Book a Week 2016 - BW43: Happy Birthday Robert Bridges

[Robin M]

Happy Sunday dear hearts!  This is the beginning of week 43 in our quest to read 52 books. Welcome back to all our readers, to those just joining in and 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 also below in my signature.

 

52 Books Blog - Happy Birthday Robert Bridges 

 

 

Robert Seymour Bridges
October 23, 1844 - April 23, 1930 

 

 

In Autumn Moonlight

 

 

In autumn moonlight, when the white air wan 

Is fragrant in the wake of summer hence, 

'Tis sweet to sit entranced, and muse thereon 

In melancholy and godlike indolence: 

When the proud spirit, lull'd by mortal prime 

To fond pretence of immortality, 

Vieweth all moments from the birth of time, 

All things whate'er have been or yet shall be. 

And like the garden, where the year is spent, 

The ruin of old life is full of yearning, 

Mingling poetic rapture of lament 

With flowers and sunshine of spring's sure returning; 

Only in visions of the white air wan 

By godlike fancy seized and dwelt upon. 

 

 

*******************************************

 

History of the Renaissance World - Chapters 75 and 76 

 

*******************************************

 

Guess what's on my mind?  Is it too early to start thinking about 2017?  Start throwing ideas into the virtual hat for monthly themes and topics, author names and group book reads.

 

What are you reading this week?

 

 

 

 

Link to week 43  

 

Edited October 23, 2016 by Robin M

[Robin M]

This past week I finished Devon's Monk latest in her Demon series - Legacy of the Demon.  Wonder of wonders, aliens are involved.   :tongue_smilie:

The demon invasion of Earth has begun, and as the world’s top arcane expert, demon summoner Kara Gillian is leading the battle against them. Unnatural catastrophes, odd plagues, and martial law of the norm, and Kara is hard-pressed to keep up with the mounting threats. Add in the arrival of demonic lords with conflicting goals, and she has the perfect recipe for global disaster.

Yet when a centuries-old scheme puts the future of humanity on the line, Kara must scramble to stop the machinations, though treachery, hidden dangers, and ancient enemies block her at every turn. Soon she uncovers the disturbing legacy of the demon realm and the hideous betrayal at its core. However, before Kara can unmask the one behind the assault on Earth, she’ll need to perform the most dangerous summoning ever attempted―and if her enemy has its way, it may just be her last.

But no matter how much of her own blood she has to spill, it’ll be a cold day in hell before she surrenders.

 

 

 

 

Finished  Kristin Hannah's True Colors.  Didn't like any of the sisters and by the end, still feeling a bit mediocre about the whole story.  

 

Dove into Faith Hunter's Rogue Mage series again and read #1 Bloodring.  2nd time was the charm and was totally pulled into the story.  Read #2 Seraphs and currently on # 3 Host.

 

 

[Stacia]

I've started another one that came in for me at the library: Before the Fall by Noah Hawley.

 

NY Times: Review: Noah Hawley’s ‘Before the Fall’ Is One of the Year’s Best Suspense Novels

 

 

On a foggy summer night, eleven people--ten privileged, one down-on-his-luck painter--depart Martha's Vineyard headed for New York. Sixteen minutes later, the unthinkable happens: the passengers disappear into the ocean. The only survivors are Scott Burroughs--the painter--and a four-year-old boy, who is now the last remaining member of a wealthy and powerful media mogul's family.

With chapters weaving between the aftermath of the tragedy and the backstories of the passengers and crew members--including a Wall Street titan and his wife, a Texan-born party boy just in from London, a young woman questioning her path in life, and a career pilot--the mystery surrounding the crash heightens. As the passengers' intrigues unravel, odd coincidences point to a conspiracy: Was it merely dumb chance that so many influential people perished? Or was something far more sinister at work? Events soon threaten to spiral out of control in an escalating storm of media outrage and accusations--all while the reader draws closer and closer to uncovering the truth.

The fragile relationship between Scott and the young boy glows at the heart of this novel, raising questions of fate, human nature, and the inextricable ties that bind us together.

 

Edited October 23, 2016 by Stacia

[Kareni]

I've started another one that came in for me at the library: Before the Fall by Noah Hawley.

 

NY Times: Review: Noah Hawley’s ‘Before the Fall’ Is One of the Year’s Best Suspense Novels

 

I read that in early September; I'll be interested in hearing what you think.  This is what I said at the time:

 

 

I read Before the Fall  by Noah Hawley.  Since the book is described as a thriller, I had some concerns that it might contain disturbing or gory content.  Such was not the case (well, if you exclude the plane crash and what caused it!)  I recommend the book for its page turning qualities.  It's easy to imagine this being made into a movie, and I'd be interested in seeing it.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

Some recent reads here ~

 

Just Kiss Me by Rachel Gibson was an enjoyable contemporary romance; it did have me tearing up a time or two but it also made me chuckle.  I figured out the plot twist fairly early in the book.  This is not my favorite book by the author, but I may re-read it sometime.

 

""Hello, Ms. Vivian . . . it's been a long time."

 

And with those words, Vivian Leigh Rochet nearly melted. It's been years since she last saw Henry Whitley-Shuler. She was a teenager scrubbing houses for a living. He was the gorgeous son of rich parents, not fit for the likes of he

 

Vivian had vowed to get out of Charleston, become a big Hollywood star, and stick it to the snooty girls who made her cry. She got what she wanted—and more—but why does her glamorous life seem so trivial?

 

Henry got out too . . . making it all the way to Wall Street, until a heart attack forced him to trade in his cufflinks for a good set of hand tools.

 

Making furniture soothes his soul, but escaping the Whitley-Shuler heritage is nearly impossible. And now he's come face-to-face with the one who got away. He's not looking for love. He's not even looking for sex . . . so why is resisting her the hardest thing he's ever done?"

