Book a Week 2016 - BW47: Happy Thanksgiving

[Kareni]

Wishing you a very

 

Happy  birthday, Robin!!

 

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Nan in Mass]

Happy Birthday, Robin.

 

I,m with those who had a 2016 with some pretty rough patches and will be glad when the year ends, but unlike most of you, I,m not very date oriented so I don,t have to get through until Jan. I just have to make it until the snow comes and everything freezes still. That might turn out to be the same thing, but since it isn,t a set date, waiting is easier. : )

 

I read the hedgehog book. I didn't dislike it. I didn,t really like it all that well, either. I must have missed something, since so many others liked it.

 

I am grateful for lots of things, too many to list them all. Top of my list is that certain beloved people are still alive and themselves. : ) I am also grateful for my animal friends, that my children aren't too far away and come home lots, that my body can walk miles every day through our beautiful New England woods, that my eyes and hands are usually steady enough to paint, and that there is pretty much always water out my window to keep claustophobia at bay. And I am deeply grateful to these boards, my friends here, and to SWB and her mum, who so drastically altered our lives by writing TWTM. : )

 

Nan

[aggieamy]

 

 

This past week I finished The Plantagenets and The Queen's Man. I gave up on both Grantchester and Cover Her Face. Grantchester (actually called Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death) was okay but I think I just wasn't in the mood. Cover Her Face was taking too long to get anywhere. 

 

 

I see we have the same things on our mind these days!

 

For my book club's November's Mysterious Book I read The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman.  I thought it was a cozy mystery, and though there was a little bit of mystery, I'm not sure it was a mystery.  In fact, I'm not sure what I would categorize this book.  I enjoyed it nonetheless!  Mrs. Pollifax was hilarious, and I loved her character with her propensity to not only look for adventure but to persevere when the going got rough.  This book also fulfilled my "U" book :)  I'd read more Mrs. Pollifax if the time allowed.

 

 

A cozy spy novel?

 

LOL,  I was going to say "cozy thriller".  Not that Mrs. Polifax was the type of book to keep you awake in the middle of the night with dread or worry. 

[aggieamy]

Finished:  The Sunne in Splendor by Sharon Kay Penman.

 

Wowza. Not my type of book and yet totally my type of book.  It was wonderful.  It took me at least 200 pages to get into it and I thought it was going to take me years to read but then I was hooked and couldn't put it down.  I feel like it was a history lesson in the Plantagenets and Yorks.  I *heart* Richard III.  I hope this won't be too much of a spoiler but basically everyone dies.  Everyone that was decent dies.  Everyone that was a jerk dies.  *Cries into pillow*  

 

Thank you Erin, Kathy, and Rose for recommending it! 

[aggieamy]

Happy belated birthday to our fearless leader!!! 

[Kareni]

Last night I read a holiday novella that is a historical romance; I enjoyed it.  It happens to be currently free to Kindle readers.

 

A Christmas Gone Perfectly Wrong: A Blackshear Family novella  by Cecilia Grant

 

"IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SIMPLE...

With one more errand to go--the purchase of a hunting falcon--Andrew Blackshear has Christmas completely under control. As his sister's impending marriage signals the inevitable drifting-apart of the Blackshear family, it's his last chance to give his siblings the sort of memorable, well-planned holiday their parents could never seem to provide.

He has no time to dawdle, no time for nonsense, and certainly no time to drive the falconer's vexing, impulsive, lush-lipped, midnight-haired daughter to a house party before heading home. So why the devil did he agree to do just that?

IT COULDN'T BE MORE DELICIOUSLY MIXED-UP...

Lucy Sharp has been waiting all her too-quiet life for an adventure, and she means to make the most of this one. She's going to enjoy the house party as no one has ever enjoyed a house party before, and in the meanwhile she's going to enjoy every minute in the company of amusingly stern, formidably proper, outrageously handsome Mr. Blackshear. Let him disapprove of her all he likes--it's not as though they'll see each other again after today.

...or will they? When a carriage mishap and a snowstorm strand the pair miles short of their destination, threatening them with scandal and jeopardizing all their Christmas plans, they'll have to work together to save the holiday from disaster. And along the way they just might learn that the best adventures are the ones you never would have thought to plan."

 

**

And a post from Tor.com that might be of interest to some ~

 

Five Slavic SFF Novels You Should Have On Your Shelves  by Jeremy Szal

 

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

[Lady Florida.]

