Thursday, December 30, 2021

2021 - Fourth Quarterly Review

To assist my blog readers, I summarize my reading four times a year, providing a brief description, the page count, and a grading scale (5 thumbs up - Highly Recommend, 4 thumbs up - Enjoyed, 3 thumbs up - Good, 2 thumbs up - Meh, and 1 thumb down - Regret, wishing I could get back the time invested). I read the following books during the fourth quarter of 2021 (for my full review, click on title):

The Banishment by Marion Chesney (or M.C. Beaton) - First in the Daughters of Mannerling series. The Beverley sisters attempt to win back the childhood home their father has lost through gambling. 192 pages (I listened in audio form, 5 CDs, 5-1/4 hours), 👍👍👍-1/2

The Unseen Guest by Maryrose Wood - Third in The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series. Puns, synonyms, and light-hearted banter, as more comes clear about how the wolf children survived in the wild. 357 pages (I listened in audio form, 6 CDs, 6-3/4 hours), 👍👍👍

Ghost Knight by Cornelia Funke - After he is sent to boarding school and chased by ghosts, Jon Whitcroft seeks to reclaim the heart of a murdered knight. 352 pages (I listened in audio form, 4 CDs, 5 hours), 👍👍

Romans 13 and Covid 19: Knowledge, Warnings and Encouragement for the Church and World by J.L. Fuller - A must-read for every Christian who wants to seek God's will and God's way in this perplexing and problematic world. 469 pages, 👍👍👍👍👍

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo - Despite many negative reviews for this children's book, I enjoyed this (a third time around for me) delightful tale about a mouse who overcomes the darkness to reach the story's redemptive end. 272 pages (I listened in audio form, 3 CDs, 3-1/2 hours), 👍👍👍👍-1/2

Tea Time for the Traditionally-Built by Alexander McCall Smith - Mma Ramotswe must enter the unfamiliar world of soccer to discern why a team is losing. Mma Makutsi must endure another woman's attempts to steal her man. 240 pages (I listened in audio form on Hoopla, 8-1/2 hours), 👍👍👍

You Are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen - Loneliness drives Shay Miller to embrace the friends of a woman who committed suicide, but is their friendship too good to be true? 368 pages (I listened in audio form, 9 CDs, 11 hours), 👍👍👍👍

Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth - Stick-to-it-iveness! Numerous studies that reflect the following questions: Why is it important? Who has it? How do you get more of it? 277 pages, 👍👍👍👍-1/2

The Double Comfort Safari Club by Alexander McCall Smith - Book 11 in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. The thrills of a safari, the troubles of a swindler, and the threats of an interloper. 254 pages (I listened in audio form, 8 CDs, 8-1/2 hours), 👍👍👍

It's Not Your Turn: What to Do While You're Waiting for Your Breakthrough by Heather Thompson Day - Waiting is hard, but we can rest in God's plan. His ways, His timing, His purpose will always be best. 194 pages, 👍👍👍

The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party by Alexander McCall Smith - Episode 12 in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. As Mma Makutsi's wedding looms, she must anticipate possible disruptions and locate the perfect shoes. Mma Ramotswe must identify the culprit in a handful of cattle slayings. 240 pages (I listened in audio form, 7 CDs, 8-1/2 hours), 👍👍👍 

Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty - Once again, Moriarty has presented a story of complex characters facing difficult odds. A mother gone missing. The father a suspect. Four siblings with varying perspectives on the truth of their parents' marriage. 464 pages, 👍👍👍👍👍

Cat Among the Pigeons by Agatha Christie - Something precious has been hidden away inside a young girl's luggage as she heads off to the Meadowbank girls' school. Who will find the treasure and what will they be willing to do to keep it for themselves? 290 pages (I listened in audio form, 6 CDs, 6-3/4 hours), 👍👍👍

Fighting Forward: Your Nitty-Gritty Guide to Beating the Lies That Hold You Back by Hannah Brencher - Fight song (pep-talk) essays of encouragement to battle fear and anxiety. Faith-filled inspiration that will destroy discouragement and doubt. 197 pages, 👍👍👍👍👍

Window on the Bay by Debbie Macomber - Two divorced women, with life-long plans to journey to Paris, each fall for men who don't fit their usual desired profile. 432 pages (I listened in audio form, 8 CDs, 9-1/2 hours), 👍👍

Making Room for Christmas by K.D. Sullivan - This brief advent guide, written by a friend, provides stimulating thoughts and accompanying songs and activities to walk you through the advent season. 37 pages, 👍👍👍

The Hollow: A Hercule Poirot Mystery by Agatha Christie - The wife is always the first suspect, especially when she stands holding a gun above her dying husband. 320 pages (I listened in audio form, 6 CDs, 7-1/4 hours), 👍👍👍-1/2

Maggie's Miracle by Karen Kingsbury - Eight-year-old Jordan's request for a Christmas miracle brings hope and love for his single mother, fulfilling years of prayers on her behalf. 167 pages (I listened in audio form, 3 CDs, 3-1/2 hours), 👍👍👍-1/2

Where Do We Go From Here? How Tomorrow's Prophecies Foreshadow Today's Problems by Dr. David Jeremiah - God has already outlined what will happen and we have front-row seats today. The problems in our world were foretold and can be faced with assurance that God is in control and has a plan that He is fully capable of completing. 220 pages, 👍👍👍

Bookshop by the Sea by Denise Hunter - Sophie Lawson has a lot on her plate. Now Aiden Maddox wants to worm his way back into her heart by helping her open her dream bookshop. 335 pages (I listened in audio form, 6 CDs, 7-1/2 hours), 👍👍👍

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