Book a Week 2017 - BW17: Book news and notes

[Onceuponatime]

Speaking of movie adaptations:

 

We went to see Lost City of Z today, and it was rather disappointing. It was more like the lost movie of Z, never quite deciding what to focus on, never quite capturing Percy Fawcett's obsession, and all without any truly jaw-dropping cinematography which the jungles of the Amazon deserve.

Aw, rats! I came here to find out if anyone has seen the movie yet. I was hoping it was a good one. I've seen other reviews praising it, but I trust you ladies more.

 

Edtied, here not hear.

Edited April 25, 2017 by Onceuponatime

[Kareni]

A one day only currently free crime story for Kindle readers ~

 

The Pit-Prop Syndicate by Freeman Wills Crofts

 

About the Author

Born in 1879, Freeman Wills Crofts was an Irish engineer and one of the preeminent writers of Golden Age detective fiction. Educated in Belfast, he was apprenticed at eighteen to his uncle, who was chief engineer of the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway. Marrying in 1912, he was to hold various positions in railway engineering before becoming Chief Assistant Engineer, and it was during an illness-induced absence from work that he wrote his first novel, The Cask (1920) which became an international success. Considered a classic of the detective genre, it was followed by a steady production of more than thirty novels, most of which featured the meticulous Inspector French of Scotland Yard. An influential and key pioneer of the genre, Crofts became an early member of the legendary Detection Club in London along with Agatha Christie, Anthony Berkeley and other established mystery writers. He also wrote numerous plays for the BBC, dozens of short stories, a number of true crime works, and a religious book. Known for tight plots and scrupulous attention to detail, his work set new standards in detective fiction plotting. In 1939, the author was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. In retirement from engineering he continued to write and pursued music, carpentry, gardening and travel. He died in 1957.

 

 

 

"Stranded on a French highway, a wine merchant discovers a conspiracy

Twenty-six kilometers from Bordeaux, Seymour Merriman’s motorcycle runs low on gas. He is waiting for a passing motorist to come to his rescue when he notices a lorry turn down a nearby country road. Following it leads him to a mill, where an English firm manufactures pit-props for coal mines. They give him two liters of petrol and send him on his way, but not before he sees something odd. The lorry he saw on the road was marked No. 4, but it has been changed to No. 3—a peculiar incident that will lead Merriman into the greatest danger he has ever known.

With the help of a customs officer, Merriman looks into the mill’s business, and discovers that nothing about the little English firm is as it seems. All he wanted was a few liters of petrol, but he has stumbled across the century’s most fiendish crime."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

Aubrey/Maturin fans ~ my husband just finished his second Jay Worrall Napoleonic era nautical fiction book.  This one actually included a brief appearance by a young Aubrey.  I heard my husband laughing a few times though he also said the book had some poignant moments.

 

Any Approaching Enemy: A Novel of the Napoleonic Wars  by Jay Worrall

**

 

I read a book yesterday that I quite enjoyed; it's a contemporary paranormal romance.  While it's book two in the series, it stood alone well.  I look forward to reading the first book, too.  (Adult content)

 

Parker's Sanctuary: A Guardsmen Novel by Cooper West

 

"Greg Lademar is an ordinary and average Army veteran who has settled down with his job as an accountant and his lingering PTSD. He lives a quiet life as a single man, alone on the former blueberry farm he bought from his parents after they retired to Orlando. When a friend who works with animal control asks him to foster Parker, a severely injured dog who has just been rescued from an abusive home, the last thing Greg expects is to be dragged into the mysterious world of the Guardsmen — the bonded pairs of humans and their weredogs, known as Protectors, who are literally the stuff of myths and legends.

 

Greg’s life is turned upside down by unexpected events involving Parker and the strange Guardsmen pair Marcus and Alex Stephanek, but far more dangerous to him is the man who used to own Parker and holds a grudge for having “his†dog taken from him. A game of cat and mouse ensues, with more on the line than even Greg ever thought possible: his life, and the life of Parker, who has become more important to him than Greg ever imagined a rescue dog could be."

 

 

 

There is a short prequel that is currently free ~  Rescued: A “Parker’s Sanctuary†Story

 

The author also offered a free epilogue at the end of the full length book which I read with pleasure ~ Second Chances.

***

 

I also finished Claudia Connor's contemporary romance Worth the Fall (The McKinney Brothers, Book 1) which I also enjoyed.  (Some adult content)

 

"They meet on a beach. . . . Abby Davis isn’t wearing a skimpy bikini or sipping umbrella drinks, not when she’s busy chasing around four little ones. And Matt McKinney isn’t looking for fun—he’s a Navy SEAL, a grown man with a long list of missions . . . and fallen brothers.
 
They only have a week. . . . Abby has brought her children to this beach to start over, to give them the enjoyable memories they deserve. Matt’s been sidelined by a combat injury, and haunted by the best friend he lost and the promise he made: to remain a SEAL—focused and dedicated. This leaves no time for what he’s always wanted: a family.
 
