Need a good historical romance. Other genres too. discussion
General
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Discussion of HR and other books. And recs.
OLT wrote: "Is the Brother Cadfael series by Ellis Peters one of those you have read already? I'm assuming so. That's another series with books I pick up slowly when on sale, but I like Shardlake a tad better ..."Message 449:
OLT,
Yes, I have some of the Cadfael series on Kindle that I bought when they were cheap, but now the *specials* of that series aren't available in my region. However, I have read the whole series in hardback from the library.
I'll take a look at the series you suggested as your last recommendation is such a success. Many thanks.
I'm halfway through Bk 5 and have noticed that Sansom is using more obscenities and has begun slipping in the occasional description of gratuitous violence. From memory, I think there was one in Bk 3 or 4 involving a cat and in Bk 5 it's a little spaniel. The cat was only a sentence and the dog a paragraph, but there was no need for either. I am hoping that doesn't increase in the rest of the books.
I have a lot of free books in my TBR folder that are old mystery-murders, mystery, mild thrillers, war, history (nonfiction), and just "slice of life" stories. Authors: C. S. Forester, J. S. Fletcher, Louis Tracy. I like all these authors and am very grateful to the volunteers who digitise them and put them on Amazon, and don't charge! I'm surprised Jeff allows it :)
Vivienne, Sansom does seem to enjoy putting a good amount of graphic description in these books. Perhaps to give us a better idea of the grim and gritty times? Have you read Ariana Franklin's 4-book series, Mistress of the Art of Death? The protagonist is a woman doctor/forensic scientist during the time of Henry II, if memory serves (which it usually does not). Not complete closure to the series, because she passed away not too long ago, unfortunately.
Mod
Message #457. I must profess my ignorance on high tech. Thanks
for clarification. My hubs has Apple smart-phone but he's not familiar w/ all features.
HR-ML wrote: "Carol,Message #457. I must profess my ignorance on high tech. Thanks
for clarification. My hubs has Apple smart-phone but he's not familiar w/ all features."
The website for your library should have an option to go to one of these sites. On the site you will enter your library information and get instructions on how to download book on your chosen tech gadget. I use hoopla and I when I look at a book on Amazon or Goodreads with my computer, I'm notified if my it is available through my library or hoopla and in what form. I can press on a button and download it, if it's available. This feature doesn't seem to be on my Kindle Fire or phone. It's a very good thing, but took me awhile to figure it out.
Mod
Message #457. I must profess my ignorance on high tech. Thanks
for clarification. My hubs has Apple smart-phone but he's not familiar w/ all features."
The website for your ..."
Thanks Carol, you are always helpful!
oh, I believe you have to download the app on the tech gadget you want to read on. it's been awhile since I did it.
Carol wrote: "oh, I believe you have to download the app on the tech gadget you want to read on. it's been awhile since I did it."I have hoopla on my kindle fire, I believe. It's been a while since I read a book from them.
OLT wrote: "Vivienne, Sansom does seem to enjoy putting a good amount of graphic description in these books. Perhaps to give us a better idea of the grim and gritty times? Have you read Ariana Franklin's 4-b..."
message 460:
OLT,
No, I haven't read that series (query: does four books qualify as a series?).
When I wrote "violence" I should have used "cruelty".
I don't like obscenities at any time but can cope with some, but I draw the line at the "c" word. If he uses that word again I will stop reading and go on to something else.
Mod
"I'm So Sorry! Romance Novels, Bad Behavior & Forgiveness."
HR-ML wrote: "New York Times 03/10/21 article. "I'm So Sorry! Romance Novels, Bad Behavior & Forgiveness.""
I read Love Lettering. It gave it 3 stars. It was a kind of different love story with a little ESP Love at or something like that thrown in. I have now added [book:Love at First to my TBR list. Not rushing though, too many others I want to read.
The others the article mentioned do not interest me.
Well, I finally downloaded the third Jayne Fresina Bespoke book. I read your review, OLT, and have to admit was worried I wouldn't be able to make it through the book. But, I have decided to give it a whirl.
Roberta2 wrote: "Well, I finally downloaded the third Jayne Fresina Bespoke book. I read your review, OLT, and have to admit was worried I wouldn't be able to make it through the book. But, I have decided to give i..."I know what you mean. The first time I tried to read it I put it down after just a chapter or two.
