2006: A Year In Review

10. Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly ~ This was a funny suspenseful thriller that had me up reading into the wee hours of the morning. Although, I thoroughly enjoyed it and found the main character to be an interesting one.

9. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote ~ This true crime novel, frequently toted as the first of its kind, is beautifully written. Mr. Capote was able to produce empathy for the murderers in the way he told their stories, although not taking away the desire for the reader to see them to face the consequences of their actions.

8. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie ~ A delightful mystery! Agatha Christie was my designated favorite mystery writer when I was growing up and she is still among my favorites.

7. Labyrinth by Kate Mosse ~ I found the story mesmerizing, full of suspense as well as drama. I loved the historical aspect of the novel most of all.

6. Tales From the Child of the Enemy by Ursula Duba ~ Although simple in its presentation (in poetry form), Ms. Duba’s book is thought provoking and conscious raising.

5. The Devil of Nanking by Mo Hayder ~ Books that balance historical events with the present seem to be among my favorites most often, I've discovered. This novel offered that and so much more. It was one of the best suspense/thriller novels I've read.

4. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho ~ Stealing a line directly from my review: Upon finishing the book, I understand what the publisher Harper Collins meant when it referred to the book as being like “getting up at dawn and seeing the sun rise while the rest of the world sleeps.” That’s truly what it feels like.

The race for 1st place was very close. After much thought and several one-sided debates with Anjin (who just listened because he hadn't read any of the books--it's amazing what he puts up with when it comes to me!) and a last minute rearraging because I still couldn't make up my mind, I finally settled on an order I think I can live with. Drum roll please . . .

3. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield ~ Admittingly, having just finished The Thirteenth Tale, it is the most fresh in my mind and perhaps that is part of the reason I was so tempted to put it in the top spot. Alas, two other books consumed me just a little more and so The Thirteenth Tale finds its place as #3 on my list. It was well written, intriguing, and spoke to me, sometimes the voice sounding a little like mine.


2. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova ~ I was lost in the prose as soon as I began reading and held in suspense with each chapter. I was transported directly into Kostova's world as I read, held captive even when I was not reading the book.

1. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See ~ Snow Flower and The Secret Fan left a deep impression on me. I started blogging several months after I read this particular book, and so no review is posted. Straight from my notes:

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (2005)
See, Lisa (Fiction) (258 pgs)
Completed: 04/09/2006
Rating: Excellent

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is the story about the lives of two special friends in nineteenth-century China. The two girls are matched as laotongs, a rare friendship that is established between two girls specially chosen to be lifelong friends. They communicate through a secret language called nu shu.

The descriptions and writing style of Lisa See, the author, brought to mind Arthur Golden with Memoirs of a Geisha. I found the historical and cultural aspects of the novel intriguing: the foot binding process, the role of women in society and within the family, for example. The chapter and description of the foot binding process was difficult to read at times. Foot binding was a big part of the Chinese culture during that time period and a reflection on the place of women in society. It was believed that foot binding was proof of personal discipline and an ability to endure the pain of child birth as well as whatever other misfortunes might come. Small feet were a sign of beauty. The smaller the feet, the better the wife. Lisa See painted a disturbing portrait of women’s roles in those days, where only having male offspring made a woman valuable and women were the property of their husband’s family. While this idea still exists today in one form or another in some cultures, it was even more widespread back then.

The friendship and misunderstandings between Snow Flower and Lily brought to mind Hassan and Amir from Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner. Like it did for Amir, my heart ached for Lily and the poor choices she made, which ultimately caused a riff in her friendship with Snow Flower.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is a powerful novel, not one that I will easily forget, and is by far the best novel I’ve read so far this year.

