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What are you reading?
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Christine
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Jul 02, 2021 01:18PM
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The White Umbrella – Brian Sewell – 3***
When British filmmaker, Mr B, spots a young donkey being abused in Peshawar, Pakistan, he leaps out of his Land Rover to rescue the animal. Told he cannot take the donkey on the plane home to England he vows to walk, and so he sets off. This is a charming fable of one man’s devotion, determination, and good luck. It was an engaging, gentle read, with a totally satisfying ending. A perfect escape from the hectic and stressful present day situation.
My full review HERE
All Quiet On the Western Front – Erich Marie Remarque – 4****
Many have called this the “greatest war novel of all time.” I’m not certain I agree with that superlative, but it IS a powerful, emotional, gripping, disturbing, enthralling, and honest exploration of war and its effects on the young who become the pawns of their leaders.
My full review HERE
Little Big Man – Thomas Berger – 3.5***
Berger’s novel purports to be a memoir/autobiography of Jack Crabb – frontiersman, Indian scout, gunfighter, buffalo hunter, adopted Cheyenne. I was completely entertained by this novel of the American West. Berger gives the reader quite the raconteur in Crabb, with a gift for story-telling and colorful language. By the narrator’s own account, he certainly has a gift for landing on his feet, managing to get out of more than one potentially deadly scrape by his wits or sheer dumb luck. If the scenarios stretch credulity, well that is part of the fun.
My full review HERE
I am reading Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay after finishing Head Full of Ghosts by him. Head Full of Ghosts may be the scariest book I've ever read and I don't scare that easily. If anyone knows of a book that is as scary as Head Full of Ghosts, I'd love to know about it!
Finished What Is It All But Luminous: Notes From an Underground Man (2017) by Art Garfunkel (one half of the 1960s singing duo Simon and Garfunkel) yesterday. Printed in a digitized version of his own handwriting, and incorporating both prose and poetry, the memoir about his life after S & G includes the titles and authors of about 100 of the some 1,200 books he read between 1969 and 2015, that stood out for him. A five-star read for this music fan.Started a digitized edition of the travel guide publisher Lonely Planet's very first book, Across Asia on the Cheap (1973). Written from an Australian perspective, this is an important historical document, if out-of-date.
In Island Christmas – Nancy Thayer – 3***
‘Tis the season for improbable holiday romances with ice skating, decorating a Christmas tree, hot cocoa, snow, at least one person who is “not into Christmas and/or kids,” and one or more missteps on the road to that happy-ever-after ending. If it isn’t already a Hallmark Christmas movie, it would make a good one. Fun, fast, holiday read.
My full review HERE
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Where We Come From – Oscar Cásares – 4****
The setting is Brownsville, Texas, a border town with a mean reputation as a haven for human traffickers and drug runners. But it’s also a community of hard-working, middle-class people who want nothing but a safe home for their children, decent schools, good roads, a thriving business district and reliable city services. Cásares focuses on one such family. I really enjoyed this exploration of a complex issue. There are multiple layers to the novel and much fodder for a stimulating book club discussion.
My full review HERE
I reading The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Harmel. So far I really like it.
Christmas On the Island – Jenny Colgan – 3***
A charming, story set against a holiday season that raises expectations and sometimes sees our dreams come true. There’s quite a lot going on in this book, #3 in the Mure series. I think I might have had an easier time of it had I read the first two books before tackling this one, as Colgan generally builds relationships over the course her series.
My full review HERE
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The Old Gringo – Carlos Fuentes – 1*
The novel is framed as the reminiscence of a woman. An old journalist heads to Mexico during the time of the Mexican Revolution seeking, not a story, but his death. There has been much praise for this work; it was the first translated work by a Mexican author to become a bestseller in the United States. But I had great difficulty engaging with the characters and the plot, such as it was. Our book club struggled to find anything positive to say about this work.
My full review HERE
I just finished The Forest of Vanishing Stars by Kristin Hammel. I thought it was an incredible book.
I am reading
, Constance Sayers. I like Circus Themes, but this one is unique. It has an Evil/Occult Theme. I do like it.
Currently reading the shadow and bone series before watching the Netflix show. =)
Coming Home For Christmas – Fern Michaels – 2**
This is a collection of three novellas all set during the Christmas season. If you’ve seen even one Hallmark Christmas movie you know the basic plot line here. I found the scenarios pretty unbelievable and the chosen novella length left some significant holes in the plots. Still, they’re fast reads, and moderately enjoyable.
My full review HERE
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Heaven, Texas – Susan Elizabeth Phillips – ZERO stars
Book # 2 in the Chicago Stars romance series. No. Just No. A “gentleman” does NOT play mind games for his own amusement to trick a virgin into succumbing to him so that he can then drop her like a hot potato when the fun is over. There is nothing remotely romantic or appealing about these scenarios. Shame on Phillips for propagating such a misogynistic message.
My full review HERE
Just finishing My Grandmother Asked me to Tell You She’s Sorry, by Fredrik Backman. I love his books. Each if different, but has interesting people and stories. Can’t wait until his 3rd book in Beartown Series comes out, called The Winners.
Currently powering through A Guide to the Good Life by William Irvine, and peppering misc fiction for fun.
A Long Petal Of the Sea – Isabel Allende – 4****
A family epic covering six decades of history from 1930s Spanish Civil War to 1990s in Chile. This is the kind of historical fiction at which Allende excels. She seamlessly weaves the real historical events into the story line, while giving the reader characters that come alive on the page and about which we come to care. Central to this work, as to all of Allende’s novels, are the strong women. Roser and Ofelia certainly take center stage. But the older women – Carme, Laura and Juana – are equally strong, resilient, intelligent and determined.
My full review HERE
I’m finishing up
, by Rebecca Stanford. I really like this one, a bit different then typical spy novel. Evelyn comes from a working class family and gets a scholarship to elite school. She is used to pretending to be someone else to fit in. Then I’m going to read
, by Tracey Lange. Love stories with about family dynamics.
A Gathering Of Old Men – Ernest J Gaines – 4****
A dead man. A running tractor. A white woman who claims she shot him. A gathering of old men with shotguns. A sheriff who knows everyone is lying. A father who needs revenge. What is so marvelous about this work is that Gaines tells it from a variety of viewpoints, as different characters narrate chapters. One by one they tell their stories simply but eloquently.
My full review HERE
Adequate Yearly Progress – Roxanne Elden – 3***
A year in the life of teachers at a struggling urban high school in a large Texas city. I’m not a teacher, but I have friends who have worked as teachers, and Elden includes scenarios that are familiar to anyone who has ever been required to attend yet another motivational speech or meeting to discuss implementation of a new process. There are moments of serious reflection, scenes of tenderness and of hilarity.
My full review HERE
Writers and Lovers by Lily King. so far enjoying immensely!
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