Book a Week 2017 - BW18: Eastward May

[Jane in NC]

I am so generous!  I'll let the rest of you duke it out for Cary Grant--just so you leave Montgomery Clift for me!!  My favorite Clift movie is The Search shot in 1948 in the ruins of Germany. Clift, an American military officer, seeks to unite a war orphan with his lost mother. The pair had survived Auschwitz and were then separated. It is a tear jerker of a film.

 

 

[Kareni]

LOL It's Emerge by Heather Sunseri.  It's the first book of a very, very, very good dystopian trilogy.

 

And I see it's currently free for Kindle readers ~  

 

Emerge   by Heather Sunseri

 

"Six years ago, a highly contagious virus wiped out more than ninety-nine percent of the country’s population. The only person to contract the virus and survive, Cricket fled her identity and the safety of New Caelum, an airtight city. Now eighteen, she watches the city where the wealthy cocooned from the devastating outbreak. When the city’s rumbling incinerator wakes her one night while she and her friends are camping just beyond the city walls, she alone knows what the fiery machine means: the lethal virus is back.

 

Only eighteen, Westlin Layne is already being groomed to succeed his mother as New Caelum’s next president. Suddenly West’s sister develops symptoms of the deadly virus thought to be eradicated years ago. Placed under quarantine, the president confesses to West a long-held secret: Christina Black, West’s childhood friend and first love, survived the virus, and her body alone holds the precious antibodies to save his sister.

 

Now West must leave the city to find Christina. But Cricket has no intention of being found."

**

 

Robin, I remember you mentioning that you were reading Barb Taub's Null City book. I see that her books are on sale for 99 cents.  You can see her titles here.

**

 

Regards,

Kareni

[aggieamy]

Cary Grant makes me swoon. I think if I met him in life I'd faint. Well, considering that he is dead so meeting him would definitely make anyone faint, but I mean that if he and I had been from the same era and we'd met....I'd faint from giddy attraction. 

 

 

This reminds me of a funny story my grandmother told me.

 

She was feeling particularly romantic towards my grandfather one morning (this would have been in the 70's and my grandparents were in their late 40's) so at breakfast Mommo told Poppo. "I love you so much. I wouldn't leave you for Cary Grant." She said my Poppo didn't even look up from his paper and replied, "Of course not. He'd be in his 80's by now."

 

LOL.

 

And that basically sums up my Poppo's personality.

 

 

 

Cary Grant is pretty textbook handsome. I'll give you that. I think Jimmy Stewart has my heart from that era though.  

[aggieamy]

Chews and I picked up a bunch of books from the library today. I'll report back with reviews in a few days but there were books on hats and poop (!) and animals in the stack.   :laugh:

 

 

Also who wants to move to Three Pines with me. It's likely we'll be murdered but I'm willing to take that chance. 

[aggieamy]

And I see it's currently free for Kindle readers ~  

 

Emerge   by Heather Sunseri

 

"<snip>

 

**

 

Robin, I remember you mentioning that you were reading Barb Taub's Null City book. I see that her books are on sale for 99 cents.  You can see her titles here.

**

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

 

What would we do without Kareni keeping us up to date on all the book deals?!?!  :wub:  :wub:  :wub:  Thank you for keeping BaW so budget friendly!

Edited May 4, 2017 by aggieamy

[Stacia]

.

Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia

[Chrysalis Academy]

You guys!!!!! If you loved Cloud Atlas, you absolutely, positively have to read Ghostwritten.  You just do. Trust me.  Such a fantastic postmodern mind-screw when you consider that *it* was published in 1999 while Cloud Atlas wasn't published till 2004 . . . 

 

When I told dh he needed to read this book (contradicting my earlier post that I'd be cautious about future recommendations) he said, "Ok, I'm looking forward to it. I can see you're jazzed about it." This from the man of understatement. If he thinks I'm jazzed, you know I really, really liked this book.

Edited May 4, 2017 by Chrysalis Academy

[Kareni]

What would we do without Kareni keeping us up to date on all the book deals?!?!  :wub:  :wub:  :wub:  Thank you for keeping BaW so budget friendly!

