All About Books discussion

Woohoo! Finished another book! It's nice to be able to read again.

#26 Murder in a Scottish Shire
3 green stars - a mix of good and bad. I liked the characters, but hated the fake Scottish dialect.

Total pages this year: 10,721

A reprieve for now! The landlord has said he hopes the new buyer will keep me on, and he is writing it up that way. He is staying at least through December. Grateful to have more time to sort through my options, plan retirement (or not), and save a little more money toward having my own place.

I have started
READ The Book of Longings
and I have the ebook of
READ The Alehouse Murders downloaded from the library and will probably start it today.

I don't have much left of
READ Boone: A Biography so I hope to finish that this week.

Laurel: I’m happy to hear that you have a little time to consider your options. I wish you all the best in navigating these new waters. Your prodigious reading is an inspiration to me! 🙏

#27 The Book of Longings
5 blue stars - a compelling and mostly satisfying story of a woman during the time of Jesus

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Cumulative pages: 11,137

#28 Boone: A Biography
3 green stars - a good read, but heavy on the legend. Sometimes hard to sort out fact from fiction.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Pages read this year: 11,675

#29 The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir
4 red stars - A very personal look at being a Hmong refugee, told through Yang's relationship with a beloved grandmother. The strength of this book is in the stories and customs passed down through oral tradition to Kalia. The audiobook is narrated by the author. Her childlike, high-pitched, tentative voice adds a certain pathos to the stories, especially her remembrances as a child. It provides a look at the complexities of bridging two cultures, making a home in a radically different part of the world, and is a reminder that almost everyone in this country is an immigrant, or has an ancestor who was an immigrant.

Cumulative pages: 11,952

Almost October. I am 6 books behind in my goal. Not impossible, but I'll have to read 6 books a month through the rest of the year.

I got caught up with my Daytimers group. Yay! This month's book is
READ The Book of Lost Friends

Farther behind in A Good Yarn. Nevermind the previous alphabet challenge. I haven't finished the new A books for September:
READ The Alehouse Murders
Anglesey Blue
My B choices:
One for Sorrow - Set in Byzantium. It would also complete "O is for One" from the previous challenge.
READ The Bungalow
and maybe Backyard

Currently reading:
READ The Transatlantic Book Club

And waiting for this via ILL:
READ Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon

Oh yes - my long read of
Wolf Hall

Well that should keep me busy!

#30 The Transatlantic Book Club
3.5 pink stars rounded up - still enjoying this series!

Cumulative annual pages: 12,336

#31 Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon
5 blue stars - This was just a lot of fun!

Cumulative pages: 12,656

#32 The Book of Lost Friends
5 blue stars - This is right up my genealogy alley. History, lost family, family secrets, and a believable love story. Maybe two love stories. Lisa Wingate may have a "formula" but there's nothing wrong with stories where you know what you're going to get. I liked Benedetta and her determination to be a good school teacher. Plenty of wounded characters, and they all find healing in the end. It also has something to say about the black experience, and racial inequity.

Cumulative pages: 13,044

#33 The Bungalow
3 green stars - Good enough for green, but too shallow for me. Not a fan of Chick Lit. BUT, for my Good Yarn geography challenge this was a triple score: Bora Bora, a beach, and a bungalow.

A good-enough book, but like a lot of "Chick Lit" it suffers from being too shallow. It's a quick, beach read, and it even tugs a few heartstrings - I just wanted more. More of a love story. More of a mystery. More character development. A fun setting, and the Gauguin connection was interesting, but I didn't really come to care about any of the characters. It would make a nice Hallmark movie, though. So if that is your thing, you will like this book.

Cumulative pages: 13,334

November plans:

Daytimers book:
READ Normal People

A Good Yarn: the group decided to continue the B geography challenge for November. This will give me a chance to catch up on my A challenge choices:
Anglesey Blue
READ The Alehouse Murders
and maybe,
The Apple Orchard
and more B books:
One for Sorrow (Byzantium)
Backyard

Because it fits the season:
We Gather Together: A Nation Divided, a President in Turmoil, and a Historic Campaign to Embrace Gratitude and Grace

And various other leftovers, still leftover... Which makes me think I should put together a 12 + 4 list, not that I would finish it this year - I'd be happy to cross even a few off the list... but I'd have those titles front and center to focus on...

