2023 - What Are You Reading? Showing 901-950 of 1,321

[Sarah-Hope]

Three Firesis going to be sticking with me for a long time. That protagonist is Girolamo Savonarola, best known as the force behind the late 15th Century Bonfires of the Vanities. Telling the story of Savonarola through fiction is challenging: parts of his life are amply documented in the historical record, but there are gaps that require Mina to draw her own conclusions and paint a portrait of the man as she thinks he may have been.

My ***** review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Jayme(theghostreader)]

I finished Magic's Pawn and starting Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

[PattyMacDotComma]

I recently enjoyed the seventh adventure with Master Mercurius (now Doctor, thank you very much!) in the Netherlands, 17th century. This time, author Graham Brack has him investigating a 'locked-room' Murder In Maastricht where he is supposed to be engaged in a debate about witches. An impossible crime scene? Witches?
My review of Murder in Maastricht

[Carolyn]

The Literary Undoing of Victoria Swann by Virginia Pye is a delightful tale of a woman author in late 19th century Boston known for her popular string of best selling romance novels set in exotic places until her desire to write a novel about real women throws her whole life into turmoil.

review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~]

Norah's Ark by Victoria Williamson

Enjoyed this middle-grade novel though it is a bit more intense than typical MG works. A lovely tale of friendship and understanding.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Sarah-Hope]

The Golden Gate is set in Berkeley and environs during WWII. The view it offers of life during wartime and the characters it features make it a stand-out in a genre that's glutted with the same old-same old. The novel operates on two timelines and two deaths: the recent murder in the Claremont Hotel of a major politician and the death a decade before of the young daughter of a wealthy family.

My ***** review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Sarah-Hope]

Murder In Maastricht

Graham Brack's Master Mercurius mystery series is an absolute delight—and I'm always eager for a new volume. These novels balance mystery with humor. Set in Europe during the late 17th Century, the novels make excellent use of the religious tensions of the time—and Mercurius is in the middle of them. He's a fellow at the Univeristy of Leiden, which requires he be ordained as a protestant priest, but he's also a secret convert to Catholicism and is an ordained priest as well. This makes for complications that are simultaneously serious and ridiculous. In this volume, Mercurius is off with his university's rector to engage in a scholarly debate on whether witchcraft should be considered a form of idolatry. They're facing scholars from the Catholic University of Leuven and appearing before a group of judges drawn from religious figures on both sides of the Catholic-Protestant divide.

My ***** review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Sarah-Hope]

In The Spanish Diplomat's Secret Nev March does quite a solid job of laying false trails, which leaves readers wondering about the solution to the murder through the entirety of the novel. There are several issues—personal, financial, and political—that might have triggered the murder, and none can be easily dismissed. The detectives here are a half-Indian (as in India) private detective and his wife, who is from a wealthy, established family. They've moved to the U.S. where they hope their marriage will draw less hostility. If you enjoy historical mysteries, particularly those that examine issues of social equity and diversity, you'll find The Spanish Diplomat's Secret an engaging and rewarding read.

My **** review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Peggyzbooksnmusic]

Finished Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. 3.5 stars bumped up to 4 stars. Dual time line between 1940's and 1980's.
Link to my short review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Pippa]

Carolyn wrote: " The Literary Undoing of Victoria Swann by Virginia Pye is a delightful tale of a woman author in late ..."

I love the premise of this book. Added to my TBR

[Pippa]

Black Drop
Just started - still on the fence about whether I'm enjoying it or not...but carrying on.

[Pippa]

Just finished

4 stars. My review here :-)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rachel]

Peggyzbooksnmusic wrote: "Finished Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. 3.5 stars bumped up to 4 stars. Dual time line between 1940's and 1980's.
Link to my short review:
ht..."

I read that when it was just out and loved it.

[Peggyzbooksnmusic]

Rachel wrote: "Peggyzbooksnmusic wrote: "Finished Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. 3.5 stars bumped up to 4 stars. Dual time line between 1940's and 1980's.
L..."

Thanks, Rachel! Loved Henry & Keiko. I read a Kindle version that had a very nice interview with the author.

[Rachel]

ICELAND
The Undesired is a standalone Nordic Noir by Icelandic author Yrsa Sigurdardottir. In a gripping, atmospheric story Ódinn is tasked with investigating the Króker Boys Home which took in juvenile delinquents in the 1970s. He soon discovers the mysterious deaths of two of the boys, and as he does so more and more secrets are uncovered. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ here is my review

[Rachel]

Helen wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Miss Aldridge Regrets is a murder mystery by English author Louise Hare set in the 1930s jazz clubs and on..."

Haha yes! You were even less generous than me :-). But yes, it really didn’t take advantage of the historical period or setting, and like you I won’t be reading number 2!!

[PattyMacDotComma]

Great picture book! I loved The Story of Conservation: A first book about protecting nature. Illustrator Amy Husband's artwork adds delightful detail to author Catherine Barr's excellent and simple timelines and history.
My review of The Story of Conservation with several of the illustrations

[Alice]

I am reading the latest book by Sujata Massey The Mistress of Bhatia House

Set in 1922 Bombey. Our protagonist Perveen Mistry is the only Woman Solicitor in India at that time. Very good view of India in the 1920s, well developed characters. I great enjoy this series.

[Patricia]

Rachel wrote: "ICELAND
The Undesired is a standalone Nordic Noir by Icelandic author Yrsa Sigurdardottir. In a gripping, atmospheric story Ódinn i..."
This sounds good. I'll have to check it out!

