Laurie R. King Virtual Book Club discussion
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I like the Murdoch series (on ION plus- it's an over-the-air station in the D.C. area). It feels a bit like cozy mysteries with humor. I've given in, once in a while, to buying stuff from Amazon but I prefer other sources.
I'm not buying any more books. While moving 3 times in 3 years, I donated several trunk loads of books to the library. If I can't get a book from one of 3 systems, I don't read it. I still have cartons of books in storage that won't fit in my shelves, because I intend to read them before I die ; )
Mostly I listen to audio books from the library which is why I'm not making progress on reading my own books. It's too hard to resist keeping up with new books from authors I love.
Dayna wrote: "How do you all feel about ordering books from Amazon? I tend to use it as a last resort—more for availability than price. Reason for asking: I’d like to suggest reading one of Maureen Jennings’ m..."
I try to buy from my local bookstore because, even though it's a little more expensive, I want to keep them in business. (Slightly irrelevant confession here: Because I do almost all of my leisure reading through my ears, I mostly download audio books from the library. But aside from wanting local businesses not to go under, my real affection for this bookstore is that they also sell an amazing variety of great chocolate!) While I do have a preference for local businesses because of the effect on communities when they die, Amazon is providing people what they want, the convenience of delivery, and does enable independent small businesses to sell on its platform. My local bookstore will order for me; if one lives near a bookstore that won't, or not near a bookstore at all, or there is really a significant price difference, then I'm OK with ordering from Amazon.
KarenB wrote: "I don't have much of a problem with it given that much of what I read is on kindle. If I buy a physical book, I try to get it from an independent bookstore. But if there are moral or ethical object..."I try not to buy from Amazon and have rediscover Blackwells ... headquarters in Oxford for books published in the UK ... they offer a variety of sellers and many of my choices are shipped for free. Things come very quickly and having enjoyed time in the bricks and mortar store when staying in Oxford, I get a frisson of delight when I see their logo on a package. Does Mary Russell shop Blackwells? LH
Lenore wrote: "By happenstance, I just glanced at the photo of Laurie with a parrot sitting on her white hair. A lot more attractive than the fly on Pence's white hair! :-)"
Lenore wrote: "By happenstance, I just glanced at the photo of Laurie with a parrot sitting on her white hair. A lot more attractive than the fly on Pence's white hair! :-)"
I am not morally opposed to buying from Amazon but I understand why others are. I do buy books from Amazon, generally Kindle, if I can't get them somewhere else and it's something I really want to read. But I really don't want to pay $10 or $15 for a book club book that I'm not sure I will like. Especially one that's described as being very "dark".
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I keep meaning to research download plug-ins for Calibre to try and switch back to an ebook platform that gives credit to local bookstores, but I haven't made the time.
I've actually been using Bookshop.org for online purchases. If your local bookstore is affiliated (you can search their map page), that bookstore gets 100% of the sale when you select them. And you get books delivered directly to you.
Question for the group. I'm currently reading "Miss Marple's Last Cases. As I read the stories I am adding them to my "currently reading" by each individual story title, not as "Miss Marple' Last Cases". I'm doing it this way so I keep better track of what ones I've read or not read. Any option on this as to how it effects my yearly reading challenge? It will put me way ahead in #'s of books read this way. wasn't sure if that was "fair". I'd appreciate (friendly) input. Thanks!
I'd say that it's your list and you should structure it as you wish.
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A quick note to say that there's a Goodreads Giveaway for Castle Shade!
Click here to enter.
I agree with Mary. Jess, it's your book list and you get to make it however works for you. There is no "book list" police.
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I struggle with this too for short stories. I don't really like to count them as individual books read. You could create a new bookshelf category for them? If you created a new shelf that was "shorts" for example, and marked it as an "exclusive" shelf in the editor, "books" on that shelf won't get added to other shelves. That's basically how the shelf structure differentiates "to-read" vs "read;" no book can be on both shelves. And since the yearly reading challenge only counts books added to the "read" shelf, the shorts won't get counted in the challenge, but you'll still be able to keep track of which stories you've finished.
It's a little late for comments on Riviera Gold, but this news story from The Washington Post -- https://tinyurl.com/ju8edjvz -- shows that Russians residing in Monte Carlo on ill-gotten gains has not much changed since Mary Russell's adventures there.
For those interested in how the "hive minds" of Holmes's bees really works, I recommend this recent Washington Post article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/outloo...No wonder he is so fascinated by them!
Fascinating and logical creators of honey.
Does anyone else want to introduce Mary Russell to Elizabeth Zott?
I'm not sure who's even checking into this site lately, but I thought I would post something that has attracted my interest.You will remember that, in GOTH, Russell is (rightly, I think) outraged that Mycroft has appropriated some government funds to finance his intelligence operations, which means that they operate without oversight. This is not so much a problem when Mycroft is running the show, as we are convinced of his personal rectitude. The problem arises when he is sidelined, and some other persons are empowered to advance their own interests.
I've recently been reading Mick Herron's "Slow Horses" series, that begins with the book of that name and now has more than eight follow-ons. In Joe Country and the next book, Slough House, we encounter a group that has set up a fund to allow MI-5 to operate off the books, without official oversight. The donors to this group are, unsurprisingly, doing this in their own interests rather than unvarnished patriotism, and are pressuring the "Head Desk" of MI-5 to plan and run operations that are not vetted by the rest of the government and are not necessarily fabulous ideas. It's a perfect example of what bothered Russell about Mycroft's off-the-books operation. Russell is every bit as prescient as she thinks she is!
Of Course. Government Corruption is always an issue
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And don't forget the documents she found in the hidden compartment in his oven that revealed Mycroft was basically blackmailing other officials.
I love the scene in Island of the Mad where Holmes defended Russell when Mycroft asked, 'When is your wife going to get past this childish aversion to the realities of the Empire?'
In fairness (if I remember correctly), the officials being blackmailed were officials of other countries. Depending on what he was trying to get them to do or refrain from doing, this might have been a better way than war to defend the nation.
Laurie R. King Virtual Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
A Murderous Relation (other topics)Island of the Mad (other topics)
Devil's Trill (other topics)
Devil's Trill (other topics)
I’ve said I have a Kindle Unlimited subscription so I would use Amazon but I am very interested in everything else’s opinion