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Book a Week 2021 - BW21: World Turtle Day

Robin M

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Robin M

Robin M

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Happy Sunday, my lovelies! And now for something completely different.  Since the majority of you are several hours ahead of me and I'm late to bed, late to rise on Sunday, decided to try an experiment and post before I go to bed, since technically it’s Sunday in my neck of the woods. Plus my inlaws are coming into town tomorrow and the plan was to meet them at their hotel but sounds like they’ll be coming by the house, so we’ll be cleaning like crazy from the time we get up until they arrive.  EEK!  Hugs and love.  

Today is World Turtle Day.  Did you know that all tortoises are turtles, but not all turtles are tortoises?  What's the difference?  So glad you asked. The key difference is where they live: Tortoises are exclusively land creatures, while turtles live in the water or at least spend most of the time in the water.  Physically their shells, legs, and feet are difference and turtles stay away from water unless they are drinking or bathing because they can't swim.  

The turtle has been around for millions of years and symbolizes many things for different cultures and is a big part of myth, native American folklore, fables.  He is considered the old wise man who moves through the world slowly and there are lessons to be learned from the popular fable The Tortoise and the Hare.   

So read a book with turtle in the cover, set in a place called turtle, or with a character by the name of turtle, or about a fictional or nonfictional turtle. 

Have fun! Slow and steady wins the race. 

**************************

Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 46. Unlimited Credit

Chapter 47. The Dappled Grays

Chapter 48. Ideology

**************************

 

Link to week 20

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 by Robin M
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Robin M

Robin M

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I finished Elizabeth Hunter’s four book Elemental Mystery series with our Librarian of the month Beatrice De Nova. She has various spin offs with different characters including Ben and Tenzin in the Elemental Legacy series and I have Midnight Labyrinth in my stacks. Will get back to them soon.  I also finished Karen Hawkins the Book Charmer which was very charming as well as emotional story with magical realism about books, friendship, grief, and finding your way through the world.

Meanwhile I’ve gone back to book monogamy because I don’t have the brain space to split my time between more than one, while making progress with my current wip.  Sometimes it doesn’t feel like progress when I revisit the same scenes over and over again until I’m satisfied, but it is progress none the less.  Slow and steady wins the race, right!

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Kareni

Kareni

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Thank you, Robin! Enjoy the family visit and your tidy home.

**

Some bookish posts ~

TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD IN THE ROARING TWENTIES WITH THESE HISTORICAL MYSTERIES

https://crimereads.com/travel-around-the-world-in-the-roaring-twenties-with-these-historical-mysteries/

The Queen of Fractured Fairy Tales Helen Oyeyemi writes magical, unsettling novels in which nothing remains fixed. She’s lived her life that way, too. by Helen Shaw

https://www.vulture.com/article/helen-oyeyemi-profile.html?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Vulture - March 29%2C 2021&utm_term=Subscription List - Vulture (1 Year)

The Best Classics Books for Children recommended by Annelise Gray

https://fivebooks.com/best-books/the-best-mythopoeic-fantasy-samantha-shannon/

Regards,

Kareni

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mumto2

mumto2

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I am almost done with this month’ s librarian spelling challenge and became a bit obsessive about getting the E’s done.  I listened to 2 so so cozies The Essence of Malice https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33602098-the-essence-of-malice and A Most Extraordinary Pursuit https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26521489-a-most-extraordinary-pursuit in order to accomplish this.  I will give A Most Extraordinary Pursuit credit for uniqueness as time travel and Greek mythology were wrapped into this Edwardian mystery.....so was Queen Victoria’s ghost.  

I also read the best new to me cozy series that I have read in a while, if you like the modern light and fluffy themed variety, Mayhem at the Orient Express https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15810915-mayhem-at-the-orient-expresswhich is the first in the League of Literary Ladies series about a group of women who can’t seem to quit taking each other to court on a small tourist island in Lake Erie.  The judge’s wife is the island’s librarian whose main source of funding is from a trust which stipulates that the library must have an active book club.  It doesn’t, so the judge sentences the bickering women to be in a book club together...... their first book is Murder on the Orient Express which is also the name of the local Chinese restaurant.  Cute and light so I will read more.

