A Sunday Drive (On Monday) and So Much More!

What an awesome "Sunday Drive" I had today - enjoyed my day off celebrating Martin Luther King and Civil Rights in this gorgeous desert.  I made a huge loop around the city, wandering around on the west side of the Tucson Mountains where I don't think there's more gorgeous terrain anywhere in the world.  So many cactus!

First, though, I went up to Sentinel Park and visited A Mountain.  It's sort of like going to the top of Cadillac (in Acadia) but with a completely different feel.  Since it's not part of the National Park system, it's not in pristine condition.  There's graffiti.  There's shining glass and ground-in litter in the parking areas.  The views are incredibly expansive - 360 degrees!  Granted, the view does not include ocean and lakes and incredible greenness, but the views of the city, with mountains, and cacti and beautiful blue skies are just as spectacular in their own way.  The cars parked up there - and there are many, many people enjoying the vies, sitting on the rocks and looking out over the expanse - are, for the most part, battered and old.  Mine included.  A free view.  Clean air.  What more could one want?

I found a letterbox up here, too, which was the reason I ascended, but became a plus.  I really enjoyed this trip.  The woman who planted the box let me know that she no longer comes to Tucson (her daughter was a student at the U of A when the mom planted it) and she's glad it's still safe and being found.

From there I hit Silverbell and headed north.  Hadn't been over here in years.  Stopped at Christopher Columbus Park where I found another plant by Desert Flower.  I was sure I was nowhere near where I was supposed to be, but followed the directions and VOILA!  There it was!

From there I headed north even more to go to the Picture Rocks area, meandering across the Tucson Mountains, along Sanderio Road, Kinney Road, and Gates Pass Road.  LOVE IT SO MUCH OVER THERE!

I found my last letterbox of the day along the side of Wade Road, in a desert setting, in the midst of all sorts of cacti.  The letterbox was called "Cactus Village."  Cactus Village to be sure!  Two different kinds of cholla, barrel, prickly pear, and saguaro plus a whole lot of creosote bushes and small palo verdi trees - just gorgeous, just sitting there.  With the letterbox sitting innocently a hundred feet or so from the edge of the road.

As a side note, I checked my altimeter reading at the top of Gates Pass and it was 3150 feet.  I don't usually drive from west to east over Gates Pass and I missed the view going the other way.  It was still pretty darned breathtaking.....

Pickin' Away - Found Three on Saturday

When I headed out Saturday it was to do a few errands, but ended up hunting for ... and finding ... three letterboxes.  The first was at El Corral Restaurant, just west of where I work, on River Road.  The parking lot was empty so I was a bit conspicuous, but I tromped up the hill and easily found it under a tree.  So much fun!

From there I headed to La Encantada for a fabulous carving - parking and walking along a somewhat busy intersection at the north of the shopping center.  I often wonder what people think when they see a rather large older woman picking her way through the cacti in the middle of nowhere, heading for a rock.....

My last find was at the Holy Hope Cemetery on Oracle.  I LOVE the directions for this one, "find Jesus in the roundabout" !! There was a perfect hole in the junction of some branches in a tree.  For all three I could hop back into the car and enjoy my stamping with not time constraints.

So much fun!

MOVIE - The Intern

PG-13

Wide release 9/25/15

Kolb cheapie theater, Wed. 1/13/16

RT Critic: 60   Audience:  76
Critic's Consensus:  The Intern doesn't do enough with its timely premise, but benefits from the unorthodox chemistry of its talented leads.

Cag: 4,5 Liked it a whole lot

Directed by Nancy Meyers

Warner Bros. Pictures

Robert DeNiro, Anne Hathaway

My comments:  I looked forward to this for months, and was not disappointed.  Because age (mine) is seriously starting to bother me....people make me feel so old.....this was a huge boost, full of positivity and chemistry between the two marvelous protagonists.  It got a bit smarmy in a place or two, gave me some great laughs, and was a real pleaser!

RT Summary:  70-year-old widower Ben Whittaker has discovered that retirement isn't all it's cracked up to be. Seizing an opportunity to get back in the game, he becomes a senior intern at an online fashion site, founded and run by Jules Ostin.

