Book a Week 2016 - BW23: Think about it fiction

[Kareni]

You need to start getting kickbacks on Amazon from all the books I've bought based on your recommendations.  Of course, most of them are either free or $1.99, so your percentage would be small!

 

This sounds right up my alley.  Of course in my mind's eye the sheep will all look like Shaun the Sheep...

 

The real question then is whether the shepherd looks like Wallace.

 

ETA: I have to admit that I was reminded of Hank the Cowdog when I read the book's description.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[mumto2]

Josephine Tey has many fans within our BaW group, especially Jane. I haven't read all of her books but loved every single one I was able to lay my hands on when I was concentrating on her books a couple of years ago. I have been cleaning up my lists in terms of British cozy books and just started a book by Nicole Upson titled An Expert in Murder which is subtitled A Josephine Tey Mystery. No, you haven't missed one. This is a cozy series in which Josephine is the sleuth. I am only a chapter in but it's going slow because I keep googling tidbits. The book apears to be pretty accurate to her life. Did you know she wrote a long running play? https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2003/apr/09/theatre.samanthaellis I definitely plan to keep reading this one. The characters are very well done so far.

 

Three other series were rejected last night. :lol:

[Mesamin]

I'm going to try sneaking back in here.  I'm reading "Sarah's Key" and so far it's OK.  Not great but OK.

[Rosie_0801]

Have you read Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day?

 

Nan

 

Hasn't everyone? :)

[Kareni]

I've recently finished a few books ~

 

Sonata for a Scoundrel by Anthea Lawson

 

This is a historical romance that I found while shelving as a volunteer at the library.  [The danger/downside of volunteering is that one ends up taking many books home; the upside is that one can read the blurbs without having one's wages docked.]  It was an enjoyable read, and I may well read the author's other book which was on the shelf.  (Some adult content.)

 

"2014 RITA Finalist - Best Historical Romance

   

Clara Becker is a supremely gifted composer--a talent of little to use to a woman in 1830s England. Her compositions only have worth when they are published under her brother's name, yet this deception barely enables them to scrape out a living in the poorest quarter of London.

   

Darien Reynard, the most celebrated musician in Europe, pursues success with a single-minded intensity. When he comes across Becker's compositions, he knows that this music will secure his place in history. Darien tracks the composer down and, with some difficulty, convinces the man to tour with him. Mr. Becker agrees, but with the most unusual condition that he bring along his sister...

   

Darien's unexpected desire for Clara jeopardizes the entire tour, but Clara must protect more than her heart. If he discovers her secret, her family's new found fortune - and their very reputation - will be destroyed. "

 

**

 

I also re-read with pleasure Marie Force's  Fatal Affair: Book One of the Fatal Series as well as the prequel to the series One Night With You.  Both of these can be found at the link above.  (Some adult content.)

 

"Walking the thin blue line… 

 

Detective Sergeant Sam Holland of the Washington, DC, Metro Police needs a big win to salvage her career—and her confidence—after a disastrous investigation. The perfect opportunity arises when Senator John O'Connor is found brutally murdered in his bed, and Sam is assigned to the case. Matters get complicated when Sam has to team up with Nick Cappuano, O'Connor's friend and chief of staff…and the man Sam had a memorable one-night stand with years earlier. Their sexual chemistry still sizzles, and Sam has to fight to stay focused on the case. Sleeping with a material witness is another mistake she can't afford—especially when the bodies keep piling up."

 

Or you can read the currently free prequel on Kindle ~ 

One Night With You: A Fatal Series Prequel Novella (The Fatal Series Book 0) by Marie Force.

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

[Rosyl]

Never Let Me Go is a good one. Very different from The Remains of the Day, but I enjoyed it, and found it very thought-provoking.

 

 

I read Ethan Frome in high school, and it scared me off Edith Wharton for years. I liked House of Mirth okay, but IMHO The Age of Innocence is far, far better. I'm re-reading it right now and loving, again, the deft way that the character of Newland Archer is slowly unpeeled. I feel like Wharton is there, beside me, watching Newland and commenting on him, in a gently mocking way. She loves him, but she sees his flaws.  I can't really express what I mean, but I think that the way that this character is constructed is truly masterful. Love this book.

 

OK, I am going to try it.

Thanks.

 

[Kareni]

I also read the prequel short story Girl From Above 0.5 (Prequel): Falling (The 1000 Revolution) by Pippa DaCosta after hearing a very good review.  I was left somewhat under-impressed.  I do have the fist book in the series and might continue on to see if I like that one more.  The series was likened to Firefly.

 

"Caleb Shepperd is a fixer. He'll do anything for credits.

When he's hired to track and kill a woman who's muscled in on a dangerous smuggler's territory, he figures it's just another day in the black...Until he's trapped in a silo with his mark.

'Just another day in the black' could turn out to be his last day alive."

 

The above and the first full book in the series are both currently free to Kindle readers.

 

 

Here's information about book one:  Girl From Above: Betrayal (The 1000 Revolution) by Pippa DaCosta

 

"After Captain Caleb Shepperd escapes from prison, all he wants to do is keep his head down and earn a living smuggling guns and drugs through the nine systems. But, when a synth known as #1001 stows away on the captain's ship, bringing with her a ton of problems—including guilt-ridden secrets he thought he’d left behind—he’d prefer to toss her out the airlock. The problem is, she’s priceless tech and he’s fresh out of credit.

#1001 is no ordinary synth. She's programmed to kill. While human memories of murder and betrayal riddle her synthetic systems with faults, she's thinking only of revenge.

For Captain Shepperd, there's nowhere left to hide."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Nan in Mass]

Hasn't everyone? :)

It is going to be pretty impressive when I casually mention to my nephews as I read them the book that my friend Rosie in Australia said that the mother is right about that lol.

 

Nan

[Stacia]

 I remember Crombie was on Stacia's dad's list of mystery authors he enjoyed when we had her ask him a couple of years ago. I can see why. :) Definitely will be reading more in the series.

 

I'm glad you remembered because I certainly didn't, lol. Glad it was an author you enjoyed.

 

 Stacia, An Unattractive Vampire sounds hilarious. Looking forward to your thoughts after you read it.

