Book a Week 2022 - BW26: Half time randomness

[Robin M]

 

Happy Sunday!  We're half way through the year and Summertime has arrived in our neck of the world, and  Wintertime for those on the other side of the world.  And I've got nothing. Well, not really. I've got a song crashing through my mind, an unfortunate earworm that I can't identify which will drive me loopy until I figure it out.  In the meantime, let's dip into a bit of half time randomness. 

Once a year I watch Chimamanda Ngozi Adichi's The Danger of a Single Story and get something different out of it every time. I love her books. 

I just finished reading The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections by Eva Jurczyk so the Ted Talk about The World's Most Mysterious Book fascinated me. 

And while wondering through Ideas.Ted.Com came across 70 books to make you feel hopeful: A special reading list.  You're welcome! 

While falling down some rabbit hole about 25 Beautiful Literary Maps, it lead me to  Kenocartographobia. No, I didn't know what it was either. The fear of Maps. And wouldn't you know it, Goodreads has a list. 

I just discovered the newest book by A.J. Jacobs, The Puzzler, which I of course, had to get instantly.  If you haven't read any of his books, start with The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible) and also check out Jacob's favorite recent reads.

And given that our letter of the week is Z, check out books by authors whose last names start with Z.  My choice is of course, Carlos Ruiz Zafon.

~Cheers~

 

 

Link to Book Week 25

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

 

Edited June 26, 2022 by Robin M

[Robin M]

I finished The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections which was interesting and full of an odd collections of characters, but I really didn’t like the lead character until she managed to redeem herself in the end.

I’m in the midst of several books. Don’t know why I do that to myself. Brandon Sanderson’s 3^rd book in the Stormlight Archive Oathbringer as well as rereading Carlos Ruiz Zafon’s first book in Cemetery of Forgotten books with Shadow of the Wind. Puzzler’s also on the virtual nightstand and I’ll be getting back into Middlemarch soon.

And no I haven’t figured out the name of the song yet!

[mumto2]

@Robin MOnce again Thank you for starting our thread!  How are you doing?

As you all know I really enjoy doing the spelling alphabet type challenges with my reading because they force variety into my reading.  Z can be a hard letter with nothing easy to fall back on for me.  I recently read a book by Rebecca Zanetti (You Can Run) in the romantic suspense genre and loved it! She has a lot of books and is compared to Laura Griffin who is a personal favorite. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57937502-you-can-run

I have started the journey back through the alphabet and finished another Inspector Chen late last night.  So my author is Xiaolong and X is done! The Enigma of China which was sort of a great visit with an old character friend but likely not the place to start this series.      https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17167255-enigma-of-china

[mumto2]

This week I listened to the first in a new to me mystery series called Sister Eve, Private Eye https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21556065-sister-eve-private-eye?ref=bk_bet_out which I really enjoyed.  Sister Eve returns home to care for her crusty PI dad who needs nursing care while recovering from having his foot amputated.  She starts working on his current case and loves it.  She was already conflicted about her calling.........the next is on hold.

I also revisited a series I started reading a couple of years ago because of one of Robin’s challenges, Harry Kemelman’s Rabbi Small.  I’ll be honest and say I did love Saturday the Rabbi went Hungry as much as the first installment because the congregation irritated me but at some point I will pull out the third in the series and continue reading.  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16078785-saturday-the-rabbi-went-hungry

Finally, I found a new cozy police detective series set in the Cotswolds.  I listened to the first and am looking forward to the rest.  Mud, Muck, and Dead Things is the first in the series https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6305077-mud-muck-and-dead-things From GR.....Lucas Burton hates the countryside. To him it's nothing but mud, muck and dead things. And he's right. When he turns up at a deserted farm in the middle of nowhere hoping to conduct a business deal he stumbles across the body of a girl. And that's just the start of his bad luck: Penny Gower from the local stables has spotted his silver Mercedes leaving the scene of the crime. Suddenly, for Lucas, things are looking very bleak indeed...

Inspector Jess Campbell is on the case, but with few leads and a new superintendent, Ian Carter, breathing down her neck, she's beginning to feel the pressure. Then another dead body is found...