2016 Movie List

*6*  Awesome
5  Loved it
4  Liked it a lot
3  Liked it
2  It was okay
1  Nope

So Far in 2016 

62 Movies on the BIG SCREEN
1 Movie on the tiny screen
2015 - 37 movies
2014 - 46 movies
2013 - 48 movies
2012 - 37 movies
2011 - 54 movies

Why Him?  (4.5) Crass and a real hoot
Rules Don't Apply (4) Unsettling Hollywood Biopic
missing one - Century Gateway
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (4) HarryPotterish/Rowling Fantasy
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (4.5) Clever fantasy/time-travel
Moonlight (4.5) "Life" in three parts....
Keeping Up With the Joneses (3.5) Fun and funny, too
Arrival (5.5) A scifi wowzer film
Jane Got a Gun (4.5) Good western, strong leads
Doctor Strange (5) Special effects are AMAZING
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (4.5) Really well done
The Magnificent 7 (4)  The old west...lots of gunfights, as expected, but entertaining story
Bridget Jones's Baby (4) Much better than expected and very funny
Inferno (3) Confusing and disjointed
Masterminds (3.5) Stupidly hilarious
The Dressmaker (3) HATED it and loved it....
Denial (4) learned much about the British Judicial system
Mechanic:  Resurrection (3.5) Very entertaining once you get past the shoot-em-up stuff
Florence Foster Jenkins (4.5) A farce....based on a true story....
The Accountant (5.5) Brilliant, intertwining story with Ben Affleck and Ann Kendrick - one of my favorites so far this year.
Queen of Katwe (4.5) True story of a chess prodigy in contemporary Uganda
Bad Moms (3) funny - could have been funnier
Cafe Society (4) Woody Allen set in the 1930s
The Hollars (4) Dramady with great actors
Captain America: Civil War (4) Super Heroes at their best!
Snowden (9/20/16) Very Good Biopic (5)
Nerve
Star Trek Beyond (2) 80% boring 20% fun
War Dogs (4.5) "troubling" real-world stuff
Sully (5.5) Tribute to an "everyday hero"
Hell or High Water (6) One of the best in a long time...high cudos for acting and story
Secret Life of Pets (3) Somewhat watchable...but the kids liked it
Jason Bourne (3) All car chases and macho
Anthropoid (4) Learned a bit about Czecholslovakia during Hitler's reign
Nine Lives (3.5) Great fun, and a family movie to boot
Captain Fantastic (5.5) Wonderful...thought-provoking, funny AND sad
Ice Age (1) Tristan liked it...a little....
Hunt for the Wilderpeople (5) Delightful - a great family film from New Zealand
Finding Dory (8/2016) Saw it twice - and didn't mind.... (3.5)
Central Intelligence (3.5) Know it's stupid going in, and not disappointed - fun
Love and Friendship (3)
Me Before You (1.5) Nicholas-Sparks-like tear jerker
Criminal (4) fun-to-watch thriller with a happy ending
Deadpool (4) Crass, funny, and violent
Dough (4) Jewish baker in London
A Hologram for the King (5) another Tom Hanks winner
The Hateful Eight (4) Bloody and gory and funny
Risen (4) Great historical fiction set in 33 AD
Midnight Special
Hello, My Name is Doris (2.5) Left me incredibly depressed
ET
London Has Fallen (3.5) Ridiculous and violent...but entertaining
10 Cloverfield Lane (2) Not particularly "thriller" or "smart" IMHO
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (5) really interesting and fun to watch
Triple 9 - (4) Gritty and bloody, but mesmerizing
Eddie the Eagle (5) A true event feel-good story
The Lady in the Van (6) Maggie Smith's most marvelous movie!
Burnt (4)  Bradley Cooper playing a chef....
Grandma (4) Lily Tomlin and lots to think about...
Mustang (5) In Turkish with subtitles, five incredible actresses playing sisters
The Intern (4.5) Delightful, about friendship between different aged people
Brooklyn (5.5) An almost-perfect movie
Star Wars Episode 7:  The Force Awakens (4.5) Great story, wonderful actors

WOW Movies of 2016
The Arrival (5.5)
The Accountant (5.5)
Sully (5.5)
Hell or High Water (6)
Captain Fantastic (5.5)
The Lady in the Van  (6)
Brooklyn (5.5)

REALLY GOOD Movies of 2016 (4.5 & 5)
Why Him?  (4.5) Crass and a real hoot
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (4.5)
Moonlight (4.5) "Life" in three parts....
Jane Got a Gun (4.5)
Doctor Strange (5) Special effects are AMAZING
Florence Foster Jenkins (4.5)
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (4.5)
Queen of Katwe (4.5)
Snowden  (5)
War Dogs (4.5)
Hunt for the Wilderpeople (5)
A Hologram for the King (5) 
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (5)
Eddie the Eagle (5)
The Intern (4.5)
Mustang (5)
Star Wars Episode 7:  The Force Awakens (4.5)

