The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
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GETTING TO KNOW YOU
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<closed thread>What are you currently reading?
The Camel Bookmobile by Masha Hamilton – 3*** Fiona Sweeney is a librarian who accepts a job with a charitable foundation to bring books to the tiny, far-flung communities of northeastern Kenya. That clash of cultures was what was most interesting to me in the book. But Hamilton also includes a couple of relationships that become somewhat entangled in the story. This took the book in a direction I wasn’t expecting and found somewhat dissatisfying.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Scarlet Letter - disliking this book: sentence structure of 1700s is hard to understand and makes for hard readingSuccubus Blues - enjoying it
The Wilderness - another hard one to read - more due to subject and story structure
Reunion - listening to audio and enjoying it
The Sense of an Ending - just barely bugun
Fall of Giants - reading on Kindle at night when unable to sleep - not often recently
Touched by Fire - really like this one
All but the last two are library books.
Firestorm by Nevada Barr – 3*** This is the 4th mystery in the series featuring U.S. Park Ranger Anna Pigeon. Anna is intelligent, tenacious, strong (in body and mind) and resourceful. I like that the romantic interest is kept mostly off-screen, not distracting from the plot. It’s a good, suspenseful mystery that kept me interested from beginning to end.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Anne of the Island by L M Montgomery – 4**** I never read these books as a child, but I am certainly enjoying them now. Anne is a marvelously engaging character and the interactions of the college roommates seems spot on perfect for students of that age. Susan O’Malley does a fine job performing the audio book.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Finished "The Red Lily Crown" and starting "All the Light We Cannot See"
Good morning/afternoon,Currently reading Christopher's Diary: Echoes of Dollanganger V.C. Andrews for book bingo.
Jim
The New Yorkers by Cathleen Schine – 3*** This is a lovely, quick read – a Valentine to New York City. The characters are charming and sometimes exasperating. The dogs are all loveable (even the one that bites). It’s a year in the life of these lonely people wherein they meet and connect over their beloved pooches. Nicole Roberts does a fine job narrating the audio book.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers – 4**** PVT John Bartle met PVT Daniel Murphy in basic training, and promised Murph’s mother that he’d bring the 18-year-old back from Iraq. The novel relates Bartle’s experiences in Iraq – the horror, excitement, confusion, mental and physical stress. His internal struggle to come to grips with his actions, his regrets, his losses is what makes this novel so powerful. There were sections of this book that had me completely immersed in the narrative, but I think that I, like John Bartle, was looking for answers where there are none. As a result, the ending was less than satisfying for me.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster – 5***** I’ve been hearing about this book forever, but never read it before. I’m so glad I finally got to it! It is an absolute delight. I love Milo – a boy “who didn’t know what to do with himself” – and his spirit of adventure. What I find particularly delightful is the way Juster plays with words and ideas. Introducing readers (young and old) to some lofty ideas and imparting more than a little wisdom along the way. It’s been over fifty years since this book was first published, but I feel certain it will remain popular for at least another fifty years.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch (with Jeffrey Kaslow) – 3.5*** Randy Pausch was a professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University when he was asked to prepare a presentation for the popular “last lecture” series. Much of what he relates here is found in many other books, lectures, essays, and articles. What makes this so poignant is the personal story of his circumstances – a father with three children ages 1 to 5, who is dying of pancreatic cancer.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Freak Show by James St James – 2** Billy Bloom is a gay teenager who has recently moved to Florida. There is a nugget of a great story here. Billy’s situation is shared by many teens, who struggle with being themselves and also fitting in. I found myself alternately cheering for Billy and cringing at his antics. He was so over-the-top and the other students such caricatures that the important message here was somewhat lost in the glitter and drama. I am way past the teenage years and not very interested in wallowing in teen angst and self-absorption. But the young adult audience will probably enjoy it more.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker – 3*** This is a sort of fairy tale, with settings and happenings that are grounded in reality, but sprinkled with a little folklore and magic. Truly Plaice is a giantess, courtesy of a pituitary problem. Her sister Serena Jane is the epitome of feminine beauty. Both girls suffer because of their appearance. I found the book slow to get started, but the more I read, the more invested I became in Truly. Ultimately, she emerges as a heroine with grace and dignity, and she is able to love and be loved for who she is, not what she looks like. Carrington MacDuffie does a fine job narrating the audio book.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This Token of Freedom by Jon Helminiak – 3*** During World War II millions of children were evacuated from London and sent away to safe locations to spare them from witnessing the aftermath of the German blitzkrieg. This is the story of one of those evacuee children, Jayne Jaffe, who at age nine left her family behind in London to come to Milwaukee Wisconsin to live with total strangers. It was a life-changing experience for her.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Country Ahead of Us, the Country Behind by David Guterson – 2** This collection of short stories explores relationships – man and wife, boy and girl, father and son, brothers or friends. I liked a couple of these stories very much, but somehow this collection fell flat for me. I have always liked the short story form, but these felt somehow incomplete, more like random chapters lifted from larger works than cohesive individual stories. That’s the reason for my lower rating.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Just finished "All The Light We Cannot See" and starting "Too Much Happiness"
