The Next Best Book Club discussion
Book Related Banter
>
What Are You Reading....The Third
Another wonderful entry I the Stillhouse Lake seriesBitter Falls by Rachel Caine
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Just finished:
Woman on the Edge by Samantha M. Bailey
A truly unfortunate debut, that could have been much better. My full review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Scent To Her Grave – India Ink – 2.5**
Beginning of a new series starring Persia Vanderbilt, who runs the local bath and body store in Gull Harbor, WA. I liked the basic premise and Persia's skill with scents and botanicals. I also liked the slow-burn potential romance. On the other hand, the mystery was a little weak IMHO and the ending seemed rushed.
My full review HERE
Mod
An Irish Country Doctor – Patrick Taylor – 4****
Taylor tells the tale of a young physician learning the ropes from an older, wiser, well-established practitioner in an Irish village, in the mid-1960s. I’ve heard this described as “James Herriot for people” and I think that’s a perfect description. Some scenarios are quite humorous, and others are tender and heartfelt. A very entertaining book.
My full review HERE
Three lovely short stories from the Amazon Originals series.4 stars each
The Weddings
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Can You Feel This?
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Everything My Mother Taught Me
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Diva Haunts the House – Krista Davis – 3***
Book five in the cozy series featuring Domestic Diva Sophie Winston and her rival Natasha. There’s no lack of suspects, and plenty of costumed vampires around to confuse everyone from the police to the amateur sleuths. I like the decorating tips at the beginning of each chapter. And the recipes at the end were a nice addition. All told, an entertaining cozy mystery.
My full review HERE
Flight Behavior – Barbara Kingsolver – 4****
Kingsolver has crafted a story of one woman’s awakening, and simultaneously a warning about climate change. I found the story compelling from both perspectives. I know many people criticize Kingsolver for being preachy, but I did not find her message overbearing. Dellarobia Turnbow is a fascinating character. And her personal journey was what really elevated the book for me.
My full review HERE
Latinos In Milwaukee – Joseph A Rodriguez & Walter Sava – 3***
This is a short history of the various Latino immigrant populations in Wisconsin’s largest city. The authors interviewed many current residents, some whose families had been in the area since the early 20th century; and outline the various reasons and opportunities that brought these immigrants north.
My full review HERE
The Secret Footprints – Julia Alvarez – 5*****
This children’s picture book tells the Dominican Republic legend of the ciguapas – a race of extraordinarily beautiful people who live in caves beneath the sea and come onto land only at night. Fabian Negrin’s illustrations are rich and atmospheric, taking me straight to the tropics.
My full review HERE
My reading this year has been very eclectic: from cozy mysteries and classics to the book that I'm reading now: The Knife Man: Blood, Body Snatching, and the Birth of Modern Surgery
by Wendy Moore.When I started last night I wasn't sure how easy this book would be to read and it is very easy to read and understand. So far, so good.
This one started out well, then fell in a heapWhiteout by Adriana Anders
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Milagro Beanfield War – John Nichols – 5*****
In a New Mexico valley the power is held by one man and his company; they own most of the land and virtually all the water rights. Until one day, Joe Mondragon decides to cut a trench in the irrigation ditch, diverting some of that water onto his late father’s beanfield. I've had this book on my TBR "radar" for a bajillion years and I don't know why I waited so long to read it. I really liked it a lot! The quirky characters, the message, the humor, the pathos, and the landscape all made this an especially moving book for me.
My full review HERE
The Woman In the Window – A J Finn – 4****
This psychological thriller (with a capital ‘P’ !) takes its inspiration from the classic films of Alfred Hitchcock. A trained psychologist, Anna Fox is now an agoraphobe, trapped by her own mind in a 19-century Harlem brownstone. When she witnesses (or thinks she does) a murder during one of her binge-drinking episodes no one believes her tale. A real roller-coaster ride of a thriller. I was engaged and entertained from beginning to end.
My full review HERE
Just finished
. Enjoyed it but had to suspend belief in some areas. A good read and I recommend it.
I really enjoyed this thriller, set in the world of journalismDeadline by Terence J. Quinn
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Hannah’s Dream – Diane Hammond – 3.5***
This was a heartwarming story and I really enjoyed it. But then, if a book has an elephant in it, I’m bound to be a fan. I really liked Sam, his wife Corina, and Neva Wilson, the young zookeeper who comes to help care for Hannah. And I loved Hannah!
My full review HERE
There’s Something About Christmas – Debbie Macomber – 2.5**
It’s a Debbie Macomber Christmas story – cue the music and the snowflakes, grab some hot chocolate and enjoy the holiday romance. It’s a fun, fast read, if totally predictable.
