fuzzi's Another Year Older and Deeper in Books Reading Challenge for 2023

We're here, it's 2023, and ahead lies another year of reading and reviewing!

I review EVERY book I read, it’s my ATDS..."attention to detail syndrome"!

I don't "spoil" in my reviews, ever, so read my reviews without fear!

Here's my 2023 ticker:



My Reading Register for 2023 is here:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/347135#

Oops! And here are my granddaughters!

Happy New Year and happy new thread fuzzi!

Happy New Year, Fuzzi! Such a nice picture of your granddaughters!

Happy New Year! Lovely granddaughters!

Wishing you a great year of reading!

Happy New Year, Fuzzi! (I almost said, "Fizzi"!)

Karen O

Happy New Year. Your granddaughters are cuties.

Wishing you a comfortable reading year in 2023, dear Fuzzi.

>7 BLBera: What Beth said.

Happy New Year; how many book bullets will you hit me with this year, lol?!

Happy new year, fuzzi!

Happy New Year, Fuzzi!

Happy new year Fuzzi!

Hi Lor, I have you starred.

Happy New Year to all my LT friends.

May 2023 be kinder to us than 2022 was...

Hi fuzzi, I came here again after some time away to star your thread.
And to say I remember some fun reads reported on your past threads.

Those reviews prompted me to revisit old-style adventures by the likes of Hammond Innes, Eric Ambler, and Helen MacInnes stories. These authors are high on the adventure end of the writing spectrum and still their books don't seem all that dated to me. They're a nice escape from Covid worries, that's for sure.

Your grand daughters are beautiful!!!

Happy new year and new thread!

>16 SandyAMcPherson: thank you, that was very kind of you to say so...

>17 Whisper1: I think so, too!

>18 foggidawn: back atcha!

Perfect...

>21 fuzzi: So you're going first, right? Tell us what's ... oh, wait. I'm in Australia. Never mind then. Forget I said anything ...

>21 fuzzi: Very apt!
Especially for Ukraine. How my heart weeps for them.

>22 humouress: bwahahaha!

>23 SandyAMcPherson: I thought it was perfect the moment I saw it. 😁

Happy reading in 2023, fuzzi!

>25 FAMeulstee: thank you! I'm still reading book #1 for 2023, slow but good.

First finished reads for 2023...


#1 Birding for Babies: Migrating Birds: A Colors Book by Chloe Goodhart and Gareth Lucas


#2 Birding for Babies: Backyard Birds: A Numbers Book by Chloe Goodhart and Gareth Lucas

Both of these board books are great for children. Each "page" has a common backyard bird along with a rhyming description. The birds look very much like real birds, illustrations are big, bright, yet accurate. These books are headed for my grandchildren!

#3 Somebunny Loves You! by Melinda Lee Rathjen

This board book was colorful, had cute illustrations, decent rhymes, and a sweet concept, but nothing within delighted me, it was just an okay book.

#4 To Serve Them All My Days by R.F. Delderfield

A well done look at an English school for boys, taking place between the two world wars of the twentieth century. I never felt like putting it down, it kept me interested, even enthralled at times. Some of the slang confused me at first, but most became clear in the context.

>29 fuzzi: Darn it, that could be a BB.

>30 humouress: it is! It is!

#5 Jubal Sackett by Louis L'Amour (reread)

Jubal heads west from North Carolina for the far blue mountains that fascinated his father, Barnabas. On his journey he meets friend and foe, and overcomes numerous physical obstacles.

This was my first L'Amour read, and remains one of my favorites.

#6 The View From Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg (Newbery Medal 1997)

A captivating story of four children who form a special bond and how it affects those around them. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and will look for other books by this author.

#7 Fallon by Louis L'Amour

Fallon is a swindler, gambler, looking for a way to score some money to head for San Francisco, but gets entangled in his own web, and winds up questioning his motives.

Started a little slow, but became more interesting as I continued reading. Not L'Amour's best, but fine for fans and completists.

>1 fuzzi: They are so cute!

>29 fuzzi: I used to own that one, but I never got it read and I now regret not getting to it. I really need to get it read.

>33 fuzzi: I can highly recommend From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by her. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Sorry it has taken this long for me to catch up to you, fuzzi!

>35 alcottacre: glad you stopped by!

I had several Delderfields that I finally discarded, unread...don't feel bad.

I agree with alcottacre and also recommend “Mixed-Up Files”.

#8 Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey

Sweet story of a little girl who goes blueberry picking with her mother. Love the illustrations!

I remember reading some Delderfield several years ago, that title being one of them. There are still a few lurking in the bookshelves. I might have to dust them off and crack them open again.
Happy reading!

