Book a Week 2020 - BW51: December Solstice

[Robin M]

Happy Sunday dear hearts!  Winter is coming in our neck of the woods with rain and snow on the horizon and all kinds of adjectives are coming to mind such as chilly, frosty, icy, foggy, rainy, frozen and so on and so forth.  Whatever shall we do?  

Go forth and brave the brisk, biting weather or cozy up with books about winter  or with winter in the title, while curled up on the couch, drinking cocoa by the fire.  Dip into feel good must reads or dance into the past with a winter romance.  

Maybe read about nippy arctic winds and frozen travelers exploring the North Pole in the Arctic or the South Pole in Antarctica.  Explore the polar regions or take an imaginary polar cruise and delve into one of  12 Must Read Books About Antarctica.  Don't forget to visit Iceland or Greenland during your armchair travels.  

Since Christmas is on our minds this week, dive into books about that which is just about everyone's favorite holiday with old St. Nick, Debbie Macomber's Christmas Angels, or Festive Christmas Books to Get You in the Holiday Spirit.  

Meanwhile I'll leave you with one of my favorite poems which puts me in a wintery, festive mood.

 

Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening

 By

Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

 My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

 He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

 The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

 

~~~~Cheers~~~~~

 

 

Link to week 50

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 with other readers  around the globe.

Edited December 20, 2020 by Robin M

[Robin M]

Currently reading steampunk novel A Study in Silks (#1 Baskerville Affair) by Emma Jane Holloway which is quite good with plenty of drama. 

"In a Victorian era ruled by a council of ruthless steam barons, mechanical power is the real monarch and sorcery the demon enemy of the Empire. Nevertheless, the most coveted weapon is magic that can run machines—something Evelina has secretly mastered. But rather than making her fortune, her special talents could mean death or an eternity as a guest of Her Majesty’s secret laboratories. What’s a polite young lady to do but mind her manners and pray she’s never found out?
 
But then there’s that murder. As Sherlock Holmes’s niece, Evelina should be able to find the answers, but she has a lot to learn. And the first decision she has to make is whether to trust the handsome, clever rake who makes her breath come faster, or the dashing trick rider who would dare anything for her if she would only just ask."

This weekend we watched Ant Man and the Wasp which was entertaining.  The season finale of the Mandalorian was action packed and emotional with a surprise at the end. Won't give it away for those who are watching. 

[Lori D.]

Well, I started a post on last week's BaW thread, and kept having to start-stop, so we've rolled over to a NEW week before I could finish... 🥴 But here it is now -- a "catch up from being MIA for months" post... or maybe a sort of "early end of year report." 😉 

 

Sharing my reading for the last 4 months, as I dropped out of sight from BaW for awhile. 😉 

I did a lot of re-reading as "comfort food" this fall:
- The Goblin Emperor (Addison)
- Spinning Silver (Novik) 
- the 5 books of Megan Whalen-Turner's Queen's Thief series -- in prep for book 6! 
- the 5 Miss Seeton mysteries by Heron Carvic -- written in the late '60s/early '70s; I still laugh hard at how the oblivious retirement-age Miss Seeton waltzes in, stirs up several hornets' nests with her brolly, wild mishaps ensue, and by story's end, the bad people are collected up by the bemused Scotland Yard detectives (later on, other authors revived this series, but they are NOT worth it)
- the 8 Josephine Tey mystery novels -- oh, these are so wonderful -- the writing is complex, subtle, deep, delicious; these build slowly and are so-very-worth-it!


NEW reads this fall:

- The Return of the Thief (Turner)
The 6th and final book in the Queen's Thief series. Ah, a very satisfying conclusion to a series that was over 20 years in the making! I still think book #5 (Thick as Thieves) slightly edges this one out as the very best of the series, due to the wonderful Gilgamesh-like stories that are told by one of the two main characters. However, I love how the first half of this book dovetails in with books 3-5 (so, you'll want to re-read at least those books first to refresh your memory of what has happened). The first half of the book overlaps time-frame-wise with books 3-5, but told from a new character's perspective -- and I really liked this new character! The second half of the book is still told through the new character's POV, but moves forward to new events, and the ultimate conclusion. 

3-book series, light humorous "golden age British" novels
- Miss Buncle's Book #1 (Stevenson) - 1934
- Miss Buncle Married #2 (Stevenson) - 1936
- The Two Mrs. Abbotts #3  (Stevenson) - 1943
All of the books are in the fun, light, frothy "tempest in a teapot" style. The first is the very best -- plain, unnoticed Miss Buncle writes a best-selling book about her fellow villagers, very thinly disguised by new names, which causes a furor among the villagers as well as a series of amusing chain reactions (some towards romance, some towards feuds). But the 2 sequels were fun, as well. I believe there is a 4th book (The Four Graces) in the world of Miss Buncle, but apparently it is not really about her. I haven't read that one.

