Robin M Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 Happy Sunday, dear hearts. Thank you for joining us in our virtual parlor for more book talk and a cup of tea or coffee, or wine if you prefer. Welcome to April and National Poetry Month, National Humor Month, International Guitar Month, and as well as Stress Awareness Month and Lawn and Garden Month. What a great combination! The first Wednesday in April is National Walking Day so grab your walking shoes and be sure to enjoy some fresh air. Reading, music, humor, poetry, walking and gardening will help relax you mind, body, and soul. This month we celebrate our Ladies of Fiction with novelist Elizabeth Hunter who has written over 30 romance, contemporary fantasy, and paranormal mystery novels. She resides in California and has traveled extensively, researching world mythologies, history and the bonds of friendship, love, and family. I discovered Hunter's books a few years ago when I read The Scribe in her Irin Chronicles series and was hooked. I also have the Elemental Mysteries series as well as a couple books from the Elemental world books in my virtual stacks. I'm looking forward to reading her newest book, Suddenly Psychic, released February 16, 2020 and available on Kindle Unlimited. There are a number of ways to complete the bookology challenge, including but not limited to: Spell out the author's name - one book per letter from the title on the cover. Read one or more books written by the author. Read a book written in the country or time period of the author. Learn more about Elizabeth through interviews with She Wolf Reads, with Susan Illene of Dark Fantasy, and Book Reader Chronicles. We are beginning our read of J.R.R. Tolkein's Fellowship of the Rings this quarter and I'll post more about it next week. If you want me to break it down by a certain number of pages a week or would prefer to read along at your own pace, let me know. Stay safe, be well, and happy reading! Link to week 12Visit 52 Books in 52 Weeks where you can find all the information on the annual, mini and perpetual challenges, as well as share your book reviews if you like. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 Today only, free for Kindle readers ~ This Troubled World by Eleanor Roosevelt Also free (for a mystery amount of time) ~ Felicia Davin's Thornfruit (The Gardener's Hand Book 1) Here's a review of the above book: Thornfruit by Felicia Davin The Perilous Life of Jade Yeo by Zen Cho The Origin of Birds in the Footprints of Writing by Raymond St. Elmo CHILD OF DESTINY (The Rising Saga Book 1) by M.K. Adams Regards, Kareni 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted March 29, 2020 Author Share Posted March 29, 2020 Howdy! How is everyone doing? @Negin How are your parents doing? I'm almost done with the third book in Deborah Harkness All Soul's Trilogy with The Book of Life. There's also a prequel / sequel book about Marcus and Phoebe which I've added to my wishlist, Time's Convert, which sounds really good. I finished my reread of Arrows of the Queen which was just as good as when I read it way back when. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 Some bookish posts ~ From reddit: Everybody has a pet subject they love to talk/read about. What is yours, and what book do you recommend to those that want to learn more about it? https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/fnfprx/everybody_has_a_pet_subject_they_love_to_talkread/ Five Great Books About Con Artists https://bookmarks.reviews/five-great-books-about-con-artists/ GOTHIC THEMES BRING US TOGETHER https://crimereads.com/gothic-themes-bring-us-together/ Twelve SFF Stories Told From Second-Person Perspective https://www.tor.com/2020/03/04/twelve-sff-stories-told-from-second-person-perspective/ Regards, Kareni 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 39 minutes ago, Robin M said: @Negin How are your parents doing? Robin, thank you so much for thinking of my parents. You are so sweet. They're doing fine. We haven't seen them at all, other than on FaceTime. I drop off their groceries. They go on walks and go swimming, but practice social distancing. I hope that all is well with you, considering life these days. I read: A Victorian Scrapbook - 5 Stars - This book is an absolute delight. The photos and illustrations perfectly capture life in Victorian times. The narrative is engaging. I would love to eventually get the Christmas edition of this book. This makes a lovely coffee-table book. We are such fans. We have a big calendar based on the book in our kitchen and it’s absolutely gorgeous. My favorite quote: “Sit for one half hour every night at nine o’clock and mentally forgive everyone against whom you have ill-will or antipathy, even a pet. Mentally ask forgiveness and send it thoughts of love.” Here's a link to my Good Reads review to see sample pages. Nearness to God - 5 Stars - I’ve been reading this book off and on, more on than