The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
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GETTING TO KNOW YOU
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<closed thread>What are you currently reading?
My Sister, the Serial Killer – Oyinkan Braithwaite – 4****
What an interesting concept! I was immediately drawn into the sisters’ co-dependent relationship. I understood and sympathized with Korede’s dilemma; she loves her baby sister, but she wants her to stop her behavior. The tension is nonstop. Will she? Won’t she? When will she? How will she? In the end I’m left wondering WHO is the psychopath here?
LINK to my review
Book Concierge wrote: " My Sister, the Serial Killer
– Oyinkan Braithwaite – 4****
What an interesting concept! I was immediately drawn into the sisters’ co-dependent..."
Thanks for this review, Book Concierge. I have been wondering if I would like this book enough to try it. It sounds intriguing.
Finished:
- 3*,
- 3* Expect to finish today: The Orange Girl
Reading:
Don Quixote - buddy read
In the Belly of the Elephant: A Memoir of Africa - Kindle
Wishes and Wellingtons - Audible
Reading:Don Quixote - buddy read
In the Belly of the Elephant: A Memoir of Africa - Kindle
Wishes and Wellingtons - Audible
Mechanica
The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane
The Reader on the 6.27
Unquestioned Loyalty: A Teal Stewart Mystery
Nine Perfect Strangers – Liane Moriarty – 2.5**
It’s not Moriarty’s best work, in my humble opinion. On the one hand I really enjoyed some of these guests’ stories. On the other hand, I didn’t really like any of these characters, and was completely irritated by Masha’s psychobabble new-age philosophy on fixing what was wrong with them. I also didn’t like the ending, with its fast-forward to weeks or years later in order to catch up on what happened.
LINK to my review
The Red Address Book, a very stirring and sweet book about a woman in her last years reflecting on her life
A River Of Stars – Vanessa Hua – 3***
Hua’s first novel looks at the immigrant experience from a slightly different angle: wealthy Chinese who pay a high fee to ensure their babies will have the always-coveted native-born U.S. citizenship. The story focuses on Scarlett Chen, the mistress or Boss Yeung, and Daisy, the unwed teenager whose parents want to keep her from her American boyfriend. I found this an interesting and engaging story. I really liked Scarlett, but thought Daisy was frustratingly immature. Final verdict: a good, but not great, debut. I’d consider reading another of Hua’s works.
LINK to my review
Finished:
-4*,
- 4*,
- 4*Reading:
Don Quixote - buddy read
In the Belly of the Elephant: A Memoir of Africa - Kindle
Unquestioned Loyalty: A Teal Stewart Mystery
I finished "Christmas Cake Murder" and starting "Legacies" by Mercedes Lackey
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine – Gail Honeyman – 5*****
What a marvelous character-driven novel! I loved Eleanor as much as I was frustrated by her. Her conversations with Mummy gave us clues to the trauma in her past that resulted in the fragile woman she is when we first meet her. I love the way the friendship between Raymond and Eleanor develops; how he introduces her to possibilities, but also accepts her at face value. Honeyman gives us some wonderful supporting characters as well; even if their scenes are small, they are fully developed and add to the richness of the novel. A fantastic debut novel!
LINK to my review
Finished:
- 4*,
- 3*,
- 4*Reading:
Don Quixote - Buddy read
In the Belly of the Elephant: A Memoir of Africa - Kindle
The Shape of Water
The View from the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction
Magic Slays
The Address - Kindle
The Tattooist of Auschwitz - Audiobook
Deviant – Harold Schechter – 3***
The subtitle is all the synopsis anyone needs: The Shocking True Story of Ed Gein, the Original “Psycho”. I’ve always like “true crime” books, and this is a pretty good, though not great, example of the genre. Schechter writes a detailed account of Gein’s upbringing (as best as he could re-create it), the events and suspicions of the townspeople, his trial and his life in a mental institution.
LINK to my review
A Single Shard – Linda Sue Park – 4****
This middle-grade novel is a beautiful introduction to the Korean culture, as well as to the art of pottery. Park gives us a wonderful cast of characters. I love the relationship between Tree-Ear and Crane-man, how they care for one another, and give to one another so selflessly. I learned much about celadon pottery, and particularly the uniqueness of the inlay process. The novel was awarded the Newbery Medal for excellence in Children’s Literature.