Good/Fun Movies of 2016 (3, 3.5, and 4)
The Hollars (4)
Rules Don't Apply (4)
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (4)
Bridget Jones's Baby (4)
Keeping Up With the Joneses (3.5)
The Magnificent 7 (4)
Inferno (3)
Masterminds (3.5)
The Dressmaker (3)
Denial (4)
Mechanic:  Resurrection (3.5)
Captain America: Civil War (4)
Bad Moms (3)
Cafe Society (4)
Jason Bourne (3)
Anthropoid (4)
Nine Lives (3.5)
Finding Dory (8/2016) Saw it twice - and didn't mind.... (3.5)
Secret Life of Pets (3)
Central Intelligence (3.5)
Love and Friendship (3)
Deadpool (4)
Dough  (4)
Hello, My Name is Doris (2.5)
Criminal (4)
The Hateful Eight (4)
Risen (4)
London Has Fallen (3.5)
Triple 9  (4)
Burnt (4)
Grandma (4)

Not-so-great Movies of 2016 (Mediocre & Just Plain DIDN'T LIKE)
Star Trek Beyond (2)
10 Cloverfield Lane (2)
Ice Age (1)

MOVIE - Brooklyn

PG-13 (1:51)

Limited release 11/4/15

Viewed Tuesday, 1/12/16 at ElCon

RT Critic:  98  Audience:  90
Critic's Consensus:   Brooklyn buttresses outstanding performances from Saoirse Ronan and Emory Cohen with a rich period drama that tugs at the heartstrings as deftly as it satisfies the mind.

Cag:  5.5 Just loved it, top quality, too...

Directed by John Crowley
Written by Nick Hornby

Fox Searchlight

Saoirse Ronan - who was absolutely wonderful!

My comments: A period story, (early 1950s) with excellent acting, lots of giggles, a few tiny sniffles, and wonderful costuming and hairstyles.  The storytelling was superb, not sappy, thoughtful, with a lovely, perfect ending.

RT Summary:  Eilis Lacey followed her sister, Rose's, plan to leave Ireland and find a better future and job in the US. She departs terribly, enduring seasickness and a terrible relationship with her cabin mates. A kind traveler gives her advice to live in Brooklyn, where many Irish immigrants live. Eilis settles in Brooklyn and becomes close to Father Flood, a Catholic priest. She gets a job in a department store and falls in love with an Italian boy named Tony. News from home sends Eilis back to Ireland, away from Tony.

MOVIE - Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens

PG-13 (2:16)

Wide release 12/18/15

Roadhouse Cinemas Friday 1/8/16

RT Critic: 93   Audience: 90
Critic's Consensus:   Packed with action and populated by both familiar faces and fresh blood, The Force Awakens successfully recalls the series' former glory while injecting it with renewed energy. 

Cag:  4.5 Liked it a great deal

Directed by J. J. Abrams

Walt Disney Pictures

Harrison Ford

My comments:  This was excellent storytelling that somewhat paralled the first episode - I loved the story, the actors, and was totally able to follow the plot the first time (unlike others in the series).  Very enjoyable, with a great deal of humor.

RT Summary:  They've done a great job about keeping the plot under wraps so that no spoilers leak out to people that haven't seen the movie yet:  The Star Wars saga continues with this seventh entry -- the first under the Walt Disney Co. umbrella. The film will act as the start of a new trilogy set after the events of Return of the Jedi. 

A Little New Year's Eve Letterboxing

What a great way to end the new year - and fill the last page of my current logbook - than spending the day with a best friend and visiting a new library  (I can't believe what a tiny library the big town of Brewer, Maine has). I love these clever, inside-a-book letterboxes, and this one certainly did NOT disappoint!

See the slender red volume?  It has no shiny cover, and would probably not be picked up by anyone to look over....it sits there so innocently!

Fran opened it up to read the page below:

Then, snuggled into a cut after turning this page:

So COOL!

Thanks On the Corner!

You can check this letterbox out on Atlas Quest here.