off, for almost three decades. It’s a book of Baha’i quotes to be read every day of the year, morning and evening. The quotes help to remind me to continuously try to be a better person. I wish that these types of books, Baha’i daily readings, would come back in print. I cannot understand why they stopped making them. My favorite quote: “Only in the remembrance of God can the heart find rest.” The Demon in the Freezer - 3 Stars - I love reading non-fiction that feels like fiction. Although this book was interesting, it didn’t blow me away nearly as much as Richard Preston’s other book, “The Hot Zone”. The subject matter (smallpox and anthrax) is fascinating, but there’s far more scientific details in this one, a bit too much for my liking. I think that this book would have been better if he had stuck to just smallpox. The back and forth between smallpox and anthrax was a bit distracting. I think that the anthrax part is related to the publication date, the early 2000's, during the time of the anthrax attacks. “Doctors generally consider smallpox to be the worst human disease. It is thought to have killed more people than any other infectious pathogen, including the Black Death of the Middle Ages. Epidemiologists think that smallpox killed roughly one billion people during its last hundred years of activity on earth.” Even though smallpox was eradicated more than four decades ago, the virus can be found in several labs around the world. The thought that it could be used as a biological weapon is terrifying. Some quotes: “Today, many adults over age thirty have a scar on their upper arm, which is the pockmark left by the pustule of a smallpox vaccination that they received in childhood, and some adults can remember how much the pustule hurt. Unfortunately, the immune system’s ‘memory’ of the vaccinia infection fades, and the vaccination begins to wear off after about five years. Today, almost everyone who was vaccinated against smallpox in childhood has lost much or all of their immunity to it.” “Smallpox is the one virus that can basically bring the world to its knees. And the likelihood of smallpox being visited on us is far greater than a nuclear war, in my opinion.” Here - 1 Star - Skip this one. Trust me. Based on all the stellar reviews, I was looking so forward to reading this one. The idea is unique. It’s a story, with very few words, of a little corner of the world, seen through billions of years from long ago to far into the future. The same idea was repeated throughout more than 300 pages. The art was unattractive and dull. I struggled with all the bouncing around of the dates. It would have been easier if it was chronological and not so messy. This was boring and a complete waste of my money. On the positive side, it didn’t take much time to get through at all – probably about 20 minutes or so. Blessings Beyond Measure - 4 Stars - This was the second time that I read this lovely book. It’s a book that would only be of interest to Baha’is. MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars The book is fantastic. It’s not perfect, since no book is, but it’s definitely a favorite of mine. 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 The Last Passenger by Charles Finch was very good. It dealt with the dirty side of England’s anti slavery stance in the 1800’s.......they may have been publicly against but profited greatly. So the subject matter and how the story was told was interesting. On the ongoing story of Charles Lennox side of the book it was obvious to me that a favorite character who was deceased in the official first book was going to die at some point in this book. Sniff, sniff..........https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45046759-the-last-passenger I may pick The Beautiful Blue Death to check out how these prequels did in joining with the series.......I still have the final book or two to read. I finished one of my freebies The Kissing Contract which I enjoyed greatly. Honestly I gave it a five star rating for the bunnies alone......an island filled with lop ear rabbits......someone set three loose and they multiplied! Adult content. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44308779-the-kissing-contract No idea what I am going to read next........I have finished last month’s Deborah Crombie spelling challenge and will post it later. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 33 minutes ago, Æthelthryth the Texan said: Happy Sunday everyone! @Negin I am intrigued by the Victorian Scrapbook, and also wondering how I never read The Demon in the Freezer. I have shifted over to reading one of my daughters the Little House books. Those seem to be the place that helps me disengage right now. I think that was my most beloved series growing up and has always been a comfort read and is a good fit right now. Happy to hang out with the Ingalls once again and to finally have a kid who enjoys them as well! Comfort reads are what I'm trying to focus on more. I have a Good Reads shelf just for that purpose. When making that shelf, I never thought how much it might come in handy. I got "The Victorian Scrapbook" used on amazon. The kitchen calendar is so pretty. I think that I've mentioned it here before. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 I just finished The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune which I quite enjoyed; this contemporary fantasy would be fine for teen readers as well as adults. "Linus Baker is a by-the-book case worker in the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. He's tasked with determining whether six dangerous magical children are likely to bring about the end of the world. Arthur Parnassus is the master of the orphanage. He would do anything to keep the children safe, even if it means the world will burn. And his secrets will come to light. The House in the Cerulean Sea is an enchanting love story, masterfully told, about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours. " Regards, Kareni 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 I've just started a fun Regency - Miss Lockharte's Letters by Barbara Metzger - When Rosellen Lockharte, penmanship teacher at a girls school, believes she is dying from influenza, she feverishly pens letters to those who have, through various misdeeds, brought her to this pass. And to forgive them. Well, most of them. Let Lord Stanford bear the responsibility for her death always. Except that he arrives in time to rescue her. (from Goodreads) So far, so good! If it ends up being a stinker I'll let you know. 4 hours ago, Æthelthryth the Texan said: I have shifted over to reading one of my daughters the Little House books. Those seem to be the place that helps me disengage right now. I think that was my most beloved series growing up and has always been a comfort read and is a good fit right now. Happy to hang out with the Ingalls once again and to finally have a kid who enjoys them as well! They were my favorites when I was a kid, too. It's been several years since I've done a reread - I agree - now might be the perfect time! 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 (edited) 6 hours ago, Robin M said: Welcome to April and ... Stress Awareness Month I'd noticed. After finishing the second installment of Maxim Gorky's unhappy life in My Apprenticeship, I moved on to another random pick: Darwin's Century: Evolution and the Men Who Discovered It, by Loren Eiseley. It's the intellectual history of the predecessors to Darwin, written for a general audience. Darwin wasn't hesitant to acknowledge his debts to other men in other fields of science (except when he was), but The Origin of Species was supposed to be a preliminary writing to his fuller work which would (importantly) have footnotes, but which was never written. Together with missing correspondence and the general cross-fertilization of ideas in Darwin's time, Eiseley has to do quite a lot of detective work to figure out and explain the web of ideas and influences leading up to Origin. Eiseley makes the important observation that we have a tendency to "read back," from our post-Darwin viewpoint, crucial points of evolution, natural selection, and variation into Darwin's precursors, when often the ideas they were expressing weren't actually the same things. Crown Family Quarantine Reading Competition Standings:Round 1 (completed): Wee Girl, 7; Violet, 3; Middle Girl, 3; Dh, 2.Round 2: Dh: J. G. Ballard, Complete Stories, Vol. 1; John Taine, The Greatest Adventure Violet: Maxim Gorky, My Childhood Middle Girl: Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment Wee Girl: Stephen Meader, Who Rides in the Dark?; Jean Kellogg, The Rod and the Rose; Charles Wilson, Wilderness Explorer: the Story of Samuel de Champlain Wee Girl has been working through our shelf of historical fiction this week. Dh says The Greatest Adventure, a 1929 science fiction novel, is based on Arthur Gordon Pym, in case anyone who enjoyed the Poe was looking for more Antarctic adventures. When I finish the Darwin book, I wonder if anyone is still interested in The Hunchback of Notre-Dame? I managed to find a copy and that might be my next, especially if anyone else wants to read it. I wonder how the Plague situation in Paris is affecting repairs. Edited March 30, 2020 by Violet Crown Arthur Gordon not Gordon Arthur, I knew that 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 I forgot to post last week about the books that I read: Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony -- This was not my favorite book in the series, although it did improve as the story progressed. Jurassic Park -- I liked this one a lot. I've seen some of the movies, so I had a really good idea of what was coming. And it was emotionally helpful to me to read about a situation that was much, much worse than what we are currently facing. I also think, after reading the book, that the movie was really, really well done. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melmichigan Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 I love Elizabeth Hunter! I have her latest book in my TBR pile as well. I’ll admit I need to loose myself in a good book. I listened to Smoke Bitten by Patricia Briggs, but haven’t been able to pay much attention to books. Things are getting bad with COVID-19 in little neck of the woods, and I’ve struggled just to get through a normal homeschool day. I’m scheduled to start reading The Lord of the Rings with my son. We’re doing the literature study, so I timed that pretty well. It’ll be a first read for both of us. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SereneHome Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 OK, that's it!! I am re-starting my reading!!! I think I barely read anything over the last month - not only I have tons of books from the library that I can't even return right now, I have 3!!! unopened boxes from Book Outlet from last year, so I am really don't have any book shortage. Signing off - will report back tomorrow 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 I finished the two library books I had been working on: Lost Children Archive and Atomic Habits. Lost Children Archive was just okay for me. I see Luiselli's brilliance but I often had trouble making myself read this book, and maybe it's just completely the wrong book for this time. I got some useful stuff out of Atomic Habits. Since I have the book for at least another month (library closed), I may go back and make some notes on how to apply this in teaching (my idea being to teach both academic habits--eg how to do homework, and math content habits--eg keeping the variable positive when solving equations/inequalities to avoid mistakes). Now I'm on to escapist reading, starting with a Regency mystery that's been on my kindle unread for a couple of years. I think it's called Murder in Grosvenor Square, a Captain Lacey mystery. Then I have my Rivers of London books ready to go. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 8 minutes ago, Ali in OR said: I think it's called Murder in Grosvenor Square, a Captain Lacey mystery. I enjoyed that and the next eight or so books. 9 minutes ago, Ali in OR said: Then I have my Rivers of London books ready to go I also enjoyed that and the next eight or so books! Regards, Kareni 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 6 hours ago, Æthelthryth the Texan said: Kareni- I love the Reddit threads, thanks for linking those. I think homeschooling must be my pet subject......😀 You are quite welcome, @Æthelthryth the Texan. Here's another Reddit thread for those who enjoy non-fiction: What’s your best “Stranger than Fiction” non fiction book? Regards, Kareni 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 5 hours ago, Æthelthryth the Texan said: I love Michael Crichton and especially Jurassic Park. It's one of my all time favorites. MC is missed. I also love Michael Cricthton and agree that he is missed. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 Some currently free Kindle books ~ The Green Fairy Book by Andrew Lang Star Faer: C'artha's Kiss by Max Vonne Regards, Kareni 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 I’m not sure how many of you have tried the Hannah Swenson Culinary Mystery’s but they have been around for years, possibly a couple were made for TV movies while I was in England, and they are popular even in England. American cozy mystery books were not a typical thing in British libraries which is probably why I am able to find so many to read in order to catch up now! Btw, these are the ones with cookies..... So the last couple I read were lacking in quality but with cliff hangers that made me start the next..........just speed read the Raspberry Danish Murder https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35277384-raspberry-danish-murder and have to say the series is back on track. I had to check out the next one because of the cliff hanger......😂 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 Some bookish posts ~ From the Word Wenches: (this was just posted yesterday so comments are still coming in): What the Wenches are Reading in March! A Roller Coaster Ride Through Regency Paris The Most Precious Jewels Those Ancient Cats Dog Collars II ETA: A free urban fantasy series: Dark Fae FBI (4 book series) Regards, Kareni 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 I finished The Baker's Secret Very good book....it kept striking me how good we have it even in these challenging times. Here is the Amazon synopsis: On June 5, 1944, as dawn rises over a small town on the Normandy coast of France, Emmanuelle is making the bread that has sustained her fellow villagers in the dark days since the Germans invaded her country. Only twenty-two, Emma learned to bake at the side of a master, Ezra Kuchen, the village baker since before