Robin M Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 (edited) Happy Sunday dear hearts and Happy Easter to all who celebrate! You’ll be happy to hear the Easter Bunny has been declared essential by several governors so he may hoppily visit boys and girls everywhere. Of course, while maintaining social distancing. We are all experiencing a time in which the people of the world are in the midst of a huge change. At the end of this pandemic we will all come out the other side, transformed, changed for the better I hope. We have more time to look inside ourselves and think about the who and the what and the why. We are in the midst of the mysterious and the transformative which are two of our 52 books bingo categories. Apropos, huh? From the serious to the humorous to the quirky to the scientific to the religious, there are a number of ways to go. You can go with the literal, symbolic, synonyms, or something inferred. Transformative: That causes transformation. To change in form, appearance, or structure; metamorphose; to change in condition, nature, or character; convert; to change into another substance; transmute.Literature in and of itself is transformative.Transformative books - literature to change your lives8 Transformative Philosophy Books That Will Change How You Think17 of the Best Christian Books that will leave you inspired 45 Best Personal Transformation Books of All Time Mysterious: Full of, characterized by, or involving mystery; implying or suggesting a mystery; of obscure nature, meaning, origin, etc.; puzzling; inexplicable. 5 Most Mysterious Books Ever Written The 100 Most Popular Mysteries and Thrillers on GoodreadsWorks of Nonfiction to Rival Any Great Thriller NovelMysterious short stories to read online.7 Mysterious Libraries in Literature “The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the life of all art and science.” ~ Albert Einstein Have fun following rabbit trails! Link to week 14 Visit 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. Edited April 12, 2020 by Robin M 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted April 12, 2020 Author Share Posted April 12, 2020 I've started The Ten Thousand Doors of January By Alix Harrow. "In a sprawling mansion filled with peculiar treasures, January Scaller is a curiosity herself. As the ward of the wealthy Mr. Locke, she feels little different from the artifacts that decorate the halls: carefully maintained, largely ignored, and utterly out of place. Then she finds a strange book. A book that carries the scent of other worlds, and tells a tale of secret doors, of love, adventure and danger. Each page turn reveals impossible truths about the world and January discovers a story increasingly entwined with her own." I'm not quite ready to start Fellowship of the Ring and putting it aside for a couple weeks. S'okay if you all do the same. Hubby and I watched an old Humphrey Bogart movie last night - Key Largo. Totally enjoyed it to James chagrin as he wanted to watch Alien:Covenant. So not in the mood for that right now. Old movies and comedies are the order of the day. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 Easter on schedule! Sunrise home service; baskets with choc bunnies and jelly beans; egg hunt; random attacks with cascarones; eggs scrambled with (vegi-)chorizo for breakfast. Now watching The Ten Commandments while the Easter pie bakes. Made Texas sheet cake last night for dessert. Hopefully the last ingredients for the Bread of Easter Brightness will come this week and we'll bake it then. Calling and skyping family and godparents. And hopefully finishing A Tale of Two Cities this evening. For transformative literature, I'm still reading from J. H. Cardinal Newman's Parochial and Plain Sermons; if I ever read all of them it'll show up on the list! Off now to eat, again. So let it be written; so let it be done. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 I read The Little Book of Skin Care - 3 Stars - As a former esthetician, I love anything about skin care. I always hear about the Korean skin care routine, but to be honest, ten steps is far too high maintenance for me. My morning routine consists of three steps, and my nighttime is two if I’m good. I’ve tried some Korean sheet masks and decided that they really didn’t do much for me. The author has a website where she sells Korean products. I’ve tried some of them. The sunscreens are among my favorites. Some of the items are a bit gimmicky, but that’s to be expected with Korean and Japanese products it seems. They’re fun, but certainly not essential This book was okay. It’s informative to those who know very little about Korean skin care. The graphics are cute and adorable. At times I felt that it was more of a travelogue of the author’s time in Korea, and not so much about skin care. It may be inspirational to those who love skin care or are in the mood for a change in their routine. Here's a link to my Good Reads review if you would like to see some images. 