Robin M Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 (edited) Happy Sunday and welcome to week forty in our Open Roads Reading Adventure. Greetings to all our readers and everyone following our progress. Mister Linky is available weekly on 52 Books in 52 Weeks to share a link to your book reviews. Hello October. Nice to meet once again. Are you ready to dive into the spooky and spectacular, ominous and thrilling, supernatural and mysterious, suspenseful world of Spooktacular October? So far this year our travels have taken us from the far East to the sands of Africa and down the Roman Roads of yesteryear. Time to jump on board our ghostly ship Portentous and sail with the wind. My idea of scary isn't blood and guts horror, but psychological thrillers and suspense stories that give me goose bumps. Worlds full of villainous vampires and witches and warlords and monsters, both man made and natural There's a wide variety to choose from: classic gothic reads to ghost stories to the best of Stephen King and his son Joe Hill as well as King's villains. Check out 21 Psychological Thrillers that will mess with your head, 100 Best Thrillers of all time, or 13 New Thriller Books Recommended by Bestselling Authors James Rollins, our author of the month, is one of my favorite suspense writers and his most recent novel in his Sigma Force series, Demon Crown, is one that will keep you reading long into the night. Synopsis: Off the coast of Brazil, a team of scientists discovers a horror like no other, an island where all life has been eradicated, consumed and possessed by a species beyond imagination. Before they can report their discovery, a mysterious agency attacks the group, killing them all, save one, an entomologist, an expert on venomous creatures, Professor Ken Matsui from Cornell University. Strangest of all, this inexplicable threat traces back to a terrifying secret buried a century ago beneath the National Mall: a cache of bones preserved in amber. The artifact was hidden away by a cabal of scientists—led by Alexander Graham Bell—to protect humankind. But they dared not destroy it, for the object also holds an astonishing promise for the future: the very secret of life after death. Flower of the month The Blossom Bookology flower of the month is the Marigold which were the sacred flowers of the Aztecs. There are a number of directions to go for this month's challenge. Read one book per letter using either the title and/or the first or last name of the author. Yes, you can mix it up. You may read a book with the name of the flower, color of the flower in the title, or on the cover. Another possibility is a book which takes place in the time period or flower's country of origin or has some cultural significance and/or symbolism of the flower. The choices are unlimited. Brit Tripping Our Brit Trip is taking us down Watling Way to Surrey this week. Surrey is one of the wealthiest counties in England, it has the highest GDP per capita and the cost of living is as high as inner London. That might explain the reason that Harry’s Uncle Vernon settled there with his family. Rabbit trails: Nonesuch Palace, Waverly Abbey, Guildford Castle, Abbot’s Hospital, Emma’s picnic on Box Hill, Alice in Wonderland, Guildford Tourism, Hampton Court Palace Kristin Lavransdatter Readalong Book two – The Wife Part I – The Fruit of Sin Chapter 1 – 6 (114 pages) What is your reading plan for Spooktacular October? Link to week 39 Edited September 30, 2018 by Robin M 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 I don't trust my English skills enough, to read Henry James in English, so when I found: I saved it for october.... 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted September 30, 2018 Author Share Posted September 30, 2018 (edited) .Been dipping into Melissa Olson's Boundary Crossed which is about all my brain can handle this week. Behind with Kristin Lavransdatter, don't know when I'll get caught up Choices for Spooktacular October is Cormac McCarthy's The Road, Robert McCammon's Stinger or A.J.Paquette's Paradox. Edited September 30, 2018 by Robin M 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 I finished Lab Girl which I enjoyed. For my spooky October reads, I've got Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and World War Z waiting for me. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 Happy October to all! Some bookish posts ~ 5 Books That Explore the Monstrous by Fran Wilde Five Books to Help You Recover From the Loss of Your Planet by Drew Williams LibHub did a series of fall nonfiction preview lists covering pop culture, memoir, politics and social science, history and biography, and science and technology. This is rather neat: Unlocking Library Coolness: The Library of Things Does your library do anything along these lines? ** This classic mystery is currently free for one day only ~ The People of the River by Edgar Wallace Regards, Kareni 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 (edited) Hello BaW friends. I have not posted in a few weeks, but I have done my best to keep up with reading the threads. It is exciting to read exciting news about exchange students and travels across the pond! I am finishing up a brilliant middle-grades book by Catherynne Valente: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, which features a