Constant Reader discussion

New year, new thread! This is the place to continue your discussions of books you're currently reading.

Finished Paradise Lodge, by Nina Stibbe, I just love the very entertaining voice she has created for her narrator. Now on Wuthering Heights, which I read first decades ago, in my twenties. I've recently been finding that rereading those novels I pushed myself to get through when I was still learning to read literature is richer and more thought-provoking than it was then--at least as far as I remember!

We know there is A Rule Against Murder, but one takes place anyway in Louise Penny's picturesque Quebec. I am not alone in loving Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and Penny's delicious, atmospheric writing. (aka The Murder Stone)
4.5★ Link to my review

Kat, i really love Nina Stibbe! I have also read Love, Nina: Despatches from Family Life and Man at the Helm.

Ann D wrote: "Kat, i really love Nina Stibbe! I have also read Love, Nina: Despatches from Family Life and Man at the Helm."

I enjoyed Man at the Helm, too. Haven't read the other due to an irrational bias against memoir. :(

I'm reading Jill Lepore's These Truths: A History of the United States and enjoying it so far. Of course, it's a tome so it's going to take me a while.

Also, I opened the discussion of Appointment in Samarra on Classics Corner, but so far, I'm the only participant. It's time to snap out of the holiday mode, folks!

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I've read a run of excellent short books over the post week
(1) this one which had been hanging around for ages Andrea Levy's collection Six Stories and An Essay, see My Review
(2) this one I picked up totally blind from our local library and was not disappointed Sjón's Moonstone: The Boy Who Never Was see My Review
(3) another lingerer now read was Irène Némirovsky's Fire in the Blood see My Review
(4) and last but not least Graham Swift's Mothering Sunday see My Review

Sheila wrote: "I've read a run of excellent short books over the post week...
(4) and last but not least Graham Swift's Mothering Sunday see My Review "

I've always meant to read Graham Swift but somehow haven't gotten around to him. This novel sounds interesting.

I became very fond of “reincarnated” Virgil Wander and the varied characters in Leif Enger’s excellent new novel.
4.5★https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Both Christmas and post-WWI France feature in Aussie author Jackie French’s novella With Love from Miss Lily: A Christmas Story. Not so much sugar and spice - more like Spanish Flu and a surprising bit of intrigue!
3.5>4★ https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

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

Finished The Weight of Water for an in person book club, not terribly impressed and likely won't read Anita Shreve again. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Also finished the 4th book in the Louise Penny Armand Gamache series, A Rule Against Murder, thoroughly enjoying it similar to how one enjoys comfort food late at night.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

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

UNSHELTERED, narrated by the author. I’ve read and enjoyed most of Barbara Kingsolver’s books. Some I’ve loved. This one, not so much. Her idea of linking our current times and angst with a similar period of unrest, turmoil and change in the past is intriguing but the plot seemed overly contrived and the characters did not elicit much empathy from me. I rate it a solid blah.

Elizabethan history and mystery is such good, page-turning fun in A Famine of Horses, the first in a series by P.F. Chisholm. Looking forward to some more buckling of swashes!
5★ Link to my review of A Famine of Horses


Then to contemporary Queensland and a prize-winning debut novel The Yellow House by talented young Aussie author Emily O'Grady. She's one to watch.
3.5★ Link to my review of The Yellow House

Ghost Busting Mystery by Daisy Pettles is corny humour and a quick, light "detective" story.
3★ Link to my review with several quirky quotes

I am reading Erdrich’s _LaRose_.

Just started Exit West, by Mohsin Hamid. I've been meaning to read it for some time. Too soon to have an opinion.

Gregg Hurwitz's Hellbent is the third in the Orphan X (Nowhere Man) series. This is my favourite so far.
4.5★ Link to my review

Stayed up late to finish Tana French's second novel (her first was In The Woods), The Likeness. While logically the premise of the undercover operation the book covers is somewhat illogical and laughable, French's language and characters are so absorbing that one doesn't care really.

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

Just about halfway through The Goldfinch. It’s very long but I continue to be propelled through the story. This one won the Pulitzer Prize for its author, Donna Tartt.

Kat wrote: "Just started Exit West, by Mohsin Hamid. I've been meaning to read it for some time. Too soon to have an opinion."

Kat, the discussion we had about Exit West is here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
I really liked it as you will see in the discussion but not everyone did. The doors device was somewhat controversial. I gave the book to my son for Christmas and am going to be interested to see what he thinks when he gets around to it. Please post your thoughts when you've had enough time to mull it over.

Barbara wrote: "Kat wrote: "Just started Exit West, by Mohsin Hamid. I've been meaning to read it for some time. Too soon to have an opinion."

Kat, the discussion we had about Exit West is here: h..."

Thanks, Barbara, will do.

I don’t often read nonfiction but recently tried Flat Broke with Two Goats by Jennifer McGaha and found it engrossing. I picked it up because it was on a list of year-end book recommendations from our local public radio station and was glad I did. It’s the story of how one couple living an upper middle class lifestyle (an accountant/real estate broker and a college English teacher) was knocked off their feet by the 2008 recession and ended up living in a “rustic” cabin with goats and chickens in the mountains outside Asheville. (Because of the location, I thought of you often as I read this, Sherry.) As they attempt to deal with their new financial reality, they also have to address issues with their relationship and come to a new understanding of what’s important to them.

Lynn wrote: "I don’t often read nonfiction but recently tried Flat Broke with Two Goats by Jennifer McGaha and found it engrossing. I picked it up because it was on a list of year-end book recommendations from ..."

I've never heard of this, Lynn. Sounds interesting.