Happy Belated Birthday, Robin! Good books + good wine. Nothing else needed  to make it a good day.   :party:

[Kareni]

Good books + good wine. Nothing else needed  to make it a good day. 

 

I'd swap out the good wine for some good chocolate, but otherwise I'm in agreement!

 

**

 

A book-ish post ~

 

Kids explain how banned and challenged books helped them and even saved their lives

 

"Controversies over what books are taught in class or shelved in the school library typically start when an adult—usually a parent or community member—feels that a book selected by teachers and librarians is inappropriate, offensive or objectionable. Most often, the objections relate to sexual scenes, offensive language, or depictions of drug and alcohol use. Concerned adults worry that the book promotes ideas that conflict with their personal values and beliefs, or that children will imitate fictional characters and engage in undesirable behavior.

 

Ironically, some of the most frequently challenged books are the very books that young readers say are especially important and meaningful to them. Unfortunately, their views are rarely heard in the over-heated debates that often accompany book challenges. Instead, the adults – parents, school administrators, and school board members - make decisions about what kids should read without always appreciating how books with “controversial†content help young people learn and mature.

 

To explore the significance of controversial books for young readers, we asked authors of frequently challenged books to share messages they’ve received from their readers. So far, eight authors whose books we’ve defended – frequently, in some cases – have shared letters and messages they’ve received from readers: Chris Crutcher, Matt de la Peña, emily danforth, Ellen Hopkins, Lois Lowry, Wes Moore, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, and Rainbow Rowell...."

 

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Mom-ninja.]

Happy Birthday, Robin. 

 

 

 

I have a bad cold while visiting my sister for her wedding. Blech. What a time to get a cold. I finished Harry Potter and the Cursed Child this morning. I liked it. The relationship with Draco is how I imagined. 

 

Still working on the first Harry Potter in German. Not a lot of reading time with travel and wedding errands. 

[fastweedpuller]

Gifts for the Woman in your Life Who's a Little Too into British Costume Dramas

 

Can I see a show of hands?

[Kareni]

Those of you who knit might be interested in this post ~ 

 

Knitting Pattern: The Barista Cowl

 

I was already planning to post it when I saw that it included

 

 

 Alligators!

 

Well, only one alligator; however, it's an albino alligator.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Just Robyn]

I'd swap out the good wine for some good chocolate, but otherwise I'm in agreement!

 

**

 

A book-ish post ~

 

Kids explain how banned and challenged books helped them and even saved their lives

 

"Controversies over what books are taught in class or shelved in the school library typically start when an adult—usually a parent or community member—feels that a book selected by teachers and librarians is inappropriate, offensive or objectionable. Most often, the objections relate to sexual scenes, offensive language, or depictions of drug and alcohol use. Concerned adults worry that the book promotes ideas that conflict with their personal values and beliefs, or that children will imitate fictional characters and engage in undesirable behavior.

 

Ironically, some of the most frequently challenged books are the very books that young readers say are especially important and meaningful to them. Unfortunately, their views are rarely heard in the over-heated debates that often accompany book challenges. Instead, the adults – parents, school administrators, and school board members - make decisions about what kids should read without always appreciating how books with “controversial†content help young people learn and mature.

 

To explore the significance of controversial books for young readers, we asked authors of frequently challenged books to share messages they’ve received from their readers. So far, eight authors whose books we’ve defended – frequently, in some cases – have shared letters and messages they’ve received from readers: Chris Crutcher, Matt de la Peña, emily danforth, Ellen Hopkins, Lois Lowry, Wes Moore, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, and Rainbow Rowell...."

 

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

Thanks for posting this Kareni. I skimmed through the responses. It's nice to see how books have helped young adults through issues and feel better about themselves. I also see how out of it I am. I have only heard of two of those books. (The Giver and Eleanor and Park.)

[Ethel Mertz]

For my book club's November's Mysterious Book I read The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman.  I thought it was a cozy mystery, and though there was a little bit of mystery, I'm not sure it was a mystery.  In fact, I'm not sure what I would categorize this book.  I enjoyed it nonetheless!  Mrs. Pollifax was hilarious, and I loved her character with her propensity to not only look for adventure but to persevere when the going got rough.  This book also fulfilled my "U" book :)  I'd read more Mrs. Pollifax if the time allowed.

