Monday, December 31, 2012

2012 In Review

In 2012, I reviewed 555 books.

Board Books, Picture Books, Early Readers: 129
My top twelve:
  1. You Are My Cupcake. Joyce Wan. 2011. Scholastic. 14 pages.
  2. Suppose You Meet a Dinosaur: A First Book of Manners. Judy Sierra. Illustrated by Tim Bowers. 2012. Random House. 40 pages
  3. Boy + Bot. Ame Dyckman. Illustrated by Dan Yaccarino. 2012. Random House. 32 pages.
  4. My Heart Will Not Sit Down. Mara Rockliff. Illustrated by Ann Tanksley. 2012. Random House. 40 pages.
  5. Baby Bear Sees Blue. Ashley Wolff. 2012. Simon & Schuster. 40 pages.
  6. Zoe Gets Ready. Bethanie Murguia. 2012. Scholastic. 40 pages.
  7. Miss Dorothy and Her Bookmobile. Gloria M. Houston. Illustrated by Susan Condie Lamb. 2011. HarperCollins. 32 pages.  
  8. Z is for Moose. Kelly Bingham. Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinksy. 2012. HarperCollins. 32 pages.  
  9. Cookies: A Mr. and Mrs. Green Adventure. Keith Baker. Green Light Readers: Level 2. 2002/2012. 24 pages. 
  10. Listen to My Trumpet. An Elephant & Piggie Book. Mo Willems. 2012. Hyperion. 64 pages.
  11. Penny and Her Song. Kevin Henkes. 2012. HarperCollins. 32 pages.    
  12. Penny And Her Doll. Kevin Henkes. 2012. HarperCollins. 32 pages. 
Middle Grade and Young Adult Novels: 175
My top ten YA:
  1. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. Jennifer E. Smith. 2012. Little, Brown. 236 pages.
  2. My Family for the War. Anne C. Voorhoeve. Translated by Tammi Reichel. 2012. February 2012. Penguin. 412 pages.   
  3. The Survival Kit. Donna Freitas. 2011. FSG. 368 pages.
  4. Between Shades of Gray. Ruta Sepetys. 2011. Penguin. 352 pages 
  5. Insurgent. Veronica Roth. 2012. HarperCollins. 525 pages. 
  6.  Grave Mercy. Robin LaFevers. 2012. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 560 pages. 
  7. Lucid. Adrienne Stoltz and Ron Bass. 2012. Penguin. 288 pages.
  8. Reached. Ally Condie. 2012. Penguin. 512 pages.
  9. Son. Lois Lowry. 2012. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 400 pages.  
  10. The Sweetest Spell. Suzanne Selfors. 2012. Walker & Company. 416 pages.
My top ten MG:
  1. A Diamond in the Desert. Kathryn Fitzmaurice. 2012. February 2012. Penguin. 256 pages.
  2. Crow. Barbara Wright. 2012. Random House. 304 pages. 
  3. Enchantress from the Stars. Sylvia Louise Engdahl. 1970/2003. Penguin. 304 pages. 
  4.  Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip. Jordan Sonnenblick. 2012.  Scholastic. 304 pages.
  5. Wonder. R. J. Palacio. 2012. Random House. 320 pages. 
  6. Black Beauty. Anna Sewell. 1877. 245 pages.
  7. Love From Your Friend, Hannah. Mindy Warshaw Skolsky. 1998. DK. 246 pages. 
  8. Splendors and Glooms. Laura Amy Schlitz. 2012. Candlewick. 384 pages.  
  9. The Lions of Little Rock. Kristin Levine. 2012. Penguin. 304 pages.
  10. Almost Home. Joan Bauer. 2012. Penguin. 240 pages.   

Adult Books: 106

 My top ten: 
  1. Babylon 5: Legions of Fire: The Long Night of Centauri Prime. Peter David. 1999. 
  2. Babylon 5: Legions of Fire: Armies of Light and Dark. Peter David. 2000. Del Rey. 255 pages.  
  3. Babylon 5: Legions of Fire: Out of the Darkness. Peter David. 2000. Del Rey. 266 pages. 
  4. Time for the Stars. Robert A. Heinlein. 1956. Tor. 244 pages.  
  5. The Unexpected Miss Bennet. Patrice Sarath. 2011. Penguin. 304 pages.
  6. The Seven Dials Mystery. Agatha Christie. 1929/2012. HarperCollins. 304 pages. 
  7. The Kingmaker's Daughter. Philippa Gregory. 2012. 423 pages.  
  8. Earth Unaware. Orson Scott Card and Aaron Johnston. The First Formic War. 2012. Tor. 368 pages. 
  9. The Shadow Rising. (Wheel of Time #4) Robert Jordan. 944 pages.
  10. The Magic of Ordinary Days. Ann Howard Creel. 2001. Penguin. 304 pages.  
Special category: story collections
  1. Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm: A New English Version. Philip Pullman. 2012. Penguin. 400 pages.  
  2. The Dead Witness: A Connoisseur's Collection of Victorian Detective Stories. Edited by Michael Sims. 2011. Walker & Company. (Late December 2011). 608 pages.
  3. The Stories of Ray Bradbury. Ray Bradbury. 1980/2010. Everyman's Library. 1063 pages. 
  4. Jane Austen Made Me Do It. Edited By Laurel Ann Nattress. 2011. Random House. 464 pages.  
Top five short stories:
  • "Fire Watch" by Connie Willis
  • "Intolerable Stupidity" by Laurie Viera Rigler
  • "The Diary of Anne Rodway" by Wilkie Collins
  • "The French Governess's Story of Sister Rose" by Wilkie Collins
  • "Dark they Were, and Golden-Eyed" by Ray Bradbury 
Nonfiction Books: 33
My top ten
  1. Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade. Melissa Sweet. 2011. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 40 pages.
  2. His Name Was Raoul Wallenberg: Courage, Rescue, and Mystery During World War II. Louise Borden. 2012. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 144 pages.
  3. Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine, and the Lawless Years of Prohibition. Karen Blumenthal. 2011. Roaring Brook Press. 155 pages.
  4. Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flat Tires Along the Way). Sue Macy. 2011. National Geographic. 96 pages. 
  5. The Great Influenza. The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History. John M. Barry. 2004. Penguin. 546 pages.  
  6. Mascot: Unraveling the Mystery of My Jewish Father's Nazi Boyhood. Mark Kurzem. 2007. Penguin. 432 pages. 
  7. Becoming Queen Victoria: The Tragic Death of Princess Charlotte and the Unexpected Rise of Britain's Greatest Monarch. Kate Williams. 2010. Random House. 464 pages.   
  8. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: A Shocking Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective. Kate Summerscale. 2008. Walker. 360 pages. 
  9. A Passion for Victory: The Story of the Olympics in Ancient and Early Modern Times. Benson Bobrick. 2012. Random House. 160 pages. 
  10. But He Doesn't Know the Territory. Meredith Willson. 1959. 190 pages.  