I've had it since March and haven't read it yet. :( Life is just too dang busy.
HappyBookWorm2020 wrote: "I've had it since March and haven't read it yet. :( Life is just too dang busy."Okay, HBW. I'm going to call you on this one. Have you read any other books since downloading the Fresina #3? I bet you have. Let's face it. You can't face #3. And that's so understandable. It's not her best work. The beginning is almost a caricature or parody of her trademark writing and busy people can't be bothered with it. I'm retired and lazy as you-know-what.
OLT wrote: "HappyBookWorm2020 wrote: "I've had it since March and haven't read it yet. :( Life is just too dang busy."Okay, HBW. I'm going to call you on this one. Have you read any other books since downloa..."
I marked it TBR, but maybe I'll skip it now.
I'm actually very happy I read #3. The last half rewarded me for having put up with first half. But if you are busy, like HBW, it may not be worth the aggravation.
OLT wrote: "I'm actually very happy I read #3. The last half rewarded me for having put up with first half. But if you are busy, like HBW, it may not be worth the aggravation."Hmm, guess I'll put back on my list.
OLT wrote: "I'm actually very happy I read #3. The last half rewarded me for having put up with first half. But if you are busy, like HBW, it may not be worth the aggravation."OLT,
Do you remember how disappointed we were with the 2nd "Bespoke" book? After enjoying the first book so much, I was so disappointed with the second that I didn't even bother reviewing it.
It was the same with "Slowly Fell" and "Slowly Rising", although a second reading of the latter changed my opinion somewhat and I have read it thrice (do people still use this word?).
BTW, what happened to Jane Steen's "Lady Helena" series? I have book 1 but can't find any more in the series on Amazon.
Vivienne, I don't know what's going on with Lady Helena. I keep checking to see if #2 is on the way, but no joy. Have you read Steen's Behind Closed Doors books? Perhaps I have to reread those instead.
I am looking forward to rereading The Snowdrop for the holiday season. I remember loving that book, and it's been long enough that I have forgotten some of it.
OLT wrote: "Vivienne, I don't know what's going on with Lady Helena. I keep checking to see if #2 is on the way, but no joy. Have you read Steen's Behind Closed Doors books? Perhaps I have to reread those inst..."OLT,
I have three of the four books. I'm not sure now why I didn't get #4, but it could have been that three books of angst were enough.
I know that was the problem with the "Stephen Attebrooke" series. When something good happened for him, it was immediately followed by something that not only negated the good, but left him in a worse state than he had been before the good thing happened.
(Please excuse my appalling syntax).
OLT wrote: "HappyBookWorm2020 wrote: "I've had it since March and haven't read it yet. :( Life is just too dang busy."Okay, HBW. I'm going to call you on this one. Have you read any other books since downloa..."
Oh, yes, I have read other books. I had a spate of re-reading old favorite series because I just could not concentrate enough to read new ones. I did start the Fresina book earlier this week, and so far, I'm not wowed by it.
Not kidding about being busy. September and October is busy at work, and this year, everything that could break did. Then I had ten kittens with upper respiratory infections and many different types of intestinal parasites .... It's hard to have so many but I just couldn't live with the guilt if I had left them at our already overstretched shelter. At one time I was giving 22 doses of medication a day.
I was late getting in some of my Netgalley reviews, which bothered me a lot. I'm getting caught up there now.
OLT wrote: "I'm actually very happy I read #3. The last half rewarded me for having put up with first half. But if you are busy, like HBW, it may not be worth the aggravation."OLT, that is good news. Encourages me to pick it up again.
While I was reading ARCS, I read two that really stood out for me. The first one is historical romance and the second one is contemporary. A lot of it is about mother-daughter conflict and is very well written. The main character is a respected photographer of animals in their native habitat. Her suburban mother keeps trying to match-make for her, even though she has a boyfriend (when she is in the states). The bare thought of commitment makes her want to pack her bags and head off to Australia for a year. The book is about what made her this way.
After Dark with the Duke Loved it so much I read it twice - by Julie Ann Long
The Red Bike contemporary, really good book
HappyBookWorm,Oooh. I have preordered After Dark with the Duke. Now, I can't wait until November 30th.
