Historical Fictionistas discussion

I am currently reading hangmans holiday by Dorothy L Sayers

I just started The Violets of March by Sarah Jio

Still working on my re-read of Stephen King's Dark Tower series, though I also picked up -- on the recommendation of a colleague -- Augustus, an epistolary novel about the Roman emperor.

I finished Into the Water and starting Station Eleven

Alice wrote: "Kathleen wrote: "Just started The Midwife of Venice by Roberta Rich, love the descriptive writing."

I have that one sitting on my bookshelf let us know how it is."

I stayed up way to late reading...but I really enjoyed The Midwife of Venice for me it was interesting and engaging. I really liked how the author alternated chapters between Hannah in Venice and Isaac in Malta. I also loved the attention to detail.

I just finished reading Beneath a Scarlet Sky which was a giveaway for me. I gave this WWII book about a 17 year old boy in Milan Italy 5 stars. My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I also finished The Unseen World which took me awhile to review. I enjoyed the book and have it 3 1/2 stars but I apparently expected more than others.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


Now I am reading Insane Clown President: Dispatches from the 2016 Circus which is just reminding me of how much the last election was like a Jerry Springer show.


Last night I started Forty Rooms which looks promising. The book is broken up into very small segments each one a room from a young girls life...and then into adulthood. Right now she is 4 1/2-6 and she sees ghosts along with imaginary friends but I don't think they stay with her into adulthood. Anyway it is very descriptive writing.

Am taking on the classic Count of Monte Cristo and its over 1000 pages- only on p 36 but is great dialogue and intrigue.

Alexw wrote: "Am taking on the classic Count of Monte Cristo and its over 1000 pages- only on p 36 but is great dialogue and intrigue."

I read this one a few months ago with my book club. I was surprised how easy it was to read. I expected harder language, but instead found that my brain didn't have to switch gears every time I picked it up. Everyone enjoyed it so much that we plan on reading Three Musketeers in October.

I loved Three Musketeers. I read it in high school.

Alice wrote: "I have that one sitting on my bookshelf let us know how it is."

I read The Midwife of Venice a couple years back and felt the ending was rushed and some of the plot twists implausible. I wanted to like it, but it fell short--for me. Sometimes a book catches me in the wrong mood!

I'm working through 3 books at the moment:

The Essex Serpent - I won this book in a GR giveaway a few months back but never got a chance to read it. Since one of my book clubs chose it as our "book of the month", gave me motivation to finally get to it.

The Glorious Heresies - this one was for a blog project that I've been meaning to get to for awhile.

The Resurrection of Joan Ashby - ARC from NetGalley publishing at the end of this month (trying to work through my NG queue as well). Excellent book so far - barely a third of the way through and I already know I'm going to love this one!

Just finished The Pyramid by Ismail Kadare. Three stars. Here's my review. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Zoe wrote: "I am currently reading hangmans holiday by Dorothy L Sayers"

I read everything she wrote--all at once--several years ago. Be forewarned, Dorothy L. Sayers induces literary binge watching!

Bkwmlee wrote: "I'm working through 3 books at the moment:

The Essex Serpent - I won this book in a GR giveaway a few months back but never got a chance to read it. Since one of my book clubs chos..."

I have the Essex Serpent on hold at my library.

Monica wrote: "I can't remember if there's been a discussion here of I finished reading it now and I hate to say it, but I was utterly disappointed. I read extensively on th..."

I am sorry you didn't like The Orphan's Tale. I really loved it.

Last time we spoke by Fiona Sussman

Just finished Can You Keep A Secret?

My Review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/2085651505

Sailing to Sarantium--enjoying it very much!

Dreams of Joy by Lisa See, a dive into Mao's cultural revolution in Chinal

Sara wrote: "Dreams of Joy by Lisa See, a dive into Mao's cultural revolution in Chinal"

I loved her book, China Dolls. Good writing and well plotted, and a lot of fun!

Kate wrote: "Sailing to Sarantium--enjoying it very much!"

I was just looking at my TBR shelf where that very book sits. I just have to get to it someday!!

When Breath Becomes Air – Paul Kalanithi – 4****
This memoir was written when Paul Kalanithi was in his mid-thirties, about to finish his training as a neurosurgeon, and had been diagnosed with an aggressive lung cancer. I was interested and moved by his story.
LINK to my review

Jackie wrote: "Alexw wrote: "Am taking on the classic Count of Monte Cristo and its over 1000 pages- only on p 36 but is great dialogue and intrigue."

