The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
note: This topic has been closed to new comments.
GETTING TO KNOW YOU
>
<closed thread>What are you currently reading?
message 6151:
by
Bea
(new)
Dec 11, 2021 01:59AM
Started Redemption
reply
|
flag
Finished:
- 4*,
- 4*,
- 4*Reading:
Blood Orchids - Kindle
Shade It Black: Death and After in Iraq - Library
A Trick of the Light - Library
After She's Gone - Own
Even In Paradise – Elizabeth Nunez – 4****
This is a retelling of Shakespeare’s King Lear set in the Caribbean. What a wonderful character study! Nunez had me on the edge of my seat a few times, even though I knew the basic story line already. I liked how she wove in current issues of race and class and the history of colonialism (and slavery) in the Caribbean.
My full review HERE
Finished:
- 4*,
- 3.5*
is an important book written by a Marine who worked on the Mortuary squad in Iraq. This is a volunteer squad who faces death on an every minute basis, who are ostracized by other Marines because of their job, and, in her case, who have to cope with the all boys club. Very important body of work. Reading:
Blood Orchids - Kindle
After She's Gone - Own
The Leavenworth Case - ebook
Music and Silence - Own
Tracks - Own
Eva Luna – Isabel Allende – 4****
I’m already a huge fan of Allende’s magical realism, and this book did not disappoint. I loved the many characters – from the Lebanese merchant to the petty criminal/guerrilla leader to the transsexual entertainer. As Eva tells the story of her life, she tells the story of this South American nation – of corruption, class struggle, feast and famine. The story comes alive with saints and ghosts, servants and political leaders equally profiled, skewered and cherished.
My full review HERE
Finished:
- 4*,
- 4*Reading:
The Leavenworth Case - Ebook
Music and Silence - Own
Tracks - Own
Acts of Mercy - Kindle
Alone with the Stars - Audiobook
Love Over Scotland – Alexander McCall Smith – 3***
Book # 3 in the 44 Scotland Street series which follows a group of residents (current or former) of a particular apartment building in Edinburgh. There’s not much plot to these books, but just as in everyday life, things DO happen. There are moments of joy, or heartache, of success, or failure. People form attachments, or break off relationships, start new careers or find new enthusiasm for established routines. It’s a gentle read and a wonderful way to spend a few hours with old friends.
My full review HERE
Finished:
- 3*,
- 3.5*Reading:
The Leavenworth Case - Ebook
Music and Silence - Own
Acts of Mercy - Kindle
Starting:
The Blood of the Vampire - Library
City of Heavenly Fire - Library
The Great Alone - Library
This is the last push to finish up planned 2021 books.
Jamaica Inn – Daphne du Maurier – 4****
What a wonderfully atmospheric, dark, sinister tale! I shivered with the damp, cold fog, strained to see by faint candle or lamp light, listened to the alternating whispers and shouts of a rabble of men up to no good. Mary Yellan is a marvelous heroine. Young and somewhat naïve, she is still a strong woman, resolute and determined to make the best of her situation. Du Maurier’s plot is intricate and complex and had several twists & turns in it. I wish there were a sequel so I could find out what Mary Yellen is like as an older woman!
My full review HERE
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Art Forger – Barbara A. Shapiro – 3.5***
Claire Roth is an aspiring artist who is making a living (just) by painting reproductions of old masters. And then she’s approached with an opportunity she cannot resist. Set against the backdrop of the infamous art theft at the Isabella Stewart Garner Museum in Boston – still the largest unsolved art heist in history – this is a marvelously intricate story. My feelings about Claire kept changing as I learned more of her backstory. Still, I was engaged from beginning to end and Shapiro kept me turning pages to see what would happen next.
My full review HERE
.
Finished:
- 2*
Finished:
- 4*,
- 4*,
- 4*,
- 4*Reading:
Acts of Mercy - Kindle
One Fell Sweep - Library
To be Started:
The Great Alone - Library
The Midnight Library - Library
Nights of Horseplay: Equine fantasies from South Carolina's thoroughbred country - Own
Christmas Books by Charles Dickens. (I have read A Christmas Carol already. Now restarting and finishing The Chimes.)
Finished:
- 4*,
- 4*,
- 4*,
- 3*, andChristmas Books by Charles Dickens. 4* (I have read A Christmas Carol already. Now restarting and finishing The Chimes.)
