Bill’s Comments (group member since Nov 30, 2021)

Bill’s comments from the On The Same Page group.

1128. Maigret in Holland

Fiona wrote: "Tenth Book completed

Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer

Do love the writing - the dark humour amongst the murders

4 stars"

I've enjoyed everything I've read by Belinda Bauer so far.

Madeline wrote: "Bill wrote: "I amended the title of this one. Just read an article in the Guardian about books being banned in Utah. Now I have to read them...

https://www.theguardian.com/books/art......"

Me either.

I amended the title of this one. Just read an article in the Guardian about books being banned in Utah. Now I have to read them...

https://www.theguardian.com/books/art...

Ioana wrote: "How to Stand Up to a Dictator. This was on my TBR for a while, but Bill pushed it up, and I'm glad he did. I had never heard of Maria Ressa before, but what an amazing person! Stron..."

I'm glad you were as impressed as I was. I saw her on Stephen Colbert once and she was so articulate and thoughtful...

I like Young Adult as a genre as well

Alondra wrote: "Great job, Bill. Only 2 to go.

:)"

Thanks, Alondra. I plan to read all 16 if I can.

Lea wrote: "Bill wrote: "Exactly my feeling."

Did you read anything else by Westerfeld? I read his arguably more popular series Uglies which started strong, but lost me somewhere along the way. I..."

I haven't read anything else by Westerfield but I recently bought The Risen Empire which sounded interesting

Lea wrote: "You've always got so many great books on the go, Bill. No wonder you have trouble choosing between them all. Happy reading! :-)"

Thanks, Lea. You too.

It sounds quite different.

Spain - A visit to Spain in the future... Time Gladiator by Mack Reynolds 3.0 stars

1100. Time Gladiator

Finished my 5th book in this challenge, Time Gladiator by Mack Reynolds (Joe Mauser #4). Interesting but not great. 3.0 stars. If only I'd known there were 3 other books in the series.. LOL

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

Next in line is Pavane by Keith Roberts

Amanda wrote: "The Salterton Trilogy: Tempest-Tost / Leaven of Malice / A Mixture of Frailties
This is an entertaining book filled with charismatic characters and much social mischief reminiscent of ..."

I have read other books by Davies and have enjoyed. I haven't tried this trilogy yet.

End July 2024 Update

I completed 5 books in the first half of the month, and 8 in the 2nd half. Lots of very short books, mind you.
1. Wycliffe and the Schoolgirls by W.J. Burley Burley has been my July focus author. This was the 2nd book I read in the series. A number of murders being committed related to a school trip many years earlier. Excellent 4.0 stars
2. Catwings Return by Ursula K. Le Guin A young child's fantasy story about flying cats. The 2nd book in the series. Most enjoyable. 3.5 stars
3. The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin I've read before. It's the 4th book of the Hainish Cycle. A slow burn but still an excellent Sci Fi novel 5.0 stars
4. Six Ostriches by Philipp Schott (Dr. Bannerman #2) A Canadian mystery set near Manitoba featuring local vet Dr Bannerman and his sniffer dog Pippin. Viking artifacts and pet mutilations are involved 3.5 stars
5. The Stonekeeper's Curse by Kazu Kibuishi (The Amulet #2) Excellent graphic novel fantasy. Neat people and creatures and great artwork 4 stars
6. Wycliffe in Paul's Court by W.J. Burley (Wycliffe #9) Almost a closed door mystery. A murder set in a small residential unit of 5 families. Excellent as usual 4.0 stars
7. Poems from the Women's Movement by Honor Moore A fantastic collection of poems from a variety of American women poets. Some were gut punches. Featured Sylvia Plath, Honor Moore, Rita Mae Brown, etc. 4.0 stars
8. Borders by Thomas King Young adult fiction graphic novel. Blackfoot boy and his mother cross the Canadian border to go to Salt Lake City to visit her daughter. When she identifies her nationality as Blackfoot, the two are trapped between the two borders. Fascinating story and so beautifully drawn and colored 4.0 stars

Currently Reading (Too many on the go)
1. Time Gladiator by Mack Reynolds Entertaining Sci Fi adventure. I can see some ideas used in The Hunger Games. They use Gladiator battles to settle international disputes.
2. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus I haven't started yet but did watch some of the TV series.
3. Maigret in Holland by Georges Simenon Simenon (of the Maigret series) is my August focus
4. The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin The 5th book in the Hainish Cycle
5. Old Man's War by John Scalzi (Old Man's War #1) I've barely started but I like the writing style
6. Sidney Chambers and the Perils of the Night by James Runcie Book 2 of the Grantchester mysteries. Very cozy.
7. With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo The third book by Acevedo that I've tried. It moves along nicely.
8. In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune Like most I've barely started but it's started interestingly enough
9. Wanderers by Chuck Wendig I'm beginning to think I'm being too ambitious. I've got to get into this because it's interesting!
10. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson I've been working on this the longest and I'm enjoying but I need to focus a bit now.

