Book a Week 2020 - BW1: Happy New Year - Our Journey Continues

[Robin M]

 

Courtesy of Julia Blackshaw
Places I’ve Never Been Before

 

I lived in books more than I lived anywhere else. ~ Neil Gaiman

Happy New Year! Cheers to another year of armchair traveling with 52 Books and welcome to all our newbies and everyone joining in for another round. I'm looking forward sharing our reading adventures together. 

Thanks to this challenge, over the past few years my reading choices have become rather eclectic. My shelves reflect my various moods which have segued from science fiction and fantasy to mystery and romances to historical fiction to non fiction, which means I have a wide variety to which to choose. I'm looking forward to reading all the whimsical and entertaining, historical and fantastic, adventurous and literary books on my shelves as well as the new shiny ones about to be released. 

As hard as it is to resist buying new books as soon as they come out, I promised my ever expanding library of virtual books as well as my dusty and chunky books, I'd read them first before I added more. Poor babies are feeling neglected at the moment. Part of the fun is reading through them alphabetically and discovering old friends. My muse was definitely not amused during 2019 so I will make an extra effort to pay him more attention. 

The grand Dame Agatha Christie requests your presence and invites you to have a cup of tea or a whiskey, if you prefer, while you discuss the meaning of an Well Educated Mind or which Nobel Prize Winner she thinks you may enjoy reading. Maybe she'll join you on a Brit Trip. But first, she may choose to enjoy a moment of Silence, before she gives you clues to 52 Books Bingo or shares a bit of news about our Ladies of Fiction. and gives away Whodunit! 

We also plan to have a J.R. Tolkien Readalong starting with The Hobbit during the first quarter of the year, and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, the remaining three quarters. I'll post more about it next week. Instead of having a very short week one, our first week will run until Saturday, January 11th.  

The goal is simple. Read 52 books and how you get there is entirely up to you. All our annual and perpetual challenges as well as weekly or seasonal mini challenges are optional and meant to tickle your reading taste buds. Which generally results in having fun, getting lost (in a good way) following rabbit trails and an ever expanding want list of reads. 

(I'll tell you a secret. Shh! Don't tell anyone else, she whispers with a wink!) You can even set your own goal if you like. Read what you want, explore and dive into those longer books, engage your mind and soul and don't worry. Do your best, challenge yourself and you may be surprised to discover how many books you end up reading.

It has become a tradition with 52 Books to begin our travels in the Far East, generally with Haruki Murakami, and I currently have Killing Commendatore on my virtual shelves. However, I'm going to start with our Ladies of Fiction author of the month, Banana Yoshimoto, and her debut literary novel, Kitchen. Plus I'm two thirds of the way through Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series and currently reading #11 Knife of Dreams.

Are you ready to dive in?  Please share your reading plans for 2020 and/or your reading wrap up for 2019 or let us know which book(s) you are currently reading.  I look forward to hearing your thoughts about your reads. 

 ~Cheers to a wonderful reading new year~

 

Link to 2019 week 52 

Edited January 1, 2020 by Robin M

[Robin M]

Happy New Year, my lovelies.  I started Kitchen last night and finished it last night.  Very well written but little did I know the theme would be grief.  Not something I could have read without bawling my eyes out a few years ago.   A few days ago I started to read a  dusty ebook,  Son of Heaven in David Wingrove's Chung Kuo series.   

"The year is 2065, two decades after the great economic collapse that destroyed Western civilization. With its power broken and its cities ruined, life in the West continues in scattered communities. In rural Dorset, Jake Reed lives with his 14-year-old son and memories of the great collapse. Back in ’43 Jake was a rich young futures broker, immersed in the datscape of the world’s financial markets. He saw what was coming – and who was behind it. Forewarned, he was one of the few to escape the fall.

For 22 years Jake has lived in fear of the future, and finally it is coming – quite literally – across the plain towards him. Chinese airships are ibn the skies and a strange, glacial structure has begun to dominate the horizon. Under the rule of the mighty Tsao Ch’un, a resurgent China is seeking to abolish the past and bring about world peace through rigidly enforced order.

As Jake feared, with the coming of the Han, his life is once more at risk. All those years ago he was on a list of those influential Westerners to be killed – a list that remain active. Fate seems to have finally caught up with him. Yet fortune favours him still, for the man who captures him is none other than Jiang Lei, General of Tsao Ch’un’s Eighteenth Banner Army, better known as Nai Liu, “Enduring Willow”, the greatest Han poet of his age, and a man of honour and sensitivity.

Against all odds, Jake survives this ‘final’ test to earn himself a place within the Han’s brave new world. But can he adapt to the great mile-high world of levels?"

Having all kinds of trouble with posting today. Anyone else?  

Writing wise, I have a few sip reads going including Francine Prose's Reading Like a Writer and James Scott Bell's Just Write.  Working my way through 52 Lists Project as well as A Year of Writing Dangerously: 365 days of encouragement and inspiration  

 

Edited January 1, 2020 by Robin M

[Lady Florida.]

Happy New Year BaWers! I hope I can return to being active in the threads again this year.

I decided not to join the Goodreads challenge this year. I don't like number goals and have always wished they offered other ways to set goals. 

My wild and crazy New Year's Eve consisted of me finally taking time to write out my reading goals for this year. I got more specific than in past years because as with most goals, general reading goals don't always take me where I want to go. Instead of saying I'll read dusty books or books from my Goodreads TR list, I went through those books/lists and made specific choices. 

--Shakespeare Challenge - Normally I just make a goal of continuing but my new specific goal setting plan means I'll finish the Sonnets, all poems, and 10 more plays. The original challenge was set out for reading Shakespeare in a Year so rather than choose which plays to read, I'll follow the progression of the original and just keep moving on to the next play until I've read 10 of them.

--I will read Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States as a sip read. Meditations will also be a sip read. It's okay if I don't finish either as long as I pick them up regularly to read. 

--From my Amazon cloud of Kindle books I chose 3 fiction and 2 non-fiction:
Sword Song, Bernard Cornwell - I started this last year but want to finish it.
The Warmth of Other Suns, Isabel Wilkerson
The Custom of the Country, Edith Wharton
Truman, David McCullough's biography of him. I started this but it's been so long that I might have to start over.
The Truffle Underground, Ryan Jacobs

--From my Goodreads Want to Read list I did the same number of fiction and non-fiction:
A Mercy, Toni Morrison
The Walnut Mansion, Mijenko Jergovic (translated of course)
The Wilder Sisters, Jo-Ann Mapson
A Vindication of the Rights of Women, Mary Wollstonecroft- This is a curiosity read. I've just always wondered about it and if it was in fact ground breaking for her time (yes, I can look it up but I want to read it for myself)
The Island of Lost Maps, Miles Harvey

I plan to start Trollope's Palliser novels and read the first two: Can You Forgive Her? and Phineas Finn. 