I read another CJ Box.......the second Joe Pickett.  Once again the author had me reading in a setting that isn’t my first choice, that said I was hooked!  I think I prefer listening to this series so will try to source audiobooks in the future.

I have a Rex Stout in progress......The Mother Hunt.  It’s really good and I hope to finish it tonight.  

 

 

 

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Kareni

Kareni

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Some bookish posts ~

COZY MYSTERIES FEATURING DELICIOUS (AND DOABLE) RECIPES

The Best Vietnamese Novels recommended by Sherry Buchanan

https://fivebooks.com/best-books/vietnamese-novels-sherry-buchanan/

Vintage Books Repurposed Into Delicate Paper Art By Cecilia Levy

https://www.demilked.com/repurposed-old-books-paper-art-cecilia-levy/

Regards,

Kareni

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Junie

Junie

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I took an internet break last week and focused on getting some reading done. :)

Some of my reading was pre-reading, which gave the girls some new books and kept them out of my hair for a while. 😉

Paddington Marches On

Paddington At Work

Paddington Goes to Town

American Girl -- Maryellen: The Runaway

American Girl -- Kathleen: The Celtic Knot

American Girl -- Cecile: Gates of Gold

 

And then my reading:

Death Comes for the Archbishop -- This is now my second favorite of Cather's works.  I haven't read everything that she's written, but I don't think anything will top My Antonia.

Of Mice and Men -- I didn't hate it, but I don't know that I can say that I liked it.

Cannery Road -- Given my history with Steinbeck's works, I wasn't expecting to like this.  I was pleasantly surprised. 

7 Men -- Eric Mataxas -- This was mostly a nice compilation of short biographies, but a couple of the choices seemed... off.

7 Women -- Eric Mataxas -- I didn't like this one much at all.  There are only a few biographies that I would consider worth reading.  I think he could have made some much, much better choices.

Jesus the Hero -- Leland Ryken -- This was the last book for me to read in his series about biblical literature.  I would like to turn the series into a class or a podcast or something... someday.

Edited by Junie
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Robin M

Robin M

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Howdy! Well, my gut feeling, intuition, whatever it's called was spot on.  So happy I decided we needed to get the house guest visit clean.  Arrived at the Double Tree to pick up In Laws and discovered the restaurant was indeed closed to service.   We took them over to see the new office building since they hadn't seen it since it was finished, then came back to the house and had a BBQ. Hubby took them out for breakfast the next morning before they went up to Lake Tahoe to have a relaxing scenic vacation before SMIL gets a hip replacement in a couple weeks. Great visit, short and sweet, and it was really nice to see them and get to hug family again.

Book wise, I dove back into the world of The Invisible Library with # 6 The Secret Chapter in which Irene and Kai are thrown from the frying pan into the fire again with chaos, deceit, blackmail, etc.  Fun read. 

Next up, Nora Robert's newest romantic suspense novel,  The Legacy,  which was released today.  Thank you UPS!  

 

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Robin M

Robin M

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6 hours ago, Pen said:

Character named Turtle brings to my mind Barbara Kingsolver— The Bean Trees and Animal Dreams?   The main character calls the little girl in the book Turtle. 

Great as I have The Bean Trees in my stacks. Now I know what to read for turtle.  Thanks! 

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Kareni

Kareni

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I just finished The End of Men by Christina Sweeney-Baird; what a gripping yet sobering book. The story is set in 2025, and the world suffers a plague that kills 90% of males/Y-chromosome bearers. While reading, I wondered when it was written; I see from the author's note that it was written between September 2018 and June 2019. It's the author's debut novel. When I was describing it to my husband, he said he wouldn't be able to read it given parallels with real life. I don't know if this is a book that I'd reread, but I recommend it. I will certainly look with interest at the author's next book.

"Only men carry the virus. Only women can save us all.

