text:
Q: CreateEventSource doesn't create event log entry and windows service can't be launched I'm developing a new windows service and I follow the steps provided in this instruction.
In the service class, I do pretty much the same things as the article
static EventLog _eventLog;

public CMSMetadata()
{
    InitializeComponent();

    _eventLog = new EventLog();
    if (!EventLog.SourceExists("CMSMetadata_Processing"))
    {
        EventLog.CreateEventSource(new EventSourceCreationData("CMSMetadata_Processing", "CMSMetadata"));
    }
    _eventLog.Source = "CMSMetadata_Processing";
    _eventLog.Log = "CMSMetadata";
}

protected override void OnStart(string[] args)
{
    _eventLog.WriteEntry("In OnStart.", EventLogEntryType.Information);
}

After I installed and try to start the service, it shows me the following error

Error 1053: the service did not respond to the start or control
  request in a timely fashion

And I also notice CreateEventSource() does not create the event log entry when I look for it in the event viewer.
I found this SO post is discussing the 1053 error I'm facing but none of the solutions works for me.
I have confirmed/tried

*

*The service is built by release mode.

*Install by both InstallUtil and ManagedInstallerClass.InstallHelper()

*The framework version matches what I have installed, actually, I
tried 4.5.2 and 4.7.2 in case somehow it really has something to do with
the framework.

*The service is running as local system.

*The config is alright.

*If I remove every code related to event log the service can be launched successfully.

Then I think fine if the service somehow can't create event log entry properly maybe I can create the entry in advance as a workaround.
However, in this way, I won't even able to install the service.
The install log (CMSMetadata.InstallLog) as below indicates somehow the installation will create the event source no matter I'm using CreateEventSource() or not.
Installing assembly 'C:\temp\GisSoftware\CMSMetadata\CMSMetadata.exe'.
Affected parameters are:
   logtoconsole =
   logfile = C:\temp\GisSoftware\CMSMetadata\CMSMetadata.InstallLog
   assemblypath = C:\temp\GisSoftware\CMSMetadata\CMSMetadata.exe
Installing service CMSMetadata...
Service CMSMetadata has been successfully installed.
Creating EventLog source CMSMetadata in log Application...
Rolling back assembly 'C:\temp\GisSoftware\CMSMetadata\CMSMetadata.exe'.
Affected parameters are:
   logtoconsole =
   logfile = C:\temp\GisSoftware\CMSMetadata\CMSMetadata.InstallLog
   assemblypath = C:\temp\GisSoftware\CMSMetadata\CMSMetadata.exe
Restoring event log to previous state for source CMSMetadata.
Service CMSMetadata is being removed from the system...
Service CMSMetadata was successfully removed from the system.

To conclude my question, What did I miss to use the event log in windows service?

A: It seems the service does create an event log by default. I should probably set AutoLog property of Service to false before generate the Installer.
Find the EventLogInstaller insides the ServiceInstaller and modify the log and source fixed my problem(also remember to remove the eventlog entry creation in service ctor).
public ProjectInstaller()
{
    InitializeComponent();

    EventLogInstaller installer = this.Installers.OfType<ServiceInstaller>().First()
        .Installers.OfType<EventLogInstaller>().First();

    installer.Source = _source;
    installer.Log = _logName;
}

Moreover, it seems better to create eventlog during the installation instead of service ctor since it appears the permission of LocalSystem to access registry is limited.
ref: Easiest language for creating a Windows service


text:
from __future__ import unicode_literals

from django.db import models, migrations

class Migration(migrations.Migration):

    dependencies = [
        ('api', '0019_problem_matchname'),
    ]

    operations = [
        migrations.AlterField(
            model_name='problem',
            name='matchName',
            field=models.CharField(max_length=128, db_index=True),
            preserve_default=True,
        ),
        migrations.AlterField(
            model_name='problem',
            name='problemName',
            field=models.CharField(max_length=256, db_index=True),
            preserve_default=True,
        ),
        migrations.AlterField(
            model_name='problem',
            name='tags',
            field=models.CharField(max_length=512, db_index=True),
            preserve_default=True,
        ),
    ]

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Site Helps Deaf With Signing Science Terms
SEATTLE, (UPI) –* U.S. researchers say an online forum is helping develop sign language versions of specialized terms used in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Started at the University of Washington, the forum lets members of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community build their own guide to the evolving lexicon of science, a university release reported.
A scientific and technical dictionary for American Sign Language called Science Signs Lexicon has existed since the late 1990s, researchers said, but a dictionary can't include the newest terms and many signing graduate students won't find the specialized terms used in their chosen fields.
With funding from Google Corp. and the National Science Foundation, the Washington researchers launched the ASL-STEM Forum, an online compilation of signs used in science, technology, engineering and math they said is more like Wikipedia or the Urban Dictionary.
"The goal was to have one place where all these signs could be," Richard Ladner, a UW professor of computer science and engineering, said. "We're not trying to decide on new signs but just collect the ones that are in current use."
The site lists 6,755 terms from biology, chemistry, engineering, math and computer science textbooks, with video entries for about 2,800.
"I hope ASL-STEM Forum helps more deaf students become scientists and engineers," Ladner said. "And as more deaf students enter these fields they will hopefully contribute to the forum, making it sustainable and useful over time."
http://personalliberty.com/2012/12/1...science-terms/

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Sometimes you just get lucky. On this February morning along the Pedernales River in the Texas Hill Country, the light was magical and lit up the flowing water a little before sunrise. I had to wade through the cold water to reach this point, but it was well worth it. At one point, I just had to step back and take it all in… one of the most beautiful mornings I've experienced in many years of working at photography. I didn't notice my feet were absolutely freezing until the walk back along the trail! Sometimes you just get lucky. On this February morning along the Pedernales River in the Texas Hill Country, the light was magical and lit up the flowing water a little before sunrise. I had to wade through the cold water to reach this point, but it was well worth it. At one point, I just had to step back and take it all in… one of the most beautiful mornings I've experienced in many years of working at photography. I didn't notice my feet were absolutely freezing until the walk back along the trail! Photo © copyright by Rob Greebon.


text:
Sherman Oaks nail salon women fight off…
Sherman Oaks nail salon women fight off carjacking suspect — and it's all on video
By Wes Woods II | wwoods@scng.com | Daily News
PUBLISHED: February 1, 2018 at 2:12 p.m. | UPDATED: February 1, 2018 at 4:16 p.m.
A man arrested Wednesday in connection with a Van Nuys carjacking was also captured on video punching three women inside a Sherman Oaks nail salon before they fought back, and he was later arrested.
Gustavo Aranda, 25, of Chatsworth was arrested at 12:30 p.m. at the nail salon on the 13600 block of Burbank Boulevard, the Los Angeles Police Department said.
Authorities said the case began as a robbery carjacking at 8:25 a.m. near the 14400 block of Gilmore Street in Van Nuys.
The suspect, now revealed to be Aranda, is alleged to have approached the victim from behind and shouted obscenities, which caused him to run away, authorities said.
Aranda, authorities said, then allegedly chased the victim and hit him repeatedly before he fell to the ground and Aranda forcefully removed his keys.
After allegedly fleeing in the victim's vehicle, a 2007 gray Toyota 4 Runner, the suspect was later seen entering the Sherman Oaks nail salon and hitting three women for no reason, authorities said.
The nail salon is Bio Laque Nails, located at 13650 Burbank Boulevard in Sherman Oaks, just east of Woodman Avenue.
The victims, authorities said, were "in an intense fight for their life" with the suspect, who punched them several times.
In the video, some of the women can be seen fighting back using what looks like portable folding tables before the man leaves and comes back swinging one of the tables and hitting one of the victims.
The victims fight back again before employees from a neighboring business arrive and apprehended the suspect, authorities said.
A man the LAPD has identified as Gustavo Aranda is seen on surveillance video fighting with women in the Bio Laque Nail Salon on Burbank Boulevard east of Woodman Avenue on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018, after he allegedly carjacked a Toyota SUV earlier in the morning. (Image from surveillance video provided by the LAPD)
The women in the Bio Laque Nail Salon in Sherman Oaks fight back after a man the LAPD has identified as Gustavo Aranda began attacking them. The suspect had hit them with chairs, and they took those same chairs and hit him back on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018, at the Burbank Boulevard business. Another woman summoned help from a nearby business, and a group of men managed to hold the suspect down until police arrived. (Image from surveillance video provided by the LAPD)
The gray 2007 Toyota 4 Runner seen in this image and allegedly carjacked by Gustavo Aranda on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018, remains missing. (Photo courtesy of the LAPD)
The carjacked Toyota SUV is still missing.
Aranda is white with brown hair and a beard and stands 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs around 160 pounds, authorities said.
Man fatally stabbed in Sun Valley
Hostages safe after standoff inside Texas synagogue, captor dead
Additionally, authorities said, he was wearing a blue beanie, black shirt, light blue jeans and blue tennis shoes at the time of the arrest.
The LAPD has posted the surveillance video of the nail salon confrontation on YouTube.
Anyone with information on the crimes is asked to contact LAPD Van Nuys area detectives Barba or Cheun at 818-374-0081. Anonymous tipsters can call L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 877-527-3247.
Wes Woods II | reporter
Wes Woods covers breaking news for the Los Angeles Daily News.
wwoods@scng.com
Follow Wes Woods II	@JournoWes
More in Crime and Public Safety


Road trips are one of our favorite ways to explore a destination. While it's undeniably easy to get around much of Europe with public transportation, having four wheels offers another level of freedom and flexibility, while also making off-the-beaten-track gems much more accessible.
Portugal marks our fourth Europe road trip. While of course, we're not experts on what it's like to drive through every country on the continent, we have picked up some essential tips and tricks from our various (mis)adventures on the road.
Obviously, the first step to a Europe road trip is finding the right vehicle! When renting a car, keep in mind that most Europeans drive manual. If you're not comfortable with a manual, be prepared to pay a bit more for an automatic.
For our last two road trips, we partnered with Economy Bookings. They've got some of the most affordable rates and excellent service, so we can highly recommend them from our personal experience.
Keep in mind that if you're dropping your car off at a different destination from pick-up, there will likely be additional fees. If you're dropping the car in the same country as pick-up, we still recommend telling the car rental agency if you're planning to visit other countries. It doesn't hurt to inquire if there are any specific driving rules or regulations that you should be aware of in each destination.
When it comes time to pick up your rental car, take a photo of any scratches, dents or dings you find. If the company tries to bill you for something at the end of the rental that's not your fault, you'll have a photo with a time-stamp as evidence to support your case.
Extra Tip: You might also need to keep age considerations in mind. Typically you can rent a car in Europe if you're 21, but you'll face a surcharge until you're 25.
Travel insurance is something we never skimp on. For general travel insurance, we use and recommend World Nomads. We've filed claims with them a few times (like when Dan's camera was stolen in Paris) and they're always quick, sensitive and professional. Car accidents and other incidents do happen, and while hopefully you never have to use it, it's always better to be protected for worse-case scenarios.
Of course, you'll also want to make sure you have full car insurance to protect you in the case of accidents, theft, emergency roadside assistance, etc. Check your home car insurance to see if you're covered abroad. if not, then you might have a credit card that includes car rental insurance as an added benefit. Most of our travel credit cards have this feature, which we use frequently.
There are quite a few countries in Europe that require an International Driving Permit (IDP.) An International Driving Permit is essentially just an official translation of your driver's license.
Technically you should be fine without one (we didn't have ours in Italy), but should you get pulled over, you'll likely be asked for it.
Rick Steves says if you're planning a road trip through Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, or Spain, it's a good idea to go ahead and invest in the International Driving Permit as you're technically supposed to have one. Better to pay the small fee for the license over a large fee!
Never heard of a vignette? This is a pass that some destinations—especially Eastern European countries—require for you to drive on the highways. Typically, vignettes are required instead of having constant toll stations.
Vignette come in all different durations and are easily purchased at rest stations once you cross the border. They're definitely necessary and easy to purchase, so don't skip this step. After Portugal, Casey will be taking a road trip through Croatia and Slovenia—Croatia has tolls but Slovenia requires the vignettes.
It's a good idea to keep coins and small bills on you at all times just in case you stumble upon a toll station you're not expecting. These can add up quickly, so if you're on a budget and have the time, you might consider looking up alternative routes.
Driving laws are different in each country, so it's best to do a quick search to learn the essentials for the destinations on your Europe road trip. Don't underestimate the value of this step!
It's really just the Autobahns in Germany that don't have a speed limit (and even those have a recommended speed.) Using Italy as an example again, there are cameras everywhere that will get you if you're going above the legal speed limit.
We've found that in many European countries, it feels like everyone is riding right on your tail. Keep an eye on your rearview mirrors and continue to drive safely. You're on vacation; don't be in a rush and follow the rules.
Of course, it's best not to drink anything if you're planning to drive, but some countries have surprisingly different rules when it comes to whether even one glass of wine is okay or not. In the Czech Republic, the legal BAC is actually zero. In France, it's 0.5, and in the UK it's a whopping 0.8.
Most European countries drive on the right side of the road, but if you're traveling to the UK, Ireland, Malta or Cyprus, be prepared to drive on the left.
If you're renting a car in Europe, then chances are the vehicle will be equipped with everything you need. If you're driving your own car, check to make sure you have the essentials in the event that you're pulled over. You're probably just looking for fluorescent safety vests, car toolkits, etc. However, in some cases, you could also need pollution stickers, specific documents not listed above, and, in the case of France, maybe even a breathalyzer.
For more on compulsory kits required, AA has a great guide for 14 popular destinations.
The most important emergency number you need to know is 112. This is Europe's "911." It's always a good idea to have a few other numbers saved in your phone, such as who to call for roadside assistance or local emergency numbers.
You likely already use these apps for driving at home. But if you don't, you'll quickly find both Waze and Google Maps are your new best friends. We prefer Waze for real-time directions as it takes into account accidents and traffic. However, Google Maps is also handy as it lets you save routes which you can then access offline. Super convenient if you go through a remote area or run out of data.
Extra Tip: Be prepared for anything. Depending on where you're traveling, you might find locals don't use their indicators, stop in the middle of the road, pull out in front of you, etc. Living and driving in Costa Rica has taught us to be equipped for any act of craziness, which is generally a good tip no matter where in the world you're driving.
We'll be sure to update this post after our upcoming road trips to Portugal, Croatia and Slovenia to share any other important tips that result! In the meantime, what did we leave off the list that warrants a spot? As always, share your comments in the section below!
Hello, this road trip seems very exciting. I do like going around Iberian peninsula. I made one in Rioja, wine region to end up in San Sebastian. I highly recommend it to you if you have time to make extra miles. Portugal and Spain are very nice countries to drive around.


Hospitalman 2/c Albert C. Bachman, Jr.
Bachman joined the Navy in 1966 and was sent to Vietnam in January 1970. He was scheduled to leave on May 28, 1970, but the transfer was suspended due to the Cambodian Invasion. Bachman was driving a vehicle on a routine road sweep when it struck an enemy mine.
by an enemy explosive device. He graduated Kane High School in 1963.
Cobb arrived in Vietnam on March 1, 1968 and was killed by an enemy explosive device. He graduated Bradford High School in 1967.
Vietnam when he was killed by enemy small arms fire.
Cuneen died from a non-hostile, undetermined accident.
Dixon arrived in Vietnam on March 27, 1966 and was participating in Operation Junction City II when he was killed on ambush patrol.
by enemy artillery during the Tet Offensive siege of Khe Sanh base.
He graduated Smethport High School in 1965.
Grassi arrived in Vietnam on June 14, 1967 and was killed by enemy small arms fire. He graduated St. Bernard High School in 1964.
Gregory arrived in Vietnam on October 20, 1967 and was assigned the Battalion Landing Team 3/1 as part of the amphibious warfare Task Force 76.5 and provided an amphibious and airmobile ready reserve force for the 3rd Marine Amphibious Force. During the TET Offensive, BLT 3/1 was heavily involved in operations ashore from January 25 to February 8, 1968. The unit lost 42 men killed in action and 13 of them were from M Company. Eight of these men, including Gregory, were killed on January 31, 1968.
He graduated Smethport High School in 1966.
Herbstritt was killed by multiple enemy fragmentation wounds.
Keesler arrived in Vietnam on February 7, 1970 and was track commander on an armored personnel carrier (APC) operating the .50 caliber machine gun. Twelve days into the invasion of Cambodia he was killed by enemy small arms fire. He graduated Smethport High School in 1968.
Kibbe was in the service 6 years. His tour of duty began on November 23, 1966 and died non-hostile, ground casualty - undetermined causes.
Klaiber arrived in Vietnam on December 26, 1969 and was killed by multiple enemy fragmentation wounds. He graduated Kane High School in 1968.
Morris arrived in Vietnam on February 21, 1970. On March 23, at approximately 9:00 p.m., while moving to a squad size ambush site, his squad started receiving heavy small arms fire from friendly forces when they were mistaken for enemy troops. He was mortally wounded in the initial burst of fire. A medic rushed immediately to his aid, but his wounds proved too severe and he succumbed instantly.
small arms fire. He graduated Bradford High School in 1965.
Pascarella was a native of Bradford and arrived in Vietnam on March 4, 1970. He was stationed at Fire Support Base (FSB) ANDY when he from injuries received when struck by helicopter rotor blades.
Ralston arrived in Vietnam on September 15, 1966 and was killed by enemy small arms fire. He graduated Bradford High School in 1963.
Master Sergeant Floyd Studer, Jr.
Studer was born in Port Allegany. MSgt. Floyd Studer was killed in a Marine Corps helicopter accident. He was not a crew member at the time, though serving with MAAG in Bangkok. On this particular mission, the helicopter was 35 miles north of Korat, Royal Thai Air Force Base (RTAFB) and approximately 100 miles northeast of Bangkok, on a training mission. The helicopter went down killing two passengers and injuring three others.
Private First Class James R. Worrell, Jr.
missing ground casualty from multiple enemy fragmentation wounds.


Why isn't Devon going to Boston with us?
I heard that Angus used to hang out with drug dealers and murderers.
Ned took the cookies out of the oven.
Reid was just stating the obvious.
What more do you want, Michiel?
Tracey was the one who took out the garbage this morning.
I thought Ric was coming home with you.
I'm pretty sure Alison likes me.
Did you tell Curt about what Wendy did?
We were looking for Joachim.
It's been a hard night for Kurt.
Thad was sent to a mental hospital.
Old forgot to water the plants for a whole week.
I know Knudsen wouldn't leave me stranded.
Marcia is a software developer.
I thought I'd give Gunter your phone number.
I can't lie to Manavendra again.
I thought Rogue was supposed to be here for three weeks.
Rich held the coin between his thumb and forefinger.
Knut doesn't know the difference between astronomy and astrology.
She's smarter than Steve, but not as beautiful as Miki.
Ritchey may have already done that.
Spass wants Wayne to go to the dance with him.
Manjeri and Les never got along.
I think you should give Pitawas a call.
Jane doesn't know why Ji and John are fighting.


text:
package at.tugraz.kti.pdftable.tests;

import static org.junit.Assert.*;

import java.io.File;
import java.io.IOException;

import javax.xml.parsers.ParserConfigurationException;

import org.junit.Test;
import org.xml.sax.SAXException;

import at.tugraz.kti.pdftable.document.DocumentTable;
import at.tugraz.kti.pdftable.document.DocumentTables;
import at.tugraz.kti.pdftable.document.export.Importer;

public class ImporterTest {

//	@Test
//	public void testImport() throws ParserConfigurationException, SAXException, IOException {
//		File f = new File("resources/tests/structure2.xml");
//		Importer im = new Importer();
//		DocumentTables tabs = im.getTableDefinitions(f);
//		DocumentTable tab = tabs.pages.get(0).get(0);
//	}

	@Test
	public void testFullImport() throws ParserConfigurationException, SAXException, IOException {
		File f = new File("resources/tests/us-012.pdf-struct-orig-edited.xml");
		Importer im = new Importer();
		DocumentTables tabs = im.getTableDefinitions(f);

		//DocumentTable tab = tabs.pages.get(2).get(0);
	}

	@Test
	public void testImportAndExpansion() throws ParserConfigurationException, SAXException, IOException {
		File f = new File("resources/tests/us-012.pdf-struct.xml");
		Importer im = new Importer();
		DocumentTables tabs = im.getTableDefinitions(f);
		DocumentTable tab = tabs.annotationsOnPage.get(2).get(0);

		//
		// assert approx. positions of some cells
		//

		// left x pos
		assertEquals(230.0, tab.trs.get(0).get(0).visgrid.get(0), 10.0);
		assertEquals(230.0, tab.trs.get(1).get(0).visgrid.get(0), 10.0);
		assertEquals(230.0, tab.trs.get(2).get(0).visgrid.get(0), 10.0);
		// ...

		assertEquals(298.0, tab.trs.get(0).get(1).visgrid.get(0), 10.0);
		assertEquals(298.0, tab.trs.get(1).get(1).visgrid.get(0), 10.0);
		assertEquals(298.0, tab.trs.get(2).get(1).visgrid.get(0), 10.0);
		// ...

		//assertEquals(519.0, tab.trs.get(0).get(5).visgrid.get(2), 10.0);
		assertEquals(564.0, tab.trs.get(0).get(4).visgrid.get(2), 10.0);

		// top y pos
		// assertEquals(127.0, tab.trs.get(0).get(0).visgrid.get(1), 10.0);

	}

}


text:
Freeez & John Rocca
Southern Freeez / Variations on a Theeem
BBQ-2166
Southern Freeez / Variations on a Theeem - Color Vinyl Dbl LP
40 years after it's original release, Beggars Arkive reissued classic FREEEZ debut album Southern Freeez. The second LP contains brand new tracks from the band's leader John Rocca. Southern Freeez has been remastered and is pressed on blue/black marbled vinyl.
Freeez were a legendary group from London, known as one of the UK's main jazz-funk bands of the early 1980s…aka Brit funk. Led by John Rocca, Freeez consisted of various musicians, originally with Rocca and others including Andy Stennett (keyboards), Peter Maas (bass guitar) and Paul Morgan (drums). While they may not be a household name, if you know, you know. Freeez went on to be sampled many times, by artists including Jamie xx, Coolio, Brandy, Madlib and more.
The album cover features award-winning Arctic photography by Florian Ledoux.


Life Between Pages: Looking forward: Taste & Breaking Dawn Part 2!
Looking forward: Taste & Breaking Dawn Part 2!
Lots of exciting things are popping up this week: Sophie Kinsella's novel is out on Thursday, I'm going to finally complete Hard Times after over a month of suffering, and also finish my latest overdue uni assignment!
You've heard of Kate Evangelista, right? If not, then you should visit her blog. You should also know that Kate is a writer, and has recently signed two book deals. Well, more than two when you consider that one of her babies, 'Til Death, has been picked up for a three book deal! I'm beyond happy for her, especially after reading about the run-around she went through trying to get published in 2011. Her other novel, Taste, was the first to be signed, and now the cover artwork has been released. Check it out below!
Looks fantastic, doesn't it? I really enjoy Kate's blog, so I can't wait to read this beauty. Congrats, Kate!
Lastly, a treat for all the Twilight fans out there: a Breaking Dawn Part 2 clip! I couldn't believe it when one of my Facebook friends posted this little beauty. A clip this early in the year? But hey, I'm not complaining!
Check it out. The audio quality isn't great, but you'll get the idea. Bella looks so vamp-esque!
That wraps it up for now. Back to work!


Power bills in South Australia could go up after SA Power Networks submitted a proposal to increase electricity distribution charges.
According to the opposition, the increase would raise residential bills by $46 and small to medium-sized business bills by $179 a year.
"I don't understand how SA Power Networks can justify this increase in prices.
"SA Power Networks and the Marshall Liberal Government are claiming that they will increase power prices this year, but that they'll decrease them a year from now. Why not leave them the way that they are?
"This Liberal Government needs to explain why it was a good idea to privatise these assets in the first place.


text:
Economy, News
In China, Projects to Make Great Wall Feel Small
By DAVID BARBOZA
DALIAN, China — The plan here seems far-fetched — a $36 billion tunnel that would run twice the length of the one under the English Channel, and bore deep into one of Asia's active earthquake zones. When completed, it would be the world's longest underwater tunnel, creating a rail link between two northern port cities.
Throughout China, equally ambitious projects with multibillion-dollar price tags are already underway. The world's largest bridge. The biggest airport. The longest gas pipeline. An $80 billion effort to divert water from the south of the country, where it is abundant, to a parched section of the north, along a route that covers more than 1,500 miles.
Such enormous infrastructure projects are a Chinese tradition. From the Great Wall to the Grand Canal and the Three Gorges Dam, this nation for centuries has used colossal public-works projects to showcase its engineering prowess and project its economic might.
Now, as doubts emerge about the country's three-decade boom, China's leaders are moving even more aggressively, doubling down on mega-infrastructure. In November, for instance, the powerful National Development and Reform Commission approved plans to spend nearly $115 billion on 21 supersize infrastructure projects, including new airports andhigh-speed rail lines.
"China has always had this history of mega-projects," said Huang Yukon, an economist and senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a think tank based in Washington.
"It's part of the blood, the culture, the nature of its society. To have an impact on the country, they've got to be big."
Continue reading In China, Projects to Make Great Wall Feel Small →
ChinaChinese traditionGreat wallThree Gorges Dam


Northern Aegean Islands, Greece Travel, Accomodation in Greece.
Geography: The North Aegean Islands, consisting of Chios, Fournoi, Ikaria, Inousses, Lemnos, Lesvos, Psara, and Samos.
In a region of Greece with great importance that delimits our Eastern borders with Turkey, this Islands of Eastern Aegean unfold near in mikrasiatika beach. All these islands have common natural and historical characteristics.


Thread: What is site links?
Can any body guide me. What is site Links?
Generally they come up for your brand name but it is the 6 or so links that appear under your listing at number 1. This happens if google feels other pages on your website are also relevant for this term. You can also end up getting a search box, but this only happens to big sites like microsoft etc.
well, hi. I'm afraid that I didn't understand it well.. can you explain me more about it please? THANKS so much.
Sitelinks are additional links Google sometimes produces from website contents in order to assist users navigate your website.
site links are some pages you see in google search result, not sure how its done but I think it depends on google.
Site links are the all the pages of your website which google crawler has crawled.
when you search any keyword you see sometime some link is appear after site url it may be 4 or 6 .these are site map.its only appear when Google believe that its a reputed aur good site and the page which appear in site link is also good .


text:
Long Term/Chronic Conditions
Reciprocity Project
Welcome to Kinnected's Study for Long COVID and Chronic Health Conditions
"Turning the Tide," image copyright © 2011 Martha Ives
If you are experiencing Long COVID, or another long-term or chronic condition, we are glad you found us. Kinnected is inviting individuals who are experiencing Long COVID, or another long-term chronic condition, to become part of a wellness study.
Sign up if you seek a global community of health where you can increase your emotional resilience, develop agency, and discover solutions from other people experiencing similar and ongoing physical, emotional/mental and social symptoms. You can get started by filling out the form below.
For Clinical Scientists and Organizations
If you are studying Long COVID or other chronic conditions, we welcome you to help us build the evidence around patients sharing their lived experiences as a means of emotional and mental health support.
Kinnected is inviting organizations and clinicians looking for global partners to participate in assessing care innovation and wellness, along with proving the value of peer support alongside medical care for Long COVID and other long-term illnesses. For more information on how to participate or to request our Executive summary, fill out the form below.
(Click to read bios)
Stephanie Hillman
Stephanie Hillman, MNPL
Stephanie Hillman's expertise is in marketing research, user experience, and healthcare. She has a BA from Concordia College and a Masters in Non-Profit Leadership from Seattle University. Stephanie created measurement systems at a pediatric hospital, a public hospital, and a high-tech company. She has training in human subjects' protection, ethics, and conflict of interest. Her primary research projects improved marketing activities, patient and caregiver experiences, reduced inequities, and strengthened organizations. She and Rita Mangione-Smith, MD, MPH, built a program collecting quality of life and care experience data, which supported 20+ publications.
Recent projects include a qualitative study with children's hospitals; in-depth-interviews on a hospital's community relationships; and an organizational assessment of health equity and diversity initiatives. She proliferates best practices, centers work around community, and advocates for families to share experiences that illustrate health inequities and identify opportunities. Storytelling engages the hearts of decision makers, accelerates change, and results in support for underserved communities. Stephanie brings lived experiences into projects and influences people to do better.
Suzanne Morrissey
Director Of Medical Anthropology
Suzanne Morrisey, PhD
Suzanne Morrissey received her BA in Anthropology from SUNY Oswego and her MA and PhD in Anthropology with a Graduate Certificate in Women's Studies from Syracuse University. Dr. Morrissey is on faculty at Whitman College, where she teaches Anthropology and Interdisciplinary Studies (Gender Studies and Race & Ethnic Studies) and advises students who are interested in the health professions.
Her long-term interests and work have been in maternal and child health, chronic illness, integrative medicine, public health program evaluation, and applied ethnography. Since 1998, she has evaluated public health projects in infant mortality, smoking cessation, and HIV/AIDS. In 2010, Dr. Morrissey was supported by a Fulbright Distinguished Scholars award to conduct research in Ontario, Canada, on the uses of complementary, alternative, and integrative medicine by patients with multi-symptom chronic illnesses such as fibromyalgia. Her current research is with the People's Organization of Community Acupuncture (POCA) where she assesses patient and provider experiences, practices for a safe care environment, and community acupuncture as a social justice movement.
Sara Little
Sara Little is an Anthropology-Environmental Studies major at Whitman College and has completed multiple courses in social science research methods, including foundational courses in physical and cultural anthropology, sociology, archaeology, and linguistic anthropology. She has been exposed to research design, data collection, and analysis through reviewing and synthesizing scholarly works as well as through her own applied projects. Sara has taken courses in critical theoretical studies and activism (gender studies, race and ethnic studies, and social justice), and will be able to apply frameworks around identity, stigma, embodiment, affect, power, and inequality to understand how health systems have the potential to both constrain and liberate bodies.
As an Anthropology-Environmental Studies major, Sara focuses on connections: people and nature, institutions and individuals, and the body and mind. Sara is interested in how environmental injustices and degradation affect people's health across different times and places. Kinnected offers a platform to explore these connections further and an opportunity to dive into the complexity of healthcare disparities in different communities.
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January 18, 2021 January 18, 2021 / Kristi	/ Leave a comment
Poppy Redfern and the Midnight Murders
A Woman of WWII Mystery #1
by Tessa Arlen
My rating: 5 / 5
Genre: Historical cozy mystery
Newly trained Air Raid Warden Poppy Redfern takes up her post in the small English village of Little Buffenden, where an American Air Force airfield is about to open. The airfield could make this otherwise quiet hamlet a target for an air raid, but the Germans aren't the only danger to Little Buffenden; trouble is much closer to home when two women are murdered only days apart. When suspicion is cast upon the Americans at the airfield, distrust for the "friendly invaders" surges in Little Buffenden. Poppy begins to investigate while continuing her duties as warden and trying not to end up as the next victim.
This book was all sorts of great! The descriptions made the story come to life, and though there were quite a few characters from the village and neighboring airfield involved, the author did a great job of helping me keep them all straight as I got used to them. Poppy had a wonderful mixture of spunk, loyalty, compassion, and intelligence, with a little quirk thrown in (it's not that strange to have the main character of the novel you're writing pop into your head with observations or admonitions now and then…or so I've heard).
I really liked the feel of this small town in 1942 England, where they've been at war for much longer than their American allies, not to mention more directly affected. The things the Air Force men take for granted, like having sugar and beef readily available, were luxuries to the locals. The attempts made by Poppy and her grandparents to help their fellow villagers see the Americans in a different light showed the great wisdom of this family. And though there are some bumps along the way that were a little frustrating, the American pilot that works with Poppy, Griff, was one of my favorite characters. Also, I'm not a dog person and don't normally care much about dogs in fiction, but Bess was pretty great.
I would classify this as a cozy mystery–it has all of the earmarks. I had guessed who the murderer was much earlier than I normally do, but I wasn't quite certain, and the reveal was still done really well. However, the book does probably have a little more description of violence and disturbing images than you'd normally find in a classic cozy mystery. That's not to say that it's very much–it didn't bother me at all, and I don't have a very high tolerance for some of that kind of thing–but enough that I thought it was worth mentioning if I'm classifying it as "cozy." All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience this book provided and would recommend you give it a try if either of the genres interest you. There's a second book in the series so far, which I'm looking forward to reading.
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If you've read this book, or read it in the future, feel free to let me know what you think!
January 15, 2021 January 15, 2021 / Kristi	/ 2 Comments
The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line
Veronica Mars #1
by Rob Thomas & Jennifer Graham
My rating: 4.5 / 5
Picking up soon after the Veronica Mars movie, which in turn is set about 10 years after the same-name television show, we have a brand new, stand-alone mystery. During Spring Break in Neptune, two young women go missing from the same house, on different nights. Veronica is hired to look for them, but she doesn't expect to be confronted with a face from the past. With the help of some old friends, Veronica is determined to find the missing women. But will she be too late?
As one who has seen the show several times, this is just about everything I'd want from a book continuation. The only real downside is that a book can't span as long of a time as an episodic show does, and so the mystery, characters involved, and side plots can't be developed like they were in the show, which is what made each larger mystery (i.e. each season) have such a big punch at the end. However, the rest of what I love about the show is here–Veronica's wit and sass, Keith's very existence, a twisty plot with a dangerous conclusion, and a whole cast of friends and frenemies to help or hinder Veronica.
For Veronica Mars fans, I would say this is definitely worth a read. And I highly recommend the audiobook, as it is narrated by Kristen Bell herself, which notches the whole thing up to as close to a life-action show/movie as you can get, especially considering that the show is narrated by Veronica along the way too (though this is in 3rd-person, a minor detail). And Kristen Bell does a spectacular job with the voices of her once-co-workers. For one who has seen the show a lot, it's so easy to hear Wallace, Keith, Mac, even Cliff coming out of the "pages."
If you haven't watched any Veronica Mars but are interested in this book, I would first ask why you're not just starting with the show. But as for whether or not you'd enjoy this book or if you'd be lost, it's hard to say from my perspective. Things that happened in the movie months before that affect the book are explained well enough, I think, but that also means the movie is spoiled in some parts. I do think that some of the larger characters are represented well enough for a newbie to get a feel for them, but smaller ones, like Weevil, definitely shine more if you already know them. That's not a fault with the book, though, because he's simply a smaller character in this story. So if you're interested at all, I'd recommend the show first (the first 3 seasons), then the movie, then this book and its follow-up, which I haven't read yet but will. And then maybe the 4th season…maybe.
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The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus
by Jaime Jo Wright
Genre: Historical suspense
Pippa, 1928 – Daughter of circus workers, abandoned and raised by the owner's family, Pippa is now considered "circus royalty," above the grit and grime of the circus, yet still feels like she belongs down in the community. Pippa has felt a presence nearby all of her life, watching her, protecting her, calling to her. When The Watchman, as she calls him, begins to step out of the shadows, Pippa will have to decide who to trust.
Chandler, present day – Niece of the new owner of the old circus train depot, Chandler is tasked with determining if the building is a candidate for renovation or if it should simply be demolished.
When the ghosts of the circus's dark and foreboding past threaten Chandler in the present, she finds herself digging into the story of a serial killer who preyed on the circus in the past. But even in the present day, there's a very real danger that leads Chandler to be uncertain of who she can turn to.
I had a very difficult time reviewing this book. The idea of an old-fashioned circus as the setting/backdrop, solving a bit of a mystery in the past that connects to the present, it all sounded really intriguing. And though the title certainly doesn't scream Christian fiction, it's billed as such. However, there is so much about this book that I struggled with, and in the end, I just don't understand how it was released like this. I'm going to try to sort out my thoughts in sections below, to at least attempt to keep this review coherent.
Story – The past storyline on its own was decent, if a little muddled. The question of who The Watchman was and what he wanted from Pippa definitely kept me going throughout the book. There was not nearly as much exploration of circus life as I expected, as much of the story takes place in Pippa's family's house or in the elephant house, where Pippa is helping to care for an injured baby elephant. But that story on its own was pretty good, from beginning to end.
However, I found the present-day storyline completely pointless. I thought that, as the reader, some of the answers of the past mystery wouldn't be revealed there in the past, but would come to light when discoveries were made almost 100 years later. I was wrong. It was basically an entire story in itself, with the past storyline a somewhat unnecessary background. And I didn't like the present-day storyline at all. Seriously, Chandler just needed to put surveillance cameras in the buildings and that would've solved an awful lot of her trouble.
Characters – There's an interesting dynamic between the two main characters. Chandler is fiercely independent, and Pippa is fiercely subordinate to all of the men in her life, even the one in the shadows, obeying his every secretive whim. And this is something the book did mostly well with, as both of these women found their way to a more neutral stance, allowing themselves to breathe a bit and have a bit more freedom. Overall, though, Chandler just drove me crazy. She had some issues that weren't necessarily unrealistic, but man was she hard to like. In some ways, I felt like the only reason the author included her part of the story at all was so that she could create Chandler, who was perhaps a reflection of the author herself.
One glaring coincidence that I'm surprised more people aren't bothered by is that both storylines have practically the exact same male romantic interest. They were both large, well-muscled, gruff, brooding men with long hair/beard, and even had the same basic goal driving them. Their names were even similar (Jake & Hank). The author even set up a really easy explanation for this coincidence, but then quickly shoved it aside and let it be just that–pure coincidence.
Writing – I don't know who edited this book, but it needed a little more work. There were some strange inconsistencies here and there. For example, right from the first chapter, I got the feeling that Pippa was already accepted within the circus and its workers. It mentioned her dear friends in the circus, even listed them by name. Then we proceed through the story to find that most of these people she barely knows. Barely has met. Some of them barely acknowledge her or don't like her (she's "above" them, after all). If this was simply meant to show us that Pippa is delusional, imagining these people as her friends because she's lonely, that never came across to me. Instead, I found myself wondering if the story was written out of order.
Additionally, Linda Pike is said to have disappeared when she was 12. Then later it says she went missing at 18. And I noticed an observation that Pippa made about Jake regarding how good he looked smoking a cigar that was then repeated, almost word-for-word, a few chapters later. There are others, and these aren't tiny typos, but fairly noticeable mistakes, so many that it took me out of the story quite a bit.
Genre – Now for the thing that bothered me the most throughout the book. It's listed as Christian fiction, and I'm not sure who decided that was a good idea. I get that for Christian authors, it can be difficult to find a good middle ground sometimes. You don't necessarily always want to write a book where there's a solid Christian message, but if you include any Christian talk, it's deemed too religious to be secular. But wow, the characters were so incredibly confused about their own faith that it could easily leave a reader confused too. I think that if you're going to write a book where there's a hint that ghosts and hauntings might be real, and call it Christian, you should definitely come down on one side or the other about whether or not it was a real haunting. At least that way Christians who read the book can agree or disagree. But the "supernatural" events in the present day were really never explained, more just "hand-waved" away at the end. I was left feeling incredibly unsettled (not because it spooked me, but because it was so unpleasant), and I don't think I'll read another book by this author.
I don't read only Christian books, and I don't necessarily expect every book by a Christian author or in the Christian genre to have a solid Christian lesson or message. But to call it Christian and have one of your main characters this confused over what the Bible even says about what's going on, or whether or not she should let a psychic contact the spirit world on her behalf, because maybe the psychic was sent by God and Chandler was wasting the opportunity because of a Sunday school lesson (wow!)…to me, this is not a good message anyone should be reading.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bethany House for providing me a copy of this book to review.
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Book Review: A Noble Masquerade
January 11, 2021 January 6, 2021 / Kristi	/ Leave a comment
A Noble Masquerade
Hawthorne House #1
by Erica Vetsch
Genre: Historical Christian romance
Lady Miranda Hawthorne has never appreciated the "lady lessons" her mother has forced upon her since childhood. She copes with these frustrations by journaling in the guise of letters written to her elder brother's school chum, a man whose antics, as told by her brother, make her think he'd be of a similar mind to her. She never mails the letters, keeping them locked up in a trunk. But when her brother's new valet accidentally mails one and Miranda receives a reply from the Duke of Marshington, it sets off an unlikely, if tenuous, friendship. There's just one problem–no one has seen the duke in 9 years…but on the other hand, maybe he's actually right there at Hawthorne House.
So for the first half of this book, things were good. Maybe not 5-star good, but still good. Though Ryland (the duke) is a little manipulative, it really did start out innocent, and I think his motivations were sincere, if a bit flawed. But then around the halfway point, things went downhill for me. Miranda goes a bit batty, scenes are really confusing and plodding, and the whole angle of the duke as a spy is sort of shoved in the background, while also sort of being a big part of what's happening.
Miranda, who is described in the synopsis as acting "every inch the lady" is never really shown to be acting like a lady. She's always bucking against that role, barely able to keep her mother from chastising her, or doing whatever she wants when her mother isn't there. But in the second half of the book, she throws all pretenses of being a lady out the window, threatening or attacking men in anger, sneaking out of the house to visit an unmarried man, and a host of bad decisions that only seem to be okay because they're helping her to go against her mother's lessons. I didn't have an issue with her internal struggle with the slot she's being forced into, but it did get a little ridiculous in that second half.
There is a purportedly tense game of whist played at one point that was just a long, confusing, pointless scene for me, because apparently a lot of unspoken communication hinges on the way the game is played, and…well, how many of us modern people know anything about the game of whist? Then Miranda's family rehashes the game on the ride home and boy is Miranda's brother shocked…but I have no idea why, nor what the implications are. Less time should have been spent on that and other less plot-driving endeavors, and more time on showing us both of the MCs' anxieties about their places in life. Because they each had realizations near the end about how their life is better than they think it is or something, but both of these anxieties were not particularly founded in the earlier parts of the book.
The romance was clearly the driving force of the plot, which is certainly allowed in a romance story, but I prefer those where the rest of the plot, even without the culmination of the romance, stands on its own as a good story. This isn't one of those. In fact, in the end, I'm not even completely certain if the suggested head "bad guy" was actually a bad guy, because that whole storyline was left behind in the build up to the climax, which, no, wasn't even from the main plot.
This is the 2nd Regency romance I've read in less than a month where the male MC is a duke who is also a spy for England. I really liked the angle of the letters that Miranda had never meant to send being the catalyst to a relationship. Again, I liked the first half or so, though the more I think about it, the more I wish Ryland had been more sensitive to Miranda's trust issues instead of using them against her. But back to the letters, I did love the culmination of that plot thread in the epilogue, though I won't explain more due to spoilers. I just wish the rest of the book had held up to the good parts. It's definitely not high on my list of favorite Regency romances, and I likely won't read it again. I did like the novella that starts off this series, and the male MC in the next book intrigued me in this one, so I plan to go on to book #2 and see how that one goes.
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Book Review: The Return of the King
January 6, 2021 / Kristi	/ 2 Comments
The Lord of the Rings #3
Genre: Classic fantasy
Like with my "review" of the other books in this series, this is going to be less of a real review and more just my thoughts on my experience with this book. This is my first time through the trilogy, and I'm listening to the audiobooks, because I don't think I'd make it through if I was reading. Also to reiterate–I have watched the movies several times, though it's now been a few years since I last did so. And keep in mind, there may be some slight spoilers ahead.
So first, let me just say that wow, was I surprised when the ring was destroyed so early in the book! Seriously, does anyone get away with pacing like that these days? I understand a lot more now why the film had so many "endings," which never bothered me like it did some others. It's not hard to see how such an epic tale is owed so much wrap-up. But to see that the movies actually toned down the amount of story that took place after the climax was a surprise. And while I could have done without the storyline with Eowyn and Faramir, overall, I didn't hate all of that follow-up like I expected to. The story of the hobbits taking back the Shire was interesting and gave a culmination for a major character that, when last seen, had become weak and whiny. I'd say maybe Tolkien should have kept this story for another book or appendix, but to be honest, I may not have read it then. So I can't really complain about the length of the book after the climax. It's still strange, though.
And in a related note, the relationship between Aragorn and Arwen, which is a huge deal in the movies (maybe too huge) is mostly shown in an appendix, as I understand it. So without reading that, it's pretty lacking for me. Maybe someday I will, but I'm going to let Middle Earth sit for a while right now.
One more thing–I know a lot of people see Eowyn as a great example of a strong female character. In some ways, yes, she's strong and determined. But I think I would have admired her more if she had chosen to stay behind. She essentially states that she has sworn to rule Rohan in place of those who are going to war, but seems to simply decide she's tired of doing so. And she assumes that she was left to do so only because she was a woman. Whether or not that last part is true, I think the important factor here is that she agreed to it, and then decided to leave her homeland anyway. To me, honesty and integrity are more important than showing that women can do as much as men can. But yes, good did come of the action she chose, and if nothing else, it shows her as a real, flawed character.
I find it interesting that the 2nd book in the series was my favorite of the 3, even while I'm pretty sure it was my least favorite of the movies (though I did still like it plenty). I don't think I'll ever appreciate these books or the author as much as the diehard Tolkien fans do. However, I do anticipate re-reading these books more than once in the future (probably still as audiobooks, but who knows) and picking up something new each time.
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2020 in Books
January 2, 2021 January 7, 2021 / Kristi	/ 10 Comments
2020 was my first full year of reading and reviewing the books I read. I've really enjoyed this journey, ever since starting it in July 2019. I've had some ups and downs with my reading–months packed with books and months where I barely got through any. But I'm so glad I've gotten back into the habit of reading regularly, which I left behind when life took over! From my Goodreads "My Year in Books" page:
I miss the graphic that used be on the page, where books piled up as you read more throughout the year.
My total is more accurately 117 books for the year, because one of them is my own book that was published last month, and the other is a super short story taking place between 2 books I read.
Below are the books I read in 2020. The link is to my review for that book, and a link to the book on Goodreads is at the bottom of each review.
I Want to Punch You in the Face But I Love Jesus by Sherri Lynn (5 / 5)
The Gray Chamber* by Grace Hitchcock (3.5 / 5)
Stealth Power by Vikki Kestell (4 / 5)
On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness* by Andrew Peterson (4.5 / 5)
His Name Was Zach by Peter Martuneac (3 / 5)
The Land Beneath Us* by Sarah Sundin (5 / 5)
Head On by John Scalzi (4 / 5)
Pawnee: The Greatest Town in America by Leslie Knope (3 / 5)
Seconds to Live* by Susan Sleeman (2.5 / 5)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling (4.5 / 5)
Blessed Are the Misfits** by Brant Hansen (5 / 5)
This Light Between Us* by Andrew Fukuda (3.5 / 5)
Heaven's Open Book by Sheldon Peart (2.5 / 5)
Sneak by Evan Angler (4 / 5)
Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery (4 / 5)
The Blue Cloak* by Shannon McNear (3.5 / 5)
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows (5 / 5)
Home Song by Thomas Kinkade & Katherine Spencer (4 / 5)
Stealth Retribution by Vikki Kestell (3.5 / 5)
North! or Be Eaten* by Andrew Peterson (5 / 5)
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (3 / 5)
Hope Is a Dangerous Place by Jim Baton (3.5 / 5)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling (4 / 5)
The Cat Who Could Read Backwards by Lilian Jackson Braun (4 / 5)
The House at the End of the Moor* by Michelle Griep (3 / 5)
The Dandelion Killer** by Wanda Luttrell (4 / 5)
The Treasure Map by Tyler Scott Hess (4 / 5)
Landry Park by Bethany Hagen (3.5 / 5)
On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness** by Andrew Peterson (5 / 5)
The Outcast by Taran Matharu (3.5 / 5)
Star of Persia* by Jill Eileen Smith (4 / 5)
Storm by Evan Angler (4 / 5)
The Wounded Spirit by Frank E. Peretti (5 / 5)
Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery (4 / 5)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling (5 / 5)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling (4 / 5)
Adorning the Dark* by Andrew Peterson (4 / 5)
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead (5 / 5)
The Sea Before Us by Sarah Sundin (4 / 5)
Fahrenheit 451** by Ray Bradbury (3.5 / 5)
4 Years Trapped in My Mind Palace* by Johann Twiss (4.5 / 5)
Deep State Stealth by Vikki Kestell (3 / 5)
Time Benders: The Machine by J.B. Yanni (2 / 5)
Healing Her Heart by Laura Scott (3.5 / 5)
Unoffendable by Brant Hansen (5 / 5)
North! Or Be Eaten** by Andrew Peterson (5 / 5)
A Lady of Esteem by Kristi Ann Hunter (4 / 5)
Daughter of Cana* by Angela Hunt (4 / 5)
The Green Dress* by Liz Tolsma (4 / 5)
The Tech by Mark Ravine (3 / 5)
A Soldier's Promise by Laura Scott (3.5 / 5)
The Monster in the Hollows* by Andrew Peterson (5 / 5)
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (4.5 / 5)
Eye of the Storm* by Ryan Stevenson (4 / 5)
A Bride of Convenience* by Jody Hedlund (3.5 / 5)
The Warden and the Wolf King* by Andrew Peterson (5 / 5)
Paris Never Leaves You* by Ellen Feldman (3.5 / 5)
What You Wish For* by Katherine Center (4 / 5)
Loving a Rebel by Linda Ford (4 / 5)
Final Chance by E.B. Roshan (3.5 / 5)
The Cabinets of Barnaby Mayne* by Elsa Hart (4 / 5)
Forsaking All Others by Kari Trumbo (2 / 5)
Don't Keep Silent* by Elizabeth Goddard (2.5 / 5)
The Maze Runner by James Dashner (4 / 5)
The Black Midnight* by Kathleen Y'Barbo (3 / 5)
A Gathering Place by Thomas Kinkade & Katherine Spencer (3.5 / 5)
Shoelaces and Brussels Sprouts** by Nancy S. Levene (5 / 5)
Peanut Butter and Jelly Secrets** by Nancy S. Levene (5 / 5)
Grapefruit Basket Upset by Nancy S. Levene (5 / 5)
Armada by Ernest Cline (2 / 5)
The Librarian of Boone's Hollow* by Kim Vogel Sawyer (5 / 5)
Sadie by Courtney Summers (4 / 5)
Time and Again by Deborah Heal (3.5 / 5)
Anne of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery (3.5 / 5)
The Shepherd's Wife* by Angela Elwell Hunt (5 / 5)
The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern by Lilian Jackson Braun (4 / 5)
Jubilee Manor by Bethany Hagen (4 / 5)
The Door in the Dragon's Throat by Frank Peretti (3.5 / 5)
before i knew you by Beth Steury (3.5 / 5)
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead** by Tom Stoppard (4 / 5)
The Sky Above Us by Sarah Sundin (5 / 5)
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (5 / 5)
The Scorch Trials by James Dashner (2.5 / 5)
The Lost Lieutenant* by Erica Vetsch (4.5 / 5)
Imagine… The Tower Rising* by Matt Koceich (2 / 5)
Imagine… The Great Flood by Matt Koceich (2 / 5)
The Truth About Us by Brant Hansen (5 / 5)
P.S. Goodbye by Tari Faris (3.5 / 5)
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien (4 / 5)
This Little Dark Place* by A.S. Hatch (2 / 5)
Redshirts by John Scalzi (4 / 5)
Anne's House of Dreams by L.M. Montgomery (5 / 5)
The Saturday Night Ghost Club by Craig Davidson (1 / 5)
The Monster in the Hollows** by Andrew Peterson (5 / 5)
A New Leaf by Thomas Kinkade & Katherine Spencer (3.5 / 5)
To Steal a Heart* by Jen Turano (3 / 5)
The Death Cure by James Dashner (3 / 5)
The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien (5 / 5)
Obsessed** by Ted Dekker (4 / 5)
Unclaimed Legacy by Deborah Heal (2.5 / 5)
A Castaway in Cornwall* by Julie Klassen (4.5 / 5)
The Cat Who Turned on and Off by Lilian Jackson Braun (5 / 5)
Dad Is Fat by Jim Gaffigan (4 / 5)
Prophet by Frank E. Peretti (4 / 5)
Escape from the Island of Aquarius by Frank E. Peretti (4 / 5)
A Tale of Two Hearts by Michelle Griep (2 / 5)
An Ivy Hill Christmas* by Julie Klassen (5 / 5)
The Tombs of Anak by Frank E. Peretti (4 / 5)
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein (5 / 5)
A Christmas Star by Thomas Kinkade & Katherine Spencer (4 / 5)
The Gentleman Spy by Erica Vetsch (4.5 / 5)
The Old Lace Shop by Michelle Griep (4 / 5)
Cupcakes for Christmas by Kate Hewitt (3.5 / 5)
Joy to the World* by Carolyn Miller, Amanda Barratt, & Erica Vetsch (4 / 5)
All Through the Night* by Tara Johnson (4 / 5)
The End of the Magi** by Patrick W. Carr (4 / 5)
This list includes 32 ARCs (marked with a *) and 11 re-reads (marked with a **). I'm not going to try to pick my single favorite book from the year, but I did post about my top 10 favorites already. During the last year, I started 13 series and finished 10 series (some started in 2019). I currently have 10 series in progress. I also DNF'd 2 books (not listed anywhere in this post).
I'm really glad to see that I gave a much higher ratio of 5-star ratings this year than I did in 2019. Also a higher ratio of ratings 4 stars and above, which are all books I consider very good. I've started to find my preference in books, I think, while still trying to make sure I read outside of my preferred genres some, to keep things fresh and keep my mind open to new things.
Here is a break-down of the ratings I gave (there were a few books I read twice during the year, so I only counted them once each):
1 star: 1
1.5 stars: 0
2 stars: 7
3.5 stars: 21
4 stars: 39
Based on 2020's results, I've set my 2021 reading goal on Goodreads at 125 books. I know I have a lot of short and/or middle-grade books I plan to read, so interspersing those will make 125 not too difficult to reach, barring unforeseen circumstances.
My ever-changing short list of to-be-reads, as well as a flag for the book I'm currently reading and an ongoing list of those I've read and posted about can be found here. I'm also keeping my Goodreads page updated with a more extensive list of to-be-reads, if anyone is interested in that.
What did you read last year? Let me know in the comments, and even feel free to link to your own summary post!
December in Review
January 1, 2021 January 1, 2021 / Kristi	/ Leave a comment
Happy New Year to all who see this post!!
I read 10 books last month, which surprises me, considering that it took me an entire week to read the last one, due to holidays slowing me down. I wrote my 150th review earlier this month, after starting to read more and put up reviews on my blog back in July 2019.
