Book a Week 2017 - BW10: Mystery March

[Robin M]

Happy Sunday dearhearts!  This is the beginning of week 10 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 - Mystery March:  Bye bye February and hello Mystery March. We are ready to embrace Spring (or Autumn depending on which hemisphere you are in) in all its glory, dive into Aquamarine Dreams and by mystified by suspenseful and enthralling international crime fiction. Yes, we are leaving South America behind and heading to the Nordic Region.

 

The birthstone of the month is Aquamarine.  You may choose to spell out the word, reading one book per letter or read a book with the name or the colors of the stone in the title.  You may decide to find a book set in the time period where the birthstone was discovered or surrounding the myth and lore or set in countries where the birthstone is currently found. 

 

Aquamarine is Latin for seawater.  Aqua for water and marine for of the sea. Which may lead you to a sea worthy book and is the green blue to blue color of the mineral Beryl.  Perhaps a book written by an author named Beryl?  The  gemstone is mainly mined in Brazil, but also in Africa, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Russia. Historically, Roman fisherman believed the stone provided them with abundant fish.  Egyptians and Sumerians believed the stone was a symbol of happiness and everlasting youth.    Sailors carved the stone into amulets representing Neptune and believed it protected them while at sea.  In the 1300's, it was thought to be an antidote to poison. 

 

Our armchair travels are taking us north to the Nordic Region of the world which includes Denmark, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden as well as the Faroe and Aland Islands.  We will be exploring as well as delving into books written by authors from the region.  Whether you are into crime fiction or noir, you have a number of authors to chose from rather than just one author flavor of the month.   For everything you always wanted to know about Scandinavian crime fiction as well as movies, vikings and travel,  check out Scandinavian Books.  Narrow it  down a bit to the most popular, rising stars, or the women.

 

If crime fiction isn't your thing, check out books about or set in Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Denmark,  Finland,  and Greenland. 

 

 

As you can see, there are plenty of rabbit trails to follow this month.  Happy exploring! 

 

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The Story of Western Science - Chapter 6

 

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What are you reading this week?

 

 

 

 

Link to week 9 

Edited March 5, 2017 by Robin M

[Robin M]

Good morning. I finished James Rollin's 6th extinction last night which was quite exciting as well as eye opening as it delves into the scientific theory of  synthetic biology as well as jumping genes and indestructible viruses.   Books I have on the shelves for our nordic region read are Jo Nesbo's The Redbreast, Larson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and Michael Redpath's Where the Shadows Lie.

 

 

[Chrysalis Academy]

To kick off Norse Writers month, I listened to Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology. I gotta say, i don't love the Norse myths. They are awfully brutal and sexist and species-ist - killing giants for no apparent reason seemed to be a major pastime.  I suppose you can fault any set of myths - Greek myths have an inordinate number of stories that begin with women being ravished by a god - but the Norse myths definitely have their dark side. Having said that, Gaiman's take on them was interesting and well-done, and his voice as a reader is just fantastic, I was glad to have listened to the audio version of this book.

 

I was particularly glad to have refreshed my memory of Norse mythology, because my second Norse book is Gunnloth's Tale. It's quite fascinating so far, I'm not too far in but already I'm intrigued. I think that Jane, Penguin, and Stacia would enjoy this book. I'll report more fully on it when I finish. I also have The Summer Book on my stack, but I don't know if I'll get to it this month, I may save it for summer! Unfortunately my copy doesn't have the lovely aquamarine cover that the one on goodreads has.

 

I'm not sure how many more mysteries I will get to this month, as I've had a bunch of long-held library books come in. I started The Sympathizer, which I'm already really pulled in to, and I have The Vegetarian and Human Acts up next.  Also The Dove's Necklace, which is actually is a mystery, but is set in Mecca, written in Arabic, by a woman. Sounds fascinating.  

 

I finished Half of a Yellow Sun this morning. Beautiful, devastating, haunting book about the Nigerian civil war of the 1960s and the brief existence of the independent country of Biafra. Such a beautiful and difficult read. Chimimanda Ngozi Adichie is one of my favorite contemporary writers.

 

March has been a good book months so far! 3 of the 4 books I've finished have been 5-star books. I don't usually hand out 5 stars so liberally.

49. Half of a Yellow Sun-Chimimanda Ngozi Adichie

48. Norse Mythology - Neil Gaiman

47. News of the World - Paulette Jiles

46. The Refugees - Viet Thanh Nguyen

 

 

[Jane in NC]

Whilst I was driving hither and yon last week, my husband was in Houston for business.  I suspect that it was Violet Crown who put the Czech immigrants of Texas on my radar. And wherever immigrants go, so goes the food...  It amused me to learn of the Texan style Czech kolache.  Kolaches bear a striking similarity to Danish, I suppose.  They are a slightly sweet yeast risen dough with a dab of a fruit or soft cheese filling, although the most traditional from my perspective is the poppy seed filling.  I adore poppy seeds so that would be my first choice of kolache.  (Say this with three syllables: ko-lach-ee). 

 

My husband told me about Texan kolaches which I have since Googled.  It appears that the most popular filling is not a sweet but a savory:  smoked sausage!  He also had a chicken kolache as well as a potato and egg version.  All of these were breakfast foods. 

 

I am on the one hand astounded and on the other impressed.  I like protein at breakfast which makes these kolaches sound interesting---although none could be as good as the traditional poppy.

 

On to fairy tales:  it occurs to me as I read the blatantly proletariat Raggity and the Cloud that many fairy tales are proletariat stories.  Someone in power has abused his or her power; someone in humble circumstances rises above to be the hero or the heroine.  My favorite fairy tale has always been East of the Sun, West of the Moon, that great story of redemption--another common theme for these tales.  How creepy though that the poor peasant parents sell their daughter in East of the Sun, West of the Moon in order to be rich!  The daughter makes a mistake when prompted by her mother to break a promise and then the girl must atone for the error of her ways.  Her determination to right her wrong is inspirational.  None of us lead perfect lives.

 

Raggity has lovely imagery--and beautiful illustrations in my version.   I am thoroughly enjoying it. If anyone is interested in this volume published by Progress Publishers back in the days of Cold War, let me know.  I'll forward it when finished.

 

ETA:  I am questioning the pronunciation I offered above.  My take comes from an elderly baker I once met who brought trays of kolache to a party I attended.  He struck me as The Authority on the subject.  But he was just a guy from Chicago.  So who knows...

