An End - November (Almost) Reading Update

t's been an interesting week. A bit of a 'weather bomb' hit the West Coast this week. Lots of trees down, heavy rain, some areas with power outages. We got high winds and lots of rain here in the Valley but at least in our little area the power stayed on. Clyde wasn't very impressed. His walks basically consisted of us opening the back door and sticking him out on the deck so he could wander around the back yard for a few minutes. It was ok yesterday but it's raining quite heavily at the moment. Yuchh. Mount Washington must be happy though. They received 100 centimeters of snow over the past few day. If you click on this link, you can check out their webcams to see how it looks up there.

Moving on from the Canadian tradition of starting off any conversation by talking about the weather, let's move on to my normal reading / new book update.

Just Finished

(I've finished 3 graphic novels since my last update. I'm making steady progress on some of the books I've also working on. More on those next update)

1. Lore Olympus, Vol. Six by Rachel Smythe (2024). I really enjoy this series.

"Lore Olympus: Volume Six, the latest instalment of the Olympus graphic novel series by Rachel  Smythe just keeps moving this series along at a wonderful pace. It took me a little bit to get back into the flow but once I did, I enjoyed so much. So much!

Persephone, goddess of Spring, has caused some destruction in the mortal realm after some tricks by Minthe really, really upset her. Zeus has decided to make an example of her and puts out an arrest warrant for Persephone and also for her mother, Demeter. Hades finds Persephone, basically comatose and brings her to the Underworld realm to heal and protect her. His capable assistant and my favorite character, Hecate, provides assistance. 

While Persephone recovers and the ongoing relationship between her and Hades continues to grow, we get to see more about the other gods. Hera, frustrated and angry at her hubby, Zeus, tries to get to the bottom of what happened between Persephone and Apollo (If you haven't read the earlier books, I won't ruin that for you). She goes to meet Hades and Persephone and promises Persephone that she will help her in any way she can. 

Minthe, still jealous and angry at being set aside by Hades for Persephone, still wants answers from Hades! Will she go to the Underworld to demand these answers? The story jumps into the past to when Minthe first meets Hades. There are other trips into the past, as Persephone tells about her childhood to Hades and he also talks about how Kronos swallowed him and his brother Poseidon and how Zeus saved him. Fascinating stuff.

It's a rich, entertaining, engrossing story that just keeps getting better. The modernization of the gods is really handled so well. I particularly loved the Zoom call between Zeus and the other Olympians as he tries to demand that Persephone be given up for trial. It's so neat. The story, the drawing, the artwork, the coloring is all handled so very well. Once you get going, it's difficult to put down. You will want to read until the end. I just got my copy of Volume 7... How long will I resist it? (4.5 stars)"

2. The Sandman, Vol. 9 - The Kindly Ones by Neil Gaiman (1995). I've hesitated to continue reading this series. (Comment in my review).

"I have to say that the Sandman graphic novel series by Neil Gaiman has been a favorite of mine since I started reading it. 

(Ed note. I have hesitated to continue with and finish this series after reading about sexual assault allegations against Gaiman. I have decided to finish the series but will look at any other books I have by him and whether I will continue. You can decide for yourself whether you want to read the review or read any of his work. I'll just say that he hasn't been taken to court as far as I can tell, but it still does cloud my enjoyment of the story.)

Anyway, I still gave The Sandman, Vol. 9: The Kindly Ones a 4-star rating because it's a darn good tale. In this story we get to meet pretty well all of the people who have peopled the earlier stories. My favorites are Rose, who goes to England to see what her dead grandmother has left for her in the old estate; Matthew, the raven, Sandman's regular companion; & Sandman's sister, Death. She doesn't make a big enough appearance but she's still great.

Lots going on in this story. Sandman / Dreams is trying to settle his affair throughout this story. He's created a new Corinthian (a murderous killer in a previous book), but a better man this time. He wants Corinthian and Matthew to find Daniel. Daniel is the son of Lyta (aka Hippolyta) who was kidnapped from his bed. Lyta thinks Sandman has kidnapped him and she is searching for the Furies (although they prefer to be called The kindly Ones) This trip takes her to various realms but when she finds them, she demands revenge against Dreams. 