 

I will definitely keep you posted. I have high hopes for it, but I haven't had a moment to sit down & read in the past couple of days. Hoping to remedy that tomorrow.

 

 I'm finishing Ishiguro's The Buried Giant and I can't say I love it, but will reserve negative thoughts until the end.  lol

 

I picked that up a few months ago & read about 20 pages & just couldn't get into it. (And I was sad because I love The Remains of the Day & think he's just an absolutely beautiful writer.) I've seen lots of reviews of people loving it, so I'll be curious to hear your final analysis. I didn't care for the style of storytelling at all.

 

I have a huge tbr list and yet I can't find a book I want to read. I need light, funny, upbeat type of books at the moment. I tried to find my tried and true P.G. Wodehouse, but can't find his books for Kindle at my library. 

 

Did you ever read The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim?

 

I just finished listening to The Remains of the Day with my freshly-minted college graduate and we both really liked it.  It was sad though!  Now I'd like to explore more of Ishiguro's writing.  Any recommendations?

 

The Remains of the Day is a favorite of mine. I also enjoyed his book When We Were Orphans. As I mentioned above, even though I wanted to, I couldn't get into The Buried Giant. Haven't tried Never Let Me Go, mainly because I'm not hugely into dystopian books & partly because I'm afraid it will be something more depressing than I want to read.

 

28.Fairy Garden 101 by Fiona McDonald

 

That looks like a very cute & fun book. My dd (who is almost 18yo) would love it.

 

P.S. The man who had his silver boat taken apart piece by piece would be better off claiming the other man stole his silver, rather than his boat. 😃

 

Love this point...

 

Notice I am not commenting about the favour the thief would be doing one by replacing the silver planks with the far more useful wooden ones. : )

 

... and this point too!

 

:thumbup:

[mumto2]

Found this blog post on my bloglovin feed this morning. http://frame.bloglovin.com/?post=4902556511&blog=3028708. Lots of fun pictures of Little Free Libraries. My favourite is the phone box. Made me imagine having a blue police box (can you guys hear the Dr. Who theme) one which would be great fun, but for many reasons including the fact I live in a historic zoning area probably not happening. ;)

 

Also you can look at a map of where they are. I thought they were just a US thing. I was amazed to discover that someone has one registered about 20 miles from my house!

[Chrysalis Academy]

Found this blog post on my bloglovin feed this morning. http://frame.bloglovin.com/?post=4902556511&blog=3028708. Lots of fun pictures of Little Free Libraries. My favourite is the phone box. Made me imagine having a blue police box (can you guys hear the Dr. Who theme) one which would be great fun, but for many reasons including the fact I live in a historic zoning area probably not happening. ;)

 

Also you can look at a map of where they are. I thought they were just a US thing. I was amazed to discover that someone has one registered about 20 miles from my house!

 

I found one in my town just a week ago - on my way to the library! I should definitely start making deposits . . .  I keep thinking we should put one up, but I have zero construction skills. 

[Kareni]

Yesterday I finished Nora Roberts' latest book The Obsession; I enjoyed it, if one can say that about a book featuring serial killers.   I figured out the current day killer's identity about halfway through the book, so I was pleased with myself.

 

"“She stood in the deep, dark woods, breath shallow and cold prickling over her skin despite the hot, heavy air. She took a step back, then two, as the urge to run fell over her.â€
 
Naomi Bowes lost her innocence the night she followed her father into the woods. In freeing the girl trapped in the root cellar, Naomi revealed the horrible extent of her father’s crimes and made him infamous. No matter how close she gets to happiness, she can’t outrun the sins of Thomas David Bowes.
 
Now a successful photographer living under the name Naomi Carson, she has found a place that calls to her, a rambling old house in need of repair, thousands of miles away from everything she’s ever known. Naomi wants to embrace the solitude, but the kindly residents of Sunrise Cove keep forcing her to open up—especially the determined Xander Keaton.
 
Naomi can feel her defenses failing, and knows that the connection her new life offers is something she’s always secretly craved. But the sins of her father can become an obsession, and, as she’s learned time and again, her past is never more than a nightmare away."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Stacia]

If you like book lists (& I know you do), I had fun perusing the various lists here.

http://onegrandbooks.com/product-category/curators/?orderby=title

 

And these lists came about from this:

A Bookshop Where Everything Is Recommended

 

How cool is that???

Edited June 9, 2016 by Stacia

[Ali in OR]

Found this blog post on my bloglovin feed this morning. http://frame.bloglovin.com/?post=4902556511&blog=3028708. Lots of fun pictures of Little Free Libraries. My favourite is the phone box. Made me imagine having a blue police box (can you guys hear the Dr. Who theme) one which would be great fun, but for many reasons including the fact I live in a historic zoning area probably not happening. ;)

 

Also you can look at a map of where they are. I thought they were just a US thing. I was amazed to discover that someone has one registered about 20 miles from my house!

 

We have a ton of these in our town--I think I regularly pass at least 10 on my daily drives. I don't see them being used much--I think there are just too many. Everyone likes the idea of having one and I think supply is exceeding demand at this point. 

[Kareni]

I just read an incredibly enthusiastic review of a book that is a retelling of Jane Eyre.  In the retelling the title character is a serial killer.  

 

You can read the review here.

 

 

 

The book under discussion is: Jane Steele  by Lyndsay Faye

 

"“Reader, I murdered him.â€

A sensitive orphan, Jane Steele suffers first at the hands of her spiteful aunt and predatory cousin, then at a grim school where she fights for her very life until escaping to London, leaving the corpses of her tormentors behind her. After years of hiding from the law while penning macabre “last confessions†of the recently hanged, Jane thrills at discovering an advertisement. Her aunt has died and her childhood home has a new master: Mr. Charles Thornfield, who seeks a governess.

Burning to know whether she is in fact the rightful heir, Jane takes the position incognito and learns that Highgate House is full of marvelously strange new residents—the fascinating but caustic Mr. Thornfield, an army doctor returned from the Sikh Wars, and the gracious Sikh butler Mr. Sardar Singh, whose history with Mr. Thornfield appears far deeper and darker than they pretend. As Jane catches ominous glimpses of the pair’s violent history and falls in love with the gruffly tragic Mr. Thornfield, she faces a terrible dilemma: Can she possess him—body, soul, and secrets—without revealing her own murderous past?

