Book a Week 2018 - BW10: March footpaths from Dublin to Dorsey

[Lady Florida.]

I finally finished Death of a Red Heroine today. I have mixed feelings about it. I did like it, and my Goodreads review reflects that, but it was quite slow. I'll take my time reading the rest of the series - one book every now and then until I either finish or decide to abandon them.

Edited March 7, 2018 by Lady Florida.

[Critterfixer]

Still trudging through Eye of the World. I'm doggedly determined to see some of those on the quest either grow up, get killed, or at least suffer catastrophic magical failure when they least expect it. I'm mean that way.

Fixing to start Enchantment by Orson Scott Card.

 

I've also got a short story to print out, think about and revise this week on top of continuing sequel writing and a couple of query letters to send out. I should be busy with my reading and writing for the rest of this week.

[PeacefulChaos]

Last night I started The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman and read a few chapters.  I feel like it'll be a relatively quick read.

 

I also FINALLY remembered to move Too Small to Ignore over to the table with the rest of my 'Currently Reading' books and read a couple chapters.  Woohoo!  :lol:  

 

Today was library day and I picked up Venus Plus X, Over Sea, Under Stone, and... this is really random... a book on composting.  :lol:  :lol:  Which came about because of rabbit poo.  That and recycling.  And wanting to do better with recycling and trying to grow things and having something to do with the copious amounts of rabbit poo just one rabbit can make.  So.  A book on composting.  :svengo:  

 

I am reading such a random conglomeration of books right now lol...

[Kareni]

I've finished several books over the past few days ~

 

I found TJ Klune's Murmuration to be a gripping read.  My husband could probably tell you about it as I kept talking about the book with him as I read.  I'd describe the story as eerie but not scary; I don't want to say too much about it as it has surprising developments.  This is a book I'll definitely be re-reading. 

 

Murmuration  by TJ Klune

"In the small mountain town of Amorea, it’s stretching toward autumn of 1954. The memories of a world at war are fading in the face of a prosperous future. Doors are left unlocked at night, and neighbors are always there to give each other a helping hand.

The people here know certain things as fact:

Amorea is the best little town there is.

The only good Commie is a dead Commie.

The Women’s Club of Amorea runs the town with an immaculately gloved fist.

And bookstore owner Mike Frazier loves that boy down at the diner, Sean Mellgard. Why they haven’t gotten their acts together is anybody’s guess. It may be the world’s longest courtship, but no one can deny the way they look at each other.

Slow and steady wins the race, or so they say.

But something’s wrong with Mike. He hears voices in his house late at night. There are shadows crawling along the walls and great clouds of birds overhead that only he can see.

Something’s happening in Amorea. And Mike will do whatever he can to keep the man he loves."

**

 

I also read Steal the Stars: A Novel  by Nat Cassidy which was another intriguing story.  I didn't really care about any of the characters; however, the storyline kept me reading.  It's a novelization of the science fiction podcast of the same name.

 

"Dakota “Dak†Prentiss guards the biggest secret in the world.

 

They call it “Moss.†It’s your standard grey alien from innumerable abduction stories. It still sits at the controls of the spaceship it crash-landed eleven years ago. A secret military base was built around the crash site to study both Moss and the dangerous technology it brought to Earth.

 

The day Matt Salem joins her security team, Dak’s whole world changes.

 

It’s love at first sight—which is a problem, since they both signed ironclad contracts vowing not to fraternize with other military personnel. If they run, they’ll be hunted for what they know. Dak and Matt have only way to be together: do the impossible. Steal Moss and sell the secret of its existence.

 

And they can’t afford a single mistake."

**

 

And I re-read S. K. Dunstall's  Confluence which I enjoyed once more.  This is the third book in the series which should be read in order.  Begin with Linesman.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[mumto2]

Did you read The Meaning of Night, which came before A Glass of Time?  I'm not sure it's really a sequel.   I picked up The Meaning of Night from the Library, but now am dubious about it.  Amazon compares it in some ways to the novel Perfume, which I couldn't read.  Too... icky... for me.  :-)

 

 

I didn't get too much reading done last week, but am progressing slowly in everything.  I'm really enjoying The Sunne in Splendour, and have sped up on that a bit. I was planning to read all the Josephine Tey novels but discovered that I put down A Shilling for Candles and never picked it back up. I saw it under a pile of tax papers yesterday, whoops!  My mother loved those books but I'm finding that one difficult to keep up with. I feel a bit disloyal about it. LOL my mother is the last person to be offended by someone not liking one of her favorite books. 

