MAY ROOT - Progress Thread

April saw us fall a little short of our goal so we'll need to do better in the coming month.
Let's take the bull by the horns and get ahead this month! (Get it - BULL=TAURUS)
Below is the current list of members that have identified a ROOT goal for 2018 and how many books they read by the end of April.
The percentage is calculated and a star awarded for those on target to reach their goals. More stars for farther toward their goal.

If anyone's number is incorrect, please let me know and I will make the necessary adjustments.
So go out there and dig those ROOTs.

4chin8 13 / 75 17.3%
Amberfly 32 / 65 ★★ 49.2%
Ameise1 6 / 10 ★★★★ 60.0%
anoplph0ra 0 / 20 0.0%
avanders 2 / 24 8.3%
avidmom 5 / 10 ★★★ 50.0%
Benita? 29 / 50 ★★★ 58.0%
benuathanasia 100 / 200 ★★★ 50.0%
bragan 32 / 100 32.0%
brakketh 9 / 40 22.5%
brewergirl 19 / 30 ★★★★ 63.3%
Britt84 24 / 60 ★ 40.0%
Caramellunacy 0 / 12 0.0%
clue 14 / 30 ★★ 46.7%
Coach_of_Alva 12 / 50 24.0%
connie53 21 / 36 ★★★★ 58.3%
crazy4reading 6 / 30 20.0%
CurrerBell 32 / 75 ★★ 42.7%
cyderry 36 / 72 ★★★ 50.0%
DeborahJade 6 / 50 12.0%
deep220 26 / 75 ★ 34.7%
deern 7 / 24 29.2%
detailmuse 22 / 40 ★★★ 55.0%
DisassemblyOfReason 25 / 75 33.3%
EEasyReaderII 0 / 60 0.0%
elliepotten 11 / 30 ★ 36.7%
enemyanniemae 26 / 36 ★★★★★ 72.2%
Erratic_Charmer 6 / 30 20.0%
FAMeulstee 100 / 200 ★★★ 50.0%
Familyhistorian 27 / 55 ★★ 49.1%
floremolla 29 / 60 ★★ 48.3%
funky_george 2 / 30 6.7%
fuzzi 25 / 100 25.0%
Guanhumara 0 / 12 0.0%
Heather19 0 / 50 0.0%
HelenBaker 21 / 48 ★★ 43.8%
Helenoel 1 / 25 4.0%
Henrik_Madsen 16 / 40 ★ 40.0%
h-mb 15 / 40 ★ 37.5%
Jackie_K 28 / 48 ★★★★ 58.3%
janoorani24 3 / 25 12.0%
JBarringer 0 / 365 0.0%
johanna414 15 / 25 ★★★★ 60.0%
kac522 11 / 40 27.5%
karenmarie 16 / 42 ★ 38.1%
katayseb 0 / 15 0.0%
kkunker 9 / 40 22.5%
Kristelh 24 / 35 ★★★★★ 68.6%
KWharton 0 / 10 0.0%
LadyBookworth 9 / 24 ★ 37.5%
lahochstetler 1 / 50 2.0%
LauraBrook 42 / 100 ★★ 42.0%
leslie98 56 / 100 ★★★ 56.0%
LibraryLover23 14 / 40 ★ 35.0%
lilisin 14 / 50 28.0%
linda.newman 0 / 25 0.0%
lindapanzo 32 / 72 ★★ 44.4%
lkernagh 26 / 60 ★★ 43.3%
Lisa805 7 / 12 ★★★★ 58.3%
LoraShouse 6 / 20 30.0%
luvamystery65 8 / 40 20.0%
mabith 2 / 20 10.0%
madhatter22 6 / 60 10.0%
majkia 36 / 50 ★★★★★ 72.0%
mandymarie20 5 / 25 20.0%
martencat 10 / 30 ★ 33.3%
MissSos 8 / 20 ★ 40.0%
MissWatson 27 / 75 ★ 36.0%
Montarville 3 / 12 25.0%
nancynova 18 / 75 24.0%
nebula21 21 / 35 ★★★★ 60.0%
Nickelini 8 / 20 ★ 40.0%
novawalsh 4 / 30 13.3%
okeres 0 / 25 0.0%
pageturner3 0 / 50 0.0%
Quasifesto 0 / 36 0.0%
quigui 3 / 12 25.0%
rabbitprincess 29 / 50 ★★★ 58.0%
rainpebble 13 / 24 ★★★ 54.2%
RavenHill 14 / 91 15.4%
readingtangent 39 / 46 ★★★★★ 84.8%
Rebeki 9 / 18 ★★★ 50.0%
Robertgreaves 41 / 78 ★★★ 52.6%
sallylou61 19 / 36 ★★★ 52.8%
si 8 / 24 ★ 33.3%
sibyx 8 / 24 ★ 33.3%
slategreyskies 0 / 50 0.0%
surtsey 0 / 10 0.0%
Tanya-dogearedcopy 28 / 50 ★★★ 56.0%
torontoc 11 / 30 ★ 36.7%
vestafan 14 / 50 28.0%

