The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
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GETTING TO KNOW YOU
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<closed thread>What are you currently reading?
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
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
Finished: 
- 4*,
- 4*,
- 4*Reading:
The First Man in Rome - 82% (Glossary & indexes start on page 785/896.)
Last Will - Kindle
Oathbringer - buddy read over 5 week
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
Finished: 
- 4*,
- 3*Still Reading:
Oathbringer - 5 week buddy read
Starting:
The Murmur of Bees - Kindle
The Wise Man's Fear - 4 week buddy read
N or M?
The Territory: A Novel of the American West - Audible
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
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
Finished:
- 4*,
- 4*Still Reading:
Oathbringer - 40% done
The Murmur of Bees - Kindle
The Wise Man's Fear - 43% done
The Territory: A Novel of the American West - Audible
Soon to start:
The September Society
The Thirteen Problems
The Cat Who Came For Christmas – Cleveland Amory– 3***
On a snowy Christmas eve, Amory helped to rescue a bedraggled stray cat. This is a memoir of their first year together. Interesting and entertaining for the most part, even for this reader who is not much of an animal lover. Despite the title there’s nothing very “Christmassy” about the book.
My full review HERE
Finished:
- 3*Although I listened to this book through Audible, it struck me that the writing included simpler words and phrases and that, overall, it was for a younger reader.
Started:
Life or Death
How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less
Finished: 
- 3*,
- 3.5*
Al Capone Shines My Shoes – Gennifer Choldenko – 3***
Book two in this entertaining middle-school series, set on Alcatraz Island during the Great Depression. Moose Flanagan’s dad is a guard at the maximum security prison, and the family lives in the apartments provided for workers and their families. I was completely charmed by the first book, and certainly interested in this second outing. The relationships between the kids seem real to me. Moose deals with many of the things most 12-year-olds have to face, including bullying, peer pressure, and adults who don’t understand him. But he’s also burdened by a unique relationship with one particular inmate: Al Capone.
My full review HERE
Finished:
- 4*Still Reading:
Oathbringer - 57% done
The Murmur of Bees - Kindle - 27% done
The Wise Man's Fear - 68% done
Life or Death - 11% done
Soon to start:
One of Us
The Left Hand of Darkness
I am listen to Nora Roberts Montana Skyand its ok some
The President is Missing – Bill Clinton and James Patterson – 3.5***
This is a fast-paced thriller, with a believable (if somewhat over-the-top) scenario. There were several times when I thought I knew where it was headed but was surprised by a twist in the plot. The basic plot line is something we should all be concerned about and I found myself wondering about our reliance on technology. The last 50 pages were particularly nail-biting.
My full review HERE
Finishing up the challenge (well not finishing, finishing...lol)The Lost Vintage
The Turner House
Once We Were Brothers
Ike And Kay – James MacManus – 3***
In his work of historical fiction, MacManus explores the relationship between General Dwight D Eisenhower and his assigned driver during WWII, Kay Sommersby. Rumor, innuendo and gossip have surrounded their affair for decades. It was interesting to see how the relationship unfolded and to get a glimpse of what they may have meant to one another, especially during the stress of wartime. MacManus gets at least one detail VERY wrong, and it makes me wonder what else he flubbed. Oh well, it’s historical FICTION, and it held my attention.
My full review HERE
Finished:
- 4*,
- 4*,
- 5*Still Reading:
Oathbringer - 86% done
The Murmur of Bees - Kindle - 49% done
Life or Death - 11% done
Soon to start:
A Clergyman's Daughter
The Witness
The Word Is Murder
The Bookman’s Tale
The Amish Christmas Kitchen – Kelly Long, Jennifer Beckstrand, and Lisa Jones Baker – 2**
This is a collection of three novellas all focusing on the Amish community and the Christmas season. The stories are tender and clean romances, rather straightforward and predictable. The writing is very simple and repetitious. Not my cup of tea.
