Coffee & Books discussion
Bookish!
>
What are you reading?
The Incredible Journey – Sheila Burnford – 4****
Three beloved family pets – a young Labrador, an aged bull terrier, and a Siamese cat – head home across 300 miles of wooded and mostly uninhabited territory in Ontario, Canada. I saw the original Disney movie when I was a child and read the book at about that same time. I’m glad I revisited it now. It’s a wonderful tale of adventure, friendship, loyalty, teamwork, and kindness.
LINK to my review
I just finished reading The Red Notebook)It is a short book (222 pages in French) and could easily be read in one sitting. I absolutely loved it.
My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Ruins – Scott B Smith – 3***
I read Smith’s earlier novel A Simple Plan , which was a great novel full of psychological nuance, family drama and several twists and turns. I didn’t see the same level of writing with this book. On the plus side, the action moves fairly quickly, though it does start off slowly. On the other hand, this group of young “adults” is almost uniformly unlikeable.
LINK to my review
Rising Strong by Brene BrownWow, one of the most well written self helps books I've ever read so far. I'm listening the audio version which Brene reads herself. Really valuable stuff about the process of recovering from falling after daring greatly.
My review for: Change Comes to Pemberley by Margaret Lynette Sharp
4★https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Girl in the Red Coat by Roma Ligocka.
Listening Woman – Tony Hillerman – 3***
Book three in the Joe Leaphorn mystery series begins with Listening Woman trying to perform a cleansing / healing ritual for Hosteen Tso, an old man who refuses to divulge all he knows. I like Leaphorn; he’s smart, determined, physically and mentally strong, quick to respond to a threat but also deliberate and cautious. It took me quite a while to get into this one, but once Leaphorn was caught up in the chase, I was fully engaged.
LINK to my review
My review for: Heartbreak at Pemberley by Margaret Lynette Sharp
4★https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Mysterious Benedict Society – Trenton Lee Stewart – 4****
Book number one in a children’s middle-grade series. I can certainly see the appeal for middle-grade readers. There are issues common to all children (and adults) here – what makes us afraid, bullying, learning to get along, and tolerance for other people’s differences. It’s a fun adventure story of friendship and courage.
LINK to my review
--------- * * * * * * * * --------
Mrs Jeffries On the Trail – Emily Brightwell – 3***
Book Six in the Victorian Mystery series has the team investigating the murder of a flower seller. It’s a fun cozy mystery series that I’ll keep reading.
LINK to my review
Sutton – J R Moehringer – 3***
Moehringer tries to bring infamous bank robber Willie Sutton to life in this work of historical fiction. The technique he used to frame the story doesn’t quite work for me. There were scenes that were completely engaging and interesting, and other that just fell flat. I really wanted to like it, but my final reaction is a wishy-washy ‘meh.’
LINK to my review
--------- * * * * * * * * --------
Blind Descent – Nevada Barr – 3***
Book six in the mystery series starring U.S. Park Ranger Anna Pigeon takes Anna to New Mexico’s Carlsbad Caverns. Much of the action in this book takes place in the confined spaces underground, and Barr spends a lot of time setting up the mystery and going into excruciating detail on the difficulties of exploring such a cave. This is a totally satisfying mystery in a series with a strong female lead.
LINK to my review
My review for: From Longbourn to Pemberley, With Love: Longbourn Stories 1 to 19 by Margaret Lynette Sharp
4★https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
There There – Tommy Orange – 4****
In his debut novel, Orange explores the world of today’s Urban Indian through the stories of twelve characters are planning to attend the Big Oakland Powwow. Their lives are interwoven by coincidence, thin threads of DNA, circumstance, and/or proximity. They are in turn angry, desolate, hopeful, joyous, loving, confused, determined, generous or mean. Orange’s voice is unique and powerful. And I look forward to reading more from him in the future.
