dtrpath27 Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 (edited) I can't believe it's 2015! This first entry is just for my book count and lists for the year; reviews will be in separate posts. My goal for reading this year is 52 books: one for each week. Mostly, I'd like to make sure I read something each month as I tend not to read when it's hot out. Hopefully, I'll discover some new authors and try some new things. I'm excited to have a good year of reading with y'all! 2015 Totals Books - 7 Novellas - 1 Short Stories - 1 January 2015 Books - 6 Novellas - 1 Short Stories - 1 The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley The Curious Case of the Copper Corpse by Alan Bradley (short story) The Remarkable Courtship of General Tom Thumb by Nicholas Rinaldi The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley Every Day is a Holiday by George Mahood Legendarium by Michael Bunker and Kevin G. Summers (novella) The Giver by Lois Lowry The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce February 2015 The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón Edited February 4, 2015 by dtrpath27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share Posted January 4, 2015 (edited) January 2015 The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie By Alan Bradley 291 pages Wikipedia summary: Set in the English countryside in 1950, it features Flavia de Luce, an 11-year-old amateur sleuth who pulls herself away from her beloved chemistry lab in order to clear her father in a murder investigation. This series was recommended to me ages ago by Pontalba, but I just wish I had started it earlier! Lemony Snicket meets Sherlock Holmes, it was clever, witty and a great deal of fun. If you're in the mood for a new whodunit series, this one is worth a read. I got it for only $1.99 in the Kindle store, then found its sequel yesterday in a used bookstore for only $3.00. I'm happily on my way to becoming a huge fan of Alan Bradley's precocious chemist cum detective, Flavia de Luce. Edited January 18, 2015 by dtrpath27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted January 5, 2015 Author Share Posted January 5, 2015 (edited) January 2015 The Remarkable Courtship of General Tom Thumb By Nicholas Rinaldi 384 pages Set on the backdrop of the U.S. Civil War, this fictional memoir is loosely based upon actual events in the P.T. Barnum-fueled career of real-life Tom Thumb, Charles Stratton. To be honest, this book is one that I selected based solely on the cover, but then I read the first few pages and had to read more. It was really quite fascinating, not just because of the voyeuristic nature of it all, but because of the way the author seamlessly wove together fact and fiction, giving a sense of intimacy and familiarity to these larger-than-life people, places and events. Rinaldi did so much research that even the fictional aspects are quite believable. Apparently, some of the most unbelievable parts are the ones which are complete, unembellished truth! Life really is stranger than fiction, and nowhere is that more apparent than in Nicholas Rinaldi's tale of General Tom Thumb. Edited January 18, 2015 by dtrpath27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 I wish you a great reading year in 2015, DTR ! You've read a lot already with these two books and the read-a-thon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted January 5, 2015 Author Share Posted January 5, 2015 I wish you a great reading year in 2015, DTR ! You've read a lot already with these two books and the read-a-thon. Thanks so much. You, too! I do feel like I'm off to a good start, but I also had a nice long break. I hope I can keep the momentum going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 January 2015 The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie By Alan Bradley 291 pages Wikipedia summary: Set in the English countryside in 1950, it features Flavia de Luce, an 11-year-old amateur sleuth who pulls herself away from her beloved chemistry lab in order to clear her father in a murder investigation. This series was recommended to me ages ago by Pontalba, but I just wish I had started it earlier! Lemony Snicket meets Sherlock Holmes, it was clever, witty and a great deal of fun. If you're in the mood for a new whodunit series, this one is worth a read. I got it for only $1.99 in the Kindle store, then found its sequel yesterday in a used bookstore for only $3.00. I'm happily on my way to becoming a huge fan of Alan Bradley's precocious chemist cum detective, Flavia de Luce. Great review! This book is already on my wishlist and I've even seen the copy at the library but haven't gotten around to it yet. It was great to read your review and remind myself what the book is about, now I'm all the more keen to read it! I hope you have a wonderful reading year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Nice reviews, dtr! Happy Reading year! The Bradley series is really excellent, glad you are beginning and enjoying it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie H Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 I'm happily on my way to becoming a huge fan of Alan Bradley's precocious chemist cum detective, Flavia de Luce. Me too! . I was hooked after the first one, and have now got the second of the Flavia de Luce series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted January 7, 2015 Author Share Posted January 7, 2015 Great review! This book is already on my wishlist and I've even seen the copy at the library but haven't gotten around to it yet. It was great to read your review and remind myself what the book is about, now I'm all the more keen to read it! I hope you have a wonderful reading year! Thanks so much! It's a good one to read when you have a rainy afternoon. Happy reading in 2015 to you, too. Nice reviews, dtr! Happy Reading year! The Bradley series is really excellent, glad you are beginning and enjoying it. Happy reading year to you, too, and thanks so much for the recommendation! I'm enjoying the heck out of it. Me too! . I was hooked after the first one, and have now got the second of the Flavia de Luce series. I was hooked, as well! I'm stalking used book stores looking for the third one. I don't know if I can wait to read it though, and will probably borrow it from the library first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 The great thing about having so many unread books is that sometimes you can forget what you own, and then when you 'discover' a book on your bookshelf, it's like Christmas. This is what just happened to me with The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. I loved your review and went to check whether I have the book, and I do! I guess I had never read the blurb before because I didn't know what it was about, and I also hadn't realised it was a series until recently (and I just noticed this is clearly stated on the back of my book ). I like the comparison to Lemony Snicket and Sherlock Holmes. Definitely one to bump up my list! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 Good luck on your reading this year ! I think I missed your thread before ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted January 8, 2015 Author Share Posted January 8, 2015 The great thing about having so many unread books is that sometimes you can forget what you own, and then when you 'discover' a book on your bookshelf, it's like Christmas. This is what just happened to me with The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. I loved your review and went to check whether I have the book, and I do! I guess I had never read the blurb before because I didn't know what it was about, and I also hadn't realised it was a series until recently (and I just noticed this is clearly stated on the back of my book ). I like the comparison to Lemony Snicket and Sherlock Holmes. Definitely one to bump up my list! An overabundance of books -- quite a lovely problem to have! I'm glad you enjoyed my little thoughts on the book, and I hope you enjoy the series! Good luck on your reading this year ! I think I missed your thread before ! Thanks so much! I do love to read when it's cold out. I hope my momentum continues throughout the entire year, though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Coincidentally, Goodreads has just posted an interview with Alan Bradley. If you're interested in reading it, you can find it here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peacefield Posted January 9, 2015 Share Posted January 9, 2015 I'm glad you enjoyed the first Flavia de Luce book, Dtr! Alan Bradley is quickly becoming one of my fave authors. I've read the first 4 installments and am looking forward to the next Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted January 9, 2015 Author Share Posted January 9, 2015 Coincidentally, Goodreads has just posted an interview with Alan Bradley. If you're interested in reading it, you can find it here. I'm very interested. Thank you! I'm not really on Goodreads all that often, so I likely would have missed it. I'm glad you enjoyed the first Flavia de Luce book, Dtr! Alan Bradley is quickly becoming one of my fave authors. I've read the first 4 installments and am looking forward to the next Thank you! He's becoming one of my favorites, as well. I'm refraining from borrowing the series from the library because I want to be able to justify buying them for my own collection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted January 9, 2015 Author Share Posted January 9, 2015 Kylie - Thank you so very much for the link. Now I'm not only obsessed with Flavia, I am also obsessed with Alan Bradley. I loved the interview and all the insight it provided. I've already found my way to his website and fan page, and am just nerdy enough to sign up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 Aw, you're welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted January 10, 2015 Author Share Posted January 10, 2015 (edited) January 2015 The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag By Alan Bradley 358 pages Mystery This is book two in my new mystery series obsession about eleven year old chemist and sleuth, Flavia de Luce. With a puppeteer, a madwoman and layers upon layers of secrets and lies, Bradley provides plenty for his Flavia to discover in the little village of Bishop's Lacey. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and am glad that I own it so I can revisit it as often as I like. Although one would think that the value of a re-read is all but lost once it is discovered whodunit, it couldn't be further from the truth. The murder is a backdrop, a vehicle crafted by Bradley to display the beautiful mind of his precocious heroine. What one falls in love with is not the intrigue, but Flavia herself. I, for one, will happily follow her anywhere. Edited January 18, 2015 by dtrpath27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted January 10, 2015 Share Posted January 10, 2015 I've had The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley on my wish list for some time, but I'm not keen on series books. This is the second time I've written that today! Maybe I should try to get over my prejudice! (I am currently reading the last of a series today, but it's not a regular thing for me). Happy reading in 2015. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 I hope you have a lovely year of reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie H Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 January 2015 The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag By Alan Bradley 358 pages Mystery This is book two in my new mystery series obsession about eleven year old chemist and sleuth, Flavia de Luce. With a puppeteer, a madwoman and layers upon layers of secrets and lies, Bradley provides plenty for his Flavia to discover in the little village of Bishop's Lacey. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and am glad that I own it so I can revisit it as often as I like. Although one would think that the value of a re-read is all but lost once it is discovered whodunit, it couldn't be further from the truth. The murder is a backdrop, a vehicle crafted by Bradley to display the beautiful mind of his precocious heroine. What one falls in love with is not the intrigue, but Flavia herself. I, for one, will happily follow her anywhere. I'm so glad that you loved this one , as I'm really looking forward to reading it soon. And there are 8 in the Flavia series (so far) . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 I hope you have a great year of reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted January 11, 2015 Author Share Posted January 11, 2015 I've had The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley on my wish list for some time, but I'm not keen on series books. This is the second time I've written that today! Maybe I should try to get over my prejudice! (I am currently reading the last of a series today, but it's not a regular thing for me). Happy reading in 2015. Happy reading to you, too! I have to be in love with the characters to be able to follow a series. For example, I really loved the plot, pace and setting of Ender's Game, but as Speaker for the Dead was a completely different situation and I wasn't attached to Ender himself, I wasn't motivated to continue beyond the sequel. In the Flavia series, however, it is she who is the star. The stories could be set on the moon for all I care, because I just love being privy to what's going on inside her head. I hope you have a lovely year of reading. Thank you! May your reading time be plentiful and your books be riveting! I'm so glad that you loved this one , as I'm really looking forward to reading it soon. And there are 8 in the Flavia series (so far) . To me, that's the best part about coming to the Flavia series so late. I can just sit down and read them all without waiting for the next installment. That works extremely well for someone as impatient as I! I hope you have a great year of reading. Thank you. You, too! It seems like many of us are off to a good start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 (edited) January 2015 Every Day is a Holiday By George Mahood 326 pages Every Day is a Holiday is about exactly what it sounds like: all the little made-up holidays that are celebrated by someone, somewhere every day of the year. Author George Mahood challenges himself to celebrate as many of these holidays as possible over a six month period of time. Written in a blog-like style, this book chronicles his experiences and musings along the way. Witty, quirky and downright funny, Every Day is a Holiday was definitely worth the 99¢ I paid for it in the Kindle store. I had more than a few laughs while reading it, and the bite-sized entries fit nicely into my busy work week. If you're looking for something fun and light to keep your reading mo-jo going, give this one a try. Edited January 18, 2015 by dtrpath27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 That sounds interesting, I'm glad you enjoyed it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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