 

Well, thank you kindly!

 

 

Here's a currently free historical romance by an author whose contemporary hockey romances I enjoy ~ Twice a Rake (Lord Rotheby's Influence Book 1)  by Catherine Gayle

 

And a three volume fantasy collection by an author that my adult daughter likes ~ The Dragon Blood Collection, Books 1-3 by Lindsay Buroker

 

And an inspirational historical romance that I enjoyed ~ Against the Tide by Elizabeth Camden

 

And an award winning retelling of Robin Hood with a gay twist ~ Greenwode (The Wode Book 1) by J Tullos Hennig

 

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Mom-ninja.]

I finally found I book that's funny and I want to finish. Whew. After nixing the last 3 books I was getting weary. I started and am enjoying I'm Judging You  which was mentioned here. Sorry, I don't remember who read it and posted about it. The author is funny. Thanks!

[mumto2]

And an award winning retelling of Robin Hood with a gay twist ~ Greenwode (The Wode Book 1) by J Tullos Hennig

 

 

Regards,

Kareni

I think this book or parts of the series is set in my village. Years ago I kept being asked if I had met the visiting author yet.....finally ran into her in the churchyard and brought her up to the tower for a practice. She was lovely. I bought the book but it never made it off my nightstand. After months there I gave up. Not sure what I did with it. It might be on a bookshelf but I might have given it to the library. Maybe I will actually read it now I have it in Kindle format!

[Nan in Mass]

Two enjoyable posts from the Tor.com site ~

How to Do Karate in a Victorian Dress by Marie Brennan

 

"When Mary Robinette Kowal and I were on tour together, she asked me to record something for a charity fundraiser: a video of me performing a karate kata in the Victorian dress I wore for our tour events.

 

Being an author, of course I said yes.

 

Because it immediately made me wonder—what would that be like? How well could I do karate in that dress? What sorts of difficulties would I run into? And how could I make use of this experience in a story someday? I had some suspicions, but without putting them to the test, I couldn’t be sure. Mary and I were on the way to our next event when she made the request, so after we arrived and got into costume, I decided I would take a moment to walk through a simple kata as a preliminary test...."

 

AND

...

 

Regards,

Kareni

I guessed sleeves just based on modern clothing grin. I suspect this is why shoulder pads exist - they allow a bit more room while still giving a smooth look. "Good" clothes are awful about letting you move your arms. Skirts, on the other hand, have their disadvantages but also have advantages when it comes to comfort and freedom of movement.

 

Nan

[Onceuponatime]

I absolutely despised A Conferacy of Dunces. It was on so many "to read" lists that I gave it a try. I tried, and tried some more, until I got about halfway through and had one of those "life is too short" moments. To me, it has no redeeming value at all.

 

 

Right now, I'm reading The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden. I could certainly understand why someone might not like this book, but here is my current review:

 

"This is one wacky, offbeat, deadpan humor story. It is part alternative history, part 20th century tall tale. It takes place during apartheid and nuclear proliferation. Much of the subject matter should not be humorous, but somehow it is. Don't expect to know where the story is going, just give up and let the author lead you around by the nose. If you like The Mouse That Roared, you might like The Girl who Saved the King of Sweden. The girl in the story, Nombeko, seems to parallel Tully Bascomb, in a loose way. I'm only half way through. If my opinion changes, I will revise this review. "

 

I'm pretty sure my sense of humor is atypical, but I think Mark Twain would have enjoyed reading this story.

[Mom-ninja.]

I absolutely despised A Conferacy of Dunces. It was on so many "to read" lists that I gave it a try. I tried, and tried some more, until I got about halfway through and had one of those "life is too short" moments. To me, it has no redeeming value at all.

 

 

 

Yes, I have way too many books to read. I can't waste time on books that aren't doing anything for me. 

[Narrow Gate Academy]

I went browsing the Amazon prime library and found Dark Planet Warriors by Anna Carven. I enjoyed it enough to use my $5 promo code to buy it and the next two books in the series, Dark Planet Falling and Into the Light. I read all three and rated them four stars (the links above to go my reviews).

