Retro Reads discussion

Cphe wrote: "No 4

Book 10

School for Love - 4 stars - I really enjoy this author."

Added for you Cphe!

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Sharon wrote: "#15
5th book I've read.
Finished May 16, 2025

Finished Touch Not the Nettle by Molly Clavering. This was a 3* read for me: great sense of country li..."

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Sharon wrote: "#15
5th book I've read.
Finished May 16, 2025

Finished Touch Not the Nettle by Molly Clavering. This was a 3* read for me: great sense of country li..."

Barb in Maryland wrote: "Sharon wrote: "#15
5th book I've read.
Finished May 16, 2025

Finished Touch Not the Nettle by Molly Clavering. This was a 3* read for me: great sense of country li..."
Thank you, Carol!

Barb in Maryland wrote: "Sharon wrote: "#15
5th book I've read.
Finished May 16, 2025

Finished Touch Not the Nettle by Molly Clavering. This was a 3* read for me: great sense of country li..."
Thank you, Barb! Oh yes, this looks wonderful. Thanks for the recommendation.
Susan in NC wrote: "Barb in Maryland wrote: "Sharon wrote: "#15
5th book I've read.
Finished May 16, 2025

Finished Touch Not the Nettle by Molly Clavering. This was a 3* read for me: ..."

No 4

Book 11

After the Funeral - 2 stars - not as strong as other Christies

Cphe wrote: "No 4

Book 11

After the Funeral - 2 stars - not as strong as other Christie"

Added for you, Cphe. I don't remember this Christie well. I am hoping to get to it.

With my own reading I'm bogged down with a book I'm reading with another group. I'm hoping I'll finish it today or tomorrow.

Mela #9

3rd book - The Charmers by Stella Gibbons - finished May.18

Mela wrote: "Mela #9

3rd book - The Charmers by Stella Gibbons - finished May.18"

Added for you, Mela.

Kate #10 reporting:

I finished Book #3 (“Grass Beyond the Mountains: Discovering the Last Great Cattle Frontier on the North American Continent”) by Richmond P. Hobson, Jr. on May 24, 2025.

As an adventure story in an unforgiving and isolated area of northern British Columbia in the 1930s, it’s a 5-star read! I needed an atlas to figure out where this last frontier is located. Maybe even inspired me to take a trip to Bella Coola and environs in British Columbia someday? Not in the sub-zero temps of winter, nor when moose & bear are with their young ones (not early Spring) or in the Fall when the animals are in rut, so that leaves the summer when mosquitoes are the most annoying. Hmmm. 😀

Added for you, Kate!

No 4

Book 12

The Mountain Lion very well written but sad on a number of levels

Cphe wrote: "No 4

Book 12

The Mountain Lion very well written but sad on a number of levels"

Added for you, Cphe. This one sounds quite tempting (for the quality of the writing)

& I have just finished Book #5

#1 Cold Comfort Farm 4.5★
Finished 26/5.

I don't think you have to have read Thomas Hardy or Mary Webb to enjoy this satirical novel. It works just as well as a humorous book. At the start in particular I was just in fits of giggles. Recommended.

#7

Book #5
Legend in Green Velvet 4 stars
This is a fascinating mystery that takes place in Scotland. There is plenty of adventure and suspense.

Amanda wrote: "#7

Book #5
Legend in Green Velvet 4 stars
This is a fascinating mystery that takes place in Scotland. There is plenty of adventure and suspense."

Added for you Amanda- glad you enjoyed it. :)

#13
Book 3 - The Mystery of the White Knight
finished May 26
4-stars

A quick and enjoyable one. MacLeod is a comfort author for me, and this title was no exception.

Added for you Jenn. :)

No 4

book 13

Mystery of the White Knight - 2 star rating for me - I was expecting a bit more.

Cphe wrote: "No 4

book 13

Mystery of the White Knight - 2 star rating for me - I was expecting a bit more."

Sorry it was a disappointment Cphe - I've added it for you.

Mela #9

4rd book - Smouldering Fire by D.E. Stevenson - finished June.02

I like the author, but this novel was rather disappointing.

Mela wrote: "Mela #9

4rd book - Smouldering Fire by D.E. Stevenson - finished June.02

I like the author, but this novel was rather disappointing."

Added for you, Mela!

It's too bad you were disappointed, Mela.

I really enjoyed that one despite (view spoiler)[ finding it predictable (hide spoiler)]

#5 with book 9, Mrs. Lorimer's Quiet Summer , another delightful outing with Molly Clavering.

Finished June 3, 2025, a 4.5 star read for me! Nice for June, another sweet, charming book from a new favorite author! Here’s a link to my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Added for you Susan!

Thank you, dearest!

#5 with book 10, Legend in Green Velvet by one of my favorite authors, Elizabeth Peters

First read this decades ago, and didn’t remember a thing, but I enjoyed this fun, adventurous thriller steeped in Scottish history so much I bumped my rating up to 4 stars. Finished June 4, 2025, here’s a link to my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

#5 with book 11, Mystery of the White Knight .