Several members have yet to start reading any ROOTs and if at the end of June there still is no activity, I will remove them from our total.

Our leaders so far are:

readingtangent 84.8%
enemyanniemae 72.2%
majkia 72.0%
Kristelh 68.6%

The goal for May is 1,905 Let's get back on track!!!

Hi Cheli, just to let you know my number (and probably no. of stars) isn't right - by the end of April I'd read 28 ROOTs, not 20 (in fact I think I was at 21 at the end of March, so you've taken one away rather than adding any!).

Other than that, good job - let's get reading! I'm hopeful to have at least one book finished this week.

>2 Jackie_K: apologies I think I saw the 20 to go instead of the 28 read.

>3 cyderry: No problem, thanks for sorting it out so quickly!

Oh dear, we fell short again in April! I will try to repeat to myself "you will not get out books from the library" three times every night as I fall asleep - maybe that will help me *grin*

Thanks for running the numbers! Hoping to get more ROOT reading done in May. I'll have a road trip in the middle of the month; maybe I can put a dent in some of my audiobooks and ebooks...

I wasn't very good in April either, only reading 5 ROOTs. But I just finished my first for May.

>5 leslie.98: Only if you tap the ruby slippers together.

Thanks for the numbers, Chèli. I must really try harder this month with my ROOTs!

Hi Chèli, I should be at 30/60 - my fault, I forgot to add my last ROOT to my ticker. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Ha, Taurus! I'm married to one and can confirm it's all accurate, except 'patient', which should be under the negative characteristics as 'impatient' ;)

#12 ROOT and first one of May- review is on my thread and no tickers updated.

>10 floremolla: I *am* a Taurus and can confirm that impatience is way more of a thing with us ;)

Woo-hoo! First time I can remember that I've gotten not one but TWO stars. Don't know how well I'll be doing in the next couple of months, though, because RL has just intervened with a diagnosis of prostate cancer (and some of it seems to be rather aggressive), so I'll be having some other things on my mind.

>13 CurrerBell: Sorry to hear that, CurrerBell. I hope the treatment all goes well.

>13 CurrerBell: Sorry to hear about your illness, Mike. I hope the treatment will help and you will get better soon.

Reporting ROOT # 22 for the year, # 1 for May

De oversteek by Justin Cronin

All tickers updated. (they show different numbers!)

>13 CurrerBell: I'm really sorry to hear this - definitely your priority right now is you!

>13 CurrerBell: that's bad news, Mike - wishing you all the best with your treatment and hoping to see you back on track quickly to keep those hard-won stars!

>13 CurrerBell: Mike, as a cancer survivor (7 years) I know that the diagnosis is frightening, but keeping a positive attitude and outlook will get you through. I hope they caught it early and that you will soon be on the mend. Relaxing with a good book instead a worrying will definitely help. Good luck!

I've added ROOT #1 (#29 for the year to date) to all tickers. This was a lovely book - Sue Hubbell's A Book of Bees.

>13 CurrerBell: I'm sorry you're having to go through this. Hope the treatment goes well and that you get lots of reading and recovery time.

>13 CurrerBell:, sorry for your news, prayers and best wishes for good doctors, treatments and speedy recovery with time and a mind free of worry so you can read a book while you are healing.