first 3 of 5 stand-alone mysteries set in foreign countries
- Death in Kashmir (Kaye) - 1953
- Death in Berlin (Kaye) - 1955
- Death in Cyprus (Kaye) - 1956
"Golden age" British mysteries. Each is a separate set of characters / situation / setting. While these became formulaic, what I really found fascinating was the post-WW2 decline of the British Empire influence in the exotic locations -- all of which were actually lived in or visited by the author M.M. Kaye due being married to a British army man (27 relocations in 19 years, according to her Wikipedia bio). While her lovely fairy tale The Ordinary Princess will *always* remain first in my heart, these were fine cozy mysteries.

first 3 of the 14 series about detective Hugh Collier by Moray Dalton
- One By One They Disappeared (Dalton) - 1929
- Night of Fear (Dalton) - 1931
- The Belfry Murder (Dalton) - 1933
These somehow remind me of Nancy Drew... 😂 While these were fun, light, British cozy mysteries -- perfect comfort food reading -- they are pretty formulaic, so 3 was plenty for me. 😉 

Currently I am in the midst of:
- Lucky Jim (Amis) -- bitingly funny, but it got so potentially painful that this summer I had to put it down for awhile
- Deathless (Valente) -- so well-crafted and so creative! -- but so Russian-despairing/depressing that I've had to set it down for awhile
- Virgil Wander (Enger) -- really enjoying the writing -- wonderfully unexpected descriptions, comparisons, and details; he is also the author of Peace Like a River (which I have read), and So Brave, Young, and Handsome (which I have not read)

[mumto2]

I finished listening to the first book in David Rosenfelt’s Andy Carpenter series last night.....I spent a really long time on the hold list for this one but wanted to start at the first of the series because I wanted to be able to enjoy them all because the dog’s on the covers are always so cute. This one was a solid lawyer mystery, good not great. I put the next one on hold as they get a bonus for being on audio. @PenThese have potential for you.  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1017537.Open_and_Shut

I just decided to pull my major UFO quilt out and try and get it hand quilted before it turns too hot. This involves being spread out in a way that is easier on the bed so I will be able to sit and listen to books. Getting it done is going to be my New Year’s goal. Tonight’s entertainment will be The Favored Queen which is the story of Jane Seymour for my “ Henry and his Kin” 10X10. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10898653-the-favored-queen?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=yxk2UDFVFr&rank=1

Trying to finish reading One, Two, Buckle my Shoe which will finish my Bingo Card. Woot! It will also finish my Agatha Christie set of 10’s. I don’t remember this one at all......oddly I plan to use it for my drama Bingo square as it appeared on multiple lists as a drama when I was hunting for an “official” drama book.

@Lori D. I was glad to see your reviews of Miss Buncle.  These are in my 2021 plans and I am now really looking forward to them!  I love DE Stevenson and have bee spreading them out.😉

 

[Pen]

Finished My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry  — and started it over again.  Something I hardly ever do!  👍  if you are looking for an excellent Jolabokaflod (Iceland tradition) Christmas, wintry book to read and share or read aloud I highly recommend it.  If you like Neil Gaiman or liked A Man Called Ove, you’ll probably like this. 
 

My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry https://www.amazon.com/dp/1501115065/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_kS73FbCJJYTDQ
 

 

 

[Kareni]

Some bookish posts ~

Book World: Authors share their favorite books to gift

https://www.lmtonline.com/news/article/Book-World-Authors-share-their-favorite-books-to-15753594.php

16 Authors Share The Best Books They Read in 2020

https://bookish.netgalley.com/must-reads/12/2020/authors-best-books-2020/

Celeste Ng, Ann Patchett, Min Jin Lee and Others on the Books That Bring Them Comfort

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/18/books/comfort-books-celeste-ng-ann-patchett-and-others-coronavirus.html

Making the Metaphor Literal: Fantastic Reality in The Time of the Ghost by Diana Wynne Jones

https://www.tor.com/2020/12/07/making-the-metaphor-literal-fantastic-reality-in-the-time-of-the-ghost-by-diana-wynne-jones/

Regards,

Kareni

[Pen]

1 hour ago, Seasider too said:

UFO quilt? I’d love to see pictures of that!

Un Finished Object  !

[Kareni]

I just finished A Royal Affair: A Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery by Allison Montclair which I quite enjoyed. It's the second in a series that is best read in order. Book three will be published in June, and I look forward to reading it.

"In London 1946, The Right Sort Marriage Bureau is just beginning to take off and the proprietors, Miss Iris Sparks and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, are in need of a bigger office and a secretary to handle the growing demand. Unfortunately, they don't yet have the necessary means. So when a woman arrives—a cousin of Gwen's—with an interesting and quite remunerative proposition, they two of them are all ears.

The cousin, one Lady Matheson, works for the Queen in "some capacity" and is in need of some discreet investigation. It seems that the Princess Elizabeth has developed feelings for a dashing Greek prince and a blackmail note has arrived, alluding to some potentially damaging information about said prince. Wanting to keep this out of the palace gossip circles, but also needing to find out what skeletons might lurk in the prince's closet, the palace has quietly turned to Gwen and Iris. Without causing a stir, the two of them must now find out what secrets lurk in the prince's past, before his engagement to the future Queen of England is announced. And there's more at stake than the future of the Empire —there is their potential new office that lies in the balance."