What else??? Nuala, a fairy princess who had been given to Dreams many stories ago and works as his maid (sort of) is given back to the land of faerie as the request of the faerie queen. Nuala doesn't really want to go and she will try to return when she finds that Dreams is in danger... 

OK??? Dreams other sister Delirium is searching for her doggie (she is a strange one) and she also realizes Dreams is in danger and wants him to accompany her... which he doesn't.. Oh Death, or Satan or whatever, who had left Hell to live as a night club pianist, is having second thoughts about it. He shows up periodically.

The Kindly Ones will eventually attack Dream's lands and begin killing off his associates. Various other evil critters; Loki, Pan, etc will make appearances and what are they doing?

There is so much going on but it's all so fascinating so well drawn and so interesting. Is it resolved in the end? Some things are but there is still Vol 10, The Wake, sitting on my shelf to finish the series, which I will do. (4.0 stars)"

3. Monstress, Volume 4 - The Chosen by Rachel Liu & Sana Takeda (2019). There are so many excellent graphic novels to read. I've enjoyed focusing on them in November.

"I readily admit that lots of the time I don't know what is going on in the Monstress graphic novel series by Marjorie M. Liu. It's a wild ride. So many interesting characters, the story moves between them in the blink of an eye. In between chapters, the noted cat professor, Tam Tam, tries to educate us about the Known World and its history and people so that's definitely helped. Monstress, Volume 4: The Chosen continues this excellent, exciting story.

The main characters, Maika Half-Wolf, Kippa the little Fox and Ren the wizard cat are all separated, each trying to survive the catastrophe of the 3rd book. Maika is now with her father (she doesn't want to be) and the god that is inside her, Zinn, isn't responding. Kippa is a prisoner, sort of, of a group trying to bring her to the Doctor (another name for Maika's daddy) but she escapes ... sort of.. LOL. As Kippa is growing up she seems to be developing her own powers. What are they? Darned  if I know... well, not exactly. Ren betrayed Maika and Kippa in the last book but is now trying to redeem himself. 

And of course, there are all of the other story lines. Maika's daddy has gathered the great human war lords together and plans to war against the Arcanics, the Dawn & Dusk courts. The Arcanics have joined together with the marriage of the two Queens (or maybe princesses). But even there, you find friction. So that is sort of the gist of this story. Maika trying to deal with her father and still seeing 'visions' of her mother, Moriko Half-Wolf, Kippa trying to get to Maika and what about Ren? Well, that's the wild ride you'll have to follow with this story.

Beautifully drawn and colored Sana Takeda and wonderfully told by Marjorie Liu, it's a fascinating fantasy story. Every book (this one covers issues 19 - 24) draws you in and keeps you turning pages to see what will happen next. I loved it and can't wait for Vol. 5 - Warchild to see where their journey will take them next. (4.0 stars)"

Currently Reading

1. Tank Girl Three by Jamie Hewlett & Alan C. Martin (2009). (My fun series.)

"Concerned parents everywhere - rejoice! Tank Girl's back and she's madder than ever! Join our bullet-spraying, bloke-spaying heroine as she yet again wreaks havoc on an unsuspecting world, with a titanic battle against evil bounty hunters, a fascinating odyssey through the culinary world, the astonishing, all-true story of popular beat combo The Smiths, the lovely Jet Girl, the unlovely Booga, and more dead nasties than you can shake some sick at! Complete with unseen material from artist Jamie Hewlett (Gorillaz) and writer Alan Martin, it's another action-packed, outrageous adventure! Warning: Adults only!"

2. George Orwell's 1984, The Graphic Novel by Fido Nesti (2021). It's been years since I read the novel. It seemed appropriate to read it again.

"In 1984, London is a grim city in the totalitarian state of Oceania where Big Brother is always watching you and the Thought Police can practically read your mind. Winston Smith is a man in grave danger for the simple reason that his memory still functions. Drawn into a forbidden love affair, Winston finds the courage to join a secret revolutionary organization called the Brotherhood, dedicated to the destruction of the Party. Together with his beloved Julia, he hazards his life in a deadly match against the powers that be.

With evocative, immersive art from Fido Nesti, this vision of George Orwell’s dystopian masterpiece provides a new perspective for longtime fans but is also an accessible entry point for young readers and adults who have yet to discover the iconic story that is still so relevant today."

