mumto2 Posted June 14, 2018 Share Posted June 14, 2018 2 hours ago, tuesdayschild said: I'm a little late getting to read the thread this week, and am still on the Rebel Bus .... My current reads: A Matter of Justice: Ian Rutledge Bk 11 ~ Charles Todd, narrated by Simon Prebble Somerset All Roads Lead to Austen ~ Amy Smith N/F (this is actually a Latin American adventure with Austen’s books on board) still trying to decide if I’ll keep reading or not, it’s interesting enough but not gripping – I’m in the mood for a gripping biography/memoir. Completed (incs Brit Trip rebel bus): The Watersplash: Miss Silver Bk21 ~ Patricia Wentworth (audio) (3.5) (Faux English Village) I can’t read too many of these in close succession as they are all rather similar in tone; missing wills, country homes, a pretty ‘longsuffering’ girl, and, a moody young man. (Amy, you're right, they are hard to rate - I like your idea - so I've just been trying to compare each Wentworth book against the ones previously read.) It took another Goodreads reviewer to remind me that Wentworth was born in 1877. This book reflects much of the era she lived, and her own worldview at 77 years of age. Extra: drunken, domestic violence is included in this story. The Wonderful Mr Willughby: The First True Ornithologist ~ Tim Birkhead (ranks a 2, abandoned read) N/F Biography (Warwickshire/ Cambridge A book whinge……I ended up ditching this, at around chapter 5, as my initial interest in this book was gradually snuffed out by a run of pretty dry fact sharing. I was hanging in there until the author turned, what I thought was going to be a biography about Willughby into a one-sided debate concerning natural selection. I wanted to read an interesting biography, not this. Proof of Guilt: Ian Rutledge Bk15 ~ Charles Todd (audio) (2.5) Essex/ Norfolk/ Surrey/ London I didn’t check before I started this book but others reviews on Goodreads showcase the ‘faults’ I also got to navigate through in this Ian Rutledge story; confusing collection of characters all starting with “B”, the anticipated location of one of bodies was referred to in passing, and, so many loose ends made for an unsatisfactory read. Evelina ~ Francis Burney (pub. anon 1778) (4) Classic Dorset/ London/ Bristol (audio 16 & ½ hours) http://tuesdaysviews.blogspot.com/2018/06/evelina-francis-burney.html I just wanted to let you know I followed the link in Evelina over to your wonderful blog. The book part was lovely and the home ed part brought back memories. We used Sonlight for several years also and your lists of books that have been discontinued are really helpful! I have to admit that I haven’t kept up with SL and many of the best books seem to be on your lists. ? Dh has carefully archived my home ed notes from the early years with my book lists so we won’t lose them which means I am frequently searching for the names of books that we read and used for others. I think your blog lists just became my first stop! 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted June 14, 2018 Share Posted June 14, 2018 On 6/12/2018 at 10:03 PM, aggieamy said: This has been on my to-read list forever. Please hurry up and read the next two or three so I know if I want to get started with the series or not. ? I just finished Death at Bishop’s Keep https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/538396.Death_at_Bishop_s_Keep as requested! I have even checked the next one, Death at Gallows Green, out of overdrive and plan to start it today. Yes, things ended on a romantic cliffhanger at Bishop’s Keep. ?. This series appears to be great if you like Flufferton cozy mysteries......I liked the main characters and for a bonus star found them fun and interesting. Sir Charles is a peer who wants to be a detective and Kate, an Irish American orphan and mystery author (shhh, she hasn’t told anyone yet) meet over a dead body in an archeological dig. This was a great Victorian Cozy for Flufferton lovers. Pretty sure Amy will like these......I also have the next in the Kurland St. Mary’s series on hold. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted June 14, 2018 Share Posted June 14, 2018 On 6/10/2018 at 9:36 PM, Matryoshka said: Only finished one book this week: 48. Ring of Swords by Eleanor Arnason. - I really liked this one; it's sci-fi about negotiations between humans and the first space-faring race either have encountered. The aliens have a very gender-divided society, to the point where heterosexuality is considered deviant (children are born by artificial insemination only). They are a very war-like race, at least the males, who are all raised as warriors and sent to the 'perimeter' to get them out of the women's hair - but they've been at peace now for ages and are itching for a new enemy. Humans may (or may not) fit the bill. In spite of the gender-segregation, the main character is a human female biologist who specializes in alien intelligence (she had been studying giant alien jellyfish things that communicated but may or may not have been intelligent as we'd think of it - she'd like to think so, though). There's also a lot more to it. Intro by Ursula K. LeGuin. ? 