**

I also read and enjoyed First Impressions (Auckland Med Book 1) by Jay Hogan; this is a contemporary romance featuring two men. (Significant adult content)

"Michael:  Two years ago, I made a mistake, a big one. Then I added a couple more just for good measure. I screwed up my life, but I survived. Now I have the opportunity for a fresh start. Two years in NZ. Away from the LA gossip, a chance to breathe, to rebuild my life. But I’m taking a new set of rules with me.

I don’t do relationships. I don’t do commitment. I don’t do white picket fences.

And I especially don’t do arrogant, holier-than-thou, smoking hot K9 officers who walk into my ER and rock my world.

Josh:  One thing for certain, Dr. Michael Oliver is an arrogant, untrustworthy player, and I barely survived the last one of those. He might be gorgeous, but my daughter takes number one priority. I won’t risk her being hurt, again. I’m a solo dad, a K9 cop and a son to pain-in-the-ass parents.

I don’t have time for games. I don’t have time for taking chances.
I don’t have time for more complications in my life.

And I sure as hell don’t have time for the infuriating Dr. Michael Oliver, however damn sexy he is."

Regards,

Kareni

[-M-]

Hello! Hello! Missed last week, so I have two weeks of reading to share. At this writing, I'm at 228 for the year. Right now, I'm juggling three books, including the last in the Mantel trilogy.

■ Gideon Falls, Vol. 5: Wicked Words (Jeff Lemire; 2020. Graphic fiction.)
This series is barreling toward the conclusion.

■ Still Alive: A Holocaust Girlhood Remembered (Ruth Klüger; 2001. Non-fiction.)
Klüger’s is “an unforgiving memoir of growing up Jewish in Nazi-occupied Vienna and escaping death in a concentration camp.” (NYT, October 16, 2020) It was recommended in the lively discussion that occurred in the comments during Court Theatre’s Deep Dive: Leopoldstadt.

p. 69
Remembering is a branch of witchcraft; its tool is incantation. I often say, as if it were a joke — but it’s true — that instead of God I believe in ghosts.

p. 150
Of course, that’s always the case: men go to war because they are drafted. They usually go with enthusiasm, which lasts as long as their side is winning, never mind if their cause is good or bad. A minority know their minds, and the rest mistake the collective mind for their own.

p. 194
I shed these prejudices quickly and quietly, as one takes off a pair of nylons under the table, secretly, so that no one will notice you’ve been wearing them.

p. 199
No one is as dependent as mothers are on the dependency of their children.

■ Wolf Hall (Hilary Mantel; 2009. Fiction.)
When The Mirror and the Light was released earlier this year, I quietly added “Read the Mantel trilogy” to my 2020 goals. These books are proving to be the perfect companions for long-nighted December days.

p. 499
The fate of peoples is made like this, two men in small rooms. Forget the coronations, the conclaves of cardinals, the pomp and the processions. This is how the world changes….

■ Memorial: A Version of Homer’s Iliad (Alice Oswald; 2011. Poetry.)
In this startling and powerful reframing of the Iliad, two similes (on facing pages in my edition) begged to be pressed into my commonplace book. The first reminded me of the most exquisite passage in all of literature written in English (see below):

Like snow falling like snow
When the living winds shake the clouds into pieces
Like flutters of silence hurrying down
To put a stop to the earth at her leafwork

The second was so poignant it hurt:

Like when a mother is rushing
And a little girl clings to her clothes
Wants help wants arms
Won’t let her walk
Like staring up at that tower of adulthood
Wanting to be light again
Wanting the whole problem of living to be lifted
And carried on a hip

■ The Dead (James Joyce; 1914. Fiction.)
In which one finds the most exquisite passage in all of literature written in English:

A few light taps upon the pane made him turn to the window. It had begun to snow again. He watched sleepily the flakes, silver and dark, falling obliquely against the lamplight. The time had come for him to set out on his journey westward. Yes, the newspapers were right: snow was general all over Ireland. It was falling on every part of the dark central plain, on the treeless hills, falling softly upon the Bog of Allen and, farther westward, softly falling into the dark mutinous Shannon waves. It was falling, too, upon every part of the lonely churchyard on the hill where Michael Furey lay buried. It lay thickly drifted on the crooked crosses and headstones, on the spears of the little gate, on the barren thorns. His soul swooned slowly as he heard the snow falling faintly through the universe and faintly falling, like the descent of their last end, upon all the living and the dead.

■ The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge (M.T. Anderson; 2018. Fiction.)
One of the most delightful books I read this year. Related article here.

■ In Defense of Elitism: Why I’m Better Than You and You Are Better Than Someone Who Didn’t Buy This Book (Joel Stein; 2019. Non-fiction.)
Yes, Stein’s humor is an acquired taste. Related interview here.

■ Antigone Rising: The Subversive Power of the Ancient Myth (Helena Morales; 2020. Non-fiction.)
Related article here.

■ The Theater of War: What Ancient Greek Tragedies Can Teach Us Today (Bryan Doerries; 2015. Non-fiction.)
A wonderful reader recommended Theater of War to me in late spring. Since then, I’ve watched seven readings — most recently, The Book of Job with Bill Murray. Doerries’ book is as riveting as those performances.