2016 Reading Challenges

2016 Reading Challenges

16 Challenges for 2016

1.  Published in the Current Year - 2016

(except Picture Books, which are outlined below)

1.  The Opposite of Everyone  by Joshilyn Jackson ADULT CRF

2.  Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard YA

3.  Into the Dim by Janet B. Taylor YA

4.  The Girl in the Ice by Robert Bryndza ADULT Myst

5.  Hard Light bt Elizabeth Hand ADULT Myst

6.  Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld ADULT CRF
7.  The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary by Laura Shohan CHILD

8.  Lizzie and the Lost Baby by Cheryl Blackford CHILD
9.  Summerlost by Allie Condie
10.  Raymie Nightingale by Kate diCamillo CHILD

11.  Wolf Lake: A Novel by John Verdon ADULT Myst
12.  Among the Wicked by Linda Castillo

13.  Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven YA
14.  The Female of the Species, by Mindy McGinnis YA

15.  Family Tree by Susan Wiggs ADULT CRF
16.  The 13th Continuum by Jennifer Brody YA Dystopia
17.  The Body Reader by Anne Frasier ADULT Myst
18.  The Poet's Dog by Patricia MacLachlan MID

2.  Written Before 2006 
(making the book over 10 years old)
1.  Desert Shadows - Betty Webb, 2004
2.  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, 2005
3.  Where There's Smoke - Sandra Brown, 1993
4.  Sugar Skull - Denise Hamilton, 2003
5.  Darkscope - J. Carson Black, 1990
6.  Die Trying - Lee Child, 1998

3.  One-Word Titles
1. Conversion
2.  Wonder
3.  Deadline
4.  Eligible 
5.  Summerlost 
6.  Darkscope
7.  Suspect
8.  Suspicion

4.  Where in the World?
1.  The Janus Stone Norwich, England
2.  Silent Scream W. Midlands, England
3.  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Sweden
4.  The Girl in the Ice London, England
5.  The Fifth Gospel Rome, Italy & Vatican City, Italy
6.  Hard Light England
7.  Lucifer's Tears Helsinki, Finland
8.  Lizzie and the Lost Baby WWII Yorkshire, England
9.  The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox Scotland
10.  Career of Evil London, England and vicinity
11.  Six Impossible Things Australia
12.  Suspicion England
13.  Seeking the Dead England
14.  Evil Games England

5.  Arizona or Maine?
1.  Girl in the Glass (Portland, ME)
2.  Desert Shadows (Phoenix, AZ)
3.  Darkscope (Bisbee, AZ)
4.  Empty Houses  (Bisbee, AZ)
5.  Water Castle (ME)
6.  Bad Little Falls (ME)

6.  YA
1.  The Fifth Wave
2.  Cruel Beauty
3.  Conversion
4.  The Age of Miracles
5.  Glass Sword
6.  Into the Dim
7.  A Shade of Vampire
8.  AA Shade of Blood
9.  Article 5
10.  Holding Up the Universe
11  The Female of the Species
12.  Snow Like Ashes
13.  Six Impossible Things
14.  The 13th Continuum
15.  Suspicion
16.  City of Glass

7.  Mid Grades
1.  11 Birthdays
2.  Space Taxi: Archie Takes Flight (actually, way younger than Middle Grade, I think....)
3.  Wonder
4.  My Life With the Liars 
5.  Water Castle
6.  Summerlost 
7.  Raymie Nightingale
8.  The Map Trap
9.  The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary
10.  Lizzie and the Lost Baby
11.  The Poet's Dog

8.  Historical Fiction
1.  Into the Dim (Time Travel)
2.  Lizzie and the Lost Baby

9.  CRF
1.  The Life List
2.  The Map of True Places
3.  The Opposite of Everyone 
4.  Wicked Ties
5.  The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend
6.  Eligible 
7.  Raymie Nightingale
7.  The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary
8.  The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox
9.  Holding Up the Universe
10.  Family Tree
11.  Six Impossible Things
12.  The Poet's Dog, The (magical realism?)
13.  Summerlost 