The year is 2025, and a mysterious virus has broken out in Scotland--a lethal illness that seems to affect only men. When Dr. Amanda MacLean reports this phenomenon, she is dismissed as hysterical. By the time her warning is heeded, it is too late. The virus becomes a global pandemic--and a political one. The victims are all men. The world becomes alien--a women's world.

What follows is the immersive account of the women who have been left to deal with the virus's consequences, told through first-person narratives. Dr. MacLean; Catherine, a social historian determined to document the human stories behind the "male plague"; intelligence analyst Dawn, tasked with helping the government forge a new society; and Elizabeth, one of many scientists desperately working to develop a vaccine. Through these women and others, we see the uncountable ways the absence of men has changed society, from the personal--the loss of husbands and sons--to the political--the changes in the workforce, fertility, and the meaning of family."

Regards,

Kareni

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Kareni

Kareni

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On 5/23/2021 at 12:01 AM, Robin M said:

Today is World Turtle Day.

A lovely children's book that I recommend is Old Turtle (Lessons of Old Turtle) by Douglas Wood

"Who is God?

Is He a wind that is never still?

Is He a rock that never moves?

Is He high above or here among us?

Venerable Old Turtle answers quietly: God is all of these things.

Old Turtle first burst upon the publishing scene in 1992, and it was instantly recognized as a classic fable about ecology, peace, and the interconnectedness of all beings. Simple yet profound, it has since brought hope and inspiration to children and adults around the world."

Regards,

Kareni

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Pen

Pen

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21 hours ago, Junie said:

I took an internet break last week and focused on getting some reading done. 🙂

Some of my reading was pre-reading, which gave the girls some new books and kept them out of my hair for a while. 😉

Paddington Marches On

Paddington At Work

Paddington Goes to Town

 

I read this and thought, oh no, we missed Paddington!!!

I think it’s too late to go back. 
 

Maybe grandkids or another adopted child can get Paddington. 
 

Does anyone else have this happen? 
 

Come to mention of book or series forgotten in their children’s stage for it and feel a pang?

 

21 hours ago, Junie said:

American Girl -- Maryellen: The Runaway

American Girl -- Kathleen: The Celtic Knot

American Girl -- Cecile: Gates of Gold

 

And then my reading:

Death Comes for the Archbishop -- This is now my second favorite of Cather's works.  I haven't read everything that she's written, but I don't anything will top My Antonia.

 

I like Cather— do you recommend this? 
 

21 hours ago, Junie said:

Of Mice and Men -- I didn't hate it, but I don't know that I can say that I liked it.

Cannery Road -- Given my history with Steinbeck's works, I wasn't expecting to like this.  I was pleasantly surprised. 

7 Men -- Eric Mataxas -- This was mostly a nice compilation of short biographies, but a couple of the choices seemed... off.

7 Women -- Eric Mataxas -- I didn't like this one much at all.  There are only a few biographies that I would consider worth reading.  I think he could have made some much, much better choices.

Jesus the Hero -- Leland Ryken -- This was the last book for me to read in his series about biblical literature.  I would like to turn the series into a class or a podcast or something... someday

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Junie

Junie

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9 minutes ago, Pen said:

 

I like Cather— do you recommend this? 
 

Yes, I very much recommend Death Comes to the Archbishop.  I don't care for many of Cather's short stories, but I love some of her novels.  As I was thinking about why, I realized that the short stories are mostly set in city/urban settings.  I think Cather's power is in writing about natural settings.  And this book has beautiful language.  I've never been to the Southwest, but I experienced a taste of it in her words.

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Kareni

Kareni

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I quite enjoyed The Love Proof: A Novel by Madeleine Henry; I found it to be a quick read.

"A brilliant physicist studying the nature of time embarks on a journey to prove that those we love are always connected to us, leading to surprising revelations in this fresh and unique love story.

Sophie Jones is a physics prodigy on track to unlock the secrets of the universe. But when she meets Jake Kristopher during their first week at Yale they instantly feel a deep connection, as if they’ve known each other before. Quickly, they become a couple. Slowly, their love lures Sophie away from school.