heroine named September. I have at least two spooky reads planned: The Changeling by Victor LaValle and We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson. I also finished a biography of Janis Joplin this week: Buried Alive. It was written by her friend / publicist in 1973. The author does not pretend to be objective, and because the book was written so close to Janis's death I really got a feeling of raw grief while reading. It is also very much a book of the times. I read some negative reviews of it mentioning that is seems dated, but I thought that was one of its positive qualities. I also have on hand a biography of Janis Joplin that was written by her sister in the 1990s, and I look forward to reading that one and comparing the two perspectives. I am hoping to get back into regular reading and posting. My mom's house was directly in the path of Hurricane Florence, and that occupied us for quite a while. She evacuated to my place in Maryland, and will head home in this week. According to the neighbors, her house is fine but until she actually gets down there we do not know if there has been some minor damage. She had been unable to go home because of so many flooded roads. I have also been up to my eyeballs in the college application process. It has been a VERY busy month! Edited September 30, 2018 by Penguin 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 (edited) This week I caught up a bit on BritTripping with John Henry Newman's quasi-autobiographical Loss and Gain. A famous passage in which the protagonist departs Oxford, in which Newman presumably reflects on his own forced departure: Quote He had passed through Bagley Wood, and the spires and towers of the University came on his view, hallowed by how many tender associations, lost to him for two whole years, suddenly recovered—recovered to be lost for ever! There lay old Oxford before him, with its hills as gentle and its meadows as green as ever. At the first view of that beloved place he stood still with folded arms, unable to proceed. Each college, each church—he counted them by their pinnacles and turrets. The silver Isis, the grey willows, the far-stretching plains, the dark groves, the distant range of Shotover, the pleasant village where he had lived with Carlton and Sheffield—wood, water, stone, all so calm, so bright, they might have been his, but his they were not. Whatever he was to gain by becoming a Catholic, this he had lost; whatever he was to gain higher and better, at least this and such as this he never could have again. He could not have another Oxford, he could not have the friends of his boyhood and youth in the choice of his manhood. He mounted the well-known gate on the left, and proceeded down into the plain. There was no one to greet him, to sympathise with him; there was no one to believe he needed sympathy; no one to believe he had given up anything; no one to take interest in him, to feel tender towards him, to defend him. He had suffered much, but there was no one to believe that he had suffered. He would be thought to be inflicting merely, not undergoing, suffering. He might indeed say that he had suffered; but he would be rudely told that every one follows his own will, and that if he had given up Oxford, it was for a whim which he liked better than it. But rather, there was no one to know him; he had been virtually three years away; three years is a generation; Oxford had been his place once, but his place knew him no more. He recollected with what awe and transport he had at first come to the University, as to some sacred shrine; and how from time to time hopes had come over him that some day or other he should have gained a title to residence on one of its ancient foundations. One night in particular came across his memory, how a friend and he had ascended to the top of one of its many towers with the purpose of making observations on the stars; and how, while his friend was busily engaged with the pointers, he, earthly-minded youth, had been looking down into the deep, gas-lit, dark-shadowed quadrangles, and wondering if he should ever be Fellow of this or that College, which he singled out from the mass of academical buildings. All had passed as a dream, and he was a stranger where he had hoped to have had a home. Also finished Cold Comfort Farm. This week reading Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited, the most famous fictional manor house in Wiltshire; and then I will be all caught up, as I earlier read, and counted for Surrey, Oliver Twist, which of course is in London, except for the important scene where Oliver's new colleagues in crime take him out to a house in Surrey in order to rob it. For Spooky October I'm reading (slowly) M. R. James Casting the Runes and Other Ghost Stories, entertaining little tales in a possibly sui generis genre of Victorian Academic Horror. As they're set in various places in England (though really mostly in Oxford and Cambridge...) I hope to count them for Spooky London, if only in a wild card-ish way. Question for Those Who Judge: The 'Georgette Heyer' Rebel Rank requires one book set during the Regency Era. Does that mean the actual Regency (only 8 or 9 years I think?), or the wider cultural era? Edited October 1, 2018 by Violet Crown typos ahoy 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zebra Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 