>13 CurrerBell: So sorry to hear about this! Best wishes for your treatment to go well & your recovery complete.

Added my first ROOT of May: The Hanging Tree, by Ben Aaronovitch. Now I have to wait for the next Peter Grant to come out...

All tickers updated (although the % ticker is off by 1 again).

I have finished a couple of ROOTs. My thread and all tickers updated (I didn't notice about the % ticker, sorry).

>13 CurrerBell: All the best Mike for the treatment. I hope you get plenty of rest time and reading is a distraction.
I have completed my first root for the month. I like seeing those 2** by my name.

>13 CurrerBell: I am sorry for all you are going through. Hoping your team of doctors and oncologists provide stellar support and treatment. Be kind to yourself.

>13 CurrerBell: adding my best wishes.

Finished my second ROOT of May and #13 for the year- see my review on my thread and no tickers updated.

Just finished my 36th ROOT for the year. I'm at my halfway point for the year.

William Lederer and Eugene Burdick, The Ugly American

1st for May, 33/75

My first ROOT for May is finished, Blood Orange Brewing by Laura Childs.

Three down the first week of May (29th Root for the year)! 3 more to make my monthly goal or more to keep moving ahead. :)

My 2nd root for May completed taking me to 23/48. I will allow myself a library book this week as it is one off the wishlist.

Reporting ROOT # 23 for the year, # 2 for May

Witte kaarten by Anne Bishop

All tickers updated.

ROOT #2 for May (#30 for the year) added to all tickers. Another stunning book - Madeleine L'Engle's Two-Part Invention: The Story of a Marriage. 5*.

Oh this is exactly what I need! I've got about 50 books (mostly ebooks, but still!) that keep getting bumped in favor of shiny new library books. Is it too late to join?

>36 Miss_Moneypenny: Welcome, and no of course it's not too late to join! Just start a thread and declare a target (but don't feel guilty if you don't reach it - this is meant to be fun!). If you can also set up your own ticker (just click on somebody else's and you'll be able to configure your own, it will then give you the code to copy it over here) and post it in the ticker thread as well as your own thread then that helps cyderry keep tabs on our progress towards our group goal.

The other thing is - your thread, your rules! I totally count ebooks (they're the same words the author wrote whether they're on paper or a screen), and personally I count shiny and new too as long as they're owned by me (although I think most people set a limit of, say, all books bought before Jan 1st this year).

Please feel free to have a nosy round other people's threads too - I've made some lovely friends and discovered so many awesome books by seeing what other people are reading. It can get a bit addictive though, and this group can get a bit, well let's say enabling :)

>36 Miss_Moneypenny: You are more then welcome to join!

Last month I finished watching all four seasons of The Thick of It, so I could finally read The Thick of It: The Missing DoSAC Files. This is my second ROOT for May and my 31st of the year. All tickers have been updated.

I've finished off my first ROOT for May, which puts me at 13/40 for the year. I forgot to update my own ticker at the end of April, so my total in the list should be 12.

I've finished another ROOT and have updated all tickers.

>37 Jackie_K: >38 connie53: Hooray! I can't wait to start and I'll make sure to get my ticker in the ticker thread!

Just added my third ROOT of May to all tickers: L'Affaire Saint-Fiacre, by Georges Simenon. I found this one harder to follow for some reason -- all of the men seemed to talk the same way, although that could have been down to me reading in my second language and not catching all the nuances.

Reporting ROOT # 24 for the year, # 3 for May

Naar bed, naar bed by M.J. Arlidge

All tickers updated.

Adding my first ROOT for May and the year (1 down, 59 to go)

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane

All tickers updated!

Another ROOT finished - my thread and all tickers updated.

>45 Miss_Moneypenny: Yeah, the first is always the most exciting!

Finally, my first root of May. I apologize but it was a really big root and slowed my progress, finished The Count of Monte Cristo. I've owned this one on my nook since 2012.

Second May ROOT (58 to go)

This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel

All tickers updated!

I've added #3 for May (#31 for year to date) to all tickers.

Reporting ROOT # 25 for the year, # 4 for May

Klikspaan by M.J. Arlidge

All tickers updated.

Wow, I'm behind.

I completed two so far this month, and updated my personal ticker only.

