Retro Reads discussion
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Book Pool 2024
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Book 3: The Hills is Lonely
Finished 6/2. 3 (3 1/2) stars. I liked it, but I'd hoped to like it more. It was mostly entertaining as I read it, but I didn't often find myself wanting to pick it..."
Added for you, Jenn!
#15 my 6th book I finished June 9 D.E. Stevenson's Summerhills. I loved it even more than Amberwell. I haven't written a review yet, but will give it 5 stars.
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I loved it even more than Amberwell. I haven't written a review yet, but will give it 5 stars."
Added for you Jackie
#20 finished The Mystery of the Kneeling Woman on June 1st, my 6th book. Liked it a lot!! Thanks, Joanne
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Added for you, Joanne - just about finished my 6th book too! :)
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Blue Camellia finished 12/6. 5★
In spite of FPK wanting to use every bit of her research I loved this one. Probably my favourite of FPK's books.
#14 I abandoned Voltaire in Love. I admire Nancy Mitford's research, but it was too tiring to read. Perhaps I will try it again someday.
By the way, I read 7, not 6 (as I see it here). The last message about it here.
I have a question about the rules. Can I change my mind and not read one of the books I said I would (I mean one of the five I added to our list)?
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You don't have to read any of the five you chose.
Mela wrote: "I have a question about the rules. Can I change my mind and not read one of the books I said I would (I mean one of the five I added to our list)?"I was confused about that, also, I think for 2 years! the choosing is just a way to make the pool. you get credit for reading any books in the pool but don't have to read any as CindySR says.
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I abandoned Voltaire in Love. I admire Nancy Mitford's research, but it was too tiring to read. Perhaps I will try it again someday.
By the way, I read 7, not 6 (as I see it h..."
Corrected Mela sorry about that.
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Thank you, Cindy and Jackie, for your explanation. And yes, Carol, now number 4 is more clear to me. Thank you.
#14Book #8 - Sugar Candy Cottage, finished Jun 20.
A lovely comfort-reading with a bit of seriousness, tension, and mystery.
I am grateful for this group that I learned about Elizabeth Cadell.
that one looks good - I wish my library had it!
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I don't know how you feel about reading on your PC or tablet, but it's on the Internet Archive. Lots of Cadell's books are there, free to read. I can find many book pool books there.
https://archive.org/details/sugarcand...
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I don't know how you feel about reading on your PC or tablet, but it's on the Internet Archive. Lots of Cadell's books are there, fr..."
Good to know. I know there is one non Cadell book I badly want to read so I'll check it out.
@Mela - added for you.
thank you, CindySR, it's my least favorite way to read a book but it's better than not reading it, I guess!
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Book #4
Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont 4 stars
I enjoyed this book."
Added for you, Amanda!
I clicked over to Mrs. Palfrey to remind myself what my review said and I never even marked it read! So I went back and fixed that.
#14Book #9 - The Blue Sky of Spring, finished Jun 24.
I loved it a bit less than the previous part of the series but still loved it.
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#14I abandoned another one: Chloe Marr by A.A. Milne. It seemed charming but... I am not going to repeat my review, so if you are interested here is the link to it.
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I abandoned another one: Chloe Marr by A.A. Milne. It seemed charming but... I am not going to repeat my review, so if you are interested here is the link to it."
Noted the dnf for you Mela!
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Book #5
Uncle Dynamite 5 stars
I enjoyed this hilarious book."
Added for you Amanda!
#14Book #10 - The Game of Kings, finished July 16.
I needed quite a lot of time to get caught by the flow and style, but when I did - it was a charming and fascinating reading. Link to my review.
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Book #10 - The Game of Kings, finished July 16.
I needed quite a lot of time to get caught by the flow and style, but when I did - it was a charming and fascinating reading. Lin..."
Added for you Mela.
This is one of the two I didn't nominate that I really wanted to read. No luck so far getting hold of it. (I like cheap or free)
Carol She's So Novel ꧁꧂ wrote: "...No luck so far getting hold of it. (I like cheap or free)"Sure, otherwise, we will not have anything to eat ;-)
#7 with book 5. Jane's Country Year by Malcolm Saville, I loved this one, 4*s. I actually finished it on 21/6, but I forgot to post it here.