Edited March 5, 2017 by Jane in NC

[Kareni]

I recall that in the past there have been discussions on the Book a Week thread about the Bechdel test

 

 

Bechdel ...

 

 

...the Bechdel test...

 

which you can read about at the Wikipedia page here.
 

Early this morning I finished Scriber by Ben S. Dobson which passes the Bechdel test handily.  While the title character, the scriber, is a male, about 80% of the characters are women.  [i first saw mention of this book in a post (The Rec League: Tall Heroines) which was made in response to a reader asking for romances featuring tall heroines.  Or perhaps I'm hallucinating since I don't see it there now!]  This book is a work of fantasy, not a romance.  The main female character is a woman of rather epic proportions (almost eight feet tall) who leads a band of soldiers (all women); she is strong and honorable.  While the book has a goodly amount of violence, I'd say that it would be appropriate for teens as well as adults.  I enjoyed it.

 

"Disgraced scholar Dennon Lark only wants to be left alone in his self-imposed exile—an exile that ends when a rebel army wielding impossible powers launches a series of brutal attacks on villages across the Kingsland.

Forced from his home, Dennon is drawn back into a world he wants nothing to do with. His research into the kingdom's lost past—the very research that sent him into hiding—may hold the answers to a great many questions about the rebels. Questions about their shadowy motives; about their mysterious abilities; and about their ever-increasing numbers, constantly bolstered by those thought killed in their attacks. And only the King's infamous warrior niece Bryndine Errynson and her company of female soldiers trust him enough to help him find the truth before the rebels burn the Kingsland to the ground.

Following a trail of historical clues across the kingdom and pursued by forces they don't fully understand, Dennon and Bryndine may be the realm's only hope. But in order to preserve the Kingsland's future, they must first uncover its past."

***

 

A one day only currently free memoir ~ 

 

Memoir of Col. Benjamin Tallmadge  by Benjamin Tallmadge

 

"Guerilla, rebel, politician, spy—Col. Benjamin Tallmadge lived one of the most remarkable lives of the American Revolution

When British troops defeated the Continental Army on Long Island, Gen. George Washington was forced to abandon New York in order to save the revolution. The British established their headquarters in New York City, beginning an occupation that would last the length of the war. Priceless intelligence flowed through the city’s harbor, and Washington wanted to claim it as his own. To Benjamin Tallmadge, a young officer of the Continental Army, the general assigned an impossible mission: Infiltrate New York, establish a spy network, and report everything the British know.
 
Throughout the war, Tallmadge and his spies collected intelligence on troop movements, sneak attacks, and the treachery of Benedict Arnold. Nearly two and a half centuries later, the heroic exploits of the Culper Spy Ring serve as the inspiration for the acclaimed TV series Turn: Washington’s Spies and the video game Assassin’s Creed III. In this lively and engaging memoir, the days of revolution are remembered by a patriot who fought in the shadows—and helped redefine the nature of espionage."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

I also recently finished The Tin Box by Kim Fielding which was a poignant read in that it featured (as a back story) the treatment of homosexuals in insane asylums in the 1930s and on in the US.  (Decided adult content)  I've enjoyed all of the books by this author that I've read; she has quite a range of settings and styles.  This book was a contemporary book and did not have any paranormal elements.

 

"William Lyon's past forced him to become someone he isn't. Conflicted and unable to maintain the charade, he separates from his wife and takes a job as caretaker at a former mental hospital. Jelley’s Valley State Insane Asylum was the largest mental hospital in California for well over a century, but it now stands empty. William thinks the decrepit institution is the perfect place to finish his dissertation and wait for his divorce to become final. In town, William meets Colby Anderson, who minds the local store and post office. Unlike William, Colby is cute, upbeat, and flamboyantly out. Although initially put off by Colby’s mannerisms, William comes to value their new friendship, and even accepts Colby's offer to ease him into the world of gay sex.

William’s self-image begins to change when he discovers a tin box, hidden in an asylum wall since the 1940s. It contains letters secretly written by Bill, a patient who was sent to the asylum for being homosexual. The letters hit close to home, and William comes to care about Bill and his fate. With Colby’s help, he hopes the words written seventy years ago will give him courage to be his true self."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Violet Crown]

Happy Sunday, book friends! Completed this week:

 

14. Arthur Miller, Death of a Salesman (1949)

Better than in high school. Taking Middle Girl and some of her friends to see it in performance locally this week.

 

15. Gilbert Highet, People, Places, and Books (1953)

Highet wrote The Art of Teaching, which I read over a couple of times when I began our homeschooling adventures, so it was fun to hear his voice again in this set of radio talks he gave back in the '50s. All the talks on people and places quickly turn into conversations about books, pleasingly. Far from feeling dated, these mini-essays are especially fun to read when Highet talks about books contemporary to him - how this Eliot poet might mature, for instance, or what he thinks about the Great Books fad.

If you like reading, it is always exciting to unpack a new parcel of books which has just arrived. It is like welcoming guests into your home for the first time. Some of them may be unknown; others you may have met elsewhere; but now, under your own roof, they look different and have a fresh and interesting relation to you.

 

Yes - the relation of possession. Robin, a suggestion for a challenge or future bingo category - books about books. Almost more fun than the actual books the books discuss!

 

16. Turold, The Song of Roland (1100) ("Middle Ages" bingo square)

Dorothy Sayers' translation; readable and (to me) pleasantly evocative of the assonance scheme of the original. Friendship, chivalry, and mayhem in numbers so immense as to remove all revulsion by their absurdity.

 

17. Charles Portis, True Grit (1968) ("Spouse Birth Year" bingo square)

It's amazing how well Portis captures the sound of a 14-year-old narrator; I felt through the whole reading that Middle Girl could have written this, as far as the prose style.

 

18. Charles Lamb, Last Essays of "Elia" (1833)

The second book of Lamb's essays. Like the first, these are often written from the perspective of a man who has risen from the just-above-impoverished poor to the comfortable middle class, and has some observations to make based on his double perspective regarding institutional injustices and prejudices invisible to the well-off of nineteenth-century English society. I found myself wishing the order of the essays in these two books could be rearranged for the modern readership, as the first volume begins with several that are off-puttingly confusing and irrelevant today, and might frustrate readers who would really enjoy at least a good half of Lamb's writings.

 

One book that starts with a "T" and I'll have spelled out "VIOLET" for the name square, and that will be three bingo squares in as many months. But which title?