p. 13
It is not our job to judge the characters in Greek tragedies — to focus on their “flaws.” Tragedy challenges us to see ourselves in the way its characters stray from the path, and to open our eyes to the bad habits we may have formed or the mistakes we have yet to make. Contrary to what you may have learned in school, tragedies are not designed to fill us with pessimism and dread about the futility of human existence or our relative powerlessness in a world beyond our grasp. They are designed to help us see the impending disaster on the horizon, so that we may correct course and narrowly avoid it. Above all, the flaw in our thinking about tragedy is that we look for meaning where there is none to be found. Tragedies don’t mean anything. They do something.

■ Harriet the Spy (Louise Fitzhugh; 1964. Fiction.)
Favorable reviews (e.g., here and here) of the recently published Louise Fitzhugh biography prompted me to revisit Harriet for the first time in many years; I was not disappointed.

■ Crooked House (Agatha Christie; 1949. Fiction.)
■ Endless Night (Agatha Christie; 1967. Fiction.)
So, one of the mini-challenges was to read three books by Agatha Christie. In January, I read The Mousetrap, picked up a few new Christie titles… and promptly forgot about the challenge. Better late than never, right? Crooked House may be my new favorite, especially now that Josephine is uneasily paired with Harriet in my readerly imagination.

■ The Silence of the Girls (Pat Barker; 2018. Fiction.)
A feminist Iliad.

p. 216
Now, he can see what he’s been trying to do: to bargain with grief. Behind all this frenetic activity there’s been the hope that if he keeps his promises there’ll be no more pain. But he’s beginning to understand that grief doesn’t strike bargains. There’s no way of avoiding the agony – or even of getting through it faster. It’s got him in its claws and it won’t let go till he’s learnt every lesson it has to teach.

■ Bring up the Bodies (Hilary Mantel; 2012. Fiction.)
What an achievement these books are.

■ Gifts of the Crow: How Perception, Emotion, and Thought Allow Smart Birds to Behave Like Humans (John M. Marzluff; 2012. Non-fiction.)
A late entry to my list of reading goals: a book from the collection of ornithology titles, preferably one about my bird of the year.

■ We Keep the Dead Close: A Murder at Harvard and a Half Century of Silence (Becky Cooper; 2012. Non-fiction.)
As she attempts to solve a decades-old mystery, Cooper excavates the pervasive misogyny of university politics while negotiating the creative non-fiction writer’s tendency to become the subject. Coming from such a young writer, this was particularly deft and compelling.

p. 332
Breathing life into someone on the page was an act of both resurrection and transubstantiation: I wrote them by learning about them, then by holding them inside me, then by feeling for them. By the end, I’d become their host, so of course I would forget where they ended, and I started.

p. 405
It occurs to us that a cousin of randomness is serendipity.

p. 426
Some days I don’t even know what to tell you about Jane. I know even less about whether telling a responsible story of the past is possible, having learned all too well how the act of interpretation molds the facts in service of the storyteller. I have been burned enough times to know: There are no true stories; there are only facts, and the stories we tell ourselves about those facts.

Edited December 21, 2020 by -M-

[mumto2]

4 hours ago, Seasider too said:

UFO quilt? I’d love to see pictures of that!

😂 I see Pen already answered but wanted to add that many crafters have named 2020 the year of UFO’s because we have been finishing things we never honestly expected to!

Edited December 21, 2020 by mumto2

[mumto2]

21 minutes ago, -M- said:

■ Crooked House (Agatha Christie; 1949. Fiction.)
■ Endless Night (Agatha Christie; 1967. Fiction.)
So, one of the mini-challenges was to read three books by Agatha Christie. In January, I read The Mousetrap, picked up a few new Christie titles… and promptly forgot about the challenge. Better late than never, right? Crooked House may be my new fav

I have been doing Robin’s AC in order challenge and really enjoying it.  I choose the audio books whenever possible because they really do seem to be better when read by a good narrator....Hugh Fraiser has done several.  It looks like Crooked House won’t be on my list until 2022 unless I manage to increase my speed!

[Kareni]

10 minutes ago, Dreamergal said:

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas !

Thank you. I hope that you have a wonderful celebration with your family.

Regards,

Kareni

[Pen]

If you need a lighthearted Christmas book, John Grisham Skipping Christmas is worth trying

Skipping Christmas https://www.amazon.com/dp/0385508417/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_N4.3Fb8E274B7
 

 

 

[Pen]

Or if you need a book to take you to the other hemisphere where it’s summer solstice time you might want to try out:

Tracks: A Woman's Solo Trek Across 1700 Miles of Australian Outback https://www.amazon.com/dp/0679762876/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_Yaa4FbJG0P2S0

[Ottakee]

I am in the middle of reading Dream Big by Bob Goff. I am enjoying it so far.

 

My current audiobook is What is a Girl Worth? By Rachael Denhollander. This is her story of exposing Larry Nassar. This is an excellent book and worth discussing with teens. It is a hard listen for me (even though I read the book when it came out and heard her speak). My journey when my now ex husband was arrested on similar charges was in many of the same courts, jails, and had some of the same legal players involved. It was about 2 years behind this case. Her take on this is so important. It grieves me how wrong so many churches get this.

