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Book a Week in 2013 - week forty nine


Robin M
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Happy Sunday, dear hearts!  Today is the start of week 49 in our quest to read 52 books in 52 weeks.  Welcome back to all our readers, to all those who are just joining in and to all who are following our progress.  Mr. Linky is all set up on the 52 Books blog to link to your reviews.  The link is below in my signature.
 
52 Books Blog - Australia or AntarcticaWe are heading into the last month of the year and if you've been doing the continental, there are two continents left.  I have been debating between being adventuresome and heading up into the cold, windy Antarctic or being lazy and hanging out on the warm, sunny beaches of Australia. Call me crazy, but I am going to be adventuresome.  Currently in my backpack is An Antarctic Mystery by Jules Verne.  We'll see what I pick up along the way.  
 
Check out the links Australia Adventure or Chillin in the Antarctic where you'll find plenty of book suggestions and links.  Rosie, our resident expert on Australia provided a list of books to check out including:
 
Robbery Under Arms
Anything by Nevil Shute
Bryce Courtenay wrote a lot of Australian novels. They make me want to jab myself in the eye, most of them, but maybe they'd be more appreciated by non-Australians. He's responsible for getting a lot of boys reading, though.
Garth Nix's trilogy- Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen for those who like fantasy
You could always download The Magic Pudding off Librivox. A children's classic, that one.
For the Term of his Natural Life  seems to be free for Kindle. It's ugly, but I think a must read for that part of Australian history. Not that I particularly recommend reading Australian history...
We of the Never-Never
For teen fiction- The Silver Brumby (There's a whole series)
Into Bullo if you like autobiographies

 

Thank you, Rosie!!!

 

What are you reading this week?

 

 

 

Link to week 48

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Finished two books this week: The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. I found this book entertaining but not quite up to the hype given by reviewers on the back cover. "Extraordinary...One of those books that makes you happy for literature." - Junot Diaz - I just didn't see it.

Perhaps I was just in a cynical mood. Still, I'd give it 4 stars.

 

The other book was Early Decision by Lacy Crawford. I really thought this was a non-fiction book when I downloaded it to my NOOK. I was about halfway through when it dawned on me that it was a fictional story based on the experiences of the author during her time as a college essay writing  coach. I would give it 3 stars.

 

Waiting for Monuments Men and Goldfinch to arrive at the library. Unfortunately my library doesn't  tell you how far down you are on the waiting list. I'm about to abandon Still Alice for being too depressing right now. It's about a woman who is diagnosed with early onset alzheimers. Currently listening to Bill Bryon's new book One Summer on Audible. It's read by the author and I always enjoy his insights.

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I finished Scenes of Clerical Life earlier this week, and then read This Fine Life: A Novel which had been lurking in a forgotten corner of my Kindle.  I've started re-reading Dandelion Wine.  For me, it qualifies as one of those books worth reading at different times on life's journey.  Next on my list: I've added another of Neal Stephenson's novels, Snow Crash, to my e-library. I bought it today after dithering a long time trying to decide between it and Reamde.  

 

2013 Reading List:

  1. A Study in Scarlet
  2. Across China on Foot
  3. Agnes Grey
  4. Anne of Avonlea
  5. Anne of the Island
  6. Becoming Jane Austen
  7. Charlotte and Feodora
  8. Clouds of Witness
  9. Cryptonomicon
  10. Evening in the Place of Reason
  11. Helena: Queen Victoria's third daugher
  12. Jane Eyre
  13. Middlemarch
  14. Night and Day
  15. Scenes of Clerical Life
  16. Shirley
  17. The Brontës: Wild Genius on the Moors
  18. The Diamond Age
  19. The Fresh & Green Table
  20. The Hound of the Baskervilles
  21. The Magician's Twin: C.S. Lewis on Science, Scientism, and Society
  22. The Nexus
  23. The Professor
  24. The Sign of the Four
  25. The Silmarillion
  26. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
  27. The Valley of Fear
  28. This Fine Life: A Novel
  29. Villette
  30. Vitamin Water
  31. Whose Body?
  32. Wuthering Heights
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Earlier this week I found myself on a "what is new and exciting" in Australian Literature type website/blog which I can't find now. :lol: One of the books being highlighted was "The Rosie Project" which I read and enjoyed a couple of weeks ago. It is a fun read by an Australian author. Takes place partially in Australia.

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I am currently reading "The Curious Case of the Clockwork Man" by Mark Hodder. Back to my sreampunk phase! ;)

 

Finished "Dark Witch" by Nora Roberts. I normally love her magical trilogy. This one was OK but really hard for me to get through. It should have been an afternoon not a carry around for days book. The story wasn't bad just not great.

 

Also read "Starting Now" by Debbie Macomber. This was another Blossom Street novel with the knitting shop. It was good. A high quality sequel where I started and never put it down.

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Finished two WWII books since I last checked in and thought both were worth reading. A Train in Winter impacted me more emotionally. In the Garden of Beasts helped me understand what was going on in Germany in the 30's. I think I've read about 10 books on this era this year--ready to dive into it with the girls in a couple of months.

 

Up next: two holds have arrived for me at the library--I hope they're not both 14-day checkouts. Carol Dweck's Mindset may be for 4 weeks (based on how long it's taken to arrive). Pretty sure The Smartest Kids in the World will be 14 days. Both are on education, both mentioned on this board if not this particular thread.

 

Still reading America and Vietnam, The Elephant and the Tiger on the treadmill.

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Stone upon Stone was a slog, but a worthwhile slog.  Here is an excerpt from the last paragraph.  (Like many paragraphs in this book, this one is almost two pages long.)