But a week is all it takes. . . . Matt opens her heart while Abby soothes his soul. And though they plan to say good-bye when the week is over, something magical happens on that beach, something neither can forget. Something utterly, completely worth falling for."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Nan in Mass]

I watched the water rise in my yard as a lake formed and then also kept an eye on the radar wondering when it would end. Fortunately last night's rain was light. There is the possibility of scattered showers today. The good news is that they shouldn't stall like the big mass did yesterday.

 

Now to deal with mosquitoes from all of the standing water!

Vegetable oil?

[melbotoast]

I finished Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith. There were a few minor things that annoyed me but I thought it was well written overall. I'm looking forward to reading the Regency romance by this author that Laura suggested. 

 

I started The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion and am enjoying it so far. 

 

I realized that I'm behind on my reading challenge, but I tend to go in spurts, so I should catch up. Real life has been getting in the way lately! I am going to visit my mom & sister this weekend so I will have about 6 hours of driving time. I'm planning to listen to Book of a Thousand Days which I found at Half Price Books for $1.  :hurray:  :auto:

[Nan in Mass]

Oh my goodness, that sounds like so much fun. That's the stuff dreams are made of.

 

I would love to read about your adventures on a sailboat with teens, a cat, and a dog.

It was mostly pretty tame as adventures go, for which I am profoundly thankful. We alternate between "Pretty idyllic, hunh?" and "Whose stupid idea was this?" with the occasional adrenaline rush ending (hopefully) with "A miss is as good as a mile, right?". Our boys are grown now but they still try to come sailing with us for at least a few days every summer. The stupid bit is a joke- we all have sailed ever since we can remember. It was never an idea, and weather or equipment failure, the reason for almost all problems, aren't choices. They just happen.

 

Nan

[Mom-ninja.]

We finished Ptolomey's Gate today driving everywhere and back. I almost cried at the end. What a great trilogy. Highly recommend.

 

 

Also, I just realized that next week is May. I have to get started on my book club book! It's over 500 pgs and I haven't started it. Where in the world did the month of April go?!

[Robin M]

I finished Great Weaver of Kashmir.   The second half of the book is equally interesting, delving into the mind of a man who questions all and thinks he knows more than most people and what he discovers.  More food for thought and lots of rabbit trails to follow from the endnotes. Jane, you were right.  No wisdom for dilja. She was a rather odd duck.

 

Diving into Louise Penny's # 7 in her Inspector Gamache series - A Trick of the Light.  

[Butter]

Today I finished The Night of the Purple Moon by Scott Cramer.  It's the first of the Toucan Trilogy.  A comet goes all the way around the earth and leaves a bacteria in its space dust that attacks testosterone and estrogen.  All teens and adults are killed that night.  Old people get sick and die within a day or two.  The pre-pubescent kids have to figure out how to survive and the older ones have to worry about hitting puberty because they will get sick and die once they do.  Some adults survived in submarines and underground at the CDC.  So they have to find an antibiotic to cure the illness and once they find it they have to distribute it so it's all a race against time, especially for the kids 10-12 on the night of the purple moon.  It's not a middle grade book and it's not really a YA book, but instead somewhere in between.  I liked it.  And I'll likely read the rest of the series.

[Raifta]

Hugs for those of you who have lost beloved relatives or pets recently.  

 

I think I've finished 4 books since last I checked in.  

 

Tribe by Sebastian Junger - this was for book club and I did not enjoy it.  It was fast and easy but too much pop psychology and not enough scholarly research for me.

 

Wild Swans by Jung Chang - this was epic non-fiction, covering pretty much the whole 20th century in China through the lens of the women in one family.  I found it slow going and very detailed and it was only when the author got to be about 12 or so and started to frame things in terms of her experiences that it picked up.  Horrifying to read about how things proceeded in China, and gave me more insight into the backgrounds of the Chinese grad students I met in the 1980s (my dad was an engineering professor and we had a lot of grad students stay with us), many of whom were older and married unlike North American grad students.

 

Voices from Chernobyl by Svetlana Alexievich - using this for my Translated bingo square. - Overall I'd recommend this but did occasionally find the style frustrating as the book is a string of oral narratives from people affected in many different ways by Chernobyl and sometimes when people speak, it's not as clean and neat as it would be if they had written down their thoughts.  Despite this, very affecting - I had to stop about 3/4 of the way through and take a break because there really are no inspiring stories from Chernobyl.

 

The Road Across Canada by Edward McCourt - this was my 'bathroom' book because it was easily put down and picked up again and could be read in short chunks like a page or two.  It's a clunky dated book from the 60s about his trip across the Trans Canada Highway with his wife shortly after it was officially completed.  A bit weird to read his opinions about certain places or people and see how time has changed them.

 

I am currently reading Howards End by E.M. Forster and finally got Underground Airlines back from the library after it was recalled when I was halfway through it.