**

 

With all the talk of the recent DDoS attack,  I was reminded of a favorite book which deals with a similar issue and thus re-read it.  I enjoyed it once more.

 

About That Night by Julie James

 

"HE’S PLAYING GAMES
Though Rylann Pierce tried to fight the sparks she felt for billionaire heir Kyle Rhodes the night they met, their sizzling chemistry was undeniable. But after being stood up on their first date, Rylann never expected to see him again. So when she finds herself face to face with Kyle in a courthouse nine years later, she’s stunned. More troubling to the beautiful Assistant U.S. Attorney is that she’s still wildly attracted to him.

BUT SHE’S MAKING THE RULES
Just released from prison, Kyle Rhodes isn’t thrilled to be the star witness in a high-profile criminal case—but when Rylann comes knocking at his door, he finds she may be the one lawyer he can’t say no to. Still as gorgeous and sharp-tongued as ever, she lays down the law: she doesn’t mix business with pleasure. But Kyle won’t give up on something he wants—and what he wants is the one woman he’s never forgotten..."

**

 

I also skimmed a fairly new young adult science fiction novel.  I started reading it, but it did not command my full attention.  That said, I was still interested in knowing how the story progressed, thus the skimming.

 

On the Edge of Gone by Corinne Duyvis

 

"January 29, 2035. That’s the day the comet is scheduled to hit—the big one. Denise and her mother and sister, Iris, have been assigned to a temporary shelter outside their hometown of Amsterdam to wait out the blast, but Iris is nowhere to be found, and at the rate Denise’s drug-addicted mother is going, they’ll never reach the shelter in time. A last-minute meeting leads them to something better than a temporary shelter—a generation ship, scheduled to leave Earth behind to colonize new worlds after the comet hits. But everyone on the ship has been chosen because of their usefulness. Denise is autistic and fears that she’ll never be allowed to stay. Can she obtain a spot before the ship takes flight? What about her mother and sister? When the future of the human race is at stake, whose lives matter most?"

 

**STARRED REVIEW**
"...what makes this a winner is the nerve-racking adventure. Life-affirming science fiction with spaceships, optimism in the apocalypse, and a diverse cast that reflects the real world." 

(Kirkus)
 

"Denise’s fear is palpable throughout, which helps to push this sci-fi novel into thriller territory... Duyvis’ attention to detail and strong descriptions will recommend this to fans of the genre."

(Booklist)
 

***STARRED REVIEW***
"Insightful, suspenseful, and unsettling in its plausibility, this novel is sure to stick with readers long after the last page has been turned. VERDICT A high level of believability and excellent writing make this diverse apocalyptic novel a recommended selection for any young adult collection."

(School Library Journal)

Regards,

Kareni

[Chrysalis Academy]

Opening weekend of the show was successful - a bit of drama early on, when one of the actors was 30 minutes late for call time, and a bit of drama for me when the light board went haywire before the big finale. But the kids kept going, and what felt like 10 minute was actually probably less than a minute before we got the Tech guy in to reboot it. I'm proud of the kids, they did a great job.  We just got the cast list for the next show, Elf, and Morgan is going to be Shawanda the elf. Shannon is going to help with Tech for this show while we try and get a handle on her health issues: latest diagnosis is chronic migraines.

 

Books:  I started then abandoned Cat's Cradle - not in the right mood for that, apparently.  I also abandoned Hag-Seed, because I just kind of didn't care what happened, which is never a good sign.

 

I read The Stranger. Still waiting for The Merseult Investigation to come in from the library and I look forward to that pairing, at Stacia's suggestion.  I'm not sure I see the connection between The Postman Always Rings Twice and The Stranger. The two characters, the motivation, the events seem completely different although the outcome is similar. I guess.  The book that The Stranger does remind me of is The Remains of the Day: the protagonist seems to be on the spectrum - he has totally inappropriate affect, doesn't understand people's reactions to him, and only understands after the fact, on an intellectual level, what emotional reactions were expected of him.  As such, it's an interesting story about this character, and illuminates how a character with such an - affliction? Not sure the right word - might see the world and become drawn into events. Certainly the ridiculousness of a judicial system that judges people based on whether their emotional reactions seem "right" rather than on what they did and why is under scrutiny. But I feel like this book says more about this kind of character than it does about the world: it seems more particular than universal to me.  The final chapter, where the chaplain and the Stranger speak, was quite interesting. The inability of the chaplain to even grasp, on any level, that a person could not believe in god, not fear death, not be conscious of sin, and not feel the need for redemption was quite fascinating. And real. I think it is hard for people to understand and accept a world view fundamentally different from their own. The Stranger's view was certainly nihilistic, which is not a function of his atheism, but of his mental illness, IMO.  I see why this book is such an exemplar of the existentialist movement, of that particular time and place.  It was a time and place in  culture and it is a time and place many individual souls pass through. It looks different from the other side, though. Again, I found interest more in the Truth it expressed about a character than in the Truth it expressed about the human condition universally. But that's just a function of where I'm coming from, I guess.

 

 

[SKL]

I'm a little more than halfway done with "The Brave."  I realized it was written by the author of The Horse Whisperer, which I read a long time ago.  Neither is my favorite kind of book, but at least it's an easy read, and not too full of stuff I consider gross.  :P

 

I must confess I haven't touched my other book [Natural Theology] all week.  In my defense, I've been really busy.

 

We should finish the Pinocchio audiobook very soon.  It isn't as good as I remember it (I read the book when I was about 8 or 10yo).  But the kids are still patiently listening.  Still don't have the Holes audiobook which is [i think] on order.  Maybe we'll just skip that one.

 

I got Little Women back, but I haven't started Book Two yet.  Did I mention I've been busy?  I read a little more of the Kashmiri Storyteller in the mean time.