Reading:
The Great Alone - Library
The Ghosts of Elkhorn - Own
Murder, She Meowed - Library
The Bat - Ebook
Sweet Grass: Lives of Contemporary Native Women of the Northeast - Own
Starting:
Rhythm of War - Library
Northanger Abbey – Jane Austen – 4****
What a delight to listen to this again. Having done so previously, and also having watched the PBS miniseries, I have an even greater appreciation for Austen's send-up of gothic novels. It's just a charming story and so well told! And, of course, we have a romantic HEA ending! What's not to like?
My full review HERE
--------- * * * * * * * * --------
Girl, Woman, Other – Bernardine Evaristo – 4****
Evaristo’s collection of short stories earned her the 2019 Booker Prize, the first black woman to be so honored. As the title implies, the stories all focus on women and girls from childhood to old age and are primarily set in current-day Britain. The book features wide variety of unforgettable characters that fairly leap off the page, and the stories are loosely interconnected. I can hardly wait for my F2F book club discussion!
My full review HERE
Finished:
- 3*The story was cute and intriguing but just shy of keeping my interest intense. Too many characters. Also the animal and human interaction boiled down to dog barking, cat meowing, and human thinking each wanted food. When the cat found dead bodies, there was no leading the humans to it. In fact, by the end of the story, the humans still had no idea the bodies were to be found nearby. Also the animals had more of the crime figured out than the humans did, making the reader aware of much of the solution too soon. Still some characters were interesting enough to keep on with the book.
Finished:
- 3*This book documented the lives of several specific Native women of northeastern tribes, including the author. I learned about their history and their struggles to assimilate as well as keep their culture.
Finished:
- 4*,
- 3*,
- 4*Reading:
Rhythm of War - Library
Lonesome Road - ebook
Secondhand Spirits - Library
Starting:
Out of the Ice - Library
You Will Know Me - Library
Finished:
- 4*, a cozy read with witches.Reading:
Rhythm of War - Library
Lonesome Road - ebook
Out of the Ice - Library
Forgotten Bookmarks: A Bookseller's Collection of Odd Things Lost Between the Pages - Library
The Cat Who Saw Red - Library
Starting soon:
You Will Know Me - Library
Jack Maggs – Peter Carey – 3***
I had heard that this was inspired by Dickens’ Great Expectations . I can see similarities, though the focus here is not on Pip but on Magwitch. I did get quite caught up in Jack Maggs’s story and wondered a few times how Carey was going to wrap this up. The plot is definitely convoluted in places, with many twists and turns, and I did not really appreciate the Tobias Oates subplot. Carey’s writing is very atmospheric, and the city of London is explored in some detail, especially the impoverished slums and criminal underbelly.
My full review HERE
The Secret Lives of Church Ladies – Deesha Philyaw – 4****
In this wonderful collection of short stories, Philyaw explores the modern African-American woman and her hopes, dreams, relationships, and actions both in and away from church. The stories feature all ages, from children to great-grandmothers. Philyaw does a marvelous job of bringing these many characters to life. I could see a few of these stories expanded to novel length, but I find them satisfying in and of themselves.
My full review HERE
Finished:
- 2*After the first couple of chapters, this book became boring.
Finished:
- 4*,
- 4*,
- 2*Reading:
Rhythm of War - Library
The Cat Who Saw Red - Library
You Will Know Me - Library
Manalive - Ebook
Resistance Women – Jennifer Chiaverini – 3.5***
This is a work of historical fiction concentrating on the women who worked in Germany as part of the resistance movement to thwart Hitler’s ambitions. I was engaged and interested from beginning to end. The novel spans the time from June 1929 to the year following the end of the war, 1946. I had to wonder at times, whether Chiaverini was lifting certain phrases and descriptions of the political climate that led to the rise of Nazism from current-day news reporting and commentary. It was chillingly familiar.
My full review HERE
Finished:
- 3.5*Reading:
Rhythm of War - Library
You Will Know Me - Library
Manalive - Ebook
The Misfortunates - Library
Joy for Beginners - Library
Mod
I am currently listening the audio book of
, mostly during my commute, I am reading an advance reader copy of
on one device and have an advance reader copy of
on another device ... There's usually a paper book lying around part-red too!
“O” Is For Outlaw – Sue Grafton – 4****
Book # 15 in the popular Alphabet series starring private investigator (and former cop) Kinsey Millhone. I love that the series is set in a time before computers and cell phones, when investigators (whether police or private detectives) needed to be both inventive and persistent in tracking down all the leads and possibilities.