 

ETA: Thanks Jane - now it's the start of Lent and I'm craving a sausage kolache.

Edited March 5, 2017 by Violet Crown

[Loesje22000]

I finished Palace Walk, part 1 of the Cairo Triology by Naguib Mahfouz.

I will review this when I've finished the other 2 books of the Triology.

 

I reread The quilt Appretence (Elm Creek Serie #1) so relaxed reading :)

 

I finished 'Grip' (not sure how to translate that in English, the book is available in Dutch, German and Spanish?)

I had to get used to this writing style, and my first reaction after finishing the book was: I have to reread this again.

I'm not sure I got clear what has happened in the past that still connects and seperates 4 mountain climbers at the same time.

I guess that was the purpose of the book, a kind of unsolved mystery, but maybe I should read this attention holding book better.

[Robin M]

Happy Sunday, book friends! Completed this week:

 

Robin, a suggestion for a challenge or future bingo category - books about books. Almost more fun than the actual books the books discuss!

Yes, excellent idea. I love reading books about books which then leads to rabbit trails and more books.  :) 

[Negin]

I read My Life in France - 5 Stars - “Madame Scheeld†– since reading this book, I’ve been smiling at how the French would address Julia Child. I love accents!

 

This is a delightful book about Julia Child and the things that she loved the most: her husband, France, cooking, and eating. I’m quite sure that I’m in the minority in that before reading this, I’d never watched an entire episode of Julia Child on TV. I was sad when the book was over, but now I have my eyes set on getting some of her cookbooks and looking up some of her shows.

 

I loved reading this anecdote about her husband Paul. It makes me long for the days of old when people used to send letters to each other.

“Paul and his twin brother, Charlie Child, a painter who lived in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, wrote to each other every week or so. Paul took letter writing seriously: he’d set aside time for it, tried to document our day-to-day lives in a journalistic way, and usually wrote three to six pages a week in a beautiful flowing hand with a special fountain pen; often he included little sketches of places we’d visited, or photos (some of which we have used in these pages), or made mini-collages out of ticket stubs or newsprint.

 

Some of my favorite quotes:

“I made sure not to apologize for it. This was a rule of mine. I don’t believe in twisting yourself into knots of excuses and explanations over the food you make. When one’s hostess starts in with self-deprecations such as ‘Oh, I don’t know how to cook . . . ,’ or ‘Poor little me . . . ,’ or ‘This may taste awful . . . ,’ it is so dreadful to have to reassure her that everything is delicious and fine, whether it is or not. Besides, such admissions only draw attention to one’s shortcomings (or self-perceived shortcomings), and make the other person think, ‘Yes, you’re right, this really is an awful meal!’

 

“Usually one’s cooking is better than one thinks it is. And if the food is truly vile, as my ersatz eggs Florentine surely were, then the cook must simply grit her teeth and bear it with a smile—and learn from her mistakes.â€

 

“One of the secrets, and pleasures, of cooking is to learn to correct something if it goes awry; and one of the lessons is to grin and bear it if it cannot be fixed.â€

“… no one is born a great cook, one learns by doing. This is my invariable advice to people: Learn how to cook—try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun!â€

 

“… nothing is too much trouble if it turns out the way it should. Good results require that one take time and care. If one doesn’t use the freshest ingredients or read the whole recipe before starting, and if one rushes through the cooking, the result will be an inferior taste and texture—a gummy beef Wellington, say. But a careful approach will result in a magnificent burst of flavor, a thoroughly satisfying meal, perhaps even a life-changing experience.â€

 

“… the pleasures of the table, and of life, are infinite—toujours bon appétit!â€

 

I also read The 6:41 to Paris - 5 Stars - This book is quite unique. It’s about former lovers ending up on a train almost thirty years after a horrible break-up. Although there’s barely any dialogue, the writing style is excellent, and it’s a short and quick read. It’s riveting and I simply had to finish it one day. As with any book, it’s won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but for me it was an engrossing read.

 

And French Milk - 1 Star - This is about a college student’s trip to Paris with her mother, written as a graphic diary. I don’t think it’s worth a read at all. Nothing much happens and for someone who gets to spend five weeks in Paris, she complains a lot. I would have given up on it if it wasn’t such a quick read. 

 

     

 

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. 

 

 

[Negin]

If you like historical fiction, you may like Belgravia. It's been on my wish list for a while and the Kindle version is on sale today for $3.99.

 

[Jane in NC]

Negin, I bought The 6:41 to Paris about a year ago in an independent bookstore located in the Denver airport.  The book literally jumped off the shelf at me--and it did not disappoint. 

 

Sounds like you have had wonderful vicarious travels to France via books!

[Narrow Gate Academy]

Another three book week with two new books and one reread completed.

 

Finished This Week (reviews linked) - Books 20-22

• I Am Half-Sick of Shadows by Bradley - My favorite Flavia book so far and an excellent series for audiobook format.
• Blood of Olympus by Riordan - My daughter has been after me to finish the "Heroes of Olympus" series, and I'm glad I did.  Quite enjoyable although I still like the original Percy Jackson series more.
• Vision in Silver by Bishop - Only two days left until the new book is out.  I finished the reread of the third book and have the fourth ready to start.

Long term reads:

• ESV Bible - finished Deuteronomy and over halfway through Joshua
• History of the Ancient World - finished chapters 17 and 18 this week, which also brings me to the end of the second of five sections!
• From the Beast to the Blonde by Warner - I read the introduction and chapter one this week

 

Current reads (always subject to change on a whim) -

• Audiobook: The Hidden Oracle by Riordan
• Fiction books:
  • Odd Thomas by Koontz - This is my ebook for the week.  I don't remember who recommended it, but it's off to a good start.
  • The Hammer of Thor by Riordan - Doubling up on Riordan was not intentional.  I just realized that I have to return this on Saturday, so it got moved to the top of the pile. 
  • Marked in Flesh by Bishop - last reread before the new book, which my library already has listed as in processing.  Hopefully, I'll get more reading time since my parents will be visiting for a few days so the kids will be off from school.
• Nonfiction book:  Spark: the revolutionary new science of exercise and the brain by Ratey - This is slower reading than the other nonfiction books I've read this year.  I have a good overall grasp of the parts of the brain and their basic function, but all the biochemistry :ack2: .  Still it's interesting and informative, but definitely something that takes an alert brain to process

 