she was born. Apprenticed to Ezra at thirteen, Emma watched with shame and anger as her kind mentor was forced to wear the six-pointed yellow star on his clothing. She was likewise powerless to help when they pulled Ezra from his shop at gunpoint, the first of many villagers stolen away and never seen again. In the years that her sleepy coastal village has suffered under the enemy, Emma has silently, stealthily fought back. Each day, she receives an extra ration of flour to bake a dozen baguettes for the occupying troops. And each day, she mixes that precious flour with ground straw to create enough dough for two extra loaves—contraband bread she shares with the hungry villagers. Under the cold, watchful eyes of armed soldiers, she builds a clandestine network of barter and trade that she and the villagers use to thwart their occupiers. But her gift to the village is more than these few crusty loaves. Emma gives the people a taste of hope—the faith that one day the Allies will arrive to save them. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 Yet another currently free book for Kindle readers. I think this one has an inspirational component. Meant for Me by Lyn Cote Also free ~ Risking It All for a Lady's Heart by Aria Norton. And some bookish posts ~ 17 Optimistic Fantasies to Brighten Your Reading Life https://www.tor.com/2020/03/30/17-optimistic-fantasies-to-brighten-your-reading-life/ FACT, FICTION, AND A DNA SURPRISE https://crimereads.com/fact-fiction-and-a-dna-surprise/ 5 Books Set in a Fantastical America https://www.tor.com/2020/03/10/5-books-set-in-a-fantastical-america/ ARCHITECTURE IN FICTION—IT'S MORE THAN JUST A SETTING https://crimereads.com/architecture-in-fiction-its-more-than-just-a-setting/ Regards, Kareni 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 I finished reading How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse: Book One of the Thorne Chronicles. It was 4 ⭐ good! Sort of a far in the future Sleeping Beauty sequel set in space. Protagonist is good and has nice friends and the politics were spelled out such that even I understood what was going on. Political intrigue flies right over my head if you don't hit me with it. It is the first of a series (apparently) which doesn't surprise me, but it didn't leave me with Cliff-hangers in need of immediate resolution, so I will be able to move on to other reading without distraction until the second book makes its appearance. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 On 3/30/2020 at 12:45 PM, mumto2 said: I’m not sure how many of you have tried the Hannah Swenson Culinary Mystery’s but they have been around for years, possibly a couple were made for TV movies while I was in England, and they are popular even in England. American cozy mystery books were not a typical thing in British libraries which is probably why I am able to find so many to read in order to catch up now! Btw, these are the ones with cookies..... So the last couple I read were lacking in quality but with cliff hangers that made me start the next..........just speed read the Raspberry Danish Murder https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35277384-raspberry-danish-murder and have to say the series is back on track. I had to check out the next one because of the cliff hanger......😂 I have now read The Chocolate Cream Pie Murder which once again ends with a cliff hanger. So now I am just waiting for the last in the series that has been published.......no matter what the cliff hanger is I will be done for a few months🤣 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 More Christmas reading in March! I just finished Regency Royal Navy Christmas by Carla Kelly which was a highly enjoyable collection of four novellas. I had previously read the final novella, but the other three were new for this collection "Even the squared away, efficient Royal Navy must surrender to the joys and misadventures of a Regency Christmas. Four stories shine a light on Christmas during the Napoleonic Wars on land and sea – In Boxing the Compass, a homesick frigate captain shepherding a convict convoy to Australia wants nothing more than to hold his infant daughter in faraway England. Perhaps he can enlist a prickly pair of convicts with a new baby to help him. Wait Here for the Present, finds a spinster, chafing with boredom, helping a motherless lad get to Plymouth for Christmas with his surgeon-father. She can help, but love is the farthest thing from her mind. In Slip #5, Captain McCulloch’s ship HMS Trident must spend a month in dry dock in Devonport. What better time to catch up on his reading? His plans are complicated by a bad cold, a good widow and her children, shy lovers, and dilemmas it seems only he can solve. Whatever happened to peace and quiet? As a special bonus, The Christmas Angle introduces readers of the acclaimed St. Brendan Series to that unlikely genius, Sailing Master Able Six. Readers are requested and