>38 fuzzi: One of my childhood faves! Made sure my own kids knew it, too. Now that I live somewhere with lotsa bears I wonder, should I read this to warn our dog? I don’t think she’d take kindly to sharing her blueberries…

#9 One Morning in Maine by Robert McCloskey

Sal wakes up one morning to discover she has a loose tooth, and so her busy day begins.

I recently read Blueberries for Sal, which was the precursor to One Morning in Maine, but I loved this book so much more. The author includes many details within each illustration for the reader to find, while the story takes us back to a simpler time in small town America. I'm planning to find a copy of this book for my grandchildren.

>39 kaida46: thank you, you too!

>40 PocheFamily: I never read Blueberries for Sal before, not until this week, but did read Make Way for Ducklings and Homer Price many times in my childhood.

Most dogs don't seem to listen very well...

I loved To Serve Them All My Days which was also adapted into a TV programme in the UK very successfully.

Have a great weekend, Fuzzi.

>41 fuzzi: Books for young children which have something for older readers are brilliant!

I enjoy those classic children's books!

>43 PaulCranswick: thank you, you too.

>44 humouress: and rare. I do find more of them mid-twentieth century and prior.

>45 thornton37814: me too! Rereading them before gifting them is fun.

Thanks for your recommendations on my thread, Lor!

>47 kgodey: you're very welcome. Recommendations are one of the LT bonuses that I enjoy.

>42 fuzzi: Maybe that's why dogs are happier? because they "...don't seem to listen very well..."

#10 The Monastery Cat and Other Animals by Joyce Stranger

Mixed lot of stories by one of my favorite authors. Some I loved, some were just okay, but the collection is worth reading. I especially enjoyed the title story about a kitten that is rescued by a monastery full of monks.

Hiya. Been awhile that I've toured past.
I've read and baked, activities so I could review the numerous books on bread baking (in thread one).

Today, a new thread and some February book reviews.
I especially remembered you were interested in hearing what I thought of Canoe & Camera, (the 200-mile exploration of Maine in the 1880's).

It was pleasantly readable and the illustrations were brilliant. I was fortunate that Mr. SM owns a first edition, so these graphics were crisp originals as published in 1882. Apparently, the reprinted books were simply scanned so the reproductions sadly unsatisfactory.

>51 SandyAMcPherson: that's a shame about the reprints. Thanks for stopping by to let me know what you thought of Canoe & Camera.

I really enjoyed Canoeing with the Cree. If you've not read it yet I highly recommend it.

#11 Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech - Newbery Medal 1995

While on a road trip to go visit her mother in Idaho, thirteen year old Sal entertains her grandparents with strange tales about her friend Phoebe. There's a lot in this story to digest, I may go back for a re-read soon.

>52 fuzzi: Thanks for the reccy. I saw that book mentioned elsewhere and wondered if it would be readable. Sometimes the writing style in these older stories is too dated to keep me engaged enough to enjoy the reading.

The 1935 edition is available in our PL "Local History" room, which means I can't check it out. I might go there to have a look through the book since it's an original edition. I'll let you know when I have had a look. Right now, I'm hunkering down and keeping warm.



Maybe March sometime will be good for frivolous outings ~ no surprise I am concentrating only on grocery trips until it warms up some.

>53 fuzzi: That looks like a potential read for me as well.

>54 SandyAMcPherson: I got a brand new copy of Canoeing With the Cree, it should be available.

It's going to be 80F here today. It's above average but I'm going to enjoy it anyway.

We usually get at least one small snowfall of 2-4" a year but we've not seen one snowflake this winter.

ETA: I looked up on bookfinder, and using Canada as the destination and currency found copies available but starting at 17 Canadian dollars!

In the US there are copies for as little as 5.00 USD, not sure if that would be cheaper for you.

Not with shipping - from the US to Canada it's ridiculous. Not sure about the other way.

#12 The Dark Frigate by Charles Boardman Hawes - Newbery Medal 1924

This story has been described as kind of like Treasure Island, but I thought it went beyond that classic tale, with plenty of nautical jargon and historical references to flesh this out into an interesting adult read.

>57 fuzzi: That one sounds interesting for such an old Newbery medalist.

>58 thornton37814: I agree. I am making an effort to read Newbery's, and am unsure about some of the older winners, but this one definitely deserved its medal.

>59 fuzzi: I suspect some of the winners were good at the time but just haven't "aged well" for today's readers. I think a lot of today's winners will not be appreciated by future readers either. (I must admit I don't appreciate some of them now.)

