2020 What are you reading and/or reviewing?

[Kellie]

I just finished Party Line First book I ever read by this author. It was good. The ending could have been a little better but other than that it was good.

[Suze73]

I finished Hana Khan Carries On by Uzma Jalaluddin. It’s a rom-com loosely based on the movie You’ve Got Mail. It’s set in a Muslim community in Toronto. Instead of following the movie plot of chain mega-bookstore driving out a small independent bookstore, it has a big time developer opening a fancy new Halal restaurant and driving the small family-owned restaurant out of business. It also addresses the issues of bucking family expectations and dealing with anti-Muslim sentiment. Very entertaining and well-done. 5/5 stars

[John]

Finished Tom Clancy's TARGET ACQUIRED (Tom Clancy Target Acquired) written by Don Bentley. Jack Ryan, Jr. is in trouble, again. Standing in for Ding Chavez in a covert asset evaluation in Tel Aviv, he gets involved with Israeli Intelligence (Shin Bet), Hezbollah, and an Iranian madman trying to change the world. Factor in an American scientist who is attending a venture capital conference in Tel Aviv, with her seven year old autistic son, and Jack is going to have his hands full. There is a lot of action, high body count, and Jack, Jr. is involved more physically than mentally in this one. Three stars for this one.

Next in line is Hep Aldridge's ENCOUNTER (ENCOUNTER: Sunken Treasure lost worlds).

John

[John]

Finished Hep Aldridge's ENCOUNTER (ENCOUNTER: Sunken Treasure lost worlds). Colt Burnett and his eclectic team of treasure hunters are at it again. Their continuing effort to find a library left by a highly advanced alien civilization takes them back to Ecuador. High in the Andes Mountains, they encounter an entity with supernatural powers, guarding a previously unknown underground city. Add in some defensive work against local bandits and also a group of Vatican mercenaries, and there is a lot of action to keep everyone awake and active. This is listed as the final book in the RISKY BUSINESS CHRONICLE trilogy, but the ending hints at a possible extension of the series. Four stars for this one.

INTO THE STARS Into the Stars) by James Ronsone is next. This is the first book in his Rise of the Republic series.

John

[John]

Finished INTO THE STARS (Into the Stars) by James Ronsone. Admiral Abagail Halsey and Captain Mike Hunt head up a mission to investigate a possible "earth like" planet twelve light years from earth. What they find is both gratifying and terrifying--an unknown race of humans, and a race of 3-meter tall aliens whose savage actions and intentions strike fear in everyone's heart. This is the first in a series, and, while it is slow to unfold, it could be interesting as human beings start to explore deep space. Three stars for this one.

W. E. B. Griffin's IN DANGER'S PATH (In Danger's Path) is next.

John

[Suze73]

I finished TransAtlantic by Colum McCann. The writing was beautiful. The story followed several generations of an Irish family, sometimes in Ireland, sometimes in the US or Canada. The author included several real characters, Frederick Douglass and Senator/peacemaker George Mitchell, among them. The book was a bit of a slog for me. It was slow and a bit repetitious in parts. Maybe that’s just the way life is for the poor and the poor envoy charged with negotiating a peace treaty. Not really a happy book, but I suppose that’s fitting considering Irish history. 3.5/5 stars.

[John]

Finished IN DANGER'S PATH (In Danger's Path), by W. E. B. Griffin. This story describes the efforts of a group of Marines as they attempt to set up a weather station in the Gobi Desert in the early days of WWII. They also hope to rescue a group of refugees trying to escape China ahead of the Japanese. There is a lot of plotting, a lot of maneuvering, and a lot of political intrigue as the story unfolds. From Washington, DC, to Pensacola, FL to Pearl Harbor, to Chunking, China, and into the vast reaches of the Gobi Desert, plans are made, and obstacles are identified and dealt with. Four stars for this one.

RIVER OF RUIN (River Of Ruin) by Jack DuBrul is next.

John

[John]

Finished RIVER OF RUIN (River Of Ruin) by Jack DuBrul. Philip Mercer, trying to help a treasure hunting friend in Panama, gets crossways with an aggressive Chinese business man, seeking the same treasure. Add in an attempt to get Chinese nuclear missiles into the Panama Canal Zone, and you have all the elements of a twisted, convoluted adventure. The story goes from the sewers of Paris to the backwaters of the Panamanian jungle to Panama Canal itself. There is a lot of action, a run-away boat, and an abundance of evil-doers. Four stars for this one.

