Kareni Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 12 hours ago, busymama7 said: Finding new books is hard as I want no adult content and minimal swearing. Since you mentioned enjoying historical fiction, I wonder if you are familiar with the Don Camillo books by Giovanni Guareschi. It is a series of some six books about an Italian priest and his nemesis the Communist mayor; the books are set in the 1950s in Italy. The priest sometimes talks to Christ on the cross who talks back to him. The wikipedia entry will give you a good idea of the content of the series. The first book is The Little World of Don Camillo; the stories were originally written in Italian in the fifties and sixties. This is a three generation book in my family. My mother introduced me to the series when I was a teen, and I did likewise with my daughter. Regards, Kareni 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidlit Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 Finished book 1/75 for 2022. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng 🌟🌟🌟🌟 This family drama was very engrossing to me. This is the second of Ng's books I've read, and they all relate an Asian American experience, and I find this interesting. Something about this novel was a bit jarring--somehow the third person point of view seems to oscillate from immediate to removed, and that distracted me a bit. Obviously, though, it wasn't enough to make me quit or not find it compelling. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidlit Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 2 minutes ago, Kareni said: Since you mentioned enjoying historical fiction, I wonder if you are familiar with the Don Camillo books by Giovanni Guareschi. It is a series of some six books about an Italian priest and his nemesis the Communist mayor; the books are set in the 1950s in Italy. The priest sometimes talks to Christ on the cross who talks back to him. The wikipedia entry will give you a good idea of the content of the series. The first book is The Little World of Don Camillo; the stories were originally written in Italian in the fifties and sixties. This is a three generation book in my family. My mother introduced me to the series when I was a teen, and I did likewise with my daughter. Regards, Kareni Thanks for mentioning this, Kareni. I remember reading a review of this series years ago (probably yours on WTM), but it had fallen off my radar. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alysee Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 I just started reading Shelter Mountain today. It's the second Book in the Virgin River series. It's so far as good as the first. I had never read a real romance novel until I decided I wanted to watch the show but since it's a book series turned tv series, I just had to read the book first. I like Robyn Carr's writing and so far I'm loving the second books main characters as well. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 I started my January book club book yesterday, Josie Silver's One Day in December. We purposely chose a light easy ready when we were all swamped in mid-December. And this would have been perfect to read in December but I'm still enjoying it in January. My goal is always just to have a book in progress. I used to be able to read a book a week but working full time I will probably manage half that (teaching school, so I get more read over summer or right now on break). 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emba Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 20 hours ago, scholarly said: I am also reading A is for Alibi right now! It seems like a good book to start the year with and it's been on my to-read list for decades. I'm also reading Very Good, Jeeves by PG Wodehouse. I appreciate Wodehouse's writing more with each book in the series. It’s funny, I think I’ve read A is for Alibi before, long ago. It’s ringing a few bells, but not enough that I know what’s going to happen, and I’m enjoying it, so I’ll keep going. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 16 hours ago, Storygirl said: Cervantes could have used a modern-style book editor! I feel that way about a lot of classics. I read War and Peace but skipped most of the chapters where Tolstoy goes extensively into the theory of war and the motivations of the soldiers. It got soooo repetitive. 15 hours ago, Momof3sweetgirls said: I am hoping to find some historical fiction that will help me enjoy learning about history (probably a bad thing to admit on a classical homeschooling forum). I just finished We Were The Lucky Ones and hope to read more like that. I would happily accept suggestions! I learn more that way too. I have enjoyed Susanna Kearsley (historical fiction with a bit of paranormal thrown in) and Kate Morton for this reason. 