 

Mrs. Pollifax was my 50th book of the year!  I'm excited about that :)

 

My Mom loved the Mrs. Pollifax books and I started re-reading some of them this year as a way to feel closer to my Mom (who died nearly 3 years ago). It's been a lovely reading adventure and I hope to do more of those books next year.

 

As to what I've been reading this week ... 

 

1.     Work Song – Ivan Doig 11/14 The second of a trilogy. I really like this series about a portion of the US with which I am not as familiar.

2.     The Country of the Pointed Firs – Sarah Orne Jewett 11/16 A quick and comforting read through a Maine coastal community.

3.     Die, Die Birdie (A Bird Lover’s Mystery) – J.R. Ripley 11/17 Mediocre. Not really a birding mystery as I had first thought.

4.     Bought the Farm – Jeff Shelby 11/18 Nice cozy mystery writer and I am enjoying these quick, escapist (from too much national news) reads.

5.     When the Rooster Kills (A Rainy Day Mystery) – Jeff Shelby 11/19

6.     The Murder Pit (A Moose River Mystery) – Jeff Shelby 11/20  This series revolves around a female sleuth who just happens to be a homeschool mom.

7.     Crack of Death (A Rainy Day Mystery #3) – Jeff Shelby

 

Happy Birthday to Robin and Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate it!

[mumto2]

Happy Birthday, Robin.

 

 

 

I have a bad cold while visiting my sister for her wedding. Blech. What a time to get a cold. I finished Harry Potter and the Cursed Child this morning. I liked it. The relationship with Draco is how I imagined.

 

Still working on the first Harry Potter in German. Not a lot of reading time with travel and wedding errands.

I hope your cold gets better in time for the actual wedding day.

[aggieamy]

Gifts for the Woman in your Life Who's a Little Too into British Costume Dramas

 

Can I see a show of hands?

 

 

My DH thanks you for posting that link.  :laugh:

[aggieamy]

Finished:

 

The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley.  Normally the historical inaccuracies in a novel would cause me to fling it across the room in a snobbish huff - this book was saved from that fate because it was so heartwarming and splendid that I was happy to gloss over anything not-quite believable.  I highly recommend this for anyone wanting to give a preteen girl a book for Christmas.  

[JennW in SoCal]

Gifts for the Woman in your Life Who's a Little Too into British Costume Dramas

 

Can I see a show of hands?

 

Waving frantically over here.  Me, me, me!  Ooooohhh, Me!!

[Chrysalis Academy]

We're heading off tomorrow for our Thanksgiving road trip - we do Friendsgiving down in Half Moon Bay - our dearest friends on earth - and we do a crab boil, full of seafood fresh off the boat and/or harvested that morning by the boys with their boards and wetsuits.  No extended family, no stress, no drama. I'm looking forward to that so much!

 

ETA: Sorry for sharing such an upsetting story. It was all I could think about for the past few days, but no need to burden everyone else with it.

 

So, I'm thankful: I'm thankful that my family is healthy (mostly) and happy (mostly) and that we have the problems of the fortunate. I'm thankful for this place, and you my virtual friends, who sometimes feel more real than people nearby. I'm thankful for a place to chat and share. I'm thankful to Robin for curating this space (happy birthday!), and to the rest of you for book suggestions, reviews, comments, discussions. And for pictures, and stories, and links to Monty Python.  And just for being you.  Love you all, and hope that 2017 is a good year for everyone.

Edited November 23, 2016 by Chrysalis Academy

[shukriyya]

Just finished listening to a fascinating interview with the Congolese writer, Alain Mabanckou. Stacia, Jane and perhaps Nan, you may be interested in one of his most popular books, Broken Glass. I realized, as I listened to the interview that my time spent hearing about these artists speak of their vision, their creative interface with the world, their childhood influences, that my spirit feels buoyed with something akin to hope. Knowing there is this kind of consciousness at work in the world is a refuge these days.

[Mom-ninja.]

I hope your cold gets better in time for the actual wedding day.

 

Thank you. I hope so too. Each day I wake up feeling worse and not better. Dh wants me to go to a walk in clinic. I've been told to stay in my hotel room today in bed. No one wants me around. I don't blame them. I look, sound, and feel like poop. This is literally one of the worst times for me to have gotten sick. 

 

On a book note I can't even read because my eyes hurt. 