If you want more of my story, it is in my blog Our Story Goes On.

[Liz CA]

Audiobook:

Murder on Murray Hill by Thompson.

@mumto2 I have the "Beyond" book on hold with Overdrive. Must be very popular. I am a little ways down the list.

Reading:

The Order by Silva. Always a treat.

 

[Liz CA]

30 minutes ago, Ottakee said:

I am in the middle of reading Dream Big by Bob Goff. I am enjoying it so far.

 

My current audiobook is What is a Girl Worth? By Rachael Denhollander. This is her story of exposing Larry Nassar. This is an excellent book and worth discussing with teens. It is a hard listen for me (even though I read the book when it came out and heard her speak). My journey when my now ex husband was arrested on similar charges was in many of the same courts, jails, and had some of the same legal players involved. It was about 2 years behind this case. Her take on this is so important. It grieves me how wrong so many churches get this.

If you want more of my story, it is in my blog Our Story Goes On.

I want to read or listen to "What's a Girl Worth" but I don't have the bandwidth right now for anything too descriptive. Should I wait with this one?

[Pen]

2 hours ago, mumto2 said:

😂 I see Pen already answered but wanted to add that many crafters have named 2020 the year of UFO’s because we have been finishing things we never honestly expected to!

quilters might like this series:

The Quilter's Apprentice (Elm Creek Quilts Series #1) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0684849720/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_OAb4Fb1J11VHR
 

[Ottakee]

17 minutes ago, Liz CA said:

I want to read or listen to "What's a Girl Worth" but I don't have the bandwidth right now for anything too descriptive. Should I wait with this one?

It is descriptive.  It is 11ish hours long.  It is well worth the listen though.   I would not listen to it though with young ears around (say under 12ish) and be prepared to explain things and discuss with teens if they overhear.

[Ottakee]

10 minutes ago, Seasider too said:

I finished Dream Big last week. I think it’s a great book for those of us in midlife, just entering the phase of suddenly having freer time post child rearing. One of my kids (a Goff fan who recommended his first two books to me, which I also read this year) is getting a copy of this book and a set of drumsticks in the Christmas stocking. I also have ordered several copies to use as gifts to graduating seniors spring 2021. 
 

I find it interesting that you mention the Goff book and your experiences in navigating and sharing your own story in the same post. Perhaps the two are connected in some serendipitous way? I believe you have the ability to significantly bless and educate others. 
 

I am in a mid life crisis of sorts.  Not really a crisis but a time of shifting gears somewhat.  Life is settling down a bit and it is time to start dreaming big of what I want to do.

Yes, I do hope that my story can help others find hope and healing.  That is why I write the blog each week.

[Negin]

I read The Ladybird Book of the Big Night Out - 1 Star - Not as funny as others in the series. 

Letters from Father Christmas - 4 Stars - Oh, what a charming book! I was skeptical about getting this, since I’m not even a Tolkien fan. That genre is just not my cup of tea. I’m so glad that I got this. What a beautiful book to get me in the mood for Christmas! While reading this, I was amazed at all the love and dedication that Tolkien put into these letters from Father Christmas to his children for years and years! The illustrations are incredible. The only thing that I would have loved to see were the letters from his children to Father Christmas. This book is delightful for children and adults.

   

[Granny_Weatherwax]

I finished The Dark is Rising this weekend. I found the movie and watched it this morning. What a disappointment the movie is. It is not like the book at all. Oh, how I wish I could produce a movie that sticks to the book. Actually it would have to be a miniseries or two films if done properly.

I am listening to The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and getting ready to read The Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett. I have reached my renew limit on TWS and have to read it or return it to the library. I have found that I either jump right into a TP book or hem and haw for the first few chapters. TWS has been a hem and haw book. I know I'll enjoy it once I get into it but with other holds coming in that have time limits, I keep setting it aside. I have two days to finish The Graveyard Book and it cannot be renewed so I must finish it today or tomorrow.

We have no snow or rain in the forecast and I so long for a stormy gray day in which to just sit and read and not feel guilty for not walking the dog or doing something productive outside.

[Lori D.]

8 hours ago, negin said:

Letters from Father Christmas - 4 Stars - Oh, what a charming book! I was skeptical about getting this, since I’m not even a Tolkien fan. That genre is just not my cup of tea. I’m so glad that I got this. What a beautiful book to get me in the mood for Christmas! While reading this, I was amazed at all the love and dedication that Tolkien put into these letters from Father Christmas to his children for years and years! The illustrations are incredible. The only thing that I would have loved to see were the letters from his children to Father Christmas. This book is delightful for children and adults.

  

Oh, I am SO glad you enjoyed this! It is SO very charming, and it is one of my most favorite books to recommend. The illustrations are absolutely wonderful. And I so agree -- all the love and dedication he put into those letters for his children -- and the family's generosity in sharing those letters through publishing the book for many many other families to enjoy.