 

Finished for the year

22.  Vision in Silver by Bishop

21.  Blood of Olympus by Riordan (Bingo: over 500 pages)

20.  I Am Half-Sick of Shadows by Bradley (Bingo:  female adventure)

19.  Getting Things Done by Allen

18.  Murder on the Links by Christie

17.  The Color of Magic by Prachett (Bingo:select by friend)

16.  The Graveyard Book  by Gaiman

15.  The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Christie (Bingo: mystery)

14.  Slathbog's Gold by Forman

13.  Murder of Crows by Bishop

12.  The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Covey

11.  Samantha Watkins:  Chronicles of an Extraordinary Ordinary Life by Venem

10.  The Happiness Project by Rubin

9.  Adventures of a Vegan Vamp by Lawely

8.  The Seventh Bride by T. Kingfisher (Bingo:  prime number)

7.  A Red Herring Without Mustard by Bradley (Garnet book)

6.  The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Adams (Bingo: outer space)

5.  Stormbreaker  by Horowitz (Bingo: one word title)

4.  Moon Dance by Rain (Bingo: flufferton)

3.  The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Doyle (Bingo: collection of short stories)

2.  The Strange Library by Murakami

1.  Written in Red by Bishop

 

Edited March 5, 2017 by Narrow Gate Academy

[Onceuponatime]

I've finished Isaac Asimov's Utopias,a collection of short stories about utopias by different authors that were featured in Asimov's magazine. Because all utopian stories end up dystopian in some way, I'm counting it for my dystopian bingo square. Some stories were better than others. For a scandinavian read, I've got the Little Book of Hygge waiting.

[Faithr]

Wah!  Is it Week10 already?  I've only just completed Book 6 for me.  I've gotten off to a slow start for a couple of reasons.  But anyway, I did finish Mr. Midshipman Easy and really enjoyed it.  I blogged about it.  I plan to come back and read this thread.  I am out of internet play time for me.  It's been a busy Sunday!

[Penguin]

I started Voices from Chernobyl: The Oral History of a Nuclear Disaster by Svetlana Alexievich. I read the prologue before bed - big mistake  :scared: .

 

In fact, the prologue was so horrific and sad that I wasn't sure I could continue. But I did continue, and I am about half done. Not all of the oral histories are gruesome/graphic, but they are all heartbreaking.

 

I have found myself fascinated by Ms. Alexievich and Belarus. She is from Belarus, and she won the 2015 Nobel Prize in Literature.

 

From the Historical Notes:

During the war, one out of every four Belarussians was killed; today, one out of every five Belarussians lives on contaminated land.

Edited March 5, 2017 by Penguin

[Jane in NC]

I started Voices from Chernobyl: The Oral History of a Nuclear Disaster by Svetlana Alexievich. I read the prologue before bed - big mistake  :scared: .

In fact, the prologue was so horrific and sad that I wasn't sure I could continue. But I did continue, and I am about half done. Not all of the oral histories are gruesome/graphic, but they are all heartbreaking.

 

I have found myself fascinated by Ms. Alexievich and Belarus. She is from Belarus, and she won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2015.

 

From the Historical Notes:

During the war, one out of every four Belarussians was killed; today, one out of every five Belarussians lives on contaminated land.

 

Fun fact:  Svetlana Alexievich received her call from the Swedish Academy as she was doing her ironing.

 

[Raifta]

I started Voices from Chernobyl: The Oral History of a Nuclear Disaster by Svetlana Alexievich. I read the prologue before bed - big mistake  :scared: .

 

In fact, the prologue was so horrific and sad that I wasn't sure I could continue. But I did continue, and I am about half done. Not all of the oral histories are gruesome/graphic, but they are all heartbreaking.

 

I have found myself fascinated by Ms. Alexievich and Belarus. She is from Belarus, and she won the 2015 Nobel Prize in Literature.

 

From the Historical Notes:

During the war, one out of every four Belarussians was killed; today, one out of every five Belarussians lives on contaminated land.

 

I just put this on hold.  Thanks for the warning about when to read it.

 

I finished a couple of books this week but finding progress is slower as we are no longer on a 2 week break from school and I started an out of the house work for pay job.  Ugh (to the latter not the former).  I'm pretty sure both books I finished are ones I found out about here!

 

I read How To Be Black by Baratunde Thurston which was a pretty quick read and just a really interesting perspective on what it meant for him to grow up being black in a variety of situations.  It was funny and easy to read even while it made you think.

 

Also decided to give a romance a try and picked Close to You by Kara Isaac thanks to Kareni's description of it.  I was intrigued by the NZ setting and the Hobbit/Tolkien lore.  I enjoyed the first half but found then that it just dragged through the second half (how many road blocks can we throw in here) - could have been half the length IMO.  It's been a long time since I've tried a romance.  I'm willing to try a few more now and again but am still hoping for something more than this one offered.  

 

Currently reading Wild Swans (also thanks to a fellow BaWer), I'll Give You the Sun (YA novel), Suites Francaises (in French - slow going - children keep talking to me during our assigned reading time) and The Road Across Canada by Edward McCourt, which is a folksy narrative of the trip McCourt and his wife took on the newly opened Trans-Canada Highway in 1963, despite the fact that the highway was sadly lacking in roadworthiness in some spots.

[mumto2]

I am currently reading two on my Kindle. One is part of a cozy series that I have been trying to complete. I read the first couple of Sarah Booth Delaney mysteries years ago and enjoyed them enough to find them again https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/896915.Bones_To_Pick . My Overdrive only has a scattered collection so I ordered several from the library. This particular book had been damaged by a previous reader who had managed to stick several pages together. I was so relieved to find it in the overdrive section!

 

Also reading Lucifer's Tears. The second Inspector Vaara mystery set in Finland. Really good so far. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8854839-lucifer-s-tears?ac=1&from_search=true. I have the next two in this series in my physical stack.

[Mom-ninja.]

Let's see, I'm listening to Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything. I needed a book with a blue cover for the library reading challenge. 

 

Reading God is Disappointed in You  and (birthday present to me from last month) and Skinny Dip (for the mystery bingo square) 

[Matryoshka]

I finished two books this week.

 

23. El prisionero del cielo/The Prisoner of Heaven - book 3 in the Cemetery of Forgotten Books (Shadow of the Wind) series - had to reread it to remember some forgotten details so I could start on #4 in the series El laberinto de los espíritus/The Labyrinth of the Spirits.  I have a whole bunch of books I want to get to this month, and I'm a bit anxious that this one is sooooo long (but it will more than count for my "Over 500 pages" bingo square.)