A satirical romance about identity, guilt, goodness, and the nature of lies, by a writer who Matthew Pearl calls “superstar-caliber†and whose previous works Gillian Flynn declared “spectacular,†Jane Steele is a brilliant and deeply absorbing book inspired by Charlotte Brontë’s classic Jane Eyre."

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

[Kareni]

If you like book lists (& I know you do), I had fun perusing the various lists here.

http://onegrandbooks.com/product-category/curators/?orderby=title

 

And these lists came about from this:

A Bookshop Where Everything Is Recommended

 

How cool is that???

 

Very cool indeed, Stacia!  I enjoyed reading several of the book lists. I particularly liked the list by Caitlin Moran because it included the dictionary.  I think that if I were marooned on a desert island I'd also find the dictionary to be fresh reading. 

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Loesje22000]

My dutch edition of 'Le Contract Social' arrived this week.

After a long introduction from the translator, I'm finally in the book itself.

(it also has many notes from the translator)

 

And I am surprised (again) how readable Rousseau is.

(so far he is pretty clear)

I'm not always familiar with his references (I did know Grotius and Hugo de Groot were the same person)

[mumto2]

Just a word of warning to those who use Overdrive seriously one of my accounts emptied itself of all information ( checkouts, holds, wish lists) overnight. At this point I still have everything that is already checked out on kindles but can't physically check out the hold that just became availiable per my email. I can check out new books so works fine in that regard.

 

All I can say is what a surprise, never saw that coming. A little tiny part of me is actually excited to start fresh with my cluttered wish list but I am really sad about the holds list.

Edited June 9, 2016 by mumto2

[fastweedpuller]

If you like book lists (& I know you do), I had fun perusing the various lists here.

http://onegrandbooks.com/product-category/curators/?orderby=title

 

And these lists came about from this:

A Bookshop Where Everything Is Recommended

 

How cool is that???

 

I have been watching that list for a while!  What a good gig, getting the NYTimes Style section to do free advertising, and even more interesting to see these celebs etc. recommendations.  Of all of them, surprisingly I most agree with Bill Gates' list:  I found Steven Pinker's The Better Angels of our Nature to be truly positive about the human condition...so unfashionable! and that he lists Seveneves and Harari's Sapiens and Ellenberg's How Not to Be Wrong...?  Either Gates has excellent advisors or he's one interesting dude.

 

But like Kareni, if we *had* to pick books for deserted island reading, I would imagine the dictionary and books we would actually love to read multiple times would be the majority of our picks. 

Just a word of warning to those who use Overdrive seriously one of my accounts emptied itself of all information ( checkouts, holds, wish lists) overnight. At this point I still have everything that is already checked out on kindles but can't physically check out the hold that just became availiable per my email. I can check out new books so works fine in that regard.

 

All I can say is what a surprise, never saw that coming. A little tiny part of me is actually excited to start fresh with my cluttered wish list but I am really sad about the holds list.

I am sorry to hear that, mumto2.  I didn't mean to "like" it so much as commiserate :grouphug:

[Jane in NC]

Do we ("we" being the collective hive BaW mind) know about Mette Ivie Harrison's mysteries set in Utah's Mormon community? The books are published by Soho Crime which is how they drew my attention. Next time I am at the library I will borrow one. The Bishop's Wife is the first book in the series.

[Chrysalis Academy]

 

I just read an incredibly enthusiastic review of a book that is a retelling of Jane Eyre.  In the retelling the title character is a serial killer.  

 

You can read the review here.

 

 

 

The book under discussion is: Jane Steele  by Lyndsay Faye

 

"“Reader, I murdered him.â€

 

A sensitive orphan, Jane Steele suffers first at the hands of her spiteful aunt and predatory cousin, then at a grim school where she fights for her very life until escaping to London, leaving the corpses of her tormentors behind her. After years of hiding from the law while penning macabre “last confessions†of the recently hanged, Jane thrills at discovering an advertisement. Her aunt has died and her childhood home has a new master: Mr. Charles Thornfield, who seeks a governess.

 

Burning to know whether she is in fact the rightful heir, Jane takes the position incognito and learns that Highgate House is full of marvelously strange new residents—the fascinating but caustic Mr. Thornfield, an army doctor returned from the Sikh Wars, and the gracious Sikh butler Mr. Sardar Singh, whose history with Mr. Thornfield appears far deeper and darker than they pretend. As Jane catches ominous glimpses of the pair’s violent history and falls in love with the gruffly tragic Mr. Thornfield, she faces a terrible dilemma: Can she possess him—body, soul, and secrets—without revealing her own murderous past?

 

A satirical romance about identity, guilt, goodness, and the nature of lies, by a writer who Matthew Pearl calls “superstar-caliber†and whose previous works Gillian Flynn declared “spectacular,†Jane Steele is a brilliant and deeply absorbing book inspired by Charlotte Brontë’s classic Jane Eyre."

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

 

I loved that book. One of my best reads this year.

[Stacia]

I just read an incredibly enthusiastic review of a book that is a retelling of Jane Eyre.  In the retelling the title character is a serial killer.  

 

You can read the review here.

 

The book under discussion is: Jane Steele  by Lyndsay Faye

 

I loved that book. One of my best reads this year.

 

I may actually have to try this one, lol. But, it has been so, so, so long since I read Jane Eyre that I don't really even remember the story. (Do I dare admit that among all the Flufferton fans here? :leaving: ) Do I need to refresh my memory on Jane Eyre or would it be ok to read this book w/out doing so?

 

Funnily enough, I picked up a (similar?) remash of a famous character at the library yesterday: Warlock Holmes: A Study in Brimstone.

 

 

Sherlock Holmes is an unparalleled genius who uses the gift of deduction and reason to solve the most vexing of crimes.

 

Warlock Holmes, however, is an idiot. A good man, perhaps; a font of arcane power, certainly. But he’s brilliantly dim. Frankly, he couldn’t deduce his way out of a paper bag. The only thing he has really got going for him are the might of a thousand demons and his stalwart flatmate. Thankfully, Dr. Watson is always there to aid him through the treacherous shoals of Victorian propriety… and save him from a gruesome death every now and again.