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 (edited) 43 minutes ago, alysee said: I just started reading Shelter Mountain today. It's the second Book in the Virgin River series. It's so far as good as the first. I had never read a real romance novel until I decided I wanted to watch the show but since it's a book series turned tv series, I just had to read the book first. I like Robyn Carr's writing and so far I'm loving the second books main characters as well. I’ll warn you that most of the TV series in no way reflects the books. They took the characters and setting and made up whole new story lines for them. I enjoyed both, mainly because I lived near that particular region of CA for a lot of my life. Im currently reading The Starless Sea by Erin Morganstern and enjoying it. I almost feel like I’m going to need to re-read it once I know the ending though. I’m only about 25% of the way through though. My goal for the year is not to read so many vacation/mind-candy type books. I resorted to that a lot this last year but we had a lot going on and I needed the escape haha Edited January 2, 2023 by Forget-Me-Not 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof4sweetkids Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 9 hours ago, TexasProud said: Currently: Discernment by Henri Nouwen The Selected Poems of Wendell Berry Gentle and Lowly by Dane C Ortlund I only have one short story left in The Moment of Tenderness by Madeline L' Engle I need to find a new fiction book to start, but I have such a hard time. I really liked One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle. ( Yeah, it really resonated with me since her mother just died and it is a journey to explore her mother's background) So I followed it up with her In Five Years...way, way too much explicit sex and language in that one. I have a really hard time finding good fiction that doesn't have that. Christian fiction can be way too preachy, not well written, etc. I will often just reread classic literature. Anyway, struggle to pick fiction. As you can see, I generally read more than one book at a time. After my Bible reading and meditation, I normally read a Christian classic ( right now Discernment) and a couple of poems. I keep one heavier Christian nonfiction in the bathroom to read every time I to to the bathroom. But I would really like a book for fun and it is so hard to find clean, but well-written. I've been hearing a lot about Henri Nouwen lately, maybe I'll start with Discernment! I've read a couple of Charles Martin's Christian fiction and they don't feel too preachy...I do find myself reading YA novels since they typically don't have explicit content. The struggle to find clean content without it being cheesy is real! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuesdayschild Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 Not including ongoing sip-reads, my current, summer time, reads: Northbridge Rectory ~ Angela Thirkell God and Churchill ~ Wallace Henley , Jonathan Sandys The Eye of the World: The Wheel of Time Bk1 ~ Robert Jordan 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 A favorite author (Nathan Lowell) recommended this book that is currently free to US Kindle readers. It's described as dark fantasy. ~ City of Storms (Nightmarked Book 1) by Kat Ross Also free ~ Broken Ascension: A Science Fiction Adventure (Trystero Book 1) by Dave Walsh The Loneliness of the Deep Space Cargoist by JS Carter Gilson Regards, Kareni 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 I'm currently reading No Time to Spare: Thinking About What Matters by Ursula LeGuin, which is a set of reflective essays on aging, politics, literature, life, and a number of other odds and ends. I love her insights, and it feels like she's trying to sweep tidy her mind while she was at her end of life. She died soon after this book's publication. 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasProud Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 2 hours ago, Momof3sweetgirls said: I've been hearing a lot about Henri Nouwen lately, maybe I'll start with Discernment! I've read a couple of Charles Martin's Christian fiction and they don't feel too preachy...I do find myself reading YA novels since they typically don't have explicit content. The struggle to find clean content without it being cheesy is real! LOL, yes I read children and YA novels A LOT, This summer I read a ton of DiCamillo books. They were WONDERFUL!!! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vintage81 Posted January 3, 2023 Author Share Posted January 3, 2023 2 hours ago, TexasProud said: LOL, yes I read children and YA novels A LOT, This summer I read a ton of DiCamillo books. They were WONDERFUL!!! I love Kate DiCamillo…Because of Winn Dixie makes me smile. 😊 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 7 hours ago, alysee said: I just started reading Shelter Mountain today. It's the second Book in the Virgin River series. It's so far as good as the first. I had never read a real romance novel until I decided I wanted to watch the show but since it's a book series turned tv series, I just had to read the book first. I like Robyn Carr's writing and so far I'm loving the second books main characters as well. I loved the Virgin River series and have read Carr's other series as well. I tried watching the TV show and there are vast differences. I think the books are better and give you more background details. Enjoy!!! 