 

Here's my question for the BaWers: Howards End is one of my books from my current Shelf project.  It will be the third Forster book I've read from the shelf (Celestial Omnibus and Where Angels Fear to Tread being the other two).  I still have a Passage to India up there - next in line to be read.  However, I haven't particularly enjoyed the  2 1/2 Forsters I've read so far - I can appreciate aspects of them but overall haven't connected to them.  Is there any particular reason why A Passage to India is one that I should definitely give a go?  Or is it fine to skip it? (In terms of my own personal project, I have no moral objection to deciding to skip it - I'm just wondering about it from a literary perspective.)

[Jane in NC]

Hugs for those of you who have lost beloved relatives or pets recently.

 

I think I've finished 4 books since last I checked in.

 

Tribe by Sebastian Junger - this was for book club and I did not enjoy it. It was fast and easy but too much pop psychology and not enough scholarly research for me.

 

Wild Swans by Jung Chang - this was epic non-fiction, covering pretty much the whole 20th century in China through the lens of the women in one family. I found it slow going and very detailed and it was only when the author got to be about 12 or so and started to frame things in terms of her experiences that it picked up. Horrifying to read about how things proceeded in China, and gave me more insight into the backgrounds of the Chinese grad students I met in the 1980s (my dad was an engineering professor and we had a lot of grad students stay with us), many of whom were older and married unlike North American grad students.

 

Voices from Chernobyl by Svetlana Alexievich - using this for my Translated bingo square. - Overall I'd recommend this but did occasionally find the style frustrating as the book is a string of oral narratives from people affected in many different ways by Chernobyl and sometimes when people speak, it's not as clean and neat as it would be if they had written down their thoughts. Despite this, very affecting - I had to stop about 3/4 of the way through and take a break because there really are no inspiring stories from Chernobyl.

 

The Road Across Canada by Edward McCourt - this was my 'bathroom' book because it was easily put down and picked up again and could be read in short chunks like a page or two. It's a clunky dated book from the 60s about his trip across the Trans Canada Highway with his wife shortly after it was officially completed. A bit weird to read his opinions about certain places or people and see how time has changed them.

 

I am currently reading Howards End by E.M. Forster and finally got Underground Airlines back from the library after it was recalled when I was halfway through it.

 

Here's my question for the BaWers: Howards End is one of my books from my current Shelf project. It will be the third Forster book I've read from the shelf (Celestial Omnibus and Where Angels Fear to Tread being the other two). I still have a Passage to India up there - next in line to be read. However, I haven't particularly enjoyed the 2 1/2 Forsters I've read so far - I can appreciate aspects of them but overall haven't connected to them. Is there any particular reason why A Passage to India is one that I should definitely give a go? Or is it fine to skip it? (In terms of my own personal project, I have no moral objection to deciding to skip it - I'm just wondering about it from a literary perspective.)

I am probably not the person to weigh in here since I adore Forster. I have not read Celestial Omnibus, but Angels, Howard's End, and Passage leave me swooning. We did a Passage read along last year. I'm wondering if a search of the BaW threads might give you the larger perspective from this community.

[Raifta]

I am probably not the person to weigh in here since I adore Forster. I have not read Celestial Omnibus, but Angels, Howard's End, and Passage leave me swooning. We did a Passage read along last year. I'm wondering if a search of the BaW threads might give you the larger perspective from this community.

 

It's interesting because I can intellectually enjoy Forster but I'm just not feeling the love.  I might decide to skip ahead to the next book and come back to Passage.  I'll check the threads on that one.  

[JennW in SoCal]

 

Aubrey/Maturin fans ~ my husband just finished his second Jay Worrall Napoleonic era nautical fiction book.  This one actually included a brief appearance by a young Aubrey.  I heard my husband laughing a few times though he also said the book had some poignant moments.

 

Any Approaching Enemy: A Novel of the Napoleonic Wars  by Jay Worrall

 

 

Oh thank you! I've put the first title on my audible wishlist! 

 

We finished Ptolomey's Gate today driving everywhere and back. I almost cried at the end. What a great trilogy. Highly recommend.

 

 

Also, I just realized that next week is May. I have to get started on my book club book! It's over 500 pgs and I haven't started it. Where in the world did the month of April go?!

 

My youngest ds dearly loved the Bartimaeus trilogy, and I finally listened to it while I was crocheting an afghan for his college dorm. I thoroughly enjoyed it too and was bemused to realize how much he had based his young teen personality on the Bartimaeus character!

 

 

Diving into Louise Penny's # 7 in her Inspector Gamache series - A Trick of the Light.  

 

Have you stocked up on brie and baguettes?

[Robin M]

Have you stocked up on brie and baguettes?

I've got the dough, just need to make time to roll it out and bake.  But no  brie. Thinking garlic butter or cream cheese.  :D

[Stacia]

.

Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia

[ErinE]

So I had made a vow at the beginning of the year I wouldn't buy any more books. I'd read the books I have in my home TBR pile and rely on the library for the rest.

 

Then I went to Half-Price Books today.