required to come aboard for a Royal Navy holiday. " Regards, Kareni 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted March 31, 2020 Author Share Posted March 31, 2020 (edited) Finished Elizabeth Hunter's Suddenly Psychic which was a really good fluff read. "Robin Brannon was a normal wife, mom, and antique-shop owner until a brush with death turned her day-to-day life upside down. Now she and her two best friends are seeing things that belong in a fantasy novel. Ghosts. Visions. Omens of doom. Nothing that belongs in the peaceful mountain town they call home. Added to that, Robin’s marriage is on the rocks, her grandmother’s health is failing, her mother is driving away the customers at her shop, her teenage daughter refuses to get her driver’s license, and her left knee aches every darn morning.Robin doesn’t have the time, energy, or knees to unearth the secrets buried at the bottom of Glimmer Lake, but fate doesn’t seem to care. Some secrets are just dying to be exposed." Have no idea what I'm in the mood for now. Will have to go stare at my shelves for a bit and see which one calls my name the loudest. 😃 Edited March 31, 2020 by Robin M 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 I just finished Rabbits for Food by Binnie Kirshenbaum. It was fine. The reviews promised it would be witty, but it never made me laugh. The protagonist is suffering from depression, so that keeps things a bit dreary. The plot followed very closely that of a different a book I read ten years ago - although this version was better written. The ending of Rabbits for Food was a complete cop-out. Seems like I've been filing a lot of scathing reviews lately. I'm not exactly sure why, perhaps they are my pressure relief valve. Coming soon: The Master and Margarita, non-scathing review. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 I just finished the graphic novel Estranged by Ethan M. Aldridge; it was an enjoyable read, but I don't believe I'll be rereading it. My library has it classified as a children's book. "Edmund and the Childe were swapped at birth. Now Edmund lives in secret as a changeling in the World Above, his fae powers hidden from his unsuspecting parents and his older sister, Alexis. The Childe lives among the fae in the World Below, where being a human makes him a curiosity at the royal palace. But when the cruel sorceress Hawthorne seizes the throne, the Childe and Edmund must unite on a dangerous quest to save both worlds—even if they’re not sure which world they belong to.' Regards, Kareni 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted April 2, 2020 Author Share Posted April 2, 2020 A literary feast: 8 authors we'd invite to dinner 2020's Virtual bookish events April Fools’ Day Literary Hoaxes 6 Hilarious Audiobook Excerpts to Take Your Mind Off Everything. I haven't listened yet, so proceed with caution. New York public library celebrations National Poetry Month My contribution for the day - A Haiku Dawn, soon eyes open Warm pink skies, kitten cuddles bed too warm to leave 😘 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted April 2, 2020 Share Posted April 2, 2020 I just finished a science fiction novel which I quite enjoyed ~ Guest by E. Stoops. This would be a fine read for teens as well as adults. "Thione Aldermann, a third generation homesteader in the Columbia Valley, prides herself on having a plan for all of life's little eventualities and never being caught flat-footed. But her contingency plan for first contact is about a decade out of date.Enter Guest, a spiderlike alien, who crash-lands in her back pasture. He's wounded, scared, unintelligible, and worse yet – clueless. Fortunately for Guest, Thione formulates a plan to help him, hide him, and when the time is right, heave him back to whence he came. But nosy neighbors and an untrustworthy sheriff imperil the fragile plan from the start, forcing Thione to pull up stakes and risk her farm to even have a chance at sending Guest home." Regards, Kareni 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted April 2, 2020 Author Share Posted April 2, 2020 I just had to share 2 1 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted April 3, 2020 Author Share Posted April 3, 2020 Hello, my lovelies, I started reading Stephanie Cowell's Claude and Camille: A novel of Monet which is good so far. Penguin/Random house is hosting a private group on facebook for Unbound Worlds which I just joined. If you love sci fi/fantasy come join in. Let's move to Mars: the best books about our future in space the 2020 Booker prize shortlist was announced. Best Translated Book Awards Names 2020 Longlists If you can't focus on reading, there are quite a number of live streaming events going on. New find -- Let LeVar Burton Read the Works of Neil Gaiman to You This Friday Last night, discovered Michael Buble is doing daily live streams - he and his wife were talking about movies last night. Fun couple Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals are streaming online for free starting with Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat on Friday. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 I finished Murder in the Cultural Gardens, and started James Baldwin's The Fire Next Time. Still not done with the audiobook of Talking Back to OCD (with my kid). But she started therapy last week. Since we were listening in the car, and we have only driven around once in the past week, we're not making progress on the book. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 (edited) I have been reading quite an interesting Gothic book calledThe Woman in the Mirror. A big old scary house is inherited in the current timeframe by a woman who had no idea she was related to honestly anyone. Longing to know her family, even if they are all gone she moves into Winterbourne......on the cliffs in Cornwall. It’s creepy......lots of flashbacks to post WWII. Not quite sure where it is going......... https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48728105-the-woman-in-the-mirror Edited April 3, 2020 by mumto2 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 Kindle book on sale today - (Christmas/Short Stories) 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 On 3/29/2020 at 2:37 PM, Negin said: rapbook - 5 Stars - This book is an absolute delight. The photos and illustrations perfectly capture life in Victorian times. The narrative is engaging. I would love to eventually get the Christmas edition of this book. This makes a lovely coffee-table book. We are such fans. We have a big calendar based on the book in our kitchen and it’s absolutely gorgeous. I'm trying to save cash this month but I might have to make an exception for this book. It looks lovely. DD will need something in her Easter basket, right?!?! On 3/29/2020 at 3:47 PM, mumto2 said: The Last Passenger by Charles Finch was very good. It dealt with the dirty side of England’s anti slavery stance in the 1800’s.......they may have been publicly against but profited greatly. So the subject matter and how the story was told was interesting. On the ongoing story of Charles Lennox side of the book it was obvious to me that a favorite character who was deceased in the official first book was going to die at some point in this book. Sniff, sniff..........https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45046759-the-last-passenger I may pick The Beautiful Blue Death to check out how these prequels did in joining with the series.......I still have the final book or two to read. I'm still struggling to find something to catch my reading attention right now. I've got about eight books that I'm 80% through. The only thing I can seem to finish are Joan Smith and Patricia Wentworth novels I've read half a dozen times. I feel like I'm doing the BaW equivalent of treading water. BUT I did just download the next Charles Finch novel onto my kindle. So let's see how that goes! 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted April 3, 2020 Share Posted April 3, 2020 (edited) And this is highly tangentially related to reading but DH and I have watched the first ten episodes of Hamish MacBeth on Acorn TV (I think it's also on Amazon Prime). Really diverting. And to make it BaW appropriate ... it's nothing at all like the books! Dare I say that they're even better than the books. *ducks a tomato* Edited April 3, 2020 by aggieamy 5 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 Kindle book on sale today (politics/history) 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 Any Freddy the Pig fans here? Today only, free for Kindle readers ~ Freddy and the Perilous Adventure by Walter R. Brooks "The Fourth of July is no day for danger but that’s just what’s in store for the Bean Farm gang in Freddy and the Perilous Adventure. It all seemed so strange and exciting at first: Emma and Alice, Bean Farm’s favorite ducks, and the intrepid Freddy, off for a glorious balloon ride to celebrate the nation’s birthday. Of course, if Freddy and Emma and Alice and the other denizens of Bean Farm had known what was really in store for the brave aerialists in the Balloon Ascension they might just have remained quietly at home, listening to Freddy’s poetry or to the boastful crowing of Charles." Regards, Kareni 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 Last night I finished a reread of SK Dunstall's Linesman which I enjoyed once again. "First in a brand new thought-provoking science fiction series.The lines. No ship can traverse the void without them. Only linesmen can work with them. But only Ean Lambert hears their song. And everyone thinks he’s crazy…Most slum kids never go far, certainly not becoming a level-ten linesman like Ean. Even if he’s part of a small, and unethical, cartel, and the other linesmen disdain his self-taught methods, he’s certified and working.Then a mysterious alien ship is discovered at the edges