 Poetry: 9
  1. Every Thing On It. Shel Silverstein. 2011. HarperCollins. 208 pages.   
  2. Shiver me Timbers! Douglas Florian. Illustrated by Robert Neubecker. 2012. Simon & Schuster. 32 pages.
 


© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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December Reflections

In December, I read 48 books!!! I read plenty of fantasy this month! I really enjoyed reading The Hobbit and James Owen's series. In addition, I also read several books with movie connections: War Horse, The Magic of Ordinary Days, Who Gets the Drumstick, and two Meredith Willson biographies. 

My favorite picture book: This is Not My Hat. Jon Klassen.
My favorite board book: Fa La La. Leslie Patricelli.
My favorite fantasy: The Hobbit. J.R.R. Tolkien.
My favorite historical fiction: The Magic of Ordinary Days. Ann Howard Creel.
My favorite horse book:  War Horse. Michael Morpurgo.
My favorite collection: Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm: A New English Version. Philip Pullman.
My favorite autobiography: Who Gets the Drumstick? Helen Beardsley.

Board Books, Picture Books, Chapter Books
  1. This is Not My Hat. Jon Klassen. 2012. Candlewick. 40 pages.
  2. Because Amelia Smiled. David Ezra Stein. 2012. Candlewick. 40 pages.
  3. Day by Day. Susan Gal. 2012. Random House. 40 pages.
  4. Unspoken. Henry Cole. 2012. Scholastic. 40 pages.
  5. Fa La La. Leslie Patricelli. 2012. Candlewick. 26 pages.
  6. Huggy Kissy. Leslie Patricelli. 2012. Candlewick. 26 pages.
  7. Mine. Shutta Crum. Illustrated by Patrice Barton. 2011. Random House. 32 pages.
  8. Sky Color. Peter H. Reynolds. 2012. Candlewick. 32 pages.
  9. Penny And Her Doll. Kevin Henkes. 2012. HarperCollins. 32 pages. 
  10. Let's Go For A Drive. Mo Willems. 2012. Hyperion. 64 pages. 

Middle Grade and Young Adult Books:
  1. The Hobbit. J.R.R. Tolkien. 1937.  320 pages. 
  2. Here There Be Dragons. James A. Owen. 2006. Simon & Schuster. 326 pages.
  3. The Search for the Red Dragon. James A. Owen. Simon & Schuster. 384 pages.
  4. The Indigo King. James A. Owen. 2008. Simon & Schuster. 375 pages.
  5. The Shadow Dragons. James A. Owen. 2009. Simon & Schuster. 417 pages.
  6. The Dragon's Apprentice. James A. Owen. 2010. Simon & Schuster. 376 pages.
  7. The Dragons of Winter. James A. Owen. 2012. Simon & Schuster. 389 pages.
  8. War Horse. Michael Morpurgo. 1982/2010. Scholastic. 176 pages.  
  9. Dear America: The Diary of Abigail Jane Stewart, The Winter of Red Snow, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Kristiana Gregory. 1996/2010. Scholastic. 192 pages. 
  10. Dear America: The Diary of Lydia Amelia Pierce, Like the Willow Tree, Portland Maine, 1918. Lois Lowry. 2011. Scholastic. 224 pages.
  11. Reached. Ally Condie. 2012. Penguin. 512 pages. 
  12. The House Without a Christmas Tree. Gail Rock. 1974. 84 pages. 
  13. Bitterblue. Kristin Cashore. 2012. Penguin. 563 pages.
  14. Eighth Grade is Making Me Sick: A Year in Stuff. Jennifer L. Holm. 2012. Random House. 128 pages.
  15. The City of Ember: The Graphic Novel. Jeanne DuPrau. Dallas Middaugh, Niklas Asker illustrators. 2012. Random House. 144 pages.
  16. Starry River of the Sky. Grace Lin. 2012. Little, Brown. 304 pages. 
  17. Gossamer. Lois Lowry. 2006. 176 pages.
  18. The Humming of Numbers. Joni Sensel. 2008. 256 pages. 
Adult Books:
  1. The Magic of Ordinary Days. Ann Howard Creel. 2001. Penguin. 304 pages. 
  2. Rilla of Ingleside. L.M. Montgomery. 1921. 280 pages. 
  3. A Crown of Swords. Robert Jordan. 1996. Tor. 896 pages. 
  4. The Queen of Hearts. Wilkie Collins. 1859. 484 pages.  
  5. Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm: A New English Version. Philip Pullman. 2012. Penguin. 400 pages.  
  6. The Daughter of Time. Josephine Tey. 1951/1995. Simon & Schuster. 208 pages. 
  7. A Heart for Milton. Trudy Brasure. 2011. Createspace. 398 pages.
  8. A Gentleman of Fortune. Anna Dean. (A Dido Kent Mystery #2) 2011. 336 pages.
Nonfiction:
  1. Growing Up Humming. Mike Spinak (text and photographs). 2012. CreateSpace. 46 pages.
  2. And There I Stood With My Piccolo. Meredith Willson. 1948/2009. University of Minnesota Press. 256 pages. 
  3. But He Doesn't Know the Territory. Meredith Willson. 1959. 190 pages.
  4. Who Gets the Drumstick? Helen Beardsley. 1965. Random House. 215 pages.

Christian Fiction and Nonfiction: 
  1. God Loves You: He Always Has, He Always Will. Dr. David Jeremiah. 2012. FaithWords. 320 pages.
  2. Grace, Gold, & Glory. Gabrielle Douglas with Michelle Burford. 2012. Zondervan. 222 pages.
  3. Walking with Bilbo. Sarah Arthur. 2005. Tyndale. 224 pages.
  4. Gentleman of Her Dreams. Jen Turano. 2012. Bethany House. 68 pages.
  5. A Lancaster County Christmas. Suzanne Woods Fisher. 2011. Revell. 198 pages.
  6. Where God Finds You: 40 Devotions Bringing Bible Characters to Life. Anita Higman. 2012. Standard Publishing. 240 pages.
  7. Marriage Carol. Chris Fabry. 2011. Moody. 128 pages.
  8. Pierced by the Word: Thirty-One Meditations for Your Soul. John Piper. 2003. Multnomah. 140 pages.

© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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Sunday, December 30, 2012

Library Loot: Fifth Trip in December

New Loot:

The Case of the Missing Books: A Mobile Library Mystery by Ian Sansom
An Elm Creek Sampler: The First Three Novels by Jennifer Chiaverini
The Clocks by Agatha Christie
The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer
Beauvallet by Georgette Heyer
The Convenient Marriage by Georgette Heyer

Leftover Loot:

The Complete Tales by Beatrix Potter
Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb by Al Perkins
Gay-Neck: The Story of a Pigeon by Dhan Gopal Mukerji
Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers
Hitty: Her First Hundred Years by Rachel Field
The Elephant's Child by Rudyard Kipling
Ballet of the Elephants by Leda Schubert
Elephants Can Paint Too by Katya Arnold
An Elephant in the Backyard by Richard Sobol 

 Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries.  

© 2013 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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Sunday Salon: My Favorite Movies & Soundtracks

Again, again, again (movies that I watched obsessively) in 2012...

Young Victoria (my post)
The Aristocats (my post)
The Music Man (my post)
Men in Black 3 (my post)
The Dark Knight Rises 

One movie that I watched obsessively was Jane Eyre. I watched TEN different adaptations of that one. Half of the adaptations were new to me. You can read all about that project on this post.

Out of my comfort zone...BUT... I liked it! 

Batman Begins and The Dark Knight (my post)
Thor, Captain America, and The Avengers (my post)
Inception (my post)
Prince of Persia (my post)

My comfort zone...period films

He Knew He Was Right (my post)
North and South (my post)
Pickwick Papers (my post)
Our Mutual Friend (my post)
Victoria and Albert (my post)
Lorna Doone (my post)
King's Speech (my post)
Bertie & Elizabeth (my post)

Classics...

The Shop Around the Corner (my post)
White Christmas (my post)
Holiday Inn (my post)
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (my post)
High Society (my post)
On Moonlight Bay (my post)
It Happened to Jane (my post)
George Washington Slept Here (my post)

Can't Believe I didn't write posts for...

Loving Leah (2009)
The Magic of Ordinary Days (2005)

My favorite soundtracks...

Young Victoria (Ilan Eshkeri, composer)
Inception (Hans Zimmer)
Jane Eyre (Alessio Vlad & Claudio Capponi)

© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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Saturday, December 29, 2012

Other Books I Read This Year

Bitterblue. Kristin Cashore. 2012. Penguin. 563 pages.

I think I would like this one more if I had taken the time to reread Graceling and/or Fire. Or perhaps if I'd liked Graceling and Fire more than I did in the first place. (I remember wishing I'd read Graceling and Fire closer together. I definitely remember them both as being almost books for me. Almost as good as I'd expected based on what I'd read/heard.) The good news is that Bitterblue is a compelling read, once I began reading it I wanted to know what happened next. And I was intrigued with the mystery of it, the political intrigue going on, etc. But I never really came to "love" the characters. I liked the characters, the storytelling, the writing. I enjoyed it enough to keep reading, but I was never this-is-the-best-book-ever.

Eighth Grade is Making Me Sick: A Year in Stuff. Jennifer L. Holm. 2012. Random House. 128 pages.

This was a quick read, though it wasn't as quick as I initially thought it might be. It is a graphic novel, of sorts, starring a young eighth grader named Ginny Davis. She's just moved and she's getting ready to start a new year at school. She is nervous and hopeful, for the most part. And she definitely has plans and goals for what she wants to happen this year. Some of what does happen is COMPLETELY unexpected. Like what happens with her step-Bob and her mom... This one surprised me in places, and was predictable in other places. Overall, I did like it. It didn't wow me, but I wasn't expecting to be wowed.

The City of Ember: The Graphic Novel. Jeanne DuPrau. Dallas Middaugh, Niklas Asker illustrators. 2012. Random House. 144 pages.

I have always loved Jeanne DuPrau's City of Ember. I have read it multiple times, always enjoying and loving it. I love the premise, the story, the characters, the mystery, etc. I was so excited to read the graphic novel of this novel. I thought the adaptation was great. I thought it was a quick and compelling read. I thought the illustrations were great!!! I love seeing the contrast between Ember and the real world which they're discovering for the very first time. Of course, I'm always going to love the novel more than any adaptation of it--graphic novel or film. But. I think this is a lovely way to visit or revisit Ember!!!

Starry River of the Sky. Grace Lin. 2012. Little, Brown. 304 pages.

Part of me wishes I'd reread the first book, but, I suppose it's not too late to reread it now. This one certainly made me want to stay in that magical world. I definitely enjoyed this one very much, I'm not sure what more to say. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters, there was something wonderfully mysterious about most of the characters. And the mystery unfolds with each story that is told in the novel. I loved the role of stories and storytelling in this one. It really celebrates storytelling and shows how stories shape us and how stories and legends are formed. I thought the illustrations were lovely. It was a beautiful book.

Penny And Her Doll. Kevin Henkes. 2012. HarperCollins. 32 pages.

I definitely enjoyed reading Kevin Henkes' second Penny book. In this one, Penny receives a lovely doll from her grandmother. She LOVES her doll; she loves everything about her doll. The conflict in this one is that Penny cannot think of a good name, a proper name, a "just right" name for her new doll. She knows that her doll needs a name--after all everybody has a name. But how will she know which name is the RIGHT name for her doll? The story is told in short chapters. I loved the writing and the story.

Let's Go For A Drive. Mo Willems. 2012. Hyperion. 64 pages.

I've loved every Elephant & Piggie book, this one Let's Go For a Drive is no exception. I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Elephant and Piggie so much that it would be hard for me not to enjoy each adventure. I do like some books better than others, there will always be favorites for me within the series. This one probably won't make my favorite-from-this-series list. But I did enjoy it. With each rereading I enjoyed it a little more. Gerald, the elephant, is making plans, BIG PLANS for his drive with Piggie. They'll need...umbrellas, sunglasses, maps, bags, the list just goes on and on and on...it takes a while for Gerald to think of the obvious--they'll need a car. Since it would just be silly for either friend to have a car, Gerald becomes distraught until Piggie finds a way to play together that doesn't require any plans!

I love Gerald. I do. I love how he's illustrated in this book. I love seeing his expressions, his emotions. His enthusiasm is lovable. I also love Piggie, of course. I love Piggie's solution to this problem. I just love, love, love the illustrations, they tell so much!!!!

A Heart for Milton. Trudy Brasure. 2011. Createspace. 398 pages.

For people who just loved the movie, this one may prove to be a satisfying read...especially if they also enjoy adult romance novels. (The scenes are mild in comparison to some, but this book is definitely not 'clean.') It is an adaptation or variation on Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South. This book has them marrying sooner, and it starts off with great promise. It follows their first year of marriage--for better or worse, a first year which also includes a pregnancy. This is a financially difficult year for the couple, and it's a year that readers of the classic novel only catch a glimpse or two of. John Thornton is struggling to keep his mill open, and he's facing financial ruin. In the classic by Gaskell, Margaret saves him in more ways than one. In this adaptation, she's right there by his side through it all believing and encouraging him. In some ways, I enjoyed seeing this adaptation, appreciated the changes to a certain extent. I also enjoyed getting the chance to know Mrs. Thornton (John's mother) much, much better. I really came to love her!

