The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

Finished: - 3*

I enjoyed Fences by August Wilson, so I thought I would enjoy reading this play. Not so much. I think it is an important play by a talented playwright, but it was written in the cultural language of a group whose experience is foreign to my own...and thus it was a bit hard to follow.

Still reading:
A People's History of the American Revolution: How Common People Shaped the Fight for Independence - Kindle
Norwegian by Night - Kindle
Murder on the Oxford Canal - Audiobook
Oliver Twist - Own
How to Raise an Elephant - Library

My Invented Country – Isabel Allende – 3.5***
In this memoir, Allende looks at her own family history as well as the history of her native country, Chile. She explores the social conventions, politics, natural terrain, geographical difficulties and advantages of this unique land. It’s a story full of mythology – from national legends, to her own family’s stories. Here are the roots of her ability to seamlessly weave elements of magical realism into her novels.
My full review HERE

Finished: - 4*

The Best Of Adam Sharp – Graeme Simsion – 1*
If this is Adam’s best, well…. It’s definitely NOT Simsion’s best. I really enjoyed Simsion’s The Rosie Project, but this did absolutely nothing for me. Neither Adam nor Angelina seemed at all mature enough for a real love relationship. I did enjoy all the music references, though I still wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.
My full review HERE

Finished: - 4*, - 5*

As bleak as this book by Charles Dickens was at the beginning and as dreary as Oliver's life started, the tale quickly engaged me and kept me reading. A masterful story!

Still reading:
A People's History of the American Revolution: How Common People Shaped the Fight for Independence - Kindle
Norwegian by Night - Kindle
Murder on the Oxford Canal - Audiobook

Started a few days ago:
Death of a Cozy Writer
Zoo

Reading A Study in Sable

Say You’re One of Them – Uwem Akpan – 4****
This is a collection of short stories, dealing with various social issues facing African people throughout numerous countries on the continent. All are beautifully written even when heart-wrenchingly difficult to read. Uwem focuses an unblinking eye on serious issues and while the reader is fortunate to not have to face such dilemmas, the reactions of the characters are totally understandable and relatable. The local English dialect used in some of the stories was sometimes difficult to get used to, but really gave a sense of place to the narrative.
My full review HERE

Finished: Murder on the Oxford Canal - 3*

I think I might have rated this book higher if I had been reading it rather than listening. My divided listening attention made it hard to remember who was who and to get into the suspense around the characters. Still it was a good story. Will definitely follow this series but will look for actual books rather than audiobooks.

Starting: A Beautiful Place To Die and A Column of Fire

Holmes On the Range – Steve Hockensmith – 3.5***
Well, this was a hoot and a half! I loved the brothers Big Red (Otto) and Old Red (Gustav) and how they worked together. Big Red narrates, as he is the more educated of the two, being able to read and write. But Old Red is the real fan of Holmes and his methods of observation and deduction, and it is he who finally solves the murder.
My full review HERE

Babylon’s Ark – Lawrence Anthony – 4****
Subtitle: The Incredible Wartime Rescue of the Baghdad Zoo
Lawrence Anthony was a well-known conservationist and advocate for animals, running a game reserve in South Africa when images on CNN of the war in Baghdad caught his attention. Horrified at the potential loss of wildlife at that war-ravaged city’s zoo, he had to somehow go help. And so, against all odds, he did. This is the story of his work there. It’s informative and exciting. It’s quite the adventure!
My full review HERE

Finished: - 4*, - 4*, - 3.5*

Still reading:
A People's History of the American Revolution: How Common People Shaped the Fight for Independence - Kindle
Norwegian by Night - Kindle
A Beautiful Place To Die - Audiobook
A Column of Fire - Library
The Zookeeper's Wife - Library
The Cat Who Played Brahms - Library
The Winter Sea - Library

Finished - 4*

Reading The Case of the Spellbound Child

Miss Benson’s Beetle – Rachel Joyce – 4****
Two women no one would ever consider as compatible form an unlikely team as they travel to the other side of the world in search of an elusive beetle. What they find is a strong vocation, and an ever-lasting bond of friendship and love. I absolutely loved these characters! There were times when I had to laugh at their foibles. There were times when I feared for their safety. And quite a few tears were shed as well. Ultimately, they teach us a lesson about courage and perseverance, about not being afraid to fail … or to succeed.
My full review HERE

The Cobra Event – Richard Preston – 4****
A deranged, disgraced biotechnician is intent on releasing the deadly Cobra virus in New York, to kill as many “useless humans” as possible. This is a great thriller, that kept me enthralled and turning pages as quickly as I could. I’d read Preston’s nonfiction bestsellers, so I knew he had the research background to make this a very plausible scenario. I loved the details on how the teams of scientists, public health officials and FBI agents worked to decipher the clues. If you’re at all squeamish you might want to skip some of the autopsy scenes.
My full review HERE

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox – Maggie O’Farrell – 3***
There’s so much going on here I hardly know where to start. There’s the mystery of Esme’s commitment to the mental, Iris’s mess of a love life, and the intrigue of Iris’s “brother, who is really no blood relation” Alex. I thought it was rather melodramatic as well as being disjointed, but that ending – that wonderfully ambiguous and ethereal ending! Well, she got an extra half-star for that final scene.
My full review HERE

Since joining SRC, I've been more likely to read short books, but I have now started
The Overstory, It's beautifully written but so far I just have stories of different people. I'm interested to see how they come together.