 

22. A Thousand Splendid Suns - this I've had on audio for a while.  I think I'm glad I listened to rather than read it.  I had never read this or Kite Runner.  I liked it - 3 stars.

 

Currently reading:

 

- El laberinto de los espíritus, as mentioned above.  

- Cranford on audio for my Flufferton bingo square.  I seem to have spent a lot of time in the car this week, as I'm already about 2/3 of the way through! As cozy as I remember the BBC production as being. :)  Must ponder my next audio book.

- Autobiography of Malcolm X on ebook - this has been getting neglected for me to get to my other reading, and I'm a bit worried it might expire before I'm done (!).  In which case it might end up on hold till later in the year...

 

- From the Beast to the Blonde.  I have read the intro and 1st chapter!  Next week we do chapters 2 and 3, yes?  

 

Books I'd love to get to this month:

 

Nordermoor/Jar City - since this is Scandinavian mystery month, guess I have to get cracking on this one!

Radiance - recommended here, this ended up being this month's pick for my IRL SciFi book club.  So guess I have to read that one!

The Dispossessed - SciFi book club wanted a '2nd choice, so this one's also on, and it will fix my U-author. A re-read.

Exiles of Erin, 19th Century Irish-American Fiction - for 'name in title' Bingo square.  Technically no reason to get to this in March, but seemed fitting...

 

and Aquamarine!  So, help me out here.  Robin mentioned something Seaworthy might work?  Wide Sargasso Sea is on my TR list, but I'd been wanting to get through our interminable reread/listen of Jane Eyre before I started that one (and we're only just past the wedding that wasn't!).  The Plover was going to be my Seaworthy bingo square, but is that Aquamarine-worthy?    I am not going to be spelling anything. That is way.too.many.letters. :tongue_smilie:

 

[Matryoshka]

I finished Palace Walk, part 1 of the Cairo Triology by Naguib Mahfouz.

I will review this when I've finished the other 2 books of the Triology

 

Palace Walk is on my TR list.  I look forward to your review! :)

 

I finished 'Grip' (not sure how to translate that in English, the book is available in Dutch, German and Spanish?)

I had to get used to this writing style, and my first reaction after finishing the book was: I have to reread this again.

I'm not sure I got clear what has happened in the past that still connects and seperates 4 mountain climbers at the same time.

I guess that was the purpose of the book, a kind of unsolved mystery, but maybe I should read this attention holding book better.

 

 

I looked at the blurb on the German version - looks interesting.  (The third language appears to be Italian, so that was no help to me ;) )  Do you recommend it?  As in - are you wanting to reread it with pleasure, or a bit annoyed you feel like you should because it was just that confusing? 

[Matryoshka]

I started Voices from Chernobyl: The Oral History of a Nuclear Disaster by Svetlana Alexievich. I read the prologue before bed - big mistake  :scared: .

 

In fact, the prologue was so horrific and sad that I wasn't sure I could continue. But I did continue, and I am about half done. Not all of the oral histories are gruesome/graphic, but they are all heartbreaking.

 

I have found myself fascinated by Ms. Alexievich and Belarus. She is from Belarus, and she won the 2015 Nobel Prize in Literature.

 

From the Historical Notes:

During the war, one out of every four Belarussians was killed; today, one out of every five Belarussians lives on contaminated land.

 

I was in Europe when Chernobyl happened - living in Spain during the actual meltdown, and then I spent the summer traveling through Europe (where there were warnings not to eat some things and numbers to call in case you got sick...yikes).  Ended up not traveling as far east as we'd planned...

 

I have It's Always Sunny in Chernobyl on my TR list (I think it's about the aftermath a bunch of different disaster areas).  I'll be interested to hear how you like this one.

[aggieamy]

Hello friends!  I was MIA last week because I got busy with work/family stuff.  DD was in a play for school and they practiced every night after school for hours.  It was crazy.  We were all so tired after the play was finished that everyone in my house was asleep by 8 o'clock.  Hat's off to you stage moms ... that's an incredible amount of work.

 

I've been reading a bit.  I finished Lady of Quality for Georgette Heyer.  Meh. Not my favorite of her books.  I think that's the only thing I've finished in the last week or so.  I've got a bunch I'm close on though.

 

Off to read last weeks thread to catch up now ...

[Stacia]

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Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia

[6packofun]

Ooooh, fun times!  I have really started enjoying mystery/suspense from Scandinavian authors. 

 

Currently reading I See You by Clare Mackintosh. Reviews from her other one, I Let You Go are pretty good so I'll probably give that a whirl, too.  

 

Next up is the second Casey Duncan novel (after City of the Lost which I enjoyed) by Kelley Armstrong called A Darkness Absolute.  The series takes place in a secret town for those running from something or needing to start over.  Casey is a deputy in this odd, off-the-grid town that plays by a different set of rules.  Throw in a mysterious company/group of sorts that funds the place--plus the occasional crime, of course--and it's unique enough to keep me reading.

[Butter]

Last night I finished reading The Serpent in the Glass by DM Andrews to the little guys.  It borrowed heavily from other fantasy, particularly Harry Potter, but ended up being a cute story.  We all enjoyed it.  It seemed like it was setting up a series, but it looks like it never became one.  It works fine as a one-off.

 

What are you reading this week?

 

Still Hidden Figures, but I've set it aside and am reading The Age of Daredevils first.  I'll get back to Hidden Figures in a day or two.

[mumto2]

I thought I would share my Scandinavian mystery plans......

 

Greenland...The Girl in the Icehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27823276-the-girl-in-the-ice

 

Iceland...Snowblindhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25067569-snowblind?from_search=true

 

Sweden......The Fire Dancehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17797421-the-fire-dance?from_search=true

 

Norway...The Caveman https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24903066-the-caveman?from_search=true

 

Finland....James Thompson serieshttps://www.goodreads.com/series/57865-inspector-kari-vaara

 

Denmark...The Forgotten Girls https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20756683-the-forgotten-girls

 

Not sure if I will manage all of them this month but I plan to try! I moved them all into my currently reading on Goodreads in case that helps someone.