I don't read adult romance, for the most part, it's something I choose not to read. And I would have liked a cleaner adaptation of North and South. But I do think the author did some things well.

A Gentleman of Fortune. Anna Dean. (A Dido Kent Mystery #2) 2011. 336 pages.

I enjoyed this one. I think I enjoyed it even more than the first in the series. I loved the heroine, Miss Dido Kent. I thought she was great at playing detective and solving yet another mystery. I enjoyed the setting and liked getting the chance to meet new and interesting characters. It was fun to piece together the clues. I think my favorite parts are her letters to Eliza. I am glad this one wasn't focused too much on the "romance" of the heroine.

Gossamer. Lois Lowry. 2006. 176 pages.

I've been in the mood to read Lois Lowry lately, and this was a lovely reread for me. I just love Littlest (Gossamer). I think the premise is oh-so-magical and definitely imaginative. The writing is just what I've come to expect from Lowry. The storytelling was beautiful. I came to care for the characters as I read on in the book, and I liked how everything worked together.

The Humming of Numbers. Joni Sensel. 2008. 256 pages.

The first time I read this book, I loved it. I remember gushing about how amazing it was. So I decided to reread this one. I remembered it as being amazing and wonderful, but, this second reading didn't thrill me. It's a great reminder of just how subjective reading is and how mood factors into how much a person loves a book...or not. I did like it the second time, it's not that my opinion changed completely. It's just that it was definite like and not love. I think the first time through I focused on the adventure of it--the danger of it, the Vikings. The second time I wasn't worried about that threat, and I was able to see the rest of the story, and the "romance" didn't quite work for me.

© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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2013 Challenges: TBR Pile

Host: Roof Beam Reader
Name: TBR Pile
Dates: Jan - Dec
# of Books: 12
Limitations: Must be from list of 12 +2 alternates; pre-2012 publication date

For the record, I'm not choosing any of these books by their covers!


1. Pollyanna by Eleanor Porter, 1913


2. Pollyanna Grows Up, Eleanor Porter, 1915


3. Brentwood, Grace Livingstone Hill, 1937


4. The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer, 1928


5. Powder and Patch by Georgette Heyer, 1930


6. Party Shoes by Noel Streatfeild, 1946


7. Skating Shoes by Noel Streatfeild, 1951


8. Lord Peter, Complete Short Stories by Dorothy Sayers (???, but well before 2012!)


9. Faro's Daughter by Georgette Heyer, 1941


10. The League of Frightened Men by Rex Stout, 1935


11. The Rubber Band by Rex Stout, 1936
12. The Red Box by Rex Stout, 1937

Alternates:


13. I Will Repay by Baroness Emma Orczy, 1906


14. Lighthouse by Eugenia Price, 1971

© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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2013 Challenges: 2013 Pre-1960 Classic Children's Books

Host: Turning the Pages
Name: 2013 pre-1960 Classic Children's Books
Dates: Jan- Dec
# of Books: my goal is 52
LINK BACK EVERY MONTH; REVIEW LINKIES First of the month(ish)
(Jan)

What I Read:

1. Thomas the Tank Engine Collection--512 pages; 14 picture books published as one story collection, 1945-1960.
2. Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery, 1908
3. Pollyanna, Eleanor Porter, 1913
4. Racketty-Packetty House, Frances Hodgson Burnett, 1906
5. Heidi, Johanna Spyri, 1880
6. The Real Mother Goose, 1916
7. The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett, 1911
8. Anne of Avonlea, L.M. Montgomery, 1909
9. Pollyanna Grows Up, Eleanor Porter, 1915
10. Elsie Dinsmore, Martha Finley, 1867
11. The Story Girl, L.M. Montgomery, 1911
12. Daddy-Long-Legs, Jean Webster, 1912
13. The Golden Road, L.M. Montgomery, 1913
14. Anne of the Island, L.M. Montgomery, 1915
15. Understood Betsy. Dorothy Canfield Fisher. 1916.
16. Anne's House of Dreams. L.M. Montgomery. 1917.
17. Rainbow Valley. L.M. Montgomery. 1919.
18. Rilla of Ingleside. L.M. Montgomery. 1921
19. Party Shoes. Noel Streatfeild. 1946. Oxford Children's Classics. 320 pages.
20. Skating Shoes. Noel Streatfeild. 1951. 224 pages.
21. Treasure Island. Robert Louis Stevenson. 1883. 311 pages.
22. The Little Prince. Antoine de Saint-Exupery. 1943/2013. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 112 pages.
23. A Little Princess. Frances Hodgson Burnett. 1905.
24. The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. C.S. Lewis. 1950.
25. The Hobbit. J.R.R. Tolkien. 1937.
26. Little House in the Big Woods. Laura Ingalls Wilder. 1932.
27. Little House on the Prairie. Laura Ingalls Wilder. 1935.
28. Pinocchio. Carlo Collodi.  1883.
29.  The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. L. Frank Baum. 1900.
30. The Marvelous Land of Oz. L. Frank Baum. 1904.
31. Ozma of Oz. L. Frank Baum. 1907.
32. Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz. L. Frank Baum. 1908.
33. Emily of New Moon. L.M. Montgomery. 1923.
34. Emily Climbs. L.M. Montgomery. 1925.
35. Emily's Quest. L.M. Montgomery. 1927.
36. Mary Marie. Eleanor H. Porter. 1920.
37. The Belgian Twins. Lucy Fitch Perkins. 1917. 124 pages.
38. The Jungle Book. Rudyard Kipling. 1894/1895/2012. Random House. 320 pages.
39. Magic for Marigold. L.M. Montgomery. 1929. 274 pages.
40. Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz. L. Frank Baum. 1908. 148 pages.
41. Emily's Quest. L.M. Montgomery. 1927. 228 pages.
42. The Magic Pudding. Norman Lindsay. 1918. 144 pages. [Source: Bought]
43. Half Magic. Edward Eager. 1954. 192 pages. [Source: Library]
44. Mary Poppins. P.L. Travers. Illustrated by Mary Shepard. 1934/2006. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 224 pages. [Source: Library]
45. I Saw Esau: The Schoolchild's Pocket Book. Iona and Peter Opie. Illustrations by Maurice Sendak. 1947/2012. Candlewick Press. 160 pages. [Source: Review Copy]
46. The Road to Oz. L. Frank Baum. 1909. 272 pages. [Source: Bought]
47. When We Were Very Young. A.A. Milne. 1924. 100 pages. [Source: Library]
48. . Mary Poppins Comes Back. P.L. Travers. 1935. Harcourt. 315 pages. [Source: Library]
49. Pat of Silver Bush. L.M. Montgomery. 1933. 288 pages. [Source: Bought]
50. All-of-a-Kind-Family. Sydney Taylor. 1951. 190 pages. [Source: Bought]
51. A Little Maid Of Provincetown. Alice Turner Curtis. 1913. 192 pages. [Source: Bought]
52. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Lewis Carroll. 1865. 192 pages. [Source: Bought]
53. Mistress Pat. L.M. Montgomery. 1935. 288 pages. [Source: Bought].
54. Through the Looking Glass. Lewis Carroll. 1871. 228 pages. [Source: Bought]
55. Our Island Story. H.E. Marshall. 1905/? 512 pages. [Source: Bought]
56. The Wind in the Willows. Kenneth Grahame. Illustrated by David Roberts. Candlewick. 256 pages. [Source: Review Copy]
57. Anne of Windy Poplars. L.M. Montgomery. 1936. 288 pages. [Source: Bought]
58.   Jane of Lantern Hill. L.M. Montgomery. 1937. 274 pages. [Source: Bought]
59. Anne of Ingleside. L.M. Montgomery. 1939. 274 pages. [Source: Bought]

