The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
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What are you currently reading?
I started Number the Stars for a quick read while I'm also reading Goodbye Days and 1984. I read a few books at a time, it's just my thing lol.
I get confused trying to read two books at a time.
E Is For Evidence – Sue Grafton – 3***
Book five in the “alphabet” series has PI Kinsey Milhone dreading a not very merry Christmas; she’s accused of insurance fraud and finds herself out on her own trying to clear her name. What I love about the series is the time frame – no cell phones or computers. Kinsey has to rely on her wits and good old-fashioned leg work to ferret out the information she needs. There are a lot of characters, most of whom are suspects, and enough twists and turns to keep this reader guessing right up to the reveal.
LINK to my full review
High Tide In Tucson – Barbara Kingsolver - 4****
Kingsolver was already a successful novelist when this collection of essays was published. She relates her thoughts on family, home, politics, nature, social issues and personal responsibility with humor, compassion, wit and integrity. Her training as a scientist is evident, as is her talent as a poet.
LINK to my full review
Looking for suggestions where to put this book for the challenge. - Between other books, I am working my way through These Truths: A History of the United States by Jill Lepore. It kills me to put this 900+page book under the 5.10 option, but I don't see anything else. Maybe the 50-point task will work since I won't be done till after that comes out. Any other ideas?
Robin P wrote: "Looking for suggestions where to put this book for the challenge. - Between other books, I am working my way through These Truths: A History of the United States by [author:Jill Le..."
You might want to post this in the fit this book thread
Bookish And the Beaast – Ashley Poston – 3***
Book number three in the Once Upon a Con series can easily be read as a standalone. Rosie Thorne, high school senior and geek girl bookworm, and Hollywood bad boy Vance Reigns, who plays the villain in the Starfield movies, are the lead couple. It’s a YA romance, full of the drama of homecoming, friends, frenemies, gossip, the pitfalls of social media, and a bit of Comic-Con nerdiness thrown in. I can certainly see the appeal for the intended audience.
LINK to my full review
The Four Winds – Kristin Hannah – 4****
As she did in The Nightingale , Hannah uses female characters to tell a bit of the history of a time and place. In this work, the timeframe is 1920s to mid-1930s, and the place is America, specifically the Great Plains and California. I loved the three central women in the books: Elsa, her daughter Loreda, and her mother-in-law Rosa. Very reminiscent of Steinbeck’s masterpiece The Grapes of Wrath
LINK to my full review
Buy a Whisker – Sophie Ryan – 3***
Book two in the Second Chance Cat Mystery series, featuring Sarah Grayson, proprietor of Second Chance, a consignment shop in North Harbor, Maine, and her rescue cat, Elvis. It’s a pretty typical cozy mystery. There are enough suspects and red herrings to keep the reader engaged and guessing, and an interesting regular cast of colorful, quirky characters.
LINK to my full review
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Family Reunion – Nancy Thayer – 3***
Thayer specializes in family dramas set on Nantucket. As per usual there is at least one troubled marriage, a grandchild that relates more to grandma than to parents, a possible new romance (or two), and at least one pet too cute for words. And in this case, there is also a major decision regarding whether to keep the home that’s been in the family for generations or sell out to developers willing to pay millions of dollars for prime ocean-front land. It’s a quick read full of mostly likeable characters in recognizable situations. Perfect choice for a vacation read.
LINK to my full review
Iona Iverson’s Rules For Commuting – Clare Pooley – 3***
This is a delightful ensemble piece featuring Iona Iverson, a woman of a certain age, who has long held a position as an advice columnist, and the other regular riders of a particular tube route in London. I really liked all these characters, even the insufferable Piers, and enjoyed watching how their expanded circle of friendship affected each of them. I worried for some of them as their backstories unfolded and cheered them all on as they emerged from their troubles and all vowed to “be more Iona.” It’s my own new rallying cry!