[Maureen]

I just finished The Madwomen of Paris byJennifer Cody Epstein
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Rachel]

Alice wrote: "I am reading the latest book by Sujata Massey The Mistress of Bhatia House

Set in 1922 Bombey. Our protagonist Perveen Mistry is t..."

Thanks for alerting me to this book. It is now on my wish list at the library.

[Rachel]

Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity

I started reading this today. The book is very chatty but I am going to try to keep going with it. The doc talks about what you might like to do in your later years and plan for it. I am already in my later years so I am hoping to glean some information.

[Carolyn]

Pippa wrote: "I love the premise of this book. Added to my TBR"

Hope you enjoy it Pippa!

[Carolyn]

I enjoyed the third book in Katharine Schellman's Regency cosy mystery series. This one was murder after a house party where guests are snowed in for a couple of days.

Murder at Midnight

review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Janice]

Lessons in Chemistry

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~]

Finally read Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch! What an amazing book!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[PattyMacDotComma]

Now I have to read the next two! The Black House is the first of Peter May's popular Lewis Trilogy, and it was terrifying, moving, and compelling. Great read.
My review of The Black House

[PattyMacDotComma]

If you have someone in your life who thinks they're hopeless, show them Beatrice Blue's cute book, Once Upon a Witch's Broom. It follows a pair of little witches, one confident, one anxious, from toddlerhood to old age.
My review of Once Upon a Witch's Broom with several of the illustrations

[Jayme(theghostreader)]

Finished Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and starting Acorna's Search

[Peggyzbooksnmusic]

Jayme wrote: "Finished Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and starting Acorna's Search"

Jayme; hoped you enjoyed Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. One of my favorite reads!

[Peggyzbooksnmusic]

Finished Confessions of a Courtesan by Elizabeth Charles AKA Deborah Hale. Historical fiction/romance set in late 18th England. Rated the writing 3 stars although would rate the audio narration by Gabrielle Baker 4 stars.

[Jayme(theghostreader)]

Peggyzbooksnmusic wrote: "Jayme wrote: "Finished Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and starting Acorna's Search"

Jayme; hoped you enjoyed Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. One of my..."

I read it before and liked it. I never got to see the movie.

[Jayme(theghostreader)]

I am starting Acorna's Search

[Peggyzbooksnmusic]

Jayme wrote: "Peggyzbooksnmusic wrote: "Jayme wrote: "Finished Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and starting Acorna's Search"

Jayme; hoped you enjoyed [book:Snow Flower and the Secre..."

Jayme, Thanks, I didn't realize there was a movie!

[Jayme(theghostreader)]

Yeah, there is. The movie came out in 2011. It has been out for awhile. You can probably watch it off of Netflix.

[Rachel]

Jayme wrote: "Yeah, there is. The movie came out in 2011. It has been out for awhile. You can probably watch it off of Netflix."

I did not know there was a movie of Snow Flower, either.

[Barb]

I've been reading all 7 of The Seven Sisters books by Lucinda Riley, including the final book, Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt by Lucinda Riley

[Rachel]

The Moon Sister by Northern Irish author Lucinda Riley is the fifth book in The Seven Sisters series, featuring the adopted daughters of Pa Salt, each named after one of the stars in the Pleiades. This is Tiggy’s story (Taygete) and shifts between her life on the Kinnaird estate in the Scottish highlands and the story of her Gitano (gypsy) ancestors in Spain. Here is my review

[Rachel]

Barb wrote: "I've been reading all 7 of The Seven Sisters books by Lucinda Riley, including the final book, Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt by [author:Lucinda Riley|..."

I have mixed feelings about this series. The concept is very addictive but sometimes the execution is a bit flimsy. Which books were your favourites?

[Rachel]

The Distant Hours is a historical fiction with a deliciously gothic feel by award-winning Australian author Kate Morton, featuring a decaying castle, three ancient sisters, a missing man, child evacuees during the 1940s Blitz and a host of secrets. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ here is my review (AA)

[Rachel]

Victoria and Albert

I just borrowed this book for a buddy read.

[Barb]

Rachel wrote: "Barb wrote: "I've been reading all 7 of The Seven Sisters books by Lucinda Riley, including the final book, Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt by [author:L..."

My faves so far have been The Sun Sister & The Shadow Sister. I'm currently reading the final book: Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt. The historical aspects in these books are quite on mark & I love that each book focuses on a different part of the world.

[Pippa]

My review of about that didnt quite press my buttons. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Moving on to which seems to follow a trend for tales about spooky old houses with secrets.

[Rachel]

Victoria and Albert

The Red Balcony: A Novel

This has been downloaded by I have not started it yet.

[PattyMacDotComma]

Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder is Aussie author Kerryn Mayne's debut novel, which shows how childhood trauma could break or make lonely primary school teacher Lenny.
My review of Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder

[Barb]

The Last White Man by Mohsin Hamid

[Rachel]

The Red Balcony: A Novel

I have just started this and am enjoying it.

[Sandy]

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden. I'm definitely enjoying it at about 15% in.

[Joan]

Sandy wrote: "The Housemaid by Freida McFadden. I'm definitely enjoying it at about 15% in."

I have now read ALL of this author's books and there isn't a bad one in whole lot. Enjoy!

[Melissa]

I recently read Marilla of Green Gables.