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What have you just read? Opinions, recommendations, reviews Part 2
Kate Atkinson is one of my favourite authors, and while Transcription isn't my favourite of her books, her trademark fine writing and quirky humour make it fun.
4★ Link to my review
My review of The Peppermint Tea Chronicles by Alexander McCall Smith
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Leslie wrote: "I finished rereading The Margarets, a sci fi/fantasy book (it has elements of both genres) by Sheri S. Tepper. I love this book!My extremely brief review is here:
http..."
Interesting - have read quite a few of hers and found some a bit disappointing but haven't come across this one.
A catch up of some books read recently:Book 2 in Jack Vance's series, Lyonesse: The Green Pearl - reviewed - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3047380738.
Book 3 in Dean Koontz's series - Brother Odd - reviewed - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3059192270.
Circe by Madeline Miller - reviewed - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2954345042.
and
Book 2 in Marjorie Blackman's series - Knife Edge - reviewed - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3059239431
Latest two:This one will be released in Feb 2020 (I was fortunate to get an ARC):
The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz by Erik Larson - 5 stars - My Review
The Vegetarian by Han Kang - 3 stars - My Review
Only 2 stars for this first Laurie Colwin book:Happy All the Time:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Phrynne wrote: "Esther wrote: "Phrynne wrote: "My review of The Lion's Den by Anthony Marra 
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."
..."
I have requested it!!
I promised myself I wouldn't request any more until I got more of my books reviewed but I like the author so much I can't resist.
Esther wrote: "Phrynne wrote: "Esther wrote: "Phrynne wrote: "My review of The Lion's Den by Anthony Marra https://www.goodreads.com/review/sh..."
And it's a very quick read. I hope you enjoy it!
Raul wrote: "My review of The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yōko Ogawahttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."
I'm glad you liked it--this was 5 stars with me, but even 4 stars is a very strong like to my way of thinking.
I have just finished Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson, the second in a scifi trilogy written in the 1990s. my review
My review of All Blood Runs Red: The Legendary Life of Eugene Bullard-Boxer, Pilot, Soldier, Spy by Phil Keith:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I read Salt Houses by Hala Alyan, a compelling narrative about the impact on a Palestinian family of being displaced from their homeland.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Karin wrote: "Raul wrote: "My review of The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yōko Ogawahttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."
I'm glad you liked it--this was 5 stars w..."
I really enjoyed it, just not a very big fan of "quiet books", I have to be in a particular mood for them and that's the reason this was a four star rating instead of five.
Just finished the latest in the Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley, The Golden Tresses of the Dead. Loved it but thinking about it afterwards, the mystery it revolves around doesn't make sense!Reviewed - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3059403450.
Pam wrote: "Just finished the latest in the Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley, The Golden Tresses of the Dead. Loved it but thinking about it afterwards, the mystery it revolves around does..."I can't read your review because I haven't finished it yet, but this does not bode well.
I finished Burial Rites by Hannah Kent, based on the true story of Agnes Magnúsdóttir, the last person to be executed in Iceland in 1829. Kent incorporates archival material in the narrative and fills in the blanks with a sympathetic portrayal of a woman mired by poverty and challenging circumstances.My 4-star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
About to start
Her Dark Heart by Carla Kovach after finishing the cleverly compelling
The Perfect Widow by A.M. Castle. My spoiler free review can be found at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... and my webpage sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
My review of A Great Love of Small Proportion by Colin Falconer:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
3 stars
I guess I'll just add to all the Yōko Ogawa praise in saying that The Memory Police was an amazing experience in dystopian fiction for me: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...I also went back-to-back with historical fiction this month between The Water Dancer (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) and Ragtime (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...). This was a decent autumn for me reading-wise.
I like Chekhov for his simplicity and humour. I have got a collection of 100 short stories which obviously l have not finished 😞
He's one of my favorite short story writers (along with Leo Tolstoy & Joyce Carol Oates). I love the way he just takes the characters in a realtime-ish pace and looks at a portion of their lives. He makes you feel like you are simply looking at one scene in a much larger story.
About to start reading
When the Time Comes by Adele O'Neill after finishing the disappointing
Her Dark Heart by Carla Kovach. My spoiler free review can be found at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... and on my webpage sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
I have recently read a few short stories in order to catch up with my intended short story reading for this year.Below are my reviews for three stories I read to 'test' the authors' writing style and help me decide if I would read their books.
Girls, At Play - 3 stars https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
During the Dance - 3 stars https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Spider the Artist - 4 stars - This was the only one that convinced me that I need to read her books.
The other short stories that stood out were
Further Arguments in Support of Yudah Cohen’s Proposal to Bluma Zilberman - 5 stars - which was surprisingly funny
The Home Crow Advantage - 5 stars
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I have finally reviewed A Brightness Long Ago which I enjoyed a lot. In the historical fantasy genre I think I may give up on George R.R. Martin who I find a little heavy going as I seem to have found a new favourite author Guy Gavriel Kay.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Unfortunately not all my reads this year have been as pleasurable and with my new 'brutally honest' rating system Where the Sweet Bird Sings didn't even make it to 3 stars.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Popular Aussie journalist, radio host and author Richard Glover had an unusual childhood, which he shares in his funny, disturbing memoir Flesh Wounds. How he became such a cheerful, compassionate man is beyond me.
4★ Link to my review
Murder in the monastery is why Louise Penny sends her incomparable Chief Inspector Armand Gamache into the backwoods of Quebec. He investigates The Beautiful Mystery, which is the Gregorian chant for which these monks are famous. Number 8 in a favourite series.
3.5★ Link to my review
All About Books
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https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."
I loved his [bo..."
On Netgalley Esther. I should have acknowledged that on my review but I must have been in a hurry when I wrote it and forgot.