You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
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What are You Reading - 2023
I've got several things going at the moment, but by far the best is Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. It's, I think, my fourth time through: once when it came out, once when my daughter read it so I could discuss it with her, once a year ago in anticipation of a trip to Universal Studios, and now I'm listening to the audio at bedtime with my son. There's something, well, magical about sitting alongside a child discovering the Wizarding World for the first time.
I've just finished a couple.So many readers have loved Barbara Kingsolver's important novel, Demon Copperhead, that I'm sorry I didn't (probably because I'm already familiar with the subjects). But I'm glad she felt compelled to write it.
3★My review of Demon Copperhead
What an amazing woman! Helen Keller, deaf and blind from a childhood disease, travelled the world, inspiring leaders and the public. This children's picture book by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara is all the better for the wonderful artwork by Sam Rudd.
5★ My review of Helen Keller with several illustrations
I finished reading Wolfhunter River yesterday. It was a rather an uncomfortable read in that it deals with so much "guilty by media" and not "acquitted by a court of law". It reflects much of the hate and division we hear each day on the news. I hope there is some lightening of that in the remaining books in the series. Today, I will start Truly Madly Guilty. It's been on my tbr forever and time to call it done.
I finished If the Oceans Were Ink: An Unlikely Friendship and a Journey to the Heart of the Quran for January’s monthly challenge and The White Mosque - review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...I have been spending a lot of time with Donna Leon’s Commissario Brunetti series this month - I’m listening to Unto Us a Son Is Given and reading the ebook Fatal Remedies. I’ve already listened to six books in the series this month. With these two, the total will be eight! No surprise - I’m really enjoying this series set in Venice.
I’m also reading Boxed Wine at Sunset and enjoying it too - about a Peace Corps volunteer couple who spent two years in Vanuatu.
I finished Hester and The Three Locks for my yearly challenge and I am just starting What Child is This? for the same. All of my library audio books are on hold and I need something to listen to while I do some work. I will have to check and see if my daughter downloaded any new choices from Audible. ;o)
Cherie what did you think of Hester?I’m reading The Kitchen Front for my RLBC. It’s ok, but so far I’m finding it a bit flat.
I keep abandoning books... I don't know what is going on with me. I don't think it is a reading slump again. I am reading a lot for my classes, and it seems that I've become overly picky when deciding what I read for fun in my little free time...Well, I'm starting The Count of Monte Cristo because what I need is a book I will fall in love with, and this might be it.
If you have ever heard sisters bicker, you will recognise the shrill voice of the two in this 80-year-old short story, Why I Live at the P.O, by Eudora Welty. With very few changes, it could have taken place today.
4★ My review of Why I Live at the P.O.
Gimpel the Fool, sometimes studied in schools, is a fable-like tale written by Isaac Bashevis Singer and translated by Saul Bellow, who was famous at the time. Good publicity never hurts!
3.5★ My review of Gimpel the Fool
Finished Plunder: a memoir of family property and stolen Nazi treasure
My review: www.Goodreads.com/review/show/5284693937
I think a lot of readers will love
The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell
by Robert Dugoni. Sam Hill is the 'devil boy' with red eyes, who is bullied and ostracised throughout his school years, but his mother assures him God has extraordinary plans for him.
3.5~4★ My review of ...Sam Hell
I Stand Here Ironing is about a mother who is 'informed' that her 19-year-old daughter needs help, so please come in and talk about how 'we' can help her. What follows, is those 19 years in this poignant, very short story by Tillie Olsen. I loved it.
5★ My review of I Stand Here Ironing with a link to the story online.
Shirley wrote: "Cherie what did you think of Hester?I’m reading The Kitchen Front for my RLBC. It’s ok, but so far I’m finding it a bit flat."
I liked Hester very much, Shirley. I thought it was pretty well written. There was some repetition but it was not bad. It was put together pretty well and kept me reading. There was one part of the story that I did not understand for some time, but I finally figured it out just before it was revealed. It made me want to go back and read The Scarlet Letter.
