Coffee & Books discussion
Bookish!
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What are you reading?
Currently reading these four:Les Misérables (a long-term, several-month project)
Inheritance (on audiobook)
The Bear and the Nightingale (a book I got for free at a fair)
A Gentleman in Moscow (a BOTM)
Most likely won't finish any of these books anytime soon, but slow and steady wins the race!
I am at least 3 weeks behind in writing / posting reviews ... AAARGH.
Up the Down Staircase – Bel Kaufman – 4****
An idealistic teacher clashes with school bureaucracy and struggles to reach her students in a large metropolitan high school. This is written in a kind of epistolary style – notes in the suggestion box, memos from the school principal or nurse or clerk, letters written to a college friend, messages from fellow teachers, items posted on the bulletin board, etc. It makes for a fast and very engaging read, and lends an air of verisimilitude. Hard to believe this was written in the ‘60s and still stands up today.
LINK to my review
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Moonraker – Ian Fleming – 3***
Book three in the original James Bond series. This novel focuses on cold-war sensibilities about a decade post WW2. The reader gets what’s expected: danger, car chases, explosions, dastardly villains, beautiful women, and ever debonair, intelligent and resourceful Bond.
LINK to my review
My review for: Expecting the Unexpected in Derbyshire by Margaret Lynette Sharp
4★https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
After the Funeral – Agatha Christie – 3***
Oh, I love Hercule Poirot and his little grey cells. Always entertaining and always keeping me guessing. Here we have quite a number of characters, all of whom seem to have some motive for killing Cora Lansquenet and/or Richard Abernathie. The killer and Dame Christie cleverly give us many red herrings, false clues, misleading statements, and seemingly meaningless occurrences to confuse, baffle and thwart any attempts at solving the mystery. But, of course, Poirot will unveil the killer.
LINK to my review
Book Concierge wrote: "After the Funeral
– Agatha Christie – 3***
Oh, I love Hercule Poirot and his little grey cells. Always entertaining and always keeping me guessing. Here w..."
Hercule Poirot is my favorite fictional detective! I love his quirks!
Cactus Blood – Lucha Corpi – 1*
Book two in the Gloria Damasco mystery series. She’s a private detective in training, with a gift for premonition…. Or at least vividly violent dreams that seem to come true. The plot was all over the place and I didn’t care about any of these characters. If it wasn’t a selection for my F2F book club, I would not have finished it.
LINK to my review
The Pearl Thief – Elizabeth E Wein – 3.5***
This is a prequel of sorts to Wein’s Code Name Verity , giving readers a little background on the character of Julia Beaufort-Stuart. It’s a good mystery and coming-of-age tale set in 1938 in the Scottish Highlands. I thought Wein did a good job of moving the plot forward and keeping the reader guessing. There are plenty of suspects and certain bits of evidence point first in one direction and then in another. Author notes at the end give additional information on the Travelers and on Scottish river pearls.
LINK to my review
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm – Kate Douglas Wiggins – 4****
What a delight this classic is! From the first introduction, as she boards the stagecoach as the lone passenger, Rebecca charms and entertains. She is ever curious, constantly moving, always exploring, and chattering away. I wish Wiggins had written a sequel; I sure would read more about Rebecca as a young woman. She’s every bit as engaging and interesting as Anne Shirley (of Green Gables).
LINK to my review
Finished 3 books. ★★★★ across the board.
Here's my review
Here's my review
Here's my review
Also finished this one earlier:
★★★ 1/2Here's my review
I'm feeling pretty proud of myself! After a summer chock full of comfort re-reads, I'm finally tackling my TBR and and enjoying the experience! ☺
Ordinary Grace – William Kent Krueger – 4****
Krueger is best known for a series of mysteries set in Minnesota. Here he departs from that formula to write a stand-alone novel that explores issues of family loyalty, decency, and faith. The catalyst this particular summer is death – an accidental death, a natural death, a murder, a suicide. Through the Drum family we see how differently people react to death in this small town, where every person, related by blood or not, is somehow close to you and any death affects you. This is the first book by Krueger that I’ve read. It will not be the last.
LINK to my review
The Widow Clicquot – Tilar J Mazzeo – 3***
Subtitle: The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It. Mazzeo’s biography is sparse on intimate detail, due to lack of personal letters and papers. The result is somewhat interesting but flat. The extraordinary woman at the center of the story never quite comes to life.
LINK to my review
Cold Sassy Tree – Olive Ann Burns – 4****
Thirteen-year-old Will Tweedy narrates Burns’ historical novel which takes place in the small Georgia town of Cold Sassy Tree circa 1906. Oh ,what a treat this novel is! The characters are richly drawn, and cover the gamut of personalities. I was completely engaged in the story from beginning to end, laughing aloud several times as I watched the residents engage in gossip and speculation.
LINK to my review
My review for: Lady Catherine's Lover by Margaret Lynette Sharp
4★https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Little French Bistro – Nina George – 3***
A German tourist in Paris runs from her loveless marriage and winds up in Brittany where she finds her inner strength, and love. I liked some aspects and was disinterested in others. (The whole Celtic Druid connection was unnecessary in my humble opinion.) All told, it’s an okay story and there are some moments that are really tender and enjoyable.
LINK to my review
Shelter in Place – Nora Roberts – 2.5**
Roberts, best known as a romance writer, turns her attention to the thriller genre, and she fills it will all the stereotypical characters of that genre. There wasn’t much suspense as I could see the end coming practically from the beginning of the novel. Still, it was a pretty fast read and mostly held my attention.