[shukriyya]

 

ETA

 

I clicked "post" before remembering to add a warm hello to shukriyya! It is lovely to see you here again. And :grouphug: to all of you who've had a rough 2016. May 2017 be full of light for you all.

 

Thanks, Jenn :D I've missed hearing about your fiddling adventures :nopity:

[Jane in NC]

Thank you. I hope so too. Each day I wake up feeling worse and not better. Dh wants me to go to a walk in clinic. I've been told to stay in my hotel room today in bed. No one wants me around. I don't blame them. I look, sound, and feel like poop. This is literally one of the worst times for me to have gotten sick. 

 

On a book note I can't even read because my eyes hurt. 

 

Sending air kisses from afar.  And healing thoughts.  Lots of healing thoughts.

 

[mumto2]

Thank you. I hope so too. Each day I wake up feeling worse and not better. Dh wants me to go to a walk in clinic. I've been told to stay in my hotel room today in bed. No one wants me around. I don't blame them. I look, sound, and feel like poop. This is literally one of the worst times for me to have gotten sick.

 

On a book note I can't even read because my eyes hurt.

:grouphug:

[mumto2]

Last night I finished the historical romance Someone To Love (A Westcott Novel) by Mary Balogh; I did enjoy, it but it's not amongst my favorites by the author.  I read the book with particular interest because of allegations of racism that were raised by a reviewer.  You can read that review (and comments including those by the author) here.

 

"Humphrey Westcott, Earl of Riverdale, has died, leaving behind a fortune that will forever alter the lives of everyone in his family—including the daughter no one knew he had... 

Anna Snow grew up in an orphanage in Bath knowing nothing of the family she came from. Now she discovers that the late Earl of Riverdale was her father and that she has inherited his fortune. She is also overjoyed to learn she has siblings. However, they want nothing to do with her or her attempts to share her new wealth. But the new earl’s guardian is interested in Anna…

 

Avery Archer, Duke of Netherby, keeps others at a distance. Yet something prompts him to aid Anna in her transition from orphan to lady. As London society and her newfound relatives threaten to overwhelm Anna, Avery steps in to rescue her and finds himself vulnerable to feelings and desires he has hidden so well and for so long."

 

Regards,

Kareni

I just finished it. It wasn't the author's best by any means but it was just fine. I finally broke down at the halfway mark and read your link.

[Mothersweets]

Gifts for the Woman in your Life Who's a Little Too into British Costume Dramas

 

Can I see a show of hands?

 

Raising my hand!!

[Stacia]

Robin, now that I'm back on a real computer (vs. my phone), I can post a (slightly belated) birthday image for you:

 

 

 

Thank you. I hope so too. Each day I wake up feeling worse and not better. Dh wants me to go to a walk in clinic. I've been told to stay in my hotel room today in bed. No one wants me around. I don't blame them. I look, sound, and feel like poop. This is literally one of the worst times for me to have gotten sick. 

 

On a book note I can't even read because my eyes hurt. 

 

:grouphug: :grouphug:

 

 

Just finished listening to a fascinating interview with the Congolese writer, Alain Mabanckou. Stacia, Jane and perhaps Nan, you may be interested in one of his most popular books, Broken Glass. I realized, as I listened to the interview that my time spent hearing about these artists speak of their vision, their creative interface with the world, their childhood influences, that my spirit feels buoyed with something akin to hope. Knowing there is this kind of consciousness at work in the world is a refuge these days.

 

Thanks, shukriyya. Have put this one on hold from my library. Last year, I read Manbanckou's Memoirs of a Porcupine. (I then sent it to Rose, who read it too. Nan, I would not recommend Memoirs of a Porcupine to you. I think it's much too dark to be something you would want to read.)

 

We're heading off tomorrow for our Thanksgiving road trip - we do Friendsgiving down in Half Moon Bay - our dearest friends on earth - and we do a crab boil, full of seafood fresh off the boat and/or harvested that morning by the boys with their boards and wetsuits.  No extended family, no stress, no drama. I'm looking forward to that so much!

 

ETA: Sorry for sharing such an upsetting story. It was all I could think about for the past few days, but no need to burden everyone else with it.

