Robin M Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 (edited) Happy Sunday and welcome to Week Eleven in our Open Roads Reading Adventure. Greetings to all our readers and to all following our progress. Mister Linky is available weekly on 52 Books in 52 Weeks to share a link to your book reviews. An Evening for Maeve Our author choices of the month are the literary novelist Maeve Binchy and crime fiction author John Connolly, best known for his private detective Charlie Parker series. Maeve Binchy was born May 28, 1940 in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Ireland. She became a French language teacher and worked in a Jewish school. She was gifted with a trip to Israel and since she didn't have much money, went to work in a Kibbutz. She would send long rambling entertaining letters home to her parents which were so good, they sold them to the newspapers. Her writing career was born. She started working for the Irish Times in 1968 and My First Book, a compilation of the letters was published in 1970. She wrote two short stories, Central Line in 1978 and Victoria Line in 1980. Her debut novel Light a Penny Candle was published in 1982. She went on to publish 16 novels, various short stories, nonfiction and plays as well as write dramas for radio and television. She passed away at the age of 73 in 2012. Her very last novel, A Week in Winter was published after her death. Chestnut Street, a collection of unpublished short stories she'd written during her life, was published in 2014. Find out more about Maeve Binchy with Piers Dudgeon interview, Remembering Maeve Binchy, and Bookpages: Maeve Binchy: finding the heroes among ordinary people. ************************************* Courtesy of TLC Books John Connolly was born in Dublin in 1968. After graduating from Dublin City University with an Masters in Journalism, he became a freelance journalist for the Irish Times. He began writing his first crime fiction novel and introduced Charlie Parker to the world with Every Dead Thing in 1999 He was awarded the Shamus Award for Best First Private Eye Novel in 2000. He's written 17 books in the Charlie Parker series as well as other series - Chronicles of the Invaders with author Jennifer Ridyard, Samuel Johnson, and standalone books including The Book of Lost Things. His latest novel in Charlie Parker detective series, The Woman in the Woods will be released April 5th in the U.K and June 12th in the United States. Find out more about John Connolly through A Q & A with John Connolly, a Guide to Charlie Parker, Talks to Ginger Nuts of Horror and TLC Books interview with John. Be sure to check out both Maeve Binchy and John Connolly soon! ****************************************** For all our Brit Trippers, this week we'll be travelling through Nottinghamshire which is the famous home of everyone’s favorite outlaw and an interesting connection to the Pilgrim fathers. Rabbit trails: King John’s Palace More On King John’s Palace More Robin Hood Creswell Crags Mr. Straw’s House ****************************************** What are you reading this week? Link to Week 10 Edited March 11, 2018 by Robin M 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted March 11, 2018 Author Share Posted March 11, 2018 I am currently reading Apples Discord by Carrie Vaughn (my v for clover). Set in a dystopian future, there is a keeper of all personal possessions for mythology and fairy tale figures. He or she can only give what belongs to the original owner. Full of God's, tricksters, and ordinary people, it makes for an interesting story. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 (edited) I am currently reading Apples Discord by Carrie Vaughn (my v for clover). Set in a dystopian future, there is a keeper of all personal possessions for mythology and fairy tale figures. He or she can only give what belongs to the original owner. Full of God's, tricksters, and ordinary people, it makes for an interesting story.Is that her new series? We are on our way out hopefully (Ds is finishing proofreading a paper due today) so I am just going to quickly post my Nottinghamshire plans/hopes and try to post more later. The Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinney https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41423.The_Outlaws_of_Sherwood. What can I say Sherwood Forest mixed with an O for Clover. Contrary to what my Goodreads has to say I have never read this so am hoping I enjoy it! Death Comes to a Village by Catherine Lloyd. Supposedly set in Notts and it is a V for Clover, I am looking forward to this as it’s the first in a cozy series I have been wanting to try.https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16073004-death-comes-to-the-village The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie is supposed to have a Nottinghamshire connection. I am hoping to listen to it next but am still waiting on my hold. It works quite well because it is also part of my Christie challenge. So far I am somewhat in publishing order and have only completely skipped one.https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/209194.The_Man_in_the_Brown_Suit Edited March 11, 2018 by mumto2 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 (edited) Sorry to have been AWOL for a couple of weeks. Robin, thank you for checking in to make sure All Is Well! Since I haven't posted in a bit, thought I'd share my eclectic, year to date book list: Mort by Terry Pratchett. Not my favorite Pratchett but Death is a favorite character! Captain to Captain a Star Trek novel. What can I say? Not my typical genre but it was a Christmas gift from my son. Cutting Back: My Apprenticeship in the Gardens of Kyoto by Leslie Buck. Fascinating look at a year studying traditional Japanese pruning techniques True Grit by Charles Portis Y'all were right in recommending it all these years, especially the audio version. Loved it! Goblin Emperor by Kathy Addison. Stand alone fantasy with a great protagonist. Two thumbs up! West with the Night by Beryl Markham. Another winner of an audio book. A Beautiful Blue Death by Charles French. Historical mystery, not bad, but read after being immersed in so many excellent books. Original Sin by PD James. Realized I had read it years ago, but it was fresh and and excellent The Fifth Doll by Charlie Holmberg. A fairytale/fantasy