August 2023: What are you reading?

[Vintage81]

Happy August Everyone 🤩

It’s hard to believe, but the summer is almost over. I’ll be starting school with my DD’s in a week, so I’m a little sad…the time is just going by too fast. My oldest will be in 10th grade and youngest in 8th grade. 😩 I also feel like I didn’t get as much accomplished this summer as I wanted, but I’m happy we at least went on an awesome vacation since we hadn’t been on one in a few years.

Anywho…back to books. I hope y’all are all enjoying wonderful stories. I look forward to hearing all about them! 

Happy reading! 

[Laurel-in-CA]

My college kids are back to school soon too...one expanding on her AA and one starting 2nd half of BA at a 4-year school. My "happy" will be when dh finds a job...AGAIN! It's such a numbers game.

Just finished The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba, which is about Cuba's fight for independence from Spain (stuff I didn't know) and the Hearst-Pulitzer battle in reporting it (which I vaguely recalled). Echoes of today as we discuss/experience media's role in shaping policy in the digital age instead of the newspaper age. Three different female voices telling the story -- two of them pretty dramatic for me...maybe because it was an audiobook? The historical stuff was interesting, but the story, for me, was not that enthralling.

Looking for a little break from historical fiction with some space opera (by Jack Campbell) and regency fluff (by Mimi Walters) next.

Making sure I have my go bag packed for fire season. How about you?

[Kidlit]

Kiddos go back to school this week here (the elementary and middle kids) and college kids in the next two weeks.  I've been in a kinda-sorta reading slump.   I'm reading, but it's easy for me to choose other things over picking up my book if the mood isn't just right. I am still listening to audiobooks, though.  
 

time is flying!

[Kareni]

Some bookish posts ~ 

From the Word Wenches (for July): What We're Reading

From Jennifer Crusie's blog: 

• This is a Good Book Thursday, July 27, 2023
• Regards,
• Kareni

[Kareni]

 I stayed up late last night to finish Hello Stranger  by Katherine Center which I quite enjoyed. It featured a portrait painter who experiences face blindness after surgery and two men in her life.  ........(FIC 71, RR 30, NF 7, NS 19, GN 1, PIC 1//)

"Love isn’t blind, it’s just a little blurry.

Sadie Montgomery never saw what was coming . . . Literally! One minute she’s celebrating the biggest achievement of her life―placing as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition―the next, she’s lying in a hospital bed diagnosed with a “probably temporary” condition known as face blindness. She can see, but every face she looks at is now a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features. Imagine trying to read a book upside down and in another language. This is Sadie’s new reality with every face she sees.

But, as she struggles to cope, hang on to her artistic dream, work through major family issues, and take care of her beloved dog, Peanut, she falls into―love? Lust? A temporary obsession to distract from the real problems in her life?―with not one man but two very different ones. The timing couldn’t be worse.

If only her life were a little more in focus, Sadie might be able to find her way. But perceiving anything clearly right now seems impossible. Even though there are things we can only find when we aren’t looking. And there are people who show up when we least expect them. And there are always, always other ways of seeing."

Regards,

Kareni

[marbel]

I took a break from my recent steady diet of British police procedurals to read The Late Mrs Willoughby, a Jane Austen spinoff with familiar characters from the books, and some new ones. The author's (Claudia Gray) previous book in this series, The Murder of Mr Wickham - was great fun, and this one was OK, but a bit too long and draggy for me. The ending was set up perfectly for a next in the series, which I'm sure I'll read when it's available. 

[Kidlit]

1 hour ago, marbel said:

I took a break from my recent steady diet of British police procedurals to read The Late Mrs Willoughby, a Jane Austen spinoff with familiar characters from the books, and some new ones. The author's (Claudia Gray) previous book in this series, The Murder of Mr Wickham - was great fun, and this one was OK, but a bit too long and draggy for me. The ending was set up perfectly for a next in the series, which I'm sure I'll read when it's available. 

Thanks for sharing. I've considered reading these!

[KrissiK]

I finished the book about the Shrivers in Gettysburg. It was good, but a little annoying because a lot of her source material was from the Tillie Pierce memoir I already read. But… the cool thing was since i visited Gettysburg I could picture all these places in my mind.

Now I am reading “Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates: The Forgotten War that Changes American History” by Brian Kilmeade.

And one cool useless fact I learned from that book: the adjective that describes anything that has to do with Tripoli is “Tripolitan”, which just struck me as very cool. I just like that word.

