The Next Best Book Club discussion
Book Related Banter
>
What Are You Reading....The Third
message 151:
by
PattyMacDotComma
(new)
Aug 24, 2019 05:39AM
I was quite taken with The Bookshop of the Broken Hearted by Aussie author Robert Hillman. Tom Hope is an Aussie farmer, abandoned and stunned, who meets Hannah (of the bookshop and an Auschwitz survivor), and what a pair they make! Excellent book.
4.5★ Link to my review of Bookshop
reply
|
flag
I am reading ' A Gathering of Shadows' currently. Anyone else currently reading the same
Mod
I haven't been here in a while so here's what I've been reading:ARC The Girl the Sea Gave Back good solid fantasy sort of Vikingish
A Reliable Wife very good and I highly recommend
Read it with my BC and hated the characters & loved the book! Lots of discussion!
Shutter Island Crazy thriller that was a great read!
Sing, Unburied, Sing Did the audio version and it was just so well done. Really enjoyed it.
The Woman in Cabin 10 Did not enjoy. Was disappointed.
In the Distance – Hernán Díaz – 5*****
A 14-year-old Swedish immigrant tries to make his own way in the mid-19th-century American West. This is a Western unlike any other I’ve ever read. The “romance” of the West is nowhere to be found here. This is often a barren, dangerous place with few allies and many enemies. The novel covers decades, taking Håkan from age fourteen to “white-haired” old age. In places the novel takes a philosophical turn as Håkan ponders his fate and occasionally despairs of every achieving his goal. I loved the poetic writing. I think fans of Jose Saramago would like this. Final verdict: Marvelous writing and a fascinating character.
LINK to my review
Shirisha wrote: "I am reading ' A Gathering of Shadows' currently. Anyone else currently reading the same"Can you link the book title and/or the author so we know which one you're referring to, Shirisha? There seem to be a few with similar names. :)
It was a delight reading The Prodigal Son, the FREE prequel to Aussie author Sulari Gentill’s popular Rowland Sinclair historical mystery series. Rowly’s just returned to Sydney from Oxford and meets a bunch of ‘colourful’ artists - let the fun and games begin! 
4.5★ Link to my review of Prodigal Son
A fascinating take on historical fictionThe Phantom Tree by Nicola Cornick
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Fat Cat At Large – Janet Cantrell – 1*
Great premise, set in a city I love, with a lovely cat. But this amateur sleuth is just too stupid to live. My stars but Chase got on my nerves. She is whiny and a terrible businesswoman. Oh, well, it was a fast read and it satisfied a challenge, but I’m not likely to continue to series.
LINK to my review
Mod
In the Distance
– Hernán Díaz – 5*****
A 14-year-old Swedish immigrant tries to make his own way in the mid-19th-century American West. This is a Western u..."
I liked this one a lot! (And I'm a huge fan of Saramago too, lol)
I found this one a bit ho hum...Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew J. Sullivan
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Devil and Winnie Flynn – Micol Ostow – 1*
I read this only because I needed to fulfill a challenge for a paranormal read, and this YA novel was readily available at the library. Basically it’s a “woo-woo” teen horror flick book. I rolled my eyes so often I made myself dizzy. Didn’t find anything scary about it. Dialogue was stilted. And basic premise was terrible.
LINK to my review
The Marseille Caper – Peter Mayle – 3***
This is book two in the Sam Levitt crime caper series. Think James Bond with less danger and more emphasis on enjoying life. Beautiful (and smart) girls, fantastic yachts, private jets, mansions with gorgeous sea views, political intrigue, sumptuous repasts, and good wine. A fast, fun, romp of a comedy crime caper that reminds me how much I will miss Peter Mayle.
LINK to my review
Listened to City of Bones since somehow I had gotten hooked on the TV series. Don't know if or when I will get around to listening to the rest.Finished an ARC of Red Metal which was really good if you enjoy very detailed books like what Tom Clancy writes.
Kate Atkinson is so good that I enjoy her mysteries even more the second time around. When Will There Be Good News?, #3 with Jackson Brodie, is a firm favourite.
5★ Link to my "Good News" review
A compelling tale of WW2 EstoniaThe Lace Weaver by Lauren Chater
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Blind Justice – Bruce Alexander – 4****
Alexander has written a mystery featuring a real historical figure: Sir John Fielding. I loved the characters in this book and found myself looking up various references to real people to get more back story. Alexander paints a vivid picture of 18th century London and the many injustices that her poor endured. Jeremy is a wonderful narrator – intelligent, studious, dedicated, eager to please, and observant. I’ll keep reading this series.
LINK to my review
I’ll Give You the Sun – Jandy Nelson – 2**
It’s been nominated for a slew of YA awards and I can see the attraction for the target YA audience, but not my cup of tea. I found it over-written and melodramatic. Not a fan of the dual timelines/dual narrators device either, which, in this case, just served to confuse and drag out the story line.
LINK to my review
A fun, if unbelievable, thrillerCold Storage by David Koepp
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This is a very short read that I'm sure you'd all enjoy by much-loved, Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison, who died recently. Sweetness is available free online. I included a link to the discussion which also has the link to the story.
5★ Link to 'Sweetness' review
I enjoyed this gorgeous children's book and added some of the pictures in my review. The Piano Recital by Akiko Miyakoshi.
4.5★ Link to my 'Piano Recital' review
Evicted – Matthew Desmond – 5*****
Subtitle: Poverty and Profit in the American City. Fascinating. Frustrating. Horrifying. Compassionate. Informative. Distressing. Enlightening. Desmond thoroughly explores the effects on impoverished residents of being repeatedly evicted and contrasts the plight of the poor with the profits made at their expense.
