Book a Week 2022 - BW20: 52 Books Bingo - Ensemble Cast

[Robin M]

Happy Sunday! It's time for another round of 52 Books Bingo and this week it's all about Ensemble Casts. My favorite kind of book. I love books with ensemble casts, especially series books because they make it seem like the story goes on and on and on.  There are books in which the cast revolves around one main character and others which rotate through a series of characters, all working together for a common end.  

The Gang’s All Here

Seven books with an Ensemble Cast 

Books with a large cast of characters

Ensemble Cast - Read a book with three or more main characters.

4 Mystery Audiobooks Performed by Top-Notch Ensemble Casts

5 More Audiobooks Featuring Multiple Cast Members

 

Do you enjoy reading books with an ensemble cast of characters?  From Agatha Christie and Leo Tolstoy to Robert Jordan's and J.D. Robb, there is a wide variety to choose from.  Who is your favorite author and/or books with an ensemble cast you've read and would recommend?

 

I just noticed that we have a predicament, a quagmire, a problematic quandary.  Que Pasa!   When I pondered and questioned why my weeks weren't adding up, I realized I missed P and Q in our letter and word of the week.  We missed a pilgrimage, a quest. Oops, my bad. Jumping back on the Quixotic path for a moment.  

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

 

 

Link to book week 19

Visit  52 Books in 52 Weeks where you can find all the information on the annual, mini and perpetual challenges.

[Robin M]

I finished Jayne Castle’s The Hot Zone in her Rainshadow series this week and look forward to reading the rest of the series. 

Stephen Lawhead Taliesin –I don’t particularly enjoy Lawhead’s writing which I remember now is what stopped me when reading the King Raven Series, so reshelving it for now.  

My sip read is George Eliot’s Middlemarch which I’m reading at breakfast and very slow going because Eliot tends to be very wordy. 

Rereading S.K.Dunstall’s Stars Uncharted (ebook) before I start the 2nd book in the series, Stars Beyond.

Started Jodi Taylor’s 4th book in her Chronicles of St. Mary’s series with A Trail through Time. 

We watched the 2nd movie in the Hobbit trilogy - The Desolation of Smaug which was quite intense and enjoyable. 
 

[Negin]

Thank you for the thread, Robin. 

I read That Distant Land: The Collected Stories - 3 Stars

and

Eat the Buddha: Life and Death in a Tibetan Town - 4 Stars

   

 

 

[mumto2]

Thank you for the thread, Robin!

Ensemble Cast for bingo is one of those categories while not hard still had me hesitating.  The first link I clicked (https://simoneandherbooks.com/2021/03/04/seven-books-with-an-ensemble-cast/ had a picture of The Gilded Wolves which I read earlier this year for a Bookchain idea that stalled.  It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t great........I started listening the next in the series and just wasn’t into it.  The book covers are beautiful and the book reminded me of Rachel Caines Ink and Bone series.  The Gilded Wolves has now been moved to my Bingo bookshelf over on GR.

I also finished The Perilous Perspective by Anna Lee Huber https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58505173-a-perilous-perspective It was simply a satisfying addition to a series I love.  I loved the fact that Kiera and Goge are now parents (Sorry, minor spoiler) and the mystery was well done. 
 

Lisa Gardner has a newish series featuring a character called Frankie Elkin.  Since I kept running in to the newly released second in the series and thinking it looked intriguing I decided to track down the first Before She Disappeared and try it. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55138263-before-she-disappeared I am fascinated by cold cases and this is what Frankie does.  She isn’t a dectective,  she is a rather broken down character who simply does her best to give family’s of the missing an answer.  This book was set in the Haitian community in Boston and it was really well done in terms of atmosphere.  It was really good!  I can’t wait to read the second!

i am currently reading several books including Tina Browns The Palace Papers, the latest in the Rivers of London Series, and a new Cold War type mystery called The Matchmaker that has a great cover!  I’m not far enough to really judge the book!