[JennW in SoCal]

Before reading Kij Johnson's The Dream Quest of Velitte Boe I decided I'd better read the inspiration for the book, HP Lovecraft's The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath. What a trippy, fantastical, and surreal read!  I rather like it. It is a long dream populated with cats who leap from roof tops to the far side of the moon to "gambol on the hills and converse with ancient shadows", with creatures called zoogs -- furtive and secretive creatures who dwell "in the tunnels of that twisted wood, whose low prodigious oaks twine groping boughs and shine dim with the phosphorescence of strange fungi". It would make for a terrific Studio Ghibli animated movie.

 

I'm also listening to the 18th Master and Commander, The Yellow Admiral. Yellow has nothing to do with cowardice, it is an Admiral with the title but no ships. 

 

 

 

[mumto2]

I've started another one that came in for me at the library: Before the Fall by Noah Hawley.

 

NY Times: Review: Noah Hawley’s ‘Before the Fall’ Is One of the Year’s Best Suspense Novels

 

  

I read that in early September; I'll be interested in hearing what you think.  This is what I said at the time:

 

 

 

 

Regards,

Kareni

I have Before the Fall on hold. Thanks to Kareni's post I know why!

 

 

I am almost done with Interred with the Dead https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1002539.Interred_with_Their_Bones by Jennifer Lee Carrell. It was recommended on my search for books like The Historian. I discovered that I must have read it along time ago but have continued because it is sort of a lingering familiarity. It's pretty well done in a mild Davinci Code way. The storyline centers on the search for a lost play by Shakespeare and the race to find it between two groups of scholars who have vested interests in it's existence. The Will camp verses the Oxfordians in this case. I discovered there is actually a second book with these characters so am looking forward to read that also.

[ErinE]

.

Edited November 8, 2016 by ErinE

[Jane in NC]

In search of my lost reading groove...

 

Tarjei Vesaas ring a bell for anyone?  He was an award winning Norwegian author whose book The Birds has been recently republished by Archipelago.  So far, it is lovely but there is a fragility which I hope does not take too sad a turn.

 

Here is a quote from the 1937 novel Hamlet, Revenge! that I wish to share with all of you.

'All over the world today are we not facing a rising tide of ideological intolerance, and are not violence and terrorism more and more in men's thoughts?  And this dressing-up of the lawless and the primitive as a ruthless-because-right philosophy or world-picture or ideology that must and will prevail--is this not something to haunt and hold naturally unstable men, whatever their particular belief may be?  The modern world is full of unwholesome armies of martyrs and inquisitors.  We bind ourselves together by the million and sixty million to hate and kill--kill, as we persuade ourselves, for an idea.  Are we to be surprised if here and there an individual kills simply because he hates--and simply because he hates an idea?

 

The above was written by J.I.M. Stewart who wrote his crime novel "entertainments" under the pen name Michael Innes.  In real life, Stewart was an academic with extensive writings in literary criticism.

[Woodland Mist Academy]

Several books in progress, but my main goal is to finish The Iliad and the related Vandiver Great Courses lectures.

 

Mixed reactions thus far.

[Ethel Mertz]

Read in the last 2 weeks:

 

1.     The Peach Keeper – Sarah Addison Allen 10/10 - love almost everything she writes!

2.     The Time Traveler’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger 10/12 - enchanting, riveting read

3.     The Cracks in the Kingdom (Colours of Madeleine #2) – Jaclyn Moriarty 10/13 - great YA series

4.     A Tangle of Gold (Colours of Madeleine #3) – Jaclyn Moriarty 10/14

5.     Death of a Baritone: A Music Lover’s Mystery – Karen Sturges 10/18 - read (late) for BAW music themed week. Kept my attention and alarmed DS-the-baritone

6.     Though the Darkness Hide Thee – Susan Wise Bauer 10/20, interesting because of the author!

7.     The Sugar Queen – Sarah Addison Allen 10/23 (see #1)

 

[Shawneinfl]

I've started another one that came in for me at the library: Before the Fall by Noah Hawley.

 

NY Times: Review: Noah Hawley’s ‘Before the Fall’ Is One of the Year’s Best Suspense Novels

 

 

Stacia, I had just looked at this one and I think I downloaded the sample on my Kindle. Read fast and let me know what you think. Started A Tale of Two Cities on audible today because my son has to read it before next week and we had a fairly long car ride to see the hurricane damage to our property in Fernandina Beach. Not too bad but the top of two trees came down and it will take several visits to get it all cleaned up. At least it was a picture perfect day.

 

[Mothersweets]

Hello everyone!

 

Just finished The Property of a Gentleman by Catherine Gaskin. The title makes it sound like a fluffy Regency (nothing wrong with fluffy Regency - it's one of my favorite genres), but it isn't - it's a great read in the spirit of Mary Stewart - Nine Coaches Waiting, Airs Above the Ground, etc. I'm not even what made me try this book - was it recommended on here? Kareni? I tried looking at my Kindle purchases on amazon and it isn't listed there, weird huh?  I'm really glad to have read it - it hit the spot! :)

 

Earlier in the week I read Alice's Tulips by Sandra Dallas. Simple, historical fiction set during the American Civil War. Had me guessing a couple times and I really liked the main character. I've been trying to find some books for my 21yo dd as her birthday is coming up and she has asked for books. She likes sweet, simple stories (no horror or R-rated romance) so I've been pre-reading. I think this one will fit the bill for her.

Edited October 23, 2016 by Mothersweets

[Mothersweets]

Read in the last 2 weeks:

 

1.     The Peach Keeper – Sarah Addison Allen 10/10 - love almost everything she writes!

2.     The Time Traveler’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger 10/12 - enchanting, riveting read

3.     The Cracks in the Kingdom (Colours of Madeleine #2) – Jaclyn Moriarty 10/13 - great YA series

4.     A Tangle of Gold (Colours of Madeleine #3) – Jaclyn Moriarty 10/14

5.     Death of a Baritone: A Music Lover’s Mystery – Karen Sturges 10/18 - read (late) for BAW music themed week. Kept my attention and alarmed DS-the-baritone

6.     Though the Darkness Hide Thee – Susan Wise Bauer 10/20, interesting because of the author!

7.     The Sugar Queen – Sarah Addison Allen 10/23 (see #1)

 

Whaaaaaattt??!!! I didn't realize our SWB had written a novel!

