So in the middle of the night my sleep deprived brain fixated on what to read for spooky October. Some years I just read a couple paranormal series books and call it done but one year I joined Stacia in a great read. We did The Historian https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10692.The_Historian?ac=1&from_search=true and Stoker's Dracula in the fiction category. We also read a historical account of Vlad, I read https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/73989.Dracula_Prince_of_Many_Faces but I think Stacia had an updated version. It was great......btw I love The Historian. I have read it three times in total but sections a couple other times. My dd hasn't read it so it will probably go on the kindle for some planned travels. Since many here have enjoyed The Historian already I thought I would share some of my more productive links from my search for a book like The Historian. I found a book called The Passage on this list. One interesting thing google told me about the Passage is people love the audiobook. Anyway I downloaded it from overdrive in book form because it is 800 pages long so would take weeks to listen to for me. Number 10 on this list is called Interred with Bones.https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4332646-interred-with-their-bones It's something that I would normally enjoy so I checked that one out too. https://isleofbooks.com/2012/07/17/ttt-books-for-people-who-liked-the-historian/ This list also has some good ideas. I ended up with Sarah Water's The Little Stranger on audio. I haven't liked her other books so hoping I will like it on audio. http://itcher.com/mag/books-like-the-historian/

Basically marking the thread. I finished the first book in a new to me Lorraine Heath series https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18053044-when-the-duke-was-wicked. I do like this author for entertaining historicals. The other book I finished was the first book in a quilting romance series titled To Scotland with Love. It was well done including the quilt part. :lol: A woman reporter returns to her childhood home after a nasty divorce and discovers that her small hometown is also the home of a famous reclusive heart throb known for playing Mr. Darcy. She has a story that could revive her career but..... More books in the series which at this point I plan to read. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18812348-to-scotland-with-love

That is one of the series that is on my list. Naturally I have the free one on my well stocked Kindle but haven't actually read it because that will lead to buying the rest. ;) Not really a huge problem but I try to do most of my reading via library cards, sort of a personal challenge. I occasionally pick up a missing series book but try not to buy a whole series. My libraries keep surprising me with new purchases so I fully expect for this series to appear one day or to buy it at the point where library book returns via kindle will be hard for a few weeks due to internet challenges. It does fascinate me how different our libraries are. We both have fairly large systems at our disposal and I am pretty confident we could both easily get any best seller we wanted or at least be on a hold list. Books in translation are a bit more difficult but I can get a respectable number of those. It's the fluff that is hard, seriously. Maybe because there is so much out there. I almost always go looking for your fluffy books and am amazed at the number of times I strike out. I frequently find the right author, wrong series....

Lori D., So nice to see you on BaW! I really enjoyed this one! I have the next in the series on hold so hopefully will enjoy those too. I know this author is a favourite of Kareni's but I haven't read many of her books. The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie represents my favourite type of series book, be it a romance or mystery. I think there is a balance that achieves a certain amount of success as long as the author has a decent storyline and the characters are likeable. For a comfort read that is perfectly acceptable. But to be a favourite it needs to be different, outside the formula...... The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie is filled with characters who don't fit the typical mold. Lord Ian is autistic long before anyone has ever thought of the diagnosis. His brothers love him and work very hard to protect him in a world where his degree of differentness could easily lead to his being in an institution. The heiress he is fascinated by doesn't fit society's mold either, she certainly has scandal potential. The main characters aren't typical which is what made this book really good.

Praying....

I read them all out loud to the dc's twice I liked them so much! We went on to read a few of the Ruth Plumley Thompson sequels which were a bit uneven quality wise but I remember liking the first two one this list. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28187230-the-woman-in-cabin-10

I finished the latest book by Ruth Ware today. I thought her In a Dark, Dark, Wood was a great book in the sort of elusive category of suspense novel for women. ;) It was good. Her latest is The Woman in Cabin 10 was interesting and quite good. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28187230-the-woman-in-cabin-10. Great vacation read but not as good as her first book.

Kareni, Glad you arrived safely after your scary experience. When I was young I loved flying now not so much. Enjoy your time with your mom. Before your internet time is interrupted I am finally reading a book I think you recommend occasionally Jennifer Ashley's The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie. I did finish a really light cozy The Cat, the Quilt, and the Corpse. It's the first in a series that has been recommended repeatedly by one of my overdrive accounts. It was OK and actually a new mystery idea but not enough quilts for my taste. :lol: I know that doesn't make much sense but it wasn't a craft cozy and I was expecting one so disappointed. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6238524-the-cat-the-quilt-and-the-corpse

I finished Anna Lee Huber's latest As Death Draws Near. It was quite good and rather interesting because of it's setting in Ireland as opposed to England/Scotland during the early 1800's. Lots of Protestant/Catholic sentiment and discussion about the overall society being portrayed. It was still fluss but different fluff than normal. ;) I also read the first book by a new to me cozy author that was recommended by someone on the Mystery Reader thread we had linked here a couple weeks ago. Denise Swanson's Murder of a Small-town Honey was good. I really couldn't figure out how I missed the entire series because it was a bit dated than I looked and published in 2000. Not much library action that year because I was pregnant and on bed rest. After 2000 I didn't really hunt for new series because I was having a hard time keeping up with ongoing favourite series.https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/219646.Murder_of_a_Small_Town_Honey I am currently reading a new to me author Jeanne Dams that someone here recommended back in British Cozy week. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/363082.The_Body_In_The_Transept. The Body in the Transept is great. Totally enjoying it and have already placed the second on hold.