 

 

 

Edited May 15, 2022 by mumto2

[Kareni]

Some bookish posts ~

Author Deanna Raybourn Recommends Her Favorite Books with a Strong Sense of Place

https://strongsenseofplace.com/2020/05/18/author-deanna-raybourn-recommends-books-with-a-strong-sense-of-place/

10 CLASSIC CRIME STORIES THAT HAVE JUST ENTERED THE PUBLIC DOMAIN IN 2022

https://crimereads.com/ten-classic-crime-stories-public-domain-2022/

The Rec League: Cozy Fantasy

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2022/02/the-rec-league-cozy-fantasy/#comments

Regards,

Kareni

[Storygirl]

I finished my historical mystery for the month of May Crime Spree challenge: A Curious Beginning by Deanna Reybourn. I cannot believe that I have not read the Veronica Speedwell series before. So much fun! I will definitely be reading the rest in this series.

The death of her guardian sets Veronica off on a great adventure. Worried for her life, a mysterious elderly gentleman tells her to stay with Stoker, a sexy tattooed taxidermist with a complicated past, until he sorts some things out, but then the elderly man is murdered. Veronica and Stoker go on the run to escape danger while trying to solve the case. Veronica is a very independent science-minded lady who eschews Victorian social mores and never expects men to take the lead. There are a lot of unexpected plot twists in this one.

[Storygirl]

I finally finished Stephen King's The Stand and scratched it off of my book challenge poster. I started this one on March 21 and read about 150 pages per week. I am not a fan of King and didn't want to commit to reading only this book, so I stretched it out. I'm glad to have it done.

I read French Braid, Anne Tyler's newest. Like Memphis, which I read last week, this is a family story spanning several generations and told from the POV of multiple people over time. The characters were not all likable, but I felt invested in their stories and enjoyed reading them.

I listened to several audio titles:

Mourn Not Your Dead by Deborah Crombie (fourth book in the Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James series). Police procedural mystery series are my favorite, so loved it, of course.

Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crowe by Jessica Townsend. This second book in the middle grade Nevermoor series was as fun as the first. Morrigan has earned her place in the magical school, but she has to keep her "knack" or special ability secret from everyone, which is not only difficult but dangerous.

On the Road by Jack Kerouac. I didn't care for this one at all, but I got to cross it off my poster, and at least it was fairly short. Kerouac's story about crisscrossing the country with hitchhikers and a friend that I disliked really did not appeal to me. Not my kind of people at all, and not interesting enough to draw me in. Mostly "and this happened, and that happened, and we met this crazy guy and met this cute girl," with a few snippets of commentary about life and descriptions of the settings added in. Probably would have liked it more if read for a class with discussion of its greater meaning, but I'm glad I didn't have to spend much time with it and can move on.

I'm starting now on working my way through the Chronicles of Narnia on audio. One of my all-time favorite book series, and the one that I'm sure I've read more than any other, because I owned them as a child and reread them often. But it's been years since we read them to my kids, so it will be fun to revisit again (this is on my book challenge poster, as well). Today I'm starting with The Magician's Nephew, because The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe has a short waiting list. Ordinarily, I would read TLTWATW first, because that is the proper way to do it 😉.

[mumto2]

@StorygirlI think I am the only one who loves The Magicians Nephew best!😉. Enjoy your relisten!

 

Last night I opened a Kindle Prime book called Wolf Girl up to read for 5 minutes before falling asleep and somehow kept reading this morning instead of reading something I had planned to read!  😂 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55939799-wolf-girl It’s done and I enjoyed it even though the cover is so terrible.  The cover is why I initially looked at it because I was curious what a book with that cover could be about.  It has a slightly different legend to the typical werewolf/vampire paranormal that I found interesting.  Quick read.  The rest of the series is on Kindle Unlimited so I have added it to my list of what I plan to read whe I eventually subscribe for a month or two.  I would contemplate buying them but that would cost more than a month of unlimited and could probably be read in one day!

Edited May 15, 2022 by mumto2

[Kareni]

14 hours ago, Robin M said:

Do you enjoy reading books with an ensemble cast of characters? 