>50 fuzzi: I'm changing from a lurker to being a poster on your thread, lol.
I like to read story collections and they're always a mixed bag. For some reason I was intrigued by the Stanger book and I also like animal tales. Monastery Cat was hard to find, I guess because its an older book. I wound up ordering it from Abe's for one of my Thingaversary book purchases. It took several weeks to come and I have not cracked the cover yet, but I hope to soon.

>60 thornton37814: Newberys have been a mixed bag for me, some I loved and others like Shadow of a Bull I couldn't read after the first chapter due to the glorification of bull fighting and the cost of not just bovine, but equine life as well. Nope.

I've read up to 2010 (which I liked) and the earliest was The Dark Frigate (which I also liked) with a mixed bag in between.

>61 kaida46: glad you posted! I first discovered Joyce Stranger as an author when as an 8 year old child I walked into the public library and saw Rex displayed on a "new fiction" shelf. I loved the dog picture, and as I was never told "that's too hard for you, you're too young to read that" I borrowed it and read about people in the Lakes region, the shepherds, their dogs, and the trials of day-to-day life. I've since read a major portion of her works, mostly collected through online sources as they're not readily available here in the USA.

My favorite of her books is The Running Foxes, about not only the wildlife but the farmers who organize hunts when predators start decimating their flocks and herds, animals on which they depend to survive. It's a wonderful immersion into a time and place removed, and the people within.

Hi Fuzzi, haven't delurked for awhile. I like some Newbery medal winners but largely the older ones. The new topics and the writing don't appeal much to me.
I am astounded at how 'dark' some reading material is these days for a YA read. Not just Newbery winners, but generally. I think the YA audience may not handle these novels if they're a troubled young person with no sensitive adult keeping them centred in reality. The wash of puberty is a moody time.

>62 fuzzi: Joyce Stranger's writing sounds very appealing. I like your phrase, a wonderful immersion into a time and place removed, and the people within ~ very evocative of the stories I read in my young end of the YA days.

The Hills are Lonely was a familiar title, but then I realized that maybe I was thinking of a favourite memoir I read years ago by Lillian Beckwith. Her book's title is actually, The Hills is Lonely. She wrote about her time in the Hebrides. I don't remember what happened to my collection of Beckwiths. I may have had to declutter the set during one of our many moves. Fortunately, the PL has most her books and a few of Joyce's. Thanks for the BBs! The Running Foxes isn't a title available but I was able to request The Dark Frigate!

(Edited to fix touchstones. Hope they're correct now)

>63 SandyAMcPherson: The Running Foxes is available from several sources at reasonable cost:

https://www.bookfinder.com/search/?full=on&ac=sl&st=sl&ref=bf_s2_a1_...

I put in Canada as the shipping destination.

>64 fuzzi: Thank you for going to the trouble. That was very kind.

>65 SandyAMcPherson: I recommend it that much, no trouble at all.

#13 The High Graders by Louis L'Amour

A story of mining, cattle, and how easy it is to look the other way when there's gold for the taking. Good read, better than average L'Amour.

#14 Where the Long Grass Blows by Louis L'Amour

Slow-starting but eventually this was a fairly good read. I did like a few unusual plot twists but they didn't lift the story above average for me. Don't judge the author's body of works by this one.

Note: this is a novel length retelling of The Rider of the Ruby Hills.

#15 Star Gate by Andre Norton

Fairly standard yet somewhat interesting story about a halfbreed forced to leave his legacy and join ranks with superior powers. It was a little uneven but I enjoyed it.

#16 Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi

Set in late 1300's England this is an engaging story of an orphan boy who is, for reasons unknown, targeted for execution by his Lord's steward. I appreciated the characters and the well-drawn setting. I felt the ending was just a tad contrived but it didn't spoil it for me.

I will keep an eye out for the sequels!

#17 The Animal, the Vegetable, and John D Jones by Betsy Byars

Amusing look at two single parent families going on vacation together with typical adolescent reactions to being forced into close proximity with others NOT of their choice. The author is good at getting into pre-teenagers' heads. Worth reading.

#18 Anne's Tragical Tea Party by Kallie George

Delightful, captivating adaptation of a tale familiar to Anne fans. The illustrations are perfect, and complement the story. I am looking for the other books in the series to share with my granddaughters.

#19 The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi

Fun read, needed to suspend disbelief just a tad but enjoyed it nevertheless. Looking for more books by this author.

#20 Hanging Woman Creek by Louis L'Amour

Slightly different take on the usual Nester vs. Cattle Baron plot, with enough action and less introspection to keep the reader happy. I also really enjoyed the addition of Eddie Holt, who had an interesting background and more dimension than is common in this genre. I might just keep this one for another read later on.

