Robin M Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Happy Sunday, my lovelies! Today is the start of week 34 in our quest to read 52 Books. 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 - Flufferton Abbey: Here you go Amy - Thank you for the phrase and suggestion. One genre I didn't mention last week is the Regency Romance period which flourished between 1811 to 1820's during the shift from the aristocratic Age of Enlightenment to the artistic movement of Romanticism. Since the period overlapped the Napoleonic wars, writers expanded on themes of the drama of wounded soldiers, mystery, adventure and of course, romance. Regency romances are light and fluffy reads and since most are set in England, hence the term Flufferton Abbey. The queen of the Regency Romance is undoubtedly Georgette Heyer. Although Jane Austen lived and wrote her books during the 1800's, Heyer created the Regency England genre of romance novels. Back when I was a teen in the 70's, Harlequin romances and historical romances were my favorite reads and I actually still have a few in my shelves, all yellowed and well read. Authors to check out, besides Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer, are Julie Quinn, Mary Balogh, and Loretta Chase to name a few. Be sure to peruse Goodreads list of Popular Regency books. And we can't forget the classic authors whose best known works were written during the Regency period: Percy Bysshe Shelley and Sir Walter Scott as well as poets Lord Byron, William Blake and John Keats. Join me in flufferton abbey this month and read a book from the regency era. History of the Ancient World: Chapters 40 and 41 What are you reading this week? Link to week 33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted August 17, 2014 Author Share Posted August 17, 2014 Continuing my reread J.D. Robb's In Death series and currently on Loyalty in Death while in the midst of working on 9th grade plans and writing silly stream of consciousness sentences for my online writing class plus going down memory lane, culling ideas for future stories for Method and Madness writing study class. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Robyn Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 I finished Oliver Twist and the Holy Bible and I'm now relaxing with Ray Bradbury's The Illustrated Man and Jim Butcher's Fool Moon (The Dresden Files #2). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Yesterday while perusing the used books for sale at a local thrift store I came across what is the oldest book I've ever handled; it was one volume of the History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides dated 1830. It's hard to believe this book was printed some 184 years ago. I could have purchased it for a whopping $2.50; however, the book was in sad condition and its brethren were missing. I've posted my first ever pictures to the board to share with you. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uff Da! Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Ack! I can't see the thumbnails but that might be my temperamental computer. I'm reading "I Capture the Castle" and am loving it. I love to laugh when reading and this is perfect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 I finished Immitation in Death by J. D. Robb which was my audio book. Today I also started and finished Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen which really hit that Downton Abbey spot I was looking for the other week. It was a jolly romp through London society between the wars. I've also started the next book in the series A Royal Pain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Very cool, Kareni! I'm still working on my color-coordinated books. Guess I'm doing Garanimals-level reading this week. :lol: And, btw, Evel, though he may be fun to read about, seems like he was (often) a pretty big jerk irl. Which brings me back to the biography (of sorts) I read last week about Martin Guerre. What would be interesting to know, imo, about Martin Guerre is that if the wife did know the imposter was indeed an imposter, did she like him better than her actual husband? Was she happier with the imposter or with her actual husband once he returned? I know it was speculation on the author's part, but she seems to have painted the picture that the imposter was a nicer guy w/ the real Martin Guerre being more stringent & hardline. I am left wondering how the wife felt about all that.... Alas, I guess history will never know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Currently reading The Bookman's Tale by Charlie Lovett. I know Jenn read it but can't remember if she ended up liking it or not. I am just starting out but so far am enjoying the current time period parts quite a bit and the Tudor Shakespeare parts not so much. It is my kindle read so I have set it aside until night time. I have also set aside Treachery by SJ Parris because it is also set in Tudor times with close to duplicate characters. It will only cause confusion. Therefore I started Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. So far not as good as the Husband's Secret but entertaining. Someone died and I keep reading to figure out who. I managed a few chapters of HotAW. Not caught up but I am hopeful that I will be soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Since I messed up and double posted I can't