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What Are You Reading - Part Deux
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Stephen
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Jun 02, 2016 01:07PM
I am starting The Beautiful Cigar Girl: Mary Rogers, Edgar Allan Poe, and the Invention of Murder which comes highly recommended.
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I'm reading Kommandant's Girl by Pam Jenoff.
Finished The Witness and starting Me Before You I want to read the book before I watch the movie. I've heard a lot of good things about both.
The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson – 4**** What an absolute delight! Simonson’s writing reminds me of Jane Austen's novels. Simonson sets her story in a small English village, whose residents would prefer that time stand still notwithstanding major outside influences. The villagers are left reacting to changes that make them very uncomfortable. Against these global events, however, is the very personal story of these characters; this is where Simonson shines. She has a great gift for dialogue and for creating a social structure that draws the reader into the small dramas of life that give her work universal appeal.
Full Review HERE
The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafón – 4**** Wow. The plot is intricate and compelling, the characters complex and interesting, and the writing is simply wonderful. And, of course, we have the marvelous Cemetery of Forgotten Books. This is a dark, gothic novel full of mystery and intrigue. At heart it is a story of man’s struggle against his baser instincts. Although there are many twists in the plot, Zafón keeps some major surprises for the ending. Dan Stevens is simply marvelous performing the audio version.
Full Review HERE
Finished Bag of Bones today. Since my previous read was The Vampire Armand I've decided something shorter and more of a fun read is now required so I've picked up a series I started years ago, Separated at Death.
Book Concierge wrote: " The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson – 4**** What an absolute delight! Simonson’s writing reminds me of Jane Austen's novels. Simonson sets he..."
So glad to hear that you liked this book! I inadvertently bought it on my kindle but had been planning to get it eventually.
Because I recently finished something heavy, I've been reading The Xibalba Murders
by Lyn Hamilton.
I've made a start on Daughter by Jane Shemilt.
Playing for Pizza by John Grisham – 2** What’s the male equivalent of chick-lit? Jock-lit? Well, whatever term we use, this novel is it. Light on plot (and what’s there is predictable), a little romance, a life lesson learned (sort of), and a lot of football. It was a quick read, and I enjoyed some of the scenes that explored Italian culture. Evan Welch does a fairly good job of voicing the audio. He has good pacing and I liked the way he voiced the Italians.
Full Review HERE
Pamela wrote: "Because I recently finished something heavy, I've been reading The Xibalba Murders (Lara McClintoch Archeological Mystery, #1) by Lyn Hamilton. ..."Ha ... looks like we are running a relay race ... I just put that on one my tbr!
The Ghost and Mrs. Jeffries by Emily Brightwell – 3*** This is book #3 in the cozy mystery series featuring Mrs Hepzibah Jeffries, housekeeper to Inspector Gerald Witherspoon, and her team of servants who all help solve the crimes. It’s a fast read, full of colorful characters, and I enjoyed watching Mrs Jeffries figure it out and gently coaxing the Inspector towards the correct solution to the mystery.
Full Review HERE
If You Ask Me (And Of Course You Won’t) by Betty White – 2.5** I feel a little mean not liking this more. I love Betty White, and some of the essays in this book are spot on perfect. But it’s pretty lightweight in substance, and while it is a fast read, it just didn’t satisfy what I look for in a reading experience.
Full Review HERE
Carrying Albert Home: The Somewhat True Story of a Man, His Wife, and Her Alligator by Homer Hickam ★★★★my review
A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway – 4**** Early in his career as a writer, Hemingway lived in Paris with his wife and infant son. This is his memoir of that time, when he was young, curious, and soaking up atmosphere with a sponge. Oh, what I wouldn’t give to have shared even one afternoon with these young writers! There is immediacy to Hemingway’s writing that just draws me into the world of his work. I thank Hemingway for letting me live vicariously through his memories.
