Book a Week 2017 - BW11: Happy St. Patrick's Week

[mumto2]

German. :D

 

No one has a copy? :poutyface:

I read Jar City via Overdrive. I did check and my library currently has a wait list for the overdrive copy so I can't look at it. Sorry!

[Faithr]

Hey all!  Is anybody going to do this April challenge of Classic Children's Lit?  Here's the blog (is the blogger anyone here??)  I've decided I am going to participate.  You'd think with having 5 children and homeschooling for a couple of decades, I'd have read all the classic children's lit out there, but no, happily, there is still more to enjoy!

 

I was already going to read 101 Dalmatians for the prime number square on my bingo challenge.  So I plan to read that.

 

Also, I've been wanting to read The Wonderful Adventures of Nils by Selma Lagerof.  I picked it up at a library sale a few years ago but never got to it.

 

And since I just read my first book by Frederick Marryat earlier this year (Mr. Midshipman Easy), I noticed he also wrote a popular children's novel: Children of the New Forest.  

 

Also, the blog is going to do a read along with Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass.  

 

Thinking about this April challenge is making me feel lighthearted on this gloomy winter day!

[Jane in NC]

Adichie's Americanah has been selected by New Yorkers for their 2017 community read. It appears that a free audio version of the book is available. (Not sure what conditions apply to the freebie.)

 

http://www1.nyc.gov/site/mome/initiatives/1book1ny.page

 

 

[Chrysalis Academy]

Adichie's Americanah has been selected by New Yorkers for their 2017 community read. It appears that a free audio version of the book is available. (Not sure what conditions apply to the freebie.)

 

http://www1.nyc.gov/site/mome/initiatives/1book1ny.page

 

Fantastic book, and I definitely recommend the audio version. I know i wouldn't have gotten as much out of it had I read it. The reader differentiates the accents of the different characters, and the accents the same character uses in different circumstances. It is actually fairly critical to really following the story, IMO, to have at least some idea of what people would choose to sound like in their different contexts.

[Matryoshka]

I read Jar City via Overdrive. I did check and my library currently has a wait list for the overdrive copy so I can't look at it. Sorry!

Yeah, I looked to see if my library had it on Overdrive, and it isn't even in their collection. :(

[mumto2]

Hey all! Is anybody going to do this April challenge of Classic Children's Lit? Here's the blog (is the blogger anyone here??) I've decided I am going to participate. You'd think with having 5 children and homeschooling for a couple of decades, I'd have read all the classic children's lit out there, but no, happily, there is still more to enjoy!

 

I was already going to read 101 Dalmatians for the prime number square on my bingo challenge. So I plan to read that.

 

Also, I've been wanting to read The Wonderful Adventures of Nils by Selma Lagerof. I picked it up at a library sale a few years ago but never got to it.

 

And since I just read my first book by Frederick Marryat earlier this year (Mr. Midshipman Easy), I noticed he also wrote a popular children's novel: Children of the New Forest.

 

Also, the blog is going to do a read along with Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass.

 

Thinking about this April challenge is making me feel lighthearted on this gloomy winter day!

101 Dalmatians was one of my all time favourite read alouds. We still compare the real one (book) to the movie and drive my dh nuts! He didn't read with the rest of us. The book is so much better. :)

 

I might be up for the Children of the New Forest. It's supposed to be wonderful. I know dd read it.

[Kareni]

A one day only currently free utopian work for Kindle readers ~

 

A Crystal Age by W.H. Hudson

 

About the Author

William Henry Hudson was born in Argentina, the son of American settlers from New England. He spent his youth studying the local flora and fauna, and, as a young man, travelled widely on horseback, visiting Brazil, Uruguay, and Patagonia.In 1869, at the age of 28, he settled in England, and began a new life as a wanderer and field naturalist.

 

"W. H. Hudson’s trailblazing story of a pastoral utopia that harbors a dark secret

After a landslide, Smith awakens groggy and confused. The landscape around him has changed dramatically. He wanders through the countryside, searching for any semblance of civilization, until a family takes him in. As he recounts what happened to him and where he came from, it dawns on Smith that he has somehow left his own world behind and awoken somewhere entirely new.
 
What Smith finds is a gorgeous utopian vision of a peaceful world made real. Humans live in accordance with nature, respectful of the land and animals, untethered by technology. The cause of this new order is an alternate hierarchy of humanity that Smith must learn to adhere to—or face the consequences.
 
As he integrates into this foreign society, Smith finds himself falling for the daughter of the house. But when he tries to tell her, he realizes the most important difference between his former world and his new one: Romantic love no longer exists."