set in Russia. Great world building, quick, easy read. Death of a Red Heroine by Qiu Xiaolong. Wow -- great mystery and an excellent book on modern China Then after a week or so of the reading doldrums, my books in progress are: A Loyal Character Dancer by Qiu Xiaolong. Not wowing me as much, a little clunky, but still enjoying it. Middlemarch by George Elliot. A nice chunky audiobook to keep me company in the car and while quilting or knitting. ETA: Wait a minute, I forgot a couple of completed titles! Educated by Tara Westover. I see there is a thread devoted to just that title. It is definitely a mixed bag of a book. Cold in the Earth, a DI Fleming novel, set in Scotland. I really wanted to love this, but it just got silly. Edited March 11, 2018 by JennW in SoCal 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 Your link to week 10 above, Robin, is actually two links. ** Some currently free books for Kindle readers ~ a one day only sale on this classic western: The Virginian: A Horseman of the Plains by Owen Wister LGBT coming of age: The Education of Ryan Gregori by Gregory Josephs contemporary thriller in a world in which Rome thrived: INCEPTIO (Roma Nova Thriller Series Book 1) by Alison Morton a trio of westerns: The Jess Williams Trilogy: The Reckoning / Brother's Keeper / Sins of the Father (A Jess Williams Western Book 1) by Robert J. Thomas science fiction: The Sixth Discipline (Haven Series Book 1) by Carmen Webster Buxton Regards, Kareni 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted March 11, 2018 Author Share Posted March 11, 2018 Your link to week 10 above, Robin, is actually two links. Thanks for catching that. Somehow merged links from rabbit trails. All fixed now. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 Since I am still waiting ;) I will go onto the what am I reading now. I just started my Irish book. It's called Haunted Ground by Erin Hart https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/905451.Haunted_Ground?ac=1&from_search=true and so far I think I am going to love it. I have only read a couple of chapters but am looking forward to being able to read more. I am still listening to The Dark Forest which is the second book in The Three Body Problem trilogy. Still enjoying it but it is long, almost 23 hours, so not done. I need to find more quilting time this next week! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25332122-the-dark-forest I finished my Northamptonshire book. I ended up reading A Long Shadow which is the eighth Inspector Ian Rutledge book https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/205.A_Long_Shadow. I think I liked it better than the first in the series but have no regrets regarding skipping several. These are good, well written mysteries that make me sad. I may read more if needed for Brit Tripping but doubt I will fill in the blank places in the story. If anyone looks I added Rutland to the county list for this one. The village in this book borders Rutland according to google. I suspect he must have crossed over at some point. Rutland is a small county with very few towns. The big attraction is Rutland Water which is a really popular weekend holiday destination http://www.anglianwater.co.uk/leisure/water-parks/rutland/ 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted March 11, 2018 Author Share Posted March 11, 2018 Is that her new series? Not sure. i think it's a standalone before her Golden Age books. Sorry to have been AWOL for a couple of weeks. Robin, thank you for checking in to make sure All Is Well! :hurray: Off to help hubby do a bit a garage decluttering. :tongue_smilie: 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 I've been a huge Maeve Binchy fan for over 30 years. I read Up at the Villa - 3 Stars - This was a fun, slightly silly, and quick read. I really didn’t care for the protagonist, but I liked the story overall. More than anything I loved the atmospheric descriptions of the setting, a villa just outside Florence, Italy, especially the descriptions of the villa at night. MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars Fantastic, couldn't put it down 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 Hello everyone! The Ivy Tree by Mary Stewart. I'm counting this for my Northumberland spot. Great story with a young Canadian woman impersonating a supposedly dead British woman so the cousin can inherit from his rich uncle (or was it his grandfather?). I enjoyed this and think it is one of Mary Stewart's top novels because of the dialog BUT I was a little put out by our heroine for turning unreliable a little over halfway through the book! Wasn't expecting that and kind of think Ms. Stewart had written herself into a corner and needed a deus ex machina (am I using that term correctly?). Amy - I loved how the author had Mary talk about Brat Farrar! :). https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19837449-the-ivy-tree The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden. Four and a half stars - this was so good! Beautifully written fairytale that brought me into its world right away. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 Sorry to have been AWOL for a couple of weeks. Robin, thank you for checking in to make sure All Is Well! Since I haven't posted in a bit, thought I'd share my eclectic, year to date book list: Mort by Terry Pratchett. Not my favorite Pratchett but Death is a favorite character! Captain to Captain a Star Trek novel. What can I say? Not my typical genre but it was a Christmas gift from my son. Cutting Back: My Apprenticeship in the Gardens of Kyoto by Leslie Buck. Fascinating look at a year studying traditional Japanese pruning techniques True Grit by Charles Portis Y'all were right in recommending it all these years, especially the audio version. Loved it! Goblin Emperor by Kathy Addison. Stand alone fantasy with a great protagonist. Two thumbs up! West with the Night by Beryl Markham. Another winner of an audio book. A Beautiful Blue Death by Charles French. Historical mystery, not bad, but read after being immersed in so many excellent books. Original Sin by PD James. Realized I had read it years ago, but it was fresh and and excellent The Fifth Doll by Charlie Holmberg. A fairytale/fantasy set in Russia. Great world building, quick, easy read. Death of a Red Heroine by Qiu Xiaolong. Wow -- great mystery and an excellent book on modern China Then after a week or so of the reading doldrums, my books in progress are: A Loyal Character Dancer by Qiu Xiaolong. Not wowing me as much, a little clunky, but still enjoying it. Middlemarch by George Elliot. A nice chunky audiobook to keep me company in the car and while quilting or knitting. ETA: Wait a minute, I forgot a couple of completed titles! Educated by Tara Westover. I see there is a thread devoted to just that title. It is definitely a mixed bag of a book. Cold in the Earth, a DI Fleming novel, set in Scotland. I really wanted to love this, but it just got silly. Hi Jen! I'm so glad you loved True Grit! It's such a great story. and Middlemarch! :001_wub: It's probably my favorite book ever. I've listened to the version read by Juliet Stevenson, which one are you listening to? 