Christmas Every Day by William Dean Howells is our other charming Christmas book that is a family favorite. It is actually a short story, and you can read it free online, but I love the little size of the published book form. And the late-Victorian era illustrations, esp. since the story was published in the last decade of the 1800s. It is especially poignant to read this story, which features a little girl and her lovely relationship with her papa, knowing that the author had just the previous year lost his own beloved and lively little girl of that same age.

[Negin]

2 hours ago, Lori D. said:

Oh, I am SO glad you enjoyed this!

Lori, I loved it! I believe that they now have a Centenary Edition. 

 

[Negin]

Kindle book on sale today. I'm not sure about this one. I know that it's no "Rebecca". I haven't yet read "Jamaica Inn" either. 

[Lady Florida.]

I finished Murder on Washington Square and am really enjoying this series. I'm still reading Trollope's Can You Forgive Her, and started Twelfth Night. These will be the last books I expect to finish in 2020, which would bring my total to 69 books. I'm also still listening to The Mirror and the Light but don't expect to finish it before the year is out. I have just under 29 hours and I don't think I'll have that much listening time in the next 10 days. I kind of hope I can though because that would give me an even number for my total books read. Silly yes, but I can't help it. 😄 

Edited December 21, 2020 by Lady Florida.

[Kareni]

Currently FREE for Kindle readers ~

Cozy mysteries:

Fooled Around and Spelled in Love: A Cozy Paranormal Mystery (The Happily Everlasting Series Book 3) Kindle Edition by Michelle M. Pillow

Better Haunts and Garden Gnomes: A Cozy Paranormal Mystery - A Happily Everlasting World Novel ((Un)Lucky Valley Book 1) Kindle Edition by Michelle M. Pillow

**

Deathwish: A Small-Town Christmas Romantic Mystery by Dana Marton

Iron Flats Exile (Shifter Realms Book 1) Kindle Edition by Elle Thorne

Silver Bells Collection (A Timeless Romance Anthology)

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

Currently FREE for Kindle readers ~

• Benjamin Ashwood by AC Cobble

The Healer's Secret: an absorbing and romantic family saga by Helen Pryke

Ancient Protector (Ancients Rising Book 1) by Katie Reus

The Ticket: A Love Again Novel (Love Again Series Book 1) by Heather Grace Stewart

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

Some bookish posts ~

IT'S TIME TO ADD SOME MAGIC TO YOUR COZIES

https://crimereads.com/its-time-to-add-some-magic-to-your-cozies/

 

Some lists from Fantasy Book World:

18 Best Dragon Books

https://fantasybookworld.com/18-best-dragon-books/

27 Best Magical Realism Books

https://fantasybookworld.com/27-best-magical-realism-books/

19 Best Literary Fantasy Books

https://fantasybookworld.com/19-best-literary-fantasy-books/

Regards,

Kareni

[Robin M]

I told hubby I wasn't climbing up on any ladders to put up Christmas lights so invested in some lighted lawn ornamental candy canes, Santa sleigh and reindeer, plus some presents to throw out on the lawn.  They finally arrived and  put them out today even if it is only for a week.  All the presents are wrapped (out of all the stuff I bought from Amazon, 95% success in delivery and only one thing got lost.  All are wrapped and underneath the tree, grocery shopping is done.  Never quite got to the Christmas cards so they are either going to be very late or really early for next year.  LOL! 

Currently delving into three books right now and don't know how I managed to get entangled in all three at once, but maybe, just maybe, I'll get around to completing steampunk and ladies of fiction.  

For the remaining book in my A to Z by Title,  halfway through Kiego Higashino's The Devotion of Suspect X.   Part police procedural, part psychological thriller, we know who did the crime and why, but when they chose to cover it up, it becomes a chess game played by more than two people.  Fascinating so far. 

Also in the midst of a murder mystery Death of Kashmir written by M.M. Kaye, one of our ladies of Fiction in which the lead character turns amateur sleuth to try to solve a murder. I had intended to read Far Pavilions but such a chunky book put it off til next year. 

Steampunk wise, finished the 1st book in  Emma Jane Holloway's Baskerville series, Study in Silk and moved on the to the 2nd book in the series, A Study in Darkness.  The niece of Sherlock Holmes gets involved in murder and mayhem, all the while hiding her illegal magic use. 

Edited December 23, 2020 by Robin M

[Robin M]

I finished The Devotion of Suspect X.  I rarely have visceral reactions to stories I read, but this one got to me, gasping at one point, and a 'oh no she didn't, as well.  Will she do the right thing or won't she.  What are his motives. The police detective reminded me of Columbo in a way.  Just one more question, ma'am.  The conundrum of a mathematical philosophical problem which I read out loud to hubby and turned into an hour long discussion and a lesson in negative squared, irrational numbers. and why engineers use J instead of I for imaginary numbers.   Great story. 

Interweb wanderings today:

Supporting the Indie book stores:  40 Bookstores in 40 Weeks: Or, How to Get Through a Pandemic

Brainpickings favorite books of 2020 (long read and a book in itself) 

Dutch Writers:  Twenty well-known authors, including Geert Mak, Manon Uphoff and Pieter Waterdrinker, talk about the book that made the most impression on them in 2020.