**

 

And a few bookish posts from Tor.com ~

 

The Jinn Are Everywhere (Including In These 6 Books) by Jared Shurin and Mahvesh Murad

 

Five Books With Birds in Their Titles  by Chuck Wendig

 

My Alien Family: Writing Across Cultures in Science Fiction  by Becky Chambers

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Granny_Weatherwax]

In my cold medicine induced delerium, I returned a book to the Kindle Owner's Library and happily checked out a new book. Two pages in and I realized I had already read it. Now I'm stuck with it until April 1 and it's not worth a re-read.

 

 

[aggieamy]

I guess I've been here long enough to chime in on our current issue/discussion. I'm the opposite end of many here. I don't read dark or gritty books.  There was a time in my life when I did and with young children and other stresses in life I now read cozy and happy endings.  

 

We all have different backgrounds and different life experiences. I love that about here. I love hearing about the books others are reading even if I'm not interested in reading them myself. 

 

I think what Jane said about distance is really important. It allows discussions that don't feel as personal as it might if we are talking about more modern day issues. I know there are many here who are deeply passionate about issues going on in the world today and many of those here likely have different views of the issues and how they should be solved. This is a group of smart women.  How could we not have all sorts of different but great ideas?  

 

There's lots of places available to discuss those but there's not many places where we can discuss books. Just here recently we've talked about the stress and discord on Facebook. I don't want anyone to find this place the be unwelcoming.  I'm worried that we are already at that point and I'm sad about it. 

[aggieamy]

Faithr - I'm loving your blog this month!

 

 

Finished Amberwell by DE Stevenson - I'll wait to discuss in detail once Mumto finishes it but I loved it.  

[Lady Florida.]

 

 

Stacia--come back.  I miss you.

 

Stacia!!!!  :grouphug:  How will we ever find books to read without you? Especially the weird ones.  :lol:

[mumto2]

In my cold medicine induced delerium, I returned a book to the Kindle Owner's Library and happily checked out a new book. Two pages in and I realized I had already read it. Now I'm stuck with it until April 1 and it's not worth a re-read.

I hope you feel better soon! I totally understand your "new" book problem unfortunately. I wish it would tell me before I check things out that I already own them in my stack of freebies.

[Lady Florida.]

In my cold medicine induced delerium, I returned a book to the Kindle Owner's Library and happily checked out a new book. Two pages in and I realized I had already read it. Now I'm stuck with it until April 1 and it's not worth a re-read.

 

I've done that. Not long ago I checked out a KOLL book only to realize I already "purchased" it for free as a Kindle First book. 

Edited March 16, 2017 by Lady Florida.

[Jane in NC]

And in some non-book news, BaWers should be happy to learn that "Haggis is set to be Spring's biggest food trend."

 

Along with burritos. 

 

This is news from the UK, of course.  I have yet to see haggis food trucks on every corner.  ;)

[mumto2]

And in some non-book news, BaWers should be happy to learn that "Haggis is set to be Spring's biggest food trend."

 

Along with burritos.

 

This is news from the UK, of course. I have yet to see haggis food trucks on every corner. ;)

Snort...I really do not see Haggis catching on huge even in the UK. Ds has great status each year after doing his Burns night waitstaff job because he eats haggis. Manly????? I guess! :lol:

 

Now Mexican, hugely popular. Tapas.....we even have a Tapas bar in the village.

 

Thai, no idea where to get Thai. Indian and Chinese are both in the village too.

[Butter]

And in some non-book news, BaWers should be happy to learn that "Haggis is set to be Spring's biggest food trend."

 

Along with burritos. 

 

This is news from the UK, of course.  I have yet to see haggis food trucks on every corner.  ;)

 

No, thank you.

 

One year while I was still dating my husband, my then-future-MIL decided to make an authentic haggis.  It took three days and the house *reeked.*  He spent most of that three days at my house.  They invited my parents and me to dinner when they ate the haggis.  It was utterly disgusting.  My mom liked it.  She said it was a lot like the freshly made scrapple she ate growing up.  Ew.

[Jane in NC]

Snort...I really do not see Haggis catching on huge even in the UK. Ds has great status each year after doing his Burns night waitstaff job because he eats haggis. Manly????? I guess! :lol:

 

Now Mexican, hugely popular. Tapas.....we even have a Tapas bar in the village.

 

Thai, no idea where to get Thai. Indian and Chinese are both in the village too.

 

When my son was hanging out in London a few years ago, Southern (American) barbecue was all the rage which completely cracked him up.  I think he preferred tikka or vindaloo.

 

Yeah, I'm having a hard time envisioning haggis as the new food trend but wondered if my stomach was lacking imagination.

 

[Ellesmere]

I finished the audio edition of Infidel (Book 7 for me) which was read by the author.  I found it gripping, moving, provoking!  I also finished Plastic Free; How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too.   This is my abiding interest right now.  I don't recommend getting it on the kindle, though, because it is so much of a reference/how to book.  (Book 8)

 

Now I'm on to Laurus which is so engrossing!  A medieval fairy tale epic that creates a world all of its own.  I am about 1/4 or more in and loving it.  I also started listening to Agatha Christie's One, Two Buckle My Shoe on audio (a Hercule Poirot mystery).   Hugh Fraser reads it to perfection!  This will fulfill the mystery square in the bingo game.

