What Are You Reading Today? -(v2.0)

[Megan]

I've been on a James Patterson kick lately, and am currently reading Lost. I like the characters, but his lighter style isn't always a great fit with the topic of human trafficking. But if this makes people aware of it that might not have been otherwise, I won't complain!

[Lenore]

Not for everyone at this time, but I am reading (listening to) Camus's The Plague. While set in Oran, Algeria during the 50s, and concerning bubonic plague, it is still remarkably resonant with what's happening today.

[Megan]

I'm taking a break from mystery and reading Misfits, which is lots of fun and features girls who get along with each other - a rarity in that type of story! :)

[Erin]

I just finished The Rise of Kyoshi, which is an extended universe story for Avatar the Last Airbender animated series. I'm a HUGE fan of Avatar, so I was super excited about a book set in the same world. A great read! And a sequel is coming out next month!

[Dena]

Lenore wrote: "Not for everyone at this time, but I am reading (listening to) Camus's The Plague. While set in Oran, Algeria during the 50s, and concerning bubonic plague, it is still remarkably reso..."
And I'm reading (listening to) The Coming Plague (in between other, more pleasant books!) I bought the hard cover edition when it came out (mid 1990's) - but never read (it's about 750 pages). In my restlessness, I find it easier to listen. Epidemiology is fascinating. I'm up to the part about HIV/AIDS and just read about Larry Kramer's death. The Reagan administration was as terrible as our current administration regarding health and science (along with many other things).

[Megan]

I'm reading The Swans of Fifth Avenue, which is really well done.

[Sara]

I am slowly re-reading the Phryne Fisher series by Kerry Greenwood. It was made into a TV series in Australia, and while the stories have been altered somewhat, the shows are quite enjoyable. The books are better, though!

[Mary]

I agree, and I just read that Greenwood is working on new books, for Phryne and for Corinna. <3

[Megan]

I've been meaning to read the Phryne Fisher books, since I love the TV show so much! Right now I just needed something comforting, though, so I just started back into The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, since it's been 30+ years.

[Lenore]

A sort of warning about Phryne Fisher. If you enjoyed the TV series (and I loved it!), don't fall for "Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears" on Acorn. They've moved the setting from Australia to the Middle East, so the terrific shots of Melbourne, with the luscious interiors, the terrific 20s costumes, and the fabulous old cars are gone. The plot makes no sense, relying heavily on a curse on an old amulet, which curse is not debunked by Miss Fisher but rather is central to the climax. And the dialogue's not so great either. SO disappointed!

[Erin]

Mary wrote: "I agree, and I just read that Greenwood is working on new books, for Phryne and for Corinna. <3"

Oh, that's exciting! She hasn't had a new book out in ages!

[Megan]

That's a bummer about the Miss Fisher movie! It hasn't been on our PBS station or shown up on Hoopla yet, so I haven't had the opportunity to see it - but now I don't feel like I'm missing much!

[Dena]

Megan wrote: "That's a bummer about the Miss Fisher movie! It hasn't been on our PBS station or shown up on Hoopla yet, so I haven't had the opportunity to see it - but now I don't feel like I'm missing much!"
I agree (that it's a bummer). I could have watched it - maybe on
my PBS station's Passport- but I read the reviews on IMDB & gave it a pass. I wish the books were available at my library's e-audio site. I can't seem to actually read anymore- too much computer screen time.

[Megan]

It's strange - the Phyrne Fisher audiobooks seem to only be available on Audible, but they aren't listed on there as audible exclusives. I'm sure there's a story there, but they aren't on libro.fm, Scribd, RBDigital, Hoopla, Libby, or any other provider. Publishing is weird sometimes!

[Sara]

I just finished reading the latest Corinna Chapman book (Kerry Greenwood's other series) and it was so refreshing to meet back up with Corinna, Daniel, and the rest of the gang. I wish I could visit her bakery for a magnificent muffin!

I'm currently listening to "The Song of Achilles" by Madeline Miller. This was her first book and it's good! I had listened to "Circe" earlier this year and really enjoyed it, so I'm glad to circle back for her first. I'm behind on my audios for the year since I'm only going in to work 2-3 days a week now.

And as for "Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries," my local PBS station had a commercial about a mystery night (Fridays?) and one of the shows featured was "Miss Fisher." I'll admit the show isn't nearly as good as the books, but they're not bad overall. Check your local listings.

[Sandy]

Riviera Gold by Laurie R. King.

[Jennifer]

Sara wrote: "I just finished reading the latest Corinna Chapman book (Kerry Greenwood's other series) and it was so refreshing to meet back up with Corinna, Daniel, and the rest of the gang. I wish I could visi..."

I've really missed that series and making a bookstore run this weekend (YAY!!!) What's the title?

[Virginia]

I just finished Trevor Noah's "Born A Crime." It is a funny, thoughtful memoir. And there is a bit of a mystery involved.

[KarenB]

I meant to get the new Corinna Chapman - I'll be sure to get it as I love those books. I can second Virginia's recommendation for Born A Crime. It's very, very funny, rather profane and thought-provoking. Trevor Noah does the audio for the audio book and did a fabulous job.