One of my favorite quotes is appropriate for this month, "I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers." From Anne of Green Gables. I whole heartedly agree! This week I read Etta and Otto and Russell and James. I finished the book and felt confused. Aapparently the author's intent, leaving it open to interpretation. This book had the feel/writing style of A Man Called Ove or The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed out the Window and Disappeared. I don't know exactly what you would classify that writing style as, but it's become popular in books lately. I am currently reading The Train to Crystal City which is just making me mad. I thought I had heard about all the ridiculousness that happened during World War Two, but apparently not. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 I recently finished, and was utterly blown away by, The Mere Wife by Maria Dahvana Headley. It is nominally a retelling or reimagining of Beowulf set in an exclusive, gated community, and it is, yet it is so much more. It is poetic, surreal, full of adventure, love and horror. It begs the question of exactly who is a monster and who the hero. It is also about the PTSD suffered by our returning vets. And it is all of that without ever being bluntly political or preachy. It really is one of the most extraordinary books I've read in quite a long time. Best of all, the author signed my copy at comic-con last summer, with the signature and dedication done in a bold, flamboyant hand. Also extraordinary was that first section of The Wife in Kristin Lavransdatter. I guess I'm ahead! On the one hand, I still wanted to slap her and Erlend, but it is worth sticking through that section. We can discuss next week.... I'm about 12 or so chapters into Lethal White, the newest Cormoran Strike mystery. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted September 30, 2018 Share Posted September 30, 2018 (edited) I am anxiously awaiting Dracul, a prequel to Dracula written by Dacre Stoker (great- grandnephew of Bram Stoker!!) and J.D. Barker. It is based on Bram's notes! https://www.amazon.com/Dracul-Dacre-Stoker/dp/0735219346 Now reading The Wild Dead, next in the Bannerless series by Carrie Vaughn which I am enjoying. Post-apocalyptic mystery. Edited September 30, 2018 by 6packofun 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted October 1, 2018 Share Posted October 1, 2018 6 hours ago, loesje22000 said: I don't trust my English skills enough, to read Henry James in English, so when I found: I saved it for october.... Which James is that? Turn of the Screw? Google Translate wasn't helpful. Penguin, hope your mom's house isn't too damaged. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted October 1, 2018 Share Posted October 1, 2018 6 hours ago, Robin M said: Are you ready to dive into the spooky and spectacular, ominous and thrilling, supernatural and mysterious, suspenseful world of Spooktacular October? I just finished a book that had a decidedly ominous vibe but was not too frightening for me to read. (I definitely avoid horror as I like to sleep peacefully at night.) It's the third in a series, and I definitely recommend reading these in order. The first book is Ghost Gifts. The book I just finished was Laura Spinella's Echo Moon (A Ghost Gifts Novel Book 3). Here is the blurb: "A past life, a past war, and a past love. Peter St John can’t foresee a future until he confronts his past sins. When photojournalist Peter St John returns home after a two-year absence, the life he’s been running from catches up. For years his mother’s presence, coupled with Pete’s own psychic gift, has triggered visits to 1917. There, he relives battles of the Great War, captures the heyday of Coney Island on canvas, and falls in love with an enchanting and enigmatic songstress named Esme. Present-day Pete still pines for Esme, and his love endures…but so does his vivid memory of killing her. When he discovers family heirlooms that serve as proof of his crimes, Pete will have to finally confront his former life. He also meets a young woman—who is more than what she seems—with a curious connection to his family. As century-old secrets unravel, can Pete reconcile a murder from his past before it destroys his future?" Regards, Kareni 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted October 1, 2018 Share Posted October 1, 2018 On 9/29/2018 at 8:25 PM, TravelingChris said: I started and finished Kazuo Ishiguro's Remains of the Day. I saw the movie when it came out so no surprises. I am not quite sure about how I feel about the book- I didn't like the characters and it was a very slow moving book. But, on the other hand, it was a great portrait of how rigidity in thinking can excuse bad behavior and curtail happiness. I think that's a great analysis of the book. Almost exactly what I though. Have you read anything else by Ishiguro? 