New Books

(3 new graphic novels and one book)

1. Lore Olympus, Vol. 7 by Rachel Smythe (2024). So I finish Vol 6 and then next day I wander through my local book store and there was the next volume..

"Scandalous gossip, wild parties, and forbidden love—the Greek tale of Hades and Persephone gets a romantic modern update in the gorgeously illustrated, Eisner Award-winning Lore Olympus, including a brand new bonus short story!

An ingenious take on the Greek Pantheon, Lore Olympus is a modern update on the story of Hades and Persephone. Follow the propulsive love story of two Greek gods, told with lavish artwork and contemporary sensibilities.

This full-color edition of Smythe’s original Eisner Award-winning webcomic Lore Olympus features exclusive behind-the-scenes content and brings Greek mythology into the modern age in a sharply perceptive and romantic graphic novel.

This volume collects episodes 153-179 of the #1 WEBTOON comic Lore Olympus."

2. Best Canadian Stories 2025 by Steven W. Beattie (2024). I have enjoyed these collections before.

"Selected by editor Steven W. Beattie, the 2025 edition of Best Canadian Stories showcases the best Canadian fiction writing published in 2023.

Chris Bailey • Christine Birbalsingh • Cody Caetano • Kate Cayley • Lynn Coady • Caitlin Galway • Marcel Goh • Beth Goobie • Mark Anthony Jarman • Saad Omar Khan • Chelsea Peters • Kawai Shen • Liz Stewart • Glenna Turnbull • Catriona Wright • Clea Young"

3. Woman, Life, Freedom by Marjane Satrapi (2023). This looked like something I should read.

"An urgent, groundbreaking and visually stunning new collection of graphic story-telling about the present Iranian revolution, using comics to show what would be censored in photos and film in Iran.

Marjane Satrapi, author of Persepolis , returns to graphic art with this collaboration of over 20 activists, artists, journalists, and academics working together to depict the historic uprising, in solidarity with the Iranian people and in defense of feminism.

On September 13th 2022, a young Iranian student, Mahsa Amini, was arrested by the religious police in Tehran. Her only crime was that she wasn’t properly wearing the headscarf required for women by the Islamic Republic. At the police station, she was beaten so badly she had to be taken to the hospital, where she fell into a deep coma. She died three days later.

A wave of protests soon spread through the whole country, and crowds adopted the slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom”—words that have been chanted around the world during solidarity rallies.

In order to tell the story of this major revolution happening in her homeland, Marjane Satrapi has gathered together an array of journalists, activists, academics, artists, and writers from around the world to create this powerful collection of full-color, graphic-novel-style essays and perspectives that bear

Woman, Life, Freedom demonstrates that this is not an unexpected movement, but a major uprising in a long history of women who have wanted to affirm their rights. It will continue."

4. Something is Killing the Children, Vol 1 by James Tynion IV (2020).

"When children begin to go missing in the town of Archer’s Peak, all hope seems lost until a mysterious woman arrives to reveal that terrifying creatures are behind the chaos - and that she alone will destroy them, no matter the cost.

IT’S THE MONSTERS WHO SHOULD BE AFRAID.

When the children of Archer's Peak—a sleepy town in the heart of America—begin to go missing, everything seems hopeless. Most children never return, but the ones that do have terrible stories—impossible details of terrifying creatures that live in the shadows. Their only hope of finding and eliminating the threat is the arrival of a mysterious stranger, one who believes the children and claims to be the only one who sees what they can see.

Her name is Erica Slaughter. She kills monsters. That is all she does, and she bears the cost because it must be done."

Women Authors Whose Work I've Enjoyed - Jenny White

Jenny White

I kind of discovered Jenny White by accident a few years back. There wasn't a lot of information on her except that she wrote a trilogy featuring Turkish police officer Kamil Pasha. The first book was so good and it took me awhile to find the others. As far as I can tell, they were the only books she has written. Do more!

