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The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett (Audio performed by William Dufris) – 4****This is the novel that introduced readers to Nick and Nora Charles (and their Schnauzer Asta). It is a delightful mystery and a sophisticated comedy of manners all in one. Nick and Nora are wonderful characters – calm and cool, rich and glamorous, full of wisecracks and martinis. Hammett has the reader chasing just about every character as a suspect. The final reveal was a complete surprise to me. William Dufris is marvelous performing the audio version. He has a gift for voices and really brings this large cast to life.
This is a Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
and I suspect that im will flow right into
Moonrise by Cassandra King – 1* Within a few pages I recognized the plotlines and characters of Daphne DuMaurier’s Rebecca. But this modern retelling of that classic falls far short of the mark. King may have intended it as an homage to DuMaurier’s novel, but the result is a travesty, a mediocre soap opera. The characters behave like they are in junior high rather than late middle age. Still, finding similarities to Rebecca kept me entertained enough for 1 star.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I just finished
and am now starting
.
Finished
currently reading
Miss Julia Delivers the Goods by Ann B Ross – 3***I love Miss Julia and the rest of the cast of characters in these charming Southern stories. Everyone is in everyone else’s business, but always (or mostly) with good intentions. While the mystery of who broke into Sam’s place does provide a little distraction, the main focus in this book is on Hazel Marie and Mr Pickens and their on-again-off-again relationship. A few laughable moments, no real danger, and characters you just want to hug … what could be better on a summer day?
This is a Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Just finished
now reading
Mod
"I listened to that. I think Jasinda Wilder doesn't agree with me. It was a 3.5 and that's the highest I have given her books.
I am listening to
and reading
Yeah its a bit mehh so far to be honest
Mod
it will continue to be so. It was super dark when it didn't have to be that gloomy.
I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb – 5***** Audio performed by Archie Panjabi. The subtitle says it all: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban. What an inspiring and enlightening story. Malala gives the historical background of Pakistan and the Pashtun culture, as well as that of her own family. In a society that values sons, her parents encouraged and praised their daughter’s ambitions. My mother’s favorite saying was: Educate a man and you educate an individual / Educate a woman and you will have educated a family. Malala Yousafzai has taken that saying one step further; she is educating the world.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Death of a Red Heroine by Qiu Xiaolong – 4****The debut mystery which introduced Chief Inspector Chen Cao of the Shanghai Police Bureau. The murder of a national model worker taxes all their resources as Chen and his deputy, Detective Yu, try to find out who killed the girl. Chen is a contrast: a man educated in literature, a published poet, and translator of mysteries, who is also a methodical investigator concerned only with bringing the perpetrator to justice. It is not the kind of mystery that relies on suspense, violent altercations and dangerous situations. Rather, the joy of this novel is watching Chen build his case. I’ll definitely read more of this series.
This is a Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I'm halfway thru Animal Attraction
by Jill Shalvis and started on A Quick Bite
by Lynsay Sands last night.
The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie Benjamin – 3*** Audio performed by Lorna Raver. Benjamin has mined history in her previous novels and the life of Anne Morrow Lindbergh provides a wealth of information on which to base this work. I’ve read several nonfiction works about the Lindberghs; I’ve read Anne’s book A Gift From the Sea and several of her diaries. So, little of the information I found in this book was news to me, and maybe that’s why I cannot rate it higher. For me it was adequate but not special. The way Benjamin portrays these characters made me really dislike both of them, and I’m left feeling disappointed in them and in the book.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Finished
and
Still working on
and
(which I'd put on hold to finish the other three.)
Lady Windermere’s Fan by Oscar Wilde – 3.5***A Comedy of Manners by a master dramatist. Lady Windermere’s sheltered life may be shattered if Mrs Erlynne’s secret past is revealed. But never fear, after a series of misunderstandings, innuendo, rumors, awkward situations and sincere confessions all will be well. I love Oscar Wilde’s plays, and while this is not his best, if you have a chance to see it performed definitely take the opportunity.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
: Amandine by Marlena deBlasi – 3***A baby girl is conceived out of wedlock is deposited at a remote convent in the French countryside by her grandmother, a countess. Raised as an orphan, but with a young governess, Solange, devoted to her, Amandine thrives despite hardships, especially those brought on by Nazi Germany’s occupation of France in WW2. I found this novel slow to start. However, once the characters were well established and Amandine began to show her own personality as a young child I got caught up in her story. The ending is both abrupt and inconclusive. This is the author’s only novel; her other works are nonfiction. I wonder if she is working on a sequel to this book.