 

Speaking of which, I have a technical question about the 'debut author' square.  If I read a 2nd edition of an author's first (and I think only book so far! I am referring to the above mentioned Plastic Free book) does that count as debut?

 

:001_wub:  Hugh Fraser

Also, checking out your blog!  :001_smile:

 

I also learned that coffee suppresses appetite. I always figured it just filled my belly and made me full. So I was interested to learn that the chemistry of coffee suppresses the appetite. That explains why I can drink a coffee and be full for several hours. I usually have to make myself choose coffee or food cause I can't do both. 

 

 

Anyway, overall I like the foundation of the book. It makes sense to me that people shouldn't eat all day every day. That's just not how our bodies are meant to function. But then I'm coming from the perspective of having to force feed myself at times so it's nice to hear I can relax and just follow my hunger cues instead; now that I'm not trying to gain weight anymore. And yes, trying to gain weight is just as much a problem as trying to lose weight. Forcing yourself to eat is not fun. And being underweight is actually more unhealthy than being a bit overweight. 

 

I was excited to try a longer stretch of fasting just out of curiosity for the experience, but I won't since I'm not in the safe zone and I don't want to mess with falling below my optimal range again. It's a yucky place to be. I will share the fasting info with dh. He might be interested.  

 

I learned the hard way not to intermittently fast (when I was in a safe BMI zone to do so) because I had a migraine every time. Tried to stay hydrated, etc. but nope. Now I eat three times a day  and don't have nearly the low blood sugar issues as much as when snacking. And I hear you on gaining weight.

 

I've known that coffee can suppress but never learned why -- I should read up. In our family, one of us is very sensitive to it, another could drink gallons and fall asleep, not feel full.

 

 

Thanks for the outpouring of warmth, guys. It means a lot to me. I'm ok. I haven't finished any books or anything, but just wanted to say thanks.  :grouphug:

:grouphug:

[Lady Florida.]

When my son was hanging out in London a few years ago, Southern (American) barbecue was all the rage which completely cracked him up.  I think he preferred tikka or vindaloo.

 

 

Many years ago when I was visiting Dublin I passed a pizza place that advertised itself as serving "The Best American Pizza in Ireland".  :lol:

 

At least Europeans know that American pizza is not Italian pizza. Many (most?) Americans don't. :)

 

England is where I learned to love Indian food. Prior to that my only knowledge of and experience with Indian food was curry.

[mumto2]

When my son was hanging out in London a few years ago, Southern (American) barbecue was all the rage which completely cracked him up. I think he preferred tikka or vindaloo.

 

Yeah, I'm having a hard time envisioning haggis as the new food trend but wondered if my stomach was lacking imagination.

 

Pulled pork sandwiches are hugely popular. Huge!!! As of a few weeks ago you could buy Sweet Baby Rays bbq sauce at one of the big grocery stores on the regular shelf. I haven't looked since. When we moved the bbq sauce available was so dreadful I was making my own when needed. No one complained and I was making it up every time. The trends and number of cooking shows in the UK are a bit startling. I think I could watch food shows continuously and stay on a very few main channels. Probably just the bbc and itv ones would take care of it actually.

 

Btw, We prefer vindaloo too!

[Ellesmere]

I guess I've been here long enough to chime in on our current issue/discussion. I'm the opposite end of many here. I don't read dark or gritty books.  There was a time in my life when I did and with young children and other stresses in life I now read cozy and happy endings.  

 

We all have different backgrounds and different life experiences. I love that about here. I love hearing about the books others are reading even if I'm not interested in reading them myself. 

 

I think what Jane said about distance is really important. It allows discussions that don't feel as personal as it might if we are talking about more modern day issues. I know there are many here who are deeply passionate about issues going on in the world today and many of those here likely have different views of the issues and how they should be solved. This is a group of smart women.  How could we not have all sorts of different but great ideas?  

 

There's lots of places available to discuss those but there's not many places where we can discuss books. Just here recently we've talked about the stress and discord on Facebook. I don't want anyone to find this place the be unwelcoming.  I'm worried that we are already at that point and I'm sad about it. 

 

Just quoting you because I was barely successful with my last multi quote. :lol: Jane, I read yours, too, and thank you both for helping while Robin is on break. And I respect all the work and love she puts into books & these threads. 