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 Yesterday I finished Rules of Civility. I enjoyed it but I have to say I liked A Gentleman in Moscow much better. Actually I liked Rules of Civility but loved Gentleman in Moscow. One got 4 stars, the other 5 (and went on my Top 100 of all time list on Goodreads). 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 A few bookish posts ~ Kickass Women in History: Mary Taylor by Carrie S "Mary Taylor was one of Charlotte Bronte’s best friends. She was a businesswoman, and author, and an ardent and vocal feminist. She had good business sense mixed with an adventurous spirit, which let her to study in several European countries, sell cattle and run a store in New Zealand, and climb Mont Blanc in Switzerland. Over time, her fame has been eclipsed by Charlotte’s, but Mary was so much more than just “Charlotte’s friend.†Mary was born in 1817. Her parents sent her to Roe Head School, where Mary met Charlotte Bronte and Ellen Nussey. The three friends were inseparable. Of the three, Mary was the most restless and the most intellectual. Charlotte was the most imaginative. Ellen was the most empathetic and emotionally supportive of the three. The three friends exchanged letters throughout their entire lives...." and a review of a book by the author above: Miss Miles by Mary Taylor reviewed by Carrie S ** Recommending Books Across Generations by James Wallace Harris ** 12 Books to Read if You Love Little Women ** I listed this post in last week's thread; however, I'm recopying it as the comments section has grown significantly since then. Six Outstanding Standalone Fantasy Novels by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon "There’s a certain satisfaction in picking up a fantasy novel and knowing it’s a standalone. For one, you won’t have to wait a year, or two, or even five before you find out what happens next. In that time you’ve invariably forgotten much of the first, or previous book anyway, so a lot of the time you have to reread to get up to speed. Also, you won’t end up picking up an interesting looking fantasy novel from the shelves, starting it, then realizing it’s actually book two of a trilogy, or book four in a ten book series...." Regards, Kareni 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted March 11, 2018 Author Share Posted March 11, 2018 Taking a lunch break. Went shopping for free in my own garage. Every time we declutter, I can't help sorting through my late mother in law's books and pulling out those that strike my fancy. :thumbup1: 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 (edited) I posted one book that I finished but forgot to add what I'm reading. Nothing new on the non-fiction front. Still reading and making slow progress in We Were Eight Years in Power, Before the Dawn: Recovering the Lost History of Our Ancestors, and Flies in the Ointment: Essays on Supplements, Complimentary, and Alternative Medicine (SCAM). I don't remember if I posted that I finished listening to Georgette Heyer's Footsteps in the Dark. It was just okay. The story was a bit drawn out , apparently in an attempt to give it a gothic feel. There were quite a few dun-dun-DUN! moments. It was somewhat predictable. Someone is trying to scare the heirs out of the house they inherited, and let's pretend it's haunted as a way to run them off. I don't mind predictable in mysteries but I probably won't listen to her others. As a rule I'm not a reader of romance, but I actually prefer her regency romances if this book is an indication of what her mysteries are like. The romances I read were kind of fun - even for someone who isn't a big fan of the genre. My book club book for March/April is Imagine Me Gone. I read the first chapter and like it so far, but then one of the members who is further along told me the first chapter is no indication of what the the story is like. She said that's neither good nor bad, but just that I shouldn't judge it by the little bit I've read. Finally, I'm listening to the 7th Harry Potter book for the millionth time. I've been slowly working my way through the series when I didn't have another audio book at the ready. Dh regularly rereads this one because he likes the way everything comes together. I can't do that. I have to read or listen to the whole series or not at all. And I have to do it in order. :) Edited March 11, 2018 by Lady Florida. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 I think I missed last week? I'm on week 3 of some cold/flu thing--I hope it's almost done. I finished Colson Whitehead's The Underground Railroad and have to confess that I didn't love it. I found it a very stressful read and had to put it down from time to time, but it's my pick for book club this month so I had to finish it. This week I finished The Grave's a Fine and Private Place and it suited me well with my stuffy head. I don't analyze the plot too much, just enjoy Flavia's way of seeing the world and her wording of it. For treadmill reading I have started Packing for Mars from our Julabokaflod. It's easy to read and keeping me entertained. I will probably start Middlemarch tonight if I get some sofa time. I was going to start last night but realized with the time change that it was already 9:30 and I went to bed. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 Don't mind me. Just trying to catch up to the Brit Trip Mystery Bus and finish Chrysanthemum. :ph34r: 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 Hi Jen! I'm so glad you loved True Grit! It's such a great story. and Middlemarch! :001_wub: It's probably my favorite book ever. I've listened to the version read by Juliet Stevenson, which one are you listening to? I'm listening to Nadia May as she has read all the Jane Austen books to me many, many times. I like Juliet Stevenson as an actress, but I really didn't like her as the reader of Mansfield Park, but of course it is Mansfield Park. The reviews of her (Juliet Stevenson) Middlemarch are just glowing, but Nadia has my loyalty! 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 Taking a lunch break. Went shopping for free in my own garage. Every time we declutter, I can't help sorting through my late mother in law's books and pulling out those that strike my fancy. :thumbup1: I think I'd like to come over, Robin, to visit you and your garage! ** And speaking of Robins ... Yesterday I finished Robin D. Owen's Heart Sight (A Celta Novel). This is the fifteenth book in this fantasy series, and I believe I've read them all. It was an enjoyable book but it's probably not a story I'll rush to re-read. "Muin “Vinni†T'Vine has been the prophet of Celta since he was six years old. A unique and lonely child, his strong psi power made most people wary of him. But now that he’s older, he’s ready to marry and protect the girl he’s known was his HeartMate for years. Avellana isn't as fragile as Vinni believes…nor as compliant. She fights to be considered Vinni's equal and a strong member of her Family and community. Both of them have kept Avellana's main power secret for over a decade. But rumors of her strange psi talent are spreading, and Vinni is experiencing premonitions of danger to Avellana—even from the highest people of the land. When the whispers become threats, Vinni and Avellana must discover and defeat their secret enemies before they can finally claim happiness together." Regards, Kareni 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennyD Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 (edited) As Passover is rapidly approaching, this week I read The Exodus, by Richard Friedman. Friedman is a professor of Jewish studies (at Georgia now, but at UCSD for most of his career) and in this book he takes on the historicity of the Exodus story. He pulls together both archeological research and critical Biblical scholarship (i.e., the theory that the Torah was written by four different authors) to argue that there probably was an exodus but it was not a mass migration; rather, one particular tribe left Egypt and ultimately joined the Israelites. The book has a remarkably gonzo feel for a work of popular academic scholarship, which I enjoyed. Some parts are more speculative than others, but his core argument is pretty compelling. I had been meaning to read this for a while and am glad I did. Edited March 12, 2018 by JennyD 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 I seem to be reading slowly lately... another week with just one book done... 21. The Samurai's Garden by Gail Tsukiyama (audiobook) - I really enjoyed listening to this, but I as the story went along there were some things that really made me have to suspend disbelief (I think I already did a mini-rant about those last week...), which niggled a bit, but if I brushed those aside it was quite enjoyable. 3.5 stars Currently (still!) reading: - The New Spaniards by John Hooper - still liking this and learning a lot. - Inés del alma mÃa by Isabel Allende (ebook) - Allende can tell a sweeping story. I think my favorite books of hers are the ones which touch on the history of Chile (of course by way of a heroine caught up in the sweep of that history). This one is the farthest back in time, about real historical figure Inés Suarez, who arrived and fought alongside with the conquistadors to wrest Chile from the indigenous people and then helped found Santiago. - Middlemarch by George Eliot (audiobook) - This is an "Always Available" book on my Overdrive, and I took it out to hold me over till one of my other Overdrive holds came in - but a whole week later none of them are here! :glare: I'm #1 in line for TWO books, one of which has two copies available to borrow, and not one has managed to come available in over a week! So I've listened to a lot of Middlemarch, which I am quite enjoying! Reading with interest about the other narrators - I just got the free one. ;) I seem to be listening to Kate Reading, who seems quite serviceable. When I listened to Jane Eyre last year, I think I took about 5 different narrated versions out of the library and they were all awful - like listening to paint drying! - till I got to Juliet Stevenson, so I do like her narration! But I am not annoyed by this narrator and it's free on Overdrive, so I think I'll stick with this version anyway... Coming up: So sad, I think I could just paste what I wrote last week! I've got my SF book club book The Sparrow, and waiting for one of those two audiobooks (Home Fire or Stay With Me) when Overdrive finally lets me have one (whiiine). Oh, and what Overdrive did decide to let me have, way earlier than I thought or I would have suspended the hold for a bit, is We Were Eight Years in Power (as ebook, not audio). So now I have to finish up Inés but quick so I can get to that!! 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 (edited) This week I finished: 23. Gregor von Rezzori, An Ermine in Czernopol 24. Erich Maria Remarque, All Quiet on the Western Front 25. Francis Child, English & Scottish Popular Ballads (Sargent/ Kittredge eds.) Currently reading, without having quite committed myself to: Snorri Sturluson, King Harald's Saga Michel Fournier, Friday Gregor von Rezzori, Memoirs of an Anti-Semite The Child Ballads are our best source for the early Robin Hood stories. The earliest mention is in the 14th-century allegory Piers Plowman (where the character Sloth disgracefully knows Robin Hood tales better than the Lord's Prayer); the extant ballads range from the lengthy 15th-century "A Gest of Robyn Hode" to seventeenth- and eighteenth-century broadsides of varying quality. Many of them recycle the moldy theme of "Robin Hood meets his match," where Robin is soundly beaten, summons his men but prevents them from taking revenge and instead offers the potter/ tinker/ tanner/ ranger a place in his company. The lowest point of