#34 The Giver of Stars
5 Purple stars. A feel-good, happy-ending book about strong and unconventional women. I liked it a lot. Having said that, I probably should have given it a lower rating, because it borders on fluff rather than substance, there are historical inaccuracies, and the plot is resolved much too conveniently. There were a number of plot points that defied credulity, and many of the characters felt like cliches. But I liked it. And it's about librarians, and spunky women, and friendship, and supporting each other, and overcoming adversity. So there.

Total cumulative pages: 13,724

I've just joined another book club with members from my church. They started the group in 2013. They posted an invitation for new members, and I had read the book they were reading for November, and a number of previous books they had read, so I thought I would try it. Great bunch of people! I have added this year's list to message 4 above (Perspectives Book Club) and of course I want to play catch up on the books I haven't read. So I just downloaded
READ Left Neglected

Laurel wrote: "I've just joined another book club with members from my church. They started the group in 2013. They posted an invitation for new members, and I had read the book they were reading for November, an..."

I love that Laurel! Sounds like a great opportunity to deepen friendships and strengthen fellowship at the church!

At my church, we have book studies, but they're all non-fiction religious books. For instance, the current study is for The Walk: Five Essential Practices of the Christian Life by Adam Hamilton. I wish my church had something like yours does.

I see the book you cited has also been liked by several secular Goodreads friends. So I imagine there's an aesthetics to the book choices as well. Nice!

Enjoy!

Thanks, Greg. For sure it's an opportunity to get to know a different group of people. Maybe you can start a group! We've done book studies, too, but I didn't even know this group existed until they posted in the newsletter. The group is called Perspectives, so I think the idea is to read books (fiction and non-fiction) that expose you to ideas outside of one's comfort zone? Next month's book is The Philosophical Baby: What Children's Minds Tell Us About Truth, Love, and the Meaning of Life. I've requested it through interlibrary loan so may not get it for a couple of weeks.

#35 Left Neglected
4 red stars

I enjoyed this much more than her first book Still Alice. The author avoided becoming too technical while still giving "lay" people an idea of what it is like to experience this condition. I also appreciated her use of humor throughout. I think she tried to find a happy balance between being too rosily optimistic or too depressing. Nevertheless, I still found her outcomes to be unrealistic. Sarah just "happens" to be offered the perfect job for someone with her condition, for example. Her mother is able to come live with them to help out with the children. And they are quite well off financially. And her husband agrees to find a new job and relocate.... How would this story play out for those who don't have those things? Anyway, aside from that, this book is food for thought that life might be more than constant busyness, and corporate striving, and living a wealthy lifestyle. As someone who has worked part-time most of my life, I can't identify with that. Sarah learns to relax, to quiet her constant brain chatter, and to forge better connections with the people in her life. There's a lot to be said for that.

Cumulative annual pages: 14,048

#36 Normal People
3 yellow stars - I am not the audience for this book.

Cumulative pages: 14,321

Laurel wrote: "#36 Normal People
3 yellow stars - I am not the audience for this book.

Cumulative pages: 14,321"

Same here!

We're into December now, so I guess I had better decide what I can realistically get read by the end of the year. I don't think I'm going to make my goal - that would be 12 more books!

Pretty sure I'll finish these:
READ All Things Wise and Wonderful - audiobook, 21 minutes left
READ One Day in December - audiobook, waiting for hold
READ The Alehouse Murders - library ebook, about 70 pages to go
READ We'll Always Have Parrots - couldn't find audiobook through the library, so I purchased on Audible
READ The Lord God Made Them All - maybe I'll get to this one, since I'm traveling this month....

After I finish Alehouse Murders - starting a series set in Cornwall, for my Good Yarn group (Dec./Jan. is a setting that starts with C, with Christmas as a bonus. Christmas is the 4th book, if I get to it!
READ Murder on the Menu
A Brush With Death
A Sprinkle of Sabotage
A Cornish Christmas Murder

Various other books I've started and not finished this year, that probably won't get finished (this year), and that I may create a 12 + 4 list of them to prioritize for next year...
Anglesey Blue
One for Sorrow
Wolf Hall
The Valley
The Chocolatier's Ghost
Neverhome
Queen By Right
From Hand to Hand: the Welsh novel O Law I Law
Yseult: A Tale of Love in the Age of King Arthur

#37 All Things Wise and Wonderful
4 blue stars - This one bounces back and forth between Herriot's recollections of his practice in Yorkshire, and his experiences in London with the RAF, including learning how to fly an airplane. Not quite as focused as the first two books, and we really didn't get much of Helen and his new son! But still delightful storytelling. This includes some stories that were published separately as children's books like The Christmas Day Kitten and Oscar Cat-About-Town.