4 stars. Currently reading: - The Golden Palace by Nadeem Aslam (ebook) - set in Pakistan in recent times. I'm really liking the characters in this one. - The Unwomanly Face of War by Svetlana Alexeivich (audiobook) - oral histories of Russian women who served in WWII. - La aventura de Miguel Littín clandestino en Chile by Gabriel García Márquez - someone suggested a while ago that I check out García Márquez' nonfiction, so I am. Certainly a much easier, straightforward read than his fiction! I will be curious to know your thoughts on the Svetlana Alexeivich book. I recall that we both read her Chernobyl one last year. Are you listening to this one? The Golden Legend is my IRL book club book this month. Thanks for the reminder that I better get started on it! And I am encouraged to hear that it has likeable characters. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted June 14, 2018 Share Posted June 14, 2018 On 6/12/2018 at 10:00 AM, mumto2 said: Yesterday was our 30th anniversary and Dh’s birthday so four of us celebrated with an afternoon at the beach and dinner out. Congrats! We will have our 30th later this year. (Sorry for two posts in a row rather than multiquote, friends. I goofed up the multiquote and couldn't figure out how to fix it.) 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted June 14, 2018 Share Posted June 14, 2018 1 hour ago, Penguin said: I will be curious to know your thoughts on the Svetlana Alexeivich book. I recall that we both read her Chernobyl one last year. Are you listening to this one? Actually, the one I read (listened to) last year was not her Chernobyl book, but Secondhand Time, which was about post-communist Russia. I really liked that one; there was a wide variety of voices and opinions and it was really interesting. I gave it 5 stars. This war one is okay, but I feel like it's not giving me any new insights other than there were a lot of women on the front lines in WWII Russia, and who were eager to be there (Stalin pretty much had everyone brainwashed to happily die for the fatherland at that point in time). I already know war is hell and not a heroic enterprise. There's really not a lot of variation on that theme available to tell except for the particular bloody details and some variation in how traumatized people were after the war. I'm halfway through and planning to finish, but have to say I'm glad it's much shorter than Secondhand Time! I am also listening to it; I think that's an ideal way to consume these oral histories. I think that for this particular book, if I couldn't passively listen to it while driving, it would be a dnf. I'm still interested in the Chernobyl book. What did you think of it? On the other hand, I think I'll give a pass on Zinky Boys, another war-time compilation, but this time on Afghansitan. Quote The Golden Legend is my IRL book club book this month. Thanks for the reminder that I better get started on it! And I am encouraged to hear that it has likeable characters. In the past couple of months I've also read Home Fire and Exit West, which cover similar themes. Of these, The Golden Legend has been my favorite. There is no black and white, no good guys and bad guys (other than those who resort to violence and intimidation are bad - but those are not from any particular group any more than those who choose love and tolerance are). There is a lot of violence and senseless death but at the same time there is love and beauty. And yes, I really liked the main characters. I recommend it. I think I may have to look into other things this author has written. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted June 14, 2018 Share Posted June 14, 2018 5 minutes ago, Matryoshka said: I'm still interested in the Chernobyl book. What did you think of it? On the other hand, I think I'll give a pass on Zinky Boys, another war-time compilation, but this time on Afghansitan. I read (rather than listened to) Voices from Chernobyl. It was certainly a five-star book for me, but it did literally give me nightmares. I think I will give Secondhand Time a try on audio, thanks. I can see how these oral histories would be well served in audio form. I don't listen to a lot of audiobooks - there has to be a reason for me to think that the audio version would be better than print for me to consider them. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted June 14, 2018 Share Posted June 14, 2018 On 6/11/2018 at 12:49 PM, mumto2 said: Just making sure you know that most charity shops have a book section too. There may be clothes in the window but there is normally a shelf with cheap books too! Yes! Barnardo's and Oxfam have been supplying me with suitcase ballast this week. Today's Oxfam haul: Elizabeth Grant of Rothiemurchus, Memoirs of a Highland Lady (2 vols.)British Poetry since 1945 (ed. Edward Lucie-Smith)Penguin Modern Poets #2 (Kingsley Amis, Dom Moraes, Peter Porter)Penguin Modern Poets #22 (John Fuller, Peter Levi, Adrian Mitchell) Enid Blyton, Kitty at St. Clare's That last one wasn't actually for me. There were a lot more Penguin Modern Poets but you can't just buy every book. Why does our Goodwill megastore at home never have anything I would ever want to read, and a tiny Oxfam shop in Dundee has more than I can in conscience buy? 