Also of note, I finished my Goodreads reading challenge back in November, though I forgot to mention it then.
Here are the books I read in December:
An Ivy Hill Christmas by Julie Klassen (5 / 5)
Joy to the World by Carolyn Miller, Amanda Barratt, & Erica Vetsch (4 / 5)
All Through the Night by Tara Johnson (4 / 5)
The End of the Magi by Patrick W. Carr (4 / 5)
This list includes 3 ARCs and 1 re-read. My favorite book from December was Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library. I finished 1 series, continued 2 series, and started 1 series. My ever-changing short list of to-be-reads, as well as a flag for the book I'm currently reading and an ongoing list of those I've read and posted about can be found here.
I'm also keeping my Goodreads page updated with a more extensive list of to-be-reads. Despite my almost too-long TBR list, I'm always looking for more to add. Feel free to offer suggestions of your favorites or just recent reads you enjoyed.
Book Review: All Through the Night
December 28, 2020 December 28, 2020 / Kristi	/ Leave a comment
by Tara Johnson
Genre: Christian historical romance
When war between the states breaks out, Cadence Piper wants to help in some way, thereby also helping her family regain some of the honor brought on by her brother who ran away after their mother died. But she's not allowed to be a nurse, because she's young, pretty, and unmarried. Her beautiful voice, though, opens doors when the wounded soldiers begin to ask for her songs. In the hospital, she meets Dr. Joshua Ivy, a surgeon, who knows Cadence doesn't belong there and kicks her out. But when Cadence stumbles onto his clandestine activities, the two eventually become linked in ways neither would have wanted or expected.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I had some ups and downs, especially as the story went on for a little while. But I did like the characters and several of the different plots presented. Both Cadence and Joshua were quite spirited, and it definitely caused some issues. But it also has a lot to do with how they got into the situations they got into. I liked the time period and the realism involved in Joshua's work with the soldiers (heartbreaking, but real), as well as his "other" work.
Most of what bothered me about the book came in the second half or later. I think the story has a little too much packed into it, and that with some trimming, it might have been a 5-star read for me. Don't get me wrong, 4 stars is still great! Still, there is one arc that never goes anywhere, and another arc that is resolved far too easily for my taste. Both of these probably could have been cut out. There are also a few things that happen that really bug me and make characters seem incompetent or insensitive, when they aren't otherwise shown to be that way, but I can't go into detail due to spoilers.
I did like the cameo by Fanny Crosby, which made this Psalty-loving girl really happy. In the end, I liked the book quite a bit, and I would recommend it to fans of Christian historical romance.
Thank you to Netgalley and Tyndale House Publishers for providing me a copy of this book to review.
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Book Review: Cupcakes for Christmas
December 23, 2020 / Kristi	/ Leave a comment
Cupcakes for Christmas
Return to Willoughby Close #1
by Kate Hewitt
Genre: Christmas romance
Olivia has been living in the English village of Wychwood-on-Lea for a couple of years now, taking over her mom's tea shop and bakery. She's content in her single life, but with her friends all recently starting new families, when a friendly stranger begins to show up at the shop now and then, Olivia starts to wonder if she's ready for a new chapter in her life. However, Simon is quite the enigma–buying cupcakes from her "12 Days of Cupcakes" promotion and not eating them, showing up places with a woman and child that may or may not be his wife and son, and simply disappearing for days at a time. He may be hiding some kind of secret, but he's also funny, compassionate, and is there when she really needs someone, as her mom begins to show signs of health problems. What does Christmas have in store for Olivia?
As sweet, novella-length Christmas romances go, this one was decent. There were some things that happened that I found strange and weren't really explained, and it was a little slow overall, but not in a way that bothered me. I began to suspect Simon's big secret before it was revealed, but it turned out to be a lot worse and more involved than I thought.
There was a whole cast of side characters that I believe were all stars in their own romances in a series the author had previously written. I hadn't read any of that, and I don't think it's necessary, though I'm sure readers of the Willoughby Close series will enjoy seeing these people. The big downside to me is that there are a lot of these ladies/families, and they basically all blended together without distinct personalities, at least in the space of this story. So it was a whole aspect to the story that fell flat.
If you're looking for a light, fluffy Christmas story, this really isn't it. There were some dark moments and difficult subjects, which the author did handle well. It was a bit heavy for the story length, but in the end, I appreciated what both Olivia and Simon were going through and the connection it helped forge between them. If you don't mind some heaviness in your romance, whether at Christmas time or not, consider checking out this book.
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Book Review: Joy to the World
by Carolyn Miller, Amanda Barratt, & Erica Vetsch
Genre: Christmas-themed short stories, Christian historical romance
Joy to the World contains three novellas from three different authors, each in the genre of Regency romance, perfect for the Christmas season. My overall rating for the book is an average of my ratings for each story, shown below. Below the ratings are brief (as much as possible) reviews for each book.
"Heaven and Nature Sing" by Carolyn Miller – 2 / 5
"Far as the Curse Is Found" by Amanda Barratt – 5 / 5
"Wonders of His Love" by Erica Vetsch – 5 / 5
"Heaven and Nature Sing" is the tale of 2 people who were close to engagement a year past, but are now estranged and are thrust together during the holidays, which certainly allows for a romance to develop in a short time period. There's history there. But strangely, the only way the author seemed to be able to inject romance was related to kissing. Everything was about finding ways to put them under a kissing ball (mistletoe) or thrust them into some other awkward situation with physical closeness, before they'd even had a chance to try to work out their issues from the past.
Other things happened that made me dislike the characters or made me scratch my head, like Edith (female lead) allowing the other young adults to set George (male lead) up to mock propose to her, and then Edith actually blaming George for the situation! She also spends at least half of the story thinking about George and then mentally berating herself for doing that…and then she gets angry at him for saving her from a falling tree branch. I also noted a bit of dialog in which George asks Edith if she wants him to "kiss it better" in a story filled with flowery, old-fashioned language both in the dialog and surrounding it. Sadly, this story did not go over well with me.
"Far as the Curse is Found" is the tale of two very broken people, albeit in different ways, who help each other out of the darkness. The connection between them is fast, but not in an unbelievable way. I think that Jenny's background and brokenness are dealt with less than Dwight's, and if the story had been longer, I would have liked to see more of how she had to overcome the trauma she'd gone through. It's not treated frivolously, though, and she's shown to be a strong character throughout.
Dwight undergoes the largest transformation, and I really like him every step of the way. Again, things may be a bit too quick, but it was explored well in the space the author had. The curse angle is a really nice glue for the story and ties into the story's title and the book's theme very well. Other reviewers have compared this story to Beauty and the Beast, which I can't comment on, never having seen any version of it, but I can see some possible allusions. That aside, in case it's not obvious, I loved this story!
"Wonders of His Love" is the tale of a Scottish portrait painter trying to make a name for himself in England and the picture-perfect young widow that feels as displaced as he does. Cilla had married the future Duke of Haverly, who then died before he inherited the title. She's left in limbo, having practically become a servant to her very demanding and prissy mother-in-law. She reminds me a lot of me–defaulting to the a spot in the background, wondering if this will be her entire life. Even when she starts to make strides forward, she still falls back on old, "easy" habits. If the story had been novel-length, there would have been a lot more room to explore that, I think, but on the other hand, it might have started to get tiring, too.
Hamish is a different kind of character than I've read in this genre in the past (not that I have a very long history reading Regency romance), and I really liked that. I liked him in a lot of different ways, including the fact that the author didn't dwell so much on him being tall and ridiculously handsome as every romantic hero seems to be. His talent and compulsion for sketching scenes, coupled with his ability to bring out the truth of a subject, were all really interesting facets to his character. That's a lot of why I would have loved to see a particular sketch Hamish had made come to fruition, and I'm not sure if the author simply ran out of space or forgot about it.
This third story was my favorite of the three by a very slim margin. I'll admit right now, though, that what pushed it over the top was most likely the inclusion of characters from two of Erica Vetsch's other novels. As soon as I realized who the female lead in this story was, I was so excited. And sure enough, both the Haverlys from The Gentleman Spy and the Whitelocks from The Lost Lieutenant were in the story (the Haverlys moreso, which makes sense, given that Cilla is the duke's sister-in-law). Both of these books I read just recently and loved, but if you haven't read them, don't let that put you off from reading this story. You don't need to know their stories to still follow and enjoy this novella.
Final thoughts on the whole book: Overall, it's a wonderful collection of Christmas-related Regency romance stories. I do think plenty of others will like the first story, based on large differences in personal preferences, and I recommend the entire book to fans of the genres mentioned above, or even those looking for good Christian romance in general. I have a feeling I'll re-read this during a future Christmas season and will even give the first story another chance.
Thank you to Netgalley and Kregel Publications for providing me a copy of this book to review.
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