Roberta2 wrote: "HappyBookWorm,Oooh. I have preordered After Dark with the Duke. Now, I can't wait until November 30th."
I hope you like it. I do like books with older men/younger women - I suppose it is from reading These Old Shades at a young age.
About the kittens, I would have had to have lied and said they were mine. None of our shelters in Alabama accept animals from out of county now, and my sister's county has no shelter. I used to be able to use the shelter in my county when I paid $50/animal. So. I now have 10 kittens who will stay with us for life. I'll be in my 80's when I am catless. I really do recommend The Red Bike. I've re-read parts of it too, and want to re-read the whole thing to pick up on all the little hints. It is contemporary. The main character is a photojournalist who takes assignments that may take her to remote overseas locations for as much as a year. This suits her just fine, as the less she sees of her mother, the better she likes it. She dislikes her intensely. Her mother wants her to stop traveling, get married, and have children. Her plan horrifies the daughter. She does have a steady boyfriend although both are free to see other people. She avoids attachments and the book is about the reasons for that.
OLT wrote: "I'm actually very happy I read #3. The last half rewarded me for having put up with first half. But if you are busy, like HBW, it may not be worth the aggravation."Oh, I'll get to it. I think I've read most of Fresina's books. September and October have been somewhat stressful. :(
Mod
Sorry you have 10 kittens. COVID has turned everything upside
down, even animal shelters.
message 484:HBW2020,
I love "These Old Shades", which I read as a teenager. I wasn't as impressed with the son's story, although I was delighted that the old roue was still himself (and still alive!) after decades of domesticity. And that he and his wife (I've forgotten names) were still passionately in love, and he could still silence with a look.
HR-ML wrote: "HBW2020---Sorry you have 10 kittens. COVID has turned everything upside
down, even animal shelters."
Aw, they are precious. When I retire, I can spend more time with them. The situation may not be ideal, but it's okay. Picture me in a chair with my feet on the ottoman, covered with kittens.
Vivienne wrote: "message 484:HBW2020,
I love "These Old Shades", which I read as a teenager. I wasn't as impressed with the son's story, although I was delighted that the old roue was still himself (and still al..."
Justin, the Duke of Avon, and Leonie, his wife. Loved those books. His brother was Rupert. I can probably quote a few passages, I read it so many times. "Stap me if I do! - or something like that. That is Rupert. He was prone to snatching his wig off his head. (if I am remembering correctly)
OLT, I am now 62% into #7, and I'm not liking the direction it seems to be heading. I know the history of the story, and part of me wants to look at the final chapters to see what happens toShardlake. I have done that only once before (not in this series) and the book didn't end the way I'd thought so I'd ruined it for myself, and I don't want to do that with this one. What a quandary :(
PS. I have realised that you mentioned that the books, or maybe just the last one, are $12.99 for you, but you had bought them on special for $2.99. The only price I see when I look is $6.99, which is what I paid for each one. That means that for some unknown reason, I can buy books more cheaply than you. I never thought I would be able to do that, and I would be interested to know why, but I don't think Amazon is going to tell me.
message 490HBW2020,
I have just spent about 15 minutes typing a very long post to you but just as I was about to press "post" it disappeared.
That is the third time today. Has anyone else had this problem?
I am sorry, but I can't type it all again so will merely say that taking on ten kittens is a huge commitment and I salute you. You will be an "old cat lady", as we call them here, and my daughter is well on the way to becoming one as well :)
(Goodness. The Google keyboard remembered that part and typed it in almost by itself!)
I'll stop here in case this much shorter message disappears too.
That happened to me on Sunday. With a book review. It just disappeared when I pressed post.
message 492:OLT,
I am so glad I didn't peek ahead. I am at 85% now but have to stop reading as it is 2.50am!
Great value for the money - 876 pages for $6.99, and a compelling story. I shall feel quite bereft when I come to the end.
Shaz, Maybe GR is having a few glitches with their systems. It sometimes happens when there are updates to the software; and sometimes a technician accidentally does something while fixing something else. Both those seem to be fairly common in large scale businesses/institutions as the bigger they are, the more complex their technology, and therefore, more scope for glitches.