LINK to my review
A lovely coming of age novel- coyote style!Street Shadows by Claire Gilchrist
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Disappearing Spoon – Sam Kean – 3***
Subtitle: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements. Who could have imagined such a volume written about that chart that hangs in every high school chemistry classroom? Kean’s enthusiasm and fascination for the periodic table comes through. But, it was just too much even for this admitted science geek. Some parts were far more interesting to me than others.
LINK to my review
Such a classic Agatha Christie mystery! M. Hercule Poirot solves the impossible crime again in Murder on the Orient Express. You should exercise your own little brain cells with this one if you haven’t already. :)
4★ Link to my Orient Express review
Alli wrote: "I am currently reading The Secret Life of Bees The Secret Life of BeesI'm liking it so far."
This was such a good read!
Well I finally got around to reading The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. It was one of those reads where you wonder why you waited so long because it was so good. Next up was a non-fiction that was a very up and down read for me. Parts were very interesting and other parts were very dry. Chanel's Riviera: Glamour, Decadence, and Survival in Peace and War, 1930-1944. Well I did get back to Mortal Instruments with City of Ashes which I enjoyed. You need something light and fun. Speaking of which I am currently reading Where'd You Go, Bernadette and listening to The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock.
An enjoyable enough book, here's my review of The Fragments by Toni Jordan
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Another entertaining cosy in the Oyster Cove Mystery seriesA Purrfect Alibi by Leighann Dobbs
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
If you ever needed an example of two over-used words, resilience and resourcefulness, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is it! Betty Smith's classic story of childhood before World War One is barely disguised as fiction. How her mother turned bread into so many different meals is hard to imagine!
5★ Link to my review (with bread recipes!)
Just finished:
The Whisper Man by Alex North
Solid, gripping thriller for fans who like a hint of the supernatural with their serial killer books. Fast-paced and nice for a quick Fall read.
My full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Just finished:
The Nanny by Gilly Macmillan
Nice suspenseful novel. My full review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
If you like action and adventure this series is a blast!Four Sacred Treasures by David Leadbeater
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Just finished A Clash of Kings
by George R.R. MartinReview: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Good fun. A real story with plenty of artistic licence, Girl Waits with Gun is the first of a popular mystery series by Amy Stewart. It takes place in New Jersey, USA, just before World War One. I'll be back for more! 
4★ Link to my review
An okay mystery, but nothing memorableSafari by Parnell Hall
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Map of Salt and Stars – Zeyn Joukhadar – 4****
Joukhadar uses dual story lines (2011 and 12th-century Syria) and two young heroines to tell this story of family, loss, perseverance, grief, love and success. I liked both Nour and Rawiya, and loved some of the supporting characters. I preferred Nour’s modern-day story, probably because I’m less inclined towards “fairytales” at this stage of my life. Still, Joukhadar gave me a compelling read with well-drawn characters and some interesting parallels. At one point Nour reflects on a scar left on her leg: Life draws blood and leaves its jewelry in our skin. This novel doesn’t draw any blood, but will definitely leave its mark on the reader.
LINK to my review
Just finished J. Courtney Sullivan's new book. Three generations of women linked by their love for a cottage at the edge of the ocean. Interesting for the interplay among characters (multiple point of view beautifully handled) and for highlighting the differences in opportunities available to American women in the 40s versus 70s versus now.
The Heist Society – Ally Carter – 3***
First in a series featuring Katarina Bishop, born into a family of art thieves, but desperate to get out of the family business. Or is she? This is a fun, fast, young adult novel with a likeable main character and a totally implausible plot. I did like the intricate plotting, and was glad that the romance was kept somewhat on the back burner.
LINK to my review
Another fun read in this Getaway Bay seriesThe Corpse at the Carnival by Grace York
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street – Helene Hanff – 4****
In a follow-up to her hugely popular 84 Charing Cross Road Helene Hanff takes us to London. Written as diary/journal entries on her first (and last) trip to the city she had dreamed of visiting. Definitely read 84 CCR first, but you’ll want to read this one as well … especially if you’re planning a trip to London.
LINK to my review
The Rowland Sinclair historical fiction mystery series just keeps getting better! 1930s Sydney, Snowy Mountains cattle camps, crooks, and a tight-knit group of friends.Miles Off Course by Aussie author Sulari Gentill is #3 and the best so far.
5★ Link to my review (with a couple of illustrations)
A compelling historical mysteryThe Villa in Italy by Elizabeth Edmondson
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This is a colourful, fun books for kids. I highly recommend learning and using "Kakistocracy". You'll be glad you did.The Dictionary of Difficult Words: With more than 400 perplexing words to test your wits! by Jane Solomon has a few that tested me, and I'm pretty wordy.
Link to my 'Dictionary' review with pictures
Boy oh Boy: From boys to men, be inspired by 30 coming-of-age stories of sportsmen, artists, politicians, educators and scientists by Cliff Leek is a terrific addition to any library where young boys can't miss it.
Link to my 'Boy Oh Boy' review with lots of illustrations
The Next Best Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
The Spotlight (other topics)The Zimmerman Telegram (other topics)
A Gentleman from Japan: An Epic Sea Voyage, an Intriguing Tale of Espionage and the Forgotten Story of the First Japanese Explorer in Tudor England (other topics)
My Home Is Far Away (other topics)
Anna Karenina (Modern Library Classics) 1st (first) edition (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Joy Ellis (other topics)Theresa Beachman (other topics)
Faith Martin (other topics)
Leslie Wolfe (other topics)
James Patterson (other topics)
More...