7 hours ago, Penguin said: Hello BaW friends. I have not posted in a few weeks, but I have done my best to keep up with reading the threads. It is exciting to read exciting news about exchange students and travels across the pond! I am hoping to get back into regular reading and posting. My mom's house was directly in the path of Hurricane Florence, and that occupied us for quite a while. She evacuated to my place in Maryland, and will head home in this week. According to the neighbors, her house is fine but until she actually gets down there we do not know if there has been some minor damage. She had been unable to go home because of so many flooded roads. I have also been up to my eyeballs in the college application process. It has been a VERY busy month! That's very stressful. Is she driving home or flying? I hope everything will be okay. 7 hours ago, Violet Crown said: This week I caught up a bit on BritTripping with John Henry Newman's quasi-autobiographical Loss and Gain. A famous passage in which the protagonist departs Oxford, in which Newman presumably reflects on his own forced departure: Also finished Cold Comfort Farm. This week reading Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited, the most famous fictional manor house in Wiltshire; and then I will be all caught up, as I earlier read, and counted for Surrey, Oliver Twist, which of course is in London, except for the important scene where Oliver's new colleagues in crime take him out to a house in Surrey in order to rob it. For Spooky October I'm reading (slowly) M. R. James Casting the Runes and Other Ghost Stories, entertaining little tales in a possibly sui generis genre of Victorian Academic Horror. As they're set in various places in England (though really mostly in Oxford and Cambridge...) I hope to count them for Spooky London, if only in a wild card-ish way. Question for Those Who Judge: The 'Georgette Heyer' Rebel Rank requires one book set during the Regency Era. Does that mean the actual Regency (only 8 or 9 years I think?), or the wider cultural era? Judge-y answer: We'll be lenient. Which in itself is ironic with GH because she was known to be such an incredibly stickler for exact historical accuracy. But she's not here and I am so ... go for anything in the wider cultural era. What's your final thoughts on Cold Comfort Farm? Would you recommend it to either of your big girls? 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted October 1, 2018 Share Posted October 1, 2018 3 hours ago, Violet Crown said: Which James is that? Turn of the Screw? Google Translate wasn't helpful. Penguin, hope your mom's house isn't too damaged. It is the Turn of the Screw. It has been translated as ‘the Innocents’. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted October 1, 2018 Share Posted October 1, 2018 Hi all! I've been reading a lot this week but not really finishing anything. I'm behind in our KL read along, too. I did read a graphic novel - Real Friends by Shannon Hale.The story was easy to relate to - I think most of us can remember how it felt to be left out of a group of girls at some point during our school years. What surprised me was the cruelty of her older sister and how her parents seemed oblivious to it. It was good but I felt stressed out after reading it. I picked this up at the library thinking maybe I had already read this as the artwork is very similar to Raina Telgemeier's books - https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/21618.Raina_Telgemeier. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted October 1, 2018 Share Posted October 1, 2018 (edited) Kareni, Love the links! The monster books look fascinating. I think I will start with A Natural History of Dragons sometime soonish. The Lady Trent series is something I have wanted to read for years but never manage to actually read even when it is in my stack. I have had the first book checked out a few times and return it due to lack of time. I haven’t even opened it because I want it to be special! ? 15 hours ago, JennW in SoCal said: I recently finished, and was utterly blown away by, The Mere Wife by Maria Dahvana Headley. It is nominally a retelling or reimagining of Beowulf set in an exclusive, gated community, and it is, yet it is so much more. It is poetic, surreal, full of adventure, love and horror. It begs the question of exactly who is a monster and who the hero. It is also about the PTSD suffered by our returning vets. And it is all of that without ever being bluntly political or preachy. It really is one of the most extraordinary books I've read in quite a long time. Best of all, the author signed my copy at comic-con last summer, with the signature and dedication done in a bold, flamboyant hand. Also extraordinary was that first section of The Wife in Kristin Lavransdatter. I guess I'm ahead! On the one hand, I still wanted to slap her and Erlend, but it is worth sticking through that section. We can discuss next week.... I'm about 12 or so chapters into Lethal White, the newest Cormoran Strike mystery. I need to hunt for The Mere Wife because I generally like all things Beowulf. My ds recently pointed out in a rather disgusted way that we “did” Beowulf many times in the home education journey so he knows all about that story, wherever mom could make it fit she did! ?. ETA.....on a rather long hold. I am looking forward to continuing KL. Hopefully I will be able to pick up my copy soon! I never read the third Cormoran Strike book because I disliked the first few pages and I suspect it was due to be returned. Last week I listened to the first few chapters and enjoyed them and am now waiting for the book. The audiobook is longish, 17 hours, and I can read quicker. I have Lethal White on hold btw so let me know how you like it. ? 