letters, an interview and a speech. So, as you can see there is a lot here and because it covers such a wide range, you can see how her voice develops.
She has a wicked, droll sense of humour and isn't afraid to say what she thinks. She has a good eye for situations and can really set a scene. I wasn't that familiar with her writing before I read this, but I really enjoyed it.
This particular edition has endflaps made of drawing showing her attitude, telling her life story, and giving a hint of the contents. These are done by Seth and are really nicely done. This is definitely a keeper and has earned a place on my shelves for years to come.

Lirael

Finished December 30
Lirael by Garth Nix, read by Tim Curry

I read the first book in this series, Sabriel, a few years ago, and finally got around to this one. Lirael grew up in a community built in and around a glacier in the mountains, part of the clan of the Clayr. Her mother died when she was very young and she never met her father, and doesn't even know who he is. She doesn't look like others in her clan, and she's always felt like an outsider, particularly as she's grown into her teens and hasn't acquired the gift of foresight that all her clan are known for. As the book begins, she is thinking about ending her life, finding her way up to the top of the glacier, but once there, she finds herself less sure of that action, and she witnesses an encounter that stays with her. She also gets the chance to take on a real job, rather than the usual chores assigned to someone without sight. She becomes a librarian, but this isn't a normal library, and she isn't a normal teen. As she has adventures within the library, and acquires an animal friend that she depends on, she grows her skills in various magics from creating skins to take on the shape of another creature to archery and lore.
Meanwhile we also see the world of the young prince Sameth as he gets pulled into a trap near the border of his kingdom by a necromancer, and then, back home, finds himself curiously unwilling to perform the tasks that are expected of him. He'd rather play at making things, from mechanical creatures to tools. He misses his parents who are tied up with diplomacy and protection of their kingdom, and feels increasingly alone. So when one of his schoolfriends seems to have fallen in trouble, he sets out to rescue him, despite being not all that prepared himself.
When Lirael finally finds her path, it isn't what she expected and she's not even sure it is what she wants. But as she journeys, she learns more about her past, about the threats facing the kingdom, and about what she is capable of.
I loved this continuation of the story begun in the previous book and Lirael is a very appealing character. Loved it enough that I've already started the next book, which continues her story.

Let It Snow

Finished December 28
Let It Snow by Nancy Thayer

This light romance is centered around a group of merchants on a pier in Nantucket. Christina Antonioni runs a toy store and is facing her first Christmas after the deaths of both of her parents. She is an island native, and has lots of friends including the other shopkeepers on the pier. They get together at lunch every day for a quick visit and update.
As the book begins, a young girl, Wink, visiting Christina's store on her own makes an attempt at shoplifting, but Christina calls her out on it. She shows compassion though and offers to help the girl later, convincing her fellow merchants to put together a bag of goodies for her. But Wink turns out to be a surprise that leads to more surprises, including an extremely nice uncle.
The merchants also get a surprise warning of a new landlord and a sharp rent increase in the new year, one that their businesses can't sustain, and they must strategize about how to fight back.
A light seasonal read with appealing characters.

13th Canadian Book Challenge January Roundup

Welcome to 2020! For some, you may consider it also the beginning of a new decade, for others, that new decade is a year away. Either way, the challenge of reading continues.
I've been working on a list of all the books that you've read for this challenge and it will be going up later today (January 1st).
Meanwhile add your reviews for January (sorry about not doing a separate one for December) and enjoy Canadian reading.