More general goals are to read each of my irl book club books throughout the year and possibly do any read alongs or weekly/monthly challenges we might have.

Those plans leave me plenty of room for spontaneous choices if a book comes to my attention. 

Edited January 1, 2020 by Lady Florida.

[Lady Florida.]

I'm reading The Tiger's Wife as a carryover from 2019. I have several other books to carry over but this one is for book club and we meet next Tuesday. Plus it was my choice so I need to finish it and find discussion questions for us.

I started The Merchant of Venice for my Shakespeare challenge listed in my previous thread, and read the first chapter of Howard Zinn's book.

I had been listening to Ron Chernow's biography of Ulysses S. Grant but that was an Audible purchase. When an Overdrive audio book came in I put Grant aside for the library book. I finished that one yesterday and can get back to Grant now. He just rejoined the Army as the Civil War is beginning. He previously either quit to spend time with his family or was run out in shame, depending on who's telling the story. 🙂 In Chernow's defense he covers both sides of that controversy. 

[Lady Florida.]

This article is from last May but since we're getting closer I thought I'd post it. If we still have any Hilary Mantel fans here, the final book in the Thomas Cromwell series is due out in March. Although I didn't set a goal to reread the first two it's been so long that I feel like I should read them as a refresher. At the very least I might read the Wiki on both of the books plus factual articles about Cromwell as a refresher.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/may/22/hilary-mantel-the-mirror-and-the-light-announced-for-2020

Edited January 1, 2020 by Lady Florida.

[Lady Florida.]

1 hour ago, Robin M said:

We also plan to have a J.R. Tolkien Readalong starting with The Hobbit during the first quarter of the year, and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, the remaining three quarters.

I take back my statement about joining in our read alongs. I've tried but I just don't like these books. 😂

[Lady Florida.]

1 hour ago, Robin M said:

and James Scott Bell's Just Write

Also, I really like James Scott Bell's books on writing. They're down to earth and very helpful imo.

[mumto2]

@Robin M I had been prepared to use Banana Yoshimoto in place of our Murakami read also in part because I have read most of his books now and am not sure I want to read the rest.  That said a part of me wants to reread my favorite 1Q84 and see if I still like it,  sort of a lingering plan for 2020.  I just decided to check it out and try it now.

I am almost done with Too Lucky to Live https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47632110-too-lucky-to-live which is one of those books I personally call a romp.......filled with people chasing each other in a sort wild but unrealistic way......aka Stephanie Plum books.  I grabbed this off of Overdrive because it looked fun and was pretty surprised to find that I already had the second part in my paper stack from the library when I was sorting things last night.  So I am planning to dive into that next.....

I spent last night sorting and planning.  Making my 2020  Goodreads Shelves and filling out the Bingo and Ladies of Literature pages in my new book journal.  I also improved the names for my 10x10’s.........

Alfred Hitchcock Presents...........the books that are behind the movies!

Agatha Strikes Again!..........my Christie perpetual challenge

Somewhere in Time........Time Travel

Dragon’s Dens

Henry and his relatives......Brit historical

Visiting Miss Silver......Patricia Wentworth

The Cozy Corner Cafe........new to me cozy series

Brit Tripping Revisited

Around the World in 10 Detectives

Plat it Again.......series I never finished but would like to

 

 

 

 

[Junie]

I am still reading some books that I started in 2019:  The Black Tulip by Dumas and Les Miserables by Hugo.

I decided to ditch Paradise Lost.  I got about halfway through and I was really not enjoying it.  I may finish it later, but I've put it aside for now.

This afternoon I started Call of the Wild by London.  It's a little bit on the short side for the BAW challenge, but since Les Mis is sooooo long I'm pretending it evens out.  :)

[vmsurbat1]

All right. I'm in but not exactly sure what I'm doing since I just found out about this and am bumbling my way around.   I didn't know there was a tradition to start with the East, but I actually chose and am reading The Heavenly Man which is centered on China.  So there is that, at least.  

Since I (now) live overseas, I will be needing to get creative with finding books whether printed-on-paper, affordable kindle books, and/or perusing what I might be able to get off my old public library card via Overdrive.....  I also plan to spend this next week getting a grip on Goodreads.  I have an account there but haven't done anything with it....

If anyone has links to free but worthwhile (no unedited drafts by wannabe authors--not dissing them but don't have time to spare for that) kindle reads, I'd appreciate that very much!  Since I'm trying for that Bingo expand-your-reading-horizons, all genres are welcome.

And, Happy New Year to all!

[vmsurbat1]

3 minutes ago, Junie said:

I decided to ditch Paradise Lost

That is the one book I request my husband to read to me if I need to nod off to sleep.  He loves it; it puts me out in 5 minutes or less.  

[aggieamy]

2 hours ago, Robin M said:

Happy New Year, my lovelies.  I started Kitchen last night and finished it last night.  Very well written but little did I know the theme would be grief.  Not something I could have read without bawling my eyes out a few years ago.   

(snip)

 

Writing wise, I have a few sip reads going including Francine Prose's Reading Like a Writer and James Scott Bell's Just Write.  Working my way through 52 Lists Project as well as A Year of Writing Dangerously: 365 days of encouragement and inspiration  

 

I read Kitchen a few years ago write after my dear dear grandmother died. IIRC one of the stories was on a granddaughter losing her grandmother. I had no idea what I was getting into when I started the book. I loved it (Banana's got an amazing way with beautiful words) but boy did I spend an afternoon sobbing. 

Off to look at the 52 Lists Project and Writing Dangerously... 

1 hour ago, Lady Florida. said:

Happy New Year BaWers! I hope I can return to being active in the threads again this year.

(Snip)

More general goals are to read each of my irl book club books throughout the year and possibly do any read alongs or weekly/monthly challenges we might have.

 

Ditto the active member talk. Me too. My 2019 was out of sorts in general and I've got higher hopes for 2020.

I have an IRL book club too and of the last 12 books we've read I've only read 6. I need to do better with that. I particularly want to read the stinkers that our members pick out because I dearly love to go into great detail on why I hated a book. I've been known to bring lists on why a book wasn't even worthy of the heat it would give off if burnt. 

41 minutes ago, mumto2 said:

I spent last night sorting and planning.  Making my 2020  Goodreads Shelves and filling out the Bingo and Ladies of Literature pages in my new book journal.  I also improved the names for my 10x10’s.........

Alfred Hitchcock Presents...........the books that are behind the movies!