When a shocking development forces Sophie into a new reality, she returns to physics to make sense of her world. She grapples with life’s big questions, including how to cope with unexpected change and loss. Inspired by her connection with Jake, Sophie throws herself into her studies, determined to prove that true loves belong together in all realities.

Spanning decades, The Love Proof is an unusual love story about lasting connection, time, and intuition. It explores the course that perfect love can take between imperfect people, and urges us to listen to our hearts rather than our heads."

Regards,

Kareni

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AnneGG

AnneGG

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On 5/25/2021 at 1:23 PM, Junie said:

Some of my reading was pre-reading, which gave the girls some new books and kept them out of my hair for a while. 😉

Paddington Marches On

Paddington At Work

Paddington Goes to Town

 

We are reading The Paddington series too! I’m so thankful he’s moved on from The Boxcar Children, even if temporarily.  

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AnneGG

AnneGG

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I’m not sure if this really counts, but I’m going to read Mossy by Jan Brett for the turtle category. 
 

I’ve not yet selected a book for this week. I want some Francine Rivers re reads,  but the library discarded them. Rude! 

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Kareni

Kareni

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Currently FREE for Kindle readers ~

The Lion of the South: The Scarlet Pimpernel Meets Gone with the Wind Romantic Civil War Novel: Clean and Wholesome by Jessica James

Hold You Now (Hot Heroes Series Book 2) by Carly Phillips

Regards,

Kareni

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mumto2

mumto2

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In honor of Tortoise Week here is a picture of a sign by our bike trail. We see a tortoise there frequently.🙂

I have no idea how to rotate it.....

150F99E1-48F2-44B4-8F92-6CB984A4F94C.jpeg

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Kareni

Kareni

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Last night, I stayed up late and finished Dark Light (Elizabeth Cage, Book 2) by Jodi Taylor. I enjoyed it (but not quite as much as the first book); I look forward to reading the forthcoming third book in the series. This series definitely needs to be read in order. The first book in the series, White Silence, is still on sale for 99¢.

Regards,

Kareni

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bookbard

bookbard

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Really enjoyed Lois McMaster Bujold's latest Penric novella - The Assassins of Thessalon. Some good twists and as usual brilliant humour and heart-warming moments. You must read this series in order, however, starting with Penric's Demon.

Reading Courtney Milan's books; I would say the series I read first (the Brothers Sinister) was the best, very well researched, while her earlier ones are simpler. There were a few good ones in the Worth series, especially the most recent which explored early telegraphy. Some of the earlier books were a bit troubling with some unthinking 'he-man' tropes. 

Now I need to find some more things to read! 

 

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Lady Florida.

Lady Florida.

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I know the new thread starts tomorrow but I keep putting off my updates. I haven't updated in a while and if I wait for the new thread it will probably be another week before I get around to it.

My TBR jar choices for May all made me happy. Every title in the jar is something I want to read but some I want to read more than others. (And now it's already time for my June picks).

For fiction I pulled out The Half Sisters, an underrated Victorian novel by Geraldine Jewsbury. She seems to have been something of a Victorian proto-feminist and this story at least, shows it. I haven't read anything else of hers. Of the three picks, this is the only one I haven't finished yet but hope to in the next day or two. It's short - less than 300 pages - but I've been stopping to read other fiction. 

Nonfiction was Answers in the Form of Questions: A Definitive History and Insider's Guide to Jeopardy. This was interesting to anyone who ever sat on their couch shouting answers to Alex on the screen and thinking "I could be good on Jeopardy" (news flash: most of us would be terrible). It covered a little of the first Jeopardy but mostly centered on the reboot that we all know with Alex Trebek. There was some info on Trebek himself and a lot about the various winners and not-winners. 

Audio book - The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo - I tried to read this years ago and I think I got sidetracked. It's a biography of Alex Dumas, father of Alexander Dumas (pere). It did get a little bogged down in some war stuff with Napoleon but was really interesting to read (or listen to) while reading The Count of Monte Cristo. The author frequently pointed out Dumas used his father's life in his stories, including CMC and The Three Musketeers. It almost made me want to reread the latter, but not really.

