Robin M Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 (edited) Happy Sunday dear hearts! This is the beginning of week 50 in our quest to read 52 books. Welcome back to all our readers, to those just joining in and all who are following our progress. Mr. Linky is all set up on the 52 Books blog to link to your reviews. The link is also below in my signature. 52 Books Blog - Best of 2016: Time for our annual round up of best of the year fiction and non fiction book lists from around the web. Grab your computer, laptop, ipad or iphone, fix yourself a nice warm cup of tea or coffee and settle down in your comfy chair and browse through just a few of the best of 2016 web's offerings. NPR's Book Concierge - Guide to 2016's Best Reads Harper Bazaar's 12 Best New Books of 2016 Bill Gates pick's Favorite Books of 2016. Washington Post's Top Ten and Best Mystery and Thrillers and Best Science Fiction and Fantasy. Chicago Tribune's Best Poetry Books of 2016 and Chicago Librarians Picks for the best of 2016 Huffington Post's Best Self Published Books of 2016 Council of Foreign Affairs anthology of nonfiction books from the east to the west, plus political and social, economical and scientific : Best of Books 2016 The Economists wide array of non fiction and fiction - Books of the year 2016 New York Times - The 10 Best Books of 2016 from the editors as well as 100 Notable Books Smithsonian's Best Books about Science and Best Art Meets Science Books of 2016. Happy reading! ******************************************************** History of the Renaissance World - Chapters 89 and 90 ********************************************************* What are you reading this week? Link to week 49 Edited December 11, 2016 by Robin M 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted December 11, 2016 Author Share Posted December 11, 2016 Completed Nora Robert's Guardians trilogy with the last book Island of Glass which paired Doyle and Riley. As usual read it too fast so will give it a second slower read. Currently reading Keri Arthur's Winter Halo in her Outcast series. 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 Robin, thank you for all those links. I'm looking forward to browsing :). I read Teatime In Paris: A Walk Through Easy French Patisserie Recipes - 4 Stars - This is a beautiful cookbook with a variety of recipes for teatime pastries. I didn’t know about the teatime custom in France until I read this book. There are all sorts of recipes – some of which look quite daunting to say the least, but I may give even those ones a try. I’d like to try out most of the recipes, which seem quite clear and are full of helpful photos. This book is also fun in that it’s a bit of a travel book – a sort of walking tour of some wonderful looking patisseries in Paris. The author lives in Paris and gives walking tours of patisseries throughout Paris. Can you imagine? That would be such incredible fun! As I read this, I had fond memories of our trip to Paris several years ago, and gosh, it makes me want to visit there again! This book is a gorgeous visual feast and would be a lovely gift for those who enjoy baking. MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars Fantastic, couldn't put it down 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad. 20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinE Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 This week I was focused on finishing up a bingo blackout. I’m also binge watching HBO’s Westworld which took away from my reading time. I usually post in order of completion, but I want to highlight my 2016 favorite. Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison. Literary Fiction. The story of Macon “Milkman†Dead and his family. I posted last week about my newfound love, but I wanted to save the bulk of my review for the BAW weekly post. Born to a man with wealth and property, Milkman and his sisters enjoy a life of greater material ease than the people around them. But their father loathes them, evidenced early in the novel in the following lines.Solid, rumbling, likely to erupt without prior notice, Macon kept each of his family awkward with fear. His hatred of his wife glittered and sparked in every word he spoke to her. The disappointment he felt in his daughters sifted down on them like ash, dulling their buttery complexions and choking the lilt out of what would have been girlish voices. Pilate, aunt to Milkman, is the moral center, but also the “crazy womanâ€, cut off from her sister-in-law, nieces and nephews because she defies her brother’s social conventions. She discovers a man hurting her daughter and catching him unawares, grabs him, pokes him with a knife, and softly delivers a threat, delivered in a patois uncharacteristic of her normal speaking patterns. “Women are foolish, you know, and mamas are the most foolish of all. And you know how mamas are, don’t you? You got a mama, ain’t you? Sure you have, so you know what I’m talking about. Mamas get nervous and hurt when somebody don’t like they children. First real misery I ever hand in my life was when I found out somebody – a little teeny tiny boy it was – didn’t like my little girl. Made me so mad, I didn’t know what to do. We do the best we can, but we ain’t got the strength you men got. That’s why it makes us so sad if a grown man start beating up on one of us. You know what I mean? I’d hate to pull this knife out and have you try some other time to act mean to my little girl.