LINK to my review
Just finished Bag of Bones by Stephen King. Good ghost story, but didn't like Stephen King narrating his own story on the audiobook.Here's my review
'It' by Stephen King, and 'a room of one's own' by Virginia Woolf.- One for the evening, and one for the train...
The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir – Jennifer Ryan – 4****
Among the many novels about World War II, this one stands out for its focus on the women left behind. Set in an English village, where most of the men are off to the fight, and the women have stepped up to the task of keeping things going. The novel is told by a series of diary entries and letters. I was engaged and interested from beginning to end, and thoroughly enjoyed spending time with these ladies!
LINK to my review
Working on these three:Mr. Mercedes (for this book club!)
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms (For fun)
Les Misérables (a long term project I've been meaning to do for years)
Mod
Mr. Mercedes (for this book club!)
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms (For fun)
Les Misérables (a long term project I've been meaning ..."
Such a good range of books! I am definitely a multi book reader and I always feel guilty when I read too many of the same sort of genre or theme!
My review for: Of Love and Secrets by Margaret Lynette Sharp
4★https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Exit West – Mohsin Hamid – 4.5****
What an inventive and interesting way of telling a tale that examines issues of immigration, war, and love. Hamid uses a framework of a political unrest, where outsiders are quickly blamed for all that goes wrong. It’s uncomfortably recognizable and plausible, but also has a mystical / ethereal quality.
LINK to my review
My review for: The Memories That Make Us by Vanessa Carnevale
5★https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review for: The Florentine Bridge by Vanessa Carnevale
5★https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Educated: A Memoir – Tara Westover – 5*****
In this memoir, Westover recalls her childhood and personal journey to become an educated, independent woman. It’s amazing that Westover survived some of the episodes she relates; it’s a testament to her inner strength and determination that she managed to prosper. Her story is fascinating, compelling and inspiring, but there are scenes that left me shaking my head or cringing in fear.
LINK to my review
Rachel Skye wrote: "Such a good range of books! I am definitely a multi book reader and I always feel guilty when I read too many of the same sort of genre or theme!"Yup, I feel the same way! I like being known for the diversity in my reading, and I get too impatient with one book at a time; I always need more!
My review for: News Comes to Pemberley by Margaret Lynette Sharp
4★https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Trouble With Goats And Sheep – Joanna Cannon – 3.5***
What an interesting and inventive way to structure this mystery / coming of age novel. Cannon tells the story in dual timeframes (Summer 1976 and December 1967), and with multiple points of view. But in addition to the mystery Cannon gives the reader a coming-of-age story. I loved Grace and Tilly. The girls learn valuable lessons about friendship, responsibility and not being quick to judge.
LINK to my review
Finished these two. ★★★ 1/2 for both.
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms (Inheritance Trilogy #1), by N.K. Jemisin
A good fantasy, although I didn't get into it as much as I expected.
Here's My Review
Mr. Mercedes (Bill Hodges #1), by Stephen King
A good thriller, one of Stephen King's better novels.
Here's My Review
Reading these now:
Just finished IT. I knew there was a good reason to fear clowns and balloons... Also, just started reading Klosteret, or Обитель, by Zakhar Prilepin. High expectations.
Over the Edge – Michael Ghiglieri & Thomas Myers – 2.5**
The subtitle is all the summary anyone needs: Gripping accounts of all known fatal mishaps in the most famous of the World’s Seven Natural Wonders. The chapters are divided by cause: falls from the rim, falls within the canyon, environment (i.e. dehydration), etc. They have a pretty engaging style when they are recounting a specific scenario, but they tend to get preachy about the causes of most of these fatalities. Mostly it’s boring. My husband’s account of his raft trip is much better (read full review).
LINK to my review
Black and Blue – Anna Quindlen – 3***
The abused wife of a New York City detective flees with their son to a new life in a new state with new identities. Quindlen gives the reader a reasonably suspenseful story arc, but I had some problems believing in the characters. I was interested in how it would play out, but I won’t remember this book for long.
LINK to my review
Currently reading
Sam Phillips: The Man Who Invented Rock 'n' Roll by Peter Guralnick, after finishing an intriguing history of my favourite beverage:
Milk!: A 10,000-Year Food Fracas by Mark Kurlansky.I'm an oddball and freely admit it. I read books alphabetically by author and title, and also by the original due date if borrowed from the library.
The Cider House Rules – John Irving – 4****
I love Irving’s writing, and don’t know why this one languished on my TBR for so long. What I really like about the novel is how the characters are portrayed. The reader gets a clear idea of how Dr Larch came to his decision. The reader also clearly understands why Homer makes a different decision, how he struggles to love this man who is like a father to him, once he makes that decision. And the reader watches the painful separation that all parents face when they send their offspring out into the world to make their own way. How a parent’s hopes and dreams may not always be embraced by that child.
LINK to my review
My review for: Pemberley: The Next Generation by Margaret Lynette Sharp
4★https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Book Concierge wrote: " Black and Blue
– Anna Quindlen – 3***
The abused wife of a New York City detective flees with their son to a new life in a new state with new identities. Quin..."
I love Anna Quindlen, but I felt the same way about this story. Her other books are better, in my opinion.
Coffee & Books
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