LINK to my review
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Zamba: The True Story of the Greatest Lion That Ever Lived – Ralph Helfer– 3***
I’m not a great animal lover, but I was interested and engaged in most of Ralph Helfer’s memoir of raising and working with the lion he rescued as a young cub. I did find Helfer a bit preachy at times. Still, I applaud the way that he changed the minds of many animal “trainers” about the best techniques to use.
LINK to my review
Finished:
- 4*Reading:
Don Quixote - Buddy read
In the Belly of the Elephant: A Memoir of Africa - Kindle
The View from the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction
The Address - Kindle
The Secret History
The Tattooist of Auschwitz - Audiobook
November Road – Lou Berney – 4****
Frank Guidry is on the run from the mob because he’s figured out his boss’s role in the JFK assassination. Charlotte Roy is running from an unhappy marriage, taking her two girls to a new life. When they meet in New Mexico, Guidry sees the perfect disguise and turns on the charm to convince Charlotte that he can help her. It’s a fast-paced thriller with an unlikely romance thrown in, and it kept me enthralled from beginning to end.
LINK to my review
Finished: The Tattooist of Auschwitz - 5*Reading:
Don Quixote - Buddy read
In the Belly of the Elephant: A Memoir of Africa - Kindle
The View from the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction
The Address - Kindle
The Secret History
The Quiche of Death
His Bloody Project: Documents Relating to the Case of Roderick Macrae
A Broth Of Betrayal – Connie Archer – 2.5**
Book two in the Soup Lover’s Mystery series. There’s a lot going on this summer in Snowflake, Vermont. Residents are protesting a developer’s plans for a car wash in historic downtown; a skeleton is found at the construction site; the mayor goes missing; and there are a couple of murders. Yet, with all that going on, the book felt slow to me.
LINK to my review
The Hate U Give – Angie Thomas – 4****
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter is the narrator of this contemporary novel that deals with some major social issues facing America. I love the way that Thomas writes these characters. The realities of living in an urban neighborhood that is stressed by unemployment, gangs, poverty, drug use and broken families are all present. Thomas gives Starr a relatively stable home environment: a family-owned house, neighbors who look out for one another, and, most importantly, two parents who love one another, work hard, and set a good example for their children. The novel raises more questions than it gives solutions. But these are issues than need examining, and this is a great way to start the conversation.
LINK to my review
Finished:
- 5*,
- 4*,
- 3.5*Reading:
Don Quixote - Buddy read
In the Belly of the Elephant: A Memoir of Africa - Kindle
The View from the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction
The Address - Kindle
His Bloody Project: Documents Relating to the Case of Roderick Macrae
Pachinko – Min Jin Lee – 4****
This is an epic work of historical fiction that follows four generations of one Korean family living in Japan, beginning in 1910 and ending in 1989. I was quickly drawn into the story and eagerly followed Sunja’s story, but I did get a little bored with the repetition towards the end. Still, I was engaged and invested in these characters’ stories, and the setting and timeframe gave me some insight into a culture about which I know little.
LINK to my review
Finished:
- 3*,
- 4*Reading:
Don Quixote - Buddy read
In the Belly of the Elephant: A Memoir of Africa - Kindle
The Address - Kindle
His Bloody Project: Documents Relating to the Case of Roderick Macrae
Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation
Mango Elephants In the Sun – Susana Herrera – 3.5***
Subtitle: How Life in an African Village Let Me Be in My Skin. This is a memoir of the time the author spent as a Peace Corps volunteer teacher in Cameroon. I was interested and engaged in the experiences Herrera related, but somewhat appalled by how she lacked even basic understanding of the differences in culture before she arrived at her assignment. She relays some very interesting insights she gained from the women she befriended in the village.
LINK to my review
The Swiss Family Robinson – Johann David Wyss – 3***
Originally published in 1812, this is a classic adventure tale of a mother, father and four sons who are shipwrecked on an unnamed (and apparently uncharted) tropical island in the South Seas. I had never read the book, though I had seen the Disney movie back in the ‘60s. My adult self recognizes the glaringly implausible (and, frankly, impossible) scenarios but the adventure still captures the imagination.
LINK to my review
I started A Grave Talent, since I was sick and not in the mood for the other books I have going.Finished:
- 4*
The Dog Who Saved Me – Susan Wilson – 3***
Though I am not really an animal lover or a “dog person,” I have read a few of Wilson’s books and found them interesting and engaging. This is somewhat formulaic, but the lead characters are likeable and their back stories interesting enough to hold my attention.