5 hours ago, tuesdayschild said: The Eye of the World: The Wheel of Time Bk1 ~ Robert Jordan Yay! So glad you decided to dive in. 6 hours ago, Forget-Me-Not said: Im currently reading The Starless Sea by Erin Morganstern and enjoying it. I almost feel like I’m going to need to re-read it once I know the ending though. I’m only about 25% of the way through though. Oh man, I loved The Starless Sea and can't wait to hear what you think when you are done. I started listening to it first in the car and loved the two narrators, their voices perfect for the story. One for the in between stories and another for Zachary's part of the story. Then picked up the book to read when home for a couple days and couldn't put it down. Really captures your imagination, with plenty of sensory detail to keep both your mind and your senses engaged. Beautiful story and one of those books I'll enjoy reading again. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuesdayschild Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 6 hours ago, Robin M said: Yay! So glad you decided to dive in. More like lured in .... my Dd read this and kept telling me how much I'd enjoy it. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eos Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 I have the goal of reading some fiction this year. So far I've read two books about the social history of paper and the physical history of papermaking, plus two books given to me by ds for Christmas about social media and cyberwar. Failing grade for fiction! I'm going to find some PG Wodehouse to jump start. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AurieD Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 (edited) Last year was my worst year in a long time for reading, I did manage to rewatch a lot of tv series instead. I’m determined to do better this year. So far I have finished off Children of Ruin by Adrian Tchaikovsky (started last year) which I enjoyed. I have now moved onto A Confusion of Princes by Garth Nix, a YA novel. So far I’m thinking it’s not one of his best works but it’s interesting enough to persist with. I also started reading the Chrestomanci series by Diana Wynne Jones to my 8 year old last year, we are currently on The Lives of Christopher Chant. Edited January 3, 2023 by AurieD 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraw4321 Posted January 3, 2023 Share Posted January 3, 2023 Currently reading The Caine Mutiny. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted January 4, 2023 Share Posted January 4, 2023 I just finished You made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by new to me Nigerian author, Akwaeke Emezi, and recommended by Smart B, Trashy Books. @kareni this is one you'd probably enjoy. The story is more than just a romance as there were so many layers to this story. It’s about loss and grief, sexual attraction, choices, and love, sorrow and learning to live again. After the loss of her husband, Feyi is trying to figure out if she can ever love again. She plunges into the dating waters full steam ahead, trying to figure out who and what she wants. She’s a woman exploring the sexual waters and falling in love with someone she didn’t expect. The beginning of the story fooled me when it went full boil with a sexual escapade, but I gave it a chance. It simmered down and the more I learned more about Feyi, the deeper I became invested in her story. It was crude, it was raw. It was full of angst, full of sorrow. Full of choices, and full of love. “It was like a fork in the road has closed, shut off by an avalanche of grief, choked with rocks and a broken heart. It wasn’t supposed to open, and honestly, it still hadn’t, but somehow, an entirely new path had formed, green and creeping.” The story sticks with you long after you finish it, making you think. One of the themes was about choice. The choice Alim makes, wants to make for himself, when in the past, all his choices were for his children. He’s choosing himself this time. Which got me to thinking about some decisions we make aren’t about the other person but about us. Food for thought. “I feel like the world wanted to remind me that it loves me, and so it gave me him. It gave me a chance, that possibility he’s always talking about, and I seized it with both hands because I know, and Alim knows, how f’ing rare it is for that door to open, even by a crack, and what it’s like when it closes.” I’m looking forward to reading more by this author. Fair warning – the story contains LQBTQ supporting cast characters. and crude language. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted January 4, 2023 Share Posted January 4, 2023 Talked to my father in law yesterday and we’re going to buddy read The Princes of Ireland when he finishes his current book which is a spy thriller hubby bought him. I just got through sorting through more boxes in our garage great cleanout and ‘finding’ books that I want to read this year. LOL! Redid our shelves to absorb them. Maybe hubby won’t catch on just yet. 