[Mothersweets]

Hi everyone! I just got back from a visit with my sister and her family in Montana.  Coming from AZ and 100+ temps, to MT and lots of rain (and even a little snow!) was delightful! I didn't get much reading done.

I gave up on the book I brought with me, HHhH by Laurent Binet, as I just couldn't get into the story because of his writing style. He meandered along and went back and forth in time and made things up, then told you he made them up and I was too annoyed to continue. From GR - HHhH: "Himmlers Hirn heisst Heydrich", or "Himmler's brain is called Heydrich". The most dangerous man in Hitler's cabinet, Reinhard Heydrich was known as the "Butcher of Prague." He was feared by all and loathed by most. With his cold Aryan features and implacable cruelty, Heydrich seemed indestructible―until two men, a Slovak and a Czech recruited by the British secret service, killed him in broad daylight on a bustling street in Prague, and thus changed the course of History.

Sounds like a terrific read, right? Wrong. 🤨

-A seemingly effortlessly blend of historical truth, personal memory, and Laurent Binet's remarkable imagination, HHhH―an international bestseller and winner of the prestigious Prix Goncourt du Premier Roman―is a work at once thrilling and intellectually engrossing, a fast-paced novel of the Second World War that is also a profound meditation on the nature of writing and the debt we owe to history.

I wasn't familiar with this story from WWII and even had to check and make sure it was true. It sounds fascinating so I'll be looking for more info on it. I have several books ready to go from the library so between those and hopefully finding one on Heydrich I'm sure to have plenty of good reading time.

Thank you for the thread, Robin, and hope everyone has a good week.

[Negin]

Thank you for the thread Robin. I hope that you're doing better. 

I just started "The Palace Papers" - so far, so good, but at over 800 pages, I imagine that it will be a while before I'm finished. As tends to be the case these days, my reading has been slow.

[Kareni]

What wonderful links, @Robin M! Thank you for them and this weekly thread.

How are you feeling now? Better, I hope.

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

A bookish post ~

Author Ilona Andrews has a very popular blog. Recently a post asked for recommendations from the blog readers; there are suggestions for adults (primarily) and also for young adults and children. Be prepared to spend some time as there are over a thousand comments. I ended up downloading about thirty book samples after making my way through the post!

The Book Recommendation Thread 

Regards,

Kareni

[Ottakee]

These are ones I just finished.

A walk in the Woods was pretty good..3.5.  I enjoyed it more now that I have started backpacking and Hiked a few sections he mentioned in the book.

Doctors and Friends was a 5 for me.   A few details are not realistic but it is amazing how this book, written before COVID, fits the challenges of navigating a pandemic.

Essentialism…4 for me.   Lots of good thoughts of focusing on what is important.   As a Christian I would ice liked to see a bit more focus on serving, etc but still book is helpful.

Penguins Saved Veronica…another 4.  Starts slow but gets better.  Makes you consider why people do what they do….and often it is more complex than it appears on the surface 

[mumto2]

4 hours ago, Kareni said:

A bookish post ~

Author Ilona Andrews has a very popular blog. Recently a post asked for recommendations from the blog readers; there are suggestions for adults (primarily) and also for young adults and children. Be prepared to spend some time as there are over a thousand comments. I ended up downloading about thirty book samples after making my way through the post!

The Book Recommendation Thread 

Regards,

Kareni

I just ended up checking out and putting hold’s on a few.  The scope was pretty broad and Miss Fortune kept getting mentioned!  I need to figure out where I am in that series because I now really want to read one!lol

[Robin M]

I'm feeling much better.  I didn't have to sit with the heating pad today which is good and I'm finally able to sit comfortably while on the computer which is a big plus.  

10 hours ago, mumto2 said:

As you all know I really enjoy doing the spelling alphabet type challenges with my reading because they force variety into my reading.  Z can be a hard letter with nothing easy to fall back on for me.  I recently read a book by Rebecca Zanetti (You Can Run) in the romantic suspense genre and loved it! She has a lot of books and is compared to Laura Griffin who is a personal favorite. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57937502-you-can-run

I have started the journey back through the alphabet and finished another Inspector Chen late last night.  So my author is Xiaolong and X is done! The Enigma of China which was sort of a great visit with an old character friend but likely not the place to start this series.      https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17167255-enigma-of-china

I've got my Z's all lined up and went back through the Inspector Chen series, realized I haven't read Don't Cry or Hold Your Breath, so will be reading one or the other or both. I like Laura Griffin and Rebecca Zanetti sounds good. I just downloaded the Kindle unlimited Hidden from her deep ops series. 