In the Hopper
1. Skyscraper by Faith Baldwin One of my Femmes Fatales collection
2. The Grand Banks Café by Georges Simenon the next Maigret mystery
3. The Xibalba Murders by Lyn Hamilton I've read others in the Lara McClintoch antiques mystery series but finally, this is the 1st book
4. The Wind's Twelve Quarters by Ursula K. Le Guin My next Le Guin book, a collection of her favorite short stories
5. Pavane by Keith Roberts A novel of a parallel universe, part of my 12 + 0 challenge.

Enjoy your August selections!!!

Lea wrote: "Bill wrote: "The Leviathan books get better and better as far as I recall. Very interesting series anyway."

Yes! I'm towards the ending of Behemoth and I'm really loving it. It's so..."

Exactly my feeling.

You've had a great month Alondra. I looked at the summary of The Reformatory. Not sure I could read it... You are brave

On The Same Page Monthly Reading Challenge AUGUST 2024
Start Date: 08/01/2024
End Date: 08/31/2024

Total Pages Read: 3658 pages
Bonus Points: 95 pts

Books Read:
1. Time Gladiator by Mack Reynolds 191 pages, finished 2 Aug, 3.0 stars
2. Maigret in Holland by Georges Simenon 165 pages, finished 9 Aug, 4.0 stars
3. With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo 392 pages, finished 10 Aug, 4.5 stars
4. Sidney Chambers and the Perils of the Night by James Runcie 356 pages, finished 12 Aug, 4.0 stars
5. Nothing Special, Volume One: Through the Elder Woods by Katie Cook 416 pages, finished 14 Aug, 3.5 stars
6. The Grand Banks Café by Georges Simenon 154 pages, finished 15 Aug, 3.5 stars
7. Maigret at the Gai-Moulin by Georges Simenon 166 pages, finished 20 Aug, 4.0 stars
8. The New Girl by Cassandra Calin, 262 pages, finished 21 Aug, 3.5 stars
9. Autocracy, Inc. by Anne Applebaum 207 pages, finished 23 Aug, 3.5 stars
10. The Deep Dark by Molly Knox Ostertag 480 pages, finished 23 Aug, 4.0 stars
11. Ariel by Sylvia Plath 81 pages, finished 27 Aug, 3.5 stars
12. Pavane by Keith Roberts 191 pages, finished 28 Aug, 3.0 stars
13. East of West, Vol. 2: We Are All One by Jonathan Hickman 144 pages, finished 29 Aug, 3.5 stars
14. A Guest in the House by Emily Carroll 245 pages, fiinished 30 Aug, 4.0 stars
15. Shout Kill Revel by Jarret Hartnell 208 pages, finished 31 Aug, 3.5 stars

10 points:

- August 3rd is National Watermelon Day - RAB with a watermelon on the cover or in the text or featuring a picnic.
- August 9th is National Book Lover’s Day - RAB with about books or a library, with books on the cover or about a true book lover!
- Read a book by an author born in August.
- Peridot is the birthstone for August. Read a book with a green cover.
- August is back to school month. Read a book with a MC that is a student or a teacher. Double points for nonfiction.
-- The New Girl by Cassandra Calin (MC is a student) (10 pts)
--With the Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo (student) 10 pts
- 8/16/1896- gold was discovered in Alaska starting the Great Klondike Gold Rush. Read a book with something gold on the cover.

25 points:

- August 4th is Friendship Day - RAB about BFFs or a lifelong friendship.
- August 9th is International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples - RAB with an Indigenous author or about any Indigenous peoples from any country.
- 8/4 is Sisters Day. Read a book where the MC are sisters.
- 8/6 is Farmworker Appreciation Day. Read a book where the MC owns/operates or works on a farm.
- 8/8 is International Cat Day & 8/17 is Black Cat Day. Read a book with a cat in it. Double points if it a black cat or a nonfiction book. Triple points if it is a black cat AND nonfiction.
- 8/30/1797 - Mary Shelley was born. Read a horror or gothic novel. Double points if it is by Mary Shelley.
-- A Guest in the House by Emily Carroll (25 pts)

50 points:

- August 26th is Women’s Equality Day - the day the 19th Amendment was ratified by Congress, giving women the right to vote in the USA. RAB featuring the women’s suffrage movement, women’s rights or a very strong woman!
- August 21st is Admissions Day in Hawaii! Hawaii became the 50th US State in 1959 - RAB set in Hawaii, with a Hawaiian author or character - double bonus points if it’s non-fiction!!
- 8/7 is Purple Heart Day. Read a book where the MC is a soldier injured in battle.
- 8/17 is World Honeybee Day. Read a book about bees, or where the MC is a beekeeper or with bees on the cover.
-- Ariel by Sylvia Plath (beekeeping is featured in 3 of the poems. Plath did keep bees when she was in England) 50 pts
- 8/17 is International Geocaching Day. Read a book where the MC is searching for something.
- 8/30 is National Grief Awareness Day. Read a book with grief/grieving as a central theme.

The Julia Childs book sounds interesting. They are all new to me.

The Leviathan books get better and better as far as I recall. Very interesting series anyway.