LINK to my full review
The World That We Knew – Alice Hoffman – 4****
Hanni Kohn recognizes the imminent danger the Nazi’s pose, so she goes to a rabbi for help. But it is the rabbi’s daughter, Ettie, who offers to make the mystical golem who will protect Hanni’s daughter, Lea. Once Ava is brought to life, she will join with Lea and Ettie to escape to France. Although separated their paths are fated to intersect. I was skeptical about reading another WW2 story, but Hoffman’s writing captured my attention and kept me interested and engaged throughout
LINK to my full review
The Chicken Sisters – K J Dell’Antonia – 3.5***
Two competing chicken restaurants founded a century ago by sisters are the subject of a reality-TV “food war.” In addition to the long-running family feud continues with a current “feud” of sorts between sisters Amanda and Mae. There are some family secrets that come out, a new hunky chef, a manipulative TV producer who wants more conflict, and more than one effort to sabotage the competition which all serve to keep the plot moving forward with surprises, twists and insights into the family dynamic. There can only be ONE winner of “Food Wars” and in this case, it’s the reader.
LINK to my full review
Mistress Of the Ritz – Melanie Benjamin – 3.5***
As she has done for many other women in history, Benjamin, turns her attention to a previously little-known woman who made a significant impact. This novel focuses on Blanche Auzello, a former American actress who was married to Claude Auzello, the manager of the Hotel Ritz in Paris, and their experiences during the Nazi occupation of Paris. I was completely caught up in the story from beginning to end. It’s worth reading the author’s note at the end to learn the few facts the author had on which to frame this engaging work of fiction.
LINK to my full review
Invisible Women – Caroline Criado Pérez – 5*****
Subtitle: Data Bias In a World Designed For Men. The author explores how the gender data gap harms women, sometimes with life-threatening results. Criado Pérez has done extensive research but she does more than just present her findings. Her writing is clear, logical, and compelling. Read this book!
LINK to my full review
Book Concierge wrote: " Invisible Women
– Caroline Criado Pérez – 5*****
Subtitle: Data Bias In a World Designed For Men. The author explores how the gender data gap harms women, ..."
We use this as a reference in the women peace and security elective at the schools work at
Queen of America – Luis Alberto Urrea – 4****
Urrea picks up where he left off in The Hummingbird’s Daughter and continues the story of his great aunt, Teresita Urrea, “The Saint of Cabora” or “Mexican Joan of Arc.” Teresita is in turns sheltered and looked after, abused, taken advantage of, earning and taking charge of her celebrity, and finding peace. Set against the backdrop of historical events in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Urrea gives us a woman who has earned a place in history and legend.
LINK to my full review
The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba – Chanel Cleeton – 3***
For her fourth book featuring a member of the Perez family, Cleeton turned to history and one exceptional Cuban woman – Evangelina Cisneros – who was instrumental in the fight to liberate Cuba from Spanish rule. Basing most of the novel of actual events, Cleeton filled in with two fictional characters: journalist Grace Harrington, and Marina Perez, a Cuban caught in the conflict between Spain and those seeing independence for the island.
LINK to my full review
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Elementary, She Read – Vicki Delany – 3***
First in a new (to me, at least) series starring Gemma Doyle who is helping her great uncle Arthur run his bookshop. This has all the elements of a successful cozy mystery series, including a cute pet (in this case the black cat named Moriarty and a best friend who runs a complimentary business. I loved all the book references, and thought the basic premise was sufficiently plausible to keep me interested and engaged.
LINK to my full review
The Barbizon – Paulina Bren – 4****
Subtitle: The Hotel That Set Women Free. Bren has done her research and chronicles the history of the iconic hotel from its construction in 1927 to its conversion to multi-million dollar condominiums in 2007. As she tells the story of the hotel, she tells the story of women in America, of their hopes, dreams and aspirations as contrasted with society’s expectations and the structured roles assigned to “proper” women.
LINK to my full review
The Gunslinger – Stephen King – 2.5**
This is the first in the novels that comprise King’s epic odyssey “Dark Tower” series. In it, he introduces the reader to Roland Deschain, a “gunslinger. ” Haunted and determined, Roland wanders a bleak landscape in search of the man in black, determined to eradicate evil. There is something about Roland that makes me want to follow him, that makes me believe that he is “a good guy” and the kind of hero I want to cheer for. Still, I’m left with more questions than answers, and a general sense of unease. I have no desire to continue the series to find out what happens next.
LINK to my full review
Hidden Valley Road – Robert Kolker – 3.5***
Subtitle: Inside the Mind of an American Family. The Galvin family certainly seemed the quintessential successful post-WW2, Eisenhower-era family, but six of their twelve children were diagnosed with schizophrenia. They became the subjects of numerous research projects. I don’t think I would have read this book were it not for my F2F book group. I found interesting and informative, but it was not always compelling.