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted June 14, 2018 Author Share Posted June 14, 2018 Taking a break from Crossroads of Twilight to read Karen Marie Moning's High Voltage. James and I went father's day shopping at Barnes and Noble and I couldn't resist. James picked up Hunting El Chapo as well as Fascism: a Warning for hubby as well as another Star Wars book for himself. Finished Simenon's Pietr the Latvian which was a bit strange, but good. I don't think the detective ever slept which was a bit odd. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted June 14, 2018 Share Posted June 14, 2018 Add me to the group celebrating thirty years of marriage this year. Clearly 1988 was a good year! ** I just finished a book that my daughter recommended to me several years ago; I enjoyed it. I'll recommend it to adults and teens who like fantasy. The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison "The youngest, half-goblin son of the Emperor has lived his entire life in exile, distant from the Imperial Court and the deadly intrigue that suffuses it. But when his father and three sons in line for the throne are killed in an "accident," he has no choice but to take his place as the only surviving rightful heir. Entirely unschooled in the art of court politics, he has no friends, no advisors, and the sure knowledge that whoever assassinated his father and brothers could make an attempt on his life at any moment. Surrounded by sycophants eager to curry favor with the naïve new emperor, and overwhelmed by the burdens of his new life, he can trust nobody. Amid the swirl of plots to depose him, offers of arranged marriages, and the specter of the unknown conspirators who lurk in the shadows, he must quickly adjust to life as the Goblin Emperor. All the while, he is alone, and trying to find even a single friend . . . and hoping for the possibility of romance, yet also vigilant against the unseen enemies that threaten him, lest he lose his throne–or his life. Katherine Addison's The Goblin Emperor is an exciting fantasy novel, set against the pageantry and color of a fascinating, unique world, is a memorable debut for a great new talent." For all that the blurb above mentions a 'memorable debut,' I know that my daughter went on to read other books by the author written under the name Sarah Monette. Regards, Kareni 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 I just finished 2 books that I give 5 stars to. Three Little Words Three more Words Both by are written by a former foster child. Very powerful as I was a foster parent for 20 years, adopted 3 through foster care, and what made her story even more real to me is that she was in the foster system in the same county at the same time as 5 of my girls' siblings. Her story could have been theirs if they had had the same workers/foster parents as she had. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1416948074/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_hmYiBb20EV79K 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 6 hours ago, Kareni said: Add me to the group celebrating thirty years of marriage this year. Clearly 1988 was a good year! Congrats to all the 30-year anniversary celebrators (is that a word?)! Seems like that was a good year! Quote **I just finished a book that my daughter recommended to me several years ago; I enjoyed it. I'll recommend it to adults and teens who like fantasy. The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison This was one of my favorite reads last year. I'd also highly recommend. :) Quote For all that the blurb above mentions a 'memorable debut,' I know that my daughter went on to read other books by the author written under the name Sarah Monette. Well, that's an interesting tidbit. Were any of them nearly as good as The Goblin Emperor? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 23 minutes ago, Matryoshka said: Were any of them nearly as good as The Goblin Emperor? My daughter read Melusine and The Virtu (Melusine). She liked them both but they were quite different from The Goblin Emperor which she preferred. Regards, Kareni 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 39 minutes ago, Kareni said: My daughter read Melusine and The Virtu (Melusine). She liked them both but they were quite different from The Goblin Emperor which she preferred. LOL, those books do not seem quite so up my alley... ? Guess I'll have to wait for her Katherine Addison persona to make a reappearance... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Granny_Weatherwax Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 Good morning, Reading Buddies~ Here's a quick update from vacation: I'm up to 23 books finished and close to being caught up. My most recent reads are Twisted by Jonathan Kellerman (2.5stars), To the Bridge by Nancy Rommelmann (2 stars) and Rewind by Carolyn Doherty(3.5 stars). I have a couple of books In Progress and a growing TBR stack. I'm hanging in there with my No Spend Challenge. Twisted and To the Bridge were 'meh' books that I definitely would not select for future rereads or recommend to anyone. Rewind was fairly entertaining. I think my plan of letting fate dictate my reading needs to be adjusted a bit. It seems like more often than not the books I select are 'meh' and receive low ratings. Maybe i'm just being picky or critical but so many books seems to be missing something - poorly written, poor narration, lack luster plots, minimal character development - and I struggle to engage with the story. I remember reading book after book and finding myself drawn into the story, a new world, and finding friends (or at least kindred spirits) among the characters. Not so much anymore. Maybe I need to use Goodreads reviews (or this group) to find those elusive 4 and 5 star books. I am desperately craving a good 5 star read. A book that touches my heart. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 I finished my Suffolk read last night - since I had abandoned my Essex read, I am ahead of the rebel bus. It was 22 Britannia Road, a WWII/postwar story, and I was really disappointed. I almost abandoned it but started skimming some sections - it's one of those books that has alternating chapters, past vs present, and I found I was able to skip over most of the "past" chapters. Like Accidental Coach, I am seeking a 5-star read, a book to get lost in. Haven't found it in a while. I have a large stack, real and virtual, from the library, so maybe I'll find something this weekend. On the other hand, more housework is getting done because I'm not slipping away to dip into a 'can't put down' book! :-) 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 1 hour ago, The Accidental Coach said: I am desperately craving a good 5 star read. A book that touches my heart. 1 hour ago, marbel said: Like Accidental Coach, I am seeking a 5-star read, a book to get lost in May I ask you each to list several of your all-time five star reads. Regards, Kareni 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 1 hour ago, The Accidental Coach said: Maybe I need to use Goodreads reviews (or this group) to find those elusive 4 and 5 star books. I am desperately craving a good 5 star read. A book that touches my heart. 1 hour ago, marbel said: Like Accidental Coach, I am seeking a 5-star read, a book to get lost in. Haven't found it in a while. I have a large stack, real and virtual, from the library, so maybe I'll find something this weekend. A Gentleman in Moscow is the first non-classic I've given five stars to in a very long time. Also, not necessarily 5 stars but at least 4 - Galore - A bit weird but such wonderful characters The Remains of the Day The Sunne in Splendor - historical fiction, chunkster Middlesex The Way We Live Now Anything by Willa Cathur East of Eden and/or The Grapes of Wrath Nearly anything by Toni Morrison Good Omens - silly fun by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman The Plover I know that's a lot but not knowing the type of story you prefer or are in the mood for I wanted to give a variety. 7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 2 hours ago, The Accidental Coach said: I think my plan of letting fate dictate my reading needs to be adjusted a bit. It seems like more often than not the books I select are 'meh' and receive low ratings. Maybe i'm just being picky or critical but so many books seems to be missing something - poorly written, poor narration, lack luster plots, minimal character development - and I struggle to engage with the story. I remember reading book after book and finding myself drawn into the story, a new world, and finding friends (or at least kindred spirits) among the characters. Not so much anymore. Maybe I need to use Goodreads reviews (or this group) to find those elusive 4 and 5 star books. I am desperately craving a good 5 star read. A book that touches my heart. 