Agatha Strikes Again!..........my Christie perpetual challenge

Somewhere in Time........Time Travel

Dragon’s Dens

Henry and his relatives......Brit historical

Visiting Miss Silver......Patricia Wentworth

The Cozy Corner Cafe........new to me cozy series

Brit Tripping Revisited

Around the World in 10 Detectives

Plat it Again.......series I never finished but would like to

Well ... well ... well.

You can just consider these categories stolen by me because I LOVE THEM ALL. That is all. 😘

I wasn't even going to attempt the 10x10 until you took the time to make a list that was so appealing I couldn't resist. 

[aggieamy]

I'm so excited for 2020. I can't even begin to explain why. I know the new year is only arbitrary but something about starting a new planner and a chance to start anew in my mind is inspiring. 

So ...

Hurrah!

Let's get reading. I'm starting on a short audible mystery of a new to my cozy series. (*wink* See what I did there Sandy ... thought you'd like that.) I've got a few hours left and will report back when I finish it. 

[mumto2]

2 hours ago, vmsurbat1 said:

All right. I'm in but not exactly sure what I'm doing since I just found out about this and am bumbling my way around.   I didn't know there was a tradition to start with the East, but I actually chose and am reading The Heavenly Man which is centered on China.  So there is that, at least.  

Since I (now) live overseas, I will be needing to get creative with finding books whether printed-on-paper, affordable kindle books, and/or perusing what I might be able to get off my old public library card via Overdrive.....  I also plan to spend this next week getting a grip on Goodreads.  I have an account there but haven't done anything with it....

If anyone has links to free but worthwhile (no unedited drafts by wannabe authors--not dissing them but don't have time to spare for that) kindle reads, I'd appreciate that very much!  Since I'm trying for that Bingo expand-your-reading-horizons, all genres are welcome.

And, Happy New Year to all!

A a couple of our members are really good at finding free or heavily discounted Kindle books and they do post some of their finds for us which is greatly appreciated.  No idea what your time difference is but try and take a peek at the the thread at least once a day in case someone mentions a freebie as they are frequently one day only.  They are all via Amazon so keep your kindle attached to your American Amazon.  At some point you might be offered a chance to move your account,  I was, just ignore it if you can keep things working via the US.  
 

If you want more choice there are daily emails from different blogs etc that you can subscribe to that are pretty good.  I am still signed up to BookBub  which does feature a variety of genres.

2 hours ago, aggieamy said:

I read Kitchen a few years ago write after my dear dear grandmother died. IIRC one of the stories was on a granddaughter losing her grandmother. I had no idea what I was getting into when I started the book. I loved it (Banana's got an amazing way with beautiful words) but boy did I spend an afternoon sobbing. 

Off to look at the 52 Lists Project and Writing Dangerously... 

Ditto the active member talk. Me too. My 2019 was out of sorts in general and I've got higher hopes for 2020.

I have an IRL book club too and of the last 12 books we've read I've only read 6. I need to do better with that. I particularly want to read the stinkers that our members pick out because I dearly love to go into great detail on why I hated a book. I've been known to bring lists on why a book wasn't even worthy of the heat it would give off if burnt. 

Well ... well ... well.

You can just consider these categories stolen by me because I LOVE THEM ALL. That is all. 😘

I wasn't even going to attempt the 10x10 until you took the time to make a list that was so appealing I couldn't resist. 

ohhhhh.......fun!  Glad you like them!  Also glad you liked Banana........I ended of with Moshi, Moshi on request at the library.  Will probably wait to pick it up until next week.

[Liz CA]

 

Reading:

I have nothing exciting to report other than books I am finishing from December.

"The Golden One" by Peters. One of my favorite series, love the humor, wit and suspense.

I am waiting for the Poisonwood Bible to become available for my next read - have to wait for Overdrive to shoot it my way.

Audiobook:

"Read and Gone" was recommended as a Christmas novel, cozy suspense and it is all of that. Finishing this one into January.

I find it too difficult or stifling to read by a pattern. I read whatever comes my way through serendipitous discoveries of my own or recommendations from you all. Quite often I get stuck with an author I like and read down the list. I also have to wait on Overdrive because of long waiting lists for popular titles. So I am evidently not "organized pattern material."   😊

[Robin M]

Just finished reclaiming my living room and putting away all the Christmas stuff. Waiting for hubby to get back from his 10K walk so we can move furniture back in place.  

4 hours ago, Lady Florida. said:

Happy New Year BaWers! I hope I can return to being active in the threads again this year.

We do too! Have missed you

4 hours ago, Lady Florida. said:

The Island of Lost Maps, Miles Harvey

I plan to start Trollope's Palliser novels and read the first two: Can You Forgive Her? and Phineas Finn. 

Totally enjoyed The Island of Lost Maps, quite interesting.   I also have Can You Forgive Her? in my virtual shelves.  My FIL has been wanting me to read it for ages. 

4 hours ago, Lady Florida. said:

I take back my statement about joining in our read alongs. I've tried but I just don't like these books. 😂

Are you interested in Mary Stewart's Arthurian saga?   I planned to read it this year so can offer it up as an alternative to Tolkein.  I have a couple trilogies in mind this year to reread including Mercedes Lackey Heralds of Valdemar and Weis Dragonlance Chronicles. 

 

 

[Robin M]

3 hours ago, mumto2 said:

@Robin M I had been prepared to use Banana Yoshimoto in place of our Murakami read also in part because I have read most of his books now and am not sure I want to read the rest.  That said a part of me wants to reread my favorite 1Q84 and see if I still like it,  sort of a lingering plan for 2020.  I just decided to check it out and try it now.

I am almost done with Too Lucky to Live https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47632110-too-lucky-to-live which is one of those books I personally call a romp.......filled with people chasing each other in a sort wild but unrealistic way......aka Stephanie Plum books.  I grabbed this off of Overdrive because it looked fun and was pretty surprised to find that I already had the second part in my paper stack from the library when I was sorting things last night.  So I am planning to dive into that next.....

I spent last night sorting and planning.  Making my 2020  Goodreads Shelves and filling out the Bingo and Ladies of Literature pages in my new book journal.  I also improved the names for my 10x10’s.........

Alfred Hitchcock Presents...........the books that are behind the movies!

Agatha Strikes Again!..........my Christie perpetual challenge

Somewhere in Time........Time Travel

Dragon’s Dens

Henry and his relatives......Brit historical

Visiting Miss Silver......Patricia Wentworth

The Cozy Corner Cafe........new to me cozy series

Brit Tripping Revisited

Around the World in 10 Detectives

Plat it Again.......series I never finished but would like to

 

Love your 10 x 10 titles - very creative.  I really enjoyed 1Q84 so have fun!

 

3 hours ago, Junie said:

I am still reading some books that I started in 2019:  The Black Tulip by Dumas and Les Miserables by Hugo.