Finally found my way to your thread.

>1 fuzzi: Adorable!

>33 fuzzi: E.L. Konigsburg is a favorite of mine...The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankenweiler is one I reread from time to time.

>73 fuzzi: This was a favorite of my students and me when I taught middle school. I didn't keep up with him once I left middle school. I've added Crispin to the TBR.

>75 witchyrichy: glad to have you!

The Newbery books I've been reading were mostly published after I graduated from school. I'm enjoying some authors I'd never heard of before.

>76 fuzzi: I ran my middle school language arts class as a reading workshop so we read 30 minutes 3 days a week. It was GREAT and I was able to really connect with young adult literature. I am sorry I didn't keep up after I stopped. Going to keep track of your thread for some great reads. Have you read Catherine, Called Birdy? I watched the movie with a friend and did not remember it being so "racy" ;-)

Meanwhile, I happened upon this documentary about the Lost Colony and thought you might be interested. You need some sort of account. Link to Video

And, I don't know if you watch movies, but Peanut Butter Falcon was fun and at least a few scenes were filmed in Wanchese.

Can you tell I have been missing the Outer Banks and eastern North Carolina?

>77 witchyrichy: yes, I did recently read Catherine, Called Birdy and enjoyed it quite a bit. It wasn't "racy" that I recall.

My review:
Catherine is a free-spirited knight's daughter in thirteenth century England. At the request of her older brother she keeps a journal for a year, and so the reader gets a view of life during the Middle Ages.

I enjoyed this work, and how the author developed Catherine from a petulant child into a more mature maiden, but still "Birdy".

Miss ENC? Come back! Come back!

#21 Listening Woman by Tony Hillerman

This is decidedly one of the author's better books, although none that I've read so far received less than three stars from me. I found this Leaphorn mystery gripping, suspenseful, and with many twisty canyons for the reader to follow.

#22 Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer

Another delightful romp by Heyer in this sequel to These Old Shades. The author gives us enough descriptions to make vivid images in the reader's mind but not enough to bore them. And I love how the dialogue will make me chuckle instead of groan, as I do with other authors' Regency stories.

#23 Nerilka's Story by Anne McCaffrey (comfort reread)

Nerilka is one girl in a large family that is suddenly struck by worldwide tragedy. Ashamed of her father's lack of compassion, selfishness, and hypocrisy in the situation, she leaves her home with the intention of assisting in the recovery efforts of a nearby settlement that has also suffered.

I appreciated how the author told a story through the eyes of a woman who, despite her privileged background, was determined to serve and assist those in dire need.

#24 George's Marvelous Medicine by Roald Dahl

I was disappointed in this short book by an author that I love. It never grabbed my interest, and if it had been longer I might have given up, it was that much of a slog. But I loved the illustrations by one of my favorite artists, Quentin Blake, so I gave it an extra 1/2 star for those.

>80 fuzzi: >81 fuzzi: Heyer and McCaffrey are both authors I want to explore more. I've enjoyed the couple things I've read by both of them.

Hope all is well!

>83 witchyrichy: Heyer is reliably quite good with her Regency Romances. McCaffrey has some quite good books but sometimes just hacks her way through to the next paycheck.

>83 witchyrichy: doing fine, occupied with outside stuff before the heat arrives, and work...May and June are busy with onboarding and graduating.

>84 quondame: agreed, especially regarding Heyer. I didn't care for a mystery of hers, though.

McCaffrey has some good stuff, and some meh books. I love her Harper Hall books, and her Dragonflight trilogy. The latter does show its age, but I adore many of the supporting cast, such as Robinton, so I would reread them. Obviously I enjoy Nerilka's Story! I also enjoyed her Crystal Singer stories but that was a long time ago, don't know if they'd hold up to a reread. I liked her Rowan series on the first and subsequent reads, but a recent attempt just didn't grab me.

>85 fuzzi: Dragonflight and the three Harper hall books are good, some of the other dragon books are OK and some are regrettable. I did like the Crystal Singer books and loved The Ship Who Sang and some of her others, but found her as often disappointing as satisfying.
Of her near contemporaries (within 20 years) I found Marion Zimmer Bradley, C.J. Cherryh, Sheri Tepper, and Jo Clayton more consistent. But there weren't a lot of women in F&SF writing as women way back when and she was one of the first I encountered.

For sure Heyer's mysteries aren't much fun, and some of her non-Regency historical books aren't top notch.

>86 quondame: CJ Cherryh remains in a list of my top five favorite authors.