Before leaving on vacation I never mentioned I read Gigi by Colette which I was meh about.
And also I finished Troyat's La Neige en Deuil on Monday which has the title The Mountain in English, and was a quite a beautifully written novella.

Trying to pad my ROOTs with some short ones as I'm falling behind.

Third May ROOT (57to go)

Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel

All tickers updated!

Reporting ROOT # 26 for the year, # 5 for May

Wie niet weg is by M.J. Arlidge

All tickers updated.

>54 Miss_Moneypenny: Miss_Moneypenny
I love the Clan of the Cave Bear series. Are you planning on reading more of the series?

Added my fourth ROOT of May to all tickers: Grey Seas Under, by Farley Mowat. I was away for an extra-long weekend and this is the only book I managed to complete! Vacations mess up my established reading patterns.

>57 rabbitprincess: did you like it? I've enjoyed other books by Farley Mowat.

>56 deep220: Without a doubt! I loved it so much, there's no way I would be able to skip the rest of Ayla's story.

>58 fuzzi: Yes! It's vividly told, and all of the ships have personalities just as strong as their crews.

Haven't read a Zweig in quite a while so read Stefan Zweig's novella Le voyage dans le passe (Journey into the Past) yesterday. Short, even shorter as it turns out half of the book I had was made up of the original German version (which I can't read). Not the finest Zweig I've read but it was nice to dip into his style again.

I really need to update my thread now.

>60 rabbitprincess: blast. Another book bullet...

;)

And my fifth ROOT of May is Into Oblivion, by Arnaldur Indriðason (translated by Victoria Cribb). I have no more unread Erlendur books :(

All tickers have been updated.

My 4th for May (#32 overall, so I'm 2/3 of the way to my goal) is added to all tickers.

Finally back with another root after slipping a library book in. The Illusionists by Rosie Thomas #24, taking me to half way on this challenge.

I've finished two ROOTs and have updated all tickers.

I've added another ROOT: Murder on the Minnesota, by Conrad Allen. I'm giving it away unread; the series no longer holds any appeal for me. All tickers have been updated.

Only two ROOTs to report so far for May - The Brutal Art by Jesse Kellerman and The Unconsoled by Kazuo Ishiguro - bringing my total for the year to 32/60.

All tickers updated.

Juliet R.V. Barker, Sixty Treasures: The Brontë Parsonage Museum
Mary Ellen Chase, The White Gate

I ordered Sixty Treasures from Amazon in mid- to late-December of last year, and I'm going to assume that it arrived before the New Year and treat it as a ROOT for 2018. I've had The White Gate around the house for quite several years and I've always been meaning to get around to it.

2 & 3 for May, 35/75

Tiny font makes a 400-page book take almost all month. The Forge of Christendom was a great deep dive into the Dark Ages. That time period is kind of like a car crash on the side of the road -- terrible, but morbidly fascinating nonetheless. #9 for the year!

Just finished The First Doctor Adventures, Volume 1, a Doctor Who audio drama produced by Big Finish. This brings me to 36 ROOTS for the year. All tickers have been updated.

I planned to read 4 ROOTS this month but I'm behind with only 2 finished so far. They are Blood Orange Brewing by Laura Childs and Chasing the Rose by Andrea di Robilant. I have 2 more in process but I'm not sure I can finish both of them. That means I might lose a star and I like seeing 2 next to my name!

I finished up #4 for this month, and it's a goodie: John Muir's Wild America. Personal ticker updated.

#25 The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende, takes me over the halfway mark. Hope to get one more in for the month.

>55 connie53:. Connie you are going so well you might have to increase your goal :-).

I have finished my fourth ROOT of the month, my own ticker is updated.

ETA: I forgot to mention that the author was born under the sign of Taurus: Nataly von Eschstruth. She was extremely popular in her time, which piqued my curiosity. But one book is enough.

So far I have read 6 ROOTs in May and my numbers sit at 33/55. I have three more on the go and hope to finish them before I leave on vacation next week.

Muriel Spark, The Hothouse by the East River. I've actually also got this one in a Muriel Spark omnibus volume, but I'm going to count it separately since I read it in a Penguin paperback I've had around the house for ages and which I can now dispose of.