 

An imaginative, irreverent and addictive reimagining of the world’s favourite detective, Warlock Holmes retains the charm, tone and feel of the original stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle while finally giving the flat at 221b Baker Street what it’s been missing for all these years: an alchemy table.

 

Reimagining six stories, this riotous mash-up is a glorious new take on the ever-popular Sherlock Holmes myth, featuring the vampire Inspector Vladislav Lestrade, the ogre Inspector Torg Grogsson, and Dr. Watson, the true detective at 221b. And Sherlock. A warlock.

 

Warlock Holmes may be my next book once I finish An Unattractive Vampire.

 

I have been watching that list for a while!  What a good gig, getting the NYTimes Style section to do free advertising, and even more interesting to see these celebs etc. recommendations.  Of all of them, surprisingly I most agree with Bill Gates' list:  I found Steven Pinker's The Better Angels of our Nature to be truly positive about the human condition...so unfashionable! and that he lists Seveneves and Harari's Sapiens and Ellenberg's How Not to Be Wrong...?  Either Gates has excellent advisors or he's one interesting dude.

 

I haven't had time to go through each person's list yet, but after going through some, I realized I can greatly increase my want-to-read lists! (Not that I need to do that. But still.)

 

Mumto2, sorry to hear about Overdrive. What a pain & loss!

Edited June 9, 2016 by Stacia

[Loesje22000]

For those who have time and are interested:

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/country-house-literature

[Kareni]

Last night I finished the contemporary romance Built: A Saints of Denver Novel by Jay Crownover.  It was an enjoyable read.  (Adult content)

 

"Sayer Cole and Zeb Fuller couldn’t be more different. She’s country club and fine-dining, he’s cell-block and sawdust. Sayer spends her days in litigation, while Zeb spends his working with his hands. She’s French silk, he’s all denim and flannel.

 

Zeb’s wanted the stunning blonde since the moment he laid eyes on her. It doesn't matter how many smooth moves he makes, the reserved lawyer seems determinedly oblivious to his interest—either that or she doesn't return it. Sayer is certain the rough, hard, hot-as-hell Zeb could never want someone as closed off and restrained as she is, which is a shame because something tells her he might be the guy to finally melt her icy exterior.

 

But just as things start to heat up, Zeb is blindsided by a life altering moment from his past. He needs Sayer’s professional help to right a wrong and to save more than himself. He can’t risk what’s at stake just because his attraction to Sayer feels all consuming. But as these opposites dig in for the fight of their lives, battling together to save a family, the steam created when fire and ice collide can no longer be ignored."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

And here's another intriguing post from Tor.com's "Five Books About" series.  I hadn't heard of most of these titles which is unusual for me.  Some of the books listed might interest you, Stacia.

 

Five Books That Have Just Enough Magic to Screw Everything Up by Lindsay Ribar

 

"You know the kind of book I mean. You find it in the “Fiction & Literature†section of Barnes & Noble, and you’re confused because, hey, isn’t that a fantasy novel? Or you find it in the “Fantasy†section—except isn’t it a little too grounded in the real world to really be fantasy?

 

Of course, spotting these books is easier now that we can order everything online, but you still run into the problem of how to describe them. They’re fantasy, but not! They’re realistic, but only kind of! They’re urban fantasy, but don’t those usually have magical creatures of some kind—vampires or werewolves or witches or ghosts? They’re magical realism, except, let’s be honest here, magical realism is a very specific genre, and most of what we call magical realism nowadays isn’t that at all...."

 

 

As is generally the case with the Tor.com website, the comments are worth reading.

 

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Stacia]

And here's another intriguing post from Tor.com's "Five Books About" series.  I hadn't heard of most of these titles which is unusual for me.  Some of the books listed might interest you, Stacia.

 

Five Books That Have Just Enough Magic to Screw Everything Up by Lindsay Ribar

 

"You know the kind of book I mean. You find it in the “Fiction & Literature†section of Barnes & Noble, and you’re confused because, hey, isn’t that a fantasy novel? Or you find it in the “Fantasy†section—except isn’t it a little too grounded in the real world to really be fantasy?

 

Of course, spotting these books is easier now that we can order everything online, but you still run into the problem of how to describe them. They’re fantasy, but not! They’re realistic, but only kind of! They’re urban fantasy, but don’t those usually have magical creatures of some kind—vampires or werewolves or witches or ghosts? They’re magical realism, except, let’s be honest here, magical realism is a very specific genre, and most of what we call magical realism nowadays isn’t that at all...."

 

 

As is generally the case with the Tor.com website, the comments are worth reading.

 

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

Thanks, Kareni. I haven't heard of any of those books! Will have to see which ones my library has....

 

ETA: Between the two library systems I use, all five books are available. I requested them (but also suspended them for a few weeks because I already have a pretty large pile of books here & have more waiting on me to be picked up at both libraries).

 

Edited June 9, 2016 by Stacia

[Chrysalis Academy]

For those who have time and are interested:

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/country-house-literature

 

I looked at this, but the Marquez class is kicking my butt right now. Not sure I'll have time.

[Chrysalis Academy]

And here's another intriguing post from Tor.com's "Five Books About" series.  I hadn't heard of most of these titles which is unusual for me.  Some of the books listed might interest you, Stacia.

 

Five Books That Have Just Enough Magic to Screw Everything Up by Lindsay Ribar

 

"You know the kind of book I mean. You find it in the “Fiction & Literature†section of Barnes & Noble, and you’re confused because, hey, isn’t that a fantasy novel? Or you find it in the “Fantasy†section—except isn’t it a little too grounded in the real world to really be fantasy?

 

Of course, spotting these books is easier now that we can order everything online, but you still run into the problem of how to describe them. They’re fantasy, but not! They’re realistic, but only kind of! They’re urban fantasy, but don’t those usually have magical creatures of some kind—vampires or werewolves or witches or ghosts? They’re magical realism, except, let’s be honest here, magical realism is a very specific genre, and most of what we call magical realism nowadays isn’t that at all...."