 

First, I have to wonder how many people, like me, missed a couple threads completely this year and didn't even see last week. So my apologies to you if I sound like I'm just stirring things up. (And to you if you did see it and just want to move on! I won't say more after this post unless someone wants to discuss more with me. Unlikely, but feel free to PM or respond to me here and I will. Otherwise, I'll consider this to be my final thoughts on it. *sigh of relief* :gnorsi: ) 

Also I know there are weeks when it all hits the fan and I just read, no energy to participate. I also understand just wanting to get back to book chat because I have loved it so much here. Where else can I confess my attachment to Hugh Fraser? I was so sick the past couple weeks but I was thinking of you all and wanting to confess about show I watched instead of reading the book it was based on. And I wanted to ask you all about a book I was wondering -- could it really be worth all those chapters? Many of you have led me to wonderful books. So of course, no one wants this to be an unwelcoming place.

 

Putting all my cards on the table here: Before I posted a response to Stacia last week, I messaged and asked if she minded a public response or should I skip it. I didn't want to post so late in the game if everything was resolved privately.

 

To her credit, she didn't try to influence how I saw the discussion or ask me to post. So I just posted last week out of appreciation for her bringing lovely books into my life and for her words. Also, this is a great group and I am all for feedback that helps. 

 

I think it is uncomfortable to discuss this but it is a sign that people care deeply. I can't speak for anyone else, but as you said, Amy -- it is a group of smart woman, so I believe some spoke out because they love and care. It's worth the time, to me, to work this out and discuss. 

 

Also, none of what I said was based on agreement with anyone in particular. It was the way it was done that had upset me.

 

We all have bad days and say things we wish we could take back. Or at least wish we'd found a better way to speak our minds. I am not speaking from the seat of wisdom or because I think I am Talented at Communication. It's coming from things I've learned from stepping on toes and putting my foot right in my mouth. I'd save time if I just left it there.  :laugh: So I am writing this knowing I did my best not to offend and am not going to take it personally if you don't want to hear more from me on this. :001_smile: 

 

[Ellesmere]

Over here, my youngest is a huge Chetna (of GBBO fame) fan. Has been watching her Youtube channel almost daily.

 

Of course, we never have Indian food at home but I keep watching and telling myself, one of these days, I'm really going to try making that! But I probably won't because with my cooking skills it would turn out to be The Best Irish Pizza in America and not at all what Chetna told me to do.

[Matryoshka]

Okay, so I know a bunch of you have read Jar City....

 

If anyone has the book at hand, would you mind looking up for me what the man in the green parka/winter coat is described as wearing on his head in the third paragraph of chapter/section 10 (about page 63 or so)?  I must know what it says in English...    :bigear:   Pretty please?

 

Okay, so since I'm sure you all want to know, I have the answer thanks to dd and her mad Googling skills...

 

As I would expect, the guy in the English book is wearing a baseball cap, which makes sense.

 

In German, he's wearing a BASKETball cap.  WTH is that?  Unfortunately, I have no way to figure out whether the Icleandic author wrote it that way, or whether it was the German translator doesn't know the difference between Basketball and Baseball and made a translation error... (both are possible...) Because at any rate, I was thinking an American translator would 'fix' it even if it had been wrong in the original...   I just had to know if they mythical Basketball Cap existed in the English version too.... :tongue_smilie:  And then it would've had to have come from the original, but I guess the mystery will remain...

 

Hey, I finally came across the "Jar City" term in the book (the title both in Icelandic and German have nothing to do with that term).  In German, it's a Glass Palace. :D

 

Translation is an art... :)

[aggieamy]

:001_wub:  Hugh Fraser

 

 

Me too. I love him as Captain Hastings and he's such a fantastic audiobook narrator.  

 

Over here, my youngest is a huge Chetna (of GBBO fame) fan. Has been watching her Youtube channel almost daily.

 

Of course, we never have Indian food at home but I keep watching and telling myself, one of these days, I'm really going to try making that! But I probably won't because with my cooking skills it would turn out to be The Best Irish Pizza in America and not at all what Chetna told me to do.

 

 

LOL!

[mumto2]

Over here, my youngest is a huge Chetna (of GBBO fame) fan. Has been watching her Youtube channel almost daily.

 

Of course, we never have Indian food at home but I keep watching and telling myself, one of these days, I'm really going to try making that! But I probably won't because with my cooking skills it would turn out to be The Best Irish Pizza in America and not at all what Chetna told me to do.

I had no idea Chetna had a show on Youtube. Dd and I made a few things from scratch back when Aarti was doing the Food Network competition, which google says was 2010. Seriously. The samosa's were pretty good. I've gotten lazy and buy prepared items now.

[Narrow Gate Academy]

I finally finished Spark: The Revolutionary Science of Exercise and the Brain by Terry and posted a review. Next up on the nonfiction front is Gaiman's Norse Mythology.

[Shawneinfl]

101 Dalmatians was one of my all time favourite read alouds. We still compare the real one (book) to the movie and drive my dh nuts! He didn't read with the rest of us. The book is so much better. :)

 

 

I totally agree!