10.  NonFiction (yuh, right...)
1.

11.  Poetry
1.  The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary by Laura Shovan VERSE novel

12.  Mystery
1.  Crime of Privilege Walker
2.  Small Wars - Child
3.  The Janus Stone -Griffiths
4,  Silent Scream - Marsons
5.  Girl in the Glass - Hayman
6.  Desert Shadows - Webb
7.  Blood Ties - Guild
8.  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Larsson
9.  Deadline - Brown
10.  The Girl in the Ice - Bryndza
11.  The Fifth Gospel - Caldwell
12.  Hard Light - Hand
13.  Worth Dying For - Child
14.  Blood Oath - Farnsworth
15.  Dead Time - White
16.  Where There's Smoke - Brown
17.  Lucifer's Tears - Thompson
18.  Career of Evil - Galbraith (Rowling)
19.  Wolf Lake: A Novel - Verdon
20.  Bad Little Falls - Doiron
21.  Night and Day - Parker
22.  Evil Games - Marsons
23.  One Shot - Child
24.  Seeking the Dead - Ellis
25.  Among the Wicked - Castillo
26.  Sugar Skull - Hamilton
27.  Darkscope - Black (Falk)
28.  Empty Houses - Thornton
29.  Blackman's Coffin - de Castrique
30.  Suspect - Crais
31.  Once Shadows Fall - Daniels
32.  Suspicion - Monir
33.  The Body Reader - Frasier
34.  Against the Odds - Jacobs
35.  Die Trying - Childs

13.  Paranormal/Dystopia/Fantasy
1.  The Fifth Wave - Rick Yancey YA Dyst
2.  Cruel Beauty - Rosamund Hodge YA Fant (Fractured Fairy Tale
3.  The Age of Miracles - Walker AD/YA Dyst
4.  Space Taxi: Archie Takes Flight - Wendy Mass Child SciFi
5.  Glass Sword - Victoria Aveyard YA Fant
6.  Into the Dim - Janet B. Taylor YA TimeTravel Fant
7.  The Library at Mount Char - Scott Hawkins AD Fant
8.  Blood Oath  - Christopher Farnsworth AD Para Myst
9.  A Shade of Vampire - Bella Forrest YA Fant
10.  A Shade of Blood - Bella Forrest YA Fant
11.  Article 5 - Kristen Simmons YS Dyst
12.  Darkscope - J. Carson Black/Margaret Falk AD Ghost/Myst
13.  Snow Like Ashes - Sara Raasch YA High Fant
14.  The 13th Continuum - Jennifer Brody, YA Dyst
15.  City of Glass - Cassandra Clare, YA Dyst

14.  Audio Books
1.  Crime of Privilege (Walker)
2.  Small Wars (Child)
3.  Cruel Beauty (Hodge)
4.  The Age of Miracles (Walker)
5.  The Opposite of Everyone  (Jackson)
6.  Blood Ties (Guild)
7.  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Larsson)
8.  Deadline (Brown)
9.  Worth Dying For  (Child)
10.  Blood Oath (Farnsworth)
11.  Dead Time (White)
12.  Where There's Smoke (Brown)
13.  The Map Trap (Clements)
14.  The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox (O'Farrell)
15.  Career of Evil (Galbraith)
16.  Raymie Nightingale (diCamillo)
16.  Wolf Lake: A Novel  (Verdon)
17.  Holding Up the Universe (Niven)
18.  The Female of the Species (McGinnis)
19.  Among the Wicked (Castillo)
20.  Blackman's Coffin (de Castique) [partially read, partially listened]
21.  Suspect (Crais)
22.  Once Shadows Fall (Daniels)
23.  City of Glass (Clare)
24.  Die Trying (Child)
25.  Night and Day (Parker)
26.  One Shot (Child)
27.  Summerlost  (Condie)
28.  Bad Little Falls (Doiron)

15.  Books in a Series 
Sequels and Prequels
1.  Small Wars (Child) #19.5 Jack Reacher
2.  The Fifth Wave (Yancey) #1 The Fifth Wave
3.  Cruel Beauty (Hodge) #1 Cruel Beauty Universe
4.  The Janus Stone (Griffiths) #2 Ruth Galloway
5,  Silent Scream (Marsons) #1 DI Kim Stone
6.  Girl in the Glass (Hayman) #4 McCabe & Savage
7.  Desert Shadows (Webb) #3 Lena Jones
8.  Space Taxi: Archie Takes Flight (Mass) #1 Space Taxi
9.  Wicked Ties (Black) Wicked Lovers #1
10.  Glass Sword (Aveyard) Red Queen #2
11.  Into the Dim (Taylor) Into the Dim #1
12.  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millenium #1)
13.  Hard Light (Cass Neary #3)
14.  Worth Dying For  (Jack Reacher #15)
15.  The Girl in the Ice (DCI Erika Foster #1)
16.  Blood Oath (#1 Nathaniel Cade, President's Vampier)
17.  Dead Time (Alan Gregory #16)
18.  Lucifer's Tears (#2 Kari Vaara)
19.  Career of Evil (#3 Comoran Strike)
20.  Wolf Lake: A Novel (#5 Dave Guerney)
21.  Article 5 (#1 Article 5)
22.  Among the Wicked (#8 Kate Burkholder)
23.  Sugar Skull (Eve Diamond #2)
24.  Pleasure Extraordinaire series
25.  Empty Houses (#1 Kate Waters)
26.  Blackman's Coffin  (#1 Sam Blackman)
27.  Snow Like Ashes (#1 Snow Like Ashes)
28.  The 13th Continuum (#1)
29.  Suspect (they will appear again in Cole & Pike mysteries)
30.  Once Shadows Fall (Sturgis & Kale #1)
31.  Against the Odds (Anna Dawson, Las Vegas Gambler #1)
32.  City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments #3)
33.  Die Trying (Jack Reacher #2)
34.  A Shade of Vampire (A Shade of Vampire #1)
35.  A Shade of Blood, (A Shade of Vampire #2)
36.  Seeking the Dead (Joe Plantagenet #1)
37.  Night and Day (Jesse Stone #8)
38.  One Shot (Jack Reacher #9)
39.  Evil Games  (D.I. Kim Stone #2)
40.  Bad Little Falls (Mike Bowditch, ME Game Warden; #3)