1. The Sultan's Seal (#1 / 2006).

"I found some of the story arcs in this book confusing at times as I wasn't sure if we were in the present in the past. But I still enjoyed the story very much. I liked the era the story was told in, the late 1800's in Ottoman Turkey, the characters, especially Kamil Pasha, who is called upon to solve the murder of an English woman, and Sybil, the English ambassador's daughter, who helps Kamil with his investigation. I also liked the potential relationship, the physical tension that seemed to be developing between the two. There is so much going on, the intricacies of the Ottoman culture, the Young Turks trying to instill a European style parliament, and the mystery itself and its possible tie-in with a previous murder. Very enjoyable first book by Jenny White. I'll be looking for the other books in the series. (4 stars)"

2. The Abyssinian Proof (#2 / 2007).

"It's been a few years since I read the first book in Jenny White's Kamil Pasha historical mystery series; that being The Sultan's Seal. My standard excuse, too many books, not enough time... Also, I have to say, I've only seen her books online, not at my locals, anyway. 

OK, enough of that... 

The Abyssinian Proof, the 2nd book, was also an excellent story. It's set in an exotic locale, Istanbul during the dying days of the mighty Ottoman Empire. The story starts in 1453 to introduce the holy item, called The Proof of God, that becomes the prime mover of the current story. 

Kamil Pasha is a police inspector in Istanbul and he is tasked to solve a spate of thefts of historical, religious artifacts. His superior leads him to believe that his failure to do this might result in a negative impact to Pasha's career. Thrown into the mix of this story are a number of wonderful characters; the homeless boy, Avi, who becomes a useful assistant to Pasha, Elif, the troubled artist, who escaped Macedonia after the murders of her husband and son, and Omar, a police captain who provides humour and a crusty pragmatism as he assists Pasha in his investigations. There are other interesting developments that also make the story rich and fascinating (the community who live in the Sunken Village, and who the stolen Proof is so important to their religious life).

The story is almost to rich to describe in a few words. Istanbul is such an interesting city, peopled with a diverse culture, and with such a great history. The characters are all well-written and sympathetic and the mystery, itself, is unique and interesting. The story moves along at a nice pace and holds your interest. I developed strong feelings for many of the characters and felt happy and sad and angry as they did. It's an excellent story with neat religious aspects to it; such as those explored in other books, like Dan Brown's recent series. You can enjoy this without reading the first book, but you should work your way through the stories as each are excellent. Unfortunately only one more book in this series (so far anyway) and I'll have to get a copy of The Winter Thief. (4 stars)"

3. The Winter Thief (#3 / 2010).

"The Winter Thief by Jenny White is the third and so-far, the last book in her historical mystery series featuring Turkish Special Prosecutor Kamil Pasha. I do hope that at some point, she decides to continue the series but this third book was published in 2010 so it's not looking good.

This book is a rich. exciting mystery and historical adventure. It starts off with the robbery of the Imperial Ottoman Bank of a haul of gold and gems by purported Armenian nationalists. At the end of the robbery, there is an explosion that also destroys a near-by café, causing a major fire. It seems that Kamil's brother-in-law, Huseyin, may have been hurt severely by the fire as he meets in the café with another woman.

The investigation conducted by Kamil, at the direction of the Minister of Justice, Nisam Pasha, will lead him into conflict with the head of the secret police, Vahid, a terrifying, evil man. This conflict will endanger, Kamil, his sister, Feride and his friend, Elif, and all of his close friends and acquaintances.. Besides himself of course.

The investigation will ultimately lead him to a conflict in Eastern Turkey, where a group of idealistic Socialists are trying to form a Utopian community (with the help of arms bought in America and also the stolen gold.. but let's not think on that too much). That is the gist of this fantastic story.

The story, itself, will move from character to character; Kamil, Vahid, Armenian woman Vera, held and tortured by the secret police, Feride (searching for her missing husband), Omar, Kamil's friend and police chief, and so many others. There is intrigue, danger, love and so much more. It's a fascinating story, offering a historic perspective of the time and a great picture of such an exotic country as it struggles with the past and the future. There is a constant menace from the secret police, especially Vahid, who will give you the creeps. Great story and excellent, satisfying conclusion, leaving a teaser of future stories. I definitely hope there will be more. (5 stars)"

If you wish to read more about Jenny White there is some information at this link.

It's Been a Week...