[ErinE]

Read in the last 2 weeks:

 

1.     The Peach Keeper – Sarah Addison Allen 10/10 - love almost everything she writes!

2.     The Time Traveler’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger 10/12 - enchanting, riveting read

3.     The Cracks in the Kingdom (Colours of Madeleine #2) – Jaclyn Moriarty 10/13 - great YA series

4.     A Tangle of Gold (Colours of Madeleine #3) – Jaclyn Moriarty 10/14

5.     Death of a Baritone: A Music Lover’s Mystery – Karen Sturges 10/18 - read (late) for BAW music themed week. Kept my attention and alarmed DS-the-baritone

6.     Though the Darkness Hide Thee – Susan Wise Bauer 10/20, interesting because of the author!

7.     The Sugar Queen – Sarah Addison Allen 10/23 (see #1)

 

 

Whaaaaaattt??!!! I didn't realize our SWB had written a novel!

 

 

I didn't either, but there it is: Though the Darkness Hide Thee by Susan Wise Bauer.

[Kareni]

Whaaaaaattt??!!! I didn't realize our SWB had written a novel!

 

 

I didn't either, but there it is: Though the Darkness Hide Thee by Susan Wise Bauer.

 

There is also The Revolt  by Susan Wise Bauer.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Chrysalis Academy]

There is also The Revolt  by Susan Wise Bauer.

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

I get the impression these books are in a particular genre that I'm not familiar with? Christian genre fiction? Is that a thing? 

[Kareni]

A fun book-ish post ~

 

15+ Reading Nooks Perfect For When You Need To Escape This World

 

The last one doesn't appeal to me, but I could spend some serious time in most of the others!

**

 

Currently free to Kindle readers:

 

This one is described as an inspirational historical western romance ~  One Plus One Equals Trouble (Love that Counts Book 1)  by Sondra Kraak

**

 

I've heard good reviews of this romantic suspense ~  The Killing Game  by Toni Anderson

 

"I enthusiastically recommend The Killing Game by Toni Anderson. If you enjoy tense romantic suspense, military heroes who are old enough to retire from the military (Ty Dempsey enlisted at seventeen and has served twenty-two years = a thirty-nine year-old hero) and heroines who are passionate about their work, then skip the rest of this review and start the book now." Smart Bitches Trashy Books.

**

 

a mystery ~ Blackman's Coffin: A Sam Backman Mystery (Sam Blackman Series Book 1)  by Mark de Castrique

 

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. At the start of this outstanding first in a new series from de Castrique (Final Undertaking), Sam Blackman, a feisty army vet who lost part of a leg in the current Iraq War, is in his last days of rehab at a V.A. hospital in Asheville, N.C., when he meets Tikima Robertson, a black woman and fellow amputee who invites him to apply for a job at her security firm. Soon after, Sam phones the firm and learns Tikima is dead. Sam speaks at Tikima's funeral, during which her apartment is ransacked. Tikima's sister, Nakayla, later finds that the intruders overlooked a diary from 1919 bookmarked with Sam's name and number. The diary vividly brings to life the intrepid journey of a white funeral director and the Robertson sisters' great-great-grandfather, Elijah Robertson, that ends in Elijah's murder. Suspecting a connection between the long-ago murder and Tikima's untimely drowning, Sam decides to investigate, but he must overcome hurdles of body and mind as he pursues the truth. A wealth of historical detail, an exciting treasure hunt and credible characters distinguish this fresh, adventurous read. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

 

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

Earlier I finished the contemporary romance Barely Breathing: A Colorado High Country Novel  by Pamela Clare which I enjoyed.  For those familiar with this author, this is not a part of her I-Team series.  (Adult content)

 

"Lexi Jewell left Scarlet Springs twelve years ago, vowing never to return to the small Colorado mountain town where she grew up. Now, here she is—over thirty, out of a job and with little choice but to move back in with her eccentric father. Lexi knows it’s just a matter of time before she runs into Austin Taylor, her first boyfriend and her first heartbreak. She’s determined to show him she’s over him—until he steps out of a pickup truck and back into her life, looking sexy as hell in his mountain ranger uniform.

 

As far as Austin is concerned, Lexi can turn her snazzy little convertible around and drive back to Chicago. After all, she ripped his teenage heart to pieces and turned her back on the town he loves. But from the moment he sees her again, he can’t get her out of his mind. Even her smile messes with his head.

 

When an evening of conversation turns into something else, Lexi and Austin agree to be friends—with benefits. But as Lexi starts making plans to return to the big city, Austin realizes he’ll lose her a second time unless he can show her that what she’s searching for has been right here all along."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[ErinE]

As we wind up October, can I make one final plug for Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life by Ruth Jackson? There was a write up about Jackson and the book in the Guardian:

 

 

 

There’s a whole new appreciation today of what it means to be a mother and a writer and how to reconcile those two things,†says Franklin. “We’re also more interested in the lives of women and that in turn has led to a revival of interest in Jackson’s work. I honestly feel as though she’s one of those authors who’s been in the background for a long time, yet has a huge influence on American fiction, and it’s only now that we’re beginning to see how important she is.â€

 

I would change the above quote to include mother and *any profession*.

 

The movie based on  We Have Always Lived in the Castle is slated to debut in 2017. I don't recognize the actresses for Contance and Merricat, but Sebastian Stan (Bucky in Captain America) is Cousin Charles and Crispin Glover is Uncle Julian. 