Cumulative pages: 14,769

#38 The Alehouse Murders
4 red stars - A good start to the series. Bascot is flawed but likeable. The plot is somewhat slow moving, and the ending was a bit of a let down. The joy is in the historical details. This seems well-researched. If there were inaccuracies, nothing jumped out at me. I thought the author did a good job weaving her details into the story without being too heavy handed about it. I did think the main character was going to be Nicolaa, the chatelaine of Lincoln Castle, at first and was a little disappointed when she sort of got dropped and Bascot took over. I hope we see more of her. Lots of room for character development going forward. Not quite as "light" as the Brother Cadfael books, but similar.

Cumulative pages: 15,046

#39 We'll Always Have Parrots
4 red stars - Lots of fun. I continue to enjoy this series. Not much more to say that I haven't said in previous reviews of this author. This one spoofs the world of comic books and sci-fi "Cons". I didn't guess "who done it" and Meg's dad is still my favorite character...

Cumulative pages: 15,400

#40 The Lord God Made Them All
5 blue stars - One more book in the series to go....

Cumulative pages: 15,773

#41 Murder on the Menu
A solid 4 red stars, which is unusual (from me) for a 1st of series cozy mystery. It had me laughing out loud, and I was up until 3 am reading it... Jodie was fun. She drives a van that she bought from a guy that owned a fetish shop in Tavistock. Yeah, that will get you noticed! Ha ha. And my ancestors are from around Tavistock, so I enjoyed the local flavor (no pun intended.) The plot seemed oh so familiar and predictable, but I guess that's what cozy mysteries are.... I would have liked more than one recipe, and why didn't it tie into the book? Something she was making for the wedding perhaps? Anyway, I've already got the next book lined up.

Cumulative Pages: 16,059

8 more days and 7 more books to reach my goal. I'll finish
READ One Day in December - 2 hours, 41 minutes left.

Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times is checked out from the library, and due back in one week with a hold waiting, so I must start it now.

Just bought on Kindle
READ A Cornish Christmas Carol - it's a novella - 91 p. , so should be a quick read.

That leaves 4 more. I've had a look at my TBR for some other novellas and short stories...
READ Mayhem Mansion - 101 p. - It's even a Christmas story.
Winter's Bite - 54 p. - and fits my "Winter" theme.
READ The Amersham Rubies - 38 p. - a short prequel to the Molly Murphy mysteries.
READ A Mind of Her Own - an Audible Original - 109 p.
READ Questing Beast - 30 p, - an Arthurian/Sci Fi short story.
And maybe, just because...
READ Along the Tapajós - children's book - 40 p.

#42 One Day in December
3.5 pink stars. Mostly light-hearted, but not exactly a rom-com. This is another book that I think will appeal more to younger readers than older ones. I don't think it's a plot spoiler to say the book has a happy ending, and getting there is fairly predictable. I was a little surprised how long it took - the book covers 10 years - but the characters don't age 10 years. In fact, they seem to have changed very little by the end. I got quite peeved especially with Jack a few times. Unfortunately, I think he was still pretty immature by the end of the book. I liked Laurie and Sarah quite a lot. Glad that Sarah got her happy ending too. Yeah, the ending of the book might have been over the top, but by that point you're so glad the characters FINALLY got there, that you don't care. So I liked it, even though I'm generally not a fan of romances.

Cumulatiove pages: 16,452

#43 Questing Beast
3 green stars.
Short, humorous sci fi story. Read this because of the Arthurian reference. Basically, a genetically engineered bio-unit called Nannybot has been compromised by some kind of computer virus, and thinks it is Sir Pellinore hunting the Questing Beast. It disappears into the woods riding a dwarf cow and waving a broom stick. Unfortunately, it also contains the report of two years of work studying this planet. The evaluation committee is arriving in a few days, and the young researchers' careers will be over if they don't produce the report. What can they do, but illegally bioengineer a Questing Beast for Nannybot to hunt... Of course, in the end, "nature" will have the last laugh.