 

So, I'm thankful: I'm thankful that my family is healthy (mostly) and happy (mostly) and that we have the problems of the fortunate. I'm thankful for this place, and you my virtual friends, who sometimes feel more real than people nearby. I'm thankful for a place to chat and share. I'm thankful to Robin for curating this space (happy birthday!), and to the rest of you for book suggestions, reviews, comments, discussions. And for pictures, and stories, and links to Monty Python.  And just for being you.  Love you all, and hope that 2017 is a good year for everyone.

 

:grouphug: :grouphug:  No worries about sharing your upsetting news. How horrific. Sharing pain lessens the load a little bit.

 

Well, only one alligator; however, it's an albino alligator.

 

:thumbup1:

 

A book-ish post ~

 

Kids explain how banned and challenged books helped them and even saved their lives

 

"Controversies over what books are taught in class or shelved in the school library typically start when an adult—usually a parent or community member—feels that a book selected by teachers and librarians is inappropriate, offensive or objectionable. Most often, the objections relate to sexual scenes, offensive language, or depictions of drug and alcohol use. Concerned adults worry that the book promotes ideas that conflict with their personal values and beliefs, or that children will imitate fictional characters and engage in undesirable behavior.

 

Ironically, some of the most frequently challenged books are the very books that young readers say are especially important and meaningful to them. Unfortunately, their views are rarely heard in the over-heated debates that often accompany book challenges. Instead, the adults – parents, school administrators, and school board members - make decisions about what kids should read without always appreciating how books with “controversial†content help young people learn and mature.

 

To explore the significance of controversial books for young readers, we asked authors of frequently challenged books to share messages they’ve received from their readers. So far, eight authors whose books we’ve defended – frequently, in some cases – have shared letters and messages they’ve received from readers: Chris Crutcher, Matt de la Peña, emily danforth, Ellen Hopkins, Lois Lowry, Wes Moore, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, and Rainbow Rowell...."

 

Thanks, Kareni. Love it. I may have to read Crank -- what power for a book to get a teenage heroin addict to quit.

 

The power of books & reading is amazing. And wonderful.

 

Like so many have already said.... I'm thankful for many things. In a tough year, I'm so thankful to have loving family & friends who have helped me so much. I'm thankful for our little virtual corner of the book world (& that I've even gotten to meet a few of you irl). I love that we can discuss books, our families, successes & failures, Flufferton Abbey as both a place & a state of being, as well as alligators! I'm thankful for each & every one of you, my friends. :grouphug:

[Stacia]

Currently reading:

 

 

(Valeria Luiselli also wrote The Story of My Teeth -- a book I love. Faces in the Crowd is the first book she wrote.)

 

“Valeria Luiselli’s extraordinary debut novel Faces in the Crowd signals the arrival of major talent. The novel’s fragmented, poetic narrative immediately engages and slowly reveals its secrets. Is this a story about a woman discovering a forgotten Latin poet of the Harlem Renaissance? Is the woman imagined by the poet? Are they both ghosts in search of some way back to the real? Written in Spanish, and exquisitely translated by Christina MacSweeney, Faces in the Crowd is a fresh and essential voice for the new Latin-American canon.†—Jeremy Ellis, Brazos Bookstore, Houston, TX

 

[Robin M]

Thank you. I hope so too. Each day I wake up feeling worse and not better. Dh wants me to go to a walk in clinic. I've been told to stay in my hotel room today in bed. No one wants me around. I don't blame them. I look, sound, and feel like poop. This is literally one of the worst times for me to have gotten sick. 

 

On a book note I can't even read because my eyes hurt. 

:grouphug:  So sorry. Hate being sick on a trip. Sending lots of healing vibes your way.  

 

We just got back from the emergency room. Hubby had a weird heart glitch, an arrhythmia of some sort this morning which caused his pulse to race up to 190 and wouldn't go down.  He took a really really hot shower, had reflux, coughed hard  which made him light headed and shaky. Somehow that caused the glitch.  Sometimes these things just happen says the doctor.   All normal now which is a relief.

[Little Nyssa]

Robin, so glad all is normal now.

 

I enjoyed Mrs Pollifax.

 

Re Thanksgiving- there's been a lot of talk about difficult conversations this year & how to deal with them, at the table, with relatives who want to talk politics, or whatever... Here's one historical note about a way of dealing with a table discussion that doesn't interest you... the poet Brodsky had a Russian muse, a girl that he never forgot, and he was always writing poetry about her/about Russia even after many years in exile... her name was Marina. Once in Russia she was bored at a dull dinner, so she livened things up by setting the curtains on fire! that's one way of changing the subject!

