2017 - Where in the world have you been? (book finished and review linked)

[Lilisa]

Carol wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "I've been in Israel for a long time with To the End of the Land but could not get into it so decided to move on. Maybe someday I'll get back to it but right now it's t..."

Carol - around the 200-page mark. I found the storyline hard to follow, was I in the present or the past, where the heck was I anyway and kept thinking it's got to get better...humprgh!

[Courtney]

I was just in Russia with Deathless. This book was phenomenal. A solid 5/5 for me. The author, Catherynne Valente, does a splendid job of weaving Russia Folklore and Russian history during the World Wars. The descriptions and writing were Wonderland-esque, but on a much darker note.

[Carol]

Lilisa wrote: "Carol wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "I've been in Israel for a long time with To the End of the Land but could not get into it so decided to move on. Maybe someday I'll get back to it but ri..."

That would frustrate me, too.

[Lilisa]

I was in Cambodia with Music of the Ghosts and in Australia/U.K. with The Forgotten Garden. Both were okay - the first was a bit over written, the second an average read - both were overall fine, just not stellar.

[Val]

I read a few more from the Man Booker International list:

Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin from Argentina
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Compass by Mathias Énard from France
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Mirror, Shoulder, Signal by Dorthe Nors from Denmark
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I feel like I've been reading My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman for months, but I finally finished it last night. The only real clue that it was set in Sweden was the occasional reference to Swedish currency. After the adorable A Man Called Ove I was really disappointed with this book - just not my thing at all. I may not write a proper review.

[Carol]

Andrea wrote: "I feel like I've been reading My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman for months, but I finally finished it last night. The only real clu..."

I hate when that happens. Especially when it's an author with which I've had a prior great experience ...

[Lilisa]

Andrea wrote: "I feel like I've been reading My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman for months, but I finally finished it last night. The only real clu..."

I think I understand what you mean Andrea, which is why I've opted not to read it. I somewhat enjoyed A Man Called Ove - 3 stars, then reluctantly gave Britt-Marie Was Here 2.5 stars in my mind rounded up to 3 for Goodreads. The writing and characters seemed so very similar...

[Shomeret]

I was in the U.S. and Ecuador with Sister Jaguar's Journey which is the memoir of an activist nun who found spiritual peace in Ecuador. I think she led an extraordinary life. See my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Carol]

I was in Mexico and the U.S. with Signs Preceding the End of the World by Yuri Herrera. I nominated it as the May read for the 21st Century Literature GR group, and am leading discussions of it there. (The threads are worth checking out if you're interested. )

It's even shorter than the GR page count suggests - 107 pages - so really in novella territory. I am glad I read it, and I enjoyed it, but I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much (or gotten as much from it) had I not done a fair amount of upfront review and interview reading, which enhanced my read.

My 4-star review is here, but I haven't yet included any commentary.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Carol]

I was in Nigeria with Chike and the River by Chinua Achebe. It was delightful read and I'm fortunate that I spied it at the library and picked it up on a whim. My review is here:

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

[Shomeret]

I was in Tasmania off the coast of Australia with Into That Forest by Louis Nowra. I thought it was a very powerful book. See my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rusalka]

Ooo was the Louis Nowra book again good? I didn't know he wrote novels. I love love love his play Così.

I did youth work for a while and we had names just for that work. Mine was Cosi, as I did a bit of drama at the time, I trained in opera singing (although never put in enough work to be a great opera singer), and slightly crazy ;)

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Shomeret wrote: "I was in Tasmania off the coast of Australia with Into That Forest by Louis Nowra. I thought it was a very powerful book. See my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show......"

That's going on my list!

[Shomeret]

Rusalka wrote: "Ooo was the Louis Nowra book again good? I didn't know he wrote novels. I love love love his play Così.

I did youth work for a while and we had names just for that work. Mine was Co..."

Yes, Louis Nowra has written novels. The most recent is Prince of Afghanistan

[Carol]

I was in Japan with Inspector Imanishi Investigates by Seicho Matsumoto and enjoyed it's steady pace, complex, believable mystery and everything I learned about Japanese culture, public transit, local dialects, and more. I haven't written a proper review, but my 4-star rating is displayed at:

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

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I've just reviewed Ruins by Rajith Savanadasa for Sri Lanka. It didn't have to emotional punch in the stomach of Nayomi Munaweera's work, but still very worthwhile reading.