 

 

[Robin M]

8 hours ago, Mothersweets said:

Hi everyone! I just got back from a visit with my sister and her family in Montana.  Coming from AZ and 100+ temps, to MT and lots of rain (and even a little snow!) was delightful! I didn't get much reading done.

Welcome back. Glad you have fun! 

[tuesdayschild]

Thanks for another great thread @Robin M and all the effort you put into to getting these up each week;  and seeing the note about the letter ‘z’ for this week …..  I’m with @mumto2 and also enjoy the a-z challenge though I’m doing just one run through of the alphabet for my a-z challenge and have  letter n, o, q, t, v, x to read through. 

I do enjoy seeing what you’re each reading or commenting on, or link sharing, during my dash through reads on these threads.

I’m still in the throes of re-listening to a few crime spree / religious character mysteries, and enjoying them and here are the books I’ve completed since my last check-in , and towards the Crime Spree challenge   :

• Historical mystery: A Few Right Thinking Men: Rowland Sinclair by Sulari Gentill  (3 )  I have read all the other books in the series, so I came back to the first book knowing how many of the things introduced in this story would pan out.   I knew this mystery series could get brutal and gritty, and that Edna was emotionally damaged and slept around  (I’m  removing the spoiler I inserted over at Goodreads) and that the series was set in amongst the political unrest in Australia, and global uprisings, as the world headed towards WWII so none of that was new.  I didn't know in detail what had transpired with Eric Campbell and Rowly,  or the complete details surrounding Rowly's uncle murder,  nor how Edna had actually come to accidently shoot Rowly: I do now.   Even though this is the first in the series, it's not a favourite and I'm not sure I would have kept reading if I'd started here.
• Golden era mystery:  The Crime at Black Dudley: Albert Campion Mystery Bk1 ~ Margery Allingham,  narrated by David Thorpe (3) Relisten.  I think I must have learned to navigate Allingham’s zany handling of Albert Campion mysteries, as this listen through the book earnt itself an extra star:  I liked this mystery more this time and didn't mind the narrator so much.
• Religious Characters:  A Third Class Murder: A Cozy 1930s Mystery Set in an English Village ~ Hugh Morrison, narrated by Charles Johnston  (3)   This didn’t read like a cozy mystery, for me it felt more like a golden era styled whodunit.  Unlike the female writers who lived and wrote in the golden era, and I really enjoy, in this book the author has injected a heavy dose of objectifying of females with attitudes, actions, and comments men in the story make.  The Reverend Lucian Shaw is one of the few decent blokes, and solves the mystery.
• Religious Characters:  Wicked Autumn: Max Tudor Bk1 ~ G. M. Malliet, narrated by Michael Page (2 )  The perpetrator of the crime was too convenient, and had a trope I don’t appreciate  (can’t say more here as it’s a huge spoiler.)   This is my second attempt at going through this book. I did end up liking the back story about Max and his MI5 past.  I don't think I'll continue with the series as I loathe stories with F.bombs injected to make the book seem grown-up.

Edited June 27, 2022 by tuesdayschild

[tuesdayschild]

Putting these in a separate post to trim the length of the first one a bit.

Other books completed:

• Miss Buncle’s Book: Miss Buncle Bk1 ~ D.E. Stevenson, narrated by Patricia Gallimore   (5 ) repeat late-night listen.  This made for a good palate cleanse after choosing to abandon a few books.  
• Cromwell vs the Crown: God’s Revolution: A BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Historical Drama ~ Don Taylor, full cast, Bernard Hepton,  Nigel Anthony, Christian Rodska, Graham Blockley (4)  This BBC audio drama was well done, and I enjoyed the overall experience.  Where it lost points for me:  Jack and Francis' voices were a little hard to distinguish between in places - if they weren't there together in the same scene; and, some of the story felt a little anachronistic, portions of the story concerning Penelope White, and, her father. 
• Never Surrender: Winston Churchill and Britain's Decision to Fight Nazi Germany in the Fateful Summer of 1940 ~ John Kelly, narrated by Gordon Greenhill  (4)   The blurb is exactly what this book is about – told in an engaging and interesting style. Excellent narration.