 

 

As is generally the case with the Tor.com website, the comments are worth reading.

 

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

Oh, you know I am all over the Frankenstein-inspired one!!

[Loesje22000]

I looked at this, but the Marquez class is kicking my butt right now. Not sure I'll have time.

 

Our school is done by then,

and dd is the most of July on camp of having a sleepover at grandmom.

So the time will be no problem.

I hope I can handle the English :)

[Chrysalis Academy]

I may actually have to try this one, lol. But, it has been so, so, so long since I read Jane Eyre that I don't really even remember the story. (Do I dare admit that among all the Flufferton fans here? :leaving: ) Do I need to refresh my memory on Jane Eyre or would it be ok to read this book w/out doing so?

 

Funnily enough, I picked up a (similar?) remash of a famous character at the library yesterday: Warlock Holmes: A Study in Brimstone.

 

 

 

 

 

This looks great! My library doesn't have it in the system yet, but I'm going to request it.

 

re: Jane Steele:  well, she refers to Jane Eyre a lot, so those references might be enough of a reminder.  I think it's a great story on its own and doesn't require an intimate familiarity with Jane Eyre to appreciate. That might enhance it somewhat, but I'd read it anyway! I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Robin M]

Idnib:I would recommend [/size]Elizabeth Sandiver's course on classical mythology.[/size]

Awesome! 

 

Rose: The Palace of Illusions would be a great modern read if you don't want to tackle The Mahabharata itself.  I am really appreciating Eknath Eswaran's translations of the Dhammapada and the Mahabharata.  I like Stephen Mitchell's translation of the Tao Te Ching. We really enjoyed his translation of The Epic of Gilgamesh as well.

 

Anenberg Learner has a really great set of introductory videos for world literature, and they cover some of the classics of world mythology.

 

Seconding the Vandiver Classical Mythology suggestion. Somebody on the high school board suggested this anthology to go along with it, and I'm liking that very much.  I also like Ted Hughes Tales from Ovid.

Excellent!

 

Nan: But Robin, that,s a POOH quote, not a Tao of Pooh quote. Shouldn,t it be attributed to A A Milne? (I was going to read pooh for my philosophy book and was surprised to open the new thread and find an A A Milne quote. I haven,t read The Tao of Pooh. I don,t need an interpretor to turn Pooh into philosophy lol. It (along with LotR ) has been my philosophy book ever since I can remember. Which probably explains a lot.

 

It was also quoted in Tao of Pooh.  We listened to it in the car and will probably get the book. So many things to look up.

 

Karen: That was a dangerous link as at the end of the piece there was a link to a second link which then pointed to a third link.  Seven links later ....  On the upside (half an hour later), I've requested several movies that I think my husband will enjoy seeing.

 

Danger, Will Robinson!!!   Yes, I know. Always fun following the trails. 

 

Mum:  I finally read a book that has been on my list for ages Deborah Crombie's A Share in Death https://www.goodread...aid-gemma-james. This is the first book in a series and featured a Scotland Yard detective named Duncan James.

 

I've read a couple from the series and want to read from the beginning. Like the characters.

 

 

[Robin M]

Mel:  Great and Roman Mythology by Peter Struck is offered by Coursera.  The course covers The Iliad, The Odyssey, Hesiod, Theogony and Works and Days, Homeric Hymns, The Aeneid, Sophocles, Oedipus Rex; Euripides, Bacchae, Aeschylus, Agamemnon; Aeschylus, Eumenides, and Metamorphosis.  I did the course during the summer of 2014 in preparation for fall. If any of those works would be useful in your study I would highly recommend his course; I don't know if I would have gotten through those original works without it!

 

#1 in Kaylea Cross series, Marked, is free on kindle.

 

I am actually stuck on The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood) by J. R. Ward. I'm on Chapter 35 and I haven't picked it up in days and I have zero inclination.  :confused1:  I never thought that would happen!

 

Thank you.  Coursera is something that provide me with great distraction but can never finish.   As for the Kaylea Cross series, after the 4th book, I grew tired of the horrible dialogue and over the top alpha performances.  

 

The Beast - Yes, I had issues with it but kept plugging away.  Too much angst on Rhage's part and took way too long to get past it.  

 

Mesamin: I'm going to try sneaking back in here.  I'm reading "Sarah's Key" and so far it's OK.  Not great but OK.

 

No sneaking allowed.  However, jumping, diving, dancing, singing and dashing through at a moment's notice is.  Nice to see you!   :tongue_smilie:

 

 

I dove into a new to me author Robert McCammon Swan Song which was a used bookstore find. Quite a chunkster which is scary and creepy, but good so far.  

 

Something flashes in nine-year-old Swan’s brain, telling her that trouble is coming. Maybe it’s her mother, fed up with her current boyfriend and ready to abandon their dismal trailer park and seek a new home. But something far worse is on the horizon. Death falls from the sky—nuclear bombs which annihilate American civilization. Though Swan survives the blast, this young psychic’s war is just beginning.

 

As the survivors try to make new lives in the wasteland, an evil army forms, intent on murdering all those tainted with the diseases brought by fallout. When Swan finds a mysterious amulet that could hold the key to humankind’s salvation, she draws the attention of a man more dangerous than any nuclear bomb. To rescue mankind, this little girl will have to grow up fast.

 

Just added Shonda Rhimes Year of Yes to my stacks after watching her Ted Video My Year of saying yes to everything.

[Stacia]

I'm in that state between heaven (great stack of books here & 3 more waiting on me to pick up at work tomorrow) & angst (stack is too big to get through in any kind of a timely manner because of, you know, life & stuff like that keeps interfering in my reading time)! :willy_nilly:

 

I will see what I'm able to get though in the next few weeks....

 

And since I know someone will ask, here is what I'm talking about...

 

Currently reading:

An Unattractive Vampire by Jim McDoniel

 

 

 

Stack sitting here staring at me & waiting ( :toetap05: , impatiently, it seems) to be read:

 

 

     

 

 

 

And waiting to be picked up at the library when I go to work tomorrow:

American Chica by Maria Arana

Uprooted by Naomi Novik

The Aeronaut's Windlass by Jim Butcher

 

ETA: And I have other things sitting in my library lists, including The Ghost Bride (a rec from mom-ninja) but 'suspended' until I can clear these stacks.