quote in my edit. I have Her Royal Spyness in my stack also. Glad to hear you enjoyed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Oh I'm all a flutter today. I can't believe Robin mentioned me by name in the thread introduction. Eek. (Obviously I don't get out much but still - I'm quite flattered. :blushing: ) Yesterday while perusing the used books for sale at a local thrift store I came across what is the oldest book I've ever handled; it was one volume of the History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides dated 1830. It's hard to believe this book was printed some 184 years ago. I could have purchased it for a whopping $2.50; however, the book was in sad condition and its brethren were missing. I've posted my first ever pictures to the board to share with you. Regards, Kareni That's so cool. Think about how much history that book has seen. Civil War, WWI, Women's Suffrage, WWII, and countless births/deaths/love affairs. The stories it could tell ... Very cool, Kareni! I'm still working on my color-coordinated books. Guess I'm doing Garanimals-level reading this week. :lol: And, btw, Evel, though he may be fun to read about, seems like he was (often) a pretty big jerk irl. Which brings me back to the biography (of sorts) I read last week about Martin Guerre. What would be interesting to know, imo, about Martin Guerre is that if the wife did know the imposter was indeed an imposter, did she like him better than her actual husband? Was she happier with the imposter or with her actual husband once he returned? I know it was speculation on the author's part, but she seems to have painted the picture that the imposter was a nicer guy w/ the real Martin Guerre being more stringent & hardline. I am left wondering how the wife felt about all that.... Alas, I guess history will never know. Garaminals ... love it! :lol: I'm always a little hesitant to read biographies of people I like because I'm concerned that once I really know more about them I'll think they're big jerks. I don't think it will happen but I've been putting off reading an Agatha Christie biography for years because of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim in Appalachia Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Last week we listened to Eoin Colfer's book, The Supernaturalist. We all loved his Artemis Fowl series, but this book was not as good. The kids thought it was fun. It held their attention during the 9 hour van ride. But my dh and I were not as impressed. The writing was good, but everything else felt over done. Not his best, but at least the kids enjoyed it. I started reading Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage. Loving it. It's classic Murakami; all of his elements are there. I already want to reread it and I'm just halfway through. I wish I had a copy of that Litsz piece, but YouTube has been helping out with that. :) Hope you enjoy the book, Stacia! I'm on part 4 of A Signature of All Things. I'm enjoying listening to it. Definitely not my normal type of book, but it has been good company on my runs. Though when you get to a part that makes you tear up it can be hard to run. I was trying to do speedwork when Alma was telling Prudence about their father's will (won't say more, don't want to spoil it for anyone). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 I finished Immitation in Death by J. D. Robb which was my audio book. Today I also started and finished Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen which really hit that Downton Abbey spot I was looking for the other week. It was a jolly romp through London society between the wars. I've also started the next book in the series A Royal Pain. Are there any adult topics/scenes in Her Royal Spyness? It sounds like something DD might enjoy. My full-time job is keeping that kid in books. By last count she has listened to 25 separate audio books since June 1st. That number doesn't include the four times she listened to Etiquette and Espionage. OR the number of books she's read. She reads like our Eliana does. Speaking of Eliana - How was your visit with your beautiful granddaughter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Guess I should mention what I'm reading: Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer - I did finish this book. I ended up getting lost in the story towards the end of the book and enjoyed it. After I finished though I was thinking about the whole story and just felt icky. If GH had made Dominic just a jerk rather than a r@pist jerk I would have been able to forgive but I just can't. Crooked House by Agatha Christie - My least favorite Agatha book. Just starting: Rascal by Sterling North - Read Aloud Black Sheep by Georgette Heyer - Flufferton Abbey and audiobook Where Serpents Sleep by CS Harris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 :leaving: My reading crawled to a snail's pace last week. Distractions abound! Or can I blame it on the book itself, Cosse's A Novel Bookstore? Oh well. It is a new week. Eliana regularly sings the praises of Diana Wynne Jones. It occurred to me that while fantasy is not really my thing, I rather like Miyazaki's film Howl's Moving Castle so why not try the audio book version of Jones' novel? Delightful so far and it seems less fantasy than fairy tale--although that in itself is probably a statement that makes no sense. The