Edited May 6, 2017 by Narrow Gate Academy

[Stacia]

.

Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia

[Kareni]

I went browsing the Amazon prime library and found Dark Planet Warriors by Anna Craven. I enjoyed it enough to use my $5 promo code to buy it and the next two books in the series, Dark Planet Falling and Into the Light. I read all three and rated them four stars (the links above to go my reviews).

 

It's good to hear a first person review as this is an author I've been thinking of reading.  (Incidentally, it's Carven rather than Craven.)

**

 

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

 

The Financier (The Trilogy of Desire Book 1) by Theodore Dreiser

 

"The Financier is a nuanced portrait of one of the greatest characters in twentieth-century literature. Based on the life of railway tycoon Charles Tyson Yerkes, the epic narrative spans from the aftermath of the Civil War to the Great Chicago Fire and the Panic of 1873. Both a glimpse of a fascinating period in American history and a timeless portrait of the dark side of human nature, this is the compelling tale the Wall Street Journal hailed as “the greatest of all American business novels . . . [with] an amazingly intricate description of high-rolling 19th-century finance.â€"

**

 

Also currently free for Kindle readers this historical romance ~

 

A Dangerous Seduction (Bow Street Brides Book 1)  by Jillian Eaton

**

 

From Tor.com, this post is amusing but does have adult language ~

 

My Lousy Children Are Both Fake Geeks  by Robert Jackson Bennett

 

"We all know that there is really only one reason we have kids. I mean, yeah, there’s the whole “walking bag of donateable organs and blood†part. But the real reason one has children, the true reason, is so that you can fill up their bizarre little brains with your own pet affections, vigilantly programming them to love the things you love, and also to love you, I guess. It’s like having a parrot, but instead of teaching them to say the things you want, it’s to have the emotional bonds to the pop culture that you want...."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Matryoshka]

Right now, I'm reading The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden. I could certainly understand why someone might not like this book, but here is my current review:

 

"This is one wacky, offbeat, deadpan humor story. It is part alternative history, part 20th century tall tale. It takes place during apartheid and nuclear proliferation. Much of the subject matter should not be humorous, but somehow it is. Don't expect to know where the story is going, just give up and let the author lead you around by the nose. If you like The Mouse That Roared, you might like The Girl who Saved the King of Sweden. The girl in the story, Nombeko, seems to parallel Tully Bascomb, in a loose way. I'm only half way through. If my opinion changes, I will revise this review. "

 

I'm pretty sure my sense of humor is atypical, but I think Mark Twain would have enjoyed reading this story.

 

I just picked up that book in German a while back.  That's another one where I can see why they just renamed it rather than translating the title - in German it's "The Illiterate Girl who could compute (or do math? or count?)", which seems to be about the same as the original Swedish.  Yeah, that really doesn't catch the interest quite the same way... I notice the Dutch is also renamed (had to look) - where it's something like "The strange adventures of the friendly (genial) bomb girl"  Bomb Girl?  Well, that's what Google Translate said "Bommenmeisje" was... maybe Loesje can give a better explanation! ;)

 

Glad to hear you're somewhat enjoying it, since it's long and now I own it. :)

[Onceuponatime]

I just picked up that book in German a while back. That's another one where I can see why they just renamed it rather than translating the title - in German it's "The Illiterate Girl who could compute (or do math? or count?)", which seems to be about the same as the original Swedish. Yeah, that really doesn't catch the interest quite the same way... I notice the Dutch is also renamed (had to look) - where it's something like "The strange adventures of the friendly (genial) bomb girl" Bomb Girl? Well, that's what Google Translate said "Bommenmeisje" was... maybe Loesje can give a better explanation! ;)

 

Glad to hear you're somewhat enjoying it, since it's long and now I own it. :)

Believe it or not, the Dutch title makes a lot of sense. There is an atombic bomb floating around in the story. The formerly illiterate girl is friendly, extraordinarily adept at math, and is somewhat responsible for the bomb, even though her goal had originally been to find a library. 😄

[Matryoshka]