16.  Authors New-to-Me
1.  Walter Walker Crime of Privilege (3)
2.  Rick Yancey The Fifth Wave (4.5)
3.  Rosamund Hodge, Cruel Beauty (1)
4.  Angela Marsons, Silent Scream (5)
5.  Lori Nelson Spielman, The Life List (4)
6.  Karen Thompson Walker, The Age of Miracles (2) Gorgeous writing, depressing plot
7.  Shayla Black - Wicked Ties (2)  If I try another of this genre, it'll be with another author....
8.  Janet B. Taylor - Into the Dim (5) What a great debut novel!
9.  Stieg Larrsson - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Unfortunately, deceased, but there are two more to go, phew!
10.  Datarina Bivald - Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend (3) Quirky characters & plot
11.  Caela Carter - My Life With the Liars  (5) Main premise is what got me....
12.  Scott Hawkins - The Library at Mount Char (5) Wow....an incredible imagination!
13.  Sandra Brown - Deadline (4) I'm sure I read her before I started this blog, but I can't remember specifics, so I'll include her on this list.
14.  Sittenfeld, Curtis (female, despite the male-ish name) Eligible  4.5 Definitely will try another of hers
15.  Robert Bryndza - The Girl in the Ice Good
16.  Christopher Farnsworth - Blood Oath Interestingly different
17.  Stephen White - Dead Time Psychologist's "angle" into mystery detection - good stuff
18.  Maggie O'Farrell - The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox, The MUST try some others!
19.  Simmons, Jennifer - Article 5 Hard-to-believe actions and reactions of characters
20.  Jennifer Niven - Holding Up the Universe hard-to-believe characters....
21.  Mindy McGinnis - The Female of the Species great storyteller, sad stuff happens
22.  Mark de Castique - Blackman's Coffin  more, please!
23.  Susan Wiggs - Family Tree good romance writer, but not my cuppa tea when it comes to genre
24.  Sara Raasch - Snow Like Ashes Strong female warrior lead
25.  Fiona Wood - Six Impossible Things  Australian. A real find!
26.  Jennifer Brody - The 13th Continuum, The  Very readable
27.  Robert Daniels - Once Shadows Fall Looks like the start of a great new mystery series
28. Alexandra Monir - Suspicion, a take on DuMaurier, would read her again
29.  Anne Frasier - The Body Reader, fantastic writer, must read more
30.  Mara Jacobs - Against the Odds , knows her way around Vegas, great characterization
31.  Laura Shovan = The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary, great characterization in verse
32.  Bella Forrest = A Shade of Vampire NO!
33.  Kate Ellis - Seeking the Dead very decent mystery writer
34.  Megan Frasier Blakemore - Water Castle Maine setting, so-so

4.5 or 5 Stars
1.  The Fifth Wave  - Yancey (4.5) YA Dyst
2.  Silent Scream - Marsons (5) AdMyst
3.  Into the Dim - Taylor (5) YA TimeTravel
4.  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Larsson (5) Ad Mystery
5.  My Life with the Liars - Carter (5) Mid CRF
6.  The Library at Mount Char - Hawkins (5) Ad Fant
7.  Hard Light - Hand (5) Ad Myst
8.  Eligible - Sitterfeld (4.5) Ad CRF
9.  The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox - O'Farrell (5) AdCRF
10.  Raymie Nightingale - diCamillo (4.5) Mid CRF
11.  Empty Houses - Thornton (5) Ad Myst
12.  Six Impossible Things - Wood (5) YA CRF
13.  The Body Reader - Frasier (4.5) AdMyst
14.  Summerlost  - Condie (4.5) MidCRF/Myst

Short Stories Read in 2016
1.  Joyce Carol Oates - Where are You Going, Where Have You Been?