latest issue of Piecework magazine has arrived, their annual literature and needlework series. On the cover the question is asked "What would Edith Wharton Knit?" The article within focuses on Roman Fever and offers a scarf pattern to be made of silk yarn. There is also an article on Lucy Maud Montgomery with instructions for a hooked mat, a craft formerly practiced by good housewives who recycled every last bit. Another article offers homage to Sydney Taylor who wrote stories inspired by her childhood on Manhattan's Lower East Side. I am not familiar with All-of-a-Kind Family in which the skills of expert knitter Mama are utilized by the Red Cross during WWI. The pattern accompanying this story is for a WWI era sweater vest. Hard to imagine women across American forgetting their differences to keep GIs in socks and sweaters. We visited some family near Raleigh this weekend. This gave me an excuse to give my husband a tour of NC State University's new and fabulous Hunt Library. It continues to amaze me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 I just finished The Carpet People. While reading it,I wondered if TP ever channeled Doctor Suess or Roald Dahl. I started Mindfulness by Ellen Langer, which I found in a book exchange. So far, it is not what I expected but still interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam in CT Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Well, I mentioned both of these in last week's thread, but they're both so good I wanted to, uh, re-mention... early in the week I finished both Master and Margarita (thanks STACIA :seeya: lol) by Mikhail Bulgakov -- a weird and wonderful, often hilarious reworking / interweaving of the Pontius Pilate and Faust narratives, set in 1930s Moscow and with a surprising and (to me) very satisfying ending -- and Thaliad by Marly Youncy -- this one is remarkable imo -- a post-apocalyptic narrative written as an ancient-feeling epic poem... I started it with my 11 yo daughter, and then one night after she went to bed I was so hooked that I stayed up until the wee hours to see it to the end... and then she was so (understandably) grumpy with me when I 'fessed up to her, that as recompense I put together some greek snacks and we lit a fire in the fireplace and we both stayed up late the next night reading it to one another like ancient bards around the hearth... :001_rolleyes: Anyway. She loved it too. It's categorized as YA, and I'd recommend it to anyone with kids in that age range, or anyone at all for that matter. Really different from anything I've read in a long time. My 19 yo eldest, bless her, is trying to make sense out of the Book of Job these days (makes me feel very, very OLD!) and she passed on to me Harold Kushner's The Book of Job: When Bad Things Happened to a Good Person. She found it to be very illuminating... I OTOH pretty much wanted to hurl it across the room by the time I finished, so, I'm working to dial back the vehemence of my reaction by the time she drops by for dinner tonight... ... and that sent me back myself to Robert Alter's translation of The Wisdom Books: Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes: A Translation with Commentary, in order that I may carry on with my interior debate with Kushner, lol... so now I'm in the throes of re-reading that... as well as -- for the first time -- Jonathan Haidt's The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion. This one came to me via an odd route: my husband recently joined the board of a non-profit that we've both long supported, and the director gave it to him as part of his board orientation... and as he doesn't read so many books, particularly LONG DENSE WORDY ones, and as the title looked actually interesting to me, I agreed to read it and give him the cliff notes version. Call me a literalist, but I expected it to be about, you know, why good people are divided by politics and religion... but thus far (135 pages of teeny tiny print in) it turns out to be more about cognitive psychology. We'll see. But whatever it turns out to be about, this passage reminded me very much of the WTM forum, which I truly think is an extraordinarily valuable and nearly-unique space: (working off a long section on how our rational mind generally seeks evidence to confirm what our intuitive mind already has decided upon -- OK, that's old news -- but how under the right conditions collections of diverse people do far better): In the same way, each individual reasoner is really good at one thing: finding evidence to support the position he or she already holds, usually for intuitive reasons. We should not expect individuals to produce good, open-minded, truth-seeking reasoning, particularly when self-interest or reputational concerns are in play. But if you put individuals together in the right way, such that some individuals can use their reasoning powers to disconfirm the claims of others, and all individuals feel some common bond or shared fate that allows them to act civilly, you can create a group that ends up producing good reasoning as an emergent property of the social system. This is why it is so important to have intellectual and ideological diversity within any group or institution whose goal is to find truth (such as an intelligence agency or a community of scientists) or to produce good public policy (such as a legislature or advisory board). And, finally, my 