Believe it or not, the Dutch title makes a lot of sense. There is an atombic bomb floating around in the story. The formerly illiterate girl is friendly, extraordinarily adept at math, and is somewhat responsible for the bomb, even though her goal had originally been to find a library. 😄

 

And she also saves the king of Sweden?  This is one madcap tale. :lol:

[Kareni]

I just finished RUSH by Emma Scott which I enjoyed.  (Adult content)

 

"To be blind is not miserable; not to be able to bear blindness, that is miserable. --John Milton

Charlotte Conroy, Juilliard-trained violinist, was on the cusp of greatness when tragedy swooped down on dark wings, crushing her hopes and breaking her heart. The music that used to sing in her soul has grown quiet, and she feels on the verge of setting down her violin for good. To pay the bills, she accepts a job as a personal assistant to a bitter, angry young man who’s been disabled by a horrific accident…

Noah Lake was an extreme sport athlete, journalist and photographer. He roamed the world in search of his next adrenaline high, until a cliff-dive left him in a coma. He awakes to find his career gone, his dreams shattered to pieces, his world an endless blackness that will never lift.

Charlotte begins to see that beneath Noah’s angry, brittle exterior is a young man in pain. She is determined to show him that his life isn’t over, that he has so much to live for, never dreaming that she would become the only light in his darkness, or that he would help her find the music in hers.

The life he knew is over. The life she wants is just out of reach.

Together, they must face their fears and rediscover what it means to really live."

**

 

I also re-read Cooper West's Rescued: A “Parker’s Sanctuary†Story (this is a prologue which is currently free to Kindle readers) and Parker's Sanctuary: A Guardsmen Novel.  These are male/male paranormal romance. (Adult content)

 

 

"Stalked by danger, will Parker ever find a place to call home?

 

Greg Lademar is an ordinary and average Army veteran who has settled down with his job as an accountant and his lingering PTSD. He lives a quiet life as a single man, alone on the former blueberry farm he bought from his parents after they retired to Orlando. When a friend who works with animal control asks him to foster Parker, a severely injured dog who has just been rescued from an abusive home, the last thing Greg expects is to be dragged into the mysterious world of the Guardsmen — the bonded pairs of humans and their weredogs, known as Protectors, who are literally the stuff of myths and legends.

 

Greg’s life is turned upside down by unexpected events involving Parker and the strange Guardsmen pair Marcus and Alex Stephanek, but far more dangerous to him is the man who used to own Parker and holds a grudge for having “his†dog taken from him. A game of cat and mouse ensues, with more on the line than even Greg ever thought possible: his life, and the life of Parker, who has become more important to him than Greg ever imagined a rescue dog could be."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Ethel Mertz]

Chews and I picked up a bunch of books from the library today. I'll report back with reviews in a few days but there were books on hats and poop (!) and animals in the stack.   :laugh:

 

 

Also who wants to move to Three Pines with me. It's likely we'll be murdered but I'm willing to take that chance. 

 

I'll move there! 

[Kareni]

I just finished Cambria Hebert's Text (Take It Off Book 4).  The first part of the book seemed sadly believable but then came aspects that require quite a bit of willing suspension of disbelief.  (On telling my husband about those aspects, he said so much so that new shocks would be required!)  I did enjoy reading the book, but I doubt it's a book I'll be likely to re-read.  (Significant adult content)

 

"One text can change everything.
Honor Calhoun never thought her life would ever be like the books she writes for a living. One morning while out for a run, she learns not all bad things are plots in novels. Some horrors can actually come true.
She faces off with a persistent attacker, holds her own, but in the end is taken hostage and thrown into a hole. In the middle of the woods.
But Honor didn’t go down there alone.
She took her kidnapper’s phone with her. With a spotty signal and a dying battery, her hope is slim.
Nathan Reed is an active duty Marine stationed at a small reserve base in Pennsylvania. All he wants is a calm and uneventful duty station where he can forget the memories of his time in a war-torn country.
But a single text changes everything.
Nathan becomes Honor’s only hope for survival, and he has to go against the clock, push aside his past, and take on a mission for a girl he’s never met.
Both of them want freedom… but they have to survive long enough to obtain it."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

Some additional Kindle books that are currently free.  These are primarily fantasy/science fiction.