 

It's been a week now since our lovely puppy Bonnie left us. She'd been sick for awhile now, diabetic, blind but she had persevered for almost two years. But last week, everything just came together and Jo and I knew in our hearts that it was time for Bonnie to get some peace. We had a very quiet week since then, all of us not sure how to react. Poor little Clyde isn't sure what is going on. I'm sure he misses his friend and companion terribly.

The puppies having a fun scrap

We got Bonnie in 2013. The breeder originally named her Alice but Jo and I knew we were going to get two miniature schnauzers and thought Bonnie and Clyde would be fun. Bonnie was born in January but we didn't pick her up until we'd been to the World curling championships in Victoria. Clyde came along around a month later. They sure got along well. Bonnie made short shrift of the toy, a little giraffe, that Clyde was given when we picked him up. Her toy, oddly enough, a Happy Face emoji, has survived to this day.

Helping me water the plants

Bonnie was such a lovely dog. She had a rough time though. She almost died on us from an infection she died on us in 2019. It was just after Christmas and on New Year's Day, we found ourselves rushing down to the Veterinary Hospital in Nanaimo where Bonnie spent a week until she was on the mend and we could bring her back home. The vets there were so happy when she actually took some food from my hand, after about 3 days, as they could not get her to eat. We were so relieved. Funny thing, after this terrifying incident, Bonnie was suddenly jumping up on the sofa by herself. Before that, the crafty mare would sit there and look at us with her big eyes and get us to pick her up. So smart. LOL!

Sunny sunshine. Ahh!

Like Clyde, she did like to find herself a sunny spot. It was nice having a back yard to spread out in. 

After a trip to the groomers, time to have a nap.

Of course, both of them also liked to sprawl on the sofa. Maybe they were just watching TV, eh?

Lots of room for all of us here.

Of course, they also liked to sprawl on our laps. Clyde, to kiss Mommy's nose and Bonnie just to feel some skin.

I mentioned that the two of them liked a little scrap. They also loved some snow to run around in. This video always brings a smile to me.

You, I don't like! Grrr!

There is so much to say about Bonnie. Suffice it to say, she brought us joy, comfort and uncomfortable love. She loved everyone, well, everyone but a particular toy we bought one Christmas, a sort of Schnauzer-like door stop. For some reason, she took great umbrage to it. She would lie there and then of a sudden would attack it... trying to bite off its face. It was so funny.

Bonnie's Last Photo

Ah well. we all miss her dearly. In the end, she just got tired of her physical troubles. Her last moments were peaceful, quiet and she got many hugs from us and kisses from Clyde. 

Good-bye to our lovely dear. 

A Saturday Update

Marco Arop with one of Canada's medals today

Good and bad today in the sports world. (From my perspective at any rate). I picked to Brighton Seagulls for my Fantasy Footie league and of course I jinxed them and they lost today. Isn't that always the way? But the Blue Jays won a game, although I'm thinking they may have wasted their opportunity to take part in play-off baseball. I'm hoping I'm wrong. Oh and Canada had 4 medals at today's World Track and Field Championships; a gold in the 800 meter finals, a gold and silver in the Decathlon and a silver in the shot putt. That goes with gold's in both the men's and women's hammer throw earlier in the week. So congrats to the Canadians!!! 

Jo and I went for lunch to Benino's today and I finally won a couple of games of Sequence. Now we're relaxing with the puppies, watching highlights of the Blue Jays.

So a quick reading update. I've finished one book since my last update. I'll update that and also the next book in line. Oh, I bought a book on Wednesday when I went out to pick Jo up from work. So I'll also provide the synopsis of that.

Just Finished

1. The Curse of the Gloamglozer by Paul Stewart (The Edge Chronicles / Quint Trilogy #1 / 2001).

"The Curse of the Gloamglozer  is the first book in the Edge Chronicles and also the first book in the Quint trilogy by Paul Stewart. I have to admit that it's somewhat confusing when you look up the series to ascertain which one to start with. As I understand it, it's not critical which one you read as they all work as standalones. Anyway.....

In this introduction we meet Quint, son of a sky pirate, who is placed with the High Academe of Sanctaphrax, a great rock (planet) that floats in space. Quint will go to school with Linius Pallitax's daughter, Maris. As Quint goes to school and adjusts to the intrigues and classes in Sanctaphrax, he will also help Linius in a special secret project in the center of the big rock. This project will also almost kill Linius and will result in Quint and Maris risking their own lives to discover what it is in the center that Linius was doing.