†The majority of the novel focuses on Milkman’s coming of age, as he seeks escape from his domineering father, but Morrison touches on various characters with skilled ease. Corinthians, his sister, struggles with her place as an educated black woman in a world that limits her opportunities. Her marriage prospects, an escape her father’s home, fall away as she ages. None of the eligible bachelors paraded before her select her for a wife. â€These men wanted wives who could manage, who were not so well accustomed to middle-class life that they had no ambition, no hunger, no hustle in them. They wanted their wives to like the climbing, the acquiring, and the work it took to maintain status once it was achieved.†Morrison’s prose is lyrical, with a natural cadence which carries a strong reminder of the Southern voices from my youth. I could add many more passages that stood out to me, but I’d end up writing all day. I’ve added Morrison to my focus authors for 2017 as I want to read more from her. Highly recommended. The Tempest by William Shakespeare. The Dukes of Milan and Naples are stranded on an island where Prospero, the wrongfully deposed Duke of Milan, has lived with his daughter for years. I read the Oxford School Shakespeare version which I found very helpful in understanding the play. As the last of Shakespeare’s finished plays, the introduction proclaims The Tempest Shakespeare’s masterpiece, a claim I found little support for while reading. It seemed more an Elizabethan “bro comedyâ€. Read for a bingo space. Too Much Happiness by Alice Munro. Literary Fiction-Short Stories. A short story collection from a Nobel-prize winning author. I was strongly reminded of Stephen King while reading the stories, a comparison probably not often made. Munro, like King, relies on bizarre situations, awful people, and the surprise ending reveal; few passages stood out as memorable. Many stories use children-in-peril to pack emotional punch, a trope I find to be overdone and manipulative. The only story I really liked was “Too Much Happinessâ€, following the final days of Sophia Kovalevsky, a female mathematician in the nineteenth century. Speaking of children in peril, I watched Arrival this weekend when DH. I knew nothing about the movie other than it was an attempt to communicate during a first-contact event. I enjoy science fiction, but this was more of a gut punch for parents, especially mothers. There were some interesting elements, particularly the nature of language and communication, but I was so upset at being emotionally manipulated that I couldn’t focus on whether it was actually a good movie or not while I was watching. It felt like a short story to me and a quick internet search proved it was: “The Story of Your Life†by Ted Chiang. From the reviews I read after watching the movie, I think I’d enjoy the novella more.I’ve finished the bingo card so I’ll add the list in another post. 21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinE Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 My bingo reads BFemale Author: Oryx and Crake by Margaret AtwoodHistorical: The Sunne in Spendour by Sharon Kay PenmanPick Book Based on Cover: The Devourer’s By Indra DasTranslated: The Three-Body Problem by Cixin LiuEpic: The Way of Kings by Brandon SandersonIPublished 2016: Dark Matter by Blake CrouchRevisit an old friend: The Remains of the Day by Kazuo IshiguroOver 500 pages: The American Slave Coast by Ned and Constance SubletteBanned: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret AtwoodNautical: The Merman by Carl-Johan VallgrenNNumber in the Title: Rule 34 by Charles StrossFairy Tale Adaption: Uprooted by Naomi NovikLibrary Free Space: Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuireMystery: Moon Called by Patricia Briggs18th Century: The Sorrows of Young Werther by Johann Wolfgang von GoetheGDusty: Carnival of Fury by William Ivy HairWritten Birth Year: The Song of Solomon by Toni MorrisonClassic: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott FitzgeraldColor in the Title: The Black Hole War by Leonard SusskindArthurian: The Buried Giant by Kazuo IshiguroOPicked by a Friend: Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de BernieresPlay: The Tempest by William ShakespeareNonfiction: Kraken by Wendy WilliamsNobel Prize Author: Too Much Happiness by Alice MunroSet in Another Country: The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi 19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 (edited) T Speaking of children in peril, I watched Arrival this weekend when DH. I knew nothing about the movie other than it was an attempt to communicate during a first-contact event. I enjoy science fiction, but this was more of a gut punch for parents, especially mothers. There were some interesting elements, particularly the nature of language and communication, but I was so upset at being emotionally manipulated that I couldn’t focus on whether it was actually a good movie or not while I was watching. It felt like a short story to me and a quick internet search proved it was: “The Story of Your Life†by Ted Chiang. From the reviews I read after watching the movie, I think I’d enjoy the novella more. I’ve finished the bingo card so I’ll add the list in another post. The story was definitely