I decided to ditch Paradise Lost.  I got about halfway through and I was really not enjoying it.  I may finish it later, but I've put it aside for now.

This afternoon I started Call of the Wild by London.  It's a little bit on the short side for the BAW challenge, but since Les Mis is sooooo long I'm pretending it evens out.  🙂

I think I did the same thing with Paradise Lost.  It's one of those really have to be in the mood.    Yes, it does all even out in the end so enjoy! 

 

3 hours ago, vmsurbat1 said:

All right. I'm in but not exactly sure what I'm doing since I just found out about this and am bumbling my way around.   I didn't know there was a tradition to start with the East, but I actually chose and am reading The Heavenly Man which is centered on China.  So there is that, at least.  

Since I (now) live overseas, I will be needing to get creative with finding books whether printed-on-paper, affordable kindle books, and/or perusing what I might be able to get off my old public library card via Overdrive.....  I also plan to spend this next week getting a grip on Goodreads.  I have an account there but haven't done anything with it....

If anyone has links to free but worthwhile (no unedited drafts by wannabe authors--not dissing them but don't have time to spare for that) kindle reads, I'd appreciate that very much!  Since I'm trying for that Bingo expand-your-reading-horizons, all genres are welcome.

And, Happy New Year to all!

Happy new year! Book bub like Mum said is a wonderful resource for free books as well as Kindle.  I'll look through my books and try to remember which freebies were really good.  What genre do you usually like to read. I have a lot of fantasy, paranormal and some romance.  The Heavenly Man looks really interesting.  

[Robin M]

3 hours ago, aggieamy said:

I'm so excited for 2020. I can't even begin to explain why. I know the new year is only arbitrary but something about starting a new planner and a chance to start anew in my mind is inspiring. 

So ...

Hurrah!

Let's get reading. I'm starting on a short audible mystery of a new to my cozy series. (*wink* See what I did there Sandy ... thought you'd like that.) I've got a few hours left and will report back when I finish it. 

Glad you are excited and look forward to 'seeing' you more.  We have missed you.  Also missing a few more of our chicks who have been busy and haven't seen in a while including @JennW in SoCal, @loesje22000, @Quill

Quote

@Liz CA I find it too difficult or stifling to read by a pattern. I read whatever comes my way through serendipitous discoveries of my own or recommendations from you all. Quite often I get stuck with an author I like and read down the list. I also have to wait on Overdrive because of long waiting lists for popular titles. So I am evidently not "organized pattern material.

 

Honestly, me too!  I'm a mood reader as well.  I love series and usually end up reading them all once I discover a new one.  I deviate from the 'pattern' a bit when something strikes my fancy.  And sometimes the pattern evolves along the way without realizing it.  

Edited January 2, 2020 by Robin M

[Mothersweets]

Happy New Year!

I have The Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto on my nightstand so I will be starting with that. I mostly plan to read  from my shelves and the library as I've been trying to buy as little as possible - weird, I know. haha

@mumto2 I love your categories! I have the book Hitchcock based Suspicion off of and am happy to send it over to you. It's called Before the Fact by Frances Iles - I read it last year and liked it very much.

[Robin M]

8 minutes ago, Mothersweets said:

I have The Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto on my nightstand so I will be starting with that. I mostly plan to read  from my shelves and the library as I've been trying to buy as little as possible - weird, I know. haha

Not weird at all. I do a buying ban every year for the first few months to try and clear some dusty and chunky books off my shelves. 

[Guest]

Happy New Year! Thanks for the mention, Robin. 

I exceeded my 52 Books goal last year (58); this is the first year I have actually done it, though I was very close last year. 

I plan to focus on my writing every single day; it’s part of my habits/goals for this year. I do plan to read 52 books (minimum) this year, but a sub-goal is to read several of the writing books on my shelves. 

I have made a new 52 Books Bingo for this year with my own categories, as I did last year. 

Happy reading (and writing) everyone! 

[mumto2]

1 hour ago, Mothersweets said:

Happy New Year!

I have The Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto on my nightstand so I will be starting with that. I mostly plan to read  from my shelves and the library as I've been trying to buy as little as possible - weird, I know. haha

@mumto2 I love your categories! I have the book Hitchcock based Suspicion off of and am happy to send it over to you. It's called Before the Fact by Frances Iles - I read it last year and liked it very much.

Thank You!  Before the Facts is on my list of ones I have sourced.  That said I actually planned this category back in 2018 but ended up not using it last year.  After reading The 39 Steps and you reading Before the Facts I decided I was most likely skipping a great category.  I will look through my libraries and let you know if I still have it available.....
 

eta..........Can’t find it anywhere so Thank you!  I’ll send you a pm 

Edited January 2, 2020 by mumto2

[Excelsior! Academy]

I took a couple of years off from the challenge, and am glad to join again.  I finished Below Stairs by Margaret Powell today.  It was a carryover from 2019 and is subtitled The Classic Kitchen Maid's Memoir That Inspired Upstairs, Downstairs, and Downton Abbey.  It is a very quick read and conversational in tone.  I enjoyed it. 

I plan to complete the BINGO board genre suggestions and a Baker's Dozen from the Pick Your Poison list.  Below Stairs will be my "Selfie" choice.  

I am currently reading Whiskey in a Teacup by Reece Witherspoon, Black Robe Fever by Gary L. Richardson, 6 Day Body Makeover, and am beginning And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie on audiobook.  

To help me keep track of future weeks I plan to keep a running log of completed books here:

1. Below Stairs by Margaret Powell 

[Lady Florida.]

3 hours ago, Robin M said:

 

Are you interested in Mary Stewart's Arthurian saga?   I planned to read it this year so can offer it up as an alternative to Tolkein.  I have a couple trilogies in mind this year to reread including Mercedes Lackey Heralds of Valdemar and Weis Dragonlance Chronicles. 

 

 

I don't care for Arturian stories. I was looking at the blog and might do a few of the Ladies of Fiction challenges. 

[aggieamy]

@Robin M - Help! There's a dozen 52 Lists journals/books on Amazon. Do you have a recommendation?

[Robin M]

18 minutes ago, aggieamy said:

@Robin M - Help! There's a dozen 52 Lists journals/books on Amazon. Do you have a recommendation?

This is the one i got. Liked it the best.

[Robin M]

3 hours ago, Quill said:

Happy New Year! Thanks for the mention, Robin. 

I exceeded my 52 Books goal last year (58); this is the first year I have actually done it, though I was very close last year. 

I plan to focus on my writing every single day; it’s part of my habits/goals for this year. I do plan to read 52 books (minimum) this year, but a sub-goal is to read several of the writing books on my shelves. 

I have made a new 52 Books Bingo for this year with my own categories, as I did last year. 

Happy reading (and writing) everyone! 