Vivienne wrote: "message 492:OLT,
I am so glad I didn't peek ahead. I am at 85% now but have to stop reading as it is 2.50am!
Great value for the money - 876 pages for $6.99, and a compelling story. I shall fee..."
I am just finishing up Heartstone, #5. Only have #6 left on my Kindle so I'm going slowly and reading other books in between. And, yes, I bought all six for $1.99. Perhaps one of them at $2.99. A real bargain, IMO. I assume I'll have to bite the bullet and pay full price for #7.
Vivienne, BTW, Danker recommended to me this book by C.J. Sansom, Winter in Madrid, that takes place during, I believe, the Spanish Civil War. The day after she told me about it it went on sale for $1.99. I should have played the Florida Lottery that same day. Anyway, I haven't read it yet, but she enjoyed it, I believe, even more than the Shardlake books.
Vivienne wrote: "message 490HBW2020,
I have just spent about 15 minutes typing a very long post to you but just as I was about to press "post" it disappeared.
That is the third time today. Has anyone else had ..."
Thank you, Vivienne. They are precious. fyi I've had some things disappear too - just thought it was user error.
OLT wrote: "Vivienne, BTW, Danker recommended to me this book by C.J. Sansom, Winter in Madrid, that takes place during, I believe, the Spanish Civil War. The day after she told me about it it we..."message 498:
OLT,
Thanks. I have already looked at that but I don't like reading about that period in Spain's history. I have read a couple of books that were set during the war and I couldn't finish one of them. I have also read an excellent non-fiction book about the war, and what led up to it, and the aftermath. It was chilling.
We visited my mother-in-law today and went for a long drive to do some leaf peeping. We saw some colorful leaves but not as many as you would think. We drove to Mount Cheaha. the highest spot in Alabama. Really beautiful.
We still have leaves on the trees here which is a bit late for us, but October was warm.
HBW2020, It's all your fault! I have gone from 1549 to 1756(ish) and am now immersed in *These Old Shades*. I remember a lot of it but I'm quite surprised by how much I have forgotten.
Enjoy your leaves. I used to love jumping in great piles of leaves and couldn't understand why people got so upset, until it became one of my chores to sweep the leaves into a pile.
Roberta2 wrote: "We still have leaves on the trees here which is a bit late for us, but October was warm."Most of our leaves are still green.
Vivienne wrote: "HBW2020, It's all your fault! I have gone from 1549 to 1756(ish) and am now immersed in *These Old Shades*. I remember a lot of it but I'm quite surprised by how much I have forgotten.
Enjoy yo..."
I remember doing that as a child (jumping in the leaves). Later one we just ran the lawnmower over them.
I did a re-read of my favorite Georgette Heyer's books a few years ago. I may have to do it again. One of my favorites by her is the one with Miles and Abigail. Black Sheep And then there is Frederica and Venetia and the Unknown Ajax - ah, hours of happy reading.
Mod
Tonight is the Daylight Savings switch where we set our clocks
back one hour.
Our clocks went back last weekend. Take a few days for body clock to get used to the new time. ⏰
Ours went forward on Sunday, 26 September. 🧭message 505:
HBW2020,
Those are my favourites too, especially The Black Sheep and The Unknown Ajax. Last night I started Mimi Matthews *Christmas by Gaslight*. It’s my favourite Matthews, and even though it's not Christmas yet I saw it as I was cruising through my HRs and it's just what I need right now :)
Need a good historical romance. Other genres too.
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OLT, I look at the longer reviews also, and am more apt to check the 4-star ones first, and then some of the negatives before I look at the 5-star ones.
Speaking of 5 star reviews, I finished reading Her Smile by Carla Kelly, and was so impressed with it. It is about a horrible, unjust time in US history - our treatment of Indians - so be warned about that. I didn't want to put it down and have already re-read parts of it. I am sure I will re-read it soon.
For those who do not know, Carla Kelly is also a historian.
The only quibble I had was that at times the main character seemed to have some knowledge not common in her period and society, but those were small quibbles and were useful in the story. For example, she referred to Indians as having a Stone Age culture - which they did - but I wondered if an 18-year-old girl living in post-Civil War American would know that.