1 hour ago, marbel said: Like Accidental Coach, I am seeking a 5-star read, a book to get lost in. Haven't found it in a while. I have a large stack, real and virtual, from the library, so maybe I'll find something this weekend. I think part of the reading slump I had before joining this list was not knowing what to pick up next. It's frustrating to read so-so books when there's so much good stuff out there! Becoming friends on GR with anyone who would friend me from this list really helped - after a bit I got a sense of who had tastes similar to mine, and I'll pay attention to what they're reading and what they add to their TR lists as they get posted to my GR feed. And see what they think of them (either at GR or on this thread). Another nice GR feature is it will tell you right at the top of the reviews which friends have read a book and what they thought. And I'll second the suggestion to share some 5-star reads you've had here on the thread! :) 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 1 hour ago, Kareni said: May I ask you each to list several of your all-time five star reads. Regards, Kareni Ahh... I checked my Goodreads list to be sure I didn't miss anything truly representative. Not to be difficult but I added some commentary. A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell. (I have not liked any of her other books I've tried) Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel (charming post-pandemic story; other books by her have been OK) The Pine Barrens by John McPhee (nonfiction about a particular part of New Jersey) The Great Gatsby The Code of the Woosters (Wodehouse) Lord of the Rings (but I have come to see that is the only epic fantasy I can like) Les Miserables, David Copperfield, and a few other classics All of Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad books (rated 4 stars not 5 for some reason but seriously great books). Any book I've come across that is compared to hers fail miserably. 1 hour ago, Lady Florida. said: A Gentleman in Moscow is the first non-classic I've given five stars to in a very long time. Also, not necessarily 5 stars but at least 4 - Galore - A bit weird but such wonderful characters The Remains of the Day The Sunne in Splendor - historical fiction, chunkster Middlesex The Way We Live Now Anything by Willa Cathur East of Eden and/or The Grapes of Wrath Nearly anything by Toni Morrison Good Omens - silly fun by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman The Plover I know that's a lot but not knowing the type of story you prefer or are in the mood for I wanted to give a variety. Thanks! I have read or tried to read many of these but will check out those I have not. I think I'm the only person I've come across who didn't get far into A Gentleman in Moscow. Maybe it was my mood. Actually, I think mood has a lot to do with it. Sometimes I put a book aside thinking I will never like it, then another day it's the perfect thing! I do check into a lot of books posted here and on Goodreads! I had a link to my GR account here but when I updated my sig after the board changes, I had to take it out. I'll add it here in case anyone doesn't have it and want to friend me: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/3717253-margaret 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 20 minutes ago, marbel said: Ahh... I checked my Goodreads list to be sure I didn't miss anything truly representative. Not to be difficult but I added some commentary. A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell. (I have not liked any of her other books I've tried) ... I think it's fairly safe to say that our reading tastes are quite different, so I have no books to recommend. I'll offer this instead for your reading pleasure: Other People’s Bookshelves #80 – Mary Doria Russell and this: If You Loved 'Station Eleven,' Try Reading These 9 Books, Too Regards, Kareni 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 28 minutes ago, marbel said: Ahh... I checked my Goodreads list to be sure I didn't miss anything truly representative. Not to be difficult but I added some commentary. A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell. (I have not liked any of her other books I've tried) Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel (charming post-pandemic story; other books by her have been OK) The Pine Barrens by John McPhee (nonfiction about a particular part of New Jersey) The Great Gatsby The Code of the Woosters (Wodehouse) Lord of the Rings (but I have come to see that is the only epic fantasy I can like) Les Miserables, David Copperfield, and a few other classics All of Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad books (rated 4 stars not 5 for some reason but seriously great books). Any book I've come across that is compared to hers fail miserably. Thanks! I have read or tried to read many of these but will check out those I have not. I think I'm the only person I've come across who didn't get far into A Gentleman in Moscow. Maybe it was my mood. Actually, I think mood has a lot to do with it. Sometimes I put a book aside thinking I will never like it, then another day it's the perfect thing! I do check into a lot of books posted here and on Goodreads! I had a link to my GR account here but when I updated my sig after the board changes, I had to take it out. I'll add it here in case anyone doesn't have it and want to friend me: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/3717253-margaret It sometimes takes me a minute to remember Margaret at GR is you. ? GR says of