[Mkotch]

I just started Sarah Stewart Taylor's new book, The Mountains Wild. I loved her previous series with Sweeney St. George, and it's been years since the last one. I hope this is going to be a new series. Liking it so far.

[Mac]

I just finished reading San Diego Noir, short stories about the dark side of that sunny city. I was pleasantly surprised with this collection. I enjoyed all the stories from the security guard who gets more than he bargained for when he answers a late night call to the group of friends who fantasize about how they would do in the insurance agents who denied their claims. I also read about some hidden locations that I plan to visit next time I'm in San Diego.

I picked this up because I was going to Left Coast Crime 2020 in San Diego and wanted to get a feel for the city. Unfortunately, that event was cut short by Covid, but I'm looking forward to LCC 2021 in Albuquerque. Maybe by that time, there will be an Albuquerque Noir collection.

[Erin]

Jennifer wrote: "Sara wrote: "I just finished reading the latest Corinna Chapman book (Kerry Greenwood's other series) and it was so refreshing to meet back up with Corinna, Daniel, and the rest of the gang. I wish..."

Jennifer: The new Corinna book is The Spotted Dog, I believe.

[Erin]

Megan wrote: "It's strange - the Phyrne Fisher audiobooks seem to only be available on Audible, but they aren't listed on there as audible exclusives. I'm sure there's a story there, but they aren't on libro.fm,..."

My two libraries (San Francisco PL and Contra Costa County PL) have a few of the Phryne Fisher books on audio via Libby/Overdrive. A lot of those online services are linked to library systems, so you have to request that digitial audiobook copies be added to your local library system.

[Erin]

I just finished The Light Brigade by Kameron Hurley. I was completely blown away by this book! It's not a subgenre that I usually enjoy (it's kind of military sci-fi and has some pretty graphically violent bits), but the plotting ended up being just so amazing. Definitely a reminder to me to branch out of my usual niche preferences more often.

[Mary]

Erin wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "Sara wrote: "I just finished reading the latest Corinna Chapman book (Kerry Greenwood's other series) and it was so refreshing to meet back up with Corinna, Daniel, and the rest of..."

Raised hopes, dashed. The Spotted Dog has been out awhile, but I have heard there is to be another soon. I'll resume (im-?)patient waiting . . . ;-)

[Lenore]

I'm listening to Save Me from Dangerous Men. Although it's very fast-paced, I'm not sure it's the greatest mystery/thriller I've ever read. But it does have a nice little Easter egg for LRK fans. The protagonist, Nikki, owns a second-hand bookstore in Berkeley with her business partner, Jess. In Chapter 26 she comes into the store, and Jess shows her a draft poster for a series of readings by local Bay Area mystery writers. Nikki asks who is lined up so far, and Jess says, with pride, "Martin Cruz Smith and Laurie King for sure."

[Megan]

I'm finally getting to the end of Big Red Tequila, which I feel like I've been reading for about 299 years. It's actually gotten pretty good in the second half, but the first half was so slow moving that my Libby loan ran out on me!

[Gillian]

Have been buried in the whirlwind that is the first year as rector of a new parish, compounded by a pandemic. But am finally making some time for recreation. I finished "Island of the Mad" a few weeks ago, and "Riviera Gold" last week.

Am now reading the latest in a series of military fictions about the Royal Navy's submarine service in WW2, the "Harry Gilmour" series by David Black. We're up to 1944 and the Pacific campaigns, and Black says this is probably the final novel in the series. The hesitation of the "probably" reassures me that young Harry survives ....

Earlier this year I read Erik Larson's book on the first year of Winston Churchill's Prime Ministership, "The Splendid and the Vile," which I highly recommend.

Also am slowly working my way through White Fragility by DiAngelo and will be reading some other books on antiracism.

[KarenB]

I just finished a charming book, The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune. It's a bit Roald Dahl-ish and a tiny bit Harry Potter-ish. It's slow to get going and never gets really exciting, but it is heart-warming and just what I needed as a break from all the reading I'm doing on racism.

[William]

Megan wrote: "Earlier this year I read Erik Larson's book on the first year of Winston Churchill's Prime Ministership, "The Splendid and the Vile," which I highly recommend."


Wasn't it wonderful? Remember when elected officials were leaders?

[Erin]

Gillian wrote: "Also am slowly working my way through White Fragility by DiAngelo and will be reading some other books on antiracism"

I'm reading that right now too. I'm about 25% of the way through and I think I have like half of that highlighted as interesting comments, LOL.

[Dena]

KarenB wrote: "I just finished a charming book, The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune. It's a bit Roald Dahl-ish and a tiny bit Harry Potter-ish. It's slow to get going and never gets really exciting, but i..."
Karen, thank you. It sounds like just what I need (tho I'm 10 on the library wait list). I just finished Eight Perfect Murders & it reinforced how much I don't like unreliable narrators. At least it was short. I am now going to re-read The Subtle Knife, hoping I'll be able to see season 2 of His Dark Materials (season 1 of which I thought was really well done).