 

Sing the Four Quarters by Tanya Huff  (I've read and enjoyed other books by this author.)

 

Silver Blood (Series of Blood Book 1) by Emma Hamm

 

A Star Curiously Singing (DarkTrench Saga Book 1) by Kerry Nietz

 

Nyssa Glass and the House of Mirrors by H. L. Burke

 

The Other One  by Amanda Jay

 

Liquid Cool: The Cyberpunk Detective Series (Liquid Cool Book 1) by Austin Dragon

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Loesje22000]

I just picked up that book in German a while back. That's another one where I can see why they just renamed it rather than translating the title - in German it's "The Illiterate Girl who could compute (or do math? or count?)", which seems to be about the same as the original Swedish. Yeah, that really doesn't catch the interest quite the same way... I notice the Dutch is also renamed (had to look) - where it's something like "The strange adventures of the friendly (genial) bomb girl" Bomb Girl? Well, that's what Google Translate said "Bommenmeisje" was... maybe Loesje can give a better explanation! ;)

 

Glad to hear you're somewhat enjoying it, since it's long and now I own it. :)

 

I think I would translate the title from Dutch to English as:

 

The excentric adventures of the genial bomb girl.

 

Although extraordinary might be better then excentric.

 

'Zonderling' is typical used in combination with 'adventures' altough people can get that adjective too.

 

 

Although bomb girl is a new word to me in Dutch

 

Believe it or not, the Dutch title makes a lot of sense. There is an atombic bomb floating around in the story. The formerly illiterate girl is friendly, extraordinarily adept at math, and is somewhat responsible for the bomb, even though her goal had originally been to find a library. 😄

Thank you!

I'm not sure I would have picked the book based up on the Dutch title, but you explanation makes it more interesting :)

[mumto2]

I finished Fated https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11737387-fated and am happy to report it really isn't as Dresden Files set in London as I originally thought. It had some really clever bits mixed in. The character Arachnae was particularly fun and this is being said by someone with a spider phobia! I will definitely try the next in this series!

[Butter]

I finished Anna of Byzantium by Tracy Barrett.  It's the first book Fritz will be reading next school year so I was pre-reading.  It was SO good.  It's historical fiction based on a real person and some real events.

[Kareni]

A one day only currently free classic for Kindle readers ~

 

 

The Eustace Diamonds (The Palliser Novels) by Anthony Trollope 

 

"For an ambitious, keenly intelligent woman, lying proves to be the easiest way to get through life, in this Victorian-era classic.
 
Lizzie Greystock is a woman of rare cunning and determination—both of which she uses to better her lot in life. This is especially true when she manages to convince the ailing Sir Florian Eustace to marry her shortly before his demise, leaving Lizzie both a wealthy widow and the mother to Florian’s young son.
 
A born deceiver, Lizzie is easily able to keep up the front of a proper mourning widow. But while her inherited wealth provides her with comfort, her true love is saved for the opulent diamond necklace her late husband gifted to her. Though it is a family heirloom, she adamantly refuses to give it up, and it soon becomes the focus of her life and the lives of those around her.
 
The story of one woman’s ability to mask her true self and manipulate those who would do the same, TheEustace Diamonds shows the true mastery of witty storytelling and social mores that made Anthony Trollope a revered author."

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

[Stacia]

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Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia

[mumto2]

Happy Birthday Angel!!!!

[Kareni]

LOL It's Emerge by Heather Sunseri. ...

 

In addition to  Emerge, I see another of the author's books is currently free:

Mindspeak (The Mindspeak Series Book 1)  by Heather Sunseri

 

Also currently free ~

 

Thieves' Honor by Jamaila Brinkley

 

Beautiful Storm (Lightning Strikes Book 1) by Barbara Freethy

 

 

The Great Disapurrance (Chicago Catastrophe Book 1)  by Anya Nowlan

 

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Stacia]

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Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia

[Mom-ninja.]