 

Also listening to Unnatural Death which is seeming very familiar so I'm guessing I started it once before and put it down.  The narrator is Ian Carmichael, who plays Lord Peter in the TV show.  I don't like his narration nearly as much as Nadia May's.  Oh well, free listeners can't be too picky!

 

So enjoying the Brit Tripping, even if I am never sure which bus I am on!  Maybe that's part of the fun of it. :-)

 

 

Well I tried The Glass of Time very briefly and suspect I won’t be going back to it. Just didn’t catch my interest if that makes sense. I haven’t read the previous book which did not appear to be in Northampton. The bits of reviews I read made it seem like a rather unconnected seres.

 

I have been finding the Tey books to be a bit uneven for lack of a good description. They seem to sink into hugely boring for 30 or so pages frequently. So far there has been something I have loved on the other side but can easily understand not wanting to read on.

 

 

Loving the comments on Rosemary's baby. My mother is named Rosemary, so there were a lot of allusions to that book (and movie) when I was growing up. I know what it is about, but never read it.

 

... And ds#1 fixed my Kindle some point in the last 12 hours.   :w00t:  I deregistered it yesterday (again - as that was one of the things I'd tried when attempting to fix it). He asked if he could have it and came to me this morning with it fixed.  :thumbup1:  He's 10. I think this bodes well for his future in a tech world.

Woot! for the clever ds. Nothing motivated my son as much as a computer of his own. He loved his Fire!!!

 

  

Last night I started The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman and read a few chapters.  I feel like it'll be a relatively quick read.

 

I also FINALLY remembered to move Too Small to Ignore over to the table with the rest of my 'Currently Reading' books and read a couple chapters.  Woohoo!  :lol:  

 

Today was library day and I picked up Venus Plus X, Over Sea, Under Stone, and... this is really random... a book on composting.  :lol:  :lol:  Which came about because of rabbit poo.  That and recycling.  And wanting to do better with recycling and trying to grow things and having something to do with the copious amounts of rabbit poo just one rabbit can make.  So.  A book on composting.  :svengo:  

 

I am reading such a random conglomeration of books right now lol...

  

 

Our neighbor has a “free range†bunny who refuses to go in his hutch. His pile in the corner of his yard that he considers to be the bathroom is huge. Cannot believe how much from one rabbit!

 

 

 

The book looks interesting.   Hope you have a wonderful visit to Spain next month!!!!

 

Grin.  Nodding in empathy.  Sorry to those for whom Harry Potter is a literary friend ...... one go through of a H.P book was enough for me.

 

 

I'm really enjoying it.   (I'll hunt up the SoS title you mentioned)

 

 

Thanks to the BaW participators News of the World is a now a favourite book for me ... not sure about rereading it though (I don't want to ruin the first read feeling).

 

Looking forward to seeing what you thought of Footsteps in the Dark . That and Why Shoot a Butler? are two of Heyer's mystery titles I really like.

 

Book 10 is due out in September (?) and if Bess' personal life finally starts to move significantly forward I think I will read on.  Otherwise, I'll wait until the authors get Bess running a hospital/engaged/married, read that title and then count the series as completed.

 

QUESTION:  So to achieve a rank closer to the top we would need to complete all of the 'just for fun' things listed beneath that rank, as well as the one relating to it?  (Hope that makes sense.  I know sometimes my kiwi-speak can be a challenge to decode.  :tongue_smilie: )

Yes all the fun things. If one of the fun things isn’t fun just propose a fun substitute to Amy and I. We want this to be fun!

[Loesje22000]

I finished Poison last night.

It was a bigger (and more difficult) read then I expected.

I would love to see this book on screen, movie or serie doesn't matter...

 

I also finished The garden Party by Katherine Mansfield.

I think I like short stories less, somehow I tend to think they are unfinished.... :blush:

 

I started the new Rector by Rebecca Shaw, I think it is a Wild Card as Turnham Malpas doesn’t seem to exist although there is a lovely map of it: https://www.rebeccashaw.me/map-of-turnham-malpas

 

Now dd is ill, which is not practical with exam French written within 2 weeks...