I think of S.K. Dunstall's Linesman series as being all about Ean; however, the chapters have different focal characters. Would you consider this then to have an ensemble cast?

Regards,

Kareni

[tuesdayschild]

Hi all!

I don’t always have time to post, but have been trying to keep up with reading these book sharing threads most weeks; and, to find out what I should be reading for the Crime spree challenge.

Here is a basic copy and paste post of the titles I’ve read during the last six or seven weeks.  Most of the books below are audiobooks and for the Crime spree  or  A-Z challenges.  I haven’t included late-night or repeat listens

• The Port of London Murders ~ Josephine Bell, narrated by John Telfer (4)
• A Sunlit Weapon: Maisie Dobbs Bk17 ~ Jacqueline Winspear, narrated by Julie Teal (4) 
• This Rough Magic ~ Mary Stewart, narrated by Helen Johns  (4)  for the audiobook
• Wildfire at Midnight  ~ Mary Stewart, narrated by Lucy Paterson (4 )
• The Man Who Didn't Fly (British Library Crime Classics #87) ~ Margot Bennett, narrated by Seán Barrett  (3)
• Susan Settles Down ~ Molly Clavering (3.5) (library loan)  Yay! I finished a physical book!  Extra: The church organist is a rapist on the make.
• Walking with Henry: Big Lessons from a Little Donkey on Faith, Friendship, and Finding Your Path ~ Rachel Anne Ridge, narrated by Xe Sands (3+ )  CC    I loved the donkey’s story, and, appreciated those portions and the last few chapters the most.
• Sherlock Holmes and the Three Winter Terrors ~ James Lovegrove, narrated by Dennis Kleinman  (3+ )
• Smoke Signal ~ Marie Benedict, and, Kate Quinn, narrated by Nicola Barber, and, Saskia Maarleveld  (2)
• Willy and Alvirah: Collection of #1 Bestselling Short Stories ~ Mary Higgins Clark, narrated by Carol Higgins Clark (3) Giving the whole collection 2* for quality writing, and 3* for enjoyable bubble-gum. These all playout like episodes from a B-grade TV series, in an audiobook format – no brainwork required: 

1. Death at the Cape (2-3),   
2. Plumbing for Willy (3+),  
3. The Body in the Closet (2)  
4. Stowaway   The lame, busted, romance ruined this story for me (2)  and  
5. Milk Run  (3)

• Patterns on the Wall ~ Elizabeth Yates, narrated by Abram Felsch (4) Y/A  CC 
• Murder in an Irish Cottage: Irish Village Bk5 ~ Carlene O'Connor, narrated by Caroline Lennon (3)

 

About to start listening or reading:

• Missing Pieces:  Kings Lake Investigation Bk4 ~ Peter Grainger, narrated by Gildart Jackson (9h)  A self-gifted reward  for achieving a rather epic, gnarly (!),  work task.
•  A Few Right Thinking Men: Rowland Sinclair Bk1 ~ Sulari Gentill  ( )  I’ve never been through  the first book in this series and will be counting it towards the historical mystery challenge

I’m also enjoying relistening to the BBC radio dramas of the Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries and am about to start the collection of mysteries in volume three.

[Robin M]

2 hours ago, Kareni said:

I think of S.K. Dunstall's Linesman series as being all about Ean; however, the chapters have different focal characters. Would you consider this then to have an ensemble cast?

Regards,

Kareni

Yes, I think I would. 

[Storygirl]

On 5/15/2022 at 9:28 AM, mumto2 said:

 

Lisa Gardner has a newish series featuring a character called Frankie Elkin.  Since I kept running in to the newly released second in the series and thinking it looked intriguing I decided to track down the first Before She Disappeared and try it. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55138263-before-she-disappeared I am fascinated by cold cases and this is what Frankie does.  She isn’t a dectective,  she is a rather broken down character who simply does her best to give family’s of the missing an answer.  This book was set in the Haitian community in Boston and it was really well done in terms of atmosphere.  It was really good!  I can’t wait to read the second

 

I'm a fan of Lisa Gardner, and I liked her newest one with Frankie. It does take some unexpected turns, which is part of the fun (if one can say that such books are fun LOL). I'll be interested to hear what you think once you've read it.

