Saturday, October 30, 2021

October Reading Wrap-Up

 

This little guy and his relatives scurry across my deck daily.  Often their cheeks are stuffed full as they prepare their store for winter. I can't believe we are at the end of October already!  

This month I read 6 books, which is less than usual for me.  That's what taking a ten day road trip and  reading practically nothing will do for you.  We had a great trip and I don't regret my lack of reading.  The people, the sights and the experience were much more important.  

Here's the breakdown:

Cozy Mystery: 4

Classic: 1

Nonfiction: 1

Cozy Mystery:

The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax (Mrs. Pollifax, #1)

The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax (Mrs. Pollifax #1) by Dorothy Gilman - Mrs. Pollifax, a widow with grown children, is feeling useless.  The thing she has always wanted to do is become a spy.  Of course, one doesn't just walk into CIA Headquarters and become a spy.  However, in a case of being in the right place at the right time, Mrs. Pollifax is drafted into the CIA as a courier.  All she has to do is go into a bookstore on a certain day at a certain time and say a certain thing.  The rest of the time, she is to explore Mexico City to her heart's content.  As often happens, things don't go smoothly and Mrs. Pollifax is taken captive.  This was such a fun read!  You just have to love Mrs. Pollifax and her no-nonsense way of behaving.  



'Twas the Knife Before Christmas (A Christmas Tree Farm Mystery, #2)



'Twas the Knife Before Christmas (Christmas Tree Farm #2) by Jacqueline Frost  Holly White is looking forward to her second Christmas back home in Mistletoe, Maine.  Christmas is a big deal in Mistletoe and especially at her parents' Christmas Tree Farm.  The Farm hosts all kinds of fun events leading up to the big day.  To get the Christmas season underway, the town hosts a Tree Lighting Ceremony at the downtown square.  Holly and her friends are attending and all is going well until a man is found dead near the big tree.  To make matters worse, the dead man was her best friend Caroline's date last night.  She was the last one to see him alive and is the prime suspect.  Holly knows her friend didn't commit the murder, but will she be able to convince Sheriff Gray before it is too late?  This one will get you in the Christmas spirit.  It is full of Christmas activities, Christmas treats and cozy Christmas decor.  Oh, the characters are great and so is the mystery.

Unleashed (Kate Turner, DVM #2)
Unleashed (Kate Turner, DVM #2) by Eileen Brady - Kate Turner is settling in to her new life filling in at the small veterinary hospital in Oak Falls, NY.  She enjoys caring for the animals, making house calls and working with the staff.  But, when a client, Claire Birnham, is found dead from an apparent suicide Kate becomes quite unsettled.  The police seem to be ruling her death a suicide, but Kate can't let it go.  She is convinced Claire was murdered.  As she begins asking questions, she discovers that Claire had some secrets.  Will the truth come out before Kate sticks her nose where it doesn't belong?  My favorite thing about this series is following Kate on her rounds.  The animals' antics are often hilarious and I always learn something new.  




The Cider Shop Rules (A Cider Shop Mystery, #3)


The Cider Shop Rules (Cider Shop Mystery #3) by Julie Anne Lindsey - The Fall season is ramping up in Blossom Valley as the town gets ready for its annual events.  When Mr. Potter, the owner of Potter's Pumpkin Patch, is murdered, some of the festival spirit is lost.  It is difficult to imagine who could have done this.  Mr. Potter was well liked by most people.  However, Winnie did notice that he had been having a heated discussion with someone before he came out to help her with her order.  Could that person have murdered him?  This is one of my favorite series.  The story is heartwarming, the characters are great, and the mystery was a good one.  Not to mention, it is full of all things fall - apple cider, apple treats, pumpkins and corn mazes. What more could you ask for?


Classic:

The Gentlewoman's Choice


The Gentlewoman's Choice by George MacDonald  Hester Raymount is a young woman who desires to serve God by serving the poor.  Unfortunately doing so is not as easy as it would seem.  Some look down upon her for spending time with the poor, while others feel she is putting her life in danger by exposing herself to smallpox and other illnesses.  When her wayward older brother disappears and her younger brother is ill, Hester is called on to show compassion to those nearest to her.  George MacDonald's writing is not always easy to read.  It can be wordy and he tends to sermonize, but his way of seeing the world sticks with you.


Nonfiction:

Diary of a Young Naturalist


Diary of a Young Naturalist by Dara McAnulty  Following the seasons, Dara McAnulty chronicles a year in his life.  He is a young man, fourteen years old, who lives with his mum, dad, brother and sister in Northern Ireland.  Dara is also autistic.  His diary tells of his family life, the time he spends in nature, and the way he processes the world. I really enjoyed this one.  His writing is beautiful and he has such an eye for things in nature.  I also loved hearing about his life with his family.




Other things around the blog:

I participated in the Around the Blogosphere Tag.