the books we've both rated we're 82% in agreement, and you've abandoned a few books it seems most people love that I would have also if they hadn't been car audio books (Pachinko, Essex Serpent - bleh) and I only finished In Time of Fading Light because I ordered the stupid thing from Germany...and for some reason haven't wanted to pick up A Gentleman in Moscow (but they're wearing me down...), so maybe I can come up with something good... We've both liked Willa Cather - have you tried any Barbara Kingsolver or Louise Erdich? Or Ursula LeGuin - she didn't just write scifi (although I also think her scifi is fantastic...) I find anything sword and sorcerer like fantasy (is that epic?) doesn't usually live up to LoTR for me. Do you like fairy tale or myth based stories at all? I also put those on the fantasy shelf. And I did love The Goblin Emperor mentioned upthread. That's kind of its own thing. Two books that were 5-star+ reads for me last year that fit into no box I can think of are the aforementioned The Plover and Rabbit Cake. Completely different and both entirely enjoyable, at least for me. Nonfiction you might like? The Wizard and the Prophet, by the same guy that wrote 1491... , The Secret Life of Trees. In the vein of The Whaleship Essex (but imho even better), I really liked The Endurance (about Shakleton in Antarctica) and The River of Doubt (about Theodore Roosevelt in the Amazon). A dual biography you might like is Romantic Outlaws about Mary Shelley and her mother by Charlotte Gordon And I absolutely loved Trevor Noah's Born a Crime. Listen to that one on audio. I will have to check out A Thread of Grace. I'm one who loved her other two books, but the story doesn't really fully resolve till the end of the second book and can be fairly harrowing through the middle... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 1 hour ago, Kareni said: I think it's fairly safe to say that our reading tastes are quite different, so I have no books to recommend. I'll offer this instead for your reading pleasure: Other People’s Bookshelves #80 – Mary Doria Russell and this: If You Loved 'Station Eleven,' Try Reading These 9 Books, Too Regards, Kareni Marbel, I see I only gave Station Eleven a three on GR but I do remember having a huge internal debate because the settings were all ones I know irl, might be off about 10 years in familiarity but most of the places I have been to. At the time I seriously doubted that I would have liked the book if it had been set elsewhere but I was probably wrong. ? It was my first apocalyptic fiction book. Now I am I bit more generous because I like the genre. My favorite is the hugely chunky series starting with The Passage. Long and involved but I could easily separate out the characters throughout because they were done well with plenty of info when they came back into the story. These were mainly audiobooks for me but I did try to check out a “hard copy” ? also to read if I disliked the current narrator Nora Roberts Year One was another really similar book. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6690798-the-passage reviews vary, I liked it. Accidental Coach, Going way out on a limb and recommending something like Anne Bishops The Others series since you seem to have a good library. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15711341-written-in-red. These are a very different type of paranormal storyline. I have recommended them successfully several times. For an Audiobook, which you seem to like, I am loving Woman in White. I ended up staying up late last night because of a plot twist.....still have 2 hours to go. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 I just finished a re-read of Thea Harrison's paranormal romance Dragon Bound (Elder Races Book 1) which I enjoyed once more. This is currently on sale for Kindle readers for $1.99. (Adult content) "Half-human and half-wyr, Pia Giovanni spent her life keeping a low profile among the wyrkind and avoiding the continuing conflict between them and their Dark Fae enemies. But after being blackmailed into stealing a coin from the hoard of a dragon, Pia finds herself targeted by one of the most powerful—and passionate—of the Elder races. As the most feared and respected of the wyrkind, Dragos Cuelebre cannot believe someone had the audacity to steal from him, much less succeed. And when he catches the thief, Dragos spares her life, claiming her as his own to further explore the desire they’ve ignited in each other. Pia knows she must repay Dragos for her trespass, but refuses to become his slave—although she cannot deny wanting him, body and soul..." Regards, Kareni 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted June 16, 2018 Author Share Posted June 16, 2018 6 hours ago, Lady Florida. said: A Gentleman in Moscow is the first non-classic I've given five stars to in a very long time. Also, not necessarily 5 stars but at least 4 - Galore - A bit weird but such wonderful characters The