It's a wonderful, rich fantasy, with great characters, great adventure and mystery and an entertaining story. As well you've got the excellent drawings of Chris Riddell (Goth Girl and Ottoline) to make it even richer. I've got the next two books in the Quint trilogy on my bookshelf and look forward to reading the complete Edge Chronicles. (4.5 points)"

Currently Reading

1. Something  Borrowed, Something Black by Loren D. Estleman (Peter Macklin #4 / 2002).

"Peter Macklin, contract killer--retired--has found himself the perfect woman. He's convinced young, beautiful, innocent Laurie that he is simply a salesman from Detroit, and they're passionately honeymooning in Los Angeles. . . . until the phone call. Peter tells Laurie he has to go to Sacramento to take care of business, and he'll be back in a day. After a day passes, though, a man called Abilene shows up with a note from Peter saying Abilene will take care of her until his return.

Macklin's retirement seems to have been premature, and Laurie's innocence is about to end . . ."

New Books

1. Prophet by Helen MacDonald / Sin Blache (2023). A brand new book, just released that sounded interesting.

"Adam Rubinstein and Sunil Rao have been nemeses and reluctant partners since their Uzbekistan days. Adam is a seemingly unflappable American Intelligence officer; Rao is ex-MI6, an addict and rudderless pleasure-hound with an uncanny ability to discern the truth about anything and anyone--except Adam.

Adam and Rao have gone their separate ways until they are called back together when a full-sized, 1950s American diner shows up in an English farmer's field and a mysterious death ensues. What follows is a reality-twisting, action-filled quest as the unlikely duo begin to uncover how and why people's fondest memories are being manifested and weaponized against them, in increasingly bizarre and tangible forms, by a spooky, ever-shifting substance called Prophet. Adam and Rao must find a way to stop these malevolent entities from taking over a world that is just one perilous step from our own."

Women Authors Whose Work I've Been Enjoying - Maj Sjowall

Maj Sjowall

Maj Sjowall is a Swedish crime writer who collaborated with her partner Per Wahloo in the writing of the Martin Beck mystery series. She was born in Stockholm in 1938 and died in Landskrona in 2020, Over the course of her life, she and Per wrote 10 books in the Beck series. Thus far I've enjoyed 2 of them and have another on my bookshelf.

1. The Man Who Went up in Smoke (Martin Beck #2 / 1966).

"The Man Who Went Up in Smoke is the 2nd book in the Martin Beck mystery series, set in Sweden, by author Maj Sjöwall. Beck is a police inspector working out of the Stockholm Homicide Squad. 

In this story, Beck is finally, after a long while, going on vacation with his family. His boss tells him to lock up his desk and Beck makes sure his apartment is cleaned up and then he catches the boat to the island where his family awaits. (This is very nicely described, almost boringly, but you can picture Beck's actions, hear his thoughts). Not even being able to enjoy one day of vacation, Beck is called back to Stockholm.

A reporter, Alf Mattison, is reported missing in Hungary. The Foreign office wants Beck to go to Budapest and conduct an informal investigation. Reluctantly, Beck agrees, risking the anger of his wife due to putting police work over his family.

Beck heads off to Budapest and on arrival, begins an investigation. He is quite frustrated because he really doesn't have any info to work with. This investigation will involve the Swedish embassy, the Budapest police (Inspector Szulaka is a great character.) Is he helping Beck or tailing him? Also involved is a sexy, female predator. Is she trying to get Beck into a compromising situation? 

In some ways the story reminds me of the Inspector Gideon mystery series or Ed McBain's 87th Precinct series. It's a police procedural, with the difference in this case being that Beck, instead of using his normal team, works with another police department. But, even having said that, he still communicates with those personnel and the final resolution comes about back in Stockholm.