My full review HERE
Just finished:
The Perfect Mother
by: Caroline Mitchell
Good, past-paced and twisty thriller. My full review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Another wonderful book in an excellent seriesA Cold Trail by Robert Dugoni
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Animal lovers everywhere will enjoy this oneThe Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
From Scratch – Tembi Locke – 4****
This is a wonderful memoir full of love and tenderness, grief and frustration, joy and a sense of belonging.
My full review HERE
The Story Hour – Thirty Umrigar – 5*****
Umrigar alternates viewpoints between these two women – an Indian immigrant and her African-American psychologist. I was completely engaged from page one through all the ups and downs of the story. I was anxious about how things would work out, sympathized with them when feelings were hurt, felt anger at some situations, and eagerly hoped for a resolution.
My full review HERE
Just finished A Perfect Spy by John le Carré and now I'm reading something abit lighter and shorter The Sweeney Sisters: A Novel
I really enjoyed this murder mystery set in Australia's Snowy Mountains.Charlotte Pass by Lee Christine
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic – Alison Bechdel – 3.5***
Bestselling memoir of a young woman growing up in a dysfunctional family. The graphic novel is full of Bechdel’s marvelously detailed drawings. Her confusion, anger, disappointment and sadness come through on almost every page.
My full review HERE
I just finished reading
It's a netgalley book and I loved it.
Moby-Dick, Or, the Whale – Herman Melville– 4****
Melville writes in great detail – ad nauseum – about the intricacies of whaling, the various species of aquatic mammals, the arduous and dirty (even disgusting) job of butchering the carcass. But he also explores the relationships developed among the crew, the sights of new ports, the weeks of tedious boredom broken by a day or two of exhilarating chase. I understand the enduring quality of the work, so despite its flaws, I still give it a high rating.
My full review HERE
An old favourite revisitedDeath on the Nile by Agatha Christie
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Just finished:
The Heap
by Sean Adams
Strange satire that ultimately satisfies. My full review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Lost Girls of Paris – Pam Jenoff – 3***
Another WWII story featuring women working as spies through the underground resistance and facing untold dangers. There’s much to like about this tale, though I am frankly tired of the back-and-forth timelines used by so many writers these days. Still, the story, which is partly based on true events, moved quickly and held my attention.
My full review HERE
The Fabulous Bouvier Sisters – Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger – 4****
The subtitle is all the synopsis anyone needs: The Tragic and Glamorous lives of Jackie and Lee. The authors have crafted a mini biography and exploration of their complicated and tight relationship. I found it fascinating and full of the kind of gossip that enthralls me. It’s an interesting look at the dynamic between these two sisters and their claims to fame.
My full review HERE
Just finished:
We Have Everything Before Us: A Novel
by Esther Yin-Ling Spodek
Refreshingly honest and relatable short novel about midlife turmoil. My complete review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A wonderful book in an excellent seriesLiar Liar by Mel Sherratt
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
An enjoyable enough mystery set in the Ukrainian community in Connecticut.The Altar Girl by Orest Stelmach
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Honolulu – Alan Brennert – 3.5***
Regret / Jin is a marvelous character. She starts out a shy, subservient girl and grows throughout the novel into a strong woman. I’ve visited Hawaii several times and could picture many of the settings depicted in the novel, despite the vast differences in today’s Honolulu from that of 1914. I was fascinated by the history lesson and the glimpse into life during that time period.
My full review HERE
Just finished:
Darling Rose Gold by:Stephanie Wrobel
Interesting, fresh take on Munchausen-by-Proxy. My full review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Erotic Stories For Punjabi Widows – Balli Kaur Jaswal – 4****
I was expecting something light and breezy and I was pleasantly surprised to find some depth here. Nikki is a wonderful character but I really loved the women in her “creative writing” class. Some of their stories were heartbreaking, but all of them were so willing to be open and honest in their writing. That their subject matter would “shock” their peers was not a deterrent to their need to express themselves. Brava, ladies!
My full review HERE
This is proving to be an excellent seriesThe Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I read a cute YA called The Mall, then I listened to The Testaments and The Tattooist of Auschwitz. After the last two I needed something light so I pulled Catering to Nobody off my TBR and also The Mallen Girl. I enjoyed them all. Now I'm reading an ARC of More Than Words which is a romance but with sadness. I guess I've been on a roll with reading!!
I’m re reading the whole I Heart series by Lindsey Kelk. I like the humour and pure escapism this series provides.
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...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...