I'm hoping to get a few more finished by next Thursday. They're short – three by Angela Carter for the May monthly read on the Virago Modern Classics group and a "Simone Weil 101" type of anthology that I won on Early Review and have to get a review written for.

4th for May, 36/75.

Reporting 1 ROOT for May, which was The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. Personal ticker updated.

>79 This-n-That: Woo-hoo! Personally, I place it third after Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights among Brontëana. A sadly underrated book.

I've just added my 5th for May (#33 for the year) to all tickers.

Fourth May ROOT (56 to go)

In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden

All tickers updated!

I've just added another five ROOTs to the tickers. Four books were given away unread:

McGarr and the Sienese Conspiracy, by Bartholomew Gill
The Death of an Irish Sinner, by Bartholomew Gill
Waiting for Godot, by Samuel Beckett
The Misanthrope and Tartuffe, by Molière

And one was a book I actually did read:

The Heaven Tree, by Edith Pargeter

This brings me to 41 ROOTs for the year to date.

Read my second ROOT for the month; Justine by Durrell.

My 27th ROOT completed. All tickers updated. 8 ROOTs to go!

I've finished another ROOT and have updated all tickers.

Angela Carter (ed.), The Virago Book of Fairy Tales

5th for May, 37/75. One more and I'll be past the halfway mark!

Reporting ROOT # 27 for the year, # 6 for May

In de schaduw van het palazzo is by Santa Montefiore

All tickers updated.

Read my third book for may, Plus One by Elizabeth Fama, obtained June 2017 through Audio Sync summer program free downloads.

Another completed for the month, Happy Valley by Patrick White, taking me to 26/48. Trying for one more...

I've added #6 for May (#34 overall) to all tickers. Probably won't get another in by the end of the month, but I'm going to try!

I finished 30 ROOTs in May, going great with reading 130 ROOTs in the first five months of this year.
Updated the tickers.

>92 FAMeulstee: 30 in May!?!? Wow, impressive.

>93 fuzzi: Thanks! A lot of them (24) were childrens/YA books.

Just last night finished Angela Carter's Wise Children for the Virago Modern Classics Group's monthly author read, which now puts me over the halfway mark for ROOTing. Hoping to get at least one more done before the month's out.

6th for May, 38/75

>94 FAMeulstee: so? A ROOT is a ROOT, no matter what the size, just get'em off the shelves!!!! :D

Fifth May ROOT (55 to go)

Every Last One by Anna Quindlen

All tickers updated!

I’ve finished two ROOTs this month. Both tickers updated!

Just finished another ROOT: Mystery in the Channel, by Freeman Wills Crofts. It turned out to be one of my favourite British Library Crime Classics. All tickers updated.

I lost this thread!!!!! I can't believe that happened. I only noticed it when I started to look at what I had read in May so that I could post it tomorrow morning. I starred it again so tomorrow there will be a large number of posts from me.

I finished listening to a really innovative and well done YA Science Fiction novel. Illuminae by the writing team of Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. The novel is written in a very unique format, and listening to it turned out to be only about half of the novel. It is the first in a trilogy and I am currently about half done listening to the second book in the trilogy Gemina. These are great fun to read. ... and to listen to, even if you have to have printed copy of the novels to get the full effect.

I read the very popular Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann. I was all set to not like this one simply because it is so popular and darned if I didn't really like it. It will probably be on my best of the year list.

Another surprise was the memoir Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek by Maya Van Wagenen. This one was the ALA's Best Non-Fiction for YA's winner back in 2016 and it deserved the award. The book was written by a 14 year old 8th grader and it is an honest, funny, geeky, and angst ridden memoir that brought back to life all of those fired-up emotions from the early teen years. I did not expect to like this book, and it was a really good book. It will also make my best-of-the-year list.

FINALLY finished my ebook read of The Brothers Karamazov, by Fyodor Dostoevsky (translated by Constance Garnett)! Just in time to have it count for May. I've updated all tickers.

I won't finish the books I'm reading by the end of today so I'm ending May with only 2 books read leaving me at 16/50. I swear I'll pick up the pace soon!

Last night I completed one more for the month taking me to 27/48. Days Without End by Sebastian Barry was an excellent read.