---

Longest Book Read In 2006 ~ The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova (676 pgs)

Shortest Book Read In 2006 ~ Tales From A Child of the Enemy by Ursula Duba (155 pgs)

Best Series In Which I Am Caught Up ~ Jim Butcher's Dresden Files

Best Nonfiction ~ Tales From A Child of the Enemy by Ursula Duba

Favorite Comfort Read ~ Alexander McCall Smith's No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series

New To Me Authors Most Likely To Become Long-Term Favorites ~
Mario Acevedo
Mark Billingham
Paulo Coelho
Yasmina Khadra
Fannie Flagg
Mo Hayder
T. Jefferson Parker
Ian Sansom
Diane Setterfield
Daniel Silva
Minette Walters

Funniest Narrator ~ Stephanie Plum (Janet Evanovich)

Characters I'd Like To Hang With ~
Sookie Stackhouse (Charlaine Harris)
Mma Ramotswe (Alexander McCall Smith)
Kitty Norville (Carrie Vaughn)
Joanna Brady (J.A. Jance)
Ruth Jamison (Fannie Flagg)
Noah Jordain (M.J. Rose)
Grandma Mazur (Janet Evanovich)
Mina Harker (Bram Stoker)
Dr. Clifton (Diane Setterfield)

Detectives I would Like On My Case ~
JP Beaumont (J.A. Jance)
Harry Bosch (Michael Connelly)

As Back-Up ~
Carson Ryder & Harry Nautilis (Jack Kerley)
Alex Cross (James Patterson)

Characters I Would Like To Have At My Side If Danger Comes Knocking At My Door ~
Harry Dresden (Jim Butcher)
Clay Danvers (Kelley Armstrong)
Gabriel Allon (Daniel Silva)
Micah Dalton (David Stone)

Therapist Whose Couch I Would Be Most Comfortable On ~ Frank Clevenger (Keith Ablow)

Lawyer I Would Hire If I Was In a Jam On the Right Side Of the Law ~ Alexandra Cooper (Linda Fairstein)

Lawyer I Would Hire In a Jam If I Wasn't ~ Michael Haller (Michael Connelly)

Fantasy World I Wouldn't Mind Stepping Into ~ Kyralia (The Black Magician Trilogy, Trudi Cananvan)

2006 Reading Trends ~

Total Books Read - 115

Books Read by Genre -
35 Mysteries
27 Suspense/Thrillers
22 Fantasy
23 Fiction
4 Nonfiction
3 Horror
1 Romance

Authors Read by Gender -
41 Females
32 Males

Books Read by Authors' Gender -
69 Females
44 Males

Average Books Read per Author (by Gender) -
1.69 Females
1.38 Males

Books Read by Rating -
12 Excellent
6 Very Good +
33 Very Good
27 Good +
29 Good
5 Fair +
3 Fair

Total Books I was Unable to Read to Completion: 1

Book Size -
4 Pint Size Books (200 pgs and Under)
51 Intermediate Books (201-350 pgs)
53 Substantial Books (351-500 pgs)
7 Chunkster Books (501+ pgs)

Books Read by Type -
29 Hardback Books
39 Trade Paperback Books (9 Advanced Reader's Editions, ARE)
46 Paperback Boooks
1 Manuscript Copy (1 ARE)

Books Read by Year of Publication -
93 in the 2000's (39 in 2006 alone)
16 in the 1990's
3 in the 1980's
1 each in 1965, 1926, and 1897

That sums up my reading year. It was a great year overall, and I am looking forward to seeing where my books take me in 2007.

Have a very Happy New Year everyone!

Best wishes in the New Year.