Backseat Saints by Joshilyn Jackson – 3*** A gypsy fortune teller predicts that Rose Mae Lolley will either have to kill her husband or be killed by him. That wake-up call sets her on a mission to face her past and find her future. Jackson writes good contemporary fiction featuring Southern women in unusual circumstances. It was a fast read and I was interested in finding out how the story would unfold, but I was somewhat disappointed in the ending, and I didn’t really connect with the central characters. This is not Jackson’s best work, though it shines a light on a subject that needs our attention.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I finished reading "Too Much Happiness" and starting "Matched"
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett – 3.5*** A research scientist is sent by her Minnesota pharmaceutical company to Brazil to find out what has happened to the company-funded project. There are some passages that are beautifully written, and evocative of place, but there are also sections of dialogue that are stilted and abrupt. I could never quite make sense of Dr Marina Singh – was she a strong, accomplished woman, or a passive automaton doing what she’s told whether it makes sense or not. Patchett brings up several issues that book groups will enjoy discussing. Hope Davis does a fine job performing the audio version.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I'm reading Love, Rosie as it's over 500 pages, for my first Spring task. Not quite halfway with it and eager to get to the second half once the challenge begins!
Crazy by Linda Vigen Phillips – 5***** Told entirely in verse, this is a moving look at one teen’s efforts to come to grips with an issue that no one wants to talk about. Her own ups and downs as a teenager are fairly typical, but what sets her apart is her mother’s mental illness. My heart about broke for her as she struggled to understand her mother’s illness and bravely sought answers to her most fearful question. In an afterword the author states that this work is partly based on her own experiences as a teen in the early 1960s. The result is a very personal, emotional story.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Whistlin’ Dixie in a Nor’easter by Lisa Patton – 2** Southern Belle Leelee Satterfield is surprised but ultimately supportive when her husband announces that his dream is to quit the family insurance business and buy an inn in Vermont. This is a typical chick-lit romance, featuring a naïve southern belle who still wishes “Daddy” were there to save her. Granted, Leelee is not a complete doormat; she does manage to get a spine and make the most of what she’s been handed. Marguerite Gavin has decent pacing reading the audio, but I didn’t like her accent either for the Southern characters or the Vermonters.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik – 4**** The Napoleonic War is the framework for this fantastical adventure tale that includes not only naval battles, but air combat aboard dragons. It’s a rollicking good adventure/war story. Temeraire is a dragon unlike any I’ve previously encountered in literature. He’s intelligent, a keen judge of character, loyal to a fault, intensely curious, brave and playful. Capt Laurence is truly an officer and a gentleman – principled, duty-bound, intelligent, a fair taskmaster, kind to animals, and a true leader. I love how the relationship between Laurence and Temeraire develops over the course of the novel. I’ll definitely read the next in the series.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I finished "Matched" and starting "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"
The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis – 3*** The novel is told in twelve chapters, each detailing the story of one of Hattie’s children or grandchildren, over six decades, and reads more like a collection of short stories than a cohesive novel with a single story arc. This is Mathis’ debut novel and I see evidence of a great writing talent. I’ll probably read another book by her. But at the end of THIS novel I find myself struggling to explain my reactions to the book, as much as Hattie’s children struggled to make a good life after being raised by such seemingly uncaring parents. The audio version is performed by three talented voice artists: Andrele Ojo, Bahni Turpin, and Adam Lazarre-White.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I finished "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" and starting "Flowers For Algernon"
Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein – 4**** American ATA pilot Rose Justice is captured by the Nazis and sent to the concentration camp at Ravensbruck, where she meets an unforgettable group of women. I liked how Wein showed the women banding together and forming “families” who looked out for one another. Make no mistake, however, there are horrific scenes in this book, albeit this is a young adult novel and not as graphic as an adult novel might be. The audiobook is capably performed by Sasha Pick.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Matchmaker of Perigord by Julia Stuart – 3*** Barber Guillaume Ladoucette decides to convert his barbershop into a matchmaking agency. But the thirty-three residents of his small French village already know – and dislike – one another. Stuart crafts a delightful – and delicious – comedy of manners. The villagers are quirky, the blind dates hilariously awkward, the descriptions of food are scrumptious, and love triumphs in the end! A fun read.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I finished "Flowers For Algernon and starting "The Dinner"
The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez – 4**** The residents of one Delaware apartment building have different backgrounds but a common goal: a better life in America. The narration switches among various characters from chapter to chapter, sometimes exploring the same situation from a different perspective. The central focus is on the two teenagers – Mirabel and Mayor – and their families. I found myself so caught up in these characters’ dreams that when tragedy struck I was as stunned as they. Still, there is hope at the end. I’ll be thinking about these “unknown Americans” for a long time.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The 5 Lessons a Millionaire Taught Me About Life and Wealth by Richard Paul Evans – 3*** Evans is best known for his novels - The Christmas Box was a NY Times bestseller. In this small book he passes on advice he learned as a youth from a man at his church. The principles are not difficult to understand, and anyone can do them. But the key is deciding to adhere to this advice and not succumb to the pressures of modern day living that equate conspicuous consumption with wealth. It’s a quick read, and it fulfilled a challenge, but I didn’t learn anything new.