 

[6packofun]

I finally chose a Neal Stephenson book to read:  Seveneves.  I realllly like the premise of this book, but in the back of my mind I'm remember all the negative reviews I've read of this particular one.  Some people really liked it and some thought it was meh because of lack of character development, which I can already see a bit in how most characters seem to be there for lecturing the reader--and one another, thus also the reader--on science.  lol.  I should just look at the number of stars and NOT read reviews. 

 

Here is a blurb from Amazon (and hey, it was on President Obama's summer reading list last year!  lol):  Seveneves launches into action with the disintegration of the moon. Initially considered only a cosmetic, not cosmic, change to the skies, the moon’s breakup is soon identified as the spawning ground of a meteor shower dubbed the Hard Rain that will bombard Earth for thousands of years, extinguishing all life from the surface of the planet. Now humanity has only two years to get off-world and into the Cloud Ark, a swarm of small, hastily built spaceships that will house millions of Earth species (recorded as digital DNA) and hundreds of people until they can return home again. But who goes, and who stays? And once the lucky few have joined the Cloud Ark, how will the remaining seeds of humankind survive not only the perils of day-to-day of life in space but also the lethal quicksand of internal politics? Slingshot pacing propels the reader through the intricacies of orbit liberation points, the physics of moving chains, and bot swarms, leaving an intellectual afterglow and a restless need to know more. An epic story of humanity and survival that is ultimately optimistic, Seveneves will keep you thinking long past the final page.

[Loesje22000]

I finished the Cairo triology!

I will try to write a review today, but need a cup of coffee first...

[Loesje22000]

Expecting to read something like:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19162459-the-king

book 1 was a huge disappointment.

Until page 360! 'Nothing' happened...

In my personal view the triology is more about the family, and their changes in the time, then about the British occupation of Egypt.

 

I liked book 2 much better, and concluded that book 1 was a very slow preludium on book 2.

When reading book 3, I realized I would not have appreciate this book, if I would not have also read book 1 and 2.

Then one realizes how much the family changed during the years.

So I'm affraid I will recommend to read them all three or none, but please don't stop after book 1....

 

The men in the family do not live according their faith (politely said), it seems the 'standard' in book 1.

The women were not allowed to leave the house (even not for a visit to the mosque).

It were these types of things that made reading book 1 so hard to me.

In each book after this one sees the changes in standards.

Not in a revolutionary way, but silently, generation per generation.

In each book the role of politics grows.

So midway I had to read some information about this era in this area.

I knew nothing, perhaps it would be wise to read some non fiction about the History of Egypt along.

 

One of the recensies I read stated that the development of the family represents the development of the Egypt in that time.

I don't know if that is true. I see how changes in Egypt effected the family. But that is not the same to me.

This book shows Cairo not as the big City I imagine Cairo is.

In my eyes it is a family saga that could be set in a small (provincial) town.

It is a worthwhile read afterall.

 

Goodreads thinks I can read Arabic by now :)

[Stacia]

.

Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia

[Stacia]

.

Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia

[Stacia]

.

Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia

[Loesje22000]

@ Stacia:

 

I can totally imagine one quits during book 1 of the triology.

The author takes a lot of words (and a lot of time) to paint the family and their setting.

The head of the family was,.... eh hypocrite?

[Ethel Mertz]

I finished Rebecca Solnit's The Faraway Nearby. Solnit is an essayist and this book is described as being "a Russian doll" of stories within stories. Books of essays aren't my usual cup of tea (the beverage), but this was a fascinating weave of stories starting and ending with apricots from her mother's tree. In between, are a number of stories ranging from folklore to descriptions of her mother's narcissism to Iceland and birds (Jane!!). Altogether, a thoughtful and poignant read.

 

I also finished the second Louise Penny mystery. I can see this is a series I will enjoy.

[Lady Florida.]

I finished The Sisters Brothers last night. That was a fun book! Now I only have one library book to read (whew!), although I'm next in line for Never Caught.

[Mom-ninja.]

Oh, one last thing...

 

Mom-ninja, you have such a practical solution for bulletproof coffee. (I won't even digress into my issues w/ using an immersion blender.)

 

However, my style of bulletproof coffee prep could easily be turned into a bulletproof coffee extreme workout/Burpee session. Burpees from literally ceiling to floor to cover the entire surface of your kitchen. Results: extreme cardio workout plus a really clean kitchen (which even smells good while cleaning). Whadda ya think? :D

 

(I feel sure you're intrigued! Right?!? :biggrinjester: )

I love your multi-tasking mind. I'm always looking for ways to include more movement into my day.

[mumto2]

Happy St. Patrick's Day! It's such a fun holiday with great memories. When the dc's were little we used to go all out. They built leprechaun traps all over the house with toilet rolls etc. I would distract them and dh would spring all the traps and leave change. One year a friend who travels the world for work saved all his odd change for use in the traps. They loved it.

 

Stacia, :lol: Loved your description of the decorating book!