11 yo and I also still have King of Attolia going, but she's visiting my parents this week and so we won't make any further progress on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland Mist Academy Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 The latest issue of Piecework magazine has arrived, their annual literature and needlework series. On the cover the question is asked "What would Edith Wharton Knit?" The article within focuses on Roman Fever and offers a scarf pattern to be made of silk yarn. My impulsive answer would be nothing. I just can't imagine her knitting. Now I won't only be debating if Machiavelli was truly Machiavellian, but I'll also be wondering if Edith Wharton was a knitter. ;) (I must add that I also noticed Breakfast Biscuits in an aisle the other day. The ingredients seemed remarkably close to digestive biscuits. Is the term breakfast biscuit just a euphemism for digestive biscuit? Such ponderings to fill my idle mind!) I've added Roman Fever to my *to read* list. Edith Wharton hasn't let me down yet! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 Still on Boswell. Realized to my horror, on reading Robin's starting post, that I had last week what we call around here a "brain blink" (blinkus of the thinkus) and wrote "Regency" where I meant "Georgian," with no excuse for the wrong century except a few letters in common. ETA: My excuse for slow reading, besides Boswell's determination to include every letter Johnson ever wrote to anybody, is that we started sixth and first grades last week, and I'm forced to waste valuable reading time planning and conducting lessons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 My impulsive answer would be nothing. I just can't imagine her knitting. Now I won't only be debating if Machiavelli was truly Machiavellian, but I'll also be wondering if Edith Wharton was a knitter. ;) (I must add that I also noticed Breakfast Biscuits in an aisle the other day. The ingredients seemed remarkably close to digestive biscuits. Is the term breakfast biscuit just a euphemism for digestive biscuit? Such ponderings to fill my idle mind!) I've added Roman Fever to my *to read* list. Edith Wharton hasn't let me down yet! :) Editorial hyperbole? In the Wharton article, the writer and pattern maker, Mimi Seyferth, writes: In her short story "Roman Fever", Edith Wharton (1862-1937) does not identify what Grace Ansley is knitting, only that she is knitting "a twist of crimson"... I decided I wanted the project scarf to be an accessory that could ward off the chilly night air once thought to give rise to malaria ("Roman fever") while incorporating knitting references from the story and reflecting the signficance of the Roman Colosseum as an element in the plot. I agree. Edith Wharton would probably not be knitting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 Well, this whole dialogue, which greeted me after we arrived at our destination for the night rather weary from the road but replete with all kinds of wonderfulness from our week away, has revivified me nicely. Rather a run-on sentence there but I'm on my tablet and don't have the patience to fix it. I'm lying on the bed with a Werther's in my mouth anticipating a dip in the pond-pool. Normally not a sweets person but Werther's have been a family theme for this trip. Books...still working on 'Maids of Misfortune'. Finished 'Call the Midwife' marking the first 5/5 category finish. Insert dancing smilie here. Re the possible EW crimson twist knitting project, I made a good start on my own little crimson twist knitting project this week except that it's a hat (for dh) and not a twist and perhaps more burgundy than crimson...so kind of the same but different :lol: There is more wonderfulness to respond to on this thread but the body wins out and the water calls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 Music Man has me thinking of you all! I crack up every time the town ladies start scolding about the "dirty books" recommended by Marion the librarian during the tune "Pick a Little". They intone with haughty disapproval: "Chaucer! (rest rest) Rabelais! (rest rest) Balzac!" It's the way the mayor's wife says Baaallllzac that especially cracks me up while I'm pizzicato-ing away. I was delighted to discover that Meredith Willson, who wrote Music Man, also wrote a book called But He Doesn't Know the Territory about creating the show for Broadway. People in the cast are telling me it is a good read, so I'm picking it up this week (or downloading it, to be more precise.) I want to come back to read the above posts more closely and comment, but I've just gotten home from the 4th show of the weekend (with 2 dress rehearsals before that) and am more focused on my glass of wine and a text conversation with my son at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam in CT Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 Edith Wharton never knit. Just. Sayin'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 My link in "items I participated in" has disappeared. I am hoping to get it back by posting. ETA This thread is still missing. Not even showing on view current content. I did finish (Big) Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. It was one of those books that make you keep reading. Found a link that doesn't say much so no spoilers but does tell you where the author got her idea. The book was based around a series of conflicts between the kindergarten parents at a posh public school outside of Sydney. Huge spousal abuse storyline. The main thing I took from this book, outside of the obvious message (you never know ....), was that I am really grateful to be a home ed mom and not have to face an opinionated group of moms at the fence 5 days a week. Home ed has lots of politics and responsibilities but this book made public school seem like far more unpleasant work. http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/review-big-little-lies-by-liane-moriarty-20140723-zvmtf.