Edited October 24, 2016 by ErinE

[Violet Crown]

This week I finished Rashomon and Seventeen Other Stories by Ryunosuke Akutagawa, apparently a terribly famous writer of whom I'd never heard (though I have seen the Kurosawa movie). The movie is actually based on the second story in the book, "In a Bamboo Grove," and I was surprised to learn from the notes that the story--which I had always thought portrayed a Japanese worldview very distant from Western culture, was itself strongly influenced by a ghost story by Ambrose Bierce (one unfortunately not included in the Bierce spooky stories collection I just read). "The Hell Screen," the story I found most effective, was apparently made into a ballet, unimaginably. The last three stories are in a strange pseudo-autobiographical style that was apparently de rigeur in Akutagawa's day, and were a little hard for me to get through, but interesting nonetheless.

 

Still reading Matthew Arnold's collected poetry, which is enough victoriana to keep me away from Dickens and Trollope and Newman for a while. And for my fiction this week, maybe some Dostoevsky.

[Stacia]

Kareni, I'm glad you spoke up about Before the Fall. I knew someone on here had read it (& had given it an "ok/all clear" as in the not-too-tearjerking category), which is why I requested it in the first place. Thank you! (Shawne, I'm 100 pages in & it's gripping & good so far.)

 

ErinE, I agree about The Hike (not recommended).

 

Spent a lovely October afternoon with my daughter & mom visiting a local installation of Chihuly artwork at the botanical garden. Between the beauty of the natural surroundings, the lovely artwork, the perfect weather, lots of kids running around in Halloween costumes, & the delightful company of my dd & my mom, it was an enchanting afternoon. (Here are some of my photos from today.)

 

 

      
 

 

 

Edited October 24, 2016 by Stacia

[Nan in Mass]

I am reading Ma Soeur Est Une Sorcière. It is a Chrestomancy novel by Diana Wynne Jones.

 

Nan

[Ali in OR]

I finished Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes--a good read for October. Definitely has some evil (where Dahl's Ghost Stories read earlier in the month did not), but Bradbury writes in a time when parents can be good people who can help their children through tough challenges--I appreciated that. He writes with so much imagery and metaphor. It actually got a little tiring for straight-to-the-point me at times, but it would be very easy to write papers on his books!

 

I had to place a hold for Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle. I'm 5th in line for 1 copy, so that will probably come up in 2017. I still have the Miss Julia book from the library--that's probably what I'll start next.

 

For 2017, my personal challenge is to read some of the books I have around the house, many from my mom's estate or from previous library book sales, and then donate them to the library book sale.

[Mothersweets]

Before reading Kij Johnson's The Dream Quest of Velitte Boe I decided I'd better read the inspiration for the book, HP Lovecraft's The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath. What a trippy, fantastical, and surreal read!  I rather like it. It is a long dream populated with cats who leap from roof tops to the far side of the moon to "gambol on the hills and converse with ancient shadows", with creatures called zoogs -- furtive and secretive creatures who dwell "in the tunnels of that twisted wood, whose low prodigious oaks twine groping boughs and shine dim with the phosphorescence of strange fungi". It would make for a terrific Studio Ghibli animated movie.

 

I'm also listening to the 18th Master and Commander, The Yellow Admiral. Yellow has nothing to do with cowardice, it is an Admiral with the title but no ships. 

 

Jenn, how are you liking the audio? Is the wonderful-ness of Patrick Tull's reading enough to liven up the story? I confess that  The Yellow Admiral (and The Hundred Days) was something of a snoozefest for me!

[Chrysalis Academy]

Last night I finished reading Galore. I really liked it. There are obvious comparisons to 100 Years of Solitude and Mink River, but I swear it reminds me of something else I've read, only I can't quite get a handle on what.  This is exactly the level of "magical realism" I'm comfortable with - life is full of mysteries, but things aren't so over the top improbable that it knocks me out of acceptance of the fictional world. Ok, I guess a guy being pulled alive from the belly of a whale is a little far-fetched, but it's a cultural image that's not too hard to accept. It felt real because the characters, though colorful, felt real - they reacted in the same improbably, confusing, irrational and unpredictable way that people actually do react in real life, yet they stayed true to their essential selves. The ending was appropriate, I guess. Not 100% satisfying, but then what would have been? 

 

I also finished What If: Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers. It is really good, we're going to incorporate it into our CW class. The last third of the book is a collection of short stories, most not terribly appropriate for an almost 14 year old, but some very good ones. I've never enjoyed reading short stories much, but I'm doing a lot of it right now and coming to appreciate them more. Shannon is doing BW's Writing the Short Story class starting next week.

 

I started The Collector yesterday. Yowza, what a disturbing guy this protagonist is, but so well written. I'm a little worried that when we switch to Miranda's voice I won't like it so well, but we'll see, I'm close to that part of the book.

 

I also started Independent People. I'm strangely attracted to Iceland, for some reason, so I'm looking forward to reading this book. 

[Butter]

#103: Outcast by Rosemary Sutcliff.  It was pretty good.  Definitely better than her Roman Britain series I read a few months ago.  This was the last of the books I had to pre-read for Fritz so now I get to pick all my books myself until about March when I start pre-reading for 6th and 10th grade...

[Chrysalis Academy]

#103: Outcast by Rosemary Sutcliff.  It was pretty good.  Definitely better than her Roman Britain series I read a few months ago.  This was the last of the books I had to pre-read for Fritz so now I get to pick all my books myself until about March when I start pre-reading for 6th and 10th grade...

 

Oh, maybe you can help me out - which of her hist fic books that you've read do you like best? I was thinking of assigning at least one but I really don't feel like pre-reading. I'd love opinions - which are just meh and which are really worth reading. 

[Butter]

Oh, maybe you can help me out - which of her hist fic books that you've read do you like best? I was thinking of assigning at least one but I really don't feel like pre-reading. I'd love opinions - which are just meh and which are really worth reading. 