😁 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted January 4, 2023 Share Posted January 4, 2023 I just finished my second book of the year which my book group will soon meet to discuss. Something in the Water: A Novel by Catherine Steadman It's not a book I would generally read (too much impending doom for my taste!), but I look forward to the discussion. "If you could make one simple choice that would change your life forever, would you? Erin is a documentary filmmaker on the brink of a professional breakthrough, Mark a handsome investment banker with big plans. Passionately in love, they embark on a dream honeymoon to the tropical island of Bora Bora, where they enjoy the sun, the sand, and each other. Then, while scuba diving in the crystal blue sea, they find something in the water. . . . Could the life of your dreams be the stuff of nightmares? Suddenly the newlyweds must make a dangerous choice: to speak out or to protect their secret. After all, if no one else knows, who would be hurt? Their decision will trigger a devastating chain of events. . . . Have you ever wondered how long it takes to dig a grave? Wonder no longer. Catherine Steadman’s enthralling voice shines throughout this spellbinding debut novel. With piercing insight and fascinating twists, Something in the Water challenges the reader to confront the hopes we desperately cling to, the ideals we’re tempted to abandon, and the perfect lies we tell ourselves." Regards, Kareni 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historically accurate Posted January 4, 2023 Share Posted January 4, 2023 Finished The Dictionary of Lost Words. Overall I'd give it 3 stars out of 5. It's interesting to think how we record our language and who "gets a seat at the table". We mostly agreed at book club though that Esme serves a vehicle to showcase all of the different "worlds" in England at the time - suffragettes, servants, market people, upper class, scholars. Her character isn't fleshed out enough to be her own person if you will. Listening to Golden Girl in the car. Started Anne of Green Gables as I'm reading through the whole series this year - I've only read the first and maybe the 5th. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted January 4, 2023 Share Posted January 4, 2023 2 hours ago, Robin M said: I just finished You made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by new to me Nigerian author, Akwaeke Emezi, and recommended by Smart B, Trashy Books. @kareni this is one you'd probably enjoy I also heard several great reviews of this book. I read about thirty or so pages, but it didn't speak to me. I'm glad to learn that you enjoyed it, Robin. Regards, Kareni 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted January 4, 2023 Share Posted January 4, 2023 (edited) I finished the last of my holiday reading - a rather weak and overlong cozy Christmas mystery - and started: - Moby Dick, on audio, via the Moby Dick Big Read (mentioned upthread). I like it. I thought it would be jarring to have a different narrator for each chapter but so far it's been very enjoyable. - The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb. From Goodreads: A mystery about a Black classical musician whose family heirloom violin is stolen on the eve of the most prestigious classical music competition in the world. So far it's entertaining though it seems a bit far-fetched and farcical and not much of a mystery. But I'm not very deep in and am anxious to get back to it today. Edited January 4, 2023 by marbel 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidlit Posted January 4, 2023 Share Posted January 4, 2023 11 hours ago, historically accurate said: Finished The Dictionary of Lost Words. Overall I'd give it 3 stars out of 5. It's interesting to think how we record our language and who "gets a seat at the table". We mostly agreed at book club though that Esme serves a vehicle to showcase all of the different "worlds" in England at the time - suffragettes, servants, market people, upper class, scholars. Her character isn't fleshed out enough to be her own person if you will. Listening to Golden Girl in the car. Started Anne of Green Gables as I'm reading through the whole series this year - I've only read the first and maybe the 5th. Enjoy! The impact of the writing of LM Montgomery on my life is enormous. 💕 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidlit Posted January 4, 2023 Share Posted January 4, 2023 1 hour ago, marbel said: I finished the last of my holiday reading - a rather weak and overlong cozy Christmas mystery - and started: - Moby Dick, on audio, via the Moby Dick Big Read (mentioned upthread). I like it. I thought it would be jarring to have a different narrator for each chapter but so far it's been very enjoyable. - The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb. From Goodreads: A mystery about a Black classical musician whose family heirloom violin is stolen on the eve of the most prestigious classical music competition in the world. So far it's entertaining though it seems a bit far-fetched and farcical and not much of a mystery. But I'm not very deep in and am anxious to get back to it today. Can't wait to read your review! This one intrigues me. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted January 4, 2023 Share Posted January 4, 2023 2 hours ago, marbel said: - The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb. From Goodreads: A mystery about a Black classical musician whose family heirloom violin is stolen on the eve of the most prestigious classical music competition in the world. So far it's entertaining though it seems a bit far-fetched and farcical and not much of a mystery. But I'm not very deep in and am anxious to get back to it today. I read that one last year. I enjoyed it, but it never really does get any more grounded or become a terribly satisfying mystery. I appreciated all of the music talk, though. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeacefulChaos Posted January 4, 2023 Share Posted January 4, 2023 Got to the library yesterday and picked up my reads for this month! I started Wintering: The Power of Rest and retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May last night. It seems like I'll get through it relatively quickly. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailV Posted January 4, 2023 Share Posted January 4, 2023 Where I am right now at the beginning of the month: Hooked on a Feline by Sofie Kelly. Just finished. I was on a cat-cozy binge last fall, and didn't finish this one before the holidays hit. I'm really over the genre now, and had to force myself to finish this one. I'm sure in a few months I'll be back to finish the series. Breaking the Age Code by Becca Levy. Still working on this one. Started last fall, put aside for the holidays. Really fascinating stuff, but due back at the library next week so I need to get through the appendices. (NB that books from the library usually get finished because they're due back; books I own languish half read for months or even years) Black Girl, Call Home by Jasmine Mans. Every year my Christmas list is "a book of poetry and a wall calendar." This is what dd gave me this year. SO GOOD! What if Jesus Was Serious About the Church by Skye Jethani. About half way through. I love the format of short essays. Other books received for Christmas but not started (because, hey, they're not ever due back anywhere so why rush?): Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler A Life Discarded by Alexander Masters (dd found this discarded on a stoop, which is really meta considering it's about a pile of diaries found discarded in a bin) The Flowering Wand by Sophie Strand, which I actually bought for myself right before Christmas but am counting as a gift just because why not. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbotoast Posted January 4, 2023 Share Posted January 4, 2023 Freebie through Jan 7: Silver Dollar Duke by Sally Britton Sweet and clean American Victorian romance 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busymama7 Posted January 4, 2023 Share Posted January 4, 2023 2 hours ago, Jenny in Florida said: I read that one last year. I enjoyed it, but it never really does get any more grounded or become a terribly satisfying mystery. I appreciated all of the music talk, though. Any content considerations that you recall? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storygirl Posted January 4, 2023 Share Posted January 4, 2023 (edited) @busymama7 I also read the Violin Conspiracy last year. I did enjoy it, but the mystery element was weak, so I think it's probably most enjoyable if the reader just goes along for the story of the musician's life leading up to the music competition -- with a bit of mystery thrown in. The descriptions of music were lovely. As far as content warnings -- the protagonist is unmarried but has a girlfriend who stays with him. Can't remember any sexy scenes, but I can't promise they aren't in there. I think there is some minor bad language. His family is a rough bunch of people who are out for their own interests and don't care about him, so I think they probably offer up some curse words, though it's been too long for me to remember clearly. I remember it being fairly unoffensive, but I do read grittier things, so I wouldn't have been triggered by the same things that you are asking about. In comparison with the general mystery/thriller genre, though, I think it is fairly tame. Edited January 4, 2023 by Storygirl 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted January 4, 2023 Share Posted January 4, 2023 1 hour ago, busymama7 said: Any content considerations that you recall? I'm probably not the person to ask about that one. As long as no animals or children are harmed or in peril, I'm unlikely to be upset. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 (edited) Got Persuasion and John Muir’s A Thousand Mile Walk to the Gulf from the library today. A branch not far from me is hosting a Moby Dick read aloud/along. This is not the season for me to do that, but it sounds cool. Edited January 5, 2023 by ScoutTN 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopmom Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 On 1/1/2023 at 8:42 AM, Hilltopmom said: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt Carnegie’s Maid by Marie Benedict The Seven Husband’s of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid I’m listening to The Beekeeper of Allepo Midnight Library was only “meh” Seven Husbands was a fun quick read I just picked up 10 more reserves from the library- hoping for a snow/ice day tomorrow! hate it when your job interferes with your reading wish list 😂 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeacefulChaos Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 I finished Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May this morning. I wasn't expecting it to be a sort of memoir, but I was here for it. I gave it 4 stars. I really enjoyed the way May writes - some favorite lines from the book: Quote "Winter is a quiet house in lamplight, a spin in the garden to see bright stars on a clear night, the roar of the wood-burning stove, and the accompanying smell of charred wood. It is warming the teapot and making a