of the galaxy. Each of the major galactic powers is desperate to be the first to uncover the ship’s secrets, but all they’ve learned is that it has the familiar lines of energy—and a defense system that, once triggered, annihilates everything in a 200 kilometer radius.The vessel threatens any linesman who dares to approach it, except Ean. His unique talents may be the key to understanding this alarming new force—and reconfiguring the relationship between humans and the ships that serve them, forever." Regards, Kareni 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 58 minutes ago, Kareni said: Any Freddy the Pig fans here? Today only, free for Kindle readers ~ Freddy and the Perilous Adventure by Walter R. Brooks "The Fourth of July is no day for danger but that’s just what’s in store for the Bean Farm gang in Freddy and the Perilous Adventure. It all seemed so strange and exciting at first: Emma and Alice, Bean Farm’s favorite ducks, and the intrepid Freddy, off for a glorious balloon ride to celebrate the nation’s birthday. Of course, if Freddy and Emma and Alice and the other denizens of Bean Farm had known what was really in store for the brave aerialists in the Balloon Ascension they might just have remained quietly at home, listening to Freddy’s poetry or to the boastful crowing of Charles." Regards, Kareni We enjoyed several Freddy books when my youngest was small. They're delightful and I wish we had found him earlier!! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 Missed this last week. Reading: Finished Blackstock's "Distortion" last week. Was a good read for me. Terri Blackstock's "Truth Stained Lies." Same characters as in "Distortion," provides some continuity - interesting so far. Audiobook: "Predator" and "When Dreams Cross." Not sure about either right now. Predator may not be a good thing to listen to right now - it's intense but I should give it a fair try. Dreams is a little predictable and ho hum so far. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 (edited) 9 hours ago, Mothersweets said: We enjoyed several Freddy books when my youngest was small. They're delightful and I wish we had found him earlier!! Freddy was popular in our house, too. But there were many questions to answer. "Mommy, what's a 'pinko'?" "What's a 'third columnist'?" Gather around, little children, and let me tell you about the days of the Cold War... Edited April 5, 2020 by Violet Crown 3 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 I read a little in a book today. I didn't finish one or make good progress but I'm consider it a win. Tomorrow I'll read a little more. By the end of the year I might even finish a book! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 (edited) 7 minutes ago, aggieamy said: I read a little in a book today. I didn't finish one or make good progress but I'm consider it a win. Tomorrow I'll read a little more. By the end of the year I might even finish a book! I started And Then There Were None on Tuesday and just finished it today. The fact that it's a short book, a mystery, and an Agatha Christie means I should have finished it in a day. Two at most if I didn't get much reading time each day. It's just so hard to concentrate on pleasure reading. Sigh. I'm not giving up on trying though. Edited April 5, 2020 by Lady Florida. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted April 5, 2020 Author Share Posted April 5, 2020 3 hours ago, aggieamy said: I read a little in a book today. I didn't finish one or make good progress but I'm consider it a win. Tomorrow I'll read a little more. By the end of the year I might even finish a book! Glad you found a bit of time to concentrate on reading. I’m spending way too much time watching celebrity stuff again so no reading for me today. First Saturday hubby and i home together in a long time. Closing the shop on Saturday for the duration of this virus thing. We picked up my car from mechanic, went grocery shopping, filled out ppp paperwork, then I wrote 52 books post, dinner, then watched inception with the guys. Now tomorrow, lazy day and will ignore the news. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted April 5, 2020 Author Share Posted April 5, 2020 3 hours ago, Lady Florida. said: I started And Then There Were None on Tuesday and just finished it today. The fact that it's a short book, a mystery, and an Agatha Christie means I should have finished it in a day. Two at most if I didn't get much reading time each day. It's just so hard to concentrate on pleasure reading. Sigh. I'm not giving up on trying though. Nope, don’t give up on reading even if its something short. we’ll all keep on plugging away. May take longer to finish some books, but at least we are trying. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted April 5, 2020 Author Share Posted April 5, 2020 Week 14 is live - please continue conversation in new thread 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.