12 hours ago, 6packofun said: I am anxiously awaiting Dracul, a prequel to Dracula written by Dacre Stoker (great- grandnephew of Bram Stoker!!) and J.D. Barker. It is based on Bram's notes! https://www.amazon.com/Dracul-Dacre-Stoker/dp/0735219346 Now reading The Wild Dead, next in the Bannerless series by Carrie Vaughn which I am enjoying. Post-apocalyptic mystery. I am putting it on hold as I type! I can’t wait to try a Dracula prequel. Also thanks for the review on the new Carrie Vaughn series, it is one I keep seeing but haven’t been sure if I wanted to try. A positive review makes a big difference! Penquin, I hope your mom’s return home goes well! Edited October 1, 2018 by mumto2 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted October 1, 2018 Share Posted October 1, 2018 While searching for A Natural History of Dragons I ran across what looks to be a fascinating book with real home ed potential if you enjoy rabbit trails......The Chemistry of Alchemy by Cathy Cobb https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18630610-the-chemistry-of-alchemy. It has over 20 hands on experiments although I wonder how feasible they are as the cover states from Dragon’s Blood to Donkey Dung! At some point I will be checking this out.......would it be a microhistory? 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted October 1, 2018 Share Posted October 1, 2018 Thank you to those asking about my mom. I was more worried about her stress level than her house. She is 81, and this experience was very hard on her. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted October 1, 2018 Share Posted October 1, 2018 (edited) 15 hours ago, aggieamy said: Judge-y answer: We'll be lenient. Which in itself is ironic with GH because she was known to be such an incredibly stickler for exact historical accuracy. But she's not here and I am so ... go for anything in the wider cultural era. What's your final thoughts on Cold Comfort Farm? Would you recommend it to either of your big girls? Well … here I am doing AP English prep with Middle Girl, and I'm telling her how the Regency era is best understood as a sub-era of the English Romantic movement, which has an official launch date of 1800, with Wordsworth's Preface to the second edition of Lyrical Ballads. Surely no one here can read "Tintern Abbey" without picturing William in tall hat and swallow-tail coat, gazing at the ruins with sister Dorothy in Jane Austen-style high-waisted dress and parasol? And frankly it took me so long to get around to finishing LB that I'm game to count it for something, so "extended Regency" gets the nod. There's nothing objectionable about Cold Comfort Farm -- the word "sex" is mentioned a few times -- but it gets all its humor from familiarity with the particular genre it parodies, so I wouldn't bother giving it to anyone who hasn't read a few such novels. But if your daughter has, I wouldn't hesitate to let her enjoy it. (Last week I gave Middle Girl, who has read a little James now, Max Beerbohm's parody "The Mote in the Middle Distance"; she was entertained.) I've mentioned that I keep a timeline of my reading, and I was amused to see that Cold Comfort Farm shared a publication date (1932) with Grassic Gibbon's Sunset Song, the popular Scottish version of the Doomed Rural Peasantry novel. Edited October 1, 2018 by Violet Crown 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 Sending good thoughts for your mother, Penguin. I hope that her home will indeed be undamaged, and that she'll soon be resettled there. 18 hours ago, mumto2 said: I think I will start with A Natural History of Dragons sometime soonish. The Lady Trent series is something I have wanted to read for years but never manage to actually read even when it is in my stack. I have had the first book checked out a few times and return it due to lack of time. I haven’t even opened it because I want it to be special! ? I was in much the same situation, so I suggested that my book group read it. It's on our schedule for sometime in 2019 if I'm remembering correctly. I'll look forward to hearing your thoughts. Regards, Kareni 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 This evening I finished a book that I think others here (and their teens) might enjoy. While the story stands alone in the sense that it introduces new characters, I think one really needs to read the previous books in the series in order to best understand the world. The Plastic Magician (A Paper Magician Novel) by Charlie N. Holmberg "Alvie Brechenmacher has arrived in London to begin her training in Polymaking—the magical discipline of bespelling plastic. Polymaking is the newest form of magic, and in a field where there is so much left to learn, every Polymaker dreams of making the next big discovery. Even though she is only an apprentice, Alvie is an inventor at heart, and she is determined to make as many discoveries—in as short a time frame—as she can. Luckily for her, she’s studying under the world-renowned magician Marion Praff, who is just as dedicated as Alvie is. Alvie’s enthusiasm reinvigorates her mentor’s work, and together they create a device that could forever change Polymaking—and the world. But when a rival learns of their plans, he conspires to steal their invention and take the credit for it himself. To thwart