Edited August 2, 2023 by KrissiK

[Kareni]

Bookish posts from Tor.com ~

Books in Which No Bad Things Happen by Jo Walton

A Fandom of One: Loving the Books No One Else Knows About by Molly Templeton

Competence Porn Is Comforting — Where Can I Find More of It by Rachel Ayers

Holding Out for More Heroes by MollyTempleton

Regards,

Kareni

[Miss Tick]

Just finished listening to The Curse of Chalion, by Lois McMaster Bujold. Reminded me of The Goblin Emperor a bit - central character trying to do the right thing in a world that feels tangential to ours. I've already started The Hallowed Hunt, which is in the same world, although a hundred plus years later.

[Kareni]

48 minutes ago, Miss Tick said:

Just finished listening to The Curse of Chalion, by Lois McMaster Bujold. Reminded me of The Goblin Emperor a bit - central character trying to do the right thing in a world that feels tangential to ours.

These are both favorites of mine. 

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on The Hallowed Hunt.

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

I read an enjoyable contemporary romance that had me laughing aloud ~ Awfully Ambrose (Bad Boyfriends, Inc.) by Sarah Honey. This featured two college students, one of whom hired the other to act as an undesirable boyfriend after his mother kept matchmaking. (Adult content)  (FIC 72, RR 30, NF 7, NS 19, GN 1, PIC 1///)

"Bad Boyfriend, Inc.—When you can't find a good boyfriend, why not hire a bad one instead?

Liam Connelly is a university student in Sydney. He leads an orderly and predictable life of studying, working as a waiter in an upscale harbour restaurant and spending lots of time with his cat, trying to convince himself that after his last cheating boyfriend, he's perfectly happy alone. Well, mostly happy.

Ambrose Newman is a Bad Boyfriend. Professionally. Someone's parents don't approve of that long-haired unemployed bass player they want to date? Well, that's where Ambrose comes in. For a few hundred dollars a night, he'll go to dinner with them and their parents and show them that the grass is definitely not greener on his side of the fence. It's dead. When Ambrose brings a date to Liam's restaurant, it's not sparks that fly—it's glassware.

When Liam needs a date to prove to his visiting parents that he's not destined to die sad and alone, he calls Ambrose, desperate. If Ambrose can be a bad boyfriend for money, he can be a tolerable one too, right? Which works out great—right up until Ambrose is too nice, and Liam's parents invite them up to their winery for the long weekend.

Suddenly Ambrose has to be a Bad Boyfriend again, to give Liam an excuse to break up with him before his mum starts planning the wedding. But as Liam gets to know the real Ambrose, real feelings start to sneak into the fake relationship on both sides. Under the watchful eyes of Liam's protective family, who have no idea what to make of Ambrose, their fake relationship evolves into a chance at something real.

When Ambrose has an ugly run-in with Liam's sister's fiancé—who's an even worse boyfriend than him—it might cost him not only any chance he had of convincing Liam's family that he's not the nightmare they think he is, but his fledgling relationship with Liam, too."

Regards,

Kareni

[Vintage81]

So I'm a member of Book of the Month, and it's that time for me to choose my August book. One of the book choices has one of the weirdest storylines I've come across in a while, or maybe ever, so I just had to share. 😁 The book is called Shark Heart by Emily Habeck.

Here's the book synopsis...

"For Lewis and Wren, their first year of marriage is also their last. A few weeks after their wedding, Lewis receives a rare diagnosis. He will retain most of his consciousness, memories, and intellect, but his physical body will gradually turn into a great white shark. As Lewis develops the features and impulses of one of the most predatory creatures in the ocean, his complicated artist’s heart struggles to make peace with his unfulfilled dreams.

At first, Wren internally resists her husband’s fate. Is there a way for them to be together after Lewis changes? Then, a glimpse of Lewis’s developing carnivorous nature activates long-repressed memories for Wren, whose story vacillates between her childhood living on a houseboat in Oklahoma, her time with a college ex-girlfriend, and her unusual friendship with a woman pregnant with twin birds. Woven throughout this bold novel is the story of Wren’s mother, Angela, who becomes pregnant with Wren at fifteen in an abusive relationship amidst her parents’ crumbling marriage. In the present, all of Wren’s grief eventually collides, and she is forced to make an impossible choice.”

 

Has anyone read this book or heard of it? A lot of the reviews on Goodreads are actually really positive. I've read a few magical realism books in the past few months and enjoyed them, but I don't know about the shark thing. It's definitely a unique idea! Let me know if any of you have encountered this one...I'm so curious.