cup of bitter cocoa; it is stews magicked from bones with dumplings floating like clouds. It is reading quietly and passing away the afternoon twilight watching movies. It is thick socks and the bundle of a cardigan." Quote "Snow vanquishes the mundane. It brings the everyday to a grinding halt and delays our ability to address our dreary responsibilities. Snow opens up the reign of the children, high on their unexpected liberty, daredevil and impervious to the cold." Quote "Singing with others is a kind of alchemy, an act of expansive magic in which you lose yourself and become part of a whole." Quote "...we are in the habit of imagining our lives to be linear, a long march from birth to death in which we mass our powers, only to surrender them again, all the while slowly losing our youthful beauty. This is a brutal untruth. Life meanders like a path through the woods. We have seasons when we flourish and seasons when the leaves fall from us, revealing our bare bones. Given time, they grow again." ...and that's just a few I loved lol. I really love "Life meanders like a path through the woods." In the same way, May kind of meanders through the book with her thoughts and the happenings around her. I hate the cold but she made me crave it lol - it was a very cozy book to read, just right for the beginning of January under a warm blanket, which is where I was this morning! I've also always been tempted to try swimming in the cold - the polar bear plunge type thing, or like they do in some countries where they are in the sauna and then the water and then the sauna again. I've never found a way to do it - Ok, truthfully, it's never been particularly important to me - but this book made me curious about it again. Hmm... I also started LeGuin's Finding My Elegy, which is my poetry for the month. So far so good! 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 On 1/3/2023 at 9:27 PM, Kareni said: I also heard several great reviews of this book. I read about thirty or so pages, but it didn't speak to me. I'm glad to learn that you enjoyed it, Robin. Regards, Kareni Heavens above, You mean I actually found a romance you didn't like. Who da thunk it? LOL! ❤️💋 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 3 hours ago, PeacefulChaos said: and that's just a few I loved lol. I really love "Life meanders like a path through the woods." In the same way, May kind of meanders through the book with her thoughts and the happenings around her. I hate the cold but she made me crave it lol - it was a very cozy book to read, just right for the beginning of January under a warm blanket, which is where I was this morning! Love the quotes. The first one makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. Adding Wintering to my want list. Thanks! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 On 1/4/2023 at 4:59 AM, marbel said: The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb. From Goodreads: A mystery about a Black classical musician whose family heirloom violin is stolen on the eve of the most prestigious classical music competition in the world. So far it's entertaining though it seems a bit far-fetched and farcical and not much of a mystery. But I'm not very deep in and am anxious to get back to it today. Sounds interesting and added to my want list. Long time ago I read The Vampire’s Violin by Michel Romkey which at the time was really good. Makes me want to read again to see if it still is. Look forward to hearing what you think about Violin Conspiracy when you are done. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scholastica Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 On 1/2/2023 at 3:01 PM, Momof3sweetgirls said: I've been hearing a lot about Henri Nouwen lately, maybe I'll start with Discernment! Nouwen’s book The Return of the Prodigal Son is a beautiful book. He does a deep study of the painting during a much needed sabbatical. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scholastica Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 My current reads are The Dialogue of St Catherine of Siena and East of Eden. The second is a book club selection that I have not been looking forward to. It is living up to my memories of Steinbeck. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel-in-CA Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin -- I read his series starting with The Water Keeper last month and loved it, and I feel the same way about When Crickets Cry! Also read the last two of Ilona Andrews' Innkeeper series (Sweep With Me and Sweep of the Blade) that my library has and bought the last one (Sweep my Heart). I enjoy the variety in these, such imaginative aliens and tangled alliances! Thanks so much Vintage81 for picking up the mantle for book threads!! I would so miss seeing everyone's recommendation. BTW, what did you-all get in terms of books for Christmas. I have two big paperbacks: The New Copernicans (about millenials), and The Righteous Mind (written by a liberal seeking to understand religious conservatives). They will be slower reads, because I am not so good with actual books anymore. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 16 minutes ago, Laurel-in-CA said: BTW, what did you-all get in terms of books for Christmas. I received two books from my daughter; these were on my wishlist ~ Regi's Huuman (Gala) Shift Happens (Baumgartner) Regards, Kareni 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vintage81 Posted January 6, 2023 Author Share Posted January 6, 2023 1 hour ago, Laurel-in-CA said: Thanks so much Vintage81 for picking up the mantle for book threads!! I would so miss seeing everyone's recommendation. My pleasure! 😊 BTW, what did you-all get in terms of books for Christmas. The books I received for Christmas were… Jade Legacy by Fonda Lee (this is book 3 in the series) the first two books in the Beartown series by Fredrik Backman Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin M Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 6 hours ago, Laurel-in-CA said: BTW, what did you-all get in terms of books for Christmas My husband and son got several things from my wishlist: Hilary Mantel's Bringing up the Bodies and The Mirror and the Light, Cormac McCarthy's The Passenger, Blake Crouch's Dark Matter, Laura Weisberger's The Devil Wears Prada Margo Lee Shetterly's Hidden Figures. Friends sent me mysteries and romances. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 November and December were slow reading months for me, so I have a lot of half- read holdovers. The Fourteenth Century: a Distant Mirror is my long term history that I shoehorn a chapter in now and again. Good for its age. I was surprised at how copied and reworked the information in the Black Death chapter is by textbooks. It felt like I'd read the entire chapter before. Milton's Complete Poetry is my long, long term classic. I'll probably work on this sporadically. I wish I knew more Latin and Greek because Milton showboats in at least 2 other languages. It's clear everyone knew he was a genius early on but I just want to tell him, 'calm down young man, and stop namedropping hilariously obscure classical references.' It's funny for him to feel so young and trying so hard when in my head he has a long white beard and cane. Autumn Quartet by Barbara Pym is my shelf-clearing novel. I like it better than Excellent Women. She does a good job of both satirizing eccentric ageing singles and validating their choices. I had a hard time with the satirizing part. It started out feeling like pity or making fun of them, but with Pym then the turn happens and the lens focuses on those judging them. A Stitch in Time... is part of my library survey of handsewing/sashiko/darning books. Very simple darning/handsewing techniques. Probably best for gleaning tips and tricks and the actual stitches would be better in a YouTube video. The Three Body Problem is my science fiction audiobook. I like hard science fiction, but I think this one was overhyped. Not that the ideas aren't good, but the writing is not, and...to me...the bigger ideas are recycled. I appreciate the different POV and maybe he'll surprise me in the second half. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 11 hours ago, Laurel-in-CA said: BTW, what did you-all get in terms of books for Christmas. I received two new cookbooks this year, no actual "reading" books, LOL. Smitten Kitchen Keepers by Deb Perelman Israeli Soul by Michael Solomonov (this one actually looks interesting to read cover-to-cover, more than just recipes) 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbotoast Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 I finished Brandon Sanderson's Secret Project #1 (not mentioning the title in case anyone is waiting for their physical copy to arrive). It was very playful and humorous. I started The Earl's Hideaway, No Ladies Allowed by Esther Hatch but I wasn't feeling it so I moved on to my next read. I am about 15 chapters in to A Season at Sanditon by Rose Servitova and really enjoying it. Servitova does a nice job of imitating Austen's writing style, including her way of depicting very human, relatable characters. I didn't get any books for Christmas this year, but I did give some! A Wheel of Time book for my brother's hardcover collection Heroes: The Greek Myths Reimagined (Stephen Fry's Greek Myths #2) Mythos is the first one in this series. I listened to a big chunk of it last year when I had an Audible Plus subscription and really enjoyed it. My sister asked for this one. The final book in the Murderbot Diaries series for my Dad. Now I have to come up with something else to gift him! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 1 hour ago, melbotoast said: The final book in the Murderbot Diaries series for my Dad. Now I have to come up with something else to gift him! Martha Wells has a new book coming out at the end of May. It is a fantasy. Witch King by Martha Wells "After being murdered, his consciousness dormant and unaware of the passing of time while confined in an elaborate water trap, Kai wakes to find a lesser mage attempting to harness Kai’s magic to his own advantage. That was never going to go well.But why was Kai imprisoned in the first place? What has changed in the world since his assassination? And why does the Rising World Coalition appear to be growing in influence?Kai will need to pull his allies close and draw on all his pain magic if he is to answer even the least of these questions.He’s not going to like the answers." Regards, Kareni 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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