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General Archive > What have you just read? Opinions, recommendations, reviews Part 2

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message 253: by PattyMacDotComma (new)

PattyMacDotComma English author C.J. Sansom, who wrote Dissolution, is a new favourite. This is mysterious historical fiction at its best. Love it!
Dissolution (Matthew Shardlake, #1) by C.J. Sansom 5★ Link to my review


message 255: by Angela M (new)

Angela M I finally read 84, Charing Cross Road. 5 stars for this lovely little book that sat on my nightstand for far too long . I read it in one sitting. My very brief review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


message 256: by Pam (new)

Pam Baddeley | 1529 comments Read The Grey Horse by R A McAvoy and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1649453442.

Also read The Changeover by Margaret Mahy and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2186487449.


message 259: by Greg (new)

Greg | 8314 comments Mod
Diane S ☔ wrote: "Finished What Unites Us
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."


Great review Diane!


message 260: by Suz (new)

Suz | 1091 comments My latest read, audio Other People's Secrets by Louise Candlish Other People's Secrets by Louise Candlish . My revew: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

It was a nice one.


message 262: by Petra (new)

Petra | 3324 comments I finished reading The Girl Who Slept with God. It was a GR Giveaway.
The story started strong, interesting & mysterious. But it got stranger and stranger. It's a light read. Very YA and with Jr. High conversations & situations.
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


message 265: by Angela M (new)

Angela M I read Elmet. 4 stars. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


message 267: by Diane S ☔ (new)

Diane S ☔ Greg wrote: "Diane S ☔ wrote: "Finished What Unites Us
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

Great review Diane!"


Thanks, Greg.


message 268: by idiffer (new)

idiffer Children Of The Furnace - 3*
Dystopia from a new author.
My review (which is sadly not funny or mean):
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


message 270: by Chrissie (new)

Chrissie I have completed Longbourn. As always,the author writes beautiful prose, but this time I found the story lacking. I have preferred her other books more.

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


message 274: by Nichole (new)

Nichole | 554 comments I just finished Escape and Reverse by Chelsey Johnson.

My 2017 reading goal of 20 books has now been reached. Yeh!


message 275: by Canadian Jen (new)

Canadian Jen Finished She Rides Shotgun. Good and gritty. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


Sandysbookaday (taking a midwinter break) (sandyj21) | 1533 comments Nichole wrote: "I just finished Escape and Reverse by Chelsey Johnson.

My 2017 reading goal of 20 books has now been reached. Yeh!"


Congratulations Nichole!


message 278: by PattyMacDotComma (new)

PattyMacDotComma Beautiful Yellowstone back country is full of dangers in this pack trip mystery, Back Of Beyond by C.J. Box.
Back Of Beyond (A Highway Quartet Novel #1) by C.J. Box 3.5 to 4★ Link to my review


message 279: by LauraT (new)

LauraT (laurata) | 14356 comments Mod
Finished yesterday Mr Weston's Good Wine. Didn't like it: not at all what I call an "Eglish book" - oniric, meandering, "strange"!


message 282: by Petra (new)

Petra | 3324 comments I finished another GR Giveaway win. This was a very interesting book. I enjoyed what the author had to say and how he said it.
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Pater My Father, My Judaism, My Childlessness by Elliot Jager


message 283: by Chrissie (new)

Chrissie So do you ever read holocaust stories? If you do, you have to read In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer. It is really well told. If you don't usually, give this one a try. I think you will be impressed.

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


message 286: by Pink (new)

Pink Chrissie wrote: "So do you ever read holocaust stories? If you do, you have to read In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer. It is really well told. If you don't usually, give this one a try. I t..."

Looks interesting Chrissie.


message 287: by Tom (new)

Tom | 859 comments I am pleased to report that I have successfully completed my Proust challenge for this group. I've finished In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust. 4 Stars.


message 288: by Chrissie (new)

Chrissie Pink wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "So do you ever read holocaust stories? If you do, you have to read In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer. It is really well told. If you don't usually, give th..."

