Book a Week 2021 - BW27: Fictional Librarians - Israel Armstrong

[Robin M]

Since the majority of our readers live in areas several hours ahead of me and I’m late to bed, late to rise on Sunday, I will be posting Saturday night before I go to bed.  

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Happy Independence Day.  Our fictional librarian for July is  Israel Armstrong, created by Ian Sansom.  We are journeying along with Israel to the fictional town of Tumdrum in Northern Ireland.  He has taken the job of librarian only to discover the library has been replaced with a mobile library in The Case of the Missing Books.  

There are a variety of ways to complete this challenge with plenty of rabbit trails. Read a book with one or more of the following (but not limited to) and have fun exploring:

 

• Spell out the first and/or last name of the character's name - one book per letter from the title on the cover.
• Spell out the first and/or last name of the author - one book per letter.
• Read one or more books in the series.
• Read any book written by the author.
• Follow in a character's footsteps and read a book set in the country or time period of the story.
• Follow in the author's footsteps and read a book set in their place or time of birth.
• Read a book with the first or last name of the character or author in the title.

 Happy Trails! 

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Count of Monte Cristo Readalong

 Chapter 64. The Beggar

Chapter 65. A Conjugal Scene

Chapter 66. Matrimonial Projects

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Link to week 26

 

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.

 

[Robin M]

Finished Kat French's cozy romance  - Bed and Breakfast on the Beach.  A light hearted read for the most part.

"Winnie, Stella and Frankie have been best friends forever.
When their lives unexpectedly unravel, they spontaneously decide to buy a gorgeous B&B on a remote Greek island. Drenched in hot sun, Villa Valentina is the perfect escape from reality. But when Winnie meets Jesse, their brooding neighbour, she finds that Greece is full of its own complications – not least how attractive he is…

Meanwhile, Frankie and Stella are discovering that Villa Valentina has its own secrets – starting with the large supply of gin in the cellar and the arrival of a famous rock band. A band with one very good-looking member who just might distract Frankie from thoughts of her husband…"

In the middle of The Case of the Missing Books in which poor Israel is met with one disaster after another.

Also started the Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George:

"Monsieur Perdu calls himself a literary apothecary. From his floating bookstore in a barge on the Seine, he prescribes novels for the hardships of life. Using his intuitive feel for the exact book a reader needs, Perdu mends broken hearts and souls. The only person he can't seem to heal through literature is himself; he's still haunted by heartbreak after his great love disappeared. She left him with only a letter, which he has never opened.

After Perdu is finally tempted to read the letter, he hauls anchor and departs on a mission to the south of France, hoping to make peace with his loss and discover the end of the story. Joined by a bestselling but blocked author and a lovelorn Italian chef, Perdu travels along the country’s rivers, dispensing his wisdom and his books, showing that the literary world can take the human soul on a journey to heal itself."

 

[Maus]

Home from our trip! Good to be back, and sooo tired! We finished a few more Audible books as we drove home:

53. "Scorch Trials" by James Dashner. Audible. I really don't care for Dystopian lit/films, but DD16 really enjoyed it and wants the rest of the series. 

52. "Quidditch Through the Ages" by J.K. Rowling. Audible. Loved the inclusion of the 2014 Quidditch World cup at the end!

51. "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" by J.K. Rowling/Newt Scamander. Audible. Read by Eddie Redmayne, super cool!

50. "An Excellent Mystery" by Ellis Peters. Audible.

49. "Tales of Beadle the Bard" by J.K. Rowling. Audible.

48. "Maze Runner" by James Dashner. Audible.

47. "Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engle. Audible.

46. "The Rational Bible: Exodus - God, Slavery, and Freedom" by Dennis Prager. 

45. "A Better Heart: The Impact of Christ's Pure Love" by Tom Christofferson. (LDS)

44. "That We May Be One: A Gay Mormon's Perspective on Faith & Family" by Tom Christofferson. (LDS)

43. "Surviving Columbine" by Liz Carlston.  (LDS)

42. "The Right Side of History" by Ben Shapiro.

41. "Guerilla Learning" by Grace Llewellyn and Amy Silver.

