Trish’s Comments (group member since Jan 25, 2019)

Trish’s comments from the Around the Year in 52 Books group.

Robin P wrote: "I started the Sanderson series with The Way of Kings and read the 2nd book, assuming it is a trilogy. No, it's going to be at least 7 books, each 1000 pages +. Life is too short and it's too much to remember between books."

I hear you! I managed about 15% of the first one, and realised that I have too many other books to read :-)

Robin P wrote: "I read several mystery series with totally rational lead characters who keep having somewhat mystical experiences - the Walt Longmire series by Craig Johnson, The Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths, and the Dr. Siri Paiboun series by Colin Cotterill."

I like all of those, too - Walt should NEVER be allowed out in the snow!! I'm sad that Colin Cotterill has finished the Dr. Siri series, as that was one of my favourites.

Yes, I enjoy all of fantasy, urban fantasy, magical realism and paranormal cozy mysteries. I'm not sure which ones to add to the suggestions above, although on the cozy mysteries side, both Amanda Flower's "Magical Bookshop" set, and Angela M. Sanders' "Witch Way Librarian" one combine cozy mysteries with book magic, which amuses me a lot.

I did enjoy Chocolat, and keep meaning to read the others in the series.

Okay. Let's see if I can get through it again, using a different option for each phrase.

1. Autumn or Fall (Not Author)
2. Corn Maze (Not Author)
3. Harvest (Not Cover)
4. Red and Orange (Not Author)
5. Foliage (Not Title)
6. Cooler Weather (Not Author)
7. Pumpkin Spice (Not Cover)
8. Sweater (Not Title)
9. Hot Chocolate (Not Author)
10. Oktoberfest (Not Title)
11. Spooky Season (Not Title)
12. Halloween (Not Title)
13. Jack-o-Lantern (Not Author)
14. Trick or Treat (Not Author)
15. Ghost Stories (Not Author)
16. Bonfire Night (Not Title)
17. Thanksgiving (Not Author)
18. Fireworks (Not Title)

Made it round the first time.

The Phrases
1. Autumn or Fall - Author: Murders and Metaphors, Amanda Flower – 05/09/25
2. Corn Maze - Author: Navajo Autumn, R. Allen Chappell – 04/09/25
3. Harvest - Cover: Farm to Trouble, Amanda Flower – 24/09/25

4. Red and Orange - Author: The Last Devil to Die, Richard Osman – 06/10/25
5. Foliage - Title: Lost in the Moment and Found, Seanan McGuire – 07/09/25
6. Cooler Weather - Author: Murder on Wheels, Lynn Cahoon – 15/09/25
7. Pumpkin Spice - Cover: The Haunting, Kathi Daley – 02/09/25 (pumpkins on the cover)

8. Sweater - Title: Eric, Terry Pratchett – 04/09/25
9. Hot Chocolate - Author: Towards Zero, Agatha Christie – 01/10/25
10. Oktoberfest - Title: The Secret of Father Brown, G.K. Chesterton – 18/09/25
11. Spooky Season - Title: Pyramids, Terry Pratchett – 03/09/25
12. Halloween - Title: Lioness: My Journey to Glory, Beth Mead – 29/09/25
13. Jack-o-Lantern - Author: A Bird in the Hand, Ann Cleeves – 11/09/25
14. Trick or Treat - Author: Raven Black, Ann Cleeves – 08/09/25
15. Ghost Stories - Author: The Zig Zag Girl, Elly Griffiths – 16/09/25
16. Bonfire Night - Title: By Familiar Means, Delia James – 22/09/25
17. Thanksgiving - Author: Witch Upon a Star, Angela (M.) Sanders – 04/10/25
18. Fireworks - Title: Flower Power Trip, James J Cudney – 10/09/25

I may try to go again, using a different option for each.

35. A book from the NPR “Books We Love” lists - The Last Devil to Die - ****

A good end to the first quartet of books. It was featured on the 2023 list.

Added to the TBR on 17/04/23

Four and four this time.

Cool that Frothy Gothy made it.

**18. A book set primarily in nature - The Call of the Wild - *****

The classic novel about the life of a sled dog in the late 1890s. The author's love of nature was obvious in the writing, while managing not to stray into sentimentality.