Edited June 27, 2022 by tuesdayschild
add link

[mumto2]

13 hours ago, Robin M said:

I'm feeling much better.  I didn't have to sit with the heating pad today which is good and I'm finally able to sit comfortably while on the computer which is a big plus.  

I've got my Z's all lined up and went back through the Inspector Chen series, realized I haven't read Don't Cry or Hold Your Breath, so will be reading one or the other or both. I like Laura Griffin and Rebecca Zanetti sounds good. I just downloaded the Kindle unlimited Hidden from her deep ops series. 

 

 

Glad you don’t have to sit on your heating pad anymore!

Looking forward to hearing what you think of the Deep Ops series.  I think I am going to wait for the next book to be released in my Laurel Snow series before branching out.  I have recently started Allison Brennon’s Lucy Kincaid series....I read the prequel and have book one ready to go.

fwiw I really liked Don’t Cry, it was one of the better stories in the series imo.  I haven’t read Hold Your Breath yet.

[mumto2]

@tuesdayschildI am waving!  I love it when you pop in.

I think I may have permanently stalled in reading the Rowland Sinclair mysteries.  I had set them aside because I was finding them hard reads in terms of violence.  I picked the next one in my reading order last month and read 40 or 50 pages and decided to set it down again.  It’s funny because I am not necessarily violence adverse in my reading but this series really bothers me.  The historical knowledge packed into this series is so fascinating that I feel like I should try again!

DE Stevenson is an author I still want to read a new book or two from this year.  I think my library has Miss Buncle in overdrive so I will try that one, so thank you for helping me make that decision.

Black Dudley is a book of repeat failures for me.  I probably should try again as I enjoy the tv series!😂

[Laurel-in-CA]

I was the surgery driver this week -- dd#3 had knee repair surgery and dh had a dental implant....and dd can't drive for a month and can't work for 6 weeks (lifeguard/swim teacher is her summer job). She's going to go stir crazy! Anyway, plenty of waiting around to read.

I just started State of Terror by Louise Penny (of Gamache fame) and Hilary Clinton. So far it's a crisis stuck onto the obama years (or what she's dreamed the Biden years will be) with frequent shots at Trump's administration (names all changed, of course). Also how hard the lot of a female Secretary of State is, getting respect from all those men. At least, that's the way it reads to me. Despite loving Louise Penny, I am not sure how far I will get into this one as it seems rather self-serving of Hilary at this point. Maybe it will improve?

Also read The Coldest Case by Martin Walker, the last of the Bruno novels my local library has on overdrive. I have enjoyed every one of the Bruno stories, the food and the friendships and the meticulous way Bruno draws on his local knowledge to put the pieces of an investigation together. I wish he would get over Isabel and find somebody to share his real life. Makes me want to visit Dordogne...well, maybe. I'm not that much of a brave traveller.

And I read A Note Through the Wire, based on a real story of a Kiwi POW in WWII and a girl in the Slovenian resistance. You know their relationship works out from the beginning because the story is written from letters and journals and stories by their son-in-law. Sort of spoiled the suspense for me and it wasn't that engaging to me because it stuck mostly to events rather than feelings. Kate Mosse's Citadel was much more engaging...but it was written as historical fiction not an actual retelling.

Ah, well, time to pack my go-bag for the summer....I'll probably not unpack it until November so I have to choose carefully.

BTW, another vote for How the Penguins Saved Veronica! Read it with my book club and I too didn't care for it at first but the relationships really grew on me as we saw deeper into the characters.

And a PS - State of Terror got better.

[Jenny in Florida]

21 hours ago, Ottakee said:

A walk in the Woods was pretty good..3.5.  I enjoyed it more now that I have started backpacking and Hiked a few sections he mentioned in the book.

I enjoyed A Walk in the Woods a year or so ago, too. 

