2018 - Where in the world have you been? (Book finished and review linked)

[Lilisa]

Courtney wrote: "I have read two books that have taken place in Egypt this past summer.

they were Nefertiti and The Pharaoh's Daughter. Funnily enough, Nefertiti was the generation b..."

You may want to check out The Heretic Queen since you enjoyed Nefertiti, Courtney. I enjoyed both books by Michelle Moran.

[Shomeret]

I was in 19th century Mexico, 18th century, 1930's and 1950's America, 17th century Holland, 14th century England and 16th century Spain with the YA lgbt historical anthology, All Out: The No-Longer-Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages. There was one really amazing story and another very good standout story. See my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Lilisa]

Was in India with Shantaram - well worth the investment of time - would recommend the audio. Review to come.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Lilisa wrote: "Was in India with Shantaram - well worth the investment of time - would recommend the audio. Review to come."

I remember it more fondly than my review might suggest, and i surprised myself recently by buying the sequel. Not quite as long, but one I’ll still need to psyche myself up for when the time comes.

[Lilisa]

Andrea wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "Was in India with Shantaram - well worth the investment of time - would recommend the audio. Review to come."

I remember it more fondly than my review might suggest, an..."

I'm curious about the sequel but not quite yet! I started Shantaram prior to 2013 and only made it into the first 100 pages or so and life happened - this was my second go around and the audio definitely made for a different and absorbing experience. And I didn't have to hold the chunkster, which I own, and be limited in the times I could read it. Borrowing the audio was a good decision. I was able to keep track with the flow with the quite constant ear bud as an appendage/accessory!

[Claire]

I was in New Zealand and Australia via Tracy Farr's new novel The Hope Fault

My review linked here

The Hope Fault

[Lilisa]

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

[Lilisa]

Was in France with Paris Echo. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Here's my review for Liar's Candle (Turkey).

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

[[deleted user]]

I've been in Japan with Dog Man: An Uncommon Life on a Faraway Mountain here is my review :)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I was in Portugal last week with In Your Hands

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

[Shomeret]

I've been in British Mandate Palestine with Lone Wolf in Jerusalem. It turned out to be well-researched. There's a bibliography. I gave it four stars.

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

[Christelle]

Just left North Korea with Nothing to Envy : https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

[Claire]

I was in France surfing a big wave, then riding the journey of a heart on its way to a transplant: my review below

Mend the Living by Maylis de Kerangal

Brilliantly conceived, it was a riveting read for me.

[Eleanor]

I recently finished The Kashmir Shawl which was set in Kashmir, India. I enjoyed the book and found the rich descriptions of life in this remote part of the world during WWII created a strong desire to visit this area. Here is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

[Claire]

I was in a fertility clinic in France and a long time in Iran, from the harem with a great grandfather and his 52 wives, through the Iranian revolution, to exile in France. Excellent, highly recommend.

Disoriental by Négar Djavadi

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Finished my re-read of Sky Burial (Tibet). Still a good story.

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

[Lilisa]

Andrea wrote: "Finished my re-read of Sky Burial (Tibet). Still a good story.

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

I think this was my first Tibet book and I found it fascinating so wasn't too focused on the writing style. Also gave it a 4.

[Lilisa]

Claire wrote: "I was in a fertility clinic in France and a long time in Iran, from the harem with a great grandfather and his 52 wives, through the Iranian revolution, to exile in France. Excellent, highly recomm..."

A resounding endorsement - I will have to add it then, Claire!

[Claire]

I was in Turkey reading The Other Side of the Mountainby Erendiz Atasü, a book that explores life across three generations of one family in the shadow of geographical, political and historical changes.

My review here

[Shomeret]

I was in Ireland with Killing in C Sharp, a paranormal mystery with ghosts and an opera. I enjoyed it.

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

[Shomeret]

I was in Canada with The Spying Moon by Sandra Ruttan.

I liked this police procedural very much. See my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Heather]

I just got back from England. The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper. Arthur is such a lovely gentleman to visit.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Just back from Morocco with The Last Dance. While it was an entertaining story, it didn’t satisfy my wanderlust.

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

[Shomeret]

I have been in contemporary U.S plus contemporary Italy, World War II Germany and Italy with The Girl from Berlin by Ronald Balson.
I read the Net Galley. I really liked both the contemporary and historical narratives equally.

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

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Here is my review for To a Mountain in Tibet by Colin Thubron - cautiously recommended.

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

[Rusalka]

I've been having an epic reading slump of late, mainly to do with a crazy work life. So hope everyone is doing well. I am beginning to join the real world (ie. fun stuff) again, so reviewed a book I knocked over a about a month ago for The Seychelles - Journey to Death

TLDR version, don't bother unless you desperately need a Seychelles read like myself for another challenge :D

[Lilisa]

Rusalka wrote: "I've been having an epic reading slump of late, mainly to do with a crazy work life. So hope everyone is doing well. I am beginning to join the real world (ie. fun stuff) again, so reviewed a book ..."

Got excited until your last sentence!

[Rusalka]

Hehe

[Shomeret]

I've been in 6th century Scotland with The Lost Queen, the twin sister of Merlin.

It seemed very authentic to me. My review is at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rusalka]

Also read The Coming for Montenegro. I took one for the team, so you don't have to.

[Shomeret]

I returned from my trip to nineteenth century Italy and Switzerland with Claire's Last Secret: A Historical Mystery Featuring Lord Byron by Marty Ambrose.

I liked the historical aspect very much. See my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Nadine in California]

I listened to Welcome to Lagos and highly recommend in any format! my short review.

[Lilisa]

Read Empress: The Astonishing Reign of Nur Jahan - nonfiction in India - a 3-star read. Finished The Rhythm of Memory set in Chile and partly in Sweden - a 4-star read.

[Lilisa]

Finished A Drop in the Ocean - Turtle Island in Australia with a brief visit to Shetland Island in the U.K. - so many themes - would make for a great book club read - 5 stars!

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I've been having a (gentle) laugh in 17th century France with City of Crows.

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

[Shomeret]

I've been in ancient Rome, Alexandria, China, Mongolia and Bactria which was a kingdom that included modern Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikstan through the pages of The Eagle and the Dragon: A Novel of Rome and China

The book is primarily about representatives of Rome sent by Emperor Trajan to establish a trading relationship with China.

I thought it was excellent. See my review at
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Shomeret]

I recently returned from 20th century Laos and Russia where I spent some entertaining time at the Moscow Summer Olympics of 1980 which was boycotted by Western nations for reasons that seem very ironic now. The book was The Rat Catchers' Olympics

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

[Claire]

My review of histrical fiction novel Little by Edward Carey, set mostly in Paris, late 1700's leading up to and during the revolution. Based on the life of servant girl Anne Marie Grosholtz, who much later becomes Madame Tussaud.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Claire wrote: "My review of histrical fiction novel Little by Edward Carey, set mostly in Paris, late 1700's leading up to and during the revolution. Based on the life of servant girl Anne Marie Grosholtz, who mu..."

That sounds fantastic Claire - I’m adding it

[Carol]

I was in 1960s France with The 10:30 From Marseille by Sébastien Japrisot. definitely, meh. Not bad, but the sexism and writing style were decidedly not worth recommending unless someone is specifically in the mood for a mid-century Parisian police procedural.

[Nadine in California]

I was in New York City, then Paris, I think some time in the 2000's, with French Exit, which I'm selling as a Frank Capra movie, with screenplay by Oscar Wilde. Which is not to diss the actual author, Patrick DeWitt, who has become one of my favorites. A terrific way to escape US election anxiety for a few hours.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I'm back from 14th century England's The Turn of Midnight - a great sequel.

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

[Rusalka]

Carol wrote: " Not bad, but the sexism and writing style were decidedly not worth recommending."

I hate these ones. The plot is okay or even good, but the overt sexism or racism or both is just too much. Such a waste.

[Carol]

Rusalka wrote: "Carol wrote: " Not bad, but the sexism and writing style were decidedly not worth recommending."

I hate these ones. The plot is okay or even good, but the overt sexism or racism or both is just to..."

That’s my view. I feel the same way about Dashiell Hammett. Just not worth it. I don’t fault any other reader who concludes differently, but as for me, you get one shot, then I’m moving on to other authors who haven’t yet wasted my time and insulted me.

On a different note, I returned from 1962 Armenia with finished Armenian Sketchbook by Vasily Grossman. It wasn’t the best edited and from time to time came across as a series of casual travel essays, but the ending was strong and I’m an old soul so it was a good fit for my Election week reading.

[Lilisa]

Catching up on where I've been:

Japan with The Travelling Cat Chronicles - loved it. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

U.K. (Scotland) with Broken Ground. Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Austria/U.K. with House of Gold. Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I just spent half an hour (or less) in Syria with Sea Prayer by Khaled Hosseini. Too short to review, but now I’m going to go out and buy my own copy of the book to keep.

[Shomeret]

I was in 1920's India with Parsi woman lawyer Perveen Mistry in The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey

It's intense and original, but possibly triggering for some. I gave it five stars.

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

[Shomeret]

I've been in late 19th to early 20th century France with Emile Zola in the novel To Live Out Loud by Paulette Mahurin.

I learned things about Zola that I hadn't previously known.

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

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Earlier this month I was in Spain with Memory and Oblivion, where I gained an insight to changing family values and laws during the 20th century.

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