Possibilities:
  • Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, 1865
  • Through the Looking Glass, Lewis Carroll, 1871
  • At the Back of the North Wind, George MacDonald, 1871
  • Five Little Peppers and How They Grew, Margaret Sidney, 1881
  • The Adventures of Pinnochio, Carlo Collodi, 1883
  • The Story of the Treasure Seekers, E. Nesbit, 1899
  • The Wouldbegoods, E. Nesbit, 1901
  • The New Treasure Seekers, E. Nesbit, 1904
  • Five Children and It, E. Nesbit, 1902
  • The Phoenix and the Carpet, E. Nesbit, 1904
  • The Story of the Amulet, E. Nesbit, 1906
  • The Railway Children, E. Nesbit, 1906
  • The Enchanted Castle, E. Nesbit, 1907
  • The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum, 1900
  • Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Kate Douglas Wiggin, 1903
  • A Little Princess, Frances Hodgson Burnett, 1905
  • Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame, 1908
  • Old Mother West Wind, Thornton Burgess, 1910
  • Just David, Eleanor Porter, 1916
  • Emily of New Moon, L.M. Montgomery, 1923
  • Emily Climbs, L.M. Montgomery, 1925
  • Emily's Quest, L.M. Montgomery, 1927
  • Winnie the Pooh, A.A. Milne, 1926
  • The House at Pooh Corner, A.A. Milne, 1928
  • Gay Neck, The Story of a Pigeon by Dhan Gopal Mukerji, 1928
  • Hitty Her First Hundred Years, Rachel Field, 1929 
  • Little House in the Big Woods, Laura Ingalls Wilder, 1932
  • Farmer Boy, Laura Ingalls Wilder, 1933
  • Little House on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder, 1935
  • On the Banks of Plum Creek, Laura Ingalls Wilder, 1937
  • By the Shores of Silver Lake, Laura Ingalls Wilder, 1939
  • The Long Winter, Laura Ingalls Wilder, 1940
  • Little Town on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder, 1941
  • These Happy Golden Years, Laura Ingalls Wilder, 1943
  • Mary Poppins, P.L. Travers, 1934
  • Mary Poppins Comes Back, P.L. Travers, 1935
  • Mary Poppins Opens The Door, P.L Travers, 1943
  • Mary Poppins in the Park, P.L. Travers, 1952
  • The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien, 1937
  • Ballet Shoes, Noel Streatfeild, 1936
  • Theatre Shoes, Noel Streatfeild, 1944
  • Party Shoes, Noel Streatfeild, 1946
  • Skating Shoes, Noel Streatfeild, 1951 
  • Stuart Little, E.B. White, 1945
  • Charlotte's Web, E.B. White,  1952
  • Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, Betty MacDonald, 1947
  • Mrs. Piggle Wiggle's Magic, Betty MacDonald, 1949
  • Mrs. Piggle Wiggle's Farm, Betty MacDonald, 1954
  • Hello, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, Betty MacDonald, 1957
  • The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis, 1950
  • Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia, C.S. Lewis, 1951
  • The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, C.S. Lewis, 1952
  • The Silver Chair, C.S. Lewis, 1953
  • The Horse and His Boy, C.S. Lewis, 1954
  • The Magician's Nephew, C.S. Lewis, 1955
  • The Last Battle, C.S. Lewis, 1956
  • Henry Huggins, Beverly Cleary, 1950
  • Ellen Tebbits, Beverly Cleary, 1951
  • Henry and Beezus, Beverly Cleary, 1952
  • Otis Spofford, Beverly Cleary, 1953
  • Henry and Ribsy, Beverly Cleary, 1954
  • Beezus and Ramona, Beverly Cleary, 1955
  • Henry and the Paper Route, Beverly Cleary, 1957


© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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2012 Completed Reading Challenge: War Through the Generations

These are the books I read for the War Through the Generations reading challenge:

1. And The Soldiers Sang. J. Patrick Lewis. Illustrated by Gary Kelley. 2011. Creative Editions. 32 pages.
2. My Brother's Shadow. Monika Schroder.
3. All Our Worldly Goods. Irene Nemirovsky.
4. Hattie Big Sky. Kirby Larson.
5. Day of the Assassins. (Jack Christie #1) Johnny O'Brien. 2009. Candlewick. 224 pages.
6. Yesterday's Dead. Pat Bourke. 2012. Second Story Press. 232 pages.
7. Dear America: The Diary of Lydia Amelia Pierce, Like the Willow Tree, Portland Maine, 1918. Lois Lowry. 2011. Scholastic. 224 pages.
8. War Horse. Michael Morpurgo. 1982/2010. Scholastic. 176 pages.
9. Rilla of Ingleside. L.M. Montgomery. 1921. 280 pages.
10. Moon Over Manifest. Clare Vanderpool. 2010. October 2010. Random House. 368 pages.


© 2013 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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Friday, December 28, 2012

2013 Challenges: Book to Movie

Host: Doing Dewey
Name: Book to Movies
Dates: Jan - Dec
# Books & Movies: Movie Lover, 9

What I Read & Watched:

1. Book review: Anne of Green Gables  movie review: Anne of Green Gables
2. Book review: Heidi movie review: Heidi
3. Book review: Pollyanna movie review: Pollyanna
4. Book review: Pygmalion movie review: Pygmalion
5. Book review: English Governess at the Siamese Court; movie review: King and I
6. Book review: Les Miserables; movie review: Les Miserables
7. Book review: Stardust; movie review: Stardust
8. Book review: Invention of Hugo Cabret; movie review: Hugo
9. Book review and movie review: Death on the Nile.

© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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2013 Reading Challenges: Women Challenge

Host: Peekabook
Name: Women Challenge
Dates: January - December
# of Books: Wonder Woman +16
Limitations: Women Authors 

What I Read (last updated for May):
  1. Mary Barton. Elizabeth Gaskell.
  2. Cranford. Elizabeth Gaskell.  
  3. Ruth. Elizabeth Gaskell.
  4. The Racketty-Packetty House. Frances Hodgson Burnett. 
  5. The Secret Garden. Frances Hodgson Burnett.
  6. A Little Princess. Frances Hodgson Burnett. 
  7. Understood Betsy. Dorothy Canfield Fisher. 
  8. Little House in the Big Woods. Laura Ingalls Wilder.  
  9. Little House on the Prairie. Laura Ingalls Wilder.
  10. Anne of Green Gables. L.M. Montgomery.  
  11. Anne of Avonlea. L.M. Montgomery
  12. Anne of the Island. L.M. Montgomery.
  13. Anne's House of Dreams. L.M. Montgomery
  14. Rainbow Valley. L.M. Montgomery. 
  15. Rilla of Ingleside. L.M. Montgomery
  16. Emily of New Moon. L.M. Montgomery
  17. Emily Climbs. L.M. Montgomery
  18. The Story Girl. L.M. Montgomery. 
  19. The Golden Road. L.M. Montgomery.
  20. L.M. Montgomery Short Stories, 1896-1901. L.M. Montgomery.
  21. Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories, 1902-1903. L.M. Montgomery. 216 pages
  22. .L.M. Montgomery Short Stories, 1904. L.M. Montgomery
  23. Kilmeny of the Orchard. L.M. Montgomery. 
  24. Elsie Dinsmore. Martha Finley.
  25. Daddy Long Legs. Jean Webster.
  26. Dear Enemy. Jean Webster. 
  27. Heidi. Johanna Spyri.
  28. The Little Prince. Antoine de Saint-Exupery.
  29. Brentwood. Grace Livingstone Hill.
  30. Marcia Schuyler. Grace Livingston Hill.
  31. Phoebe Deane. Grace Livingston Hill. 
  32. Miranda. Grace Livingston Hill.
  33. According to the Pattern. Grace Livingston Hill. 
  34. Pollyanna. Eleanor H. Porter.
  35. Pollyanna Grows Up. Eleanor H. Porter.
  36. Miss Billy. Eleanor H. Porter.
  37. Miss Billy's Decision. Eleanor H. Porter.  
  38. Miss Billy Married. Eleanor H. Porter. 
  39. Mary Marie. Eleanor H. Porter. 
  40. Skating Shoes. Noel Streatfeild. 
  41. Party Shoes. Noel Streatfeild. 
  42. Why Shoot a Butler? Georgette Heyer. 
  43. Envious Casca. Georgette Heyer.
  44. Duplicate Death. Georgette Heyer.
  45. The Black Moth. Georgette Heyer.
  46. Powder and Patch. Georgette Heyer.
  47. These Old Shades. Georgette Heyer.
  48. The Masqueraders. Georgette Heyer.
  49. Beauvallet. Georgette Heyer.  
  50. Regency Buck. Georgette Heyer.
  51. Devil's Cub. Georgette Heyer. 
  52. The Convenient Marriage. Georgette Heyer. 
  53. Faro's Daughter. Georgette Heyer. 
  54. The Corinthian. Georgette Heyer
  55. The Talisman Ring. Georgette Heyer.
  56. Friday's Child. Georgette Heyer. 
  57. Whose Body? Dorothy L. Sayers
  58. Unnatural Death. Dorothy L. Sayers.
  59. The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club. Dorothy L. Sayers. 
  60. Clouds of Witness. Dorothy L. Sayers. 
  61. The Leavenworth Case. Anna Katharine Green.
  62. The Case of the Late Pig. Margery Allingham. 
  63. The Cape Cod Mystery. Phoebe Atwood Taylor. 
  64.  Final Curtain. Ngaio Marsh. 
  65. The Mysterious Affair at Styles. Agatha Christie. 
  66. Lord Edgware Dies (OR Thirteen at Dinner). Agatha Christie.
  67. Peril at End House. Agatha Christie.
  68. The English Governess at the Siamese Court: The True Story Behind 'The King and I' by Anna Harriette Leonowens.  
  69. The Daughter of Time. (Inspector Grant #5). Josephine Tey. 
stopped keeping track in the summer...

© 2013 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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2013 Reading Challenges: 50 States

Host: Book Obsessed
Name: 50 States Challenge
Dates: Jan - Dec
# Books: 50
  1. Alabama
  2. Alaska
  3. Arizona
  4. Arkansas
  5. California: Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt (1/16/13)
  6. Colorado
  7. Connecticut
  8. Delaware
  9. Florida
  10. Georgia
  11. Hawaii
  12. Idaho
  13. Illinois: The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow by Olivia Newport (1/21/13)
  14. Indiana
  15. Iowa
  16. Kansas:  Little House on the Prairie. Laura Ingalls Wilder.
  17. Kentucky
  18. Louisiana: Orleans by Sherri L. Smith (3/29/13)
  19. Maine: This is What Happy Looks Like. Jennifer E. Smith.
  20. Maryland
  21. Massachusetts: The Cape Cod Mystery by Phoebe Atwood Taylor (2/4/13)
  22. Michigan
  23. Minnesota
  24. Mississippi
  25. Missouri
  26. Montana
  27. Nebraska
  28. Nevada
  29. New Hampshire: The Center of Everything by Linda Urban (2/26/13)
  30. New Jersey
  31. New Mexico
  32. New York
  33. North Carolina: The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen
  34. North Dakota
  35. Ohio
  36. Oklahoma: Becoming Lucy Martha Rogers. (1/28/13)
  37. Oregon
  38. Pennsylvania: A New Home for Lily by Mary Ann Kinsinger and Suzanne Woods Fisher. (2/6/13)
  39. Rhode Island
  40. South Carolina
  41. South Dakota
  42. Tennessee
  43. Texas: To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer (1/23/13)
  44. Utah
  45. Vermont: Pollyanna by Eleanor Porter (1/13/13)
  46. Virginia: Kizzy Ann Stamps by Jeri Watts (1/18/13)
  47. Washington: Bride in the Bargain. Deeanne Gist. (2/8/13)
  48. West Virginia
  49. Wisconsin: Little House in the Big Woods. Laura Ingalls Wilder.
  50. Wyoming