 Waving hi!  Congratulations on passing your goal.   i fell off the writing wagon halfway through last year so determined to do the  same and be more productive, finish revising a story as well as write more flash fiction and nonfiction. 

[Robin M]

2 hours ago, Excelsior! Academy said:

I took a couple of years off from the challenge, and am glad to join again.  I finished Below Stairs by Margaret Powell today.  It was a carryover from 2019 and is subtitled The Classic Kitchen Maid's Memoir That Inspired Upstairs, Downstairs, and Downton Abbey.  It is a very quick read and conversational in tone.  I enjoyed it. 

I plan to complete the BINGO board genre suggestions and a Baker's Dozen from the Pick Your Poison list.  Below Stairs will be my "Selfie" choice.  

I am currently reading Whiskey in a Teacup by Reece Witherspoon, Black Robe Fever by Gary L. Richardson, 6 Day Body Makeover, and am beginning And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie on audiobook.  

To help me keep track of future weeks I plan to keep a running log of completed books here:

1. Below Stairs by Margaret Powell 

Yeah, glad you are diving back in.  I enjoyed And Then There Were None. Kept me guessing the whole way through. 

[Loesje22000]

6 hours ago, Robin M said:

Glad you are excited and look forward to 'seeing' you more.  We have missed you.  Also missing a few more of our chicks who have been busy and haven't seen in a while including @JennW in SoCal, @loesje22000, @Quill

 

Thank you for mentioning me!

Due to time differences I often miss the new thread on sunday and don’t find it easily any longer on monday. And once I was off track...

Dd passed her exams last months and has her diploma now, which give acces to university. She will leave in september so we will have time for more relaxed homeschooling next few months.

I plan to read about 100 books in 2020.

 

[vmsurbat1]

Question and/or suggestion.  As a newbie to the whole 52Books threads, is there some sort of coding for all these books titles being listed?  I don't know you all well enough to know whose reading tastes wildly diverge from mine, and I think I would need to spend days looking up all of the books mentioned to figure it out.

Has there ever been a simple coding, like M=Mystery, CM=Cozy Mystery, H=history, HF=historical fiction, PN+paranormal, etc?  I think I would certainly find it helpful, especially at the beginning of the year/learning cycle....

Thoughts?

[vmsurbat1]

9 hours ago, Robin M said:

Happy new year! Book bub like Mum said is a wonderful resource for free books as well as Kindle.  I'll look through my books and try to remember which freebies were really good.  What genre do you usually like to read. I have a lot of fantasy, paranormal and some romance.  The Heavenly Man looks really interesting.  

I usually read memoirs, mysteries, historical fiction, some fantasy and SciFi, plus books like Mrs. Read (which are slice-of-life illustrating human nature with all its delights and foibles).   I like narrative nonfiction, but I'm currently *not* interested in "How-to be a Better Person/Neater/Quicker/Thinner/Richer" titles except for Writing (a discipline I'm now beginning to tackle seriously--finally have something worthwhile to say.)    At my age, it is less a matter of knowing and more a matter of doing.  And right now, what I want to do is read and expand my horizons via good literature! 😉

And thank you all for the mention of Bookbub!  Hoping to stock up my virtual bookshelves!

[Lady Florida.]

6 hours ago, loesje22000 said:

 

Due to time differences I often miss the new thread on sunday and don’t find it easily any longer on monday. And once I was off track...

Dd passed her exams last months and has her diploma now, which give acces to university. She will leave in september so we will have time for more relaxed homeschooling next few months.

 

 

I often miss the new thread even though the time difference for me is minimal (at least it's the same day 🙂 ). I always follow the weekly thread so I can easily find it. If I miss the new thread I just go to the last post on the old one,  which I was following. @Robin M always puts a link to the new thread in each previous thread. It's always the last post in the thread (unless someone didn't notice and posted after her).

And congrats to your dd! 

[mumto2]

5 hours ago, vmsurbat1 said:

Question and/or suggestion.  As a newbie to the whole 52Books threads, is there some sort of coding for all these books titles being listed?  I don't know you all well enough to know whose reading tastes wildly diverge from mine, and I think I would need to spend days looking up all of the books mentioned to figure it out.

Has there ever been a simple coding, like M=Mystery, CM=Cozy Mystery, H=history, HF=historical fiction, PN+paranormal, etc?  I think I would certainly find it helpful, especially at the beginning of the year/learning cycle....

Thoughts?

First the last couple of  threads were not or normal threads in terms of lists as they were rather a dumping ground of all of last year’s reading. Most of the books had been mentioned before at least once.  In normal posts most of us give a bit of a category to the book in our description and frequently a link, some people copy and paste the description in.  I hope you will find us easier to follow after we settle into our more normal posting habits.  

Many of us are friend’s over on Goodreads..........I am MumtoTwo over there and would love for you to friend me.   We tend to see what others are planning to read over there also.  The one term that is totally unique to this thread is Fluffy or Flufferton which I think @aggieamy started a few use ago which basically meant a historical that reminds someone of Downton Abbey the TV show.  I tend to use fluff/ or fluffy.    Simply to mean light and fun, not necessarily a historical.

7 hours ago, loesje22000 said:

Thank you for mentioning me!

Due to time differences I often miss the new thread on sunday and don’t find it easily any longer on monday. And once I was off track...

Dd passed her exams last months and has her diploma now, which give acces to university. She will leave in september so we will have time for more relaxed homeschooling next few months.

I plan to read about 100 books in 2020.

 

Congratulations to your Dd and you!  I am so glad the last exams are over.

Like Lady Florida said the easiest way to find each weeks thread now is to use the link Robin gives in the last post of the previous thread.  I try to post something the first time I look at the thread just so I can find it again......we do miss you!  I will admit that your books on Goodreads make me curious and many appear to be untranslated so I can’t read the descriptions easily!😉

9 hours ago, Margaret in CO said:

I wander in my reading. Right now I'm finishing All the Light We Cannot See--a Christmas gift. Then I have Blitzed, about Nazi drug use. The the new book on the Inklings, Jet Girl--first woman to drop bombs on ISIS--a friend of dd's. Then another WWII book. And I HAVE to finish that stupid string quartet book that I started ages ago that dd lent me a year ago, written by a prof friend. And then I'll  around more dog mushing books--kick I seem to be on... 

I have to admit that I am curious about a few of those books so I hope you will be doing some posts after you finish them!
 

Last night I abandoned many books......7 I think.😮  I think waiting for the New Year on so many because of future challenges just set the bar to high and perhaps I was in a bad mood!  I plan to look a few over one more time before returning them because, well because......plus my spelling challenge is now a disaster because I lost most of my vowels!  Face Down Before Rebel Hooves did survive but it is part of a favorite series!  It’s by Kathy Lynn Emerson and is a cozy set in Elizabethan England.  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2117103.Face_Down_Before_Rebel_Hooves

 

 

Edited January 2, 2020 by mumto2

[Lady Florida.]