 

I couldn't help it. The store was huge with shelves above my head and barely within reach. Don Quixote was $2.00! I've found that for 700+ page books I read the physical copy faster and better. So I bought it. Also there was Women Who Run With Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype, 4.16 stars on Goodreads. Plus other science fiction books. I looked for Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time as I think DS14 would enjoy it, but no luck. It was my first visit. I fear it won't be my last. 

[Mothersweets]

 

Aubrey/Maturin fans ~ my husband just finished his second Jay Worrall Napoleonic era nautical fiction book.  This one actually included a brief appearance by a young Aubrey.  I heard my husband laughing a few times though he also said the book had some poignant moments.

 

Any Approaching Enemy: A Novel of the Napoleonic Wars  by Jay Worrall

**

 

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

 

Thanks for the heads up - I put it on my wish list!

[Stacia]

.

Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia

[Stacia]

.

Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia

[Kareni]

A currently free cozy mystery set for Kindle readers ~

 

Bellingwood Boxed Set: Books 1-3  by Diane Greenwood Muir

 

Also, a pair of fantasies by Morgan Rice ~

Slave, Warrior, Queen (Of Crowns and Glory—Book 1)

 

Rogue, Prisoner, Princess (Of Crowns and Glory—Book 2)

 

and book one of a different series ~ Quest of Heroes (Book #1 in the Sorcerer's Ring)

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

[Jane in NC]

Big happy sigh. After my last post, I decided to sit down & finish News of the World. Its goodness is what I needed right now. A lovely & wonderful book. Characters (Captain Kidd & Johanna) that I loved.

 

I think I will have to buy a copy for ds too. He will love it. Dd might too.

 

Nan, have you read this one yet? I think it's one you might enjoy.

 

Highly recommended.

And now you know why I had said that I was envious of anyone reading this book for the first time. It is truly special.

 

Yes to Nan: you and your Mum will love this book!

[Lady Florida.]

Goodness, (((hugs))) to so many of you. 

 

I finished the audio version The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax. It was cute. I think it's one of those series that I'll enjoy better listening to than reading, and if I continue I'll stick with audio. My current audio book is the next Brother Cadfael - The Virgin in the Ice.

 

Still keeping my Kindle turned off while I finish Bellevue: Three Centuries of Medicine and Mayhem at America's Most Storied Hospital and Dodge City: Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, and the Wickedest Town in the American West. 

 

The Bellevue book loan already ended and Dodge City ends in 6 days. 

[Chrysalis Academy]

Big happy sigh. After my last post, I decided to sit down & finish News of the World. Its goodness is what I needed right now. A lovely & wonderful book. Characters (Captain Kidd & Johanna) that I loved.

 

I think I will have to buy a copy for ds too. He will love it. Dd might too.

 

Nan, have you read this one yet? I think it's one you might enjoy.

 

Highly recommended.

 

:hurray:  :hurray:  :hurray:  It makes me so happy to hear you say this!

[Ethel Mertz]

Jane - Your rain came north. We're swamped! But, we also need the rain.

 

And, now, for everyone's entertainment:

 

https://www.facebook.com/hrtwarming/videos/1704379702910425/?pnref=story

 

[Kareni]

A one day only currently free spy novel for Kindle readers ~

 

 

The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers

 

"In the rough waters of the North Sea, two sailors fight to save Britain

Charles Carruthers is languishing in the crushing heat of a London summer when an old university chum named Davies throws him a lifeline, inviting him on a yachting expedition in the North Sea. It sounds like a lark, but Carruthers finds that the Dulcibella is hardly a yacht, and Davies’s trip is no pleasure cruise. Off the coast of the mysterious Frisian Islands, he has spotted a German fleet, supposedly engaged in hunting for buried treasure. Battling the elements, the two Englishmen find themselves surrounded by the German navy, which is using the fogs of the North Sea to disguise something monstrous—the Kaiser’s plot to launch a sneak attack on the British Isles.

Published more than a decade before World War I began, this groundbreaking spy novel inspired a young Winston Churchill to reinvigorate Britain’s naval defenses, and it remains just as stirring today."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Lady Florida.]

Goodness, (((hugs))) to so many of you. 

 

I finished the audio version The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax. It was cute. I think it's one of those series that I'll enjoy better listening to than reading, and if I continue I'll stick with audio. My current audio book is the next Brother Cadfael - The Virgin in the Ice.

 

Still keeping my Kindle turned off while I finish Bellevue: Three Centuries of Medicine and Mayhem at America's Most Storied Hospital and Dodge City: Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, and the Wickedest Town in the American West. 

 

The Bellevue book loan already ended and Dodge City ends in 6 days. 

[Mothersweets]

Jane - Your rain came north. We're swamped! But, we also need the rain.

 

And, now, for everyone's entertainment:

 

https://www.facebook.com/hrtwarming/videos/1704379702910425/?pnref=story

 

 

:lol: Love it!!

[Penguin]

:grouphug:  :grouphug: to those grieving.