>87 fuzzi: She has delivered good books reliably for a long time now. The The Russian Stories are not for the depressed, that's for sure though.

Just don't (assuming you actually enjoy Pern) try the books by McCaffrey's son and daughter. He's written several, she's written one (as of the last time I noticed) - and none of them are properly Pern, and none of them are well-written. Plot holes galore, even if you didn't know the setting, and if you do there are even more. It's a great pity - I love Pern (and most of the books, by Anne, about it), but Todd and (whatever the daughter's name is) are not feeding the hunger for more.

>88 quondame: I've never read the Russian ones. I prefer Cherryh's SciFi, though I did love the Fortress series.

Has anyone else read her Rider at the Gate (Finisterre) books?

>89 jjmcgaffey: I read the Pern books, stopped after reading All the Weyrs of Pern, just didn't have any interest to continue. I think I tried reading First Fall, lost interest as I recall.

>90 fuzzi: I do like the Fortress/Tristen Sihhë series - it is one where her use of language produces the perfect moodiness. I could have used more Finisterre. I also like her earlier/later Union Alliance books Brothers of Earth and Hunter of Worlds. She has some less than stellar books, but never a waste of time and so many good ones.

>91 quondame: I wanted a third book with Finisterre, saw her interviewed in which she mentioned that sequels aren't written without the publisher's okay. Bummer.

Have you read Wave Without a Shore? Superb.

>92 fuzzi: Yes. WWaS is a real mood piece. Not a favorite, but it has impact.

#25 What Does Little Crocodile Say At the Beach? by Eva Montanari (Early Reviewer)

Delightful book about a small crocodile's visit to the beach, with lots of examples of onomatopoeia for the younger child. And the whimsical illustrations perfectly match the text. This one is headed for my granddaughters!

#26 Intruder by CJ Cherryh

Not as much action as previous books, but plenty of intrigue, politics, and surprises to enjoy. I love how Cajeiri is growing up, not too quickly, though!

#27 Silver Canyon by Louis L'Amour

An earlier novel by L'Amour that is mostly a formula Western, though I thought it picked up towards the end. Not one of his better novels, but still superior to other westerns as a whole, and worth a read if you like the genre.

Two rereads over the weekend (I needed comfort reads):

#28 Dragonsinger

#29 Dragondrums

>97 fuzzi: Oh yes, those are comfort reads.

It just occurred to me earlier today that I've enrolled Queen's Thief as comfort reads. Since I've only ever read them on Kindle they don't have a place on my physical re-reads shelf.

>98 quondame: I don't usually do rereads based upon seeing a book on my shelf, but because the story or characters come to mind and I decide it's time to revisit them.

>99 fuzzi: Ah, my re-reads shelf is really a matter of ease of access - most of the paperbacks are double shelved in my husband's office and there are often various items on the floor in front of them. The hardbacks are mostly out of easy reach - either too high up and/or blocked in by my reading chair & my junk. But I almost always know where to put my hand almost instantly on a book on the re-reads shelf.

That’s a nice system, always having comfort reads handy.

Except for the large shelf that holds mostly reference, much of my nonfiction, my how-to, and my rather extensive collections of folklore, just about every other shelf I have is chock-full of fiction re-reads. The to-read piles are mostly on the floor, although the newest shelf to my room is mostly to read. I’m trying to clear it out as a place to keep the audiobooks and old radio programs on CD that I have. It’s a small corner piece and the spacing of each shelf lends itself much more to media than books, unless they are what I used to think of as “standard size” paperbacks. I could also put the current gaming discs there, since right now my gaming discs are blocked in by, ironically, my to-read piles! :D

I frequently reorganize my books, except for my L'Amour/westerns shelf. This year I'm rereading the L'Amour's that I haven't reviewed, and rehoming those that I don't think I'll read again.

>101 CassieBash: Most of my TBR is on my Kindle, and is otherwise library hardbacks lying about contributing to horizontal surface syndrome. I've a few physical gift books contributing to the general drift, but unless I see them they soon sink from consciousness.

#30 Callaghan by Louis L'Amour

A story of cavalry and Indians, a professional soldier, his nemesis, and a lady who is admired by both men.

The author has done this type of story before, but much better. There were several subplots that disappeared, and the ending was rushed and disappointing. Not L'Amour's best, barely gets that third star.

>103 quondame: I don’t yet have a Kindle; I was 1 year of service away from my 15 year mark, which traditionally here meant the option to choose a Kindle as your reward, when Marian U. (out of Indianapolis, not Wisconsin) took over. It is one of the few benefits of being under the old regime that I regret not having. It’s all about timing.

