Retro Reads discussion
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Book Pool 2024
#9Book 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,
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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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Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ , She's a mod, yeah, yeah, yeah!
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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.
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Retro Reads
Books mentioned in this topic
Cheerfulness Breaks In (other topics)Breakfast with the Nikolides (other topics)
Who Killed the Curate? (other topics)
The Conqueror's Wife (other topics)
Blue Camellia (other topics)
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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)
D.E. Stevenson (other topics)
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Tender Is the Night 4★
Well written book with mostly unlikeable characters. Recommended.
I've added both this read & Jackie's to our tally.