Books Read in 2006

January 2006
1. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (1965) - Nonfiction - 343 pgs - Rating: Excellent
2. Lying in Wait by J.A. Jance (1994) - Mystery - 386 pgs - Rating: Good
3. Name Withheld by J.A. Jance (1996) - Mystery - 392 pgs - Rating: Good +
4. Breach of Duty by J.A. Jance (1999) - Mystery - 358 pgs - Rating: Very Good
5. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie (1926) - Mystery - 241 pgs - Rating: Excellent
6. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls (2005) - Nonfiction/Memoir - 288 pgs - Rating: Good +
7. Maybe Baby edited by Lori Leibovich (2006ARE) - Nonfiction - 263 pgs - Rating: Very Good
8. The Nymphos of Rocky Flats by Mario Acevedo (2006ARE) - Fantasy - 354 pgs-Rating: Good +
9. Dead to Rights by J.A. Jance (1996) - Mystery - 374 pgs - Rating: Good
10. Skeleton Canyon by J.A. Jance (1997) - Mystery - 371 pgs - Rating: Good +
11. Rattlesnake Crossing by J.A. Jance (1998) - Mystery - 374 pgs - Rating: Good +

February 2006
12. Outlaw Mountain by J.A. Jance (1999) - Mystery - 368 pgs - Rating: Good
13. Devil's Claw by J.A. Jance (2000) - Mystery - 387 pgs - Rating: Good
14. Paradise Lost by J.A. Jance (2001) - Mystery - 256 pgs - Rating: Good +
15. Birds of Prey by J.A. Jance (2001) - Mystery - 388 pgs - Rating: Good
16. Partner in Crime by J.A. Jance (2002) - Mystery - 386 pgs - Rating - Good
17. Exit Wounds by J.A. Jance (2003) - Mystery - 390 pgs - Rating: Very Good
18. Long Time Gone by J.A. Jance (2005) - Mystery - 339 pgs - Rating: Very Good +
19. The People's Republic of Desire by Annie Wang (2006ARE) - Fiction - 445 pgs - Rating: Good
20. Edge of Evil by J.A. Jance (2006) - Mystery - 374 pgs - Rating: Good +
21. Hour of the Hunter by J.A. Jance (1991) - Suspense/Thriller - 407 pgs - Rating: Very Good
22. Kiss of the Bees by J.A. Jance (2000) - Suspense/Thriller - 454 pgs - Rating: Good
23. Day of the Dead by J.A. Jance (2004) - Suspense/Thriller - 395 pgs - Rating: Very Good

March 2006
24. Likely to Die by Linda Fairstein (1997) - Mystery - 418 pgs - Rating: Good
25. Micah by Laurell K. Hamilton (2006) - Fantasy - 245 pgs - Rating: Good
26. Cold Hit by Linda Fairstein (1999) - Mystery - 450 pgs - Rating: Good +
27. Deadly Housewives edited by Christine Matthews (2006ARE) - Mystery - 286 pgs - Rating: Good
28. The Deadhouse by Linda Fairstein (2001) - Mystery - 495 pgs - Rating: Good +
29. Morality for Beautiful Girls by Alexander McCall Smith (2001) - Fiction - 227 pgs - Rating: Very Good
30. The Kalahari Typing School for Men by Alexander McCall Smith (2002) - Fiction - 191 pgs - Rating: Good

April 2006
31. Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult (2000) - Fiction - 405 pgs - Rating: Excellent
32. The Bone Vault by Linda Fairstein (2003) - Mystery - 506 pgs - Rating: Very Good +
33. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See (2005) - Fiction - 258 pgs - Rating: Excellent
34. The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly (2005) - Suspense/Thriller - 404 pgs - Rating: Excellent
35. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke (2003) - YA Fantasy - 534 pgs - Rating: Fair +
36. The Kills by Linda Fairstein (2004) - Mystery - 463 pgs - Rating: Very Good
37. Entombed by Linda Fairstein (2005) - Mystery - 400 pgs - Rating: Very Good
38. Death Dance by Linda Fairstein (2006) - Mystery - 340 pgs - Rating: Good +