LINK to my review
The 100-year-old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared – Jonas Jonasson – 3.5***
On his 100th birthday, Allan Karlsson escapes from his nursing home and goes on an adventure – or should I say, ANOTHER adventure. This is a fun romp of a novel that reminded me of Forest Gump . Allan’s great talent seems to be going with the flow; he’s rarely ruffled, keeps his wits about him and just enjoys the ride. Readers would do well to follow his lead. Suspend disbelief and enjoy.
LINK to my review
My review for: I've Got You Under My Skin by Mary Higgins Clark
4★https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A Spoonful of Murder – Connie Archer – 3***
This has all the elements of a successful cozy mystery series: amateur sleuth, lots of mouth-watering dishes mentioned, a colorful cast of characters to help (or hinder) Lucky’s attempts to investigate, and a potential love interest. I’d be willing to read another in the series.
LINK to my review
The Namesake – Jhumpa Lahiri – 5*****
The novel follows the Ganguli family over three decades, from the parents’ arranged marriage in Calcutta to raising their family in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This is the type of literary fiction I adore. Lahiri writes with such eloquence and grace, letting the reader learn about this family much as she would do when meeting new acquaintances who become friends over decades. She tackles issues of the immigrant experience, the clash of cultures, differences (and conflicts) between generations, and personal identity.
LINK to my review
Iron Lake – William Kent Krueger – 4****
This is book one in a series starring the former sheriff of Aurora Minnesota, Cork O’Connor. The series has become immensely popular and catapulted William Kent Krueger onto a list of the best mystery / thriller writers. The plot is satisfyingly complex, with many suspects, unclear motives, uncertain crimes (Accident? Suicide? Murder?), and more twists and turns than the most fiendish roller coaster. I’ll read more of this series.
LINK to my review
--------- * * * * * * * * --------
The Hypnotist’s Love Story – Liane Moriarty – 4****
What an interesting and fresh take on relationships and the psychology of love. What makes us attracted to one another? What holds us together? What happens when one partner moves on, but the other hangs on – desperately, crazily, dangerously?
LINK to my review
The Constant Princess – Philippa Gregory – 4****
Book six in her Plantagenet and Tudor series focuses on Catalina, Infanta of Spain, daughter of Queen Isabela and King Ferdinand, and known in English history as Katherine of Aragon, first wife of Henry VIII. This was one fierce lady; intelligent, mentally and emotionally strong, an astute observer and able to plot and plan with the best of them. I was caught up in the novel at the beginning, but I found that the story seemed to bog down in details.
LINK to my review
--------- * * * * * * * * --------
Angels at the Table – Debbie Macomber – 2.5***
This is a typical schmaltzy Christmas romance with more than a little humor thrown in. Some of the situations are downright ridiculous, and the angels, for all their good intentions, seem mostly inept. But it’s a fun read and everything turns out okay in the end.
LINK to my review
The Cat Who Saw Red – Lillian Jackson Braun – 3***
This is book four in a delightful cozy mystery series starring newspaper reporter Jim Qwilleran and his two Siamese - Koko and Yum Yum. This is an entertaining series with a very likeable main character who is appropriately nosy, given his journalism background. His relationship with his cats is nicely portrayed without being overly saccharine.
LINK to my review
--------- * * * * * * * * --------
The Ides of March – Thornton Wilder – 2**
In this work of historical fiction, Wilder uses a combination of letters, diary entries and official documents to tell the story of the last year of Julius Caesar’s life. Now, I appreciate Wilder’s writing, and there were times in the book that I was completely engaged in the story. I was fascinated to read of the intrigue and espionage, the role of Cleopatra, etc. But on the whole … well I think I had more “fun” translating Cicero’s oration against Cataline when I studied Latin in high school (and I hated that).