[Lady Florida.]

I'm in that difficult reader's dilemma of what to choose next when there are several really good options. Tough choice. Suggestions welcome. 

 

Sing, Unburied, Sing

Pachinko

A Moment in the Sun

Rules of Civility

 

I plan to read each one eventually. I just can't decide what I'm in the mood for right now.

[Kareni]

Some bookish posts ~

 

12 Home Library Design Ideas That Showcase Your Books  by Kathleen Keenan

 

for Jane Austen lovers:  20 Jane Austen Gifts for the Most Ardent Fan  by Dana Lee

 

for those looking for a new journal: Need Some Writerly Inspiration? Try These Classic Journals  by Melody Schreiber

 

10 Great Fantasy Series From Around the World  by S. Zainab Williams

 

The Lambda Literary Award Finalists are here!

 

Not really bookish but fascinating:  World's oldest message in a bottle discovered in Australia, sent from Germany

**

 

And a one day only currently free book for Kindle readers: 

 

A Honeymoon in Space by George Griffith  

 

Also currently free: 

 

The Man With Two Names: A Novel of Ancient Rome (The Sertorius Scrolls Book 1)  by Vincent B. Davis II

 

The History Buff's Guide to the Civil War by Thomas R. Flagel

 

Third Son's a Charm  by Shana Galen

 

Regards,

Kareni

[aggieamy]

Yes all the fun things. If one of the fun things isn’t fun just propose a fun substitute to Amy and I. We want this to be fun!

 

I'm developing a sympathy for boardgame rules writers. Yes. Make it all fun.

 

I'm in that difficult reader's dilemma of what to choose next when there are several really good options. Tough choice. Suggestions welcome. 

 

Sing, Unburied, Sing

Pachinko

A Moment in the Sun

Rules of Civility

 

I plan to read each one eventually. I just can't decide what I'm in the mood for right now.

 

I vote for Pachinko. That seems like just your type of book.

[Kareni]

And a few more bookish posts ~

 

7 Books About Books That You Need to Read if You Love Books  by E.H. Kern

 

Our Favorite Sequels That Are As Good As the First Book  by Stubby the Rocket

 

The Language of Spellwork in Harry Potter — J.K. Rowling’s Incantations Hold Surprising Linguistic Depth  by Stubby the Rocket

 

The Hero In The Library by Susanna Kearsley

 

Regards,

Kareni

[aggieamy]

I was just bemoaning the fact that I haven't finished any books lately then yesterday I finished two. One of them I stayed up and read until 2 am-ish. That was a bad decision for a lady with a 4 year old.

 

The Temporary Wife by Mary Balogh - Marriage of convenience is one of my favorite tropes and this was particularly well done. Highly recommend to regency romance fans.

 

The Red House Mystery by AA Milne - Yes. The same AA Milne of Hundred Acre Woods fame. I read that this was supposed to be a spoof of the mysteries of the day but I didn't get it as a spoof. (Perhaps it has to be really straightforward like Naked Gun or Galaxy Quest for me to see the spoof-y-ness.) As a mystery of the era though it was charming. A young man stumbles across a murder and as young men of a certain class are apt to do ... decides to recruit a friend to be his Watson and go about solving it for the well trained professional police detectives. Our amateur sleuth and his friend even tease each other about being Holmes and Watson which makes it just delightful. If you like golden age British mysteries then give this one a try.

 

Brit tripping update - I'll have to reread Temporary Wife and see if I can figure out their location - definetly Hampshire and London. Red House is a wild card that I'm saving for an emergency.

[aggieamy]

 

Our Favorite Sequels That Are As Good As the First Book  by Stubby the Rocket

 

 

I'm interested what other people's favorite sequels are. I like series books and I'm not sure if they count as sequels or not.

[Critterfixer]

I was just bemoaning the fact that I haven't finished any books lately then yesterday I finished two. One of them I stayed up and read until 2 am-ish. That was a bad decision for a lady with a 4 year old.

 

The Temporary Wife by Mary Balogh - Marriage of convenience is one of my favorite tropes and this was particularly well done. Highly recommend to regency romance fans.