May 2006
39. Broken by Kelley Armstrong (2006) - Fantasy - 444 pgs - Rating: Good
40. Laguna Heat by T. Jefferson Parker (1985) - Mystery - 322 pgs - Rating: Very Good
41. Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris (2006) - Fantasy - 324 pgs - Rating: Very Good
42. Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult (2001) - Fiction - 434 pgs - Rating: Excellent
43. Crow Lake by Mary Lawson (2002) - Fiction - 291 pgs - Rating: Good
44. The Full Cupboard of Life by Alexander McCall Smith (2003) - Mystery - 198 pgs - Rating: Good +
45. Cell by Stephen King (2006) - Horror - 350 pgs - Rating: Good
46. Bad Twin by Gary Troup (2006) - Mystery - 258 pgs - Rating: Very Good
47. Single White Vampire by Lynsay Sands (2003) - Romance - 369 pgs - Rating: Fair +
48. In the Company of Cheerful Ladies by Alexander McCall Smith (2004) - Mystery -233pgs - Rating: Very Good
49. Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith (2006) - Mystery - 227 pgs - Rating: Good +
50. Gone by Jonathan Kellerman (2006) - Suspense/Thriller - 365 pgs - Rating: Good +

June 2006
51. Fool Moon by Jim Butcher(2001) - Fantasy - 342 pgs - Rating: Very Good
52. The Invisible Ring by Anne Bishop (2000) - Fantasy - 398 pgs - Rating: Very Good
53. Grave Peril by Jim Butcher (2001) - Fantasy - 378 pgs - Rating: Good +
54. The Novice by Trudi Canavan (2001) - Fantasy - 465 pgs - Rating: Good
55. The High Lord by Trudi Canavan (2003) - Fantasy - 531 pgs - Rating: Good +
56. Summer Knight by Jim Butcher (2002) - Fantasy - 371 pgs - Rating: Very Good
57. Dreams Made Flesh by Anne Bishop(2005) - Fantasy - 439 pgs - Rating: Very Good
58. Death Masks by Jim Butcher (2003) - Fantasy - 374 pgs - Rating: Good +
59. Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich (2006) - Mystery - 310 pgs - Rating: Good +
60. Blood Rites by Jim Butcher (2004) - Fantasy - 372 pgs - Rating: Very Good
61. Derik's Bane by MaryJanice Davidson (2005) - Fantasy - 292 pgs - Rating: Fair +
62. Dead and Loving It by MaryJanice Davidson (2006) - Fantasy - 305 pgs - Rating: Good
63. Undead and Unpopular by MaryJanice Davidson (2006) - Fantasy - 257 pgs - Rating: Good
64. Dead Beat by Jim Butcher (2005) - Fantasy - 424 pgs - Rating: Very Good +

July 2006
65. Danse Macabre by Laurell K. Hamilton (2006) - Fantasy - 483 pgs - Rating: Fair +
66. The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant (2003) - Fiction - 397 pgs - Rating: Very Good +
67. Labyrinth by Kate Mosse (2005) - Suspense/Thriller - 513 pgs - Rating: Excellent
68. Lifeless by Mark Billingham (2006ARE) - Mystery - 386 pgs - Rating: Good +
69. The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory (2001) -Fiction - 664 pgs - Rating: Good
70. The Kitchen Boy by Robert Alexander (2003) - Fiction - 229 pgs - Rating: Very Good
71. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho(1993) - Fiction - 167 pgs - Rating: Excellent
72. Empire of the Sun by J.G. Ballard (1984) - Fiction - 279 pgs - Rating: Good +
73. The Attack by Yasmina Khadra (2005) - Fiction - 274 pgs - Rating - Very Good +
74. Bombay Time by Thrity Umrigar (2001) - Fiction - 274 pgs - Rating: Very Good
75. Tales From a Child of the Enemy by Ursula Duba (1995) - Nonfiction - 155 pgs - Rating: Excellent
76. Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat (1994) - Fiction - 236 pgs - Rating: Good +
77. Kitty Goes to Washington by Carrie Vaughn (2006) - Fantasy - 339 pgs -Rating: Very Good
78. Targets of Affection by RG Willems (2006) - Mystery - 261 pgs - Rating: Good +
79. Practical Demonkeeping by Christopher Moore (1992) - Horror - 243 pgs - Rating: Good