© 2013 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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2013 Challenges: Back to Classics





Host: Sarah Reads Too Much

Name: Back to Classics 2013
Dates: Jan - Dec
# Books: 6+

What I read:

1. A Classic Adventure: Treasure Island. Robert Louis Stevenson.
2. A 20th Century Classic: The Little Prince. Antoine de Saint-Exupery.
3. Classic Short Stories: The Man With Two Left Feet. P.G. Wodehouse.
4. A Classic Non-fiction: In The Steps of St. Paul. H.V. Morton.
5. A 19th Century Classic: Les Miserables. Victor Hugo. Translated and Introduced by Norman Denny. 1862/1976
6. A Classic Children's/ Young Adult: Pollyanna. Eleanor H. Porter.
7. Re-read a Classic: Cranford. Elizabeth Gaskell.
8. A Pre-18th or 18th Century Classic: Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
9. Classic About the African-American Experience: Iola Leroy by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper
10. Animal Classic: Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling

The Required Categories:
  1. A 19th Century Classic
  2. A 20th Century Classic
  3. A Pre-18th or 18th Century Classic
  4. A Classic that relates to the African-American Experience - This can be an African-American author, or a book relating to slavery, civil rights, or African-American culture.
  5. A Classic Adventure
  6. A Classic that prominently features an Animal - This can feature animal characters or animals in the title (real or imagined)
Optional Categories:
    A.  Re-read a Classic
   B.  A Russian Classic
   C.  A Classic Non-Fiction title
   D.  A Classic Children's/Young Adult title
   E.  Classic Short Stories - collection must include at least 3 short stories by the same author, or at 
                                              least 3 stories collected together by genre, time period, etc.


© 2013 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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2013 Challenges: Mystery/Crime Reading Challenge





Host: The Crafty Book Nerd

Name: Mystery/Crime Reading Challenge
Dates: January - December
# Books: 15+
BE SURE TO VISIT THE SITE AND UPDATE WITH REVIEWS--MONTHLY PRIZES...
January Progress Review-Link 
February Progress Review-Link
March Progress Review Link

What I Read (last updated for June):

1. Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death. James Runcie. 2012. Bloomsbury. 400 pages. (Grantchester Mysteries Series #1)
2. Whose Body? Dorothy L. Sayers. 1923/1995. HarperCollins. 224 pages. 
3. The Case of the Worried Waitress: A Perry Mason mystery. Erle Stanley Gardner. 1966. 151 pages.
4. Final Curtain. Ngaio Marsh. 1947. Jove. 278 pages.
5. Clouds of Witness. Dorothy L. Sayers.
6. The Cape Cod Mystery. Phoebe Atwood Taylor.
7. The Leavenworth Case. Anna Katharine Green. 1878. 439 pages.
8. Unnatural Death. Dorothy L. Sayers. 1927. HarperCollins. 288 pages.
9. The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club. Dorothy L. Sayers. 1928/1995. HarperCollins. 256 pages. 
10. The Mysterious Affair at Styles. Agatha Christie. 1920/2006. Black Dog & Leventhal. 224 pages. 
11. The Case of the Late Pig. Margery Allingham. 1948. 144 pages.
12. Hamlet, Revenge! Michael Innes. 1937. 312 pages.
13. Why Shoot a Butler? Georgette Heyer. 1933. 352 pages.
14. Peril at End House. Agatha Christie. 1932. HarperCollins. 287 pages.
15. Mary Barton. Elizabeth Gaskell. 1848. 437 pages.
16. Lord Edgware Dies by Agatha Christie.
17. Speaking from Among the Bones. Alan Bradley. 2013. Random House. 400 pages. 
18. The League of Frightened Men.  (Nero Wolfe #2) Rex Stout. 1935. Bantam. 320 pages.
19. The Rubber Band. (Nero Wolfe #3) Rex Stout. 190 pages.
20. Envious Casca. Georgette Heyer. 1941/2010. Sourcebooks. 396 pages.
21. Duplicate Death. Georgette Heyer. 1951/2010. Sourcebooks. 352 pages.
22. The Daughter of Time. (Inspector Grant #5). Josephine Tey. 1955/1995. Touchstone. 206 pages.
23. Detection Unlimited. Georgette Heyer. 1944/2010. Sourcebooks. 378 pages.
24. The Red Box. Nero Wolfe. (Nero Wolfe #4) 1936. 266 pages.
25. Strong Poison. Dorothy L. Sayers. 1930/1995. HarperCollins. 272 pages.
26. The Five Red Herrings. Dorothy L. Sayers. 1931. HarperCollins. 325 pages.
27. Death in the Stocks. Georgette Heyer. 1935/2009. Sourcebooks. 314 pages.
28. Behold, Here's Poison. Georgette Heyer. 1936/2009. Sourcebooks. 330 pages.
29.  They Found Him Dead. Georgette Heyer. 1937. Sourcebooks. 325 pages
30. A Blunt Instrument. Georgette Heyer. 1938. Sourcebooks. 309 pages.
31. Death on the Nile. Agatha Christie. 1937/2007. Black Dog & Leventhal. 352 pages.
32. The Case of the Cautious Coquette (Perry Mason #34). Erle Stanley Gardner. 1949. 230 pages



© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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2013 Challenges: Vintage Mysteries





Host: My Reader's Block

Name: Vintage Mysteries
Dates: Jan - Dec
# Target Books: 8 - 16
Limitations: Mysteries published BEFORE 1960
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What I read:

1. Final Curtain by Ngaio Marsh (1947) qualifies as #4 leave it to the professionals
2. The Cape Cod Mystery by Phoebe Atwood Taylor (1931) qualifies as #3 amateur night
3. Why Shoot a Butler by Georgette Heyer (1933) qualifies as #23 the butler did it...or not
4. The Case of the Late Pig by Margery Allingham (1948) qualifies as #8, dangerous beasts
5. Hamlet, Revenge by Michael Innes (1937) qualifies as #13 staging the crime
6. Peril at End House by Agatha Christie (1932) qualifies as #33 international detectives
7. Lord Edgware Dies (aka Thirteen at Dinner) (1933) qualifies as #11, a book with a man in the title
8. Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club by Dorothy Sayers (1928) qualifies as #14 scene of the crime
9. The Daughter of Time. (Inspector Grant #5). Josephine Tey. 1955 qualifies as #35 authors who wrote under a pseudonym
10. The Red Box. Nero Wolfe. (Nero Wolfe #4) 1936. qualifies as #1 a book with a color in the title
11. Envious Casca. Georgette Heyer. 1941. qualifies as #16 a locked-room mystery
12. Strong Poison. Dorothy L. Sayers. 1930 qualifies as #27 as psychic phenomenon*
13. The Five Red Herrings. Dorothy L. Sayers. 1931. qualifies as # 2 murder by the numbers
14. A Blunt Instrument by Georgette Heyer (1938) qualifies as #12 murderous methods
15. The Case of the Cautious Coquette by Erle Stanley Gardner (1949) qualifies as #10 a book with a woman in the title
16. Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie (1937) qualifies as #18 murder on the high seas
17. Death in the Clouds by Agatha Christie (1935) qualifies as #19 planes, trains, and automobiles
18.The Crime at Black Dudley by Margery Allingham (1929) qualifies as #17 country house murder
19. The Rubber Band. (Nero Wolfe #3) Rex Stout. 190 pages. qualifies as #6 mystery set in USA
20. They Found Him Dead. Georgette Heyer. 1937. Sourcebooks. 325 pages qualifies as #5 mystery set in Britain
21. Behold, Here's Poison. Georgette Heyer. 1936/2009. Sourcebooks. 330 pages. qualifies as #34 mystery someone else has already read
22. The League of Frightened Men. Rex Stout. 1935. Bantam. 320 pages. qualifies as #25 dynamic duos
23. Clouds of Witness. Dorothy L. Sayers. 1926/1966. Avon. 224 pages. qualifies as #22 repeat offender, starring favorite detective
24. The Case of the Worried Waitress: A Perry Mason mystery. Erle Stanley Gardner. 1966. 151 pages. qualifies as #29 Old Bailey

Mission read & match mystery categories:

1. Colorful Crime: a book with a color or reference to color in the title
2. Murder by the Numbers: a book with a number, quantity in the title
3. Amateur Night: a book with a "detective" who is not a P.I.; Police Officer; Official Investigator (Nurse Keate, Father Brown, Miss Marple, etc.)
4. Leave It to the Professionals: a book featuring cops, private eyes, secret service, professional spies, etc.
5. Jolly Old England: one mystery set in Britain
6. Yankee Doodle Dandy: one mystery set in the United States
7. World Traveler: one mystery set in any country except the US or Britain
8. Dangerous Beasts: a book with an animal in the title (The Case of the Grinning Gorilla; The Canary Murder Case; etc.)
9. A Calendar of Crime: a mystery with a date/holiday/year/month/etc. in the title (Hercule Poirot's Christmas, Holiday Homicide, etc.)
10. Wicked Women: a book with a woman in the title--either by name (Mrs. McGinty's Dead) or by reference (The Case of the Vagabound Virgin)
11. Malicious Men: a book with a man in the title--either by name (Maigret & the Yellow Dog) or by reference (The Case of the Haunted Husband)
12. Murderous Methods : a book with a means of death in the title (The Noose, 5 Bullets, Deadly Nightshade, etc).
13. Staging the Crime: a mystery set in the entertainment world (the theater, musical event, a pageant, Hollywood, featuring a magician, etc)
14. Scene of the Crime: a book with the location of the crime in the title (The Body in the Library, Murder at the Vicarage, etc.)
15. Cops & Robbers: a book that features a theft rather than murder 
16. Locked Rooms: a locked-room mystery
17. Country House Criminals: a standard (or not-so-standard) Golden Age country house murder
18. Murder on the High Seas: a mystery involving water 
19. Planes, Trains & Automobiles: a mystery that involves a mode of transportation in a vital way--explicitly in the title (Murder on the Orient Express) or by implication (Death in the Air; Death Under Sail) or perhaps the victim was shoved under a bus....
20. Murder Is Academic: a mystery involving a scholar, teacher, librarian, etc.  OR set at a school, university, library, etc.
21. Things That Go Bump in the Night: a mystery with something spooky, creepy, gothic in the title (The Skeleton in the Clock, Haunted Lady, The Bat, etc.)
22. Repeat Offenders: a mystery featuring your favorite series detective or by your favorite author (the books/authors you'd read over and over again) OR reread an old favorite
23. The Butler Did It...Or Not: a mystery where the butler is the victim, the sleuth....(gasp) the criminal....or is just downright memorable for whatever reason. 
24. A Mystery By Any Other Name: any book that has been published under more than one title (Murder Is Easy--aka Easy to Kill [Christie]; Fog of Doubt--aka London Particular [Christianna Brand], etc.)
25. Dynamic Duos: a mystery featuring a detective team--Holmes & Watson, Pam & Jerry North, Wolfe & Goodwin, or....a little-known team that you introduce to us.
26. Size Matters: a book with a size or measurement in the title (Death Has a Small Voice, The Big Four, The Weight of the Evidence, etc.)
27. Psychic Phenomena: a mystery featuring a seance, medium, hypnotism, or other psychic or "supernatural" characters/events
28. Book to Movie: one vintage mystery that has appeared on screen (feature film or TV movie).
29. The Old Bailey: a courtroom drama mystery (Perry Mason, anyone? Witness for the Prosecution...etc.) OR a mystery featuring a judge, lawyer, barrister, D.A., etc.
30. Serial Killers: Books that were originally published in serial format, probably from the pulp era.  Frank Packard's works come to mind.
31. Killed in Translation: Works that originally appeared in another language and have been made available in English (works published in English post-1960 would be acceptable, provided the original was published pre-1960).  Georges Simeon's works come to mind. OR If your native language is not English, then works that originally appeared in English and have been made available in your native language (same dating rules apply).
32.  Blondes in Danger:  A variation on "Colorful Crime".  Books that feature a blonde in the title role, like The Blonde Died First, or Blonde for Danger.
33. International Detectives.  A variation on "World Traveler" but instead of the crime being set in another country, the detective is not from the US or UK.   This may include Hercule Poirot as well as such notables as Judge Dee,
34. Somebody Else's Crime:  Read one book that someone else has already reviewed for the Vintage Mystery Challenge. 
35. Genuine Fakes: Authors who wrote under a pseudonym (Josephine Tey [Elizabeth Mackintosh]; Nicholas Blake [Cecil Day Lews]; etc)

36. Hobbies Can Be Murder: A mystery that involves a hobby in some way: stamp or coin collecting; knitting (a la Patricia Wentworth's Miss Silver); bird watching; hunting (particularly the British hunt); scrapbooks; etc.  [thanks to S from Snaps and Snippets for the idea]

37. Get Out of Jail Free: This is a freebie category.  One per customer.  You tell me what special category the book fits ("It's got an awesome cover!"..."First book I grabbed off my shelf") and it counts.  Only thing I won't take is "It's a Vintage Mystery!"--that's a given. :-)


*Strong Poison does feature a seance. It's all pretend, the work of Miss Climpson. But it's so memorable and it works really well. And I'm unlikely to ever ever read any mystery where it's presented as "real."

© 2013 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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