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. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 11 minutes ago, Violet Crown said: Easter on schedule! Sunrise home service; baskets with choc bunnies and jelly beans; egg hunt; random attacks with cascarones; eggs scrambled with (vegi-)chorizo for breakfast. Now watching The Ten Commandments while the Easter pie bakes. Made Texas sheet cake last night for dessert. Hopefully the last ingredients for the Bread of Easter Brightness will come this week and we'll bake it then. Calling and skyping family and godparents. And hopefully finishing A Tale of Two Cities this evening. For transformative literature, I'm still reading from J. H. Cardinal Newman's Parochial and Plain Sermons; if I ever read all of them it'll show up on the list! Off now to eat, again. So let it be written; so let it be done. I had to google Bread of Easter Brightness.......looks and sounds good. We just finished Easter dinner which was a smoked turkey breast I purchased at Thanksgiving a put in the freezer.....glad I planned ahead for once! I also had an extra pecan pie from Thanksgiving time which we will eat tonight with leftovers........two pumpkin pies are still there for another occasion. Very grateful we bought a much bigger freezer than intended last spring! Reading.......I think I am going to give up on Robin Paige’s Murder in Whitechapel. I may skip ahead in the series as the first 3 were very good. I am halfway through Kellerman’s Museum of Desire which is yet another starring Alex Delaware and Milo. Enjoying it but not managing to turn the pages at quite the same speed as normal. I started listening to a new cozy historical mystery last A Useful Woman by Darcie Wilde. So far it’s really well done! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26067944-a-useful-woman 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 Today only, free for Kindle readers ~ Women in Love by D.H. Lawrence Regards, Kareni 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 Happy Easter to all those celebrating! Please don't quote... I gave my husband an Easter basket today. It contained a chocolate bunny and eggs that he cannot yet eat, shirts he cannot yet wear, and a book he does not yet have the concentration to read. He had major surgery (two surgeons) on the third and returned home several days later. He is now slowly recuperating. ... For those who wonder, the book is I, Claudius by Robert Graves. Regards, Kareni 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 2 hours ago, Robin M said: Book a Week 2020 - BW25: 52 Books Bingo - Transformative and Mysterious I was thinking Wow, Week 25, the year is almost half over. And then I realized, no, it's not. It's been a long year already but not that long! Regards, Kareni 2 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 Happy Easter! Read two short books this week - The Small Hand and Dolly both by Susan Hill. While I enjoyed both of them, I think Dolly was better as it had a more satisfying ending. @Kareni happy to hear your news! 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted April 12, 2020 Author Share Posted April 12, 2020 1 hour ago, Kareni said: I was thinking Wow, Week 25, the year is almost half over. And then I realized, no, it's not. It's been a long year already but not that long! Regards, Kareni LOL! *facepalm* Thank you for catching that. Wishful thinking, maybe.... Prayers and good thoughts and well wishes winging your way along with hugs to you and your family. A gentle one for hubby as he recovers. Let us know if you need anything. 😘 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted April 12, 2020 Author Share Posted April 12, 2020 3 hours ago, Violet Crown said: Easter on schedule! Sunrise home service; baskets with choc bunnies and jelly beans; egg hunt; random attacks with cascarones; eggs scrambled with (vegi-)chorizo for breakfast. Now watching The Ten Commandments while the Easter pie bakes. Made Texas sheet cake last night for dessert. Hopefully the last ingredients for the Bread of Easter Brightness will come this week and we'll bake it then. Calling and skyping family and godparents. And hopefully finishing A Tale of Two Cities this evening. For transformative literature, I'm still reading from J. H. Cardinal Newman's Parochial and Plain Sermons; if I ever read all of them it'll show up on the list! Off now to eat, again. So let it be written; so let it be done. Happy Easter! Never heard of Bread of Easter Brightness. Is this it? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 I just finished The Things We Cannot Say. 5 stars. In the top 10 books I have ever read. Powerful, gripping. I listened as an audio book. I would stay in the car a few extra minutes to listen to "just a little bit more". *************************************** In 1942, Europe remains in the relentless grip of war. Just beyond the tents of the Russian refugee camp she calls home, a young woman speaks her wedding vows. It’s a decision that will alter her destiny…and it’s a lie that will remain buried until the next century.Since she was nine years old, Alina Dziak knew she would marry her best friend, Tomasz. Now fifteen and engaged, Alina is unconcerned by reports of Nazi soldiers at the Polish border, believing her neighbors that they pose no real threat, and dreams instead of the day Tomasz returns from college in Warsaw so they can be married. But little by little, injustice by brutal injustice, the Nazi occupation takes hold, and Alina’s tiny rural village, its families, are divided by fear and hate.Then, as the fabric of their lives is slowly picked apart, Tomasz disappears. Where Alina used to measure time between visits from her beloved, now she measures the spaces between hope and despair, waiting for word from Tomasz and avoiding the attentions of the soldiers who patrol her parents’ farm. But for now, even deafening silence is preferable to grief.Slipping between Nazi-occupied Poland and the frenetic pace of modern life, Kelly Rimmer creates an emotional and finely wrought narrative. The Things We Cannot Say is an unshakable reminder of the devastation when truth is silenced…and how it can take a lifetime to find our voice before we learn to trust it. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 @Kareni So glad your hubby is doing well and is back at home! Sending hugs and prayers..... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted April 13, 2020 Share Posted April 13, 2020 43 minutes ago, Seasider too said: The All-Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg was my read for the week. Anyone paying attention has noticed I have a penchant for southern authors, and Flagg is among the best. This one was great; I didn’t realize it before picking up this book, but the main character of this story lives in my actual dream house (like, literally). It sits on a road I’ve travelled many times. The story is fun, and hits home in a few spots as I believe many mothers wonder what they have to show for their labors after decades of serving as homemaker, then caregiver. Typical Flagg humor prevails, it’s a fun light read. Perfect for the times. I do have some denser works in progress but will add them in a future week once I actually turn those last pages. Kareni thanks again for the heads up on the kindle freebie, and my prayers go up. I loved that one too when I read it. I twas a nice, fun, light read. Have you read the books by Effie Wilder. She has a series of books about a southern elderly lady in a retirement home. So funny. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted April 13, 2020 Share Posted April 13, 2020 Kareni, so happy to hear your wonderful news! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El... Posted April 13, 2020 Share Posted April 13, 2020 14 hours ago, Violet Crown said: Easter on schedule! Sunrise home service; baskets with choc bunnies and jelly beans; egg hunt; random attacks with cascarones; eggs scrambled with (vegi-)chorizo for breakfast. Now watching The Ten Commandments while the Easter pie bakes. Made Texas sheet cake last night for dessert. Hopefully the last ingredients for the Bread of Easter Brightness will come this week and we'll bake it then. Calling and skyping family and godparents. And hopefully finishing A Tale of Two Cities this evening. For transformative literature, I'm still reading from J. H. Cardinal Newman's Parochial and Plain Sermons; if I ever read all of them it'll show up on the list! Off now to eat, again. So let it be written; so let it be done. I also just read A Tale of Two Cities! I hadn't read it in 20 years, and had forgotten what an artist he was with words. Since I knew what was going to happen, I was able to slow down and enjoy the word craft. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted April 13, 2020 Share Posted April 13, 2020 Thank you for all the well wishes! ** Today only, free for Kindle readers ~ Bernard Evslin's The Green Hero: Early Adventures of Finn McCool Also free ~ Bessie Bell and the Goblin King (Tales of Aylfenhame Book 3) Regards, Kareni 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 On 2/3/2020 at 12:12 AM, tuesdayschild said: With @Robin M talking about her breakfast time sip reads🥰 .... one sip read I'm really appreciating with my early cuppa this year is Beholding and Becoming: The Art of Everyday Worship by Ruth Chou Simons (definitely Christian content): I'm tending to sit there and absorb the gentle peace in the artwork and calligraphy that goes with the text - I love books with beautiful illustrations. @tuesdayschild You mentioned this book several months ago and I thought it was just lovely. I sent it to my Mom (in another state) for Easter and she is absolutely loving it. She is very lonely right now (my dad passed away last April) and I'm glad this book is bringing her some joy. Thank you so much for the recommendation!! 