Full Review HERE
I am reading Atlantis in Peril by T. A. Barron
Took me a while to get through it but I finished up David Liss' A Spectacle of Corruption
and really enjoyed it although I didn't always understand what he was trying to get to about the Whigs and Tories. Quite interesting overall and I didn't even think when I was reading it that it was about politics and we're smack dab in the midst of politics ourselves.And now I'm reading Tishomingo Blues
by Elmore Leonard. I've read three others of his books and then, of course, watched several of the books based on his books.
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell – 3.5*** Eleanor is the new kid – and target – at school; Park is a quiet loner who prefers listening to his music tapes and reading comics. Eleanor winds up sitting next to Park on the bus and slowly they begin to notice the value in one another. I can certainly see where the target audience would love it (as my niece did). But for me it’s just a little better than average. Fair warning: there is some very vulgar language in the book.
Full Review HERE
Book Concierge wrote: "Eleanor & Park Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell – 3.5*** Eleanor is the new kid – and target – at school; Park is a quiet loner who prefers listening to his music tapes and re..."
Read that a couple weeks ago and enjoyed it.
I've started Blacklands by Belinda Bauer.
Forgot I had More Tales of the City so that's what I'm reading. I was having one of those "so many books and nothing to read" moments when I spotted it on the shelf, thank goodness!
Victor wrote: "Guy wrote: "Currently enjoying The Givenness of Things: Essays and Essays After Eighty. Trudging through, [book:The Opposite of Loneliness: Essays and Stories|181439..."It just wasn't that great to be honest. It was on my list a while too. I wanted it to be good. There are moments. It is very young. Perhaps I am not the audience for it.
I haven't posted in awhile. I have recently read The Last Whisper in the Dark, Deal: My Three Decades of Drumming, Dreams, and Drugs with the Grateful Dead, Big Fish, The Golem and the Jinni, and The Sirens of Titan.Now I'm reading End of Watch.
Circling the Sun by Paula McLain – 3*** McLain does extensive research and had a wealth of information on which to base this work of historical fiction. I appreciate how she paints the landscape of this part of Africa in the early part of the 20th century. I recognize Markham’s intelligence, determination and tenacity, but she never seemed to learn anything from her mistakes. I struggle with giving the work a higher rating because I so disliked Beryl Markham. McLain chose to focus her work on Beryl’s childhood and young adulthood, so that the character is just becoming the woman we know about when the novel ends. And I’m left feeling disappointed in both Beryl and the book.
Full Review HERE
I'm reading Without Remorse by Tom Clancy which although it's not a Jack Ryan book it's the first in the "Jack Ryan Universe" series. I've read the first six Jack Ryan books so I thought I would try the first one which features the John Clark character. So far, so good!
The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa – 5***** and a ❤A beautifully elegant gem of a novel. The slow way in which the Housekeeper, Root and the Professor get to know one another is framed by his lessons on the poetry of mathematics. I liked how Ogawa used the Professor’s and Root’s love of baseball to frame their growing friendship. It is a story about love (not to be confused with a “love story”).
Full Review HERE
The Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard C Morais – 3*** Hassan Haji is born into a restaurant family and becomes a celebrated French chef in this delightful fable. The book focuses on his life’s journey, and those bumps in the road that might derail his ambitions. There is a significant clash of cultures when this Indian family establishes their Maison Mumbai in the small French village of La Lumiere. But good food will always attract a following. Neil Shah does a good job of performing the audio version.
Full Review HERE
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain – 4**** I first listened to this audio in Feb 2013. I listened again in preparation for my F2F book club. I won’t change my rating, but I find the audio more annoying this time for the poor voice work. The book, however, is still a good one in the way McLain portrays the Hemingway’s marriage and their life in 1920s Paris. I really liked Hadley.
Full Review HERE
I'm reading
. I'm really enjoying this book, it's hard to put down.
Finally getting around to starting The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins today.