I am currently reading Murder at the Mena House for my yearly challenge and just starting Other Birds for pleasure. I waited a couple of months to get it from my library.Murder started out pretty slow, but it has finally picked up and become much better almost at the end.
Sandra wrote: "I keep abandoning books... I don't know what is going on with me. I don't think it is a reading slump again. I am reading a lot for my classes, and it seems that I've become overly picky when decid..."I hope you fall in love with The Count of Monte Cristo, Sandra!
PattyMacDotComma wrote: "I Stand Here Ironing is about a mother who is 'informed' that her 19-year-old daughter needs help, so please come in and talk about how 'we' can help her. What follows, is those 19 ..."Wow, PattyMacDotComm, what a great story! Thank you for sharing the PDF link. I loved it too!
I think I even miss ironing sometimes. ;o)
I finished a couple:
review - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I also finished Josh and Gemma the Second Time Around. Josh and Gemma reviewI am trying to squeeze in Exiles before the toppler.
I finished Exiles for the yearlong challenge. Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... I’m listening to Suffer the Little Children and reading A Spell of Good Things and holding off on starting others until the toppler in a couple of days.
Fined and enjoyed The Space Between Us
by Thrity UmrigarMy review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/2373008370
I finished Murder at the Mena House and flew through the second book in the series, Murder at Wedgefield Manor for the Feb monthly challenge. I have added A Jane Wunderly Mystery series to my series list. I am looking forward to the third book, maybe after the toppler.
Cherie wrote: "PattyMacDotComma wrote: "I Stand Here Ironing is about a mother who is 'informed' that her 19-year-old daughter needs help, so please come in and talk about how 'we' can help her. W..."Some short stories cover almost as much territory as a novel, don't they? Glad you enjoyed it, Cherie. 😊
It's been years since I first read this famous John Cheever short story, The Swimmer, but I was surprised how much I remembered. It was also made into a Burt Lancaster film (which may have helped my memory).
5★ My review of The Swimmer with a link to where you can find it and other info
If you think you might enjoy historical murder mysteries, I recommend C.S. Harris's Viscount Sebastian St. Cyr series, set in London, early 1800s. Terrific characters and atmosphere. When Maidens Mourn, #7, is another winner.
5★ My review of When Maidens Mourn
SMUT. Yes, really. That's what the title means (among other things).
Shmutz
by Felicia Berliner, is the unusual story of a porn-addicted teen. Not a boy, but a sheltered Jewish girl from an ultra-conservative Hasidic family in New York. I loved it!
5★ My review of Shmutz with nothing graphic
Dwayne Johnson
is admired by adults and kids alike. In Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara's children's biography of The Rock is a good introduction to how he came from wrestling to be the highest paid actor in the world.
5★ My review of Dwayne Johnson (aka The Rock)
I've just finished: 
Exiles My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Maame My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Finished Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead
byOlga TokarczukMy Review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/5320389576
Kristie wrote: "I've just finished: Exiles"I'm in the waiting list for this one. Really looking forward to another Jane Harper book.
I'm slowly advancing with The Count of Monte Cristo, and so far so good.I'm also starting Falling Angels today or tomorrow for my book club February meeting.
If you haven't been collecting the Buzz Books, you're missing a lot of free previews. Buzz Books 2023: Spring/Summer is the usual great selection of excerpts from upcoming books.
5★ My review of the current Buzz Books with several suggestions and a link to download for free
Born to perform, Colombian singer
Shakira
has belly-danced her way around the world and founded her own charity. Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara has added her to the Little People BIG DREAMS series - always good.
4★ My review of Shakira with illustrations
It's time to go back to the books I set aside for the toppler -Purity in Death (audio)
Song of the River (kindle)
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You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
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I stopped reading Bastard Out of Carolina at the 60% mark. It is amazingly written, and I have read enough to know it is a great work, and rate it 4 stars. I just can't read something so tough and sad at this moment.
I started My Sister, the Serial Killer, and so far so good.