I just finished Denise Swanson's first book in her series Murder of a Small Town Honey which happens to be set in the fall. ;) I haven't read this cozy series before and really enjoyed it. I definitely will be reading more. Btw I also have hold requests on a couple of the other unfamiliar authors you suggested.

:grouphug: That sounds so painful Robin. Also :grouphug: to Stacia, hope all of her bumps and bruises from her doggie adventures are doing better. Btw, I did finish The Widow. It wasn't a book that I am going to recommend to everyone I meet but I far preferred it to Gone Girl (read but felt it was designed for all the hype, disliked it) and Girl on the Train (started itbut it bored me, I just couldn't spend my time on it so abandoned). The Widow was interesting and did have several mostly plausible twists. This book is about the aftermath of an accident where a man is hit by a bus in front of Sainsbury (large supermarket). Not all that interesting except that man is the main suspect in a child abduction which has been front page news for years. This book is about his widow and the following weeks.....

:lol: I read your post quickly before bed last night and thought the description sounded rather feline but couldn't decide. I knew they were going to be unusual doggies and was really looking forward to pictures. I still would like pictures......... Congrats to 52 books Jenn! Great job Once! Jane, I was another person fooled by your diamondback. I was thinking along the lines of didn't know working in a bird sanctuary posed danger beyond beaks and claws, and they seriously released a rattlesnake? Was highly relieved that you simply took a terrapin for a bike ride! Busy day yesterday. Drove to the coast to visit my favourite seals. So cute, a dozen or so rather clever seals have discovered a place where the tides and current trap loads fish right off the shore located rather conveniently next to a bird sanctuary (parking for us!) which is next to an estuary. Easy viewing for us and a really easy meal for them! I did finish both my Deborah Crombie and Donna Andrews thanks to the car ride. I also started The Widow http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/fiona-barton-the-widow-the-missing-and-the-dead-book-review-a6814561.html which is deemed this year's Gone Girl/Girl on the Train by some reviewers. I'm waiting to give an opinion when I finish, so far it's a fast read...... Clicked on a like in the above review, must readsin a title always attracts me ;) and found some interesting books. My hold list has expanded. Audiobooks are also included on a separate list......http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/the-must-reads-of-2016-books-from-yann-martel-to-deborah-smith-a6793046.html

For math another free idea to improve your skills in general might be to try the online Alcumus http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/alcumus at Art of Problem Solving. It is totally on the computer and suggests which of their videos to watch for what you need to learn. I believe algebra and geometry are covered and that it is possible just to work on those sections. This isn't going to be geared towards the GED at all but might be a way to work on the math section on your own. My kids really enjoyed using Alcumus because of the chart that lets you see your progress.

I just quickly skimmed through the thread. I like Violet Rose best. Others that seemed to stand out were Violet Olivia, Violet Rae, and Violet Camille.

Just wanted to wish you luck!

Amy, Your bookshelves are so nice and neat, I am impressed. This wasn't a good reading week for me. I am still working on the Donna Andrews Penguin book from last week. I finally started my book with a colour in the title https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/211143.Leave_the_Grave_Green. Deborah Crombie's Leave the Grave Green. It's number three in the series so I need to read it because I try to read complete series but notlovinv this one. The last Julia Spencer Fleming is my current audiobook. Yesterday was my quilt show so I shojld have a bit more reading time now. The show was lovely with roughly 80 quilts. I had a huge surprise because my quilt came in third in the large quilt catagory! Ali, Your new pup is adorable!

Here's a "different" banned book list http://www.stylist.co.uk/life/50-books-that-were-banned# from a British magazine.http://www.stylist.co.uk/life/50-books-that-were-banned# More of a historical list of books banned around the world and the reasons why. Books mentioned include Black Beauty (South Africa---black and beauty combined) and Alica in Wonderland (China---anamorphic), as you can see the list is a bit different thus interesting.