August 2006
80. The Finishing School by Michele Martinez (2006) - Suspense/Thriller - 387 pgs - Rating: Very Good
81. The Shattered Blue Line by Patrick A. Davis (2005) - Suspense/Thriller - 406 pgs-Rating: Good
82. The Night Gardener by George Pelecanos (2006) - Suspense/Thriller - 372 pgs - Rating: Very Good
83. The Strength of the Sun by Catherine Chidgey (2000) -Fiction-270pgs - Rating: Very Good
84. The Begotten by Lisa T. Bergren (2006)-Suspense/Thriller (Christian) - 384 pgs -Rating: Good
85. Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher (2006) - Fantasy - 404 pgs - Rating: Very Good

September 2006
86. Snow Blind by P.J. Tracy (2006) - Suspense/Thriller - 311 pgs - Rating: Good +
87. The Devil's Feather by Minette Walters (2006ARE) - Suspense/Thriller - 343 pgs - Rating: Very Good +
88. Projection by Keith Ablow (1999) - Suspense/Thriller - 337 pgs - Rating: Good
89. Compulsion by Keith Ablow (2002) - Suspense/Thriller - 321 pgs - Rating: Good
90. Psychopath by Keith Ablow (2003) - Suspense/Thriller - 342 pgs - Rating: Very Good
91. Murder Suicide by Keith Ablow (2004) - Suspense/Thriller - 305 pgs - Rating: Fair +
92. Unconfessed by Yvette Christiansë (2006ARE) - Fiction - 347 pgs - Rating: Good +
93. Scenes From the Blanket by Ted Torres (2006) - Fiction - 250 pgs - Rating: Fair
94. The Devil of Nanking by Mo Hayder (2004)-Suspense/Thriller - 471 pgs - Rating: Excellent

October 2006
95. Red Sky Lament by Edward Wright (2006) - Mystery - 278 pgs - Rating: Good
96. The Thoughtful Spot by Eric R. Weule (2004) - Fiction - 203 pgs - Rating: Very Good
97. Baked Alaskan by William Scarborough (2006) - Suspense/Thriller - 276pgs - Rating: Good +
98. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg (1987) - Fiction - 403 pgs - Rating: Very Good
99. Dracula by Bram Stoker (1897) - Horror - 454 pgs - Rating: Very Good
100. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova (2005) - Fiction - 676 pgs - Rating: Excellent
101. Bone Valley by Claire Matturro (2006ARE) - Mystery - 316 pgs - Rating: Good

November 2006
102. The Hunt by Allison Brennan (2006, manuscript) - Suspense/Thriller - 473 pgs - Rating: Good
103. The Messenger by Daniel Silva (2006ARE) - Suspense/Thriller - 338 pgs - Rating: Very Good
104. I, Tutus: The Son of Heaven by Don Phillips (2005) - Fiction - 263 pgs - Rating: Fair
105. Lost to Them by Gaytri Saggar (2006) - Fiction - 311 pgs - Rating: Fair

December 2006
106. Forgetfulness by Ward Just (2006) - Fiction - 258 pgs - Rating: Good +
107. Eragon by Christopher Paolini (2003) - YA Fantasy - 509 pgs - Rating: Good +
108. Cat & Mouse by James Patterson (1997) - Suspense/Thriller - 451 pgs - Rating: Good +
109. Dearly Devoted Dexter by Jeff Lindsay (2005) - Suspense/Thriller - 292 pgs - Rating: Very Good
110. The Death Collectors by Jack Kerley (2005) - Suspense/Thriller - 382 pgs - Rating: Very Good
111. The Echelon Vendetta by David Stone (2006ARE) - Suspense/Thriller - 420 pgs - Rating: Very Good
112. The Architect by Keith Ablow (2005) - Suspense/Thriller - 289 pgs - Rating: Good
113. The Delilah Complex by M.J. Rose (2006) - Suspense/Thriller - 371 pgs -Rating: Good
114. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (2006) - Fiction - 406 pgs - Rating: Excellent
115. The Case of the Missing Books by Ian Sansom (2005ARE) - Mystery - 329 pgs - Rating: Very Good

Review of The Case of the Missing Books by Ian Sansom

2005, Harper
329 pgs
Mystery
Rating: (Very Good)

First Sentence: No. No, no, no, no, no.