LINK to my review
The Alice Network – Kate Quinn – 3***
Based on the real stories of women who served as spies during World War I, Quinn has crafted an interesting, engaging story of wartime heroines and the price they paid for their service. She uses a dual timeline, moving back and forth between 1947 and 1915. I was much more interested in Eve’s story; I found Charlie irritatingly immature. I thought the ending, especially that final confrontation, was somewhat rushed and implausible. Still, it held my attention and I was glad to learn something about the brave women who served.
LINK to my review
Finished:A Grave Talent
Reading:
Don Quixote - Buddy read
In the Belly of the Elephant: A Memoir of Africa - Kindle
The Address - Kindle
Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation
Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets
A Contract With God
The Darkwater Bride
An Appetite for Murder – Lucy Burdette – 2**
Number one in a new series starring Hayley Snow, food critic wannabe in Key West, Florida. The premise sounds promising and it seems to have all the elements for success, but Hayley is irritatingly immature and just plain too stupid to live. I’m not ready to give up on the series, but this isn’t a great beginning.
LINK to my review
Finished:
- 5*This is the first graphic novel done, and it is still in circulation/print. It is a series of 4 stories about a tenement in Brooklyn.
Coyote Cowboy Poetry – Baxter Black – 1*
This is a compilation of previously published works by Black, who is a trained veterinarian and a syndicated humorist / columnist. I thought it was mediocre to bad poetry that I’m sure some people find humorous but that did nothing for me. I did appreciate one or two of the sentiments (though the poetry was still bad).
LINK to my review
My Brilliant Friend – Elena Ferrara – 3.5***
This is the first of four books in the “Neapolitan Series” by Ferrante. I loved the way this friendship between Elena and Lila was portrayed, and the strength of these two girls as they faced the challenges of growing up. I also really appreciated how the landscape and culture were practically a character in the novel. I felt immersed in 1950s Naples. I could not help but be reminded of my BFF when I was growing up. Like these characters, we hardly breathed without consulting one another, and shared every secret, every joy, every heartache, every dream, every disappointment, every triumph.
LINK to my review
Finished:
- 4*This book was a nonfiction protrayal of the Baltimore Homicide Department in 1988. It documented cases and procedures for a full year. I came away with a great amount of respect for homicide detectives as well as with a better understanding of their hard job.
Reading:
Don Quixote - Buddy read (expect to finish next week)
In the Belly of the Elephant: A Memoir of Africa - Kindle
The Address - Kindle
Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation (expect to finish today or tomorrow)
The Darkwater Bride (expect to finish today or tomorrow)
Jephte's Daughter
The Unthinkable Thoughts of Jacob Green
The First Fingerprint
Immortal in Death
Carols and Chaos – Cindy Anstey – 3***
This is the second book in a series, but I don’t feel I missed anything by reading out of order. Set in 1817 England, this YA romance plus cozy mystery makes for some interesting twists and turns in the plot, as well as satisfying tension between the two lead characters. I picked this up on a whim as I was trolling the library’s shelves. It sounded like a quick, fun read and that’s exactly what it was.
LINK to my review
Finished:
- 4*,
- 5*
Finished: 
- 3*,
- 4*,
- 5*,
- 3*,
- 3*,
- 4*Reading:
Don Quixote - Buddy read (will finish this week)
In the Belly of the Elephant: A Memoir of Africa - Kindle
The Address - Kindle
Jephte's Daughter (will finish in a day or two)
Everything I Never Told You
Fascism: A Warning – Madeleine Albright – 4****
It’s said that those who refuse to study history are doomed to repeat it. I’ve studied some history, and yet I found much new information in this relatively slim volume. Albright clearly, methodically and logically lays out the foundations to bring understanding of Fascism. She cites numerous examples, using not only right-wing but left-wing and centrist ideologies to illustrate the concepts and realities.
LINK to my review
I started "Naughty in Nice" by Rhys Bowen
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The Seasonal Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
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Fox & I (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Gill Paul (other topics)Elizabeth Peters (other topics)
Rainbow Rowell (other topics)
Liam Moiser (other topics)
Barbara Mertz (other topics)
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Reading:
Don Quixote - buddy read
The Master and Margarita
The Burglar Who Counted the Spoons: A Bernie Rhodenbarr Mystery
The Orange Girl
In the Belly of the Elephant: A Memoir of Africa - Kindle
Wishes and Wellingtons - Audible