Jo Walton's Books that Grab You

 

😘

[Kareni]

I've finished a few books recently:

My Christmas Number One by Leonie Mack

I quite enjoyed this contemporary romance; I'd say it's one of my favorite romances of the year.

"Cara doesn’t do sexy and she only does ‘Happy Christmas’ under duress. She is, after all, a serious musician, and her stubborn streak is born from her struggle to recover from a serious injury.

Javi lives for escapist fun - in his music, and in his life - especially since he’s always failed at life’s more serious challenges, including marriage and fatherhood.

Javi and Cara are forced to record a Christmas single together, but neither of them have plans to spend any more time with each other than they absolutely have to. With Christmas traditions that couldn’t be more different, and outlooks on life that are worlds apart, the chemistry just shouldn’t work. But the magic of Christmas can bring even opposites together…"

**

I also finished the science fiction/space opera Second Chance Angel (The Last Stop Station Series Book 1) by Griffin Barber and Kacey Ezell. This was recommended by favorite author SK Dunstall, so I had high hopes. While I enjoyed it and will happily read on in the series, it's not an immediate favorite like the Linesman books.

"After a devastating galactic war, disgraced veteran Ralston Muck ekes out a living as a bouncer at Last Stop Station’s premier nightclub, A Curtain of Stars. Night after night he listens to the club’s star performer, Siren, sing her memories and ease some of his aching loss. But when Siren goes missing, Muck finds himself drawn into a world of dirty cops, drug lords, and conspiracies that trace back to the war itself.

The only person he can trust isn’t even human. Angel, Siren’s personal AI, was ripped from the singer’s mind the night Siren disappeared. With no idea what has happened to her human host, and pursued by a killer virus, Angel flees to Muck for answers.

Together they struggle to comprehend the conspiracy that entangles both their lives. Can Muck and the angel on his shoulder recover Siren before it’s too late? Or will he lose everything that matters to him one more time?"

**

I also enjoyed the short romance To Touch the Light: An Irons and Works Holiday Novel by E.M. Lindsey which has a Hanukkah focus and features a trans character. (Adult content)

"I see them…In you, I see them.”

Estranged from his family and locked in a demanding job which monopolizes all of his time, Head Chef, Mario Garcia, doesn’t exactly have holiday spirit. He spends all season creating magic for others, and for himself, he’s resigned to another lonely winter. There’s a reason he’s known as the Devil in Fairfield Resort’s high-end kitchen, and he has no plans to change that. What most people don’t realize, however, is that Chef Garcia has a soft spot for one man—a half-blind, Russian dishwasher who is the first person in years to make Mario feel.

Viktor Popov's life is full of secrets and lies. He showed up in Fairfield with a handful of suspicious papers, no past, and secured a job in the bowels of a resort kitchen. He spends his waking hours washing dishes and trying his best to manage his failing eyesight without anyone taking notice. Once upon a time, he was a man of wealth and reputation, and now he’s living day-to-day, hoping no one will ever take notice.

It's been forever since Vitya believed in anything, and these long years of loneliness only proved to him that miracles didn’t exist. At least, until the night when warm hands pulled him out of the cold, and a soft voice whispered in his ear that he mattered.

Life isn’t easy, and both men have never expected any different. But maybe, by the soft light of the menorah, both men will finally be able to see that for each other, they’re exactly what they need."

Regards,

Kareni

[Ottakee]

I just finished Clover Blue

It listened to it    interesting story of a 12 year old boy raised in a hippie commune in California.

I would give it a solid 4 stars 

[Kareni]

Currently FREE for Kindle readers ~

The Earl’s Betrothal (Regency Romance) by Karen Tuft

A Christmas Gone Perfectly Wrong: A Blackshear Family novella  by Cecilia Grant

The Zero Blessing (The Zero Enigma Book 1)

Regards,

Kareni

[Robin M]

Christmas Eve book flood for me and hubby!  

Edited December 25, 2020 by Robin M

[Kareni]

11 hours ago, Robin M said:

Christmas Eve book flood for me and hubby!  

Woohoo! Happy reading to you both.

Regards,

Kareni

[mumto2]

Merry Christmas Everyone!

I just finished reading a Christmas book gift from a friend here.  It was a contemporary romance that she enjoyed and shared.  It was quite good in part because it wasn’t totally typical.  My Christmas Number One by Leonie Mack https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55031244-my-christmas-number-one

I am planning to work on my lists tonight so thought I would add this completed one to the thread.  

 

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

1 ABC Murders-Poirot

2 Cards on the Table

3 Dumb Witness

4 Death on the Nile

5 Murder in the Mews

6 Appointment with Death

7 And Then There Were None

8 Murder is Easy

9 Sad Cypress

10 One, Two, Buckle My Shoe

[marbel]

Hello All, and Happy Holidays however you celebrate!