I read this one a few months ago with my book club. I was su..."

Dumas is still as much fun to read now as he was when I was in high school in the (late) 70s. 3 Musketeers and Count of Monte Cristo are two of my all-time favorites and probably permanently scarred me into writing historical fiction today. Congrats on (re)discovering him.

I struggled with the final book of the Boudica series, Dreaming the Serpent Spear. Onto lighter reading with book eighteen of the Thomas Kydd Sea Adventures, Persephone.

I've just started The Last Summer by Judith Kinghorne: The Last Summer Pretty good so far.

5★ OCD to the max! Addition by Aussie author Toni Jordan gives us Grace - smart, funny, always counting. Link to my review

❀⊱Rory⊰❀ wrote: "I've just started The Last Summer by Judith Kinghorne: The Last Summer Pretty good so far."

omg i just finished this book tonight. i cried.

Finished Marlene by C.W. Gortner. I enjoyed this one, but not as much as Gortner's earlier books. Started Saint Peter's Fair on the Nook, I haven't chosen my paper book yet from my groaning TBR shelf.

I am reading by Kate Parker. Set in England 1939. good but not as good as her other series set in Victorian time period

Finished the book The Little Stranger, found it more sad than thrilling, but it definitely has historical undertones: Review

Now I'm going to start Ross Poldark

Jayme(the ghost reader) wrote: "I finished Into the Water and starting Station Eleven"

oooh, station eleven. I was very impressed with that.

Lisa wrote: "Now I am reading Insane Clown President: Dispatches from the 2016 Circus which is just reminding me of how much the last election was like a Jerry Springer show."

I don't know if I could take that right now. Just reading/watching the daily news is like an Insane Clown thing :P

Alexw wrote: "Am taking on the classic Count of Monte Cristo and its over 1000 pages- only on p 36 but is great dialogue and intrigue."

Yay!!! Excellent book, one of my favorites.

Jeffrey wrote: "Be forewarned, Dorothy L. Sayers induces literary binge watching!"

Ha! So true :)

Kate wrote: "Sailing to Sarantium--enjoying it very much!"

GGK is wonderful. This reminds me I need to re-read The Sarantine Mosaic...

literary binge watching?

Still working on my re-read of Stephen King's Dark Tower series. Nearing the end of the last book -- dragging it out because I remember some of what happens, and I don't want it to happen :(

I think it will happen regardless. It is already written.

^^ I totally agree with you GGK is an amazing author even though I have only read the children of earth and sky it's just fabulously created and so very similar to our own world that there are times where you realise hang on this is not the same obviously as it's fiction but it's bloody good I need to get the rest of his works

August 13 - Currently Reading

TEXT – Under This Unbroken Sky by Shandi Mitchell
AUDIO in the car – Dune by Frank Herbert
MP3 Player AUDIO – The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers

Just finished the interesting Beneath a Marble Sky by John Shors. Set in the 17th C Mughal empire.

Chris wrote: "Just finished the interesting Beneath a Marble Sky by John Shors. Set in the 17th C Mughal empire."

I read that one some years ago before I got active on GR. It's a lovely story and seldom written about.

My Sisters Made of Light & listening to The Alice Network for this book club.

I'm reading If you lived here I'd know your name by Heather Lende

Zoe wrote: "^^ I totally agree with you GGK is an amazing author even though I have only read the children of earth and sky it's just fabulously created and so very similar to our own world that there are time..."

I highly recommend his Fionavar Tapestry (starting with The Summer Tree) and also Tigana.

Finished The Dark Tower! Had forgotten how rich and complex his world is.

Now, re-reading I Am Legend for a group read (actually TWO group reads). Next up is Osama, which was recommended to me by Christopher Buehlman (who negotiated the conveyance of a copy to me this past weekend, happy surprise!). Looking forward to that one for sure.

I am reading by Rhys Bowen. One of my favorite authors set in WWII

5★ for Helen Garner's searing story of a fascinating Canberra murder trial in Joe Cinque's Consolation, A True Story of Death, Grief and the Law.
My review

Fantasy next for me. Legends of the Nameless Dwarf: The Complete Saga.