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

[Maggie the Muskoka Library Mouse]

So far, I have traveled extensively through Canada and the United States, but for my more foreign countries, I have visited:
Argentina: Where'd You Go, Bernadette
Armenia: The Sandcastle Girls
Australia: The Courage of Eli Jackson
Ecuador: 100 Heartbeats: A Journey to Meet Our Planet's Endangered Animals and the Heroes Working to Save Them
Egypt: The Sandcastle Girls
France: One of Those Malibu Nights
Germany: For Today I Am a Boy
Iceland: Pretty Little Liars
India: 100 Heartbeats: A Journey to Meet Our Planet's Endangered Animals and the Heroes Working to Save Them
Indonesia: 100 Heartbeats: A Journey to Meet Our Planet's Endangered Animals and the Heroes Working to Save Them
Italy: Honeymoon for One
Jamaica: The Choices We Make
Netherlands: The Birthday Lunch
Nigeria: Little Bee
Syria: The Sandcastle Girls
Turkey: The Sandcastle Girls
United Kingdom: Soulless

[Andrew]

I realised I haven't posted here in a short while, i'll blame it on too many books and too little time to post reviews on GR. It still feels a bit strange posting reviews and sending them out into the wilds of good reads but I've now got in the routine of posting thoughts however random they sometimes are. Any way I'm rambling - I've been to Mongolia The Blue Sky
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Russia The Light and the Darkhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
and Baltimore USA The Amateur Marriagehttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
among others!
I also have added to my TBR list as a result of all the great recommendations. Happy weekend reading .

[Courtney]

I just finished "The Natural Way of Things" by Charlotte Wood. It takes place somewhere in Australia. Ten women are kidnapped and taken to a compound with only three guards. The story takes place over three seasons.

I rated it 3/5 stars. I liked the central idea behind it, but I felt like the author could've made it more... believable about how the women would've reacted.

[dianne b.]

Had a riveting trip all the way through South Africa, before and after apartheid with "Elections and Erections" - highly recommended! my review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Then a brief but thought provoking stay in Guatemala City with "Severina" - also highly recommended. my review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Currently wallowing in the rather toxic (pollution) American South with "Strangers in Their Own Land" and itching (heh heh) to go abroad!

[Carol]

I was in Pakistan with The Golden Legend by Nadeem Aslam. It was a strong 5-star read and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the subject matter.

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

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Carol wrote: "I was in Pakistan with The Golden Legend by Nadeem Aslam. It was a strong 5-star read and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the subject matter.

Here's a ..."

Such a coincidence. There was hardly anything open in Kathmandu yesterday due to the election, but I managed to find a bookshop, where I bought Season of the Rainbirds, and that was BEFORE I saw your review for The Golden Legend. I haven't actually read anything by Nadeem Aslam yet, but now I have 3 lined up.

[Carol]

Andrea wrote: "Carol wrote: "I was in Pakistan with The Golden Legend by Nadeem Aslam. It was a strong 5-star read and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the subject matt..."

I look forward to seeing your thoughts on Rainburds, Andrea. This was my first novel of his and I was utterly unprepared for the experience.

[dianne b.]

Andrea wrote: "Carol wrote: "I was in Pakistan with The Golden Legend by Nadeem Aslam. It was a strong 5-star read and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the subject matt..."
Have you found the delightful bookshop on the Kupondole Road (Patan/Kathmandu border? - just across the Bagmati) across the road from Hotel Himalaya - avoid the hotel but the book shop is wonderful! Pilgrims Bookhouse.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

dianne wrote: "Andrea wrote: "Carol wrote: "I was in Pakistan with The Golden Legend by Nadeem Aslam. It was a strong 5-star read and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in t..."

No, but I did pop into the Thamel branch of Pilgrims the other day. It was a bit overwhelming!

[Kirsten]

I've been a couple of decades into future London, with Mr Apocalypse.

For a generation raised on reality television, I can recommend this one!

Here's the link to my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Courtney]

Just left China with Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China. It was a 3/5 stars for me. I think I learned a lot about China and enjoyed her inclusion of things like education, returning to villages, and relationships. However, I wasn't a big fan of her including her families history into the story* and she left a few loose ends.

* To be clear: I thought it was neat she did draw parallels between her own immigrant/migrant family and the Factory Girls. what I didn't like was the length of the inclusion of her family and how detailed it was.

[dianne b.]

WOW! just had a mind blowing trip in the Dominican Republic (with a hearty dose of Haitian influence) in the absolutely 5 star read "Wicked Weeds: A Zombie Novel" by Pedro Cabiya.
No it is not your little brother's zombie novel, it is an amazing, thoughtful, philosophical, playful story of great imagination.
my review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Carol]

dianne wrote: "WOW! just had a mind blowing trip in the Dominican Republic (with a hearty dose of Haitian influence) in the absolutely 5 star read "Wicked Weeds: A Zombie Novel" by Pedro Cabiya.
No it is not your..."

You've sold me, Dianne. I voted against it in the LFAC group and should give it a chance notwithstanding my aversion to fantasy and fantastic themes.