Next in line is THE OTHER LOG OF PHILEAS FOGG (The Other Log of Phileas Fogg) an "alternate history" version of Jules Verne's AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS. Should be interesting.

John

[Suze73]

I finished Lethal Bayou Beauty by Jana DeLeon. It’s the second entry in the Miss Fortune mystery series. It’s a fun mix of mystery and humor set in the fictional town of Sinful, Louisiana. A young female government agent is hiding out in a small town after a gang of gun-runners puts a price on her head. She is befriended by several little old ladies in town who are former CIA agents. Together they get mixed up in all sorts of trouble, solving crimes while staying one step ahead of the authorities. In this book, Fortune is suspected of murdering the local beauty queen who has recently returned to town. The ladies work together to prove her innocence. It’s a good series if you are looking for a light read that will make you smile. 4/5 stars

[John]

Finished THE OTHER LOG OF PHILEAS FOGG (The Other Log of Phileas Fogg) by Philip Jose` Farmer. This is sort of AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS as an alternate history. People are teleporting hither, thither, and yon in the 19th century, as Phileas Fogg tries to win his bet at the Reform Club. A couple of stars for this one.

John

[Kellie]

I finished The Wrong Girl The Wrong Girl now I'm starting The Midnight Club The Midnight Club

[Jan]

I recently finished Heaven and Hell the last book in John Jakes trilogy about the civil war. The first book North and South is set before the Civil War, the second Love and War is during the war itself and the last follows reconstruction. Jakes' research is extensive and sometimes his descriptions brutal. I am so glad I finally read this historical fiction series. 5stars for me.

[CBRetriever]

Just finished The Mirror & the Light by Hilary Mantel which concludes her series featuring Thomas Cromwell. Very good book even if the reading is a bit slow (it's really long)

[John]

Finished THE ALPHA PROTOCOL (The Alpha Protocol) by Duncan Hamilton. The Alpha Protocol is a document which establishes a procedure for making "first contact" with an alien species. As Jack Samson finds out the hard way, a successful procedure requires both sides to be on the same wavelength. As the skipper of a small naval vessel with a crew of six, he is faced with decisions far above his pay grade, with little or no support from Navy command structure. This is the first book in a series, and rates 3 stars.

John

[Suze73]

I finished On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong. Beautifully written novel, written as letter by a young, gay, Vietnamese immigrant to his mother. Heartbreaking and poetic. 5/5 stars

[John]

Finished THE MAN BELOW (The Man Below: An Historic Crimes Crossover) by Kevin Tumlinson. A cryptic message indicates that Dr. Clara Rivers is trapped in a long abandoned, secret government research facility. Can a rescue effort be mounted in time to save her? What are the circumstances leading to her being in the facility in the first place? Dan Kotler is an archaeologist and part time government consultant. Alex Keynes is a fugitive because the government wants her AI program, QuIEK (pronounced Quake), and she does not want to give it up for a lot of reasons. Can she and Kotler, with the assistance of the FBI, find Rivers before it is too late? This one gets a couple of stars.

Next is a dtb from my local library, Brad Thor's BLACK ICE (Black Ice), the latest Scot Harvath adventure.

John

[CBRetriever]

I'm finished Outside the Gates of Eden and I raced through it because it's so interesting.

What happened to the idealism of the 1960s? This question has haunted a generation. Outside the Gates of Eden follows two men from their first meeting in high school to their final destination in the twenty-first century. Alex is torn between his father’s business empire and his own artistic yearnings. Cole finds his calling at a Bob Dylan concert in 1965. From the Summer of Love in San Francisco to Woodstock, from campus protests to the SoHo loft scene, from a commune in Virginia to the outlaw country music of Austin, the novel charts the rise and fall of the counterculture—and what came after. Using the music business as a window into half a century, Outside the Gates of Eden is both epic and intimate, starkly realistic and ultimately hopeful, a War and Peace for the Woodstock generation.

the blurb omits the female character that is very well written and who also comes of age through those times. I finished it on August 22nd I started on August 19th - that's how much it absorbed my interest.

[Jan]

I just finished the classic Ship of Fools by Katherine Anne Porter. It is a character study of passengers aboard a ship in 1931 cruising from Veracruz to Bremerhaven Germany. It depicts a character slice of life in 1931. 4/5 stars

[John]

Finished Brad Thor's BLACK ICE (Black Ice), the latest Scot Harvath adventure. Scot Harvath is in clean-up mode. While investigating a Chinese/Russian plot to disrupt U. S. radar tracking systems, he crosses paths with a group responsible for the deaths of several CIA agents. Most of the action takes place in and around the Arctic Circle, from Oslo, to the Kirkenes, and on to Svalbard, Norway. Three stars for this one.

Next in line is another dtb from my local library, Preston and Child's BLOODLESS (Bloodless), the latest case involving FBI agent Aloysius Prendergast.

John

[Jan]

As an escape read I just finished Agatha Christie's The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. I always enjoy the way she can write a murder mystery!

[Suze73]

I finished Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell. It’s a beautifully written, but excruciatingly painful, story about grief. It’s an imagined account of the death of William Shakespeare’s young son and the effect on the family, particularly Shakespeare’s wife. I admire the author’s skill, but I’m not glad I read it. Too painful. I need a more cheerful book for my next read.

[Jan]

I recently finished Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead. I wish i could say I loved it but I gave it 4 stars. It was told in alternating story/time lines with one of them not as interesting as the other. I loved the historical info on women aviators.

[John]

Finished BLOODLESS (Bloodless) by Preston and Childs. This is vintage Aloysius Pendergast--totally unpredictable. For that reason, anything that I write about it would probably be classified as a spoiler. Your best course of action at this point is to get hold of a copy and read it. Four stars.

John

[Suze73]

I finished The Strange Journey of Alice Pendelbury by Marc Levy. I think I downloaded this one during the week Amazon was giving away a selection of free international novels. The author is supposedly a bestselling author in France. The book is set in post WW2 London and Istanbul. A British woman has her fortune read by a carnival fortune teller, which leads her to journey to Istanbul, accompanied by her cranky neighbor, where she learns about her past and finds true love. It was an easy read and I learned a bit about the awful treatment of the Armenians. Not great literature, but a pleasant way to spend a few hours. 3/5 stars

[John]

Finished OPERATION: SNARE DRUM Operation: Snare Drum: A WWII Submarine Adventure Novel) by Scott Cook. WWII submarine action, primarily on the East Coast of the United States. Captain Art Turner of the USS Bull Shark and his crew match wits with a German sub and it's support vessels at the beginning of WWII. Lots of action, and some real twists in the plot.
Three stars for this one.

John

[Jan]

I read Billy Summers by Stephen King. The story of a hit man hired for his last job. Vintage non horror King. Loved it! 5 stars

[CBRetriever]

finished Blood Shot by Sara Paretsky which was pretty good. It was set in Chicago as are most of the Warshawski series and deals with several intertwined mysteries

and then started on The Coldest Case by Martin Walker starring my favorite French policeman: Bruno in a case of a 30 year old cold case

[John]

Finished THE OPENING CHASE (The Opening Chase) by Cap Daniels. This is the first book in the Chase Fulton series. Follow the exploits of Chase Fulton as he goes from a college baseball star to a first-rate covert agent. There are a lot of bumps in the road, and the twists and turns keep you wondering "What next?" Three stars for this one.

Next in line is Louise Penny's latest adventure featuring Inspector Armand Gamache, THE MADNESS OF CROWDS (The Madness of Crowds).

John

[Suze73]

I finished The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. I like reading a classic once in a while. Good book.

[John]

Finished a dtb from my local library, MADNESS OF CROWDS (The Madness of Crowds) by Louise Penny. Inspector Gamache gets involved in a political nightmare providing security for a controversial professor's lecture. Professor Abagail Robinson is using pandemic statistics to promote euthanasia among other things. When her assistant is killed at a New Years Eve party in Three Pines after the lecture, the Inspector and his Surete Homicide team spring into action. Who killed Debbie Schneider, and why? The list of suspects is long, and the possible motives are vague. There is a lot of intrigue as events of forty years previous are skillfully woven into about four days in the present. Four stars for this one.

Next in line is another dtb from my local library, Robert Ludlum's THE BOURNE TREACHERY (The Bourne Treachery) written by Brian Freeman.

John

[Jan]

I just finished Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid. After putting it down about a month ago I gave it another try and it totally surprised me! It is the story of a singer who makes his way to the top and leaves his wife and family behind. Their story is told throughout the book. 4.5 stars for me.