22 minutes ago, mumto2 said:

 

Many of us are friend’s over on Goodreads..........I am MumtoTwo over there and would love for you to friend me.   We tend to see what others are planning to read over there also.  The one term that is totally unique to this thread is Fluffy or Flufferton which I think @aggieamy started a few use ago which basically meant a historical that reminds someone of Downton Abbey the TV show.  I tend to use fluff/ or fluffy.    Simply to mean light and fun, not necessarily a historical.

 

.....plus my spelling challenge is now a disaster because I lost most of my vowels! 

 

 

This is my Goodreads link. GR tells me it will expire after 30 days. 

https://www.goodreads.com/friend/i?feature=friend-invite-url&invite_token=OWRhN2YxMzgtYjYxZS00OTYxLWE0MGEtOTI1MWJiYmQyZDMx

I also use fluff/fluffy to mean any brain candy book. For me that usually means a light or cozy mystery.

That last phrase is something that only makes sense to us here at BaW 😂 🤣

9 hours ago, Margaret in CO said:

I wander in my reading. Right now I'm finishing All the Light We Cannot See--a Christmas gift. Then I have Blitzed, about Nazi drug use.

I read All the Light We Cannot See for book club a few years ago. We were on a WWII historical fiction kick for a while and that was the first one we read. I enjoyed it but I think if I read it towards the end of our WWII reading I might not have liked it as much. I admit I got tired of repeatedly reading slightly new takes on the same subject. 

I heard about Blitzed some time ago and it sounded interesting but I forgot about it. I'll be adding it to my want-to-read list so I don't forget again.

Edited January 2, 2020 by Lady Florida.

[vmsurbat1]

1 hour ago, mumto2 said:

First the last couple of  threads were not or normal threads in terms of lists as they were rather a dumping ground of all of last year’s reading. Most of the books had been mentioned before at least once.  In normal posts most of us give a bit of a category to the book in our description and frequently a link, some people copy and paste the description in.  I hope you will find us easier to follow after we settle into our more normal posting habits.  

 

Thanks for the reassurance!  I checked out Bookbub today--found a few free titles to download, woot-woot!  It will take me the weekend to get going over at Goodreads (I'm VickiS), but I'll definitely look out for you and my fellow WTMers over there.  SO EXCITED!

(Also, I'm 6 hours ahead of the East coast, 9 hrs from the West, so my posts may appear at funky hours for some of you...)

Edited January 2, 2020 by vmsurbat1

[aggieamy]

This was posted on the main board but should be mentioned here as well for Audible members. Basically if you finish 3 Audible books before March you get a $20 Amazon credit. 

DD is halfway through an Agatha Christie book. I've got an hour left in my book. We're pestering DH to start a book immediately so we can earn it today. 😎 

Audible Deal

[aggieamy]

9 hours ago, loesje22000 said:

Thank you for mentioning me!

Due to time differences I often miss the new thread on sunday and don’t find it easily any longer on monday. And once I was off track...

Dd passed her exams last months and has her diploma now, which give acces to university. She will leave in september so we will have time for more relaxed homeschooling next few months.

I plan to read about 100 books in 2020.

 

Congrats to your DD! She must be so pleased to see all her hard work paying off!

[Loesje22000]

3 hours ago, mumto2 said:

 

Congratulations to your Dd and you!  I am so glad the last exams are over.

Like Lady Florida said the easiest way to find each weeks thread now is to use the link Robin gives in the last post of the previous thread.  I try to post something the first time I look at the thread just so I can find it again......we do miss you!  I will admit that your books on Goodreads make me curious and many appear to be untranslated so I can’t read the descriptions easily!😉

 

 

 

 

I didn’t realise my GR updates could one makes curious... 
Happy to be missed though 🙂 

In the beginning I read more in English but less books. Then I realised that most of you read in their native tongue and use translations 🙂 so I read more but in my native tongue (Dutch). In 2019 I read 100 books and from that about 10-15 in English (English Kindlebooks are cheaper then Dutch ones)

Beside reading 100 books I hope to buy as less as possible again. I bought about 10 books last year which I consider as ‘good’. Most of them were Kindle or used books.

My last 2019 book was Sunsister in the 7-sisters-series. I LOVED the serie and am a little proud I read them all in English (foreign language reading in Kindle app is soooo much easier) so for the next breaks I need something new. (7 sisters was my holiday & vacation reading during 2019)

And now I have to pick a new book for a new year 🙂

Happy new year and glad to be back!!

 

 

[Kareni]

Happy new year all! It's nice to see new and returning posters along with regular contributors to the Book a Week thread.

Today only, a free book for Kindle readers ~

A Strange Disappearance by Anna Katharine Green

About the Author

Known as the "Mother of the Detective Novel," Anna Katharine Green (1846 1935) shaped the structure of the modern detective novel and gave it a distinctive American style. 

 

"A thrilling mystery featuring detective Ebenezer Gryce of the New York Metropolitan Police Force, written by a pioneer of American crime fiction

Mrs. Daniels, housekeeper of the famous diplomat Mr. Blake, reports a missing person to the precinct where the detective Mr. Gryce works. A servant girl has disappeared, and Mrs. Daniels suspects she has been abducted. Strangely, Mr. Blake takes little interest in the young woman’s whereabouts. Throughout the course of the investigation, Gryce and his assistant, Q., uncover some baffling details. Why does Mr. Blake frequent dark alleys in New York? Who is the woman in the portrait that hangs in his study?
 
What ensues is a detective story that could only have been penned by the author hailed as “the mother of the detective novel.”"

Regards,

Kareni

•  

[Matryoshka]

22 hours ago, vmsurbat1 said:

All right. I'm in but not exactly sure what I'm doing since I just found out about this and am bumbling my way around.   I didn't know there was a tradition to start with the East, but I actually chose and am reading The Heavenly Man which is centered on China.  So there is that, at least.  

Since I (now) live overseas, I will be needing to get creative with finding books whether printed-on-paper, affordable kindle books, and/or perusing what I might be able to get off my old public library card via Overdrive.....  I also plan to spend this next week getting a grip on Goodreads.  I have an account there but haven't done anything with it....

If anyone has links to free but worthwhile (no unedited drafts by wannabe authors--not dissing them but don't have time to spare for that) kindle reads, I'd appreciate that very much!  Since I'm trying for that Bingo expand-your-reading-horizons, all genres are welcome.

There is a tradition of starting with Murakami or something East, but I have been flouting it year after year, and  no one's told me to leave yet... 😂   I actually have read lots from Asia, but my timing is off...