This book cannot be used for SRC because it doesn't meet AR Bookfinder criteria, but it's a fun read nonetheless.
The 13 Clocks by James Thurber – 3*** Elements of a fairy tale: A princess trapped in a cold castle by her uncle, an evil Duke; a prince disguised as a troubadour; a mysterious / magical helper; an impossible task to complete. Thurber has crafted a magically fun story, wonderfully illustrated by Marc Simont. Children of all ages will delight in this story of Zorn from Zorna and the Princess Saralinda.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Burial Rites by Hannah Kent – 4**** This novel is based on a true incident in history. In January 1830 Agnes Magnusdottir became the last person to be executed in Iceland. Kent imagines the interactions Agnes had with the farm family that housed her prior to her execution. I loved the way that these relationships slowly thawed while the landscape slowly froze, and liked the way Kent began each chapter with either some historical document of the period or a poem or excerpt from a saga. The ending, however inevitable, is written in a way that still builds suspense and left me breathless. Audio capably performed by Morven Christie.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I just finished "The Dinner" and starting "Moloka'i"
I'm currently in the middle of three different books (yes, I multi-task, lol!). I'm reading
, listening to
and reading one chapter a day of
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green & David Levithan – 2** Two teens – both named Will Grayson – meet in an unlikely scenario. They are very different, but suddenly find their lives intertwined. I am way over the teen angst stage and this novel had way too much of that for my taste. But the ending … oh my stars! The musical that irrepressible Tiny Cooper comes up with celebrating love in all its glorious – and heart-breaking – forms was wonderful. The message of tolerance, love and acceptance is one that more of us should take to heart. Levithan’s chapters brought the rest of the rating down.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Funny Money by James Swain – 2** Tony Valentine is a retired Atlantic City cop, now living in Florida where he runs a consulting business, helping casinos ferret out cheats and grifters. This is book two in the series, though I don’t think I was missing much by having skipped book one. The book is fast paced and there are several twists in the plot, but I still spotted the bad guy by the half-way point and long before Tony.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
All Four Stars by Tara Dairman – 4**** What a scrumptious debut! Gladys is a bright, resourceful, tenacious girl who will not let a few setbacks (like being grounded and not having any money) thwart her plans to succeed as a restaurant critic for the New York Standard. I did think Gladys’s parents were a little over the top, and her school nemesis – Charissa – was little more than a cardboard stereotype for much of the book. But I absolutely loved Gladys, and the descriptions of the foods she ate or prepared. I gobbled this delectable treat down in less than a day, and was hungry for more.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My Life in France by Julia Child with Alex Prud’homme – 4**** A delicious memoir. I really got a sense for the determination with which Julia mastered the art of French cooking, and for the enthusiasm with which she set out to impart that love of French cooking to the rest of the world. I liked the photos that were included, but wish that more of them had actual captions.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Behind God’s Back by Miki Knezevic – 2** There is some important history imparted in this novel that chronicles one woman’s life from shortly before WWI through the early 1990s. Physician Desa Jovanivic and lawyer Danilo Maric will be tested, both professionally and personally, but their love will endure. I am glad for the history lesson, but the writing is amateurish and the book needs editing. Some scenes lacked emotion, while others were melodramatic.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I'm only missing the last 70 pages in The Color of Magic. It's my first Terry Pratchett book. It's a bit out of my comfort zone, when it comes to reading, but I'm enjoying it and will try to read more books from The Discworld series.
Sprout by Jenifer Wayne – 4**** A delightful children’s book about one boy’s passion for elephants. Given my own obsession with pachyderms (and books), I had to buy this when I spotted it at an estate sale. I was happy with just the cover, but the text was a wonderful surprise. I loved Sprout’s sense of determination and irrepressible spirit.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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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)
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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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In contemporary New York City, attorney Carolina Sparrow is working on an historic class-action lawsuit seeking reparations for the descendants of American slaves. In 1852, Josephine is a house slave who tends to the mistress of a Virginia tobacco plantation; her mistress is the artist Lu Anne Bell. I loved the sections of the book dealing with Josephine and her struggles. But Conklin alternates chapters and I thought the present-day story weakened the impact of Josephine’s story. Bahni Turpin does a fine job narrating the audio book.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...