 

--

I had two bookish boo-hiss moments this week:

 

Boo-Hiss Number 1: I downloaded two Kindle samples of The Black Tulip by Dumas. One was the Penguin edition and the other was Oxford. I wanted to compare the translations before choosing, but all I got were two introductions. Not a smidgen of the actual book from either publisher.

 

Boo-Hiss Number 2: While Arms: The Culture and Credo of the Gun was not quite as awful as I had anticipated, there was the implication that one of the mass shooters went astray because he was homeschooled. 

 

Edited April 26, 2017 by Penguin

[JennW in SoCal]

Here is a really fascinating article illustrating the difficulties of handling subtleties in a language when translating a novel. Translating from Chinese or Japanese carries an extra burden as so much meaning is wrapped up in the characters or kanji. The article itself isn't specifically about translation, rather it is about Murakami's newest novel which came out in Japan a few months ago and about the common word choices he has made in his last several novels. There is probably more nitty gritty on the Japanese language than you want, but even a quick skim of the article showcases the daunting job of translating a novel.

 

Conquering Commendatore

Edited April 26, 2017 by JennW in SoCal

[mumto2]

My likes are being weird and not working on some posts. Everyone consider yourself liked. :)

 

Ethel. :lol:

 

Kathy....been meaning to try Mrs. Polifax. I will look for it as an audiobook now.

 

More to post but Dh is now ready for our errands!

[Jane in NC]

:grouphug:  :grouphug: to those grieving.

 

--

I had two bookish boo-hiss moments this week:

 

Boo-Hiss Number 1: I downloaded two Kindle samples of The Black Tulip by Dumas. One was the Penguin edition and the other was Oxford. I wanted to compare the translations before choosing, but all I got were two introductions. Not a smidgen of the actual book.

 

Boo-Hiss Number 2: While Arms: The Culture and Credo of the Gun was not quite as awful as I had anticipated, there was the implication that one of the mass shooters went astray because he was homeschooled. 

 

I read the Oxford edition, a book that I picked up at a library sale so I did not compare translations.  This had been on my "to read" list for some time but I was not enamoured.  One thing that was helpful though was the thorough introduction to the politics/economics of the time.

 

Loved the video, Ethel!  We are drying out here (sort of). 

[Lady Florida.]

I also wanted to pop in on a few of your posts. Rather than going back to find them and quote, I'm going to try and remember.

 

Stacia - Glad you enjoyed News of the World. It was a lovely book.

 

On Hidden Figures - I found it slow and plodding in some parts and said so in my Goodreads review. I'm not sorry I read it because the movie did take some liberties and the book gave me a more factual picture, but I still liked the movie better.

 

I too was underwhelmed by the book The Lost City of Z. It was interesting but I expected it to be more so. I'm not sure if I'll watch the movie and if I do it will be long after it's available on video.

 

I'm looking forward to our group read that starts next week.

 

Jane, I'm sorry about your rain problems. We could seriously use rain here. We're pretty high on the drought index and wildfires are burning all over the state, including at one of my favorite wildlife refuges on Merritt Island. 

Edited April 26, 2017 by Lady Florida.

[Lady Florida.]

 

Kathy....been meaning to try Mrs. Polifax. I will look for it as an audiobook now.

 

 

It reminds be a bit of the Amelia Peabody books in that they're silly and require a lot of suspension of disbelief, but they're fun. That's why I think audio is better, at least for me.

[Mom-ninja.]

I started The Feminine Mystique for my book club. The first chapter already drew me in. I will perhaps have a better understanding of my mil and mom.  

[Matryoshka]

Here is a really fascinating article illustrating the difficulties of handling subtleties in a language when translating a novel. Translating from Chinese or Japanese carries an extra burden as so much meaning is wrapped up in the characters or kanji. The article itself isn't specifically about translation, rather it is about Murakami's newest novel which came out in Japan a few months ago and about the common word choices he has made in his last several novels. There is probably more nitty gritty on the Japanese language than you want, but even a quick skim of the article showcases the daunting job of translating a novel.

 

Conquering Commendatore

 

Translation really is an art.  I'm somewhat hoping less gets lost in translation to a more similar language, which is why I've been giving myself permission to read Scandinavian books in German and recently a Portuguese book in Spanish.  Of course, that doesn't help with Japanese...

 

 

And speaking of Scandinavian translations... My Laxness book finally got here!  That only took a month and a half!  Now I've got two Icelandic books on hand, but I think I may put them both off and read The Grand Hotel (aka People in the Hotel - I just keep lol'ing at the literal translation - a very clear example as to why a literal translation isn't always the best one) as my next German book.  It should be here soon.

[ErinE]

Seanan McGuire has a free novella Every Heart a Doorway available from Tor.com. One of my favorite living fantasy writers, she creates books filled with lovely descriptions and creepy worlds. I read this a few months ago and enjoyed it though the short length left me wanting more.