Remains of the Day The Sunne in Splendor - historical fiction, chunkster Middlesex The Way We Live Now Anything by Willa Cathur East of Eden and/or The Grapes of Wrath Nearly anything by Toni Morrison Good Omens - silly fun by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman The Plover I know that's a lot but not knowing the type of story you prefer or are in the mood for I wanted to give a variety. I'm more into action adventure, military mysteries and paranormals that anything else but have read a few that may interest you. I'll second Sunne in Splendor and everything else written by Sharon Key Penman. Also Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible. Perhaps The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah or Tracy Chevalier's The Girl with the Pearl Earring. The House at the End of Hope Street or The Dress Shop of Dreams by Menna Van Praag are both heart warming and interesting. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuesdayschild Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 On 6/15/2018 at 12:50 AM, mumto2 said: I just wanted to let you know I followed the link in Evelina over to your wonderful blog. The book part was lovely and the home ed part brought back memories. We used Sonlight for several years also and your lists of books that have been discontinued are really helpful! I have to admit that I haven’t kept up with SL and many of the best books seem to be on your lists. ? Dh has carefully archived my home ed notes from the early years with my book lists so we won’t lose them which means I am frequently searching for the names of books that we read and used for others. I think your blog lists just became my first stop! On 6/15/2018 at 12:37 AM, marbel said: I had started a book on eggs by this author, and ended up abandoning it. It seemed really promising but got boring/annoying to me very quickly. He has a lot of books that look interesting! On 6/16/2018 at 7:06 AM, marbel said: Lord of the Rings (but I have come to see that is the only epic fantasy I can like) Thank you. So pleased that my list collecting tendencies can help in some way with your own list (archiving your home ed notes sounds like such a good idea! I've only archived a few years). The old SL catalogues were something I referred to continually for books to use, so another mum and I started to compile a list of the discontinued titles (yes, so many good books) then two other USA based moms contributed what they had, and we had a shareable list. Jill provided the last update, on her blog, in about 2017(?) That is good to know Marbel.... I think Tim Birkhead and I are not a good match ? And, nodding an emphatic yes to your LOTR comment On 6/15/2018 at 3:31 AM, Penguin said: Congrats! We will have our 30th later this year. @KareniCongratulations to you, and Penguin, both (& your husbands of course ? ) On 6/15/2018 at 3:11 PM, Matryoshka said: Congrats to all the 30-year anniversary celebrators (is that a word?)! Seems like that was a good year! The internet says it is, so it must be right ? It was a good year.... we got married a few days after a cyclone 'flattened' our town . ETA. once we got those two events out the way, the rest of the year was good! Book reading update: The Watsons ~ Jane Austen (audio) (4) Surrey I was really enjoying this story, what a shame Austen never completed it. A Matter of Justice: Ian Rutledge Bk 11 ~ Charles Todd, narrated by Simon Prebble (3) Somerset/ Cornwall I think the more current works of Charles Todd definitely make for better reading. Earlier writes, like this one, have so many hanging threads at the end of the book. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuesdayschild Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 15 hours ago, marbel said: I think mood has a lot to do with it. Sometimes I put a book aside thinking I will never like it, then another day it's the perfect thing! This! Absolutely. My favourite reads in the last few years: News of the World ~ Paulette Jiles (a BaW recommendation) The Reluctant Widow ~ Geogette Heyer (flufferton) a favourite every time I read it ? Stop Walking on Egg Shells ~ Paul Mason (N/F. study book) Have A Little Faith ~ Mitch Albom Night ~ Elie Wiesel Scaramouche ~ Rafael Sabatini ( I was in the right mood to enjoy this - not sure it would cut it now) The Elusive Pimpernel ~ Emmuska Orczy (enjoyed this *with* my son) My Family and Other Animals ~ Gerald Durrell N/F Autobiography Gray Matter ~ David I. Levy, M.D N/F. Medical/Memoir/Christian An Accidental Death: A DC Smith Investigation Series, Bk 1~ Peter Grainger (audible) The Remains of the Day ~ Kazuo Ishiguro Unashamed: Rahab ~ Francine Rivers North and South ~ Elizabeth Gaskell 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted June 17, 2018 Author Share Posted June 17, 2018 Link to week 25 - please continue conversation in new thread 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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