 

I've only read the Roman Britain trilogy and Outcast.  The Roman Britain trilogy I just didn't like.  I gave the first and third 2 stars (out of 5).  The middle one was better.  I gave it 4 stars, same as Outcast.  My reviews are on my blog: https://mamareader.wordpress.com/?s=rosemary+sutcliff  I'll be reviewing Outcast later today and it'll show up under that link.  My big complaint about her books is they are just incredibly dull and slow so much of the time.

[JennW in SoCal]

Jenn, how are you liking the audio? Is the wonderful-ness of Patrick Tull's reading enough to liven up the story? I confess that  The Yellow Admiral (and The Hundred Days) was something of a snoozefest for me!

 

I'm not too far into it yet, but am always happy having Patrick Tull tell me a story, even if it is about changing land use practices in early 19th century England. I'm actually finding that bit somewhat interesting, for some reason. The fact that the book mostly takes place on land made me put off starting it, but so far so good.  

 

Have you ever read the precursor to the Master and Commander series, The Unknown Shore? I stumbled upon it on audible and thought it might be enjoyable once I've finished the series.  I also see that Patrick Tull has dozens of other audible books from several Dickens titles to the Moonstone to the Sharpe series.  Be still my heart -- more historical fiction and I can picture Sean Bean in my mind while listening to it (he starred in the tv adaptation some years ago0>

[mumto2]

Oh, maybe you can help me out - which of her hist fic books that you've read do you like best? I was thinking of assigning at least one but I really don't feel like pre-reading. I'd love opinions - which are just meh and which are really worth reading.

 

The Shining Company is one that many people love.

[Woodland Mist Academy]

I've only read the Roman Britain trilogy and Outcast.  The Roman Britain trilogy I just didn't like.  I gave the first and third 2 stars (out of 5).  The middle one was better.  I gave it 4 stars, same as Outcast.  My reviews are on my blog: https://mamareader.wordpress.com/?s=rosemary+sutcliff  I'll be reviewing Outcast later today and it'll show up under that link.  My big complaint about her books is they are just incredibly dull and slow so much of the time.

 

Just out of curiosity, why do you keep reading her books if they are dull and slow much of the time?

 

One reason I ask is because I think I'm going to abandon The Thirteenth Tale. Again. After asking about it last year, I decided to put it away to try again later. I keep wondering if I'm just missing something in it. I'm around page 100. Am I close to something that might suddenly draw me in? Maybe I should put it away for next year and try again. 

 

Obviously it's a different author, but your comment about Sutcliff's books being dull and slow most of the time made me curious why you keep reading them. 

[Loesje22000]

Oh, maybe you can help me out - which of her hist fic books that you've read do you like best? I was thinking of assigning at least one but I really don't feel like pre-reading. I'd love opinions - which are just meh and which are really worth reading.

I think it is called 'the warrior scarlett' the one I prefer.

(Om het rood van een krijger)

It is not the Roman Era, but eh 'Hunters and Gatherers' (Jagers en Verzamelaars) as it is called in the Netherlands.

[Ethel Mertz]

Whaaaaaattt??!!! I didn't realize our SWB had written a novel!

 

Two!

 

I get the impression these books are in a particular genre that I'm not familiar with? Christian genre fiction? Is that a thing? 

 

Though the Darkness Hide Thee is very much Christian fiction. The Revolt has a very different twist to it and critiques the fundamentalist/dominionist branches of Christianity. Of the two, I liked The Revolt the best. Here is the blurb from the back of The Revolt. 

 

Kenneth Balder has put his heart and soul into creating a new government run not by political favoritism but by Old-Testament Law. Charles Merriman, governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, is about to make Balder's vision come true.

 

Merriman has risen to power on a groundswell of popular approval and dissatisfaction with the laws and taxes of the nation. Claiming to know the mind of God, Merriman and Balder want to launch the Reformed American States, with Virginia as the first state in the new sovereign nation. 

 

But as the revolution gains momentum, a renegade militia forms and threatens to turn the revolt into a bloodbath. Now Kenneth Balder comes face-to-face with questions that no longer have easy answers, theories that work on paper but fall apart in real life. Margaret Franklin, a lover from his past, is also caught in the chaos. As the crisis builds, Kenneth Balder and Margaret realize old fires within have not died. Will Balder follow his heart or his head when his revolution threatens their rekindled love?

 

The Revolt is a fast-paced thriller that draws from today's headlines of government/militia standoffs and burgeoning separatist movements. It is also the moving story of an idealist who discovers that it may be impossible to establish the kingdom of God on earth.

[Mothersweets]

I'm not too far into it yet, but am always happy having Patrick Tull tell me a story, even if it is about changing land use practices in early 19th century England. I'm actually finding that bit somewhat interesting, for some reason. The fact that the book mostly takes place on land made me put off starting it, but so far so good.  

 

Have you ever read the precursor to the Master and Commander series, The Unknown Shore? I stumbled upon it on audible and thought it might be enjoyable once I've finished the series.  I also see that Patrick Tull has dozens of other audible books from several Dickens titles to the Moonstone to the Sharpe series.  Be still my heart -- more historical fiction and I can picture Sean Bean in my mind while listening to it (he starred in the tv adaptation some years ago0>

 

I've read about a third of The Golden Shore but not The Unknown Shore - I believe they both revolve around the same voyage?

 

Patrick Tull is pretty great - I'd love to hear more read by him although I wonder if I'll be able to separate him from the M&C series?  I'll look for more of him on Audible next month!

[Butter]

Just out of curiosity, why do you keep reading her books if they are dull and slow much of the time?

 

Because I was pre-reading them for my 5th grader.  They are assigned books for him in school.  Just because I don't like them doesn't mean he won't.

[Chrysalis Academy]

Two!