[Jenny in Florida]

Currently listening to The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters by Balli Kaur Jaswal. I'm mostly enjoying this one, although I get impatient occasionally with how apparently unobservant a couple of the characters must be. In the context of the novel, I suspect we're supposed to understand they are too self-absorbed to see anything happening to other people, but given the number of clues being dropped, I have found myself actually wondering out loud how stupid they have to be not to notice a pretty giant fact about their own sister.

This may not be entirely the fault of the book, though. I knew when I borrowed and downloaded it from the library that it wasn't really what I was in the mood for. It just happened to be the only thing from my TBR pile that was immediately available. I'm about two-thirds of the way through listening and already on the hunt for the next thing.

Also recently finished:

• Disorientation, Elaine Hsieh Chou (Weird trivia note: It was the second book in a row focusing on a Asian-American woman named Ingrid.) I enjoyed this one, although I felt like it lost its way a bit in the second half.
• The Partner Track, Helen Wan
• Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith, Jon Krakauer with Scott Brick 
• Bright Ruined Things, Samantha Cohoe
• I Was Better Last Night: A Memoir, Harvey Fierstein

(I'm going to stop mentioning Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown until I actually read another chunk. It makes me feel guilty to see it on my list every week.) 

[Kareni]

For my local book group, I read Homegoing: A novel by Yaa Gyasi. Overall, this was a sad book. It began in Africa and followed the descendants of two sisters, one of whom was enslaved and sent to America.

"Ghana, eighteenth century: two half sisters are born into different villages, each unaware of the other. One will marry an Englishman and lead a life of comfort in the palatial rooms of the Cape Coast Castle. The other will be captured in a raid on her village, imprisoned in the very same castle, and sold into slavery.

Homegoing follows the parallel paths of these sisters and their descendants through eight generations: from the Gold Coast to the plantations of Mississippi, from the American Civil War to Jazz Age Harlem. Yaa Gyasi’s extraordinary novel illuminates slavery’s troubled legacy both for those who were taken and those who stayed—and shows how the memory of captivity has been inscribed on the soul of our nation."

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

Currently FREE for US Kindle readers ~

Rose Gardner Mystery (9 book series) Denise Grover Swank.

LGBT: Inheritance of Shadows: A Paranormal Historical Gay Romance (Border Magic) by A. L. Lester

www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08T5JCZSJ?ref_=dbs_m_mng_wam_calw_tkin_0&storeType=ebooks

While I haven't read this, I have enjoyed a number of other works by this author.

 

ETA two more: 

Pathfinder's Way (The Broken Lands Book 1) T.A. White

Blind Date Collection: A Timeless Romance Anthology Book

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

I've recently finished two very different but enjoyable books.

I quite enjoyed the science fiction first contact story Damocles by S.G. Redling.

"When Earth is rocked by evidence that extraterrestrials may have seeded human DNA throughout the universe, a one-way expedition into deep space is mounted to uncover the truth. What linguist Meg Dupris and her crewmates aboard the Earth ship Damocles discover on Didet—a planet bathed in the near-eternal daylight of seven suns—is a humanoid race with a different language, a different look, and a surprisingly similar society.

But here, it’s the “Earthers” who are the extraterrestrial invaders, and it’s up to Meg—a woman haunted by tragedy and obsessed with the power of communication—to find the key to establishing trust between the natives and the newcomers. In Loul Pell, a young Dideto male thrust into the forefront of the historic event, Meg finds an unexpected kindred spirit, and undertakes an extraordinary journey of discovery, friendship, and life-altering knowledge.

Told from both sides of a monumental encounter, Damocles is a compelling novel about man’s first contact with an extraterrestrial race."

**

I also enjoyed the contemporary romance Charles: Learning to Love by Con Riley. This had a lot more depth than many romances I've read. (Adult content)

"Life should be a breeze for a playboy like Charles Heppel. As the third son of an earl, he lives for the moment, partying and playing. Settling down isn’t for him. Not when London is full of beautiful men who he hasn’t one-and-done yet.