 

"...The whole world is one big language.  If you really listened carefully to it, you might even be able to hear what they were saying a century back, maybe even thousands of years ago.  Because words don't know death.  They're like see-through birds, once they've spoken they circle over us forever, it's just that we don't hear them.  Though maybe from God's heights every person's voice can be heard separately. Even what I'm saying to you now...If you leaned your ear close to the world, who knows, you might be able to hear people whispering and make out what they're thinking, what they're dreaming about, whose house a cat is purring in, whose stable a horse is neighing in, whose child is sucking at its mother's breast, whose is just being born, all that is language.  God tells people to pray in words because without words he wouldn't know one person from the next.  And people wouldn't be able to tell each other apart either if they didn't have words.  Life begins with a word and ends with words.  Because death is also just the end of words.  Start maybe from the first ones at hand, the ones that are closest to you.  Mother, home, earth.  Maybe try saying, earth.  I mean, you know what earth is.  Where do you spit?  On the earth.  You know, what you walk on, what houses are built on, what you plow.  You've done your share of plowing. Remember father teaching us to plow?  He taught us one by one, you, me, Anteck, Stasiek. Whenever one of us had barely grown taller than the plow, he'd take us with him when he went out to do the plowing.  He'd put our hands one the grips, then put his hands over ours and walk behind, like he was holding us in his arms.  You could feel his warmth at your back, his breath on your head.  And you'd  hear his words like they were coming from the sky.  Don't hold it like that, it needs to be firmer, follow the middle of the furrow, it has to go deeper when the earth is dry, when your hands get bigger you'll also be holding the reins in this hand and the whip in that one.  You'll learn, you will, you just have to be patient. Moles, they know how to dig in the earth, trees put down their roots in it, men dig trenches in wartime.  Springs rise up out of the earth and people's sweat soaks into it.  It's this earth, no other, that every person is born in.  And remember when anyone was leaving the village, they'd always take a bit of earth with them in a bundle.  Or sailors, when the land's still way far away, they say they want the earth under their feet again.  And God came down to the earth.  And when people die they're buried in the earth.  We'll be put there too.  I'm planning to have a tomb built,. Eight places, so they'll be room for all of us.  Maybe Antek and Stasiek will agree to be buried with us.  There's a saying, may the earth weigh lightly on him.  So wherever it'll be lighter for them.  They say that when a person's born, the earth is their cradle.  And all death does is lay you back down in it.  And it rocks you and rocks you till you're unborn, unconcieved, once again."

 

Imagine, through the ages, you are a farmer. A peasant.  Someone connected to the land.  And then the chess game of war comes along in which you, your family and friends are the pawns.  The land that once gave you sustenance is now a tomb.  Mysliwski captures this so completely--as well as the post-war changes.  This was challenging reading for me emotionally.  But worth every moment...

 

So this was my Thanksgiving holiday reading room in a rental cabin along a river in the Midwest:

 

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It was great to see the College Boy!  We played many rounds of Bananagrams, hiked in the snow, enjoyed the gas fireplace which kept us toasty warm.  I am about halfway through Mary Roach's Gulp and have also started reading a WWI mystery, A Bespoke Murder, by Edward Marston.

 

I hope everyone has had a lovely Thanksgiving and a happy Hanukkah.

 

Jane

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This year my goal has been to read the best of 20th Century Literature.  Since Thanksgiving week tends to be a little hairy around here, I decided to stick to the Top SciFi list since that's my preferred genre and I didn't want to wade through something cerebral and boring on such a busy week.  A few books back I read my DH's favorite book and he had another recommendation for me so I gave Neuromancer by William Gibson a try.  It was the book that inspired movies like Lawnmower Man and The Matrix, neither of which I cared for, so I should have had a hint going into this that it wasn't something that I'd enjoy, but I was trying to humor DH and it was pretty high on the SciFi list.  The whole thing gave me the impression of something a 12 year old boy would write.  Lots of "warrior women" running around in skimpy clothes, horrible slang for everything, drugs, bizarre "inside the program" sort of psychedelic trips, ninjas, the whole nine yards.  Needless to say, it was not my thing and I was glad to finish that one.  

 

To stick to my theme of SciFi books that spawned movies I read the oddly titled Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick.  Apparently this is the book that Bladerunner was based on, but I haven't seen that one so I went into this not knowing what to expect.  This one also had the technical, hopeless, dystopian world, but it also had a funny little twist that I really enjoyed!  In this book the main character is a bounty hunter who spends his time hunting down androids that have escaped back to a nuclear wasteland Earth from off world colonies.  Pretty much all of the wild animals and most of the domesticated animals have been wiped out and it's a HUGE status symbol to own one.  Caring for an animal is also a way that people prove they are not androids because it takes empathy to care for one and the the defining characteristic of androids is their lack of empathy.  So this guy's major motivation for hunting these robots down is he wants to buy a real animal.  He carries around what is essentially Kelly's Blue Book and he obsessively checks the prices on animals and wants so badly to own one.  I just found it so funny that here's this really tough, violent guy who essentially runs around murdering folks and he's so desperate to get a pet.  He even has this robot sheep to trick his neighbors into thinking he actually has a pet and there's a whole industry built around false animals.

 

 

1 - All The King's Men â€“ Robert Penn Warren                                                            27 - Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden

2 - A Stranger in a Strange Land â€“ Robert Heinlein                                                  28 - Selected Short Stories - William Faulkner
3 - A Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood                                                                  29 - 100 Years of Solitude -  Gabriel Garcia Marquez
4 - Catcher in the Rye â€“ J.D. Salinger                                                                        30 - Dune - Frank Herbert
5 - Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury                                                                              31 - Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
6 - The Grapes of Wrath â€“ John Steinbeck                                                                 32 - One Day in the Life o Ivan Desinovich -  Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
7 – Murder on the Orient Express â€“ Agatha Christie                                                 33 - Beloved - Toni Morrison
8 – The Illustrated Man â€“ Ray Bradbury                                                                     34 - Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
9 – The Great Gatsby â€“ F. Scott Fitzgerald                                                                35 - Dimanche - Irene Nemirovsky
10 – The Hiding Place â€“ Corrie Ten Boom                                                                36 - Babbitt - Sinclair Lewis 
11 – The Square Foot Garden â€“ Mel Bartholomew                                                    37 - Franny and Zooey - J.D. Salinger 
12 - Catch-22- Joseph Heller                                                                                      38 - A Death in Venice - Thomas Mann
13 - Heart of Darkness- Joseph Conrad                                                                     39 -  Sister Carrie - Theodore Drieser
14 - Partners in Crime - Agatha Christie                                                                    40 -  The Trial - Franz Kafka
15 - Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams                                            41 - The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
16 -O, Pioneers!- Willa Cather                                                                                   42 - Unbearable Lightness of Being - Milan Kundera
17 - Miss Marple - The Complete Short Story Collection - Agatha Christie               43 - Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
18 - Ringworld - Larry Niven                                                                                      44 - Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins
19 - Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man- James Joyce                                          45 - Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card
20 - Slaughterhouse Five - Kurt Vonnegut                                                                46 - Starship Troopers - Robert Heinlein
21 - To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee                                                                     47 - Animal Farm - George Orwell
22 - Game of Thrones - George R. R. Martin                                                              48 - 1984 - George Orwell
23 - The Adventures of Augie March - Saul Bellow                                                    49 - The Abolition of Man - C.S. Lewis  
24 - The War of the Worlds- H.G Wells                                                                       50 - Neuromancer - William GIbson
25 - The Girl with the Pearl Earring - Tracy Chevalier                                               51 - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep - Philip K. Dick 
26 - The Golden Ball and Other Stories - Agatha Christie
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I finished The Monuments Men today. Loved it. Great non-fiction. Highly recommended. :thumbup1:

 

 

The Monuments Men were a group of men and women from thirteen nations, most of whom volunteered for service in the newly created Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives section, or MFAA. Most had expertise as museum directors, curators, art scholars and educators, artists, architects, and archivists. Their job description was simple: to save as much of the culture of Europe as they could during combat.

 

These men not only had the vision to understand the grave threat to the greatest cultural and artistic achievements of civilization, but then joined the front lines to do something about it.

 

The Monuments Men had a mandate from President Roosevelt and the support of General Eisenhower, but no vehicles, gasoline, typewriters, or authority.

In a race against time to save the world’s greatest cultural treasures from destruction at the hands of Nazi fanatics, each man gathered scraps and hints to construct his own treasure map using records recovered from bombed cathedrals and museums, the secret notes and journals of Rose Valland, a French museum employee who secretly tracked Nazi plunder through the rail yards of Paris, and even a tip from a dentist during a root canal.

 

These unlikely heroes, mostly middle-aged family men, walked away from successful careers into the epicenter of the war, risking—and some losing—their lives. Like other members of the Greatest Generation, they embodied the courageous spirit that enabled the best of humanity to defeat the worst.

 

This is their story. Soon to be a feature film from Sony Pictures.

 

Am still working on Around the World in 80 Days and Around the World in 72 Days.

 

Am just starting The Fat Man: A Tale of North Pole Noir by Ken Harmon. :lol:  Hilarious, hard-boiled, harsh (so far, anyway). Here's the intro paragraph (or two)...

 

 

The straight dope is that you don't want to get on the Naughty List. It's my job to make sure you don't want your moniker anywhere near it. And brother, I like my job. I like it a lot. If you decide to pout, shout and cry, I'll tattoo your mug with a rock that leaves a mark and stings all winter long. Lip off to parents and teachers, and I'm the one coming down the chimney, loaded for bear. Go ahead and roll the dice with lying, cheating and pitching hissy fits. I'll be there Christmas Eve to make sure you take your lumps.

Of coal.

 

--------------------------
My Goodreads Page
My PaperbackSwap Page

My rating system:
5 = Love; 4 = Pretty awesome; 3 = Decently good; 2 = Ok; 1 = Don't bother (I shouldn't have any 1s on my list as I would ditch them before finishing)...

2013 Books Read:
Link to Books # 1 – 40 that I’ve read in 2013.

 

41. If on a winter’s night a traveler by Italo Calvino (5 stars). Challenge: Continental – Europe (Italy).

42. They Call Me Naughty Lola: Personal Ads from the London Review of Books, edited by David Rose (2.5 stars). Challenge: Continental – Europe (England).

43. The Late Mattia Pascal by Luigi Pirandello (3 stars). Challenge: Continental – Europe (Italy).

44. Stoker’s Manuscript by Royce Prouty (4 stars).

45. Captain Alatriste by Arturo Pérez-Reverte (3 stars). Challenge: Continental – Europe (Spain).

46. The Manual of Detection by Jedediah Berry (4 stars).

47. Second Person Singular by Sayed Kashua (4 stars). Challenge: Continental – Asia (Israel).

48. The Kreutzer Sonata by Leo Tolstoy (3.5 stars). Challenge: Continental – Europe/Asia (Russia).

49. The Book of the Unknown: Tales of the Thirty-Six by Jonathon Keats (3 stars).

50. Borges and the Eternal Orangutans by Luis Fernando Verissimo (5 stars). Challenge: Continental – South America (Brazil & Argentina).

 

51. The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket by Edgar Allan Poe (4 stars). Challenge: Continental – Antarctica.

52. Pym by Mat Johnson (3 stars). Challenge: Continental – Antarctica.

53. Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway (5 stars).

54. The Complete Works of Marvin K. Mooney by Christopher Higgs (5 stars).

55. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (3 stars).

56. The Shaman’s Coat: A Native History of Siberia by Anna Reid (3 stars). Challenge: Continental – Asia (Siberia).

57. In Search of Dracula: The History of Dracula and Vampires by Raymond T. McNally & Radu Florescu (4 stars). Challenge: Continental – Europe (Romania).

58. Remainder by Tom McCarthy (4 stars). Challenge: Dusty.

59. At the Mountains of Madness (radio/audio version) by H.P. Lovecraft (4 stars). Challenge: Continental – Antarctica.

60. The Flamethrowers by Rachel Kushner (5 stars).

 

61. Night of My Blood by Kofi Awoonor (3 stars). Challenge: Continental – Africa (Ghana).

62. A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny (3 stars).

63. Le Sphinx de Glaces by Jules Verne (4 stars). Challenge: Continental – Antarctica.

64. The Finno-Ugrian Vampire by Noémi Szécsi (3.5 stars). Challenge: Continental – Europe (Hungary).

65. The Ninth Life of Louis Drax by Liz Jensen (3 stars).

66. The Stress of Her Regard by Tim Powers (4 stars).

67. The Dracula Tape by Fred Saberhagen (3 stars).

68. Sweet Dreams by Michael Frayn (4 stars).

69. The Flying Creatures of Fra Angelico by Antonio Tabucchi (4 stars). Challenge: Continental – Europe (Italy; Portugal).

70. Mosquito: An Omnilingual Nosferatu Pictomunication Novel by Dan James (3 stars).

 

71. Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson (4 stars).