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawneinfl Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 Finished Son of Hamas and almost finished with All Quiet on the Western Front. I find myself speed reading through the battles scenes now - don't know if I can handle one more vivid description of blown off body parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 My link in "items I participated in" has disappeared. I am hoping to get it back by posting. ETA This thread is still missing. Not even showing on view current content. The gremlins have taken over the boards. What do we do to appease them? Make a sacrificial offering? Anyone want to donate their first born for the cause or will Jenn's old paperbacks do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 Are there any adult topics/scenes in Her Royal Spyness? It sounds like something DD might enjoy. My full-time job is keeping that kid in books. By last count she has listened to 25 separate audio books since June 1st. That number doesn't include the four times she listened to Etiquette and Espionage. OR the number of books she's read. She reads like our Eliana does. Speaking of Eliana - How was your visit with your beautiful granddaughter? There is yes. Although she is 12 right? There is discussion of losing ones virginity (the main character hasn't lost hers at 21 and in the book makes a choice not to even though she is offered the opportunity. Her best friend has relations with quite a few men). It isn't graphic but the discussion of it is there. I would pre-read as I would say this is a "your mileage may vary situation" :) And I think the discussion is handled in a way that even more conservative people would be okay. Oh and in the second book a boy mad character gets herself into trouble with her boy madness. ETA just looked at your sig and saw that she is 10. I would wait with these books. They are to adult :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 AggieAmy this might be a series worth checking out for your DD http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Churchills-Secretary-Maggie-Mystery-ebook/dp/B004J4X9HE/ref=pd_sim_kstore_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1RRYQT66ST506714413M I haven't read it myself but it comes up on the if you bought this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 AggieAmy this might be a series worth checking out for your DD http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Churchills-Secretary-Maggie-Mystery-ebook/dp/B004J4X9HE/ref=pd_sim_kstore_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1RRYQT66ST506714413M I haven't read it myself but it comes up on the if you bought this Thanks! That looks like something she'd love and as an added bonus it's available at audible.com. Yay. Thanks for the recommendation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Um, yeah. I got nothing. Supposed to be catching up in the Bible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Those who enjoy reading urban fantasy might be interested to know that Dead Witch Walking (The Hollows Book 1) by Kim Harrison is available for free on Kindle currently. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Those who enjoy reading urban fantasy might be interested to know that Dead Witch Walking (The Hollows Book 1) by Kim Harrison is available for free on Kindle currently. Regards, Kareni Yay! Thanks. (It is also available free for Nook.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Another evening that finds us road weary after a long day of travel but happy to be where we are. We, as a family, finished listening to 'Crocodile on the Sandbank'. Something for everyone in this book so I'm rather pleased with my inspired choice :D This week will include rather more pedestrian pursuits than last week's offerings...there'll be laundry, grocery shopping, laundry, cooking, animal care, various appointments, school prep, oh and did I mention laundry? :lol: Somewhere in there I'll slide some reading in. And knitting if I can manage it. I've quietly dubbed my project 'the crimson twist' though it's rather a remote similarity being instead a hat for dh. Still, I like the BaW allusion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 This sounds like a fun and entertaining light read. It's an epistolary novel of a collection of letters of recommendation by a professor of English at a small, midwestern LAC. Apparently the letters are dripping with pointed, erudite snark. From the npr.org review: Julie Schumacher's novel is called Dear Committee Members and one of the reasons why it's such a mordant minor masterpiece is the fact that Schumacher had the brainstorm to structure it as an epistolary novel. This book of letters is composed of a