To escape his family’s nagging, Charles applies for a temp job that matches his playful skill set. A role in a Cornish classroom could be his until the summer, if Charles meets two conditions: he must move in with the headmaster’s best friend, and teach him to be happy.

Living with Hugo should be awkward. Charles is a free spirit, but Hugo’s a man of faith, with morals. A man who almost took holy orders before disaster changed his direction. Only far from being a chore, Charles finds that making Hugo happy soon becomes his passion.

Together, they share physical and emotional first times. Ones that change Charles, touching his soul. He wants Hugo for longer than they have left, but learning to love with his heart, not just his body, will take a leap of faith from Charles — in himself as well as Hugo."

Regards,

Kareni

[mumto2]

• Absolutely no idea if these are any good but the Brooke Walton 3book set is free today on Kindle,  normally a Kindle unlimited item.  If you read one first please let me know!

  Book 1 – EVERETT

  Perfection has a dark side at Everett College. Beautiful and brilliant Brooke, a transfer student with a mysterious past, aims to graduate first in her class and attend medical school. Only Jessica, a wealthy socialite, senses there’s something not quite right about the perfect student. What happens during a historic blizzard will settle their differences once and for all.

  Book 2 – ROTHAKER

  It takes the perfect student to commit the perfect crime. Brooke Walton is a thriving medical student at Rothaker University, until she has a serious conflict with Rachael, a rival classmate. When Rachael mysteriously disappears, detectives descend on campus and the hunt for the truth begins.

  Book 3 – THE INTERN

  Two young American tourists are brutally murdered in Cancun. A private investigator in Connecticut is desperate to uncover the truth about a missing coed. At the heart of both matters is Brooke Walton, a young medical student. When her summer internship in a Medical Examiner’s Office exposes a disturbing mystery and her ruthless brilliance, authorities take a closer look. Can Brooke save her own beautiful skin with someone watching her every move? Will one more murder solve her urgent problems, or dig her an even deeper grave?

   

  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42407483-brooke-walton-series-1-3?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=TztPgCfL39&rank=4

•  

 

[Phineas Turner]

I'm reading The Sound and the Fury - the magnum opus of the American writer William Faulkner. It is quite difficult to perceive the text. In the novel, the author uses the principle of "double vision" to reveal the same problem and the flow of consciousness. At https://assignmentbro.com/us/history-homework-help I read some interesting articles about history, the historical period and the context described in the book.

Edited May 26, 2022 by Phineas Turner

[Kareni]

Currently free for US Kindle readers ~

 

The Emperor's Conspiracy (Regency London) by Michelle Diener

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B09XH59XJ5?storeType=ebooks

(I've enjoyed the author's science fiction romances. This is a historical romance.)

Cloudy with a Chance of Witchcraft: A Paranormal Women's Fiction by Mandy M. Roth

ETA: 

Catching the Wind by Melanie Dobson

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01MFH6WB4/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

Last night I finished This Quest is Bullshit! by J. P. Valentine. This is the second litRPG book I've read recently; while it was a pleasant read, I don't think this genre really speaks to me.

"Life Quest assigned: Head to the next town over and pick up a loaf of bread.

At first glance, the absurd life quest seemed almost fitting for a Level 1 Messenger Girl, but Evelia Greene could hardly hide her disappointment. She'd never count herself among the number of brave adventurers defending Leshk from terrifying monsters. She'd never explore lost ruins and uncover ancient magics. She'd never earn a speeding ticket for running at superhuman speeds in a human-speeds zone.

Okay, maybe that last one wasn't quite as disappointing.

But when bakers go on strike, goblins attack, and bakeries spontaneously combust as Eve enters town, bit by bit this bullshit quest might just earn its Legendary difficulty and the sweet, sweet exp that comes with it. Things just might get a bit silly along the way."