This is a Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Finally finished
it was pretty horrible.Just started
and
Finished
♡♡♡♡ and now reading
just like Vicci Audio Nerd ;)
Mod
which was great. Listening to
now
just finished
.was ok.quick and easy reads.reading
and
.on a Mary Nichols spree now. love
.and
was ok.for me you know i erased
and
.i accept
after
.to my way of thinking the middle 2 books were not necessary.
Mod
..."I too didn't love
, but the sequel
was wayyy better. Give it a try.
Ezinwanyi~still loves Spartacus wrote: "siriusedward wrote: "just finished ..."I too didn't love
, but the sequel [bookcover:One Good Earl Dese..."I'm reading this now and am hoping I enjoy it better than you two did. I've really enjoyed the first 6 chapters except I did have a weensy bit of an issue with the sex scene. Not the scene itself but the fact that she was so overcome with sexual feelings she didn't once tell him to F-off for being a douche. Does that really happen? Oh well, I'll read more of it tonight and see where I go from there LOL.
The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler – 4**** This is the noir classic that introduced readers to Philip Marlowe, private detective. Chandler is a master at crafting a plot that is complicated with more twists than a mountain road. The star of the novel, in my opinion, is Chandler’s way with words. His style is often imitated, but no one uses the simile and metaphor so well. It’s a fun, fast read, and I’m glad I finally read it.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Finished
- which I enjoyed as well as the other 2 Phoenix Pack books in the series.Reading
which is not a typical type of read for me but thought I'd give it a whirl.
April Fool Dead by Carolyn Hart – 1*This is book # 13 in the Death on Demand series, featuring Annie Darling, owner of the Death on Demand mystery bookshop. The murder doesn’t happen until page 150. A side story involving Max’s mother, Laurel, is totally unnecessary. I have a feeling the author has run out of coherent ideas for this series. In a nutshell – the characters aren’t developed; the plot is disorganized; clues are nonexistent; the writing is padded with descriptions that add nothing to the story or atmosphere. Don’t waste your time.
This is a Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Finished
and
Now reading
Up next is
The Distance between Us by Reyna Grande – 5***** This is a heartbreaking and heartwarming memoir of a childhood living in want, both in Mexico and in the United States. Grande writes with courage about the abject poverty of her early years, the sense of abandonment she and her siblings felt when their parents left, and how feeling abandoned affected their futures. I was appalled and distressed reading about this level of poverty. I was angry with her parents for the way they treated their children. But ultimately this is an inspiring story of courage and perseverance. I was in tears at the end of this poignant and honest memoir.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Murder With Puffins by Donna Andrews – 2** This is book two in the Meg Lanslow series, each of which has a title referencing birds. Meg Lanslow and boyfriend Michael arrive at Monhegan for a romantic getaway, only to find the island overrun with birders and Aunt Phoebe’s summer cottage full of family members. When a famous artist is found dead, Meg has to investigate to clear her family’s name. The characters and situations are ridiculous. I finished it only because it fulfilled a challenge. At least it’s a fast read and the basic murder investigation is mildly entertaining.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck – 5*****Audio book performed by Ron McLarty. What a wonderful novel of a time gone by. I was laughing aloud at several of the shenanigans Grandma perpetrated. The writing is very atmospheric. I itched with the memory of chigger bites, felt the torpidity of a humid summer day, and heard the sounds of a summer night. When I finished listening, I immediately picked up the hardcover book and started reading from the beginning. This may be a children’s book, but I’ll wager that adults will appreciate it even more.
This is a Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
and reading
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The Challenge Factory
Books mentioned in this topic
The Duke Is Mine (other topics)Wild Things (other topics)
Love You More (other topics)
Lie With Me (other topics)
A Trouble of Fools (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Kristen Ashley (other topics)Karen Marie Moning (other topics)
Kristen Ashley (other topics)
Angela McCallister (other topics)
Larissa Ione (other topics)
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3***
The two dozen monks of Saint-Gilbert-Entre-les-Loups live a cloistered life in the woods of Quebec. But when their renowned choir director is murdered, the locked doors of the monastery must be opened to admit Inspector Gamache. For a book of this genre, this was a rather slow, deliberate and thoughtful work. While the plot may not be fast-paced it is intricate and complex. What most interested me were the characters, and Penny does a masterful job presenting them with all their strengths and weaknesses. I’ll definitely go back to book # 1 and read the series from the beginning.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...