ignominy comes in "Robin Hood and the Pedlars," of uncertain date, where Robin is beaten unconscious by the eponymous peddlers, is given by them medicinal balsam before they run off, and regaining consciousness, vomits the medicine all over Will Scarlett and Little John. Ho, ho. I am not making this up. Poore Robin in sound they left on the ground, And hied them to Nottingham, While Scarlett and John Robin tended on, Till at length his senses came. Noe sooner, in haste, did Robin Hood taste The balsame he had tane, Than he gan to spewe, and up he threwe The balsame all againe. And Scarlett and John, who were looking on Their maister as he did lie, Had their faces besmeard, both eies and beard, Therewith most piteously. Edited March 12, 2018 by Violet Crown 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 So having read five counties: Gissing, New Grub Street (London) Snow, The Masters (Cambridgeshire) Eliot, Four Quartets (Huntingdonshire) Bunyan, Pilgrim's Progress (Bedfordshire) Clare, Bird & Animal Poems (Northamptonshire) -- plus a First World War book (Remarque, All Quiet on the Western Front) and some Wilfred Owen, and Child Ballads for Robin Hood content -- I think that covers Rebel Ranks "Wilfred Owen" and "J. K. Rowling." Onward! 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 (edited) With all the rabbit trail links, how am I supposed to read books? ;) Edited March 12, 2018 by Mom-ninja. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeacefulChaos Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 All right, I have my A and E for Chrysanthemum, as well as my E for Rose, on hold through Overdrive. :hurray: :party: And so far I've read L (The Little Book of Hygge) for Clover, and am currently reading C (Crazy Rich Asians) and V (Venus Plus X); O (Over Sea, Under Stone) is sitting on the side table. In order to really complete Chrysanthemum, I do still have to finish Uncle Tom's Cabin and Too Small to Ignore. But now I'm much closer! :lol: 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 Some more currently free books for Kindle readers ~ I read the first of these two books some time ago and enjoyed it: COLD SIGHT: Extrasensory Agents Book 1 and COLD TOUCH: Extrasensory Agents Book 2 both by Leslie A. Kelly also: The Dragon Blood by Lindsay Buroker Regards, Kareni 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 Before I forget to mention them I tried the Lady Appleton Tudor series which LoriD. mentioned a few weeks ago as binge reading. I read the first book Face Down in the Marrow Bone Pie https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/612301.Face_Down_in_the_Marrow_Bone_Pie and suspect I will read through the rest of these short (200 page) mysteries in the next few weeks. Cozy in the sense of not being overly descriptive but from reading the first and descriptions of the rest, infidelities appear to be a popular topic so probably not a cozy to hand to a 12 yo. The first one would have required explaining why someone might die with their cod piece unlaced for instance.;). Lady Appleton is a herbalist and an expert in poisons while her husband goes on missions for the relatively newly crowned Queen Elizabeth. In the first installment while her husband is away in France Lady Appleton travels to his neglected estate in Lancshire when his steward mysteriously dies face down in the marrow bone pie. One of the mysteries solved here is what marrow bone pie is! In the course of learning some of her husband’s secrets Lady Appleton also sets about restoring the long neglected estate to prosperity. For Brit Tripping purposes Manchester is also visited several times. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 Kindle book on sale today. Might be nice if you like historical fiction. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 Kindle book on sale today. Might be nice if you like historical fiction. I loved this book and think it's time for a re-read. Over the weekend I dropped all my current reading and jumped completely off whichever Brit-trip bus I'm on for a side trip to Seattle and Antarctica. Where'd You Go, Bernadette was recommended to me by a Goodreads friend; I was a little dubious, but she recommended it so highly, and she is my niece-in-law with whom I hope to build a good relationship, so I grabbed it. A quick and mostly fun read but also rather sad. Requires much suspension of disbelief. Still working through The Sunne in Splendour, which much touch many counties! Also started Mansfield Park. Oh, I started Lady Susan for Bedfordshire on audio, but just couldn't manage it. I had seen the movie Love & Friendship and thought it was just OK, but Lady Susan annoyed me so much, so I'm not surprised she annoys me in the book too. I also seem to have given up on Unnatural Death on audio about halfway through... 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 I will finish the Eye of the World today. I have ten chapters left to go. It's been educational. But I don't think I want to go further in the series. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 I have not finished much lately because other things have been claiming my attention. But I finally finished Vol. 2 of Kristen Lavransdatter (The Wife). I’ll take a break before rereading Vol. 3 (The Cross). Right now, I am 2/3 done with a middle grades book: Pax by Sara Pennypacker. I will probably finish that today. After that, I would like to read Middlemarch and #2 in Ferrante’s Neapolitan series. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 Before I forget to mention them I tried the Lady Appleton Tudor series which LoriD. mentioned a few weeks ago as binge reading. I read the first book Face Down in the Marrow Bone Pie https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/612301.Face_Down_in_the_Marrow_Bone_Pie and suspect I will read through the rest of these short (200 page) mysteries in the next few weeks. Cozy in the sense of not being overly descriptive but from reading the first and descriptions of the rest, infidelities appear to be a popular topic so probably not a cozy to hand to a 12 yo. The first one would have required explaining why someone might die with their cod piece unlaced for instance. ;). Lady Appleton is a herbalist and an expert in poisons while her husband goes on missions for the relatively newly crowned Queen Elizabeth. In the first installment while her husband is away in France Lady Appleton travels to his neglected estate in Lancshire when his steward mysteriously dies face down in the marrow bone pie. One of the mysteries solved here is what marrow bone pie is! In the course of learning some of her husband’s secrets Lady Appleton also sets about restoring the long neglected estate to prosperity. For Brit Tripping purposes Manchester is also visited several times. This looks like it might be a good series when I want something light and quick. I downloaded a sample to my Kindle. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 This looks like it might be a good series when I want something light and quick. I downloaded a sample to my Kindle. I think you might like these. Light and easy to read in one sitting. I had read the first couple of chapters as a taster to see if I wanted to keep it and was able to read the rest in a rather pleasant sitting. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 Some currently free books for Kindle readers ~ a one day only sale on this classic: The Secret Sharer by Joseph Conrad mysteries: Even Witches Get the Blues (Wicked in Moonhaven~A Paranormal Cozy Book 1) by J.D. Winters and Dakota Kahn Mele Keahi's Ghostly Mysteries 1-3: Destiny Bay Cozy Mysteries Box Set 1 by J.D. Winters fantasy: Way of the South by BJ Leonard Regards, Kareni 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaBearTeacher Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 This week I finished The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton (mostly set in England). Good book. I read Romeo And/or Juliet: a choosable-path adventure by Ryan North. I tried it out once as Romeo and once as Juliet and it did not take long. It was very very meh. It was trying to be funny but ... I read The Greek Myths by Leon Katz. I started Meridian by Alice Walker. I finished The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman with my sons. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 Breaking radio silence briefly. Friends, if you have recently sent me a book or any other package that I don't know about, please let me know now. Thanks. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted March 12, 2018 Author Share Posted March 12, 2018 (edited) Breaking radio silence briefly. Friends, if you have recently sent me a book or any other package that I don't know about, please let me know now. Thanks. Just read about the exploding packages in Austin. Scary! I haven't sent anything recently. Edited March 12, 2018 by Robin M 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cascadia Posted March 13, 2018 Share Posted March 13, 2018 DD and I had fun at the library book sale this weekend. I found two five-book collections of Agatha Christie novels and a Complete Sherlock Holmes in excellent condition, plus some classics, Shakespeare plays, and a couple of fun titles for Brit Trip. I finished The September Society by Charles Finch. I like this series, and plan to read the third. I am able to ignore most of the anachronisms, but I couldn't get past male characters referring to a female character as "pregnant." I'm not an expert on Victorian manners, but that seems like it would have been out of bounds. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted March 13, 2018 Share Posted March 13, 2018 I posted one book that I finished but forgot to add what I'm reading. Nothing new on the non-fiction front. Still reading and making slow progress in We Were Eight Years in Power, Before the Dawn: Recovering the Lost History of Our Ancestors, and Flies in the Ointment: Essays on Supplements, Complimentary, and Alternative Medicine (SCAM). I don't remember if I posted that I finished listening to Georgette Heyer's Footsteps in the Dark. It was just okay. The story was a bit drawn out , apparently in an attempt to give it a gothic feel. There were quite a few dun-dun-DUN! moments. It was somewhat predictable. Someone is trying to scare the heirs out of the house they inherited, and let's pretend it's haunted as a way to run them off. I don't mind predictable in mysteries but I probably won't listen to her others. As a rule I'm not a reader of romance, but I actually prefer her regency romances if this book is an indication of what her mysteries are like. The romances I read were kind of fun - even for someone who isn't a big fan of the genre. My book club book for March/April is Imagine Me Gone. I read the first chapter and like it so far, but then one of the members who is further along told me the first chapter is no indication of what the the story is like. She said that's neither good nor bad, but just that I shouldn't judge it by the little bit I've read. Finally, I'm listening to the 7th Harry Potter book for the millionth time. I've been slowly working my way through the series when I didn't have another audio book at the ready. Dh regularly rereads this one because he likes the way everything comes together. I can't do that. I have to read or listen to the whole series or not at all. And I have to do it in order. :) When I first read your review of Footsteps in the Dark my initial reaction was that our different perceptions (I really enjoyed it) stemmed from the difference in the speed of reading verses listening. I generally prefer to read lighter books because listening takes too long. I am currently reading another of Heyer's cozy mystery books and feeling quite blah about it. I think Footsteps may just have been one of my preferred cozy storylines. I finished listening to The Dark Forest which was the second part of The Three Body Problem trilogy. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25332122-the-dark-forest. The fate of the world is now resolved to my satisfaction so I am probably done with that series for now. :) 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raifta Posted March 13, 2018 Share Posted March 13, 2018 I, too, missed last week and am on week 3 of some cough/cold/flu thing. Not enjoying this but struggling through. I have no idea what I've finished since I last posted thanks to my brain fog, but I am currently reading the following: -Second last book on The Shelf - A Cat Abroad by Peter Gethers - enjoyed it when I first read it in the 90s, not as much this time but it's an easy read for the bus -read aloud to kids: Momo by Michael Ende (bed time) and The Old Country by Mordecai Gerstein (afternoon) - not too thrilled with either one but I'll finish the latter at least as it's a book from the shelf and it's short. Just having trouble finding the ability to read since I'm either suffering from a sinus headache, a terrible cough or some other cold related throat problem. - Morning Son by Pierce Brown - third book in Red Rising series - it's been a while since I read the others so I'm having trouble remembering who all the characters are but I don't want to go back and reread the first two. I'm finding this one less compelling and more violent and not enjoying it as much as the previous two. -Ordinary Magic by Meeka Walsh - this one is proving to be very strange for me as the author is chronicling two separate trips she took, the first with her family, and I happen to know her son who is a key component of the first trip. I actually feel rather creepy as I read it, as I feel that these are things I don't need to know about him and his family. After I finish these two 'shelf' books, I have one left to finish my second shelf and then I'm going to spend the rest of 2018 reading from my shelves but picking books from them based on Bingo and Brit Tripping. And even though I'm Brit Tripping, I will state right now that the chances that I will be able to keep track of where any book is taking place are minimal. My goal is just to read books set in Britain. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 13, 2018 Share Posted March 13, 2018 Last night I finished reading The Woman Left Behind: A Novel by Linda Howard. While I enjoyed the book, I don't think this is a book I'll be re-reading as I didn't really feel a connection with the characters. "Jina Modell works in Communications for a paramilitary organization, and she really likes it. She likes the money, she likes the coolness factor—and it was very cool, even for Washington, DC. She liked being able to kick terrorist butts without ever leaving the climate-controlled comfort of the control room. But when Jina displays a really high aptitude for spatial awareness and action, she’s reassigned to work as an on-site drone operator in the field with one of the GO-teams, an elite paramilitary unit. The only problem is she isn’t particularly athletic, to put it mildly, and in order to be fit for the field, she has to learn how to run and swim for miles, jump out of a plane, shoot a gun...or else be out of a job. Team leader Levi, call sign Ace, doesn’t have much confidence in Jina--who he dubbed Babe as soon as he heard her raspy, sexy voice--making it through the rigors of training. The last thing he needs is some tech geek holding them back from completing a dangerous, covert operation. In the following months, however, no one is more surprised than he when Babe, who hates to sweat, begins to thrive in her new environment, displaying a grit and courage that wins her the admiration of her hardened, battle-worn teammates. What’s even more surprising is that the usually very disciplined GO-team leader can’t stop thinking about kissing her smart, stubborn mouth…or the building chemistry and tension between them. Meanwhile, a powerful Congresswoman is working behind the scenes to destroy the GO-teams, and a trap is set to ambush Levi’s squad in Syria. While the rest of the operatives set off on their mission, Jina remains at the base to control the surveillance drone, when the base is suddenly attacked with explosives. Thought dead by her comrades, Jina escapes to the desert where, brutally tested beyond measure, she has to figure out how to stay undetected by the enemy and make it to her crew in time before they’re exfiltrated out of the country. But Levi never leaves a soldier behind, especially the brave woman he’s fallen for. He’s bringing back the woman they left behind, dead or alive." ** After Negin mentioned having read a book by Amy Harmon last week, I was inspired to re-read Making Faces by Amy Harmon which I enjoyed once more even though it did have me crying. Are you familiar with the idiom "stealing the show"? In Making Faces, it's a character who is neither the hero nor the heroine who steals the show. I think I read for him as much as for the leads. "Ambrose Young was beautiful. The kind of beautiful that graced the covers of romance novels, and Fern Taylor would know. She'd been reading them since she was thirteen. But maybe because he was so beautiful he was never someone Fern thought she could have...until he wasn't beautiful anymore. Making Faces is the story of a small town where five young men go off to war, and only one comes back. It is the story of loss. Collective loss, individual loss, loss of beauty, loss of life, loss of identity. It is the tale of one girl's love for a broken boy, and a wounded warrior's love for an unremarkable girl. This is a story of friendship that overcomes heartache, heroism that defies the common definitions, and a modern tale of Beauty and the Beast, where we discover that there is a little beauty and a little beast in all of us." Regards, Kareni 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 13, 2018 Share Posted March 13, 2018 Some currently free books for Kindle readers ~ a one day only sale on this classic locked-room mystery: A Chain of Evidence (The Fleming Stone Mysteries) by Carolyn Wells Bess: A Pioneer Woman's Journey of Courage, Grit and Love by Charles Cranston Jett Unforeseen by Nick Pirog Jump, Jive, and Wail by Kathryn R. Biel Sincerely, Carter by Whitney G. The Devil Wears Scrubs by Freida McFadden Regards, Kareni 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted March 13, 2018 Share Posted March 13, 2018 Finished: Uncle Dynamite by PG Wodehouse. Hilarious. I'm having a real love affair with this Uncle Fred chap. Highly recommend if you like Jeeves and Wooster. I'm getting close on my January flower. Red books are in progress. C – The Children of Green KnoweH - Henrietta's WarR - Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the IditarodY – Young Men in SpatsS - Stormy PetrelA -N – Now You See MeT - Past Perfect, Present TenseH - How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your MindE - Editor-Proof Your WritingM - The Scarlet Slipper MysteryU - Uncle DynamiteM – The Magic Words R – The Red House Mystery O – S – E – C – L – O – V – E – R – 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted March 14, 2018 Author Share Posted March 14, 2018 Hugs and virtual chicken soup for all who are stilling suffering from the horrible flu. It's raining, it's pouring. Happy we are getting plenty of rain and lots of snow in the mountains. :thumbup1: Brown can't complain about drought so much. Not so happy that construction goes on hiatus when it rains. Between contractor's personal issues - cars, babies, etc and the weather, the building is taking forever. :toetap05: Saw the trailer for Fantastic Beasts 2. The first movie was great so looking forward to this one as well. I dove into Fierce: Sixteen Authors of Fantasy and just finished a new to me author - K.F. Breene's Chosen which was quite good. I'm looking forward to reading more in the series. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted March 14, 2018 Author Share Posted March 14, 2018 Finished: Uncle Dynamite by PG Wodehouse. Hilarious. I'm having a real love affair with this Uncle Fred chap. Highly recommend if you like Jeeves and Wooster. I'm getting close on my January flower. Red books are in progress. C – The Children of Green Knowe H - Henrietta's War R - Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod Y – Young Men in Spats S - Stormy Petrel A - N – Now You See Me T - Past Perfect, Present Tense H - How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind E - Editor-Proof Your Writing M - The Scarlet Slipper Mystery U - Uncle Dynamite M – The Magic Words R – The Red House Mystery O – S – E – C – L – O – V – E – R – I love your book titles. Rearrange them a bit and we have a story: The Children of Green Knowe How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind Past Perfect, Present Tense Now You See Me The Magic Words The Scarlet Slipper Mystery Young Men in Spats Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod Stormy Petrel Henrietta's War Red House Mystery Editor-Proof Your Writing Uncle Dynamite :tongue_smilie: 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 Red House Mystery Editor-Proof Your Writing Uncle Dynamite :tongue_smilie: This is my favorite. You've got a good eye for rearranging words to make phrases. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Granny_Weatherwax Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 Hello all ~ I haven't been keeping up with the threads but will try to go back and catch up if I can. Thanks to a foot injury, I have been able to spend some time reading and finished the Alfred Kropp trilogy this week. This series is young adult fiction and definitely geared towards young males. The stories are engaging (an underdog protagonist, knights, swords, spies, action sequences,fast cars, pretty girls) and are easy reads. The editing leaves a bit to be desired as there are spelling issues and missing words in all three. I am not faulting the author but the publishing company (Bloomsbury) should be doing a better job; especially when names are misspelled within the same paragraph. 9. Alfred Kropp The Seal of Solomon - Rick Yancy 10. Alfred Kropp The Thirteenth Skull - Rick Yancy I am still on target for my "no spend" reading challenge. I have managed to refrain from buying any books and am working through the (literally) dusty books sitting on my nightstand. The Alfred Kropp series has been sitting there for about 3 years. I have three books left in that stack and will be able to move on to the books languishing on my Kindle. I make sure I get my free Kindle First book each month and those are piling up as well. I looked at my Goodread's TBR list and find myself wanting to go to the library and find some of those titles. I must refrain, however, as one of my personal challenges this month is to clear my Nightstand Stack (even DGD is cheering me on during this endeavor). Her school is currently doing Readermania and we have been reading together. I haven't been listening to any audiobooks lately and need to stop by the library and pick up a couple to listen to while I exercise. I hope everyone else who began the No Spend challenge is sticking to it. -- Also: is there an updated postcard list? I'm thinking the one I have is not the most current one and I'm not certain my name is on the list either as I have had a couple of requests for my address. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 I am still on target for my "no spend" reading challenge. I have managed to refrain from buying any books and am working through the (literally) dusty books sitting on my nightstand. The Alfred Kropp series has been sitting there for about 3 years. I have three books left in that stack and will be able to move on to the books languishing on my Kindle. I make sure I get my free Kindle First book each month and those are piling up as well. I looked at my Goodread's TBR list and find myself wanting to go to the library and find some of those titles. I must refrain, however, as one of my personal challenges this month is to clear my Nightstand Stack (even DGD is cheering me on during this endeavor).<snip> I hope everyone else who began the No Spend challenge is sticking to it. I still haven't bought any books for myself. There might have been a present or two that I've purchased but that's it. It's been tough! There's a novella release by a favorite author just waiting for me on Amazon once I'm off a no buying ban. I love the idea of a Nightstand Challenge. I'm going to run upstairs add a few to that stack and make that the rest of my March challenge ... along with flowers, Brit Tripping, and trying to make 52 books this year. Ha. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 Question of the Day (as inspired by TAC) How many books are on your nightstand? 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 Saw the trailer for Fantastic Beasts 2. The first movie was great so looking forward to this one as well. We really enjoyed the first one and while I like the trailer for this one I can't help thinking how far it appears to stray from the canon. First of all, Dumbledore has his long beard even as a young man, it just isn't white yet. Secondly he defeats Grindlewald so I wonder why he's giving Newt the task. Hopefully the movie will explain those things. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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