Edited November 24, 2016 by Little Nyssa

[Nan in Mass]

Robin!!! How frightening! I'm so glad it was just a fluke! Yikes!

 

Nan

[Nan in Mass]

Thank you. I hope so too. Each day I wake up feeling worse and not better. Dh wants me to go to a walk in clinic. I've been told to stay in my hotel room today in bed. No one wants me around. I don't blame them. I look, sound, and feel like poop. This is literally one of the worst times for me to have gotten sick.

 

On a book note I can't even read because my eyes hurt.

How dismal to be sick and left out and not even at home. Ug. Can you get hold of an audiobook? I hope you get better soon!

 

Nan

[Stacia]

Glad your dh is ok, Robin! :grouphug:

[Violet Crown]

Scary moments Robin! Glad to hear it was just one of Those Things That Happen. And happy if late birthday.

[Loesje22000]

Happy Birthday Robin!!

 

I cannot resist saying that Remarkable Creatures was one of my favourites last year.

 

I liked the book  very much.

Very enjoyable...

[mumto2]

:grouphug: Robin, Glad all is well! :)

 

I did finish Night Shift by Charlaine Harris last night. It was the last book in her Midnight Texas trilogy. It wasn't the best of the trilogy by any means. There was a definite wrap up feel to it which was sad because I thought the second book Day Shift was quite good. This series is different than Harris' usual story telling because it lacks the humour, I definitely prefer the occasional chuckle!

 

Also Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate. We are actually cooking this year because dh has promised several a plate of traditional Thanksgiving food. His only problem is I am just recovering from my cold. I feel good overall but am a bit worried about sharing from my kitchen. I am going to go start the turkey and disinfect. Hubby is going to do all the finish work like mashing the potatoes. No pies etc this year. For those who know me our normal schedule the village Christmas celebration is still tonight which is why I normally skip doing the food on Thursday.

 

I am grateful for so much including all my wonderful friends here. Like so many have said this has been a rough year. Hoping next year isn't so traumatic although I still have big issues on the horizon.

[Nan in Mass]

Happy Thanksgiving, All!

Don't forget your whiskers. : )

 

Nan

[Lady Florida.]

I'd swap out the good wine for some good chocolate, but otherwise I'm in agreement!

 

 

 

I'd take all three actually - red wine, dark chocolate, and a good book. :)

 

:grouphug: Rose and Mom-ninja  :grouphug:

 

Robin, I'm glad your dh is okay.

[Lady Florida.]

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

 

 

 

Wishing my fellow American BaW friends a lovely day today. We had our celebration yesterday because dss has to work today. We had a blast playing with the grandkids. 

 

We were sent home with leftovers (dss and ddil hosted) so we'll nibble today. Later this afternoon dh and I plan to go see Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Ds hasn't decided yet if he wants to go with us. 

[Jane in NC]

Thanksgiving without The Boy.  Sniff, sniff.  Nonetheless a nice meal is planned with my sister in law and her husband. We are joining forces to create our turkey dinner with too many sides.

 

I am grateful for all of you, my bookish friends.  Your generous spirits never fail to bring cheer.  I cannot begin to count the rabbit holes followed due to all of you!

 

So cheers to books, rabbit holes and good friends! :cheers2:

 

XXOO

 

 

 

 

[Butter]

Happy belated birthday, Robin!

 

#114: Where Home Is by Karen J. Halsey.  I loved it.  It's historical fiction set mostly at Hull House in Chicago in 1910.  The main character is a woman who has just graduated from medical school in the pre-antibiotic era.  She has to work through the push back of a woman being a doctor and deal with all the poverty and tragic circumstances of many of her patients.  While working as the doctor at Hull House, Katherine is also being courted by a wealthy man who isn't quite what he seems.  In 1911, she returns home to Laramie Wyoming.  There she gets reacquainted with friends and family and opens her own practice.  It's a gentle story.  A bit slow, but fitting with the time period.

 

#115: Murder to Go by Chloe Kendrick. This was a fun one.  That sounds weird since murder is in the title, but it's really a light-hearted cozy mystery.  Maeve inherits a food truck from her aunt.  Everything goes well until the body count starts increasing and it's clear someone is after Maeve.  She goes down the path of looking for how her aunt paid for the truck and why it was hard for her to get the permits for it.  I was so shocked at who was behind it all so that made the end extra fun.