This was sort of cute, and besides the Arthurian reference, I think there was a bit of a nod to Don Quixote.

This story is readily available free online.

Cumulative pages: 16,482

#44 The Amersham Rubies
3 orange stars

A very short story, and somewhat underwhelming. Half the page count is taken up by a teaser of a later book in the series (which I didn't read). There really wasn't any mystery here, since Molly had already solved it as it happened. I would not judge the series based on this little "introduction" so three stars. I love the Evan Evans series, and I look forward to getting to know Molly.

Cumulative pages: 16,520

#45 Along the Tapajós
4.5 blue stars rounded up.

A children's picture book, free (on World Book Day) from Amazon Crossing. This is a delightful look at life along a river in the Amazon rainforest. I would give a gold star for the illustrations - bright and colorful and full of amazing detail. The story is all too short, and it ends rather abruptly. Still there is a surprising amount of info to be gleaned about another culture in this simple tale.

Description: Cauã and Inaê are a brother and sister who live in a small community along the Tapajós River in Brazil. Here, the homes are on stilts and everyone travels around by boat―even to school! When the rainy season comes, they must leave their village and relocate to higher ground for a while. But after moving this year, Cauã and Inaê realize they’ve left behind something important: their pet tortoise, Titi! Unlike turtles, tortoises can’t swim, and Cauã and Inaê are really worried. So the pair sneaks back at night on a journey along the river to rescue him. Will they be able to save Titi? This picture book, first published in Brazil, offers kids a unique look into the lives of children who live along Brazil’s beautiful Tapajós River.

Cumulative pages: 16,560

#46 A Mind of Her Own
3.5 pink stars
An Audible Original short story. A pleasant enough way to spend an hour, but it really should be developed into a full novel. Told from a first person point of view about how Marie got to Paris to study science, and where she met Pierre Curie, her future husband. There are a few weird passages from "beyond the grave" where Marie says things like "It would be another one hundred years before we knew" such and such, or talks about how she died of radium poisoning(!) But on the whole, I enjoyed this little glimpse into the life of Marie Curie.

Cumulative pages: 16,669

#47 A Cornish Christmas Carol
4 red stars
What's not to like? A retelling of Dickens' classic tale set in Cornwall with modern characters. This follows the plot of Dickens quite closely, with a nice (but quite unbelievable) romantic twist at the end. Apparently Scorrier House is a real place (https://www.scorrierhouse.co.uk/). And it was interesting to learn a bit about the resurgence of the old Cornish Christmas carol tradition. I am familiar with the Welsh Plygain carols, but this was new to me. Both traditions arose out of the 19th century mining communities. Dickens even commented on this in the original Christmas Carol:

“What place is this?” asked Scrooge.

“A place where Miners live, who labour in the bowels of the earth,” returned the Spirit. “But they know me. See.”

A light shone from the window of a hut, and swiftly they advanced towards it. Passing through the wall of mud and stone, they found a cheerful company assembled round a glowing fire. An old, old man and woman, with their children and their children’s children, and another generation beyond that, all decked out gaily in their holiday attire. The old man, in a voice that seldom rose above the howling of the wind upon the barren waste, was singing them a Christmas song — it had been a very old song when he was a boy — and from time to time they all joined in the chorus. So surely as they raised their voices, the old man got quite blithe and loud; and so surely as they stopped, his vigour sank again.

Cumulative pages: 16,760

#48 Mayhem Mansion
3 green stars
More of a novella than a novel at 100 pages. I enjoyed this fun Christmas ghost story (no murders here) and the collection of eccentric relatives that have gathered.

Reached my book goal with 20 minutes to go!
Cumulative pages: 16,861 - second only to last year!

Top reads for 2021:
(not counting rereads of James Herriot and Donna Andrews...)

A rare 5 gold stars to
Natasha's Dance: A Cultural History of Russia by Orlando Figes.

5 purple stars to
The Book of Boy by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Troubled Blood (Cormoran Strike #5) by Robert Galbraith
Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah
The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes

5 blue stars to
War and Peace (Oxford World's Classics edition) by Leo Tolstoy
The Winter Hare and Peregrine by Joan Elizabeth Goodman
The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd
The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate

4 blue stars to
Under the Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Horan
The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis