2015 Where in the world are you? (Currently reading)

[Jayme]

I am in the Appalachian Mountains with The Secret Wisdom of the Earth and am really enjoying the storyline of life in an ailing coal mine town.

[Rusalka]

Really enjoying it so far. Has a particular creepy feel helped by nordic long nights and lots of snow. Helped along by the fact the weather turned here in Canberra yesterday and was 6 degrees, and we finally started getting the rain you've all been having, so it was a great night to snuggle in bed with the cold and the sound and read about vampires in the snow.

Hopefully will finish it on the weekend, if not before, so will let you know!

[Claire]

I'm in Antigua At The Bottom of the River with Jamaica Kincaid.

[Daisy]

With Light Steam: A Personal Journey through the Russian Baths
I've always been curious about Russian baths. This is interesting--through the eyes of an American ex-patriot.

[Lilisa]

In Canada with Bury Your Dead and a short stay in Canada/back to the island of Borneo with White Man Returns

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Dobar dan! I'm in Croatia with The Hired Man

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I'm in Sweden (although you wouldn't necessarily know it) with A Man Called Ove. A bit over 40% in, I'm loving the unrelentingly grumpy Ove, but it's clear that he is beginning to thaw.

[Lilisa]

I like your humor with Ove Andrea. I enjoyed the book as well. I'm in India with Tell a Thousand Lies.

[[deleted user]]

I am in the Nursing stations at Galipolli with Anzac Girls: The Extraordinary Story Of Our World War 1 Nurses

[Suzanne]

I'm reading my second Peter Hessler book about China with Oracle Bones: A Journey Between China's Past and Present. I really enjoy his writing and I'm learning so much about China's past and present.

[Rusalka]

I'm in 1950s South Africa with A Beautiful Place to Die. Interesting author Malla Nunn. Australian but grew up in Swaziland and book set in South Africa. I see many possibilities depending on what people are using for their criteria this year.

[Tanya]

Rusalka wrote: "I'm in 1950s South Africa with A Beautiful Place to Die. Interesting author Malla Nunn. Australian but grew up in Swaziland and book set in South Africa. I see many ..."

I love this series ... it is set in such an interesting time period.

[Sara]

I was in Israel & Paris with Jerusalem Maiden last week and just started Soul Mountain which takes place in China and Tibat

[[deleted user]]

Currently, I am in modern day North Korea with A Corpse in the Koryo

[Rusalka]

Tanya wrote: "I love this series ... "

Oh awesome! Just started a new job yesterday so my reading is going really slowly. The bits I've read I'm enjoying, but I need a good reading session. I fell asleep with the book on my face yesterday.

[Lilisa]

I am in Turkey with Not Even My Name: A True Story.

[Daisy]

I'm listening to The Remains of the Day. (I have never seen the movie.) And I have a copy of Because Of The Lockwoods from the library that I keep renewing and renewing. I finally opened it just now and it pulled me in immediately.
What this means is: lots of tea cravings while reading about old England.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I've been lingering in New Zealand for a while now with The Luminaries. When I say it is slow I don't mean that to be derogatory in any way. I'm enjoying it very much, the writing is wonderful and the plot is keeping my brain active BUT it is the chunkiest book I have read in a quite a while and I'm not the world's fastest reader.

[Rusalka]

It is indeed a chunkster Andrea. Personally I think it's well worth the time it takes to get through. hope you do too!

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Rusalka wrote: "It is indeed a chunkster Andrea. Personally I think it's well worth the time it takes to get through. hope you do too!"

Yes, I'm in it for the long haul!

[Rusalka]

I'm behind on my reviewing but I just moved on from South Africa to Trinidad and Tobago with The White Woman on the Green Bicycle.

I'll be heading over there (all things going to plan) next year, so getting hopefully a good Trini read in before.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I loved that book! It's so vivid.

[Rusalka]

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "I loved that book! It's so vivid."

Ooo that's a good rec.

[Claire]

I'm in France with Raymond Jean's recently translated Reader for Hire (La Lectrice).

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I'm in Samoa with the classic Coming of Age in Samoa: A Psychological Study of Primitive Youth for Western Civilisation by Margaret Mead

[Sara]

I just left Australia with A Town Like Alice.
I have not decided where I am going to travel next since I am still working on the massive book of

Soul Mountain and can not get used to the format of writing in first and then third person!

[Tanya]

I'm with child soldiers in Liberia with Allah Is Not Obliged

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

In WW2 Scotland with At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen.