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 Today only, free for Kindle readers ~ The Defendant: Essays by G.K. Chesterton Regards, Kareni 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 I'm enjoying reading my mysteries right now. Finished Moon Over Soho, the second Rivers of London book. Ordered a bunch of inexpensive Regency mysteries for my kindle last week and I started a John Pickett mystery by Sherri Cobb South called For Deader or Worse. I think it's book 5 or 6. These are only $3.99 I think, and while I used to be able to get them from the library, that's not an option right now. I also got Volume 4 of the Captain Lacey series which is books 10, 11, and 12 for $7.99 I think. They're perfect for right now. And I've started The Fellowship of the Ring and finished up the birthday party and Bilbo's exit. We'll see if I can keep up with this. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted April 15, 2020 Author Share Posted April 15, 2020 (edited) We all know Sandy @mumto2 loves hedgehogs so here's a little big something Edited April 15, 2020 by Robin M 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 On 4/12/2020 at 5:47 PM, Robin M said: Happy Easter! Never heard of Bread of Easter Brightness. Is this it? Ours is much less fancy and braided, more round and lumpy, but basically that, with the five red eggs. Hint: dye the darkest brown eggs you can get, or they'll be pink. On 4/13/2020 at 4:18 AM, elroisees said: I also just read A Tale of Two Cities! I hadn't read it in 20 years, and had forgotten what an artist he was with words. Since I knew what was going to happen, I was able to slow down and enjoy the word craft. And now we're watching the 1980 BBC series. Middle Girl: "Did everyone have fluffy hair in 1980?" I just finished A Tale myself, and you're right, it's better the second time. I'm now reading The Church in an Age of Revolution: 1789 to the Present Day (vol. 5 of The Pelican History of the Church), which is more interesting than I'm afraid it sounds. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El... Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 1 hour ago, Violet Crown said: Ours is much less fancy and braided, more round and lumpy, but basically that, with the five red eggs. Hint: dye the darkest brown eggs you can get, or they'll be pink. And now we're watching the 1980 BBC series. Middle Girl: "Did everyone have fluffy hair in 1980?" I just finished A Tale myself, and you're right, it's better the second time. I'm now reading The Church in an Age of Revolution: 1789 to the Present Day (vol. 5 of The Pelican History of the Church), which is more interesting than I'm afraid it sounds. That church history book sounds fascinating to me! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 (edited) For Julia Spencer Fleming fans the latest (and London awaited) book has been released! Hid From Our Eyes https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45046695-hid-from-our-eyes is a book I am looking forward to! I am part way through a reread of the series so will be reading this one in a few weeks...... Speaking of rereads I am getting close to done on my Faith Hunter reread. Currently reading Curse on the Land which is the second in the Soulwood series https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28953491-curse-on-the-land?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=nUGDsCE6BN&rank=2 First time I have ever managed to copy a cover.......this is one of my favorite book covers. I love the swirling and the light! Edited April 15, 2020 by mumto2 7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 (edited) 10 hours ago, elroisees said: That church history book sounds fascinating to me! The whole Pelican/Penguin History of the Church series is really good. It's at just the right spot where it assumes some basic familiarity with ecclesial history -- the reader is assumed to know the important differences between Baptists and Presbyterians, for instance, and not to need Newman and the Tractarian Movement explained -- but it also doesn't assume the reader to be an expert on any particular denomination. It was a British series, so the British Isles and western Europe are the focus, and there's nothing much on American church history or the Eastern Orthodox. The editor (and author of some of the volumes) was the great church historian Owen Chadwick, and it's all very fair-minded and balanced. Edited April 15, 2020 by Violet Crown 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 I finished 3 books yesterday. Two sip reads, History of the Ancient World, Susan Wise Bauer and The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. I also finished The Knowledge Gap by Natalie Wexler. The Knowledge Gap, 3 ⭐, was in the last stack of books I picked up prior to the library closing. In normal times I probably wouldn't have gotten to it, but these aren't normal times and I'm getting to the bottom of my library stack with no reopen date in sight. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 19 minutes ago, SusanC said: I finished 3 books yesterday. Two sip reads, History of the Ancient World, Susan Wise Bauer and The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. I also finished The Knowledge Gap by Natalie Wexler. The Knowledge Gap, 3 ⭐, was in the last stack of books I picked up prior to the library closing. In normal times I probably wouldn't have gotten to it, but these aren't normal times and I'm getting to the bottom of my library stack with no reopen date in sight. Do your library books just keep having their due dates extended.......mine are now 5/15. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 23 minutes ago, mumto2 said: Do your library books just keep having their due dates extended.......mine are now 5/15. They seem to have suspended the notification system altogether. I no longer get automated emails about due dates or automatic renewals. The website just says "Please hold on to materials until we reopen". I wonder if there will be 2 week grace period when they reopen or if everything will be due at once. I would be so happy if they would do a limited open and accept returns and check out books on hold. This is how I spend my day dreams these days - coming up with safe plans for them. I'm sure someone will call and ask my thoughts any day now! 😂 7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 1 hour ago, SusanC said: They seem to have suspended the notification system altogether. I no longer get automated emails about due dates or automatic renewals. The website just says "Please hold on to materials until we reopen". I wonder if there will be 2 week grace period when they reopen or if everything will be due at once. I would be so happy if they would do a limited open and accept returns and check out books on hold. This is how I spend my day dreams these days - coming up with safe plans for them. I'm sure someone will call and ask my thoughts any day now! 😂 For the first couple of weeks the employees were still working at my library....it’s on our bike ride path. They had a uhaul type thing in the parking lot and I think were putting extra books in that. The book drop is still there and there is a message regarding deep cleaning of the books........ 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 Free for Kindle readers ~ No Honor in Death (Siobhan Dunmoore 1) Regards, Kareni 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 Some bookish posts ~ Six Stunning Fantasies for Nature Lovers by Emily B. Martin Also: From the Word Wenches: The Power of Song https://wordwenches.typepad.com/word_wenches/2020/04/the-power-of-song.html#comment-6a00d8341c84c753ef025d9b4566ae200c Station Eleven, Mr. Burns, and (Re)telling Stories to Survive https://www.tor.com/2020/04/09/station-eleven-mr-burns-and-retelling-stories-to-survive/ 8 Sugary Fantasies That Indulge Our Sweet Tooth https://www.tor.com/2020/04/09/8-sugary-fantasies-that-indulge-our-sweet-tooth/ Regards, Kareni 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted April 15, 2020 Author Share Posted April 15, 2020 @Kareni Thank you! I'll add a few more How to Break Out of a Reading Slump Beyond the Shire: 5 High-Fantasy, Immersive Reads for Fans of Tolkien One year ago today: Notre-Dame review – an engrossing history of 'the soul of France' History and SFF: Oral History and Charlie Jane Anders’ The City in the Middle of the Night Off to reorganize my shelves! 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted April 15, 2020 Share Posted April 15, 2020 Almost had a major panic attack just now. I couldn't check out the next audiobook in my space opera series because my library card expires today!! But bless them, the library system website is set up with live-chat, and a real human librarian, no doubt on her computer at home, was able to renew my card. Whew!! I seem incapable of handling anything more than lite sci-fi or good ol' murder mysteries, preferably British. Which is a shame as I have so many good books here at home, but so it goes. The sci-fi/space opera series I'm enjoying is the Vorkosigan series by Lois McMaster Bujold. Miles Vorkosigan is a great character -- a disabled son of a Lord, who reminds me a bit of Artemis Fowl. Miles isn't a criminal mastermind like Artemis, but he definitely thinks way outside the box, winds up leading a mercenary fleet of space ships, and has a great sense of humor. They are the perfect background noise for sewing or puttering around the house. The current mystery is But for the Grace by Peter Grainger, the second DC Smith novel. I went ahead and signed up for kindle unlimited and will just plow through as many mysteries and whatever else looks good there. Our Easter was ....cold. Dh went on a quest for Krispey Kreme donuts to go with our brunch -- the drive thru was at least 15 cars long! We didn't get around to frosting our Easter cookies til yesterday, but that's how it goes in this twilight zone of plague. Time just has no meaning! 