[Megan]

I’m reading The Cornwalls Vanish for one of my IRL book clubs - it’s not in the top three of the James Patterson books I’ve read in the past year, but it has its moments.

[Allison]

"Bending the Willow: Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes"...Any fan of the Granada series will appreciate this in depth look at the development of the series and Jeremy's interpretation of the role.

[William]

The Battle for the Falklands by Max Hastings The Battle for the Falklands

[Megan]

Has anyone else here read the Medlar series by Jude Deveraux (A Willing Murder, A Justified Murder, A Forgotten Murder)? My IRL book club just read A Forgotten Murder, so I also read the first two, and was surprised that the third one went in such a different direction without addressing any of the big questions from the first two. I couldn't find anything online about plans to continue the series, but I've never ready anything else by that author - does she normally just leave things hanging like that?

[Lenore]

William wrote: "The Battle for the Falklands by Max Hastings The Battle for the Falklands"

I recently listened to his Catastrophe 1914: Europe Goes to War. Isn't he a great military historian?

[Laura]

I just read "Where The Crawdads Sing". It was a mesmerizing book and I couldn't put it down. Plus the end has an unexpected twist.

[William]

I'm astounded at how much I didn't know about the Falklands war.

[Mary]

Laura wrote: "I just read "Where The Crawdads Sing". It was a mesmerizing book and I couldn't put it down. Plus the end has an unexpected twist."

I read that on the recommendation of an older friend in the Y craft group. I expected that we'd have a discussion of the ethics of the ending, but first she wanted to know, "Did what I think happened . . . happen?" Then we agreed on justification and necessity.
It has added a new twist to my observation of fireflies as well.
** Did I imagine it, or is there a movie in the works?

[Sara]

I just finished "The Turner House" by Angela Flournoy. A good family story set in Detroit, with action taking place in the 1940s and in 2008.

[Erin]

Laura wrote: "I just read "Where The Crawdads Sing". It was a mesmerizing book and I couldn't put it down. Plus the end has an unexpected twist."

I keep seeing that one billed as a mystery, but it sounds more like lit fic?

[Megan]

Erin - it's definitely not a mystery. It was not my jam at all, but even those in my book club who enjoyed it described it more as more of a portrait than plot driven.

[Laura]

It's a combination of several kinds of genres. There's some romance some literary fiction and some mystery. I thought the writing was outstanding and the character development made them seem very real. I don't really care what category a book is in as long as it has good writing (and editing), good plot development and characters that I can relate to. "Where The Crawdads Sing" hits all those points for me.

[Mary]

I'm with Laura, whatever its classification, I loved it. There is a mystery, but so much more.
Ellen Meister talked just today about the difficulty of classifying her LOVE SOLD SEPARATELY.
Not everything fits in set categories.

[Gillian]

Just finished two books of historical fiction about the Royal Navy in WW2. The final(?) installment of the Harry Gilmour series about the British submarine service, by David Black, and HMS Ulysses by Alistair MacLean about the Murmansk convoys. Enjoyed the Harry Gilmour series very much bc I knew nothing about British submarines prior, and the protagonist is likeable. The MacLean book was okay but if the convoy war is of interest, Nicholas Monsarrat’s works are better.

[Jennifer]

Erin suggest I add The Aosawa Murders here for consideration for our next Group read. The blurb on the back says

On a stormy summer day in the 1970s, the Aosawas, owners of a prominent local hospital, host a large birthday party in the villa on the Sea of Japan. The occasion turns to tragedy when 17 people die - poisoned by cyanide placed in their drinks. The only clues to what might have happened are a cryptic verse that could be the killer's, and the fact that Aosawa's blind daughter, Hisako, was the only family member spared death.

I thought it would be interesting to discuss. Does anyone else know it or are you interested? It's not clear to me if we have a book for November or December

[Lenore]

I'm listening to Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden, which just came out a couple of months ago. It's about a half-Lakota resident of the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, guardian of his nephew, who gets involved trying to track down a ring bringing heroin to the reservation. Things go dramatically south for him and his nephew. Aside from the suspense, which is considerable, the book is a fascinating and depressing look at what life is like on the reservation, and the failures of White society in its treatment of Native Americans.

It, too, would make a good group read.

[Lenore]

Jennifer wrote: "Erin suggest I add The Aosawa Murders here for consideration for our next Group read. The blurb on the back says

On a stormy summer day in the 1970s, the Aosawas, owners of a prominent local hosp..."

This sounds really interesting, but for me personally I would need to wait until it appears in audiobook form.

[Dayna]

Currently reading The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott:
Summary: At the height of the Cold War, two secretaries are pulled out of the typing pool at the CIA and given the assignment of a lifetime. Their mission: to smuggle Doctor Zhivago out of the USSR, where no one dare publish it, and help Pasternak's magnum opus make its way into print around the world. Glamorous and sophisticated Sally Forrester is a seasoned spy who has honed her gift for deceit all over the world--using her magnetism and charm to pry secrets out of powerful men. Irina is a complete novice, and under Sally's tutelage quickly learns how to blend in, make drops, and invisibly ferry classified documents.