Added to the TBR on 08/01/18

Rachel wrote: "2. A book with a character that's in the public domain - Likely a downvote. It seems like it's mostly classics, and that's not really where I'm at with my reading interests right now."

My thought was it wasn't just the classics themselves. I'd include the books which revisit or reinterpret classic characters. Think how many modern Sherlock Holmes pastiches or Pride and Prejudice "retellings" there are, or the trend for Greek myths and classics to be reinterpreted from the point of view of the women, for example.

It might even stretch to using the authors as characters - for example, there are cozy mystery series with the likes of Jane Austen, Beatrix Potter and Josephine Tey as detectives.

I wasn't anything like as inspired with this set as with the previous one. I think I ended up with 5 up 3 down. I will admit that wwo of the downs were "best books" and "tournament of books". I always find it a slog going through "best books" lists. I've never followed the Tournament of Books, and always find it really hard to spot a book I like when it turns up as a prompt in a challenge (like it did in 2025). I very rarely read "new releases" and "best sellers" when they first come out, unless they're in a series I'm following.

LeahS wrote: "Bec and Irene, good wishes and hopes for your treatments"

Seconded. Hope they go well.

if anyone's interedted, the houst from Rocky Horror Picture Show is now the Oakley Court Hotel, near Windsor (UK)

Pamela wrote: "I'm trying to clean up my library holds (I hate this new Overdrive hold system!) and found The Great Divide-- it's about the building of the Panama Canal. Thank god I voted for eng..."

One I enjoyed in the engineering space is To Engineer Is Human: The Role of Failure in Successful Design.

Five up, three down.

Tracy wrote: "Yes Chrissie! And we could adjust the prompt to “Read 8 books connected to Bohemian Rhapsody” and we’d probably all be just fine :)"

Hahahaha

Pearl wrote: "Am I crazy, or does Space Opera sound like it fits the musical energy? I might read a biography or something with music along with the lyrics."

It would definitely work - both musical and BR is operatic (IMO). I got on with it better than some of the other books and short stories I've read by Catherynne M. Valente. I gave it 3*. No idea, what the sequel is like.

Anastasia wrote: "I have recently read The Bear by Ruby Weibe that would fit th rebellion prompt. The chief was accused as part of the rebellion with Louis Reil, but that is not the true story. It is part of The Ext..."

I reckon the rebellion one might finally "prompt" me to read William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, A New Hope

Angela wrote: "I'll second alternate / imaginary"

Thanks, Angela.

I'd like to suggest "a book set in an alternate history or an imaginary world/universe."

Angie wrote: "I'd like to see a fantasy-type prompt get in. Fantasy and sci-fi are completely different genres."

Maybe one way to do it would be "imaginary world or alternative history" - that could cover either SF or fantasy.

Dixie wrote: "A Richard Scarry-inspired prompt would be so fun -- unless it's totally an American thing. Those of you in different countries, do you read Richard Scarry books with your children? Or did you read them, when you were a child?."

I would have been the right age when they were published, looking at the GR author list. Not sure if it was a UK thing, or my parents didn't choose to read him to me, or I plain don't remember, but I certainly hadn't consciously heard of him before he was mentioned here..

Nike wrote: "Our world is turbulent and we ought to read something about international relations, politics, social issues and the like."

I'm reading this at the moment - The Cult of Trump. Kind of terrifying. And even worse, it was published during his first term, not this one.

Angie wrote: "ETA: I don't know the song, but Led Zeppelin's Battle of Evermore has some evocative lyrics. Apparently it's inspired by LotR. "

Yep. The Ringwraiths, Gollum and the evil Wargs all get a mention! That, Stairway (also pretty Fantasy-related) and the Immigrant Song (inspired by Iceland) are my favourite Led Zep songs, although I got earwormed with When the Levee Breaks during Hurricane Katrina.

Deborah wrote: "I would prefer a space prompt to the Afrofuturism, but we might not need either if we can get "Blinded me by Science" in."

There are space-based books which are also Afrofuturism/Africanfuturim. An Unkindness of Ghosts springs to mind, although its a dark read. Also, the Binti trilogy, which as been mentioned above. I did have hopes for the Space Opera one, but hey, such is life.