I have no Internet at home right now outside of the iffy 4G network so I keep waffling if it’s worth the expense.

>105 CassieBash: Ah, since I'm disinclined to go out and get books, having 3 libraries full of eBooks available for free (well, there's the expense of Internet and computer and Kindle) is the best thing ever!

#31 The Care and Keeping of Grandmas by Mook-Sang (Early Reviewer)

Cute concept, about a little girl's observations when her grandmother comes to live with her family. I think it would be better as a book to be read to children, as some of the text has very advanced vocabulary words, such as "discombobulated". The pictures are bright and cheery, and convey emotions very well. Off to the granddaughters!


#32 The Key-lock Man by Louis L'Amour

Average L'Amour offering. There was little background story for the main character, which I found unusual. Also, in this story I felt the love interest was better sketched out than anyone else, and truly strong as a person. Worth reading, but I'm rehoming this one.

#33 Brionne by Louis L'Amour

At first I wasn't sure about this one, but it grew on me. No typical lone gunman or cattle rustlers, or baron/nester wars, just a man and his son trying to start over again after tragedy strikes. Yes, there's a gang out to kill him, but it's entertaining and pretty good L'Amour, almost worth that extra 1/2 star.

I haven't read Louis L'Amour in quite a while, but I am a fan. : ) Have fun on your re-read. : )

>27 fuzzi: I imagine your grandchildren were very excited and happy when they received these coloring books from you!

>109 Berly: for the most part, I am. And I've discovering which L'Amours I want to keep.

I had them all as a completest type of person. No more, gotta get the numbers down.

Which L'Amour stories stand out in your memory?

My absolute favorite is Conagher.

>110 Whisper1: they're not coloring books, but yes, my Grands were excited! We got to Facetime.

#34 Dot For Short by Frieda Friedman (reread, review from 2014)

Yippee! I love it when a book from my childhood turns out to be as good a read as an adult, if not better. Such is the case with "Dot for Short".

Dot is ten years old, and lives with her two sisters and younger brother on Third Avenue in NYC, circa late 1940s. Her sisters are tall and pretty, her brother is energetic and funny, but Dot is the small, "plain", insecure sibling. However, she has a caring heart. When faced with adult issues, she makes plans to help those she loves, if it means doing something unusual, something outside her "comfort zone".

I loved my reread of this story from my childhood: the children could be from today, with similar fears and worries. I enjoyed a look back, too, at an era before television.

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#35 Anne Arrives by Kallie George and Abigail Halpin

The author and illustrator of this adaption from Anne of Green Gables both capture the essence of Anne's arrival at Green Gables. I believe Anne fans and purists will be delighted as much as I was when I read it. Highly recommended.

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#36 Anne's Kindred Spirits by Kallie George and Abigail Halpin

Another wonderful retelling from Anne of Green Gables!

And the illustrations are perfect.

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#37 Anne's School Days by Kallie George and Abigail Halpin

I liked this adaptation almost as much as the previous two in the series but was disappointed that the author and illustrator made some unnecessary changes to the original story.

#38 Killoe by Louis L'Amour

Fairly standard story of pioneers heading west, meeting danger not as one might expect from native tribes but from Comancheros and outlaws. Good read.

#39 Showdown at Yellow Butte by Louis L'Amour

This story is about a military veteran hired to ramrod an eviction of squatters. He quickly discovers he's on the wrong side of the equation. Another good L'Amour, enjoyable.

Dropping by to say "hi" while I make my rounds.

>116 thornton37814: ::waving::

My mother owns all of Louis L'Amour's books, but I could never get into them. As far as I remember, the only book by him that I have ever read is his autobiography, Education of a Wandering Man, and I loved it. If you have not read it yet, fuzzi, I can highly recommend that one.

Have a great weekend!

>118 alcottacre: thanks. I have read it, enjoyed it quite a bit.

#40 Protector by C. J. Cherryh

Things have calmed down enough for the Aiji's heir, Cajeiri, to have special guests at his (at last!) felicitous 9th birthday celebration, or have they? There's a bit more action in this installment, and character growth that is unexpected but welcome.

Life has been a little chaotic and I've been mostly offline so a bit behind on threads and reviews.

Thanks for all the Heyer and McCaffrey suggestions. I need to dig into L'Amour as well. Aah...so much reading!

#41 When I Became Your Grandma by Susannah Shane and Britta Teckentrup

Sweet rhyming story about the love of a grandmother for her grandchild. The collage-type illustrations are enchanting, simple, and perfect for the subject. This one is headed for MY grandchildren.