 

Kathy, Glad to know you enjoyed The Sisters Brothers. It's planned western and I have not been looking forward to it.

[JennW in SoCal]

Last night I finished one of my kindle books that was supposed to be an airplane book. Worried that the dozen titles queued up on kindle and audible won't be enough to last me through two international flights, not to mention the amazing library of international movie titles available for viewing on those flights, I just spent an hour scouring Goodreads and Overdrive to find another mystery. One title could make all the difference in surviving a long flight!!

 

The mystery I finished last night was the 2nd Inspector Vaara, Lucifer's Tears. Not quite ready to dive into the 3rd in the series as I find the dark underbelly of Finland a bit depressing, but Inspector Vaara is a good, tenacious detective, and the characters well drawn.   

 

My carefully chosen replacement mystery is an old school mystery by Ngaio Marsh. I chose Died in the Wool, one of the titles described in last year's literary issue of Piecework magazine. 

 

 

[aggieamy]

Last night I finished one of my kindle books that was supposed to be an airplane book. Worried that the dozen titles queued up on kindle and audible won't be enough to last me through two international flights, not to mention the amazing library of international movie titles available for viewing on those flights, I just spent an hour scouring Goodreads and Overdrive to find another mystery. One title could make all the difference in surviving a long flight!!

 

The mystery I finished last night was the 2nd Inspector Vaara, Lucifer's Tears. Not quite ready to dive into the 3rd in the series as I find the dark underbelly of Finland a bit depressing, but Inspector Vaara is a good, tenacious detective, and the characters well drawn.   

 

My carefully chosen replacement mystery is an old school mystery by Ngaio Marsh. I chose Died in the Wool, one of the titles described in last year's literary issue of Piecework magazine. 

 

We have that problem with my daughter. I thought I had her loaded up to the gills in audiobooks and ebooks for a two week cruise. About halfway through the trip I could be found in a Swedish McDonalds frantically trying to download as many inexpensive and 11 year old girl appropriate books as I could over unimpressive wi-fi. She read 25 books on that I trip. I think I managed to read half of Rebecca. 

 

*waves*  Have fun!

 

 

 

Remember long trips before Kindles? Wasn't that the worst! I went with my parents and little brother to Germany for three weeks in the early 2000's and I remember bringing along four paperback library books in my suitcase. I had to take clothing out to put books in. 

[mumto2]

Last night I finished one of my kindle books that was supposed to be an airplane book. Worried that the dozen titles queued up on kindle and audible won't be enough to last me through two international flights, not to mention the amazing library of international movie titles available for viewing on those flights, I just spent an hour scouring Goodreads and Overdrive to find another mystery. One title could make all the difference in surviving a long flight!!

 

The mystery I finished last night was the 2nd Inspector Vaara, Lucifer's Tears. Not quite ready to dive into the 3rd in the series as I find the dark underbelly of Finland a bit depressing, but Inspector Vaara is a good, tenacious detective, and the characters well drawn.

 

My carefully chosen replacement mystery is an old school mystery by Ngaio Marsh. I chose Died in the Wool, one of the titles described in last year's literary issue of Piecework magazine.

I am so glad someone else is enjoying the James Thompson books! I thought you would.

 

When I am being paranoid before an international flight I try to find a gigantic ebook. Last time I flew with all five Soulless books in one handy ebook. I never needed it but I did read three books on the flight. I hadn't really planned to watch a movie but I ended up in a seat where the headphone connection was broken. I didn't want to move so no movies for me.

[Kareni]

A one day only currently free non-fiction work for Kindle readers ~

 

A Book of Remarkable Criminals by H. B. Irving

 

About the Author

Henry Brodribb Irving (1870–1919) was an English actor, author, and lawyer. Born in London, he studied law at Oxford, but rather than pursue a life in court, he took to the stage. For most of his life, he traveled England and Australia, playing a range of roles from Hamlet to Mr. Hyde. After World War I, he retired from the theater and returned to the practice of law. It was during this time that Irving wrote the work for which he is best remembered: A Book of Remarkable Criminals (1918).

 

 

"This classic study profiles serial killers, gentleman murderers, and every stripe of madman in between

Benjamin Pitezel should never have trusted H. H. Holmes. In 1894, the two men conspired to fake Pitezel’s death for the sake of a $10,000 insurance settlement. But Holmes decided murder would be simpler. He killed his partner, kidnapped three of his children, and tried to claim the insurance money as his own. The scheme unraveled and Holmes killed the children as well. When he was caught, the police had no idea they had captured one of the vilest murderers in American history. The Pitezel murders were only the tip of a very bloody iceberg.
 
The chilling case of H. H. Holmes—famously recounted in Erik Larson’s award-winning bestseller, The Devil in the White City—is but one of the true crime tales contained in this remarkable work. Author H. B. Irving understood the public’s lurid fascination with murder, and in this seminal study he shows readers the many faces of evil."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Angel]

Hi All!

 

I finally finished a couple books I've been working on. Yeah me! I am still kind of shocked at my audio book listening this year.  I'm kind of getting used to listening before bed because I've been SO tired I just can't pick up a physical book and read.  Of course, it would help if I could listen to a book that I am not familiar with, but hey, I'm getting better at this audio book thing so I'm going with it.  It IS hard to find books on audio that I've read before that I would want to listen to.  My library doesn't have all of David Eddings books on audio and the wait for Harry Potter is ridiculous.  But I'm muddling through.

 

Ok, so that was a bit of a ramble.  :rolleyes:  

 

I finished listening to Talking to Dragons by Patricia Wrede.  It was fun revisiting this series.  The first two books were definitely my favorite though.  I did love the last line of the last book, however, where the character says "...and I followed happily after."  All throughout the series there are little mentions and cameos by numerous fairy tale characters.  I thought the last line was a clever twist on the Happily Ever After.

 

I finally finished reading Dragons of Autumn Twilight by Margaret Weiss and Tracey Hickman.  This is the first in the Dragonlance Chronicles.  This is one of my husband's favorite series, and I've read it so many times.  Aly read the first book over vacation in February for the first time so I wanted to revisit it as well.  I love it when a book can make me laugh out loud, and a couple characters in this book make me do just that.  I would like to read the series along with Aly as she reads but I have so many other books on my tbr list that I don't know if that will happen.  

 

I am halfway through Anne of Windy Poplars for co-op class.  I started Hidden Figures which was our Book Club pick for March.  I'm enjoying it but it is a lot of information here at the beginning and I would really rather just get on with the story.  I'm hoping it picks up a bit.  I finally settled on Twilight as my audio.  Every time I revisit these, I remember why I love them.  I know that really bothers some people, but I think they are good fluff.  Those should last me for a while.  Though I really want to find the Harry Potter books on audio somehow because we will be visiting the parks twice this year with friends and family.  It just gets us in the right frame of mind  :laugh: Maybe I'll have to get the audio cd's from the library.

 

I'm hoping to do some spring cleaning and painting next week before Aly's Singing in the Rain dress rehearsals ramp up and it gets really crazy around here.  So there may not be much in the way of reading over the next couple weeks.

 

Happy St. Patrick's Day and Happy March Madness :hurray:

[Kareni]

My book group met last night and we had a lively discussion about Rebecca Skloot's  The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks which touched on family, race, wealth and poverty, ethics, and more.  I'm happy to have read the book, and I recommend it.

**

 

I also recently finished Patricia Briggs' Silence Fallen (A Mercy Thompson Novel) which I enjoyed (even if I didn't identify the Dr. Who character).  The story was complex, and I'll likely re-read this at some point when I re-read the entire series.  I still prefer the Alpha and Omega stories, because they focus on Charles and Anna instead of having a large cast of characters.

 

"In the #1 New York Times bestselling Mercy Thompson novels, the coyote shapeshifter has found her voice in the werewolf pack. But when Mercy’s bond with the pack—and her mate—is broken, she’ll learn what it truly means to be alone...
 
Attacked and abducted in her home territory, Mercy finds herself in the clutches of the most powerful vampire in the world, taken as a weapon to use against alpha werewolf Adam and the ruler of the Tri-Cities vampires. In coyote form, Mercy escapes—only to find herself without money, without clothing, and alone in the heart of Europe...
 
Unable to contact Adam and the rest of the pack, Mercy has allies to find and enemies to fight, and she needs to figure out which is which. Ancient powers stir, and Mercy must be her agile best to avoid causing a war between vampires and werewolves, and between werewolves and werewolves. And in the heart of the ancient city of Prague, old ghosts rise..."

**

 

I also re-read with pleasure Mary Balogh's historical romance Only a Promise.

 

"The Survivors’ Club: Six men and one woman, all wounded in the Napoleonic Wars, their friendship forged during their recovery at Penderris Hall in Cornwall. Now, for one of them, striking a most unusual bargain will change his life forever.…

Ralph Stockwood prides himself on being a leader, but when he convinced his friends to fight in the Napoleonic Wars, he never envisioned being the sole survivor. Racked with guilt over their deaths, Ralph must move on...and find a wife so as to secure an heir to his family’s title and fortune.

Since her Seasons in London ended in disaster, Chloe Muirhead is resigned to spinsterhood. Driven by the need to escape her family, she takes refuge at the home of her mother’s godmother, where she meets Ralph. He needs a wife. She wants a husband. So Chloe makes an outrageous suggestion: Strike a bargain and get married. One condition: Ralph has to promise that he will never take her back to London. But circumstances change. And to Ralph, it was only a promise."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

A couple of lists from Book Riot:

 

100 Must-Read Books About The History of Medicine by Ashley Bowen-Murphy

 

One of the books mentioned is Rebecca Skloot's  The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks which I mentioned above.