If you friend people on GR, you can also look back at what they've read and liked, and get a better idea if you'd like the same kinds of books.  This is me on GR. 😁

Don't worry at all about being 6 hours off, you're not the only one here outside the US!  6 hours ahead - are you somewhere in Europe?  Does Amazon UK ship free to the continent?  Book Depository?  You can also usually find lots of English-language books on Amazon even if you're not in an English-speaking country, even used and then with free shipping.  Conversely, lately I'm having less and less trouble finding books in Spanish and even German on US Amazon - no more having to pay for overseas shipping!  Though I can see how non-print books would be handier if you don't want to have to haul them all back here someday.  I use Overdrive heavily, and yes, you can use it remotely from overseas with no problem.  So handy!

 

Edited January 2, 2020 by Matryoshka

[Matryoshka]

The last few books I finished before the end of the year were...

113. Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee - I really liked this book, even though the main character is totally awful.  Yes, a complete disgrace, a total narcissistic, misogynistic, racist ass.  And he is not redeemed in any way.  So that was a feat of writing.  4 stars.

114. El poeta niño/ The Child Poet by Homero Aridjis - This was pretty much snapshots/impressions of memories of his childhood, adolescence and early adulthood, with no plot or much of a connection.  Some pretty writing in places. 3 stars.

115. A General Theory of Oblivion by Eduardo Agualusa (ebook) - Interesting story (based on an actual person and her diaries) of a woman who locks herself in an apartment for 30 years during the Angolan Civil War.  Also tells the story of various people who are outside during that time, who then all intersect at the end.  4 stars.

As for the first books of the new year, I'm currently reading two books for my SciFi book club - The Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton, which so far seems to be the animal world's account of a zombie apocalypse, mostly narrated by a very snarky crow - and because Kareni won't stop gushing about, it, I convinced everyone to read Linesman, which yes, I am enjoying very, very much.  Thanks, Kareni!  On audio, I'm listening to Invisible Women and Braiding Sweetgrass, both narrated very well by the authors, and I'm just about to download an ebook, Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton, that came available on Overdrive.

[Kareni]

2 minutes ago, Matryoshka said:

- and because Kareni won't stop gushing about, it, I convinced everyone to read Linesman, which yes, I am enjoying very, very much.  Thanks, Kareni! 

What wonderful news, Matryoshka! I hope that others in your group will also enjoy it and that you'll have a good discussion.

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

Some bookish posts ~

This Woman Creates Romance Series Bibles For A Living By RACHEL KRAMER BUSSEL

ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN AND THE CASE OF THE MYSTERIOUS AUTHOR by Craig Pittman

8 GREAT BOOKS ABOUT BADASS FEMALE SCIENTISTS

20 Books That Will Make You Want To Pack Your Bags And Travel

Regards,

Kareni

[mumto2]

43 minutes ago, Kareni said:

Happy new year all! It's nice to see new and returning posters along with regular contributors to the Book a Week thread.

Today only, a free book for Kindle readers ~

A Strange Disappearance by Anna Katharine Green

About the Author

Known as the "Mother of the Detective Novel," Anna Katharine Green (1846 1935) shaped the structure of the modern detective novel and gave it a distinctive American style. 

 

"A thrilling mystery featuring detective Ebenezer Gryce of the New York Metropolitan Police Force, written by a pioneer of American crime fiction

Mrs. Daniels, housekeeper of the famous diplomat Mr. Blake, reports a missing person to the precinct where the detective Mr. Gryce works. A servant girl has disappeared, and Mrs. Daniels suspects she has been abducted. Strangely, Mr. Blake takes little interest in the young woman’s whereabouts. Throughout the course of the investigation, Gryce and his assistant, Q., uncover some baffling details. Why does Mr. Blake frequent dark alleys in New York? Who is the woman in the portrait that hangs in his study?
 
What ensues is a detective story that could only have been penned by the author hailed as “the mother of the detective novel.”"

Regards,

Kareni

•  

This series is one that my daughter and I read a great deal of a few years ago.  I think I have already made @aggieamy Dd read some of these......for the new people, Amy and our families do know each other in real life so I am not picking at her 😉 more just avoiding having to make sure she sees the freebie.   According to some Agatha Christie lore this is the series she modeled Miss Marple off of and I believe it to be true.  Btw, many in this series used to be free on the kindle so have a look if you like them.

@vmsurbat1 I am currently back in the US but have lived primarily in England for many years.  We will be heading back for the summer.

@loesje22000 The book covers are so pretty and I can’t read a thing!😂. Other than it’s a Dutch author. That said I am utterly in awe of how much of your reading is in English.

[Junie]

1 hour ago, Kareni said:

Some books posts ~

 

ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN AND THE CASE OF THE MYSTERIOUS AUTHOR by Craig Pittman

 

Kareni

That was interesting!  Thanks!

[Pen]

Please help me choose 10 Audible books.  

 

  I want to use up my credits and then cancel my Audible for awhile before they charge me again.  

Prefer books not available via Hoopla or Libby/ Library2Go/Overdrive or NLS.  

Or books where the reader is particularly wonderful on Audible. (Such as I like Neil Gaiman reading his own books better than other narrators, or the multi cast Audible for Enders Shadow). 

Am considering Linesman previously recommended on here as one of them.  

Eta: if any of the readings related to this thread would be good to get via Audible rather than my other forms like Hoopla this would be a good time. 

Edited January 2, 2020 by Pen

[Robin M]

18 hours ago, Margaret in CO said:

I wander in my reading. Right now I'm finishing All the Light We Cannot See--a Christmas gift. Then I have Blitzed, about Nazi drug use. The the new book on the Inklings, Jet Girl--first woman to drop bombs on ISIS--a friend of dd's. Then another WWII book. And I HAVE to finish that stupid string quartet book that I started ages ago that dd lent me a year ago, written by a prof friend. And then I'll  around more dog mushing books--kick I seem to be on... 

James studied WWII a great deal so we read quite a few interesting books. Have you read Hitler's Bunker by Joachin Fest or George Rauch's A Jewish Soldier in Hitler's Army?  Also The Boy on the Wooden Box is also very good. 

16 hours ago, loesje22000 said:

Thank you for mentioning me!

Due to time differences I often miss the new thread on sunday and don’t find it easily any longer on monday. And once I was off track...

Dd passed her exams last months and has her diploma now, which give acces to university. She will leave in september so we will have time for more relaxed homeschooling next few months.

I plan to read about 100 books in 2020.

 

Congratulations to your daughter. So happy she passed. I remember how stressed you were about it. Glad you found us.  