 

The Red House Mystery by AA Milne - Yes. The same AA Milne of Hundred Acre Woods fame. I read that this was supposed to be a spoof of the mysteries of the day but I didn't get it as a spoof. (Perhaps it has to be really straightforward like Naked Gun or Galaxy Quest for me to see the spoof-y-ness.) As a mystery of the era though it was charming. A young man stumbles across a murder and as young men of a certain class are apt to do ... decides to recruit a friend to be his Watson and go about solving it for the well trained professional police detectives. Our amateur sleuth and his friend even tease each other about being Holmes and Watson which makes it just delightful. If you like golden age British mysteries then give this one a try.

 

Brit tripping update - I'll have to reread Temporary Wife and see if I can figure out their location - definetly Hampshire and London. Red House is a wild card that I'm saving for an emergency.

I've never read that one, and always meant to do it someday. Now I'll have to see if my big library has it.

[Kareni]

Regarding Our Favorite Sequels That Are As Good As the First Book

 

I'm interested what other people's favorite sequels are. I like series books and I'm not sure if they count as sequels or not.

 

I read through the article again.  It looks to me that of the four sequels mentioned by the writer, three are actually part of larger series (those by Adams, Carey, and L'Engle) while one is part of a duo (Hartman).

 

Regards,

Kareni

[PeacefulChaos]

 

 

12 Home Library Design Ideas That Showcase Your Books  by Kathleen Keenan

 

 

 

 

 

I have been looking at SO many book shelf ideas as of late!  If we do end up getting this house, I've been trying to figure out how I want to have everything.  And books are a lot of our everything!!

 

 

I'm loving Ocean at the End of the Lane.  I may finish it tonight... not sure.  And tonight I introduced DH to the concept of Hygge.  :lol:  

[Ausmumof3]

Just wanted to share that I got to go to an interview and book signing with Alexander McCall Smith. It was such a fun evening.

[mumto2]

I'm interested what other people's favorite sequels are. I like series books and I'm not sure if they count as sequels or not.

Regarding Our Favorite Sequels That Are As Good As the First Book

 

 

 

 

I read through the article again. It looks to me that of the four sequels mentioned by the writer, three are actually part of larger series (those by Adams, Carey, and L'Engle) while one is part of a duo (Hartman).

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

I saw the same thing when looking at the article in terms of series. When I saw Amy’s question I didn’t have time to read the article. I spent awhile thinking while doing housework and couldn’t come up with in sequels other than Scarlett that I liked, sort of. Scarlett wasn’t by Margaret Mitchell so doesn’t really count imo. Now if I use series I am sure I can come up with some. ;)

Should we be looking at series where the second book or the continuing story as a whole?

 

 

Just wanted to share that I got to go to an interview and book signing with Alexander McCall Smith. It was such a fun evening.

Fun! :)

 

I finally finished a couple of books that I thought were going to be completely off the Brit tripping bus. Dark in Death is the latest JD Robb which is a series that has certainly held up well. That installment was actually number 41 and still good. My biggest complaint was not enough continuing story in this one. I love Sommerset and he was on holiday, boo! I got really excited for two minutes because Roake was going to Bristol on business. He went but the story didn’t so no Bristol for my Brit trip list. :(

 

I also finished The Lost Plot https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31690144-the-lost-plot which is the latest and perhaps best in the Invisible Library series. When I glanced at Overdrive yesterday and learned it was going to be returned in less than 24 hours. I thought I would be turning my WiFi off for a couple of days but I read it in one sitting sort of.......started seriously reading in bed last night, fell asleep with it, finished first thing this morning! Action packed with great characters and an enjoyable alternate world and......wait for it........they visited York(London too). Brit Tripping!!!

 

ETA.....Loesje, I hope your dd is feeling a bit better today!

Edited March 8, 2018 by mumto2

[Loesje22000]

@ Mumto2:

Dd is sleeping now, she is slightly better now, but not enough to prepare the exam...

[Kareni]

Regarding Our Favorite Sequels That Are As Good As the First Book

 

Should we be looking at series where the second book or the continuing story as a whole?

I think you can do as you wish!

 

I have a difficult time answering this prompt, but I'll link some articles that look to be of interest:

 

The top 10 best book sequels

 

12 Books With Awesome Sequels

 

The Top Ten Best Book Sequels

 

This list is akin to your mention of Scarlett, mumto2, in that it pertains to sequels not written by the original author ~  The 5 best sequels to classic novels

 

as is this list which is illustrated with a copy of Scarlett ~ Come Again: Literary Sequels

 

Regards,

Kareni

[mumto2]

Regarding Our Favorite Sequels That Are As Good As the First Book

 

 

 

I think you can do as you wish!