My full review HERE
Done with Winter, Starting on Spring (book is a whopper)The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944
Riders Of the Purple Sage – Zane Grey – 3***
I hardly know what to write about this classic of the Western genre. It’s full of adventure, violence, strong men and women, tenderness, brutality and an abiding sense of justice. And, of course, there is the landscape, which Grey paints so vividly it is practically a character. I found myself laughing at the ridiculousness of some of the "love" scenes with Grey’s melodramatic, “bodice-heaving” dialogue.
My full review HERE
Finished:
- 3*Currently Reading:
Life or Death
A Clergyman's Daughter
The Witness
The Word Is Murder
The Bookman’s Tale
To Kill a Labrador: A Marcia Banks and Buddy Mystery
Sacred Country
Don Quixote – Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra – 4****
I’d read snippets from this work over the years but never experienced the whole thing. I’m sorry I waited so long to do so. It is a marvelous piece of fiction and is widely acknowledged as the first modern-day novel.
My full review HERE
Jade Dragon Mountain – Elsa Hart – 4****
This historical mystery is set in the town of Dayan, on the Chinese / Tibetan border, in 1708. I loved the history in this book. I had been previously unaware of the role of the Jesuits. I felt that I was a real sense of the time and place from Hart’s descriptions and plot. Li Du is a marvelous detective, and also a skilled politician. I was completely engaged and interested from beginning to end and did NOT guess the perpetrator(s) before they were revealed.
My full review HERE
I just closed up No Beast So Fierce: The Terrifying True Story of the Champawat Tiger, the Deadliest Man-Eater in History-great read
Finished:
- 3*I really struggled with the beginning of this book until the Clergyman's Daughter got amnesia. Then it became interesting. However, the ending was much the same as the beginning.
Finished:
- 4*Currently Reading:
Life or Death
To Kill a Labrador: A Marcia Banks and Buddy Mystery
Sacred Country
Baking Cakes in Kigali
The Oracle of Stamboul
Would Like To Meet – Rachel Winters – 3***
As a reader, I’ve been there, done that, and seen the movie multiple times. It’s a cute rom-com of a novel, but totally predictable. Now … who will be cast in the movie?
My full review HERE
Finished 13 Hours and The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944Currently reading Age of Death and Dragonflight
Lab Girl – Hope Jahren – 5*****
Jahren structures the book with alternating chapters; in one she will give a botany lesson, detailing, for example, the functioning of a leaf; in the next chapter she’ll relate a personal story of her journey from childhood to her position as a research scientist. I was fascinated by the science lessons but was completely taken in by her personal story. Jahren writes with humor and strength as she reveals her personal struggles with bi-polar disorder, and with being a woman in a decidedly male-dominated field.
My full review HERE
Finished:
- 4*Currently Reading:
Sacred Country
Baking Cakes in Kigali
The Oracle of Stamboul
The Kreutzer Sonata
Finished "Comfort and Joy" and starting "The Rumor" by Elin Hilderbrand
The Wife of the Gods – Kewi Quartey – 4****
First in a series featuring Detective Inspector Darko Dawson of Accra, Ghana. Oh, I am going to like this series! Darko is a principled man, but he has his demons, and he seeks solace in smoking marijuana. He’s also sometimes prone to resorting to his own brand of vigilante justice. But there’s no denying that he’s a talented – and tenacious – detective. There are plenty of suspects and motives and a compelling subplot to keep the reader off balance and guessing.
My full review HERE
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The Seasonal Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
The Opposite of Everyone (other topics)Small Wonder (other topics)
I, Alex Cross (other topics)
Fox & I (other topics)
On Gold Mountain: The 100-Year Odyssey of a Chinese-American Family (other topics)
More...
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)
More...
The First Man in Rome - 82% (Glossary & indexes start on page 785/896.)
The Silent Patient - Audible
Last Will - Kindle
Starting today:
In the Shadow of the Lamp
Ghost of a Chance
Oathbringer - buddy read over 5 weeks