 

Edited June 9, 2016 by Stacia

[Kareni]

I'm in that state between heaven (great stack of books here & 3 more waiting on me to pick up at work tomorrow) & angst (stack is too big to get through in any kind of a timely manner because of, you know, life & stuff like that keeps interfering in my reading time)! :willy_nilly:

 

I hear you. There are about ten books sitting in our two library boxes awaiting my attention.  We have one box per library to try to avoid mishaps.  And, my husband collected an additional five books for me while out doing errands earlier. And, I just received an email that yet another hold has come in.  And, my book group meets a week from today so I really need to get started on that since it's a non-fiction book and not something fluffy. And, if you're like me, you're likely to pick up an old favorite from your shelf and ignore the rest.

 

**

 

I just finished the enjoyable illustrated account Something New: Tales from a Makeshift Bride by Lucy Knisley.  I've read several other books by this author/illustrator and enjoyed them all.  Having recently attended my nephew's wedding (and having heard some tales of the associated angst), this was a timely read. 

 

"In 2010, Lucy and her long-term boyfriend John broke up. Three long, lonely years later, John returned to New York, walked into Lucy's apartment, and proposed. This is not that story. It is the story of what came after: The Wedding.

 

DIY maven Lucy Knisley was fascinated by American wedding culture . . . but also sort of horrified by it. So she set out to plan and execute the adorable DIY wedding to end all adorable DIY weddings. And she succeeded. This graphic novel--clocking in at almost 300 pages of humor, despair, and eternal love--is the story of how Lucy built a barn, invented a whole new kind of photo booth, and managed to turn an outdoor wedding on a rainy day into a joyous (though muddy) triumph."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[mumto2]

For those who have time and are interested:

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/country-house-literature

I am signed up for that one also. I will be honest and say I am not planning on reading the books as I have read most of them in the distant past. I want to see the collections and what they say/ show about the houses. Two that the preview tape talks about are ones the dc's and I went to frequently for play dates in the gardens.

 

  

And here's another intriguing post from Tor.com's "Five Books About" series.  I hadn't heard of most of these titles which is unusual for me.  Some of the books listed might interest you, Stacia.

 

 

Five Books That Have Just Enough Magic to Screw Everything Up by Lindsay Ribar

 

"You know the kind of book I mean. You find it in the “Fiction & Literature†section of Barnes & Noble, and you’re confused because, hey, isn’t that a fantasy novel? Or you find it in the “Fantasy†section—except isn’t it a little too grounded in the real world to really be fantasy?

 

Of course, spotting these books is easier now that we can order everything online, but you still run into the problem of how to describe them. They’re fantasy, but not! They’re realistic, but only kind of! They’re urban fantasy, but don’t those usually have magical creatures of some kind—vampires or werewolves or witches or ghosts? They’re magical realism, except, let’s be honest here, magical realism is a very specific genre, and most of what we call magical realism nowadays isn’t that at all...."

 

 

As is generally the case with the Tor.com website, the comments are worth reading.

 

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

 

You worked hard at rebuilding my wish list today! Most were availiable but I want to wait a couple of days before I check out more thanks to my weird overdrive problem. I think I have recreated most of my holds list.

 

 

 

 

Do we ("we" being the collective hive BaW mind) know about Mette Ivie Harrison's mysteries set in Utah's Mormon community? The books are published by Soho Crime which is how they drew my attention. Next time I am at the library I will borrow one. The Bishop's Wife is the first book in the series.

I had this book in my stack last year for awhile. I never had a chance to read any of it. I checked it out due to a positive review someplace but don't think it was from a BaWer.

[Mom-ninja.]

I am listening to Vanity Fair and loving it. I'm chuckling out loud. What a huge book. I will need to renew it on Overdrive several times to get through it. 

 

 

[Rosie_0801]

Found this blog post on my bloglovin feed this morning. http://frame.bloglovin.com/?post=4902556511&blog=3028708. Lots of fun pictures of Little Free Libraries. My favourite is the phone box. Made me imagine having a blue police box (can you guys hear the Dr. Who theme) one which would be great fun, but for many reasons including the fact I live in a historic zoning area probably not happening. ;)

 

Also you can look at a map of where they are. I thought they were just a US thing. I was amazed to discover that someone has one registered about 20 miles from my house!

 

While on the campaign trail, we found one in a small town marked 'Katamatite Community Library.' My bro went back to leave a political memoir in there. :)

[mumto2]

I have finished a couple a books.

 

The first is by a prolific British mystery writer who appeared on cozy lists. I read a stand alone by Robert Barnard earlier this year but felt I needed to try one of his series. I picked the first one where I could find the first book. Well I had a surprise, a reluctant policeman is sent to investigate the shockingly uncomfortable (for me and him) death of his father. The method was by torture devices out of Shades of Grey. The good news is I still have no idea how the machine was supposed to work. I

Do not want to think about it! While I wouldn't hand the book to dd (mainly because I might have to explain it) it really was handled as well as possible in a cozy sense. ://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6418546-sheer-torture. I ended up really liking the detective and have requested the second in his series.

 

 

I also finished my Josephine Tey mystery. It was the first in Upston's series An Expert in Murder. Something was a bit off in the middle of the book. I lost interest but kept going because I had posted so enthusiastically about the first chapter. The book did recover it's momentum but it wasn't the 5* book I was anticipating from the first chapter.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6623754-an-expert-in-murder

[Kareni]

Here's a currently 99 cent Kindle book to tempt you.  This book has been mentioned on Book a Week threads in the past.

 

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

 

"“At once a scholar’s homage to The Iliad and startlingly original work of art by an incredibly talented new novelist….A book I could not put down.â€
—Ann Patchett

 

“Mary Renault lives again!†declares Emma Donoghue, author of Room, referring to The Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller’s thrilling, profoundly moving, and utterly unique retelling of the legend of Achilles and the Trojan War. A tale of gods, kings, immortal fame, and the human heart, The Song of Achilles is a dazzling literary feat that brilliantly reimagines Homer’s enduring masterwork, The Iliad. An action-packed adventure, an epic love story, a marvelously conceived and executed page-turner, Miller’s monumental debut novel has already earned resounding acclaim from some of contemporary fiction’s brightest lights—and fans of Mary Renault, Bernard Cornwell, Steven Pressfield, and Colleen McCullough’s Masters of Rome series will delight in this unforgettable journey back to ancient Greece in the Age of Heroes."