14 hours ago, vmsurbat1 said:

I usually read memoirs, mysteries, historical fiction, some fantasy and SciFi, plus books like Mrs. Read (which are slice-of-life illustrating human nature with all its delights and foibles).   I like narrative nonfiction, but I'm currently *not* interested in "How-to be a Better Person/Neater/Quicker/Thinner/Richer" titles except for Writing (a discipline I'm now beginning to tackle seriously--finally have something worthwhile to say.)    At my age, it is less a matter of knowing and more a matter of doing.  And right now, what I want to do is read and expand my horizons via good literature! 😉

And thank you all for the mention of Bookbub!  Hoping to stock up my virtual bookshelves!

Wide range for historical fiction and HistoricalNovels is where I've found authors and titles to read which can be requested from the library.  Writing wise, I have lots of books on my shelves. If you want to write nonfiction, a wonderful resource with prompts is Dinty Moore's Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash Non Fiction as well as Crafting the Personal Essay.   Fiction wise, Alice LaPlante's The Making of the Story: A Norton Guide to Creative Writing is excellent.  I worked through it together with another group of writers and had a lot of material by the end. 

 

 

[Robin M]

8 hours ago, vmsurbat1 said:

Thanks for the reassurance!  I checked out Bookbub today--found a few free titles to download, woot-woot!  It will take me the weekend to get going over at Goodreads (I'm VickiS), but I'll definitely look out for you and my fellow WTMers over there.  SO EXCITED!

(Also, I'm 6 hours ahead of the East coast, 9 hrs from the West, so my posts may appear at funky hours for some of you...)

I see three VickiS on Goodreads, so not sure which one to friend. You can find me here.   We have a few BAWer's who live in the Southern Hemisphere so used to posting all times of the day or night. 

5 hours ago, loesje22000 said:

I didn’t realise my GR updates could one makes curious... 
Happy to be missed though 🙂 

In the beginning I read more in English but less books. Then I realised that most of you read in their native tongue and use translations 🙂 so I read more but in my native tongue (Dutch). In 2019 I read 100 books and from that about 10-15 in English (English Kindlebooks are cheaper then Dutch ones)

Beside reading 100 books I hope to buy as less as possible again. I bought about 10 books last year which I consider as ‘good’. Most of them were Kindle or used books.

My last 2019 book was Sunsister in the 7-sisters-series. I LOVED the serie and am a little proud I read them all in English (foreign language reading in Kindle app is soooo much easier) so for the next breaks I need something new. (7 sisters was my holiday & vacation reading during 2019)

And now I have to pick a new book for a new year 🙂

Happy new year and glad to be back!!

Well done!  And the Sister series looks really good. Adding the first book to my wish list! 

4 hours ago, Matryoshka said:

The last few books I finished before the end of the year were...

113. Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee - I really liked this book, even though the main character is totally awful.  Yes, a complete disgrace, a total narcissistic, misogynistic, racist ass.  And he is not redeemed in any way.  So that was a feat of writing.  4 stars.

114. El poeta niño/ The Child Poet by Homero Aridjis - This was pretty much snapshots/impressions of memories of his childhood, adolescence and early adulthood, with no plot or much of a connection.  Some pretty writing in places. 3 stars.

115. A General Theory of Oblivion by Eduardo Agualusa (ebook) - Interesting story (based on an actual person and her diaries) of a woman who locks herself in an apartment for 30 years during the Angolan Civil War.  Also tells the story of various people who are outside during that time, who then all intersect at the end.  4 stars.

As for the first books of the new year, I'm currently reading two books for my SciFi book club - The Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton, which so far seems to be the animal world's account of a zombie apocalypse, mostly narrated by a very snarky crow - and because Kareni won't stop gushing about, it, I convinced everyone to read Linesman, which yes, I am enjoying very, very much.  Thanks, Kareni!  On audio, I'm listening to Invisible Women and Braiding Sweetgrass, both narrated very well by the authors, and I'm just about to download an ebook, Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton, that came available on Overdrive.

All your books sound interesting and /or intriguing.  Happy to see another Linesman convert.  How do you manage to listen to so many audio books?  We usually can only manage one.    James and I listen in the car and sometimes at dinner. Right now, we listening to the new Godzilla: King of the Monsters.

3 hours ago, Æthelthryth the Texan said:

I am cautiously optimistic that this will be the year it finally makes it! If you haven't watched the BBC series with Mark Rylance it's definitely worth it for WH lovers and would be good enough refresher if you don't have time to reread them (but they'e sooo good I always reread them. 🙂 ) 

Thanks to sick kids, I've finished off two so far today. Sword of Kings by Bernard Cornwell  (3/5 stars) and a fluffy reread of Three to Get Deadly by Janet Evanovich. 

I picked a random book from Amazon rec's so am starting The Other Daughter by Lisa Gardner. I need low mental bandwidth books right now. 🙂

I will finish up Why the Jews hopefully later this week when everyone is over whatever it is we have. 

Hope everyone feels better soon.  Is Why the Jews by Prager?  Love Lisa Gardner's stories.  When you all are feeling better, you and the kids may enjoy watching the Munk Debates.  Debates done in Canada and are proper debates and quite civil between two panelists on either side, one side arguing against and the other side arguing for.  Sometime they have someone more liberal and/or more conservative debating against something they actually are for, so makes it interesting and educational.  We've ended up getting books written by several of the participants.  

Edited January 3, 2020 by Robin M

[Robin M]

3 hours ago, Pen said:

Please help me choose 10 Audible books.  

 

  I want to use up my credits and then cancel my Audible for awhile before they charge me again.  

Prefer books not available via Hoopla or Libby/ Library2Go/Overdrive or NLS.  

Or books where the reader is particularly wonderful on Audible. (Such as I like Neil Gaiman reading his own books better than other narrators, or the multi cast Audible for Enders Shadow). 

Am considering Linesman previously recommended on here as one of them.  

Eta: if any of the readings related to this thread would be good to get via Audible rather than my other forms like Hoopla this would be a good time. 

Do you like Star Wars or Dr. Who?  Majority of stories have all star dramatic readings.  Anne Bishop's Other series is narrated by Alexandra Harris who is good.  Anything narrated by Susan Ericksen is excellent.  

[Robin M]

The Modern Mrs. Darcy offers a simple trick for your to be read list and remembering who recommended it. 

Five Fantasy Multiverses -  I was contemplating a Dark Towers reread at some point. Maybe this will be the year. The Gunslinger was the very first book I ever read in Ebook format.

Since we all reading books in translation - World Literature Today’s 75 Notable Translations of 2019

10 Must-Read Crime Books Set in the American West

 

ETA:  Almost forget, for all our writers:  Make 2020 Your Year: Finding Experts Who Can Help.  I follow most of these writers and each brings something different to the writing table and are very personable.  

Edited January 3, 2020 by Robin M