Senor Vivo and the Coca Lord by Louis de Bernières – 4**** Dionisio Vivo is a philosophy teacher, whose letters to the editor about the effects of the coca trade on the people of this unnamed South American country have attracted the wrath of the local drug lord. This is a fun romp of a satire, full of magical realism and totally outrageous scenarios. I laughed aloud in many places, and cried out in dismay in others. The language de Bernières employs is nothing short of delightful. The reader who can suspend disbelief and just go along for the ride will find much to enjoy.
Full Review HERE
Finished Without Remorse, really a good read but I am a Tom Clancy fan. I don't know if the latest books are up to his standards but I have actually read something else by one of the authors, Mark Greaney and that was darn good so here's hoping.I moved on to Farewell to Manzanar: A True Story of Japanese American Experience During and After the World War II Internment because I saw the movie and I've also read Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.
The Rope Walk by Carrie Brown – 3*** As summer begins, ten-year-old Alice meets two extraordinary people: a bi-racial boy visiting his grandparents for the summer, and a middle-aged artist with AIDS who has come to live with his sister. This coming-of-age novel brought back many fond memories of the summers spent doing “nothing” and “everything." One of the difficulties with choosing a child narrator, however, is that the adult reader will clearly see certain plot elements coming long before the less-experienced child. Still, I thought Brown did a good job of revealing the plot elements, and the changing relationships.
Full Review HERE
by
I am around page 80. So far it is a very good page turner. I am a John Grisham fan so it is hard for me to be critical of anything he writes but he hasn't disappointed me yet!!
Finished very quickly Farewell to Manzanar: A True Story of Japanese American Experience During and After the World War II Internment and I've started reading Some Lie and Some Die by Ruth Rendell. I haven't read one of hers in a very long time but I'm already hooked just on page 17.
I'm reading California by Edan Lepucki - near future speculative fiction, very hard to put it down. Also reading The Fracking King: A Novel by James Browning. It's also very engaging and fairly quirky.
Karen M wrote: "Finished very quickly Farewell to Manzanar: A True Story of Japanese American Experience During and After the World War II Internment and I've started reading [book:Some Lie and Some ..."Next time you are in California, you can visit Manzanar. I've driven past the site many times but not at times when I could stop and take a tour.
Judy wrote: "Karen M wrote: "Finished very quickly Farewell to Manzanar: A True Story of Japanese American Experience During and After the World War II Internment and I've started reading [book:So..."I doubt I'll ever make it to California but I'm glad Manzanar still exists, hopefully as reminder of a time when fear ruled this country instead of common sense. I'm afraid I'm still hearing that kind of thinking and it saddens me.
Starting Inside the O'Briens by Lisa Genova today.
Currently I am reading The Nest. I however just finished Summer Sisters, Wonder, The Island and What Alice Forgot in rapid succession, all of which I enjoyed and would recommend to others.
Finished Some Lie and Some Die by Ruth Rendell which was so good I went bought two more in the series.Will be starting a re-read of And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. Just in a mystery kind of mood.
I'm starting Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline today.
I'm reading The Last Star by Rick Yancey. It's the final book of the 5th Wave trilogy and I can't wait to see how he wraps it all up! This has been an amazing series.
Mrs. Jeffries Takes Stock by Emily Brightwell – 2.5** I like this cozy mystery series featuring Mrs Jeffries and other servants in the Inspector’s Victorian household, who work together to lead their boss to the solution of the mystery. However, I think I’ve read too many recently and the plots are getting formulaic and thin. Still, it’s a fast read, and an occasional cozy never hurt anyone.
Full Review HERE
Jackie wrote: "I'm starting Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline today."I really enjoyed this one!
That's good to know, Paula. Ive heard some good things about it!
Jackie wrote: "I'm starting Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline today."Really good book. Enjoy!
I'm still on my mystery binge so I just finished Death by Darjeeling and have gone on to read the second book in the series, Gunpowder Green.
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