Edited August 3, 2023 by Vintage81

[KrissiK]

Wow, Vintage…. that book sounds….interesting. Keep us updated if you end up getting it and reading it.

Edited August 3, 2023 by KrissiK

[Kareni]

I've heard of the book, @Vintage81, but have seen no first hand reviews. Perhaps you can change that!

Regards,

Kareni

[Vintage81]

2 hours ago, KrissiK said:

Wow, Vintage…. that book sounds….interesting. Keep us updated if you end up getting it and reading it.

 

36 minutes ago, Kareni said:

I've heard of the book, @Vintage81, but have seen no first hand reviews. Perhaps you can change that!

Regards,

Kareni

I'm so sorry....I didn't end up choosing it!! I'm pretty sure I'd just chuckle through the whole thing. 🤦‍♀️ Maybe someday, on a whim, I'll check it out from the library. 

Side note...I ended up picking Vampires El Norte by Isabel Cañas - it's some sort of Mexican horror story with cowboys and vampires. Oh, and there's a romance some where in there. I know, I know....it sounds WAY more normal!!! HA! 🤣

[marbel]

@Vintage81I'm not familiar with that book. It sounds like something China Mieville might have written. I've successfully read one of his books, but the others I've tried were all too far out there for me!

 

 

[GailV]

I'm starting August with fluff!

Shadow in the Glass (A Greer Hogan Mystery #2) by M.E. Hilliard. Book 2 of a series I started in July, and a very lukewarm experience. I couldn't keep track of the characters because I didn't care. The best part was early in the book when the main character noted that the blue hardback Nancy Drew books were better than the later yellow hardbacks. SO TRUE!

Dial A for Aunties(Aunties #1) by Jesse Q Sutanto. I almost didn't bother reading because the premise sounded so absurd: the main character accidentally kills a guy, and the rest of the book is spent trying to dispose of the body with help from her Indonesian family. Indeed, it was incredibly nonsensical, full of gigantic plot holes.  And yet, I finished the entire thing because it WAS so fluffy and silly -- it zipped right along from scene to scene, requiring no thought at all. It's been purchased by Netflix for a possible film -- no huge surprise there -- the entire book reads like a movie pitch to cash in on the Crazy Rich Asians audience.

[Kassia]

I just finished All the Lonely People, by Mike Gayle.  I didn't like it at all.  I gave it two stars on Goodreads then thought about it for a while and decided to drop it down to one star since there were so many things in the book that irritated me.  It has great reviews and two of my friends gave it four stars, but I really didn't like it.  I think it was supposed to be like, A Man Called Ove, but not even close.  

I'm starting Emotional Labor: The Invisible Work Shaping Our Lives and How to Claim Our Power.  I don't remember how I found out about this book. Maybe on WTM?  

 

 

Edited August 6, 2023 by Kassia

[Kareni]

I read Remember Me by Mary Balogh; this is a historical romance in which the female lead overhears the ultimate hero make a disparaging remark about her. Part of it strained credulity, but it did grab my attention and made me teary eyed near the end.

"Philippa, elder daughter of the Earl of Stratton, grew up eagerly anticipating a glittering debut and a brilliant marriage. Then her brother caught their father out in a clandestine affair and denounced him publicly. The whole family was disgraced, and Philippa’s hopes grew dim, then were fully shattered when she overheard the dashing, handsome Marquess of Roath viciously insult her upon learning of her father’s identity. Only years later does Philippa find the courage to go to London at last to meet the ton. She is an instant success and enjoys a close friendship with the granddaughter of a duke. Only one man can spoil everything for her, but surely he will not be in London this year.

The Duke of Wilby is nearing death and has tasked his grandson and heir, Lucas Arden, Marquess of Roath, with marrying and producing a son before it is too late. Lucas, who usually shuns London, goes there early in the Season in the hope of finding an eligible bride before his grandparents come and find one for him. He is instantly attracted to his sister’s new friend, until that young lady asks a simple question: “Remember me?” And suddenly he does remember her, as well as the reason why the daughter of the Earl of Stratton is the one woman he can never marry—even if his heart tells him she is the only woman he wants.

Unfortunately for Philippa and Lucas, the autocratic duke and his duchess have other ideas and believe them to be perfect for each other. They will simply not take no for an answer. Telling Philippa the full truth is the hardest thing Lucas has ever faced, and the discovery of it will change them both before they discover the healing power of love."