Donna, I got totally wrapped up in the story of The Goldfinch. That doesn't happen much anymore. I really liked it.

THE TATTOOIST OF AUSCHWITZ written by Heather Morris and narrated by Richard Armitage. This story is powerful, sad, horrific and hopeful. It speaks of atrocity, endurance, resilience, love, and kindness in the midst of brutality. I appreciated the author’s note and the son’s touching afterword. The ending, however, felt like the concluding scene of a schmaltzy Hollywood movie and I found it difficult to believe it actually happened that way but who knows....maybe it really did or maybe it speaks to the way we recall treasured memories and intense emotions.

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

Ann D wrote: "Donna, I got totally wrapped up in the story of The Goldfinch. That doesn't happen much anymore. I really liked it."

This is on my short TBR list now. I'm excited to finally read it.

THE GOLDFINCH is also on my TBR list for this year. Reading your recent comments has made me move it higher up on the list.

Donna wrote: "Just about halfway through The Goldfinch. It’s very long but I continue to be propelled through the story. This one won the Pulitzer Prize for its author, Donna Tartt."

I liked The Goldfinch (I listened to the audio). My F2F book group had a spirited discussion. I did think the Las Vegas section could have been shortened, and I was somewhat dissatisfied with the ending, but I was not sorry I had read it.

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

One for kids and one for grown-ups.
Sewing the Rainbow: The Story of Gilbert Baker and the Rainbow Flag, by Gayle E. Pitman, shows kids how Gilbert did a Dorothy-Oz move from Kansas to San Francisco, where he was an activist for all the sparkly kids like himself.
My review, with illustrations, https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Many readers have loved All That is Lost Between Us by Aussie author Sara Foster. I could have done without all the “teaching opportunities”.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I just started reading The Brothers K, which is February's Reading List book. It's long, so I wanted to get a head start. I'm loving it. I hope all of you join in--so far I think it's wonderful.

I read that years ago. Remember liking it a lot.

SLEEP NO MORE: SIX MURDEROUS TALES by P. D. James and narrated by Daniel Weyman. I haven’t read many of P.D. James’s books and not for a long time. This is the selected book this month for my face-to-face book club and I enjoyed it. These are good short stories. I especially appreciated the moral ambiguity - lots to mull over.

A couple of great reads!
The Lost Man by Aussie author Jane Harper is a terrific standalone Outback story and mystery.
My review of The Lost Man

A new favourite author is the late Lucia Berlin. Her much acclaimed A Manual for Cleaning Women: Selected Stories is full of unforgettable stories and characters. Loved it!
My review of A Manual for Cleaning Women

PattyMacDotComma wrote: "A couple of great reads!
The Lost Man by Aussie author Jane Harper is a terrific standalone Outback story and mystery.
My review o..."

I have A Manual for Cleaning Women, but I haven’t started it yet.

Sometimes you just need a charming, easy read to entertain and enjoy....


Love Potion Number 10 – Betsy Woodman – 3***
Book two in the Jana Bibi Adventures series. Jana and Mr Ganguly’s fame grows, making him the target of a bird-napping plot. Woodman populates the fictional hill town with an array of colorful characters, and really gives one a flavor of the 1960s culture of India. Just charming.
LINK to my review

Eats, Shoots & Leaves – Lynne Truss – 4****
Well this was the perfect work for me to satisfy a challenge to read a “geek-reed” book. There were more than a few moments when I felt Truss was channeling the good Sisters at Ursuline Academy who first tried to drum those rules into my head. Truss writes with a delightfully irreverent style, and yet still conveys the seriousness of her purpose. It was a fast, enjoyable read, and I think I learned (or re-learned) a few things.
LINK to my review

I just started two books - lack of discipline so soon in the new year! ;)
LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE - couldn't get it in time for the CR group read, but I look forward to enjoying that discussion when I finish the book! I enjoyed Ng's first, and the CR discussion.

A Guido Brunetti mystery, THE WATERS OF ETERNAL YOUTH.

This is such a fun series and an easy way to absorb history.
A Season of Knives by P.F. Chisholm is the second time we meet swashbuckling Sir Robert Carey on the Scottish border in Elizabethan England. Love it!
5★ My review

Just finished Tana French's third novel, Faithful Place, which was excellent. My thoughts/brief review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Just finished The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, a very strange book indeed! I'm not entirely sure what I think about it yet.

Right now, I am reading Susan Orlean's THE LIBRARY BOOK. The New Yorker ran a short excerpt recently which piqued my interest. While her main subject is the investigation of the arson started fire that devastated the Los Angeles Public Library in 1986, it is also a tribute to libraries in general and their history and development over the past 200 years in this country. The book has been so well thought out and is so well written, that I am relishing every page.

I saw a review of that, Katy, and thought I’d like to read it, too.

I’m 2/3 of the way through Sybille Bedford’s A LEGACY. I’m enjoying it very much. First published in 1956, it was re-issued as a New York Review of Books Classic in 2015 I think. It is a wonderful period novel - late 19th century to before WWI. Her descriptions are often word paintings. It’s almost like reading a BBC period drama - great interiors, terrific costumes and lavish repasts. And some parts of it are terrifically funny - e.g Jules frantically searching for hotel accommodations in Berlin accompanied by his 3 primates.

Mary wrote: "I’m 2/3 of the way through Sybille Bedford’s A LEGACY. I’m enjoying it very much. First published in 1956, it was re-issued as a New York Review of Books Classic in 2015 I think. It is a wonderful ..."

I gave that novel four stars, Mary. In addition to the strengths you mention, it has great dialogue!

Just read An American Marriage. There was nothing that bad about it, but also nothing that really interested me.