72. Tales of the Alhambra by Washington Irving (4 stars).

73. Off-Topic: The Story of an Internet Revolt by G.R. Reader (3stars/5 stars).

74. Plants Don’t Drink Coffee by Unai Elorriaga (4 stars). Challenge: Continental – Europe (Spain).

75. The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History by Robert M. Edsel (5 stars).

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Earlier this week I found myself on a "what is new and exciting" in Australian Literature type website/blog which I can't find now. :lol: One of the books being highlighted was "The Rosie Project" which I read and enjoyed a couple of weeks ago. It is a fun read by an Australian author. Takes place partially in Australia.

 

The think "The Rosie Project" is a very appropriate name for an Australian reading challenge :smilielol5:

 

 

I've been binge listening to Endymion, the 3rd book in the sci-fi Hyperion tetralogy by Dan Simmons.  It isn't nearly as good as the the first book.  The plot is very basic, the characters not terribly smart or complex, and yet it is an enjoyable compelling listen -- a nice companion to walks with the dog or drives around town.

 

Paisley Hedgehog pointed out a Kindle deal on Mary Stewart's Arthurian series that I had loved as a teen, and I'm happy to find that the Crystal Cave is as enjoyable now as it was almost 40 years ago!  I don't know if it is her writing or sheer nostalgia, but it pushes all the right buttons for me.

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Robin, still sending many :grouphug: .

52 Books Blog - Australia or Antarctica: We are heading into the last month of the year and if you've been doing the continental, there are two continents left. I have been debating between being adventuresome and heading up into the cold, windy Antarctic or being lazy and hanging out on the warm, sunny beaches of Australia. Call me crazy, but I am going to be adventuresome. Currently in my backpack is An Antarctic Mystery by Jules Verne. We'll see what I pick up along the way.

 

Check out the links Australia Adventure or Chillin in the Antarctic where you'll find plenty of book suggestions and links. Rosie, our resident expert on Australia provided a list of books to check out including:

Thanks for the links, as always. I may be starting Walkabout by James Vance Marshall this week for one of my Australia reads.

Finished two books this week: The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. I found this book entertaining but not quite up to the hype given by reviewers on the back cover. "Extraordinary...One of those books that makes you happy for literature." - Junot Diaz - I just didn't see it.

Perhaps I was just in a cynical mood. Still, I'd give it 4 stars.

 

...

 

Waiting for Monuments Men and Goldfinch to arrive at the library. Unfortunately my library doesn't tell you how far down you are on the waiting list. I'm about to abandon Still Alice for being too depressing right now. It's about a woman who is diagnosed with early onset alzheimers. Currently listening to Bill Bryon's new book One Summer on Audible. It's read by the author and I always enjoy his insights.

I've had similar feelings about books sometimes -- somewhat of a letdown after all the hype. :glare:

 

I think you'll really enjoy The Monuments Men. I'm still waiting on The Goldfinch from my library. Saw my sil this week & she said she plowed through The Goldfinch in 2 days (while neglecting everything else in life) & that she totally loved it.

I am *really* not an expert on Australian Lit. :svengo:

Earlier this week I found myself on a "what is new and exciting" in Australian Literature type website/blog which I can't find now. :lol: One of the books being highlighted was "The Rosie Project" which I read and enjoyed a couple of weeks ago. It is a fun read by an Australian author. Takes place partially in Australia.

I think we need to start a chant....

 

Rosie! Rosie! Rosie!

 

:D

I am currently reading "The Curious Case of the Clockwork Man" by Mark Hodder. Back to my sreampunk phase! ;)

Ah! My favorite steampunk series!

 

I tossed aside all my other reading Friday and dove into an incredible, amazing book... but it isn't published yet, and won't be until, maybe, the summer of 2015... It is by Jo Walton (whose books I have recommended fervently and frequently), and it is the second in a pair of books about group of folks collected by Athena to try to create Plato's just city. I felt as if I had won the lottery when I was selected as a beta reader - the only catch was that I read it before reading the first one. (But the reward is that I get to read the first one now, too, before it is published!). It is intelligent, fascinating, moving, and just brilliant. I don't think it replaces Tooth and Claw as my favorite Walton, but I love it already, and know I will reread it often. ...it also makes me want to revisit Plato! Next year. Next year.

ETA: Sorry, the title is The Philosopher Kings (the first book is, logically enough, The Just City)

 

The other stand-out, go-read-this-right-now, treasure of the week was Ransom by David Malouf (bonus prize: he's an Australian writer!) This book is a treasure. The prose is delectable, exquisite, *perfect*. It manages to take the Achilles and Priam bit of the Iliad an make it a quiet, reflective, mesmerizing story. Highly recommended. I intend to read more Malouf... though I can't imagine they could live up to this masterpiece.

...

 

Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto: The titular novella and its companion story deal with grief and loss, but are positive, even at times, light hearted stories. A little odd, but engaging and sweet.

 

...

 

Plants Don't Drink Coffee by Basque writer Unai Elorriaga: Thank you, Stacia! This is a odd, intriguing, delightful little book.

...

 

On Goodreads, I tripped across an Around the World in 52 books group, and wondered how many countries I've 'visited' (by my personal rule that the author be from that country), and I'm at 47... with three or four more countries at least in my current stacks! I'm thinking about trying to get to 52... and then, maybe trying the 80 countries challenge for next year.

Will have to look for Malouf's & Walton's books....

 

I read Kitchen a couple of years ago & think I felt similarly about it.

 

Glad you enjoyed Plants Don't Drink Coffee.

 

Which countries? I love to see lists, lol.

Stone upon Stone was a slog, but a worthwhile slog. Here is an excerpt from the last paragraph. (Like many paragraphs in this book, this one is almost two pages long.)

 

Imagine, through the ages, you are a farmer. A peasant. Someone connected to the land. And then the chess game of war comes along in which you, your family and friends are the pawns. The land that once gave you sustenance is now a tomb. Myskiwski captures this so completely--as well as the post-war changes. This was challenging reading for me emotionally. But worth every moment...

 

So this was my Thanksgiving holiday reading room in a rental cabin along a river in the Midwest:

 

It was great to see the College Boy! We played many rounds of Bananagrams, hiked in the snow, enjoyed the gas fireplace which kept us toasty warm. I am about halfway through Mary Roach's Gulp and have also started reading a WWI mystery, A Bespoke Murder, by Edward Marston.