year's worth of recommendations that our anti-hero — a weary professor of creative writing and literature — is called upon to write for junior colleagues, lackluster students and even former lovers. The gem of a law school recommendation letter our beleaguered professor writes for a cutthroat undergrad who he's known for all of "eleven minutes," is alone worth the price of Schumacher's book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 I just finished one of the most unique romances I've read. I enjoyed it though be aware there is adult content. Painted Faces by L. H. Cosway "Dublin native Freda Wilson considers herself to be an acquired taste. She has a habit of making offensive jokes and speaking her mind too often. She doesn't have the best track record with first impressions, which is why she gets a surprise when her new neighbour Nicholas takes a shine to her. Nicholas is darkly handsome, funny and magnetic, and Freda feels like her black and white existence is plunged into a rainbow of colour when she's around him. When he walks into a room he lights it up, with his quick wit and charisma. He is a travelling cabaret performer, but Freda doesn't know exactly what that entails until the curtains pull back on his opening night. She is gob-smacked and entirely intrigued to see him take to the stage in drag. Later on, Nicholas asks her if she would like to become his show assistant. Excited by the idea, she jumps at the chance. Soon she finds herself immersed in a world of wigs, make-up and high heels, surrounded by pretty men and the temptation of falling for her incredibly beautiful employer. In this story of passion and sexual discovery, Nicholas and Freda will contend with jealousy, emotional highs and lows, and the kind of love that only comes around once in a lifetime." Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 I'm link-happy tonight. Did you all see the Pearls Before Swine comic today about keeping book lists? "Please don't deny me the tricks I use to give my life meaning"!! Is that what all those saved books are that I'm moving this week? Tricks to give my life meaning?! :unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 If I were to sum up Laurence Cosse's A Novel Bookstore in a single word, it would be "peculiar". This French novel opens with a series of "accidents", a mystery to be solved. We learn that the victims of those incidents were connected as members of a committee that selects books (novels--just the good ones) for a bookstore in Paris. We read in painstaking detail how the bookstore comes about. There is an apparent love interest with unresolved tension, a suggestion of another. Somewhere in all of this, a first person storyteller enters, an "I" who was not in the beginning but has dropped from the heavens like one of those wonderful tomes in a serious reader's perfect bookstore. There are mentions of books and authors who have made the cut--as well as comments on those (Dan Brown, for example) who have not. And of course there is a police detective because remember we had "accidents" in the beginning. Peculiar, I tell you. It is not a mystery. It is not "marvelous and stimulating" even though the cover quote tells me it is. Some might find it to be snobby, others might say it is a tribute to those authors who write fine books that don't make the best seller lists. I'm just happy to say I finally finished this one and it can be returned to the library. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladydusk Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 The same tradition as Hilary Mantel? The wars of religion in France? Sign me up. http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/aug/16/historical-epic-by-frances-hilary-mantel-crosses-the-channel-robert-merle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 I finished the second book in the Her Royal Spyness series and started number three and I would definitely NOT let a pre-teen read it. The main character accidentally pimps herself out as a call girl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 I'm just happy to say I finally finished this one and it can be returned to the library. :lol: Yeah, I didn't miss it when I returned my (unfinished) copy to the library. I finished Haruki Murakami's Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage. Hmmm. Could I have Murakami burn-out? A few times, I felt that way, especially as so many of the typical Murakami elements are here. (See the Murakami Bingo Card. You can check off most of the blocks on it, even with your eyes closed. Cats are the one major Murakami element I don't remember in this story.) Typical Murakami characters, standard quest to understand some past actions, cool cover art, cue the atmospheric music too. Add in various hanging plot-lines & an open ending. Mysterious? Perhaps. Murakami-style? Yeah. But mostly it feels like unresolved plot holes this time, imo. I'm on the fence. I wanted to love it & can end up saying I liked it. It's a solid addition to the pile of Murakami fiction. It's sure to please die-hard Murakami fans & may wow new Murakami readers. I enjoy & sometimes love Murakami's fiction, his strangeness, certain turns of phrase. But, I would have loved, really loved, for him to branch out, get away from his vintage style (so well-worn that he could have written this book in his sleep) & try something more