 

I have a difficult time answering this prompt, but I'll link some articles that look to be of interest:

 

 

The top 10 best book sequels

 

 

12 Books With Awesome Sequels

 

 

The Top Ten Best Book Sequels

 

This list is akin to your mention of Scarlett, mumto2, in that it pertains to sequels not written by the original author ~  The 5 best sequels to classic novels

 

as is this list which is illustrated with a copy of Scarlett ~ Come Again: Literary Sequels

 

Regards,

Kareni

I don’t think I am a very good sequel reader as they are defining the term with the examples. I have read a few of the books on the lists and other then The Lord of the Rings found them all lacking compared to the first. Even LotR is lacking compared to the Hobbit if I am being honest but I still loved it! I will say I think the second book can make a series. I have definitely noticed I have a tendency to set a series aside after the second book. Sometimes I go back to it in a year or two but not always.

[Soror]

I can't keep up at all but popping in to say I finished a re-reaad of The Handmaid's Tale this week. With the 2nd season of the Hulu adaptation coming out I wanted to refresh my memory. I'm so glad I didn't reread it before watching the first season, I think I would have been disappointed by the changes. Love the book and the series.

 

eta- I started the year with the goal to read 2 books(any books at all) a month but have managed to average more than 1 a week (I'm at 13 for the year). It really helps to keep a list b/c I'm sure I would have forgotten half of what I read otherwise. 

Edited March 8, 2018 by soror

[Butter]

I finished reading Temple of Flames by Andrea Pearson today.  It comes out in a week or so.  It's the third in the Koven Chronicles series.  I think it's the best book she's written yet.

[Kareni]

I recently finished reading Switchback: A Nightshades Novel by Melissa F. Olson.  I enjoyed the book, but I think I liked the first in the series more.  Even so, I will happily read on in the series.  This is a series that should definitely be read in order.

 

"The Bureau of Preternatural Investigations returns in Switchback, the sequel to Melissa F. Olson's Nightshades.

 

Three weeks after the events of Nightshades, things are finally beginning to settle for the Chicago branch of the BPI, but the brief respite from the horror of the previous few weeks was never destined to last.

 

The team gets a call from Switch Creek, IL, where a young man has been arrested on suspicion of being a shade.

 

The suspect is held overnight, pending DNA testing, but seemingly escapes in a terrifying and bloody massacre. But is there more to the jailbreak than a simple quest for freedom?"

**

 

I recently shared posts about sequels; now here's a post on

Six Outstanding Standalone Fantasy Novels  by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon

 

"There’s a certain satisfaction in picking up a fantasy novel and knowing it’s a standalone. For one, you won’t have to wait a year, or two, or even five before you find out what happens next. In that time you’ve invariably forgotten much of the first, or previous book anyway, so a lot of the time you have to reread to get up to speed. Also, you won’t end up picking up an interesting looking fantasy novel from the shelves, starting it, then realizing it’s actually book two of a trilogy, or book four in a ten book series...."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Loesje22000]

I finished ‘the new Rector’ I will use it for Dorset I think.

I liked the book very much, but didn’t like the adultery.

 

I started a biography about Bonhoeffer for the Bingo (birthday present from 2017 so becomes time to read before I’ll have my Birthday again...)

[Penguin]

I finally finished Volume 2 of Kristen Lavransdatter (The Cross). The trilogy is a reread for me, and my thoughts are still percolating. After I reread Volume 1, I thought that the work had lost some of its lustre. But Vol 2 really pulled me in. The fact that it took me forever to read is not a reflection of the book :)

 

One of my sons is currently reading Man's Search for Meaning, and I might give that a reread. It would fit the Philosophical Square for Bingo. Just now looking over the bingo card, I have filled six squares thus far.

[Kareni]

I finished two books earlier both of which I'd begun prior to today.

 

I enjoyed Anne Bishop's Lake Silence, and I will certainly be re-reading it.  However, I'll admit to liking the linked series beginning with Written in Red more. 

 

"In this thrilling and suspenseful fantasy set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Others series, an inn owner and her shape-shifting lodger find themselves enmeshed in danger and dark secrets.