[mumto2]

Jenn, Thanks for the Murakami Article. I'm looking forward to reading the book! :) Was this the book featured in your Murakami picture?

 

 

Seanan McGuire has a free novella Every Heart a Doorway available from Tor.com. One of my favorite living fantasy writers, she creates books filled with lovely descriptions and creepy worlds. I read this a few months ago and enjoyed it though the short length left me wanting more.

What an odd coincidence because I am almost done with this book, been carrying it around all day. I have it from overdrive but really enjoying it. As Erin said good writing with fascinating descriptions of creepy and unusual otherworlds. There definitely could be more of this book. Hoping for more in the series.

 

I have been busy finishing a couple of books. I really liked Ink and Bone . I have the next on reserve and should have it within the next month or so which is good because the ending was a cliffhanger!

 

I also finished The Shadow Land. I'm still feeling a bit blah about it although the ending was better than expected although not unanticipated.....as a mystery reader the clues were not subtle and I knew where it had to be heading from close to the start. I gave it a three probably deserving of a three and a half......might of given it a four if it was a hundred pages less!

[aggieamy]

Goodness, (((hugs))) to so many of you. 

 

I finished the audio version The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax. It was cute. I think it's one of those series that I'll enjoy better listening to than reading, and if I continue I'll stick with audio. My current audio book is the next Brother Cadfael - The Virgin in the Ice.

 

Still keeping my Kindle turned off while I finish Bellevue: Three Centuries of Medicine and Mayhem at America's Most Storied Hospital and Dodge City: Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, and the Wickedest Town in the American West. 

 

The Bellevue book loan already ended and Dodge City ends in 6 days. 

 

One of my favorite Brother Cadfael mysteries!  

 

Jane - Your rain came north. We're swamped! But, we also need the rain.

 

And, now, for everyone's entertainment:

 

https://www.facebook.com/hrtwarming/videos/1704379702910425/?pnref=story

 

 

Hahahaha!

[aggieamy]

Just got back from the grocery story and bought some bread and brie.  Guess what I'm starting today?  

 

 

Finished:

 

Uncle Fred in Springtime by PG Wodehouse - I went into this book a little doubtful because how could anything be as good as Jeeves and Wooster? Impossible. But I needed a SPRING book so I guess I would give this Uncle Fred chap a try. So funny. I listened to the audiobook and listened to some scenes two or three times because they were hilarious. 

 

Here's what I love about PG Wodehouse ... if the man mentions something in passing in the book you know it's going to pop up again and be funny. That 10 pounds borrowed on page 5 is going to become the punchline of a joke on page 60. The knockout drops casually dropped in a purse. Bam. Reappearance on the last page for maximum hilarity.  I love it!

 

[Kareni]

Seanan McGuire has a free novella Every Heart a Doorway available from Tor.com. One of my favorite living fantasy writers, she creates books filled with lovely descriptions and creepy worlds. I read this a few months ago and enjoyed it though the short length left me wanting more.

 

 

What an odd coincidence because I am almost done with this book, been carrying it around all day. I have it from overdrive but really enjoying it. As Erin said good writing with fascinating descriptions of creepy and unusual otherworlds. There definitely could be more of this book. Hoping for more in the series.

 

I read the novella some time ago. Interesting story.

 

 

I came across this post a few minutes ago; it's a repeat of a post I read last year ~  The Chosen Children of Portal Fantasy  by Seanan McGuire

 

Regards,

Kareni

[mumto2]

I read the novella some time ago. Interesting story.

 

 

I came across this post a few minutes ago; it's a repeat of a post I read last year ~ The Chosen Children of Portal Fantasy by Seanan McGuire

 

Regards,

Kareni

Thanks for the link. I enjoyed the article. The other odd coincidence is Goodreads sent me an email that included the next book in this series coming out in June, I think. I was more excited about the new Kate Burkholder so I can be excused for forgetting!

[Kareni]

Some currently free Kindle books that might be of interest ~

 

 

a Holocaust memoir ~ Raking Light from Ashes  by Relli Robinson

 

a fantasy ~ The Beast That Never Was  by Caren J. Werlinger

 

the story of a rescue dog ~ Nobody's Poodle  by Nikki Attree and Richard Attree

 

a LGBT work of literary fiction ~ One Match  by J.Y. Chung

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Jane in NC]

Arturo Perez-Reverte is well known for his historic novels which both my husband and I have enjoyed over the years.  I recently picked up something quite different from him, an audio version of The Painter of Battles.  There is minimal action in this book.  A war photographer moves into an isolated watchtower in which he begins to paint a mural displaying the horrors he has witnessed throughout his career. An unexpected visitor turns up at his door, a Croatian whom he had photographed during the Balkan War.  The photo won awards--but essentially destroyed the soldier's life as it led to the death of his Serbian wife and their son. 

 

This we learn over the course of the conversations these two men have. They discuss photography, war photography, the ethics of war photography.  The book is introspective and raises numerous questions--none easy.