I Love Picture Books
1.  Knit Your Bit, (Hopkinson/Guarnaccia) 2013
2.  Last Stop on Market Street (delaPena/Robinson) 2015
3.  This Is Not My Hat (Klassen) 2012
4.  The Artist and Me (Peacock/Classon) 2016
5.  Secret Tree Fort (Farley) 2016
6.  Will's Words:  How William Shakespeare Changed the Way You Talk  2016 
7.  Flutter & Hum: Animal Poems (Paschkis) 2015
8.  What are you Glad about?  What are you Mad about?  (Poetry by Judith Viorst and  illustrated by Lee White) 2016
9.  The Stamp Collector (Lanthier/Thisdale) 2012
10.  Ada's Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay (Hood/Comport) 2016
11.  The Night Gardener (Fan Bros.) 2016
12.  Every Day Birds (VanDerwater) 2016
13.  A Year of Borrowed Men (Barker/Benoit) 2015 Canada, 2016 USA
14.  If I Had a Gryphon (Vansickle/Atkinson) 2016
15.  A Child of Books (Jeffers & Winston) 2016
16.  Mr. Wayne's Masterpiece (Polacco) 2014
17.  I am Lucille Ball (Meltzer) 2015
18.  Dorothea's Eyes (Rosenstock) 2016
19.  I am Rosa Parks (Meltzer) 2014