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Added for you Tania. :)
#8 with book #5 The Mystery of the Kneeling Woman by Moray Dalton, finished yesterday 18th July. I enjoyed this very much and rated it 4 stars.
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#9Book 4: Show Boat
Finished 7/20. 4 stars. I quite liked it. I think that if you've coming at it as a big fan of the musical or film adaptations of said musical, you might be a little disappointed. But I've never seen them : )
It's also one that modern readers may need a warning about, in terms of race relations, and charged language related to it. And maybe class as well. It's realistic to the time/setting being portrayed, but not always easy read.
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Book 4: Show Boat
Finished 7/20. 4 stars. I quite liked it. I think that if you've coming at it as a big fan of the musical or film adaptations of said musical, you might be a little disappoin..."
Added for you Jenn. I think I read (or tried to read) this one many years ago.
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Fraulein Schmidt and Mr Anstruther
3 weak stars - it was heading for 2.5★, but I liked the ending.
Rose-Marie was a heroine with great personal charm, but epistolary novels is probably my least favourite format for a book
Finished 23/7
#3 with book #5 Finished 25 July.
Sally-AnnAn enjoyable bit of fluff--I gave it 3.5 stars. It's sort of a Cinderella story--There's definitely a Prince Charming and a Fairy Godmother, but no nasty Stepmother or stepsisters. Just a nasty Other Woman...
And, of course, there's a well earned HEA.
My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Sally-Ann looks good! I'd never heard of it and am stoked my library has it, thanks Barb!
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Sally-AnnAn enjoyable bit of fluff--I gave it 3.5 stars. It's sort of a Cinderella story--There's definitely a Prin..."
Oh good! I still have some money on an Amazon gift card & I was thinking about spending it on that. Also maybe the Dorothy Dunnett.
I'll add it to your total Barb.
Yay, it’s available on Everand as an ebook!
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The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol 3.5★
Is this a collection of short stories or loosely connected chapters? Enjoyable, the better chapters are the ones near the end.
#12 here . . . I FINALLY got back to Retro Reading, and completed my second book on August 16, 2024. The Hills is Lonely by Lillian Beckwith. This is the first of a trilogy and I liked it well enough to want to read the next two volumes. This was a humorous novel that kept me smiling throughout!
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Added for you, Elinor! :)
That sounds good, Elinor, so I am glad my library has it and the second book. (looks like not the third one, sadly). So I have ordered it from a nearby library. thank you!
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Sally-Ann Not deep but a sweet & charming Cinderella romance that I enjoyed. 3.5★
#15 here with my 7th book Sally-Ann which was an enjoyable read. I finished it 8/16 and totally forgot it was in the pool until I saw Carol's post. I want to thank whoever picked it. My library has eleven more by Susan Scarlett which gives me that good "money in the bank" feeling.
Jackie wrote: "#15 here with my 7th book Sally-Ann which was an enjoyable read. I finished it 8/16 and totally forgot it was in the pool until I saw Carol's post. I want to thank whoever picked ..."
Jackie--I picked it for the pool because I flipped a coin to choose which of the many Susan Scarlett titles to start with! And it was a good choice. I have several others on my kindle; I'm saving them for next year.
Barb in Maryland wrote: "Jackie wrote: "#15 here with my 7th book Sally-Ann which was an enjoyable read. I finished it 8/16 and totally forgot it was in the pool until I saw Carol's post. I want to thank ..."
Thanks for reminding me to start keeping track of books I want to read next year in the pool - I picked winners last year, but was very disappointed in my choices this year…well, three were good.
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Retro Reads
Books mentioned in this topic
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Elizabeth Fair (other topics)Elizabeth Goudge (other topics)
Elizabeth Goudge (other topics)
D.E. Stevenson (other topics)
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Book 3: The Hills is Lonely
Finished 6/2. 3 (3 1/2) stars. I liked it, but I'd hoped to like it more. It was mostly entertaining as I read it, but I didn't often find myself wanting to pick it up.
That said, I do wish the entire series was more easily available, as I'd not hesitate to read further adventures. The setting was definitely my favorite part,