What are you reading right now? Is it any good?

[Aiken County Public Library]

Let us know!

[Jeff]

I’m reading several at once (a problem I tend to have):

Balzac and the Little Seamstress - A historical novel (novella?) set during the 1970s China. Two cosmopolitan teens are sentenced to the country for “re-education.” They discover a cache of Western literature classics (which are illegal). There’s also a love triangle (of course). I’m reading this because I am a school librarian and this one of the summer reading assignments for AP Lit.

A Gentleman in Moscow - During the Bolshevik uprising, a count/poet is sentenced to life in the Metropol Hotel (a luxurious hotel across from the Kremlin). If he leaves, he dies. Beautifully written. I’m reading it because it is one of Bill Gates’ suggested summer reads.

Presidents of War - Also one of Bill Gates’ suggestions for summer reading. It explores every U.S. President who participated in a war and how they managed (or failed to manage) it. Very insightful!

Les Miserables - Bucket list book! Reading 5 pages a day. Roughly 175 pages into 1400+ pages!

(PS - As a school librarian, I know how hard it is to get people to participate in goodreads! Good luck!)

[Amanda]

I'm reading 17 Carnations by Andrew Morton. It's about King Edward VIII/Duke of Windsor, his wife Wallis Simpson, and their connections to Hitler. I've been into WW2 nonfiction lately. I just started it, so I'm not sure whether I'm quite into it or not. We'll see!

Jeff, I will put A Gentleman in Moscow on my to-read list. Thanks for the rec!

[Bea]

Jeff wrote: "I’m reading several at once (a problem I tend to have):

Balzac and the Little Seamstress - A historical novel (novella?) set during the 1970s China. Two cosmopolitan teens are sentenced to the co..."

Jeff, I've read 3 of the 4 you are reading. Enjoyed all three. I haven't heard of Presidents of War, so I will need to look into it.

Currently, I am trying to finish The Address in Kindle format.

[Bea]

Finished my Kindle book. The Address turned out to be much better than I thought it would. Sometimes I struggle with books that jump between two separate but connected stories; partly because I read several books at one time and thus lose the connecting thread, I think. This book is set in early NYC history and covers events of that time as well as having a story set in NYC in the 80s. It is the story of two young women learning how to survive on their own.

I have now started 5 other books as well as reading another Kindle book. My books are: Art and Madness: A Memoir of Lust Without Reason, Crazy Ladies, Scrublands, The Ice Princess, In the Belly of the Elephant: A Memoir of Africa, and Portrait of a Dead Guy.

[Aiken County Public Library]

Bea wrote: "Finished my Kindle book. The Address turned out to be much better than I thought it would. Sometimes I struggle with books that jump between two separate but connected stories; part..."

Whoa! 6 books at once.

[Bea]

Aiken County Public Library wrote: "Whoa! 6 books at once."

Like Jeff, a small problem I have...reading lots of books at same time.

I have finished Portrait of a Dead Guy. An interesting cozy mystery with the protagonist trying to make a career as an artist. Lots of fun characters.

I will finish one of memoirs tomorrow (Art and Madness: A Memoir of Lust Without Reason). I am not a fan of this type of writing - the story is told in snapshots of the life of the woman dated by the year and jumping back and forth between years in the future and years in the past. I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars.

[Bea]

Still reading In the Belly of the Elephant: A Memoir of Africa. Finished Crazy Ladies - a multigenerational story of the women of a family. I enjoyed it and gave it 3*. Scrublands - loved this book and gave it 5*. Setting and character development made me feel and experience the book as real, not something often done in a mystery. The Ice Princess - this one I gave 4*. Good, enjoyable mystery set in Sweden.

[Bea]

Getting ready to start 4 more: City of Ashes, Murder on the Flying Scotsman, Grave Dance, and The Crossing Places. Two are mysteries and two are fantasies - my favorite genres.

[Regina]

Started reading a Gathering of Secrets by Linda Castillo. Also reading Mary Kay Andrews’ Sunset Beach. Have four on hold at the digital library, too.

[Amanda]

CW: Holocaust

I just finished "Auschwitz: A Doctor's Eyewitness Account" by Miklós Nyiszli. It was very disturbing. I was not previously aware of the Sonderkommando - concentration camp prisoners given specialized tasks and assigned to operate the crematoriums; they were allowed certain "privileges" but murdered after about 4 months of work in order to hide Nazi secrets. Some of them were doctors, including the author of this book. He was spared because he was the only person in the area qualified to perform autopsies. The author gives his account of the atrocities he witnessed. It was short but somewhat difficult to read because of the content.

I'm still working on "17 Carnations" - it's a bit longer than I thought. I've learned quite a bit about the Windsor family and some of their scandals...

But I think it may be time to pick up something nice and light to read after these...

[Carol]

I'm reading Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan. I stumbled across it on Hoopla and I'm LOVING it. It's the story of Joy Davidson, who was the great love of C.S. Lewis' life. Excellent writing. I'm nearly halfway through.