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted April 16, 2020 Share Posted April 16, 2020 This afternoon I finished the book that my book group will be discussing (via Zoom) tomorrow. I enjoyed it and recommend it. Lab Girl by Hope Jahren "Geobiologist Hope Jahren has spent her life studying trees, flowers, seeds, and soil. Lab Girl is her revelatory treatise on plant life—but it is also a celebration of the lifelong curiosity, humility, and passion that drive every scientist. In these pages, Hope takes us back to her Minnesota childhood, where she spent hours in unfettered play in her father’s college laboratory. She tells us how she found a sanctuary in science, learning to perform lab work “with both the heart and the hands.” She introduces us to Bill, her brilliant, eccentric lab manager. And she extends the mantle of scientist to each one of her readers, inviting us to join her in observing and protecting our environment. Warm, luminous, compulsively readable, Lab Girl vividly demonstrates the mountains that we can move when love and work come together." Regards, Kareni 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted April 16, 2020 Share Posted April 16, 2020 3 hours ago, JennW in SoCal said: Almost had a major panic attack just now. I couldn't check out the next audiobook in my space opera series because my library card expires today!! But bless them, the library system website is set up with live-chat, and a real human librarian, no doubt on her computer at home, was able to renew my card. Whew!! I seem incapable of handling anything more than lite sci-fi or good ol' murder mysteries, preferably British. Which is a shame as I have so many good books here at home, but so it goes. The sci-fi/space opera series I'm enjoying is the Vorkosigan series by Lois McMaster Bujold. Miles Vorkosigan is a great character -- a disabled son of a Lord, who reminds me a bit of Artemis Fowl. Miles isn't a criminal mastermind like Artemis, but he definitely thinks way outside the box, winds up leading a mercenary fleet of space ships, and has a great sense of humor. They are the perfect background noise for sewing or puttering around the house. The current mystery is But for the Grace by Peter Grainger, the second DC Smith novel. I went ahead and signed up for kindle unlimited and will just plow through as many mysteries and whatever else looks good there. Our Easter was ....cold. Dh went on a quest for Krispey Kreme donuts to go with our brunch -- the drive thru was at least 15 cars long! We didn't get around to frosting our Easter cookies til yesterday, but that's how it goes in this twilight zone of plague. Time just has no meaning! The terror of no library card.........so glad you were able to fix your card!. OK, you got me with Artemis Fowl comparison......the first book is Shards of Honor right? I can always use more audiobooks to quilt to.......well almost always. Our internet is having a hard time with all the zooming going on. I have always streamed my audiobooks and may have to learn to download them. @Robin M Love the new avatar! 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted April 16, 2020 Share Posted April 16, 2020 5 hours ago, Robin M said: One year ago today: Notre-Dame review – an engrossing history of 'the soul of France' One year ago, weren't we all talking about getting hold of the Victor Hugo novel? I see the Penguin edition is only a few dollars used.... 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted April 16, 2020 Share Posted April 16, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, mumto2 said: The terror of no library card.........so glad you were able to fix your card!. OK, you got me with Artemis Fowl comparison......the first book is Shards of Honor right? I can always use more audiobooks to quilt to.......well almost always. Our internet is having a hard time with all the zooming going on. I have always streamed my audiobooks and may have to learn to download them. @Robin M Love the new avatar! I started with Shards of Honor, which, along with the novel Barrayar are background before Miles appears.... or is conceived! But, they are fun, entertaining books, and great to quilt to!! Here's a Book Riot article on the best reading order. After my brush with the terror of no library card, I downloaded and started Cetaganda (soft "c", long "e"). I think my ds is hooked too, now with my Artemis Fowl reference. He's read Shards of Honor, but kind of hated, as only a college male can, the whole love story it sets up. I have been making masks for friends, neighbors and family, but have to confess that I'd much rather be doing creative stuff like quilts or small fiber art projects. Having a good audio book and creative project to keep my hands busy gets me off the internet, away from obsessively reading the news