2016 - Where in the world have you been? (book finished and review linked)

[Claire]

I was in Bolivia with Rodrigo Hasbun's Affections.

[Courtney]

I was in medieval England with Mistress of the Art of Death. It's a ancient murder mystery novel with a woman that solves deaths via corpses. A bit like Bones the t.v. show.

I would recommend borrowing this book. The character was interesting and the murders were unusual (and gruesome),but the writing was awkward. She wasn't exactly scientifically accurate either. She used the term "Homo insanus" at one point. This book is set in 117x CE. They did not use current taxonomic terminology in 117x.

here is my review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Shomeret]

Courtney wrote: "I was in medieval England with Mistress of the Art of Death. It's a ancient murder mystery novel with a woman that solves deaths via corpses. A bit like Bones the t.v. show.

I would ..."

Thank you, Courtney. You are the first person I've ever seen make these criticisms of Mistress of the Art of Death. It's immensely popular among mystery readers.

[Courtney]

Shomeret, I can see why it's popular, but her trying to use the dialect failed and I hated the romance.

[Claire]

I've been in Naples, Italy with Elena Ferrante's The Days of Abandonment.A woman going through something like the stages of grief, after being left by her husband. Intense, like a descent into and out of madness.

My review here

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

My review for The Hungry Tide by Amitav Ghosh - set in the Sundarbans - 4★

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

[Claire]

I was in Egypt with Nawal Al Saadawi's incredible Woman at Point Zero, a novel, but inspired by the conversation she had while visiting the woman's prison, with a woman named Firdaus, given the death penalty for killing a man who was blackmailing her, after a lifetime of oppression.

[Lilisa]

I was in Costa Rica with Happier Than a Billionaire: Quitting My Job, Moving to Costa Rica, and Living the Zero Hour Work Week. A fun read: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

In Afghanistan with The Storyteller's Daughter: One Woman's Return to Her Lost Homeland. An interesting and well-done memoir: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

And in Turkey with Bliss. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Val]

Lilisa wrote: "I was in Malaysia with The Garden of Evening Mists. It was a 3.5 star read, unlike the author's other book The Gift of Rain, which was a 5-star read. Love Tan Twan Eng's writing though - he has a beautiful, expressive style. "
I preferred The Garden of Evening Mists to The Gift of Rain because I thought it suited his style better, but I agree with you that both are worth reading.

[Lilisa]

Was in India with The White Tiger - review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I've just posted my review for A Field Guide to Happiness: What I Learned in Bhutan about Living, Loving, and Waking Up, which I gave 4★.

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

[Shomeret]

I've returned from my brief trip to Japan in the 1960's with A Room Where the Star-Spangled Banner Cannot Be Heard: A Novel in Three Parts The protagonist's perspective was highly subjective and unreliable, so I'm not sure what I could be said to have learned about Japan. My review can be found at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Courtney]

I just finished The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon. It mostly takes place in South America. It's a nonfiction book about an explorer whom went missing in the 1920's trying to find "El Dorado" in the amazon. If you like explorers, this is a good book.
Also instills a healthy fear of unknown jungles.

[Lilisa]

I was in Bora Bora with The Bungalow - don't waste your time... -- read why: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Courtney]

I just finished the Mistress of the Art of Death series. It primarily took place in medieval England, but the fourth book was on the mainland Europe in France and Sicily.

First book Mistress of the Art of Death. My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....

Second book The Serpent's Tale.

Third Book Grave Goods. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....

Fourth Book A Murderous Procession. My review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....

Overall the book series was interesting. Each murder mystery was unique and the characters had depth. However, the writing was awkward and she made at least three historical inaccuracies.

I recommend borrowing the books instead of buying them.

[Shomeret]

I am back from Canada where I learned about a poet who writes under the name of Adonis who was mentioned in The Language of Secrets in which a terrorist was using poetry to recruit. I thought it was very good. The main characters were well drawn. See my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I visited three time periods of Indonesia in Black Water by Louise Doughty. It isn't as much of a thriller as it looks from the cover, but I ended up enjoying it. My review is here.

[Courtney]

Just One Damned Thing After Another. The book series is about time travelling historians that go back to past events from around the world and investigate exactly what happened. In this book we went to an unknown area in the cretaceous; the library at Alexandria, Egypt; and a WWI hospital (I can't remember the exact location; I think it may have been England or France).

The book itself-when not in the past-takes place in England.

[Lilisa]

Was in Norway with We Die Alone: A WWII Epic of Escape and Endurance - an amazing World War II non-fiction account. Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I was in Australia in the mid-1800s with Salt Creek. I learned a lot about the native populations of South Australia and how the settlers took over their lands, etc. Similar to American history, but one was unfamiliar with. My review is here.

I was also in Russia, twice! Once with Memories: From Moscow to the Black Sea by Teffi, a memoir of her escape from Russia during the Bolshevik Revolution. I loved it, and the writing. My review is here. Then I read a book set in Moscow starting in 1922, A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, about a count who stays in a hotel from 1922-1960something. It lacked the realism of the Teffi but still very readable.

[Lilisa]

Was in Antartica with My Last Continent: A Novel. I enjoyed it!. Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Lilisa]

I was in the U.S. with An Invisible Thread: The True Story of an 11-Year-Old Panhandler, a Busy Sales Executive, and an Unlikely Meeting with Destiny. Definitely worth the read. Thoughts here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I think I forgot to say I finished The White Tiger. There were some aspects of it that I enjoyed, but overall just a 3★ read for me.