I went on kind of a kick for a while for books about hiking. Others I enjoyed were:

• Thirst: 2600 Miles to Home, Heather Anish Anderson
• How the WILD EFFECT Turned Me into a Hiker at 69: An Appalachian Trail Adventure, Jane Congdon
• Wild, Cheryl Strayed

[Jenny in Florida]

So, I once again missed posting last week. I have also slowed down my "reading" (mostly audio these days) significantly in the last couple of weeks. 

When we were in the process of adopting the new feline addition, we considered Henwen as a name, which prompted me to feel like re-reading The Book of Three (Lloyd Alexander). As it turned out, the cat surprised us by being male, so we went with a different name. However, by that point I was already looking forward to revisiting Prydain. 

That happened to dovetail nicely with my reading of The Heroine's Journey: For Writers, Readers, and Fans of Pop Culture, by Gail Carriger. I spent much of my listening time having a side conversation with my own brain about whether Taran's adventure follows the hero or the heroine model. (For the sake of clarity: Carriger makes it abundantly clear that neither of these patterns is or should be "gendered." It's just convenient terminology since Joseph Campbell and others staked out the concept of the "hero's journey" many years hence.) 

I finished The Book of Three yesterday and downloaded A Well-Behaved Woman: A Novel of the Vanderbilts, by Therese Anne Fowler, to start next.

Also recently finished:

• Counterfeit (Kristin Chen) - The author attempted a twist in the last third or so of the book that I didn't feel like redeemed the novel. It was, over all, fine. 
• The Scandalous Lady W., Hallie Rubenhold
• The Personal Librarian, Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
• Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea, Barbara Demick 
• The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters, Balli Kaur Jaswal 

[Kareni]

This afternoon I finished Qualify (The Atlantis Grail Book 1) by Vera Nazarian; I think this was one of the recommendations from the Ilona Andrews post I mentioned above. Note: this is FREE for US Kindle readers. It seems to be categorized as young adult, but be aware that it has quite some deaths. It has some similarities to the Hunger Games series. I enjoyed it and might read on as I'm curious where the story will go.

"You have two options. You die, or you Qualify.

The year is 2047. An extinction-level asteroid is hurtling toward Earth, and the descendants of ancient Atlantis have returned from the stars in their silver ships to offer humanity help.

But there’s a catch.

They can only take a tiny percent of the Earth’s population back to the colony planet Atlantis. And in order to be chosen, you must be a teen, you must be bright, talented, and athletic, and you must Qualify.

Sixteen-year-old Gwenevere Lark is determined not only to Qualify but to rescue her entire family.

Because there’s a loophole.

If you are good enough to Qualify, you are eligible to compete in the brutal games of the Atlantis Grail, which grants all winners the laurels, high tech luxuries, and full privileges of Atlantis Citizenship. And if you are in the Top Ten, then all your wildest wishes are granted… Such as curing your mother’s cancer.

There is only one problem.

Gwen Lark is known as a klutz and a nerd. While she’s a hotshot in classics, history, science, and languages, the closest she’s come to sports is a backyard pool and a skateboard.

This time she is in over her head, and in for a fight of her life, against impossible odds and world-class competition—including Logan Sangre, the most amazing guy in her school, the one she’s been crushing on, and who doesn’t seem to know she exists.

Because every other teen on Earth has the same idea.

You Qualify or you die."

Regards,

Kareni

[mumto2]

36 minutes ago, Kareni said:

This afternoon I finished Qualify (The Atlantis Grail Book 1) by Vera Nazarian; I think this was one of the recommendations from the Ilona Andrews post I mentioned above. Note: this is FREE for US Kindle readers. It seems to be categorized as young adult, but be aware that it has quite some deaths. It has some similarities to the Hunger Games series. I enjoyed it and might read on as I'm curious where the story will go.

"You have two options. You die, or you Qualify.

The year is 2047. An extinction-level asteroid is hurtling toward Earth, and the descendants of ancient Atlantis have returned from the stars in their silver ships to offer humanity help.

But there’s a catch.

They can only take a tiny percent of the Earth’s population back to the colony planet Atlantis. And in order to be chosen, you must be a teen, you must be bright, talented, and athletic, and you must Qualify.