We moved to a new country after 40 but I still had kids under 10. The kids definitely made it easier to meet people even with home ed. If I had sent them to school it would be far easier. My dh and I joke that we still have so much to learn about this country that it will keep our brains young for years! I realize that I am talking country and you are talking state but things (laws and cultural) are different between states also. Things like property laws vary so much that daily life can be a challenge until you have done everything once. ;) When we bought our house part of the unexpected final negotiation was if we wanted the light fixtures and carpeting left. It was ashock when this issue came up two weeks before closing, we did pay extra to keep the carpet and drapes (loved them, custom drapes) but let them remove all their ugly light fixtures for us (they really hadn't expected to have to because apparently you normally just pay when sellers do this, lol )!!! I love having new annual traditions to discover and participate in, my local horticultural show as opposed to the fair etc. I will be honest and say survival was paramount the first few months when figuring out basic life was a challenge. After that I started finding lots of things to join home ed groups, a church, craft groups etc. I have made a lot of new friends over the years. It makes life interesting. I do miss seeing my family regularly but with inexpensive phone plans and the internet I am basically satisfied. I can't really imagine going back to my old life and being as content, I love having new things to see and do. I love to travel and our change makes it possible to sort of be a tourist most days because I constantly discover new interesting things.

Stacia, Black Chalk was in the pile at one point. I didn't mark it abandoned so will be curious if you enjoy it.

Welcome Matryoshka! I just finished the relatively new paranormal book by one of my favourite author's Faith Hunter. She has spun off Nell a character from an earlier Jane Yellowrock book. The setting is the mountains outside of Knoxville. I really enjoyed it. Not sure if Robin has read it already.

:lol: Your bil looks great! I went ahead and requested your dd's recommendation for my dd. She always seems to like your dd's books, I just tell her Stacia's dd likes this book and she is totally willing to read it. It's funny how even my kids know who some of you guys are and your kids. I am not a happy lender of favourite books. I will lend pretty much anything to bf because I can tell her it's a signed copy and I know eventually it will return to me. If I ask she will mail it. I gave her loads of favourites for safe keeping when we moved. But other than her I don't lend favourites easily. I actually bought an extra WTM to lend. My copy stressed me and I have loaned those books many times to people I didn't really know because I felt like I had to. I have a book that I record curriculum lending/ returns in. I have a collection that is super battered of Disneyland magazines that I am very attached to. Bought with my allowance and were available at only one store in my smallish town. So I put tons of effort into that collection. I had them stored at my parents house. I pulled them out for the dc's but didn't take them immediately because I decided ds was too young for my fragile magazines! The next thing I knew my mom had lent them to my childhood friend who had loved MY magazines too (I was her babysitter and would take one along each time) so her children could enjoy them. Her ds is exactly the same age as mine. I ended up making an extra trip home and stopping by for my magazines. Totally stressed me. I let her daughter keep a couple of original Nancy Drews (n loan) so I wouldn't be too rude! :lol: On a side note I have been bringing them over here a couple of issues at a time in order to reduce my loss risk. Obsessed....... I never heard of The Cheerleader. I need to see if I can find a copy. Btw, I had to return Don Camillo to the library because someone put a hold on it. I didn't see that coming because it hadn't been checked out in almost a decade! I wonder if someone is around here is reading our thread! I didn't finish but did enjoy the stories I read. I am on the lookout for a newer, less fragile, edition.

I marked it as to read yesterday. Maybe I will eventually read it. Not promising. I was in college in 1984 so a bit older. The light dawned on me last night regarding banned books. I read a frequently challenged book from the link in the first post. Challenged doesn't mean banned so I haven't read my banned book. :(

Catriona McPherson is on many lists for cozy mystery books but I haven't had a chance to read one yet. Looking forward to your review!

We all love the Prisoner! This is a first...I have finished my banned book and I'm even early! When I clicked on Robin's Link yesterday the first book on the Frequently Banned List was by John Green. I read and enjoyed Paper Towns a couple of years ago and have planned to read more of his books because one of dd's friends really likes his books. Looking For Alaska (the banned book) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/99561.Looking_for_Alaska?ac=1&from_search=true was availiable for check out on overdrive so I put it on my kindle. I read it in the car today on our outing. Not sure why it was banned when I compare it to other YA books. According to the website sexual content and inappropriate language were the reason. Not sure that it was any more explicit than the Judy Blumes that were so popular back in my youth. Anyone else read Forever? It did have some heavy other themes going on but they were dealt with pretty well and it's a bit of a trigger area for me. Anyway I wouldn't hand the book to my homeschooled 13 yo but I might if they were in public school because I encountered that stuff at that age. Slightly older no huge problem.

Happy Birthday Amy!!!! I've been quilting to another Julia Spencer Fleming called One was a Soldier https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6388272-one-was-a-soldier. This book deals with the effects of repeated deployments on the military with some pretty accurate characters. I have found it rather difficult to listen to. The romantic storyline is satisfying. I am also reading the latest in the Kate Burkholder series. She is undercover in a Northern New York Amish community that is extremely strict. I like it so far.https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26031833-among-the-wicked Finally my latest Donna Andrews cracked me up at the beginning. Huge nod to one of my favourite kids books Mr. Poppers Penquins. Megs father has taken over her basement to house the penquins from the local zoo because of foreclosure. He finds the body while digging a penguin pool! Obviously fluffy or perhaps feathery would be a better way to descibe this series! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/564125.The_Penguin_Who_Knew_Too_Much