My full review HERE
The Girl With no Shadow – Joanne Harris – 3***
In this follow-up to Chocolat Vianne Rouche and her daughter Anouk are living in the Montmartre section of Paris with new identities – Yanne Charbonneau and Annie – and a second daughter, Rosette. This was an interesting sequel but I missed the humor and romance of the original. It’s a much darker tale and the three narrators makes it a bit confusing. It held my attention, but I’m not sure I’ll bother with book three in the trilogy.
My full review HERE
Finished:
- 4*Reading:
Rhythm of War - Library
Hot Button - Own
Manalive - Ebook
The Halloween Tree - Library
Unhallowed Ground - Library
Mexican Gothic – Silvia Moreno-Garcia – 3***
This is not the kind of book I normally read, but I was fascinated by the story and gripped by the tension. The atmosphere is dark and chilling. It reminded me a bit of The Ruins by Scott Smith, and/or Stephen King’s The Shining . But it entirely Moreno-Garcia’s own story. I did wonder why she incorporated an English family with their English-style mansion; perhaps she felt her readers wouldn’t identify with malevolence in an adobe hacienda.
My full review HERE
Finished:
- 5*,
- 4*I love Ray Bradbury's way with words. The Halloween Tree was a delightful tale of Halloween history as well as the friendship and caring among young boys. Absolutely wonderful story.
Resort to Murder brought back a trip I made to Bermuda over 20 years ago! This story had a bunch of twists that kept me engaged in the mystery.
Ordeal By Innocence – Agatha Christie – 3***
I really enjoy Agatha Christie’s mysteries; there’s a good reason she’s often called “the Queen of Crime.” But this one didn’t really capture my attention. Of course, I was listening to the audio and the many characters were sometimes hard to differentiate. It also seemed somewhat melodramatic and “overacted” … but perhaps that is the fault of the narrator and not Christie’s writing.
My full review HERE
--------- * * * * * * * * --------
When Life Gives You Lululemons – Lauren Weiberger – 3***
Book three in the Devil Wears Prada trilogy focuses on Emily, the first assistant to Amanda Priestly in the original book. This is not quite so snarky as the original, which I found to be great fun to read, but it’s very entertaining. The suburbs take a beating with Weisberger making fun of the “moms who lunch” (or, more often, fast and do Pilates). A fun, fast beach read of a novel.
My full review HERE
Finished:
- 4*,
- 3*,
- 4*Reading:
Manalive - Ebook
Crunch Time - Library
Watchers - Own
Animal Dreams - Own
XVI - Library
Finished:
- 5*What a thought-provoking book for teens. Although it is set in a dystopian world, there are elements of that in our own world.
Finished:
- 2*I found this book hard to get interested in. The characters were quirky but not really interesting. The story resolved around one character who behaviour seemed inexplicable yet when finally explained was somehow redeeming. No real murder nor mystery. It seems to be a book of its time (written 1912) in its flowery language. Not really my cup of tea.
Starting:
Ill Wind - Library
The Baker's Wife - Ebook
With a Hammer for My Heart - Library
The Yellow Wallpaper and Selected Writings – Charlotte Perkins Gilman – 4****
The title short story is Gilman’s classic story of a woman driven mad by her husband’s controlling “remedy” for her post-partum depression. . First published in 1892, Gilman’s story ignited some controversy, and she has been hailed as a feminist. She certainly is that. Frankly, I was not a great fan of this story and dreaded reading the rest of the collection as a result, but I’m glad I persisted. The stories celebrate the advantages of living a full life, identifying one’s strengths and nurturing those talents, and following one’s dreams. While the focus is on women – how they are repressed, how they overcome, how they succeed – more than one man benefits from adapting to a change in traditional roles.
My full review HERE
Cockroaches – Jo Nesbø – 3***
Book two in the popular Norwegian mystery series, has Inspector Harry Hole traveling to Bangkok to investigate the murder of Norway’s Ambassador to Thailand. Nesbø crafts a complicated plot with many twists and turns and enough suspects, and side plots, to distract the most dedicated detective – and reader. His descriptions definitely evoked the sights, sounds, smells and flavors of Bangkok for me. I did find myself cringing quite a bit at the more violent scenes. So, if you are bothered by such graphic depictions this is probably not the series for you.