him, Alvie will need to think one step ahead. For in the high-stakes world of magical discovery, not everyone plays fair…" ** I also enjoyed browsing through Jessica Pigza's BiblioCraft: A Modern Crafter's Guide to Using Library Resources to Jumpstart Creative Projects which was a rather meaty book. "A Library Journal Best Book of the Year Deep in the stacks of any library is a wealth of inspiration waiting to be uncovered, and a plethora of projects ready to be tackled. In BiblioCraft, crafting aficionado and rare book librarian Jessica Pigza shares her secrets to scouring those musty collections—both in person and online—for everything from vintage needlepoint magazines to historic watermarks and Japanese family crests. As a host of the New York Public Library’s Handmade Crafternoon series, Pigza has helped creative people of all types take advantage of these hidden riches. BiblioCraft also presents more than twenty projects inspired by library resources from a stellar cast of designers, including Alabama Chanin founder Natalie Chanin, Liesl + Co. founder Liesl Gibson, Charm Patterns founder Gretchen Hirsch, illustrator and fabric designer Heather Ross, Design*Sponge founder Grace Bonney, and others. Whether your passion is pillows or coasters, fascinators or fabrics, Pigza will show you how to turn your local library into a global crafting goldmine." Regards, Kareni 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 (edited) 7 hours ago, Kareni said: I was in much the same situation, so I suggested that my book group read it. It's on our schedule for sometime in 2019 if I'm remembering correctly. I'll look forward to hearing your thoughts. Regards, Kareni That is a great way to make sure you read it! Hopefully I will manage to listen to it before that.......after my post I discovered the Lady Trent series is only available in audio on my Overdrive. I remember having it in paper form which seems to make me less likely to actually read the book. Ten years ago I would never have believed this, I would have been utterly shocked at my future self! I finished Robin’s Apple challenge from a couple of weeks ago by reading One Bad Apple by Sheila Connolly. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2685034-one-bad-apple I enjoyed it greatly for what it was the start of a cozy mystery series. If you are interested in historic apple varieties (I happen to be) these appear to be a fun easy read. I am not jumping immediately into the next but I am sure I will read my way through these over the next year or so. Once again I have found a series I enjoy with a bit of a nudge in a new direction from Robin. Thank you! I also read When Red is Black by Qiu Xialong for my Alphabetical Author challenge. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14663.When_Red_Is_Black. It is the third in the Inspector Chen series and once again I learned a bit about living in China in th 90’s. I have read the first two in the series and believe this one was a bit more concise, not as much extra background being given but these are totally stand alone so far. My overdrive’s supply of this series has ended but I discovered the library has a few more. I requested the next. Edited October 2, 2018 by mumto2 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 I'm late this week. Had a slow reading week, and a busy weekend! Only finished one book... 97. Theory of Bastards by Audrey Schulman - This was for my SciFi book club. Some commented that it tried to do too many things (one of the reasons it's really hard to summarize what the book is about), but I liked all the things it was doing, so it worked as a nice stew for me. 4 stars. Still reading: - There, There, by Tommy Orange (ebook - well, was an ebook) - it finally happened - I didn't plan out my Overdrive reading well enough, and it expired before I finished it! Since the Overdrive wait is super-long, I requested the hardcopy which should hopefully arrive soon so I can finish it. - Kamchatka by Marcelo Figueras - Really enjoying this story about a young boy and his family amid the political turmoil of '70's Argentina, but for some reason am not finishing it quickly. This was my Spanish book for Sept, and now it's October! Oops. - Why Buddhism is True by Robert Wright (audiobook) - Also really enjoying this. I am almost ready to book a week-long meditation retreat, lol. And read some Hume. And Spooky October reads planned! ? ? - Sunshine by Robin McKinley (ebook) - have just started this one. Now I'm wondering why I haven't read more McKinley, especially since Beauty is one of my all-time favorite books... Also, Woman in White by Wilkie Collins on audio is waiting for me at the library, Las cosas que perdimos en el fuego / Things we Lost in the Fire by Mariana Enríquez is supposed to be a bunch of creepy short stories, Die schwarze Spinne / The Black Spider by Jeremias Gotthelf is about the devil/spider coming to a medieval Swiss village. That might be it this year - I am tempted by both that Dracula prequel and the newly released The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein, but I may save those for next year... I also need to start the next book of Kristin Lavransdatter this week. Seems it was good we had a week break! 