 

also

 

100 Must-Read Nonfiction Adventure Books by Jessi Lewis

**

 

A currently free science fiction/fantasy romance for Kindle readers ~ Exile by Colleen Vanderlinden

 

"Two races fight for what remains of a dying planet.

For generations, the Maarlai, an alien race who fled the destruction of their own home world, have lived silently, hidden, exiled on Earth. They watched, year by year, as humanity destroyed what was once a planet full of hope and promise.

Unable to idly watch as the planet dipped further into destruction, the Maarlai left their hidden villages and went to war with what was left of humanity. With the death of the last great human king, the Maarlai found themselves victorious and vowed to protect and restore the planet that had sheltered them for so long.

A treaty made, an alliance formed.

Shannen of House Lyon is a member of the last of the human royal families. While they bend knee to the Maarlai ruler, her people have not forgotten their former greatness, the years of bloodshed and horror... or the memory of their fallen king.

To ensure a lasting peace between their two peoples, Shannen and three other prominent human women are sent to the Maarlai capital. One of them will wed the future Maarlai king, cementing the peace between former enemies.

When Shannen finds herself married to the Maarlai warrior, she discovers a whole new world... and freedom unlike anything she could have imagined. When war threatens once again, she will need to decide where her loyalties truly lie."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

Clearly, I'm on a roll with three posts in a row.

 

I just finished a historical (early 1900s) romance that I enjoyed and which I suspect I'll be rereading.  (Adult content) 

 

Think of England by K J Charles

 

"Lie back and think of England... England, 1904. Two years ago, Captain Archie Curtis lost his friends, fingers, and future to a terrible military accident. Alone, purposeless and angry, Curtis is determined to discover if he and his comrades were the victims of fate, or of sabotage. Curtis's search takes him to an isolated, ultra-modern country house, where he meets and instantly clashes with fellow guest Daniel da Silva. Effete, decadent, foreign, and all-too-obviously queer, the sophisticated poet is everything the straightforward British officer fears and distrusts. As events unfold, Curtis realizes that Daniel has his own secret intentions. And there's something else they share-a mounting sexual tension that leaves Curtis reeling. As the house party's elegant facade cracks to reveal treachery, blackmail and murder, Curtis finds himself needing clever, dark-eyed Daniel as he has never needed a man before..."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Lady Florida.]

My book group met last night and we had a lively discussion about Rebecca Skloot's  The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks which touched on family, race, wealth and poverty, ethics, and more.  I'm happy to have read the book, and I recommend it.

**

 

 

 

I read it a few years ago and thought it was excellent. Not long after I read it the U.S. Supreme Court ruled (in a rare unanimous ruling) that human genes can't be patented. 

 

Did you know HBO made a movie based on the book? I don't have HBO so I'll have to wait for it to come to Amazon or somewhere, but I'm curious to know if they did a good job.

 

[Kareni]

IDid you know HBO made a movie based on the book? I don't have HBO so I'll have to wait for it to come to Amazon or somewhere, but I'm curious to know if they did a good job.

 

I hadn't known about the movie until someone mentioned it last night, but I am now similarly curious!  If someone here watches it on HBO when it debuts next month, I hope they'll let us both know.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Penguin]

A couple of lists from Book Riot:

 

100 Must-Read Books About The History of Medicine by Ashley Bowen-Murphy

 

One of the books mentioned is Rebecca Skloot's  The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks which I mentioned above.

 

also

 

100 Must-Read Nonfiction Adventure Books by Jessi Lewis

**

 

 

Thanks! I was stumped on the Female Adventure Square, and the nonfiction adventure book list led me to West with the Night by Beryl Marhkam. I think I would like that one :)

[Kareni]

A one day only currently free classic whodunit for Kindle readers ~

 

The Seven Secrets by William Le Queux

 

About the Author

The author of more than one hundred novels, William Le Queux (1864-1927) was an Anglo-French journalist, diplomat, and outspoken critic of British defense efforts.

 

 

"A timeless whodunit about the unusual murder of one of London’s elite and the twisting and treacherous investigation to find the true killer 

Despite wealthy old Mr. Henry Courtenay’s steadily declining health, his death comes as a shock to those around him. It was murder, Courtenay’s prim manservant exclaims, and he implores Dr. Ralph Boyd to find the culprit. The list of suspects appears to be short: Only someone who lives in Courtenay’s suburban London home could have gone into his room unnoticed. Could the murderer be one of the servants? Or perhaps Courtenay’s young wife—or her beautiful sister, with whom Boyd has fallen in love? Boyd is beginning to realize that in the Courtenay home, secrets abound at every turn and, as with all great mysteries, nothing is as simple as it seems."

 

Regards,

Kareni