Reason for Reading: This was a Harper Collins First Look selection I put my name in for a chance to preview. Who am I to resist a book involving books? And a mystery at that!

Comments: Ian Sansom’s Mobile Library Mystery series is finally coming to the United States. The first book in the series, The Case of the Missing Books, is a witty and charming cozy-like mystery. The perfect book to end the year with.

The novel opens with the protagonist, Israel Armstrong, a Jewish and half Irish vegetarian from England, standing outside the library where he was supposed to begin his new job. Much to his dismay, the sign on the door delcares that the library is closed. For good. Worn out, down on his luck and extremely irratiable, Israel soon discovers that it was decided that the public would be better served with a mobile library instead of a more permanent, stay in place structure. Nothing is what he expected—or wanted. Against his better judgement, Israel agrees to stay and help get the mobile library off the ground before returning to England and his old life.

As the Tumdrum librarian it is up to Israel to uncover the mystery of the whereabouts of the missing 15,000 library books, which have apparently gone missing. Even though the books most likely disappeared before his arrival, he faces the blame if they are not recovered. Israel is an unlikely detective, not only brand new to a town where he does not feel welcom but also a victim to bumbling misteps, which offer laughs and chuckles at every turn. Poor Israel!

Although the author, Ian Sansom, does not spend a lot of time on character development other than Israel’s character, the style of writing and pace of the story make up for it. It’s full of humor, run on sentences that somehow seem to work well for the atmosphere of the story, and a genuine attraction to the eccentic characters in the novel. I had not expected to enjoy this book as much as I did, to be honest. I look forward to the next book in the series, which fortunately is slated to come out in May of 2007.

Note: Although I personally would classify this novel as being cozy-like there is strong language from time to time.

Favorite Part: There is one scene in which Israel is unpacking his clothes from his suitcase, “ . . . it was books mostly, some clean underwear, and then more books, and books and books and books, the ratio of books to underwear being bout 20:1, books being really the great constant and companion in Israel’s life; the were always there for you, books . . . “ [pgs 115-116]

And my favorite scene of all takes place during the early stages of Israel’s investigation into the missing books. He parks the mobile library near the town square and all of a sudden “ . . . a queue had formed at the back of the mobile library, a dozen middle-aged and elderly women with carrier bags waiting to get in.” [pg 138]

The characters of Reverend Roberts and Pearce Pyper were my favorites of the eccentric cast in the novel. Both share my love for mysteries, which may have been the cause for the instant connection.

Miscellaneous: I can hardly believe the end of the year is here. This time of year always seems to fly by. This will be my last book of the year. I begin the Chunkster, Winter Classics and TBR Challenges on Monday and am looking forward to the experience. Anna Karenina, here I come!

My posts will most likely slow down once the New Year comes and life returns to a more normal schedule.

Reading Goals for 2007

The New Year is fast approaching and the promise of a new start. I suppose it's really more of a continuation of life, each year just building on the last, but somehow it always feels like a new start and a great time to set new goals, and, if a person dares, resolutions he or she may or may not intend to keep.

I know better than to beat myself up if I don't quite meet a particular goal (think of how black and blue I'd be if I did that!). I enjoy the challenge and feel an extra sense of pride if I succeed, but the fun and real reward is in the process.