Don't look for tons of action, even though there will be some. It's methodical, thoughtful, clearly described and flows along so well. Beck is a great character (why did it take so long to get to this 2nd book, I ask myself??). I like how he interacted with Inspector Szulaka and also with his people back in Stockholm especially with his partner Killberg. There was a crustiness, that curt style that people who know and trust each other sometimes use. I enjoyed it very much and the resolution was maybe somewhat pat but still interesting and satisfying. Now to get the 3rd book. (4 stars)"

2. Roseanna (Martin Beck #1 / 1965).

"This is the first Martin Beck police procedural and I found it very interesting. I've found in some cases that the translation of Scandinavian mysteries can be hit or miss. This translation was excellent and helped portray Sjowall's style and story-telling very well. I liked the methodical way the story is approached, the hit and miss of the investigation, the boring aspects of waiting for a break when there are no clues. Martin Beck is a tired police investigator, not happy with his family life and gets deeply involved in trying to solve this case. The mystery is interesting, a dead girl's body dredged up by a boat cleaning up a canal. The case involves the investigation, first trying to identify the young woman and then, trying to solve her murder. Excellent story and nicely tense ending. (4.0 stars)"

3. The Abominable Man (Martin Beck #7 / 1971).

"The gruesome murder of a police captain in his hospital room reveals the unsavory history of a man who spent forty years practicing a horrible blend of strong-arm police work and shear brutality. Martin Beck and his colleagues feverishly comb Stockholm for the murderer, a demented and deadly rifleman, who has plans for even more chaos. As the tension builds and a feeling of imminent danger grips Beck, his investigation unearths evidence of police corruption. That’s when an even stronger sense of responsibility and something like shame urge him into taking a series of drastic steps, which lead to a shocking disaster."

The complete listing of Sjowall's work can be found at this link. Check her out.

October 2022 Reading Update

Can we have a biscuit pleaze?

It's been almost a week since my last update. Jo and I headed back east on Thursday to visit with Jenn in Ottawa and then travel up to North Bay to see my Dad and sister. We just got back yesterday and picked up the puppies from Leela, our pet groomer. She stayed at out house and brought Bonnie and Clyde to the grooming salon with her when she worked. As you can see, they both seem very happy. It's been a concern of ours about what we could do with them if we wanted to travel a bit. So maybe we have a solution for future trips. Leela is calm and the dogs respond to her. Yay!

At Dad's apartment

The flight to Ottawa was miserable. The West Jet plane was older, the seats too close together and uncomfortable. Even the meals you could buy didn't seem very appetizing. It was a relief to get into Ottawa.

Jenn and Grandpa

The hotel in North Bay was comfortable and quiet and they had a very satisfying free breakfast. I highly recommend the Hampton Inn if you're looking for a place. We had a nice visit. Jenn and Jo spent Saturday afternoon checking out clothing shoppes downtown. Jenn is starting a new job and wanted to get some new clothes. I went to Allison the Bookman and only bought 2 books (traveling light, dontcha know!). Then I helped them shop for clothes. The place they liked best was a consignment shop, Clothes Encounters of the 2nd Kind. Lovely store and the lady who owns it also went to Widdifield Secondary School, my old alma mater. 😃

Cousins Patrick and Jenn enjoy a moment

On Sunday back to Ottawa. We had lunch at Johanne and Rick's place, then dinner with Patrick and Lindsay. Our flight back to Comox with Air Canada was so much nicer; a newer plane, TV screens on the seat back, the meal offerings were much nicer. I watched almost all of an HBO series, The Staircase. It was interesting enough.

Did you miss us, Mommy?

But we're home now. I even went for a run this morning. The puppies were happy to see us, and we were happy to see them and get back to our home.

Now.... It's November 1st, All Saints Day and the start of the penultimate month of 2022. I had a reasonable month of reading, but I've got so many on the go right now. A few of them are tomeish. I brought about 3 to read on our trip and didn't finish one, but I did make good headway on Boy's Life by Robert R. McCammon. It's an excellent book. So November will be a month of catching up and setting up my challenges for 2023.

I finished 9 books in October, although I readily admit that many of them were quite short. By my counting I've reached my total of 2022 challenge total of 120 books. Goodreads begs to differ and says I've only read 119. I'll bow to their much better addition capabilities. I'm spending November cleaning up my reading challenges and plan to focus on my Monthly Focus Challenges for November and December. We'll see how that works out. Anyway, here are my stats for October.