 

Those of you who read The Flanders Panel or The Club Dumas will find this a very different sort of book.  I am not sure I could have sustained reading a print version.  If you have not read this Spanish author, I would suggest Flanders, Dumas or a  Captain Alatriste before this book--unless you are in the mood for a very difficult conversation on those who witness and record humanity's lowest moments.

[Matryoshka]

Arturo Perez-Reverte is well known for his historic novels which both my husband and I have enjoyed over the years.  I recently picked up something quite different from him, an audio version of The Painter of Battles.  There is minimal action in this book.  A war photographer moves into an isolated watchtower in which he begins to paint a mural displaying the horrors he has witnessed throughout his career. An unexpected visitor turns up at his door, a Croatian whom he had photographed during the Balkan War.  The photo won awards--but essentially destroyed the soldier's life as it led to the death of his Serbian wife and their son. 

 

This we learn over the course of the conversations these two men have. They discuss photography, war photography, the ethics of war photography.  The book is introspective and raises numerous questions--none easy.

 

Those of you who read The Flanders Panel or The Club Dumas will find this a very different sort of book.  I am not sure I could have sustained reading a print version.  If you have not read this Spanish author, I would suggest Flanders, Dumas or a  Captain Alatriste before this book--unless you are in the mood for a very difficult conversation on those who witness and record humanity's lowest moments.

 

Can you recommend what your favorite place to start would be with this author?  He's been on my radar, as a well-known Spanish author outside of Spain, but I haven't been sure which to start with - he has written a lot!  I've seen mixed reviews of the Alatriste books.  Not sure if swashbuckling's my thing.  The Spanish versions of The Flanders Panel and The Seville Communion are in my Amazon wish list... the latter I think mostly because I've lived in Sevilla. :)

[Jane in NC]

Can you recommend what your favorite place to start would be with this author?  He's been on my radar, as a well-known Spanish author outside of Spain, but I haven't been sure which to start with - he has written a lot!  I've seen mixed reviews of the Alatriste books.  Not sure if swashbuckling's my thing.  The Spanish versions of The Flanders Panel and The Seville Communion are in my Amazon wish list... the latter I think mostly because I've lived in Sevilla. :)

 

 

I have not read the Alatriste books since I view them as swashbuckling--not my inclination. I really enjoyed The Flanders Panel.  Maybe start there??

 

[Kareni]

FantasyBookCafe.com is hosting Women in SF&F month currently.  I enjoyed two of today's posts ~

 

Women in SF&F Month: Megan Whalen Turner

 

"This is my local bookshop, Loganberry Books in Cleveland, Ohio: (Picture)

 

To highlight the works of women, they’ve flipped the books written by men so that the spines don’t show.  The books are still alphabetical, so if you are looking for a book by George Perec, you can still find it. Go to the P’s, find Elizabeth Peters and start pulling the nearby books off the shelf to check who wrote them.  The reversal is only temporary, meant to show the disparity in the numbers of books by women and by men.  As Loganberry owner Harriet Logan said, “This is not by talent, choice, or even popularity, but mostly through industry favoritism, social opportunity, and habit.â€

 

There is something else that the reversal shows, that if you have a system, almost any system, for organizing your books, it’s not that hard to find something—so long as you already know it exists. If you want a book by George Perec, you can find it, and when they flip all the men’s books around at the end of the month, you can still find the women’s books: it’s just that you are much less likely to come across a book by a woman by chance alone...."

 

and

 

Women in SF&F Month: Nisi Shawl

 

"By the time my debut novel Everfair appeared I was 60 years old.  I’m working on a sequel; if the first publisher I’m shopping it to buys it, I could well be 65 when that sequel—Kinning, I call it—appears.

 

I never thought I’d get this old.  Getting old is not something women are encouraged to anticipate.  It’s a losing battle, evading age, but one every woman in the world’s dominant culture is expected to fight.  Though often we’re given examples of what it’s like to be old: Lolling about on our laurel wreaths, basking in the glory of our grands and great-grands, clasping the tender hands of our lifelong lovers or gazing in satisfaction upon our monumental artistic or scientific accomplishments.  Or, daringly, all of the above.  But old age in these visions is a resting state, not an active one...."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Matryoshka]

I have not read the Alatriste books since I view them as swashbuckling--not my inclination. I really enjoyed The Flanders Panel.  Maybe start there??

 

 

Thanks!  And bonus, I just looked, and both those books are available from my library. :D  Reading so much recently, I'm trying really hard not to buy books if I can help it.  Spanish books I've been having some reasonable success with at the library (even Overdrive has some!); the German ones I'm lucky to find to buy at a reasonable price...

[Mom-ninja.]

Jenn, Thanks for the Murakami Article. I'm looking forward to reading the book! :) Was this the book featured in your Murakami picture?

 

 

 

What an odd coincidence because I am almost done with this book, been carrying it around all day. I have it from overdrive but really enjoying it. As Erin said good writing with fascinating descriptions of creepy and unusual otherworlds. There definitely could be more of this book. Hoping for more in the series.