 

 

Though the Darkness Hide Thee is very much Christian fiction. The Revolt has a very different twist to it and critiques the fundamentalist/dominionist branches of Christianity. Of the two, I liked The Revolt the best. Here is the blurb from the back of The Revolt. 

 

Kenneth Balder has put his heart and soul into creating a new government run not by political favoritism but by Old-Testament Law. Charles Merriman, governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, is about to make Balder's vision come true.

 

Merriman has risen to power on a groundswell of popular approval and dissatisfaction with the laws and taxes of the nation. Claiming to know the mind of God, Merriman and Balder want to launch the Reformed American States, with Virginia as the first state in the new sovereign nation. 

 

But as the revolution gains momentum, a renegade militia forms and threatens to turn the revolt into a bloodbath. Now Kenneth Balder comes face-to-face with questions that no longer have easy answers, theories that work on paper but fall apart in real life. Margaret Franklin, a lover from his past, is also caught in the chaos. As the crisis builds, Kenneth Balder and Margaret realize old fires within have not died. Will Balder follow his heart or his head when his revolution threatens their rekindled love?

 

The Revolt is a fast-paced thriller that draws from today's headlines of government/militia standoffs and burgeoning separatist movements. It is also the moving story of an idealist who discovers that it may be impossible to establish the kingdom of God on earth.

 

Thanks for that explanation!

[Woodland Mist Academy]

Because I was pre-reading them for my 5th grader.  They are assigned books for him in school.  Just because I don't like them doesn't mean he won't.

 

Ah! I didn't pre-read everything, so that didn't even occur to me. Thanks! 

Edited October 24, 2016 by Woodland Mist Academy

[Jane in NC]

 

I started The Collector yesterday. Yowza, what a disturbing guy this protagonist is, but so well written. I'm a little worried that when we switch to Miranda's voice I won't like it so well, but we'll see, I'm close to that part of the book.

Huge fan of John Fowles here but The Collector is probably my least favorite of his books.  It's a little creepy...

 

Oh, maybe you can help me out - which of her hist fic books that you've read do you like best? I was thinking of assigning at least one but I really don't feel like pre-reading. I'd love opinions - which are just meh and which are really worth reading. 

 

Apparently I may be the odd woman out as a fan of Sutcliffe's Roman books.  Who knew when we read them that my son would go on to dig at the site where the Eagle of Ninth was found?

 

That said, as I scan my discs back through time, I have fond memories of Beowulf:  Dragonslayer which we both read independently before I read Heaney's translation of Beowulf aloud to The Boy. Regarding the latter:  I would read the translation on the right page while The Boy followed the original text on the left.  Sutcliffe had given him the basic storyline so that he could do this.

 

I also loved Tristan and Iseult but I think this may be the only one of her Arthurian books that I read other than The Lattern Bearers.

 

Looking back on my son's childhood preferences, I think that he was already displaying a passion for Classical and Medieval history that not all other kids would share so maybe take my recommendations with a brimming salt cellar. 

Edited October 24, 2016 by Jane in NC

[Ethel Mertz]

I have a copy of each of SWB's novels and am willing to send them off. Who would like The Revolt? Who would like to read Though the Darkness Hide Thee?

 

 

[Angelaboord]

I finished Still Life, the first Inspector Gamache book, while we were still at my mom and dad's. I liked the story and mostly I liked the characters and the writing, although the head-hopping point of views made me grit my teeth a little. (It's a pet peeve, I guess.). And I was never sure what was so bad about Agent Nichols in the beginning of the book, up to the point when it was clear what was bad, but that felt a bit like being hit over the head. I did love the setting, though. My mother's mother was French Canadian, and her brother turned her on to the series. I always like to read from my mom's shelves when we go visit. They have limited internet access and live in the middle of the woods, so I often feel like I've had a little mini-retreat.

 

I haven't finished anything since we've been home. Mostly I have been navigating special ed. (Abby is doing wonderfully, though. [emoji1] ). I am inching my way through This Is Your Brain On Parasites, and I just started Fellowship: The Literary Lives of the Inklings by Philip and Carol Zaleski. It's well-written so far, and I have developed a new appreciation for Tolkien's mother.

 

--Angela

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Kareni]

Some recent reads ~

 

the contemporary romance Jane's Long March Home (Falling for a Hero Book 1)  by Susan Lute; this was a pleasant read but is not likely a book I'll re-read.  It is currently free to Kindle readers at the above link.

 

"There’s no place like home, and to Gunnery Sergeant Jane Donovan, home is the US Marine Corps, until she makes a mistake that costs an orphaned kid from the poorest part of Madrid his life. Now because of a little insubordination and disorderly conduct, she’s about to lose the one thing she values most. She's given one option. Put her future in the hands of Dr. Chase Russell, or become a civilian. The choice is hers.

Busy chasing a lucrative book deal that would legitimize his theories about treating war veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and let’s face it, give him a certain amount of fame too, Chase Russell missed a client’s cry for help. In the aftermath, he leaves his lucrative practice in Chicago to start over on a lovely, neglected Central Oregon ranch, looking for the peace and sanctuary that is just beyond his reach.

When a Marine arrives, nursing a cranky hip and an even crankier disposition, he wants nothing to do with her, but the fun is just beginning. Between helping two runaway kids, and taking the stubborn Marine through play therapy, what’s an ex-counselor to do, but make sure this hero finds her way home."

**

 

the science fiction romance Grim (Tornians Book 1)  by M.K. Eidem which I enjoyed despite the over the top storyline and the editing and tense errors.  (Adult content)

 

"King Grim Vasteri is the strongest and most feared warrior in the Tornian Empire. He is the King of Luda, blood brother to the Emperor and his line will die with him. He will have no offspring for no female would join with him for once he was scarred he was considered 'unfit'. The Tornian Empire has been dying ever since the great infection caused the birth of females to become a rarity. Since then they have been searching the known universes for compatible females. The Emperor's discovery of a compatible female on a slave ship changed that. He'd ordered Grim to find his Empress' home world so more 'unprotected' females could be obtained, knowing Grim would never be allowed to Join with one.