LINK to my full review
Blackbird House – Alice Hoffman – 3***
This is a collection of vignettes, spanning two-plus centuries, all set in the same house / farm on the tip of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. beginning when the area was still a British colony and ending in the early 21st century. I found these stories enchanting and mesmerizing, though I’m hard pressed to say what exactly it was about them that so charmed me. Maybe that is the magic of Hoffman’s storytelling.
LINK to my full review
Currently reading The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo! And I absolutely looove it!!! I got to my class late because I got so carried in it 😆
The Unconsoled –Kazuo Ishiguro – 3***
This is a story about Ryder, an internationally renowned pianist, who arrives in an unnamed European city to give a concert he has no memory of agreeing to give. Ishiguro is a brilliant writer, but this was a really challenging work. It is the stuff of dreams, or perhaps nightmares. People come and go, and Ryder (not to mention the reader) is left trying to puzzle out what is happening.
LINK to my full review
Lucky In Love – Kasie West – 3***
This is a pretty typical YA romance. The interesting twist, of course, is Maddie’s status as a BIG lottery winner, and that definitely does complicate things for her. I really liked Maddie. She’s young and inexperienced but generally has a pretty good head on her shoulders. She values family relationships and true friendships. All in all, it’s a fast, fun read.
LINK to my full review
The Eyes of the Dragon – Stephen King – 3.5***
Well, this was a fairy tale I never expected from Stephen King. I was reminded of a number of classic fairy tales, adventure quests and such that enthralled and entertained me when I was a child. This story speaks directly to the child that still dwells inside me. It allows me to suspend disbelief while I cheer for the hero and hiss at the villain.
LINK to my full review
The Heart Goes Last – Margaret Atwood – 4****
In a country facing economic and social collapse, Stan and Charmaine struggle to hold onto their love and their marriage. Damn but Atwood is a fine writer! I love how she shows us this young couple , their dreams and ambitions revealed through their actions. What IS love? Is it passion and excitement? Is it devotion and sacrifice without thought to self? Can we choose whom and how to love, or is it an emotion so powerful that we are helpless in its grasp, destined to follow the path laid out before us?
LINK to my full review
The Coyotes of Carthage – Steven Wright – 4****
Andre Ross has one more shot to salvage his career as a hotshot political consultant. Sent to a backwater community in South Carolina, he’s tasked with passing an initiative that no one has even considered. I found this riveting and informative. I could not help but think of our current political climate and the way the populace is manipulated by the message.
LINK to my full review
Remarkably Bright Creatures – Shelby Van Pelt – 4****
Van Pelt weaves disparate characters into a tapestry of love, forgiveness and second chances. The story is tender and heart-warming and charming, if a little unbelievable. I was completely captured by it and loved every minute I spent with them. The ending is pretty perfect. This is a strong debut and I eagerly await the author’s next effort!
LINK to my full review
Angel With Two Faces – Nicola Upson – 3***
Book two in the mystery series featuring Josephine Tey and Detective Inspector Archie Penrose. Tey was a real person, and Upson uses elements of her life as well as historical events of the mid 1930s as jumping off points for these mysteries. As mysteries go, this was somewhat slow to get started. The action picks up once the murder happens (on page 200). It is more of a psychological drama than anything else. I’m willing to continue the series, but I hope the action picks up.
LINK to my full review
A Single Thread – Tracy Chevalier – 3***
I have read and greatly enjoyed other works by Chevalier, so was looking forward to it. But I come away a little disappointed. I really wanted to know more about the cathedral, its history, and the work of the broderers. I really liked Violet, and several of the women she came to know and befriend. Her landlady was a peach, and Miss Pesel was a treasure. I thought Chevalier treated Violet’s relationship with Arthur fairly, and realistically. But I could have done without the romance.
LINK to my full review
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Rich People Problems – Kevin Kwan – 3***
Book three (and I hope the final installment) in the story of the uber wealthy Singaporean Young family. There’s plenty of drama, what with divorces, engagements, sex video scandals, stepchildren misbehaving, mega efforts to one-up each other, extravagant parties, and even plastic surgery for a pet fish. Kwan writes these people so over-the-top that it’s hard to relate to any of them. They are shallower that the damp spot on the sidewalk where I splashed a few drops of water. Still, I found it mildly entertaining and it was a fast read.