Regards,

Kareni

[Storygirl]

I've read a bunch of things on audio this week that I can scratch off my 100 best books poster.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. DS18 just finished this for his English class, and now I can help him prepare for his final paper, if needed. He has reading comprehension disability, so English class is hard for him. Holden Caulfield is definitely a unique and interesting character!

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. This was a short one, a little over an hour. I'm sure I've read it before, but I didn't remember the details. The details ground this story in realism, but it really is a fantastical tale that Santiago would be pulled out to sea by a giant fish, survive for days, and then.... well, I won't spoil it, for anyone who wants to dive in and find out what happens. Hemingway is not really my favorite, but it's an easy read.

A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking. NOT an easy read!!! At least it was "brief." I admit that I zoned out while listening to this one and put it on a fast speed, so that it would go by at a good clip. I did not absorb much and didn't expect to, not being a scientifically minded person.

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin. Kudos to anyone who has read this whole series, because just this one book was over 35 hours on audio (though I listened at 2x speed). I loved fantasy when I was younger, but I didn't love this one. I think there were very few characters that I identified with or was rooting for. I'm glad that I read it, but I'm happy to move on and not read more in the series.

[Storygirl]

I also finished one hardcover that I had started last week, and zipped through a second, because both were due at the library and couldn't be renewed. Both are new releases.

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley. This is my first book by her. She is super popular, and I wanted to see what the draw is. There are multiple POV in this story, all from people who have secrets to hide. The unraveling of the secrets did create suspense, but in an artificial way that kind of annoyed me. When the main character arrives at her brother's apartment for a visit, she finds him missing, with signs of foul play, and the other residents of his apartment building are reluctant to help her and behave suspiciously. There is a seedy undertone to this thriller. I can and do read gritty books, but I need to be able to root for someone in the story.

I'll Be You by Janelle Brown. I loved this one! The first one I've read by Brown. This is also a story with characters who have either secrets to hide or an ugly backstory, but in this case, I rooted for the main character, even when she made some poor choices. The writing was a higher quality than Lucy Foley's, for sure. When Elli goes to a weekend retreat and doesn't return, her estranged identical twin Sam gets drawn into figuring out what has happened. Their backstory as child actors adds a lot of substance to the story.

[Lady Florida.]

I finished two books since my last post -

Convenience Story Woman  This was an interesting little book. I did some reading up on the author and the story makes much more sense now. It's not that it didn't make sense before but with context it's better.

Revelation - Matthew Shardlake #4 by CJ Sansom. I'm going to try and hold off on reading the next one because there are only 3 more and I doubt there will be any after the last one - the author is seriously ill.

Currently reading-

Hue and Cry, Shirley McKay - This was recommended by @Laura Corin during historical mysteries week. I can understand the comparison to the Matthew Shardlake books and am enjoying it.

Black Diamond - A Bruno Chief of Police book. I started this one a while back and for some reason couldn't get into it. When I went back to it I started enjoying it more. 

I haven't finished Carl Hiaasen's Bad Monkey and hope to get to it again soon. 

Looking for a narrative style nonfiction that will hold my interest but haven't found one, not for lack of trying.

7 minutes ago, Storygirl said:

 

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin. Kudos to anyone who has read this whole series, because just this one book was over 35 hours on audio (though I listened at 2x speed). I loved fantasy when I was younger, but I didn't love this one. I think there were very few characters that I identified with or was rooting for. I'm glad that I read it, but I'm happy to move on and not read more in the series.

I watched and enjoyed the tv series but couldn't get into the books. I did read the first one but when I tried to read the next one I just couldn't. Dh read the entire series. Well, Martin hasn't actually finished the series but Bill read all of the ones published so far.

[mumto2]

10 hours ago, Lady Florida. said:

Revelation - Matthew Shardlake #4 by CJ Sansom. I'm going to try and hold off on reading the next one because there are only 3 more and I doubt there will be any after the last one - the author is seriously ill.

Oh No!  I had no idea the series might be over.  I hope he recovers and is able to continue through Elizabeth 1’s reign.

[Robin M]

Week 21 is live