 

Lisa Miller is a widowed mother of two little girls, Carly and Miki. Her husband died just a year ago, after a long battle with cancer and she misses him immensely. Friends want her to start dating again but in her heart, she knows there isn't a man on the planet she could love like her Mark. Who could love their girls like their own. Therefore, she'll stay alone.

 

When Lisa is discovered 'unprotected' at her husband's grave, she wakes on an alien ship heading for an alien world. Refusing to accept this she confronts the large males, demanding she be returned to her children. Seeing his chance to have a female, Grim agrees to accept and protect her offspring, if she agrees to Join with him and only him. Realizing this is the only way she can retrieve her children Lisa agrees and the Tornian Empire changes forever."

**

 

and a re-read of Michelle Diener's  science fiction romance Dark Horse (Class 5 Series Book 1) which I enjoyed once more.

 

"Some secrets carry the weight of the world.

Rose McKenzie may be far from Earth with no way back, but she's made a powerful ally--a fellow prisoner with whom she's formed a strong bond. Sazo's an artificial intelligence. He's saved her from captivity and torture, but he's also put her in the middle of a conflict, leaving Rose with her loyalties divided.

Captain Dav Jallan doesn't know why he and his crew have stumbled across an almost legendary Class 5 battleship, but he's not going to complain. The only problem is, all its crew are dead, all except for one strange, new alien being.

She calls herself Rose. She seems small and harmless, but less and less about her story is adding up, and Dav has a bad feeling his crew, and maybe even the four planets, are in jeopardy. The Class 5's owners, the Tecran, look set to start a war to get it back and Dav suspects Rose isn't the only alien being who survived what happened on the Class 5. And whatever else is out there is playing its own games.

In this race for the truth, he's going to have to go against his leaders and trust the dark horse."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[idnib]

I'm plugging along, still reading Hawaii. I started and almost finished Homeschooling for Excellence, the Colfax book that is mentioned in home educating circles. It's one I've always wanted to check out. Hopefully I'll finish tonight after the kids are in bed. I've managed to make it about 75% of the way through our current read aloud of Lord of the Rings. The entire family is enjoying this one, and I've ordered a coloring book for the kids to work on while I read.

 

 

I've started another one that came in for me at the library: Before the Fall by Noah Hawley.

 

NY Times: Review: Noah Hawley’s ‘Before the Fall’ Is One of the Year’s Best Suspense Novels

 

 

Thanks, I'm planning to read it. I love a good suspense novel.

 

Spent a lovely October afternoon with my daughter & mom visiting a local installation of Chihuly artwork at the botanical garden. Between the beauty of the natural surroundings, the lovely artwork, the perfect weather, lots of kids running around in Halloween costumes, & the delightful company of my dd & my mom, it was an enchanting afternoon. (Here are some of my photos from today.)

 

Stacia, those are beautiful photos. Thanks for sharing!

 

Huge fan of John Fowles here but The Collector is probably my least favorite of his books.  It's a little creepy...

 

 

Apparently I may be the odd woman out as a fan of Sutcliffe's Roman books.  Who knew when we read them that my son would go on to dig at the site where the Eagle of Ninth was found?

 

That said, as I scan my discs back through time, I have fond memories of Beowulf:  Dragonslayer which we both read independently before I read Heaney's translation of Beowulf aloud to The Boy. Regarding the latter:  I would read the translation on the right page while The Boy followed the original text on the left.  Sutcliffe had given him the basic storyline so that he could do this.

 

I also loved Tristan and Iseult but I think this may be the only one of her Arthurian books that I read other than The Lattern Bearers.

 

Looking back on my son's childhood preferences, I think that he was already displaying a passion for Classical and Medieval history that not all other kids would share so maybe take my recommendations with a brimming salt cellar. 

 

 

I'm going to have to check out the Sutcliffe Roman books. We've read lots of her stuff, but never these. We are also moving towards a middle school experience of Beowulf as a prelude to Heaney. I had purchased the audio book some time back but was lucky to find the print book for a quarter at the library book sale last week! I received an email today for Circe's Beowulf class and I'm tempted.

Edited October 25, 2016 by idnib

[AllSmiles]

Hi All!

 

I am a long time lurker on this thread. I actually took a long break from the boards, and I was glad to see that you were still doing the BAW. I always appreciate the suggestions. Just recently I found the Miss Julia Books, and We Have Always Lived in the Castle

 

So far this week, I've read:

Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind - I really enjoyed this - 4 stars

If the Shoe Kills - pretty standard cozy mystery - 3 stars

Wicked Fix - 3 stars

We Have Always Lived in the Castle - 4 stars

[Kareni]

I am a long time lurker on this thread. I actually took a long break from the boards, and I was glad to see that you were still doing the BAW.

 

Welcome here and welcome back to the boards!

 

I look forward to hearing more of what you read.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Stacia]

Hi, AllSmiles! Welcome! :seeya:

[Stacia]

I remember trying one or two of the Sutcliffe novels (because the Roman ones were recommended in the WTM, as I recall), but they weren't a hit for my dc or for me. I think dd thought they were ok, but they were never favorites.

[JennW in SoCal]

I remember trying one or two of the Sutcliffe novels (because the Roman ones were recommended in the WTM, as I recall), but they weren't a hit for my dc or for me. I think dd thought they were ok, but they were never favorites.

 

The only Sutcliffe we read was Black Ships Before Troy. I can't remember what I thought of the writing, but the illustrations were lovely!  And I read it aloud to a tween boy who kept snickering over the phrase "apple cheeked" or something similar. I kept telling him it was describing the cheeks on her face, but to no avail.  I also remember asking our children's librarian about it and she was shocked I would be looking for such an "old fashioned" book for my kids.