>121 witchyrichy: book bullets are a flying!!!

Glad you stopped by.

#42 Passin' Through by Louis L'Amour

Better than average story that has some twists but also a couple more obvious threats that the protagonist doesn't see coming. A little different, enjoyable, but I'm not sure if I want to keep it for a reread.

Waving hello. It sounds like your grandmother-y reading and Louis L'Amour are keeping you good company this summer.

>125 streamsong: indeed. But we won't be seeing the Grands in person this summer. I will have to settle for FaceTime. :sigh:

#43 Peacemaker by C.J. Cherryh

More politics and intrigue with the Atevi and human populations, with more emphasis on the Atevi culture. And I so enjoy Tabini's son, Cajeiri, and his human companions.

#44-#57 books in the Bible: Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, Proverbs

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#58 The Penderwicks in Spring by Jeanne Birdsall

Five years have passed since the last time we visited with the Penderwicks. There have been some changes, additions and subtractions from the family, but they're still all Penderwicks! This book is told mostly from Batty's perspective, who is almost eleven years old and growing up quickly.

This book is a little more serious than I recall the previous books were, but still a delightful read and a fun visit with an unusual family.

#59 Monument Rock by Louis L'Amour

This collection contains the last of L'Amour's unpublished short stories, and it's a pretty good bunch. There are some familiar characters within, including Utah Blaine, the Cactus Kid, Chick Bowdrie, Kilkenny, and it even has a new Talon family member. I can't recall any of these tales not being at least a three star. Not going to rehome this one, yet.

#60 Ezekiel
#61 Lamentations

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#62 Matagorda by Louis L'Amour

A cattle drive, a feud, and a hurricane bearing down upon a town that was facing extinction...all contribute to an above average, nay, very good adventure told by a master storyteller. I believe I'll keep this one.

>128 fuzzi: I really need to read the entire Penderwicks series.

Have a wonderful weekend, fuzzi!

>131 alcottacre: you too!

I don't recall who recommended the Penderwick series, but I am glad they did.

And that I listened.

#63 Canyon Winter by Walt Morey

An engaging tale of a young man stranded in the wilderness, and how he comes to appreciate his surroundings as well as fend for himself. It's a young adult story that should appeal to adults, like me, who enjoy a well-told tale.

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Written 15 years before Hatchet, which it resembles in some ways.

#64 Lean on Me by Bill Withers & illustrated by Rachel Moss

What a great concept! And well executed. The illustrator matches the lyrics of the famous song Lean on Me to pictures of four friends growing up together. Now I have the song repeating in my head, not necessarily a bad thing.

Stopping in to say hi! I love getting involved in a Louis L'Amour. I don't read him as much as I'd like.
Now I've got that song stuck in my head. Also, not sorry. Such a lifelong message.

>135 Carmenere: good morning, thanks for stopping by!

I decided to weed out my L'Amour collection, but while I've read them all I'd not reviewed them here. So, I am rereading L'Amour books and reviewing before they head out the door.

>134 fuzzi: I’ve got Lean on Me requested, although it’s still on order at my library. Looks great!

And I’ve got the song in my head now!

Karen O

#65 The Man from Skibbereen by Louis L'Amour

Fairly standard L'Amour, with a little bit of everything: Confederate renegades, outlaws, fisticuffs, bison stampedes, train robbery, and some young women inserted in the mix. Worth a read, but headed out the door.

#66 The Moorchild by Eloise MacGraw - Newbery Honor 1997

I'm going to begin this review with a WOW. Great read! I was drawn in to the characters and situation, which never felt stereotypical or superficial, or contrived. The people in the story had some dimension, depth, and I had a hard time putting this book down despite it being past my "bedtime".

Nice, very nice, worthy of the honor. I felt it possibly could have been a Newbery Medal winner.

>139 fuzzi: BB!

>140 quondame: yippee!

#67 Jeremiah (King James Bible)

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#68 The Iron Marshal by Louis L'Amour

A young Irish orphan arrives in New York, finds work as a smith and assisting the shoulder-strikers of Tammany Hall. One day while facing enemies in overwhelming odds he hides in a freight car and eventually winds up in a Kansas town in need of a sheriff.

I liked this story, quite a bit, probably as it's a slightly different plot in the Western genre.

>128 fuzzi: I forgot about the Penderwicks. At some point, I read the first one in the series and remember enjoying it. Thanks for the memory.

#69 The Red Shoes by Eleri Glass and Ashley Spires

Delightful little book about a young girl whose mother takes her shopping for new shoes, sensible shoes, while pretty red shoes are what she really wants.