[John]

Finished THE BOURNE TREACHERY (The Bourne Treachery) written by Brian Freeman. Jason Bourne is tasked with protecting a retired Russian spy. In doing so, he comes across an international assassin who claims to be the original Jason Bourne. Bourne's associate, Nora, finally determines who killed her parents when she was seven years old. Are the two concepts related, and how does the Russian spy's daughter figure into the intrigue. Brian Freeman, the author, is almost as good as the late Robert Ludlum. Three stars for this one.

John

[Suze73]

I finished How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence by Michael Pollan. What a fascinating book! Pollan explores the history and use of psychedelic drugs - magic mushrooms and LSD, in particular - for psychiatric treatment and spiritual growth. A lot of very promising research was being done in the 1950’s and 1960’s into psychedelics’ use in psychiatry. But the government and public opinion turned against their use (and recreational abuse) and all research was abandoned. But now researchers have restarted research into their uses. As part of his research, the author went on several “trips” with experienced therapists. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in how the mind works. 5/5 stars.

[CBRetriever]

rereading two mysteries set in Northern Ireland

The Ghosts of Belfast by Stuart Neville which is also sold as The Twelve set after the ceasefire in Northern Ireland
and
The Cold Cold Ground set during the height of the troubles just after the first death of a hunger striker

both are an excellent look at Northern Ireland during those time periods

[John]

Finished AXIS CROSSING (Axis Crossing) by S. H. Jucha. About a third of the way into this book, it dawned on me--the strange construction of the the intruding space ship could be traced back to the Swei Swee. Later, the appearance of Miriamal, Z, and Miranda brought everything together. This is an extension of Jucha's SILVER SHIPS saga, several hundred years into the future. Alex and Renee have passed into history. but their legacy lives on. Newcomers Escher, Allie, and Ceda are poised to become the leading human characters in this new saga. Four stars for this one.

Next in line is a dtb from my local library, ENEMY AT THE GATES (Enemy at the Gates) by Vince Flynn. Mitch Rapp is on the loose, again.

John

[Suze73]

I finished Portrait of a Scotsman by Evie Dunmore. It’s the latest entry in a Regency romance series featuring women who are fighting for equal rights for women. Although it is a romance, it imparts a lot of information about the legal status of women and the poor conditions endured by Scottish miners at the time. I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys historical romance. It has romance, humor, and social history all rolled into one. 5/5 stars

[John]

Finished ENEMY AT THE GATES (Enemy at the Gates), a Vince Flynn novel written by Kyle Mills. Mitch Rapp is involved in the search for a high-level mole in the CIA. His quest takes him from a medical research facility in Uganda to Saudi Arabia, and on to Washington, DC. There is never a dull moment, and the body count is high as Rapp deals with a drug crazed splinter terrorist group that is intent on killing everybody they can. Three stars for this one.

Next in line is THE CELLIST, Daniel Silva's latest book featuring Gabriel Allon.

John

[Suze73]

I finished The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. It’s a fantasy story about an orphanage for magical creatures. This is a book with a message about self-acceptance, not fearing others who are different from you, and finding family in unexpected places. It’s a good message and the book is nicely written, but there’s nothing remotely subtle about the messaging. It shouts it loud and clear. Read a bit like a YA novel. 3/5 stars

[Jan]

I recently finishedThe Taking of Jemima Boone: The True Story of the Kidnap and Rescue That Shaped America by Matthew Pearl. It was an interesting historical sidenote that I knew nothing about! The kidnapping of Daniel Boone's daughter set off several incidents after our declaration of independence from England. Interesting read. 4/5 stars.

[Jan]

I just finished my spooky book for October, The Broken Girls by Simone St.James. A journalist investigates the site of a former school for wayward girls that was haunted after it is to be rebuilt by new investor. Lots of ghost sitings as the story unwinds. 4.5 stars.

[CBRetriever]

I'm on a Sara Paretsky reading streak right now - trying to finish the books I have that I haven't read

[John]

Finished THE CELLIST (The Cellist) by Daniel Silva. Gabriel Allon puts everything on the line to avenge the gruesome assassination of his friend Viktor Orlov in London. Isobel Brenner is a gifted cello player and an expert at detecting financial irregularities. They combine their talents in an attempt to destroy the financial empire of Arkady Akimov, a Russian oligarch and personal friend of the person who ordered Orlov's death. There is a lot of intricate maneuvering, mainly in England and Switzerland, even as the COVID pandemic rages on. The end result is predictable, but with an unpredictable twist. Once again, there is only a passing reference to Allon's talent for art restoration, which in the past has distinguished his adventures from other covert agents and spies. Three stars for this one.