I am also reading The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family for an online class, just a few chapters a week.

Finished - 3.5*

The Whole Cat and Caboodle – Sofie Ryan – 3***
Book # 1 in the Second Chance Cat Mystery series, featuring Sarah Grayson, proprietor of Second Chance, a consignment shop in North Harbor, Maine, and her rescue cat, Elvis. This is a cute cozy mystery with a decent premise and a wonderful cast of colorful supporting characters. I love that the crew of senior sleuths is christened “Charlie’s Angels” … with a nod to the movie, NOT the original TV series! I’ll keep reading this series.
My full review HERE

Finished: - 4*, - 3*, - 4*

Still reading:
A People's History of the American Revolution: How Common People Shaped the Fight for Independence - Kindle
A Beautiful Place To Die - Audiobook
A Column of Fire - Library
The Zookeeper's Wife - Library
Champagne for One - Library
Joey Mancuso Mysteries Vol 1-5 - Kindle
Hounding the Pavement - Library
The Stranger Diaries - Ebook
A Wicked Slice - Library

finished reading The Case of the Spellbound Child
and starting The Bartered Brides

Listening For Lions – Gloria Whelan – 4****
This is a lovely YA / middle-school-grade novel with some important lessons about doing what is right, and honoring your parents and elders. Rachel is a worthy heroine; she’s intelligent, principled, compassionate and a hard worker. I love the way that she interacts with others and considers the possible effects of her words and actions before moving forward.
My full review HERE

Cutting For Stone – Abraham Verghese – 5***** and a ❤
This is an epic story of twin boys, born of an Indian nun and a British surgeon in an Ethiopian hospital, but raised by two other Indian physicians and the staff of Missing Hospital. Verghesse is a masterful storyteller, who wields his pen with surgical precision. The landscape and characters come to life on the page, letting the reader experience the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and textures of Ethiopia and the hospitals both there and in New York where Marion finishes his training.
My full review HERE

Finished: -4*, - 4*, - 3*, - 4*

Still reading:
A People's History of the American Revolution: How Common People Shaped the Fight for Independence - Kindle
A Column of Fire - Library
The Zookeeper's Wife - Library
Joey Mancuso Mysteries Vol 1-5 - Kindle
The Stranger Diaries - Ebook

Devil’s Food Cake Murder – Joanne Fluke – 2.5**
Book # 14 in the Hannah Swenson cozy mystery series and she STILL hasn’t made up her mind on which suitor – dentist Norman or lawman Mike – to accept. Looks like the boys may be making the decision for her. Yes, there’s a murder, and yes, Hannah MUST investigate. But she also bakes a lot of goodies. The recipes are probably what I like best about the series.
My full review HERE

Finished: - 4*

The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna – Juliet Grames – 3.5***
In her debut novel, Grames explores the lives of two sisters and the rift between them. Spanning a century we follow Stella Fortuna from her birth in a small Italian village at the beginning of the 20th century, through her family’s immigration to America, to the birth of successive generations, until she is an old woman mostly confined to bed and still “at war” with her younger sister, Tina, who lives just across the street. I love family sagas and this one is epic. I really enjoyed this book but hated the title and device of “seven or eight deaths” – it just seems so contrived.
My full review HERE

Finishing The Bartered Brides and then starting One Good Knight

Finished: - 3*

Reading:
A Column of Fire - Library
Joey Mancuso Mysteries Vol 1-5 - Kindle
The Stranger Diaries - Ebook
The Spellman Files - Library
Jewish Pirates of the Caribbean: How a Generation of Swashbuckling Jews Carved Out an Empire in the New World in Their Quest for Treasure, Religious Freedom--and Revenge

Currently on hold:
A People's History of the American Revolution: How Common People Shaped the Fight for Independence - Kindle

Concrete Rose – Angie Thomas – 4****
In this prequel to The Hate U Give , Thomas gives us the young Maverick Carter, a 17-year-old gang member struggling to find his path to manhood. I can really see how this young man, hardly out of childhood, is being influenced – by his peers, by his parents, by other adults in his neighborhood and school, and by the expectations of society. Thomas writes about a realistic urban environment for many families, with brutal honesty and empathy. She does not shy away from the serious social issues facing these families, nor does she offer platitudes or pat answers on how to address these issues.
My full review HERE

Joey Mancuso Mysteries Vol 1-5 - Kindle

I completed book 1 of this compilation for a group read and now have removed this book from active reading. I gave it 4*, and I look forward to getting back to it in the future.