 

#116: Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn.  I am a sucker for young adult dystopian.  This one is set a hundred years in the future.  Because of drugs in the water people's minds have evolved.  Most people, somewhere around puberty, begin to be able to read each other's minds.  Those who don't change are zeros which is what Kira thinks she is.  But she's not.  She's a jacker, and a strong one at that.  Jackers can read other people's minds and control them.  It turns out there are many jackers hiding right in plain sight pretending to be zeros or readers.  Jackers can control other people with their minds.  The feds are after the jackers, but Kira is determined to get them all released.  This is the first in a trilogy.  I'm already reading the second book.

[Robin M]

Happy Thanksgiving my lovelies!   You know how much I appreciate and love you so hugs all around!  Have a great day!

 

[Kareni]

 I've been told to stay in my hotel room today in bed. No one wants me around. I don't blame them. I look, sound, and feel like poop. This is literally one of the worst times for me to have gotten sick. 

 

How very frustrating. I hope you are soon well.  You, too, Mumto2.

 

We just got back from the emergency room. Hubby had a weird heart glitch...

 

How very scary.  I'm glad all is now well.

 

 

We're currently enjoying the company of old friends (who we met in Lamaze class many years ago); they're out taking a walk now while my husband starts the turkey.  My only contribution to the table is an apple tart which I made yesterday and which we decided to eat for dessert last night.  It smelled and looked wonderful; however (you knew there was a however coming, didn't you?), I made it with salt instead of sugar.  What a disappointment!  Fortunately, there were other goodies on hand to eat as we introduced our friends to and played  Love Letter.

 

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

Any fans of westerns?

 

Currently free to Kindle readers ~ 

TRAILIN' WEST: FREE- 7 New and Classic Tales of Frontier Danger and Romance

 

"n this anthology of western tales you will find stories by some of the greatest western writers who ever lived: Louis L’Amour, Max Brand, Zane Grey, and the writer who created the western as a genre, Owen Wister, author of The Virginian. But you will also find stories by some of the finest of today’s practitioners of tales of the West, including Darryle Purcell, J. M. Stine, and Charles Lee Jackson III."

 

There are also many free books by Max Brand.  You can see a list here.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Rosie_0801]

Book 52 for me, Dark Emu, which was bloody brilliant.

[mumto2]

Book 52 for me, Dark Emu, which was bloody brilliant.

Congratulations!!!!!!

[Penguin]

It has been a very bookish week for me. My books have finally arrived from Denmark (for those who do not know, we moved back to the USA from Denmark in October). Even more exciting, I now have the boxes of books that have been in storage for FIVE YEARS.  :hurray:

 

I finished Tolstoy's The Cossacks and am staying with the Russians for now.

 

I picked up this new collection the other day: A Very Russian Christmas The Greatest Russian Holiday Stories of All Time. I have read 2/3 of the stories, and I love the book. Most of the stories are ten pages or less; two are longer. A Lifeless Animal by Teffi is like a traumatic version of the Velveteen Rabbit. :scared:

 

 

[Jane in NC]

What an odd book! Butterflies in November by Icelandic novelist Audur Ava Olafsdottir defies classification other than to use words like "zany" or "whimsical".  It is certainly that.

 

Our first person narrator needs to escape life as she knows it.  At the last moment she is made temporary caretaker of her best friend's son, a four year old deaf prodigy.  This pair hit the road in Iceland for a series of bizarre adventures and observations in the often bleak but gorgeous landscape outside Reykjavik. What happens might be called magical realism--or is it just a train wreck of strange coincidences among eccentrics?

 

Initially I thought this might be a Stacia or a Nan book but now I am not sure.  It is just such a weird novel...

 

Things sort of seem to be winding their way to a conclusion around page 250 but there were still a number of pages left.  That was when I realized that the book ends with more than 30 pages of "recipes" related to the incidents within the book.  Let me offer a couple:

 

Slicing Onions: Peeling and chopping seven onions can be a daunting task for sensitive souls.  The use of swimming goggles is recommended or ski goggles, when available, since the latter are, of course, bigger and work better in many cases.  Some people are of the firm belief that holding one's breath during the cutting is an effective antidote.  It normally takes less than a minute to peel and chop an onion, but seven onions represent a far greater challenge.  There are also those who recommend peeling the onion under a tap of running cold water.  If none of these remedies work, it is best to ask the nearest person to you to cut the onion, a man, for example.  Although this is by no means a universal law, their emotional make-up is often structured differently, particularly with regard to the thickness of their skin.