Finished re-reading (for my book club) Jenny Lawson's Let's Pretend This Never Happened. It was still just as bizarre, refreshing, & laugh-out-loud funny as the first time.

 

ETA: Ds is now reading Mohammed Hanif's A Case of Exploding Mangoes & says it is a really good book. (I know it is, which is why I gave him a copy. ;) ) Oh, and his English class is currently watching P&P (the Colin Firth version). He says he, along with everyone else, is strangely riveted & addicted to it (including a couple of football players who have already seen & loved it & watched it enough times to have parts memorized). Lol. So that's kind of cool to hear from the high school world, I think.

I just watched Lost in Austen and it was a fun little movie. They made a lot of twists to the original plot and characters. You come to love Wickham in the movie, and kind of not like Darcy. Then Miss Bingley throws in a loop which I think should and could have been developed more. In all a silly, fun movie. 

[Butter]

In addition to  Emerge, I see another of the author's books is currently free:

Mindspeak (The Mindspeak Series Book 1)  by Heather Sunseri

 

That's also a good series :)

[Lady Florida.]

This past week I finished listening to Keep Moving, by Dick Van Dyke, and finished reading Dodge City: Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, and the Wickedest Town in the American West.

 

Keep Moving was fairly interesting. I always liked Dick Van Dyke - he seems like such a nice guy and comes across that way in this book. He talks about ageism, both in general and his personal experiences with it. It's obviously prevalent in his business, and he complains (rightly imo) about how so many older actors are reduced to selling whole life insurance, erectile dysfunction pills, and diabetes supplies. There were enjoyable memoir bits, words of wisdom for young and old, and his soapbox through the book was that we should 1. Embrace our age, and 2. Honor and respect the elderly, and use them to learn from.

 

Dodge City, while interesting, was slow in parts. It also jumped around in time quite a bit. Still, it was an interesting history of the wild west. Some things we've seen in movies are total fabrications, but many are also true. For example - cowboys would get drunk and start shooting their guns off in the street, sending people flying to hide under tables and behind bars, and some gamblers were shot on the spot for perceived cheating. One lawman was at the barber shop when he heard a commotion outside. He ran out with guns blazing to join the melee, while his barber bib was still around his neck and with shaving cream still on his face. All of those, but especially the last one, sound like caricatures of wild west events, yet were real. So yeah, kind of interesting even though there were slow parts.

 

I'm enjoying The Razor's Edge. Is anyone else reading it? Are we discussing it yet? I've also gone back to Doctor Zhivago, which I put aside when I had several library books I needed to finish. My current audio book is another Her Royal Spyness mystery - Heirs and Graces.

 

 

I just watched Lost in Austen and it was a fun little movie. They made a lot of twists to the original plot and characters. You come to love Wickham in the movie, and kind of not like Darcy. Then Miss Bingley throws in a loop which I think should and could have been developed more. In all a silly, fun movie. 

 

Lost in Austen is one of my guilty pleasures. I watch it often. :)

 

 

ETA: I need a new word to describe non-fiction books that I liked. I've used "interesting" too many times. :D

Edited May 6, 2017 by Lady Florida.

[mumto2]

I'm still waiting for The Razor's Edge to arrive in my Overdrive account. I think my hold went on it on the 18th so I guessing I will get it on the 9th at this point.

 

Another interesting Overdrive side note regarding purchase requests. Two of mine have now been purchased. Yeah! For each I indicated that I wanted them automatically checked out or put on hold. For each I have ended up fourth in the queue. For one I really think my request should have been pretty early in the process so I'm wondering if it's alphabetical by all requests. I'm at the end of the alphabet so fourth sounds about right. Maybe it takes four requests to buy? Who knows! Thanks to home ed my kids never knew what a pain a name at the end could be....they have had some surprisingly long waits recently. :lol:

[Butter]

Yesterday I finished Don't Make Me Come Up There! by Kristen Welch, the mommy blogger at We Are THAT Family.  It's a devotional book with 52 very, very, very short stories and then a scripture and prayer.  The first couple dozen were good.  After that it was like she was just trying to come up with stuff to fill up the book.  The stories made sense with the religious lesson most of the time.  Sometimes it was a stretch.  I got the book free, and I probably wouldn't pay much more than that for it.