The Weight of Heaven – Thirty Umrigar – 5*****
Reeling from the loss of their son, Frank and Ellie Benton accept an opportunity to relocate to India to run a factory. But they cannot escape their grief, and Frank’s obsession with the son of a local couple drives a wedge between both couples. This is the third book by Umrigar that I have read, and the third time I’ve rated her work 5-stars. It is an intense and heartbreakingly real story. The tragedy of this couple’s story is inevitable though none the less shocking.
My full review HERE

- 3.5*

I enjoyed this book more than I expected to. It has a hint of Alan Bradley's Flavia stories except much more chaotic. And the family is just nuts. Read it and see!

Reading:
A Column of Fire - Library
The Stranger Diaries - Ebook
The Cat Who Saw Stars - Library
Jewish Pirates of the Caribbean: How a Generation of Swashbuckling Jews Carved Out an Empire in the New World in Their Quest for Treasure, Religious Freedom--and Revenge - Library
Inland - Library
My Cousin Rachel - Library

I am reading at over 1000 pages it is a bit of a commitment but I am really enjoying it

Finished:
- 3*, - 3*

Still Reading:
The Stranger Diaries - Ebook
The Cat Who Saw Stars - Library
Inland - Library
My Cousin Rachel - Library

City of Secrets – Stewart O’Nan – 3***
Set in 1945 Jerusalem, the novel follows Brand, a survivor of the Holocaust, as he tries to make a new life working with the resistance. I love O’Nan’s ability to put you into the mind of his characters – to understand their hopes, ambitions, and fears. But this was perhaps too intense for me at this time. I appreciated it more than I enjoyed it.
My full review HERE

Finished: - 4*, - 4*

Reading:
Inland - Library
My Cousin Rachel - Library

Note: I expect to finish 1 more today and will amend this post when completed.

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Other Tales of Terror – Robert Louis Stevenson – 3***
Classic horror from a master of Victorian gothic fiction. I appreciate the atmospheric nature of Stevenson’s writing, and his use of psychological / moral themes. But the language seems over the top as compared to more modern writers.
My full review HERE

Finished:
- 3.5*, - 4*

Starting:
Chosen by a Horse: A Memoir - Library
Brownies and Broomsticks - Library
One Good Dog - Library
Nemesis: A Miss Marple Mystery - Ebook
Toxin - Own
Blood Orchids - Kindle

Shuggie Bain – Douglas Stuart – 5*****
Stuart’s debut work explores the impoverished working-class families of 1980s Glasgow. Hugh “Shuggie” Bain is the youngest child of Agnes, and much of the story focuses on his efforts to understand and deal with his mother’s alcoholism and depression. Shuggie is tender, kind, and lonely, but he is also resilient and brave. Stuart makes the reader privy to the most intimate details of their lives, This makes their descent all the more painful to watch. There is no neat happy ending here, but there is some hope for Shuggie.
My full review HERE

Being Mortal – Atul Gawande – 5*****
I re-read this for my F2F book club meeting. I’m older now and the issues are more personal, rather than just familial. Wonderful discussion at book club, and continued discussions with my husband and brothers. READ IT!
My full review HERE But skip the review and just read this book!

Book Concierge wrote: "

Being Mortal
– Atul Gawande – 5*****
I re-read this for my F2F book club meeting. I’m older now and the issues are more personal, rather than just familial. W..."

This has been on my TBR for awhile. Your excitement makes me want to move it to the top.

Finished: - 4*, - 4*

Reading:
One Good Dog - Library
Nemesis: A Miss Marple Mystery - Ebook
Toxin - Own
Blood Orchids - Kindle

Starting:
Secret Daughter - Library

Finished: - 3*

Started:
Tales of a Female Nomad: Living at Large in the World - Library

I finished One Good Knight
and starting The Beach House

Finished: - 4*

Reading:
Secret Daughter - Library
Nemesis: A Miss Marple Mystery - Ebook
Blood Orchids - Kindle
Tales of a Female Nomad: Living at Large in the World - Library

The Midnight Library – Matt Haig – 2.5**
I was intrigued at the beginning, especially by the basic premise of getting to experience a different life, even if just for a few moments. I was also interested in the concept of parallel universes and found myself thinking about how my life might be different if I had made other choices. However, the novel just didn’t work for me. I grew tired of the one-sentence “Hallmark card” philosophy spouted by the librarian (or sometimes by Nora). And I could see the ending coming a mile off. The extra half-star is for the excellent audio performance by Carey Mulligan.
My full review HERE

Finished: - 4*