Other books I've read recently -

I read The Prophets for book club. We met to discuss it Tuesday night and I was the only one who didn't like it. I should clarify that. I loved the story idea and think it was definitely unique. I haven't heard of any other novel that addresses gay slaves (two men) in the antebellum south and that alone should have made it a good book. But the execution was terrible imo. There was much too much tell and not enough show, the prose is way too flowery, it's overwritten, it's repetitive, and there are too many points of view. All of that makes a very good story idea get lost. I was in the minority though. 

After The Black Count, I listened to a few Agatha Raisin mysteries from Overdrive. The next one had a wait so I pulled out my next audio book from the jar a week early and am now listening to Ovid's Metamorphosis. 

I probably read a few more Gaslight Mysteries since my last update, and I'm still doing the read along of Count of Monte Cristo. I have to keep checking the first post in the thread each week to make sure I'm on the right chapters. 

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Lady Florida.

Lady Florida.

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I wanted to post this separately because I didn't want it to get lost in my long update.

Bill (dh) started reading the Murderbot Diaries and finally caught up to where I am - the first full novel. I borrowed the Kindle book of Network Effect and we're both reading and discussing it. We keep tip-toeing around to make sure neither one of us gives the other one spoilers. 

Here's what I thought was interesting, and he and I have been talking about it a good bit. Although the author is clear that she made Murderbot genderless on purpose I always pictured a badass female form. Kind of like the Marvel movie version of Black Widow but with more of an AI look to it. Bill automatically pictures a male, almost Terminator-like. I didn't realize the difference until he started the series and said something about "he" when referring to Murderbot. He didn't know what the author did until I told him about it, and he was also surprised I pictured a female form. I wonder if this is fairly common in how men and women who read the books picture Murderbot. 

I don't know if anyone besides @Kareni reads/has read that series but if you read it how do you perceive Murderbot? Male, female, or neither? Just curious.

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Miss Tick

Miss Tick

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1 hour ago, Lady Florida. said:

I don't know if anyone besides @Kareni reads/has read that series but if you read it how do you perceive Murderbot? Male, female, or neither? Just curious.

Neither! I also notice myself stumbling if I have to use a pronoun when explaining my sudden bursts of laughter to my family. I have more trouble picturing them with "longer hair", although I suspect it is still quite short I can't help but picture some kind of floppy '80s hairstyle, I don't know why. I'm sure Murderbot would not be caught dead with a hairstyle like the lead singer from A-ha, right? Too impractical.

ETA: deleted picture. Forgot that "celebrity" pictures are a no-no.

 

Edited by SusanC
lawsuit avoidance. The corporation is always watching.
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Kareni

Kareni

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2 hours ago, Lady Florida. said:

...if you read it how do you perceive Murderbot? Male, female, or neither? Just curious.

I'm with you, Lady Florida, in that I tend to think of Murderbot as female despite (now) knowing it is genderless.  And I'm pretty sure that, like yours, my husband thought Murderbot to be male.

Regards,

Kareni

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mumto2

mumto2

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3 hours ago, Kareni said:

I'm with you, Lady Florida, in that I tend to think of Murderbot as female despite (now) knowing it is genderless.  And I'm pretty sure that, like yours, my husband thought Murderbot to be male.

Regards,

Kareni

 

5 hours ago, Lady Florida. said:

I don't know if anyone besides @Kareni reads/has read that series but if you read it how do you perceive Murderbot? Male, female, or neither? Just curious.

My Murderbot is pretty genderless.........sort of it’s own being.

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LaughingCat

LaughingCat

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My Murderbot is also pretty much genderless -- I picture a person where you can't figure out which gender via the normal social cues.  Plus I think of it as wearing 'work' clothes -- not necessarily coveralls but close to that -- the type of thing that doesn't show off the body at all.  Kinda like when you look at a picture of women in army combat uniforms, you can't really tell them from men, because the outfit itself is so generic.

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