more cerebral and less visceral/emotional. I really enjoyed both of them, a rare case where I can appreciate the movie for what it is, and the story for what it is, without worrying too much about the differences between them. I agree about the emotional impact of the film though. I watched Arrival one weekend and Manchester by the Sea the following weekend. Both gut punches for parents. I need a good comedy, maybe. Many of the best books of 2016 in the above posts are already on my swollen, groaning TR list, but I did add Swing Time, The Romanovs 1613-1918, and Hillbilly Elegy. My own Best Books Published in 2016 list includes Homegoing, Sergio Y, Jane Steele, Necessity, Vinegar Girl, I Will Send Rain, The Sunlight Pilgrims, The Mandibles, Shylock is My Name, Underground Airlines, Eligible, Lit Up, The Madwoman Upstairs, Too Like the Lightning, and Heat and Light. Wow, i don't think I've ever in my life read so many books in the year that they were published! And there are quite a few more on hold that I won't get to in 2016 but hopefully in 2017. I also abandoned quite a few 2016 books, but still. This group & goodreads have definitely pushed me toward reading more modern fiction than has been typical for me in the past. Edited December 11, 2016 by Chrysalis Academy 20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinE Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 The story was definitely more cerebral and less visceral/emotional. I really enjoyed both of them, a rare case where I can appreciate the movie for what it is, and the story for what it is, without worrying too much about the differences between them. I agree about the emotional impact of the film though. I watched Arrival one weekend and Manchester by the Sea the following weekend. Both gut punches for parents. I need a good comedy, maybe. The authors on the podcast Writing Excuses talk often about "earning" the emotional punch and this was the first movie where I could see the manipulation that wasn't "earned" and ended up responding to it because it was a scenario dear to me. That's why I was unhappy with the movie. Other sci-fi movies, like Interstellar and Gravity, have children as part of the storyline, but the emotions are earned because we've learned about the characters. We're vested in them. In Arrival, it felt like a setup and wasn't interwoven well with the overarching story. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethel Mertz Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 I finished three books this week: 1. The Wombat Strategy (Kylie Kendall #1) – Claire McNab 2. Rose Water and Soda Bread (Babylon Café #2) – Marsha Mehran - This is the sequel to Robin's suggestion of Pomegranate Soup. Both books were fabulous!3. A Tale of Two Elmos (Elmo Jenkins #4) – McMillian Moody Our family is still competing in the Bird-Species-Seen-This-Year versus My-Books-Read contest. Current score is 237 for birds and 216 for books. They went out yesterday searching for the Snowy Owl. No luck finding it, but they did get to watch rescuers (An all female team!) from IFAW release a Common Dolphin back into the wild. The release was a very cool event (in more ways than one as the wind chill was in the teens) and, for once, I regretted staying home with my nose in a book. I should have bundled up and taken the book with me! I tried to upload a picture, but the file was too big. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 I enjoyed perusing the cover art on NPR's book concierge the other day. It is not my goal to read a lot of new books. In fact, I only read one book published in 2016 this year! I did read a number that were translated into English this year but they have older publication dates. I am caught up on HoRW!! That is an accomplishment since I am on track to finish this year. (Note to self: order Susan's science book.) As HoRW comes to an end, I find myself drawn back to Dorothy Dunnett's 15th century world as told in her Niccolo novels. As mentioned yesterday (I think), I am reading the chunkster To Lie with Lions as well as the memoir Below Stairs which I am happy to say is not glamorizing an Edwardian servant's life. And I decided it was a good time to add some poetry to the mix. Thanks to Archipelago, a translation from Hebrew of the 11th century Andalusian poet Solomon Ibn Gabirol landed in my mailbox. I don't expect to Vulture in a Cage to be a quick read. 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 Great links Robin. I am looking forward to looking at them. I am currently listening to City of Mirrors by Cronin. The last of the trilogy and long, 30 hours of listening. I am almost done with The Cat who turned On and Off. It's good! 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 Wow - the end of the year is coming up quickly! Looking forward to browsing through all the links you posted, Robin :) Two more books read this week: Yes, Chef by Marcus Samuelsson. Super interesting memoir, he is Ethiopian-born but was raised in Sweden. I admire his drive and persistence - very inspiring! Be Frank With Me by Julia Claiborne Johnson. Enjoyable, quick read. I totally fell for Frank (picture a 10yo Sheldon Cooper with a highly developed sartorial style) and his factoids and his charm. One part of the book fell a tiny bit flat for me and I don't want to spoil it for anyone else but it had to do with his schooling - as you can probably guess, he doesn't like going to school and I was surprised that homeschool wasn't considered as an option for this unique child. 