Human laws do not apply in the territory controlled by the Others--vampires, shape-shifters, and even deadlier paranormal beings. And this is a fact that humans should never, ever forget....

After her divorce, Vicki DeVine took over a rustic resort near Lake Silence, in a human town that is not human controlled. Towns such as Vicki's don't have any distance from the Others, the dominant predators who rule most of the land and all of the water throughout the world. And when a place has no boundaries, you never really know what is out there watching you.

Vicki was hoping to find a new career and a new life. But when her lodger, Aggie Crowe--one of the shape-shifting Others--discovers a murdered man, Vicki finds trouble instead. The detectives want to pin the death on her, despite the evidence that nothing human could have killed the victim. As Vicki and her friends search for answers, ancient forces are roused by the disturbance in their domain. They have rules that must not be broken--and all the destructive powers of nature at their command."

**

 

I also re-read with pleasure the male/male contemporary romance Astounding! by Kim Fielding.  Yesterday I happened to mention this book in a post on another board concerning romances with a strong travel component, and thus I was motivated to re-read it.  (Adult content)

 

"Carter Evans is founder and editor-in-chief of Astounding!—a formerly popular spec fiction magazine currently in its death throes. Not only can he do nothing to save it, but stuck in a rathole apartment with few interpersonal connections, he can’t seem to do much to rescue his future either. And certainly all the booze isn’t helping. He snaps when he receives yet another terrible story submission from the mysterious writer J. Harper—and in a drunken haze, Carter sends Harper a rejection letter he soon regrets.

J. Harper turns out to be John Harper, a sweet man who resembles a ’50s movie star and claims to be an extraterrestrial. Despite John’s delusions, Carter’s apology quickly turns into something more as the two lonely men find a powerful connection. Inexplicably drawn to John, Carter invites him along on a road trip. But as they travel, Carter is in for some big surprises, some major heartbreak… and just maybe the promise of a good future after all."

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

Two bookish posts ~

 

10 Great Fantasy Series From Around the World  by S. Zainab Williams

 

Emotional Maps for Mythologizing Your Experience  by Rachel Hartman

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Loesje22000]

 

 

One of my sons is currently reading Man's Search for Meaning, and I might give that a reread. It would fit the Philosophical Square for Bingo. Just now looking over the bingo card, I have filled six squares thus far.

The biography would be book 7 here.

I had some troubles with books that where not described properly in the library and so were set in the wrong era ;) But this monday will be library day so I can try to find some other titles :)

[marbel]

Just reporting on a serendipitous moment.  We are taking a short trip for spring break next week and even though we're only traveling for part of the week, we're taking the whole thing off. So, reading time!  I pulled my copy of Mansfield Park off the shelf for Brit-tripping (I've owned a copy for years but have never read it), and downloaded an audio just in case I have solo listening time.  (I usually don't unless my husband and kids are out at work/school because people insist on talking to me.)  Anyway, I was checking our library database and noticed that one of the new books is an annotated Mansfield Park!  And it's listed as on the shelf at my local library.  I love annotated editions so I requested it. (Don't have time to run over there for it now.)  

 

Even though I use my kindle a lot, I end up taking a big bag of books on vacation!  This will be no different.  

 

 

[Robin M]

 

Emotional Maps for Mythologizing Your Experience  by Rachel Hartman

 

Great article! Thanks for sharing! 

 

 

 

 

I've given up on the chunky books for now.  Just not in the right mind frame for super long reads.  Finished Rachel Caine's Ill Wind, the first book in her Weather Warden series which was quite good.   Have added first books from her other series to my wishlist - Ink and Bone and Still House Lake

 

"Joanne Baldwin is a Weather Warden - waves her hand to tame the most violent weather. Now she races against accusations of corruption and murder. Her only hope is Lewis, the most powerful warden known. Because he stole three bottles of Djinn, he is now the most wanted criminal on earth. Can she find him before the bad weather closes in?"

 

Diving into Carrie Vaughn's Fantasy story  - Discord's Apple

 

"When Evie Walker goes home to spend time with her dying father, she discovers that his creaky old house in Hope’s Fort, Colorado, is not the only legacy she stands to inherit. Hidden behind the old basement door is a secret and magical storeroom, a place where wondrous treasures from myth and legend are kept safe until they are needed again. 

 

Of course, this legacy is not without its costs: There are those who will give anything to find a way in.