First, let's review my 2006 Reading Goals:
1) Buy less, read more of the books I already own ~ A goal I strive to achieve every year and have yet to meet. Maybe in 2007.
2) Get caught up in the series I have already started ~ I made good progress and am satisfied with what I did accomplish. I definitely plan to continue with this goal into the next year.
3) Read more books than I read last year ~ The goal I did achieve, and then some. Last year I read 78 books. This year I managed to fit in 114 (closing in on 115 hopefully by the end of the year). I'm still not sure how I did it. I'm in shock. And I don't anticipate doing it again any time soon.

My 2007 Reading Goals:
1) Buy less, read more of the books I already own (you really didn't think I'd leave this one off, did you? I can do it this time, I know I can!)
2) Catch up on my series reading. (This could go one for years . . . )
3) Successfully complete the Winter Classics Challenge, The Chunkster Challenge, and the 2007 TBR Challenge (and any other challenges I decide to undertake this year).


Are you sitting on the edge of your seat, just waiting to see my Top Ten list? It's coming soon!

Review of The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

2006, Atria
406 pgs
Fiction
Rating: (Outstanding)

First Sentence: It was November.

Reason for Reading: Several booklovers from online reading groups I belong to have been talking about this book since it came out and comments like, “best of the year” made the novel even more irresistible. My resolve not to buy books in hardback (with exceptions) made me hesitate in picking up a copy of The Thirteenth Tale. Fortunately, my husband was listening when I mentioned my interest in this gem of a book, and I found it under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning.

From the Publisher: A compelling emotional mystery in the timeless vein of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, about family secrets and the magic of books and storytelling.

Margaret Lea works in her father's antiquarian bookshop where her fascination for the biographies of the long-dead has led her to write them herself. She gets a letter from one of the most famous authors of the day, the mysterious Vida Winter, whose popularity as a writer has been in no way diminished by her reclusiveness. Until now, Vida has toyed with journalists who interview her, creating outlandish life histories for herself - all of them invention. Now she is old and ailing, and at last she wants to tell the truth about her extraordinary life. Her letter to Margaret is a summons.

Somewhat anxiously, the equally reclusive Margaret travels to Yorkshire to meet her subject - and Vida starts to recount her tale. It is one of gothic strangeness featuring the March family; the fascinating, devious and wilful Isabelle and the feral twins Adeline and Emmeline.

Margaret is captivated by the power of Vida's storytelling. But as a biographer she deals in fact not fiction, and she doesn't entirely trust Vida's account. She goes to check up on the family, visiting their old home and piecing together their story in her own way. What she discovers on her journey to the truth is for Margaret a chilling and transforming experience.

Comments: When the buzz around a book grows louder and louder, I generally have one of two reactions. I turn and run in the other direction or I run right up to the book and dive right in. It took me a long time to come around to reading The Kite Runner and the Harry Potter novels, all of which I could kick myself for taking so long to get to. However, I could hardly wait to dive into Diane Setterfield’s The Thirteenth Tale, and had Christmas not been right around the corner, my husband’s concern about my buying books for myself obvious, I fought the strong desire to do just that.

Still, once I had the book in hand, it was with some reluctance that I chose to read it almost immediately. I expected great things from The Thirteenth Tale and this alone caused me concern. I try not to raise my expectations for any book. The higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment can be.

As much as I would like to place the blame on my husband and a couple of fellow bloggers (Carl V and Heather) who encouraged me to take the plunge, in truth, it didn’t take much prodding at all. I was eager to read this book, to see if it held the magic that it had for so many others whose opinions I have come value.

And a magical experience it was! I lost myself immediately inside the pages of this intriguing and fascinating tale. Diane Setterfield is an amazing storyteller. The novel held me captive right from the beginning and kept me reading into the wee hours of the morning to reach the end. The book is very quotable and I think many voracious readers will find themselves identifying with Margaret Lea and her love for books. One of my favorite parts is when Margaret Lea talks about needing to make sure she is in a secure position before settling in to read or else the book will sweep her away into another world and she’ll forget where she is. She recounts how once, as a child, she fell down the stairs after losing herself in a book. How many of us have similar tales we could share about the way books draw us in so completely?