Sixteen-year-old Gwenevere Lark is determined not only to Qualify but to rescue her entire family.

Because there’s a loophole.

If you are good enough to Qualify, you are eligible to compete in the brutal games of the Atlantis Grail, which grants all winners the laurels, high tech luxuries, and full privileges of Atlantis Citizenship. And if you are in the Top Ten, then all your wildest wishes are granted… Such as curing your mother’s cancer.

There is only one problem.

Gwen Lark is known as a klutz and a nerd. While she’s a hotshot in classics, history, science, and languages, the closest she’s come to sports is a backyard pool and a skateboard.

This time she is in over her head, and in for a fight of her life, against impossible odds and world-class competition—including Logan Sangre, the most amazing guy in her school, the one she’s been crushing on, and who doesn’t seem to know she exists.

Because every other teen on Earth has the same idea.

You Qualify or you die."

Regards,

Kareni

That is one of the ones I downloaded.  Glad to hear you enjoyed it!

[Robin M]

On 6/26/2022 at 12:15 PM, Kareni said:

A bookish post ~

Author Ilona Andrews has a very popular blog. Recently a post asked for recommendations from the blog readers; there are suggestions for adults (primarily) and also for young adults and children. Be prepared to spend some time as there are over a thousand comments. I ended up downloading about thirty book samples after making my way through the post!

The Book Recommendation Thread 

Regards,

Kareni

I'm about halfway through the comments and have added some new to me authors to my wishlist and kindle unlimited. Thanks! 

[Storygirl]

I've had audiobook holds piling up, so I've been doing a lot of listening this week.

The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny on audio, Inspector Gamache series #3. While investigating the most recent murder in Three Pines, Gamache also must deal with personal persecution from within his department, from superiors who resent a decision that he made years ago, when Gamache followed his conscience instead of orders.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey on audio. I read this one for my scratch-off 100 best books poster. I don't think I've ever seen the movie, but based on my opinion of the movie, I expected the book to be grittier than it was. Until the ending, which was intense. But it was more readable (for me) than I expected.

The Unheard by Nicci French, on audio. Standard average thriller that was entertaining but not particularly memorable. Tess's young daughter draws a picture that makes her think her daughter has witnessed a crime, but the police won't believe her, so Tess starts digging into the situation on her own and unearths secrets about people that she had thought she could trust.

A Visit from the Good Squad by Jennifer Egan, on audio. I've heard of this book before and decided to read it, since Egan's newest is getting some buzz currently. I like this kind of structure, where stories about various people -- including some flashbacks to younger years -- turn out to be interconnected, so I admired the storytelling. But they weren't really the kind of characters that I relate to. I'll still probably give her new one a try.

 

 

 

[Storygirl]

Some more:

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, on audio. I read this classic for my 100 best books scratch-off poster and was surprised how much I loved it. Much more than Of Mice and Men, which I also read this year. I may have read GoW previously, in my past life as an English major, but if so, I forgot much of it.

The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams, on audio. I normally don't read romance, but I thought this one, from the guy's point of view, could be fun. And it was, though a little too spicy in the bedroom for me; I just fast forwarded through those sections. When Gavin's marriage is in jeopardy, his guy friends invite him to join their book club, where they read romance novels to learn better ways to court their loved ones.

Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow, on audio. This clever fantasy was an unexpected delight, even though I added it to my list after hearing the Currently Reading podcast rave about how great it is. January discovers that there are doors in the world that lead to other worlds -- which leads her on a journey of family- and self-discovery. And into danger.

 

[Storygirl]

I also finished my Crime Reads with a religious character by reading A Morbid Taste of Bones by Ellis Peters, the first in the Brother Cadfael series. This series has been on my radar for a long time, but I hadn't read it, because my library doesn't own the first one. And I always start a series with the first book. But the Crime Spree challenge was the perfect time to put it on order, and I listened to it on audio. I did enjoy the writing and storytelling, but I wasn't captured by the characters, so I don't know if I'll read further in the series. I may, if it strikes my mood.

