You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
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Chit Chat About Books
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What are you reading? - 2021
Mary Jane is working out nicely. It's a nostalgic look back at the 70's. Funny, my friend and I recently took a look back at the candy we used to get when we were younger. This book mentioned the one candy she was talking about. I love coincidences like that.
Oh that is funny. I enjoy books with a bit of nostalgia like that. The 70s and 80s are fun time periods for me to read about right now.
I'm reading 32 Yolks: From My Mother's Table to Working the Line which is Eric Ripert's memoir. It's rather readable. I saw parts of Avec Eric on TV and thought he was a bit of a knob, but since watching Parts Unknown and seeing him on episodes with Anthony Bourdain, I found him a good balance to Bourdain and liked him a lot more (although I think Bourdain is a good balance to him also). And seeing him interact with a friend was much better than some scripted bs.
The book is a bit more of that. Not riveting, but readable and he comes across as likable and infinitely aware of that he can come across as stuck up or a snob. I only grabbed it as I needed a Andorra read, and Lilisa recommended it. Good work Lilisa! Sorry I resisted for 6 months.
Glad you got to check off Andorra, Rusalka. I’m listening to The Madness of Crowds, the latest in the Armand Gamache series - not great and disappointed as I love the series. Have about 20 percent to go with The Power of Geography: Ten Maps That Reveal the Future of Our World, which I’m really enjoying. Also just started The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak.
I am reading A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. I have wanted to read it for a long, and I cannot believe how much I am enjoying it. I started reading Beartown for my museum challenge, but it does not really drag me back after I put it down. The third book I am reading and am almost finished with is An Echo of Things to Come. I am almost at the end, but I decided that I should read more of Beartown before I finish it. I am reading this one in a Buddy Read group.
I am listening to the second Jane Hawk book, The Whispering Room. I just started this one last night.
I really liked Beartown. It was the first Backman book I read. I've had A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court on my kindle for a really long time but haven't read it yet. I guess I should do that.I started Where the Mountain Meets the Moon last night for the Museum Challenge and I'm really enjoying it.
I really liked the Jane Hawk series, Cherie. I think it is one that is best read without too much time between books. The story line continues from one book to the next and can be a bit complicated when you forget things.
I finished Mary Jane last night. It was a fun trip down memory lane.Today, I'll start The City We Became for my museum challenge. I'm hopeful I'll finish the 3rd badge in time.
I finished Dark Tides and found it really boring. Definitely the worst Phillippa Gregory book I've ever read, 2.5 stars.I've just started The Nightjar.
Thanks, Kristie. I am slowly rediscovering Jane and the events from the first book as I read more in the current story. Now that several years have elapsed and more books are published, it will be easier to continue with the series. Jane is quite the woman!
She really is, Cherie. The series is complete now too. The last book wrapped it all up. :)
Roz - I think that I will become more involved in Beartown now that I have been exposed to all of the characters and the “significant event” has happened. A Connecticut Yankee is a romp in the park compared. The Old English text is hard to read at times but Twain’s humor is a gem, when it jumps out. It seems very preacherly at times. I really am interested to see where it is going. It gets more outrageous with each passing chapter. I have to stop and ask myself “when was this published?”, let alone, what century the story is supposed to be taking place in.
I'm reading The City of Mirrors, last book in The Passage trilogy. So far as good as the previous two.I will start soon Torpedoed: An American Businessman's True Story of Secrets, Betrayal, Imprisonment in Russia, and the Battle to for my November book club meeting. It sounded like a great idea when it was suggested, but I am not sure I am in the mood for it right now. We'll see how it goes.
I finished The Lost Apothecary for the themed read. I will start Doll of Dawson tonight for the monthly challenge.
Here's a good gift idea, particularly for girls you want to encourage to read. It is colourful, illustrated, bite-sized tastes of Austen, the Brontës, and others: Why She Wrote: A Graphic History of the Lives, Inspiration, and Influence Behind the Pens of Classic Women Writers by Lauren Burke. 
4★ Link to my review of Why She Wrote with a couple of illustrations.
Michael Jordan still draws crowds, although it's been a long time since we watched him play basketball. His is one of the latest stories featured in the "little people: BIG DREAMS" children's picture book series by Mª Isabel Sánchez Vegara. Great story! (not a fan of the artist this time)
3.5★ Link to my Michael Jordan review with illustrations and a bit extra
I don't always like books that win the Booker Prize, but 1987's Moon Tiger by Penelope Lively is terrific. It was even shortlisted for the Golden Booker, best in 50 years. Straight to the favourites list (or the pool room, for Aussies 😊).
5★ Link to my Moon Tiger review
PattyMacDotComma wrote: " (or the pool room, for Aussies 😊)."What a recommendation!! lol
I'm reading Night of Miracles which is my one-before-last book for the museum challenge.More interestingly, I also started my first ever audiobook! It's a Dutch one, Vrijgevochten.
After abandoning many books so quickly that they didn't even get registered on GR, I've finally setted on Apples Never Fall. The narration (caroline lee) grates on the ear a bit but there's something very comforting about Liane Moriarty writing. I really hope this slump ends soon, there are only 3 episodes of Black Mirror and 5 of You left for me to watch before I lose my mind 🤪
Peggy wrote: "I'm reading Night of Miracles which is my one-before-last book for the museum challenge.More interestingly, I also started my first ever audiobook! It's a Dutch one, [book:Vrijgev..."
Whow Peggy, do you you'll be a convert?
Who knows! First impressions are positive :)It's a 10-hour book though, so even going for 30 minutes every day AND listen to it every day, it will take me 20 days to finish. I need to find more listening-times!