Margaret Lea is the guide that leads us through the many stories that fill the pages of The Thirteenth Tale. Although much of the focus is on best selling author Vida Winters’ own story, a story she has held close to her vest all her life, Margaret Lea’s story is just as significant. The two stories were similar in many ways, and different in just as many others.

Margaret Lea has gone through life as background, blending in and trying not be seen for so many years. She likes to bring to life the stories of the long forgotten, not wanting to draw attention to her own story.

Vida Winters, best selling author, has spent all of her adult life lost in her writing, surrounded by her characters, creating her own past when pressed about it, while at the same time suppressing the truth, separating herself from who she used to be.

At one point during the novel, Ms. Winters points out, “Human lives are not pieces of string that can be separated out from a knot of others and laid out straight. Families are webs. Impossible to touch one part of it without setting the rest vibrating. Impossible to understand one part without having a sense of the whole.” [pg 58] And the same applies to who we become; our pasts and our families are a part of us, with us, no matter how much we try to push them away or separate ourselves from them.

There is so much I could say about this novel, so many details I want to reveal . . . However, this is a novel that is better experienced by reading it. I ate up the references to Jane Eyre, one of my favorite novels, which are woven throughout the book. It is a complex story, full of surprising twists; and yet as the truth is revealed, piece by piece, there were several “Ah ha” moments in which I found myself going back over what I knew so far and realizing it was all there to see—it all made sense, each of the puzzle pieces falling into place.

Favorite Part: There were so many parts of this book I could list as my favorites. Two I mentioned above in my review.

There were the little joys: the prescription Dr. Clifton gave Margaret Lea. And Aurelius’ visit and the birthday cake.

Another is when Vida is describing to Margaret Lea how real her characters are to her, how much of their lives she sees and experiences: “My study throngs with characters waiting to be written. Imaginary people, anxious for a life, who tug at my sleeve, crying, ‘Me next! Go on! My turn!’” [pg 113]

“’When one is nothing, one invents. It fills a void.’” [pg 115] - Spoken by Vida Winters about her writing.

“A storyteller. A fabulist.” [pgs123] – Although not outwardly significant, this one caught my attention because of the word “fabulist", a favorite word of mine.

“’Miss Lea, it doesn’t do to get attached to these secondary characters. It’s not their story. They come, they go, and when they go, they’re gone for good. That’s all there is to it.’” [pgs 191-192] – How many times am I guilty of getting caught up in the lives of the secondary characters?

“All my unsaid words went back to wherever they had been all of these years.” [pg 221] – I love this sentence.

“Do you know the feeling when you start reading a new book before the membrane of the last one has had time to close behind you? You leave the previous book with ideas and themes—characters even—caught in the fibers of your clothes, and when you open the new book, they are still with you.” [pgs 290-291] - A wonderful quote and a feeling I've experienced many times.

“I pushed my pile of papers to one side, stroked Shadow and stared into the fire, longing for the comfort of a story where everything had been planned well in advance, where the confusion of the middle was invented only for my enjoyment, and where I could measure how far away the solution was by feeling the thickness of pages still to come.” [pg 306] - There are times when I seek out this kind of comfort from the books I select to read too.

Miscellaneous: I joined the Yahoo Group, BookiesToo because I heard the group was reading and discussing The Thirteenth Tale the beginning of January. There I’ll be able to talk about the book to my heart’s content! To top it off, I've found myself in the position of leading the group discussion. How did that happen??

It slipped my attention until recently that another Yahoo Group I belong to, On The Porch Swing, is also discussing the book in January, beginning January 15th. It will be interesting to see how each group takes to the book.

Head on over if you want to join in. Both are friendly and enjoyable groups. The more the merrier!