 

Or how about "Undrinkable coffee"?

 

 

Undrinkable coffee can be made in a variety of ways.  The simplest way is to leave a packet of coffee open in a cupboard with cream biscuits, light bulbs, batteries and teabags for several days.  You can also make very thin coffee that is the same colour as tea.  Another infallible method is to heat up old coffee, even in a microwave oven.

 

Why am I not surprised that Butterflies in November was a hit in France?

 

Next up?  Hmmm...I pulled two volumes out of the dusties, Tail of the Blue Bird, by Ghanaian writer Nii Ayikwei Parkes (courtesy of Stacia) and The Black Tulip by Alexandre Dumas.  The latter is set against the backdrop of "Tulipmania" in 17th century Netherlands and has been on my to-read list since the mortgage instrument debacle of the last recession.  (Anyone remember the term "tranche"?) I was happy to find a well annotated Oxford World Classic copy at the last library book sale.

Edited November 25, 2016 by Jane in NC

[shukriyya]

Ds and I are going to start The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. It's not my preferred genre but it is ds's and he does love a good book discussion. I was quite taken with the poetic style of the writing in the excerpt I read plus I believe it was here that I first heard of it, Jenn perhaps recommended it? He's a bit of a speed reader though so our plans for tandem reading usually end up with him finishing way before I have and waiting for slow-poke mama to catch up for discussion 

 

In my own reading I've been switching back and forth between the audio and written version of The Miniaturist which I'm enjoying. I'm appreciating the feeling of being in 17th century Amsterdam which right now feels comfortably removed from current issues.

 

Yesterday was a day of textures. Gratitude for family and community and the blessings of health, ample food, clean water, electricity at the flip of a switch, among other things. But those who are standing for and with Water are much in my heart and on my mind these days and Water itself was an inner focus yesterday. I found this lovely poem by poet and mystic, John O'Odonohue, which speaks so eloquently and simply to this integral element of our lives.

 

Let us bless the humility of water,

Always willing to take the shape
Of whatever otherness holds it.

 

The buoyancy of water,
Stronger than the deadening,
Downward drag of gravity.

 

The innocence of water,
Flowing forth, without thought
Of what awaits it.
The refreshment of water,
Dissolving the crystals of thirst.

 

Water: voice of grief,
Cry of love,
In the flowing tear.

 

Water: vehicle and idiom
Of all the inner voyaging
That keeps us alive.

 

Blessed be water,

Our first mother.

 

[Butter]

This morning my middle son and I went to do our only Black Friday shopping.  PetSmart to get stuff for our dog for Christmas.  While we were there I noticed the guinea pigs were half price today.  I love guinea pigs.  So this afternoon my daughter and I went back and came home with Hera and Demeter (years ago we had a guinea pig named Apollo so we decided to continue with the Greek god/dess theme).

 

 

 

 

 

[mumto2]

Mom Ninja.....wondering how you are feeling?

 

I am doing much better which is great but it means I have quit taking Benadryl which is always a problem for me. I sleep wonderfully when taking it and spend a few nights with very little sleep after. Needless to say I have finished some fluffy books. ;)

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8143240-a-brush-with-death A Brush with Death is the second in a series by Elizabeth J. Duncan. I read the first book earlier this year on my British Cozy research project and had given up finding more in this series from a library. Last week the entire series appeared in my Overdrive! :) I was thrilled!!! I would describe these as good modern cozies set in Wales.

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28809174-maggie-dove Maggie Dove by Susan Breen is a new cozy series that I have been a couple of months on a wait list. I though it was quite good overall. It reminded me of the Miss Julia series although they really aren't that similar. Small town widow turned sleuth with some surprising allegiances.

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28372019-the-bookshop-on-the-corner The Bookshop on the Corner was a surprise. I thought it was going to be more of a novel but halfway through it became chick lit. The beginning was good. A British librarian finds herself unemployed due to our nationwide trend of turning libraries into volunteer organizations and comes up with a creative idea on how to share her love of books with communities that are no longer served by libraries. I loved that part of the book.... The rest was uneven due to the need for love interests to enter in. In the end I gave it a 3 but I was really loving parts of it.