 

I hope everyone has had a lovely Thanksgiving and a happy Hanukkah.

Stone Upon Stone sounds good, but deep & harrowing.

 

Looks like you had a wonderful Thanksgiving reading room. How beautiful. Love the snow & the snuggly fireplace!

 

How is Gulp?

 

And, echoing what you've already said: Hope all my BaW friends had a peaceful Thanksgiving. Also, Happy Hanukkah! :grouphug:

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That cabin looks wonderful!  How warm and cozy.

 

I finished purge this week.  I'm still absorbing and pondering this one.  It was an amazing book.  Thats all I have on that one for now.

  

Today, I finished the second book in James Patterson's Womens Murder Club series.  Total fluff, but I enjoyed it :)  Next up is Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian and Law of Similars by the same author.

 
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The think "The Rosie Project" is a very appropriate name for an Australian reading challenge :smilielol5:

 

I concur!

 

I've continued my pleasure reading with two more of Maya Banks' historical romances.  Both were fun reads.

 

Never Love a Highlander (McCabe Trilogy)

and

Seduction of a Highland Lass (McCabe Trilogy)

 

I've almost finished

 

Highlander Most Wanted (Montgomerys and Armstrongs)

 

and I think I'm very ready to get away from Scotland!

 

Regards,

Kareni

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It was great to see the College Boy! 

Jane, that cabin looks absolutely lovely. :)

 

It took me a few weeks to finish reading The Winter of the World. It was over 800 pages, so not very surprising, plus how busy I've been lately. I love almost all of Ken Follett's boks and this one was no exception. This is the second in a trilogy and I can't wait to read the third. 4 Stars - I would have given it 5, but it just dragged on for me a bit towards the end and some of the very technical scenes got a bit boring. 

 

9780230710108.jpg

 

ove this image - Friday Nights by Deborah DeWit. Absolute bliss. :)

 

 

 

 

MY RATING SYSTEM

5 Stars

Fantastic, couldn't put it down

4 Stars

Really Good

3 Stars

Enjoyable

2 Stars

Just Okay – nothing to write home about

1 Star

Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

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Looks like you had a wonderful Thanksgiving reading room. How beautiful. Love the snow & the snuggly fireplace!

 

How is Gulp?

 

 

Mary Roach is a fine writer although I do think she has too many sophomoric moments.  After I while I find that I need to avoid her footnotes and parenthetical comments.  That said, some of her puns and wry observations are magnificent!

Jane, that cabin looks absolutely lovely. :)

 

It was lovely!  Here is a photo of a tromp through the snow on one of the hiking trails in the park:

 

11140806996_f53676f3ec.jpg

 

Snow is quite the novelty for us now although I grew up with it.

 

BaWs!  Did you see that an author responded to a previous discussion?

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Jane, Your Thanksgiving pictures are lovely! I grew up in Northern Michigan so it looks like home. I am glad you had a great time visiting ds.

 

I did just look at your author response link. Let me just say I am a bit embarrassed about him reading my green rose lacking romance comment, I wish I had skipped it. I hope he read the rest of the thread to see how it all started.

 

By the way my viridian color challenge book still has a place of honor in my stack. I am hoping to get many of them read and start the New Year fresh.

 

 

 

It was lovely!  Here is a photo of a tromp through the snow on one of the hiking trails in the park:

 

11140806996_f53676f3ec.jpg

 

Snow is quite the novelty for us now although I grew up with it.

 

BaWs!  Did you see that an author responded to a previous discussion?

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A list for Jane & all other foodies on the thread...

 

http://flavorwire.com/426164/50-essential-novels-for-foodies/view-all/

 

Thanks Stacia.  I added a couple of titles to my library list and was of course irritated that several are not on the shelves there.  Typical.

 

I chuckled to see Redwall on the list and was reminded of the boxes of Harry Potter Honeydukes sweets that we made for Christmas gifts many years ago.  We did things like molding insect shaped chocolates with smashed up peppermint bits inside.  Great fun!

 

I think one of my 2014 5/5/5 challenges will be "food novels"!

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This is one of my absolute favorite series!  Make sure that you read them in order if possible so you get the arc.  Here is the list at the author's website (they are in publishing order with the most recent first, so start at the bottom of the page and work up).  I accidentally started with the fourth book not realizing it was a series and had some pretty BIG spoiler moments.  Oh well.  It's still great

 

 

 

I've never heard of this author, but her latest book, The Bones of Paris, was on the new books shelf at the library. Since you recommended her first one, I went ahead and checked out Beekeeper's Apprentice as well. I also picked up Masterminds and Wingmen which is the boys' version of Queen Bees and Wannabees.

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This is one of my absolute favorite series!  Make sure that you read them in order if possible so you get the arc.  Here is the list at the author's website (they are in publishing order with the most recent first, so start at the bottom of the page and work up).  I accidentally started with the fourth book not realizing it was a series and had some pretty BIG spoiler moments.  Oh well.  It's still great

 

 .  

I had checked out the author's website (thanks for the link, though) and have the next few on hold.  I am looking forward to reading these books over Christmas.

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Finished two novels this week:

 

#73 The Keeper of the Door, by Ethel M. Dell.  The second book I've read by this author.  Loved it!  Would like to read others as I locate them.  Are not in the local public libraries and not on kindle.  Scoured a used book store this weekend to no avail; however, learned from the proprietor that her stories have been rewritten and updated and are part of a Barbara Cartland series.  I've never read Cartland, so don't know how the authors/writing compare.  I DO know that I do NOT wish to read the rewritten versions.  I totally enjoyed *old-style* writing, vocabulary, etc.  What a treat!

 

#74 Fifteen Minutes, by Karen Kingsbury.  Christian fiction and typical Kingsbury.  Enjoyable.

 

Am currently reading a used book store find:

 

#75 Writing is My Drink:  A Writer's Story of Finding Her Voice (and a Guide to How You Can Too), by Theo Pauline Nestor.  This is a pre-publisher's copy, so the uncorrected typos are glaring; however, the content so far (introduction and first two chapters) is worth it.  Don't have the book with me right now, but two things I remember are that the author said you have to *trust* yourself when it comes to writing, and, still talking about trust and faith in your writing, you need to write like a child and edit/revise like a grown up.

 

Came upon this *story* from a local online publication.  Thought I'd share it . . .  

 

WOMEN WHO READ

 

One morning a husband returns after several hours of fishing and decides to take a nap. Although not familiar with the lake, the wife decides to take the boat out. 

 

She motors out a short distance, anchors, and reads her book.

 

Along comes a Game Warden in his boat. He pulls up alongside the woman and says, " Good morning, Ma'am. What are you doing?"

"Reading a book," she replies, (thinking, "Isn't that obvious?")


"You're in a Restricted Fishing Area," he informs her.

"I'm sorry, officer, but I'm not fishing. I'm reading.""Yes, but you have all the equipment. For all I know you could start at any moment. I'll have to take you in and write you up."

"For reading a book," she replies.

 

"You're in a Restricted Fishing Area," he informs her again.

"I'm sorry, officer, but I'm not fishing. I'm reading."

 

"Yes, but you have all the equipment. For all I know you could start at any moment. I'll have to take you in and write you up."

"If you do that, I'll have to charge you with sexual assault," says the woman.

 

"But I haven't even touched you," says the game warden.


"That's true, but you have all the equipment. For all I know you could start at any moment."

"Have a nice day ma'am," and he left.

MORAL:  Never argue with a woman who reads.  It's likely she can also think.

 

Sure God created man before woman. But then you always make a rough draft before the final masterpiece.

 

 ~Author Unknown 

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Eliana -- Your comment about "Among Others" was very interesting. It is the only Jo Walton that I have tried to read and I just could not slog through it. I have wondered what I was missing about it since she is a favourite of many. Will try the farthing series in the new year.

 

I go to the library and ask where I am on the reserve lists. I must drive them nuts! ;) Although I think they are currently wondering why we have very little on reserve. :lol: My little library recently published it's statistics and I added up what I know we checked out etc. and our visits and volume are measurable. I found that amazing. The council is closing branches and our library has only remained open due to the fact that the building was donated over a hundred years ago for one purpose -- library.

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I am trying not to place any more hold this year - but I've added this to my library list....  you've really inspired me to venture off into (to me) foreign territory this year, thank you!

 

 

I shall look forward to your comments on Stone Upon Stone.  Admittedly the writing style (rambling sentences, stream of consciousness) is problematic for me--which is why I also have a hard time reading Faulkner and Joyce. 

 

Thank you for always inspiring us on this thread!

 

Side note:  what has happened to dear Violet Crown?

 

Jane

 

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We were on vacation last week.  I got a ebook from the library to take with me, Darkness, My Old Friend, by Lisa Unger.  So far, it's a bit slow, but not bad.  I was very disappointed in the Grisham book, and I still wanted to read a good mystery, so I started searching for something I might like that the library had for Kindle.  

 

We listened to another Terry Pratchett book in the van, Making Money.  His books are fun and well written.  NIce for a long ride.  My ds11 requested another Pratchett book.  He's not into reading so I love to get whatever he's interested in.  

 

I believe I may buy Goldfinch when I'm done my current book. 

 

 

And  :grouphug: , Robin

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TOtally off topic, but I'm sure some of you will understand.  I'm giddy with delight.  My teenage daughter dislikes reading.  As a matter of fact, there is little she dislikes MORE than reading.  I am constantly throwing books her way only to find them unread or unfinished.  HOWEVER, I caved and gave her the first book in the Lunar Chronicles (I know, I know NOT a literary masterpiece) by Marissa Meyer.  The first 2 books are 300-400 pages if I remember correctly.  Its sci fi spin on fairy tales.  She read both books in 3 weeks.  THREE WEEKS!  She keeps saying things like, "Hey Mom, do you ever talk to your books"?  or" Mom, my heart was beating when Cinder did that".  Music to my ears.  She is eagerly waiting for the new book to come out in Feb.  My challenge now is to KEEP her reading until then.   Anyway, just a cute story that melts my heart, haha!!

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For all of you interested in The Goldfinch, it is a Kindle Daily deal today (Tuesday) for $2.99.   I paid 7.99 yesterday   :glare:

 

Call Kindle Customer Service. Not Amazon CS, but Kindle. Tell them, and they just might give you a credit. They do stuff like that. You could also return it. Amazon allows you to return a Kindle book within 7 days for ANY reason. No questions asked. Then you could buy it at the sale price.

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I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I finally finished The Jesus Wars, which I give between 3 & 3.5 stars. Not bad, but too much stuff crammed into a book this size & too much jumping around for someone fairly new to all of the names, etc. I also watched The Wizard of Oz, so reread the first two books for the first time since I was quite young, and was rather disappointed. I have all of them out, but doubt I can read them, so started a y/a my middle dc read called Eve, which is nothing stellar but not terrible either. Another dystopian novel, and while it has some interesting things once again the strategy to repopulate is incredibly idiotic & illogical, although I suppose to a teen it might be somewhat more plausible. I have another church history book I ordered from the virtual catalogue that was recommended by someone I know who has studied this a great deal more than I have (the person I heard about the other book on this I read this fall that was significantly better than the one I just read.)

 

That's 87 books so far, at least that I remembered to put on my list.

 

Happy reading, and, sadly, I'm on the run as Tues is a busy day, but wanted to stop in to see how everyone is doing :).

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I finally finished Don Quixote last week. Then I read Beowulf and Romeo and Juliet.

 

It's been so long since I read Romeo and Juliet, and it was so poorly taught at my high school, that it was as good as reading it for the first time. My favorite part was when Juliet was talking to her mother after Tybalt was killed. Shakespeare's  -- dead -- made me think of Emily Dickinson's -- doors --, especially with death being a kind of door.

 

Juliet: 

 

Indeed, I never shall be satisfied

With Romeo, till I behold him --dead--

Is my poor heart for a kinsman vex'd.

 

Dickinson:

 

I dwell in Possibility --

A fairer house than Prose --

More numerous of Windows --

Superior -- for Doors --

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Just dragging through some things. 


 


Finished the testimony/memoir Surprised by Oxford. Loved the quotations and the college feel. For some reason though, the rest fell flat to me. It was someone's story--so it's important--but it seemed very ordinary to me? There was nothing surprising, or intriguing. Perhaps it's just me and my mood. 