I remember once your telling me you didn't like holocaust books and another time you did, so I am a bit confused. In any case I think it is worth your time. It is short and too the point and what she lived through is an eye-opener. The author she got to tell her story did a very good job. I like the lack of melodrama in the telling.


message 289: by Esther (new)

Esther (eshchory) | 1368 comments Tom wrote: "I am pleased to report that I have successfully completed my Proust challenge for this group. I've finished In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust. 4 Stars."

Wow! congrats!


message 290: by Esther (new)

Esther (eshchory) | 1368 comments Chrissie wrote: "So do you ever read holocaust stories? If you do, you have to read In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer. It is really well told. If you don't usually, give this one a try. I t..."

I already have that marked to read. It looks very interesting.


message 291: by Chrissie (last edited Nov 20, 2017 11:00PM) (new)

Chrissie Esther, the problem is that we all have so many books on our lists that we cannot choose which to read. (My problem being only that I must stick to audiobooks.) I say read it SOON.


message 292: by Pink (new)

Pink Chrissie, I do like holocaust books, but haven't read any for a while as I felt a bit overloaded with them. There's plenty I'd still like to read though.

Tom, well done for completing Proust. I'm going to give him another try in the new year.


message 293: by Esther (last edited Nov 21, 2017 01:19AM) (new)

Esther (eshchory) | 1368 comments Pink wrote: "Chrissie, I do like holocaust books, but haven't read any for a while as I felt a bit overloaded with them. There's plenty I'd still like to read though. "
At present WWI and the Holocaust just seem to be a literary band-wagon that everyone is trying to jump on.
There are some stars but also there is also a lot of mediocrity out there.

For me books like The Boy in the Striped Pajamas and The Book Thief were incredibly moving.

But I found Sarah's Key almost offensive in that it seemed after finding an intriguing morsel of forgotten history she lost steam doing her research and turned the story into a romance.
There is also another phenomenon I have noticed that Jewish writers feel the need to 'find themselves' by writing about the Holocaust. Some do it very well but I recently read Anna and the Swallow Man which was obviously written by a debut writer who had a good idea but got lost on the path of bringing it to fruition.


message 294: by Chrissie (new)

Chrissie Pink wrote: "Chrissie, I do like holocaust books, but haven't read any for a while as I felt a bit overloaded with them. There's plenty I'd still like to read though.

Tom, well done for completing Proust. I'm..."


I do know what you mean about holocaust overload.


message 295: by Petra (new)

Petra | 3324 comments Tom wrote: "I am pleased to report that I have successfully completed my Proust challenge for this group. I've finished In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust. 4 Stars."

High five, Tom!! Congratulations on a great read!
I've really enjoyed our discussions of this work here on AAB.
Great accomplishment!

I hope to be posting a finish very soon, too.


message 296: by Tom (new)

Tom | 859 comments Petra wrote: "Tom wrote: "I am pleased to report that I have successfully completed my Proust challenge for this group. I've finished In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust. 4 Stars..."

To be honest, it was the discussion (and the fact that others were persevering through it too) that kept me going.


message 297: by Diane S ☔ (last edited Nov 21, 2017 01:51PM) (new)

Diane S ☔ Awesome ,Tom! Quite an accomplishment, from one who sheepishly admits to not finishing book one.

Finished Deadly Cure
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


message 298: by Petra (new)

Petra | 3324 comments As soon as I found out I had won the very latest Flavia de Luce book in a Giveaway, I got Book 8 out of the library to catch up with the series, Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd. What an ending!!
Now, when my Giveaway book arrives, I'll be ready to start right away.
My review of Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


message 299: by Chrissie (last edited Nov 21, 2017 08:40PM) (new)

Chrissie Tom wrote: "I am pleased to report that I have successfully completed my Proust challenge for this group. I've finished In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust. 4 Stars."

YOU deserve a big bright medal, what an accomplishment. I struggled through the first and then gave up.

What could it have been, maybe a decade ago? I was in Paris and asked a Parisian in a second-hand book store whether Proust REALLY was loved by all. Oh yes, was the answer. he tried to get me to buy the whole lovely set in French. I returned to my senses and thought I better read the first one before buying a fancy set of all.

In one word, tedious, is my description even if I do recognize Proust had a unique style.

How do you feel now? Simply relieved? Are you happy you read ALL? I am curious to know where you stand now in relation to Proust.


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