Margo wrote: "After abandoning many books so quickly that they didn't even get registered on GR, I've finally setted on Apples Never Fall. The narration (caroline lee) grates on the ear a bit but..."Just got Apples Never Fall from the library. I'm hoping to get to it soon.
I'm in a bit of a weird slump myself. I enjoy all the books I read. I just don't find myself picking them up. So, it is taking me forever to get through anything.
It is weird, Kristie, isn’t it? I have six book all going at about the same place and I can’t seem to finish any of them. They are all good stories so I keep shuffling between them.
That’s about where I am, Cherie. I’m going to try to start focusing on finishing some before picking up others.
After reading that complex story in the LIcanius series, and then trying to start another complex book, I realized I needed something to clean the palate so downloaded a freebie from Audible Plus, Accidental Tryst: A Romantic Comedy. It wasn't great literature by any stretch of the imagination, but it was quick, light, and silly.
Margo wrote: "After abandoning many books so quickly that they didn't even get registered on GR..."Even though I'm in the same boat (so to speak) and have been abandoning books left and right lately, I still record them on GR (as DNFed). Otherwise, I might try that book again in two years, having forgotten I didn't like it the first time! LOL
That's what I would normally do Jan but at the moment I feel am giving up on books that I might normally enjoy. And I'm giving up after the first chapter- sometimes during the first chapter - that's just not me! I think if I picked some of them up again, when this weird mood has passed (pray that it does 🙏🏻) I might actually enjoy them 😉
Kristie wrote: "Margo wrote: "After abandoning many books so quickly that they didn't even get registered on GR, I've finally setted on Apples Never Fall. The narration (caroline lee) grates on the..."I'm liking it so far Kristie but it goes back and fouth in time a bit which is confusing when my concentration is poor. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts 😄
I had a bad reading slump earlier this year, and I abandoned many books after only a few pages. Eventually I started reading again, but I feel like I am not completely recovered. I'm still picky about what I read, I can't plan more than two books ahead since my mood changes constantly, and I'm struggling to read books that I do not picked, for example the last 3 or 4 for my book club. I guess the only thing I can do is read what I feel like reading, and give it time.
I go for the easy read when I'm in a slump. Complex makes me work too hard and I'm just not there. So a cozy mystery, a silly romance, or combine them like the Miss Fortune Series.I'm starting The Sea of Tranquility today.
I just finished reading One Little Secret for my yearly challenge. I am starting A Vineyard Thanksgiving for fun and Blood and Blade for the yearly challenge.
Sandra wrote: "I had a bad reading slump earlier this year, and I abandoned many books after only a few pages. Eventually I started reading again, but I feel like I am not completely recovered. I'm still picky ab..."That's exactly the way I am Sandra! I hope it doesn't last too long, some of my favourite books have been ones that I didn't pick and wouldn't have picked up without prompting. I REALLY want this to be over before next years challenge is up - though maybe a spot of gophering is just what I need 😉
Peggy wrote: "Who knows! First impressions are positive :)It's a 10-hour book though, so even going for 30 minutes every day AND listen to it every day, it will take me 20 days to finish. I need to find more l..."
I listen while I cook, clean, excercise, etc I always work better when I have a good book to listen to!
Finished The Family on Paradise Pier
by Dermot BolgerMy Review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/4298473321
Yes, my real life book clubs have some heavier books coming up, like American Dirt and Shuggie Bain. I want to read them, but not right now. I'm in the mood for lighter reads. I started The Orphan Collector today for the monthly challenge. I'm also very slowly reading a few other books. I'm almost done with Gilded and I'm reading The Maid. I still need to finish Darkness Falls, Candy Coated Murder, and Unmentionable: The Victorian Lady's Guide to Sex, Marriage, and Manners.
Finished and loved Small Things Like These
by Claire KeeganMy Review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/4333959065
I also haven't been reading as usual for most of the year. I even set my GR challenge to 10 books less than last year (40 instead of 50) and am still 2 books behind!
Peggy wrote: "I also haven't been reading as usual for most of the year. I even set my GR challenge to 10 books less than last year (40 instead of 50) and am still 2 books behind!"Maybe it has something to do with the worldwide stress we've all been under?
Margo, I think that is right.
I've been off my reading for ages. Maybe it's the stress of moving cross country, but I'm so far behind in my in reaching my goal I even lowered it a few months ago and I won't even reach that. Right now I'm reading For the Wolf. No real reason, except that it looked interesting, I wanted something light and it was available through my library.
I finished my monthly challenge read, Doll of Dawson last night. I see the next book I need for my monthly challenge is in transit. All the other books I need for the challenge are audiobooks, so I took a peek at my oldest tbr books, and I shall read The Lost Girl.
I've abandoned For the Wolf, I lost interest quickly. Can't believe it's an opening round Goodreads nominee. I'm back to reading the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. I may take a look at some of the nominees for GR nominees that made it to my tbr and see if I can borrow any from my library. I have several Mysteries, Historical Fiction, SciFi, Fantasy to choose from. See if they live up to the hype.I'll start with Constance since I own it and like the author.
I finished The Sea of Tranquility today. Tomorrow I will start The Long Ships: A Saga of the Viking Age.
I’m reading Island of a Thousand Springs for the monthly challenge and listening to The Beekeeper of Aleppo.
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You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
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Maybe you could read something lighter that has a different holiday setting. Maybe Christmas focused? I find quite a few Christmas stories are romance heavy. I also find a lot of cozies take place in food related shops. lol Oh, maybe a bookstore or library setting cozy! That seems to be popular type of setting as well.