[Amanda]

Carol wrote: "I'm reading Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan. I stumbled across it on Hoopla and I'm LOVING it. It's the story of Joy Davidson, who was the great love of C.S. Lewis' life. Excellent writing. I..."

Thanks for the rec, Carol. I read most of my books on hoopla, so I'll have to "favorite" this one for future.

[Aiken County Public Library]

Some of you are quite voracious readers, so here is a plug for our summer reading program! If you're interested in participating, you can enter to win a tote bag and free books. You get one entry toward the drawing for every book you read between May 20 and August 8. You can fill out an interest slip at the reference desk or do so online at http://abbelibsc.readsquared.com.

Here is the tote you can win (shout out to Hermione!) - https://outofprint.com/products/when-...

[Carol]

Just started a book that's got me up late! The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond by Jaime Jo Wright. I'm really enjoying it and can't wait to finish it to see how all these characters are interrelated. Secrets, suspicious deaths, two separate times, over 100 years apart, kind of creepy twin revivalists, and some kind of connection between people who seemingly have none. All of this in a story about faith. I'm hooked! Checked this out from the library. Should be done and back to the library by Saturday afternoon. ;) In case anyone wants to read it too.

[Susan]

Reading The Last Original Wife by Dorothea Benton Frank. It’s pretty light and quite predictable, but good for bedtime. I loved Gentleman in Moscow and 17 Carnations. Just finished Anthony Horowitz’s The Sentence is Death on Audible but looking for a good read and a good listen.

[Aiken County Public Library]

Carol wrote: "Just started a book that's got me up late! The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond by Jaime Jo Wright. I'm really enjoying it and can't wait to finish it to see how all these characters are interrelated. Se..."

Sounds like it must be a real page turner!

[Amanda]

Susan wrote: "Reading The Last Original Wife by Dorothea Benton Frank. It’s pretty light and quite predictable, but good for bedtime. I loved Gentleman in Moscow and 17 Carnations. Just finished Anthony Horowitz..."

I'm still working on 17 Carnations. I'm also a member of a PINES library and had it checked out through RBdigital. The check out time is 14 days and I was only about halfway through at that point... I have Life in the Third Reich out on hoopla, though, and have been working on that one. I think I'll be moving away from WW2 after I get through these. Maybe a celebrity memoir or cozy mystery next...

[Amanda]

I just started reading The Time Traveler's Wife today. This is a reread for me. I want to see if I still like it as much as I did the first time I read it.

[Susan]

I Loved Time traveler’s Wife when I read it when it came out. Maybe I should read it again!

[Bea]

Carol wrote: "Just started a book that's got me up late! The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond by Jaime Jo Wright. I'm really enjoying it and can't wait to finish it to see how all these characters are interrelated. Se..."

I have added this book to my Wishlist. Looks good!

[Aiken County Public Library]

Susan wrote: "I Loved Time traveler’s Wife when I read it when it came out. Maybe I should read it again!"

Did you ever see the movie, Susan? What did you think?

[Michelle]

I have just started The Never Game by Jeffery Deaver. I expect to like it as I have liked other books of his I have read. Picked it up from library today, so only on page 23 so far. I will be looking at a few I have seen mentioned for future TBR.

[Aiken County Public Library]

Michelle wrote: "I have just started The Never Game by Jeffery Deaver. I expect to like it as I have liked other books of his I have read. Picked it up from library today, so only on page 23 so far. I will be looki..."

Hopefully it will be as good as the others you've read! It looks like "The Never Game" is the first in what will be the Colter Shaw series, but he's also released the novella "Captivated" with the character. It looks like we have "Captivated" as an e-book on CloudLibrary if you end up wanting to continue!

[Amanda]

I finished "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson last night. It was... bizarre. I will definitely read this one again. I read it fast because I was into it and the writing is fairly fast-paced, but at times it was a little hard to follow. I was not disappointed by it, but I think it is worth a second read.

I just started reading "Voices from Chernobyl" by Svetlana Alexievich. I haven't even made it through the prologue and it already makes me feel like crying.

[Regina]

Now I’m reading My Lovely Wife. These people are bizarro.

[Kelly]

I'm reading Dauntles (valiant hearts #1) by Dina L. Sleiman right now so far i'm loving it!!:)

[Kairia]

I’m reading several books currently and I have learned starting three fantasy series at once probably isn’t the best way to get through my TBR.

The first book I’m reading is Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. I’m over halfway finished with this one but I can’t say I’ve been enjoying the novel. I will probably unhaul this book once I’m finished and give the show a try.

The second book is Eragon by Christopher Paolini. I read most of the Inheritance Cycle in high school and I wanted to give it a re-read. I’ve been enjoying this one more than I expected to, as my reading tastes have changed a bit since childhood.

The third book is the Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. If I had known that this series is among several from the Cosmere universe, I probably wouldn’t have started with the Stormlight Archives. But alas, I’m 100 pages in and the author states you can read any of the series in any order, so I’ll just continue what I’ve started.

[Kelly]

I’m reading where the red fern grows for school but it’s turning out to be a really good book.