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

[Lilisa]

Was in Tibet with Sky Burial: An Epic Love Story of Tibet. An interesting window into Tibet. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Lilisa]

Andrea wrote: "I think I forgot to say I finished The White Tiger. There were some aspects of it that I enjoyed, but overall just a 3★ read for me.

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

Not as great a read for you as it was for me, Andrea. But glad you didn't dislike it! :-)

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Lilisa wrote: "Not as great a read for you as it was for me, Andrea. But glad you didn't dislike it! :-) ..."

As I was reading it I was thinking it would probably make a really good audiobook. Maybe that's the difference.

[Carol]

I was in the US with In the Language of Miracles by Rajia Hassib, a five star read.

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

[Lilisa]

Andrea wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "Not as great a read for you as it was for me, Andrea. But glad you didn't dislike it! :-) ..."

As I was reading it I was thinking it would probably make a really good audiobook. May..."

I know I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much if I had read it. I think listening to the book gave it an additional dimension with the voice and its accent, inflection and expression.

[Yrinsyde]

I was in Cambodia )but the story started in Shanghai) with The Map of Lost Memories. It sounded promising but fell short. Still a good read though.

[Suzanne]

I just left 1930's Shanghai with The Distant Land of My Father. What a wonderful book! I highly recommend it!

[Lilisa]

Suzanne wrote: "I just left 1930's Shanghai with The Distant Land of My Father. What a wonderful book! I highly recommend it!"

The Distant Land of My Father is one of my all-time favorites! So glad you enjoyed it, Suzanne!

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I finished Empires of the Indus: The Story of a River last night, covering mainly Pakistan, but also Afghanistan, India and Tibet. I liked it.

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

[Shomeret]

I returned from my trip to alternate 19th century-post WWI Congo with Everfair by Nisi Shawl. I thought it was extraordinary.

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

[Carol]

I finished Death of a Nightingale by Lene Kaaberbøl, where I had been in contemporary Denmark and 1935 Ukraine. It was intriguing, not entirely successful and brutal, all at once. Here's a link to my 3-star review.

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

[Courtney]

I was in England and the UK with the last three of the harry potter series.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Harry Potter is one of my favorite series.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I visited Vietnam (the country and the war) through two books by the same author. One is a Pulitzer prize winning novel and the other is an academic treatment of war and memory, currently on the National Book Award long list. My book club met yesterday to discuss the novel and I read the other to provide context.

The Sympathizer (my review)
Nothing Ever Dies: Vietnam and the Memory of War (my review)

[Yrinsyde]

I forgot to add my Philippines read here. Breath of Night was brilliant! I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you need a read set in the Phillippines, I recommend this. I'm going to read more of Michael Arditti for sure!

[Lilisa]

Was in Russia with A Gentleman in Moscow. A stimulating and enjoyable read https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Lilisa]

Got around to doing reviews for a few I've read recently: Egypt with Nefertiti. Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Canada with A Great Reckoning. Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Aboard the fateful Hindenburg traveling from Germany to the U.S. in 1937 with Flight of Dreams. Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I finished Sideways on a Scooter: Life and Love in India (Delhi) the other day. I gave it 3.5★

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

[Courtney]

I was in late 1800's and early 1900's China with Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China. It is biography of an amazing women that completely revolutionized China. I never found the book boring and the author did a great job covering the topics. I find that some biographies I read, the authors focus more on interpersonal relationships. I was pleased to read that it focused a great deal on her decrees and her day to day life.

[Shomeret]

I was in 14th century England learning about the Peasants' Revolt with The Confession of Jack Straw by Simone Zelitch. My review is at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Courtney]

I just finished The Invisible Library which is set in an alternative London. My review is Here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....

The sequel, The Masked City, was sent in the alternative London and an alternative Venice. My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....


I quite enjoyed these books.

[Val]

I said I was going to post a review of Selection Day and then forgot, sorry.
Here it is: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I also read Dear Mr. M by Dutch author Herman Koch
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

and Minaret by Sudanese author Leila Aboulela (only part is set in Sudan though)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Lilisa]

I was in Italy with A Thread of Grace - about the Italian resistance network that saved hundreds of Jews during World War II. Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Was also in Egypt with Palace Walk, the first in the trilogy by Naguib Mahfouz. This one is set toward the tail end of World War I and the beginning of the nationalist movement against British rule. Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Now off to read some lighter fare...

[Carol]

I was in Scotland with The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. Here's my preliminary review:

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

[Claire]

I've been in a Northern England asylum in 1912, the year of the first International Eugenics conference with Anna Hope's The Ballroom: A Novel, inspired by the experience of her great great grandfather!

My review here : The Ballroom

[Claire]

I've been in Cambridge following the antics of a being who inhabits the body of a professor who solved the Riemann mathematical hypothesis in Matt Haig's The Humans

My review here: The Humans

[Shomeret]

I've returned from my trip to the Napoleonic Era in England and France by way of Miss Jacobson's Journey by Carola Dunn. I loved it. This is one of the best romances I've ever read. See my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Carol]

I've been in 1909 Egypt with The Mingrelian Conspiracy by Michael Pearce, and current-day Great Britain with Rumpole Misbehaves by John Mortimer.

I haven't posted full reviews yet; however, the first was a 4-star review, posted here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

And the second was a 3-star read, posted at: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...