[Butter]

Multi-quote is not working for me today :(

 

Whilst I was driving hither and yon last week, my husband was in Houston for business.  I suspect that it was Violet Crown who put the Czech immigrants of Texas on my radar. And wherever immigrants go, so goes the food...  It amused me to learn of the Texan style Czech kolache.  Kolaches bear a striking similarity to Danish, I suppose.  They are a slightly sweet yeast risen dough with a dab of a fruit or soft cheese filling, although the most traditional from my perspective is the poppy seed filling.  I adore poppy seeds so that would be my first choice of kolache.  (Say this with three syllables: ko-lach-ee). 

 

My husband told me about Texan kolaches which I have since Googled.  It appears that the most popular filling is not a sweet but a savory:  smoked sausage!  He also had a chicken kolache as well as a potato and egg version.  All of these were breakfast foods. 

 

I am on the one hand astounded and on the other impressed.  I like protein at breakfast which makes these kolaches sound interesting---although none could be as good as the traditional poppy.

 

<snip>

 

ETA:  I am questioning the pronunciation I offered above.  My take comes from an elderly baker I once met who brought trays of kolache to a party I attended.  He struck me as The Authority on the subject.  But he was just a guy from Chicago.  So who knows...

 

Sausage kolaches are big sellers at every gas station around here.  Your pronunciation is how a lot of people around here say it, but it can also be pronounced ko-lach (two syllables).  My only regret is I never tried a kolache before I was diagnosed with Celiac and could no longer have them so I have no idea what they are like.

 

Our last name is Czech.  Very, very, very Czech.  So Czech, it's the only place on the planet the name comes from and in fact a very specific part of the Czech Republic.  Needless to say, it's not a common last name.  Anyway, no one can pronounce it.  The first half is not pronounced even sort of how it looks.  When Cameron was in public school in 6th grade, his reading teacher became the second person in the history of everyone my husband has ever met to pronounce it correctly immediately.  She grew up in one of the Czech areas of Texas about an hour or so from San Antonio.  It didn't even seem strange to her to be pronouncing two letters like a completely different letter.  (The first person to pronounce it correctly was someone at church who had served a mission in the Czech Republic.)

[Alice]

I can't remember when I last joined in. 

 

I think since last time I have read Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristof. It's a young-adult sci-fi novel which is out of my usual reading zone but my oldest read it and loved it so I decided to try it. Several nights of staying up way too late reading convinced me he was right. Highly readable and fun. Also a bit disturbing as far as violence goes....so if you are sensitive you might want to skip it.

 

I just finished Books for Living by Will Schwalbe. I usually really like books about books. This one was just ok. I think maybe it was a little too much about him and not enough about the books. Sometimes it seemed like he was reaching to make a connection between something in his life and a book. 

 

I also finished Galileo's Daughter by Dava Sobel and Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mewed (a Flavia deLuce novel). 

 

I just started Wonder by Emma Donoghue. 

 

I love mysteries and have enjoyed the Nordic mysteries I've read but I have a too big a stack of "need to read before it's due at the library".

[thessa516]

Books Finished This Week:

The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

Forbidden by Eve Bunting - My thought process: "Oh look, Eve Bunting. She writes cute little picture books. And now she's written a young adult novel. It's set in Scotland, and has a supernatural element to it." It could have been good, but it was terrible. Characters not developed, too short to tell the story.

 

Still Reading:

Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Houston

The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North - was really into the book, but my interest in slowing down about halfway in.

[strawberries]

This week I finished The Girl You Left Behind, which was pretty quick and better than I expected. I also read Salt to the Sea by Ruth Sepetys, a YA historical fiction about four teens whose lives intersect on the doomed Wilhelm Gustloff. It took a bit to get used to the book switching between their four perspectives, but it was an interesting read with a couple of twists. I had never heard of the Wilhelm Gustloff; I don't think I'd read anything focused on the Germay vs Russia aspect of WWII before either. It sent me googling down some rabbit trails. 

 

After those two I was planning to veer slightly into a middle grade historical fantasy that DS recently read and liked: The Lost Kingdom, which he describes as "kind of steampunky in colonial times." I read a few pages, set it aside to do some chore, and DD promptly swiped it. So I started Born A Crime instead, which I am loving. I wish I could listen to the audiobook version, since I'm imagining it in Trevor Noah's voice anyway, but the kids are usually with me and it is not really kid-friendly. We are still working on that Treasure Island audiobook.  

 

I also started Experiencing Broadway Music: A Listener's Companion by Kat Sherrell. This is requiring me to re-listen to some of my favorite musicals, so I am a happy camper.  I made progress on The Story of Western Science and From the Beast to the Blonde this week as well.

[Stacia]

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Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia

[Angelaboord]

It was a good reading week for me. Apparently Facebook and Instagram DO eat up a lot of my reading time. I've done a good job of staying away for the first few days of Lent, but not so well at avoiding BaW till Sunday! [emoji4]

 

I finished two books this week:

 

Captains Courageous -- really enjoyed this and will be passing it along to my dh to read to the boys at bedtime when he's done with the Little House books. We'll see if he can approximate the dialect!

 

Angela's Song, AnnMarie Creedon -- I read this for the "Your Name in the Title" Bingo square and must confess that I never would have discovered it otherwise. I was trying to avoid having to read Angela's Ashes, which I dipped into a very long time ago and put aside almost immediately because it was so depressing. Angela's Song is like Angela's Ashes antimatter. The two books couldn't be more different. Angela's Song turned out to be a Catholic romance, which was the clincher for me in deciding whether to read it; I had never heard of such a thing before. (Plus, it had the advantage of being $3.99 on kindle.). Basically, the story was kind of a vehicle to illustrate Theology of the Body, which is the Catholic way of viewing s*x and marriage as explained by Pope John Paul II. There were definitely a few "As you know, Steve" infodump moments and the writing itself was sort of mediocre, but I found what it had to say about love and marriage rather profound. It was also nice to read a story (a romance, too) in which the hero and heroine are both in their 40's. And it was also nice to read a romance that didn't make me blush furiously. As a heads-up, though... there was a brief mention of a horrible crime that came out of absolutely nowhere and IMO, really didn't belong in the book.

 

Completing my first Bingo square was invigorating and now I am reading a book for the oh-so-difficult "Free Space". I'm going to try to read in actual rows(or diagonals) this time instead of just sticking books in willy-nilly. Mostly to prevent decision fatigue, which I have been suffering lately in spades.