I finished 6 ROOTs in May, my own ticker is updated. I'm afraid I'm falling behind, I have been led astray by too many new books.

Here is my report for May 2018:

UpROOTED books: 6
ROOTless books: 5
Added to the TBR shelves: 2

The ROOTs were:

The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
Sunshine on Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith
Batavia's Graveyard by Mike Dash
The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson
A History of the End of the World by Jonathan Kirsch
The Metamorphosis, The Penal Colony, and Other Stories by Franz Kafka

ROOTs in YTD: 47

Tickers have been updated but hopefully not harmed in the making of this report.

I listened to book 5 in the Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage. Syren has the girls and boys growing up a little and brings in more secondary characters to add interest to the group. This is a good listening series for kids and parents on long road trips. Do start with book 1.

For the Two Guido's mystery challenge I read Dressed for Death by Donna Leon. Another great mystery set in Venice.

In two days I read Sightwitch - book three in the Witchlands series by Susan Dennard. This series has been a surprise discover for me. I really like it.

Reporting ROOT # 28 for the year, # 7 for May

Valentina's laatste reis by Santa Montefiore

All tickers updated.

Sixth May ROOT (54 to go)

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

All tickers updated!

I am in a different time zone so I should be able to squeak my last ROOT into May. I read 8 ROOTs in May for a total of 35/55.

I'm up to 48 ROOTs. My goal was 50. June should see me adding extra to the group total!

>115 majkia: Congrats. That is serious ROOTing!

I read 3 ROOTS in May for a total of 17 against my goal of 30.

Sorry, I',m going to be late getting June up - tonight is the big fundraiser I've been working on for 4 months. I promise I'll get the ROOT thread done tomorrow, if I survive!

We can wait, Chèli. I hope the evening is a succes!

Oh yes, Chèli, all the best wishes for a smashing success!

Have a wonderful time and enjoy what your hard work accomplished!

With 7 ROOTS in May, I have met my 2018 goal of 24.

Call The Midwife by Jennifer Worth; (5*); acquired 4/12/2013
Kew Gardens by Virginia Woolf; (5*); acquired 12/02/2007
The Color Purple by Alice Walker; (5+*); acquired prior to L/T
Call the Midwife: Shadows of the Workhouse by Jennifer Worth; (4*); acquired 10/07/2013
Knots and Crosses by Ian Rankin; (2 1/2*); acquired 7/09/2017
Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel; (4 1/2*); acquired prior to L/T
At Risk by Alice Hoffman; (5*); acquired prior to L/T

I will, of course, be continuing forth. Yea!!! Seven months to add to our numbers. WOOT WOOT!~!

>122 rainpebble: Woo hoo, congratulations! :D

Well today I have undone all my good work by attending a book fair and coming home with 17 titles to add to my collection. But oh it was fun!

>122 rainpebble: Congrats, Belva!

>122 rainpebble: Congratulations. Well done.

>122 rainpebble: well done, Belva!

Third ROOT completed for May - Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China 33/60 - all tickers updated.

>122 rainpebble: Well done!

>124 HelenBaker: Also well done! (with a side order of 'whoops'!) I hope you enjoy your haul!

cyderry, I hope that the evening went well!

>124 HelenBaker: those 17 are for next year's ROOT challenge...you'll need some!

>124 HelenBaker: Excellent work! :D

>122 rainpebble: Congratulations, Belva. Well done.

>122 rainpebble: W00T! Way to go!

>122 rainpebble: Yeah, good for you!

I didn't get much reading done only 8 books, but 7 were ROOTs!

Working on numbers now.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/292080#

June thread is up!

Got another 3 in May for a total of 29. Updated personal ticker.

I had 6 ROOTS for May. It was a good month for reading.

My six ROOTS for May were the following.

1. Illuminea by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff -Science fiction
2. Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann - history nonfiction
3. Popular: Vintage Wisdom For A Modern Geek by Maya Van Wagenen - memoir
4. Syren by Angie Sage - Children’s Fantasy
5. Dressed For Death by Donna Leon - Mystery
6. Sightwitch by Susan Dennard - Fantasy

All-in-all it was a good batch of books for the month.