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 A bookish post from the Word Wenches site: What We're Reading** And currently free for Kindle readers ~ Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery memoir: Precious Silver Chopsticks: A True Story of a Korean Noble Family by Mae Adams historical fiction: Maid of Baikal: A Novel of the Russian Civil War by Preston Fleming .... “A Russian war story that lives and breathes from a writer at the peak of his powers.” KIRKUS REVIEWS fantasy: Justice Calling (The Twenty-Sided Sorceress) by Annie Bellet LGBT: Patchwork Paradise by Indra Vaughn LGBT: Monsters and Men by E. M. Lindsey Regards, Kareni 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 Just picked up two Skinnytaste cookbooks from the library and the Bess Crawford book. Off to bed to read! 10 hours ago, Matryoshka said: Also, Woman in White by Wilkie Collins on audio is waiting for me at the library, Las cosas que perdimos en el fuego / Things we Lost in the Fire by Mariana Enríquez is supposed to be a bunch of creepy short stories, Die schwarze Spinne / The Black Spider by Jeremias Gotthelf is about the devil/spider coming to a medieval Swiss village. That might be it this year - I am tempted by both that Dracula prequel and the newly released The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein, but I may save those for next year... One of my favorite books of all times! I just put it on my nightstand to reread for a mild Spooky October. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted October 4, 2018 Share Posted October 4, 2018 Earlier today I finished RR Haywood's Extracted (Extracted Trilogy, volume 1). The premise of the book was interesting (time travel has made the world go awry, so use time travel to retrieve heroes at the moment of their deaths so that they can go forth and save the day); however, .... There were parts of the book that I think were meant to be amusing but struck me as silly. Also, the book ended with a huge cliffhanger. That said, I read the whole book, so it was somewhat compelling. (If you have Amazon prime, this title is in their library of borrow-able books.) Content warning for violence, language, and sexual abuse. "In 2061, a young scientist invents a time machine to fix a tragedy in his past. But his good intentions turn catastrophic when an early test reveals something unexpected: the end of the world. A desperate plan is formed. Recruit three heroes, ordinary humans capable of extraordinary things, and change the future. Safa Patel is an elite police officer, on duty when Downing Street comes under terrorist attack. As armed men storm through the breach, she dispatches them all. 'Mad' Harry Madden is a legend of the Second World War. Not only did he complete an impossible mission—to plant charges on a heavily defended submarine base—but he also escaped with his life. Ben Ryder is just an insurance investigator. But as a young man he witnessed a gang assaulting a woman and her child. He went to their rescue, and killed all five. Can these three heroes, extracted from their timelines at the point of death, save the world?" Regards, Kareni 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted October 5, 2018 Author Share Posted October 5, 2018 Hello loves! Busy week being pulled in way too many directions. Time for another media diet. ? ?? Construction project still ongoing. Just think of all the issues that occur during a remodel and we've had them. Fingers crossed it will be done by November. FIL offered to help, so we don't have to dip into our IRA's. ? James and I watched History of the Iran Hostage Crisis which was quite enlightening. Some things I'd forgotten, others I hadn't known. Balanced it out with the fluffy and the ridiculous - Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom - which totally went off the rails. Entertaining to say the least. Currently reading J.R. Ward's newest series Firefighters with Consumed. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted October 5, 2018 Author Share Posted October 5, 2018 Loesje - How are you enjoying Turn of the Screw? Ali - look forward to hearing what you think of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Karen - love the links - Lady Trent is wonderful series. Penguin - How is your mom doing? Violet Crown - great quote from Loss and Gain Zebra - I've never heard of Crystal City. James and I were just discussion something similar the other day, so may be a book we should read. Jenn - Mere Wife sounds gut wrenching as well as intriguing. 6packof fun - look forward to hearing what you think of Dracul. I read Dacre Stoker's other book - Dracula, the Undead which was excellent. Mothersweets - I'm behind with K.L. as well. Will catch up eventually. Mum - glad you are enjoying the mini challenges. Love Qui Xialong's book and learning so much about Chinese politics and culture during that period of time. Matryoshka - The Dart Descent of Elizabeth Frankestein sounds good. Dean Koontz Frankenstein series was excellent and along the same lines when it came to Frankenstein's wife. ❤️❤️ 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 52 minutes ago, Robin M said: Hello loves! Busy week being pulled in way too many directions. Time for another media diet. ? ?? Construction project still ongoing. Just think of all the issues that occur during a remodel and we've had them. Fingers crossed it will be done by November. FIL offered to help, so we don't have to dip into our IRA's. ? James and I watched History of the Iran Hostage Crisis which was quite enlightening. Some things I'd forgotten, others I hadn't known. Balanced it out with the fluffy and the ridiculous - Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom - which totally went off the rails. Entertaining to say the least. Currently reading J.R. Ward's newest series Firefighters with Consumed. Glad to hear the building project is getting close to complete! I am trying to finish Gail Carriger's latest in The Custard Protocol series. I am not loving it but want to finish Competence. So far this book just deals with the children of the Soulless characters, I suspect I would enjoy it more if my favourite characters made an appearance. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted October 6, 2018 Share Posted October 6, 2018 I finished a couple of books ~ Lights and Sirens by Lisa Henry This was an enjoyable Australian set contemporary romance featuring a police officer and a paramedic. It had more depth than many of the romances I've recently read; it also had some humor which is always appreciated and a lot of Australian-isms. (Adult content) "Paramedic Hayden Kinsella is single and the life of the party. He likes driving fast and saving lives, and he doesn’t do relationships—he does hookups. Except he wouldn’t hook up with copper Matt Deakin if he were the last guy on the planet. Hayden thinks the feeling is mutual . . . until clearing the air leads to a drunken one-night stand, which leads to something neither of them was expecting: a genuine connection. Police officer Matt Deakin moved to Townsville to take care of his elderly grandfather. In between keeping an eye on Grandad, renovating his house, and the demands of his job, he somehow finds himself in a tentative relationship with Hayden and very slowly gets to know the damaged guy beneath the happy-go-lucky persona. But the stressors of shift work, fatigue, and constant exposure to trauma threaten to tear Hayden and Matt apart before they’ve even found their footing together. In the high-pressure lives of emergency services workers, it turns out it’s not the getting together part that’s hard, it’s the staying together." ** I also read The Bureau: Volume 1 by Kim Fielding which is a collection of three linked and separately published paranormal novellas, Corruption, Clay White, and Creature. I enjoyed all of the stories though Creature was my favorite. I'd say this fulfills Robin's Spooktacular October read suggestion (Adult content) "This collection contains the first three Bureau novellas: CORRUPTION Once a proud demon of the night sky who carried nightmares to humans, Tenrael has spent decades in captivity as the star attraction of a traveling carnival. He exists in miserable servitude to men who plunk down ten dollars to fulfill their dark desires. Charles Grimes is half human, half… something else. For fifteen years he’s worked for the Bureau of Trans-Species Affairs, ridding the country of dangerous monsters. When his boss sends him to Kansas to chase a rumor about a captive demon, Charles figures it’s just another assignment. Until he meets Tenrael. CLAY WHITE Someone—or something—is murdering young men in San Francisco. Clay White has been fired from the Bureau of Trans-Species Affairs, but he’s determined to track down the killer. When he comes across a vampire named Marek, Clay assumes he’s caught the perp. But the encounter with Marek turns out to be more complicated than Clay expected, and it forces him to deal with his own troubled past and murky psyche. As Clay discovers, sometimes the truth doesn't come easy—and the monsters are not who we expect. CREATURE Alone in a cell and lacking memories of his past, John has no idea who—or what—he is. Alone on the streets of 1950s Los Angeles, Harry has far too many memories of his painful past and feels simply resignation in facing his empty future. When Harry is given a chance to achieve his only dream—to become an agent with the Bureau of Trans-Species Affairs—all he has to do is prove his worth. Yet nothing has ever come easy for him. Now he must offer himself and John as bait, enticing a man who wants to conquer death. But first he and John must learn what distinguishes a monster from a man—and what a monster truly wants." Regards, Kareni 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted October 6, 2018 Author Share Posted October 6, 2018 Hi Texasmom, Good to hear from you. Wheel of Time on Amazon Video. Woot! Woot! Will be interesting to see what they do with the story. Dewey Decimal Fashion. Who'da thunk it? What's new at Soho Crime and Soho Teen. Ten Timey Wimey books for Doctor Who fans Have fun exploring The Tardis Library ? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted October 6, 2018 Share Posted October 6, 2018 33 minutes ago, Robin M said: Dewey Decimal Fashion. Who'da thunk it? My daughter is thinking of one day becoming a librarian. If she does, I have some gifts in mind! Regards, Kareni 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted October 7, 2018 Author Share Posted October 7, 2018 (edited) Link to week 41 - please continue conversation in new thread Edited October 7, 2018 by Robin M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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