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 As HoRW comes to an end, I find myself drawn back to Dorothy Dunnett's 15th century world as told in her Niccolo novels. As mentioned yesterday (I think), I am reading the chunkster To Lie with Lions as well as the memoir Below Stairs which I am happy to say is not glamorizing an Edwardian servant's life. I read Below Stairs a few years ago - the author was a hoot! She was not afraid of hard work and had a great attitude about it all, too. 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted December 11, 2016 Author Share Posted December 11, 2016 My wonderful secret santa elves - check your messages for your giftee. Shoot for mailing by the 19th to get there in time for Christmas. Gift range - $10 to $25 depending on your finances and homemade gifts are great as well. Most of all , have loads of fun! :001_wub: 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 I finished His Bloody Project, another recent publication, finalist for the 2016 Man Booker Prize. It's billed as "a historical thriller." It appealed to my interest in psychology and in the somewhat mangled attempts of Victorian era doctors to understand it. It's not an entertaining book, or an uplifting one by any means, but it's psychologically interesting, particularly as a case of an unreliable narrator. It was a bit Jekyll-and-Hyde-ish, from a purely psychological point of view without the melodrama found in Stevenson. In any event it was quite gripping. 18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 Oh Robin! My bingo prize is so beautiful! Thank you muchly muchly! 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 Dh is doing Theater Mom duty today, so I got to hang out by myself and read. I finished A Jane Austen Education: How Six Novels Taught Me About Love, Friendship, and the Things that Really Matter by William Deresiewicz. It's partly a memoir, partly about what he thinks each of the novels is really about and what he learned from it and how it applied in his own life. I really enjoyed it, as would anybody who loves Jane Austen and who thinks about what literature actually has to teach us about life. It made me think more deeply about Jane's novels, and about what I have learned about life and love from reading, as well as experience. And what my lovely dds have yet to learn! 20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 Robin, my Bingo Present also came yesterday!! :hurray: I teach art at our little co-op, so it's just perfect! Thank you so much, it was so generous of you to "award" us prizes :001_wub: 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 I'm an only also, so I agree about the interesting challenges there. But my parents both have issues that make me sympathetic to the challenges of being manipulated by an elder parent who is struggling with their own loss of control/power over their own life. Hence I can find sympathy with all 3 sisters, but definitely agree that Cordelia handled the challenge more honorably. Although look where it got her! I find that play probably the most challenging of all Shakespeare's plays just because of all the buttons it pushes for me. I will have to pull Cotillion out next time I need a GH fix! I thought you were an only! It is not an easy place. I have a very large extended family, though, so that put me in a unique situation. I agree that it was a difficult play, though. Ok, there is no time like the present. I pulled out Cotillion out and started reading it. I actually had to tape the cover back on before I could start, it's so dusty. I remember now, it's very funny! It has a similar plot to Friday's Child, which was one of the first I ever read - the one that my mom read aloud funny excerpts from, that made me want to read GH the first place. So I always considered Cotillion a little bit of a recycled plot. But still very funny, I'm enjoying it. If you like Cotillion you'd like Friday's Child too. These books - Cotillion, Friday's Child, Arabella, all belong to the category of the young,naive heroine - think Catherine Morland, rather than Ann Elliot. There is another category of GH books, among them The Grand Sophy, Venetia, Frederica, Lady of Quality, which have a more mature heroine. I like the latter category better. But they are all delightful. Cotillion was the first GH I read! I haven't read Friday's Child, but I think I found it at a thrift store recently! I will need something lighter once Christmas is over :) I finished A Jane Austen Education: How Six Novels Taught Me About Love, Friendship, and the Things that Really Matter by William Deresiewicz. It's partly a memoir, partly about what he thinks each of the novels is really about and what he learned from it and how it applied in his own life. I really enjoyed it, as would anybody who loves Jane Austen and who thinks about what literature actually has to teach us about life. It made me think more deeply about Jane's novels, and about what I have learned about life and love from reading, as well as experience. And what my lovely dds have yet to learn! I am definitely adding this to my TBR list! I have read Miniatures and Morals, which is about Jane Austen's novels, but it has a more Christian approach. I think literature has so much to teach us about life! I think that is one of the reason's I'm so particular about my girls coming to literature as it's own experience, without comprehension questions and essays but really connecting with the work - whether in a positive or negative way - because literature is so personal. 