Hi Fuzzi. Isn't it about time we read another of the Hammond Innes books?

>145 PaulCranswick: that's a good suggestion.

Let me look at what I have on the shelves and see if you have the same title available.

I'm rereading The Cardinal of the Kremlin but should have time to add an Innes to September.

>146 fuzzi: I will keep a look out, Fuzzi!

>147 PaulCranswick: here's my list, any of them match one of yours?

https://www.librarything.com/catalog/fuzzi?&deepsearch=innes

I have pretty much all of his books somewhere, Fuzzi. I didn't read The Lonely Skier since schooldays so if I was picking it would be that one, I guess.

>149 PaulCranswick: I'll make a note of it, thanks for suggesting another Innes.

>132 fuzzi: I have read the first in the series, but I never got back to it. I need to remedy that.

>139 fuzzi: Adding that one to the BlackHole. Thanks for the recommendation, fuzzi!

>144 fuzzi: Well, between you and Linda, I have no choice but to track that one down, lol.

Have a terrific Tuesday, fuzzi!

>151 alcottacre: thank you!

I've read some terrific and some not-so-terrific stuff in my Newbery challenge. The Moorchild was in the former category, for sure. And as it's a "children's book", a fairly quick read.

Added Isaiah and Song of Solomon to my reading total, #70 and #71.

#72 Ecclesiastes

Psalms is next, it'll be a while as there are 150 chapters of varying lengths.

>149 PaulCranswick: and after I finish The Cardinal in the Kremlin I'll start on The Lonely Skier.

#73 Love You Snow Much by Melinda Lee Rathjen

Cute rhyming story about a snowman parent and child, and the animals they meet in the wintery woods where they live.

>154 fuzzi: Dusted off and ready, Fuzzi!

Will it be your 75th read?

>156 PaulCranswick: soon, soon! I was hoping to finish my current read first, but RL keeps intruding...

#74 Psalms (King James Bible)

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#75 The Empty Land by Louis L'Amour

An interesting premise about a newly formed town turned bad, and what it takes, WHO it takes, to bring law and order to a place of anarchy. The story was uneven at times, but I liked some of the plot twists, and eventually decided it did deserve that extra half star.

>158 fuzzi: Congratulations on reaching 75, fuzzi!

Catching up with you just in time to say 'Congratulations on 75!'

>158 fuzzi: Hurray for reaching 75!

Yay for 75 reads!

>158 fuzzi: Congratulations on 75, Fuzzi.

>163 PaulCranswick: thank you!

I started The Lonely Skier yesterday, better late than never?

Congratulations on 75!

I'm enjoying your golden milk recipe. I'm not sure if it helps my arthritis but is a wonderful mid afternoon pick me up.

Congrats!

#76 Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

I enjoyed this story, the world-building especially, but I feel that the last few chapters were an unnecessary addition to a tale that was good enough on its own, without one more crisis tacked on.

>165 streamsong: thank you for the congratulations!

I appreciate you giving me an update on the golden milk, too.

>166 drneutron: thankyouverymuch!

>164 fuzzi: How are you doing with The Lonely Skier, Fuzzi?

Congrats on reading past 75 books!

>158 fuzzi:

>169 PaulCranswick: I'm stalled, but it's not The Lonely Skier, it's me. I've been too tired after work to read.

I'm hoping to have time (and energy!) to pick up and READ something this weekend.

>170 figsfromthistle: >172 fuzzi: thank you!

>172 fuzzi: Never mind, Fuzzi, take your time with it. Hope you are well. xx

>173 PaulCranswick: argh! It's still on my bedside table, next book in the queue. I couldn't get to sleep after reading the first couple chapters, it was too stimulating before bed so yesterday I did a L'Amour reread instead.

#77 Esther
#78 Nehemiah

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#79 High Lonesome by Louis L'Amour

A young man has crossed the line into the outlaw life but when he meets a special young lady his worldview shifts. Is it too late?

I like how L'Amour takes the standard Western plot and adds something more to make it better. I've not yet decided if this one goes to the used book store or stays on my shelves for a reread.

Note: this is a novel length retelling of the short story In Victorio's Country. And in this instance of L'Amour "novelizing" a short story the result is pretty good!

I am not counting this book for my 2023 total as I only reread two stories within:


With These Hands by Louis L'Amour

I've read this collection before, kept it on my shelves for several years and recently decided upon a reread. The title story is very good, and there's a rustling/cowboy story that was okay, but the rest of the collection is made up of boxing, detective, and adventure stories which I didn't feel like rereading, not my favorite genres.

I might keep the book just for the With These Hands story, it's that good.