 

(The book I have decided to use for my free space is The Shelf: Adventures in Extreme Reading, which I am not quite sure about so far. Normally I like books about books, but this one seems to be less about the connection the author makes with the books and more about how the author tracks down forgotten authors, reviewers, and translators. But I'm all for a books about books Bingo square next year!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Edited March 6, 2017 by Angelaboord

[AppleGreen]

I haven't checked in for a couple of weeks, but I have been reading!

 

I read: Me Before You and all three books in the Wool series by Hugh Howey. I think I read another book, but I need to check my list (Oh yes, it was The Boy is Back, total fluff. I might want those couple of hours back spent reading that). I started Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? and Where'd You Go Bernadette? I also checked Rocket Girls out from the library.

 

In the read aloud category, I finished reading Jeremy Fink with the eleven year old. That was a lovely book. My younger teen and I are getting ready to wrap The Secret Life of Bees tomorrow or Tuesday, while the big teen and I are still plugging away at Just Mercy.

 

I am not much of a mystery reader, but I will try to find something intriguing for March (although, Wool may have stolen that category; that was definitely an intriguing read!)

 

[Ali in OR]

Quick check-in: finished nothing this week. I'm about half way through Pratchett's The Shepherd's Crown. No reading time--mostly just driving kids hither and yon while dh was out of the country for work. Might be another week until things calm down (though dh is back--yay!).

[Ausmumof3]

I'm way behind on this thread and my reading and my whole life basically 😂 But a quick question. I saw someone recommend a Baw approved Arabian nights a couple of weeks ago and I now can't find it. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

[Lori D.]

waahhh! I missed week 9. Excuse below (lol).

_____________________

 

But, I did finally finish Scar (China Mievelle). It was definitely better than Un Lun Dun (more fully realized and connected, with character motivations), but definitely not nearly as well-written as Embassytown. And, I was a good ways into when I began to realize that it is the second in his "Bas-Lag" world novels, of which  Perdido Street Station was the first... which, of course, I have *not* read. However, I managed to figure out the world for the most part, and probably only missed a few minor details that carried over from Perdido Street Station. ;)

 

Scar is basically Moby Dick, but with lots of steam-punk and supernatural elements of the Bas-Lag world thrown in. Four-letter words in abundance (like, every page), which got tiresome -- I'm not easily shocked or a prude -- it's more a case of: surely an author could be more creative verbally, and also express a range of emotions than just mere profanity?! Meh.

 

Also, the over-use of the same word that was actually quite creative the first time, but then gets used at least 100 more times throughout the novel, till it's no longer creative but makes you want to scream because at that point it just sounds like a vocabulary mistake... And in case you're interested, the word was "drool", used as a substitute for "to drain" or "to flow".

 

Some of the strange elements seemed just thrown in with the idea that shows creativity -- but it just comes off as being strange-for-the-sake-of-strange when it does nothing to advance plot, theme or characterization (the cray and menfish characters -- ??). Or, worse: as a lazy device (i.e.: the sudden appearance of golems with no explanation, used to attack one specific element in the big battle scene, only to completely disappear and never to be seen again in the book :confused1: ). After 3 books by Mieville, I find his characters hard to care about or identify with, what with the extreme post-modern worldview. I'll probably give Perdido Street Station a spin sometime, and after that I'll definitely be ready to move on from Mievelle.

 

ETA: Hey! Since all of Scar takes place on the ocean, maybe that counts towards an AquaMARINE book for the birthstone challenge...  :laugh:

_____________________

 

So... my excuse: Spent the past 2 weeks intensively prepping for giving 2 talks on Friday at an annual homeschool event. One session for parents on transcripts/record-keeping, and the other esp. for students on career exploration. Both sessions went over very well. :) Now, however, I'm WAAAYYY behind on grading papers and getting ready for this week's class. So, back to the grindstone, and I'll be lucky if I manage to squeeze a book in this week. ;)

Edited March 6, 2017 by Lori D.

[Loesje22000]

Palace Walk is on my TR list. I look forward to your review! :)

 

 

I looked at the blurb on the German version - looks interesting. (The third language appears to be Italian, so that was no help to me ;) ) Do you recommend it? As in - are you wanting to reread it with pleasure, or a bit annoyed you feel like you should because it was just that confusing?

Yes, I do recommend it.

I had a busy week last week, due to spring break, and my head was not focused enough to get the clue of the mystery (I checked some recensies last night, and I have missed that part somehow)

It is not a detective type of mystery, though.

I want to reread this book because I like what he does with language and style.

Most stilistic written books are too stilistic for me to be able to connect with.

But this author manages to write a stilistic readable book :)

 

Now I hope for you the translator was able to get that in German...

[Loesje22000]

I thought I would share my Scandinavian mystery plans......

 

Greenland...The Girl in the Icehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27823276-the-girl-in-the-ice

 

Iceland...Snowblindhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25067569-snowblind?from_search=true

 

Sweden......The Fire Dancehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17797421-the-fire-dance?from_search=true

 

Norway...The Caveman https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24903066-the-caveman?from_search=true

 

Finland....James Thompson serieshttps://www.goodreads.com/series/57865-inspector-kari-vaara

 

Denmark...The Forgotten Girls https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20756683-the-forgotten-girls

 

Not sure if I will manage all of them this month but I plan to try! I moved them all into my currently reading on Goodreads in case that helps someone.

Thanks!

Now I just have to find an easier way to check the availibility in my library...:)

[Angelaboord]

A couple of lists for you...

 

Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction 2017 Longlist

http://www.walterscottprize.co.uk/2017-longlist-announced/

 

If They Gave Oscars to Books

 

http://lithub.com/if-they-gave-oscars-to-books-our-2016-nominees/

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Penguin]

Let's see, I'm listening to Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything. I needed a book with a blue cover for the library reading challenge. 

 

Reading God is Disappointed in You  and (birthday present to me from last month) and Skinny Dip (for the mystery bingo square) 

DH and I went to see Bill Bryson speak last night  :hurray: . I almost didn't go because, while of course I know who he is and what he has written, I confess that I have never read any of his books. But it was free, so I got over myself :) I'm glad I went! He was witty and affable, and of course now I want to read him. A Walk in the Woods seems like an obvious place to start, but I am open to another title.

 

As an aside, I am so impressed with the town we live in now. The arts here are wonderfully supported. Last night, it was first-come-first-serve with doors opening 30 minutes ahead of the talk. By the time we got there, the line snaked around two corners and through a parking garage. I really had my doubts that we would get a seat. The venue holds 1200 and we were one of the last to get seats. They let the overflow hang out in the lobby and the talk was broadcast into the lobby. Nobody was turned away.