LINK to my full review
Murder In Grub Street – Bruce Alexander – 3***
Book two in the Sir John Fielding mystery series. This was much more complicated than the first book, and I admit my attention wandered a bit. There is religious fervor, multiple personalities, professional jealousy, anti-semitism, dreadful conditions of tenement buildings, and a light-fingered imp of a thief to complicate the case. Still, I love the way that Alexander has taken bits and pieces of history and woven them into these mysteries.
LINK to my full review
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – J K Rowling – 4****
The seventh, and final, episode in the uber popular Harry Potter series, provides a few surprises and a satisfying ending to the story of the Boy Who Lived vs You Know Who. The series has always been aimed at this confrontation, and some of the scenes were truly frightening. I appreciated the several bits of humor that provided some relief from the seemingly relentless danger. And can I just say that I want one of those evening bags!
LINK to my full review
Death On the River of Doubt – Samantha Seiple – 3***
Subtitle: Theodore Roosevelt's Amazon Adventure. This is a children’s middle-grade book detailing the expedition to chart a previously uncharted tributary of the Amazon. To say that this journey was treacherous is an understatement. It’s a great introduction to Roosevelt for the younger set, and it piqued my interest sufficiently that I’m moving Candice Millard’s book on the same episode farther up on my tbr list.
LINK to my full review
Plantation Shudders – Ellen Byron – 3***
Book one in the Cajun Country cozy mystery series introduces the reader to Maggie Crozat and her family, who run an historic Louisiana plantation as a B&B. This has all the hallmarks of a cozy mystery. A likeable amateur sleuth, romantic tension between the leading lady and the hunky cop, a gaggle of potential suspects, secrets galore, some delicious food and a loveable Basset hound named Gopher. And a few great recipes to whet the appetite.
LINK to my full review
The Turtle Warrior – Mary Relindes Ellis – 5*****
When James enlists at age seventeen and goes to Vietnam, his nine-year-old brother, Billy, has only the protection of a turtle-shell shield and a wooden sword to keep him from harm. It will be a long and fraught journey to manhood for the sensitive Billy. This is a marvelous debut. There are some horrific scenes in this book, and it is an emotionally difficult read. But the reader who can get through the horror will be rewarded with a hopeful ending.
LINK to my full review
Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna – Alda P Dobbs – 4****
Set during the Mexican Revolution of 1913, this novel is based on the author’s family history. Thirteen-year-old Petra is the de facto head of her household once her father is conscripted into the Mexican Army. Force to flee when their village is burned, Petra leads her grandmother, younger sister and baby brother across the desert towards freedom. A marvelous story of courage in the face of adversity.
LINK to my full review
Inheritance: A Visual Poem – Elizabeth Acevedo – 4****
“Some people tell me to ‘fix’ my hair And by fix, they mean straighten”
A wonderful essay told in verse of the Afro-Latinidad experience, when even other Dominicans have “swallowed amnesia” because “it is easier” than living ”in this reality.” In this short work she addresses skin tone, slavery, relationships, immigration, prejudice, power and self-worth.
“all I can reply is you can’t fix what was never broken.”
LINK to my full review
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The House on Mango Street – Sandra Cisneros – 5*****
This is the story of Esperanza Cordero who lives in a poor section of Chicago and struggles to stay in school. At the time it was published there were few coming-of-age stories that portrayed people of color and the challenges of living in an inner city. Cisneros began her writing career as a poet and those roots clearly show in the book. The short chapters are vignettes of Esperanza’s life. She is like any ‘tween’ - eager and curious and sad and confused and sassy and happy and hopeful.
LINK to my full review
The Seasonal Reading Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
The Butterfly Garden (other topics)A Certain Age (other topics)
The Secret, Book & Scone Society (other topics)
Exile's Honor (other topics)
The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Mercedes Lackey (other topics)Richard Paul Evans (other topics)
Mercedes Lackey (other topics)
Douglas Preston (other topics)
Lincoln Child (other topics)
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The old thread is very large & has started to crash, so we have opened this new thread for those of you who wish to share what you are currently reading!