 


I bought Wool on the Kindle because I thought dh would like it, and he burned through it. He's reading a lot faster than I am right now, which is funny. He liked it, but wasn't overwhelmed. I liked the female engineer main character, he did a great job building up the unknown, and the pacing was usually fast, but the ending as so rushed I didn't really believe it and that frustrated me.


 


While I was finishing Wool, dh read through Let Me In by John Ajvide Lindqvist. It's a Swedish horror/thriller/love story? that the movie Let the Right One In is based on. Vampires.  And there's bullying, pedophilia, and injury to a child. It's pretty deftly written though. The author manages to make a large cast of characters believable, modestly sympathetic (even the pedophile), and brings up some interesting (but unstated) questions about gender and love/companionship/need. I still have a hundred pages or so to go, but it would be worth a spooky October read in a 'Thomas Harris with deeper post-modern themes' kind of way. The movie was good too (although it only hints at the tougher aspects of the book and focuses on the vampire/young love). Dh is reading one of Lindqvist's books of short stories right now, and he/we are not really horror fans. 


 


 


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I finished two books both of which I enjoyed.

 

Celtic Moon (Celtic Wolves) by Jan DeLima

"Sophie Thibodeau has been on the run from the father of her son for more than fifteen years. Now her son, Joshua, is changing, and her greatest fears are about to be realized. He’s going to end up being just like his father—a man who can change into a wolf.
 
Dylan Black has been hunting for Sophie since the night she ran from him—an obsession he cannot afford in the midst of an impending war. Dylan controls Rhuddin Village, an isolated town in Maine where he lives with an ancient Celtic tribe. One of the few of his clan who can still shift into a wolf, he must protect his people from the Guardians, vicious warriors who seek to destroy them.
 
When Sophie and Dylan come together for the sake of their son, their reunion reignites the fierce passion they once shared. For the first time in years, Dylan’s lost family is within his grasp. But will he lose them all over again? Are Joshua and Sophie strong enough to fight alongside Dylan in battle? Nothing less than the fate of his tribe depends on it…"

 

This is the first in a new paranormal fantasy series (by a new author, I believe).  There's a Celtic mythology basis to the book.

 

I also finished

The Luckiest Lady in London by Sherry Thomas

 

"Felix Rivendale, the Marquess of Wrenworth, is The Ideal Gentleman, a man all men want to be and all women want to possess. Even Felix himself almost believes this golden image. But underneath is a damaged soul soothed only by public adulation.

Louisa Cantwell needs to marry well to support her sisters. She does not, however, want Lord Wrenworth—though he seems inexplicably interested in her. She mistrusts his outward perfection, and the praise he garners everywhere he goes. Still, when he is the only man to propose at the end of the London season, she reluctantly accepts.

Louisa does not understand her husband’s mysterious purposes, but she cannot deny the pleasure her body takes in his touch. Nor can she deny the pull this magnetic man exerts upon her. But does she dare to fall in love with a man so full of dark secrets, any one of which could devastate her, if she were to get any closer?"

 

It was an enjoyable historical romance.

 

Regards,

Kareni

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Just dragging through some things. 

 

Finished the testimony/memoir Surprised by Oxford. Loved the quotations and the college feel. For some reason though, the rest fell flat to me. It was someone's story--so it's important--but it seemed very ordinary to me? There was nothing surprising, or intriguing. Perhaps it's just me and my mood. 

 

 

 

 

I'm sorry you found it flat.  I thought the writing was sparkling and energetic (I couldn't put it down), reminded me of a young L'Engle. I particularly enjoyed how the Christian community surrounded and cared for this new, young believer.  I suppose I like the ordinaryness of it too, not grand flashes or wondrous signs but God's Word and God's people loving someone - how most of us enter the Kingdom.  

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Eliana's text:

 

Frederica is delightful!

 

imho, yes, stay far away from them. The prose is turgid, leaden, and dull, the characters completely unengaging... they aren't Heyer-like at all. I love history and (well done) historical fiction and I can enjoy some fluffy historical fiction, but these are neither interesting nor fun.

 

The Infamous Army is the only tolerable one of the lot (it slogs rather a bit and suffers by being sort of a sequel to Devil's Cub & These Old Shades, but it is recognizably Heyer, though not at all at her best.

 

The other Heyer I actively dis-recommend is Cousin Kate - pseudo Gothic, but unlike her other attempts at this, it is squicky and unconvincing.

 

..well, and Penhallow. She thought it would be her serious literary work that would be what she'd be remembered by....

 

I haven't tried her mysteries, or her contemporary novels (the latter have some less than flattering reviews).

 

ETA: In case this all sounds too discouraging, when Heyer is good, she is a delight

 

Dawn's reply:

 

Frederica is one of those that makes me think I could read more than two at a time, it's very good - in spite of the stock characters. I have to admit that I lose track of which title goes to which story, though sometimes. Lots of people love The Grand Sophy, but it isn't my favorite ... I never liked Sophy all that much. I liked Sylvester, The Masqueraders, and Regency Buck.

 

I inherited all my Heyer books from my mom. She had 28 of them (all paperback, reprints, some falling apart) I've read most of the romances, none of the histories, and the one of the two mysteries (Envious Casca) which I enjoyed well enough ... I do like murder mysteries. My library has none, so I'm restricted to what I own.

 

ETA: When I found the books I asked the Hive about them here.

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It was lovely!  Here is a photo of a tromp through the snow on one of the hiking trails in the park:

 

11140806996_f53676f3ec.jpg

 

Snow is quite the novelty for us now although I grew up with it.

 

BaWs!  Did you see that an author responded to a previous discussion?

 

Greetings BaW'ers.  I am so relieved to have the first holiday under our belts  (drama filled here, and not in a good way  :glare: ) and am determined to have a restful -- not stressful -- December.

 

 

Wow.  I guess we should be careful about panning books.  

 

:grouphug:   The author was actually quite gracious and actually made me want to check out his other stories.  I don't think we need to worry about censoring ourselves.  The best think about this group is the honest opinions about our reads. 

 

 

 

Eliana asked (quote thing messed up)

 

Oh, yes, (((Robin))) How is your dad holding up?   (...and you?)