[Onceuponatime]

BAW friends on goodreads: Are you as fascinated as I am to see the intricate web of books choices and how we are affecting each other? It's like a visual representation of what happens here in this thread. Just my musing for the day.

[Matryoshka]

BAW friends on goodreads: Are you as fascinated as I am to see the intricate web of books choices and how we are affecting each other? It's like a visual representation of what happens here in this thread. Just my musing for the day.

 

Yes!  I'm totally addicted to goodreads now.  I've tried to get some IRL friends interested in goodreads, but some of them have already tried it, and say they just don't 'get it'.  I'm realizing what's making it so fun is just what you describe - having all these voracious reader friends, and seeing what you all are reading and yes, it's also fun seeing which books are put on 'to read' in bunches, many (but not all) of which are also mentioned here.  This thread is where all the inspiration happens, but goodreads lets me keep track of it all, or I'd forget most of it within a week, I'd bet.   But without so many friends from this list, goodreads would be pretty darn boring... ;)

[Chrysalis Academy]

Hmm, multiquote not working for me, either. I was going to say that I too am enjoying the web-of-goodreads created by everyone's reading lives. But then when I went onto goodreads this morning, I had this post:

 

Based on your reading preferences, you might enjoy:

 

 

Um, probably not?? I don't think I've ever read a book with a scantily clad man on the cover in my life, and I'm not really into romances (other than GH Regencies). I think they need to revisit their recommendation algorithm!  :lol:  I'm guessing this is because I read Girls and Sex and put Come As You Are on my TR shelf, but those are nonfiction books . . .

 

I was feeling restless last night before bed, so I picked up The Vegetarian and got sucked right in - 100 pages later, I had to force myself to put it down and go to sleep. Translated from Korean, set in S. Korea, it ostensibly tells the story of a woman who has a bad dream involving meat and blood and then decides to become a vegetarian. I say ostensibly, because so far it isn't much about her or her motivations, it's about how the people in her life react to her decision. The first section was told from the POV of her husband - a wonderful unreliable, schmucky narrator - and the second is her brother-in-law, I'm curious if the third and final section will let us inside her head, or not. Anyway, it's quite a gripping read.

Edited March 6, 2017 by Chrysalis Academy

[Onceuponatime]

Hmm, multiquote not working for me, either. I was going to say that I too am enjoying the web-of-goodreads created by everyone's reading lives. But then when I went onto goodreads this morning, I had this post:

 

Based on your reading preferences, you might enjoy:

 

 

Um, probably not?? I don't think I've ever read a book with a scantily clad man on the cover in my life, and I'm not really into romances (other than GH Regencies). I think they need to revisit their recommendation algorithm! :lol: I'm guessing this is because I read Girls and Sex and put Come As You Are on my TR shelf, but those are nonfiction books, not bodice-rippers.

 

I was feeling restless last night before bed, so I picked up The Vegetarian and got sucked right in - 100 pages later, I had to force myself to put it down and go to sleep. Translated from Korean, set in S. Korea, it ostensibly tells the story of a woman who has a bad dream involving meat and blood and then decides to become a vegetarian. I say ostensibly, because so far it isn't much about her or her motivations, it's about how the people in her life react to her decision. The first section was told from the POV of her husband - a wonderful unreliable, schmucky narrator - and the second is her brother-in-law, I'm curious if the third and final section will let us inside her head, or not. Anyway, it's quite a gripping read.

😳ðŸ˜ðŸ˜„

 

I got that recommendation too! I've also never read a book with a scantily clad man on the cover. It baffled me.

[Jane in NC]

Hmm, multiquote not working for me, either. I was going to say that I too am enjoying the web-of-goodreads created by everyone's reading lives. But then when I went onto goodreads this morning, I had this post:

 

Based on your reading preferences, you might enjoy:

 

 

 

The things I learn about my BaW friends. <grin>

[mumto2]

BAW friends on goodreads: Are you as fascinated as I am to see the intricate web of books choices and how we are affecting each other? It's like a visual representation of what happens here in this thread. Just my musing for the day.

  

Yes!  I'm totally addicted to goodreads now.  I've tried to get some IRL friends interested in goodreads, but some of them have already tried it, and say they just don't 'get it'.  I'm realizing what's making it so fun is just what you describe - having all these voracious reader friends, and seeing what you all are reading and yes, it's also fun seeing which books are put on 'to read' in bunches, many (but not all) of which are also mentioned here.  This thread is where all the inspiration happens, but goodreads lets me keep track of it all, or I'd forget most of it within a week, I'd bet.   But without so many friends from this list, goodreads would be pretty darn boring... ;)

Have to agree that Goodreads has become quite entertaining now that we have so many people using it. So convenient too!

[Matryoshka]

I'm wondering if something is really broken in the goodreads recommendation algorithm.  Recently for me, it's suggested a mid-grade elementary book because I was reading A Thousand Splendid Suns.  :confused1:   Um... what????  And no, it wasn't an elementary book on Afghanistan or feminism, just some random elementary-level book (not even YA!).

 

And it's been recommending a lot of books for me in Portuguese.  Which I do not read.   I mean, I can kind of sort of get the gist of it because Spanish, but I have never marked a Portuguese book on goodreads, so why would it think those are good recommendations.  :confused1:

 

I do often mark books to-read on my goodreads feed that people here have marked as reading/to-read, though.  So I'm getting lots of recommendations at goodreads,  they're just really from my BaW friends. :D

[mumto2]

I got so enthused about the Goodreads comments I forgot to post about finishing Lucifer's Tears. https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit/8854839-lucifer-s-tears. I really liked it, so much it got 5 stars from me on Goodreads. I loved the storyline continuation from the first Inspector Vaara book. It was probably more sad than anything with moments of great joy. So a good character path. I'm scared to open the next one but satisfied with this books ending. I decided to use it for my translation bingo square since I enjoyed it so much!

 

Also one of the cases was interesting historically and at some point requires further research which probably just means a discussion with dh who is a military historian. Finland's position during WWII was difficult because of a deep historical dislike (being polite) of Russia. That much I know is correct but beyond that I need to do research. It made a great story no matter what! :lol:

 

I also finished my other kindle book during the night. Very little sleep. I hate insomnia.