 

**

 

and this one is currently free ~ The Witch of Napoli  by Michael Schmicker

 

From Kirkus Reviews

"This debut historical fantasy chronicles the life and times of a famous psychic medium during the late Victorian era. It’s 1918 in Italy, and the incomparable psychic Alessandra Poverelli has died. Tomaso Labella, editor of the newspaper Messaggero, is one of the people who knew her best. He fondly remembers meeting her in 1899, when he was a young photographer and she was an up-and-coming medium. She did more than talk to the dead, however—she could also levitate tables (with a poorly understood telekinesis), which brought her attention from scientific circles. She and Tomaso eventually toured Europe alongside the evolutionist and spiritualism skeptic Camillo Lombardi. This helped Alessandra escape her abusive husband, Pigotti, to whom she never planned to return. Yet, as her reputation soared, she became the target of those who aggressively tried to discredit her. Soon the pace of touring and nightly seances started to ruin Alessandra’s health—and she could only perform when in high spirits, surrounded by positive onlookers. When the church learned of her abilities, they endeavored to expose a tragic secret from her past. Little did her enemies know that the psychic could also channel a demonic presence that didn’t suffer fools lightly. Author Schmicker (The Listener, 2010) delivers an enchanting, graceful narrative that will absorb readers from the first page. Historical elements help ground the story and highlight psychic events when they do happen; we learn, for example, that there “were a lot of dead for [Alessandra] to talk to. Cholera swept through Naples all the time, and every family had lost a child...and hoped to make contact one last time.†The novel is bittersweet as the teen Tomaso pines for a love twice his age. He tells us she “was the first woman in my life.†Also impressive is how Schmicker captures the tone of the era: “The English rarely bother to learn any other language...why should they, they run the world.†In a tale this robust, readers shouldn’t take offense at the few slurs used in context. A fully transporting debut that should whet appetites for a follow-up." (Featured Review)

 

**

 

and a contemporary romance ~ The Troublemaker Next Door  by Marie Harte

 

 

A Publishers Weekly TOP 10 ROMANCE for Spring 2014

 

"SHE'S SWORN OFF MEN
It's been the day from hell for Maddie. Instead of offering a promotion, her boss made a pass. She quit, then got dumped by her lukewarm boyfriend. As the fiery redhead has a foul-mouthed meltdown, her green-eyed neighbor Flynn McCauley stands in her kitchen...completely captivated.

 

UNTIL HE THROWS A WRENCH INTO HER PLANS
He was just there to fix the sink as a favor. He's not into relationships. She's done with idiots. But where there are friends...sometimes there are benefits. And sometimes the boy next door might be just what you need at the end of every day.

 

INTRODUCING...THE McCAULEY BROTHERS
Welcome to the rough-and-tumble McCauley family, a tight-knit band of four bachelor brothers who work hard, drink beer, and relentlessly tease each other. When three independent women move in next door, all hell breaks loose."

 

**

 

Robin, you've read books by Julie Ann Walker. Have you read this currently free one? 

 

Hot as Hell (The Deep Six)  by Julie Ann Walker

 

"An exciting prequel novella to New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Julie Ann Walker's thrilling new Deep Six series

 

Harper Searcy didn't want to fall for a soldier, but she couldn't forget her hot Navy SEAL friend or their one night stand. When the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan where she works comes under attack by terrorists, there is only one man she knows who would move heaven and earth to rescue her: Michael "Mad Dog" Wainwright."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Nan in Mass]

Waaaanhhhh... Why doesn,t Libravox work on my ipad anymore? All my books are there but when I select one to listen to it, the program bumps me out.

Nan

[Chrysalis Academy]

Here's a currently 99 cent Kindle book to tempt you.  This book has been mentioned on Book a Week threads in the past.

 

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

 

"“At once a scholar’s homage to The Iliad and startlingly original work of art by an incredibly talented new novelist….A book I could not put down.â€

—Ann Patchett

 

“Mary Renault lives again!†declares Emma Donoghue, author of Room, referring to The Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller’s thrilling, profoundly moving, and utterly unique retelling of the legend of Achilles and the Trojan War. A tale of gods, kings, immortal fame, and the human heart, The Song of Achilles is a dazzling literary feat that brilliantly reimagines Homer’s enduring masterwork, The Iliad. An action-packed adventure, an epic love story, a marvelously conceived and executed page-turner, Miller’s monumental debut novel has already earned resounding acclaim from some of contemporary fiction’s brightest lights—and fans of Mary Renault, Bernard Cornwell, Steven Pressfield, and Colleen McCullough’s Masters of Rome series will delight in this unforgettable journey back to ancient Greece in the Age of Heroes."

 

**

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

Ah, ok. I bit & bought this for my Kindle, even though I never read on the kindle and I abandoned this book a couple of weeks ago!  It was interesting & well written, and I may come back to it at some point. I abandoned it because I figured I wasn't going to have Shannon read it, and it wasn't quite compelling enough to keep me reading. 

 

It's a funny thing about retellings: because you know how the story ends - we all know what happens to Patroclus & Achilles, after all - the story has to be even better to keep me reading.  It has to be so well written, so thought provoking, so challenging, so surprising, that I want to keep reading it for its own sake.  I read a lot of retellings, and some meet that bar and some don't. It's a higher standard, perhaps, than that for books with new, unknown plots, but there it is.

Edited June 10, 2016 by Chrysalis Academy

[Kareni]

An interesting piece from the New York Times which features opinions on the topic by Francine Prose and Benjamin Moser ~

 

Is It Harder to Be Transported By a Book As You Get Older?

 

Regards,

Kareni

[idnib]

Stacia, I am really enjoying Sergio Y. I can see how you read it all in one day! It well-written, with a very clean and measured aesthetic, plus suspense. I'm only halfway through, though, so I'm not up for a discussion, but I hope to finish soon.