LINK to my review
The Search for Joyful – Benedict and Nancy Freedman – 4****
A sequel to the popular Mrs Mike , this work of historical fiction is set primarily during World War II, and follows the career of a young Cree woman – Kathy (a/k/a/ Oh-Be-Joyful’s Daughter) – as she becomes an Army nurse and finds love and her place in the world. The authors are not First Nation people, and there’s little information about how they came to write this story. I’m skeptical about the truth of what they write, and still I’m drawn into the novel. I really liked Kathy Forquet as a heroine. It’s an inspiring and hopeful story.
LINK to my review
--------- * * * * * * * * --------
Christmas Camp – Karen Schaler – 3***
As I read this, I kept thinking it was remarkably like a Hallmark TV movie I had seen last week. No matter, really. The movies are still fun to watch, and the schmaltzy Christmas romance books are fun to read.
LINK to my review
My review for: Penguin Bloom: The Odd Little Bird Who Saved a Family by Bradley Trevor Greive
5★https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Christmas Scrapbook – Philip Gulley – 3***
This little novella is book 5.5 in the Harmony series featuring Quaker minister Sam Gardner, his wife Barbara, and the Friends of the Harmony meeting house. I love the gentle stories of one man’s efforts to make a difference in his community. The results of his efforts are predictably hilarious. But also impart a lesson about faith, tolerance, love and the spirit of Christmas.
LINK to my review
--------- * * * * * * * * --------
A Deal to Die For – Josie Belle – 2.5**
Book two in the Good Buy Girls cozy mystery series has Maggie opening a new resale shop in her Virginia community. This has all the elements of a successful cozy series, but the juvenile rivalry between Maggie and her nemesis Summer, just irritates me no end, and lowers the rating by half a star. Otherwise a fast, fun read.
LINK to my review
My review for: Lenny's Book of Everything by Karen Foxlee
4★https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Two Little Girls in Blue – Mary Higgins Clark – 3***
This is a fast-paced thriller with a building sense of suspense. The reader is always in on the crime, knowing the identity of the kidnappers and even the “secretive” Pied Piper long before the characters catch on. But the changing points of view, keeps the novel moving forward and helps maintain that sense of suspense.
LINK to my review
--------- * * * * * * * * --------
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius – Dave Eggers – 1*
A huge disappointment. I’d read another book by Eggers and enjoyed it. It’s clear that Eggers is intelligent. Obviously, the circumstances that resulted in his guardianship of his baby brother were tragic, and every older sibling’s nightmare. But I found Eggers self-absorbed, immature, irresponsible and totally lacking in any insight. The most entertaining part was the preface, copyright and acknowledgements.
LINK to my review
Fangirl – Rainbow Rowell – 3.5***
Oh, the teenage angst of young adulthood! Been there, done that … don’t want to relive it. And yet, I found myself really engaged in this story. There were times when I thought Rowell had thrown too many wrenches into the mix. Still, Rowell kept the story moving forward, and gave us a heroine to root for.
LINK to my review
Delicious! – Ruth Reichl – 3.5***
I’ve read several of Reichl’s memoirs and really enjoyed them. Now she’s taken a turn at writing a novel. This is part romance, part coming-of-age, part mystery. I enjoyed the story and was caught up in the intrigue. Reichl really shines when she is writing about food. I can practically taste the cheeses, smell the spices, and feel the warmth of steam rising from a simmering pot. All-in-all, I found it enjoyable and entertaining. A great beach read.
LINK to my review
Coffee & Books
Books mentioned in this topic
The Day I Died (other topics)Summit Lake (other topics)
Under an Alaskan Sky (other topics)
Oxygen (other topics)
The House in the Pines (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Lori Rader-Day (other topics)Charlie Donlea (other topics)
Jennifer Snow (other topics)
Carol Cassella (other topics)
Ana Reyes (other topics)
More...
Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck – 5***** and a ❤
Steinbeck’s novella is taken from an incident in his own background. His emotional closeness to the story is evident in this tragedy. This is the third or fourth time I’ve read it; second time listening to the audio. Steinbeck’s genius here is to write a spare story that still tells volumes about the human condition. It is a story of friendship, loyalty, and love.
LINK to my review