Oct 2022 

General Info                Oct                   Total (Including my current read) (Avg per book - 251)  
Books Read -                 9  120           
Pages Read -               1900          30100                           
 

Pages Breakdown 
    < 250                          8 69      
250 - 350                        2 6 
351 - 450                        1   15 
   > 450                                              10
 

Ratings 
5 - star                            1                 12                   
4 - star                            3 57 
3 - star                            4
41 
2 - star                                                   2 
No Rating (NR)             1     8                                                      
 

Gender 
Female                          5                46      
Male                              4                71  
Other                                                   2          

 

Genres 
Horror                           3            5                    
Fiction                                                9    
Mystery                                            33           
Sci-Fi                            1              25            
Non-Fic                         1             15
Classics                                             3
Young Adult                  3             19 
Poetry                           1               3 
Short Stories                                     5 

Plays                            0             1  
 

Top 3 Books 
 

1. White Bird by RJ Palacio (5.0 stars) 

2. Lair by James Herbert (4.0 stars) 

3. Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds (4.0 stars)  

Challenges 
1st Annual Reading Challenge (completed 11) 
(None completed) 

Individual Challenge - The Dusty Library #1 - 428 (completed 14) 
1. The Mask of Fu Manchu by Sax Rohmer 3 stars) 

Individual Challenge - The Middle Ground #429 - 855 (completed 9) 
(None completed) 

Individual Challenge - Newest Books #856 - Infinity (completed 40) 
1. Goth Girl and the Pirate Queen (3 stars) 

2. I Know this to be True by Ruth Bader Ginsburg (3.5 stars) 

3. Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds (4.0 stars) 

4. White Bird by RJ Palacio (5.0 stars) 

Monthly Challenge - January Focus - Biography (completed 3) 

Monthly Challenge - February Focus (Classics - Books Published before 1900) (completed 2) 

Monthly Challenge - March Focus (Mystery / Noir) (completed 4) 

Monthly Challenge – April Focus (Sci-Fi) (completed 5) 
Monthly Challenge – May Focus (Non-Fiction) (completed 4) 

Monthly Challenge – June Focus (Children / Young Adult) (completed 6) 

Monthly Challenge – July Focus (Fiction 1900 – 1950) (completed 4) 

Monthly Challenge – August Focus (Short Stories / Poetry / Plays) (completed 5) 

Monthly Challenge – September Focus (Fantasy) (completed 4) 

1. A Second Chance by Jodi Taylor (4.0 stars) 

Monthly Challenge – October Focus (Horror) (completed 3) 

1. Day Shift by Charlaine Harris (DNF) (NR) 

2. Lair by James Herbert (4.0 stars) 

3. Over My Dead Body by Sweeney Boo (3.5 stars) 

Currently Reading 

1st Annual Reading Challenge - Begin a Series 

1. Red Rising by Pierce Brown 

2. The Detective’s Daughter by Lesley Thomson 
Individual Challenge (My Dusty Library Books #1 - 428) -  

(Probably not reading any more books in this challenge) 
Individual Challenge (The Middle Ground #429 - 856) -  

#485. Boy’s Life by Robert McCammon 
Individual Challenge (The Newbys #857 - Infinity) -  

#1314. The Twelve by Justin Cronin 

#1337. The Electric Kingdom by David Arnold 
September Focus – Fantasy 

1. The Sea is Full of Stars by Jack L. Chalker 

October Focus – Horror 

1. Mama by Ruby Jean Jensen 

2. Floating Staircase by Ronald Malfi 

November Focus – Mystery (other than Canada/ US / Britain) 

Nothing yet 

Next Challenge Books in Line 

1st Annual Reading Challenge - Begin a Series  

(Won’t read any more books in this challenge) 
2. Individual Challenge (My Dusty Library #1 - 428)  

(No more books in this challenge) 
3. Individual Challenge (The Middle Ground #429 - 856)  

#592. Kyril Bonfiglioli - Something Nasty in the Woodshed 
4. Individual Challenge (The Newbys #857 - Infinity)  

#1079. The Cometeers by Jack Williamson 
5. Monthly Challenge – November (Mystery Other than Can / US / Britain) 

1. Let the Dead Die Young by Malla Nunn (Africa)