19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 Thanks for the links above, Robin, as well as for arranging the Secret Santa exchange. I finished three books recently ~ Idol by Kristen Callihan; I enjoyed this and look forward to reading more in the series. (Adult content) "LibbyI found Killian drunk and sprawled out on my lawn like some lost prince. With the face of a god and the arrogance to match, the pest won't leave. Sexy, charming, and just a little bit dirty, he's slowly wearing me down, making me crave more.He could be mine if I dare to claim him. Problem is, the world thinks he's theirs. How do you keep an idol when everyone is intent on taking him away?KillianAs lead singer for the biggest rock band in the world, I lived a life of dreams. It all fell apart with one fateful decision. Now everything is in shambles.Until Liberty. She's grouchy, a recluse --and kind of cute. Scratch that. When I get my hands on her, she is scorching hot and more addictive than all the fans who've screamed my name.The world is clamoring for me to get back on stage, but I'm not willing to leave her. I've got to find a way to coax the hermit from her shell and keep her with me. Because, with Libby, everything has changed. Everything." ** A Gentleman Never Tells by Eloisa James; this is a historical romance novella that I also enjoyed "Eighteen months ago, Lizzie Troutt’s husband died in his mistress’s bed, leaving her determined to never marry again….and unfortunately virginal. Eighteen years ago (give or take a few) the Honorable Oliver Berwick blackened his own soul, leaving him hardened and resolutely single. When the chance for redemption in the form of a country house party invitation comes his way, Oliver is determined to prove himself a gentleman. Until he breaks all the codes of gentlemanly behavior…once again." ** And the historical romance The Untouchable Earl by Amy Sandas. This is the second book I've read by this author. Her books have interesting premises; however, I'm somehow left unmoved. Still, I've read both books in their entirety, so she's clearly doing something right. (Some adult content) "He's a reclusive Earl with a painful secret that's kept him from knowing a lover's touch.She's a sheltered debutante tired of living by society's rules.But when she's forced from the ballroom to the brothel, Lily discovers the dark thrill of falling from grace...and into the arms of a man who could destroy her as easily as he saved her. Lily Chadwick has spent her life playing the respectable debutante. But when an unscrupulous moneylender snatches her off the street and puts her up for auction at a pleasure house, she finds herself in the possession of a man who fills her with breathless terror and impossible yearning. Though the Earl of Harte claimed Lily with the highest bid, he hides a painful secret―one that has kept him from knowing the pleasure of a lover's touch. Even the barest brush of skin brings him physical pain, and he's spent his life keeping the world at arm's length. But there's something about Lily that maddens him, bewitches him, compels him...and drives him toward the one woman brave and kind enough to heal his troubled heart." Regards, Kareni 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 I finished listening to The Rosie Project. It was a cute story like others have said. Wasn't hard to figure out who the father was though way before the ending. I'm on hold for the second book. Almost done with Harry Potter and still waiting for my last BINGO book. 19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Robyn Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 I barely got any reading done this last week, but I did just manage to finish What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver. I was excited when two of the first three or four stories were just a touch surreal and disappointed that there were no more, but I still liked these vignettes, grim and sad though they were. Now, of course, I need to read Cathedral and compare style. 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 Congrats on Bingo, Erin! I'm still working on The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North. Awards:Arthur C. Clarke Award Best Book (nominee)John W Campbell Memorial Award Best NovelHarry August is on his deathbed. Again. No matter what he does or the decisions he makes, when death comes, Harry always returns to where he began, a child with all the knowledge of a life he has already lived a dozen times before. Nothing ever changes. Until now. As Harry nears the end of his eleventh life, a little girl appears at his bedside. 'I nearly missed you, Doctor August,' she says. 'I need to send a message.' This is the story of what Harry does next, and what he did before, and how he tries to save a past he cannot change and a future he cannot allow. A truly extraordinary novel full of mystery, time travel and excitement. Love the book lists, Robin. Thank you!!! (Now I just need to be able to do nothing but sit & read for months so I can get through all those great books.) 