I finished a disappointing book this morning: Mr Dickens and His Carol by Stephanie Silva. Fictional story of the creation of A Christmas Carol; it seemed to be quite charming but about half way through became... just too unbelievable for me. I skimmed the last third. I am always looking for a fun seasonal read but that one is not it.  I should paid more attention to my daughter - she picked up the library copy and read the back, then wrinkled her nose and said "are you sure you're going to like this one ? You don't usually go for "poignant."  LOL she is so right. 

And I should have stuck with a re-read of Heyer's A Christmas Party which will will finish before New Year's Day! 

Sad to say, I did not get any books for Christmas. However, I gave a bunch and all seem to be well-received. My son will be disappearing with Brandon Sanderson's Rhythm of War, the 4th book in the Stormlight series, which he has loved and devoured, and a blacksmithing handbook. I gave my daughter and husband a few random novels.

However... because my husband often finds himself at Christmas without a gift for me, I had some backups for him. He didn't give them to me as gifts, but rather just gave them back to me this afternoon. So I do have a couple of new things for myself. Also, ahem... while I was scouring Thriftbooks for gifts, I bought a few extras which I hid away for myself. So I have plenty of new reading material this Christmas, even if there wasn't any under the tree!  😎

 

Edited December 25, 2020 by marbel

[Robin M]

1 hour ago, marbel said:

However... because my husband often finds himself at Christmas without a gift for me, I had some backups for him. He didn't give them to me as gifts, but rather just gave them back to me this afternoon. So I do have a couple of new things for myself. Also, ahem... while I was scouring Thriftbooks for gifts, I bought a few extras which I hid away for myself. So I have plenty of new reading material this Christmas, even if there wasn't any under the tree!  😎

I do that too, buy myself books for Christmas and put them under the tree as gifts from the Santa Kitties.  😁

 

[Robin M]

I finished A to Z by Title....  Yay! 

A:  The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet -  Becky Chambers:  -  (#1 Wayfarers)
B:  Brewed Awakening - Cleo Coyle (#18 Coffee House)
C   Clockwork Angel - Cassandra Clare:  - (#1 Infernal Devices)
D   A Discovery of Witches - Deborah Harkness: - (#1 All souls)
E:  Edge of Eon - Anne Hackett:  - (#1 Eon Warriors)  
F:  The Fifth Doctrine-  Karen Robards  (#3 Guardians) 
G:  Greenlights -  Matthew McConaughey:  - (NF)
H:  Son of Heaven-  David Wingrove (#1 Chung Kuo)  
I:  The Innocent - David Baldacci  
J:   Ten Thousand Doors of January - Alix Harrow 
K:  Knife of Dreams  - Robert Jordan  (#11 WOT)
L:  Patron of Lost Souls - Menna Van Praag 
M:  A Madness of Sunshine - Nalini Singh
N:  No Less Days - Amanda Stevens 
O:  Priory of the Orange Tree Samantha Shannon
P:  Suddenly Psychic - Elizabeth Hunter  (#1 Glimmer Lake)
Q:  Arrows of the Queen - Mercedes Lackey  (#1 Heralds of Valdemar)
R:  Judgement Road -Christine Feehan  (#1 Torpedo Ink)
S:  The House in the Cerulean Sea - TJ Klune  
T:  Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek -  Kim Michelle Richardson  
U:  The Unkindest Tide -  Seanan McGuire (#13 October Daye)
V:  Venetian Betrayal -  Steve Berry  (#3 Cotton Malone) 
W:  Watchmaker's Daughter -  C.J. Archer  (#1 Glass and Steel)
X:  Devotion of Suspect X  - Keigo Higashino
Y:  The Bookshop of Yesterday - Amy Meyerson
Z:   Zen and the Art of Writing Ray Bradbury

 

Edited December 26, 2020 by Robin M

[Kareni]

22 hours ago, mumto2 said:

I just finished reading a Christmas book gift from a friend here.  It was a contemporary romance that she enjoyed and shared.  It was quite good in part because it wasn’t totally typical.  My Christmas Number One by Leonie Mack https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55031244-my-christmas-number-one

I liked that, too!

21 hours ago, marbel said:

Also, ahem... while I was scouring Thriftbooks for gifts, I bought a few extras which I hid away for myself. So I have plenty of new reading material this Christmas, even if there wasn't any under the tree!  😎

You are clearly a wise woman! Enjoy your new books.

20 hours ago, Robin M said:

I do that too, buy myself books for Christmas and put them under the tree as gifts from the Santa Kitties.  😁

There was a gift under our tree addressed to the house from  the Thrift Store Elves. It didn't have books but did contain some new tea towels, place mats, napkins, and Codenames (all of which were found at various local thrift stores).

Regards,

Kareni 

[Kareni]

Currently FREE for Kindle readers ~

Blade and Rose (series) Miranda Honfleur. Books 1-4 free.

The Color of Heaven (The Color of Heaven Series Book 1) by Julianne MacLean

The Color of a Christmas Miracle (The Color of Heaven Series Book 12) by Julianne MacLean 

Faring Soul: Science Fiction Romance (Interspace Origins Book 1) by Tracy Cooper-Posey 

 

Greyson's Doom (The Endurance Book 1) by Tracy Cooper-Posey 

Regards,

Kareni

[Robin M]

Link to week 52 - please continue conversation in new thread