This sentimental, light-hearted, quick cozy mystery was a fun treat! Perfect for starting my summer reads. I love the author’s other series, oldies but goodies, she and Elizabeth Peters are both longtime favorites for me for light mysteries - 4 stars for this one. Heres a link to my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Susan in NC wrote: "#5 with book 11, Mystery of the White Knight.

This sentimental, light-hearted, quick cozy mystery was a fun treat! Perfect for start..."

Added for you Susan!

I'm part way through A Few Green Leaves & hope to finish it in the next couple of days.

Thanks! I’ve just picked that one up from my library, haven’t started it, though; I’ve always enjoyed Barbara Pym, and this will be a first read for me.

Susan in NC wrote: "Thanks! I’ve just picked that one up from my library, haven’t started it, though; I’ve always enjoyed Barbara Pym, and this will be a first read for me."
I'm enjoying it much more than A Glass of Blessings (read with another group) which was from the start of her career.

A subtle writer!

#1 here. I have just finished Book #6
A Few Green Leaves

4★
Finished 17/06.

I read A Glass of Blessings with another group & was a bit tepid about it. This one I can wholeheartedly recommend. The humour & the plot are both gentle, but they are there.

A library in my area carries Civil to Strangers and Other Writings I will try to get to this one later in the year.

Thanks, Carol, I hope to start Green Leaves soon. Glad you enjoyed it!

Susan in NC wrote: "Thanks, Carol, I hope to start Green Leaves soon. Glad you enjoyed it!"

& I'm off on holiday in a few hours.

Just add your reads here & I will tally them when I get back. :)

#7

Book #6
Mrs. Lorimer's Quiet Summer 4 stars
This is a delightful book.

#5 with book 12, A Few Green Leaves by Barbara Pym.

She’s become a favorite, but this one left me rather cold (and bored, frankly). It might have been wrong time, wrong book, but this one is 3 stars. Finished Saturday June 28, here’s a link to my review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Susan in NC wrote: "

She’s become a favorite, but this one left me rather cold (and bored, frank..."

My thoughts exactly. I gave it 2 stars and wrote "98% English village life, 2% romance. Boring, but not boring enough for me to abandon."
I read it in 2018.

I’d say you summed it up perfectly!

#5 with book #13, Call for the Dead by John Le Carré, finished July 4. 5 stars for this gripping but brief introduction to a fascinating character, George Smiley, and his Cold War world.

Thanks to whoever threw this into the pool - I love this group pool for getting me to finally read authors I’ve heard about for years, but never gotten around to reading, like Le Carre.

Here’s a link to my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Added for you Amanda & Susan!

So glad you enjoyed Le Carre, Susan. I haven't read this one, but I read a lot of Le Carre when I was younger & loved his work.

I'm nearly finished Paying Guests :)

Susan, I've never read this author but now I want to and since this book is the first in a series, apparently, it looks like a good place to start. My problem will be remembering I want to read it, since first I have to read Northbridge Rectory and then The Language of Flowers for IRL bookclub.

maybe a post-in on my calendar....

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Added for you Amanda & Susan!

So glad you enjoyed Le Carre, Susan. I haven't read this one, but I read a lot of Le Carre when I was younger & loved his work.

I'm nearly finished [book:Paying Gues..."

Thanks, and I hope you’re enjoying it!

Jackie wrote: "Susan, I've never read this author but now I want to and since this book is the first in a series, apparently, it looks like a good place to start. My problem will be remembering I want to read it,..."

There you go! It’s short but moves briskly- I’d never read him, but always meant to…happy reading!

I'm having nightmarish computer problems atm, but I can still access GR & You Tube, so sorry for disappearing on y'all.

#1
Book #7 Paying Guests
If you like the Mapp & Lucia titles you'll like this one. One part had me howling with laughter! 4★

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "I'm having nightmarish computer problems atm, but I can still access GR & You Tube, so sorry for disappearing on y'all.

#1
Book #7 Paying Guests
If you like the Mapp & Lucia titles you'll like thi..."

I’m glad you enjoyed it, Carol!

No. 4

Book 14

A Song Begins A nostalgic read and dated somewhat but pure escapism.
A bit of a toxic relationship in some respects.

Cphe wrote: "No. 4

Book 14

A Song Begins A nostalgic read and dated somewhat but pure escapism.
A bit of a toxic relationship in some respects."

Added for you, Cphe!

#2
book number 5
The Perennial Bachelor
finished 7/27

2 stars
Not much of a review except to say it was a sad story.

CindySR wrote: "#2
book number 5
The Perennial Bachelor
finished 7/27

2 stars
Not much of a review except to say it was a sad story."
Oh dear! I had this one downloaded to read next!

Added for you, Cindy!

# 4

Book 15 -

Joy in the Morning - all good fun

Sorry Carol, cannot recommend. Let me know if you want spoilers.

#7

Book #7 Touch not the Nettle 4 stars.
I enjoyed this book.

CindySR wrote: "Sorry Carol, cannot recommend. Let me know if you want spoilers."

No, I think I'll just move it off my to-read list. I'm struggling with my present book (not from this challenge) & i think I will be in the mood for something light & fluffy.