40. "Don't Burn This Book" by Dave Rubin.

39. "The Madness of Crowds" by Douglas Murray.

38. "The Case of the Gypsy Good-bye" by Nancy Springer.

37. The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline" by Nancy Springer.

36. "The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan" by Nancy Springer.

35. "The Case of the Bizarre Bouquet" by Nancy Springer.

34. "The Case of the Left-Handed Lady" by Nancy Springer.

33. "Stuff Matters" by Mark Miodownik. Audible Book.

32. "Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World" by Sy Montgomery. Audible Book.

31. "Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism" by Barry M Prizant. Audible Book.

30. "A Long Walk to Water" by Linda Sue Park. 

29. "The Kidnapped Prince: The Life of Olaudah Equiano" by Olaudah Equiano, adapted by Ann Cameron. 

28. "Journey to Jo'Burg" by Beverley Naidoo. 

27. "United States of Socialism" by Dinesh D'Souza.

26. "For the Love of Europe" by Rick Steves. 

25. "Animal Farm" by George Orwell. Audible book.

24. "The Case of the Missing Marquess" by Nancy Springer. 

23. "Harry Potter und der Stein der Weisen" by J.K Rowling. Audible book. 

22. "Blackout" by Candace Owens.

21. "An Excellent Mystery" by Ellis Peters. Audible book.

20. "The Pilgrim of Hate" by Ellis Peters. Audible book.

19. "Dead Man's Ransom" by Ellis Peters. Audible book.

18. "4:50 from Paddington" by Agatha Christie. Audible book.

17. "Man in the Brown Suit" by Agatha Christie. Audible book. 

16. "The Mysterious Mr. Quin" by Agatha Christie. Audible book. 

15. "I Will Repay" by Baroness Orczy. Audible book. 

14. "Dead Man's Ranson" by Ellis Peters. Audible book.

13. "The Scarlet Pimpernel" by Baroness Orczy. Audible book.

12. "The Devil's Novice" by Ellis Peters. Audible book.

11. "The Sanctuary Sparrow" by Ellis Peters. Audible book.

10. "The Virgin in the Ice" by Ellis Peters. Audible book. 

9. "Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?" by Caitlin Doughty. 

8. "Law and Disorder: The Legendary Profiler's Relentless Pursuit of Justice" by John Doublas and Mark Olshaker. Audible book. 

7. "The Leper of St. Giles" by Ellis Peters. Audible book.

6. "The Cases That Haunt Us" by John Douglas and Mark Olshaker. Audible book. 

5. "From Here to Eternity: Travelling the World to Find the Good Death" by Caitlin Doughty. 

4. "Not a Day Care: The Devastating Consequences of Abandoning Truth" by Dr. Everett Piper. Audible book. 

3. "The Innocence of Father Brown" by G.K. Chesterton. Audible book.

2. "St. Peter's Fair" by Ellis Peters. Audible book.

1. "The Mysterious Mr. Quin: A Harley Quin Collection" by Agatha Christie. Audible book.

[Kareni]

Happy fourth of July!

**

Some bookish posts ~

From the Word Wenches: What We're Reading--June 2021

https://wordwenches.typepad.com/word_wenches/2021/06/what-were-reading-june-2021.html

SIX MEDICAL NONFICTION BOOKS THAT READ LIKE THRILLERS

https://crimereads.com/six-medical-nonfiction-books-that-read-like-thrillers/

5 Books That Take Friendship as Seriously as Romance

https://www.tor.com/2021/05/25/5-books-that-take-friendship-as-seriously-as-romance/

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

Currently FREE for Kindle readers ~

The Year's Midnight (Death's Lady Book 1) by Rachel Neumeier

The Icing on the Cake (Otter Bluff) by Linda Seed

The Inn at Willa Bay: A Willa Bay Novel by Nicole Ellis

Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

My distant book group will be meeting this week to discuss Ghost Train to the Eastern Star: 28,000 Miles in Search of the Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux.

This was my first book by the author; it was an interesting and erudite read but not so compelling that I wish to search out more of the author's books.

"Paul Theroux virtually invented the modern travel narrative by recounting his 25,000-mile journey by train through eastern Europe, central Asia, the Indian subcontinent, China, Japan, and Siberia. Three decades later, the world he recorded in The Great Railway Bazaar has undergone phenomenal change. The Soviet Union has collapsed and China has risen; India booms while Burma smothers under dictatorship; Vietnam flourishes in the aftermath of the havoc America was unleashing on it the last time Theroux passed through.

Now Theroux returns to capture the texture, sights, smells, and sounds of this new landscape. Theroux’s odyssey takes him from eastern Europe, still hung-over from communism. He experiences a tense but thriving Turkey, and a Georgia limping back toward feudalism while its neighbor Azerbaijan revels in oil-fueled capitalism. Through it all, Theroux travels as the locals do—by train, bus, taxi, and foot; he encounters fellow writers, including Orhan Pamuk, Haruki Murakami, and Arthur C. Clarke; and, as always, his omnivorous curiosity and unerring eye for detail capture it all."

Regards,

Kareni

[Ali in OR]

Read books 2 and 3 of Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series. And the rest will be arriving at my house on Tuesday! For those who don't know, these are the Regency Romances that Netflix's Bridgerton is based on. Each book is about the next Bridgerton child (8 total) finding love and marrying. And there are some explicit scenes--just a warning if that's not comfortable for you. But otherwise easy fluff reading.

[mumto2]

This week’s favorite was The Music of the Bees https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55198935-the-music-of-bees on audio.   Good characters plus I learned quite a bit about bees.......

I am almost done with my return to the hollows in Million Dollar Demon https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55420213-million-dollar-demon. I love these on audio.

I have been reading a Ruth Rendall that caught my eye by being on sale one day last week.  The Best Man to Die https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/83398.The_Best_Man_to_Die is a bit dated but interesting in how a really good author can create a book where hugely different crimes seem to be converging into one central event.  Looking forward to finally getting to read the ending tonight as the world has repeatedly interrupted me every time I try to read today!

[Kareni]

I followed in the footsteps of @Robin Mand @mumto2 and read Legacy: A Novel by Nora Roberts. I enjoyed the book but don't foresee this being a book I'll reread. I guessed the identity of the killer fairly early which is unusual for me.

"Adrian Rizzo was seven when she met her father for the first time. That was the day he nearly killed her—before her mother, Lina, stepped in.

Soon after, Adrian was dropped off at her grandparents’ house in Maryland, where she spent a long summer drinking lemonade, playing with dogs, making a new best friend—and developing the stirrings of a crush on her friend’s ten-year-old brother. Lina, meanwhile, traveled the country promoting her fitness brand and turning it into a billion-dollar business. There was no point in dwelling on the past.

A decade later, Adrian has created her own line of yoga and workout videos, following in Lina’s footsteps but intent on maintaining creative control. And she’s just as cool-headed and ambitious as her mother. They aren’t close, but they’re cordial—as long as neither crosses the other.

But while Lina dismisses the death threats that Adrian starts getting as a routine part of her daughter’s growing celebrity, Adrian can’t help but find the vicious rhymes unsettling. Year after year, they keep arriving—the postmarks changing, but the menacing tone the same. They continue after she returns to Maryland and becomes reacquainted with Raylan, her childhood crush, all grown up and as gorgeously green-eyed as ever. Sometimes it even seems like the terrifying messages are indeed routine, like nothing will come of them. Until the murders start, and the escalation begins…"

Regards,

Kareni

[Junie]

So I haven't posted my recent books that I've read:

Dubliners (James Joyce) --  A few of the stories/chapters were enjoyable, but for the most part this was a miss for me.

The Autobiography of George Muller --  I wasn't really thrilled with this.  I admire his faith, but I also think that there is something to be said for having a savings account.  He ran orphanages that often ran out of money.  God provided according to Muller's faith, but I think that there is more than one way to have faith.

Mary Poppins -- A lovely classic.

Mary Poppins Comes Back -- Much of this book became the movie Mary Poppins Returns.  I liked it a lot.

Between Heaven and Hollywood (David A.R. White) -- Not great literature, by any means.  David White tells his own story of getting to Hollywood and of some of his successes and failures.  He shares some of the lessons that he learned along the way.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight/Pearl/Orfeo (translated by J.R.R. Tolkien) -- This was ok.  I like poetry, but I have a hard time getting through this much poetry all at once.  Sir Gawain is the most well-known of these stories.  I feel like Orfeo was the easiest to read.

The Mirror Crack'd (Agatha Christie) -- Classic Agatha.  I liked it.

Edited July 6, 2021 by Junie

[Kareni]

I just finished Ramsey Rules by Jo Goodman; I enjoyed this contemporary romance by a favorite author who mostly writes historical romances. (Adult content)

"Ramsey Masters is the Ridge Outlet Theft Prevention Specialist, that is, she spends her days stopping shoplifters. While catching someone stuffing a PS4 controller into their pants or a ham into their handbag is more amusing than it is dangerous, the type of work isn’t what drew Ramsey to the job. She needed a new city, a new life, where she could blend in, keeping her private life private. She’s made a few friends and dates some—all unsuccessful. While she knows several of the local police due to her job, when her favorite tall, dark and uniformed stops her for speeding the attraction she feels makes her think maybe she’ll give dating one last try. But there has to be rules…

Sullivan Day needs a date—a plus one for his cousin’s wedding, and he’s running out of time. Feeling Ramsey is out of his league, he’s avoided asking her. But when she blasts by him in a red sports car, he figures Fate has intervened. He’s completely intrigued as to how and why a minimum wage mall-cop is driving a Mercedes Benz—and completely turned on by her sassy attitude. So, after writing her a speeding ticket, he asks her out, even though she warns him up front about her pathetic dating record. With everything in common, a friendly relationship should come easy, but for reasons Sullivan can’t figure out, Ramsey is very guarded about her past. However, when illegal activity at the Ridge entangles their professional and social life, things are about to get real. Real dangerous. Real sexy."

Regards,

Kareni

[mumto2]

@melmichiganI just finished listening to Million Dollar Demon this afternoon and really loved how it ended.  I am looking forward to hearing if it makes you laught too!

[Robin M]

Howdy, ladies. Looks like we are in for another heat wave.  I finished The Little Paris Bookshop which was so very good and also a two hankie read. Sniff sniff.  One of those books that's so full of  emotion and epiphanies,  and bookish advice, I'll have to read again.   It wasn't maudlin or dark. Yes, parts were sad, but full of hope as the characters worked through stages of love and loss and grief.   

"What task do the departed want us to do?"

"To carry them within us-that is our task. We carry them all inside us, all our dead and shattered loves.  Only they make us whole. If we begin to forget or cast aside those we've lost, then..then we are no longer present either.  All the love, all the dead, all the people we've known. They are the rivers that feed our sea of souls. If we refuse to remember them, that sea will dry up too."

Went on to read Karen Hawkins 2nd book in her Dove Pond series, A Cup of Silver Linings, which was another two hankie read. I inadvertently seemed to have a theme going on here.  A story about grief, love, family, and acceptance with the loss of one young character's mother and another character's betrayal by her sister.  

I balanced it out with a rewatch of Mamma Mia, one of my favorite movies given that I grew up on ABBA music constantly running in the background in our house. 

On to the Wheel of Time! 

[Kareni]

I finished three books over the past few days: Quarter Share, Half Share, and Full Share all by Nathan Lowell. The first two were rereads while the third was new to me. I look forward to reading on in the series. Here is the blurb for the first book ~

"The Golden Age of Sail has Returned -- in the Year 2352

When his mother dies in a flitter crash, eighteen-year-old Ishmael Horatio Wang must find a job with the planet company or leave the system--and NerisCo isn't hiring. With credits running low, and prospects limited, he has just one hope...to enlist for two years with a deep space commercial freighter. Ishmael, who only rarely visited the Neris Orbital, and has never been off-planet alone before, finds himself part of an eclectic crew sailing a deep space leviathan between the stars.

Join the crew of the SC Lois McKendrick, a Manchester built clipper as she sets solar sails in search of profit for her company and a crew each entitled to a share equal to their rating."

Regards,

Kareni

[tuesdayschild]

I'm threads behind in reading so posting a marker "post" here so I can try to keep up with reading, next current threads, and catch up on previous ones.    I'm books behind in sharing so will just restart here 😉

30/05 - 31/05   84, Charing Cross Road ~ Helene Hanff,  narrators Juliet Stevenson & John Nettles (5/5)  Having this book read to me was the perfect way to enjoy these letters: the narrators made the audiobook a pleasure to go through.  ( I referred to the book afterwards, for the portions I wanted to revisit. .. I’m now reading the second half of the story, The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street, in my printed copy.)    For me,  this book was about a love of literature and beautifully published works, and a genuine friendship that developed between purchaser and procurer/seller, not an romance between Frank and Helene as the film seemed to portray

18-19/06    Summer Half:  Barsetshire Bk5 ~ Angela Thirkell, narrated by Penelope Freeman (4/5)    I had a few false starts with Summer Half and put it aside and then had another try at giving this Thirkell book a chance.   The right frame of mind makes all the difference, what previously felt like a 'silly' book ended up being a witty, humorous read filled with literary references.  I really enjoy, Goodreads, Michael Bafford's review of this book:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2998185192     Extra:  There are a few retro, earlier-era, racially inappropriate mentions in this book.   Romances are all clean;  though Rose, an immature girl who is described as "so entirely foolish, and [...] so absurdly pretty"  has a history of being a serial fiancé.

19/06 -  04/07   A Gentleman in Moscow ~ Amor Towles, narrated by Nicholas Guy Smith (4.5/5)   The language usage in this book is a delight to listen to and I was sad to have the book end.  The story covers (Count) Alexander Rostov’s house arrest from 1922 to 1964, and interwoven to create an interesting story are the lives of others who step into his confined world.  Alexander’s world view covers thoughts ranging across evolution  to Christianity,  "To what end, he wondered, had the Divine created the stars in heaven to fill a man with feelings of inspiration one day and insignificance the next?” and so many lovely references to literature, and interesting cooking snippets about dishes being prepared.      Extra:  With the onset of the couples affair, I thought the story was going to generate down in racy bedroom scenes between the actress and the Count - so pleased the author didn’t do that -  there are some bedroom scenes, but other than the mention of the actresses’ dress shooshing to the floor, after that,  the door stays shut. 

04/07 – 07/07   Survivors Club: The True Story of a Very Young Prisoner of Auschwitz ~ Michael Bornstein, Debbie Bornstein Holinstat, narrated by Fred Berman (4.5/5)  Juvenile non-fiction.  The 4.5 stars are for the audiobook, not for Michael Bornstein's experience, I found the narrator hard to listen to initially.   Young Michael's survival is miraculous; and, then to have all of his mother's siblings survive the holocaust is nothing short of a miracle.   The authors tell this next portion euphemistically, this is a memoir for children: To make it through the horror of the holocaust and then be abused by a predator in Germany.....   no wonder Bornstein was loath to pause there.   I appreciated that Bornstein was courageous enough to show that not all who appear kind are good people, and not all (seemingly) unkind people are cruel.  Sobering reading, carefully told.

I’m enjoying reading these current listens, so far…..

The Spy and the Traitor ~  Ben MacIntyre, narrated by Ben Macintyre  (I'm listening as a much quicker speed, otherwise the narration is a little irritating for me)

The Ragged Edge of Night ~ Olivia Hawker, narrated by Nick Sandys   (Cc)

[Kareni]

15 hours ago, tuesdayschild said:

84, Charing Cross Road ~ Helene Hanff...

I read this years (now decades) ago and really enjoyed it. I can't recall if I read it because I like epistolary books or if I like epistolary books because I read it.

15 hours ago, tuesdayschild said:

A Gentleman in Moscow ~ Amor Towles

Another lovely book. It sounds like you've been having a good streak of books! Happy reading.

Regards,

Kareni

[Laurel-in-CA]

Checking in only periodically, yes, we are expecting 104 degrees tomorrow and no a/c in the house. I may go buy a wading pool to sit in. One of my kids is hostessing for outdoor dining and another is teaching swim classes in that!

A couple of weeks back someone mentioned books related to sailing and immediately my favorites popped into mind.

--the Steerswoman series - which has less to do with sailing and more to do with using the scientific method to solve a mystery from outer space

--The Westerly Gales series - post-apocalyptic society surviving on a few islands, trying to expand to others beyond the southern seas (read it to find out why *just* islands

I have been recommending many of the books mentioned here to my library and they must have made a big purchase because I suddenly have a bunch of "holds" that surprised me, including The Cybernetic Teashop (next up) and Chaos (just finished, thriller by Iris Johansen, very good). They also added a couple of Sebastian St. Cyr mysteries -- really enjoyed Who Speaks for the Damned and When Gods Die. I have started reading C.J. Box's mysteries about the game warden, Joe Pickett...very outside my suburban experience with unexpected and difficult endings, but I am enjoying them! Also read Catfishing on Catnet by Naomi Kritzer and am wishing my library had the sequel. A girl who's always moving on, whose "real" friends are cyberfriends...and then the *reason* she's been moved shows up (danger!) and her friends come together and help her in real life, not just cat pictures. Fun read!

DH has his surgery next week and will be off work for 2-4 weeks. I expect we'll be spraying each other with water and sitting in front of the fan if this heat wave continues! Today we went to the mall for our lunchtime walk -- in the a/c!!

 

[Robin M]

1 hour ago, Laurel-in-CA said:

Checking in only periodically, yes, we are expecting 104 degrees tomorrow and no a/c in the house. I may go buy a wading pool to sit in. One of my kids is hostessing for outdoor dining and another is teaching swim classes in that!

Oh my, you poor dears.  Hope you have lots of fans. The temps are supposed to go back to mid 90's next week.  My sister doesn't have ac either but at least they get the evening breeze in Marin county.  We still about 108 right now and tomorrow's supposed to be  hotter. Will be up early to get grocery shopping done then hunker down in the house.  Keep us up to date with hubby's surgery and we'll keep you in our thoughts and prayers. 

[Robin M]

20 hours ago, tuesdayschild said:

19/06 -  04/07   A Gentleman in Moscow ~ Amor Towles, narrated by Nicholas Guy Smith (4.5/5)   The language usage in this book is a delight to listen to and I was sad to have the book end.  The story covers (Count) Alexander Rostov’s house arrest from 1922 to 1964, and interwoven to create an interesting story are the lives of others who step into his confined world.  Alexander’s world view covers thoughts ranging across evolution  to Christianity,  "To what end, he wondered, had the Divine created the stars in heaven to fill a man with feelings of inspiration one day and insignificance the next?” and so many lovely references to literature, and interesting cooking snippets about dishes being prepared.      Extra:  With the onset of the couples affair, I thought the story was going to generate down in racy bedroom scenes between the actress and the Count - so pleased the author didn’t do that -  there are some bedroom scenes, but other than the mention of the actresses’ dress shooshing to the floor, after that,  the door stays shut. 

Waving hi! I've been meaning to read this one. Thanks for the great review. 

[Robin M]

21 hours ago, Kareni said:

I finished three books over the past few days: Quarter Share, Half Share, and Full Share all by Nathan Lowell. 

Oh those sound interesting. Will keep them in mind. 

[Kareni]

4 hours ago, Laurel-in-CA said:

I have been recommending many of the books mentioned here to my library and they must have made a big purchase because I suddenly have a bunch of "holds" that surprised me....

It's like Christmas in July when that happens! Like you, I'm eagerly awaiting the sequel to Catfishing on Catnet. I hope you'll enjoy  The Cybernetic Teashop.

Best wishes for your husband's surgery and recuperation ... and for cooler weather.

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

And I finished another book in the series I've been reading ~ Double Share (Trader's Tales from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper Book 4) by Nathan Lowell.

I enjoyed this book, too.

Regards,

Kareni

[Robin M]

Link to week 28