We hiked at Horsetooth Mountain in Fort Collins, Co. and I shared pictures.

That's it for me this month.  I hope you all have a blessed November!

~ Gretchen



I am linking up with The Monthly Wrap-Up Round-Up hosted by Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction and Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight. 


I'm also linking up with The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb @ Readerbuzz.

30 comments:

  1. George MacDonald's fantasy book "The Princess and the Goblin" was my favorite of all when I was around 8 or 9 years old, but I've never followed up by reading his dozens of other books. Maybe because I didn't really like the sequel to it. Interesting that you chose this one.

    best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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    1. I read The Princess and the Goblin to my kids. His writing can be a bit taxing to modern readers.

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  2. Nice list! I adored Mrs Pollifax. I highly recommend you listen to the series. All narrated by Barbara Rosenblat who has the perfect voice for Emily! It's really cool that each book is set in a different country.
    I have read a couple of books by MacDonmald, but not this one. When I read Lilith, I realized how much he inspired both C.S. Lewis and Tolkien!
    Enjoy your November reads!

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    1. I am really looking forward to reading more Mrs. Pollifax. Thanks for the recommendation to listen to them! I have seen the same thing in regards to MacDonald and his inspiration of Lewis and Tolkien - so interesting.

      Have a good November!

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  3. Oh, I LOVED Mrs. Polifax when I was young! What fun! The vet detective series sounds good, as does the young naturalist. And I love your...golden mantle squirrel? chipmunk? What a cutie!

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    1. I really enjoyed Mrs. Pollifax too! That is a chipmunk on my deck. I couldn't get a picture of him without his ears back. They are cute! I love to watch them.

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  4. I haven't read Mrs. Pollifax but I'm going to add it to my list. I loved C. S. lewis and YA reads are definitely easier to get through.

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    1. See you at Sunday Salon @theglobaldig.blogspot.com

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    2. Mrs. Pollifax is so fun! I hope you enjoy her.

      Have a good week!

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  5. It sounds like I need to look for Mrs. Pollifax. I am on the waiting list for Diary of a Young Naturalist; I hope it comes in soon for me. Twas the Knife Before Christmas is on my list for our Christmas cozy mystery read at my book club. I heard a lot about George McDonald in Book Girl, so I might look for more of his books.

    Six books and a hike on a mountain? That's a fabulous month, I think.

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    1. I hope you enjoy Diary of a Young Naturalist, I sure did. Mrs. Pollifax is a lot of fun, too.

      Have a good week!

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  6. I'm glad you got to enjoy a road trip this month! Sounds like you still had a pretty good reading month despite not reading for 10 days. I've been curious about Mrs. Polifax for quite some time... need to to look into those books. Have a good week!

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  7. Chipmunk!!!! I love chipmunks...they're so cute.

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    1. I know! They are so tiny and cute. I always laugh when I scare one, they squeak and scurry away.

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  8. I still need to start with the Mrs Pollifax series! It really sounds so good.

    I hope to be joining the Ho Ho Ho readathon in November and I need some Christmas reads. I think Christmas Tree Farm might be a good choice. Will take a look.

    Have a good week and happy reading!

    Elza Reads

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    1. I didn't know about the Ho Ho Ho Readathon, so thanks for making me aware!

      Have a good week!

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  9. I'll have to look for the Christmas Tree Farm series. I love Christmas cozies. Check out what I read this month at Girl Who Reads.

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    1. I love Christmas cozies, too. But, I think this series is one of my favorites.

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  10. Looks like you had a good October. I want to read Julie Anne Lindsey's series. It looks good. I hope November is a good month too.

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    1. Julie Anne Lindsey's series is a good one, one of my favorites.

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  11. I'm glad you had fun on your road trip! I always think I'll have time for reading on vacation, but then I never do. Have a great week!

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    1. I always think the same thing and never read much either. That never prevents me from bringing a book along and usually two, just in case!

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  12. I used to be a great fan of cozies but find myself giving them away these days, downsizing.

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    1. There's only so much room on the bookshelves 🙂.

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  13. You had a busy month. I have to read more cozy mysteries. I used to read alot. The NF looks interesting. I've been reading more memoir. In fact read one about an autistic boy as well - The Reason I Jump. happy reading in November.

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    1. Thanks for the reminder about The Reason I Jump. I had this on my Japanese Literature Challenge list and never got around to it, but it was one I would like to read.

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  14. The chipmunk looks so cute. I like animals so the vet mystery Unleashed appeals to me. You had a good reading month!

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    1. The Kate Turner, DVM series is a good one. If you like animals, I think you would enjoy it.

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  15. I'm glad you were able to enjoy a road trip this month. We finally took a short vacation too and hiked every day to amazing lake views. I have a chipmunk too! I call him/her my reading buddy as the chipmunk often visited me on my front porch while I read in the evenings.

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