 

This morning I finished Missing Since Monday by Ann M. Martin.  She's always been one of my favorite authors.  I was totally addicted to The Baby-Sitters Club series as a kid and even was part of a real life BSC based on the one in the books.  This book is about a girl with a younger sister who is kidnapped and disappears without a trace.  It was good.  Very emotional.  I liked it.

[Stacia]

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Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia

[Kareni]

A one day only currently free classic for Kindle readers ~

 

The Secret Sharer by Joseph Conrad

 

About the Author

Joseph Conrad (1857–1924), born to Polish parents in a region of the Russian Empire that is now part of Ukraine, was orphaned at eleven years old and joined the French merchant marine at sixteen. He sailed to the West Indies, Australia, and Borneo, and spent six months captaining a steamer on the Congo River, an experience that inspired his best-known work, Heart of Darkness. One of the great prose stylists, he wrote all of his novels—including the masterworks Lord Jim, Nostromo, and The Secret Agent—in English, his third language.

 

 

"A young sea captain tests his mettle off the coast of Siam in this nineteenth-century psychological tale from the author of Heart of Darkness.
 
When his sailing ship is anchored in the Gulf of Siam—now Thailand—a first-time sea captain questions his ability to command. Anxious and eager for his crew to like him, he takes the first shift of the night watch. Alone in the dark, he encounters a mysterious man swimming alongside the vessel. The captain allows him to board and learns that the stranger, Leggatt, was first mate on another ship and he claims to have accidentally murdered a man.
 
Torn between arresting Leggatt for his crime and secretly harboring him in his own cabin, the young captain faces a choice more difficult than any he has ever known. Forced to determine Leggatt’s fate, the captain must consider the safety of his crew and the ramifications his decision will have on his own future."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Lady Florida.]

A one day only currently free classic for Kindle readers ~

 

The Secret Sharer by Joseph Conrad

 

 

That's the only Conrad I read (was forced to read) in high school, and wasn't impressed. I've never read Lord Jim, and only read Heart of Darkness a few years ago when I think it was a read-along here at BaW. 

 

Anyway, I'm glad it's a freebie for those who want it, but just seeing the title makes me cringe. I've been out of high school a looonnngg time, so it shows how much I disliked that story. :)

[Butter]

A complete aside...

 

I have seen all manner of things while sitting in traffic. While at a light, I just watched the guy behind me assembling his trombone. First time I've seen that in traffic, lol.

 

And here I thought the guy driving down the interstate brushing his teeth was weird...

[Jane in NC]

The Razor's Edge read along officially begins tomorrow.

[Kareni]

A currently free book for middle school readers ~

 

Jack Templar Monster Hunter  by Jeff Gunhus

 

"Nonstop action meets surprises galore as Jack's true nature and abilities assert themselves against overwhelming odds." - Publishers Weekly

 

"Gunhus brings young readers a monster-filled romp to read at their own risk. In the first few pages, Jack, the storyteller and main character, warns readers not to read about these real-world monsters that would seem to only exist in fiction. The tone is set--sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek and likable; rooting for Jack is easy...Gunhus masterfully introduces fully realized characters with whom readers can connect almost instantly. The pacing is quick but not rushed, and events seamlessly progress, complete with action, cliff-hangers and surprise reveals. " - Kirkus Reviews

**

 

This book is described as gothic and also coming of age ~

 

A Million Doorways  by K. Martin Beckner

 

"Thirteen-year-old Ethan Brook is new to Rocky Creek, Kentucky, the town first introduced in the Southern Gothic novel Chips of Red Paint. Separated from his friends and mourning the tragic loss of his father, he feels isolated from all the things he has ever known and loved. But his outlook on life begins to change one day when he takes a summer job working for the mysterious and eccentric Zelma Green. With nearly a century between them, he finds in her an unlikely kindred spirit. His new friend loves to tell stories about her life, taking him on a journey spanning over eighty years, from the happy days of her youth, a time of horse-drawn carriages, to the darkest moments of her life. But just as Ethan starts to settle and make peace with his new circumstances, he becomes shockingly aware of a soul-crushing deception in his life, a deception hidden away for years like the mummified body down in Zelma Green's cellar. As terrible secrets unfold, Ethan faces a decision: does he run, or does he stand and face the truth and his fears head on?"