Books Read in 2016
1.  Crime of Privilege (Walter Walker) 432 pgs.
2.  Small Wars (Lee Child) 44 pgs. (total 476 pgs.)
3.  The Fifth Wave (Rick Yancey) 457 pgs. (total 933 pgs.)
4.  11 Birthdays (Wendy Mass) REREAD 267 pgs. (total 1200 pgs.)
5.  Cruel Beauty (Rosamund Hodge) 352 pgs. (total 1552 pgs.)
6.  The Janus Stone (Elly Griffiths) 327 pgs. (total 1879 pgs.)
7.  Silent Scream (Angela Marsons) 307 pgs. (total 2186 pgs.)
8.  Girl in the Glass (James Hayman) 373 pgs. (total 2559 pgs.)
9.  Conversion (Katherine Howe) 402 pgs. (total 2961 pgs.)
10.  The Map of True Places (Brunonia Barry) 402 pgs. (3363 pgs.)
11.  The Life List (Lori Nelson Spielman) 368 pgs. (total 3731 pgs.)
12.  Desert Shadows (Webb) 280 pgs. (total 4111 pgs.)
13.  The Age of Miracles (Walker) 294 pgs. (total 4405 pgs.)
14.  Space Taxi: Archie Takes Flight (Wendy Mass & Michael Brawer) 112 pgs,. (4517 pgs.)
15.  Wicked Ties (Black) 341 pgs. (4858 pgs.)
16.  The Opposite of Everyone (Joshilyn Jackson) 352 pgs. (5210 pgs.)
17.  Blood Ties (Nicholas Guild) 320 pgs. (5530 pgs.)
18.  Glass Sword (Victoria Aveyard) 444 pgs. (5974 pgs.)
19.  Into the Dim (Janet B. Taylor) 432 pgs. (6406 pgs.)
20.  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 465 pgs. (6871 pgs.)
21.  Wonder  (R. J. Palacio) 415 pgs. (7286 pgs.)
22.  My Life With the Liars (Caela Carter) 288 pgs. (7574 pgs.)
23.  The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend (Katarina Bivald) 394 pgs.  (7868  pgs.)
24.  Deadline (Sandra Brown) 410 pgs. (8278 pgs.)
25.  The Girl in the Ice (Robert Bryndza) 396 pgs. (8674 pgs.)
26.  The Library at Mount Char (Scott Hawkins) 390 pgs. (9064 pgs.)
27.  The Fifth Gospel (Ian Caldwell) DNF though read over halfway; 215 pgs. (9279 pgs.)
28.  Hard Light (Elizabeth Hand) 246 pgs. (9525 pgs.)
29.  Worth Dying For  (Lee child) 400 pgs. (9925 pgs.)
30.  Eligible  (Curtis Sittenfeld) 492 pgs.(10,417 pgs.)
31.  Blood Oath (Christopher Farnsworth) 390 pgs. (10,897 pgs.)
32.  Dead Time (Stephen White) 397 pgs. (11,294 pgs.)
33.  Where There's Smoke (Sandra Brown) 417 pgs. (11,711 pgs.)
34.  The Map Trap (Clements) 144 pgs. (11,855 pgs.)
35.  Lucifer's Tears (James Thompson) 336 pgs. (12,191 pgs.)
36.  Lizzie and the Lost Baby (Cheryl Blackford) 181 pgs. (12,372 pgs.)
37.  The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary (Laura Shovan) 248 pgs. (12,620 pgs.)
38.  The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox, (Maggie O'Farrell) 245 pgs. (12,865 pgs.)
39.  Water Castle (Megan Frazer Blakemore) 344 pgs. (13,209 pgs.)
40.  Summerlost (Allie Condie) 272 pgs. (13,481 pgs.)
41. A Shade of Vampire (Shade of Vampire Bk 1) (Bella Forrest) 154 pgs. (13,635 pgs.)
42.  Career of Evil (Comoran Strike #3) (Robert Galbraith) 492 pgs. (14,127 pgs.)
43.  A Shade of Blood (Shade of Vampire Bk 2) (Bella Forrest) 340 pgs. (14,467 pgs.)
44. Raymie Nightingale (Kate DiCamillo) (272 pgs.) (14,739 pgs.)
45.  Wolf Lake: A Novel (John Verdon) (Dave Guerney #5) 375 pgs. (15,114 pgs.)
46.  Bad Little Falls  (Paul Doiron) 310 pgs. (15,424 pgs.)
47.  Night and Day (Jesse Stone #8) (Robert B. Parker) 304 pgs. (14,728 pgs.)
48.  Evil Games  (DI Kim Stone #2) (Angela Marsons) 382 pgs.  (16,110 pgs.)
49.  One Shot (Lee Childs) 376 pgs.  (16,486 pgs.)
50.  Seeking the Dead (Ellis) 330 pgs. (16,816 pgs.)
51.  Article 5 (Kristen Simmons) (#1 Article 5) 362 pgs. (17,178 pgs.)
52.  Among the Wicked (Kate Burkholder #8 ) (Linda Castillo) 306 pgs. (17,484 pgs.)
53.  Sugar Skull (Eve Diamond #2) (Denise Hamilton) 304 pgs. (17,788 pgs.)
54.  Darkscope (J. Carson Black/Margaret Falk) 349 pgs.  (18,137 pgs.)
55.  Holding Up the Universe (Jennifer Niven) 400 pgs. (18,537 pgs.)
56.  Pleasure Extraordinaire 1 (Liv Bennett)  198 pgs. (18,735 pgs.)
57.  Pleasure Extraordinaire 2 (Live Bennett) 170 pgs. (18,905 pgs.)
58.  Empty Houses (Betsy Thornton) 224 pgs. (19,129 pgs.)
59.  The Female of the Species (Mindy McGinnis) 344 pgs.  (19,473 pgs.)
60.  Blackman's Coffin (Mark de Castrique) 255 pgs. (19,728 pgs.)
61.  Family Tree (Susan Wiggs) 368 pgs. (20,096 pgs.)
62.  Snow Like Ashes (Sara Raasch) 416 pgs. (20,512 pgs.)
63.  Six Impossible Things (Fiona Wood) 304 pgs. (20,816 pgs.)
64.  The 13th Continuum (Jennifer Brody) 416 pgs. (21,232 pgs.)
65.  Suspect (Robert Crais) 312 pgs. (21,544 pgs.)
66.  Once Shadows Fall (Sturgis & Kale #1) 352 pgs. (21,896 pgs.)
67.  Suspicion (Alexandra Monir) 296 pgs. (22,192 pgs.)
68.  The Body Reader (Anne Frasier) 289 pgs. (22,481 pgs.)
69.  Against the Odds (Mara Jacobs) 228 pgs. (22,709 pgs.)
70.  The Prayer Box, The (Lisa Wingate) read 125 out of 400 pgs. (22,834 pgs.)
71.  City of Glass (Cassandra Clare) 541 pgs. (23,375 pgs.)
72.  The Poet's Dog (Patricia MacLachlan) 88 pgs. (23,463 pgs.)
73.  Die Trying - Jack Reacher #2 (Lee Child) 552 pgs. (24,015 pgs.)