**

I also read a contemporary novella, A New Pack For New Year by Kiki Clark, which was a pleasant read. This featured an abused werewolf joining a new pack and finding his mate. (Adult content)

"Injured and terrified, Victor runs for his life and right into the arms of the last person he expected to find: his true mate.

Living in a pack who viewed imperfections as weaknesses that needed to be eliminated, Victor is lucky to escape alive. He’s heard of the Kincaid Pack’s strong but fair alpha, but he has trouble truly believing he won’t be targeted once more if his shameful secret is discovered...."

 (FIC 73, RR 30, NF 7, NS 20, GN 1, PIC 1//)

Regards,

Kareni

[GailV]

Three Can Keep a Secret (A Greer Hogan Mystery #3) by M.E. Hilliard. I enjoyed this the most of any of the books in this series so far; it has restored my faith in Greer Hogan mysteries, and I will continue to read these as long as I catch on that new ones exist.  I suspect the series makes more sense if you read all the books, but, sheesh, vol 2 was such a slog. 

[Kareni]

Last month, for my distant book group, I read The Dictionary of Lost Words: A Novel by Pip Williams. I just reread it for my local book group and enjoyed it once again. (FIC 73, RR 31, NF 7, NS 20, GN 1, PIC 1//)

"Esme is born into a world of words. Motherless and irrepressibly curious, she spends her childhood in the Scriptorium, an Oxford garden shed in which her father and a team of dedicated lexicographers are collecting words for the very first Oxford English Dictionary. Young Esme’s place is beneath the sorting table, unseen and unheard. One day a slip of paper containing the word bondmaid flutters beneath the table. She rescues the slip and, learning that the word means “slave girl,” begins to collect other words that have been discarded or neglected by the dictionary men.

As she grows up, Esme realizes that words and meanings relating to women’s and common folks’ experiences often go unrecorded. And so she begins in earnest to search out words for her own dictionary: the Dictionary of Lost Words. To do so she must leave the sheltered world of the university and venture out to meet the people whose words will fill those pages.

Set during the height of the women’s suffrage movement and with the Great War looming, The Dictionary of Lost Words reveals a lost narrative, hidden between the lines of a history written by men. Inspired by actual events, author Pip Williams has delved into the archives of the Oxford English Dictionary to tell this highly original story. The Dictionary of Lost Words is a delightful, lyrical, and deeply thought-provoking celebration of words and the power of language to shape the world."

Regards,

Kareni

[Vintage81]

I've finished two books recently...

Another Lynn Painter book...The Love Wager. It's about Hallie and Jack who meet at a wedding and end up having a one night stand, but happen to meet up again through a dating app. They agree to help each other find the right partner for each other, but end up starting to like each other. This story was fun, but nothing new or super meaningful. (4 stars)

For my book club we read America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray. This book is told from the perspective of Patsy Jefferson, the daughter of Thomas Jefferson. The story takes us all the way from her childhood to after her father's death. There was a lot of interesting information about their time in Paris, her perspective on Jefferson's relationship with Sally Hemings, and her marriage. I will admit that I skimmed through the last 150 pages because by that point I had grown a bit tired of the book. The story was good, it just didn't always capture my interest. Also, after reading the author's note, it seems the author made a lot of assumptions from the letters she researched. I know this is common practice, but there was a big emphasis on a love story that was never really known to have existed. That just kind of felt weird. (4 stars) 

[Kassia]

On 8/4/2023 at 3:51 PM, Kassia said:

 

I'm starting Emotional Labor: The Invisible Work Shaping Our Lives and How to Claim Our Power.  I don't remember how I found out about this book. Maybe on WTM?  

 

 

I didn't like this one either.  I was on a roll with reading books I really enjoyed and then suddenly disliked two in a row. 

Starting Marmee now, "...a revealing retelling of Louisa May Alcott's beloved Little Women, from the perspective of Margaret "Marmee" March..."

[bookbard]

On 8/4/2023 at 12:42 AM, Vintage81 said:

he book is called Shark Heart by Emily Habeck.

So I had to look it up after your post! I found a sample on Kobo and read a few chapters. The writing was really poor. It felt like a high school kid's project. I wonder if this is a uni student's first novel which got picked up out of sheer weirdness. 