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 I've been reading Ngaio Marsh's Artists in Crime... but could not get into it. This happened with one other of hers that I read recently. The story just did not draw me; the characters were not engaging, and I found myself skipping to the end... and once there, I did not believe the mechanism for how the murder happened. It's too bad since I wanted to give her another chance. I just put one of her books on hold at the library. I'm reading a book by PD James and she mentions Ngaio Marsh as such a great example of Golden Age mysteries that I felt I had to give her a try. I'm disappointed to hear you didn't like her. I will have to report back once I try reading one. I have finished nothing in the last two weeks. I've had a few 18 hour works days though. Between work and keeping Chews-on-Books from mischief I haven't had much reading time. My Christmas plans are to cook easy food and read. I might also snuggle my kids. We'll just have to see how much time I have! 19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angelaboord Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 Robin, thank you for the Bingo prize! What a pleasant surprise yesterday and just what I need for this time of year. [emoji1] Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoseInABook Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 I finished This House Is Haunted and a cheesy chick lit Three Girls and A Baby. I really enjoyed This House Is Haunted! I'll have to check out some of John Boyne's other work. 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 I just put one of her books on hold at the library. I'm reading a book by PD James and she mentions Ngaio Marsh as such a great example of Golden Age mysteries that I felt I had to give her a try. I'm disappointed to hear you didn't like her. I will have to report back once I try reading one. I have finished nothing in the last two weeks. I've had a few 18 hour works days though. Between work and keeping Chews-on-Books from mischief I haven't had much reading time. My Christmas plans are to cook easy food and read. I might also snuggle my kids. We'll just have to see how much time I have! Amy, I love most of the Ngaio Marshes. Well, except for the cat bits. Artists in Crime is an especial favourite. To me, though, the mystery part is secondary. Your milage may vary. Nan 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmyboys Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 Non fiction fave of the year - Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City I can't remember if I read The Vegetarian this year or last. But it comes to mind as a recent favourite. Oh, and for an oldy - The Man in the High Castle. I have stayed up late reading Evicted the last three nights. I'm so glad I read it. One of my non fiction favorites this year. I keep trying to get people to read it so I can talk to them about it. 18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 Amy, I love most of the Ngaio Marshes. Well, except for the cat bits. Artists in Crime is an especial favourite. To me, though, the mystery part is secondary. Your milage may vary. Nan Inspector Alleyn has me charmed as well. Ironic that I like murder without too much violence or gore... And another thumbs up for Artists in Crime. Sorry it was a disappointment. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 (edited) Inspector Alleyn has me charmed as well. Ironic that I like murder without too much violence or gore... And another thumbs up for Artists in Crime. Sorry it was a disappointment. I'm in love with Troy. : ) And as the mother of adult sons, I love the relationship between Inspector Alleyn and his mother. Nan Edited December 12, 2016 by Nan in Mass 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 I barely got any reading done this last week, but I did just manage to finish What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver. I was excited when two of the first three or four stories were just a touch surreal and disappointed that there were no more, but I still liked these vignettes, grim and sad though they were. Now, of course, I need to read Cathedral and compare style. You should read instead his early collection Will You Please Be Quiet. Please--which I read earlier this year--and compare them so I will know if I should read What We Talk About. ;) 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 I'm in love with Troy. : ) And as the mother of adult sons, I love the relationship between Inspector Alleyn and his mother. Nan There is a lot to like about Alleyn. I love how he refers to his number two as "Brer Fox". 