[Lilisa]

I'm currently France with Mademoiselle Chanel. I was Nigeria and finished No Longer at Ease - haven't had a chance to write a review yet though.

[Lilisa]

In Vietnam with The Sympathizer.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I'm always looking for books set on all the little tiny islands of the Caribbean so I was excited to find a review copy of The Marriage of Opposites by Alice Hoffman, set on the Dutch St Thomas in the early 1800s.

[Suzanne]

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "I'm always looking for books set on all the little tiny islands of the Caribbean so I was excited to find a review copy of The Marriage of Opposites by Alice Hoffman, set on the Dut..."

Nice! I'll be interested to know what you think of this one.

[Sara]

I finished The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story which took place in Poland during WWII. I also finished Rose of Sarajevo about the conflict of Yugoslavia, Bosnia and Croatia in early 90s. It was a sad story just like every other war stories, but I've learned a lot about the conflict, the history of Muslims & Christians living together for centuries in the region. Over all, it was a very informative read. Currently, I am listening to Stoner, the story of a professor at Colombia University in Missouri in early 1900. The writing is superb even though the story is very bleak.

[Claire]

I'm reading from Vietnam to Canada via Malaysia with a family of refugees, in Kim Thúy's Ru in French.

[Lilisa]

I've got both Rose of Sarajevo and Ru on my TBR list. How are you both liking your respective books Sara and Claire?

[Claire]

Lilisa wrote: "I've got both Rose of Sarajevo and Ru on my TBR list. How are you both liking your respective books Sara and Claire?"

I'm enjoying Ru, it's not a long book and it has many half pages of text which makes for a slower more engaging read.

[Lilisa]

Oh good - sounds like a good book for a lazy summer day.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

For those interested, Rose of Sarajevo was available on Amazon US for almost nothing (<$2) today.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "In WW2 Scotland with At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen."

How was it, Jenny? I bought this during the week, although it's not the kind of book that would normally capture my attention.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

Andrea wrote: "Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "In WW2 Scotland with At the Water's Edge by Sara Gruen."

How was it, Jenny? I bought this during the week, although it's not the kind of book that woul..."

It was okay, not great. My review explains why but may be spoilery if you want to read the book first.

[Sara]

Lilisa wrote: "I've got both Rose of Sarajevo and Ru on my TBR list. How are you both liking your respective books Sara and Claire?"

I liked Rose of Sarajevo since I learned a lot about the conflict in the region. It's a liitle factual in parts & that might bore you a bit.

[Lilisa]

Sara wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "I've got both Rose of Sarajevo and Ru on my TBR list. How are you both liking your respective books Sara and Claire?"

Edited for what I really meant to say...I liked Last Train to Istanbul: A Novel and while I enjoyed it, it was just an ok book for me. Sounds like Rose of Sarajevomight be similar.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

I could be wrong, but I think my next read Mr Wigg (Australia) should be a quick one.

[Sara]

Lilisa wrote: "Sara wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "I've got both Rose of Sarajevo and Ru on my TBR list. How are you both liking your respective books Sara and Claire?"

Edited for what I r..."

I read Last Train to Istanbul: A Novel last year, and it was ok for me. I think I enjoyed Rose of Sarajevo a bit more as it was more educational for me.

[Lilisa]

Sara wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "Sara wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "I've got both Rose of Sarajevo and Ru on my TBR list. How are you both liking your respective books Sara and Claire?"

Edit..."

That's good to know Sara - thanks.

[Lilisa]

In Nigeria with Arrow of God which will complete the African trilogy - it's just ok so far, like the first two books.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

I'm in Barbados with a review copy of The Star Side of Bird Hill: A Novel which actually became available yesterday. Always happy to find a book set on another island, they can be hard to find!

[Lilisa]

Thanks Jenny - don't think I have a Barbados book on my TBR list, now I do :-).

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

One of the books I am reading at the moment is Driving over Lemons: An Optimist in Andalucía - you know the type of book where someone buys a rundown property in a foreign country, brings it up-to-date, goes on to live the good life? Well, it's comfort reading for me, and I haven't read one for a while, so I'm quite enjoying this one.

[Andrea, Slow but steady]

...And we're back! Missed you guys. I'm still reading Driving over Lemons: An Optimist in Andalucía, but have set it aside for the time being to read Code Name Verity which is my selection for France. Enjoying it so far.