dangerous, different, pulsing. Archetypal Murakami? Yes. Wowed? No. A solid 3 to 3.5 stars for resting on his laurels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Wonderful pictures! Thank you for sharing them. I love seeing everyone and their families. Stopping in for a second - about halfway through my daughter, son-in-law, and grandbaby's visit... We had my in-laws last week and my dad & step-mom this week, and two of my other daughters head back to the East Coast Thursday, so it has been hectic, but so wonderful! I finished three books last week (but only because they were almost done!): One Summer by Bill Bryson: I have very mixed feelings about this... some of the information was absolutely fascinating, and it was a very entertaining read, but... it lacked cohesiveness and the author's tone was irritating me by the end of the book. ...he wasn't mean, but the snarky-ness started to really get to me... ymmv. I am, however, very, very glad I read this... and I know it was a BaW recommendation from last year... thank you! My DH hates Bill Bryson because of the attitude. He tells an interesting story but there's just too much of Bryson's personality in his books and after awhile it started wearing on DH's nerves. By the third book he swore to never read another of his books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Eliana, thanks for showing the beautiful photos of you & your family. Made me smile! :) ETA: Jerk or no, you've gotta give Evel credit for at least trying all the crazy stuff he did try. If he was an early start of reality tv, at least he had something interesting/daring/nuts to attempt.... :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Domestic Goddess reporting! While at the Raleigh farmer's market over the weekend, I was able to buy some gorgeous peaches. This morning, some were turned into jam (for our consumption and gifts) while jars of spiced peach pie filling are now bubbling away in the canning pot. What does this have to do with reading? Um...nothing, I suppose. :lol: Love the photos, Eliana! Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Eliana your family is simply beautiful! I love your proud mama smile! What a great photo, too, of your youngest ds. He's got the adorable little boy thing locked up, I tell you! The grandbaby is so precious. Thank you for sharing! About Bill Bryson. I love his books, but perhaps he has gotten too stuck in his schtick. The One Summer book was in turns fascinating yet all three of the family Bryson fans (me, dh and ds) had a hard time finishing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 About Bill Bryson. I love his books, but perhaps he has gotten too stuck in his schtick. Maybe Haruki Murakami & Bill Bryson should trade their next writing projects. Maybe it would make both of them expand outside of their schtick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Domestic Goddess reporting! While at the Raleigh farmer's market over the weekend, I was able to buy some gorgeous peaches. This morning, some were turned into jam (for our consumption and gifts) while jars of spiced peach pie filling are now bubbling away in the canning pot. What does this have to do with reading? Um...nothing, I suppose. :lol: Meanwhile there isn't a decent peach available in the greater San Diego area. My dh will be very, very jealous but aghast that you are doing anything besides just eating them over the kitchen sink! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Maybe Haruki Murakami & Bill Bryson should trade their next writing projects. Maybe it would make both of them expand outside of their schtick. Schtick stuck. Try saying that 3 times fast. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherZee Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 I loved A Walk in the Woods and At Home but I was less fond of The Life and Times of the Thundelbolt Kid Eliana your family looks so happy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Domestic Goddess reporting! Try or not, I don't think I will *ever* be able to start a post with that statement! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Maybe Haruki Murakami & Bill Bryson should trade their next writing projects. Maybe it would make both of them expand outside of their schtick. Yes. I didn't know how badly I wanted that to exist until you mentioned it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam in CT Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Gracious, I nip out to Costco and by the time I get back, BAW has transformed into Comedy Central! re Painted Faces: "Dublin native Freda Wilson considers herself to be an acquired taste...." re Pearls Before Swine: "Please don't deny me the tricks I use to give my life meaning"!! re A Novel Bookstore: Peculiar, I tell you. It is not a mystery. It is not "marvelous and stimulating" even though the cover quote tells me it is. Re Her Royal Highness: ...I would definitely NOT let a pre-teen read it. The main character accidentally pimps herself out as a call girl. About Bill Bryson: ... I love his books, but perhaps he has gotten too stuck in his schtick. and: Schtick stuck. Try saying that 3 times fast. :lol: re Domestic Goddesses: ETA photo snip :lol: :lol: :lol: Love the pictures, Eliana! Enjoy the visit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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