and all the useless speculative stories about what might happen in next few months or years. Edited April 16, 2020 by JennW in SoCal 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted April 16, 2020 Share Posted April 16, 2020 19 minutes ago, JennW in SoCal said: I started with Shards of Honor, which, along with the novel Barrayar are background before Miles appears.... or is conceived! But, they are fun, entertaining books, and great to quilt to!! Here's a Book Riot article on the best reading order. After my brush with the terror of no library card, I downloaded and started Cetaganda (soft "c", long "e"). I think my ds is hooked too, now with my Artemis Fowl reference. He's read Shards of Honor, but kind of hated, as only a college male can, the whole love story it sets up. I have been making masks for friends, neighbors and family, but have to confess that I'd much rather be doing creative stuff like quilts or small fiber art projects. Having a good audio book and creative project to keep my hands busy gets me off the internet, away from obsessively reading the news and all the useless speculative stories about what might happen in next few months or years. Thanks for the link.......So I will still go with Shards of Honor as it sounds like the fun way to start a rather long series........I made masks, gave away masks, mailed masks, and have decided to take a mental health break from masks. I wanted something that I could finish quickly so..... Dd has made a couple of arugami Pikachu characters which are really cute. When I spotted a freebie quilt block on a blog I follow I decided we needed to change our creative entryway display which is normally seasonal. The block is done but not quilted so tomorrow I guess we will be celebrating Detective Pikachu for a couple of weeks . Even I loved that movie! I finished my audiobook today and thought A Useful Woman was great. It’s the first in a cozy historical series that was slightly different..the detective is a 19th century party planner or better described as a disgraced member of the ton who survives by using her insider knowledge and connections. I have the next on hold and am looking forward to it. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26067944-a-useful-woman I started listening to Null Set today. I abandoned the book earlier this year and decided to try again in audio as I really enjoyed Zero Sum Game which is the first in this series. The series is considered Sci Fi and actually is but on the surface is about a mathematical genius PI in LA. It’s a creative detective story.....and much better as an audiobook.😉.https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41793435-null-set?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=eUuzxcsSaI&rank=1 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted April 16, 2020 Share Posted April 16, 2020 Today only, free for Kindle readers ~ The Beetle by Richard Marsh, "From the mysterious depths of Egypt comes a creature “born neither of God nor man.” This shape-shifting being has made its way to London seeking revenge for the crimes that have been committed against the order of its ancient religion—and the primary target of this merciless and relentless terror is politician Paul Lessingham. As panic spreads throughout the city, it falls to Paul and his friends to stop the beast once and for all. Published the same year as the horror classic Dracula, The Beetle originally outsold Bram Stoker’s famous book. Richard Marsh’s story is a dark mirror of England at the end of the century, a tale of Victorian horror and mystery with a monster as dreadful and elusive as any in literature." Regards, Kareni 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted April 16, 2020 Share Posted April 16, 2020 Some bookish posts ~ 10 MUST-READ CRIME-FIGHTING DUOS https://crimereads.com/10-must-read-crime-fighting-duos/ THOSE CLASSIC DETECTIVE SERIES YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN MEANING TO READ, ANYWAY https://crimereads.com/classic-famous-mystery-series-with-very-many-installments-that-youve-always-been-meaning-to-read/ From reddit: 101 (Yes, really) Urban Fantasy Suggestions from the Citizens of the Metropolis of /r/Fantasy https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ibJDzK1s2Xm_TCy7NGYaBzUnpV9-Y9S7MJHs-qcxxLY/htmlview 6 Technothrillers Featuring Digital Surveillance and Voyeurism https://www.tor.com/2020/04/10/6-technothrillers-featuring-digital-surveillance-and-voyeurism/ Regards, Kareni 4 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted April 16, 2020 Share Posted April 16, 2020 Today I finished my book on church history between the French Revolution and the present (well, 1971), the last in the Pelican/Penguin series on History of the Church. New random book: The Evolution of a State or Recollections of Old Texas Days, the life of Texan pioneer Noah Smithwick, 1808-1899, as recorded by his daughter. Quote I was but a boy in my nineteenth year, and in for adventure, when I started out from Hopkinsville, Kentucky, with all my worldly possessions, consisting of a few dollars in money, a change of clothes, and a gun, of course, to seek my fortune in this lazy man's paradise. Paradise being, naturally, Texas. Looks like a good read! Also finished Decadent Poetry from Wilde to Naidu, an excellent anthology of the English Decadent movement in poetry. This one goes into 10x10 category Les Enfants de Baudelaire: Symbollsts, Decadents, & Surrealists. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted April 16, 2020 Author Share Posted April 16, 2020 21 hours ago, Violet Crown said: One year ago, weren't we all talking about getting hold of the Victor Hugo novel? I see the Penguin edition is only a few dollars used.... Oh yeah! Do we want to fit in a Hunchback of Notre Dame read? Which translation is the better one to get? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted April 16, 2020 Share Posted April 16, 2020 38 minutes ago, Robin M said: Oh yeah! Do we want to fit in a Hunchback of Notre Dame read? Which translation is the better one to get? I ordered the Penguin Classics version, which is translated by one John Sturrock. Penguin is reliable and French isn't a challenge to translate, so it's probably fine. "Shipping times may be longer in your area." 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted April 17, 2020 Author Share Posted April 17, 2020 37 minutes ago, Violet Crown said: I ordered the Penguin Classics version, which is translated by one John Sturrock. Penguin is reliable and French isn't a challenge to translate, so it's probably fine. "Shipping times may be longer in your area." Sounds good. My copy will arrive around the 24th. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted April 17, 2020 Share Posted April 17, 2020 I actually read The Hunchback last year. I had started it just a few days/weeks? before the fire. It was kind of eerie timing. I really enjoyed the book, but not enough to read it two years in a row. It's long! So many books, so little time. :) 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted April 17, 2020 Share Posted April 17, 2020 Amazon is celebrating World Book Day with seven free Kindle books. (The Audible versions appear to be $1.99 each for those who like to listen.)The offer expires in seven days. Here is the link ~https://www.amazon.com/article/read-the-world-2020 Regards, Kareni 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted April 17, 2020 Share Posted April 17, 2020 For those abroad, if you click the link above, you can see that international Amazon sites also have this free offer. I see Australia, Brazil, Germany, China, France, Japan, and more. Regards, Kareni 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 Lo termine! I finished it! I finally (after 3 months) got to the end of El Hobbit. I realized several chapters in that I was in over my head on this one, but I persevered and made it to the end. Bilbo would be proud. :) I would say that I am at an intermediate Spanish level, but this book was a bit too advanced for me. Not so much too hard that I couldn't understand any of it, but I was struggling to understand details. It would have helped to have read The Hobbit in English sometime in the last 5 years or so. I remembered some of it, which really, really helped, but not enough to get details and nuances. My goal this year was to read 6 books plus the New Testament in Spanish. This was my second book (La Telarana de Carlota/Charlotte's Web was the first), and I am making good progress through the New Testament. I haven't decided yet what my next book in Spanish will be. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 13 minutes ago, Junie said: Lo termine! I finished it! I finally (after 3 months) got to the end of El Hobbit. I realized several chapters in that I was in over my head on this one, but I persevered and made it to the end. Bilbo would be proud. 🙂 I would say that I am at an intermediate Spanish level, but this book was a bit too advanced for me. Not so much too hard that I couldn't understand any of it, but I was struggling to understand details. It would have helped to have read The Hobbit in English sometime in the last 5 years or so. I remembered some of it, which really, really helped, but not enough to get details and nuances. My goal this year was to read 6 books plus the New Testament in Spanish. This was my second book (La Telarana de Carlota/Charlotte's Web was the first), and I am making good progress through the New Testament. I haven't decided yet what my next book in Spanish will be. Well done!!! 7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 1 hour ago, Junie said: Lo termine! I finished it! I finally (after 3 months) got to the end of El Hobbit. Kudos to you, Junie! Regards, Kareni 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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