And the book that I've been reading in print this week is an interesting one:

The Appeal by Janice Hallett. This unusual mystery is told completely through emails, texts, and other correspondence, as two young lawyers sort through documents to help figure out what happened in a murder case. Very interesting to see it unfold, though the structure makes the reading experience choppy. Every paragraph or two, I had to reorient myself to a new "speaker" and pay attention to small details, because things that seem minor and tangential may end up being important. This is a book that would be fun to discuss in a book club and would also be fun to reread, knowing how it turned out at the end. The main action concerns the interactions of an amateur theater troop, as they organize and respond to a fundraising appeal for the director's ill granddaughter.

[Laurel-in-CA]

I should add that State of Terror got better once the crisis hit. That was a LOT of balls to keep in the air! 

[bookbard]

Just reread 1984. Wow. Definitely one of those books that changes as you get older (I remember thinking how disgustingly old Winston was . . . he's 39). Just details like a description of refugees in boats on the Mediterranean . . . the changing between allies and enemies . . . so many things relevant to what's happening right now. Although I kept thinking he hadn't factored worldwide pandemic into it, and that it would be very odd for women to be allowed to stay home with the kids rather than going out to work asap.

Thanks for the recommendation of Lessons in Chemistry, which was an entertaining read. I also picked up a few books from Ilona Andrew's blog post, thanks for the heads up Kareni. I was surprised at the sheer number of books that I already knew about, however!

 

[Kareni]

12 hours ago, bookbard said:

I was surprised at the sheer number of books that I already knew about, however!

I can identify!

Glad to hear that you enjoyed Lessons in Chemistry!

Regards,

Kareni

[Robin M]

Continuing to peruse the Ilona Andrews recommendation list and adding more to my virtual tbr pile.  Good news is that most of the books are available on Kindle Unlimited.  Including the Murderbot series (except for the last book) which makes me quite happy since I wasn't willing to pay $11 for 150 pages.  Now I can read the rest of the books.   

Also added a dark fantasy, Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson, an african/sci fi trilogy Binti by Nnedi Okorafor, and volume one of a fantasy web novel The Wandering Inn.

 

I watched The Giver, based on Lois Lowry's book the other night on Netflix which was excellent. Highly recommend!

[Robin M]

16 hours ago, bookbard said:

Just reread 1984. Wow. Definitely one of those books that changes as you get older

Yes it does.  I read 1984 as well as Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes and got so much more out of the stories from when was younger.  Interesting dinner conversations and how it related to the present. 

[Kareni]

1 hour ago, Robin M said:

Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson

I read this in April. At the time I said, "It actually reminds me a bit of Lois McMaster Bujold's Penric and Desdemona series. If a sequel to this book appears, I would happily read it; however, I don't think I'll likely reread this book. This book does have violence, but I think it is a fine choice for teens and adults."

Regards,

Kareni 

[Kareni]

I'm participating in the adult summer reading program that my library is hosting. One of the challenges is to read a book from 2011.

I happily reread Stray (Touchstone Book 1) by Andrea K. Höst which is FREE for Kindle readers.

"On her last day of high school, Cassandra Devlin walked out of exams and into a forest. Surrounded by the wrong sort of trees, and animals never featured in any nature documentary, Cass is only sure of one thing: alone, she will be lucky to survive.

The sprawl of abandoned blockish buildings Cass discovers offers her only more puzzles. Where are the people? What is the intoxicating mist which drifts off the buildings in the moonlight? And why does she feel like she's being watched?

Increasingly unnerved, Cass is overjoyed at the arrival of the formidable Setari. Whisked to a world as technologically advanced as the first was primitive, where nanotech computers are grown inside people's skulls, and few have any interest in venturing outside the enormous whitestone cities, Cass finds herself processed as a 'stray', a refugee displaced by the gates torn between worlds. Struggling with an unfamiliar language and culture, she must adapt to virtual classrooms, friends who can teleport, and the ingrained attitude that strays are backward and slow.

Can Cass ever find her way home? And after the people of her new world discover her unexpected value, will they be willing to let her leave?"