 

 

We have a ton of these in our town--I think I regularly pass at least 10 on my daily drives. I don't see them being used much--I think there are just too many. Everyone likes the idea of having one and I think supply is exceeding demand at this point. 

 

We have a lot too for our small area, and we've actually started sorting them by what we want. There's one nearby we go to if we want children's books, and another has more mysteries and spy fiction. We hit one we usually don't go to to get "airplane fiction" for our upcoming trip. That LL usually has lots of Clancy, Grisham, King, Child, and Robb. I can only read so deeply when traveling for hours with an 8 yo.

 

 But, it has been so, so, so long since I read Jane Eyre that I don't really even remember the story. (Do I dare admit that among all the Flufferton fans here? :leaving: ) 

 

I'll back you up by saying I've never read Jane Eyre, so you're not at the "bottom of the heap" so to speak. Even worse, there's a copy of it somewhere around here so I have no excuse.

 

An interesting piece from the New York Times which features opinions on the topic by Francine Prose and Benjamin Moser ~

 

Is It Harder to Be Transported By a Book As You Get Older?

 

 

I think when I was younger I had a more vivid imagination when reading books. But the life experience I have added since then has made almost all books more multi-dimensional and poignant, which more than makes up for it, at least to me. I feel just as transported, but in a different way.

Edited June 10, 2016 by idnib

[fastweedpuller]

An interesting piece from the New York Times which features opinions on the topic by Francine Prose and Benjamin Moser ~

 

Is It Harder to Be Transported By a Book As You Get Older?

 

Regards,

Kareni

Like idnib said, it's maybe just different now with more time...?  Not worse, not more intense, just put through the filter of life experience.

 

Likewise, I am not much of a series fan (exception being Elena Ferrante's Napoli series because come on!) but being there/being in it seems to be the reason our dd likes to read every. last. one. of her adolescent dystopia books...she can't let the place or characters go in her mind until there's not a page left to turn.  I guess I have always been a fan of short stories though so I am more willing to let a (single) novel go?  It's a bit of a mystery though of course I see the appeal of reading the same people in a new situation.

[Stacia]

Stacia, I am really enjoying Sergio Y. I can see how you read it all in one day! It well-written, with a very clean and measured aesthetic, plus suspense. I'm only halfway through, though, so I'm not up for a discussion, but I hope to finish soon.

Oh, good. It's always good to hear when a recommendation works out! Love your description of it -- very accurate.

[Shawneinfl]

I'm in that state between heaven (great stack of books here & 3 more waiting on me to pick up at work tomorrow) & angst (stack is too big to get through in any kind of a timely manner because of, you know, life & stuff like that keeps interfering in my reading time)! :willy_nilly:

 

I will see what I'm able to get though in the next few weeks....

 

And since I know someone will ask, here is what I'm talking about...

 

Currently reading:

An Unattractive Vampire by Jim McDoniel

 

 

 

Stack sitting here staring at me & waiting ( :toetap05: , impatiently, it seems) to be read:

 

 

     

 

 

 

And waiting to be picked up at the library when I go to work tomorrow:

American Chica by Maria Arana

Uprooted by Naomi Novik

The Aeronaut's Windlass by Jim Butcher

 

ETA: And I have other things sitting in my library lists, including The Ghost Bride (a rec from mom-ninja) but 'suspended' until I can clear these stacks.

 

Why is it I get a thrill when I see someone's stacks pictured online???

[JennW in SoCal]

Why is it I get a thrill when I see someone's stacks pictured online???

 

Maybe that should be a thing next week.  Book stack p@rn  :D

[Kareni]

 Book stack p@rn  :D

 

Okay, shage, time for a haiku ....

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Stacia]

I finished An Unattractive Vampire tonight.

 

In reality, it's probably a 3 star book. But, I think I'll bump it up to 4 stars for a few reasons:

• It's the antidote to Twilight. It's time the glittery glamour boy vamps went away. Bring on the old-school vampires!
• The pairing of an evil, 300-year-old+ vampire with a precocious, cheeky, slightly-evil 8yo boy was devilishly delightful. 
• I like the vampire's excuse of not needing to wear a seatbelt: "I have no need for a life saving restraint." :lol: You know, since he's immortal anyway. As well as some of the other humor that arises when a guy from over 300 years ago is thrown into today's world.
• The author brought in some vampires & folklore from around the world in the later chapters.
• Cool cover art.

Final summation -- fiendishly fun. Good beach reading if you have a slightly sadistic & morbid sense of humor.

 

ETA: This book was published by Inkshares, which, according to a page in the back of the book, is a "crowdfunded book publisher". Interesting.

 

ETA even more: Finishing this allowed me to complete another row (1st column down) on the BaW Bingo card:
Female Author (We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo)

Historical (North to the Orient by Anne Morrow Lindbergh)

Pick based on the cover (An Unattractive Vampire by Jim McDoniel)

Translated (The Expedition to the Baobab Tree by Wilma Stockenström)

Epic (The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni)

Edited June 11, 2016 by Stacia

[Kareni]

Last night I finished the western historical romance The Devil You Know by Jo Goodman.  The author is a favorite of mine, and this was an enjoyable read.  (Trigger warning: a rape is recounted.) 

 

"WHAT HE DOESN’T KNOW . . .
 
After a horse drags him through the countryside, Israel McKenna awakes bruised and battered in a field in Pancake Valley, Colorado. He can recall where he came from and where he was going, but the memory of how he came to be on the Pancake homestead eludes him. He’s certain he did something wrong to deserve such a harsh punishment—and so is the beautiful woman who reluctantly comes to his aid.
 
. . . COULD HURT HER.
 
Wilhelmina “Willa†Pancake must focus on running her family’s ranch. With Israel’s hazy memory, she is unsure if she can trust him, let alone handle the budding attraction between them. And as men fight to steal her land and the truth about Israel’s past rides toward them, love is a risk she cannot easily take."

 

 

I also re-read a favorite paranormal novella; it's clearly one of my comfort reads as I must read it six or more times a year ~ Patricia Briggs'  Alpha & Omega.

 

Regards,

Kareni