I was in India with Sunlight on a Broken Column by Attia Hosain, pre-Partition (85%), and can't say enough great things about it. Simply wonderful. I gave it 5 stars, but haven't written a "real" review yet.

[Shomeret]

I have returned from Ireland with the mostly charming paranormal mystery, Murder in G Major. I loved the protagonist and the ghost, but the mystery itself turned out to be nothing special and the ending was lacking.

See my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Carol]

I was in Scotland with The Long Drop by Denise Mina. It was not the read I was expecting, and I gave it 3 stars, but I will try one of her series' novels in the future,

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

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I've been dipping in and out of The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well since the start of the year, and finished it today. It probably won't change your life (or who knows - perhaps it will!) but it's worth a read to be reminded of the things that are likely to ground us and make us happy. And the book itself is a gorgeous addition to my bookshelf, now that it's off the coffee table.

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

[Val]

I have been in Iceland in reality and books. I didn't do much reading except at the airport and on the flights, but I did manage to finish:
Fish Have No Feet, which is excellent, but the review got lost somewhere in mid-Atlantic, so I will have to write it again.

The Hitman's Guide to Housecleaning, a short, funny book about a Croatian killer stuck in Reykavik.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...?

The Silence of the Sea, a so-so mystery about an abandoned yacht.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...?

[Carol]

I was in Pakistan, London and Marin (California, U.S.) with Exit West by Mohsin Hamid, and am glad I read it. Here's a link to my review.

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

[Carol]

I was in Japan with Confessions by Kanae Minato. Here's a link to my 3-star review.

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

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Just back from England with Slow Horses by Mick Herron, #1 in the Slough House series. Loved it!

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

[Shomeret]

I was in Hungary, Israel, England and Canada with Come Back for Me: A Novel . I was really impressed with the Holocaust survivor viewpoint character, but the Canadian teen viewpoint character didn't add much for me. See my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Carol]

I was in Indonesia with The Ten Thousand Things by Maria Dermoût. It will be one of my top 3-4 reads for 2017. Here's a link to my 5-star review.

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

[Shomeret]

I have been in Scotland with The Pearl Thief by Elizabeth Wein. I loved the content about the local Travellers (nomadic Celts probably from Ireland originally). Wein did some research on them and includes a bibliography. See my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I was on Antarctica with scientists and artists in South Pole Station: A Novel by Ashley Shelby. Even though it is a novel, it is a fairly good capture of what it's like to live and work at Pole.

My review is here.

[Courtney]

I was in England with The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic - and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World. It was quite interesting reading about the beginnings of Epidemiology and what people use to believe.

[Carol]

I was in the Czech Republic with Closely Observed Trains by Bohumil Hrabal. It is short but packs a punch. My review is posted here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Lilisa]

Carol wrote: "I was in the Czech Republic with Closely Observed Trains by Bohumil Hrabal. It is short but packs a punch. My review is posted here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/sh..."

Thanks for introducing me to a "new" author - I will have to check him out. Have you read Cutting It Short?

[Lilisa]

I finished From the Land of Green Ghosts: A Burmese Odyssey. I really enjoyed it and learned quite a bit about Myanmar - a 5-star read.

[Carol]

Lilisa wrote: "Carol wrote: "I was in the Czech Republic with Closely Observed Trains by Bohumil Hrabal. It is short but packs a punch. My review is posted here: https://www.goodreads..."

I haven't, Lilisa. I'll check it out now. (I hadn't heard of Hrabal before this year.) Trains was a very fast read - it doesn't feel dated except in the component of its story line about a young man who had difficulty performing, as they say.

[Lilisa]

Carol wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "Carol wrote: "I was in the Czech Republic with Closely Observed Trains by Bohumil Hrabal. It is short but packs a punch. My review is posted here: https:..."

:-)

[Courtney]

I was in France for two different books

Sacré Bleu: A Comedy d'Art and Belle Epoque.

Sacre Bleu is about impressionist painters during the 1890's and the color ultramarine blue. The author, Christopher Moore, is hilarious and I was cracking up the whole time. I highly recommend for people whom need a good laugh or like reading about french painters.

Belle Epoque was a cute YA novel. A great story about self acceptance and friendship. I like the idea of the plot, ugly friends for hire, but the author should have added more depth to Marie Josee and left out the love interest.

[Carol]

I was in London, in 1965, with Miss Treadway and the Field of Stars by Miranda Emmerson. Here's a link to my 2-star review:

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

[Carol]

I was in the U.S. for 3 books.

1. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas was a 5-star read, and my review is here:

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

2. So Long, See You Tomorrow by William Maxwell. My 5-star review is displayed here:

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

3. There Are More Beautiful Things Than Beyoncé by Morgan Parker. It is contemporary poetry. It was a 3-star read for me, but might well strike someone more fond of poetry than me as a 5-star read.


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