Next in line is CHOOSERS OF THE SLAIN (Choosers of the Slain) by James H Cobb. This is a new author for me, so I don't know what to expect.

John

[John]

Finished CHOOSERS OF THE SLAIN (Choosers of the Slain) by James H Cobb. Argentina is trying to annex Antarctica. The only obstacle in their way is the USS Cunningham, a stealthy destroyer, commanded by Captain Amanda Garrett. How can a single ship deal with the savage Antarctic winter, and the Argentine navy and air force? Can sheer guts and a lot of "outside the box" thinking help the Cunningham hold the fort until reinforcements arrive? There's a lot of action and a lot of high tech weaponry displayed by both sides as the critical engagement unfolds. Four stars

John

[Suze73]

I finished a non-fiction book, I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life by Ed Yong. Entertaining account of the role microbes play in the world and how they might be utilized for our benefit. 4/5 stars

[John]

Finished EXODUS: ALPHA COLONY BOOK 1 (Exodus: Alpha Colony Book 1) by John Walker.
Humankind is being chased across interstellar space by a swarm of fast moving, voracious insectoids which are not affected by the harsh realities of outer space. The humans manage to escape thru a "passage" which is then destroyed. The loss of their leader makes their landfall at a selected earth-like planet even more problematical. How do they deal with this internal strife, and what do they discover on the surface of their new "home world"? Lots of interesting characters and "touch and go" situations in this one.
Three stars for this one.

Continuing in deep space with S. H. Jucha's CLONE CRISIS (Clone Crisis), the second book in his Gate Ghost's series.

John

[Suze73]

I finished The Untouchable by Irish author John Banville. It’s a novel based on the life of Anthony Blunt, a member of the infamous Cambridge spy ring who fed info to Russia during the mid-20th century. It’s an exquisitely written, character-driven novel. It’s written as a memoir towards the end of his life. You’ll be disappointed if you’re expecting a fast-paced espionage thriller. This is more of a character-driven novel, exploring the psychology of a man who became a Russian spy, esteemed art historian who worked for the Royal family, and closeted gay man at a time when being revealed as gay meant being thrown in jail and losing everything. He’s a complex and not particularly sympathetic character. 5/5 stars

[John]

Finished CLONE CRISIS (Clone Crisis). This is the second installment of S. Hl Jucha's GATE GHOSTS series which describes the activities of the SADES (Self Aware Digital Entities) from his SILVER SHIPS books, projected several centuries into the future. Human clones have been essentially regarded as "throw-away" resources and deprived of medical care and proper living conditions. Escher, Ceda, Allie, Gat'r, and Bethany, with the assistance of "Z", Miranda, and several other SADES get involved in a program to free the clones from their predicament. This involves a lot of wheeling and dealing, and coping with a splinter group of SADES, called the Sisters, who want to dominate all biologicals, regardless of their origin. Four stars for this one.

SEA STRIKE (Sea Strike) by James H Cobb is next in line.

John

[John]

Finished SEA STRIKE (Sea Strike) by James H. Cobb. Hostilities have erupted between Taiwan and Mainland China. Commander Amanda Garrett and the USS Cunningham are part of the US 7th Fleet monitoring the situation. When things appear to be getting out of hand, who is the first to recognize the problem, and to propose a solution--The USS Cunningham, of course. This one has a lot of action, including some extraordinary helicopter activities. Four stars for this one.

Now it is off to covert agent land with THE ASSET (The Asset: American Assassin) by Saul Herzog. New author for me, so I don't know what to expect.

John

[[deleted user]]

I just got Karin Slaughter's 2 series all on my kindle, lots going at the same time, some philosophy, classic fiction and horror, but right now excited about binging Karin! 16 books with a couple novellas, one novella seems to be missing.

[John]

Finished Saul Herzog's THE ASSET (The Asset: American Assassin). This was a little slow getting started, but when it did, it really moved on. Laurel Everlane is a CIA handler trying to convince Lance Spector to come back to active status. An ancient virus that could wipe out a large portion of mankind is in the hands of the wrong people. Laurel and Lance have to work some unusual partners in their effort to stymie the plot. The ending is a bit "iffy" but provides a lead-in to Book 2 of the series. Three stars for this one.

Next in line is a DTB from my local library, Ken Follett's NEVER(Never).

John