 

With the help of her father, a mysterious stranger named Alex, and some unexpected heroes, Evie must guard the storeroom against ancient and malicious forces, protecting the past and the future even as the present unravels. Old heroes and notorious villains alike will rise to fight on her side or to do their best to bring about her defeat.

 

At stake is the fate of the world and the prevention of nothing less than the apocalypse. "

Edited March 10, 2018 by Robin M

[Kareni]

A one day only currently free book for Kindle readers:

The Council of Justice  by Edgar Wallace

 

Also currently free:

 

for children:   The Green Ember (The Green Ember Series, book 1) and Ember Falls (book 2) also The Black Star of Kingston all by S. D. Smith

 

farce: Grand Theft Octo  by Niels Saunders

 

romance: Picture Me and You: A Devil's Kettle Romance, #1 by Susan Sey

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

[Rachel]

 

A one day only currently free book for Kindle readers:

The Council of Justice by Edgar Wallace

 

Also currently free:

 

for children: The Green Ember (The Green Ember Series, book 1) and Ember Falls (book 2) also The Black Star of Kingston all by S. D. Smith

 

farce: Grand Theft Octo by Niels Saunders

 

romance: Picture Me and You: A Devil's Kettle Romance, #1 by Susan Sey

 

 

 

Regards,

Kareni

Thanks! I had the Green Ember books you listed but The Last Archer was only $0.99 so I got that one for my kids.

[Critterfixer]

I will finish Eye of the World this week if it kills me. And then I will return it. I can say I read it and it's done. I still don't like the characters. 

I've got a few short reads and some long reads lined up for the next few weeks, all fantasy fiction, but I've also got a short story I MUST finish in two weeks. No telling how much reading I'll get done between the short story, query letters and novel writing, but I'll get something read.

[Cascadia]

I have finished quite a few books lately. Here are some thoughts:

 

Poison and Cursed by Charlot King (Cambridge Murder Mysteries #1 & #2) - I thought that these were OK, but I was frustrated that the author doesn't let the reader in on clues that are necessary to solve the crime. For example, during the denouement the main character cites certain paperwork that she found in the home of one of the characters to support her accusation. The reader sees her in the home looking around, but no mention of this item is made at that time. Another example, she cites a name in the visitor book at a museum as proof, but when we are at the scene where she visits that museum, the visitor book is never mentioned. Withholding vital information puts the reader in the position of passive spectator, which I didn't enjoy as much.

 

Another odd thing about this series is that they are written in present tense. An example of the opening of one of the chapters:

 

"Elizabeth has left the glasshouses in the Botanic Gardens and is cycling across Jesus Green, past the huge lines of tall London Planes, tennis courts and outdoor swimming pool. She crosses Victoria Avenue, heads towards the Fort St. George pub and onto Midsummer Common, backing down as it does to the river, lined with rowing clubs and boathouses. This is Elizabeth's most favorite common, open to the sky, surrounded by trees."

 

The entire book is written like this. I got used to it as I was reading, but it always seemed jarring to me when I began a new chapter for some reason.

 

 

The Queen's Man by Rory Clements (John Shakespeare #6) - Enjoyable, but I don't know if I would read any more of these. Some uses of historical characters in fictional books can seem weird to me, and this was one of them. Having 18-year old William Shakespeare tagging along to solve crimes with his older brother didn't do it for me.

 

Hygge: The Danish Art of Happiness: The Complete Book of Hygge by Britta Olsson - (Yes, there are actually two colons in the title!)  A quick and cheap Kindle summary of hygge. I'm currently reading The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well by Meik Wiking (only one title colon), which is a more thorough explanation, and has pleasing illustrations.

 

A Beautiful Blue Death by Charles Finch (Charles Lenox Mysteries #1) - I agree with some Goodreads reviewers that there are plenty of anachronisms in the book, but I enjoyed it very much. Unlike the Poison/Cursed books, I was able to play Junior Detective as I read, which was much more satisfactory. I got the next two from the library today. On a side note, the library patron who checked out A Beautiful Blue Death and MARKED ALL THE CLUES IN BLUE PEN is now on my poo list.  :smash:

 

Currently Reading:

Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh

The Little Book of Hygge, mentioned above

Rose Cottage by Mary Stewart

 

 

 

Abandoned:

 

Fire Watch by Connie Willis - As much as I love the Oxford Time Travel Series, I could have done without this book of short stories. The first story was titled "Fire Watch" and tells a story that is referenced in Blackout/All Clear. The next couple of stories were much different, but OK. Then came one that was greatly disturbing to me, so I regret having picked this up.