My full review HERE
¡Hola Papi! – John Paul Brammer – 3***
This collection of essays serves as a memoir and self-help guide to pressing questions about growing up, surviving break ups, finding love, and all the issues young people – both gay and straight – have to navigate in the process of becoming adults. The beginning of each chapter poses a question asking for advice. And by way of answering such queries, he recounts his experiences in a small Oklahoma town, his horrible middle-school years, his confusing teenage years in the closet, his awakening in college, and his eventual move to New York.
My full review HERE
--------- * * * * * * * * --------
Jumbo: This Being the True Story Of the Greatest Elephant In the World – Paul Chambers – 3***
This is a “biography” of the African elephant who gave the world a new word for large, gigantic, stupendous, huge, magnificent: Jumbo. Chambers details how the young calf was captured by nomadic Hamran traders, subsequently became the darling of Victorian England, and eventually was a star attraction of P T Barnum’s circus in America. I found it fascinating to learn how the giant elephant was trained and appreciated learning more about the various personalities surrounding Jumbo. But there were times when the story dragged even for me, an admitted fanatic when it comes to elephants.
My full review HERE
Finished:
- 4*Thoroughly enjoyed this episode of the life of Goldy Bear. The characters are interesting with believable foibles as well as representing various ethnic types. Loved Ferdinanda! Too bad Ernst had to die, but his life was redeemed in the end as he helped to solve his last cases.
Reading:
Watchers - Own
Animal Dreams - Own
Ill Wind - Library
The Baker's Wife - Ebook
With a Hammer for My Heart - Library
The Ruin - Library
Never Never - Library
Finished:
- 4*I do not often read horror books. However, Dean Koontz is a tremendous storyteller in the scary story by the fireside genre. His books are scary...a good kind. I only read them during daylight hours so my dreams aren't filled with fright. Yet each of his books ends with a bright bit of hope. As anxious as I may be about reading horror, I trust this writer for the right mix of scare and hope.
Shadow of Night – Deborah Harkness – 3***
Book two in the All Souls Trilogy picks up where book one left off. Diana and Matthew find themselves in 16th-century England, in search of the elusive Ashmole manuscript and a tutor for Diana so she can learn her craft. I didn’t feel the same passion between the central characters that I found so enjoyable in book one. The full story hasn’t yet finished and I’ll probably read book three in the trilogy, but I’m in no hurry to do so.
My full review HERE
Reading:Animal Dreams - Own (I've put this one aside for a bit.)
The Baker's Wife - Ebook
With a Hammer for My Heart - Library
The Ruin - Library
Never Never - Library
Longbourn – Jo Baker – 3.5***
I really enjoyed this follow-up version to Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice . Yes, the major events from P&P are all present, but Baker gives us a rich background to the Longbourn and Netherfield servants that are mostly invisible in Austen’s classic. Regency England had many rules and restrictions that governed proper behavior, whether for the ladies and gentlemen of the upper class, or the servants, farmers and tradespeople in the towns. And this adds an additional layer of suspense in the slow-burn romance between Sarah and her paramour.
My full review HERE
A Children’s Bible – Lydia Millet – 4****
I’m not a great fan of post-apocalyptic stories but this one grabbed me. Evie’s narration is often times emotionless, almost a “just the facts, M’am” recitation. But nevertheless, the tension builds, as the children fend for themselves in a world devastated by a major hurricane and plagued by lawlessness. I think it would be a good candidate for a book group discussion, with the symbolism, allegory, and inherent warnings about global warming and consumer excess.
My full review HERE
Finished:
- 5*This book was written by a poet, and, in some ways it does seem like an intense poem about loss, trauma, and redemption. Each character was drawn through their own words and the eyes of others. Some tragic. Some hateful. Some believing.
Reading:
Animal Dreams - Own (I've put this one aside for a bit.)
The Baker's Wife - Ebook
The Ruin - Library
Never Never - Library
This topic has been frozen by the moderator. No new comments can be posted.
The Seasonal Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
The Opposite of Everyone (other topics)Small Wonder (other topics)
I, Alex Cross (other topics)
Fox & I (other topics)
On Gold Mountain: The 100-Year Odyssey of a Chinese-American Family (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Gill Paul (other topics)Elizabeth Peters (other topics)
Rainbow Rowell (other topics)
Liam Moiser (other topics)
Barbara Mertz (other topics)
More...