[Kareni]

I just finished a book that I quite enjoyed,  Happiness for Beginners: A Novel by Katherine Center. It's about a recently divorced woman who decides to go on a wilderness survival course in an effort to make positive changes in her life. The best friend of her annoying younger brother happens to be signed up for the same course. This book made me laugh aloud, but it also had depth and poignancy.  (FIC 74, RR 31, NF 7, NS 20, GN 1, PIC 1///)

"Helen Carpenter can’t quite seem to bounce back. Newly divorced at thirty-two, her life has fallen apart beyond her ability to put it together again. So when her annoying younger brother, Duncan, convinces her to sign up for a hardcore wilderness survival course in the backwoods of Wyoming—she hopes it’ll be exactly what she needs.

Instead, it’s a disaster. It’s nothing like she wants, or expects, or anticipates. She doesn’t anticipate the surprise summer blizzard, for example—or the blisters, or the rutting elk, or the mean pack of sorority girls. And she especially doesn’t anticipate that her annoying brother’s even-more-annoying best friend, Jake, will show up for the exact same course—and distract her, derail her, and . . . kiss her.

But it turns out sometimes disaster can teach you exactly the things you need to learn. Like how to keep going, even when you think you can’t. How being scared can make you brave. And how sometimes getting really, really lost is your only hope of getting found."

Regards,

Kareni

[Vintage81]

2 hours ago, Kareni said:

I just finished a book that I quite enjoyed,  Happiness for Beginners: A Novel by Katherine Center. It's about a recently divorced woman who decides to go on a wilderness survival course in an effort to make positive changes in her life. The best friend of her annoying younger brother happens to be signed up for the same course. This book made me laugh aloud, but it also had depth and poignancy.  (FIC 74, RR 31, NF 7, NS 20, GN 1, PIC 1///)

"Helen Carpenter can’t quite seem to bounce back. Newly divorced at thirty-two, her life has fallen apart beyond her ability to put it together again. So when her annoying younger brother, Duncan, convinces her to sign up for a hardcore wilderness survival course in the backwoods of Wyoming—she hopes it’ll be exactly what she needs.

Instead, it’s a disaster. It’s nothing like she wants, or expects, or anticipates. She doesn’t anticipate the surprise summer blizzard, for example—or the blisters, or the rutting elk, or the mean pack of sorority girls. And she especially doesn’t anticipate that her annoying brother’s even-more-annoying best friend, Jake, will show up for the exact same course—and distract her, derail her, and . . . kiss her.

But it turns out sometimes disaster can teach you exactly the things you need to learn. Like how to keep going, even when you think you can’t. How being scared can make you brave. And how sometimes getting really, really lost is your only hope of getting found."

Regards,

Kareni

Sounds good…I just placed a hold for it on Libby. 😊

[Kidlit]

I just finished The Only One Left by Riley Sager.  It's something of a thriller--not my normal genre.  It's a very suspenseful, twisty ride, so it did help me out of a reading slump. I will say it requires a goodly amount of willful suspension of disbelief, but if you like stories that have no loose ends dangling at the end, this one might be for you. 

[wisdomandtreasures]

Just finished Simply Classical by Cheryl Swope and am currently paralyzed about what to read next. 😛

[bookbard]

On 8/12/2023 at 10:00 AM, Kareni said:

just finished a book that I quite enjoyed,  Happiness for Beginners: A Novel by Katherine Center.

I was able to borrow this from the library and read it quickly - it was a fun fast-paced romance, although it didn't really cut it as a romance for me. I guess the authors have to constantly think up new will they or won't they plots all the time, but being forced into kissing via a bet doesn't sit well with me.

I then watched the movie as Netflix was pushing it on me. It was kind of a Hallmark movie, tick off gay best friend, quirky grandma, blah blah. No real chemistry with the main characters who were aged up majorly. The best part was the scenery, it was beautiful. So different from the Australian bushwalking equivalent, it looked so lush and green. 

[Kareni]

I've read several books lately.

I quite enjoyed the contemporary romance, Business or Pleasure by Rachel Lynn Solomon, which featured a ghostwriter and a man famous for his acting work as a younger man. They meet, connect, and have a one night stand. Unlike most romances, the sex is the worst the heroine has ever experienced, and she sneaks away soon thereafter. They meet again when the heroine is being asked to ghostwrite the hero's memoir. This made me laugh a lot but also addressed some serious issues. (Adult content)

"Chandler Cohen has never felt more like the ghost in "ghostwriter" until she attends a signing for a book she wrote—and the author doesn’t even recognize her. The evening turns more promising when she meets a charming man at the bar and immediately connects with him. But when all their sexual tension culminates in a spectacularly awkward hookup, she decides this is one night better off forgotten.
 
Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done. Her next project is ghostwriting a memoir for Finn Walsh, a C-list actor best known for playing a lovable nerd on a cult classic werewolf show who now makes a living appearing at fan conventions across the country. Chandler knows him better from their one-night stand of hilarious mishaps.
 
Chandler’s determined to keep their partnership as professional as possible, but when she admits to Finn their night together wasn’t as mind-blowing as he thought it was, he’s distraught. He intrigues her enough that they strike a deal: when they’re not working on his book, Chandler will school Finn in the art of satisfaction. As they grow closer both in and out of the bedroom, they must figure out which is more important, business or pleasure—or if there's a way for them to have both."

**

I found The E.T. Guy (Office Aliens Book 1) by V.C. Lancaster to be a light enjoyable science fiction romance. The E.T. guy from the title is an alien who works in I.T. and the heroine is an immigration officer for aliens.  (Adult content)

"It's 2266, and Lois Kennedy is an Intake Officer for DETI, the Department of Extra-Terrestrial Immigration.

Zir is a refugee from the planet Teiss, working in DETI's I.T. department.

Lois and Zir just can't get along. As far as she's concerned, he's rude, abrasive, and condescending. She wants nothing to do with him. So why does he never leave her alone? He must be crazy if he thinks there could ever be anything between them... right?"

**

And I reread Good Deeds by Kathryn Moon which was a reverse harem romance featuring a female alien and several androids. (Significant adult content)

**

 (FIC 76, RR 32, NF 7, NS 20, GN 1, PIC 1//)

Regards,

Kareni

[GailV]

Hold the Line by Michael Fanone. I hadn't watched any of the footage of the Jan 6 insurrection. Honestly, just making it through the verbal descriptions in this book was a tough time for me, particularly his description of Jan 6 itself. Contains lots of swearing.

 

 

[ScoutTN]

LOTR. Life is hard right now. This is a comfort read for me. 

[Vintage81]

3 minutes ago, ScoutTN said:

LOTR. Life is hard right now. This is a comfort read for me. 

Hugs Scout

[Grace Hopper]

I am still suffering an Anthony Doerr hangover, having completed his beautiful short story anthology, The Shell Collector, early in July. I picked up several things after that and few held my interest. Miss Benson’s Beetle finally came through in my library requests and that got me back into reading. I have a few titles stacked up and just have to decide what to start next. My schedule is a bit freer now and I hope to catch up on my 52-a-year goal. 
 

I have a question for y’all. Three titles I recently started were books that I can’t figure out how to classify - by genre, I mean. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and Cassandra in Reverse are two of them. I also just started As Long As the Lemon Trees grow, which immediately captivated me until Khawf showed up (trying not to spoil - I do understand who Kharf is). Anyway, the first two - and I guess The Midnight Library could go here as well - I think would be speculative fiction? I don’t mind fantasy, I don’t mind science fiction, but these books have just not held my interest lately. Not sure if Lemon Trees will end up returned unread, but I sadly suspect it might. Just wondering if any of you have thoughts on this…genre?

I am partly through a reread of Jane Eyre and have a stack accumulating of a mystery series by a local author, just waiting on one more to come in so I can read them in sequence. I don’t like to read titles out of order because there’s are character and story arcs that run through the series. Once I get the last missing one I can read through the stack quickly. 

Edited August 17, 2023 by Grace Hopper

[Vintage81]

57 minutes ago, Grace Hopper said:

I have a question for y’all. Three titles I recently started were books that I can’t figure out how to classify - by genre, I mean. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and Cassandra in Reverse are two of them. I also just started As Long As the Lemon Trees grow, which immediately captivated me until Khawf showed up (trying not to spoil - I do understand who Kharf is). Anyway, the first two - and I guess The Midnight Library could go here as well - I think would be speculative fiction? I don’t mind fantasy, I don’t mind science fiction, but these books have just not held my interest lately. Not sure if Lemon Trees will end up returned unread, but I sadly suspect it might. Just wondering if any of you have thoughts on this…genre?

I'm not familiar with Cassandra in Reverse, but I've read both The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow. I think these would fall under magical realism. I thought Addie LaRue was really slow, so while I liked the premise of it, I was kind of bored. I really loved As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow, but it is a difficult book to read...it's sad! 