 

Death by Darjeeling by Laura Childs - I saw this on the display table by the circulation desk at the library, and picked it up because it is set in Charleston, SC, where we used to live. I only made it 3-4 pages in before tossing it down. The initial scene/character setting seemed erratic and frantic.

 

[Lady Florida.]

 

 

On a side note, the library patron who checked out A Beautiful Blue Death and MARKED ALL THE CLUES IN BLUE PEN is now on my poo list.  :smash:

 

 

 

:ohmy: What a rotten thing to do to people, not to mention marking up the book!

[Kareni]

Hygge: The Danish Art of Happiness: The Complete Book of Hygge by Britta Olsson - (Yes, there are actually two colons in the title!) 

 

Might one say that this book therefore suffers from colonitis?

 

Regards,

Kareni

[PeacefulChaos]

I finished up The Little Book of Hygge this week as well as The Ocean at the End of the Lane.  Last night I started Crazy Rich Asians, which is quite entertaining so far.

 

I'm also still reading Uncle Tom's Cabin and the Composting book lol.  

 

 

[Loesje22000]

I have finished quite a few books lately. Here are some thoughts:

 

Poison and Cursed by Charlot King (Cambridge Murder Mysteries #1 & #2) - I thought that these were OK, but I was frustrated that the author doesn't let the reader in on clues that are necessary to solve the crime. For example, during the denouement the main character cites certain paperwork that she found in the home of one of the characters to support her accusation. The reader sees her in the home looking around, but no mention of this item is made at that time. Another example, she cites a name in the visitor book at a museum as proof, but when we are at the scene where she visits that museum, the visitor book is never mentioned. Withholding vital information puts the reader in the position of passive spectator, which I didn't enjoy as much.

 

Another odd thing about this series is that they are written in present tense. An example of the opening of one of the chapters:

 

"Elizabeth has left the glasshouses in the Botanic Gardens and is cycling across Jesus Green, past the huge lines of tall London Planes, tennis courts and outdoor swimming pool. She crosses Victoria Avenue, heads towards the Fort St. George pub and onto Midsummer Common, backing down as it does to the river, lined with rowing clubs and boathouses. This is Elizabeth's most favorite common, open to the sky, surrounded by trees."

 

The entire book is written like this. I got used to it as I was reading, but it always seemed jarring to me when I began a new chapter for some reason.

 

 

 

 

 

Abandoned:

Glad with your post!

I thought my English was lacking!!!!

 

At certain moment Emma enters in the story of Volume 1, no explanations about her, she just starts to talk :)

[Violet Crown]

We've discussed and are ready to rule on the case.

 

Edinburgh will count as Northumbria since English counties are historically wonky (technical term) and have shifted so much.

 

Now for the ranks. Those are just for fun and aren't cumulative. (ie At the end of the game you can claim that rank but don't have to move up as you go.) If you would like to try and earn them all then we will allow an alternative for Harry Potter. Put the stick down! We have voted to allow Robin Hood as a substitute as it was considered a previous generations HP.

 

Or since the JK Rowling and Wilfred Owen ranks are exactly the same you make pick the one that is less offensive to your sensibilities. Warning - you will be judged harshly by me if you can't stomach even one Wilfred Owens poem as I like his poems. Not that I think that warning is necessary for you ...

I humbly accede to the wisdom of our BritTrip Solons. Robert "Auld Reekie" Fergusson gets the nod for Northumbria, then. Robin Hood is perfect -- and works nicely for Nottinghamshire. And it doesn't take much to move me to take Owen or Sassoon off the shelf, so there we are. Here's "Anthem for Doomed Youth":

 

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?

— Only the monstrous anger of the guns.

Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle

Can patter out their hasty orisons.

No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells;

Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,—

The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;

And bugles calling for them from sad shires.

 

What candles may be held to speed them all?

Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes

Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes.

The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall;

Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,

And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.

I may accidentally have read more than one. :) Edited March 11, 2018 by Violet Crown

[Robin M]

Link to week eleven - please continue conversation in new thread