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

Currently FREE for US Kindle readers ~

Beach Reads Box Set : Volume 2

This collection of ten romances contains one of my favorite new adult romances ~ THE YEAR WE FELL DOWN by Sarina Bowen

Contents:

BEARD IN HIDING by Penny Reid
MR. MAYFAIR by Louise Bay
DEAR SEXY EX-BOYFRIEND by Lauren Blakely
THE YEAR WE FELL DOWN by Sarina Bowen
BIG BEN by Nana Malone
BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN PIECES by Catherine Cowles
RETURN TO US by Corinne Michaels
TATTERED by Devney Perry
REPEAT by Kylie Scott
SECURING PIPER by Susan Stoker

Regards,

Kareni

[Storygirl]

I'm popping in to add some more things I've completed, before preparations for the busy holiday weekend steal my computer time. The good thing is that I can listen to stories while I clean and cook.

The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera won the Newbery and the Pura Belpre Awards this year. When a group of scientists/others and their children enter spaceships to escape Earth before its destruction, Petra enters a centuries-long sedation and wakes up to find that things did not go as planned on the journey to their new planet. Petra's Latinx heritage plays a large role, as do her dual skills as a scientist and a storyteller. I don't want to spoil it by giving away more of the plot, but the story explores many themes related to family and community.

That was my book in print. Also a couple of things I enjoyed on audio:

As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes. If you are interested in this book, you must listen to the audio version, as Rob Reiner and many of the film's actors contribute their thoughts in their own voices. Fun!

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson. This new release/ debut novel is an excellent read; even though some of the events stretch believability a bit, I didn't care! After her death, Eleanor's two adult children are left a recording on which their mother explains complex family secrets. The black cake of the title is a family recipe of a Caribbean rum fruitcake, which is featured at several turning points of the story. Wilkerson does an expert job mixing together this complex tale.

[Storygirl]

I also finished three additional audiobooks:

The Escape Artist by Brad Meltzer is a fun thriller. I find his books to be uneven (some I like more than others), and I liked this one. There is a sequel that I will put on my TBR list. When the mortician at Dover Airforce Base works on the body of a female soldier and discovers that the identity of the person who died is wrong, he sets out to discover what happened and finds himself enmeshed in some government secrets. Along the way, he pairs up with Nola, the soldier who didn't die. The novel not only follows the current mystery but also delves into the pasts of the two characters, who knew each other briefly when Nola was a child.

A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll is a short children's book about a young autistic girl who works through personal and family struggles while campaigning for her Scottish town to create a memorial plaque to honor the women who were wrongly executed for being witches centuries before. It was interesting to see a European version of our Salem witch trial stories, but I chose this novel, because of it's non-NT narrator, whose POV is very well done.

Robinson Crusoe by Defoe. I'm not sure I've read this before, and I have to admit I only liked the middle third, when Crusoe has been shipwrecked and is finding a way to survive. As a Christian, I liked the Crusoe's thoughts on faith and hadn't realized they were such a big part of the story. So that I liked. But I found the first third of the book before he gets to the island tedious, and the final third, when Crusoe battles cannibals and others and finds his way off the island after 25 years and reestablishes himself in society, to be both uninteresting and filled with racially difficult passages by today's standards. I read this for my 100 best books scratch-off poster and am glad that I finally read this classic, though it wasn't my favorite.

[Robin M]

21 hours ago, Storygirl said:

The Escape Artist by Brad Meltzer is a fun thriller.

I enjoy Brad Meltzer's books as well. The first one I read was The Millionaires and once I started reading it couldn't put it down. 

22 hours ago, Storygirl said:

The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera won the Newbery and the Pura Belpre Awards this year.

I've heard great things about this book. Will have to check it out. 

 

On 6/28/2022 at 10:39 AM, Storygirl said:

Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow, on audio

Loved this one too.  Have you read The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon.  Equally hard to put down once start reading. 

 

On 6/28/2022 at 10:25 AM, Storygirl said:

The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny on audio, Inspector Gamache series #3

I enjoyed the whole series. Will have to reread soon. 

[Robin M]

During my web wanderings today I came across a fascinating article about The Norwegian library with unreadable books:  "Some of the world's most celebrated authors have written manuscripts that won't be published for a century – why?"

 

 

[Storygirl]

2 hours ago, Robin M said:

 

Loved this one too.  Have you read The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon.  Equally hard to put down once start reading. 

 

 

I have not! I added it to my TBR. Thanks!

[Robin M]

Link to week 27