[Kassia]

On 8/11/2023 at 12:47 PM, Kassia said:

I didn't like this one either.  I was on a roll with reading books I really enjoyed and then suddenly disliked two in a row. 

Starting Marmee now, "...a revealing retelling of Louisa May Alcott's beloved Little Women, from the perspective of Margaret "Marmee" March..."

Make that three in a row.  I don't like "Marmee."  It lacks all the charm and warmth of Little Women. It's written in journal form and just seems so dry to me. I'm halfway through and have been struggling to continue.  I just picked up 13 library books yesterday that were on hold for me and they are calling me...

@ScoutTNsending hugs.  I'm sorry you're having a hard time.  Life is hard here too.  The only thing I enjoy guilt-free is reading.  I've been comfort eating, but that just makes me stressed because of the weight gain.  I guess they both feel like escaping from real life.  Internet time too.  

@Grace HopperI'm so sure I read The Shell Seeker but it's not marked as read on my Goodreads account.  I'm very confused.   

Edited August 17, 2023 by Kassia

[Vintage81]

16 minutes ago, Vintage81 said:

I'm not familiar with Cassandra in Reverse, but I've read both The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow. I think these would fall under magical realism. I thought Addie LaRue was really slow, so while I liked the premise of it, I was kind of bored. I really loved As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow, but it is a difficult book to read...it's sad! 

Just wanted to add...I've haven't read many books under the magical realism genre, but some of my more recent ones...

The Wishing Game and Weyward...these were okay, but I didn't love them.

Other Birds and Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance...I really liked these. 

[Grace Hopper]

32 minutes ago, Kassia said:

Make that three in a row.  I don't like "Marmee."  It lacks all the charm and warmth of Little Women. It's written in journal form and just seems so dry to me. I'm halfway through and have been struggling to continue.  I just picked up 13 library books yesterday that were on hold for me and they are calling me...

@ScoutTNsending hugs.  I'm sorry you're having a hard time.  Life is hard here too.  The only thing I enjoy guilt-free is reading.  I've been comfort eating, but that just makes me stressed because of the weight gain.  I guess they both feel like escaping from real life.  Internet time too.  

@Grace HopperI'm so sure I read The Shell Seeker but it's not marked as read on my Goodreads account.  I'm very confused.   

Oh! Did I say shell seeker? It’s shell collector. I’ll go back and fix that, sorry. 

[Kassia]

31 minutes ago, Grace Hopper said:

Oh! Did I say shell seeker? It’s shell collector. I’ll go back and fix that, sorry. 

I'm sorry, that was my fault.  I had the wrong title in my head but I was referring to the right book.  

[Ottakee]

I just finished this book.  I have read and enjoyed several of her novels.   This was a good read and I especially enjoyed the hiking references.

[Kareni]

Sending good wishes to you, @ScoutTN, and to anyone who is going through a difficult time.

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

Today I read a nonfiction book, Stitch Draw: Design And Technique For Figurative Stitching by Rosie James. This was a quick read, and I plan to pass it along to the woman who hosts the monthly art gathering I attend. (FIC 76, RR 32, NF 8, NS 20, GN 1, PIC 1//)

"A guide to figurative stitching with the sewing machine – using the thread and needle almost as a pencil. A look that is growing in popularity, figurative stitch work needs some guidance and a leading exponent of the style reveals the basics but also how to expand your repertoire to really showcase your creativity.

The book covers: How to set up your machine; How to tackle drawing (with exercises that will help even those who are afraid to put pen to paper); Transferring drawing to cloth, working with transparency, different surfaces and adding fabrics and colour; Photography, with details on using photographs in textiles; Putting it all together with layering images, playing with scale, repetition and composition.

Stunning work by Rosie James and other textile artists who work with figurative stitch are featured throughout the book."

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

Ah, I also reread the science fiction romance,  Only Bad Options: A Galactic Bonds book by Jennifer Estep, which I enjoyed once again. I look forward to reading the sequel which was recently released. (FIC 77, RR 32, NF 8, NS 20, GN 1, PIC 1//)

"A WOMAN WHO SEES EVERYTHING . . .

Few people know the name Vesper Quill. To most folks, I’m just a lowly lab rat who designs brewmakers and other household appliances in the research and development lab at the powerful Kent Corp. But when I point out a design flaw and a safety hazard in the new line of Kent Corp spaceships, everyone knows who I am—and wants to eliminate me.

I might be a seer with a photographic memory, but I don’t see the trouble headed my way until it’s too late. Suddenly, I’m surrounded by enemies and fighting for my life.