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 Thank you so much, Robin, for lovely the Bingo gift! It is really special to have something to forever remind me of our shared love of reading On Saturday I went to the holiday party at my favorite local genre bookstore. The staff each took turns recommending their favorite read of the year, and I was so excited when one of them recommended The Dream-Quest of Villett Boe. I made a point of talking to him later in the party, and he, too, was thrilled that someone else had read and loved the book. I went with no intentions of buying anything, but came home with Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle, a short story collection by Kij Johnson, and a lovely edition of JRR Tolkein's Letters from Father Christmas. I've made a point the last two nights of just sitting down and reading til bedtime. Shocking behavior, I know, but like most of you it seems a luxury this time of year. I finished the Mistletoe Murder collection by PD James, which was a pleasantly different set of short mysteries. I'm a few chapters short of finishing another of the Clare Ferguson mysteries. I'm really enjoying Neil Gaiman's reading of Neverwhere, in spite of some the issues I have with volume (he will suddenly speak very softly so entire sentences are too quiet to hear over the car noise) and the cheesy sound effects. The producers thought an echo effect was essential to enhance a few small hallucinatory passages, but it is dumb, and cheesy and low budget. But overall I do like it. He is a great performer of his own work, and I'm transported by the story. 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 I finished The Grand Sophy last night and loved it It was hilarious! There was some Dickensian characterization of a Jewish money lender that had me a little :mad: but fortunately it was only a small part of the story. 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 Kathy, so glad you loved Sophy! I sat up late finishing Cotillion, and it was delightful. Kitty is a pretty typical Heyerian heroine of the young sort, but Freddy is definitely *not* your typical romantic hero, and reading his bits, especially his interactions with his father, where he realizes that his son is not as much of an idiot as he thought, is just so entertaining. And a couple of the minor characters were particularly funny in this book too. Reading this just after finishing the book about Austen's novels was fortuitous, I realized that like Austen, Heyer doesn't always give you the typical hero/heroine or the typical "falling in love" story. Cotillion is a great example of how love grows out of friendship and understanding, which is a more real and satisfying kind of love story, IMO. 18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 I can't believe you guys are all reading Heyer! I read lots every year and always felt pretty embarrassed about reporting them here. Often I didn't bother because they were such many-times rereads and I was shy about how often I was reading one. They are my flufferton abbey. Nan 20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 Yesterday I read Sustained by Emma Chase which was an enjoyable read. (Adult content) "A knight in tarnished armor is still a knight.When you’re a defense attorney in Washington, DC, you see firsthand how hard life can be, and that sometimes the only way to survive is to be harder. I, Jake Becker, have a reputation for being cold, callous, and intimidating—and that suits me just fine. In fact, it’s necessary when I’m breaking down a witness on the stand.Complications don’t work for me—I’m a “need-to-know†type of man. If you’re my client, tell me the basic facts. If you’re my date, stick to what will turn you on. I’m not a therapist or Prince Charming—and I don’t pretend to be.Then Chelsea McQuaid and her six orphaned nieces and nephews came along and complicated the ever-loving hell out of my life. Now I’m going to Mommy and Me classes, One Direction concerts, the emergency room, and arguing cases in the principal’s office.Chelsea’s too sweet, too innocent, and too gorgeous for her own good. She tries to be tough, but she’s not. She needs someone to help her, defend her…and the kids.And that—that, I know how to do." Regards, Kareni 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 I finished three books this week: 1. The Wombat Strategy (Kylie Kendall #1) – Claire McNab 2. Rose Water and Soda Bread (Babylon Café #2) – Marsha Mehran - This is the sequel to Robin's suggestion of Pomegranate Soup. Both books were fabulous! 3. A Tale of Two Elmos (Elmo Jenkins #4) – McMillian Moody I checked out the bolded and it has gone onto the TBR list along with its sequel so thank you for that! I'm settling into The Novel Habits of Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith. This is the last book in the wonderful Isabel Dalhousie series. I've read the previous nine and enjoyed each of them immensely. 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 I'm settling into The Novel Habits of Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith. This is the last book in the wonderful Isabel Dalhousie series. I've read the previous nine and enjoyed each of them immensely. I have had this series on my tbr list for years. Definitely part of the 2017 plan! :) I read an interesting cozy today by a new to me author with more than one series. The Question of the Unfamiliar Husband https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25466053-the-question-of-the-unfamiliar-husband is the second book in the series (oops !) but it was fine to start there. The main characters are pretty self explanatory. The sleuth is a man with aspergers who has opened a business which answers questions. His mother an assistant help him. It wasn't the best mystery to be honest but I really enjoyed it. I liked the characters, easy reading that I had problems putting down. I also have the first book (hopefully) checked out in a different series by this author. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 (edited) Robin, my BINGO gift arrived. Thank you. :001_smile: I love it. I think my personal challenge will be to read the book for each month during the year. Very close to being done with my Harry Potter in German. Man, it's been so long since I've read in German, and I am enjoying it. Why do I not do this more often? One of my goals next year is to read more German language books. I also started A Hat Full of Sky today on audio. My dad had surgery today and my cat has surgery tomorrow so I wanted something light and fun. Terry Prachett usually fits the bill. Oh, and my van is at the mechanic. Did I mention that this is Nutcracker rehearsal and performance week for ds? Sure, I can handle the stress and worry of all of the above at the same time. Piece of cake. Edited December 13, 2016 by Mom-ninja. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 Sure, I can handle the stress and worry of all of the above at the same time. Piece of cake. Good heavens -- what a week! :grouphug: Hope both surgeries are successful, the van is fixed inexpensively, and that your ds "breaks a leg" Nutcracker! 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 (edited) Audible is having a 50% off sale if anyone is looking for audiobooks! I just bought a bunch of DE Stevenson. DH picked out PG Wodehouse and Charles Dickens. Edited December 13, 2016 by aggieamy 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted December 13, 2016 Author Share Posted December 13, 2016 Glad everyone is enjoying their bingo prezzies!!!! :001_wub: Went to Barnes and Noble today to pick up a birthday present for my father in law and ended up also getting Kafka on the Shore, a couple more chunky Dean Koontz novels and Butcher's Skin Game along with Christmas coloring books. I only had a half hour to browse unfortunately. Or should I say fortunately since I managed to spend $100 in a half hour. :tongue_smilie: 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 ...Sure, I can handle the stress and worry of all of the above at the same time. Piece of cake. Sending good thoughts that the days ahead will be calmer. And perhaps some real cake will arrive on the scene. ... Or should I say fortunately since I managed to spend $100 in a half hour. :tongue_smilie: Clearly you are a talented woman. I have a Secret Santa question. When does one reveal oneself? Regards, Kareni 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted December 13, 2016 Author Share Posted December 13, 2016 (edited) Sending good thoughts that the days ahead will be calmer. And perhaps some real cake will arrive on the scene. Clearly you are a talented woman. I have a Secret Santa question. When does one reveal oneself? Regards, Kareni You can reveal yourself with the gift when you send it. Since it is such a short period of time and probably wont be surprising them with things sent over a period of time, hard to keep it entirely secret. Edited December 13, 2016 by Robin M 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 I can't believe you guys are all reading Heyer! I read lots every year and always felt pretty embarrassed about reporting them here. Often I didn't bother because they were such many-times rereads and I was shy about how often I was reading one. They are my flufferton abbey. Nan I grew up on these books, reading them over and over again through my high school years. My mom recently passed on the dusty box containing her collection of old, ratty paperback versions. I think I have almost all of them. It's fun to revisit them after 20+ years, and find they are just as good! I'm trying to space them out, not binge, but it's nice to have something fluffy to grab when I don't feel like reading whatever is on my stack. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 I'm still working on Stories of Your Life and enjoying it. I like the author's style of writing, cerebral sci-fi that feels classic. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 I'm still working on Stories of Your Life and enjoying it. I like the author's style of writing, cerebral sci-fi that feels classic. I'm reading these too, and enjoying them. I read 'Understand' yesterday and thought it was fantastic, my favorite so far besides the title piece. I read Julius Caesar yesterday. That was my first read of this play. Not much about Caesar, but a fascinating character sketch/comparison of the naive honorable man, the devious manipulator, and the pragmatic manipulator. Not to mention a good study on how crowds can be manipulated by rhetoric. Antony's speech is a classic case of the use of irony/sarcasm for rhetorical purpose. It's probably worth deconstructing a bit and gleaning some lessons from. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethel Mertz Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 Robin - The Bingo prize arrived! Thank you so much! Can't wait to crack open the books! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 Thank you Robin!!!! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 I finished A Man Called Ove. It was entirely predictable but thoroughly enjoyable. My review. And with that, I met my Goodreads goal of 75 books for the year. I'm pretty sure I'll finish about 5 more before the year ends. Current audio book - Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood, by Trevor Noah (of The Daily Show). 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.