**

 

fantasy ~ The Sound of the Stones: Book One in the Shattered Time series  by Beth Hammond

 

"An ancient book

A hidden prophecy

A quest to save humanity

 

When Frankie breaks the binding on an ancient book Ashra's world intertwines with her own.

Evil seeks to destroy humanity, but Ashra is more powerful than she knows. As a new king ascends the throne both her virtue and her life are in danger. She risks everything to flee the city in search of answers. In her quest to save humanity she finds love, uncovers mysteries from the past, and unlocks a primordial magic she never knew she had.

The multi perspective, epic setting of Game of Thrones meets the "book within a book" concept of The Never Ending Story. With a sense of humor similar to Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and romantic undertones reminiscent of The Name of the Wind, The Sound of the Stones appeals to a wide fantasy loving audience."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Lady Florida.]

The Razor's Edge read along officially begins tomorrow.

 

Ah, okay. I thought it was last week so I accidentally got a head start. :)

[Angel]

Angel,

 

  

Happy Birthday Angel!!!!

Thank you!😘 Aly gave me her cold for my birthday 🤧 so it was pretty low key. Hoping to get a rain check for some Cheesecake Factory when I feel better.

 

Aly just finished their homeschool theater's performance of Singin' in the Rain. Four performances in two weeks! It was great! Found out the girl loves to tap dance and is really good at it.

 

Not much reading happening😕 too busy living at the theater for six weeks. Aly and I finished our read aloud of Jurassic Park. And I've listened to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the first Michael Vey. I also finished the second Sigma Force book Map of Bones. The audio books that I've been listening to at night have kept me caught up. I'm at 18 books for the year.

[Jane in NC]

Happy Belated Birthday, Angel.  Hope you feel better soon!

[Kareni]

Happy Belated Birthday, Angel.  Hope you feel better soon!

 

I'll second that!  And hope that you have fun on your forthcoming Cheesecake Factory jaunt.

 

 

Here's a currently free book that might appeal ~

Miracle in a Dry Season (Appalachian Blessings Book #1) by Sarah Loudin Thomas

 

Wonderful, simply wonderful. A story of love, healing, and forgiveness sure to grip the heart of every reader.

--Debbie Macomber, New York Times #1 bestselling author

 

"In a Drought, It's the Darkest Cloud

That Brings Hope

 

It's 1954 and Perla Long's arrival in the sleepy town of Wise, West Virginia, was supposed to go unnoticed. She just wants a quiet, safe place for her and her daughter, Sadie, where the mistakes of her past can stay hidden. But then drought comes to Wise, and Perla is pulled into the turmoil of a town desperately in need of a miracle.

 

Casewell Phillips has resigned himself to life as a bachelor...until he meets Perla. She's everything he's sought in a woman, but he can't get past the sense that she's hiding something. As the drought worsens, Perla's unique gift divides the town in two, bringing both gratitude and condemnation, and placing the pair in the middle of a storm of anger and forgiveness, fear and faith."

 

and a novella ~ Appalachian Serenade (Appalachian Blessings): A Novella

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Robin M]

Happy birthday, Angel.  Hope you feel better soon and glad you are enjoying James Rollins Sigma Force books. 

 

:grouphug:

[Angelaboord]

A complete aside...

 

I have seen all manner of things while sitting in traffic. While at a light, I just watched the guy behind me assembling his trombone. First time I've seen that in traffic, lol.

One of my 11 year olds plays the trombone, and I am impressed somebody could assemble one in traffic. Just trying to move the case itself can cause accidents in my house. (My poor walls!!)

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Stacia]

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Edited November 2, 2017 by Stacia

[Robin M]

link to week 19 - please continue conversation in new thread