 

I have been busy finishing a couple of books. I really liked Ink and Bone . I have the next on reserve and should have it within the next month or so which is good because the ending was a cliffhanger!

 

Wait until you get to the end of the next book. Major cliffhanger! The next book is due to be released in July.  

Just got back from the grocery story and bought some bread and brie.  Guess what I'm starting today?  

 

 

Finished:

 

Uncle Fred in Springtime by PG Wodehouse - I went into this book a little doubtful because how could anything be as good as Jeeves and Wooster? Impossible. But I needed a SPRING book so I guess I would give this Uncle Fred chap a try. So funny. I listened to the audiobook and listened to some scenes two or three times because they were hilarious. 

 

Here's what I love about PG Wodehouse ... if the man mentions something in passing in the book you know it's going to pop up again and be funny. That 10 pounds borrowed on page 5 is going to become the punchline of a joke on page 60. The knockout drops casually dropped in a purse. Bam. Reappearance on the last page for maximum hilarity.  I love it!

I am almost done with that book. I really like this one. All his books make me laugh. 

[Kareni]

Some recent reads here ~

 

I enjoyed the time travel romance Paradox Lost  by Libby Drew; this is a book I'll be re-reading.  (Adult content)  It's always interesting to see how an author handles the time travel aspect in such a book.  Here visitors to the past can stay only a brief time before the world becomes hostile to them and tries to get rid of them (by car accident, tree falling, etc.).  It's a bit reminiscent of the body attacking an invader.

 

"Time-travel tour guide Reegan McNamara's job—taking eager tourists to whenever they want to go—is usually a breeze. A trip back to 2020 to watch a world-changing speech seems no different, until a woman runs away from his tour group before the jump home. Now her tycoon husband is demanding her safe return—or Reegan will lose more than just his job.

 

P.I. Saul Kildare's business is running on borrowed time. Due to a messy break with the police, he can't get a referral to save his life. When an enigmatic stranger bangs on his door one night and promises a windfall for a missing-person case, it seems too good to be true. But the two men have an immediate connection, and Saul can't pass up the chance to spend more time with Reegan, even if he's clearly hiding something.

 

Saul knows he shouldn't trust Reegan, and Reegan knows he can't get involved with Saul. But as their attraction evolves into feelings neither can deny, will they have the strength to take a leap of faith—together?"

**

 

I also enjoyed another contemporary romance by Claudia Connor namely Worth It All (The McKinney Brothers Book 3).  While this is book three in the series, it can stand alone well.  (Adult content)

 

"She’s fighting for control. . . . Paige Roberts learned to fend for herself growing up. Now she’s doing everything possible to give her daughter, Casey, the stability she never had. But when the vivacious five-year-old decides she’s done wearing her prosthesis, Paige faces her toughest challenge yet: trusting a handsome, brooding stranger who simply wants to help.
 
He’s struggling to connect. . . . JT McKinney lost more than his leg in a car accident that stole his dreams of pro football. Eight years later, he's made a new life for himself far away from his old one. His business is developing cutting-edge prosthetics and he’s more than happy to turn his attention to machines instead of people. Still, he can’t shake the feeling that something’s missing.
 
Will they take a chance on love? . . . When JT gets the chance to help Paige’s daughter, he takes it. He never planned on the two of them tearing down his walls or teaching him to believe in himself again. Paige might not believe in happily ever afters, but JT wants more than anything to be her prince. They’ll both have to let go of the past if they want a future."

**

 

and I enjoyed Amy Crook's short (57 page) fantasy story Untrue Love (Consulting Magic)  which happens to be currently free to Kindle readers.

 

"Alex Benedict is a student of magic in his third year at Hartbridge University with no clear direction for his studies. That is, until he puts himself in the middle of a criminal investigation by literally stepping in it.

This is the story of Alex's first case with Agent Murielle Lapointe, and while it's lacking in romance, it's a delightful look into grumpy young Alex and what he got up to before he was a professional consultant."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

And an interesting article concerning the finding of a copy of the Declaration of Independence ~

 

A hidden Declaration

Scholar Danielle Allen: ‘We knew we had a mystery. We had a big, big mystery.’

 

"It started with a one-line entry from the catalog of a tiny records office in the town of Chichester, in the south of England: “Manuscript copy, on parchment, of the Declaration in Congress of the thirteen United States of America.â€

 

As part of an effort to assemble a database on every known edition of the Declaration of Independence, Emily Sneff, a researcher with the Declaration Resources Project, stumbled upon the listing in August 2015. Although she didn’t think much of it at the time, that short description would send Sneff and Harvard’s Danielle Allen on a two-year journey into American history.

 

“I’d found vague descriptions of other copies of the Declaration that turned out to be 19th-century reproductions of the signed parchment in the National Archives, so that was what I was expecting,†Sneff said of her initial impression based on the catalog listing. “What struck me as significant was that it said manuscript on parchment.â€"

 

Regards,

Kareni