 

 

 

 

My dad is keeping himself extremely busy, then dropping exhausted into bed at night. We are talking two or three times a day and I'm helping him with estate paperwork.  So hard not being there with him, but he's become pretty self sufficient after taking care of mom these past two years.   He had a meltdown today, destroyed his copy/fax machine, then called me, I talked him into going outside, to sit down on the patio and stare at the mountains for a few minutes and just breath.   He felt better this afternoon after we got extra paperwork accomplished. My aunt will be arriving on Thursday which is a relief, because he should be receiving mom's ashes on Friday and I really, really didn't want him to be alone then.    I'm doing fine - just tired.  James is more than happy to let me off the hook with teaching lessons  which he got away with today.   :lol:   Little does he realize it means we have to double up tomorrow to catch up. 

 

I finished reading Devil Colony which turned into a great escapist thriller and now I can't make up my mind what I want to read.  Needs to be fluffy and entertaining, take me away calgon, read.  Off to peruse the shelves.   

 

:grouphug:

 

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Finished another "meh" mystery.  I love series, particularly when I am engaged with the detective in some fashion.  But a good mystery series is hard to find despite their ubiquitous presence on the shelves.  I had hoped to be charmed by Edward Marston's "Home Front" detective story set during WWI.  Perhaps the author was too occupied with creating the setting and developing the characters so that the mystery became forced.  Marston has written bunches of historical mysteries but I don't think I will be tempted to read any others since A Bespoke Murder fell flat.

 

Still reading Gulp which is not a book to digest quickly--if one pardons the pun.

 

I started 2013 with Jane Harris's novel Gillespie and I.  It seems like a good idea to end the year with her first novel, The Observations.  Hallelujah!  I have pulled myself out of WWII!!!

 

 

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Started Reading:

Good News of Great Joy by John Piper

 

 

Still Reading:

The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley

Faithful Women and their Extraordinary God by Noel Piper

Smart but Scattered Teens: The "Executive Skills" Program for Helping Teens Reach Their Potential by Richard Guare

The Collected Writings (So Far) of Rick Wormeli: Crazy Good Stuff I've Learned about Teaching by Rick Wormeli

 

 

Finished:

51. And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

50. Big, Dead Place: Inside the Strange and Menacing World of Antarctica by Nicholas Johnson

49. God is Red: The Secret Story of How Christianity Survived and Flourished in Communist China by Liao Yiwu

48. Allegiant by Veronica Roth

47. The Mountain Between Us by Charles Martin

46. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

45. Stealing Rembrandts: The Untold Stories of Notorious Art Heists by Anthony Amore (American Author, DD class 700)

44. The Gospel's Power and Message by Paul Washer (American author, DD class 200)

43. They Say/I Say: The Moves That Matter in Persuasive Writing by Gerald Graff (American author, DD class 400)

42. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson (American author, DD class 800)

41. Mariana by Susanna Kearsley (Canadian author, DD class 800)

40. Man Seeks God: My Flirtations with the Divine by Eric Weiner (American author, DD class 200)

39. When I Don't Desire God: How to Fight for Joy by John Piper (American author, DD class 200)

38. Inferno by Dan Brown (American author, DD class 800)

37. That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo (American author, DD class 800)

36. The God Who is There: Finding Your Place in God's Story by D.A. Carson (Canadian author, DD class 200)

35. Sandstorm by James Rollins (American author, DD class 800)

34. Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel (Mexican Author, DD class 800)

33. The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific by J. Maarten Troost (Dutch Author, DD class 900)

32. Bill Bryson's African Diary by Bill Bryson (American author, DD class 900)

31. The Millionaires by Brad Meltzer (American author, DD class 800)

30. Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter (American author, DD class 800)

29.The Sherlockian by Graham Moore (American author, DD class 800)

28. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (American authors, DD class 800)

27. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson (American author, DD class 900)

26. The Last Camellia by Sarah Jio (American author, DD class 800)

25. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (Ethiopian author, DD class 800)

24. Having Hard Conversations by Jennifer Abrams (American author, DD class 300)

23.The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe (American author, DD class 600)

22. The Infernal Devices #3: The Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare (American author, DD class 800)

21. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (American author, DD class 800)

20. Why Revival Tarries by Leonard Ravenhill (British author, DD class 200)

19. The Infernal Devices #2: Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare (American author, DD class 800)

18. The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (American author, DD class 800)

17. God's Big Picture: Tracing the Story-Line of the Bible by Vaughan Roberts (British author, DD class 200)

16.The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag: A Flavia de Luce Mystery by Alan Bradley (Canadian Author, DD Class 800)

15.The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World by Eric Weiner (American author, DD class 900)

14. Prodigy by Marie Lu (Chinese author, DD class 800)

13. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand (American author, DD class 900)

12. The Disappearing Spoon: And Other Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements by Sam Kean (American author, DD class 500)

11. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures by Anne Fadiman (American Author, DD class 600)

10. A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World by Paul Miller (American author, DD class 200)

9. Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick (American author, DD class 300)

8. Ordering Your Private World by Gordon MacDonald (American author, DD class 100)

7. The Bungalow by Sarah Jio (American author, DD class 800)

6. The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen (American author, DD class 800)

5. Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen (American author, DD class 800)

4. The Next Story: Life and Faith After the Digital Explosion by Tim Challies (Canadian author, DD class 600)

3. The House at Riverton by Kate Morton (Australian author, DD class 800)

2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (English author, DD class 800)

1. The Dark Monk: A Hangman's Daughter Tale by Oliver Potzsch (German author, DD class 800)

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Yesterday I read with pleasure  The Chocolate Heart (Amour et Chocolat) by Laura Florand.

 

"No one hates Paris - except Summer Corey. The moody winters. The artists and their ennui. The inescapable shadow of the Tour Eiffel. But things go from bad to worse when Summer stumbles into brooding, gorgeous chef patissier Luc Leroi and indecently propositions the hero of French cuisine...Luc has scrambled up from a childhood panhandling in the Paris Metro to become the king of his city, and he has no patience for this spoiled princess, even if she does now own his restaurant. Who cares if she smiles with all the warmth of July? She doesn't eat dessert! There is only one way to tempt her. A perfect, impossibly sweet seduction..."

 

I believe it's the fifth book in the series.  It can stand alone, however, characters from the previous books do make appearances, and it's good to have read their own stories first.

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

 

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