I don’t think things can get any worse until I meet Kyrion Caldaren, an arrogant Regal lord who insists that we have a connection, one that could be the death of us both.

A MAN WHO CAN’T FORGET HIS PAST . . .

The name Kyrion Caldaren strikes fear in the hearts of people across the Archipelago Galaxy. As the leader of the Arrows, the Imperium’s elite fighting force, I’m used to being a villain, as well as the personal assassin of Lord Callus Holloway. Even the wealthy Regals who live on the planet of Corios are afraid of me.

But everything changes when I meet Vesper Quill. I might be a powerful psion with telepathic, telekinetic, and other abilities, but Vesper sees far too many of my secrets.

Thanks to an arcane, unwanted quirk of psionic magic, the two of us are forced to work together to unravel a dangerous conspiracy and outwit the deadly enemies who want to bend us to their will."

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

And I bought a book last night that I finished today. I quite enjoyed the contemporary romance, Lucky by Gigi DeGraham, even though it did strain credulity from time to time. It featured three teens in their last year of high school. (Adult content)  

"Lucky’s life hasn’t been fortunate, despite her name. Not the rich or even middle-class families ever lived in the Sunset Pines Trailer Park but Lucky and her father have love, even if they don’t have much else. Skipping school wasn’t her brightest idea but Lucky never met a rule she didn’t want to break.

Lucky would do anything to keep her father out of jail, but going to Halton Prep for her senior year? Didn’t the judge know kids from the trailer park NEVER step foot into that ‘Richy-Rich’ school? But her choice wasn’t hard. It’s agree to go or her dad spends time behind bars.

Whatever. Lucky will do anything to protect her father. She’ll compromise for his sake, but Halton Prep’s dress code isn’t all Lucky must deal with.

One hot footballer, Whit Graham has claimed Lucky as his and tries his best to become her only guy. Anyone who gets in his way might need a little friendly reminder, even if they are a star cross country athlete. But Hudson Preston isn’t intimidated by the mighty Whit Graham, or his Hellcat Crew. He doesn’t abide by anyone’s stupid bro-code and sets his sights on Lucky.

Two hot guys both want to be her one and only but Lucky’s never seen things the way most people do. Now that she’s on this compromising kick, she’s looking at Whit Graham and Hudson Preston with a new idea in mind.

The question is, would they even consider it? There’s only one way to find out, and it’s—Game On."

**

ETA: And I quickly read the comic collection Simon's Cat: It's a Dog's Life by Simon Tofield which made for a fun ten minutes.

"While patrolling his territory, Simon’s Cat dips into the lives of the many dogs in his neighbourhood, including crazy poodles, a lovestruck bulldog and a pack of mischievous puppies. With characteristic style and wit, Simon Tofield’s brilliantly observed illustrations capture the comical capers of different dog breeds, and some a-meow-sing encounters with their feline counterparts."

(FIC 78, RR 32, NF 8, NS 20, GN 2, PIC 1///)

Regards,

Kareni

[Faith-manor]

I just got done with Prairie Fires, and will soon start, Manoomin: The Story of Wild Rice in Michigan.

[Ottakee]

Moonshiner’s Daughter was a good listen.  Lots to chew on but a good story as well.

[Kidlit]

I'm reading Prairie Fires now, @Faith-manor. 
I really enjoyed The Moonshiner's Daughter, @Ottakee.

[Vintage81]

I finished two books over the past few days...

For English this year DD and I are doing American Literature (she's doing US History, so I thought it would go nicely with that). I don't think I've actually read any of the books on our list...which is kind of terrible, but I'm happy because I'm always on a quest to read more classics! The first book is Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. I kind of went into this one blind. I knew it was a bit controversial, but I didn't know much more than that. I now understand why some people may not like it, but I actually really enjoyed it. I think there's going to be a lot for DD and I to talk about. (5 stars)

The other book I finished was Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. I missed my book club in July because of our vacation, so I finally got around to reading this one. It was such a sweet, heartwarming story. I loved Tova, and I especially loved Marcellus. (4 stars)

[Kassia]

2 minutes ago, Vintage81 said:

 

The other book I finished was Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. I missed my book club in July because of our vacation, so I finally got around to reading this one. It was such a sweet, heartwarming story. I loved Tova, and I especially loved Marcellus. (4 stars)

Everyone I know loved this, but I hated it.  I'm so picky with fiction, though.  Glad you enjoyed it!